Bengals Booth Podcast: Celebrate

It’s the “Celebrate” edition of the Bengals Booth Podcast as Dan Hoard visits with the two newest members of the Bengals Ring of Honor – Dave Lapham and Lemar Parrish.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Hi, get everybody. I'm Dan Hord and thanks for downloading
The Bengals Booth Podcast. The Celebrate Celebrate Dance to the
Music edition as we celebrate the two newest editions to
the Bengals Ring of Honor, Dave Lapham and Leap and
Lamar Parish. The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to you

(00:25):
by pay Corps, proud to be the Bengals official HR
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and by Kettering Health the best care for the best fans.
Kettering Health is the official healthcare provider of the Bengals.
Now here's a quick reminder that you can have the

(00:47):
latest edition of this podcast delivered write to your phone,
tablet or computer by subscribing wherever you get your podcasts.
It's the greatest thing since a Buddy's golf trip. I
recently returned home from a six day, eight man golf
trip to Ireland that was a once in a lifetime experience.

(01:07):
We played bucket list courses in ideal weather conditions, drank
plenty of Guinness, listen to live music in pubs and laughed, Our,
you know what's off. All of those details were great,
but the best part was renewing and building friendships. They
enrich your life and medical research indicates that friendships improve

(01:29):
your health. I am blessed to have so many great friends,
including one of two people selected by season ticket members
to enter the Bengals Ring of Honor this year, my
broadcast partner, Dave Lapham. This season will be the fifty
eighth in team history, and lapp has been a part
of fifty ten years as an outstanding offensive lineman who

(01:52):
started at left guard in Super Bowl sixteen, and now
forty years in the broadcast booth, where he is connected
with fans as well as any broadcaster in any sport.
Here is team president Mike Brown on Dave lappam.

Speaker 2 (02:08):
Dave was smart enough, no one questions that, but that's
never what stood out about him in my mind. He
went beyond that. He was built like a football player.
The first time I ever saw him, he was in
his shirts and a training table at the Blue Gray
game down in Alabama, and Jesus I looked at him

(02:32):
and then I said, this guy, he's built like they're
supposed to be big over He was an excellent player,
and he could play anywhere he needed him.

Speaker 3 (02:45):
But it went beyond that.

Speaker 2 (02:49):
He has become someone tied to the Bengals in his
own special way. He was a player for us and
later he was an announcer for us. He can tell
our story. He's been around here close on to fifty
years as a player and as an announcer. He knows

(03:14):
all the guys that were here from the beginning on
and he can tell about them. He's a good storyteller.
I know this doesn't have much to do with being
in the Ring of Honor, but as a personality, you
like being around him. He's fun and that isn't something

(03:36):
unique with me. Everyone feels that way. They gravitate towards
him because he just makes the occasion happier. I'm glad
he's in this list. He's deserving.

Speaker 1 (03:50):
I've had a few speaking engagements in recent months where
I have shared my three wishes for the upcoming year.
One a cure for baldness, two a Bengal Super Bowl title,
and three seeing Dave Lapham get chosen for the Ring
of Honor. Here's my conversation with a great player, broadcaster

(04:11):
and friend, lap How did the Bengals deliver the news
that you are being adducted into the Ring of Honor.

Speaker 3 (04:18):
It was, it was it was pretty uh emotional, really,
I mean it was. It was a time where maybe
you hope and dream you get a phone call like that,
but to actually get that phone call, it's like, I
better pinch myself. Am I dreaming? Am I? Am? I
awake here? And I was, I knew I was wide awake.
And Mike Brown, the organization number, came up. Mike came

(04:40):
on initially and uh, you know, gave me the news
and he was, you know, very uh in character as
far as Mike's concern, very factual. You know, I just
want to let you know that you you are one
of two going into the Ring of Honor this year,
voting on by the fans, you know, and U you
and Lamar Parrish. And he was then he got pretty

(05:04):
emotional as we started talking a little bit about it.
And then Elizabeth and Katie came on as well, So
it was it was good. It was interesting to hear,
you know, all the kind of things that they had
to say. Get you get off of that phone call
and you feel like you're twenty feet tall, you know,
It's like, man, a bunch of plattus and flowers being

(05:26):
thrown to you in a short period of time. Man,
I mean it. It really pumped your ego up, There's
no doubt. Laughter.

Speaker 1 (05:34):
Are now twelve members of the Ring of Honor, and
it occurs to me that nobody is connected to the
other eleven quite like you are. You played for Paul Brown.
Six of the inductees were teammates of yours. The other
four players that you've gotten to know well as a broadcaster.
Does it make the honor especially meaningful for you to
be in the company of those other guys?

Speaker 3 (05:55):
It does, Dan, You know. The fact that you know,
I've just been able to be around the organization for
coming up on the fiftieth years is something very significant
to me. It's rare. It doesn't happen very long and
very often in the industry for somebody to be around
a team as long as I have been in terms

(06:16):
of being a player and then something after your playing days,
whether it's tied to the organization internally or as a broadcaster.
You know. In my case, so there's not really very
many players that I didn't either play with or broadcast
about with the organization. You know, maybe in the very

(06:36):
early years, the expansion years, where they were rolling guys
in and out of their left and right on a
daily basis, and you know, they they had their try
out with the Bengals. I can't say I know much
about any of those guys whom I have met some
of them, but really don't know them. Like as you mentioned,
teammates are broadcast about. So it is very significant to

(06:58):
me in that in that way because everybody that's been
inducted so far, you know, I've got a real deep
feeling about either as a as a former teammate. Where
you make incredible bonds, man, I mean, you know, it's
just when you when you go to battle at the
highest level against the best talent there is in the

(07:19):
world in the National Football League, you you bond with guys.
It's almost like to survive. You have to. You know,
everybody wants to get their job done one on one.
Make sure you take care of your guy. You don't
want to be the guy to let the other guys down.
You don't want to be the weak link. You don't
want to be the reason that the unit didn't perform

(07:40):
to its highest level. So all of that goes goes
into your relationship and your association and affiliation with these
with these guys, and that that's on the football field,
and then you become good friends. You know, there's a
lot of common denominators there when you both have you know,
worked your way up to be able to compete to

(08:02):
play in the in the at the highest level in
the National Football League. So you've got you've got all
those common denominators as well from a football personality and
character standpoint. But then, like I said, you become off
the field friends. You know, it's like, man, you're you're
tight with these guys. They become your best buddies and

(08:22):
their wives and uh and their kids and their families
become very close and from a relationship standpoint with your family,
so the wives become real good friends, the kids run
around and play together, and uh. It's it's a very
interesting dynamic watching you know, guys come in and make
a football team and then and then sad really one

(08:43):
guys that have been around for a while don't and
you have to say goodbye to those guys and their
families and then you say hello to the to the
new It's a it's a cycle of life basically in
the National Football League, and uh, you know it's a
it's a it's a short cycle. Really, you know, it's
not not anywhere near a lifetime, that's for sure. I mean,
if you're talking about a ten year cycle, you're extremely fortunate,

(09:06):
for sure.

Speaker 1 (09:07):
Lap you enter with Lamar Parish. What are your most
vivid memories of playing with Leap and Lamar?

Speaker 3 (09:14):
Leap and Lamar. My most vivid memory of Leap and
Lamar is what a character the guy was. I mean,
he he just he made you smile. I mean, if
you're having a bad day, just hang around Leap and
Lamar for a little while, you know, and all of
a sudden, the sun will shine again. It's the clouds
go away, and up from the horizon you see the

(09:36):
sun starting to rise, and then there's full day of sunshine.
He was a very very positive guy. Every day was
a good day for Lamar Parish. He was great to
associate with in that regard, because you know, sometimes you
do have bad days or not the greatest day in
the world, but hang around Lamar long enough and it

(09:58):
kind of goes away. It doesn't become when he worse
days of your life. You know, it's a it becomes
a little bit, a little bit better day. Lamar Parrish
was interesting in his wardrobe too. I mean, oh my gosh, man,
he had a he had a different wardrobe for every
single football game. And they were something that you don't

(10:19):
see in a fashion magazine or in the front cover
of of of some sort of a magazine related to fashion.
I mean, he had very very specific tastes and they
were very ornate. Uh, they were very decorative. You know.
He had he had big hats with big brims, plumes
coming out of the hat, uh, you know, and and

(10:41):
that that's just the head gear. And then and then
the suits were magnificent colors. I mean he was a
walking rainbow to dude. Actually there were colors that they're
not part of the rainbow actually, and he had his
own rainbow. It was Lamar Parish rainbow.

Speaker 4 (10:58):
Uh.

Speaker 3 (10:58):
And and they were tailor to perfection. He had a
local tailor, Peppy Romundo, the late great Pepe Romundo, who
just uh designed uh and uh and and personalized fittings
for Lamar Paris. So I mean these things were like
they they fit his body to a tee. I mean,
every single curve and every single protrusion of his of

(11:22):
his body was was was shown and uh and and
and shown loud and proud. There's no question about it.
But he he was He could pull it off because
the dude was an unbelievably gifted athlete. And uh to
be the athlete that he was, his his body was
like a finely tuned machine. The guy was never out
of shape, and he was proud of the fact that

(11:44):
that he was never out of shape. And he could
run all day long. His endurance was incredible. Uh and
I mean during the course of the game, on every
game of the season, when you're playing defensive back against
the greatest receiver in the National Football League and you're
playing against he was our shutdown guy. He was our shadow.

(12:06):
You got him. He's the best guy. You take him
all over the field when you're doing that all day long,
and then to boot your returning punts and kickoffs and
at an all pro level, I mean one year average
almost eighteen yards per prime return. It's crazy. He was.
He was as gifted an athlete as I think I've

(12:27):
ever seen in terms of things that he had to
have athletic to excel at his position, and he had
it all. He had straight line speed, he had change
of direction, He could bend at his ankles and knees
and nod at his waist and play play football from
that kind of a position. He was just he was

(12:49):
definitely as great an athlete from a football player standpoint
as I think I've ever seen, and I could argue
he might be the greatest to ever walk the face
of the earth.

