It's Not About Football with Coach Tony Lindsay, Sr.

It's Not About Football with Coach Tony Lindsay, Sr.

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Kevin Adams: Welcome back everybody. We have made it to season two, episode one of the exit interview. I'm Kevin Adam, and I'm joined by my host.

Dr. Asia Lyons: How everyone doing out there? Can you believe in season two already, Kevin?

Kevin Adams: I am so excited for this after season one and all of the things that we learned and all the amazing stories that we have heard.

You know, I'm, I'm telling you season two, we'll see what the, maybe the finale episode will be. My [00:02:00] announcement that I'm. The next guest on the exit interview season three. But we'll see. We'll have,

Dr. Asia Lyons: play with me Kevin. Don't play with me.

Kevin Adams: We just have to keep people listening for the whole season to find out, right?

Dr. Asia Lyons: Yeah, for sure. Yeah, for sure. So we, so can you tell us, Kevin, about our guest, our first guest of the season?

Kevin Adams: Our first guest. This, this guest is, is, is gonna be unique, uh, different because this exit interview is, is not by choice. Um, you know, and, and meaning that the person did not choose to leave like many of our exit interviews.

But this one is, is definitely, um, impactful and inspiring. Um, today we are lucky enough to have with us. Coach Tony Lindsay, who was the coach of the Montebello Warriors football team, and unfortunately [00:03:00] has recently been, uh, uh, non-renewed after being forced to rehire for his job at Montebello High School.

Um, and so for those of you who might be, might not be in the Denver area or might not be familiar, uh, with the Montbello High School and, uh, the challenges that the community has faced, um, Montbello was a community comprehensive high school that was shut down, uh, because of poor performance, like how it happens in many schools around this country.

And, uh, it was. Uh, they opened up multiple schools in the area. It's a cooperative, uh, so there are multiple high schools. I think, uh, coach Lindsay will tell us that there's nine different high schools and about a couple, uh, one to two square mile area and mm-hmm. Uh, Montbello High School had to compete with those schools and what it did was really pulled apart the high school [00:04:00] and coach Lindsay, uh, was able through hard work and tons of effort to build a program.

That not only was successful, but won a state title.

Dr. Asia Lyons: Mm-hmm. And now, yeah, he go ahead and he talks about this idea of the school, the community being splintered by the school, breaking up into nine different schools and like all the effort that

he and his, his team and so many people in the community had to go through to bring that team back together, to bring the, the athletics program back together, all the way down to like this, them, her, his, uh, his teams not having showers for them to use for the schools, not having a library.

And how he was able to, with his team, advocate for those things, for the, for the young men on his, um, on his football program. And so, a very moving interview, I'd say. Right, Kevin?

Kevin Adams: Definitely, definitely. If this one doesn't get you up, hyped up to [00:05:00] get involved, I don't know what will, um, I, I am. So inspired and, and so touched by all the things that coach Lindsay said.

Um, I could see, you know, Asia, I don't know. Uh, but this is how I felt. I was like, no wonder the, he's a great coach. Like I, I was feeling coached up and ready to go out for sure. And as Gerardo says, run through walls.

Dr. Asia Lyons: Yeah, for sure. I, I was really, I was moved by this interview and I just wish nothing but the best for him and his community is going to be at a loss if we can't figure something out and get him him back where he belongs in front of students, in front of athletes, in front of families and community and parents.

So,

Kevin Adams: all right. Well, with no further ado, let's get on to season two. Here is our interview with the great, the imminent coach, Tony Lindsay. Hope y'all enjoy it. [00:06:00]

Dr. Asia Lyons: Let's go.

Kevin Adams: All right, folks, we are here with our guests for today, coach Tony Lindsay, senior. Get his name right, folks. Um, coach, we are glad to have you with us here on the exit interview, uh, today.

Um, so I guess, uh, if you wanna just tell us a little bit about yourself, who you are, your educational journey, and, uh, what made you decide to become an educator?

Dr. Asia Lyons: Um,

I'm gonna

Tony Linsey Sr. : start you back or beginning with me. I, I like a lot of, uh, you know, young, young man, young. I was a football player and I wanted to go pro. I love football. That's where it all started at. Uh. From [00:07:00] coming from little League to high school, I went to Thomas Jefferson High School back in the seventies.

I graduated in 77. All right. From, you know, I was like, yeah, I was a pretty good football player, you know, in high school. I went on to college. I walked on at the University of Utah. All right. And yeah, and after a week they gave me a full ride scholarship and, uh, my journey led me to the Denver Broncos.

And, um, I got waved there and ended up playing in Canada for three years. All this is going by, and by the time I got done in Canada, I had four sons. Yes. Yeah, I had four sons. And so when I got done there, it was time to come home and raise 'em. And so all my whole life was in, been football, you know, along with me and my brother, uh, both of us, just football and, um, coming up, you know, that's the one thing I go to is like [00:08:00] going to college, you know, was, it was a, a awesome opportunity and, you know, and getting there 'cause we couldn't afford it.

Um, but I was able to take care of that just by the scholarship. Uh, I wasn't able, I wasn't able to hook, you know, connect in, uh, the league long enough to make the money that some of 'em make. So, uh, when I got back out, the first thing I thought about was, you know, I got these sons, you know, it's time to start getting them going and, uh, um, raising them.

And the one thing I did know how to do is play some football. Yes.

nothing: You know?

Tony Linsey Sr. : And, uh, um, that was the, the journey that I started going through with my four sons. And, uh, I remember coming back my last year up in Canada and my oldest was playing football and, um, I went out there and watched and he actually, he dropped the, the, uh, the pass and that lost him the Super Bowl and everybody was mad at him.[00:09:00]

Dr. Asia Lyons: Oh, wow. I think

Tony Linsey Sr. : about that. Yeah. It was, it was one of those like TV shows where it was, you know, if they had something they would've threw it at. Yeah. And uh, that time right there, it's like, you know, it's time to start taking care of my boys. And, uh, um, I started coaching, I started coaching in Little League and I actually coached five years there and I coached all my sons and I went on to high school.

I went back to my OT mater, that was tj. Alright. I enjoyed being at tj, you know, when I went in there, it was in 74 that, that was the first year of busing. Yes. So it was, um, it was, yeah, it was, and it was huge. You know what I'm saying? It was huge, but, uh, it was, it was needed and, uh, left a lot. A lot of friends got out of that, you know, and anyway, going back to my boys, you know, they all went through tj.

