WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.399 --> 00:00:04.400 And we continue on Jonas Naxen today for Rodney on 2 00:00:04.480 --> 00:00:08.359 a five seventy LA Sports. So last night we lost 3 00:00:08.359 --> 00:00:12.000 someone who made a great impact in the city of 4 00:00:12.039 --> 00:00:18.199 Los Angeles, longtime USC coach, longtime RAM coach, John Robinson, 5 00:00:19.079 --> 00:00:25.039 and John eighty nine years old, had not been in 6 00:00:25.079 --> 00:00:28.879 good health and we lost him last night. Our buddy 7 00:00:29.000 --> 00:00:32.600 Eric Dickerson played for him with the Rams and Eric 8 00:00:32.679 --> 00:00:35.200 comes in now. Eric, well you appreciate you jumping in 9 00:00:35.240 --> 00:00:38.359 here today, No problem, Fred, All right, did you know 10 00:00:38.479 --> 00:00:40.600 John Robinson was ill? What did you think when you 11 00:00:40.640 --> 00:00:41.119 found out? 12 00:00:41.880 --> 00:00:44.640 Yes, I'd heard about a week and a half ago 13 00:00:44.719 --> 00:00:47.119 that he was not doing well. I got a couple 14 00:00:47.119 --> 00:00:50.479 of Texas and then I talked to his wife last 15 00:00:50.479 --> 00:00:53.600 week in the last week, I think it was Saturday, 16 00:00:53.640 --> 00:00:55.960 I talked to his wife. I'd sent her a text 17 00:00:56.159 --> 00:00:57.679 and just totally give me a call when you get 18 00:00:57.719 --> 00:00:59.640 a minute that I left a voice message in min 19 00:01:00.159 --> 00:01:02.920 me back and she told me that it was She's Eric, 20 00:01:02.960 --> 00:01:05.000 it's just a matter of time. He's in hospice and 21 00:01:05.359 --> 00:01:07.439 you know he's comfortable, but she says, it's just it's 22 00:01:07.480 --> 00:01:09.040 you don't know if it's gonna be a week three days, 23 00:01:09.079 --> 00:01:10.640 four days be a matter of time. 24 00:01:10.840 --> 00:01:12.280 And it was, it was. It was. 25 00:01:12.359 --> 00:01:14.560 It was shocking, you know, even though you know coach 26 00:01:14.599 --> 00:01:16.519 is eighty nine years old, but you just kind of forget, 27 00:01:17.120 --> 00:01:19.439 you know, because you know I'm sixty four, you know, 28 00:01:19.560 --> 00:01:22.079 I'm still thinking I'm young. But yeah, yeah, it was, 29 00:01:22.120 --> 00:01:24.000 it was. It was sad to hear it really was. 30 00:01:25.359 --> 00:01:27.120 All right when you were select when when you were 31 00:01:27.120 --> 00:01:30.280 selected by the Rams. He was a coach, right right? 32 00:01:30.359 --> 00:01:31.079 What was that like? 33 00:01:31.480 --> 00:01:33.439 Well, first of all, John Robinson recruited me to come 34 00:01:33.439 --> 00:01:37.560 to USC, uh Man, Johnny even came to Sealy, uh 35 00:01:37.640 --> 00:01:39.519 him and god was I forgot the other coach that 36 00:01:39.640 --> 00:01:43.760 came with him, John Jackson. John Jackson came with him 37 00:01:43.799 --> 00:01:47.159 to my hometown of Sealy, Texas and tried to get 38 00:01:47.200 --> 00:01:49.599 me to come to USC. And I really considered USC. 39 00:01:49.959 --> 00:01:53.120 Now that was one of my first official visits to 40 00:01:53.239 --> 00:01:56.239 a university that was coming. I came to USC and 41 00:01:56.319 --> 00:01:58.079 watched the I came to the Rose Bowl game when 42 00:01:58.079 --> 00:02:01.200 they played Michigan, and I think was the phantom fumble 43 00:02:01.280 --> 00:02:04.680 that Charlie White had. I think he won the game. 44 00:02:04.719 --> 00:02:07.120 But I like coach Robinson, you know, it was he 45 00:02:07.159 --> 00:02:08.840 was he was he was a funny guy. He was 46 00:02:08.879 --> 00:02:11.080 like a one liner. He had some of these one liners, man, 47 00:02:11.120 --> 00:02:14.919 And he said, you just it was just he was funny, 48 00:02:15.080 --> 00:02:18.800 I mean, and just a really good human being and 49 00:02:18.560 --> 00:02:19.639 a really good coach. 