April 15, 2025 • 24 mins
Jeffrey Gorman is joined by former Colts offensive lineman and current radio analyst Joe Reitz to discuss the Indiana native’s career and what he thinks of the Colts in 2025. Gorman gets into Reitz’s transition from basketball to football, how he was able to make it in the NFL, some of his favorite moments from his time with the Colts and how he sees the Colts’ quarterback competition between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones playing out.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
This should be played at I'm welcome to High Volume,
where we're trying to give you a look behind the horseshoe,
and I think we got a good one for you today.
I want to say thank you to everyone watching on
YouTube today. Don't forget to subscribe and like those go
a long way. Also, everyone on the Colts Audio Network
and Colts dot com, thank you for watching, and don't
forget the other podcast, The Colts Show. I mean, you
(00:25):
don't want to miss this everybody. I've seen people coming
in here in the last two weeks, Shane Steike and
Chris Ballard and a host of players, So be sure
to check out one of our podcasts and you find
out more information at Colts dot com. I love this man.
I'm just gonna come out and say it right now.
I work with this man. He's part of our pregame radio.
He's been doing it for a lot of years in
a pinch. He's been a color commentator on radio and
(00:47):
television as well.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
And I'll tell you what he gave.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
He gave quite a bit on the football fear for
the Indianapolis Colts. But the story behind this man is
why I'm talking to you today. It really is incredible
because this is like a guy that I can you know,
I can have fun with and poke fun at. But
when at the end of the day, Joe Wrights, we
bring in Joe Wrights, You're one of the greatest athletes
to ever play in the state of Indiana. I can't
(01:13):
believe I'm saying that, but that is true. You've had
a storied career in college in basketball and decided to
flip the switch and say, hey, maybe I'll give professional
a football at crack and you did that for nearly
ten years.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Joe, Welcome in well Gorman.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Thanks for sharing your love for me, because obviously you
say a lot of bad things about you on the
game show.
Speaker 4 (01:33):
Which I like to throw those right back at you.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
But yeah, when you talk about that, you know, I
was so lucky because I share I got to live
out both my dreams in terms of you know, playing
college basketball.
Speaker 4 (01:44):
You grew up here in the state of Indiana, and.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
I was recruited by both football and basketball for different colleges.
But you know, you just you watch the movie Hoosiers
when you're seven years old at eight and nine, and
you just love hoops and also all these colleges will
recruit me to be an offensive lineman, and I was like,
I don't want to be some fat, three hundred pound
line and I'll go play college basketball, get my degree,
which I did at Western Michigan University, and you know,
(02:08):
met my wife Jill up there and had a great
four years.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
Was blessed to come into a good opportunity.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
I got to start all four years and we had
some really good teams there, and then I had the
chance to basically try out for the NFL. And so
I laughed because I didn't become the three hundred pound
fat offensive lineman. I waged about three twenty for most
of my career. And after few years in Baltimore, two
great years came in with John Harbaugh. Joe Flacco's in
our draft class. So it was great to reconnect with
(02:34):
Joe when he was here at Indy last year. You
know Tom Zimbikowski from Notre Dame, you know Ray Rice,
and then all the personalities.
Speaker 4 (02:41):
You have in the Baltimore locker room.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
You know, my locker was right next to Ed Reed
and then we're looking at there's Ray Lewis and I'm thinking, shoot,
I was playing against Kent State in Miami of Ohio
a month ago, and now I'm lacing up my cleats
and trying to block Terrell Suggs.
Speaker 4 (02:55):
What is going on?
Speaker 3 (02:57):
And it took me two years on the practice squad.
I gained sixty pounds in six months. I kind of
relearned football. And then finally in my third year when
I really felt like I was good enough to be
on the fifty three man roster, Unfortunately I didn't work
out in Baltimore. I got cut. I fly down to
Miami and the Dolphins are like, hey, we love you.
Bill Parcells is the football czar at the time. He
(03:18):
brings me in his office. We watched all your film.
We got a great plan for you. And I'm like,
this is great. We're going to start our lives here
in Miami together. And then I got cut from the
Dolphins two days later, and I'm thinking, was I.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
That bad at one practice that I got cut?
Speaker 3 (03:31):
But it was a roster they needed somebody, they needed
kick returner for week one, and I was fifty three
of fifty three. And while I'm getting ready to fly
back to Baltimore with the palm trees in the background
and pick up the pieces of my life, I got
a call at the eleventh hour from the Colts and
they had played me on waivers. Instead of flying northeast
to Baltimore, I flew back to the Midwest.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
Baby, and the rest is history.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
Was able to stay here for seven years and you know,
play on some really really great football teams and be
a part of kind of that Colts period of greatness
that was here for so many that I grew up
watching as a kid. So it was a dream. I
got to live both my dreams, and I just I
was so fortunate, and my wife and I are just
so thankful that I was able to be here in
Indy playing for the Horseshoe for seven.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
Years because those kids, Joe, those kids that are playing
football in the street today, they all want to grow
up and wear that horseshoe. You were one of those kids.
That's why I wanted you on today. You talked about
your career at Western Michigan. You're weighing offers coming out
of Hamilton Southeastern High School to play basketball, your you know,
offers from the MAC came in. Where were your football
offers coming out of Hamilton Southeastern.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
A lot of MAX schools in Indiana had offered me,
you know, put okay, yeah, Preto offered me kind of
a preferred walk on. So I had a little bit
of big ten interest. But again, all these schools are
recruiting me to come play offensive line, and yeah, you know,
this was really my first love, slightly ahead of football.
And so I said, well, I'll go play college basketball.
And I got scouted to play and like I said,
(04:57):
that was that was the story.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
Listen, edge basketball. We're not just going to glance and
gloss over this. This is a four year starter.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
You at Western playing in the MAC, the Mid American Conference,
good basketball conference. You're coming out of Hamilton Southeastern. You
start four years, you're all MAC.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Your senior year.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Average basically about sixteen points a game, eight rebounds, nine
rebounds a game. When I mean and there is no
dedication to football for those four years in Kalamazoo, it's
all basketball. Who was the first person that season's kind
of coming to an end your senior year that says, hey, Joe,
you're athletic, you're a big guy.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
We think we can make something of you.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
Like, who was that first person that said, hey, why
don't we give this professional football a shot?
Speaker 4 (05:43):
Yeah? It was a guy Lenil VII Tao.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
He was in pro personnel for the Ravens and our
MAC tournaments in Cleveland where the Cavs played. Basically my
junior year saw me play, calls my coach. He's like, hey,
this guy, he's got quick feet, he's got big shoulders,
and he's got a big backside.
Speaker 4 (05:58):
Right.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
That's their way of saying, think this guy can translate
to alignment. And I coach said, well, you know, he's
got a football background. He's a physical player. He's angry
a lot of times in practice. And I think that
interested them. So they kept an eyeing me my senior year.
And so when it came to draft time, you know,
I wasn't drafted obviously, but signed as undrafted free agent
with the Ravens.
