WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:13.181 --> 00:00:17.291 Sam Acho: Welcome back to the Sam Acho podcast featuring Cliff Marshall. 00:00:17.741 --> 00:00:21.161 A space where we go first, we give space and we grow hope. 00:00:21.161 --> 00:00:24.791 We talk about faith, family, football, and finances. 00:00:24.791 --> 00:00:27.521 And today we have another special guest. 00:00:29.201 --> 00:00:32.381 Clif Marshall: Sam, I'm so hyped to welcome our friend, 00:00:32.381 --> 00:00:34.391 Vinny Ray to the podcast today. 00:00:34.841 --> 00:00:37.601 Vinny has a great story for God's glory. 00:00:38.141 --> 00:00:40.511 Vinny is a follower of Jesus Christ. 00:00:40.511 --> 00:00:45.491 He is a husband, he is a father, and he recently went from being the 00:00:45.491 --> 00:00:51.011 Cincinnati's Bengals team captain to being the Cincinnati Bengals team. 00:00:51.011 --> 00:00:51.761 Chaplain. 00:00:52.481 --> 00:00:57.341 Vinny played college for the Duke Blue Devils, and he went on to play for 00:00:57.341 --> 00:01:02.381 nearly a decade in the NFL as a standout linebacker and a special team stud. 00:01:03.071 --> 00:01:06.521 I got to watch firsthand how Vinny defied the odds. 00:01:07.091 --> 00:01:11.321 Going from an undrafted free agent to the team captain of the Bengals, 00:01:11.681 --> 00:01:15.251 I was a performance director at Ignition, the gym that Vinny trained 00:01:15.251 --> 00:01:17.171 at every off season in Cincinnati. 00:01:17.801 --> 00:01:22.211 His story is one of courage, consistency, and commitment. 00:01:22.961 --> 00:01:25.331 Vinny, thanks for being on the podcast. 00:01:25.331 --> 00:01:29.651 We are eager, eager to talk faith, family, and football with you today. 00:01:31.001 --> 00:01:32.186 Vincent Rey: Man, I cliff. 00:01:32.186 --> 00:01:34.196 I like how, how you wrote that, man. 00:01:34.196 --> 00:01:37.016 I like the, the rhyme scheme, the alliteration. 00:01:37.016 --> 00:01:38.276 That was all good, man. 00:01:41.841 --> 00:01:43.226 Sam Acho: He was talking, we were talking beforehand. 00:01:43.226 --> 00:01:46.376 He was like, Hey man, from team chap, from team captain to team. 00:01:46.406 --> 00:01:48.296 I like that's that's nice to team Chaplain. 00:01:48.296 --> 00:01:49.016 That's nice. 00:01:49.976 --> 00:01:51.146 Oh man. 00:01:51.926 --> 00:01:52.696 Clif Marshall: That flows. 00:01:53.126 --> 00:01:54.296 Sam Acho: it flowed and you know Cliff. 00:01:54.296 --> 00:01:55.766 So Cliff, you trained Vinny. 00:01:56.246 --> 00:01:58.946 I met Vinny while training in those off seasons. 00:01:59.411 --> 00:02:00.161 I think that's what we made. 00:02:00.161 --> 00:02:02.711 If I'm not, I'm not, not mistaken, of course we played each other. 00:02:02.711 --> 00:02:05.021 But just seeing you and a man of faith, a man of character, 00:02:05.021 --> 00:02:06.221 and a man who worked hard. 00:02:06.221 --> 00:02:09.101 That's the thing that stood out the most for me when I was training with you. 00:02:09.126 --> 00:02:12.491 I, I prided myself on being a guy who gave his all and who worked hard 00:02:12.491 --> 00:02:14.111 and was gonna outwork everybody. 00:02:14.321 --> 00:02:14.621 Right? 00:02:14.621 --> 00:02:15.221 Man of faith. 00:02:15.221 --> 00:02:16.361 And I look at Vinny, I'm like, oh no. 00:02:16.361 --> 00:02:18.341 He gives his all, he's a man of faith. 00:02:18.346 --> 00:02:19.481 He outworks everybody. 00:02:19.511 --> 00:02:20.141 I can't beat him. 00:02:20.381 --> 00:02:24.491 But, but it was this deal of like, irony, sharpening iron, iron, sharpening iron. 00:02:24.491 --> 00:02:26.951 And so Vinny, uh, thank you so much for being on the podcast. 00:02:26.951 --> 00:02:30.821 My first question for you, we heard Cliff talk about you going from 00:02:30.821 --> 00:02:33.281 team captain to team Chaplain. 00:02:33.971 --> 00:02:37.691 What as the transition out of football, at least out of 00:02:38.171 --> 00:02:40.301 playing football, been for you? 00:02:41.141 --> 00:02:42.251 Vincent Rey: Yes, man. 00:02:42.251 --> 00:02:43.121 Great question. 00:02:43.121 --> 00:02:50.711 So I think it's been, it, it was a little tough, um, initially, so I came 00:02:50.711 --> 00:02:56.141 in the NFL in 2010 and I played nine years, and then I tried to make a 10th 00:02:56.141 --> 00:02:59.981 year, had did the whole track, you know, workout for this team, that team 00:02:59.981 --> 00:03:01.991 getting flown out everywhere, even. 00:03:02.351 --> 00:03:04.451 Down to like, than around Thanksgiving. 00:03:04.451 --> 00:03:08.741 I think I was going and working out, but I ended up retiring in 2020. 00:03:09.401 --> 00:03:17.561 And one thing, um, that my chaplain, Lamars Crawford, who you what, when he was 00:03:17.561 --> 00:03:21.281 a chaplain for the Bengals, when I was a player, he would always say, football's 00:03:21.281 --> 00:03:22.841 what you do, it's not who you are. 00:03:23.441 --> 00:03:28.541 He would always share that with the players and he needed to say that because. 00:03:30.911 --> 00:03:37.031 Football culture is telling you that you are what you produce. 00:03:37.691 --> 00:03:42.041 Um, based on how you're treated, you play well. 00:03:42.401 --> 00:03:44.441 Um, other teammates treat you well. 00:03:44.711 --> 00:03:46.031 Coaches treat you well. 00:03:46.091 --> 00:03:47.891 Maybe front office treat you well. 00:03:48.011 --> 00:03:49.841 Family and friends treat you well. 00:03:50.501 --> 00:03:55.121 And then when you don't perform well, then you're not treated as well. 00:03:55.121 --> 00:03:59.201 When you're injured and you're not able to perform, you somehow become le 00:03:59.231 --> 00:04:01.121 less important in the eyes of others. 00:04:01.121 --> 00:04:03.401 Nobody's gonna say that, but that's how you're treated. 00:04:03.821 --> 00:04:07.091 Uh, and then one day when it's over. 00:04:07.781 --> 00:04:12.551 If, because the culture is telling you that you are what you do, then 00:04:12.551 --> 00:04:17.081 you start a, you start to feel like a, like a widget that's no longer useful. 00:04:17.681 --> 00:04:22.391 Uh, like a, you know, I, I live in Ohio and here you have, I think 00:04:22.391 --> 00:04:23.771 some people call it the rust belt. 00:04:23.771 --> 00:04:27.396 You like, you'll have some of these factories and it just kind of, they have 00:04:27.491 --> 00:04:29.411 been, they haven't been used for decades. 00:04:29.741 --> 00:04:33.251 You kind of feel like something that, Hey, I used to be useful, but 00:04:33.251 --> 00:04:36.881 I no longer am because they found someone younger with less injuries. 00:04:37.001 --> 00:04:38.561 So I no longer bring value. 00:04:38.861 --> 00:04:40.931 So you feel your value is now down. 00:04:40.931 --> 00:04:46.331 But, um, tell you what, during, uh, when, when I was retired, a brother, um, 00:04:46.931 --> 00:04:50.621 at my church had said football's, no. 00:04:50.621 --> 00:04:54.521 He, he said, what you do matters, but who you are matters more. 00:04:55.421 --> 00:04:57.311 And that really set me free, man. 00:04:57.551 --> 00:04:59.171 Um, that really helped me. 00:04:59.171 --> 00:05:01.151 And because I know I. 00:05:02.561 --> 00:05:06.911 What I do, whether it's football, whether you are an attorney, whether 00:05:06.911 --> 00:05:13.691 you are what, whatever your job is, that matters, but it matters more who you are. 00:05:13.691 --> 00:05:18.911 And at the very least, all of us, we are, I would say the crown of God's creation. 00:05:19.331 --> 00:05:24.971 Um, I don't believe we're random cosmic goo that happened to come together. 00:05:25.241 --> 00:05:25.601 Right? 00:05:25.931 --> 00:05:32.831 I think we're all, we all have inherent value and, um, I'm loved by God. 00:05:32.831 --> 00:05:36.011 He made me to love me and I can rest in that. 00:05:37.241 --> 00:05:42.251 So the, uh, the transition, uh, has been pretty good from knowing that at first 00:05:42.251 --> 00:05:48.191 it was difficult because you're, you're an expert at something and then you go in 00:05:48.191 --> 00:05:51.881 and you try to jump in and be an expert at something else when you're really not. 00:05:52.301 --> 00:05:56.621 Um, which is one of the reasons I think, um, players may struggle financially when 00:05:56.621 --> 00:05:58.691 they're done for, uh, when they finished. 00:05:58.931 --> 00:06:02.651 Uh, some people make it seem like, oh, former players just blow all 00:06:02.651 --> 00:06:03.671 their money and they lose it. 00:06:03.671 --> 00:06:07.181 There's some of that, but I think most of the time that it's someone trying 00:06:07.181 --> 00:06:10.481 to be an expert in something else that they never really put the time in to do. 00:06:10.811 --> 00:06:15.551 So I, um, was looking to try to do something else, but, uh, I'll tell 00:06:15.551 --> 00:06:20.411 you what, being a chaplain kind of fell in my lap, and I love what I get 00:06:20.411 --> 00:06:24.731 to do with my family because my wife and I work together as chaplains. 00:06:25.031 --> 00:06:27.701 I know I was a little long-winded there, but I'll be quiet. 00:06:28.271 --> 00:06:28.916 Sam Acho: No, no, no. 00:06:28.916 --> 00:06:29.246 I got, 00:06:29.246 --> 00:06:31.676 there's so much, so Cliff, I know we got some questions, but 00:06:31.676 --> 00:06:32.966 there's so much I need to unpack. 00:06:32.966 --> 00:06:35.306 Really, there's two things I wanna unpack if we, if we can 00:06:35.306 --> 00:06:37.406 like park there for for a second. 00:06:38.276 --> 00:06:42.056 The first one is, you said that when your chaplain, or maybe 00:06:42.056 --> 00:06:43.891 it was the pastor, said that. 00:06:45.341 --> 00:06:46.691 Said something that set you free. 00:06:47.621 --> 00:06:48.761 You said that it set you free. 00:06:48.761 --> 00:06:50.951 You know, uh, what you, who you are matters more. 00:06:51.701 --> 00:06:52.841 But when I hear, set you free. 00:06:52.841 --> 00:06:53.471 I hear, okay. 00:06:53.471 --> 00:06:57.941 That means you were trapped or somehow not free before. 00:06:59.591 --> 00:07:01.001 What was that process like? 00:07:02.756 --> 00:07:04.451 Vincent Rey: The not free process. 00:07:04.661 --> 00:07:05.441 Sam Acho: Yes. 00:07:05.921 --> 00:07:06.371 Vincent Rey: Yeah. 00:07:06.371 --> 00:07:08.651 So I guess we can go there. 00:07:08.711 --> 00:07:15.461 I, I've been, um, uh, I've been following after Jesus for most of my life. 00:07:15.491 --> 00:07:19.691 I was raised in a Christian home, but, um, when I get, when I got to college, 00:07:19.691 --> 00:07:24.701 I made, uh, I had a, a chaplain who kind of, who shared with me the faith 00:07:24.701 --> 00:07:28.721 and kind of told me some things about myself that I needed to hear, and I've 00:07:28.721 --> 00:07:32.171 been following after him ever since, but. 00:07:32.936 --> 00:07:39.086 During that time, I did feel, I, I guess you could say trapped by, 00:07:39.536 --> 00:07:41.846 um, kind of the thoughts of others. 00:07:42.626 --> 00:07:47.426 Like, man, I'm, I've, I haven't gone out on my terms. 00:07:47.906 --> 00:07:51.866 Um, I knew that one day I, I would hear the same door that you walk 00:07:51.866 --> 00:07:55.256 in—the NFL building is the same door you're gonna walk out one day. 00:07:55.766 --> 00:07:58.796 Um, but I had never been, you know, released before. 00:07:59.336 --> 00:08:02.396 And that, that was kind of a shameful thing. 00:08:03.326 --> 00:08:10.976 Like, man, I'm, I'm no longer good enough, but I real, I, I became 00:08:10.976 --> 00:08:16.706 secure in knowing that what my father thinks of me really matters the most. 00:08:17.456 --> 00:08:22.286 Um, and I know he thinks highly of me because he paid a high price for 00:08:22.286 --> 00:08:26.306 me in Christ, in his son, um, by. 00:08:27.281 --> 00:08:30.011 I believe he gave his son lived the life. 00:08:30.461 --> 00:08:33.251 Um, not just I, but we were supposed to live and, and then die. 00:08:33.251 --> 00:08:35.501 The death we were supposed to die in our place. 00:08:35.651 --> 00:08:41.681 So even though I, I was someone who was a man of faith at the time, I still 00:08:41.681 --> 00:08:48.571 felt a little guess you say trapped in shame in things not turning out 00:08:48.571 --> 00:08:53.411 the way I wanted to, um, with, with the game of football that I love. 00:08:54.371 --> 00:09:00.641 But, but yeah, that, that freed me up reminding me that who I 00:09:00.641 --> 00:09:04.691 am matters more and who I am is not something I need to attain. 