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Tank Carder (Former TCU Football Star and Carder Concrete Founder) RMH: 34

Tank Carder

Former TCU Football Star and Carder Concrete Founder

 

Tank Carder joins the guys today. Tank is best known in Fort Worth for his famous Rose Bowl play while at TCU, but he was also a BMX World Champion at 10, competing nationally for most of his childhood. He talks about the car crash that took him out of the competitive world for a while and how he came to start playing football halfway through his high school career and how that led to TCU. Tank’s a great gut who has lived an incredible life so far and you don’t want to miss this episode.

Audio Only

Episode Transcription: 

 

00:09

Welcome back FORTItudors. We got us a show for you today and we are your humble servants at fortitude. We are Brinton Payne and JW Wilson thanks for tuning in. While there’s much news to consider Brinton Payne some good some not so good in the world we attempt to bring you a new unique unique and positive form of that version as it sounds delivery of personality theory guess this is football season you probably don’t know that Brinton but it is football season you’ve heard well today in studio we have a we have a good one we have a legend in the in the house. One of our buddies want to teach us legendary linebackers. Before we show you his face though. I think we got to talk about you being back in service Yeah,

 

00:51

I’ve just got a little tickle in my throat from the COVID virus 

 

00:55

and we went by your house with your wife permission took a picture of your bedroom while you were out during COVID isolation

 

01:01

yeah simple work of my mind. I had some time on my hands to do a couple of exercises so it

 

01:08

that’s actually actual footage. It’s an you’re indeed in a beautiful mind, sir. So welcome back to the show, buddy and good to have you back here. Okay. The next little video should be the best intro to this man you could ever have. Because here it is right now.

 

01:25

We’re watching it

 

01:26

and you know who the team in the red pants is

 

01:28

not a clue. Wisconsin

 

01:34

right there completely covered up the Blitz. They they slid right into it and nowhere to go. But a joke

 

01:42

the voice you’re hearing Brinton is the greatness of one

 

01:44

Tank Carter thanks for being

 

01:48

there he is coming off the field that play you folks is the two point conversion for Wisconsin that was the team Wisconsin Britain they were trying to tie the game we were up 2119 there’s tank boom what was the play called tank? s dogs stocks It was 12

 

02:05

on our play card number 12 no it’s been a long time ago

 

02:08

is that that was that’s what you were supposed to do exactly someone

 

02:12

are supposed to blitz like I was supposed to be a free Blitz but they slid the coverage the past protection coverage right into it and there was just nowhere to go so I just stopped and I remember shoving stands in his bag and panga just completely pushed him right on the ground and stopped and just jumped in it was there

 

02:27

yeah so you could you were able to see the quarterback about to throw that I mean right then

 

02:31

I don’t know and I just stopped couldn’t go nowhere. So I just looked right at the quarterback. He threw it right in my face. Yeah, I’ve knocked it down.

 

02:39

Yeah, well, back to the intro. Welcome to show tank we’re big fans we’re friends. We’re glad you’re here we want to talk about you for a little bit if you’ll let us that play you’ve lived it before the play happened. What do you think if you’ve told the story I’m sure a million times can you tell 1,000,001 well

 

02:57

man, I mean it was honestly thinking back to that game people were like you know what was atmosphere like was this and it was almost like a blur. I felt like the game happened so fast. They just so locked in the whole game and then came down to that last play and I feel like I know that’s kind of what I’m known for and Fort Worth is that one player was like that rose bowl that play when you got that interception it’s like when I knocked it down but but now it was it was a lot of fun what the funniest thing about that play was everyone’s supposed to be cheering and happy and coach Patterson was yelling at Alex a boy because he was supposed to be on the complete opposite side of the field. Covering the number three guy who was wide open in the endzone he was open indeed he always wide open wow sorry Alex I mean that’s okay.

 

03:40

The galaxies probably made peace what’s

 

03:42

the whole experience though? I mean a blur like was it just kind of so intense that

 

03:47

the game like I can remember walking out of the tunnel and I looked up and kind of looked at the crowd and I don’t remember the crowd the whole rest of the game is just yeah you know focus I guess it’s probably one of the highlights of my career I

 

04:00

think the consensus from the fans that Wisconsin was running the ball effectively that game they stopped running the ball like they were we don’t no one really knows why they stopped running the ball because it seemed to be somewhat working for them there any thoughts on that and why the game

 

04:14

and I mean I just knew on that last play I mean, I think we even had you know, a big set in for defense and then they called it was shotgun live and personnel and they split the tight end out a little ways it might have been the fullback but they just kind of spread everybody out and we’re like, Alright, this is gonna play right in our hand and sure enough, it did.

