Sam Acho: Welcome to Sam Macho podcast featuring Clif Marshall.
Today we have a special guest, David Pollock.
Clif.
I'm gonna have you introduce David, but we already been talking and man, we got so
much goodness we just had to get started.
So Clif, please introduce David and we're just gonna keep it rolling.
Clif Marshall: Certainly, man.
David, thank you so much for being here today on the podcast.
We talk on this podcast about faith, family, finances, and
football, and I would consider you an expert in all of those areas.
David Pollack: bro, not finances.
I, I'll give you three outta the four.
Brother.
We ain't talking finances.
Clif Marshall: well, let me a, let me say this though.
You were truly a follower of Christ, a husband and a father, and in that
order, and that's what I respect about you most, but I did want to
share just our background together.
If you're watching the podcast, and you can see my video here, I've
got Davey Pollock over here on this shoulder who signed a picture from
when he was a first round draft pick to the Cincinnati Bengals.
On my
Sam Acho: You gotta show it.
So if you gotta show it, because
Clif Marshall: I, I do, I do.
Sam Acho: we need to, we need to get this right in the middle.
Right in the middle so he
Clif Marshall: There it is right there, you guys.
David Pollack: guy.
Clif Marshall: Yes.
And I've also got Sam on my other shoulder because I was blessed to train Sam as well
throughout his NFL career and that picture there when he was with the Chicago Bears.
But Davey and I met when he was a first round draft pick
to the Cincinnati Bengals.
He was coming out of Georgia.
He was a three time all American.
He was an incredible defensive end, one of the best ever in the SEC.
And I was so lucky that we crossed paths in Cincinnati when I was on the
strength and conditioning staff there.
Um, and we have remained friends ever since.
Davy has helped me through some challenging times in my life.
I would like to think I've been there for him as well throughout
some challenging times in his life.
So, Davy, thank you so much for being here today.
David Pollack: Yeah, absolutely.
Thanks for having me and I, and I think obviously of people know Sam.
Um, so it's a, it's a bigger name, but Clif is, um, Clif is a wonderful dude.
Um, wisdom.
Patience.
I mean, just, uh, always, always been a good friend, but just a great dude.
So anybody listening like this is, you're getting it from both sides.
'cause Sam's obviously a great dude, great human.
So this is, uh, this is a good idea.
I'm glad you guys are doing it.
We need more of this in the world.
Like more men.
We need more men to stand up and show 'em that, hey, Jesus is cool.
Clif Marshall: Hmm,
David Pollack: he's the coolest person to ever walk the face of this earth.
And to show him what it looks like and to model it and to show what
it looks like when you succeed and also how you handle failure.
So I'm glad you guys are doing this.
Clif Marshall: man.
Well, we're glad you're here with us and we are definitely
gonna talk about Jesus today.
We're gonna talk about some struggles.
We're gonna talk about adversity, we're gonna talk about pain
and how pain has purpose.
But before we get there, let me just say, when I met.
Uh, Davey as a first round draft pick to the Bengals.
There's a couple things that I really remember about him.
First and foremost, uh, was he was a great dude to have in the weight room.
I mean, this guy got after it, right?
And he was super strong as well.
I, I won't go into all his numbers, but he was strong.
Sam Acho: of the numbers, man.
This dude,
Clif Marshall: Well,
David Pollack: I squatted close to 700 at Georgia.
Sam Acho: My
Clif Marshall: what was, what was more, what was more impressive?
His five ten five at the NFL combine, uh, would rival that
of the top receiver that year.
So Davey, would you weigh probably 2 65 at the combine?
David Pollack: Yeah, I was two, I was right at two 70 in my, my, my
three Co, no, not my three Coone.
My 5 10, 5 was three high, three sevens, I think, or three eights.
Clif Marshall: Yes.
Yes.
David Pollack: Sam.
I was not a fast guy.
Like I, I had, and, and here's another thing too for everybody that kind of
wants to grow into being an athlete, like when I hit puberty I started lifting
legs, that's when I got more athletic.
Seriously.
Like, I got more powerful through here.
And then I was be, I became more and more explosive.
So my, my five ten five and, and my vertical and like that,
that stuff was actually Clif.
You'll love this.
Samuel, you'll love this too.
So my son's 16.
And he ain't trying me yet, but he's like doing it more and more.
Uh, like he's sizing it up and thinking about it and, and I'm trying to pour into
him and I'm trying to get him to take the Snickers challenge if he wants it.
But, you know, we'll play one-on-one basketball and he'll work out, but
he's doing this stuff at this place and they do this, this training.
And he was like, I did the broad jump today.
And I was like, oh, sweet.
So he's 16, he is about six three, about two 20.
And um, he was like, what'd you do at combines?
And I had the feeling like knows what I did at combines.
Like he
Clif Marshall: Right, right.
David Pollack: Dude knows how to work a smartphone.
And I was like, what'd you get bud?
He was like, I got 10 feet on the broad jump.
I was like, that's pretty good.
He was, I was like, he was like, he's like, what'd you get?
And I was like, I don't really know.
He's like, well look it up real quick.
I was like, okay.
So I got, I got 10 feet.
So it was, it was fun to, it's fun to watch, but no man, that weight room,
dude, like, a, it's a great equalizer.
It's, it's,
Clif Marshall: It's
David Pollack: Technique matters in sports so much.
Um, the older I get, the more intelligence matters.
I didn't realize that.
I never, until I started coaching and high school kids these last several
years, man, I'm like, do you not see that?
Like, how do like flash of color?
How do you not see that?
And it's something that I saw, but they don't,
Clif Marshall: mm-hmm.
David Pollack: a lot of people don't see.
So I think there's more, one more than one way to be an athlete.
And Clif didn't say that because I walked in the, in there at six six
with long arms and looked the part.
I mean, I, I would argue I didn't really look the part, but like God gives us
different gifts that for all of us, that we can all succeed in ways we can succeed.
And mine was definitely my, my legs and booty and my attitude.
Clif Marshall: Yes, no question.
Uh, the other thing I wanted to mention very quickly, and I gotta
share this, Sam, because this does kind of tie into finances.
So Davy comes in first round draft pick and um, I always kind of like
watching the vehicles that the first round draft pick will select
right when they're drafted, right?
Because that paycheck, that paycheck, that signing bonus is very, very nice.
And so I parked in the parking lot, uh, you know, for the
Cincinnati Bengals players.
But I would always park far away and I would make my entrance, I
would make my walk, and I would be looking at all the vehicles, right?
That these guys drive, and I'd see Rolls Royce, Lamborghini, Ferrari, and all
of a sudden I roll up on Davey Pollock, especially the first couple weeks, and
he's driving like a 1998 Chevy Blazer.
It was green in color, it was all beat up, and he drove it for a couple weeks.
But to see him driving it like six months later, I'm like, man, maybe he's
gonna drive this throughout his career.
So, Davey, why number one, do you still have the vehicle?
Number two, why didn't you go buy the Rolls Royce or the, the, the Ferrari,
like the rest of your teammates?
David Pollack: That's my ride, man.
Come on now.
That was a, that, that was a good ride.
And what Clify didn't tell you is the passenger side door did not open the,
the back pa right passenger door.
I got hit, I got knocked on the road literally by a semi I was driving
and we, and, and he changed lanes and hit me and just kept going.
And I'm like, okay.
Um, so it was kind of scary, but literally the, um, the, the door wouldn't open.
So we had to figure out a way to finagle the finagle way in the other side.
But not, I, man, I, I've never cared about cars.
I don't have a nice car to this day.
I have an old raggedy truck and, um.
It's just not something that I've ever, I've never, never
wanted to spend a lot of money.
I, I don't buy new cars either.
I'm gonna buy it used, um, because 'cause of the, obviously when you drive it off
the dealership, you lose so much value, but it's just never, that's never been.
So, listen, we got a nice house, like, and
Clif Marshall: Mm-hmm.
