In this engaging conversation, LaVar Arrington and Steve Jackson delve into the journey of an athlete from mentorship in high school to the challenges faced in college and the NFL. They discuss the importance of support systems, the impact of NIL on branding, and the evolution of the game. Jackson reflects on his experiences as a pioneer in the NFL, breaking stereotypes, and leveraging his football career to build a brand that motivates the next generation. The conversation concludes with thoughts on the current state of the NFL and the importance of taking care of players post-career.
Takeaways
- Mentorship plays a crucial role in an athlete's development.
- Overcoming challenges is a common theme in sports.
- Support systems are vital for athletes during tough times.
- NIL has changed the landscape for college athletes.
- Branding is essential for athletes beyond their playing days.
- Breaking stereotypes can pave the way for future athletes.
- Personal growth often comes from being uncomfortable.
- The NFL has evolved, but physicality remains a core aspect.
- Legacy is built through actions on and off the field.
- It's important to take care of players after their careers.
#upongame #fsrweekends #2pros
https://www.betdsi.eu/landingpage/up-on-game-network/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
You know, I mentors Sean Merriman, so when I saw
the commercial hit, I was like, hey, you got Sean
dogging cats. But then here comes Steve grabbing the ball,
and that's.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
You goosebumps because you talk about the concept of it
and what we're trying to show. The grind from week
to week seasons, you know, through the fall, through the winter,
right regardless indoor.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
The other was changing on.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Yeah, exactly right, right, every week you got a grind,
love on.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
Gay present, conversations with a legend, best of show and
now here's LeVar Arrington.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Got my man, Steve Jackson with me on the show.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
Appreciate you coming in joining the show man, having a
conversation with you.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
How's life been, man, How you doing well?
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Thank you person for having me man. I grew up
in a huge fan of yours. When I was in
high school, I watched you at State, so I appreciate
this conversation that we're about to have. But I'm doing
good man. You know, I look at the game. I
just marveled about what we were able to accomplish ourselves.
Because you realize all the things that's not in your
control when you're in when you're in that huddle, you
think you are right right.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
You know, a lot of times people have to overcome
a lot of elements when they leave from high school
to college. I too was a tailback. I was I
was a big back, and I was the opposite. I
wanted to play defense. I was getting recruited to play tailback,
and I didn't want to play tailback. I just feel
(01:38):
like the game can be taken out of your hands
and it could be put into somebody else's or into
something else, and you could be rendered, you know, kind
of a non factor. And I really didn't like I
like action. I needed action every play. For you going
(02:00):
to school, I mean you chose it. He gave coach
Erickson gave a pitch of his life. You end up
there and you were. I mean you didn't have to
wait long. From what I can recall, you were. You
were right in the mix of it and you were
making an impact. What was that like for you, Like,
was there any major challenges that that were unforeseen? Like
(02:22):
people look at what you were able to do, but
then they sit there and be like, you know, it
probably comes easy for him. He probably never had the
struggle because he was bigger, stronger, faster than everybody that
he was going up against.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
No, so I think the challenge was just getting my duke.
As you stated, freshman year, I played as the true freshman.
I'm back up two seniors, and the opportunity that I
recall is, you know, playing special teams and making an
impact there. And that's when I started really buying into
a team sport, right, Because to your point, it did
come easy until I got to a college level, and
(02:57):
when I started really realizing the impact of what you
can have on a game if you put in the
right positions and then have the opportunities, it started to
start to click a little bit. But then when the
two senior guys went down against USC in the coliseum
and I was thrown in the fire, it was more
so showing my commitment in love for the game. You know,
(03:17):
I offered often reference to I'm an I'm an old
school in mind because I studied you guys so much.
I knew everything about you all because I wanted to
eventually be you. So with that respect for the game
and my knowledge of the game, it was my opportunity
when these two guys went down in the coliseum, I
felt like it was just, uh, it was a divine intervention,
(03:38):
so to speak, and that was that was my chance.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
I mean, I've never been to Oregon State. You know,
I'm tight with with with TJ.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
We do a show.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
I make fun of him a lot like Oregon State,
this and that. But y'all be producing some ballers out
of there. What what was that? Did the did the
success on field equate to you know, pressures or an
interesting life as it applied to you guys, you know,
(04:08):
for you in particular off the field.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
That's an interesting question, I believe. Yeah, it's one of those.
It's a small town, small college town, very friendly people,
but it's still somewhat h It's not it's it doesn't
have quite a diversity of some of these other larger
campuses has right so and so to speak. When you're
one or two percent of the population of what campus is,
(04:34):
you got common recluse to each other and you got
to lean on each other for experience and to make
sure you're not tripping, right, Like this is what I
went through today. Did you experience this or how you
have that happen to you? And it's kind of like
I just it's it's when you come back to neutral
and you feel like, okay, all right, I'm not tripping.
This is the experience of what I am, what I'm
going through here in the state of Oregon on campus,
(04:55):
largely because sometimes you you know, what I experienced, okay,
is that people want to help, but in helping they
kind of drown your voice out because you know, they
can't quite living your shoes and to your lens. So
although I was this big star athlete on campus, there's
still was some experiences that I lacked from what I
grew up grew up with and we're used to. So
(05:18):
in that setting, it makes you all bald important. It
makes the emphasis of family and leaning on one another
even more, you know, bolded, because it's really what you're
living out training for the game, is what you're living
out of your college experience, hoping and you know, to
take advantage of the opportunity.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
Who was your person?
Speaker 1 (05:37):
You know, like that's that's a great it's a great answer,
and it's respectable. But you and I know we be
dealing with a whole lot, Like there's those moments of
even if you're doing well, there's moments of like uncertainty,
you know, frustration, you know, excitement, There's so many different
(05:59):
emotions that, especially when you're the star.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
You know who was your person? Was it?
