Ep 259: Scott Wood talks Pack of Wolves, NIL

NC State legend Scott Wood joins us on the pod to talk about the Pack of Wolves NIL collective and it's roll for the Wolfpack

00:19.38
redwhitepodcast
All right folks we are back with another dish of the red and white podcast I'm your host Evan here with will special guest Scott would I'll try and think I how to intro Scott would I don't think you really needs an intro I do have a question for you Scott though.

00:30.46
sw
Ah, yeah, well.

00:37.40
redwhitepodcast
James Henderson and I and I know you know James y'all are friends. We are always talking about. Can we have a 3 point contest against Scott Wood will he be down for it. Are you down to have a 3 point contest be in James James and I both think we're good shooters.

00:50.62
sw
Only only if we play for money.

00:54.70
redwhitepodcast
All right? We'll bring that back to the golf course as well. So we'll even that one out.

00:56.91
sw
Home have we played for money that's um I've learned now now that I've actually stopped playing so it's been probably about close to 2 years now ah everybody wants to do these shooting contests like me even the other day I was at someone's house and this kid's like oh I want to shoot and we shot and I mean.

01:16.52
redwhitepodcast
Ah.

01:16.77
sw
Wasn't even closed and stuff I've just come to the conclusion that everybody thinks because I'm not actively playing anymore I can't shoot anymore and I I shoot just as good as I used to so I just say hey we'll just do it for money now.

01:24.31
redwhitepodcast
I love it. Would you have liked to have gotten 263 point attempts your freshman year.

01:31.95
sw
That would have been nice I would have been nice I Don't think I was in a in a position with how our team was because we have a highly talented roster but that that that would have been I would have been a lot of fun knowing that you could just come down and have the ultimate green line without a doubt.

01:42.15
redwhitepodcast
Yeah.

01:49.13
redwhitepodcast
I thought youd like that one I we're here to talk really about n I l and for anybody who's been living under a rock. What is the pack of wolves and the NIL and how did you get involved with all this.

02:04.42
sw
Yeah, so obviously what everybody's kind of hearing is it's it's paying players. it's it's that name image likeness that everybody's gonna hear you know I've I've seen some negative stuff some positive stuff all over there. But the 1 thing and the reason why I wanted to get involved is. You know everybody's kind of getting caught up in the money situation like we're gonna see we're gonna see guys like Isaiah Wong that are gonna come out and just say oh I need more money because I went to a sweet 16 there's there's gonna be some issues like that. We just can't avoid it. It's it's impossible but 1 of the things that we can do is. You know, put the money aside and find out other ways that we can help these kids when I was in school I didn't have the opportunity to sit down and have a conversation with a you know, Wendell Murphy because it was frowned upon now these kids can they can do that and we encourage them to get to know. You know, a lot of these businessmen and women that have taken care of their scholarships. They've taken care of the facilities for so long so it is. It's it's a new kind of world. Everybody's throwing the wild wild west out there which in a roundabout way. It is. But the 1 thing with ncstate and a lot of the people that are involved in this is we just want to make sure that we do it the right way you know and nc state's a special place. Ah the best fans in the nation we want to do this right? You know we don't have a guy that's going to just come drop 2 3 $ 4000000 into this thing. So we need to make sure that we do it right? We do it for the student athlete and look out for their best interest.

03:40.15
redwhitepodcast
What is your? what is your role like your I think you you're executive director. What does that role do and is this a full time job for you.

03:47.90
sw
So I still do currently have um I'm with a mortgage company and they I've actually been really blessed in the opportunity that they have given me the ultimate freedom and green light to kind of take this thing on so ah, essentially what I'm gonna be doing is um I'm gonna be helping these kids. You know, fine deals. You know I'm gonna try to raise a little bit of capital for the collective I'm gonna I'm gonna have conversations with them I'm gonna try and pair them up with with businessmen like we've got a really good group. Obviously my name will be the executive director but I keep telling everybody this. This is really a group effort. Go have an an executive ah an executive board. We're also gonna have an advisory board. The advisory board is going to consist of probably 90% of it's going to be former student athletes. The other 10 are are alumni. You know that have have done really well for themselves or in the media you know have created businesses a lot of things like that. So. You know I just I just want to help you know any way I can and the main thing for me is just getting this thing up and running and let's try and do it the right way so it is it's it's kind of every question you're gonna ask me is kind of a loaded question because there's just there's just so many holes that we can jump down with this because the. I mean there there really aren't rules with it right now which is which is a scary thing and ah and we as a group think that that's going to change over time but we're trying to align ourselves the right way so that when you know if it's the and ncw a the Acc or whoever comes down and tries to make some changes. We've already put ourselves in the right situation that we're gonna be good regardless.

