Ozzie Newsome FULL EPISODE | EPISODE 19 | CLUB SHAY SHAY

hello welcome to another edition of club. shay shea i am. your host shannon sharp also the. proprietor of club shay shay. and the guy that's coming by to have a. drink in conversation today. is my former boss he's also a three-time. pro bowler two-time first team all-pro. he's an all decades 1980s tight end. two-time super bowl champion executive. national high school football. hall of fame college football hall of. fame pro football hall of fame. brown's ring of honor the wizard of oz. my former boss ozzie newsome.

all my life been grinding all my life. sacrifice. hustle pay the price wanna slice got to. roll the dice that's why. all my life i be grinding all my life. all my life. [Music]. [Music]. how you doing today bro i'm doing good. shannon there's always a. a great opportunity for me and you to.

have a little chit chat to go back and. forth. and you know what if and i tell people. say all than i have a very. yeah he was my boss but we're kind of. like he's like my older older. brother because he we always joking and. carrying on with one another. so it is all it's always good to catch. up with you. how are you here go ahead i don't. want to ask you how have you been i've. been good. you know uh like i'm here in the office. as you can tell.

and uh just finished with practice and. uh. was just finished watching some college. tape a little bit. you know uh because pretty soon the. draft will be. here so uh i'm staying busy uh. enjoying what i'm doing and uh if you. could. guarantee me a victory on sunday i'd be. a real happy man. although you retire i thought you were. gonna be less busy. you gonna get a chance to do more. golfing enjoy. life it seems like yeah you gotta you.

got a better job but you working just as. hard. it's cold outside i can't go play golf. you know. when the weather's like this i'm better. off in the office. so are you enjoying the new role you. transition you're the executive. executive vice president. so do you enjoy the new role now yes i. am i i really am. uh you know erica was with me i thought. he was the second person that we hired. when we moved over from cleveland so we. got 23 years together. uh steve did a great job with the.

transition you know. had it set up five years in advance so. we kind of knew what was going to happen. and it's been going really good uh enjoy. my relationship with john harbaugh. dick cass and steve has just been. unbelievable. and you know i'm still around the. players all of the times and that that. keeps you young. so are you watching more tape than you. did before how i mean. so what's the ratio now as opposed to. watching practice watching film on. college guys free agents.

uh i i'm doing more now because i don't. have to do. i don't have people walking in my office. every five minutes with you know. some issues that they probably could. handle themselves but you know they. always want. the boss to handle it right so i have. more time to watch tape. and uh i enjoy going out to practices. and i watch the practice tape. so i'm doing a lot more all of the. things that i wanted to do. and i couldn't do because i had all. those other things to do i'm able to do. it now.

when i look at the 2020 ravens obviously. 2019 was an unbelievable season for you. guys. you had a great record lamar jackson. united st. it didn't kind of end the way you wanted. to so when you go back and look at 2019. coming into 2020. what were some of the things that you. wanted to do to make sure 2019. 2020 ended better than 2019. well you know i think we matured as a. team. in in 2019 and that maturity. uh did not end with the way we wanted to.

by getting beat in the first round. but i think we we learned from that you. know you you can. learn from losing just like you can. learn from women correct and so i think. we did that you know. uh eric and uh and our group we did a. good job of putting together a good. roster uh it was different this year. because we had the 16. practice squad players so we could build. a bigger depth for our football teams. because. you're gonna need some depth uh as you. go through it and.

uh you know uh in the second year with. lamar and how uh. greg roman and john him have embraced. lamar. and putting him in a role that he can be. who he is. right now players understand that so. we're better. defensively you know we're still good in. the secondary. you know we're starting to get some. pressure and you know with me. you know getting clarisse and derek. wolfe you know. up front where we can stop the run when. we have to stop the run. when i look at you guys and i look at.

what you've done. you've always been a guy that that's. looking to get that that veteran free. agent that came. that come from somewhere that's one. before. that's a great locker room guy and when. things. he makes sure things don't get to the. head coach they don't have to go. upstairs. they can handle it within the locker. room and i believe that's the guy in. calais campbell. that you mentioned how what has he meant. to your team. well you know we we had that with you. and rob woodson. uh you know we had it with tony saraguca.

we we've always had. that veteran players you just discussed. described. that can come in and they understand our. culture and our culture is. you know we are going to allow you to be. who you are show up on time. practice hard and play well on sunday. then all the rest of the stuff takes. care of itself. but to have someone to come in like. claire's who was thirsty to win. you know and he was being able to bring. his leadership. ability to match it with our ability to. find ways to win games he's been a great.

match. like it was with you appreciate that uh. but you you signed. going to what were you thinking when you. signed theirs dev hadn't played in a. very long time. he was coming off a very serious injury. achilles injury and you know. at a skilled position especially the. wide receiver the achilles injury is. probably. is normally the death blow it used to be. the acl but modern medicine. has made the acl guys come back stronger. faster better from acls. but the achilles not so much what was.

your thinking when you signed dez bryant. well you know it was a relationship that. eric had with his agent. uh we brought dez in uh. seven or eight weeks before we signed. him and he came in and he worked out. and uh you know he needed to get in. football shape. right we told him you know take the. opportunity to go get yourself in. football ship. [ __ ] and we'll bring you back in for. another workout that's what eric. uh promised dads and he came back in and. he was in football [ __ ] you know and.

what he does he provides. a a bigger target when we get down into. the red area you know we got marquis and. we got duvernay. and we got willis snead but now we have. a more bigger. physical receiver down in the red area. that can make some contested catches. because. you know things are tight when when you. get down in the red area but a guy can. go up make a contested catch. you tried to sign death a few years ago. and that didn't work out. why did you think it not work out dan. had he not gotten over.

being released because a lot of times. you and i have talked about this in the. past. when guys have been in a situation for. an extremely long period of time. it's tough when a team releases you it's. almost like a relationship you like. the shock of i'm no longer a cowboy i'm. no longer a patriot i'm no longer this. do you think that has something to do. with it no question. no question it did uh you know i think. he was in shock by getting released. you know he needed to take some time for. death and you know to.

jump right in this situation that we. were offered him he just wasn't. comfortable with. you know and he and he took a whole year. off. a year and a half off and then obviously. he signed with the saints. but uh you know those things happen you. know but i think a relationship was. built with dez during the time. a trust factor was built with him and so. when it came. time for him to try to come back to play. football then he picked up the phone and. called eric. i'm looking at you the last you you've.

been great at this and we'll talk about. this. your last draft the last player you. selected in the first round. was lamar jackson what did you see ozzy. in him that would make you trade back. into the first round of selective. because he's anything but prototypical. why were you so convinced. we need this guy and we'll build the. fortress around him. we're going to play the his strength not. bring him in and make him play the hours. well you know uh you have to give the. owner steve bashady. uh you know that was a draft that had.

