Pats from the Past, Episode 14: Sam Gash

Nat Smith joined by Brian Marie is another episode of our Past from the Past podcast, and we're very pleased today to be joined by a real throwback Patriot, a guy who was an integral part of the second Patriots team to ever make it to the Super Bowl, the nineteen ninety six AFCTY champions, and we're pleased to be joined by former fullback Sam Gash.

Sam, thank you so much for joining us today.

It's a pleasure, guys, thanks for having me.

I guess the first thing that we should ask and that fans would want to know, is what is Sam Gash up to today?

In twenty twenty twenty twenty, I am just kind of raising my kids. I ended up getting a little disability from the NFL, and right now I'm just I have five boys. One's about to go off to college. He's playing lacrosse in Albany, and one just left and he's a walk on at the Universe Michigan right now.

And then we have three kids.

Uh, I want to be a freshman seventh and sixth grade this year. So, you know, with the whole uh, you know COVID deal that's going on, I've had a lot of time to you know, spend with the kids. And it's something that you know, when I was playing, I had time, but I was not mentally there because you had to be so, you know, football kind of the thinking of it was a little different. I don't know if it's still the same today, but you know,

Well, I will say that in talking to some people, if there's if there's a silver lining Sam in this terrible COVID era that we're living in, it's a real chance to reconnect with your family. And so it must be a joy for you with five kids to be able to be around the house and spend time with them, time that you probably weren't able to spend, certainly when you were playing or coaching, as you were alluding to. But again, there's a silver lining that has to be it.

Don't you think it's been awesome.

I mean, you know, I've really had a chance to even go to the field and watch them and you know, just kind of help train them a little bit and just you know, share what I what I've got for them in terms of how they're going to make it, because you know, a lot of the guys that make it aren't.

It's not just about talent.

It doesn't mean that you get you know, the most talented out there are the guys that make it. But there's a secret, you know, a bunch of secrets, I should say, because everybody has their own method. But I'm just trying to share what I kind of learned and through football to the kids and they kind of take it and enjoy it.

Obviously not now because of what's going on with with COVID and everything.

But do you do any like volunteer.

Stuff at your local high school with the kids or anything?

You know?

I did not, and only because you know, I want to be I want to watch my kids, you know, and if I'm coaching, I'm not watching them, I'm watching everybody else. And you know, in the sense I'm being a little selfish, you know, right there, because I do enjoy, you know, watching them and just being able to save with my wife and we can talk, and I can film from the film from the stands and come home after the game and watch it with them, and you know, they tell me what they think and you know, things

And that's you know, all my kids.

Good for you for being selfish.

So I'm curious though, because I coached my kid in high school baseball and I was hard on him.

Oh yeah, you know.

And so I'm curious, if you're filming your kid and going home and popping in the the quote unquote tapes, how does he receive it coming from dad?

Well, you know, he listens, and only because they know that I've been there, done that, and seen that and stuff, so they kind of do listen to that opinion. But well, my one that's going to Michigan. Now, we pretty much after every game, he'd come home and you know, I'd have a bunch of clips and you know, we sit and watch him and they hadn't even come out on the huddle and stuff. Yet, but I had the dad's perspective, you know, because it's like a focus on it.

I'm focused on him period.

My favorite part because you know, I played college baseball.

I didn't play professionally obviously, but my son would say, Dad, I don't know what it is, but when you tell me something, I don't listen.

And when coach P tells me the same exact thing, I listened to him.

I've gotten that too, definitely, and that's you know, and that's another thing that I did was, you know, I would talk to his coach, you know, unbeknounced to him, but you know, just you know, just because it's coach who want to talk and just share ideas and things that you know, maybe certain drills and things that, you know, if he's looking to do something, and we would talk and then I would just kind of tell him what I thought, and you know, and I would tell him

They listen, but they don't.

You know, I'm still bad first and foremost, so you and you get that at the coaching. You got a kid, but you know, it's been fun and my oldest playing lacrosse, I've learned so much about lacrosse that I never knew about. And he's now he's six', four like two, fifteen and you, know runs probably a four to four and he's a defenseman in lacrosse and he's chomping at the bits to get to get.

