 What's up everybody and welcome to another edition of Falcons in Focus. I'm Scott Bear. That's Tori McElaney. You already know this dude. Falcons right tackle Caleb McGarry in the quote unquote hot seat. Although there won't be a lot of pressure involved with these questions. Thanks for joining us. That's awesome. And first question is you had a little homecoming game a couple weeks ago. You went back to the Seattle area. You're from the Pacific Northwest. First time in your professional career that you've gone back What was that experience like? First of all, and did you like find like an old restaurant that like that you liked in college? Did did you visit any old Hans? Did did you see any family like what was the homecoming game like? Well, I mean, first of all, it was awesome getting to play in Seattle again. You know, and get the win was like it capped off the week perfectly. It was amazing to answer your question. Yes, yes, and yes. I mean, it was getting to run around my old stomping grounds was awesome. Like the first day actually choked up a little bit when we went there for practice. Just, you know, going back somewhere that I had spent, you know, so much time, you know, energy and just like put so much of myself into. And, you know, I got I was welcome back so warmly by coaches and a lot of those coaches weren't there when I was there. You know, there's one or maybe two that were but by and large, these guys don't know me personally and to, you know, receive that kind of warm welcome was very, very humbling and very appreciated. It was awesome. It was a very good week. That's so nice. I love that too, especially because like you're saying like they don't necessarily know you, but like to have that companionship is really nice. Now, you also took the offensive line fishing, but like deep sea fishing. Is that correct? Like what type of fishing did y'all do? Because you have options. Yeah, right. Yeah. That's one of the cool things about Pacific Northwest is, you know, it's a lot like here in Georgia in the south where we have, you know, the Atlantic coast and the Pacific Northwest. We had the Pacific coast, but we went in the north end of the Puget Sound, which it's not really it's not deep sea fishing, but it's it's off the coast. You're in, you know, the it's kind of it's not really an estuary, but it kind of is, you know, it's the inlet is giant inlet of water. Essentially on the other side of the Olympic Peninsula and we went fishing for salmon, coho salmon, aka silvers. And it was awesome. It was a blast. Man, we went with the outdoor line company. They did an awesome job, man. It was so much fun. It was a blast. I heard y'all also brought fish back to eat to the hotel to eat. Yep. Was it all good? Like preparing fantastically. They didn't believe me. They didn't believe that like real fresh salmon from the Pacific Northwest was different, man. They didn't buy it. And I think I think I made a believer out of all of them. So you had a company, but could you have just been the guide? If you felt like it, like were you kind of like King fishermen among all of the fishermen that were there? Although all the options go ahead and brag. I wouldn't say that at all. I've probably fished that. Well, certainly that type of fishing I probably have the most experience with out of, you know, at least the players that were there, like I fished quite a bit, you know, living up in the Pacific Northwest and I fished quite a lot in the off season. But I certainly don't think I'm quite guide level. You know, I could I could take a buddy or two fishing, you know, to a spot that's not too bad and maybe get into a couple. But you know, we we hooked 14 fish. I think 14 or 16 fish. That's a good day. That was a great day. So I wouldn't I wouldn't call myself quite quite at that level. But man, it was it was awesome. It was just so fine. Who was the best fisherman out of everybody? At least who caught them? Yeah, who caught the most? That's a better question. We kind of took turns as the. Okay, we took turns. Our boat definitely caught more. Who was on your boat? So we had a Hennessy, me, Dolman, Colby, Gossett and. One of the one of the staff with us. Okay. And I think that was all the players. I think that was all the players that was there and then Noozle and some of the other staff went to the other boat. Just because there was a space for everybody on on one boat, but it was it was a blast. That is fantastic. Now, the next question that I have for you is actually something that many people have already answered because if you remember during camp, you know, y'all do the question of the day things that's up on the when y'all walk off practice field. And one of the questions was who would you want to be stranded on a deserted island with? And a lot of people said you. And so a vast majority of them said you and I'm just curious, like, what is your pitch to them to make them decide, you know what? I'm going to take Caleb McGarry