50 00:02:21.599 --> 00:02:24.840 All right, So when the Rams selected you and you 51 00:02:24.960 --> 00:02:27.759 walked in, what was it like? Because you said he 52 00:02:27.759 --> 00:02:30.199 did recruit you to go to USC, so then he 53 00:02:30.280 --> 00:02:30.759 sees you. 54 00:02:31.039 --> 00:02:32.560 What was it like when he said when he when 55 00:02:32.560 --> 00:02:34.120 he saw me, and I forgot and he said, I'd 56 00:02:34.159 --> 00:02:37.560 forgotten that he had had recruited me and to come 57 00:02:37.560 --> 00:02:39.080 to us. You know, it's been been so long, and 58 00:02:39.120 --> 00:02:40.719 I you know, I knew kind of knew he was 59 00:02:40.719 --> 00:02:42.840 the head coach, but I forgot all about that that, 60 00:02:43.240 --> 00:02:45.159 you know, he recruited me. And when I walked in, 61 00:02:45.199 --> 00:02:48.360 he said, I finally got you, and I just started laughing. 62 00:02:48.479 --> 00:02:50.639 I'm like, oh, that's right, you recruited me to come 63 00:02:50.639 --> 00:02:51.120 to USC. 64 00:02:52.199 --> 00:02:52.719 Uh. 65 00:02:52.919 --> 00:02:54.639 You know, when I came up for my press conference, 66 00:02:54.639 --> 00:02:56.680 it was it was not like you know the deal 67 00:02:56.719 --> 00:02:58.560 they do today. You know, I came in for the 68 00:02:58.599 --> 00:03:00.800 press conference and talk to him, and I talked to 69 00:03:00.840 --> 00:03:04.120 Georgia a long talk with him, and uh, you know, 70 00:03:04.680 --> 00:03:06.759 it was just kind of you know, what they what 71 00:03:06.800 --> 00:03:08.599 they wanted, you know, when he's you know, seeing me 72 00:03:08.639 --> 00:03:10.280 play and all that kind of stuff and kind of 73 00:03:10.280 --> 00:03:12.879 how he envisioned certain things with the offense. And and 74 00:03:12.960 --> 00:03:15.599 believe it or not, even though what we talked about 75 00:03:15.639 --> 00:03:19.319 then the offense changed from the time that you know, 76 00:03:19.360 --> 00:03:21.680 we got to training camp. You know, it was we 77 00:03:21.680 --> 00:03:24.639 had we run the split back set. And I won't 78 00:03:24.680 --> 00:03:28.919 forget we played the Redskins in a preseason game and 79 00:03:29.039 --> 00:03:31.159 John Riggins was the was the running back at the 80 00:03:31.199 --> 00:03:33.919 one back set, and I was I think I was 81 00:03:33.919 --> 00:03:35.919 like on second team, you know, I was behind a 82 00:03:35.960 --> 00:03:39.120 couple of guys Robert Alexander, I can't think of the 83 00:03:39.120 --> 00:03:45.439 other guys behind you, Jerrell Thomas, Jerrell Thomas, and uh, 84 00:03:45.680 --> 00:03:48.000 we got beat up on in that in that preseason game. 85 00:03:48.039 --> 00:03:49.719 And I and he came in like the next day 86 00:03:49.719 --> 00:03:52.479 and said, forget everything we learned. He said, we're gonna 87 00:03:52.520 --> 00:03:54.719 go to the one back set. He said, Eric, and 88 00:03:54.719 --> 00:03:56.800 you my back. And that's how that's kind of how 89 00:03:56.800 --> 00:03:57.719 I came the starter. 90 00:03:59.360 --> 00:04:02.520 Uh. And once got in, was there a point where 91 00:04:02.560 --> 00:04:07.400 you knew, because he obviously did you were his guy? Uh? 92 00:04:07.520 --> 00:04:09.599 Yeah, I mean I did. I mean, I won't forget. 93 00:04:09.680 --> 00:04:12.240 One day in practice, man, we ran we ran the 94 00:04:12.319 --> 00:04:14.919 ot play. It was kind of like the like the 95 00:04:14.960 --> 00:04:18.519 forty forty six and forty seven gap play. And I'm 96 00:04:18.560 --> 00:04:21.199 following the guard and the tackle and you know, I'm 97 00:04:21.240 --> 00:04:24.240 you know, I'm running. I'm running. I'm running. I'm running fast. 98 00:04:24.279 --> 00:04:27.319 But you know I don't. I don't do that, make 99 00:04:27.360 --> 00:04:29.199 it all run hardly, you know, like man crazy. 100 00:04:29.399 --> 00:04:29.800 But I was. 101 00:04:29.920 --> 00:04:32.319 I was running fast, you know, just to give them 102 00:04:32.399 --> 00:04:34.199 room to block and me make make a cut off 103 00:04:34.199 --> 00:04:36.480 of them. And John Blouet will stop, stop stop stopping. 