Rob: If you're a parent of a young athlete, you're gonna really like tonight's episode of the Pro Talk Podcast. 'Cause we're talking to not only is he a former athlete, but he's got three young stud athletes of his own. I'd like to welcome a a longtime friend of mine, Mr. Derek Huggins. Derek, how are you? Derek Huggins: I'm good, Rob. How are you? Rob: Great. Well, I'll put it out there right now why I'm wearing my Randy Moss jersey, 'cause not only do you have a stud receiver in the family in honor of this kid, but we're both Minnesota Vikings fans, so don't hate appreciate, right? Derek Huggins: That's right. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, that's that's that's right. And through thick and thin. Rob: We've had some thin. No. Derek Huggins: Yeah, yeah, that's for sure. Rob: We're trying to get one thing, one ring, man. So so Derek Huggins: Yeah. Just get one. Rob: Yeah. So all right. So you've got three kids. what are their ages if you don't mind telling the world? Derek Huggins: Mm-hmm. Yeah, my oldest Jordan, she's she's our daughter, and Jordan's 19. And then we have our young middle child's DJ, and he is 17, won't turn 18 till February, and then our youngest is Jacob, and Jacob is 14, won't turn 15 until May. Yep, next month. Rob: Okay. So let me get back to your background. So we both went to the great West Drome High School and you were a stud football player. Derek Huggins: Yeah. Yeah. Rob: what was the recruiting process like for you to go to the next level? Derek Huggins: Yeah, my recruiting was a little bit I guess different. you know, I played football, basketball, baseball in high school, and and was actually recruited in in football and baseball, you know, more so obviously than basketball, but it was a good athlete and and whatnot. But, you know, today w we didn't have quite the exposure that these kids have today today with opportunities to be seen and you know, with Huddle and the things that have changed the game and, you know, showcases, travel ball, all these different things these kids have have access to has helped. But you know, I didn't play football my junior year, you know, which was back then a really big year for recruitment. and then I came back my senior year and and actually had you know, really good senior year and then of course played baseball all the way through, started as a freshman as a catcher in baseball and loved baseball. probably was my most natural sport. I wish I would have probably played in college or at least played both and then made a decision maybe after at some point. But and and originally I did sign in baseball and decided I I wanted to play football. So I laid out a semester. And then I decided to go out to Oklahoma to a junior college because I knew if I could play out there football, I'd have other opportunities. So I did. And then of course had had a good career out there and then then transferred over to Middle Tennessee State where I played and and whatnot. And you know, that's kind of kind of my glory days in a nutshell. So Rob: That's a good school, Middle Tennessee State. Derek Huggins: yeah, yeah, it was it was fun. Rob: What position do you play? Derek Huggins: I was safety, yeah. I w I moved made the switch to defence after my freshman year. So yeah. Yep, I was a quarterback Rob: Well, Derek Huggins: and then more of a wishbone type quarterback and didn't really run that where I went, so I made the switch to defense. Yeah. Rob: Yeah. And don't they traditionally put you on one side of the ball in college instead of the typical two way most kids played in high school? Derek Huggins: Yeah, yeah, for sure. we you you'll have your occasional guy that might play a little bit of both. You know, you've seen it in the ri the Charles Woodsons and those type of guys, but you know, Travis Hunter now is probably the most recent, but you should see him play Rob: Mm-hmm. Derek Huggins: a little bit of both ways. But for the most part, yeah, you're playing one side of the ball where especially at West Rome, you know, a small two A school your best athletes were playing pretty much the whole game. mean, you Rob: Mm-hmm. Derek Huggins: play special teams, you played offense, defense, whatever. So yeah. But, I've I've coached and, and and s even in high school, you know, seven A especially, where where I've kind of spent a lot of my coaching when I was coaching, you know, we we had kids, most of the kids played one way. We had your our defense practice separate from our offense. So it's changed a lot. Yeah. Yeah. Rob: Would it be tough to play defense these days with all the rules? Derek Huggins: it's yeah, I think it's tough. I think it's it's hard to coach defense too. you know, because we were taught, you know, how to tackle one way and today's game has changed so much. It's really hard kind of to teach tackling. and you know, the thing that that I've always said about football, you know, things happen so fast that I think most people aren't malicious in nature out on the field. They don't they're not trying to hurt people. But the speed of the game is so fast and things happen so fast. Sometimes it's hard. It's hard to, you know, not hit a guy to the head or or whatever. Rob: Mm-hmm. Derek Huggins: It's just, you know, especially if a running back drops his head or quarterback slides, drops it. What whatever, you know, things are just so bang bang and it's it's really, really hard to you I think over the last probably five years, I think you've seen guys adjusting probably better. I think, first when they made these changes it was really hard. But today's kid kinda has grown up more with the rule changes. So you're seeing I think them being able to adjust a little bit better. Yeah. Rob: Mm. Yeah, sitting at home it's like, Well, his helmet, his helmet and then you think, Well, the offensive guy put his helmet down and then the defensive guy's face mask hits him and they're blowing it on the defense and so Derek Huggins: Yeah, well, I was just saying the other day I was watching a South Carolina Kentucky game and they called a blindsided block on a kid, receiver from South Carolina, and he it he threw the sh he dropped his shoulder into the guy's shoulder and it was a clean block, but it was a blind side block. And they called the flag and and just blew me away because when I was in middle we were playing Nebraska and it's when Tommy Frazier was there. And I was playing safety, so you come down, you feel the alley or whatever. And back then those receivers they crack backed all the time, blind side. And I got hit so hard one time, I remember seeing f my helmet flying about five yards in the air and I was flat on my back. And Rob: Ha ha ha. Derek Huggins: you know what? There was no penalty. It was just like Rob: Really? Derek Huggins: yeah, it's just different, different different day today. Now today, instead of a blind side block, they basically want you to set a pick. They just want you to stand in front of a guy. They don't want you to lunge. Rob: That's Derek Huggins: They don't want you to do anything. They just wanna you just become something to get in the way. You know, that's Rob: Mm-hmm. Derek Huggins: it. So it's tough. You know, it's tough. Rob: So when you're playing your helmet comes off, I bet you were allowed to stay in the game too, weren't ya? No. Derek Huggins: yeah. Absolutely. In fact, it's funny. I think Nebraska averaged that year about three thirty on the offensive line. And one of their big left I think it was their left tackle, he was down there. He picked my helmet up and handed it to me. He was like, Here you go. So I appreciate that. So Rob: Get out, son. No blue medical tent for you, just go play. So Derek Huggins: Yeah, that's right. Rob: you were you're a proponent of multiple sports then? Derek Huggins: Absolutely. Yeah, for sure. Yeah. I I hate the way it's I th in the the way they they try to get you to specialize today. I think that kids are better athletes, better rounded athletes if they they they play multiple