Games with Names - 2016 Olympic Rugby Sevens with Nate Ebner | Team USA vs. The World

Episode Date: November 26, 2024

Nate Ebner is in studio! The Olympian and Patriots special teams great is with us to relive the first Men's Rugby Sevens in Olympic history from the 2016 Rio Olympics. Nate joins us on the couch (0:59). We got back to the 2016 Olympics (1:07:20). We dive into this Team USA roster (1:19:06). We look back at the Rugby Sevens matchups (1:24:10). We score it (1:53:09). We wrap it up by building Olympic teams using NFL players (2:07:40). Support the show: http://www.gameswithnames.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2025 iHeart Podcast Awards are coming. This is the chance to nominate your podcast for the industry's biggest award. Submit your podcast for nomination now at iHeart.com slash podcast awards. But hurry, submissions close on December 8th. Hey, you've been doing all that talking, it's time to get rewarded for it. Submit your podcast today at iHeart.com slash podcast awards. That's iHeart.com slash podcast awards. When I played in the Olympics and Bill had you guys stop training camp to watch me in the team room for him to do that

because I was one of the guys on the team and it was important and to stop training camp to do that. And to have everybody wear the EBNER shirts out there, like Stevie B made up and Mr. Craft support, just like the Patriots organization and that brotherhood and support like first class. What was that like when he- We did like one of those movie things.

Yeah. I mean, where you got a bunch of food and shit. Yeah. We all sat in there and we watched it. No one knew what the fuck we're watching really. Welcome to games with names. I'm Julian Edelman. They're Jack and Kyler.

And we are on a mission to find the greatest game of all time. And on today's episode, we are covering the 2016 Summer Olympics Rugby Sevens team and their journey with Patriots Special Teams legend, Ohio State Buckeye and stud rugby player, Nate Ebner. We get into talking the time I may have peed my pants. You spilled it so hard that you collapsed and I just remember you just saying, I'm pissing my pants. Do you remember that?

What it's like to have to ask Bill Belichick, hey, I gotta go try to play the Olympics. I was like waiting for his response. And right away, though, he was like, which NFL players should play rugby? I think Patrick Mahomes be a good rugby player. Oh, Patrick Mahomes can't run. And then we wrap it up by filling out an Olympic team

using what I think bias, best athletes in the world, NFL football players. Stick around for the very end of this episode. Let's go. Games with names and production of iHeartRadio. August 2016, Theodoro Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. After 92 long years, Rugby is back for the games of the 31st Olympiad. And the men's Eagles Sevens have gold on their mind. This is the 2016 Summer Olympics Rugby Sevens. Hell yeah.

Welcome to Games with Names. We have a very special episode today. This is a podcast where we talk about games. Specific games. But on this specific podcast, we're going to go deeper. Not just into one game, but a bunch of games of the 2016

Summer Olympics. And we're going to explain the game. This is going to be a this can be a platform for the game that we're about to talk about with a unbelievable, steadily to sport guy. We're gonna talk about rugby with Nate Ebner. Welcome to the show, Nate. What's going on? How are you?

I'm good, man. Thanks for having me. Well, in one sentence, why did you pick these games? Why did you pick these games of the 2016 Summer Olympic Rugby Sevens matchups? I think there was a lot at stake. I'd say that's pretty much what I'm thinking about

when I see all the games names that you guys do. We do a lot of football. We had to give rugby some love and for me this 2016 year, going off of an ASE championship, lost to Denver, two point conversion, you know, you remember that. I fucking remember. And then just going straight into the summer to try to make this team on a long shot

and go through that experience to follow that up with the Super Bowl against the Falcons. That was just 2016 was the year. So this was, you know, rugby hadn't been in the Olympics for almost a hundred years. Last Olympic rugby Appearance we saw was in like 1924 Wow so for it to be back You know this was it this is what we got to talk about is this the greatest set of games of all time

If the outcome was different, maybe I could make that argument, but it wasn't the outcome we wanted hey Nate We asked all our guests we asked all our guests now. Now, what's life looking like these days? New dad? Yeah, new dad. That's mostly what life is looking like. Congratulations. Got a little baby girl, girl.nate. Yeah, baby girl.

She's beautiful. She's awesome. She's pretty great, but early mornings. Oh yeah. And a lot of diapers. Lots of diapers. Now, do you have the diaper situation like? Handled right where you you know you you just lift their little legs up you put that thing you open it up with like

A little tea mastered and you drop that thing Bap Bap Absolutely, I mean I have a self clock going on how quick so you're like pit crew in it. Yeah exactly I always try to be myself to know No, what's your pit time? What's your diaper time? I'd say under 30 seconds is what I'm shooting. It's good. It's good My mom was pretty fucking fast. I'll tell you that right now, you know, but I'm starting to get a wiggler Yeah, we get a lot of a lot of fighting a lot of kicking a lot of rolling over not cooperating Yeah, she won't stay on the jack, you know, so sometimes you got a hog tire So yeah, been a lot of that claw the little legs. Hey, what are you doing over there?

You're getting peed on yet. Oh, absolutely every time I take her to go get a bath. Oh my god holder It's like it's time to pee. So I i'll tell you one quick story about my introduction to like being a dad daughter lily comes in and I have her in boston and It's like nap time And you know, I seen in the movies you just put kids in a big t-shirt right with a diaper. You're good I throw in there I soon learned that you should always have pants on the kid because I walk in like 45 minutes later and

She shit everywhere and took her diaper off and was standing up like looking at me at like seven months eight months nine months Like knowing she did something wrong in her big-ass shit t-shirt filled with shit everywhere You always keep a pant on the diaper so they can't just rip it off I'm gonna that's what I'm getting down to. I'm going to bank that. I almost throw up so much. She's pulling out those straps. I could see that happening.

That's why you got to put the little things on. Yeah, I'm going to do that. Yeah, I tried to do a natural thing. I thought it'd be comfortable for her. Appreciate that wisdom. That's what that is. So you're in Ohio right now. Yeah, I'm in Columbus.

Try to help my Buckeyes when I can with, you know, keeping keeping a distance where I can to because I'm not trying to get into all that too heavy. But it's hard not to with an organization like that to, to help where I can, you know, and you love ball and got a bunch of young, eager guys that have a chance to do something special. So try to be around that Working out with my boy John Simon rolling around doing jujitsu with him. He did a world tournament Of course John Simon he did that. Yeah, he did he towards tricep Did he?

First match like in 30 seconds and he was so pissed I feel bad for him, but he uh, he's pretty good at it I bet you he I mean that's what he did, he set the edge, he used his arms. He says, I can still set the edge. I'm waiting for him to call me, he's like, I'm still ready to set the edge. He can set the fucking edge. Yeah, he loves that.

But yeah, doing that, I am working with a tech company in the private aviation space, sent around, empowering brokers to be more efficient all the way around. Give them more options. Yeah, it's called Goodwin. And I'm working with a brokerage called Fly 1200 as a VP of sales, so I'm working with them there

if you need a flight, give me a shout. And then outside of that. Slot receiver money, not that money. And then working on a little movie script You know, I thought of that, bro. Huh? Slot receiver money, not that money. And then, you know, working on a little movie script for, you know, the book I wrote in 2018 or 19, whatever that was. Yeah, that's been a fun project. Awesome. What now? And I'm doing some broadcasting here soon with some rugby stuff, too.

So that's to get into TV, you know, a little bit here and there. So like, do you have like a key card at Ohio State? Do you still go work out at that gym? Yeah, finger. This is every do you have finger finger print? I'm in the system. Are you in the system? So it's like anyone who's associated with the house. Can you always go back like A.J. Hawk can go back? Well, A.J.

Hawk can go back. But A.J. Hawk is the dude. Is he? Yeah, he is he yeah, you know, he's he's one of the ultimate dudes No, not really. I mean, they're pretty particular about it. But I've who's one of the Ohio State pros. I can't go back Cardale Jones could Cardale get in there. Yeah, but not the workout Cardale's in there, you know mingling, rubbing shoulders. Does Urban Meyer have the key card? Does he, Herb? Yeah, I mean, everybody loves Herb. He won a national championship.

And you know, John Simon, you know, there's Tim Tebow, but John Simon is right there on Urban Meyer's. I mean, John Simon is adored by Herb. Is John Urban? Oh, he is. Is John Simon urban? He was with him his senior year and and herb loves John and Everybody loves Johnny's good, dude. He works hard and yeah all that but he was

You know big in the culture of that undefeated season when urban first came in but we were suspended from the previous year So they didn't get to go to a national championship. Oh But anyways, yeah a lot of was because of the autographs? Yeah. By, what was his name? Threlpriar. Could he get back in? I don't think so.

Oh, you're not working. Oh no. I don't know. I'm not in control of the administration on who's allowed in and out, but I would say probably not. Yeah. But no, there's, you know, not, I mean,

myself and John, Bobby Carpenter, we don't, there's not a lot of people there, but. Bobby Carpenter's a mayor. Yeah, he is. Is he the mayor? He is the mayor, yeah. Fucking Bobby. Bobby Carpenter always, remember how much court he used to just hold in the locker room?

Dude, he does that now. All day. Between him and John, I'm like, guys, like, can we work out? I mean, that's what we're Bobby cart man the conversation is ginger you oversee He would argue he's not a ginger. What is but he kind of has it in them. Yeah blonde Did you just know it is like 40 something and he is he looks young ripped up? Yeah, I mean, I mean he works hard He's always worked his ass off. I don't know if he's got any assistance in that but he does work hard

He does work hard. He's always worked his ass off. I don't know if he's got any assistance in that, but he does work hard. Yeah. He does work hard though. He's a great dude. Now, you got to play for Ohio State. You grew up in Dublin, Ohio. So how did you get introduced to rugby? Because Ohio, you think Ohio, you think of football. You think of Ohio, you think of Ohio State. Yep. You think of Ohio, you don't think rugby.

No. Where does this rugby background come from, Nate? The junk man himself, my dad. Your pops. Yep, so my dad, we have a family owned junkyard in Springfield. How long has it been there? Since the 1860s or even 1830s.

Early 1830s. Something like that, somewhere in there. It's been around for quite a while. 130 years. Something like that, I don't know. What's it called? Ebner's Auto Parts. Ebner and Sons Auto Parts actually.

Hell yeah. But it's like right downtown too, like in the middle of the city, like there's just a junkyard, it doesn't fit. But anyways, he played football in high school, found his way to rugby in Minnesota, just became a 70s, 80s rugby guy, like a culture guy that they'd play out in the fields,

they didn't care, they had a great time playing, he just loved, his thing about rugby was, he wanted to get his hits in and he'd say, where else can you go beat the shit out of somebody and not go to jail? So that's why he played rugby. And he introduced me to the game at a young age. I played a lot of sports.

We were really good squash player at a young age because we just did so much random stuff. Squash? Yeah, squash. Racket game. It's like racquetball, but the ball doesn't fly around, so you got to run a little bit. But yeah, we did a lot of stuff, but obviously I gravitated.

You're probably really good at badminton. Yeah, but you just can't really get that thing moving like you can a squash ball. Yeah. But like now I gravitated towards rugby. I was obviously turned out to be a decent athlete and any game at the highest level, you have to have an IQ for it. And I think that's why you see so much struggle with a lot of athletes transitioning,

whether it be a football player trying to play rugby, or a lot of rugby guys trying to get into that international program in the NFL. It's just the IQ is so high at that level. But I was introduced to this game at six. Most American rugby players start 15, 16 in high school at the earliest, so I played my whole life. So the IQ was always there, turned out to be a decent

athlete, very quickly was on the junior national team at 16 of flying around the world playing rugby and missing high school for months at a time, and just became very good at a very young age. And at that point, I started to see a path for me, you know, as a rugby player. And I kind of, you know, in high school, I didn't play any football, not, you know, not at all. Last time I played high school or last time I played football was in like seventh or eighth

grade. And I just became very serious about it and was like full time. Yeah. And then I found my way to Ohio State. Why, how? I grew up in Columbus, Ohio. You don't wanna go anywhere else but Ohio State. I thought about going to some other schools

because there were better schools for rugby, but I thought I could change the Ohio State landscape of rugby. But I had one more junior world cup. It was in college, because they changed it from U-19. So I went to my first junior world cup in Dubai in 2006. I was like the youngest player in the tournament.

I was like just turned 16, and it's under 19s. And then I played, you know, the next one, it was in 2007 in Ireland. And then they changed it to U-20s. And then I played in Wales in my final one when I was a freshman in college. And then I kind of found myself at Ohio State done playing high level international rugby.

And now I'm here playing club rugby versus. Why were you done? Because the age grade stuff had ended. So is there pros? Yeah, there were pros and there was the men's side, but I would have had to leave school and I told my parents I'd get my degree. So here I am just kind of done

with the international world cups and stuff. Just got done playing South Africa, 20 other 26-man roster already under professional contract. And then I'm playing like Indiana and the guys I'm playing with are more worried about the after party than the game. And I just got really frustrated really fast because I've worked so hard,

I'm playing against some of the best players in the world and I'm taking it pretty seriously. And I just felt like I'm not getting any better here. And so then I started to look around and it was kind of a perfect storm because- We said the Ohio State team what you talking about rugby yeah yeah who the guys are talking about after parties what was that the Ohio State rugby yeah the rugby team was more

team the club team was more worried about yeah what we're doing after the real structure I want a structure I wanted to I wanted to win I wanted to go to Nationals you know yeah I wanted all that stuff and I didn't feel like I had that coming back to me. It kind of felt like me versus everyone at times when I would play and that's just not how you play that game. So I'm at Ohio State, I'm in my sophomore year, done with the Junior World Cup stuff.

Is there a buzz on the campus about your world champion stuff? Not even a cricket. Not a cricket. You're walking down the hallways and trestles right there, you rub shoulders, I'm like, hey, sorry son. Get out of my way. Yeah, get out of my way.

Bathroom's that way, dude. No, he'd be the best. He'd be like, excuse me, young man, how you doing? And then ask me all about myself. But no, you're right. Yeah, not a cricket. So, and I didn't care. You know, I really didn't.

I knew it was kind of a niche thing and I knew what I was going for, but I started to realize I would have had to play professionally overseas and I didn't want to leave the United States. You know, I loved America. All the traveling I did showed me real quickly how great of a country we have, how much I appreciate it.

And I really didn't want to go to France and learn French and play over there. Whatever I would have had to do. So I'm at Ohio State playing club rugby in the fall of my sophomore year, just starting to look around because I need something else. I need more. And, you know, like I said, it was a perfect storm. I'm at Ohio State. It's the granddaddy of them all.

You know, there's only granddaddy of them all. There's only a couple other schools football wise that can compete on that. Yeah, it's a fucking big school. And you can't escape it. No, you can't. I went to Kent State and they were willing to leave our games to go watch the Ohio State game in their dorm.

I know, I understand. And I'm surrounded by it. Like you just had mentioned, I'm one of the better rugby players in the country. Nobody cares. And here we are, Ohio State's football is the greatest thing in the world. I thought about playing football my senior year

in high school, I kind of got talked out of it because I was really building something for rugby and chose not to. And we won the Division I state championship that year, so I missed out on that. You know, I just, everything was leading me towards fuck it, I'm gonna walk onto the football team. So like the last conversation I actually had with my dad,

we used to go work out at the ACC. You know, I was like nervous about telling him. He introduced me to rugby, I'm gonna be one of the best rugby players, blah, blah, blah. Now here I am about to tell him, hey, I don't wanna do this anymore, I'm gonna go walk onto the football team on some pipe dream.

And I broke that to him and kind of told him, you know, I want to do this because I want to go to the NFL. And he was very receptive right away. He was like, you know, if you're going to do this, do it with everything you have, no distractions. We're not going to play rugby half the time. And you know, you're going to go all in with football and we'll try to give everything you have and rugby will always be there if football doesn't work out and

The next day he was murdered at the junkyard. Oh, man. That was like the last conversation I had with him and then obviously had had a tough time with that dropped out for that winter quarter because I was struggling and Just I'll go into it. But my mom was like the most pivotal moment of my life. Kinda, I remember I was sitting on the couch just kind of zombie doubt, you know, dad's gone and mom comes in and in tears. And she's just like, Nate, like you gotta get up and go

like your dad would hate to see this ruin your life. You gotta live a life you'd be proud of. And she was crying saying that to me. And I had some friends that lost parents and whatnot. And a lot of parents wanna coddle their kids in those situations. But for her to have the strength to say something to me that not necessarily what I wanted to hear

or what she wanted to say, but what I needed, she did that. And that was the moment where I kind of woke up and I said, you know, fuck it, let's go. I need to, I need to do this thing out. Like, like we had talked about. And then like literally a month later, I walked onto the football team at Ohio State. But I was a man on a mission. It was not like some, I want to put the Jersey on type of deal. You know, those walk on workouts were crazy experience, bro. There's so many kids, there's like 80 kids there and half of them have their favorite players Jersey on. Like they had no business being there.

And you know, here, I mean, I was playing some of the best athletes in the world, just a different sport. So I could run and stuff, you know, but I'd say that was probably one of the most humbling things I ever did because I was a really good athlete, but I knew nothing about football. Cover two, cover one, nickel base, nothing. So that was hard. And for me, I was already, I walked on the winter, my sophomore year. So I was going into my junior year, I only had two or three years of eligibility. So I was like, I got to figure this out quick.

