Dolphins Challenge Cancer Live

00:00:00 Speaker 1: You're now diving. 00:00:07 Speaker 2: I'm been that tank. 00:00:10 Speaker 3: Who setting down with Seth O Jay. 00:00:16 Speaker 4: And this is strictly but. 00:00:18 Speaker 5: I'm true fans number one of course, y'all, this ain't the other of Nevers boys talk that. 00:00:23 Speaker 2: Might have been that tank. 00:00:25 Speaker 3: Welcome back to the Fish Tank, presented by iHeartRadio right here on the Miami Dolphins podcast Network. Seth Levitt here and we have a very special episode of the podcast as we look back at the DCC fourteen. Now, I can't imagine anyone listening to this podcast is unfamiliar with the Dolphins Challenge Cancer, but for some reason that's the case. Just know that the DCC is the Miami Dolphins led year round initiative to improve the lives of those impacted by cancer through financial support for innovative cancer research at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. It is also the largest fundraising event in the entire National Football League. Think about that for a second. How could that be? Well, this year alone, the DCC featured more than six thousand attendees, three hundred and seventy organizations, more than four hundred and fifty cancer survivors who participated. Team owner Stephen Ross Dolphins President and CEO Tom Garfinkel, head coach Mike McDaniel, more than twenty players in alumni, including the great Dan Marino, and the Fish Tanks owned Oj McDuffie, who happened to participate in the ninety nine mile Jason Taylor Ride in support of this effort. Oh, by the way, this year's DCC raised, you know, just a record breaking twelve million dollars. That's right, twelve million dollars, which brought the fourteen year fundraising total of the DCC to more than seventy five million dollars in support of innovative cancer research. Absolutely unbelievable. So, as I mentioned, OJ was pretty busy during the DCC. So it was next Man of Up our Dolphins podcast network, brother Travis Wingfield OF's Drive Time Fame, took the wheel as he and I hosted a live two hour radio show in one of the paddock garages for the Formula one Crypto dot Com Miami Grand Prix. Was just may have been the coolest location we've ever broadcast from. And while we won't replay the entire show for you now, there were some important conversations that we had on the show that we'd like to share with you in this space, so please enjoy our conversation with Juice with Miami Dolphins linebacker and DCC board member Jalen Phillips, who was joined by a very special guest, and Elizabeth Jenkins, who has chaired the DCC board each of the past two years as she has brilliantly carried the torch for her late husband Jason Jenkins. All right, so let's get things started. Let's share our conversation with the only podcaster to leave the NFL and Receptions Bowl a perfect game and ride ninety nine miles in the DCC, the one and only oj McDuffie. All Right, Well, this wouldn't be the Miami Dolphins on iHeartRadio if it wasn't not just myself and not just Travis. But we had to get Juice in here, right, I mean, Travis, there's no way we could do this. I know it's not a postgame show, and I know it's not a happy hour show, Juice, but it's probably something bigger and more important than that, something that's really important to you. And as much as we wanted to do it live, the time space continuum or something scientific like that wouldn't allow for it, because by the time people are listening to this, you're gonna be on a bike. You're gonna be riding and raising money and fighting cancer. So we appreciate you making some time for us, Juice, because I know you've been prepping for the big ride. 00:03:34 Speaker 2: Yeah, no doubt about it. 00:03:35 Speaker 5: Man, I've been riding, you know, five miles a day to get ready for my ninety nine miles. 00:03:41 Speaker 3: So wait a minute, did you start like in twenty twenty two and five miles a day? 00:03:48 Speaker 5: I mean, you know, you know this year man, You know, as we know cancer and cancer research and what Sylvester does, it's near and dear to my heart. But for me, you know, it's like I had options, big Seth and Travis. You know I had you know, this year is the Hall of Fame rides as you all, as you both know. So I had the option of the thirteen mile ride. I had the option which is Dan Marino obviously, thirty nine mile ride which is Larry Zonka, the fifty four mile ride was Zach Thomas. But I chose, in my old ass, with all my ailments, to do the ninety nine mile Jason Taylor Ride. 00:04:28 Speaker 3: Let's go ninety nine right on time, Love, right on time. 00:04:31 Speaker 4: Man, right on time twelve hours later. 00:04:36 Speaker 2: So I mean, I kind of got caught up. 00:04:40 Speaker 5: I ride every years, as you both know, I ride every year, and usually I try to stay within my. 00:04:45 Speaker 2: Lane when I when I ride. 00:04:47 Speaker 5: But we had the pleasure of having having Liz Jenkins on our show in the pregame show during the season, and she's doing ninety nine miles, and she asked me what I was doing. 00:05:02 Speaker 2: Exactly exactly. 00:05:03 Speaker 3: You know what Marcellus Wallace said about Pride, don't you do? 00:05:10 Speaker 2: So I had no choice but to sign up for ninety nine miles man. 00:05:16 Speaker 5: And fortunate for me, guys, it's a ride and not a race, so I will have a little bit of assistance, not like somebody pushing my bike whatever. 00:05:26 Speaker 2: But my bike is super dope. It's super dope. 00:05:29 Speaker 5: So I'll get a chance to like coast a little bit with other people that are serious riders, some serious riders, and I love that those guys are going to be there as well. I'm not a serious rider, but I have been training that I told you five miles a day for the last you know, you know, a few days, and I'll do I'll do six miles leading up to the race today and then but I didn't know. Bottom line is this, though, I'm we're going to raise a lot of money for what's really really important here, and that's cancer research. It's so crazy because I've always been involved in cancer research. Penn State they do a they do a dance marathon. It's called than Now and they've last year they raised over fifteen million dollars in one year for pediatric cancer. And I know how important it is for everyone because cancer affects everyone. I lost my mom to cancer, I lost a couple of uncles of cancer, and of course, man, it's it's something that's hell been everybody has been dealing with in their lives. Big Sath, I know you and your mom, you know, are doing some cancer treatments and you're a big, big part of what. You know what she's going through. And I know what you're going through, brother, you know, and it's a nasty, nasty, nasty disease. 