August 6, 2023 • 44 mins
New England Patriots specialist Matthew Slater joins Andre Norman to talk about what he has learned being around football all his life, and how his relationship with his family and in the community plays a big role in shaping who he is as a person.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Ladies and gentlemen.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
It is your host, Andre Norman, and I am here
in the building. So let's stadium home of great You
know what I'm saying in the birth of a dynasty
that's never gonna be repeated. And I want to introduce
to you our next guest. I think you might be
the most famous guest.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
You know what I'm saying. You got ten probos, just
trying to do my job.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Andre Matthew Slater. Did I ever tell you you sound
like an old man? You've heard that, you know?
Speaker 3 (00:25):
I like that.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
I take it.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
He's like an older distinguished I appreciate that. I'm fifty six,
like you're older than me.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Well, hopefully that's a good thing.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
It's phenomenal. I mean, you have like a radio voice.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Well, thank you're too kind. You're too kind. I appreciate that. No,
I sound like my dad, is what a lot of
people tell me.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
So that is not a bad thing. And so you
sound like you're soon to be a Hall of Famer too.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
I don't know about all that now. I've just had
a great experience here, have enjoyed my time. It's it's
been a blessing. So tell us about that man I
mean where to start. For me, I always tell people
my relationship with my father, it's really about a father
and a son. I mean, people always want to take
it to football, But for me, I realized, as a
(01:11):
black man, what a blessing it was to have a
father who was present, active and involved and was really
vital in terms of forming and developing me as a
young man. He was very intentional about that, and that's
not something that I take for having a father in
the home who really cared about my brother and I
and our family and was really you know a lot
(01:33):
of people talk about family first, he really was family first.
So my dad is my hero. I mean, everything I
know about being a husband, being a father, being a professional,
it came from him and started with him. He put
the foundation in place. He was hard on us. He
was very strict when we're young. Still is still giving
(01:54):
me advice even though I'm thirty seven years old. He's
still my dad. So our relationship is really special. I'm
very very thankful for him, and you know, all the
things he's done in my life.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
Does he come to the games.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
He does when he can. My parents are still in
southern California, great Weathertown, I don't blame him for not
leaving there. And once my dad retired, his last year
the Rams played in Saint Louis, so we moved to
Saint Louis for about eight months and then went back
to California and they've stayed there. My parents have stayed there,
so they get out here when they can. It's a
(02:29):
long flight, but you know, they got grandkids here, so
they love to come visit when they can.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Now I've seen a hundred times when they show him
saying the dad and the son when he's a little baby.
Now the kid's growing up and he's playing did you
go to the Hall of Fame speech?
Speaker 3 (02:44):
I did. I was fifteen years old my dad got
inducted in the Hall of Fame, So I remember that
time vividly. It was really really special for our family.
You know. As a kid, like I knew my dad
was good at football, but his dad, I didn't realize
he was that type of player. And it was really
(03:07):
humbling for me to see him honored in that way,
to hear people talk about him as a player. And
I think, you know, now more so than ever, I
have a tremendous amount of respect for what he did.
With his professional career, especially playing you know, twenty years
as an offensive lineman. I can't imagine.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
That's a long time.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
I can't imagine it. So that was a you know,
really really special time for our family.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
Really was fifteen run around Hall of Fame.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
Yeah, I mean it's I had some pretty surreal experiences
as a young person, and I certainly don't take those
for granted, and they've been so instrumental in my journey. Obviously,
I feel without my dad and him paving the way,
I certainly wouldn't have had the career that I've had. So,
(03:55):
you know, that was really really cool.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
What was your favorite Pro Bowl? First, of your last
or something in the middle.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Oh, man, I mean, you know, they're kind of like
your kids. You love them all. I said the same
thing about the Super Bowls. But you know, I think
the first was very special. Going from a guy who
wasn't sure he would have an opportunity to play in
the league to then my fourth year in the league
being named to my first Pro Bowl, it was very,
very humbling, and it meant a great deal to my
(04:24):
family and I But for me, it was kind of
a validation of the hard work and the preparation, the sacrifice,
the blood, sweat and tears. That Hey, you know, people
acknowledge my work and they respected and they appreciate it.
So that meant a lot to me. And I think
when you think about how many good players in this league,
especially over the course of my career, for guys to
(04:48):
select you to a Pro Bowl, it's the ultimate honor
from your competitors. So that first one was you know,
very very meaningful to me.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
And coming here to home base, how was that? Oh man,
of all the teams, was this? Was this your dream team?
Where you want to go to the Rams?
Speaker 3 (05:05):
Well, I've got to be honest with you. I hated
the Patriots before I got here because they beat the
Rams in the Super Bowl. Who's supposed to So you
know that I grew up a Rams fan obviously and
always had love for the Rams. And then you know,
this Brady guy goes and beats the Rams in.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
The Super Bowl.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
That's what's supposed to that exactly now now behind side,
I understand and I appreciate that, and uh and I
forgive Tom for that, you know, But no, I mean,
I can't I can't imagine myself being in a better
situation you know, you talk about the ultimate team, the
ultimate organization from top to bottom, with the leadership in
(05:45):
the organization. Uh, the emphasis that we put on commitment
to others and commitment to the team goal, and uh,
just just winning football. You know, it's not about the I,
it's about the wei. And to be around some some
of the all time greats to ever play this game.
Obviously with Tom, but uh, the list goes on. I
(06:06):
played with Richard Seymour, or Rodney Harrison, Teddy Brewski, Mike Vrabel,
too many guys to name, and to have a chance
to witness that up close and personal was truly just
so humbling and a blessing for me. I don't think
I would have learned how to how to play and
last this league without being around those guys early on
(06:29):
in my career.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
So, Rodney Harrison lives down the street from me. He's
the pro bowler. I lived down the street from him. Okay,
he was there first, and I saw him the other
dayfore I came. I'm like, yeah, I'm the wait in
New England man about to go do some interviews. I
told him I was an interview. He's like, yeah, you
got the right guy.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
Oh, man you want to get.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
I would like to give Rodney shout out because I
grew up in southern California. Junior Rodney Harrison. Those are
two icons, you know, you talk about football, NFL football
in California, and to be able to pl those two
guys was unbelievable. But Rodney always they asked me, like,
who's the most intimidating guy you played with? And I
(07:08):
would say him on the field because he took no prisoners.
I mean he was he was coming out to dominate
and to physically impose his will, and he played the
game the right way. I always say that people have
their opinions about Rodney, but I always say he played
the game the right way. But then when he got
off the field, Oh, I mean, it's it's like a
(07:29):
totally different guy. And he was so kind to me.
I mean he was in year fifteen when I was
a rookie. He didn't have to go out of his
way to you know, extend me grace or be kind,
but he did. And I've always appreciated that. And I
always remember that. You never forget that as a young player,
the guys that took the time that didn't have to
(07:51):
pour into you. Sure you how to be a pro,
but sure you how to be a man as well.
And he was one of those guys. And you know,
I certainly appreciate.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
He was a hero for you. Who have you been
a hero too?
Speaker 3 (08:01):
Well, look, I that's tough for me to say. I
don't think that's for me to say.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
You know, well, who have you got on your way for? Well,
you have to be a hero.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
But he when I if I said that, I told
him your name, he said, yeah, sure that's my guy.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
You know what I'm saying, Who have you gone out
of your way for?
Speaker 3 (08:15):
Now?
Speaker 1 (08:15):
The impact from their.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Perspective is their perspective. But who you say, you know something?
Let me go ahead and put his young boy up
and you know something is there?
Speaker 3 (08:22):
Well, look, I try to do that for as many
guys as I can. Obviously, the guys that play in
the kicking game, those are the guys I spend a
lot of time with. You know, I think about Brendan
Schooler who came in last year as a young pup
and had a phenomenal year for us, and I think
he's gonna have a phenomenal career. I tried to spend
as much time with him as possible. I think about
over the years, guys like Brandon King or Keon Crossing,
(08:44):
young guys who you know, fringe players in the NFL.
What do they have to do? They have to play
special teams. And I've tried to impart the wisdom that
I have and leave it with them and hopefully you
know they're taken something from it and feel like it
it's helped him along the way. But I think, no
matter what you accomplished in this league, you always have
to remember where you started, and you have to remember
(09:06):
you got to where you are because somebody helped you
along the way, and you have a responsibility to do
the same.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
High school hurdle heard you was a hurdler.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
No, they wanted to get hurt ran. Well, they've since
been broken now unfortunately there's a young man, Max Thomas,
who's now at USC. Yeah, I know the name, you know,
you never forget the name.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
You can come out the stands with the shirt broke. No.
Speaker 3 (09:37):
My coach called me and was like, hey, we got
a kid, and I think he's gonna break your records.
And he did and he's, uh, you know, he did
a phenomenal job. But I love track and field. That
was kind of my second love next to football. I
still am a huge track fan. My wife's like, how
do you know all these times and all these people
from different countries. I love track. I really enjoyed on
(10:00):
the track. I was supposed to run at UCLA, but
you know, the football coaches, they always they're like, no,
you got to lift these ways, you got to learn
this playbook. So I enjoy track in high school. I
think it, you know, helped me as an athlete. Obviously
with a football correlation with the running, I think it
was really big for me.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
Since you've been here, one of the biggest things that
I've noticed and I've heard about is the work you
do off the field. I'm saying, why do you go
into community so hard? Why do you go to help
people so much when you could just be a superstar
and just sitting here and.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
This got you got rings?
Speaker 3 (10:35):
Well, for me, it all stems from my faith in Christ.
You know, I realize I am who I am because
of what Christ has given me. The freedom, but the gifts,
the platform, they all come from Jesus. So for me,
I feel like it's a biblical concept that to whom
much is given much is required, and He's given me
(10:57):
a tremendous platform, and I have a response ability not
to hoard my blessings. I should be a vessel that
the blessings passed through. So with what he's given me,
I feel in turned, I have a responsibility to give
back and to use my platform to better the lives
of people around me in a positive way. So I've
felt that way since I was a young person. That's
(11:19):
how I was raised. And now that the Lord has
elevated my platform, I feel like I have a responsibility
now to do more with it. So it started at
home for me. The crafts have certainly modeled that here.
I've had a number of teammates that have modeled over
the years. The first person that comes to mind is
Devin mccordy. But I think, you know, it's just so
important that we don't just think about us all the time.