sports. And you know, I think at some point down you know, you you figure it out and say, Okay, yeah, my best opportunity is gonna be in baseball or my best opportunity is gonna be in football or whatever. and then maybe at some point tenth, eleventh grade, you make that decision. But growing up, I think kids should experience as many sports as possible, you know, and play multiple sports. you know, you'll you'll get these coaches to try to convince parents, well, he needs to play baseball year round or he needs to play basketball year round and that kind of stuff and and it's just not true, you know. I mean Yeah, you can still work your skill set in basketball year round, but you don't need to play. You need to give your body a rest from those those movements and go work other movements and and whatnot. And, growing up, or I guess watching my daughter grow up playing soccer, you know, I've become a big proponent of soccer. I love what soccer does for them the the movement skills, your your movement patterns and you know, your hand to eye coordination and all that stuff. I think think all kids should should play soccer for, a few years just because of what it does, for the from that standpoint. Rob: There's no substitute for good footwork. Derek Huggins: Yeah, no no doubt. Yeah. it's so good for for footwork. Rob: I know the answer, but was there travel ball for you in high school? Derek Huggins: No, no, no. We didn't we didn't do it. It it wasn't golly, I don't even we we had all stars in baseball. We'd come down to Powder Springs or something and we'd play a couple of games. Rob: Mm-hmm. P like one or two tournaments and that was it. Derek Huggins: Yeah, yeah, we basketball wise, we didn't have the AAU. We'd we'd we'd go over to Athens and play the Athens Boys Club. So, Rob: Right. Derek Huggins: you know, and football, of course, you weren't doing any of the seven on seven stuff. I mean, you know, just didn't do it. Rob: Yeah. How about any participation trophies? Did you get any of those growing up? Derek Huggins: No, no, no participation trophies. It was it was it was if if you won you got a trophy. If you didn't, we'll see you next year. So it's it's different today. It's different today. Rob: How about your kids? Did they gain participation trophies? Derek Huggins: yeah, you know, it was weird. They everybody would always get a little trophy, participation trophy here at the end of year. And they you know, I I remember I think it was baseball for my DJ. I think they maybe won two games and then they have this big celebration at the end of the year and give little trophy. It's like, what's this for? So yeah. Yeah, yeah, Rob: Exactly. Here's a door stop. Derek Huggins: exactly. So you know, very very interesting. And I and I'm not saying you shouldn't, celebrate whether you have a good season or bad season as a team. But, you Rob: Mm-hmm. Derek Huggins: I don't think you should just hand out trophies just to say thank you, you know. I think Rob: Mm-hmm. Derek Huggins: the trophy is earned and you know, so it's probably a a long discussion for another day we could have for sure. Rob: Well, I agree. It's like you want to look at it with pride, that was a significant victory. I can tell you all my teammates, we did this, we did this, and you won it. Yeah. Derek Huggins: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. There's there's some pride in that, you know, for sure. Rob: Yeah. Now, was your wife an athlete? Derek Huggins: She was. My wife was a track athlete. She ran track in in the Atlanta area and won I think they won one state championship. should have won two, but a couple of things happened that that day on the track that didn't go their way, drop baton, different things like that. But anyways and after that she went on to run track at Clemson. Yeah. Rob: Wow. Well events. Derek Huggins: she was a hurdler and then she did all the spr read sprint relays. Mm-hmm. Yeah. So no, no, never never never raced. I still believe I would have beat her, but you know, hey. Yeah. Yeah. She'll Rob: Holy cow. Have you ever raced her or said, No, babe, you win? We'll get her on in a few minutes. Derek Huggins: she'll definitely refute that. Rob: Did she ever blow an Achilles? Okay. Derek Huggins: No, never blew an Achilles. No, she, for the most part stayed healthy up until I think her junior year, you know, she had a hairline fracture in I believe it was her left foot. If I'm not mistaken, it might have been a right. whatever her lead leg was was on the hurdles. So your lead leg is the leg, you go over the hurdle with and then you come down and goes into the ground. So she ended up missing a good portion of her outdoor season, I think her junior year. And then she came back and and started to run her senior year. And she was going through they they were going through the indoor season and she just couldn't the the hairline fracture never really healed itself and it was just it still annoys her to this day, although it's gotten better in time, but you know, at the time, so she ended up having to not run her senior year because of the fracture in the foot, yeah. Yeah, so Rob: I was at the batting cages, I don't know, fifteen something years ago on a rainy day. And this one girl, she was lifting the weights and she was just she was just ripped. Derek Huggins: Right. Rob: And here's what I said to her. I said, You're big and bad. What do you do? And and and I didn't mean that like, you know, big, but my son was Derek Huggins: Yeah. Rob: with me. He said, Dad, I can't believe you said that. I said, No, I meant like, Derek Huggins: Yeah. Rob: you know. So anyway, her name was Danielle. I think she was second in the world in the high hurdles and she was rehabbing a torn Achilles and she said, Derek Huggins: Mm. Rob: All all the sprinters are blowing their Achilles. I Why? And she demonstrated like this, her foot came back. I was like, Can you show me that again? It was Derek Huggins: Yeah. Rob: ridiculous. And and she was talking about the cool part that her coach was helping her with the technique which made her landing X amount of millimeters. And when you multiply that times ten hurdles or whatever, that's point whatever off her time in the science is just fascinating and talking Derek Huggins: yeah. Rob: about the technique and so forth. And then when you watch the good sprinters, how clean they are, it's just not to mention how they get over the hurdles. That's just awesome. Derek Huggins: Well, and and a lot of the the misconception that with people that really don't understand hurdles and track, you know, everybody says, Well, you jump over the hurdle. No, you run over the hurdle. and and there's a difference. You're not jumping, you're running through the hurdle. And you know, and that's that's it's a lot of now you look at high school kids when they're doing it, a lot of are jumping because they don't have the technique, they might not have the speed to get over and this Rob: Yeah. Derek Huggins: and that. But, you know, when you get to a certain level, I mean, you know, i it's it's just knee lift, leg extension and a pull through back down and you're going, you know. I mean, you don't you Rob: Crazy. Derek Huggins: don't yeah, it's crazy. Yeah. Rob: I got a tight hamstring thinking about all that, man. Holy cow. Derek Huggins: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think I would go around. But any good hurdler, I don't care Rob: Ha ha. Derek Huggins: how good you are, any good hurdler has eaten track a little bit. So there's there's Rob: Okay. Derek Huggins: not one hurdler that hasn't hasn't fallen in in practice, So Rob: And if you haven't, you haven't gone after it enough, right? Wow. What was it? Derek Huggins: That's right. That's right. So Rob: Edwin Moses, how many? Couple hundred? What was his streak? Ridiculous. Yeah. Derek Huggins: Yeah, I was just yeah, yeah. Well and and just to since we're talking about athletes and whatnot, to to put it in perspective, my wife was really, really good in high