Tre Boston and Kurt Coleman

and Panther san Diego charger. Yeah, when they just moved, I was I was San Diego for three months. It was live though. It's an all right, and then back to Carolina. Yeah, I forgot Arizona. Yeah, I almost forgot it. To listen, I'm I'm widow. Listen. I was just I would let him go. No, no, no no, yeah, go ahead. I mean your story about you know, figuring out where to choose and yeah, the station. I mean that's a

pretty cool story. That is that is that is we're too head to all right, you want to do this? Are you even introduced? You just? Did you not say I was introduced that bound the ball. Welcome to Kurt's podcast. We could do this. You got Steve Smith Senior and then obviously co host Gerard Little John and backstage Joe. Hello, yeah, uh show. What's going on, fellas? How are you doing? Blessed? Cursed? I'm doing well, doing well a professional man? Feel like

buzz energy energy? How you feeling before? Right? Is he letting you do this to him? Already? We just said held on like i'd Honestly, I'm happy to be in the booth and I'm excited to hear what we're gonna talk about. So I got a lot to say to Yeah, yeah, that's cool. Okay, No, it's gonna make it on the pod. That's great. He did say we're in the BOOTHTEPS, so shout after that. Yeah, we're in the studio. Hey, So what we're gonna do is, uh, start off on the beginning,

which is get iced up. It's just you know, random questions. Okay, Um, there's no rhyme of reason. It's just random Okay, Okay, Yeah, I'm okay, yeah, Ranch, Ranch, you can't already let's go. So how many months have twenty eight days? What? Yeah, stupid. It was quick fast. Hey, if we're all wrong, we all right? Yeah, communication communication on the same page. We would yep, yep, back right now. It's defensive. We got everybody lined up and we played the same coverage. Yeah

we did. Y'all getting burnt the same but they all on the same micle. Yeah, yeah, we all played one one thing. Yeah, sounds about good. Come on, coach, come on, I bet you'll get us with the next one. Depending on what time it is, it won't be the next one. Come on, ny on. I'm glory right now. So uh if you I'm on the podcast, Yeah, read the question club all right, um, yeah, if Kurt was a pair of shoes, Yes, what brand would he be? Okay, if

Kurt was a pair of shoes, what brand would he be? Damn? Man, I feel like he would be like a six like like no, no, listen, listen, listen, listen, listen, listen, listen. We need to listen. Listen. Slept on. But the people who wear them in that crowd knows they're comfortable, they're reliable, and they're hard working shoes. If you got them shoes, you're gonna have them for a minute. You know what, I'm saying, So I wouldn't give him like nothing too

fancy designer, because that's not who Kurt is. That's not him. So the a sick give him like a good brand, reliable brand, knowing that again it's gonna be in your closet. You're gonna be running with these shoes probably like five six years, Like dang, I finally need some new shoes compared to running some Jordan's and being like I can't run the Jordans Air assistant living Now what I'm saying, you know what I mean, but listen it get up

into the you know what I'm saying. Your grandma, Your grandma ain't rocking the ones said all right, man, so that's what I would at a six man. Ok, yeah here, look you did he said some a sex Like I got it. It's the it's the way you look though, like like you you you said what you said, it's not you get a good support. But you know, Steve, we're that you like only on the icebreakers. Focus. Alright, this is this is me and all the time, what if there's only there's only one that I'm thinking about.

It's going to be the Jordan's and it's Now it's about what Jordan's I look at him, he's a patent leather Okay, I see him in the elevens. But Carolina blue elevens. Yeah, that's it. That's it. Oh, loads are highs? I mean I'm just oh mine, But which one? We were? Not? Lejohn? Now we're gonna miss I mean, listen, it's don't do me on the mid Ye, no eleven got mints? How is that a fleet market? I'm trying to check some bootleg wet side. Thank you man, My Michael Jordan local

doing a layoup finger rooms. Yeah, man, I appreciate that. Man. That's Trey. Where are you from in the place you call your hometown? Yeah, Fort Mins, Florida. Um, yeah, so I'm from Creo nine. What about you? Kurt Date Ohio grouping Clayton. What's the jip colder area? Cool? Nine three seven? The gyms can't ripping loud, dude, you don't have to worry about the ones that speak loud. Yeah, you know what I'm saying. You're trying to call me that's my

that's my dog. I see. I started to see. Now it's some clear some things coming very clearly now because Kurt is very subdue quiet. And then now you're around trade, he brand new a little bit. Whoa, this is my god, you know what I'm saying that that's what I know him to be. It's good. I like it. Trade. Everyone knows Trade gonna bring energy to the table, always, always, So you either got to bring your energy up. Yeah. Sometimes sometimes it's it's it's energy. You gotta exert so

much energy to keep up with the energy. Sometimes it's like it's exhausting. Yeah, it can be. And then it almost kind of comes. I know, we got some topics, is more of a round table you know, discussion or whatever. One of the topics we actually have is being authentic. Are you the same person on and off the field? So like, al right, try you you're hiring guy when your hiring guy out on the field as well as off the field. So how does that How is that?

Because Steve just kind of preluded to it, like keeping up that same energy, being the same person on and off the field, I think, like you said, authentic For me, it's genuine. It's just who I am when I step into a room. I know, um, my role in it, you know, going to work every day, Um, it can get just repetitive. Um. You have long days, you have weeks that you are losing, UM, and it's easy to have that energy kind of sucked out of the building.