Speaker 1 (12:59):
I think a lot of people listening to this podcast
they've probably been watching Joe Burrow on the Quarterback series
on Netflix. As you were describing Lamar in his fashion sense.
The details were obviously different, but it sounded a lot
like Joe Burrow entering Stadia.

Speaker 3 (13:15):
Now very true. I mean, you know, they I think
I think both both players are extremely confident human beings.
You know, and they know they're good, they know their
talent level, they know they're probably the best in the
world at what they do, and and uh, and they're

(13:35):
not They're not bashful about playing that way. You know,
they don't necessarily trumpet it out there, uh, to the
to the whole world. Both of them are both very
similar in that, you know, it's not like I'm going
to try to find as many different forums as I
can to trumpet my own horn and to talk about me,

(13:56):
you know, and everything I do and all my accolades
and all my all my greatness, all the all the
attributes that I've got physically that make me rare and unique.
Neither guys like that. But they like they like clothing,
they like fashion, and they're both you know, good looking people.
You know that they can pull it off, man. And

(14:17):
and the confidence carries over to that, you know, it's like, yeah,
I'm not I don't really care what people think. If
they're if they're going to make fun of me, laugh
at me or whatever, if they think it's too much, hey,
so be it. I like it. I like it, and
I'm going to do it. And and I can pull
it off. Man, I'm I'm I'm Joe Burrow, I'm Lamar Parrish.

(14:38):
I can pull this off. So they are extremely you know,
comfortable in their own skin. You know, there's no there's
no question about it. They're they are confident to pretty
much do anything that they feel like they want to do,
not only on the football field, but also in the
game of life. I mean, they're they're there. They were
equipped that Lamar Paris was equipped, and Joe Burrow certainly

(14:58):
is equipped to do anything that he feels like he
wants to do. If he feels like he can go
out and accomplishment, accomplish it or do it, he's gonna
try because he knows he can do it.

Speaker 1 (15:12):
What was your look walking into the stadium between nineteen
seventy four and nineteen eighty three. No, whit brimmed hats?

Speaker 3 (15:22):
No, no, no, my bucket head. I couldn't even get
a wide brimmed hat on that bad boy. I'd be
borrowing on the brim. I couldn't get my head inside
the hat. Oh man, Uh yeah, I'd say, uh, very
non attention grabbing. I can say that plain Jane. You
know that's I guess that's the term that I could

(15:44):
come up with his plain Jane. Nothing nothing extraordinary, nothing
out of the ordinary. The thing that I love about
Lamar is the colors, and Joe as well. These guys
they will they will mix and match colors. And these
colors are like you know, they're they're like not in
the rainbow. There they've been They've been uh manufactured by somebody,

(16:06):
probably by their designer or whatever. It is incredible. The
colors that they were and me, I was a black
and white guy. Man, I was black and white TV.
I was playing Jane in terms of of colors in
style and design. If you could have worn shorts and
T shirt to to those to the games, I would

(16:26):
have done that probably uh cut off shorts if allowed.
But so yeah, I I was not much of a
Not much of my attention was given to to fashion.
And Lynn reminded me of that. Fat It was like,
look at how how nicely a lot of your teammates
are dressed. What do you think you want up the

(16:47):
game a little bit? Now? I'm good. This works for me.
I feel good. I feel good in this and uh
and I feel very comfortable and I feel like I'm
I'm comfortable in my old skin right now. Lynn, I
really do lap.

Speaker 1 (17:01):
I think you are the greatest ambassador to the fan
base in Bengal's history. What is it about Cincinnati that
made you and Lynn want to stay well?

Speaker 3 (17:10):
I certainly do appreciate that compliment, Dan, because I know
what the fans think of you, and you are the
epitome the greatest definition of the ambassador to Bengal fans.
So I do appreciate you mentioning. You know that that
part of it with my relationship with the fans as well.

(17:30):
You know, Cincinnati, it's just Midwest conservative, great place to
raise a family, and I think Lynn and I both
recognize that very very quickly. We did go back to
the Boston area after our rookie year. I had some
things I had to take care of back there, as

(17:53):
did Lynn. So we went back and we rented a
house and Sharon I actually purchased it. Purchased the house,
and Sharon rented out a couple of off seasons and
then got rid of it because that was such a
hassle and it was getting beaten to hell. But we
knew that when we were you know, that we wanted
to see family, and family was important to us, and

(18:16):
so we went back there in the first off season.
But then, I mean right away, even during the rookie year,
we realized how unique and special Cincinnati was in terms
of the Midwest Conservative people were just solid gold in
terms of their values, the way that they looked at things.

(18:38):
You know, there's the Ten Commandments that the Good Lord wrote,
and then Cincinnati has a bunch of other commandments, I
guess with respect to their community and just the way
they treat each other. I mean the way the people,
the way the people welcome others and treat friends and
make new friends, and all of that was very imp

(19:00):
us of UH to Lynn and I when we were rookies,
and you know, we we got outside of the football team,
you know, during the course of the week, different days
of the week, nights of the week, go out with
different people and and just kind of get a broader
view of broader base view of what Cincinnati was like
and what it had to offer. And we thought, you

(19:20):
know what, this is a great place to live. And
the thing that sold us most completely is the what
a phenomenal place to raise a family. There's probably none
better in the in the country, as good as any
in the country to UH to raise a family. Because
even though it's not overbearingly big in terms of you know,

(19:41):
square footage and size and you know huge building, all
the all the structure and all of that of the
of a big city and the people. You know, it's
not like ants and an ant hill. It's not that
type of situation. But there's plenty, plenty, big enough plenty
to do great restaurants, theater, arts. It's got it all.
I mean, Cincinnati is uh. I don't think it's a

(20:01):
secret anymore. Back in the seventies, in the midst it
it was pretty much a secret. I mean, my friends
would be like, what, you're moving to Cincinnati. You guys
are going to live in Cincinnati all year, And of
course my family was like, well, you know, if that's
what you decide you want to do, it's best for
your family. We get it. But you know, Boston, we
got a lot to offer here, and I'm like, no question.

(20:23):
I mean, I'm a huge Boston fan. I grew up
here myself, you know, my whole life. I mean, I
know what Boston has to offer. But we just think
Cincinnati has a uniqueness to it that we're going to
really like. And they realized that that we knew what
we were looking at in that regard, and I just
I just think that the people of Cincinnati are incredible.

(20:45):
Their values and morals and ethics and all those kind
of things are as high level as you're gonna find.
And for those reasons, I think it is a good
place to raise a family and bring up young children.
And Lynn and I couldn't have been couldn't be happier.
With the decision that we did make to do.

Speaker 1 (21:03):
So the relationship started in nineteen seventy four when Paul
Brown drafted you in the third round. Were you intimidated
initially by PB?

Speaker 3 (21:13):
I was? You know, I can't say I was intimidated
by like afraid of the man, you know, because he's not,
you know, not a big, overpowering, you know, overbearing type personality.
He's not a big structured guy in framewise, not a
big person but boy, he he in my mind when

(21:35):
I got drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals and it was
Paul Brown. You know, my both my grandfathers followed football
and they were both like, this guy is the father
of football. Man, You're you're going with somebody that is
like this, There's nobody that knows more about football than
Paul Brown. Paul Brown, basically, you know, it was the inventor,

(21:56):
the innovator. He did. He brought all kinds of things
to the game of football that had never been there before.
So I had a healthy dose of respect for that
part of Paul Brown, you know, from my grandparents, my
grandfather's when just even watching a long before I got
drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals. But then to meet him,
I mean, he's he's extremely impressive, I mean just very

(22:19):
He had an unbelievable air confidence about him, and he
knew that he knew he knew what he was talking about,
not just football. He was a very learned man. I
mean he very very intelligent, well read about a bunch
of different subjects and topics. I mean he he was
a very unique, unique person. And I remember the first

(22:43):
time going up to him and shaking his hand. He
his handshake was not a very it wasn't real firm,
you know. It's kind of like a We called it
the dead fish handshake that Peeb would give you, you know,
but you know he would want to shake Paul Brown's hand.
And he looked you right in the eye. Man, when
he shook your hand, he was looking you right in

(23:03):
the eye and kind of sizing you up. I think
a little bit, you know, so he I guess intimidating
in that fashion a little bit. I remember the first
time meeting him and actually walking up and looking out
of eye with him and shaking his hand. I thought,
you know, I want to I want to make a
proper impression here. I don't want to come off as
you know, you know what this guy about kind of thing.

(23:24):
I don't want him to walk away wondering I want
him to walk away saying, Okay, I think this young
man you know, is going to be a plus for
the organization. I feel good about the fact that we
did draft him. And because that was always a big
part of his draft process, he went deeper than most.
You know, it wasn't just football. P B did did

(23:44):
some research into the character of people that he was drafting,
and he wanted to have a high level of character
throughout his football team. So when you get drafted by
Paul Brown, you felt like that was a big honor
because not only did you cut the mustard with him
as a football player, but you also you know, passed

(24:05):
his uh you know what what he wanted to have,
uh in terms of character and uh you know, team, team,
being a good teammate, reaching out to others, helping elevate
other teammates, all those kind of things what he was
looking for in a player that he would bring to
his organization as well. So you felt if you, if

(24:27):
you passed the test of Paul Brown in all those
all those areas, he had to feel pretty good.

Speaker 1 (24:34):
Do you have any keepsakes, any personal letters or anything
like that from Paul?

Speaker 3 (24:38):
I do. And he he was really good letter writer.
I mean he just had a flowery way of saying things.
I mean, his his vocabulary was extraordinary. I mean it
really was, because, like I said, he was so well read,
and he had his favorite authors that he taught about.

