September 21, 2020 • 33 mins
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
You're listening to The Skinny with Rico Elmore presented by
fat Heads I Wear. All right, this is Rico Elmore
with the Skinny. Adam is not with us today. He's
on location in Russia trying to get a new guest. Anyhow,
(00:23):
with us today is a good friend and first time,
first customer ever for fat Heads I wear, Mr Lincoln Kennedy, Rico,
how you doing, man? I thought you changed the name
of your podcast at the Skinny just to benefit the
two of us, But you know, I do. I do
appreciate being on with your brother. Yeah, it's uh, it's
(00:43):
a good one. But yeah, that's the only thing that
I had that they can associate Skinny with. I figured
it would work out best that way. But little background
on Lincoln, uh, and fill in where I leave off.
But you know, in two thousands, for when we started Fatheads,
we uh, you know, we started making some glasses and
(01:05):
by about oh six we had some for sale. And
you know, we were at a trade show in Las
Vegas and after the trade show, Vision Expo West. After
the trade show, we go back to the room and
walk in there and uh, and I'm like, oh my god,
we got our first order, and I'm like, it's all now, man,
(01:26):
it's on now. Well about six months went, but I
don't think we got another one. But anyhow, we got
our first order, and uh it was an individual by
the name of tamer Lane Kennedy Jr. So we didn't
quite have our our pieces altogether. We were doing what
we'd like to refer to as a pre sell. So
we get it all done and it's right around Thanksgiving
(01:50):
at this point. And I called and I said, and
I remember I was driving down the road and nobles Ville, Indiana,
going to the post office and I called and I said, hey,
you know, I speak with termer Lyne Kennedy Jr. He says, yeah,
this is me, and I said, uh. I said, hey,
you know, I just want to thank you for your
your business. And uh, I wanted to uh, I wanted
(02:13):
to ask you how did you hear about us? And
he said, well, I went online. I was looking for
these stickers for my you know, my buddies that I
played ball with in the league, you know, my kid's
rooms and so forth. And I said, oh, you played
You played in the NFL. He says yeah, And I said,
I said, well, we do a lot of stuff with
the colts and you know, uh, you know, things like that,
(02:34):
and uh, sorry, we're in a bird sanctuary by the way,
but live close didn't tabs with Nature live from the
bird sanctuary. But anyhow, I said, I said, uh, you know,
I said, I said, yeah, I said, we do stuff
with the colts and he said, he said yeah. He said, uh,
Tark Glenn and Jeff Saturday, you're good friends. I said,
(02:54):
they're good friends of mine as well, and he said,
he said, well, they would know me as Lincoln. And
it hit me. I was like, this is Lincoln Kennedy,
this guy Radar Gray, Pro Bowl or All Pro super
Bowl champions. So anyhow, thanks for your business, thanks for
becoming a great friend, and uh thanks for representing. I
(03:16):
guess trust me that the pleasure has been mine. I
find it finally found a product that I can thoroughly
trust and believe in. It's hard when you guys are
our size. I mean it's It was always difficult for
me to to to find glasses, especially off the rack.
Living in California, constant sunshine, it was almost a necessity.
But you know, I learned very early on there are
(03:36):
things that I could not find in an everyday store,
I could find hats that could fit me, and I
couldn't find glasses that could fit me until your company
came on. So it was it was a marriage made
instantly in heaven obviously, that's right. That's right. Well, that's cool. Yeah,
we uh, you know, there's a there's a lot more
nfl or's out there and retired and current than you know.
(03:58):
They need to find it out too. You know, eventually
they will and they'll appreciate it certainly. But now we uh,
you know, we were we were talking a little bit
before we came on here, and you know, just kind
of talking about what you're doing. Now, tell me about
your cigar business. Well, the name of my cigar company
is LK. It's e l dash K Cigars and you
(04:18):
can find us online at LK Cigars dot com. Um.
I've been a cigar kind of store for a couple
of decades. Um. Shame to say this is the younger
youth that I was smoking while I was playing. But
I've always enjoyed cigars, even going back to college and
during my time, especially after I retired, I traveled around
the world, visiting different regions and sampling and tobacco when
(04:41):
I get and been an avid cigar smoker, and so
a couple of years ago, UM got with a blender
friend of mine created a blend. Let some of my
friends try and they all loved it, and they were like, hey,
you shouldn't you should do this, you should go into business.
And so I worked out some deals with some tobacco
growers from around the world. Uh, and then you know,
invest a little bit of time and energy in it,
(05:01):
and then always started, uh started a little cigar company,
Okay cigars UM And it's more boutiquish parlorish because it's
um you know, you know as well as I do.
Whenever you have a probably you gotta go out and
market and stuff like that. So my my my day child,
my normal day job, especially during the season as broadcast
in both college and professional football, uh college with the
(05:24):
PAC twelve network and professionally with Fox Sports Radio and
Company Sports Media, where I'm a colored man for all
the Raiders games. So I don't have a lot of
time to travel around the country promoted to these little
cigars spots, you know, but it is, but it's available online.
We've got a couple of places of brick and mortar
in the country. That are that that the habit um.
But as you see, I always travel with my case.
I'm never afraid to make a deal, that's right, always
(05:47):
ready to strick up a conversation. The handcuffed, Well that's
that's true. That's on the football. Yeah, exactly right. Well
I can I can attest for him great cigars, and
and you can tell the blend is amazing. I mean,
it's just got a lot of it's got a lot
of care into you know. And I think a lot
(06:08):
about that because when you know, when we you know,
when I you know, started fatheads, it was like, you know,
what's what's worse than than uh, you know, buying clothes
that don't fit. It's just as bad as buying glasses
that don't fit. It looks like you're wearing your kids glasses.
You know. Well, I can't say your kids kids, so
(06:29):
I can't say that. But even he loves them. So
I mean, it's it's it's all, it's all good. It's
it's a product that is is long overdue and well
received in the channels in the places I run with. Yeah, yeah,
and and so so you you spoke about you know,
you spoke about the Raiders. We were we were kind
(06:50):
of joking and laughing about it a little bit earlier
and and uh what what what loyal fans for one
which are which are absolutely amazing. Uh John Garden coming back,
which you know has a lot of a lot of
marketable marketing, marketing power to him. Uh you know, have
(07:10):
any thoughts on I thought you could share. Well, you
know what, it'll be interesting to see. It'll be interesting
this year because one thing that grew in when you know,
of course there's a lot of excitement about him coming back,
and probably rightfully so. He was the last consistently winning
coach that was at the program. Um so, and it's
long overdue. With the rheter nation is hungry. The city
of Oakland is hungry because they're trying to get a
championship before they moved to Vegas. Now I'm not here
(07:33):
saying they're ready to win a championship. I don't think
they're that that close yet. But they've got a good
foundation and you've got you as I both know that
when it comes to sports, you gotta strike whether irons,
you know what I mean. So, um there, it'll be
an interesting year watching the raiders and critique in now.
My biggest criticism we grew in back in the day
was that he was a very conservative ultraconservative, and sometimes
(07:55):
that's good and bad. But he he came in and
they made some moves with some free agents. UH signed
Jordy Nelson and one of them more of a possession
style receiver that he had with like Tim Brown back
in the day. Um they signed Doug Martin, just another
running back to add to the depth, and a couple
of linebackers. I expect him to have a big draft
because Regie mackenzie, the general manager, has done some good
(08:16):
drafts recently, so I expect him to have a big draft.
