Antoine Bethea: Started At The Mecca With A Dream

It was like a Howard University homecoming as Steve and Jim were joined by fellow Bison alum Antoine Bethea, and they all spoke with pride of seeing Kamala Harris - another Howard alum - sworn in as Vice President of the United States (11:40). Bethea also talked about going from a 6th-round pick from an HBCU to a 14-year NFL veteran (23:21), why he thinks Philip Rivers is a Hall of Fame QB (13:24) and what it was like in the 49ers locker room during Colin Kaepernick's national anthem protests of police brutality (40:31). Plus, Steve and Jim have thoughts on which teams could be a better fit for Deshaun Watson (06:59).

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
What's up everybody. I'm Jamal Hill, and you are listening
to Huddle and Flow with my boys Steve White and
Jim Trotter. They're awesome, They're amazing. Keep listening or I'll
come after you and we are back again on the

(00:32):
Huddle and Flow podcast is presented by Into It, the
proud makers of Turbo Tax, QuickBooks and Mint. I am
Steve White with my guys Jim Trotter, our producer Thomas Warren.
On the ones and twos, we are the Howard Mob
and Jim, you know, we We've talked a whole lot
about h U and the Mecca and everything on this podcast.

(00:53):
We're serving it up today. We are serving it up
on this podcast today because we're gonna be joined by
our fellow Bison, Antoine Bathet, fourth in year NFL NFL
veteran who just announced his retirement. And also on Wednesday,
Kamala Harris, another Bison, was sworn in as Vice President
of the United States. So it's it's definitely a shining

(01:13):
moment for us. My classmate Kamala, I claim it even
though I never knew her and Howard or if I did,
Bar Buyer, I didn't know it. But I'm a claimer anyway,
because that's not proude. I am of her in our university.
So yeah, my classmate, how's that? There? You go, Hey,
we got some We've got some interesting stuff to talk

(01:34):
to you. Becuse, on the same day that Kamalin Joe
Biden were sworn in uh to the White House, Philip Rivers,
the guy you know, well you got you covered for
a long time your days covering the Chargers, he announced
his retirement and Jim, this is I don't think it
was unexpected. Kudos to him for making his decision clearly, um,
and when he did it helps out the Colts knowing

(01:55):
how they got to move forward um at that position.
But Jim, we can you just kind of tell us
about Philip, his career arc and him making this decision. Now,
you know, Philip was one of those guys that you
you that if you knew him, you rooted for him
just because he was such a good dude. You know,
from the outside. Players didn't like him early on because

(02:17):
he would talk a lot of trash. And the funny
thing was he always talked g rated trash. You know,
it was never malicious, it was never personal. I tell
this story, Like some of his friends were telling me.
One time he played pick up basketball games and he
would sit over in the corner and he would drain
these threes, and each time he would hit it three,
he would say to the guy guarding him, you know, um,

(02:38):
you're gonna let me have that. And I remember the
champ Bailey back in the beginning did not like Philip,
you know, and then once he got to know him,
he did like him. And that was the thing with Philip.
Once you knew him, you knew that there was nothing
malicious and what he was doing. Um, he's just a
very talkative guy. And he had that southern twang and
the dad gumm it and didn't curse. The one thing

(03:00):
I think people from the outside might not know is that,
you know, Philip had that dog in him too, because
the untold story is he had to sit the bench
for two years behind Drew Brees. And it was told
to me and and you can take it as gospel
that if the team had signed Drew Brees to an

(03:22):
extension after that second year, Philip was going in asking
for a trade. He wanted, he wanted to play, he
knew he could play, and that's kind of who he was.
So for all of that good guy all shucks, it's
that and the other. He had some dog in him
when it came to certain things, and he put up
a lot of numbers. And the discussion about Hall of

(03:44):
Fame will be interesting when it comes around, because you
know how I feel about the importance particularly with quarterbacks
happening up in big games, which the postseason is, and
there's some there's some holes there. Yeah, look a lot
a lot of coaching stuff around the NFL fly out
to tell you, like Philip was a great player, but
that postseason stuff, you just kind of knew. You kind

(04:04):
of knew that. You know, he you you could, you
could get to him, you could do some things. Um
but look, post career, we know he's he's gonna go
coach high school football. Maybe he'll broadcast game for the
Nickelodeon network. I think that he'd be perfect because he
got he's got eighteen kids, right, you know, he's got
that dad gum aw shucks up. So I think he'd

(04:26):
be great for Nickelodeon because they did a fantastic job
with a Perlson and their crew doing the playoff game.
I actually loved it and watched that broadcast, so that
would be fantastic. But Jim also this this kind of
leads to a bigger discussion, and we're gonna ask Antoine
Bathet about this as well, because he played against all
these quarterbacks. But it might it might not be just Philip,
It could be Ben Roethlisberger. We know Drew Brees is done, okay,

(04:48):
and I don't think Tom Brady has done. But I
mean there's there's always that possibility. Not only could a
glut of greatness you're retiring all on the same block,
but the potential quarterback move and you've gotta fill those void.
And I think the potential for a crazy trade on
Draft Day can happen um or beforehand, because you know

(05:09):
people are gonna move up to try to get some quarterbacks,
some of the vetting quarterbacks. You could be on the move,
Jimmy g Jamis, Deshaun Watson. I mean it could be.
I think this off season is going to be absolutely
spectacular in terms of that. Yeah, no, I agree with
you a d. I think the obviously the big fish

(05:30):
in that pond is to Shaun. And look right now,
I think almost every team in the league is looking
for a way to see if they can put together
a deal to try and get him out of Houston
deservedly so. Um, but yeah, you know, one guy we
left off as well, could be Carson Wentz. They're just
just the possibility of a lot of movement. But at

(05:53):
the same time, I'll say this, and you know this,
the one thing that we've seen this year and the
last couple of years is that we've seen young quarterbacks
really sort of flash and show that the league is
going to be in a good place when these guys
do step down. Um, it's time for some of these
guys to move on because truthfully, Steve and I think

(06:13):
you know this, it's hard. You know, it's hard watching
you're the guys that when you've seen them in their prime,
at their highest of highs, to see that they can't
still do some of the things they've done. Like it's
almost like when I watch Muhammad Ali, you know, and
it's like, don't do it, don't do it, you know,
And for some of these quarterbacks it's the same way.