 

04:34

the crazy part about this Britain and you probably know enough to understand this but for TCU fans, in general, this is probably one of the biggest moments of their life, the winning of the Rose Bowl, right? So people were people were there will tell you it’s top five top, three top 10 moments of the whole life just watching this moment. I’ve heard this story 100 times if I’ve heard it once. What the crazy thing about it is that You live this in how does one How does one celebrate a moment like that in me obviously it was a great moment but we all lived it from our perspective there’s a great day How does one go through this afterwards?

 

05:13

I mean honestly people that a lot of people went forward that was kind of the defining moment for me for them for me, my favorite place still to this day was when we played on a college game day against Utah at home and I had that pick six from like the 15 yard line or so whatever it was so my favorite player of all time you know, but that was a good one after the Rose Bowl I mean it was I don’t know kind of like solidified in the galore TCU I guess you know so it was I don’t know it’s been good you know, I always kind of I mean just kind of going away from football but I’ve just always kind of want to be known as everything except football I guess. Yeah, but you know it’s always been football and it’s been great but I just don’t like they always say don’t let football define your How did you celebrate that night? You know what’s funny is that we were actually and I had my my son was right at a year old maybe year and a half old at him in school and I’m leaving to go to dinner with my wife now her parents and my parents and we’re going to have dinner and all my buddies are all suited up they got all their gear on their got their nice shoes the hair slicked back and they’re going out to party like yeah having a good time and I’m pushing the stroller out like you guys have a good time so yeah, yeah it’s hilarious but that was that was after the game for me. You know

 

06:27

I have I have information for you from the sixth grade at school or kids go to my daughter says the girls think your son’s a cutie Is it cold or cash? whatever’s in sick both in sixth grade? Yeah, that’s okay. I can’t tell you that answer. But I assume it’s probably both I guess but

 

06:44

what’s funny is the I guess the first week he was at school we put some cash in the front of his bag I guess to get snacks or something whatever it is, and he didn’t know that we put it where we put it so there was this girl at school that was like here you know, I’ll help you out. Well, that little girl stayed down the street in our neighborhood and she is going to her little girlfriend’s house or whatever and she sees like Oh hey, cash. Hey, I’m like yeah,

 

07:09

there we go.

 

07:09

Nice funny.

 

07:10

So let’s back up the story real quick. You’re a Sweeney Texas guy. Originally you didn’t first start off most people know this. I think that followed you for a while but football wasn’t your thing. At first it was BMX bicycling. So take out 10 year old you when they’ll be next World Championship. How did all that happen for you?

 

07:30

So I mean I started riding when I was probably three three I actually rode my bike up and down the street when I was two years old that’s when I started riding without training wheels I mean it’s you know how you kind of make it seem like you remember the moment when you took the train was off but it’s because everybody’s telling you the story and they’re just like no I remember it you know, but I feel like I remember asking my older brother who’s he’s like 15 years older than me and I was like take these training wheels off and as soon as he took them off I just took off down the road and his old man down the street we call them happy Mac and he had a Mac now downs was the racetrack and he was your race bikes before did it and I’m like three years old four years old I don’t know he’s talking about and he goes walks down to my house and asked my dad you know bring him out to the track all this and that’s kind of how it started nice and then I just use that competitively I did I started so I got on a team sponsored basically when I was five I think was four or five for the first time and then started going to Nationals the team that I raised for started paying for me my flights to go all over the country really it was more from Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas West Yeah, it was more of a Western thing at that time Yep. Um but I started doing that when I was four or five and started winning and I didn’t look back so

 

08:44

how do you travel the country Yeah,

 

08:46

so in the country just wants just when I raced in France Okay, so the way so I raced four or five started racing pretty much competitively when I was five so I won the national title there’s a world championship which is still a national title in United States and there’s the grands which is another national title. I want that I want both of those like five years in a row like 56789 year old no kid and I was like done I wanted it took up all my time. I couldn’t play no sports, I didn’t have no time with my friends. I was always traveling. I had school during the week and on sometimes Thursdays come home on Mondays I would leave to go to these nationals all over the nation. So I didn’t have any time for sports and I wanted to quit and when I was nine, I told my manager actually told my parents my parents talked to my manager and everything was like you know want to be done racing bikes. I want to be a kid Yeah. And he was like come back one more year. And you know, race the season then I’ll take you to France and see if you can win like a world title. So came back raced, won the world championship for the US again, the grands again and then he took me to France. I mean, I raced against guys from China, Argentina, just all over the world and got first and that and then I quit and hung it up.