school and she was really, really fast. but you know, and she she didn't pick up hurdles until her junior year. And even though she was fast, you know It was her her dad that encouraged her to pick other hurdles up. But she was fast in the 100 and 200, but fast in the 1200, you're going against really fast. And he was like, Well, we've got to separate ourselves. So if she can take what she's doing in the 100 and apply that to hurdles and keep that same speed, now she's gonna be elite. Rob: Mm-hmm. Derek Huggins: And and so she and she was a really, really good strong hurdler. I mean, you know, she she through ho her high school career did really well. She always had times that were in top in the nation and those kind of things. So, you know, and then of course when you go to college, I mean, it's everybody's pretty good, especially at that level when you're talking about a power four level or Yeah, ACC, SEC, whatever, Big Ten, those schools. Rob: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Derek Huggins: an and in track is a sport where, you know, I mean, you're talking about hundredths of a second separate the good from the best, you know. Rob: Right. Derek Huggins: Yeah. So Rob: Now nine point nine is considered slow. It's crazy. Derek Huggins: Well, yeah. Yeah. And everybody talks about, well, football, that guy can run a ten two, ten three, whatever, ten five. Well, that is fast, but you put it on a track, you're finishing, yeah, you're finished dead last. And you're probably Rob: Right. Derek Huggins: ten yards behind somebody. Rob: That's crazy, right? Derek Huggins: Yeah. It's it's it's insane. Yeah. Yeah. So track Rob: So Derek Huggins: is track real track speed's just different level. Rob: Mm-hmm. What was Jordan's first sport? Derek Huggins: Jordan's first sport was she started soccer when she was young and then she actually did the upward, I believe she was with the upward and didn't really necessarily take it er overly serious. And then she got into gymnastics for a little bit and she wanted she would have been a really good gymnast gymnast. and they they wanted her to go to the competitive level and all that, but They told us of the requirements and the the requirements that they expected from parents and we're like, Yeah, we're out. So And she was only, golly, what, five, I think. And it was like they wanted you to be there four days a week for three hours and parents had to be there on the weekends and all this crazy stuff. And yeah, we're like, Yeah, she's too young for that. We're not getting her in that. And I get there's a Rob: Five years old. Derek Huggins: small window there to be leak, but yeah. Rob: Yeah. Derek Huggins: So pretty much after that, I think Jordan, got into the rec soccer and then you know, played rec and then eventually w went to the academy soccer and then they went to club from there and and whatnot. So so and she's ran track too. Yeah, Jordan has run some track for sure. So Rob: Does she like track? Derek Huggins: she she didn't love it, but I I think it was because sh she was coming off an ACL and so she was really, you know, kind of struggling to get I guess, you know, comfortable running again. So I think given a different kind of opportunity, I think she would have excelled and done well at it. But, you know, she she her ACL was tough. I mean, it took her a good two years to to recover and get comfortable to where she felt. Rob: Mm. Derek Huggins: felt back to normal, you know. And Rob: What age did she have, the ACL injury? Derek Huggins: she was freshman. Yeah, she was a freshman. She was it was during club soccer and on a Sunday afternoon and remember it, you know, it was over at Mount Vernon. They were playing at Mount Vernon on Mount Vernon's field anyway. And wasn't fortunately it was direct contact. It wasn't, she wasn't just running and it popped or anything. She got she got, smacked pretty good in the in the knee and that's what did it. so, you know, I don't know if one's better than the other, but at Rob: Mm-hmm. Derek Huggins: least in our mind it was at least it wasn't anything really physiological that it just popped or, you know, whatever it Rob: Yeah. Derek Huggins: was due to direct contact. But so she had the surgery in November. of of her senior freshman year and you know, surgery went of course really well. They start they start really quick rehabbing and but, you know, I can't remember when she first came back to play. She was on limited minutes. But it was a struggle. It was a struggle because you know, your your mind tells you you're back and your body doesn't respond and as an athlete, you know, think you should go back to where you left off at and so I think the mental side of it, of of any injury, is probably really hard for athletes and something a lot of people probably don't think about, you know. Especially young girls. Rob: That's yeah. Derek Huggins: Mm-hmm. Rob: Wow, that's tough. And so now she's a freshman at Kansas. Derek Huggins: Yeah, yeah. She's a freshman at the University of Kansas, playing soccer. you know, had other opportunities closer to home. But she she fell in love with Kansas and you know, so we supported her and we'll we'll see. She's getting some minutes as a freshman, which is good. Anytime you can get minutes as a freshman, it's good. And you know, always a learning curve when you go to the next level. And but yeah, she's excited. So she's actually she's planning on majoring in physical therapy and part of that was due to the rehab she had through her ACL. She kinda fell Rob: Mm-hmm. Derek Huggins: in love with it. So, yeah. Rob: I think that's a great profession that as an athlete you can motivate people and you can get out of the dumps and encourage and there's always another level of trying to get better. I think that's awesome. Derek Huggins: Yeah, well and you you have that direct experience and especially in her case, of course, but Rob: Yeah. Derek Huggins: it's it is amazing, and and I don't know what you see in tennis world with young athletes and young girls in particular, but in the soccer world, ACLs are so common, so common. And it's it's it's yeah, I think it's rare that you don't find a girl that hasn't torn her ACL. It's it's it's crazy. Rob: It's interesting you said that because when I was in college there were several girls, basketball players, and it was just all the time. These pe these girls and they were attributing to that they're getting bigger, faster, stronger, trying to move more explosively, that the high top shoes had great support and so the next joint that would go would be the knees. And I'm not sure the truth in that, but that was a theory that I heard. But that We don't see that much in tennis. it's more shoulders and Derek Huggins: Yeah. Rob: you know, people have some knee injuries and so forth, but they don't say, Well, well, you came down on your overhead and blew your ACL. That's not really happening, so luckily. Derek Huggins: Yeah. Yeah. Rob: But Derek Huggins: Well, for the women I think I think the research has gone on for years and it'll continue to go on and there's a lot of talk about the hip to knee ratio and you know, w w women their hips widen and that that causes the ratio to be a little bit different than than a male and and there's there's all kinds of theories out. And then of course there's a strength factor, your small ligaments around the knee that don't s that can't support it as as well as like a male. And you know, there's ongoing Rob: Mm-hmm. Derek Huggins: research, you know, for sure. And I do think it's it's it's close to an epidemic. I especially in ma basketball soccer. It'd be interesting to know about volleyball too. those girls are phenomenal Rob: Mm-hmm. Derek Huggins: athletes. So a lot of jumping, a lot of landing hard and those kind of things. Rob: Did did your dad go to Kansas? There's some connection there. Derek Huggins: No, so my dad my dad went to Wichita State, you know, which yeah, Rob: Okay. Out west, yeah. Derek Huggins: which further