David Pollack: money on things, but, um, you know, just cars
never, never really done it for me.
Sam Acho: Hmm.
I was gonna ask about the transition.
Uh, David, I know we got so much to talk about, football, family, faith,
adversity, but you started off as a fullback and then made the switch.
was that transition like from a position you played to maybe a totally different
position, uh, when you got to college?
David Pollack: Well, it, it is funny.
So all summer, Brian Van Gorder was my defensive coordinator and he'd always
see me in the weight room and he'd see me competing in drills and, and he always,
he was like, Hey man, like Pollock.
And I was like, it's Pollock coach.
And he goes.
Poll lock, come here.
And I was like, and, and I fixed him enough times where finally he just, I just
stopped fixing him 'cause he didn't do it.
But he is like, you wanna play defense at Georgia, don't you?
I was like, coach y'all, y'all put me in fullback.
Like this is summer workouts.
He was like, yeah, you need to play defense poll lock.
You need to come to the dark side.
And I was like, care coach.
Well, we get to spring ball and it's because he saw me work out and compete
and he liked the way I competed.
We go to spring ball, uh, or we go to, um, the summer of my
freshman year, we go to camp.
Everybody gets hurt at defensive tackle.
So literally we lost three or four D tackles.
And so they're like, all right poll, go to defensive tackle.
So I went and played defensive tackle as a freshman at, uh, Georgia.
And then we had four guys drafted a defensive end.
Um, that, that year, so going into my sophomore year, the
qualifications needed for playing def for defensive end at Georgia
was breathing and being a warm body.
So they were like, Hey, Pollock, you know, you ain't that highly recruited.
Go down there.
And, um, first time I've ever played defensive end in my life
was at the University of Georgia.
So, um, yeah, and I, I like to tell people that all the time.
I think people look at, people look at and they go, three time All American,
like, you must have killed it.
I'm like, I switched three positions in a calendar year at, on, on site,
and, you know, I didn't care either.
Like, I didn't, I didn't put up a fuss because honestly all I wanted to do was
contribute and be great wherever I was at.
And I think that's something for all of us, man.
Like whatever it is, wherever you're at there, there are very few times you're
gonna take the elevator to the penthouse.
Like most of the times you're gonna have to take the stairs.
And I had to take the stairs, man.
And, and it was different and did play some different positions and I had to
work and I had to grow and take my lumps.
George, George Foster and Matt and Stinchcomb, Matt Stinchcomb were
Clif Marshall: Mm-hmm.
David Pollack: when I played defensive end in Spring Ball.
And I've never played it before.
That didn't go well.
awful.
I was terrible.
I was getting destroyed and I was like, I gotta figure this out, man.
And so, you know, really worked on my hand placement at nauseum over
and over and over and over again, and continue to grow and get better.
But like, you know, wherever you're at, like, don't, don't,
don't beg for a switch, don't beg.
Like you want to go get something else, like be great exactly where you're
at and mandate somebody, hire you,
Clif Marshall: Hmm.
David Pollack: won't pass you over like, you're so dang good man.
They're like, wow, they're really, really good.
Like, I need them over here in this spot.
And, um, so I think bring value wherever you're at, man.
Clif Marshall: Wow.
That's, uh, obviously a, a, a, a different day and age in college athletics.
But I think the NIL and the transfer portal, it's so easy for these kids now
to just say, man, this isn't for me.
I don't like where they're playing me.
I don't like this.
And, you know, they're running from, and sometimes they're running
from adversity sometimes if they're maybe going to a better situation.
But, you know, facing adversity, I think, as you know.
It makes us into the man we are today.
And um, so with that being said, respect, uh, for that, but obviously you had
an incredible career at Georgia, um, and you're drafted first round to the
Bengals, um, and you go through training camp and I'm able to watch that, you
know, that transition because you went from being a defensive end, right?
And a four, three defense at Georgia to being drafted to the Bengals.
And then they're asking you to play more of a linebacker role in standing up.
Is that correct?
David Pollack: Oh yeah.
Clif Marshall: And then transitioning to the season, I happened to be on
the sidelines when we were playing the Cleveland Browns, the day that
you broke your neck and the day that I watched them cart you off the field.
And I guess my question for you there is what do you remember specifically about
that moment and when did you know that you had played your final day on a football?
I.
David Pollack: Well, like I tell people all the time, like playing
four, three out or defensive end and going to four, three outside linebacker
was like moving from your parents' basement to the like third floor.
Like totally different.
Like, I mean, night and day and what you have to think about and
you know, you don't have to think about like there's a reason, you
know, you play defense as it is.
Usually defensive guys aren't as smart.
It's sea ball, get ball, there it is.
Go get it, right.
Like it's, it's an easier job.
But, so it was very difficult to learn like multiple coverage at one time and
indicators and all this different stuff.
But, um, I remember everything about it Clif, like I, I, it was.
It was second down.
I thought it was a pass 'cause they ran a draw and I dropped back a
couple steps and one of my goals was to be a more physical or tackler.
And this is back before you got kicked outta games for tackling people.
Um, so I try to, I, that was one of my main goals and missions and I hit the
running back and I hit 'em really hard.
But, you know, I hit 'em with a little bit of my, my head.
And, um, I just remember my legs were kicking and uh, I
couldn't really move my arms.
It felt like I had those really, really horrible stingers,
but I couldn't move my hands.
And um, they wheel me under the tunnel and you do an MRI right there, man.
And you know, doctor comes out and he is like, Hey man, you, you
fractured your C six and C seven.
I was like, cool.
That's a couple weeks.
And he is like, that means you broke your neck.
I was like, Ooh,
Clif Marshall: Hmm.
David Pollack: fractured C six C seven?
'cause that sounds a heck of a lot better than when you'd
Clif Marshall: Right.
David Pollack: neck.
And um, know, and then it was on like, then it was, you know, in the back of
the ambulance with my baby doll and, um.
What's next?
I mean, I knew it right away.
Like I, I know what that meant.
Like I knew that wasn't breaking an arm.
And, I knew the chances of playing again.
Um, I knew it wasn't gonna be great.
Like, I just, I just knew because, you know, you break your neck once and, and
you're able to move things and, and I knew my second goal in life, my first
goal was to pursue the NFL at, at a breakneck pace, a hundred miles an hour,
not taking anything less than that.
My second goal, man, I wanted to be a daddy.
Like, that was my next thing, man.
I, I wanted a bunch of kids and I, I dreamed for the day of
being a dad and with that really, I knew wasn't a good thing.
And so, um, you know, as I continued to grow and get back healthy, obviously there
was more decisions to make, but, but I knew quickly that the chances weren't
gonna be great, that I would play again.
Sam Acho: If we could just pause real quick to go to that moment.
You said your wife was with you there.
David Pollack: Oh yeah.
Sam Acho: What,
first, how did y'all meet?
then second question is, what was the moment like for her?
David Pollack: Yeah, that's, that's, that's a great question
that I don't get asked very often.
First, I met my baby doll when she was nine.
Okay.
So she was super young.
I played a a u sports with her brother.
Um, and then I, I just played ball and I, and I stayed outta trouble and things.
I just didn't really have a, a heart for going and doing things.
And so I never really had a girlfriend.
Like I tell people all the time, I kissed one other girl one time and it was awful.
And then I met, me and my baby dolls started dating when I was a senior in
high school, and she was a sophomore.
um, so, but I, the thing was, I was an old senior and she was a young
sophomore, so I, I had just turned 18.
She had, she was about to turn 15.
So like, that ain't good.
That's a lot, that's a big difference.
Um, but we started dating man, and like it was, was pretty instant for me.
Like I, I, I've never felt like that.
I, um, it's what changed my whole life because I didn't know what love
was and to feel it like that, like changed the way I lived my life.
And I think it's what led to me accepting Christ.
It's what led to me getting, growing down the road because I really think she
softened my heart to, to what love was.
And um, so we started dating when I was a, before I, right before I
was my senior year in high school.
