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FIRST TIME ON TBN.
>> FIRST TIME.
>> THIS IS COOL.
[ TIM LAUGHS ]
>> TIM BROWN.
>> THANK YOU.
WELCOME, MY BROTHER.
HOW ARE YOU?
>> I'M DOING GREAT.
NICE TO BE HERE.
>> NOW, WE'RE GOING TO GET
INTO YOUR FAITH IN JUST A
LITTLE BIT AND TALK ABOUT,
YOU KNOW, I GUESS YOU HAD A
PRAYIN' MAMA?
>> (CHUCKLES) I HAD A PRAYIN'
MAMA.
THAT'S FOR SURE.
>> AND KIND OF KEPT YOU ON
THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW.
>> NO DOUBT.
>> BUT, YOU'VE HAD A
PHENOMENAL CAREER.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, HIGH
SCHOOL AND YOU WON THE
HEISMAN TROPHY AT NOTRE DAME.
AND WHAT'S INTERESTING IS A
LOT OF HEISMAN TROPHY WINNERS
DON'T NECESSARILY GO ON AND
HAVE GOOD CAREERS IN THE NFL.
>> YEAH.
IT'S CALLED A "JINX."
[ LAUGHS ]
>> IS IT REALLY?
BUT YOU DID.
YOU WERE -- GIVE ME A LITTLE
BACKGROUND.
YOU WERE WITH THE RAIDERS HOW
LONG?
>> I WAS WITH THE RAIDERS FOR
16 YEARS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR ME I
THINK IT WAS ALL ABOUT
GETTING WITH THE RIGHT TEAM.
YOU KNOW, WHAT I WANTED TO
DO, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
GO TO A COUPLE OF TEAMS, BUT
WHEN I LOOKED AT THE RAIDER'S
ROSTER, THEY HAD, YOU KNOW,
MARCUS ALLEN AND BO JACKSON
AND ALL THESE GUYS.
I FIGURED IF I GOT WITH THAT
TEAM, I CAN GET IN THERE AND
LEARN THE GAME OF FOOTBALL ON
THE PROFESSIONAL LEVEL, AND
REALLY BE ABLE WHAT I DO
BEST.
AND AT THAT TIME, I WAS
RETURNING PUNTS AND KICKOFFS.
>>YEAH.
>> AND THAT -- THAT'S WHAT I
WAS ABLE TO DO.
I WAS ABLE TO COME IN WITH
THE RAIDERS, BE UNDER THE
RADAR WITH MARCUS AND BO ON
THE TEAM.
>> SURE.
>> AND, YOU KNOW, RETURN
PUNTS AND DO THOSE KIND OF
THINGS.
I ENDED UP LEADING THE TEAM
IN RECEPTIONS THAT YEAR, BUT
IT WAS A LEARNING YEAR FOR ME
BECAUSE, AT NOTRE DAME, WE
HAD BEEN IN THE WISHBONE --
>> RIGHT.
>> -- FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF
YEARS, (CHUCKLES) SO, I WAS
DOING THREE-POINT STANDS,
RUNNING ROUTES AND DOING THAT
KIND OF STUFF, SO...
>> WELL, THERE YOU ARE IN
NOTRE DAME.
>> OH, MAN.
>> MAN, YOU HAVEN'T CHANGED A
BIT.
>> WELL THE PROBLEM IS, WHEN
I WAS 20 --
>> YOU'RE A GOOD-LOOKING GUY.
>> -- I LOOKED LIKE I WAS 40.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
NOW YOU ARE 40.
YOU'RE JUST KIND OF CATCHING
UP.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED
ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE
AVERAGE CAREER IN THE NFL IS
WHAT, THREE?
>> 3.9 YEARS STILL.
>> OH, MY GOODNESS.
>> 3.9 YEARS.
>> AND YOU WERE THERE?
>> I PLAYED 17 YEARS.
YEAH.
>> WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE YOUR
LONGEVITY?
