Legendary Houston sports journalist, NFL historian and Pro Football Hall of Fame voter John McClain returns to kick off yet another season that he thinks Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens will win the Super Bowl. Is it only a matter of time?
John McClain, a Hall of Fame voter and longtime NFL reporter, discussed his Super Bowl predictions, favoring the Baltimore Ravens over the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions. He highlighted the Ravens’ veteran players, including DeAndre Hopkins, and the importance of their new kicker. McClain also touched on the controversy surrounding Justin Tucker’s suspension and his unlikely return to the NFL. Additionally, he expressed skepticism about the Los Angeles Chargers and praised the Kansas City Chiefs’ dominance. McClain also mentioned his ongoing documentary project on Texas high school football before integration.
- [ ] @Nestor Aparicio – Reach out to John McClain about attending a baseball game together in the future.
- [ ] Invite John McClain to the South by Southwest Film Festival screening of the documentary he is working on about high school football in Texas before integration.
John McClain’s Background and NFL Career
- Nestor Aparicio introduces John McClain, a Hall of Fame voter and former beat writer for the Houston Oilers.
- John McClain shares his background, growing up in Waco, Texas, and starting his career at the Waco Tribune-Herald.
- He moved to Houston in 1976 to cover the original Houston Arrows and later the Oilers, covering the NFL for 49 years.
- Nestor and John discuss the popularity of Derek Henry in a Houston Oilers jersey, with John noting the local dislike for the throwback jerseys.
John McClain’s Super Bowl Predictions
- Nestor asks John about his Super Bowl predictions, and John expresses confidence in the Baltimore Ravens, picking them to win for the third year in a row.
- John highlights the Ravens’ talent and continuity, mentioning potential matchups with Detroit and Buffalo.
- Nestor and John discuss the importance of veteran players like Derrick Henry, DeAndre Hopkins, and Ronnie Stanley for the Ravens’ success.
- John emphasizes the significance of the Ravens’ new kicker, as they won’t have Justin Tucker for the first time in 40 years.
Veteran Players and Injury Concerns
- Nestor and John discuss the importance of veteran players for Super Bowl contenders, with John noting the Ravens’ reliance on experienced players.
- John mentions the potential impact of the new kicker and the importance of keeping the quarterback healthy.
- They talk about the challenges of winning in January and the importance of staying healthy throughout the season.
- John expresses confidence in the Ravens’ ability to win the Super Bowl, citing their talent and continuity.
DeAndre Hopkins and Ravens’ Recruitment
- Nestor and John discuss the acquisition of DeAndre Hopkins by the Ravens and his potential impact on the team.
- John praises Hopkins’ ability to run the right routes and not drop passes, highlighting his intelligence and experience.
- They talk about the Ravens’ history of successful recruitment, from Ray Lewis to Anquan Boldin and Derrick Henry.
- John emphasizes the importance of having a solid all-around team, with Hopkins being a key addition.
AFC North and Other Teams
- Nestor and John discuss the AFC North, with John expressing confidence in the Ravens and skepticism about the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers.
- John mentions the challenges faced by the Bengals, including their slow starts and suspect running game.
- They talk about the Pittsburgh Steelers and Aaron Rodgers’ quiet performance, predicting the Steelers to finish second to the Ravens.
- John expresses confidence in the Cleveland Browns finishing last and needing a new quarterback.
Controversies and Journalism
- Nestor brings up the controversy surrounding Justin Tucker and his potential future in the NFL.
- John explains the Hall of Fame bylaws, stating that off-field incidents cannot be considered when evaluating players for the Hall of Fame.
- They discuss the impact of settlements in similar cases, with John predicting that Tucker is unlikely to return to the NFL.
- John comments on the decline of journalism, noting the reduction in staff and investigative reporting at newspapers.
Trends and Upcoming Seasons
- Nestor and John discuss trends in the NFL, with John expressing skepticism about the Los Angeles Chargers as Super Bowl contenders.