Speaker 4 (06:16):
I got two thousand dollars Gorman. I'm rolling.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
I'm thinking, hey, first case by myself a laptop. I
go out there and I stink and they cut me.
And I was just trying to make it a week,
trying to make it a month, trying to make it
a year. And I ended up lasting two years in
Baltimore and then seven at the Colts. But I tell
people this when I talk to kids. I share this story.
I didn't play in a real NFL game, right, stay
with me, a real game. It was three years, four months,
(06:40):
and ten days from the time I signed as an
undrafted free agent with the Ravens. So I played in
my first game. I earned a starting job my fourth year,
and I started September eleventh, twenty eleven. I'll never forget it. Right,
it's the ten year anniversary of nine to eleven.
Speaker 4 (06:54):
We're playing down.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
In Houston Peyton Unfortunately that's when he was hurt. We
thought he was coming back. Like three games later, Carrie
Collins is in the pocket. And you know, fans will
remember this. They had like a live tribute of all
the NFL teams, so they were flashing from Green Bay
to Baltimore to Houston showing all the players, and I
mean it was just a memory I'll never forget. I
got tears streaming down my face and just kind of
(07:16):
a culmination of all the work that's been going to
and hey, I finally made it, and I'm gonna start
and I'm gonna play now. That left really quick because
I gave up a sack like the third play of
the game, and then I go from crying, thinking like, Okay,
I'm all emotional about the chance to start, and now
I'm like, I'm not gonna get back on this plane.
It's gonna be my first start. I'm gonna be wind done.
Was able to kind of grind through that year. And
(07:36):
it wasn't a great year team wise. I mean again,
we didn't win our first game till December eighteenth, we
rowing thirteen. But yeah, that two and fourteen year brought
Andrew luck and I had five great years playing with Andrew.
When we went to the playoffs three times, made it
to the AFC Championship game.
Speaker 4 (07:51):
So just a ton of great memories, but more important
than that, a ton of great people.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
Right, And when you think about all the players I
was fortunate to play with for the Blue and White,
all the guys in the Ring of Honor, all the
Hall of famers and future Hall of famers, there was
just this standard of excellence that I was able to
come in on and say, oh, well, this is how
Peyton doesn't, this is how Saturday doesn't, this is how
Dallas Clark doesn't.
Speaker 4 (08:12):
This is how Robert Mathis and Fredie do it. This
is what I should do.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
And it made for a lot of success on the field,
but a lot of great relationships in the locker room
and off the field as well.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
Joe who made you a better player some teammates, like
you mentioned Terrell Suggs and getting whooped by him. I
know that sounds funny and everything, but obviously that did
help you because you had some quite a bit of
hurdles trying to make that transition from basketball to football,
and like you said, it took over three years for
you to officially get your first start. Who are those players?
I know coaches were important, but those players that took
(08:44):
you around after practice and said you're close. You're very close,
but you got to do this.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
And I would say the two biggest mentors I had
were Matt Burke in Baltimore and then Jeff Player. And
Matt Burke was so great, so good to me as
a veteran, you know, won the Super Bowl in Baltimore
after playing decade with the Vikings. But then the Ravens
defense you're thinking about. You got Terrell Suggs and Ray
Lewis and Bart Scott and Ploding Nada and Trevor Price
(09:09):
and Ed Reid and Chris McCallister, it's just Hall of
Famer after Hall of Famer. So I'm going in practice
and every day I'm coming home and like, you know,
crying to myself.
Speaker 4 (09:18):
I'm like, I can't do this.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
These guys are unbelieving, right, And then you realize not
everybody's the Hall of Fame Ravens defense, I'm like, okay,
maybe I can play.
Speaker 4 (09:26):
And then I came to Indy and Jeff's Saturday was
great to me.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
But then there were two guys, oh by the way,
Robert Mathis on the right and Freeingie on the left.
And I tell you what, just from practicing against those
guys gave me so much confidence because I'm like, if
I can kind of hold my own against rob and Dwight,
I can do okay on Sundays. And you know what,
those two guys were so good to me in terms of, hey,
you know, you're oversetting me. You're undersetting me, you're being
(09:49):
too aggressive, You're not being aggressive enough.
Speaker 4 (09:51):
Those two guys helped me so much in terms of developing.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
And so after that third year in the NFL, which
I was on the practice squad and most of the
year in Indie, I felt like I was good enough
to kind of earn a starting job, and then that
next year I did. I won the starting left guard
job in camp and I'm like, I'm gonna be blocking
for Peyton Manning.
Speaker 4 (10:08):
We're going to the super Bowl. This is a dream
come true.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
And unfortunately he was out all year and again that
year was kind of rough, but for me personally, I
grew a lot, and again I was ready to kind
of move on to the next era, you know, the
Andrew Luck era, and be a part of that and
be a part of his greatness for five years.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
Let's concentrate on you. We're going to go back to
some teammates in a minute. But you played everywhere other
than the center position, really played inside, at the guard, outside,
on both tackles and stuff. Was that challenging for you
because it is a different position to play, but especially
with a guy who's you know, trying to play this
level of professional football and having, you know, just like
you said, three years to learn it.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
Where were you most comfortable?
Speaker 3 (10:47):
Yeah, I would say I was most comfortable early in
my career at left guard and then late at right tackle.
Those are the two positions I had the most starts,
but I also started at right guard. I started at
left tackle for three games. I used to give Castans
a hard time. I'm like, this isn't that you know
what I'm saying. I played my first couple of games.
Then we went up against the Steelers, a guy named
James Harrison. I had a tough night. All right, let's
(11:08):
get back from this injury here, buddy, get back here,
so I can go back to the right side. But
that was kind of my calling card with Colts, right is,
the coaches could count on me, my teammates could count
on me to know what I was going to do,
prepare well, and be able to play kind of anywhere
on the offensive line. I also got to start, you know,
a couple of games. We started out in like jumbo personnel,
So I'm the offensive line. When you come in Gorman,
(11:29):
you get credit in the books for a start for
those days. So I got a couple of starts at
tight end.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
In my car, how about that. I didn't even know that.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
Good scoop on that talking to Joe Wright's one of
the greatest athletes the state of Indiana has ever produced.
I'm going to go When you said the Colts came calling,
obviously was the end of the connection with the Colts
and Peyton Manning, but they bring a quarterback number one
in overall, and Andrew Luck And I just want to
stay there for a minute. When you saw this guy,
when you met him for the first time, you saw
the presence that he had in the command of the huddle,
(11:57):
but you also saw him in the locker room.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
When did you know that he was special?
Speaker 3 (12:01):
You know, you knew he was special in just how
he communicated in the locker room when he first met you.
And you know again, I you know, I sent him
a text after the draft and he calls you back,
you know, the next day and talks to you and
he's apologizing, Hey, sorry, I couldn't.