Going that's, Great, sam that's good to hear that you're so involved with him and everything like. THAT i wonder as A Penn state guy at great, school your son's going To. Michigan but was there now that they're in The big ten The Penn? State was there a little tinge of, uh you, know you don't want to go to dad's alma.

Mater you, Know, no it wasn't.

Mad it Was dad's all my mom alma. Mater didn't even look to, him didn't even look at. Him and you, Know i'd have to think that If Joe paterno was there that that would be, different because he made a big point, of you, know getting the kids that you, know if your dad played, there then he was big on the legacy part of it BECAUSE i played with probably four or five guys whose dad played there WHEN i was, there so you, know but and they don't DO i, mean you, know they don't really do that

Blue there you, go there you.

Go, well so you're talking about four stars and three stars and things like. That what number star see him gash coming out Of Penn state as he was prepping to play in The National Football.

League, well, YEAH i don't know what kind of STAR i, was you, know coming out of high.

School that's when they do the. STARS i don't know if they do the. Stars they.

Don't BUT i was just, wondering, like, so you're an eighth round.

Pick do you think did you think that eighth?

Rounds they don't have eight rounds anymore?

Exactly, no where did you think or what did you? THINK i GUESS i should, say as as draft time is approaching and you're you, know your hat's in the, ring so to, say to extend to play professional.

Football oh, Yeah, NO i THOUGHT i was going third to fifth. Round you, KNOW i felt LIKE i tested WHEN i was a late addition to the, combine didn't get to play in any kind Of All star games or anything like. That but, WELL i went to the combine and saw WHO i. Was you, know the guys THAT i was compared. AGAINST i THOUGHT i stacked up well with. Them but you, know at the, TIME i was two hundred and twenty four, pounds so they were

TURNER i was, like, okay you know he's a good full.

Back played against him in, college and then come rounds, Later i'm already pissed because it's like the next. Day So i'm fuming right now Because i'm, like, these, yeah he was getting the chance to, play And i'm.

Not.

SO i Saw Scott lockwood picked two oh, four AND i can remember this like it was. Yesterday for some, REASON i can't remember. YESTERDAY i can remember this like it was. Yesterday you.

Know it.

Was they Picked Scott lockwood picked TWO o, four you, know picked TWO o. Fire The patriots Select Sam gas And i'm just sitting there looking at THE, tv, like did somebody just pick?

Me you?

Know The patriots just picked?

Me SO i wait a few, minutes hang, out and THEN i eventually called The patriots because we've been at the, combine we had numbers for all the teams and. Stuff SO i called them and was, like, HEY i think y'all just drafted. Me what DO i need to do? Next and waiting now THEY i called, them but they were just, like, oh we were getting ready to call. You but obviously they had just Drafted. Lockwood he was picked TWO o four and then they picked, me so

When you got.

Here so you said you were kind of that middleweight right two twenty four when you got. Here it was one of the first things that the coaches And Bill parcell said to you is let's get you waight.

Up uh, no and, That, well you got to, UNDERSTAND i had three head coaches WHILE i was. THERE i Had dick McPherson Mac, WELL i say, three but really four because we had coach McPherson he was he got, sick something happened to, him And Dante scartacky took.

Off that's.

Right And dante at the time was a special teams.

Coach so when we get the, camp WHEN i get the, camp you know that, year uh, shooting it's nine running backs in the.

Room i'm number. Nine you, KNOW i was the last draft pick in the.

Room so you, know it was one of those things WHERE i had a cousin that was that had played in the league at Than. Gash now he was a safety with The browns and, uh the forty nine, ERS i. Believe and it was one of those things, where, SHOOT i just tried to hit everything as hard AS i, could as often AS i, could AND i wanted to make the coaches say wow once a day at. Least and that was kind of you know what he, said you gotta stay. Relevant so my deal WAS i was too,

Me that's WHAT i.

Thought you, Mentioned, Scar, Sam and so the natural coward to that, is are you surprised that as recently as this past Year dante was still doing, it still a factor from an offensive line, Standpoint and you can you must be able to, relate you, know because he was there for your rookie, year you, know and what were your impressions of, him and the fact that his longevity was such and how successful a.

Career he had a great teacher in the.