And for me, if I can be the same guy, Uh, understand, I'm blessed. Understand. We're in good situations. We're playing football, something that we love. Bringing that same energy, it can bring the guys around you up and it allows your coaches everybody to have a deep breath knowing that, Um, yeah, we have a task at hand, but it's not it's not as serious as we're making the same things can

be better. Um. But we gotta do that as men and keep our energy up because obviously, you know, if you get your energy south out of the build, there, it's over, you know what I mean. Like you can lose the whole season, Um in week seven, you know what I mean? Just like in week nine you can gain the whole all of it back. But yeah, that's that's what I do. That That wasn't me, Um, What do you mean? It wasn't you know? I was I

was two different people on the field. I'm a I'm a monster on the field, and I'm looking to cut your head off. Um, but off the field, like there has for me, there had to be more of a humanity side and epathetic side of things. I think what was great. You know, when you look at on the field, it's the process to get onto the field. So for myself, I was in the meetings, I was very serious. I

would call the coaches out when they're wrong. Um. But when we got into the locker room, you know, I would you know, kind of let's lose a little bit. But then when we got back onto the practice field, you know, from my off like I was very driven,

like very serious. Um. But what what is great though, is you know when you do have a guy like Trey, um, he he keeps that other side of me that that needs to stay alive, you know, because sometimes I can just get so focused and tie down, um to the craft that I forget that there needs to be fun along along with it. And so what what was great

was for Trade. Trade would always you know, bring that fun energy side and sometimes we would have to ring him back in and give him the serious like this is this is go time, and this is what we need to buckle down. And so I honestly like it was great because you know, and I'm just thinking about this two fifteen season in general, because we had guys that were very loose, we had guys that were very serious,

and we had a little bit in between them. We are crazy j No, Josh Norman and then you know, and then we had some young cats. But then you also had Peanut Tillman, who was he was the clown of clowns. He was the clown of clowns. But like you you respected, you know, what he had done his body of work up to that, so like it was just a great exture everything. But for me, you know, I would say off the field, I'm very relaxed, and I try to be very relaxed. Um, But on the field,

like I'm up, I'm upright row trash talking. So I know, y'all get together, you'll play golf. Is a lot of that. Where does that end on the field and maybe not even become personal off the field? It doesn't go he I got some chuck, Kurt, Yeah, go ahead, you want gonna watch it? Does It's actually it's kind of walking a little bit between me and Trey, just a little bit because like we we played golf when was it

and Trey is cool. It's It's one of those things where like I enjoyed being around him, and then we kind of butt heads, but he thinks we butt as because he thinks that we're very much alike and we're actually not. We're polar opposites. And then but Kurt knows both of us, so it's like Kurch good friends and we're both of us, and he he interacts and he understands, uh,

you know, each of us. But it's like this little battle, and it's like I don't like for me, what I really struggle if I'm just being honest, what I really struggle with with is it's like the fight, and I just like, now that I'm older, I don't want to

fight anymore. So it's like for you, for both of us, it's like, you know, because when we played golf one time, he was like, um man, you know, we played against each other and like he'd be like, man, it be on and he'd be like, oh man, every play, and it's like to some degree, it's like it is every play. And because me and Trade never played against each other, but me and Kirk ha and Kirk knows like I don't I'm not there's no I'm not one person on the field and one person off the field. Now I

believe we're evolving, like I'm involving. But I just like if we play seventy plays like I would establish the first two plays like this is how I'm gonna play for the next sixty eight plays, like I'm not taking a playoff. And it's just it's just different for me. I like it. I think it's a refreshing, you know, if we're talking on and off the field, to be able to have guys like Steve that I know and Kurt, all of our guys. When I when we talk trash,

it's not malicious. We're not We're not trying to come at each other the wrong way. Um, And at home, you might not get that with your spouse sometimes obviously, if I'm a guy, like I told you my energy, I'm I'm I like to take stuff home, you know what I mean. So I could be talking smack to my wife, but she didn't trying to hear that, like you know what I mean. But if I can, if I got another game what I'm saying. So it's like, um, having your friends to be able to do that too.

And I know that I'm dynamic between us, um, not truly playing each other. Um. It's how I try to get underneath the skin because I truly know that I've I've watched acknowledged um from a far and near the competitor that he is. When was you near me? Well, I've been to Bucks games, you know what I mean, like you as a fan. Yeah, you're the news bleeds. But now now, but now, now, now, I've been around

you enough. But that's so, here's a secret. When we play golf, like me and being Curt in the golf cart, curags like, bro, just let it go. No, he doesn't get it though, Like I'm like when I say, like, really, I would like want to kill you, bro, Like I really wanted to kill you, Like I'm not like Kirk. He doesn't understand, Like I'm not like like he he like I was like like like I I go like most people like, oh, we go ten rounds. I'm like, Tyson, I want to knock you out in the first fifty seconds.