104 00:04:37.000 --> 00:04:39.879 Oh say hold Eric, he said, you can't be out 105 00:04:39.920 --> 00:04:42.839 here jogging. I said, Coach, I'm not jogging. He said, 106 00:04:43.000 --> 00:04:46.720 he said running again. She ran it again, blueto whistle again. Eric, 107 00:04:46.920 --> 00:04:50.079 I said, coach, I'm telling you. I said, I'll tell 108 00:04:50.079 --> 00:04:52.399 you what. Coach, get out here and try to catch 109 00:04:52.439 --> 00:04:56.279 me and see if I'm jogging. So I think it 110 00:04:56.399 --> 00:04:58.639 was my I think it was our fourth game. We 111 00:04:58.680 --> 00:05:01.120 played the New York Jets, and I had my eighty 112 00:05:01.160 --> 00:05:03.879 five yard touchdown run and I come to the sideline 113 00:05:04.199 --> 00:05:05.800 and he said, well, I guess you wasn't jogging in 114 00:05:05.839 --> 00:05:07.519 practice that day because it looked like he was jogging 115 00:05:07.600 --> 00:05:15.000 right there too, so I guess you were running fast. 116 00:05:15.040 --> 00:05:18.959 All right, Now you get traded to the Colts, all right? 117 00:05:19.240 --> 00:05:21.399 What was that like with John Robinson? 118 00:05:22.040 --> 00:05:24.240 Man? You know, I'm gonna tell you. The thing about 119 00:05:24.240 --> 00:05:26.120 that was that was just a bad deal. I mean, 120 00:05:26.240 --> 00:05:28.399 I never wanted to leave LA. I love playing for 121 00:05:28.480 --> 00:05:30.759 the for the Rams. I love playing for Coach Robinson, 122 00:05:31.160 --> 00:05:33.480 even though we as players knew the Rams are not 123 00:05:33.560 --> 00:05:35.680 all in on winning. I mean, we just saw we 124 00:05:35.720 --> 00:05:37.160 felt it because we wasn't doing some of the right 125 00:05:37.160 --> 00:05:38.319 things that we knew we needed. 126 00:05:39.120 --> 00:05:39.800 But j R. 127 00:05:40.120 --> 00:05:42.439 You know what they did to me, to jer A 128 00:05:42.439 --> 00:05:45.360 lot of guys said it. They put JR. In a 129 00:05:45.360 --> 00:05:48.560 position where he wanted him to keep us out of 130 00:05:48.600 --> 00:05:51.240 the front office asking for contracts and put him in 131 00:05:51.279 --> 00:05:53.800 the middle of it. And you know, man, I was 132 00:05:53.839 --> 00:05:56.439 making nothing. I mean I was making my first year. 133 00:05:56.480 --> 00:05:59.600 I was making one seventy five. The next year when 134 00:06:00.160 --> 00:06:02.000 after I take that back, I was making one fifty 135 00:06:02.959 --> 00:06:04.680 my next year. I was making one seventy five and 136 00:06:04.800 --> 00:06:07.319 a round for two thousand yards. Then I held out, 137 00:06:07.360 --> 00:06:09.600 and I think then they upped me. But I wasn't 138 00:06:09.600 --> 00:06:11.360 happy with that. But you know, you had you kind 139 00:06:11.360 --> 00:06:13.199 of was stuck. I was making I was making like 140 00:06:13.279 --> 00:06:17.639 three fifty and uh it was it just it wasn't good. 141 00:06:17.720 --> 00:06:20.560 And but then when you know, the whole trade thing 142 00:06:20.600 --> 00:06:23.360 came up. Because then I'm like, you know, I went 143 00:06:23.399 --> 00:06:26.800 to I went to meet with John Shaw in la 144 00:06:27.040 --> 00:06:29.120 at his office. I won't forget it. And it's you know, 145 00:06:29.079 --> 00:06:32.079 and think about it. It took me like three weeks 146 00:06:32.079 --> 00:06:34.199 to get a meeting with him, you know, and you know, 147 00:06:34.240 --> 00:06:35.959 think about your one of your star players, one of 148 00:06:36.000 --> 00:06:37.759 your players want to meet with you, and you're trying 149 00:06:37.759 --> 00:06:39.120 to meet with him, and it took that long. So 150 00:06:39.160 --> 00:06:42.079 and I go to meet with John Shaw. I go 151 00:06:42.120 --> 00:06:43.360 in his office and he says, so. 152 00:06:43.199 --> 00:06:44.519 So Eric, So Eric, what do you want? 153 00:06:45.000 --> 00:06:45.759 What are you meaning about? 