05:20.28
Will
Yeah, we'll we'll circle back to the you know quote unquote cracking down on these collectives that we've seen in recent reports in the last day or 2 but before we get there. Do you kind of envision yourself being in this executive director role for a long time or you know is maybe the plan to. Find student athletes that have this kind of aptitude and kind of work them in so that maybe you go into more of that advisory role down the down the line.

05:48.34
sw
Yeah, you know that's ah that's a really good question I've had this conversation a few times and I don't really have a specific answer. You know I've talked with my wife. This is something that I could possibly end up doing full time I think this is ah is where a lot of my passion is is given back to you know the university and a lot of former student athletes. There's a lot of sacrifices of these that these you know former student athletes go through that quite frankly, a lot of people don't fully see you know I tell the story all the time I started in civil engineering I had a coach come to me say hey did you come to be a civil engineer or basketball player and that day I changed my change my major discourse management. It's it's little things like that. It's the dedication. Ah, so now is a a unique chance for us to really help these student athletes. Obviously from a compensation standpoint but also to help them become better people. You know, send them off into the real world better men and women than when they first got dense state and create that same passion. Hopefully that what I have fory state that they will have one day. So. And ah in a perfect world to be honest with y'all would love to just hire a bunch of former student athletes and former alumni to just kind of take this on ah full time. Ah I think we got to get this at ah at a good spot right now. Ah and and it may take you know a year or two years but and the meantime you know I'm gonna I'm gonna take it on and do the best I can with it make sure that this thing is is running smoothly.

07:07.66
Will
Yeah, well you know Evan and I are here to be brought in as consultants at any time. So don't worry.

07:12.81
sw
Well, we'll we'll need as much as much media help and all that other stuff that we've we've already got some good ideas. We might be able to do some some and I content via you know a podcast on on the golf course and maybe invite some some people to come play. We'll do ah maybe ah, an 8 man.

07:28.21
redwhitepodcast
Let's do it.

07:30.14
sw
Match and you know get get a few guys in there that we can can raise some funds and maybe get some fans out to bentwins and and do an event.

07:35.80
Will
Well, we yeah one of the things I think Evan and I have championed a lot is experiences matter more today than maybe the traditional donation structure so anything along that lines I think would get a lot of support from a larger portion of the fan base. But um.

07:35.14
redwhitepodcast
Love it.

07:53.90
Will
I guess I'll hop over to this question real quick um does the collective have any first year like targets or goals are you trying to get a certain amount of fundraising you know a number of sponsorships for the athletes things like that.

08:04.48
sw
Yes, yeah, so that's ah, that's a good question. So one of the things that we have is is what we call an eighteen eighty seven club so this is kind of like the founding fathers some of the the really big businessmen throughout Nsc State that have kind of come in and kind of raised the initial capital. Ah so our initial. Um, projection was we wanted a hundred of them. We're already a third of the way there. Ah you know these? these guys are already getting the money towards the bank account and then on top of it. We have what is a monthly subscription so you know the guys that don't want to necessarily give bigger amounts of money. There's you know a $25 a month a $50 a month one hundred dollars a month so almost a subscription that gives you certain access and content that you otherwise wouldn't necessarily get. You know it may be. You know we're doing some stuff with inside paxport with James that you know you can get the the content there. So when they do an interview. It's directly You're directed directly to their you know ah signed autographs certain things. You know we're going to have ah these kids because when they are compensated it. It is a job. You know they have to do something in return. So one of the things that we can do is you know. Set aside an hour a day to where we just line up a bunch of footballs. We have guys sign the balls they go down the line and we can give those back to our you know monthly subscriptions and people that have you know, donated money to this so it is it's it's a very unique experience in the fact that fans. And a roundabout way now. We're gonna have a connection to these student athletes that they've never really had and we have the opportunity to do that and we have an opportunity to do it the right way and really help these student athletes along the way.