with me to this deserted island. Okay. Well, if you don't want to die, pick me. That's all you need. I mean, you know, that's kind of my thing is I'm very, very outdoorsy. I like the outdoors a lot and growing up in Washington, you know, sticking with West, I had access to just the absurd amount of, you know, public land and all the space. And so I basically ran wild in my younger years like Tarzan. Just it was just unbelievable. I drove my mom nuts because I'd come home from school, drop my backpack off at the door and I just disappear. I'd be gone. Yeah. I'm out heading to the wilderness. Basically, or as close as I could get. Right. So that's just what I grew up doing. Like, I'm very big into survival skills. You know, starting fires without matches, things like that. Like that's that's what I like to do in my spare time is learn and develop those skills. So that's, you know, I would not put myself on a level with any, you know, kind of, you know, survival master, survival instructor, anything like that. Like I haven't spent my entire life dedicated to that, you know, but I'm pretty good. I think I'd be fine. Okay. That's good to know. Yeah. And if you're a wild animal and you live in the Oregon, Washington region and, and they saw you, they should probably run. Well, if they don't see me, they probably deserve what's going on. That's a great. I'm a large pale monkey with very little hair. So they should recognize it. Yeah. So as somebody whose, whose last name is bear, I've heard that you've come after my kind a couple of different times that you have that you've successfully hunted for bear at this point. Yes. Okay. So there are, that spawns a thousand questions, which basically just, I just want to know about it. Like how, like, like, do you track them? How do you, you know, like, how do you find them? How do you hunt them? All that type of thing. Cause it seems like if you're going after an apex predator, don't miss, right? I mean, yeah, that's, you know, I will tell you bear hunting does definitely get your adrenaline up, you know? Cause there are a lot of people don't realize that, you know, they think bears are these large lumbering creatures that are loud and bears are predators, people, people don't realize bears stalk and kill people. Like a black bears will do it, grizzly bears will do it there. Yeah. Bears, what? I think 30 or 40 miles an hour and something that I didn't know that I found out because I knew, I knew there were dangers for at least short periods of time, like that they could sprint very fast for at least a short period of time. I did not know that they are actually excellent long-distance runners hours. Oh Lord. So you're, unless you are faster than the bear, you're not out running the bear. So they're, no, they're, they're incredible creatures. But as far as like pursuing them, it's, it's difficult because bears are very temperamental in the sense that, you know, this bear, and I chased one bear for two years once. Wow. One singular bear? Yeah, one singular bear. Wow. A bear can show up like berry patches, like in Washington, you can't bait bear. So you have to find them in like berry fields or, you know, creek crossings where there's blackberries or blueberries or stuff like that, you know, something, some food source that is, that they like that they're hitting often and pattern them with like a trail cam. And the annoying thing about bears is, you know, a bear is going to do whatever a bear wants to do whenever they want to do it. Like they, they can show up at that same spot at the same time, almost like, almost to the minute for weeks and then the three days you get to go there, they're gone. They're just gone. And then a month later, they show back up do the same thing for a week disappear for a month. They just, whatever they want to do, whenever they want to do, they are incredibly stealthy when you, you would not expect a couple hundred pound animal like that to just like appear out of the forest, but they do. I went hunting in the Clearwater National Forest in Idaho this spring. That's where I got two bears this spring. And it's insane because one moment you're, you know, you're watching this crossing or the spot. You can bait in Idaho. So that's, you know, what a lot of people do and it works very well. Usually. I'm glad that you add a door. That's the thing, you know, they can show up and then all of a sudden they just don't, you know. And, you know, they, you're watching this pile and you kind of look down or you're reading your book that you're broad and you kind of look up and all of a sudden there's this giant effing blob there. Like there's no twig snap. There's no rustle of leaves in it. You know, it could be, you know, a hundred yards away, which not that far really. And they're just all of a sudden they're there like out of nowhere. Yeah, it's crazy. It's really cool. Yeah. But it's it is crazy. Wow. Yeah, they're cool. So yeah, don't miss moral of the podcast. Don't miss. Don't