154 00:06:45.920 --> 00:06:48.120 I say, I said, John I said, man, my contract 155 00:06:48.160 --> 00:06:49.959 is not I said, come on, man, I know this 156 00:06:50.079 --> 00:06:52.879 contract ain't no good. And you know, I was like, 157 00:06:52.920 --> 00:06:54.600 I always think to mock him the way he sounds. 158 00:06:55.759 --> 00:06:56.879 You have a contract. 159 00:06:58.639 --> 00:07:01.120 I said, Well, I tell you what I said. This 160 00:07:01.160 --> 00:07:03.360 is what I'll do. I said, I left the league 161 00:07:03.360 --> 00:07:04.240 in Russian last year. 162 00:07:04.439 --> 00:07:06.959 No you didn't, Walter Payton did he last league? 163 00:07:07.040 --> 00:07:09.519 I said, John I left the league in Russian. I'm 164 00:07:09.519 --> 00:07:13.600 talking about John Shaw. I had eighteen twenty one. Oh, Walter, 165 00:07:13.920 --> 00:07:15.839 he said, let me get the book. I'll never forget. 166 00:07:15.839 --> 00:07:18.120 He goes up and get this book, opens it up, 167 00:07:18.560 --> 00:07:23.720 and I'm like this mug. I'm something like, oh you did. 168 00:07:24.120 --> 00:07:26.199 I said, yeah, I left the league in Russian, I 169 00:07:26.240 --> 00:07:29.199 said John. I said, look, I said, pay me like 170 00:07:29.240 --> 00:07:30.879 the quarterbacks are getting paid. I said, I'm like the 171 00:07:30.959 --> 00:07:32.759 quarterback of this team. I said, I'm a running back. 172 00:07:32.800 --> 00:07:35.040 But I said what I'm doing. What quarterback does? I 173 00:07:35.040 --> 00:07:38.439 said this. I said, give me a contract Marino or 174 00:07:38.480 --> 00:07:41.680 always something similar to that. And I said, I tell you, 175 00:07:41.680 --> 00:07:43.399 I said. He said, well, Eric, I don't know about it. 176 00:07:43.399 --> 00:07:44.879 They said, no, we can't do it. I said, I 177 00:07:44.920 --> 00:07:46.519 tell you what. This is what I told him. I said, 178 00:07:46.759 --> 00:07:52.199 I said, if I have fifteen hundred yards or more rushing, 179 00:07:53.120 --> 00:07:56.000 give me that contract and we'll go year by year. 180 00:07:56.399 --> 00:07:58.839 I said, if not, I'll go back to my old contract. 181 00:07:59.160 --> 00:08:03.079 He sit there now, We're not gonna do that. And 182 00:08:03.160 --> 00:08:05.040 I just said okay. And in that point I just 183 00:08:05.120 --> 00:08:06.920 knew it wasn't gonna work. I mean, it was just 184 00:08:07.160 --> 00:08:08.959 it was a debacle over there man, and it was 185 00:08:09.279 --> 00:08:12.480 I was frustrated. I love my teammates, you know. And 186 00:08:12.480 --> 00:08:14.759 it's funny how the media portrayed me at that time, 187 00:08:14.839 --> 00:08:17.319 as I was just n grade And I tell you, 188 00:08:17.319 --> 00:08:18.920 if I an't know the ningrade, well n grade and 189 00:08:18.959 --> 00:08:21.040 I was selfish, and nobody liked me on the team. 190 00:08:21.439 --> 00:08:23.519 Man. We had one of the close We had. 191 00:08:23.439 --> 00:08:25.879 A close knit football team, I mean a really close 192 00:08:25.959 --> 00:08:28.720 knit football team because John had it set up. I mean, 193 00:08:28.839 --> 00:08:30.920 the running game was us and all we needed was 194 00:08:30.920 --> 00:08:34.039 a quarterback. I mean really, and it was I was. 195 00:08:34.120 --> 00:08:36.039 I was sad to leave the Rams. I really didn't 196 00:08:36.039 --> 00:08:37.559 want to leave the Rams. I want And when I 197 00:08:37.600 --> 00:08:41.279 talked to I just I talked to Barbara a couple 198 00:08:41.240 --> 00:08:43.200 of days ago. She said, Eric, I want to tell 199 00:08:43.200 --> 00:08:44.960 you something. She said, John, She said, John loved you. 200 00:08:45.039 --> 00:08:46.759 She said. He said he hated the Rams for that. 201 00:08:46.840 --> 00:08:48.960 He hated the Rams for for what they did. You 202 00:08:49.000 --> 00:08:50.720 and you know, and trade and you say, because he 203 00:08:50.759 --> 00:08:53.039 said he had everything set for for that team, and 204 00:08:53.360 --> 00:08:55.960 you and you know, I always felt that