I'm not interested in going twelve rounds because for me, if I go twelve rounds, it turns. It takes me into a dark place, it goes into a place where it's like now, I'm just narrow focus and I don't. I just I don't. I don't want to live that way anymore. That's like it's can I ask you a question? Absolutely,

you welcome to ask me any question. Would you say, have you learned that through just some of the time of working with um, you know, speaking with people like Uh, would that be therapists, uh, sports psychologists or just you know, mental training or is that just something that you have figured out on your own. Uh. It's a it's a combination of all. It's also self reflection to right, having that time where you can sit and really kind of

you know, go through the process. Right. So, so for what I mean by that is like, first of all, when I used to get mad, for me, I would I would narrow in my focus like my For most people when they get upset, they get out of control. Should we never played again each other? But you have When I get piste, I'm a different Like it's not

like oh I'm slipping or I'm just like out of control. Now, it's just like like it's blinders, not blinders to wild don't see everything, but blinders to now this is my I have my assignment like a laser like focus, and I know how you take, and I know how you take. So he feeds off of that, and and I think that that's that's the thing where I sit in the middle of it and almost referee because he's feeding off of him. But he also knows that at some point

he's feeding, he's feeding. He thinks, oh, tick tick, and he's over there like, man, this brother ain't got he got about he go to four if it don't go to count down from thirty. And and that's that difference where it's like the he feeds off of it. But then I try to, like you said, you don't try to go for the juggnairet that that's and that's the

thing is like that you don't. You don't you don't try to feed into it, and you don't you don't want it to get there, but when it gets there, you're you're you don't care where it gets to because getting guy straight just wants to like and I love it because I like we always knew like if Trey was um like he needed like we needed like what we said we talked bad to Tray talk bad. And he feeds off of that um. So that that was just like when I'm watching him like hold on, yeah, yeah,

I see where this is going. So how much of that is because you also talked about before. When you're just talking about of it's almost sounds like leadership to like, even if I take it back to being on the field of knowing who's supposed to be where, knowing your teammates, is that part of leadership that you had to develop your style of just knowing Like in this senstance, there's knowing to people who are friends, but on the field of knowing like all right, you know for wow, Like

until we played, I didn't want to be his friend. Yeah, I was like I don't know about this and I don't think it's gonna work. But you get what I'm saying, is that that that intangible Like how how do you

build that up? Well? I think just taking the time to build the relationships with each and every person, Like, um, you know, Smitty and I and we play when I was in Philadelphia, and and you know, you always have this perception of people, and I never had a bad perception, but I knew, you know, I better bring my heart hat to every single game. Spendy was lined up because he was gonna find I felt like he was always gonna find somebody at times, and you better be ready

when when that shot. Yeah, well I mean just like you better be being ready. But then him and I went golfing down in Kiwa, and I thought it was just a great time. Our families, our wives you know, and talked even before then, so like it was it was great because like you know, it's always nice when your wives, you know, you can bring the whole family along. It's not just boom boom. And so like I really got to know him on a real personal level and

vice versas. So like I felt like that that was like the beginning of you know, us really actually taking it, you know, just from you know, competitors to actually friends. But then you know, try and I it was, you know, the same thing in two thousand and fifteen when we started, and then from there, you know, going to his wedding and and and doing all that stuff like with our family. So you know, him remember just bringing bringing a little little trade to the house, um, you know when he

was first born, Like it's just stuff like that. It was it. But but um, at the end of the day, like whether we didn't have that, like if we're in the locker room. If you expect to be a leader, you better get to know people, because I think leadership is more than just what you do. It's who you are and what you want the atmosphere to become. And if you don't get to know somebody, I can't expect

something out of you. And if I do expect that out of you, well, if I'm asking something out of you, like I better have taken the time to invest into you. And I think that's the only, um, the only fair thing. And so what it's that old saying nobody cares what you know right until I know that you care. I love cut to It and I love it even more when you download us and subscribe, and you can follow us on social media too, Smithy where where at? That's at?

Cut to It on Instagram? What about Twitter? At? Cut to It Facebook? Cut to It featuring Steve Smith singr. What about online? And you can follow us at cut to It podcast dot com where you can buy merch and you can subscribe to us wherever you listen to podcasts. I got all my answers questions. Um, yeah, I got all my questions answered. That's what I'm here for. A

brother cut to a podcast dot com. You know, I think that's the struggle with with with fans and and and and in athletes, right, because there is this um expectation, right, but then there's no Sometimes there's no expectation on the other end, expectation of like you expected to when I see you give me what I want. But then there's the expectation of the other sometimes athletes like hey, some days is it's cool, but the other days just a little bit of privacy, like my expectations when I'm my

whole deal. Bro, when we're in the bathroom, I don't talk. We're not talking, dethletean and not. I think that's what you would think that I know definitely what's going on. I know they're definitely talking to him any chance they get. You know what I'm saying, they're taking they're taking advantage of the opportunity because so they got this bathroom. So the question, so, so the question is, uh, person versus the performer? Yeah, how do how do you handle how

do you handle the person versus the performer? And then after you break that down, do you find your do you find yourself at any moment in in your career where you were maybe playing to the audience. Okay, I would say person versus to perform me. I know that my energy already comes off as um, fun, energetic, so I know I'm gonna meet a lot of people around um from me. Honestly, I think it's important for me to just acknowledge them, say hello, how you doing. Take

a picture with him? You have a great day, have a blessed one. So we have a respect of Okay, I gave you what you needed, just like you said. Now can I get back to my privacy. It ain't no sitting here five minutes and talk to me. It's like you met me. I was a great guy, gave your pick saying how do your kids family? Now, let's go on by our privacy and so let me ask you. From what I hear, then you don't separate the person from the performer a little bit. If you say no,