And uh, and we got married when she was, she was at Cincinnati, so she was a
sophomore in college when she went to uc.
And uh, when we went to the Bengals.
And so that's, so we had been married for less than a year.
Like we had been married for a couple of months when that happened.
And, she is the definition of a flat liner.
So it's like she's cool as a cucumber and, um, she took it in stride.
But you talk about like.
God's showing you something really, really quickly.
How about like, she thought she married a football player, big, strong, making
all this money, fame, all this stuff.
She was my nurse for the next two years.
Clif Marshall: Hmm.
David Pollack: Like, she literally cleaned my sights, like the halo
goes in your skull right here.
And she cleaned my sights every day.
Like she had to do everything for me for a solid four months.
And listen, I ain't gonna argue with the sponge baths, they weren't that bad.
Okay.
But like, but she had, she didn't have a great job.
But you talk about like seeing right away, like God, putting someone in
your life that's so special that can help carry you through when
things are really, really tough.
It was.
Um, so it was a unique experience that she got by the way.
She was, she was 18 years old,
that was a young age to have to go through something like that.
Sam Acho: Hmm.
You talked about, um, her showing you what love was.
How, how did she show you?
David Pollack: Well.
just had, uh, she had respect for people.
She had love for people.
Um, it didn't waver, it didn't change.
It wasn't, um, it wasn't high, it wasn't low, it was just steady.
And, you know, she went to church every week and she had the Holy Spirit.
And that's really what the difference was.
Like she just had a way of processing things and treating people with so much
respect that you just looked at it in awe.
You were like, how do you always do that?
Like, you're always nice, you're always respectful.
Like you always do the right thing.
I tell this story all the time to my friends.
I'd never told it probably publicly.
I'll never forget you talk about my wife, like rule follower, year
of high school, she's a sophomore.
We go to spring break.
There's people doing things on the beach that I ain't gonna
talk about in this podcast.
Like drinking all the stuff that goes
Clif Marshall: Right.
David Pollack: I'd never forget we went down to the, uh, first floor, the
pool's down there, the hot tubs down there, like we're gonna, the jacuzzi.
The rope's there.
I step over the rope step, I jump right in the hot tub and
she was like, we can't get in.
I was like, why not?
Ain't nobody here.
She was like, it's past 10, it's 10 0 5.
Like it
Clif Marshall: Wow.
David Pollack: at 10.
I'm like, there's people on the beach smoking pot, like,
and getting obliterated.
We can't get in the hot tub.
She was like, I'm not getting in the hot tub, but like, that's like,
that's kind of her, you know, her character was, you know, I will do
the right thing for everyone at every time and, and it was never changing.
So it was really, it was just unique and cool to see someone at that age
to have that much maturity and wisdom and, and want to do the right thing.
It was really cool.
Clif Marshall: Man, we talk about marriage a lot on this podcast.
And you know, when we say our wedding vows, right, it's in good times
and in bad till death do we part?
And I think the three of us all married, all fathers, right?
All followers of Christ.
That's the one thing that we have to live through sometimes, right?
And it could be health related, it could be other issues that you're
going through in your marriage.
But the encouragement today is don't quit.
Uh, don't quit your marriage.
Uh, don't quit your faith.
Like stay in the fight because certain things are worth fighting for.
And I believe your marriage is certainly one of those.
David Pollack: Hey, Clif.
Clif Marshall: Yes.
David Pollack: And to that point here, here's what, here's what we gotta
do a better job with our country.
We gotta take divorce off the table.
Clif Marshall: Mm-hmm.
Yes.
David Pollack: for richer, for poor, for better or for worse.
Like that.
This is my ride or die.
This is not, if it doesn't work, we just do it again, like.
I tell, I make sure my wife knows all the time like, you are my girl.
Like there is no other, like, no matter what we go through, no matter how hard
it gets, no matter how many times I mess up or you mess up like you are
my wife, like there is no, pull the parachute and go get another one.
Clif Marshall: Mm-hmm.
David Pollack: if we took divorce off the table, we'd fight a heck of a lot harder.
Clif Marshall: Mm-hmm.
David Pollack: accept some of these things that are struggles and some
of these things that are hard.
We'd be like, you know what?
It's hard, but I'll make it through.
Clif Marshall: Mm-hmm.
David Pollack: if it's hard, I can quit like that.
That would change divorce so much.
If we would just say, Hey, this is my ride or die, and when I take this commitment,
I'm entering a covenant with this woman.
Like this is not something that I can just change when we get in a fight, like we're
gonna figure this out no matter what.
Ups, downs, you know, rights, wrongs, whatever.
Sam Acho: David, why do you think people, why do you think people
don't take marriage as seriously?
David Pollack: Well, I think it's now been modeled for, for generations that
you're, it's okay to get divorced.
It's, it's socially acceptable and like, oh, that, well, they did this.
I'm gonna do this and I'm gonna take off.
And I think that, I think we've gone through so many genera and now the divorce
rate's over 50%, so that means over 50% of people are quitting on their marriage.
I mean, it's, that's high, man.
That's a, that's a lot.
I, I think people don't understand that.
Like this, again, I didn't use, you entered a marriage, I said a covenant.
You in a covenant with God and your wife.
Like this is not a like, just a piece of paper that I signed.
Like this is much bigger than that.
If you read the Bible, this is much bigger than that.
Like this is a big deal.
I, I get the opportunity now to build this relationship to become one flesh.
Like I'm telling you right now with my life and what we're going through
right now with some of the stuff that I'm sure we'll get to in a little
bit, like Genesis one, it talks about like giving you a partner.
Like it ain't easy.
It's gonna be hard.
Like, but we again, the, the, the quitting, we've seen it quit.
We, we see, we see the way people, spouses talk to each other and
get away with it and it's okay.
And we've seen, and now I think the number one problem is the number one
problem nowadays is the kids rule.
The household, the
Clif Marshall: Hmm.
David Pollack: take priority.
And, and here's the thing, when you, when you go to the hospital and your
wife has that baby and you leave the hospital when you get cleared, whether
you're ready or not, 'cause we weren't ready, but they gave us the baby anyways.
When you leave the hospital, the baby goes where.
In the back seat.
Mama rides shotgun.
And that's where mama stays.
Clif Marshall: Right.
David Pollack: Mama rides shotgun with me.
Me and her are riding and driving this ship.
Not the baby.
The baby joins us.
They join our family and, and you see so much where the kids get this and
the kids get that and the schedules are pushing us this way and this way,
and we're dividing and conquering.
That's not what we're trying to accomplish.
We're doing this together.
Like, but it, but it's, it's you and your spouse.
Fir God comes first, your spouse comes next, your kids come next.
And I think when we mess up that order, I think marriage gets jacked up.
And I think you see more divorce.
Sam Acho: Hmm.
David, you, um, and Clif, I know we got some, we got some questions,
but I do want to hit on this.
Uh, just recently there's been some news that's been shared.
You've shared it publicly and, but I.
like for you to talk us through, before you post it on Instagram, the
tweet about praying for your wife.
Like talk us through kind of what your last few weeks have looked like.
David Pollack: Well, I don't, um, I don't share personal stuff on social media.
I'm not a personal, I don't, I don't share, my kids' wins, my kids' losses.
Like, I just don't, that's just, I don't share my wife.
I just, I've always kept that separate And, um, and, and, and will continue to.
But like, you know, a couple months ago, like, uh, shoot, about six months
ago we got diagnosed with brain cancer.
And my wife, my baby doll got it.
And um, so we knew she has a tumor in her brain and we gotta do something about it.
And um, so we know surgery's coming up and here, here's what I know, prayer
works and I've seen it and I've felt it and I've seen it change lives.
And I'm like, all right.
I said, baby doll I'mma put this out 'cause I want as many
people praying as possible.
And I knew it would reach more people if we put it out.
And so, you know, able to put it out and just share like, yeah, my
wife's dealing with this and you know, we're fighting through this.