And the best way for me to get on the bus with special teams because it was like just put them on kickoff and let him eat and I and I ate in college, you know And that's that's kind of what got me on the bus. I'd say You know looking back on it was more political at Ohio State trying to play defense than it was in the league because we have such shorter numbers and You got to do everything in the NFL and Ohio State here I am a walk on, you know, senior or whatever it is, I'm taking some highly recruited kid spot. It's like, ah, maybe not. So it was tough.

I played three snaps of defense at Ohio State. I always got to mention I got a sack on one of those. Oh yeah. Well, let's go sack daddy. Big time. High percentage, Very high percentage. But no, special teams was the way that got me going. And Vrabel was a defensive coach at the time, my senior year. And I think I had that like dog look of my tape.

And then my pro day came about and I balled and got me drafted. Got you drafted. Found my way to the NFL and that's kind of how it got started. That's crazy. So rugby was on pause. I never thought I would play as long as I did in the NFL. Should I keep going with how we got back to rugby, how we got to this?

I'm just sitting here thinking, man, like, I didn't realize you didn't know any football, like cover two, cover one, zero. I thought you played a little high school at least. I didn't play a down of high school football. I didn't know anything. Special teams just came natural, go get ball. They were just like, kick it off and go tackle the guy. And I was like, I got that.

And you understood body leverage and- Yes, I was a very good tackle. Using side language. Because of rugby, I mean- Side line. When I first got, when I had my first spring ball with Ohio State I could not believe the way these kids were tackling Yeah, especially like safety coming up on like a screen and just flying with his head down, dude

I couldn't believe it. Yeah, I couldn't believe the coaches weren't saying anything. I couldn't believe different different type of tackling Totally different. I mean now when did you learn like so you came out in a open like it's just a fucking try This was not a preferred like Rudy. Yeah name on a 100% Charlie from yes 100 business 100 yeah you basically had to sign up for the walk on workout they they made the dynamic warm-up so hard that most of the guys they were like doing high knees like it was a competition and you know I played rugby at a high level I knew it was the warm warmup and I'm like, this is crazy. So I tried to chill it out.

Watching these dudes send it on some high knees. It was so funny. And these dudes were tapped before we even ran 40s. Like people were pulling muscles in the dynamic warm. It's so funny, dude. I mean, it's not, but it is. When did you, so you go through that and you do the 40 and you do the tryout stuff.

They clearly see you're good. You're an athlete. They picked 15 of us. They picked 15 out of how many? Probably 75, 80 kids. So 15 of you. And then they said, you guys don't deserve to work out with the team until you earn it.

So we went through two weeks of walk-on workouts. Now, I played in the Olympics in a very high cardiovascular, hard sport, outside of training for that, the hardest two weeks of my life was those walk-on workouts. They tried to break. What'd they do? One thing they made us do was walking lunges

across the field to the sideline and back, and no one could drop a dumbbell. And we were doing them with like 75 pound dumbbells, 65 and 75, they only had those two weights. And if somebody dropped a dumbbell, we had to start over. And I remember I would get halfway done and somebody dropped it, we had to all start over. And then we got to the point where I was like,

all right, if you're gonna drop it, just like sit on your legs, like me and one other kid could get it done. And then we ran out and we held the dumbbells, give them a break and like, that's how we had to get through it. But I could not walk after that. That was killer. And we would just do how we had to get through it. But I could not walk after that. No, it was killer.

And we would just do stuff like the team will work out at six. So we'd have to be in there at like 4 45, five in the morning, just like it was terrible. So we started with 15 of us. And by the end of those two weeks, there were three of us left. Who you? It was me, this kid named Maxwell and Grant Deziak did they and now where they and there was a kid named Rourke too So maybe four of us now when you three make it there might have been more But then by the time we got through spring ball and actually into camp there were another first time you're putting on a fucking helmet

In spring so like did you know how to put on your jock and stuff? No, I didn't I had trouble with the shoulder pads Yeah, the shoulder pads was weird to me and then getting used to like running with that was so weird I just couldn't believe it like people did that so and then when was your first moment you like I could play with these guys Because you're probably humbled as fuck when you first got out there Yeah, the way like doing DB drills because I played safety was like very foreign You know what we did a couple goal line like, Oklahoma drills where you got to go like it didn't make sense. I didn't understand we were on the goal line. We were doing the drill. And my, you know, in rugby, it's like, if you got to

give ground, you give ground until you just don't let them through. Yes, football is like no giving ground, you got to go stick the guy and like, I had a couple times where I got like, fucking teed off on it. I don't understand this concept. So I just changed your mindset and all that. And I think it was hard at first because I was treated as a walk-on.

You know, all the guys would go, the freshmen that are coming in would go, and then it'd be my turn to do a rep and the whistle will blow, the period would change, and I'd be ready to go. And everybody would run and leave me there. And I'm in a stance ready to have the coach throw me the ball, and they all just leave.

I'm like, fuck these guys. And then I'd go and stand on the sideline trying to get reps on scout team, and I'm getting ready to go out for the last rep period would end. And I just would stand there holding my helmet, and then I eventually had a talk with one of the coaches, like, get me on here.

So they put me on special teams, and then I could just, we had all these high recruits and I didn't give a shit. So I would be blowing people up. I was not the one you wanted to see in practice. Cause like I said, I talked to my dad about this. This was a goal. I was on a mission.

I wasn't there to just put the jersey on. So some of these young kids or guys that, wide receivers or whatever that don't wanna play special teams and then here we are on like a Thursday, which is like a Friday for us. Yeah. And then I'm coming through, dude. Like, oh, yeah. You know, I was that guy. Were there any were there any guys on like any of the fucking scholarship guys? Studs on the team?

Was there anyone that like put their arm around you and saw how hard you worked and saw something and kind of would talk you up? You have any like, you know what I mean? Boy, like the big name guys, because like when I got in the league, I was kind of in that same situation playing new position, everything. And like Fred Taylor came up to me once when he saw I was like mentally going crazy just on, you know, not getting reps. And one day you'd get one rep and you'd fuck that rep up maybe.

Or you know what I mean? So like you're playing math in your head all day when you're a walk on, probably like a hundred a late round guy in the NFL. And so, you know, who is the guy that like, was there any guys like that or is this just fucking Lone Ranger? You know, Kurt Coleman was someone that I looked up to and he helped me a lot. Yeah, because I was that was my first year was his senior year. You know, Boom Heron was someone I became close with the running back to your posy the wide receiver. Those guys were

more my my class, john Simon, obviously, Simon, Simon, he's getting a lot of shout out today. But um, yeah, I mean, I had to earn it. I think about john Simon, though, where was he just January six? Was he? He knows what I'm talking about in I had to earn it. I think about John Simon though. Where was he January 6th? Or was he? He knows what I'm talking about. He's probably in the weight room. He was rolling around with some guys doing jujitsu. You know, knowing him.

Thank you, Paulist. Yeah, exactly. But no, there were a lot of good guys there that helped, but I think I had to earn my stripes in that locker room. And I think my first year we started two and two and coach Trestle actually asked me to speak to the team. And, you know, we're two and two, that's not how Ohio State starts.

And here I am, my dad just died like four months ago and coach Trestle's asked me, you know, you can't say no to coach Trestle. Still can't find a way to say no to coach Trestle. So I got up there and I think I told my story and guys kind of like, Oh, I get why this dude's so serious. And then, you know, I kind of my place spoke for itself, my intensity, how hard I worked. And I think I just

gained a lot of respect early on, like, you know, when you're in college, you have like, the weight room, they'll split you up into two groups. And by the end of the workout, they'll be like'll be like pick your guy. We're going to do like a one-on-one for the whole team and you know I was like a first-year walk-on and you know they were picking me to do the push-up contest versus you know Kirk Coleman the senior Pfizer crew that's the big guy and you know so I had earned it through my work ethic because they knew like he's gonna give it all so And then as years went on, I you know, eventually got put on scholarship I was you know, kind of a leader on the team. Yeah, once it got going I mean, you know came from the bottom now you're here

Exactly. No, seriously. That's so that's a dog. Yeah, then then the NFL that first rookie year You know when they give you that playbook I knew I wasn't gonna just make it by being another guy that just came in on on special teams And I was content we had some guys that got drafted that way Scotty over draft And then they just refused to like really put the effort towards learning the defense Yeah, and I was like that's not gonna make it and you know for me with the conversation with my dad I wanted to make it stick I didn't want to just go to training camp and say I played in the NFL like I wanted to make it and you know for me with the conversation with my dad I wanted to make it stick I didn't want to just go to training camp and say I played in the NFL like I wanted to make it I wanted to

get to a second contract or something like that and uh so that rookie year you know Matt Patricia was big on helping me learn the defense as much as he didn't have to Brian Flores was a first year safety coach so him and I grew together a lot like I had a lot of help obviously Bill was like we're gonna use this guy. So, you know, Bill gave me more attention than the coaches at Ohio State did. So I knew I had it there. I just need to put the effort in to learn.

And you know, I had some moments, but I think by the time I actually figured it out, probably third or fourth year in the league, you're one of our special teams. He was like, you and Slate, like, so, and that that's kind of where I was. And then then you know you also had Devon McCordy and Patrick Chung who

were staples for the longest time and that was good for me because I just could back them up and Played a played a lot more safety in my first game in the NFL than my entire college career So I ended up, you know playing a lot But special teams was the role that got me there and that's really where I defined my career in the NFL. 100%, I mean it's the more you can do when you're a teamer. And I was kind of a teamer for like three, four years of my career, three years of my career.

I wasn't like a core teamer like you guys. Core teamer plays on everything, except field goal if you're a smaller guy. Court teamer plays on everything you're except field goal if you're a smaller guy, you know, like I was always kickoff punt return and then I had a situation where I would be PP on punt, you know If someone went down and because of that we drafted Nate Because what's his name guy hurt and I was playing PP and then two years later we fucking jar whatever we drafted you You know that you became the PP. But being a core teamer, explain that mentality

like to people, they don't understand like, explain the life of a special teamer where your job is maybe 16 plays a game, 17 plays a game, five plays a game, 17 plays a game, five plays a game, periodically through the game, sudden change, quick, out of nowhere when you have to do it, and then knowing what you have to do to back up other guys. Explain a life as a special teamer. Yeah, I think the most stressful part is probably

you're on the list of what seems to be the more replaceable guys on the team so you have like stress there because it's like you know they could get rid of me easier but I think you know the other stress is I need to know everything on defense as the free safety and the strong safety and the dime you know because sometimes I'd actually play dime and then the big nickel if we had that in so I need to know all that because if one person gets hurt I'm in on somewhere and all that stuff and On top of that as like a play caller for the special teams like the PP and stuff like, you know

Those are one play series like high stress one moment full speed and you got to be right every time every time Yeah, and it's the hardest part about playing was Every time. Every time, yeah. And it's the hardest part about playing was it's not like you go out on defense and I'm the free safety and it's a run play and I kind of get my feet wet and I'm back pedaling back there.

You release out to the outside and they throw a screen to the other side of the field. Like it's on. Then once that ball's kicked, you got to go full speed. What's good to say is controlled chaos. Yes, controlled chaos. He said a to say? It's controlled chaos. Yes, controlled chaos. He said a lot of things.

It's a crazy thing. So, you know, it was balls to the wall and it's like anything else in the NFL, it's a production thing. So you gotta not only be accurate, never make a mistake, because mistakes in the kicking game are like game changers. You know, like you block the wrong guy on punt and it's blocked like 90% chance of losing the game if you give up a block punt.

So, you know, you have that but at the same time you got to be productive and it was tough for me in a position, you know, I had to do most of my work on kickoff and then, you know, PP where I could. But like, you're not a gunner where you get that just go eat the whole time. You got to sit here and get everybody right. And I think that's something for me that I, you know, really took ownership on. You know, Bill was big on, you know, ownership with, you know, the leaders on, you know, offense and Tom and you guys making sure everybody knew what they had and the defense with Devon High and all those guys like making sure everybody knew.

And I've kind of felt that same responsibility with the kicking game and I think it was easy for me to take that role seriously when you have a coach that I mean remember we'd watch we'd watch games after the game on you know Monday or whatever and he'd show special teams clips like more than offense and defensive clips because I think a lot of times he wanted that buy-in from the team But a lot of times, you know The offense would go do their offensive meetings and if they didn't see this from him They weren't gonna see all the work slate was doing a brand of bold and brand new things

some of these guys that were making plays so he would make it a point to really show that stuff and that always made me feel good about it and made me feel like my job was important and it doesn't feel like you know, you have to be humble to play special teams when you play in a Bill Belichick team because he shows that same level of urgency and importance with the kicking game as he does with anything else. And so it made me feel like my role really was important and I kind of became a leader in that and just obviously grew. But yeah, that one play series is electric and you just got to

go. And it's it's literally every play is like, kind of like a little fight. It is, you know, and I will say this about you, when you were back there returning, though, it was just like something about the like, the interior guys were like, like Edels is back there. We got a chance. And And I'm dead ass, cause you get guys back there like, you know they're gonna fair catch it. Or they're kind of like a one cut to the sideline and they're gonna get their six or eight

and run out of bounds. Like you were trying to hit home runs every time. And I remember dude, I would just, when I knew you were back there, it would give me something a little more like to try to win, cause I'm'm like this is gonna be a clip Edels is gonna take it to the crib. I'm gonna have a sweet block I've remembered just blast and somebody got called for a block in the back like one time just trying so hard because I

game or is that that was Chung I think I think that was that uh You didn't house her or nothing. I smoked buddy, but it was like I got called for a block in the back I had very few of those so I didn't care but like you can never get see as a return You get mad and I would joke around but you can never get mad at a guy working his ass off for you Like if a guy's holding or blowing someone up like I know the two guys that got two of my touchdowns called back dane fletcher and patrick chung Am I mad? No, because you know that they're working their ass off for you to get your shit. You can never get mad at a guy trying hard. Yeah, but man, like you know you talked about you get few opportunities and I played on field goal blocks so I'd get about 20 to 30 snaps a game,

but a lot of them like you know how many you punt returns are our fair catches just because, you know, we're either rushing the punt or whatever. And so a lot of those plays don't come up. So when you get the opportunity, it's like, it's got to happen. You know what I mean? So, you know, you send it, but we're part of some weird, we had some really good units with, with you back there returning. And then in 2019, we set a franchise record for, for block punts in a season. I just remember being in there with Joe Judge. That was the thing. I would just break down the previous week,

the team we're gonna play and I'd be like, I think this guy's the fish and I think we should do this, this and this. And then on Monday, me, him and Slate would sit in there and we'd talk about what we wanna do. And a little bit on Slate there, Joe would come up with some of these joke came up with Some really good stuff, but he also came up with some crazy shit

Yeah, and he'd asked Matt and Matt would be like, yeah, I see what I see what you're saying there And then I'd have to be the guy that big Matt You don't believe there's no we're not doing that And then I had to actually be the asshole and then Joe be like what and I'd be like no Joe Like we can't do that explain that and then Slate then Joe would be like, what? And I'd be like, no, Joe, like we can't do that. Explain that more in the listeners. And then Slate would be like, yeah, I see what Nate's saying. And I'm like, Slate, come on, man. So that Joe judged the special teams coordinator.

So when are you guys talking? This is before. This is usually on Monday. So Monday before. Monday or Tuesday, I'd come in. You guys would come in and have a powwow? Yeah, yeah. And when I went to New York with Joe, it just became a habit that

I would have the breakdown ready on Monday and I would give him, you know, three to four rushes that I think we should do and then him and I would talk the next day and then we'd install it going afterward. But we started that in New England. Yeah. And, but yeah, sometimes on some, like we would do, he'd have some kickoff returns. I remember that we're just like insane I'm like Matt. We can't do this don't sit here and co-sign this Bill used to say and Joe's one of them I guess cuz he'd always Look this fucking special team coordinator is gonna do some triple fucking reverse this that he's just trying to get his name in The paper like you remember you say shit like that Joe would be trying to design shit to get fucking ESPN highlights bro. What are we doing?

Yeah. I mean, shit franchise record in block puns next year. He's the head coach of the new york times. Now what's your best slate story in those meetings or something or anything? Cause slate is, I love slate. You know, I, when I talk about Slate myself, it's usually the Batman and Robin, and he was Batman for sure. But you know, Slate was always like our spiritual flag bearer, you know, and give us the rah-rah and the make you feel. Biblical.

Yeah, and then I was the guy that's like, hey, that's wrong. Like you need to do it this way. You know, I was that guy. And we played off of each other very well well He was the put his arm around you I was the you know, you're just not gonna make it here if you can't do this Yeah, like that's the type of conversations I'd asshole and but with slate man I got from the things that would come out of that guy's mouth on the field when how good of a you know person

He is he was capable of some stuff My favorite stories are definitely in those meeting rooms with Joe, when Joe would come up with some crazy stuff and I'd look at Matt, cause I knew he was gonna just, yeah Joe, yeah, I can see what you're saying. And then I just have to be like,

Matt, we aren't doing that. And then I'm like in front of Joe and yeah, Slade's so funny, bro. But me and him I mean we went through every play together for the whole time I was there we were in every meeting together we went through the coaches together you know we leaned on each other a lot you know he I would do everything I can as a play caller on punt to try to release him as best as I could, you know. That punt protection got very elaborate

towards the end of my career because I knew what was going on so well. And usually you get a lot of young guys that just send the sniper right, send the sniper left. You know, six man box or it's eight man box or whatever. And- Solid. Yeah, solid.