00:09:05.111 --> 00:09:07.541 Um, I don't have to work my way up to it. 00:09:07.901 --> 00:09:12.911 Um, because God already came down, you know, in his son, 00:09:13.811 --> 00:09:16.271 and, you know, I, I'm secure. 00:09:16.571 --> 00:09:17.081 I'm secure. 00:09:17.081 --> 00:09:19.211 I'm loved, like to be loved. 00:09:19.211 --> 00:09:21.011 That means I don't have to do anything to get it. 00:09:21.281 --> 00:09:24.161 I just embrace what he does, what he did for me. 00:09:26.171 --> 00:09:28.826 Sam Acho: I don't even have a, I mean, cliff, could you 00:09:28.826 --> 00:09:29.696 give some Cliff notes real 00:09:29.741 --> 00:09:30.031 Clif Marshall: Yeah. 00:09:30.101 --> 00:09:30.391 Yeah. 00:09:30.571 --> 00:09:32.976 No, it's, it's a lot here. 00:09:32.976 --> 00:09:37.026 It's really a lot to unpack and it's something that coaches and 00:09:37.026 --> 00:09:41.046 players alike deal with, and I call it the idol of performance. 00:09:41.736 --> 00:09:45.006 You know, in the Bible it says you should have no other idols before God. 00:09:46.076 --> 00:09:49.316 But I've seen some of the strongest men of faith make their sport 00:09:49.316 --> 00:09:51.656 an idol, make it their God. 00:09:51.926 --> 00:09:52.316 Right. 00:09:52.886 --> 00:09:57.776 And Sam, I wanted to just ask you, um, have you dealt with this, have 00:09:57.776 --> 00:10:03.446 you felt the pressures in the outside world of, you know, being the best and 00:10:03.446 --> 00:10:09.716 making the most money and, uh, earning the awards as at some point in time in 00:10:09.716 --> 00:10:11.456 your career, was it an idol for you? 00:10:12.161 --> 00:10:12.876 Sam Acho: Oh, without a doubt. 00:10:13.061 --> 00:10:17.081 I mean, yesterday, cliff, yesterday I had some friends over and one of 00:10:17.081 --> 00:10:20.801 'em just graduated from college at Clemson and you know, he, we, we 00:10:20.801 --> 00:10:23.741 were outside playing basketball and I was playing with him and it was my 00:10:23.741 --> 00:10:24.941 kids and all those kind of things. 00:10:24.941 --> 00:10:27.641 And even in that, I wasn't winning in the basketball game. 00:10:27.641 --> 00:10:27.821 Right. 00:10:27.821 --> 00:10:29.831 And I, I'd like to blame it on one of my children, but I'm 00:10:29.831 --> 00:10:30.636 not gonna do that right now. 00:10:31.361 --> 00:10:35.411 Uh, but another buddy of mine was there and I, I said, kind 00:10:35.411 --> 00:10:40.151 of flippantly, like, um, man, I need to, I need to show my worth. 00:10:40.181 --> 00:10:43.721 You know, just kind of like, I thought I was joking and I think I was joking, 00:10:44.411 --> 00:10:47.891 but there was something in there of like, dude, I don't want to lose. 00:10:48.461 --> 00:10:51.941 Even as I talked about the intro to Vinny of like, oh man, like Vinny, as 00:10:51.941 --> 00:10:57.821 much as we were, you know, competing in the off season, like I didn't want 00:10:57.971 --> 00:10:59.651 anybody to outdo me even in that. 00:11:00.791 --> 00:11:05.711 And then talk less of actually on the football field, on the football field 00:11:05.711 --> 00:11:10.811 of having coaches say there's a, a, a, a sign in our meeting room, maybe 00:11:10.811 --> 00:11:17.021 my third year in the NFL the sign said, you are what you put on tape. 00:11:18.476 --> 00:11:18.596 Clif Marshall: Hmm. 00:11:18.971 --> 00:11:21.851 Sam Acho: So imagine walking into practice every single day and 00:11:21.851 --> 00:11:23.801 then meetings after at practice. 00:11:23.831 --> 00:11:26.531 'cause then think about it, you, you, you practice in the morning. 00:11:27.011 --> 00:11:30.071 As soon as practice ends, you might go take a quick shower, grab a meal, and 00:11:30.071 --> 00:11:33.611 then 30, 45 minutes later you're in the meeting room, you're watching film of 00:11:33.611 --> 00:11:37.091 the practice and that's throughout the week and then the game comes on Sunday, 00:11:37.241 --> 00:11:40.571 boom, you watch it on Monday or on Tuesday you are what you put on tape. 00:11:41.111 --> 00:11:45.461 And so I was like, well crap, if I have a bad practice, am I just bad if I have 00:11:45.461 --> 00:11:47.411 a, if I'm not performing, am I not? 00:11:47.501 --> 00:11:50.111 So that really got to me and that there was something already 00:11:50.111 --> 00:11:54.371 deeper of chasing awards, I think. 00:11:54.881 --> 00:11:55.301 And I think. 00:11:55.301 --> 00:11:57.101 initially it wasn't necessarily chasing awards. 00:11:57.101 --> 00:11:57.941 It was like, man, I have fun. 00:11:57.941 --> 00:11:59.021 I'm good at the X, Y, and Z. 00:11:59.021 --> 00:12:02.771 But there, there did come a time Cliff where I remember, and Vinny, you'll 00:12:02.771 --> 00:12:07.871 atta, you'll relate to this or you may relate to this between plays in games, 00:12:08.081 --> 00:12:10.841 you know how you look to the sideline to see, hey, what's the personnel? 00:12:10.841 --> 00:12:12.701 Or hey, what's the next play call or whatever. 00:12:13.301 --> 00:12:16.031 I looked to the sideline in games and practice and sure, I'd look to 00:12:16.031 --> 00:12:17.591 see, hey, what's the next play call? 00:12:17.921 --> 00:12:23.591 But I would look to see if my coach approved of my last performance 00:12:23.891 --> 00:12:24.821 about like the last play. 00:12:26.066 --> 00:12:28.436 You know, if I made a mistake, they have their heads down. 00:12:28.646 --> 00:12:30.446 If I made a good play, they're like, Hey, great job. 00:12:30.506 --> 00:12:31.946 Like, I was trapped. 00:12:32.966 --> 00:12:34.106 I was trapped. 00:12:34.106 --> 00:12:37.766 And if I could just be honest, like I don't know what, when exactly it happened. 00:12:38.216 --> 00:12:41.396 Uh, but there was a time something changed in me and I started 00:12:41.726 --> 00:12:43.406 looking to God for my approval. 00:12:43.946 --> 00:12:46.616 Instead of looking to the sideline, I'd instead looking left or right. 00:12:46.616 --> 00:12:48.236 I'd look up and I would just pray. 00:12:48.236 --> 00:12:49.796 I'd be like, Hey, God, what did you think about that play? 00:12:51.026 --> 00:12:52.646 And I almost felt this piece, bro. 00:12:52.646 --> 00:12:55.166 I felt this piece of like, great job, keep it up. 00:12:55.646 --> 00:12:59.396 And that what happened was I, the approval that I was looking for in 00:12:59.456 --> 00:13:03.116 coaches, I wasn't getting so, so it was almost like the opposite. 00:13:03.116 --> 00:13:06.566 It was like they were looking down on me and I was like, well, shoot, 00:13:07.616 --> 00:13:09.446 I got 17 more weeks in this season. 00:13:09.446 --> 00:13:10.466 It's early in the season. 00:13:10.856 --> 00:13:12.266 I can't, I can't live like this. 00:13:12.266 --> 00:13:17.276 I started praying, fasting, God, how can I rely on you and not rely on them? 00:13:17.276 --> 00:13:21.026 And so he started to show me like, Hey, like I ma, my opinion matters. 00:13:21.416 --> 00:13:22.676 And so between plays. 00:13:23.036 --> 00:13:23.786 Between games. 00:13:23.786 --> 00:13:26.936 It wasn't like I wasn't waiting for the coach to say, great 00:13:26.936 --> 00:13:28.976 job or poor job, immediately. 00:13:28.976 --> 00:13:30.086 Hey God, what'd you think about that? 00:13:30.716 --> 00:13:33.386 And I felt a piece of like, great job. 00:13:33.386 --> 00:13:33.926 You're good. 00:13:35.246 --> 00:13:39.206 Clif Marshall: So the problem is the idol of performance, the solution. 00:13:39.296 --> 00:13:41.306 Sam, what you said is. 00:13:42.191 --> 00:13:44.351 You start looking up and you play for God. 00:13:44.621 --> 00:13:46.631 And we call that the audience of one, right? 00:13:47.021 --> 00:13:49.811 And I think when you do that, it allows you to play free. 00:13:50.381 --> 00:13:53.741 For eight years I've been a team chaplain for the Indiana Hoosiers 00:13:53.741 --> 00:13:55.031 men's basketball team, right? 00:13:55.031 --> 00:13:56.891 Where I was also the strength and conditioning coach. 00:13:56.891 --> 00:14:00.281 And so we'd have an optional chaplain, um, on game day, but 00:14:00.281 --> 00:14:02.321 great attendance and great dialogue. 00:14:02.351 --> 00:14:06.941 But I can tell you man, this concept of the idol of performance is real. 00:14:06.941 --> 00:14:10.631 It was certainly real here at Indiana in the conversations that I had with 00:14:10.631 --> 00:14:13.451 players and even when, when I was a strength and conditioning coach 00:14:13.451 --> 00:14:15.101 in the NFL, it was the same way. 00:14:15.101 --> 00:14:19.451 So I'm glad that we've kind of spoken on this and I hope this will bring, 00:14:19.901 --> 00:14:25.001 um, some peace and perspective to some young athletes who may be out there, 00:14:25.541 --> 00:14:27.161 uh, listening to our show today. 00:14:27.701 --> 00:14:28.061 Sam Acho: Yeah. 00:14:28.571 --> 00:14:29.501 No, that's so good. 00:14:29.741 --> 00:14:32.591 So remember we said there were, there was two things I wanted to unpack, Vinny. 00:14:32.591 --> 00:14:33.521 So that was the first one, right? 00:14:33.521 --> 00:14:34.631 It seems like we unpacked it. 00:14:35.141 --> 00:14:37.541 We got out of park, let's drive a little bit more and then boom, the 00:14:37.541 --> 00:14:39.611 next stop sign you talked about. 00:14:39.641 --> 00:14:43.121 'cause on this podcast we talk about faith, family, football, and finances. 00:14:43.661 --> 00:14:48.701 But so far we haven't really dug into finances in depth just yet on any 00:14:48.701 --> 00:14:49.961 of our podcasts for whatever reason. 00:14:49.961 --> 00:14:54.251 But you, you made a comment about athletes, and not just athletes, but 00:14:55.091 --> 00:14:58.361 people who, I guess you could talk, let's say football players, athletes, whatever. 00:14:59.366 --> 00:15:01.226 And this idea of going broke when they're done playing. 00:15:01.736 --> 00:15:05.066 And you said it's not, it's not because they're blowing all their money. 00:15:05.066 --> 00:15:10.316 Oftentimes it sounded like you said it's more of a, an issue with identity or what? 00:15:10.316 --> 00:15:12.626 Like what, like, let's unpack that for a second. 00:15:12.626 --> 00:15:16.286 The financial piece of what happens with athletes when 00:15:16.286 --> 00:15:18.056 they're done playing financially. 00:15:18.851 --> 00:15:19.071 Vincent Rey: Yes. 00:15:19.391 --> 00:15:23.366 I, I think it does connect with identity still, Sam. 00:15:23.996 --> 00:15:26.156 Uh, I think the idea is. 00:15:27.071 --> 00:15:31.271 I have been told that I'm great for so long. 00:15:31.661 --> 00:15:36.461 Uh, I played football from age seven until age 32 every year of my life. 00:15:36.911 --> 00:15:39.431 And there's others who are similar. 00:15:39.881 --> 00:15:45.431 You've been told for so long, Hey, you're great at this, at football and, um. 00:15:45.971 --> 00:15:49.601 When you're in high school, you get to leave school early 00:15:49.601 --> 00:15:50.831 to go to football practice. 00:15:50.891 --> 00:15:54.881 Or when you're in college, you get to enroll early in classes 00:15:54.881 --> 00:15:58.571 because what you do matters more than what everyone else does. 00:15:58.751 --> 00:16:00.521 That's what's being communicated. 00:16:00.761 --> 00:16:03.821 So you're like, man, I'm important because of what I do. 00:16:03.821 --> 00:16:07.781 And then tens of thousands of people come to watch me and play in college 00:16:07.781 --> 00:16:11.981 and in the NFL and I get all this affirmation and then it's done. 00:16:11.981 --> 00:16:13.331 I'm not playing anymore. 00:16:13.691 --> 00:16:16.301 So I need to get that affirmation again. 00:16:16.811 --> 00:16:19.691 So I'm going to be great at something. 00:16:20.201 --> 00:16:24.371 And just one thing that some players go into is business. 00:16:24.521 --> 00:16:26.921 I'm going to be the best at business. 00:16:27.011 --> 00:16:29.591 Um, also it's a unique, uh. 00:16:30.296 --> 00:16:36.116 A unique job, uh, as a professional athlete because you're getting probably 00:16:36.116 --> 00:16:40.496 the most money you're going to get financially early on in your twenties 00:16:40.496 --> 00:16:42.176 where most people are going this way. 00:16:42.386 --> 00:16:46.016 You kind of start here and then you come back down, um, at some point. 