The Minister of Defense, Reggie White - Tales from 1265 Ep. 5

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Episode Transcript

(00:02):
This is Tales from twelve sixty five, a production of iHeartRadio Podcasts with presenting
sponsor Nicolay Law, your local awardwinning injury lawyers. If you've been injured,
get Nicolay, Wisconsin's winning team oflawyers that will get you back in
the game. Your host for Talesfrom twelve sixty five is Doug Russell.

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It was the most giddily anticipated newsconference in the history of the NFL's most
storied team. It was also theleast expected news conference in the history of
the National Football League. But herethey were gathered in the same locker room
the players like Bart star Rainichky,Paul Horning, and Jim Taylor had dressed
in in an era most Packers fanscould only either wistfully recall or read about

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in some old, faded team yearbooks. Good things stopped happening to the Packers
the day Vince Lombardi stepped away fromcoaching shortly after Super Bowl. Two decades
of poor draft choices, uninspiring coachinghires, and mind bogglingly bad trades left
Packers fans wondering the Green Bay wouldever not be thought of as the Siberia
of North American professional sports, andyet on April seventh, nineteen ninety three,

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the unthinkable happened. It's with greatpride to introduced the newest member of
the Green and Goal, Reggie White. Well, as you shoot your questions,
Reggie White, green Bay. Well, you know, I was really
impressed, and I came up herethe first time. I told coach Homer,
Well, we said it and metthe first time. I said,

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green Bay was the farthest thing frommy mind. But I was really impressed
with the coaching staff, with thewhole organization, with the direction the team
is going. I think they havea total commitment to winning. You can
go listen to our Tales from twelveto sixty five episode called the Rebirth for
more on that commitment to winning Whitewas referring to. But he was the
lynchpin. He was the one whobelieved, and he was the one that

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gave the Packers for the first timein more than two decades, real credibility.
The story of Reginald Howard White beganwell before his signing in Green Bay,
well before he was courted by everyserious team in the NFL, and
well before he was ever called theMinister of Defense. It's a story that
ended much, much too soon,and it's a story that had some controversy

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attached a couple of times as well. Reggie White was born in Chattanooga,
Tennessee, on December nineteenth, nineteensixty one. Years later, he would
go on to star at Howard HighSchool, and then it was off to
Knoxville and the University of Tennessee.It was in college where Reggie White excelled,
working his way into the volunteers startinglineup by the end of his freshman

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year, White registered a team higheight sacks as a sophomore. After an
injury plague junior season, he reboundedto a fifteen sacks senior year. Already
deeply religious and with dozens of sermonsfrom the pulpit to go along with dozens
of quarterback sacks, he earned thenickname that would become his calling card,
the Minister of Defense. Host College, White was coveted by every pro football

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team in America, but in thatera of the game, he had options.
He didn't just have to go wherehe was told via the NFL draft.
At the end of the day,Reggie wanted to stay close to home,
so instead of the NFL, hegot picked by the usfls Memphis show
Boats in the nineteen eighty four territorialDraft. White made an immediate impact and

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was featured at halftime of a USFLbroadcast on ABC his rookie season by the
legendary Keith Jackson. He is anordained minister. That's obviously he is called
the Minister of Defense. Well,you know, the guys look at me
by the standing I take. I'vebeen a minister now for going on six

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years, and that's how I gotthe nickname. And I want to be
as much as the leader as Ican. I want to be an example
for people. And I feel thatif I go out and play well,
the rest of the guys will playwell. And if I don't go out
and play well, I'm teating twoto two people. First of all,
I'm cheating Jesus Christ, and secondof all, I'm cheating my teammates,
my coaches, and the fans.And I feel that if when I go

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out, I have to go outand give him my all, because the
scripture says, whatever you do,do it hall. It's a god and
none to man. And if Idon't go out and do it, then
you know I'm just cheating everybody.Reggie White was a consensuous All American defensive
end at the University of Tennessee andone of four finalists for the Lombardi Award
his senior year. He was alsoan All State basketball player in high school.

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One of his teammates here in Memphisjust former Alabama quarterback Walter Lewis,
who felt the fever of the bigMan during their collegiate days. I played
against Reggie for four years at theUniversity of Alabama, and he exhibited a
lot of talent there at Tennessee whilehe was playing, and having an opportunity
to play with him on the team, it really means a whole lot.

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You know. Reggie is not onlya leader as a football player on the
field, but he's a leader withthe squad as a person. To me,
I look at Red as a bigold guy that loves the Lord and
loves people, and that that meansa lot to me, and it means
a lot to the people around him. He's young, he knows his best
days as a pro football player orin front of him. He understands that

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his violence game they start. Contrastfor the man who plans to preach the
gospelk when it's playing days are over. The ball is a tough game,
and sometimes people pass punches sometime,but that's just part of the game.
And I'm not going to slack upbecause somebody say, well, you're not
supposed to go out there and dothat because you're a Christian. That's the

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ability that God gave me, andthat's the ability I got to use,
and I forgot to get the opportunityto really rack somebody ahead. I'm gonna
do it because I'm being a witnessout on the field. The original USFL
was short lived, man after threeseasons, the league folded, but in
nineteen eighty four, White's rookie seasonin Memphis, the NFL's supplemental Draft saw

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White's draft rights go to Philadelphia.The Eagles had to buy out White's contract
in Memphis, but he was alltheirs and his impact was immediate. Hall
of Fame safety John Lynch. You'veheard about his kindness and his generosity,
but you saw his ferocity on thefield. Well one time, and you're
gonna ask why was why was asafety blocking Reggie White? Well, I
was on put team and I wasthe personal protector, and we had a

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weird call, and I ended upon Reggie White. I said, this
is great. Can I call anaudible? I should have said omaha or
something, but I had Reggie White, and Reggie had this move coach could.
It was called the hump move.And he would pick grown men much
bigger than me up in the airand throw them and they'd go flailing.
Well, he'd he put the humpmove on me and I went flying.

