The Sam Acho Podcast

Sam Acho: Welcome to Sam Macho
podcast featuring Clif Marshall.

Today we have a special
guest, David Pollock.

Clif.

I'm gonna have you introduce David, but
we already been talking and man, we got so

much goodness we just had to get started.

So Clif, please introduce David and
we're just gonna keep it rolling.

Clif Marshall: Certainly, man.

David, thank you so much for
being here today on the podcast.

We talk on this podcast about
faith, family, finances, and

football, and I would consider you
an expert in all of those areas.

David Pollack: bro, not finances.

I, I'll give you three outta the four.

Brother.

We ain't talking finances.

Clif Marshall: well, let me
a, let me say this though.

You were truly a follower of Christ,
a husband and a father, and in that

order, and that's what I respect
about you most, but I did want to

share just our background together.

If you're watching the podcast,
and you can see my video here, I've

got Davey Pollock over here on this
shoulder who signed a picture from

when he was a first round draft
pick to the Cincinnati Bengals.

On my

Sam Acho: You gotta show it.

So if you gotta show it, because

Clif Marshall: I, I do, I do.

Sam Acho: we need to, we need
to get this right in the middle.

Right in the middle so he

Clif Marshall: There it
is right there, you guys.

David Pollack: guy.

Clif Marshall: Yes.

And I've also got Sam on my other shoulder
because I was blessed to train Sam as well

throughout his NFL career and that picture
there when he was with the Chicago Bears.

But Davey and I met when he
was a first round draft pick

to the Cincinnati Bengals.

He was coming out of Georgia.

He was a three time all American.

He was an incredible defensive end,
one of the best ever in the SEC.

And I was so lucky that we crossed
paths in Cincinnati when I was on the

strength and conditioning staff there.

Um, and we have remained
friends ever since.

Davy has helped me through some
challenging times in my life.

I would like to think I've been
there for him as well throughout

some challenging times in his life.

So, Davy, thank you so
much for being here today.

David Pollack: Yeah, absolutely.

Thanks for having me and I, and I
think obviously of people know Sam.

Um, so it's a, it's a bigger name, but
Clif is, um, Clif is a wonderful dude.

Um, wisdom.

Patience.

I mean, just, uh, always, always been
a good friend, but just a great dude.

So anybody listening like this is,
you're getting it from both sides.

'cause Sam's obviously a
great dude, great human.

So this is, uh, this is a good idea.

I'm glad you guys are doing it.

We need more of this in the world.

Like more men.

We need more men to stand up and
show 'em that, hey, Jesus is cool.

Clif Marshall: Hmm,

David Pollack: he's the coolest person
to ever walk the face of this earth.

And to show him what it looks like
and to model it and to show what

it looks like when you succeed
and also how you handle failure.

So I'm glad you guys are doing this.

Clif Marshall: man.

Well, we're glad you're here
with us and we are definitely

gonna talk about Jesus today.

We're gonna talk about some struggles.

We're gonna talk about adversity,
we're gonna talk about pain

and how pain has purpose.

But before we get there,
let me just say, when I met.

Uh, Davey as a first round
draft pick to the Bengals.

There's a couple things that
I really remember about him.

First and foremost, uh, was he was a
great dude to have in the weight room.

I mean, this guy got after it, right?

And he was super strong as well.

I, I won't go into all his
numbers, but he was strong.

Sam Acho: of the numbers, man.

This dude,

Clif Marshall: Well,

David Pollack: I squatted
close to 700 at Georgia.

Sam Acho: My

Clif Marshall: what was, what was
more, what was more impressive?

His five ten five at the NFL
combine, uh, would rival that

of the top receiver that year.

So Davey, would you weigh
probably 2 65 at the combine?

David Pollack: Yeah, I was two, I
was right at two 70 in my, my, my

three Co, no, not my three Coone.

My 5 10, 5 was three high, three
sevens, I think, or three eights.

Clif Marshall: Yes.

Yes.

David Pollack: Sam.

I was not a fast guy.

Like I, I had, and, and here's another
thing too for everybody that kind of

wants to grow into being an athlete,
like when I hit puberty I started lifting

legs, that's when I got more athletic.

Seriously.

Like, I got more powerful through here.

And then I was be, I became
more and more explosive.

So my, my five ten five and,
and my vertical and like that,

that stuff was actually Clif.

You'll love this.

Samuel, you'll love this too.

So my son's 16.

And he ain't trying me yet, but
he's like doing it more and more.

Uh, like he's sizing it up and thinking
about it and, and I'm trying to pour into

him and I'm trying to get him to take
the Snickers challenge if he wants it.

But, you know, we'll play one-on-one
basketball and he'll work out, but

he's doing this stuff at this place
and they do this, this training.

And he was like, I did
the broad jump today.

And I was like, oh, sweet.

So he's 16, he is about
six three, about two 20.

And um, he was like,
what'd you do at combines?

And I had the feeling like
knows what I did at combines.

Like he

Clif Marshall: Right, right.

David Pollack: Dude knows
how to work a smartphone.

And I was like, what'd you get bud?

He was like, I got 10
feet on the broad jump.

I was like, that's pretty good.

He was, I was like, he was
like, he's like, what'd you get?

And I was like, I don't really know.

He's like, well look it up real quick.

I was like, okay.

So I got, I got 10 feet.

So it was, it was fun to, it's fun to
watch, but no man, that weight room,

dude, like, a, it's a great equalizer.

It's, it's,

Clif Marshall: It's

David Pollack: Technique
matters in sports so much.

Um, the older I get, the
more intelligence matters.

I didn't realize that.

I never, until I started coaching and
high school kids these last several

years, man, I'm like, do you not see that?

Like, how do like flash of color?

How do you not see that?

And it's something that
I saw, but they don't,

Clif Marshall: mm-hmm.

David Pollack: a lot of people don't see.

So I think there's more, one more
than one way to be an athlete.

And Clif didn't say that because I
walked in the, in there at six six

with long arms and looked the part.

I mean, I, I would argue I didn't really
look the part, but like God gives us

different gifts that for all of us, that
we can all succeed in ways we can succeed.

And mine was definitely my, my
legs and booty and my attitude.

Clif Marshall: Yes, no question.

Uh, the other thing I wanted to
mention very quickly, and I gotta

share this, Sam, because this
does kind of tie into finances.

So Davy comes in first round draft
pick and um, I always kind of like

watching the vehicles that the
first round draft pick will select

right when they're drafted, right?

Because that paycheck, that paycheck,
that signing bonus is very, very nice.

And so I parked in the parking
lot, uh, you know, for the

Cincinnati Bengals players.

But I would always park far away
and I would make my entrance, I

would make my walk, and I would be
looking at all the vehicles, right?

That these guys drive, and I'd see Rolls
Royce, Lamborghini, Ferrari, and all

of a sudden I roll up on Davey Pollock,
especially the first couple weeks, and

he's driving like a 1998 Chevy Blazer.