(06:35):
It's like, don't do it. And so selfishly, maybe I'm
happy to see some of them moving on at this
point because it's time. You know, you think about some
of this potential movement as well. I mean you all
would have to the Patriots is sure when they lose time.
I mean, you put Cam in there and it didn't work.
So I just think this is gonna be absolutely intrigued. Again,

(06:55):
we're gonna talk to Antoine, but think about this in
in in just a minute. But let's get to this
the Shaun watching thing. I know we've talked about it
a little bit and how teams and what teams you know,
should be trying to do to get him. What do
you think would be if you could put the Shawn anywhere,
just in a in a in a crazy fantasy football
scenario whatever. Oh for me, San Francisco, I would love

(07:18):
to see him with Kyle Shanahan. Um, you know, in
terms of Deshaun's ability and intellect, um, with Kyle's play
design and play calling, I think would just be off
the charts. So look the one time that that Kyle
Shanahan did have that that guy. Look look at the

(07:41):
numbers Matt Ryan put up in that season they were together.
I think de Sean would eclipse that. Um, it would
just be spectacular. So if I and and look, let's
let's put all our cards on the table too. I'm
a San Francisco native, so it was born, so I'm
speaking selfishly here too. Um, but I would love to

(08:01):
see Deshaun Watson wind up in forty colors. The most gangster,
the most gangster move in this would be and and
trust me, one thing in the NFL you'll not to
put anything past anybody is if Sean Payton in the
Saints could get could get him to New Orleans, can
you talk about seeing him with Kyle? I would love

(08:24):
to see Deshaun Watson get with the Saints. He's playing
in the Dome, He's playing with arguably the greatest play designer, schemer, whatever.
I mean. You know Kyle's Kyle's in that conversation as well.
But man, if Sean Payton again, and I am not
putting it past any team like that. You know, here's

(08:44):
the only reason I do put it past the St. Steve.
We know that that if Deshaun is going to be moved,
it's gonna take a heck of a package to get
him out of there. And when you start looking at
who has what to give, oh, well, the Saints don't
have in my opinion, the ammunition um, to make that deal.
I think if you're talking San Francisco, you could say,

(09:06):
I'll give you Jimmy g and I'll give you a
couple of number ones, and our number ones are high,
at least this coming season, it's high. Um. And that's
a lot more attractive than what I think the Saints
could give to Houston Ford DeShawn. But there would be
other teams interested as well. UM. So that's where the
Dolphins really come into play. I mean, if the Dolphins

(09:27):
they can, they can give, they give Houston the picks
back that they got from Houston and the Laramy Dounzle trade. Yes, sir,
and this is gonna be fascinating, you know. And what's
so fascinating about is, you know, Steve, there was a
time you never heard of quarterback movement, particularly when it
related to a young franchise quarterback. It was just unheard of.

(09:48):
You don't you don't even talk about it because it's
not gonna happen. And now we're talking about guys who
were you know, um, highly drafted first round picks, who
some of whom were on second contract acts potentially being
moved that that's just that's crazy. But it's part of
you know, it's what's gonna drive this offseason that I

(10:09):
think is gonna be like no other that we've seen.
And we're just coming off an off season that was
like no other dealing with this pandemic. And let's not
forget things ain't all grits and gravy out in Los Angeles.
To the rams between Sean McVeigh and Jerry Golf either,
they've they've got some things they've got to work through
um as well. And we know the rams of our

(10:31):
players when it comes to making big deals saying what
they did, getting guys like Marcus Peterson, Jalen Ramsey and
players like that along the way. All right, Jim, let's
come in and bring in our guy, Antoine Bathe because
it's gonna be a fun conversation. And for anybody you
know who's tired of hearing about Howard University, too bad,
you're about to hear about it a little bit more so.

(10:53):
On that note, let's bring in our guy, Antoine Bathett.
All right, Jim, Now, were joined by our special guests
and our fellow Howard you alum, Antoine, but they twine.
Welcome to the Huddle and Flow Podcast. Man appreciate you guys, Man,

(11:14):
appreciate you for having me for sure where I'm trying
to figure out. Fine, you ain't got no gear on, man,
trust me, trust me. I was it was already said
in my mind. You know, I was gonna show the love.
But I had to flywer and you know I'm here
to day in Virginia. Man, So it was tough, man,

(11:36):
But trust me, trust me. You see see And it's
a special time, Jim, because, as we know, on Wednesday,
the latest Bison of greatness, Kamala Harris, was sworn into
office as the first woman vice president. First Bison vice

(11:57):
president can say the first bis in the White House.
We had some people christ step through there. But it
is it's such in it's such a proud moment, like
a proud time for us as wine. Now it is, man,
and I know people around the world, Man, it gets
tired of hearing you know howard man, we we we
we everywhere, you know. But but to see her the
vice president, you know, it's beautiful and it just goes

(12:17):
to show that, Um, I know everybody has that stigma
as far as you know, Um, I'm I'm not gonna
tend an HBCU because it doesn't get us ready for
the real world. And obviously we can throw that out
the window just because you know, you can kind of
see people all over from ABC used, um doing major things.
So um, you know, like you said, as a as

(12:37):
a vice and we're definitely proud, we're happy and I'm excited. Yeah,
it's my classmate, even though you know, I just wonder
in my mind how many times did I cross path,
you know, up on the yard or something, but I
think we came out the same year. It's crazy, man,
Jim never Holler was spoken for us, so no, I

(13:01):
was good man. That's a crazy thing about it though.
It's like you're working on campus and you have a
class when people not knowing where they're gonna be saying
fitting twenty years down the line, and for you to
see him and say, like, you know you had class
with or how many times did you won't class? It?
Never everybody said a word to or And now it's like, look,
you know she's she's the vice president. So that's crazy. Well,