south from Kansas City and Lawrence, but that's where my mom and my dad met was Wichita State. My Rob: Okay. Derek Huggins: mom's from western Kansas. My dad's from from South Florida via cl Cincinnati. He was born in Cincinnati after World War Two. They My parents moved my my dad's parents moved down to South Florida and he grew up down in Pompano. But yeah, he ended up out west, Midwest, out in Wichita State, played football, baseball there. Rob: And and sorry again, I know it's been about a year since you passed. I loved your dad and and Derek Huggins: Appreciate it. Yeah. Rob: I I I'll tell peop people that know us know that I dated your sister for a short time in co in high school. And Derek Huggins: Mm-hmm. Rob: and so I was at your house a lot and I loved your parents and I think I probably got in trouble with her because it I'd end up playing basketball with you and Mitchell Moore and John Kelly and everybody else in Garden Lakes at your house. Yeah. Man, we were playing ball all the time. Derek Huggins: Mitchell, John Kelly, everybody else over there. Yeah. Yeah. Rob: But but your dad, he was a strong man and he very s very thick guy. w didn't he have some world weightlifting record at some point? Derek Huggins: Yeah, at one point he he he had something. he yeah, he was s he was really, really strong for his he wasn't that tall. My dad was only five eight. Rob: Yeah. Derek Huggins: but I can't remember at the time what it was, but he was five eight and I think he bench pressed he was five eight, a hundred and sixty pounds Rob: Yeah. Derek Huggins: and he bench pressed like four ninety-five or something insane. Yeah. So yeah, yeah. So Rob: Yeah. Derek Huggins: Yeah, something ridiculous. But he has short arms. Yeah. So I was blessed and Rob: Yeah. I remember Okay, yeah, you could push it up, but that's a lot of weight no matter what. Derek Huggins: I I was six one so I'd I I got a little height, but Rob: Yeah. Derek Huggins: you know, a little bit longer arms, so Rob: Well, before my dad passed, they would see each other at the Y for years. And Derek Huggins: Mm. Right. Rob: my my dad called your dad Vince and your dad called my dad Joe Pa. And so it's like my dad's like, Derek Huggins: Yeah. Rob: I saw Vince the other day. Who are you talking about? Vince Dooley down the street. Mr. Huggins. I remember your Derek Huggins: Yeah. I'd come home and I'd see your dad occasionally over at Tawai when I went over there. So Rob: Yeah. It you guys had that bulldog, Barney the Bulldog, and I remember as strong as your dad was, he'd pop him on the butt and it wouldn't bother him because Derek Huggins: Yeah. Rob: of his thick skin, your dad would take that shovel from the fireplace and pop him on the butt and Derek Huggins: Yeah. Rob: finally Barney would turn around like Dog's as strong as the dad, man. Derek Huggins: Yeah, is it's yeah, it's that that dog he he had he had he was hard at it, but he was a strong, strong little fella. Yeah. Rob: Yeah. so your son, DJ, the middle one, did he Derek Huggins: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Rob: take after sis and play soccer growing up or how's that being close in age? Derek Huggins: DJ played one year of soccer, and Couldn't stand it. And d DJ was kinda I guess shy. I mean, when he was younger. He he just had I either that he just had no interest on getting out on the soccer field. It was through upward too, same thing Jordan started at and and so but he played one year of soccer, but DJ played baseball, he played basketball, and he he he really didn't pick up football until really his ninth grade year. and I say that a little loosely because he played his eighth grade year, but he didn't play his eighth grade year. It was through a program where, you know, it just a lot of daddy ball and DJ being new to the program and stuff, they really didn't open their eyes to his ability and about halfway through the season they they started to figure out the kid had some ability, but you know, he he was a basketball player and DJ loved basketball. He was a good basketball player. He was a point guard and great vision, good ball handles, quick. but you know, I I told DJ he oughta at least play one more year of football, you know. i because I told him, if you're six foot, in basketball, you gotta be extra, extra special, know, to ha Rob: Mm-hmm. Derek Huggins: to have a chance to to move forward and and whatnot. And if you're six foot as a football player, if you're a D B or receiver or whatnot, and you've got a skill set, then, y pure numbers are gonna say you you got a little bit better chance. And so he gave football another year. so his ninth grade year was really the first time he was coached. And and it he figured out he played J V most of his most of his freshman year. They moved him up to varsity, I think game seven. And DJ, you know, from that point on just kind of took off. realized he could be pretty good at it. We we he started over at Northcop Christian his first two years of football. and my one of my business partners kinda his best friend was the head coach there. We knew we didn't want to stay where we're districted at a time, so we we'd yeah, we'll give it a chance. So we went over there and so it it worked out well. His quarterback, his first two years over there was a guy named Teddy Gerard. Teddy's now at Notre Dame, freshman at Notre Dame and really good quarterback. I think he's got a high ceiling, good upside. you know, so anyways they had a had a you know good freshman year, had a really, really good sophomore year. And then, you know, he wanted to to play somewhere kind of bigger. so through my coaching stints that I've had, you know, there was a guy over at Harrison High School that that was the head coach now I used to coach with and we had a lot of opportunities probably to go other places, just people calling and It's unreal today in high school. They'll call you and recruit you in high school. It's it's unsa it's insane, you know. Rob: Hmm. Yeah. Derek Huggins: And but we we went over to Harrison 'cause I knew knew what I was getting there with with Coach Salam and he's a good man, good coach and that meant something to me. Didn't didn't want it to be all about football. And I've he had really, really strong junior year and was having a strong senior year and you know, he's currently committed to South Carolina. had I don't know how many offers DJ had overall, but twenty five, thirty, I I don't know what it was, but had a lot of good offers, a lot of solid offers, solid programs all over the country. So Rob: So he's the Randy Moss in the house, huh? Derek Huggins: No, no. Well, size-wise, so he's five eleven, five eleven and a half. My Randy Moss is my young one. He's six three at fourteen years old. Rob: Ha ha ha. Derek Huggins: Yeah. Rob: All right. Derek Huggins: Yeah. Yeah. He's yeah, he's truly, yeah, long like like that. So he's and he can run. so he's a receiver too, but he's a he's a different receiver than DJ is. DJ's a slot inside guy, more so. real twitchy quick, Jacob's gonna be he's twitchy too, but not like DJ. He's long. He's gonna, you know, cover ground and and whatnot. So, you know, both both play receiver, just play it differently. Rob: So DJ, even though he doesn't have the height and the reach, he he's got some wheels and quickness and he breaks off routes well and gets open,'s Derek Huggins: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Rob: got great hands. Derek Huggins: Yeah. Great separation, great hands, tracks the ball, great vision, you know. separation is probably one of the biggest things that, you know, you look for. And he's he's really good at those kind of things, yeah. Rob: Now the recruiting process. You get Derek Huggins: Mm-hmm. Rob: a letter in the mail, you get an email, you get the information. How's that work? Derek Huggins: Well, it's it's yeah, they really don't come through the parents. So you know, in in football it's it's you know, every sport is different. you know, and and obviously I think