WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:13.295 --> 00:00:17.615 Sam Acho: Welcome back to the Sam Acho podcast featuring Clif Marshall. 00:00:17.915 --> 00:00:21.635 And as usual, we have a very, very, very special guest. 00:00:21.635 --> 00:00:24.335 And Cliff, I'd love for you to introduce our guest. 00:00:25.445 --> 00:00:26.615 Clif Marshall: Absolutely, Sam. 00:00:26.615 --> 00:00:30.755 I'm super excited today because we have Jeff Friday on the show. 00:00:31.145 --> 00:00:34.565 Uh, Jeff has been a colleague of mine, a great friend of mine for many 00:00:34.565 --> 00:00:40.235 years, and he has over 30 years of coaching high performing athletes. 00:00:40.535 --> 00:00:44.975 He spent 21 seasons in the National Football League where 00:00:44.975 --> 00:00:47.135 he won a Super Bowl championship. 00:00:47.135 --> 00:00:51.575 As the head strength coach for the Baltimore Ravens, he's coached more than 00:00:51.590 --> 00:00:54.245 40 players who were voted to the Pro Bowl. 00:00:54.605 --> 00:00:59.165 12 of those players have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 00:00:59.165 --> 00:01:02.285 He has a wealth of knowledge on mind, body, and spirit. 00:01:02.915 --> 00:01:05.945 Jeff, thank you so much for being on our show today. 00:01:06.230 --> 00:01:07.160 Jeff Friday: Yeah, thanks for having me. 00:01:07.220 --> 00:01:09.095 I'm looking forward to the conversation. 00:01:10.610 --> 00:01:11.150 Clif Marshall: For sure. 00:01:11.150 --> 00:01:13.340 Well, I just wanted to start with, you know, kind of what 00:01:13.340 --> 00:01:14.930 you've got going on today. 00:01:14.930 --> 00:01:18.350 Obviously I introduced you and I know you've been training 00:01:18.350 --> 00:01:20.390 athletes in the NFL for many years. 00:01:20.810 --> 00:01:25.640 Um, what are you doing now and who are you training these days? 00:01:26.165 --> 00:01:30.455 Jeff Friday: So what I'm doing right now, since my pro career has 00:01:30.455 --> 00:01:32.255 ended, I've moved into ministry. 00:01:32.915 --> 00:01:39.575 with a sports organization called Athletes in Action, my last NFL 00:01:39.575 --> 00:01:41.105 team was the Cincinnati Bengal. 00:01:41.105 --> 00:01:46.235 So we were able to say, stay in the Cincinnati area because a i a or Athletes 00:01:46.235 --> 00:01:50.615 in Actions World Headquarters is about a 45 minute drive from my, from my house. 00:01:50.615 --> 00:01:54.635 It's a 200 acre campus complete with football fields, soccer fields, 00:01:54.635 --> 00:02:00.695 baseball fields, a brand new $20 million state-of-the-art basketball facility, 300 00:02:00.695 --> 00:02:02.555 dorm beds, a sports performance center. 00:02:02.555 --> 00:02:05.795 And so have a, a post-secondary prep. 00:02:06.110 --> 00:02:11.360 Academy that I train, I am in charge of their physical training. 00:02:11.780 --> 00:02:15.620 And, uh, so these would be kids who are taking a gap year from college. 00:02:15.620 --> 00:02:18.860 Either they had a scholarship that they weren't satisfied or, or 00:02:18.860 --> 00:02:20.360 looking for a scholarship offer. 00:02:20.570 --> 00:02:25.100 I got my start in basketball, in college basketball when I started my, my, 00:02:25.190 --> 00:02:27.020 my strength and conditioning career. 00:02:27.020 --> 00:02:29.450 So basketball has always been a, a, a passion. 00:02:29.450 --> 00:02:33.170 So I work with them, uh, six months out of the year because they're residential. 00:02:33.170 --> 00:02:39.170 And so a day would include me coming, uh, to campus to work with our 00:02:39.170 --> 00:02:43.910 academies, which would be college, soccer in the summer, college, 00:02:43.910 --> 00:02:45.650 baseball in the summer as well. 00:02:46.130 --> 00:02:50.870 And, uh, I tell you, cliff, it's um, you know, ministry has been really good for me 00:02:50.870 --> 00:02:56.270 because that spiritual block is heightened for me as I've grown older in wisdom. 00:02:56.270 --> 00:02:57.920 And what I mean by that is just. 00:02:58.325 --> 00:03:02.015 You know, how I use my time now is really, really important. 00:03:02.015 --> 00:03:04.415 You know, we only have, we have, we all have finite amount of 00:03:04.415 --> 00:03:08.255 time, and so I really want that time to matter, like we all do. 00:03:08.255 --> 00:03:11.255 I just feel that right now what I'm doing really aligns 00:03:11.255 --> 00:03:12.575 well with the mission of life. 00:03:12.575 --> 00:03:17.195 And so for me, it's a 45 minute drive coming up to the, the headquarters here. 00:03:17.195 --> 00:03:22.325 And so it's really, it's, it's a spiritual morning as far as when I 00:03:22.325 --> 00:03:27.725 wake up and I hop in the car, I don't listen to any podcast or any talk radio. 00:03:27.725 --> 00:03:33.125 It's, it's a, the drive up here is, is the Holy Spirit speaking to me. 00:03:33.425 --> 00:03:38.495 What does the Holy Spirit want me to articulate to these athletes today? 00:03:39.090 --> 00:03:39.210 Clif Marshall: Hmm. 00:03:39.575 --> 00:03:42.515 Jeff Friday: uh, cliff, you know, we had a really good mentor with, with 00:03:42.515 --> 00:03:47.285 Chip Morton, with the Cincinnati Bengals and, and how you give a message on, on 00:03:47.285 --> 00:03:51.365 the whiteboard before, before a lifting session, well, it's the same here. 00:03:51.365 --> 00:03:56.735 What's the Holy Spirit saying to me that I can build into these athletes physically? 00:03:58.520 --> 00:04:01.640 socially, and more importantly spiritually. 00:04:02.180 --> 00:04:02.260 Clif Marshall: Hmm. 00:04:02.300 --> 00:04:05.540 Jeff Friday: so, uh, so that's what I'm doing right now, working with those 00:04:05.540 --> 00:04:10.430 athletes and, uh, you know, the NFL was awesome, a great schedule, but the 00:04:10.430 --> 00:04:14.780 reality cliff, and, and you know, this, Sam, is that in the course of a, of a 00:04:14.780 --> 00:04:19.400 season, which lasts five months or so, it's really, it's really two days off. 00:04:19.400 --> 00:04:20.480 It's the bye weekend. 00:04:20.810 --> 00:04:25.250 Other than that, I mean, we're in the facility every day, either training 00:04:25.250 --> 00:04:26.660 athletes or going to meetings. 00:04:26.660 --> 00:04:31.700 And so the, the, the time, the free time is, is really something 00:04:31.700 --> 00:04:34.550 that I look forward to, to keep building into myself and, and, 00:04:34.550 --> 00:04:36.140 and others as far as development. 00:04:37.940 --> 00:04:40.460 Clif Marshall: Well, part of that free time, Jeff, I know you 00:04:40.460 --> 00:04:43.670 were able to write a book and I wanted to get right into that. 00:04:43.670 --> 00:04:46.670 As a matter of fact, I've got it right behind me here, and 00:04:46.670 --> 00:04:48.050 it's called Built for Winning. 00:04:48.050 --> 00:04:50.600 It's actually setting right next to. 00:04:50.660 --> 00:04:55.610 Sam Acho book called, uh, let the World See You. 00:04:56.270 --> 00:04:56.630 Right? 00:04:56.630 --> 00:04:59.480 And here we got the Jeff Friday Built for Winning book. 00:04:59.540 --> 00:05:03.890 And, um, this is something that I know you've worked many, many years on. 00:05:04.250 --> 00:05:08.900 So can you, uh, describe for us a little bit about this book and if someone 00:05:08.900 --> 00:05:10.730 chooses to read it, what they would learn? 00:05:11.210 --> 00:05:16.190 Jeff Friday: Yeah, so the, the book, the, the genesis of the idea of the book 00:05:16.760 --> 00:05:24.350 came in 2003 when I gave a talk, uh, to, uh, a church group, a group of men, and, 00:05:24.350 --> 00:05:29.150 uh, it was about physical fitness and, and, and cliff, you know, a as a coach. 00:05:30.410 --> 00:05:35.300 as a coach, we always try to give the why, you know, why is it important 00:05:35.300 --> 00:05:40.370 for, for you the athlete, why is this important, uh, for the team? 00:05:40.370 --> 00:05:41.840 How is it gonna make you better? 00:05:41.840 --> 00:05:43.204 And, and so I. 00:05:43.204 --> 00:05:48.725 Looking for my why I came across a scripture it was Luke 2:52 how Jesus grew. 00:05:48.725 --> 00:05:49.085 Jesus 00:05:49.310 --> 00:05:49.640 Clif Marshall: Hmm. 00:05:50.555 --> 00:05:52.655 Jeff Friday: in wisdom, in favor with God and man. 00:05:52.655 --> 00:05:56.735 So Jesus grew physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually. 00:05:56.735 --> 00:06:01.985 So I went into that, that talk, and let the men in that room know that, 00:06:01.985 --> 00:06:05.495 you know what, the physical, physical fitness is one of four blocks, and 00:06:05.495 --> 00:06:06.995 so you gotta pay attention to it. 00:06:06.995 --> 00:06:10.595 And so when I gave that talk, I mean that, that concept stayed in 00:06:10.595 --> 00:06:13.235 my mind of just about holistic. 00:06:13.565 --> 00:06:15.545 Total person development. 00:06:15.995 --> 00:06:22.235 And then, uh, when it finally got to, uh, the Cincinnati Bengal, seven years later, 00:06:22.235 --> 00:06:29.885 I had three great encouragers that really inspired me to, to help me grow my message 00:06:29.885 --> 00:06:31.445 or encouraged me to grow my message. 00:06:31.505 --> 00:06:36.815 One was the pastor of the Cincinnati Bengals, Ken Moyer, former NFL player, 00:06:37.295 --> 00:06:42.245 and he helped me with a PowerPoint presentation in building these four areas. 00:06:42.245 --> 00:06:45.515 And so for me it's like, okay, this, this person believes what I'm saying. 00:06:45.515 --> 00:06:45.965 That Okay. 00:06:45.965 --> 00:06:46.865 That, that's great. 00:06:47.345 --> 00:06:54.515 Another one was, um, Ron Ry, uh, who was with us at the Bengals for, for one year. 00:06:54.515 --> 00:06:59.255 And, and Ron has a decorated career as a college strength coach, and he has a, a 00:06:59.255 --> 00:07:01.445 book called the, the CEO Strength Coach. 00:07:01.445 --> 00:07:05.525 So his mind is always thinking about all these areas outside of the weight 00:07:05.525 --> 00:07:07.595 room, and he's like, man, coach. 00:07:07.925 --> 00:07:11.645 You know, your message is great and, and you need to put that in writing, you 00:07:11.645 --> 00:07:14.105 know, and so that was a, oh wow, I'm okay. 00:07:14.105 --> 00:07:16.745 This, this college coach, you know, believes in the message. 00:07:17.075 --> 00:07:18.785 And another, another one was, was Cliff. 00:07:18.785 --> 00:07:23.915 Was, was you, because you were doing speed certifications and you always included 00:07:23.915 --> 00:07:27.125 me in your certifications with my talk. 00:07:27.125 --> 00:07:32.375 And so without those three encouragers, the book would've never came to being. 00:07:32.375 --> 00:07:37.685 So for all those in the audience, man, encouragement is a huge, powerful tool 00:07:37.925 --> 00:07:40.055 that you can use to spur somebody on. 00:07:40.055 --> 00:07:44.345 And so the book I, I started doing an email series and eventually 00:07:44.675 --> 00:07:46.925 that turned into to a book. 00:07:47.165 --> 00:07:51.395 And basically it's, it's, it's really about those four blocks and how 00:07:51.395 --> 00:07:56.945 those four blocks can really help you reach fulfillment and your potential. 