It was green in color, it was all beat
up, and he drove it for a couple weeks.

But to see him driving it like six
months later, I'm like, man, maybe he's

gonna drive this throughout his career.

So, Davey, why number one, do
you still have the vehicle?

Number two, why didn't you go buy the
Rolls Royce or the, the, the Ferrari,

like the rest of your teammates?

David Pollack: That's my ride, man.

Come on now.

That was a, that, that was a good ride.

And what Clify didn't tell you is the
passenger side door did not open the,

the back pa right passenger door.

I got hit, I got knocked on the road
literally by a semi I was driving

and we, and, and he changed lanes
and hit me and just kept going.

And I'm like, okay.

Um, so it was kind of scary, but literally
the, um, the, the door wouldn't open.

So we had to figure out a way to finagle
the finagle way in the other side.

But not, I, man, I, I've
never cared about cars.

I don't have a nice car to this day.

I have an old raggedy truck and, um.

It's just not something that
I've ever, I've never, never

wanted to spend a lot of money.

I, I don't buy new cars either.

I'm gonna buy it used, um, because 'cause
of the, obviously when you drive it off

the dealership, you lose so much value,
but it's just never, that's never been.

So, listen, we got a nice house, like, and

Clif Marshall: Mm-hmm.

David Pollack: money on things,
but, um, you know, just cars

never, never really done it for me.

Sam Acho: Hmm.

I was gonna ask about the transition.

Uh, David, I know we got so much to
talk about, football, family, faith,

adversity, but you started off as a
fullback and then made the switch.

was that transition like from a position
you played to maybe a totally different

position, uh, when you got to college?

David Pollack: Well, it, it is funny.

So all summer, Brian Van Gorder was my
defensive coordinator and he'd always

see me in the weight room and he'd see me
competing in drills and, and he always,

he was like, Hey man, like Pollock.

And I was like, it's Pollock coach.

And he goes.

Poll lock, come here.

And I was like, and, and I fixed him
enough times where finally he just, I just

stopped fixing him 'cause he didn't do it.

But he is like, you wanna play
defense at Georgia, don't you?

I was like, coach y'all,
y'all put me in fullback.

Like this is summer workouts.

He was like, yeah, you need
to play defense poll lock.

You need to come to the dark side.

And I was like, care coach.

Well, we get to spring ball and it's
because he saw me work out and compete

and he liked the way I competed.

We go to spring ball, uh, or
we go to, um, the summer of my

freshman year, we go to camp.

Everybody gets hurt at defensive tackle.

So literally we lost
three or four D tackles.

And so they're like, all right
poll, go to defensive tackle.

So I went and played defensive
tackle as a freshman at, uh, Georgia.

And then we had four guys
drafted a defensive end.

Um, that, that year, so going
into my sophomore year, the

qualifications needed for playing
def for defensive end at Georgia

was breathing and being a warm body.

So they were like, Hey, Pollock, you
know, you ain't that highly recruited.

Go down there.

And, um, first time I've ever
played defensive end in my life

was at the University of Georgia.

So, um, yeah, and I, I like to
tell people that all the time.

I think people look at, people look at
and they go, three time All American,

like, you must have killed it.

I'm like, I switched three positions
in a calendar year at, on, on site,

and, you know, I didn't care either.

Like, I didn't, I didn't put up a fuss
because honestly all I wanted to do was

contribute and be great wherever I was at.

And I think that's something
for all of us, man.

Like whatever it is, wherever you're at
there, there are very few times you're

gonna take the elevator to the penthouse.

Like most of the times you're
gonna have to take the stairs.

And I had to take the stairs, man.

And, and it was different and did play
some different positions and I had to

work and I had to grow and take my lumps.

George, George Foster and Matt and
Stinchcomb, Matt Stinchcomb were

Clif Marshall: Mm-hmm.

David Pollack: when I played
defensive end in Spring Ball.

And I've never played it before.

That didn't go well.

awful.

I was terrible.

I was getting destroyed and I was
like, I gotta figure this out, man.

And so, you know, really worked on
my hand placement at nauseum over

and over and over and over again,
and continue to grow and get better.

But like, you know, wherever
you're at, like, don't, don't,

don't beg for a switch, don't beg.

Like you want to go get something else,
like be great exactly where you're

at and mandate somebody, hire you,

Clif Marshall: Hmm.

David Pollack: won't pass you over
like, you're so dang good man.

They're like, wow, they're
really, really good.

Like, I need them over here in this spot.

And, um, so I think bring
value wherever you're at, man.

Clif Marshall: Wow.

That's, uh, obviously a, a, a, a different
day and age in college athletics.

But I think the NIL and the transfer
portal, it's so easy for these kids now

to just say, man, this isn't for me.

I don't like where they're playing me.

I don't like this.

And, you know, they're running
from, and sometimes they're running

from adversity sometimes if they're
maybe going to a better situation.

But, you know, facing
adversity, I think, as you know.

It makes us into the man we are today.

And um, so with that being said, respect,
uh, for that, but obviously you had

an incredible career at Georgia, um,
and you're drafted first round to the

Bengals, um, and you go through training
camp and I'm able to watch that, you

know, that transition because you went
from being a defensive end, right?

And a four, three defense at Georgia
to being drafted to the Bengals.

And then they're asking you to play more
of a linebacker role in standing up.

Is that correct?

David Pollack: Oh yeah.

Clif Marshall: And then transitioning
to the season, I happened to be on

the sidelines when we were playing
the Cleveland Browns, the day that

you broke your neck and the day that
I watched them cart you off the field.

And I guess my question for you there is
what do you remember specifically about

that moment and when did you know that you
had played your final day on a football?

I.

David Pollack: Well, like I tell
people all the time, like playing

four, three out or defensive end and
going to four, three outside linebacker

was like moving from your parents'
basement to the like third floor.

Like totally different.

Like, I mean, night and day and
what you have to think about and

you know, you don't have to think
about like there's a reason, you

know, you play defense as it is.

Usually defensive guys aren't as smart.

It's sea ball, get ball, there it is.

Go get it, right.

Like it's, it's an easier job.

But, so it was very difficult to learn
like multiple coverage at one time and

indicators and all this different stuff.

But, um, I remember everything
about it Clif, like I, I, it was.

It was second down.

I thought it was a pass 'cause they
ran a draw and I dropped back a

couple steps and one of my goals was
to be a more physical or tackler.

And this is back before you got kicked
outta games for tackling people.

Um, so I try to, I, that was one of my
main goals and missions and I hit the

running back and I hit 'em really hard.

But, you know, I hit 'em with
a little bit of my, my head.

And, um, I just remember my
legs were kicking and uh, I

couldn't really move my arms.

It felt like I had those really,
really horrible stingers,

but I couldn't move my hands.

