Former Minnesota Myth coach Hering speaks on lack of pay, sudden resignation, reaction to team folding and more

On this episode of Arena Insider Press Pass, former Minnesota Myth special teams coordinator Javon Hering spoke out about his sudden resignation from the team, players and coaches not getting paid and his thoughts on the Myth folding and the new future of the Arena Football League. 

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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
It's always gonna be on next day, the next day, and the next
day. And I don't know aboutyou, but I don't like going to
work and not getting paid. Welcomeback to another episode of Arena Cider Press

(00:28):
Past. I'm Anthony Carter on thephone. We have former Minnesota Myths Special
teams coordinator Javon Herring. Thank youso much, coach for joining us.
How are you doing. I'm doingwell, sir, How I'm doing great.
Appreciate you for asking. So first, just talk to me a little
bit about how you got involved withthe team and how it's been for you

(00:48):
prior to all of this going down. Gotcha. So, I know Ricky
Foggy. I've known Foggy since Iwas probably ten years old, you know,
growing up. Took me everywhere withhim, took me to all his
Foggy football camps, took me tohis quarterback trainings. You know. I
was always on his hip when hecame to football. I went off to

(01:10):
coach after college. During college,I volunteered as a specialist coach at my
local high school. Then I wentfrom there. Started twenty nineteen, I
went to the college level as aspecialist coach. I was at Carlton College
North and then I went down toMidwestern State, which to Falls Texas,

(01:34):
Missouri, Western State in northern northwestMissouri, and then moved back to Minnesota.
And then the myth came along andFoggy called me up and was like,
hey, man, you want toI want to join join me here,
and I said, let's do it. I was super stoked. Yeah,
So tell me a little bit moreabout your relationship with coach Foggy Just

(01:59):
really he kind of became another fatherfigure of me growing up. Like I
said, I was with him almostevery weekend through the summer. That was
with him through the winters. Anythingand everything we had to do football related,
I was there with him doing itgo for you know, he brought
me to a couple of those.It just really he kind of took me

(02:22):
under his wing and kind of helpedme, you know, paved the way
on what a good coach looks like, what a good coach acts like,
carries himself, and you know,that was probably what really wanted to help
me want to get into coaching,was seeing how he did things and tell
to me about Yet the first coupleof games Minnesota played prior to the team

(02:46):
shutting down. We we started practicemid April. We started a week late.
I'm not one hundred percent sure whywe started a week late and we
started a week late. All theguys got there, went through a couple
of weeks of practice, then wegot down to Nashville's. Nashville was a

(03:07):
phenomenal host that arena, top notch. Jeff Fisher was walking around, shaking
everybody's hand, taking photos, topnotch guy. You know, you could
todd with them. They had somepretty big people there, you know.
Blanco Brown was at that doing aperformance before game. You know, I

(03:28):
got to chat with him for aminute. Class at Guy as well.
Yeah, and then came back home, came back home, played played Philly
at home. That of course wasawesome, the experience itself, the game,
the atmosphere, the Minnesota fans.You know, growing up always seeing
the Targets Center, like, ohmy gosh, how do I get in

(03:50):
there? What do I gotta do? You know, always kind of fantasizing
that growing up and then actually walkingthrough those doors and it hits you,
you know, and it's this isreally cool. When did you so take
me back to I believe this wasMay tenth. You and coach Foggy both

(04:11):
seems like you resigned at the sametime. What what was behind that decision?
Uh? So, I can't speakon Foggy's Foggy's reasonings because I don't
know one hundred percent, you know, not in side of mind. You
know, I can only speak onmind. I am a person of very
high integrity and high morals and Icarry that with anything and everything I do.