00:07:56.945 --> 00:08:00.545 And I, I share principles that you can use for immediate results. 00:08:00.665 --> 00:08:05.585 And I blend stories with my NFL coaching career into it to really 00:08:05.585 --> 00:08:07.505 drive home, drive home the points. 00:08:08.400 --> 00:08:09.030 Sam Acho: co coach Friday. 00:08:09.030 --> 00:08:11.880 I'm gonna hop in real quick and I know we didn't have this question planned, 00:08:11.880 --> 00:08:15.270 but I'm listening to you guys and hearing about a relationship and take 00:08:15.270 --> 00:08:17.185 me back to that moment of encouragement. 00:08:18.290 --> 00:08:22.400 Were encouraged by Coach Cliff on this call and what it did for you. 00:08:23.240 --> 00:08:26.810 Jeff Friday: so just to have someone believe in you and a message that 00:08:26.810 --> 00:08:32.270 maybe we're working on, but we really are unsure of the impact. 00:08:32.600 --> 00:08:38.540 To have someone like Cliff year after year, it wasn't a one time deal. 00:08:38.540 --> 00:08:41.780 It was maybe, you know, three or four years, however long they were 00:08:41.780 --> 00:08:43.850 running this, this certification. 00:08:44.330 --> 00:08:53.240 He, he took me giving a total person outlook into a speed certification. 00:08:53.930 --> 00:08:58.070 So it just showed how much he valued the total person. 00:08:58.070 --> 00:09:01.340 But in, for me, it's like, man, that really spurred me on that. 00:09:01.340 --> 00:09:01.850 You know what? 00:09:02.210 --> 00:09:04.070 This message is bigger than myself. 00:09:05.775 --> 00:09:07.545 Clif Marshall: I wanna stay there for, yes. 00:09:07.545 --> 00:09:12.225 I wanna stay there for a moment, Jeff and, and and Sam, and think of 00:09:12.705 --> 00:09:17.595 the four blocks that you mentioned, spiritual, physical, mental, and social. 00:09:18.015 --> 00:09:20.745 And I want to know, coach Friday, if there's an athlete that you've 00:09:20.745 --> 00:09:23.235 trained over your 30 years as a strength and conditioning 00:09:23.265 --> 00:09:26.475 coach that had all four of those 00:09:27.575 --> 00:09:32.945 Jeff Friday: Well, yes, we, we all do. 00:09:33.705 --> 00:09:34.095 Clif Marshall: right. 00:09:34.265 --> 00:09:34.715 Jeff Friday: do. 00:09:34.715 --> 00:09:41.705 But we all waver, we all waiver in the amount of tension, uh, amount of attention 00:09:42.515 --> 00:09:45.185 we give to those, those four blocks. 00:09:45.185 --> 00:09:48.425 And sometimes it's seasons of life. 00:09:49.895 --> 00:09:56.945 we always want to go back to be a whole or complete person in our life, and that's 00:09:56.945 --> 00:09:58.985 gonna give us the best chance of success. 00:09:58.985 --> 00:10:01.115 And so if I, if I had to, to just. 00:10:01.985 --> 00:10:05.135 name a, an athlete, one athlete that would come to mind would be a 00:10:05.135 --> 00:10:10.055 player by the name of Vincent Ray, who was with the Cincinnati Bengals. 00:10:10.535 --> 00:10:13.775 Uh, and Vincent Ray came out of Duke University. 00:10:13.775 --> 00:10:18.275 And when you looked at all the, all the reports of him coming out, uh, 00:10:18.335 --> 00:10:20.765 too small to play, wasn't fast enough. 00:10:20.770 --> 00:10:22.415 It's, you know, we all have a rap sheet, right? 00:10:22.715 --> 00:10:26.165 Well, he had a rap sheet, and so he signed with the Cincinnati Bengals as a, 00:10:26.165 --> 00:10:32.795 as a undrafted free agent, which means that the NFL draft is seven rounds long. 00:10:32.795 --> 00:10:34.325 And he was unpicked. 00:10:34.655 --> 00:10:36.755 So the Cincinnati Bengals signed him. 00:10:36.995 --> 00:10:41.225 He went through the summer, then he was cut after the last preseason game, but he 00:10:41.225 --> 00:10:43.445 joined what's called our practice squad. 00:10:43.595 --> 00:10:48.665 And so the practice squad back then, this was 2010, was comprised of eight 00:10:48.665 --> 00:10:52.745 players that did everything that the active RO roster guys did, except 00:10:53.645 --> 00:10:55.235 the game and collect that big check. 00:10:55.700 --> 00:10:58.880 So, so, so as a result. 00:10:59.960 --> 00:11:02.690 group of players would come and get an extra lift in the weight room. 00:11:02.690 --> 00:11:06.260 So it was a Friday morning during the season, and on this big grease board, 00:11:06.260 --> 00:11:11.660 I, I drew this, it's this this, this bell shaped curve where it's low on one 00:11:11.660 --> 00:11:16.160 end, it increases, and then it goes, you know, flatlined on the other end. 00:11:16.610 --> 00:11:20.000 And it's, you know, usually with academia, academia you see the 00:11:20.000 --> 00:11:23.600 grades, the A's on one side, F's on the other, and a C'S in the middle 00:11:23.600 --> 00:11:25.070 where the most of the population. 00:11:25.070 --> 00:11:28.340 And I, and I, I drew it on this real big grease board, all eight, eight players. 00:11:28.340 --> 00:11:29.900 And I said, Hey, what? 00:11:30.080 --> 00:11:31.700 There's minimal these guys are here. 00:11:31.700 --> 00:11:33.020 You know, give, give 'em the truth. 00:11:33.050 --> 00:11:35.390 You guys are on the far left end of this curve, you know, on the 00:11:35.620 --> 00:11:35.840 Clif Marshall: Hmm. 00:11:36.410 --> 00:11:37.370 Jeff Friday: But I said, you know what? 00:11:37.610 --> 00:11:41.210 There's minimal separation between you guys and the guys getting paid 00:11:41.740 --> 00:11:41.820 Clif Marshall: Hmm. 00:11:42.170 --> 00:11:43.280 Jeff Friday: minimal separation. 00:11:43.460 --> 00:11:44.480 It's a tweak. 00:11:44.750 --> 00:11:46.190 It's a tweak in your game. 00:11:46.190 --> 00:11:47.720 It's a tweak in your life. 00:11:48.770 --> 00:11:52.130 And so there, the strategy was you got these four blocks, how 00:11:52.130 --> 00:11:54.380 can you tweak the physical. 00:11:54.860 --> 00:11:57.890 How can you tweak the mental, how can you tweak the social, how 00:11:57.890 --> 00:12:01.370 can you tweak the spiritual to help you move along the curve? 00:12:01.370 --> 00:12:05.090 And in this instance, the curve was with making a national 00:12:05.090 --> 00:12:06.500 football lead team roster. 00:12:06.500 --> 00:12:06.530 I. 00:12:07.265 --> 00:12:11.015 And so in that room we had two players. 00:12:11.015 --> 00:12:14.405 One player, Jeremy Miles, played five years in the league. 00:12:14.735 --> 00:12:19.505 Vincent Ray played nine years in the NFL three contracts. 00:12:19.505 --> 00:12:23.615 And so what that would look like as an example, so if we're talking about 00:12:24.005 --> 00:12:28.445 the physical block, we're talking about, um, anything that does with 00:12:28.445 --> 00:12:30.275 a, anything dealing with the body. 00:12:30.275 --> 00:12:34.175 So it's like physical fitness, it's nutrition, it's resting, it's our 00:12:34.175 --> 00:12:36.965 practice Habits do practice hard, you know, what kind of grade do you give 00:12:36.965 --> 00:12:39.155 yourself in the field after practice? 00:12:39.185 --> 00:12:42.335 And so, you know, with Vincent Ray, the practice squad, 00:12:42.335 --> 00:12:43.865 they always got extra lifts. 00:12:43.865 --> 00:12:46.595 And so he was building his body. 00:12:46.595 --> 00:12:49.745 Remember the rap coming out was that he wasn't big enough or 00:12:49.745 --> 00:12:51.335 strong enough to play on a defense. 00:12:51.335 --> 00:12:52.385 He's a middle linebacker. 00:12:52.775 --> 00:12:58.055 So he kept building his body up physically what that looked like mentally, is that, 00:12:58.355 --> 00:13:02.165 uh, so, so if I go back to the physical playing nine years, he missed two games. 00:13:02.775 --> 00:13:02.995 Clif Marshall: Wow. 00:13:03.215 --> 00:13:03.725 Jeff Friday: Games. 00:13:03.935 --> 00:13:06.635 And one year, I think he was like 12th in the league, in, in tackle. 00:13:06.635 --> 00:13:10.745 So he, you know, this guy built his body up and you know, I, I talked to him years 00:13:10.745 --> 00:13:13.895 later after, after retiring, and he is like, coach, I, I really don't lift much 00:13:13.895 --> 00:13:18.425 anymore, you know, but, but it shows that, and Sam can relate to this, it 00:13:18.425 --> 00:13:24.365 shows that what do you need to do that you may not enjoy doing to get that benefit? 00:13:24.425 --> 00:13:24.785 You know? 00:13:24.785 --> 00:13:26.225 And so he worked really hard in the weight room. 00:13:26.225 --> 00:13:29.915 And then mentally, if I would go to the mental block, the way that would manifest 00:13:29.915 --> 00:13:35.375 itself is that then he said that he would always go to meetings early, and he 00:13:35.415 --> 00:13:35.635 Clif Marshall: Hmm. 00:13:35.795 --> 00:13:37.535 Jeff Friday: he went to a meeting early. 00:13:37.535 --> 00:13:41.795 He always found that the coach was always talking to whoever was in the room 00:13:41.795 --> 00:13:43.505 and kind of going over the game plan. 00:13:43.625 --> 00:13:45.785 And then when the meeting started. 00:13:46.220 --> 00:13:49.340 They would go ahead and talk about the game plan in front of the whole team. 00:13:49.640 --> 00:13:54.260 Well, Vinny said he was able to hear that message twice mentally, and 00:13:54.260 --> 00:13:57.920 so that allowed him to play five different positions on the field. 00:13:57.920 --> 00:14:01.070 And so he became a really valuable commodity on the field. 00:14:01.070 --> 00:14:04.190 And so that's that, that's that mental block and that mental block 00:14:04.190 --> 00:14:08.360 is, is your education, what I just talked about with Vinny, it's how do 00:14:08.360 --> 00:14:10.310 you use your education wisdom wise? 00:14:10.310 --> 00:14:12.110 It's, it's your self-talk, you know? 00:14:12.110 --> 00:14:13.790 What do you say to yourself? 00:14:14.015 --> 00:14:17.315 When you're in between plays in a game or whatever sport you're 00:14:17.315 --> 00:14:20.855 playing or in relationship and how does it manifest itself to others? 00:14:20.855 --> 00:14:24.365 And then even emotion, we control our emotion with our thoughts. 00:14:24.365 --> 00:14:25.535 It all starts with thought. 00:14:25.805 --> 00:14:28.115 So that would be an example of the, of the mental block. 00:14:28.115 --> 00:14:31.655 And then, uh, the social block is that, that's relational. 00:14:31.655 --> 00:14:34.835 And, and, and Vinny said that what he would do, he would make 00:14:34.835 --> 00:14:38.315 a concentrated effort to really spend time with his teammates. 00:14:38.320 --> 00:14:42.635 It, it was going bowling, doing things together. 00:14:42.845 --> 00:14:45.785 Uh, he just, you know, Sam, and you can relate to this on the field, it's a. 00:14:46.150 --> 00:14:48.730 It, you build that trust and that real, it's, it's intentional. 