(11:42):
You know, we've been given a lot, we're asked of
a lot, and people look to us a lot, and
we have to do the right things with that. We
have to be good, responsible stewards with what we have.
So I've tried to do that and I'll continue to
try to.
Speaker 1 (11:57):
Did you grow up in a church or did you
get saved later.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
I grew up in the church. For me my parents,
I mean, faith was at the top of the list,
no matter what it was. I mean, it was never football.
It was you know, football was fourth or fifth on
the list. It was faith and it was family. I
got to say. When I was seven years old, my
dad led me to the Lord and I've been walking
(12:22):
with him every since.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
So you remember that day.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
I do, I certainly do. I mean for me, just
to give a little context, my dad, I mean, he's
a very demonstrative guy, loves to tell story. He's loud,
I always say. But he used to always read the
Word to us and then he would act out scripture.
So from the time I can remember, he would do
that at night, and I think we really developed a
love and a passion for the Word of God. And
(12:47):
then I think one night, when I was seven years old,
he kind of laid out the plan for salvation, told
me about We talked about sin, We talked about the
redemptive work that Christ did on the cross with his
death and his resurrection, and we talk about, you know,
the impact that that had for us as followers and
for those who placed their trust in him. So you know,
(13:10):
in my seven year old brain, I was able to
understand what that meant. Obviously was at an elementary level
at the time, but I was ready to say yes,
and I was ready to make that my own personal faith,
not the faith of my father and my mother, but
Matthew's faith. And you know, thank God, the Spirit moved
to me and I accepted Christ at that time. And
(13:33):
over the last thirty years, you know, I've learned and
grown a ton, and the faith journey has been one
that has been so very rewarding. It brings more purpose
and meaning to my life than anything I have in it.
And you know, it all started at home, and I'm
thankful for my parents setting that example.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
I know I watched football. We all watch football. That's
why anybody watching these better watch football. We see at
the end of the game some of the players going
to end zone and they kneeled down and they pray together.
From home, I don't I trusted their praying. It makes sense,
but you only watched on TV. So a bunch of
guys on knees praying, we assume praying and they're holding hands.
Speaker 1 (14:11):
It's like, Okay, you've been in those circles. How does
that go?
Speaker 3 (14:15):
Yeah, I mean it's kind of like an unwritten rule. Now,
you know, meet me at the fifty I hear gods
talking kind of describe it as such. But you know,
we know we're gonna meet at the fifty yard line,
and we know usually someone from the home team is
gonna lead us in prayer. And I think for those
of us who are believers in Jesus, we realize that
at the end of the day, we're all on the
(14:35):
same team. You know, what we do on the football
field is great, but there's one thing that will unify
us now and forever, and that's our belief and dedication
to Jesus Christ. And I think it's important in all
situations as Christians that we acknowledge that. And I'm glad
that I'm not sure when this started. They've probably been
(14:57):
doing it since my dad played, but I'm glad lad
that men decided that that was a good idea and
that's something that we've kept up. That's been a tradition
that the league has maintained over the years, and I
think it's a great reminder right in all things, you
want to do it as unto the Lord and not
unto men. And that includes more on the field on Sunday's, Mondays, Thursdays,
(15:19):
whenever it may be.
Speaker 1 (15:20):
Have you ever led the prayer at the fifty.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
Yes, I mean I've led at this point, I mean
dozens of them. And you know that's a special time
to be able to come together with someone you were
just trying to take out and then kind of come
together and pray.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
You know, I know it's a private moment. I would
love if they could like mic that. Let me say,
got hot mics everywhere, right, we see you go there.
We know what you're doing, but we can't fully participate.
June twelfth, nineteen ninety ninety seven PM. Like I said,
Father Martin from Saint bezis Thune did a program at
the prison about five miles from here. I've spent third
(16:00):
ten and a half years in prison for being a
gang member, of being this out of control, and I
went to a program. My guy said to me, Gordon
has He said ONNRE, you need to go to this program.
So what are you talking about. It's called Crisillo. Like
all right, whatever, I ended up going to the program.
Cristillo is a crash course in Christianity given by the
Catholic Church. So had all these people come up to
the prison because they can't let us go home for
(16:20):
the weekend.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
Because I'd have been signed up. And we come in.
They come in.
Speaker 3 (16:25):
I walk into a room.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
It's a room for the white people. First off, I'm
in like all the terms, all white people. They're hugging
each other. I'm like, I'm standing in the corner like
the black dude in the room. Right then they saw
me and they started coming at me. I'm like, oh
my god, I ain't gonna knife on me, nothing about
and they came on they started hugging me.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
I wasn't up to that.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Then we spent the weekend going through what I'm saying,
different scriptures, different songs, different fellowship, different lessons. And on
the third night, second night, they do a chance for
you to go up not what you call it, confession.
I went to confession with Father Mattin. First, I went
to another line because Father Martin was so direct. He
(17:05):
probably like your dad. He was just like, he was
just like real. I said, okay. They brought other priests
in to do the just for the confessional, so I
went and got another priest line who didn't I ain't
dealt with For the last two days, I'm in the line.
I'm like, man, you mean a coward, Dre. You know
you're supposed to be upstairs in Father Martin's line. So
I get out of that line and go upstairs. I
going with Father Martin. Two hours. Wow, I had a
(17:28):
lot of stuff.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
He walked me through.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
Two hours of confession. I'm thirty one years old. I've
been getting in trouble and doing stuff forever. Two A
man was patient. At the end, we did the Romans
road map. I took a knee and I got said.
I went back to the unit that night and I
walked out of it. I was like the last start
of the building.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
I go up.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
I walked in the unit and the CEO said to me,
the crash officer and said, Dre, there's something different about you.
He could see it. Then I went in and I
finished the weekend out. And the craziest part was at
the end of the weekend, we have everybody come in
this big celebration and get up.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
What does Jesus mean to you? You share?
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Then I sat down and I'm sitting there. We did
three days and everybody left and I'm sitting there, sitting there,
and then as God came in, see Oh came in.
He said, Drake, what are you doing in here? Some
wait for the program to start back up. He says, Dre,
the program and need two hours ago. I said, no, no,
they're coming back. He said, Dre, everybody's gone home. I
(18:28):
was so on fire that I sat in my chair
in the auditorium two hours after they But they left it.
Speaker 1 (18:33):
Wow, And they explained me.
Speaker 2 (18:36):
They said, it's called your fourth day, three days in
the program. Your fourth day is the rest of your life.
Now that you got it. There's no fifth day since
the fourth you go. There's no off, you just go.
And I walked out of that room two hours after
everybody else, but with a clear conviction and the purpose
(18:56):
on how to be helpful and the direction of my energy.
Because my mother used to tell me as a kid,
if you take ten percent of your energy and point
it to something good, you could turn the world upside down.
I just didn't know how to control my energy. And
in that weekend of meeting Christ and meeting those folks,
that it got past them being a room for white folks.
It wasn't even about them after awhile I was just
about the lessons and the direction for my life and
(19:18):
what I was going to do. And I've been home
from prison for twenty three years, and from ninety minutes
after I walked out of prison, I went to a
juvenile center, I started teaching.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
I've been teaching for twenty three years since.
Speaker 3 (19:29):
God Wow.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
And so when they told me it was coming, I
was like, for sure, man.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
Well, I mean your story it speaks to the power
of Christ. Right. I mean that's why I truly believe
everyone our story.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
There's no both of our story. Well, our story wearing
this together. I used to give meet it to fifty.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
You're right, but the redemptive power of Christ. Right. I
think we live in a society now where you know,
we're so ready to write off people for their mistakes,
for their past, whatever it is. But a story like yours,
a story like mine, anyone who's been touched and impacted
by the power of Christ, you can see the transformation
(20:12):
that happen, that happens and the redemptive power, uh that
that he possesses. And I mean, I just praise God
for your testimony. And I mean that's that's a huge
encouragement here.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
It really is, and you're a huge incursion for me
and my son because my son has never been in prison,
he's never been to for lack of.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
A better term, of public school. He's been in private school.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
Since birth, and he's on track to a phenomenal Ivy
League school and he has your story. So I'm looking
at you and I'm seeing my son. I'm like, Okay,
this is what he's He's not gonna turn into this. Yea,
this is the manifestation of streets, dysfunction, prison and redemption. Right,
He's not gonna have that story. My son's gonna look
more like Union, He's gonna look like me relative to
(20:54):
his walk. And I'm looking at you and I'm like,
I like this. I'm liking this look because I can
see my son sitting there in another fifteen years saying, yeah,
Christ is real and he doesn't have the prison story.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
You never have it. I have it for both of us.
Speaker 3 (21:08):
Well, you changed the course of your family, the trajectory
right with your choices. So kudos to you.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
We're out here and you're out the foundation, the family foundation.
Speaker 1 (21:20):
Where did it come from?
Speaker 3 (21:21):
Yeah? Well, really that credit goes to my wife Shaza.
I mean she really was praying for a while about
what we could be doing as a family to serve.
You know, a lot of the things that we did
prior to the Foundation or just you know, either partner
with the Patriots, or partner with other ministries or just
(21:43):
kind of one off things. And for us, we wanted
to be very intentional about our entire family serving. I
want my three sons and my daughter to be involved
in service. I want them to understand the importance of
using their platform the right way, and I want them
to understand that life is not about the you know,
what you guys want all the time. It's about what
we can do to help those around us. So really
(22:05):
our mission is to show people the love of Christ
and then to do that in a way where we
preach it and teach it, but then also show them
through through actions and the way we live it. And
you know, I hope we can use our resources and
our connections and our relationships to really just help help people.
I mean, that's really our heart and the passion that
(22:27):
we have. So we do a lot of our work
in the Providence area. My wife lived there when we met,
and all our kids were born in Providence. We used
to go to church in Province and we have a
really strong connection with the community there. And uh, you know,
they're hurting in a lot of ways, as a lot
of communities are. We want to use what little influence
we have to try to help.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
When my sides strive. My son in school, he went
to school called Shady Hill in Cambridge to private school.
I should drive from the hood to Shady Hill and
what we used to do stop at dunkin Donuts. Of course,
of course I am so mad. Did somebody switch they switch.
Speaker 1 (23:03):
It to Duncan. I'm like, what are you doing? I'm like,
what are you doing?