miss. Where do you keep your bears that you have? So I don't know how to ask. No, no, no. So I have one of the hides I have here in my house in Georgia and the other two I'm currently getting processed, tanned out and stuff professionally in Washington. Those will probably be at my place back home and wash. Okay. Is it like a full like stuffed bear or is it like a bear rug? So one of them I'm actually having made into like a throw slash kind of blanket, which I'm very excited about. That'll be cool. Yeah. The other one, the big the really big bore I had, you know, he wasn't trophy size or anything, but he's a very good sized bore. I had this really beautiful white patch on his chest. So I decided to get him mounted so I could kind of show off that really big, pretty white patch. Wow. So one of them is getting stuff. The other one's being a blanket. Okay. So noted. So are we talking like bow hunting is like a passion of yours. Is it all different types? I mean, we're talking about bow or we're talking about a bunch of different stuff or do you just have one area? I'm very fast. I love talking about this. Feel free. So I mean, I love hunting in general, but my personal favorite is definitely bow hunting. It's funny though. So I got it like I got a deer with my bow last week. But when I was hunting bear, so I brought my bow and my rifle. I hunted with my bow for five days. Didn't see any bear. Nothing and bears had been coming through on trail cams regularly, but just for whatever reason, when I was there, they just weren't. And like this is practically bathing in, you know, scent killer stuff like that, you know, doing everything you can to that because bears bears sense of smell is like unrivaled. You you can fool their eyes. You can fool the ears. You cannot fool a bear's nose. If the wind changes changes on you and goes bad and blows like from your back towards them yet toast and they can be hundreds of yards away. They can be hundreds of yards away and smell you. It's incredible. Yeah. They've survived this long for a reason. Yeah. They are. 105 days with my bow. Didn't see a single bear. 102 days with my rifle. Saw a bear each day. Wow. I don't know where. I don't know where. Wow. That's that's the thing. My favorite is definitely bow hunting, but, you know, I love all hunting in general. I support all hunting. I think I just have a very deep appreciation and respect for like the more primitive hunting styles like archery, muzzle loader, you know, things like that where you don't have quite, you know, such a mechanical advantage. Right. Yeah. And that's not, you know, throwing a shade at, you know, modern firearm hunters because, you know, they get like two weeks of the year to hunt as opposed to, you know, archery guys like me who could hunt, you know, depending on the state, basically the entire hunting season. That's like four or five months. You know, so give and take. Interesting. Yeah. On the same line of questioning as your weapon of choice, her through the grapevine and my notes for this, it literally just says ask about giant ass sword. So what I've heard that you have a quote, giant ass sword. What is it? Why do you have it and where it isn't in an undisclosed location? So I have always won. I've always been like a medieval arms buff. I love everything sharp straight up from like broadheads and archery to pocket knives, swords, fixed blades. I am I'm kind of I'm a little bit of a nut and I'd always wanted a great sword, but finding, you know, a quality produced great sword in the modern era is very, very difficult because, you know, that was like back in the 15th century. Right. So, you know, we've moved on a little bit. Not a lot of sword makers that, you know, just make, you know, six foot swords. But I got hold of this sword Smith in Texas called Valiant Armory and they they were willing to make me my sword and it is it is a it's like a almost six foot on the dot maybe a little more six foot long 15th century great sword and it is like one of my favorite possessions absolutely ever. I I take that thing with me everywhere I can. Sometimes I would sometimes I straight up walk my dog around the neighborhood wearing it on my back because I can be you're probably one of the only people that could probably carry it. Like, yeah, I was going to pick it up. I'd be like, you know, that thing's taller than me. Yes. No, it is definitely. Fun fact. Swords are not heavy. Really big swords are not heavy. I mean, you're talking, you know, five pounds as a heavy sword. That's a heavy sword. Really? Okay, well, that is I did not know you would not think a six foot chunk of sharp steel would be that light. You'd think, you know, 1050 everybody has these kind of romanticized like swords are really crazy heavy and they're not I can I can almost wield it one handed. Now granted, that has a lot to do with grip strength, right? But you know, that just goes it's not that heavy because if it was, I mean, I'm not willing to think