five quarterbacks i think going to first. round start with baker at the beginning. and uh and steve you know knew it was. time for us to start to look. toward moving away from joe and he felt. like that class was a good enough class. to do it. and what we did uh with the first pick. we were able to get a tight end as you. know. right uh and hayden hurst so that was. going to help us in the immediate. you know you know we joe likes to throw. the tight ends. right that was going to help us in the. immediate but then we saw an opportunity.

uh erica did his homework and we he knew. philly was thinking about moving out. they wasn't very happy. with who they saw on the board at that. point and we had some additional. uh resources with some extra pics so we. made the phone call they were willing to. do it. and uh we got lamar in you know. just saying hey you're a quarterback. you're gonna come here and play. quarterback. but uh i think you have to give all the. credit to john harbaugh. to greg roman and those guys because in.

that second year. they said hey we are going to do what. lamar do we are not going to. turn him into joe montana or dan marino. right. allow lamar to be who lamar is and. you know what he's a tremendous talent. he's an unbelievable person. and you know we as when you get in. our business shannon as you know you. play to a player's strength. correct you know and that's what we did. with lamar. and you know what it changed the game a.

little bit and i think. there are going to be more quarterbacks. that are going to be coming out that's. going to be like lamar. and i think he's now the trendsetter. other you know so many people making. mistakes you have a system. and you're like well this is my system. this is what i it's what i run. offensively this is what i run. defensively. but you know the really good coaches. they find a way and says okay this is. what you do well. i'm gonna let you do that if this is. what you do well i'm gonna let you do. that. and for you for you guys to take lamar. says okay you're a quarterback.

and for greg roman to build a system. around this young man's strength. not a whole lot of people were willing. to do that because that's what you had. to do if you make him a prototypical. quarterback. i don't know if he he he can. you and i both know if they would have. had us blocking. uh five techniques and nine techniques. and not throwing us some balls. i see how you shaking your head then. they've been waiting. [Laughter].

to greg and john having the willingness. to say hey we are going to do this. and you know what and it it enhanced. lamar and lamar even had more buy-in. because you know people weren't trying. to change him. you mentioned john harbaugh and you was. on staff when you hired john. what was it about john because special. teams coaches don't normally get hired. they're normally formal head coaches. offensive coordinators defensive.

coordinators. you don't normally hire a special teams. coach to be a. head coach and that's what john. harbaugh's background. was in and you guys you and steve. bashady you're like. this is our guy well you know the. the special team coach you know they. deal with that 52nd and 53rd player the. whole time. yeah you know they're trying to figure. out. every week who are the best guys that. they can get to be able to go out and. perform so they. understand the mechanics of the roster.

you know and that's huge when you're. dealing with with a new head coach he. understands that. you know we need to keep that eight. thousand offensive linemen or ninth. offensive line and we can't have that. great special teams player we want. so he understood that but yeah but the. other thing that john did. that last year before we got him he went. and coached to secondary. so we had someone that was coming in the. building that. number one was probably the best special. teams coach. of his time but had also spent time on.

defense so this is a guy that can walk. into two rooms. and be able to fix some things and then. of course you know his dad was a. longtime coach. his brother was so it was football you. know it's his daughter his sister. married a basketball coach there's. coaching. in college so you know it was it was all. about. football sports coaching and. uh you know what and it's been an. unbelievable hire and he's an. unbelievable person. uh with he and his wife ingrid and their.

daughter allison. you talk about that other you talk about. the relationship because you know you. and i early early in my career i was on. special teams. ain't nobody really tried to play. special teams everybody's trying to be. the start on the offense everybody's. trying to be the start on defense. and for him to be able to take all those. personalities he's like guys i. understand that you want to be in a. different room. playing offense catching touchdowns. running the ball or getting the sacks or. getting interceptions. but this is a third of what we do and to. get guys to buy in. i think that's the biggest thing for.

head coaches to have communication. and to convince the guys to believe in. what he's saying. no question about that and you can't. teach that. you know you you have that and the thing. that you know because i even. remember you are pretty good special. team if you're a good special teams. player. then you're probably going to be a good. position player on either offensive. defense yeah because you realize. you know this is my time i'm on. specialties when i'm young and i'm going. to be good at that. then that helps you to be good at that. but yeah but having john. having all of those understandings and.

and dealing with the different. personalities because you know you got. you know first round defensive backs be. like nah i don't want to play on those. special teams. but you have to be able to get them to. play on special teams because it is one. third of the game. as you look at you started this you the. first. started this in 1996. and there are very. few people that can say. i've drafted a hall of famer your claim. to fame you've already you've drafted. three hall of famers. it subs is probably going to be the. fourth and if lamar continue on the path.

this will be fine what's your thought. process when you go into the draft. looking for a player is it is it tape. is it game is it feel is it talking to. the guy what is it that made you in 1996. says. jonathan ogden and ray lewis because. when you guys moved from cleveland to. baltimore. the popular pick everybody wanted. lawrence phillips you wanted somebody. that could sell tickets. but you like an offensive lineman an. offensive lineman don't sell tickets.

well yeah but you know uh we spent a lot. of time building our board. you know it starts it actually starts. a month after the draft where you know. scouts have to do. uh grades on his upcoming seniors okay. so you have nine months worth of work. and when we win that draft and you know. it was no doubt. that the number one player was jonathan. ogden. and you know uh kevin hardy we liked him. he goes simeon rice goes. you know and we're sitting there and.

yeah mr model wanted us to take. you know lawrence phillips but if you're. going to start something which we were. starting. and then you have people believing what. you're doing and if you're going to rate. someone to be the highest rated player. you can't pass them. even though we had tony jones who you. played with i played with you. but we could not pass you know and that. set the board and of course as we get to. rey. you know then we we were lucky enough to. have that second pick in the. in the first round and he was the. highest rated guy at that time.

so that set the tone is hey do all your. work. you know get your board set and stay. true to the board. you when i look at i mean obviously and. these guys are transcended. arguably you make the case that ray. lewis is the greatest middle linebacker. to ever play the game one of the. greatest defensive players. ed reed in my estimation is the greatest. free safety strong free whatever you. want to rate it he's the greatest free. safety i've ever played against and ever. taken off on. on tape what is it what is it. that can be okay jonathan ogden should.

be the number one player. on the if i were the number one pick hey. we take jonathan up but what is it about. a guy what is it that you see. the guy's a football player we playing. football. right at the end of the day you got your. measurables. you got all your uh psychological. testing you got all your interviews. but at the end of the day it's the guy a. football player kenny blake. priest holmes three songs was a football.

player yeah yana was a football player. jermaine lewis was a football player so. you know. at the end of the day you have to get a. guy that's a football player and forget. about some of the other. metrics that we use is he a football. player and if he's a football player. he's gonna play for it. i forgot yandy's gonna end up in the. hall of fame too because all those pro. bowls and first team all pros. so you're gonna and guess what you're. gonna end up going in the hall of fame. again as a contributor. i i had i thought i had it i thought i.