>> WELL, REALLY, YOU KNOW,
EVERY TIME I HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO THE
YOUNG KIDS IN THE LEAGUE
ABOUT THIS, I TELL THEM, IT'S
GOOD LIVING.
>> YEAH.
>> YOU KNOW, I WAS NEVER A
DRINKER, I WAS NEVER A
PARTIER, I WAS -- WELL, I
SHOULDN'T SAY I WAS NEVER A
PARTIER, BUT --
>> SURE.
>> -- I WASN'T A GUY WHO WAS
OUT TO 4 OR 5 O'CLOCK IN THE
MORNING, YOU KNOW.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, REALLY
TAKING CARE OF YOUR BODY WHEN
YOU'RE YOUNG --
>> RIGHT.
>> -- YOUR BODY SORT OF TAKES
CARE OF YOU WHEN YOU GET
OLDER.
>> TAKE ME BACK A LITTLE BIT
THEN.
YOU SAID -- DID YOU GROW UP
IN A CHRISTIAN HOME?
>> YES.
YES.
MY MOM WAS A MISSIONARY IN
THE CHURCH.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH.
DAD WAS NOT QUITE INTO
CHURCH, BUT ALWAYS SUPPORTED
US GOING TO CHURCH, THAT'S
FOR SURE.
>> SURE.
AND WHAT CHURCH WAS IT?
>> VICTORY TEMPLE, CHURCH OF
GOD IN CHRIST.
>> YEAH.
>> YES.
>> AND IT WAS -- WHEN YOU
WENT TO CHURCH --
>> YEAH, WE WENT TO CHURCH.
[ LAUGHS ]
>> BROTHER, YOU WENT TO
CHURCH.
>> WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY, ALL DAY
SUNDAY.
[ CHUCKLES ]
>> YEAH.
>> SO...
>> AND THEY -- I WOULD
IMAGINE RUN AN AISLE ONCE IN
A WHILE?
>> OH, YEAH.
OH, YEAH.
OH, YEAH.
AND I PLAYED THE DRUMS.
EVEN AS A YOUNG KID, I WAS 7,
8, 9 YEARS OLD PLAYING THE
DRUMS IN THAT CHURCH, SO...
>> IS THAT WHERE YOU LEARNED
SOME OF YOUR MOVES, RUNNING
DOWN THE AISLE MAYBE A LITTLE
BIT?
>> (LAUGHS) WELL, I WAS
BEHIND THE DRUMS MOST OF THE
TIME, BUT I'LL TELL YOU WHAT,
YOU LEARN TO GET OUT OF THE
WAY OF PEOPLE, THAT'S FOR
SURE.
>> YEAH.
NOW, YOU GET INTO THE NFL,
OBVIOUSLY, YOU'RE DRAFTED,
YOU'RE MAKING A LITTLE BIT OF
SCRATCH --
>> SURE.
>> -- IT'S GOOD, GOOD MONEY,
UH, YOU'RE IN A NEW CITY --
>> SURE.
>>-
TEMPTATION THERE?
>> OH, WHEN I CAME TO L.A. AT
21, 22 YEARS OLD WITH A
POCKET FULL OF MONEY, I MEAN,
IT WAS WAY TOO MUCH
TEMPTATION FOR ME.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I WAS SO
THANKFUL ONCE I GOT HERE THAT
I HAD THE BACKGROUND THAT I
HAD, I MEAN, THAT I HAD THE
TEACHINGS THAT, YOU KNOW,
WERE IN MY HEART.
EVEN THOUGH I WASN'T LIVING
EXACTLY THE WAY I WANTED TO
LIVE, I HAD ENOUGH KNOWLEDGE
ABOUT THE BIBLE AND ABOUT MY
FAITH TO KNOW THAT THERE IS
ONLY SO FAR YOU CAN GO.
>> RIGHT.
>> YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GET SO
FAR OUT THERE, UH, THAT YOU
CAN'T GET BACK.
