May 27, 2023 • 38 mins
Seahawks Legends Cliff Avril and Ray Roberts sit down to discuss secretly playing football, early NFL struggles, benefits of therapy, and more.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
You're listening to Big Raise Garage Grind.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
I want to bring awareness and my voice to something
that's meaningful and purposeful, more than just who's the best
football player, who's the best football team. The intersection between life,
football and mental health. When you need help and you
ask for help, you're operating from a position of power.
When you need help and you don't ask for help,
that's the weakness. Now here's your host, Seahawk's legend, Ray Roberts.
(00:28):
What up, fam, and welcome to Big Raise Garage Grind
Mental Health addition, we are where you will hear from
me and my guests about our thoughts and experiences with
our own mental health and wellness journeys. And today is
this month actually is also Mental Health Awareness Month, and
so it's perfect timing for us to welcome in a
new guests. I've been away from the MIC a little bit,
(00:50):
and so we thought this would be a great time
to get back at it and have some conversations around
mental health and its impact on us as a young
as men, as athletes, as fathers, as sons, what have you.
So it's really great honor to welcome a third round
draft pick for the Detroit Lions in two thousand and eight.
(01:12):
Was signed as a twenty thirteen as a free agent
with the Seattle Seahawks, and his career here with the
Seahawks had thirty four and a half sacks thirteen forced fumbles,
first in Seahawks history with six and a half postseason sacks,
which speaks to like being a closer. You know what
I'm saying, It's important to close those games. Twenty sixteen
Seahawks Man of the Year, twenty sixteen Pro Bowler, Super
(01:34):
Bowl forty eight champion, and proud husband and father, mister
Cliff April, Welcome to.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
The show man. Thanks for having me. It's always good
hearing a bunch of stats.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
I didn't know some of those things, so that's good.
You know.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
Sometimes sometimes people like even ask me, Yeah, it's an
off as the line, I don't have any stats, so
I gotta ride with like what the what the running backs?
So of course I'm always gonna ride with Barry Sam
just like, oh yeah, you get us on that line
and we rush for two thousand yards and it was
actually doing a contra right year, so we had actually
calculated how many yards he gained starting to the left side.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
You know our brother can get some stats for love.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Well, it's happy to have you on today, man, And uh,
this is an area that is super important to me.
This this how uh this mental health and wellness space.
And before we get to it, uh to your journey
a little bit, just want to just talk a little
bit about you know, where you are and where you're
from and your your Haitian descent. But you grew up
in Jacksonville, Florida.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Yes, sir, yes, sir.
Speaker 4 (02:31):
For sport athlete.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's funny you know, even here in
for sport athletes because you know, growing up, I didn't
start really playing sports really until I got to high school.
Oh you know, I played a little bit of Betty
basketball and uh you know, I played on the junior
high team for basketball. But high school is when, you know,
(02:53):
sports became a thing for me. And and just you know,
talking through my upbringing, you know me being Haitian, uh
and then also playing football was like back in those times,
my mom was not going far you know what I'm saying,
so uh, just being able to play that sport and
it was too brutal my mom's only child of course,
so you know, but but combating. I think the hard
(03:16):
thing for me growing up was just being able to
combat between the American culture and being Haitian. You know
what I'm saying, Because when I'm at home, we speak Creole,
we eat the Haitian food, it's Haitian culture everything. As
soon as we open those doors to go to school
or to go into the world, now I'm American, you
know what I mean. So now it's adjusting. Now we
eating burgers and you know, we speaking English and all
(03:38):
these different things. So it was a it was a
constant battle, but I didn't necessarily even realize it was
just life for me.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Well, I won't say this, I would love to be
at the crib when it's when it's non American time. Yeah,
because all the food you just mentioned there are just
made this big dude hunger, you know what I'm saying.
And I love myself a good burger, but I love
all types of food too, you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
So good.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
But here's the other question I wanted to ask real fast,
is that you were all state in football and basketball
in the state of Florida. Yeah, how did you choose
football over basketball? And then how did you get Purdue
get you out of the state of Florida.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
So I was a late bloomer. And when I say
a late bloomer, I was late at playing football. I
didn't start playing football til tenth grade. And I actually
got recruited by Purdue in particular, in a couple of
other schools, but they would come to my basketball games
and just recruit me as an athlete. Yeah, I mean
tenth grade. I didn't necessarily play. I was just on
the team tenth grade year. But eleventh grade, for some reason,
(04:33):
somehow I just figured it out.
Speaker 4 (04:35):
I'm like, oh, all I.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
Gotta do is throw my body like you know what
I'm saying. And I figured that piece out. They put
me at defensive end and I actually only played six
games with my junior year. But when I say I
crushed them six games, I was making plays left and
right and I ended up breaking my leg. But then
the word got around and then you know, teams are
just gonna watch me play basketball that same season, and
(04:58):
that's how it happened. But again I was late, so.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
So a lot of the Florida schools.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
I guess I was laid on the radar or whatever
it may have been, and then some of the smaller
schools will recruiting me, like UCF and schools, but Purdue
was the first one to give me a scholarship. And
I knew going into school I did not want a
red shirt. That was my biggest thing, like I wanted
to hurry up and go to school, come back home
to my mom, you know what I'm saying. And the
year I was going to Purdue, they had nine guys
(05:23):
get drafted off their defense, so I knew, push them
to shove.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
I'd at least be second string.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
You know what I mean, and find my way, and
I ended up starting midway through my true freshman year.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
Man, it's interesting, like just reading reading your story, how
many things that we have in common. It's I mean,
it's it could be a conversation for another day, but
it's similar thing in the recruiting trail for myself. But
I saw also that speaking of your mom, that she
didn't even know that you played football until she read
it in the paper.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (05:52):
Man, it's funny.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
So in the Haitian culture at that time, football was barbari,
like that's the American sport. You're not playing that. And
again I'm my mom's only child, so of course you're
not playing that, like you're my only baby, Like why
would I let you go out there and get beat
up by those by those kids or whatever. And so
the only reason I started playing football is because all
my all my hoop friends was playing football. So I
(06:14):
had nobody to hang out with, right, So I was like,
all right, well, let's go try this football thing out.
And like I said, I sucked. You know my tenth
grade year. I figured out my eleventh grade year. And
you know, this whole time, my mom is thinking I'm
going to basketball PRIs. She doesn't understand the seasons and
different things like that. She just wanted to make sure
I was off the streets doing something positive. And some
(06:36):
one of her coworkers came to work one time and
showed her a newspaper like, ain't this your son? And
she's looking at me like it's a newspaper. She's looking
at her like it's a newspaper talking about my son.
Was like, what's going on with my baby? You know,
she's thinking the negative, you know what I mean. And
they're like, he's player of the week, Like he's actually
pretty good at this football thing. He playing football, Like
what you came home hollering like what you're doing playing football?
(06:59):
And I'm like pretty good at this. I'm like, Mom,
but I think I might actually be able to go to school
off this. Like she was like, they send kids to
school for this port. I was like, yeah, like I
might actually be able to get a scholarship and all
these different things.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
Uh. Then she was like, oh, okay, well let's.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
Because I sure didn't know how I was gonna go.
I definitely wouldn't been able to go to do or
nothing like that. So so she allowed me to play
and ended up being one of the best decisions we
both got to make.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
It is crazy, man, Like the more you talk to
dudes and you kind of because like my parents knew football,
but they had no concept of what scholarships were.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
I didn't either.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
So the coach was trying to explain it to me,
and I'm just like, yeah, but my dad said, you
don't get anything for free, dog, like you're gonna pay that.
That bill's coming and we can't pay it. And so
it took my coach maybe two or three weeks to
convince me, and then it took us like two months
to convince my dad that they're gonna pay for everything,
and you don't have to pay it back, like.
Speaker 4 (07:51):
You know what I mean, like everything.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
Yeah, my dad saying was like free lunch is not
even free. Fact, somebody's paying facts, you know what I'm saying. So,
like it took a while for them to convince my
dad that scholarship meant that I'm going to get to
go to school for free. So, like I said, there's
a lot of things we have in common. We both
spent our entire careers for the same two organizations. I
started in Seattle and finished in Detroit. You started in
(08:14):
Detroit and finished in Seattle. So what was your time
like in Detroit? You know, I know when I was there,
it was tough sledding.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
But no different, no different, It was tough sledding.
Speaker 4 (08:22):
You know.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
I went over sixteen as a rookie, so that that
by itself, being one of the first teams to ever
do that and be a part of something like that
was brutal, you know, But I wouldn't change it for
the world because it taught me what the NFL was
really about. It showed me that the NFL is a business.
It showed me that I got to be on my
p's and q's at all times. It showed me how
to be a pro and how to approach the game. Now,
(08:43):
I'm sure there's an easier route of showing me all
those things than to go sixteen, but it was brutal.
So my first three years in the league, I had
three different D line coaches, you know, I had two
different head coaches at that time. So just understanding the
dynamic of the league at that time was was pivotal
for me. But it was hard though. Man, it was
a lot of stressful days. Every Monday and Tuesday was
(09:05):
extremely stressful in my first three years because that's usually when.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
They fire people, you know what I'm saying. So, like,
the worst thing you can see is a.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
Three one three numbers pop up on your on your
phone and you're like, wait, if this.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
Is the facility coloring, like which'all? Won't Lord please? So
but it was it.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
Was a great experience looking back at it. But in
the moment though, man, yeah, a lot of stressful.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Days, yeah, And you know, and Detroit is a tough place.
