Wednesday Huddle with Kevin Mawae (9/27)

Wednesday Huddle. Jets Tokoa win this weekend gets revibing on the field, positive vibes of the locker room, gotta win, good good Sunday, beautiful out, a little too hot though always a good Sunday when you get when you snag a win, and it was extremely hot, you know, but you have to give credit to the fans for sticking it out from most of the games and and also ironic it was fall on Sunday. Yeah. Quote, I'll put an air quote here. I'll put an air quote. Yeah,

I'm waiting for fall. Fall is my favorite season. So I'm I'm not no, I'm not a pumpkin spice latte kind of guy, but I will say I do indulge in when it gets a little colder in a mint hot chocolate, mint hot chocolate come wintertime. Dude, I just can't with you. What are your weird weird candy sweet ops. Okay, we're gonna go there this early in the wednes I

had also please subscribe. We're on your phone, We're on your internet machines, New York Jets dot com and soundclaud You can check us out there subscribe in your podcast after your phone. But let's backtrack two weeks ago where Olivia and I had a little bit of a candy debate where Marshawn Lynch Oakland Raiders running Back obviously sponsored by Skittles or he eats the skittles whatever. We asked each other what candy we'd want to be sponsored by. You went with You went off the map, guy, You

went with strawberry. You know, I'm sorry. You went with Mentos flavored flavored fruit flavored Mentos, and I went with sour patch kids. So we took to Twitter to figure out who was right and who was wrong. And the people agree with your boy, Ethan Greenberg. I gotta give you this one that people have officially spoken, and the people's champ as e A and many others say give the belt, and I swept the floor in favor of e. G. Oh, well, you know you can't you can't spell Landis or Olivia

without and al on the candy call. But we got bigger fish to fry here and obviously the Jets one. It was great. But something that was really cool was pregame national anthem. The Jets linked arms with each other with CEO and chairman Christopher Johnson and general manager Mike The Kagnet Todd Bowl is one of the coolest things that you can see in sports, is when sports, you know, people haven't say sports and a microcosm of life, and now it was just really special to see on Sunday.

I thought, yeah, I thought so too, And I spoke to Josh McCown earlier this week and he mentioned how that was just one of the most special things to him because he was able to come together with his teammates and he led he led a huddle actually after the game, which we saw, which we saw a video of which was really cool. So to see people come together and really stand together to try and make a

difference is is an awesome thing to see. All right, So moving on now, the Jets welcome the Jaguars Week four. Just the Jags, the second home game for the Jets in as many weeks, and something that's kind of interesting. That I'd like to touch on is the Jaguars coming back from London this past weekend where they dominated the

Ravens in a forty four to seven victory. But traveling to London and then traveling on a road game to New York must be really difficult because the Dolphins, even I feel I feel bad for the players because obviously Week one they didn't play because of Hurricane Evermo, so that was their bye week, right, So sixteen straight weeks of football, and on top of that, they traveled to l A to play the Chargers in week two, played US in week three in UH at matt Life, then

they travel all the way to London in Week four, and then finally they play in South Florida in Week five, which is and then you get no rest. And for the Jags a little different because their bye week wasn't Week one, but still you even though the Jaguars were home, technically in London, that was their home game. It's a neutral site, it's across the pond, five hour time difference, You go for the majority of the week, you come back, you get adjusted, and then you go on the road. Yeah,

that's not I mean listen. We've talked about this earlier and some of our earlier podcasts, and travel is a huge deal. I think it takes a big toll on the players, especially flying cross country. I mean, the US isn't small, okay, people. So when you're going to l A one week and then New York west to East coast, that's crazy right there. But then to go across you know, like you said, across the pond all the way over to Europe, that's a huge trip. And I've taken that

trip multiple times. Let me tell you, oh, oh, we got a world traveler. We got a world traveler here that you've studied abroad in Italy. But what's your favorite place that you've been to, not in the US, that you'd like to go back to, or somewhere that you haven't been. I think one of the places I'd like to go back to would probably be Germany, Munich and go to October Fest. It is just okay, October is coming up. People wishing I was in Germ October Sunday.