had you you gonna have two to one. well but shannon you know you and i on. the same cul-de-sac already man. you know but see now you're gonna move. into another building you. have two houses in the same subdivision. well you know hey we're just going to. enjoy them first ones okay. let's enjoy those first ones you know. but if it ever happens it'll be the. shortest speech in the history of the. hall of fame. because i had to sit there and listen to. all the rest of them yeah. hey uh i don't know hopefully we haven't.

but you man can you imagine with all the. guys that they missed 2020. and then coming back in 2021 man that. thing might have to start at five. o'clock in the morning and go to. midnight. hey but they say you have to we got to. pack a lunch should we gonna be there. yeah yeah baby there's gonna be a lot of. people on that stage dozing off ozzy. [Laughter]. so do how do you feel how do you feel. about this season do you like where you.

are obviously you like to win a few more. games. but i'm looking at you guys the last two. three weeks of the season. this is the best you look all year. well shannon you know it's been a uh. atypical season with the coronavirus. right i mean and you know all the. different protocols. you know there's a lot of anxiety away. from the football field because of. dealing with. covet 19 you know and today you can do. this and tomorrow you may not be able to.

do it so. all 32 clubs have have to deal with that. and you know and we went through that. situation where we actually had 19 guys. that was right. uh not able to play because of cozy but. you know we made it through that we. weathered that storm and right now you. know. uh you know i think the guys feel like. that hey we got to this point last year. and we didn't take the next step. and it was i probably 80 90 percent of. the team was on that 14-2 team last year. so i think they're looking forward to.

taking this year. and going one step further. uh let's get back to you let's get back. to go back to where it started you grew. up in alabama a small town called muscle. alabama. um you worked in the cotton fields what. is it about your. a lot of your childhood what do you. remember most. well you know what is that uh. you need to work you know hard work pays. off. uh you know what you and i endured.

was nothing that our parents had to. endure with segregation and integration. right and all of that and the things. that started changing when you and i. were coming along but it didn't change. for them. but you know what they never gave up. from being. good people good hard-working people. that loved. each other and so those things that you. just carry with you. you know and i saw it you know as i'm i. was growing up. and things started changing when i was.

coming up you know. i could go to a predominantly white. school i could go and play. little league baseball that didn't. happen with my older brother. and with my parents so i saw things. changing and i appreciate that. you know i appreciate the past is it. some bitterness. yes there's a lot of bitterness but i. appreciate the past and that past has. helped me to get to where i am today. uh a lot of times when i talk to when i. talk to kids today. i said do find something to do as a. child. because that'll tell you what you want.

to do or don't want to do as an adult. growing up how i grew up i knew i didn't. want to work on no farm and do what my. grandfather did. i knew i didn't want to work factory i. didn't want to do any of that so all the. things that i did as a child. it let me know what i didn't want to do. as an adult. i agree with you 100 man hey i always. wanted to take care of these hands man. you know you. [Laughter]. ozzy i i i mentioned that you grew up in. alabama. and you were uh of age when the edmund.

petters when. bloody sunday happened on the edmond. petals bridge what happened in uh. uh also the uh the 16th street baptist. church in birmingham. what do you remember about those. incidents did your parents you know. at that point you're talking about you. talking about being eight. and ten and eleven years old but yeah i. was aware of that. but what you did you watch your parents. and how they handle that. okay you know and what they did they. just kept us closer together. you know and then you know what you.

learn how to bite your tongue. you know you learn what battles that you. had to fight you know right. you couldn't fight every battle you know. so so you learn that from being in those. situations and seeing what was going on. but you know it was about out it was. about the family. the neighborhood and all of those things. where everybody took care of each other. right we make it i'm looking at this and. then. in 1972 you take your tea you take your. football team to the state championship. your basketball team you asking you you.

the hoop harvey. i know you the whole hey if i was. if i was instead of being six three if i. would have been a six five or six six. i'd be in the nba you know but i was six. foot three you know. hey and i learned a long time you can't. be six foot three trying to play in the. paint. you know it just don't work so. you go to obviously at that time. there's two you if you're in alabama and. you're a great football player. for the more times than not at that.

point in time. you're not leaving the state you're. going to alabama or you're going to. auburn. obviously coach bryant is at alabama. what made you decide to go to alabama. well you know i was in the uh i think. the fourth or fifth. class of african-americans that was. allowed to go to alabama. okay you know uh wilbur and uh and john. mitchell had just. graduated yeah i came in as a freshman. okay and they were only selecting a few. of us.

at that time you know and each class. there was an even number. which means because we could you know uh. room together. right you know so there was a lot of. things that people didn't realize that. was going on. during that time but i committed to go. to auburn. because you talked about that 72 high. school uh football championship. where the quarterback on that team went. to auburn the other receiver. went to alabama they were a year ahead. of me so when i was coming out. you know of course shook jordan was. talking about phil gargan was a guy.

named gargest newsome could beat another. the next sullivan the beasley and so. they were selling me on that so i. committed to auburn. but then you know what john mitchell. came up we went to dinner. and it was just something about alabama. that was different you know and that's. why i'm. switched from auburn went to alabama. best decision i made. talk to us about coach bryant what type. of coach was he was he hard. i mean and to this day everybody that. refers to him nobody calls him even the. coaches.

call him coach brian. hard but fair okay you know and the the. lessons that he would. he taught us from the day we got there. we were freshmen. up until we graduated from there are the. lessons that i'm living right now. a lot of the principles that i believe. in. uh about whether being the gm for the. ravens or being a football player for. the brown. those lessons will talk to me by coach. bryant the things that you live with. he was able to take lessons that we.

learned from the football. field and apply them to our life away. from the football field. and any player that you talk to that. play under him. will tell you the same thing. ozzy obviously alabama it was still. still. even though you you came up and things. were a little different. it was still you know kind of like okay. blacks here white there. what how did it make you feel that. you go to it you play in the stadium 80. 000 and they're cheering for you.

but those same ones might turn around. and call you the n word or say something. out of pocket to you. well you know what that i talked about. being able to bite your lip. bite your tongue yeah knowing what. ballast to fight but the one thing about. it. and my mother and my father found out my. parents found that. when you went to alabama you were an. alabama football player. okay and that separated you from. everything else you know. whether you wanted that or not it did. you know. you were black but you weren't really.

black you know you were an alabama. football player. so you know and i wore that crimson. white and i. say road tie i mean. you look look at this alabama player the. decade of the 1970s two-time fc. uh uh all sec 7776 consensus. all-american. your final season you're coming out in. the draft obviously you're coming out. what are you thinking what's the process. you're like okay i'm going somewhere and. i'm gonna be able to take care of my. parents. well you know uh it was interesting i.