And um, they wheel me under the tunnel
and you do an MRI right there, man.

And you know, doctor comes out
and he is like, Hey man, you, you

fractured your C six and C seven.

I was like, cool.

That's a couple weeks.

And he is like, that
means you broke your neck.

I was like, Ooh,

Clif Marshall: Hmm.

David Pollack: fractured C six C seven?

'cause that sounds a heck of
a lot better than when you'd

Clif Marshall: Right.

David Pollack: neck.

And um, know, and then it was on like,
then it was, you know, in the back of

the ambulance with my baby doll and, um.

What's next?

I mean, I knew it right away.

Like I, I know what that meant.

Like I knew that wasn't breaking an arm.

And, I knew the chances of playing again.

Um, I knew it wasn't gonna be great.

Like, I just, I just knew because, you
know, you break your neck once and, and

you're able to move things and, and I
knew my second goal in life, my first

goal was to pursue the NFL at, at a
breakneck pace, a hundred miles an hour,

not taking anything less than that.

My second goal, man, I
wanted to be a daddy.

Like, that was my next thing, man.

I, I wanted a bunch of kids
and I, I dreamed for the day of

being a dad and with that really,
I knew wasn't a good thing.

And so, um, you know, as I continued to
grow and get back healthy, obviously there

was more decisions to make, but, but I
knew quickly that the chances weren't

gonna be great, that I would play again.

Sam Acho: If we could just pause
real quick to go to that moment.

You said your wife was with you there.

David Pollack: Oh yeah.

Sam Acho: What,

first, how did y'all meet?

then second question is, what
was the moment like for her?

David Pollack: Yeah, that's,
that's, that's a great question

that I don't get asked very often.

First, I met my baby
doll when she was nine.

Okay.

So she was super young.

I played a a u sports with her brother.

Um, and then I, I just played ball and
I, and I stayed outta trouble and things.

I just didn't really have a, a
heart for going and doing things.

And so I never really had a girlfriend.

Like I tell people all the time, I kissed
one other girl one time and it was awful.

And then I met, me and my baby dolls
started dating when I was a senior in

high school, and she was a sophomore.

um, so, but I, the thing was, I was
an old senior and she was a young

sophomore, so I, I had just turned 18.

She had, she was about to turn 15.

So like, that ain't good.

That's a lot, that's a big difference.

Um, but we started dating man, and
like it was, was pretty instant for me.

Like I, I, I've never felt like that.

I, um, it's what changed my whole
life because I didn't know what love

was and to feel it like that, like
changed the way I lived my life.

And I think it's what led
to me accepting Christ.

It's what led to me getting, growing
down the road because I really think she

softened my heart to, to what love was.

And um, so we started dating when
I was a, before I, right before I

was my senior year in high school.

And uh, and we got married when she
was, she was at Cincinnati, so she was a

sophomore in college when she went to uc.

And uh, when we went to the Bengals.

And so that's, so we had been
married for less than a year.

Like we had been married for a
couple of months when that happened.

And, she is the definition
of a flat liner.

So it's like she's cool as a cucumber
and, um, she took it in stride.

But you talk about like.

God's showing you something
really, really quickly.

How about like, she thought she married
a football player, big, strong, making

all this money, fame, all this stuff.

She was my nurse for the next two years.

Clif Marshall: Hmm.

David Pollack: Like, she literally
cleaned my sights, like the halo

goes in your skull right here.

And she cleaned my sights every day.

Like she had to do everything
for me for a solid four months.

And listen, I ain't gonna argue with
the sponge baths, they weren't that bad.

Okay.

But like, but she had, she
didn't have a great job.

But you talk about like seeing right
away, like God, putting someone in

your life that's so special that
can help carry you through when

things are really, really tough.

It was.

Um, so it was a unique experience
that she got by the way.

She was, she was 18 years old,

that was a young age to have to
go through something like that.

Sam Acho: Hmm.

You talked about, um, her
showing you what love was.

How, how did she show you?

David Pollack: Well.

just had, uh, she had respect for people.

She had love for people.

Um, it didn't waver, it didn't change.

It wasn't, um, it wasn't high, it
wasn't low, it was just steady.

And, you know, she went to church
every week and she had the Holy Spirit.

And that's really what the difference was.

Like she just had a way of processing
things and treating people with so much

respect that you just looked at it in awe.

You were like, how do you always do that?

Like, you're always nice,
you're always respectful.

Like you always do the right thing.

I tell this story all
the time to my friends.

I'd never told it probably publicly.

I'll never forget you talk about
my wife, like rule follower, year

of high school, she's a sophomore.

We go to spring break.

There's people doing things on
the beach that I ain't gonna

talk about in this podcast.

Like drinking all the stuff that goes

Clif Marshall: Right.

David Pollack: I'd never forget we
went down to the, uh, first floor, the

pool's down there, the hot tubs down
there, like we're gonna, the jacuzzi.

The rope's there.

I step over the rope step, I
jump right in the hot tub and

she was like, we can't get in.

I was like, why not?

Ain't nobody here.

She was like, it's past 10, it's 10 0 5.

Like it

Clif Marshall: Wow.

David Pollack: at 10.

I'm like, there's people on
the beach smoking pot, like,

and getting obliterated.

We can't get in the hot tub.

She was like, I'm not getting in
the hot tub, but like, that's like,

that's kind of her, you know, her
character was, you know, I will do

the right thing for everyone at every
time and, and it was never changing.

So it was really, it was just unique
and cool to see someone at that age

to have that much maturity and wisdom
and, and want to do the right thing.

It was really cool.

Clif Marshall: Man, we talk about
marriage a lot on this podcast.

And you know, when we say our wedding
vows, right, it's in good times

and in bad till death do we part?

And I think the three of us all
married, all fathers, right?

All followers of Christ.

That's the one thing that we have
to live through sometimes, right?

And it could be health related, it
could be other issues that you're

going through in your marriage.

But the encouragement today is don't quit.

Uh, don't quit your marriage.

Uh, don't quit your faith.

Like stay in the fight because
certain things are worth fighting for.

And I believe your marriage
is certainly one of those.

David Pollack: Hey, Clif.

Clif Marshall: Yes.

David Pollack: And to that point here,
here's what, here's what we gotta

do a better job with our country.

We gotta take divorce off the table.

Clif Marshall: Mm-hmm.

Yes.

David Pollack: for richer, for
poor, for better or for worse.

Like that.

This is my ride or die.

This is not, if it doesn't
work, we just do it again, like.

I tell, I make sure my wife knows
all the time like, you are my girl.

Like there is no other, like, no matter
what we go through, no matter how hard

it gets, no matter how many times I
mess up or you mess up like you are

my wife, like there is no, pull the
parachute and go get another one.

Clif Marshall: Mm-hmm.

David Pollack: if we took divorce off the
table, we'd fight a heck of a lot harder.

