November 8, 2022 • 42 mins
Rashad hosts this episode of the Bag solo because Lindsay is on her honeymoon! Guest Akbar Gbaja-Biamila, NFL veteran turned host of hit shows Ninja Warrior and The Talk, joins the show for an engaging and wide ranging discussion. Topics include Akbar's thoughts on how his Nigerian roots shaped his view on hard work and business, and how he had to start from scratch (and even worked for free) when building his career as a host & on camera personality. Akbar also weighs in on larger cultural issues in a discussion of the dangers of becoming overly focused on labels, the value of education, and gives his insights on the imminent sale of the Washington Commanders.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Never I got another one? Who bag? Get my legacy? Yo? Yo?
What's up? Everybody's Rashot Jen's here, co host of The Bag,
(00:21):
brought to you by her Radio and Sports Illustrated. I'm
here defended by myself today because my amazing co host,
Lendia McCormick is frolicking Paris on her honeymoon. But needless
to say, we will deliver you a great episode as
I had an opportunity to sit down with my good
friend A bar be a Jamilla. We got a chance
(00:43):
to tap into cancer culture, the Washington Commander's issue with
Dan Snyder, and also what it takes to be successful
outside of football post career. You're not gonna want to
miss this. I appreciate you far coming through. Ma. Now
I want to I want to take a stab at
this before we even get started. I want to try
to pronounce your name. I didn't ask you how to
say it yet, let's you know what I mean. So
(01:06):
I want to give it, give it a shot. I
bar Miller bo bo, that's it, just like, yeah, that's it,
that was it? Yeah? If you yeah yeah, if you
look at it, it'll mess you up. If you just
committed to memory it's easy. But looking at it is
there's a lot of letters that shouldn't be next to
each other. But it's just it's yodoba. So that's that's
(01:28):
the way it is. That's cool. Man. Well, I appreciate
you coming on. Hold on, hold on, man, take a
shot at the whole name though. You gotta there's there's
there's a whole lot to you gotta. I think you can, uh,
I think you can google it or wi you Yeah,
let me see. Yeah, let's see. I want to see.
I mean, you got lucky on the last name, but
let's see if you can get the whole thing. I'm
I know, I'm a butcher or something. Let's see. You
(01:50):
might not you might actually be Nigeria. You gotta check
your twenty three and me. You know what I did.
I did the twenty three and me and I found
out um irish and uh fifty, I think it was Nigeria.
Oh yes, yeah, that's why I came out so easy. Yeah.
(02:11):
But uh oh no, no, no, I have no shot
like the moment. This is an essay. How do you
say it? You know, go ahead, you got a bar
and okay, I would say, oh oh awakema I don't
(02:39):
even know how to say that. One man, I'll awakem
up I do I used your middle name? There? Actually
is it is that considered middle name? Explained? Explain the
ethnicity and origin of the name. Yeah, so it's uh,
it's Nigeria. I actually should get my phone out right
(03:02):
now to record this. Yeah, you know what it is.
I actually have I have fun with it because I
don't take it personally, you know what I mean, Like
this to me is just all good and all good fun.
Um So No, it's Akbar Olowa kemmy it um and
so in the Nigerian culture, you're named according to how
(03:25):
you're born. And so my grandmother gave me or my
grandfather gave me my name. It's like when my when
I had my kids, my father would name my kids.
So that's kind of the honor that you give your
your parents, is being able to name your kids. So
um So Akbar means great. It's Arabic for great oldwa.
Kemmy is like the Lord pampers me, the Lord takes
(03:47):
care of me Edo who is born after twins and
then Baja bia Milla's big man come save me um.
And so my great great grandfather was like a seven
footer in in our area, in our town, UM in Nigeria,
UM in the village, and whenever people would have issues,
they would ask him to come mediate. So our last name,
(04:10):
uh actually is a nickname. So big Man comes, saved me,
come help us out. That's how we got the last name. Wow,
that's crazy. Yeah, that's that's an honor though. Uh So
when you tell your name, people know, they know you.
They go, oh, you have twins before you. So my
brother could be or my sister cabrat they are twins.
(04:31):
So it just automatically tells your story. They know it immediately.
That's awesome, man, that's awesome. So and you were born
and raising Crinshaw h right and major path, major way,
major journey. Take us through that journey. I know you
was undrafted and I think it was two thousand and
three to the Raiders. How do you find as a journeyman?
(04:56):
Walk us on that path? How you got from point
A to point B? Well, you know, it's crazy. This
journey for football for me really started back when I
was shy, I believe it or not. I was a
twelfth grader UM and my brother who played in the
NFL prior to me. Uh, he got he was the
part of the two thousand draft and he was always
a stud from Pop Warner to high school to college
(05:19):
and in the league and um, people thought I should
play football, like im no, I'm a hooper man, like
that's that's my thing, that's my swag. I'm a hooper
And anyways, they kept pressuring me to play. I finally
said I would. I cried my very first day of
practice because it was just brutal. I was like, this
is Barbara. I quit. I ain't doing this, man, I'm
(05:41):
going to the NBA. I don't need to subject myself
to this. And I quit. And I went home and
my father was like, you did want you quit? You
started to finish it and I was like, oh no,
And I tried to come up with all these excuses.
He's like, all right, well if you quit, uh, and
it's very thick Nigerian accent, then you you have to
(06:02):
quit basketball too. And I was like, oh, that was
not negotiable. So I end up playing. But it was
a blessing in disguise because I end up being way
better football than I was in basketball. Um. And then
so I was a late starter in football, made it
to college, got a scholarship to San Diego State. From
San Diego State, you know, still in that growing process,
(06:23):
was undrafted to to the to the Oakland Raiders, and
that part was you know, you know, as you can imagine,
starting late, you have a a chippling and shoulder and
probably a lot of insecurity because there's a lot of
guys who have been playing the game longer. But you
try to manage all of that and and just kind
of fast forward and through my career, you know, I
went from d n to outside linebacker, and I got
exposed in the league because I think, you know this
(06:47):
shot like the defensive lineman's always they're not always the
smartest bunch when it comes to football, not outside of football,
but in football, because you know, we've gotta stop the
run gets past, you know that kind of thing. Uh.
And so once I got into the three four defense,
I realized, Man, there's a lot of football I didn't know.
So then that started to I felt cut my career
(07:08):
very short because then I went from one three four
defense to the Chargers, from the Chargers to the Dolphin
and then back to the Raiders, and now was out
of the league. And then I needed to go back
and figure out what I was gonna do. And that's
how I got into uh, into show biz, into media.
I wanted to do broadcasting. I got my degree at
San Diego Stadium that and then I just kind of
(07:28):
went and took this unconventional path. And I think you
would know this as well, and that when you leave
the league, people forget quickly. Man. You lose that platform,
the the ability to be able to get into doors.
They they shut very quickly. And so I had to
come up with an unconventional way, which was working for free.
I my very first gig. I walked up to a
(07:51):
h NBC in San Diego and said, Hey, I do
the post game show for you for free. And they
looked at me and was like wait what I say, Yeah,
I'll do the charges and sex game post game for free.
Boom right there, And that was the start of mind.
That was the start of my career. Wow. So so
I want to kind of tap into that a little bit, um,
you know, especially post career and saying that you was
(08:13):
working for free and this is that's a concept that
I've tried to um instill in my nephews a lot
and understand and and a lot a lot of kids
too that I talked to about working for free. Um,
you know, everybody wants to get they want to get
paid compensated for their work and their efforts. But tell
tell me about the investment that comes along with working
(08:34):
for free and what you did you walked in where
that came about, because you know part of the bag, right,
we talked about sports and business, and the bag has
a double meaning, you know, getting to the bag, the money,
but also when somebody's in their bag, there in the element,
there in their zone and their creativity. So I kind
of want to allow you to explain where your bag
(08:55):
was at that time. Well, first off, I think I
didn't know it at the time, but you know I
was going through this, uh like many depression, you know,
I was just you know our call it like a
seasonal depression because my career was over, um six six
to everywhere I go, people are asking me how come
I'm not playing? You play in the league, And it
was very humbling, like, no, I don't play anymore. I
(09:18):
might have a chance. Your brain is still going back,
like I feel like I can still do it, and
you don't know how to identify yourself. So you go,
it's an identity crisis. You're trying to figure out what
and who you are. And I just remember staying in
my condo in San Diego and I was like, this
is enough. I can't do I can't do this anymore.
So I had to make a hard pivot. But then
(09:38):
I realized I didn't have any other experience outside of sports.
I didn't. I mean, I played sports since I was
a kid. Like, that's the thing that I invested the
most amount of time. And so I said, that's equity.
