The following is a presentation of the Chicago Bears Network and Chicago Bears dot Com. Download the Chicago Bears official mobile app for up to the minute Bears content every day and now welcome to Bears All Access, your all access passing to Chicago Bears football. Bears All Access is brought to you by IGS Energy and sponsored by Athletical Physical Therapy and CDW. Good to be with you once again, everybody.
I'm Jeff Jonnyak and welcome into Bears All Access, brought to you by IGS Energy and a beautiful day in Chicago and hopefully get your mind off things talking little football here for an hour PAC show. Alan Robinson will join the program to talk about is within Reach Foundation. Later out of the program, Patrick O'Donnell, the veteran putter, will talk about what he's doing with Cameo to raise money for I Grow, another important organization the Bears are
working with. And then later in the final segment of the show, former Bears deep of Tackle and UH former first round pick a pro bowler back with the Bears, Tommy Harris on an incredible song he has written, help write and sing that we'll explain in great detail later out of the program. But before we get to all of that, we talk Bears football with broadcast partner from WYBBM, Tom Fair Good Evening, Tom Big Jeff, anybody gets you with an April Fools joke yesterday just to kind of
lighten the mood in such a serious world. No, I think it's not the right day for all that, Not right now anyway. No, No, did not get suckered, although I think you may have Jim Miller joining us from Serious Sex M NFL Radio, former Bears starting quarterback with that two thousand and one playoff team and working it for a serious Sexim on moving the chains with Pat Kirwin. Jim, how about you? Anything gets you in April Fools? No, No, nobody got me on the April Fools and uh, like
you said, hope everybody's doing well. It's good to talk some football, like I said, just trying to get bring some normalcy. We know when the lots going on out there, and hopefully we'll take everybody minds off some things for the next hour. Absolutely got a lot in the program. Business of Football rolls on, guys, and the Bears announcing more and more of their acquisitions after getting contracts signed
and players getting their physicals. Tom and Jim, We're gonna hear tomorrow from gentlemanager Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Naggie, and Nick Foles and Robert Quinn. So it's gonna be a full pack day with reporters talking to them by teleconference, so we'll learn a little bit more. What do you guys want to hear? Well, you know what, Jeff, in the football world, everything has done so far in advanced kind of regardless of what's going on, because those are
the types of decisions you have to make. So you know, I'm just like, I'm just interested to hear where their mind is at this point. Ryan in regards to maybe the investigative road that he's taken for the draft, the draftable guys, Matt Naggie trying to get his new staff acclimated to each other, but also to a new quarterback in the room and try to introduce themselves even to Mitchell,
Trubisky and Tyler. So I think there's a lot of information, a lot of you know, that's any thing about Matt Nagie. He's so informative at the podium. I think when he gets out there from the both of them will learn a lot. Yeah, I've been able to navigate through Freed andcy Hey teams there conducting business differently, you know, And I think it's going to be a different type of draft with the constraints and the restrictions that the teams will have to do in order to make informed decisions.
And then, you know, I just want to hear from coach Nagie. I think this is really paramount because it's going to be a different type of offseason. I think is what everybody thinks about is how the coaches are going to be able to present the information via players via teleconference things like that. It really is going to separate some coaching staffs and who is a good teacher and how they're able to communicate with their players to
get their points across on installs and things of that nature. Well, thank goodness for Zoom. I guess right now, right or whoever they're planning to do it, it's happening in college football. On a conference call last week, Lovey Smith outlining what they've been doing for a couple of hours, three days a week down in Champagne, having normal team meetings, but anything but normal, certainly in national football in the draft in three weeks will be anything about normal as well.
Coming up next, Alan Robinson doing some great work as always here in Chicago, will tell you all about it. Coming up next with the Bears receiver. This is Bears All Access on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to score. Welcome back everybody to Bears All Access, brought to you by IGS Energy, a proud partner of the Chicago Bears, providing electricity, natural gas, and homewarranty products to over one million customers across the country. Little more about IDs Energy
at igs dot com. Jeff Joning aclog with Tom Bear and Jim Miller, joint of the program. We're here once a week throughout the off season getting ready for what is going to be an interesting and diverse plan of attack for all teams with the NFL Draft coming up on April twenty third to the twenty fifth. We'll start
with Jim. Jim, what are you hearing? I saw some writing today about a couple of options they're having contingency plans about in facilities or out of facilities, and trying to level the playing field, making sure everybody is working off the same slate, so to speak. Obviously everyone would love to be on site, but even if that happens, there's gonna be limited number of personnel allowed in each in situations, yeah, I mean again, the numbers will be down.