00:16:46.016 --> 00:16:50.516 So I think that may play into it also, but I think it's, Hey, I 00:16:50.516 --> 00:16:53.216 need to show that I'm still great. 00:16:54.566 --> 00:16:59.756 But the problem is I didn't do the work to be great like in football or my sport. 00:16:59.786 --> 00:17:02.726 I was, I practiced at this a million times. 00:17:02.726 --> 00:17:07.706 I practiced running this route, or, um, doing this footwork. 00:17:07.796 --> 00:17:11.696 I practiced a million times doing this, but I didn't practice a million 00:17:11.696 --> 00:17:14.156 times in this business pursuit. 00:17:14.606 --> 00:17:16.916 So that's just something I've seen. 00:17:16.946 --> 00:17:17.426 Um. 00:17:18.871 --> 00:17:22.166 And, and I like to correct the fact that it's not just a bunch of 00:17:22.166 --> 00:17:28.286 athletes just just mindlessly spending their money on, uh, on chains and 00:17:28.286 --> 00:17:30.206 cars, even though that does exist. 00:17:30.626 --> 00:17:35.696 It's, I think it's mostly that way I'm spending, or I, I'm trying to be 00:17:35.696 --> 00:17:42.056 great at, um, business and even I, I want to, here's another thing I want 00:17:42.056 --> 00:17:44.576 to help my community that I came from. 00:17:44.816 --> 00:17:48.986 I want to provide jobs, so I'm going to give this money to this 00:17:48.986 --> 00:17:52.676 person who's not really qualified, but I'm leading with my heart. 00:17:53.126 --> 00:17:54.356 Um, and I'm being genuine. 00:17:54.356 --> 00:17:57.896 I'm being sincere, but it's still, I would call foolish. 00:17:57.956 --> 00:17:59.216 It's a foolish thing to do. 00:17:59.906 --> 00:18:02.336 Uh, so yeah, financially, 00:18:02.446 --> 00:18:03.406 Sam Acho: Why is it foolish? 00:18:03.406 --> 00:18:04.366 Why is it foolish? 00:18:04.736 --> 00:18:10.826 Vincent Rey: because you didn't dot every I and cross every t like you, 00:18:10.856 --> 00:18:15.086 like as a, the athlete went when he is getting ready for a game on Sunday. 00:18:15.926 --> 00:18:17.816 He has practiced full speed. 00:18:17.816 --> 00:18:19.856 He has done jog through, he has done walkthrough. 00:18:19.886 --> 00:18:22.646 He has watched more film than he even spends on the field. 00:18:22.856 --> 00:18:25.286 So he has dotted every I and crossed every T. 00:18:25.556 --> 00:18:33.836 But when it comes to, um, provi trying to provide for your community or 00:18:34.076 --> 00:18:38.816 doing a business venture with someone, you didn't invent that guy out. 00:18:38.906 --> 00:18:43.676 You probably didn't even get a, uh, like one, did you get 00:18:43.676 --> 00:18:44.936 a background check on him? 00:18:45.266 --> 00:18:48.176 Uh, do you, have you seen what he has done beforehand? 00:18:48.386 --> 00:18:53.156 Have you talked to some people who have worked with him financially beforehand 00:18:53.156 --> 00:18:55.256 and not just your aunt or your cousin? 00:18:55.616 --> 00:19:00.296 So all these things are, are things that many play, um, former athletes 00:19:00.296 --> 00:19:03.116 learn like the harder way, uh, but. 00:19:04.121 --> 00:19:07.721 These are things you're just not thinking of because you probably didn't get 00:19:07.721 --> 00:19:11.651 your MBA yet, or you didn't, not to say you have to get an MBA, but you, 00:19:11.651 --> 00:19:18.071 you haven't spent enough time, um, just toiling in the soil of business. 00:19:18.401 --> 00:19:24.011 You've just, you've been doing football, which is fine, but yeah, I don't 00:19:24.011 --> 00:19:29.741 want to just kind of talk circles, but pay the, pay your dues and learn 00:19:30.071 --> 00:19:36.581 financially, because financially it is what I think that you hit the jackpot. 00:19:37.061 --> 00:19:39.971 If you're in the NFL and you have a certain amount, you don't have to 00:19:39.971 --> 00:19:43.661 go and take the biggest risks, which is what some people want you to do. 00:19:44.746 --> 00:19:44.866 Sam Acho: Hmm. 00:19:46.121 --> 00:19:46.871 That's good. 00:19:46.931 --> 00:19:47.651 That's good. 00:19:47.651 --> 00:19:53.351 Just the lessons, the lessons, uh, of growth, right? 00:19:53.471 --> 00:19:58.236 Spent 25, 30 years, 15, whatever, years at one thing, becoming an expert, 00:19:58.596 --> 00:20:01.811 becoming a pro, becoming, uh, uh. 00:20:02.711 --> 00:20:03.671 Best in class, 00:20:04.306 --> 00:20:04.526 Vincent Rey: Yes. 00:20:04.661 --> 00:20:09.341 Sam Acho: just expect overnight to switch careers and just be best in class. 00:20:09.341 --> 00:20:11.441 It's like you think so, but it's like go back to when you started 00:20:11.441 --> 00:20:14.891 playing or forget sports, like whatever field you're in, you've been 00:20:14.891 --> 00:20:16.391 doing that for a number of years. 00:20:16.601 --> 00:20:19.361 You've gotten the number of reps necessary to be successful. 00:20:19.631 --> 00:20:24.371 And so in the same way in which you watch film, study tape, go over the 00:20:24.371 --> 00:20:28.001 plays have been getting the reps in the weight room, all those things 00:20:28.151 --> 00:20:31.841 since you were 7, 5, 3, 15, whatever. 00:20:32.261 --> 00:20:34.691 In the same way, it's going to take that amount of 00:20:36.911 --> 00:20:40.961 focus, knowledge, skill, discipline in another area, and you can't 00:20:40.961 --> 00:20:42.251 affect it to happen overnight. 00:20:42.516 --> 00:20:42.936 Vincent Rey: Mm-hmm. 00:20:44.086 --> 00:20:44.446 I agree. 00:20:46.616 --> 00:20:49.286 Clif Marshall: Vinny, I know as a team chaplain for the Bengals that 00:20:49.286 --> 00:20:51.476 you're helping these players, right. 00:20:51.806 --> 00:20:54.296 Um, on and off the field. 00:20:54.806 --> 00:20:58.226 But I want to ask you as a team chaplain, what is your day-to-day 00:20:58.226 --> 00:21:02.546 responsibility, week to week, and then also what is the, the greatest joy 00:21:02.546 --> 00:21:04.376 that you have as being the, the team 00:21:04.381 --> 00:21:07.406 Vincent Rey: Uh, man, those are great questions. 00:21:08.576 --> 00:21:12.176 Uh, so this is going into my fifth year as team chaplain. 00:21:12.446 --> 00:21:15.686 I'd like to share, uh, really quickly how I became chaplain. 00:21:16.286 --> 00:21:21.806 Um, I retired in 2020 and the former chaplain reached out to me and said 00:21:21.806 --> 00:21:26.966 that he's going to be leaving to be a pastor in another state in another place. 00:21:27.026 --> 00:21:31.166 And he thought I would be perfect to be chaplain and not just 00:21:31.166 --> 00:21:33.206 me, but me and Noel together. 00:21:33.716 --> 00:21:37.226 Uh, which Lamar and Megan, they worked together as our 00:21:37.256 --> 00:21:38.361 chaplains when we were players. 00:21:39.296 --> 00:21:45.116 And I was a little hesitant at first because I wasn't 00:21:45.206 --> 00:21:47.726 someone who led bible study. 00:21:47.726 --> 00:21:49.526 I wasn't someone who led chapel. 00:21:50.246 --> 00:21:54.716 Uh, but at the same time I was involved in whatever he had that he did. 00:21:55.076 --> 00:21:57.146 Um, chapel Bible study. 00:21:58.076 --> 00:22:02.006 Maybe we went down the street to speak to some high schoolers. 00:22:02.636 --> 00:22:08.186 Maybe we, one time we went to the, to the west side here in town and went to a 00:22:08.186 --> 00:22:14.246 laundromat and were giving out quarters and were praying with people like some, 00:22:14.271 --> 00:22:20.096 some, uh, I mean some guys who maybe Andy Dalton was there, you know, he's giving 00:22:20.096 --> 00:22:22.196 out quarters, praying with, uh, with. 00:22:22.886 --> 00:22:24.446 Andrew Whitworth was there. 00:22:24.956 --> 00:22:31.556 This guy's about six, seven, you know, big guy we're standing in a laundromat, giving 00:22:31.556 --> 00:22:35.276 out quarters to mostly it seemed like, older women who were there at the time and 00:22:35.276 --> 00:22:37.226 just asking him if, can we pray with them? 00:22:37.286 --> 00:22:41.756 So I was involved with all these things that, uh, my former chaplain was doing. 00:22:41.966 --> 00:22:46.976 So the next step was just to do the work of ministry, um, which I'm still 00:22:46.976 --> 00:22:50.936 learning, developing as someone who leads Bible study, developing as someone 00:22:51.116 --> 00:22:54.116 who, um, speaks on behalf of God. 00:22:54.116 --> 00:22:55.076 What a humbling thing. 00:22:55.526 --> 00:22:58.436 Um, but, but yeah. 00:22:59.201 --> 00:23:04.271 My week, my day to day, I'll give you during the season, because right 00:23:04.271 --> 00:23:07.541 now I'm, I'll have a bible study once a week with the players and 00:23:07.541 --> 00:23:09.431 with the coaches, um, separately. 00:23:09.431 --> 00:23:13.091 And then I'm doing a lot of what, what we call ministry of presence, 00:23:13.541 --> 00:23:15.671 which I'm just being around. 00:23:15.851 --> 00:23:21.551 I am in the lunch room, I am in the locker room, and I'm just mingling. 00:23:21.851 --> 00:23:29.651 And just by being around the ministry will happen, players, um, training 00:23:29.651 --> 00:23:32.801 staff, um, people in the lunchroom 00:23:34.811 --> 00:23:38.051 coaches, people will come and ask me different questions or just 00:23:38.141 --> 00:23:39.701 wanna start conversations with me. 00:23:40.121 --> 00:23:45.191 Um, but quickly I'll share with you during the week, during the season, 00:23:45.791 --> 00:23:47.861 um, let's say the game is Sunday, 00:23:50.141 --> 00:23:54.521 We go to the games because after the game we get a chance to be 00:23:54.521 --> 00:24:00.281 around the significant others, the families and friends, and 00:24:00.341 --> 00:24:01.571 just get to connect with them. 00:24:01.571 --> 00:24:04.796 And again, ministry of presence seeing I. 00:24:04.796 --> 00:24:07.001 God, what is it that you're already doing? 00:24:07.031 --> 00:24:13.421 Because we begin with a pre presupposition that God is already at work and we 00:24:13.421 --> 00:24:15.461 want to get in on what God is doing. 00:24:15.731 --> 00:24:16.811 God open our eyes. 00:24:16.811 --> 00:24:18.761 How are you working within this organization? 00:24:18.761 --> 00:24:19.871 How can we serve? 00:24:20.261 --> 00:24:21.851 And um, so that's why we're there. 00:24:21.851 --> 00:24:26.231 On Sundays after the games, Monday I'll have a Bible study after the team 00:24:26.231 --> 00:24:30.071 meeting with the players, and then we'll have a couple a time with couples. 00:24:30.311 --> 00:24:34.421 Um, in the evenings, which it may be at a player's house, usually it's at our house. 00:24:34.811 --> 00:24:38.111 And my daughters will act. 00:24:38.201 --> 00:24:41.651 They are babysitters, so they're junior babysitters. 00:24:41.651 --> 00:24:44.891 We'll have an older babysitter for the other, uh, an adult 00:24:44.891 --> 00:24:48.431 babysitter or a teenager, but my kids are, they're serving also. 00:24:48.431 --> 00:24:50.021 So we're all doing it together. 00:24:50.891 --> 00:24:55.571 Um, and then Noelle will have her time with the players', 00:24:55.571 --> 00:24:57.131 wives, the coaches' wives. 00:24:57.281 --> 00:24:59.591 Then I'll do a chapel message the night before a game. 00:25:00.191 --> 00:25:03.821 And, um, but Noel see. 00:25:04.376 --> 00:25:08.336 We'll have, like just today, she'll have her a walk with 00:25:08.336 --> 00:25:09.716 some women who have children. 00:25:09.716 --> 00:25:14.096 They'll go walk downtown, um, they'll go out to lunch, to breakfast. 00:25:14.726 --> 00:25:17.156 They'll walk, go to the zoo, go to the aquarium. 00:25:17.516 --> 00:25:22.196 Just different things, just connecting, um, you know, engagement and she'll, 00:25:22.436 --> 00:25:27.086 every year she has the, her and some of the other women, they'll throw a baby 00:25:27.086 --> 00:25:29.516 shower for any woman who's been pregnant. 00:25:30.296 --> 00:25:35.006 And this past year was five women, uh, the year before were nine women. 00:25:35.696 --> 00:25:39.896 So a lot of pregnancies and a number of them were in the offensive line room. 00:25:39.896 --> 00:25:41.936 So we were like, man, something's in the ward over there. 00:25:41.936 --> 00:25:42.596 What's going on? 00:25:44.486 --> 00:25:48.176 So that's what our, our ministry gen generally looks like. 00:25:48.176 --> 00:25:51.926 I've had a chance to baptize maybe three players. 