we were 205 00:08:56.039 --> 00:08:58.480 just a player or two away from a super Bowl 206 00:08:58.559 --> 00:09:01.039 here in LA. But we can never get the right 207 00:09:01.080 --> 00:09:03.200 players in place. I mean think about it. I mean, 208 00:09:03.240 --> 00:09:04.840 we had a we had a great defense, had a 209 00:09:04.840 --> 00:09:08.120 great offensive line to the NFC Championship game, and they 210 00:09:08.159 --> 00:09:10.720 go get a quarterback like, no, no offense. But Adita Brock, 211 00:09:11.240 --> 00:09:13.960 Come on, man, I mean, let's be for real. I mean, 212 00:09:14.000 --> 00:09:15.639 they might as well they they might as well put 213 00:09:15.679 --> 00:09:20.080 you at quarterback, smaller, I mean really, I mean it 214 00:09:20.519 --> 00:09:22.799 was and we were and we are a team like man, 215 00:09:23.399 --> 00:09:25.519 he you know, I just got a call. I mean, 216 00:09:25.519 --> 00:09:26.919 I just you know, the truth is the truth. He 217 00:09:27.039 --> 00:09:29.440 was not a good quarterback. Nice guy, but it was 218 00:09:29.519 --> 00:09:32.200 not He was not accurate. He was short. I mean, 219 00:09:32.279 --> 00:09:34.360 we trying to roll out and throw the football and 220 00:09:34.600 --> 00:09:39.200 it just it killed us. And then that year that 221 00:09:39.240 --> 00:09:42.519 you know, I got traded in the eighties eighty seven. 222 00:09:42.600 --> 00:09:45.559 I guess I won't forget. I told you I was 223 00:09:45.600 --> 00:09:47.240 a man. I was so mad at him. I was 224 00:09:47.240 --> 00:09:49.960 so pissited around because man, I was just frustrated. I mean, 225 00:09:49.960 --> 00:09:52.120 because I won't forget. I talked to my friend Roy Green, 226 00:09:52.559 --> 00:09:54.919 who played for the h he played for the eras 227 00:09:54.960 --> 00:09:56.759 the Saint Louis Cardinals at the time, saying they were 228 00:09:56.759 --> 00:09:59.399 in Saint Louis, and I said, ro I said, I 229 00:09:59.559 --> 00:10:01.240 you know, I said, how much money you're making? You know, 230 00:10:01.480 --> 00:10:03.480 because we're friend, he said, My said, I think Sarah 231 00:10:03.519 --> 00:10:06.360 was six ninety. I said six hundred and ninety thousand 232 00:10:06.480 --> 00:10:09.759 times like damn, man, what I'm like, I'm sorry, I 233 00:10:09.759 --> 00:10:10.480 didn't mean it like that. 234 00:10:10.879 --> 00:10:13.360 I'm like, that's how much. I'm like, do you know 235 00:10:13.360 --> 00:10:14.200 how much I'm making? 236 00:10:14.840 --> 00:10:17.559 I say, say, I say, I'm making like three I 237 00:10:17.639 --> 00:10:19.799 think I was making three hundred. They say, damn, they 238 00:10:19.799 --> 00:10:22.519 got the best deal in town on you. I mean, 239 00:10:22.960 --> 00:10:25.559 I'm leading the league in Russian you know, every year 240 00:10:25.600 --> 00:10:27.919 of most every year I was with the Rams, and 241 00:10:28.080 --> 00:10:30.480 it was just frustrating. Like I said, I went to Indianapolis, 242 00:10:30.559 --> 00:10:34.080 and I mean, look, only the reason I really went 243 00:10:34.120 --> 00:10:36.759 there for sure because they paid me. They I mean, 244 00:10:36.799 --> 00:10:40.159 I went from making three hundred thousand to making a 245 00:10:40.240 --> 00:10:43.320 million at that Ye're making two million dollars in Indy. 246 00:10:43.559 --> 00:10:46.519 I mean, Fred, I mean, come on, then I had 247 00:10:46.559 --> 00:10:49.000 to take that money. I didn't. I didn't want to leave. 248 00:10:49.039 --> 00:10:51.039 I mean, I really did not want to leave the Rams, 249 00:10:51.080 --> 00:10:53.519 but but I had to. And then on top of that, 250 00:10:53.879 --> 00:10:55.919 people don't know, you know, I had a I had 251 00:10:56.039 --> 00:10:57.639 my signing bonus down a sign because you know, I 252 00:10:57.679 --> 00:10:59.320 was allocation of signing the bos until you, Sarah, making 253 00:10:59.320 --> 00:11:01.600 make it seem like it's but it's really not signing. 