From Turner to Burner: Patience, paydays and playoffs

Former Falcon Michael Turner talks about waiting longer for his big break, winning, the best team he ever played on, his love of food and more with Matt Tabeek on Bird Noises presented by Bose.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
And welcome to another episode of Bird Noises, a podcast
about the Atlanta Falcons and mostly everything else. And today
we've got a great guest, Michael Turner, the Burner, joining us.
So good to see you, man, Welcome to Bird Noises. Hey,
thanks for having me. Nice to see you too. Man.

(00:20):
It's been a long time. It's been too long. How's
the lot of life going, man, as how's life in
uh quarantine? You've been adapting, okay, And yeah, it's been
adjustin okay. Yeah, I mean there is what it is.
You gotta do what you gotta do to stay healthy
and things like that. You know, I actually take care
of family and friends and stuff. So it is what
it is. Yeah, I know everybody's adjustin. Last time I

(00:41):
think I actually saw you in person was if it
wasn't at a game. We used to do the we
did the pregame show together the game. So yeah, I missed.
I missed the pregame show man. That was a pretty
good deal we had going there. And know it was fun,
a lot of a lot of fun times, a lot
of fun times. It was interesting, it was interesting at
least it was fun and it was nice seeing like
fans in the stadium too. You're right, yea right, oh man,

(01:06):
So listen today, I want to talk to you just
about um, you know, just your whole journey I think
is kind of fascinating to the NFL and your career. Um.
And you know how you split time in San Diego
in Atlanta and you were part of some of the
best Falcons teams in franchise history. Um, you were on

(01:27):
our all decade team. Uh. And so I want to
just talk about that, your your Illinois roots and talk
a little Falcons football and maybe a little Thanksgiving to Okay,
all right, cool, let's go since this is going to
come out on Thanksgiving, so oh it is okay, So
happy Thanksgiving to everybody who's out there listening. Yeah, everybody's

(01:48):
giving everybody, all right, So listen. So you know you
said you're doing all right. Family's good, You're healthy, every
everything's everything's good. Not uh not too affected uh from
from the covide everything everything is, everything's on the up
and up. You know, I just missed miss being at
the stadium because you know, I've been working with the
Falcons on the media side, you know, doing you know,

(02:09):
pregame introductions or pregame keys, to victory and half time
breakdowns of highlights and stuff and given given the fans,
you know, something to look at during during the during
the games. And uh, you know, I just I just
missed being a part of that, seeing the fans at
the stadium. Yeah, but you know, yeah, maybe next year

(02:30):
would be something different. What exactly are you into? But
outside of doing that kind of stuff? What? What where
does Michael Turner spend his time these days? What? Uh?
And you know what what what are you some of
your long term respirations, I mean long term inspirations. Uh,
you know, I got I got a lot of ideas
in my back of my head I'm not gonna release
right now. But like you know, I spend a lot

(02:51):
of time behind the scenes, like uh, learning how certain
organizations work and certain how you know, and if I
want to invest in certain aspects of things, I wonder
you want to know how to really understand how things
really work and not just you know, throw your money
into something and and end up being a failure. So

(03:11):
but uh, also the business side of business side of
sports or business side or just or just just in
general side of a general not not not a sports no,
not a sports Okay, okay, uh, community stuff like uh
even even it's like smallest like open a restaurant or
a bar or something like that, to two bigger things.
So so you I really want to educate myself on

(03:34):
multiple things, so you know, to generate multipo you know. Yeah,
that's awesome. Uh not a lot of people can. Well
I shouldn't say that, but it's it's it's great to
educate yourself and also dream big and that kind of thing.
So if Michael Turner was going to open a restaurant

(03:54):
right now, what kind of restaurant would it be? I
think it was. It would be something. It would be, man,
it'll be uh something really American, really American, now, you know,
because that's the stuff I know the best. You know,
Like you know, um, what do you like to eat?
I eat everything, man, you know, like barbecue, burgers. Okay,

(04:18):
so so some maybe like uh some brisket and yeah,
Texas barbecue. You know. I mean, you're getting too deep
into the conversation right now, so I'm not gonna reveal everything.
But I got something that works for y'all in the future.
All right, Well, I'll be looking for a Turner's Cafe
or something. Yeah. Well, you know, you did live out

(04:41):
in San Diego for a while, so I mean you
were The Mexican food out there is the best I've
ever had. So yeah, so I have a little niche
on that too. So so if so, so, what would
you say is the niche here? Barbecue? When you come
to Georgia in Atlanta? What's what is it? What's the

(05:02):
best food here you in your opinion? Oh, that's the question.
Barbecue is up there. But uh, fat Mats you ever
been there? Yeah, of course everybody's been that man, that's
a staple. But there's a lot of play man, it's
a lot of places that you know, to people with
Fat Mats man, there's a lot of up and coming
people like yeah, that's true. Yeah. So it's barbecue places

(05:24):
hopping up all around town. You know. So I really,
I really can't put my finger on one that who's
the best, because everybody does. Everybody does something different that's
really good. So I like, well, you won't make anybody mad, now,
you know, like you know, like Fat MAT's you know, yeah, yeah,
Fox Bros. You know, like you know, Moonies Mooneies down

(05:46):
the street from Flowery Branch is pretty good. Oh, I've
never been there. I amost opened up after I played.
It's right down the streets, good man. Yeah, yeah, you know,
you know, I don't spend that much time in Flowery
Branch anymore ever since every since retiring, man, I have well,
you can't help but smell it when you drive back,
even in the morning. It's like, oh man, that smells good.

(06:06):
Yeah yeah, yeah, right right right, just like the wriggly
chewing gum plant right next to or the practice all
the flavors of the gums right now. Yeah, I mean
we're where did you when? Did you know that? Right away?
When you're out there practicing? Were you like, why do
I smell like spearment? Or like? No, somebody to tell me.
I was like, man, I like here like like juicy fruit,

(06:29):
you know exactly. I don't know if people realize that,
Like when you're at the Falcons practice field, it smells
like juicy fruit, juicy fruit or spearmint or something all
the time, right yeah, yeah, all the time, all the time.
Like yeah, okay, all right, now, I'll get it. You
know that line has to make it the best practice
field and in the NFL. All right, so uh well

(06:54):
that's good. We kind of covered what you're doing. Now
I'm kind of looking up in my notes here, but
I want to, you know, um, talk to you a
little bit about just like your path you talked to we.
We you know, we just mentioned you being out in
San Diego, but you're from Illinois. Yeah, and you were
born in a little town called Waukegan. Am I saying that? Right? Uh?