 

09:58

That was when you were 10 years old are we talking the Betamax while you’re jumping dirt Johnson?

 

10:05

I guess taking a look at it like motocross Yeah, except it’s not lapse, it’s one from start to finish first one to you out of the gate. You got rhythm sections, jumps, doubles, triples, tabletops, all the way through and the tracks kind of zigzag and then first one to get to the finish line with

 

10:23

a lot of those guys they graduate to be an art to motocross for

 

10:27

the most part in them. I mean, there’s there’s guys that I’m sure did Yeah, but for the most part, you just kind of worked your way up and then you became you know, single a pro double a pro. And then you get paid to do it.

 

10:37

I suppose one race last typically like when you’re there anywhere from 2000

 

10:41

to 2500 feet is a track. And I mean, I think the long tracks back in the day, kind of remembering like 2800 feet or like the long track

 

10:49

like a couple minutes,

 

10:51

I’d say a minute and a half Nice. Yeah. The whole time. There’s some video on YouTube that my mom put up I mean, kicking some butt crack research

 

11:01

team missed that video, but we’ll find it. Yes. So when you were 13 you had a you got a girl in the car wreck. Can you talk about that a little bit?

 

11:09

Yep. So I was actually started training to get back into bike racing. And I think I had I didn’t raise any nationals. But I was actually out in California training, coming back and forth doing camps and stuff with my old team and my old manager and everything. Was that your choice? Did you miss it? Yeah, I kind of wanted to get back into it. And I started getting back into it. And then I was telling the story earlier. We were I was just kind of getting back into racing. And then we were home for the weekend. And we me and my friend Troy actually we were at home, just hanging out and he was having a crawfish boil at his house. So his sister came to pick us up and we’re driving in the car and I remember her swerving back and forth and I’m going from door to door swerve and we’re laughing in the car like it’s a joke I don’t really remember her laughing because she was probably freaking out but yeah I remember me and Troy kind of like laugh and thinking that she was joking around and then we just start rolling in the last thing I remember I’m like holding my head inside the window and the car is like rolling on top of me Oh and I didn’t have my seatbelt on and it was crazy thing is pictures of the car after the car rolled into somebody’s yard and then hit a tree and the trees smashed the top of the car all the way down to the seat that I was in actually so I got out of and buckle down there’s no telling it could have been much worse but

 

12:27

broke ribs broke your back you punctured your diaphragm and you punctured a lung and you were tossed from the car at the very yeah that scene yeah i was

 

12:36

uh i was trying to hold myself into the car is what the people that the car went into their yard it’s all the whole thing happened and they said that I was trying to hold myself into the car and the car was just rolling on top of me and yeah broke seven ribs broke my back my T nine and T 10 vertebrae I’m broke those punctured my lung had a collapse long puncture my diaphragm. I was actually while I was in the bed. I didn’t eat for like 16 days or something two weeks I didn’t get to eat any food or drink anything they wanted everything shut down. But the time that I was in bed I had developed a blood clot in my shoulder so I was on blood thinners for two years had to wear a back brace for almost a year like nine or 10 months I had to wear a back brace but you know at at the end of it all I came out the other side and they said my back was stronger than it ever had been and wow so

 

13:28

yeah then so junior year comes around in high school and then what happens then that was

 

13:33

kind of the first year that I got to experience football I mean the coach kind of was like you ever played linebacker before is like no you ever played around with any high school at Sweeney Yeah, I think we had a little over 100 kids in our graduating class it’s

 

13:46

pretty small Hank though came around before all of this would be kind of like a tank moment my opinion through that and then miraculously start playing football after that but 10 come from

 

13:59

I got the name tank when I was about 18 months old it actually was man man and then it switched the tank ladies man man I would answer to it and then a family friend just randomly was like he’s like a little tank a tank Yeah, and then I turned to it this my mom’s telling the story. And hey tank and I just turned to it and then Ever since then, my name is tank. I mean all grown up through elementary, junior high there’s always that one teacher every year or two that’s like I can’t call you tank and it’s like you’re gonna call me tank. Yeah.