one handed if it's as heavy as you would think. Yeah, like long swords, the typical long sword, which is, you know, blade three, three to three and a half fish feet long. Three pounds. You know, I'm just like imagining like you like out for a walk with your dog because you have you have a dog, right? What's your dog's name again? Waylon. Waylon. Yes. A lab. Yep. Yeah. Yeah. I'm just imagining you like walking down with Waylon just like to do you with a giant I have gotten some odd looks from neighbors. Okay, you know, I'm happy for you, man. They've kind of accepted me for what I am. They they get it because like there's a little amateur blacksmithing. If that's a hobby thing. Yeah, right. And that's another another century art form that you're bringing back a little bit. So something like that. I don't I really valuable like usable like usable trade skills. Sure, smithing, you know, carpentry, things like that. And it's, you know, it's not as as in demand as it once was, obviously, because with the advancement of electronics and machines. But I think there's a lot to be said for, you know, a craftsman that could take a scrap chunk of steel and turn into something beautiful and usable, you know, and it's it's partly the prepper in me, you know, if the world goes all the hell being able to make tools, essentially tools and weapons and stuff could be pretty handy. Yeah. And, you know, honestly, it's just fun. Like, I think it's cool to be able to make a knife out of, you know, an old lawnmower blade or a saw blade. You know, those are things like he's definitely speaking from experience. I might have to call somebody to fix a sprinkler head at this point. But nonetheless, in doing the homework for this interview, you've really lived, man. I appreciate that. You know, and I think, you know, growing up where you grew up, what you went through in high school, you know, and everything to get to kind of where you are now. I mean, how did that shape you? I guess, maybe the broadest way that I could, you know, possibly ask it. You know, honestly, as difficult as some of that stuff was, and, you know, it was exacerbated by, you know, being a teenager. You know, it was all it was, it was, you know, it all seemed so much worse just because as a teenager, you don't have any concept of the real world or, you know, what it entails. You just know that you can't do the stuff you want to do and that sucks, you know. But what it really gave me was perspective. Like I have, I think I have a very good perspective of the world and life in general and people. And I think that serves me well. I think it's made me very good at, you know, taking people for what they are. And you're not expecting them to be things that are not and just moving on. It, I think it's made it easier for me to be happy because I, I understand better. I think I have a good enough perspective that I can just take things as they come. As, as somebody who's was the first on draft pick and a professional football player, do you have an appreciation? I'm getting all deep now for where you are now knowing that you've been down on your luck. You know, your dad's lost his job. You've lived in an RV. You've done some of these things. You've transferred schools as a kid to new areas. Do you, do you feel like you have a greater appreciation for maybe where you are now? Because of all those things? Absolutely. And that's, that's the whole perspective thing is, you know, that's why I'm, I'm getting better. I'm not as much of a tight wad. I used to be terrible. Yeah, dude, going, going to the store to buy good food was the craziest thing. And it's not like, you know, when my parents always did the very best they could. And, you know, very rarely did we not have, you know, good food of some kind or, you know, something to eat or anything like that. But being able to go into a store and buy the type of milk you want, you know, the cuts of steak, you know, things like that, things that, you know, you just don't go do when you're a struggling college student or a high school or, you know, it's, it was really weird to get used to being able to, you know, within reason, kind of do what I want, you know, and learning to manage because that was a whole other journey is learning to manage that and grow a little bit and let myself have some extra fun, you know, and learn that that's, it's okay, you know, to that's, that's what working so hard for so long to get here and then working so hard, even harder to stay, right? That's what makes it worth it, you know, is that you can do these things and it's okay now. Like that's it. You have put yourself in a position that allows you to do these things. I think that's fantastic. I mean, and we were looking back over a few things and you even said, I think at one point I can't remember exactly when you said this, but you you made the comment like, never thought football would be the career that I pursued. Like never thought that this was the way that my