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He came over helped me up.God Bless your son. John Lynch speaking
to the Christian based Athletes in ActionGroup during Super Bowl Week in twenty twenty
one about his first encounter with theMinister of Defense. In one hundred and
twenty one games played for the Eagles, White racked up an eye popping one
hundred twenty four quarterback sacks as partof Philadelphia's famed Gang Green defense. One

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of White's most indelible moments in Philadelphiacame at Veterans Stadium, but it didn't
happen during a game. June twentyfifth, nineteen ninety two, was a
night where the faithful had gathered atVeterans Stadium for a Billy Graham crusade just
before White was going to speak,he was given the worst news possible about

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one of his teammates. Today,I lost a great friend. Philadelphia lost
a great plan Ron Brown Today.You know, this man was a very

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specive man to me. His familyvery specive people, and all the stuff
that you heard about Jerome Brown thething said about it and Nega the negative
stuff. This man was one ofthe greatest people I ever met and knew

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in my life. Jerome Brown wasdead at the age of twenty seven after
losing control of his corvette and crashingit into a palm tree on the field.
Brown was coming off a pair ofback to back first team All Pro
seasons at defensive tackle. He was, along with White, the heart and
soul of the Eagles defense. Thenineteen ninety two season would be difficult to

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play without him. Still, Phillycarved out an eleven and five season,
but one of those five losses camein Milwaukee to the Packers, and it
was a game that Reggie White neverforgot. November fifteenth, nineteen ninety two,

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the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packerswere headed in opposite directions. You
might not know it just by lookingat the two teams respective records, but
there was a rising belief in oneteam and a sinking belief in the other.
Philadelphia came in six and three,green Bay three and six in Mike
Holmbran's first season of Packers, alsohaving lost four of their previous five games

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heading into their matchup with Philadelphia.But something happened on that Chile thirty degrees
Sunday afternoon at Old County Stadium thatshould have shook Packers fans to their core.
Instead, it helped pave the wayfor one of the most important elements
of Green Bay's return to glory.Late in the first quarter, the Packers
had the ball at their own thirtytwo yard line with the play action Harry

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Sidney, and Harry Sidney takes itas and it looks to be more than
enough for the first down. IsHarry Sydney bringing some veteran experience to the
Packers, And it looks like Farvis holding that left shoulder of his and
that tends to happen whenever you playthe mean defense of Philadelphia. Well,
he got crunts that time. TheEagles are going to try to put a

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lot of hits on him. That'sthe Minister of Defense, of course,
Reggie White coming in on top.That's three hundred and five pounds landing on
top of you. What they wantto do with a young quarterback is shake
him up early, take him outof his game, like they did to
Marinovitz last week with the Raiders,and he is playing herd. You can
see he is still favoring that leftshoulder first, and James Brown and George

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Stark on the call for CBS television, far separated left shoulder hanging like a
rag doll at his side, refuseto leave for even a play. It's
never a good thing to see yourfuture franchise quarterback with a major appendage hanging
off of his body like a bustedmuffler on an old jalapi. But it
made an impression on the soon tobe agent Minister of Defense. You can

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win with tough players, and that'swhat the Packers did that day, riding
a wild fourth quarter and their wildyoung quarterback to a twenty seven twenty four
win over one of the NFL's bestclubs. The Packers ended their season nine
and seven. A week seventeen lossto the Vikings at the Metrodome prevented them
from a postseason berth the Washington Redskins, getting the sixth and final playoffs spot

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in the NFC. The Eagles meanwhile, finished the regular season strong. After
this mid November road defeat, Phillygot as far as the Divisional round of
the playoffs before bowing out to theupstart and eventual Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys.
So why would any player who sendsthere all about winning leave a team
that was doing just that for anotherthat had exactly one playoff win in a

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quarter century? Money sure, butalso freedom. In nineteen ninety two,
Reggie White was the lead plaintiff whenhe and five fellow NFL players sued the
NFL for full free agency for all. Until then, star players were essentially
bound to the teams that owned theircontractual rights for as long as the teams
wanted. That meant that Reggie Whitehad no hope of ever leaving the Eagles

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for more money elsewhere. And moreover, no other star players were ever granted
free agency with a chance to letthe market dictate their worth. As part
of the eventual settlement in January ofnineteen ninety three, Reggie White was exempted
from the Eagles franchise or transitional playerdesignations and became an immediate free agent.
Sure, the Eagles wanted to keepWhite, but now they would have to

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bid with everyone else snare at hisfield to a select group of teams the
free agent will play for next season, led by the Jets, Packers,
and Niners. The Redskins will offerthe free agent defensive line one of three
years, seven and a half milliondollar contract. More people attended a rally
who urged free agent Reggie White tostay with the Eagles, then went to
the rally to celebrate Villanova's NCUBA title. Today, Reggie paid a visit to

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Ohio. Reggie White was at thenext game, still left on this travel
tour, the Washington Redscuit. Hewas up the Pistons game last week.
Reggie was in New York Tuesday.Reggie White has been everywhere, I mean
daily Reggie White updates on ESPN SportsCenter where the norm everybody wanted a piece
of him, especially the Redskins andforty nine Ers, winners of four of
the last six Super Bowls. Sowhile teams all over the league were flying

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him in and showing the White familyall their city had to offer. The
Packers, led by Ron Wolf,Yes, but also defensive coordinator Ray Rhodes
talked football with the superstar defensive end. Finally, after months of negotiations,
White agreed to the richest contract everoffered a non quarterback, four years,
seventeen million dollars. Reggie White wascoming home to Green Bay. A lot

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of fresher on you you thrive on, or there's a lot of expectations on
your performance after the season. Well, yeah, I think it's a lot
of expectations now all on me,but everybody on this team. You know,
that should be high expectations for everybody. You know. I would hope
that I could help, Uh,I lifted players some guys, and I

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would hope some guys could help liftmy playoffs. Also, Uh, you
know, I'm like I said,I'm really excited about this opportunity the Green
Baby Company team over the other two. Was the last night this morning when
the decision well uh it pretty muchbought down last night, you know,
to what to where they would bethe team and uh, you know,

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like I said, I was impressedwith everything or so of this organization.
Well you know when I look atyou know, the thing that I was
contemplating with over the weeks, Iwas thinking about where I would go.
I look at green Bay. Youknow, green Bay is the team that
really started off the championships, andI think, if this this team can
get back to a winning the attitudeto a championship, I think, to

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capture the heart of America. Butdo you think the other teams were shocked
green Bay? I think every teamwas shocked down. But uh, I
think I made the right decision.Us your arm a little bit at the
Pro Bowl. Oh yeah, Brettdid with Sterling Sterling in particularly, Uh
I didn't. I didn't want to, you know. Uh, Brett told

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me that I heard the shoulder whenwe played him here, so I wanted
to make shooting when when I gotyou his shoulder was all right. Milwaukee,
the proximity of Milwaukee Amy decisions downthere, well yeah, uh,
you know a lot of a lotof times, that's a lot of people
wanting, well, Reggie, whygreen Bay? You know you talked so

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much about the inner city and uh, you know, and I and at
the time it wasn't negative. Uh, but I was talking to a friend
of mine and and and I.As we were talking, I begin to
realize that the ministry would take careof himself. Uh, you know,
it's giving me a great opportunity tobe able to do ministry with the with
the finances. Uh. You know, a lot of people say, well

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you you know you you want forthe money, But money does play a
part in it. But I realizedone thing. I really there's time that
I've been on the streets and I'vetalked to drug dealers and the guys that
you know. I asked them,why why are you guys dealing drugs and
say that's the only way I canmake a living. And I said,
if a man, you're killing people, And they say, if you give
me a job, I'll stop,and I'm left with nothing. Then,

