"Beyond the Game": The RealSportsDoc Podcast

From Mississippi to Milestones: Inspiring Athletic Journeys

• Dr. Brandon L. Hardin, Mr. Tramaine Brock, Mr. Jy Smith • Season 1 • Episode 2

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Tramaine Brock, a seasoned NFL veteran, and Jy Smith, a promising collegiate athlete, share their inspiring journeys from the heart of Mississippi to the world of professional and collegiate sports. Their stories are laced with grit and perseverance, highlighting Tramaine's strategic leap from running back to defensive back, and Jy's adept balancing act between academics and athletics. Their narratives are not just about individual triumphs, but also about the broader themes of motivation, resilience, and the unyielding pursuit of their dreams.

We explore the vital intersection of athletics and community involvement, where both guests reflect on their roles as mentors and role models for youth. They shed light on contemporary challenges, from managing stress through gym routines to the shift in children's activities away from outdoor play. The discussion extends to the evolving landscape of youth sports, examining the influence of name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals and contrasting today's perks-driven motivations with the pure love of the game experienced by past generations.

Tramaine and Jy also offer insights into overcoming adversity, drawing from personal experiences with injuries and academic hurdles. They underscore the profound impact of sports medicine and the mental fortitude athletes develop beyond the field. As Tremaine envisions his post-NFL career with aspirations of coaching and participating in programs like Bill Walsh, the conversation circles back to the timeless values of motivation and work ethic. This episode provides a nuanced perspective on the decision-making processes young athletes face, and the enduring drive required to navigate both sports and life.

Thank you for tuning in to "Beyond the Game"! We hope you found valuable insights into the world of sports medicine and the importance of health and wellness in athletics. Remember, whether you're an athlete, a parent, or a sports enthusiast, this podcast is designed for you.

Stay connected with us! Subscribe to the podcast, share it with your friends, and don't forget to send in your questions and topics you'd like us to explore in future episodes.

Join us next time as we deliver sports-related topics right to your doorstep. Let’s continue this journey together—beyond the game!

For more resources and to connect with Dr. Brandon Hardin, visit TheRealSportsDoc.com or HardinSportsMed.com to learn more.

Keep pushing your limits, and see you next time!

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

Good morning everybody. Dr Hardin, here at Beyond the Game podcast, I got two amazing athletes with me this morning, Tramaine Brock and Jy Smith, professional athlete and collegiate athlete, and we're going to talk about the different paths they took to get to Beyond the Game right. So, Tramaine man, give us an introduction of who you are, where you're from and what you're doing now, of like, who you are where you from and what you're doing now.

Mr. Tramaine Brock:

Like you said, Tramaine Brock, from Long Beach, Mississippi, originally. I went to high school there. After Long Beach I went to junior college in Mississippi, Gulf Coast, and then I went to University of Minnesota and then I had a little issue there, transferred to Belle Haven University in Jackson, Mississippi, nice, nice. Then after that I was drafted to the San Francisco 49ers and then kind of built my career from there, so spent 11 years in the league.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

Yeah, absolutely, man. That's awesome. Such a good story too. I definitely want to know more about that. What about you, john?

Mr. Jy Smith:

Oh well, I'm Jy Smith from Gulfport, Mississippi. I played ball at Pearl River Community College and after that I went to Tennessee State, played there for a year and I didn't like my circumstances and I went the west side and finished my career there as well.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

Okay, man see, so you can. You guys can see two different paths these guys took. Let's talk about that. So, john, what do think? What motivated you to start pursuing a career in sports?

Mr. Jy Smith:

Well, seeing my older cousins play football and basketball my whole life made me want to do it. So I guess, just seeing them do it, I'm like I want to be better than them and then shoot. We just started having fun with it and started loving the game, so I wanted to be the best.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

Jy, what made you want to attend college and play football?

Mr. Jy Smith:

Well, I always had aspirations of attending college with me playing sports or without me playing sports. So sports just helped me pay for it. For real, for real.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

Okay, so then that leads me into my next question how did you balance academics and athletics?

Mr. Jy Smith:

Well, academics always come first with me, and then football, just like on the side having fun with it.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

Having come first with me, and then football, just like on the side. Having fun with it. Having fun with it, that's what it's all about. Right, all right. What about you, tremaine? What, what?