I was, I had it all set up okay. When that first one's going, you know, on his way outta middle school. I was gonna be coaching in high school. So I started coaching at Tom Jefferson in 1990. [00:10:00] Okay. And my son came up in there, uh, 1994 is Tony's first year there. And all four of my sons ended up going through tj.

I coached at TJ for 10 years and I left TJ after that. Um, after they all went through and I coached at Mom, be from 2003 to 2006. Shout out to the Bella Warriors. Yes, I went out exactly. And I was, I was the assistant head coach at that time. And, um, all right, we had a coach there named Oliver. Oliver Lucas, uh, a very good coach.

He's a mentor of mine and, uh, um, you know, I followed him from TJ to, to Montbello and, uh, thought I was gonna get that head coaching job, but it didn't work out like that. It was, didn't work out like that. It wasn't meant for me then. But a couple weeks later, I, uh, south High opened up. I applied for that job, and that was my first head coaching job at South High School in, uh, um, 2007.

Okay. And I was there, yeah. For 10 years [00:11:00] I was there. But, you know, when I, I left Montebello, we were very hard school, real hard school. The kids were hard. You know what I'm talking about? But mm-hmm. Yeah, it got, and I, it took a little while for me to get used to because it was so hard there and the kids were hard, but I fell in love with the school and the kids.

There is more to it than what people knew. You would have to be in there to understand what was going on, and it was going on with our kids. And, um, I hated it that I didn't get that job, but it, an opportunity opened up for me and I went to South and I stayed there for 10 years, but in the back of my mind, uh.

I'm going to go, come back here. You know, that's, yes. I'll be back here. That's, that's how I felt. And you know, during that time, you know, had a, um, awesome. 10 years at South High School. Um, all my sons at the time had grown up and they're with me. They've been coaching [00:12:00] with me for like 15 years now, all four of them.

Oh wow. Oh, that's awesome. Yeah. Dynasty Dynasty. That's most of my staff there. That's, that's why we're, we're good, um, mentors. And you know what I poured into my sons and a lot of their friends is what they brought back after they went to college and

nothing: Yes.

Tony Linsey Sr. : Got their degrees and all that. A couple of 'em teaching, they all came back and, uh, were pouring it into these young men coming up, you know, and a lot of, you know, my coaches, they have their own different ways and styles, uh, but they're all.

Just like I raised them. And uh, uh, with that being said, our kids, it's like the energy of us goes through our kids and uh, um, and we just keep rolling. You know what I'm saying? So that's all of our passion is that just to be able to give back to the, the young men, especially young men of color, you know, [00:13:00] everybody knows about that, you know, and it's like, uh, um, they need some, they need mentors, they need that.

So when my sons came back, I was really happy that they chose to come back and, you know, follow that and, and give back like they should. And that's what we've been doing. That's awesome. Uhhuh, they came to South with me. They grew up, we all grew up there and we all, you know, I was really upset when I was at South, I mean at Montbello, that they didn't gimme that job.

I was so mad because I wanted to be the head coach there. But, you know, some years later. Um, I started understanding and, you know, understand I love God and he worked in strange ways. You know, about four, three or four years into that South high school, I was like, I see why that happened. I needed to grow.

Yeah. I needed to grow and be able to handle what he had in store [00:14:00] for me. And so when I found that out, I actually went back to some of the people I was really upset over. I told him, I pretty much told him about the sales and, but I actually went back and found them and apologized because I found out it was for a reason.

And they may not have known, they didn't know, but I found that it was for a reason and they had to do what they had to do for me to come and grow and then come back to ready to handle. The mess that was done out here in Montebello Green Valley Ranch. When, when they splintered the community. That's right.

When they closed that high school, they splintered our community bad. Yeah. Okay. And so coming in and seeing it, when I started coaching right when I got here, it was more of a mess than I thought it was. It was just tore up. [00:15:00] You know, the first thing I did when I came in was like they had two little league teams, the the giants and the fountains out here.

And I was like, I gotta get hold of them. 'cause there was no kids. I had like 16 kids when we first came out here that first year. Mm-hmm. That's what I had. I got a picture of, I always have. And I went to those little league coaches and it had been so messed up out here. They had four coaches in four years before I got here that the little leagues were feeding.

Their kids to, uh, Vista Peak. It was, uh, um, the Montbello Falcons were feeding all their little league kids to Vista Peak, which is in Aurora. Mm-hmm. And then the Green Valley Ranch Giants were feeding their kids to Cherry Creek. Oh. And so, coming in and talking to them, they were able, you know, pretty much, no, we got it all set where our kids are gonna go coach, but in the future we'll see what we can do.

And I'm sitting here like, you know what, can I talk to their parents? You know, I let me talk to their parents. [00:16:00] And so I, I didn't get, they, they didn't help me out with that at all, because, you know, they had other things. They, they were offered jobs and stuff like that at the different schools, so then they're taking the kids with 'em.

That's how it is, you know, that's how, yeah. It, it, it works like, you know. And so, uh, we had to come in and then just started fighting for everything. You know, you come in as a football coach and it's like, okay. First thing I saw out there on that football field was no lines on the turf. There was no lines.

It's like, what? What's going on? You know, uh, you guys understand out here is in the co it's a co-op. Yep. And what they mean by that is, is a co there's nine schools, there's nine small high schools out here. Schools, when they close Mount Bellow, they made nine of them with the charter schools all in the same building.

They call that a coop. Huh? All in the same building. Right. They all left outta Mount Beo High School made, and, [00:17:00] and it's all nine different high schools. Like with the M park there? Yeah. Okay. Yeah. But that little area. Yep. Yeah. Okay. Yep. No, I mean, in Montbello B Valley Ranch, they're like a mile apart. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And so nothing like this in, in the country. There's nothing like this in the country. Okay. And you come out here and it's like, okay, the first school we get off at, get outta school at 2 45. The last school gets out at four 15. We all meet at Montbello, the high school Montbell, because that's where our locker room and you know, our headquarters is there.

That's where we practice. Well, you have to really think about this. It's like by the time they got there, 4 30, 4 45, daylight saving times would come, you know, and no more sun. It was dark out there at that time when they show up. Yeah. There was no light, there was nowhere for us to [00:18:00] practice at night. And so what they, I'm asking, well, what have you guys been doing where they've been going rent these lights they use on the highways?

They rent those lights out and they would roll 'em out there and turn 'em on. So they get Ed. What a shame. I, I just had, I, it was just not cool. You understand, coming from South High School, we got what we wanted there. Yep. You know, and we got, you know, and you're sitting here, you're like, okay. And my head is like, we need study hall.