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So this gives me an opportunity tobuild businesses, to help create housing,
to help create opportunities for people inthe in the city. And I think
that I can be able to dothat. I want to do it all
around the country, and I willfocus I'm gonna walk it by being here
in other areas, but too Igo back to Philadelphia and do some things

(16:36):
in Knoxville. I want to doit all around the country. I don't
want to just stay in one area. Regie, when did you realize that
you were not going to be anevil do this whole process. Well,
you know, I I kind ofrealized that more when when mister Brayman major
to come is that you know,might as well if there's a time that

(16:59):
you know people how to depart.So you know, it started getting worse
and worse in that situation. Thereare some things that I was disappointed with.
But you know, in no waywill I sit in badmouth the organization
because I've got good friends. It'sstill playing there. You know, I
don't think things will handle right.But you know, those are things I

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can't do anything about. The thingthat I'm concerned about. Nuns looking Reggie
White do the hep the Green Baypasses away from what can he do?
You know he can do. Hecan do great things for us. I
said it earlier today. And onething I want to emphasize too. And
Reggie and I have talked about thison more than one occasion. While he
is maybe the finest player has everplays his position in this game, no

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one man, no one player infootball can't can take you to the championship.
It's a team sport. And heknows that, and Ron and I
we're all committed to surrounding and gettingthe best player as we have on this
football team and continue him to dothat so we can all win that championship
together. He has made it.It's gonna happen a little sooner because of

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this man right here. But there'sno way that I'm going to burden him
with the responsibility of doing it byhimself. That's not fair. But he's
sure it's gonna help us. Reggie, you were one of quite a few
great players in Philadelphia couldn't win achampionship there. What makes you think you
can do it here? Well,I think they got two players, you

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know. And you know, whenyou look at the whole situation, a
lot of teams got two players.A lot of teams don't have a quarterback,
and I think Green Bay has aquarterback. You're saying that Brett Barns
a better quarterback than Randall cutting him, Well, you know, I think
Brett is going to get better tothe point where he's going to be better

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than Rounda and a lot of otherquarterbacks in this league. And Bet as
a young player that made some greatstrides last year, it's gonna make even
great at strides this year. Well, I'll think a piece of the post
was now in place to build forthat championship. I would say a very
big piece. I mean it's rightthere, it is. I mean it's
a very big piece right here.I mean he was a cornerstone in one

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of the finest defenses in the NationalFootball League since nineteen eighty five, right
and uh, I mean that whenyou think of the Philadelphiago As, you
think of a tremendous defensive unit,and when you think of that defensive unit,
you think of one player. AndI think that's a very important part
here, and he is a veryimportant part of what we're going to put
together here. People around the copy, I look at this as a under

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A smaller city got got the topplayer. How do you look at it
coming to a team that you know, the smaller size and just look at
and under like you looking other thanGreen Bay has always been looked at as
an underdog. And yeah, I'llbe honest with you. You know,
I told coach Hongan. You know, I know a lot of coaches and

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Coach Horan probably tell you this issaid. They used to tell the players,
say, you know, get yourax straight. We're going to ship
you out the green Bay, andI think Coach Home did it a few
times, but uh, you know, I you know, this was the
underdog situation. I was using GreenBay as a trip because I was in

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Detroit, and I'm glad I useit as a trip because now I'm here.
Fregie, trying is the whole processon you, the whole or deal.
It's been real trying. Uh youknow, it's it's been tiresome.
Also. Uh you know, Iguess in some ways, I may have
left Philadelphia with maybe some hurt feelings, you know, because I've got a

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lot of friends there and my youknow, the guys that it's on that
team I'm gonna miss deeply, anduh, you know, it was hard
to let go of that, butI had to. I had to let
go of Fregie, was a reactionto your close friends and family when you
told them I'm going to Green Bay? Well, you know, my wife
was happy, you know, anda lot of people thought she wouldn't be
happy, but she was very happyto had an opportunity. You know,

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she had an opportunity to talk toCoach Home and uh, you know,
she she was She had a goodconversation. H I think Ray Rose also
had a lot to do with mydecision. I think Ray is trying to
move his defensive unit in the rightdirection. And I think the thing that
I'm impressed with, I think he'sgoing to give guys an opportunity to have
input into what he's doing defensively.It's the size of the city, the

(21:26):
size of the market, or anykind of consideration with any city that you
were considering. Well, it wasat first, uh, but when I
came to realization, I can dowhat I want to do, no matter
why I am, you know,and that that made it a lot better
for me. And what about thefact thirty one and your best day has

(21:48):
been played? And are you stillin as good as shaping I'm looking at
my situation has been a Charles Barklersituation. Hopefully my career can be rejuvenated.
Rejuvenated Maybe for Reggie for the Packers, they were making national headlines for
the first time in decades. Maybesees dick Sham, the smallest city in
the National Football League, landed thebiggest prize. Reggie White is the three

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time All Pro defensive end for thePhiladelphia Eagles. The scourge of quarterbacks and
ball carriers half a dozen other teamsfrom New York to San Francisco, spid
seriously for White, an ordained ministerwho was the premier player available in the
first year of true free agency,which has sent salary soaring and players switching

(22:33):
to new teams. I had toleave my minor hunt over the what God
wants me to be in that ReggieWhite. White chose Green Bay for practical
as well as spiritual reasons. ThePackers, like the Eagles, play in
the National Football Conference, play theirhome games on real grass, and are
a team on the rise. ThePackers just missed the playoffs a year ago.

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White has never in high school,college or the pros played on a
championship team. The first thing I'mlooking forward in the team. It's really
a total commitment to winning. Thefact that the Packers made White, at
thirty one, the highest paid alineman in football history didn't hurt either.
Dick Chap a DC News Just likethat, the Packers were reborn. The

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nineteen ninety three season began with themost optimism Green Bay had in a generation.
The Packers were coming off a winningseason. Brett Farb was now firmly
entrenched as the starting quarterback Sterling Sharpwas generally regarded as one of the NFL's
elite receivers, and now they hada Hall of Fame cornerstone on their defense.
It didn't take long for the Ministerof Defense to let his presence be

(23:49):
known. Go down now in aboutseventeen. You gotta get him this time.
Here's la pack that's rowing. OhI under some pressure, Oh I
looking, Oh my dad? Takeat y yeah by Reggie White, and
that game is gonna be one bythe Packers. Reggie White. That sacks
sealed Green Base thirty to twenty sevenwin over the Denver Broncos in Week six