(07:16):
North Chicago? Yeah, I know, North Chicago. But ye are
you telling me that Wikipedia is inaccurate? Oh? Yeah, inaccurate. Yes,
that's what I'm telling you right now. I mean, I
mean we don't have a hospital. So maybe I was
technically born in Waukegan. Okay, you know where Wwaukee it is? Right? Yes?
Next door? Yes, next door? Yeah, all right, yeah, I

(07:36):
was seeing my homework on Waukegan by the way. Oh
yeah that was next door. It's next door. I'm from Yeah,
but technically I'm from North Chicago. Okay. Well, I was like,
because you went to North North Chicago Community. Yeah yeah,
they still they still called the Warhawks, still called the Warhawks,
right right? Yeah? Yeah? Actually my high school quarterback is
the head coach there. Oh cool, and my little and

(07:58):
my little brothers the athletic the Oh wow, all right,
that's awesome. Do you, dude, do you ever try to
get back for games and stuff? Oh? Yeah, yeah, of course, yeah,
of course. Okay, all right, a little shout out to
the Warhawks. Yeah. Yeah. So I was I was like,
all right, well, he's from this town called Waukegan. I'm like,
he's got to be the most famous person to ever

(08:20):
come out of Waukegan, Right, that's what I'm thinking. Probably,
I'm maybe so, I don't know, I don't know. I
gotta look into it. All right, Well, when you when
you find out where exactly you were born, you let
us know. But anyways, and for whatever, for the purposes

(08:44):
of this conversation, the most famous people to ever come
out of Wakegan, I thought would be Michael Turner number one,
but you're number four. I'm not Jack Jack Benny came
out of there, Ray Bradberry, the sci fi writer, Okay,
and I know Graham, Oh Graham was from there. I
didn't know that. I didn't Yeah, I didn't know either.

(09:05):
I was like, all right, well there goes that. Uh
that's pretty cool. So yeah, let's let's so North Chicago
Community High Uh is that rough? Part of town or
was that what was that working class or was that
what was your what was what was it like growing
up for you? I would say rough, I would say

(09:25):
rough part of town. You know a lot of typical
things that happens in you know, black communities, you know, gang,
you know, drugs, a lot, a lot of influence that
can steer you the wrong way. But luckily for me,
I was into sports and I stayed on the right sports.
Hown field. Yeah yeah, you were track and field guy too, right? Yeah?

(09:46):
Ran track? Yeah? Yeah? Yeah? Is that? Is that just
football and track? Football and track? I tried wrestling for
one year. Now, you look like you built like a wrestler,
n even a year. I was a freshman. You know,
our wrestling team wasn't you know, wrestling wasn't big in
our school, so everybody had to rustle varsity. Yeah right,
So I remember my first match? What weight class for you?

(10:08):
Do you remember? Oh? Man? I was? I was? I
was probably like one hundred and fifty six, one hundred
and fifty pounds. Oh man, you're a little girl. Freshman.
I was a freshman, you know, freshman? Okay, this is
fresh here, Okay, freshman. So so the school didn't have
a match for me as far as you know, uh,
for varsity. Even if for the varsity they didn't have
matched me. So they made me rustle somebody that was

(10:29):
even heavier, and he's like, you know, but that health
the confidence, right, right, So they had the wrestlers heavier guy,
you know what I'm saying. So I have no idea,
no no clue how to wrestle anything like that. I'm
just learning. This's my first match ever. Right, did you
at least get that? Did you know how to get
down in the position the right way? Yeah? Okay, su
I was kind of you know, kind of strong, you know,
but h but I wasn't like the technique sound wrestling

(10:52):
is really about technique and stuff. So yeah, for sure. Yeah,
so I did that. Woman like, man, I'm not doing this. No,
this is not for me. I'm one. I didn't he
me real quick? How many seconds did you last? Did
you last? I went those seconds? Now, come on, man,
put some respect. One of those seconds. Well, I mean
we tussled, you know what I'm saying, But like he

(11:13):
got me down and I wasn't sure. I wasn't even
sure about the count. The count goes right, y'all I'm
thinking like one, two or three. No, it's just one
rest like you know, and he's done protect this yet,
to protect this little guy. Right, it's not for me.
I'm not. I'm not with this West wrestling thing. Did
you do you have any other loves as far as sports? No?

(11:36):
I mean you want to play basketball or any other thing? No?
I never, I never know. Football was only my only love, man,
my only love. I didn't track because I was I
love the race people because people didn't think it u
because my size didn't think fast as I was, you know,
so I used to like them. I used like just
the race group. Pete the wrong you know, come on,

(11:56):
you were like you were like a what four or
four guy? Four or five guys? Uh? Coming out of
high school? I mean the mean we really didn't get
time to high school box? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I really
hadn't and I really I really didn't have like a
set time. But that means I ran I ran ten six,
I made it down stay in track twice. So yeah, yeah,

(12:17):
all right, well that that that yeah, that that party
of Wikipedia page was correct then apparently yea, So from
what I understand though, you you uh you said you
have the record still for two hundred ninety five yards
in the game nineteen carriages. In that same game over
Zion Benton, you had runs of sixty seven and ninety

(12:40):
yards in that one game. Yeah, but I think I
think that record has been beating, said Wikipedia, need to
step that game up, man, I think somebody beat that record.
I think somebody had three hundred yards after I left. Really, yeah,
that's that's still pretty good there, Michael. Yeah, oh yeah,
oh yeah, yeah, I'm not. I'm not, you know, I'm
just gonna give credity credits due with somebody. I'm gonna
get the credit. But yeah, yeah I ran for five

(13:02):
hundred in a game once. But I'm pretty sure someone
ran for six hundred. I mean, come on right now.
I was pretty good. Yeah yeah, yeah, it's pretty good man.
Couple two games my senior year, you know. Yeah, yeah,
I was. I was pretty I was pretty dominant a
little bit. Yeah, I'd say, I'd say a lot of
bit um. And so when you I think you had

(13:25):
what sixty, you know, twenty six touchdowns in your career
or something like that. Um, so were you highly recruited
or what? No? Man? Uh non, Illinois was only school
to offer me in scholarship. You know, I was gonna
ask you how you ended up in Northern Illinois only
it was the only schoold offer me in scholarship. And
you're like, fine, I gotta go where I gotta go,

(13:47):
you know, askually my mom? Maybe go there? But how far?
How far? Uh? You know, I'm sorry for all you
Illinois listeners out there, I'm sorry, but how far is
the campus from from where you are out? Yeah? But
it's not bad? Yeah? No, no, I mean if you
really need to be home for like some home home
cook yeah, you can bet they That's that's that's the key.

(14:11):
If you're gonna if you're gonna be close, be close
enough to like do your laundry and get some get
some free food, right right, definitely, definitely. So. Uh you know,
so in Northern Illinois you end up what you end
up like a fifth round draft pick. But you had
a pretty good career there. Yeah. Yeah, you know, I'm
sitting here going through in case people don't remember this,

(14:33):
but your junior you finished second in the nation with
almost two thousand yards nineteen fifteen, five two hundred plus
yard games, two games with five touchdowns, and then in
two thousand and three, you finished second in the NCAA
in rushing behind Darren Sprawls. He was pretty good. End

(14:54):
up being my teammate. Right, I'm sure you guys had
some back and forth, but but at the time you left. Now,
no listening to you, you're probably gonna be like, yeah,
all my records are broken already. But when you when
you were at NIU, you said you had you said
that you were the all time leader in rushing yards, touchdowns,
and all purpose yards. Pretty good. Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know.