What do you do with that equity? If you have
equity in your home and you're ready to cash out, right,
you sell the home and you take that money and
you put it into something else, another home, by a
(09:58):
bigger home maybe, or or maybe pay for whatever. So
I had all this sports knowledge and experience and I
go and I had a college degree in in new
media studies and communication, and so I said, you know what,
I know there's gonna be a lot of guys because
we have egos when we come out the league and
you go, I want to be paid. Well, I always
say I had worked for free, because I did. I
(10:20):
didn't get compensated, but I was also gaining something. I
was gaining a lot of experience. So where as I
wasn't gaining a lot of money in that situation, I
was gaining experience that no one else was going to
give me. Like, let's be true, Like I want to
go for a meeting to meet with Fred Brown at
Al Jaffe at ESPN. And this is right after I
(10:40):
got cut, and I thought, you know, I played the league,
you know what I mean. But you know, again, I
wasn't a big deal. And they were kind to take
the meeting, but they said, akbar, let's keep it real.
What are your credentials? What have you done in the league?
Why is anybody gonna listen? And I'm going, oh my gosh.
They were nice. They didn't they didn't say it in
an assaulty way. They were every very you know, like
(11:01):
up front and like it was like awkward. There's so
many other guys like you. They have better resumes and
I'm like, oh shoot, And I thought, okay, I'm gonna
kill him with time talent. And so that's when I
devised the plan that I was gonna go to the
San Diego I was gonna broke I woke up that
morning and I said, this is when I brushed my teel.
I went through the whole process. That's how I'm gonna
get there before everybody gets started up in their day.
(11:23):
And that's what I did. Boom knocked on the door,
walked in and say, hey guys, my name is Oh,
we know who you are, so yeah, I'd love for
work for you guys for free. And then that's how
that journey started in from there. Two years. UM, I
sucked my first year and I only know that because
it show business. They don't tell you stuff. But the
next year they go, wow, you're so much better than
(11:44):
you were your first year. How come you didn't tell
me that my first year? After every show was great show,
great show, great show. Um. And then I took that
and went into sports calling, um, color commentating for CBS
College Sports and then NBC Sports, and then I started
to grow that muscle. But then I realized how much
(12:06):
time you know calling look and shout out to Tony
Romo and all the great ones who've ever gone out there,
and as a color commentary, it takes so much of
your time to prep for all the different scenarios and
the different rosters, especially in college football. Um, and I
was just like, this isn't for me. I want to
go in the studio. And so I slowly started to
make that transition, got my first audition brow at the
(12:28):
NFL Network. That's how, that's how, actually you and I
became buddies. Is my my my job at the NFL
Network doing fantasy football. And here was the thing. No
one wanted to do fantasy football, especially as a former athlete,
because it was kind of like that's not real, and
so people kind of frown on it, like they wanted
to be on Total Access or they want to be
(12:49):
on Sports Center. And I saw the long play, I go,
I don't have to have any ego in this. I
just want to get the reps. So I was like, yeah,
I'll go audition for And there are a bunch of
guys named guys who auditioning in front of me, and
I think a lot of them felt like they were
bigger than fantasy feel like I'm bigger than fantasy football,
whereas I I just went in and played in that space.
(13:11):
And playing in that space allowed me to stay there
for eight years and grow my skills. But by my
second year, I got in the opportunity to audition for
American Injin Warrior. I hit that. I've been doing that
for ten years and the rest is history. And now
you know, doing talk show Now, I'm in the talk
show space, uh, every day, um with And this was
(13:32):
a lifelong dream to you know, growing up watching Oprah Winfrey.
But to now be a host on the Talk with
Cheryl Cheryl Underwood with Jerry O'Connor, Natalie Morales and Amanda Cludes,
It's it's been a dream and it's been a dream
come true. That's awesome, man. And you're talking about a
transition and the pivot and from from football. Um, and
(13:53):
it sounds like you've always been that underdog everywhere. Uh,
you know, even even starting the starting your football career.
You started off late. Um, I don't know that you
was better at football than basketball, which which every bad
every football player I think they can play basketball. I've
noticed that. Yeah, I know. And you know what, it's
(14:15):
always so fun. I was just talking to Tarrell Owens
a couple of days ago that we were just jabbing
at each other and he's like, I can play basketball,
but like they're football players that that can play because
they started off in basketball. But then they're football players
who are just athletes and think they can play and
they droople hard like this, and they like muscle. You
just you don't even look fluid. Actually looking athletic looks bad.
(14:42):
I always get a crack out of like football players
who think they can play basketball because they're athletic, and
it just doesn't translate. It looks hilarious to me. It
definitely doesn't translate all the time. Man. That the same
thing to the golf course. I'm one that it doesn't
translate to the golf course. I look, I look like
an athlete playing basketball, action a whole bunch of stuff.
But boy, you put me on that green playing the NFL. Yeah,
(15:05):
it doesn't look right. I can ride a gold card though,
look good at doing that. You and I got to
hook up with Bryce Butler. Man, Bryce Butler is doing
his uh he's doing his golf thing. Man, he looks
so clean, so smooth. Like. Now, I gotta give me
some of that Bryce Butler transition from football and the golf. Man,
I gotta because I look I look horrible too. We
(15:26):
could do that. That's that's that's my young guy. Yeah, yeah, man,
he was one of the under studies there. Uh, formulator too,
you know what what you to kind of like your
your flow though your flow of we're we're from point
at the point be here. UM is unique is under
the radar. It's hard work. UM. It's paying attention to
(15:47):
the details, maximizing opportunities. UM. You know, and a lot
of humility comes along with that. And I feel like
I can um for me, relate to you in some
ways and share perform from you know. Part of that
grind comes from the attitude of nobody owes me anything.
(16:08):
You know, if you really look at the essence of
I look at my path, I look at your path.
You know, I'm close to being undrafted seventh round, two
D and fifty pick out of two fifty six. Um,
you know, not not a not a first not a
first rounder, not a red carpet guy. Just a grinder,
(16:29):
That's all I know. And I had the attitude the
whole entire time when I played in the NFL, and
even my entrepreneurship. Nobody owes me anything. It's the attitude
that comes from and it comes from my family and
where I'm raised how you know, raised in Virginia, and
you know, UM, I wanted to know how much of
an attitude, you know, what kind of attitude you march
(16:50):
with in order to make you successful in in sports
and business. Wow, that's a that's a really good question.
That's a really deep question. You know. One thing that
was profound that stood out to me, um, because there's
I think there's this thing that happens right where all
of us are like we all want to matter to
someone Like that's that's the makeup of most human beings,
(17:12):
if not all, We all want to matter. And when
you get into a position, and especially an elite position,
like there's no other lead past the NFL, right, Like
that's the top, right, and I think so many people
miss that, like that's it, Like there's no other level
beyond that. And so when you are able to make
it too that there's a lot of this need, this uh,
(17:36):
this insatiable need to be to feel wanted and needed
and celebrated. And so you have that, right you have
you get this thing where people are celebrating you, and
it can go to your head. It can you start
feeling yourself right, Um, you think you're better than um.
One of my teammates, justin Fargus, my boy man Love.
(17:57):
His kid went to USC drafted at in the second
round to the Raiders. We came in rookie cause and
he says something to me his and I think because
he had been around it for a long time. His
dad is Huggy Bear, act, famous actor, and so he's
kind of seen all of this. He says, You're not
that big of a deal and you're gonna die. I'm like,
Jay Man, why do you say that? Like so yeah,
(18:21):
and I'll never forget. We were on our first flight
going to our first game, and I'm like, that came
out of nowhere. But what he was saying to me
when he broke it down was so many of us
live our lives like, you know, especially if you're in
the spotlight, like I'm a big deal and everybody should
be paying attended and everybody should cater to me. I
think athletes and celebrities have to send on a lot.
(18:44):
And when he said that, it just made me feel
like I was closer to everyone else, you know what
I mean, Like I didn't. I needed to get rid
of that whatever that was as you're marching away, because
you know, you have people my coach us to say,
don't read your ink, because when you read your ink, man,
it just it builds the finger. And so I think
what's motivated me is that I was just gonna outwork everybody.
(19:05):
I was going to If I wasn't the most talented,
I was gonna outwork it. I tried to tell that
to my kids. My parents taught me that my father
came to this country in nineteen seventy four, my mom
came to this country in nineteen sixty nine. Um, they
were both entrepreneurs and all they knew they didn't speak
the English, wasn't the best. Um, they came into this
foreign land and made away setting kids and you know,
(19:28):
and just literally never made excuses my my parents technically
qualified for uh welfare. I wasn't gonna take it, you
know what I mean. Like I remember my dad said,
I will never take it. Like it was like, what
is this, Well, I don't need the government's help? Well,
what I ask the government for help? It was just
like my dad, you take this personally, but I'll never
(19:50):
forget that. And so it's that mentality that I was
that he was always going to bet on himself the
fact that my dad didn't want, you know, any government
assistant that he is gonna bet on himself, and he
did well. He did want to be able to take
care of us. You know, some people might look at
our condition differently. I look at my condition now growing
up and saying, hey, my dad worked his butt off
and I've carried that same thing. So yes, I didn't
(20:13):
have a big name in football. So what that that
That wasn't my existence. That's what I did, That's not
who I was. So um yea, I said, hopefully I
answered the question. Oh yeah, absolutely, man, it's a big thing.