(13:25):
and I want to kind of get to this because, um,
you know, also on Wednesday, one of the the NFL
grades and Philip Rivers um decided to retire. Of course,
it's about ten twelve days after you officially made it,
uh announced your retirement. Um, we'll get to you in
just a minute. But what about what about Philip and

(13:47):
everything that he brought to the NFL man better for
a long time. Um, he did at a high level,
very consistent, put up the numbers. UM played the game
the way that the position was supposed to be played.
And UM, you know hansol to him. You know, he
got us. So when I was with the coach, Um,

(14:08):
they got us out the playoffs a couple of times. Man.
And you know, he's definitely, um, you know, one of
the great Two's gonna be in the hall Um first ballot.
I'm not sure, but I definitely think he might be
in the hall. Um. I see Jim, you know, making
those uh making the faces. I I think so it's
gonna be one of them tough them tough calls. Um. Obviously,
you know he didn't he didn't make it to the

(14:29):
big game. But I mean, if you took the numbers.
Obviously the game is different now with the quarterbacks and
how the game is, it's changed. But I mean, you know,
I think one day he'll he'll get in the hall, Twine.
I respect you, man, but you talk about numbers now,
five and seven in the playoffs, only three games where

(14:50):
he threw for more than three hundred yards, only three
games with three touchdowns and more had four playoff games
where he didn't throw for a touchdown, and in fact,
when he did throw for a lot the yards they
were one and two, which meant those yards were coming
coming and it was behind. Yeah, like I said, you know,
and I know you. You know you in the rooms.

(15:10):
You know what I'm saying, so we kind of already
see where you're going that. But um, yeah, I just
think it's gonna be it's gonna be a tough It's
gonna be a tough decision, you know what I mean.
It's definitely gonna be a tough decision. So we'll see.
But I think he had he had a great career
man longevity seventeen years. Hold up, now, now, this to me,

(15:31):
this is interesting because Jim and Antoine, this creates a
lot of the great debate as you have media members
voting on this, and now we do have something you know,
former players and coaches in the room as well. But
ants one who played against that. The deal against him
was like this, dude's a Hall of Famer. Look, you know,
I you know obviously had Payton, you had you had

(15:53):
Tom threw Breeze like you said, Ben um Eli. You know,
I feel know those are all know elite, elite guys.
And I think Philip again, um not first, but I
think down the line he will make it. You know.
For me, it's like you know, and obviously Jim you
you ran down um the numbers as falls you know,

(16:15):
big time games. You know, is he is he showing
up in the big time games? And obviously at that
quarterback position, you need that that position to show up
in big time games in the status you just threw out, Ah,
he didn't. So if that quality, you know, one of
the qualifications for him getting into the All, then you know,
I I can take that, But I also wanna I

(16:35):
don't want to. When you talk about seventeen years and
you know, the work that you put in and the
party put out on the field, do you take away
what I'm gonna do eight games and that defines his career? No,
I don't think. I don't think it necessarily defines his career.
But I can go back through the regular season, particularly

(16:56):
later and show you games where in those moments of
you gotta deliver, it wasn't delivered. And you know, look,
I'm gonna be honest here, I'm conflicted because I never
liked what is perceived to be dumping on a guy
in this moment right when he retires and whatnot. But
it's a conversation that people bring up right away and

(17:16):
they throw out the Hall of Fame, like everybody's a
Hall of Famer, and my attitude is, and I'm being
completely frank here, man, the Hall of Fame is supposed
to be for the elite of the elite and the special,
not the Hall a very good or the Hall of
very very good. He's supposed to be great, And I
think the word great gets overused too much. And for me,

(17:38):
it's almost like it should be guys like Jim Brown,
Jerry Rice, Um, you know, Paidon Manning, Tom Brady, where
all you gotta do is say their name and there's
no discussion. Yeah, And there are times I asked myself,
if we have to sit and discuss it is a
dude to really a Hall of Famer. So look, I

(18:00):
understand and and I don't And I'm not trying to
pick on a philip here, but I understand guys who
put up a lot of numbers over the years and
and those sorts of things. But I just believe that
great players in those moments deliver so so my things
or another so as a player, and I'm looking at
other players, so um or Carl those dancer be right,

(18:22):
Carl those dansery where people't people don't mention his name
when it comes to the hall. Played on horrible teams,
right right, but his numbers. You gotta line his numbers
up there with Ray Laws, Roan Orlaca. Who's in the
in the in the hall. You look at London Flesher,
you know it wasn't you know his name, He wasn't

(18:43):
a flashy player or whatever the case may be. Back
to the player, and I'm looking at that, he's to me,
he's he's one of the one of the greatest linebackers
to play the game. You talk about the Fred Taylor again,
like he didn't he didn't play on these um great
teams or he wasn't he wasn't in the playoffs, um
to to to show up at these big time moments.

(19:06):
But when you talk about what his product that he
produced on the field. You can't tell me, but I
would go up go up against him twice a year
that he's not one of the greatest running backs that
ever played the game. So again, I know when we
talk about, you know, showing up the big time moments
and you know, having these rings and having all pros,

(19:27):
that's cool, like you know what I mean. And and
that's as looking at it like a week end and
week out every Sunday and we're in the film room
and like, yo, bro, this dude's a dog and we
we got sixty minutes, but we gotta we gotta, we
gotta handle this dude. I just kind of figured, you know,
for me, that's old a lot, a lot more weight

(19:48):
where rather than did he get a ring? Absolutely, And
that's why I mean, I'm being Frankie. I don't I
don't put the ring emphasis on on that. For a
lot of people. Fred Taylor, my pay is all fan.
I'm with you. I think Jimmy Jimmy Smith was one
of the great receivers who doesn't get his due in
my opinion, you know, Sterling Sharp they hold against him
saying he didn't play long enough. But Sterling Sharp was