Mr. Tramaine Brock:

initially motivated you to continue and did you think you would go to the pro level? Yes, uh, when I, um, after, after a while, when I started playing and I went to college junior college for sure I instantly, you know, just told myself that that's what I wanted to do and and I just felt, I felt, I knew I was going to do it, I kind of dominated junior college and went to Minnesota and did the same thing, playing against Ohio State and Michigan and all you know, the top tier teams D1. So I just, you know, I just felt it.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

Nice man. So what about that transition from high school to college and then college to professional Were there. I mean, I'm sure there are a lot of differences there, but talk about your high school to college experience, like how did that look? Were you recruited heavily? How did that work?

Mr. Tramaine Brock:

Yeah, I was recruited nicely, it was. So when I got to junior college they put me at defensive back. So you know, in high school I didn't play that position. I was, you know, an athlete. I played running back. Running back was my main position. So, turning that leaf over to having to play one position in a position as like cornerback it was, you know I had to learn. I had to, you know, restart football to a degree. So you know and I'm going against, you know, all the top guys from high school Right so I had to start over again. So you know that was I'm not going to say that it was, you know, something that was hard, but you know it's something that you got to start over again and you know it comes with the game of football.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

Yeah, and obviously it gets harder, right to a degree, right, yeah, because your competition now is as big as you are, if not bigger, right, yes, hits are a little bit harder, yeah, okay. Okay, what about any sacrifices you made, like with family and, uh, and friends, you know, I'm sure, going to from the collegiate level to the professional level? You've had to make some sacrifices in your life. Can you talk about those a little bit?

Mr. Tramaine Brock:

yeah, the one that sticks out to me was, uh, when I had to, you know, go to Belle Haven, like come, you know, minnesota, like I said, I had got suspended for my grades, my academics, yeah, so I wasn't taking that series. So at that point, you know, it was my, my last year going into my senior year. So I had to. I had to sacrifice just everything like far as just make sure I'm going to my classes taking my grades, you know, taking that serious Right, just waking up in the morning, really, you know, because I'm not going to put football first. Sure, I had to sacrifice. I was sacrificing mostly just the hard work and training getting up early in the morning, like 3 o'clock in the morning, getting workouts in before school and then getting workouts in after school. So that was really my main like sacrifice at the time, you know.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

I mean, do you think that if you weren't spending a lot of time on football and you place your time elsewhere you would have made it to where you are today? I don't think so.

Mr. Tramaine Brock:

Yeah, I don't either. Right, I don't think so.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

You had to sacrifice a lot for your career, right? Yeah, yeah, no, I can understand that. What about you, john? Did you sacrifice anything for?

Mr. Jy Smith:

college football. I feel like I had to sacrifice being like close to my family as well, with me going to Tennessee, which is seven and a half, and as far as recruitment as well. I had a lot of places like far, like Coastal Carolina and places like that yeah, 14 hours. I'm like I'm willing to leave, but I'm not willing to go that far. You feel me Right, just sacrificing time, my family sacrificing like seeing my brother grow up and stuff like that as well. So that had an impact on me for sure.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. So what about like life on the field for you? What was your daily routine in college Like? What did it look like? How would you tell somebody you know, hey, you should play football. And these are the reasons Because I think a lot of people shy away from football because they're like, oh, concussions, oh broken bones, things like that. So what did you do to help prevent that?

Mr. Jy Smith:

Like, what did you do to help prevent that? Like, what did your daily workout look like? My daily workout, well, I worked out every day. Other, like the team worked out like three times was mandatory, then it had some that wasn't mandatory but still was mandatory. So I used to do workouts myself after um practice and stuff like that, just to make sure I'm still good, um, just making sure I wake up in the morning, make sure I eat before practice. A lot of people not eating before practice and stuff like that. They're playing with their nutrition, which I didn't play with. I'm like I got all this weight on me.

Mr. Jy Smith:

I got to make sure I eat Because at practice, if you're not full or whatever, you don't got the nutrition in you, you're going to feel every lick and I'm down in the trenches for real. So, just making sure all that's up to par as well. Yeah, mentally, um, praying, I'm saying the bible as well as uh, make sure I get enough sleep. A lot of people don't get enough sleep, bro, I'm going to sleep. At like nine o'clock they tell me oh, you lame, you lame.

Mr. Jy Smith:

I'm like bro I have to go to sleep bro hey, look, it's okay to be boring.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

Hey, I had to go to sleep, bro.

