Up On Game Presents Conversations With A Legend Super Bowl Champion Marshall Faulk "Understanding The Game Is Crucial For Success In Football"

In this engaging Conversations With A Legend, LaVar Arrington speaks with NFL legend Marshall Faulk about his impact on football, his role in drug awareness education, and his connection with Peyton Manning. Faulk emphasizes the importance of education in combating drug issues and reflects on his influences in football, including his high school coach and his relationship with Manning, highlighting their shared understanding of the game.

Takeaways

-Drugs are a rampant issue globally, requiring education.

-Marshall Faulk's organization provides free educational resources.

-Influence in sports can shape future generations of players.

 -Understanding the game is crucial for success in football.

-Peyton Manning's growth was aided by communication with Faulk. -

Faulk's high school coach played a pivotal role in his career.

-Education about drugs can lead to better decision-making.

 -Faulk's playing style was influenced by his desire to be shifty.

 -The bond between players can enhance on-field performance.

-Marshall Faulk is recognized as one of the greatest running backs.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
I heard the stories about how you, in a lot
of ways were indirectly responsible for the success that Peyton
Manning was able to have, as can you. Because what
one thing that people may not realize sometimes is how
cerebral and how intelligent players are outside of the quarterbacks position.

(00:23):
But you were one of those guys that when people
talk about Marshall fulk, they talked about what's up? Everybody's
LeVar Arrington here bringing you another exciting edition of conversations
with a legend, and I certainly have a legend with
me right here, right now, the legendary Marshall Folk, one

(00:48):
of the goats of goats at the running backs position.
He's here. He's promoting drug freeworld dot org. You can
see it right here. Make sure you check it out.
Get involved, Port Marshall. You're here for a great a
great cause. It's your organization. Before we talked some football,
let's talk about why this is so important to you.

Speaker 2 (01:10):
Yeah, because you know, drugs is rampant in our country
and in every country, I should say, because this affects
the world. This is the world issue that we have
and you know we've we've tried, and you have kids,
you know we try to tell them, just tell them,
don't do something. I was like telling them to do it.
So education is the approach. So what we've done is
we've created educator kids stuff that we give away for free.

(01:31):
If if you want to learn more about how to
educate your kids, or if you're a you know you're
an educator and you work for a school and you
want the curriculum, we give it away. It's not something
we're asking you to pay for. It's for free, but
it's giving the kids the education about different types of drugs,
whether it's street or prescription and also vaping stuff like that.

(01:52):
We we even tackle we even tackle what alcohol does
to your body, which we understand that and it's up
to you to partake. You just need to understand and
educate yourself on what you're doing to your body. And
we believe kids will make the better decision once they're
educated about it.

Speaker 1 (02:08):
That's like that new age drug awareness resistance education. You know.
We grew up on there, you know, and they put
it in the classrooms. So hopefully they put it into
classrooms and get people involved. Drug freeworld dot org make
sure you check it out. I got one more for
you because this is more football related. Obviously, talking to

(02:29):
Marshall Folk, Hall of Famer, one of the greatest ever.
People don't realize I was a well, it doesn't matter
if they realize it because they don't remember me. It's
been too long. But I was a running back when
I was coming up, I was running back in the linebacker.
My eighth grade year, we had red and white was
our uniform. Everybody wore white socks. Everybody wore, you know,

(02:53):
black shoes. Some people wore white shoes. It was just
becoming a trend to wear black shoes. And as a
running back, I saw you with the astecs and I
went with black, black leggings, black Nike socks, black shoes
and put a piece of white tape around it as

(03:15):
a running back. Now I'm six foot six ' three
playing tailback, trying to look like Marshall Folk. Conversations up
with a legend. I can distinctly remember that defining how
I my style of running back. I ran like I
was shorter than what I was because I wanted to

(03:37):
be shiftier. I didn't have I didn't run like Eric Dickerson.
I ran like Marshall Folk. A lot of people may
not realize that, but played a major part in how
good I was playing linebacker because that was the movement
I was able to move like I was more shifty,
but I had long range speak because I was long,
I figured out how to run small. Who was your influence? Like?

