Today on NFL Under the Helmet, Rich Gannon heads back to high school and Ray Lewis' top
tackles.
You're in the Thunderdome, baby.
Also, the best hits of the month and Chargers coach Mike Riley's chalk talk.
Here's your best stop.
Hey, everybody.
Welcome to NFL Under the Helmet.
I'm Ron Pitts.
And I'm Rebecca Gregg.
Today we're going to start off the show with an NFL quarterback who grew up idolizing a
player who used to wear those Mac Daddy fur coats and white shoes.
That had to be Joe Namath.
Oh, yeah, the one, the only Broadway Joe.
That's right.
What other quarterbacks do you think today could get away with wearing a fur coat on
the sidelines?
I don't think too many.
I don't think so either.
I don't think Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon would even try.
He grew up in Philly, but he was a big fan of Joe Namath.
In fact, he's even wearing number 12 as a tribute to Joe Namath.
So let's see what else Rich was up to as a kid back in the day.
Good Rich Gannon.
Here we go, Rich.
Oh, next player, Rich Gannon.
Do you hear that?
That's neat.
Started throwing the ball at a very young age.
I want to play in my first organized football in second grade when I was 65 pounds.
That was my first year.
I only missed one year since.
Let's go.
Head down for an audible here.
Red right, F short, 24, X, deep over.
On one.
Franny, Franny, Franny!
Jack, 383, thick E!
38!
38, 6!
Gannon back to pass on third and nine.
Close end zone.
Touchdown!
What a pass there by Gannon.
The Oakland Raiders have won the game!
We had the schools right here in the heart of the city in Philadelphia, and so we'd take
a bus to practice because we didn't have our own field.
We'd take a set the bus.
Manny Young has those big hills, and I can remember the sophomores having to get off
the bus and walk two blocks because the bus couldn't make up the hill.
That's how bad things were.
That's my old girlfriend.
Yeah.
She's been amazing.
In the summertime we'd come down and we'd actually, we'd work in the back parking lot.
I can remember doing push-ups with a black guy, and just your fingers, your fingertips
would be burning.
You know, Rich had this way about him.
He took football pretty seriously.
The voice inflexion needs to do a little song a little deeper.
Head back!
Move back!
He had a lot!
So that works.
We'd watch our game films on Monday, and that would be it.
But I know Rich watched game films on Monday, and I think he watched them on Tuesday and
Wednesday and watched them on Thursday and Friday too, I'm sure.
I would drive home with him from practice on Thursdays.
My wife would cook dinner and we'd sit and watch film.
He became part of the family at that point.
You know, Rich just always did everything right.
That's it!
Nicely done, Rich.
Good, Rich.
Nice shot, Rich.
I punted and I kicked, and I was a quarterback.
I never played defense though.
Yeah, I mean, you know, Rich had God-given skills to be a great athlete, so that was
automatic.
I had to work at being the best dressed.
Best dressed, that's right.
Hey, the guy was, you know, he was a little bit more mature than most of us.
I mean, the guy looked like he was about 22 years old in high school.
I mean, we all looked like about 15.
I'm looking for a token to get home on the scepter, and he's pulling out of here in his
Cadillac DeVille.
Actually, it wasn't my car.
It was my dad's car.
But, you know, hey, he's still my buddy.
He's pretty fast.
He had some good feet.
That was maybe reckless at times.
He moved around quite a bit, but I think that that was one of my strengths.
Rolling right again, same play.
Brown covered.
Gannon now running around.
Just go 100 miles an hour.
Because you know what happens, wait, if you run, he runs with you.
I run.
Pump bake once, now pressure in the middle, spins around, gets away from it, got room
to run, to the 15, tries to get wide at the end, cuts it back to the 5.
Puskar!
Great shot!
Good shot!
Great to have quarterbacks that can run.
One of the most successful, most enjoyable seasons I've ever had in my life was that season
here at the prep my senior year.
Let's go offense on three, one, two, three.
Offense!
We've worked all year to try and do something special and it was a big night for us, playing
at Veterans Stadium, we were high school kids.
The things that I remember were losing 14-0 going into the fourth quarter.
We score, go for two, make it, 14-8.
Get the ball back, we're going to score again.
I think Rich lofted one.
He put it right in there, the kid catches the ball.
Kind of tipped it once in the air and then came down with it.
Rich kicks the extra point, so it's 15-14.