How do I get on my kids to study hall? They're at nine different schools, nine different counselors, nine different principals. How do you do this? You know? And, uh, um, that was the next question because, you know, you start losing, you see the freshmen when they come in, they don't learn about no high school and eligibility and all that.

Yep. And then they're at all these different schools. They don't, in one school, you can go, I worked in the school at South, so I can go up and get 'em, and we can work with the teachers and get our kids all together. You know, [00:19:00] you, you can't do that out here. You know, I didn't take a job in one of these schools out here because.

If you're stuck in there and you have to go to some other school to see about one of these, one of your players, you don't have no time. Can't just leave out working here and just go down to this school. Uh, so I didn't get no job. I, I came out here and I was like, no, I'm not gonna get into schools because there's nine schools I gotta go to to find out what's going on with my kids.

'cause that first year we lost almost a whole freshman class and they were in all nine different schools. Couldn't get them, didn't to find them tutors. So you guys, I'm just trying to figure in on how it was just coming out here to this straight mass. And then in our locker room, there was no showers. The shower showers were dated up and they used it for storage.

They were storing equipment in, in our locker room, showers, whether the boys showered or not, to go in there, be able to [00:20:00] shower. It wasn't none. So that's what started this. I know you guys probably know Brandon Pryor. Yep. I know. He, he's out there. And then Gabe, Lindsey is my, my one son. He's like my man. I have four sons, five sons.

And, and that's my, he's just like, I am. We are, you know, but he's, yeah, he's, he's headstrong. That's what started this whole thing with Brandon Pryor. And Gabe is the, it, it was not right out here. Our kids were not

Dr. Asia Lyons: being

Tony Linsey Sr. : done. Right. There was no library in Montebello High School. There was not a library in there.

Library, the way the library was, you know, like I said, I worked there four years. Mm-hmm. It was broken up in little three little classrooms that they were using. What a shame, y'all. And then, you know, and like I said, I came out there as a football coach, like. This is not ha [00:21:00] no, you won't do that to our kids.

You know, we're there, they have opportunity like anybody else does. And so you all, that's where the fight started right there, all the way up to now. That's where it started, you know? And um, for us, I knew coming in, I said, how, how is this football team going to survive? You know, we started with 16 kids and the little leagues being pushed out to other schools, not even in a district, in other districts.

They were just pushing them out there. And it's like, you guys, we gotta start our own. We gotta get our own feeder team. So we started a feeder team. We call it Warrior Nation. We started our own feeder so we can start getting our kids to start coming and staying, not really coming. 'cause all the kids were from out here.

They were just going out of outta the district, go to other schools to stay here. And we did start that. And it started doing good for, but it took time, you know, it took time. [00:22:00] And in my mind I'm like, you know what's really gonna help us? The only thing for us to do when you're in a situation like this, you gotta win.

I don't care what you do. You can have pretty uniforms. Give all the money in the world. I don't care what you, you have to win. You know? And man, we ended up winning however we won. You know what I'm saying? We went and we took state and we won. That take of state was cool. Yes. But on my mind, all I wanted to do was win back this community.

That's right. And win back kids. That's what I wanted and that's what I got out of it. So understand This last year after we won dang years, not even enough. You know, that was the longest football season ever. It has been because of the pandemic. Yep. You know, we played, we played our league. We won. And we had, I coached track too.

We went two months in track and we were right back in football and we just got done with this last season. It was just, everything was connected. It was the [00:23:00] longest season ever. And but with that being said, these freshman kids that came in, they came in, these are the ones that's been getting away from us.

Yep. Kept them this year. We were able to keep them when my freshman went like 10 and oh, I lettered 13 of those freshmen that lead. When I say that they played varsity for me. Oh wow. You know, that's how they were. And these are our one out here in mama be Green Valley Ranch. They didn't get them the Cherry Creeks and this.

That's right. They didn't get those kids. We kept them. Our kids won. So all we're doing right here is this building our program. And it is for me, this is an awesome thing. We, this was our first year that we had C team and that's just a freshman team. So it took five years to build till we just have a freshman team.

Otherwise we only had two of 'em. 'cause we didn't have enough guys. And we were playing Friday and we walked [00:24:00] out there all together with 60 kids, all three levels. Ooh. When we were walking out there, 20, um, cherry Creek has a hundred forty five, a hundred fifty, uh, you know. Wow. We were playing fight. That alone was not fair.

You understand? Yep. Not saying they're, oh, they're, yeah, they're, of course they're better. They got 170 kids, 160 kids. Who are we kidding? We got 60 all together for three teams. I, like I said, I letter 13 freshmen. Who does that? I didn't even have, I had six seniors. Most of the teams, when you get a, when you start, you know, when you have a team, when your seniors are graduating out, maybe 22, a lot of teams, 28 kids a year, they're, they're graduating 28 seniors a year and bringing in 30 juniors are gonna be seniors.

Well, heck, I graduated last year, nine, and this year we graduate six seniors. Wow. That shows you [00:25:00] where we were at. Yes. Just six. We ended up like 40 freshmen this year. So that's where we're at with that. But we still won. That's the whole thing. And you know what, we have three of our seniors this year out of the six, going to college on football scholarships.

We have in the last five years, double digs in the twenties of the kids who have had opportunity to go and play college football, but get an education. Yes. That's what you use that for. That's just a vessel. This football stuff or who are we kidding man? This is off the chain and whatever. The kids can get out they need to because all it takes is one hit and they're done.

You're done.

nothing: That's right. So,

Tony Linsey Sr. : but this is, that's, this is a vessel for them to go and get their education. And so when we teach that, we, we teach that to our kids. You know, to me football is, is so past football. To me, I've been doing this long enough to know it's not about football. It's about [00:26:00] taking care of your kids and raising them and helping their parents if you can.

And, uh, um, making, making them into good people, good fathers. Um, that's what we're about. You know, the football is a football and we're gonna teach that, but it's way past that because we want our kids to succeed. We are mentors, you know, like I was telling them, you know, my interview is like at three, four o'clock in the morning.

Have you ever had a kid call you

Kevin Adams: four o'clock in the morning?

Dr. Asia Lyons: I haven't.

Kevin Adams: I not four o'clock I've had, I've had late nights, not four o'clock.

Dr. Asia Lyons: Yep. Yeah.

Tony Linsey Sr. : You guys have to, excuse me.[00:27:00]

Kevin Adams: You're good, coach.