Speaker 4 (12:12):
Get back to you sooner. I'm like, hey, you just
got drafted, buddy. It's all good.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
But our very first ota, the very first time we're
on the grass, and again this is the off season,
you know, the mood's a little bit lighter. So we're
in the you know, we're running through a play and
it's about you know, I don't know eighty percent. So
we're kind of joking around on the field in the
huddle and he walks in and all of a sudden,
he puts his hand on somebody's chest and he says, hey,
this is my huddle. I'm the only one that talks
(12:36):
in the huddle. And we're like looking around. Okay, this
dude's got it, like you leaders.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Very very first first practice, somebody was talking in lux
huddle and he gently put his hand on his chest
and said, sorry, it doesn't work that way.
Speaker 4 (12:49):
Yeah, And it.
Speaker 3 (12:50):
Wasn't gentle, right, and he was firm in what he said.
And that's where you say, Okay, this guy's twenty two.
But he gets right. He understands that, Okay, we're going
to follow this guy into battle and this is our leader.
And you know, he just had that presence about him,
He had that maturity about him in that leadership.
Speaker 4 (13:04):
He was special for sure.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
Hey, I want to go into a couple of games
that you're part of the case. Come back to twenty
eight points down. You didn't start that game. I know
you had a little bit of action if memory serves,
what was that one? You were watching greatness there with
that young man early in his career. To come back
in a playoff game down twenty eight again, you're right
down the locker rose from Andrew Luck and that's a
(13:26):
game that still goes down as an NFL instant classic.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
What was that like to be a part of.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
Yeah, it was wild, and I mean, you know, we
go down and we throw the pick coming out of
the second half and it is thirty eight to ten
and Colts fans ares it leaving. Chief fans are getting
really loud, and then we scored, and we scored again,
and when it got to thirty eight to twenty four, yep,
I'm gonna lie. When it was thirty eight to ten,
was I like, yeah, we're gonna win this game, no chance.
But when it got to thirty eight twenty four and
field the momentum, I'm like, we're winning this game. I'm like,
(13:54):
if we can hold him under forty five, which we
ended up doing forty four.
Speaker 4 (13:57):
The defense was great, two field goals, I'm like, we're
gonna win game. And we did.
Speaker 3 (14:00):
And you just think about that comeback wherever that was.
I mean, it was unbelievable. You know, that's where we
got a huge snowstorm too, like an indie and I
mean I just remember like it was like everybody was at.
Speaker 4 (14:10):
Home and that's all they had to do was just
talk about that game.
Speaker 3 (14:13):
And that comeback, and that was awesome because I think
a lot of times in the NFL you got to
take your lumps in the playoffs. In that first year,
we lost in the first round. Second year, then we
beat Kansas City and then we lost. And then that
third year, you know, which was my favorite year playing
with the Poults to the AFC Championship game. I mean,
but we had we had to build the work up there, right,
and we had to kind of take our lumps a
little bit to get there to be able to, you know,
(14:35):
beat the Broncos and beat Peyton, which was obviously a
special memory.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
That is where I want to stay because that following
year is when you guys did beat the Broncos and
Peyton Manning. You started that game, Joe writes, what's it like,
You've got the sheriff. Everybody was up in the air
what to do with Peyton the injury, Luck coming in
number one overall, Jim Mercey is again to sign Peyton
again and Key and draft Luck. Everyone scratching their head.
(14:59):
We saw what happen and the release of Peyton Manning.
He goes to Denver. He comes back into this bar
and a barn and he built the emotions around that game.
You guys ended up winning that game, but boyl boy
to be a part of that a game you started
the memories of that day. If you could just kind
of convey to us what that was like, because Joe,
this is a guy you watch growing up play for
your hometown football team named Peyton Manning.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
Yeah, and I mean so really, the two memories I
have about playing against Peyton now, right, is that first
one is when Denver came to Indy, right, and it's
Sunday night football, and I mean it was such a circus.
I mean it was it felt like an AFC championship
type game in terms of the media and everything starts
a play. You kind of just wanted to get to
Sunday night. And you know, we beat him. I think
(15:42):
it was thirty nine, thirty three. You know Robert Mathis
with the famous stripsack of Payton in the end zone.
Rob talked all week like, I just want to get eighteen.
I just want to get a one. I want to
get it, and he sure did, and you know, so
we beat those guys. You know, this is twenty thirteen,
But then you know, you turn around the next year
in twenty fourteen when we play in the playoffs, they're
the one seed. We're playing in Denver. Nobody's picking us.
(16:05):
We're like ten point underdogs. Nobody calls any chance. They
got this young quarterback, and they got a bunch of
ragtag guys on the offensive line. And you know, we
did it with just a bunch of guys, you know,
t Y Hilton, you know, and Jack Doyle and boom
Hearn's are running back. You know, you know, it's just
we We just grind.
Speaker 4 (16:23):
It, right.
Speaker 3 (16:24):
It was just a gritty performance. And to beat Denver.
There is nothing better as a player than going into
an opposing team stadium, let alone in the playoffs where
they're yelling all kinds of stuff about you and your
mom and throwing stuff on the field, and late in
the fourth quarter of the two minute Arny is dead quiet, right,
and we're the ones that are celebrating.
Speaker 4 (16:42):
And that game in.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
That memory, that plane ride home, knowing that you're one
game away from getting to the super Bowl. I mean,
that's something that I'll never forget. People often ask me
what's the best part of the NFL. Yeah, and question,
I say, it's a road win. The plane ride home
because it's all you got.
Speaker 4 (17:00):
It's just you. There's nothing you got to do.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
You're not worried about the next opponent yet, coaches aren't
yelling at you about film and getting better yet.
Speaker 4 (17:09):
And you know.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
They loosen up a little bit of you know, getting
in out of your seat. You got a little bit
more room than you do on a commercial flight, and
they're bringing ice.
Speaker 4 (17:18):
Cream up and down the aisles.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
It's just the memories, the laughter, that camaraderie. That's no
doubt the memory that I miss probably the most in
away game victory, those plane rides.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
Home, Joe.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
A lot of people in Indianapolis see you out on
the town. They know you from your colts media career.
Obviously they know you for your colts playing career. But
it's got to be fun. That's the moral of this
story is you're one of a kind. And you're one
of a kind because so many young men and women
are out playing in the street, shooting baskets, whatever it is,
playing lacrosse, want to play for their hometown team. Something
(17:50):
that you did. What a great example for that. And
I know you've got a house full of kids right now.
Do you have athletes you and your wife.
Speaker 4 (17:56):
I think so.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
My wife, Jill, she was a mac Champ track fifteen meters.
She's a better athlete than me. And you know, my
kids just like me. Right, I want to play in
the NBA.
Speaker 4 (18:04):
I want to play in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
And I say, I hear you. It takes a lot
of work and being six seven helps for sure. But
you know, Peyton Manning came to the Colts when I
was thirteen, and I watched this time and go from
a Pacers town to a Colts town, And like, one
of my greatest memories is as a high school senior,
we got together to watch Money Night Football and the
Colts were on and they're playing the Bucks and they're
down twenty one points for five minutes left. By the way,
(18:27):
they come back and win that game. People remember that
in two thousand and three and so I got to
follow them. I was in college celebrating the Colts winning
the Super Bowl.