You know, you and the fans there are deserving of
something better, hard working and tough people. And so when
you felt like you weren't like doing it for me.
I mean you felt it like in your soul a
little bit, you know, doubt.
Speaker 3 (09:41):
And I mean even the sixteen year like people were
showing up to games.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
They might have been shown up with.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
Bags over their heads and stuff like that, but they
were showing up to games like the city would go crazy.
I mean, we had one winning season while I was there,
and the city went crazy over it. Like those those
are some true hardcore fans. They just haven't had much
to cheer about.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
Absolutely, man, it's uh. I mean I enjoyed my time
in Detroit, you know, Block of a Berry, and then
the organization did well by me a few different times
when some things were kind of happening in my life.
And so I'm I always feel indebted to them that way.
But speaking of of you know, why we're here, you know,
like I said, this this podcast is designed to be
(10:22):
like a conversation with us just about our experiences with
your mental health and being men of color, being athletes,
been you know, coming from the from the NFL. So,
uh what I'd like to kind of dig into some
of that a little bit, And so I'd like to
start out with you know, when you first came into
the league league in two thousand and eight, what was
the conversation around mental health, like in the locker room
(10:45):
with buddies, like any kind of things like that.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
No such thing. You know, it wasn't a thing to
talk about mental health. You know, it wasn't. Honestly, it
was one of those things like nobody really cares, right,
I mean, like just deal with whatever you got going
on and come out here and make some plays.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
You know.
Speaker 3 (11:01):
It wasn't It wasn't much to be talked about. And
it's interesting now to hear a lot of the talks
about mental health now. I do think there is a
fine line with some of that, because I do feel
like some of those mental hurdles that I had early
on also allowed me to learn how to be a
(11:24):
little bit tough, tougher mentally, right, mental toughness a little
bit now, I do know, I do understand there's a
fine line between the two. But going through some of
that stuff, some of those stressful days and different things
like that, allowed me to be able to weather the
storm when things actually did get hard because I had
already experienced some tough stuff already from that point.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
So speaking of that, what would be if you can
think of something like, what would be an example of
a situation like that that you were maybe going through
a tough time in the season, or you maybe weren't
playing well, or some off the field kind of stuff
that's impacting your play where you felt like, one, you
showed the mental toughness to get through it, and then
(12:04):
and then what did it take to do that? And
then and then what did you learn from it?
Speaker 1 (12:08):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (12:09):
Yeah, I mean I can choose so many different things
from my Detroit days. But you know, as I mentioned,
I went oh and sixteen as a rookie. So the
next year, another coach is coming in. Most coaches are
not trying to have any player. They don't want to
be associated with any player that went oh in sixteen,
So they want their own team, right, So that by
itself is a challenge because now you've got.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
To prove to this coach that you deserve to be here.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
And for me that following year, I think the hardest
part about that year was it was a new head coach,
new d line coach. They're trying to weed guys out, right,
They're trying to whether it's from the first day of
OTAs and team workouts, talking about some running sixteen one tens,
and I mean they're just trying to make you give
(12:53):
in me, make you quit, you know. So like that
battle right there by itself is like, well, I need
this job. I didn't graduate yet, so I gotta I
gotta make it through this. And then, you know, even
during the season, just some of the different things.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
That I had experienced with with.
Speaker 3 (13:08):
My d line coach, and every single week he would
let us know and remind us that those seats you're
sitting down in our least don't get evicted this week.
Like that's that's the starting statement, right every seaton. And
he would tell us on Saturday sometimes like the day
before the game, you know, so like just being on
pins and.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
Needle the entire time.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
That season was tough.
Speaker 3 (13:28):
Like I said, Tuesdays, just stressed out, not hoping I
don't see a call, don't see a three one three
number on my call log, because I was afraid I didn't.
Speaker 4 (13:35):
Play well enough, right, But.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
Experiencing all that also made me respect the craft of
just getting better, right, making sure I understood that, hey,
your seat isn't promised tomorrow, You're renting that seat. Right now,
right So as that could be stressful, in the same breath,
it also makes me just take my game to another
level and appreciate the opportunity that I have before me
to make sure that every single day I put my
(14:01):
best foot forward. I got to make sure I'm on
top of everything. I gotta make sure I'm taking care of
my body. I got to make sure I present myself
in the right way every single.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
Day that I showed up to that to that facility.
Speaker 3 (14:13):
Was it tough at times, most definitely, But when I
got later in my career, I appreciate those moments because
it allowed me to approach this game, this business in
a different manner. And I think, I truly believe that's
why I was able to be able to play as
long as I did was because of those experiences.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
Well, it's interesting because I feel like that's just kind
of the type of dude you are, right, Like you
have this challenge or this thing in your life, and
you figure out how to work through it to make
the best of it. Like where where does where does
that come from? Like like what what is Like there's
a lot of young players out there, Like people don't
understand that about our league is that every position, like
(14:52):
your nine to five job, Like, hey, great, you're doing
great work. But there's a lot of people that are
just sleeping.
Speaker 4 (14:57):
At their computers money.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
Right, So with this league, every time the film comes on,
the chances are you of you being fired are great?
Speaker 1 (15:06):
Oh you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
So how do you how do you be able to
absorb that, understand that and feel that and then find
this thing inside of you that said, Okay, how do
I best use this so that I can be better?
Speaker 1 (15:17):
Like?
Speaker 2 (15:17):
Where where did that come from?
Speaker 1 (15:18):
Well?
Speaker 3 (15:19):
It stems from both my parents, right, both my parents
come from from from Haiti.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
Right.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
They come from what they say, what they call a
third world country, and their sole purpose to come to
this country was to be able to work, the opportunity
to work, Like that's their sole purpose to be here,
the opportunity to work, to be able to give back
and send money back to Haiti. But when you come
to a country and you don't speak the language, you
ain't got family.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
Here, you uh, you're.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
You know, you're a you're a woman, you know, Like
there's a lot of trials and tribulations that.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
You go through.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
And like just watching my mom and being with my mom,
you know, picking me up at midnight, uh and walking
me back home, you know, walking my different Like just
all the different things, Like what I was going through
with the league doesn't compare anything to what she was actually.
Speaker 4 (16:07):
Going through to raise me. Right, So that's one thing.
Speaker 3 (16:10):
And then too, my motivation to be able to purchase
my mama house exceeded all of that, you know what
I mean. Like, if this is what it's gonna take
to be able to buy that lady a house, this
is what we're gonna do, you know what I mean?
Because up until I bought my mama house, I've lived
in apartments my entire life, see what I'm saying. So
(16:30):
like I never had a front yard, I never had
a backyard until I bought my first house from my mama,
you know what I mean. So like that motivation by itself,
it was gonna be worth it. On the back end,
I just knew I had the weather, the storm. But again,
my parents come from a different country and come in
here and being able to figure things.
Speaker 1 (16:47):
Out this is easy.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
I mean, don't get me wrong, it was tough, but
in the grand scheme of things in perspective, it was easy.
Speaker 1 (16:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
Well, I mean, you know, I was mentioned earlier that
when I played with the lines in twenty nineteen ninety seven,
my dad passed away tonight before the first regular season game,
and uh, and so I ended up. You know, I
thought like, hey, my dad. My dad would probably be like,
hey boy, go play play football. So I tried and
got into a fight with Chuck Smith against Atlanta Atlanta
(17:14):
Falcons got kicked out at halftime. But then when in
the locker room, mister Ford came and said, hey, man, like,
I have my my private jetit is at the airport.
Speaker 1 (17:21):
Just go grab your family, go house.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
And so it was just it was just awesome that
he that he did that and did that for me
and my family. So we got and his plain state
was down in North Carolina until the funeral and everything
that flew his back. And so I've always felt like,
you know, he saw the person in me in that situation.
But that was the first time that this mental health
thing kind of jumped on my back. Because about halfway
(17:44):
through the season, I was driving home and I just
got stuck at the red light. I started crying. I
didn't know where what was happening. I had to call
my wife and be like, Yo, can you get a
ride to come drive me home? I can't make it.
Went to the team, was like, dude, like, I'm in
the middle of the games thinking about my dad.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
Did the ball snap?
Speaker 2 (18:00):
Like I needed I need to talk to somebody, and uh,
and so in the middle of the night, you know,
it was a big deal back then, a big thing
back then. I went and spoke to this sports psychologist
a little bit just to try to help me figure
out how to handle the grieving at it, you know
what I'm saying, And so uh and then that was
like the first real time where it's kind of mental
health space jumped jumped into my my approach to football.
Speaker 3 (18:21):
Because I'm sorry to cut you off, but did that
help you though? You know what I'm saying, Like talking
to that sports psychiatrist, did that help you? Or did
they just put a band aid on it to the
to the off season and then got some help.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
No, it actually helped because I didn't Grieving is tough,
you know, and people don't you know, loss is is
also a mental health issue, you know what I'm saying.
And so I didn't know how to grieve my dad,
you know, I wanted to keep playing football, didn't want
to take time off. I didn't miss any games. I
got like the ed Block Courage Award for our team
that year. But I didn't know what to do with
these feelings I had. I didn't know how to process them.