life was going to go and for you, I mean, when you think about that mindset, when did that change for you? That this was like, you know, football can set me up to have the life that I want. You know, it didn't really sink in until like towards the end of college, I guess that I had a that I had a real shot at this because, you know, every little boy's dream is to go to the NFL. But, you know, very few of us really it's it's not as tangible. You know, it's a dream. It's like this far off thing. And when I was a when I was when I was a kid, I think seventh grade, I think, you know, I began to like I felt like I was good at football. I began to realize that I was good and I just I just played it because it was fun. It was a blast. It was like like I played football and basketball to my heart's content. I loved them. But I felt like I was really, really good at football and I told my dad that I was going to pay for my own college one day. But that was as close as I'd gotten. And after that really, like after that moment, the idea kind of like fell into the background and I just I went back to just playing football for a while and then in high school, you know, all of a sudden I go to a couple of camps at colleges and I start getting offers and it just kind of explodes from there. And you know, fast forward a couple of years to college and I'm actually sitting in my apartment in Seattle at dinner one night and it just kind of hits me. Holy I can do this. You know, I like this is a reality. Yeah, I might have a real chance here at being able to get somewhere that not just changes my life, but my whole family's like this could this could really turn into something for me because my goal was just to get to college in high school, you know, get to college, get an education, you know, learn, continue to learn, do you know, continue to expand my horizons. I I didn't expect at all for it to turn into what it has. And you know, when I realized that it could, I got so excited. Like it was it was really cool moment. I feel like so empowered right now and we're learning about you play some tight end in high school. I did. I just like to imagine like a 510 175 pound safety being like, what am I supposed to do with this guy? I was a I was a very standard large tight end. And you know, in the sense that I didn't have any juke moves. I wasn't I wasn't, you know, no, I wasn't a cow. Exactly what you would think. I could catch the ball pretty well and I could run people over. Yeah. I had I had a kid jump on my back ones and I actually scored a touchdown after running over his teammate with him on my back. Is there a video of this somewhere? Oh, I have no idea. It was it was a long time. I would have I would pay money to see that. That's hilarious. I remember a passing camp we were doing. I think in my junior year I was still learning. We hadn't started the season yet. I was still really learning the position and we're in a 7 on 7 scrum. And I was on I was on a ten yard dig and I accidentally ran over the other team's middle line backer. I did. I like I I just did. There's no point in looking at him. So I I go to make my cut. Well, it's not really cuts more of a rounded. There's no cut to it. Yeah. Like I was six, seven. There's no real cutting. So I go to round off my route and you know, I see him in my peripherals, but I'm not going to deviate from my route. I keep watching my quarterback and I feel myself step on his cleat on his foot. And then I step on something else. Squishier and I just keep going and stomach. Yeah, that was that was actually his stomach. I had pinned his foot. He had tripped and fallen and I just I just mowed the poor kid down. And which would then my quarterback threw me the ball and I scored. It was great. It was worth it. But I didn't understand why the coaches are laughing so hard till I looked back and he was on the ground. Oh my gosh, he was OK for the record. He was noted. Maybe not his pride, but if you're listening to this or watching this, send video to Atlanta Falcons. Yeah, I'd love to see where this guy is now. I don't care if it's on VHS, we'll find a way to make it work back in the day. This is as close to a football question as I'm going to get to before we go to our kind of rapid fire segment. Have you pitched Arthur Smith on a big guy touchdown play? I know you're not going to say if it's in the package or not, but have you had the conversation? Not coach Smith. I've kind of badgered our line coach about it because, you know, there's over the years there's been a lot of love to the left tackles and stuff. But that's true. It is always left tackles. There's always love to the left tackles, but you never see a little you never see it. Give me to the guys on the right. I don't think it's happening anytime soon, but you know, I have hope. I have hope one day, maybe one day run over. It might be harder to run over the middle linebacker this time. It might be, you know, considering it's pro football. I'm not