09:48.10
redwhitepodcast
Is there? Um I'm trying to think of you kind of address it on you need to ask it with the eighteen eighty seven club and then the subscription I think that that makes sense is there gonna be or do you envision multiple collectives like. I know ips has one. You guys certain one ah is do you think other folks are going to come together and do their own you know, try to come is it come competition or how how do you all view that.

10:08.62
sw
Yep.

10:13.30
sw
And that but and that's the the great part about and Nc State is there can there can be as many collectives as we want I think once you start getting a bunch of them. It may get you know a little bit crazy, but the 1 thing about ncstateandnc state people. It's the same with the. The wolf pack club the same thing with Bo Corgan we're all swimming in the right direction. Everything we're doing is to help the school to help the student athletes so we keep telling everybody like we're going to be hand in hand with the wolf pack club like everybody you know one of the questions I get asked is is is it a this or that. It doesn't necessarily have to be I think some people are going to have a unique perspective to where they feel a little bit closer to the student athlete so they could do this and then there's going to be other people that you know quite frankly, just don't agree with you know, paying a student athlete. They think an education is enough so they'd rather just do the wolf pack club which is perfectly fine but we also got to fine. Some additional you know revenue streams so this is going to be. You know we we do a podcast on a golf course and charge you know twenty bucks to come you know it's going to be these unique one off things which our minds have gone a million different places with what we can do because it is the the options are almost unlimited. You know one of the things we brought up is facility of ah tour facilities. You know we could do stuff like that. There's there's so many unique things I've about throwing top golf in Carter finly you know how many people would come and play the top golf and carter friendly. There's just there's so many unique things that you can do obviously a lot of this is gonna be dependent on the university and what.

11:33.95
redwhitepodcast
M.

11:42.66
redwhitepodcast
Palette. Yeah.

11:49.87
sw
You know they can do from the executive order standpoint which is they cannot directly be involved in the deal if they're employed by the university but they can show support. You know they can tweet they can show that you know these guys have done really good work with our student athletes. We encourage you to do some work with them so in a roundabout way. We're not a part of the university but we're all onesea state people so it is. It's just one of those unique experiences that you know I've been lucky to kind of be a part of and I've been ah able to meet a lot of you know business men and men and women and Nc state fans that just. Love what we're doing and hopefully we can do it the right way that you know pleases Inc State fans as well as you know, really taking care of the student athlete.

12:30.35
Will
Well that that like dovetails oh sorry Evan.

12:30.92
redwhitepodcast
Is there, let me I's gonna say is there any and you kind of mentioned it already like people giving to the wolfback club currently and then now the N Nil comes along how how do you think? or or what's the pitch for if I'm going to pick one. Ah, should give to the N Ni as opposed to the wolfback club right? I mean that's it's gonna be a tough decision right? okay.

12:51.51
sw
Well I I and I don't want to I don't even want to answer because I know Ben Ben listen Ben does a great job over there I heard I think Ben said the other day that since this is kind of started and people have started to hear about the collective. He's only had 1 person from the wolf pack club say hey. I feel like I'm in a situation where I gotta do either or you know I I think you may get a little bit of it. But again I I don't want to have to make people choose because that's that's not what not what is about the Wolf Packck Clubbe is a very unique institution and we're gonna be a very unique institution. So.

13:10.67
redwhitepodcast
Um, okay.

13:27.10
sw
1 of the things again that we really need to try to figure out and we're in the process of trying to do this is trying to find other revenue streams and you know one of them for me personally that I've really looked into is why why can't we tap into the former student athletes a little bit more. It's one of the things that we we really don't do very well and that I kind of see myself as you know.