00:14:48.735 --> 00:14:52.660 You, you, you do those things out of enjoyment for another human being, 00:14:52.870 --> 00:14:56.350 but the result is that when you come together in a, in a team setting or 00:14:56.350 --> 00:15:00.430 a football game, there's a, there's a comradery or a trust that's been built. 00:15:00.430 --> 00:15:02.770 And so, um, he, he did that. 00:15:02.770 --> 00:15:05.530 What, what that allowed him to do is, but he was voted team captain, 00:15:05.530 --> 00:15:07.090 I think five years in a row. 00:15:07.090 --> 00:15:09.460 I mean, the players really respected him. 00:15:09.460 --> 00:15:12.760 And that, that's team captain that's voted by your peers. 00:15:13.120 --> 00:15:17.890 And so that's how that social block manifests itself. 00:15:17.920 --> 00:15:21.310 And then the spiritual block is just, um, you know, it's a connection with God. 00:15:22.000 --> 00:15:23.320 it's the most important block. 00:15:23.750 --> 00:15:23.870 Clif Marshall: Hmm. 00:15:24.250 --> 00:15:27.670 Jeff Friday: they're all inter interdependent, but, but the reason the 00:15:27.670 --> 00:15:31.660 spiritual is the most important because that determines where we go and we die. 00:15:31.810 --> 00:15:32.980 And that's eternity. 00:15:32.980 --> 00:15:36.940 And it gives us purpose and it helps decipher right from wrong. 00:15:36.940 --> 00:15:39.010 So while they're all important, it's that spiritual block. 00:15:39.010 --> 00:15:41.320 And so, you know, then you would go to, you know, the 00:15:41.320 --> 00:15:44.320 Bible studies and, and the NFL. 00:15:44.630 --> 00:15:46.520 Is a spiritual sport. 00:15:46.520 --> 00:15:48.635 It's a spiritual culture. 00:15:49.175 --> 00:15:54.425 I mean, the NFL football player, if you look at a Jobs Almanac of 250 00:15:54.425 --> 00:16:00.395 of a of of occupations, 250 of 'em, A NFL football player is the sixth 00:16:00.395 --> 00:16:04.895 highest as far as injuries and the fifth highest as far as stress. 00:16:05.105 --> 00:16:07.955 So you're dealing in a situation. 00:16:08.380 --> 00:16:12.550 That you're, you're, you're typically injured or not feeling great and, 00:16:12.550 --> 00:16:14.860 and you're under, under duress. 00:16:15.400 --> 00:16:18.760 And so I think, uh, the culture of football lends 00:16:18.760 --> 00:16:20.680 itself to a spiritual realm. 00:16:20.680 --> 00:16:24.220 And what that looks like in a setting is that during, during 00:16:24.220 --> 00:16:27.670 the week, you have a, a pastor or a chaplains assigned to a team. 00:16:27.670 --> 00:16:30.970 So you have player bible studies or couples bible studies. 00:16:30.970 --> 00:16:35.050 And then when you get to the weekend of game day, you have a voluntary chapel. 00:16:35.050 --> 00:16:38.800 And then on game day you have, you know, all kinds of prayer going on. 00:16:38.800 --> 00:16:42.700 It's like, it's like a, you know, it's like players and coaches really trying 00:16:42.700 --> 00:16:46.900 to plug their, plug their cell phone into the outlet to get power, that 00:16:46.900 --> 00:16:51.730 spiritual power that they may, may not, you know, can't provide for themself. 00:16:51.730 --> 00:16:55.240 And so, you know, Vinny would go to these bible studies and just, you 00:16:55.240 --> 00:16:57.010 know, he would take bible verses. 00:16:57.770 --> 00:16:59.240 To the field with him. 00:16:59.510 --> 00:17:02.210 And I write about this in my book where, you know, he's a 00:17:02.210 --> 00:17:03.650 young player in training camp. 00:17:03.650 --> 00:17:06.740 And this is the old days now this is, you know, well old days of 2010. 00:17:06.740 --> 00:17:07.640 This is a while ago. 00:17:07.820 --> 00:17:11.660 And you know, you, you got, you practice, you got the pads, you're a rookie. 00:17:11.870 --> 00:17:13.310 It's, it's a training camp. 00:17:13.310 --> 00:17:15.410 It's, you know, it could be 90 degrees. 00:17:15.410 --> 00:17:18.710 And, you know, the veterans, the veterans want to take a playoff 'cause 00:17:18.710 --> 00:17:22.970 they, they have the team made, you know, they're guaranteed a spot maybe. 00:17:22.970 --> 00:17:25.310 And they wanna take a playoff, self preservation. 00:17:26.360 --> 00:17:29.210 you know, Vinny says, you know, when he was a young player as a veteran's, 00:17:29.210 --> 00:17:31.670 like, Hey man, you go take my rep rookie. 00:17:33.140 --> 00:17:37.160 you know, as a, as a young player, you, you got two options you. 00:17:37.160 --> 00:17:38.120 I'm not gonna do this rep. 00:17:38.180 --> 00:17:41.000 Or you take the rep and get better. 00:17:41.000 --> 00:17:43.730 And Vinny said, man, he had to go to a bible verse, he had a Bible 00:17:43.730 --> 00:17:48.140 refer verse that, that he recited in his mind, kind of like a self-talk. 00:17:48.800 --> 00:17:51.860 So he used the Bible as a weapon for good, for 00:17:52.150 --> 00:17:52.370 Clif Marshall: Hmm. 00:17:52.730 --> 00:17:56.780 Jeff Friday: good to, to do the rep to get better. 00:17:57.155 --> 00:18:02.525 And if you add all those examples up, that's how you get a, a nine year 00:18:02.525 --> 00:18:08.165 career, three contracts, you know, from someone who, you know, the press clipping 00:18:08.165 --> 00:18:11.495 said, man, this guy ain't, this guy ain't, this guy ain't gonna survive. 00:18:11.915 --> 00:18:12.185 So. 00:18:12.520 --> 00:18:12.600 Sam Acho: Hmm. 00:18:13.035 --> 00:18:16.905 It's interesting 'cause Cliff, as you asked that question, coach 00:18:16.905 --> 00:18:19.935 Friday, you've won a Super Bowl, you've coached for 30 years. 00:18:19.935 --> 00:18:23.865 And I'm thinking, okay, he's gonna say, you know, who's the Hall of Fame player? 00:18:23.865 --> 00:18:25.545 Who's the biggest, fastest, strongest? 00:18:25.545 --> 00:18:26.835 And I, I know Vinny, right? 00:18:26.835 --> 00:18:29.625 I, I think Vinny still now is actually now the team chaplain 00:18:29.865 --> 00:18:31.185 for the Cincinnati Bengals. 00:18:31.185 --> 00:18:32.655 I saw him a couple weeks ago at an event. 00:18:32.655 --> 00:18:34.005 It's like, and I have like. 00:18:35.630 --> 00:18:39.170 It seems as if one of the ways to quote win at more than just 00:18:39.170 --> 00:18:40.610 sports and more than just football. 00:18:40.700 --> 00:18:44.150 It's not necessarily about how big, fast, strong, or athletic you are, 00:18:44.330 --> 00:18:47.240 but it's about being a comprehensive human being and that's that. 00:18:47.240 --> 00:18:49.400 That's what I'm hearing and it's, it's just interest. 00:18:49.460 --> 00:18:52.250 Interesting that the name you would mention was a guy, you 00:18:52.250 --> 00:18:54.830 mentioned practice squad undrafted. 00:18:54.830 --> 00:18:56.795 Yet he did all those little things. 00:18:56.825 --> 00:19:00.110 Well, he took those opportunities to make a big difference in his life. 00:19:01.000 --> 00:19:02.270 Jeff Friday: Yeah, no, you're right. 00:19:02.270 --> 00:19:05.720 And I think that every player, every person has these 00:19:05.720 --> 00:19:07.310 unique gifts and qualities. 00:19:07.310 --> 00:19:11.870 We have it in us, but sometimes our potential can get thwarted. 00:19:11.870 --> 00:19:16.700 It we don't maybe pay, pay attention to some of those areas, and those, the 00:19:16.700 --> 00:19:21.590 four big blocks are just big nuggets of ways to clarify things to identify. 00:19:21.590 --> 00:19:23.900 But yeah, you're, you're, you're right, Sam. 00:19:23.900 --> 00:19:26.840 I think that, you know, everybody's got these unique skill sets and 00:19:26.840 --> 00:19:28.490 talents that are unique to them. 00:19:29.300 --> 00:19:33.155 yeah, Vinny is one person that I just recognized, you know, from 00:19:33.155 --> 00:19:36.800 knowing him, that had those four, four qualities or four blocks. 00:19:37.870 --> 00:19:42.400 Clif Marshall: Jeff, one question and that is so much, uh, great knowledge, 00:19:42.400 --> 00:19:46.060 great wisdom that I hope that our listeners will grab a hold of. 00:19:46.750 --> 00:19:51.490 Um, but we're talking built for winning, the four foundations, the mental, the 00:19:51.490 --> 00:19:55.990 physical, the social and the spiritual, and how it related to an NFL player 00:19:55.990 --> 00:19:58.030 becoming the best version of himself. 00:19:58.570 --> 00:20:04.000 Could you also see this book or this concept, uh, helping a CEO 00:20:04.000 --> 00:20:07.905 of a company or just a normal guy working a nine to five job? 00:20:09.695 --> 00:20:13.625 Jeff Friday: Yeah, cliff, because the genesis of the book 00:20:13.655 --> 00:20:17.375 is a, is a scripture on Jesus. 00:20:19.205 --> 00:20:22.085 Jesus is the ultimate. 00:20:22.085 --> 00:20:22.955 CEO, 00:20:23.465 --> 00:20:23.855 Clif Marshall: Wow. 00:20:24.425 --> 00:20:25.925 Jeff Friday: he's the ultimate coach. 00:20:27.125 --> 00:20:28.475 He's the role model. 00:20:29.495 --> 00:20:35.105 And so that scripture, Luke 2:52 was about him. 00:20:36.635 --> 00:20:38.735 Jesus grew in wisdom. 00:20:39.665 --> 00:20:42.755 He was, I think it's 46 times in the New Testament. 00:20:42.755 --> 00:20:43.895 They called him teacher. 00:20:45.155 --> 00:20:47.285 He's wise, he's got wisdom. 00:20:47.585 --> 00:20:48.605 He knew scripture. 00:20:49.865 --> 00:20:50.885 He used scripture. 00:20:52.265 --> 00:20:55.445 You know, so he, he, he was wise mentally. 00:20:56.855 --> 00:20:58.085 Uh, Jesus. 00:20:58.115 --> 00:21:03.575 It's estimated He, he walked over 3000 miles in his three and a half years 00:21:03.575 --> 00:21:05.135 or three years of public ministry. 00:21:05.405 --> 00:21:05.495 It's 00:21:05.510 --> 00:21:05.730 Clif Marshall: Hmm. 00:21:06.065 --> 00:21:06.935 Jeff Friday: miles a day. 00:21:07.295 --> 00:21:08.105 The dude's in shape. 00:21:09.065 --> 00:21:09.755 Clif Marshall: Yes. 00:21:10.130 --> 00:21:14.120 Jeff Friday: He's, he ain't drinking coffee and bonbons He, he's eating the 00:21:14.120 --> 00:21:16.940 fruit of land and he's, he's working 00:21:17.440 --> 00:21:17.660 Clif Marshall: Yes. 00:21:18.080 --> 00:21:18.800 Jeff Friday: good shape. 00:21:20.660 --> 00:21:21.440 That's physical. 00:21:21.440 --> 00:21:22.700 And those are just examples. 00:21:22.700 --> 00:21:27.680 And then, you know, relationally, you know, he had 12 disciples. 00:21:27.680 --> 00:21:30.800 It's, it's been said where I, I read where, you know, you're, 00:21:30.800 --> 00:21:36.140 you're or eight closest people to, you spend 60% of your time with, 00:21:36.790 --> 00:21:36.870 Clif Marshall: Hmm. 00:21:37.010 --> 00:21:37.700 Jeff Friday: of energy. 00:21:38.030 --> 00:21:41.630 And he had three disciples that he were really close to him. 00:21:41.690 --> 00:21:45.020 One he loved, he had 70 people with him. 00:21:45.020 --> 00:21:48.440 So he is building into people socially. 