kept my head in the right space when I wanted to quit. It’s not one single person, but a collection of people that have been a part of my story.
DC: Did you know what you wanted your life to entail at a young age?
II: I didn’t know exactly what I wanted, but I did write when I was 13 that I wanted to play for the Chicago Bulls. That was my goal, because I loved Michael Jordan, Dennis Rodman, and Scottie Pippen and I had all of their posters on my wall. Secondly I wanted to be a Veterinarian, because I love dogs, and thirdly I wanted to be a Child Psychologist. I always worked with kids when I was growing up and was interested in understanding the psychology of kids, like how to connect with them. In my family we had to journal and read an hour every day, so the things that we had to do were about vision.
DC: Tell me who the three most important people are in your life and why?
II: Number one would be God. My relationship and my belief system are anchored on my faith in God. The other two people would be my mother and father. My mother has especially been an anchor in my belief system. I don’t care what’s going on in my life or how bad life is, when I call her and by the end of our conversation she can refrain my perspective and assure me that I’ll be okay. It doesn’t matter what the challenge is, she just has a perspective that brings levelness and balance to any situation. So because of her perspective, my perspective has been similar. I’ve adapted some of her same philosophies and principles on how I approach things. She’s just been amazing. I get my work ethic from my father. I learned how to work and was able to understand how a man provides for his family and goes about his business. While watching him as a young man growing up, I was able to learn those things and I appreciate him for that.
DC: Was there a point in your NFL career that you didn’t think that you would make it?
II: The journey’s been hard. Spending eleven years in the NFL I consider myself blessed, but it’s been tough. Coming out college all of the top scouts and coaches on the Canadian side said that I didn’t have what it takes to play in the NFL, even though I was two times All Canadian and All Canada West twice. One of the Canadian GM’s told other coaches “Don’t worry he’ll be back in the CFL”, which really was the fuel for me to succeed. I was going to prove that I could make it in the NFL and when I made it to the Cleveland Browns one of my coaches told me to be the “standard”. I carry that philosophy with me in life today. He iterated that if you’re the standard then they can’t cut you. Be the guy that’s doing the play however they want every time. Know the answer to every question. Be the guy at the front of the line when running sprints. When they’re sitting in the room deciding on who to cut then they cannot cut you, because they cannot cut the standard. That was my approach going in to Cleveland, but I fractured my ankle and I ended up getting released. I remember going back home and I didn’t leave my house. I was in hiding, because I was the first Manitoban in the NFL. Since there was a lot of hype and media behind that accomplishment, I didn’t want people to see that I was home. I was 21 years old and my mother came to me and said “Son, I can promise you that another opportunity is going to come. Not if…its coming, but will you be ready for it?” So she encouraged me to get up and start training and doing my rehab again. I came out of hiding and started training every day and sure enough the Bears called and signed me to a one week contract. I went and practiced for that week and they extended my contract until the end of the year. Then I was sent to play in Berlin for NFL Europe and we won the World Bowl. The Bears invited me back and I had to make the 53 man roster. I made the team, so that one week contract turned in to ten seasons with the Chicago Bears. It was fully a challenge, but the thought of not making it was never an option.
DC: Other than competing in athletics, what significantly drives you to do what you do daily?
II: First, I think what drives me is the vision that I have for my life. I want to be an individual that has impacted the world around me for the better. At the end of the day when it’s all said and done, did I make my world better? Did I impact the lives of people in my community or of young lives around me? Did I pay it forward? The drive for everything that I do today is rooted in that thought process. I can’t make an impact on the level that I want to unless there are key pieces in place. Therefore when I look at that formula I must have sustainable businesses, platforms and methods that I can control the change that I want to affect.