Tony Linsey Sr. : Sorry about that, y'all.

Dr. Asia Lyons: I just,

Tony Linsey Sr. : sorry. Um, you're fine. Thank you.[00:28:00]

Anyway, and I'm staying at four, three or four o'clock in the morning. They call you and tell you they're gonna kill their self.

Dr. Asia Lyons: Hmm.

Or they've ran away from home,

but nobody loves him. Mm-hmm.

Some people don't know how deep this is.

And as a coach.

Tony Linsey Sr. : That's given his life to these kids. Our people can come in and because of [00:29:00] self wreck,

what's going on after poor community and kids to succeed.

And then you get selfish people that,

that's the hard part to me. Y'all. Um, if you don't like me, it's good. That's, that's fine. That's fine. I don't like you either. Mm-hmm. But it's not about me, it's about the kids and, and the community that's arounds us. You know? Uh, the school is supposed do for the kids and the community, not the kids do for the school.

That's right.[00:30:00]

But that being said, it's like whatever is good for the community, you know, should be good. And the community should have a word and everything that goes on in the community and not those certain people walk in and say, this is what's gonna be done

Dr. Asia Lyons: here.

Tony Linsey Sr. : And, and that's it. That's right. It doesn't work like that.

The minute our community wakes up and sees it doesn't work

Dr. Asia Lyons: like that,

Tony Linsey Sr. : then we'll start being like, cherry Creek is. You will not go in there and do nothing like this Cherry Creek. You won't do like nothing like this in any other, uh, uh, league city. Or you don't, you just, it won't happen

Kevin Adams: Yeah. In their

Tony Linsey Sr. : communities.

And our communities need to come together, but Latino black and they need come together and we need to work with each other and don't let people come in and tear us down. That's right. You know? So, uh, [00:31:00] that's kind of pretty much my story. You know, I don't wanna get into it 'cause uh, I don't want, I'm not bashing, you know.

Yep. I, I feel what I feel, but I'm not here to b it, you know, bash nobody body. But, uh, if they're thinking like I am, you know, even in my little interview, one of 'em, um, it was like. After telling you guys everything, we kind went, before we went in from being coaches to fighting for the school and fight open back up for, these we're football coaches, but these is our community.

These are our kids and we care about them. It's not football, it's not only football, it's a whole community. And all the kids, they should have an opportunity to have a school out here, uh, a traditional school, comprehensive as they call it, [00:32:00] for these kids to go to where they can learn everything that they, they do at Cherry Creek like it was before they closed it.

You know? So the kids should have opportunity to do that and um, I'm glad that the school's gonna open back up. Yes. Just don't wanna open up and I don't want it to open up and fail. No, you know, you know, out here now just looking at this is my, like I said, I'm not, I'm talking football COVID. I'm talking as a person that lives out here.

Yep. Um, and it's my community too. It is 85% Latino out here in our community. And that's the way it's gonna be when Montbell is not the Montbello when you were there or when I was there. If the demographics has changed and it's 85 cent every 85, 5% Latino with that school [00:33:00] opening, opening up, I'd love for them to have all the opportunity in the world to succeed with the kids that are out here now too.

And so I would love for, you know, Denver Public Schools to look at what they're doing here. And what I'm saying is where are Latino leaders?

I, I'm being real. You talking about education? No, I'm not teacher or nothing, but I'm, I'm here and I've been in the schools for 30 years and I see what I see. Where are Latino leaders at? It's 85% Latino. Give them an opportunity to go in and see that it's little school.

I know you guys tell me about the football. I'm just, [00:34:00] mind goes

Kevin Adams: and coach Lindsay, I would never disagree, but I, I would never disagree with anything you say. But you are definitely an educator. Yes. And you a powerful educator. Um, you know, and, and what you, what, what high, what hits me about your story? Your experience is, is how we come into education, you know, and how we're drawn into our community and the issues of our community become our issues.

Right, right. And like you saw the unfairness and the, you know, uh, modern Jim Crow that was going on at Montebello High School where, you know, separate was definitely not equal. Right. And for whatever intention, but we know what was happening there where the kids didn't have the same facilities. And even coming from South High School, it was probably, uh, very shocking.

You know, because we know what South High School is like. Not to say [00:35:00] that they have all the resources.

Tony Linsey Sr. : Very, very shocking. Yes, yes, yes. That's exactly. I walked in, I was like, oh no, this is not how it was where I came from. You know, this is not cool. And these kids are the same as those kids, you know? That's right.

It was like the kids. Now we're in, we're in my community out there south. At the time, they didn't really accept us around there too much. You understand? Yep. It was different. There's a different community. Yep. Let's be real. Yep. That flags up around, there were east high flags, streets and south, so they called us refugee camps

Dr. Asia Lyons: and

Tony Linsey Sr. : all that.

That's it. It was, you know, it wasn't like they had a community there that was formed. Okay. But we were taken care of in that school. The kids were taken care of. We had top line, every facilities there. Then you come out here and it's like, quit it, you know? Wow. What's up, you know, no showers. He said, this [00:36:00] is like I said, I was No.

Oh man. Yeah. Then that's real. That's real. That's when we came back and we went back up to that school board and you know who the, uh, the, um, superintendent Boberg actually came out here.

nothing: Mm-hmm.

Tony Linsey Sr. : He came out, we walked through, we showed, walked through with him and about 10 other people came with him and showed him heads on this is what's up.

And all he could do is put his head down.

nothing: Mm. He

Tony Linsey Sr. : put his head down and they did it. Within the next two days, they had those, the, the, uh, those that shower room up and they were fixed on it. We had lights and stuff coming soon. You know, it's not like they didn't do it, but it was never should have been like that anyway.

Kevin Adams: They had to be shamed into doing it. They had to be shamed into doing it.

Tony Linsey Sr. : Yeah. Yeah. And then that's what, so that's, that's what went on. You know, I said I, I'm one of those, you know, it took me [00:37:00] like 15 years to become a head coach because, um, of my mouth, I was told, you know, I say what I say, you know, think out loud.

I talk out loud. What I say to people, people think I say, but that's how I feel, you know, and I'm real, you know, I'm not trying, I never do try to hurt no one saying what I say, but, and then some people, they hurt people they don't understand, but they hurt people the way they do without saying anything.

Mm-hmm. And then people who talk up, they think he's the worst thing in the world because he talks up. But you know what, he does talk up and he says all kinds of things. Everybody knows that, but what did you do? He just has words and he's talking. Look at Montebello High School. You shut it down.