13:39.40
redwhitepodcast
Um, he.

13:46.59
sw
Possibly being able to do is just kind of connect that bridge back to the former student athletes a little bit better. You know having having a guy like Philip Rivers around more often. You know a guy like T J Warren around more often. So this is one of the things too that now that we're taking care of these student athletes and they turn professional or they turn into big business women. They're gonna remember oh they took care of me, you know when I was there now it's my opportunity to help these current student athletes in the future.

14:11.71
Will
Um, and I would say.

14:11.82
redwhitepodcast
Was a suggestion that will and I have talked about a lot hang on will is where they can differentiate themselves Wolfpe club and the and ni is wolfpack club is essentially driven towards. Tickets or your reward is for you get better seats where things like that where will who lives out of state is still looking for that incentive to give or join the wolfpack club Now you you give people like him who are not ticket based give them an experience or you know like you said access or you. Sign Football Whatever that's some more motivation to join the N Nil collective that is not hey you can get better seats because that really doesn't apply to him I think there's a lot of fans like that. So you know keeping that in mind is that's your perspective for you know, not people outside the area who like how do we bring them back in like.

14:54.19
sw
Yeah.

15:05.94
redwhitepodcast
Give them something to to come in. Um.

15:06.40
sw
Yeahp. So and that's and that's one of the things too and and I don't I don't know exactly where he lives but we plan on especially doing a lot of very similar to the wolf pack caravans. But you know bringing the student athletes. You know when I was a senior we did a barnstorming tour.

15:13.83
redwhitepodcast
Yeah.

15:20.51
sw
You know that' that's something that we could do with with these student athletes and kind of take them around the state. We had the idea of renting an rv loading up, you know 10 of them in an rv and just driving around the state for a few days. You know there is's a lot of unique things that we can do and you know a lot of it is just parent parent these fans pairing these you know business men and women.

15:29.58
redwhitepodcast
Um, yeah.

15:39.58
redwhitepodcast
Yeah.

15:40.18
sw
With student athletes you know because everybody has something that they want to share you know I've had multiple stories from people to say oh you don't remember this but you had an impact on you know a kid something you said to my kid a long time ago. You know I I don't totally understand that you know and and these kids now don't fully understand that but they do have an impact on a lot of these people.

15:49.29
redwhitepodcast
Oh certainly.

15:58.77
sw
Ah, because of what they've done for the University and and and how they get looked at as an athlete.

16:04.62
Will
Yeah I was going to say I think the way I view the wolfpack club is you know season tickets large donations to help with the the structure of the programs and then the NNil is going to help maintaining the athletes keeping them. You know happy keeping them like you said.

16:05.18
redwhitepodcast
Okay, well.

16:23.91
Will
More interested in in donating back in the future. So I think they can totally work together and then one of the things I was gonna say is yeah I live in Richmond so you know season tickets is out of the question for me just on the weekends. But you know we we won the you know an opportunity to be to be on field for the Clemson game and that was one of the. Best experience I've ever had as a state fan and I was willing to write any kind of check after that. Um, and I think those kind of experiences will enable a cash flow that that's probably maintained like been just untapped and in the past. So um i.

16:44.85
sw
Now.

17:00.90
Will
I Guess one of the questions you were kind of talking about it earlier. Um, you know what are sort of the rules that are in place and you know what do you have to do to kind of maintain a good standing with compliance.