- They talk about the Kansas City Chiefs’ dominance and the challenges faced by the Denver Broncos with their new quarterback.
- John praises the job done by Sean Payton with the New Orleans Saints and the potential of Justin Herbert to win in the playoffs.
- They discuss the AFC West, with John predicting that no Super Bowl team will emerge from the division this year.
Orioles and Baseball
- Nestor asks John about the Baltimore Orioles and their disappointing season.
- John expresses sympathy for Orioles fans and the challenges faced by the team, particularly in pitching.
- They discuss the potential for the Orioles to improve by trading for young pitching talent.
- John shares his love for Camden Yards and the history of the Orioles, despite their current struggles.
John McClain’s Documentary Project
- John reveals his work on a documentary about the Prairie View Interscholastic League in Texas before integration.
- The documentary features interviews with 50 people, including Jimmie Johnson, who played a key role in the first integrated state championship team in Texas.
- John hopes to premiere the documentary at the South by Southwest Film Festival in March.
- Nestor expresses interest in attending the premiere and exploring Austin with John.
Final Thoughts and Future Plans
- Nestor and John discuss their mutual love for baseball and the possibility of attending a game together.
- John shares his plans to retire from writing and focus on his documentary and other media work.
- They express their appreciation for each other and look forward to future conversations and events.
- Nestor concludes the segment, expressing his gratitude for John’s insights and expertise.
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
Ravens, Super Bowl, Lamar Jackson, DeAndre Hopkins, Justin Tucker, NFL, Hall of Fame, veteran players, kicker controversy, Baltimore, Houston, football season, AFC, quarterback, journalism.
SPEAKERS
Nestor Aparicio, John McClain
Nestor Aparicio 00:01
Welcome home. We are W, N, S, T, am 1570 tassel, Baltimore. We are Baltimore positive. We are positively into the most wonderful time of the year. It’s kickoff. The ravens are still undefeated, at least till Sunday night and Monday morning. Somebody’s gonna have their feelings hurt. I hope it’s buffalo. I’m not sure this guy hails from Houston, Texas, but I think it might actually be waco via Baylor. I’m not sure actually where he called home. He is. He’s a baseball fan, but a football man. He is a Hall of Fame voter for many, many years. He was the beat rider for my Houston Allers for many, many years. I probably should have grabbed the Derrick Henry oiler jersey. I haven’t dusted that off. I’m not going to do that till you know, probably to the tailgate food shows up around 536 o’clock here at the estate John McClane. He’s McLean on NFL. He covers the league better than anybody, longer than anybody. Are you the oldest guy I know that’s covering the league. Are there still people around that were doing it for you were doing it? John,
John McClain 01:05
well, first of all, I grew up in Waco, Texas, went to Baylor, started working at the Waco Tribune era. While I was going to Baylor, came to Houston in 76 to come the original Houston arrows with Gordy Howard, his sons mark and Marty, moved to the Oilers 1977 so it’s my 49 year covering the NFL here, and you mentioned Derek Henry in an Oilers jersey. Did you mean Earl Campbell?
Nestor Aparicio 01:30
No, I had Derek Henry in a tennis seat in Tennessee. Yeah, it’s a 22 it’s the throwback thing that either that doesn’t offend you, though, right? As a Houston guy, you’re okay with it. Everybody
John McClain 01:43
else in Houston hates it, but, yeah, I hate it blue. I like to see it wherever I can see it. They’re not going to wear it this year. They’ve worn it twice the last year, both against the Texans. And the Texans kicked their ass,
Nestor Aparicio 01:56
and should again, and and I hope they do, because they but I do love it. I love wearing it. It’s kind of weird. Um, we’re back at it again. Um, who was the MVP last year? John. Was it Josh McClain or Lamar Jackson in the McLean household?