Mr. Jy Smith:

I'm like man, I'm tired dude.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

Yeah, yeah, I do no, and I can only imagine. You know, you know athletics, I think beyond high school, like we were just talking about. The sacrifices you make have to be personal too. Exactly, Right, Exactly, you know. So you may lose a little friends over that Sure, and your family may in the back end, but you're placing more of your importance on what's in front of you, not what's behind you. Right, Exactly, right. Yeah, I totally get that. So what's the team culture like in the pros? Do you think it's the same, if not better?

Mr. Tramaine Brock:

than college or high school. It could be the same. It depends, I feel like every year and every team or whatever, wherever you're at, it's different because you get a different group of guys Right and you get a different head coach. So it just goes by the years, like I had fun these years to whatever years, and then some years it was like, you know, it wasn't that fun, you know, because of the camaraderie of the whole team and the players Right. It differs for sure.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

Yeah. So what about the challenges you faced? You know from, like I say, college to the pro level. You know, as far as meeting up with expectations, you know, I'm sure expectations were higher, and at the professional level, than they were at college. What can you say about that, jermaine?

Mr. Tramaine Brock:

I mean, just looking back at my career and my college career, like I've met them. I wanted to. Of course I wanted to be able to do more in the NFL, like who don't want to go, you know, be an All-Pro and do those? I didn't meet those, but I had good years in the NFL. So you know, like you, just you, just you just work for me. I was just working and I just, you know I was always on the top of, you know, my positions, right wherever I was at. You know it, just you know, pan out that way. You know, pan out that way you know, do the hard work and God giving me opportunities, you know, because a lot of things happen, like injuries, you know. So you know that right there, just alone, just helped out in many ways.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

Yeah, I mean, I think you know, being in the top 1% of the United States to go to the professional level already tells me you know that's a challenge, that a challenge that you face, right. I mean you have to be good at that point, right. But then you face injuries and you face pressure from family, or hey, if you've got a wife and kids or a girlfriend or whatever, you know, I understand, you know those are challenges too, right, I don't know.

Mr. Tramaine Brock:

Maybe not, I don't think so. I think it just came with it. For me it came with it.

Mr. Jy Smith:

Yeah.

Mr. Tramaine Brock:

It just came with it, like certain things came with the game, because I did it my whole life, like outside of you know peewee, sure, sure, Getting you know high school, college, college. Right now you're in a professional. It's just everything amps up more. Yeah, really okay, in every aspect.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

What? What about the coaching man? Like I can't imagine being in front of you. Know my professional team of coaches and and you know how does that change from high school you know where everybody's screaming down your throat to professional, is it. Do you feel like your coach is more of a friend, a confidant, or like a consultant, like, hey, we need you to do this If you can do this and you get that position.

Mr. Tramaine Brock:

My rookie year was, you know, as your rookie, you still get yelled at.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

Yeah.

Mr. Tramaine Brock:

But you got to make that transition of, like understanding that you're a man. So once you do that and understand that, the coaches will too, because they you know I'm not gonna say they're gonna respect who they feel like I won't respect but right some people will treat you, how you walk around and how you move and how you operate.

Mr. Tramaine Brock:

so, yeah, yeah, you know, you know my first, my first is my what? My first, my rookie year. My second year, yeah, I was. It was still being treated like you were in college to a degree. But once you understand, and you understand like man, I'm a grown man, like I could have a kid any day, right, right. So you, you know, and so it gets to that. So now you into, you know, like you could say, I guess, a friendship, but it's a coach and a player situation. So y'all respect each other and that's how you know, that's how I pan out and go.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

Okay, okay. So basically you're saying like you earn respect as a rookie and then moving forward.

Mr. Tramaine Brock:

It's like everyday life, right? Yeah, yeah, you got to you got to Absolutely Okay.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

Well, that's awesome man, awesome man. So, um, jai, I know you talked about some, uh, the mental strategies you use. You know, like uh with god and the bible and kind of keeping up on you. Um, how are you motivated, like self-motivated, and how did your mental game, um, outside or beyond the game, help you, uh, become who you are today?

Mr. Jy Smith:

well, I believe, with me growing up single mom, just seeing how she had the struggle and the heart it took for her to get me and my brothers to school and stuff like that and her to get through nursing school, that brought the dog out of me as well, knowing I can't go back home empty-handed. So just that pressure right there alone every night saying my why, what's my why, what's my why it's making sure I'm on my P's and Q's, not being like a lot of people be having that, oh, I don't want to be here, mindset, I'm like I would love being here. I remember them days I was praying to get here.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

So now I'm here, let me go and work, yeah, absolutely you know, again, like a lot of people don't make it to college athletics, exactly Just like a lot of people don't make it to the professional level. You know what I'm saying. So your chances of getting up there against you know Alabama and you know their SEC schools yes, sir, you know that's what the talk is. Oh, everybody's playing SEC football is where it's at. Look man, you get to the college level, that's where it's at period.