UM and that's gonna play pay a lot into their
their season as well, especially if they get guys like
Gary and Connley to play. It was the first round
draft choice at Ohio State last year, didn't play due
to injuries most of this season, so they're relying heavily
on the youth and sort of the mantra that Reggie
(08:36):
McKenzie took from Green Bay when he worked with the
Packers that they draft well, build the foundation and don't
really do a lot in free agency. Build the foundation.
So on there to do list is not only have
a good draft next week, but also uh uh to
sign Khalil Max a long term contract because he is
going to be one of those guys that that is
going to be a part of that stable foundation for
(08:56):
the future, a tremendous pass Russian outside linebacker side defensive
in well. Uh, as much as you love the Raiders
and are a Raider for life, you know, I'm a
cult and uh and and you know we're we're we're
doing a lot of rebuilding right now. You know, had
(09:18):
an unbelievable great friend and coach Bagano and his staff
and and you know, furthermore, have had a great relationship
with with with really all the staffs and we've been
been there with and been very fortunate, very fortunate for that.
And you know, the same training staff there that's been
there and and uh so you know we we uh
(09:43):
we do stuff back and forth with them, and and
uh you know, try to try to as well, you know,
utilize our relationships for you know, some of our fundraising
and philanthropy stuff as well, which which works works very
well with those. So are you involved in anything right
now at a uh, any charities or things. Well, you
(10:06):
know what I'm I guess I don't know if it was.
It was an unofficial promotion if you will, to or
to be sort of the ambassador between the team and
the Raider Nation fan club, a fan you know, the
associations there, you know, just speaking about philanthropy, there's a
number of Raider booster groups that here in the area
and Phoenix that I live in. There a matter of fact,
I think there's three main booster clubs and UM drawing
(10:29):
those into the charities that the Raiders are involved with
UM and helping with the transition to the Vegas move
that's going to happen in a couple of years. I'm
involved with UM, but you know, my way of giving
back as best I can is like I help out
youth sports and I go and I talked to schools
in this time of year in springtime and stuff like that.
I'm also involved with the National Football Foundation, which is
(10:51):
UM what was inducted into their Hall of Fame and
UM they I'm a board member and pushing the Football
Matters initiative around the country. As you know, Uh, there
are a lot of little Timmy mom's, Little Timmy's mom
that don't want to let their sons play football, and
the numbers are going down and that affects the you know,
I think football is a great game. I think it's
I enjoyed playing it. It's a contact sports, so it
(11:12):
has this inherit. Dangers are inherant, you know, drop offs
if you will, that if possible injuries. It's not for everybody,
but sports in general have always been a way for
you to build character, to learn how to work on
a team. And that's why you know, in the in
the the Fortune five under world just companies business you want,
you know, people like turn Its athletes are here from
athletes to figure out how they did it. It's interesting
(11:34):
you're saying that because you're exactly right. Uh, you know,
during the hiring process, I mean myself included, and a
lot of others that you know that we do, uh
that I know that owned companies, very successful companies. You know,
one of our one of our main initiatives, as you know,
we try to hire uh you know, former retired military
(11:56):
and uh you know will eventually move into um more
of a production standpoint where we can actually work with
able and disable. So um So there's a couple of
things there, So leadership in the military, you know, learning,
you're learning everything there. Uh, but you know what team sports,
(12:20):
you know, it's it's much of the same. And you know,
the team sports side of it is is you know
what you you know, I'm gonna line up shoulder to
shoulder with you, and you know what, we're gonna go
that way. And uh, if you don't push as hard
as I do, guess what, we're not going to go
that way. And uh, you know it's a lot of
what I what I you know, tell you know our
(12:42):
team you know at fat Heads is you know what, listen, Uh,
you know, we're all on the same side of the rope.
We're all pulling the same way. And if you've got
one person that isn't on their pull and guess what,
we'll never win that we'll never have to worry about it.
So well that that's that's awesome, because we we need
(13:02):
ambassadors to the young kids. We need people that that
will talk to them and uh and helped form the
youth of America. I mean, that's our future, you know,
and I know probably the elders when they saw us
coming up and oh my god, that's our future. So
I don't know if that's what we say or what
we feel as well. So you know, we gotta we
(13:23):
gotta go to work a little bit harder on it.
But uh, but now it's uh, you know, it's it's
been uh, you know, it's been great seeing you know, athletes,
former athletes, you know, and and and and people that
kids can look up to, not guys that are out
getting in trouble, you know. And and that's the other
(13:45):
thing you know that a lot of a lot of
people don't understand is you know that you know the NFL,
these are these are young men and somewhat still kids,
you know, and uh, you know, the unfortunate part of
the league and no fault, I mean, you know, we
learned by mistakes a lot of times. But you know,
(14:08):
the unfortunate part of the league was, you know, they
just kind of turned them loose with millions of dollars
and said, hey, get it, figure it out. Figured it
out exactly. And they didn't have any of these programs
like Herm Edwards was you know, was involved with and
and uh, you know a bunch of different people where
they spoke to these these rookies and you know, these
kids part of their rookie orientation was you're gonna set
(14:30):
through this and you're gonna listen to them help you
understand it. So you know, uh, I think it's great
that they've done that. You know, I think it's uh,
I think it's great that uh, you know, they're working
on you know, safety as always. You know, it's uh,
we've got these amazing athletes and they're bigger, they're faster,
(14:52):
they're stronger than they've ever been, and uh, it's it's
absolutely crazy. I mean I've stood on the sidelines many
times to the collisions sound like an automotive accident. You've
got a running back going as hard as you can
in a linebacker coming up for safety, and I'm like,
how did they get up? You know, how do you
(15:13):
get up off the ground after that? So you you
longer than I of course, but in the trenches, you know,
you were pretty close contact. There's no there's not a
lot of big running going on, so we were running anywhere,
but we had that, we did have that sumo style
collisions contact going on. Yeah, exactly exactly so. But it's
(15:34):
interesting that the like I said, the raider move, we
talked about that. You know, who else could have moved
to Vegas. It seemed seemed the marriage that that that
was meant to be. If there was ever gonna be
a team in Vegas. Uh, it was, it was. It
was surely to be the Raiders. And a lot of
people don't know this, but I know Mark Davis, the
current owner of the Raiders, was able to get it
(15:54):
done with the NFL. But you know, way back in
the day, Al Davis was always talking about the Raiders
possibly movement. It just seemed fitting. Al had a house
in Las Vegas, um um, and he often visited. A
matter of fact, we were we were often as a
member as the players whenever we had our bye week
after we came out and you know, coach said, you know,
see you Tuesday. We had those four days off, We're
(16:15):
hitting Vegas. We're elective. We're going to party in Vegas.
So now to be a part and it'll it'll be
good because you know, the a new stadium, new venture,
new possibilities, a new culture, if you will, Uh, surrounding
professional sports is long overdue. The Vegas is a tremendous city,
as you know, and there's beautiful, beautiful city and what
(16:37):
better way of marketing to figure out. Hey, look after
a weekend fun you can watch an NFL game in
a Sunday and live in person, and you didn't have
that lecture. One of our number one markets for fat heads,
Las Vegas. I can believe that one of our number
one markets, and it is uh. I don't know if
there's a lot of winners and their heads are swelling up.