Speaker 2 (23:07):
It took It hasn't grown on me yet when they
switched from the old school Patriot to the new guy.
It took me a while, but it on what I'm saying.
But when they switched from dunkin Donuts to Duncan, that's
another story. We're not gonna go there. But we used
to stop at dunkin Donuts and all the way and
then every now and again we would stop. He had
ruled my house. If I give you something new, you
had to give away something. You can't keep everything. You're
(23:29):
a blessed kid. So I'm giving you this coat. We
gonna do the old car giving these You want new toys? Yeah,
which your old toys you're giving out. So we had jackets,
so we on the way to school, we would stop
and find a homeless person.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
I used to make my son go.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
Give them the jacket and he.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
And we stopped on Mass five over by South Bay.
One time it was he had we had food left over.
I don't take food home if I eat at a restaurant.
I got some food and giving it away before I
go home. So I made my son get out. He
was scared to go up and get these people on
the sidewalk this food. But he went through the nervousness early.
He went through the fair early. He lived in Africa.
He was playing soccer because that's what they play. I
(24:08):
took him to the hood and they out they're playing
on a dirt field. I put them inside. I said, Brooks,
you know this anything, I said, none of these kids
got shoes on. Take your shoes off. Make it fair.
So he takes the shoes off. He's playing, they play
the game. His mother's having to fit. But you know
that's what wives do. Moms due. So at the end
of the game, I said, you know, I'm gonna tell you, right,
He says, yeah, I know, took the shoes one game.
Speaker 1 (24:29):
I ain't have to tell me you got eight pairs
at home.
Speaker 3 (24:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
So he went over and gave a kid pair of
shoes his shoes and came got in the car badfoot.
I want to believe that those lessons will transcend over
any sit down conversational about business or direction and stuff.
Speaker 3 (24:45):
That he lived absolutely, and I think, you know, our
lived experiences and situations like that are so much more
meaningful than like you're saying, you know, going to meet
with a business executive or meeting with us see over
Fortune five hundred company. I mean, because you realize that
life has so much more meaning and purpose and it's
(25:05):
really about people.
Speaker 1 (25:07):
I do that too. I work with a company called CECP.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
It's an association that has two hundred and fifty companies Apple,
Black Rock, Delta, and they raised twenty one trellion dollars
annually for the companies, but they give away twenty three
billion every year. To give away twenty three billion dollars,
so I learned years ago. It's a group called YPOEO
Genius Network warroom.
Speaker 1 (25:28):
They sit around.
Speaker 2 (25:29):
They make a lot of money, but they want to
give it out and they need to meet you to
know how to give it better.
Speaker 3 (25:36):
Oh, I'll help them give it out, no problem.
Speaker 2 (25:38):
Because you have CEOs a lot. They're locked in their
own prison. Yeah, they're locking the glass tower. It looks
good from the outside. But I wouldn't want Michael Jordan's
life because every time I watched the last dance, he
was in locked hotel.
Speaker 1 (25:51):
Rooms a whole time.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
That's tough.
Speaker 2 (25:52):
When John Stockton got off the bus and at the
Olympics and walked home and they were all stuck on
the bus because he's Michael Jordan.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
You can't do get mobbed.
Speaker 2 (26:01):
But these CEOs I found out, I've been doing it
for fifteen twenty years. They want to give, but they
don't have the time of the vehicle. You sound like
the time in the vehicle to me.
Speaker 3 (26:12):
Well, if they need any ideas, Slater Family Foundation can
contact us at the Patriots and we're happy to help
them give their money.
Speaker 2 (26:20):
Now, what happens is people give money to people, not
the organization.
Speaker 1 (26:25):
So when they meet you, no, no, When I.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
Send them your foundation on a piece of paper, they
will look like by it.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
Or when you.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
Walk in the room and your energy and spirit walks
in the room, and your integrity walks in the room,
they're gonna want to fund that. It doesn't matter if
you're doing save the whales, save the dolphins, homelessness, doesn't matter.
As long as it's going through you. They'll trust in
believing you because you have that light.
Speaker 3 (26:49):
Oh, I appreciate you saying that.
Speaker 2 (26:50):
You know, so I want to introduce you to some
CEOs who can actually help you.
Speaker 3 (26:54):
We would love that.
Speaker 2 (26:55):
Yeah, for sure love that. Because I'm hearing you, I'm like,
who can I connect them to? I'm like, because you
people watching this show right, they're like, Okay, I didn't
know he did humanitarian work. I didn't know he was
out there believing and praying for people. And that's what
they were doing at the fifty. We see it, but
it's different when.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
You hear it.
Speaker 3 (27:14):
Yeah, absolutely, I know what you mean.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
So you gotta lead the people in prayer. Man, you
gott hit him on something, right.
Speaker 3 (27:18):
Yeah, well, look, hit him with something. I'm happy to
lead us in prayer, and I appreciate you. Let's let's
pray right now. Let's go, Father, God, we just thank
you for an opportunity to have a conversation or and
we're thankful to that conversation can be centered around you
and what you're doing in all of our lives. Or
(27:40):
we thank you for the purpose and the meaning that
you bring to each of us.
Speaker 4 (27:44):
Lord.
Speaker 3 (27:45):
And I just want to pray for everyone listening right now,
or I thank you for who they are, who you
made them to be, and thank you for their individual stories,
or if they haven't already, I pray that they can
see you and meet you, or and experience to life changing,
redemptive work that only you can do. Lord. I'm just
(28:06):
thankful for this time together. Lord. I'm thankful for you
blessing us with media that can reach and touch people
out there. And I want to pray especially for the
people hearing this that are behind bars, or I want
them to know that they're not forgotten about there, they
haven't been cast aside. There are people that care about
(28:30):
them and love them and want the best for them, Lord,
just as you do. So we pay all these things
in Jesus name, Amen.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
Amen question because I noticed, for fact, do I go.
Speaker 2 (28:41):
Around the world and I do interventions in all different
types of places and spaces.
Speaker 1 (28:46):
Everybody's always going through something. You included. Absolutely, when you're
going through stuff, who do you lean on?
Speaker 3 (28:54):
That's a great question. I mean the first person obviously
is my wife. She's my support system. And I think
you make a great point. We all go through trials.
That's life. And you know, anyone who tells you that
they don't, they're just not being honest.
Speaker 4 (29:12):
They're not hearing any truthful, right. I mean, that's just
the reality of life. So for me, I I'm very
blessed to have someone who sees me for who I
am and loves me in spite of all my flaws,
and then will.
Speaker 3 (29:26):
Speak truth to me when I need truth. Right. A
lot of times when we're going through struggles or adversity,
we don't always want to hear the truth, and sometimes
when presented with the truth, we tend to flee from it.
Speaker 1 (29:41):
What's the lesson that you got that you was running from?
Speaker 3 (29:43):
There's so many There's so many, you know, I think. Look,
as my wife and I raise our children, we have
very you know, sometimes we have very different opinions on
what that looks like in terms of discipline, in terms
of the way I speak to the kids things like that,
and she had to open my eyes. She's like, you know,
(30:04):
you can't speak to the kids in a way like
like you're in the locker room setting like that doesn't work.
These kids they need your love that they need your affirmation,
and they're young, like you can't speak to them like
they're your peers in a harsh kind of abrasive manner.
And uh, you know, I think, having played here for
so long, like well, it's you know, it's black and white,
(30:26):
like this is how coach says, and this is how
I'm running at home, I'm like it, I've been indoctrinated,
and you know, but you know, as much as I
didn't want to hear that maybe I was coming up
short in some areas with the way, you know, especially
with the way I pared my boys especially, I needed that.
(30:47):
I needed that feedback. I needed to take it and
I need to be honest with myself about what I
was doing and I need to make some changes. And
you know, without my wife speaking that truth to me
and making me see that, I mean, who knows how
that goes. The words you say, the way you raise
your children, all those things, they're so so important and
(31:08):
They have such a huge impact on your on your
children's lives as they as they grow up and head
out into the world. So I wanna make sure I'm
doing it to the best of my ability.
Speaker 2 (31:17):
When I was had a son, course, gotta have a boy,
and in my mind, I'm going off what my dad taught,
even though he wasn't really in the house. So I
was with a friend of mine one time named Deacon John.
He's from Saint Basils. He was on that treat retreat
when I got saved when we've been friends ever since.
So he was around I have my son. I said, yea,
when my son turns ten, we gonnad that come to
(31:37):
Jesus meeting. You heard about that. I'm like, He's like,
what are you talking about. I said, yeah, well, we
get a kid of beat and then we let him
know that the.
Speaker 3 (31:43):
World is rough.
Speaker 2 (31:44):
Me listening to dad, he said, that's the craziest thing
I ever heard of my life. And Drake, I said,
you don't get it, your white guy. He we went
back and forth. He says, Drake, that's not how this works.
I said, dude, y'all kids be acting crazy and the
supermarket y'all don't do nothing. I'm saying, my mother stepped
two us in the supermarket quick. This is a different
culture thing, he says, not a culture thing. He said,
(32:07):
if you're in your son's life consistently and repeatedly and
every day, and you're just there when he's ten, if
you just pull back, you being out of his atmosphere
is going to just send him into a tail spin.
And the disappointment of dad is far worse than anything
you could do to him. And the lesson you're trying
to teach him comes from a place that you don't
(32:28):
even want to deal with, because that's how slave masters
used to raise their kids, and you're using that policy
and process on your kid and you don't even understand where.
Speaker 1 (32:36):
It came from.
Speaker 2 (32:37):
He said, just love them and show disappointment and see
what happens. And old white guy from a throuin taught
me a lesson to change my son's life. And he's
got a couple beatings in his life, but it's not
like that ten year old come to Jesus, may never happen.
That never happened, and he's a dramatically different person because
(32:57):
of a lesson I got from a guy from a
different out of the planet, but had the heart for me. Yeah,
And he was like this, Hell, let me pull your
cold to something. And at first I try to shut
him out because no, I know what I'm talking about.
He says, no, you don't know what you're talking about.
Then when we got down to it, he was right.
Speaker 3 (33:14):
But also, I give you credit for having humility to
receive that. And that's tough, right, I mean, especially when
that's the way you were raised and probably generation generation.
Speaker 2 (33:25):
And if you go back generation enough, dad turns into
slave ownerm right, And that's what.
Speaker 3 (33:30):
I didn't get.