00:06:51 Speaker 2: And whatever I can do. 00:06:53 Speaker 5: If it's you know, riding nine to nine miles and then paying forth two weeks afterwards, hell, it's worth the ride. 00:07:00 Speaker 4: I want you to tell me about when you get across that finish line. You mentioned doing this for so long. Now when you get across that finish line and you know, you talk about how this, you know, this disease, this ailment affects pretty much everybody that you come in contact with. I'm curious just kind of the feelings and the emotions you get, because I can hear the emotion you're in your voice right now talking about this. It is obviously a very sensitive subject. 00:07:19 Speaker 6: But when you. 00:07:20 Speaker 4: See these tens of thousands of Dolphins fans and people in the community in South Florida and all these big heavy hitters and people that are doing whatever they can to support, I just want to hear your experience and when you come across the finish line, just see this mega, mega event that supports such a great cause and so many great people involved. 00:07:36 Speaker 5: Man Travi, It's just been incredible. It's amazing how much is grown. I mean, honestly, I mean the Dolphins have done an amazing job with all the different rides, a five K, some virtual rides, and then the you know, the whole atmosphere when everybody's there fighting for one cause, you know, the one call thing is. It's so important because especially in a country that's so divided about so many things. One thing we can all come together about is fighting cancer and I and when you cross that line. Look, I've crossed the line in a fifty mile, fifteen miles fifteen mile ride or a thirty mile ride. 00:08:13 Speaker 2: I probably a. 00:08:14 Speaker 5: Crossing the line on a ninet nine miles is gonna be a little different feeling than it would have been, you know for some of the shorter rides that I've done. Man, But no matter what, every single mile, every single dollar, every single thing, it just you just think about all those that it can help. You know, My mom, my uncles, they didn't pass in vain to this nasty disease because we're out here raising money to eventually, you know, find a. 00:08:39 Speaker 2: Cure for disease. 00:08:41 Speaker 5: And I think, you know, man, it's amazing that there isn't one yet, but hell, let's keep raising dollars. 00:08:47 Speaker 2: Who we find one? 00:08:48 Speaker 3: Yeah, without a question, there Jew. So here's what I want to ask you about. There is no former Dolphin who is a bigger Miami Dolphins fan than our guy, OJ McDuffie Travis. Like we see it at every game, well, we see it on the road games, at home games, he can't sit in the press box with us because he would break every press box rule. You love being a Dolphin. You are so active with the alumni Association. You wear your colors with pride. You know, we've heard players joke about what a big fan you are preseason games. 00:09:17 Speaker 6: You're getting heated there in the in. 00:09:19 Speaker 1: The alumni box. 00:09:21 Speaker 3: But that pride has to take a different you know, I made a pride joke earlier, but that takes a whole different meaning with this. How proud are you to be a part of an organization that started an event that has become the most successful charitable fundraiser in the entire National football. 00:09:40 Speaker 5: Man, I'm not surprised by what the Dolphins do ever. Honestly, man, it's one of the best organizations in all the pro sports and it really is. And to take this challenge on with Sylvester comprehensive. It just shows what we care about a lot more things and just what's happening on the football field. This is a community event, and we know what what the Miami Dolphins mean to the community, and we know how obviously we just talked about cancer as affected every community, So why not, you know, be a part of an organization that's incredible, but also doing an incredible thing and trying to make some awareness as well as raising dollars for for an amazing for an amazing calls. So you know, I am a huge Dolphan. I'm a I'm a I'm a Homer. I love the fact that you and I and Travis work together. In the post game we could talk about the the US and and and and we uh. Whereas when I was working other radio I had, I couldn't use those type of what they pronouns. I couldn't use those pronouns because I'm supposed to be more national. I'm a Dolphan through and through, and things like this make me even a bigger fan. I love what we do on the field, but hell man, we're doing off the field with this team, with this organization, and with Stephen Ross and what Tom Garfinko and all the people that are part of this whole DCC. What they do off the field, it's truly amazing. And you know, there are a lot of people out there trying to replicate it, and I hope they do. I hope they come and enjoy and not enjoy, but see what we're doing and take that to their cities. I would love for all thirty two teams, you know, to be able to go out there and start doing things to you know, to combat and raise money for cancer, which is one of the yeah, obviously one of the biggest things that we deal with on a day to day basis through everyone that we know in touch. 00:11:39 Speaker 4: It certainly sets the precedent for, you know, the way to do things in terms of charitable organizations and raising money. And on that topic, juice, you know, to bring it back to my old stomping grounds, my old days. I used to play Legion baseball and we had to go around raising money to support our team, our travel and stuff. And I hate it because it was so hard to go knock on doors and ask people will pay money to pay for us to travel in baseball. But I'm thinking about, like, does every organization have an ace in the hole like an OJ McDuffie, because I cannot imagine someone being like, oh, OJ came to my house to raise money or whatever it might be. I'm curious how easy it is for you to, uh to raise funds for this thing, because, like we talk about, you're kind of a legend down here. 00:12:20 Speaker 6: In the community. 