I'm not sure how that takes place or what takes
(16:58):
place there. But you got a wall, got we gotta
walk in do such side to walk off those those
drinks and that's right, holding a little water. It's exactly uh,
but no, it's it. I look forward to it. I
look forward to going out and checking out the you know,
the new facility and uh, you know I talked to
Bob Romansky and you know with the team, the equipment,
(17:22):
uh manager, and he's talking about how they're designing the
locker rooms and getting to say in all of it,
which you know, it's cool because guess what, he's the
one that has to uh you know, he's the one
that has to deal with you know, so if something's
not right, well, he's the one that will get to
deal with it every day, you know. I remember when
they transformed the facility that they're at right now. I
(17:42):
mean when we first moved in the ninety six, was
my first year with the team, it was an abandoned
office building. I mean, we had our our first two seasons,
we had our locker rooms outside in Bungalow's and showers
and everything else before they moved us in uh UM
into the facility. And then I remember Bob and where
his equipment room as a locker room and stuff like that.
But these days, this is what professional sports has morphed into.
(18:05):
These these these stadiums are no longer just stadiums. Their palaces.
Jerry's World down in Dallas. You know you talk about
Lucas well. I mean, these these stadiums are so magnanimous,
They drawing so much other than football itself. It's it's
it's really an experience. I mean the days, you know,
the days of tailgating are pretty much long gone because
(18:25):
they want to draw you in and want you to
spend money in their facility and stuff like that. So
they're you know, there's places that are putting three, four
or five star restaurants in a stadium. I mean, who
ever thought about going to uh you know, going to
see a game and then having dinner at a five
star play. But this is what they're trying to do.
This is the next level they're trying to do. So
you know, from l A's new stadium and you know this,
this year's draft is going to be a Jerry's world
(18:46):
in Dallas. UM, It'll be interesting to see the performance
they put on because I think Philadelphia what they did
last year with the draft set the bar so high
that anybody that comes after them is really going to
have to do it in because Philadelphia showed off. I
did it right, and they did it right, and and
then you know the high that they're riding even through
the Super Bowl. You know, n C two, a championship.
(19:07):
You know right now with the Sixers, everything that city
is on an all time high. And so you've got
city officials who are looking at like, well if we
get that. So that's what the new stadium will do.
From Vegas, you know the nights, the hockey team is
doing well and the Raiders are gonna put their their
their practice facility in the training facility. Were not the
training the facility, but they're all facility is gonna be
out by where the Golden Knights are outside of the
(19:28):
city limits. And just the stadium and the way the
stadium is designed and the way it's looking, you know,
the the the concepts of it. It's gonna be beautiful.
You're gonna have a big, big glass window that shows
you the strip at night. You know, you can see
it right across the fifteen. So it's it's coming together
to be awesome to see it in a couple of years. Yeah,
that's uh. And and you know, we we have a
(19:50):
you know, our our team at fat As we have
we have a great love for for racinging and things
like that. And you know, one of the one of
the uh, you know, cool things that they're doing over
at that they're doing over at the stadium in St.
Louis now, they're running indoor races. Yeah, they're running indoor
(20:13):
races and they put dirt in there, and uh, and
you know what, they're getting a lot of people there,
a lot of people and uh, you know, I know
a lot of times there was really no choice in
the matter that you know, they have to tear down
the stadium to make room from the other one or
what have you. But man, if you had a stadium
(20:34):
tour of all these stadiums that used to be up
and and you know you have the Monster Jams and
stuff like that, but some of that stuff, you know,
the the new stadiums don't want him, you know, and
it's not a big enough deal to them. So but uh,
but now it's it's it's interesting to see it happen. Uh.
(20:55):
You know. Of course we talked about you know, l
a with with the Rams going there and uh and uh,
you know the Chargers having a new place, which you
know is cool and it doesn't feel that great probably
for people San Diego, but they're not the big the
biggest fan of fans, especially Sandy Charger. Yeah, but it's
(21:15):
not that far away from him either. And I got
a new facility and uh and things like that. And
I think I think people have to understand. I understand
the loyalty and the affinity, the the affiliation, but we
got understand this is a business. I mean, you know,
the and and when it's because you and I are
both business owners. Sometimes you have to do what's better
for the bottom line. Right. You might you might not
(21:37):
make a lot of friends along the way, but those
those hard decisions that you have to be, you have
to do and and you know there there are a
number of fans that fell off once the Raiders went
to to the Las Vegas or signed a deal to
proposal to Las Vegas. And now there's even some stories
of speculation that the city of Oakland might try to
sue the NFL over the move. But I was I
was affiliated with I've been affiliated with the Raiders for
(21:59):
over twenty years. And when I got there in ninety six,
as I mentioned, there were already speculations we're gonna get
a new stadium. Twenty one plus years later, it still
hasn't happened. And so you know, I don't know who
to blame. I don't know. I'm sure there's probably both
sides have equal blame. But it didn't get done. And
there's nothing more embarrassing to me as a commentator than
to see an iconic as iconic football team as the
(22:22):
Oakland Raiders have to share a stadium with a baseball team.
And in this day and age where everybody everybody's got
new stadiums, help look at look at what happened down
in Atlanta. I remember being in the Georgiadome when I
first started in the League of played for the Atlanta Falcons.
It was all it was owned by the five ranking
the ranking Smith's. The five Smiths um they had a
Georgia Dome, the Georgiadome was was opened two years before
(22:45):
I got there. And now within the within less than
twenty five years, they've imploded the Georgia Dome and built
the Mercedes, don't you see what I'm saying? And then
these these palaces are coming up. So why is it
that every other team can get a stadium or get
a deal, but the Raiders in Oakland, and so it's
it's disheartening. I have a lot of love and affinity
for the city of Oakland because I had a tremendous
(23:06):
amount of friends, family there and stuff like that. But
they deserved the heatherir Own Stadium right right, and and
that is correct. And one of the it's funny you
were talking about them building the building new you know,
new places and this and that. Well in nineteen let's see,
it would have been in ninety four or five. Now
(23:28):
it's probably I was in Atlanta and watched the last
game at Fulton County Stadium. As I'm putting in the
A T M. Machines for uh, for the Olympics, and
what ended up turning into Turner Field. Well, hell now
they've tore that down exactly and they're building another state
(23:50):
exactly up you know, a cop County because they did
a study where all their you know, all their season
ticket holders were from, and it was copp County. But
I'm like, man, that's horrible. It's like three places, you
know what I mean that. But but yeah, I get it,
and I mean it's it's in what you're talking about.
You know, you're always building the team, and you're always
(24:12):
and that's us in business. That's the football team. You're
always building the team. And you're right, you know what.
There's sometimes you just don't want to let go of
of you know, of that Peyton, you know what I mean.
He was an All Star and still as an All
Star without a doubt, and you know what, you let
him go. He went to Denver and was an All
(24:34):
star there. But unfortunately he you know, him and Jimmy
both decided that he wasn't the future and that we
needed to do something. Decision. It was a hard decision.
You know. There's things like that that happened a lot,
and sometimes those are the worst things that we have
to deal with his business owners. You have to deal
(24:56):
with as a coach, making the hard decisions, saying you
a lot, we're just not gonna we can't do this
any more the way we're doing it. Uh. And a
lot of times it works out for the better a
month of everybody, you know, and uh, I mean, you
were in Atlanta, you went to you went to Oakland,
I mean, and uh, you know, it was probably probably
a pretty good move. So it was definitely a good
(25:18):
move for me. It revitalized my career. Now, Davis made
a trade for me because I wasn't happy in in Atlanta.