(24:11):
and snapped a three game losing streak. After all, teams that have their
sights set on the playoffs can't endureskids like that regularly, and the Packers
hadn't been to the playoffs at allin over a decade, but nineteen ninety
three was a turning point. Yougotta get it down somewhere around. I
would think back to the thirty yardlove. Just don't get unsettled. Here,
here's far back to throw fire.If lucking now far running, come

(24:33):
on, run it. He's gota throw it to the end zone.
He's off shot right open, hutdown, sterling shut open, he got
away had started the touchdown fifty fiveseconds left. It was Green Bay's first
playoff win in a non strike interruptedseason since nineteen seventy two. Reggie White's
gamble was starting to pay off.The people who've been nothing but call you

(24:56):
and great here, the fans atthe best in the world, and you
know, and you know, I'mprobably go be move up here sooner or
later. And I wanted to bea part of the community, part of
the state, and you know,in the part of his tra disc in
nineteen ninety four, the Packers werea lot like the Packers of nineteen ninety
three, a team that was improvingand exciting, but still a team that

(25:17):
was nine and seven and would loseto the Cowboys in the Divisional round of
the playoffs. In nineteen ninety five, some improvement, two more wins,
too, fewer losses, and theirfirst division championship since nineteen seventy two,
But it was nineteen ninety six whereReggie White went from superstar to and board
all. The nineteen ninety six seasonwas where it all came together. The

(25:45):
Packers had a superstar quarterback who hadjust won the first of three straight MVP
Awards. Brett Farve, Reggie White, and Robert Brooks were on the cover
of the Sports Illustrated NFL Preview issue. Predicted to win the Super Bowl that
year, it was all a lotfor the Minister of Defense and the days
leading up to the NFC Championship Game, a game that Reggie hadn't played in
yet, just one game removed fromthe ultimate After all these years, you

(26:11):
know, we get these two inour belt, then I can you know,
I total, guys, if wecan get these two, we can
celebrate for the rest of our lives. I think the difference in US this
year after the San Francisco game andUS last year after the San Francisco game
is we were very happy and vibrantafter that game. Uh this year,

(26:36):
we were happy, but we wereready to get back to work. And
uh, you know, we didn'tcelebrate as much this year, man,
because we know we still got gota ways to go. Ye last past
opportunity that yeah, yeah, Imean you can look towards next year,
you know, because it may neverhappen. You never know who may be

(26:57):
here and who may not be here. You know, you never know who
may get hurt next year or what, so you gotta take a badge of
the opportunity. Now, mission accomplishedfor Reggie and the Packers. Here's Brett
fare back to throw. He looksa lot of time going to the end
zone. There is Sourcy eleven gotdown Earthy, it's a touchdown. Dorsey

(27:17):
went up with a defender, broughtit down and the Packers have scored on
a twenty nine yard touchdown pass byBrett Farr da waits. Here is a
play action fake handoff. Second guybet At walked into the end zone.
Edgar bettet with a hole on theright side that you could drive a truck
to the Super Bowl throat and Ihope y'all have a great celebration that I
kneel down by mcmahn. The countdownis on. It is all over and

(27:41):
the Packers who are on their wayto New Orleans for Super Bowl thirty one.
Holy, what a terrific feeling.And it was on to New Orleans.
The Minister of Defense had finally gottento Football's promised land. Yeah,
the opportunity, especially the victor ofeven more special. You know, we
go out and and win this thing. You know, this is exciting.

(28:03):
Uh, doing our best not toget caught up in the height. Most
of us have been spending a lotof time in the room instead out on
the street. So you know,it's uh, it's been interesting, ugie.
What do you hope to bring outall this? I mean besides the
ring, memory wise, well,you know, memory wise, of course,
I mean you want you want toend up with a good game.
Uh, of course, you wantto end up with a victory. You

(28:25):
know, it's fun to be ableto achieve what we've achieved. What it
makes team so special? Well,I think because of the unity, you
know, there selfishness this within thisteam, and uh, you know that's
what's made it so fun about playingwith this team. You've waited your whole
life for this moment? Is ithard to not think about that? And
you probably get all little too nervousthinking about No, it really hadn't been

(28:45):
hard, uh, you know,mainly because I mean it's not finished.
You know, uh maybe uh,you know, we can win this game.
And I were reacting in a differentway, but you know, we
still got another game left. Anduh, you know, I and I
don't I hope the team won't bastin the moment of the week because we
still have a game to play.Does this justify your decision four years ago

(29:07):
to come here, Well, nothingreally justifies anything, mainly because I know
what God said to me. Iknow God spoke to me. A lot
of you guys were very sarcastic aboutmy decision, you know when I said,
God spoke to me. But lookat God. Now, what can
you say? Super Bowl champions that'swhat to say. And perhaps it was
poetic that it was iced by theMinister himself. Split the two running backs.

(29:30):
Here is the quarterback, butzow herethey come again. That's Reggie got
him. Daddy goes at the twentytwo yard line, had a sock for
that and he waits for the stamp. Here's Drew. It's right back in
the pocket. Here they come again. Preggie got him again. Pack in
the fifteen yard line. Hello,it's introduce you to Reggie White. Things.
He jumped over him. He beathim outside that time he beat him

(29:52):
outside. That guy is cell socked? That great serious by Reggie White.
First Annual England three wide receivers withthe right may just throw one up.
I got three of them over here, Sean Jefferson, Glenn and here it
goes back to back. Here theycome back at that Friday. Hello,
Reggie, Reggie. Reggie says,I am not through yet. Reggie White

(30:15):
has been fourteen years. What's itmean? Huh yo. I just want
to say this. Noah, Godbrought me here. I want to say
thank you Jesus. He's not allabout us. It's not all about over
the accomplished. It's about what Godhas done in these players in this team,

(30:38):
and Lord Jesus, I just wantto say thank you for the opportunity.
That's good. This is feel great, feel great. I want to
say out of my grandmother back home, mother, Hello, and home my
family. I love you, guys. It would be hard to top a
better professional day than when a Hallof Fame athlete wins his sports ultimate prize.
So in football terms, this wasReggie White's final moment, meaning if

(31:00):
this was the top, things wouldonly go downhill from here. As I
mentioned at the outset, there wassome controversy in Reggie White's life, and
a lot of it had to dowith what else besides football he was known
for. In nineteen ninety eight,Reggie was invited to speak to the Wisconsin
State Legislature. I may controversial statementsabout homosexuality. I believe in one of

(31:21):
the raisons, Jesus was accused ofbeing a homosexuals because he spent time with
Homosexus. And it didn't stop there. If you go to j Plan or
any Asian country, they could turna television into a watch. The next
day, amid a relative firestorm,White defended his comments, saying that he
believed homosexuality was a decision, notsomething that you're born with. He also
considered it a sin because the Bibleconsiders it a sin. He also defended

(31:45):
his racial comments by explaining that hewas celebrating the differences in our respective cultures,
not criticizing them. Some accepted Reggie'sexplanation, some didn't. Then there
was the matter of the burned downKnoxville church, where it was an associate
pastor. Nearly thirty years later.The only explanation is that the fire was
caused by arson. No one wasever arrested, and the church has never

(32:08):
been rebuilt. This despite Wisconsinites andothers donating a quarter of a million dollars
to Reggie to rebuild a church,even collecting on an insurance claim in the
deep six figures as well, Butnone of these controversies has diminished Reggie White
in the eyes of the Packers orthe NFL. It made the morning of

(32:28):
December twenty sixth, two thousand andfour all that much more unfathomable. Reggie
White, one of the NFL's best, most respected, and most beloved players,
died this morning at the age offorty three. White passed away in
North Carolina due to respiratory problems,perhaps relating to his condition of sleep apnea.