Speaker 4 (18:35):
Then I go to the NFL and I'm with the.
Speaker 3 (18:36):
Ravens and my second year in Baltimore, we played the Colts.
Speaker 4 (18:40):
In the playoffs. So two the year the Colts go
to the Super Bowl and lost Sanssaries.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
Year, Venterio so I'm.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
Back in indian I get like twenty tickets for friends
and family, and I'm like.
Speaker 4 (18:49):
Hey, look, here's the rules.
Speaker 3 (18:50):
I know you might like the Colts, but these are
in the Baltimore ticket block. You better be wearing purple
at least don't be wearing blue and white.
Speaker 4 (18:56):
And I think some of my family agreed to it.
Someone probably didn't. So that was a weird feeling.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
And then all of a sudden, the next year, I'm
back in Indy and I got to play for my hometown.
It's something that so few guys get to do. But
I think Gorman you hit on it. Indianapolis is such
a special community. The fans are so great. I think about,
like Chuck Strong in twenty twelve and how much this
whole state rallied around truck and still are right.
Speaker 4 (19:19):
They just had the Chuck Strong Gala.
Speaker 3 (19:21):
And they're raising you know, tens of millions of dollars
for cancer research. But Indianapolis, as people know, is a
unique community with unique people and great fans, and so
that's why I'm glad that we chose to raise our
family here.
Speaker 4 (19:34):
I still get a you know, be a part of
the Colts.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
You know, media and talk about the games and make
fun of you and your outfits.
Speaker 4 (19:40):
On Sunday Morning, though, which we have a lot of
fun about it.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
It's Indy's a special place and I've been so fortunate
to experience as a fan, as a player, and now
part of the Colts Radio network. You know, hopefully, you know,
having a lot of fun with the fans that are watching.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
Absolutely after your post career career, if you will, you're
involved in in the financial trade. Obviously a very smart man,
all academic mac when you were playing basketball at Western Michigan.
But football is so unique, and the relationships that you
spoke about, even the plane rides and stuff, you can't
get that anywhere else. As much as we try on
(20:17):
Sunday Mornings pregame radio, it's just nothing at ills in
comparison to that camaraderie that you have with those guys
in that locker room and on the field. I just
wanted to say hi to you. I wanted to tip
my hat. I know I give you a lot of
guff on the air and stuff like that, but you
really are a rare bird, and you know this game
inside out. That's what I'm most impressive. The physical obviously,
very impressive. But your mind and the way it works,
(20:40):
do you think you'll ever want to dive into coaching
young men playing football? I say this because I'm not
the only one that said this. Joe writes, but I know,
with a large family that you and your wife Joe have,
I know it's tough, But has that ever come in
your mind coaching this game?
Speaker 4 (20:56):
It has, But I think it'll just be with my kids.
Speaker 3 (20:58):
Right my son's in fifth grade and I get a
co team, and as he gets going into high school,
I'd love to coach because I do believe that for men, right,
you know, and young men, there's no better game than
the game of football in terms of teaching people about
toughness and character and virtue and being part of a team.
I mean, it's the greatest team game and it's wonderful.
So I think all I got a lot of coaching
(21:20):
in some youth leagues and maybe.
Speaker 4 (21:21):
High school ahead of me.
Speaker 3 (21:22):
But yeah, I was lucky to play for a lot
of great coaches too, and a lot of those are
still around and still in the NFL. And there's just
there's a standard here in Indy that's a great one.
And for me, I'm just excited. Right, you start thinking
about this year's team, and I think we did a
lot of great things in free agency, and we got
a lot of young talent. We need a little bit
of lady luck, and we need some work and stuff.
(21:43):
But I really think that the Colts can be one
of those surprise teams in the NFL. Right, And this
is what I've been telling her. But every year, about
a third of the team's reset in the playoffs. Right,
So why not?
Speaker 4 (21:52):
Right?
Speaker 3 (21:52):
We got a young core, we got people, we got
increased competition, a lot of spots, and so it'll be
a lot of fun, you know, with the draft coming up,
and then to get this team rolling and get us
out here and it'll be September before we know of Gorman.
Speaker 1 (22:05):
All right, Well, let's do a little little sort of
preview for the Colts fans watching out there. Chris Ballard
Schain Stikeing came right out and said, this quarterback position.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
It is a competition.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
If you could just give me your take on that
what we're looking at between Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson
and finding this starting quarterback here in Indy.
Speaker 3 (22:24):
Yeah, I'm glad because I think, you know, competition it
brings out the best in everybody. And that's cliche, but
it's so true. Right, there were years when you're competing
with somebody and one of you guys are starting, one
of you is not. Well, you better bring it every
single day, and that's going to bring out the best
in ar five. That's going to bring out the best
in Daniel Jones. Two different guys but still some similar
playing types. So I think it's nice for Shane that
(22:46):
you can run the same type of offense. And I'm
looking forward to the competition like everybody else. I think,
you know, it'll probably get overblown a little bit in
the spring, but when you get into training camp, every
single rep matters, and I think that's what's going to
be great is every practice matter. Colts do joint practices
those preseason games. But then also you got depth at
the position, and we've seen that Richardson, We've seen that
(23:07):
across the board. But you know, sort of have two
really good quality candidates there. It'll be awful exciting, but
as you know, this is a quarterback league, and so
we're gonna need one of those guys to step up
and lead this team, and not only on the field,
but Galvani is the other fifty two guys in the
locker room. And I can only speak from my experience
with Peyton and Andrew, but I mentioned that those are
guys that you would follow them into battle, right, and
(23:30):
you would do whatever you had to do to protect
that quarterback. And so you know, I'm looking forward to
one of these guys taking the reins and it'll be
a lot of fun to watch and.
Speaker 4 (23:37):
Unfold as this.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
You know, training camp gets rolling up at Grand Park
and we get into the labor day in the season.
Speaker 1 (23:43):
Well, he's on our pregame huddle before every Colts game.
You'll see him up at training camp as well. He
does work for this club even after his playing career
is done. He's one of the best in the business.
And Joe, I like to just say this to people
out there watching. You're not a better basketball player than
Joe Wrights, and you're not a better football player and
Joe Wrights. You can't say that about a lot of people.
So tip of the hat to you, man. I'll tell
(24:05):
you what.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
You're a rare bird, bro. You're a rare bird.
Speaker 3 (24:08):
Well, I appreciate that, and I know I like to
make funny and I'll continue to do that offen throughout
this season.
Speaker 4 (24:14):
Yes, appreciate you having me on.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
I will see you out of camp and again on
the pregame handled. Joe Wright's one of the best in
the business, a great guy and obviously has a story
that's unique unlike any others. I mean, you know, the
young boy who's playing for his hometown club, stuff like that,
and not only does it in one sport, but he's
great in two sports. So that's what we want to
bring you here on high volume, a little look behind
the scenes of the greats that have worn the horseshoe
(24:37):
or work for the horseshoe, and Joe Wrights is obviously
one of them. Appreciate you watching Everyone on YouTube, don't
forget to like and subscribe. Colts dot com has all
the latest and of course on the Colts Audio Network. Well,
I appreciate you guys taking the time. This has been
high Volume. Will be coming at you more in the
weeks to come. Thanks for watching. Should be played at
high volumes.