Solid left. Solid left. And- New York. San Fran. But we would get to the point where I could put put Slater in motion. You know, I mean, we could bring in a seat. Don't make me bring in the dude. I don't pee pee calls today.

No, I'm talking about a I'm talking about a easy, easy. Hey, bring him in. We got corner roll over here. I see that over there. Hey, you know, you ain't getting that corner. Come on. All right. Now I'm talking about letting Slate run Now I'm talking about letting Slate run. I'm talking about letting Slate run. Get him on that gunner motion, let him run.

But no, we just, we did a lot together. The things that stick out in my mind were those, you know, outside of the field, you know, other than playing in Miami in September, running down on the first two kickoffs, sitting on the bench while, you know, you guys are out there and we just look at each other like, fuck, are you tired? And he's like, like Fuck are you tired? He's like, yeah

Like that full tilt in in September in my Miami's always tough. We lost that game. We lost every game in Miami, dude Oh, I don't know dude. I just remember a couple times they'd have the shades They'd have the sprayers and we just I'd hear Matt breathing, you know, he had that asthma or whatever, and I'd be like, good dog, and we'd look at each other, he'd give you the big eyes. His hater's over there, stole it. He'd give those big eyes, you know how he did?

And I'd be like, yeah, me too, bro, you're good. But we just, we went through it, man. He was a great player to aspire to be, aspire to compete with, and to lean on each other as leaders as we got older. And very thankful for him, he's my guy. Yeah, he's the best teammate ever. We'll be right back after this quick break.

On Thanksgiving Day, 1999, a five-year-old boy floated alone in the ocean. He had lost his mother trying to reach Florida from Cuba. He looked like a little angel. I mean he looked so fresh. And his name, Elian Gonzalez, will make headlines everywhere. Elian Gonzalez. Elian, Elian. Elian, Elian.

Elian, Elian. Elian Gonzalez. At the heart of the story is a young boy and the question of who he belongs with. His father in Cuba. Mr. Gonzalez wanted to go home and he wanted to take his son with him. Or his relatives in Miami. Imagine that your mother died trying to get you to freedom. At the heart of it all is still this painful family separation. Something that as a Cuban, I know all too well.

Listen to Chess Peace, the Elian Gonzalez story, as part of the MyCultura podcast network available on the iHeart radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Ed Zitron, host of the Better Offline podcast, and we're kicking off our second season digging into how Tex Elite has turned Silicon Valley into a playground for billionaires From the chaotic world of generative AI to the destruction of Google search Better offline as you're unvarnished and at times unhinged look at the underbelly of tech from an industry veteran with nothing to lose This season I'm going to be joined by everyone from Nobel winning economists to leading journalists in the field And I'll be digging into why the products you love keep getting worse

and naming and shaming those responsible. Don't get me wrong though. I love technology. I just hate the people in charge and want them to get back to building things that actually do things to help real people. I swear to God things can change if we're loud enough. So join me every week to understand what's happening in the tech industry and what could be done to make things better. Listen to Better Offline on the iHeart Radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever else you get your podcasts. Check out betteroffline.com.

The 2025 iHeart Podcast Awards are coming. This is the chance to nominate your podcast for the industry's biggest award. Submit your podcast for nomination now at iHeart.com slash podcast awards, but hurry submissions close on December 8th. Hey, you've been doing all that talking. It's time to get rewarded for it. Submit your podcast today at iHeart.com slash podcast awards. That's iHeart.com slash podcast awards. That's iHeart.com slash podcast awards. What's up with Bill fucking drafting and getting guys that are two sport athletes? You, Steve Neil, fucking Hogan.

What's going on? Versatility? I can't speak for Bill, as you would say. What's your best Bill story? Anything with you and Bill? I mean, that takes me to the Olympics, honestly. That's who you would say? What's your best bill story? Anything with you and Bill? My best bill story? I mean, that takes me to the Olympics, honestly. So yeah, how does this conversation go? So obviously, rugby was still in the background of my mind. I'm on the Patriots.

I thought I would play in the NFL for two or three years and get booted, and I'd go back to playing rugby. And here I am, making it work, right? We win the Super Bowl versus Seattle. We come back, you know, 2000, and rugby got announced into the Olympics in like 2009. So it was always on my radar. It's gonna be in the Olympics.

We all used to bust your balls about it, right? But we never, yeah. But we never, you know, we had to still qualify. I didn't think all that. 2015 rolls around. We just won the Super Bowl. USA qualifies for the Olympics. And I'm like, oh shit, like they're going.

And at that point I was obsessed. You know, we'd be in meetings and I'd be daydreaming about, you know, just Dyson dudes. We in Laku Laku, scissors. Scissors, switch man. But no, I just kind of became obsessed with it. And then in 2015, we made to the AFC Championship versus Denver.

Obviously that game didn't go how we wanted. 75 and sunny. And within like three days, and I was in a contract year. So I was going into my second contract after that I knew bill will be calling pretty soon and You know eventually he does and we get the contract stuff figured out and I'm like I Gotta talk to him about this Olympic thing, you know I was really worried about it cuz like previously like when I was a rookie Jeff Demps, you remember him

Yeah, he wanted to go to the Olympics and Bill was like ain't playing football if you go to the Olympics and he went and I think he actually was on the four by 100. Yeah for one, but he never played football again after that Yeah, and I was like I got a good thing going here. Like I don't want to mess this up and you made plays though Jeff he never he was too young. He didn't have enough time in the program yet. That's what I had seen from him. I saw Bill say no, and I'm like, I'm not so sure. So I'm worried about it, but I call Bill. We talk about the contract.

Now how do you, you text him or you call him? Well, he called me about the contract. So you have his number. So hey, what do you have him saved as, like Coach BB? Bill Belichick. I just have him as Coach BB. Yeah, well, whatever works for you. Yeah, what do you have him saved as like Coach BB? Bill Belichick. I just have my coach, Coach BB. Yeah. Well, you know, whatever works for you. Yeah, he won. Anyway, so he calls about the contract, we get that square. And then like, I

just remember at the end, I just avoided it the whole conversation. I was like, so Bill, like, there's this other thing I wanted to talk to you about. Did he know? No. And he was like, no clue. He had no clue the Olympics were even fucking close. Yeah, he probably didn't even know. And then I was like... He's like, what's up? He's like, what do you got?

And I'm like, so Rugby is in the Olympics and the USA qualified and I feel like I got to go do this. And I was like waiting for his response and right away though he was like, yeah, go ahead. And it was just like, what, go ahead? And he's like, yeah, I mean, I know how much Robbie means to you and you'll be representing the country if you make it and that'd be great, go for it. And I was just like, well, okay.

And we hung up and then like- Were you like, is the contract still good? Yeah, so we hung up and then like, were you like, is the contract still good? Yeah, so we hung up and then like an hour or two later, he calls me back and he's like, hey Nate, so this rugby thing, it's not like you're going sailing. I'll never forget it. It's not like you're going sailing.

You know, we gotta put some, it's not like you're going fucking sailing. Exactly, that's better. And he's like, you know, we gotta put something in your contract if something happens to you. And I said absolutely But I was at the point where I was expecting a no and then I was like I'm doing this anyway

And I was gonna come back as a free agent and to go with a contract, you know You know, I just couldn't have been I never thought it would work out that way so I obviously end up going and then You know just to piggyback that while I actually made the team and stuff, we can talk about that if you want, but when I played in the Olympics and Bill had you guys stop training camp to watch me in the team room. I mean, I want to know what your perspective was on that if you remember it, but for him to do that because I was one of the guys on the team and it was important and to

Stop training camp to do that and and to have everybody wear the Ebbner shirts out there like Stevie B made up I mean and and mr. Craft support just like the Patriots organization and that like Brotherhood and support like first class, you know, they they didn't have to do that. They'll didn't have to do that No, without a doubt. That was so awesome. I mean, we were so happy for you. So what was that like when he, cause I'm obviously in Rio, so I wasn't there, but what do you just like?

We just, we did like one of those movie things. You know what I mean? Where you got a bunch of food and shit. We all sat in there and we watched it. No one knew what the fuck we were watching really. Half the dudes are like, hey man, what the fuck this shit? Boom. Throw that thing deep.

You know what I mean? But it was fucking, it was fun. It was a team building moment to support one of our guys. And Bill was always really good about that, especially if it had something to do with support in America. Yeah, it was. You know, Bill loved the America stuff. Yeah, he did.

He, yeah. That had to be awesome to have his support though. Like, that had to be a weight off your shoulder going into Transition into a mindset of getting into the Olympics now take us through that. How did you? How did you try out someone call you? Did you fucking call them? So I mean obviously I knew some people because I was playing at a high level in the junior stuff and everyone knew I left You know rugby lost a good one to football Yeah, so I I knew some contacts alex magalbe's you know of the mlr freejacks the minority team that me and chung are with

Yeah, um, you know, he was a sevens coach before my god. This is our third team owner. That's right, baby Mark cuban back to back, uh Back to back mlr champs though. You know, yeah, we won back to back, back to back MLR champs though. Yeah, we won back to back. But anyways, Mags was a coach before Mike Friday. Mike Friday was the head coach when I was there. And you know, Mags put a call in to Mike saying, Nate wants to come. And there had been a number of NFL guys

try to go play sevens. You just didn't hear about it because they didn't make it very far. But I do. Why? The fitness is. Fitness is tough. I don't think they it because they didn't make it very far. Yeah. But I do. Why? The fitness is tough. I don't think they know what they're getting into and the IQ thing I told you about. Now, for me, I played my whole life. I knew how to play the game. But it had been six years since I played competitively at Ohio State in the CRC in sevens.

And so I hadn't played for six years. And you're playing sevens, not 15s. But you played 15s as a kid. Did you ever play sevens? Yeah, I played sevens and so I hadn't played for six years and you're playing sevens not 15s We played 15s as a kid. Did you ever play sevens? Yeah, I played sevens. What's the difference? 15 on 15 on a soccer field or seven on seven on a soccer. Oh It's that simple and it's that much space and it's a lot of running a lot of running so Especially at the international level. It's it's it's insane. So Basically, I put a call into mags. He talked to Mike Friday, Mike's like, yeah, you know, we'll see another football guy. And, um, but I had that rugby background. So I got a little bit more leeway and a lot of the guys on

the team, you know, Zach test, Danny Barry, you met Danny, they've all played against me. So they knew I could play a little bit for gotgot testy. Yeah. So yeah, testy's olympian. About three or four weeks after the aFC championship, got the okay from Bill. I'm in Chula Vista. You know, I'm over here and staying in the Olympic. First day. Are you nervous? Because you're coming off a season. You're kind of banging. I mean. Yeah, my thumb was, I did have a surgery on my thumb But like it was more like I knew what the fitness and there's no way to get fit other than just Beat yourself down to a pulp and do it again and again and again until all of a sudden you're just fit There's no fucking pill. Yeah, no potion. Yeah, you just gotta go fucking condition. Yeah, that's it

Yeah, that's exactly there is no pill and that's and it's just it was just at a whole other level And I knew what it was gonna be like but it was even more than I probably anticipated so I get there four or five weeks after the AFC Championship and They just start beating me down, you know, and I just went through and I was not in shape You know, we would do some stuff where I was really strong for six seconds, you know ten seconds Yeah, but they'd be like three minute sessions. Danny would have me fold it up by the time we were done. I'd have him at first, then I just would run out of gas.

And I really had to break through that. And that took six to eight weeks to really get where I needed to get to. And for me to play at the level I wanted to play it, I needed to be fit. Like you can't play that game, oh, you knew how to play, you're good and all that. If you ain't fit, and none of that. So you may break it out. You're not

cutting out of your, you know, breaks in a two minute drill if you're not in shape to do it without a doubt. So explain that to people that the fitness of football compared to rugby, it's not even close. Yeah. It's not. I mean, it's like dragsters versus Formula One. It's it's like, you know, it's like it's like the 100 meter dash and it's like a 400 meter dash with an up down every 10 yards. So like hurdles. Or an up down every 10 yards. It's just the hurdles is too close. It's it's a lot because you're and you never get a break and you're're constantly going, we'd have seven minute halves, 14 minute games.

You'd run over two and a half miles in that period while you're tackling people. It's just, it's a lot. So it was really about getting in shape. I'm there for two weeks. They sent me to Hong Kong to play in this invitational tournament where the main team is playing

in the Sevens World Series in Hong Kong. And I'm playing in this invitational tournament where the main team is playing in the Sevens World Series in Hong Kong and I'm playing in this, you know, invitational international tournament in some random stadium. I've stayed with some random dude from England. They got me on the back of a plane for 15 hours, just like stuck, we're used to like first class. I just got the whole experience.

You know, I had a- Super bowl to- Yeah, I had a roll with butter on it for my nutrition. I was like, Ted would love this Ted. Yeah fucking calories Ted So I do this tournament in Hong Kong and then you know someone had got hurt the next week we play in Singapore and and Singapore was my debut with the with the With the men sevens team and how was it and Singapore was like a hundred and five degrees and I wasn't fit enough yet I scored a couple times but I got smoked a couple times and I made a couple bad decisions and I wasn't fit enough yet. I scored a couple of times, but I got smoked a couple of times and I made a couple of bad

decisions and I think early on the hardest thing for me was getting out of that football mindset that Bill Belichick don't turn the ball over, you know, and you can't play rugby that way. Like, and there were a couple of times, like I remember one time I had Zach test, like I just needed to catch and pass, but I was like, this might not get through. And I kind of held it. And then buddy smoked me too. And I'm like, looking back on the tape,

it's like, you gotta let that go. And there was just too much football in me to like not mess up that bill Belichick. Don't mess up, don't mess up. And it took me a while first to get fit, but then to like let that go. And once I let that go, about six weeks, we had a six week long Olympic training camp.

It took me all summer to kind of get in there, but we had a tournament in France somewhere, so I'm traveling all over the world all summer while you guys are training. That tournament in France was like, I kind of let it all hang out because that was kind of my last one. And then we got to Olympic camp and France was like, you know, I kind of let it all hang out because I was kind of my last one. And, you know, then we got to Olympic camp

and I was like, I was fit. My give a fuck meter was really low because I had to be, and I kind of found myself. And then on Olympic camp, I really like was starting to ball. And it kind of got to the point where, you know, there's 30 plus guys, they only pick 12 to make this roster. And you know, I hadn't played for a while. I really wasn't coming on yet. It was kind of like to the point where, you know, there's 30 plus guys. They only pick 12 to make this roster. Yeah.

And you know, I hadn't played for a while. I really wasn't coming on yet. It was kind of like he can play, but he's not that. Are these guys looking at you like, oh, the football guy? Of course. You know? And then when I come to play football, I was the rugby guy. You know, I was always somebody else, but they definitely were like, you know, he's

the NFL guy. I think they were more worried about it than I was at first, but I was just worried about that conditioning. But anyways, I really came on in that Olympic camp and it was like myself and they were, it was kind of, I had to show that I was more than capable because any question marks, they gotta go with the guy who's been there.

And I think I got a lot of flack at first from the rugby community, like, oh, this is a publicity stunt to have this Super Bowl kid come in. But then once I started to play and it was like, oh, he's actually legit. It was kind of like, we silenced that pretty good in the Olympics.

So yeah, man. And then I'd say the biggest mistake of my life. If I have like one mistake of my life, one regret, because I don't really live with regrets, you know? Like that's why I walked onto the football team because I didn't want to wonder. That's why I went to the Olympics. I didn't want live with regrets. You know, like that's why I walked onto the football team because I didn't want to wonder. I, that's why I went to the Olympics. I didn't want to wonder what it would have been like.

What's the one regret? One regret is as soon as we were done in Rio, I stayed one day and I like ran back to Bill and the Patriots to come to training camp. And that was the biggest mistake I have in my life. Oh, Rio's a cool city. How did I, I should have stayed at least a week, like oh we got some team functions I gotta be a part of,

like and enjoy the Olympic experience. Like I just got on a plane like a day later. I was at training camp. You just wanna hang out at the Olympic Village, didn't you? Looking back on it, that was a mistake. How was Olympic Village? It was crazy.

I mean 8,000 athletes from all over the world. The food hall was the craziest thing because you got countries from everywhere. They don't all eat cheeseburgers. You know what I'm saying? So you got American station, you got a Chinese station, you got everything for every cuisine because people eat different stuff.

I always thought that was funny, but yeah, man. There was just, the buildings, it all looked good, but man, nothing worked like the beds were shit like the water like I that I heard they poured cement down the water pipes Of like the Australian teams, you know, they were their water didn't work They had to go to another building like it was just it was crazy now Did you walk around the village with like your USA gear on? Oh, yeah, that's all you had though was your team like as like your USA gear on? Oh yeah, that's all you had though, was your team gear. So like, as Americans, like people are looking at you

like fuck these people or like, oh they're American? Some of them were and some of them weren't. Which countries? You know how it is. What do you mean? They said fuck you. The French. The French don't like you, huh? I don't know.