Mr. Jy Smith:

You know what I'm saying? Yeah, because I didn't play like the same Juco and then the bigger D1s or whatever. Man, the same amount of talent in the Juco is over there. It might not be as many, but hey, man, you got some people out there to get you going.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

Everybody's playing the same game, right, you love the game.

Mr. Jy Smith:

You love the game. You love the game.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

you love the game. Yeah, absolutely, man. What about, like, managing stress levels and how did that affect your performance? I know you talked about some nutrition. Throw that in there, like what did the morning look like? Were you doing two-a-days? What was?

Mr. Jy Smith:

your lift like I was doing two-a-days even, like when I was dealing with stuff like that. I always put it like I'm glad I had that gym before football. So I already had in my mind like I can relieve stress when I go to the gym so if I had a bad day I would take it out on the gym like heavy weight, even though we're not just living in the middle of the season.

Mr. Jy Smith:

I'm going as heavy as I can. I'm pushing the O-line, I'm with the O-linemen and stuff. It's tight end and stuff like that. I'm making sure I get all the stress out I need so I can be relaxed. Yeah.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

Yeah, no, absolutely man. So, tremaine, what about the importance of like community involvement and camaraderie among your other teammates? I know I see a lot in professional athletics that you guys do a lot for the community in which you live. Can you voice on that? Can you tell us a little bit about that?

Mr. Tramaine Brock:

I mean it's big, it's more bigger, Like some guys take it more serious than other guys, but you know it's big, it's just for the youth, yeah, because we were once the youth. Yeah, and it just you know they need people to look up to outside of their parents or, you know, their brothers or sisters or whatever. So sure, everybody need that teaching and learning in different areas. So we, you know they always made it a big deal for us to to reach out to the youth in whatever area, and they gave us the you know, the opportunity to to choose and pick what we wanted to do, sure you know. So I feel like it's an individual thing to you know that you want to choose and help what kids that you want to help, which is, you know, going to the school reading with them. Yeah, you know flag football or anything in that area.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

You know what, and that brings up a good point. You know, I see, like, maybe like Nike trying to do some flag football stuff, nfl trying to come into some communities which is good to do some flag football, both of you, what do you guys think the importance of? That is Like starting at an early age, you know to not one, just develop you know an athletic mindset, but two, let's say, you know community involvement and staying out of trouble, and you know used to when your parents were like hey, get home before the streetlight, you know, comes on. Now it's like everybody's on their iPads or their phones or playing games. Do you think athletics has changed because of what's in front of us?

Mr. Tramaine Brock:

I'm not sure, but like change for as what.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

Like do you think kids are out there playing like we used to? Oh?

Mr. Tramaine Brock:

no, not at all, not at all, not at all. But you know, you still have some of those kids that are. I mean, life changes and you know the world changes, but some kids are, you know, I think. I feel like motivated more now. Because of what? From the game, yeah, you know, especially with the NILs, and not saying that it's not kids that love the game. You still have those kids that love the game, yeah, but some of them just hey, I just want to do it because of the perks that comes with it.

Mr. Tramaine Brock:

Yeah, you know, compared to back in the day where we was always outside. You know playing, or playing any sport you know. So, yeah, I think it's a big difference in that area. But, like you said on the flag football, I think it'll bring a lot of people out, because a lot of people love the game. Oh yeah, flag football you ain't got to. It's not too physical, you know. You just got to have fun, you know.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

Yeah, do you think there's more technique in flag football than there is traditional tackle football?

Mr. Tramaine Brock:

Oh, it's a difference of course. Yeah, because flag moving around you can. I've seen one dude that was comparing himself. He said he's better than Patrick Mahomes.

Mr. Jy Smith:

I've seen him dip to the ground.

Mr. Tramaine Brock:

Yeah, because you know it's a technique that they're using. So, yeah, it's different techniques out there.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

Yeah, Speed and agility for sure. Right For sure. Yeah, yeah, Jai, what do you think? I mean? Do you think our youth does a good job of getting out there? Can we do a better?

Mr. Jy Smith:

job. We can do a better job, for sure, but I feel like that comes with the adults, them seeing the adults do it. Okay, yeah, that's the main thing for sure.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

What do you think life's like when you guys walk around? Do you know that younger people are looking up to you guys still?