00:25:51.926 --> 00:25:57.326 We've done weddings for them, premarital counseling, uh. 00:25:58.061 --> 00:26:03.251 And I would say Cliff, that's probably my greatest joy. 00:26:03.281 --> 00:26:03.881 The thing I 00:26:03.881 --> 00:26:07.691 enjoy Mo most, I think, is doing premarital counseling. 00:26:08.711 --> 00:26:15.071 Uh, I just love, um, I love the idea of, of a, a marriage, like 00:26:17.441 --> 00:26:21.671 the Bible says that God's people are the bride of Christ. 00:26:22.421 --> 00:26:25.781 And I'm, I'm married to Christ, we're married to him. 00:26:26.231 --> 00:26:31.511 And scripture says, even when we're faithless, he remains faithful, 00:26:31.991 --> 00:26:33.551 so he cannot deny himself. 00:26:34.121 --> 00:26:39.371 So he, he's faithful and I love to see the picture of a husband and a wi and 00:26:39.371 --> 00:26:42.791 wife coming together, um, becoming one. 00:26:42.791 --> 00:26:49.871 And, you know, that's a picture of God's love for his bride. 00:26:51.161 --> 00:26:53.951 So I think that's my favorite thing in the ministry we do. 00:26:56.516 --> 00:26:57.421 Sam Acho: I got a question, man. 00:26:57.421 --> 00:27:00.091 I, I feel like I'm, I'm stopping this at every moment. 00:27:00.571 --> 00:27:01.171 Um, 00:27:05.581 --> 00:27:09.721 for somebody listening that's saying, okay, marriage is a 00:27:09.721 --> 00:27:11.911 picture of us in God's bride. 00:27:12.811 --> 00:27:18.031 How does somebody listening say, okay, I want to be a part of that. 00:27:19.001 --> 00:27:21.431 Vincent Rey: Oh, can you restate that? 00:27:22.196 --> 00:27:25.676 Sam Acho: Yeah, so like I'm listening, I'm like, okay, marriage. 00:27:25.676 --> 00:27:28.106 And some people see it as like, well, okay, what about all the divorces? 00:27:28.106 --> 00:27:28.946 Like is that a good thing? 00:27:28.946 --> 00:27:29.756 Is that a bad thing? 00:27:30.116 --> 00:27:31.856 And then it's like, okay, marriage. 00:27:31.886 --> 00:27:36.416 Okay, so God's people are married to, to Christ. 00:27:36.416 --> 00:27:36.866 Like what? 00:27:37.226 --> 00:27:39.926 And okay, some people's like, okay, what if I want to learn more about that? 00:27:39.926 --> 00:27:44.756 How do I like it sounds good in theory, but how does that 00:27:44.756 --> 00:27:47.516 actually play out for me? 00:27:48.596 --> 00:27:49.676 Vincent Rey: yeah, that's good. 00:27:49.736 --> 00:27:50.876 Good question, Sam. 00:27:51.506 --> 00:27:51.926 So, um. 00:27:56.036 --> 00:27:57.056 Jesus. 00:27:58.286 --> 00:28:03.986 Jesus is like the husband, and the church is like the, the bride. 00:28:04.736 --> 00:28:05.486 And 00:28:07.736 --> 00:28:11.366 we as the church, as God's people, we are his bride and 00:28:11.366 --> 00:28:13.286 he's never going to forsake us. 00:28:13.646 --> 00:28:14.996 He's with us to the end. 00:28:14.996 --> 00:28:16.916 The Bible calls him the faithful husband. 00:28:17.606 --> 00:28:24.926 That's why we are secure, because Sam, I'm, you know, I struggle in life. 00:28:24.926 --> 00:28:26.066 I have my struggles. 00:28:27.026 --> 00:28:30.446 I have children as we all have children here. 00:28:30.476 --> 00:28:36.266 And I think, I think that kind of brings to the surface my issues 00:28:36.296 --> 00:28:40.406 where I am not patient, uh, where patient means long suffering. 00:28:40.406 --> 00:28:43.646 I don't suffer long with my children all the time, and I'm 00:28:43.646 --> 00:28:45.746 learning that, no, that's not cool. 00:28:45.746 --> 00:28:47.936 I, I, I need to treat them the right way. 00:28:47.936 --> 00:28:51.926 I need to be long suffering with them, not just because it's the nice thing to do. 00:28:52.676 --> 00:28:57.566 But because God been long suffering with me, 00:28:58.511 --> 00:28:58.731 Clif Marshall: Mm. 00:28:58.736 --> 00:29:02.306 Vincent Rey: I, there have been times I haven't been honoring God yet. 00:29:02.306 --> 00:29:04.376 He stuck, he stayed right by my side. 00:29:05.456 --> 00:29:11.036 And for someone to get in on this and say, man, I wanna learn more about, and God 00:29:11.036 --> 00:29:16.046 has been, is faithful to his bride and will never leave them or forsake them. 00:29:16.616 --> 00:29:21.206 Um, I would say that's, that's the best news man. 00:29:21.266 --> 00:29:24.656 And that's also known as the good news, uh, the gospel, that 00:29:24.686 --> 00:29:27.086 God became man in Jesus Christ. 00:29:27.566 --> 00:29:30.866 Uh, he lived the life we were supposed to live. 00:29:30.896 --> 00:29:31.736 There was a life. 00:29:32.156 --> 00:29:36.446 We, the standard, the Bible says we are supposed to keep that we didn't. 00:29:37.766 --> 00:29:38.066 Yet. 00:29:38.066 --> 00:29:39.596 Jesus kept that standard. 00:29:39.596 --> 00:29:41.516 He lived that life perfectly. 00:29:42.296 --> 00:29:45.716 This is news that we believe, you know, it's good news, but it's news. 00:29:45.716 --> 00:29:47.096 We believe that this is a fact. 00:29:47.516 --> 00:29:50.816 But then he died the death that we was supposed to die. 00:29:51.656 --> 00:29:52.076 Um. 00:29:52.961 --> 00:29:57.791 He paid the price when he wasn't supposed to, but it was in our place. 00:29:58.271 --> 00:30:01.181 So it was like he was our substitute. 00:30:01.841 --> 00:30:06.791 It's like if someone did an, did an uh, an egregious crime and the 00:30:06.791 --> 00:30:08.291 judge says, nah, you're free to go. 00:30:09.011 --> 00:30:10.541 We would say, man, that's unjust. 00:30:11.141 --> 00:30:13.781 Well, what if that's us that did the crime? 00:30:15.791 --> 00:30:18.881 The judge has to judge the crime. 00:30:18.911 --> 00:30:25.991 It's only right yet because God is gracious and he's, he's loving. 00:30:26.681 --> 00:30:30.851 He said, look, I'm gonna provide an opportunity, which I'm gonna have my son 00:30:33.731 --> 00:30:34.631 in your place. 00:30:34.721 --> 00:30:40.211 So God's able to be just in his son paying the price that we were 00:30:40.211 --> 00:30:44.741 supposed to pay, but we get all his son's righteousness and goodness. 00:30:44.831 --> 00:30:46.001 That's how we're seen. 00:30:46.811 --> 00:30:48.011 How do we get this? 00:30:48.371 --> 00:30:52.631 We just, there's a word called repent that means to turn, turn from this 00:30:52.631 --> 00:30:58.811 way, to go that way, but turn from all the wrongdoings in your life, all 00:30:58.811 --> 00:31:03.581 known, known wrongdoings, um, ways that you're living that you know is wrong. 00:31:03.761 --> 00:31:06.791 You turn from that you trust in him. 00:31:07.001 --> 00:31:09.731 You faith is just like an empty hand. 00:31:09.761 --> 00:31:10.931 Just, I'm gonna just trust in you. 00:31:10.931 --> 00:31:15.101 God, I believe the facts about it and I'm gonna just depend on you. 00:31:15.521 --> 00:31:21.161 And by faith, you now have become a child of God. 00:31:21.401 --> 00:31:25.421 And God loves you with the very love he has for his son Jesus. 00:31:25.541 --> 00:31:29.021 And you are instantly, you are the bride of Christ. 00:31:32.806 --> 00:31:33.556 Clif Marshall: That's great. 00:31:33.556 --> 00:31:37.606 Vinny, you know what, as I think about marriage, you can't have a 00:31:37.606 --> 00:31:39.256 marriage without a relationship. 00:31:39.971 --> 00:31:40.361 Vincent Rey: Hmm. 00:31:41.021 --> 00:31:41.531 That's true. 00:31:41.566 --> 00:31:45.136 Clif Marshall: And the rela the, the relationship that we have with 00:31:45.136 --> 00:31:47.416 Jesus Christ, our heavenly Father. 00:31:48.026 --> 00:31:49.106 Is most important. 00:31:49.226 --> 00:31:50.186 'cause that's what we're talking about. 00:31:50.186 --> 00:31:53.396 We ain't talking about religion, we're talking relationship. 00:31:53.396 --> 00:31:58.736 And when we have that relationship, as you're describing with Jesus Christ, you 00:31:58.736 --> 00:32:05.726 know, that makes you know Christ and the bride, the church make all the more sense. 00:32:05.726 --> 00:32:09.656 And in order to have a relationship, you also have to have communication. 00:32:10.526 --> 00:32:11.486 You have to talk 00:32:11.556 --> 00:32:12.056 Vincent Rey: that's true. 00:32:12.176 --> 00:32:13.016 Clif Marshall: and you have to talk. 00:32:13.016 --> 00:32:13.646 Often. 00:32:14.306 --> 00:32:18.806 I can't have a relationship with anyone unless I have dialogue, 00:32:18.866 --> 00:32:20.786 unless I have constant conversation. 00:32:21.476 --> 00:32:25.436 And so I think that's a great reminder to us as well, you know, as we're 00:32:25.436 --> 00:32:28.946 building this relationship with Jesus Christ, is that we have to communicate. 00:32:30.466 --> 00:32:30.686 Vincent Rey: Yes. 00:32:30.941 --> 00:32:31.811 Clif Marshall: He's always there. 00:32:31.811 --> 00:32:32.801 He is always listening. 00:32:33.401 --> 00:32:39.131 And so that's great insight, Vinny, and great, um, just great knowledge, 00:32:39.281 --> 00:32:40.991 uh, as you paint that picture for us. 00:32:40.991 --> 00:32:45.521 I do, uh, wanna just go back a little earlier in your career 00:32:45.521 --> 00:32:53.201 before you were 18 chaplain and talk about, um, you as a student athlete 00:32:53.261 --> 00:32:54.761 and then as a football player. 00:32:54.761 --> 00:33:03.251 But one of the things I remember, um, about your story is you rode a school bus, 00:33:03.851 --> 00:33:10.151 correct me if I'm wrong, like an hour, hour and a half every day into school when 00:33:10.151 --> 00:33:11.951 you were living outside of New York City. 00:33:11.951 --> 00:33:12.701 Is that correct? 00:33:12.971 --> 00:33:13.331 Vincent Rey: Close. 00:33:13.331 --> 00:33:18.851 So I rode, I, so I was living in Queens and I rode not a school bus, but a 00:33:18.851 --> 00:33:21.611 city bus and not just one city bus. 00:33:21.881 --> 00:33:23.741 It would be a city bus and two trains. 00:33:23.771 --> 00:33:26.441 It took me two hours to get to school every day. 00:33:27.281 --> 00:33:27.461 I had 00:33:27.461 --> 00:33:29.741 to walk to the bus or the train stop. 00:33:29.891 --> 00:33:35.861 Took one, took the a train to the j train to the Q 31, and it was two hours each 00:33:35.861 --> 00:33:42.131 way for four years to get to a school that had a reputable football program, 00:33:42.131 --> 00:33:48.131 because at the time, New York City didn't have many reputable football programs. 00:33:49.941 --> 00:33:50.476 Sam Acho: Were you going 00:33:50.476 --> 00:33:50.986 by yourself? 00:33:51.911 --> 00:33:52.331 Vincent Rey: Yep. 00:33:52.376 --> 00:33:52.956 By myself. 00:33:56.306 --> 00:33:58.946 Clif Marshall: I guess I remember part of that story because you 00:33:58.946 --> 00:34:00.536 know when nine 11 happened, 00:34:00.986 --> 00:34:03.981 you talked about seeing that right from the bus that you were on. 00:34:04.736 --> 00:34:04.956 Vincent Rey: Yes. 00:34:05.231 --> 00:34:09.581 So this is where I, I went to school, so it was a Tuesday 00:34:09.581 --> 00:34:11.591 morning and I'm at school. 00:34:12.311 --> 00:34:15.101 Uh, school in New York City starts late. 00:34:15.101 --> 00:34:19.181 So it started, I think on my birthday, which was September 6th, on a Thursday. 00:34:19.601 --> 00:34:26.291 Um, anyway, Tuesday morning we're in biology class and I'm sitting in the back. 00:34:26.891 --> 00:34:28.691 Uh, my last name starts with a R. 00:34:28.691 --> 00:34:33.071 So based on, you know, I, I'm more in the back and I'm looking, I remember 00:34:33.071 --> 00:34:37.421 looking out the window and seeing smoke coming from one of the towers. 00:34:38.111 --> 00:34:40.991 I saw it and I didn't think anything of it. 00:34:41.081 --> 00:34:43.631 You know, you think maybe it's a fire in the window. 00:34:44.021 --> 00:34:44.501 Now. 00:34:44.531 --> 00:34:47.591 Those towers they were in, they're in Manhattan. 00:34:47.591 --> 00:34:48.431 They were in Manhattan. 00:34:48.431 --> 00:34:50.381 I was in Queens, Northern Queens. 00:34:50.801 --> 00:34:53.111 So not too close, but I can still see. 00:34:53.681 --> 00:34:59.231 But, um, once I got to the next class, it was a global history teacher. 00:34:59.231 --> 00:35:03.551 And I still remember, we walk in and he said, we are under attack. 00:35:04.331 --> 00:35:07.631 And it sounded like another language because. 00:35:08.876 --> 00:35:10.496 War on American soil. 00:35:10.586 --> 00:35:12.206 Like I've never heard of that. 00:35:13.046 --> 00:35:17.966 And he said, yeah, uh, some planes were flown into the Twin Towers, 00:35:18.626 --> 00:35:22.046 and after that class, people were basically just leaving school. 