And you know, I think you know, the essential guys that need to be in say the draft room or what everybody calls the war room for you know, for a draft, and the essential guys are going to be your pro player personnel guys. Certainly your scollege scouting director, your head coach is going to be there, probably your offensive corner, defensive corner as the draft goes along. Probably your special team's coach is going to need to be in there as it goes gone because special teams coach,
as everybody knows, they got to know everybody. They gotta know everybody that's gonna be brought on the team and what type of input that they are impact they can have. Your cap guy is probably gonna have to be in that room. So the NFL is kind of not far off in terms of how many numbers need to be in there. Ten But you gotta remember too, can that be shuffling because let's say a defense quinners is talking.
You know, they're talking about drafting a defensive lineman. You're gonna want to shuffle in the defensive line coach, Hey, we're looking at these two guys. You know which guy did you like? What was your take when you watch the tape? And then the defensive line coach say he's going to have his input that could sway the decision
of what player is selected over another. I think, you know, certainly you're going to have other guys on call, doctors, the trainers, things of that nature for any guy that you're tom out in terms of the medical if you need to, you know, even get any more information. But normally those guys are on call. But I just know
my partner it serious. He talked to like three or four gms yesterday about the essential guys that need to be in the room, and there does have to be somewhat of a shuffling to get some other guys in there, because you're gonna need the input owners. Some owners are in there, some owners are not. Obviously Jerry Jones as the owner and still really thought of as the general manager of the Cowboys, but over the years, you know, I don't think a lot of owners will be in
the in the NFL draft rooms this year. I really don't. But I think Tom don't have to have a coordinated plan, that's for sure. Tom. From a player perspective, you're you're not able to conduct businesses as you might. You just got to stay in shape. No pro days, the visits are down. If you're doing a pro day, guys are trying to put stuff on tape any manner they can. So as a player, how do you improve your value?
How do you convince a team other than some of these meetings by way of virtual reality that they are doing it, you know, with zoom and other different formats. But how do they convince teams that I'm the right guy for your football program? You know, Jeff, I really do believe that most of these players already have their
draftable grade on them. So, now is there a matter of some of these guys, A couple of these guys, a guy that's interested you that that guy that has first round talent, but they're probably going to take them in their third round because there's some issue, you know, personally, mentally or physically. So I do think that they already have the grades on these guys. Now, if there's a guy out there, it's really piquing the curiosity because he's
that special talent that you can't overlook. Maybe you need a little bit more investigative work on him. It would be really interesting to see if you put Brian Urlacker in this draft and you don't really have a chance to investigate this guy where he is, and you really don't know where his talent fits best. He's just a super talented guy. So you know who is going to be that Brian Urlacher of this draft where you're talented, but you just don't know how talented you are or
where you're going to fit best. Well, today, Jim, we heard that Ta Tanga Lalla had his recheck voluntarily and everything appears to be good to go. He would call himself one hundred percent if it was game time. Our team's still going to be hesitant, despite the fact all thirty two teams had the opportunity to weigh in and ask for specific medical information. Yeah, luckily for him, and you know, he's had a couple of good reviews, like when we were down at the combine, Jeff came back
in terms it was very positive about his MRIs. So teams already know about that. This second medical recheck where he's cleared to do whatever. I don't I don't know. If you're if you're a team, you're gonna want your personal doctors to take a look at him. You know, you can't just trust the word. And plus teams are gonna want to put him through a workout, or teams would say, hey, he's still on our board, we'll draft him.
We don't plan on playing him right away. We're going to give him more time to heal, you know, because even today when he comes out and said, hey, I'm one hundred percent clear and I'm doing everything, it's just general soreness, general soreness. What what do you mean by that? You know what I mean? So I think you know they're everybody's doing their due diligence and what they can.
They're trying to get all the information they can. But I think for players that are dealing with medical and medical rechecks, you're just not going to get all the information you need. So it truly is a risk reward pick, and you're going to rely and count that your doctors believe that, hey, all the tests have been positive that we know of have and positive so far, and when we get him here, we don't plan on playing right away.