Speaker 1 (06:05):
Was it a teammate, was it? My person? Was was
on the track team? And it was it was a
lady lady lion that ran and we were best friends.
We knew each other since high school. Wasn't a loving
basketball type of story. It wasn't like that, but that
was my person. You know, I had the ricky moment
(06:26):
like I'm tired of this, you know what I mean,
Like I didn't fell to my knees, bro I'm crying,
like crying, like I don't understand why things are going
this way. And I can remember her talking me off
the ledge, like let's jump back in our books when
when all else fails, you know, your education is the
(06:46):
key and just keep believing in yourself. Did you have
a person that that when you had your moments that
was like that person that you talked about the community
and drawing close.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
Who was your person?
Speaker 2 (06:59):
So it was and running back the name was Ken
Simonson and uh he's the school all time leading Russia. Right.
So I was fortunate enough to not only play for
a guy that broke a lot of records and kind
of set the standard for myself. But also he was
a Pittsburg, California guy, that Bay area, and he had
some sense. He actually made me start looking at the
(07:20):
world and it broader and broader terms. Right, I wasn't
to social laser focused and just think about football simularly.
And he would prove these questions or he'll point out
the history of what we were living through. And he was,
you know, bringing that kind of awareness to myself. So
I was fortunate enough to have a senior running back
pour into me so early because he saw the potential.
You know, I was humble, you know I was I was,
(07:42):
I was willing to put into work. But at the
same time I was a sponge and he fed into
that in the right way.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
All Right, before I get up out of college, I
gotta ask you and now, Yale, because we're gonna talk.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
We're gonna talk about how you have.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
Been almost in essence, you know, you have been active, proactive,
almost like a savant, and being more than just a
football player. We'll we'll get to that as as we
move into the next next level of your life in
this conversation. But N I l if the N I
l is there while Steve Jackson is is in in college.
(08:21):
What does that look like for you?
Speaker 4 (08:24):
Oh? I think I think I sent myself apart.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
You know what these kids call, you know, content creator
or or one of these renaissance people is leading the way.
I think that's what I would have been in those shoes,
you know, because I understand how the storytell Understand that,
you know, everyone doesn't get to live these realities that
we had the chance to, and how to package that
(08:48):
in a way that it's approachable.
Speaker 4 (08:50):
I have a I have a gift for that.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
Mm hm, you always have. So let's let's let's let's
delve into that. You end up going as a high
drive pick. You go to the Rams. The Rams was
still a hot team at the time, still in Saint Louis,
and hell I can remember playing against y'all and you
were were the guy. What was that What was that
(09:16):
experience like for you in terms of you marketing and
branding yourself and how did that play a part in
your popularity because you grew to popularity really quickly coming
into the league. And you know, obviously, again if we
were to say Saint Louis, the Saint Louis Rams.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
They were like the popular team.
Speaker 1 (09:40):
People would be like really like everybody's thinking la these days,
but that was a vibe back then to be on
the Rams and you were. You were on that that,
I want to say, the last of the Mohicans before
it went bad kind of sort of for Saint Louis
and they ended up leaving. So what was I like
(10:00):
for you being that, like you took over the mantle, Like,
what wasn't going to be easy to do it?
Speaker 3 (10:05):
With Marshall folk being the.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
Guy he was, and you know Arland was up in
the mix out a point in time.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
But what what was that like for you?
Speaker 2 (10:14):
He was challenge you know, everything you said was it
was an upward battle, upward hill battle because you know,
you have two times officer m v P and Marshall
and some of the other things he was able to accomplish.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
While he was still there.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
He was still there being you know, uh, and here
I come. I'm not clean cut. You know, I had
these long hair tattoos. So I looked the pull on
opposite of what they've grown to love and for me
to come in and challenge that, it wasn't going to
be easy and it wasn't you know, if they had
their opinions on me, and what I did know and
(10:48):
what was always driven driven in me from high school
was reflected on is I was a hard worker. It
was why I got I got a chance to escape.
So regardless of how beat writers wrote about me or
how fans felt about this new kid trying to take
their favorite player's job, I knew that if I continue
to just consistently work hard and me just show up,
(11:08):
they eventually get to see the.
Speaker 4 (11:09):
Other side of me.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
And that's eventually what I just did, you know, and
it almost made made even more sense because blue collar
people are that way. You know, my work ath Andy
reflected what their life really is. It made more It
made their guard come down, and it made me, I guess,
seemed more approachable.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
What's up, everybody, it's LaVar Arrington here, and you know
we're always keeping you up on game when it comes
to everything football, NFL, NCAA, that's right, you name it.
But let me tell you about something that'll take your
game day to a whole new level.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
That's bet DSi.
Speaker 1 (11:47):
That's right, bet DS side spot where real fans cash
in on their knowledge. These guys have been in the
game for over twenty years, and they're giving you the
best odds, fast payoffs and platform that's as solid as
the old line protecting your QB that's right. You want
to get in on the action, whether placing bets on
(12:08):
the big game or making those live bets as the
game unfolds. Bet DSi has you covered, and here's something
special for just our listeners. Sign up today using our
promo code uog.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
That's right, and bet DSi is.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
Going to hook you up with one hundred and twenty
percent bonus on your first deposit up to one thousand dollars.
That's right, free money to get you started. So don't
just watch the game, get in the game. Head over
to betdsi dot eu for more details. Use code uog
(12:44):
and start making those picks count.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
Bet DSi where the real football fans win.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
Have you ever heard? Because when I first was seeing you,
you were big. You did have the dreds, you did
have the tax and I was a dred too, so
I know all about it.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
I see you go.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
You going back down the journey as well. I don't
know how far you're gonna go with it, but it
won't go that far. You had you had your main
you had to the tats and and look they who
win the war?