00:12:20 Speaker 4: I imagine that's a big, a big sticking point for you to make this thing happen. 00:12:24 Speaker 5: Absolutely, man, I'm gonna tell you this too. We've got about thirty to thirty five alumni are out there raising money too. And we we we it's it's it's crazy to me because we sit there and we want to compete all the time. 00:12:38 Speaker 2: So we're compete. 00:12:39 Speaker 5: We compete all the time with other organizations to raise the most money for this challenge, you know, and and we know how important it is for you know, for the ride. We also want to go out there and compete. But it's it's, it's it's it's it's it's amazing to go out there and see the net More is the Terry Kirby's, you know, the Sean Woodens, Detroy Drayton's, all these guys that go out there and ride. And I'm tell you this too, these guys, I mean, if we just talked about the smallest ride is thirteen miles. These guys, we're all banged up in our lives physically. We're all we're all beat up in our lives physically, but no matter what, we're willing and we are able and we want to go out there and be a part of this challenge that you know that it's going out going out there in the fact, we're all gonna pay for it at the end of the day. But hell, that's an easy sacrifice, Travis. It's such an easy, easy sacrifice. And I'll tell you what, the Dolphins have done a lot to make our lives a lot better. And so we we're we're willing and able to go out there in fundraise for the most important thing in our lives at this point, and that's to fight this terrible disease. 00:13:48 Speaker 3: Well, he was a two time MVP for the Miami Dolphins, and he is an every year MVP in the Dolphins Challenge Cancer and now in ninety nine well not yet, but by the time this radio show is over, he will be a ninety nine mile MVP. Can we get can we like, Mike you up and get some live updates maybe later in the show and figure out where you're at, what your mile marker is. 00:14:11 Speaker 2: Yeah, I would love that. 00:14:12 Speaker 5: It's probably best to get me early in the show, you know what I mean, the first few miles. 00:14:16 Speaker 3: We'll play this interview right at the time at the beginning. 00:14:19 Speaker 5: Yeah, so let me get the first few miles in because who knows what's gonna be happening, you know, around mile, you know. 00:14:24 Speaker 4: Five miles seven because five, Danice. 00:14:28 Speaker 2: I gotta get you seven mile. 00:14:29 Speaker 5: Hit me after seven to see if I'm still around, you know what I mean for this thing, man, But real talk, though, Yeah, yeah, it's gonna be It's gonna be the challenge, and it really is. I got some guys that you know, that are excited about it. We got a lot of guys that have done the smaller rides, but this year we got some guys that are going for the Jason Taylor, you know. And that's important, man, because when you we sit there and make that type of commitment, I think that a lot of people realize that you're serious about. 00:14:57 Speaker 2: What's going on in and we are. We are truly serio us about going out here and raising. 00:15:01 Speaker 1: Some money for cancer. 00:15:02 Speaker 3: You know, we're having a lot of fun here today, but that's exactly right. It is serious business and it's just unbelievable to be a part of it. I know, Travis and I our contribution is kind of flapping our gums today. 00:15:12 Speaker 6: But you're, uh, you're out there. 00:15:14 Speaker 2: Man, everybody, everybody, but you got to role for sure, and I. 00:15:19 Speaker 3: Know mine, but I respect the heck out of what you're doing, Jews, So you go get him there, and we can't wait to see it the finish line. 00:15:25 Speaker 2: Hey, I can't wait to see you guys too. 00:15:26 Speaker 4: Man. 00:15:26 Speaker 3: I am not used to seeing Juice on that side of an interview, but man, can you tell how important this effort is to him and how close it hits to home. I just hope that he's been getting some rest since that big ride, because as great as Travis was, I'm ready to have my partner back right here in the tank. Speaking of guys that we can't wait to have back, it was awesome to spend some time with Jalen Phillips. 00:15:47 Speaker 1: Now. 00:15:47 Speaker 3: Jalen, of course, is rehabbing his torn achilles, but he looked great. He was a man of the people. He was wearing his Dolphins jersey number fifteen, and he visited with us along with his new best friend, Malachi. Now, Malachi is a five year old cancer survivor who was on hand to celebrate the day with his mom, and he got to waive the checkered flag at the finish line. 00:16:10 Speaker 4: We are live here from fourteen broadcasting from the F one A Hard Rocks Stadium, Travis Springfield is love here with you guys up until noon here on Fox Sports nine forty in Miami, and we have another special guest and a recurring guest as well, alongside backer. 00:16:26 Speaker 6: Jayalen Phillips, our new friend Malachi. 00:16:28 Speaker 4: Tell us about you and Malachi's budding friendship here man, I wants to introduce. 00:16:34 Speaker 7: Well, I well, I ah my own Jane because he's like you know before, Now I do. 00:16:55 Speaker 6: About that. 00:16:58 Speaker 1: I see why you like me and each other for almost years now. 00:17:05 Speaker 8: Every time I go down to Alex Place at Sylvester, I just see him in there, all the joy with the other kids. And I just recently found out that he has cancer. For you came, which is is such a blessing and he truly is. 00:17:17 Speaker 6: That's all about, right, that's all about stuff talk about. 00:17:21 Speaker 9: I mean, since you got here and obviously a pre day two being miamed Golf, since you step foot as on South Florida, all you've done is community work and I've never seen anything like that. I told you when you're on the fish Tank to win the nap Or Community Service Board. 00:17:37 Speaker 6: That's the rookie. It's unheard of that it hadn't happened. 00:17:40 Speaker 9: Why are you so invested in the community here and and why the DC see to take a level as a board member? 