00:21:49.370 --> 00:21:50.600 It's not just about him. 00:21:52.160 --> 00:21:58.130 And then, you know, at the busiest day of his life, he gets up early and he prays, 00:21:58.565 --> 00:21:59.015 Clif Marshall: Hmm. 00:22:00.260 --> 00:22:02.840 Jeff Friday: you know, he's got, he had that connection with the father. 00:22:02.840 --> 00:22:04.580 So, I mean, yeah. 00:22:04.580 --> 00:22:07.850 Cliff, um, the book is for anybody looking to. 00:22:08.765 --> 00:22:12.905 You know, improve their life and get high performance in their life 00:22:12.935 --> 00:22:14.405 because that is the role model. 00:22:14.405 --> 00:22:20.225 I just try to help define it and make it applicable to your life. 00:22:21.515 --> 00:22:24.635 Sam Acho: Jeff, you, you talk about defining it and how Jesus, 00:22:24.845 --> 00:22:26.765 Jesus is the ultimate role model. 00:22:27.725 --> 00:22:31.685 do you live it out in your daily life? 00:22:31.685 --> 00:22:33.965 I mean, listen to you talk about the car rides and the notes. 00:22:33.965 --> 00:22:36.065 I remember, cliff, when you and I used to train, you'd have 00:22:36.065 --> 00:22:37.295 these notes on the whiteboard. 00:22:37.295 --> 00:22:41.075 I would every day look forward okay, what is the message of 00:22:41.075 --> 00:22:42.185 the day that Cliff would write? 00:22:42.185 --> 00:22:43.625 I didn't know necessarily where it came from. 00:22:43.625 --> 00:22:46.775 Now I'm getting some insight, but Jeff, how do you live it 00:22:46.775 --> 00:22:48.755 out on a day-to-day basis? 00:22:49.415 --> 00:22:49.805 Jeff Friday: Yeah. 00:22:49.805 --> 00:22:56.615 It's a, it's a checklist that is ingrained in my mind of knowing 00:22:56.615 --> 00:23:03.425 that I have to hit these four areas either daily or every couple of days. 00:23:04.205 --> 00:23:06.875 And so it's, it can be intentional. 00:23:07.610 --> 00:23:09.500 Or it can just be a habit. 00:23:10.730 --> 00:23:17.030 It's been said that 40% of, uh, our, what we do is, is habitual. 00:23:17.480 --> 00:23:18.440 It's a habit. 00:23:19.520 --> 00:23:22.880 And the reason that habits are good habits can be good or bad. 00:23:23.840 --> 00:23:29.870 The reason we like habits is because it conserves energy in the brain. 00:23:30.560 --> 00:23:35.930 That's why you, Sam, as a, as a pro athlete, you had these habits or routines 00:23:36.290 --> 00:23:39.710 that you did, because what that would ultimately do is it conserves energy 00:23:39.710 --> 00:23:45.260 for you, that you can use the field versus wasting it somewhere else. 00:23:45.260 --> 00:23:52.370 And so I think it's, it's up to us to develop positive habits or routines 00:23:52.670 --> 00:23:54.470 and try to address these areas. 00:23:54.470 --> 00:23:55.730 So for me, it could be. 00:23:56.225 --> 00:23:59.825 You know, do I read the Bible on a daily basis or a devotional? 00:23:59.825 --> 00:24:00.695 Simple as that. 00:24:00.725 --> 00:24:02.225 Do I start my day with that? 00:24:02.645 --> 00:24:04.535 Do I do some type of exercise? 00:24:04.535 --> 00:24:07.655 It could be walking, it could, you know, it could be strength training. 00:24:07.925 --> 00:24:10.145 Do I get that every day I'm married? 00:24:10.355 --> 00:24:11.915 Do I connect with my wife? 00:24:11.915 --> 00:24:14.135 Do I make an attempt to connect my wife? 00:24:14.195 --> 00:24:23.465 Do I, when there's a argument with my wife, do I work to settle the 00:24:23.465 --> 00:24:29.675 argument and offer forgiveness to make sure it's behind us? 00:24:29.825 --> 00:24:34.895 Or do I let that creep in my heart and that becomes bitterness? 00:24:35.045 --> 00:24:37.625 And that's a conscious decision that we all have to make. 00:24:38.375 --> 00:24:39.365 That's relational. 00:24:39.365 --> 00:24:42.455 That's just a, an example that I think can happen every day with, 00:24:42.755 --> 00:24:44.015 with a wife or whoever it is. 00:24:44.015 --> 00:24:47.315 We're always in a forgiveness mode sometimes, and, and then, 00:24:47.315 --> 00:24:51.215 um, mentally is, you know, am I. 00:24:52.175 --> 00:24:56.855 Am I staying sharp in my craft or, you know, with this book or 00:24:56.855 --> 00:25:01.085 just whatever it is in my life, am I, it's called best practices. 00:25:01.085 --> 00:25:03.665 That's a business term best practices. 00:25:03.665 --> 00:25:09.035 You just keep on improving and learning your craft, not out of selfish ambition, 00:25:09.035 --> 00:25:11.315 but then to, to use that to help others. 00:25:11.315 --> 00:25:14.375 So mentally, am I, I studying things? 00:25:14.375 --> 00:25:18.305 And, that's, that's, uh, that's kind of how, what I do, you know, 00:25:18.365 --> 00:25:23.015 my own, in my own mind to, to get that, to get those four blocks in. 00:25:24.390 --> 00:25:26.100 Clif Marshall: Uh, Jeff and Sam a note. 00:25:26.160 --> 00:25:26.820 Um. 00:25:27.545 --> 00:25:29.465 You know, uh, for all of us really. 00:25:29.525 --> 00:25:33.365 Um, I was encouraged so much last week, I had a conversation with a 00:25:33.365 --> 00:25:35.495 great friend of mine, colleague. 00:25:35.495 --> 00:25:36.935 I would sit him a mentor. 00:25:37.235 --> 00:25:40.685 His name is John Seroni, and I know Jeff, you know him as well. 00:25:41.045 --> 00:25:44.225 But we were talking about this concept of training the mind, the 00:25:44.225 --> 00:25:47.855 body, the spirit, and Jeff as being a strength and conditioning coach 00:25:47.855 --> 00:25:49.595 for many years, just as I have. 00:25:49.595 --> 00:25:54.095 We often talk to our athletes about getting 1% better every day. 00:25:54.785 --> 00:25:57.875 And as I was sharing that with him, he said, cliff, what if you took that 00:25:57.875 --> 00:26:03.035 mindset and you said you wanted to get 1% better in your faith every day? 00:26:03.935 --> 00:26:09.215 And he said, do you realize that in a 24 hour day, 1% of that 00:26:09.215 --> 00:26:12.185 is 14 minutes and 24 seconds? 00:26:13.205 --> 00:26:17.105 And he said, would you commit to growing in your faith? 00:26:17.615 --> 00:26:22.715 1% every day by spending 14 minutes and 24 seconds with the Lord. 00:26:22.835 --> 00:26:25.595 And that's reading the Bible, that's praying, meditating, 00:26:25.895 --> 00:26:27.425 listening to worship music. 00:26:27.755 --> 00:26:29.345 And that really hit me hard. 00:26:29.345 --> 00:26:31.025 And I've thought about it a lot ever since. 00:26:31.025 --> 00:26:33.455 And I actually shared it with my wife and kids this week. 00:26:33.965 --> 00:26:37.205 And I was, uh, reminding my daughter this morning right after 00:26:37.205 --> 00:26:38.285 she finished her devotional. 00:26:38.285 --> 00:26:40.745 Now the devotional took you about four minutes. 00:26:40.745 --> 00:26:43.145 You still got 10 minutes and 24 seconds left. 00:26:43.145 --> 00:26:46.325 So she's like, okay, I'll turn on some worship music while I get ready. 00:26:46.325 --> 00:26:47.825 But that's so impactful. 00:26:47.825 --> 00:26:53.375 I mean, can we commit 1% of our day to growing in our faith? 00:26:53.945 --> 00:26:57.845 And, um, you know, I, I think for all of us, that could be, 00:26:57.965 --> 00:26:59.195 that could be an encouragement. 00:27:00.365 --> 00:27:00.485 Sam Acho: Yeah. 00:27:00.485 --> 00:27:03.575 And even, I mean, just to that point, even in the business world too, we, 00:27:03.575 --> 00:27:07.865 we, it's, it's easy to break things down to small bites and small chunks. 00:27:08.015 --> 00:27:11.885 Everyone says 1% better, even in football, 1% better in sports and 1% better. 00:27:12.035 --> 00:27:13.715 Okay, how do I actually do that? 00:27:13.715 --> 00:27:15.935 That's what I love about your, the, your book we're talking about, Jeff. 00:27:15.935 --> 00:27:19.505 It's like, hey, here's the pillars, but even that 1%, okay, it's 14 00:27:19.505 --> 00:27:23.525 minutes 24 seconds can you commit? 00:27:23.825 --> 00:27:25.685 Which I mean, you think about, it's actually not that long. 00:27:25.685 --> 00:27:28.085 I was on a, a business meeting the other day and, and somebody's 00:27:28.085 --> 00:27:31.445 like, Hey, okay, you know, business opportunity will be once a month. 00:27:31.445 --> 00:27:33.605 And my first thought was like once a month and I don't have that much time. 00:27:33.605 --> 00:27:36.095 It's like, dude, that's, that's literally 12 hours, right? 00:27:36.095 --> 00:27:39.395 If an hour meeting that's 12 hours, can you commit to 12 hours? 00:27:39.740 --> 00:27:41.810 He commits a 14 minutes and 24 seconds. 00:27:41.810 --> 00:27:42.980 You wanna get 1% better? 00:27:43.160 --> 00:27:45.530 Here are the actual steps to do it. 00:27:47.045 --> 00:27:47.345 Jeff Friday: That's 00:27:47.475 --> 00:27:48.555 Clif Marshall: That's great stuff. 00:27:48.555 --> 00:27:53.025 And um, you know, Jeff, we like to say as iron sharpens iron, 00:27:53.025 --> 00:27:54.375 so one man sharpens another. 00:27:54.375 --> 00:27:57.285 And that's exactly what we're getting outta your conversation today. 00:27:57.285 --> 00:28:01.605 So again, thank you for your time and specifically on the four foundations 00:28:01.605 --> 00:28:03.075 and the Built for Winning model built. 00:28:03.345 --> 00:28:05.745 But I did wanna talk to you a little bit about your journey as 00:28:05.745 --> 00:28:07.275 a strength and conditioning coach. 00:28:07.605 --> 00:28:12.015 Can you kind of walk us through how you got to the NFL and then once 00:28:12.015 --> 00:28:17.415 you got there right, how you ended up becoming a part of a Super Bowl 00:28:17.415 --> 00:28:19.545 winning team in the Baltimore Ravens? 00:28:20.495 --> 00:28:22.805 Jeff Friday: Yeah, so a strength and conditioning coach is really, 00:28:22.805 --> 00:28:26.255 I believe, someone who has a passion for fitness and sport. 00:28:27.245 --> 00:28:32.975 And so for me, um, uh, the fitness passion came I think from a deep 00:28:33.035 --> 00:28:38.945 wound where I had a family member just make a comment when I was young, 00:28:38.945 --> 00:28:40.985 you know, Jeff, you got a flat chest. 00:28:41.585 --> 00:28:47.135 It's like, you know, so, but you know, it, it, it, it was, it was a harmless. 00:28:48.470 --> 00:28:53.960 Comment, it wasn't meant to be, um, anything more than just an 00:28:53.960 --> 00:28:58.250 observation, but that I think maybe went into my subconscious. 00:28:59.090 --> 00:29:05.090 And so what that did then, as I got a little bit older, uh, in high school 00:29:05.090 --> 00:29:11.150 and college, man, I, I, I hit the weight room and building my body to increase 00:29:11.150 --> 00:29:13.820 my self-confidence, my self-esteem. 00:29:14.750 --> 00:29:17.750 so it came, it became, you know, my fitness became a weapon 00:29:17.750 --> 00:29:19.490 almost for, you know, for harm. 00:29:19.490 --> 00:29:22.460 To be totally honest with you, it wasn't sometimes the right reasons. 00:29:22.910 --> 00:29:26.180 So that's, that's how I came into the fitness profession. 