John McClain 02:09
Well, I thought it was. Lamar Jackson had the best season of his career. I had no problem with Josh Allen getting it, but I thought Lamar had his best season. You see him up close, up there. I picked the Ravens now three years in a row to to win the Super Bowl. You doing it again? The lie I am. And the last time they went to the Super Bowl, I had picked them before the season. And they just they have so much talent and such a good continuity there. And so if it’s Detroit and buffalo, I’d have no problem, because the fan bases they’ve suffered for so long. But I just think the Ravens keep getting so close and then losing one way or another, maybe a third time will be a charm. You
Nestor Aparicio 02:57
know, I give you a hard time about being old, but that’s sage and wisdom, and I’m sure that’s the case with Derek, Henry um, DeAndre Hopkins, um, Ronnie, Stanley, Marlon, Humphrey, roquan Smith, Kyle van Noy mark, Andrews. Ravens are counting on a bunch of veterans. You know what I mean, like and out of the gate, the thing that I’ve been harping on, and all my listeners know this, I’ve been talking about it this week, because it’s actually football week is first thing I’m keeping my eye on at the beginning of the years. How are the older guys doing in the beginning? And having seen Steve Smith here not be as good on the last quarter of the year when he got older, same for a lot of veteran players, I’m wondering what this is going to look like, because early in the year, we have no preview of any of this. There’s no preseason anything anymore. It’s more like college football, um, Sunday night will be what it’s going to be sloppy. There’ll be mistakes and errors and officiating and all of that stuff. But how older guys hold up? The ravens are full of it. Fully young guys too, but they’re really counting on their veteran players here, especially the left tackle and the running back and down the line, their quarterback, everything.
John McClain 04:02
I think most teams are counting on their veteran players. You don’t see a lot get to the Super Bowl who are predominantly young, and that’s one of the reasons I picked them over buffalo, is because I think they have more talent than buffalo on both sides of the ball. You know, it’s going to be interesting to watch the new kicker, because they haven’t had to worry about that for so long. And as kickers decide games, and that could be a big difference, not playing with Justin Tucker for the first time in like 40 years. And so you get take those guys like Tucker for granted, because he won so many games. It was so good for so long. And if they’re going to be involved in in a lot of close ones, they better make sure they have somebody to do a good job of replacing him. But injuries always tell the tale of Super Bowl winners keeping the quarterback healthy, I bet. And last year, the way Philadelphia dominated Kansas City, I don’t, I do not pick. The chiefs to go back, because the Super Bowl loser never goes back. New England did one one time, then you gotta go back to the 90s. So I think I like Detroit because I love Dan Campbell, who’s from my area, Central Texas, Texas A and M, they’re loaded with talent. We’ll see what they do with their coordinators. And then I like Detroit versus Baltimore. There
Nestor Aparicio 05:25
he is, John McClane. He’s McLean on NFL well. He covers the league as well, as long and as deeply as anybody Hopkins coming in. And I know you have admiration for what Eric the cost is built with. The Ravens have been in the stability and all of that, but the recruitment of, let’s start with Woodson and Shannon Sharpe, you know, 25 years ago, through, you know anybody that Ray Lewis brought in, which was Dion at one point, right? So the ability to recruit Matt Burke to come in and play, or Anquan Boldin, they’ve done, Henry last year, Hopkins this year. And I know you know Hopkins well from his time in Houston. Where does he fit into this? And does he fit into this with Bateman, who looks like he’s coming on and they want to get him the ball more, say flowers, pro bowler Andrews will play this week, likely will be a part of that only one football I mean, it is an embarrassment of riches, but distributing the ball. Hopkins came here, I guess because he wants to win, right? He’s got a lot of money.