(18:53):
And so this guy actually had me write a letter
to my dad, and it just got all of that
stuff out of my system, you know what I'm saying,
And then I was able to put it in a
place where I could contain it or manage it and
still go do my job.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
You know.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
You know that's interesting because I had something very similar
to that in twenty sixteen. I lost my dad, you know,
and this is a whirlwind. So my old man one
of my best friends, right he so I this this
(19:29):
off season, well, typically every off season we would have
like a memorial get together. Everyone would drive in to
my house in Charlotte and we'd have Family Olympics and
all these different things. But this year in particular, we're
having my wife was pregnant and we're having our second boy.
So we were having an agenda revealed party tied into
the Family Olympics, and everybody pulled up Friday evening and
(19:54):
I talked to about my dad, and he's like, okay, hey,
we're on our way. You know, we're probably like an
hour to out. I guess I'm the last one to
get there. So it's him and one of my cousins
that are driving, and he pulls up and they and
they pull up and my cousin's like, hey, I need
you to come outside. I'm like, man, what bring up
(20:16):
behind it? And we're playing cards, you know whatever, like
bring He's like, bro, I think there's a serious problem.
Come outside. So but I seen them look in his face.
I'm like, oh lord, I know they what I'm thinking.
Run outside. My dad was slumped over in the passenger seat,
and you know, it wasn't responsive or anything like that.
But the whole time he thought he was just sleep,
you know what I mean. So I guess he passed
away into sleep right after I spoke to him.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
He's probably like an hour out.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
So I say all that say is like, so Friday
night I found out my dad passes away. Saturday night,
we have this Saturday afternoon, we have a gender reveal
of hell, I'm finding out I'm having a son. So
it's like I lose one April and then I found
out I'm having another April, right, and then Sunday we're
making a funeral arrangement. You see what I'm saying. But
(21:00):
then I go through all of that. I go through
all of that, and then that season rolls around and
it's the first season, like my old man's not opening
his kickoff and all these different things. But like my
grieving process and we don't I don't know how to grieve,
like I have a small family. He's the first person
to pass in my family. Was one of my best
(21:21):
seasons and I think it was all honestly because I
didn't know how to grieve. But I also wasn't thinking
of but like I was, like this was my way
of not thinking about it, you know what I mean,
Like this was my way of not thinking about my
old man not being around and different things like that.
And I had a great season, better season than I
had the.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
Pro Bowl year or whatever. But it was tough and.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
I don't even know if I've ever actually grieved, you
know what I mean, just going through it. But it
was just back to back things were happening. Because the
following year, I go to the Pro Bowl, I have
my son, I have all these different things and then
six months later, it's the end of my career, right,
you know what I'm saying. So in about a two
and a half year period, I lose my father, I know,
I'm having a son, We have the funeral, I have
(22:07):
one of my best seasons, I go to the Pro Bowl,
and then this end of my career, you know what
I mean. And it's just a whirlwind of different things
that were going on in my life and you just
learned to deal with it. But also I think for me,
the biggest thing that happened for me once I retired
was one thing out here because the sense of community,
and two I finally decided to see a therapist, right, Yeah,
(22:29):
And once I started seeing a therapist, the stuff with
my dad started coming out and pouring out. And then
also obviously dealing with retiring from football, which is another
hard thing for us as athletes because we've been doing
that our whole life.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
So I read where you said that, and I think
you were you said thanks to your wife. So I
don't know if your wife directed you to therapy or
she was in therapy and kind of set the way,
But what was that like for you? Like, I know,
when when I retired, I always proude it myself has
been the smartest dude in the locker room. I knew
exactly what I wanted to do when I retired, all
(23:01):
this stuff. And then I retired and couldn't get out
of the bed, like I was just stuck in the bed.
I would get out of bed, get on the couch,
watch Sports Center, get back in the bed, and that's
turn all the lights off. I had no clue what
I was doing. And so because football is a little
different than a lot of other sports, right, you can't
like retire from the NFL and then go play senior
league football. You can retire from baseball and go play
(23:23):
like the senior league baseball, some softball, all that kind stuff.
But you ain't ain't no too many places you're going
to go where you can steal tackle dudes, you know.
And so what was what was the therapy like and
what kind of what was the walk to the therapy?
Speaker 3 (23:36):
So I think the big thing for me was, like
I knew my career was over with when that night
my injury happened, right, I knew there was a real
high possibility that that was the end of my career.
So what I started doing was I started playing a
lot of seeds, right, whether that was just meeting with
different CEOs around the city, all these different things, and
(24:00):
then I, you know, I decided to do my my radio,
my my talk, my talk sports radio show or whatever.
But the conversation of getting with my therapist was my
wife just suggested it. She's like, hey, you ever thought
about just seeing a therapist? And I'm like, you know,
in our culture, you know, therapist whatever I want to
what I want to talk to some random person about,
you know, but I was blessed to meet our chaplain
(24:25):
Jonathan Rainey and come to find out he does, you know,
some of that that stuff as well, and just being
able to talk to him from a spiritual standpoint too,
you know, it just it just allowed me to be
able to kind of just map things out because you know,
as football players, we're we're almost taught to keep our
keep our thoughts and keep our our our energy to ourselves,
(24:48):
you know what I mean. We're it's it's it's weak
to show emotions, you know what I mean and different,
which again there's a fine line because honestly, you can't
show too many emotions if you just got a sack.
Speaker 4 (25:00):
Well guess what, we got.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
To move on to the next play, right, So it's
a fine line and a fine balance between the two.
But I also just being able to vent. That's nothing
I've ever done in my life before. I've never been
able to vent and and just be able to say
how I felt, talk about my dad, talk about football
being gone, talk about marriage, all these different things like it.
(25:21):
So once you start putting it out there, now you
can actually process and think about it. And I think
that was huge for me being.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
Able to do that.
Speaker 3 (25:27):
And I did that for about a year and a half,
two years of just being able to vent and talk
about things, that things just start pouring out, you know
what I mean, and you just you start realizing some
of these things are why you process things a certain way,
some of these things are why you you know, you
talk the way you talk, and just getting some clarity
on so many things because football tied up so much
of your time.
Speaker 1 (25:48):
I thought it was it was huge to be able
to get therapy.
Speaker 2 (25:50):
Well, let me let me ask you this question then,
as you know football, like you were saying, there's so
much about playing the sport that is positive and rewarding
and productive when you're playing football, But there's also part
of that programming that when you're done playing football is
not helpful at all. So then did the did the
(26:11):
therapy help for the lack of a better phrase, help
deprogram some of the things that that we're trained as athletes,
like not to show emotion, play through the pain, like
you know, don't share with anybody, like you know, keep
things contained to yourself. Did you know, did some of
the therapy help, like help you in some of those
(26:32):
areas where?
Speaker 1 (26:33):
For sure? I think so.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
I think the therapy helped me with just even how
communicate with.
Speaker 1 (26:38):
My wife right, being able to just tell her how
I feel.
Speaker 3 (26:42):
Sometimes now I still fall short because that's that's kind
of in my DNA a little bit. But uh, those
types of situations help. But I think honestly, what I
use like the things we learned from football, I have
learned to use those things in business. I've learned to
use those things in my.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
Day to day as far as for how I approach.
Speaker 3 (27:04):
Things, because yes, those things are can be you know,
cons of our character in a sense, but a lot
of those things also can help you grow in other
spaces because what I've learned is that stuff also is
mental toughness too. It can be mental toughness. It can
be detriminate to you too if you don't know how
to use it. But I think it can be mental
toughness in a sense of you know, I use a
(27:26):
lot of analogies in my business now where things don't
go your way. Well, guess what a turnover just happened.
Guess what you gotta do. You gotta knuckle up, you
gotta you gotta put your chin strap on, you gotta
go out there and try to get a stop right.
So like I still use those that mindset to a
certain degree. But then on the other side of it again,
it has allowed me to be patient with my kids.
(27:47):
It has allowed me to be able to talk to
my wife in a certain way to make sure that
she understands what I'm saying and values what I'm saying.
But it's coming from a special place because ten years
ago I just would have told you how I felt
and gone a boy my business. But now I'm sympathizing
you know what I'm saying. So it's it's it definitely
has helped, but I'm able to use both sides of it.
(28:10):
You know, and and but but the mental toughness piece
and mental mental mental toughness piece, we can you know,
we we've definitely used that to grow in a lot
of different.
Speaker 1 (28:21):
Ways, I feel it.
Speaker 2 (28:22):
So we're kind of running out of time here, But
I did want to ask you just one other question.
How do you think the league now is responding or
just professionals question in general, is responding to this mental
health uh space and area.
Speaker 3 (28:35):
I think it's cool, right because I think it's cool
for guys to be able to say what they're going
through because that's the one thing we.
Speaker 4 (28:42):
Like we didn't have. We didn't have.
Speaker 3 (28:45):
Man, man, I'm feeling this kind of way mentally, Uh,
you know, can I get some help?
Speaker 4 (28:50):
Like?
Speaker 1 (28:50):
That was a what do you mean?