We're gonna bring him along slow, which I think was the plan to begin with other guys out there, like Ashton Davis, the kid from California is a safety safety. Yeah. Yeah, he hasn't been able to do anything. I mean, you can't. You haven't been able to watch this guy run, haven't been able to watch him play. He's had surgery. I mean, you know, there's a lot of guys out there that truly are hey, you're you're taking it. It's a crapshoot, and how you're drafting because you don't have anything on
that particular player. So I think those are difficult, and I think those are the hardest ones. The medical rechecks, guys that are dealing with medical issues, and probably character guys where maybe you're trying to follow up and get more information on a young man. This is Bears Out Access on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to score on producer Tonight Adam Stazinski winning some guests on the program tonight as we break down the Bears preparations for the
NFL Draft were brought to you by IGS Energy. Tom are you where are you at? On how you approached this draft? From a Bears perspective, and frankly this would apply to most teams. Do you reduce your curve of potential risk in this draft? And when I say play it's safe, do you go with what you know with your and trust your eyes and trust your resources that have investigated all these guys up to this point and roll with it. Yeah? You know what players have you
gone and had success on? You know? To me, Jeff, this draft has kind of taken a turn for me right now. After what I've seen the Bears go after in free agents, I become positions specific and for me, I want a starting safety out of this draft. And Ryan has done a nice job of evaluating the talent of Adrian Amos, picked him in the fifth round and came in as an immediate starter. Look at what he
was able to look through in the evaluation of Eddie Jackson. Yeah, there are some injury issues, but you really had to look at what the player was offering to you before that injury, and he was able to go out and make the proper decision there. So you know, Jeff, Eddie Jackson out of Alabama, He's a Safety's seen best competition every day in practice and throughout his conference and is
able to come in and play number one. So you know this is the given because of the Corona issue, because of where the Bears are in the draft order, it's so hard to target somebody specifically. But now for me, this this draft has just taken the position the position interest for me. Yeah, well, I just think for the Bears, yeah, I mean it'd be nice. You know, Bears have done it before where they've had fourth round picks like Eddie
Jackson come in and become a starter. And I think when you look at if you can hit on players like that that are later in the draft, that can come in and contribute for their team. And you got to believe that undrafted free agents are going to be a big part of it. Nobody's talking about that, but typically undrafted free agents start in the latter part of
the rounds, believe or not. Like even in ninety four when I got selected by the Steelers, I was already getting calls in the fifth round by say the New England Patriots, A Jim, would you consider being undrafted free agent of the New England Patriots? And I think that is where a lot of teams can make a lot of Hey, I'll give you an example. How about the Oakland Raider or now are the Las Vegas Raiders. Look who they selected as an undrafted free agent, alec Ingold.
Alec Ingold was a fullback at Wisconsin. He was a starter for the Oakland Raiders a year ago as a rookie. So I think that is going to be critical because when you don't have a lot of draft picks, specifically high draft picks, if you can get the diamonds in the rough some undrafted free agents to come in and contribute for your team. One obviously try to hit on your draft picks, but I think undrafted free agents are
going to be big as well also. And Tom and I have talked about this, and I have a pretty strong opinion about this and especially this draft. There are going to be a lot of players from smaller schools that teams fall in love with and they think they could grow them and teach them within the system. And there are plenty of examples of it working in some
examples of it not. So you think of the Power five Conference, as you think of the competition, you think of the big games that all these guys have played in those conferences, and that is the bulk of your draft classes every year? Is this sec all the big schools.
How do you feel about that being a priority this year versus say, taking a flyer on somebody from from a smaller school that has uber talented in terms of athletic gifts, but may have not played against the same type of competition that some of these other guys are playing against. Yeah, you know, I'm with you. I you know, it's kind of hard to draft potential this year. I think you have to go out there and throughout your
scouting process that didn't start two months ago. This started two years ago with some of these guys that were in the scouting radar. So you could be in the offices of these bigger conferences another player, but you always keep an eye on that guy that you know is
coming down the line. So I'm with you, Jeff, I would like to have interest in the bigger, more powerful schools and the way these guys were raised in their two three or four years through their college program, because I do think you get a lot better understanding of what they are at this point rather than what they could be in two years. Yeah, the smaller school guys that probably played in some Bowl games, whether it's the
East West Shrine or say the Senior Bowl. Say the safety from Lenore Ryan Kyle Dugger, that guy's already removed all doubt. He went down to Mobile and showed he can play against big time players. Or say the receiver from Liberty Vandy Golden who that is and he's a good player. I think teams like Tom is saying they
got to see it to believe it. Those two players did it, Okay, I think it'd be very risky when you don't have a lot of tape on a guy is smaller school players, and I don't think they'll get drafted, you know, because that there's a lot of unknowns about them. Those other guys have removed it. And I'd also say this, think about last year there were thirty three guys drafted who did not participate in the Combine. Okay, they didn't get an invite, but yet thirty three guys were drafted. Okay,
watch that number plummet this year. Teams aren't going to take interesting all right, Jim, We're going to step away from the draft conversation, switched gears and welcome in our good friend Alan Robinson, the veteran Bears wide receiver, off fantastic season and now doing some fantastic work in the city. He now calls home, Alan, good evening, Thanks for joining us. How you feeling, man, I'll really good. Thanks for having me. All Right, we're gonna talk about what you're doing within reach.