(25:00):
He'd talk about books that that he read, that that author,
you know, you know, just just came out with and
I mean a lot of them were I really had
no idea who he was talking about. I wasn't. I
wasn't into the the areas that he was into and
as deeply as he was into, that's for sure of it.
But he was an unbelievably educated man. And you know,

(25:24):
he basically looked at himself as a teacher if he
if he was not going to be a football coach,
he told me he was going to be a teacher
if it didn't work out coaching football, because you know,
basically it's football coach is part of their description. Part
of what they need to be able to do is teach,

(25:46):
teach the game and make sure the players understand what
he's saying. I understand not only what he's saying, why
he's saying it, how he's saying it, what led him
to that conclusion to say what he's saying. And Pep
was unbelievable that way. I do remember him going up
to the board when I was a rookie. He was

(26:06):
still the head coach and installed. He would like to
be the first installation of a play. And man, he
would get up there and just pontificate about here's what
we're doing in terms of blocking scheme, blocking pattern, and
here's why we're doing it. And if they do this,
here's how we're going to adjust to that. And he

(26:26):
I mean his installation was the row. I mean he
was into the weeds, man.

Speaker 5 (26:32):
Uh.

Speaker 3 (26:32):
And he do that with every position group, offensive line,
you know, a quarterback, running backs, wide receivers. Here's what
you're doing, here's why you're doing it. Here's the reason
that we think this might work. Uh, here's we're gonna
We're gonna emphasize using this play because of the skill
set that you have. Chip Myers or Bob Trumpy or

(26:52):
Isaac Curtis, whether it be straight line speed, whether it
be big body with long arms, can test the catchability.
I mean, he would He would get into all of it.
And I enjoyed conversations with PB. I would have even
when I was a player. I remember having conversations were
walking off the field, walking toward the locker room up

(27:13):
at Wilmington after a practice before going up to the
dining hall, and he would he would tell stories about
the old days up in Cleveland, Cleveland Brown, stories that
fascinated me. Man I was like wired. I was enthralled
with what he was talking about, because those guys are
my heroes, you know, looking back and watching tape and

(27:33):
trying to understand what it was like for them, what
they must have been going through back then. And and
he would talk about other things. He talked about counter
event things, uh. And he had an unbelieved perspective on
all of it, and he had a reasoned perspective on
all of it. I mean, he had thought through everything through.
And that's the thing that I think I remember most
about him is his raw intelligence, not only football IQ

(27:58):
but overall. IQ. Very very well read, extremely high vocabulary,
and a great delivery of his message. He was a
good pontificator, He was a good author. He got up
there with a very good presence about himself and the
way he delivered his message was outstanding, and because of

(28:20):
that delivery, it made you remember his message that much
more clearly.

Speaker 1 (28:27):
In nineteen seventy five, your second season, the team went
eleven and three, which is still the best winning percentage
in team history. He lost a three point playoff game
to Oakland, and then shortly after the season, Paul Brown
announced his retirement at the age of sixty seven. If
he stuck around for a few more years, would history
have been vastly different.

Speaker 3 (28:49):
I really do believe we would have won a Super Bowl.
I really do believe that we were that close, that
close with that football team. And man, when you look
at it, you look at that roster from top to bottom.
The roster that he put together was unbelievable, and it
was tougher to do back then. You didn't have unrestricted

(29:11):
free agency, and you know, I mean when you got
drafted by a team, you were basically with that team
unless you were traded or cut. So, you know, the
level of performance from every player in every position group
on that team in nineteen seventy five was really, really good.

(29:31):
And I think even at the training camp as we
were getting ready for the season, we all knew as players,
you know, Bob Trumpy, Bob Johnson, guys that have been
around a while. You know, they would observe practices and
observe their teammates and they'd be like, believe me, from
what we've seen in the past, this team is legit.

(29:53):
This team could be really good. And they talk about it,
and they talk about it openly, and I'm a rookie
and just yeah, man, I'm with you, guys, Man, this
is great. This is the best best football team I've
ever been a part of. Man uh. And and all
everybody was was a very high level producer. And Paul
Brown put it all together, and I think I think

(30:15):
he really felt like that was his Super Bowl opportunity
right there with that football team, and when it didn't happen,
I don't think that. I think he made his decision before,
you know, the end of the season, that he was
going to retire, but I think he hoped that he
would retire winning a Super Bowl. And you know, in hindsight,

(30:38):
looking back on it, if we could change history, certainly
would like that to have been the case, because that
football team was made of the right stuff. That football
team could have done it just didn't, you know, as
you said, lost to the Raiders by by three points.
Didn't play our best game at the at the most
critical time. That's what you want to do, particularly when

(30:58):
you get in the playoffs, player best football at the
most opportune time. And when you don't, you know, you
always look back on it and and the what ifs
start to crawl into your head, crawl into your mind,
that's for sure. But there's there's no question that that
Paul Brown retired after putting together the best football team

(31:19):
he ever did in Cincinnati. I mean that football team
was really good. I mean it was it was outstanding
and all levels offensively, defensively, and special teams. And he
had great personnel in the player area. Coaches were phenomenal.
I mean that's another thing. A lot of coaches in
the National Football League, high level coaches wanted to be

(31:40):
associated and affiliated with Paul Brown. They wanted to be
part of what he was doing, so he would really
when Paul Brown reached out, you listened, man, You answered
the phone. You know, you listened to what he had
to say. And if you were actually recruited and solicited
by him, and that was an honor, man, and it's
like nobody turned them down. Nobody has. I don't think so, Paul,

(32:01):
I think I'll I think I'll stay where I am.
Everybody that he ever reached out to came and coached
with him, and we had some great ones, really did.
Bill Tiger Johnson was phenomenal. It's good line coaches I
ever been around. He ended up being our head coach
for a little bit. Mike McCormick was my next line
coach and he was great as well, great player for
Paul Brown with the Cleveland Browns, Hall of Fame player

(32:23):
for Paul Brown with the Cleveland Browns. So I mean,
these are the kind of people that he brought to
the fold, you know, as as assistant coaches, and you know,
they wanted to work their way up to be coordinators
and maybe eventually head coaches, and a lot of them did.
A lot of his coaches ended up working their way

(32:44):
up to be head coaches and be successful head coaches
in the National Football League, And that says a lot
about what Paul Brown was all about.

Speaker 1 (32:52):
He hired Forrest greg in nineteen eighty Forrest famously ran
a tough ship. Was it a shock or did you
know it was come.

Speaker 3 (33:02):
I think I think we knew, we felt like we
knew what was coming, but we really didn't. When it came, boy,
it came in full force. He was he was something else.
Force greg was just an unbelievable leader of men. Uh.

(33:22):
And there was there was no no bs to force Gregg.
He'd tell you like it is and tell you like
it was, and he didn't he didn't care if you
hurt your feelings and so doing, because you know, you
might not necessarily like what he had to say, but
he'd tell you anyway. Uh. And then he was But
he was very effusive in his praise when you did

(33:43):
a good job for him. He was extremely appreciative of that.
He knew the sacrifices of a player. A player had
to make. I mean he played for Vince Lombardi. Nobody
had to make more sacrifices as a player than players
that played for Vince Lombardi. So I mean he was
He was born and raised as an NFL player into

(34:04):
that that that way, that method. Vince Lombardi had his
way of doing things, and it was always tough. He
was very tough minded. He was very tough the way
he handled and addressed his players. He was a very
disciplined father figure, a father figure of discipline to the

(34:27):
highest order, and that's what Forest Gregg grew up under
as a player and flourished blossom became a perennial pro
bowler in the Hall of Fame. He and Anthony Windows.
I'll take those two as my offensive tackles and go
play anybody. Those two are the best, in my mind
ever played the game. So you know, Forrest Gregg, he

(34:49):
knew what he wanted to do, he knew how he
was going to do it, he knew why he was
going to do it because he learned all that from
one of the greatest ever coached the game of football,
Vince Lombardi. And I know Vince Lombardi and Paul Brown
had a very good relationship and they respected each other
and respected what each other was about. So I know,

(35:12):
I know Paul Brown had a healthy, healthy dose of
respect for Forrest Gregg because of what he did to
make himself as great as players ever walked on a
football field, ever walked the face of the earth, and
then made himself into an incredible football coach as well.
Forrest was again an unbelievable leader of men he just

(35:38):
he could rally people and here's our goal. Here's how
we're going to get there. Here's some intermediate goals along
the way to let us know we're heading in the
right direction. If we achieved this one, you know, we're
climbing the ladder of success and we're hitting it one
rung at a time, and we're going to get there.
We're going to get there. We're going to get to
the top. And Paul Brown had the same type of mentality.

(36:02):
The latter's success was a was a Paul brownism. That
forest you took and ran with and we almost got there.
We climbed a lot of rungs in that ladder in
nineteen seventy five, eleven, and three, but did not win
the big one, and we felt like we we were
very disappointed because we felt like we could have. We

(36:22):
felt were good enough to.

Speaker 1 (36:24):
You did get to the Super Bowl in nineteen eighty one.
You got there by beating the Chargers in the Freezer Bowl,
and you famously convinced your fellow offensive lineman to go
sleeveless in that game despite the minus fifty nine win.
Chill all kitting aside. Do you believe that that gave
the Bengals a psychological advantage. When you guys walked out
there in short sleeves.

Speaker 3 (36:46):
I really do, I really think that they I know
they took notice. So when you get it, when you
get somebody, you know, a team to actually, you know,
look at that, you know, these what the heck are
these guys thinking? Are they crazy? I mean, it's this
is this isn't just cold. This is a cruel and

(37:07):
unusual punishment cold. And it was I mean it was ridiculous.
And the Saturday before the Ohio River froze that Saturday
all the way across people were walking across the Hio River.
It's like, what this is? This is historic, this will
never happen again.

Speaker 4 (37:24):
Uh.