We battled back and really had the game won.
A fourth down play, they pulled off.
Pretty much the last play of the game.
Kid was scrambling, we almost had him.
We had the grasp of one guy.
We had the guy sack two or three different times, he went up throwing it.
Tail back came out of the backfield, just kind of snuck down the sideline,
appeared out of nowhere.
It's like he almost came off the bench because he was so open.
He caught the ball and no one was near him.
He goes down the sidelines, 40, 50 yards for touchdown, untouched.
17 seconds to go in the game, we lost him.
It was a crushing ball, it really was.
I went up losing to a good football team.
It was pretty special, all the work that went into it
and how everything developed from a team that didn't have a winning record
the year before to having a pretty successful season was pretty special.
For most of us, that was the last time we got to put the pads on.
Not for Rich, he got to put the pads on a lot more.
Now Raiders coach John Gruden, who's only two years older than Gannon,
says, quote, Rich is the most miserable person that I know,
and that's what I love about him, end of quote.
Now Gruden likes that chip on Gannon's shoulder, I think.
And if you want your quarterback to be the man,
then he's got to step up and play like the man.
For Gannon, I think it's kind of a pride and poise thing.
Last week, the Raiders defense came up big,
returning a fumble for a touchdown against the Seahawks.
In fact, in a bunch of games last week, defense is dominated.
Four fumbles were returned for touchdowns and three interceptions returned for scores.
That and all the other best stuff make up this week's Play Action.
D' you wanna let me play?
Unbelievable.
All right!
Back to throw is Manny.
Oh!
Intercepted.
Ticked off by Tywalk.
Ball is loose.
He's hit!
There's a Bumble!
Picking up and they're on the way!
That's a 40!
That's a 30!
He will score!
What a turn of events there!
I know a way down to clean all my nuts' Republican
Senate That means a whole lot powder
I know the breakdown, everything is gonna shake down from there.
I know the breakdown, tell me again, am I awake now, baby?
He takes a hit and spins into the end zone, catched by Jackson, breaks the tackle to ten.
Inside the five, he will school that.
Where's the rookie?
I got 8,000 of them.
Coming up, an inside look at what it's like being a rookie in the NFL.
If this world were mine.
There you go, keep going though.
NFL Under the Helmet is brought to you by Edge Pro Gel, the official shaped gel of the NFL.
Save your skin. And by Coca-Cola, life tastes good.
I chose to play the game. It didn't choose me.
Sure, things weren't always easy.
Friends, fighting, school, drugs.
But the game taught me the fundamentals of life.
Honest, teamwork, trust.
I knew drugs, even weed, would get in the way.
Football, my anti-drug.
Now I'm the teacher.
What can you say about not having the right protection?
Well, mister, you can say ouch and oh that hurts.
And golly, Jeepers, quit that.
Better to get Edge Pro Gel protection.
Edge gives you a close, comfortable shave.
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Look great, feel great. Edge Pro Gel. Save your skin.
And Cal Ripken joins the 3000 Hit Club.
Go!
Front number 400 for Cal Ripken now serves Dan.
Waves him over. You have been seconded.
Daybreak. It's Paul Stilwell.
Dad? Dad?
Ready to go?
Yeah.
Next Saturday on Moolah Beach, four idols unclaimed.
Two teams remain, but only one will get the cash.
I better win.
It's the episode you've been waiting for and the finale that'll have you begging for more.
Who wins $25,000?
It's an all-new Moolah Beach next Saturday morning at 10 Eastern Nights at One Pacific on Fox Kids.
Cameron Diaz in one of the biggest comedies ever.
Is that a hair gel?
Yeah.
There's something about Mary.
Tomorrow at 730, 630 Central on Fox.
The San Diego Chargers. Last season they were a league worse, 1 and 15.
But so far this year it's all love.
And we figured this would be a perfect time to sit him down for a look and listen.
Might as well play some ball.
I got some heat today.
I like to wander around and stay busy.
It kind of is a way to get some of the nervous energy out of your system.
You know what I try to do? I try to go around when we're stretching and I try to see every guy.
All right, here we go. Let's go, Michael. What do you say, Darryl? Good luck, Al.
How you feeling, Darren? Good luck, Charles.
We probably won't win the toss.
Things go as normal.
We just don't win tosses.
I don't remember how many we won, but it hasn't been very many.