Game you, know he taught and he taught. Techniques you, know he basically you knew what to. Do he made it player friendly speech in a sense the way he. Was But dante was always the same. Guy you, know he didn't put a guy out there based on color or anything like, that nor did he talk to guys. Differently he always respected guys when he talked to. You but you knew that you didn't really want to make him mad because he had a way of you, know looking at you and kind of shaking his head and,

Beat and he was a good.

Technician he had good drills and Just i'm not surprised that he's, there and he could be coaching. ANYTHING i think he could coach any position because he's a great.

Teacher think about, This not only Was Dante scarneck here For Sam gash's rookie, Year he's here For Nikhil harry's rookie year And Kenneth sim's rookie.

Year that's how long he lasted.

Here so why do you, think so you you worked with scar why do you think that he was able to last throughout so many different head coaches? Here you know a lot of times it's the head coaching, change the whole staff. Goes dante was here For Ron, meyer he was here For dick, McPherson.

Bill, Parcells Pete, Carroll Bill.

BELICHICK i, mean he's he's been able to last through all those coaching.

Staffs why do you think that?

IS i think he's again a great. TEACHER i think that he understands the. Game he you, know he studies the studies the, game understands the game and can put players in the best and teach them the best techniques to.

Win at what they.

Do he did that when WHEN i was, THERE i mean we WERE i think two and fourteen my rookie.

Year but and.

Back we only had forty five guys on the roster. Period there was no practice, squads there was No there may have been injured reserves and, stuff but you, Know dante took a core of. Us we were two and, Fourteen we were young, guys but we WERE i think top five in just about All special teams. Categories and that was a tribute to him Because special teams is a tough it's a it's a tough group to coach

That so your second, year you Know parcels, Yep Bill.

Parcells and would it be safe to, Say sam that you saw an immediate attitude change when he.

Walked in the. Door and how would you describe?

That the?

Confidence you, know he walked, around, confidence he held his head, high and when he spoke to, you LIKE i, say he was always going to tell you the truth in the sense whether you liked it or, not if you thought you were doing, good but he.

Didn't he lets you know and, stuff and.

He gave, you.

Know not a whole lot of.

Chances you had to Be he had to trust you and from WHAT i found on. Ourselves and that was the hardest training. CAMP i think the next couple of years was the hardest training CAMPS i Think i'd ever been. Through but if you made it through those training, camps it might take you a little. While, ahill during the, season you get Through September, october but every, year Come November, december you are so hardened for football and primed and ready to go that your body finally caught up to

Rolling and what did he.

Mean to use?

Him because BECAUSE i mean he obviously comes in with a completely different maybe approach and, style and maybe that suits what you're looking to, do the neck roll guy looking to hit. People did that fit well with Coach? Parcells?

WELL i you, KNOW i just knew THAT i had whatever he asked me to do THAT i had to. Do and that was the control that he had over, me BECAUSE i think it may have been it had to be. Ninety kevin had just, left you, know got a big deal At, philly well. DESERVED i MEAN i

Can AND i, WAS i got your.

Coach and then from that point, ON i think that's WHERE i kind of started making a name because he pushed.

Me where it was going to be him or, me and With.

Parcels behind, ME i knew it wasn't gonna be me for long BECAUSE i was gonna make sure THAT i took care of whatever he asked me to. Do he asked me to take care Of Curtis martin BEST i.

Can as a.

Shilling we back, then we would play forty fifty sixty plays a, game and they were two.

Backs we were two.

BACKS i wasn't in there by, myself and he asked me to help take care Of, curtis AND i tried to be a shield For. CURTIS i didn't want anybody to Get. Curtis you, know straight, ON i was. IT i was just trying to be a shield for him and make sure that he succeeded the best he, could both mentally and.

Physically, So, sam you, know show prep is very important in the podcast. World you got to do a little show. Prep and so who DO i reach out to to

Player god rest his.

Soul but, no, NO i, MEAN i don't remember The ALL i remember Is parsales bringing me in, saying if you can't block this, guy find somebody. Can and then from that point on it was LIKE i went. BLANK i was, like, okay WHATEVER i have to. Do and then zolak he if he said, That and then, yeah BECAUSE i forgot all About Ray perkins And ray used to like, that you know that hard nose you know type football, Too and, yeah, no that was SAY i was the ONE i.