(20:10):
a dominant, dominant receiver. So and I'll give you a
guy at your position who who speaks to those facts
that you're talking about. Adrian Wilson. He played on terrible
teams out in the Arizona. Adrian Wilson was a straight
up dog you know who belongs in that conversation to
have a chance to be in that room. So, no,
you're absolutely right. And that's where I always paused and say,

(20:32):
even though I say it should be a no brainer,
you shouldn't have a discussion. There are guys like that
who were on bad teams, um who you need to
have that discussion to bring it out because you might
not see him a lot simply from the standpoint that
because they ain't because their teams weren't good, they weren't
on TV, or you weren't being sent to their games
to cover their games. So I agree with you on that. Yeah,

(20:53):
that's that's a big point that Enis Williams made when
he made the Hall because he was like, I played
on nothing but bad teams. But I'm glad they saw
through that. Hey, Antoine, Also, you know, I want to
bring in the fact you can have some of these
discussions on your Man to Man podcast that you do
with Darius Williams. I'm sorry, Darius Butler. Darius Butler, um,
you know a former former dB. It's really really good podcast.

(21:15):
But on this Philip Rivers debate, let's let's expand it
a little because it looks like we're all's gonna be losing.
Drew Brees could be losing Big Ben, could be losing
Tom Brady. What about the greatness of those guys, But
then what about the potential shuffling, I mean the quarterback
movement that could happen, because I think this summer it's

(21:36):
going to be absolutely insane to start over the greatness man.
I think I'm with you. I feel at the time
he's gonna come back to play another year. UM. I
think earlier in the year they really didn't um uphold
that standard. But I think down the stretch and in
the playoffs they're starting to click. And then just to
be able to get a UM off season with Antony

(21:58):
Yo and Mike Evans in groun and you know O. J.
Howard coming back, I just think that office could be
scary with them getting the off season together. So I
think I'm is it's coming back. He you know, the
goat man and he he's showing it. And then like
you said, you know Withdrew um with Big Bandman, those
guys that that that's done on a high level. Um.

(22:21):
As Jim said, you know, making their teammates better around them,
and what they've been able to do for their communities
as well. You know, I've seen one of my former teammate,
Tyman Matthew kind of mentioned what Drew Bridges meant to
the city of New Orleans man, and um So, let's
just big so just definitely him leaving his footprint on
that city and on the game. Um. And just transferred
over to what you were saying as far as like

(22:42):
the off season, how this quarterback movement could be. Man,
it's gonna be exciting, you know, even with you know,
with the guys that's potentially retiring. But then even you
know you're talking about the sound boxon and you know
the situation, I'll get Houston and what what what that
could what what that could do? Um? You know and
if Drew Brees does we does do we see Jameis

(23:03):
Winscom get his shot or Wen go with Taysom Hill.
Um So it's gonna be interesting, man, It's it's gonna
be allowed for y'all. Y'all right about the reporter about no, no, no, no,
you're part of it now, you're part of it, now,
don't And by the way, Taysom Hill showed us that
it's Jamis or somebody else. Twine. I want to transition

(23:24):
to We talked about a lot of other players, but
I want to talk about your career because I I
truly believe you haven't gotten the just that you deserve.
You know. Um, I remember having this conversation with Jim
Calwell one year in n D and we were talking
about what you meant to that defense that year, and
you know, you talk about the Robert Mathisis, the Dwife Frenees,

(23:48):
all of those guys, Gary Brackett and whatnot. And I
remember Jim basically saying you were that guy that at
that time that was kind of holding it down for
that unit and bringing it around. You were never a
real vocal guy, I mean in terms of media and
all that sort of stuff. And and I'm just curious
when you came into the league, did you ever envision

(24:09):
you were gonna play two hundred nine games? You know,
coming out of coming out of the Mecca, Um, just
looking for a way that number one you were gonna
start right away and two you were gonna play two
hundred and nine games. What was what? What what was
it like for you coming in man? You know for
me coming like saying, coming from the Mecca, it was

(24:30):
all about just getting an opportunity, you know. Um, And
I tell people all the time, when those scouts will
come into those into them into cook hoole man and
just look at the film. You know, it would be
a lot of negativity, you know, not not not out
of percent, but it would be a lot of negativity
just um, you know, the level will play that you're
playing against and um, not really seeing my game translate

(24:54):
to the NFL. So for me just be able to
get invited to the combine to kind of you know,
you know some of these guys up that's coming from
the Ohio States or whatever, and just to kind of
you know, see where I was at, and they get
the opportunity, Man, get drafted in the sixth round. I
would I never thought I'd play two hundred nine games.
I definitely didn't think that I was gonna be a starter.

(25:17):
My rookie year that first game playing in New York,
not saying that I was doubting myself, but you know,
just just being real and keeping it, keeping it, keeping
the phone, getting like, Okay, I'm gonna have my opportunity.
You know, I'm gonna come in, i'mnna make some plays
on special teams, and you know, I'm gonna have me
a decent career. But once I was able to get in, man,
and that opportunity was in it so, you know, and

(25:39):
that's when I was like, Okay, well I'm not gonna
be I'm not gonna let this go. I'm gonna remember this.
And you know, fourteen years later man, like you said
two on the Nine Games. Um, it's been a blessing
and it's been a womanful Rode. Can you speak to
what what it means for those who might think that
they have to go to an Ohio State or they
have to go to a Clempson or one of those

(26:01):
Power five schools to really make it in the NFL.
Can you speak to those out there that there is
something to be said for being at a Howard or
an Ant or someplace else, um, and that you're not
gonna get lost in the process, man, especially the climbing
we're in right now. Um, you know, this would be

(26:22):
a perfect time where you know, um uh a player
or whatever sport that you plan, you can really focus on.
You know, I can go anywhere and if I'm talented enough, um,
I'll be able to extend my career after the collegiate,
you know what I mean. So for me being able
to um experience just a wonderful time, not only on

(26:45):
the field, but outside of that. It's something that I
always talk about us for all attending the Mecca, attend
the Howard University because um, you know, I'm so I'm
in the lock room with guys. I'm not I promise
you my four years was. I get it. It It was,
and in in front of a hundred thousand people on Saturday.
But that's one day out of the week that I'm
pretty sure you felt like it was something crazy. But