That is your foundation. We've talked about it in this show many times and really out there on all the social media platforms listening to it and reading about it again, doing some great work answering the call to try and relieve hunger through the Chicago Public school system, the Greatest Chicago Food Depository, which is a u a place that is very dear to our folks at WBBM here in
the intercom family every year. Um, how did this get started or how did you get the ball rolling and switch gears a little bit and deal with what is a massive need for the meals for for the kids who can't go to school right now to get an education but still can be helped out to be fed. Yeah, you know the biggest thing for us was just trying to figure out, you know, the best way for us to be able to make an impact, you know, with but everything that's that's that's going on right now. You
know a lot of people like forget that. You know, there are kids and stuff like that that that rely on going to school not only for their education, but because meals are provided to them as well, you know, so for them being able to to not get meals and things like that with everything that's going on, you know, we figured that, you know, next to education, that was a that was the next best thing that we could
try to you know, help out with Alan. You know, it's kind of interesting for me because you see on the social platform of these players of professional athletes and every sport, every way, shape or life, they kind of support UM, you know, different areas. But now you've decided to come and help. And for every kid in Chicago that you're helping smile today, we thank you. But why Chicago a rob Because I wherever your roots are from, people in Chicago have gained such a respect for you
for what you've overcome on the field. So why are you supporting Chicago now? Yeah, you know, I think the biggest thing for us is UM. You know, when we first we took the foundation from Jacksonville, you know, and for us, we've we've found that you know, again with just the city that I'm playing as well. You know,
we have a great deal of support. But you know, it's it's pretty ironic that Jacksonville and now Chicago is very similar to Detroit, you know, and with me being there majority of the time and majority of the year, you know, that's that's the biggest way that I can't help out and end up making impact to any city, you know. So so for us, the biggest thing was looking at we're looking at Chicago. You know, again it's very similar to Detroit, you know, same kind of same
kind of eat and things like that. You know, so just being able to have the community rally behind me, you know, that's that's been the biggest success for what we're doing, is just having the support of the community. You know, um um. To have a great foundation and to be able to do a lot of things, you know, you have to have support, you know. So so the
city of Chicago has has always given that from day one. Well, it's easy to be cynical prior to what this country is dealing with right now, Alan, but to receive the support that you've had, you know, look at all the humanitarian efforts going on around you know, I'd say, not only in the NFL, but outside of the NFL. Here the Patriots, they get a million masks today to donate for a lot of needs that are there for Massachusetts
or all the things you're doing in Chicago. Just how does that feel to you when you see the outpouring and how it's received in what you're doing, Because it just seems like everybody is rallying to help their fellow citizens all across the country. Yeah, you know, it's it's
really awesome to see. You know. I think that for us just as people and as a country, you know, we also we always get so caught up in competing against one another, you know, and now with this being you know, our country in and not only our country, but our our world, you know, having to go through
something that nobody has been familiar with. You know, that everybody needing, needing one another to lean upon, you know, whether you know, supplies to going to the hospital, reletives, food supplies, childcare, you know, whatever the case may be. You know, we've had to lean on one another for that,
you know, in this time. You know, So I just think that it's pretty awesome and cool, you know, I mean, it is a tragic, you know, thing that's going on right now, but just seeing everybody try to come together as much as possible to be able to help each and every person that they can out. You know, I think it's very special to see you got a big cart Allen. We know it. You've talked about it at
great length, and initially when you started this. You're about to match up to twelve k and donations one day. That's that's how quickly that went. Wow, And I had big childs I think maybe be the first one in line matching his number with seventy two hundred bucks and then Coach Nagi with twelve thousand. And are you blown away by the generosity going on right now? And and and what do you need right now? What do you
need for your foundation? Most definitely right now? You know, the biggest thing is just continuing to just you know, uh, to give people the information you know, to to help out with the cause that we're doing. You know, So I would say, fortunately for us, you know, we're not really in a in a need position at all. You know, I'm definitely gonna gonna probably increase the number that I'll
be matching. You know, We're gonna talk about that, you know, probably over the over the course of this next week or so, you know, to try to figure that out, you know. But fortunately, you know, we're not in a
in a knee situation at all. You know, we just want to continue to to to give people the information you know that they may need to go out there and support us and support everyone else, you know, as much as possible, you know, so they go to Alan Robinson twelve dot org, you know, to find out as much information and things that that they want to, you know, just to see where the money is going towards and just to see some of the causes you know that we're helping out with rob get a pop on there.