17:09.76
sw
Yeah, so I mean the first one is the executive order which you'll hear a lot about so the state of North Carolina has an executive order that clearly states that the Nc State athletic department anybody employed by the university cannot talk about a deal with. The student athlete so they can't come in there and say oh we've got x amount of dollars. You know the next step which is in the last few days has kind of gotten a lot of heat is we can't try to tell somebody hey we have x amount of dollars if you come to c state. Okay, ah. We all kind of know in the back of our mind. This is not happening everywhere. That's fine, but the 1 thing we can control is ourselves. So once these kids sign their letter and intent and they are you know, committed to the school and they're getting to campus. That's when we as a collective can then have those conversations and structure some deals. Ah so. 1 of the things especially that the nca and in the last couple of days and probably in the future that kind of came out with what they call a task force simply just monitoring that these collectives and these group of boosters are not approaching. For example, someone in the transfer portal that says hey you come here. We've got x amount of dollars. We can have a conversation saying hey we're a collective. We're here for the university you know that's one way you can do it. But I think honestly to the best way is structuring deals with current student athletes on your roster so that when you have these recruits visiting. They can have those conversation with the current student athletes and they can give them a little bit more information. So. And around that way your recruiting is going to be and and and it was in the past I guess I shouldn't downplay that but but now even more so I feel like your current student athletes on your roster when you're hosting these recruits are goingnna be big time because they can kind of have a little bit more conversation than what these coaches can have. And what we can have until they actually get to campus.

19:03.24
Will
Um, yeah, one of the thing.

19:03.75
redwhitepodcast
Got a scenario for you that ah that will no one to play out so allowing athletes to make money by promoting a business right? That was the essential foundation of the a I I let's say we doesn't have a business but he still wants to contribute. He wants to donate $100 a month $1200 a year.

19:14.54
sw
Yeah.

19:22.45
redwhitepodcast
How does that money get allocated to athletes. How do they earn it. You know who earns it. What's that How's that breakdown.

19:27.28
sw
Yeah, so that's another good question. So a lot of this just kind of comes down to you know it's not pay for play so you you can't technically do pay for play and then they have to do something in return. These are 2 2 of the biggest things so a lot of it comes down to if will one 2 sponsor an athlete for his business. Well what? what are we talking? What do we do.

19:48.19
Will
Well let's see I'm trying to be safe here since my boss will be listening I'm in power generation Sales is how I'll say it.

19:55.90
sw
Okay, so how for the power generation sales would we get the you know most bang for our buck if we wanted to go to Devin Larry and said hey we've got $1500 to get the the most profit out of it for your company. This might be a tough one but we'll figure it out.

20:14.48
Will
Yeah, you know I mean the way I've always envisioned it is you know I guess the way I look at it is like you know if I'm donating money I wouldn't be donating or I wouldn't be coordinating it necessarily with my brand. But if I was working with. My company on it. You know we'd want to like hook something up and show like you know how much power does Devin Leary generate with his arm so we can say like look here's how our student athletes are contributing to clean energy boom done. Um I think the broader question is gonna be I think a lot of folks will have is like if ah if I'm part of the monthly. Contribution it. You know is is it going directly to the players or like kind of like you were saying right? Is it opening the opportunity for us to have these experiences with the players I think that's kind of where we're we're going.

21:04.79
sw
Yeah, no, and so the one of the things that I really want to do is I do want to do a lot of events. You know we we actually had an ah event the other day where I think it was 5 football players were there. Um and it was really good that the the 1 thing that really. Intrigued me and I and I told all the guys I'm like look if you take anything away from this just shake every single person's hand ask what they do ask how they've become successful and grab a business card like that's that's that's a big thing and again probably the main reason I'm in it is is for that sole fact that you know. It's a scary moment when I said I was done playing basketball and my resume set up basketball. That's what my resumes did. That's that's a very scary moment. But if these kids can kind of start to create those connections now and in the future they're like okay now it's time for me to find something they've they've already gotten to know all these people they've already gotten to know.

21:44.00
redwhitepodcast
But.

22:00.60
sw
All these people that work in many different industries so they can start to pair them with you know, like-minded individuals and then they you know they can strike up a deal to to get a job so again, kind of to go back to your question because I'm very easily sidetracked as you can tell um you know it's it's. Being able to do an event. You know why? Why can't we do an event for fans and have you know 5 guys there I was shooting hoops with with the the Thomas Brothers the other day like these these are little things that you don't necessarily get to see the everyday personality of the athlete. But now we can do type events of like that. And it kind of opens up the athletes in ah in a different light that you know people have only seen them as the athlete they're a lot more than that.

22:44.34
redwhitepodcast
I want to speaking of athlete I want to kind of switch your perspective as a former student athlete. How would n ni have changed your experience in college in you know, 2009 I'm sure Scott Wood coming in hitting threes fan favorite. There have been some n nil deals.