 

14:23

What is your legal name?

 

14:25

My legal name is Ricky. Ricky. I’m a junior that’s my dad’s name. Very cool. Call me Ricky. Anybody? Yeah, most

 

14:31

people I’m sure they would not do that right. All right. So you gave cycling a break to get your life back obviously had the wreck in between that so that wasn’t really we can’t get to consider that but football comes in your life. You probably are pretty good at football, I’m sure from early age safe to say you get recruited. You’re a two star recruit by rivals. TC finds you heavily recruited?

 

14:53

No, no, I was heavily recruited by D threes and three and a couple of D twos. Had I think four or five I’ve scholarships for ads to play at a couple d3 schools. I think Texas a&m kingsville and West Texas a&m, offered me a full ride. And then like two weeks before signing day, Coach Patterson offered me but I mean, they weren’t even recruiting me until Eddie Williamson, the old line coach, he was at a game against Lagrange in the first round of the playoffs, my senior year of football. And they were recruiting I think, maybe a wide receiver from Lagrange and Teigen.

 

15:28

Maybe it was he already is he later on?

 

15:30

I think that’s the

 

15:33

guy who’s my neighbor the one that suppose Yeah, yeah. Oh, nice. Yeah, I

 

15:37

don’t know. I’m not I have no idea who he was recruited. But I just remember the story being they were there to watch a guy. Coach Williamson was there to watch a guy from Lagrange and I think we scored 31 points and I had like 27 of the points because I was kicker, running back. linebacker I played quarterback I mean, kind of put me where the ball needed to go, I guess you know, we’re a small school so you can play with a lot of positions. So you said yes, quickly, I’m assuming well, as soon as he soon as he offered it to me, I mean, I remember sitting at the old dial up computer, crash and you

 

16:08

have a male

 

16:10

and coach Patterson call me and I remember dragging the phone around from the kitchen. It was on that long cord from the kitchen and drove it around the corner. into the my parents bedroom was where the computer was and right it’s like how would you like to be a Horned Frog? I was like, I’d love to he goes one mile for your full ride scholarship. And I mmediately took it right down. Yeah, and it was I mean, I would have probably been at Texas State at a walk on with all my buddies and I would tell him, what would happen well,

 

16:35

you get you get to TCU assume things worked out. Okay. That’s a joke.

 

16:40

But how would like with JW

 

16:43

we can talk about it off air. How was life for you? TCU without football without the football piece included with you obviously had a life other than football at some point. But I know football is all consuming but sure. How was your experience at TCU? Yeah,

 

16:57

man, it was awesome. You know, I had a lot of fun just getting to know everybody. I mean, I met my wife at TCU I think it was the second semester. And you know, it’s funny, funny story, a little off subject, but I actually had met her before I’d met her. It was actually at one of her parties. I was actually went there with this. James Wagner’s vest and

 

17:16

his business partner one of them. Thank you Britain for showing that. Well, just in case other people don’t know, you know, yeah.

 

17:22

And so we actually went there, and I just remember, I’m getting beer out of the keg. And this little girl walks up and and she’s got like, these high socks. I think she’s just like a baseball player. And she’s like, all snooty. He’s like that’s my keg and I’m like, appreciate it thanks. And I that was it. That was the only interaction and and then I met her again at snackies after that, and that was the first time we met

 

17:42

Snoke he’s now called the tavern. I never remember beer being at TCU that quit the Christian school as

 

17:51

a string here it

 

17:52

not that I ever saw

 

17:55

in a beer

 

17:58

so your career at TCU was was going well you were obviously in the mix and things were going well these games we talked about the Rose Bowl obviously what would you say were tent Carter’s strengths is the linebacker What made you the player you were

 

18:11

I mean man I just and I talked to the kids that I coach all the time about determination I was just determined to not lose and I hated people getting over all me whatever it was and not just in sports but just anything in life man I hated losing so I was so determined and I had speed and I think that’s what would help to I mean obviously you got to have some talent with with the determination but I was just determined to win at all costs and I had I was pretty fast so you do

 

18:36

all that with MX you know, early in life, being xx training kind of helped with that competitiveness and stuff like that. I think that

 

18:42

outside of my injury that ended my NFL career, I always had healthy healthy legs my legs were always super strong. I mean I could squat six 700 pounds I was always super strong in my legs and I attributed a lot of that to racing bikes for the first 10 years of my life.