00:35:22.046 --> 00:35:25.946 Nobody, there was no announcement from the principal or anything. 00:35:26.306 --> 00:35:27.506 We just didn't know what to do. 00:35:27.536 --> 00:35:30.806 You know, I didn't have a cell phone, so I went to the payphone. 00:35:31.256 --> 00:35:32.186 Uh, I had a quarter. 00:35:32.786 --> 00:35:35.156 But I wasn't getting through on the payphone. 00:35:35.756 --> 00:35:39.626 Uh, I think my parents may have had cell phones at the time, but 00:35:40.016 --> 00:35:42.806 I just remember what, it didn't take me two hours to get home. 00:35:42.806 --> 00:35:47.246 Tell you, that took me a lo a lot longer because I, I couldn't take the trains 00:35:47.246 --> 00:35:50.516 home because underground they weren't dr. 00:35:50.516 --> 00:35:54.476 They weren't going because they're thinking, Hey, about a million 00:35:54.476 --> 00:35:58.796 people travel underground every day in New York City, maybe 00:35:58.796 --> 00:36:00.926 terrorists would attack underground. 00:36:02.096 --> 00:36:04.946 And by the way, my father was a train operator for the atri, and 00:36:04.946 --> 00:36:06.356 he was underground at the time. 00:36:06.986 --> 00:36:10.316 So all these, these things are going through my mind. 00:36:10.316 --> 00:36:11.516 I don't know where they're at. 00:36:11.906 --> 00:36:16.016 Uh, my parents, I don't know where they're at, my sister, my nephew, 00:36:16.676 --> 00:36:21.236 but I made it home and everyone else, one by one made it home. 00:36:22.556 --> 00:36:24.356 Clif Marshall: Wow, what a story. 00:36:24.386 --> 00:36:25.436 Just incredible. 00:36:25.466 --> 00:36:29.486 Vinny, I can remember you sharing that when you were playing there with the 00:36:29.486 --> 00:36:31.646 Bengals and just your story as a whole. 00:36:31.736 --> 00:36:35.996 Um, that transition now takes you to Duke right after high school. 00:36:35.996 --> 00:36:39.536 You graduate, you go down to North Carolina, you play 00:36:39.536 --> 00:36:40.946 for the Duke Blue Devils, 00:36:41.456 --> 00:36:46.916 and then you come to Cincinnati, Ohio, not to play for the Cincinnati Bengals. 00:36:46.916 --> 00:36:51.956 Initially, you come to Cincinnati, Ohio to sign with an NFL agent and 00:36:51.956 --> 00:36:53.366 then start training that ignition. 00:36:53.366 --> 00:36:57.626 And Sam, as you know, if they train with me, I got a picture 00:36:57.626 --> 00:36:59.276 of him here in my office. 00:37:02.036 --> 00:37:04.316 But Vinny, Vinny, um. 00:37:04.871 --> 00:37:08.351 Vinny, I remember you coming into Ignition and the one thing that stood 00:37:08.351 --> 00:37:12.521 out to me initially was your wingspan. 00:37:13.121 --> 00:37:16.481 So I'm gonna say you're probably six foot one, but what do 00:37:16.481 --> 00:37:17.831 you think your wingspan is? 00:37:18.101 --> 00:37:18.941 Vincent Rey: I'm six foot. 00:37:18.971 --> 00:37:20.231 I know my wingspan. 00:37:20.681 --> 00:37:21.161 Do you know it? 00:37:22.121 --> 00:37:25.925 Clif Marshall: I would say it's at least like 6, 7, 00:37:26.231 --> 00:37:28.366 Vincent Rey: it's, uh, 82 inches, so it's six 10. 00:37:28.469 --> 00:37:31.841 Clif Marshall: 6, So 10. 00:37:32.111 --> 00:37:36.191 So Vinny, I can tell you from spending the last years, uh, last eight years 00:37:36.191 --> 00:37:40.031 at Indiana, the biggest measurement, the most important, important 00:37:40.031 --> 00:37:45.161 measurement for a basketball player is his height compared to his wingspan. 00:37:45.971 --> 00:37:50.531 so like what would be considered excellent at the NBA combine 00:37:50.561 --> 00:37:52.691 is a plus five wingspan, 00:37:53.436 --> 00:37:53.656 Vincent Rey: Wow. 00:37:54.821 --> 00:37:59.801 Clif Marshall: You have a plus 10 wingspan and that Vinny. 00:38:00.176 --> 00:38:03.926 I can tell you helped you become a great football player because Sam, 00:38:03.926 --> 00:38:07.676 as you have to have long arms to keep those offensive linemen off 00:38:07.676 --> 00:38:09.086 of you when you're a linebacker. 00:38:09.296 --> 00:38:11.996 But the other thing that stood out obviously, is you ran a great 00:38:11.996 --> 00:38:14.436 40 time, you have like a 4.5 00:38:14.866 --> 00:38:20.636 40, just great athletic ability, but you don't get drafted. 00:38:20.756 --> 00:38:26.156 You sign as an undrafted free agent to the Cincinnati Bengals. 00:38:28.926 --> 00:38:34.946 So we actually ended up naming our NFL Combine Prep program after you believe it 00:38:34.946 --> 00:38:42.176 or not, we started calling it Operation 53 because our philosophy at Ignition was we 00:38:42.176 --> 00:38:47.426 don't care if you're a first round draft pick or if you're an undrafted free agent. 00:38:47.966 --> 00:38:52.696 The only goal is to make the 53 man active roster. 00:38:52.966 --> 00:38:57.746 And you did that after going undrafted for nine straight years, 00:38:57.746 --> 00:39:00.236 you made that 53 man active roster. 00:39:01.016 --> 00:39:02.491 I want to know how you did it. 00:39:03.526 --> 00:39:04.451 Vincent Rey: Oh man. 00:39:06.191 --> 00:39:11.651 there's so much you can't control, as you both know, but 00:39:13.721 --> 00:39:16.211 people say, control the controllables. 00:39:16.601 --> 00:39:20.951 And what that meant was you don't come on time to meetings, 00:39:20.951 --> 00:39:22.886 you're early for meetings because 00:39:23.076 --> 00:39:29.201 when you get there early, the coach is already in there, so he'll go through 00:39:29.201 --> 00:39:34.601 what he's gonna go through, so you'll get a chance to hear it twice and just, 00:39:35.231 --> 00:39:39.941 it was just competing with myself to be as great as I possibly could be. 00:39:42.281 --> 00:39:48.521 just, yeah, and just saying, I'm not gonna leave every week. 00:39:48.551 --> 00:39:48.731 No. 00:39:48.791 --> 00:39:54.101 Knowing the stakes, also knowing the stakes that it's not a one year contract. 00:39:54.641 --> 00:39:56.671 It's not a one month, it's every day. 00:39:57.261 --> 00:39:59.651 every day I'm going to. 00:40:00.461 --> 00:40:02.941 Be great, be as great as I possibly can. 00:40:03.591 --> 00:40:08.981 Colossians 3:23 with all your heart work, heartily, work with 00:40:08.981 --> 00:40:10.361 all your heart in all you do. 00:40:11.501 --> 00:40:12.581 I'm butchering the verse. 00:40:14.181 --> 00:40:17.861 In all you do work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men. 00:40:18.491 --> 00:40:20.771 So work with all you have. 00:40:22.511 --> 00:40:28.391 and yeah, it just kept doing it and made the team first started off on 00:40:28.391 --> 00:40:30.281 special teams, and that's what I did. 00:40:30.281 --> 00:40:32.681 And I get opportunity on defense. 00:40:32.681 --> 00:40:37.271 I carve out a role and just knowing that, here is a little, here is 00:40:37.271 --> 00:40:43.631 a little nugget here, but people, coaches, and maybe even in the business 00:40:43.631 --> 00:40:47.891 world, I don't know, but they're not maybe looking for the most talented. 00:40:48.551 --> 00:40:52.271 They're looking for someone who's gonna consistently bring what they have. 00:40:52.991 --> 00:40:57.161 so you don't, you rather a guy who's a consistent eight than a person 00:40:57.161 --> 00:41:01.481 who's a ten and then maybe a four and then a nine and a six, because 00:41:01.481 --> 00:41:03.941 you want that consistency every day. 00:41:04.421 --> 00:41:09.521 Um, the best ability is availability, of course, 00:41:09.521 --> 00:41:12.761 but here's another one is reliability. 00:41:13.061 --> 00:41:13.421 To be 00:41:13.421 --> 00:41:18.941 reliable, to be known as someone who's going to get the job done, whatever 00:41:18.941 --> 00:41:20.231 they're called to do, they're gonna do it. 00:41:20.231 --> 00:41:21.821 They're always gonna be in the right spot. 00:41:22.391 --> 00:41:24.341 So I think I was that person. 00:41:24.401 --> 00:41:29.561 And you build trust over time, little by little, little by little, but you 00:41:29.561 --> 00:41:31.556 build trust with, with coaches over time. 00:41:31.856 --> 00:41:36.341 And, um, I was able to get out there and make plays and kind of, and just 00:41:36.341 --> 00:41:42.731 stay man and stay in one place for nine years, have over a hundred play games 00:41:42.731 --> 00:41:44.861 that I played in as an undrafted player. 00:41:45.521 --> 00:41:47.621 Um, I don't know the record. 00:41:48.191 --> 00:41:51.041 But I think with the Bengals, that's, that's up there for 00:41:51.041 --> 00:41:52.236 someone who was undrafted. 00:41:54.566 --> 00:41:56.286 So praise God. 00:41:57.926 --> 00:42:02.606 Clif Marshall: Sam, can you, um, recall recently we had a 00:42:02.606 --> 00:42:06.716 strength coach from the Cincinnati Bengals that was on our podcast. 00:42:06.716 --> 00:42:11.276 His name was Jeff Friday, and Jeff went on to WR to write a book, 00:42:11.786 --> 00:42:13.346 uh, called Built for Winning. 00:42:13.781 --> 00:42:16.211 He talks about four foundations, right? 00:42:16.271 --> 00:42:19.991 The physical, the mental, the spiritual, and the social. 00:42:20.951 --> 00:42:24.731 And so we kind of put him on the hot seat as we were on this podcast 00:42:25.721 --> 00:42:30.401 and we asked Coach Friday, is there ever been an athlete in your 30 00:42:30.401 --> 00:42:32.231 plus years as a strength coach? 00:42:34.151 --> 00:42:36.881 And remember now he was a Super Bowl winning strength coach who 00:42:36.881 --> 00:42:40.601 trained guys like Ray Lewis and Sam. 00:42:40.601 --> 00:42:45.191 Do you remember the athlete mentioned when we asked who had the four 00:42:45.191 --> 00:42:46.841 foundations that were built for winning? 00:42:48.591 --> 00:42:49.251 Sam Acho: Vinny Ray, 00:42:50.786 --> 00:42:51.236 Vincent Rey: Wow. 00:42:51.441 --> 00:42:51.741 Sam Acho: Ray. 00:42:53.456 --> 00:42:53.846 Vincent Rey: Amazing. 00:42:56.741 --> 00:43:00.701 Sam Acho: For me that stood out because I had my thoughts, right? 00:43:00.701 --> 00:43:04.061 Like I said, he coached Ray Lewis, ed Reed Super Bowl, you name 00:43:04.061 --> 00:43:05.831 it, you know, and I'm thinking, okay, it's probably gonna be Ray, 00:43:06.341 --> 00:43:08.741 maybe Ed, you know, maybe thinking about the other guys he coached. 00:43:09.281 --> 00:43:12.011 And I mean, he didn't know that we knew each other. 00:43:12.011 --> 00:43:14.861 He may have known that you and I don't even know, but he sat and he 00:43:14.861 --> 00:43:20.231 thought, he said Vinnie Ray, and I think he actually wrote about 00:43:20.231 --> 00:43:23.051 you and your story in his book. 00:43:23.081 --> 00:43:23.501 Vincent Rey: Mm-hmm. 00:43:24.761 --> 00:43:28.061 Sam Acho: So I guess my question is 00:43:31.336 --> 00:43:35.021 for being undrafted, how do you make an impact? 00:43:38.291 --> 00:43:39.986 Vincent Rey: How do you make an impact? 00:43:41.006 --> 00:43:41.486 Um. 00:43:42.461 --> 00:43:46.181 I It is knowing that, yeah, that, that's, that's a tough question. 00:43:46.181 --> 00:43:50.741 How do you make an impact, uh, doing the little things, being 00:43:50.741 --> 00:43:51.851 great at the little things? 00:43:51.881 --> 00:43:56.621 Uh, man, I, I got a great, uh, nugget. 00:43:56.681 --> 00:44:01.571 It was gold from, um, when I was in college, I was trying to get in 00:44:01.571 --> 00:44:05.021 the NFL and I had a chance to go to what's called a local workout. 00:44:05.831 --> 00:44:09.641 Um, I'm from New York, so they let me go to a workout with the New York Giants. 00:44:09.851 --> 00:44:13.331 But before we worked out, and it was mostly guys who were gonna be 00:44:13.331 --> 00:44:20.981 undrafted and, um, like myself, but there was a guy who spoke with us who 00:44:20.981 --> 00:44:26.201 works for the organization, New York Giants, and he said, most players don't 00:44:26.201 --> 00:44:30.491 realize that they're already competing before they go get on the field. 00:44:31.151 --> 00:44:36.731 They're already being evaluated by how they carry themselves, by how they shake 00:44:37.001 --> 00:44:40.751 someone's hand, by how they look you in the eye when they're talking to you. 00:44:41.801 --> 00:44:44.651 And I didn't know any of these things. 00:44:45.011 --> 00:44:49.811 Uh, so the you competing is not just on the field. 