(27:08):
I can give you seven days out of the Meek campus.
Your experience is gonna be like no other. And that's like,
that's whatever, that's whatever you're looking for. I'm talking about.
You can it could be there for the simple reason
like you in the middle of d C and chocolate city,
or you're walking around campus and the ratio is fifteen

(27:30):
to one, you know what I'm saying. Or you know
it's middle I told when it's home coming and you
see Didy or you see whoever walking on campus. So
and then not even and this should have been the first.
But you know, you're looking at Alain Lock, You're looking
at Frederick Douglas. You know what I mean, You're talking
about Charles Drew. This easy black figures that change change

(27:52):
the world. You know what I mean. Um that walk
the same campus as you did. So it just kind
of talks about um just on himself as the black
man Um and it just it just brings stripp as
we all experienced. Just so people know how how Antoine
did it fourteen seasons. He had eight seasons with a
hundred plus tackles four of those consecutive seasons. I don't

(28:15):
know how his body is still holding up. And then
in three of his four final seasons he had a
hundred plus tackles. So he's a dB. But you were
asked to do an awful lot. Now let's get back
to what we were saying. Because coming from an HBCU,
because recently our guy Dion Sanders, who is now the
head coach at Jackson State. At the um SWACK media day,

(28:38):
came out and pointed out the disparities that HBCUs have
against Power five conferences and whatnot, saying he talked about
how the playing field is horrible, how they have rickety
training tables, outdated helmets, equipments and pads, and to quote him, says,
it causes a kid not to dream. What are your
kind of your thoughts? Because Dion again he's gonna bring

(28:59):
attention to hb YOU football the Jackson State and for
him to come out and point those things out and
say some of the things he did, it's real. I
mean it's real. And you know outside looking in, you know,
you you'll hear a player who's attended one HBCU and
you hear a player talk about it. But you really

(29:19):
gotta be in it to really understand, like like you know,
it's a Division one program or Division to program. You've
got some D threes or n AI schools that facilities
kill some of these HPCO HBCU facilities. Right, So when
he talked when he talked about, you know, um killing
the child's dreams. It depends on what what that dream is.

(29:41):
You know, for me, I still live my dream because
my dream was to be able to pay four years
after high school and get my education pay for so
my dream. I was still they gonna give my dream.
But so to what he's saying is that, Um, the
level field isn't that the playing field isn't level and
and somehow, some way, man, we gotta change that. But

(30:02):
I'm glad that he was able to go out on
that limb because I'm pretty sure he could have got
jobs anywhere in the country. For him to choose to
go to Jackson State, UM, it's gonna open a lot
of people's eyes, and even the youngsters, man, that they're
gonna be able to see that. You know, like we
just kind of spoke about, like we can go to

(30:24):
an h B c U and we can be successful,
um and make it to the next level. Man, it's
funny that that you brought that up, because I just
want to have to I had a call with coach
and Larry Scott Um the head coach at how University now,
and he was preaching some of the same things about
what he's trying to do UM at university. And he's

(30:46):
a struggle. Yeah, me and Jim have all had conversations
there with fundraising and stuff like that. Just honestly, I mean,
and and when I know you're part of this last
year because you and I talked about I think Jim too,
we're trying that we we were trying to raise money
to get living facilities for assistant coaches who are paid
such a low salary they can't afford housing in d C.

(31:08):
It's it's it's it's crazy, man. And I mean we
some something has to give, you know, just because you know,
the mecca is the mecca. And you know when when
when people think about how they think about excellence, right,
but then within it's just like when and I'm just
speaking solely from the looking at the football team where

(31:28):
when I was then our weakmen was in the basement
of one of our dorms. Yeah yeah, I'm saying like that,
and regular and regular students and regular students worked out
in the weight room and and it's and it's crazy,
and just even talking about the football field, right, like
we played the practice on the football field, the band
practice on the football field, the soccer demands and women's

(31:51):
soccer team practice and played on the football field, the
uh the Lott Cross like cross team, and then on
the all days you might have the DC Cats um
on the field too. So it's just it's crazy, man,
the hard thing. And let's keep in one hunter right
here with HBCUs and Antoine. You know this because I

(32:14):
know how it costs you a lot, is that the
overall university is not trying to spend the dollars on athletics.
I mean we talked to Williams. We talked to shack here,
I mean Doug Williams and Shack Here. So those are
the two greatest most famous football players of Grambling history.
And they talked about when they work their coach there
or whatever, they would have people want to donate money

(32:35):
in the university would say, well, this has to go
into the general funds, you know, for libraries, you know whatever,
and we can't earmarket for athletics. And they're like, hold up,
these people want to get it to athletics, and so
that they that's another constant battle that HBCUs have to
go through now for sou and you know we we
we we battled through that at Howard as Well man

(32:56):
where me personally and look, I just want to donate
to the football team, or you have other alumni alumni saying,
you know, we just want to donate to the football team,
and how you just expressed like, well this has to
go to X, Y and Z. Well it's like, you know,
if you get a big time donor that wants to
donate X amount of million of dollars to the Howard University,
like why can't we Why can't the athletic department get

(33:19):
one percent of that five million dollars? Like that could
do a lot for the whole the whole space. So
it's it's it's tough, man. But another thing is that,
you know, alumni, we gotta we gotta continue to push
and we gotta continue to speak out. You know, I'm
curious the last time I was on campus, which was
pre COVID, a couple of years whatever, and I look

(33:41):
up on the side of that brick building next to
Greenfield and there's your image. You know what is that like?
When you go back and you see that, you know
they took it down? Um, and yeah they did. And
I had mixed feelings when even when they when they
put it up, that mixed feelings just because it was

(34:01):
some greace before me that I felt as though it
should just be me. It should be you know, you
got the Gary Fleet Rail where he's on the he's
on the staff at Jackson State with Dion. You know
you had to tell Whites you had the the Jay Walker. Um,
you had a lot of you had Tracy White even,
you know, you had a lot of guys that paved
the weight before me. So, um, it was definitely an

(34:24):
honor to uh to be up there. But I had
mixed feelings, man, because I felt it though, Um it
was some other players before me that had their judge
due and put their uh, their footprint on the Howard
Howard Athletics as well. Yeah, for me when I was there,
the one guy that was carrying it, he was as
a freshman was Harvey Read Read Read. He was nice.