John McClain 06:25
I think the most impressive thing about the Ravens through the decades, going back to Ozzie Newsome, was the way they did bring in talent every year, even though they were picking low, they know how to use the convinced story picks better than anybody in the NFL, and I think they just solid all around. DeAndre Hopkins was with Kansas City. He scored a touchdown when they got blown out. And he’s going to go from Patrick mahomes to Lamar Jackson at this point his career. He’s trying to win a Super Bowl, not just get to one like he did last year. And the thing that he’ll be good for Hopkins. When it’s third and 5/3, and six, he’ll be in the right spot. He won’t drop passes. He’s got great hands. The most impressive thing I saw saw about him during all this time with the Texans, till Bill O’Brien made one of the worst trades in NFL history, sending him to Arizona for a second round pick and a guy who lasted as a backup for two years and it washed up running back, his Hopkins has always runs the right routes and you don’t see him drop passes and quarterbacks love him. He’s not going to beat people down the field on deep routes. It’s never been his game. The reason the Texans got in 28th in the first round is because he ran. He didn’t run four seven like Anquan bowling did, but he ran into four sixes, and that was all about speed in 2013 so Lamar Jackson’s going to love having him on the team, because of his experience and because of his intellect for the game, and he’ll be a go to guy on third and short
Nestor Aparicio 08:06
boy, you love the ravens, right? I mean, you really do, right? I mean, across the roster defensively, brought Chuck pagano in, signed Kyle Hamilton. They’ve drafted two kids in the secondary the last two years with first round picks. The Center they drafted from Iowa, they’re going to have to pay even the right tackle from Washington. They drafted, you know, last year, has made it onto the field. Mean, they, they’ve, they’ve really sniffed this out. But then there’s winning in January, right? And being healthy enough to do that.
John McClain 08:36
And a good example, that’s Kyle Hamilton. They got that deal done. It didn’t attract a lot of attention when they were doing it, he didn’t say, I’ve got to be the highest paid safety in the league or the highest paid defensive player, unlike what was happening in Dallas. And so Kyle Hamilton has done, just done more for the ravens, I think, than Micah Parsons has done for the Cowboys, they can’t even get in the playoffs, and maybe he’ll do be different at Green Bay. But I love the moves they make and the way that Costa goes about it, learning from Ozzy, who’s one of the all time great personnel guys, not to mention one of the all time great players. And I just like the way they operate. And of course, it starts with Lamar Jackson. It’s been amazing Nestor all these years that he’s been able to stay healthy as much as he puts himself out there. You know, it’s for the grace of God, of course, but obviously, takes great care of himself. But for him to be healthy, that is such an important thing for that organization, and there’s no reason to think he won’t be healthy, because he has been, and that’s why they’re going to go down to the wire in the AFC. And I hope this time they take that next step, go out there and get another Super
Nestor Aparicio 09:54
Bowl. Well, I think highly a Joe burrow as well, and he’s been as injured in different ways. And. Obviously the Pittsburgh quarterbacking situation with Aaron Rodgers and, oh, by the way, my all time favorite athlete I ever covered, Joe Flacco, is going to be coming into Baltimore and starting a week and a half from now. So it’s an interesting division in that way, but it’s the Ravens division. And I don’t where do you put Cincinnati in this and how do you feel about the Steelers at this point,
John McClain 10:22
Cincinnati, of course, has gotten off to perennial slow starts. They missed the playoffs by one game last year. Had had an offense as good as any Joe burrow was great. Bringing back his receivers. That’s great for him. They have a suspect running game. New defensive coordinator and their defense. Even with Hendrickson coming back last year, he had 17 and a half sacks. What good did it do them? They got other players that have to play better. So until I see them do it, I’m not picking them to win that division. Pittsburgh, I think interesting. Aaron Rodgers has been very quiet, no controversy. I don’t know if it’s because he’s out of New York or because he’s not going on pet McAfee every week and stirring it up, but he it’s not that he disappeared. It’s just very quiet. And I think that’s bad for the rest of the division and the AFC, because he he had good stats last year. Now he didn’t do it in the situations of what jets wanted, but he stayed healthy. It’s two years removed from that surgery on his torn Achilles, and he’s never been a guy that runs around a lot. I look for him to play really well. It wouldn’t surprise me if Pittsburgh doesn’t end up second mind Baltimore. Only thing I believe we can count on is Cleveland finishing last and being in the running to get yet another quarterback in next year’s draft.