254 00:11:01.600 --> 00:11:03.799 My signing the bonus is six hundred thousand dollars when 255 00:11:03.799 --> 00:11:07.000 I know my rookie, my Rickey's signing bonus. So what 256 00:11:07.039 --> 00:11:11.000 they did was it was supposed to be in a forgivableloan. 257 00:11:11.879 --> 00:11:13.879 So when I got traded, they made me pay it back. 258 00:11:14.159 --> 00:11:16.279 And I probably didn't have to pay it back, but 259 00:11:16.360 --> 00:11:18.919 I was so pissed at them that the coach gave 260 00:11:18.960 --> 00:11:21.200 me a five hundred thousand dollars signing bonus to sign 261 00:11:21.240 --> 00:11:23.600 with them. So my salari was really one point five. 262 00:11:23.639 --> 00:11:26.080 My signing bones made it two million dollars. So I 263 00:11:26.120 --> 00:11:27.879 wrote them a check for I wrote the Rams a 264 00:11:27.960 --> 00:11:30.200 check for six hundred thousand dollars and gave them money back, 265 00:11:30.759 --> 00:11:32.320 and you know, and then I was. 266 00:11:32.320 --> 00:11:32.960 Just I was just done. 267 00:11:33.000 --> 00:11:35.559 I mean I was, you know, I gotta say, and 268 00:11:35.679 --> 00:11:37.759 I you know, as a as an athlete and especially 269 00:11:37.759 --> 00:11:39.840 as a black man, you know, you don't want to 270 00:11:39.840 --> 00:11:41.679 say your feelings are hurt. But man, I was really 271 00:11:41.720 --> 00:11:44.080 really hurt. I mean I was really hurt, you know, 272 00:11:44.120 --> 00:11:45.840 because at that, but I would do I mean I 273 00:11:45.919 --> 00:11:48.000 played hurt. I did anything that they asked me to 274 00:11:48.000 --> 00:11:50.200 do for that football team. And John two for John 275 00:11:50.320 --> 00:11:52.240 Robinson too, And I don't you know, for a while 276 00:11:52.279 --> 00:11:54.240 I did blame John, but I couldn't blame John because 277 00:11:54.360 --> 00:11:56.519 I saw what they were doing to him. Man, John 278 00:11:56.639 --> 00:11:59.320 was just a he was a players coach. We loved him. 279 00:11:59.399 --> 00:12:01.879 I mean he was he was a likable coach. He 280 00:12:02.039 --> 00:12:04.600 was fun, he was fair, you know with the players. 281 00:12:04.600 --> 00:12:06.279 If you if you if you acted like a man, 282 00:12:06.320 --> 00:12:07.919 that's what I liked him. And run mind because if 283 00:12:07.960 --> 00:12:09.480 you act like a man, I treat you like a man. 284 00:12:09.720 --> 00:12:12.159 Maybe like kid him she's like a kid. But that's 285 00:12:12.159 --> 00:12:13.840 what That's what I liked about John Robertson. 286 00:12:14.600 --> 00:12:17.000 Yeah, he seemed to have this this glow about him. 287 00:12:17.080 --> 00:12:18.720 Wherever he went, people just liked him. 288 00:12:18.960 --> 00:12:22.960 You couldn't you could not like him because he just 289 00:12:23.000 --> 00:12:24.960 had these and I can't think of any it was 290 00:12:25.000 --> 00:12:27.919 just these one line was he pop out and you'd 291 00:12:27.960 --> 00:12:31.519 be sitting there like, okay, that's funny, man, it was 292 00:12:31.600 --> 00:12:34.879 just funny. I mean he just had he had that personality. 293 00:12:35.000 --> 00:12:39.039 He was casual, charismatic. I mean, he could talk to anyone, 294 00:12:39.840 --> 00:12:43.799 make anyone feel comfortable and talking to him. It wasn't 295 00:12:43.840 --> 00:12:45.840 like you talk to someone and you know, you go 296 00:12:46.480 --> 00:12:51.639 stop talking, like okay, then so what's next. It wasn't 297 00:12:51.679 --> 00:12:53.960 like that with John. John was just he was just 298 00:12:54.000 --> 00:12:56.240 full of life. And you know, I, like I said, 299 00:12:56.240 --> 00:12:58.200 when when I heard he was ill, and I just 300 00:12:58.240 --> 00:13:01.759 saw him about about uh seven months ago at Marcus event. 