(34:50):
I think he's stealing in the record books, Yeah he was.
I think he's been a little bit with a little
time with the Bears. I think you had to add,
you know, some time with the Bears, uh before it
all ended. So all right, so antwine, Um, on this note,
we have Michael Vicker a little while ago too. Yeah,
we know you're from the Hampton Roads Tidewater seven seven

(35:12):
area as and and as you all know, probably the
most most athletically rich per capita area of the United States.
So Antoine, dig into your top five. It doesn't matter
the sport for your top five athletes from the seven
five seven. So my top two is gonna be Ronald Curry. There,

(35:38):
it is Ronald Curry and Ai. Those are my top
two right there, Ronald Curry, AI, I'm sweet peak Um,
I'm gonna go l T sailor Um and I'm gonna
Percy Holland problems no problems that it's so insane that

(36:02):
when you think about it, because I mean some people
would be like Joe Smith, right, the basketball player Alonzo Morning.
So when you see when you see when you say athletes,
that boy Percy, like I was hearing about Percy, Percy
did it. He won a state championship in football, then basketball,
and then what he was doing on the track it

(36:22):
was crazy too. So then like you know, you talk
about round c Man, he was Mr Basket, he was
NFL High school getting ready player again, and then that
same year he was m mcdowald's All American, you know
what I mean. And then you know what a y'all
did man, it was just it was crazy. So you know,
I'm forgetting a bunch of people. You know, even what

(36:43):
Vic did you know? Vic? Um? You know brothers, the
Upton brothers. Uh, major League Baseball. It's a lot of
David right, It's a lot of guys. Man, So I
know I'm missing. So that's top five. Now you can
kind of be all over the place with that top five.

(37:04):
You know, I'm curious, um transition, I want to go
back to the NFL for a minute. All that time
you played. I just wonder if you could give us
some background because you have keen insight into playing with
some special players as well. And I wonder when we
mentioned certain names, what stories come to mind for you? Um,
when we mentioned those names. So number one, obviously it's

(37:27):
a guy who we voted on yes or Tuesday for
the Hall of Fame, and that that's Peyton Manning. What's
your favorite patent story? Favorite patent story? Man? This is funny.
So this is when I knew Payton was the man? Right,
So we went up. So we're yeah, we win the
NMC championship, right, and I'm a rookie and we have

(37:49):
it this meeting, you know, with you know with the
front office and coaches, players, and uh, they say, you know,
you can bring one significant other to this meeting. Right.
So we just been talking about legit six us for
our tickets, hotel rooms when we go down here to Florida. Right,
So you know, um it's Bill Poling. He's kind of
talking about you know, what's going on. You know, I'm
I'm twenty one. I don't have a significant other, so

(38:10):
I'm just there listen. I'm happy that I'm just going
to the super Bowl. Right. So, um, it was like,
you know, we have we have this room. You know,
we want our wives and kids are staying in the
room with us, so we can give allocte the other
rooms to you know, family members. So you know, Payton
stands up like, you know, I don't know if I

(38:31):
want you know, kids and you know vibes on the
same floor that I'm staying on while I'm getting ready
for the game. So you know, Bill Polan like, you know,
we'll think about that. That's a good point. We'll think
about that. And I'm in my in my head, I'm
like that is a great point. So you kind of go.
Bill Poland gets to talking like another minute or two,

(38:51):
and then Peggy stands up again said, you know what,
don't think about it. Let's make that happen, right, Like
I'm like wow. So so you know, like I said,
I don't have any significant other, but I'm looking at
the other guys in my mind, I'm not No. Y'all
gotta stand up for yourself. Y'all got your wives, team,
y'all can't let this go like this. So so you

(39:13):
better bet it when we get down there to Miami,
it was just playing on the floor, no wives, no kids.
I heat the man. All right, I'm give you another one. Um,
I'll give you two names that where you can run
with it because they were partners in crime Dwife Frenny

(39:35):
and Robert Mathis. Alright, so Rob Rob Robbin freey Man
bringing heat Boulevard. Um, I just got a different, different
love for rob Man just because he he was going
through that journey before me, you know what I mean.
So being a fifth rounder coming from Alabama and m
um being small for his position, and you know he

(39:56):
started on special team. He was a special team dog.
So now Nate Man, he I'll just look at him different,
you know what I mean. He's just a different breed,
but the way he just played the game. Um, the
leadership and then with with with with Framie Man with
the spin moves, um and just their dominance together and
just to be able to see them them competing against

(40:16):
each other trying to get to the quarterback and just
made my job easier. Um. And I really couldn't really
picture it when we was on the field, but when
we should sit in there, Um, in the film room
and just see how the boys you should do them
offensive tackles? Man, it was love it. I'm gonna give
you one, but I could give you a bunch of them.
I'm gonna give you one more because I don't want

(40:37):
to keep you on all these But when you went
to San Francisco, Colin Kaepernick, Yeah, favorite story, man, Um,
I would really his transition was was was crazy to me,
you know what I mean, because you know when I
first got there, Cap was was Cop, you know what
I mean? And Cap now when Cap, when I first

(40:57):
seen Cop, it was two totally different people, you know
what I mean. But what he did it speaks volume
of his character and who he is, you know what
I mean? And Um, it was and still to this day,
man that obviously we've seen it. Why he did what
he did and being able to to stand up for
what he believed in, what every a lot of people

(41:17):
believed in. Um, it was, it was, it was. It
was commendable, man, commendable. But take us back for a
minute to that, because you were there in the middle
of it from the very beginning. What was that whole
atmosphere like that whole thing when when obviously Steve was
the first to report it, Um, you knew what was
going on, having been you know, being a team member

(41:39):
and whatnot and having conversations with him. What was that
whole environment or atmosphere like in the locker room People
think it was it was. It was crazy, But it wasn't,
you know what I mean, It wasn't. It was when
he first when he first sat down, we was playing
in Denver preseason game and really nobody noticed. Nobody knows.