Mr. Jy Smith:

Yeah, yeah, for sure. Yeah For sure, because when they see you all by, or they know your accolades and stuff like that they look at you a whole different way than they look at the regular person, right?

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

right. And then they see you guys fit walking in, they're like, oh, I want to look like that guy Exactly. You know, I want to play in the NFL, like Tremaine did, right. So, yeah, I think it makes a big difference too. What about failure? Have you guys ever failed in athletics, and how did that make you feel? And did that make you feel like man, I gotta go harder, or were you down on yourself? What do you think, john? You first.

Mr. Jy Smith:

Okay, my first time, I believe, failure came to me was when I got hurt. I feel like I failed myself because I didn't do what I needed to do. But after learning from it, it was like there wasn't nothing I could really do about it. It was going to happen. It was going to happen. It's getting back and bouncing back and seeing how I can recover from that. I feel like when I got back from my injuries, I feel like nothing can hurt me because I feel like I've been through it all. Because when you get hurt, it's such a mental game than it is physical because you're going to get back. Now, how quick you get back is going to be on you.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

Yeah, it's harder, so that for real that, and you know, like your work ethic. But the health care team that surrounds you, right, yes, sir, as well, which, of course, you know, that's what we do here at Harden Sports Medicine, right, yeah, for sure.

Mr. Jy Smith:

Yeah, you have a lot. Yeah, that's the game right. We got to get you back on the field.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

That's the difference between you know sports medicine and just family medicine or whatever Exactly that's. Our job is to make sure you you back out there if you're going to do the same thing over and over again right, exactly. So what about you?

Mr. Tramaine Brock:

Have you had any setbacks? Tremaine, I feel like when I was speaking to him earlier, when I was at the University of Minnesota with my grades, I felt like that was because, you know, I got suspended and you know I was just back here figuring it out and I had to, you know, go get my GPA levels back up and I did it and I had to choose the colleges that I you know which one I wanted to go to. And you know, going to Belle Haven in AI, it's like, hey, you know what, what's now, Like what's next. But you know, I had, you know I had I brought a lot of scouts and you know, to Belle Haven, so it was that helped out, of course, so they still was behind me, so I still had that urgent feeling of that. I knew I still was going to get to the NFL, but that did. It was a downfall mentally for me, getting suspended, and it's basically starting over again, really.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

Yeah, you know, starting over again at another school, you know yeah, but beyond that, you were still motivated and that's why you made it to the NFL. Of course, yeah, see, that's what I think is so awesome, especially about athletics, because typically an athlete's mindset is going to be different than the layperson. You know what I'm saying. You can go sit in a classroom with everybody else, but you're challenged even outside there to do better and better and better every day. Yes, right, so that's why I like treating athletes as the mindset is there. I think it's awesome, man. So what's life like beyond athletics, jermaine, what are your future plans? You know, career outside of sports. Are you doing anything now? Are you getting ready, geared up to do something?

Mr. Tramaine Brock:

Yeah, I'm getting ready. I started with I was trying to do personal training and I was getting my certificate, but I had surgery on my arm and so then I kind of just fell back and now I'm starting up coaching, finishing my degree. I got 18 hours so I finished my degree and then I'm getting to the Bill Walsh program next year, march 2025. And just starting my career with coaching. So I get to choose different NFL teams, like five. I get to pick five to where I would want to start. Yeah, so I'm waiting on that. I'm very excited for that because I love the game.

Mr. Tramaine Brock:

Sure, that's a way for me to be back around the game and it excites me to be able to teach what I know, you know to, to anybody you know to anybody that wants to learn the game, because I I learned from some great coaches and my skill set that I have with NFL, you know I could, you know, branch off and teach people. You know, sure, like I said, I'm excited I'm excited for you, man.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

Now that's that's super exciting. I think uh, like the podcast uh is beyond the game, right? That's your way of giving back to where you were, right, you know, I think that's that's very inspiring for sure. So what about you, jai? Any uh opportunities you have coming up?

Mr. Jy Smith:

you uh get some businesses yes, the personal training, for sure. I'm really trying to get more into the athletes as well. That's where I like learn for real from, as well as getting into real estate as well too. With the market going down and a few, I'm gonna get into that yeah, yeah, that's a brave role right there.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

yeah, man, for sure man you know. Yeah, man, for sure man you know that's intimidating right.