I And whenever I get a chance to, you know,
talk to successful uh men and women on the show,
I always try to ask one or two questions around
(20:34):
and around, like the attitude, the essence of like the
muse of life right, And because a lot of a
lot of a lot of life tries to put the
A in there, which A in front the word stands
without to be amused, it's without thought, right, And so
I want to make sure there is some type of
music on the show. You know, there's some there's something.
(20:55):
There's something else too that drives me, if you know,
in being honest, I don't know what this is. Um,
maybe you have it too. Maybe a lot of people
have it. I don't know, but sometimes you when you
have something in your head, you feel like it's just
unique to you. But I've always been in love with greatness.
I've always chased that my whole life. My whole life,
(21:16):
I've always chased it. As a kid, I remember watching
Magic Johnson and Mohammad Ali these are the people. Was
fixated on it, Michael Jordan's and Kareem Abdul Jabbar and
Michael Jackson. And as I got a little older, there
was Oprah Winfrey that I mean, I grew up. What
I mean, I've probably one of the only dudes you
know that's probably watched every episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show,
(21:37):
like I tasted it. I don't know if you remember,
but that was that was something that I've always been
attracted to. I've always been attracted to greatness and and
just knowing like gosh, like how do you become the greatest? Right? Like,
That's something that I've always um, I've always been attracted to,
(21:58):
and I've always worked towards. But the craziness is is
that I've never seen that in myself. So it's what
keeps me, It's what keeps me going. I don't know
that even if I it did become the greatest and something, um,
if I wouldn't even know. Yeah, I don't even know it.
Yeah right, because it's still because the chase is what's
(22:19):
more intriguing than the accomplishment in that regard, right in
your accomplishments or just checkpoints to let you know your
head and in the right direction, but you will never
seemed to succeed your goal because it is just chasing,
and it's chasing. That was that was a dime right there.
You just dropped a checkpoint letting you know you're going
(22:39):
in the right direction. I like that. Yeah, man, that's
all it is. So I wanted to transition a little
bit um into some some of your thoughts on business.
We see that Dan Snyder is it seems like he's
being forced to sell his NFL team to Washington Commanders
(22:59):
in d C. And every year there's always big story,
headline box office type of you know, headline stories of
what's going on in the NFL. We understand how much
football sports influence um culture. So I wanted to get
some of your thoughts from being in the NFL and
(23:20):
now an entrepreneur yourself. UM, what are your what are
some of your general thoughts on all the business accusations
that are going on, uh and how things are moving
right now in the NFL, specifically with and Washington Commanders.
You know, I have to I have to be honest.
I don't know all of the details when it comes
(23:41):
to m Dan Snyder. I just know that there's been
like a hostile work environment for a lot of the people. UM.
I haven't been able to do my due diligence and
go in and seeing why he's actually, UM, someone I
know for a long time, he's been kind of one
of these you know, owners or figureheads that people have
always had a problem with, whether it was being able
(24:03):
to change the name for the you know, from the
Redskins to the Commanders. I mean, I remember there was
a time where he says I would never, you know,
UM change the name, and especially when there was a
lot of information out there talking about how insensitive the
name was. And just think about how long it took
for the name to change. UM. I don't know if
(24:24):
that's indicative of the work environment that went on behind
closed door. I know there's a bunch of documents and um,
that they were able to find emails and so on
and so forth, going back and forth, that they were
able to find and invest it. But we haven't seen
the findings of those things. And it's actually I'm actually
would be I'd be interested in knowing what the findings
(24:45):
were in those so people kind of get an understanding, um,
exactly who had ownership of uh, the Washington Commanders. So
I don't I don't have an opinion yet. I mean,
I'm just believing that if all the other own are
in agreeants that he should be out, then there's there's
something there and I wonder if it's being protected, but
(25:07):
it should be it should be put out there. I
think it should be public. Yeah, absolutely, man, I totally agree.
And that also highlights to the other side of the coin, right,
the disciplinary actions that come along with it. And I
kind of want to get your thoughts onness. So, uh,
we see in the NFL a lot of times public
opinion will skew the disciplinary action. UM, I'm wondering, do
(25:33):
do we see some of that in other sports? And
do we see that in corporate America? Right? So, like
I take example, Draymond Green um punching his teammate Pool
Jordan Pool, Right, that was an in house deal that
was publicized, and had had had nobody ever seen it,
(25:53):
probably it never would have been talked about. It wouldn't
have been a suspension or anything would have been handled
in the house. You you you know just as well
as I do. We fight all the time in the
locker room. So and uh, the Warriors did not suspend
Raymond Green even though the public opinion was asking for
some type of discipline. So sometimes you don't. Sometimes public
(26:18):
opinion doesn't sway, right, sometimes it does. My thing is,
do you think we'll ever see a point where in sports, specifically,
where policy disciplinary policy will be a a specific um,
regardless of who it is, regardless of when it is.
(26:39):
When is it gonna come a point where just like
a referee he sees you traveling, blows a whistle, turnover right,
now sees you jump off sides, blow the whistle you're
off side, live with it, right, and then obviously we
can take it back to the booth if if it
was a mistake, you'll pick up the flag. But will
we ever see that in sports and business? I don't
(27:00):
think so. Shot Um. I think there's a lot there. Um.
I think one, you've got to have context into whatever
this is. I mean, it varies what these these matters are.
But I think the biggest reason why is because there's
too much corporate affiliation when it comes to sports, so um,
with all the sponsorship dollars and all the relationships, Um,
(27:20):
the public pretty much dictates what the punishment is gonna be.
And the louder the cry, the bigger the punishment typically,
And UM, I think that's just where we are. So yeah,
I like what you're saying, like being able to have
Hay define given the league the ability to say, hey, here,
here's the defined suspension. But I think what we've seen
is if X offense requires a seven game suspension or
(27:46):
five game suspension, then you hear this outcry like I
can't believe it's only a fin It should be ten.
You know. So they're constantly changing, so they're afraid to
even define it because what they're really saying is is
that we we will measure this based on the public outcry.
And I have a problem with that because, um, I
(28:06):
think we're in this really crazy time right now where
public opinion is is driving everything right, Like, I don't
see enough corporations standing up to the public pression. Again,
this is you know, corporations being afraid because they don't
want to lose revenues, bottom line revenue. They don't want
to see their bottom line drop, and they want to
(28:27):
try to make everyone happy. And I think you and
I both know trying to make everyone happy is impossible,
you know what I mean, It's been possible. They're they're
constantly gonna be crying about something and this shouldn't be that.
And I think, especially when you look into like athletes
and entertainers and so on and so forth, a lot
of this public outcry comes from envy. That's my personal opinion.
(28:49):
A lot of the public outcry when it comes to
some of these things that are happening off the field
um to come from envy. People see, hey, you have
a big platform, you have to make a lot of money.
So you know, I mean, I was hearing people for
you know, depending on what the situation like, they should
give them, find them more money. It should be more money.
I was like, wait, what do we you know what
I mean, like, like, I am different and this is
(29:11):
where I might get myself into trouble, but I'm not.
I'm not a big fan of just going out and
just suspending people and taking money and and just canceling people.
Why because it doesn't change anything. It doesn't change anything. Yes,
it might sting that person a little bit, but it
doesn't change anything. I'm about educating people. It's the same
(29:34):
thing like when you talk about reforming, right, like reforming minds.
Like it's a process. It's not just here's here's money
taken away from you, here's games taken away from you.
Boom there. It is like being able to really take
the time to actually educate people about whatever it is,
the offense where you know, whatever it might be. Like
(29:54):
you know, I think about you know, like when it
comes to domestic violence, right, you know, it's not just
and hey, we're gonna suspend this guy because of domestic violence.
Like if that guy has an issue, educate him, get
him help, get him counseling, whatever it might be. Make
sure they go through that process rather than just to me.
That's that's a deeper that's a deeper level of change
(30:15):
than it is to say I'm going to define you.
And I get it that, you know, the ad the
privilege and so on and support suspension is fine. But
when people just like, it's gotta be more money, it's
gotta be this, It's gotta It's like, education to me
is going to be the key, absolutely man. And you know, um,
education is always gonna be a party, a key. And
(30:36):
then the last part of the education is to apply,
right knowledge, The idea of knowledge is power. I've never
agreed with UM. I think knowledge is information and power
comes from applying knowledge. Is is where power comes from. UM.
But you gotta receive it. You gotta receive it first.
You know, I will say this, you do information, And
(30:59):
I think about this, like, I was so irritated in
the height of the pandemic and everybody, you know, there
was a lot of conspiracies out there about what this
vaccination was all about. And you saw the public. Yeah,
the still is right and there are a lot of
people who were just going like, oh my gosh, you're
not back then you should lose your job and you should.
I can't believe you. Uh, people going like yo, I'm like,
(31:21):
you know, there's another way to do this rather than
calling for people's jobs, rather than you know, you know,
guilty people and making them feel like like, take the
time to educate, Hey, you have concerns about this, let's
break this down even further for you, you know, but
what ends up happening. Here's the danger of being so
quick to punish and so quick to to find and
(31:42):
so quick to condemn, right, that people start to hide, right.