This should be played at I'm welcome to High Volume,
where we're trying to give you a look behind the horseshoe,
and I think we got a good one for you today.
I want to say thank you to everyone watching on
YouTube today. Don't forget to subscribe and like those go
a long way. Also, everyone on the Colts Audio Network
and Colts dot com, thank you for watching, and don't
forget the other podcast, The Colts Show. I mean, you
(00:25):
don't want to miss this everybody. I've seen people coming
in here in the last two weeks, Shane Steike and
Chris Ballard and a host of players, So be sure
to check out one of our podcasts and you find
out more information at Colts dot com. I love this man.
I'm just gonna come out and say it right now.
I work with this man. He's part of our pregame radio.
He's been doing it for a lot of years in
a pinch. He's been a color commentator on radio and
(00:47):
television as well.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
And I'll tell you what he gave.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
He gave quite a bit on the football fear for
the Indianapolis Colts. But the story behind this man is
why I'm talking to you today. It really is incredible
because this is like a guy that I can you know,
I can have fun with and poke fun at. But
when at the end of the day, Joe Wrights, we
bring in Joe Wrights, You're one of the greatest athletes
to ever play in the state of Indiana. I can't
(01:13):
believe I'm saying that, but that is true. You've had
a storied career in college in basketball and decided to
flip the switch and say, hey, maybe I'll give professional
a football at crack and you did that for nearly
ten years.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Joe, Welcome in well Gorman.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Thanks for sharing your love for me, because obviously you
say a lot of bad things about you on the
game show.
Speaker 4 (01:33):
Which I like to throw those right back at you.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
But yeah, when you talk about that, you know, I
was so lucky because I share I got to live
out both my dreams in terms of you know, playing
college basketball.
Speaker 4 (01:44):
You grew up here in the state of Indiana, and.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
I was recruited by both football and basketball for different colleges.
But you know, you just you watch the movie Hoosiers
when you're seven years old at eight and nine, and
you just love hoops and also all these colleges will
recruit me to be an offensive lineman, and I was like,
I don't want to be some fat, three hundred pound
line and I'll go play college basketball, get my degree,
which I did at Western Michigan University, and you know,
(02:08):
met my wife Jill up there and had a great
four years.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
Was blessed to come into a good opportunity.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
I got to start all four years and we had
some really good teams there, and then I had the
chance to basically try out for the NFL. And so
I laughed because I didn't become the three hundred pound
fat offensive lineman. I waged about three twenty for most
of my career. And after few years in Baltimore, two
great years came in with John Harbaugh. Joe Flacco's in
our draft class. So it was great to reconnect with
(02:34):
Joe when he was here at Indy last year. You
know Tom Zimbikowski from Notre Dame, you know Ray Rice,
and then all the personalities.
Speaker 4 (02:41):
You have in the Baltimore locker room.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
You know, my locker was right next to Ed Reed
and then we're looking at there's Ray Lewis and I'm thinking, shoot,
I was playing against Kent State in Miami of Ohio
a month ago, and now I'm lacing up my cleats
and trying to block Terrell Suggs.
Speaker 4 (02:55):
What is going on?
Speaker 3 (02:57):
And it took me two years on the practice squad.
I gained sixty pounds in six months. I kind of
relearned football. And then finally in my third year when
I really felt like I was good enough to be
on the fifty three man roster, Unfortunately I didn't work
out in Baltimore. I got cut. I fly down to
Miami and the Dolphins are like, hey, we love you.
Bill Parcells is the football czar at the time. He
(03:18):
brings me in his office. We watched all your film.
We got a great plan for you. And I'm like,
this is great. We're going to start our lives here
in Miami together. And then I got cut from the
Dolphins two days later, and I'm thinking, was I.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
That bad at one practice that I got cut?
Speaker 3 (03:31):
But it was a roster they needed somebody, they needed
kick returner for week one, and I was fifty three
of fifty three. And while I'm getting ready to fly
back to Baltimore with the palm trees in the background
and pick up the pieces of my life, I got
a call at the eleventh hour from the Colts and
they had played me on waivers. Instead of flying northeast
to Baltimore, I flew back to the Midwest.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
Baby, and the rest is history.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
Was able to stay here for seven years and you know,
play on some really really great football teams and be
a part of kind of that Colts period of greatness
that was here for so many that I grew up
watching as a kid. So it was a dream. I
got to live both my dreams, and I just I
was so fortunate, and my wife and I are just
so thankful that I was able to be here in
Indy playing for the Horseshoe for seven.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
Years because those kids, Joe, those kids that are playing
football in the street today, they all want to grow
up and wear that horseshoe. You were one of those kids.
That's why I wanted you on today. You talked about
your career at Western Michigan. You're weighing offers coming out
of Hamilton Southeastern High School to play basketball, your you know,
offers from the MAC came in. Where were your football
offers coming out of Hamilton Southeastern.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
A lot of MAX schools in Indiana had offered me,
you know, put okay, yeah, Preto offered me kind of
a preferred walk on. So I had a little bit
of big ten interest. But again, all these schools are
recruiting me to come play offensive line, and yeah, you know,
this was really my first love, slightly ahead of football.
And so I said, well, I'll go play college basketball.
And I got scouted to play and like I said,
(04:57):
that was that was the story.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
Listen, edge basketball. We're not just going to glance and
gloss over this. This is a four year starter.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
You at Western playing in the MAC, the Mid American Conference,
good basketball conference. You're coming out of Hamilton Southeastern. You
start four years, you're all MAC.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Your senior year.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Average basically about sixteen points a game, eight rebounds, nine
rebounds a game. When I mean and there is no
dedication to football for those four years in Kalamazoo, it's
all basketball. Who was the first person that season's kind
of coming to an end your senior year that says, hey, Joe,
you're athletic, you're a big guy.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
We think we can make something of you.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
Like, who was that first person that said, hey, why
don't we give this professional football a shot?
Speaker 4 (05:43):
Yeah? It was a guy Lenil VII Tao.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
He was in pro personnel for the Ravens and our
MAC tournaments in Cleveland where the Cavs played. Basically my
junior year saw me play, calls my coach. He's like, hey,
this guy, he's got quick feet, he's got big shoulders,
and he's got a big backside.
Speaker 4 (05:58):
Right.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
That's their way of saying, think this guy can translate
to alignment. And I coach said, well, you know, he's
got a football background. He's a physical player. He's angry
a lot of times in practice. And I think that
interested them. So they kept an eyeing me my senior year.
And so when it came to draft time, you know,
I wasn't drafted obviously, but signed as undrafted free agent
with the Ravens.
Speaker 4 (06:16):
I got two thousand dollars Gorman. I'm rolling.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
I'm thinking, hey, first case by myself a laptop. I
go out there and I stink and they cut me.