Can you believe that? No? I can't. That's the start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In the NFL September flew by, you went to Oakland, you came back. I'm sure, how did you feel afterwards? I mean, you're not putting on pads every day like these guys, but still you do the travel with the travel. For me, for a person that's like you said, not putting on the pads, not out there every single day grinding, it's still hard. You know, the time difference is what messes you up the most,

because you know you could travel on a plane. You get to relax, you get to sleep as much as you can. But the time difference is what really screws people up. I think jumping back and forth. Something that I've heard is that it also messes up your eating schedule. I don't know if that really affected you, but I've

heard that October Fest doesn't mess up the eating schedule. Okay, no, but I've heard from Bart Scott, who's does Inside the Jets with Eric Allen on Monday nights, and that is repurposed as a podcast here on the Official Jets podcast every Monday night. So will make sure to tune in the ESPN or go over to Anderbilt Sports and Spirits

right across here from One Jets Drive. But something that he said is that when you travel to Oakland or anywhere across the country that sometimes as football players, you know, a big part of being a player is your health and your nutrition, and it kind of screws up your eating schedule, especially on game day when you have to make sure to have a pregame meal of breakfast and whatever. So I was just wondering if that affected you. I

guess it didn't. It didn't, alright, facts And anyway, So Sunday Jets Jacks, one PMT Life Stadium, something that I'm looking forward to. Jamal Adams lining up against his former teammate and friend Leonard for NET. Both of them top six picks in the draft. For NET went fourth. Jamal obviously went six to the Jets, So he's probably really looking forward to this game, not only because it's the next on the schedule, but this is the potential jersey

swap Okay, jersey swappler after the game calendar. Again, this is gonna be cool to see these two guys, like you said, who literally wind just a couple of picks apart. They were friends, went to play together at l s U. It's gonna be cool to see these two kind of match up together. But can you imagine playing against one of your buddies. Are you into high school with like professional like tackling him, like tackling the hell out of him, Like I mean, yeah, I mean it would be one

thing if they're both defensive players. But this is gonna be It's gonna be cool to see. But I'm sure they both love it. I'm sure that that after that, Like if Jamal comes up and tackles him and and lays a hard hit, I'm sure he's gonna get a little smile out of Leonard for that. Just as the other way, if for Net rolled over a question for you, if you were Jamal and you know you were playing against Leonard for Nett, would you take it easy? Would you take it easy? Or would you go as hard

as you can but tackle the crap? All right? I try to keep the level head because emotions, you know, that's where that's where you gets steered wrong when emotions take over. But I would definitely give a little extra chure afterwards, you know what I mean, because you know, if that's your buddy, you know that it's not going to get in his head, and you know that if you give him a little a little bit of lip

after the play that he think it's funny too. And that's one of those memorable moments where, let's say, uh, even twenty years down the line, they could be you know, they're sitting down on each other's couch and be like, hey, I remember that one time a rookie year when we played each other the first time, and I told you x y Z, I think that I'd have to go just as hard, wouldn't you? I think so? I don't.

Personally me, I'm just such a competitive person. Uh example, how me and Ethan keep comparing, how you keep losing? Whoa whoa? Watch yourself. I've taken one l and I'm that's that will be the last. Anyways, we're gonna have a Twitter fool here. Anyways, if it were me, I would I'm with you, I'd probably go harder. You gotta

be you gotta have the upper hand. You want to be a friend that comes out on top, and like if you yeah, exactly exactly my friend were all the other side, Like if it was Ethan Greenberg versus you know, one of my friends, I'd want I'd want to shut him down, Like I don't want to see him succeed against me. Against the rest of the league. Yeah, that would be cool, not against me. Okay, bragging rights when you're older too. You are absolutely right. Any any other

questions for me? I do have another question for you. Actually, so you have interviewed our Darry Stewart, I have as well. He's given us the stoopop the lowdown on his famous touchdown swag. Oh you know you got to hit him with the stoop up. What would your trademark dance movie be if one maybe said you were a defensive player, you got a sack or a p D or your receiver or whatever running back and you score a touchdown.

You know, this requires a lot of thought because to me, it's like it's like dunks in the NBA contest, right in the NBA dunk competition every February, which is I'd want to think of one per week, you know, I want to change it up a little bit. I don't know if I would have one for sure. But here's my question is, well, first of all, I have to get the team involved the group celebrations, which is now

legal in the NFL. I think is awesome, right, and you saw a couple of weeks ago, you've seen it throughout like Juju Smith Schuster on the Steelers and the rest of the receiving corps. Think lady On Bell was in there too. Who Oh, by the way, Lawrence Thomas, defensive line and slash fullback for the Jets, blocked for him in college at Michigan State. They were they were playing. They were playing dice. You know, they were rolling the dice. So I thought that was funny. Um my question to