Speaker 2 (33:31):
Yeah, And again for this guy to grow up in
a whole different space, I'm like, man, I try to you.
Speaker 3 (33:37):
Don't get it, right, right, you don't get it.
Speaker 2 (33:39):
But I got mentors. I got so many mentors. It's
not funny how many mentors you have?
Speaker 3 (33:45):
Too many to count. It's a good sign, but it's important, right,
I mean, No, man walks alone. I don't believe in
self made man. I don't believe it. Man that walk alone,
you just can't. I mean, life is too hard. There's
so much that we don't know. There's so many experiences
that we'll never have. And as we try to navigate
our own lives and then as we tried to lead
(34:07):
others around us. If you don't have a mentor or
mentors plural, you're just gonna lose your way at some point.
You need support, you need accountability, and you need people
pouring into your life to enrich it, to give you
wisdom and things of that nature. So you know, I
you know, obviously for me, the mentorship started with my father.
(34:29):
But I think of pastors coaches.
Speaker 2 (34:32):
No, no, no, see, I'm not gonna let you do
them bad like that. Okay, so I'm gonna I'm gonna
act like your wife right now, pull your coach. Okay,
call their names, man, they deserve to have their names absolutely.
Speaker 3 (34:43):
Matt Doane, Michael Wells, Larry Toner, Benjamin Watson, Don Davis,
Harold Nash, Juwel Robinson. I mean, the list it's lengthy.
I know I'm missing someone, No, no, I mean, but but
(35:06):
I mean the list is and all of them have
had a unique role and played the unique role on
my journey. And they were necessary for different reasons. Right.
The role they played was I needed for you know,
a season in life or for a situation in life.
(35:26):
But I needed them all, and I wouldn't be sitting here,
We wouldn't be having this conversation without those men and
their you know, intentionality in terms of speaking in my life.
Speaker 2 (35:37):
Dave Spence, Susie Spence, Ben Richter, Deacon John Father, Martin,
Tim Allen, Pat Dempsey. I go on Robert Henderson, who
was a correction of God. Nonetheless, I go down the list. Yeah,
I have like fifty mentros man, and I collect them.
Speaker 1 (35:54):
Listen, some people collect cars.
Speaker 2 (35:55):
I collect mentors, and they they're there and they're necessary,
and it's.
Speaker 1 (36:00):
When you need them.
Speaker 2 (36:02):
That one piece of advice can change your whole life.
And this is the thing I got for most of
my mentors. What they've saved me was time. And my
guy Ben Richtor, he lived down in Houston. I went
down there gonna make me warden for prison. I'm like, oh,
this is great. I went from being a gang leader
in prison. Well, now I'm gonna run a prison. Never
(36:23):
happened before in life. I told my mentor, I was
hyped up. So I'm gonna be on sixty minutes.
Speaker 3 (36:27):
I'm going on, Oprah.
Speaker 1 (36:28):
I'm the first gang remember to ever be a prison
warden in America. This is crazy. He said, you can't
be the warden.
Speaker 2 (36:32):
Dregg I said no, no, no, I'm gonna be the warden.
He said, no, you can't be the watch. You don't
get it, you ain't been it. I wanted this more
than I should have. And he said, dra, what a
warden does? You don't want to do And if you
can't scale that, because you're eliminating who you can help
create the program for the five percent of what they
want from you, you can send it across the country,
across the world.
Speaker 1 (36:51):
You can help way more people. And he was right.
Speaker 2 (36:54):
So I never became a warding, but I created a
program called the Academy of Hope and it goes to
prisons across the country and impact size versus being in
one prison in Kentucky, helping five hundred guys save me
years of aggravation from sitting in all these dumb meetings
and help me accidentally help thousands of more people save
(37:15):
me time.
Speaker 3 (37:15):
Man, how about that That's how got it works?
Speaker 1 (37:18):
Still, Oh, God, we make God doesn't work. God is.
Speaker 3 (37:21):
We make plans and we think this plan is best,
and then he shows us something that we didn't even
think of. This one hundred times better.
Speaker 2 (37:30):
Way past one hundred. Tell me about the award you got,
Robin Burton Community Service Ward.
Speaker 1 (37:38):
What was that that mean? Of what? You got?
Speaker 2 (37:40):
Ten time pro bo, three time Super Bowl champ, but
you got the Community Service Award.
Speaker 3 (37:46):
Honestly, for me, anytime someone acknowledges the work that you know,
we and I say we because it's been a team
effort have done in the community, it means it means more.
You know what you accomplished on the ball, feel all
that will fade away and people will forget that. My
dad used to laugh. Someone came up to him at
(38:07):
one point and said, then you used to be Jackie Slater,
and my dad just laughed. I'm still Jackie Slater. But yeah,
but that's how people view football, right. But the stuff
that we do in the community, that's what leaves an impact.
That's where the real legacy is. So to be honored
by the Burdon family, who's a family I don't know
(38:27):
if I know a better family. All the work that
they've done to help young people in the Greater Boston area,
you know, at risk youth by just instilling in them
biblical principles, but just being intentional about walking with them
and loving them, so to have my name associated with
their family was a tremendous honor. To have my work recognized,
(38:49):
I mean, you never do the work to be recognized.
It was super humbling, and I think about the people here,
you know, Donna Spigarola, Robin Glazer, people that have supported
me and help my family and I as we've tried
to extend our reach. You know, those awards are are
for us, they really are, and you know, I hate
(39:11):
to be recognized for that, but it is very humble
and you know, more work to do. Let's keep doing it.
Speaker 2 (39:18):
For the record, it's a happy dad moment. So your
father was back in San Diego, smile.
Speaker 3 (39:22):
My parents were definitely proud, absolutely, And you know, I'm
always happy when they I know they're always proud of me,
but I'm always happy when you get a chance to
see that, and I know it means a lot to them.
Speaker 1 (39:34):
He's not mat the three Super Bowl rings either.
Speaker 3 (39:36):
No, no, he's not mad at those either.
Speaker 2 (39:39):
Before we go, we have two but one audience watching us.
They'll say two technically, but it's really one. One group
is in jail and I want you to lead him
with a message. Then the other group is at home
and they're watching.
Speaker 1 (39:57):
I believe there's only one of the people on this planet.
Speaker 2 (39:59):
Yeah, that it's in different places and spaces, and both
sides are going through something. Both sides have challenges, both
sides have to overcome stuff, both sides have good and
bad days. They're just sitting in different places. So we're
not gonna do two messages. We're gonna do one message.
Can buy because I know you're good like that. I'm
saying we're gonna test and past the skill you put
me on.
Speaker 3 (40:19):
The spots, but you always gotta stay ready with the word.
And that's a I'm glad you asked that question. And
to me, you know, the first thing I think about
for the people that are hearing this, that are incarcerated,
is the message of hope.
Speaker 2 (40:34):
But you can't when you say it, both sides have
to feel it. You can't say you just have to go.
But really, I believe people are people.
Speaker 3 (40:45):
Yes, And I'm gonna tell you this. You think about hope,
and people want to say, well, these group of people
need hope, But the reality is we all need hope, yes,
And we're living in a world right now that to
me is suffocating. That hope. No matter where you are,
you look at all the tension, the dissension, the division,
(41:07):
the strife, the fighting, the anger, the sadness that that
robs joy and it steals hope from people. And what
I know to be true is that I have found
a source of hope that can't be taken from me,
and that's in Jesus Christ. And I know no matter
where you are, no matter where you are in life,
(41:29):
no matter how old you are, no matter what your
story is, you need hope. There's something in you that's
looking for that hope. My question to you is where
are you looking for that hope? I have an answer,
and his name is Jesus. His name is Jesus, and
he won't disappoint you, and he can give you more
(41:50):
purpose and hope and direction than you've ever had. You
just got to get get to know him, spend some
time getting to know him, and no matter where you
are in life, no matter what your situation is, he's
bigger than it and he can give you something to
look for that's that's bigger than yourself and beyond you.
(42:11):
And it's not just for this world, it's for eternity.
So whoever's hearing this, I asked them. I beg them
to get to know Jesus Christ. You know, open a bible,
go to a church, ask a friend. There are plenty
of ways to do that, but at least investigate him.
And I think what you'll find on the other end
(42:33):
is hope.
Speaker 2 (42:35):
When I started out on my journey, like Dre, I said,
I'm gonna get his Jesus.
Speaker 1 (42:38):
Think a chance.
Speaker 2 (42:40):
If it goes left, I'm oighty and it's been a
while nineteen ninety one. I got saved in ninety Note
here June twelfth, nineteen nine, ninety seven PM said don't
give it a shot. But if it goes sideways, I'm
going back to what I know.
Speaker 1 (42:57):
And I ain't picked the back. Yeah, I ain't gone
back yet, only going up.
Speaker 2 (43:01):
I had some rough patches, as we all will. But
Job had a couple, right, he did all right. I'm
saying that he had some bad days, not as bad
as Steven, right, right, yeah, exactly exactly.
Speaker 1 (43:13):
We can listen.
Speaker 2 (43:15):
I had a chance to sit down and study and
see that our lives reflect the lives that come before us.
I'm saying it's nothing new, it's just us in our
turn right and we're gonna make it better or we're
gonna suffocate for what's coming next.
Speaker 1 (43:31):
And I like that.
Speaker 2 (43:32):
You're a light in the world. I'm saying, I remember,
they should givebout the thousand points of light at the
White House. They need to call you for that. They
need to listen, listen to shout out to President Biden
or whoever's gonna be next or down the line, or
if you can retro it. I'm saying Trump, what I'm saying, Obama,
get this man, thousand points of life. Man, what I'm saying,
get this Listen. Keep your Super Bowl rings because it's
(43:52):
the Boston thing, but get this man, thousand points of life.
Speaker 3 (43:55):
Man.
Speaker 2 (43:55):
He deserves it. He's worthy. You come from good stock.
Jesus did a great job.
Speaker 3 (44:01):
Yes he did. He always does.
Speaker 1 (44:03):
And one day I hope you get to meet your dad.
Speaker 3 (44:05):
I appreciate it. I appreciate you saying that, thanks for
having me.
Speaker 2 (44:09):
This is great, ladies and gentlemen, as your host Andre
Norman with the none other Super Bowl. It's just it's
a patriot thing. Super Bowl Champion, mister Matthews.