football, particularly in the South, but probably nationwide, you know, football supports so many of the other academic programs, you know, and at the college level. And it's just the recruiting is just differently, you know, with the male. they you you know, you they can't talk to you directly until June of your junior year. Rob: Okay. Derek Huggins: And I think it's June, June f I think maybe June fifteenth, something like that of your junior year. And that's the same with soccer too. And it's probably I guess it's the same for all all the sports. that you know, coaches can't actually physically reach out to you personally until June of your junior year. But once that date hit, yeah, it was it was pretty crazy. Yeah, coaches texting. you know, they don't text us, they don't once they once they make contact with the athlete, you know, several of the coaches would like, yeah, I'd like to get on the phone with your mom and dad and introduce myself and that kind of thing. So, you know, we had a lot of c those kind of conversations. So, yeah. But it's it's different, you know, soccer's a lot different. than football, a lot of times football guys won't recruit until won't won't commit until, later in their junior year, sometimes even into their senior year. where soccer, most girls, you know, they're they start talking to in June. Most girls are recr are committing by August and September, you know. they're locking it down. So, It's interesting 'cause you they're just juniors, so you still have your whole junior and senior seasons left, know. Rob: Right. Derek Huggins: So yeah. Rob: Now some of that holdout is so that you can find better offers or time to visit schools. Derek Huggins: Yeah, I think so. I think I think the more offers you have, I think y it's you know, guys just wanna make sure they wanna go visit, they wanna see places and that kind of thing and and so some of the hold out is that, some of it some of it may be holding out for that one school that hasn't offered whatever. you know. think I do think with the game changes today with the NIL and everything, I think you're gonna see kids maybe committing earlier. and especially with the transfer portal. portal is yeah, it's portals change the game. I mean w you know, it's it's it's amazing that people don't really realize, even particularly in football, but it doesn't matter any sport, I guess you take it across the board. How it's really affected the high school athlete. just pure numbers. Rob: They're trying to show off themselves more than Derek Huggins: Well, just the co coaches are recruiting the portal versus going to high school. And and you know, we've had I've I've talked to several colleges and people that have said, you know, we're not taking any high school athletes. We're gonna get all our athletes from the portal. You know. Rob: Good grief. Derek Huggins: It's insane. Yeah. And I mean, gosh, you know, every year I mean these these colleges are having to rebuild the roster, you know. I think Kirby's done a good job at Georgia probably retaining, having pretty good retention. DeBore's had pretty good retention at Alabama. but there's programs. Golly, I I heard something the other day, Colorado State, you know, which is a mid major or whatever, but I think they had a turnover of seventy five kids. They have seventy five new kids on their roster. Yeah. I mean, and that's that's high, Rob: Nuts. Derek Huggins: but I I would say you'd like to see what the norm is, what the average is, or whatever. Rob: Mm-hmm. Derek Huggins: And it's probably thirty kids, thirty-five kids across the board, you Rob: Yeah. Derek Huggins: And a lot of those kids they're getting from from the portal. And then your schools like your your stepping s stepping stone schools, if you want to call it that. still good programs and and football, but, all those guys that are playing, let's say a Georgia Southern or Georgia State or somewhere like that, a lot of them are using it to try to go to poor power for schools. So Rob: Mm-hmm. Derek Huggins: yeah, it those those guys are constantly just turning over. It's insane. Yeah. Rob: Now the language your kids are using, are they talking about NIL what what I can get? Are they do you hear it amongst each other or are they more concerned about playing for a coach at a certain program? Derek Huggins: Yeah, I think I think I think it's twofold. I think for for DJ in particular, I think it was really about relationships. and you know, I like to kind of use the the saying, you know, from a standpoint of when you talk about recruiting and where you commit, you want to go where you wanna go where you're celebrated, not tolerated. And, you know, just because somebody puts an offer out doesn't mean they're necessarily recruiting you. And and there's a difference. there really is. And, you know, we've been fortunate to to experience it, you know, it's had a lot of offers, but are those those people actively trying to get to know the kid? Are they actively trying to get to know the family? You know, are Rob: Mm-hmm. Derek Huggins: they developing that relationship and those kind of things and and So there there is a difference between an offer and being recruited. And you know, I think that's something you wanna always kinda keep in mind. And I think for him, you know, relationships were very important and he developed some good ones throughout his process. And but it's tough because you know, a lot of people will try to tell you, you know, you gotta go you wanna go somewhere where you love the school and because the school's always gonna be right. Coaches come and go. But that's hard to tell a kid because they are looking at relationships, because they're gonna spend the majority of time with that coach. Rob: Right. Derek Huggins: You and so that's hard to tell a kid to well just you need to figure out what school you want to go to and like the school. Well, yes, you know, okay, but the reality of it is is you know if you're an athlete and you're going to play a sport, well, you know, you want to feel comfortable with the staff and you want to feel comfortable with your position coach and you know if you're offensive player, you want to feel comfortable with offensive coordinator and defensive player, defensive coordinator, all those kind of things. And and but the reality of it is is you know, coaches come, coaches go, they leave. And so it it's it's it's not easy. It's a tough process, it's it's and it's not an easy decision you know kind of where to or how to kind of narrow it down. I I think for me going through the process you know I felt like Jor DJ was fortunate to have a Georgia offer and from a stability standpoint, I felt like that was the best choice because Kirby's not going anywhere unless Kirby just decides to retire. I don't think Kirby will go to the NFL. I don't think he he loves University of Georgia. He he you know, he he bleeds red and black and and he's not going anywhere. And from a stability standpoint, you know I I thought, yeah, well and and a development standpoint, I still think Kirby does a really good job of developing his players. And and I still think Kirby believes in the high school kid. And so that was that was a tough one to kinda, you know, I guess say no to. but you know, he developed good relationships there and and with all that and he just I think his decision came down to really kinda how he felt with his relationships at South Carolina and the staff and the the support staff and all of it. So love the campus, love the school. you know, obviously, South Carolina's kind of been struggling a little bit this year, so hopefully they can get it together. but they're not short of athletes, I can tell you that. So they just gotta figure it out. So Rob: Yeah. Derek Huggins: mm-hmm. Rob: You brought up some great wisdom and guidance there that so many kids probably want to play for the Jersey, and I know you're a big Alabama fan that, you know, Derek Huggins: Yeah. Yeah. Rob: I wanna I wanna play there, I wanna play