Speaker 3 (13:16):
Right, rite the history? Right? That's all you see? Yeah,
that's all you see.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Now, like so and and and in so many ways,
you're you're a pioneer. I mean, if you look at Henry,
that's a carbon copy in terms of big rocked up
fast tats dreads.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
Right, Like you're a pioneer. How does that feel now?
Speaker 1 (13:46):
Knowing that you had to do that uphill battle, It's
almost like in a way, it's almost like ai type
of scenario, right, because you were the first one.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Like literally I could say confidently I'm thinking, I'm you.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
You can think about like them, you boys like nausea
dive important a few of them, Edgar and James. But
they weren't. They weren't larger than life figures coming in.
It wasn't like this big, tall, ginormous running back tats
and dreads and he's.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
Out on them. Like what was that like for you? Now?
Speaker 1 (14:20):
When you look at where the game is the culture
of the game, now, what you know, how does that
make you feel?
Speaker 2 (14:28):
You know, it makes me feel good because it means
that I did my part right, you know, not only
did I you know, help breaking into the day to
day Sunday football watchers television set, you know, because you're
talking about the commercials and things like that.
Speaker 4 (14:41):
Right, I was able to be on the spherehead of that.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
But also I guess I handled myself in a way
that they didn't have those those stereotypes you want to
put on that look or what you want to assume
about that person that looks like, you know what I
look like. I broke those those I help break some
of those doors down to make now that these guys
are getting contracts and these commercials and not having that
(15:06):
second thought of what I knew I faced in the boardroom.
Speaker 4 (15:10):
It just it proves that I did my job.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
So let's let's talk about that led to endorsements, knocking
down the doors. I just had this conversation with my
homie yesterday, so I'm real tight, you know. I mentors
Sean Merriman. So when I saw the commercial hit, I
was like Dany, like, hardest commercial to this day. It's
(15:36):
still the hardest one to this day. The last of
the Mohicans, I referenced earlier. They're playing the theme music
from from the mut from the movie You Got Sean
dogging cats. But then here comes Steve grabbing the ball
and rolling out and doing what he's doing, and that's you.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
How how does that?
Speaker 1 (16:00):
I mean, in the moment, I'm sure it's like, man,
that's a pretty cool commercial.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
But where you.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
Are now, how do you look at a moment like that,
Like how do you internalize that you're part of one
of the most iconic Nike commercials ever shot?
Speaker 4 (16:16):
And it's goosebumps, you know.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
I remember in college we used to get some of
the prototype claks right, and we would get these shoes
given to us and practice in and it was like, damn,
if I could just find a deal with Nike one day,
that would be like one of the freshest, dopest moments
that I you know, mad. But then to then fast
forward to be one of the part of the most
(16:39):
iconic commercials, the marketing. It changed the way football commercializes
itself and how it pushes the products. But to be
you know that that prototype that, I mean, it all
lasts me my time on this earth.
Speaker 4 (16:53):
So it's dope.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
It's one is dope, but it's very humbling because I
remember just wanting to get some pre product as a
college issuest.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
Right, how does that make you feel to know again
that that guys, you know, it's always who can who
can come up with something next? Like where does the
next game changing content comes from? How does that make
you feel to know that that's a standard? Like, guys
(17:21):
are still probably influenced by that commercial. How does that like,
that's got to be a cool feeling.
Speaker 4 (17:28):
It is.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
It is because you talk about the concept of it,
and what we're trying to show is the grind from
week to week seasons, you know, through the fall, through
the winter, right regardless indoor the other was changing on, Yeah,
exactly right, right, every week you got to grind. And
you know when they're man, you got the pressure of
him breathing down your back, or you got the pressure
(17:50):
of me regulating. We're trying to bring you over right,
it's going to stop you. And then next week the
challenge only becomes even greater. So for us to be
able to convey that and less than a minute, you know,
we still able to talk about it nearly twenty years later, man,
it just it was it was I was happy that
we put in the effort that we did because we
talked about it right as you talk about like, I
(18:11):
want this to be dope. I want people to remember this.
So for us to go and put that kind of
commendment in and deliver on that, it means that we're
going to stick around for a long time.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
Truth, let's talk about let's stay. Let's stay in that
that area. In terms of branding yourself, in terms of
being more, you have always proactively been more. Like I
always say, I'm a guy that played football. I'm not
(18:40):
a football player. I've never been a football player. I've
always been a dude that played ball and I actually
was good at doing it and I love doing it.
But I never subscribed to I'm the jersey number on
my back. I'm I'm you know, this is what I am.
I'm a football player, like I'm that's. I love the game,
(19:02):
I love what it's done for me. But I was
always proactively trying to leverage the game and what it
represented to ultimately become what I wanted to be. I
saw that in you. I saw you, you know, doing
a lot. I know you did the boot camp, the
media boot camp at one point time. I know you
(19:23):
were doing you know, media and different things like that.
How has that gone for you and what was your
approach in terms of building your brand and and being
you know, I heard you mentioned a renaissance type of guy.
Speaker 3 (19:39):
How has how? How how was that or why was
that a.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
Mindset for you? How did you approach it? And where
are you with that now today?
Speaker 4 (19:49):
Yeah? So it's the click the ball.