00:44:50.201 --> 00:44:53.861 You're competing to bring your best version of yourself in 00:44:53.861 --> 00:44:56.621 the locker room, speaking to people who you don't even know. 00:44:57.041 --> 00:45:01.511 Um, for those who may be watching who don't know when you're a professional 00:45:01.511 --> 00:45:05.231 athlete, definitely in the NFLI don't know about other professions, but there 00:45:05.231 --> 00:45:08.561 are all these people who are in the building that you don't know who they are. 00:45:09.401 --> 00:45:10.511 They're just in the building. 00:45:10.511 --> 00:45:16.211 And they'll, you'll, you know, you don't know them, but you should treat 00:45:16.211 --> 00:45:17.861 them well because you just don't know. 00:45:17.891 --> 00:45:22.151 They treat people well because they're people and you're just 00:45:22.181 --> 00:45:25.091 always, you're always on display. 00:45:25.841 --> 00:45:31.961 And I, I think, I think that's something I did a good job of was just always 00:45:31.961 --> 00:45:33.971 treat, treating everything like a game. 00:45:34.481 --> 00:45:34.961 Um. 00:45:35.426 --> 00:45:38.456 Even if it's practice, again, walkthrough, jog through, I'm, 00:45:38.456 --> 00:45:39.356 I'll mention these things. 00:45:39.506 --> 00:45:42.596 I don't know how many people are watching who really care about this, 00:45:42.596 --> 00:45:47.696 but, or listening who care, but there's something called a mental 00:45:47.696 --> 00:45:51.656 rep in, in sports that is important. 00:45:51.776 --> 00:45:52.886 It is highly important. 00:45:53.336 --> 00:45:56.321 Basically what this means is you are, let's say you're a rookie. 00:45:56.421 --> 00:46:00.081 You come in or you're a young player and there's someone starting ahead of you 00:46:00.531 --> 00:46:02.786 while you're watching from the sideline. 00:46:02.876 --> 00:46:07.826 Or you may be someone who's, um, who's on the other side of the ball just 00:46:07.826 --> 00:46:11.066 lining up so the, the players in front of you can do what they're doing. 00:46:11.936 --> 00:46:15.986 A mental rep is seeing what the person in front of you is doing, and 00:46:15.986 --> 00:46:21.566 then when you don't understand what they did or why they did it, you ask 00:46:21.566 --> 00:46:23.246 someone, Hey, why did they do that? 00:46:23.756 --> 00:46:25.766 And they tell you, oh, this is why they did that. 00:46:26.096 --> 00:46:26.851 You just got better. 00:46:27.911 --> 00:46:33.491 So it's constantly competing to pursue excellence, to be great within yourself. 00:46:33.971 --> 00:46:35.141 I'm trying to get better. 00:46:35.141 --> 00:46:38.051 I see this, I'm not getting any reps because I'm a young guy, but I 00:46:38.051 --> 00:46:42.401 see everyone in front of me at the position I play, and I'm getting better 00:46:42.401 --> 00:46:45.011 just watching him do what he does. 00:46:45.491 --> 00:46:48.191 And then when I see, oh, did he mess up there? 00:46:48.401 --> 00:46:49.481 Oh, he actually messed up. 00:46:49.661 --> 00:46:52.871 Hey, yeah, I'll let him know, Hey, I think you were supposed to do this, 00:46:53.591 --> 00:46:55.511 because I'm constantly getting better. 00:46:55.991 --> 00:47:01.631 So I think that's a, that's a way to have impact is to just constantly get better. 00:47:03.336 --> 00:47:07.511 Sam Acho: So we, we, we talked about some of the highs, Vinny, the impact, right? 00:47:07.511 --> 00:47:10.721 Some of the undrafted nine-year from captain to chaplain. 00:47:11.741 --> 00:47:12.971 talk about some of the lows. 00:47:13.661 --> 00:47:14.741 Uh, on this podcast. 00:47:14.741 --> 00:47:18.311 We talk a lot about adversity and uh, so I wanna ask you. 00:47:20.171 --> 00:47:26.166 What adversity have you been through and what did it teach you? 00:47:29.141 --> 00:47:29.591 Vincent Rey: Man 00:47:32.741 --> 00:47:33.581 adversity. 00:47:33.941 --> 00:47:35.651 I'll give you two. 00:47:36.251 --> 00:47:38.291 Um, that come to my mind. 00:47:38.291 --> 00:47:44.141 Initially, the first thing that came to my mind was, um, while in college 00:47:44.141 --> 00:47:49.181 I was, uh, after my junior year at the time, duke was not a powerhouse at all. 00:47:49.211 --> 00:47:52.391 My first two years we went one in 23. 00:47:52.796 --> 00:47:54.716 So we were losing all the time. 00:47:55.586 --> 00:47:56.966 We, we were not that good. 00:47:57.386 --> 00:48:01.166 But, uh, going into my senior year, I was, I was someone 00:48:01.166 --> 00:48:02.816 who played well on the field. 00:48:03.026 --> 00:48:07.076 I had been elected as a captain, as a junior, so I was probably gonna be 00:48:07.076 --> 00:48:08.786 elected as a captain, as a senior. 00:48:09.086 --> 00:48:13.586 People thought well of me, um, everyone would say I'm a nice guy. 00:48:13.616 --> 00:48:18.656 I went to church, I went to bible study, but then a chaplain came in 00:48:18.926 --> 00:48:21.596 January of oh nine of my junior year. 00:48:22.196 --> 00:48:27.626 And I remember I mentioned him briefly earlier, but I remember him telling me 00:48:28.226 --> 00:48:30.206 things about myself that I didn't like. 00:48:31.136 --> 00:48:33.986 Um, just from, from observing how I lived that. 00:48:34.286 --> 00:48:37.076 Uh, and he called me out on things that other people wouldn't, and 00:48:37.076 --> 00:48:38.126 I'll just share this with you. 00:48:38.366 --> 00:48:42.476 I don't remember much of anything that he taught me scripturally, 00:48:43.106 --> 00:48:44.516 but this is what he showed me. 00:48:45.086 --> 00:48:45.836 He goes. 00:48:47.231 --> 00:48:47.741 You have. 00:48:47.771 --> 00:48:49.841 He showed me three pictures, right? 00:48:50.231 --> 00:48:52.961 And he said, this is a picture of a Christian. 00:48:53.531 --> 00:48:58.811 This is a picture of a non-Christian, and this is the picture of a carnal Christian. 00:48:59.831 --> 00:49:04.001 Now the second picture and the third picture looked identical. 00:49:04.691 --> 00:49:09.671 So what he was saying was, he told me the cardinal Christian says they're 00:49:10.031 --> 00:49:14.381 the Christian, but they look exactly like the non-Christian to the world. 00:49:14.741 --> 00:49:16.241 And he said, this is who you are. 00:49:17.291 --> 00:49:17.531 You. 00:49:17.921 --> 00:49:19.631 You're the Cardinal Christian right now. 00:49:20.381 --> 00:49:22.661 And I would say that was I. 00:49:23.726 --> 00:49:27.986 Maybe adversity isn't the right word, but that was my moment where I 00:49:27.986 --> 00:49:29.966 could've, I was at a fork in the road. 00:49:29.966 --> 00:49:31.676 I could've said, man, I don't know you like that. 00:49:31.676 --> 00:49:33.236 You don't have to talk to me like that. 00:49:33.476 --> 00:49:34.886 I don't have to meet with you. 00:49:35.516 --> 00:49:37.796 Um, I don't want to hear what you have to say. 00:49:38.066 --> 00:49:43.826 But I'm thankful I was able to sit down and listen to him because that was a 00:49:43.886 --> 00:49:48.896 game changing moment in my life, um, to be able to listen to wisdom from him. 00:49:48.926 --> 00:49:51.476 And, um, I believe I've been growing ever since. 00:49:51.986 --> 00:49:54.356 So that was the first thing that came to my mind. 00:49:54.356 --> 00:49:58.976 But the second thing was in my ninth year, I had an ankle injury 00:49:59.276 --> 00:50:02.366 that I would rehab every week. 00:50:02.366 --> 00:50:06.506 I would, it, it was a battle to get it healthy enough to play. 00:50:07.106 --> 00:50:10.316 And then after I play, like I'm back hurting again. 00:50:11.216 --> 00:50:13.916 And I played that entire season that way. 00:50:13.916 --> 00:50:16.916 And looking back, maybe I shouldn't have played. 00:50:17.471 --> 00:50:19.031 Maybe I should have sat, sat out. 00:50:19.541 --> 00:50:22.841 Um, but that was a hard time. 00:50:23.201 --> 00:50:26.981 Um, I hadn't dealt with an injury in that kind of way before where it was 00:50:26.981 --> 00:50:30.251 always affecting me and it was hard. 00:50:30.281 --> 00:50:33.671 I re, my wife reminded me not too long ago, she said, yeah, I 00:50:33.671 --> 00:50:37.481 remember one day you said, Hey, I don't wanna wake up in the morning. 00:50:37.481 --> 00:50:38.621 I just want to sleep. 00:50:38.651 --> 00:50:41.771 I don't want to get outta bed because I don't want to deal with 00:50:41.771 --> 00:50:43.451 this pain that I'm dealing with. 00:50:44.651 --> 00:50:48.101 So that was, um, some adversity there. 00:50:48.581 --> 00:50:51.041 Uh, and that was my last year playing football. 00:50:51.671 --> 00:50:52.151 So 00:50:54.176 --> 00:50:54.907 Sam Acho: What did it teach you? 00:50:58.781 --> 00:50:59.531 Vincent Rey: well, 00:51:01.726 --> 00:51:02.466 it taught me 00:51:04.966 --> 00:51:08.891 that I talk with Noelle, my wife, about this. 00:51:09.821 --> 00:51:10.721 Why did that happen? 00:51:10.721 --> 00:51:11.441 I don't know. 00:51:12.221 --> 00:51:13.361 I don't know why it happened. 00:51:14.561 --> 00:51:17.441 It taught me that it's okay to not know. 00:51:19.451 --> 00:51:21.821 I don't fully know why. 00:51:22.601 --> 00:51:26.291 Um, I know the following year I, I had workouts at other places and 00:51:26.291 --> 00:51:32.021 I was healthy, but, um, I never got signed and I don't know why. 00:51:32.441 --> 00:51:35.621 And I had some other bad breaks, uh, during that time. 00:51:36.221 --> 00:51:38.741 Um, and I don't know why that happened. 00:51:38.741 --> 00:51:41.801 But God be praised. 00:51:42.071 --> 00:51:45.671 Like I know that it's all right because he is got me. 00:51:46.181 --> 00:51:47.981 And, um, yeah. 00:51:48.101 --> 00:51:50.621 So I don't really know what I learned there, except that I 00:51:50.621 --> 00:51:52.241 don't have to know everything. 00:51:55.351 --> 00:51:56.911 Clif Marshall: Really good stuff, Vinny. 00:51:56.941 --> 00:52:01.606 Um, I did want to ask you quickly, we talked Proverbs 27 00:52:01.606 --> 00:52:06.361 17 on here as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. 00:52:06.901 --> 00:52:11.101 I can remember a point in time at Ignition where even Sam was there, right? 00:52:11.371 --> 00:52:12.331 You were there. 00:52:12.781 --> 00:52:18.241 The defensive player of the year in the NFL Luke Keekley was there, who 00:52:18.241 --> 00:52:20.371 also plays the same position as you. 00:52:21.121 --> 00:52:25.081 What was it like training next to Luke, and then how do you 00:52:25.081 --> 00:52:26.341 feel like that made you better? 00:52:27.101 --> 00:52:27.731 Vincent Rey: Yes. 00:52:28.061 --> 00:52:33.161 So I tell, I was just having this conversation not too long ago, 00:52:33.161 --> 00:52:37.931 but I think Luke Keekley was, uh, he, he played eight years. 00:52:38.081 --> 00:52:43.121 So if, if not for that, I think he, he would no question the, in my opinion, 00:52:43.121 --> 00:52:46.691 the best, uh, middle linebacker ever. 00:52:46.961 --> 00:52:47.951 That's my opinion. 00:52:48.371 --> 00:52:49.691 But he's still up there. 00:52:49.691 --> 00:52:50.531 He's ranked to me. 00:52:50.531 --> 00:52:53.471 He's a, he's a Hall of Famer in my book. 00:52:54.161 --> 00:53:00.401 Um, the man was, well, he, he won the NFL uh, rookie, MVP, then he 00:53:00.401 --> 00:53:02.261 wins defensive MVP the next year. 00:53:03.341 --> 00:53:05.291 But training with him. 00:53:06.461 --> 00:53:07.811 Luke is very smart. 00:53:07.901 --> 00:53:10.271 Everyone knows he's very smart. 00:53:10.931 --> 00:53:12.431 Luke is actually very athletic. 00:53:12.431 --> 00:53:15.041 I don't know if you know people don't assume that he's 00:53:15.041 --> 00:53:17.051 not, but he's very athletic. 00:53:18.941 --> 00:53:19.691 He's strong. 00:53:20.441 --> 00:53:28.601 But Luke Keekley, if we ran a hundred half gasses, we ran half gasses afterward, 00:53:28.601 --> 00:53:29.861 like we would do something, we'd 00:53:29.861 --> 00:53:30.731 do some sort of running. 00:53:32.381 --> 00:53:36.401 If we ran a hundred of them, he won a hundred. 00:53:37.586 --> 00:53:40.226 There were corners, there were smaller guys, there were people faster than 00:53:40.226 --> 00:53:47.576 him, but Luke refused to lose and that showed me to be, to be great at 00:53:47.576 --> 00:53:50.396 something you just refuse to lose. 00:53:50.456 --> 00:53:56.096 You just compete with yourself to be as great as you can every time. 00:53:56.396 --> 00:53:59.756 Like it, it's, the athleticism may get you to the door, but 00:53:59.756 --> 00:54:01.406 the desire will keep you there. 00:54:02.036 --> 00:54:05.276 Like his desire to just keep winning. 