I really think it's because Junior likes to play defense first.
They always do that?
Queen, right, green, slice.
We try to go forward. We try to really cut down our verbiage.
Yip, deuce, ram, chill, auto. Yip, deuce, ram, chill, auto.
It always seems like four words aren't enough.
Let's go. Flo, trio, Roger, north, big, swoop.
If there's more than that, it usually has to do with movement in a formation.
Mix-sized star. Mix it. Mix-sized star.
We wanted to mix it, which means put the X-Man in motion.
Mix-sized star, gray, Y-corner, squid.
The real reason for mixing it is that that motion gives that X receiver some momentum to run his route.
Get it going here a little bit. Trio, right, north, Texas. No motion.
If it's a run, it's the direction of the run and then the name of the run.
Deuce, Roger, fire, waco. You don't want to go fire? Deuce, Roger, ice, waco.
Fire and ice are directions for us. Fire is to the right, ice is to the left.
He busts out, he scores. Touchdown.
You got three wides in. Three wides. Three wides.
We spread out the defense by putting three wides in the game.
Probably our best run in formation would be three wides with the waco in the box.
But there are going to be some looks where the defense is not going to spread out,
where they're going to tighten up and bring more people in the box.
So you want an alert. Deuce, Roger, ice, waco, alert, mark.
That's his built-in audible. If he sees something, he doesn't like.
Oh, look at this edge. Oh, no. Hang on to it. Hang on to it.
When we talk about the edge, we talk about that box inside that includes the offensive line,
the defensive line and the linebackers, and the very outside of that part is the edge.
They might try anything in this area.
Really, I'm thinking go for the block.
Chance for some field position here. The youngs. Block it.
Oh, my gosh. Yes. There it is. We did it. We did it. We did it.
Nice job, Bruce.
You know, it looked just like we practiced.
It was exactly the look and feel, what they did, the whole thing.
We really thought going into the game that we had something against Indianapolis, and we did.
And it worked, you know, like I was talking with Darren Bennett on the signs, it worked just like we practiced it.
You know, when you work real hard at something and it comes through, you know, everybody feels good about that,
because you can see the reward.
Hey, buddy. Way to go. That looked great. Out of the way to go.
Riley's Chargers are 3-0 and are the only undefeated team in the AFC.
But if you're a San Diego fan, don't book hotel reservations in New Orleans just yet.
It's a long season, and the Bolts still got to deal with the Broncos and the Raiders twice.
But I'll say this. The last three times the Chargers started 3-0, they went on to play in the AFC Championship game.
Just a thought.
Something to think about. And one of the reasons for the Chargers' jump start is rookie running back LeDanian Tomlinson.
That's right. Finally, the Chargers have a run game. They've been missing that for a while.
Their first round pick is averaging 100 yards a game with five TDs.
Not bad, you know, but first-year players usually don't play that well.
I mean, they have to deal with the usual rookie mistakes and even more difficult tasks, putting up with their veteran teammates.
You can't do that. What are you, nuts? You must be a rookie.
They're clueless. They're almost dumb. Mindset's scared to death.
Are you nervous? Huh? Really, are you?
They're overwhelmed and in awe about whether it's the logo, the color.
You know, obviously some of the early round picks blend right in and start playing, but most of them are just earning their stripes. Glad to be here.
You can tell when a guy's a rookie because the first thing they do, they get their little sign-in bonus money.
They go out and buy the biggest gold chain they could find.
Then they get that emblem that says N, F, L, and diamonds and put their name across the top.
Like when you're 6'8 and you weigh 400 pounds, like people don't know what the heck you do in the first place.
Typical first day, let's show everybody what you can do.
Let's go out and run crazy. They don't understand that they're going to run because those are the guys that have to prove themselves more than the veteran.
They're with them young boys on their shape. As always, them young boys, they think they are. And it's like, holy shit.
They think they want to be tough. They try to be tough.
We got neck rolling. There you go. Hey, did you win one of those in college? Uh-huh. That's nice. Real pretty. Fancy too.
Black and blue. Mean color.
The best is when you see a rookie who thinks like, we're just going to be that sorry, and he's just going to come here and dominate because he was in the East West gang.
And it's like, come on, dawg, you got to wait a minute.
This you going crazy, rookie.
Before you can start walking with your chest stuck out and everything like that, you're going to have to prove something to the older guys and definitely go through the rookie thing.