Speaker 3 (28:52):
You feel what you mean out there? And get your
hand in the dirt, you know. So having that outlet,
I think is huge. I just I just want to
make sure that with anything, both sides can abuse that.
Speaker 4 (29:08):
Right.
Speaker 3 (29:10):
You can't just come to work talking about something you
just don't feel like doing something today because blah blah blah.
Because there's really guys that are out here struggling with that, right,
Because the more guys that do that and fake the funk,
the more the league is going to go the other direction,
like we can't do this no more, right, but in
the same breath, like being able to have a space
to do that if things aren't really bothering, if things
(29:30):
are really like you're really thinking, you know, in a
negative light. To be able to do that, I think
is huge because a lot of guys struggle with that, right,
A lot of guys don't even like in our times,
we didn't even know there was a name for that, right,
We didn't even know you can call that all these
different things. So being able to learn more about that
(29:51):
and how it affects people, I think is huge, And
I think the League is doing a great job of
making sure that guys are comfortable being able to say
and speak on how they're feeling.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
Well, Uh, I'm glad that you that you were able
to come on today, Cliff and uh and really talk
a little bit about you know, your journey went to
mental health thing, and then also some of the insights
you know, like you said, like you can it can
be abused on both sides, you know, like someone can
just be playing the game to play the game, to
stay in the game, you know, versus the guys that
are really really struggling, and uh, you know, the the
(30:22):
NFL has a lot more resources now like myself this
time last year, I admitted myself to a residential place
through the NFL Trust and I was there for like
thirty two days as a house on four acres. Four
six former players at a time were there, and they
bring all the therapy, all the therapy to you. And
like I was dealing with anxiety and panic and depression
(30:43):
and all that stuff and I just couldn't power my
way through it, and so and so I really needed
to help. So that's why this then became a thing
for me because there were dudes there that were struggling
in silence exactly.
Speaker 3 (30:56):
You know what I'm saying now now before we wrap
it up, because I'm.
Speaker 1 (30:59):
Still this yeah, right, because it's still.
Speaker 3 (31:02):
Somewhat new to me. And again because I didn't know
you could put it. There was a name for some
of the stuff we were going through, but what you
were going through and having the resource to be able
to do so, what made you actually pick up the
phone and make that call?
Speaker 2 (31:18):
Because I was just I struggled through it a lot.
Speaker 1 (31:21):
Man.
Speaker 2 (31:21):
Since return I've struggled with depression. But then all of
a sudden, right before the pandemic, I started having these
anxiety attacks and panic attacks. I couldn't get out the door,
and so I would just try to muscle my way
through it. Or I'm trying to go hang out with
my kids, I'm just like, hey, I can't make it
over the day, I'm not feeling well. And after a
while the kids are like, something's going on with dad?
You know, Well, this time last year, I just hit
a breaking point.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
Dude.
Speaker 2 (31:41):
I had no idea what to do, and so I
tried to like get into this one program and I
couldn't get in, and so I thought, well, this is
just what my life is going to be. And my
ex wife, to her credit, called Sandy Gregory that used
to work with the Seahawks, and Sandy connected me with
the people at the Trust, and then Trust said, hey,
we got this place you can go, and uh, when
(32:03):
do you want to go? And I'm like right now
and then and uh, and so they actually I said,
if one more thing goes wrong, then I'm just going
to be this dude for the rest of my life.
Because I just could not deal with all the stuff.
And so we get to the airport and on the
my name is Richard Ray Roberts, but I go by
Ray and so my ticket that had Ray Roberts. And
the dude was like, oh, like your ID, says Richard.
(32:26):
I don't know if you're gonna dude like, and I
was like, I'll say, hey, man, come here, and so
it came over. It took everything for me not to
just grab his face and I'm like, look, dude, like,
if I'm not on this plane, like, my life depends
on me been on this plane, So you have to
do whatever you have to do. And he goes, all right,
mister Roberts, I'll make it happen. And so he changed
(32:47):
my ticket up right there at the counter, which they're
not supposed to do, so I can get on the thing.
And so it really did change my life because it
just because then I did use my football stuff. So
when I got there, they gave us this big old
book about coping skills and all the different things. So, man,
I'm gonna treat this like two days. I'm ana practice
one skill in the morning and one skill in the afternoon.
I'm gonna do that every day and then until I
(33:07):
found what worked for me and then and so that's
kind of how I approached it and just kind of
went it was total to a day, So I didn't
care about the other I mean, I care about the
other dudes in there, but I didn't care what they
thought about me. Yeah, because I'm like, this is my thing.
I need to work this out. So that's kind of
that's kind of how I got there.
Speaker 3 (33:21):
No, that's awesome to hear because I again, I think
there's so many quality things that we've learned from the
game that we can apply to certain parts of our
life that will allow us to have success, to get
through situations like that, because I think the mental toughness
piece of it again, because I think there's a fine
line between the two mental toughness and mental illness. But
(33:43):
if we can lean on our mental toughness and understanding
how we can get through things. But then okay, being
okay with being with that phone call because this is
not working today. I need to you know, I need
to make whatever the situation may be. But that's awesome
that you was able to get help. And I think
it's awesome that these out lists are.
Speaker 1 (34:00):
Just available for guys.
Speaker 3 (34:01):
Yes, because a lot of times, honestly, a lot of
times our identity is just tied into football, and when
you lose it, it gets scary out here, you know,
it gets scary. So so being able to have those resources,
being able to have the league behind you to help
you through and weather the storm, that's awesome. And I'm
glad to hear that you're in a good space. I'm
glad to hear that I'm in a good space. And
there's a lot of our brothers and brothers out there
(34:23):
that that that that do need some help and we
got to be there for them too to be able
to help them out with the with these issues as
well well.
Speaker 2 (34:30):
Absolutely, and I'm glad thank you also for asking, you know,
just speaking to the stuff that I was going through.
And uh, and I wouldn't wish that on anybody. It
was really dark. Like I'm a pretty happy, go lucky dude,
and so you know, I was doing our pregame post
game show all this energy, and as soon as I
got in my car, dude, it was just like it
was just it was hard. But uh, but I appreciate
(34:50):
you showing some interest there. And before we leave, you know,
you have two uh, you have your Cliffavoral Family Foundations
that brings awareness to type two diabetes for kids and
education for your for your for the youth back in Haiti.
And then you also have your Champions of Change basketball
game coming up in February, I mean June twenty third.
Speaker 1 (35:12):
So yes, sir, I want to speak to yes.
Speaker 3 (35:14):
Yes, yes, So Cliff abral Family Foundation we've been around
for twelve years now, eleven years now something like that,
and you know that's geared towards JUNI diabetes, but also
the education system in Haiti. And we've also branched off.
Now we have a mentoring program that we do call
the Cliffs Crew. I've been mentoring these black and brown
boys since they were in third grade. Now they're in
(35:34):
seventh and eighth grade, and it's all about exposure. It's
all about exposing them to different opportunities that are here
in their own backyard. Unfortunately, in our society right now,
black and brown boys only see themselves as as athletes
are entertainers, right but the odds, as we know, the
odds of becoming either one of those is very slim.
But did they know that you can be a lawyer
(35:55):
and still be part of the Seahawks team. Did they
know that you can be an accountant, be a part
of the Seahawks team because when they win the Super Bowl,
guess what you get her? Right, So you help the
organization move forward. So I think that's extremely important. You
can't dream about things you don't know that don't that exist, right,
So that's that. And then we got the Champions Have Changed.
Oh well, for more information go to Cliff Aprilfamilyfoundation dot org.
(36:16):
And then we have Champions of Change where Michael Bennett,
Duck Bawling and myself we partnered up to be able
to support different local organizations here in the city that
are doing some special stuff that don't get enough lightshit
on to how important they are in the city. Myself
in particular, I support the Odessa Brown Clinic and and uh,
you know, they've been a staple in the community for
(36:36):
a long time. And I think you know we're hosting
a basketball game June twenty third at Climate Pledge Arena.
We're gonna have some of your favorite celebs. I hate
calling these guys celebs because they are all my homies, but
we're gonna have all your some of your favorite celebs
around the city that that are gonna be there to support.
We got Marshawn that's gonna be a coach. We got
Sue Bird, she's gonna be a coach. Gary Payon's gonna
(36:58):
be a coach again this year. So it's gonna be
a great time. And it's all about bringing families together
as well, and it's all for a great cost to
be able to support all those organizations that we support
and want to shed light on so people can support
them as well.
Speaker 2 (37:10):
Well, that's awesome, man, You've always been a great community dude.
And UH, and it's cool when when you're able to
give back, uh, and you get to be really specific
when you give back versus just kind of in general.
So doing a lot of great stuff. Thank you again,
uh for for joining the show with us. And UH,
if you're struggling with mental health and and whether it's stress, anxiety, panic, whatever,
(37:31):
reach out to your local uh, to your medical providers
for help and God is support uh to get to
help you need. And then two know that it's okay
to be to not be okay. And then three, when
you need help and you ask for help, you're operating
from a position of strength and so a lot of
People think it's weakness to ask for help, but it's
actually a strength and power to ask to ask for help.
(37:53):
Thank you for listening, Uh to Big Raise, Garage Grind
Mental Health Edition, and uh thank you got a guy again,
Clifford jumping On. You can find me also on Twitter
at Big Ray Roberts and on Instagram at that Dude
O seventy two.