They were back then, they were running a system that
I just was not conduced it to my abilities as
a player, and it wasn't playing a lot. Was very frustrated,
was starting to be written off as a first round bust.
I thought I could still play, and so I went
to my agent. Uh you know, Ken Herock was a
managing general general manager back then, uh, team president. And
(25:42):
I went to Ken Herock, who I'm good friends with
it this day. And after three years, I was a
restricted free agent, but I only signed a only signed
a three year deal because I had a feeling that
my agent had warned me, you know, if this system
doesn't work out, we want to be able to get out. Uh.
And this was the first year, was the first year
of the collective Bargain Agreement, and so there were a
lot of guys who were coming in signing five six
(26:03):
year deals just so they could, you know, get over
that free agency hump and the teams won't have to
pay a lot of money. I took less money for
a lesser year deal, um less stability, and I was
glad that I did, because after three years, I went
to ken I Rock I said, either cut me or
trade me. I won't play in the Falcon uniform again.
And He's like, well, we can't just let you go
because you were a first round pick. And I'm like, well,
I'm not happy here. I don't like June Jones. I
(26:23):
don't like this system or don't like this program. I
think you have an inferior athlete playing in front of me.
And if I'm not going to see the field, I'm
not gonna waste my life here up under this. So UM.
You know, I was able to make the trade for
UM with it with Oakland went there and never looked
back and became great friends with the late great Al Davis.
Maybe rest in peace, but he gave me a chance
(26:43):
to come and play, and then the first moment I
showed up was a starter from day one and finished
my career as a starter. He was, He was an
amazing indiventually, Yes he was, Yes he was. And that
trail blazer if you didn't like it, I don't know
if he even thought. Sorry, No, not not not at all.
You know. The great thing, the greatest thing to me
about how is that? Share real? The real quick story.
(27:06):
I was playing in the East West Shrine Game UM
coming out of college, and it was the practices where
at Stanford University. So I walked up the hill one
time after practice and I saw Davis over there in
his white sweatsuit. What is how you know? And I
was just like, Hey, that's How Davis, owner of Oakland Raiders.
So I went over there and I shook his hands,
and Mr Davis and it's a pleasure to meet you.
My name is Lincoln. Kennedy was like, you know, I
know who you are. He's like, you're probably not gonna
(27:27):
be around when we get our pick. But one day
you're gonna be a raider. And so obviously when you
fast forward and saw how everything came about, it just
blew my mind and too, you know. And he was
one of the greatest storytellers, hstellar storytellers. And so when
I came to the team in as I was around
this time. As a matter of fact, Um came over
(27:48):
to the team a part of the trade. We were
going out to mini camp and uh I was out
there and then standing on the sidelines, and I walked
to ask him when I got there, and I said,
Mr Davis, is good to see you again. And he
shook his head and he's like, I told you to
be a writer and here you are. So I love it. Yeah,
I love it. So getting close to wrapping up, give
me something funny in the NFL. Something you got to
(28:10):
enjoy that, you know. I enjoyed. I enjoyed the limelight.
I I enjoyed the experience of being an athlete in
a town that appreciated the sport. And and there's something
that's just great when you you you walk into a
restaurant and and they've they've got your spot ready for you,
(28:33):
or you go into a bar and they know your drink.
You know what I mean, there's something there's something about
that that makes you feel I feel good, app exactly
appreciate it. And and one of the most difficult things
that I've come to experience with athletes is that they
have a hard time when that light goes off not
being recognized. A lot of destruction. And that's why that transition,
especially for NFL athletes, is so difficult. Uh. You see
(28:56):
a lot of you know, lives ended up in divorce
and stuff like that. So what you you spoke on
the fact that the NFL seems to be doing more
to to try to prepare these guys for life after football,
and it's it's a difficult task if you think about it.
Their lives are regimented high school, college pros. You're told
where to go, you told when to sleep, when to
(29:16):
eat everything else. Then after all that, all that that
that structure has gone, what do you do. Whether you've
got made a ton of money in the league or
you didn't, you made a little money, You're still going
to make more money in the National Football League for
your short career than you will and just about any
job outside. You see what I'm saying, And that's the
biggest misnomers. So I I like to see guys taking
(29:37):
you know, more control of their careers and more and
prospecting for the future, not insisting that football is going
to be it for everything, because we know it's not. Yeah, yeah,
And you know that's that is an interesting, uh interesting
fact because I've watched a lot of my friends that
you know, reformer players and good players, and uh, you know,
(29:59):
they can spend like they were still playing, but when
they stopped playing, they forgot to stop spending like they
were playing. And you know, you have somebody that's that's
really beat theirself in the ground for the game, for
the money, for the comfort for them and their family,
and it's gone, and it's gone, and it's it's you've done.
You've done all of this work and all of this
(30:21):
uh you know, preparation, and it's just like you said,
I mean, it's you know, I'd always remember talking to
tart Glenn, him telling me, he goes, he goes, man,
he goes, let me tell you he goes. And and
by the way, tart Glenn was probably one of, if
not the best, one of the best tackles in the league.
(30:42):
And then then in now and uh, you know, it's
it's kind of funny listening to him. He goes, yeah,
you know, everything's cool other than this conditioning, you know.
And uh and uh you know, and he was he
was fine with he was fine with doing uh doing
the doing the eating like most of us, but up
(31:03):
By would get the other part. And we didn't like
the condition We had to always work with that extra weight.
So especially when you go to place like Almos and
you have a nice steak. Yeah when he uh him
and John Ray, big John Ray. Uh, Tony was telling
me that he goes, yeah, he goes, uh. You know,
(31:23):
Zoopanzig was weighing us, and you know if we didn't
if we didn't make weight, yeah, we were in trouble.
We were gonna get fined like a big, big way
remember those days. And uh and you know Tony had
the money because Tony got drafted pretty well and you know, uh,
you know, his first contract was good. And here you
(31:43):
got John Ray, which was a star at West Virginia,
and you know he was fighting to do his thing well.
The next thing, you know, these guys have taken I
don't know if there's pennies, dimes, quarters, nickels, but they
took change and put it under neat the scale and
it wasn't it wasn't weighing in the right way. So
(32:04):
they were turned. It was turning out okay. Well, then
the next the next thing, you know, one of the
running backs gets on there and they're about, oh, I
don't know about forty pounds light and so they're in
trouble going the other way, you know, instead of instead
of uh, instead of going going up there. They're too
(32:26):
too small. So but but yeah, a lot of and
you know, and that's the other thing that a lot
of people don't understand, you know what the players in
the in the NFL are people. You know, Uh, you
don't want to go to dinner and somebody grabbing on
you the whole time you're at dinner, you know, and
neither today. And it's just about respecting people. And you know,
(32:50):
I've been around him a long time and and you
know good friends that have been there, that are there
and uh, you know it's it's uh, you know, don't
act like a groupie. Treat him like a person with respect,
and you'll get it back and to come back at you.
But in closing, I want to thank you one for
(33:11):
being a good friend and uh and uh it's amazing
two thousand sex twelve years mayby, you got a brother
and hard to pleasures my man, hard to believe so anyhow,
Rico Elmore again, Adam is Uh. I don't know where
Adam is anyhow, signing off for the skinny. Thank you,
thanks for listening, and be sure to check that off
(33:33):
it for more of the Skinny with Rico Elmore, founder
and CEO of Bedheads, I Wear the Skinny, Available now
on iTunes and Rico Elmore dot com.