00:29:26.900 --> 00:29:30.710 so, but that love of both of those, I started, uh, volunteering. 00:29:30.710 --> 00:29:35.720 I knew I wanted to coach at a young age, so I, I volunteered in different settings. 00:29:35.720 --> 00:29:40.820 Uh, one of 'em was, um, with A-N-A-I-A women's college basketball 00:29:40.820 --> 00:29:45.170 team in, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where I went to my undergrad. 00:29:45.995 --> 00:29:47.195 Yeah, because I knew I wanted to coach. 00:29:47.195 --> 00:29:50.735 Uh, and then, and then my undergrad degree was in physical education, 00:29:50.735 --> 00:29:52.145 which is coaching and teaching. 00:29:52.895 --> 00:29:57.005 And then I went to graduate school I got my master's degree. 00:29:57.005 --> 00:30:00.845 And so, uh, after my master's degree, there was a job at 00:30:00.845 --> 00:30:04.415 Northwestern big 10 School. 00:30:05.105 --> 00:30:06.365 was a basketball job. 00:30:06.785 --> 00:30:11.525 Uh, and uh, back then, this is, uh, back in 1992. 00:30:12.275 --> 00:30:15.455 And so the strength profession back then is not what it is now. 00:30:15.455 --> 00:30:18.035 Nowadays you got like five strength coaches for football. 00:30:18.035 --> 00:30:22.145 And, you know, at, at that, at that time it was one strength coach and 00:30:22.145 --> 00:30:25.145 the whole university, and it would be me as an assistant, you know, 00:30:25.145 --> 00:30:29.735 basketball actually gave, they eliminated a secretarial position. 00:30:30.635 --> 00:30:32.615 have a budget for a, a strength coach. 00:30:32.615 --> 00:30:37.415 And so I go into this interview with a men's basketball coach named Bill Foster. 00:30:37.415 --> 00:30:40.535 He used to coach at Duke University at the end of his career. 00:30:40.655 --> 00:30:45.065 And he's looking through my, my resume and he said, Hey, hey, Jeff. 00:30:45.065 --> 00:30:51.005 You know, me about, uh, Cardinal Stretch College, this women's 00:30:51.095 --> 00:30:54.155 basketball program NAI program. 00:30:54.485 --> 00:30:56.375 Now, mind you, this is before Title ix. 00:30:57.490 --> 00:31:00.635 this is, this is, this is long time ago when women's basketball 00:31:00.635 --> 00:31:02.345 is not what it is today. 00:31:03.275 --> 00:31:05.405 And so I, I'm like, man, this, that's kind of, I'm thinking to 00:31:05.405 --> 00:31:06.995 myself, coach, that's really odd. 00:31:06.995 --> 00:31:08.345 Ask me about women's basketball. 00:31:08.345 --> 00:31:12.125 You know, this is, this is, this is Big 10, you know, basketball, come on, man. 00:31:12.125 --> 00:31:15.575 And, uh, so anyway, what happened was I found out that 00:31:16.355 --> 00:31:18.275 was 120 applicants for this job. 00:31:18.275 --> 00:31:19.595 They brought in four of us. 00:31:20.375 --> 00:31:24.125 what separated me from all the other applicants was that the 00:31:24.155 --> 00:31:28.595 basketball coach at Cardinal Stretch College, the woman's team. 00:31:29.885 --> 00:31:30.095 Okay. 00:31:30.095 --> 00:31:34.865 You got that coach, you got a coach, bill Foster from Northwestern. 00:31:35.645 --> 00:31:40.085 a mutual best friend by the name of Rick Majerus, who was really 00:31:40.175 --> 00:31:40.395 Clif Marshall: Wow. 00:31:40.775 --> 00:31:42.065 Jeff Friday: basketball circles. 00:31:42.295 --> 00:31:42.645 Clif Marshall: Right. 00:31:43.115 --> 00:31:47.975 Jeff Friday: That connection me, it separated me from everyone 00:31:47.975 --> 00:31:49.745 else and got me my first job. 00:31:50.265 --> 00:31:50.345 Clif Marshall: Hmm. 00:31:50.885 --> 00:31:53.315 Jeff Friday: So I, I don't know, you know, cliff, I think, I think 00:31:53.315 --> 00:31:57.365 the message there is that for the, the pe young people out there, know, 00:31:57.365 --> 00:32:01.655 every, it's relational, I think, um, you gotta, you gotta put yourself 00:32:01.655 --> 00:32:03.485 in, in position and get out there. 00:32:03.485 --> 00:32:08.225 I I, and I'd like to think that my heart was good as far as, you know, I did 00:32:08.225 --> 00:32:12.665 things, uh, for the purity and that just, just happened to get the job that way. 00:32:12.665 --> 00:32:14.045 And so I met Northwestern and. 00:32:14.885 --> 00:32:17.195 You know, I go to Bill Foster, I say, coach, do you mind if I 00:32:17.195 --> 00:32:18.935 travel with the basketball team? 00:32:18.935 --> 00:32:20.975 You know, I wanna be the guys, help out all that. 00:32:20.975 --> 00:32:23.885 You know, he's said, Hmm, yeah, you, you can travel. 00:32:24.035 --> 00:32:27.515 So, you know, whatever, whatever city I went to, I always try to 00:32:27.515 --> 00:32:31.745 meet a strength coach just to learn and, and take in information. 00:32:32.435 --> 00:32:35.885 so we go play the Minnesota Golden Gophers and we, I had just, I just happened to 00:32:35.885 --> 00:32:38.345 have a buddy in town and he had a car. 00:32:38.465 --> 00:32:40.895 So I called the Minnesota Viking Strength Coach. 00:32:40.895 --> 00:32:45.365 The, the facility was in Eden Prairie, a suburb of Minneapolis. 00:32:45.365 --> 00:32:49.175 So the game's on a Saturday night, my buddy and me go visit the strength 00:32:49.175 --> 00:32:54.065 coach for an hour on a Saturday, the end of the visit I said, this 00:32:54.065 --> 00:32:55.745 strength coach guy named Steve Wetzel. 00:32:55.745 --> 00:32:58.400 I go, Hey Steve, would you mind if I come back during, during 00:32:58.405 --> 00:33:01.295 training camp watch you train guys? 00:33:01.295 --> 00:33:04.175 So Chicago to Minneapolis is a five hour drive. 00:33:04.175 --> 00:33:05.225 You go, yeah, sure. 00:33:05.555 --> 00:33:07.265 So that's what I did, you know, training camp. 00:33:07.265 --> 00:33:08.045 I go up there. 00:33:08.255 --> 00:33:12.035 Back in the old days training camp was at the local colleges. 00:33:12.035 --> 00:33:15.635 Nowadays it's at the facilities of the, of the teams NFL teams. 00:33:15.635 --> 00:33:19.805 But back then they, they took the show with them and back then what they would 00:33:19.805 --> 00:33:23.945 do for the weight room is they would put up a, a tent next to the practice 00:33:23.945 --> 00:33:25.805 field and you bring your own equipment. 00:33:26.165 --> 00:33:27.485 That's just what they did back in the day. 00:33:27.485 --> 00:33:33.695 And so I go to, I go to Mankato State, I got my cup of coffee, it's about noon. 00:33:33.695 --> 00:33:35.735 That's what time the strength coach told me to get there. 00:33:36.875 --> 00:33:42.395 uh, the strength coach had a system where he would have two players 00:33:42.395 --> 00:33:45.665 come to the tent every five minutes. 00:33:46.625 --> 00:33:50.735 And so Coach Dennis Green, the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings. 00:33:51.515 --> 00:33:57.305 got, he eliminated a second practice in the afternoon just so guys could lift. 00:33:57.335 --> 00:33:58.835 This is before all those rules. 00:33:58.835 --> 00:34:00.725 This is, this is, this is prehistoric. 00:34:00.725 --> 00:34:04.625 So this is back in the day where there was very few rules and you know, coaches were 00:34:04.625 --> 00:34:05.885 really beating the heck outta players. 00:34:05.885 --> 00:34:10.865 And so it was a four hour training block because two players would come, 00:34:11.075 --> 00:34:16.085 you'd go down this assembly line and you had a coach at every other exercise. 00:34:16.085 --> 00:34:17.495 So it was beautiful. 00:34:17.495 --> 00:34:18.905 It was like supervision. 00:34:18.905 --> 00:34:21.905 You get a workout card, adjust the seat height, put the weight on. 00:34:21.905 --> 00:34:22.445 It was great. 00:34:22.775 --> 00:34:26.885 So the young guys were the ones that came in first because the veteran 00:34:26.885 --> 00:34:33.095 guys could take a nap, rest up, come in later in the afternoon, and that 00:34:33.095 --> 00:34:35.735 bleeds into dinner and evening meetings. 00:34:35.735 --> 00:34:39.185 And so the part-time help that day they, they didn't show up. 00:34:39.965 --> 00:34:41.945 all of a sudden, Hey Jeff, I need your help. 00:34:41.945 --> 00:34:45.245 And I'm like, oh, you know, so I'm, you know, end up coaching. 00:34:46.055 --> 00:34:49.745 So I'm doing this, I'm, I'm in this, this four hour block doing my thing, 00:34:49.745 --> 00:34:55.295 and the last guy to walk in is a guy by the name of Chris Carter Hall of 00:34:55.295 --> 00:34:57.395 Fame wide receiver that Chris Carter. 00:34:58.175 --> 00:35:02.465 because he was the last guy to come in, I ended up spending half the workout 00:35:02.465 --> 00:35:03.935 with him because everybody else is done. 00:35:04.625 --> 00:35:05.735 I'm just doing my thing. 00:35:06.455 --> 00:35:10.625 He leaves the tent, he's walking outta the tent, and he yells at the head 00:35:10.625 --> 00:35:14.735 strength coach Steve Wetzel goes, Hey Wetzel, you gotta hire that guy. 00:35:16.100 --> 00:35:16.320 Clif Marshall: Wow. 00:35:16.925 --> 00:35:21.695 Jeff Friday: So, hey, two years later, two years later, Wetzel 00:35:21.815 --> 00:35:24.455 calls me, he said, Friday, he said, you're number two on my list. 00:35:24.455 --> 00:35:26.015 The first guy's at Michigan. 00:35:26.345 --> 00:35:29.105 But he's not gonna take the job because his wife has a good job. 00:35:29.285 --> 00:35:30.995 If he turns it down, it's your job. 00:35:31.595 --> 00:35:32.315 I got the job, 00:35:32.970 --> 00:35:33.190 Clif Marshall: Wow. 00:35:33.485 --> 00:35:34.025 Jeff Friday: got the job. 00:35:34.025 --> 00:35:39.515 I became assistant strength coach in the Minnesota Vikings in 1996. 00:35:39.845 --> 00:35:41.915 And when I was with the Minnesota Vikings, we went to the 00:35:41.915 --> 00:35:43.655 playoffs three years in a row. 00:35:46.055 --> 00:35:50.735 1998, we draft a wide receiver by of Randy Moss. 00:35:52.595 --> 00:35:54.845 You got Randy Moss on one side. 00:35:55.325 --> 00:35:59.315 You got Carter on the other side. 00:35:59.315 --> 00:36:00.785 You got two Hall of Famers. 00:36:01.475 --> 00:36:06.095 got a running back in the back field by name, Robert Smith, Ohio State 00:36:06.095 --> 00:36:09.815 Kid, who was a track and field guy who could score from anywhere on the field. 00:36:10.565 --> 00:36:14.255 You got three first round picks in the old line, and your 00:36:14.255 --> 00:36:17.315 quarterback is a strong arm. 00:36:17.705 --> 00:36:18.305 Older. 00:36:18.305 --> 00:36:23.375 Randall Cunningham, deep Ball Randall Cunningham. 00:36:24.455 --> 00:36:32.075 So 1998, we score the most points in the history the National Football League. 00:36:32.075 --> 00:36:34.385 We go 15 in one. 00:36:35.000 --> 00:36:40.250 We win by an average margin of 17 and a half points by a game or per, 00:36:40.250 --> 00:36:42.290 you know, I think by by per game. 00:36:42.950 --> 00:36:45.680 And we go to the NFC championship game. 00:36:46.430 --> 00:36:50.360 We're playing the NFC Championship game against the 14 and two 00:36:50.480 --> 00:36:52.580 Dirty Bird Atlanta Falcons. 