 

18:58

Yeah, makes sense. What was your What was your 40 times to my so

 

19:01

in in at the combine it was a four or 545 and then but i would i got clocked on a watch when I was training for the combine like four four eights and stuff like

 

19:11

that. So what was yours last week?

 

19:13

Well I was thinking more about the squat deal and I mean I put up the bar and then a couple 30 fives in my home jet when he had to go into traction. It was post COVID so I wasn’t but by peak you know out of it so

 

19:27

take when did you know you’re really good at football.

 

19:30

Honestly the first time I really was like I’m pretty good at football was after the Utah game when I had that pick six and I literally was in we’re in the bowling alley after and I’m sitting there talking postgame ritual like it wasn’t we just chose to go there after that game for let you drink beer there.

 

19:48

And a pitcher is coming out the wazoo.

 

19:51

But we actually sit there and I’m talking to my sister and like over her shoulder is kind of highlight you know that week we are the end of the day highlights or whatever and it showed TCU Utah and it showed that pic six I had I went up on ESPN I was like holy cow and then I was like a lot of people I see up there go the NFL and I was like that’s when I realized I was like I might be pretty good at football

 

20:10

nice nice you’ve had you that transitions to the Rose Bowl this special moment is that the greatest moment or you told me that grace moments the Utah that’s one of

 

20:20

my favorite moments but I’d say one of the greatest moments was winning the Rose Bowl not that actual play but the actual winning in the Rose Bowl was probably the greatest moment for me You’re still

 

20:29

close with Gary Patterson you told us how’s the relationship these days

 

20:34

is good is good I know that he’s uh he’s had to change his coaching style a little bit just with this new generation of kids but you know it’s you gotta you got to conform with the times to an extent you know and but now as coach Patterson I see him as like second dad man he’s taught me so much and when I was at TCU and I carry a lot of the stuff and I always put it as simple metaphor like he was the seed to the drive that I have nowadays like everything I do and he planted that seed early of don’t back down no matter how big you are, no matter how fast you are, if you want to kick someone’s asked to do it. So

 

21:08

I must tell you tank that Britain I we were working on the set for you today and I called coach Gary and asked him to borrow the Rose Bowl trophy ago Gary’s very busy these days as you can imagine this is the TCU SMU football week so sure maybe busier a little bit than most weeks but he flat out told me he could not do it there’s there’s a party in town called the charity ball it’s the largest party it’s a it’s a charity benefit but it’s it’s extravagant. They asked for it he said I can’t do it and because of that he has to be consistent he cannot bring it to the table or when our time is all asked but he cannot do it so

 

21:44

it got to him sooner and he told you yes he probably would have stuck with you.

 

21:48

We have a strategy we’re gonna have tank who just referred to him as his second father asked for the trophy and bring it with us.

 

21:56

He told him first that he would do it he’s gonna stick to his word. Right yeah,

 

22:00

that’s right. So

 

22:01

So how did you get into the NFL? So how’s the NFL thing happened? So from all of that highlight you know from TCU then tell us about that.

 

22:09

I mean just kind of the whole process you kind of wait for that call to the combine and most of the time I mean, there’s guys that get drafted that don’t get invited to the combine obviously you know, but that was kind of the thing where I was waiting for that invite and I remember walking through the airport we were coming back from vacation I think after the season was over my my college career was done it was January or so I think and I’d got that email and I just remember taking off run through the airport like yeah got invited you know Yes. So I kind of started there but I mean it started way before that in school just coach Patterson need just the drive and just making not letting anything get in your way really you know, I mean it sounds cliche but should I was only 195 pounds coming out of high school I think I got up to 212 my first two years in college I think I was a starting linebacker in college for a division one school I like to 15 to 14 and it was just use your speed rapping legs up

 

23:05

what do you think the number one thing to kind of keep that mental focus of not getting down like that you know like what the the heat may be taught you or you got yourself

 

23:14

I mean I learned a lot from him but I even tried to tell my kids is affirmation man like if you tell yourself you’re going to intercept the ball you tell yourself you’re going to make it happen you tell yourself that I’m going to turn this business into something in a year whatever you know you keep telling yourself that you’re gonna have a shitload of failures throughout that time but if you keep telling yourself you’re gonna do it and it’s gonna happen and that’s just the way I’ve lived my entire life like I’ve never ever let the negative creep in of like I can’t do this my favorite sayings can’t ever could

 

23:44

yeah so good we’ve been saying that about this podcast a lot Really? Yeah.