(42:00):
Somebody took a picture from way up above and you know,
put it out and you know, started asking the questions,
and the team we got in front of it as
captain's or whatever, we asked him to speak up and
you know, speak on why he was doing it in
front of the team. You know, some guys knew what
it was. Some guys didn't, but guys respected it. Guys

(42:23):
respected his decision. So as far as in the locker room,
it was no real riff. You know, the riff came
from when the outside started speaking on it and putting
their two cents on it. And obviously, you know, he
he thrown it through where you know, um got to
San Diego when he met he met with the guy
he met with, and you know he was Nate Blowyer.
And you know, Nate was like, look, it could possibly

(42:45):
be better or perceived better if you would do this
and captain that. You know what I mean. He took
the knee, and we all knew what that was about.
It wasn't nothing about the flag, um. But you know,
inside the locker room, man from the coaches to the
front office to his teammates, even if you didn't agree
with how he was doing it, you understood why he

(43:07):
was doing it. Um. And again, man, hats hats off
the cap man and what he stands for wasn't Man,
you know, you were a Super Bowl champion, all the
accolades you've had and whatnot. I'm guessing I'm assuming here,
and maybe I'm wrong. To assume, but I would assume
that was one of the more um poignant, significant moments
in your career. To be a part of something like that.

(43:30):
We're you're basically in on the ground floor of history,
because when we look back on sports decades from now
and whatnot, that movement the Caps started. Um, you were there.
You were part of it, no question, man. And you
know I get you know, people ask me that all
the time because like you said, you know, we was
we was in it, and we seen it firsthand. We've
seen it unfold, We've seen the media all in the

(43:51):
locker room. Um, and you know that's what That's something
that you know, we'll be able to talk about and
just know, you know, being able to know Cap personally,
be able to know a read personally, and just know
how they all, um, how he reads a family man,
and just how smart these guys are. Man. It was
it was something um, like you said, that goes down
to history and something that I'll remember. Um. So the

(44:13):
day I'm gone, and jem, let's let's take to people
real quick inside that locker room. And Antoine, like your
locker was either one or two away from Eric Reid.
I think it was right next to Eric. Wasn't it
was right. It was right next to each other, right
next to each other, and you know, Cap was across
the room. But of course I was there hanging out
for a couple of days after you know, the story
and whatnot, and I would come talk to you like,
you know, how is everything going your life? And you
were expressed it like it's all good, like we are

(44:34):
good in here and at this point. But at this point,
remember initially Eric was like really thinking about things, like
he hadn't joined Cap and taking any and see Eric.
I remember talking to Eric because Alton Sterling, where Eric
is from, down in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, had just been
killed on TV by police, and I was like, Eric,

(44:56):
you know you're you're where you grew up. This is
happening with happen is talking about is happening in your
back and he's like, I know, He's like, you know,
I've been talking to my pastor down there. I'm trying
to figure out I'm trying to get my head around
everything right now. And then Eric came out, you know,
and stood with Cap, and from from my understanding, him
and Cap weren't really that that tight until all of

(45:16):
this came about. Now, of course they're they're brothers through
and through. I mean just just kind of what about
some of the intellectual conversation going on, because I know
when I would talk to you and Eric even before
this blew up, I mean that the processing and the
thoughtfulness you guys put behind everything, it was just great
conversation just to have and just maybe what that part

(45:36):
was like even in your little corner of that dB
locker room. Yeah, so, like you said, me and Eric
were um out locked, was right next to each something
that meat. We had formed a friendship just because of
our families. You know, our wives were friends and you know,
my kids and things of that nature. And we were
in the same dB room, so you know, our conversations
were hitting a little different um, and just how we

(45:57):
were kind of portraying to the younger guys in the
room who kind of wanted to do the same thing.
We was like, look like first you got to educate
yourself on the whole subject matter, just because you know,
we gonna have more media in the locker room and
they're gonna be stickness, uh, the microphone in your face,
So you gotta understand, like if you don't want to
talk or you're not comfortable talk on on this subject,

(46:18):
don't you know. So these are the type of conversation
we were having in the locker room just because we
knew what were what was about to happen, um. And
outside of that, we were already have we were having
round table discussions within our within the organization, you know. Um.
Jam York did a great job of just leading it
and being on our being willing to listen to what

(46:39):
we were saying. M bringing the police officer of the
San Francisco Police Department into the building. So we were
having conversations regardless of what anybody else was thinking outside
of the up the building. Inside, man, we were we
were together. And again, like I was saying, like even
you know some of you know, some of the white players,

(46:59):
they were in these conversations, Phil Dawson, it was, it
was Joe Stanley. It was real conversations, man. And what
I appreciated about it was if you agree with it
or not, we were all respectful to one another as
men and as teammates and brothers, and that was the
most important thing all Antone. We know you've got some
business ventures, uh to take care of. There and in

(47:21):
a lot of different places. We're proud of you. You know,
you're always our brother. Um, we are. We are bising
for life, big time, big time for us. And also
don't forget to check out Antoine on the Man to
Man podcast with Darius Butler. We're gonna keep on doing
our thing right one as always. Man, I appreciate you
guys leading away man and again man accepting me as

(47:44):
a Bison brother and being and two guys that I
can look up to. Man. So appreciate you guys. No, bro,
we respect you definitely the way you handle your business,
what you were able to take care of, and also
you educating the young folks coming behind you because just
like talked about that conversation you had in that forty
nine locker room with those young dudes, they need to

(48:04):
hear more of that from folks who know the real
you know, um, because it is a business. I always say,
it's not a game, it's a business. And and guys
like you help educating them, that's that's that's huge, man.
So I know you're gonna do great things going forward.
So I look forward to seeing you back on campus
one day. And I just asked you not forget the
little people, you know, not not at all. Hey, Jim,

(48:28):
when we when we in duc d'antoine to the Black
Colle Hoootball Hall of Fame coming up soon, just make
sure you're there because it's gonna be a good one.
I will be the count on it, count on it.
Steve absolutely one of one of the more favorite people

(48:51):
that I've covered in my time in the NFL. Just
one of the realist dudes. You know, when you went
into the locker room, you could have an honest conversation
with him about the team, about life, about whatever he knew,
what he could say and what he couldn't say as
related to the team. So there was never that that
crossing up the line, but just a real dude man.