Speaker 3 (44:22):
Appreciate you.
Speaker 1 (44:23):
Until the next time. Hold it down.
Ladies and gentlemen.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
It is your host, Andre Norman, and I am here
in the building. So let's stadium home of great You
know what I'm saying in the birth of a dynasty
that's never gonna be repeated. And I want to introduce
to you our next guest. I think you might be
the most famous guest.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
You know what I'm saying. You got ten probos, just
trying to do my job.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Andre Matthew Slater. Did I ever tell you you sound
like an old man? You've heard that, you know?
Speaker 3 (00:25):
I like that.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
I take it.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
He's like an older distinguished I appreciate that. I'm fifty six,
like you're older than me.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Well, hopefully that's a good thing.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
It's phenomenal. I mean, you have like a radio voice.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Well, thank you're too kind. You're too kind. I appreciate that. No,
I sound like my dad, is what a lot of
people tell me.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
So that is not a bad thing. And so you
sound like you're soon to be a Hall of Famer too.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
I don't know about all that now. I've just had
a great experience here, have enjoyed my time. It's it's
been a blessing. So tell us about that man I
mean where to start. For me, I always tell people
my relationship with my father, it's really about a father
and a son. I mean, people always want to take
it to football, But for me, I realized, as a
(01:11):
black man, what a blessing it was to have a
father who was present, active and involved and was really
vital in terms of forming and developing me as a
young man. He was very intentional about that, and that's
not something that I take for having a father in
the home who really cared about my brother and I
and our family and was really you know a lot
(01:33):
of people talk about family first, he really was family first.
So my dad is my hero. I mean, everything I
know about being a husband, being a father, being a professional,
it came from him and started with him. He put
the foundation in place. He was hard on us. He
was very strict when we're young. Still is still giving
(01:54):
me advice even though I'm thirty seven years old. He's
still my dad. So our relationship is really special. I'm
very very thankful for him, and you know, all the
things he's done in my life.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
Does he come to the games.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
He does when he can. My parents are still in
southern California, great Weathertown, I don't blame him for not
leaving there. And once my dad retired, his last year
the Rams played in Saint Louis, so we moved to
Saint Louis for about eight months and then went back
to California and they've stayed there. My parents have stayed there,
so they get out here when they can. It's a
(02:29):
long flight, but you know, they got grandkids here, so
they love to come visit when they can.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Now I've seen a hundred times when they show him
saying the dad and the son when he's a little baby.
Now the kid's growing up and he's playing did you
go to the Hall of Fame speech?
Speaker 3 (02:44):
I did. I was fifteen years old my dad got
inducted in the Hall of Fame, So I remember that
time vividly. It was really really special for our family.
You know. As a kid, like I knew my dad
was good at football, but his dad, I didn't realize
he was that type of player. And it was really
(03:07):
humbling for me to see him honored in that way,
to hear people talk about him as a player. And
I think, you know, now more so than ever, I
have a tremendous amount of respect for what he did.
With his professional career, especially playing you know, twenty years
as an offensive lineman. I can't imagine.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
That's a long time.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
I can't imagine it. So that was a you know,
really really special time for our family.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
Really was fifteen run around Hall of Fame.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
Yeah, I mean it's I had some pretty surreal experiences
as a young person, and I certainly don't take those
for granted, and they've been so instrumental in my journey. Obviously,
I feel without my dad and him paving the way,
I certainly wouldn't have had the career that I've had. So,
(03:55):
you know, that was really really cool.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
What was your favorite Pro Bowl? First, of your last
or something in the middle.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Oh, man, I mean, you know, they're kind of like
your kids. You love them all. I said the same
thing about the Super Bowls. But you know, I think
the first was very special. Going from a guy who
wasn't sure he would have an opportunity to play in
the league to then my fourth year in the league
being named to my first Pro Bowl, it was very,
very humbling, and it meant a great deal to my
(04:24):
family and I But for me, it was kind of
a validation of the hard work and the preparation, the sacrifice,
the blood, sweat and tears. That Hey, you know, people
acknowledge my work and they respected and they appreciate it.
So that meant a lot to me. And I think
when you think about how many good players in this league,
especially over the course of my career, for guys to
(04:48):
select you to a Pro Bowl, it's the ultimate honor
from your competitors. So that first one was you know,
very very meaningful to me.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
And coming here to home base, how was that? Oh man,
of all the teams, was this? Was this your dream team?
Where you want to go to the Rams?
Speaker 3 (05:05):
Well, I've got to be honest with you. I hated
the Patriots before I got here because they beat the
Rams in the Super Bowl. Who's supposed to So you
know that I grew up a Rams fan obviously and
always had love for the Rams. And then you know,
this Brady guy goes and beats the Rams in.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
The Super Bowl.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
That's what's supposed to that exactly now now behind side,
I understand and I appreciate that, and uh and I
forgive Tom for that, you know, But no, I mean,
I can't I can't imagine myself being in a better
situation you know, you talk about the ultimate team, the
ultimate organization from top to bottom, with the leadership in
(05:45):
the organization. Uh, the emphasis that we put on commitment
to others and commitment to the team goal, and uh,
just just winning football. You know, it's not about the I,
it's about the wei. And to be around some some
of the all time greats to ever play this game.
Obviously with Tom, but uh, the list goes on. I
(06:06):
played with Richard Seymour, or Rodney Harrison, Teddy Brewski, Mike Vrabel,
too many guys to name, and to have a chance
to witness that up close and personal was truly just
so humbling and a blessing for me. I don't think
I would have learned how to how to play and
last this league without being around those guys early on
(06:29):
in my career.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
So, Rodney Harrison lives down the street from me. He's
the pro bowler. I lived down the street from him. Okay,
he was there first, and I saw him the other
dayfore I came. I'm like, yeah, I'm the wait in
New England man about to go do some interviews. I
told him I was an interview. He's like, yeah, you
got the right guy.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
Oh, man you want to get.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
I would like to give Rodney shout out because I
grew up in southern California. Junior Rodney Harrison. Those are
two icons, you know, you talk about football, NFL football
in California, and to be able to pl those two
guys was unbelievable. But Rodney always they asked me, like,
who's the most intimidating guy you played with? And I
(07:08):
would say him on the field because he took no prisoners.
I mean he was he was coming out to dominate
and to physically impose his will, and he played the
game the right way. I always say that people have
their opinions about Rodney, but I always say he played
the game the right way. But then when he got
off the field, Oh, I mean, it's it's like a
(07:29):
totally different guy. And he was so kind to me.
I mean he was in year fifteen when I was
a rookie. He didn't have to go out of his
way to you know, extend me grace or be kind,
but he did. And I've always appreciated that. And I
always remember that. You never forget that as a young player,
the guys that took the time that didn't have to
(07:51):
pour into you. Sure you how to be a pro,
but sure you how to be a man as well.
And he was one of those guys. And you know,
I certainly appreciate.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
He was a hero for you. Who have you been
a hero too?
Speaker 3 (08:01):
Well, look, I that's tough for me to say. I
don't think that's for me to say.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
You know, well, who have you got on your way for? Well,
you have to be a hero.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
But he when I if I said that, I told
him your name, he said, yeah, sure that's my guy.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
You know what I'm saying, Who have you gone out
of your way for?
Speaker 3 (08:15):
Now?
Speaker 1 (08:15):
The impact from their.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Perspective is their perspective. But who you say, you know something?
Let me go ahead and put his young boy up
and you know something is there?
Speaker 3 (08:22):
Well, look, I try to do that for as many
guys as I can. Obviously, the guys that play in
the kicking game, those are the guys I spend a
lot of time with. You know, I think about Brendan
Schooler who came in last year as a young pup
and had a phenomenal year for us, and I think
he's gonna have a phenomenal career. I tried to spend
as much time with him as possible. I think about
over the years, guys like Brandon King or Keon Crossing,
(08:44):
young guys who you know, fringe players in the NFL.
What do they have to do? They have to play
special teams. And I've tried to impart the wisdom that
I have and leave it with them and hopefully you
know they're taken something from it and feel like it
it's helped him along the way. But I think, no
matter what you accomplished in this league, you always have
to remember where you started, and you have to remember
(09:06):
you got to where you are because somebody helped you
along the way, and you have a responsibility to do
the same.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
High school hurdle heard you was a hurdler.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
No, they wanted to get hurt ran. Well, they've since
been broken now unfortunately there's a young man, Max Thomas,
who's now at USC. Yeah, I know the name, you know,
you never forget the name.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
You can come out the stands with the shirt broke. No.
Speaker 3 (09:37):
My coach called me and was like, hey, we got
a kid, and I think he's gonna break your records.
And he did and he's, uh, you know, he did
a phenomenal job. But I love track and field. That
was kind of my second love next to football. I
still am a huge track fan. My wife's like, how
do you know all these times and all these people
from different countries. I love track. I really enjoyed on
(10:00):
the track. I was supposed to run at UCLA, but
you know, the football coaches, they always they're like, no,
you got to lift these ways, you got to learn
this playbook. So I enjoy track in high school. I
think it, you know, helped me as an athlete. Obviously
with a football correlation with the running, I think it
was really big for me.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
Since you've been here, one of the biggest things that
I've noticed and I've heard about is the work you
do off the field. I'm saying, why do you go
into community so hard? Why do you go to help
people so much when you could just be a superstar
and just sitting here and.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
This got you got rings?
Speaker 3 (10:35):
Well, for me, it all stems from my faith in Christ.
You know, I realize I am who I am because
of what Christ has given me. The freedom, but the gifts,
the platform, they all come from Jesus. So for me,
I feel like it's a biblical concept that to whom
much is given much is required, and He's given me
(10:57):
a tremendous platform, and I have a response ability not
to hoard my blessings. I should be a vessel that
the blessings passed through. So with what he's given me,
I feel in turned, I have a responsibility to give
back and to use my platform to better the lives
of people around me in a positive way. So I've
felt that way since I was a young person. That's
(11:19):
how I was raised. And now that the Lord has
elevated my platform, I feel like I have a responsibility
now to do more with it. So it started at
home for me. The crafts have certainly modeled that here.
I've had a number of teammates that have modeled over
the years. The first person that comes to mind is
Devin mccordy. But I think, you know, it's just so
important that we don't just think about us all the time.