Nestor Aparicio 11:50
John McClane is here. He is McLean on NFL. He is no stranger to a controversy, and certainly not fearful of journalism. He’s been a longtime journalist for five decades, beginning in Houston with my Allers, and watched his team and his franchise evaporate. Watch the fight to get a franchise back, led the fight to get a franchise back, including a couple Super Bowls down in Houston. So I have a serious OG here in the general but let’s talk about controversy a little bit in the league, and the Justin Tucker thing here on the back end of in your town where the quarterback had a similar massage, sort of scandalous sort of thing. It was brought to my attention recently that Rasheed rice had two felony counts on him. He got six game suspension. Justin Tucker did nothing wrong the Ravens. There’s a football that you know. He’s just a football decision. We don’t know everybody Schultz around Owings Mills these days, but he got a 10 game suspension after the NFL came in. I know you know the rules and how all of this works, but people would say, is he going to kick again in the league? Every agent I’ve talked to media person believes somebody will get hurt week eight. You’ll be kicking for a team by Thanksgiving for someone, he’s the greatest kicker, maybe in the history of the game, and men like you will be the ones who and women will be the ones who adjudicate that. And a number of years his career might be over, I’m not going to ask you if he’s a Hall of Famer right now. I want to ask about journalism and scandal, because, like, the minute the story came out. He pissed on the journalist. The Ravens have been ensconced in this cutting him being quiet about it. Lots and lots of lawyers involved in lots of ways. The league has been involved, and yet, John, there’s been no reporting on this in Baltimore at all, W, b, a, l, can’t talk. Nobody’s touching it. The banner has been the only one that’s reported on it. I’ve watched the deterioration of journalism. The ravens are angry that it was reported, not in respect of the women this was done to in our community. The Ravens saw nothing, knew nothing, said nothing. It’s this is really a shameful little thing that’s happened here. And I know what will happen, because I saw it with Ray Rice. They’re going to bring him back and make him the honored Raven of the game and put him in the Ring of Honor years from now, because that’s what it is their will to do, is to walk away from this mess.
John McClain 14:12
First of all, let me talk about the Hall of Fame with Tucker. The Hall of Fame bylaws say anything that happens away from the game cannot be considered when we are considering somebody for the Hall of Fame, and I don’t think he would ever get in on the first ballot, because it’s just not there for kickers or punters or any special teams player like Steve Tasker. But it’s not the time heals all the wounds. But I think if, when the time comes, if we adhere to the rules, and he is a definitely Hall of Fame kicker, there’s no doubt, to me, he and Adam Vinatieri are the best kickers I’ve ever seen and but I don’t I think it would be. Down the road. I do not think he’ll kick again the difference in him. Oh, really, you think he’s done? I think he’s done. Oh,
Nestor Aparicio 15:07
I don’t meant anybody thinks he’s done. Why do you think he’s done?
John McClain 15:10
Because of what he was accused of doing and why he was cut. They have to say what they said because of grievances, potential grievances, with the union, and so no, I don’t think when you have that many women coming forward, and here with Watson, only one woman came out publicly and spoke. Everybody else kept quiet. There were no list of stories. There were no lists of where everything took place. It was a lot more better and more reporting there by the banner on the record, with all the women, based on what I saw and read. And then it was with Watson, who it was all one on one. It was never done at facilities and but anyway, Watson got a job two, $30 million guaranteed, and he’s never been the same player since. It’s the worst contract in NFL history. Now, last year, Brandon McManus got cut by Washington because he was accused by two flight attendants of sexual assault on a on a charter, and they reached a settlement. Boom, he gets signed. So the key is to reach settlements. And if, because, if you don’t, and it comes out publicly, you’re toast and and reporting, mainly it’s newspapers are smaller. I saw yesterday the Atlanta Journal Constitution, one of the oldest, most storied newspapers in the country is going all digital on January 1, no more print edition. Now they say they’re adding reporters doing all these things to beef up their website. But in most cases, most papers have cut dramatically. I left the Houston Chronicle. I retired from the Chronicle in 2022 and their staff is it’s amazing compared what it is now, compared to what it was, say, 1020 years ago, when the staff was just loaded. So I think when you one of the problems of cutting back on journalism is you don’t have as many investigations. You don’t have as many thorough investigations involving multiple reporters. So and it happens a lot. Of course they’ll take just about anybody in football if they think they can help them, but boy, if somebody signs Justin Tucker, then all this is going to be brought back. There’s going to be protests complaints, because I’ve seen it here with Deshaun Watson, what they went through, and because of the seriousness of the accusations,
Nestor Aparicio 17:59
you you think owners would would frown upon that a desperate coach needs a kicker in week 12, and Justin Tucker can still do it. You think it’s a non starter?