22:50.59
sw
M.

23:03.69
redwhitepodcast
For you available. How would that have changed your experience. You know as a player.

23:07.37
sw
Yeah, so um I tell I tell the story all the time as soon as I started getting paid I lost a little bit of love for the game and I lost I ah love for whatever team I was on so when I played 8 years professional basketball I started to to lose a little bit of that. Um. And I was also one of the ones that you know came out and said I don't fully agree with being paid for for being an athlete because I think the you know the love that I had for the university that a lot of these kids is is now going to kind of be in question because it's going to be about money. But. The 1 thing that the more and more I'm getting involved with it. My mindset has changed a little bit because I think also these coaches in their recruiting is going to have to change a little bit. You know if you're recruiting a guy they may be a big time recruit and the first thing he asks is is what can I be compensated. He may not be the the right guy at Nsc State you know we want. People at insc state to be at Nsc State because they love this university they love this institution they love the education that they can get and that they love these fans. Um, and again I mean I'm not going to be naive in the fact that we're gonna get some that you know are going to be about the money but I I keep giving the same. Example if if I can get 1 out of 10 deals and I can have that one person and have a positive impact and set them up for a better future and become a better person. Is it worth it and to me it is. That's just the the bottom line you know I'm not everybody can listen and like I'm gonna pair him with a ralton turner who's you know a financial advisor and can help these kids get a roth ira get a mutual fund I can do all these things I can't make them listen and I can give them my experiences I'd like to think they'd listen. But if I can get 1 out of 10 or one out of 5 I feel like I've done my job. You know I can't make everybody do it but we have the opportunity to do it now and we should try to do it the right way and help as many as we can I am a parent now I got clue of them although neither of them know what they can.

25:09.23
redwhitepodcast
Spoken like a true parent there Scott I know I can't make up do it but I can try. Yeah I like it.

25:18.23
sw
neither of them ah neither of Mamaroth Ira right now. But or maybe in the future.

25:22.30
redwhitepodcast
Ah, should fans so from ah a team perspective and should fans worry your players worry about team chemistry if somebody lands a big deal like how is that going to impact the dynamics in there or you know is that going to make the coach's job. With ah you know, culturally that much harder like how do how do you envision that.

25:44.95
sw
Yeah, it's um, it's definitely gonna make it harder. There's no doubt about it. You know because 1 guy's gonna say oh I'm worth x amount. The other guy's going't say I'm worth x amount but I also think that if they can create the type of culture. You know that everything kind of matters I mean the the. Real side of this is somebody's going to get paid more like somebody. Ah you know again, it's not pay for play but somebody is going to be worth a little bit more than somebody else. That's just the facts. But even the conversations I've had with these coaches I I told Kevin Keats multiple time.

26:05.62
redwhitepodcast
Um, yeah.

26:21.94
sw
I do not envy this guy whatsoever like he shows me the transfer portal and it's this thick and you know every freshman that doesn't play more than 5 minutes is transferring like this is not a fun time to be a coach and it's very difficult and now within I l it's a whole nother layer.

26:33.89
redwhitepodcast
Yeah.

26:39.16
sw
That they got to try to keep that lock room happy because one of the things too to be successful is you got to have a good culture. Um and a lot of that's going to fall on the coaches and they're gonna have to kind of try and figure that that side of it out. But um I'd like to think that buhorgan you know has has hired the right people I Trust Them. He's can kind of manage this and our coaches can manage this the right way to find success on the field on the cord in the pool. So is it gonna be easy. No not at all, but but these kids also have to understand you know if you go out there work Hard. You know you create a brand for yourself. You know play? Well, you're gonna be compensated. You know, but you got it, You got to put all the all the work In. It's just not something that you're We're just gonna roll out of bed and say oh here's here's a Check. You know we got to. We got to become.

27:22.77
redwhitepodcast
Um, you know.

27:28.78
redwhitepodcast
And.