(32:49):
On the field. He was alegend and was certain to be a
Hall of Famer with the Eagles andthe Packers, and at the end of
his career with Carolina, one hundredninety eight sacks. When Reggie retired after
fifteen NFL seasons. They were therecord member of the Super Bowl champion Green
Bay Packers and Super Bowl thirty one, the two time Defensive Player of the
Year, a member of the seventyfifth Anniversary team for the National Football League,

(33:12):
thirteen straight Pro Bowls. You nameit, he did it on the
field, but he was a gentlegiant off His wife, Sarah, daughter
and son. Our hearts go outto him and through a family friend,
Reverend Keith Johnson issued this statement.Today, our beloved husband, father,
and friend passed away. His familyappreciates your thoughts and prayers as we mourned
the loss of Reggie White. Wewant to thank you in advance for honoring

(33:37):
our privacy. Chris Berman shocking hisESPN television audience the morning after Christmas,
one week after his forty third birthday, Reggie White was gone. White first
stepped away from football after the nineteenninety eight season, only to return after
one year away playing with his adoptedhometown Carolina Panthers. Despite starting all sixteen

(33:58):
games, Reggie retired for good afterthe two thousand season and began to focus
on ministry. He knew that hewas a first ballot Hall of Famer.
What he didn't know is that hewouldn't live to see himself in shrine.
His widow, Sarah, was tabbedto take her late husband's spot at the
podium. Even though I didn't havea real speech, I had bullets because

(34:19):
I'm so terrible with names heard tothat I'm thinking, thank goodness I wrote
names now because I wouldn't have madeit. I would not have made him
the Pro football Hall of Fame isn'tthe only place where Reggie White's legacy lives
on. It lives in the heartsof those he touched, those he played
with and played for. Former Packerscoach Mike Holmgren joined the Rich Eyes and
Show and remembered what White brought toGreen Bay. It meant everything to our

(34:43):
team at that time. He was, you know, one of the best,
if not the best defensive players I'veever seen. And I thought at
the time when he was free agent, and it was the start of free
agency, and he was taking thetour, if you will, and I
believe to Cleveland or Baltimore and differentplaces, and they roll out the red

(35:04):
carpet and and give him for coatsand keys to the city, all sorts
of stuff. And Ron Wolfe camein and said, Hey, we're gonna
bring ready Reggie and for free agency. I said, we're gonna what are
we gonna do? Give him ablock of cheese? You know, I
mean, why are we going todo this? How can we compete with
with these with the other stuff thatgoing on. He goes now, well,
and so Ron was pretty confident.So he comes in, we meet

(35:27):
him. Great guy. So thenRay Rhodes and I went down to his
home and kind of a little bitof a surprise visit a couple of days
later in Tennessee, and we hadlunch with his family and had a great
and really getting to know one another, you know, because he still hadn't
made up his decision, made hisdecision. Then I came home, and
Reggie's a Christian and and you know, as as I am, and uh,

(35:52):
I thought I could do this.I got on the phone and left
him MS. I said, Reggie, this is God. I want you
to go to Green Bay. Anduh, and we you know, I
just prayed that he understood what that. I was just kind of having at
a smile on my face when Isaid it, And when he came,
we had a good chuckle about it. And I think he well, he

(36:14):
made all the difference in the worldat the time. He helped us recruit
great black athletes, you know,in there, because Green Bay's a smaller
community and it didn't have the youknow, it was in Los Angeles or
Miami or someplace. And he reallyhelped us with that and we changed the
culture up there. I think formerPackers president Bob Harland echoed home written sentiments.

(36:35):
But I think to have Reggie Whiteselect Green Bay sent the message to
a lot of people in the NationalFootball League that this is a great place
to play and give it a try. I talked to Reggie a couple of
years after he had come here,and he told me that when he was
making his tour of NFL cities whenhe was a free agent, that he
was in Detroit visiting the Lions,and he said, I said to my

(36:59):
agent, you know, green justkeeps calling and calling and calling, and
I think, out of courtesy,we ought to pay them a visit.
So they had their private plane andthey flew to Green Bay, and Ron
Wolf and Mike Holman took Reggie outfor dinner. And Reggie told me,
he says, when I was gettingon the plane afterwards, I turned to
my agent and says, don't besurprised if this is where I wind up.

(37:22):
And I think it's It's as theysaid. All along, they talked
football to a football player. Everybodyelse was hiring bands and blown up balloons
and having parades trying to woo Reggie. We had two great football people who
sat and talked football, and thatappeal to him, and there again,
it was a huge factor and changingthe attitude in the National Football League about

(37:46):
do I want to play in GreenBay? A legacy that will live on
in Titletown forever. Coming up next, someone who covered every moment of Reggie
White's career in Green Bay and someonewho got to know him during his six
years entitled Town wnfls Mark Daniels joinsme next. I'm Doug Russell, and
you're listening to Tales from twelve sixtyfive the Minister of Defense. You're listening

(38:15):
to Tales from twelve sixty five presentedby Nicolay Law, your local award winning
injury lawyers. If you've been injured, get Nikolay, Wisconsin's winning team of
lawyers that will get you back inthe game. Doug Russell back with you
as we continue here on Tales fromtwelve sixty five. We're talking about the
Minister of Defense and what he meantto the Packers, what he meant to

(38:38):
the community. Joining me now,Mark Daniels, longtime w NFL Packers radio
beat reporter who's been covering the teamsince the late nineteen seventies. Yeah,
nineteen seventy nine, is that correct? I believe so it's kind of the
first full year on the bat.Yeah. Okay, so you've got a
pretty good perspective as to where thefranchise was leading into another episode that we've

(39:04):
done called the Rebirth. But ahuge part of the rebirth of the Packers
was the signing of Reggie White,which we'll get to in a minute.
But if you could just kind ofspeak to the early eighties, the mid
eighties, nineteen eighty nine, therewas a little bit of a blip up
with Lyndy and Fante and then cameright back down and then they just started

(39:25):
to accumulate some players. Reggie Whitewas a big part of that. But
where this franchise came from, Ithink it's pretty instructive as to how much
of a seismic shift it was inthe NFL that Reggie actually came out.
All right. You know, theGlory years set the standard for every NFL
franchise. I mean, five titlesin seven years for Vince Lombardy and when
he decided to first give up hishead coaching duties and just stay on his

(39:50):
GM and then take the Washington jobthe front office and really what I mean
there is the executive Committee, whichwas pretty much running this thing back in
that time. Figured the best wayto try and see if we can't continue
the legacy that Lombardi created, wasjust perpetuate the Lombardi legacy however possible.