You're listening to The Skinny with Rico Elmore presented by
fat Heads I Wear. All right, this is Rico Elmore
with the Skinny. Adam is not with us today. He's
on location in Russia trying to get a new guest. Anyhow,
(00:23):
with us today is a good friend and first time,
first customer ever for fat Heads I wear, Mr Lincoln Kennedy, Rico,
how you doing, man? I thought you changed the name
of your podcast at the Skinny just to benefit the
two of us, But you know, I do. I do
appreciate being on with your brother. Yeah, it's uh, it's
(00:43):
a good one. But yeah, that's the only thing that
I had that they can associate Skinny with. I figured
it would work out best that way. But little background
on Lincoln, uh, and fill in where I leave off.
But you know, in two thousands, for when we started Fatheads,
we uh, you know, we started making some glasses and
(01:05):
by about oh six we had some for sale. And
you know, we were at a trade show in Las
Vegas and after the trade show, Vision Expo West. After
the trade show, we go back to the room and
walk in there and uh, and I'm like, oh my god,
we got our first order, and I'm like, it's all now, man,
(01:26):
it's on now. Well about six months went, but I
don't think we got another one. But anyhow, we got
our first order, and uh it was an individual by
the name of tamer Lane Kennedy Jr. So we didn't
quite have our our pieces altogether. We were doing what
we'd like to refer to as a pre sell. So
we get it all done and it's right around Thanksgiving
(01:50):
at this point. And I called and I said, and
I remember I was driving down the road and nobles Ville, Indiana,
going to the post office and I called and I said, hey,
you know, I speak with termer Lyne Kennedy Jr. He says, yeah,
this is me, and I said, uh. I said, hey,
you know, I just want to thank you for your
your business. And uh, I wanted to uh, I wanted
(02:13):
to ask you how did you hear about us? And
he said, well, I went online. I was looking for
these stickers for my you know, my buddies that I
played ball with in the league, you know, my kid's
rooms and so forth. And I said, oh, you played
You played in the NFL. He says yeah, And I said,
I said, well, we do a lot of stuff with
the colts and you know, uh, you know, things like that,
(02:34):
and uh, sorry, we're in a bird sanctuary by the way,
but live close didn't tabs with Nature live from the
bird sanctuary. But anyhow, I said, I said, uh, you know,
I said, I said, yeah, I said, we do stuff
with the colts and he said, he said yeah. He said, uh,
Tark Glenn and Jeff Saturday, you're good friends. I said,
(02:54):
they're good friends of mine as well, and he said,
he said, well, they would know me as Lincoln. And
it hit me. I was like, this is Lincoln Kennedy,
this guy Radar Gray, Pro Bowl or All Pro super
Bowl champions. So anyhow, thanks for your business, thanks for
becoming a great friend, and uh thanks for representing. I
(03:16):
guess trust me that the pleasure has been mine. I
find it finally found a product that I can thoroughly
trust and believe in. It's hard when you guys are
our size. I mean it's It was always difficult for
me to to to find glasses, especially off the rack.
Living in California, constant sunshine, it was almost a necessity.
But you know, I learned very early on there are
(03:36):
things that I could not find in an everyday store,
I could find hats that could fit me, and I
couldn't find glasses that could fit me until your company
came on. So it was it was a marriage made
instantly in heaven obviously, that's right. That's right. Well, that's cool. Yeah,
we uh, you know, there's a there's a lot more
nfl or's out there and retired and current than you know.
(03:58):
They need to find it out too. You know, eventually
they will and they'll appreciate it certainly. But now we uh,
you know, we were we were talking a little bit
before we came on here, and you know, just kind
of talking about what you're doing. Now, tell me about
your cigar business. Well, the name of my cigar company
is LK. It's e l dash K Cigars and you
(04:18):
can find us online at LK Cigars dot com. Um.
I've been a cigar kind of store for a couple
of decades. Um. Shame to say this is the younger
youth that I was smoking while I was playing. But
I've always enjoyed cigars, even going back to college and
during my time, especially after I retired, I traveled around
the world, visiting different regions and sampling and tobacco when
(04:41):
I get and been an avid cigar smoker, and so
a couple of years ago, UM got with a blender
friend of mine created a blend. Let some of my
friends try and they all loved it, and they were like, hey,
you shouldn't you should do this, you should go into business.
And so I worked out some deals with some tobacco
growers from around the world. Uh, and then you know,
invest a little bit of time and energy in it,
(05:01):
and then always started, uh started a little cigar company,
Okay cigars UM And it's more boutiquish parlorish because it's
um you know, you know as well as I do.
Whenever you have a probably you gotta go out and
market and stuff like that. So my my my day child,
my normal day job, especially during the season as broadcast
in both college and professional football, uh college with the
(05:24):
PAC twelve network and professionally with Fox Sports Radio and
Company Sports Media, where I'm a colored man for all
the Raiders games. So I don't have a lot of
time to travel around the country promoted to these little
cigars spots, you know, but it is, but it's available online.
We've got a couple of places of brick and mortar
in the country. That are that that the habit um.
But as you see, I always travel with my case.
I'm never afraid to make a deal, that's right, always
(05:47):
ready to strick up a conversation. The handcuffed, Well that's
that's true. That's on the football. Yeah, exactly right. Well
I can I can attest for him great cigars, and
and you can tell the blend is amazing. I mean,
it's just got a lot of it's got a lot
of care into you know. And I think a lot
(06:08):
about that because when you know, when we you know,
when I you know, started fatheads, it was like, you know,
what's what's worse than than uh, you know, buying clothes
that don't fit. It's just as bad as buying glasses
that don't fit. It looks like you're wearing your kids glasses.
You know. Well, I can't say your kids kids, so
(06:29):
I can't say that. But even he loves them. So
I mean, it's it's it's all, it's all good. It's
it's a product that is is long overdue and well
received in the channels in the places I run with. Yeah, yeah,
and and so so you you spoke about you know,
you spoke about the Raiders. We were we were kind
(06:50):
of joking and laughing about it a little bit earlier
and and uh what what what loyal fans for one
which are which are absolutely amazing. Uh John Garden coming back,
which you know has a lot of a lot of
marketable marketing, marketing power to him. Uh you know, have
(07:10):
any thoughts on I thought you could share. Well, you
know what, it'll be interesting to see. It'll be interesting
this year because one thing that grew in when you know,
of course there's a lot of excitement about him coming back,
and probably rightfully so. He was the last consistently winning
coach that was at the program. Um so, and it's
long overdue. With the rheter nation is hungry. The city
of Oakland is hungry because they're trying to get a
championship before they moved to Vegas. Now I'm not here
(07:33):
saying they're ready to win a championship. I don't think
they're that that close yet. But they've got a good
foundation and you've got you as I both know that
when it comes to sports, you gotta strike whether irons,
you know what I mean. So, um there, it'll be
an interesting year watching the raiders and critique in now.
My biggest criticism we grew in back in the day
was that he was a very conservative ultraconservative, and sometimes
(07:55):
that's good and bad. But he he came in and
they made some moves with some free agents. UH signed
Jordy Nelson and one of them more of a possession
style receiver that he had with like Tim Brown back
in the day. Um they signed Doug Martin, just another
running back to add to the depth, and a couple
of linebackers. I expect him to have a big draft
because Regie mackenzie, the general manager, has done some good
(08:16):
drafts recently, so I expect him to have a big draft.