00:17:47 Speaker 1: Why the DCC. 00:17:48 Speaker 8: Yeah, So, I mean just starting with the community of the South Florida community has embraced me so much as I've come down here, and I feel like you're miss I don't do everything I can the platform that I have to get back to the community. I mean, just look at it. We gotta with Dolphins Quarters of DCC, so South Quarter to me is really a second home. And so yeah, I mean first got into the league, I just told the office people like anything that you guys have going on and the opportunities to just really work, let me know. And I just think that really with DCC to answer is the second part of your question, I just kind of felt like a kinstrip with DCC in the sense that you know, I've had a lot of people think about cancer, both family members and loved ones, and for me, it's just it's such an incredible cause that what we do out here with Sylvester does raising funds for cancer research. So I just really feel grateful and honor to be able to, like I said, use my platform to express some love and encourage other people to. 00:18:42 Speaker 6: Say, well, you're very good. 00:18:43 Speaker 4: Could have been after quarter backs right over here as well. But we've had a bunch of guests on the show here today talk about the growth of DCC, not just from year one to now, but the last few years. 00:18:51 Speaker 6: I mean, post pandemic has really been. It's been outrageous how it's grown. 00:18:55 Speaker 4: I want to hear from your perspective from when you got here in twenty twenty one to now, how you've seen a growing and involved. 00:19:00 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's been incredible. 00:19:01 Speaker 8: I mean I wrote the one hundred and twenty twenty one in twenty twenty two, and it just blew my mind how many people were there riding it with me, and how many people were doing the other rise in the five Kings, just supporting in general. But coming here today passionly kind of cool because obviously not being able to ride, which is so fortunate, but being able to have the perspective of just coming in here and this whole different experience of you know, communicating with the fans and just walking around and seeing what the events really like. 00:19:24 Speaker 1: Mind bowing, how big it is, and it's just really incredible. 00:19:28 Speaker 9: You just meant not being able to ride this year, it's great to see you walking around. 00:19:32 Speaker 6: I like seeing you out on that little scooter there. 00:19:35 Speaker 9: But as anybody who files the Mommy Dolphins or the NFL knows, unfortunately suffered a significant injury. 00:19:41 Speaker 6: The see with the Achilles, you are no stranger to adversity. 00:19:44 Speaker 9: Like your entire career path, you've had to overcome one thing or the next and continue to persevere. 00:19:50 Speaker 6: But when you get. 00:19:51 Speaker 9: Involved with something like the DCC and you know, Liz Dinks talk to us about this year is about the stories, and you hear the stories, does it put it into for perspective, like you are battling something. It's a real injury. It is not easy to get back on that field to overcome what you're overcoming, But like, do you get some level of strength when you are a perspective when you hear the stories that these people are doing. 00:20:11 Speaker 8: Absolutely, I mean when I hear the stories of these cancer survivors and the people who have doubt with cancer, I mean it really just like you said, puts in a perspective and just makes me realize how precious life is. 00:20:22 Speaker 1: And how there are really the true heroes and the true warriors. 00:20:25 Speaker 8: And so if I can aspire to just be a fraction of the strengths that they have, then I think I'm doing all right. But like I said, several family members, my grandfather named me he's got cancer and he's still to this day is the most god fearing, humble and given person I've ever met in my life. So that just inspires me to, no matter what I'm going for my life, to just you know, keep my head up, keep a positive attitude, and just try to, like I said, others to do the same. 00:20:50 Speaker 4: Well, you constantly impressed this man, both on and off the fields, and I was so kind of inspired by your courage after you use stuff with that injury back in November I think it was, and you talked a lot about like that step and how you're going to take process. 00:21:01 Speaker 6: Steth kind of alludes to there. 00:21:02 Speaker 4: But I have to ask you the dolphins here, how is not the rehab coming? 00:21:06 Speaker 6: How you're feeling and what's the outlook for you? 00:21:08 Speaker 8: Has been incredible. I honestly haven't had a bad day yet. You know, when it happened, I knew that it was gonna be a pivot moment in my career, just in the sense that I could go one of two ways. I could feel sorry for myself and shut down, or I could take it as an opportunity to get better. I mean, when when things happen in live from the adversity, you always come out the other side stronger as long as you don't give up. And so for me, just that much on myself as from your artist and never give up. Uh, And you know he's gotten me to this point. And you know, I hope that I can serve as an inspiration of other people going through. 00:21:36 Speaker 1: Problems as well. 00:21:37 Speaker 9: There's no doubt that I could say that without even polling people. I'm sure that you have How long did it take though, Like, how long did it take from the shock of on that moment which fortunately unfortunately however you want to say it, we all experienced your injury almost with you because of the Hard Knocks coverage which was so compelling but also just gut wrenching to watch. But from the moment meant that you realized what happened to getting to the mindset that you have right now, Like was it overnight? 00:22:06 Speaker 6: Like what did it take for you to get to that mindset. 00:22:08 Speaker 1: I'll never forget this. 00:22:09 Speaker 8: Obviously, you guys saw all the range of emotions I went through on the field, But when I got back into the locker room kind of settled in, I realized like the gravity of the situation. I remember I was in the shower and I just said thank you God. I said, thank you God for this opportunity, and I just broke out and started crying because to me that felt so empowering because I took this adversity and switched the mind frame to something that was empowering me and has something that that was going to motivate me. So yeah, I mean ever since then, like I said, I haven't had a bad day since. You know, there's been some tough times, some days obviously where it's sore, where I want to be walking when I was in a boot, but just knowing that at the end of this road, I'm going. 