Kevin Adams: That's

Tony Linsey Sr. : right from underneath everybody.

But that's okay. It's bad. He's got the bad mouth. It's okay to shut the school down and open up 12 other [00:38:00] schools out here. The school that was supposed to be Green Valley Ranch High School turned into three charter schools. But Brandon's big mouth. Oh, he talks too much.

Dr. Asia Lyons: He is the

Tony Linsey Sr. : problem. Yeah, he's the problem.

But we don't have no showers. We don't have No, no, we don't have No, come on. Who we kidding. But he's the problem. No, he's not. Problem.

Dr. Asia Lyons: Mm-hmm.

Kevin Adams: And it makes me think of your story. You know, like you said, football is what got you through. It's the thing that, and I think about so many of my students who are like that, that football, if football, soccer, basketball is what gets them through, that's the, that's why they show up every day.

And then to think that, you know. There is a role of athletics. Like our, at my school, uh, we, we are an international studies school, so we don't have our own athletic program. So a lot of kids go over to West High School and they play over there and, [00:39:00] and, and so I think that's great, you know, but we deal with the same stuff about like when, and luckily at our school, our teachers are willing to let kids out early so they can make it to practice and game.

But, but it destabilized, I I go back or your point about these people who have destabilized the community, right? Yeah. They do things that made, Bel did things so that whatever was left of Montbello couldn't survive. Right. It couldn't win, you know, ev you had to come back and build it back up and attract people to stay over there, you know, because they didn't understand what the people wanted either.

Dr. Asia Lyons: Yeah. And without their support, like you said, the, the little league coaches were not even trying to support what you were trying to do to build a community back up.

Tony Linsey Sr. : Right. And that's because, and you know what, um, just not to take up for them too, but they had three head coaches. They had four head coaches like in four years.

So [00:40:00] there's no stability there. You understand? So I understand the parents saying, oh heck, I'm like there because look at that miss. And so I do understand that. Yep, yep, yep. But we came over and we came over with a track record of winning flat out at South High School. And we, we won that. We were the, the last six years we were top three the state for six years.

We went to state, you know what I'm saying? So we knew what to do. Just get in behind us and let's start keeping us at home and let's get this, let's get you guys been out here. You guys know what's going on, just like I do. Let's get together. But it wasn't, it did it, they didn't latch onto that. Um, so we ended up bickering back and forth with them and then getting our own little feeder team and, you know, then, and here we are, you know?

Kevin Adams: Yes, yes. I mean, I, I think that's important. I think, again, it, it goes back [00:41:00] and, and I think a lot of times we diminish the value of athletics, that I think the most popular people in the school are the coaches. You know, like with students, students go to coaches all the time, you know, and, and the influence,

Dr. Asia Lyons: the influence of coaches on the students is, it always amazed me as a teacher, the stu I can have students who didn't get things done or got the class late, but as soon as like my coach wants to know how I'm doing, it was up to the straight and narrow.

They were getting themselves together. So, you're right. You're, you are absolutely right, Kevin.

Tony Linsey Sr. : Yeah, you are right about that. You know, because like when I was working in South High School, I worked in that office. Those teachers, teachers would call me at any other time. Coach, could you come up, man? Who are we kidding?

They, they, and you know what is so funny? 'cause some of the teachers would've asked, how could you talk to them like that? And they listen to you, they don't listen to us and so on. So, and this like, it's the relationship. That's right. You know, it's the relationship that those [00:42:00] kids come in and, and like I said, when you, when you get them calling you at three or four o'clock in the morning about all these different things, you are like, oh my gosh, what's next?

You know what I'm saying? Mm-hmm. I buried my kids and you know, but you know what? You're, and you guys are sitting in these offices and stuff and you guys don't, we are hands on. You, you, we are our social workers and we are, uh, uh, counselors and we are fathers. And we're everything That's right. We're everything.

You know, and I sit here, man, y'all, you gotta know. I cry, you know, but I'm a crybaby though. I got that from my dad. But when, uh, my feelings are, I did, I, I, uh, my feelings are deep. And so when I start talking about my kids and I, when I say my kids, I'm talking about 30 years of my kids.

nothing: Mm-hmm.

Tony Linsey Sr. : Um, I, I, and, and I start talking all these things that's running.

My head of the things went on [00:43:00] and out here in the five years, more than the 25 years before I came out here. In five years, I had more going out here in Montbello Green Valley Ranch. It's so deep. And like I said, when people come in and they don't understand what's going on out here, it's not this the doggone football man.

You know, I, to me, coach, you know, for yourself, football's not the only sport, but it's a big sport. And football has the biggest kids and the toughest kids that are in your school in it. That's right. And when you get those kids with me, I say, okay, I'm gonna help my school. This is where I'm at with this and at I'm gonna help my kids out there

Dr. Asia Lyons: practice.

Tony Linsey Sr. : We have thoughts. I always have talks with my kids about everything. Just life. And then when you guys get into that school, you guys [00:44:00] ate us. And when you get in there, you help your school to succeed. When you see things are not right and kids are not doing right, or something's gonna go on, you guys, man, I hope that you guys grow up and hear what we're saying and try to help us in there with your school to keep things settled because they truly can.

They know the kids better than we know the kids. And I said, I'm not sitting out here telling you go rattle your friends, but I'm telling you to love your friends. If you love your friends and you know your friends, you get hurt or killed or something like that, you need to come say something.

Dr. Asia Lyons: Mm-hmm. You

Tony Linsey Sr. : need to say something to somebody if you love your friend, or either your friend's going to be dead and you're not gonna live right for the rest of your life, or they're gonna go to prison.

And in the back of your mind you gonna say. I knew that was gonna, I should have said something [00:45:00] to stop this, you know? And so we teach our kids not to be so-called be, they're not rats, man. But we know how to take care of that if they come. And how many of 'em have came and told us and we were able to stop and this is stuff not even pertaining the football.

Mm-hmm. We went to the school and stop whatever is what we're supposed to do. So when these educators come in and they do something like they done, like now you don't understand what you lost. It's not a football coach. You lost coaches that care about everything, about this school and this community.

When we get done, we don't get in our cars and drive 30 minutes to your house. I get my car and I drive four minutes, I go right down and six of my coaches to the same thing. That's community. Yep. Yeah. You understand? We, we do [00:46:00] everything in this community and we want our community to thrive just like Cherry Creek or anyone else's community.