And I was just trying to make it a week,
trying to make it a month, trying to make it
a year. And I ended up lasting two years in
Baltimore and then seven at the Colts. But I tell
people this when I talk to kids. I share this story.
I didn't play in a real NFL game, right, stay
with me, a real game. It was three years, four months,
(06:40):
and ten days from the time I signed as an
undrafted free agent with the Ravens. So I played in
my first game. I earned a starting job my fourth year,
and I started September eleventh, twenty eleven. I'll never forget it. Right,
it's the ten year anniversary of nine to eleven.
Speaker 4 (06:54):
We're playing down.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
In Houston Peyton Unfortunately that's when he was hurt. We
thought he was coming back. Like three games later, Carrie
Collins is in the pocket. And you know, fans will
remember this. They had like a live tribute of all
the NFL teams, so they were flashing from Green Bay
to Baltimore to Houston showing all the players, and I
mean it was just a memory I'll never forget. I
got tears streaming down my face and just kind of
(07:16):
a culmination of all the work that's been going to
and hey, I finally made it, and I'm gonna start
and I'm gonna play now. That left really quick because
I gave up a sack like the third play of
the game, and then I go from crying, thinking like, Okay,
I'm all emotional about the chance to start, and now
I'm like, I'm not gonna get back on this plane.
It's gonna be my first start. I'm gonna be wind done.
Was able to kind of grind through that year. And
(07:36):
it wasn't a great year team wise. I mean again,
we didn't win our first game till December eighteenth, we
rowing thirteen. But yeah, that two and fourteen year brought
Andrew luck and I had five great years playing with Andrew.
When we went to the playoffs three times, made it
to the AFC Championship game.
Speaker 4 (07:51):
So just a ton of great memories, but more important
than that, a ton of great people.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
Right, And when you think about all the players I
was fortunate to play with for the Blue and White,
all the guys in the Ring of Honor, all the
Hall of famers and future Hall of famers, there was
just this standard of excellence that I was able to
come in on and say, oh, well, this is how
Peyton doesn't, this is how Saturday doesn't, this is how
Dallas Clark doesn't.
Speaker 4 (08:12):
This is how Robert Mathis and Fredie do it. This
is what I should do.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
And it made for a lot of success on the field,
but a lot of great relationships in the locker room
and off the field as well.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
Joe who made you a better player some teammates, like
you mentioned Terrell Suggs and getting whooped by him. I
know that sounds funny and everything, but obviously that did
help you because you had some quite a bit of
hurdles trying to make that transition from basketball to football,
and like you said, it took over three years for
you to officially get your first start. Who are those players?
I know coaches were important, but those players that took
(08:44):
you around after practice and said you're close. You're very close,
but you got to do this.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
And I would say the two biggest mentors I had
were Matt Burke in Baltimore and then Jeff Player. And
Matt Burke was so great, so good to me as
a veteran, you know, won the Super Bowl in Baltimore
after playing decade with the Vikings. But then the Ravens
defense you're thinking about. You got Terrell Suggs and Ray
Lewis and Bart Scott and Ploding Nada and Trevor Price
(09:09):
and Ed Reid and Chris McCallister, it's just Hall of
Famer after Hall of Famer. So I'm going in practice
and every day I'm coming home and like, you know,
crying to myself.
Speaker 4 (09:18):
I'm like, I can't do this.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
These guys are unbelieving, right, And then you realize not
everybody's the Hall of Fame Ravens defense, I'm like, okay,
maybe I can play.
Speaker 4 (09:26):
And then I came to Indy and Jeff's Saturday was
great to me.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
But then there were two guys, oh by the way,
Robert Mathis on the right and Freeingie on the left.
And I tell you what, just from practicing against those
guys gave me so much confidence because I'm like, if
I can kind of hold my own against rob and Dwight,
I can do okay on Sundays. And you know what,
those two guys were so good to me in terms of, hey,
you know, you're oversetting me. You're undersetting me, you're being
(09:49):
too aggressive, You're not being aggressive enough.
Speaker 4 (09:51):
Those two guys helped me so much in terms of developing.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
And so after that third year in the NFL, which
I was on the practice squad and most of the
year in Indie, I felt like I was good enough
to kind of earn a starting job, and then that
next year I did. I won the starting left guard
job in camp and I'm like, I'm gonna be blocking
for Peyton Manning.
Speaker 4 (10:08):
We're going to the super Bowl. This is a dream
come true.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
And unfortunately he was out all year and again that
year was kind of rough, but for me personally, I
grew a lot, and again I was ready to kind
of move on to the next era, you know, the
Andrew Luck era, and be a part of that and
be a part of his greatness for five years.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
Let's concentrate on you. We're going to go back to
some teammates in a minute. But you played everywhere other
than the center position, really played inside, at the guard, outside,
on both tackles and stuff. Was that challenging for you
because it is a different position to play, but especially
with a guy who's you know, trying to play this
level of professional football and having, you know, just like
you said, three years to learn it.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
Where were you most comfortable?
Speaker 3 (10:47):
Yeah, I would say I was most comfortable early in
my career at left guard and then late at right tackle.
Those are the two positions I had the most starts,
but I also started at right guard. I started at
left tackle for three games. I used to give Castans
a hard time. I'm like, this isn't that you know
what I'm saying. I played my first couple of games.
Then we went up against the Steelers, a guy named
James Harrison. I had a tough night. All right, let's
(11:08):
get back from this injury here, buddy, get back here,
so I can go back to the right side. But
that was kind of my calling card with Colts, right is,
the coaches could count on me, my teammates could count
on me to know what I was going to do,
prepare well, and be able to play kind of anywhere
on the offensive line. I also got to start, you know,
a couple of games. We started out in like jumbo personnel,
So I'm the offensive line. When you come in Gorman,
(11:29):
you get credit in the books for a start for
those days. So I got a couple of starts at
tight end.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
In my car, how about that. I didn't even know that.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
Good scoop on that talking to Joe Wright's one of
the greatest athletes the state of Indiana has ever produced.
I'm going to go When you said the Colts came calling,
obviously was the end of the connection with the Colts
and Peyton Manning, but they bring a quarterback number one
in overall, and Andrew Luck And I just want to
stay there for a minute. When you saw this guy,
when you met him for the first time, you saw
the presence that he had in the command of the huddle,
(11:57):
but you also saw him in the locker room.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
When did you know that he was special?
Speaker 3 (12:01):
You know, you knew he was special in just how
he communicated in the locker room when he first met you.
And you know again, I you know, I sent him
a text after the draft and he calls you back,
you know, the next day and talks to you and
he's apologizing, Hey, sorry, I couldn't.
Speaker 4 (12:12):
Get back to you sooner. I'm like, hey, you just
got drafted, buddy. It's all good.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
But our very first ota, the very first time we're
on the grass, and again this is the off season,
you know, the mood's a little bit lighter. So we're
in the you know, we're running through a play and
it's about you know, I don't know eighty percent. So
we're kind of joking around on the field in the
huddle and he walks in and all of a sudden,
he puts his hand on somebody's chest and he says, hey,
this is my huddle. I'm the only one that talks
(12:36):
in the huddle. And we're like looking around. Okay, this
dude's got it, like you leaders.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Very very first first practice, somebody was talking in lux
huddle and he gently put his hand on his chest
and said, sorry, it doesn't work that way.
