 What's up everybody and welcome to the latest edition of the Falcons in focus podcast. I'm Scott bear. That's Tori McElhaney our feature introduced himself Mike ready. We've done 17 of those. That's a first. I know Congrats, man. You introduced yourself. He is Falcons defensive backs special teams Extraordinaire tone setter plays like hair is constantly on fire and Unofficial hype man for the Mercedes Benz stadium crowd because when the man's done with kickoff coverage He is like in the crowd be like you stand up you stand up I mean you get about as pumped as anyone. I've covered this league a long time. You love playing football Oh, yeah, I love the game. It's a it's a passion of mine I'm pretty sure what we're about to have this interview is it's gonna pretty much It's gonna tell on into what why my passion is so strong So my dad is pretty much my passion behind all of it and then plus like you said on kickoff I'm going down on kickoff the next group to go out there as the defense Why not give those guys energy and you know, we want the other quarterback not to be at a here So yeah, that's my goal is to get it going and that's what fans can see on the field But what we see around the facility is Mike has fun with everything Yeah, and I want to bring up something kind of random to start this we we were in Washington State for like a week, and I think it was on a Tuesday where a bunch of y'all went out to like a military base And there are photos of Mike forward having the time of his life He's shooting machine guns. He's throwing grenades and apparently Avery Williams said collecting pins. Yeah, I mean patches Yeah, we had every on the podcast and he was like, yeah Somehow some way we look over and Mike has all of these patches just like that. He's taken from people We don't know how that happened Was that a real like kid in the candy store sort of moment for you? So it's definitely a kid in the candy store. Like I said, my dad is pretty much he's like that's like my life I'm not gonna lie. So He was in the army, you know, so just like getting to be around those guys, you know I'm I like guns as well. So just seeing like those guys and what they do and actually being up in front in person I was like, man, I know it takes like some work to earn those patches So I was like, let's see what happens if I asked one of them for so literally it was just kind of one of those things where first person I seen I was like, man, I really like that patch. Like can I have it and he took it off and Well, I'm gonna collect all different ones. So I seen a different one I asked the next guy and it just kept going as they asked me for autographs I asked them for their patch and we just trade it off, man, I love it and also Did you get to sit in a helicopter or was it a helicopter? Or was it a fighter jet? I want to say it was one of the fighter jets Avery was in the front I was in the back and like they was just showing us like all the the tools and how everything works inside of the plane It was pretty cool. So I mean, I'm not gonna lie. I experienced everything Everything that y'all have to everything they had literally have the plane they had whatever they had I got Yeah, so it was just it was really interesting. I love do a lot of I'd do it again. I'd love to do it again Yeah, that's awesome. Is that kind of like your nature just like wanting to experience and do kind of different stuff Is that how you are like away from the field? Yeah, I'm definitely a guy that wants to try new things like I've always been that way like if we like when I was a kid If I seen a guy out there doing a backflip. I'm like, all right. Well, let me try. How do you do it? Yeah, you know, so it's just always how I've been I always, you know, one of those people that's like if you can do it I could do it. So like it was just it's like kind of one of those things, you know So it's just something that I've always been into me as a person and something that I've always loved to do is, you know Try new things. So it just comes naturally. Yeah, and it's I think for as much of that of the of the fun Loving kind of parts like that we're talking about I saw an Instagram post from 493 weeks ago, I think exactly I don't know a long time and it was basically like it showed a picture of people like dancing in a club and it said Y'all want to do this and then it showed a picture of the NFL draft stage and it said I want to do this Yeah, and you're a guy from Southeast Missouri State who is an established NFL veteran. Yep, doing it the right way The journey, right? You know, like we're all having fun here But sometimes right it's about work to get to where you are and to be where you are now after all of the hard work Undrafted guy earned your way. Is there some gratification for how you did it and the way that you worked at it? I give all my thanks to God, man I mean, that's who that's who I think, you know, I've always had the mindset that I was gonna be here But without God, it wouldn't be possible without my