was coming out. and i think the the league was split. some teams wanted me to play wide out. and some team told me they were going to. move me to tight end. okay you know so i i didn't know i i. didn't you know where i was going to. come in. and i could tell you the receivers who. was in that draft are the ones that. went before me uh wes chandler. uh james lofton john jefferson. um okay ken mcafee. hey people don't realize how good john.

jefferson. how good wes chandler uh jane loftis in. the hall of fame. but west chandler they call him the moon. man because he wore goggles. west chandler could run around with that. eric coryell system. they were magnificent i understand and. jj could catch a bb in the dark too. so look that was a great group so you. know and so. hey i get drafted by the browns i go in. that first mini camp i'm their rookie. mini camp. i play wide out okay and and i was.

having some success you know they taught. me some things. but then uh after that mini camp we. stayed over for an additional week. and uh rich kotei who ended up becoming. head coach of the jets. you know he was my tight end coach was. the receiver tight end coach at that. time and he told me sam wanted to see me. and so to go upstairs leonardo was the. head coach at the time. exactly right yeah san bernardino richie. lyanna. so i go up and he said you proved in. this mini camp that you can play wide. receiver in this league.

and you'll probably be a good one he's. if i want to move you to tight end i. think he'll be a great tight end. and he said isaac we going to throw you. to football when you had tight end well. that's all you needed to hear exactly. all you need to hear you wanted the ball. yeah. you your last year at alabama you didn't. win the national championship. that's like it's normally like a four. goal conclusion you go to alabama you. stay four years. you're gonna win an sec title and you're.

gonna win a national title. that's that's that's almost like a. foregone conclusion. well there's a reason why that um. that team that alabama is playing. tomorrow. yeah that i have a little bit of a. hatred for. because uh we went into that uh bowl. game. and we played ohio state we beat them. and uh texas lost. and notre dame jumped from fourth to one. and jumped over us.

and became the national champions you. know and so i have some bitterness about. that. and hopefully nick saban will use some. of that again tomorrow. when alabama plays notre dame some of my. bitterness. i look at some of these great alabama. players from derrick thomas bar star don. huss and joe namath. leroy jordan john hannah cornelius. bennett yourself julio sean alexander. you got about rushmore who though you. might rush more of alabama players.

i i think you had to start with don. hudson okay. you put him up there i think you gotta. put john hanna. okay you have to put him up there. how many do i get to put you ain't got. my boys my rush more. four you can get four heads all right. well then okay well then i got two right. yeah if you got hudson yeah. but then you gotta put newsome up there. and then you know what. the other one would be dwight stevenson.

people don't realize how good dwight was. that's right he he was on he was on the. place to be the greatest thing to ever. play before he got his knee blown out. he was unbelievable no question. now you know but they got this new. generation coming up but we got to see. you know what their longevity is going. to be because each year we keep pumping. out some new ones but. right now right now you know. those four is gonna be it's gonna be. hard for somebody to remove. one of those four off of mount rushmore.

i'm out. i. [Music]. you and i didn't worry about that. because he was going one direction and. we were going yeah. yeah yeah they don't even hey don't ask. me to block him i ain't got nothing for. him you got zero. that's why you play the tackle with all. that money in the right time with all. that money i'm going to catch passes.

so if you're gonna me i got you covered. but i ain't trying to kill you. i think one of the things when i look at. a guy like derrick henry and a lot of. people say. well the running back position is is is. obsolete. and he's too big he can't get started. are you surprised the amount of success. derek henry is having. well you know i watched him for three. years at alabama you know and i remember. when they recruited him. to come there you know and yeah we have. all these phobias that we say what.

guys can and can't do right but you know. what. you have to watch a guy play you know. and derek can ben. you know we all know that at some point. if you're an athlete and you can be in. then you're going to be able to play on. this level and you can bend. and he's got a mean stiff arm you know. if you you go back to. earl camera you go back to chuck you. know those guys were big like that. but you know and you just you know. people it was earl but and chuck munch. you know chuck massey was unbelievable.

he was a big. yeah yes tony albert another one so. there have been. other big backs and so that and he went. to. a good system in tennessee where he's a. downhill system i mean. hey we've played him twice and we still. haven't tackled him yet. you know once he gets going in the. fourth quarter but i don't know. we've seen backs like earl was stocky. earl was 240 but earl was what 5 10 5. 11. we've never seen a guy six four 255. 260 because i don't care what anybody.

say they're gonna stop listening that. man at 240. he's not 240 aussie and you know it too. well like i said you know his ability to. be in. his vision and he's got good feet. and then the other thing is he can. finish you know. he gets into that secondary half of the. times guys are trying to find. angles not to get there to tackle him. but he can finish. yeah they tried to wait until he get. past where they can jump on his back. because they don't want to come up to. the front on to the side because.

you you mentioned the guys are currently. playing derek henry arguably. uh the best running back julio let's. talk about julio you know something. about receivers. where would you rank julio. well as a physical specimen right at the. top. you know and i saw julio play in high. school and he was a man playing against. boys. you know when he was a 17 year old uh. at uh foley high school where he went to. high school at.

and but he's a phenomenal talent and you. know i don't know if you heard the story. that uh demarcus cousins got dunked on. by julio you know. so that says something right there but a. unbelievable. physical specimen got great hands. he can you know you got some you got the. marvin harrison. you got the steve smith's of the world. you got some guys that can do a little. of this a little of that. julio can do it all yeah he's just one.

of those things you know he's. he's had some issues with his injuries. but when he's. got his game on you know he can do it. all. unbelievable physical specimen i want to. know who the wide receiver coach because. as big as julio is julio's two is six. two and a half six three two thirty and. can run. routes like 185 pound wide receiver. calvin really can run around so maury. cooper jerry judy. devonte smith all these guys can run the. route tree. well you know what i in alabama one guy.

recruits the next guy. you know and uh because we got some. young guys there right now devonta smith. and you know uh. the the young kid that got hurt those. guys got reported by the. other guys you know so that's what. happens hey you come here. this is what's going to happen to you. you can be. the next one everybody wants to be that. next one if they go there they can be. that next one. right uh your draft you mentioned some. of the guys that were in your draft. also in that draft uh earl campbell.

james lofton clay matthews jr. you doug williams that. you got well that draft was loaded. yeah art still you know uh with the with. the kansas city browner. yeah yeah it did terry miller yeah it. was a it was a heck of a draft. you know and uh i remember i got to know. a lot of those guys from. you know being on the different. all-american teams right you know and. they were all a. great bunch of guys you know great.

people as well as good football players. you know so. yeah it was a it was a real good class. and i think we impacted the league. once we all got our chance to get on the. field. aussie your rookie year your name. brown's offensive. player of the year as a rookie as a. rookie. that never happened that had never. happened before what i mean. well i i think you know i came. in with some notoriety because i came. from alabama and people had seen me play.