John McClain 18:11
I just don’t think we’ll see him again. Based on all the women who came forward were quoted on the record with all the details they had. John McClane is here. Yeah, I may be wrong, but that’s just my opinion.
Nestor Aparicio 18:24
Oh, hey, man. I mean, we’ve all been wrong once or twice, although you’ve been right a lot more you’ve been wrong. John McClane is here. He is in Houston, um, around the league, um, you know, trends and things that to look for this year, and things that might be a little bit different that you see, or teams that might be on the come to some degree. I mean, I keep looking at the charges any team with a quarterback, I look at them and say, if this is the year that they can put this thing together, they could be formidable. And I guess that goes for me. If Joe burrow plays 17 weeks, I think the Bengals will be good. There’s some places where I feel like there’s still something to prove for a bunch of quarterbacks.
John McClain 19:01
Well, when I think about the chargers, a lot of people think about the Chargers as being a Super Bowl contender. I do not, because the last time I saw the chargers, the Texans were beating the hell out of them, and that was in the playoffs, and that was not a Texans team that was as good as the year before, even though it was 10 and seven and and beat them thoroughly in the wild card round before losing by nine at Kansas City, the way it lost the year before at Baltimore, and they lost their best offensive lineman, Sean Slater, for the Year and Harbaugh. Jim Harbaugh is a great coach, but, you know, he hadn’t won a Super Bowl, he won a national championship, and the division is just difficult, you know? I don’t I still, lot of people are picking the Broncos over the chiefs in AFC West. Well, the chiefs were 15 and two last season, and they. Great buying. Won so many one score games. Won so many games. Unlike black field goals and time ran out and yeah, people say they’re lucky. No, there’s no such thing as luck. You know, you they did it. And so I’m not picking against the chiefs. I thought the job that Sean Payton did with the severe salary cap implications of the Russell Wilson contract, choosing to eat as much as they did strike and go rookie quarterback, Bo Nicks was remarkable. And Justin Herbert, you mentioned quarterbacks, he’s going to have to win in the playoffs. He’s been in twice. They’ve lost two games to Jacksonville, in Houston from the AFC South. Justin Herbert is a quarterback who’s going to have to win in the playoffs, to me, to be put up there with the elite guys right now. He’s down. He’s not he’s in the top 10, but he’s not in the top five and but that that division Raiders could be vastly improved with Geno Smith and the guy I think will be offensive Rookie of the Year, running back, Ashton Genty, but you know, they’re still destined for last place unless quarterback gets hurt on one of the other teams. But I think three of them could make the playoffs and but I don’t think there’s a Super Bowl team coming from AFC West this year,
Nestor Aparicio 21:23
my sage friend John McClane is McLean on NFL. He covers the National Football League from the fighting city of Houston, Texas, where my Allers used to play and where Michael ice used to be employed. I think you might know more about baseball than you know about football, to some degree, historically, when I spend time with you, because I can just do a baseball segment with you if I wish. Um, as a parting shot, anything you want to say about the Orioles this year in the implosion of what’s happened here,
John McClain 21:48
biggest disappointment in the American League, like Atlanta, is the biggest disappointment in the National League. And I was sorry to say I’d get fired based on what he’d done in recent history. And it’s one of the things I love and hate about baseball. The Orioles come in here, and they’re pitching looks like McNally, Flanagan, Palmer and Cuellar, and then they go to Baltimore, and we’re all expecting the worst that they’re going to beat the Astros again, and the Astros come and beat them three out of four, and but I feel bad for the fans up there, because they are great fans. I remember going to Camden Yards right when it opened. Sellout crowd. Still my favorite retro ballpark, and I haven’t there years, but I still love it. And gotta think, I don’t know how Mike Elias can with all that talent they have in in hitting and fielding, but they don’t have pitching. They’ve got to find the right young guys to trade to get pitching, or they’re going to just be spinning their wheels again next year.