Remember so so you said you had to Protect curtis if you.

Will what was what was blocking For?

Curtis like a guy who could change, directions you, know hit holes, quickly probably ran with some good. Patients what was it like blocking For?

Curtis he had, patience he had, balance he had a, burst you, know like Because i'm my job was to try to run through the hole as fast AS i could and clear anybody that's in in the, way and as fast AS i ran in, There curtis was right on, me you know so and he was such his reactions

Know it wasn't all.

Us, curtis you, know made a lot of people miss ran through a lot of tackles that people didn't think he could and, stuff but he. Was it was just, fun you, know being out there with him and making sure that he was. Okay and that was kind of my, deal like you're, good you're, good all, right let's go and.

Stuff SO i.

Think Many patriot fans Recall sam that ninety six season with great joy as a franchise is coming back and you get to THE Afc Championship game and you going to The Super, Bowl and it's always stayed with me that in the immediate aftermath of that, game as THE Afc Championship game trophy is being presented to First Robert craft and Then Bill parcells That parcells mentions in front

RUN.

A how much did that hurt to not be a part of that playoff? Run AND b what did that mean to you When bill took the, time at a tremendous moment in his career and for the team and the success that they were having for him to single you out on the stage that?

Night you know?

IT i mean it floored, me you know it truly, did because that whole time WHEN i told my knee, UP i felt LIKE i was having probably my, best you, know career at that, POINT i was doing probably the best THAT i had done in terms of stats and reckoning people, understand like starting to know.

WHO i am and. Everything and then when that, happened.

You, KNOW i kind of got, up got you know, it HEARD i knew something initially was, wrong got, up tried to walk off the, sideline didn't want, help you, know and then eventually walked in because it was over and then from that point, ON i tried to come. BACK i was, like, Hey, COACH i THINK i can. PLAY i can come, Back, COACH i can get you,

By did you hear What Coach parcels just? Said did you hear? That da da da da?

Da and it JUST i MEAN i was speechless BECAUSE i had so much admiration For Coach. Parcels and it's not, like you, KNOW i was always talking to him and all that, stuff but it was just the way he commanded a TEAM i, had you, know it was just LIKE i had never seen it before like.

That and when he did.

THAT i live In green, now and every TIME i see, People i'm, Saying, hey If i'd have been playing that ninety Six Super, bowl we'd have definitely.

Won you.

Know that was just that was just the WAY i, felt BECAUSE i felt like IF i could get on the field that whatever TEAM i was, on AND i THINK i ONLY i played like twelve years AND i THINK i was only on like three of like maybe four losing teams and, stuff you know, That and that was something that you, KNOW i wanted to. DO i wanted to do be known as a. WINNER i was, LIKE i may not make the money and all, that

Game but, well if you could have helped out past Protection sam On Reggie, white maybe it's a different.

Ballgame OH i.

Knew reggie, WELL i done chipped him and THAT'S i ain't gonna block. Him that's not my guy to, block But i'll make sure that he goes one direction and.

Stuff and that was kind of WHAT i.

Did, so so do you do you honestly feel that it would have been a different game had you been.

In there with without one hundred percent at one hundred and twenty, PERCENT i feel like BECAUSE i just felt LIKE i could control the tempo of a, game you, know AND i was gonna make people not want to be on the, field you, know the ones THAT i played, against So dred getting back out, there AND i just you, KNOW i mean we ran the. Ball the special teams, aspect you, know was you, know kind of.

Did BUT i don't know how the game. Win don't remember it at.

ALL i just remember being on the sideline saying, it IF i was in, there we. Win and that was just you, know selfish of me staying, That but that's just WHAT i.

Believe so sim let's let's talk about maybe a little bit of a transition for you and the. Team first of, all did you have any idea That Coach parcels was coaching his last.

Game when you were there or when you when you went down To New?

Orleans and then part two that transition To Pete, carroll you, know just INITIAL i know a year later what happened and we can get. There but your initial reaction to going from the t task masking task masker Coach parcels to more of the light Hearted West Coast Pete, Carroll.

Well.