Clif Marshall: Mm-hmm.

David Pollack: accept some of these
things that are struggles and some

of these things that are hard.

We'd be like, you know what?

It's hard, but I'll make it through.

Clif Marshall: Mm-hmm.

David Pollack: if it's
hard, I can quit like that.

That would change divorce so much.

If we would just say, Hey, this is my ride
or die, and when I take this commitment,

I'm entering a covenant with this woman.

Like this is not something that I can just
change when we get in a fight, like we're

gonna figure this out no matter what.

Ups, downs, you know,
rights, wrongs, whatever.

Sam Acho: David, why do you think
people, why do you think people

don't take marriage as seriously?

David Pollack: Well, I think it's now
been modeled for, for generations that

you're, it's okay to get divorced.

It's, it's socially acceptable and
like, oh, that, well, they did this.

I'm gonna do this and I'm gonna take off.

And I think that, I think we've gone
through so many genera and now the divorce

rate's over 50%, so that means over 50%
of people are quitting on their marriage.

I mean, it's, that's high, man.

That's a, that's a lot.

I, I think people don't understand that.

Like this, again, I didn't use, you
entered a marriage, I said a covenant.

You in a covenant with God and your wife.

Like this is not a like, just
a piece of paper that I signed.

Like this is much bigger than that.

If you read the Bible, this
is much bigger than that.

Like this is a big deal.

I, I get the opportunity now to build
this relationship to become one flesh.

Like I'm telling you right now with
my life and what we're going through

right now with some of the stuff that
I'm sure we'll get to in a little

bit, like Genesis one, it talks
about like giving you a partner.

Like it ain't easy.

It's gonna be hard.

Like, but we again, the, the,
the quitting, we've seen it quit.

We, we see, we see the way people,
spouses talk to each other and

get away with it and it's okay.

And we've seen, and now I think the
number one problem is the number one

problem nowadays is the kids rule.

The household, the

Clif Marshall: Hmm.

David Pollack: take priority.

And, and here's the thing, when you,
when you go to the hospital and your

wife has that baby and you leave the
hospital when you get cleared, whether

you're ready or not, 'cause we weren't
ready, but they gave us the baby anyways.

When you leave the hospital,
the baby goes where.

In the back seat.

Mama rides shotgun.

And that's where mama stays.

Clif Marshall: Right.

David Pollack: Mama rides shotgun with me.

Me and her are riding
and driving this ship.

Not the baby.

The baby joins us.

They join our family and, and you see
so much where the kids get this and

the kids get that and the schedules
are pushing us this way and this way,

and we're dividing and conquering.

That's not what we're
trying to accomplish.

We're doing this together.

Like, but it, but it's,
it's you and your spouse.

Fir God comes first, your spouse
comes next, your kids come next.

And I think when we mess up that
order, I think marriage gets jacked up.

And I think you see more divorce.

Sam Acho: Hmm.

David, you, um, and Clif, I know
we got some, we got some questions,

but I do want to hit on this.

Uh, just recently there's been
some news that's been shared.

You've shared it publicly and, but I.

like for you to talk us through,
before you post it on Instagram, the

tweet about praying for your wife.

Like talk us through kind of what
your last few weeks have looked like.

David Pollack: Well, I don't, um, I don't
share personal stuff on social media.

I'm not a personal, I don't, I don't
share, my kids' wins, my kids' losses.

Like, I just don't, that's
just, I don't share my wife.

I just, I've always kept that separate
And, um, and, and, and will continue to.

But like, you know, a couple months
ago, like, uh, shoot, about six months

ago we got diagnosed with brain cancer.

And my wife, my baby doll got it.

And um, so we knew she has a tumor in her
brain and we gotta do something about it.

And um, so we know surgery's coming up
and here, here's what I know, prayer

works and I've seen it and I've felt
it and I've seen it change lives.

And I'm like, all right.

I said, baby doll I'mma put
this out 'cause I want as many

people praying as possible.

And I knew it would reach
more people if we put it out.

And so, you know, able to put it
out and just share like, yeah, my

wife's dealing with this and you
know, we're fighting through this.

And so, um, shared that.

But the coolest thing was we had surgery
at Duke and it was, it was unbelievable.

It was awesome.

Everything's going great, but so when
you have surgery on the frontal lobe,

which is where her cancer was, her tumor,
was, it, it affects your left side.

So I posted the video of her
after surgery, and Sam and Clif,

like goodness of God is her song.

That's her jam, that's
our anthem right now too,

Clif Marshall: Hmm.

David Pollack: our family.

But like, my wife couldn't
move her left hand at all.

And she, she still, she spent 45
minutes the other day like fixing

a padding in a bathing suit because
her coordination is just not there.

And, and so it's just, you
know, it's, it's a struggle.

It's hard.

And so, but after surgery, I played
goodness of God in the hotel or

in the, uh, in the operating room.

And her hands went straight up.

Clif Marshall: Wow.

David Pollack: Both hands, her left hand,
she, she barely, she couldn't do that

for the next four or five, six days.

Like,

Clif Marshall: Wow.

David Pollack: that, the
spirit wouldn't be denied.

That was the

Clif Marshall: my,

David Pollack: thing ever, man.

Like I was, I was in tears.

So just, um, you know, we, we've
been walking through it, man.

We, God, God provides, you
know, God's gonna allow these

storms to happen in our lives.

And, and we're going through one, and
I'll be honest, man, this is, is by

far the hardest thing I've ever been
to gimme the broken neck right now.

Like, in a heartbeat.

Like in a heartbeat.

Um, 'cause here's the
thing, like I, I'm the man.

I can, I feel like I can handle
it, you know, it's, it's mine, but

like, I can't fix my baby doll.

And that sucks.

Like, it's hard.

It's really hard.

And, um, so like I've, I've
had to realize, man, like

she's God's before, she's mine.

And all I can do is, you know, show up
with a great attitude and serve and pray.

I.

And, um, we've been walking through
it, man, and we've been experiencing,

we've experienced some good and
some bad and some ups and some

downs, and we'll take some steps
forward and take some steps back.

But, um, to see her struggle and, you
know, I tell her all the time, I'm

like, you're making this look easy.

Like, she just constantly has such,
it's, it's the same girl that I just

told you about not too long ago.

She has joy.

Like, she just, the, the first part of it
when we came out, like it took a second

to answer questions and, you know, it
took a second to calculate and calibrate

and then, you know, we're trying to
do the next thing and the next thing.

And there's, you know, there's always
something that, that, that we're

fighting, that we're going through,
that we're trying to, to conquer.

But here's the, the main thing
that I've learned, Sam, to your

question, I've always, you know,
I've always leaned on God, but I've

always kind of been strong enough.

I've had, I, God gave me broad
shoulders and I've had a lot of

adversity we could go through.

I got a lot of it.

Like I've had a, a heaping fool.

I've had a bunch of it.