 

23:49

works so you’re a fifth round pick by the Buffalo Bills that move that what happened there you moved to the Browns very quickly right? Yep.

 

23:57

So it was I was drafted there and I guess the draft was around April May and then I went all through the summer at the bills we did our offseason workouts and stuff and then camp and the last final cuts with the bills I got released and then the next day the Browns called me Pick me up right then and it just kind of never looked back Coach tabes shit forget his first name now

 

24:24

coach. Yeah coach. Coaches don’t have first name last name,

 

24:28

but now coach tapes man he was he was the first I’d say a year or two was a lot of the reason why I was stuck around in the league honestly just through special teams and be in a solid backup

 

24:40

five years with the brown six yeah 6666 seasons.

 

24:43

And then you know, it wasn’t till my third year fourth year that I started to realize, you know, I need to go up here and have a relationship with these coaches. I need to go and stay in the film room an extra hour I need to get there an hour earlier and I just I guess it come with maturity. You know You mature a little bit and you start to understand things a little better yep and I think that’s what I got another three or four years out of it after that first two years of coach tapes kind of keep me around as a special teams guy money you made good enough to be able to transition start the business that I’m in right now so

 

25:18

good we’ll get to that here shortly. No doubt 2017 you tore your ACL and this preseason game. Yeah, that was the emcee and right once once you hit that you had to have surgery and

 

25:27

I tried to make it back and it just would never It was never the same I didn’t have that same confidence in going toward running 20 miles an hour this way and then just stopping and cutting back and going the other way you know, it just it wasn’t there and I kind of came to terms with it after I was I got released in June from the browns and I think it was seven or 718 I think it was 1817 no it was June of 18 I was released 17 was my last season because I was on IR that you’re good and then 18 I got released I just signed a new contract and like may is my third deal with the browns and then they released me in June and it wasn’t until probably I’d say December so that I was like damn done I just signed and have the competence in my knee anymore and that’s kind of when I was like I gotta find something else to do surely

 

26:13

what made you decide to come back to Fort Worth not go back to Sweeney I mean

 

26:18

stay in Cleveland that’s a good question I’d say a big part of it

 

26:21

thanks Jacob. I

 

26:22

have those from time to time is not a bad place I got a lot of good food out there pro football player you

 

26:27

probably could make your way in they’re pretty good

 

26:30

they did they took care of their guys yeah after as soon as you go somewhere and they find out that you played for the Browns It was kind of all expenses paid there it was they they take care of their guys they turn on you once they realize you’re not gonna make it to the playoffs but then once the the as soon as the season ends it turns into we’re gonna next year we got next year

 

26:47

hope never fades

 

26:48

you kind of like get through that little downtime of man this is kind of over but then you did you did decide to come back here so was it because you’re what well and

 

26:58

I say right up front it was because of my wife her family is indicator okay and she real real tight knit family as his mind but you know they were here all I we had all our kids at that time and then she wanted to come back here so we came back here and that was originally and then kind of as I started getting into you know other things outside of football and trying to start businesses and things like that it was kind of that’s it I’ll say seemless still got to work your ass off to do it but doors open a little easier you know just because of the sports aspect Yeah, so I just kind of stuck it just it’s kind of working out

 

27:32

good and then you started a business I’m sorry let’s call that

 

27:38

business

 

27:38

this guy right

 

27:40

or concrete? Pretty pretty catchy zoom in I don’t know if you can do that but

 

27:44

if you look at the logo oh yeah on the top there yep

 

27:47

so if you see it CC for Carter concrete but if you see it’s got a T in it.

 

27:53

Oh yeah that’s got a C and

 

27:54

then a sideways you get that nice nice well it’s also got TC for

 

27:58

that design.