(04:02):
What influenced you? Because you were such an iconic figure
and you brought a spotlight to a to a football
team and to a college that people didn't pay any
attention to. It wasn't it wasn't like this was like
a national power that we were talking about in San
Diego State, But nonetheless you put the spotlight on that program.

(04:22):
Who was your influence?

Speaker 2 (04:23):
Yeah? Well, first, my high school coach. I'm from New Orleans,
so this is my city. Okay, this city. My high
school coach was a guy who convinced me it was
my sophomore year to be a football player. Wow. And
I was like, what are you talking to me? He's like,
so we could play you at running back, and we
could play you at receiver, but we can play you
at quarterback, tight end, we can play at corner. So

(04:46):
I'm gonna move your environment. Yeah, And so with that
I just started looking at as I saw the league,
I saw the league to a different lens. It wasn't
just playing the position of running back, so watching a
third and Thomas watching a Roger Craig just running style
a Chuck Buntsey. You know what I'm saying. All of

(05:07):
these guys caught the ball out of the backfield. Uh
you know, Lionel James, they were I was like, so
I can be effective. And then when I got drafted
Ted Barsia Broda was the offensive coordinator for that Buffalo
bill team and went to four straight Super Bowls. He
brought the offense that they ran and I watched so

(05:31):
much Therman Thomas take, Okay, it was unbelievable.

Speaker 1 (05:35):
That makes a lot of sense you all right, So
you talked about being in the pros. I heard the
stories about how you, in a lot of ways were
indirectly responsible for the success that Peyton Manning was able
to have as a like can you because what one
thing that people may not realize sometimes is how cerebral

(05:59):
and how intelligent players are outside of the quarterback's position.
But you were one of those guys that when people
talk about Marshall Faulk, they talked about your understanding of
what was taking place with the defense, how the Reeds looked,
how the game worked, and that played a major part

(06:19):
in Peyton Manning's adjustment and adaptation to the league.

Speaker 2 (06:23):
Yeah understanding, and listen Peyton's and Peyton's savant. Sure, but
when you when you have somebody and you can have
those conversations, and Peyton and I we be sitting, you know,
it's were like this here and he's like it looks
like this, you know cover what do you think? I'm like,
you got it? Like that's that's it's oh, there's no, no, hey,
the safety is rotating. Uh, this this will this will

(06:44):
probably be there's probably be three he's gonna drop down.
So just having those conversations. Then in film study, in preparation,
he and I we we literally saw the game through
the same lens, and that relationship in that Bond year one,
being there for him because a lot of times he
didn't have a lot of time. So you hit the checkdown,
you hit the checkdown, and he was seeing things a

(07:06):
lot faster learning than What I loved about Peyton and
I had nothing to do with this was that rookie year.
He made a mistake once and he never made it again.
If he made it once you couldn't get in with it,
and it literally I mean he turned into what he
became after I left, because he really, really really dove

(07:30):
into us communicating, making sure we were on the same page,
and that became his thing with everybody. He was a
full on communicator with the center, offensive line receivers, everybody
knowing what was going on and didn't care if the
defense heard it.

Speaker 1 (07:44):
Yuh, hey, man, it's martial folk. Make sure you check
it out drug freeworld dot org support get your kids
educated on what's going out here in the drug world,
all right, and while you're at it, make sure you
take a little bit of time go on YouTube or
something like that. Type in Marshall folk, that'll be a

(08:06):
treat for you. Believe me, one of the best to
do it. Appreciate you taking time for me, man, absolutely
all right, this is conversations with a legend. I'm LeVar Arrington. Yeah,
make sure you subscribe. Check out up on game Yeah,
up on game presents and two pros and a cup
of Joe. We'll be back at you