Speaker 2 (19:54):
I just started rolling and things start clicking for me
when times are getting bad at Saint Louis right, giving
you you're not on Monday night football, You're not in
the prior time spots, and the things that you're accomplishing
is kind of being just read or a small bleep
in a paragraph, right, And I was like, holy crap. Now,
if I don't get control of the narrative now people
say now, but if I didn't, I was like, if
(20:14):
I don't get control of this narrative, I'm quickly going
to be a memory. And so I then start going
back to what you lived in your journey is actually
you started pulling from that as inspiration and the two
things that I lived through and Vegas always promote myself
as being one of the greatest cities to escape to,
always promising some type of reward for risk, right, And.
Speaker 4 (20:38):
Then when I got to Oregon.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
I saw how Nike was just such a dominant force
in the sports world. I started thinking about, Okay, how
do I bring these two together for myself? And I
did that by shooting a documentary I documented.
Speaker 4 (20:51):
I did the documenty because the week in the life.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
You know, and it's telling the story again more intimate level,
and I shot that. We released that on YouTube and
when I saw how much interest I got, you know,
I was up for what was called a webby between
the Onion, La Times and myself. So I'm like, whoa,
I'm onto something here. Now how do I stick to it?
And as I continue to study it and continue the
(21:15):
ball that you said the Hollywood boot Camp things start
leaning out and leveraging the game that I felt was
taken from us and abuse some body. I started leveraging
what it was offering to me to grow myself intellectually
and in different rooms I couldn't get in in.
Speaker 3 (21:28):
My own So where are you at with it now?
Speaker 4 (21:32):
Well?
Speaker 2 (21:32):
Now I have my own clothing brand that I'm rocking
obs Obs Yes, yeah, and the website is obs brand
dot com.
Speaker 4 (21:39):
So thank you for that.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
But the brand, what the brand is is overcoming the
BS sublock Okay, so we're all going to have some issues.
We're all going to grow up through some things that
have traumatized as as kids. There's going to be some
hurdle that you believe either gender is holding you back
or your ethnic race is holding you back. There's going
to be rooms you're going to be uncomfortable in. But
you got a now to get that for yourself. No
(22:01):
one's gonna come. Stay true. To be able to navigate,
you have to be able to not only communicate your
story but also your strengths. What can you provide in
that room to be a favor And once you get
that and realize how you make those connections in the room,
how do you deliver on that? And I continue just
in and I just impressed with the younger generations because
(22:22):
I love dealing with younger athletes, dealing with high school students,
but because at that point it's so pivotal. You could
go left or right, and I'm just trying to press
on them that you know, continue to be uncomfortable because
the moment you're in the smartest one in the room,
or you don't want the biggestuccess in the room, you
outgrown that room. You to continue to look for how
do I overcome the next circumstance of my life? So motivational.
(22:46):
I sold closed in high school to get by, but
it's helping tell the story and motivating that next generation
to keep going.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
True true, I love that. So Obs, make sure you
go to OBS brand.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
That is, yes, sir, Obs, Yeah, make sure y'all go.
Speaker 3 (23:03):
We'll put that up and push that out.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
Uh, looking at the league, now, what's your what's your
take on it?
Speaker 3 (23:13):
Because it was it.
Speaker 1 (23:14):
Was still it was still bang bang, you know, back
then it was still it was still a whole lot
more physicality connected to it. You just talking about, you know,
some of the things that you got to get addressed,
you know, health wise and stuff like that. Before we
even started the interview, bro, we was thumping back then
(23:38):
like it was bumping grind back then.
Speaker 3 (23:41):
The game has still has some dogs.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
But largely it's it's a it's an evolved it's a
changed approach, it's a changed physicality total overall to how
the game is played, how you think you would have
done into days NFL.
Speaker 2 (24:02):
You know, I think just the sharedness of they don't
hit in practice, right, I think that says that saves
and probably left in my career another two or three
seasons where you know, I had some of these coaches,
they'll come into the team because we were bad the
year before.
Speaker 4 (24:16):
And then they got to toughing you up.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
So I'm I mean, I'm living, I'm live practice, right,
and then now I have to go out on Sunday
and do it again and entertain that in itself.
Speaker 4 (24:27):
I think length is my career. I mean, I'm more dominant.
Speaker 2 (24:30):
The game is spread out and uh and I don't
I still don't know how officials are calling this crown
of the helmet thing right, So interesting enough. I think
the league has been intentions of protecting people, but at
the end of the day, you can't guarantee anything. So
what I challenge the league and say is take care
of the guys afterwards and let the game be what
(24:52):
it is. It's physical. It's a physical game, and you
know those are choosing to play, we live with that.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
That's interesting and I like that because, as you're right,
take care of the guys. This is conversations with a
Legend presented by up on Game Presents. Man, y'all been
blessed today, dope, dude, I've been excited about the opportunity
of pursuing to get the interview with you, and it's
great to hear from you, continued success to you, and yeah,
(25:23):
like we're gonna put this out there because people need
they hear the positivity, they need to feel the energy
of Juggernauts that have played this game but are humble warriors. Man,
You're a humble warrior, and you know I appreciate your
approach to to what you do and how you do
it and anyway we can support you. Were going to
(25:43):
continue to support you, man, So we'll probably most likely
be in contact with you to make sure we can.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
We could do just that.
Speaker 4 (25:50):
Thank you. That means a lot to me.
Speaker 1 (25:52):
My man Steve Jackson, y'all uh, formerly of the Rams,
The Saint Louis Rams played for want to say the Falcons, right,
and I know you ended up with with Belichick.
Speaker 3 (26:04):
Maybe we'll do another one.
Speaker 1 (26:05):
We'll have a whole conversation on that too, because uh,
you know, that's always.
Speaker 3 (26:10):
An interesting one.
Speaker 1 (26:11):
But I got we got, we got some interesting stuff,
but we got time. We probably circle up at some
point and dude, do it again.