(04:35):
And if I personally do not feellike something is up to those standards,
I will not stamp my name onit. And I know for me
being delayed three weeks on paying theguys and just everything leading up to that
moment, and you know, it'sonly gonna be oh, next day,

(04:56):
the next day, the next day. And I don't know about you,
but I don't like doing to workand not getting paid. If you go
to work and you don't get paid, you're not gonna keep going to work.
And I'm not you know, Idon't like being yanked around. I
don't like watching these guys being yankedaround. It's just not fair to them.
And I decided when Foggy, whenFoggy was done, because Foggy,

(05:18):
I know, is a person ofhigh moral and integrity as well. You
know, his character is impeachable.And when he pulled out, I knew
something, something wasn't going straight,and I just followed. Soon. I
gave him a call kind of toldhim what I was gonna do. He
understood. Don't don't get me wrongthough. I may have left that organization

(05:43):
at that moment, but I wasstill with the dudes. You know,
Coach Lutz always hosted those guys.He always took care of him, and
his wife did a phenomenal job,always making sure they had food. They
literally I told him, like,man, you guys just adopted twenty five
I have grown athletes, and theyagreed that they did. So I I

(06:05):
was over there that weekend. Youknow, I was still hanging with them.
It wasn't a all right, I'mdone, I'm done for good now
I was. I was done withthe myth. I was not done with
them. So to be clear,the players and coaches day and get paid.
As far as I know, nota dime has been paid either.

(06:28):
And when you realized that, whatwas going through your mind at that time?
I was not surprised, just kindof how everything was going leading up
to that first pay day. Theysaid, the Friday after the National Cats
game is going to be payday.You know, I told the guys,
hey, you know, we canall hope, we can all you know,

(06:49):
pray on it, but whatever happens, happens, you need to be
prepared for to not hit your bankaccount just because of kind of the things
that we're leading up to it.You know. Yeah. So Diana Hutt
and she's the owner of the myth. In case people don't know, how

(07:12):
involved was she with the team,uh leading up to it, she was
pretty involved. You know. Sheseemed very excited to be to be a
part of this organization. She seemedmotivated. You know, she was all
about, let's get in the community, let's do this, let's do that.
The only thing is it was justit had to involve their money from

(07:36):
the get go. You know,I offer, hey, can we go
to high schools? Can we dothis? What if they wanted, you
know, want you to donate acouple hundred bucks. No, the answer
was just know when it came tomoney. And that was just how it
went throughout the season. You know, when it came to gear, it

(08:00):
was they didn't want to spend moneyon the extra clips for the paths.
They didn't want to spend money ontape. You know, the coaches,
the equipment manager had to fund everythingand give her seats and hope we're gonna
get paid back. Have you alsohad any communication with Lee Hunt? The

(08:22):
only form of communication I have personallyhad with Lee Hutton is during our game,
I went from the Target Center tohis office and back to the Target
Center to pick up some game footballs. Outside from that, I really,
personally I try to stay away fromthe the guys at the top. When

(08:43):
you know, so you and Rickyresign and then the team. I'm just
kind of walking people through all thetimeline of events. Then the team canceled
its matchup against the Albany Firebirds,and according to the Firebirds, they said
that the team was unable to travel. Is that true? I don't know.

(09:03):
At that point when they made thatofficial announcement, I was no longer
a part of the team, soI don't know what actually went surrounding mass.
I know the team and players hadmeetings leading up to it. I
know Dianna and Lee had spoken withthem personally for hours at a time,

(09:26):
and I don't know what was sendthose meetings. I did not go to
those meetings, but I know thatit was a lot of delaying payment,
delaying payment, delaying payments and throughoutall of that. Howard are players doing
with dealing with that? Because youknow, we talked to a lot of

(09:48):
players around the league and Nate Wallsaid the same thing that they haven't been
getting paid. So what was theplayers emotions like during all of that that
first Friday hit? They were nothappy. They kept saying, Hey,
we'll be there with the money,you know, show up to practice,
will be there with the money.Lee sent out an email saying I will

(10:11):
be there tonight at practice with money, and he did not show up.
He could not be breached at anyphone number. He just ghosted the organization
in that moment. So that isreally kind of the turning point I think
for the players. And they're moralebecause they were excited. I mean,

(10:33):
hey, they were they understood whatwas at stake. They went out,
did their job, and it's justto be told I'm coming and then to
not show up that that would killanyone's morale. As of this phone conversation,
you know, the Minnesota Myth recentlyannounced that they're seizing operations. Did

(10:56):
you have any reaction to that aswell as the comments that were made by
Diana Hutton? I am not surprised. I think the team, the athletes
that are on that team could begreat. With the right leadership, with
the right people in place, thatteam could strive in this league without a
doubt. You know, Minnesota isan amazing market to bring a professional sports