It's a nerve wracking experience.
There are rookies that have to go through a lot of the singing.
I never met a girl who makes me feel the way that you do. You're all right. I believe I can fly. I believe I can touch the sky.
I showed up in boots and ruined your black tie affair.
Anything. Come on. Give us some.
And it becomes love inside me.
There you go.
That will be alright.
It's pretty amazing.
For the most part, you'll get moved off, which is kind of a good thing. My rookie year, they made me get up to sing Rocky Top.
I was ready to go all four verses and the second verse they moved me off, which really didn't bother me.
They have to supply the donuts or the breakfast.
Every Wednesday I had to bring sandwiches and the guys wouldn't eat them. It's almost like, why am I getting these sandwiches?
But if you don't get the sandwiches, then they're going to tape you up, throw you in the cold plunge, they're going to do something.
This is a little rookie. Come here. Carry this boy. I'm going with you.
It's just a little thing that you got to go through to let the veterans know he's down with his teammate. He cares about his teammate.
Once you pay your dues, then you get your respect. Until then, dogs all over.
Hey, I got some dry cleaning for you cats too, bud. If y'all doing dry cleaning now.
It's crazy being a rookie.
I chose to play the game. It didn't choose me. Sure, things weren't always easy.
Friend, fighting, school, drugs. But the game taught me the fundamentals of life. Honesty, teamwork, trust.
I knew drugs, even weed, would get in the way.
Football, my anti-drug. Now I'm the teacher.
What can you say about not having the right protection?
Well, mister, you can say ouch and oh, that hurts. And golly, Jeepers, quit that.
Better to get Edge Pro Gel protection. Edge gives you a close, comfortable shave.
So you can trade in that old scraped-up feeling for a new feeling of yeah, baby.
Look great, feel great. Edge Pro Gel. Save your skin.
And Cal Ripken joins the 3000 Hit Club.
Front number 400 for Cal Ripken.
And 30 stand, James M. Holm on.
You have been seconded a game.
Dad? Dad?
Ready to go?
Yeah.
Man, you guys are brave. With that bedroom set, I would have moved in under cover of darkness.
Isn't that bad?
Should High School Productions of Macbeth be banned? Yes.
Oh, wait, I'm getting a good vibe out of this box.
Oh, here we go. No.
That is a bedroom set. Bedroom expressions. Good stuff, good prices. It's nice, huh? Awesome.
Look, stop unloading your furniture. I'm using that term loosely. There's kids out here.
Colt Pepper and the Vikings. It's first and goal.
Colt Pepper and the Vikings. Bucks defense not trying to stop Colt Pepper and the Vikings.
NFL Under the Helmet presents the best play of the week.
On the 8-yard line here's Colt Pepper.
Go on, Dr.! Dr. Frodo running just to the end zone.
Guys, ahead he's in!
Whoo!
Touchdown, Minnesota!
Spun around and got in.
A quarterback draw, and who better to do it with than Dante Colt Pepper?
Dante Colt Pepper, all 260 pounds of him, may have saved the Vikings season with that touchdown run.
The Vikings got the ball on their own 4-yard line before Dante directed a 96-yard, 11-play, game-winning drive.
Up next, we've got a new segment for you. Every four weeks we'll feature the best tackles of the month.
That's right, finally getting some love out there to the defensive players.
Right now, let's check out the best of September.
Let's get ready to rumble!
Hard hit, hit him right in the mouth.
And nobody comes in our house and pushes us around.
One, two, three, five, four!
I just want to be heard.
Anything to disrupt the fashion game.
It's about a revolution.
Good job, defense! Yes! Yes!
Not a chance of an obsession.
Time to raise, get you nothing but a life.
Long-lasting, it's impossible.
Two heavyweights, man on a toe-to-toe, Keeg gets stronger.
There's no money.
We've got to show these fuckers that they're dead getting up in here and defend.
Whoo!
And if you're not a number, don't fret.
We've got to put this guy on the ground.
Get to the quarterback!
Once under pressure, he goes down.
Bad way to compete.
All night, all night.
Yes! Yes! Bam!
Tackles of the Month was brought to you by Campbell's Chunky Soup.
Teaming up with the NFL to tackle hunger one community at a time.
There's no fuzz on this, Eagle.
Donovan shares his win.
Chunky Soup!
God! No, no, no, no, no!