00:22:46 Speaker 1: To be stronger because of it. It's really I'm giving me all the motivation I need. 00:22:49 Speaker 4: And unfortunately we lost another guy at your position group, Bradley Chubb, late in the year. I'm curious about the process of rehabbing that thing together because there were some cool stories about how like Raheem and Alec were in the rehab processes last year and they came out both think in their first career Pro bowls. Are you excited to have the chance to kind of be with your brother attacking that. I know it's not like I obviously, but yeah, definitely you guys get join in that process. 00:23:08 Speaker 8: Definitely not ideal, but it's honestly been a blessing in a sense. You know, we've both been trying to find silver linings out of all this because when things happen, you know, it's easy to get caught up in the rabbit hole of why why is this happening? 00:23:18 Speaker 1: But at the end of the day, it just matters how you attack it. 00:23:21 Speaker 8: So both of us have shared kind of you know, how we've been feeling and shared that mindset, and we're both attacking it. 00:23:26 Speaker 1: You know, Bradley's doing great. 00:23:28 Speaker 8: I want to speak for him, but you know, just being with him every day doing rehab with him, we've both been able to motivate each other. 00:23:33 Speaker 1: So it's really gonna blessing. 00:23:36 Speaker 9: Last time you were when I were together with a microphone on the thank you were just finished the rookie season, getting ready to start season two, and in fact, I think you too stoked about you had to get to that third game. Where before you were becoming a veteran, well you're a vet. Now there's young guys at the position. There will be more young guys at the position. What is that like for you to have? Now this shift from being the young guy who's trying to soak it all in and you're still you're always learning. You'll be ten years into this thing, you'll still be learning, but now you're also in a position to be a leader to younger guys who are coming both on and. 00:24:08 Speaker 6: Off the field. 00:24:09 Speaker 9: Is something like the DCC your preparation in terms of your rehab, are all of those developments of how you show a young guys professional? 00:24:18 Speaker 1: Yeah? 00:24:19 Speaker 8: Absolutely, you know one thing that I've how you do one how you do anything. So you know, I can't tell you that I'm going to be the man I'm talking to you, but I'm not on the community efforts, I'm not working on my family. 00:24:30 Speaker 1: And you can't just be one shock football. 00:24:34 Speaker 8: I think you have to be a roll around because football, to me, how many life lessons that can take on a football And one of my favorite things about football is it. It teaches me accountability and it teaches you how to be a man. And so if you if you can have the perspective of understanding that there's more to football than just playing the game and just focusing on the stress of being in and out in the days of football, I think that you can really grow up from it a lot. And so it's been kind of funny because in I'm coming into my fourth year and it's like, literally yesterday I was getting drafted. So tom really flies thinking myself as a veteran, and whenever I see the young guys coming in, I still feel. 00:25:10 Speaker 1: Like I'm the same. I feel like I'm a weirdy still too. 00:25:13 Speaker 6: It's a weird transition. 00:25:14 Speaker 1: Is in a position. 00:25:15 Speaker 8: But I think that people respect, you know, me and what I do and how I show up every day. I try to be, you know, the quintessential professional essentially, and so just kind of I've always been to lead by example. Five guy, anybody who's worth investing in me, I like to try to put them on game and share the things that I've learned too. But yeah, it's it's definitely cool kind of taking that mental. 00:25:34 Speaker 1: Ship a little. 00:25:35 Speaker 6: I'm the old man here at the table. 00:25:37 Speaker 9: But every time I sit down with Jalen, I feel like I've got some growing up to do. 00:25:40 Speaker 4: I was gonna say sometimes in the podcast, I'm like, I'm thirty six to doing this still, Like what am I talking about right now? 00:25:44 Speaker 6: You're you like that one? 00:25:46 Speaker 4: Speaking of Malaca, Jailem, I appreciate you having one today, man, any of the last works for Malica. 00:25:50 Speaker 6: You want to take us home here? 00:25:51 Speaker 1: Buddy? 00:25:52 Speaker 2: What do you think? 00:25:53 Speaker 1: Well? 00:25:54 Speaker 7: I put im yeah, so you because Bekay I saw him take a picture with. 00:26:05 Speaker 1: Bans and. 00:26:11 Speaker 7: Jayant I hope because in my favorite because in my favorite football play in the world. 00:26:22 Speaker 4: Jalen Phillips, Jalen push ups what he must have seen her Instagram that h appreciate you, ma, thank you so much today. 00:26:32 Speaker 3: How can you not root for Jalen Phillips. You heard a saying on the air, but he's just one of the most impressive people that you will ever meet. Whether he's playing football or he's doing work in the community, He's just the type of guy that makes you proud to cheer for the Miami Dolphins. So we wish Jayalen a speedy recovery. Can't wait to see his work back on the gridiron, of course, but also in his philanthropic efforts throughout twenty twenty four. Our final interview today is with Elizabeth Jenkins. Good luck finding a more inspirational individual than Elizabeth, who as board chair has helped lead the charge for the DCC, raising more than twenty two million dollars in the past two years alone. Now, Elizabeth will tell you everybody gets to credit. There's thousands of people who helped raise all of that money, but she was the board chair. You got to give her some credit. 00:27:15 Speaker 1: There. 00:27:16 Speaker 3: Pat yourself on the back, Liz. Just a fabulous job. Elizabeth shares with us how she stepped into the role and how meaningful it has been for her and her family. 