They don't like us. Maybe it's a rugby thing, I don't know, but the thing in the Olympic Village is like trading pins. So you get a bunch of USA Olympic pins So like that's how the players interact with each other as they all want you try to collect as many pins as you can Should have collected a few more pins is what I'm saying, but Ran back to training camp with you guys Moses Cabrera's like we know you did a lot this summer and we're not gonna go too hard on you. I get back

I know you did a lot this summer, and we're not gonna go too hard on you. I get back, he says that to me, the next day I'm in full pads doing the bout run for time. And he didn't tell me how far to go because I hadn't done bout runs before. But he just wanted to see where I would get because- Where'd you get? I can't-

Well, he was doing a test ride on you, he wanted to see what rugby training was. I went well over 100 yards past what we were supposed to. It was close to 900, something like that. I didn't have a pace or nothing. I was just running. Then I was done and I was like, I'm actually breathing a little hard.

That was kind of hard. And he's like, yeah, you're good. No conditioning test. But I ran like 100 yards further than we were supposed to. Yeah, the bout runs. What an asshole though. Why would you make me do that?

So usually the bout run, you have to run For three minutes. Yeah, and you have to 700 back You just got to keep on running for three minutes, but you have to get at least 750 yards in three minutes or something Yeah, it's like 740 and it's like it's something like that and you got it like the skill position had to get there And I remember I went well over that 850 something was always tough for us. Because like Nate said, we're trained for 30 seconds on,

30 seconds off. Yeah. That was cake for me after what I had done. I thought that was a joke. Now, are you a better rugby player or a better football player? That's tough to say. That's a great question.

I don't know. I mean, I've never been asked that. I mean, it's tough because towards the end of my football career. I mean, I've never been asked that. I mean, it's tough because I got towards the end of my football career. Like, I feel like I knew what I was doing pretty good. You know, I had a second team all pro year. You're a great teamer played for a little bit, but I was good at rugby, man. And it just I think if I had played rugby my whole life, it would have been like, I don't know. I just lean towards rugby rugby, you know What could an NFL guy learn from rugby all these laterals? Did you see like Travis Kelsey and all these guys?

Yeah, it's like it's like really coming into the game. I think it's great I think they could learn a lot from tackling especially in space, you know it's like one thing when it's third and one and you know, it's two back set or something and the defensive line's got to take on the guys But you know some of these open field tackling, you know scallop Scallop scallop. Yeah, we did a lot of really good. Scallop We did a lot of really good stuff. Have your feet in the ground fucking guys. You're done We had a lot of good tacklers too. I bet and no end up with the patriots Oh, yeah, because we did some good tackling stuff and I just think they could learn a lot from

tackling I Think a lot of guys would learn what like really being fit is Yeah, because you know a lot of guys think they're in shape, but I mean, I guess we are for football But it's just like your ability to never get tired is the greatest feeling in the world. That is I mean I felt like that from like 26 5 To like 30 29 29 I started getting tired

Yeah Like I could see in my conditioning when offseason you start getting tired from injuries or whatever it is or you're older Yeah, you notice that the older you just are getting my body just the wheels fell off at 32 Yeah, I held on for another year and they were just completely off at 33 What's what's the difference between an NFL locker room and a rugby locker? That's what else I was gonna say you asked what could guys learn from from rugby guys and I'd say just culturally It's just like no me guys. Yeah, like they're just non-existent in the rugby world like the guys are always such good guys, and the culture's so good,

and it's such a team-first mentality. I mean, we do that, but you see the prima donnas and the NFL, and just the amount of meanness in the NFL is crazy when I see a whole other side of it in a team sport like rugby, where there are guys that control the game, but I think you really understand rugby. Like it takes everybody to make a play go.

Yeah. You know, and we get some waters. Your position seems to be the prima donnas. But like I wasn't too deva. Not you, but your position. And you know, they forget, they forget there's an offensive line blocking for Tom and you know, or whoever in the ball. Tom's throwing the ball and you got other guys are running clear out routes And then people are blocking downfield for him and then they get in the end zone and it's just like I did that

Fuck you, dude. I know There's a lot of that now. Yeah, so that that's probably the biggest thing I take away from is how vastly different the cultures are from two pretty much team sports take away from is how vastly different the cultures are for two, pretty much team sports. You know, and, you know, I'd argue though, in the NFL, you almost kids come up in that though. You got to be noticed. You got to, you know, you got to be about you and let everybody see how good you are. And we build that culture in American sports because that's what makes it big and makes money. And you know, rugby is not like that. So yeah, man, it's a great sport. You guys have fun songs you sing or anything?

You have a song like a, or do you guys drink beers with the other team and shit? The Frujacks, post game, like. Haka? No, they do like a post game song after they win and they sing these songs. Song. I don't know.

It's they're kind of hot. It's kind of hot. It's kind of like our locker room. I get on the mic before practice, it started flowing. You just ruin the vibe for everybody in the locker room. We're all getting ready to go. And then here comes Eddles and we're like, God damn it. I think it was a fucking fake microphone rapping. Yeah, just your pants on, no pads yet. Just ready to go

Everybody just you made people laugh though. I don't know if they were vibing but they were laughing. Oh Brought the juice Nate. What's your favorite jewel story? Man personally my favorite jewel story is My favorite one is I don't even know if you remember but it was like when we had a summer conditioning run And it was like me we had a summer conditioning run and it was like me, you, Slate, Devin and Pat. Oh, that's a fast group. And it was a fast group. And I just got off the Olympics. I just got off Olympics.

And Edels, and I love the story because it just shows how fucking competitive he is. But like- This is, and this is April? Summer, April or May. And like everybody's just, we're out there on like a Wednesday doing conditioning and like Slayton, Devin, Patter just like, yeah. And I was like, okay, I'll, you know, I'll chill out. And you just kept like, we did like the first two reps and you just kept running in

front of me. And I was like, don't do that. Me and you had a little beef anyway. I was like, don't do that, bro. And you're like, bro, I ain't worried about that shit. And then I just put the pedal down for like another, like, remember we would do like 80 yards, you know, 40 yards, like 150 yards. It was like, it would change, but it was like 2000 yards. Yeah. So we only had done like two reps. So we were only like 150 yards in and I was like, fuck it. I'm going to bury this dude. Cause we were, we were going at it and you were just like, man, I ain't worried about all that shit. And I pretty much sprinted the whole thing

and you were with me, but you were done, but you spilled it, bro. You, you were like, so like just the competitiveness and that cause like I really was running too. You just came off the fucking run in Olympics. I'm like, fuck this motherfucker, you ain't come out here. And then I just remember we were finishing so much faster than Devin and Pat and them in the back there,

like, fuck those guys. They can do that. And me and you were just at it. And by the end though, like I really put the pedal down, but you spilled it so hard that you collapsed. And I just remember you just say, I'm pissing my pants. This is why I'm not even controlling. I can't even control if I do remember that.

We were like laying on the control. I can't even control if I do remember that really I was so tired. I went and fucking barked up the tree and the guy who just played in fucking rugby sevens Olympics And I was like fuck this day Let's see how fast you are because I used to we used to condition we were two of the conditioners Yeah, me him and slate would condition fast. You know, yeah, we would try to get the pace You're always the rabbits. Right. And so I'm like, fuck that. And he would run, and we'd be running our thing,

and I would get right in front of him at the very end. Right at the end, yeah. Every single... And I was like, dude, I'm getting pissed. I'm getting mad too, because I'm like that too. And then we just both were like, fuck you, you know, fuck you. And then he broke me. And then I just took off. And then he broke me.

But you were right there. And then at the end, though, the respect at the end, because you were done peeing yourself. And I was like, I'm actually tired. Like, good shit. But I remember that. That's my favorite story, because you could have tapped. You could have just not been like that. And you know, they haven't patted it back in the back.

But like, nah, you just, you can't help it. That dog's just in there and it's, you just can't contain it if you tried. And I just love that. And no, but outside of that, I mean, yeah, him rapping in the locker room, just absolute clown. Just a clown, definitely bipolar, emotionally unstable to say it.

To say the least, bipolar you kind of know what you're getting into and when he's like that you just are like Yeah, he's just having a day Well, sometimes, you know what people don't realize you had a standard there. Yeah, and If the shit didn't go right I was pissed off like if I have a good practice fuck I'm mad and he's mad at everybody. Like it's their fault. You know, you just get mad like fuck. We wasn't a good enough practice because they put that standard on us. Yeah. We're in my fucking Cheerios. It ruined my morning. You're ruining everything because we didn't we didn't fucking do good on two minute drill at the end of the fucking practice. Yeah. You know, so but a lot of a lot of good stories. I was I still work.

Well, I mean, that's the thing about that culture was you had guys like yourself. And, you know, I like to think I worked hard and Slate and Dev and those guys. But like, even like a Tom Brady, who's like has every excuse in the world to take it easy. And I'm older. I don't feel like it today. Like that dude was out at practice early warming up. He was always in the facility early. Like he works as hard as anybody and it's like, that's him.

And if he's doing that, I gotta do that. And that was after five Super Bowls at the time. Exactly, and it's just like when you get that guy doing that and even Bill, like Bill did what he could do. He's wasn't a player, but he was there early. He knew everything about every position and you have this, you know, he's preaching hard work and all that, but then you got it walked out from the leadership and then guys like yourself who were big time leaders and myself who grow up in that system.

And then then then we just can't help it. We just work like that. And it just is trickle down effect. And then, you know, I go to like New York with Joe and it's just like, there is none of that. And then it's just like, you just fracture so much easier. You're just such a less resilient team because of, you know, just that difference

of how hard guys are willing to work on one end. And then, you know, I don't understand why we're working this hard on the other end. Right? And it's why we were good. Bill broke me once on those bout runs. Remember he made us do them out of the blue during the middle of a practice.

Middle of the practice, yeah. Those were tough. With pads on. Yeah, with pads on. Those hit different in the middle of practice. I don't know, why did he make us do that? I don't know. We were doing, we were,

and then all of a sudden we had to do a three minute bout. In the middle of practice. I'm sitting here, we just ran two minute minute bill. I'm dying. I'm dying. My back was tight enough You know, sometimes when you run those because you're not used to running that much that far. Yeah that long. Yeah with the weight Yeah, you know, I mean, it's what I was locking up on it. It was fucking training camp So it was hot as fuck. Yeah, and you already probably put in 5,000 meters at least in practice. I know, at least. Well, let's go back into the sports world of 2016,

the Summer Olympics. What was going on? Michael Phelps won five gold medals, one silver, and Phelps face, hashtag Phelps face swept the internet. What was, oh, the Phelps face. That was when he was staring down the South African. There was shadow boxing in front of him. Yeah, man.

He is he cool at that point. He was already he was that guy. And I felt bad for him because he's got to lead the opening ceremonies. You know, we get on the buses as Team USA. It's not like he gets private bus. He's on the bus with all of us. But some of these guys are like these athletes are just swarming him, you

know, like one picture with him signing and shit. And he's like, these are my USA teammates. But you know, so that he's just getting swarm nicest guy ever, you know, does the opening ceremonies like the next day he's got to go swim. Like just the, and I remember the opening ceremonies was like almost a week before the rugby. I was like, after the opening ceremonies, I was like, I'm tired. I'm the guy. We don't even have a game or nothing the next day. Just standing and shit.

Just standing. USA is like, United States is last because of you. We're waiting forever, standing in line to go through it. Amazing experience going through the opening ceremonies. But what he went through with the team and the attention and just how long it was and how much walking to turn around and go swim the next day, like, like, hell yeah, dude, kudos for you. Like, man, it's kind of like that Tom shit. Yeah. You know, because after a game, you got Tom, every guy wants to take a picture with Tom,, you know later in his career or fucking guy picks them wants to wants him to sign the ball

He picked from him in the game like those guys have to be create like those super superstars That are the best the greats. Yeah, they get they're such crazy component compartmentalizers Yeah, like they're kind of like psychos. My favorite Tom one was when we were in Mexico City It wasn't like players or nothing, but I just remember we got off those buses in Mexico City and it's mr. Tom Brady. Mr. Tom Brady And they're just dude Steve Kaskowski and Ryan Allen would just do that the whole dude we're dying laughing Bus to Gronk all of us were back there. Just Mr. Tambere. It was so funny, man. We said that the whole week. We beat the crap out of Las Vegas too. Yeah. Or I get, they were Oakland at the time, but I'll never forget that. Like we got off those buses and they

were just one and nothing, just Tom. Mr. Tambere. Mr. Tambere. Mexico, that was so fun. We didn't did a documentary over that. That was a cool experience Yeah, really cool. So moan Biles won four gold medals and one bronze Beast she's a beast Usain Bolt completes the triple triple three golds and three events hundred two hundred and four by one Legend yeah, he's he was tall then I thought he would be he's fucking for a sprinter Yeah, that's that's the new rate. That's the new age sprinter. Yeah. He used to be sprinters with little balls of muscle.

Yeah, no doubt. I mean, he's special. Then her, I mean, she. Hey, what up with, were you there with the Lockley guy who got mugged? Yeah, hell yeah. How's that not on here? Yeah, dude, that was the like-

What was going on with that? Give us the blow down. Oh, I really don't know. You know me, like, I don't, like, not a lot is going to sway my attention, but that was just like, so it sounded like it was a pretty phony, dramatic, attention seeking thing, but I don't know that what actually happened, so I don't want to like speak on it, but it sounded pretty weird. What did he do? He got jumped? I don't know. I don't know

I don't know what you got. I don't want to speak out. Yeah We're not gonna speak out of pocket neighbors PK helped Brazil to the the gold for Brazil in their hometown That had to be cool to watch. Did you watch any of those games? No, we went to some volleyball stuff That's what I'm saying, dude, I should eat a decky. I should have stayed For a week and watch some events I mean some old Biles husbands we got to go to miss training camp your fucking playing in the goddamn game I just I told you biggest bills. I get your ass home. He wasn't though. Get your ass home, Nate

It was my little patriot way. Oh, I'll be right back, you know, like what the fuck was I do? See, that's why we're the Patriots though. Yeah, but guys like Nate Ebner the Patriot guy. I should get back to the team Screw the most beautiful place. Yeah in the Olympics and watching the other events and maybe going to the beach No, I gotta go back to training camp and this is the year they debuted the rugby Sevens, you know, what was the coolest non-rugby athlete? Basketball? I mean, yeah, we did some stuff with the basketball team and I just, you know how Dev loved Kevin Durant.

I love taking a picture of Kevin and those guys are amazingly tall and it's like obviously, but it just was weird staying next to him. But like we were watching them practice and Kevin Durant just like kept bricking it and I was just filming it and sending it to Dev and I just like kept breaking it and I was just filming and sending it to Devon Best ever

Yeah, oh he was great he was awesome They were all great guys and they were throwing the rugby ball around with us. It was it was it was pretty cool the basketball team were dope they I don't know if they stayed in the Olympic Village now couldn't have fit in the beds like I didn't know if they stayed in the Olympic Village because they couldn't have fit in the beds. Like I didn't fit in the bed. I know they couldn't have, but I mean, Michael Phelps was that guy for me. You had a moment with him?

I talked to him for briefly, I doubt he remembers that, but like it was, I didn't want to be one of those people, but I just knew after seeing how Tom asked to go through it, watching what he did with the opening ceremonies, how kind he was to everybody. He could have easily been like, nah, like, but he was so nice to everybody. Great dude, man. And then just a dog when he got in the pool, like just dominant. Did you have any buzz being the NFL guy though?

Yeah, I mean, a little bit. A lot of guys want to talk about what's the league like, you know, I was going to play in the league, you know, everybody told me how they were going to play in the league. Yeah. Okay how they were gonna play in the league. Okay. You know? So, you know, we had a lot of conversations. Everybody was really cool though. I mean, a lot of these sports aren't, you know, on the stage that the NFL is.

So, you know, these guys, you got a lot more humble people that, you know, just are more down to earth. So, a lot of good people and just so much respect across the board because they're the best of what they do Regardless of what it was doing anything at an elite level like that is You know, you got to tip your hat to them So, you know a lot of a lot of a lot of dogs out there. Oh, yeah, I mean fuck you're That's like the the collection. That's like the dog pound. Yeah, literally the dog pound.

That's the dog pound over there. What was the coolest Olympic perk he got? Got a lot of cool swag. Got some sweet bags. Perk though? See, he NFL guy. He got perk. I don't know.

He got the Ohio State perk. When you're from Ohio and you live in Ohio State and you live in Ohio, you don't need any other perks. It's like gold, baby. It's gold. God's God's country. That's God's country. God's country. God's country. So now, I mean, yeah, we got some pretty cool swag, you know, so. Freaking let's go.

Jackie, break down the USA rugby team. I'm going to say the stage here, but they jump in and love up on these dudes and give us the context. But we talked about head coach Mike Friday earlier. There's a 12 man roster, seven play, but 12 traveled. Correct? Wait a minute. You remember I used to wear the rugby shorts to practice?