And, and, but I'm okay.

Like I can handle it and I can
lean on God, but I, but I say

that like this, I, I can't do it.

Like, I can't, like I can't carry this.

Like at my kids and I'm like, this
is the hardest thing I've ever done.

I don't have the capacity to do this.

Like, I need y'all's help.

I need y'all's grace.

And I was like, and if I, I gotta
strap on the armor every day.

Like, I gotta pray.

I gotta read, I gotta get my mind right.

Like, because I'm not strong enough
to walk through it, otherwise I'm

not just gonna push through this.

Like, it just doesn't happen
because, you know, taking on new

responsibilities with things around
the house and like, I used to bring

the fun, like that used to be my job.

Like, I, I'm coming home from
something and I'm like, I'm

gonna create a memory that's, I'm
always purposeful with my kids.

I'm like, how do I
create a memory tonight?

Like, I'm gonna do something
that's gonna create something

that they're never gonna forget.

you've cooked and cleaned and done laundry
and like organizing this, that, and

the other, you're like, I'm exhausted.

you're taking care of my baby doll.

Like I don't have the capacity
to also have fun, you know,

like to, to bring Joyce.

But, but when I get on that treadmill and
I start walking and I start closing my

eyes and I start praying and I ask God
to help me bring joy, I can bring joy.

That's the

Clif Marshall: Hmm.

David Pollack: that's the
only way I can get through it.

So it's been, um, it's been challenging,
but it's been, uh, it's been rewarding

because God continues to show up
all through it and, and to be in it.

Clif Marshall: Davey, let
me go back to this again.

The, the marriage vows in
good times and bad till death.

Do we park, how about this?

As we talked and opened the show, talking
about you breaking your neck and then

your baby doll, your wife is riding in
the ambulance with you to the hospital

and then she literally served you for
the months that would follow that.

And now it's come full circle to now where
she's going through her own issue, right?

And now you're serving her.

Like, to me that is a beautiful picture of
what marriage is supposed to be all about.

And I again, respect you, man because of
what you're doing and how you're doing it.

And just know that it is a, uh, trial.

God is gonna use it to bring
honor and glory and so many

people are gonna grow through it.

You know, I say this all the
time, God doesn't cause pain, but

he can use pain for his purpose.

And I know he is, uh, using you guys right
now in the season of life that you're in

to bring hope to so many other people.

David Pollack: Well, it's not,
it's not me, but it's he that

continues to, to get us through it.

But it, it is cool.

It's 20 years later, you

Clif Marshall: Hmm.

David Pollack: year anniversary's
coming up with, with, with my neck.

Um, I.

Like, you know, here's, here's
another thing too for like, imagine

being in a car and we're driving
down the road, I think God's gonna

navigate us through some potholes.

Like, there's some things
God's gonna take you around,

Clif Marshall: Hmm.

David Pollack: but there are some things
God can only take you through, and

it's the only way you're gonna learn.

And I think we get to the point
where we get, we can handle it.

We got this, we got this, and we
put it on auto autopilot, autopilot.

And I, I got this, I can do this,
my schedule, I'm doing this.

And then we have these storms.

Man, we're just reminded like
the, the DeMar Hamlin situation.

Like, I will never forget that moment.

Like nobody's gonna forget that moment.

Why?

Because what does the bible says?

The Bible says all knees will bow.

Right?

When, when these big, strong
strapping gladiator warriors.

Bro, they got hit with some realness and
what happened, man, they were on their

knees praying because they knew they had
no the answers, but they were like, holy

cow, God, like, you're bigger than this.

You can handle it.

And I think, going through those
moments, those trials, bro, you

come out the other side so much.

But the neck, the neck injury
made me a better husband.

The neck injury made me a better dad.

It made me a better friend.

Like it took, it, it, it helped me
realize like what was really important.

The Bible says, be still
and know that I am God.

I didn't do that before my neck.

I, I was busy, busy, busy.

Go, go, go.

Yeah, I'll get some time in with
Jesus and, and I'll talk to you

God, like when it's convenient,
like, you know, right now I'm busy.

There ain't a relationship in
the world that exists like that.

If you have a girlfriend that
you just plug into when you think

it's necessary, you ain't gonna
have a girlfriend very long.

Clif Marshall: Mm-hmm.

David Pollack: not have a relationship.

That relationship will not exist.

God wants you to plug in, man.

God wants you to invite him into his day.

God wants you to, and listen.

It's not always easy.

And I say this all the time
to people because I want

people to understand prayer's.

Weird.

It's awkward.

It can be different, it can be repetitive.

Like I don't know what to say.

But here's the thing, like,
here's what I've learned.

When you sit down, man,
just use a couple of Rs.

Reflect,

Clif Marshall: Hmm.

David Pollack: reflect
on my day right now.

Like reflect on, okay, where am I at?

Where, where did I succeed?

Where did I win?

What happened?

Oh, yesterday I went to Easter.

Thank you Jesus, for allowing me to
go to church with my mom and daddy.

Like thank you for having mom and
daddies that I can spend time with.

Like if you reflect, we stay in the
moment and it becomes easier to pray.

Repent is the next r.

Clif Marshall: Hmm.

David Pollack: God to forgive
you for some of those things

that we continue to mess up.

Like if you ask him in it and you take
him to it, he will, he will fix 'em.

He will start to work on those
things and then repurpose.

So it's three Rs.

Like,

Clif Marshall: Hmm.

David Pollack: my life, God, like,
invite God into all the meetings,

invite God into all the decision making
processes so he can, so that purpose

is his, so that purpose is ours.

'cause he's given us these different
gifts and qualities and things so

that we can walk out our purpose
and we can walk out in the best way

ours, but we do have to do our job.

And that means getting still, that
means getting in the word like that

means finding time to get in his house.

And I think when we do those things, man,
when we're forced to slow down and we're

forced to kind of experience some pain,
man, you're like, all right, I got you.

I get it.

Like, I know I, I, I've been
doing this on my own a little bit.

Like, need you.

Right?

Clif Marshall: Right.

David Pollack: you to,
to get through this.

And then I think it helps us
to walk in, you know, the great

things that he has for us.

Sam Acho: David, you talked about
this being the right around the

20 year anniversary between your
situation and your wife's situation.

What have you learned
in the last 20 years?

David Pollack: Oh, we don't
have a long enough podcast.

Um, you know, I, I've learned
a lot about relationships.

You've learned a lot about living,
um, you've learned a lot about

making money, having success.

Like you learn so much about it, man.

But I think in the end, what it really
boils down to is just like when I married

that little, little girl, you know,
years, 20 years, 20 years ago in May.

Like, all that matters is the love.

All that matters is loving
God and loving people.

All that matters is the simple things.

It's not, it's not where you
want travel around the world.

It's not what you want to build.

It's not what you want.

to Buy like, it's about
your relationships, man.