Speaker 4 (12:49):
Yeah, And it.
Speaker 3 (12:50):
Wasn't gentle, right, and he was firm in what he said.
And that's where you say, Okay, this guy's twenty two.
But he gets right. He understands that, Okay, we're going
to follow this guy into battle and this is our leader.
And you know, he just had that presence about him,
He had that maturity about him in that leadership.
Speaker 4 (13:04):
He was special for sure.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
Hey, I want to go into a couple of games
that you're part of the case. Come back to twenty
eight points down. You didn't start that game. I know
you had a little bit of action if memory serves,
what was that one? You were watching greatness there with
that young man early in his career. To come back
in a playoff game down twenty eight again, you're right
down the locker rose from Andrew Luck and that's a
(13:26):
game that still goes down as an NFL instant classic.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
What was that like to be a part of.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
Yeah, it was wild, and I mean, you know, we
go down and we throw the pick coming out of
the second half and it is thirty eight to ten
and Colts fans ares it leaving. Chief fans are getting
really loud, and then we scored, and we scored again,
and when it got to thirty eight to twenty four, yep,
I'm gonna lie. When it was thirty eight to ten,
was I like, yeah, we're gonna win this game, no chance.
But when it got to thirty eight twenty four and
field the momentum, I'm like, we're winning this game. I'm like,
(13:54):
if we can hold him under forty five, which we
ended up doing forty four.
Speaker 4 (13:57):
The defense was great, two field goals, I'm like, we're
gonna win game. And we did.
Speaker 3 (14:00):
And you just think about that comeback wherever that was.
I mean, it was unbelievable. You know, that's where we
got a huge snowstorm too, like an indie and I
mean I just remember like it was like everybody was at.
Speaker 4 (14:10):
Home and that's all they had to do was just
talk about that game.
Speaker 3 (14:13):
And that comeback, and that was awesome because I think
a lot of times in the NFL you got to
take your lumps in the playoffs. In that first year,
we lost in the first round. Second year, then we
beat Kansas City and then we lost. And then that
third year, you know, which was my favorite year playing
with the Poults to the AFC Championship game. I mean,
but we had we had to build the work up there, right,
and we had to kind of take our lumps a
little bit to get there to be able to, you know,
(14:35):
beat the Broncos and beat Peyton, which was obviously a
special memory.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
That is where I want to stay because that following
year is when you guys did beat the Broncos and
Peyton Manning. You started that game, Joe writes, what's it like,
You've got the sheriff. Everybody was up in the air
what to do with Peyton the injury, Luck coming in
number one overall, Jim Mercey is again to sign Peyton
again and Key and draft Luck. Everyone scratching their head.
(14:59):
We saw what happen and the release of Peyton Manning.
He goes to Denver. He comes back into this bar
and a barn and he built the emotions around that game.
You guys ended up winning that game, but boyl boy
to be a part of that a game you started
the memories of that day. If you could just kind
of convey to us what that was like, because Joe,
this is a guy you watch growing up play for
your hometown football team named Peyton Manning.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
Yeah, and I mean so really, the two memories I
have about playing against Peyton now, right, is that first
one is when Denver came to Indy, right, and it's
Sunday night football, and I mean it was such a circus.
I mean it was it felt like an AFC championship
type game in terms of the media and everything starts
a play. You kind of just wanted to get to
Sunday night. And you know, we beat him. I think
(15:42):
it was thirty nine, thirty three. You know Robert Mathis
with the famous stripsack of Payton in the end zone.
Rob talked all week like, I just want to get eighteen.
I just want to get a one. I want to
get it, and he sure did, and you know, so
we beat those guys. You know, this is twenty thirteen,
But then you know, you turn around the next year
in twenty fourteen when we play in the playoffs, they're
the one seed. We're playing in Denver. Nobody's picking us.
(16:05):
We're like ten point underdogs. Nobody calls any chance. They
got this young quarterback, and they got a bunch of
ragtag guys on the offensive line. And you know, we
did it with just a bunch of guys, you know,
t Y Hilton, you know, and Jack Doyle and boom
Hearn's are running back. You know, you know, it's just
we We just grind.
Speaker 4 (16:23):
It, right.
Speaker 3 (16:24):
It was just a gritty performance. And to beat Denver.
There is nothing better as a player than going into
an opposing team stadium, let alone in the playoffs where
they're yelling all kinds of stuff about you and your
mom and throwing stuff on the field, and late in
the fourth quarter of the two minute Arny is dead quiet, right,
and we're the ones that are celebrating.
Speaker 4 (16:42):
And that game in.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
That memory, that plane ride home, knowing that you're one
game away from getting to the super Bowl. I mean,
that's something that I'll never forget. People often ask me
what's the best part of the NFL. Yeah, and question,
I say, it's a road win. The plane ride home
because it's all you got.
Speaker 4 (17:00):
It's just you. There's nothing you got to do.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
You're not worried about the next opponent yet, coaches aren't
yelling at you about film and getting better yet.
Speaker 4 (17:09):
And you know.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
They loosen up a little bit of you know, getting
in out of your seat. You got a little bit
more room than you do on a commercial flight, and
they're bringing ice.
Speaker 4 (17:18):
Cream up and down the aisles.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
It's just the memories, the laughter, that camaraderie. That's no
doubt the memory that I miss probably the most in
away game victory, those plane rides.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
Home, Joe.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
A lot of people in Indianapolis see you out on
the town. They know you from your colts media career.
Obviously they know you for your colts playing career. But
it's got to be fun. That's the moral of this
story is you're one of a kind. And you're one
of a kind because so many young men and women
are out playing in the street, shooting baskets, whatever it is,
playing lacrosse, want to play for their hometown team. Something
(17:50):
that you did. What a great example for that. And
I know you've got a house full of kids right now.
Do you have athletes you and your wife.
Speaker 4 (17:56):
I think so.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
My wife, Jill, she was a mac Champ track fifteen meters.
She's a better athlete than me. And you know, my
kids just like me. Right, I want to play in
the NBA.
Speaker 4 (18:04):
I want to play in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
And I say, I hear you. It takes a lot
of work and being six seven helps for sure. But
you know, Peyton Manning came to the Colts when I
was thirteen, and I watched this time and go from
a Pacers town to a Colts town, And like, one
of my greatest memories is as a high school senior,
we got together to watch Money Night Football and the
Colts were on and they're playing the Bucks and they're
down twenty one points for five minutes left. By the way,
(18:27):
they come back and win that game. People remember that
in two thousand and three and so I got to
follow them. I was in college celebrating the Colts winning
the Super Bowl.
Speaker 4 (18:35):
Then I go to the NFL and I'm with the.
Speaker 3 (18:36):
Ravens and my second year in Baltimore, we played the Colts.