Speaker 4 (26:18):
I would love that man, play it any time, My man.
Speaker 1 (26:21):
Next time. We might do it. We might do it
in person, you know what I mean. You never know,
we might do it in on the face to face.
Speaker 4 (26:28):
Yeah, yeah, let's do that. That happened, man.
Speaker 3 (26:30):
I appreciate you. Man, all right, you'd be well you
as well.
Speaker 4 (26:33):
Thanks,
You know, I mentors Sean Merriman, so when I saw
the commercial hit, I was like, hey, you got Sean
dogging cats. But then here comes Steve grabbing the ball,
and that's.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
You goosebumps because you talk about the concept of it
and what we're trying to show. The grind from week
to week seasons, you know, through the fall, through the winter,
right regardless indoor.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
The other was changing on.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Yeah, exactly right, right, every week you got a grind,
love on.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
Gay present, conversations with a legend, best of show and
now here's LeVar Arrington.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Got my man, Steve Jackson with me on the show.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
Appreciate you coming in joining the show man, having a
conversation with you.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
How's life been, man, How you doing well?
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Thank you person for having me man. I grew up
in a huge fan of yours. When I was in
high school, I watched you at State, so I appreciate
this conversation that we're about to have. But I'm doing
good man. You know, I look at the game. I
just marveled about what we were able to accomplish ourselves.
Because you realize all the things that's not in your
control when you're in when you're in that huddle, you
think you are right right.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
You know, a lot of times people have to overcome
a lot of elements when they leave from high school
to college. I too was a tailback. I was I
was a big back, and I was the opposite. I
wanted to play defense. I was getting recruited to play tailback,
and I didn't want to play tailback. I just feel
(01:38):
like the game can be taken out of your hands
and it could be put into somebody else's or into
something else, and you could be rendered, you know, kind
of a non factor. And I really didn't like I
like action. I needed action every play. For you going
(02:00):
to school, I mean you chose it. He gave coach
Erickson gave a pitch of his life. You end up
there and you were. I mean you didn't have to
wait long. From what I can recall, you were. You
were right in the mix of it and you were
making an impact. What was that like for you, Like,
was there any major challenges that that were unforeseen? Like
(02:22):
people look at what you were able to do, but
then they sit there and be like, you know, it
probably comes easy for him. He probably never had the
struggle because he was bigger, stronger, faster than everybody that
he was going up against.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
No, so I think the challenge was just getting my duke.
As you stated, freshman year, I played as the true freshman.
I'm back up two seniors, and the opportunity that I
recall is, you know, playing special teams and making an
impact there. And that's when I started really buying into
a team sport, right, Because to your point, it did
come easy until I got to a college level, and
(02:57):
when I started really realizing the impact of what you
can have on a game if you put in the
right positions and then have the opportunities, it started to
start to click a little bit. But then when the
two senior guys went down against USC in the coliseum
and I was thrown in the fire, it was more
so showing my commitment in love for the game. You know,
(03:17):
I offered often reference to I'm an I'm an old
school in mind because I studied you guys so much.
I knew everything about you all because I wanted to
eventually be you. So with that respect for the game
and my knowledge of the game, it was my opportunity
when these two guys went down in the coliseum, I
felt like it was just, uh, it was a divine intervention,
(03:38):
so to speak, and that was that was my chance.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
I mean, I've never been to Oregon State. You know,
I'm tight with with with TJ.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
We do a show.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
I make fun of him a lot like Oregon State,
this and that. But y'all be producing some ballers out
of there. What what was that? Did the did the
success on field equate to you know, pressures or an
interesting life as it applied to you guys, you know,
(04:08):
for you in particular off the field.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
That's an interesting question, I believe. Yeah, it's one of those.
It's a small town, small college town, very friendly people,
but it's still somewhat h It's not it's it doesn't
have quite a diversity of some of these other larger
campuses has right so and so to speak. When you're
one or two percent of the population of what campus is,
(04:34):
you got common recluse to each other and you got
to lean on each other for experience and to make
sure you're not tripping, right, Like this is what I
went through today. Did you experience this or how you
have that happen to you? And it's kind of like
I just it's it's when you come back to neutral
and you feel like, okay, all right, I'm not tripping.
This is the experience of what I am, what I'm
going through here in the state of Oregon on campus,
(04:55):
largely because sometimes you you know, what I experienced, okay,
is that people want to help, but in helping they
kind of drown your voice out because you know, they
can't quite living your shoes and to your lens. So
although I was this big star athlete on campus, there's
still was some experiences that I lacked from what I
grew up grew up with and we're used to. So
(05:18):
in that setting, it makes you all bald important. It
makes the emphasis of family and leaning on one another
even more, you know, bolded, because it's really what you're
living out training for the game, is what you're living
out of your college experience, hoping and you know, to
take advantage of the opportunity.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
Who was your person?
Speaker 1 (05:37):
You know, like that's that's a great it's a great answer,
and it's respectable. But you and I know we be
dealing with a whole lot, Like there's those moments of
even if you're doing well, there's moments of like uncertainty,
you know, frustration, you know, excitement, There's so many different
(05:59):
emotions that, especially when you're the star.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
You know who was your person? Was it?
Speaker 1 (06:05):
Was it a teammate, was it? My person? Was was
on the track team? And it was it was a
lady lady lion that ran and we were best friends.
We knew each other since high school. Wasn't a loving
basketball type of story. It wasn't like that, but that
was my person. You know, I had the ricky moment
(06:26):
like I'm tired of this, you know what I mean,
Like I didn't fell to my knees, bro I'm crying,
like crying, like I don't understand why things are going
this way. And I can remember her talking me off
the ledge, like let's jump back in our books when
when all else fails, you know, your education is the
(06:46):
key and just keep believing in yourself. Did you have
a person that that when you had your moments that
was like that person that you talked about the community
and drawing close.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
Who was your person?