dad. That's like I said everything. It's pretty much gonna go back to him I feel like that's my angel. There's been situations I've been in where I just know that it was him putting his hand on me So I just feel like you know, yes, it takes hard work, you know It's not been easy this row has not been easy. But like you said 400 some weeks ago That's yeah, that was my goal and I wasn't no I wasn't gonna accept anything else. Yeah to to that end I mean when you kind of think back and One of my favorite things is to talk to people who did go to smaller schools and Trying to get on the radar of some of these scouts that are you know going to these big schools I mean, do you have a story of kind of a moment where you're like, hey I'm getting on these people's radar and I'm gonna be there one day Okay, so it's crazy because like coming in as a freshman at CMO like I was I was like another guy You know, but then we started doing like summer workouts and I stood out and like a lot of guys were like, man Like you're a little different, you know, so like we do the little drills I compete and it was like we did it all throughout the summer I want to say I lost one rep and I was a I was a red shirt freshman at this time and Like we I tested off the charts. I have a lot of older guys. They're my friends and they were like Mike like You got a chance do like how athletic you are like you have a chance just put this together I put it together on the field that you have a chance and My red shirt sophomore year I come out there and I led the conference with interceptions and like from that moment on I was like just having those guys around me my friends and that support and them telling me that I could do it It was like once I did that and I made all conference. I was like, man I just need a chance to get in the door. I need I just need a team to come to my pro day Hey, it went from you know, I put the film out there now. It's come see me That's all I need is you to come see me because I like they would say I was like I know I'm athletic enough to get inside of this building Once I get there like my work will say stand for itself So that was my goal and I'd say after my red shirt sophomore year Let's say I wear the guy's shirt. I wore it today. Actually, his name is Ryan Moore. That's my guy, man That's like my best friend. He's a roommate of mine He's actually one of my trainers that I trained with and that was the guy that we always tell me like Mike You're athletic enough. Just keep going. Just keep going. He was my starting corner next to me that year too So, you know that guy he helped me get the mindset going back because I after my freshman year college I almost We're kind of thinking Is this it, you know, so he helped me keep my head on keep my head on and keep everything straight forward So, you know, I give a lot of thanks to him and that's one of my best friends to this day And then like once you get here, that's hard staying here is harder Right and you have found a way to stay in there both on defense and special teams and just just being Good being steady, right? I mean like once you get here then like how do you stay here? Like what's your mindset going through cuz so like where you what you're five now? Yeah So funny story man coming in like I said, I was undrafted I want to say my signing bonus was like $7,000. So I got like five. I got five after that You know, I didn't have a place to live none of that. So, you know, I was really like I got to work Like I had I got to go to work like if they cut me next week. I'm not gonna have anything You know, so it's like I just went in there work funny story, man. My My rookie year I walked to work the whole preseason. You did how long of a walk was that I stayed I stayed literally I want to say it was two minutes. So they have the the Lions facility right here and they have Apartment complex like literally a block. It's a stoplight right there. And that's where apartment complex is I lived right there and like you say what helped me get here is I prided myself in I was gonna be The first person there. I was gonna be the last person to leave part of that was because I didn't want anybody to see me walking So I'm gonna be the first person there because nobody So I prided myself being the first person there and then funny story we're playing Chuck Washington this week He was a guy that was a special teams guy that you know, he taught me a lot He used to just like stick around in the building. He just be there. So then it became a competition for me Like I'm very competitive. It's like I'd see him there. All right. Well, what else can I do? Why he's here and we would just compete and I just stick around that stick around because I knew he was a teamer's guy I mean, that's ultimately my competition, right? So My rookie year. I mean, I just pride myself being the first guy there Then last gotta leave any time somebody wanted to take a playoff I ran out on the field whether it was with the ones twos whatever the coach would