Yeah. So real quick, I'm gonna tell this story. So after the Olympics, Mike Friday wanted to come see the Patriots and how we like operated, as an organization, see what he could take from it. But, you know, we get into practice and he starts fanboying Jules, but he didn't know he didn't know who Jules is. And he came up to me, we were doing one on one tackling drill and you got a nice little

goose step on you. And Mike's like, who's the 11? Who's the 11? That's how you know, he's British, I can't, you know, do that English accent, but that's how you talk about rugby players. You know, your position is your number. And he, who's the 11? And he just kept saying that over and over.

I was like, that's Julian. He'd be like, ah, he'd be good. That guy, we gotta get him. And I'm like, I don't think so. But you would have been a hell of a playmaker, man. He'd probably some of the official Team USA things. They went up, your balls would be hanging out Yeah, I'd be raring them at practice and stuff. Yeah, it was so fun

Tea bag You'd have been an elite player in the middle of the field when We needed someone to just make a switch of direction and get an edge on somebody when guys are kind of standing still with the ball, your quickness would have been, you know, tough to deal with and you would have tackled too. Yeah, you'd have been a great rugby player. I would have been a boinger, mate. No, you wouldn't.

You would have been a niner. A niner. A hooker, maybe? Scrum half or fly half, probably in sevens. Wade, can you explain that to the non-rugby fan viewers? Scrum has a guy putting the ball in to the scrum. The 10 is the fly half who's kind of like the quarterback, the distributor. Oh, tight.

You know, you got guys on the wing that are four, three, Jonathan Jones, Carlin Isles, just stupid fast, light. But you're more of like, I know you're gonna tackle in the middle and your short area quickness is, you know, elite level. I want you in the middle. And you're gonna have a high motor, you're gonna work hard. And the guys in the middle got to run a lot to keep the spacing from gapping out.

Cause if you get tired and you just leave gaps, they hit you up the middle. So you got to run a lot side to side. So you definitely would have been somewhere in that middle space that Madison Hughes maybe or Stevie Thomas seen, you know, but yeah, you'd have been Definitely in there, you know chopping it up when we needed somebody to get a half break Hell yeah, and then you'd be doing that out the back someone's tackling you flip it

You know give fucking hit it or you give it to me to crash it up a little bit or you give it to one of Them fast guys to finish after you get halfway through. That's kind of what I did is... I had breakaway. I know you did, but... Carlisle. How fast is he? Carlin's like four two fast. Four two? Yeah. Like Jeff Dempsey. Like... Remember how fast Dempsey looked on... Carlin, I played in the NFL for 10 years and Carlin was the fastest athlete I've ever been around. He's also 170 pounds, but like you give him a little bit too much space. He's kind of like worthy. You ain't catching him.

Xavier worthy. He's fast. Yeah, but imagine that guy on a soccer. That's how big is Xavier worthy. He's 170 pounds. But on a soccer field with only seven guys defending, maybe even six, because one's sweeping. There's just so much space. If he sits you down and takes you around the outside,

it's just, their speed's different, bro. What about Tyreek Hill? His top end's, I mean, yeah, Tyreek's fast as hell. So would he be a good winner? He would be just fine. Yeah, he would be just fine. But I think he's shorter your quickness too. He's like that. He's elite. Yeah, he's easy. He'd just fine. Yeah, he's just fine. But I think he's short of your quickness too. He's like that.

He's elite. Yeah, he's easy. He'd be good. Now, off topic, if you were in prime, if we were in prime and flag football came in, would you try to go to flag football? I would. You would, yeah, I'm sure you would.

I'd be trying to be fly. I wanna go, I wanna be Olympic village. I wanna see the, I wanna see the fucking other countries or opening ceremony. That's so cool. It is cool play for Israel Yeah, we can do the Macabre against we could oh We could do it together fellow Jew and our 40s. I like it in our 40s. Yeah Yeah, I borrowed hamstring

Better we got it when we're 40 check you get into the team This is also we got a we got to acknowledge This was also the season that the men's sevens upset New Zealand, correct me 15 so 15 qualifying year. Yes, so they they played in the last World Series event leading into the Olympic year and they They they won the London World Series events. So there's multiple series events, like I said, Hong Kong,

I said Singapore, France, London was the last one and the USA had won that last tournament. That was huge, how big was that? First time we've ever won a tournament. It's one thing to finish in the top four and go to the cup rounds where you plan to go to gold, but we had never done that. So for us to do that leading into

what would be the Olympics was a really big deal. Wow. Like can you put that in NFL terms us beating New Zealand? Well, I mean in sevens us beating New Zealand is not as big as a deal as like we have yet to beat them in 15s. So 15s is the big boy. But I mean just for us to win a tournament, you know, when we've been a part of the series for, you know, 20 years and you know, we finally get into the Olympics and then USA qualifies, then we went to tournament.

I mean, that momentum was really good. And, you know, you start to see the USA really could put it together. And then you get get guys like I'll let you get into this No, no, I I appreciate you guys like guys do this thing Perry Baker Who he was two time which you don't have up here is two time player of the world So they pick a player of the series In sevens and he was he was uh, I think it was 17 and 18 or 19 something like that But he was two time player of the world as an American.

Wow. You know, so those things were so big for rugby. And then obviously we lead into the women winning a bronze medal this year. Like it's just, it's trending. How huge was that? Dude, I mean, I don't know if you watched the end of that. Little bit.

Oh yeah. Dude, so the end of that game, USA is like losing and there's no time left and this USA girl gets the ball and she basically stiff arms this other girl to her back and runs like 80 meters to score with no time left. And then she had to make the kick to win it. Yeah, but just a stiffy to the back and then everybody chasing her.

I mean, in the bronze medal match, so awesome. But it was huge because we've been in these Olympics now. This was the third one and we had medaled and you know for the women to get go in there and get it done It's just huge for the game. Who is who is your boy on the team? Who's your who'd you hang out with the most? I would say probably Danny Barrett who's not up there, which I Mean if you got 30 seconds, you need a YouTube Danny Barrett so I've been doing I've been DMing with Danny yeah he wants me to ask you about the time you bitched out see I already told I couldn't wait to say that he wants to

do that so what did Danny Barrett said? He said ask him about the time he bitched out and I physically dominated him in a wrestling conditioning So we were we were talking I was talking about that at the beginning when I first got there You know as actually had him folded up pretty good for the first five seconds But it was like a three-minute wrestling match and after like 30 seconds, dude I was done and this dude was like ragdolling me around and I'm just like fuck I got nothing that is that a drill You guys yeah, we just wrestle for this So we would do these things called yaka yards, and they called him yaka because guys would yak yeah

So we would it's 45 minutes of stations like that so for three minutes me and Danny wrestle and then for three minutes We do up downs and then for three minutes you bear crawl with somebody on your back, and you just for 45 minutes Oh, it's insane. I hate that, but I just remember training I blew it out to I was like I'm you know, and I had Danny locked up and then I'm just like, dude, blow the whistle, bro. And they're like, you're not even halfway into this thing yet. And oh dude, and then we did another two rounds of it and I just was done. Yeah. He got the best of me there. But I, since I got the mic right now, we did have in those Olympic game, uh, trial games or whatever we had, me and him had a little one-on-one tackle session with him in the ball, when he had the ball.

And I'm just gonna say I got the better of that tackle. Ooh, Danny Barrett. He also wants to talk about fake Paris and the time that a coach had to play. Fake Paris, so when we went to, so we went to Hong Kong and Singapore, we came back. And then the last two events were Paris And then London so I went to Paris played a little bit and I had a coach with

Coach I had to talk with a coach Mike Friday about like I'm not playing enough and I need to get ready for the Olympics So they brought what's the B squad which was the Falcons? So the Eagles are the main squad Those guys went on to London to play in that final tournament. I actually went with the Falcons to play in what we called Fake Paris. So they told the whole Falcons team, so we have like 30 guys on the roster,

but only 12 guys get selected for these big events, but all these other guys need to play tournaments. So they tell all these guys that aren't, you know, on the main squad, hey, we're gonna fly you out to Paris and you're gonna play in the tournament. So we're're going to fly out to Paris and you're going to play in the tournament. So we're all going to Paris. And then we go down like two and a half, three hours south of Paris in this little town called tours, tours France.

And so we just all, everyone just started calling. Oh, we're in Paris, fake Paris. So we're just, so we're in, we're in this place tours and we played in this tournament and so many guys got hurt. We didn't have any more people that our assistant coach had to put his cleats on and play in the final game. Oh my. Was he good?

He couldn't run, he's old. But it's just, that's rugby for you, guys. Coach puts his cleats on and comes out with us. Who is the team asshole on this team? Could you imagine like, Matty Pete? Chatty O putting his cleats on and going out and practice? I can't like Matty chatty chatty? Oh chatty open his cleats on going out in fact I can't both slate right now, huh?

It's different. I tower baby get high tower different, but I think it's like a place still Absolutely. He's a freak. He's still hitting 21 or something. Yeah He's a freak when you get into these games here a little bit. Yeah, the Olympics itself So 12 teams in this thing. The US is in Pool A, Fiji, USA, Argentina, and Brazil is the auto qualifier because they're the hosts. August, this is August, baby. You guys are in training camp.

EBS over here in Brazil, August 1st, they get there. And they got, let's see here 12 group play matches six group play matches August 9th 10th and 11th so three-day event so it's for us we were playing basically two games a day that's crazy with sevens two in a day yeah well some tournaments we play three a day gee now what's how many days 30 minute halves no it's just four for its two seven minute halves So it's the whole game is like 14 minutes 14 plus usually be extras Some extras, but before that you had us going to Florida

So we went down to Florida before as like a Olympic warm-up and then we met the All Blacks And it was just like us in the All Blacks scrimmage for like two days And I'd say like that's the best I ever played in My life like the Olympics was good and all but like I like played so good against all blacks Like I thought at that point I was like I need to start every game, you know what I mean? Like I played really well there But yeah, then you know, we went from there Had had a week or so in Rio and and then it's like you got three days tournament and six games

You got to make it make it pop would have been a Disney movie if you guys would beat the All Blacks in the final Yeah, well, they didn't they didn't make it the it didn't make it not to the final So why you're going to talk you through this talk us through it? So we've got this is our pool Fiji USA obviously, Argentina and Brazil. Fiji is the best team in the world in sevens. And sevens, Fiji is the best in the world. They've won. Why?

Because they just- Speed? They grow up playing that game and they've got this like connection where they'll just throw the ball in a scenario where you just don't expect it. And the other guy seems to be right on it. Their gameplay is so unorthodox but just

flow so beautifully like and they're all big and you know You know, I gotta show you the guy I was marking against when we played Fiji But so we get this terrible draw really because Argentina is coming up as one of the better teams in the world I think we were ranked ahead of them, but that's that was kind of skewed. And then we get Brazil, which is like the home nation. So, you know, they're going to come out and play their faces off because like they're hosting the Olympics. Yeah, you got it. So we start out with Argentina.

You know, they get out on us. I think I would say I think like the moment was a little big. This is the first Olympics. It's a big moment. And I think it's just like the moment was a little big for some of the guys. And they get out like 10 or 14 nothing on us. And you know, I like to say I came in at halftime was an impact player. Got it. We were winning with no time left. And I remember this. There was, there was extra time though. Like, so when we scored the try, there was still a couple seconds left. So the ref wanted a kickoff. And so they housed a kickoff. And so we did a kickoff.

We didn't kick the pair myself. Like we tried to go opposite, didn't go 10, which means automatically they get the ball in the 50 and they quick tap it. And we were just scramble mode. One guy shoots up and like no time left. Like we had the game one. We just needed to get out situational ball.

Where the fuck is our two minute defense? Exactly. You know, I was a proponent. It's like, there's no time left. Let's kick it 90 and like, let's make it. And let's make them go. I didn't because, you know, it's just situational ball. It's just something we didn't do. Anyways, they scored with no time left that that was.

That was heartbreaking. So then we go play Brazil. I think that was the game the team watched. You guys watched. I think we won Brazil. I remember. Well, I remember that game. I scored and got yellow carded in that game Yeah, Danny wanted to ask why you're so selfish for getting a yellow card in that game What do you do this guy keeps dummy it this guy is running? He's kind of like not passing I said fuck it

I'm laying this dude out and right when I made the decision He let it go and you can't do that but I had committed to smoking this dude out and right when I made the decision he let it go and you can't do that but I had committed to smoking this dude and you know I probably should have he'd let the ball go pull off and just give him a shoulder but I buried him you're roughing the quarterback and it was a good hit but I got carded and he's right I mean I shouldn't have done it was it was a bad play but you know we handled that game can't win Until you keep from losing? Yeah, until you keep from losing.

So another Bill, that's like the best one to me. Can't win until you keep from losing. Didn't make any sense until he started talking about it. So then we got to play Fiji and we know we lost to Argentina. So at this point we're like, we have to win this game because we lost this one to Argentina and the top two go through. So we have to beat Fiji and they're the best.

And I mean, you see that score we lost by five. Like we were in this game, we had this game too. And that was a heartbreaker because we knew we didn't get it done. And then by point differential, the All Blacks actually were third in their pool But they had a just a slight lesser point differential or better than us and they got to go into the cup rounds And so at that point we were out of the medal rounds because and we won the rest of our games

but You know, we lost to what would be the gold medalist in Fiji I remember that and they are in Argentina, right? Argentina goes to the semi-final match to go to the gold medal match. And they're playing Great Britain, and they go to overtime. Britain won it, right?

They went, yeah, and Britain won in overtime against Argentina. Argentina was gassed from that, ended up losing the bronze medal match to South Africa. But they were that close, overtime, to going to the gold medal match. So you would have had in our pool, both Fiji and Argentina, but so Argentina doesn't get it done. Great Britain ends up going to the gold medal match. Fiji beats him like 47 to five just destroys them. But like,

I just say that because we had a very strong pool and we had it with both teams. And, you know, I really felt like we had a really good team and we had a chance to medal it just, it just at that point got away from us, but uh Man, what a what a great experience dude now. Can you do some rugby for dummies for us? Okay, what's the score? A score is called a try a touchdown is how do you get it? You got to cross the angle, but you have to actually touch the ball to the ground with control touchdown Yes, that's where touchdown came from.

You're brilliant. And then so a try is how many points? Three? Try is five. The conversion, no, tree, try, ain't none of that. Try is five points, or a touchdown is six. I'm trying to understand this. Well, do you want me to explain it?

Yeah, okay. A try is five points, and the conversion is two. So in football, the touchdown is six points, the extra point is one. So in football the touchdown is six points the extra point is one. So in total you get seven like you would in football but the conversion is harder. So if you score in the corner you don't get to kick from the middle of the field like in an extra point in football every time. So you have to actually go from the sideline if you score on the sideline you have to pull it straight back you pull as far back as you want and then you got to drop kick

it in sevens through the uprights for the sideline. Now, if I cross the goal line, close to the sideline, and I'm like, fuck, I'm not a really good kicker, so I gotta bring this thing to the middle. Oh, you wanna go to the middle every time. So I'm going to the middle, but what if I lose the ball in the end?

It's not worth that, you know. So if I lose the ball, is that considered? Yeah, you know, we'll get it. You can't win until you keep from losing. Yeah, absolutely. We need those points. Touch it down. But like sometimes you got to try to get it to the center to make the kick easier. But at some point you got to just like trust the kicker to make the kick. But like, yeah, you got to touch it down or it's not a try. If I picked you up or knocked the ball out of your hands and took you out the back of the end zone, like, you know, it's gonna be a hard ball. Yeah, sort of.

Okay. Anyway, so you basically, you pass backwards. No lateral, or no forward. No forward passes. The ball goes backwards and you run forwards. And basically the reason the game continues to flow is because of what's called a ruck. And so when someone gets tackled,

they place the ball back towards their team. There's a ruck, which is a competition over the ball. The defense tries to steal it, but the offensive guys, you know, seals it, the support play and scrimmage and then the ball gets played away and the ball is the line of scrimmage in that sense. So once that tackle gets made, we have a new line of scrimmage ball gets passed out, run around, pass, pass, pass, tackle gets made, new line of scrimmage. And so the defense always has to retreat to that,

you know, back foot of that rock every time there's a tackle and you just continually flow. And you know, that's pretty much the gist of it. Now there's- What's the most complicated rule? Like for like dummies. Oh man, what's the most complicated? I mean, you know, they just implemented the 50-22 rule

that's like, if you, they just implemented the 50-22 rule. That's like, if you kick it from behind the 50 and it rolls out of bounds behind the 22, which is the red zone, you actually get to keep that line out. But if the ball goes out on the full, the other team gets the line out from where you kicked it from, I'd say like line out rules or like rock penalties

and fractions where like guys' hands are on the ground or scrimmage penalties for me Are stuff that gets confusing be like offensive line You know technicalities with cut blocks people don't understand. Yeah, what's legal and what's not? It can get messy, but ultimately you pass backwards you run forward someone gets tackled. You kind of reset it played away It's like basketball man. It's free flowing. You know, it's fast. It's fast break basketball to me. Like sometimes in basketball, it's five on five.

You get a set piece. You know, we call it pick and roll and you know, you could shoot it, you could pass it. And we call that off of a scrum. You got a switch. You called that earlier. Maybe you give that, maybe you dummy it. Maybe somebody comes on a short line.