Speaker 2 (06:59):
So it was and running back the name was Ken
Simonson and uh he's the school all time leading Russia. Right.
So I was fortunate enough to not only play for
a guy that broke a lot of records and kind
of set the standard for myself. But also he was
a Pittsburg, California guy, that Bay area, and he had
some sense. He actually made me start looking at the
(07:20):
world and it broader and broader terms. Right, I wasn't
to social laser focused and just think about football simularly.
And he would prove these questions or he'll point out
the history of what we were living through. And he was,
you know, bringing that kind of awareness to myself. So
I was fortunate enough to have a senior running back
pour into me so early because he saw the potential.
You know, I was humble, you know I was I was,
(07:42):
I was willing to put into work. But at the
same time I was a sponge and he fed into
that in the right way.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
All Right, before I get up out of college, I
gotta ask you and now, Yale, because we're gonna talk.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
We're gonna talk about how you have.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
Been almost in essence, you know, you have been active, proactive,
almost like a savant, and being more than just a
football player. We'll we'll get to that as as we
move into the next next level of your life in
this conversation. But N I l if the N I
l is there while Steve Jackson is is in in college.
(08:21):
What does that look like for you?
Speaker 4 (08:24):
Oh? I think I think I sent myself apart.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
You know what these kids call, you know, content creator
or or one of these renaissance people is leading the way.
I think that's what I would have been in those shoes,
you know, because I understand how the storytell Understand that,
you know, everyone doesn't get to live these realities that
we had the chance to, and how to package that
(08:48):
in a way that it's approachable.
Speaker 4 (08:50):
I have a I have a gift for that.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
Mm hm, you always have. So let's let's let's let's
delve into that. You end up going as a high
drive pick. You go to the Rams. The Rams was
still a hot team at the time, still in Saint Louis,
and hell I can remember playing against y'all and you
were were the guy. What was that What was that
(09:16):
experience like for you in terms of you marketing and
branding yourself and how did that play a part in
your popularity because you grew to popularity really quickly coming
into the league. And you know, obviously, again if we
were to say Saint Louis, the Saint Louis Rams.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
They were like the popular team.
Speaker 1 (09:40):
People would be like really like everybody's thinking la these days,
but that was a vibe back then to be on
the Rams and you were. You were on that that,
I want to say, the last of the Mohicans before
it went bad kind of sort of for Saint Louis
and they ended up leaving. So what was I like
(10:00):
for you being that, like you took over the mantle, Like,
what wasn't going to be easy to do it?
Speaker 3 (10:05):
With Marshall folk being the.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
Guy he was, and you know Arland was up in
the mix out a point in time.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
But what what was that like for you?
Speaker 2 (10:14):
He was challenge you know, everything you said was it
was an upward battle, upward hill battle because you know,
you have two times officer m v P and Marshall
and some of the other things he was able to accomplish.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
While he was still there.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
He was still there being you know, uh, and here
I come. I'm not clean cut. You know, I had
these long hair tattoos. So I looked the pull on
opposite of what they've grown to love and for me
to come in and challenge that, it wasn't going to
be easy and it wasn't you know, if they had
their opinions on me, and what I did know and
(10:48):
what was always driven driven in me from high school
was reflected on is I was a hard worker. It
was why I got I got a chance to escape.
So regardless of how beat writers wrote about me or
how fans felt about this new kid trying to take
their favorite player's job, I knew that if I continue
to just consistently work hard and me just show up,
(11:08):
they eventually get to see the.
Speaker 4 (11:09):
Other side of me.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
And that's eventually what I just did, you know, and
it almost made made even more sense because blue collar
people are that way. You know, my work ath Andy
reflected what their life really is. It made more It
made their guard come down, and it made me, I guess,
seemed more approachable.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
What's up, everybody, it's LaVar Arrington here, and you know
we're always keeping you up on game when it comes
to everything football, NFL, NCAA, that's right, you name it.
But let me tell you about something that'll take your
game day to a whole new level.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
That's bet DSi.
Speaker 1 (11:47):
That's right, bet DS side spot where real fans cash
in on their knowledge. These guys have been in the
game for over twenty years, and they're giving you the
best odds, fast payoffs and platform that's as solid as
the old line protecting your QB that's right. You want
to get in on the action, whether placing bets on
(12:08):
the big game or making those live bets as the
game unfolds. Bet DSi has you covered, and here's something
special for just our listeners. Sign up today using our
promo code uog.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
That's right, and bet DSi is.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
Going to hook you up with one hundred and twenty
percent bonus on your first deposit up to one thousand dollars.
That's right, free money to get you started. So don't
just watch the game, get in the game. Head over
to betdsi dot eu for more details. Use code uog
(12:44):
and start making those picks count.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
Bet DSi where the real football fans win.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
Have you ever heard? Because when I first was seeing you,
you were big. You did have the dreds, you did
have the tax and I was a dred too, so
I know all about it.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
I see you go.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
You going back down the journey as well. I don't
know how far you're gonna go with it, but it
won't go that far. You had you had your main
you had to the tats and and look they who
win the war?
Speaker 3 (13:16):
Right, rite the history? Right? That's all you see? Yeah,
that's all you see.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Now, like so and and and in so many ways,
you're you're a pioneer. I mean, if you look at Henry,
that's a carbon copy in terms of big rocked up
fast tats dreads.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
Right, Like you're a pioneer. How does that feel now?