00:27:25 Speaker 10: Well, I've been a part of the Dolphins family for a long time, so I've I was here for DCC one. So unfortunately my husband, well fortunately my husband was the board chair for DCC twelve and they had asked him to be the board chair for DCC thirteen. Unfortunately, he passed away in August of twenty twenty two unexpectedly, and I had known he had already signed up for his one hundred mile ride and so in sort of going through the grief process. I was trying to figure out what I could do for him, and I had gone to Tom Garfin and said, you know, I'd be happy to take on his ride if that's okay, and Tom was like, absolutely, no problem. And then a couple days later he texted me, He's like, what are your thoughts if you took on the board chair role? And I was like, I'm really just still trying to wrap my head around riding ninety nine or one hundred miles, like I have no idea. So I sort of avoided the conversation a little bit and said, I'm not sure, let me think about it. And then I actually went to church and my pastor gave a very impassioned sermon about if life keeps on bringing you situations to your life instead of running away from them, maybe you should say yes. And then within thirty minutes, Tom ironically called me just to check in and he asked me the question again and I said, you got me the right time. I'm going to say yes. And it was probably the best yes I had said that year so far, and I was, you know, totally overwhelmed, unprepared. I had no idea what I signed up for, but the board was so welcoming. Team at the Dolphins and the DCC team, Hobby Abby, everyone were so welcoming to me and guided me through the process. And so we did DCC thirteen and it was a transformative experience for me. The ride was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life physically, and I'm a crossfitter, so for me to say that it says a lot. I've been through a lot myself, but it was cathartic. I rode for Jason, obviously, I raised money for Jason, and you know, to show my kids that I was doing something and honor their dad and connected to the Dolphins was great. So we raised a record breaking amount. That was the other thing they didn't tell me is that they had very high goals the year, the year of previous raised for Jason's group. I think they had raised eight point six and they were like, oh, well, by the way, we're going on to run over ten. And I was like, oh, over ten, We're going to start real easy. 00:29:58 Speaker 2: And we did. 00:29:59 Speaker 10: We raised ten point five, which I was beyond proud that we could do that. And that's really a testament of the community. The community has really supported this organization and this mission, the Sylvester Cancer Comprehensive Cancer Institute, as well as the Dolphins. This has been going on for thirteen years at that time, and now we're on year fourteen and it's been phenomenal to see. 00:30:26 Speaker 3: Phenomenal is a great word to sum up everything that you just said there. And you know you said eight point five and a little over eight and ten point five. I want people to understand that's million. There's millions, a thousand. That's ten point five million dollars that was raised last year, record breaking year by Elizabeth Jenkins. It's everyone and the entire right the group, but well you are You're at the head of it, right. So we always say the coach in the quarterback gets too much credit when they win, right, you know all of that. So I just want to talk about impressive rookie seasons that we've seen down here for the Miami Dolphins. Devon a chan Ha just killed it this past year. We know Jaylen Waddle a few years ago revolutionized you know what what a rookie is supposed to do at the receiver position. You go out and do that, you break, you break your husband's record. That that seemed that that couldn't be broken, and you go ahead and you told me there, You're like, well, I got to beat them, right, you know, let that combinitive spirit. Yeah, we know, y'are and I'd expect nothing less. And and but here's the question is how do you follow up that rookie season? Like what can we expect this year? 00:31:38 Speaker 10: Uh? 00:31:38 Speaker 2: Yeah, No. 00:31:39 Speaker 10: I was actually well I thought this was going to be a one and done. To be honest, I was like, okay, I did my one. You know they're gonna be like all right, thanks for doing this, like you can see yourself to the door. And then on the last board, meaning out of the blue, one of the board members was like, hey, one last thing I wanted to bring up before we get off a call, and he like, any chance you want to do this again next year? And I was like, oh, oh, this is how we're going to do this. 00:32:05 Speaker 2: We're going to. 00:32:06 Speaker 10: Livand glass And I said, you know what, I would be honored to do it one more year. And so that was really the challenge. I was like, Okay, I've got one year under my belt, Like how do we how do we elevate this? You know, seeing the behind the scenes and understanding and just hear the feedback from the people who participated and doing it. And I think this year we are going to shock everybody. We have up the anti. You know, this year we have partnered with F one and so we are going to actually ride all the F one track. We're going to be using the Paddock Club. I think we have elevated this to a place that I don't think people have seen before. You know, we obviously there's a lot of things that go on in Hoard Stadium, so we have to work around you know, Miami Open doing their buildout and you know F one building in and so we had for the last couple of years had been sort of in a parking lot where previously we had ridden through the stadium. That obviously is not an option as they're building Miami Opens Grandstand right now. So we talked to F one and they said, yeah, no, we can absolutely use the track and use the paddock Club and highlight that. And we've also brought back the concert we used to do a couple of years ago. So this year we have a headlining concert afterwards. Shaka Khan is going to be performing. So this should be fun, you know, celebration. That's what really we wanted. We wanted a celebration as well as we wanted to celebrate you know, people coming in at the same time. That was a little bit of feedback that we got is that, you know, because there's such a range and times coming back. You know, people are running one hundred miles, people are writing thirteen people