First of, ALL i had no idea That Coach parcels was. LEAVING i had heard rumors, like oh, yeah he might be out of, here BUT i had no idea where and stuff when that whole thing. Happened but when it, DID i knew that whoever was in there THAT i could play for because IF i can play For Coach, PARCELS i feel LIKE i can play for any team in the league and, stuff and only because there's a toughness that he likes and that is. Football AND i

TIME i think he was there on The Super, bowlers was on The Super, bowl.

On The Super bowl, ACQUISITION i, believe, yeah, Yeah AND i Love keith and But keith was a different fullback THAN i.

Was he, was you, know he was running full.

BACK i, mean good pass, catching solid protector and, everything but it just wasn't a blocker THAT i. Was so we get Uh pete and uh again six months AFTER i made the, team SO i was, like you, know here we go right. Now BUT i think he lost the team because he wasn't as like a parcels and that just that group had been SO i think hardened to the way we had done. THINGS i, mean we wanted to work. Hard we wanted it to be tough because we knew we were.

You, know something was.

Happening and when he wanted, to you, know kind of go play, basketball you, know take a day and do you, know let's do a fun, activity we weren't used to. That AND i think that that definitely affected and probably Why pete you, know didn't last as long as he did out In seattle and. Stuff it was just a different. Mentality but you, Know pete's done a good. JOB i, Mean, Pezza he's proven to be a great, coach you know as, well because he wins and. Stuff AND i think we

Division in the last week At miami And.

Miami, yeah OK's.

For you, Personally you're at the ninety six you, know you're in the hospital for the ninety SIX Afc championship game and Coach parcels puts you on a pedestal and the fans are. Rupped you, know made you maybe maybe in that, moment became kind of a fan, favorite blue collar In New, england the type of player In New Englander's Love Loved. It six months, later you're playing in a knee, brace probably shouldn't be on the, field six

Not, well you know that was obvious because the very next year they Signed Tony. CARTER i, think AND i WAS i wanted to be A patriot Like Troy. BROWN i, mean shoot me At troy And troy was one of my best friends up there as well as being and, stuff SO i wanted to be A patriot for, life you know like. That but you, Know pete came and, then LIKE i, SAID i was sending out the blue. Coach Bobby, grier who was you, know in personnel at the,

Surgery SO i went somewhere.

And maybe didn't or maybe not that, year but, Anyway buffalo call and was, like how you. DOING i was like, GOOD i did have risk surgery at the, time and the doctor asked. Me he was, like had you ever played with it broken before you? Ligaments AND i was like, yeah the whole. Season he was like, okay, yeah you're. Good and basically they signed. Me AND i think WHEN i went, THERE i think for the next two, YEARS i think we may have lost one game Against New england.

Year and it was personal for.

You, oh it was personal and that's what. Cause but it was it was kind of, like, yeah it was personal BECAUSE i wanted to be there and the fact THAT i. Wasn't you, KNOW i was pissed because that was my. HOME i played six years there AND i was, like, okay so WHEN i, LEFT i THINK i made The Pro bowl the next two years in the row and then ended up going to The Super bowl and you, know winning With. Baltimore but it, was, yeah it got real personal for me and that was kind of what

Beginning but see, THAT i, MEAN i guess that's the way to do.

It if you feel like as an employee here and you know you're not getting the respect that you think you, deserve you channeled it in the. Way, yeah you said it was, personal but you then backed it, up you, Know, yeah.

Two Pro bowl.

Berths with The bills and then going To baltimore and being part of that. Team now that wasn't an offensive. Juggernaut That baltimore team you won because of, Defense.

Well, yeah but we also control the.

Ball we had Three, stone we Had Jamal, lewis you know, so And trent was a great manager of the.

GAME i, mean that's what everybody's.

Like and we Had ben, Coach Shannon, shaw you, know so we had guys that not Saying shannon wasn't gonna block, much But ben did you know Who ben?

Was?

Sure.

Yeah so the bittersweet part of not getting to play in The Super bowl in ninety six when you were such an, integral integral part of that, team you, know you come full circle a little bit With. Baltimore that must have just, really you, know to get back and for you to be able to play and for you to be a part of that championship. Team that's a nice way to cap a, career wouldn't you?

Say, yeah, no it.