(15:17):
I they brought me in, you know, and uh, you know,
I just wanted to prove myself back and I can
I can play, you know, and uh things, I just
got hot while I was in college, you know, and
then build my competence up and things good. I want
to say, guy out of control. But I was like, man,
I'm just I was just on fire. Man, Okay, I
can't explain. Do you think that because you played at NIU? UM,

(15:40):
you know, And and they've gotten some more notoriety over
the years, especially those in the Max schools, they get
a lot more respect, I feel like these days. But yeah,
UM and the Cincinnatis of the world and and the
ucfs of the world. Right, But do you feel like
that because of you were there and not a power
five school, that that hurt your draft status at all

(16:01):
or No. Definitely definitely feel um right, I was big,
I was fast, you know, you know, you know, there
was no doubt about that. You know, I even returned kicks,
you know. So it was like, uh, it was a
question that if my game can transfer to the next level,
But that's something you got out so like one like

(16:21):
one coach told me, like when I was an interview
and it was like, yep, my film look faked, you know,
look fake, like it like the way I was breaking
tackles and stuff. You were like, that's not real, Like
like you can't do that time, Like did that like
trigger you to be like uh okay, yeah, I mean
what what did you What do you say to somebody
that looks fake? It's like, okay, give me the ball.

(16:42):
I mean, I don't know how to take it as
a compliment to what you know, like yeah, oh yeah, yeah, exactly, yeah, yeah,
I've dominated you know, I was there if I like
I want to say I was too good to be there,
but like, you know, but I feel like I could
have played at other places. Well, clearly you could have
look where you did in the pros. You could have anywhere.

(17:02):
So it's still you know, it's that status thing man,
that goes with all that stuff man. And you know, um,
I guess guys were scared to pull the trigg on
me to draft me higher. But you know, but my coach,
Clarence Shelman told me, like he felt I was distill
the draft, you know, going to fifth rounds to them
and they already had LT So it was like that
was that's that's where we go next. So that's a

(17:24):
pretty good thing to say, you know. Yeah, I'd say, uh,
so it's yeah, it's kind of frustrating that you didn't
get recruited and then you and then you you make it.
You get drafted to the NFL in your fifth round pick.
But it's like, so you gotta like one hundred and
fifty fourth overall by the way, um, and so you're
you're sitting there saying to yourself, Okay, I gotta prove myself.

(17:45):
I gotta prove myself, right, I gotta prove my belong
And then oh, by the way, you gotta sit behind
a guy named Ladini and co. One of the greatest ever,
one of the best of our generation, right right, Let
me ask you be honest. Was it frustrating or was
it did you look at it as hey, I've got

(18:05):
a front seat to one of the best ever. I
can learn a lot or was it a combination both,
combination of both? Okay, because you know, I'm I'm um,
do you have a shelf life of what? Yeah? Yeah, yeah, right,
you're right, and generally our best years are early years,
right yeah? Yeah. So so draft night, U you know,

(18:28):
draft yeah day? You know. It was Sunday, fifth round.
You know, I waited, I waited, you know whatever. You know,
I was like, all right, I'm drafted. But I was like,
why they San diego draft? You know what I'm saying,
They don't need to run it back. You know what
did you go to the combine for? I forget? Yeah,
I want to. I wanted to combine everything, y'all. I
was talking to multiple teams like San Nichols, like wanted

(18:50):
to take I did even really talk to I talked
to Uh. It always happens, right, yeah, Claren Shelman or
for a little bit, um, he had an interview with
me but it was like no form an interview where
I had to go to the room where I got
all the gems and coaches and stuff. No, it was
just one on one me and him talking. So I
really think I think that was just you know, you know,

(19:11):
like yeah, yeah, yeah, but they ended up drafting me,
and uh, you know, it was just weird. I was like, man,
I was I was pissed. I was pissed I went
fifth round. Yeah, and then I'm I'm pissed. I'm pissed
that I can't actually win the job because it's lt.
You know what I'm saying, I gotta do something extraordinary

(19:32):
to jump over him, you know what I'm saying, like, yeah,
what did you do? What was your mindset? Like, Hey,
I'll return punts, I'll return kicks, I'll played Uh, I
mean whatever I got do to make the team, you know,
because you know, that's when you learn like the NFL
roster is really small, so you gotta do something else
to other than playing your position. So I went to

(19:53):
you know, they knew I can return kicks a little bit,
but I was really returning right away trying to think
the Chargers didn't they have like Tim Dwhite back then.
I'm trying to think who some Yeah, yeah, that's a
story behind that. We had Tim D. White and then
the rumor is we kept Tim D. White instead of
what's a man's name? Oh my guy, can't really trying.

(20:16):
I'm trying to think of that team now, I should
have who's that guy? Who was who was Tom Brady's
main man in the slot before before Edelman and all
those guys. Oh, the all purpose guy from the MAC right?
Uh no, he went text tech. Oh my god, I
don't know. I can't believe about drawing the blank right now.

(20:38):
But he was on the team. He was really originally
with us, and then he went to Mine for a
year and then then New England Pages signed him and
he it soon as we finished this podcast. Oh yeah
that guy. Oh my god, this guy? You know this guy? Yeah.
I know it's not important though for this for this
right now, but no, I mean what's more important is

(20:58):
so your mindset and so you had these guys in
front of you or and and so what was that? Uh? Really?
I was like, all right, preseason because that's sounding I
was gonna have some films match actual film, like I
pres I gotta show what I got you know. And
um and I think I think when I was playing
the precous games, I was like leading the league and

(21:20):
yards per carried. During every preseason, I was leading the
league and yards per carried. You know, I was I
was making sure I'll go in there, like show a
little something on film, you know, because that's the only
thing you Yeah, they can't see you in practice really,
and uh I didn't get a lot of playing time
my first couple of years there, and uh I just
I just just grinded man stayed on the team, and
they caught a big break when uh Lt got hurt

(21:43):
one game. Yeah, and then I scored the eight yard
touchdown or something against the Coats undefeated, and you know,
I was like, who You're all right? Right, So that's
when everybody start really playing attention. Yeah, you bring up
a really interesting point, you know, the pandemic and there
was no preseason this year. I mean you think about that, Yeah,

(22:05):
think about all the guys that all the Michael Turners
out there. Yeah, Tuggle on here, he said there would
not be a Jesse Tuggle had it not been for
the preseason. Man, preseason is important, man, I mean, it's
it's guys that that's their last chance, like they prove
themselves or make a make a move when the roster
to uh solidify themselves and make them make sure that

(22:25):
there they can one play in this league and to
either be on this roster that that Curly on or
go somewhere else where somebody might need you somebody. If
you think exposure, yeah, do you think that you would
have had the confidence in the in the career you
did if you had if if if there were no preseason,