Speaker 1 (38:06):
So be good and peace.
You're listening to Big Raise Garage Grind.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
I want to bring awareness and my voice to something
that's meaningful and purposeful, more than just who's the best
football player, who's the best football team. The intersection between life,
football and mental health. When you need help and you
ask for help, you're operating from a position of power.
When you need help and you don't ask for help,
that's the weakness. Now here's your host, Seahawk's legend, Ray Roberts.
(00:28):
What up, fam, and welcome to Big Raise Garage Grind
Mental Health addition, we are where you will hear from
me and my guests about our thoughts and experiences with
our own mental health and wellness journeys. And today is
this month actually is also Mental Health Awareness Month, and
so it's perfect timing for us to welcome in a
new guests. I've been away from the MIC a little bit,
(00:50):
and so we thought this would be a great time
to get back at it and have some conversations around
mental health and its impact on us as a young
as men, as athletes, as fathers, as sons, what have you.
So it's really great honor to welcome a third round
draft pick for the Detroit Lions in two thousand and eight.
(01:12):
Was signed as a twenty thirteen as a free agent
with the Seattle Seahawks, and his career here with the
Seahawks had thirty four and a half sacks thirteen forced fumbles,
first in Seahawks history with six and a half postseason sacks,
which speaks to like being a closer. You know what
I'm saying, It's important to close those games. Twenty sixteen
Seahawks Man of the Year, twenty sixteen Pro Bowler, Super
(01:34):
Bowl forty eight champion, and proud husband and father, mister
Cliff April, Welcome to.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
The show man. Thanks for having me. It's always good
hearing a bunch of stats.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
I didn't know some of those things, so that's good.
You know.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
Sometimes sometimes people like even ask me, Yeah, it's an
off as the line, I don't have any stats, so
I gotta ride with like what the what the running backs?
So of course I'm always gonna ride with Barry Sam
just like, oh yeah, you get us on that line
and we rush for two thousand yards and it was
actually doing a contra right year, so we had actually
calculated how many yards he gained starting to the left side.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
You know our brother can get some stats for love.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Well, it's happy to have you on today, man, And uh,
this is an area that is super important to me.
This this how uh this mental health and wellness space.
And before we get to it, uh to your journey
a little bit, just want to just talk a little
bit about you know, where you are and where you're
from and your your Haitian descent. But you grew up
in Jacksonville, Florida.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Yes, sir, yes, sir.
Speaker 4 (02:31):
For sport athlete.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's funny you know, even here in
for sport athletes because you know, growing up, I didn't
start really playing sports really until I got to high school.
Oh you know, I played a little bit of Betty
basketball and uh you know, I played on the junior
high team for basketball. But high school is when, you know,
(02:53):
sports became a thing for me. And and just you know,
talking through my upbringing, you know me being Haitian, uh
and then also playing football was like back in those times,
my mom was not going far you know what I'm saying,
so uh, just being able to play that sport and
it was too brutal my mom's only child of course,
so you know, but but combating. I think the hard
(03:16):
thing for me growing up was just being able to
combat between the American culture and being Haitian. You know
what I'm saying, Because when I'm at home, we speak Creole,
we eat the Haitian food, it's Haitian culture everything. As
soon as we open those doors to go to school
or to go into the world, now I'm American, you
know what I mean. So now it's adjusting. Now we
eating burgers and you know, we speaking English and all
(03:38):
these different things. So it was a it was a
constant battle, but I didn't necessarily even realize it was
just life for me.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Well, I won't say this, I would love to be
at the crib when it's when it's non American time. Yeah,
because all the food you just mentioned there are just
made this big dude hunger, you know what I'm saying.
And I love myself a good burger, but I love
all types of food too, you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
So good.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
But here's the other question I wanted to ask real fast,
is that you were all state in football and basketball
in the state of Florida. Yeah, how did you choose
football over basketball? And then how did you get Purdue
get you out of the state of Florida.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
So I was a late bloomer. And when I say
a late bloomer, I was late at playing football. I
didn't start playing football til tenth grade. And I actually
got recruited by Purdue in particular, in a couple of
other schools, but they would come to my basketball games
and just recruit me as an athlete. Yeah, I mean
tenth grade. I didn't necessarily play. I was just on
the team tenth grade year. But eleventh grade, for some reason,
(04:33):
somehow I just figured it out.
Speaker 4 (04:35):
I'm like, oh, all I.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
Gotta do is throw my body like you know what
I'm saying. And I figured that piece out. They put
me at defensive end and I actually only played six
games with my junior year. But when I say I
crushed them six games, I was making plays left and
right and I ended up breaking my leg. But then
the word got around and then you know, teams are
just gonna watch me play basketball that same season, and
(04:58):
that's how it happened. But again I was late, so.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
So a lot of the Florida schools.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
I guess I was laid on the radar or whatever
it may have been, and then some of the smaller
schools will recruiting me, like UCF and schools, but Purdue
was the first one to give me a scholarship. And
I knew going into school I did not want a
red shirt. That was my biggest thing, like I wanted
to hurry up and go to school, come back home
to my mom, you know what I'm saying. And the
year I was going to Purdue, they had nine guys
(05:23):
get drafted off their defense, so I knew, push them
to shove.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
I'd at least be second string.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
You know what I mean, and find my way, and
I ended up starting midway through my true freshman year.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
Man, it's interesting, like just reading reading your story, how
many things that we have in common. It's I mean,
it's it could be a conversation for another day, but
it's similar thing in the recruiting trail for myself. But
I saw also that speaking of your mom, that she
didn't even know that you played football until she read
it in the paper.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (05:52):
Man, it's funny.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
So in the Haitian culture at that time, football was barbari,
like that's the American sport. You're not playing that. And
again I'm my mom's only child, so of course you're
not playing that, like you're my only baby, Like why
would I let you go out there and get beat
up by those by those kids or whatever. And so
the only reason I started playing football is because all
my all my hoop friends was playing football. So I
(06:14):
had nobody to hang out with, right, So I was like,
all right, well, let's go try this football thing out.
And like I said, I sucked. You know my tenth
grade year. I figured out my eleventh grade year. And
you know, this whole time, my mom is thinking I'm
going to basketball PRIs. She doesn't understand the seasons and
different things like that. She just wanted to make sure
I was off the streets doing something positive. And some
(06:36):
one of her coworkers came to work one time and
showed her a newspaper like, ain't this your son? And
she's looking at me like it's a newspaper. She's looking
at her like it's a newspaper talking about my son.
Was like, what's going on with my baby? You know,
she's thinking the negative, you know what I mean. And
they're like, he's player of the week, Like he's actually
pretty good at this football thing. He playing football, Like
what you came home hollering like what you're doing playing football?
(06:59):
And I'm like pretty good at this. I'm like, Mom,
but I think I might actually be able to go to school
off this. Like she was like, they send kids to
school for this port. I was like, yeah, like I
might actually be able to get a scholarship and all
these different things.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
Uh. Then she was like, oh, okay, well let's.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
Because I sure didn't know how I was gonna go.
I definitely wouldn't been able to go to do or
nothing like that. So so she allowed me to play
and ended up being one of the best decisions we
both got to make.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
It is crazy, man, Like the more you talk to
dudes and you kind of because like my parents knew football,
but they had no concept of what scholarships were.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
I didn't either.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
So the coach was trying to explain it to me,
and I'm just like, yeah, but my dad said, you
don't get anything for free, dog, like you're gonna pay that.
That bill's coming and we can't pay it. And so
it took my coach maybe two or three weeks to
convince me, and then it took us like two months
to convince my dad that they're gonna pay for everything,
and you don't have to pay it back, like.
Speaker 4 (07:51):
You know what I mean, like everything.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
Yeah, my dad saying was like free lunch is not
even free. Fact, somebody's paying facts, you know what I'm saying. So,
like it took a while for them to convince my
dad that scholarship meant that I'm going to get to
go to school for free. So, like I said, there's
a lot of things we have in common. We both
spent our entire careers for the same two organizations. I
started in Seattle and finished in Detroit. You started in
(08:14):
Detroit and finished in Seattle. So what was your time
like in Detroit? You know, I know when I was there,
it was tough sledding.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
But no different, no different, It was tough sledding.
Speaker 4 (08:22):
You know.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
I went over sixteen as a rookie, so that that
by itself, being one of the first teams to ever
do that and be a part of something like that
was brutal, you know, But I wouldn't change it for
the world because it taught me what the NFL was
really about. It showed me that the NFL is a business.
It showed me that I got to be on my
p's and q's at all times. It showed me how
to be a pro and how to approach the game. Now,
(08:43):
I'm sure there's an easier route of showing me all
those things than to go sixteen, but it was brutal.
So my first three years in the league, I had
three different D line coaches, you know, I had two
different head coaches at that time. So just understanding the
dynamic of the league at that time was was pivotal
for me. But it was hard though. Man, it was
a lot of stressful days. Every Monday and Tuesday was
(09:05):
extremely stressful in my first three years because that's usually when.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
They fire people, you know what I'm saying. So, like,
the worst thing you can see is a.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
Three one three numbers pop up on your on your
phone and you're like, wait, if this.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
Is the facility coloring, like which'all? Won't Lord please? So
but it was it.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
Was a great experience looking back at it. But in
the moment though, man, yeah, a lot of stressful.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Days, yeah, And you know, and Detroit is a tough place.