27:32.69
sw
Good people, good citizens, good faces for nsy state because that's the one that these you know you know a car dealership wants to work with someone that's you know likable you know someone that nc state fans can relate to those are the people these businesses are looking for. So. That's one of the message too that we're trying to get across is you know it's not all going to be equal. But it's also not going to be equal when they get in the real world if they turn into a professional athlete where it is pay for play now. You know the best players get paid the most you know that's kind of how it is in the real world. Your best workers your best people in your business are going to get paid the most money that's typically how it works. So. Ah, that's something that the coaches are just going to have to get across these kids and and again you're Goingnna have these oneoffs that and you know may get a little frustrated and and and not like it. But it's it's where we're at it's the it's the state of n il and and and all we can do is the best we can do as nc state and as fans is try to support. The university and and try and do it the right way.

28:28.38
Will
So I'll I'll switch gears slightly here? Yeah, um so what was it like as a a former player to see state be under that and ncw investigation for years about something now we're basically allowed to freely participate in.

28:29.15
redwhitepodcast
Will you want number four there.

28:45.51
sw
It's tough. It's tough but I and I have've had this conversation with a couple people too. You know what happened then was was illegal then I mean that's just the the reality of um and then I think the Nc double a yeah.

28:54.10
redwhitepodcast
Allegedly.

28:55.15
Will
Allegedly allegedly.

28:56.77
redwhitepodcast
A.

29:00.49
sw
Well if they yeah if we're getting to penalize they better have something better than allegedly I mean that just to me losing a scholarship on allegedly just doesn't make sense So one one guy picks up the phone said Ensy State did something wrong and you can't find any evidence. Let's take away a scholarship like that just doesn't make sense but okay, um, but that was the rules now.

29:03.90
redwhitepodcast
Fair enough.

29:17.26
redwhitepodcast
Then.

29:19.40
sw
Ah, then sorry that was the rules then so now's a completely different time. So I mean I understand you know, kind of where they're coming from but I also think a lot of this falls on the and nc a for just being sloppy and just quite frankly, not Karen ah, because probably in a perfect world the way that should be done is it should be done through the nca and through. The athletic department. You know the athletic department and the university and the institute of la probably paying these kids but we don't want to take away money from the and suba that would just be wrong.

29:48.12
redwhitepodcast
Have you spoken with any of the current players about their and Nil goals.

29:52.21
sw
Yeah, we've had a few conversations. We announced that Tim Mckay was our first kind of athlete we signed. Um I hope every deal's like that I mean he's one of the brightest kids. Ah you'll ever meet. Ah, you know we've had conversations with we sat down at the medias the other day. The Thomas Brothers right things Price and speed Peyton Wilson um Isaiah we've had conversations with a few of them. So we' we've started to make these you know initial conversations we've had conversations with a couple of the women's basketball players as well. So um. We're we're we're getting into this thing and and it's moving pretty quick. We. We've got what we call an ambassador program which is gonna be you know, just a monthly structure to where they're gonna do a lot of social media posts come to certain events some meet and greets some things like that just to raise awareness about the pack of gloves. So ah. We are. We're reaching out to these kids trying to find out what they like ah things that you know interest them in the future and then ultimately just just pair them up with with people within the community that can can help them.

30:58.70
redwhitepodcast
How does the pack of wolves. It's an interesting question like how to how are you How's the and nl going to help student athletes remain you know financially sound as they build their brands I know that's a lot of the focus for these these kids who have talked about is you know building their brand brand building their brand. How. How are you guys going to help them. What's the resources. Do they have for guidance because I know a lot of them. You know they're 181920 years old don't have that you know perspective or understanding. How are you know what is that are you all playing a part of that or is that like somebody else.

31:20.88
sw
Yeah.