have Mike No, no, no, we got this guy. So I just tried to steal every rep I could I tried to make a play like that was my actual goal that I've had it with myself was make a play Every day that way they can't get rid of you because if they see you on film every day How can they let you go if it's something good? and that was just my goal man be the first one there last one to leave make a play a day and I mean so far that's been my that's how I take approach every day I come out here on this field and I'm still here. So and still here and you'd kind of mentioned that that you have your angel, right? That we're sitting you're talking to Mike Ford junior. Let's talk a little bit about Mike Ford senior Just for those who don't know Your father passed when you were about six months old. Yeah in a in a single car accident, correct and I guess Tori and I kind of kept kind of talking about this and When you're that young we kind of thought like how do you learn about your dad? How do you find out about all the good things that he did and we've read and there are a lot of good things? Yeah, right. How did like how do you go about? Finding out about those things. Well, like my my dad he um, he's very diverse with his friends I would say so like he everybody in the city Pretty much knew him, you know, like you said, it's when you're kind of a Crazier guy on the field. It's easy to point that guy out He was one of those guys on the sideline kind of like me riled up He'd bang his head on the bench. He was like one of those guys. So everybody knew him He was a nice guy do anything for anybody. So just his character was, you know Self-explanatory when when you talk about him everybody wants to talk about him So it was it wasn't much for me to growing up, you know My goddad was my dad's best friend. So it didn't take much for me You know pop a question here and there pop a question and everybody wanted to tell me like man Your dad was this way your dad was this way So everybody just feed me stories because of who he was as a person, right? They wanted me to know, you know who he was so everybody just tell me all these stories And then it wasn't until like I did in the last interview until I was 10 When I finally got to meet my dad's mom and my grandma and all of them and then that's when it like really Like I don't I took a deep dive into like who he really was man I got to read like his letters from the army I just got to really understand who he was see all his trophies see everything he he pretty much accomplished And that's when I really like I really understood who he was. Yeah, because I'm sorry Trey He was a high school football player a pretty good one. He was in the army. Yeah, correct, right? So I mean he had accomplished a lot early on When you kind of are in this process of kind of finding out about who Who this person was not just like two people around you, but how he could impact your life I mean, do you have a story that kind of that you heard over the years where you were like that kind of epitomizes who I believe he was I would just say man like a lot of the stories It's just crazy because they're all like it like I mean it's just like a lot of good stories about him like for example like Somebody do something wrong to him like for example my dad. He was a big collector in coins So he collected like half dollars dollar coins. He collected quarters He'd have them all like in binders and stuff. Oh, yeah, I used to when I was a kid I collected a state quarters. It was like anytime there was a state quarter I remember those little binders You'd slot them in I know exactly what he used to do that and then my mom's brother. I guess the story my mom's brother One day he had a lot of like quarters and stuff in his car and my mom's brother like my uncle He stole it from him. You know and except for getting mad like the story is like my dad really just looked at him He's like dude if you needed a couple bucks like I would have gave it to you and pulls out like a $20 Here though you can have this You know, it was just like that just shows his character like man It's never about like he doesn't it's not about the material things man It's more so about you know a respect thing, you know, I'll do anything for you And that's something that I live by like you guys a lot of guys in the locker room like they know I'll do anything for them when they're down. I'm right there for them to pick them up Like it's just it's just you over me type of mindset. Yeah, you know somebody else first Yeah, and I probably should have asked you this before we were on camera, but can we see your right for him? Can you see the tattoo? It's pretty much Okay, well then well then just kind of I describe it to us. I'll show you you want to show it or no sure What the heck no, is that good on camera? I mean Describe it to us and maybe add some photos later on basically I have like on the top of my arm Is pretty much his football number number 42? It has his name above it his numbers are in red