301 00:13:01.799 --> 00:13:04.080 He Marcus had him come down to his event uh 302 00:13:04.120 --> 00:13:07.279 in San Diego, and we all hadn't had a big 303 00:13:07.320 --> 00:13:09.039 thing for him, and like I said, it was just 304 00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:10.799 it was good to see. It was good to see John, 305 00:13:10.840 --> 00:13:13.080 you know, it really was. And uh, like I said, 306 00:13:13.120 --> 00:13:15.039 is his his wife said, Man, Eric, he just he 307 00:13:15.159 --> 00:13:17.320 just he hated the RAMS for what they did, you know, 308 00:13:17.600 --> 00:13:19.799 with that situation with you, and and so did I. 309 00:13:19.799 --> 00:13:21.480 I mean, I told you, man, I hate I hated 310 00:13:21.519 --> 00:13:23.399 the RAMS for a long time. I mean, I mean 311 00:13:23.440 --> 00:13:26.559 I hated that organization because I knew that they treated 312 00:13:26.559 --> 00:13:30.080 me wrong. I mean, the they vilified me, made me 313 00:13:30.159 --> 00:13:32.960 like I was this bad, bad guy, like nobody I 314 00:13:33.039 --> 00:13:35.159 was arrogant nobody like I mean, because you know, back then, 315 00:13:35.200 --> 00:13:37.440 you know the writers they had they had to beat 316 00:13:37.440 --> 00:13:39.440 writers and the writers wrote with the with the team 317 00:13:39.480 --> 00:13:41.879 told him to write, you know, and and you know 318 00:13:41.919 --> 00:13:44.679 that's that's why like and I think about uh, my 319 00:13:44.799 --> 00:13:47.759 mother in football. She hated she hated football because she's Eric. 320 00:13:48.159 --> 00:13:49.799 You know, son, she said, I don't like that sport. 321 00:13:49.879 --> 00:13:51.440 But I really hate what they write about you because 322 00:13:51.480 --> 00:13:52.919 that's not you. I know what kind of I know 323 00:13:52.960 --> 00:13:54.799 how I raised you. I know kind of son you are. 324 00:13:55.480 --> 00:13:58.720 And and and it was it was just it was 325 00:13:58.759 --> 00:14:00.360 just it was just a messed up the you know, 326 00:14:00.799 --> 00:14:03.200 I wish I go back, and I wish I could 327 00:14:03.240 --> 00:14:05.320 have stayed with the Rams. But I always say this, man, 328 00:14:05.440 --> 00:14:08.240 everything happens for a reason. I mean, and I believe that. 329 00:14:08.320 --> 00:14:09.679 I mean I was, I mean, I was meant to 330 00:14:09.759 --> 00:14:12.440 leave that football team. But while I was there, let 331 00:14:12.440 --> 00:14:16.759 me tell you something. Fred teams feared us. Teams feared 332 00:14:16.759 --> 00:14:19.600 our running game. They feared you know when we came 333 00:14:19.679 --> 00:14:22.399 to town because they knew that we were gonna run 334 00:14:22.440 --> 00:14:24.720 the football. Now it's a way and if you couldn't 335 00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:27.039 stop it, oh we're gonna keep running it. That was 336 00:14:27.080 --> 00:14:29.519 the great thing about it. I mean, and uh and 337 00:14:29.600 --> 00:14:31.559 John knew how to run the football. I mean, it 338 00:14:31.600 --> 00:14:33.960 wasn't fancy. It was from all different kinds of sets 339 00:14:34.000 --> 00:14:36.600 and stuff. But I got to give him credit. Man, 340 00:14:36.679 --> 00:14:39.279 he was a run genius. He knew how to run 341 00:14:39.320 --> 00:14:40.840 the football and John knew talent. 342 00:14:42.080 --> 00:14:43.600 Yeah he rand it with the rams you ranted at 343 00:14:43.679 --> 00:14:47.000 USC two Yep, yep, student by the right student body left. Yep. 344 00:14:47.919 --> 00:14:50.960 Then it worked, Eric K, thanks for coming in, Thanks 345 00:14:50.960 --> 00:14:55.440 for sharing that stuff today. Hey, thank you, Fred. All Right, 346 00:14:55.559 --> 00:14:59.159 it was good to hear from Eric Dickerson and certainly 347 00:14:59.159 --> 00:15:04.360 losing John rob it was a very difficult thing. All Right, 348 00:15:04.399 --> 00:15:07.080 we've got to talk about some emotion. We got to 349 00:15:07.120 --> 00:15:11.200 talk about some emotion and we'll do that next. Jonas 350 00:15:11.279 --> 00:15:17.080 Knoxen today for Rodney on seventy LA Sports. All right, 351 00:15:17.799 --> 00:15:21.320 So in competitive athletics, obviously the objective