You know, you and the fans there are deserving of
something better, hard working and tough people. And so when
you felt like you weren't like doing it for me.
I mean you felt it like in your soul a
little bit, you know, doubt.
Speaker 3 (09:41):
And I mean even the sixteen year like people were
showing up to games.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
They might have been shown up with.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
Bags over their heads and stuff like that, but they
were showing up to games like the city would go crazy.
I mean, we had one winning season while I was there,
and the city went crazy over it. Like those those
are some true hardcore fans. They just haven't had much
to cheer about.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
Absolutely, man, it's uh. I mean I enjoyed my time
in Detroit, you know, Block of a Berry, and then
the organization did well by me a few different times
when some things were kind of happening in my life.
And so I'm I always feel indebted to them that way.
But speaking of of you know, why we're here, you know,
like I said, this this podcast is designed to be
(10:22):
like a conversation with us just about our experiences with
your mental health and being men of color, being athletes,
been you know, coming from the from the NFL. So,
uh what I'd like to kind of dig into some
of that a little bit, And so I'd like to
start out with you know, when you first came into
the league league in two thousand and eight, what was
the conversation around mental health, like in the locker room
(10:45):
with buddies, like any kind of things like that.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
No such thing. You know, it wasn't a thing to
talk about mental health. You know, it wasn't. Honestly, it
was one of those things like nobody really cares, right,
I mean, like just deal with whatever you got going
on and come out here and make some plays.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
You know.
Speaker 3 (11:01):
It wasn't It wasn't much to be talked about. And
it's interesting now to hear a lot of the talks
about mental health now. I do think there is a
fine line with some of that, because I do feel
like some of those mental hurdles that I had early
on also allowed me to learn how to be a
(11:24):
little bit tough, tougher mentally, right, mental toughness a little
bit now, I do know, I do understand there's a
fine line between the two. But going through some of
that stuff, some of those stressful days and different things
like that, allowed me to be able to weather the
storm when things actually did get hard because I had
already experienced some tough stuff already from that point.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
So speaking of that, what would be if you can
think of something like, what would be an example of
a situation like that that you were maybe going through
a tough time in the season, or you maybe weren't
playing well, or some off the field kind of stuff
that's impacting your play where you felt like, one, you
showed the mental toughness to get through it, and then
(12:04):
and then what did it take to do that? And
then and then what did you learn from it?
Speaker 1 (12:08):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (12:09):
Yeah, I mean I can choose so many different things
from my Detroit days. But you know, as I mentioned,
I went oh and sixteen as a rookie. So the
next year, another coach is coming in. Most coaches are
not trying to have any player. They don't want to
be associated with any player that went oh in sixteen,
So they want their own team, right, So that by
itself is a challenge because now you've got.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
To prove to this coach that you deserve to be here.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
And for me that following year, I think the hardest
part about that year was it was a new head coach,
new d line coach. They're trying to weed guys out, right,
They're trying to whether it's from the first day of
OTAs and team workouts, talking about some running sixteen one tens,
and I mean they're just trying to make you give
(12:53):
in me, make you quit, you know. So like that
battle right there by itself is like, well, I need
this job. I didn't graduate yet, so I gotta I
gotta make it through this. And then, you know, even
during the season, just some of the different things.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
That I had experienced with with.
Speaker 3 (13:08):
My d line coach, and every single week he would
let us know and remind us that those seats you're
sitting down in our least don't get evicted this week.
Like that's that's the starting statement, right every seaton. And
he would tell us on Saturday sometimes like the day
before the game, you know, so like just being on
pins and.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
Needle the entire time.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
That season was tough.
Speaker 3 (13:28):
Like I said, Tuesdays, just stressed out, not hoping I
don't see a call, don't see a three one three
number on my call log, because I was afraid I didn't.
Speaker 4 (13:35):
Play well enough, right, But.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
Experiencing all that also made me respect the craft of
just getting better, right, making sure I understood that, hey,
your seat isn't promised tomorrow, You're renting that seat. Right now,
right So as that could be stressful, in the same breath,
it also makes me just take my game to another
level and appreciate the opportunity that I have before me
to make sure that every single day I put my
(14:01):
best foot forward. I got to make sure I'm on
top of everything. I gotta make sure I'm taking care of
my body. I got to make sure I present myself
in the right way every single.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
Day that I showed up to that to that facility.
Speaker 3 (14:13):
Was it tough at times, most definitely, But when I
got later in my career, I appreciate those moments because
it allowed me to approach this game, this business in
a different manner. And I think, I truly believe that's
why I was able to be able to play as
long as I did was because of those experiences.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
Well, it's interesting because I feel like that's just kind
of the type of dude you are, right, Like you
have this challenge or this thing in your life, and
you figure out how to work through it to make
the best of it. Like where where does where does
that come from? Like like what what is Like there's
a lot of young players out there, Like people don't
understand that about our league is that every position, like
(14:52):
your nine to five job, Like, hey, great, you're doing
great work. But there's a lot of people that are
just sleeping.
Speaker 4 (14:57):
At their computers money.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
Right, So with this league, every time the film comes on,
the chances are you of you being fired are great?
Speaker 1 (15:06):
Oh you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
So how do you how do you be able to
absorb that, understand that and feel that and then find
this thing inside of you that said, Okay, how do
I best use this so that I can be better?
Speaker 1 (15:17):
Like?
Speaker 2 (15:17):
Where where did that come from?
Speaker 1 (15:18):
Well?
Speaker 3 (15:19):
It stems from both my parents, right, both my parents
come from from from Haiti.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
Right.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
They come from what they say, what they call a
third world country, and their sole purpose to come to
this country was to be able to work, the opportunity
to work, Like that's their sole purpose to be here,
the opportunity to work, to be able to give back
and send money back to Haiti. But when you come
to a country and you don't speak the language, you
ain't got family.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
Here, you uh, you're.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
You know, you're a you're a woman, you know, Like
there's a lot of trials and tribulations that.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
You go through.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
And like just watching my mom and being with my mom,
you know, picking me up at midnight, uh and walking
me back home, you know, walking my different Like just
all the different things, Like what I was going through
with the league doesn't compare anything to what she was actually.
Speaker 4 (16:07):
Going through to raise me. Right, So that's one thing.
Speaker 3 (16:10):
And then too, my motivation to be able to purchase
my mama house exceeded all of that, you know what
I mean. Like, if this is what it's gonna take
to be able to buy that lady a house, this
is what we're gonna do, you know what I mean?
Because up until I bought my mama house, I've lived
in apartments my entire life, see what I'm saying. So
(16:30):
like I never had a front yard, I never had
a backyard until I bought my first house from my mama,
you know what I mean. So like that motivation by itself,
it was gonna be worth it. On the back end,
I just knew I had the weather, the storm. But again,
my parents come from a different country and come in
here and being able to figure things.
Speaker 1 (16:47):
Out this is easy.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
I mean, don't get me wrong, it was tough, but
in the grand scheme of things in perspective, it was easy.
Speaker 1 (16:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
Well, I mean, you know, I was mentioned earlier that
when I played with the lines in twenty nineteen ninety seven,
my dad passed away tonight before the first regular season game,
and uh, and so I ended up. You know, I
thought like, hey, my dad. My dad would probably be like,
hey boy, go play play football. So I tried and
got into a fight with Chuck Smith against Atlanta Atlanta
(17:14):
Falcons got kicked out at halftime. But then when in
the locker room, mister Ford came and said, hey, man, like,
I have my my private jetit is at the airport.
Speaker 1 (17:21):
Just go grab your family, go house.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
And so it was just it was just awesome that
he that he did that and did that for me
and my family. So we got and his plain state
was down in North Carolina until the funeral and everything
that flew his back. And so I've always felt like,
you know, he saw the person in me in that situation.
But that was the first time that this mental health
thing kind of jumped on my back. Because about halfway
(17:44):
through the season, I was driving home and I just
got stuck at the red light. I started crying. I
didn't know where what was happening. I had to call
my wife and be like, Yo, can you get a
ride to come drive me home? I can't make it.
Went to the team, was like, dude, like, I'm in
the middle of the games thinking about my dad.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
Did the ball snap?
Speaker 2 (18:00):
Like I needed I need to talk to somebody, and uh,
and so in the middle of the night, you know,
it was a big deal back then, a big thing
back then. I went and spoke to this sports psychologist
a little bit just to try to help me figure
out how to handle the grieving at it, you know
what I'm saying, And so uh and then that was
like the first real time where it's kind of mental
health space jumped jumped into my my approach to football.
Speaker 3 (18:21):
Because I'm sorry to cut you off, but did that
help you though? You know what I'm saying, Like talking
to that sports psychiatrist, did that help you? Or did
they just put a band aid on it to the
to the off season and then got some help.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
No, it actually helped because I didn't Grieving is tough,
you know, and people don't you know, loss is is
also a mental health issue, you know what I'm saying.
And so I didn't know how to grieve my dad,
you know, I wanted to keep playing football, didn't want
to take time off. I didn't miss any games. I
got like the ed Block Courage Award for our team
that year. But I didn't know what to do with
these feelings I had. I didn't know how to process them.