Speaker 3 (37:25):
And it was cold. It was like, you know, single
digits low low, single digits raw temperature, and then the
wind chill added in that. You know, the the adjusted
temperature was minus minus degrees that day. That was tough
to practice in. But I'm like, I'm gonna go out
there and practice in very little attire. You know, I'm

(37:47):
gonna wear shorts, t shirt and try to get try
to get adapt and get used to used to that
kind of weather condition. And I thought you know, I thought, Yeah,
I'm from I'm from the East. I'm from New England.
I mean, god, I've velved the cold, but the Syracuse, man,
it gets cold up there, dude, not like this. This
was This was more than cold. I don't know what

(38:08):
the heck it would be called, but yeah, it was.
It was. It was dangerous, honestly. I mean they're they're
actually uh, you know, putting out statements and uh television radio.
We're talking about you know, if you don't have to
be outside, don't go outside. If you go outside, make
sure you layer up, make sure you wear all kinds
of because this is this is a type of condition,

(38:29):
uh temperature wise, that that is life threatening, you know.
And so we go out there in short with no
sleeves uh to play the game, and the Chargers looked
at us like what the hell. And then of course
the officials, uh, they came into the locker room before
the game and said, you know, anybody that wants to
put vastly in or whatever on your face, exposed skin
in your ears, that's that's fine, no problem. I'm like, well, hey,

(38:53):
you know, expose skin. We got exposed skin, sleeves, no sleeves,
our arms are exposed. I'm gona, I'm gonna layer up.
So put that vacoline on and uh it did help
against the window, I mean the wind and the cold
a little bit. It did. It made it less penetrating,
I guess. And then of course the other the big

(39:13):
benefit was when guys would grab it and you know,
you slide off, slip off. Well that only lasted for
a while because it was so cold that the vasoline coagulated,
you know, I mean you couldn't manipulate it. It was like, man,
it was like trying to move like a I don't know,
a heavy greasy substance, you know, instead of vacline. It

(39:35):
was crazy. So you know, I guess there was enough
liquid in that vacline to to change a change structure,
you know, and not be appliable more liquid form. It was.
It was nasty stuff, but it worked, you know, I
mean I think I think it. Uh not only worked

(39:58):
in terms of feeling like we were going to have
a little bit of an edge, uh that would bother
the San Diego Chargers from a physical standpoint, but the
mindset that you talk about, Dan, that when when we
came out on the football field, they looked at us like,
these guys are in lell What the hell is wrong
with these guys? What are these stupid offensive linemen doing?

(40:20):
Did they forget they're finished getting dressed? I mean, what
are they doing? Uh? And it was we had had
a buddy, Donny Mask, was the center for the Chargers
and went to Boston College and we talked many times
about it, and soon after the season was over, I
caught up with Donny Mask and he's like, yeah, we thought,

(40:40):
what are you guys crazy? I mean, we're thinking as
an offensive line ourselves, like, you know, you don't what
I mean. I admire what they're doing. It makes a
lot of sense, but are they crazy? What the hell
are they thinking? And he said that that became the
chatter amongst the offensive lineman, amongst the defensive lineman, even
between offense and defensive line. So you know, another another

(41:04):
I guess issue or scenario is it kind of took
their mind off the game a little bit, you know,
I mean the actual assignments. You're pre game, you're going
through things and make sure you get everything down in
terms of what you're gonna do, how you're gonna do it,
and all that, and instead of maybe going through that process,
they're like, look at these crazy fools. Check this out.

(41:25):
You know. The topic of conversation wasn't necessarily what we're
going to do in the game from an assignment standpoint,
and how we're going to attack and this and that.
It became look at these idiots over here coming out
with nothing on their arms. These guys are fools. So yeah,
I do think that that going sleeveless had an impact

(41:49):
physically and most importantly psychologically. Football psychology had a big impact.
I think in the football psychology of that game, is.

Speaker 1 (41:59):
There a buyers bond among everybody that played in that
game on both sides?

Speaker 3 (42:05):
I think that's a that's a great way to put it,
a survivor's bond mentality. Yeah, I think so. I mean, obviously,
I know I've done it. I've talked to you know,
my family and friends and generations of it as telling them, oh, yeah,
the freezable because then people ask you obviously, it's like

(42:26):
once they find out you played in the freezer ball,
it's like there's a million questions what was it? Like,
what was this? What was that? And most of it
is about handling that weather, you know, rather than the game,
and that's kind of that's kind of interesting because the
game was spectacular. It was a great game. I mean
it was probably I think I think everybody took pride

(42:48):
in the fact that I talked about this with Donnie
mask as well. Everybody takes pride in the fact that
as tough as those conditions were, the game was played
at a pretty efficient level. You know, there was there
was pretty good execution and in a lot of areas,
a lot of ways. And that that that ball was
it was a grease pig ban. That thing was slick,

(43:10):
I mean it, and that in that cold, when it's
that kind of cold, everything becomes slick. You know, everything's
hard to grab and and no exception of that football man,
that that pig skin man, it uh, it was like
there was an oil poured all over it was. That's
that's slippery. And I think the leather maybe had a

(43:32):
little something that would I don't even know how that
would happen in that freezing temperature, but the leather would
you know, have have a little little something on it
to keep it pliable and you know, be able to
be used in all kinds of weather conditions. And I
mean that that thing. The biggest thing although, because I'm

(43:52):
not sure that in those temperatures that that little coating
on the on the leather of football is as big
a deal as it was just as a rock. I mean,
everything was like it was fifty nine below. It's it's
not just it's not just yeah, it's a little icy, No,
I mean it's like Antarctica. It's like frozen. You are

(44:13):
on an iceberg. Everything around you, everything you touch, everything
you feel, is freezing cold. It was, it was, there
was no relief. We'd go to the sideline and put
these parkers on. You know, for whatever reason, these things
did never need lining or anything. It's just plastic throwing
a plastic parker, and it's like, what's that for. It

(44:34):
was just almost like habit, you know, mentally you go
to the sideline and when the weather was the weather
conditions were different, you'd throw that thing on. I did
that after one series and didn't do it again because
it made no impact whatsoever. So it was a it
was a day, a day to remember. I've never been

(44:55):
as cold as that in my life. Uh, And I've
never been colder than that in my life. Well, that
that day was unique in uh, in just about every
player's life, you know, everybody that participated in that game,
whether it was a player, coach, organizational number, and fans.

(45:17):
Dan the way the fans braved that cold and showed up,
and some of them weren't weren't dressed quite well enough
for those weather conditions, and actually lost a couple of
them during the course of that football game. So the
fans I think were a big part of that history
of the freeze ball as well, for them to show

(45:39):
up loud and proud and uh and adapt as best
they could to what was going on, because that was
miserable at least as players. When you went out in
the field and started to run around a little bit,
you know, you not not not warm up, but you
actually feel better. You know, you weren't quite as as
locked up brutally called. The fans stat there on concrete

(46:03):
and sat you know, in the stands, and they put
paper bags or whatever at their feet to try to,
you know, give themselves a little insulation. But I mean
a ton of fans brave that weather man. And as
the game wore on and uh, it started to look
like you might end up winning the football and more
and more fans came more and more fans. More fans

(46:26):
came to that stadium after halftime than I can remember ever.
So hats off to all those loyal fans that that
brave that weather, because man, you guys were brave. We
had we had, you know, at least we were out
there running around trying to increase our body temperatures a
little bit. These fans just to sit there for that

(46:49):
period of time and and uh deal with that windshield.
They were feeling every degree of that windshield because they
couldn't move around and get warm.

Speaker 1 (46:58):
That wind got you to Super Bowl sixteen. You have
described it as the best and worst day of your
professional life. Do you still feel that way?

Speaker 3 (47:07):
Absolutely? Yeah, it will always be the best day of
my life because reached the pinnacle of the profession that
you're in, you know, and you always want to try
to be able to say, yeah that this particular year
we achieved to the highest level. And I think the

(47:30):
Super Bowl sixteen team feels that way, you know, other
than obviously did not win the Big One and that
will always haunt us forever. But to have the regular season,
we had to win playoff games to win the AFC
Championship of course the Freezer boll and we just were
talking about and to get to that game. It was

(47:51):
a remarkable run and best team I ever played on
because it not only a great personnel, incredible coaching, organizationally
supportive of everything. Everybody believed in each other, believed in
what the coaches were talking about, believed in the game
plans that they put together, and then because that belief

(48:14):
went out and executed at a very high level and
won a lot of football games. I do think that
that that that football team made the fewest mistakes of
any team I've ever been on, not just turnovers, but
mental errors. I mean, there were guys were grading extremely high.
You get two grades. You get a grade for your

(48:35):
overall performance and then in the left hand coin and
then up a right hand it's like, how'd you do mentally?
How many mistakes did you make? And man, guys were
grading very very high, a lot of times under in
terms of you know, assignment lack of assignment era and
that'll that will help you win football games if you

(48:57):
a lot of times the team that makes the fewest
mistakes wins the game. And a lot of times that's
we're talking about turnovers and that's the big mistake. Obviously,
you don't want to give extra possessions away. But you
don't want to be the team that's making mistakes at
the line of scrimmage as well. You don't. You don't
want that. You don't want to. You know, your quarterback coming.
Come on, guys, come on, man, you can't. We can't

(49:18):
have that. You're gonna do this, You're gonna you're gonna
get this right. You know, do what you're supposed to do.
If everybody does what they're supposed to do, we're gonna
be fine. But shoot, you know, we're helping them. You know,
it's like to to to try to beat a good
defensive football team. To beat eleven players is tough enough.
You don't want to throw yourself into the equation and

(49:40):
be the twelfth player that's a given, given the quarterback
and everybody else all kinds of hell because you're making
too many mistakes. I mean, you do, you don't. You
don't want to beat yourself. That's the one thing you
never want to be part of. You never want to
beat yourself. And unfortunately, in Super Bowl sixteen, we felt
like we beat ourselves as great as the forty nine

(50:03):
Ers were and they were great. They're a great team,
but we did not play our best game. We feel
like we helped them, We helped them win Super Bowl sixteen.
We beat ourselves and shame on us for doing it,
because you know, we obviously knew better that the credit
the forty nine ers. They went out and they played
mistake free football, turnovers and menial mistakes and they didn't

(50:26):
have any of it. We did, and as a result,
we self destructed and lost the game. That it's once
in a lifetime opportunity. I mean, you don't really get
a chance very often to be a Super Bowl champion,
be the best in the National Football League, better than
anybody in the NFL. That doesn't happen very often, and
we blew it.