I pop down there today. So if you can, everybody out there make a donation, help out things. Uh. I know you got a home gym and you got a young daughter. So how you balancing all that with a stay at home call from uh from where you're at right now getting ready with the season. Yeah, you know, just just um, just trying to do it as best as possible, you know. As far as as far as workout watching, I'm still able to get in some pretty
good workouts, you know. The biggest thing is just you know, some of the running that I'm not able to do, you know, but other than that, you know, from a from a workout standpoint, you know. Um, um, it's been good. You know again, just trying to just trying to balance out as much as possible, you know. Um at the same time, you know, just just just chilling out, you know, just trying to just trying to wait for things to die down, you know. Just Um, I'm watching different movies,
watching TV shows and everything like that. All right, Alan, thanks for joining us. Appreciate it. Stay healthy you and your family and everybody else out there. All right, I appreciate it. I appreciate you guys as well. All Right, thank you, Alan Robson. Coming up next, Patrick O'Donnell. Enjoy the program. This is Bears Out Access on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to score. Back on six seventy the Score, Jeff Jonny Act top there, Jim Miller, and this is
Bears All Access. And this segment has brought to you by CDW. People who get it learn more at CDW dot com. Just from Alan Robinson and is within Reach Foundation doing some great work. And we're also going to be joined here momentarily by Patrick O'Donnell also doing some good work touching on different things again just joining to
the program. We'll hear from the Bears Um, Ryan Pason, Matt Nagge tomorrow by teleconference, so we'll hear some of the reactions to the free agent period and the acquisition period of the NFL offseason and Nick Foles and Robert Quinn to impactful acquisitions are all locked up and ready to go for the Bears. We'll hear that tomorrow. Do we have pat ready to go? I can't we do? Okay? So Patio ready to go? From cameo to raising money
for I Grow. There's a lot of rhyman going on there, but the Bears veteran punter help not doing some volunteer work as the Bear staff and players have over the last couple of years for I Grow a numerous on a numerous locations. But what got you involve Patton? How you doing? What's up? Guys? Thanks for having me on? Yeah? So Johnny, I real quick, just everything that has been transpired so far as me and Roquan Smith kind of came together with this, this idea to reach out to
you know, fans, the community, during this time. We can get any type of uplifting message that Cameo provides for us on that platform. So it's really cool and it's a really unique experience for us. And explain real quick for people to know what cameo is real quick, just what that is. Yeah, So basically it's it's a platform where there's celebrities, actors, actresses, musicians, athletes, you name it.
So they even have some of the cast of the Tiger Tiger King, Yeah, the Tiger King, like Jeff Low, the Doc and all those kind of guys. So you basically pick whoever you want to talk to, or if you want to have him do a special shout out to your son if it's their birthday during this crazy time, or doctors and nurses that are at the front lines
of this whole thing. So it's pretty cool. Patrick. Is this just a message that you add live out of the out of the creativity of your mind or is there kind of an avenue that you try to take when you're delivering the message our house specific it has to be, so you add them a little bit, but for the most part, they'll put in whatever it is.
If it's a birthday or you know their son or daughters going through you know, the virtual school right now that they can't really be there to interact with their their students. So I've had a little bit of interest in that kind of a thing, but it's it's more of like a positive, uplifting message that me and real Quann are trying to just portray to everybody on the platform. Well, Pat, Jim Miller here, good to talk to you. Hope everybody's safe.
But just how has the response been, you know, just talk about since when you got involved and then how quickly the response has grown from what you're trying to do with support. Yeah, so we're trying to spread the words the best we can. I know the Bears has done a great job pushing it so far. Me and Roquan are trying to push it on our social media platforms. I've had just about like seventeen eighteen requests. I'm sure
Roquan's had a little bit more. I mean, the middle linebacker for the Bears, come on first, come on now. So never never, no, but it's really cool. Things are really heating up. So we got a lot of interest from the Bears. Actually, they're going to match whatever we get donated basically through this platform, and then we have an anonymous donor that's going to match also. So if we raise twenty five hundred dollars, the Bears Scare will match that at twenty five hundred, and then the anonymous
donor will match that also. So we have an opportunity to raids over Patrick o'donald, veteran Bears punter, joining Bears all access here in Chicago Sports Radio six seventy score. I Grow, by the way, really focusing on Englewood in
that community, serving about three thousand people. There are so many things that they've done, delivering hot meals to neighbors, children's meals from CPS for school families that can't drive, a bunch of staple items of course, eggs, milk, bread, whatever, virtual tutoring, homework, daily prayer circle flyers about the virus,
all sorts of things. It's a heck of an organization to be a part of, an out of the Bears and Bears Care have done a lot through the NFL Foundation, providing grants to I Grow for their Family Resource House. From a from a perspective of just giving back Patrick and not just the specifics of who you're helping out here?