nearly as fast compared to everybody else. So yeah, there's that. Oh my gosh. Oh wait, one more from me and then we'll get into rapid fire. I promise. But recently read a story from our good friend, Josh Kindle, who works for the athletic about you were talking about, you know, one day far from now when you retired from football, that you want to live off the grid. And I want to know what that means for you because Scott and I were talking, we're like off the grid for us. It's like, Oh, I don't take my cell phone with me to the grocery store. But I feel like your definition of off the grid is very different. So what is that intel for you? It is a little different. You know, I just I really I've always been in love with, you know, the the Western frontier, quote unquote, you know, like I grew up reading just rabidly Louie Lamar books and Zane Gray and book, you know, books about, you know, the old days, trappers, cowboys, mountain men, all the above. And I have always kind of wanted to have my own little homestead. And yeah, that's that's really what I was talking about is I'd love, you know, one day to have my own little place up in the mountains, you know, where it's quiet and just kind of have to have my garden, have my animals, my barn and stuff and just kind of be able to do what I do. You know, that that kind of thing. So chill. I love it. Now it's time. Now it's time. Rapid fire. So we don't have any sound effects. We just do our own. So we end every single episode doing a rapid fire game. So are you ready? Hit me. Okay. First question, your favorite play as a Falcon, any wide zone to my side? Anything. I mean, okay, I'll strike any run play to my side. Any run play to my side. So when they ran 14 consecutive times, a lot of times to the right. Very happy. You were very happy. Very happy. Normally, this next question is about it's about music, but since I've heard you say that your life is like a country song, I've heard you say that sometimes. If and we're not going to make you sing now. There is a microphone. Everybody, that's listening. Thanks. Thanks. Thanks. But is there a country song that you would be willing to do at karaoke? If you'd had maybe like the right amount of course lights or something. I'm not sure. Boy, that's that's hard. Like I'm a real sucker for like old country. Yeah. All right. I think the song Luke and Bach, Texas by Wayland Jennings is that the I would suck at it, but that is one of my favorite songs. Is that who your dog's name after? Yep. Wayland Jennings. Well, look at that. Oh, full circle. Next one, favorite restaurant ever. Which is very difficult. Okay. So also originally, the question was going to be like, what's your favorite like game to eat that you can't and kill or like, yes, like something that you have hunted and honestly bear. Really? I love I love bear meat, especially if you get one out of a berry patch or berry fields, which is since you can't beat him in Washington. That's how you know, that's your best odds. If you find a great big berry patch somewhere, you know, and just sit on it, there's a good chance of bears going to come through. Those are always the best tasting. I mean, they're that's nice and sweet. Yeah, it is crazy. You would be very surprised at how good bear meat can be. Takes note. Eat bear from the berry patch. Well, okay. Scott bear can't. You can't. Yeah, that's your brother. So that's not the, okay, so that's not a favorite restaurant, but bear from berry patch. Okay. I think that's a good. I like more than I like favorite restaurant. Um, who's the Falcon you hang out the most with? Definitely, definitely Chris. Definitely Lynch from the right guard. That really fits out. Well, you guys work together every day. Work together, came in together. That's true. Literally see each other every single day. Every step. Every day. Have you taken him hunting with you? Not yet. Not yet. I'd like to one day. Yeah. Yeah. We'll see if he wants to. That'd be cool. Right. Yeah. Cause he's a Boston College guy. I don't know how much hunting he's done. You know, I don't think much. I'd love to see him though. I love seeing him out hunting. That'd be funny. That'd be good. Now, last one. Um, what is your pet peeve? Your biggest pet peeve? Pet peeve. This one trips up people. Honestly, when you walk into the bathroom and somebody has on the toilet seat and not cleaned it up. Unclean man. I, I, it's, I hate that. What are we 12? Like I, yeah, I get it. Everybody misses. Whatever. Clean up. You're not a child. I, I, it's not that. It's not. It's an extra five seconds. That's so, it's, it takes so little effort to look so much less disgusting. I, I hate that. I, I hate that so much. And on that note, Caleb, like I was going to have some like fancy conclusion. Nope. Clean up after yourselves. Gosh darn it. Thank you guys for joining Falcons final whistle. I'm Scott. That's Tori. This is Caleb. Like, subscribe. Like, subscribe. All that fun stuff. We'll talk to you next week.