(49:11):
So um, I'm happy to see him doing well. Uh,
fourteen years is a long time in the NFL, and
he did it well. So much respect and much love
to to Antoine and Jim. You know the mazing about Antoine.
I talked about those four seasons in a row. He
had a hundred plus tackles and I'm talking like a
hundred twenty. Antoine's not a big guy, right, and so

(49:32):
for his body to hold up and what he had
to go through to get through fourteen years is absolutely amazing.
You know, you heard about how Tony Dungee when we
had him on the podcast last week, just spoke with
Antoine and such reverence how when he came in former
walk on at Howard when he came in and Dune
was like, Oh no, this guy, he's gonna start right away.

(49:53):
He's that type of player and to have that impact
and know the respect that he carries, you know, it's
just it's just an absolute, um fantastic thing to see.
And now what he's doing post career, He's get into
the media, he's got some business ventures going on. Just
just a sharp guy, you know, who's gonna be one
of those real successful guys are gonna read about in
the Fortune five hundred magazine. You know, in the coming years,

(50:15):
you know, we're leaving student debt and things like that.
Uh people because because he's gonna do so well, Um, Jim,
as you move forward, Um, you know, we've got got
the big weekend coming up, the uh the conference championship games,
and you know it's an interesting question when you look
at the quarterbacks, um in this game, the a f
C or the NFC, you got Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady,

(50:37):
and the a f C. You know, you've got the
young fellas. We've got Patrick Mahomes, who we think is
gonna play. We've got Josh Allen. And it kind of
steers back to what we were talking to about some
of the older quarterbacks at their point of their career
and then the younger quarterbacks coming in making sure that
the the NFL carries on. When you look at this
weekend of games, I mean, what are some of the

(50:59):
thoughts to you when you look at the quarterbacks and
where shertain teams are going as opposed to others. These
of these four teams, Um, look, all these quarterbacks obviously
are extremely talented. You don't get to this point and
in almost all cases without a talented quarterback. As I
studied these games, I mean, the one thing and and

(51:20):
look I own up when I say something that turns
out to be wrong. I really thought Green Bay would
take a step back this year. Um. I had questions
about them coming into the season from the standpoint of physicality.
What we saw last year when they played San Francisco.
San Francisco dominated physically against these Packers. Well, that's not
the case. This year. They have shown they can win

(51:41):
any kind of game, physical, fast, whatever. And I just
think that Aaron Rodgers right now is on another level
about and and that's even it's hard for me to
say even about Patrick Mahomes at this moment. He is
just clicking. And I know that the Bucks be the
Packers earlier this year, I don't place a lot of

(52:03):
stock in that. Right now, you look for those teams
that have a certain momentum to them and just a vibe,
and what I see with the Packers right now is
just something that looks really special on the A f
C side at this intriguing game, because look, I just
in Kansas City has so many weapons. I just don't
know how you stopped them. You know you're gonna have

(52:25):
to score roughly thirty to beat him. Um, if Patrick
Mahomes is healthy and can play, can the Bills put
up those thirty against this Chief's defense? I don't know. Um.
I think obviously they're talented offensively, they've been playing well.
Josh Allen has really come on. We see Stefon Diggs
what he has done. I have to believe that Spagnola

(52:47):
is gonna say You know what, the one guy we
gotta take away from Buffalo is Stefon Diggs, and that's
the way he'll scheme is defense. So can those other
guys make enup plays? I don't know. And so for
that reason to say right now, I'm going with the
Kansas City Green Bay super Bowl. Can you imagine like
how happy State Farm would be if you've got Aaron

(53:09):
Rodgers against Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl. They probably
got a package of commercials already made, already shot, already shot. Uh,
to get that, to get that started. You know. One
thing I'm also looking at is, you know, we talked
about how coaches have adapted to some of these new offenses,
some of the talent to get these rookies and these
young quarterbacks going. Well, well, look who the coaches are.

(53:31):
I mean, Andy Reid, veterans, Sean McDermott, you know, he's
been in the league for an awful long time, Bruce
Arian has been a league for an awful long time.
And Matt Laflour is the only kind of young new
generation coach here. So I give props to all of
these coaches for Matt Lafleur teaching an old dog, you know,
a new trick so to speak in Aaron Rodgers and
then everybody else adapting and growing and maturing. And that

(53:55):
means the coaches just as much as these quarterbacks. But
I'm with you. I think we're gonna have a Green
Bay Chiefs Super Bowl. I think these games actually are
gonna be very very close. Um So, Jim, why don't
you go ahead and bring us home? All right? We
thank you for subscribing, We thank you for listening. Please

(54:17):
continue to leave us comments what you would like to hear,
who you would like us to have on, what topics
you would like us to address. That way we can
give you more of what you're funking for. That's right, Jim,
and give me want to thank our guests Antoine Baffet,
happy retirement to him, to Philip Rivers. Also got to

(54:40):
give a shout out to our producer who has just
been killing and Thomas Warren just doing fantastic thing on
the ones and the twos. He's the one who really
stirs this drink, which is known as the huld On
Flow Podcast, which is presented by into It, the proud
makers of Turbo Tax Quick Books, and meant all right
for my guys, Jim Trotter and Thomas Warren. I'm Steve White.

(55:00):
We are the Howard Mob and we are out