 

28:00

Dude that’s actually funny so we played with ideas and we played with hiring a graphic designer and and it was just like I don’t say we kept hitting dead ends but it was like we’re gonna have to pay this graphic designer like five grand to build this logo that we didn’t even know what we wanted right so then we came across this website called logo tournament and basically it’s it was like 550 bucks for like hundreds yeah really hundreds and hundreds of different graphic designers around the world actually somebody from India that I’m sure might not even speak English is who designed ours yeah and then we took it and loved it man. It looks like so on the trucks the flat part on top is kind of like a fender and then you got you two mixer wheels. That’s why we liked it. It was CC for Carter concrete. It had TCU and the logo and we just kind of told him what we wanted but we didn’t we had no even close to the idea that rendering that they were gonna come up with and it was actually one of the first ones that got submitted to us on that website and we just hit it was always right there at the top right there at the top and when it came down to it we pick that one and I’m glad we did it was

 

29:07

how many trucks Do you have now got 1212 trucks good I assume and

 

29:11

good construction industry is going nuts and it was couldn’t have picked a better time

 

29:16

I have to agree with you it’s great good

 

29:17

How did you know concrete it was somebody your

 

29:20

family my dad he’s he’s a home builder. So he he does remodels and builds new homes and

 

29:25

then I’ll tell you what’s the biggest margins concreted? Yeah I mean still

 

29:29

construction across the board is only about 10 to 15%. So it’s not like you’re sitting here in the pharmaceutical business. Yeah, just

 

29:35

yeah,

 

29:36

you know, raking it in on on your, on your profits. But you know, it’s it was started with that have kind of in the forums, my dad had me dragging concrete with his workers, and that’s where it started. And then my father in law, my wife’s dead. She or he had a concrete business in Saginaw, he actually had three plants and 75 trucks. And that’s kind of how he made his money. And you know, I was actually was gonna, you know, start a dumpster business for on job dumpsters for contractors and stuff like that and it just kind of evolved and my father was like don’t do it don’t get into yeah it’s a headache you know it’s just it’s very cutthroat very competitive and as soon as he said that I was like man yeah I just it was more of a challenge and it’s just it’s worked out

 

30:19

is your dad pay full price for his for this concrete or do you get a special

 

30:22

when I get a plant down there I’ll definitely probably what area Do you service so Kristin is south of Fort Worth and that’s where the plan is and will will serve as 20 to 30 minutes outside anything from that Centerpoint 20 to 30 minute drive outside that’s about all you can do right we can you can haul it pretty far we actually I got a guy that works for me that sees he’s badass His name’s Ron Williams he’s he’s quality control guys been around the industry for 20 plus years and he just he can put different chemicals in the mix he can I mean I could drive to Alaska if I wanted to and that concrete is still be good when I get there yeah he’s he’s pretty good yeah,

 

30:58

that’s fantastic um, inspiration your life Heroes for you over the years. Anybody that comes to mind

 

31:05

I mean cliche to say but honestly they coach p man hP hP is just he taught me so much about just resilience and just to keep at it you know? Don’t let anybody tell you you can’t and I never did and I never will

 

31:16

I think he’s that way for a lot of people tank there’s no doubt about it so well listen you know this you’re you’re a nice guy you’re good guy your friend you but you meant a lot to a lot of people at most you hopefully you understand what you’ve done is to transition into people’s lives in a meaningful way does that resonate with you you understand what what you’re

 

31:38

you know I think I was just talking about earlier you know i want i love the the football aspect of it but like I want to be known for things outside of football because obviously that’s the most obvious thing you know I want to make my mark and make my brand outside of that whether it be a businessman a good person a father Lord, you know whatever whatever I choose it to be you know, I want to be you know, a man of many talents but I just don’t want that. That one a roar of you know, he was the Rose Bowl MVP and let it stop there right? Oh, that’s kind of what I need linebackers you ever wanted to be like, um, you know, it’s funny. Brian Urlacher was kind of a guy it was actually when I was coming out of college trying to pick an agent and one of the agent I forget his name now I think it was bill but his he was actually Brian’s agent and Brian actually called me when I was in college well not in college but as I got done with my college season, trying to pick an agent and go through that process and he had called me and he was always kind of a role model anyway but I’d have to say or lacquer if any of you know

 

32:36

I want to take this moment here to interject something there’s a guy across from you that kind of has lived his life that way that has real big on football field and I forgot to say I appreciate you checking on me as much as you did during that whole time when I was down but I do think tank like just like you’ve talked about and I don’t know if it’s because he was coached by coach PT if he taught you guys that but there are a lot of really good people in this community that played football at TCU who you know what? That’s not their whole thing you know, they’ve done a lot in this community too. So kudos to both you guys for that.