Was but the crazy thing about it, IS i go To buffalo make The Pro bowl two years in a row BECAUSE i, knew like once my knee got healed, up that it was going to be a different world and stuff in terms of the WAY i played and the WAY i went at. It and THEN i made The Pro bowl two years up there and got cut after that With bruce when they made that Big, thurmon you, know everybody left.

And they never Beat New england.

Again, yeah you, know WELL i take that leg now you know what we did because we ended up beating them when you got caught no oh. Yeah but THEN i came back in two thousand and three and then we beat them for thirty one season and that was just a snot. Blood you, know it was. Hard and then they beat us thirty one nothing in the last.

Game.

Brady brady threw four interceptions in that, game including one To Sam adams for a.

Touchdown.

Touchdown, yeah that's.

Right but AFTER i got cut From buffalo going back to getting To, BALTIMORE i didn't get a. CALL i, MEAN i THINK i talked to a couple of teams THAT i THINK i may have had another surgery at the time where they didn't pass me on the, physical and Then Izzie knew some called me and asked me to come up for a. Physical this was like a week in the training. Camp So i'm thinking after making The Pro bowl two years in a, Row i'm gonna go and not gonna play.

Anymore so it.

Goes a week or so WEEK i don't know in the training camp and he called and can you come?

Up they had just had a guy get, hurt and.

SO i went up and didn't take, toothbrush didn't take anything BECAUSE i Figured i'd fly, up take a, physical and fly. BACK izi, said, Hey i'll give you a hundred thousand if you can practice. Today and this was like.

PADS i, mean this was like goal line and.

Everything SO i was, like so let's, go and then SO i go and THEN i get out go to. PRACTICE i THINK i may have had an hour or two ONCE i got there and signed to get the. Practice SO i get my gear and go to, practice and you, KNOW i commenced to trying to hit them as hard AS i. COULD i mean every. Play it got to the point where they would come up to me and be, like hey and just let me know when you, coming and we can have an. Agreement and this is, practice And i'm, like my practice being with

Mid, season and.

Then signed In New orleans and off season training and did something else to my, knee and then finally it was, like all, Right i'm.

Done and that was kind of you know how it.

ENDED i went as long AS i, could as hard AS i, Could but WHEN i was, done there was no regrets, whatsoever BECAUSE i played as hard and as long and as fast AS i.

Could which was evident by for anybody who watched, you not only with the patri it's but you know when you were with The, bills and especially when you were at The, ravens that, Position, sam you must look at kind of, wistfully you, know as you see there are teams that don't even carry a full, back and yet you see correct and then and then you see teams that do have a full, back and you see a guy like A James, devlin who you, know was kind of like A cm gas of a, player lunch peel.

Sure and when The patriots as a, blocker, right and you know.

It's it's power, football IT'S i, formation and it's a fullback leading the tail back into the.

Hole what is your?

Position obviously you have some prejudice towards. It but to the role that the fullback plays in football.

Today, well you know it's a.

TRAVESY i look at the smart, teams you know they always have a, fullback AND i, CALLED i, say the smart teams are the ones that win The Super. Bowl you, know you go back from, time you go back from. Whenever every team that wins has The Kansas City, chiefs they keep a fullback on their roster because there always comes a point in, time whether it's either running the, ball or being a lead blocker or being a pass, protector that you're going to need a guy with a fullback's,

Day but.

You can do it all and. Stuff and when you got a guy that can lead and be a, point guy that's going to run up in the hole and not going to go. Backwards you, know those guys become valuable when It's November december and you need a yard and you know that maybe there's they got a good d line or, whatever and you gotta get your tailback back to the, line and a fullback can adjust and make sure that that guy gets to the line and if he's good enough running and you gotta get a.

Yard and that's just the. Mentality so the teams that have.

Fullbacks look out In san fran you, know they got a fullback and they're a good. TEAM i, mean you, know The patriots for all those years had a. Fullback they Had Tom, brady you, know and the other. Position but like you, Say devlin had a. Fullback you know that that will help you and You they don't use them as much. NOW i used to play fifty sixty. PLAYS i mean that would be like a you, know

Play it is considered a big play to me.

To get that third and one or fourth and one.

Situation, yeah fourth and, One, yeah so's to.