And I kind of liken it to this way, if
this analogy even makes sense. It's like asking a question
in class, and you know, people like you, a lot
of kids fear like I'm gonna ask the dumb question, right,
So what do they do instead? If they've been called
dumb or people have made us stupid, what do they do?
(32:04):
They hide? They sit in the back of the class
and they never ask another question out of fear that
they're going to be condemned, right or punished, So they
sit back. They finished a class, and you realize they've
learned nothing. They've gone either they've resulted to cheating. But
what they've hugh, what they've hidden is their their ignorance.
(32:25):
They've hid what they don't know or what they were
trying to learn. And I think this is where we're
going in our culture. Rather taking the time to educate people,
we're deciding to shame people. I say it's conversation over confrontation,
like being able to have the people like sit there
and say hey, patient enough, generous enough, and say hey, look,
it's probably gonna take you a little more extra time.
(32:47):
I was that guy in class. I was like, God,
I need a little extra time because maybe I wasn't
processing it as fast as some of the other kids.
And I also believe some of the other kids weren't
processing it that fast as well. But they faked the
phone just to be able to you know what I mean,
So you couldn't tell that they had that. But I didn't.
I didn't have that pride, Like if I didn't know
something I want to I'm like, okay, I don't know,
Like shoot me, I don't know it. I'm sorry, like
(33:09):
teach me. But when you should know that, Like that's
the other thing. Everybody feels like everybody should know everything,
and that's so far in today's society because there's so
much information out there. It's just like it's so like
where do you even start, Like where do you even start?
And like, well, you should know, you should know. It
used to be where they said my my pe teacher
told me this in high school. I never forgot it.
(33:30):
He's a lock bar. There should be no excuse for ignorance. Today,
I feel a little different. Back then, that was profound
to me. I was like, man, that's true. Today, I
gotta make an excuse. Shot, I gotta make an excuse
because I'm like, you don't know good from bad anymore.
Like there's so much out there, Like how do I
even like? Like it's just too much information. Too much
(33:54):
information could be very, very bad and dangerous, and I
think that's where we are right now. Yeah, I think
it's Uh, it's a it's an issue when m when
you learn something for the first time, it's almost an
embarrassment to say you did, Like it's like you should
have known that, Um, you know, and uh like but yeah,
(34:19):
you should have you should have been you should have
known that, you know. It just goes back to education
is sometimes we're embarrassed to even share the things that
we learned because for the sake of showing our human side,
because we spend most of our life trying to hold
up this imagery that we have it all together because
(34:39):
we think that's how we are in respect and also
bringing income is having no flaws, and so to show
them it's embarrassing, right, And so if if you do
have that kind of care free, childlike attitude, I think
you can learn more and connect with people more. Man,
you know that's that you said something that triggered me, because, um,
(35:01):
there is this pressure and I feel this pressure as
a as a public person, um that you have to
be perfect. And I'm like, I don't want to be
Like I want to be perfect, but I don't want
to be perfect, if that makes sense, Like, because I
don't want people looking at me as if you know, um,
you know I'm perfect, right, Like I have a lot
(35:21):
to learn. One of my favorite interviews was when Michael Jackson.
When Oprah Winfrey interviewed Michael Jackson at Neverland Belly Ranch
and this great interview. You've never seen it, you should
go back and watch it. But towards the end of
the interview, she goes, Michael, you're forty something years or
I think it's forty five at the time. Maybe maybe
not so however old he was at the time, She goes,
(35:44):
what do you know for sure? And he goes, oh, boy,
well I don't know anything for sure. I'm still learning.
And I was like, wow, I never forgot that I
don't know how old I was, but I was a
kid at the time when that of you came out,
and I never forgot that. I'm still learning. I don't
know anything for sure. I'm still learning, And I just
(36:08):
think where we are in this world today, we need
more grace that people are still learning and that we're
constantly always learning to be show a little bit more
grace to each other. I don't think we have that anymore.
I think we're so quick to label. Labelization is the
one of the greatest threats to our democracy, to our country,
(36:29):
to our people, to humanity. Remember I told you that labelization.
I don't know if the labialization is a word, but
we're gonna add it. Labialization is like, if you don't
see things the way I think, you're this, if you
believe this, and I believe that you're that, and we
got to give you a label because once we give
you this label, it follows you no matter where you go.
(36:51):
And people are outraged, and oh now now everyone is
pretending so they don't get labeled, rather than being authentic
and true to themselves. So we can help, So we
can get together and help each other. Right. So it's
like when people say they want to educate you or
they want to learn. It's like, just see it my way.
(37:13):
People aren't willing to have the discussion anymore. Like that's
what education is about. It's a healthy way. He was like, Oh,
I thought it was this, no, no, this, But what
about if you did this and you know, there's that
healthy discussion that needs to happen in the process of education.
That's what college lecture halls were right. That was the
whole sex appeal about college that you would now be
able to kind of go back and forth with your
(37:35):
professor to be able to have a higher learning rather
than someone just speaking at you and going, okay, that's it.
I can't question anything. I just have to say, this
is it. People get offended now when you question, when
you push back, and when you don't understand something right,
Like people push, people get legitimately, they label you, and
you're done. Once you get a label on you, you're done.
(37:57):
So now you've got a lot of people speaking even
sometimes I find itself, you know, sounded like Barack Obama
just to give an authentic and I'm well, uh what
maybe Claire, Uh well uh, because I'm thinking about everything
coming out of my mouth. I'm like, I'm not I'm
not even speaking sometimes to to be me. I'm speaking
(38:19):
not to get canceled. I'm speaking not to like that's crazy,
It's like and so then everyone starts to believe that
everyone thinks the same thing. But everyone doesn't think the
same thing. Everyone is just afraid of the same thing. Right.
Can you imagine you say one thing and you lose everything? Right, Like,
(38:42):
you're not gonna get people fully speaking the way they
have like right, like speaking the way they really feel. Right,
And I think part of there's a beauty in it,
like like earlier when we started this show, like, Niko ahead,
if you mess it up, I'm gonna I'm gonna help
you out anyways. But like, can you imagine if you
mess sit up? And I just like, I can't believe
that you're abs and you're a vet for messing it up.
(39:05):
You should have known, right you try, You'll never try.
You're absolutely right, man, I had to say one thing
to that. I think, Um, one of the reasons why
we label people so we can quickly, um make a decision.
We like to make quick decisions, right, and we don't
like to slow down. Education takes time Um, labeling something
(39:29):
is easier to I guess store it. That's why you,
you know, think about it. Like your cabinets. You label
things so you know where to place it because you
don't want to sit here all day and and analyze, um,
a particular food item. It's all right, all can goods.
You're can good. You go over there. We'll sort you
out later. I know you're a can. You're over there.
(39:50):
I canna label you like, not the substance in it.
Just let me see identify, quickly label. Okay, so I
can keep on going in life? Well, man, I that
I could. I could talk with you all day long. Um,
and philosophers. Man, we're gonna have to have a whole
separate show about it. Yeah yeah, I know, right. But
we're where can and where can people go to support
(40:12):
you find out your next move? What else you got
going on in life? Man? Uh? How are you? Kids? Man?
Kids are good? Man. I got my This is a
big year for me as as a dad. I got
all graduations this year. I got my oldest son graduating
from the University of Oregon. Uh. My daughter is graduating
from middle school, getting ready to go to the high school.
(40:33):
She's six ft thirteen years old. Um, and then my
twins are graduating elementary and going into middle school. So
I'm just praying that the graduation gods don't line these
graduations all on the same day because I've never missed
a graduation. I've never ever missed a graduation. So I'm
praying that I'm able to make this, Uh, make this
(40:57):
the graduation year. This is this is a big year, man,
So May and June is gonna be pretty stacked for me.
Nice man, Well, listen, give your Instagram handle because you
know you you do a lot. Uh and and everybody
they can hear me. He's a loving Father's fun to
watch the things that you do in time. He set
uside for his kids, a great role model. Um, definitely
give him your Instagram handle. I appreciate it. May. Yeah,
(41:19):
it's a bar a K B A R underscore baja
g b A j A. That's my Instagram handle, my
TikTok handle. And then support your boy. Um, you know still,
you know, putting my book out there, everyone can be
a ninja. You can get it at Barnes and Nobles
or you can get it on Amazon wherever books are sold. Um,
(41:40):
but it's The Underdog Path to Success. I really kind
of detailed my book, just like the Ninja course, life
is an obstacle and how you overcome and get stories
about how to overcome different obstacles in your life. Um
and uh so, yeah, everyone can be in Ninja and
they check me out on social man, I appreciate you
supporting man Shot. Thank you so much for having me
on the podcast at the Bag. Absolutely appreciate you. I
(42:04):
want to thank everybody for tuning in to another episode
of The Bag. Special shout out to akbar Bi Jamiller
for being an amazing guest. Again. This is brought to
you by our Heart Radio and Sports Illustrator. You can
catch us every single Tuesday dropping a new bag wherever
podcasts are consumed. We'll see you all next time. Great
Never I got another one? Who bag? Get my legacy? Yo? Yo?