Speaker 1 (13:46):
Knowing that you had to do that uphill battle, It's
almost like in a way, it's almost like ai type
of scenario, right, because you were the first one.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Like literally I could say confidently I'm thinking, I'm you.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
You can think about like them, you boys like nausea
dive important a few of them, Edgar and James. But
they weren't. They weren't larger than life figures coming in.
It wasn't like this big, tall, ginormous running back tats
and dreads and he's.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
Out on them. Like what was that like for you? Now?
Speaker 1 (14:20):
When you look at where the game is the culture
of the game, now, what you know, how does that
make you feel?
Speaker 2 (14:28):
You know, it makes me feel good because it means
that I did my part right, you know, not only
did I you know, help breaking into the day to
day Sunday football watchers television set, you know, because you're
talking about the commercials and things like that.
Speaker 4 (14:41):
Right, I was able to be on the spherehead of that.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
But also I guess I handled myself in a way
that they didn't have those those stereotypes you want to
put on that look or what you want to assume
about that person that looks like, you know what I
look like. I broke those those I help break some
of those doors down to make now that these guys
are getting contracts and these commercials and not having that
(15:06):
second thought of what I knew I faced in the boardroom.
Speaker 4 (15:10):
It just it proves that I did my job.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
So let's let's talk about that led to endorsements, knocking
down the doors. I just had this conversation with my
homie yesterday, so I'm real tight, you know. I mentors
Sean Merriman. So when I saw the commercial hit, I
was like Dany, like, hardest commercial to this day. It's
(15:36):
still the hardest one to this day. The last of
the Mohicans, I referenced earlier. They're playing the theme music
from from the mut from the movie You Got Sean
dogging cats. But then here comes Steve grabbing the ball
and rolling out and doing what he's doing, and that's you.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
How how does that?
Speaker 1 (16:00):
I mean, in the moment, I'm sure it's like, man,
that's a pretty cool commercial.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
But where you.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
Are now, how do you look at a moment like that,
Like how do you internalize that you're part of one
of the most iconic Nike commercials ever shot?
Speaker 4 (16:16):
And it's goosebumps, you know.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
I remember in college we used to get some of
the prototype claks right, and we would get these shoes
given to us and practice in and it was like, damn,
if I could just find a deal with Nike one day,
that would be like one of the freshest, dopest moments
that I you know, mad. But then to then fast
forward to be one of the part of the most
(16:39):
iconic commercials, the marketing. It changed the way football commercializes
itself and how it pushes the products. But to be
you know that that prototype that, I mean, it all
lasts me my time on this earth.
Speaker 4 (16:53):
So it's dope.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
It's one is dope, but it's very humbling because I
remember just wanting to get some pre product as a
college issuest.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
Right, how does that make you feel to know again
that that guys, you know, it's always who can who
can come up with something next? Like where does the
next game changing content comes from? How does that make
you feel to know that that's a standard? Like, guys
(17:21):
are still probably influenced by that commercial. How does that like,
that's got to be a cool feeling.
Speaker 4 (17:28):
It is.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
It is because you talk about the concept of it,
and what we're trying to show is the grind from
week to week seasons, you know, through the fall, through
the winter, right regardless indoor the other was changing on, Yeah,
exactly right, right, every week you got to grind. And
you know when they're man, you got the pressure of
him breathing down your back, or you got the pressure
(17:50):
of me regulating. We're trying to bring you over right,
it's going to stop you. And then next week the
challenge only becomes even greater. So for us to be
able to convey that and less than a minute, you know,
we still able to talk about it nearly twenty years later, man,
it just it was it was I was happy that
we put in the effort that we did because we
talked about it right as you talk about like, I
(18:11):
want this to be dope. I want people to remember this.
So for us to go and put that kind of
commendment in and deliver on that, it means that we're
going to stick around for a long time.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
Truth, let's talk about let's stay. Let's stay in that
that area. In terms of branding yourself, in terms of
being more, you have always proactively been more. Like I
always say, I'm a guy that played football. I'm not
(18:40):
a football player. I've never been a football player. I've
always been a dude that played ball and I actually
was good at doing it and I love doing it.
But I never subscribed to I'm the jersey number on
my back. I'm I'm you know, this is what I am.
I'm a football player, like I'm that's. I love the game,
(19:02):
I love what it's done for me. But I was
always proactively trying to leverage the game and what it
represented to ultimately become what I wanted to be. I
saw that in you. I saw you, you know, doing
a lot. I know you did the boot camp, the
media boot camp at one point time. I know you
(19:23):
were doing you know, media and different things like that.
How has that gone for you and what was your
approach in terms of building your brand and and being
you know, I heard you mentioned a renaissance type of guy.
Speaker 3 (19:39):
How has how? How how was that or why was
that a.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
Mindset for you? How did you approach it? And where
are you with that now today?
Speaker 4 (19:49):
Yeah? So it's the click the ball.
Speaker 2 (19:54):
I just started rolling and things start clicking for me
when times are getting bad at Saint Louis right, giving
you you're not on Monday night football, You're not in
the prior time spots, and the things that you're accomplishing
is kind of being just read or a small bleep
in a paragraph, right, And I was like, holy crap. Now,
if I don't get control of the narrative now people
say now, but if I didn't, I was like, if
(20:14):
I don't get control of this narrative, I'm quickly going
to be a memory. And so I then start going
back to what you lived in your journey is actually
you started pulling from that as inspiration and the two
things that I lived through and Vegas always promote myself
as being one of the greatest cities to escape to,
always promising some type of reward for risk, right, And.
Speaker 4 (20:38):
Then when I got to Oregon.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
I saw how Nike was just such a dominant force
in the sports world. I started thinking about, Okay, how
do I bring these two together for myself? And I
did that by shooting a documentary I documented.