you is am I my current height? Because that's like a serious question. Um. I mean, we'll give you an advantage. You can pick any okay, Can I just have HOPSA you can have hops because your heights have serious hops? All right? Because I think like the dunk, you know what I mean on the goal post, I think that's

sweet and that that had gotten discouraged. Honestly, I think it the pends on the play because, for example, I'm gonna paint a picture for you, right, you want me to do my Bob with shoes and play by PLAYBOYE do it. I can't do the big game Bob litening. I know I can't do play by play, but basically, this is what would happen. I catch I do an out route, right or and the ball would be thrown to me. I make a couple of guys missed because I'm by My natural state of athletic ability involves agility

and quickness. If you ever want your ankles broken, hit me up anyway. So then I'd be running up the sideline and be like a big touchdown play. But then I'd slide in the end zone, pop up and give like the safe mark like in baseball. Okay, so you're integrating other sports into it. I like that. Yeah, So I mean I'd like to get creative, like on that play, you know you're hustling and then because there's no one around, you beat the throw home. As a metaphor, you pop up,

You're safe, baby, that sits on the board. What about you? Well, I mean I think, and i'd like to dance. I'm not a good dancer, so but this isn't like Okay, I agree with you, but it's it's a it's an art because it's not like you're out dancing is not like a specific you can't like swing dance, and you can't. It just wouldn't be a funny celebration exactly. I'd like to think I'm funny, but sometimes people, you know, they just don't have a great sense of so I would

try for maybe a funny celebration. Okay, I gotta pump up the crowd like Jamal, Like Jamal on Sunday. That was dude. That was incredible. The way you could feel you could feel the whole stadium, the defense, and the defense was dancing as the Miami Dolphins were in the huddle calling a play. It was pretty cool to see. It was phenomenal. And also, you know, I'm sure it'll be cool this weekend because if you don't know, Kevin May is going to be inducted into the Ring of

Honor at halftime, which is gonna be phenomenal. I think it's time to bring in former Jet center Kevin. Kevin, thank you so much for joining us today. I'm glad, of course, and so obviously it was announced at the kickoff lunch and that you would be joining the Ring of Honor, so on the stage when you delivered your speech. As a player in the NFL, I used to go out there's a stadium four or five hours for a game and just sitting the stands and enjoy the moment um,

the smell of the grass when they cut the field. Um, they're painting the field, And I would sit there and read all the names of the grace that ever played the game, UM, and every one of the stadiums. And I remember that guy when I played when I was eight years old. I remember that guy that's on the Ring of Honor when I was in high school, and I remember that guy. Never once wanting to be one of those guys. I just wanted to be a good

football player. And I stand before you today and for you young players, I get to be one of those guys there. Thank you. You got a little emotional before during so I just kind of wanted to know what was going through your mind when you initially heard that you were going to be part of the Ring of Honor. Well, I just you know, I think the first thing is kind of surprised, and then the next reaction, Wow, this

is pretty cool. And you know what I mean. Leading up to that, coming up to New York and kind of the circumstances that I was told I was coming there for it just kind of was a little fishy. UM and asked during your first more than that you're gonna be there for luncheon? He said no, congratulations, though I had no clue he's talking about this is like

a week beforehand. And then the day before they announced it, I said picture accepting the picture with any touch dibority of one of the images on the walls the facility, and to hey, it wanted to show you a picture of my favorite quarterback in the town. And he called me and said, hey, congratulations. I'm like, I had no idea what you're talking about, and so it was kind of then that kind of well, maybe this is a little bit different than just coming here for a luncheon.

And then the next day at the luncheon and they just kind of played it off. All of you guys with the Jettice was non salant about it, and I'm like, Okay,

maybe they're wrong. And then they announced it, and that's what I'm like, Wow, and it really is happening, and it's pretty cool and it's special, and just spend so much in my career there, over half my career with the Jets and had some successful runs and I had individually had a great career while I was there, and it's just, uh, yeah, all those emotions just kind of

came flooding back to me. You weren't expecting it. You're talking about how you know they kind of played this off, But what was your immediate feelings, especially when you heard your name and you heard what they actually had you coming out here for. Well, when when uh I was Houston called Joe Cleco, Joe Naman, then Wayne could bet up to the stage, That's when it hit me. That's

what I knew what it was. And I looked at Wayne and and uh I said, well, I said, something going on, and he goes, yeah, he goes, He looked