UM and that's gonna play pay a lot into their
their season as well, especially if they get guys like
Gary and Connley to play. It was the first round
draft choice at Ohio State last year, didn't play due
to injuries most of this season, so they're relying heavily
on the youth and sort of the mantra that Reggie
(08:36):
McKenzie took from Green Bay when he worked with the
Packers that they draft well, build the foundation and don't
really do a lot in free agency. Build the foundation.
So on there to do list is not only have
a good draft next week, but also uh uh to
sign Khalil Max a long term contract because he is
going to be one of those guys that that is
going to be a part of that stable foundation for
(08:56):
the future, a tremendous pass Russian outside linebacker side defensive
in well. Uh, as much as you love the Raiders
and are a Raider for life, you know, I'm a
cult and uh and and you know we're we're we're
doing a lot of rebuilding right now. You know, had
(09:18):
an unbelievable great friend and coach Bagano and his staff
and and you know, furthermore, have had a great relationship
with with with really all the staffs and we've been
been there with and been very fortunate, very fortunate for that.
And you know, the same training staff there that's been
there and and uh so you know we we uh
(09:43):
we do stuff back and forth with them, and and
uh you know, try to try to as well, you know,
utilize our relationships for you know, some of our fundraising
and philanthropy stuff as well, which which works works very
well with those. So are you involved in anything right
now at a uh, any charities or things. Well, you
(10:06):
know what I'm I guess I don't know if it was.
It was an unofficial promotion if you will, to or
to be sort of the ambassador between the team and
the Raider Nation fan club, a fan you know, the
associations there, you know, just speaking about philanthropy, there's a
number of Raider booster groups that here in the area
and Phoenix that I live in. There a matter of fact,
I think there's three main booster clubs and UM drawing
(10:29):
those into the charities that the Raiders are involved with
UM and helping with the transition to the Vegas move
that's going to happen in a couple of years. I'm
involved with UM, but you know, my way of giving
back as best I can is like I help out
youth sports and I go and I talked to schools
in this time of year in springtime and stuff like that.
I'm also involved with the National Football Foundation, which is
(10:51):
UM what was inducted into their Hall of Fame and
UM they I'm a board member and pushing the Football
Matters initiative around the country. As you know, Uh, there
are a lot of little Timmy mom's, Little Timmy's mom
that don't want to let their sons play football, and
the numbers are going down and that affects the you know,
I think football is a great game. I think it's
I enjoyed playing it. It's a contact sports, so it
(11:12):
has this inherit. Dangers are inherant, you know, drop offs
if you will, that if possible injuries. It's not for everybody,
but sports in general have always been a way for
you to build character, to learn how to work on
a team. And that's why you know, in the in
the the Fortune five under world just companies business you want,
you know, people like turn Its athletes are here from
athletes to figure out how they did it. It's interesting
(11:34):
you're saying that because you're exactly right. Uh, you know,
during the hiring process, I mean myself included, and a
lot of others that you know that we do, uh
that I know that owned companies, very successful companies. You know,
one of our one of our main initiatives, as you know,
we try to hire uh you know, former retired military
(11:56):
and uh you know will eventually move into um more
of a production standpoint where we can actually work with
able and disable. So um So there's a couple of
things there, So leadership in the military, you know, learning,
you're learning everything there. Uh, but you know what team sports,
(12:20):
you know, it's it's much of the same. And you know,
the team sports side of it is is you know
what you you know, I'm gonna line up shoulder to
shoulder with you, and you know what, we're gonna go
that way. And uh, if you don't push as hard
as I do, guess what, we're not going to go
that way. And uh, you know it's a lot of
what I what I you know, tell you know our
(12:42):
team you know at fat Heads is you know what, listen, Uh,
you know, we're all on the same side of the rope.
We're all pulling the same way. And if you've got
one person that isn't on their pull and guess what,
we'll never win that we'll never have to worry about it.
So well that that's that's awesome, because we we need
(13:02):
ambassadors to the young kids. We need people that that
will talk to them and uh and helped form the
youth of America. I mean, that's our future, you know,
and I know probably the elders when they saw us
coming up and oh my god, that's our future. So
I don't know if that's what we say or what
we feel as well. So you know, we gotta we
(13:23):
gotta go to work a little bit harder on it.
But uh, but now it's uh, you know, it's it's
been uh, you know, it's been great seeing you know, athletes,
former athletes, you know, and and and and people that
kids can look up to, not guys that are out
getting in trouble, you know. And and that's the other
(13:45):
thing you know that a lot of a lot of
people don't understand is you know that you know the NFL,
these are these are young men and somewhat still kids,
you know, and uh, you know, the unfortunate part of
the league and no fault, I mean, you know, we
learned by mistakes a lot of times. But you know,
(14:08):
the unfortunate part of the league was, you know, they
just kind of turned them loose with millions of dollars
and said, hey, get it, figure it out. Figured it
out exactly. And they didn't have any of these programs
like Herm Edwards was you know, was involved with and
and uh, you know a bunch of different people where
they spoke to these these rookies and you know, these
kids part of their rookie orientation was you're gonna set
(14:30):
through this and you're gonna listen to them help you
understand it. So you know, uh, I think it's great
that they've done that. You know, I think it's uh,
I think it's great that uh, you know, they're working
on you know, safety as always. You know, it's uh,
we've got these amazing athletes and they're bigger, they're faster,
(14:52):
they're stronger than they've ever been, and uh, it's it's
absolutely crazy. I mean I've stood on the sidelines many
times to the collisions sound like an automotive accident. You've
got a running back going as hard as you can
in a linebacker coming up for safety, and I'm like,
how did they get up? You know, how do you
(15:13):
get up off the ground after that? So you you
longer than I of course, but in the trenches, you know,
you were pretty close contact. There's no there's not a
lot of big running going on, so we were running anywhere,
but we had that, we did have that sumo style
collisions contact going on. Yeah, exactly exactly so. But it's
(15:34):
interesting that the like I said, the raider move, we
talked about that. You know, who else could have moved
to Vegas. It seemed seemed the marriage that that that
was meant to be. If there was ever gonna be
a team in Vegas. Uh, it was, it was. It
was surely to be the Raiders. And a lot of
people don't know this, but I know Mark Davis, the
current owner of the Raiders, was able to get it
(15:54):
done with the NFL. But you know, way back in
the day, Al Davis was always talking about the Raiders
possibly movement. It just seemed fitting. Al had a house
in Las Vegas, um um, and he often visited. A
matter of fact, we were we were often as a
member as the players whenever we had our bye week
after we came out and you know, coach said, you know,
see you Tuesday. We had those four days off, We're
(16:15):
hitting Vegas. We're elective. We're going to party in Vegas.
So now to be a part and it'll it'll be
good because you know, the a new stadium, new venture,
new possibilities, a new culture, if you will, Uh, surrounding
professional sports is long overdue. The Vegas is a tremendous city,
as you know, and there's beautiful, beautiful city and what
(16:37):
better way of marketing to figure out. Hey, look after
a weekend fun you can watch an NFL game in
a Sunday and live in person, and you didn't have
that lecture. One of our number one markets for fat heads,
Las Vegas. I can believe that one of our number
one markets, and it is uh. I don't know if
there's a lot of winners and their heads are swelling up.