It's about making a difference.

And, and, and I, I'm gonna
keep praying this prayer.

I keep praying the three A's to
God, anytime, anywhere, anything.

And I've used the word challenge
and, and I don't, like, I I, I've

caught myself when I've, I was
like, God, I challenge you anytime.

And I was like, all right,
lemme take that back.

Like, I'm not, I'm wrong words God,
but like, know, I've, I've been, I've

had success in different realms, but
I know now, man, like I'm gonna chase

what I think God wants me to do.

And that's

Clif Marshall: Hmm.

David Pollack: that's not money.

And that might not be the fame, and it
might not be some of the stuff that I've

been able to do, but like, I get to coach
high school football right now, bro.

You talk about Sam, I get a hundred
plus kids a year, like every single year

that I get to shape that, I get to mold.

Like we've never won a state championship.

We won our first state
championship last year.

Like, you just watch and you're like, God.

Yep.

speaking, I, I spoke at tons of places
all over the place now at churches and FCA

and men's group and I just, I love it man.

I love to be able to challenge,
to motivate, to inspire and

to use my story for his glory.

And so I think that's the.

Those three A's is what I've learned, man.

Like anytime, any place, anything and,
and living for God, like kick those

doors open, Lord, and shut the mess
out of 'em when they need to be shut.

And, and so, um, I don't, I, and
again, I, I think that means I

don't know what it looks like.

I, I don't, don't have a, I don't
have these next year plans, like,

especially with my baby doll.

Like, you talk about living
day to day now, like it's a,

it's a different life, man.

Like, we're not, you know, we're,
we're, we're not trying to book trips.

You know, we're trying to, we'd
love to get outta the house today.

Like, that would be great.

Like if me and her can go for
a walk, like that's a win.

And, and I think those, those
struggles and those challenges,

you know, they, they remind you of
what's really, really important.

And what's really important is to
be able to live the life that God

wants us to live and to influence and
inspire and pour into our kids and

pour into the next, next generation.

Clif Marshall: Hey, uh, David,
you mentioned a Bible verse

from Psalms just a while ago.

It says To be still
and know that I am God.

And I just think, um, you know, obviously
you've had to do that throughout your

career, especially with the broke neck.

You're having to do that again right
now with your wife's situation, um,

and what Lindsay's going through.

But I also, um, the one word that comes
to my mind, and this is my one word

that I chose for 2025, and that word
is yeah, I'm doing the John Gordon.

And so the one word is surrender.

So I did this with our IU basketball
team and our optional chapel this

year where every player would
choose their one word, right?

And, um, there's a test that
you can take and it'll help

determine what your one word is.

And so my one word was surrender, right?

And so even in my life right now,
as I'm no longer employed by the

university, uh, by Indiana University,
men's basketball as a strength and

conditioning coach, it's like I'm having
to surrender every single day, right?

My plans, uh, the future,
what that may look like.

And you guys are doing
the exact same thing.

So when you think of surrendering to
God, what does that look like for you?

David Pollack: Well, I think we,
I think we, I think we're more

inclined to surrender piece by piece.

You know, like this thing, maybe
not the whole thing at one time.

And I think that's what you,
you kinda learn like, hey, like,

God, I want to give this to you
and I want to give this to you.

But like, true surrender is, is really,
really hard to do, like really hard to do.

And, you know, some of the stuffs that
we've done, I'm like, I'm like al,

like God can't put more in, in our
hands right here if we got 'em closed.

Clif Marshall: Hmm.

David Pollack: Like we
gotta have 'em open.

Clif Marshall: Wow.

David Pollack: more in.

But that means we gotta
give it away, right?

That means it's gotta go and it, and
so I think it, it's a great word.

And we do have to surrender and we do
have to give up because it ain't ours.

Clif Marshall: Hmm.

David Pollack: All this crap and
all these things, it ain't ours.

Like do realize that, right?

Like, we're gonna go and we're gonna
live and we're gonna, when we die,

none of this stuff's gonna be ours.

Clif Marshall: Right.

David Pollack: of our stuff, all
of our things, all these things

that we've accumulated all over the
years and the money, it ain't ours.

Like that's not a legacy.

Leaving a house full of, of stuff
and a hou, a hou a couple of houses

for my kids, that's not legacy.

Legacy is what I leave in my kids.

That's a legacy.

Not what I leave them, it's
what I leave right in here.

Clif Marshall: Wow.

David Pollack: I think learning
to, to daily surrender.

Learning to pick up the cross
daily, isn't that what the

Clif Marshall: Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

David Pollack: the cross daily.

And, and I was actually reading, and
it's, this is totally side note, but

like Simon of Serene is mentioned in the
Bible and it's in Mark and it's a tiny

verse, like it is one verse and is the
only time this dude is mentioned and

it's in, uh, Matthew, mark, and Luke.

And I was reading in Mark and it says
again, Jesus had just been beaten

and put on the purple robe and mocked
and you know, the crown of thorns and

he couldn't carry the cross anymore.

And the Simon of Cyrene guy, they just
said, Hey man, up the cross and carry it.

Clif Marshall: Hmm.

David Pollack: it.

It's the only time he is
mentioned in the whole Bible.

That's it.

I, I've read it a million times,
but it's never clicked to me.

But guess what?

You know what's gonna happen in life?

We're gonna be forced to carry
across that we didn't deserve.

Clif Marshall: Hmm.

David Pollack: He didn't
deserve to carry that cross.

I love too, he mentions two things.

His two kids, he mentions both of his
sons that are, that are there beside him.

Why did he mention that?

Because we're also gonna be forced
to carry a cross that isn't ours.

And our kids are watching.

Clif Marshall: Hmm.

David Pollack: They're
gonna be watching us.

How are we gonna carry this cross?

How are we gonna do it?

Are we gonna pick up our cross daily?

Are we gonna surrender?

Another thing too, though, every time
we pick up that cross though, when,

uh, when Simon and Serene picked
up that cross, what was on it, the

blood of Jesus was on that thing.

Every time you pick up that cross
and you go through those hard things

and the blood of Jesus is right
there with you, like he's right

Clif Marshall: Wow.

David Pollack: you going through it.

So I think daily surrender Clif,
like I I, my word this year is joy,

Clif Marshall: Hmm.

David Pollack: Finding joy
like in every circumstance.

And no matter what it
is, like finding joy.

'cause the older we get, the
less, the more curmudgeony,

the more we get off my lawn.

We get like, we don't relate to our kids.

I got 16 and a 14-year-old and
they're like aliens sometimes

I'm like, are so stupid.

Like, what are we talking about here?

Wasting our time.

Then I'm like, God, like give me eyes
to see them through their eyes so I,

not so I can change them, but, so I
can best lead them and equip them.

Like, 'cause I, and I have
to constantly pray that.

But but how do you get joy putting it in
the correct context of the word Jesus.