00:54:06.386 --> 00:54:07.346 That shocked me. 00:54:08.576 --> 00:54:15.806 Like, here's a MVP, like he's here training with us, yet we're, it's 00:54:15.866 --> 00:54:19.646 May or April, whenever it was, and he's competing at that level. 00:54:20.156 --> 00:54:20.666 Um. 00:54:21.281 --> 00:54:25.781 I, it really shocked me and what he was eating, it wasn't 00:54:25.781 --> 00:54:27.761 something that I would want to eat. 00:54:27.766 --> 00:54:29.291 I, I was like, what is that man? 00:54:29.291 --> 00:54:31.511 Like, he's, it, it did not look good. 00:54:31.601 --> 00:54:35.681 But he, he paid a price that I was not willing to pay. 00:54:41.381 --> 00:54:44.231 But, uh, but yeah, I, that's what I gotta say about him. 00:54:44.231 --> 00:54:51.341 He is, uh, he refused to lose sprints in the off season with 00:54:51.341 --> 00:54:52.721 people who he didn't even know. 00:54:52.721 --> 00:54:55.781 You know, we weren't, I was not at, at his level. 00:54:56.501 --> 00:54:57.701 And yeah. 00:54:57.701 --> 00:55:00.341 That, that, that to me is greatness. 00:55:02.906 --> 00:55:05.711 Clif Marshall: Sam before Sam closes, closes us out. 00:55:06.221 --> 00:55:08.291 Always like to give a couple cliff notes. 00:55:08.351 --> 00:55:12.971 And man, Vinny, the first one I have for you and for every, everybody 00:55:12.971 --> 00:55:17.921 listening out there, is to treat every day like it's a job interview 00:55:18.491 --> 00:55:21.671 because that's what you did, and that's how I believe you went from being an 00:55:21.671 --> 00:55:25.811 undrafted college free agent to the team captain of the Cincinnati Bengals. 00:55:26.321 --> 00:55:28.991 The second one is don't fit in. 00:55:29.291 --> 00:55:30.101 Stand out. 00:55:31.031 --> 00:55:36.761 Romans 12, two tells us, don't conform to the patterns of this world, but be 00:55:36.761 --> 00:55:39.611 transformed by the renewing of your mind. 00:55:40.421 --> 00:55:44.471 And what I say that for is don't fit in and stand out. 00:55:44.471 --> 00:55:48.341 It's because I remember one time we were in the weight room and 00:55:49.031 --> 00:55:52.721 you were engaged at the time at, I don't think you were married yet. 00:55:52.721 --> 00:55:54.401 You were engaged at the time. 00:55:54.641 --> 00:55:58.871 But you and your fiance went to a wedding out of town. 00:55:59.891 --> 00:56:03.431 And I remember you telling me and a few others that were around that 00:56:03.431 --> 00:56:10.151 you got her her own hotel room while you got you your own hotel room. 00:56:10.931 --> 00:56:14.081 And I thought to myself, well, that's not the way of this world. 00:56:14.381 --> 00:56:17.861 The way of this world is that you would get your hotel room with your 00:56:17.861 --> 00:56:21.911 fiance and you guys would stay in there and you would do what you do, 00:56:22.211 --> 00:56:22.601 right? 00:56:22.601 --> 00:56:24.041 Like most of this world does. 00:56:24.671 --> 00:56:28.721 But you, on the other hand, chose that's not the route. 00:56:29.516 --> 00:56:30.686 That's not who I am. 00:56:31.436 --> 00:56:32.666 I'm a man of God. 00:56:32.666 --> 00:56:37.616 I'm a man of character, and I'm gonna stay pure until I'm married 00:56:37.946 --> 00:56:39.926 and you got a separate hotel room. 00:56:39.926 --> 00:56:43.346 So I say that don't fit in and stand out, don't fit in. 00:56:43.346 --> 00:56:47.306 Instead, stand out because that's what you did on the football field 00:56:47.726 --> 00:56:49.526 and also off the football field. 00:56:49.796 --> 00:56:53.246 So I appreciate that Out of you, uh, Vinny, you made me 00:56:53.246 --> 00:56:54.896 better, uh, just watching you. 00:56:56.191 --> 00:56:56.271 Sam Acho: Hmm. 00:56:56.411 --> 00:56:57.281 Vincent Rey: That means a lot. 00:56:57.281 --> 00:56:57.611 Cliff. 00:56:57.611 --> 00:56:58.151 Thank you. 00:56:59.216 --> 00:57:00.176 Clif Marshall: Do you remember that? 00:57:00.176 --> 00:57:03.656 Do you remember the conversation or do you remember getting two separate hotel 00:57:03.806 --> 00:57:06.656 Vincent Rey: No, I definitely remember getting two separate hotel rooms 00:57:06.656 --> 00:57:11.276 because we did that all like, it was a time where maybe she knew someone who 00:57:11.276 --> 00:57:13.196 was getting married and I or I knew. 00:57:13.196 --> 00:57:15.236 So we did that multiple times, so, yep. 00:57:15.986 --> 00:57:16.556 Clif Marshall: Yes. 00:57:17.486 --> 00:57:20.696 Sam Acho: Well talking about that impact, and I'm gonna check something because 00:57:21.716 --> 00:57:23.366 this stuff might fall down and it's fine. 00:57:23.516 --> 00:57:26.996 Um, talks about as iron sharpens iron, so does one man sharpen another? 00:57:26.996 --> 00:57:30.206 This is one of the ignition deals from when I train, but 00:57:30.206 --> 00:57:32.306 the year before I don't have it. 00:57:32.306 --> 00:57:32.636 Cliff. 00:57:32.726 --> 00:57:33.506 Cliff may have it. 00:57:33.926 --> 00:57:36.986 Um, which I think you trained in 2020, if I'm not mistaken. 00:57:37.316 --> 00:57:38.546 Uh, or sorry, 2010, excuse 00:57:38.546 --> 00:57:38.756 me. 00:57:38.996 --> 00:57:41.666 Um, and even whether at ignition or even just watching 00:57:41.666 --> 00:57:43.346 you, you sharpened me, right? 00:57:43.346 --> 00:57:46.286 Like I don't have the deal, but it was like on that shirt it says, 00:57:46.316 --> 00:57:47.246 uh, got you trained with Cliff. 00:57:47.246 --> 00:57:50.426 It said Proverbs 27 20, uh, 27 17. 00:57:50.966 --> 00:57:54.506 Uh, as iron sharpens iron, so does one man sharpen another and 00:57:56.876 --> 00:57:58.046 we hear verses. 00:58:00.506 --> 00:58:06.356 Read verses talk about verses, but as I'm listening to this podcast, Vinny, 00:58:06.356 --> 00:58:09.026 and looking at you, I'm looking at iron. 00:58:10.256 --> 00:58:16.076 I'm, I'm looking at, I, you sharpened me from in the off season training 00:58:16.676 --> 00:58:19.526 for the few times, the few weeks we got a chance to train against 00:58:19.526 --> 00:58:20.606 each other or with each other. 00:58:20.966 --> 00:58:21.506 Like you sharp. 00:58:21.506 --> 00:58:22.976 Most people, I wouldn't feel like they sharp. 00:58:22.976 --> 00:58:24.536 I mean, they might sharpen me from a run. 00:58:24.566 --> 00:58:25.766 You sharpened me spiritually, 00:58:26.126 --> 00:58:30.266 physically, mentally, emotionally, you sharpened me right. 00:58:30.266 --> 00:58:30.866 Fast forward. 00:58:30.866 --> 00:58:31.106 Right. 00:58:31.106 --> 00:58:32.816 We we're going to PAO some of these conferences. 00:58:32.816 --> 00:58:34.076 I see you, you're sharpening me. 00:58:34.256 --> 00:58:37.916 And even listening to you, it's like, yes, I'm doing ministry with my family. 00:58:37.976 --> 00:58:38.186 Right. 00:58:38.186 --> 00:58:40.046 You've talked about Noel multiple times. 00:58:40.046 --> 00:58:41.276 We haven't even gotten there yet. 00:58:41.666 --> 00:58:42.086 Right. 00:58:42.386 --> 00:58:44.786 He was talking about doing ministry with your children 00:58:45.506 --> 00:58:46.856 multiple times. 00:58:47.366 --> 00:58:47.516 Right. 00:58:47.516 --> 00:58:48.206 I'm a father. 00:58:48.206 --> 00:58:49.226 I, I have four kids. 00:58:49.226 --> 00:58:49.466 Right? 00:58:49.466 --> 00:58:50.516 You have four kids, right? 00:58:50.516 --> 00:58:51.536 I'm trying to figure how do I do? 00:58:51.536 --> 00:58:56.096 And so it's like as iron sharpens, it's almost like as a, a, a as as. 00:58:56.621 --> 00:58:57.641 Iron sharpens iron. 00:58:57.641 --> 00:59:00.521 So does Vinny sharpen Sam Cliff, like you 00:59:00.521 --> 00:59:04.931 name and I'm and I'm just saying that for, for me, and I haven't seen it 00:59:04.931 --> 00:59:08.891 until just now, I haven't, I guess I haven't, it hasn't permeated to my heart 00:59:08.981 --> 00:59:10.301 and imprint, but it's an imprint, bro. 00:59:10.301 --> 00:59:13.661 Like, I see like a, it's like a, so like a sword, but most like a, like an ax. 00:59:14.171 --> 00:59:15.371 Like you sharpened me, bro. 00:59:15.611 --> 00:59:17.381 And no, very few people can do that. 00:59:17.381 --> 00:59:18.401 Like, like I said, physically. 00:59:18.401 --> 00:59:20.681 Sure, I'm gonna train with this person spiritually. 00:59:20.681 --> 00:59:20.891 Sure. 00:59:20.891 --> 00:59:25.901 I'm gonna go and, you know, study with, but physically, mentally, spiritually, 00:59:25.901 --> 00:59:29.441 emotionally, you're, you're sharp of me. 00:59:29.981 --> 00:59:34.421 And so really I just say all that to say thank you for being an ax. 00:59:34.871 --> 00:59:36.581 Thank you for being 00:59:40.511 --> 00:59:43.001 a vessel used by you. 00:59:43.001 --> 00:59:47.051 Earlier you said, I'm honored that I get a chance to be God's voice. 00:59:47.711 --> 00:59:50.231 Like you are also doing his work. 00:59:50.651 --> 00:59:53.351 You are living out Proverbs 27 17. 00:59:53.411 --> 00:59:55.751 And so I just want to, want to say thank you. 00:59:56.816 --> 01:00:01.166 Vincent Rey: That is a huge encouragement, Sam, that I like that man. 01:00:01.496 --> 01:00:02.066 Wow. 01:00:03.206 --> 01:00:03.531 Thank you. 01:00:04.611 --> 01:00:07.311 Sam Acho: So, Vinny, there is a point that you wanted to 01:00:07.371 --> 01:00:09.561 make about the finance piece. 01:00:09.561 --> 01:00:11.481 We talk about faith, family, football, and finance. 01:00:11.481 --> 01:00:14.241 We haven't dug into it yet, but I'd love to love to hear more about 01:00:14.856 --> 01:00:15.426 Vincent Rey: Yes. 01:00:16.206 --> 01:00:22.146 Um, this was a thought just with, um, with athletes now guys who are currently 01:00:22.146 --> 01:00:26.076 playing, like with the Bengals or maybe some other athletes I know who are either 01:00:26.076 --> 01:00:30.366 in college or coming out of college who are, whom I've had a chance to speak with. 01:00:30.876 --> 01:00:36.576 I try to let them know, uh, this one question, what's your number? 01:00:37.566 --> 01:00:41.586 Like, that was something that somebody told me, like, what's your number? 01:00:41.646 --> 01:00:46.056 What, what is specifically, what's the number that you 01:00:46.056 --> 01:00:49.326 need to live off of every year? 01:00:50.016 --> 01:00:55.866 Um, and someone told me that this after, like about when I retired. 01:00:55.866 --> 01:00:59.436 And I think it's just a good point because I. 01:01:00.891 --> 01:01:04.431 Again, everybody's going for the gusto, wants to be great. 01:01:04.731 --> 01:01:08.001 If you're playing in the NFL, you're playing professional sports. 01:01:08.001 --> 01:01:10.881 You were once great, you were great playing. 01:01:11.121 --> 01:01:14.451 It doesn't matter if you're the, at the bottom of the, of the 01:01:14.451 --> 01:01:16.671 53 man roster, you are great. 01:01:16.671 --> 01:01:17.871 That's why you're in the league. 01:01:17.901 --> 01:01:19.071 That's why they want you. 01:01:19.581 --> 01:01:21.741 So you want to go and be great somewhere else. 01:01:21.741 --> 01:01:24.021 But remember, what's your number? 01:01:24.381 --> 01:01:27.671 Maybe you spend, I don't know, $10,000 dollars a month. 01:01:28.131 --> 01:01:30.921 Maybe that's what you spend, uh, with all your bills and everything. 01:01:30.921 --> 01:01:34.401 That's $120,000 dollars a year a year. 01:01:34.401 --> 01:01:41.901 If you could somehow get that amount passively, then in a way, you've, 01:01:42.021 --> 01:01:43.971 you've kinda won financially. 01:01:44.526 --> 01:01:47.436 You, you can be out of the rat race. 01:01:47.466 --> 01:01:48.756 Some say you, you've won. 01:01:48.936 --> 01:01:50.856 So I know that's a lot of money. 01:01:50.856 --> 01:01:51.736 Maybe $1.2 01:01:51.736 --> 01:01:51.996 million. 01:01:51.996 --> 01:01:54.576 dollars You're able to get 10% from that. 01:01:54.576 --> 01:01:57.516 And, and this is all rough math, of course you have to pay taxes. 01:01:57.726 --> 01:02:02.706 But start thinking in that manner of what's my number that I need, 01:02:02.976 --> 01:02:05.646 like per day, per week, per month? 01:02:06.036 --> 01:02:10.896 That would mean that I need to, I need to know some things. 01:02:10.956 --> 01:02:15.006 I can't just fully depend on financial advisors which they're 01:02:15.006 --> 01:02:18.306 excellent, but I also am responsible. 01:02:18.906 --> 01:02:19.386 Um, 01:02:21.491 --> 01:02:26.376 one, the Lord says, let them rule, um, let them take dominion. 