What's up? Everybody's Rashot Jen's here, co host of The Bag,
(00:21):
brought to you by her Radio and Sports Illustrated. I'm
here defended by myself today because my amazing co host,
Lendia McCormick is frolicking Paris on her honeymoon. But needless
to say, we will deliver you a great episode as
I had an opportunity to sit down with my good
friend A bar be a Jamilla. We got a chance
(00:43):
to tap into cancer culture, the Washington Commander's issue with
Dan Snyder, and also what it takes to be successful
outside of football post career. You're not gonna want to
miss this. I appreciate you far coming through. Ma. Now
I want to I want to take a stab at
this before we even get started. I want to try
to pronounce your name. I didn't ask you how to
say it yet, let's you know what I mean. So
(01:06):
I want to give it, give it a shot. I
bar Miller bo bo, that's it, just like, yeah, that's it,
that was it? Yeah? If you yeah yeah, if you
look at it, it'll mess you up. If you just
committed to memory it's easy. But looking at it is
there's a lot of letters that shouldn't be next to
each other. But it's just it's yodoba. So that's that's
(01:28):
the way it is. That's cool. Man. Well, I appreciate
you coming on. Hold on, hold on, man, take a
shot at the whole name though. You gotta there's there's
there's a whole lot to you gotta. I think you can, uh,
I think you can google it or wi you Yeah,
let me see. Yeah, let's see. I want to see.
I mean, you got lucky on the last name, but
let's see if you can get the whole thing. I'm
I know, I'm a butcher or something. Let's see. You
(01:50):
might not you might actually be Nigeria. You gotta check
your twenty three and me. You know what I did.
I did the twenty three and me and I found
out um irish and uh fifty, I think it was Nigeria.
Oh yes, yeah, that's why I came out so easy. Yeah.
(02:11):
But uh oh no, no, no, I have no shot
like the moment. This is an essay. How do you
say it? You know, go ahead, you got a bar
and okay, I would say, oh oh awakema I don't
(02:39):
even know how to say that. One man, I'll awakem
up I do I used your middle name? There? Actually
is it is that considered middle name? Explained? Explain the
ethnicity and origin of the name. Yeah, so it's uh,
it's Nigeria. I actually should get my phone out right
(03:02):
now to record this. Yeah, you know what it is.
I actually have I have fun with it because I
don't take it personally, you know what I mean, Like
this to me is just all good and all good fun.
Um So No, it's Akbar Olowa kemmy it um and
so in the Nigerian culture, you're named according to how
(03:25):
you're born. And so my grandmother gave me or my
grandfather gave me my name. It's like when my when
I had my kids, my father would name my kids.
So that's kind of the honor that you give your
your parents, is being able to name your kids. So
um So Akbar means great. It's Arabic for great oldwa.
Kemmy is like the Lord pampers me, the Lord takes
(03:47):
care of me Edo who is born after twins and
then Baja bia Milla's big man come save me um.
And so my great great grandfather was like a seven
footer in in our area, in our town, UM in Nigeria,
UM in the village, and whenever people would have issues,
they would ask him to come mediate. So our last name,
(04:10):
uh actually is a nickname. So big Man comes, saved me,
come help us out. That's how we got the last name. Wow,
that's crazy. Yeah, that's that's an honor though. Uh So
when you tell your name, people know, they know you.
They go, oh, you have twins before you. So my
brother could be or my sister cabrat they are twins.
(04:31):
So it just automatically tells your story. They know it immediately.
That's awesome, man, that's awesome. So and you were born
and raising Crinshaw h right and major path, major way,
major journey. Take us through that journey. I know you
was undrafted and I think it was two thousand and
three to the Raiders. How do you find as a journeyman?
(04:56):
Walk us on that path? How you got from point
A to point B? Well, you know, it's crazy. This
journey for football for me really started back when I
was shy, I believe it or not. I was a
twelfth grader UM and my brother who played in the
NFL prior to me. Uh, he got he was the
part of the two thousand draft and he was always
a stud from Pop Warner to high school to college
(05:19):
and in the league and um, people thought I should
play football, like im no, I'm a hooper man, like
that's that's my thing, that's my swag. I'm a hooper
And anyways, they kept pressuring me to play. I finally
said I would. I cried my very first day of
practice because it was just brutal. I was like, this
is Barbara. I quit. I ain't doing this, man, I'm
(05:41):
going to the NBA. I don't need to subject myself
to this. And I quit. And I went home and
my father was like, you did want you quit? You
started to finish it and I was like, oh no,
And I tried to come up with all these excuses.
He's like, all right, well if you quit, uh, and
it's very thick Nigerian accent, then you you have to
(06:02):
quit basketball too. And I was like, oh, that was
not negotiable. So I end up playing. But it was
a blessing in disguise because I end up being way
better football than I was in basketball. Um. And then
so I was a late starter in football, made it
to college, got a scholarship to San Diego State. From
San Diego State, you know, still in that growing process,
(06:23):
was undrafted to to the to the Oakland Raiders, and
that part was you know, you know, as you can imagine,
starting late, you have a a chippling and shoulder and
probably a lot of insecurity because there's a lot of
guys who have been playing the game longer. But you
try to manage all of that and and just kind
of fast forward and through my career, you know, I
went from d n to outside linebacker, and I got
exposed in the league because I think, you know this
(06:47):
shot like the defensive lineman's always they're not always the
smartest bunch when it comes to football, not outside of football,
but in football, because you know, we've gotta stop the
run gets past, you know that kind of thing. Uh.
And so once I got into the three four defense,
I realized, Man, there's a lot of football I didn't know.
So then that started to I felt cut my career
(07:08):
very short because then I went from one three four
defense to the Chargers, from the Chargers to the Dolphin
and then back to the Raiders, and now was out
of the league. And then I needed to go back
and figure out what I was gonna do. And that's
how I got into uh, into show biz, into media.
I wanted to do broadcasting. I got my degree at
San Diego Stadium that and then I just kind of
(07:28):
went and took this unconventional path. And I think you
would know this as well, and that when you leave
the league, people forget quickly. Man. You lose that platform,
the the ability to be able to get into doors.
They they shut very quickly. And so I had to
come up with an unconventional way, which was working for free.
I my very first gig. I walked up to a
(07:51):
h NBC in San Diego and said, Hey, I do
the post game show for you for free. And they
looked at me and was like wait what I say, Yeah,
I'll do the charges and sex game post game for free.
Boom right there, And that was the start of mind.
That was the start of my career. Wow. So so
I want to kind of tap into that a little bit, um,
you know, especially post career and saying that you was
(08:13):
working for free and this is that's a concept that
I've tried to um instill in my nephews a lot
and understand and and a lot a lot of kids
too that I talked to about working for free. Um,
you know, everybody wants to get they want to get
paid compensated for their work and their efforts. But tell
tell me about the investment that comes along with working
(08:34):
for free and what you did you walked in where
that came about, because you know part of the bag, right,
we talked about sports and business, and the bag has
a double meaning, you know, getting to the bag, the money,
but also when somebody's in their bag, there in the element,
there in their zone and their creativity. So I kind
of want to allow you to explain where your bag
(08:55):
was at that time. Well, first off, I think I
didn't know it at the time, but you know I
was going through this, uh like many depression, you know,
I was just you know our call it like a
seasonal depression because my career was over, um six six
to everywhere I go, people are asking me how come
I'm not playing? You play in the league, And it
was very humbling, like, no, I don't play anymore. I
(09:18):
might have a chance. Your brain is still going back,
like I feel like I can still do it, and
you don't know how to identify yourself. So you go,
it's an identity crisis. You're trying to figure out what
and who you are. And I just remember staying in
my condo in San Diego and I was like, this
is enough. I can't do I can't do this anymore.
So I had to make a hard pivot. But then
(09:38):
I realized I didn't have any other experience outside of sports.
I didn't. I mean, I played sports since I was
a kid. Like, that's the thing that I invested the
most amount of time. And so I said, that's equity.
What do you do with that equity? If you have
equity in your home and you're ready to cash out, right,
you sell the home and you take that money and
you put it into something else, another home, by a
(09:58):
bigger home maybe, or or maybe pay for whatever. So
I had all this sports knowledge and experience and I
go and I had a college degree in in new
media studies and communication, and so I said, you know what,
I know there's gonna be a lot of guys because
we have egos when we come out the league and
you go, I want to be paid. Well, I always
say I had worked for free, because I did. I
(10:20):
didn't get compensated, but I was also gaining something. I
was gaining a lot of experience. So where as I
wasn't gaining a lot of money in that situation, I
was gaining experience that no one else was going to
give me. Like, let's be true, Like I want to
go for a meeting to meet with Fred Brown at
Al Jaffe at ESPN. And this is right after I
(10:40):
got cut, and I thought, you know, I played the league,
you know what I mean. But you know, again, I
wasn't a big deal. And they were kind to take
the meeting, but they said, akbar, let's keep it real.