there. But it's not just I wanna play under that head coach because like you said, it's the coordinator, it's the offensive coach. That's who you're dealing with. Derek Huggins: Yeah. yeah. Well and you know, DJ had a Bama offer and you know, when he first got it, I was like, Okay, yeah, it's another it's a done deal. I mean, it's over, right? Rob: Here we Yeah. Derek Huggins: And because he grew up because I was kinda like Bama, he grew up a Bama fan and and so when he got that offer, you know, we were like, Okay, yeah, this one's kinda closed the door on this one and and Rob: Yeah. Derek Huggins: but you know, we we went to Bama four times, I think, and and Not that he didn't like it, it just didn't feel the same. you know, and nothing against Kalen Damore or anything like that. he's, you know, I mean, he is who he is, but just felt different, you know. and and I was fortunate enough because I was still coaching and Bama was recruiting some players that I have coached you know, through the high school ranks, and w so I was able to take them there when Sabin was there. So I saw saw the difference. Rob: Mm-hmm. Derek Huggins: And it definitely's different, but I think Deboer's a good coach and all, but I just don't think it it it really fit it fit DJ. It just and then the other thing is you gotta look from an athletic standpoint, you know, and you mentioned it, you know, you gotta look at the scheme. What are they doing? offensively, where does my skill set best fit in? and I think that's something that that he looked at too. And and with Kendall Browles, who's the no new offense coordinator at South Carolina, has very good success in the past at other programs. what they do offensively I think really caters to DJ skill set. And that was important. Yeah. Rob: Cool. Mm hmm. Derek Huggins: Yeah. Rob: Yeah, and I'm sure the kids thinking, let's say you've got a stud receiver, that's only a sophomore or a freshman. He's gonna be there in my spot for a couple more years. Where can I go and get playing time? I guess that's a factor Derek Huggins: Mm-hmm. Rob: too. Derek Huggins: Yeah, yeah, absolutely. And and there's a kid, you know, I I've just heard his dad talk a little bit and him talk about it. DJ's trained with him a little bit. Josh Downs plays for Carolina. no, he plays for John Downs plays for the Colts. And he's relatively small guy, probably five nine, five ten. His brothers his brother's Caleb Downs. Who now's the safety for the Cowboys, played Ohio State, whatever, one one of the top picks. But, he went to North Carolina and and his dad was like, he's going to North Carolina so we can get on the field. So, you know, Rob: There you go. Right. Derek Huggins: I mean, and and and and there's a lot of truth to that. You know, not that you don't want to go b as an athlete, you not that you wanna go don't want to go compete because you do, you know, you're always gonna wanna compete. But you know, if you have any aspirations of possibly going to the next level, the only way you're gonna have that opportunity is if they see you and you've gotta be on the field to do that. So yeah. Rob: Mm. That's not a bad choice. Might learn a few things from Belichick. Derek Huggins: Yeah, maybe. Yeah. I think I I've learned that I think Belichick needs to go back to the NFL, but Rob: Ha Derek Huggins: Yeah, college is different for him. I'm sure it's like just so different, you know. But there's no Rob: Yeah. Derek Huggins: doubt he's a he's a fabulous coach, you know, so Rob: Yeah. Derek Huggins: you know. Rob: I I always wonder about the relatability factor that Bobby Knight said he always well he had many offers to go to the NBA, but he enjoyed working with college kids. Now you Derek Huggins: Mm-hmm. Rob: take Belichick, how many years was he in the pros? Now you're dealing with eighteen, nineteen, twenty year old college kids. Derek Huggins: yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And and and not that you don't have to babysit in NFL, 'cause I'm sure you do to a degree, but Rob: Mm-hmm. Derek Huggins: you really have to babysit in college. So Rob: Right. Yeah. Derek Huggins: and that's probably it's it's definitely different for him. Rob: Mm-hmm. Derek Huggins: you know, so but yeah, I mean so though you know, just it's those are things you gotta look at. it's easy to wanna go play for the jersey. And I get it in a lot of ways. you know, and and but you you gotta l kind of let your kid make make the right choice or the right choice what he feels or she feels and Rob: Sure. Derek Huggins: and you support him through it, you know. So it's Rob: Yeah. Derek Huggins: like Jordan in Kansas. I mean, I w I'd love for Jordan to be within a four or five mile radius and she had those opportunities, but she you know, she chose Kansas and we'll see. The beauty of today is, you know, you can transfer if the situation's ends up not being right or whatever. So, Rob: Mm-hmm. Derek Huggins: you know, that's that's the good thing about the the world today we live in with athletes. And Rob: Mm-hmm. Derek Huggins: although I think they're gonna they're gonna ha kinda come down on that transfer rule a little bit. And I think they should. I don't think you Rob: Sure. Derek Huggins: should just have free reign to go to new school every year. you know, some of it Some of it I worry about what we're doing with kids and what are we teaching in them? If it doesn't work out, you just transfer to the next school. If it doesn't work out there, you just transfer to the next school and well, life's not gonna work out every day, so what are you gonna do? you're gonna transfer to the Rob: Pack up and go somewhere else, right? Yeah. Derek Huggins: Yeah, so, you know, I wor worry a little bit on what are we teaching long term, not facing adversity, not digging down and grinding and and I understand some situations, you know, you know, you need to go, but sometimes when you start jumping from school to school to school, I struggle with that. Rob: Yeah. The word commitment's lost too. Yeah. Derek Huggins: Sure. Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely. Rob: The thing you mentioned about college kids, I think John Wooden talked about it that the only two hours of the day he could control was the practice and then influence that there's twenty two more hours that you gotta worry about those college kids. Derek Huggins: yeah. Yeah. Well Rob: Do you go ahead. Derek Huggins: go I was just gonna say I think they in today's has changed a little bit with all the facilities and stuff. They keep they keep grounded, you know, they keep in their in in in their their vision or s sight of whatever Rob: Mm-hmm. Derek Huggins: pretty good, you know. I mean everything is so close. I mean, these guys don't even have to l leave the facilities in a lot of cases to you know, so Rob: Yeah. That's yeah. Eat, sleep and train in the same place, right? Derek Huggins: Yeah, tutors, academics, everything. You know, a lot of these kids are taking online classes today, Rob: Yeah. Derek Huggins: so it's different. Rob: Well I guess the good thing with all these cameras everywhere is kids there's cameras everywhere. Gotta watch out what you're up to. Yeah. Do you Derek Huggins: Yeah, that's right. Yeah, that is right. Rob: think it's been a plus for your kids to having two athletes as parents, or has it been, Hey Dad, I don't wanna hear that from you, or how is that? Derek Huggins: I think it's been a I I think it's been a plus in the aspect that you know I think we've been able to relay to them what it takes if if that's what you want to do. now our have they been really open to us coaching them? Rob: Mm-hmm. Derek Huggins: probably not. maybe s in some aspects, yeah. you know I I don't think my DJ and Jacob, you know, would have liked me to coach them directly in football. I think they they me coaching them from afar better, if that makes sense. I can be dad and then I can say, hey, let's look at the film, let's look at this, or let's talk about this. Rob: Mm-hmm. Derek