Clif Marshall: Jesus.

Others, you.

David Pollack: joy by putting Jesus first.

You put other second, you put you third.

Clif Marshall: Hmm.

David Pollack: you right now, I'm getting
a heap and spoonful of that and, and,

and I need it because so many times
during my wife's situation I'm like,

God, I gotta do this, I gotta do this.

I'm like, you selfish butthole.

Like, you're really gonna
complain about doing this.

Like you get to do this.

Like, I get to be here with my
baby doll and walk through this.

And it's hard and it's difficult,
but like, man, it's, I, I told

her, I was like, I just love
that we get to do this together.

Like whether it's the throw up and
the trash cans and it's the, the

passing out and whatever, like, we've
been through some stuff that ain't

been fun, but I'm like, you know how
much fun it is to do this together?

I'm like, well, I

Clif Marshall: Mm,

David Pollack: baby doll.

Like, this is awesome.

And that's, that's the
word for me, has been joy.

Clif Marshall: joy.

Wow.

Sam Acho: Uh,

what do you want your kids
to see as you love your wife?

David Pollack: Huh.

I think that's the, you know,
be careful what you pray for.

Me and my wife have
prayed for a long time.

Like, how do we, how do we do,
how do we bring hard to our kids?

they don't do a lot of hard, they
have, we've talked about this

since our kids were so little.

I remember so many late trips coming
back and different things, and they're

just like, how do we bring in struggle?

'cause they don't struggle for much.

They get what they want.

um, I think that's what's cool
about this situation for us, man.

Like this is forging
their own fire, right?

Like this is, this is so great for
them because they're gonna have to lean

on their faith and they're gonna have
to realize like, life is a vapor man.

Like, we ain't guaranteed tomorrow.

And we really, like, I'll never forget
Sam, this is the going right here.

My, my baby girl called me.

I was in Duke still with my wife.

We were recovering from surgery she
called me and she was, she was upset man.

And she's, she's the, she's the spitting
image of me in every way, shape or form.

But her mommy's her person and uh,
she was like, daddy tonight at church.

They were talking and she was
like, the girls were complaining

about basketball and the girls were
complaining about flag football and

the girls were complaining about school
and she was like, has brain cancer.

She was like, I don't care about that.

Like, I don't care
about any of that stuff.

And I was like, listen.

I said, here's what's awesome, baby.

Here's the gift.

I said, God's given you a gift
now that you will see when other

people are going through hard times.

And you will understand that,
and you'll get to jump into their

problems and you'll get to help them.

Like he's giving you eyes to see that.

Like what a gift.

Like how awesome is that?

But like, so walking them through, you
know, this And like, we were at the

beach, you know, a couple weeks ago and
week we were at the beach last week.

And, and my wife, you know,
she was feeling better.

And so she was getting up and
she was moving around more.

And you know, my son's playing video
games in the living room and you know,

she, she fainted and she went out and she
went down and you get to see that, right?

Like picking her back up,
like getting her back too.

And so I think like just, I, I
think they, first of all, before

this ever happened, I, I wanted
them to see like, that's my girl.

That is my girl.

Like if your mommy tells me to, and we've
said this for years, and she laughs when

she says it, but like if she tells me
to go to Oregon to pick up a truck, I

don't need to know why I'm gonna do it.

I don't give a crap.

Like she tells me to do something,
something needs to be done.

I'm gonna do it.

And I think, so I've always understood
and appreciate when I walked in

the house from traveling, 'cause I
traveled so many years from work, I

made sure, man, I went right to mommy.

Like, did my kids beat me?

Yes.

Sometimes they beat me to the door,
but I'm like, hold on, like, let

me, let me tell you something.

That's my girl right there now.

Like, and I asked, used to ask Lee all
the time when she was little, little, and

I was just like, who's, who's number one?

She's like me.

I was like, no, no, no, no.

was like, she was here before you.

She gonna be here after you.

Like, that's my girl,
that's my number one.

So I, I mean, I want them to see a, them
to see a relationship that like when they,

when they get married, like they, yeah.

They realize like their spouse.

Man, that's a big priority, dude.

Like not friends.

Not this, that, and the other things
like this is, this is about her.

And that's always gonna look different.

And, and right now it looks a
lot different in our household,

but, um, you know, whatever it
looks like I'm there, you know?

And that's, that's what
we wanted to realize.

Like hard, easy, um, agreement,
disagreement, whatever that looks like.

Like it's us.

Like it's me and you.

It's, and that's another thing too,
don't argue in front of your kids, man.

Like, don't, don't have
different belief points.

Like if your husband says something
and, and your wife says something, it's

the stupidest thing you've ever heard.

When your kids ask you, you're like,
yes, that's what your mommy said.

And then, then you go in the
room and you're like, what?

Like, what are we talking about?

Like, we've done that a lot in our house.

Trust me.

Like I've gone in the room
and I've been like, babe, what

are we, what are we doing?

Like, I, I would prefer not to do that,
but like in front of each other, man,

we're a united front and we're showing
you like we're, this is what we do.

We are together in every single thing.

'cause we don't want cracks.

'cause they, they, they're
master manipulators.

Trust me, I got a 16 and 14-year-old like.

getting to the age now where
they know exactly how to go to

which one, and we're like, Nope.

We're this together.

Like, what, what did your mommy say?

Okay.

That's what I say.

Same thing.

Sam Acho: Uh, you talked about the days.

When I think about vacations, I'm, I'm
like, I'm just trying to get to today.

What does today look
like for you and Lindsay?

David Pollack: Well, today's been good.

Um, you know, she looked at me
today and she was like, um, she

goes, Hey, can I, can I drive?

And you know, she's, so we we're at
six weeks on Wednesday from surgery,

and she's done amazingly well for her.

But like, you know, like we,
we've, we've been walking for the,

for the last four or five weeks.

Like, we walk a couple miles a
day, um, at least once a day.

Like we're getting out and
doing, and doing, doing.

um.

I just remember, I'll never forget,
man, I was in my halo and my wife was

student teaching in Cincinnati, and
I'll never come, I'll never forget,

she'd come home and I'm like, babe,
it all, I just need to see some trees.

Like, I don't care where we go, I just
need to get in the car and go somewhere.

And I remember that being in my halo.

And so I was like, I
was like, let's do it.

You know, like, let's do it.

So, you know, she drove
and she felt great.

Like, she, she went really, really slow.

I mean, it wasn't the same.

And like, you know, her reaction time
obviously is not what it, what it was.

And, but I, I just, I think
the independence is so good,

you know, and being able to do
something like that for yourself.

But she's, she's definitely
getting to the point now.

Like, she texted me earlier in the
week, earlier last week, and she

was like, Hey, I was, I was gone.

I was coming back and she was
like, Hey, I just did laundry.

And she was like, I'm exhausted.

Like I'm gonna take a nap.