because he went to all in red birds Okay, that was his logo his numbers school so his colors I have dog tags because he was in the army one has the year he was born other has the year he died There's a flag coming down for like his American flag because he's an army Have an eye back there, which everybody jokes like you're looking at me But like no, it's like my dad pretty much symbolizing that he's always watching over me. He's always looking out for me I have two clocks with stairs going up there one is the the day died and the day was born in the inside I have the ocean and I'm other than father Family first on my wrist, which is a matching tattoo with my brother my mom's name I kind of have like a Dead tree in a way and I chose to do that because like my foundation It wasn't like it wasn't like a we didn't come from much, you know, we didn't have much But we made use of what what we had so I mean, it's a dead tree, but it's living and it's holding up pretty good Yeah, I'd say so, you know, I say that's like our foundation and then I got this big shark in the middle because that's me I'm willing to Attack for my and always swimming Just keep swimming, you know as as our good friend Dory once said now It's funny too because you're talking about I just kind of how your story just connects and everything You talk about not coming from much. Well, you get into the league and you are able to buy your mama house And yeah, I can't wait to talk about this So I I watched we watched the video that you had put on Instagram and got me man It was first of all, it was funny because My favorite part was you running through the house and you're in the garage And you're kind of just like peeking underneath when when she does pull up But please tell us a little bit about what like that day and and kind of what that day was like for you I would say that was that was like a life goal being accomplished that day Yeah, because from the moment The moment that I picked up a football I told my mom My fault Yeah from the moment that I picked up the football I told my mom that I get her a house because I growing up Me and my brother shared a room and Todd was like 1516 and my little sister stayed in the room with my mom and my stepdad so We ain't have bro. Sorry. No, it's fine. We have nothing man. I Don't want to embarrass myself. But yeah, like we didn't have much bro, right? We made it look like we had a lot, but We have nothing So that was my promise from the moment I picked up a football was like I'm gonna get you a house and like I saved up I Saved up damn there everything Yeah, you know, I went undrafted I bought it after what my third third or fourth year, so I Ain't have nothing. I ain't have much. I just So I took it and my brother he was He's he's smart as hell. He he had got a job in Houston and that's a place that like I really wanted to live And my mom like my family were at where all we got bro So my mom was just getting really upset about my brother being so far away from home And like I had a chance. I took it. So I bought her a house. I had enough to get her a house. I got her a house Surprised there I act as if because it was around my sister's birthday I act as if we were going to Galvingston Beach for like her birthday or whatever and then when we got done with that Droll I had them drive out to the house and I told them that we're gonna meet at like the turkey hut factory The turkey leg factory That's a big deal. Yeah, and they were so excited and my brother he was like playing along with he's like man We're late. Mike's already got the table My mom's like going crazy on the phone. So then they finally pull up and I opened the garage I'm like welcome home My mom's like what like you probably seen the video. Yeah, like the Nick Nick young So yeah, and then I'm like this is your house. It's like, no, no, it's not I'm like, no, here's your key. This is your house and She went in there. She cried. I mean, it's just it's just a life goal accomplished Yeah, she was she was so cute too because she's like, I can't believe you record me right now She didn't want to be recorded like she did not like like one thing about her She does not want you to record her when she's crying. Yeah, like whether it's a good time or not Oh man, that's such a special story and I mean, I got teary-eyed. No, no, never apologize for that I'm kind of But no, it's it's so It's just so it's just such a good story and I'm I'm emotional about it too. But like when You're going through that process of like finding your mom a house like I know how particular I am about like the things in in life like a like a house It's like, oh, I want to make sure that this is exactly how she would like it, you know How did you go about that process? Because I feel like it it would be really difficult to kind of be like looking for a house For somebody else not just yourself, but for somebody else to kind of be like Congrats, this is yours. Do you know do you get what I'm saying? I feel like I'm not like you Like