I USE THIS STORY: MY
FRESHMAN YEAR AT NOTRE DAME,
WE WENT TO HAWAII FOR A BOWL
GAME AND I WENT OUT IN THE
WATER.
I GOT ONE OF THESE BOOGIE
BOARDS.
I'VE NEVER SEEN THE OCEAN
BEFORE.
I'M A TEXAS KID.
NEVER SEEN THE OCEAN.
AND I GET THE BOOGIE BOARD
AND I'M JUST, OH, I'M JUST
HAVING -- AND MY TEAMMATES
ARE "COME BACK!"
AND LONG STORY SHORT, WHEN I
TURNED AROUND, I'M LIKE A
MILE OUT IN THE WATER.
[ LAUGHTER ]
AND I JUST START CRYING
BECAUSE I'M THINKING, I'M NOT
GONNA GET BACK.
>> YOU'RE GOING TO DROWN.
>> YOU KNOW, FORTUNATELY I AS
ABLE TO GET BACK.
>> YEAH.
>> AND, YOU KNOW, THE SAME
THING WITH YOUR SPIRITUAL
LIFE.
I THINK YOU CAN SOME TIME GET
TOO FAR OUT THERE THAT IT'S
VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO COME
BACK.
>> BUT YOU HAD A PRAYIN'
MAMA?
>> I TELL YOU WHAT --
>> AND, YOU KNOW, THE ONE
THING THAT COMES UP: RAISE
UP A CHILD IN THE WAYS OF THE
LORD.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> I THINK THAT -- DOES THAT
APPLY TO YOU?
>> WELL, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.
YOU KNOW, MY MOM SHE WENT TO
ONE GAME IN MY WHOLE CAREER
OF HIGH SCHOOL, COLLEGE AND
NFL.
SHE ONLY WENT TO ONE GAME,
AND THAT'S THE GAME I CALL MY
"THOUSAND PASS."
SHE WAS AT THAT MONDAY NIGHT
GAME.
BUT, IF SHE CAME TO THE CITY,
SHE WAS HOME PRAYING, YOU
KNOW?
ALL THOSE NOTRE DAME GAMES,
YOU KNOW, THE FAMILY WOULD
RENT A WINNEBAGO AND COME UP
TO THE SOUTH BEND, SHE WOULD
BE IN THE WINNEBAGO PRAYING
THE WHOLE TIME, YOU KNOW, AND
RARELY EVEN WATCHING THE
GAMES.
>> OH, WHAT A LEGACY!
THAT IS, OH, SO COOL.
BUT, LIKE I SAID, YOU KNOW,
YOU'VE EXPERIENCED EVERYTHING
THE WORLD HAS TO OFFER.
>> SURE.
>> FAME --
>> SURE.
>> FORTUNE, I'M SURE, CARS
AND, YOU KNOW, THE
TEMPTATION.
WOMEN THROWING THEMSELVES AT
YOU.
>> YES.
>> DOESN'T THAT BRING
HAPPINESS?
>> NO!
ABSOLUTELY NOT.
>> WHAT BRINGS HAPPINESS TO
YOU?
>> TO ME, YOU KNOW, I
REALIZED, I WAS 28, 29 YEARS
OLD THAT, "OKAY, TIM.
YOU KNOW, YOU'VE HAD YOUR
FUN.
YOU'VE DONE ALL THESE THINGS,
BUT YOU'RE NOT HAPPY."
I MEAN, IT WAS TO THE POINT
WITH ME, AND THIS IS A TRUE
STORY, WHERE I WAS SO
MISERABLE WITH MYSELF, I
COULDN'T EVEN LOOK AT MYSELF
IN THE MIRROR WHEN I WAS
GETTING DRESSED IN THE
MORNING.
I WOULD DO ALL THAT IN THE
DARK.
>> SURE.
>> I MEAN, I WOULD BRUSH MY
TEETH, (CHUCKLES) WASH MY
FACE, I WOULD -- BECAUSE I
DIDN'T -- I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE
THAT GUY.