Mr. Jy Smith:

Yeah, man that's good that you're doing that.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

Everything's a challenge yes, sir, that's right, that's exactly right. So do you all think that opportunities opened up after athletics because of athletics? Does that make sense? Yes, yeah, yeah, that makes sense, yes, for sure. So, like you say, you know in high school, tell us a little about high school to college. You know, you were telling me the other day which, by the way, jyterius is my trainer now too.

Mr. Jy Smith:

Man, well, my high school experience like if I was going back to what we were talking about yeah, well, I was bullied earlier in my middle school late middle school, early high school because of my weight and things. So people seeing me now it's like whoa, you a bully, like dude, you're huge, like no, but like the mindset it was two different mindsets. Yeah, it was two different, like my confidence, my ego, as well as working out, helped me build that and I feel like me telling other people about my story as well will help them and people who are dealing with that will help them as well further in life.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

Yeah, absolutely, you know. I agree with that. That's why we're here, right to tell our stories. Yes, sir, I think it's super important for other people who may be in that situation to sort of lean on you for some advice. Yes, sir, you know you can't go through life on your own.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

He didn't make it to professional athletics because of him. He made it because of his teammates. He made it because of his drive. But he didn't get that drive from just sitting around, you know, reading the newspaper, right? You know what I'm saying. So, yeah, no, I appreciate that from you guys, especially coming on our shows, because I want other people, especially young people, to realize that you can be in that top 1%. You got to have the mindset, you got to have the want, you got to have the drive. You know what I'm saying Exactly. And so, knowing what life looked like prior to what it looks like now, beyond the game, I think it's super important for other people to hear you guys talk about this and give them advice and keep them aspire to do more and more and more Right, yes, sir. So, jermaine, what can you give young people now? What the value of hard work and perseverance looks like you know like. What did you do personally to get where you are today? Would you, could you give them a piece of advice on that?

Mr. Tramaine Brock:

In the beginning. You know I love the game and like what we was talking about earlier, like how the kids nowadays are not outside. You know I was always outside, like, but it was natural, you know, because our parents made us go outside. But while I'm outside I'm working quote unquote, so to say I'm riding bikes everywhere, I'm swimming, I'm playing basketball, like you know, with all my friends I'm doing all those things. So that's work, right there, absolutely that we took it as just playing, but it's work. So as I got older and, like I said, the competition went up. You have to continue to work and out. You know I got to outwork the next guy. That's right, because it's going to correlate into your. You know everything. So you know, if you've got skills, if you've got talent, that hard work is going to correlate into that and that gets you out of. You know what puts you in the 1%, so to say.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

Right, so you're out of the norm and you're some of the elite, yeah.

Mr. Tramaine Brock:

Yeah. So you know, just dedication, really hard work and, like I said, man, you got to love the game Right To a degree. You have to love the game to a degree because that's what gets you your mind, your mental focus on. You know making it or you know doing whatever you feel like you want to do at any level. Like he said, everything is a challenge. Like you said, too, as well, you got to do it. You can't just sit around and not do anything if you want to become whoever you want to become.

Mr. Tramaine Brock:

Can't wait for somebody to place you in that position, so just hard work dedication prayers yes, and, like I said, the love of the game or love whatever you want to do and put, put it all into that.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

Do you guys think and I know this is kind of a touchy topic but do you guys think NIL has sort of I mean, it's obviously changed the game, like you were just saying? You know you got to want to love the game to get to the next level. You guys think a lot of the collegiate athletes may get burnt out because of NIL experience? You know they're able to do what they want make money here. You know name, image, likeness. Do you think that that's going to bring down that 1%? Like you're going to have to be the top dog to get up into the NFL now.

Mr. Tramaine Brock:

Yeah, it can. It can trigger a lot of young athletes, you know, because it's just like now you're a kid, a teenager, still some of them and you're making good money, yeah, and that might just, oh, I'm good, you know, they don't know, they might not know about money management, they might not know about certain things that comes with money. So they might be like, oh, I'm good, so the level of play goes down, right, and you know, now it trickles into oh, I'm not going to get drafted or anything. It's so many different variables to that. And then I seen one guy I forgot what school he was at the NIL promised him money and they didn't give it to him, so he left the school. So it's a lot of pros and cons to the NIL man, yeah too many variables, right yeah?

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

Overall, do you all think it has changed the game? Oh, yes, yeah.

Mr. Tramaine Brock:

I think so too. Like yeah, just with some of the things I was just saying. Like yeah, it changes. Like is are these kids trying to just go to college to get that, oh, and then they stop? Is that they quit? Well, you know what I'm saying.