And so, um, shared that.
But the coolest thing was we had surgery at Duke and it was, it was unbelievable.
It was awesome.
Everything's going great, but so when you have surgery on the frontal lobe,
which is where her cancer was, her tumor, was, it, it affects your left side.
So I posted the video of her after surgery, and Sam and Clif,
like goodness of God is her song.
That's her jam, that's our anthem right now too,
Clif Marshall: Hmm.
David Pollack: our family.
But like, my wife couldn't move her left hand at all.
And she, she still, she spent 45 minutes the other day like fixing
a padding in a bathing suit because her coordination is just not there.
And, and so it's just, you know, it's, it's a struggle.
It's hard.
And so, but after surgery, I played goodness of God in the hotel or
in the, uh, in the operating room.
And her hands went straight up.
Clif Marshall: Wow.
David Pollack: Both hands, her left hand, she, she barely, she couldn't do that
for the next four or five, six days.
Like,
Clif Marshall: Wow.
David Pollack: that, the spirit wouldn't be denied.
That was the
Clif Marshall: my,
David Pollack: thing ever, man.
Like I was, I was in tears.
So just, um, you know, we, we've been walking through it, man.
We, God, God provides, you know, God's gonna allow these
storms to happen in our lives.
And, and we're going through one, and I'll be honest, man, this is, is by
far the hardest thing I've ever been to gimme the broken neck right now.
Like, in a heartbeat.
Like in a heartbeat.
Um, 'cause here's the thing, like I, I'm the man.
I can, I feel like I can handle it, you know, it's, it's mine, but
like, I can't fix my baby doll.
And that sucks.
Like, it's hard.
It's really hard.
And, um, so like I've, I've had to realize, man, like
she's God's before, she's mine.
And all I can do is, you know, show up with a great attitude and serve and pray.
I.
And, um, we've been walking through it, man, and we've been experiencing,
we've experienced some good and some bad and some ups and some
downs, and we'll take some steps forward and take some steps back.
But, um, to see her struggle and, you know, I tell her all the time, I'm
like, you're making this look easy.
Like, she just constantly has such, it's, it's the same girl that I just
told you about not too long ago.
She has joy.
Like, she just, the, the first part of it when we came out, like it took a second
to answer questions and, you know, it took a second to calculate and calibrate
and then, you know, we're trying to do the next thing and the next thing.
And there's, you know, there's always something that, that, that we're
fighting, that we're going through, that we're trying to, to conquer.
But here's the, the main thing that I've learned, Sam, to your
question, I've always, you know, I've always leaned on God, but I've
always kind of been strong enough.
I've had, I, God gave me broad shoulders and I've had a lot of
adversity we could go through.
I got a lot of it.
Like I've had a, a heaping fool.
I've had a bunch of it.
And, and, but I'm okay.
Like I can handle it and I can lean on God, but I, but I say
that like this, I, I can't do it.
Like, I can't, like I can't carry this.
Like at my kids and I'm like, this is the hardest thing I've ever done.
I don't have the capacity to do this.
Like, I need y'all's help.
I need y'all's grace.
And I was like, and if I, I gotta strap on the armor every day.
Like, I gotta pray.
I gotta read, I gotta get my mind right.
Like, because I'm not strong enough to walk through it, otherwise I'm
not just gonna push through this.
Like, it just doesn't happen because, you know, taking on new
responsibilities with things around the house and like, I used to bring
the fun, like that used to be my job.
Like, I, I'm coming home from something and I'm like, I'm
gonna create a memory that's, I'm always purposeful with my kids.
I'm like, how do I create a memory tonight?
Like, I'm gonna do something that's gonna create something
that they're never gonna forget.
you've cooked and cleaned and done laundry and like organizing this, that, and
the other, you're like, I'm exhausted.
you're taking care of my baby doll.
Like I don't have the capacity to also have fun, you know,
like to, to bring Joyce.
But, but when I get on that treadmill and I start walking and I start closing my
eyes and I start praying and I ask God to help me bring joy, I can bring joy.
That's the
Clif Marshall: Hmm.
David Pollack: that's the only way I can get through it.
So it's been, um, it's been challenging, but it's been, uh, it's been rewarding
because God continues to show up all through it and, and to be in it.
Clif Marshall: Davey, let me go back to this again.
The, the marriage vows in good times and bad till death.
Do we park, how about this?
As we talked and opened the show, talking about you breaking your neck and then
your baby doll, your wife is riding in the ambulance with you to the hospital
and then she literally served you for the months that would follow that.
And now it's come full circle to now where she's going through her own issue, right?
And now you're serving her.
Like, to me that is a beautiful picture of what marriage is supposed to be all about.
And I again, respect you, man because of what you're doing and how you're doing it.
And just know that it is a, uh, trial.
God is gonna use it to bring honor and glory and so many
people are gonna grow through it.
You know, I say this all the time, God doesn't cause pain, but
he can use pain for his purpose.
And I know he is, uh, using you guys right now in the season of life that you're in
to bring hope to so many other people.
David Pollack: Well, it's not, it's not me, but it's he that
continues to, to get us through it.
But it, it is cool.
It's 20 years later, you
Clif Marshall: Hmm.
David Pollack: year anniversary's coming up with, with, with my neck.
Um, I.
Like, you know, here's, here's another thing too for like, imagine
being in a car and we're driving down the road, I think God's gonna
navigate us through some potholes.
Like, there's some things God's gonna take you around,
Clif Marshall: Hmm.
David Pollack: but there are some things God can only take you through, and
it's the only way you're gonna learn.
And I think we get to the point where we get, we can handle it.
We got this, we got this, and we put it on auto autopilot, autopilot.
And I, I got this, I can do this, my schedule, I'm doing this.
And then we have these storms.
Man, we're just reminded like the, the DeMar Hamlin situation.
Like, I will never forget that moment.
Like nobody's gonna forget that moment.
Why?
Because what does the bible says?
The Bible says all knees will bow.
Right?
When, when these big, strong strapping gladiator warriors.
Bro, they got hit with some realness and what happened, man, they were on their
knees praying because they knew they had no the answers, but they were like, holy
cow, God, like, you're bigger than this.
You can handle it.
And I think, going through those moments, those trials, bro, you
come out the other side so much.
But the neck, the neck injury made me a better husband.
The neck injury made me a better dad.
It made me a better friend.
Like it took, it, it, it helped me realize like what was really important.
The Bible says, be still and know that I am God.
I didn't do that before my neck.
I, I was busy, busy, busy.
Go, go, go.
Yeah, I'll get some time in with Jesus and, and I'll talk to you
God, like when it's convenient, like, you know, right now I'm busy.
There ain't a relationship in the world that exists like that.
If you have a girlfriend that you just plug into when you think
it's necessary, you ain't gonna have a girlfriend very long.
Clif Marshall: Mm-hmm.
David Pollack: not have a relationship.
That relationship will not exist.
God wants you to plug in, man.
God wants you to invite him into his day.
God wants you to, and listen.
It's not always easy.
And I say this all the time to people because I want
people to understand prayer's.
Weird.
It's awkward.
It can be different, it can be repetitive.
Like I don't know what to say.
But here's the thing, like, here's what I've learned.
When you sit down, man, just use a couple of Rs.
Reflect,
Clif Marshall: Hmm.
David Pollack: reflect on my day right now.
Like reflect on, okay, where am I at?
Where, where did I succeed?
Where did I win?
What happened?
Oh, yesterday I went to Easter.
Thank you Jesus, for allowing me to go to church with my mom and daddy.
Like thank you for having mom and daddies that I can spend time with.
Like if you reflect, we stay in the moment and it becomes easier to pray.
Repent is the next r.
Clif Marshall: Hmm.
David Pollack: God to forgive you for some of those things
that we continue to mess up.
Like if you ask him in it and you take him to it, he will, he will fix 'em.
He will start to work on those things and then repurpose.
So it's three Rs.