(22:46):
if there's no preesson, I don't think. I don't no,
I don't you know, I don't know. I think I
think preseason grew competence in my coach style that they
you know, they drafted me for a reason. They you know,
I'm a good fit for them. You know, it's amazing.
I mean it's not amazing, but it's just, you know,
so a year, it seems like every year before this year,

(23:06):
we need to get rid of the preseason. We need it,
you know, or we need to make it just two games,
or we just need to you know what I mean.
And I think I think I think there's your proves
that you need preces a little bit, just just based
off the injuries that's happening. Some of these injuries, it's
gonna happen, you know, every year or whatever. But for
all these achilles tears and yeah, yeah, I think I

(23:27):
think it's hard just to go straight into the fire
and and and and and play. Um, even for the
starters who only play a limited amount of snaps. It's
just it's just a yeah, just get a routine, you know,
you go straight in there. I mean, because you know,
I mean NFL man, it's a beast, man, it's a beast.
It's a beast on your muscles, it's a beast on
your going straight in. Some guys need to ease into it,

(23:49):
you know. And there's very few guys that do no
preseason and go straight to the season. You know, you're
you're tight with a lot of players, and you played obviously,
And what's the general consensus from the players. Do they
want preseason or they just want shorter preseason? Are you
gonna get in trouble? No, I'm not gonna. I don't care.

(24:11):
You're gonna make some of your friends. Man. I think
I think I think preseason does drag on a little
bit too long. Okay, you know, but a shorter preseason. Yeah,
I think I think everybody will have it with us
shorter pas, maybe one game less because the last game
is really just guys, you know, you know, just got
there playing, getting their last little feeling whatever. But that's

(24:33):
it's good for them. But for starters, of course, all
the starts probly gonna say no preseason, no preseason. But
some'm starting like, like, you know, I need I need
a little little tune up a little bit before I
go back out there. What if they what if they
played shorter quarters in less games? Would that be no? Man? No, no,
just if we're gonna do it, just just do it?
Do yeah, just just I mean, just one lesson. I

(24:55):
don't think one less game would be cool. Interesting. So
you finally get your your your you played for UM
San Diego what four years, and then and then you
played in Atlanta five you get your break though, and

(25:17):
you get you signed with the Falcons. Yeah. And just
so people are aware, you played from two thousand and
eight to two thousand and twelve the Falcons. Yeah, no
losing season. Not only were there were no losing seasons
the Falcons when you were there eleven and five, nine

(25:38):
and seven thirteen, and three, ten and six, thirteen and
three never finished below second place in the NFC South.
Your first second, first second second, pretty good, pretty good,
pretty good. That's a good run before that. We never
had back to back winning seasons in Atlanta. Pretty good.

(25:58):
And I don't think there's been a five game stretch
like that sense or five sorry, five season stretch. Yeah, yeah, spoke, yeah,
probably not that, not what double digit wins like that.
I mean, you were, I don't know, rolling. We had
a good team. We were rolling. Let's let's talk about that.
Let's talk about when you come in, because right away

(26:19):
you made an instant impact. The team was a little bit,
well not a little bit. The team was different. You
were run first team fair. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
definitely definitely. I was talking Rich. Rich McKay said, you
know what if when we went into games and if
it was close heading into the fourth quarter, you guys
they just you know, you guys knew you were just

(26:41):
gonna pound them. Yeah yeah, they we knew it was
they were gonna be worn out by Dan. You know,
I think physically we was like we was trained to
were teams out and we did and win in the
fourth quarter. We knew they couldn't stand standing up for
us for fourth quarters. Yeah, talk about that, talk about
when you got here, talk about did you feel like that, Hey,

(27:04):
I just need to be me or did you want
to prove a point? Did you come here with a
chip on your shoulder? Um? And just talk about you
in the mindset of this team. And you know, I
don't want to put words in your mouth, but it's
clear the team, you know, said hey, we're getting one
thirty three's back here and we're rolling. I mean, what

(27:25):
was your mindset when you got here? H You know,
I always I always play with a chip on my shoulder,
you know, starting even going to Northern. I played that
Northern with a chip on my shoulder. Cu. You know,
I always wanted more. I always want to be better.
I always want to do things differently. You know. Are
you getting that sound in the background? Yeah? I thought
it was me. I'm sitting here adjusting my thing. Heya,

(27:47):
old hold get up, give you possible a minute. Hey,
we're good. Yeah, you're good. I hear you. I hear you,
crystal clear. You're good. All right? Well, you know I
always let mean, let's let's wand like I always played
with a chip on my shoulder when I stepped on
the campus at Northern, you know, and and I don't
want to bash Northern, but but like I felt like

(28:08):
I wanted to play in the Big Ten. That was
one of my dreams. You know, I grew up watching
the big team football. So where'd you want to play?
Ohio State was number one. I'll play at Wisconsin Illinois.
Illinois kind of recruited me a little bit, but they
didn't pull the trigger offen scholarship being thing. But anywhere
the Big Ten, I didn't care. You know, you want
to be on Saturday ABC, you know, wuntry man. Yeah, yeah,

(28:32):
I was a big team country. So that's all I've seen,
you know. But then when I got to when I
got to San Diego, I still had a chip on
my shoulder because I didn't I feel like I shouldn't
have win fifth round. They think I get that Northern,
you know, and all the guys ahead of me. I
didn't feel like it was better than me. And then
uh so when I got to Atlanta, there was another ship.
Now I's like, all right, I want to prove myself.

(28:53):
I should have been the start of the whole time,
Like I'll just been in four years behind somebody that
was a great, great running back. But I could have
been great as well, you know myself. So I got here,
was like, all right, so you had like eight years
of pent up, like pent up frustration, eight years, like finally,
this is my moment, this is my moment, this is

(29:13):
my chance, and it's like, man, I better do it.
Because I was. I was because they gave me a
nice contract, you know, like and it was like, who
is this guy to get this contract? You know, I'm
a backup running back, you know, and so it was
kind of rare for me, for somebody in my position
to get a contract like like I did. And uh,
all right, now I gotta proved myself not only for
the contract, but proved to the fans like they picked

(29:35):
the right guy and proved to the rest of the
league that I should have been starting for a long
time now. So Mark Second, Yeah, Mark Second, two thousand
and eight, you remember the day, uh, six year, thirty
four point five million dollars kill attract fifteen million guaranteed
proporting right right right and uh and and you gave

(29:57):
the Falcons everything, man U, They did all online for him.
Man So you had some really good teams to talk about.
Let's just look at your your your your career as
a whole. Now, who are some of the who is
who is the toughest defender you ever faced, or the
meanest or the hardest hitter. Was there ever a guy

(30:18):
that when you lined up, when you're in the backfield
and you're staring across the line scrimmage going oh lord,
I don't want to run to his side, or or
oh I wouldn't say that, I would say thrust rating
flush rating guys. Was Patrick Willis, uh huh, because he
was such a he was such a technical sound tackler. Yeah,
I wish I could have, you know, break one of