What are your credentials? What have you done in the league?
Why is anybody gonna listen? And I'm going, oh my gosh.
They were nice. They didn't they didn't say it in
an assaulty way. They were every very you know, like
(11:01):
up front and like it was like awkward. There's so
many other guys like you. They have better resumes and
I'm like, oh shoot, And I thought, okay, I'm gonna
kill him with time talent. And so that's when I
devised the plan that I was gonna go to the
San Diego I was gonna broke I woke up that
morning and I said, this is when I brushed my teel.
I went through the whole process. That's how I'm gonna
get there before everybody gets started up in their day.
(11:23):
And that's what I did. Boom knocked on the door,
walked in and say, hey guys, my name is Oh,
we know who you are, so yeah, I'd love for
work for you guys for free. And then that's how
that journey started in from there. Two years. UM, I
sucked my first year and I only know that because
it show business. They don't tell you stuff. But the
next year they go, wow, you're so much better than
(11:44):
you were your first year. How come you didn't tell
me that my first year? After every show was great show,
great show, great show. Um. And then I took that
and went into sports calling, um, color commentating for CBS
College Sports and then NBC Sports, and then I started
to grow that muscle. But then I realized how much
(12:06):
time you know calling look and shout out to Tony
Romo and all the great ones who've ever gone out there,
and as a color commentary, it takes so much of
your time to prep for all the different scenarios and
the different rosters, especially in college football. Um, and I
was just like, this isn't for me. I want to
go in the studio. And so I slowly started to
make that transition, got my first audition brow at the
(12:28):
NFL Network. That's how, that's how, actually you and I
became buddies. Is my my my job at the NFL
Network doing fantasy football. And here was the thing. No
one wanted to do fantasy football, especially as a former athlete,
because it was kind of like that's not real, and
so people kind of frown on it, like they wanted
to be on Total Access or they want to be
(12:49):
on Sports Center. And I saw the long play, I go,
I don't have to have any ego in this. I
just want to get the reps. So I was like, yeah,
I'll go audition for And there are a bunch of
guys named guys who auditioning in front of me, and
I think a lot of them felt like they were
bigger than fantasy feel like I'm bigger than fantasy football,
whereas I I just went in and played in that space.
(13:11):
And playing in that space allowed me to stay there
for eight years and grow my skills. But by my
second year, I got in the opportunity to audition for
American Injin Warrior. I hit that. I've been doing that
for ten years and the rest is history. And now
you know, doing talk show Now, I'm in the talk
show space, uh, every day, um with And this was
(13:32):
a lifelong dream to you know, growing up watching Oprah Winfrey.
But to now be a host on the Talk with
Cheryl Cheryl Underwood with Jerry O'Connor, Natalie Morales and Amanda Cludes,
It's it's been a dream and it's been a dream
come true. That's awesome, man. And you're talking about a
transition and the pivot and from from football. Um, and
(13:53):
it sounds like you've always been that underdog everywhere. Uh,
you know, even even starting the starting your football career.
You started off late. Um, I don't know that you
was better at football than basketball, which which every bad
every football player I think they can play basketball. I've
noticed that. Yeah, I know. And you know what, it's
(14:15):
always so fun. I was just talking to Tarrell Owens
a couple of days ago that we were just jabbing
at each other and he's like, I can play basketball,
but like they're football players that that can play because
they started off in basketball. But then they're football players
who are just athletes and think they can play and
they droople hard like this, and they like muscle. You
just you don't even look fluid. Actually looking athletic looks bad.
(14:42):
I always get a crack out of like football players
who think they can play basketball because they're athletic, and
it just doesn't translate. It looks hilarious to me. It
definitely doesn't translate all the time. Man. That the same
thing to the golf course. I'm one that it doesn't
translate to the golf course. I look, I look like
an athlete playing basketball, action a whole bunch of stuff.
But boy, you put me on that green playing the NFL. Yeah,
(15:05):
it doesn't look right. I can ride a gold card though,
look good at doing that. You and I got to
hook up with Bryce Butler. Man, Bryce Butler is doing
his uh he's doing his golf thing. Man, he looks
so clean, so smooth. Like. Now, I gotta give me
some of that Bryce Butler transition from football and the golf. Man,
I gotta because I look I look horrible too. We
(15:26):
could do that. That's that's that's my young guy. Yeah, yeah, man,
he was one of the under studies there. Uh, formulator too,
you know what what you to kind of like your
your flow though your flow of we're we're from point
at the point be here. UM is unique is under
the radar. It's hard work. UM. It's paying attention to
(15:47):
the details, maximizing opportunities. UM. You know, and a lot
of humility comes along with that. And I feel like
I can um for me, relate to you in some
ways and share perform from you know. Part of that
grind comes from the attitude of nobody owes me anything.
(16:08):
You know, if you really look at the essence of
I look at my path, I look at your path.
You know, I'm close to being undrafted seventh round, two
D and fifty pick out of two fifty six. Um,
you know, not not a not a first not a
first rounder, not a red carpet guy. Just a grinder,
(16:29):
That's all I know. And I had the attitude the
whole entire time when I played in the NFL, and
even my entrepreneurship. Nobody owes me anything. It's the attitude
that comes from and it comes from my family and
where I'm raised how you know, raised in Virginia, and
you know, UM, I wanted to know how much of
an attitude, you know, what kind of attitude you march
(16:50):
with in order to make you successful in in sports
and business. Wow, that's a that's a really good question.
That's a really deep question. You know. One thing that
was profound that stood out to me, um, because there's
I think there's this thing that happens right where all
of us are like we all want to matter to
someone Like that's that's the makeup of most human beings,
(17:12):
if not all, We all want to matter. And when
you get into a position, and especially an elite position,
like there's no other lead past the NFL, right, Like
that's the top, right, and I think so many people
miss that, like that's it, Like there's no other level
beyond that. And so when you are able to make
it too that there's a lot of this need, this uh,
(17:36):
this insatiable need to be to feel wanted and needed
and celebrated. And so you have that, right you have
you get this thing where people are celebrating you, and
it can go to your head. It can you start
feeling yourself right, Um, you think you're better than um.
One of my teammates, justin Fargus, my boy man Love.
(17:57):
His kid went to USC drafted at in the second
round to the Raiders. We came in rookie cause and
he says something to me his and I think because
he had been around it for a long time. His
dad is Huggy Bear, act, famous actor, and so he's
kind of seen all of this. He says, You're not
that big of a deal and you're gonna die. I'm like,
Jay Man, why do you say that? Like so yeah,
(18:21):
and I'll never forget. We were on our first flight
going to our first game, and I'm like, that came
out of nowhere. But what he was saying to me
when he broke it down was so many of us
live our lives like, you know, especially if you're in
the spotlight, like I'm a big deal and everybody should
be paying attended and everybody should cater to me. I
think athletes and celebrities have to send on a lot.
(18:44):
And when he said that, it just made me feel
like I was closer to everyone else, you know what
I mean, Like I didn't. I needed to get rid
of that whatever that was as you're marching away, because
you know, you have people my coach us to say,
don't read your ink, because when you read your ink, man,
it just it builds the finger. And so I think
what's motivated me is that I was just gonna outwork everybody.
(19:05):
I was going to If I wasn't the most talented,
I was gonna outwork it. I tried to tell that
to my kids. My parents taught me that my father
came to this country in nineteen seventy four, my mom
came to this country in nineteen sixty nine. Um, they
were both entrepreneurs and all they knew they didn't speak
the English, wasn't the best. Um, they came into this
foreign land and made away setting kids and you know,
(19:28):
and just literally never made excuses my my parents technically
qualified for uh welfare. I wasn't gonna take it, you
know what I mean. Like I remember my dad said,
I will never take it. Like it was like, what
is this, Well, I don't need the government's help? Well,
what I ask the government for help? It was just
like my dad, you take this personally, but I'll never
(19:50):
forget that. And so it's that mentality that I was
that he was always going to bet on himself the
fact that my dad didn't want, you know, any government
assistant that he is gonna bet on himself, and he
did well. He did want to be able to take
care of us. You know, some people might look at
our condition differently. I look at my condition now growing
up and saying, hey, my dad worked his butt off
and I've carried that same thing. So yes, I didn't
(20:13):
have a big name in football. So what that that
That wasn't my existence. That's what I did, That's not
who I was. So um yea, I said, hopefully I
answered the question. Oh yeah, absolutely, man, it's a big thing.
I And whenever I get a chance to, you know,
talk to successful uh men and women on the show,
I always try to ask one or two questions around
(20:34):
and around, like the attitude, the essence of like the
muse of life right, And because a lot of a
lot of a lot of life tries to put the
A in there, which A in front the word stands
without to be amused, it's without thought, right, And so
I want to make sure there is some type of
music on the show. You know, there's some there's something.