01:02:26.886 --> 01:02:30.336 Meaning, uh, we have responsibility. 01:02:30.336 --> 01:02:33.636 We have, we're the steward, what God gives us and. 01:02:34.581 --> 01:02:37.131 I did have a conviction that I wasn't being a good steward. 01:02:37.521 --> 01:02:41.631 I was depending on other people to handle my finances. 01:02:42.351 --> 01:02:45.801 Um, which that doesn't mean I, I, I don't have to do that. 01:02:46.401 --> 01:02:50.901 Um, I don't have to have other people help me, but I need to be knowledgeable also. 01:02:51.261 --> 01:02:53.841 I need to have some sort of idea. 01:02:54.261 --> 01:02:57.201 So all of that to say what's your number? 01:02:57.321 --> 01:02:59.571 And I think a bigger point is, 01:03:01.671 --> 01:03:04.281 are you stewarding well, what God has given you. 01:03:04.941 --> 01:03:09.741 Again, that doesn't mean knowing every single detail, but also having 01:03:09.741 --> 01:03:15.531 the ability, have the ability to manage whoever's managing your stuff. 01:03:15.831 --> 01:03:18.501 Um, do you know what you're paying them? 01:03:19.251 --> 01:03:20.301 Have you asked them? 01:03:21.081 --> 01:03:24.231 Um, this is, I say this to my shame. 01:03:24.771 --> 01:03:30.261 I didn't want to ask my financial advisors if I like what I was 01:03:30.261 --> 01:03:32.511 paying them because I felt. 01:03:33.126 --> 01:03:35.166 I felt like, man, that's my boy. 01:03:35.166 --> 01:03:35.946 These are my friends. 01:03:35.946 --> 01:03:38.556 I don't like that can hurt our relationship. 01:03:39.216 --> 01:03:44.406 But the truth is I have to be a good steward for what God has given me. 01:03:45.126 --> 01:03:45.666 And 01:03:47.736 --> 01:03:49.866 in order to do that, I have to ask tough questions. 01:03:49.866 --> 01:03:51.546 I have to get outside of my comfort zone. 01:03:51.546 --> 01:03:56.256 Um, so yeah, tho those are just some, some thoughts I wanted to add. 01:03:56.436 --> 01:04:00.726 Sometimes when you're an, when you, football is what you do. 01:04:00.876 --> 01:04:01.476 Yes. 01:04:02.106 --> 01:04:04.056 But you can also do other things. 01:04:04.056 --> 01:04:07.926 You, you have the ability to, to learn. 01:04:08.136 --> 01:04:11.226 Uh, not to say you have to go and get all these high degrees. 01:04:11.226 --> 01:04:14.916 I haven't gone to get other degrees, but I learned little by little. 01:04:15.336 --> 01:04:20.346 So we are responsible ultimately, um, for what God has given us. 01:04:21.036 --> 01:04:23.976 And, um, what's your number? 01:04:25.386 --> 01:04:25.626 That's all 01:04:25.626 --> 01:04:25.806 I had. 01:04:26.941 --> 01:04:27.061 I. 01:04:27.321 --> 01:04:27.981 Sam Acho: that's so good. 01:04:27.981 --> 01:04:32.481 It's this idea of how much is enough, you know what I mean? 01:04:32.481 --> 01:04:34.701 Like how much is enough? 01:04:35.601 --> 01:04:37.761 You have to know that, you know, and that's one piece of it. 01:04:37.761 --> 01:04:38.451 What's your number? 01:04:38.451 --> 01:04:39.471 How much is enough? 01:04:40.071 --> 01:04:43.251 Are you just chasing status? 01:04:43.581 --> 01:04:45.921 Or have you realized, okay, this much is enough. 01:04:46.431 --> 01:04:50.571 Whether it's like for this year, uh, for my career, for this 01:04:50.571 --> 01:04:52.491 generation, for future generations. 01:04:52.491 --> 01:04:54.681 And then also this idea of owning your wealth. 01:04:54.681 --> 01:04:56.991 That's what I'm hearing from you own it. 01:04:57.681 --> 01:04:59.631 Don't just fully delegate. 01:04:59.631 --> 01:05:00.741 I have no idea what's going on. 01:05:00.741 --> 01:05:01.221 It's like, no. 01:05:01.221 --> 01:05:02.361 And I felt some of the same things. 01:05:02.361 --> 01:05:04.431 I was scared at times to ask my financial advisor, Hey, how 01:05:04.431 --> 01:05:05.571 much am I actually charging you? 01:05:05.781 --> 01:05:06.591 I don't wanna feel dumb. 01:05:06.591 --> 01:05:07.581 Like, I don't understand. 01:05:07.581 --> 01:05:08.211 I didn't get it. 01:05:08.211 --> 01:05:08.841 You know? 01:05:09.051 --> 01:05:09.411 You know? 01:05:09.411 --> 01:05:11.271 And what are they talking about and basis points? 01:05:11.271 --> 01:05:11.901 What does that mean? 01:05:12.171 --> 01:05:12.651 You know? 01:05:13.401 --> 01:05:14.991 And it's like, no, I need to own my wealth. 01:05:14.991 --> 01:05:16.791 Everyone wants to be A-A-C-E-O, right? 01:05:16.791 --> 01:05:17.901 Like an athlete, ceo, EO. 01:05:17.901 --> 01:05:19.311 Well, CEOs make decisions. 01:05:20.691 --> 01:05:23.691 CEOs hire people and they fire people. 01:05:24.171 --> 01:05:24.381 Vincent Rey: Mm-hmm. 01:05:24.591 --> 01:05:28.491 Sam Acho: CEOs look at, they do, they look at what's best for their company. 01:05:28.941 --> 01:05:31.071 They see it as a business relationship. 01:05:31.911 --> 01:05:35.091 You could still be friends with somebody, but I don't have a business relationship. 01:05:35.931 --> 01:05:38.181 And so this idea of like stewarding your well, like that's one thing 01:05:38.181 --> 01:05:41.151 I'm, I'm like committing my life to, it's like, okay man, football, 01:05:41.661 --> 01:05:44.091 ESPN, I enjoyed all that stuff, but it's like, man, like we don't know. 01:05:44.181 --> 01:05:45.831 Athletes don't have the game plan financially. 01:05:46.581 --> 01:05:48.021 We got the game plan on football. 01:05:49.041 --> 01:05:51.261 A lot of us got the game plan for, for our faith. 01:05:51.381 --> 01:05:53.661 Some of us have the game plan for our families, but financially, 01:05:53.661 --> 01:05:54.981 so we're not stewarding it well. 01:05:55.356 --> 01:05:55.576 Vincent Rey: Yes. 01:05:55.741 --> 01:05:55.861 Clif Marshall: Hmm. 01:05:56.676 --> 01:05:58.596 Sam Acho: And so it's like owning your wealth. 01:05:58.626 --> 01:05:59.586 What's your number? 01:05:59.586 --> 01:06:00.666 How much is enough? 01:06:01.326 --> 01:06:04.206 Don't, not being afraid to ask hard questions. 01:06:04.626 --> 01:06:08.346 Questions that someone who you're paying to do a job should be able 01:06:08.346 --> 01:06:11.916 to answer, They work for you. 01:06:12.861 --> 01:06:13.401 Vincent Rey: Yes. 01:06:13.521 --> 01:06:13.926 Sam Acho: them. 01:06:15.126 --> 01:06:19.027 And we have to, we have to almost reframe our minds to realize, no, no, no. 01:06:19.236 --> 01:06:21.786 You work for me and I'm paying you to do a job. 01:06:21.786 --> 01:06:25.086 And if you're not doing it up to par, then changes may need 01:06:25.086 --> 01:06:27.031 to be made, and that's okay. 01:06:28.161 --> 01:06:33.771 Vincent Rey: And Sam, I think part of someone doing their job is explaining 01:06:33.771 --> 01:06:35.781 it to you in a way you can understand. 01:06:36.351 --> 01:06:44.511 Because if I am hiring you, yet you have more intelligence than me in this, in 01:06:44.511 --> 01:06:46.431 this area, you, you're more knowledgeable. 01:06:48.141 --> 01:06:52.191 still, I still would like you to explain it to me in a way I can 01:06:52.191 --> 01:06:57.891 understand because am managing this. 01:06:58.016 --> 01:07:02.061 I, you know, I own, I own this, right? 01:07:02.301 --> 01:07:08.301 So be, and I say that because for years when I would hear some 01:07:08.301 --> 01:07:12.951 advisors talk to me and above my head and I just didn't understand, 01:07:12.951 --> 01:07:14.781 I felt, well that's not my thing. 01:07:14.781 --> 01:07:18.051 You know, I do the football thing when, nah. 01:07:18.621 --> 01:07:20.721 You know, I, I, I can do more than that. 01:07:20.721 --> 01:07:23.091 I, I'm, I'm a human being. 01:07:23.091 --> 01:07:28.821 I, I can learn, I can grow, but, um, I can also hold someone accountable. 01:07:29.511 --> 01:07:29.721 But 01:07:29.721 --> 01:07:32.136 yeah, that's, uh, that's what I wanted to mention. 01:07:32.946 --> 01:07:33.236 Sam Acho: Yeah. 01:07:33.471 --> 01:07:36.531 And even to your point, like just the language, some people that a 01:07:36.531 --> 01:07:39.771 lot of that's intentional, like speaking in language that it's like, 01:07:39.771 --> 01:07:41.061 sounds like it's over our head. 01:07:41.061 --> 01:07:43.671 So it's like, oh, okay, well I'm just not in and I'm just gonna like let it go. 01:07:43.671 --> 01:07:44.451 It's like, no, actually no. 01:07:44.451 --> 01:07:45.351 Can you educate me? 01:07:45.981 --> 01:07:46.701 Can you teach me? 01:07:46.701 --> 01:07:49.971 And if you're not able to educate it to me it's like, are you doing that on purpose? 01:07:50.366 --> 01:07:50.586 Vincent Rey: Mm. 01:07:50.721 --> 01:07:52.611 Sam Acho: I just kind of feel, get lost. 01:07:52.611 --> 01:07:53.781 Get lost in the sauce. 01:07:54.126 --> 01:07:54.696 You know what I mean? 01:07:55.071 --> 01:07:55.986 Or, or, you know what I mean? 01:07:56.076 --> 01:07:58.116 Like, educate me, help me understand. 01:07:58.416 --> 01:08:02.616 I went to a, a, a venture capital, uh, uh, deal conference a few weeks ago, a few 01:08:02.616 --> 01:08:04.566 months ago, not even months, weeks, weeks. 01:08:04.956 --> 01:08:09.186 And, and I went with the, you know, the group I'm I work with and my team. 01:08:09.456 --> 01:08:13.056 And essentially I was so glad to be there because my team was like, 01:08:13.056 --> 01:08:15.846 Hey, Sam, we're gonna educate, educate you on how this world works. 01:08:16.146 --> 01:08:18.786 But I, as I was there, there was a lot that I, I was like, man, okay, 01:08:18.786 --> 01:08:21.636 what are they actually saying, right? 01:08:21.636 --> 01:08:23.076 And what is this new language? 01:08:23.076 --> 01:08:26.316 It almost was intimidating, like, oh man, like, how am I supposed to 01:08:26.316 --> 01:08:27.456 know what all these things mean? 01:08:27.456 --> 01:08:29.706 And I can read about it in the book and study it, but now they're saying, you 01:08:29.706 --> 01:08:32.376 know, it's like when you try to learn Spanish and it's like, okay, you learn 01:08:32.376 --> 01:08:35.736 how it is in the book, but then you go to Spain to Spain or Mexico and it's 01:08:35.736 --> 01:08:37.836 like, they, they using slang, you know? 01:08:38.106 --> 01:08:41.316 And it's like, and after a while it was this, God made it clear. 01:08:41.316 --> 01:08:43.566 It's like they're not smarter than you. 01:08:43.566 --> 01:08:44.856 They're just speaking a different language. 01:08:45.066 --> 01:08:49.116 Learn the language, learn the language, and it, and, and also it 01:08:49.116 --> 01:08:50.076 doesn't, it didn't happen overnight. 01:08:50.076 --> 01:08:51.846 Like, just like I've been playing football, the last in been 01:08:52.146 --> 01:08:53.496 football the last 15 plus years. 01:08:53.901 --> 01:08:56.751 These people have been in the business of, whether it's venture capital or 01:08:56.871 --> 01:08:59.031 investments, whatever, for a long time. 01:08:59.031 --> 01:09:01.341 So learn the language, right? 01:09:01.341 --> 01:09:05.931 That's one way to to, to be a good steward of your wealth, to own your 01:09:05.931 --> 01:09:12.471 wealth, is to learn the language and, and, and, and then, and have the people 01:09:12.471 --> 01:09:14.721 who are around you, have them teach you. 01:09:15.441 --> 01:09:18.381 And if they're not willing to teach you, then I would say either go learn 01:09:18.381 --> 01:09:19.851 yourself or go find somebody who will. 01:09:20.226 --> 01:09:20.766 Vincent Rey: Yes. 01:09:21.231 --> 01:09:21.561 Sam Acho: Yeah. 01:09:23.196 --> 01:09:23.676 Vincent Rey: That is good. 01:09:24.561 --> 01:09:25.161 Sam Acho: That's good. 01:09:26.571 --> 01:09:27.981 Well, Vinny, I appreciate you, man. 01:09:27.981 --> 01:09:31.516 Thank you again, and, uh, so honored to to, to reconnect 01:09:31.851 --> 01:09:33.111 and excited to connect again. 01:09:34.236 --> 01:09:36.216 Vincent Rey: Yeah, this has been great. 01:09:36.966 --> 01:09:39.066 Love what y'all have going on. 01:09:39.846 --> 01:09:43.596 Still gotta listen to Coach Fridays and listen to the others that you 01:09:43.596 --> 01:09:46.536 have, so yeah, I'm, I'm happy. 01:09:46.596 --> 01:09:47.466 I'm happy for y'all. 01:09:47.466 --> 01:09:48.426 I'm happy to be a part. 01:09:49.161 --> 01:09:49.791 Sam Acho: Definitely. 01:09:50.241 --> 01:09:52.256 Well with that, we'll sign off for the Sam Macho podcast. 01:09:52.596 --> 01:09:54.231 Go to sam macho.com 01:09:54.231 --> 01:09:55.161 to to learn more. 01:09:55.251 --> 01:09:56.031 We'll see y'all next time.