you know right i wasn't an unknown uh. quantity when i got there. but you know what happened is is uh they. were struggling with the quarterback. position. and they didn't know where what they. didn't think brian site was going to be. the guy. right but he had a breakout year that. year you know. and and you know and so we became you. know we start throwing the ball. all over the park with myself dave logan. and reggie rucker. you know we had to pruitt's in the. backfield so we were throwing it all. over the park and so i just.

got in to be a part of that and i put up. some numbers. and i think you know what a lot of. people say people like what's new. and i was new you know and i think. that's how i won that one i was new. you had some heartbreak um. the drive john elway and then a few. years later you lose to them endeavor. what do you remember standing on the. sideline watching the drive. well i learned a lesson because you know.

we we had. gotten ahead and. and i watched john take that team down. the field you know my buddy hanford. on that third and 18 i don't know why he. was trying to play a seven round when he. knew. are you advanced johnson what there. wasn't one of them little guys. yeah okay all right was going running in. he and i. still haven't gotten over that you know. when i see him i remind him. but you know i learned the lesson we got. the ball. back but we had spent our time watching.

that drive. that drive drained everything out of us. so when we got the ball back we weren't. prepared to go out there. and go win the game so you i've learned. and and i try to tell this to other. people that. when you're not on the field you need to. be getting prepared to go back. out there for the next series don't be a. spectator you know you can watch. sportscenter and all of that once you. get home but you need to be preparing. yourself. to go because if we had prepared we. could have went back out there. kicked the field goal and won the game.

uh. it's funny that you say that because i. was a guy i never still didn't watch the. game. i'm sitting there i'm sitting down i'm. on the jumbotron because there ain't. nothing i can do. all that yelling through me yeah sure. yeah i'm yelling from but i'm sitting on. the bench because knowing. that i'm gonna have to go out there and. either i'm gonna have to hold on to the. ball. to make sure they don't get it again or. i'm gonna have to go help try to win. this game. no question i mean yeah and like i said. it was a great lesson. that i learned during that time and i've. you utilized that for the rest of my.

career. obviously a part of your job is not only. drafting players but sometimes you have. to have tough conversations with players. uh ray had uh i came in in 2000 when ray. was going through what he was going. through uh a few years after i left. jamal go through something. and then you had the incident in 2014. what were some of the things that you. shared with the guys. to to help especially jamal and ray. turn not only turn their playing careers. around but their lives around.

well i knew the person you know and i. always. i don't talk to the football player i. talk to the person okay. you know and i deal with it and it's a. man-to-man conversation. right you know and you know i'm just. ozzy he's ray he's jamal. he's ray right you know what we're just. talking man to man. you know forget about my title and what. you are that when you can have a. relationship with people and you can. talk to people that way. then you can be able to say some things. and they'll appreciate they may not want.

to hear it. but they will appreciate it because they. can say some things back to me. that i don't want to hear it but i know. it's something that i need to hear. because that person. is really unleashing all of his feelings. to me and i need to hear whether i want. you or not so. it's i always say hey i'm taking my hat. off you take your hat off and we just. two men talking. is that the toughest part of your job. when you have to have those type. conversations. uh no the big ones are not the hard one.

it's the ones that. you know it was certain guys that you. know number 21 that. did all the little things wrong all of. the time. those are the ones you know hey dude you. [ __ ] stand for you to turn the corner. you ain't turning the corner yet you. know so it's some little guys that keep. doing those little things not showing. up you know sleeping in means and all of. that being unprofessional. very professional that was the one that. drives you because you know what they. are hurting themselves.

more so than they're hurting me you know. right so it's it's. all of the little ones the big ones you. know you can deal with that because they. only come you're only going to get them. once every four or five years you don't. want them. right they only come once every four or. five years. that 2000 2000. you put together did you know 2 000. would be special did you know that team. had the capabilities. of getting to and winning the super bowl. when you constructed that team. no no i did not you know i.

you know i thought we were gonna be good. on defense i didn't know where we're. gonna be at because we started off with. tony banks at quarterback and we had. been. brought in trent you know you know i. think you know we were talking i was. doing a uh. interview with a guy from usa today. today i think he would usa today. and he talked about the momentum that. was built. in the 2000 draft you know and the 2000. how we. all of a sudden we got momentum and the. same thing happened in 2012 you get your. momentum.

you know i just think that that team. grew so close together. and we had an identity you know we were. going to play the way we were going to. play on defense we were going to do what. we do on these on offense. and we had you in there you know making. the plays that you have to make like you. did. against the raiders you know right all i. need was a couple of plays you were. that three-point shooter i guess you. would say yeah that's it and. uh so yeah but no that was a special. group. it was a special group but i think the. leadership of you.

rob wilson and goose took those young. guys because. you know ray and peter and all those. guys and dwayne they were very young. right we because of you guys and you all. had had success. had won y'all came in and showed those. guys what to do. and they followed you all's lead were. you concerned that we went to tampa. that brian says okay i'm not gonna have. room check now we didn't have room check. all year were you concerned like oh my. goodness these jokers ain't coming in. ain't no telling what's gonna happen.

i just hope they show up on sunday no. because i. i think yeah again the leadership we had. y'all had control of that. you know y'all had control and if i. could keep you guys from going out there. and i knew the rest of the guy wasn't. gonna be. that was that was the thing you know. what i think the thing is that what i. told a guy said look. you better look around because if you. think it's gonna be like this next year. it's not. somebody's going coaches are gonna leave. players are going to leave for your free. agency be a big way. and you don't want to be the guy that. says man i went to the super bowl you.

want to be the guy that says i won the. super bowl. there you go exactly right it was like i. said it was the leadership of that team. but we also had guys that were willing. to follow you all's leadership. that's what wanted for us aussie how do. we get more guys. like yourself in the position like you. have like you are the black general. manager. the black head coaches because if you. look at the makeup of the league 70. of the players are african-american but. it's not. representative in positions of.

coaching position of making moves to. bring players in. how do how do we change that dynamic. well you know i serve on two committees. i'm on the competition committee which. we do all of them the major rules. and the workplace diversity committee. and. we have a commissioner roger goodell. who's committed. to changing that landscape and what we. have to do. is to fill the pipeline with qualified. candidates.

but to get those qualified candidates in. front of the decision makers. right those guys need to be sitting in. front of the and let the decision makers. have that not you know filtering through. up through the ranks or whatever it is. and they never get a chance. to sit in front of steve bashady or. jeffrey laurie. or bob craft we need to make sure that. those guys get a chance to set with. those guys. because those guys know how to make. great decisions. so that's what we're doing you know. we're we're spending. uh a lot of time and making sure we got.