31:31.66
sw
No, that would be that's all of us. So one of the conversation I had with the Thomas Bros because they they're they're very bright. They asked us the question is how can you guys help me because they already have a brand. You know they? they've kind of already created a brand for themselves. How can they help you know website creation. You know, creating a. A lc for their brand and the great part about nsy state is it's it's the strength and numbers. So you're telling me I can't find a guy that can create an lc or or a website you know I know ah I know multiple people that can help with that. So again, it's it's obviously you got to build a little bit of trust with these. With these current student athletes to to come to you and ask those questions so that we can get them with the right people you know raulsson turners will know best friend's financial advisor you know what every conversation I have with these kids ah about a deal the the next person that should open their mouth and say something is Raulston Turner how can I help you you know. Reach your financial goals. You know, be it financial savvy understand certain things that you may not understand you know they're gonna get taxed. Do I have a cpa sitting there explain on what a ten ninety nine is all of this stuff is going to be through the collective. It's not gonna be. We're gonna sign a deal and just throw them away. No. This is not what this is about this is this is life. This is them entering the real world just a little bit earlier than than graduation so we need to help them because I was there I understand I did not I didn't know what 1099 was if someone handed me a check I didn't understand what taxes were so we're gonna have to do a lot of this stuff and a lot of the stuff is probably gonna bore em. But.

33:01.68
redwhitepodcast
Ah.

33:08.91
sw
They're going to have to learn it because it's it's real world world situations that can get them in trouble in the future.

33:13.14
redwhitepodcast
I love it Scott I I want to be conscious of your time but I got 1 more question for you and this is more Scott Wood your view I was looking up your stats last night as always trying to see how many 3 pointers you shot your fresh from the year just just for a comparison but the 1 stat that really stood out to me. You know how many blocks you had career blocks. Ah you hit 79 career blocks that blew me away I was.

33:30.94
sw
I know when I left I was fifteenth all time. Let's that's listen if you ask anybody? That's just a bad defender that never gives up on a play. That's what that is. So a bad defender that lets his guy blow by and that's lucky enough to be six six with a little bit of a wingspan That's what that is and and the funny thing is ah it's funny. You burn that up. So I'll have a conversation with a lot of people because you know I'm I'm proud of a lot of the.

33:49.38
redwhitepodcast
Seven night career blocks is getting it done for for a guy who lives in 3 point line I'll respect.

34:02.68
sw
The records that ah that I that I did there but I tell everybody I said the 1 thing that I'm probably most proud of is is blocks and it's not first. It's not top 10 It may not even be top 20 anymore. But when I left that was top 15 in blocks that to me that was just if anybody would have fed that I was so proud of that.

34:10.30
redwhitepodcast
Um, yeah, that's impressive. Yeah.

34:18.85
sw
And Levi Watkins to this day. We still joke about it. It's just like it's one of those things that nobody would ever guess.

34:22.90
redwhitepodcast
No I mean that was that stood out to me I mean yeah I see rebounds all the other things you got in here 79 career blocks like damn Scott what's get it done right? Exactly well got ah I appreciate your time is there anything else you want to add any.

34:30.60
sw
I didn't even take 79 current dribbles. So that's.

34:41.44
redwhitepodcast
Anything you want to throw out there for for the folks you know where they find information all the stuff.

34:43.80
sw
no you know it it yeah no I appreciate the time and the opportunity to kind of talk about this and and ultimately this is this is all about the student athlete you know all these funds are going back into the to the student athlete. We just want to help them become. Better individuals. You know we want to educate them on ah on a lot of different pieces about life connect them with the businessmen connect them with fans in a unique way that we haven't been able to do for a while I know there's still going to be a lot of questions of the website is going to be up soon. Um there'll be a lot of q and as on that there will be emails as well that they can get in contact with additional questions that they may have ah but it is. It's it's gonna be fun. It's gonna be scary. Ah, but the 1 thing I know is nc state is built on. Really really good people and there's a lot of really really good people out there that just want to help these student athletes in the right way and those are the people that we need to be involved that need to help not only from a financial standpoint but as well as just helping these kids become better individuals and giving the tools to be successful.

35:49.80
redwhitepodcast
Well Scott I appreciate your time we will get on the golf course soon and if there's anything else that we can do to help'all in the future. Please reach out. Let us know we would love to do it as always go pack.

35:59.40
sw
Yeah, without a doubt we'll be in touch I Do appreciate your guys time. Go back.

36:05.13
Will
Go back.