Howza make that harder? Years feel? Right now? Yeah, this is such a unique time I think for all of us, like at the country in the world actually, So just to be a part of this in any way that we can, I know, being Roquan and some of the other guys that are trying to get on the platform to help out the best we can, I think is just my best interest of human beings right now, just to do our part. Hey, Pat, do you ever get a chance to see the other side of Roquan? Because
I really love his personality. He's got a really bright smile. He you know, he has a great attitude, he has a really good understanding a grasp of what he's gonna say and how he talks. But you know, we only get to see Roquan and the seriousness of week to week you know, exposure during the football season. This is a kind of a little bit of other side of Roquan. I think people would really appreciate if they did get a chance to go to I Grow and get a chance to see a little bit more of Roquan that
you're not exposed to during the season. Yes, a Roquan is he's such a lighthearted guy. He just he loved being around his teammates. He's a type of guy that will do anything for anybody. He's a country bumping kind of kid. He's very low key. He wears his country boots and he goes to country concerts. So all the guys in the locker room will give him give him a lot of flak for that. But now he's a great kid and I'm really happy that he's a parting
this with me. Well, Pat, I mean, you know, obviously you've been dealt a lot with Ropelan here this offseason, but just how has it been, you know, just talking to your other teammates. Is it by phone? Are you guys video teleconferencing each other just to catch up and see how everybody's doing. Because it's a team, there's no doubt about it. But how much contact and really communication
have you had with your teammates during this time. Yeah, there's been a lot of like route messaging and things like that, but FaceTime just more on like a one to one if somebody reaches out, obviously talk to my special team guys, but we haven't actually done like the zoom thing yet. I'm sure that will crash sometime soon everybody in the world on that platform, but we might have to get something going on the zoom and reach
out to everybody on the team. That would be pretty cool now in that perspective, because the college is already doing it. They've you know, you have I had started last week doing that with their team meetings for the offseason program that they have. How beneficial would that be given this circumstance if you are not able to get to the building when you guys want to this still meet as a team or as a unit and be taught and have your instruction by way of that, Will
the learning be the same? I think it'll be the same for the most part. I mean, obviously you don't you have that human interaction where somebody's like right in front of you. But I think the best thing we can do is probably try to keep the schedule as close to normalcy as we can. You know, you think about the players getting ready during the off season and guys having an opportunity to go and do a weight room.
So when we see Patrick not going to the weight room but going out to the field, do you carry a bag of footballs with you to practice punting? And when is the last time in your career that you've shagged your own punts? Yeah, so we have a ball guy. We're very fortunate, but we had Eddie actually carry the ball bag last season. Me and Patrick Scales kind of pulled that that veteran card, if you will on that.
But yeah, we're in charge of the football and then sometimes you can make Eddie go either catch punts or or Pat Scales a long snap. So how is our guy Eddie doing. No, he's doing really well. He's done in Miami right now. So we talked quite a bit about, you know, really the situation down there. They just locked up. Florida's pretty good. You have a mandated curfew and things like that starting tonight actually, so all the beaches, golf courses,
and parks are closed. So we're pretty locked up down here. Well, have you have you changed anything about your regiment, Patton? Just? I mean, what's your itinerary every day and in terms of how you've a us did with everything that's that's happening currently. Yeah, So I've been trying to you know, actually wake up at a normal time, like the eight o'clock, seven thirty whatever it is, get the workout in go through the day, kind of similar to what we would
have at OTA's. Um, you can't really do much interaction, I guess with your teammates for film and things like that. But um, you know, I've actually built a little garage gym in the house, so I've been trying to get a little workout in each and every day. And you know, I have a couple of footballs laying around, so I do my type of drills. So so Phil, listen, paint us a picture of what your garage gym looks like. You know what I was, I was a bit ahead
of the curve here. I was on like Craig's List if you will, or a Facebook marketplace, and I found a bunch of stuff people were giving up and wanted to get rid of. So I got a dumbbell set. I got to actually a rack a nice little rig in there, and you know, like a bosue ball and for like core and things like that. So I'm a big fan of the TRX. You know, I get a TRX draft to do a lot with that. So, um, yeah,
that's what I've been working with. Well, Patrick, it's uh, you know, an interesting offseason for the for the NFL and you know you got you know, the draft coming up. So throughout your career, do you even pay attention to the draft anymore? Or is it more about just getting yourself ready and you know if the draft is going to happen and whatever fashion it does. Yeah, I think we pay attention, meaning the veterans when I say we, I think it's important just to see like who we're getting,
you know, who's coming onto our team, our family. So in that aspect, we kind of see, um, you know what the team is thinking, what we need. But from that standpoint, yeah, it'll be really interesting to see what happens this year. I'm assuming everything's gonna be either virtual or it's gonna just be flashed across the screen, something very unique that you know, the fell is going to have to adjust to like everybody else. Well, I'm curious
about this, Jim. What number of dumbbells, weight pounded did you buy up to? Is this are you putting on the gun show? Did you put up a mirror in your garage or anything like that. I'm a little bit worried about you. Patrick. I think if you have any type of garage, Jim, I think you have to have a mirror up. Yeah, so I put a mirror, you know, honestly you can look at yourself, you know, flexing, Yeah, yeah, yeah, I knew it. He was putting on the gun show. How big the dumbells go up to it? You get
the hundreds? Can you get tutu? I got yeah, I have five to seventy. You know, I don't have the big dogs yet. I'm looking for somebody. If anyone knows anybody, send them my way. I mean, Jim equipment right now is a hot commodity with everything closed, so everyone's scooping that up. Sure is well, Uh, let's just hope everything stays well for everybody out there listening, and certainly you
and your family stay healthy. And I'm sure the the just the unormity of this situation with everybody struggling, but in the back of your mind you still have a job to do and hoping there's football in twenty twenty's. It's something I'm sure you guys are all discussing, right, Yeah, definitely. I mean this is the closest thing I've had to football, So I really appreciate you guys having me on. All right, thank you very much, Thanks for your work you're doing
as well. Patrick o'donald Bears veteran punter working with Cameo to raise money for Eye Grow, organization close to the Bear's Heart and Bears Care. We'll continue on. We'll be joined by Tommy Harris, the former Bears pro bowler. Coming up next on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to Score Welcome back to Bears Held Access with Adam Sazinski, our producer,
Jeff Jony Act, town Fair and Jim Miller. Count you down to the NFL Draft free agency, hitting a bit of a ball and now team's got everything lined up in terms of filling some holes and now look to get those young players to potentially start or begin the process of adding into the building prospects of the season. Jeff, as we get you sat here or waiting for Tommy Harris to join the program, the former Bears defensive tackle.