So when you educate that don't know the community and you do something like this to me and my coaches are community. This is our community. So no matter what, it's still our community. And to have someone come in and pierce it like that, I talked about splintering, that's splintering the community again.

Yep. It's splintering. It's like, can't you see this? I don't care what you think about me. 'cause it ain't about what you think. It's about what's good. And if you're thinking what's good, you're thinking what's good for you too? This is good for you. But they're not thinking and I'm hurt over it. That's all.

I'm hurt over it.

Dr. Asia Lyons: I'm hurting for my kids.[00:47:00]

Tony Linsey Sr. : You guys get that quiet on me.

Kevin Adams: Uhuh. No, we just, we we let it marinate. Let it marinate. Yeah. I'm just, it's real.

Dr. Asia Lyons: It is. And I'm just, I I'm just thinking about this, the, the impact that you all have. Yeah. I'm not gonna say had, I don't wanna say had, but I wanna say have, and you're right. When people outside the community come in and start moving things around and not considering all the pieces and all the work and all the relationships and all the, yeah.

All the things and, and just figure they know best. It, it's just starts from, it starts so many things from scratch. It, it breaks up so much trust that's been built and I feel like that's just happening all over the US

Tony Linsey Sr. : spinner. Yeah, you just spinner. It is like you, you, because of your own selfish, whatever it may be, it's [00:48:00] something selfish and it's not right.

You know, it's not right. You know? All we did was take state, get three levels of football and win our league. Is that, what reason was that, to get rid of your coach? So the stuff I think about, it's like, give me, give me a good reason. I just wanna hear, and I haven't got one yet. When they call me and say, Hey, we went another direction, or whatever it was.

And why? Because of what? I haven't got an answer yet. You know, and the way it was done was not cool. They waited on Friday, here's break day Friday, you call me, or we'll call you on Friday. And they say this. And then when my kids get information during this break, they've been going cuckoo. I had to call my, um, we had a, um, awards banquet a couple days ago ago, uh, just to bring my parents in and my kids, because my kids [00:49:00] and parents were going ape shit.

You guys, I mean, what do we do? I'm transferring this, I'm doing, that's just ripping already. It's just starting. Mm-hmm. This rip here into what we have and rebuilt. And that hurts me. Like, it hurts my heart so bad and there's no answers. I can't answer them anything. Well, why so And so, I, I don't have, they didn't tell me any, they just told me going another direction and, and it wasn't me.

So click. Done. So we're here two weeks, don't know anything. And my parents and kids are just out there. How unprofessional.

How unprofessional? Be professional, be transparent. Like you say, when you come in and you're building, you're gonna open up this new school. You, if you want power or whatever it is, you earn it, you earn it. Like you say, you earn it from community. [00:50:00] You come in and you show the community that you're about listening to them and, and no, this is not listening to them.

Dr. Asia Lyons: Coach Lindsay, I just wanna, I just wanna back up a little bit so that our audience can really understand like what happened again on the exit interview. Typically it's the educator who walks away from the school or the whatever it is because of some incident. But this, this, your situation is so different.

Yeah, your, your situation is so different in that you were pushed outta your position right before winter break, uh oh, Friday of winter break. And so I'd like you, if you have, if you can do this, just kind of start that part of the story over again about what happened on that Friday, and then again, like how, right now as we're recording this, this is winter break where this is, this is December 31st, 2021.

Like what is happening in the community right now? [00:51:00] Could you just repeat that a little

Kevin Adams: bit, please?

Dr. Asia Lyons: Okay. I was gone on Friday

Tony Linsey Sr. : somewhere around two or three o'clock and told that, you know, I wasn't gonna be the, the coach next year they did that three and I asked what was up, why not? Well, it wasn't my decision. And pretty much after that we were off the phone. I. This was Friday at that time and kids were gone.

Um, when the kids found out, they found out from us it what? The school didn't put out anything. Um, and when they found out they started, they went cool. I mean, that's how I could say the parents are upset. The kids upset. They want to transfer their kids out right now. It, it was just so unprofessional. The kids had nowhere to [00:52:00] go and they don't understand this.

These are educators and these are the ones that are going to open up the school and be leaders. This leadership, it's not how you leadership when you started out by hurting my kids, you hurt my kids. You didn't hurt me. I'm hurt 'cause of, but you hurt my kids. You hurt my families and you hurt the community.

You weren't transparent, like you said you were. Be, the school's not even open yet and you've already flin it. It's not even open yet. You know it's not, and you've already done that to my kids and see, we, if you don't want me, I want you. But it's not about us. It's about the community and the kids. And look what you've done to them.

And you wanna be a leader in this community. That's not the, the power that you want. And do all the [00:53:00] community answers? You all the answers. I mean, you did it. Put your big bras on and answer it for real. Why? That's right. I wanna know why my said why do you owe it to them? Tell 'em I want to hear too. So when they learn, I'm gonna learn right with them because that wasn't told.

It's just you earn the power that you're after. You earn the power that you're after. So if we got too much power to you, it's because we love our community and we love our kids and they love us back. You learn that.

Kevin Adams: So like I said before, at our school, we don't have, uh, we don't have any coaches high, like we have middle school coaches. So at a high school, I'm, I'm unfamiliar, but does a principal hire the coaches? How, [00:54:00] how is a coach hired at the high school level?

Tony Linsey Sr. : Do you know what, this is the first and interesting you asked that because I've been on like.

Four or five interviews throughout my 30 years, you know, and this is the first one I've, I've never met through an interview like this. Okay. And I'll never forget it. It's usually, you know what, they'll have a panel and they'll have a panel that has some, some teachers, you'll have some from the football players, you'll have some students.

You'll have you, you know, you'll, you'll have some other coaches like you, the volleyball coach, track or whatever. That's the panel, and that's the panel that they use at every, every interview I've ever been, they have those people up there. It's like, okay, you get the community, the community's involved with it and everything.

Not this one, this one wasn't, you didn't have community in it. And the ones who made the decisions were the admin. The admin made the principal, [00:55:00] assistant principal, uh, athletic director. Okay. They, they made the decision for this one. You know, and we, and even with that being said, there was, they gave us like, these tests you guys have under understand something.

I've been coaching 30 years football. I played it all my life. Yes. The first question on this test was, who invented football?

Wow. I was, you know what other ones were, how long is the foot field offense and defense are on the field where that line, right there is the line of scri. This is what, how, what an insult. You know, who are we kidding? This is how you wanna find your head coach, your football coach. So I scribbled down on all the little, you have to scribble, [00:56:00] scribble the dots.