Speaker 4 (18:40):
In the playoffs. So two the year the Colts go
to the Super Bowl and lost Sanssaries.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
Year, Venterio so I'm.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
Back in indian I get like twenty tickets for friends
and family, and I'm like.
Speaker 4 (18:49):
Hey, look, here's the rules.
Speaker 3 (18:50):
I know you might like the Colts, but these are
in the Baltimore ticket block. You better be wearing purple
at least don't be wearing blue and white.
Speaker 4 (18:56):
And I think some of my family agreed to it.
Someone probably didn't. So that was a weird feeling.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
And then all of a sudden, the next year, I'm
back in Indy and I got to play for my hometown.
It's something that so few guys get to do. But
I think Gorman you hit on it. Indianapolis is such
a special community. The fans are so great. I think about,
like Chuck Strong in twenty twelve and how much this
whole state rallied around truck and still are right.
Speaker 4 (19:19):
They just had the Chuck Strong Gala.
Speaker 3 (19:21):
And they're raising you know, tens of millions of dollars
for cancer research. But Indianapolis, as people know, is a
unique community with unique people and great fans, and so
that's why I'm glad that we chose to raise our
family here.
Speaker 4 (19:34):
I still get a you know, be a part of
the Colts.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
You know, media and talk about the games and make
fun of you and your outfits.
Speaker 4 (19:40):
On Sunday Morning, though, which we have a lot of
fun about it.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
It's Indy's a special place and I've been so fortunate
to experience as a fan, as a player, and now
part of the Colts Radio network. You know, hopefully, you know,
having a lot of fun with the fans that are watching.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
Absolutely after your post career career, if you will, you're
involved in in the financial trade. Obviously a very smart man,
all academic mac when you were playing basketball at Western Michigan.
But football is so unique, and the relationships that you
spoke about, even the plane rides and stuff, you can't
get that anywhere else. As much as we try on
(20:17):
Sunday Mornings pregame radio, it's just nothing at ills in
comparison to that camaraderie that you have with those guys
in that locker room and on the field. I just
wanted to say hi to you. I wanted to tip
my hat. I know I give you a lot of
guff on the air and stuff like that, but you
really are a rare bird, and you know this game
inside out. That's what I'm most impressive. The physical obviously,
very impressive. But your mind and the way it works,
(20:40):
do you think you'll ever want to dive into coaching
young men playing football? I say this because I'm not
the only one that said this. Joe writes, but I know,
with a large family that you and your wife Joe have,
I know it's tough, But has that ever come in
your mind coaching this game?
Speaker 4 (20:56):
It has, But I think it'll just be with my kids.
Speaker 3 (20:58):
Right my son's in fifth grade and I get a
co team, and as he gets going into high school,
I'd love to coach because I do believe that for men, right,
you know, and young men, there's no better game than
the game of football in terms of teaching people about
toughness and character and virtue and being part of a team.
I mean, it's the greatest team game and it's wonderful.
So I think all I got a lot of coaching
(21:20):
in some youth leagues and maybe.
Speaker 4 (21:21):
High school ahead of me.
Speaker 3 (21:22):
But yeah, I was lucky to play for a lot
of great coaches too, and a lot of those are
still around and still in the NFL. And there's just
there's a standard here in Indy that's a great one.
And for me, I'm just excited. Right, you start thinking
about this year's team, and I think we did a
lot of great things in free agency, and we got
a lot of young talent. We need a little bit
of lady luck, and we need some work and stuff.
(21:43):
But I really think that the Colts can be one
of those surprise teams in the NFL. Right, And this
is what I've been telling her. But every year, about
a third of the team's reset in the playoffs. Right,
So why not?
Speaker 4 (21:52):
Right?
Speaker 3 (21:52):
We got a young core, we got people, we got
increased competition, a lot of spots, and so it'll be
a lot of fun, you know, with the draft coming up,
and then to get this team rolling and get us
out here and it'll be September before we know of Gorman.
Speaker 1 (22:05):
All right, Well, let's do a little little sort of
preview for the Colts fans watching out there. Chris Ballard
Schain Stikeing came right out and said, this quarterback position.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
It is a competition.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
If you could just give me your take on that
what we're looking at between Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson
and finding this starting quarterback here in Indy.
Speaker 3 (22:24):
Yeah, I'm glad because I think, you know, competition it
brings out the best in everybody. And that's cliche, but
it's so true. Right, there were years when you're competing
with somebody and one of you guys are starting, one
of you is not. Well, you better bring it every
single day, and that's going to bring out the best
in ar five. That's going to bring out the best
in Daniel Jones. Two different guys but still some similar
playing types. So I think it's nice for Shane that
(22:46):
you can run the same type of offense. And I'm
looking forward to the competition like everybody else. I think,
you know, it'll probably get overblown a little bit in
the spring, but when you get into training camp, every
single rep matters, and I think that's what's going to
be great is every practice matter. Colts do joint practices
those preseason games. But then also you got depth at
the position, and we've seen that Richardson, We've seen that
(23:07):
across the board. But you know, sort of have two
really good quality candidates there. It'll be awful exciting, but
as you know, this is a quarterback league, and so
we're gonna need one of those guys to step up
and lead this team, and not only on the field,
but Galvani is the other fifty two guys in the
locker room. And I can only speak from my experience
with Peyton and Andrew, but I mentioned that those are
guys that you would follow them into battle, right, and
(23:30):
you would do whatever you had to do to protect
that quarterback. And so you know, I'm looking forward to
one of these guys taking the reins and it'll be
a lot of fun to watch and.
Speaker 4 (23:37):
Unfold as this.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
You know, training camp gets rolling up at Grand Park
and we get into the labor day in the season.
Speaker 1 (23:43):
Well, he's on our pregame huddle before every Colts game.
You'll see him up at training camp as well. He
does work for this club even after his playing career
is done. He's one of the best in the business.
And Joe, I like to just say this to people
out there watching. You're not a better basketball player than
Joe Wrights, and you're not a better football player and
Joe Wrights. You can't say that about a lot of people.
So tip of the hat to you, man. I'll tell
(24:05):
you what.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
You're a rare bird, bro. You're a rare bird.
Speaker 3 (24:08):
Well, I appreciate that, and I know I like to
make funny and I'll continue to do that offen throughout
this season.
Speaker 4 (24:14):
Yes, appreciate you having me on.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
I will see you out of camp and again on
the pregame handled. Joe Wright's one of the best in
the business, a great guy and obviously has a story
that's unique unlike any others. I mean, you know, the
young boy who's playing for his hometown club, stuff like that,
and not only does it in one sport, but he's
great in two sports. So that's what we want to
bring you here on high volume, a little look behind
the scenes of the greats that have worn the horseshoe
(24:37):
or work for the horseshoe, and Joe Wrights is obviously
one of them. Appreciate you watching Everyone on YouTube, don't
forget to like and subscribe. Colts dot com has all
the latest and of course on the Colts Audio Network. Well,
I appreciate you guys taking the time. This has been
high Volume. Will be coming at you more in the
weeks to come. Thanks for watching. Should be played at
high volumes.
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