(30:40):
the side as you know and pass. Was Luke Keickley.
When Luke first came to he came like later on.
I can't mere rookie year or whatever, but he's pretty
maybe maybe two thousand and eleven to down twelve, he's
he probably came in came to the league. But he
was a pest because he would he would do things
unorthodox like duck in a lineman and stuff like that,

(31:00):
and he grabbed the ankles like like it wasn't like
he never liked hit me. Yeah, but like tsty things
like man, I could have stepped out of that pl
known yeah, yeah, your feet up. You know he was sneaking.
It was sneaky lying back and sneaky lining back. Hey,
whatever it takes to bring down the burner. Oh you
know Thomas Davis good too. Uh yeah for them too. Yeah,

(31:24):
he's good one too. He got me, He got me
pretty good one time. Who is the hardest hitter? You
know what? I was got games, so I never can't
say who was the hardest hitter. I just know one
time we was playing against the forty nine ers. Uh,
we're at home against the forty nine Like the first
player the game, Oh my god, what's this? What's his name?

(31:47):
I don't know. He wouldn't eating a player and went to, uh,
was this the game where you were wearing the red
helmets retro jersey. No, no, no, no, it was. It
was the first game. No no, no, no, first game season.
But like we wasn't wearing those in but okay, it
was one of the things. You know, as as he's
played in safety, so safety, as I expect to, you know,

(32:07):
hitting at the league, knees go low. Yeah, I'm running
down the sideline like it was a passway too, so
I catch you pass then running down the sideline. You know,
I'm waiting on this guy to die, so I'm gonna
jump over. And he got closer and closer because I'm like,
bay man, you're not gonna die, so I'm like you like,
he got a real clut and I was like, oh shit,

(32:28):
it was too like, boom hit me. I slid under
the bitch. Oh oh, he came at you speeding, okay, yeah, yeah,
boom he hit me, flew all the way him to
be the first player of the game. Did you think
did you leave your feet or what? Yeah, left my
feet hit me, you know, and I slid, you know,

(32:51):
all the way to the under the bitch, you know,
you know, I just I was just laughing it first
play game. So I was just more embarrassing anything because
I was expecting them to do something and he didn't
do it. But I was looking for them the rest
of the game to get them back. But we never
we never been hit on the rest of the game,
so you gotta you got the best of you. Yeah.
I was gonna say first play, they must have been
pretty hype too. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, so yeah

(33:12):
it was it was going crazy the day. They must
have been going nuts. Yeah, you know, I'm still winning
the game. But like that was a good tempo set.
Oh yeah, stopped the run, stop turner turning boom, he
turned into the Beats first play. Yeah check check Oh man?

(33:32):
Who was so yeah you said Keickley was sneaky? Um,
how about just like your own teammates, any anybody that
you're glad that they were on your side and and
that and Nat on the other side. Oh we had
some parting safeties. Man. Uh, we're just like just competitors,

(33:53):
just guys that you just are glad that you know
they were on your side. Who's Who's Who's some of
your better teammates? Uh baba No, Uh, you know William
Moore would come down the field. He wasn't scared to
feel a hole, you know, and hit running backs. Um.
Uh a lot. It's not that I didn't like like

(34:14):
to play against him, because I'll play against anybody, but
uh but uh but I love that corners man. Um
it's Sante Samuel Dante Robinson, you know, uh, brig runs.
I think that was a good That was a good
core of cornerbacks to have it one year, you know,
um followed back at without you know, Time's Day could

(34:34):
and William More Yeah, uh did we had you know,
Curtis Lofton and Mike Peterson, you know, Abraham on the edge, Russian?
Uh what team? What was the best team playing the
best team? I played him? Yeah? Uh uh fourteen and
two San Diego. I gotta I gotta say that. Uh Okay,

(34:58):
I mean that's hard to say too, because at one
time I was on team with Drew Brees, Philip Rivers,
Ladaia Thompson, Darren spros Me, Antonio Gates, Ncon Jackson. It's
Embarrassingbars was telling what I would say. We was pretty

(35:21):
loaded in San Diego. Can How did you win? Fer?
It's all of famers. It's Hall of famers right there.
You know what I'm saying, Man, Yeah, there's a bunch
of gold coats. Yeah, we have a bunch of yeah
yeah cool. Yeah. So you know, we just you know,
football is funny, man. You got you know, you gotta
have your moments, and you gotta take advantage of the
moments that you have. You know, other than that you

(35:43):
your winner going close quick? What about Falcons. What about
what was the best Falcons tmrn not your favorite, but
just the best one. I think that last moment after
Julio came, after Hulo came, did we have you know,
at it, Tony g um offensively? Offensively we was we
was We was Juggernauts man um and defensive watch everybody

(36:05):
was grown up. You know, Curtis Curtis got a couple
of years or Curtis was gone. Um we had that Mike.
I don't real we had a Micael linebacker, but uh,
but we had a We had a collection of guys
that you know that worked hard and played hard. And
we was good. Man, it was good. It was good
o DBS was solid, good enough to win it, good

(36:26):
enough winning all definitely mm hmm. It was no excuse,
no excuse. We should have. We should have. We should
at least I mean went to one super Bowl. Definitely.
Maybe Julio was two young man. I don't know. I'm
play Julio, I was playing. I could have been born earlier.
I'm not sure if Julio listens to bird noises, but
he will now. Um, oh you know Roddy, you know, yeah,

(36:50):
really you know Roddy. Yeah, he was he was the
leading receiver. Yeah, he was your leading receiver that five
years you played. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, So you know
Harry for a little bit, you know. Yeah, well he's
a firecracker. Yeah right, so we I mean we had
the team, you know, Yeah, just just couldn't just couldn't finish. Man.

(37:11):
You uh, you finished your Falcon's career, not your all
time career, but your Falcons career with six thousand and
eighty one yards m h five hundred and fifty yards
from Gerald Riggs. H do you think about that? Is
that something you guys think about her at all? When

(37:32):
you look back? You're like man five, And I know
the mistake I've made. I know the mistake I've made
my second year when I got my angle injury. Yeah
I can't. I kept trying to come back some early.
I should have. I should have. Just you're talking about
with with the Falcons yeah yeah, ok, yeah, loving games yep, yeah,

(37:54):
and um, you know I really didn't play eleven games
like I was played like one player or something on
being to but up, I should have arrested. I should have.
I should have I should have arrested more. I was
just getting too much of her to come back and play.
So you were a touchdown machine. I mean when you
got to Atlanta seventeen. This is just on the ground
seventeen ten, twelve, eleven ten. Yeah. I double digits, man,

(38:18):
double digits. Yeah. Fantasy football players were like, yeah, sir,
I'm gonna get Michael Turner. Yeah. Um yeah. When I
when I was looking at the all time Falcon stats
and I'm sitting there and going, oh wow, he was
five hundred and fifty yards away from being the franchises
all time. Yeah. Man, yeah, man, I wish, yeah, you know,

(38:40):
I wish I would have more one more year, but
the Falcons you know, finish out of my timetect whatever.
But you know they released me after at NC Championship
Game lost. So you know, certain certain franchise they're just
blast at certain positions or it just seems like they're
they're just you talked about the just how embarrassing you
know it was in San Diego with all the talent
you guys had, And then you look at certain franchises.