I get yeah, I get what you're saying. No, I don't much. I don't much like I don't think there's ever a time that I wouldn't let I think at the same time, as a respect from who my performer is to win, Like there's been people who have been who's dm me like Hey, I saw you at dinner with your wife and kids. Didn't want to come over. But I just want to let you I'm not talking Yeah, I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about just Persian performers, That's what I'm saying. So for me, um, no, I'm

pretty much the same. I wouldn't I wouldn't see myself like not not doing the things I do off the field or on the field. Like I don't really change for you know many you know what I mean, unless I got like a curt whose telling me, hey, dollar in you know what I mean. But for the most part, Yeah, I'm gonna be the same on and off because that's just who I am. UM used to talking to people my mom if you if you got to meet my mom,

same way people person energetic, um, single mother. My mom worked, you know, two or three jobs at a time, my whole life. Um, So to see her grind see um at the same time we might we might have been where we're at, where she still took us to suit

kitchens and food banks. That's why I do that stuff because even though we were I mean pretty much living in the hood, we were still going to you know, offer our time if it wasn't money, We're gonna give our time back to the people to also show me that you know, I'm here, but it could be worse. You like, you can have better, but it could be worse. And I think that's where a lot of like my energy comes from because of just knowing that, Man, a

smile can change somebody the whole day. Um. You know, somebody just acknowledging, somebody telling him, you know, you have a great day, have a blessed day, can just flip the whole perspective of an NFL player, of a black man with dreads you know what I mean? Uh, you know, it's just so much to it. So for me, um, it's yeah, that's just who I am. So lives mean to just be easy with it. Yeah. How about you, Kurt?

How you? How are you right? Um? So, my parents spent up when I was five, and UM, so I have I was one of nine kids, um, youngest, youngest boy, um growing up, but I never felt like I didn't have what I needed, but always surrounded by you know, things that that you want. But I think the great thing about it was even though my parents were split, um, they both were in a UM in a role within

their jobs that was UM giving back. So my mom was a speech pathologist at the Veterans Hospital and so going to spend time with her and serving the vets and seeing you know, I remember I was seven years old and I was in third grade and we were we uh it was like a go to go to work, you know, with your parents and I it was a soldier that it came back and he had a m he had a really bad stroke and she was trying to teach him how to swallow, just to swallow, let

alone eat UM. And it was just one of the things where like I from that moment, like I would uh kind of penpole him and he ended up passing UM shortly after that. But it was an easy reminder of just UM, just being able to give yourself UM in the service of others. And then my dad has been a coach UM teacher principle I'm still teaching to

this day. And so you know, my my my life was like what can I do that UM where success isn't defined by maybe touchdowns or this or that, but unless UM, but in the success of others, and so UM. I was very fortunate enough though obviously I was athletic enough and and had everything UM in line that I was able to play in the NFL. But I knew, regardless of the NFL, UM, being a teacher of some sort was something that I was going to do. So UM.

In high school, I worked with a special needs program there and it was unbelievable being able to work with the children UM there. And you know, the things that you know that you can learn from somebody that may have Down syndrome or um autism or whatever whatever the case may be, is the simplest things are the most gratifying things sometimes in life. And I would look at them and we would we would color, we would make something,

cupcakes didn't matter. And they're smiling and laugh And I'm like, how am I complaining about what I have going on in my life? Um about a simple hurdle obstacle when that is probably challenging to them, and yet they do it with the most loving and kind hearted spirit. So UM, it's just it's a different approach of life. And I try to see life through that perspective of I know things are tough. Um, life is not easy for anybody.

I don't care if you have a lot of money or if you don't have a lot of money, life is tough. And UM, it's just about gaining that perspective for me, is having that godly view of what life is really about. I mean, I'm sure we can all test that. You know, how you grow up, you know, it shapes um kind of your perspective on things. And and a lot of times the things that that you are affected by, it makes you want to influence um. You know, and so you know with cancers and in

different types of illnesses, that's what it's affected my life. UM. And I love what you know, what you're doing, um with the health clinics and and all that, and and with your foundation. Love what you're doing down to Fort Myers with the Beyond Belief. UM. I mean, it's just it's just amazing. Like when you are affected by something in your life, you can have one or two different outcomes. You can let it affect you or you can become an influence. UM and for others to uh to become

affected and change their LIVESCENSU directories. And I think that's what we've been able to do. Let me ask you, let me ask you this. This came up and UM, someone said it to me today and then I know you said it. Um So think about this right as athletes, as people, we're we're I've heard several I've heard several people and several times and different times, and I think it would be good to have this dialogue. So have you ever has anyone ever said to you because of

you being trade Boston playing in and fail? Uh? What do you like? Say? You're uh? A birthday? Come up on holiday and they say what do you get? What do you give a person who has everything you've been? You've been told that about you? You Okay? Then this is the other one I've heard. You've said it to me, someone else said it and it and it clicked and

it and chose you would be a great conversation. Um Gee, you said, man, I don't you know what accountability partners with boys would be like, I'm not your yes, I'm what are you saying? I'm not your yes man? Yes? Ma'n. Okay. So somebody today said to me my sister, she goes, I'm not your I'm not your mess yes person. Here's my problem with that statement. So think about it. You're not my yes guy? Correct? Correct? You know that's Kurt Gee Joe B. You're my yes guy. Alright, cool, I