are doing a five k, but people were coming in at different times. This year, we've adjusted start times so people are going to be coming in it about the same time, which will I think increase that celebration feeling of finishing. Even no matter which route you've decided to choose to do, you're all ending at the same place and celebrating this moment and you know, I think it's going to be a phenomenal emotional moment for people, and it's a celebration. The other night, somebody brought up the fact and you know, DCC one was about us writing for you know, people we lost. You know, obviously Jamandage was a main proponent of why we do this right at the beginning, and we unfortunately lost him, and so you know, it was, you know, a tribute to people we've lost fourteen years from now like now we're riding with survivors, We're riding with people we've saved, and that's such a huge testament of what transformative power this organization and this mission has done over the last fourteen years to our community and beyond. And I'm very proud to be even a small part of that. 00:34:54 Speaker 4: Yeah, I love the idea of that, Liz. The celebration that was kind of you know, speaking of your late husband, the Gray Jayson and Jenkins, who we refer to all the time on this on our show at radio, our podcast and just me Seth and Oj talking all the time, is that it was about a celebration. We always looked at the last couple of Dolphin seasons as like, think about this is how happy Jason would be watching these seasons. And to kind of continue the theme here of making the comparison with football and the bike ride here, you know, I think Seth and I think our roles right here as radio host might be like coaches in a way. So I'm going to try to find a way to incentivize you here a little bit as your radio coach a little bit. So we were talking off the air before this about the competitiveness of yourself, but also our our third man here on the show typically who's not with us today because he's out on the ride with you actually right now as we speak, Well, he's on the ride. His training maybe was not as intense as yours. And that's kind of where I'm going with this here. So you'll be on the ninety nine mile Jason Taylor Ride this year, which again did the hundred miles last year. Slacken Liz one mile last year. 00:35:55 Speaker 10: We're doing that. 00:35:55 Speaker 3: Last I'm doing. 00:36:01 Speaker 9: So I like that. 00:36:05 Speaker 1: It's perfect. 00:36:06 Speaker 4: Maybe some foreshot in their country Hall of Fame in the future. I'm getting ahead of myself there anyway, So you and OJ are going to be competing a little bit here. You might run into him, but I understand that your guys's bikes might be a little bit different. So he told us that his training was like five miles, and you hear us on the radio show here as well, like five miles a day he was riding. He bumped up to six miles a week of like, okay, Oj, you're still a few I don't know, math freak, well, you're still a little bit short on that number. So my long wointed question here is are you going to top OJ and also tell us about the training that you put into this to put one hundred miles down, because gosh, that's a long ride. 00:36:41 Speaker 10: Sure my goal is yes, I am going to top OJ. I know that I bullied him into joining the ride the last time. I always on the radio show, so I will attest that I have no problem being a bully. I bully many of the other alumni. Terry Kirby is also doing the ninety nine with me, and I think he regrets that he actually trained with me a couple of times, which was awesome. No, I definitely said after last year I was going to do better at my training. I unfortunately did not fulfill that promise. Life got the better of me. My kids won out. But I started training in December, and you know, I went out with a forty, which was probably a little too aggressive. 00:37:20 Speaker 2: On my first ride. 00:37:20 Speaker 10: Bout, I was a bit sore. Did so much justice to my bike. The guys at max Cycler are fantastic. If you ever need a great bike tune up, they definitely did that for me. But I went out for fifty four this past Saturday. It was great. I felt fantastic, you know, the weather might be a little cooler this Saturday. So I've sort of I pretty much have. I haven't done one hundred yet. I haven't done you know, the full, but fifty four felt good. I did that with Nat this weekend and you know, Nat kept up, which I love. And he's only doing thirteen, so he way overshot what he needs to do for this, but you know it's gonna be. It's I'm excited for oday to experience it with the other people. You know, it's not a race, and I know I'm being competitive with him, but it's really about connecting with the people that you bribe with and their stories. You know. I was like trying to think about what this year's word was for me, and you know, last year's year was, you know, turning pain into Purpose, and this year I was thinking about it and I was like, you know, it's really about the stories. You know, everyone has a story of how we're connected, and we are all very interconnected. 00:38:31 Speaker 1: You know. 00:38:32 Speaker 10: Fortunately, my so my daughters, actually my daughters are actually walking this year and this is the first year they've ever done it. And you know, unfortunately, my daughter's best friend's dad passed away from cancer after a very quick diagnosis and turn around in a three week time. Over the holiday Christmas holiday, he passed away. And you know, obviously my daughter was pain because it's her best friend. Obviously she has knows how it feels to lose a parent, and she was like, I want to do this for, you know, her best friend's dad. And so the three girls who are all best friends are all wearing their you know, their friends' dads on their shirt and they're walking the five k. You know, that means something. It changes people. And I think when they walk this walk, I don't think they quite understand what's going to be happening, but they're going to be walking with other people who will have pictures of the people they lost or the people who have been saved on their shirts. And I think this will change them. And that's what I love to see, is, you know, changing the future. And they are that this will change them and they're going to want. 00:39:37 Speaker 6: To do more. 