the right guy. we even helping guys to you know prepare. themselves. to interview or prepare themselves how. they may every enemy is. preparing himself for all of this so. we're doing it. is it going to change overnight no you. know the problem is. you know i have a little pamphlet right. here and the numbers in 1998 are just. like the numbers. are now you know we haven't we haven't. made a debt yet. but you know i think there are people. that are committed to it and i think we.

have. some young guys that are qualified that. if they get in front of that right. person. then we can start to change those. numbers because you hear all. excuse me you hear this all the time. that the nfl is a copycat league well. hell if you copycat look at baltimore. there's other news that's been in charge. for all these years and they play look. at the way his team plays. look at the players that he's drafted. look at the what they do. they've only had only had two coaches. three coaches hit i mean once they got. brian billick and now they have.

john harbaugh so in the last 20 plus. years they've only had two coaches. there's something to that now if the. league is copycat like we say it is. shouldn't you be copying that formula. yeah but yeah yeah you would but then. there are some other successful people. too. right they may prefer to to copy those. you know what i'm talking about. that's what there's some barriers that. have to be broken uh shannon and. uh we're trying we're trying uh. i you know i feel good about what our. effort is right i don't like where we.

are. as a league when it comes to you know. two african-american general manager and. forehead coaches. that's not that those are not good. numbers but i'd like to have this. conversation with you three years from. now. and hopefully i can say we've gotten. better. we've gotten better but it'll take us. three years. for it to happen i think either when we. we talked about some of your great. players. now obviously jonathan played i think. john i think joe played.

11 to 12 years he retired to raven ray. played. 17 years all 17 in baltimore. ed reed how difficult is it a decision. when you're dealing with a historically. a transcendent player. and obviously you want all your. transcendent players. to retire ravens how difficult was it to. like. we can't go that extra step for uh ed. reed or. suggs how do how do you how do you make. that decision how do you and john.

harbaugh and your staff sit down and say. guys. we're going as far as we can go and this. is it. well let's start with once a raven. always a raven okay. we'll start with that but you know what. we you know what as in anything. in life you understand that there's a. limit in. how far you can go and right but you. fudging a little bit. yeah but when you have to look at the. totality of what you're trying to do. and build a football team then you can. only go so far so at some point.

and i've always said this and i've said. it to you when you went back to denver. i want you to make all the money you can. make yeah which is all. i can pay you know if you got a chance. to go make some more goods somewhere. please go but this is all i can do right. and i want you to do. and you know what and we still can hug. and shake hands. because i appreciate what you've done. but you know. you only have so many years that you can. make this type of money. right and you need to go ahead and make. it if you can and if you can't.

i'm welcome you back you you'll see a. part of the family and that was the. thing that i remember most because i. remember having a conversation that year. the super bowl was in. new orleans and i remember having the. conversation and you asked me what. you know you asked me what i was going. to do and i asked can i ask you i said. what do you think. you're like hell boy you went to the pro. bowl you had you let the tight even. catch it. you can still play but let's have a. conversation in a couple of weeks. and you know we'll see we go and i was. like you call me you ask me what i want. to do i say i want to play. and you say you said uh boy now this is.

all i can pay you. now we're gonna release you now go eight. you get you get some money you're gonna. get more than what we can offer you. but if you don't find out what you like. come back. we can do something and i think that's. the thing that everybody loves most. about you ozzy because you're honest. you're up front with them. and you tell them how it is it ain't no. well ozzy said this and then somebody. else said that. whatever you say take that to the bank. well you know that's relationship. building because i know. that i'm gonna see players five years.

from then ten years from now and i want. them to be able to respect me like i. respected them. and i can want to show them the. appreciation for what they did. when they were a member of the ravens. you. jimmy smith credited you and said that. the off the field problem that he had he. said. you were one of the main reasons that. helped him turn. his life his career around i mean. you talked about i said sometimes you. just have the conversation you take your. head off they take their head off this. man-to-man i'm not your boss you're not.

a player i'm a man. to a man talking to a man trying to help. resolve an issue. but you know what but within that i got. to tell you some things that you may not. want to hear. okay okay some things that you need to. change you know and and. you know jimmy just did an extension. with us today. for another year you know and he he has. he's a raven now. you know and and so but you know there's. some tough conversations hey you need to. change. you know or we gonna have to change and.

you know. but i know you i've known you since you. know you were 21 years old when we. you know went through the whole. recruiting and drafting process. right you know i know what's deep down. inside of you and you can. change you know and when they change. then they become more valuable. in that locker room because now they can. tell their stories to those young kids. also. you play for you mr model but he would. go crazy if he heard us calling mr model.

because he said that's my grandfather mr. model. so you had to come you had to call him. heart arnold. he gave you the opportunity at the time. no one else. had given a person of color that. opportunity. to run a franchise talk about your. relationship with art. uh you know i could say it was uh father. father-son. it was owner gm it was. owner player it was uh. and then i'm gonna say some negative.

things too because sometimes it wasn't. as good as they thought. but you know but there was a trust. factor. that mr model had with me and that i had. with him. and some of those conversations were not. very easy you know right. of me saying this is what we need to do. or he telling me. he we can't do that but you know what i. really respect him. as a man the man had a great heart it. was nothing but he wouldn't do. for his players he loved it you know if. you got these corporate owners now you.

know and but no. this was mr model's life matter of fact. this offense that i'm in this is was. built for him right now and when eric. took over. he took my office and then i moved in. here you know. and i'm proud to be sitting in that man. in that man's office right now. and i think that's the thing you. mentioned the corporate side of it. because the corporate. bosses are not used to being next to the. the workers well ozzy uh mr art. looked at like oh those are players and. i remember he would always be on the.

golf cart he'd always come back down the. golf cart. and you'd be sitting on the golf cart. winner and then me and. me rod and hurray would come up he's. like either you got to get all cuz they. can win games for me you can't do. nothing for me so get off and let them. take the golf cart. the guy his driver would take us up to. the come back if. you guys would get back on the car but. he was an unbelievable man. do you i believe and i've had. conversation with voters. that are model belongs in the pro. football hall of fame. he's not the only owner that's ever.

moved a team. there have been so many and they still. get their rightful respect and so for. some reason. he's been denied his rightful place. which is a bust. in canton ohio shannon you're 100. correct and i was on the uh the. selection crew for the uh. for the 100th anniversary and and i had. to do a presentation on mr model. you know uh for him to be uh. a contributor and you know and and i. said that and i.

said so all of those things that you. said you know because there are other. owners al davis. moved the raiders twice you know. all the phone yeah exactly and shooting. there he is there is no doubt that. art model belongs in kenya. there's no doubt in my mind you know and. i just hope. that you know if we continue to push. that he will. get there at some point you know and. there is that faction.

to continue don't want to give him his. due but when you match him up to. all of the other owners that in the. national football league and what he did. with tv and being the first first and. only president of the league. he deserves to be in can and in some bad. times. at some point i hope he gets that. opportunity. you have a very unique relationship with. coach belichick. you became director of pro personnel. under him when he was the head coach. of the cleveland browns talk about your.