(20:55):
There's something else too that drives me, if you know,
in being honest, I don't know what this is. Um,
maybe you have it too. Maybe a lot of people
have it. I don't know, but sometimes you when you
have something in your head, you feel like it's just
unique to you. But I've always been in love with greatness.
I've always chased that my whole life. My whole life,
(21:16):
I've always chased it. As a kid, I remember watching
Magic Johnson and Mohammad Ali these are the people. Was
fixated on it, Michael Jordan's and Kareem Abdul Jabbar and
Michael Jackson. And as I got a little older, there
was Oprah Winfrey that I mean, I grew up. What
I mean, I've probably one of the only dudes you
know that's probably watched every episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show,
(21:37):
like I tasted it. I don't know if you remember,
but that was that was something that I've always been
attracted to. I've always been attracted to greatness and and
just knowing like gosh, like how do you become the greatest? Right? Like,
That's something that I've always um, I've always been attracted to,
(21:58):
and I've always worked towards. But the craziness is is
that I've never seen that in myself. So it's what
keeps me, It's what keeps me going. I don't know
that even if I it did become the greatest and something, um,
if I wouldn't even know. Yeah, I don't even know it.
Yeah right, because it's still because the chase is what's
(22:19):
more intriguing than the accomplishment in that regard, right in
your accomplishments or just checkpoints to let you know your
head and in the right direction, but you will never
seemed to succeed your goal because it is just chasing,
and it's chasing. That was that was a dime right there.
You just dropped a checkpoint letting you know you're going
(22:39):
in the right direction. I like that. Yeah, man, that's
all it is. So I wanted to transition a little
bit um into some some of your thoughts on business.
We see that Dan Snyder is it seems like he's
being forced to sell his NFL team to Washington Commanders
(22:59):
in d C. And every year there's always big story,
headline box office type of you know, headline stories of
what's going on in the NFL. We understand how much
football sports influence um culture. So I wanted to get
some of your thoughts from being in the NFL and
(23:20):
now an entrepreneur yourself. UM, what are your what are
some of your general thoughts on all the business accusations
that are going on, uh and how things are moving
right now in the NFL, specifically with and Washington Commanders.
You know, I have to I have to be honest.
I don't know all of the details when it comes
(23:41):
to m Dan Snyder. I just know that there's been
like a hostile work environment for a lot of the people. UM.
I haven't been able to do my due diligence and
go in and seeing why he's actually, UM, someone I
know for a long time, he's been kind of one
of these you know, owners or figureheads that people have
always had a problem with, whether it was being able
(24:03):
to change the name for the you know, from the
Redskins to the Commanders. I mean, I remember there was
a time where he says I would never, you know,
UM change the name, and especially when there was a
lot of information out there talking about how insensitive the
name was. And just think about how long it took
for the name to change. UM. I don't know if
(24:24):
that's indicative of the work environment that went on behind
closed door. I know there's a bunch of documents and um,
that they were able to find emails and so on
and so forth, going back and forth, that they were
able to find and invest it. But we haven't seen
the findings of those things. And it's actually I'm actually
would be I'd be interested in knowing what the findings
(24:45):
were in those so people kind of get an understanding, um,
exactly who had ownership of uh, the Washington Commanders. So
I don't I don't have an opinion yet. I mean,
I'm just believing that if all the other own are
in agreeants that he should be out, then there's there's
something there and I wonder if it's being protected, but
(25:07):
it should be it should be put out there. I
think it should be public. Yeah, absolutely, man, I totally agree.
And that also highlights to the other side of the coin, right,
the disciplinary actions that come along with it. And I
kind of want to get your thoughts onness. So, uh,
we see in the NFL a lot of times public
opinion will skew the disciplinary action. UM, I'm wondering, do
(25:33):
do we see some of that in other sports? And
do we see that in corporate America? Right? So, like
I take example, Draymond Green um punching his teammate Pool
Jordan Pool, Right, that was an in house deal that
was publicized, and had had had nobody ever seen it,
(25:53):
probably it never would have been talked about. It wouldn't
have been a suspension or anything would have been handled
in the house. You you you know just as well
as I do. We fight all the time in the
locker room. So and uh, the Warriors did not suspend
Raymond Green even though the public opinion was asking for
some type of discipline. So sometimes you don't. Sometimes public
(26:18):
opinion doesn't sway, right, sometimes it does. My thing is,
do you think we'll ever see a point where in sports, specifically,
where policy disciplinary policy will be a a specific um,
regardless of who it is, regardless of when it is.
(26:39):
When is it gonna come a point where just like
a referee he sees you traveling, blows a whistle, turnover right,
now sees you jump off sides, blow the whistle you're
off side, live with it, right, and then obviously we
can take it back to the booth if if it
was a mistake, you'll pick up the flag. But will
we ever see that in sports and business? I don't
(27:00):
think so. Shot Um. I think there's a lot there. Um.
I think one, you've got to have context into whatever
this is. I mean, it varies what these these matters are.
But I think the biggest reason why is because there's
too much corporate affiliation when it comes to sports, so um,
with all the sponsorship dollars and all the relationships, Um,
(27:20):
the public pretty much dictates what the punishment is gonna be.
And the louder the cry, the bigger the punishment typically,
And UM, I think that's just where we are. So yeah,
I like what you're saying, like being able to have
Hay define given the league the ability to say, hey, here,
here's the defined suspension. But I think what we've seen
is if X offense requires a seven game suspension or
(27:46):
five game suspension, then you hear this outcry like I
can't believe it's only a fin It should be ten.
You know. So they're constantly changing, so they're afraid to
even define it because what they're really saying is is
that we we will measure this based on the public outcry.
And I have a problem with that because, um, I
(28:06):
think we're in this really crazy time right now where
public opinion is is driving everything right, Like, I don't
see enough corporations standing up to the public pression. Again,
this is you know, corporations being afraid because they don't
want to lose revenues, bottom line revenue. They don't want
to see their bottom line drop, and they want to
(28:27):
try to make everyone happy. And I think you and
I both know trying to make everyone happy is impossible,
you know what I mean, It's been possible. They're they're
constantly gonna be crying about something and this shouldn't be that.
And I think, especially when you look into like athletes
and entertainers and so on and so forth, a lot
of this public outcry comes from envy. That's my personal opinion.
(28:49):
A lot of the public outcry when it comes to
some of these things that are happening off the field
um to come from envy. People see, hey, you have
a big platform, you have to make a lot of money.
So you know, I mean, I was hearing people for
you know, depending on what the situation like, they should
give them, find them more money. It should be more money.
I was like, wait, what do we you know what
I mean, like, like, I am different and this is
(29:11):
where I might get myself into trouble, but I'm not.
I'm not a big fan of just going out and
just suspending people and taking money and and just canceling people.
Why because it doesn't change anything. It doesn't change anything. Yes,
it might sting that person a little bit, but it
doesn't change anything. I'm about educating people. It's the same
(29:34):
thing like when you talk about reforming, right, like reforming minds.
Like it's a process. It's not just here's here's money
taken away from you, here's games taken away from you.
Boom there. It is like being able to really take
the time to actually educate people about whatever it is,
the offense where you know, whatever it might be. Like
(29:54):
you know, I think about you know, like when it
comes to domestic violence, right, you know, it's not just
and hey, we're gonna suspend this guy because of domestic violence.
Like if that guy has an issue, educate him, get
him help, get him counseling, whatever it might be. Make
sure they go through that process rather than just to me.
That's that's a deeper that's a deeper level of change
(30:15):
than it is to say I'm going to define you.
And I get it that, you know, the ad the
privilege and so on and support suspension is fine. But
when people just like, it's gotta be more money, it's
gotta be this, It's gotta It's like, education to me
is going to be the key, absolutely man. And you know, um,
education is always gonna be a party, a key. And
(30:36):
then the last part of the education is to apply,
right knowledge, The idea of knowledge is power. I've never
agreed with UM. I think knowledge is information and power
comes from applying knowledge. Is is where power comes from. UM.
But you gotta receive it. You gotta receive it first.
You know, I will say this, you do information, And
(30:59):
I think about this, like, I was so irritated in
the height of the pandemic and everybody, you know, there
was a lot of conspiracies out there about what this
vaccination was all about. And you saw the public. Yeah,
the still is right and there are a lot of
people who were just going like, oh my gosh, you're
not back then you should lose your job and you should.
I can't believe you. Uh, people going like yo, I'm like,
(31:21):
you know, there's another way to do this rather than
calling for people's jobs, rather than you know, you know,
guilty people and making them feel like like, take the
time to educate, Hey, you have concerns about this, let's
break this down even further for you, you know, but
what ends up happening. Here's the danger of being so
quick to punish and so quick to to find and
(31:42):
so quick to condemn, right, that people start to hide, right.
And I kind of liken it to this way, if
this analogy even makes sense. It's like asking a question
in class, and you know, people like you, a lot
of kids fear like I'm gonna ask the dumb question, right,
So what do they do instead? If they've been called
dumb or people have made us stupid, what do they do?