love it. So let's just multiply these people. Meredith my yes, she knows, but so she's not gonna respond. Think about it. If I have people or a hundred people that not that you guys are not my yes people. Do you think that's good or bad? Don't don't think it, just just response. You just told me to think it. I'm saying think it, but you know what, I'm just go with your real, gut, go to gut answer. Do I need a lot of people to to be my yes person? I think that or no, you don't need them, you

don't want them to be yes correct? Yeah, Okay, here's my problem with that statement. Okay, And I'm just this is just me being transparent. I think that is the worst answer if you're a true friend of mine, The worst answer you can give me to not be your yes yes. You want to know why? Why? Yeah? Why? The problem is is your one. I believe this is my person. I think it's the insecure that we may have in us. And you're saying I don't want you to jeez, like, man, I don't want you to be

my yes guy. I didn't say, I wanted you to the problem with all the people. If I have fifteen people in my life that are not my yes guys or not my yes woman or man, whatever you identify with, well, if it's fifteen and y'all so every day of the week, three d sixty five days, no yes, So what the hell are y'all doing? If if you're not yes with me, you ain't encouraging me like you you're taking up You're taking on this persona like you're I'm not your yes guy.

You're not my friend because you're my yes guy. You're my friend because you're qualified to be my friend, because there's something that God puts something inside of you that makes you my friend. I didn't want you to be friend because you're my yes guy. I want you to be my friend because of who you are. But we get this persona I don't want you to be I don't want you to be my yes But don't shoot me down to where I got fifteen people who won't be my yes guy. But damn, you're also not encouraging

me either. We never said wouldn't. That's what That's what I was thinking to. But yeah, I'm sitting I'm just coming. Let's just walk this out. There is no right or wrong. I'm just I'm being transparent to have a moment because here's what I've heard. I'm the oldest. I'm an oldest, and my family right. I love my mom. My mom was a hard worker. I never had anybody shoulder to cry on. I was the oldest at the cook, at the clean to do everything makes sense. So everybody keeps

telling me they're not my yes guy. I'm not looking for the yes people. But I also when I'm sitting here thinking about it, sometimes I don't get no damn encouragement. I don't get I don't get it. Like bro, I'm proud of you that I really appreciate it and say, you know, no, I ain't gonna be yes. I don't want you to be my yes guy. So I never wanted you to see that. I think part of that. So I think part of that. Two different things can

happen at the same time. I can be your friend and love you and still not just say something because oh man, Steve thinks is a good idea. So something, I understand what you're saying, but listen to my list. But I'm here's what I'm listened to my heart. What I'm trying to say is I don't care of what you think. Is think the only reason you jee the only reason I'm probably the only reason you're my fucking friend.

It's because of who you are who you are. I'm not saying I want you to be my yes guy, if I wanted you to, if I want, if I wanted you to say yes, I want to ask you. I don't ask somebody else that I think it's gonna tell me. But I can because I'm your friend. I can encourage you on one and wait, wait wait, I can encourage you. I can encourage you on one thing you're encouraging, but I can you can do two things at the same time. There are times when I encourage you.

There are times when I may say I don't know about that, bro, because I love you, Because if I because if I didn't love you, I would say I don't give a do what you want to do. But what you're saying is great, and you're filling up your cup. But you have before you say, but you're not asking me, and I'm speaking from the performer. You're asking me be the person I'm being a person. Then you're telling me as a performer, I'm filling you up. You're not filling

me up. I know how I beat. I know, like at going on forty three, I know how I need to be filled. You've been air quotes, not my yes. Guy, that's not filling me up. I'm also I don't I don't want you to not to everything of the essence of Joe, of trade of Kurt. Like I didn't ask you all to be on the podcast because I thought you're all gonna be the jackass of the podcast. I asked you because we like to hear from authentic men and women in which they have they bring substance to

the table. So as you're trying to play it out in your mind of like I think I know what Steve needs, Like everybody knows what Steve needs, but ain't nobody asked Steve I can man, you were words of affirmation love him, man, that's you. This is this is this is this is what I hear like and this goes into knowing somebody's background to get to know them. But like him, being the oldest of the children, he had nothing but blunt work that he shouldn't have had

to do. I've been doing since our seven you know what I'm saying, but had but he had to do it. Um. You usually you don't get a lot of love being the oldest because you can do most of the stuff yourself. Um and you hear right now Steve saying, Man, I just want you all to love on me and talk to me. You know what I'm saying. Don't what you think I want to? Hear asked me personally, so I can talk to you like like He's like, so, here's here's what I mean. I was doing boxing the other

day and the first time I connected the dots. Bro I'm tired of I'm tired of fight. So I was boxing and shout out to Anthony, what it hits me in the face? Right, my I was. I was giving it that that and he and he hit me. I saw and you know, I saw her out of my priv I saw it coming, but I couldn't do anything, so Bop hit me in the face. When he hit me in the face, Old Steve was like, like, let's go current my legs said, I don't care what you

think you're gonna happen. We just got hit in the face, so we're going down right, you pictured that right, like my legtion. Please you know what happened though when I went into the corner, probably wanted to cry, damn not because what he did hurt me. But I was like, wow, I'm done fighting, And so what I had to do is actually go back to my technique instead of trying to throw haymakers, instead of trying to like I'm saying,

convince y'all of don't be my yes man. It's really it's like I'm going back and going I gotta go to my technique. I gotta go what I've been taught. And so that that's why this conversation, like I piece it together, that I'm saying is sometimes our insecurities and we all bring something some kind of insecurity, all bring some kind of wound of like we're telling ourselves what the other person needs, and yeah, yet you don't even ask the other person what they need because you are saying, well,