how did I how did I pick that house to know that it was something that was for her? Yeah, yeah Um, so yeah during the process it was pretty much like it was like a trick So I was more so like going about it as if like I was buying this house for me Yeah, okay, you know, so I went on and I was like showing her like I had like four or five houses I was just like, you know, what do you think about these houses? And I was like, how do you like, you know, I'm saying she's like always thought when you got your house Like you get a bigger one that I bigger one than what this went all that and I'm like, yeah You know, I just want to make sure that like if anything happens you all can come Stay with me and stuff like that. So she's looking at it and like there's one house that she really loved And she's like, man, I really like this house for you Crazy like my house that I have for myself now. It's kind of like the similar layout But yeah, so then I um I've seen one and like I was like, you know what out of all like it was not it wasn't the houses I had already shown her but it had like all the same things. So I was like, you know I really like this one. I feel like this is the best one, you know So I was like, you know, I'm gonna take a chance. I'm gonna go get it Yeah, like my brother was in houston and I was like, what do you think go check the house out? He went and checked it out and everything And from there it was just kind of like I told you we don't come from much. So like what she she came Whatever she's not gonna expect that. Yeah So, you know, it was just more so finding some stuff that I feel a bigger enough house for Everybody to be able to come back to if necessary And then just something that I feel like she would love and like when I say like she loves the house Like it's like she never wants to leave houston. Yeah, that's her place now Oh, that's so great. Now were you had you already bought a house before you bought her house or you bought her house first? That is freaking awesome. Yeah, I bought hers first. I bought hers what two years ago and I got mine like at the beginning of this year Gotcha. Okay. That's awesome. I mean some of the stuff that she said on this video And I'm not trying to get all emotional with the thing again, but I she said I can't believe this day has come This is the best day of my life. I was like, oh my gosh Like like that's the kind of impact like that you want to have and I know she had a huge impact on you growing up um And specifically I read I think in the Detroit news wrote a good story about you and said that She saw you having fun at like a family reunion playing football or something like that and then and then she signed you up Like can you remember that day at all? Really, I remember it. Yeah, so I could tell you the people that were there I mean like it's set up this moment, right? Yeah, right exactly Yeah, it was there's a park back home. It's called salute park It's pretty much like in the summer we have like a Like a back to school event that they do really well in the city and they hand out like school supplies They play basketball like everybody's out there just having a good time Like that's pretty much what our city does during that time So it was one of those days, you know, and then we were out there We had like a family reunion or whatever So curse some people from the city came out and got with us like, you know city's pretty small So we just hang out So I had a couple people out there and I'll never forget like my my brother's dad resting peace to him Uh, he was he was the one that actually like we did like a little draft and he picked me on his team and It was just like one play. I'll never forget it. I did like a little flat route swing He threw me the ball and my uncle his name Luke Harderman Telling you I knew it like I was running I was running to the sideline and he came out there. I juke them really well Boom and like when I say we're playing with like these guys are probably like 20 years old I'm like 10 years. Okay. I'm out there like playing with older people So I juke them and like I'm I ended up getting a good amount of yards and like everybody's going crazy Like I'm the 10 year old Oh, you just got juke my 10 year old So then next thing I know my mom signs me up for football. I go out there. It's crazy Uh, I go out there the first year I play right I am a nose tackle. That's my position. Wait, a nose tackle. Oh, yeah, it's funny. It's funny So I'm a nose tackle, but mind you All of the practices I'm the fastest kid there. I get done first. So it made no sense Right, so it did it. It's like I was having fun with it. Yeah, of course really enjoying it But my mom was like He's not using you right. So we're not going to play football this year Your mom said that? So like I I didn't play football Like I played like half that season and I didn't come back and play So then the next year like my mom came up to the same coach He's like you're gonna play my son the right way. I come out here