Speaker 1 (50:45):
You finished playing for the Bengals in nineteen eighty three
and immediately joined the New Jersey Generals of the USFL.
Current players don't want to play an eighteen game schedule.
You played more than thirty professional football games less than
a calendar year. How did you survive?

Speaker 3 (51:03):
Yeah, that was that was a tough one, Dan, That
was a that was a physical grind because you know,
played that the Bengals the full season NFL season, every
snap of it. And you know, I beating up. It's
an NFL season. You'd like to have an entire offseason
to rebound and recovering. And I was over thirty years old. Uh,

(51:24):
so you know that that's a factor as well.

Speaker 4 (51:28):
Uh.

Speaker 3 (51:28):
And then two weeks off, go to training camp for
the New Jersey Generals and Walt Michaels was our head coach.
And he played for Paul Brown with the Cleveland Browns.
So Walt Michaels was a you know, a grizzwold veteran linebacker,
tough dude, and he he believed in the physicality of football.
And it was a sport, tough sport played by tougher men.

(51:48):
And I mean you you didn't miss practices, you you
didn't miss anything a training camp and we had two
practices a day in training camp with full pads. It
was a grind. Training camp was a brutal grind. Yeah,
I honestly, I do remember how poorly I felt, you know,

(52:09):
as the season got about to midpoint of the season,
how poorly I felt physically. You know, I drive home,
get out of the cars like an erector set, getting
out in sections and going into the house, laying down
on the couch before dinner, and to get up to
eat dinners like oh boy, and then go to bed
and wake up the next morning. It's like, man, I am,

(52:30):
I am locked up, And take me a while to
stretch and get loose just to even get in the
car and go do it again. So I know, I know,
I beat myself up big time physically that season. And
you know, I just wonder as I as I hit,
like you know, now I'm seventy three, as I approached
mid seventies, I wonder, I wonder how badly I'm going

(52:51):
to pay. I wonder how bad my body is going
to feel. Because I do know that that first season,
in the two seasons I played there, that back to
back season of a grueling NFL schedule two weeks off
get right into the grind of the USFL season, that
that that back to back UH season was was definitely torturous.

(53:16):
I mean it was. It was as tough a physical
thing as I've ever thought about trying to undertake and
then not under normally undertook it, but had to do
it and finish it and survive it. So and it literally,
Dan it was survival I mean it's in some cases
it was. It was definitely survival because there's good players, man,

(53:38):
good players in the USFL, and a lot of them
played in the NFL. A lot of guys. When the
USFL folded, a lot of players from the USFL went
to the NFL. And uh, you know that that that
doesn't that doesn't happen unless you're a high caliber player
and and uh, honestly, the NFL if you if you weren't,
you had to you had to be cut above maybe

(54:01):
in a little bit more to beat out an NFL
player because the NFL USFL it was. It was a
very confrontational thing. And I know, I know USFL players
that went to NFL camps after the USFL folds, and
I know I heard stories about what they went through,
you know, being accepted and everything by NFL players and teammates.

(54:23):
So you had to be a damn good player, uh
to break that, you know, break that barrier and be
able to you know, not only play with that football team,
but make contributions, be a significant player, don't hurt the
football team, and then be accepted by the other NFL players.

(54:44):
That was a big deal to a lot of the
USFL guys getting accepted by the NFL players after the
USFL folded. So it was interesting. You know, Donald Trump, obviously,
it was an interesting character, interesting figure. He owned in
New Jersey Generals at that point in time, and I
ended up negotiating a contract with him at the top
floor of the Trump Tower. It had just been completed,

(55:05):
brand new, brand spanking new. It was. It was a
marvelous edifice, no doubt about that. And right up to
the top floor of the Trump Tower and the elevators
and get out and a panoramic view of Manhattan in
the harbor and the water, and it's just sitting there

(55:25):
negotiating a contract with him was kind of surreal. And
his desk was elevated, and the desk of the chair
I was sitting in was you were down two or
three steps, and behind him was a full portrait of himself,
of Donald Trump, And so I'm kind of looking up
from a hole Donald and there's Donald, and then there's

(55:46):
Donald behind Donald, you know, a picture of Donald. So
it was very interesting. But we ended up getting a
contract done and he guaranteed bonus money obviously, but he
guaranteed the first two years of the contract so I
got bonus money and then two seasons of salary fully
guaranteed whether I was hurt, a lack of performance, whatever

(56:08):
the case may be. And that was an interesting, interesting negotiation.
And when he find when he decided the final the
the point that he decided to say, I'll guarantee those
final two years of year contract and like, you're going
to guarantee the salary against you if I get hurt

(56:31):
or whatever. Yep, when he did that, it was like
I'm in. He goes done, So next thing I know,
it's not out of a contract. New Jersey General.

Speaker 1 (56:41):
One of your most unique accomplishments was playing all five
offensive line positions in the same game, which you did twice.
Your idea or a coach's idea.

Speaker 3 (56:52):
It was coach's idea. But I had to I had
to show them that I was capable of doing it.
So I guess, I guess it was my desire to
show them that I could. So obviously I had an
intent of, you know, I want to prove to you
that I could play anywhere. And you know, once once

(57:13):
that happened, once I showed that I could hang in
there at any one of the positions, and you know,
keep my head above water and at least be you know,
not get taken advantage of, and then in some cases
maybe even get an edge. And the more I did at,
the more edge I was able to generate you know,
a longer period of time. Repetition breeds comfort level and

(57:36):
all that, and so yeah, Jim was like, you know, hey,
let's see you can do this. We see you can
do that. Jim McNally was was a proponent of it,
and then it got to the point where he's like,
you know what, why don't we just roll you up
and down the line of scrimmage, play all five spots
started at tackle, right tackle, and go up and down
the line of scrimmage. I'm like, you want me to
even go play where number seventy eighths played left tackle? Yeah,

(57:59):
you know, be a rotation. Everybody's out for a series,
and back we come and say once you right the left.
You know that if you go all the way back,
that's ten series. Very rarely. If we have a ten series,
you know, game, that'd be that'd be interesting. So you know,
you'll probably go up and back. You'll at least go
up once. You'll play every every position for probably a series.

(58:22):
There's no way we're going to have less than five
series in a football game. So you know, get ready,
you're going to be up and down the line of
scrimmage doing it all. And I was always a student
of the game in terms of wanting to know exactly
what everybody was doing. You know, when I was playing
the guard position, if I pulled, I wanted to know
it's the center reaching, there's a guard block and tackle

(58:44):
blocking down is the full back filling you know, as
I pull out to attack people on the perimeter, and
you know what kind of adjustments are made if they
adjust their defense. You know who does what. So I
was always a I was always highly interested in the
x's and o's of the game of football and understanding

(59:04):
them and understanding schemes, understanding understanding why you implement those schemes,
understanding why you change those schemes if need be, and
what you might change them to, and why you're changing
to what you're changing them to. You know, all those
kind of things were things that always interested me. You know,

(59:26):
even when I was a high school player, I was
interested in that kind of thing, and the coaches would
be like, okay, well yeah, well we'll talk to you
about that. We never really had anybody ask us those
kind of things about all the positions and on the
football field, so it always was like part of my preparation.

(59:46):
I guess for the season, and on a week to
week basis for games, let's know exactly what was going on,
what I was doing, why I was doing it, how
I was supposed to do it, and what I was
supposed to do if things changed in front of me.
And I wanted to make damn sure that I knew
everything and and if I if I screwed up, I

(01:00:09):
was so pissed at myself if it happened, I would
be I would never forgive myself because you know, I
let the team down. So I wanted to make sure
that that didn't occur. And I was very fortunate and
you know, preventing that from happening, because I would not
have wanted to be part of the reason that we
lost the football game because I did the wrong thing
and my unblocked guy sacked the quarterback, caused the fulm

(01:00:32):
when they recovered and they score a touchdown late to
beat us, or whatever the case may be. Didn't want
to ever be part of that Unfortunately I wasn't. I
was never part of that kind of a situation. So
you know, I feel like I feel like I was Physically,
I could I could hang, I could play, you know,
I was. God blessed me with a big, strong body
and you know, athletic enough to play and all that.

(01:00:54):
But my what I what I wanted to be the
differentiator was he he he's in play. There are a
lot of guys like him physically that can play. Okay,
now what about the mind? Is he going to make mistakes? No, Hey,
this guy, this guy never makes a mistake. He's never
going to hurt us that way. I'll play him that

(01:01:16):
That can be a tiebreaker when you're trying to beat
the guy out in a position. You know, it's like, yeah,
they're both fairly equal in terms of what they can
give us on the football field physically, skill sets similar
and all that. But man, this dude never makes a mistake.
This guy a little dicey. Man, you know, you're rolling
the dice a little bit. You're you're you know, you know,

(01:01:38):
you hope it doesn't happen at a critical time in
the football game where the guy screws up and you
don't want to coaches don't want to be out there.
Oh man, I just hope and pray that this snap's huge.
I hope he doesn't screw up. I hope this guy
does not screw this up for us. You can't. They
won't play it in those situations. They're going to play
guys that know what they're doing, know how to do it,

(01:01:58):
know why they're doing it, and uh and and can
make adjustments if necessary.

Speaker 1 (01:02:04):
When you walk into the locker room now in your seventies,
do you feel an immediate bond with the offensive lineman?

Speaker 3 (01:02:12):
I do, Dan definitely, Yeah. I mean because I mean
I know exactly what they're going through. I know what
they're thinking. I know I know their mindset, I know
their mentality. Uh and you know, it's a It's a
very interesting position to play because you you are so

(01:02:34):
co dependent on the guy next to him. I mean
you are in football in general, I mean the quarterback,
if his offensive line is poors and having a bad day,
he's going to suffer. If his offensive line is playing well,
he's gonna have a chance to have a hell of
a game. And the guy they got at the quarterback
is there, Joe Burrow, you got a hell of a
chance every game to have a hell of a game.