Mama, we're making a commercial here.
Donovan, chunky beef with country vegetables now has more beef.
More lean beef to fill you up right.
More is good.
Mama, you can fill him up right after I fill him up right!
Eat your chunky, baby.
The Campbell's Chunky Beef Forza.
Now with more beef.
It orders pizza.
It has an FM stereo so you can listen to music while waiting for pizza.
It two ways friends to come over for pizza.
It has voice activated dialing so you can order more pizza.
Pizza.
Pizza. Without putting down your pizza.
The Motorola V-DOT 120.
Buy it at Verizon Wireless.
Enjoy it with pizza.
Down here.
You dine on dirt.
Unravel egos.
Grapple grizzlies.
Then dance.
MAP NFL 2002 EA Sports.
It's in the game.
Good at E for everyone.
Never once have you uttered the words cars.
Can't live with them, can't live without them.
Or have you referred to your car as the old ball and chain?
Your car never nags.
Never gives you the cold shoulder.
It thinks that spare tire of yours is a good thing.
Isn't it time you returned the favor?
It definitely feels like October baseball here tonight.
A season for the ages begins its dramatic finale.
Tuesday, the record setting Mariners title quest marches on
with a showdown against the upset minded Indians.
Then, Wednesday night, America's pastime steps into the
prime time spotlight as the A's try to dethrone the
defending champion Yankees.
The Division Series, Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday night on Fox.
You can see it in his eye.
You can see he no longer wants to come out of that hole on the block.
When you look in a guy's eye, he's thinking, how do I get out of here?
And there's no greater feeling in the world than I got it.
And when you got it, you know you got it because he'll let you know.
He'll try anything to get on your good side.
Oh, how you doing Mr. Sapp?
I can't believe it.
You're so loud.
I cannot believe it.
You've given up.
This is my three hours to eat you alive.
You know, even though he doesn't have a Sapp yet this season,
I don't think there's a team in the league that wouldn't want Warren Sapp.
No.
And speaking of great defensive players, you know, one of Sapp's
former teammates at the University of Miami was Ray Lewis.
That's the defensive coordinator's dream come true right there.
Those two guys on the same side of the ball?
Yeah, some serious defense.
Serious.
You know, and Ray has led the Ravens and tackles every season
since his rookie year in 96.
Last season, Ray became only the second player in history to win both
the NFL defensive MVP and the Super Bowl MVP in the same season.
And here's a little history for you.
The first player to do that was Harvey Martin for the Cowboys in 77.
We leave you with this look at Ray Lewis's all-time best plays.
Woo!
Rumble Ray!
My man Ray Lewis!
My man Ray Lewis, the defensive player of the year!
This is my respect!
Oh, boy!
We've got to set this team up!
Rumble Ray!
We hear anything moving today!
Anything moving!
Ray Lewis got him!
Smash talk time, baby!
Oh, boy!
Ray Lewis got him!
Rumble Ray!
Ray Lewis got him!
Rumble Ray!
Ray Lewis!
Rumble Ray!
Ray Lewis got him!
Rumble Ray!
picked off. Ray Lewis intercepted, picked off. Ray Lewis intercepted, picked off. Ball is loose. Ray Lewis got over. What a play. It was a wrestling match out there. Who won?
Good one! Oh man, Ray Lewis. Collins. Rose knocked in the air and intercepted. Knocks it up. Ray Lewis made the play. What athleticism he has. Smash talk time, baby.
There. Throws underneath. And it's picked off. It's picked off. Ray Lewis has the ball. Could go all the way. He's 30-20. Still on his feet. Touchdown, Ray Lewis. Alright. 50 yards.
The Defensive Player of the Year in the NFL, my man, Ray Lewis. NFL under the helmet was brought to you by the only motor oil that provides the most protection.
Castrol GTX. Drive hard. By Motor Oil. Proud to be the official wireless sponsor of the NFL. By Madden NFL 2002 by EA Sports. If it's in the game, it's in the game. And by Campbell's Chunky Soup. With big chunks of chicken, beef, and hearty vegetables, Chunky Soup, it fills you upright.
I chose to play the game. It didn't choose me. Sure, things weren't always easy. I knew drugs would get in the way. But the game taught me the fundamentals of life. Now I'm the teacher.
Barb and the Packers. Sam and the Bucks. It's a Fox and the Devil Sunday Doubleheader this week.