I know what he needs, he doesn't need anybody. That he doesn't need any yes man. But if everybody knows me, I'm authentic and only roll, we're real people anyway, So why would I have any yes people? I actually have a whole bunch of folks that will shoot me the

truth that I really aren't. I really am honored and privileged, but I don't have any guys that really at the end of it that I can call up and say, Man, I see I need some encouragement today, right, Or maybe it's I don't feel comfortable because sometimes we so much into I'm not gonna be as yes man, and so what I'm I'm not. I'm not saying that I need that right now. But what I'm saying is like, y'all

are my yes man. But and I know that that's one of the reasons why I picture as a fringe g e like if you yes man, and we wouldn't be friends. If you was a yes man, we wouldn't. You will not be in my home brother, because you're untrustworthy. If you're yes man, that means you're just here for the benefit of the circumstances advice versa. You're not you definitely yo. You definitely is not my yes man. You you won't tell me yes even if I said you won't go let me hope, right, and then obviously Joe

same thing. It's like, it's just I think we we have we have conditioned ourselves to answer and know what the other person needs without actually asking that individual, like what do we need? Especially as men, and we don't even know, specially because a lot of us either single home, broken home, and there's no like, there's no the empathy understanding how do you feel? How do they feel? We don't really as men, we don't it into there because

a lot of us we feel unsafe. And I think a lot of it we feel unsafe just me doing myself out there, and we feel unsafe. It's because we're so worried about Oh, I know, I'm gonna encourage you. I'm not gonna be here. Yes man, Okay, Yeah, you've proven that that's the whole purpose of our friendship. Yeah no, And I agree with that, and and I think you

were you were kind of alluding to it. And I think between our our environment of in football, like you said that that affirmation, it's very clear like you could you you go to practice, you have a game or whatever, and your coach is either gonna tell you a great job, that's a great play, Like you're gonna get that constantly. And the one thing that I hear a lot of in my home is like I'll do something and go ahead and then and then she's like, what do you

want me to tell you? Thank you for that? I'm like, yeah, ever did. But but it's it's it's kind of that environment that we have, you know, on to play in our whole life. Well, here's here's here's here's the thing. Go ahead, But I want to finish with this though. But um one thing that and I agree with you. You're not gonna surround yourself with someone that's just always gonna tell you. Yes, like you're not. You're not gonna surround yourself, but you circling. Man, That's what I'm saying.

But we just talk about here. But I know I know from myself, regardless of whether you want to hear it or not, I'm gonna speak in truth and love. And so my truth maybe that, yes, that you're looking for that truth. Maybe that I never said I was looking for that, but yeah, but you but I get what we're saying. But you but you, But I know I get what you're saying now because you did a good job of explain it. But I think what you were trying to say earlier is just that truth and love.

So sometimes it could be yes, sometimes it could be no, but you it's just the simple task of you, like you killed this podcast something like that. It's just like, but I'm not talking I'm not talking about giving, I'm not talking about addressing the symptoms. I'm not talking about the system. When I'm talking about is the deep rooted issue. I'm talking about the manhood of In this regard, Bro, I personally struggle sometimes with my relationship with my dad

because I see the relationship that I have with my boys. Okay, so there are sometimes I walk out of my boys room teary eyed because I know what I have with my boys as a father and son. But there are times, Bro, I break down because I know what I'm missing as a as a son, because I see the example of myself to my kids. But then I'm missing as a son,

but I'm able to connect as a father. So I'm like, I'm going between a don't child and don't child child adult between giving them a kiss, laying them down, and walking out of their room. That much I battle inside and so all all I'm saying is I'm not like I don't we use the word given truth and love, but sometimes what if your truth and love you sometimes you, or you believe that you're believing like I need to give him the truth or I'm loving you this way

I love. But the truth is I know you give me the loving truth because we have a true friendship. So why do you have to reprove something that you've already proven. That's why I'm able to share with you. While we're talking like we we are, we're over processing it to where we can't especially as men. I'm just talking about as men. And it it hit me last week. It hit me in my face where I wanted to fight back, but I said, I didn't want to fight back.

But yet y'all know, Oh, I know what he wants to do, and I'm saying at that moment, I don't even know because my mind and my heart said, let's go. My legs said, boys, stop, you see what I'm saying, And that's all. It's just that we could talk circles,

but we're saying the same thing. But I'm I'm just saying, let's stop assuming what we know that the other person needs, because sometimes the other person is just taking me forty three years to figure out what I just need and I'm just processing figuring out So what you just need. Does that change? Absolutely? Changed every day we're human. But what I'm saying is what we need to stop doing, Like I need to stop telling trade what I know Trade needs and his shoes. Yeah, good, do it good,

do it, get down to do it good. Hey Gerard, why didn't you get that T shirt? You mean this thing? Oh? Yes, I got it from cut to a podcast dot com where we have exclusive merchandise. Shout out to our guys at seven or four shot. But yeah, you can go on, buy you a T shirt, subscribe to us wherever you listen to podcasts Carolina the Panthers. You know, what's what's what's your most memorable time? Because you know, obviously you've

been in Carolina Pather longer than you've been anywhere else. Right, how would you three words to describe being a Carolina Pather? I would say honor okay. I would say integrity okay. And you said integrity yeah, integrity as a Carolina Panther Yeah, gett A man was still a gentleman. Oh sorry, listen man, listen, they cut me too. They cut me, they give but um um. And I would say a brotherhood, yeah, Kurt. Three,