You kind of have these suggestions, but you take what the defense gives you. That's what basketball is. And then you have these like fast break situations, you know, two on ones, three on twos, and you just got to pass and whatever. Hockey. Yeah, hockey as well. And you have a lot of that. You try to find those fast break scenarios and exploit the space. But then the corner is like soccer. The corner.

Yeah. Like if there's balls getting thrown in corner. The line out, if the ball goes out of bounds, it's called a line out. Over the head? Yeah, and that's like a jump ball, and that's not like a corner kick at all. Now, that's what you're talking about. Didn't we used to have, didn't Joe Judge design

a fucking on-site kick where you were gonna, after a safety that you had to fucking drop kick? Yeah, we did that was terrible It's like just take it over the front line. We did against Philly Yeah, we did against Philly chip Kelly's the OCEA Ohio State right now, too And he's like I remember you when we played played against you guys you did that drop kick I'm like man the one thing you remember come on. It's like that terrible play I kicked a drop kick in that game and an onside kick off the tee

You enjoy some and Jamie Collins was supposed to be the jumper and he got hurt in that game and an onside kick off the tee. And Jamie Collins was supposed to be the jumper and he got hurt in that game and I actually like felt like I kicked a really good one but like we didn't have that Jamie Collins out there and it just was like anticlimactic you know when we would catch onside kicks and just walk off the field. But yeah we did a lot in that game and we had returns where somebody pitched it to me and I'd rip a rugby pass across the field. Remember we did some? Yeah, on the desperado shit. Desperado where I'd be in and- Desperado would be our last play of the game.

Yeah, so we tried a lot, never came up. That's bullshit that coach let Doug Flutie kick one and he didn't let you get one. I was practicing some extra points. I remember that. He wanted me to do it and I was feeling good about myself but I never got the call. Come on coach. Yeah. You know just foundational pieces are success. Throw him a bone. Throw me just hit a drop kick. We're up 24 to 3. Like let me hit a

drop kick. Can you before we we go after the Fiji game you had a try almost right? I did score try. Yeah, take us through that I was off a restart. I can't remember. I think they might have kicked us or I don't remember who kicked off but Basically, one of our guys caught it made a quick Guy miss or low and the guy was hanging on his jersey and I just came flying off his hip and he just gave me A little pop and then I just kind of his Jersey and I just came flying off his hip and he just gave me a little pop. And then I just kind of went through and it was like a 60 meter, maybe 50 meter or something like that, just run.

But we had, it was had to have it. So I was like, pedal down, you know what I mean? Like, fuck saving my gas. Like when you play that game, you got to think about when you expend it. Like a full tilt run, full out everything. Like it's hard to come back right away to go play at a high level. And then you gotta go tackle.

But I was like, we got a score and kind of like a kind of a freebie, but I finished it, you know? So I felt good about that. And when you scored that, you think about your pop. I think the first one against Brazil, when you guys watched us play Brazil and the line, like there's like the little details of like rat running that you know, that is really nice that no one will understand. I had like a setup pre catch that put me through the hole

and then just a little stiffy and I was through and it was just a great pass from Madison Hughes. And I got through and you know, I just had scored a try in the Olympics and that was the first one. And you know, that was the one where I was like, hell yeah. The Fiji was like, fuck dude, we need to win, you know, like hurry up and kick off again. I was too in the moment. But uh, yeah, that's that score. That's awesome. It was dope. You should look up Tuivosa. T-U-I-V-O-S-A Fiji rugby. Look at this dude's thighs, bro. Like whatever you think

of Saquon Barkley, like, like this dude, this is the dude I had to mark for Fiji. He was playing 12 and I was playing 12. Look at those legs. Yeah, whatever, whatever you think of Saquon. That's like, that's what Saquon would look like, I bet. I was, me and Say were locker roommates when I was in New York. Yeah, he had some monster legs. That's what he looked like. He looked just like that. Okay, if you put them short ass shorts on say, oh yeah look like that Yeah. Oh my gosh. Yeah that dude was a guy. He got high tower calves, too You don't even know where to tackle someone like that. Yeah, that's how those knee bones probably hurt You just gotta let him slide by and get on the back of it. Yeah, that's what you know

Let him get off the soft shoulder and then you do the hip top those things. Hey, they know hip drop a fucking rugby I'm here dropping them legs. Yeah, that dude was I'm a hip dropping. But that was the Fijian team. You had guys like that. Oh, my God. Some grok six foot, six dudes that could run. It was crazy, man. They were they were they were a level above everybody else.

But you know what? United States with a teaspoon of fucking cement. First time in the goddamn tourney, first time recognition of any kind of rugby success. You know what they do? I say, fuck that. See that guy over there with those fucking tree trunk legs? I was scared of that. We're gonna battle these bastards.

That's right, baby. That's what we did. We did, we did battle. Battle them to the very end. We did, they got, we, we. Like it was 1776. We had a line out at the end on july 4th Jesus

Bombs were bursting in the air But you could see that little flag just hanging up there in the in the with the bombs bursting the background Smoke the fire and the bombs the bombs are bursting. Don't make me start singing it The bombs are bursting. Don't make me start singing it. Oh, Jose. Oh, my God. Getting real patriotic in here. What's the aftermath of this, Jackie?

Fiji would go on to win the gold, as Nate mentioned. But TUSA would win out. They would win out smack in Brazil and Spain, 24-12 in both of those. Fiji would also go on to win gold in 2020, silver in 2024, lost to France. Team USA finished three and two at the Olympics. Carl and Iles, we mentioned earlier,

finished most tries in the tournament. Nate would go back to the NFL, retire in 2021, and then Team USA, in the Olympic sevens, they'd be back in 2020. And again in 2024. Say going back to the NFL after, you know, worrying about should I go play rugby? Am I gonna have a football contract? And like, am I even gonna make the team to like making it,

playing well, being healthy? Like my give a fuck meter was so low when I came back and I was super fit and I could, all I did was was tackle all summer like I was in such a good place that year and obviously I had a really good year led the league and special teams to have a second team all pro and you know we won the Super Bowl that year and I will say I'm the only person to play in a team sport in the Olympics and won a Super Bowl in the same year. That's it. Oh yeah. So I mean that's a testament to being a part of a good team. So lucky to be a part of the Patriots for as long as we were. We were lucky to have you.

We were lucky to have you in our locker room. And it brings me back to that conversation you had with your mom. After all this, this year, did you accomplish what you set out for? Yeah, I think like I said after the the Olympics, you know Obviously was into a second contract in the NFL played in the Olympics Kind of just you know, even when you go back to that walk-on at Ohio State

It's just like if you give everything you have to something like you're capable of getting it done you just have to be willing to sacrifice everything and you know, that's kind of what my mom got out of me was like Time to fully commit to something and give it your all and you know I did that again and again whether it be with Ohio State or the NFL or with the Olympics and you know That kind of proved to me like What I or anyone is capable of if they're really willing to give everything they have to something.

And I came with a lot of sacrifice. But chasing your dreams is worth it for sure. And living without regret, because you're wondering about what could have been and what would that have been like, like, fuck that, send it, go for it and see what happens. And at least in that scenario, you'll be able to put your head down at knowing hey, I gave it everything I had I didn't make it in the league I didn't make it on that Olympic team. I tried didn't work for me

You know, there's a lot of good players out there some of the best in the world, you know shit happens. Yeah So we've got so many people could take so much from this I mean the cards you're dealt with your father and the stuff that you've been through, that was a big fork in the road of life. 100%. And people need to hear your story more because a lot of people go through shit like that, whether it's different situation of some form of fashion,

of some kind of adversity in their life. And it's people like you that give people hope, man. I remember I learned that story, man. Because not everyone knew that story about you when we were fucking playing. Like you opened up to me and it was like, man, now I understand. Because you always did have that look in your eye,

like it's this or nothing. Yeah, I'm willing to die for this shit. And willing to die for this shit. And that can go, that could be said, that could be seen by a lot of people, man. And it was so inspirational. I appreciate that. I mean, you're right.

That fork in the road was real. I mean, I was close to going the other way. And my mom was probably the big reason why I didn't. I mean, I contemplated, you know, going back to the junkyard, just beating up robbers. That's what we did when I was young, was just chase robbers. I was gonna do it by myself.yard, just beating up robbers. That's what we did when I was young was just chase robbers. I was going to do it by myself.

I was on the edge and that she brought the best out of me. And I'm always going to be thankful for that moment. That was huge. I'm going to call my mom after this. It's like Billy Madison. I love you, dad. I love you, mom. Does what I mean? I love you mom. Does anyone know what he's talking about? I don't remember that part in Billy Madison.

Maybe I'm way off. Just go with it though. I'm with you. Call your mom dude. Always. Now I got a quick one. Would you give up one Super Bowl trophy for a gold medal? Yep. I've never been asked that but that was a quick yes in my mind. I wanted that so bad, bro. Um, and I thought we had the team to do it and that we, we, we did, and we just didn't get it done and you know, those opportunities don't come up a lot. We were so lucky to, I mean, how many Superbowls do we go to? You know, you know, and it's like for just the opportunity to go, let alone

when the ones that we, we did win, but you know, I, I didn't get another opportunity to do that. I wanted, I actually went to go to the Olympics in 2020 to go back. Now with those knees. No, I was good in 2020. I was good in 2020. They can't, they canceled, they canceled the Olympics because of COVID. Yeah.

It pushes 21. And the you cancel those knees years ago. Then the knees were shot. The you ain't getting it. You ain't play the young man's sport. Yeah. 2020, we were hurt. I believed. Got to believe. I believe I got to believe. They're like, get out of here, bro.

You're old. You can't even bend over. You're out of here. Now, Nate, people don't also people people don't know Nate's a Jewish athlete. That's right. And we always had a, we kind of clicked up when it's kind of like if we were in prison or something, we would be the only two Jews locked up together. So like on the low, we would always kind of like, hey, there's not a lot of us, but we got to defend each other.

Are you going to fast this year? No, we don't have to. All right, man. See you later. Remind me to call my grandmother. Young Kapoor. Who's your all time, who's the Jewish athlete on Mount Rushmore?

I mean, that's for me, like just with my dad and he loved the Olympics and stuff, I automatically go Mark Spitz. Just because he loved swimming, my dad swam. He looked kinda like my dad. And Mark Spitz was a G back in the day. He was the Phelps of it. And that guy I gotta go with for sure,

you know, the other one. Sadie Kofax. Yeah, I mean, you gotta go. I mean, that's just. Where's our guy? Sid Luckman? I think it was Sue Bird. Sue Bird. I think. you got to go. I mean, that's just where's our guy. Sid Luckman, I think was Sue Bird. Sue, I think she's up there.

She's she was. Oh, I mean, she's on the tribe. Yeah, she's a tribe member. I mean, oh, my God. So those two, I mean, cofax and honestly, I don't know that we're allowed to do this, but like, well, yeah, fuck it. I mean, you got to be on there for me. I mean, you're be on there for me. I mean, you're Super Bowl MVP, Super Bowl wins,

I mean, elite. My dog, you're on mine. Thanks, brother. You're too sport fucking, you're Olympian NFLer. See how, see how Jews, you know, we got each other's backs. You scratch my back, I'll scratch your back. The funny thing about my back is.

It's located on my cock. I thought that was rhetorical. I didn't know we actually had to say it. I was going to say my back sore. I lifted yesterday. And what are you talking about? Let's just say Jack had to get reprimanded for Deshaun Watson joke on that recently.

Oh, well, HR. How do you think Bill can coach rugby? I think Bill could coach taking a shit like he the way he would analyze and he, you know, he's very, you know, type A or whatever you want to call that where he's just like kind of introverted, but like super obsessive and meticulous. And you know, he could tell you how to take a shit

while being efficient, but saving the most TV at the same time. Yeah, he could teach rugby for what their situational shitting like Yeah, you got ten minutes to shit like I can understand but like we have 30 seconds to shit You got to get it out on white. Yeah, can't beat yourself your pants gotta be undone before you sit down Before you walk in the room, how are you Are you watching him on TV? Yeah a little bit I mean, you know, he's he's bill He's getting a little better. He's getting each week when he starts talking about certain things like you could tell I

Texted him actually. I was like I never thought I'd see the day. Yeah, it's like me neither man, you know but he's doing a great job and Yeah, I learned so much from that guy. Like I said, that rookie year was so big for me with not only like B-Flo and Matty P and them and Scottie O, but like Bill, man. Bill taught football all day, every day. And absolutely he could teach rugby.

He could teach anything, like I said. So he was the best. I think to go through my story, I think, I don't like to give credit to luck for much of anything in life. I think you earn it and you work for it. And I definitely did, but some things were lucky. I was lucky to be pretty healthy throughout my whole career

and a lot of guys aren't. That was one. And I was lucky to have the men in my life that I had, not only a father figure like I had that was a very special human that taught me how to be a man, but I went to Ohio State with Jim Tressel, highest character human being ever. Him and Slater are my two on Mount Rushmore.

And then I go to the Patriots with ownership like Mr. Craft and a coach like Bill Belichick, you know, look at how many guys go to teams with new new head coaches And it's just they're in such a bad situation and that was something I was very fortunate To have the coaches and the men in my life that I had so yeah, I love Bill. I love Bill, too I got I have nothing bad to say Bill is the best. I wouldn't say he's the best He's definitely a goddamn asshole who cares that I fucking love them. That's holes are great. And I mean I always say you're an asshole I'm an asshole at times So you're just a bad person cuz you know, no tough love. I'm not saying that love is the best

I've been like one of the few to have his back through the whole Kitten caboodle of everything. That's why I wasn't on the goddamn documentary. I've been like one of the few to have his back through the whole kit and caboodle of everything. That's why I wasn't on the goddamn documentary. I didn't talk enough shit. Yeah, I mean he he had the team, you know, his best interest. He put everything into it. He looked out for everybody. He held everybody to the same accountability.

I mean exactly what you would want from a leader if I had to go back and I mean, it's just he was first class. What about Ernie? I mean, Ernie's just special. Ernie's just special. You have any Ernie memories? Nothing funny. I mean, just the just the the Malcolm Butler play we ran in practice that he drew up. I mean, he drew that play up and then we then it comes

and Malcolm got smoked in practice every time. Josh Boyce pissed off watching in Arizona and If they see this play we're gonna lose and then he picks it off And he gets the biggest play of his life like and that's all Ernie drew that shit. I mean, you know, I remember yeah So Ernie fell down hit his head. Yes. Yes. That was that he fell down practice with stitches Already came out and he finished the fucking practice. Coached her. Yeah, he looked like if I got to be a mummy.

Yeah. And fucking very, very. Play. Yeah. Yeah. It was hilarious. Now, check. We miss anything. We had a group. We had a great episode, but we got to give a little shine to Alex Cedric of the Women's Sevens scored that last minute try against Australia in the bronze medal match. Shout out to her. Alana Mar, all those girls. Isn't there a rugby girl on

Dancing with the Stars? Alana Mar. She's killing it. She's been killed. I've seen her everywhere. Might be her first Dola. Her highlights actually rival Danny's. Oh, she, she puts the boomstick down on everybody. Hit, hit stick. Yeah. This is 2007 Madden. Hit stick. Hit stick. We got to get her in the Nud House, man. I got to get her out here. She's elite.

She plays the game violently. And it's a violent game. You like to see people remember it's a violent game. She does that. Are girls going to be able to compete for the gold? I think so. I think when you start talking about that top three, you're in it. Sevens is anybody could win on any day.

France won the gold in the men's this year. I mean, they were favorited because it was in France, but they weren't really. I don't know that they were in. I mean, I guess they had DuPont come in, so they were better than they usually are. But they want it. Yeah, I think the women are absolutely in contention to not only repeat meddling, but we want more. We want the men to keep up with them and get one too, but we want somebody to get a goal.

We don't care who it comes from. Without a doubt. Heck yeah. We want rugby to keep going forward. And people like Perry Baker, Danny Barrett, all the ones before, all them and Alona and all them, they're pushing the game forward and hopefully the game's in a better place because of them.

Nate Ebner at 13 years old walked. So what's your name? Alana Mar. Alana Mar could fly. Let's go baby. Nate, thanks for teaching us rugby. Let's aim the game. I appreciate you educating us today, man.

Seriously. We'll be right back after this quick break. On Thanksgiving Day 1999, a five-year-old boy floated alone in the ocean. He had lost his mother trying to reach Florida from Cuba. He looked like a little angel. I mean, he looked so fresh. And his name, Elian Gonzalez, will make headlines everywhere. Elian Gonzalez.

Elian, Elian. Elian Gonzalez. Elian. Elian. Elian Gonzalez. At the heart of the story is a young boy and the question of who he belongs with. His father in Cuba.

Mr. Gonzalez wanted to go home, and he wanted to take his son with him. Or his relatives in Miami. Imagine that your mother died trying to get you to freedom. At the heart of it all is still this painful family separation. Something that as a Cuban, I know all too well. Listen to Chess Piece, the Elian Gonzalez story, as part of the MyCultura podcast network, available on

the iHeart radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Ed Zitron, host of the Better Offline podcast, and we're kicking off our second season digging into how tech's elite has turned Silicon Valley into a playground for billionaires. From the chaotic world of generative AI to the destruction of Google search, better off-liners are unvarnished and at times unhinged look at the underbelly of tech from an industry veteran with nothing to lose. This season I'm going to be joined by everyone from Nobel-winning economists to leading journalists in the field and I'll be digging into why the products you love keep getting worse and naming and shaming those responsible. Don't get

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The game. Okay. Name the game. Rugby is back. The return of rugby sevens in 16 or do you have a name for this specific Olympics that you want to call it? I mean rugby in Rio rugby in Rio. Perfect.