watch him every day run He's the fastest person on the team. Give him the ball. Good for her So then I come out there the next year and like I always played with older kids. I was playing with the older kids So I was like the backup running back, but like that year I scored like four or five touchdowns So then I was like, I'm pretty good at this. I'm playing with older kids. I'm scoring touchdowns. So then The year after that I come back and I play for the same coach, but like I'm with my age group I ended up like making the front page of our newspaper and all of this stuff that Long story short, they've retired my jersey this year for that little league Team oh my goodness. That's so yeah, so like it was like my first experience with football. I had the quit Because your mom knew they weren't using you the right way that is and She obviously knew what she was talking about. She did know what she was talking about because I mean it worked out for you Yeah, I went I mean I ended up going to college to play running back. So, you know, so I mean give me the ball It's just a smart thing. Do you still have the front page of that newspaper somewhere? I have it I have it in so like my grandma When because I met her pretty much when I started playing football um She created me like these booklets and stuff that has like all the newspaper articles I've been in like I have Pretty much all my articles and stuff like that because she keeps up with them. She'll get this cut them out So I have like pretty much all of them. Yeah, I have that one literally I have that that newspaper I have one in my scrapbook. I have one that's the original copy and then I have one at my mom's house So I have like three of them. You have all your prices covered. It's not going anywhere. That's so great Yeah, and there's a it's a on top of your twitter profile. I think it's it's like a it's like a family photo of your your mom Your brother and your brother's dad, right? And uh Mike looks exactly Like I looked I was like he just got bigger, but he looks exactly like you just went like this If you could you were talking about um Your brother's dad your your step dad, I assume Uh, what was he that's my dad. Yeah Your dad. Yeah, 100. What was he How influential was he in your life growing up? Like I said, I mean he picked me on this team at the park Yeah, he gave me a start too. He's pretty much the reason that I started playing football, you know He played running back growing up. So that was kind of like his transition to me is to teach me how to play running back but yeah, like I said like um That's not that's not my dad. You know, like I got a father and I got a dad That's how I that's how I view it, you know, the dad is that's the that's the person who took care of me Yes, you know and my father is who who gave me life. So you know, um, yeah, he pretty much he pretty much is Everything reason why I'm playing like I said he played running back. He taught me everything He knew he brought me to practice every day. He made sure I was there Made sure I had the right equipment like he just he just made sure that I had everything I needed to be successful in football um Raised me all my life. So like I said, man, that's like big ups to him and he's he made me who I am and he I think this year was the first time you've ever hosted a youth football camp Oh, yeah And and if one that seems super awesome and fun because the kids look like they were having a blast But think about everything else that we've talked about so far, right? It's a full circle thing You didn't have a lot now. You're in a position to give back to your family to give back to kids I don't know if you had it back in your hometown or like where you had it back home, right? So with everything that we've talked about And where you come from and what you're about that day must have been so cool Oh, man, like it's crazy because like I try and hold my emotions in a lot, you know As far as tears and stuff, but like I was giving the speech man I had to cut my speech in the middle like hey one of my guys that have been Here like give a speech and tell them about football, you know, because yeah You just start getting emotional seeing all these little kids and just wondering like man What if one day one of these kids are me like what if they end up where I am? And I I could be able to say man, I I played a part in that, you know, so I just I got emotional man. It's just seeing those kids there and For me, it's more so, you know each one teach one. That's something that I've posted on my page Multiple times that's something that I pride myself in is, you know others before yourself Because I mean we're nothing like one man can't do nothing by itself. We got to be together Right, so man, I feel very inspired and I Thank you for kind of opening up and sharing everything with us. I mean, this has been very Uh heartwarming for for uh for I speaking for myself. I feel like I could speak for you Yeah, and it kind of makes sense, right? We we know