(18:53):
And so this guy actually had me write a letter
to my dad, and it just got all of that
stuff out of my system, you know what I'm saying,
And then I was able to put it in a
place where I could contain it or manage it and
still go do my job.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
You know.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
You know that's interesting because I had something very similar
to that in twenty sixteen. I lost my dad, you know,
and this is a whirlwind. So my old man one
of my best friends, right he so I this this
(19:29):
off season, well, typically every off season we would have
like a memorial get together. Everyone would drive in to
my house in Charlotte and we'd have Family Olympics and
all these different things. But this year in particular, we're
having my wife was pregnant and we're having our second boy.
So we were having an agenda revealed party tied into
the Family Olympics, and everybody pulled up Friday evening and
(19:54):
I talked to about my dad, and he's like, okay, hey,
we're on our way. You know, we're probably like an
hour to out. I guess I'm the last one to
get there. So it's him and one of my cousins
that are driving, and he pulls up and they and
they pull up and my cousin's like, hey, I need
you to come outside. I'm like, man, what bring up
(20:16):
behind it? And we're playing cards, you know whatever, like
bring He's like, bro, I think there's a serious problem.
Come outside. So but I seen them look in his face.
I'm like, oh lord, I know they what I'm thinking.
Run outside. My dad was slumped over in the passenger seat,
and you know, it wasn't responsive or anything like that.
But the whole time he thought he was just sleep,
you know what I mean. So I guess he passed
away into sleep right after I spoke to him.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
He's probably like an hour out.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
So I say all that say is like, so Friday
night I found out my dad passes away. Saturday night,
we have this Saturday afternoon, we have a gender reveal
of hell, I'm finding out I'm having a son. So
it's like I lose one April and then I found
out I'm having another April, right, and then Sunday we're
making a funeral arrangement. You see what I'm saying. But
(21:00):
then I go through all of that. I go through
all of that, and then that season rolls around and
it's the first season, like my old man's not opening
his kickoff and all these different things. But like my
grieving process and we don't I don't know how to grieve,
like I have a small family. He's the first person
to pass in my family. Was one of my best
(21:21):
seasons and I think it was all honestly because I
didn't know how to grieve. But I also wasn't thinking
of but like I was, like this was my way
of not thinking about it, you know what I mean,
Like this was my way of not thinking about my
old man not being around and different things like that.
And I had a great season, better season than I
had the.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
Pro Bowl year or whatever. But it was tough and.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
I don't even know if I've ever actually grieved, you
know what I mean, just going through it. But it
was just back to back things were happening. Because the
following year, I go to the Pro Bowl, I have
my son, I have all these different things and then
six months later, it's the end of my career, right,
you know what I'm saying. So in about a two
and a half year period, I lose my father, I know,
I'm having a son, We have the funeral, I have
(22:07):
one of my best seasons, I go to the Pro Bowl,
and then this end of my career, you know what
I mean. And it's just a whirlwind of different things
that were going on in my life and you just
learned to deal with it. But also I think for me,
the biggest thing that happened for me once I retired
was one thing out here because the sense of community,
and two I finally decided to see a therapist, right, Yeah,
(22:29):
And once I started seeing a therapist, the stuff with
my dad started coming out and pouring out. And then
also obviously dealing with retiring from football, which is another
hard thing for us as athletes because we've been doing
that our whole life.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
So I read where you said that, and I think
you were you said thanks to your wife. So I
don't know if your wife directed you to therapy or
she was in therapy and kind of set the way,
But what was that like for you? Like, I know,
when when I retired, I always proude it myself has
been the smartest dude in the locker room. I knew
exactly what I wanted to do when I retired, all
(23:01):
this stuff. And then I retired and couldn't get out
of the bed, like I was just stuck in the bed.
I would get out of bed, get on the couch,
watch Sports Center, get back in the bed, and that's
turn all the lights off. I had no clue what
I was doing. And so because football is a little
different than a lot of other sports, right, you can't
like retire from the NFL and then go play senior
league football. You can retire from baseball and go play
(23:23):
like the senior league baseball, some softball, all that kind stuff.
But you ain't ain't no too many places you're going
to go where you can steal tackle dudes, you know.
And so what was what was the therapy like and
what kind of what was the walk to the therapy?
Speaker 3 (23:36):
So I think the big thing for me was, like
I knew my career was over with when that night
my injury happened, right, I knew there was a real
high possibility that that was the end of my career.
So what I started doing was I started playing a
lot of seeds, right, whether that was just meeting with
different CEOs around the city, all these different things, and
(24:00):
then I, you know, I decided to do my my radio,
my my talk, my talk sports radio show or whatever.
But the conversation of getting with my therapist was my
wife just suggested it. She's like, hey, you ever thought
about just seeing a therapist? And I'm like, you know,
in our culture, you know, therapist whatever I want to
what I want to talk to some random person about,
you know, but I was blessed to meet our chaplain
(24:25):
Jonathan Rainey and come to find out he does, you know,
some of that that stuff as well, and just being
able to talk to him from a spiritual standpoint too,
you know, it just it just allowed me to be
able to kind of just map things out because you know,
as football players, we're we're almost taught to keep our
keep our thoughts and keep our our our energy to ourselves,
(24:48):
you know what I mean. We're it's it's it's weak
to show emotions, you know what I mean and different,
which again there's a fine line because honestly, you can't
show too many emotions if you just got a sack.
Speaker 4 (25:00):
Well guess what, we got.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
To move on to the next play, right, So it's
a fine line and a fine balance between the two.
But I also just being able to vent. That's nothing
I've ever done in my life before. I've never been
able to vent and and just be able to say
how I felt, talk about my dad, talk about football
being gone, talk about marriage, all these different things like it.
(25:21):
So once you start putting it out there, now you
can actually process and think about it. And I think
that was huge for me being.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
Able to do that.
Speaker 3 (25:27):
And I did that for about a year and a half,
two years of just being able to vent and talk
about things, that things just start pouring out, you know
what I mean, and you just you start realizing some
of these things are why you process things a certain way,
some of these things are why you you know, you
talk the way you talk, and just getting some clarity
on so many things because football tied up so much
of your time.
Speaker 1 (25:48):
I thought it was it was huge to be able
to get therapy.
Speaker 2 (25:50):
Well, let me let me ask you this question then,
as you know football, like you were saying, there's so
much about playing the sport that is positive and rewarding
and productive when you're playing football, But there's also part
of that programming that when you're done playing football is
not helpful at all. So then did the did the
(26:11):
therapy help for the lack of a better phrase, help
deprogram some of the things that that we're trained as athletes,
like not to show emotion, play through the pain, like
you know, don't share with anybody, like you know, keep
things contained to yourself. Did you know, did some of
the therapy help, like help you in some of those
(26:32):
areas where?
Speaker 1 (26:33):
For sure? I think so.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
I think the therapy helped me with just even how
communicate with.
Speaker 1 (26:38):
My wife right, being able to just tell her how
I feel.
Speaker 3 (26:42):
Sometimes now I still fall short because that's that's kind
of in my DNA a little bit. But uh, those
types of situations help. But I think honestly, what I
use like the things we learned from football, I have
learned to use those things in business. I've learned to
use those things in my.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
Day to day as far as for how I approach.
Speaker 3 (27:04):
Things, because yes, those things are can be you know,
cons of our character in a sense, but a lot
of those things also can help you grow in other
spaces because what I've learned is that stuff also is
mental toughness too. It can be mental toughness. It can
be detriminate to you too if you don't know how
to use it. But I think it can be mental
toughness in a sense of you know, I use a
(27:26):
lot of analogies in my business now where things don't
go your way. Well, guess what a turnover just happened.
Guess what you gotta do. You gotta knuckle up, you
gotta you gotta put your chin strap on, you gotta
go out there and try to get a stop right.
So like I still use those that mindset to a
certain degree. But then on the other side of it again,
it has allowed me to be patient with my kids.
(27:47):
It has allowed me to be able to talk to
my wife in a certain way to make sure that
she understands what I'm saying and values what I'm saying.
But it's coming from a special place because ten years
ago I just would have told you how I felt
and gone a boy my business. But now I'm sympathizing
you know what I'm saying. So it's it's it definitely
has helped, but I'm able to use both sides of it.
(28:10):
You know, and and but but the mental toughness piece
and mental mental mental toughness piece, we can you know,
we we've definitely used that to grow in a lot
of different.
Speaker 1 (28:21):
Ways, I feel it.
Speaker 2 (28:22):
So we're kind of running out of time here, But
I did want to ask you just one other question.
How do you think the league now is responding or
just professionals question in general, is responding to this mental
health uh space and area.
Speaker 3 (28:35):
I think it's cool, right because I think it's cool
for guys to be able to say what they're going
through because that's the one thing we.
Speaker 4 (28:42):
Like we didn't have. We didn't have.
Speaker 3 (28:45):
Man, man, I'm feeling this kind of way mentally, Uh,
you know, can I get some help?
Speaker 4 (28:50):
Like?
Speaker 1 (28:50):
That was a what do you mean?
Speaker 3 (28:52):
You feel what you mean out there? And get your
hand in the dirt, you know. So having that outlet,
I think is huge. I just I just want to
make sure that with anything, both sides can abuse that.