(40:13):
Vince pretty much handed the reins toPhil Bankston and that lasted just a couple
of years and it was clear itwasn't going to work, so out he
goes. But what do they do? They pretty much recruit, you know,
well, they tried a couple ofways. First, Dan Divine and
that was an abject failure obviously.But then they realized we got to kind
of get back to the Lombardi aura, and so they recruited Barstar to become

(40:35):
head coach. That lasted nine tumultuousyears and the eventual firing in eighty three.
And then they bring in Forest gregand that got even worse, and
they realized that very quickly, andForrest soured on everything fast, and so
it was just a mess and thecity, the fan base was really getting

(40:58):
tired of non competitive football. Youknow, eight Nates were, you know,
just the greatest thing that could possiblyhappen. I think they finished eight
and eight three or four years ina row. Uh. And and there
were some who thought, well,the executive committee of the Packers are just
fine with that, because the waitinglist was growing, place was always full.

(41:19):
But uh. There were a fewof the organization through this time that
realized, I just cannot continue.And one of them was Bob Harlan,
who obviously got all of the wheelsin motion by the hiring of Ron Wolf,
and then ron Wolf brings in MikeHolmeren brings in Brett farm Trades a
first round draft choice to the AtlantaFalcons for Brett Farve, who had fallen

(41:39):
out of favor with Jerry Glenville inAtlanta. I think he was ever in
his favor, but fair enough,Well, somebody drafted it, I don't
think with the Jets, Yes,and he was there with those guys instead
of line up with Browning Nagel.Yeah. Uh. And then the year
after that, and I don't knowhow instructive it was to go back to

(42:00):
that game against the Philadelphia Eagles atCounty Stadium. I think that was the
genesis of it all, really,to tell you the truth, and the
maybe not the ultimate factor, becauseI think the ultimate factor why Reggie came
here it was they had the bestcontract offer four years of seventeen million.
But that game in November, whichthe Packers were still floundering about in Holmegun's

(42:20):
first year, and five was wowingfans and having people pull their hair out
watching this guy figuring out exactly whatthey had. And they took on a
team that was playoff worthy and hadan excellent plan and built a big lead,
coughed it up and then thanks toh I think it was a herschel

(42:42):
Walker fumble if I'm not mistaken,they were able to get the ball back
in the closing seconds and Chris Jackiehad a walk off field goal. But
while five only got sacked I thinktwice in that game, he got hit
a lot. And Reggie White wasvery impressed with the toughness of this guy,
playing hurt, playing in difficult situations, h you know, against his

(43:04):
defense, and even Ron Wolfe saidafter that game, we've turned the corner
by beating a competitive, playoff worthyPhiladelphia team, and it propelled the Packers,
I think, to a win streakof four or five in a row.
They got him too, nine andseven. It just missing out of
the playoffs that first year, butReggie didn't forget that. And then when
free agency finally arrived with the newcollective Bargaining agreement and the salary cap was

(43:28):
still a couple of years away,it was Katie bar the door. It
was no holds barred. The recruitmentwas on, and White was certainly the
biggest prize. He made that hugecircuit. He went everywhere, Cleveland,
Detroit, they showered gifts son SarahWhite, uf I'm a coat from Yeah,
yeah, the Lions, I thinkgave her the fur coat of the

(43:49):
Ford family. Any surprised they didn'tjust give her a car. But in
the end, Washington and San Francisco, I think we're the primary bidders,
both kind of in the same neighborhoodfinancially, but it was structured somewhat differently,
and Green Bay was kind of justan afterthought. I remember Reggie saying
at the time, well, I'min Detroit, I might as well just

(44:09):
I know they've been talking, youknow, to his agent. I think
Richie Sexton, and I think I'lljust go over there. And he met
with the Packers, and there wassomething about the comfort level here, how
he felt about home, grinned Wolfand all those kinds of things, and
remembering that game with a quarterback thathe figured is going to really take off

(44:30):
and he could maybe be a partof a championship run with convinced him that
this was the place, even thoughhe said at the time, Doug,
you know, I'm just gonna gowhere God tells me to go. Sure,
And that led to the Mike Holmegrenphone call to Reggie White, who
had picked it up, and theysaid, Reggie, this is God come

(44:50):
to Green Bay. One of thegreat stories of all time. And so
he showed up and away they went. So when Reggie White did come to
Green Bay, I think it wasa shock for everyone around the country because
of all the other teams that youhad mentioned San Francisco, which was still
thought of, especially in the nineteeneighties, as the team of the decade,

(45:13):
and you know, a team thatwas still trying to build four championships,
and you had other teams that wereinterested that that you know, maybe
came from. Obviously, every marketin the NFL is larger than Green Bay.
But what did it do to GreenBay? Were we in shock?
Were we now we have arrived?Like what Ron Wolfe said the year prior,

(45:37):
what was the shock waves that camethrough town. Well, when the
CBA was finally agreed upon and freeagency was pretty much the wild wild West,
almost everyone figured there is no chancein hell Green Bay is gonna land
free agents. It's just not ait's been a losing culture for over a

(46:00):
decade. It is the smallest market, they don't have a lot of money,
so there's just no way they're goingto be able to compete. The
White signing in a way legitimized thePackers as a financial player in the NFL,
and that was a gigantic step.So when you go back to that

(46:23):
time, coming off Farv's first season, and like I said, there was
a little bit of a jump upin nineteen eighty nine, and that had
given the Packers and maybe their fansa little bit of a glimpse as to
what a good football team could be. But you know, until then,
until they had won their first playoffgame, for example against the Lions,
how down was this community from thestandpoint that they had basically gone through almost

(46:46):
twenty years, maybe more than twentyyears. I've just straight up mediocre to
bad football. Yeah, I thinkthey sensed it was coming. The Magic
Man year was unbelievable. But itwas, as it turned out, smoking
mirrors because Lyndy couldn't coach his wayout of a paper bag in the end,
and it just got worse, andby ninety one it was four and