Like,
Clif Marshall: Hmm.
David Pollack: my life, God, like, invite God into all the meetings,
invite God into all the decision making processes so he can, so that purpose
is his, so that purpose is ours.
'cause he's given us these different gifts and qualities and things so
that we can walk out our purpose and we can walk out in the best way
ours, but we do have to do our job.
And that means getting still, that means getting in the word like that
means finding time to get in his house.
And I think when we do those things, man, when we're forced to slow down and we're
forced to kind of experience some pain, man, you're like, all right, I got you.
I get it.
Like, I know I, I, I've been doing this on my own a little bit.
Like, need you.
Right?
Clif Marshall: Right.
David Pollack: you to, to get through this.
And then I think it helps us to walk in, you know, the great
things that he has for us.
Sam Acho: David, you talked about this being the right around the
20 year anniversary between your situation and your wife's situation.
What have you learned in the last 20 years?
David Pollack: Oh, we don't have a long enough podcast.
Um, you know, I, I've learned a lot about relationships.
You've learned a lot about living, um, you've learned a lot about
making money, having success.
Like you learn so much about it, man.
But I think in the end, what it really boils down to is just like when I married
that little, little girl, you know, years, 20 years, 20 years ago in May.
Like, all that matters is the love.
All that matters is loving God and loving people.
All that matters is the simple things.
It's not, it's not where you want travel around the world.
It's not what you want to build.
It's not what you want.
to Buy like, it's about your relationships, man.
It's about making a difference.
And, and, and I, I'm gonna keep praying this prayer.
I keep praying the three A's to God, anytime, anywhere, anything.
And I've used the word challenge and, and I don't, like, I I, I've
caught myself when I've, I was like, God, I challenge you anytime.
And I was like, all right, lemme take that back.
Like, I'm not, I'm wrong words God, but like, know, I've, I've been, I've
had success in different realms, but I know now, man, like I'm gonna chase
what I think God wants me to do.
And that's
Clif Marshall: Hmm.
David Pollack: that's not money.
And that might not be the fame, and it might not be some of the stuff that I've
been able to do, but like, I get to coach high school football right now, bro.
You talk about Sam, I get a hundred plus kids a year, like every single year
that I get to shape that, I get to mold.
Like we've never won a state championship.
We won our first state championship last year.
Like, you just watch and you're like, God.
Yep.
speaking, I, I spoke at tons of places all over the place now at churches and FCA
and men's group and I just, I love it man.
I love to be able to challenge, to motivate, to inspire and
to use my story for his glory.
And so I think that's the.
Those three A's is what I've learned, man.
Like anytime, any place, anything and, and living for God, like kick those
doors open, Lord, and shut the mess out of 'em when they need to be shut.
And, and so, um, I don't, I, and again, I, I think that means I
don't know what it looks like.
I, I don't, don't have a, I don't have these next year plans, like,
especially with my baby doll.
Like, you talk about living day to day now, like it's a,
it's a different life, man.
Like, we're not, you know, we're, we're, we're not trying to book trips.
You know, we're trying to, we'd love to get outta the house today.
Like, that would be great.
Like if me and her can go for a walk, like that's a win.
And, and I think those, those struggles and those challenges,
you know, they, they remind you of what's really, really important.
And what's really important is to be able to live the life that God
wants us to live and to influence and inspire and pour into our kids and
pour into the next, next generation.
Clif Marshall: Hey, uh, David, you mentioned a Bible verse
from Psalms just a while ago.
It says To be still and know that I am God.
And I just think, um, you know, obviously you've had to do that throughout your
career, especially with the broke neck.
You're having to do that again right now with your wife's situation, um,
and what Lindsay's going through.
But I also, um, the one word that comes to my mind, and this is my one word
that I chose for 2025, and that word is yeah, I'm doing the John Gordon.
And so the one word is surrender.
So I did this with our IU basketball team and our optional chapel this
year where every player would choose their one word, right?
And, um, there's a test that you can take and it'll help
determine what your one word is.
And so my one word was surrender, right?
And so even in my life right now, as I'm no longer employed by the
university, uh, by Indiana University, men's basketball as a strength and
conditioning coach, it's like I'm having to surrender every single day, right?
My plans, uh, the future, what that may look like.
And you guys are doing the exact same thing.
So when you think of surrendering to God, what does that look like for you?
David Pollack: Well, I think we, I think we, I think we're more
inclined to surrender piece by piece.
You know, like this thing, maybe not the whole thing at one time.
And I think that's what you, you kinda learn like, hey, like,
God, I want to give this to you and I want to give this to you.
But like, true surrender is, is really, really hard to do, like really hard to do.
And, you know, some of the stuffs that we've done, I'm like, I'm like al,
like God can't put more in, in our hands right here if we got 'em closed.
Clif Marshall: Hmm.
David Pollack: Like we gotta have 'em open.
Clif Marshall: Wow.
David Pollack: more in.
But that means we gotta give it away, right?
That means it's gotta go and it, and so I think it, it's a great word.
And we do have to surrender and we do have to give up because it ain't ours.
Clif Marshall: Hmm.
David Pollack: All this crap and all these things, it ain't ours.
Like do realize that, right?
Like, we're gonna go and we're gonna live and we're gonna, when we die,
none of this stuff's gonna be ours.
Clif Marshall: Right.
David Pollack: of our stuff, all of our things, all these things
that we've accumulated all over the years and the money, it ain't ours.
Like that's not a legacy.
Leaving a house full of, of stuff and a hou, a hou a couple of houses
for my kids, that's not legacy.
Legacy is what I leave in my kids.
That's a legacy.
Not what I leave them, it's what I leave right in here.
Clif Marshall: Wow.
David Pollack: I think learning to, to daily surrender.
Learning to pick up the cross daily, isn't that what the
Clif Marshall: Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
David Pollack: the cross daily.
And, and I was actually reading, and it's, this is totally side note, but
like Simon of Serene is mentioned in the Bible and it's in Mark and it's a tiny
verse, like it is one verse and is the only time this dude is mentioned and
it's in, uh, Matthew, mark, and Luke.
And I was reading in Mark and it says again, Jesus had just been beaten
and put on the purple robe and mocked and you know, the crown of thorns and
he couldn't carry the cross anymore.
And the Simon of Cyrene guy, they just said, Hey man, up the cross and carry it.
Clif Marshall: Hmm.
David Pollack: it.
It's the only time he is mentioned in the whole Bible.
That's it.
I, I've read it a million times, but it's never clicked to me.
But guess what?
You know what's gonna happen in life?
We're gonna be forced to carry across that we didn't deserve.
Clif Marshall: Hmm.
David Pollack: He didn't deserve to carry that cross.
I love too, he mentions two things.
His two kids, he mentions both of his sons that are, that are there beside him.
Why did he mention that?
Because we're also gonna be forced to carry a cross that isn't ours.
And our kids are watching.
Clif Marshall: Hmm.
David Pollack: They're gonna be watching us.
How are we gonna carry this cross?
How are we gonna do it?
Are we gonna pick up our cross daily?
Are we gonna surrender?
Another thing too, though, every time we pick up that cross though, when,
uh, when Simon and Serene picked up that cross, what was on it, the
blood of Jesus was on that thing.
Every time you pick up that cross and you go through those hard things
and the blood of Jesus is right there with you, like he's right
Clif Marshall: Wow.
David Pollack: you going through it.
So I think daily surrender Clif, like I I, my word this year is joy,
Clif Marshall: Hmm.
David Pollack: Finding joy like in every circumstance.
And no matter what it is, like finding joy.
'cause the older we get, the less, the more curmudgeony,
the more we get off my lawn.
We get like, we don't relate to our kids.
I got 16 and a 14-year-old and they're like aliens sometimes
I'm like, are so stupid.
Like, what are we talking about here?
Wasting our time.
Then I'm like, God, like give me eyes to see them through their eyes so I,
not so I can change them, but, so I can best lead them and equip them.