(11:42):
You know, we've been given a lot, we're asked of
a lot, and people look to us a lot, and
we have to do the right things with that. We
have to be good, responsible stewards with what we have.
So I've tried to do that and I'll continue to
try to.
Speaker 1 (11:57):
Did you grow up in a church or did you
get saved later.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
I grew up in the church. For me my parents,
I mean, faith was at the top of the list,
no matter what it was. I mean, it was never football.
It was you know, football was fourth or fifth on
the list. It was faith and it was family. I
got to say. When I was seven years old, my
dad led me to the Lord and I've been walking
(12:22):
with him every since.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
So you remember that day.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
I do, I certainly do. I mean for me, just
to give a little context, my dad, I mean, he's
a very demonstrative guy, loves to tell story. He's loud,
I always say. But he used to always read the
Word to us and then he would act out scripture.
So from the time I can remember, he would do
that at night, and I think we really developed a
love and a passion for the Word of God. And
(12:47):
then I think one night, when I was seven years old,
he kind of laid out the plan for salvation, told
me about We talked about sin, We talked about the
redemptive work that Christ did on the cross with his
death and his resurrection, and we talk about, you know,
the impact that that had for us as followers and
for those who placed their trust in him. So you know,
(13:10):
in my seven year old brain, I was able to
understand what that meant. Obviously was at an elementary level
at the time, but I was ready to say yes,
and I was ready to make that my own personal faith,
not the faith of my father and my mother, but
Matthew's faith. And you know, thank God, the Spirit moved
to me and I accepted Christ at that time. And
(13:33):
over the last thirty years, you know, I've learned and
grown a ton, and the faith journey has been one
that has been so very rewarding. It brings more purpose
and meaning to my life than anything I have in it.
And you know, it all started at home, and I'm
thankful for my parents setting that example.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
I know I watched football. We all watch football. That's
why anybody watching these better watch football. We see at
the end of the game some of the players going
to end zone and they kneeled down and they pray together.
From home, I don't I trusted their praying. It makes sense,
but you only watched on TV. So a bunch of
guys on knees praying, we assume praying and they're holding hands.
Speaker 1 (14:11):
It's like, Okay, you've been in those circles. How does
that go?
Speaker 3 (14:15):
Yeah, I mean it's kind of like an unwritten rule. Now,
you know, meet me at the fifty I hear gods
talking kind of describe it as such. But you know,
we know we're gonna meet at the fifty yard line,
and we know usually someone from the home team is
gonna lead us in prayer. And I think for those
of us who are believers in Jesus, we realize that
at the end of the day, we're all on the
(14:35):
same team. You know, what we do on the football
field is great, but there's one thing that will unify
us now and forever, and that's our belief and dedication
to Jesus Christ. And I think it's important in all
situations as Christians that we acknowledge that. And I'm glad
that I'm not sure when this started. They've probably been
(14:57):
doing it since my dad played, but I'm glad lad
that men decided that that was a good idea and
that's something that we've kept up. That's been a tradition
that the league has maintained over the years, and I
think it's a great reminder right in all things, you
want to do it as unto the Lord and not
unto men. And that includes more on the field on Sunday's, Mondays, Thursdays,
(15:19):
whenever it may be.
Speaker 1 (15:20):
Have you ever led the prayer at the fifty.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
Yes, I mean I've led at this point, I mean
dozens of them. And you know that's a special time
to be able to come together with someone you were
just trying to take out and then kind of come
together and pray.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
You know, I know it's a private moment. I would
love if they could like mic that. Let me say,
got hot mics everywhere, right, we see you go there.
We know what you're doing, but we can't fully participate.
June twelfth, nineteen ninety ninety seven PM. Like I said,
Father Martin from Saint bezis Thune did a program at
the prison about five miles from here. I've spent third
(16:00):
ten and a half years in prison for being a
gang member, of being this out of control, and I
went to a program. My guy said to me, Gordon
has He said ONNRE, you need to go to this program.
So what are you talking about. It's called Crisillo. Like
all right, whatever, I ended up going to the program.
Cristillo is a crash course in Christianity given by the
Catholic Church. So had all these people come up to
the prison because they can't let us go home for
(16:20):
the weekend.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
Because I'd have been signed up. And we come in.
They come in.
Speaker 3 (16:25):
I walk into a room.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
It's a room for the white people. First off, I'm
in like all the terms, all white people. They're hugging
each other. I'm like, I'm standing in the corner like
the black dude in the room. Right then they saw
me and they started coming at me. I'm like, oh
my god, I ain't gonna knife on me, nothing about
and they came on they started hugging me.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
I wasn't up to that.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Then we spent the weekend going through what I'm saying,
different scriptures, different songs, different fellowship, different lessons. And on
the third night, second night, they do a chance for
you to go up not what you call it, confession.
I went to confession with Father Mattin. First, I went
to another line because Father Martin was so direct. He
(17:05):
probably like your dad. He was just like, he was
just like real. I said, okay. They brought other priests
in to do the just for the confessional, so I
went and got another priest line who didn't I ain't
dealt with For the last two days, I'm in the line.
I'm like, man, you mean a coward, Dre. You know
you're supposed to be upstairs in Father Martin's line. So
I get out of that line and go upstairs. I
going with Father Martin. Two hours. Wow, I had a
(17:28):
lot of stuff.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
He walked me through.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
Two hours of confession. I'm thirty one years old. I've
been getting in trouble and doing stuff forever. Two A
man was patient. At the end, we did the Romans
road map. I took a knee and I got said.
I went back to the unit that night and I
walked out of it. I was like the last start
of the building.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
I go up.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
I walked in the unit and the CEO said to me,
the crash officer and said, Dre, there's something different about you.
He could see it. Then I went in and I
finished the weekend out. And the craziest part was at
the end of the weekend, we have everybody come in
this big celebration and get up.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
What does Jesus mean to you? You share?
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Then I sat down and I'm sitting there. We did
three days and everybody left and I'm sitting there, sitting there,
and then as God came in, see Oh came in.
He said, Drake, what are you doing in here? Some
wait for the program to start back up. He says, Dre,
the program and need two hours ago. I said, no, no,
they're coming back. He said, Dre, everybody's gone home. I
(18:28):
was so on fire that I sat in my chair
in the auditorium two hours after they But they left it.
Speaker 1 (18:33):
Wow, And they explained me.
Speaker 2 (18:36):
They said, it's called your fourth day, three days in
the program. Your fourth day is the rest of your life.
Now that you got it. There's no fifth day since
the fourth you go. There's no off, you just go.
And I walked out of that room two hours after
everybody else, but with a clear conviction and the purpose
(18:56):
on how to be helpful and the direction of my energy.
Because my mother used to tell me as a kid,
if you take ten percent of your energy and point
it to something good, you could turn the world upside down.
I just didn't know how to control my energy. And
in that weekend of meeting Christ and meeting those folks,
that it got past them being a room for white folks.
It wasn't even about them after awhile I was just
about the lessons and the direction for my life and
(19:18):
what I was going to do. And I've been home
from prison for twenty three years, and from ninety minutes
after I walked out of prison, I went to a
juvenile center, I started teaching.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
I've been teaching for twenty three years since.
Speaker 3 (19:29):
God Wow.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
And so when they told me it was coming, I
was like, for sure, man.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
Well, I mean your story it speaks to the power
of Christ. Right. I mean that's why I truly believe
everyone our story.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
There's no both of our story. Well, our story wearing
this together. I used to give meet it to fifty.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
You're right, but the redemptive power of Christ. Right. I
think we live in a society now where you know,
we're so ready to write off people for their mistakes,
for their past, whatever it is. But a story like yours,
a story like mine, anyone who's been touched and impacted
by the power of Christ, you can see the transformation
(20:12):
that happen, that happens and the redemptive power, uh that
that he possesses. And I mean, I just praise God
for your testimony. And I mean that's that's a huge
encouragement here.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
It really is, and you're a huge incursion for me
and my son because my son has never been in prison,
he's never been to for lack of.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
A better term, of public school. He's been in private school.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
Since birth, and he's on track to a phenomenal Ivy
League school and he has your story. So I'm looking
at you and I'm seeing my son. I'm like, Okay,
this is what he's He's not gonna turn into this. Yea,
this is the manifestation of streets, dysfunction, prison and redemption. Right,
He's not gonna have that story. My son's gonna look
more like Union, He's gonna look like me relative to
(20:54):
his walk. And I'm looking at you and I'm like,
I like this. I'm liking this look because I can
see my son sitting there in another fifteen years saying, yeah,
Christ is real and he doesn't have the prison story.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
You never have it. I have it for both of us.
Speaker 3 (21:08):
Well, you changed the course of your family, the trajectory
right with your choices. So kudos to you.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
We're out here and you're out the foundation, the family foundation.
Speaker 1 (21:20):
Where did it come from?
Speaker 3 (21:21):
Yeah? Well, really that credit goes to my wife Shaza.
I mean she really was praying for a while about
what we could be doing as a family to serve.
You know, a lot of the things that we did
prior to the Foundation or just you know, either partner
with the Patriots, or partner with other ministries or just
(21:43):
kind of one off things. And for us, we wanted
to be very intentional about our entire family serving. I
want my three sons and my daughter to be involved
in service. I want them to understand the importance of
using their platform the right way, and I want them
to understand that life is not about the you know,
what you guys want all the time. It's about what
we can do to help those around us. So really
(22:05):
our mission is to show people the love of Christ
and then to do that in a way where we
preach it and teach it, but then also show them
through through actions and the way we live it. And
you know, I hope we can use our resources and
our connections and our relationships to really just help help people.
I mean, that's really our heart and the passion that
(22:27):
we have. So we do a lot of our work
in the Providence area. My wife lived there when we met,
and all our kids were born in Providence. We used
to go to church in Province and we have a
really strong connection with the community there. And uh, you know,
they're hurting in a lot of ways, as a lot
of communities are. We want to use what little influence
we have to try to help.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
When my sides strive. My son in school, he went
to school called Shady Hill in Cambridge to private school.
I should drive from the hood to Shady Hill and
what we used to do stop at dunkin Donuts. Of course,
of course I am so mad. Did somebody switch they switch.
Speaker 1 (23:03):
It to Duncan. I'm like, what are you doing? I'm like,
what are you doing?
Speaker 2 (23:07):
It took It hasn't grown on me yet when they
switched from the old school Patriot to the new guy.