>> YEAH.
>> BECAUSE I KNEW I HAD BEEN
RAISED.
I KNEW WHAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO
BE DOING WITH MY LIFE, BUT I
WASN'T DOING THAT.
>> YEAH.
>> AND, UH, BECAUSE, YEAH, I
MEAN, YOU KNOW, A FEW MINUTES
OF GRATIFICATION DOESN'T --
WASN'T -- WASN'T HOLDING UP
BECAUSE I WAS THINKING ABOUT
THE HARM THAT I WAS DOING TO
PEOPLE.
>> RIGHT.
WHAT KIND OF BROUGHT YOU
BACK?
WAS THERE A MOMENT?
WAS THERE A DAMASCUS ROADS
EXPERIENCE?
WAS IT JUST A GRADUAL THING?
>> IT WAS MORE OF A GRADUAL
THING WITH ME.
BUT I JUST REALIZED ONE DAY
THAT IT WAS TIME.
>> MM.
>> IT WAS TIME.
I COULDN'T TAKE MYSELF
ANYMORE.
[ CHUCKLES ]
YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, NOT
THAT I WAS HIDING STUFF.
I DIDN'T HAVE THIS, YOU KNOW,
BIG DARK SECRET CLOSET OR
ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE, BUT
I JUST KNEW THAT I COULD BE
DOING A LOT MORE IN MY LIFE.
YOU KNOW, I HAVE A FRIEND WHO
I GREW UP WITH IN DALLAS,
AND, YOU KNOW, GOES TO MY
CHURCH, AND WHEN THE KIDS
CAME AROUND, THEY ALWAYS
WANTED MY AUTOGRAPH BECAUSE I
WAS A FOOTBALL PLAYER.
BUT I WOULD TELL THEM, "THIS
IS THE MAN -- YOU SHOULD GET
HIS AUTOGRAPH, 'CAUSE HE'S
THE MAN.
HE'S THE ONE WHO'S LIVING THE
LIFE."
YOU KNOW, "HE'S THE ONE WHO
IS AN EXAMPLE FOR YOU GUYS
RIGHT NOW, AND I'M NOT."
>> YEAH.
>> AND, YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO
CHANGE THAT.
I WANTED TO BE AN EXAMPLE FOR
THE KIDS BOTH ON AND OFF THE
FOOTBALL FIELD.
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, ONE PERSON
THAT I'VE INTERVIEWED SEVERAL
TIMES NOW IS NAPOLEON
KAUFMAN.
>> YES.
>> AND HE WAS A RUNNING BACK,
OBVIOUSLY, FOR THE RAIDERS,
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T
FOLLOW FOOTBALL, BUT HE WAS A
FABULOUS CHRISTIAN.
DID YOU GUYS HANG TOGETHER ON
THE TEAM?
>> OH, YEAH.
OH, YEAH.
>> AND BEING A CHRISTIAN ON,
YOU KNOW, WHAT IS PERCEIVED
AS THIS DARK, YOU KNOW, EVIL
TEAM, YOU NOW --
>> (LAUGHS) RIGHT.
>> -- "THE RAIDERS!"
BUT, WHAT WAS THAT LIKE?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT?
THAT ALL STARTED TO CHANGE, I
THINK, THE MINUTE I WALKED
THROUGH THE DOOR BECAUSE THIS
NICE NOTRE DAME BOY CAN'T BE
THIS EVIL IMAGE OF WHAT
PEOPLE -- EVERYBODY THOUGHT
ABOUT THE RAIDERS.
BUT, WHEN NAP GOT TO THE
RAIDERS IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT
HE WAS A YOUNG MAN WHO WAS
SEEKING FOR SOMETHING, AND I
WAS ACTUALLY THERE THAT NIGHT
IN CHAPEL WHERE HE GOT SAVED.
I WAS WITH HIM.
A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER,
WHERE THEY BAPTIZED HIM IN A
JACUZZI IN OXNARD, YOU KNOW,
SO...