Like, 'cause I, and I have to constantly pray that.
But but how do you get joy putting it in the correct context of the word Jesus.
Clif Marshall: Jesus.
Others, you.
David Pollack: joy by putting Jesus first.
You put other second, you put you third.
Clif Marshall: Hmm.
David Pollack: you right now, I'm getting a heap and spoonful of that and, and,
and I need it because so many times during my wife's situation I'm like,
God, I gotta do this, I gotta do this.
I'm like, you selfish butthole.
Like, you're really gonna complain about doing this.
Like you get to do this.
Like, I get to be here with my baby doll and walk through this.
And it's hard and it's difficult, but like, man, it's, I, I told
her, I was like, I just love that we get to do this together.
Like whether it's the throw up and the trash cans and it's the, the
passing out and whatever, like, we've been through some stuff that ain't
been fun, but I'm like, you know how much fun it is to do this together?
I'm like, well, I
Clif Marshall: Mm,
David Pollack: baby doll.
Like, this is awesome.
And that's, that's the word for me, has been joy.
Clif Marshall: joy.
Wow.
Sam Acho: Uh,
what do you want your kids to see as you love your wife?
David Pollack: Huh.
I think that's the, you know, be careful what you pray for.
Me and my wife have prayed for a long time.
Like, how do we, how do we do, how do we bring hard to our kids?
they don't do a lot of hard, they have, we've talked about this
since our kids were so little.
I remember so many late trips coming back and different things, and they're
just like, how do we bring in struggle?
'cause they don't struggle for much.
They get what they want.
um, I think that's what's cool about this situation for us, man.
Like this is forging their own fire, right?
Like this is, this is so great for them because they're gonna have to lean
on their faith and they're gonna have to realize like, life is a vapor man.
Like, we ain't guaranteed tomorrow.
And we really, like, I'll never forget Sam, this is the going right here.
My, my baby girl called me.
I was in Duke still with my wife.
We were recovering from surgery she called me and she was, she was upset man.
And she's, she's the, she's the spitting image of me in every way, shape or form.
But her mommy's her person and uh, she was like, daddy tonight at church.
They were talking and she was like, the girls were complaining
about basketball and the girls were complaining about flag football and
the girls were complaining about school and she was like, has brain cancer.
She was like, I don't care about that.
Like, I don't care about any of that stuff.
And I was like, listen.
I said, here's what's awesome, baby.
Here's the gift.
I said, God's given you a gift now that you will see when other
people are going through hard times.
And you will understand that, and you'll get to jump into their
problems and you'll get to help them.
Like he's giving you eyes to see that.
Like what a gift.
Like how awesome is that?
But like, so walking them through, you know, this And like, we were at the
beach, you know, a couple weeks ago and week we were at the beach last week.
And, and my wife, you know, she was feeling better.
And so she was getting up and she was moving around more.
And you know, my son's playing video games in the living room and you know,
she, she fainted and she went out and she went down and you get to see that, right?
Like picking her back up, like getting her back too.
And so I think like just, I, I think they, first of all, before
this ever happened, I, I wanted them to see like, that's my girl.
That is my girl.
Like if your mommy tells me to, and we've said this for years, and she laughs when
she says it, but like if she tells me to go to Oregon to pick up a truck, I
don't need to know why I'm gonna do it.
I don't give a crap.
Like she tells me to do something, something needs to be done.
I'm gonna do it.
And I think, so I've always understood and appreciate when I walked in
the house from traveling, 'cause I traveled so many years from work, I
made sure, man, I went right to mommy.
Like, did my kids beat me?
Yes.
Sometimes they beat me to the door, but I'm like, hold on, like, let
me, let me tell you something.
That's my girl right there now.
Like, and I asked, used to ask Lee all the time when she was little, little, and
I was just like, who's, who's number one?
She's like me.
I was like, no, no, no, no.
was like, she was here before you.
She gonna be here after you.
Like, that's my girl, that's my number one.
So I, I mean, I want them to see a, them to see a relationship that like when they,
when they get married, like they, yeah.
They realize like their spouse.
Man, that's a big priority, dude.
Like not friends.
Not this, that, and the other things like this is, this is about her.
And that's always gonna look different.
And, and right now it looks a lot different in our household,
but, um, you know, whatever it looks like I'm there, you know?
And that's, that's what we wanted to realize.
Like hard, easy, um, agreement, disagreement, whatever that looks like.
Like it's us.
Like it's me and you.
It's, and that's another thing too, don't argue in front of your kids, man.
Like, don't, don't have different belief points.
Like if your husband says something and, and your wife says something, it's
the stupidest thing you've ever heard.
When your kids ask you, you're like, yes, that's what your mommy said.
And then, then you go in the room and you're like, what?
Like, what are we talking about?
Like, we've done that a lot in our house.
Trust me.
Like I've gone in the room and I've been like, babe, what
are we, what are we doing?
Like, I, I would prefer not to do that, but like in front of each other, man,
we're a united front and we're showing you like we're, this is what we do.
We are together in every single thing.
'cause we don't want cracks.
'cause they, they, they're master manipulators.
Trust me, I got a 16 and 14-year-old like.
getting to the age now where they know exactly how to go to
which one, and we're like, Nope.
We're this together.
Like, what, what did your mommy say?
Okay.
That's what I say.
Same thing.
Sam Acho: Uh, you talked about the days.
When I think about vacations, I'm, I'm like, I'm just trying to get to today.
What does today look like for you and Lindsay?
David Pollack: Well, today's been good.
Um, you know, she looked at me today and she was like, um, she
goes, Hey, can I, can I drive?
And you know, she's, so we we're at six weeks on Wednesday from surgery,
and she's done amazingly well for her.
But like, you know, like we, we've, we've been walking for the,
for the last four or five weeks.
Like, we walk a couple miles a day, um, at least once a day.
Like we're getting out and doing, and doing, doing.
um.
I just remember, I'll never forget, man, I was in my halo and my wife was
student teaching in Cincinnati, and I'll never come, I'll never forget,
she'd come home and I'm like, babe, it all, I just need to see some trees.
Like, I don't care where we go, I just need to get in the car and go somewhere.
And I remember that being in my halo.
And so I was like, I was like, let's do it.
You know, like, let's do it.
So, you know, she drove and she felt great.
Like, she, she went really, really slow.
I mean, it wasn't the same.
And like, you know, her reaction time obviously is not what it, what it was.
And, but I, I just, I think the independence is so good,
you know, and being able to do something like that for yourself.
But she's, she's definitely getting to the point now.
Like, she texted me earlier in the week, earlier last week, and she
was like, Hey, I was, I was gone.
I was coming back and she was like, Hey, I just did laundry.
And she was like, I'm exhausted.
Like I'm gonna take a nap.
And I was like, okay, this, this is the girl that used to walk an hour a day.
Elliptical, 30 minutes a day, lift weights 30 minutes a day.
So she's like, go, go, go.
then the next day she was laughing.
She was like, my ribs are sore.
I was like, from what?
She goes And I was like, wow.
So I mean, like, I, I, I mean it's, it's a lot of, um, it's a lot of joy, man.
There really is like, but now, like we got our golf tournament, our
annual golf tournament coming up on, um, on five, five Cinco de Mayo,
and this is our ninth year doing it.
And so there's a lot of coordination.
And my, and my baby doll does it all.
She always does
Clif Marshall: Mm.
David Pollack: She looked at me like two weeks ago.
She was like, I don't have a single item for the silent auction.
I was like, oh, crap.
I was like, okay, we'll get it.
And then today she texted me with something else, and so now we're kind of
going through, you know, that stuff, but.
We're progressing now to the point where it's really cool
and the independence is growing.
Now listen, we, we grew in independence and then we, when we had the, the
pass out in the kitchen, I'm like, all right, you lost a little independence.
She was like, that's fine, I get it.
I was like, I was like, you're gonna have a big Native American wherever
you go now for a little while, and you're gonna be holding on my
Clif Marshall: Alright.