Huggins: And and you know, they listen a little bit better that way versus me being directly in front of them, coaching them and that kind Rob: Mm-hmm. Derek Huggins: of thing. you know, Jordan I'd just go out and train with Jordan because Lord I I I I couldn't coach soccer. So I never Rob: Yeah. Yeah. Derek Huggins: played it. I only learned about it through her. And you know, it just my thought process in soccer, I don't understand it today. I don't understand why coaches do what they do. So I you know, I've been Rob: Yeah. Derek Huggins: fortunate that I didn't have to worry about that. I could just go out and kick the ball with her and train her Rob: Right. Derek Huggins: and that kind of stuff and have fun with her, you know. So Rob: Yeah. Derek Huggins: yeah. But I think o overall they've they've appreciated, you know, our wisdom g having gone gone through it. you know, you know, and the one thing that that we've always kinda told is that, you know, every every level you go up, and you know this doing what you do and being the athlete you were and all that, is every level you go up, you know, it becomes more cutthroat. So if you wanna excel at that, then you're gonna have to you're gonna have to put the commitment in and you're gonna have to put the work in and you're gonna have to put the discipline in and you know, you're gonna have to do all of that. And you know, 'cause every level gets harder and it it gets it gets much more cutthroat and there's a fine line there, you know, e at each level you go up. Rob: Is your backyard filled with speed ladders and tracks in the I mean between Derek Huggins: Time. Rob: the soccer and two wide receivers? Holy cow. Derek Huggins: Yeah, we used to have ladders and stuff. Yeah, I used to do do that stuff with them and and a little bit. but our kids have always rea unfortunately, they've always wanted to go somewhere else to do it and listen to to s again, listen to somebody else Rob: Yeah. Derek Huggins: and and you know, I've done some stuff with them of course when it comes to s like speed agility stuff and that kind of thing, but we've also there's different peop places in in the Atlanta area we've sent to. that people that I trust and know, that kind of thing. So yeah, I wouldn't s I wouldn't send to any Joe Schmo because there's a lot of Joe Schmoes out there. Rob: But they're probably intimidated that mom could probably smoke all on the ladder, huh? Derek Huggins: Yeah, that's right. They Rob: That's cool. Derek Huggins: yeah, at one point, yeah, for sure, but they they they mess with her now. Rob: Do your kids have any preferences turf or grass? I'll all of them hate it. Derek Huggins: Hate turf. Hate it. Yeah, I hate it. Yeah. and unfortunately, in Cobb County where we play football, that's what they play on. But they, all the Cobb County schools have turf. And they do it, in high school for a reason because there's so many other sports being played on it. you got soccer, you got lacrosse, you got know, whatever, Rob: Mm-hmm. Derek Huggins: rugby, I not rugby, I guess, men men boys and girls, rug s soccer, lacrosse, flag football now, so there's so many other sports that are played on it that, just from a maintenance standpoint s turf is the easiest to to Rob: Yeah. Derek Huggins: deal with. But definitely D definitely d DJ's extremely excited about getting to college and and playing on grass and of course Jordan's already there and I don't think they play on turf at all anywhere they go, you know, so they play on grass. Rob: That's great. Derek Huggins: Yeah, yeah. So but definitely lovers of the of of natural grass. So and I hate Rob: Yeah, that's cool. Derek Huggins: the turf. I I hate it too. I hate you know, I and I don't know, you know, it'd be that's another interesting research, you know, is it Do you s really see that many more injuries on turf? Do you versus grass and those kind of things? I I don't know. But I I Rob: Mm-hmm. Derek Huggins: just feel like turf is just harder on the body overall. Rob: The there was a thing, I don't know, maybe ten years ago I saw an ESPN. It was a former women's soccer goalie, I think at UCLA, who had cancer. Derek Huggins: Mm-hmm. Rob: And then it turned out there was a list of kids that had cancer that were all goalies and they attributed it to the diving and the pellets. So I don't know if they've changed the rubber or whatever, Derek Huggins: Wow. Yeah. Rob: but I'm thinking, well, that doesn't bode well for football players 'cause your face is right on the turf and again, I don't even know what they're using these days, but you see that stuff when they get tackled. Derek Huggins: yeah. I mean I they're rubber pellets. Yeah, I I don't know. Yeah, I that's Rob: Yeah. Derek Huggins: that's interesting. Yeah, I'd I never heard that. So that's a first for me. So that's interesting. Rob: Yeah. Well hopefully I don't know if they were spraying the pellets before they put on the field or whatever, but yeah. No, hopefully Derek Huggins: Yeah. Yeah. Rob: not. All right, man, I want to wrap up with a couple of questions for you. Who is who is your all time favorite sports team? Derek Huggins: Minnesota Vikings. Hey. well bes besides that, Rob: Thank you, Derek. it's a painful existence. Derek Huggins: I would have to say I mean the Chicago Bulls when Jordan was playing, so Rob: Okay. Yeah, no correlation between let's see, Jordan, DJ. I I'd like to hear those conversations. Derek Huggins: That's funny. A good a good friend of mine when we a good friend of mine when we first had we we found out we were having a girl and we couldn't figure out what we wanted to name her. You know, we went back and forth a little bit and I I came up with the name Jordan and Marquita loved it and I didn't Rob: Yeah. Derek Huggins: come up with it or I suggested whatever, right? And Rob: Yeah. Derek Huggins: and she loved it and But I had a good friend back home. He he said, I knew you were gonna find a way to get Jordan in there somehow. So Yeah. Rob: I like it. It's just different and it's it's feminine, it's good. Derek Huggins: Yeah, we and we spell it with a Y. So we spell J-O R D Y N. Yeah. Yeah. So Rob: Okay. Okay. Derek Huggins: we we took the A out of it. We felt like the Y would be a little bit more feminine and whatnot. Rob: I like it. Derek Huggins: But yeah, so that's that's what we did. Rob: Is Derek Derek is DJ Derek Junior? Derek Huggins: technically, yes, he's I g I but he's d he doesn't have my middle name. he has my dad's middle name. So Rob: Okay. Derek Huggins: technically he's not a junior just because y you know, he's doesn't have my middle name. But and it was one of those things again that we couldn't decide on name and I said, Well, do you like the name Derek? And I wasn't trying to have a junior necessarily. We just we both liked it and we figured we'd call him DJ. And part Rob: Yeah. That's cool. Derek Huggins: of I think that we did that because I've got an uncle and his name is JD. And I was like, well, we'll just flip those and we'll call him DJ, whatever. So yeah, yeah. So Rob: Okay. E everybody's happy. Yeah. Derek Huggins: you might have even met my uncle. I don't know. but he he's from Kansas. So but yeah, so you know, it's it's Derek Walker, and my my name, my middle name is not Walker. Rob: Okay. What about Jacob? Where's that come from? Derek Huggins: Yeah, it's a good question. I I don't know. We probably just from the Bible, we probably thought Jacob was a strong name. Rob: That is. Derek Huggins: so, you know, to be honest with you, I don't know. We we just liked it and his middle name's Duke. Jacob Duke. Yeah. Rob: That's solid. That's good. I like that. There you go. Derek Huggins: So we got J we could call him J D, so that's right. Rob: There you go, right, yeah. He doesn't know he's got a new nickname coming. Derek Huggins: Well Pops I don't know why Pops. Pops called a mud cat. Rob: Mud cat. Derek Huggins: And the Mudcat. And that stuck and and and I can't remember the story behind it, but I think doesn't the