00:36:54.170 --> 00:36:57.860 Fox Sports says it's the second most exciting SE championship game in 00:36:57.860 --> 00:37:01.880 the history of the National Football League, and we lose in overtime. 00:37:03.650 --> 00:37:08.750 And so our head coach, Brian Bill, excuse me, our offensive coordinator, 00:37:08.750 --> 00:37:13.760 Brian Bill, the orchestrated the offense that night after the game. 00:37:13.760 --> 00:37:16.910 He goes and interviews with a Cleveland Brown, Cleveland 00:37:16.910 --> 00:37:18.830 Browns in downtown Minneapolis. 00:37:19.520 --> 00:37:20.630 don't seal the deal. 00:37:21.650 --> 00:37:25.400 The next day he goes to Baltimore, he gets the job. 00:37:26.750 --> 00:37:28.790 Two days later, this is before cell phones. 00:37:29.240 --> 00:37:31.130 Two days later, I call his home. 00:37:31.130 --> 00:37:36.560 I talk to his wife, you know, Hey, if, if, if Brian's looking for a strength 00:37:36.560 --> 00:37:38.690 coach, I'm, you know, I'm interested. 00:37:38.690 --> 00:37:40.250 And she's like, well, he's at the Senior Bowl. 00:37:40.250 --> 00:37:41.300 I'm sure he'd like to talk to you. 00:37:42.230 --> 00:37:45.860 Seven o'clock the next morning, I get the call from Brian Billick, basically 00:37:46.490 --> 00:37:51.140 offered me the job, so I become the head strength coach of the Baltimore Ravens. 00:37:52.430 --> 00:38:03.200 Two years later, we win the Super Bowl that year, we give up the fewest points 00:38:03.200 --> 00:38:06.350 in the history of the National Football League, a record that still stands and 00:38:06.350 --> 00:38:10.100 probably won't be broken because of rule changes, 10 po, 10 points per game. 00:38:11.450 --> 00:38:15.950 So all these adjectives of this great defense, strong, 00:38:15.980 --> 00:38:18.500 powerful, you know, tough. 00:38:19.310 --> 00:38:23.360 was basically the same strength program from Minnesota. 00:38:24.755 --> 00:38:31.175 Adjectives of speed, explosiveness, quickness with the Baltimore 00:38:31.175 --> 00:38:35.795 Ravens and different adjectives, but different beautiful human 00:38:35.795 --> 00:38:38.525 beings with different capabilities. 00:38:39.605 --> 00:38:44.795 And so, you know, we won that Super Bowl through adversity, a lot of adversity. 00:38:44.795 --> 00:38:45.695 But we won. 00:38:45.725 --> 00:38:50.015 And then, um, that kind of propelled, propelled me in my, my 00:38:50.015 --> 00:38:52.115 NFL journey, which lasted 21 seasons. 00:38:55.185 --> 00:38:56.190 Sam Acho: Such a great story. 00:38:56.190 --> 00:38:56.640 Coach. 00:38:56.640 --> 00:38:58.530 I just want to cliff, before you hop in. 00:39:01.415 --> 00:39:03.155 Uh, to me it's like, oh man, you know, we won. 00:39:03.155 --> 00:39:04.265 We won, we won. 00:39:05.915 --> 00:39:09.485 What was the adversity like that season for you? 00:39:10.300 --> 00:39:10.590 Jeff Friday: Yeah. 00:39:10.715 --> 00:39:17.795 Well, if I can speak on the team's behalf, we had a historic defense, so 00:39:17.795 --> 00:39:21.095 you knew that you can't waste that. 00:39:21.425 --> 00:39:22.625 Because that's histor. 00:39:22.630 --> 00:39:24.095 It's, it's not gonna happen again. 00:39:24.875 --> 00:39:29.765 And we went five games the middle of the season without 00:39:29.765 --> 00:39:31.445 scoring offensive touchdown. 00:39:32.435 --> 00:39:33.635 That's adversity. 00:39:35.075 --> 00:39:38.975 We won, I believe we won three of 'em because of our defense 00:39:38.975 --> 00:39:43.355 and our special teams, but it, it, it could not have gone on. 00:39:44.855 --> 00:39:51.905 So in those moments, I didn't hear boom from players. 00:39:52.475 --> 00:39:56.975 That team, we had 20 players that were 30 years or older. 00:39:57.725 --> 00:40:02.195 So we had veteran players who knew their job and knew their role and 00:40:02.195 --> 00:40:07.235 were unified despite what happened between the offense and the defense. 00:40:08.615 --> 00:40:12.485 And the head coach, man, he, he made a quarterback change, 00:40:14.555 --> 00:40:17.795 so he inserted the backup. 00:40:17.795 --> 00:40:19.535 Who was Trent Dilfer. 00:40:20.300 --> 00:40:24.140 Trent Dilfer went to Fresno State, was the sixth pick in the draft. 00:40:24.140 --> 00:40:26.750 When he came out gr really good quarterback. 00:40:27.680 --> 00:40:32.720 He was with a Tampa Bay Buccaneers and, and his contract ran out 00:40:32.720 --> 00:40:38.270 and they didn't extend him, so he signed the Ravens as a backup for, 00:40:38.270 --> 00:40:39.860 back then it was a million bucks. 00:40:40.520 --> 00:40:43.040 Headlines, Trent doer signs back up a million bucks. 00:40:44.300 --> 00:40:48.200 So his his first start as the starting quarterback. 00:40:48.200 --> 00:40:51.650 We lose at home to the Pittsburgh Steelers, nine to six. 00:40:51.800 --> 00:40:52.820 Same old, same old. 00:40:54.290 --> 00:40:58.910 But he was a guy who was a team first guy players loved him. 00:41:00.500 --> 00:41:04.760 He, he wore his, he wore his heart sleeve 00:41:07.190 --> 00:41:11.960 and we'd go and win 11th straight with him as our starting quarter. 00:41:11.960 --> 00:41:15.740 He was the perfect quarterback for that team all the way to the Super Bowl. 00:41:17.240 --> 00:41:18.230 So that's adversity. 00:41:19.055 --> 00:41:21.665 During the season and we overcame that. 00:41:23.055 --> 00:41:26.925 Clif Marshall: Jeff, I wanted to ask you, um, in addition to the adversity 00:41:26.925 --> 00:41:32.145 you felt your coaching journey, what sticks out to me is there's two. 00:41:32.795 --> 00:41:37.355 Opportunities that you had to volunteer and work for free. 00:41:37.865 --> 00:41:42.245 The first was with the N-A-N-A-I-A women's basketball program. 00:41:42.245 --> 00:41:44.435 That got you that job at Northwestern. 00:41:44.915 --> 00:41:50.105 And the second was a five hour drive to the Minnesota Vikings training 00:41:50.105 --> 00:41:54.065 camp where you volunteered basically to help out in the weight room. 00:41:54.905 --> 00:41:57.905 There's a sermon in that, I believe there's a lesson in that. 00:41:58.415 --> 00:42:03.755 Can you share with our, uh, audience about what it means, not necessarily to pay your 00:42:03.755 --> 00:42:09.335 dues, but just in other words, you know, get out and hit the road and try to make, 00:42:09.875 --> 00:42:12.605 um, you know, opportunities for yourself. 00:42:12.605 --> 00:42:14.135 'cause you created those opportunities. 00:42:15.350 --> 00:42:18.200 Jeff Friday: Yeah, I think, um, what I would like to 00:42:18.200 --> 00:42:20.000 stress to the audience is that. 00:42:21.020 --> 00:42:22.880 It wasn't outta selfish ambition. 00:42:23.315 --> 00:42:23.705 Clif Marshall: Hmm. 00:42:24.170 --> 00:42:30.470 Jeff Friday: It wasn't, um, I was trying to get something, uh, I was 00:42:30.470 --> 00:42:39.440 really just trying to serve and learn and bring in the case of the 00:42:39.470 --> 00:42:41.690 Viking, just bring information back. 00:42:41.690 --> 00:42:44.210 I never thought I'd be a strength coach in the National Football League. 00:42:44.270 --> 00:42:45.620 I thought that. 00:42:46.820 --> 00:42:52.040 And so would, I would tell people, the sermon to me would just be, 00:42:52.730 --> 00:42:55.670 you know, be authentic, real. 00:42:57.260 --> 00:43:04.880 Uh, but be intentional about developing relationships because relationships 00:43:05.960 --> 00:43:08.810 is how things travel through. 00:43:08.810 --> 00:43:11.600 I mean, if you look at the gospel message that travels through 00:43:11.600 --> 00:43:14.360 people, that's relational. 00:43:14.360 --> 00:43:18.920 And so just, just check your heart when you do things and, and put. 00:43:20.270 --> 00:43:25.760 Put the work in and be intentional about growth, be intentional 00:43:25.760 --> 00:43:29.270 about growth, so that, those are some things that come to mind. 00:43:29.270 --> 00:43:29.570 Cliff, 00:43:31.610 --> 00:43:32.285 Clif Marshall: Good stuff. 00:43:32.285 --> 00:43:36.515 I gotta ask you, what was it like training Ray Lewis in the weight room 00:43:36.695 --> 00:43:39.395 and did he bench press more than I do? 00:43:44.210 --> 00:43:45.260 Jeff Friday: where do you bench press Cliff? 00:43:47.930 --> 00:43:49.825 Clif Marshall: Not near as much as I used to coach. 00:43:50.660 --> 00:43:54.920 Jeff Friday: Um, yeah, so, you know, the, at the intro there you 00:43:54.920 --> 00:43:58.935 mentioned 12 Hall of Fame players. 00:44:00.080 --> 00:44:06.080 And so I came in the Baltimore Ravens in 1999 and Ray Lewis 00:44:06.080 --> 00:44:08.300 I think was drafted in 96. 00:44:09.350 --> 00:44:13.040 And so I think that was his fourth year in the league. 00:44:14.120 --> 00:44:18.470 And, um, the year we won the Super Bowl, we had. 00:44:18.875 --> 00:44:23.405 A veteran by the name of Shannon Sharp who was in the Hall of Fame. 00:44:24.485 --> 00:44:30.215 We had another veteran by the name of Rod Woodson who was in the Hall of Fame. 00:44:31.115 --> 00:44:34.205 And those three guys were together a lot. 00:44:35.105 --> 00:44:40.355 And, and what I mean by that is that, you know, Ray, who was younger, 00:44:40.355 --> 00:44:48.335 still still a great leader, but he was under their leadership learning 00:44:49.235 --> 00:44:50.675 they were building into him. 00:44:52.385 --> 00:44:57.965 And even when, after a Super Bowl run, we had Randall Cunningham, who I mentioned, 00:44:57.965 --> 00:45:03.185 he came to the Ravens, Randall's, he's doing bible studies with, with those guys. 00:45:04.265 --> 00:45:08.045 So Ray is being built into as a young player. 00:45:08.045 --> 00:45:10.025 So that's, that's what I remember. 00:45:10.985 --> 00:45:17.615 But then as his career escalated, you know, Ray, to me, he drew people in. 00:45:18.590 --> 00:45:19.280 leadership. 00:45:19.280 --> 00:45:22.490 So what that meant was that it didn't matter. 00:45:22.910 --> 00:45:26.120 From my vantage point, it didn't matter if you're a rookie, you're 00:45:26.120 --> 00:45:29.630 a free agent, it didn't matter who you are, he's gonna draw you in. 00:45:30.560 --> 00:45:35.870 And so I remember in the, in the Ravens weight room, we had this really big mat 00:45:36.020 --> 00:45:38.000 on the floor where we did core work. 00:45:38.870 --> 00:45:42.740 And Ray had this, this ab routine that he would, once in a while, do, 00:45:42.770 --> 00:45:45.410 you know, a list of 20 different exercises, whatever it was. 00:45:45.410 --> 00:45:48.500 And you know, he would, Hey, come on, do do this with me. 00:45:48.500 --> 00:45:49.640 Do you know, do this with me. 00:45:49.640 --> 00:45:52.910 You see all, you know, 10, 15, 20 guy, whatever it was, you 00:45:52.910 --> 00:45:54.020 know, doing this ab routine. 