So much to talk about with how people are dealing with the virus and all the limitations that we are now working through. But I love reading every day or hearing from all sports. What the giveback is Tom and Jim from the sports community. We always talk about this I do any way about sports being life's toy department a little bit, but it is much more than that.
I say it in Jess a little bit, because you can easily shut down the toy department, but you can't shut down the passion of the heart of many athletes and organizations that are givers and they do give back.
They know the impact of giving back. You know, Jeff, If you could just take a picture of every kid's face that they hand a meal to that Alan Robinson and his supporters have provided for these young kids, that tells the story alone, because the stories all across the landscape of sports and all the other ways of life that successful business people have been able to support, and like, you know, just the snapshot of a smile when they
hand you food. In these times, it's got to be super satisfying for a guy like Alan Robinson, because you know, this is not a guy that's had everything handed to him. Although he's had success, he's overcome the obstacles of injuries and went on and almost some respects been more successful. So I really appreciate his effort in all the other efforts that everybody's coming, you know, from around the world.
How about the Patriots for using their planes to bringing over a million face masks for the medical people that are in need of them. It's really it's just unbelievable, Jeff. And it's not you know, it's not just the NFL community yet that you mentioned. And you know, sometimes and again I think people are cynical thinking a lot of these owners are just some evil barons that it's just
not the case. They've been giving four years years out of their pocket and they've really seen not only organization pretty much everyone in the National Football League, but you've seen the players too, individuals like Alan Robinson or donations like Drew Brees of the New Orleans States and it's all across this country in all thirty through cities. These players are making a difference and the organizations they've every one of them have stepped up. They're great in terms
of their humanitarianism. Their philanthropic work has always been there and that's you know, that's when I was a player, and it was long before I even was with the Chicago Bears. They've always done it, so they are truly to be commended. It is really astounding, really how everybody has really stepped it up to another level. As you guys hear about Tony Bisselli this week, and you know, we knew he had the coronavirus, but at a story just just came out in one of the papers nationally.
He's forty seven, you know, Tony Bisselli a sturdy piece to the puzzle at left hand in his NFL career for Jacksonville and Houston. But he was in the Mayo Clinic hospitalized five days. He said he needed oxygen and he said the virus buried him. It didn't literally because he's now back and feeling good. But Tommy found himself deteriorating fast. And if it can cut it can cut down anybody. As the point, right, you know, nobody, no matter what your sizes, you know that you know one's
exempt for what this disease can do to you. And it seems like every day you're introduced to another story about someone who's overcome it, or how it's affecting the lives of many. You know, when you think about you know, I'm the youngest in my family. I'm fifty eight years old. All my brothers and sisters are older than me. I live in the fear that this is somebody that could this is a disease that could take out my whole family because of this is the age we live in.
And so when you hear a story like Tony Biselli's, you just think the vulnerability of if everybody else, and especially the people that are closest to us in our lives. Yeah, it's really amazing. Just as fast as it comes on to Tony Biselli, you hear a story after story about that that it can dissipate pretty quickly as well, because he was out in five days. But how it creeps up on you and how it can affect your lungs and the ability to even breathe, to take a breath.