And I, and I scribbled every dot and turned it in. I was done with that. That then was supposed to be a cho talk. Y'all understand something, a cho talk. Yes. First of all, you talk with me. Make sure you are another coach that understands football when you come cho talk. So who is to give me this cho talk?

They ended up not doing the chalk talk at all. It's like, how are you guys, so this is how you going to, man, I have already been to state twice and I'm not, not done nothing but win. And so who's gonna chalk me and what are we gonna do it for? Uh, what's up? You know? And that's, that's just kind of what they're doing.

You they were doing that. It was not regular. And at the end of the day, the admin chose community not involved. I.

Dr. Asia Lyons: So they [00:57:00] were having you, so they

Tony Linsey Sr. : owe,

Dr. Asia Lyons: I'm sorry, coach Dizzy to cut you off. They, they were having you, just to be clear, before Friday they had you re-interview for your job. Is that correct?

Tony Linsey Sr. : Everybody had to re interview because it's open up new Montbell, you know you reinterview because it's a new school and some people call, uh, reapplying, tax staff one reapply and know that they let let you know you have to do this 'cause and don't worry. Good. There's

Dr. Asia Lyons: another, you have to reapply for your job.

Mine was, you got to reapply for your job.

Tony Linsey Sr. : They pushed my job out there nationwide. So they pushed it out there [00:58:00] where anyone, any other 50 states or whatever come to apply job. No one did. And if they did and they walked in there, they didn't like, what is this? Never seen nothing like this in my life on the, almost like in the United States that does anything like this that had, you know, happened with our co-op and stuff.

But, uh, there was no one else that applied for my state. Um, that's just the way it was. So, but I had to reapply and was, I had to reapply. Whereas you got some people, they wouldn't reapply, but they already had their jobs. So right there alone, myself was, okay, what's going on? Really, when that was, it was like, there's more to it than me that I, you know, I was like, stupid.

I've been around a long time.

Kevin Adams: Thank for clearing that up. Thank you for clearing that up for us, [00:59:00] for me.

Um, thank

Dr. Asia Lyons: you coach Lindsay so much for like, sharing the story, um, and like all like the ways that you are impacting students and things like this. And we'd like to ask you a question or two questions. The first is, um, what's next for you? Like knowing that you still have this, of course, love for football, for youth, for all things community, what are you planning to do next?

Tony Linsey Sr. : Coach football, God only knows what I'm gonna coach football. Well, I don't know, but I'm gonna keep doing what I'm doing, you know, that's my, that's my, uh, my calling. It's my purpose. So, um, there's someone out there that wants to win. There's someone out there that wants their kids to come up and. Be mentored by mentor, my coaching staff and be loved by us too.

[01:00:00] So that's what we offer. Proof is in the pudding. I love that. And there's always kids out there that need that. Wherever it may be, there's kids everywhere that need it.

Dr. Asia Lyons: Yeah. Yeah. I love that too, Kevin. That's exactly right. Would you think about like moving to a different state or you wanna stay here in the Denver metro area?

Oh no, I'm not

Tony Linsey Sr. : moving nowhere. I'm too old. I'm too old to be moving anywhere. I'm good right here in my neighborhood and I'm good. That's right. That's right. I'm not moving nowhere. So, and there's plenty of kids out here that need

Kevin Adams: Yeah, yeah, that's true. That is, that, that is unfortunately the truest thing.

Mm-hmm. I, and you've been talking, you've been, you've been saying the truth the whole time, coach. So more truth.

Tony Linsey Sr. : Yeah, I'm just, I'm just real though. I'm just real and I don't, I don't hold back. Like I said, that's why it took me so long. 'cause sometimes people don't [01:01:00] want to hear the truth, but once you sit back there and think about it, it's like, you know, the truth hurts.

It probably does, but grow up and deal with it. That's right about it. That's what I'm saying. Do something about it.

Dr. Asia Lyons: That's right. Yeah. So, okay. That's awesome. Glad to hear that. Glad you're not leaving us here. Um, and for sure we're definitely, yeah. We're gonna definitely connect back with you, um, and find out like where you end up, what's, what school, what community.

Definitely was fortunate enough to have you as their coach and have your, your crew, um, as a part of their athletics, um, department. And then, so the next question I wanna ask, uh, we wanna ask is like, how can community support you right now? What, what do you need or what would you like community to do to support you as you're moving, um, moving forward?

Tony Linsey Sr. : I would love the community to support me, to support theirselves, [01:02:00] support our community. Stand up. It has nothing to do with me. Like as a coach, I'm gonna go and coach, and I'm gonna coach where I am gonna coach somewhere. Well, our community needs to stand up and know that they have more power than, than they think.

You know? They have more power. And our community needs to get together. And they need to let 'em know what they want. And the way they do that is you get enough numbers, numbers count everybody for everybody sit there and they call in and text in. Oh, this is, oh, I'm sorry, sorry, sorry. You know this show.

You're sorry, not for me. Let's strengthen our community. Community. Strengthen up, go in, in, it's like asks demand what you want. That's what they do at Cherry Creek and all the rest of 'em. That's why they're like, they are. Our community just kind of sits out here

Dr. Asia Lyons: and

Tony Linsey Sr. : let things go on that we don't know about and we like, wow, okay, no Uhuh.

And all you have to do is come together and go and say, [01:03:00] this is what we want. And that's the truth. I want community to get strong. That's what I want, and demand what they want. These are their kids. This is their community demand that you want the best for your kids, and you go do it. You do it in groups.

You go do it as a community and see what

Dr. Asia Lyons: happens. That that's, so that's, that's my three years, that's what I've seen.

Kevin Adams: I love that. I love that. I mean, I, I think that's the way it has to be, you know? And I, yes. I think for, for us to get involved, and you said something so true, is that we feel like we don't belong in those spaces. Right. And, or that we don't know. Well, we, we have the chance to go and learn and everybody, you know, starts with a day one.

Mm-hmm. So, I, I think your day one is, is go to a school board meeting to get involved, know what's going on in community. Oh, heck yes. [01:04:00]

Tony Linsey Sr. : Go down there and then you go down there in a group, man, you go in there. How many people We do, we have out in this community, we have thousands.

Dr. Asia Lyons: Yep.

Tony Linsey Sr. : Get a hundred of 'em to go down there to, to, to, to one of those meetings.

See what's up. That's what, that's right. Oh, I'm telling you your numbers. Get more than that. Let's, like I said, hey, let's get together. Instead of us sitting fighting about little crazy stuff, let's get together and be a community and help each other. You help each other. I'm not just sitting here talking to the black parents and all I'm talking about all the parents.