00:45:54.020 --> 00:45:57.830 And the rookie, I'd say, I'd say, if a rookie goes, I say, Hey, just so you know, 00:45:57.830 --> 00:46:00.140 you're gonna probably get some soreness. 00:46:00.500 --> 00:46:02.450 So just be, just, just so you know. 00:46:02.450 --> 00:46:06.020 But he brought, he drew people in as a leader. 00:46:06.020 --> 00:46:13.370 And so from, from our, from the time I was with him, I think we had six defensive 00:46:13.370 --> 00:46:16.745 coaches become head coaches in the NFL. 00:46:17.015 --> 00:46:24.035 Okay, so he took your team and he elevated it by his passion and 00:46:24.455 --> 00:46:27.935 drive and work ethic and standard. 00:46:29.105 --> 00:46:30.245 So that's what I saw. 00:46:30.245 --> 00:46:35.015 And from a fiscal standpoint, Sam, you can relate to this man, tough. 00:46:35.015 --> 00:46:41.225 Tufts University, they did a, they did a study and they equaled a hit the National 00:46:41.225 --> 00:46:47.315 Football League to that of standing on top of the crossbar of a goalpost. 00:46:47.375 --> 00:46:53.315 And that crossbar is, is 10 feet high and doing a swan dive into the turf 00:46:53.315 --> 00:47:00.995 with no pads standing and getting hit by a car moving six miles per hour. 00:47:01.205 --> 00:47:06.455 So that's what a hit by a 240 pound linebacker feels like in the NFL. 00:47:06.455 --> 00:47:08.825 And that's what Ray Lewis did for a living. 00:47:10.385 --> 00:47:12.755 And he did it for 17 years. 00:47:14.135 --> 00:47:22.595 And Ray Lewis' stats is he has over 2000 combined tackles and 1,500 solo tackles. 00:47:22.595 --> 00:47:27.545 So you add it all up and that's like almost 4,000 hits. 00:47:27.965 --> 00:47:32.915 So when you think about the physical sustainability what he did to take care 00:47:32.915 --> 00:47:37.325 of his body, of not only participating in the weight training program, but finding, 00:47:37.775 --> 00:47:41.135 you know, avenues outside of the program. 00:47:41.135 --> 00:47:42.305 Kickboxing. 00:47:42.725 --> 00:47:47.975 You know, back in the early days, in the early days, we had a 16 week off 00:47:47.975 --> 00:47:51.335 season program and it was a paid program. 00:47:51.335 --> 00:47:52.565 Players got paid to train. 00:47:53.645 --> 00:47:57.905 And so because of the length of the program, a lot of those veterans, 00:47:57.905 --> 00:48:00.845 they don't want to, they don't wanna start running in March or April. 00:48:00.845 --> 00:48:05.825 Back in the day, they started running later the off season as it got closer 00:48:05.825 --> 00:48:07.895 to the season to conserve the joints. 00:48:08.750 --> 00:48:12.500 so with Ray, you know, he liked to bike and so there's, it's called 00:48:12.500 --> 00:48:14.750 spin cycle, the heavy flywheel. 00:48:15.170 --> 00:48:19.130 I brought a spin cycle instructor and bikes into the facility for 00:48:19.130 --> 00:48:21.140 him and for other veteran guys. 00:48:21.140 --> 00:48:23.030 So they would do that as part of the routine. 00:48:23.030 --> 00:48:29.300 And so, but you add up all these layers to the routine, you're always tweaking 00:48:29.690 --> 00:48:31.610 and that just gives you sustainability. 00:48:31.610 --> 00:48:33.890 And that's what I think about Ray, I think of his leadership and the 00:48:33.890 --> 00:48:38.900 fact that he played 17 years at a high level, won two Super Bowls. 00:48:38.900 --> 00:48:39.620 That's what I think about it. 00:48:39.620 --> 00:48:41.540 And, and, and that national Football League's been in 00:48:41.540 --> 00:48:42.980 existence over a hundred years. 00:48:43.820 --> 00:48:46.850 And he's your star in linebacker on your a hundred year anniversary team. 00:48:47.290 --> 00:48:47.510 Clif Marshall: Hmm. 00:48:47.625 --> 00:48:48.105 Sam Acho: Hmm, 00:48:48.170 --> 00:48:50.750 Jeff Friday: player, good player. 00:48:51.525 --> 00:48:54.465 Sam Acho: coach, I want to go back real quickly and I know we're coming 00:48:54.465 --> 00:48:59.025 to a close, but I did want to get back to a point that you made in a 00:48:59.025 --> 00:49:00.435 story you told when you were younger. 00:49:00.435 --> 00:49:00.495 I. 00:49:00.815 --> 00:49:03.845 You said a comment was made and somebody said, okay, I got a, you 00:49:03.845 --> 00:49:06.785 have a flat chest, and you started working out and training and getting 00:49:06.785 --> 00:49:09.935 in the weight room, but you said you started to use that for evil. 00:49:12.245 --> 00:49:15.635 How did you begin change that to good. 00:49:18.050 --> 00:49:19.040 Jeff Friday: Self-awareness. 00:49:19.400 --> 00:49:21.500 I heard people, I heard a friend. 00:49:21.950 --> 00:49:26.600 So my senior year in high school, a buddy of mine led the student 00:49:26.600 --> 00:49:28.850 congregation in a, an assembly. 00:49:29.000 --> 00:49:33.080 He organized it the whole school, it's the whole student body. 00:49:33.380 --> 00:49:34.910 He organized it in the gymnasium. 00:49:36.560 --> 00:49:37.250 I wasn't there. 00:49:38.390 --> 00:49:40.700 I was in the basement lifting weights. 00:49:42.830 --> 00:49:43.610 I hurt my friend. 00:49:45.230 --> 00:49:51.050 So that's, that's an example of using it for harm. 00:49:51.365 --> 00:49:57.575 It supersedes other blocks being there for my friend and just over 00:49:57.575 --> 00:50:03.275 time learning how to place it in the context of the other blocks. 00:50:03.275 --> 00:50:05.825 And so we get mi we get mixed messages. 00:50:05.825 --> 00:50:10.265 I think about importance of things and even at church I went to is like, man, 00:50:10.265 --> 00:50:14.105 if you, if you wanna be a high achiever, you gotta devote your whole life to this 00:50:14.105 --> 00:50:16.025 one thing at this time in your life. 00:50:16.025 --> 00:50:18.725 And I'm not so sure about that. 00:50:19.685 --> 00:50:24.455 I think you can achieve all your dreams by having a full, 00:50:24.575 --> 00:50:27.005 abundant life in all these areas. 00:50:28.385 --> 00:50:31.085 And so that's, that's what I would preach. 00:50:32.135 --> 00:50:36.815 there might be seasons of life where, you know, you may have to shore up a 00:50:36.815 --> 00:50:42.695 relationship or shore up a physical activity routine or just whatever it is. 00:50:42.695 --> 00:50:48.215 But the more you can combine all four in or. 00:50:48.620 --> 00:50:54.110 Basis, I think the more fruitful you will be as a human being. 00:50:56.495 --> 00:50:57.875 Clif Marshall: That's really good, coach. 00:50:57.875 --> 00:50:58.775 Really good. 00:50:58.775 --> 00:51:00.575 I had one more question for you. 00:51:01.280 --> 00:51:05.090 Um, I want to know as I sit here in my office and I've got so much 00:51:05.090 --> 00:51:08.450 memorabilia and uh, championship balls. 00:51:08.450 --> 00:51:11.360 I got championship rings, conference championship rings. 00:51:11.360 --> 00:51:13.340 I don't have a Super Bowl championship ring. 00:51:13.820 --> 00:51:15.350 Uh, but like you do. 00:51:15.350 --> 00:51:18.800 But I want to know, did that Super Bowl, did that championship ring, 00:51:19.190 --> 00:51:20.660 did it bring you fulfillment? 00:51:23.180 --> 00:51:29.270 Jeff Friday: The championship ring was just a, a symbol, just 00:51:29.270 --> 00:51:31.700 a symbol of an accomplishment. 00:51:32.960 --> 00:51:33.860 That's all it was. 00:51:35.810 --> 00:51:43.070 We, um, the, the championship ring was from the 2000 season and in 2020, I. 00:51:44.315 --> 00:51:48.935 The Baltimore Ravens wanted to bring us back to Baltimore to celebrate, 00:51:48.935 --> 00:51:51.815 but because of Covid, we, couldn't. 00:51:52.985 --> 00:52:01.595 So they did a Zoom call and so on the Zoom call and hearing the life stories 00:52:02.435 --> 00:52:09.305 of all the guys that were on that team, you just realized how special the 00:52:09.305 --> 00:52:15.935 human beings were that just happened to be together in that one moment of 00:52:15.935 --> 00:52:18.725 time, playing the sport of football. 00:52:18.965 --> 00:52:19.925 That's all it was. 00:52:20.570 --> 00:52:20.900 Clif Marshall: Hmm. 00:52:21.005 --> 00:52:21.845 Jeff Friday: That's all it was. 00:52:22.835 --> 00:52:24.310 Special human beings together. 00:52:25.040 --> 00:52:27.620 Clif Marshall: well you've mentioned earlier, you know, in, in our 00:52:27.620 --> 00:52:31.340 podcast, you know, it's, it's more than just the physical, right? 00:52:31.340 --> 00:52:34.460 And one of my favorite bible verses actually a Bible verse that changed 00:52:34.460 --> 00:52:39.380 my coaching philosophy is from one Timothy four eight and it says, for 00:52:39.380 --> 00:52:41.900 physical training is of some value. 00:52:42.530 --> 00:52:46.490 But godliness has value for all things holding promise for the 00:52:46.490 --> 00:52:48.530 present life and the life to come. 00:52:48.980 --> 00:52:51.980 And you talked about eternity, right? 00:52:52.640 --> 00:52:59.630 And I think that the rings are a sign of achievement to your point. 00:53:00.740 --> 00:53:04.070 But a friend of mine said, cliff, don't chase rings as a 00:53:04.070 --> 00:53:06.890 coach, chase eternal crowns. 00:53:07.640 --> 00:53:11.750 And I think what that means is the relationships, like you talked about, 00:53:12.560 --> 00:53:15.216 uh, that we develop with athletes, with coworkers, with colleagues. 00:53:16.925 --> 00:53:19.355 Those are things that will remain forever. 00:53:19.445 --> 00:53:20.345 I say it all the time. 00:53:20.345 --> 00:53:21.755 Results are temporary. 00:53:22.265 --> 00:53:23.915 Relationships are eternal. 00:53:24.335 --> 00:53:29.075 So my cliff note today is don't chase the temporary ring. 00:53:29.735 --> 00:53:32.555 Chase the eternal crown. 00:53:34.035 --> 00:53:34.115 Sam Acho: Hmm. 00:53:34.610 --> 00:53:35.270 That's so good. 00:53:35.270 --> 00:53:37.760 And, and I, you know, cliff usually give the cliff notes. 00:53:37.760 --> 00:53:40.310 This is, I don't if it's Sam know, I don't know what we call it, but, 00:53:41.330 --> 00:53:44.960 but man, Jeff, after listening to you, I hear a message of 00:53:47.090 --> 00:53:49.400 Like, I hear this message of, okay, if there's some stuff 00:53:49.400 --> 00:53:50.750 that you've been holding in. 00:53:53.615 --> 00:53:57.035 It'd be wise to address it before it hurt somebody. 00:53:57.035 --> 00:54:00.605 You didn't physically, because of your strength or size hurt someone. 00:54:00.605 --> 00:54:04.415 But you talked about that emotional piece of not being there for your 00:54:04.415 --> 00:54:08.015 friend because of something else that was totally not related to 00:54:08.015 --> 00:54:09.635 your friend, but related to you. 00:54:09.635 --> 00:54:13.985 And just the reminder is to heal, like take the time to heal. 00:54:13.985 --> 00:54:15.935 You talk about those 45 minute drives. 00:54:15.935 --> 00:54:18.635 You're not listening to music or podcasts or whatever. 00:54:18.635 --> 00:54:19.475 You're just praying. 