Speaker 4 (29:08):
Right.
Speaker 3 (29:10):
You can't just come to work talking about something you
just don't feel like doing something today because blah blah blah.
Because there's really guys that are out here struggling with that, right,
Because the more guys that do that and fake the funk,
the more the league is going to go the other direction,
like we can't do this no more, right, but in
the same breath, like being able to have a space
to do that if things aren't really bothering, if things
(29:30):
are really like you're really thinking, you know, in a
negative light. To be able to do that, I think
is huge because a lot of guys struggle with that, right,
A lot of guys don't even like in our times,
we didn't even know there was a name for that, right,
We didn't even know you can call that all these
different things. So being able to learn more about that
(29:51):
and how it affects people, I think is huge, And
I think the League is doing a great job of
making sure that guys are comfortable being able to say
and speak on how they're feeling.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
Well, Uh, I'm glad that you that you were able
to come on today, Cliff and uh and really talk
a little bit about you know, your journey went to
mental health thing, and then also some of the insights
you know, like you said, like you can it can
be abused on both sides, you know, like someone can
just be playing the game to play the game, to
stay in the game, you know, versus the guys that
are really really struggling, and uh, you know, the the
(30:22):
NFL has a lot more resources now like myself this
time last year, I admitted myself to a residential place
through the NFL Trust and I was there for like
thirty two days as a house on four acres. Four
six former players at a time were there, and they
bring all the therapy, all the therapy to you. And
like I was dealing with anxiety and panic and depression
(30:43):
and all that stuff and I just couldn't power my
way through it, and so and so I really needed
to help. So that's why this then became a thing
for me because there were dudes there that were struggling
in silence exactly.
Speaker 3 (30:56):
You know what I'm saying now now before we wrap
it up, because I'm.
Speaker 1 (30:59):
Still this yeah, right, because it's still.
Speaker 3 (31:02):
Somewhat new to me. And again because I didn't know
you could put it. There was a name for some
of the stuff we were going through, but what you
were going through and having the resource to be able
to do so, what made you actually pick up the
phone and make that call?
Speaker 2 (31:18):
Because I was just I struggled through it a lot.
Speaker 1 (31:21):
Man.
Speaker 2 (31:21):
Since return I've struggled with depression. But then all of
a sudden, right before the pandemic, I started having these
anxiety attacks and panic attacks. I couldn't get out the door,
and so I would just try to muscle my way
through it. Or I'm trying to go hang out with
my kids, I'm just like, hey, I can't make it
over the day, I'm not feeling well. And after a
while the kids are like, something's going on with dad?
You know, Well, this time last year, I just hit
a breaking point.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
Dude.
Speaker 2 (31:41):
I had no idea what to do, and so I
tried to like get into this one program and I
couldn't get in, and so I thought, well, this is
just what my life is going to be. And my
ex wife, to her credit, called Sandy Gregory that used
to work with the Seahawks, and Sandy connected me with
the people at the Trust, and then Trust said, hey,
we got this place you can go, and uh, when
(32:03):
do you want to go? And I'm like right now
and then and uh, and so they actually I said,
if one more thing goes wrong, then I'm just going
to be this dude for the rest of my life.
Because I just could not deal with all the stuff.
And so we get to the airport and on the
my name is Richard Ray Roberts, but I go by
Ray and so my ticket that had Ray Roberts. And
the dude was like, oh, like your ID, says Richard.
(32:26):
I don't know if you're gonna dude like, and I
was like, I'll say, hey, man, come here, and so
it came over. It took everything for me not to
just grab his face and I'm like, look, dude, like,
if I'm not on this plane, like, my life depends
on me been on this plane, So you have to
do whatever you have to do. And he goes, all right,
mister Roberts, I'll make it happen. And so he changed
(32:47):
my ticket up right there at the counter, which they're
not supposed to do, so I can get on the thing.
And so it really did change my life because it
just because then I did use my football stuff. So
when I got there, they gave us this big old
book about coping skills and all the different things. So, man,
I'm gonna treat this like two days. I'm ana practice
one skill in the morning and one skill in the afternoon.
I'm gonna do that every day and then until I
(33:07):
found what worked for me and then and so that's
kind of how I approached it and just kind of
went it was total to a day, So I didn't
care about the other I mean, I care about the
other dudes in there, but I didn't care what they
thought about me. Yeah, because I'm like, this is my thing.
I need to work this out. So that's kind of
that's kind of how I got there.
Speaker 3 (33:21):
No, that's awesome to hear because I again, I think
there's so many quality things that we've learned from the
game that we can apply to certain parts of our
life that will allow us to have success, to get
through situations like that, because I think the mental toughness
piece of it again, because I think there's a fine
line between the two mental toughness and mental illness. But
(33:43):
if we can lean on our mental toughness and understanding
how we can get through things. But then okay, being
okay with being with that phone call because this is
not working today. I need to you know, I need
to make whatever the situation may be. But that's awesome
that you was able to get help. And I think
it's awesome that these out lists are.
Speaker 1 (34:00):
Just available for guys.
Speaker 3 (34:01):
Yes, because a lot of times, honestly, a lot of
times our identity is just tied into football, and when
you lose it, it gets scary out here, you know,
it gets scary. So so being able to have those resources,
being able to have the league behind you to help
you through and weather the storm, that's awesome. And I'm
glad to hear that you're in a good space. I'm
glad to hear that I'm in a good space. And
there's a lot of our brothers and brothers out there
(34:23):
that that that that do need some help and we
got to be there for them too to be able
to help them out with the with these issues as
well well.
Speaker 2 (34:30):
Absolutely, and I'm glad thank you also for asking, you know,
just speaking to the stuff that I was going through.
And uh, and I wouldn't wish that on anybody. It
was really dark. Like I'm a pretty happy, go lucky dude,
and so you know, I was doing our pregame post
game show all this energy, and as soon as I
got in my car, dude, it was just like it
was just it was hard. But uh, but I appreciate
(34:50):
you showing some interest there. And before we leave, you know,
you have two uh, you have your Cliffavoral Family Foundations
that brings awareness to type two diabetes for kids and
education for your for your for the youth back in Haiti.
And then you also have your Champions of Change basketball
game coming up in February, I mean June twenty third.
Speaker 1 (35:12):
So yes, sir, I want to speak to yes.
Speaker 3 (35:14):
Yes, yes, So Cliff abral Family Foundation we've been around
for twelve years now, eleven years now something like that,
and you know that's geared towards JUNI diabetes, but also
the education system in Haiti. And we've also branched off.
Now we have a mentoring program that we do call
the Cliffs Crew. I've been mentoring these black and brown
boys since they were in third grade. Now they're in
(35:34):
seventh and eighth grade, and it's all about exposure. It's
all about exposing them to different opportunities that are here
in their own backyard. Unfortunately, in our society right now,
black and brown boys only see themselves as as athletes
are entertainers, right but the odds, as we know, the
odds of becoming either one of those is very slim.
But did they know that you can be a lawyer
(35:55):
and still be part of the Seahawks team. Did they
know that you can be an accountant, be a part
of the Seahawks team because when they win the Super Bowl,
guess what you get her? Right, So you help the
organization move forward. So I think that's extremely important. You
can't dream about things you don't know that don't that exist, right,
So that's that. And then we got the Champions Have Changed.
Oh well, for more information go to Cliff Aprilfamilyfoundation dot org.
(36:16):
And then we have Champions of Change where Michael Bennett,
Duck Bawling and myself we partnered up to be able
to support different local organizations here in the city that
are doing some special stuff that don't get enough lightshit
on to how important they are in the city. Myself
in particular, I support the Odessa Brown Clinic and and uh,
you know, they've been a staple in the community for
(36:36):
a long time. And I think you know we're hosting
a basketball game June twenty third at Climate Pledge Arena.
We're gonna have some of your favorite celebs. I hate
calling these guys celebs because they are all my homies, but
we're gonna have all your some of your favorite celebs
around the city that that are gonna be there to support.
We got Marshawn that's gonna be a coach. We got
Sue Bird, she's gonna be a coach. Gary Payon's gonna
(36:58):
be a coach again this year. So it's gonna be
a great time. And it's all about bringing families together
as well, and it's all for a great cost to
be able to support all those organizations that we support
and want to shed light on so people can support
them as well.
Speaker 2 (37:10):
Well, that's awesome, man, You've always been a great community dude.
And UH, and it's cool when when you're able to
give back, uh, and you get to be really specific
when you give back versus just kind of in general.
So doing a lot of great stuff. Thank you again,
uh for for joining the show with us. And UH,
if you're struggling with mental health and and whether it's stress, anxiety, panic, whatever,
(37:31):
reach out to your local uh, to your medical providers
for help and God is support uh to get to
help you need. And then two know that it's okay
to be to not be okay. And then three, when
you need help and you ask for help, you're operating
from a position of strength and so a lot of
People think it's weakness to ask for help, but it's
actually a strength and power to ask to ask for help.
(37:53):
Thank you for listening, Uh to Big Raise, Garage Grind
Mental Health Edition, and uh thank you got a guy again,
Clifford jumping On. You can find me also on Twitter
at Big Ray Roberts and on Instagram at that Dude
O seventy two.
Speaker 1 (38:06):
So be good and peace.
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