I would say number one was life changing. Look, so as you said, that's so as you saying, I was, I was this time, who's the smart people in the room? Is that one word or two? When you hyphenated it becomes one. So he found a loop. But when he said it though, we'll get into that later. Short he's changing it. No, I'm not changing anything. I'm sticking to my word. I just like what he's saying. Try got six words now, broad and Tray is agreeing with all of them. I gotta run on. I like Tray is

the he's the worst hype man. I like you can see blest show. Yes, like I needed a blest I gave it to you said it was it was fun. Yeah, yeah, I just say, oh no, I was gonna make it my third. I was like, man, I gotta be smart. Man. You see my words got the whole wordly wise, word of the word of the day. Let me get that word of a day. Yeah man, in the words, man, I didn't. I wasn't debating it. You guys focused on why is going to the super Bowl, going to the

playoffs considered the pinnacle? Give me just one word you can use trying to explain to this well I'm trying to because it's like, oh, man, that two thousand fifteen I was special. How many years you're playing in the league. You're telling me only one out of your ten was special. I feel you saying it's definitely the most special. Both special. It's not because I'll hear people saying they're like, oh

my proudest moment that what happened. Something happened obviously in fourteen, that it's for the people, the guys that are on the team and they're translating into something great. But then if you're on the team before you saw some things percolat in thirteen that made you say, hey, we're gonna stay in fourteen, and then you know what it was worth it and we we reached in the fifteen. But then I can go backwards even further and even like, man,

well now you know what I mean. So that so the Sames point, what were some of your proudest moments outside of okay, outside of it. When I was with l A Chargers, that was probably one of the like funniest times I've had playing football. Like we had. You got to cast the characters, some of them, name some

of them guys. So let me So we had twelve guys from Florida, and if you know, being from Florida, if you get other Florida guys around you, it's gonna, We're gonna it's gonna be like high school all over again. And one we haven't you don't really get that fun feel in the league because really, by business, you might be around a guy like Steve who don't want you to dance and ship, make tiktoks, you know what I mean.

He might want to, but he that um. But we had let's say, Keenan Allen, Melvin Ingram Uh, it's a little die Casey Hayward, Rayshon Jenkins, Desmond King. Let me see, I'm trying to think who else we had. Brandon Maybean is a o g um core legit. We had a few guys man so Travis Benjamin offense as well. So we had a plethora of guys who man, we were truly not from the same area to most of us, at least South Florida high school or y'all played against each other in high school. Most of them boys played

against each other. I ain't played against were Southwest, Yeah, Wenna, I don't know, I don't know the different and I'm just answering, bro, it's all good. Hey that um so. So, I think that was the most fun we had playing football. And I was also on the virgin of That was my fourth year, so it was fun like time for me to take the next step. Um so, Not only was it um fourth year in the league, yeah, um so, I end up taking a step in how I played.

UM stats went up. I think it finished the season with five an t s. I think like second on the team and tackles, you know, so just being able to have fun and play well. On top of that, I was always in my career I wanted to go. I always wanted to go somewhere else because I had had UM I like Carolina, but I always had this thought that I always wanted to experience. I've always wanted

to experience or see different stuff. I didn't want people to say, well, I don't even want to be in Carolina, or you know, there's some people I only want to live here, like I want to see the world, and I also want to see the world, and you know, through through a professional lens that affords me the opportunity and through a different professional lens, and so you know, some people love it. Some people don't, you know. And obviously if you're chasing it with the wrong intent, you

find yourself and some marriage. And that leads me to Arizona. Was one of those places for you on Arizona was cool? Man, Um Arizona. How did you make that decision to pick Arizona? Take us back in that time you're talking about the gas station. Yeah, that's how it was. We'll take us through that process then. Okay. So when I first got released from the Panthers, uh my three last twice and up being um like Pit Chargers and then Buffalo, I had went to Pit and I had to go to

Chargers and I was gonna fly straight into Buffalo. So I'm flying back home from Buffalo after the full round trip, and I had just prayed to God, like, God, give me a sign. And I had heard so many times from people like when you pray for that sign, be ready to see it because it's gonna slap you in the face. And that's gonna be what you you know what I'm saying, So UM, I pray for that on the plane ride back, and on the plane ride back, I land and I'm going down Wilkinson and I stopped

at that quick trip. That quick trip, I'm looking at gas and the gas. Yeah, I'm in the third lane from the rock across street from the to the super wal mart. And you best be careful. Best to be careful. I'm saying. I'm good. So I see two nineteen for gas prices. It was like, so it wasn't in twenty two you got that. I ain't realized time. You haven't think about gas prices. I ain't a lot of kind of hot bay. They had to be. They had to

be three nineteen. Then it got to be so okay, So it was like twenty cents less than what it was, right. So I'm like, I look, oh, I got half a tank. I'm like, well, shoot, let me get the rest of the half. Skirt in a listen, come on to kiddy about the gas, all right. So I pulled up at the pump and um, I start pumping my gas. Um, A guy pulls up next to me and he just asked me for a couple of dollars and he pulled

up like in the next pump. So if you if you know, if you're pumping your gas, and they pull up on the other side of the pump. So he puts up on the other side of the pump and he asked, you know, for a couple of dollars. Man, he got three kids in the bat and you know, he just need a couple of dollars or some lunch me to get get it from Walmart. I'm like, bro, I got you, you know what I mean. Like, So