is to win 352 00:15:21.360 --> 00:15:23.720 really at any level. But you know, this is a 353 00:15:23.759 --> 00:15:29.279 different generation at a different time, and uh, oftentimes we 354 00:15:29.399 --> 00:15:33.879 don't see the same level of intensity or more over, 355 00:15:33.960 --> 00:15:37.159 there are times where when it's all over, when it's 356 00:15:37.200 --> 00:15:39.399 all said and done, it's the old you know what, 357 00:15:40.120 --> 00:15:42.720 we give it our best shot out there, right, Yeah, 358 00:15:42.799 --> 00:15:47.000 we did the best we could and let's celebrate. The 359 00:15:47.080 --> 00:15:50.879 game is over. We lost, we lost. Are you on. 360 00:15:51.159 --> 00:15:53.440 Are you one of those consolation prize guys, Fred? 361 00:15:53.559 --> 00:15:57.480 No, yeah, no. When I used to coach the travel 362 00:15:57.519 --> 00:16:00.000 basketball team, so the kids are like twelve thirteen whatever. 363 00:16:00.840 --> 00:16:03.159 If you know you finished second in the tournament, they 364 00:16:03.200 --> 00:16:05.919 give you a medal. Right, we want a lot, But 365 00:16:05.960 --> 00:16:09.159 we finished second sometimes and uh, when they'd hand out 366 00:16:09.159 --> 00:16:11.279 the second place medals, our guys would go up and 367 00:16:11.279 --> 00:16:13.600 wouldn't take them. No, we don't if we didn't win, 368 00:16:13.799 --> 00:16:17.440 we don't want the medal, the consolation prize, the way 369 00:16:17.519 --> 00:16:17.840 to go. 370 00:16:19.960 --> 00:16:22.399 I mean, look, you got to let him know like 371 00:16:22.600 --> 00:16:24.879 that this is not tolerated here. All right, we will 372 00:16:24.879 --> 00:16:28.399 not like second place is losing. Fred, Like, if you're 373 00:16:28.399 --> 00:16:31.000 not winning, then we don't want any of this rubbish. 374 00:16:31.039 --> 00:16:32.440 You're trying to throw it around our neck. 375 00:16:33.600 --> 00:16:35.320 Well that you know that calls for the great Little 376 00:16:35.320 --> 00:16:39.639 Owen story. Who do you know the story of Little Owen? 377 00:16:40.480 --> 00:16:41.960 No, I'm not familiar with Little Owen. 378 00:16:43.159 --> 00:16:45.279 Uh, Kevin, should I tell Little Owen? Ronnie? Do you 379 00:16:45.279 --> 00:16:46.240 think I should tell it again? 380 00:16:46.720 --> 00:16:50.679 Of course? Right, go ahead, a good Little Owen story there, Fred. 381 00:16:51.240 --> 00:16:53.440 By the way, Fred, if Kevin had said no, you 382 00:16:53.480 --> 00:16:55.720 still would have said it would the story? 383 00:16:55.840 --> 00:16:58.000 No, I do what Kevin says. Whatever Kevin says I. 384 00:16:57.919 --> 00:16:59.519 Do, that's not one hundred percent true. 385 00:16:59.600 --> 00:17:01.159 But you know I started doing that today. 386 00:17:01.440 --> 00:17:04.119 Oh did you Yeah, and you change your mind tomorrow. 387 00:17:04.440 --> 00:17:06.119 Well it's a new day, Kevin, But right now I 388 00:17:06.160 --> 00:17:06.720 do what you say. 389 00:17:06.920 --> 00:17:09.680 It's a brand new day anyway. 390 00:17:10.240 --> 00:17:13.200 So I'm coaching a basketball team. It's Josh's team. He 391 00:17:13.240 --> 00:17:15.319 always said, Dad, you always coach Jack's team, and say, 392 00:17:15.359 --> 00:17:17.119 when I want you to coach my team. Fine, I 393 00:17:17.160 --> 00:17:19.799 coached the gout shows. We have this group of players 394 00:17:19.839 --> 00:17:22.519 around us, and you know they were selected, and there's 395 00:17:22.519 --> 00:17:24.359 always that kid at the end. You know, he seems 396 00:17:24.359 --> 00:17:26.920 like a nice enough kid, nobody picks them. And the 397 00:17:26.960 --> 00:17:29.039 kid's name was Owen, so we called him Little Owen 398 00:17:29.079 --> 00:17:32.319 because Little Owen was short. He wore wire rim glasses, 399 00:17:32.359 --> 00:17:34.240 and he shot with his left hand. And maybe these 400 00:17:34.319 --> 00:17:37.000 kids are ten at this point, they're like ten years old. 401 00:17:37.640 --> 00:17:39.559