(47:07):
twelve and miserable. And when theybrought Wolf on board late that ninety one
season, eating in an instant,this thing had to get completely overhauled,
and he did so all of asudden nine and seven with Farvin Homegren Reggie
White's on board, and again theyjust barely got in and beat the lines.
And then but they just kept takingthat step further, just missing getting

(47:31):
in as a wildcard, winning agame, then winning the division, and
then getting through to the second round, division round, getting to the Cowboys
in the NFC Championship game. Andyou could just see it coming and see
it coming, and I think probablytwo or three years into that process,
the fan base was convinced that thereis something special happening. Right, was

(47:53):
winning the MVP Awards, Right?But who is the biggest celebrity. I
mean, you mean, we've mentioneda bunch of them. We've talked about
Bob Harlan, we talked about MikeHolmgren, Ron Wolf, Reggie White,
Brett Farve. Where does Reggie standin that, I guess pantheon of Hall
of Fame excellence. As far asthe fans here in Greenmayer concerns, well,
Farv was the favorite. I don'tthink there's any question, But I

(48:15):
think everyone realized that Reggie was probablykind of just the soul and because Brett
was still a young kuf Off,you know, happy, go lucky,
you know, seat of your pants, fun quarterback to watch. He's a
fun quarterback's But Reggie was the allbusiness, no nonsense, unquestioned locker room

(48:37):
leader the moment he arrived. Themoment he arrived, he just commanded attention
from everyone. He played a longtime, he was already established as one
of the best players in the NationalFootball League, and he kind of just
took over that locker room and everyonefollowed along. What did Reggie do specifically

(48:59):
for at in terms of maturity?And I don't know that anyone could fully
harness Brett, God knows. MikeHolmgren tried, couldn't really do it,
but Reggie was up here, Reggiewas a teammate. Was he able to
do that at all? Yeah?I think in some respects he was able
to do it just by you know, just telling Brett the importance of preparation,

(49:22):
the importance of hard work. Thosewere the knocks against Farm. He
just thought he had the greatest talentin the world and really didn't have to
study. You know. I rememberTy Detmer, you know, saying,
you know, he couldn't audible tosave his soul because he didn't really study
it and didn't really care about studyingit. But I think Reggie got up

(49:44):
on that path of professionalizing his approachto the game of football. And then
the Packers go to Super Bowl thirtyone in New Orleans. You tell a
great story about how you got toNew Orleans, and that'll when we get
to the Super we Bowl thirty oneepisode. Yeah, we'll tell that story.
But yeah, I mean this meanta lot. This was Reggie's only

(50:06):
Super Bowl championship, and Reggie,you know, was um okay through most
of that game. I mean,Farm had the great you know, audible
as it turns out to rising toget it going, ran one in through
the bomb to Freeman. Uh itwas that Howard was the MVP. Yeah,
Desmond Howard, well obviously the MVP, but Reggie was just there.

(50:29):
Obviously still a big part of thedefense, but again Curtis Martin and Drew
lets So they were making some placeback coach, I think caught the touchdown
and they were hanging in there.But when it was time to close the
deal, I think he got allthree of his Super Bowl record sacks from
late third quarter, if I'm notmistaken, if not all in the fourth,
just dominating uh the offensive line.I can't remember the poor tackle's name

(50:52):
from New England, but I meanhe just threw him around like a rag
doll and finished it. Uh anduh and it was his crowning achieved and
uh. I remember after the lastloss to Dallas uh in the NFC Championship
game the year prior. Uh.You know, I remember talking to Reggie
and I said saying, I justwant one. I know we're I just

(51:12):
want one. Uh and uh Andhe got the one. And he had
a big hand in getting that one. What do those playoff losses due to
him before that? You know,you talk about I just want one.
I just want one. He hadbeen on some pretty decent Philadelphia Eagles teams
too before he came to green Back. I think it hardened resolve of not
only Reggie but everyone. Uh.And they knew how close they were,
and I really think you know,they wanted Dallas. You know, in

(51:36):
that ninety six in Dallas, Iknow the Carolina pulled the upset and uh
and and once they got the Panthershere and won that game, um Will
said that was his favorite, mostmeaningful victory of all, even more than
the Super Bowl, because they finallygot it done and got there. But

(51:57):
uh and I think it just againdouble resolve. These guys were on a
five year plan, the whole organizationwas, and they knew going into that
fifth year, this has got tobe it. And it wasn't just Reggie,
but Roy Butler had emerged as afantastic leader in that team fire It
matured had already won two or twoof he had won two of one or
two in a row out of histhree as MVPs, And they had a

(52:22):
terrific cast of characters all the wayaround that team. And again, I
think Reggie was the inspiration to finallycarry him over the top. There's been
a lot said over the years abouthow difficult it has been at times for
black players to play in Green Bay, specifically, I think before the team

(52:43):
got really good. It's a smalltown, it's in northern Wisconsin. Did
Reggie White do anything to kind ofgive legitimacy specifically to black players that,
you know what, this can bea hospitable place. I'm not sure if
it was Reggie's idea or someone else's, but I remember, Uh, you
know, the guys used to alwayscomplain. Uh, the black guy says,

(53:04):
we gotta go to Milwaukee to geta haircut. And I don't hope
Reggie convinced the team, why don'twe get the guy to come up here,
okay? Uh and uh and takecare of the guys and uh and
that happened. Uh more, Uh, African American cuisine was brought in aboard.
Uh types of things like that.Uh And uh you know, I
think Reggie had had a big sayin that as well. UM. I

(53:28):
thought it curious too, because rememberwhen he was a free agent, he
just talked about, you know,developing his ministry, which is such a
big part of his life. Uh, and the faith and everything else as
an ordained minister. Uh. Andhow he was going to find a flock
in in Green Bay. And hesaid, there's people hurting in Green Bay
I'm not just an inner city guy, even though that's where a lot of
my attention wanted to go. Uhand uh, And he still found ways

(53:51):
uh to uh uh to reach outand become a spiritual presence in this community.
What did he do for the restof the community. The spiritual aspect
of it certainly was a huge partof that. But what did he do?
What did he mean to Yes,you're a Packers fan. If you
live in Green Bay, chances areyou're a Packers fan. But outside of
the football field, outside of thewalls. We're at twelve sixty five right

(54:14):
now, outside of these walls,what did he do for Green Bay?
I think just restored the pride,you know, in this organization. This
was looked upon in the eighties.There were all the difficulties off the field
with the Loftons and the mossy cages, that this was just never going to

(54:34):
ever find its way back to thetop. But I think the sense of
purpose, sense of pride, Ithink he brought a lot of that with
him, you know, that wasthe lasting legacy. I don't think there's
any question about it. And Igot to know Reggie Moore on a real
personal note, I want to kindof just tell this story two Doug,
is that once Holmgren was here fora year or two and then White came