I'm not. I'm not really like a. Darth Vader, so the rugby in Rio or the return of rugby is not going to hit for me. But yeah, I'll do rugby in Rio because I love it. Rugby in Rio score the game. Is this the greatest game of all time? Let's score it. Stakes zero to 10, one to 10 decimals. OK, the stakes. I mean, these rugby's.

This is the Olympics rugby games. This is the Olympics. It's the highest stakes there is in rugby right there. And then not to mention rugby hadn't been in the Olympics for almost 100 years. 100 years. This is as high stakes as it gets. We just talked about all the people that did it before us.

I mean, the stakes got to be a nine eight for me, a nine five somewhere high. For me, if it was a gold medal match, the stakes would be higher. That's fair, that's why it's not a 10. You know, if gold medal match. I guess I'm putting the whole Olympics in as one. This is not a judging.

I think we did the American team in the Olympics. That's kinda how I was taking it, yeah. I'm gonna go with an 8.1, which is a very integrity type score Six seven I Seven three seven three star power zero to ten decibels. Okay, are we talking? Okay, are we just talking the world of rugby or all sports of all? Mean because when you guys say stakes and we're talking about rugby, I mean, a six, seven, like you might get slapped for that.

Yeah. I think my ignorance is showing here with the, but if we're talking about Super Bowls and Stanley Cubs and everything else, then okay. You can make an argument still the Olympics, but you know, people wait four years to do that. You don't get it every year. Without a doubt, without a doubt. It was the gold medal match.

I just want to know what we're talking about. That's fair. That's fair. Star power for me. Without a doubt, without a doubt. If it was the gold medal match. I just want to know what we're talking about. That's fair, that's fair. Star power for me. Gold medal match. I mean, I'm living in the rugby world. There's a lot of stars there too.

There are a lot of stars, a lot of stars in the Olympics. I'm going to go with an 8.3. 8.3, the Walker score. I'm going to go with a stars there, an eight flat. I went five seven. I'm bot go with a Stars there an eight flat Five I went five seven. I'm botching the score guys. I'm just gonna Russian judges want to fight and EBS is mad I'm not mad. I'm feel disrespected and that that's a whole different that I hate that. Yeah, you should I hope you're you know Shaking a little bit of gameplay of this um

Shaking in his boots gameplay as an excitement or excitement back and forth games Yeah, we had some we had I mean we talked about us specifically we're talking about Phelps. Are we talking about we're talking rugby Okay, you know sevens. I'm gonna go with seven Talking rugby. Okay, you know sevens. I'm gonna go with seven seven point five I've seen better gameplay I was just so excited when watching this I'm gonna give it a seven point eight nice. What about you guys? 6.5 again, I'm sorry guys. I have some point seven honor of rugby sevens. There it is. I like that in honor of rugby sevens. There it is. I like that.

That's the whole rugby community. Why didn't I think of that? Hey, you can change it. No. The name, you have to score the name. Rugby in Rio. Rugby in Rio, which comes off the tongue real nice. It does, good alliteration.

Comes off. Also the cultural impact. The cultural impact. Rugby is back in Rio, 100 years, 0 to 10 decimal, okay. I mean, I came up with it. I gotta think highly of myself here. Bad name. 85?

85? Is that a good name? I don't even know, your name's good. It sounds like a Disney movie. I'm gonna go with that 8.2. Okay. It does sound like a Disney movie. Oh man, again, 3.0, I'm sorry guys.

3.2? The entire rugby community's gonna have to count. They want me to get off the count. I stand.0, I'm sorry guys. The entire rugby community is going on top. I stand by it. I'm done. What is this? How did they score that before we even came up with their name? They're cowards. Yeah.

No, I stand by it. I'm such a coward, I don't stand by it. So it's a 6.88. That puts us... Where does it go in the games that we've done? It puts us just above the Legion of Boom game, Super Bowl, God, I don't know. Seahawks versus Broncos.

And just below the 2011 AFC Divisional Round game, Broncos versus Patriots. What was that game? That was the Tebow. Who, what do we talk about? They had six touchdowns with Rob. Oh, with... Fucking Rob wanted to talk about Tebow.

I forgot about that. You gotta wanted to talk about Tebow. I forgot about that. I was gonna think, remember when we played Tebow? Like, yeah, he's like, let's talk about that one. I'm like, let's do it. Remember when he was on our team? Yeah, remember when Nico Koudavides went up to him? Right away, asked him like, hey. Yeah, you actually like.

Man. I loved that. Nate, did we miss anything? Nah, man. That was fun. You taught that. Nate, did we miss anything? Nah, man. That was fun. You taught us. No, this is gonna be great because this is gonna educate our listener, which is probably notoriously the big three,

football, baseball, basketball, and hockey, actually the big four, and soccer. Actually, we got soccer in there. And wrestling, wrestling. So we're gonna broaden the horizon. WWF, of course. We're gonna broaden the horizon, WWF of course. We're gonna broaden the horizon of rugby more because I see it a lot more than when we watched you. Because I mean, when you came on our team,

we all got real comfortable and familiar-ish with it. And then when you played in it, then you grabbed naturally. Like I don't know if the algorithm in my fucking TV or something I just feel like I saw it more or it's been being showed more and With the success that we've been going to Olympics and having it's been awesome I think a little bit everything if there's anything we missed I would say, you know, I get asked a lot of times You know could football players play and we talked about some guys that would of times, you know, could football players play? And we talked about some guys that would be great. You know, Travis Kelsey seems to think like, you know, rugby guys

couldn't play football, which might be the case or rugby is easy. I think. When did he say that? I don't know. Something came out with some negativity towards, but like, I'm just saying he's a good athlete and all, but he would get circles around him very quickly out there and now he'd be good and all that, you know, young Kelsey. I just, that gas tank ain't gonna last in that one.

And maybe he'd have to, he'd have to earn it. I don't know. I just think to just make a blanket statement. How did he say about rugby? I just, I don't remember and I'm not going to quote him, but it's just, it's going to be talked about if you're calling out Travis. I think Andy Reed could scheme him open out on the rugby field So now you know and now Andy Reid knows how to coach rugby damn

I think Patrick Mahomes be good rugby player, bro Patrick Mahomes can't run with these dudes Carlin Isles you think Patrick Mahomes is gonna tackle Carlin Isles. Are you kidding me? I think Jamie Collins would be good my point being is My point being is the IQ of the game that we talked about earlier, like the fact that Travis thinks he would just go out there or whatever, like that football players would just go out there and just,

like there's too high of an IQ to do that. A lot of football players have tried and it just doesn't work like that. Now, not to say they couldn't eventually get there. You ain't walking out there and fucking with those dudes. You know what? They're at a high level. I'm with you.

And Travis Cousins is amazing at football. You are, but I just don't. You know what this reminds me of? When Meryl Streep won some award one night and I'm watching it, I'm a huge Meryl Streep fan. And she called out football and fighting and athletes that were not real art. I kind of feel where you're a little hurt right now.

I just know after playing both at a high level. I felt, one of my favorite actresses calling, she like lumped us up like UFC and dumb football, people that like football or this, that, they don't know the real integrity of art. I'm like, how is this not art when I'm doing my body the way I'm doing? Yeah, absolutely and

Some of the stuff these guys do and after playing in the NFL and playing at the highest level It's just like you got to give you respect dudes that throw darts at the highest level. I can't we can't throw darts I think I can throw darts. Hell see there we go. We just got guys. I think they could do it I love that you think you can do that But those dudes are special. And anyone who does anything at the highest level, you gotta give them a little respect for what they do. I don't think, is it tongue in cheek by Travis maybe?

Probably, and I'm giving him a hard time, you know, maybe. But- Are you a little sensitive right now? I'm sorry, rugby's my baby. I gotta protect it. It's your kid. You know what I mean? So, you know, I just, but those guys are special.

I've been with them, I've seen them, and I know how good they are and how hard they work, and I've seen both sides of it, Denifle and that. And like, these dudes aren't slaps, like these dudes are truce. Now, if Tyreek Hill grew up playing rugby, yes, he would be elite. I mean, I can't argue that.

So would Travis, you know, but like, you didn't, so don't say you'd walk out there. You know, I get it It's it's kind of like it's the conversation of our best athletes. Don't play soccer LeBron James playing football You'd have a hell of a red area package. You just wonder is he gonna play 16 games You don't need him 15 plays a game. They'd be three touchdowns point being that's the conversation I get you know, how's Travis Kelsey's lateral technique cuz he I mean he throws it he does. I mean he's nice with all that, you know, it's Don't get me going I

But I respond good about his teammate Lewis Reese. Damn it. Isn't he the rugby players? Was he good dude is electric dude is one of the best rugby players in the world He can't run routes like you can yet. I mean he has to learn how to play the game Yeah, and maybe he will get there. I don't want to I don't want to say he can't cuz he's he's electric He's super athletic but like I talk about people talk about him all the time with me and I talk about you the IQ of knowing is it man or zone? Where am I gonna sit? Tom's gonna know what I'm thinking.

Like that level, before you even talk about anything physical and your ability to like sit a receiver down or play against his leverage and really create distance. Like, what are you thinking? You know, do you even recognize? There's so much into it before you even get to that point. That's where he needs to get. And he's one of the best in the world at rugby.

So to sit there and say, you think you can just walk out there and think like him on a rugby field? Come on, dog. I'm with you. Except if the Swifty fans get mad at me, I'm not in this. You wanna plug anything? What do we got?

So you're in town, you're gonna talk some rugby on- We got some rugby on NBC tomorrow. That'll be fun. Not gonna know about it cause... It's time delayed, but that's still part of your job and you're building your resume, TV. Yep. You know, Finish Strong, A Father's Code and A Son's Path, the book, if you want to, Amazon, whatever you want. And you're trying to make it a movie. It's your story. Well, I got people, yeah, I mean, they're script writing as we speak.

So I'm really excited about that. Who would you have play you? God, dude, I don't even know. I think I'm gonna play you. Yeah? Who's gonna play you? I don't know if I'll be in the movie, but I'm gonna play you.

We're gonna have somebody super emotional in the locker room at some point, throwing their helmet and cussing at themselves. I mean, least it's not at you. No, that's good. Yeah, I'm kidding. You're always yelling at yourself. But yeah, not that.

And if you need a jet, call me, dog. I will. Man, thank you coming on, man. This was such a fun episode. So many inspirational stories from you and life experiences. And I'm so happy for you, not just as, you know, one of my former bros,

still bro, but new father, girl dad. So excited for you. I love you, man. Thanks for coming on. Appreciate you, man. Thanks for having me. I had a good time. Man, Nate's a very inspirational man.

Captain America, man Really is full of little bullshit though What are we going? No way my guy thinks he can go out and compete for the Olympics Through four knee surgeries deep. Oh, yeah Yeah, I forgot about that 40 day you ain't getting up on that pitch whatever you ain't getting on the field You can't do it ain't getting up on that pitch, whatever, you ain't getting on the field, you can't do it. Ain't no flag football, no sevens. You gotta try and prove me wrong.

I just try and prove me wrong. I want you and Nate to join the Israeli flag football team and see if you can make it. Yeah, but him saying that we could do that, like his knees aren't even good enough for that. Josh Rosen leading the quarterback room there. Something I'm both looking for. No, we'll bring in B.Y. Jew.

Yes. We'll bring in B.Y. Jew. Yes, we'll bring in B.Y. Jew. What's his name? He's tearing it up. Hold on. Let me look. Bringing in B.Y. Jew. That's my guy. Bridging the Mormons, the Jews. Jake Retzloff.

Jake Retzloff. Yeah, bro. He's he's having himself a year, baby. Retzloff for heisman. Are they still are they still undefeated? Yes, they they squeaked by Utah. That'll be sweet, man. BYU has always been just, they've always been good. Like once a generation.

They used to take a lot of JUCO guys. Cause a lot of the, you know, a lot of the Mormons, they gotta go on missions. So they sometimes you have to go back to JUCO or something. And these kids would come back at 25. But I played with a lot of guys that like went to BYU or like a lot of, BYU used to come to my JUco college in San Mateo and pick guys up all the time. Really? Yeah. Wow.

They were trying to convert you or not? They didn't pick me up. They didn't pick me up. I feel that they didn't try to convert me. I'm just I don't so I'm just I jump on the other end of the bed for you. We're a man. Awesome story. We gotta go check out.

What? Sorry, just more soaking down. Jack's just being your soak assistant. Good job, good form. Hey, you gotta have that guy bro. In the LDS community, we need you. You gotta have that guy. It's like a wingman 2.0.

Keep going. Sorry, sorry, sorry. Jack, explain this segment to us. All right. Wait, Jules, were you talking about BYU though? No. All right. Sorry, sorry. All right. Thanks, Nate. Thanks, Nate. We love you. We love Jake Retzloff, BYU. Come on, baby. Playoffs. Since we're talking about the Olympics, it's our first Olympic episode, by the way. Pretty sweet. I think we got a couple more coming. I love you pulling the Olympics. It's our first Olympic episode, by the way. Pretty sweet. I think we got a couple more coming. I like pulling the...

We got more coming. We are, bro. We do. We got one in the bank. This is a new Olympic podcast, baby. We got a special special. We got a couple specials. So shout out. Shout out to the IOC, baby.

Shout out FIFA, upstanding organizations. I love them. Maybe we can do like... Maybe we can like, we can start playing games with names at the Olympics in 2020. Ooh! Where is it at? Here. Oh shit.

Duh. Traffic's gonna be a bitch. Oh shoot. Oh my God, just hang out in the village, just post up in the village. Bro, how's that cardboard bed like hanging out, man? All right. All right. All right.

So the episode here was an Olympic episode. So it felt fitting that we try to build an ideal U.S. Olympic team using only NFL players. OK, so you might have, oh, we need someone for the 100 meter dash. Tyreek Tyreek Hill. Oh, my God, we got to fill out an equestrian team. Who's gonna be dressage? I don't know if that is we'll learn we'll learn learn that kind of thing So our pool to choose from is only NFL players past some current or some present. Ah

Present some past. Okay. Well Let's get into it 100 100 meters. 100 meters. I mean, you got Tyreek. So my broadcast coach, Joe Montgomery, she gets mad at me, or she gets mad at any NFL guy because she comes from track background. Oh, I didn't know that.

Or any analyst that says, this guy's got track speed. She looks and she goes no they don't Track speed is different speed Like Tyree kills got tracks me. Yes. Yeah, he's like run it. Does she get mad about that? He's wearing a 10-flat hundred, huh? He's run like a 10-flat hundred Jeff what about Demps who played on our team? He's also In the Olympics for best was in the Olympics for a while. Best was in the Olympics? Yeah, from Cal.

Chris Johnson was fucking Lightning. Oh my gosh, fastest 40 time for a minute there. What about Bob Hayes, right? From the Cowboys? What about, what about, I believe, a sub 10-5 high school guy here in the state of California that I played with. Matthew Slater! Slater! Joker!

What's the guy on the Eagles do? The guy on the Eagles was, ran out of Oregon. What about you say, oh, the white boy? Yeah, the white guy. Yeah, he's the hurdler. Yeah. But they have enough, the jeans probably on this too. Little judge of the shass, isn't he?

Yeah, it's, oh yeah, Devin Allen, that's him. That's a good one. Devin Allen. He does the, wait, what does he do? Yeah, it's, oh yeah, Devin Allen, that's him. That's a good list. Devin Allen. He does the, wait, what does he do? Wow, that's crazy. We'd have a hell of a four by one. We'd be fire, bro. We'd have a hell of a four by one.

Who'd be hanging? Yeah, he's a hurdles, he's 110 meter hurdles. Dude, Jeff Demps was fast. Bro. I remember him, we had him in pre-season. He like, I don't think coach let him go or something. I was gonna say, speaking of asking Bill permission. We talked about him in preseason. He like I don't think coach let him go or something I was gonna say speaking of asking Bill permission building talked about in Ever saw him I saw him in the Olympics though

Yeah, he was fast, bro, but it is different like when you're just fast. Yeah, I had trained for it You gotta do the thing. It's a different you gotta put your foot in the ground. Yeah, you can't oh you You don't always get to open up. Yeah be more of like an Indy car or like a Formula One car, not a Dragster. Gotta have that good suspension. All right, Jack, tell us about this. All right, next we have the Decathlon. This was what many consider the greatest athlete in the world, you know, Bruce Jenner, all those guys, but now it's not, it gets a little bit overlooked now as far as... So what is the Decathlon, Jack? So it's a hundred meters a long jump the shot put the high jump four hundred meter hundred and ten meter hurdles Discus pole vault javelin in fifteen hundred meters. So it's like so do it all baby

Contestants all have to do all of those. Yes. Wow ten events. What was Bruce Jenner's 40 or a hundred? Let me look that's look. That's insane. That's what I think my coach was. She was a decathlete. I didn't know that. Yeah. In the meantime, who are some NFL players you think could be all around athletes?