(32:04):
They hide? They sit in the back of the class
and they never ask another question out of fear that
they're going to be condemned, right or punished, So they
sit back. They finished a class, and you realize they've
learned nothing. They've gone either they've resulted to cheating. But
what they've hugh, what they've hidden is their their ignorance.
(32:25):
They've hid what they don't know or what they were
trying to learn. And I think this is where we're
going in our culture. Rather taking the time to educate people,
we're deciding to shame people. I say it's conversation over confrontation,
like being able to have the people like sit there
and say hey, patient enough, generous enough, and say hey, look,
it's probably gonna take you a little more extra time.
(32:47):
I was that guy in class. I was like, God,
I need a little extra time because maybe I wasn't
processing it as fast as some of the other kids.
And I also believe some of the other kids weren't
processing it that fast as well. But they faked the
phone just to be able to you know what I mean,
So you couldn't tell that they had that. But I didn't.
I didn't have that pride, Like if I didn't know
something I want to I'm like, okay, I don't know,
Like shoot me, I don't know it. I'm sorry, like
(33:09):
teach me. But when you should know that, Like that's
the other thing. Everybody feels like everybody should know everything,
and that's so far in today's society because there's so
much information out there. It's just like it's so like
where do you even start, Like where do you even start?
And like, well, you should know, you should know. It
used to be where they said my my pe teacher
told me this in high school. I never forgot it.
(33:30):
He's a lock bar. There should be no excuse for ignorance. Today,
I feel a little different. Back then, that was profound
to me. I was like, man, that's true. Today, I
gotta make an excuse. Shot, I gotta make an excuse
because I'm like, you don't know good from bad anymore.
Like there's so much out there, Like how do I
even like? Like it's just too much information. Too much
(33:54):
information could be very, very bad and dangerous, and I
think that's where we are right now. Yeah, I think
it's Uh, it's a it's an issue when m when
you learn something for the first time, it's almost an
embarrassment to say you did, Like it's like you should
have known that, Um, you know, and uh like but yeah,
(34:19):
you should have you should have been you should have
known that, you know. It just goes back to education
is sometimes we're embarrassed to even share the things that
we learned because for the sake of showing our human side,
because we spend most of our life trying to hold
up this imagery that we have it all together because
(34:39):
we think that's how we are in respect and also
bringing income is having no flaws, and so to show
them it's embarrassing, right, And so if if you do
have that kind of care free, childlike attitude, I think
you can learn more and connect with people more. Man,
you know that's that you said something that triggered me, because, um,
(35:01):
there is this pressure and I feel this pressure as
a as a public person, um that you have to
be perfect. And I'm like, I don't want to be
Like I want to be perfect, but I don't want
to be perfect, if that makes sense, Like, because I
don't want people looking at me as if you know, um,
you know I'm perfect, right, Like I have a lot
(35:21):
to learn. One of my favorite interviews was when Michael Jackson.
When Oprah Winfrey interviewed Michael Jackson at Neverland Belly Ranch
and this great interview. You've never seen it, you should
go back and watch it. But towards the end of
the interview, she goes, Michael, you're forty something years or
I think it's forty five at the time. Maybe maybe
not so however old he was at the time, She goes,
(35:44):
what do you know for sure? And he goes, oh, boy,
well I don't know anything for sure. I'm still learning.
And I was like, wow, I never forgot that I
don't know how old I was, but I was a
kid at the time when that of you came out,
and I never forgot that. I'm still learning. I don't
know anything for sure. I'm still learning, And I just
(36:08):
think where we are in this world today, we need
more grace that people are still learning and that we're
constantly always learning to be show a little bit more
grace to each other. I don't think we have that anymore.
I think we're so quick to label. Labelization is the
one of the greatest threats to our democracy, to our country,
(36:29):
to our people, to humanity. Remember I told you that labelization.
I don't know if the labialization is a word, but
we're gonna add it. Labialization is like, if you don't
see things the way I think, you're this, if you
believe this, and I believe that you're that, and we
got to give you a label because once we give
you this label, it follows you no matter where you go.
(36:51):
And people are outraged, and oh now now everyone is
pretending so they don't get labeled, rather than being authentic
and true to themselves. So we can help, So we
can get together and help each other. Right. So it's
like when people say they want to educate you or
they want to learn. It's like, just see it my way.
(37:13):
People aren't willing to have the discussion anymore. Like that's
what education is about. It's a healthy way. He was like, Oh,
I thought it was this, no, no, this, But what
about if you did this and you know, there's that
healthy discussion that needs to happen in the process of education.
That's what college lecture halls were right. That was the
whole sex appeal about college that you would now be
able to kind of go back and forth with your
(37:35):
professor to be able to have a higher learning rather
than someone just speaking at you and going, okay, that's it.
I can't question anything. I just have to say, this
is it. People get offended now when you question, when
you push back, and when you don't understand something right,
Like people push, people get legitimately, they label you, and
you're done. Once you get a label on you, you're done.
(37:57):
So now you've got a lot of people speaking even
sometimes I find itself, you know, sounded like Barack Obama
just to give an authentic and I'm well, uh what
maybe Claire, Uh well uh, because I'm thinking about everything
coming out of my mouth. I'm like, I'm not I'm
not even speaking sometimes to to be me. I'm speaking
(38:19):
not to get canceled. I'm speaking not to like that's crazy,
It's like and so then everyone starts to believe that
everyone thinks the same thing. But everyone doesn't think the
same thing. Everyone is just afraid of the same thing. Right.
Can you imagine you say one thing and you lose everything? Right, Like,
(38:42):
you're not gonna get people fully speaking the way they
have like right, like speaking the way they really feel. Right,
And I think part of there's a beauty in it,
like like earlier when we started this show, like, Niko ahead,
if you mess it up, I'm gonna I'm gonna help
you out anyways. But like, can you imagine if you
mess sit up? And I just like, I can't believe
that you're abs and you're a vet for messing it up.
(39:05):
You should have known, right you try, You'll never try.
You're absolutely right, man, I had to say one thing
to that. I think, Um, one of the reasons why
we label people so we can quickly, um make a decision.
We like to make quick decisions, right, and we don't
like to slow down. Education takes time Um, labeling something
(39:29):
is easier to I guess store it. That's why you,
you know, think about it. Like your cabinets. You label
things so you know where to place it because you
don't want to sit here all day and and analyze, um,
a particular food item. It's all right, all can goods.
You're can good. You go over there. We'll sort you
out later. I know you're a can. You're over there.
(39:50):
I canna label you like, not the substance in it.
Just let me see identify, quickly label. Okay, so I
can keep on going in life? Well, man, I that
I could. I could talk with you all day long. Um,
and philosophers. Man, we're gonna have to have a whole
separate show about it. Yeah yeah, I know, right. But
we're where can and where can people go to support
(40:12):
you find out your next move? What else you got
going on in life? Man? Uh? How are you? Kids? Man?
Kids are good? Man. I got my This is a
big year for me as as a dad. I got
all graduations this year. I got my oldest son graduating
from the University of Oregon. Uh. My daughter is graduating
from middle school, getting ready to go to the high school.
(40:33):
She's six ft thirteen years old. Um, and then my
twins are graduating elementary and going into middle school. So
I'm just praying that the graduation gods don't line these
graduations all on the same day because I've never missed
a graduation. I've never ever missed a graduation. So I'm
praying that I'm able to make this, Uh, make this
(40:57):
the graduation year. This is this is a big year, man,
So May and June is gonna be pretty stacked for me.
Nice man, Well, listen, give your Instagram handle because you
know you you do a lot. Uh and and everybody
they can hear me. He's a loving Father's fun to
watch the things that you do in time. He set
uside for his kids, a great role model. Um, definitely
give him your Instagram handle. I appreciate it. May. Yeah,
(41:19):
it's a bar a K B A R underscore baja
g b A j A. That's my Instagram handle, my
TikTok handle. And then support your boy. Um, you know still,
you know, putting my book out there, everyone can be
a ninja. You can get it at Barnes and Nobles
or you can get it on Amazon wherever books are sold. Um,
(41:40):
but it's The Underdog Path to Success. I really kind
of detailed my book, just like the Ninja course, life
is an obstacle and how you overcome and get stories
about how to overcome different obstacles in your life. Um
and uh so, yeah, everyone can be in Ninja and
they check me out on social man, I appreciate you
supporting man Shot. Thank you so much for having me
on the podcast at the Bag. Absolutely appreciate you. I
(42:04):
want to thank everybody for tuning in to another episode
of The Bag. Special shout out to akbar Bi Jamiller
for being an amazing guest. Again. This is brought to
you by our Heart Radio and Sports Illustrator. You can
catch us every single Tuesday dropping a new bag wherever
podcasts are consumed. We'll see you all next time. Great
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Ridiculous History
History is beautiful, brutal and, often, ridiculous. Join Ben Bowlin and Noel Brown as they dive into some of the weirdest stories from across the span of human civilization in Ridiculous History, a podcast by iHeartRadio.