I'm not sure how that takes place or what takes
(16:58):
place there. But you got a wall, got we gotta
walk in do such side to walk off those those
drinks and that's right, holding a little water. It's exactly uh,
but no, it's it. I look forward to it. I
look forward to going out and checking out the you know,
the new facility and uh, you know I talked to
Bob Romansky and you know with the team, the equipment,
(17:22):
uh manager, and he's talking about how they're designing the
locker rooms and getting to say in all of it,
which you know, it's cool because guess what, he's the
one that has to uh you know, he's the one
that has to deal with you know, so if something's
not right, well, he's the one that will get to
deal with it every day, you know. I remember when
they transformed the facility that they're at right now. I
(17:42):
mean when we first moved in the ninety six, was
my first year with the team, it was an abandoned
office building. I mean, we had our our first two seasons,
we had our locker rooms outside in Bungalow's and showers
and everything else before they moved us in uh UM
into the facility. And then I remember Bob and where
his equipment room as a locker room and stuff like that.
But these days, this is what professional sports has morphed into.
(18:05):
These these these stadiums are no longer just stadiums. Their palaces.
Jerry's World down in Dallas. You know you talk about
Lucas well. I mean, these these stadiums are so magnanimous,
They drawing so much other than football itself. It's it's
it's really an experience. I mean the days, you know,
the days of tailgating are pretty much long gone because
(18:25):
they want to draw you in and want you to
spend money in their facility and stuff like that. So
they're you know, there's places that are putting three, four
or five star restaurants in a stadium. I mean, who
ever thought about going to uh you know, going to
see a game and then having dinner at a five
star play. But this is what they're trying to do.
This is the next level they're trying to do. So
you know, from l A's new stadium and you know this,
this year's draft is going to be a Jerry's world
(18:46):
in Dallas. UM, It'll be interesting to see the performance
they put on because I think Philadelphia what they did
last year with the draft set the bar so high
that anybody that comes after them is really going to
have to do it in because Philadelphia showed off. I
did it right, and they did it right, and and
then you know the high that they're riding even through
the Super Bowl. You know, n C two, a championship.
(19:07):
You know right now with the Sixers, everything that city
is on an all time high. And so you've got
city officials who are looking at like, well if we
get that. So that's what the new stadium will do.
From Vegas, you know the nights, the hockey team is
doing well and the Raiders are gonna put their their
their practice facility in the training facility. Were not the
training the facility, but they're all facility is gonna be
out by where the Golden Knights are outside of the
(19:28):
city limits. And just the stadium and the way the
stadium is designed and the way it's looking, you know,
the the the concepts of it. It's gonna be beautiful.
You're gonna have a big, big glass window that shows
you the strip at night. You know, you can see
it right across the fifteen. So it's it's coming together
to be awesome to see it in a couple of years. Yeah,
that's uh. And and you know, we we have a
(19:50):
you know, our our team at fat As we have
we have a great love for for racinging and things
like that. And you know, one of the one of
the uh, you know, cool things that they're doing over
at that they're doing over at the stadium in St.
Louis now, they're running indoor races. Yeah, they're running indoor
(20:13):
races and they put dirt in there, and uh, and
you know what, they're getting a lot of people there,
a lot of people and uh, you know, I know
a lot of times there was really no choice in
the matter that you know, they have to tear down
the stadium to make room from the other one or
what have you. But man, if you had a stadium
(20:34):
tour of all these stadiums that used to be up
and and you know you have the Monster Jams and
stuff like that, but some of that stuff, you know,
the the new stadiums don't want him, you know, and
it's not a big enough deal to them. So but uh,
but now it's it's it's interesting to see it happen. Uh.
(20:55):
You know. Of course we talked about you know, l
a with with the Rams going there and uh and uh,
you know the Chargers having a new place, which you
know is cool and it doesn't feel that great probably
for people San Diego, but they're not the big the
biggest fan of fans, especially Sandy Charger. Yeah, but it's
(21:15):
not that far away from him either. And I got
a new facility and uh and things like that. And
I think I think people have to understand. I understand
the loyalty and the affinity, the the affiliation, but we
got understand this is a business. I mean, you know,
the and and when it's because you and I are
both business owners. Sometimes you have to do what's better
for the bottom line. Right. You might you might not
(21:37):
make a lot of friends along the way, but those
those hard decisions that you have to be, you have
to do and and you know there there are a
number of fans that fell off once the Raiders went
to to the Las Vegas or signed a deal to
proposal to Las Vegas. And now there's even some stories
of speculation that the city of Oakland might try to
sue the NFL over the move. But I was I
was affiliated with I've been affiliated with the Raiders for
(21:59):
over twenty years. And when I got there in ninety six,
as I mentioned, there were already speculations we're gonna get
a new stadium. Twenty one plus years later, it still
hasn't happened. And so you know, I don't know who
to blame. I don't know. I'm sure there's probably both
sides have equal blame. But it didn't get done. And
there's nothing more embarrassing to me as a commentator than
to see an iconic as iconic football team as the
(22:22):
Oakland Raiders have to share a stadium with a baseball team.
And in this day and age where everybody everybody's got
new stadiums, help look at look at what happened down
in Atlanta. I remember being in the Georgiadome when I
first started in the League of played for the Atlanta Falcons.
It was all it was owned by the five ranking
the ranking Smith's. The five Smiths um they had a
Georgia Dome, the Georgiadome was was opened two years before
(22:45):
I got there. And now within the within less than
twenty five years, they've imploded the Georgia Dome and built
the Mercedes, don't you see what I'm saying? And then
these these palaces are coming up. So why is it
that every other team can get a stadium or get
a deal, but the Raiders in Oakland, and so it's
it's disheartening. I have a lot of love and affinity
for the city of Oakland because I had a tremendous
(23:06):
amount of friends, family there and stuff like that. But
they deserved the heatherir Own Stadium right right, and and
that is correct. And one of the it's funny you
were talking about them building the building new you know,
new places and this and that. Well in nineteen let's see,
it would have been in ninety four or five. Now
(23:28):
it's probably I was in Atlanta and watched the last
game at Fulton County Stadium. As I'm putting in the
A T M. Machines for uh, for the Olympics, and
what ended up turning into Turner Field. Well, hell now
they've tore that down exactly and they're building another state
(23:50):
exactly up you know, a cop County because they did
a study where all their you know, all their season
ticket holders were from, and it was copp County. But
I'm like, man, that's horrible. It's like three places, you
know what I mean that. But but yeah, I get it,
and I mean it's it's in what you're talking about.
You know, you're always building the team, and you're always
(24:12):
and that's us in business. That's the football team. You're
always building the team. And you're right, you know what.
There's sometimes you just don't want to let go of
of you know, of that Peyton, you know what I mean.
He was an All Star and still as an All
Star without a doubt, and you know what, you let
him go. He went to Denver and was an All
(24:34):
star there. But unfortunately he you know, him and Jimmy
both decided that he wasn't the future and that we
needed to do something. Decision. It was a hard decision.
You know. There's things like that that happened a lot,
and sometimes those are the worst things that we have
to deal with his business owners. You have to deal
(24:56):
with as a coach, making the hard decisions, saying you
a lot, we're just not gonna we can't do this
any more the way we're doing it. Uh. And a
lot of times it works out for the better a
month of everybody, you know, and uh, I mean, you
were in Atlanta, you went to you went to Oakland,
I mean, and uh, you know, it was probably probably
a pretty good move. So it was definitely a good
(25:18):
move for me. It revitalized my career. Now, Davis made
a trade for me because I wasn't happy in in Atlanta.