relationship with coach belichick. well you know it was a situation where. i retired in 90 and he was hired and we. had our first meeting and he asked me if. you know. do you want are you going to play again. i go no coach i think it's time. he said well i i could use you as a. player i could use your leadership in. the locker room. you know what it takes but i made that. decision but then i was. fortunate enough to go to work for bill. bill. does not get the credit well i guess he. is getting it now.

for the football knowledge that he has. the work ethic that he has what his. beliefs are. and i was able to sit there and learn. from him for five years. you know and he would push me in the. areas and i'd be like coach i don't. i don't think no you got to do this in. order for us to be a success so. i would say so much of what i have. enjoyed being a general manager. i learned under bill belichick in those.

five years that we were in cleveland he. gave me a foundation. and that foundation has helped me to be. where i am today. and i think but you paid it but you i. look at what you've done uh. when i was in baltimore you had james. shack director of pro personnel. you had uh john wooten and you remember. we. the the veteran players not in first. class in front of the plane. and me and shaq it was nice. you already know it was that there was. not gonna be no one was sleeping.

because we were gonna talk and joke all. the way back. hey you know what i still have those. conversations with shaq now you know. we talk you know once once every couple. of weeks and. you know he he loves those times you. know he loves to be able to tell you. you know he'll tell you and hey bill. russell needs to borrow one of your. hands because he's got lemon rings you. know. stuff like that you know but yeah i love. but he was a great football man. and you know i talk about what bill.

taught me. but having shaq and woot and then phil. savage to work along with me. in those first years they helped me to. learn because i needed to lean on some. other people. and they had the the experience and the. expertise you know i love shaq. you know i love shaq and he'll always. tell you it's quicker by air. it's quicker financially that i feel. uh let me ask you the the recruiting. process or the. the free agency process in 2000.

why did you think you needed me i mean. there are there are other titans. available you didn't necessarily need. what was it about me my playing style. because i remember i want you to tell. the story and then i'm gonna share. another story. well you realize we got being coached. too that year. yeah am i correct yep well then we. needed both of you guys and. what we were going to be it was you. being coach. jamal cadre pat johnson you know so. jamaica was gonna beat up people and.

then we were gonna try to strike. you know and so we needed you you were. gonna be a mismatch. guy you know because and ben did all the. dirty work yeah we know that and he. enjoyed it. because he was getting a chance to play. and win him another super bowl. so if the pieces just came together. but we needed someone that the. quarterback could trust. and they could trust you i remember you. had the conversation with me. uh because i uh i flew back because mr.

modell was down there as i mentioned ray. was going through his situation in 2000. and art was already in atlanta so i. ended up flying back with him. if i'm not mistaken that sunday and i. remember getting to. get into the facility and uh you would. you were there and he said ozzie. don't mess this up i got him primed and. ready for you now. you just don't mess it up and i remember. you and i we went to breakfast today. uh we went to dinner that night we had a. conversation with the breakfast the next. morning. and he says now we gonna do this.

he says i don't want you to change he. said i don't everybody told me. how you are in the locker room you talk. how hard you work he says. i want that exact shannon shark that was. in denver for the last 10 years. i want that guy to come to baltimore. well. shannon that's why we we allow you to be. who you are. you absolutely we're not a cookie cutter. organization where you know. you got to wear a tie you got to have a. sport coat you got to walk in here. you can't talk no no no no we want every. player. that be that's a part of the baltimore.

ravens to be who they are. because if you're who you are that it'll. show itself out on the football field. it'll show itself in the meeting room if. you are who you are and you're not. trying to be. someone else were you ever concerned. because you know in that playoff run. there was no love lost between us and. tennessee. uh jeff fisher and brian billig didn't. care for each other i. did our teams our players did not like. them and it's still. that way to this day and we definitely. didn't like the raiders. so were you concerned like man this.

might be getting a little bit out of. hand they might be doing too much. talking. no no no no no no no no no not with that. well because y'all couldn't talk brian. you know the more talking that y'all did. the more talking brian did. you know and you know we couldn't i. couldn't keep him quiet. you know but no you know what and uh we. had steve mcnair to come and play for us. for a year. and we had a chance to talk about that. you know about that rivalry. that we had with eddie george and that. whole group. and then of course you know with the.

raiders and that group you know but. you know hey we were built we we had. we were built to be able you have to. look at the quarterbacks. that year you had mcnair brunell. cornell stewart jeff blake i'm trying. so we had to have a defense because all. those guys would take the ball down. and go run with it so we had to have a. defense that could go track those guys. down you know people from getting. extra first down you know and keep a. drive going so. that's how the defense would be and.

offensively you know what. hey with the quarterbacks that we had. you know we had to play a game where we. didn't put the game in the quarterback's. hand. right and we needed somebody that could. you know what. the good thing about you shannon and i. can say this and i don't give you too. many uh. accolades you are a quarterback's friend. because they may not have to be very. accurate but you would make the cash for. them so. and we needed that that's what well that. was my. job that i got the name big cliche. because we didn't need a whole lot. we knew early on i mean having to.

conversation with brian we knew. if we could get up 10 and we didn't turn. the ball over. you couldn't beat us you were not going. to drive the ball 70 to 80 yards on that. defense and get a touchdown. so if we got the lead and we and you. didn't get a pick six or scoop and score. it was over it was over that was and it. was so enjoyable. and you know what and that style of. football still wins. watch how the playoffs play out you know. now we got some you know some athletic. quarterback. that can do it that are doing something.

but they're doing it with their feet. and extending drives with their feet but. at the end of the day you still win. football games in december and january. the way we won it in 2000. going into the super bowl you watched. film of the giants you saw every game. they played. you watch their opponents did you think. they could beat us. no i was i was skeptical i didn't like.

the matchup. from their standpoint you know uh. but you have to play the game right you. know and now you have to remember. that uh was it was it bro they had a. they got in. once we scored they got a pick six too. yeah my career. [Music]. exactly right you know what so otherwise. it would have been a. a tie game i think or supposed to be an.

entire game. right so you know that helped us and. then jermaine. with the kickoff gave us that you know. you gave us that. extra little push and then that's i. remember what you ray told you hey. you know that's hey y'all got us 10 that. was enough and they went. yeah yeah i mean that was the thing i. mean ray was like hey i remember. and talking to marvin i mean that might. be a great you look at. that defensive staff with marvin lewis. jack del rio. uh rex ryan uh mike smith was on that uh.

yeah getting the getting i mean we go to. the raiders and we get up on. and we we score on them because we. scored seven nothing and i remember. coming to the sideline. and ray and rod like we going to the. super bowl i love what you mean we're. going to support man in the first. quarter. he's like hey they're not scoring i'm. like well we going to the super bowl. they come back. because we might not i'm just glad you. didn't get caught man i'm glad you. didn't get caught. they could catch me back you know i. turned the bowls on.