It took me a while, but it on what I'm saying.
But when they switched from dunkin Donuts to Duncan, that's
another story. We're not gonna go there. But we used
to stop at dunkin Donuts and all the way and
then every now and again we would stop. He had
ruled my house. If I give you something new, you
had to give away something. You can't keep everything. You're
(23:29):
a blessed kid. So I'm giving you this coat. We
gonna do the old car giving these You want new toys? Yeah,
which your old toys you're giving out. So we had jackets,
so we on the way to school, we would stop
and find a homeless person.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
I used to make my son go.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
Give them the jacket and he.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
And we stopped on Mass five over by South Bay.
One time it was he had we had food left over.
I don't take food home if I eat at a restaurant.
I got some food and giving it away before I
go home. So I made my son get out. He
was scared to go up and get these people on
the sidewalk this food. But he went through the nervousness early.
He went through the fair early. He lived in Africa.
He was playing soccer because that's what they play. I
(24:08):
took him to the hood and they out they're playing
on a dirt field. I put them inside. I said, Brooks,
you know this anything, I said, none of these kids
got shoes on. Take your shoes off. Make it fair.
So he takes the shoes off. He's playing, they play
the game. His mother's having to fit. But you know
that's what wives do. Moms due. So at the end
of the game, I said, you know, I'm gonna tell you, right,
He says, yeah, I know, took the shoes one game.
Speaker 1 (24:29):
I ain't have to tell me you got eight pairs
at home.
Speaker 3 (24:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
So he went over and gave a kid pair of
shoes his shoes and came got in the car badfoot.
I want to believe that those lessons will transcend over
any sit down conversational about business or direction and stuff.
Speaker 3 (24:45):
That he lived absolutely, and I think, you know, our
lived experiences and situations like that are so much more
meaningful than like you're saying, you know, going to meet
with a business executive or meeting with us see over
Fortune five hundred company. I mean, because you realize that
life has so much more meaning and purpose and it's
(25:05):
really about people.
Speaker 1 (25:07):
I do that too. I work with a company called CECP.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
It's an association that has two hundred and fifty companies Apple,
Black Rock, Delta, and they raised twenty one trellion dollars
annually for the companies, but they give away twenty three
billion every year. To give away twenty three billion dollars,
so I learned years ago. It's a group called YPOEO
Genius Network warroom.
Speaker 1 (25:28):
They sit around.
Speaker 2 (25:29):
They make a lot of money, but they want to
give it out and they need to meet you to
know how to give it better.
Speaker 3 (25:36):
Oh, I'll help them give it out, no problem.
Speaker 2 (25:38):
Because you have CEOs a lot. They're locked in their
own prison. Yeah, they're locking the glass tower. It looks
good from the outside. But I wouldn't want Michael Jordan's
life because every time I watched the last dance, he
was in locked hotel.
Speaker 1 (25:51):
Rooms a whole time.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
That's tough.
Speaker 2 (25:52):
When John Stockton got off the bus and at the
Olympics and walked home and they were all stuck on
the bus because he's Michael Jordan.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
You can't do get mobbed.
Speaker 2 (26:01):
But these CEOs I found out, I've been doing it
for fifteen twenty years. They want to give, but they
don't have the time of the vehicle. You sound like
the time in the vehicle to me.
Speaker 3 (26:12):
Well, if they need any ideas, Slater Family Foundation can
contact us at the Patriots and we're happy to help
them give their money.
Speaker 2 (26:20):
Now, what happens is people give money to people, not
the organization.
Speaker 1 (26:25):
So when they meet you, no, no, When I.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
Send them your foundation on a piece of paper, they
will look like by it.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
Or when you.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
Walk in the room and your energy and spirit walks
in the room, and your integrity walks in the room,
they're gonna want to fund that. It doesn't matter if
you're doing save the whales, save the dolphins, homelessness, doesn't matter.
As long as it's going through you. They'll trust in
believing you because you have that light.
Speaker 3 (26:49):
Oh, I appreciate you saying that.
Speaker 2 (26:50):
You know, so I want to introduce you to some
CEOs who can actually help you.
Speaker 3 (26:54):
We would love that.
Speaker 2 (26:55):
Yeah, for sure love that. Because I'm hearing you, I'm like,
who can I connect them to? I'm like, because you
people watching this show right, they're like, Okay, I didn't
know he did humanitarian work. I didn't know he was
out there believing and praying for people. And that's what
they were doing at the fifty. We see it, but
it's different when.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
You hear it.
Speaker 3 (27:14):
Yeah, absolutely, I know what you mean.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
So you gotta lead the people in prayer. Man, you
gott hit him on something, right.
Speaker 3 (27:18):
Yeah, well, look, hit him with something. I'm happy to
lead us in prayer, and I appreciate you. Let's let's
pray right now. Let's go, Father, God, we just thank
you for an opportunity to have a conversation or and
we're thankful to that conversation can be centered around you
and what you're doing in all of our lives. Or
(27:40):
we thank you for the purpose and the meaning that
you bring to each of us.
Speaker 4 (27:44):
Lord.
Speaker 3 (27:45):
And I just want to pray for everyone listening right now,
or I thank you for who they are, who you
made them to be, and thank you for their individual stories,
or if they haven't already, I pray that they can
see you and meet you, or and experience to life changing,
redemptive work that only you can do. Lord. I'm just
(28:06):
thankful for this time together. Lord. I'm thankful for you
blessing us with media that can reach and touch people
out there. And I want to pray especially for the
people hearing this that are behind bars, or I want
them to know that they're not forgotten about there, they
haven't been cast aside. There are people that care about
(28:30):
them and love them and want the best for them, Lord,
just as you do. So we pay all these things
in Jesus name, Amen.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
Amen question because I noticed, for fact, do I go.
Speaker 2 (28:41):
Around the world and I do interventions in all different
types of places and spaces.
Speaker 1 (28:46):
Everybody's always going through something. You included. Absolutely, when you're
going through stuff, who do you lean on?
Speaker 3 (28:54):
That's a great question. I mean the first person obviously
is my wife. She's my support system. And I think
you make a great point. We all go through trials.
That's life. And you know, anyone who tells you that
they don't, they're just not being honest.
Speaker 4 (29:12):
They're not hearing any truthful, right. I mean, that's just
the reality of life. So for me, I I'm very
blessed to have someone who sees me for who I
am and loves me in spite of all my flaws,
and then will.
Speaker 3 (29:26):
Speak truth to me when I need truth. Right. A
lot of times when we're going through struggles or adversity,
we don't always want to hear the truth, and sometimes
when presented with the truth, we tend to flee from it.
Speaker 1 (29:41):
What's the lesson that you got that you was running from?
Speaker 3 (29:43):
There's so many There's so many, you know, I think. Look,
as my wife and I raise our children, we have
very you know, sometimes we have very different opinions on
what that looks like in terms of discipline, in terms
of the way I speak to the kids things like that,
and she had to open my eyes. She's like, you know,
(30:04):
you can't speak to the kids in a way like
like you're in the locker room setting like that doesn't work.
These kids they need your love that they need your affirmation,
and they're young, like you can't speak to them like
they're your peers in a harsh kind of abrasive manner.
And uh, you know, I think, having played here for
so long, like well, it's you know, it's black and white,
(30:26):
like this is how coach says, and this is how
I'm running at home, I'm like it, I've been indoctrinated,
and you know, but you know, as much as I
didn't want to hear that maybe I was coming up
short in some areas with the way, you know, especially
with the way I pared my boys especially, I needed that.
(30:47):
I needed that feedback. I needed to take it and
I need to be honest with myself about what I
was doing and I need to make some changes. And
you know, without my wife speaking that truth to me
and making me see that, I mean, who knows how
that goes. The words you say, the way you raise
your children, all those things, they're so so important and
(31:08):
They have such a huge impact on your on your
children's lives as they as they grow up and head
out into the world. So I wanna make sure I'm
doing it to the best of my ability.
Speaker 2 (31:17):
When I was had a son, course, gotta have a boy,
and in my mind, I'm going off what my dad taught,
even though he wasn't really in the house. So I
was with a friend of mine one time named Deacon John.
He's from Saint Basils. He was on that treat retreat
when I got saved when we've been friends ever since.
So he was around I have my son. I said, yea,
when my son turns ten, we gonnad that come to
(31:37):
Jesus meeting. You heard about that. I'm like, He's like,
what are you talking about. I said, yeah, well, we
get a kid of beat and then we let him
know that the.
Speaker 3 (31:43):
World is rough.
Speaker 2 (31:44):
Me listening to dad, he said, that's the craziest thing
I ever heard of my life. And Drake, I said,
you don't get it, your white guy. He we went
back and forth. He says, Drake, that's not how this works.
I said, dude, y'all kids be acting crazy and the
supermarket y'all don't do nothing. I'm saying, my mother stepped
two us in the supermarket quick. This is a different
culture thing, he says, not a culture thing. He said,
(32:07):
if you're in your son's life consistently and repeatedly and
every day, and you're just there when he's ten, if
you just pull back, you being out of his atmosphere
is going to just send him into a tail spin.
And the disappointment of dad is far worse than anything
you could do to him. And the lesson you're trying
to teach him comes from a place that you don't
(32:28):
even want to deal with, because that's how slave masters
used to raise their kids, and you're using that policy
and process on your kid and you don't even understand where.
Speaker 1 (32:36):
It came from.
Speaker 2 (32:37):
He said, just love them and show disappointment and see
what happens. And old white guy from a throuin taught
me a lesson to change my son's life. And he's
got a couple beatings in his life, but it's not
like that ten year old come to Jesus, may never happen.
That never happened, and he's a dramatically different person because
(32:57):
of a lesson I got from a guy from a
different out of the planet, but had the heart for me. Yeah,
And he was like this, Hell, let me pull your
cold to something. And at first I try to shut
him out because no, I know what I'm talking about.
He says, no, you don't know what you're talking about.
Then when we got down to it, he was right.
Speaker 3 (33:14):
But also, I give you credit for having humility to
receive that. And that's tough, right, I mean, especially when
that's the way you were raised and probably generation generation.
Speaker 2 (33:25):
And if you go back generation enough, dad turns into
slave ownerm right, And that's what.
Speaker 3 (33:30):
I didn't get.
Speaker 2 (33:31):
Yeah, And again for this guy to grow up in
a whole different space, I'm like, man, I try to you.