 

33:10

Did you go ahead

 

33:11

No, I’m sorry. Well last couple of questions I was gonna say is what’s the craziest thing that’s ever happened to you we have a fall last question for all of our guests but the craziest thing that’s ever happened you that you’re willing to share with us with anything sure football or outside of football that

 

33:23

sec trooper role in a time is that okay, leave

 

33:26

that one out. there do you think you’ve ever ever seen or been part of the chain that you want to tell us about? I’ve heard stories, but give me a hint and I’ll see if I can because rumors rumors are no good. You know. This week we came dressed for the for the show a little shout out to Matt Lewis over tissues. Assistant ad for football. Brady, Lou, Matt, Matty. Lou has been a good guy for over 18 years. I tease you but we all love humanity. So thank you for the army. Man, when you show up and stuff like

 

33:58

this was passed on to you by somebody else.

 

34:00

It was actually dh David Hawthorne. I was just telling the story is he he was actually in the locker right next to mine and he’s getting all juiced up ready for the game, and he’s getting amped up and he’s putting these armbands on and I just remember thinking like, oh, wow, this guy’s cool, you know? And He kind of looks at me He’s like, what’s up Rooker? What’s up fresh blood or something like that? And he’s like, you don’t carry on this tradition? I was just like, Yeah, well, yeah. And so that’s how it started honestly, and it just kind of stuck and it became kind of my trademark then 500 armbands on my arm cut off my circulation

 

34:31

yeah they’re not fine right now I mean I can barely touch the buttons on this thing Yeah, so that stay your life that’s what we asked all our guests beside you family. That’s family. Yeah, that kind of thing. Best day. Yeah, probably already heard this. I know if you want to

 

34:48

say that went on the Rose Bowl was top notch. Yeah, I’d say you know, and it’s not there yet. But you know, the business kind of getting affirmation in itself, that it’s going to kind of You know yeah it was kind of like because how old is like I was saying it’s it’s going on three years now but our plants only been operational year and a half yeah and it’s kind of getting to a point now where it’s not gonna say running itself I mean it’s still gotta be there and manage it but it’s it’s kind of gotten to a point where it’s it’s out there people know about it great product good service and it’s it’s gonna say here to stay forever because anything can happen but it’s it’s it’s just feels good because I mean shit data put in 90 100 110 hours a week just for almost two years straight just grinding it out 18 hour days and it finally now it’s starting to get to where it’s starting to pay off so don’t say

 

35:36

you don’t strike me as guy when someone says you can’t do it and then you put that kind of time and effort anyway

 

35:41

I’ve never even it never crossed my mind or the work you have to put in it just you do what you got to do for sure you will How was it it was portrayed I can’t remember how it was it was you don’t don’t think about the end result I forget what you just work on the process and in your day to day Don’t Don’t be like God I’m gonna put this many hours in this week or I’m gonna be gone this much or whatever it’s like tomorrow I’m gonna get this this this this and this done. And if it takes me five hours cool if it takes me 24 hours to cool it’s gonna get done regardless Yeah,

 

36:12

yeah, I thought of one more before we go fat tank your pregame music would you listen to four games?

 

36:17

Oh, remember the name? That was my song that I kind of pumped me up it was a I can’t remember the tune now but I remember the name of it remember the name Yeah. It’s called remember the name or the name? Was it like a heavy metal kind of heavy metal but it was kind of like a rock? Yeah, it was 50% pain. Had I can’t think of it. I’m butchering it. Well,

 

36:38

we’re gonna google it after the show. Find it out for sure. thank thank you for joining us, man. We appreciate you very much. Those who want to stay followed up with with fortitude rock so media house calm. And Twitter Twitter’s fortitude fw 10. Carter, the legend in the house. Thank you man for joining us today. Thanks for having me. 14th Now, take it back to this guy. Jay Z genes are taken up to and taken to three