this positive guy who loves every moment and here's the back story You know and the reason why and why you're so energetic on the football field, right? You always tap your right arm Yep, yeah, I tap my right arm up here. I haven't got my black heart yet But my dad my brother's dad name was black. So I'm gonna get a black heart right here But like before every game I access if it's there because I haven't had time to do it But I tap up here. I kiss up to my father Tap my wrist kiss up to my dad I jump up and scream and let it go and then it's and then it's time to play football man Now we're moving on to I don't know. Is it our favorite part? It is our favorite part. I feel like a party is It's it's a rapid fire. All right. Let's go. Everybody gets the same question. Yeah Let's have I haven't watched the show. So I don't okay. All right. Good. Good. Good. Then you we don't want you to This is authentic. Yeah. Let's go. All right. Um number one your favorite play of your career My favorite play of my career has to be my first special team play Um, I went down that gunner Uh, and I downed the ball on a two-yard line against the carolina panthers. Nice. So yeah, that's probably that's probably my favorite play Because it's my introduction. There you go. That's a good one. Yeah, that's a really good one because you you think maybe You know a you know a crazy interception in college You know like something like like that but like that's a good one like special teams at the two It's kind of how you've kind of made your name and you're a good defender, obviously But I mean there's so much that goes into that Um tv show that you're either one of your favorite tv shows or a tv show that you're binging right now Scooby-dooby-dooby Where are you? Oh my gosh. Is it really? Is it like the animated one or the new one? No, the animated one. The old one. Yes. Oh my gosh. That's my favorite. That's my favorite. I freaking love that. I'm a big Scooby-Doo girl. Uh, why I used to watch like Cartoon Network like Girl See mine was Scooby-Doo and my god sister's was SpongeBob. Nice. I mean yeah Velma was my kindred spirits. Yeah, that was my girl back then. Yeah, Velma guy. Exactly. Okay, uh next one. What is your favorite game day fit of the 2022 season? Game day fit. You're saying like one of your arrival fits Outfit? Out of war? Because is this a real question? Yeah, it is. I want to know. The Joker mask, right? Is it the Joker mask? Because we were curious. We were looking at it today and it's scared. I wasn't scared alive and I'm like that's gonna haunt my night. Oh, yeah. Yeah, it's definitely the Joker mask. Okay, I'm glad because that was the one that we looked at quite frequently because he was like. I like that one. Yeah. Yeah, it was funny too because when I do a show for Fox 5 called Rise Up Tonight and we always do like a Falcon's Fits segment and kind of all of y'all's outfits and everything. You've been on there a few times so congratulations. But that one was she was like who is that? I was like it's Mike. I was like Mike has the mask on and she's like okay I need to make sure because we need to say who it is. And the thing that's going to stick with you is that when you get into the dark the eyes go up the dark. Yeah, they go up. Like find a photo of this or maybe don't if you want to sleep at night. It's kind of scary. Let's see which Falcon do you hang out with the most? Oh, I hang out with D'Angelo Malone. That's my guy. Yeah. That's my guy. Like he's funny as hell. You know, he keeps me laughing. He's an energy guy. You know, he's always positive. Like that's just my guy man. I love that guy. Love it. That's my guy. Cool. Last question. What is your biggest pet peeve? I said this on the last interview. I really just don't like negative people. That's what Grady said. That was a good one. Negative energy. I'm the type of person like if we're sitting here and somebody starts to get too negative, like Mike's going to disappear. Yeah, Mike, I don't really want to be around negative stuff. That's a good one because Scott and I were talking. He's like, he's such a positive person. He may not have a pet peeve. And I was like, or it could be one of those things that there's just one thing that just completely turns it off. That like negative, like my mom can get negative anybody that's negative. I'm like, I will ghost. I will just get away. Iris, goodbye. Smoke bomb and you're out of there. If I try and make you positive and it doesn't work, then yeah, I'm not. Good night now. Well, wow. This is why we do this podcast. Absolutely. Exactly right here. I came in knowing a little bit about Mike Ford. I feel like we're friends now. Fascinating story. Thank you so much for sharing it. And thanks to everybody for downloading and listening. Please, please, please with sugar on top rate, review, subscribe to the Falcons podcast network. We're coming up to the end of the season here. One more episode left and please be sure to join us for another great guest next week. See you.