Speaker 3 (33:37):
Don't get it, right, right, you don't get it.
Speaker 2 (33:39):
But I got mentors. I got so many mentors. It's
not funny how many mentors you have?
Speaker 3 (33:45):
Too many to count. It's a good sign, but it's important, right,
I mean, No, man walks alone. I don't believe in
self made man. I don't believe it. Man that walk alone,
you just can't. I mean, life is too hard. There's
so much that we don't know. There's so many experiences
that we'll never have. And as we try to navigate
our own lives and then as we tried to lead
(34:07):
others around us. If you don't have a mentor or
mentors plural, you're just gonna lose your way at some point.
You need support, you need accountability, and you need people
pouring into your life to enrich it, to give you
wisdom and things of that nature. So you know, I
you know, obviously for me, the mentorship started with my father.
(34:29):
But I think of pastors coaches.
Speaker 2 (34:32):
No, no, no, see, I'm not gonna let you do
them bad like that. Okay, so I'm gonna I'm gonna
act like your wife right now, pull your coach. Okay,
call their names, man, they deserve to have their names absolutely.
Speaker 3 (34:43):
Matt Doane, Michael Wells, Larry Toner, Benjamin Watson, Don Davis,
Harold Nash, Juwel Robinson. I mean, the list it's lengthy.
I know I'm missing someone, No, no, I mean, but but
(35:06):
I mean the list is and all of them have
had a unique role and played the unique role on
my journey. And they were necessary for different reasons. Right.
The role they played was I needed for you know,
a season in life or for a situation in life.
(35:26):
But I needed them all, and I wouldn't be sitting here,
We wouldn't be having this conversation without those men and
their you know, intentionality in terms of speaking in my life.
Speaker 2 (35:37):
Dave Spence, Susie Spence, Ben Richter, Deacon John Father, Martin,
Tim Allen, Pat Dempsey. I go on Robert Henderson, who
was a correction of God. Nonetheless, I go down the list. Yeah,
I have like fifty mentros man, and I collect them.
Speaker 1 (35:54):
Listen, some people collect cars.
Speaker 2 (35:55):
I collect mentors, and they they're there and they're necessary,
and it's.
Speaker 1 (36:00):
When you need them.
Speaker 2 (36:02):
That one piece of advice can change your whole life.
And this is the thing I got for most of
my mentors. What they've saved me was time. And my
guy Ben Richtor, he lived down in Houston. I went
down there gonna make me warden for prison. I'm like, oh,
this is great. I went from being a gang leader
in prison. Well, now I'm gonna run a prison. Never
(36:23):
happened before in life. I told my mentor, I was
hyped up. So I'm gonna be on sixty minutes.
Speaker 3 (36:27):
I'm going on, Oprah.
Speaker 1 (36:28):
I'm the first gang remember to ever be a prison
warden in America. This is crazy. He said, you can't
be the warden.
Speaker 2 (36:32):
Dregg I said no, no, no, I'm gonna be the warden.
He said, no, you can't be the watch. You don't
get it, you ain't been it. I wanted this more
than I should have. And he said, dra, what a
warden does? You don't want to do And if you
can't scale that, because you're eliminating who you can help
create the program for the five percent of what they
want from you, you can send it across the country,
across the world.
Speaker 1 (36:51):
You can help way more people. And he was right.
Speaker 2 (36:54):
So I never became a warding, but I created a
program called the Academy of Hope and it goes to
prisons across the country and impact size versus being in
one prison in Kentucky, helping five hundred guys save me
years of aggravation from sitting in all these dumb meetings
and help me accidentally help thousands of more people save
(37:15):
me time.
Speaker 3 (37:15):
Man, how about that That's how got it works?
Speaker 1 (37:18):
Still, Oh, God, we make God doesn't work. God is.
Speaker 3 (37:21):
We make plans and we think this plan is best,
and then he shows us something that we didn't even
think of. This one hundred times better.
Speaker 2 (37:30):
Way past one hundred. Tell me about the award you got,
Robin Burton Community Service Ward.
Speaker 1 (37:38):
What was that that mean? Of what? You got?
Speaker 2 (37:40):
Ten time pro bo, three time Super Bowl champ, but
you got the Community Service Award.
Speaker 3 (37:46):
Honestly, for me, anytime someone acknowledges the work that you know,
we and I say we because it's been a team
effort have done in the community, it means it means more.
You know what you accomplished on the ball, feel all
that will fade away and people will forget that. My
dad used to laugh. Someone came up to him at
(38:07):
one point and said, then you used to be Jackie Slater,
and my dad just laughed. I'm still Jackie Slater. But yeah,
but that's how people view football, right. But the stuff
that we do in the community, that's what leaves an impact.
That's where the real legacy is. So to be honored
by the Burdon family, who's a family I don't know
(38:27):
if I know a better family. All the work that
they've done to help young people in the Greater Boston area,
you know, at risk youth by just instilling in them
biblical principles, but just being intentional about walking with them
and loving them, so to have my name associated with
their family was a tremendous honor. To have my work recognized,
(38:49):
I mean, you never do the work to be recognized.
It was super humbling, and I think about the people here,
you know, Donna Spigarola, Robin Glazer, people that have supported
me and help my family and I as we've tried
to extend our reach. You know, those awards are are
for us, they really are, and you know, I hate
(39:11):
to be recognized for that, but it is very humble
and you know, more work to do. Let's keep doing it.
Speaker 2 (39:18):
For the record, it's a happy dad moment. So your
father was back in San Diego, smile.
Speaker 3 (39:22):
My parents were definitely proud, absolutely, And you know, I'm
always happy when they I know they're always proud of me,
but I'm always happy when you get a chance to
see that, and I know it means a lot to them.
Speaker 1 (39:34):
He's not mat the three Super Bowl rings either.
Speaker 3 (39:36):
No, no, he's not mad at those either.
Speaker 2 (39:39):
Before we go, we have two but one audience watching us.
They'll say two technically, but it's really one. One group
is in jail and I want you to lead him
with a message. Then the other group is at home
and they're watching.
Speaker 1 (39:57):
I believe there's only one of the people on this planet.
Speaker 2 (39:59):
Yeah, that it's in different places and spaces, and both
sides are going through something. Both sides have challenges, both
sides have to overcome stuff, both sides have good and
bad days. They're just sitting in different places. So we're
not gonna do two messages. We're gonna do one message.
Can buy because I know you're good like that. I'm
saying we're gonna test and past the skill you put
me on.
Speaker 3 (40:19):
The spots, but you always gotta stay ready with the word.
And that's a I'm glad you asked that question. And
to me, you know, the first thing I think about
for the people that are hearing this, that are incarcerated,
is the message of hope.
Speaker 2 (40:34):
But you can't when you say it, both sides have
to feel it. You can't say you just have to go.
But really, I believe people are people.
Speaker 3 (40:45):
Yes, And I'm gonna tell you this. You think about hope,
and people want to say, well, these group of people
need hope, But the reality is we all need hope, yes,
And we're living in a world right now that to
me is suffocating. That hope. No matter where you are,
you look at all the tension, the dissension, the division,
(41:07):
the strife, the fighting, the anger, the sadness that that
robs joy and it steals hope from people. And what
I know to be true is that I have found
a source of hope that can't be taken from me,
and that's in Jesus Christ. And I know no matter
where you are, no matter where you are in life,
(41:29):
no matter how old you are, no matter what your
story is, you need hope. There's something in you that's
looking for that hope. My question to you is where
are you looking for that hope? I have an answer,
and his name is Jesus. His name is Jesus, and
he won't disappoint you, and he can give you more
(41:50):
purpose and hope and direction than you've ever had. You
just got to get get to know him, spend some
time getting to know him, and no matter where you
are in life, no matter what your situation is, he's
bigger than it and he can give you something to
look for that's that's bigger than yourself and beyond you.
(42:11):
And it's not just for this world, it's for eternity.
So whoever's hearing this, I asked them. I beg them
to get to know Jesus Christ. You know, open a bible,
go to a church, ask a friend. There are plenty
of ways to do that, but at least investigate him.
And I think what you'll find on the other end
(42:33):
is hope.
Speaker 2 (42:35):
When I started out on my journey, like Dre, I said,
I'm gonna get his Jesus.
Speaker 1 (42:38):
Think a chance.
Speaker 2 (42:40):
If it goes left, I'm oighty and it's been a
while nineteen ninety one. I got saved in ninety Note
here June twelfth, nineteen nine, ninety seven PM said don't
give it a shot. But if it goes sideways, I'm
going back to what I know.
Speaker 1 (42:57):
And I ain't picked the back. Yeah, I ain't gone
back yet, only going up.
Speaker 2 (43:01):
I had some rough patches, as we all will. But
Job had a couple, right, he did all right. I'm
saying that he had some bad days, not as bad
as Steven, right, right, yeah, exactly exactly.
Speaker 1 (43:13):
We can listen.
Speaker 2 (43:15):
I had a chance to sit down and study and
see that our lives reflect the lives that come before us.
I'm saying it's nothing new, it's just us in our
turn right and we're gonna make it better or we're
gonna suffocate for what's coming next.
Speaker 1 (43:31):
And I like that.
Speaker 2 (43:32):
You're a light in the world. I'm saying, I remember,
they should givebout the thousand points of light at the
White House. They need to call you for that. They
need to listen, listen to shout out to President Biden
or whoever's gonna be next or down the line, or
if you can retro it. I'm saying Trump, what I'm saying, Obama,
get this man, thousand points of life. Man, what I'm saying,
get this Listen. Keep your Super Bowl rings because it's
(43:52):
the Boston thing, but get this man, thousand points of life.
Speaker 3 (43:55):
Man.
Speaker 2 (43:55):
He deserves it. He's worthy. You come from good stock.
Jesus did a great job.
Speaker 3 (44:01):
Yes he did. He always does.
Speaker 1 (44:03):
And one day I hope you get to meet your dad.
Speaker 3 (44:05):
I appreciate it. I appreciate you saying that, thanks for
having me.
Speaker 2 (44:09):
This is great, ladies and gentlemen, as your host Andre
Norman with the none other Super Bowl. It's just it's
a patriot thing. Super Bowl Champion, mister Matthews.
Speaker 3 (44:22):
Appreciate you.
Speaker 1 (44:23):
Until the next time. Hold it down.
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