(11:20):
team too, Tuggie, what's theright head coach to do it with?
He brought in all local guys,so you had all of those connections within
the metro area of the Twin Cities. Everything was set to be great.
There was just no marketing. Butin regardless to her comments, I'm hesitant

(11:43):
to comment on it. If thattells you anything. Are you still seeking
payment? Like when you resigned,what did you hope to Did you have
to gain anything when you resigned?Nope? Nope. Body Diana had paid
me back for the food that Ihad paid for for the players, and

(12:07):
that was good. I got paidback what I put into it. I
got to hang with these guys,I got to go to Nashville. That
to me was worth it. Andwhat are your thoughts on now the current
state of the AFL. I knowthey recently announced change in leadership. Well
first asked you that, do youdo you agree with the recent change of

(12:30):
leadership appointing Jeff Fisher. I agreewith the recent change. I don't know
Jeff Fisher well enough to know anythingabout his leadership. I just know what
everybody else knows, which is whatwe've seen over years of him being in
the NFL and the USFL, andof course what I saw him do down
or help when I saw him helpcreate down in Nashville with the Cats there,

(12:54):
which was something pretty cool. SoI don't know Jeff Fisher personally from
doing for the little bit I didgreat person I think they do need to
go in that direction of somebody else, just because they need a reset.
Not that Lee Hutton is not capableof doing it, but just simply they

(13:16):
just need a reset at this point. What's your message to maybe some of
your former players or players around theleague that you know are still dealing with
the issues that you say of notbeing paid in housing and all of that.
What's your message to them? Youknow? If I if I so,
I'm going to look at it likethey're my kids, right, and

(13:39):
I tell them everything happens for areason. And you know everyone you hear
that a lot with you. Everythinghappens for a reason. Keep your chin
up, you know all the classic, classic things you say in the situation,
but everybody's emotions are different. Everybodygave up, you know, a
job, a career, you know, being with their family for a month
to not get paid. So atthe end of the day, they went

(14:03):
after a dream. It's not over, it's it's far from over. The
NFL is still up and running.I believe I saw the said ten teams
are gonna continue, correct and that'sphenomenal. That's ten opportunities for these guys.
You know, you have the UFL, Now that's an opportunity. Not
only that the NFL is still there, you have that as an opportunity.

(14:24):
The CFL is an opportunity. Europeanleaves their opportunities. There's opportunities everywhere.
And I believe who was a dM Standers said something along the line.
I saw him in an interview alongthe line that said, I may have
a bad hour, I may havea bad minute, but that's not going
to dictate my day. And thatthat quote of him does stick with me.

(14:50):
What's next for you, Well,that's a good question. Nice for
me really is. I'm just gonnaplay it by here. You know,
if if someone comes reaching out tome and they want me to help it
with something, I'll be there.That's just who I am. If the
Minnesota minutes three vibe and they go, hey, we want you to come

(15:13):
back, I'm right there with them. You know. Jeff Lutz, I
think was tag to take over,and I had shot Coach LUTs a message.
I said, hey, Coach Lutz, you know, if you are
the guy and you asked me,I will come back and I will go
back to being the especially in coordinatorfor you. Jeff is just that type

(15:35):
of guy to me. He's agreat dude, great coach, cares about
his guys, and that's the typeof person I will surround myself with.
So if they would have continued,chances are I may have been back with
them already. Coach Hearing, thankyou so much for joining us. Is
there anything else that you wanted toadd that we may not have touched on

(15:56):
already, or just a message toanyone just keep your heads up. You
know. It's it's one of thosereally, really bad situations that no one
can control. You know, control, you can control, and it's okay
to let go of things that youcan't control. You know a lot of
guys are gonna maybe hold this withthem, hold grudges, hold a little

(16:19):
bit of hate even, and youjust gotta let that go. You're letting
people, You're gonna let people liverent free in your head, and that's
not good for you. That's notgood for your health at all, especially
if something like this. You gottatake care of yourself. Take it as
a learning curve, Take it asa something that you will get to say
you play at the ANFL. Still, you know it is cool. You

(16:41):
are professional athletes. You are professionalathletes. Pay it or not. This
is a professional league. And justhold yourself as sad as a professional athlete
and everything you do