Speaker 4 (20:51):
I did the documenty because the week in the life.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
You know, and it's telling the story again more intimate level,
and I shot that. We released that on YouTube and
when I saw how much interest I got, you know,
I was up for what was called a webby between
the Onion, La Times and myself. So I'm like, whoa,
I'm onto something here. Now how do I stick to it?
And as I continue to study it and continue the
(21:15):
ball that you said the Hollywood boot Camp things start
leaning out and leveraging the game that I felt was
taken from us and abuse some body. I started leveraging
what it was offering to me to grow myself intellectually
and in different rooms I couldn't get in in.
Speaker 3 (21:28):
My own So where are you at with it now?
Speaker 4 (21:32):
Well?
Speaker 2 (21:32):
Now I have my own clothing brand that I'm rocking
obs Obs Yes, yeah, and the website is obs brand
dot com.
Speaker 4 (21:39):
So thank you for that.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
But the brand, what the brand is is overcoming the
BS sublock Okay, so we're all going to have some issues.
We're all going to grow up through some things that
have traumatized as as kids. There's going to be some
hurdle that you believe either gender is holding you back
or your ethnic race is holding you back. There's going
to be rooms you're going to be uncomfortable in. But
you got a now to get that for yourself. No
(22:01):
one's gonna come. Stay true. To be able to navigate,
you have to be able to not only communicate your
story but also your strengths. What can you provide in
that room to be a favor And once you get
that and realize how you make those connections in the room,
how do you deliver on that? And I continue just
in and I just impressed with the younger generations because
(22:22):
I love dealing with younger athletes, dealing with high school students,
but because at that point it's so pivotal. You could
go left or right, and I'm just trying to press
on them that you know, continue to be uncomfortable because
the moment you're in the smartest one in the room,
or you don't want the biggestuccess in the room, you
outgrown that room. You to continue to look for how
do I overcome the next circumstance of my life? So motivational.
(22:46):
I sold closed in high school to get by, but
it's helping tell the story and motivating that next generation
to keep going.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
True true, I love that. So Obs, make sure you
go to OBS brand.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
That is, yes, sir, Obs, Yeah, make sure y'all go.
Speaker 3 (23:03):
We'll put that up and push that out.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
Uh, looking at the league, now, what's your what's your
take on it?
Speaker 3 (23:13):
Because it was it.
Speaker 1 (23:14):
Was still it was still bang bang, you know, back
then it was still it was still a whole lot
more physicality connected to it. You just talking about, you know,
some of the things that you got to get addressed,
you know, health wise and stuff like that. Before we
even started the interview, bro, we was thumping back then
(23:38):
like it was bumping grind back then.
Speaker 3 (23:41):
The game has still has some dogs.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
But largely it's it's a it's an evolved it's a
changed approach, it's a changed physicality total overall to how
the game is played, how you think you would have
done into days NFL.
Speaker 2 (24:02):
You know, I think just the sharedness of they don't
hit in practice, right, I think that says that saves
and probably left in my career another two or three
seasons where you know, I had some of these coaches,
they'll come into the team because we were bad the
year before.
Speaker 4 (24:16):
And then they got to toughing you up.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
So I'm I mean, I'm living, I'm live practice, right,
and then now I have to go out on Sunday
and do it again and entertain that in itself.
Speaker 4 (24:27):
I think length is my career. I mean, I'm more dominant.
Speaker 2 (24:30):
The game is spread out and uh and I don't
I still don't know how officials are calling this crown
of the helmet thing right, So interesting enough. I think
the league has been intentions of protecting people, but at
the end of the day, you can't guarantee anything. So
what I challenge the league and say is take care
of the guys afterwards and let the game be what
(24:52):
it is. It's physical. It's a physical game, and you
know those are choosing to play, we live with that.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
That's interesting and I like that because, as you're right,
take care of the guys. This is conversations with a
Legend presented by up on Game Presents. Man, y'all been
blessed today, dope, dude, I've been excited about the opportunity
of pursuing to get the interview with you, and it's
great to hear from you, continued success to you, and yeah,
(25:23):
like we're gonna put this out there because people need
they hear the positivity, they need to feel the energy
of Juggernauts that have played this game but are humble warriors. Man,
You're a humble warrior, and you know I appreciate your
approach to to what you do and how you do
it and anyway we can support you. Were going to
(25:43):
continue to support you, man, So we'll probably most likely
be in contact with you to make sure we can.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
We could do just that.
Speaker 4 (25:50):
Thank you. That means a lot to me.
Speaker 1 (25:52):
My man Steve Jackson, y'all uh, formerly of the Rams,
The Saint Louis Rams played for want to say the Falcons, right,
and I know you ended up with with Belichick.
Speaker 3 (26:04):
Maybe we'll do another one.
Speaker 1 (26:05):
We'll have a whole conversation on that too, because uh,
you know, that's always.
Speaker 3 (26:10):
An interesting one.
Speaker 1 (26:11):
But I got we got, we got some interesting stuff,
but we got time. We probably circle up at some
point and dude, do it again.
Speaker 4 (26:18):
I would love that man, play it any time, My man.
Speaker 1 (26:21):
Next time. We might do it. We might do it
in person, you know what I mean. You never know,
we might do it in on the face to face.
Speaker 4 (26:28):
Yeah, yeah, let's do that. That happened, man.
Speaker 3 (26:30):
I appreciate you. Man, all right, you'd be well you
as well.
Speaker 4 (26:33):
Thanks,
Hosts And Creators
Brady Quinn
LaVar Arrington
Jonas Knox
Popular Podcasts
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.