00:39:38 Speaker 2: Wow. 00:39:39 Speaker 3: Wow, I mean, that's that's powerful stuff. I'd expect nothing less from the two times. It sounds like Travis, we're gonna have a two time record breaking board chair of the DCC. 00:39:49 Speaker 10: I'm not gonna put I'm not gonna show all our cards, but it's trending very very well. 00:39:55 Speaker 4: And. 00:39:57 Speaker 3: We will be shocked, I think, is what just earlier here? 00:40:01 Speaker 1: You know what? 00:40:02 Speaker 3: And we gotta let you go here, Liz. But there was a pledge made several years ago. The Miami Dolphins, through the DCC, made a seventy five million dollar pledge to the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. It's the largest known filanthropic pledge in all of sports, which is that in and of itself is incredible, And from what I read entering this year, the DCC has raised more than sixty four million dollars. So it sounds to me like there's a chance. It wasn't necessarily a prediction. Travis knows, I don't love predictions when we're talking football, But it sounds to me like there is a chance that that seventy five million dollar goal could be reached this year. What would that mean for you for that to happen? You talk about being here for DCC one. We know how instrumental Jason was to that pledge being made and helping to get to the number that we're at right now. What would that mean for to eclipse that seventy five million dollar goal under your watch, so to speak, and for that to happen this year, I. 00:41:03 Speaker 10: Think that'll be an accomplishment that I will always trusure. 00:41:06 Speaker 1: You know. 00:41:07 Speaker 10: I think obviously that was a benchmark, and I think everyone's like, Okay, we'll hit that. I'm going to say it right now, Yes, we're going to beat that number, like we're going to have that number, beat this share. But I really go back to thinking about how many people's lives we are going to stave with that amount of money. Seventy five million dollars in cancer research is going to revolutionary change people's lives who don't even know it yet. And I will never probably meet most of these people, but I know that if I ever meet somebody and hear about their treatments in the future, I know that what we have done together as a community has impacted that and that makes me feel so blessed to just be a small part of that service to somebody else. And that's what you want to leave. You want to leave your mark on this world. And you know, if that could be mine, I would be thrilled and I'm very excited. So you know, I also hate doing predictions. I'm very very I don't actually watch Dolphins games live when I'm watching it on TV on the road because I feel like I have too much of an impact. So I watched it on delay. So Jason used to laugh him and he's like, you have absolutely no impact. I think I do, so I watch it on delay. But you know, I feel very good, and you know, I want to give kudos to you know, the Dolphins. You know, the Dolphins spearheaded this, and you know they are all in. We had a pickup party last Tuesday night, and the the alumni support that were there, the current player support that were there, you know, the executives through and through. But like everyone in the organization participates, from ticket salesperson to you know, managers to coordinators, like they all are doing this and that says a lot about the actual culture of the Miami Dolphins. And you know, I don't want toot our own horn, but we are the largest charitable organization in the NFL. We've raised the most money out of all thirty two themes, and that says a lot about this organization and I'm proud to be a part of it. 00:43:22 Speaker 4: What's crazy about it is the tangible number you just gave us right. There is great, no question about it. But to me, the biggest thing that you said in this whole interview was the story about your daughters and their friend, because you talk about that impact they had, Like I was glad that seth in the next question there, because that was that was pretty emotional. That was a really cool story. That definitely touch touched me and you know with with my kids in a certain way as well. There so impacts tangibly, impacts intangibly across this entire this race, this this run, this bike ride. It's really cool to see and Liz, you killed it. Thanks for coming on here with us today. Have a great time on your ride. Rest us up, as Steve Smith would say, the great Smith. And just real quick to bring it back to the original rookie question. So we talked about Geleen Wattle's rookie year. I don't know if you guys know this, but his second season he went on to have like three hundred more yards, like five more touchdowns and was like ten yards per catch more. Liz, I think you're on that Jillian Wattle your two track this year. 00:44:14 Speaker 10: Oh well, that's a huge compliment. I love Jayalen so I love all the Jalen's on the team. 00:44:19 Speaker 2: There's a lot of them. 00:44:20 Speaker 1: There's a lot of them. 00:44:21 Speaker 6: Great stuff, Liz, Thank you so much. 00:44:23 Speaker 10: Thanks guys, I appreciate it. 00:44:24 Speaker 1: Well. 00:44:24 Speaker 3: There you have it. One of the models of the DCC that you hear and see everywhere is one team, one fight, and there is really no better way to describe how a football franchise, civic and philanthropic leaders, leaders in the health community, and then of course the community at large, dollphans and others who have come together to truly do the unthinkable. We congratulate each and every individual who contributed to the cause in some way, shape or form, because you are making a difference. I gotta thank my guy, Travis Wingfield, who has always was an absolute pleasure to work with. And since Juice is still getting his legs back underneath him, I guess it's my turn. Juice. I've got the honor of saying thanks for diving in. 00:45:04 Speaker 4: You're now diving into the fish tanks. 00:45:08 Speaker 3: Just like Jews said, thanks for diving in to the fish tank. Presented by iHeartRadio. Be sure to follow us on whatever streaming platform you're using, and don't be afraid to rate the show or leave us a comment. We love your feedback and remember you can find us, as well as Drive Time with Travis Wingfield and all of our international partners on Miami Dolphins dot com at this time