They were back then, they were running a system that
I just was not conduced it to my abilities as
a player, and it wasn't playing a lot. Was very frustrated,
was starting to be written off as a first round bust.
I thought I could still play, and so I went
to my agent. Uh you know, Ken Herock was a
managing general general manager back then, uh, team president. And
(25:42):
I went to Ken Herock, who I'm good friends with
it this day. And after three years, I was a
restricted free agent, but I only signed a only signed
a three year deal because I had a feeling that
my agent had warned me, you know, if this system
doesn't work out, we want to be able to get out. Uh.
And this was the first year, was the first year
of the collective Bargain Agreement, and so there were a
lot of guys who were coming in signing five six
(26:03):
year deals just so they could, you know, get over
that free agency hump and the teams won't have to
pay a lot of money. I took less money for
a lesser year deal, um less stability, and I was
glad that I did, because after three years, I went
to ken I Rock I said, either cut me or
trade me. I won't play in the Falcon uniform again.
And He's like, well, we can't just let you go
because you were a first round pick. And I'm like, well,
I'm not happy here. I don't like June Jones. I
(26:23):
don't like this system or don't like this program. I
think you have an inferior athlete playing in front of me.
And if I'm not going to see the field, I'm
not gonna waste my life here up under this. So UM.
You know, I was able to make the trade for
UM with it with Oakland went there and never looked
back and became great friends with the late great Al Davis.
Maybe rest in peace, but he gave me a chance
(26:43):
to come and play, and then the first moment I
showed up was a starter from day one and finished
my career as a starter. He was, He was an
amazing indiventually, Yes he was, Yes he was. And that
trail blazer if you didn't like it, I don't know
if he even thought. Sorry, No, not not not at all.
You know. The great thing, the greatest thing to me
about how is that? Share real? The real quick story.
(27:06):
I was playing in the East West Shrine Game UM
coming out of college, and it was the practices where
at Stanford University. So I walked up the hill one
time after practice and I saw Davis over there in
his white sweatsuit. What is how you know? And I
was just like, Hey, that's How Davis, owner of Oakland Raiders.
So I went over there and I shook his hands,
and Mr Davis and it's a pleasure to meet you.
My name is Lincoln. Kennedy was like, you know, I
know who you are. He's like, you're probably not gonna
(27:27):
be around when we get our pick. But one day
you're gonna be a raider. And so obviously when you
fast forward and saw how everything came about, it just
blew my mind and too, you know. And he was
one of the greatest storytellers, hstellar storytellers. And so when
I came to the team in as I was around
this time. As a matter of fact, Um came over
(27:48):
to the team a part of the trade. We were
going out to mini camp and uh I was out
there and then standing on the sidelines, and I walked
to ask him when I got there, and I said,
Mr Davis, is good to see you again. And he
shook his head and he's like, I told you to
be a writer and here you are. So I love it. Yeah,
I love it. So getting close to wrapping up, give
me something funny in the NFL. Something you got to
(28:10):
enjoy that, you know. I enjoyed. I enjoyed the limelight.
I I enjoyed the experience of being an athlete in
a town that appreciated the sport. And and there's something
that's just great when you you you walk into a
restaurant and and they've they've got your spot ready for you,
(28:33):
or you go into a bar and they know your drink.
You know what I mean, there's something there's something about
that that makes you feel I feel good, app exactly
appreciate it. And and one of the most difficult things
that I've come to experience with athletes is that they
have a hard time when that light goes off not
being recognized. A lot of destruction. And that's why that transition,
especially for NFL athletes, is so difficult. Uh. You see
(28:56):
a lot of you know, lives ended up in divorce
and stuff like that. So what you you spoke on
the fact that the NFL seems to be doing more
to to try to prepare these guys for life after football,
and it's it's a difficult task if you think about it.
Their lives are regimented high school, college pros. You're told
where to go, you told when to sleep, when to
(29:16):
eat everything else. Then after all that, all that that
that structure has gone, what do you do. Whether you've
got made a ton of money in the league or
you didn't, you made a little money, You're still going
to make more money in the National Football League for
your short career than you will and just about any
job outside. You see what I'm saying, And that's the
biggest misnomers. So I I like to see guys taking
(29:37):
you know, more control of their careers and more and
prospecting for the future, not insisting that football is going
to be it for everything, because we know it's not. Yeah, yeah,
And you know that's that is an interesting, uh interesting
fact because I've watched a lot of my friends that
you know, reformer players and good players, and uh, you know,
(29:59):
they can spend like they were still playing, but when
they stopped playing, they forgot to stop spending like they
were playing. And you know, you have somebody that's that's
really beat theirself in the ground for the game, for
the money, for the comfort for them and their family,
and it's gone, and it's gone, and it's it's you've done.
You've done all of this work and all of this
(30:21):
uh you know, preparation, and it's just like you said,
I mean, it's you know, I'd always remember talking to
tart Glenn, him telling me, he goes, he goes, man,
he goes, let me tell you he goes. And and
by the way, tart Glenn was probably one of, if
not the best, one of the best tackles in the league.
(30:42):
And then then in now and uh, you know, it's
it's kind of funny listening to him. He goes, yeah,
you know, everything's cool other than this conditioning, you know.
And uh and uh you know, and he was he
was fine with he was fine with doing uh doing
the doing the eating like most of us, but up
(31:03):
By would get the other part. And we didn't like
the condition We had to always work with that extra weight.
So especially when you go to place like Almos and
you have a nice steak. Yeah when he uh him
and John Ray, big John Ray. Uh, Tony was telling
me that he goes, yeah, he goes, uh. You know,
(31:23):
Zoopanzig was weighing us, and you know if we didn't
if we didn't make weight, yeah, we were in trouble.
We were gonna get fined like a big, big way
remember those days. And uh and you know Tony had
the money because Tony got drafted pretty well and you know, uh,
you know, his first contract was good. And here you
(31:43):
got John Ray, which was a star at West Virginia,
and you know he was fighting to do his thing well.
The next thing, you know, these guys have taken I
don't know if there's pennies, dimes, quarters, nickels, but they
took change and put it under neat the scale and
it wasn't it wasn't weighing in the right way. So
(32:04):
they were turned. It was turning out okay. Well, then
the next the next thing, you know, one of the
running backs gets on there and they're about, oh, I
don't know about forty pounds light and so they're in
trouble going the other way, you know, instead of instead
of uh, instead of going going up there. They're too
(32:26):
too small. So but but yeah, a lot of and
you know, and that's the other thing that a lot
of people don't understand, you know what the players in
the in the NFL are people. You know, Uh, you
don't want to go to dinner and somebody grabbing on
you the whole time you're at dinner, you know, and
neither today. And it's just about respecting people. And you know,
(32:50):
I've been around him a long time and and you
know good friends that have been there, that are there
and uh, you know it's it's uh, you know, don't
act like a groupie. Treat him like a person with respect,
and you'll get it back and to come back at you.
But in closing, I want to thank you one for
(33:11):
being a good friend and uh and uh it's amazing
two thousand sex twelve years mayby, you got a brother
and hard to pleasures my man, hard to believe so anyhow,
Rico Elmore again, Adam is Uh. I don't know where
Adam is anyhow, signing off for the skinny. Thank you,
thanks for listening, and be sure to check that off
(33:33):
it for more of the Skinny with Rico Elmore, founder
and CEO of Bedheads, I Wear the Skinny, Available now
on iTunes and Rico Elmore dot com.
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