Nestor Aparicio 22:57
John McClane has been my friend for a long, long time he’ll continue. You know, one day, one day, you and I will attend a game, either in Baltimore, Houston, a baseball game. We’ve done a lot. You and I’ve been at a million football games together, including the one where we wore masks up on the roofs, and it was me, you and 35 of our friends watching Houston and the Ravens play in the middle of a tropical storm. I do remember that. That’s how much I love football, but I know we love baseball. We should, we should get a hot dog together. I mean, we can even do a nats game or something, just search neutral ground or whatever. But, like, I gotta have a hot dog and a beer with you at a ball game one day. Yeah,
John McClain 23:30
you didn’t have to pay me to go watch the Nationals. My wife likes the Nationals because she’s from Silver Spring and i, i They’re so bad for so long, and they beat the Astros in the World Series, and then owner lied to the fans. You know, I want my new stadium. I’ll keep all my free agents. We won’t lose anymore. Of course, they still lose them and trade them. I would love when I when I actually retire for good. Right now, I’ve retired from writing after the season, and I do TV and podcast and and radio every week. And also, let me tell you real quick, Nestor, for the last year, I’ve been working with three filmmakers on a documentary. The working title is called Prairie View Interscholastic League high school football in Texas, before integration, Prairie View Interscholastic League was the all black organization. University Interscholastic League was all white. We’ve been working we’ve interviewed 50 people, and we’re headed to Canton for the Hall of Fame to shoot the bust and memorabilia up there of the eight players who played in all black PVI L who are in the pro football fame. It’s been a labor of love. We’re hoping to have it South by Southwest Film Festival in March, which is second largest in North America. So I’ve been spending a lot of time on that and loving every minute of it. No zooms. We do everything in person. Went to Florida and interviewed Jimmie Johnson because he played a key role in losing. Team to the first integrated team that won a state championship in Texas in 1960 so at some point, Nestor, you’re going to be hearing about whatever the this is the working title, but about all football in Texas before integration.
Nestor Aparicio 25:15
So does this give me an invite to Austin for South by Southwest? Does this do
John McClain 25:18
that? Of course it does. I mean, you know, we’re lucky enough to get in, of course, you’d be invited.
Nestor Aparicio 25:24
You know, I hate everything about Dallas, and I always enjoy time. Well, I do everything about Dallas. I mean, I only consider it Texas. I consider it more like, you know, Moscow, but I like, I like Houston, and my cousin lives in Houston, and you’re in Houston, and we’ve had, I’ve had great food with you in Houston. But I love Austin, you know? I mean, Austin’s funky, like me. I can let my hair out. I got hair. I can let my hair out in Austin and feel good about it. So I’m gonna come down. I’ll see the movie with you. We’ll go get some proper that’s what we should do. We should go to a round rock game or something. Maybe you’ll do that. John McClane is here. He is the general of all things, NFL, Pro Football Hall of Fame writer, all the stuff, all the legendary stuff. Thanks for the Justin Tucker tip. I I’m going to be watching, and I’ll certainly catch up with you through the course of the season. It’s always good to visit
John McClain 26:11
with you, Nestor, anytime. Thank you very much for having me as always. And enjoy the season. See. One of the
Nestor Aparicio 26:16
honors of being a media member all of these years is meeting people. And John McClane was introduced to me by the great John Steadman, so you can go watch my 25th anniversary documentary. Put the pieces together with that back in the 1980s I am Nestor. We are wnst. Am 1570 Towson, Baltimore, and we never stop talking Baltimore. Positive. You.