(01:02:55):
So the offensive line is it's a The bonds that
are formed by offensive linemen are unbreakable. I mean, they're
they're they are so damn strong, and you're playing, you're
playing right next to each other, you're communicating verbally, making
calls so that you are on the same page, and

(01:03:18):
you have to go out and execute the techniques and
fundamentals in the same fashion, uh that everybody's coached to
do it. So there's there's definitely, you know, a bond
that's unique in sports. I think I think it's unique
in all sports because now you get you get a
situation where you're never going to touch the football. You

(01:03:40):
know you have to you know, basically be totally aware
of the fact that if you if you're looking to
build to UH, if you're playing the game for individual stats,
offensive lines are the wrong position. You shouldn't be playing
that spot because you're all you're doing is offensive linemen.
In my opinion, definition of an offensive lineman is put

(01:04:02):
forth the best effort you possibly can for the betterment
of your team and teammates. If you play to your
highest level, you're not going to have stats of people
to look at and say, oh my gosh, you know
other than your blocking grade, which is key. I mean
that's what you're basically evaluated on, what your blocking percentages
are and how well you effectively neutralize the opponent. But

(01:04:26):
you're not going to have catches, rushing, yards, yards, receiving,
all that sort of thing. So you're playing the game
to do as a good job as you can to
allow those skill players to excel. I mean, you come
out of a football game if you rush for two
hundred yards as a team and you arete hundred yard

(01:04:48):
rusher and you threw the ball for thre hundred yards
or one hundred yard receiver as an offensive line, say,
I feel good about that game. Hell of a game
because look at what the guys did. You know, our
job is to make those guys look good. Let those
guys show their skills, show their talents, show their abilities,
take advantage of the opponent. You know, we know we've

(01:05:11):
got good players. We know that our guy can beat
their guy if we give them the opportunity to do so.
And when you come out of a game with those
kind of numbers, you know you did your job. You know,
you gave your skilled people the opportunity to go out
and perform at the highest level they possibly could, and
you know that's not an easy thing in the NFL.

(01:05:32):
And then lineman, you know, you work together. It's like
the tandem, the bonds that are formed with the I mean,
I'm still very close to tackles I played next to
in center that I played next to. And it's almost
impossible because you go through so much. You go through
so much man, so many challenges, so much going on,

(01:05:55):
and you find out about guys, You find out what
make guys tick, You find out what a competitor the
guy is, and you know you have you have a
tremendous amount of respect that you'll have your whole life
for a guy that's going to go out and lay
it on the line for his teammates no matter what.
A guy that might be nicked up a little bit
but still plays, you know, plays through injury. And there's

(01:06:16):
so many things to go into, you know, an offensive
line and good offensive line play, and I just I
feel like this group, Dian, like you said, you walk
into this locker room, I feel that that this group
is the epitome a great example of what a true
offensive line is all about. You know, I think I
think these guys feel the way we're talking about offensive lineman.

(01:06:39):
I think they feel that way about each other. And
I think that's only going to continue to grow. And
I know Joe Burrow takes the world of his offensive
line and does everything possible to take care of his
offensive lineman. He'll get them pretty nice, pretty nice gifts man,
as you know, as a thank you for a job

(01:07:00):
well done and keeping him upright and allowing him to
perform with the level he performs at. But I do
think that this offensive line is a very a very
uniquely talented group, highly intelligent group from a football IQ standpoint,
And uh, they and they all they just don't want
to let each other down. That's the big thing. They

(01:07:23):
never want to be the reason that, you know, the
football team lost the football game or the offensive line
did not play well as a unit. Five components of
the offensive line, two guards to tackles in the center,
all five playing at a high level, very strong, powerful fist.
If one or two aren't getting it done, no no

(01:07:47):
strength to that fist. And that's that's what the offensive
line is all about. The offensive lineman know that every
individual you do your job, then the then the the
entire offensive line is going to thrive, and you don't
want to be the reason that that entire offensive line
is not thriving.

Speaker 1 (01:08:07):
How did your broadcasting career begin and how does it
compare to playing?

Speaker 3 (01:08:13):
That's an excellent question, Dan, I mean it began, you know,
when I was done playing. I knew I wanted to
try to do something to stay with the game, and
Paul Brown talked with Paul Brown about it, and he
talked about coaching possibly and he threw some scenarios out there,
and I just wasn't I just didn't think that I

(01:08:35):
wanted to give the time up to do it right.
I felt like the commitment was extraordinary, and young family,
young wife, young kids, wanted to spend more time with them.
Didn't want to, you know, try to try to do
something half assed as such, particularly at the highest level
in the National Football League, You're not going to survive

(01:08:57):
very long doing that. I have the utmost respect for coaches.
The amount of time that they give to the game
is incredible. It's it's almost incomprehensible. And they're given so
many hours to the game of football, and you know,
there's only so many hours in the day. You can't
be two places at once, and so all those things

(01:09:19):
were going through my mind with a young family, and
then I thought maybe broadcasting would be a way I
could stay tied into the the game of football and
tied into the team, and specifically with the Cincinnati Bengals,
and Paul Brown was you know, thought, damn we could
I think be able to work something out there, And
next thing I know, I'm sitting down with Mike Brown

(01:09:40):
and working working out a contract to do as an
independent contractor, not a member of the organization, but as
an independent contractor to do color on the Bengals radio network.
And it was a clear channel at the time, seven
hundred WLW. And so it's UH had an opportunit need

(01:10:00):
to do do games with every play by play guy
UH that the Bengals have had in their history and
the radio network. And I can honestly say that the
man that I'm looking at right now and doing the
podcast with is the best he is, the man Dan
Horde is as good as the game has to offer
in terms of recognizing what's going on and saying it,

(01:10:22):
describing it to a t I mean to perfection and
never any hesitation. That's the thing, you know. Never It's
incredible to listen to listen to you do a do
a game. It's inspiring actually and and really it's uh,
you know your preparation, I know a second and none.
You're gonna be ready for everything and anything that happens

(01:10:44):
on a football field. Not so I'm going to make
sure that I'm in that arena as well. And that
that was something that that Paul Brown uh said to
me when I've decided I was going to give it
a go, he said, look, uh, you were. I've always
admired the preparation that you have as a as a
young as a young player, and all through your career
you made sure that you knew what was going on,

(01:11:05):
you knew what you were doing. You weren't going to
hurt your team. Do the same thing. And in this
other life after football, you know that you want to
stay in the game of football, but it's life after
football from a broadcasting standpoint, make sure that you're prepared,
make sure you do your homework, make sure you're you're
not surprised by things that teams do out in the

(01:11:26):
football field, because you know you you're you're ready for it,
you studied it, you're you're you're ready to adapt. So
that that made a big impression on me as well.
And I would I would say that it was probably
a combined you know, desire. I wanted to do something
to stay in the game of football, and broadcasting ended

(01:11:47):
up being the thing that fit me best at that
particular time. And the Bengals were all for it in
terms of their support and feeling like be able to
get the job done and do a good job for
the ranization. And so, you know, a bunch of years later,
here as we come up on the fiftieth fortieth, come
up in the broadcast booth, still going, still going strong

(01:12:09):
with my man Dan Horde, and I'm hopefully doing it
for a few more years, because there's nothing better than
doing football games with Dan Horde, because, like I said,
you are a pros pro man. You are always prepared
for everything and anything, and your ability to adjust to
anything is remarkable, and I think I think you're as
good as it gets.

Speaker 1 (01:12:30):
I'm blushing on this zoom call. I really appreciate the
kind words, and hopefully you're doing it for more than
just a few more years. Hopefully We've got several Super
Bowls to look forward to together.

Speaker 3 (01:12:41):
That'd be great.

Speaker 1 (01:12:43):
All right, final question for my friend Dave Lapham. As
you know, I end my fun Facts interviews with the
same question every time. I've never posed it to you,
so here goes. If you could meet anybody in history,
living or deceased, would that person be.

Speaker 3 (01:13:02):
I would have to say, I'm not an overly religious person,
but I do believe, you know, and I and I
try to live my life the right way and and
make decisions that are positive and impact not just myself
but other people as as as well as can possibly occur.
I'd have to say Jesus Christ. I would love to

(01:13:24):
have met Jesus Christ. I would love to have been
able to to see firsthand. Would be a long time ago,
but you know, see in an experience and just be
around him going through everything he had to go through,
you know, really being on the inside and finding out

(01:13:46):
what he's thinking, what his mindset was. Obviously he's he
is perfection and UH. And if I could have somehow
worked it out in his three to have been able
to to uh, to be there for the entire not
you know, it's entire life. And I mean, to leave

(01:14:10):
so young and to be crucified, and to go the
way that he went. It's just I just I just
would have loved to have been in his head as
such and understood and uh and followed everything that he
was thinking and firsthand, instead of you know, written in
the Bible or you know, some kind of dossier or
whatever the case may be, be able to talk to

(01:14:32):
him exactly why why are you doing this? Why have
you decided that this is the approach you have to take? Why?
How how difficult has it been to be one of one?
You're all by yourself and everybody else is against you?
I mean, what how do you live your life that way?
There'd be so many questions that I would love to
have asked Jesus Christ. And I mean, as interviewers, we

(01:14:54):
know what that you always know when you're done with
an interview. God man, that was just a great subject
to talk to, interview that guy. That dude is that
dude's special? Well, who's more special than Jesus Christ? As
an interviewer, would be are you kidding me? I get
a chance to sit down and talk to Jesus Christ
about his life and all the things that he went

(01:15:16):
through and all the suffering that he had to endure
and what he did for all of us and the
ultimate sacrifice, and you know, given his life for the
betterment of humanity. I mean, how good would that have
been to have been able to sit down and talk
to Jesus Christ's firsthand about all the trials and tribulations

(01:15:37):
that he had to deal with. I mean, what an
extraordinary life. And to be able to have been their
first hand I think would have been a unique experience.