David Pollack: like, we went to the, uh, basketball banquet as a team, and, um,
she's standing up with everybody stand.
I was, and I wheeled a chair right underneath her, just a
chair, and I was like, sit down.
She's like, seriously, I look like an idiot.
I'm like, I don't really care.
We ain't passing out again.
Like, we're not hitting our nogging.
So, um, it's a lot of joy, but like, literally, it's, it's kind
of cool, Sam, because you don't really know what it's gonna be.
You know, like some days, some days you think like, oh,
we're gonna be hyperactive.
Go, go, go.
And we might do this around the house and, and walk, walk a couple miles,
and then some days you're like, nah.
Like I, I'm not, walking.
Like, I don't wanna do that.
So we, we've had, we've had some cool mornings, man.
So we ate breakfast for a couple, for a couple, three or four,
five days in a row at 2:30 AM.
Clif Marshall: Hmm.
David Pollack: She literally woke up middle of the night.
She was, she had problems throwing up for a while, and then she had problems
being restless through the night, and she was like, I'm really hungry.
I was like, let's go have some breakfast.
So we'd go out there.
I made her avocado toast or eggs or whatever, and we'd eat
breakfast from two 30 in the morning till three 30 in the morning.
Then I would be crossing, we'd be like, all right, can we take a nap now?
Like, yeah, let's do it.
Clif Marshall: Wow.
Uh, Davey.
I wanted to, uh, quickly share a bible verse that, uh, that I've
kinda lived out, um, as a coach, strength and conditioning coach.
And it's Proverbs 27 17.
It says, as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another, and I met
you in 2006, but in 2007 I left and became a performance director at a
facility in Cincinnati called Ignition.
And that bible verse was, was up on our wall.
And you walked through those doors and you certainly sharpened me and the
rest of our staff and every athlete that was working out in that facility.
Um, my question to you is, how important is it to have men of
character in your life, and also who are those men in your life right now?
David Pollack: It's, it's not debatable.
It's, it's, it's not a negotiable.
Like you have to have accountability If the greatest person ever
to walk this earth, Jesus.
Didn't do it himself.
You ain't doing it yourself.
You're not gonna be able to survive.
Like Jesus went through and picked a bunch of folks, right?
He picked his 12 and said, come on, let's go.
Like, and I think it's so important to find different groups of, of ages too.
Like somebody that you're pouring into, somebody that's pouring into you, right?
Like the Paul, the Timothy, like the Barbi, like having Barnabas,
having those, like somebody pouring into you, you pouring into
somebody else different stages.
Like it's, it's impossible to do life successfully without accountability.
Like your job isn't as good, your walk isn't as good,
your workouts aren't as good.
Like there's nothing about it.
Like we, we need that accountability.
We need that.
Our iron sharpening iron.
And um, you know, I get it from my baby doll usually first and foremost.
And
Clif Marshall: Mm-hmm.
David Pollack: out, she'll call me the carpet, she'll tell me, I'm
not doing this, I'm not doing that.
Um, I have a, we have a small group, which is one of the best things
we've ever joined in a church.
And then we start, we have a small group in our house once a week, and we go
over the different topics and we talk about what's going on in our lives.
Because again, Jesus didn't have church on d Jesus didn't have
church on Sunday with his guys.
And like, all right, y'all have fun, have a good week.
That's not what it looked like.
That's not what following Jesus looked like, following Jesus looked like,
okay, story time breaking into groups, talking more about it, walking it
out, going to another de destination, talking to new people about it.
So I think, you know, being able to have those accountability partners, you know, I
go walk with, with a couple of my buddies.
I, I say walk, we play golf, but I walk and they, and we walk.
'cause I don't love golf that much, but I love talking and, and
I love talking about our kids.
And, um, one of my buddies, Russ Tanner, he was my roommate at Georgia too.
One of my roommates like.
We'll go walk one day a week at the track and we'll walk four miles
with a weighted vest and stuff.
But it's, it's either his day to bring the word or my day to bring the word
and we'll talk about it for, you know, for an hour plus, and just talk about
what's going on in our lives, man.
It's just, you know, like when you have something in your heart or something
that's, you know, even something that's dark, like when you bring it to the light,
Clif Marshall: Mm-hmm.
David Pollack: anymore.
And so having those people, man, that you can walk through life with
that will hold you accountable.
And, and I, I would challenge people with this too.
My wife came home from a Bible study a couple years ago and
she was laughing her head off.
She thought it was the funniest thing ever.
I'm like, what are you laughing at?
She's like, I can't stop laughing.
We went over the biblical definition of a peacemaker and I was like,
okay, well why is that funny?
She said, 'cause you're a peacemaker.
And she just started giggling and like, I am very content and very,
I'm very okay being the person that's gonna say something that's not gonna
make you feel good, going to help you.
My ultimate goal is to help you, is to bring peace to your life.
Now, I didn't say it like that before she said this.
She was like, I'm a peace faker.
You're a peace maker.
Like,
Clif Marshall: Wow.
David Pollack: like there, there's not a friend in your life that's a real friend,
that you're gonna say something, Hey man, you shouldn't talk to your wife like that.
Hey man, you stepped outta line right there.
Like you shouldn't, you shouldn't have said that.
You shouldn't have done that.
Hey, are you doing this?
Like, if I don't show up to church for a couple day, for a
couple weeks, I'm gonna get a text
Clif Marshall: Mm-hmm.
David Pollack: I'm leading small group.
The accountability with that small group is amazing.
Like again, continue to grow in your different levels of faith.
When you have to lead, like you have to have a command over something, you
have to learn it at a different level.
You're held to a different accountability.
So I think having people to go through the word with is huge.
Having people to go through life with that.
You say, listen, if you see something like that, man, I
want you to hold me accountable.
And um, man, I've Clif, I've survived because of people in my life that
Reese Davis was that on game day.
Reese Davis in a heartbeat.
We would absolutely, um, do that for each other.
Talk about being on the road.
Talk about let's make sure that we're not in spots we shouldn't be in.
Let's make sure we're not doing things we shouldn't be in.
And I think that is, it was huge, man.
That iron will sharpen and you will grow and we'll get better.
But you can slip fast without somebody being there to say,
Hey, don't forget you're this, this is why you're doing this.
Clif Marshall: You know, uh, as part of that, my pastor once
shared with me, he said, Clif, the devil wants you to isolate.
But God wants you to insulate.
And so that may be my Clif note today, actually.
Uh, Sam, the devil wants you to isolate.
God wants you to insulate.
The devil wants you to isolate because that's where he can attack you.
When you're vulnerable and you're by yourself and you're in the dark,
however, when you're around good man, good people, friends who are
gonna hold you accountable, that insulation is gonna protect you.
And that's what we need, I think, in our day to day life.
Right.
Let's,
David Pollack: in my name, there I am.
Clif Marshall: that's true.
David Pollack: it's, it's the, the accountability all of it.
It is, it is necessary.
It's important for, for every walk of your life.
Sam Acho: Well, David, you know, Clif loves to kind of end with his Clif note.
Uh, I love to ask the question, love to ask the question, and my
question for you is this, uh, how do you win without losing it all?
David Pollack: How do you win without losing at all?
Sam Acho: Without losing it all?
You've seen a lot of successes on TV in sports, marriage.
You've seen failures.
On tv, in sports, in marriage, even in finances.
How do you win without losing at all?
David Pollack: Well, I think we win the ultimate prize.
You know when you, when you get up, when you get up to the pearly
gates and it says, you know, why do you deserve to be here?
And you
Clif Marshall: Hmm.
David Pollack: I don't,
Clif Marshall: Wow.
David Pollack: I don't deserve to be here.
Like, I'm hoping you'll let me in, but hopefully I'm living a life that
reflects, I mean, I, I don't think you're gonna lose following Jesus.
I think it's
Clif Marshall: Wow.