Mr. Jy Smith:

Absolutely. You know. You just never know how it goes. Some college players making more than NFL players, and that's gonna be the difference. Now they're getting held to the same magnitude as some cert Cuz. A college coach gonna yell at you on you all day and then people be like I'm making more than you.

Mr. Tramaine Brock:

So what are you gonna tell me what to do? For real, for real.

Mr. Jy Smith:

And then I gotta go to school too. Man, you gay man.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

Yeah, yeah, what to do forever?

Mr. Jy Smith:

and then I gotta go to school too. Oh man, hey, man, yeah. So it's like it's a lot of aspects for it.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

It's a lot of different aspects yeah, no, I can totally see that. So what about, um, encouragement to remain adaptable and open-minded about opportunities? You know, like jive for you if you have five different schools looking at you, um, and and like we're just talking about money's there, scholarships there, do you follow your heart and still get to play the game or do you follow and this may be a tough question but or do you follow the money because things are being paid for and you know today, you know changes are made, things are more expensive, things like that. What would you tell a college kid right now, like being recruited to play in college? That? What would you tell a college kid right now, like being being recruited to play in college? What would you tell them not follow their heart and go to the school you want to go to, or follow the program that's going to outfit you with a new car and money?

Mr. Jy Smith:

I feel like most of the programs that are looking to give you a lot of money, most of the time they're giving you a lot of money. You're going to play, so it's really about getting your film on the screen for real. Yeah, but to me, just knowing how like injuries can happen anytime life happens at any time like that, I'm gonna tell them and personally myself, I'm gonna get that money and take my chances on that and following my heart with a good coach, just because it's just like the times we live in today like, literally, like. But really I want to say follow your heart, but at the same time, you can't turn down $500,000.

Mr. Tramaine Brock:

It's hard right.

Mr. Jy Smith:

Nobody turns it down. You shouldn't turn down. No money.

Mr. Tramaine Brock:

I just be honest with you.

Mr. Jy Smith:

In college, if you're 18, 19, and you get $500,000, hey man, go get that money For real though you can't leave it on the table.

Mr. Jy Smith:

No, you cannot leave it on the table. That's going to be the worst decision. You wind up getting hurt at another school and you be like, oh, I should have, I told you. I just told you. You never know what can happen, right? You never know it might be your last. That's why I tell my athletes that I train I to be you. Give your all, because you never know when it's going to be your last. Play your last snap. That's right. You never know.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

No, I like that. Yeah, I like that. What about you, Tremaine? What can you say about the importance of following your heart versus, you know, finding the right fit for you if you're being recruited to play in college today?

Mr. Tramaine Brock:

I think what he said. I mean I feel that too. Yeah, I mean you got to follow your heart, because everybody got different paths and roads you got to follow. Yes, you got to follow your heart and, yes, you got to make that right decision. But what really is the right decision we never know, because life goes on, that's right. I mean it's a hard decision, but you got to.

Mr. Tramaine Brock:

I feel, like you, what to do. You do it yourself, so you don't look back and be mad at somebody else and say you told me to make that choice. Yeah, so you do what you want to do, and because even life after the game you got to have one, and then life after college football, if you're going to the pros, you have another opportunity to make that money back More. You know, right, double, triple. So, man, you know, going into college after high school, just follow your heart and don't do what somebody tells you to do. Don't necessarily, like he said, though, man, you know everybody come up different and raise different. So some people need that money for their family. So people got to do what they got to do.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

Yeah, I'd say most people need it these days. I mean, yeah, it's gotten tough, man, and you know, college isn't getting any cheaper. No at all. You know what I'm saying? Cost of living isn't going to get any cheaper, you know. So, yeah, I agree with you guys. That's hard to balance right. It's hard to figure out, can I?

Mr. Jy Smith:

piggyback on what Jermaine was saying. As far as the recruitment and stuff like that. Like when I was getting recruited I'm listening to different people because I'm in junior college, so coming out of JUCO I only had one offer going. I was almost like a walk-on for real because my shoulders messed up coming out of high school. So I've never been recruited before. So coaches so I've never been recruited before. So coaches telling me different things and stuff like that, man, do what you feel like you need to do on your heart, which I did myself. So I can't be like, oh, I'm mad at nobody, because everybody telling you different stuff and feeling like because they, you the one putting all the work in, so nobody can't tell you where you need to go, you the one doing this. That's right, yeah, happy. So whatever makes you happy for real man, not listening to nobody else or what they got to say because they ain't put all the work in, because they would have been there if they did it.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

Hey, no, that's right, they would have been there.