Speaker 1 (01:15:47):
You have also had an extraordinary life. Congratulations on this honor.
It is richly deserved. The fans got it right. I'll
try not to get choked up here, because you know,
I'm a crier. One of the great joys of my
life and blessings of my life is to be your
broadcast partner and your friend. Thanks so much for your time.

(01:16:08):
Look forward to the public reacting to this news. This
this podcast will come out at the same time as
the announcement, and I know Bengals fans are going to
be overjoyed.

Speaker 3 (01:16:18):
Well, Dan, I certainly do appreciate those kind words. And uh,
you know, I get emotional thinking about about a lot
of a lot of it. Emotional about you know, the
people that have contributed to my success as such. And
you know, I look at you as as as as

(01:16:39):
a big, big person in that regard, and and I
can get emotional thinking about you as a friend as well,
because you, Dan Horne, is as pure a heart as
there is. I mean, you have a heart of gold,
my man. You you are, you are, you know, just unique.
You're one of one and have enjoy a friendship and

(01:17:01):
enjoy and and be able to be in a broadcast
booth if you on a on a weekly basis. I mean,
I tell you, people are like, Okay, National Football League.
That's that's the goal. That's the goal everybody that starts
to get involved in the game, have a chance to
play for ten years and then have another chance to

(01:17:21):
broadcast for forty and to be doing it down the
stretch and have my fortieth year to be in the
booth with a guy like you who basically is what
a broadcaster should be in every sense of the word.
I couldn't. I couldn't. I couldn't think of anything more appealing.

(01:17:43):
It's it's it's mind boggling to me that I'm in
the in the position that I'm in, and I do
appreciate the Bengals and the Brown family for giving me
this opportunity, and I uh, I think, thank the Good
Lord that it's with you, Dan Horde, that I'm going
to doing my fortieth year with the Cincinnati Bengals in

(01:18:03):
the broadcast booth and me total in fifty years and
ring of honor because they have fifty years and all
the things associated with it. It's just, I mean, it's beyond.
It's beyond what I can comprehend. I'll tell you it
really is. Little did I know as I was thinking
about trying to what would you like to do with
your life? Way back when I knew I wanted to

(01:18:26):
play sports, I knew it was going to be football.
I mean played other sports, but I knew my sport
was going to be football, and I knew it was
going to be alignment in football. But to be able
to play at the highest level and with the people
that I played with, unbelievable people, you know, not just
great football players, but unbelievable human beings, and then to

(01:18:46):
go into the broadcast booth and do it for as
long as I've been able and fortunate enough to do it,
and to be with you, I mean because everybody there
were I did. I have enjoyed football with a lot
of unbelievable people, but none better than you, Dan Horn.
One of one, no question about it. They broke the mold.
You are the best. You are an extremely gifted broadcaster,

(01:19:12):
and if it's possible, the Good Lord said, I'm going
to make Dan Horde an even better human being.

Speaker 1 (01:19:19):
This podcast is not about me. It's getting embarrassed. I
love you, Pal, Thank you so much. Congrats again, look
forward to seeing you soon.

Speaker 3 (01:19:28):
Same here, Dan, have the best day ever, have my man.

Speaker 1 (01:19:31):
There's an old saying in broadcasting that it's a long
season and a small booth. In other words, it's easy
for broadcasting partners to get on each other's nerves. Well,
that doesn't happen with Dave Lapham. I know how lucky
I am to spend every game learning from and laughing
with one of the greatest Bengals of all time. Before

(01:19:52):
we get to Lamar Parrish, here's a quick reminder that
the Bengals Booth podcast is brought to you by pay Corps,
proud to be the Bengals official software provider by Alta
Fiber future proof fiber Internet designed to elevate your home,
business and community to a new level, and by Kettering
Health the best care for the best fans. Kettering Health

(01:20:12):
is the official healthcare provider of the Bengals. Lamar Parrish
was a seventh round draft pick in the bengals third
season nineteen seventy and teamed up with Ken Riley to
form the best cornerback duo in team history. Riley holds
the franchise record with a stunning sixty five interceptions, a

(01:20:33):
number that helped him earn his place in the Pro
Football Hall of Fame. Parish wasn't far behind. He finished
his career with forty seven its. But an even more
impressive number were the thirteen touchdowns he scored. Four on
pick sixes, four on punt returns, three on fumble returns,

(01:20:55):
one on a kick return, and one after a block
field goal. Lamar thirteen non offensive touchdowns are tied for
fifth in NFL history. Here's Mike Brown. I'm Lamar Parish.

Speaker 2 (01:21:10):
Lamar deserves more people remembering him than do I don't
know why that's so. During his time here I think
was about seven years he played for us. He was
the most talented cornerback we ever had. And we've had

(01:21:30):
some great cornerbacks, but he was also the best returner
we ever had. And the one story that we stood
out in my mind about Lamar was when we played
Washington here. They had a good team and we had

(01:21:50):
something like three yards total offense. We didn't move the
ball at all. We won the game. We went it
on returns. Lamar on one punt return, went into a
group of players that looked like a ball of players
that he dove into and somehow he ran out the

(01:22:12):
back end of all this accumulated group of players and
went on without losing stride for a touchdown. It was
a very odd looking play, and when he came off
the field, my dad said, Lamar, how did it look
when he ran inside with all those players? Ah, he said, Coach,

(01:22:34):
it was dark in there.

Speaker 3 (01:22:37):
How he explained it.

Speaker 2 (01:22:38):
And my dad loved that story, and I loved it
because he loved it. But it was just a description
about Lamar, who could do exceptional things at his position.
He had exceptional, unique almost quickness. He could cover like

(01:22:59):
a blanket. The receivers didn't get open on him, and
he could play the ball we had on the other
side that Kenny was over there and we had two corners,
the equal of any team ever.

Speaker 1 (01:23:19):
Now time for my conversation with the eight time pro
bowler Leapin' Lamar Parish. Lamar, you are in multiple halls
of fame. Your uniform number was retired at your alma mater,
Lincoln University in Missouri. Describe what adding the Bengals Ring
of Honor to that list means to you.

Speaker 4 (01:23:40):
It means that I have been recognized as one of
the best. Get to have this honor as a dream
come true. You know, as a little boy, I dream
of becoming the greatest football player in the world. Even
though I'm not the greatest, that have staying among the
best with Ken Rally and Ken Anderson and Mournos and

(01:24:03):
the rest of the guys. And I'm pleased to have
been selected. I want to thank the Brown family and
the committee for selecting me. And this is one of
the greatest honors that I ever have received, and I'm grateful.
I'm thankful, Labar.

Speaker 1 (01:24:20):
Let's turn the clock back. You were a seventh round
pick coming out of Lincoln in nineteen seventy. What do
you remember about being chosen by Paul Brown and the Bengals.

Speaker 4 (01:24:31):
Hey, well, I've never hearried from the Bengals until draft time,
and I was pleased to have been drafted by Paul Brown,
one of the greatest coaches that I know, and had
to have been selected by the Bengals coming there young
and you know, the rest of the guys was young,
so that we kind of jailed together and form a

(01:24:53):
good football team there. So I have been lighted to
have been drafted by the Bengals, and I couldn't have
chose a better place.

Speaker 1 (01:25:03):
I've read some stories that say that you are running
back in college, and then other stories say that you
were a defensive back in college. What's the true story.

Speaker 4 (01:25:14):
I was a running back that I never played cornerback
ever in my life. You know what I'm saying. I
always have been a running back. However, I would go
in as a safety some time to depend against the
deep ball, but I never played corner. I trained myself
to play corner on the beaches. I was a natural athlete,

(01:25:36):
trained hard and shooting. I did the things that I
needed to do to perfect the position.

Speaker 1 (01:25:45):
So when did you find out you were going to
play corner in Cincinnati?

Speaker 4 (01:25:50):
Well, Paul Brown, I think he was looking for a corner.
I was drafted as an ass because of my size.
They didn't know where else gonna play, but Paul needed
a corner, so from day one our chosen to play
the corner.

Speaker 1 (01:26:10):
And how did you feel about it?

Speaker 4 (01:26:13):
I feel a great about it because being a running back,
I was too small and I wouldn't have taken a
lot of punishment. I'm glad that Paul Brown ben and
Jenians that he is so fit that I will become
a good corner.

Speaker 1 (01:26:30):
We are visiting the Bengals legend, Lamar Parrish. You join
your former roommate and close friend Ken Riley in the
Ring of Honor. You two were the starting cornerbacks together
for eight years and Mike Brown says you were the
equal of any cornerback tandem in NFL history. Describe your
relationship with Ken and tell me why you two made

(01:26:51):
such a great pair.

Speaker 4 (01:26:54):
Ken and I was very close a number one that
we talked about a lot of things because about family
they've been miss uh And the most important thing at
the time was a plan for the Bengals, being able
to start and share out or to share our ideas.

(01:27:16):
And I hope for the future both of us us
afraid when we first came there because we didn't know
what to expect. Kennan was a great differences bike. He
was a position corner. He technique uh sound and quick.

(01:27:37):
I was in your phase. We was two different type players,
but they both of us achieved the same goals and
and and that was to lock down outside of the field.
But Kenny and I was friends, were very slow, different
in a lot of ways, but we had a lot

(01:27:57):
of things in Colling. We we wanted to be the best.
Maybe we share the idea and we have one of
to become what we are today.

Speaker 1 (01:28:10):
Lamar, the Bengals website describes you as Dion before Dion,
not only for your play at cornerback, but also your
skills as a return specialist and the flare with which
you played. What do you think of that? Were you
Dion before Dion?

Speaker 4 (01:28:28):
Well, that's what they say, but I was Lamar young,
So I mean, you know them had his own They
can see Junster. I mean that you can't deny that.
But I did it before anybody that I know. You know,
I'm saying because it was natural for me to do.
Being the running back. I always felt big, you know,

(01:28:48):
saying me I want to school anybody and knock the
ball down, but to take it back to the house
it was something special and to be recognized to them,
it's a pleasure. But you know that I'm Lamar. I'm
not there. I don't try to be there, John said,

(01:29:09):
because I did what I had to do before I
even knew deal, So I am Lamar.