(39:02):
You know they either have like this long lineage of
quarterbacks or defensive ends or running backs or receiver and
when you look at when you look at the Falcons.
You know, there were some pretty good running backs, but
you played half your career in another city. You know.

(39:22):
Gerald Riggs, like we just said, was only five hundred
and fifty yards more than you. But you know, and
then you look at a guy like William Andrews, who
I think, man, if he does not hurt his knee,
that guy's a Hall of Famer. That guy was unbelievable.
He was a full back but right right right, bat

(39:44):
the ball a lot, you know, but he had the
speed and the and he was like guys, he was unbelievable.
He could catch the ball um another then you look
at number four on that list, is work done. He
played Tampa right ye, Jamal Anderson, DeVante Freeman, Vic Dave Hampton,

(40:05):
Haskell stand back in the number ten, Tevin Coleman. So
it's not like, yeah, it's not like you you know,
there's like a bunch of Hall of famers on that list,
and it's just it's just isn't it weird how some
franchises just you know, just don't have you know, they're
just they don't have that rich history. And I think,

(40:26):
you know, you can make the case that you were
this franchise is easily the best running back in this
franchise's history. Yeah. Well that's why I try to make myself. Man.
That's when I when I came into it, like all right,
I want to be the best at this franchise I've
ever seen, you know, I did, I'd be that a normal.
I went to Northerland. That was one of my goals.
And I'm best running back every at Norland because I

(40:46):
felt like my talent was surpassing anything or any expectations
people have with me, you know. And uh, I think
I did a pretty good job of that, you know.
And uh, I came to Alter and I just laid
the foundation there so to leave something behind like developers,
like you said, the traditional running back hasn't been that
that rich here in stopping history. You know, it's not

(41:08):
It's not like you know, uh, you know Dallas or whatever,
you know, Tony Door Sat and all those guys. You know,
like it's not a Smith and you know, and I
got Zeke, you know, right, yeah, so uh it's just
something different, you know. And uh and like like you said,
some some franchisees got look drafting good quarterbacks back to back,

(41:29):
you know, something something. You know, It's just different. Man.
That's what makes the NFL beautiful, man, because you never
know what you're gonna get from each team and each franchise,
and it makes it tough too. Speaking of great running backs, Um,
you grew up in Illinois where you embarrassing? Hi? Yeah? So,
I mean forty nine student bro Walter Payton man to

(41:52):
me sweetness cream the Crop. I love them, I love
the man. I was one of eighty two. Okay, so
waltering like we're tired about eighty seven or someone that.
I mean, yeah, they won, they won that Super Bowl,
you know, eighty five, and they didn't they didn't give

(42:13):
them the ball. They gave it to the bridge, all right.
That was so, oh my god, so bad. I'm friends
with the Sun Jared Jared Peyton Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah
he does. He does work for the Shago Bears Miami, Miami.
You right, and you went to the year you you Yeah.
He was a great one. Obviously. GAYL. Sayers was another

(42:33):
one who just recently passed. Um, but yeah, no, I
just wondered if you were a Bearrass fan. Grow Yeah
Neil Anderson remember number thirty five? He yeah, yeah, yeah, Um,
so when I'm trying to think of the forty nine
ers when you were they didn't have like a ton
of great running backs. Roger Craig number thirty three, right, yeah,

(42:59):
I mean forty four. Yeah, Ricky Waters thirty two, right,
he played in Philly two. Right, Ricky had the spin move.
Ricky had the spin. Rick was good man. Ricky's underrated man,
he was. He fall a little bit too much for me, though.
I got look at his funnel, I got look at

(43:21):
his funnel. Well, he could talk some trash stuff. Riya definitely. Um,
so let's let's let's just talk about these these current Falcons.
This is obviously coming out on Thanksgiving, so they will
have already played the Saints. They've got the Saints, you
know that's right, Yeah, let's talk Let's talk about that

(43:43):
since because they play the Saints at the time of
this recording, they will play the Saints of Sunday. Then
they've got the Raiders and the Saints again, so they've
got him twice in three weeks. Um. So I'm not
going to ask you to make predictions or anything like that,
but you can certainly talk about how nasty the rivalry is.
Three and three and on the next three weeks. Okay,

(44:07):
so hey, I tell you what, Raheem Morris is doing
a nice job. Man. I don't know. I don't know
what it is about that locker room or what he
did to you know, get those guys on board to
get on the same page finally. But you know, guys
are guys are stepping up and playing good football right
now and going get the Saints without Drew Brees. I mean,

(44:29):
Taysom Hills gonna be the starter again. This is gonna
be after the fact. We're talking about that. So I
don't know, you know, and and don't know. I don't
know how much Tasey Hill is going to be really
the starter. You know, he might start the game, yeah,
but is he gonna play the whole game at quarterback?
I don't know. I think James gonna play most. I
don't know. I don't know. I think James gonna play most. Smoke, smoke,

(44:55):
I can't see him. Can you see him playing the
whole game in the quarterback? I can't see him playing
on gain, I can't see. I don't think. I don't think.
Talk to me a little bit about that rivalry. I mean,
just pints. Yeah, man, you know, uh, you know San Diego.
When I was in San Diego, we did you know
they had the Chargers Raiders rivalry. You know, it was

(45:17):
pretty good. But yeah, yeah, that's pretty good. But I
never lost to the Raiders. But so so I didn't
really I didn't really feel that rivalry. You know. With
the Saint here, it was intense, man, it was intense. Man.
The fans was really into it. I was like, Okay,
this is what NFL robbery is all about, you know.

(45:40):
And you know you can throw out the records when
whenever we played, you throw the records out, it's gonna
be tote to toe, you know. Fish the Cuffs matched
the whole the whole game. So they proved that last
year right when they came in this the Falcons came
in one and seven, the Saints were seven and one.
They came out of the by whip whipped them right

(46:01):
right right. That's what I'm saying. You never know what
they expected out of these two teams. Man. It's really
good man. Actually, actually, Nuance is my favorite place to
play actually because of the fans, for the fans, for
the intensity, like just the field. Just ye, I like
fat off that you fed off that. Yeah, I fed
off that. Yeah, I felt off that. I wanted to

(46:22):
have a good game in the ones every time, every time.
So let me ask you this, how tough is it
to play without fans? I can't. I can't imagine. I
can't imagine doing it. I can't. I can only only think.
I can imagine it is having a scrimmage at Flowery Branch,
you know, and then trying to But still I still
can't be at my best. I can't be at my

(46:43):
best without fans. I need fans that. I need people
to see what I'm about to do. That's see, that's see,
that's that's what you even even even warming up, even
warming up, I can't warm up without fans. I need.
I need to if you feel I'll feed off it.
You know what I mean? At home? You know the
fans way, fans talking transh. Oh, you're not gonna do nothing.
You know this and that. You know you're fat. You

(47:06):
know all the stuff out here, you know all the stuff.
And let's see how fat I am, right right? Uh?
Your fans is an important aspect of the game. Man.
What's the worst thing that is that? What's the worst thing?
If fan ever called you fat. Yeah, you know, and
nobody said anything too dispect. I've seen some I heard

(47:27):
some disrespective things to other players, but yeah, you know,
you talk about the mamas and everything. But I try
to I try to block everything out. I think the
fans goal is just to get a reaction out of you.
I don't think they need right right right. So something
that if you're at a guy and he acknowledges you,
you're like, yes, I I got it, I got it.