Let me ask you, This, sam because just on this, topic a lot of college teams are now running that pistol, offense you, know re run pass option type, stuff and that's starting to make its way into the.

League a little.

More do you think that diminishes the role of the fullback because of that?

Offense?

Uh, YEAH i, mean because there is no fullback in that, offense not very. Much AND i think that that works in college you don't have as many great, athletes you, know on the field that can really hit the quarterback if you once you get into the, pros these teams they want to run down that reed's own. Stuff If i'm a defensive, Coach i'm, saying if that quarterback steps out that hole and he looks.

Like he's going to run, it hit.

It you, Know i'm going to drill him and, stuff and it'll be a legal, hit nothing. Illegal BUT i think that you, know the teams that can go so much speed in THE nfl, sideways you, know like the lateral, movement the lateral, speed especially of some of these smaller linebackers and. Stuff it's hard to run those stretch plays out of gun and. Stuff but once you put you, KNOW i think that it's going to come back, around you,

You he seems to, avoid at least last, year seems to avoid the big hit with, elusiveness but he takes a couple of big.

Hits. Yep that changing where?

Right so obviously listening to You sam a little, bit you, know uh that there's an intelligence and about the game and everything like, that and you had you, know you spent some time. Coaching do you miss coaching and is coaching something that you want to continue to pursue or do you think that that part of your life LIKE i did.

Coaching i'm okay with.

That, Yeah, No i'd Love i'd love to get five more years or so just for retirming purpose is Now i'm looking you, Know i'm over, fifty so it's.

Like, hey where can you get?

In but you, know it's a tough it's a tough tough, DEAL i mean coaching in.

It but it's a lot of. Fun you.

KNOW i enjoyed it AND i still kind of you, KNOW i consider myself coaching my, boys you, know just making sure their, techniques simple techniques are good and things like. That So i'll never say, never but because that's SOMETHING i feel LIKE i can do with my, sleep you, know it's. Coach it's just you, KNOW i don't, know

Scouting you mentioned your friendship With troy and wanted to be A patriot for. Life are you surprised That troy has chosen the path of coaching here over the last couple of.

YEARS i talked to him about, it and he knows exactly, uh you, know he He it doesn't surprise me at all Because troy is such A he was such a smart. Player you, know here's a guy that may not have been as big or as fast as you, know guys were supposed to, be but he was such a, productive you know, player and he was a great student of the. Game he AND i hung out a lot WHILE i was. There he's a year behind, me but we ended, up you,

Too so And troy also an eighth round pick the year. Later but you, Know troy said to me one, Time, sam AND i think you probably fall into the same category as far as far as your approaching. Attitude troy said to me one, DAY i just walk in the locker room every day and make sure my stuff is still in my. Locker that always stuck with me because he never took one day in the.

League for, granted, no that's exactly. Right neither DID, i you, Know AND i was, nervous you, know every. Practice you, KNOW i got nervous for games BECAUSE i knew physically it was gonna be, tough you. Know so you, KNOW i was that guy THAT i didn't whatever it took to, PLAY i was gonna play but, yeah after the, game you, know WHEN i came in the next, DAY i wanted to stop looking for my helmet and. Stuff so, Yeah, Troy, troy that hit the nail on the head right.

There because that's.

Exactly the mentality we, had and we would talk, about, like hey, man you just don't get, comfortable especially With parcels because he's. Cut somebody. Surprised he's like a surprise cut pretty much every. Year it's, like, hey you better not get comfortable and basically you better not get. Hurt because he told the story Of Wally. Pip he was, like you know why we. Visit everybody's, like, nah Who's Wally? Pip,

Up got, you. Coach you, know that was kind of the.

Mentality our guest has been Seeing gash with Our pats from The past podcast see him, tremendous reminut tremendous stories AND i wanted to say thank you for your time and best of luck going. Forward it was a real treat talk to you today and reliving to some of your Great patriot. Days and your great football insights that you. Had thank you so much for joining.

Us it's a pleasure. Man thank you for downloading this.

Podcast subscribe On, apple Google, play and everywhere else you. Listen like the, show please rate and review. Us listener comments and ratings help keep us high on the podcast rankings so new listeners can find. Us be sure to Check patriots dot, com Pomone, news and more.

Podcasts