And that's the issue, you know, the ventilators, the masks, all the things that everybody is desperately in need. And it sounds like again all across America and all lines of work, they're stepping up to try and get these things done. Whether it's flying a private plane over to pick up a million masks, whether it's the motor companies trying to build ventilators. I mean, think about the manufacturers that are now converting what is an auto plant to
build a car, is now building ventilators. I mean, pretty amazing how everybody across the board is stepped up. All right, let's switch gears, get on the phone lines one more time before we wrap up tonight's show. Reconnecting with an old friend and former Chicago Bear, Tommy Harris, the former fourteenth pick in the twenty four draft, first year a Lovey Smith's program, and had seven good years with the Bears, three times a pro bowler and a very interesting guy,
no question about it. Tommy, good evening, thanks for joining the program. And you made me cry this week. I gotta tell you, Oh man, I'm sorry cry. This is what Tommy Harris. We knew he was a very talented singer because I used to give up your time at the Super Bowl, I believe, during the gospel celebrations in the mornings before the super Bowl so you could sing. And I've heard you sing, and then I I was on Twitter the other day and all of a sudden,
I see your sight and I punched it up. And you are now not only a Chicago Bear and an NFL football player and a dad and a son and a sibling, You're a singer songwriter and just released this week online. Let's sample a little bit of your new song, Deflated unbelievable song. I invite everybody to check it out on Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube audio, Tommy Harris Night at
Twitter dot com. It's a good five minutes and I listened to it again today and obviously I'll let you tell the story on how you wrote it and why you wrote it, but it dates back to the passing of your wife, just U some forty one days after your marriage and the birth of your second child, So it's it's a resonative song about your wife, Ashley. Tommy, Yes, sir, I thank you. Hum you know I came I would deflated.
It was you thinking about that awkward pause or that moment when I had to take the ventilator off and everything went from not seeing her breathing or having even a machine to move her to it's all out, like it was deflated. It all left, and it was like from then on, I just always made it my duty or the way I can serve and to give back is to make people remember that they don't have to
play dead in the land of the living. So deflation just talks about that time of when things aren't going your way, or that moment where it feels like you don't know where you just losing breath or at the moment where you don't know when the next comes back. But it's in that moment of just giving hope that you'll be back and you'll come back and things to
get back to bouncing. But it's just being in this moment, like we're in here, the deflated market, that's what we feel like now that once we get things get back moving and going. But let's be here, let's slow down, let's be with our kids, let's I had to learn a lot in my deflated moment of how how big I thought I was or how rich I thought I was.
And so after going through that moment, I realized what life really means and it and it just it, I don't know, the whole thing just really came to me because the stand down on his knees part, it only came from being deflated. So if I never was deflated, I wouldn't know how to pray so much, I wouldn't depend so much on it, I wouldn't have the relationship
I have. So just finding the beauty even in troubled times, that's what it's about, you know, Tommy, This tom there along with Jeff and Jim and how are you know I kind of lived through that same scenario with my mom and dad within the last six months. And what you know, I'm glad that I knew Tommy Harris before I saw this video. Your video, dude, is awesome, is so beautiful, so well done. But I'm glad I got to know you before I saw this video. Is the
Tommy Harris that we all met after the draft? Is he still inside you? Or is that Tommy Harris completely gone? Yeah? He's gone. You know I have I have some residue of you know, like I just been due. So life is gay. My games didn't stop after the NFL, you know, it continued and I kept on taking on double teams and I kept on going through different stuff. So it developed a whole another different game inside of me, a
whole other different person inside of me. Even I look at that video myself and all this stuff I've done, I don't even look the same. Like if you look at stuff on on YouTube or the old videos, I can't even believe that wasn't So Yeah, this has made a whole nother My whole life has transitioning into a different metamorphosis. Hey, Tommy, we want to talk more about
this with you, but we're out of time tonight. Can we get you on another time as well to talk more about a lot of people with draw inspiration real quick? How long did it take you to write it? I love Deflated in like thirty five minutes. Unbelievable song. Go check it out, everybody, Tommy Harris, thanks for joining us. One final thought coming up after this on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to score Okay full show wrapping up
boy Alan Robinson, Patrick O'Donnell, and Tommy Harris. Jim. Sorry, I couldn't get you in there at the end, running out of time. But check out that song and video diving tribute I did. It's amazing when you look at the video and I'll tell you what, you know, just to go somewhere that a lot of people you just don't want to go, And I'll tell you what every word you just cling that every word of that song Deflated what so beautifully done and well done by Tommy Harris.
It is a great song. Yeah, no question, tom Next week we'll start getting real deep in the draft. You ready, Oh of course, I am, Jeff, I'm you know, I'm look forward to it again. It's kind of like the old school draft. We sat there anticipation of being pick. We knew nothing about it all right, coming up next Game two of the twenty sixteen Cubs n l Ds. Check it out. Thanks to everybody involved Tonight Adams to
Zinski for Tom and Jim, I'm Jeff. Good night, everybody, Thanks for listening to this Chicago Bears Network presentation of Bears All Access. Podcasts are available on Chicago Bears dot com and on iTunes, or download the official Bears mobile app. Bears all Access has been brought to you by IGS Energy and sponsored by Miller Litte