(47:47):
But yeah, something like yeah that's a pretty good one.
That's a pretty good all right, so everyone knows if
you want to trigger. Michael Turner just calling fat Now
she may call me bet all time. That he named
cheeseburger everything cheeseber Um. That's funny man. Uh the name

(48:12):
Turner nicknamed Burner. Where did you get burner? Where did
that come from? That came from a local reporter cap
out of the cab, Illinois. Oh okay, so you've had
that since you were your whole life? Yeah? Yeah, I
having in college. Man, they may turner to Burner T shirts.
I had hot sauce, which I still had a couple
of bottles of uh wait with your name on it? Yeah,

(48:35):
my name, Yeah, money. Yeah, that's pretty sweet turning him
because it was pumping me for the Heisman, you know,
you know, it was just a lot, a lot of
a lot of stuff. Man, it was pretty sweety, had
burner hats with flames on it. Hey, kudos, shout out
to the Northern Illinois Sports Yeah, man, that's great. Great
great media crew over there, great pr over there. Man,

(48:56):
it gave me some great pr You know, were you
did you get in game votes? Maybe one or two?
Maybe I didn't look at it. I knew it was
a long Come on, man, I knew it was a
long shot. Hey, Joe, do you remember do you remember
when Joe Dodeck from Plymouth State was a finalist? No? Who,
I don't even know who that is. That just some

(49:18):
guy running back out of Plymouth State, but he was
on the cover of sports Hilst I remember that. No, No,
it's like late eighties. But uh yeah, well maybe you
got a voters. You should go find out. I should
find up if you find out where exactly what city
you were born in? You should find out if you
you should find out if you got any Hiesman, that

(49:41):
damn Wikipedia. What was it again? When calling what was
it called? Wake, Waukegan. Yeah, yeah, it was the town.
It was a next time over. Yeah. Yeah, so I
guess they figured it because nor shouldn't have hospitals that
was born in Waukeegon, I guests, I don't know. All right, Well,

(50:02):
the Saints you fed off that rivalry. It's a nasty rivalry. Um. Yeah.
Was there even a close second when it came to
you when you played here as far as teams you
wanted to beat? I mean, you know, I think we
dominated Carolina. I think we dominated Tampa. The Panthers rivalry

(50:22):
is kind of heating up a little bit now, yeah,
it is. But they used to go there. No, the
papers up the east called me the Panther Killer. I
did have great games against them for some reason. I
don't know why. Panthers I think, I think, I think, yeah,
so I think I got the record against them. So
like the most Russian touchdowns in the game Falcon's history. Yeah,

(50:43):
it was just the Panthers. So you like seeing that
that uh that light blue and silver. Yeah. I love
seeing them. I love seeing them, man. Oh yeah, but
they have. Yeah, that's some great times, some great games
against them. But there's a close second. I don't know. No, yeah,
I didn't. It was I just I'm just doing my
due diligence here and asking. I just figured the Saints

(51:04):
it was. I'm trying to think of somebody out of
conference that we played consistently. But no, what about the Box,
I mean we dominated. I think we lost to them.
I mean maybe one time, but the first time I
played them, I know we lost on in No, wait,
m and I don't remember losing them again. I could
be wrong. Um, yeah I couldn't. Yeah, no, I remember

(51:26):
losing to them. I don't know. I got looked at up.
So the Falcons, Uh, they got a tough stretch you
know the end of the season here. Um, you played
under you know, the same head coach here, Smitty, but
you know they went through some changes here, right And Um,
as a player, you know, at any point in your

(51:50):
career had you had a head coaching chain mid season? No? Okay, no,
what do you think is going on in that locker
room right now? Do you think that? I mean you
you talk to guys and stuff like that. I mean,
do you think you know they're just taking one game
at a time and at any time like uh NFL,

(52:11):
you know you fight for your jobs. They fighting, they
playing for next year, you know, make sure they're on
the roster next year. You're doing that anyway, right, yeah,
you do that anyway. But it's intensive. I think it's
inticified when the coach is getting fired mid season, you know,
I think that, you know, it's it's different like cutting
the cutting a guy that was on a practice squad
or something like, you know, or barely on the team,
just to prove the point, you know, how the coaches

(52:31):
do that. Sometimes these guys made a mistake on such team,
so we're gonna release him the next week, prove of point,
Like everybody. That's a little different than your head coach
getting released and gym, you know, yeah yeah, but uh
and I feel bad for those guys, by the way,
but sometimes you just need to change a voice, you know.
Uh probably have the same ever, but to hear it differently,

(52:52):
you know. But uh yeah. So as far as those guys,
you know, I think they just fight for their jobs,
playing for pride. You know, I've never been losing team,
so I really can't say, you know everything, you know,
every every team I've been on, we've been winning, you know,
And I've been fortunate. Ough to have that because not
a lot of guys can have that, you know, Yeah,
you know, I was sitting here looking at the Chargers records.

(53:13):
I didn't I didn't even didn't even done on me.
Yeah forget forget Burner winner U. But the year before
they've been losing, so a little lucky travel need some
more thirty three in our lives. So so this is this,

(53:33):
this podcast coming out on thanks you get on Thanksgiving? Um,
did you ever? Have you ever played on Thanksgiving before? No? No, never, never, never.
I wish I could have, though. You play Thursday nights anyway,
make sure it's a Thanksgiving day. Yeah, so you never did,
That's that's all right. Did you like playing on Thursdays?
You hear all these stories that players don't like playing

(53:55):
on Thursday, but oh, bother you No, I'll probably played
on Thursday prob like twice in my cricket. I think
that started like at the end of my career. So, um,
but it feel good after the game, Yeah, that extended
week you got. Yeah, not leading up to the game,
not so much because you know, I'll still be sore
from the week before. And then I also I got
to her up and you know, do my things. You know,

(54:17):
you kind of break routine a little bit and get
ready for the next game. But you'd be happy. You'd
be happy when the when when it's over because you got,
oh got an extra time to rest the next game,
extra time to prepare for the next team, you know,
things like that. So did you have any rituals you
went through, like, you know that you had to get
ready for a game. And you hear these guys they
get like four hours of massages every day, you know,