uh you look you've been around the game. a long long time. where would you rank that 2000 ravens. defense you we know about the. 70 i think what 78 79 steelers. we know about the 85 bears the 2 000. ravens. the 02 bucks the what what is it the 14. or the 2012 uh uh legion of boom seattle. where would you rank as far as all-time. great defenses where would you put that. 2000. ravens well you know if you go by hall.

of famers. you have to do say the pittsburgh. steelers because i think they got. maybe five or six hall of famers all of. them are defense. but you know as i said as you and i talk. about you know. the the tight end group they all belong. on the cul-de-sac. you know yeah you know you a cul-de-sac. there's only. so many houses and so many people can go. on that cul-de-sac you know. you know so they all belong on there. uh you know i experienced uh.

the 70s with the steelers and those guys. and what they could do with. me joe and elsie greenwood and do i mean. you know. male blood lamborghini you know blunt i. mean. you know i still got pains from that but. you know. but those defenses that you talked about. they all and the 85 bears i played. against that defense also. i'm gonna put them all on that. cul-de-sac you know what and then. if i have to choose which house i want.

to lead up i don't think i'll be wrong. by choosing any one of them. the quarterback in today's game you look. at the way they can do this kid packing. mahomes. and the way he can throw the ball with. his rolling left for rolling right. aaron rodgers uh josh allen. are we entering the golden age of the. mobile. quarterback that because when you say. mobile quarterback used to be. he was mobile but he couldn't throw when. the pocket passer could throw from the. pocket but he couldn't move. these guys have elevated that so they.

can throw from the pocket and they can. throw on the move. they're athletes josh allen he's an. athlete. patrick mahomes an athlete we have. athletes playing quarterback. and an athlete can do multiple things. okay you know that you know you know. you you got your eight things you want. they can do eight of them they can do. seven of the eight and so. you know it's we're in an era of the. athlete playing quarterback we're no. longer with the statues and the. different things. that was happening during our time and.

before our time. now the athlete that athlete who started. off. when he was six and seven and eight. years old playing quarterback being an. athlete. is now an athlete that's playing. quarterback in the national football. league. either your last super bowl the two the. america run in. 2012. uh that was unbelievable because. you go. on the road now you go beat the broncos. who had just blown you out. like three weeks before and you lose i. think the houston texans.

they take you apart did you think like. man. i don't know what did you think you. could get it together in time. to make a run well you know what and and. i can say this. and ray has a big party we lost uh in. new england in the finals in the. afc championship game year before where. we had to drop pass by. uh i think lee evans yeah we missed a. field goal. but you know what and rank got up in. that locker room and he goes you know. what. god don't make no mistakes that's what.

he said you know what i go. that's right you know what we we wasn't. supposed to win. so we go to that next year and joe gets. hot. you know joe gets hot in the playoffs. you know and once joe got hot. then i think that it ignited everyone. else you know. and jacoby started everybody started. playing at a level above. who they really were but it was joe that. was the catalyst. all right i read what you said you and. admire phil jackson and how he's able to. to win but also win with like.

the the you know when you when you in. this game you got egos. i don't care what anybody tell you. people like well this guy don't have no. ego. [ __ ] the better you are the bigger. the ego that you have. how you say you you you admire phil. because he had shaq and kobe he had. michael and scotty. what is it about him that that you. admire so much. well number one he he managed some of. the greatest players to play.

in the nba he met and he molded those. guys into a team. and he made winning the most important. thing. right that's why i admire him you know. and he did it at two different places. he made winning okay yeah we got michael. and we got scotty. and you know when we got a lot of you. know he. he got those guys to say the most. important thing is winning. you know we need to win so that's why. then he goes and does it. again with the lakers so i admire his. ability.

to mold young men into a team. and have one goal and that's winning how. much more difficult is your job made by. social media. because i think when you played there. was none of that when i played there was. none of that. it wasn't about clicks it wasn't about. like it wasn't about tick tock it wasn't. about. you know doing everything for show you. went out there and you played hard. and then you let the chip fart where you. made but it seems like now. everybody wants to record everything i'm. studying my plays. i'm watching film i'm at practice i'm.

washing my car. shannon times have changed. man you have to let. the players understand that it's. different now you know and what. you think you can do and people won't. see it. they got they got ways of seeing you so. don't do it. you know just don't do it and so that's. what you have to be able to tell them. you know and i don't understand. instagram and facebook and i'm not on. any all that i've got no idea what that.

but i know. they are that's what their life is all. about right so you have to. we have to educate them on that just. like you and i got educated about going. to clubs. right you know or what what neighborhood. so yeah we spend time. educating guys on on social media. so that they can understand how bad it. could be not only for them but for our. organization and for their families. you know so we have to educate them on. that and we have people that are. professionals that do it.

uh i appreciate you taking time about. your day i know you're busy you got the. big plush offense now. congratulations you know i'd be in touch. with you you know i called from time to. time. just just to ask how the second or third. best title in the history of the game do. it. hey shannon i always welcome your calls. man you know i enjoy. watching you and my man on uh on first. not first take what's yours uh. on the future a disputed under yeah the. undisputed you know what. sometimes i can sit there and listen to.

you you know but then sometimes i go no. i don't have enough of shannon today. you know what go ahead you are doing. what you're supposed to be doing you're. talking. you know i'm sure your grandma and your. granddaddy told you that boy you can. talk. yeah that's what they told me say yeah. you can do that but i need. you and kevin byrne and steve michelle. to get in the room cause i i think at. some point in time. i might need to be in the raven ring of. honor i really do i i think i think i. made a big valuable contribution.

i think y'all need to put it in line. before i go i know uh i think on the. 28th or the 29th of january they're. going to have a a virtual reunion. okay with that super bowl team you know. so i'll see you. on that uh virtual thing then okay. so what that'll be oh it's the 20th it's. the 20th hour 28th. or the 29th of january yeah it's the. 20th anniversary of the team. yes yeah and they want they're gonna.

have a virtual party you know for. for two and a half hours uh so you'll be. getting an invitation. y'all y'all see the food out of me what. y'all said i bet i need to get somebody. need a jacket or something. you know what i don't work in that. department you know. all right i appreciate it man good luck. the rest of the season. and i'll talk to you daddy roll bro okay. man. have a good one all my life been. grinding all my life. sacrifice hustle pay the price wanna. slice. got the roll of dice that's why all my.

life i've been grinding all my life look. all my life been running all my life. sacrifice. plus hustle pay the price wanna slice. got the rolling dice that's why. all my life i've been grinding all my. life. [Music]. you know what to do hit the subscribe. button to become an official member of. club shayshay. where we always do something before. tucson.