David Pollack: like, how can you lose
Clif Marshall: Hmm.
David Pollack: losses.
It's lessons and it's things that we need to learn.
The loss, the, the losing becomes when I start doing things for me and when
I start doing things my way, I have a tendency to really, really lose.
When I love God and love people, it's hard to lose man.
Like, and by the way, God has assured me victory already.
Like who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Not the this, it doesn't matter you what you've done, whoever you think
you are, and you've gone way too far.
I God can't love me.
Yes, he can.
word tells you.
He will love every single person.
Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
And so, I think winning is keeping the, the, the WIN what's important now, like.
Keeping God at the center of everything, right?
Like that's, you're not gonna lose.
Like if you keep chasing him, you'll continue that process.
It's called sanctification.
You'll continue to grow and he'll continue to sharpen you.
That iron will continue to sharpen and you'll grow and you'll get better.
And here's the thing, wrinkles suck.
Um, aches and pains suck, but the wisdom that comes with that stuff doesn't.
And the ability, like, and, and here's another thing too, another thing about
what I was telling you about Simon, serene, Simon of Serene, another thing
too about him picking up that cross, and here's another thing I'm learning
about 'cause I'm, I'm picking up that cross and I'm carrying a cross.
I don't wanna carry is, guess what?
After I've carried it, I know what it felt like.
I know what it felt like.
And when somebody else is going through that, man, do I
have an awesome opportunity?
My, my baby doll has already started her cancer ministry.
She's already reaching out to people that she find out with cancer.
Like I'm talking to a, I'm talking to a guy right now that, you
know, we talked about we're in a fraternity, we don't want to be in.
Clif Marshall: Hmm.
David Pollack: to be in a fraternity, but like, we're in this fraternity
now that we, and now we have an opportunity because I think the only
way you really have empathy for people is when you feel how bad it hurts.
Clif Marshall: Hmm.
David Pollack: true wisdom is learning from other people's mistakes.
But I can tell y'all as, as Davy, I, I don't do that great.
But I learned from mine.
I just wish I wasn't so stubborn and hardheaded.
I wish I could really learn from others more than mine, I really learn when I'm
getting slapped in the face with it.
When I'm getting a a, a spoonful of it, man, it helps me to, that
sympathy, empathy, compassion.
And the suffering and without the losses.
How do we know how good we got it, man?
You know, like we, we see how good we got it.
So, I mean, that's a long, long-winded answer to, to your question,
but them, I, I know one thing.
Chasing, chasing Jesus is not gonna lead you astray.
There's no part of your life that will get worse.
And, and here's another thing too, like.
If, if I told Sam a lie and then Sam told everybody this lie, and
then everybody came to Sam and they're like, Sam, we're gonna kill
you unless you tell us the truth.
Sam, what would you do
Sam Acho: I'm gonna tell the truth.
David Pollack: by God?
You would tell the truth in a heartbeat.
Just think about the disciples and Paul, they all saw a resurrected Jesus.
Like they could have easily just been like, bro, I'm out.
Like, I don't know what you're talking about.
But they couldn't contain themselves.
They kept talking.
They kept preaching and they knew what it, and they, they got burned.
They got beheaded, crucified, upside down.
Like for a lie, like if it was a lie, every single one of them
would've been like, I'm out.
Clif Marshall: Right.
David Pollack: like that's the great, that's one of the greatest, like
what do you need in a court case?
If somebody, if somebody comes to you and they're like, Hey man,
like there's a court case, there's one way to win a court case.
Like that eye witness, I saw him shoot her guilty.
That's exactly what you got in the Bible.
You've got eye witness accounts, hundreds of eye witness accounts to this person.
We just had Easter, man, like our, our country is going in such a great way,
man, and it's, I love to see so many people praising Jesus, athletes praising
Jesus because man, it's, it's awesome because you can see and feel it like the,
the country's starting to shift in the, you don't have to be ostracized and you
don't have to be weird and different.
It's, it's a fun thing.
It's a cool thing and it's the only thing that you pursue consistently that
will always be there every single time.
Good, bad, hard, different, whatever.
Clif Marshall: So, in other words, Davy, what you're saying is when
you obey God, you never lose.
David Pollack: Never lose.
Clif Marshall: That may be, that may be the second Clif note of the show, Sam.
David Pollack: I mean, hey, he's already got the victory.
It's
Clif Marshall: Exactly, yes.
Amen.
David Pollack: dub.
It's, it's already, it's already done.
It's already been done.
He's already got it.
So as long as we on his squad, we win.
Clif Marshall: Davy, I can't let you go before I, the last question
I've gotten, it relates to football.
Sam was an All-American defensive end for the Texas Longhorns.
Davy was an All-American three-time defensive end for the Georgia Bulldogs.
Who, in your opinion, has the better football team this year?
Sam Acho: Oh,
David Pollack: Oh, this year,
Clif Marshall: Yes,
David Pollack: Texas.
Clif Marshall: Texas.
Wow.
Okay.
You're going against the.
David Pollack: hey, can we, can we recap what happened last year?
What happened last year?
Okay.
I, I just real quick.
Last year I feel like it was two to nothing.
Yeah, it was two to nothing.
Okay.
Um, no, I, I tell you what I think, um, I think Texas is, I think Texas has a chance
to be one when all the polls come out.
Um, arch Manning obviously coming in, SARC has, has proven, you know, what he does.
Um, at a high level, uh, the receivers will be, will be great.
The offense will be great.
The defense, the scheme in the system is awesome.
Uh, returning the, the key guys to me, the Pivotal guys, and you got
young guys that you look at like Hil, you're like, he's a superstar.
He's a stud.
Um, so I, I think that they're building is great.
And here's the thing.
I think with NILI don't think any team in the country benefited more than
Texas, because just found $4 million under this seat cushion right here.
Like that oil money is real, right?
Like, and here's the thing, they're using it good.
And Sark's a great coach.
It's all aligning well, but like.
I, I think it's such a great, um, a great situation for NIL is is
for Texas, but I, I think they're gonna be, I think they'll be great.
They're gonna be in the mix.
The schedule is really, really good again this year.
Um, you look at Oklahoma coming into the league and what they had
to play last year and this year.
Good gosh.
Like they got the short end of the stick for sure.
But Texas has a chance to be a national champion, like two back to
back, to back, you know, final fours.
I think they're going, their trajectory is going in the right way,
Sam Acho: Mm.
I got a question then.
You know, so we talked about what's next for Texas and Georgia.
What's next for Davey Pollock?
David Pollack: broski, I don't know.
Um, I, I, you gotta love the name of my podcast for college football.
It's sea ball.
Get ball, like
Sam Acho: I do
Clif Marshall: Yes, I do.
David Pollack: is nothing better than that because again, they
put the dumb players on defense.
When the ball moves, you go get it.
Like you just get the guy with the ball.
That was my job.
It was fantastic.
Um, I.
I think I'll definitely do the, the, the podcasting world is fun.
Just talking football is fun.
I've had a pastor with my, or a podcast with my pastor since 2021, I think, where
we've done family goals and, and we just talk about different things and, and what,
how to goal set and how to accomplish different things and different messages,
and that's been really, really fun.
But day at a time, baby, if I, if I can bring joy to, to my people and
to, to my area and influence and, um, live a live, live, a life worth
emulating and, and keep pointing up, I, I think that will be very successful.
But, um, you know, what we're learning quickly is, you know, listen,
we're getting young, we're getting older, we ain't getting no younger.
Clif Marshall: Hmm.
David Pollack: the days are shorter and shorter.
You know, you see sickness all over the place and it's not, it's not
always the most fun thing, getting old, but continuing to inspire,
motivate, and, and help in any way.
Sam Acho: That's awesome.
Well, uh, David, thank you so much for joining the show podcast
featuring Clif Marshall, AKA Clif.
We also wanna check out more of the podcast, go to sam macho.com
and David, once again, we thank you.
David Pollack: Appreciate it guys.
Oh, Clify.