[ CHUCKLES ]
BUT IT WAS -- WE HAD A GREAT
GROUP OF CHRISTIANS INCLUDING
STEVE WISNIEWSKI AND ROBERT
JENKINS AND MYSELF AND ADAM
HAYWARD LIKE I MENTIONED
BEFORE, THE TEAM CHAPLAIN WHO
CAME ABOARD.
HE WAS WONDERFUL FOR US AND
PUSHING EVERYONE ALONG, SO WE
JUST HAD A GREAT GROUP OF
GUYS.
>> YEAH.
THAT'S VERY COOL.
AND NOW, AS YOU KNOW, HE'S
PASTORING A CHURCH --
>> PASTOR, YES.
>> -- IN OAKLAND.
AND THE AMAZING THING ABOUT
HIM IS HE WALKED AWAY FROM,
WHAT, MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
>> MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, YES.
>> AND TRULY, I THINK BEING A
PASTOR, 'CAUSE I KNOW A LOT
OF PASTORS, IS A CALLING.
I MEAN, IT IS GOTTA BE ONE OF
THE TOUGH -- TOUGHEST JOBS ON
THE PLANET.
BUT IT IS TRULY A CALLING FOR
HIM, AND HE LOVES IT.
>> WELL, YEAH.
HE WAS MINISTERING TO
EVERYBODY -- I MEAN, IT HAD
GOT TO THE POINT WHERE HE
WOULD GO AND PRAY WITH JAY
GRUDEN BEFORE EVERY PRACTICE.
I MEAN, BEFORE EVERY MEETING
STARTED, HE WOULD BE THERE TO
PRAY WITH HIM.
AND GRUDEN HAD A CHANCE, UH,
A HABIT OF CURSING A LITTLE
BIT.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> I'VE SEEN IT ON THE
SIDELINE.
>> SO NAP WOULD, YOU KNOW,
NAP HAD HIM, YOU KNOW, PRETTY
FF
DAYS ANYWAY, SO...
[ CHUCKLES ]
>> YEAH.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF?
>> I'M PROUD OF THE WAY I'VE
HANDLED MYSELF.
AND I ALWAYS -- WHEN I SAY
THAT, I DON'T THINK I SHOULD
BE SAYING THAT.
MAYBE THAT'S FOR SOMEONE ELSE
TO SAY.
>> YEAH.
>> BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY
PROUD OF THE FACT THAT, YOU
KNOW, I NEVER CAUSED MY MOM
ONE DAY OF, YOU KNOW,
SQUEAMISH MOMENTS, YOU KNOW,
HAVING TO GO TO CHURCH AND
EXPLAIN SOMETHING TO HER, YOU
KNOW, TO THE -- TO THE OTHER
MEMBERS ABOUT WHAT HER SON
DID.
THAT'S WHAT I'M REALLY PROUD
OF, YOU KNOW.
WHERE I END UP IN THE HISTORY
OF FOOTBALL, I DON'T KNOW.
AND I CAN'T SAY I DON'T CARE
BECAUSE I SPENT 17 YEARS, AND
IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO
SOMETHING FOR 17 YEARS, YOU
CARE.
BUT, CERTAINLY, THE WAY I
HANDLE MYSELF OFF THE FIELD
IS THE THING THAT'S, YOU KNOW
-- BECAUSE THAT WAS THE
TOUGHEST PART.
>> YEAH.
>> WHAT YOU DID ON THE
FOOTBALL FIELD, YOU KNOW,
THAT'S GOD-GIVEN TALENT, AND
IF YOU USE IT PROPERLY, IT'S
GOING TO COME OUT.
>> YOU KNOW IS JUST WANT TO
SAY PERSONALLY AS A
CHRISTIAN, THANK YOU.
>> I APPRECIATE THAT.
>> FOR, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY
REPRESENTING THE GAME WELL,
BUT REALLY REPRESENTING THE
LORD.