00:54:20.165 --> 00:54:21.755 allowing the Holy Spirit to guide you. 00:54:21.755 --> 00:54:23.495 You're, you're, you're spending time with Jesus. 00:54:23.495 --> 00:54:26.615 You're not afraid of like, I gotta go all through all these things. 00:54:26.645 --> 00:54:28.565 No, I, God, what do you have for me today? 00:54:29.345 --> 00:54:33.215 letting that permeate into your mind, your body, your soul, and all of a sudden 00:54:33.215 --> 00:54:37.175 it can direct your past and direct your day and have different conversations 00:54:37.175 --> 00:54:40.745 that you wouldn't have had earlier about volunteer opportunities took. 00:54:41.225 --> 00:54:42.815 I mean, that's how those doors opened. 00:54:43.235 --> 00:54:45.635 You didn't go there saying, okay, I'm gonna go in, I'm gonna train Chris car. 00:54:45.635 --> 00:54:49.925 You go, Hey, I just, I wanna observe, you're observing, someone calls you in. 00:54:50.765 --> 00:54:51.905 You do a good job. 00:54:51.905 --> 00:54:54.185 You don't, you're not trying to go at, you just do your job. 00:54:54.330 --> 00:54:57.995 You, you give it your all and all of a sudden one of the best players on 00:54:57.995 --> 00:54:59.465 the team is like, let's hire this guy. 00:54:59.555 --> 00:55:02.645 And notice it wasn't like two weeks later you got hired. 00:55:03.575 --> 00:55:04.415 It was two years. 00:55:05.255 --> 00:55:05.475 Clif Marshall: Wow. 00:55:05.615 --> 00:55:08.375 Sam Acho: so for me, just as a thank you for me to you, thank you for 00:55:08.375 --> 00:55:12.335 taking the time to go and heal from a comment that was made, right? 00:55:12.335 --> 00:55:15.215 I wrote about this in, in, in the book you showed earlier, cliff, 00:55:15.215 --> 00:55:16.325 let the world see you, man. 00:55:16.325 --> 00:55:20.555 Like those things that we hide, there's healing that, that needs to happen 00:55:21.335 --> 00:55:24.425 for us to not just grow for ourselves, but grow for the people around us. 00:55:24.425 --> 00:55:29.735 So, so, so Jeff, thank you so much for not just doing the hard work of healing, 00:55:29.735 --> 00:55:31.985 but sharing the hard work of healing. 00:55:32.735 --> 00:55:33.005 Jeff Friday: Yeah. 00:55:33.005 --> 00:55:36.095 If I could just piggyback off that, that's a great point. 00:55:36.185 --> 00:55:40.265 And, and I, I do wanna make the point that there's this, there's a phrase 00:55:40.325 --> 00:55:43.955 or saying off the field, on the field. 00:55:45.140 --> 00:55:48.830 And I just wanna make a point that I, I feel that's a manmade line. 00:55:49.800 --> 00:55:49.880 Clif Marshall: Hmm. 00:55:50.270 --> 00:55:52.760 Jeff Friday: There is no off or on the field, and it's your 00:55:52.760 --> 00:55:57.770 point, Sam, when we step on that field, we take everything with us. 00:55:58.610 --> 00:56:03.500 Very few players can compartmentalize, compartmentalize their life. 00:56:04.430 --> 00:56:08.690 And so what I mean by that is that one of the teams I was with, we had a 00:56:08.690 --> 00:56:15.590 second round draft pick, very talented player, but he had trouble stringing 00:56:15.590 --> 00:56:18.140 together consistent performance. 00:56:19.190 --> 00:56:23.660 And so I was talking with our sports psychologist and I said, 00:56:23.660 --> 00:56:27.170 uh, you know, why, why is it this, this player's so talented? 00:56:27.170 --> 00:56:29.000 He's, but he's up and down, up and down. 00:56:29.000 --> 00:56:30.850 This is a sports psychologist now this is science. 00:56:31.601 --> 00:56:36.620 He said, you know, coach, he goes, it's really hard to stay focused 00:56:37.460 --> 00:56:39.710 for a sixty minute, three hour game. 00:56:40.880 --> 00:56:42.530 So there's moments when. 00:56:42.920 --> 00:56:47.150 Your mind takes to who you are off the field. 00:56:47.950 --> 00:56:48.070 Clif Marshall: Hmm. 00:56:48.470 --> 00:56:56.330 Jeff Friday: And so if your life is in shambles, maybe it's alcohol or maybe 00:56:56.330 --> 00:57:02.960 it's you're a single dad, whatever the situation is that comes into your mind 00:57:02.960 --> 00:57:05.060 and everything we do is for emotion. 00:57:05.900 --> 00:57:09.620 The act of making a tackle or scoring a touchdown, it's an 00:57:09.620 --> 00:57:11.420 act, but you get emotion from it. 00:57:11.420 --> 00:57:16.910 Well, this player, this board psychologist was saying, you know this, the player 00:57:16.910 --> 00:57:19.820 just has a hard time emotionally getting joy because he just keeps 00:57:19.820 --> 00:57:21.620 on coming back to, is off the field. 00:57:21.620 --> 00:57:25.940 And so to your point, Sam, there's the more things that we can heal 00:57:25.940 --> 00:57:32.000 and address, the more free we will be to really reach our potential. 00:57:32.220 --> 00:57:32.440 Sam Acho: Oh. 00:57:34.235 --> 00:57:34.505 That's 00:57:34.670 --> 00:57:34.970 Clif Marshall: Jeff, 00:57:35.330 --> 00:57:36.170 Jeff, one one. 00:57:36.500 --> 00:57:37.070 One more. 00:57:37.100 --> 00:57:41.000 One more thing as, as you're talking about that you shared this wisdom 00:57:41.005 --> 00:57:44.015 with me when we were working together on the Bengal Strength staff. 00:57:45.275 --> 00:57:49.355 You told me, you said, cliff, all problems in life are spiritual, 00:57:50.585 --> 00:57:53.045 all problems in life are spiritual. 00:57:53.825 --> 00:58:01.115 And, um, as you, as you talk about that, you know, um, drug addiction, 00:58:01.925 --> 00:58:08.345 alcoholism, adultery, infidelity problems in the workplace, um, it's 00:58:08.345 --> 00:58:12.965 all because there's spiritual warfare that we're dealing with each and every 00:58:12.965 --> 00:58:15.335 day within our marriage raising kids. 00:58:16.235 --> 00:58:20.675 And I think, um, the common denominator in that is that we all 00:58:20.675 --> 00:58:24.995 deal with it and we all know there's evil and we also know there's good. 00:58:25.685 --> 00:58:30.335 And so I just want to reiterate the, this book built for winning, the, the, 00:58:30.335 --> 00:58:34.715 the spiritual component, you said is the most important component in the book. 00:58:35.285 --> 00:58:38.855 That we would all continue to fight the good fight of faith because we 00:58:38.855 --> 00:58:43.925 are certainly every day when our feet hit the ground in a spiritual battle. 00:58:44.645 --> 00:58:45.965 Evil with Satan. 00:58:46.385 --> 00:58:50.045 He comes to steal, kill, and destroy as it says in John 10 10. 00:58:50.495 --> 00:58:54.755 But it goes on to say that Jesus comes to give us life and life to the fool. 00:58:55.265 --> 00:59:01.510 So for our listeners out there, uh, Pete fighting the good fight and um, you 00:59:01.510 --> 00:59:03.110 know, we can win this battle together. 00:59:05.515 --> 00:59:06.530 Jeff Friday: Can I add something? 00:59:07.115 --> 00:59:07.835 Sam Acho: Yes. 00:59:09.575 --> 00:59:15.215 Jeff Friday: um, and I write about this in, in the book, um, but from being 00:59:15.215 --> 00:59:20.645 in a, in a, the a FC North with the Ravens and the Bengals, we would face 00:59:20.645 --> 00:59:22.475 the Pittsburgh Steelers twice a year. 00:59:23.165 --> 00:59:28.685 And one of their players, uh, on the field was a safety by the name of Troy 00:59:29.165 --> 00:59:32.465 Polamalu, who is a Hall of Fame player. 00:59:33.725 --> 00:59:38.495 And, um, one thing I noticed, you know, being on the sideline is 00:59:38.495 --> 00:59:44.285 that he would, he would make the sign of a cross between plays. 00:59:45.635 --> 00:59:46.715 This, this is a generational player. 00:59:46.715 --> 00:59:47.495 He is all fan player. 00:59:48.635 --> 00:59:52.205 And so as I did my research, I found out that he accompanied that 00:59:52.565 --> 00:59:54.425 sign of the cross with a prayer. 00:59:56.015 --> 00:59:59.615 And it wasn't a prayer like, oh Lord, you know, why did I miss that tackle? 00:59:59.615 --> 01:00:03.935 It was, you know, Lord, thank you for this opportunity to play the game. 01:00:05.720 --> 01:00:12.170 And so in an NFL football game, roughly, on average, about 65 plays per game. 01:00:13.040 --> 01:00:18.440 So this player, this player saying a lot of prayer, and it cliffed 01:00:18.440 --> 01:00:22.040 to what you said, he viewed the sport as a spiritual battle, 01:00:22.680 --> 01:00:22.760 Clif Marshall: Hmm. 01:00:22.910 --> 01:00:23.870 Jeff Friday: a physical battle. 01:00:25.130 --> 01:00:25.610 So 01:00:25.620 --> 01:00:25.700 Clif Marshall: Hmm. 01:00:25.795 --> 01:00:29.660 Jeff Friday: I, I would like your listeners to know that they can take 01:00:30.230 --> 01:00:33.680 prayer with them anywhere they go. 01:00:33.680 --> 01:00:38.900 And I think, cliff, you said it, God's God's, anywhere everywhere, pray anywhere. 01:00:39.050 --> 01:00:39.470 Clif Marshall: Mm-hmm. 01:00:40.095 --> 01:00:40.455 Amen. 01:00:40.730 --> 01:00:44.330 Jeff Friday: the green light to do that in your life. 01:00:44.330 --> 01:00:47.210 In any circumstance you are in, whether you're on the football 01:00:47.210 --> 01:00:52.820 field, on the basketball court, at the dinner table, boardroom, 01:00:53.630 --> 01:00:57.020 bring, bring, bring Jesus with you. 01:00:57.940 --> 01:00:58.060 Clif Marshall: Hmm. 01:00:58.175 --> 01:00:58.255 Sam Acho: Hmm. 01:00:58.755 --> 01:00:59.535 That's so good. 01:01:00.285 --> 01:01:02.630 Well, coach Friday, thank you so much. 01:01:02.660 --> 01:01:03.735 Not only for sharing. 01:01:04.895 --> 01:01:08.195 This message, but also sharing your book Built for Winning. 01:01:08.195 --> 01:01:11.015 We'll have all the information, Fred, anyone wants to learn more. 01:01:11.135 --> 01:01:12.425 Uh, it'll be on the podcast. 01:01:12.425 --> 01:01:13.535 We'll have it in the show notes as well. 01:01:13.535 --> 01:01:15.035 Go to sam macho.com 01:01:15.035 --> 01:01:17.555 and all the information will be there on the podcast. 01:01:17.855 --> 01:01:21.875 Coach Cliff as well, thank you for sharing not just the Cliff notes, 01:01:21.875 --> 01:01:23.135 but also these relationships. 01:01:23.135 --> 01:01:23.945 I mean, I'm just listening. 01:01:23.945 --> 01:01:26.435 It's like, man, cliff, you said you, uh, coach Friday said you 01:01:26.435 --> 01:01:27.875 were a big encouragement to him 01:01:28.090 --> 01:01:28.210 Clif Marshall: Hmm. 01:01:28.235 --> 01:01:29.255 Sam Acho: a time he needed it most. 01:01:29.255 --> 01:01:30.335 You've been that for me. 01:01:30.455 --> 01:01:33.815 You've been that for countless of other players, and so thank y'all so 01:01:33.815 --> 01:01:36.815 much for listening to the Sam Macho podcast, featuring Cliff Marshall. 01:01:36.815 --> 01:01:40.205 Thank you Jeff Friday for being our guest and for writing your book. 01:01:40.205 --> 01:01:42.665 Everybody go make sure, check out Bill for winning. 01:01:42.665 --> 01:01:45.635 It'll be all over the podcast as well, and we'll see you next time.