at me, say it's a good thing. And and that's what I knew, and and you know, and it was just it was neat because they brought back so many memories of you know, what we did while I was there with the teams, the guys that did it with and you know Wayne, and I suppose about have Wayne told Wayne before and he's one of my favorite teammates, as well as Benny and Curtis and and so just as all of a sudden, like your roller decks while your teammates that you played with a specipients of your head,

and then you're forced to remember some of the great moments that you had with the jets and and so those are the things that just kind of started going through the head in my head, and it really it's a wild factor. It's one of those things that you're like, there's a personal kind of sense, the pride of you know, like I was one of the best ever put the Green and White on and and people recognize that. Kevin just backtracking here for a second, did Vinny kind of

ruin the surprise? But you didn't really understand what was going on because you got you got caught off guard because you're just haunding even friendly text. And then all of a sudden he's saying congratulations, You're you're You're like, what is this for? And then it just comes together on stage when Wayne says, this is a good thing. Is that how it went down? Yeah, I kind of did time, but one thing you did off the line,

you never saw your quarterback under the buff. So then he did a great job of backtracking and playing it off. And then because I mean that's that was backstage and

they're like we'll just go up. There was off the lineman beginning and then and off the lines led by uh, you know New York's had great and then he was Brickshaw Ferguson, I like, really and so and he's a great player at alright, and I'm like, you got him and then you know I'm the third guy behind him, and so there's kind a little bit of that going on. And uh so they they said they did a great job and playing it off and and but then he didn't ruin it. He just kind of added to the

suspicion of it. And then uh he goes, well, whatever happened, small and jury, you know, congratulations and he hearnything from me. So um, that's why I kind of knew. But again, like I said, they did. You know, all the people with the Jets organizations did a great job kind of until the office cent the day at the front of the luncheon and it was special what I knew the day before now and it was still a special moment and one that I'm gonna remember for a long long time.

You are going to officially be in the Jets Ring of Honor, and that comes with a lot of talent and a lot of time with the Jets. So with your time, take us back to some of your top memories playing for the Jets and kind of walk us through what are some of the things that really stick out to you. It all started back in the free during free agency, and when I met with Bill Parcels. You know, he showed me that he knew what it took to win, and it maybe it felt like I

was a priority for him and for the Jets. And so the day that I was told I agree the terns, that we agree the terms of the Jets was pretty a pretty special moment. And then that's why I met Rick Lyle, who was with the Jets at the time him and over the course of my career there, we developed a really close relationship and so a lot of the memories include him as just being a friend on

the field, but off the fields as well. And then we go into the ninety eight season and we end up signing Brian Cox and Benny Tests three in that free agency period. You know, they secured Curse Martin and Cambi arguably one of the best re agent classes that the Jets have ever had, and um, we're going to win, you know, twelve twelve games that year, and you know, win Division in the first round by and we go to the NFC Championship game. And in that season, we

had some really some good games. In one game that really sticks out is where the home in the Jets cheer at the end of the game started when we played Kansas City. In Kansas City haven't played the NFC West for my first four years. I knew that their tradition was the senior national anthem at the very end,

it was the and the home of the Chiefs. So we beat them on a John Hall field goal late at the end of the game, and we broke it down on and somebody told me that I was the one who started it, and it doesn't matter who did. They became a tradition in the Jets locker room that when you win, you know, you break it down in the home of the Jets. And so that's where that started, and I was part of that. And so that was

the game that really stuck out in my mind. You know, I think one of all the time favorite of the money in that miracle game, which is always and voted as the best money in that game. And he shouldn't lead down by thirty points in the fourth quarter. We come back and making into overtime when we win the game on a John Haffield goal. Um, that's pretty special. And one that every time they replay that game, I ended up watching it on TV like I've never seen

it before, And that was part of it. And so you know, it's more that I staid of just one or two ten point moments. It's a collection of all those moments and the guys that made a special for me. So, Kevin, you you mentioned Vinny, you mentioned Wayne. Someone that I want to talk about is Curtis Martin, one of the

one of the top running backs in NFL history. Just what was it like for you to block for someone that's made it to Canton And obviously you're someone that fingers crossed will be in there with Curtis one day, So what would it like to block for him? And do you have a particular story that sticks out to

you about Curtis Martin the player or the person? Well, Curtis just you know, Parcels used to say that when your best player in the locker room is the best person in the locker room, then you're gonna have something special. And that's what Curtis is and that's what he was, and he embodied everything that you would hope a player would be. He was phenomenally talented, but incredibly humble about it.