(54:38):
did you did you have anything that you needed to
do each week? Definitely, definitely massage on Fridays and then
like on game day. I just try to do the
same thing in the same order every week. Okay, So
routine wasn't part of it. Routine was important, so I know,
you know because a lot of it's a lot of
build up before a game, you know, because we there

(55:00):
a couple of hours before a game now locker room.
So your kind of want to find time or fine
things to fill up that time, fill up that gap
you know in between uh ribbing to the stadium and
the games and I get mentally prepared and things like that.
So yeah, it's a whole process. Man, it's a whole process,
not just showing up and just playing football. You know. Yeah, um,

(55:21):
what about food? So because I want to segue into
Thanksgiving here so and then wrap up. Yeah, I pretty
much ate the same thing every every time. Uh you know,
get armit? Uh wait yeah on game days? Yeah, okay, yeah, yeah,
I gotta I'm yeah, yeah, I got an arm from

(55:41):
the chelfs. You know, they make it fresh for us
right there. I get on it from them, and uh uh,
I need to mess with the waffles and the pancakes
and the syrup and all that stuff. I just pretty
pretty much to have something in my system before the
game because I can't imagine just well yeah yeah, but
Tony Tony g actually put me on like hav me

(56:03):
drinking shakes before the games. The protein shape definitely, I practfully.
I felt a little different, but not too much. Yeah.
Well they didn't make it fat thought they say so. So,
as we get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving today, um, what's

(56:26):
what are you most thankful for right now? And what's
your favorite Thanksgiving dish? The most thankful right now? That
we're getting through twenty twenty, twenty twenty, it has been
a long year. Man. Almost, that's what I'm most thankful for.
This is almost over. We got well a month a
month is so left. Um, maybe twenty twenty one. We're
bringing everybody together, more happiness, you know, sign me up

(56:51):
for that. Yeah yeah yeah right, uh Thanksgiving it. You know,
I'm not a big Thanksgiving fan as far as the
food wise. Really, damn man, I'm not. No no, no, no.
Turkey at Turner Cafe, when do you open it up?
All right, I'm like I'm not like, I'm more I'm
more of a barbecue holiday. Got the guy you know

(57:12):
forth with July. You know, hey you can have some
brisk and on Thanksgiving Day. This looks weird, Yeah, I
would look weird. That's like some wady We were talking
about this in a meeting and someone said ham and
it's like that's like Christmas or something. Yeah yeah right
right so yeah, a man, the stuffing, man, I think

(57:35):
the stuff is the most important. Okay, that's good stuff. Yeah,
because with bad stuff here, I think it ruins everything
else about Thanksgiving. Yeah, if you know stuffing, it's like
why do you have a turkey? Right? A? Right? You
know I had some bad stuff out there over my
years but you know this stuff, and then I'm a

(57:57):
cranberry soft guy like that. I am too. No, nobody
appreciates cranberry sauce. Oh man, bunces everything out man. I mean,
you know you can put cranberry sauce with stuff, and
you can put cranberry sauce. Yeah, that's what That's what
made me think about, because it was the stuff and
you need the cranberry sauce. And you know what I'm saying,
A little piece of turkey meat, oh man, it's good.
And the sandwiches. I think it makes sandwiches like that now,

(58:19):
like Panera bread somewhere we get the cranberry sauce and
then we got the turkey meat and then you know,
a little stuff and on there. I think they. I
think somebody makes the sandwich like that thing. Man. I
might have to stop by there. Okay, all right, well
I can see you're doing your homework already for Turner Cat.

(58:39):
You know, I just realized something as we wrapped us up,
I forgot. I almost forgot to ask you the most
important question. It's a show staple. What do you think
of the name bird Noises? Beyond bird Noise? Bird Noises CeeLo,
is this boy bird noise a bird noises, bird noises. Okay,

(59:05):
it's not it's not as Yeah, I like straight from
the beak, Straight from the beak is the best. That's
my that's my mail bag. Thank you for I mean
that that that that name though, like it just it
was just it's just too perfect. Man. Well, I got
a lot of people, I guess I get a lot
of people sending me emails still saying, hey, do you
know how to spell beak? Uh oh, thanks, thanks for

(59:31):
thanks for bird noise. I don't know what I can.
I don't know bird feed, I don't know. I don't know,
I don't I don't know what Celo from Goodymm wanted
to call bird and he like, I like, you said,
hey bird that cuts through the noise. Yeah yeah, yeah,
I like And Jeez said, hey, bird's got the wild factor.
That's real bird. I'm thinking so because the ratings just

(59:58):
aren't there right now. That's why you're on today to
help boost the ratings. But we we need we need
to we need to do something about that name. But uh,
I like that. I like that. I like that. Geez,
you want to call it dirty bird? I think dirty
bird podcasts already exists, probably and I think that's two

(01:00:20):
uh two with a specific time I guess a certain
time here, yeah yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, and then uh who, Well,
Jesse Tuggle likes it. Jesse Tuggle likes it. He's like,
you gotta if you you gotta listen to the noise.
You gotta know what's going on inside the nest. Yeah,
he gave us a T shirt, slogan and everything, but
bad name. I just didn't know what you could work

(01:00:40):
with with as far as bird man. Yeah, you know
the reason behind you know, Dan Gad You know Dan Gaddess, Yeah, yeah, yeah,
he's he came up with the name. And yeah, Dan
so Danny Yad. In case you're taking notes, Dan Gad
is the person who named birds. You know. His explanation

(01:01:01):
is is because falcons are birds and birds make noises.
It can't be that simple, man, We need some I
don't know, I probably don't screwed that up, but yeah,
that's that was basically what he said. Well, listen, every
every animal makes noises. He got to be something specially
about a bird though, Yeah, about a falcon or a

(01:01:22):
bird specifically, you know. Yeah, by the way, every time
you say bird noises. There's a falcon scream that that
goes on? Sam, Sam. Yeah, see Sam Larson right now,
he's already. First of all, he's already looking at his
watch because we've gone way over. But the conversation has
been way too good and we've said bird noise. There's

(01:01:43):
probably a record amount of times. Now. I don't know
if Sam can hear, Sir Sam can come on, But Sam, sorry,
I love you, and he got to go out of editing.
The dude, man, I don't know what. I don't know
what's your rules all over the man, But it's all right.
The fans love to hear from our guests. I don't know.
I hope. So Sam Larson's getting a lot of airtime
right now. Uh well, listen, Michael, thanks so much for

(01:02:08):
coming on. You gotta come on again, and maybe when
this season's over, and you know it's gonna be quite
an interesting offseason. Mum would love to have you on
as we kind of get the delay of the land
and see what's see what's happening here? So yeah, definitely, man,
I have no problem talk to you. Man. You know,
we had fun together when we get our show, you know,

(01:02:29):
you know, so looking forward to talking more foucist news.
You got it, Bird, noises Bird, Always great to see
him Man