in the Chattanooga baseball team, aren't they the Mudcats? Rob: I don't know that. That could be. Derek Huggins: There's something that's a mud cat's and that's he brought a mud cat hat. And I don't Rob: There's a minor link team, right. Derek Huggins: know if Jacob was playing in the mud or or something, I don't remember, but Rob: That's funny. Derek Huggins: yeah, Pop started calling him Mud Cat and it's Rob: Yeah. Derek Huggins: kinda stuck. So Rob: There's the Toledo mud hens, but the mud Derek Huggins: Yeah, yeah. Rob: cats, interesting. Derek Huggins: Yeah, and I I'd have to do some research on that too, so Rob: Yeah. Derek Huggins: yeah, yeah, so Rob: I I I'm gonna guess it's Michael Jordan, but who's your all time favorite athlete in any sport? Okay, that's not bad. Solid. So Derek Huggins: Yeah, that'd be Michael Jordan. Yeah. Yeah, for sure. Yeah. Yeah. Can't go wrong with it and phenomenal. But there's a l yeah, there's a lot of good ones. I love yeah, I love the Walter Patons, the Jerry Rice's, know, I love Rob: Mm-hmm. Sure. Derek Huggins: those guys. I I just just for what they stood for and how they went about their business and how their their work ethic was different and, they just approached the approached everything so differently. And Rob: Yeah. Derek Huggins: you know, of course Jordan was probably the ultimate, but There's a there's a lot of though, for sure. Rob: Okay, so we're gonna throw up Derrick Huggins Mount Rushmore. Give it to me. Any sport four? Derek Huggins: Any sport. let's see. Of course, Jordan Walter Payton. Rob: Okay. Two. Derek Huggins: Pete Rose? Rob: Nice. Derek Huggins: Yeah Mm. Let's see. I don't know. I mean, I love Jerry Rice, you know. Rob: That's not bad. Derek Huggins: Yeah, yeah. never watch much hockey, but you gotta appreciate the Gretzkies of the world and those Rob: Sure. Derek Huggins: kind of things. And you gotta yeah, any sport. I I it's funny, I I sit during tennis season, we sit there and watch tennis and it's amazing these athletes today in tennis. I mean, you look at Alcaraz and the things they're doing with the racket and how hard they're hitting that ball. you know, I've never been to a professional tennis match. It's on my bucket list 'cause they say it's amazing when you see it in person, just the speed of the game and how that fast that ball's coming. So maybe you give me maybe you can use your pull and give me some tickets one time. Rob: Yeah. Man, well okay. Well and the you know talked about speed, the movement and the recovery speed. I'm on my couch going, That should be a winner and it comes back and it's defense, defense, defense, and it's and it's it's off the charts. It's really crazy. Yeah, especially when you get to a tennis court and you see that they play on the same court. Derek Huggins: Yeah. Yeah. Well well and you wonder in today in tennis, you you and you've been around it and it's what you do. You look at somebody like a John McEnroe for his time was really, really good. Jimmy Connor was really, really good, but they weren't the athletes that these guys are today. You know, so you wonder, put in today's era, would they adapt or were they just not athletic enough or would they those kind of things. And that's the one thing I always I I I guess I always say about Michael Jordan. It didn't to me, Michael Jordan, it didn't matter what air Michael Jordan played You know. And I don't know if you can say that about everybody. Rob: I I from the tennis standpoint, and people have seen these episodes have heard me say this before, that if you took John McEnroe, he was playing with the wood racket. Derek Huggins: Yes. Rob: It it it goes into graphite rackets. When Derek Huggins: Yep. Rob: he finished, okay, there's the Sampras Agassiz group. Derek Huggins: Yeah. Rob: Polyester strings were coming into the market when Agassiz was retiring a couple of years after Sampras, which Derek Huggins: Yeah. Rob: is a different level of spin and speed. Derek Huggins: Yeah. Rob: And now the bigger, faster, stronger the training. I do think this that the great ones in a any era, I think Bill Russell would still be a great basketball player because of what here. Forget, Derek Huggins: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Rob: he wasn't shack size, but I still think he was smart enough to get rebounds. he played against Will Chamberlain, who was more physically dominant. But I do think the great ones Pete Rose would hit today. I think Greg Mat Greg Maddox would pitch great today. Derek Huggins: Yeah, I agree. Yeah, that's true. Rob: So some of the some of the metrics and crazy stuff, we talk about baseball. Everybody's talking about exit velocity. Well, well there's six guys hit above three hundred this year. You're telling me these hitters are better? I Derek Huggins: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Rob: Tony Gwynn hit three ninety four. George Brett, w you know. but anyway. Derek Huggins: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, well and y look at somebody like a Bobby Jones in golf even, right? know, Rob: Yeah. Derek Huggins: use those old wood clubs and that kind of thing. Rob: Yeah. Derek Huggins: I'm gonna move my computer 'cause my computer's starting to die. but you know, yeah, it's it's technology is definitely you know, you put that the technology in hand the hands of those guys, you know, it's definitely gonna Gonna make a difference for sure. So Rob: Yeah. Well, I I don't wanna keep you on your feet. I know you've had a long day at work, so but this is all right, I got two more questions for you. Derek Huggins: I'm good. Yep. Rob: Okay, I know you said baseball would have been your other sport, but if you could not play a sport, what instrument would you play? Derek Huggins: Mm probably the drums. I always like the drums. Yeah, the drums. Yeah. Jeff Jeff Doug Rob: boy. Get back there, s Doug Mitchell, Jeff Hines and I. Haha. Derek Huggins: Rich with Jeff Hines and and you know I did take piano lessons. My mom had me in piano lessons for I don't know, maybe six months. And then my dad was like, I was having to he was he was coaching and I was late for practice like once or twice a week. And that mom dad was like, he can't be late for practice. So Rob: Ha ha. Derek Huggins: I got out of piano after about six months. But I do say that I will say this, I've always thought it would be cool to be able to sit down at a piano and play, right? I just think that'd be cool. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Rob: Yeah. That's awesome. Yeah, I think that's great. All right. Last question. What's your all time favorite book? Derek Huggins: Call of the Wild. Rob: Call of the wild. Nice. Derek Huggins: Yeah. I've loved that book since I was a kid. I I also really liked the where the red fern grows. That was always one of my favorites. So Rob: Okay. Okay. Derek Huggins: from my childhood, but I always those books just always kinda stood out to me. Yeah. Yeah. So Rob: Nice. Well, Derek Huggins, it's been fun talking to you, man. Derek Huggins: Absolutely, Mr. Carver. It's been a pleasure and appreciate you asking me and we'll have to do it again sometime. Rob: Yeah, we got that chieftain pride and that purple and gold pride too, so so Derek Huggins: That's right. That's right. Maybe we maybe we'll have some have something to celebrate at the end of the year of this year. We'll see. Yeah, let's go. Let's go. So Rob: You know, we're four and right now, so let's go defense, right? Derek Huggins: we don't wanna we don't wanna jump on the the wagon too quickly because you know how that goes. The wheels will fall off. So Rob: This time last year it was like okay, next year, you know. So well, again, man, I appreciate this. And and Derek Huggins: Yeah. Yeah, that's true. Yeah. Rob: for for you out there, you like this episode, please forward it on to another friend or ten. And please push the subscription button as well as the notification bell. So till next time, make the most of your time and always hang tough.