I go on my wallet. Um well, I go to go to the car and I see like, um, like a Jesus saves the word like and if you know the guy he uptown, he always leaves Jesus saves. So I see the Jesus saves like where you can get like the infra infra mail for like the cars for gas. So I see that, you say, it's like whoa, you know what I mean. Like, So, I'm like, that's I'm

coming back out with the money. I'm thinking already, like use this tight, Like I don't know what it's gonna be, but this is this is the moment, like it got to be. So I come back over to him. I given them money. He says, man, thank you. You know. Um we end up chopping it up. He tells me his name, and when he's chopping it up with me. I'm instantly thinking, like, what do I say, Lord, what do I ask him? Should I ask him A or B?

That's gonna be Chargers or Buffalo? Stranger? Stranger? I was gonna ask a stranger this he he ends up so or I was gonna say, should I just go l A or Buffalo? Just tell him? So before I can get anything out of my mouth? Are you assuming he knows who you are? He does not know who I am even better, so so I'm just chopping up with him. So you're telling a complete stranger your whole life. I ain't told him nothing yet. I'm just trying to follow No, no, no,

I got you. I got you. Ain't told him nothing yet, So I in my mind, I'm already saying God is about to use me, because I've seen Jesus say it's on the thing. So I'm already like, all right, come on to sit. Before I can ask him A or B or l A buffalo? He says, Man, he said, my name is Mike Daniels. The people call me l A. And I'm like like stunned, like mouth open, like shoot, like whoa? Hold up? So I'm chopping up with him

a little bit more. We're going about thirty minut this uh just chopping up, like getting to know about his family, legitimate questions, Go ahead, go ahead, that's just kind of hot thing. So you're doing all this talking and you feel like you got the Lord is using him. Absolutely, you just gave him three dollars. No, no, no, I came like forwarded at that time. I'll just making sure, no, make sure for three dollars. He's killing all this time.

You just didn't give him. Come on, man, I got you, bro, So God using us, you know what I mean. So that's why I was at no, no, no, I got you. I got you, so I give him. This is the forty before we even start talking on you know what I'm saying. So now we're chopping it up. In thirty minutes later, we finally get done um telling me about his kids, all that good stuff, and he's about to leave. Well, he drove a charger like the car, the car l A.

It's all the coincidence, but it's your car. They make several But again, if you don't want if you asked God to get you a sign, I knew what time it was. Like some people can play with it like hah, but I knew I want to know. I know you know, I know you're not. But that's how it happens in life. You know, people think it would be silly stuff like that,

but it can be. Gud was talking through bushes, you know what I'm saying, Like, so for me to see the l A charger l A Chargers and then, um, the gas pump that he pulled up to did not have gas like it had the yellow bag on it. So I have all these gas pumps you could have pulled up to. You pulled up to mine to tell me l A Chargers driving the charger might now like getting to really see my testimony right there. And then when I was done, I gave him like a total

hundred dollars. I know what Steve want to to Uh now I'm just playing, bro, Damn listen. Oh that's like get on you know. So I finished. I finished that. I finished that, Bro, Instantly, I get on the phone. I'm crying, I'm boo hooing. I'm telling my wife like, yeah, I already know what we're gonna go. And at the time I was fighting, um my idol being money and everywhere else I had been offered more money to go to but God told me go to l A. And

I promised, Like I already knew. He was telling me, like, you're gonna get everything you want. Just go to l A. Listen to me, and again I go to l A. Had my best season, my funny season. I tell you all about girl that love for um just who I am. Just being able to give the gospel on the other side of the world to the West coast, just uh, you know, seeing where those guys are to this day,

building those relationships. Um, I knew God was using me for that, for that role, and you know, I appreciate him. Shout out to God. That's that's cool. That's cool, all right, we'll appreciate it. Yeah, man, appreciate God bless you are a unique person. You are well worth it. You are competent and most of all, your lovable. I'm Steve smith Singer. I'm Gerard Little John and this is cut to It. Cut to It with Steve smith Singer. That Is Me is a production of Cut to It LLC, Balto Creative Media,

The Black Effect, and I Heart Radio. For more podcast from I Heart Radio, visit the I Heart Radio app Apple podcast or wherever you listen to your favorite shows from Cut to It, Executive producer Steve Smith, singer co host Gerard Little John, talent and booking manager Joe Fusci, social media teamer Wesley Robinson, and John Show from Balto Creative Media. Cut to It is produced by Brian Baltaschevitch and Meredith Carter, with production assistance by Alex Lebrek, Production

coordinator Taylor Robinson. Theme music by Alex Johnson, lyrics and vocals by Anthony Hamilton. You heard about it then without to let you know, you know, it's all. It's all Cas