And you know, his friends with everybody, got along with everybody in the locker room and um, and so he was a special person, not just a special teammate. And you know, and I think an interesting name like Curtnis is. Though he has over ten thousands on the yards of Russian he never had a run over forty yards or thirty yards or whatever it was. And so he did

it the hard way. He chipped away. You know, there are games where he carried the ball thirty some times and it's like five yards here, five yards there, and and he was a wolf course running back. And you know, he never celebrated in the locker. In the end zone.

He scored touchdown Toronto right to his Officeive linemen, anything I Curtis, since you never said anything in the huddle, but there are time to he'd get mad and yelling the huddle at one of us or the group, and then the next play he'd come back in the hell, hey guys, I'm sorry, I didn't mean. He always yes done that, and you know, and you're in the end of the game and you got curse apologizing because he got lit up five yards in the backfield and and but again it goes to speak to who he was

as a person over how he was as a player. Kevin, I'll tell you what. I'll make you a promise right here on the Jets Official Podcast that first off, I was one of those kids growing up that watch you playing. I will guarantee you that as a as a father down the road, I will pass on the legacy that you wish to be bestowed. That man, Thank you, mean that really does mean a lot and I appreciate it, no problem, Kevin, Thank you so much for joining us. Could not be more deserving of having your name and

number up in the rafters. And looking forward to seeing you later in the weekend and safe travels, and thanks again for hopping on the Jets Official podcast. Congratulations absolutely thank you guys for having me. I appreciate it. Thanks Kevin, all right, that was Kevin. Why great guy. Couldn't be more deserving of having his name and number up in

the rafters like we talked about. And I'm really excited to hear what he has to say and what he will say when he addresses the Jets crowd because we saw him at the kickoff lunch and last month and he he was His emotions were raw, they were pure, they were genuine. One of my talked about we talked about bucket list. Talked about bucket list a couple of

weeks ago. One of my bucket list items is to deliver a big speech to I don't know what it is, like a ring of honor speech, something along that, whether it's a commencement speech. I love speeches. I don't know why. Learning more about fun fact. I killed my bar mits with speech. I drop, I dropped the mic afterwards was great. I had this place I had to place, rocking, rocking you you couldn't believe it. What what do you go with as your opening line? When you do when you

do a speech, you go comedic, you go serious? What do you do? I usually tend to lighten the mood, but like, I come in serious, but then I like, it's like again another baseball analogy. You're coming in with the fastballs, and then you just drop a curve in there, auting, son't know what happens, start laughing. Now you got them in the palm of your hand. Now it's my show. It's not their show, it's my show. And then they're happy to be there. I like that. That's that's a

good way of looking at it. I appreciate that. Okay. I'm looking forward to, By the way, one day we're going to give one of these speeches. Because you're talking about pretty I expect a lot. I have high expectations. Okay, all right, Well for you it might be like uh, it might be and advice thing because you keep losing in these poles. I'm about to walk out of her people. It'sberg on the Wednesday huddle you're about. Olivia is dancing solo. She's making me do the pod solo. I see how

it goes, all right? All right, no, no, you know, maybe one day, maybe one day, if if, if the streets aligned, I don't know what that means, but the streets a line, I'm gonna start using that. I don't know what it means, So please tell me when, like like a Cosby hat, if the stars aligned, our our lovely producer just rang in our ears and the stars align, Olivia, I'll let you know what. I'll give you a speech, okay. Perfect, And if the streets aligned too, that would be good too,

because maybe the stars will you can if both happen. Perfect, there we go. Nothing can go wrong, right, nothing, I don't think so. I don't personally no, but if the stars aligned, then all shall be fine. We look at that rhyme. Yeah, I speech, That's what I do. I give speeches. This guys too much. This guy is too much. And that's what we got on the Wednesday Huddle on the Official Jet podcast again Jets and Jaguars, this Sunday Jet looking to go two and two on the year

in Kevin Malai is gonna be there. Okay, you gotta go. You gotta see what he has to say, because this guy is one of the greats to ever wear green and white, and you should honor him the same way he wants to honor you. And honestly, it's gonna be beautiful day. I don't think it's quite fall weather it it'll be a nice day. It'll be a great weather. We're gonna be there so like a squad is gonna be there, so you're gonna want to be there again.

This is the wednes That Huddle. They should have subscribed on your phone in your podcast app on New York Jets dot com. You can check us out as well as sound cloud. See a Sunday people