Mr. Jy Smith:

If they did it, I lost a friend over there. People come to me all day and be like man. Why you ain't do it?

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

For real dude, you got all the ideas and stuff.

Mr. Jy Smith:

You do it.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

Yeah, for real, though it made me so mad. No, that's awesome man. Yeah, well, I encourage everybody to think about like these life decisions and I'm so blessed to have these guys on our show today to talk about their journeys in sports and now in life beyond the game. I think it's important, especially for young listeners today, to realize you know what life is like beyond the game.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

Athletics is one thing, and then you come out and you're like, okay, well, what's next? Well, the aspirations you guys have, you know to be a professional coach, to coach at the college level, over here at Vajay. You know to train people, to make people better. That's what it's all about and I love that. So I appreciate you guys for that. I appreciate you, yeah, yeah. So you know, do you all think that? In closing, do you all think that in any professional setting that you have like, you have money, you have heart, you have drive, you have motivation, do you think any of that will change over the next 10 years? Do you think the drive to be better will change, you know, over the next 10 years? Do you think the drive to be better will change over the next 10 years?

Mr. Jy Smith:

Me personally, I don't think it's gonna change. I feel like, with anything as far as with the money, I think everything goes up. It might not go up as fast for real, but history repeats itself, no matter what. Yeah so no, I really don't. If you got a good work ethic, that's going to show up in every aspect of life, um, just the mindset mindset over anything for real, yeah, might never matter for real yeah, what about you train?

Mr. Tramaine Brock:

yeah, no, it won't change at all. Like my, my mindset, like he said, my mindset is is there and it's here to stay until the end. So, so, and I have outside of myself I have people like my kids, I have kids that look up to me, so and I want to give them, like my daughter she watches me and she, dad, I want to work out my oldest daughter's 11. Dad, I want to work out. She's seen that, she's been to my games. So I, you know, I got to do it for them. You know to do it for them, you know. So that drive is it's never, it's never ending, it's never stopping in any area or aspect. You know, mentally, just in everyday life, you know it's forward, it's forward, right, yeah, Even if two steps got to take, two steps back on, if anything happened, I'm getting them two steps back. You know, move forward.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

Yeah, because you learn from those backward steps, right, to then move forward, right, right, yeah, no, I love that. Motivation is key, man. Motivation is key. You know, it's kind of like a translation and I'm just going to plug this in right quick. Not a lot of people know, but, um, I am the only sports med, um chiropractor in the state of mississippi who actually practice it day in and day out and I see athletes come in here and feel like injuries are going to stop them or they feel like their career is over and they may be at the top of their game right now, or they may just be, you know, getting there, you know they could be the next pro bowler or NFL star, right, you never know. So when I treat patients, I treat them all with the same respect that they need to get back out there. Their motivation and mindset are key.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

I think the psychology of athletics, unlike you guys say, the mindset is there, but sometimes you have setbacks. Those setbacks aren't career ending right. We have to be able to move forward and live in, like you said, tremaine, the next footstep. We have other people looking up to us, my kids especially. You know Jai comes to my house and trains me and I'm going to tell you something. My kids walk out and they get excited after he leaves. They say where did you live today? And I hit what? 345 on the squat the other day. I'm old man, I'm 38, right. And so what? We hit on bench yesterday 245. Yeah, 245. Right. So you know, the motivation is there. The motivation to do better is there because, you never know, somebody's always watching and, like Tremaine said, it's our kids. It's our kids, our young people, so it's about them.

Dr. Brandon Hardin:

I want to thank everybody for their time. Tremaine, josh, I really appreciate you guys coming on the show. I think a lot of listeners need to hear what you have to say because, again, that's going to help drive them forward and be a better person, a better athlete and better all around. I want to relay this and say, hey guys, stay connected with us. You can subscribe to the podcast, share it with your friends and don't forget to send us your questions and topics you'd like us to explore in the future, especially future episodes. To tease the next episode, again, it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, may and October. So go pink, save the boobs. We're going to have a special guest on next time to talk about her journey beyond dealing with stage four breast cancer and she is now in remission and she's loving life and she would love to explore the podcast to let you guys know what life looks like beyond that. So definitely stay tuned for that and remember, you know, in sports the journey truly never ends. So keep pushing your limits and we'll see you next time.