Speaker 1 (01:29:16):
It's probably more accurate to say that Dion was Lamar
after Lamar, since you came first, and you.

Speaker 4 (01:29:23):
Could say that. I agree with you. But I never
wanted to be like I never wanted to be like
any defensive bank. You know. I mean because I had
my idols and stuff at home, my big brother and
a guy named Dan Kelliwrate, my brother in law. You
know those guys were now. I never idled any defensive

(01:29:47):
bank un run the bank in the league. I mind
the way they played, but I didn't want to be
like any of those.

Speaker 3 (01:29:54):
I wanted to be Lamar Lamar.

Speaker 1 (01:29:56):
In addition to being a great player, you were known
for your style. Nineteen seventies wardrobe. Tell us about the
time you walked into the locker room and Paul Brown
was wearing your fur coat.

Speaker 4 (01:30:11):
That was the moment I see you. I'd never seen
Paul so happy because we were playing the Browns at
the time, you know, and Paul was compliment that we
was going to beat the brown because we had worked
hard at etc. But to come out of the bathroom
and see Paul with my mink coolos in my head

(01:30:33):
was hey, that was that was a sight to see
just sain He pranced around and laughed and that's the
first time I ever seen him in that type of
move you know. So, I mean that was interesting, very
interesting to me.

Speaker 1 (01:30:49):
I would pay a good I'd pay a good buck
for a photo of Paul Brown in your mint coat
and your hat.

Speaker 4 (01:30:56):
I wish I could have taken a picture of myself
because that was a great moment. And I'll tell you
what did he He was felt a specially. He was
a piece of work, but a great coach and a
great organizer, you know that another credit for drafting me.
I'm grateful.

Speaker 1 (01:31:15):
What became of the mink coat.

Speaker 4 (01:31:18):
I don't know. I got another one, and that one
grew old.

Speaker 3 (01:31:24):
Lamar.

Speaker 1 (01:31:24):
Let's talk about some of your accomplishments. In nineteen seventy four,
you set a team record that still stands by averaging
eighteen point eight yards per punt return. That is the
highest mark in NFL history during the Super Bowl era.
What made you such a lethal punt returner.

Speaker 4 (01:31:45):
Well, I was blessed with speed and quickness and speak
and I don't to be our great corner back, you
gotta have a feel for it. I mean, and I
had a fear for being a running back. I'd like
to see people miss that. I mean, so my thing
if this, if I could get you to stop this gold,

(01:32:06):
then I was gonna beat you because I was gonna
work the fear for the good. That was my greatest asset.
Now I mean to get you this though, Uh stop
or slow up a little bit so I could accelerate.
And my acceleration was something uh that got me through
you knowee. I mean because if I stopped, I could,

(01:32:26):
I could stop faster than anybody I know.

Speaker 1 (01:32:29):
Did you ever get timed in the forty.

Speaker 4 (01:32:32):
Yes, my best time was four two, but uh, Paul
Brown timed us in noon for him helman shoulder past
and stuff. I didn't know if I was gonna have
to run and shoulder past the helmet and stuff.

Speaker 1 (01:32:43):
So you ran a four to two fully padded No,
I ran.

Speaker 4 (01:32:48):
A post hope for the pack and my best time
ever was scored two. I was consisting at four to three.

Speaker 1 (01:32:56):
Gotcha, you scored thirteen none off touchdowns, so punt return,
kick return, interception return, et cetera. That's top five in
NFL history. Do you have excuse me, do you have
a most memorable Yes.

Speaker 4 (01:33:10):
Dude, I was playing against I think the risk ins
was someone and I ran into a group of guys
opponents that was trying to attacking me. I ran into
the crowd and came out the other side and went
in to school for about age or three ofs and
that was amazing. Paul Brown asked me to say, how
wepen they now?

Speaker 3 (01:33:31):
Lamar?

Speaker 4 (01:33:31):
I said, it was dog.

Speaker 1 (01:33:35):
You found the light.

Speaker 4 (01:33:37):
I saw a little bit of daylight and I just
read to daylight.

Speaker 1 (01:33:42):
Lamar, you finished your career with forty seven interceptions and
teams didn't throw the ball as much back then as
they do now. How would you describe your playing style
at corner Well, I was.

Speaker 4 (01:33:53):
Taught technique up fundamentals. I could have played anywhere about
it because learn from the best. I learned from Chuck Weber.
When I first came to the Dingos, I didn't know
how to play corner bak, but he taught me skills, techniques, fundamentals,
house to stay in my bake, to what to look for,

(01:34:16):
et cetera. You know what I mean. So that once
I left him, then I didn't have to be taught anything,
you know, just give me the game plan because I
was ready.

Speaker 1 (01:34:28):
One of the top safeties of your era. Hall of
Famer Ken Houston once said this about you quote confidence
came out of him like water from a hydrant. Were
you always confident? And how did that affect your play?

Speaker 4 (01:34:44):
I have always been confident, and because I know that
God gave me certain things. He gave me cleaning, the speed,
and et cetera. And I worked hard. I worked hard
to anybody that I know. I worked three times a
day like I had a job, you know, I mean, hey,
because I wanted to be the greatest and longed to

(01:35:05):
be the greatest. My mother always told me and said
that you have to do what the great ones do.
You got that work everybody, So that was my thing.
I worked. Once I came to camp, then I was
ready to play because I was physically ready, and I
was melted it really.

Speaker 1 (01:35:21):
Lamar Ken Riley was part of the Bengals initial Ring
of Honor class, and then two years later he was
elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and his son,
Ken Junior believes that one honor helped lead to the other.
Is it your hope that the publicity that goes with
getting into the Bengals Ring of Honor will have an
impact on Pro Football Hall of Fame voters?

Speaker 4 (01:35:44):
Hey, well, I hope so, and Thomas rights. This was Stephane.
This was a big moment for me and I'm grateful
for him, and I hope and pray that this will
be to your Hall of Fame. Out there a put
up the numbers. I would like to be placed on

(01:36:09):
the side of Ken rather because web around together, He
and half together were something spaces.

Speaker 1 (01:36:16):
No question about that. The other member of this year's
Ring of Honor class is Dave Lapham, your teammate in
your last four years with the Bengals. When I see
that name Dave Lapham, what immediately comes to mind greatness.

Speaker 4 (01:36:31):
A great guy, true gay, true to the games, work hard,
feels good. I'm a team sick and he was have
this special.

Speaker 1 (01:36:45):
You guys make a great Ring of Honor class. Here's
my final question. For you, Lamar. You had one of
the most memorable nicknames in team history, Leaping Lamar Parrish.
I don't know the origin story. When did you become
Leaping Lamar and who gave you the nickname?

Speaker 4 (01:37:03):
I became Leapa Lamar in nineteen seventy. I think we
was in training camp and we had a wide receiver
by his name was Speedy Thomas. Speedy Thomas was a
great move man, but he wasn't very fast. He gave

(01:37:24):
me a great move into the post and I been
on it. I overplayed the post and he went back
to the corner, and by the time the ball was
in the air, I was making a play on the ball,
and the scene as though I was sitting on top
of his head, and Speedy said after was I'm gonna

(01:37:48):
name you Leitha Lamar, And the name stuck with him
from there now.

Speaker 1 (01:37:53):
So I just learned two things. Number one, Speedy Thomas
gave you the nickname leap and Lamar. And number two,
despite his nickname, Speedy Thomas wasn't fast, right, He wasn't fast.

Speaker 4 (01:38:06):
He was quick, gotcha and was being quick and fast
fast as straight out of speed. But quickness is in
between the lash. You know, I mean so so speedy
had a gift of sitting it up for certain things
and giving you something else. So that was great. You know,
send me I was young, I will play the post

(01:38:26):
because I knew if you go into the post, I
was gonna go get it. And uh well he flew
me that time. I came back and got it and.

Speaker 1 (01:38:36):
The nickname quick Thomas wouldn't have been as good, so
he had to be speedy Lamar. Congratulations again on being
selected by the fans for the Bengals Ring of Honor.
It is a well deserved honor and we look forward
to seeing you in October when you officially enter the
Ring of Honor. Thank you so much for your time

(01:38:57):
and congratulations.

Speaker 4 (01:38:58):
Thank you very much, and tell everybody I say hello
and leaping them. Being task.

Speaker 1 (01:39:05):
For the final word on this year's inductees, here is
their former teammate Ken Anderson. Let's start with your old roommate,
Dave Lapham. What did you admire and respect about Big lap.

Speaker 5 (01:39:19):
I think his football intelligence, but I mean, besides being
a very loyal friend and a very loyal teammate, it
was his football smarts. I mean, here's the guy, you know,
We used to call him the tool that he was
a right guard, but he played center.

Speaker 3 (01:39:35):
He played left guard, left tackle, right.

Speaker 5 (01:39:36):
He could play him all in a pinch and never
miss a beat. And I remember when Blair Bush got
hurt and Dave comes in and plays center and we
did not miss a snap. He did miss assignment, you know,
for all the weeks that he played center.

Speaker 3 (01:39:51):
So you know, I think most.

Speaker 5 (01:39:53):
People you know will say, got forty years in the
radio booth. That's why you're going in. He was a
great football player before he became an announcer.

Speaker 1 (01:40:02):
And then there's leaping Lamar Parrish undoubtedly one of the
greatest athletes you ever played with.

Speaker 5 (01:40:09):
Correct, I mean, he was a great cornerback. But also
the years that he was there, we had a dual
punt return he and Tommy Casanova. Now you know, Lamar
would get it and he's a jitterbug that would come
out of the pile and go for a touchdown, and
Tommy was that long strider that would go and hit one.
But we had the most dangerous punt return in the

(01:40:29):
league for years when they would do that. But you know,
he was a dangerous corner and I think you know
one of the reasons that Kenny Ridley had a lot
of interceptions is because they didn't want to throw at
Lamar very often either.

Speaker 1 (01:40:42):
That's going to do it for This episode of the
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(01:41:05):
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