All around athlete. Throwing helps here. He had a 10.9, 100. 10, nine. Slower than Tyreek? Yeah. But Tyreek ain't long jump. I don't know, dude. Tyreek could probably do a lot of this shit.

Fucking great. This is like a free. And I think he's just a little ball muscle. He would be like, like for every one of these events, I'm just like, I got Tyreek. They're Tyreek in there. I mean, yeah, you think of one. Had some of the throwers. Jim Brown. Jim Brown, just a great all around athlete. How would Dion Sanders do here?

I bet Dion would be nice. Dion would kill everything that was running. But I don't think he could shock put. I don't know. Maybe he could discus. Is this Tento Deion or current Deion? I don't know. Prime time.

Everyone gets to be their prime. Everyone gets to be their prime. Meg Calf, DK. Specimen. He looks like the new sprinter, man. He does. He tried to get out there. He was in the Olympic trials, too. He's fast. Yeah. DK Meg Calf. He looks like the new sprinter man. He does he try to get out there. He was in the Olympic trials too. He's fast Yeah, you can make us fast. Yeah, and he's strong. I'm kind of leaning DK in this one. Are you going DK weird way?

He just him Brown That's tough though. Oh Jackson. Oh Jackson. Oh knows baby. I think Bo let's go Bo knows oh, no, cuz he can do it all baby Yeah, multi-sport. Yeah, I think gotta go wrestling. Oh Oh, no, no, Steve Neil was the Olympics. But was it there when Steve Neil was there? I believe so, yeah. How come he was on the Olympic team? Let me look. Because he was probably playing football, no? No, Steve Neil was the best. I remember when Four Locos got shut down, he bought a pallet of it in like New Hampshire.

Because Massachusetts shut it down, so he went to New Hampshire and got a pallet of fucking old school Four Locos when people were dying. This guy would take this guy would drink it like it was like a wine. He was a badass. He could even move his shoulders for last like any year I met him. Yeah, his last couple of years of his career, his shoulders were like they'd have to like put his shoulders in place for a game and he would go manhandle people like, how the fuck is he grabbing people? He can't even move his shoulder.

Just like taping in for the literally he had these braces where they had like it was like like one of those old school beret things. What are those where they pull the girls? Oh, of course. Yeah, of course. Like I had that for a shoulder and like they would pull it back and it would like and then I was like, how the what the hell? And then you see him grabbing a man, handling full that is that like, it sounds like we've got our wrestling.

Cal State Bakersfield, two time NCAA Division one champion. Ninety eight, ninety nine. World champion. World champ. Yeah. No, NCAA. No, I don't think he's at that level. But they have a drop beat Brock Lesnar in the champs at that level. Yeah, it was in the national championship. National champions is double-a championships. Yeah, he beat him bro still he's yeah, they dropped I want dude. I don't know me Aaron Donald

He was a wrestling champ too, isn't he? He's got like the body type for it too where he's like big and but he's lean so if you can get the weight up But still be sauce. He's short he but that's a disadvantage to be shorter as now you got built-in pad level bring you into him But then they win sometimes you can't if you get a lanky guy Yeah, but they do so quick and he just like make you do your move and then like crab around you and get you He was fast. Yeah, he was done. I'm going Steve Neil though. You gotta go with Steve Neil archery Archer gotta be accurate. You gotta have good aim. Gotta be poised. I mean, Matt Light is a good archer. If there is any kind of

turkey living kind of specimen on our properties, that thing would probably be gone with Matt Light's bow and arrow. Oh my god. I feel like all the Kickers would do well here. Kickers. Brandon Cook. Brandon Cook. Brandon Cook's the archer, baby. He pulls it out. I don't think he't think he can so what's the deal with that you can pull out a bow and arrow But you can't shoot a gun in the league celebration. They changed it around. We were just talking about we were just talking about that Yeah, it was archery was illegal in celebration, but now I think it's back now archery is back. Yeah Robin Hood That's tight. It's in season Aaron Rodgers. He'd probably be I bet you he'd be really he's probably really good at like all that shit shooting darts Any kind of accuracy you have Aaron Rodgers got he probably got a right eye dominant that just fucking

I bet you he could be really good with a pistol aren't like um, Aaron Rodgers probably be a great uh west wall wall west drawer He kind of looks like you now. Gunslinger. I bet you'd have a quick, cause he kind of does that when he's like, when he does something good, he kind of puts his arms into like a fucking. I feel like he took that from bread far though.

Like learned that from bread far watching him. Nah, maybe, maybe I'm time bias or what is it called? Recency bias. Yeah, recency bias. How about break dancing? Break dancing? Oh my God. Shout out, Ray Gun.

So what's up with, I don't remember this. What happened with this girl? How did she get? It's a love one. People, you got people training their lives to get into the Olympics and what was this? I wanna know, I wanna know the break down. I don't know the story, but I saw some stuff.

So she, I'm probably going to leave some stuff out here. She's like a professor in Australia of like some kind of cultural studies or whatever of like breakdancing. Yeah, like breakdance, like which encompasses that. She like does breaking, competed in I think like maybe the most world events in like the qualification. So she's worked her ass off. She's done them. Yes. It's a new sport and this is the only time it'll be in the Olympics. So there's a lot of stuff. But then there was some controversy among why Australia chose her as their representative out of like, like to send to the Olympics and not some of the other people that were trying to qualify. Like, and there was some, they accused us of like some shady stuff.

Then she got to the Olympics and her B-boy routine break dance routine was not on the level of like, it was like, she got like, she became like the meme of the the Olympics. I mean, it was kind of fire. I thought, but like she, everyone else is, I think that's what they were, they were claiming like some, some back back door dealings like she knew the the lady that was running the IOC. The process is this qualification. Yes, it was weird.

The points these fucking it. It's all they're in. FIFA, Olympics. They're fucking it's it's. I don't know. There's who knows what's going on behind. There's something behind those doors. A hundred percent, bro. Didn't someone this guy, though, I mean, I don't even. There's who knows what's going on behind something behind those doors a hundred percent, bro

Didn't someone this guy though? I mean, I don't want to get into breakdancing before we before we leave breakdancing I just gotta talk about this guy. That guy was my hero of the Olympics the guy shooter. Yeah, where is he from East Eastern Europe? Right Turkey. I believe Turkey. Yeah, he just rolls up there Turkey on his shirt. No earmuffs Did he any place Sydney? Yeah, Yusuf Dycek. That dude is, that dude should be casted as like the next John Wick. Yeah, bro, he doesn't care. Do we know what his day job is in Turkey?

Let me look. He could already be John Wick. Yeah. What is he? He just rolled out of bed, threw on the glasses, hand in pocket. What else can you win an Olympic medal in with your hand in your pocket?

I wanna, he's got some cool gray ass hair, he got the little swoop. Dude. I also like- I need to know more about this guy. There was like a Korean- Wait, does everyone else use two hands on this thing? No, I think they all do one, but all of them have like weird like glasses

and scopes and shit. Can you pull up that- Yeah, like there's the- That like, people from Korea. Yeah, so like there's like a Korean woman who has like- Who's pull up that on? Yeah, like there's the, Oh my God. Yeah, so like there's like a Korean woman who has like the- Who's slaggy as fuck too. Who's cool in the opposite direction.

Yeah, so like she had like the gear. She's a swaggy quarterback. Oh shoot, sorry, wrong guy here. So then there's this lady. She goes the opposite way with like the blacked out eye and she's got the, that can't be legal. Those look like the glasses you were catching punts with, bro. Bro.

That was so. That's legal, I think. Like, yeah, like that is the farthest bound. How long how long is this event been in the Olympics for a while? You can see it in a minute. So you mean to tell me people in 1900 or when they first invented this this thing, they had fucking. Oh, it evolves. Cyclops visions. Also, if you look fucking No, it evolves Also if you look at this side you can't have a cyclops vision

We gotta write a letter to the IOC. I remember those Google glasses. He's got those Google glasses. I've worn those things What are we doing? Well, this guy's this guy's been that was our first shoot shot air pistol fork We doing this guy's this guy has been that was our first shoot shot air pistol fork Done shock put Vince will for James Harrison's probably a fucking load on that. I bet you he knows how to do it, too I think he def I think he did it rhythmic gymnastics. Who's in the rhythmic? gymnastics That member I'm just thinking back any em and Dola Oh gotta put Dola in there a Dola got that rhythm who they put in there. Hey Dola got that rhythm. Who'd they put in there in old school? Who'd they make? Wasn't it Will Ferrell?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, Will Ferrell. And then Weensie did the He did the pommel horse or no. Oh, don't know how to dance. Oh, Duncan. Shake it, baby I bet you he'd be he'd look pretty he'd kill that thing, bro. I drove by it I drove by it. Okay, Baker would do it just out of fun. I can see Baker doing like a like an SNL skit doing that Synchronized swimming now called artistic swimming. Yes. This is a unit based. I think Artistic yeah, maybe it's not about just being in order. Maybe it's just being creative. I Like that likes Engel on this.

It's got to be a unit like the Legion of Boom or the big blue wrecking crew or the Steel King in the Steel Curtain. The Steel Curtain. The purple people leaders. Something tells me they could do it. The 2024 Receiving Corps for the Detroit Lions. Those guys seem kind of, I don't know, they seem a little bit like

they seem very in sync and good body control I think I'm just reading into maybe Dan Campbell coach him up too. Dan Campbell coaching Synchronized. Cut the commercial now. Again! If we don't get those spirit ankles we'll be here all goddamn night. Ping pong. Ping pong. Oh, this is you, bro. Nah, I wouldn't be that good. What? Dolo would be the king at like from my groups, but there's there's like some probably really good ping pong players in the NFL. Dolo would be shirtless too. I think.

Olympic. Who's good? Who's probably. I bet you the court. I bet you like Burroughs pretty good. But I bet you Mah homes is good. Good. They were saying Saquon is supposed to be good. Saquon is a good anecdote. Yeah.

Say I mean, it wouldn't surprise me. What's your opinion on Ping Pong table in locker room? It depends on the season and the team. Yeah, I can see that depends on the season and the team. If you have a team that can handle it, yeah, it's whatever. We used a couple of seasons, we'd have it like, you had to go through the equipment room to the back laundry room and it would be like right

by the fucking dryers and we'd be playing ping pong next to dryers and shit. Real speakeasy, yes. We have five minutes, get like a quick game to eight or seven. What are we getting a ping pong table here? I know, it just just it gets too wild. It gets wild. It's loud, too.

Balls going everywhere. Like an outdoor one. Rockies chasing the ball. Bring the humidity in the Nuthouse up. Sweat. There'd be sweat everywhere. I'd be dripping puddle. Like we sweat when we play. This isn't this isn't a fucking.

The floor has got to be unfinished, bro. Sunshine and rainbows, man. Me and Dolo used to play that stuff for hours. Bro Joe. Spitting on the ground fucking shirts off When you spit I know it's more crazy put it in the garage and just like wield it onto the cul-de-sac Under the lights fun for the whole neighborhood or yeah, we got a man. We could do it in the backyard somewhere But I don't like wind dated Dated yes, you get these you these marine layers that come in over here

in the west side, you know, you're dealing with the fucking wind. And I'm playing that, what is this? I'm playing a Lambo field for fucking ping pong? That would be kind of cool. You gotta pick the wind which side you're standing on. Ping pong event with the elements. The fucking coin flip's so huge.

I don't take the ball, I take this direction. I'm pulling a Belichick and ping pong. You might bite the finger and oil it up. You might be able to play in the driveway in the rain sometimes. That's dedication to the ball game. In the rain? Yeah.

Didn't work very well. Could you imagine Bill, if that was real, you just spraying the ping pong ball with fucking water. He's got a hose. Play. He's got the hose, he's just hosing the table. Wet ball drill. What should we do?

We gotta do dressage. Alright, we gotta do dressage and then we'll wrap it up with our last one. So dressage is an equestrian event that is often described as horse dancing. The horse, you prance, it's like... There's a lot of prancing. There's a lot of prancing. You gotta be in sync prancing. It's you got to be in sync rider and horse It's it's something else. You got to see it to believe it Snoop went viral for He and Kevin Hart did like a breakdown of it to Olympics. Yeah, we went viral got it on course

I just think of Terry Bradshaw. He's a I think he shows a bunch of horses. He's in that world. Yeah, he like Once while he's like, yeah, he calls me. We talk about it every once in a while. He's like, yeah. He calls me, hey son, I just got a new stud. I'm like, awesome. He's like, yeah, this one's from over here, there, there. He's telling me all this terminology. I took this one and I'm like, awesome.

My daughter loves horses, Terry. Terry breeding them, I love it. He's like, why don't you bring her down? Bring her to one of the things. I'm like, I don't want to because then she'll ask for a horse, Terry. I need that horse. Fuckin' Terry. Uncle Terry, bro. Prancing around, race walking. Race walking.

There's a lot of controversy about race walking in the Olympics this year. Both feet have to be on the ground. So yeah, what the hell? So what I've also, because I did some reading on this even before this, is that it's not just that you have to have one foot on the ground. Technically, it's supposed to look like you're walking. The look matters just as much as the actual foot on ground.

So who won this one? I don't know. Hey, Patrick Mahone be doing the speedwalking when he. Yes, that. Who won this one? I don't know. It was a Patrick Mahoney doing the speedwalking when he. Yes, that's right. He'd be doing a speedwalk when he goes over a speedwalk to the huddle. He's funny. Got to have I love his mannerisms.

He's so genuine on that field with his. It would never have the fucking ref or something. I hate when other guys do it. I OK with Patrick Holmes because it's it's him. But it's genuine. Like some of these dudes out here I saw I saw a quarterback and I won't put him on blast or who was his face mask got touched and Mid sack he's looking at the goddamn referee asking it just got touched. It just got to this is fucking football He's he's crying. I think he fumbled the ball. I was like, what the fuck are we doing?

I hate that. I hate even more than that is the wide receiver who like is looking for a call off a Tiki-Taki thing. He's like, go make a fucking, go make a fucking catch. Last one. Shout out to Brian Pintado though, our reigning gold medalist from Ecuador. Ecuador.

He won the gold in Paris. Modern, is this our last one? How many of these goddamn events are we doing? We got one last one cry the modern pentathlon Another one where you got to do a bunch of stuff Penta being five Wow, I'm gonna watch those five events fencing freestyle swimming a crest green show jumping pistol shooting and cross-country running Next Olympics they're taking the horse element out and they're adding some sort of an obstacle course like a American Ninja Warrior thing kind of lame but what's the origin of this is yes this is what a 19 like a 19th century cavalry soldier would have to do so you got to like you know you're

carrying a mess they didn't have guns in 19th century, did they? Yeah. Yeah. 19th century's 1800. You gotta swim over a river, you gotta like run across a field, you know what I mean? Yeah, you gotta fight a guy with a sword. You gotta fight a guy, yeah. Swiss Army knife?

Yeah, this guy's gotta be kind of like a... A McCaffrey vet? Yeah, a guy that can do it all. Who would be McCaffrey? He's a beast. How do you think he's with the Epi? Lamar. Lamar would probably be really good at all this stuff.

I could see that I'd take lamar in my army baker mayfield. I think baker baker baker the touchdown maker would be great bake man bake What can he do? How about that stiff arm? Yeah, bosa That was fucking awesome that was wild bro. I was watching that Did nick not want to hit him? That's what was so weird. It was like a... Did he not want to throw him down because he didn't want to get penalized?

Was he trying to be too smart of a football player? That's what it felt like. I don't know man. Because he had him and you had him rocked up. To be able to keep the focus when you're getting, when you got that big ass Nick Bosa hand, I've shaken that hand. That hand is just fucking huge.

Wrapped over my goddamn, my wrist made me feel like a little baby. He had Bolton balls on Bake, didn't he? That's a big play by Bake. That was awesome. Love Bake. Well, what a, what an Olympic episode. That was awesome. Thanks, Nate. Nate, thank you. Very inspirational. Everyone go check out...

The Rugby Sevens. Check out Nate on everything. Check out Nate. Just take, just look it up, Nate. Just give him a look. Finish Strong, A Father's Code and a Son's Path. Nate's book out now wherever you buy books. Finish Strong, baby.

Look out for that movie. Unbelievable inspiration. His story, I mean, it's touching and it's pretty crazy to have the will to be able to, you know, have that special relationship with your fathers and then, you know, be able to carry on and achieve the things that he's achieved You know with that that's been that's just crazy to me. That's that's awesome. He's a fucking man

He's a man's man. He's a dad now girl that love that awesome awesome. That's been another episode of games with names Subscribe on Apple podcast Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcasts, comment a game you want us to do. And remember rate and review. Remember to follow games with names on YouTube, Instagram, X, TikTok and Snapchat. Leave a message on the hotline at 424-291-2290. We'll see you guys next week. Games with names is a production of iHeartRadio.

For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Ed Zitron, host of the Better Offline podcast, and we're kicking off our second season digging into Tech's Elite and how they've turned Silicon Valley into a playground for billionaires. From the chaotic world of generative AI to the destruction of Google search, Better Offline is your unvarnished and, at times, unhinged look at the underbelly of tech, brought to you by an industry veteran with nothing to lose. Listen to Better Offline on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, wherever else you get

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