Who are we kidding you? You don't have to be football player because of the football coach be No, because of our community. That's right. The soccer, the basketball. You understand something with me. I will go and watch all of them. I love all of that. I love our whole school to win. It's about I want everybody to win.

Well, football goals is so funny to me. You football starts it and if you get them to win it, then the rest of the coaches and, and [01:05:00] the rest of the teams are, they wanna win too. 'cause they wanna do the same thing. Yes. That's what happened at Sound, my basketball team with then our baseball team with everybody was, it was exciting to see all that happen and that was putting all these teams together, you know, and, and one pushing the other to be good.

And you know what? The school inside was good. It was thriving. Just to be inside there. Everybody was loving each other and, and just happy about it. And that's how it's supposed to be out here. And we didn't even have a community in south, like I said, they would, they thought we were refugee camp people and all that crap.

Mm-hmm. But inside and we were as one, well, we need to be as one in this community out here. Yeah. That's what I want. It ain't nothing. It's nothing about me, Tony. I don't, I, Hey, I'm good. I'm taken care of. I just want, I want our community to be strong so we can all walk around here like, you know, and, [01:06:00] and, and feel like we're part of this and we're part of all that.

What's going on out here? Thrive. Kids don't wanna leave from out here. 'cause we have, when we came up, man, I don't care where you lived. Wherever it is you live. That's what, that's what was up. You didn't leave out. You were going to Manu or you were going to tj. You were all about that when they didn't, when they didn't have the busing.

You were all about your community. I don't care if you were sorry, you gonna stay here. I am not going to another school. This is my community. I'm gonna take care of my school. 'cause it's our community. That's what it's supposed to be.

Kevin Adams: Yeah. Yeah. You're exactly right.

Tony Linsey Sr. : That's the truth. That is the truth. Oh, it's real.

Been through it. Been through it and be, like I said, been and, and it is the truth. And the minute they understand how much power they have, then they'll have more say so on [01:07:00] how they want it ran. That's right. And then they'll feel, they'll feel better about where they're living at

nothing: and have That's

Tony Linsey Sr. : right.

Pride about where they're living at. You understand what I'm saying? Instead of this group's over here and this group's over here and this group's over here. Nah, what about this one big group? And see how powerful you guys are. Then you start taking care of each other, start caring about each other more.

You see when they split these schools up like that, that's what happened to our kids. Yep. Understand. Our kids split it and they thought about you. You gotta think about this, y'all, when you did that, all of a sudden these kids are in these different schools and over the years they start developing, okay, this is our school and you talking about having gangs.

Okay. Now they split one or two gangs up into six. Mm-hmm. Because now they got this one at this school now. That's right. They got this gang at this school. Then they got this gang at this school. Man, what the heck have you guys done? You split the kids up and the kids are battling against each other because that's, they're rivals, but it's [01:08:00] not a good rival.

It's a bad rival. It's a bad rival, and where you're going out shooting each other and doing things like that.

People didn't think about that, that that's set up to fail. That's it. It is. It is. Yes. It's, and so they can say what they want, but like I said, when I say they, the ones that don't live out here. That's right. Because you lived out here, you wouldn't go back and wanna do anything to hurt your community like that.

That's right. You don't live out here.

Kevin Adams: Oh, coach Lindsay, thank, thank you so much again for, for coming on. Is there anything, um, else that you just wanna leave the people before we wrap up? We wanna make sure you get to enjoy your New Year's Eve with your family and your loved ones. Uh, but, uh, just anything else you wanna say the people before we wrap up?

Tony Linsey Sr. : No, it's just that I enjoyed you all and I was, and I enjoyed expressing [01:09:00] myself and, uh, um, just telling my where I am and, and, and the truth about it and that God is good and everything's gonna be okay.

Kevin Adams: Yeah,

Tony Linsey Sr. : yeah. I appreciate you guys. I really do. It was important, you know, for me to just talk because it was, it's therapy for me too, because all I do is think about my kids.

Yes. Yes. That's it. That's so, I, I appreciate it.

Kevin Adams: Yeah. Well, thank you. Thank you so much. And, and it's clear that you, you deeply care for your kids and your community. And I just wanna, and on behalf of Asia, just thank you for your service too

Dr. Asia Lyons: to

Kevin Adams: all of the, the communities that you've been a part of and to your, to your kids, because I know that that means so much and, and we can often ignore the role of a coach in a community.

But, but a coach is, is really [01:10:00] important. And I think anybody spent time in a school community knows and, and can deeply, uh, respect the work that you do and, and just how you've shaped, uh, so many young

Tony Linsey Sr. : lives. Right. And I appreciate that, and you all with this going on. I can tell you, I've had hundreds of kids get in touch with me from, like I said, back in the nineties and stuff, and you know, show so much love.

You know, you don't think about when you're coaching and you coaching as long as I have, you just keep rolling. You just keep rolling through 'em. The next, next, next, next, next. And you sit back and something like this goes on. It's like, wow. You know what I'm saying is, wow, I got so much, so much love. That's what's up.

You know what I'm saying? That's the blessing. That's the blessing. It's, it's so much a blessing to me. So I've definitely been blessed and I'm still going to be blessed, you know, and I'm gonna bless, as you know what, when you get stuff like blessings like this, [01:11:00] you give them. You give them. That's right.

And so with me being blessed on what I have and what my coaches bring to these kids and all that, that's our blessing. That's what we're giving back. The Lord gives us these, and you're supposed to give back. And that's what we're doing. And the more you give back, the more you get. So it's going to be okay.

You, I know it's, it's because we're giving, we're doing what we're supposed to do. The rest of 'em need to catch on to that. And they'll understand and know it's the truth. It's, and when you do things, have ing good for you. If you don't, it's going catch up with you and you're telling you're gonna be just, you'll be miserable.

Mm-hmm. So we're blessed and, and you guys are blessed too, and I appreciate you and uh, um, and appreciate everyone that's listened. Yes. Well,

Kevin Adams: Asia.

Dr. Asia Lyons: Yeah.

Kevin Adams: Anything else before we wrap it up?

Dr. Asia Lyons: No, that's it for me. I, I'm [01:12:00] feeling complete today in the words of Dr. Janice Mackey. I'm for sure feeling complete. Yes.

Thank you so much, coach Maney.

Tony Linsey Sr. : You're welcome. Love you guys. Love you. Love you too.