(54:59):
aboard. Uh. There was aradio company, uh in a marketing company
that had me produce a series ofone on ones with both the coach and
Reggie. And so I'd go toWhite's house on the west side of town
every Tuesday morning early like eight o'clocka thirty after my morning drive shift and

(55:21):
sit down to talk to him andrecord that week's worth of interviews. And
so I you know, I gotto see Reggie crawling out of bed on
a Tuesday morning. Uh. Andand I got to be around Sarah and
the kids on a weekly basis forfor a whole season. It was really
a neat way to kind of getto know him, uh and and get
to kind of hear more about someof his things and views on a lot

(55:45):
of other things, which kind ofwent off the track by the time he
was done playing here. But Uh, it was it was a neat experience.
Uh. And I remember one dayin particular, Uh, the kids
overslept and literally his house abutted theproperty of the elementary school where these kids
were going at the time, andbecause they overslept, Reggie said, just

(56:06):
stay home, don't even bother AndI had the right across the street and
they were only going to be aboutten or fifteen minutes late, but he
just said, well, did juststay home today? And Sarah gotta just
threw up her arms because Reggie ranthe house. And I thought that was
something I'll never forget. If Iever run into Khalil or the daughter,
I'll have to bring that one upbecause I think they will remember it.
But so there was a sign ofReggie that I got to see that not

(56:28):
everyone did, And not that webecame close by any stretch, but I
really got to get a better senseof what makes him tick. Maybe you
got to know Sarah a little bittoo. Yeah, yeah, I thought
she was fantastic and she really herand Diana farre really became uh you know,
not to mention Kathy Holmeer too,but those were the three first ladies

(56:50):
of Green Bay and uh and theywere all active and got involved in the
community as much as possible too.Is there something about Reggie White that people
don't know about that you recalled fromyour time with him or anything that would
surprise Packers fans about it, mayberolling out of bed like you said on
a Tuesday morning, or you know, keeping his kids home from school or
something like that. He knew thatthe locker room was a haven, okay,

(57:16):
and it is a place not tobe intruded upon, whether you're an
outsider or a member of the media. And now, female reporters were a
part of covering the NFL long beforeReggie White got to Green Bay, and
he did not look kindly on femalereporters being allowed in the locker room.
Interesting, and he made no bonesabout it, and he was very unabashed

(57:40):
in his way of demonstrating his angstover having women in the locker room.
For while almost every other player onthe team at the time had a sense
of modicum, towels, robes et, Reggie didn't give a rip. He
just barreled through buck naked and said, this is my place where I work

(58:02):
and live. I don't care.And I always thought that was hilarious.
Kind of in that same vein thespeech that he made at the Wisconsin State
Legislature, I think it gave Packersfans a different perspective of Reggie White,
and he did get some blowback fromthat. Do you think that that blowback
hurt him at all a little bit? But I think it was more just

(58:24):
kind of roll your eyes, whatstuff? Talking about the Chinese know how
to make a watch, and youknow the Hispanics they know how to live
with thirty people in how come on, Ritchie? Yeah, I just thought
that was a bit much. Butthose were his views in a lot of
respects, and so it was ajaw dropping speech from my perspective. But

(58:46):
again, that's just kind of howReggie viewed the world. He was a
crusader for civil rights. He wasa crusader for building up the black man
and the black way of life becausehe knew the cycle of poverty and education
that so many African Americans are stillstuck with. I mean, they're just
behind the eight ball from the getgo because of the economic and everything else.

(59:08):
It's part of this country, unfortunately. But he was right about that,
and so I always applauded him forthat effort. For sure. He
retired from the Packers and then stayedout of the game for a year and
then came back with the Carolina Panthers. Did he just miss the game?
Probably? It's hard. It's hardhow hard it was to retire. You

(59:29):
have the second doubts. I thinkhe still felt he could offer something to
the Panthers. He certainly wasn't init for the money. And again it
took him one year there to realizethat it was time. And and so
that was that. And then again, the other thing I'll never fully understand

(59:50):
is a guy like that in suchgreat shape. You know it was sleep
apnea basically, Yeah, you knowthat killed him. You know it just
wow. And that was a realstunner at that age to go like that.
It was tough. Where were youwhen you heard about Reggie's passing?
Sure, I was around town somewhere. I can't remember exactly what I was
doing, but uh, you know, it just caught me. A guy

(01:00:14):
that was I mean, he wasn'tsuper fit. He was just huge and
strong and all that sort of thing. I mean, he had a little
role to him, but he wasjust he was so dominant as a physical
specimen. But that that surprised me. That he probably got a little overweight
once he got done playing, morethan his playing weight, I would think.

(01:00:36):
And uh, it just it wasa stunning time the legacy of Reggie
White. When you think back tohis time here in Green Bay. When
you think about his time in theNFL, his untimely death maybe plays a
part of the mystique. I thinkwith Vince Lombardi for example, I mean,
just a couple of years after he'sdone here in Green Bay, he
develops cancer and has an untimely death. Reggie White, just a few years

(01:00:58):
after he's done playing in Green Bayhe has an untimely death as well.
Does that play up his legacy?Does that enhance his legacy at all?
Yeah? I think so. Andagain, he was here for you know
what, just six years. Hewas a trailblazer for sure. He spurned
the NFL for the Memphis Showboats andthen became the best player on defense in

(01:01:22):
the NFL with the Eagles and wasthe first major marquee free agent this league
is experienced, and that he choseGreen Bay and helped carry him to the
top, A part of that isgoing to make him forever among one of
the most impactful Green Bay Packers ofall time. He is the Minister of
Defense. It was certainly early inmy career a joy to be around him.

(01:01:44):
But you were around a lot morethan I was, so I appreciate
the remembrances and the insights. Allright, my pleasure, w NFL's Mark
Daniels. That's it for this editionof Tales from twelve sixty five. The
Minister of Defense he could like theshow. Please let us know by rating
and reviewing us. If you reallylike the show, tell a friend.
Also, if there's a story youwant us to tell, you can let

(01:02:05):
me know by finding me on Twittervery simply at Doug Russell or on Facebook
at facebook dot com slash Doug Russell. Thanks to Mark Daniels from w NFL
Radio for joining me. Thanks tothose who helped tell Reggie White's story,
including the late great Jim Irwin andMax McGee. With audio courtesy of ESPN,
The Rich Eyes and Show, NFLFilms, CBS Television, ABC Sports,
and WTMJTV in Milwaukee. I'm DougRussell. Thanks for joining me on

(01:02:30):
Tales from twelve sixty five. Thishas been Tales from twelve sixty five with
your host, Doug Russell, presentedby Nikolay Law, your local award winning
injury lawyers. If you've been injured, get Nikolay, Wisconsin's winning team of
lawyers that will get you Back inthe Game Tales from twelve sixty five is

(01:02:52):
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