And I was like, okay, this, this is the
girl that used to walk an hour a day.

Elliptical, 30 minutes a day,
lift weights 30 minutes a day.

So she's like, go, go, go.

then the next day she was laughing.

She was like, my ribs are sore.

I was like, from what?

She goes And I was like, wow.

So I mean, like, I, I, I mean it's, it's
a lot of, um, it's a lot of joy, man.

There really is like, but now, like
we got our golf tournament, our

annual golf tournament coming up
on, um, on five, five Cinco de Mayo,

and this is our ninth year doing it.

And so there's a lot of coordination.

And my, and my baby doll does it all.

She always does

Clif Marshall: Mm.

David Pollack: She looked
at me like two weeks ago.

She was like, I don't have a
single item for the silent auction.

I was like, oh, crap.

I was like, okay, we'll get it.

And then today she texted me with
something else, and so now we're kind of

going through, you know, that stuff, but.

We're progressing now to the
point where it's really cool

and the independence is growing.

Now listen, we, we grew in independence
and then we, when we had the, the

pass out in the kitchen, I'm like, all
right, you lost a little independence.

She was like, that's fine, I get it.

I was like, I was like, you're gonna
have a big Native American wherever

you go now for a little while,
and you're gonna be holding on my

Clif Marshall: Alright.

David Pollack: like, we went to the, uh,
basketball banquet as a team, and, um,

she's standing up with everybody stand.

I was, and I wheeled a chair
right underneath her, just a

chair, and I was like, sit down.

She's like, seriously,
I look like an idiot.

I'm like, I don't really care.

We ain't passing out again.

Like, we're not hitting our nogging.

So, um, it's a lot of joy, but
like, literally, it's, it's kind

of cool, Sam, because you don't
really know what it's gonna be.

You know, like some days,
some days you think like, oh,

we're gonna be hyperactive.

Go, go, go.

And we might do this around the house
and, and walk, walk a couple miles,

and then some days you're like, nah.

Like I, I'm not, walking.

Like, I don't wanna do that.

So we, we've had, we've had
some cool mornings, man.

So we ate breakfast for a couple,
for a couple, three or four,

five days in a row at 2:30 AM.

Clif Marshall: Hmm.

David Pollack: She literally
woke up middle of the night.

She was, she had problems throwing up
for a while, and then she had problems

being restless through the night,
and she was like, I'm really hungry.

I was like, let's go have some breakfast.

So we'd go out there.

I made her avocado toast or
eggs or whatever, and we'd eat

breakfast from two 30 in the morning
till three 30 in the morning.

Then I would be crossing, we'd be
like, all right, can we take a nap now?

Like, yeah, let's do it.

Clif Marshall: Wow.

Uh, Davey.

I wanted to, uh, quickly share a
bible verse that, uh, that I've

kinda lived out, um, as a coach,
strength and conditioning coach.

And it's Proverbs 27 17.

It says, as iron sharpens iron, so
one man sharpens another, and I met

you in 2006, but in 2007 I left and
became a performance director at a

facility in Cincinnati called Ignition.

And that bible verse
was, was up on our wall.

And you walked through those doors
and you certainly sharpened me and the

rest of our staff and every athlete
that was working out in that facility.

Um, my question to you is, how
important is it to have men of

character in your life, and also who
are those men in your life right now?

David Pollack: It's, it's not debatable.

It's, it's, it's not a negotiable.

Like you have to have accountability
If the greatest person ever

to walk this earth, Jesus.

Didn't do it himself.

You ain't doing it yourself.

You're not gonna be able to survive.

Like Jesus went through and
picked a bunch of folks, right?

He picked his 12 and
said, come on, let's go.

Like, and I think it's so important to
find different groups of, of ages too.

Like somebody that you're pouring into,
somebody that's pouring into you, right?

Like the Paul, the Timothy, like
the Barbi, like having Barnabas,

having those, like somebody
pouring into you, you pouring into

somebody else different stages.

Like it's, it's impossible to do life
successfully without accountability.

Like your job isn't as good,
your walk isn't as good,

your workouts aren't as good.

Like there's nothing about it.

Like we, we need that accountability.

We need that.

Our iron sharpening iron.

And um, you know, I get it from my
baby doll usually first and foremost.

And

Clif Marshall: Mm-hmm.

David Pollack: out, she'll call
me the carpet, she'll tell me, I'm

not doing this, I'm not doing that.

Um, I have a, we have a small group,
which is one of the best things

we've ever joined in a church.

And then we start, we have a small group
in our house once a week, and we go

over the different topics and we talk
about what's going on in our lives.

Because again, Jesus didn't have
church on d Jesus didn't have

church on Sunday with his guys.

And like, all right, y'all
have fun, have a good week.

That's not what it looked like.

That's not what following Jesus looked
like, following Jesus looked like,

okay, story time breaking into groups,
talking more about it, walking it

out, going to another de destination,
talking to new people about it.

So I think, you know, being able to have
those accountability partners, you know, I

go walk with, with a couple of my buddies.

I, I say walk, we play golf, but
I walk and they, and we walk.

'cause I don't love golf that
much, but I love talking and, and

I love talking about our kids.

And, um, one of my buddies, Russ Tanner,
he was my roommate at Georgia too.

One of my roommates like.

We'll go walk one day a week at
the track and we'll walk four miles

with a weighted vest and stuff.

But it's, it's either his day to bring
the word or my day to bring the word

and we'll talk about it for, you know,
for an hour plus, and just talk about

what's going on in our lives, man.

It's just, you know, like when you have
something in your heart or something

that's, you know, even something that's
dark, like when you bring it to the light,

Clif Marshall: Mm-hmm.

David Pollack: anymore.

And so having those people, man,
that you can walk through life with

that will hold you accountable.

And, and I, I would challenge
people with this too.

My wife came home from a Bible
study a couple years ago and

she was laughing her head off.

She thought it was the
funniest thing ever.

I'm like, what are you laughing at?

She's like, I can't stop laughing.

We went over the biblical definition
of a peacemaker and I was like,

okay, well why is that funny?

She said, 'cause you're a peacemaker.

And she just started giggling and
like, I am very content and very,

I'm very okay being the person that's
gonna say something that's not gonna

make you feel good, going to help you.

My ultimate goal is to help you,
is to bring peace to your life.

Now, I didn't say it like
that before she said this.

She was like, I'm a peace faker.

You're a peace maker.

Like,

Clif Marshall: Wow.

David Pollack: like there, there's not a
friend in your life that's a real friend,

that you're gonna say something, Hey man,
you shouldn't talk to your wife like that.

Hey man, you stepped
outta line right there.

Like you shouldn't, you
shouldn't have said that.

You shouldn't have done that.

Hey, are you doing this?

Like, if I don't show up to
church for a couple day, for a

couple weeks, I'm gonna get a text

Clif Marshall: Mm-hmm.

David Pollack: I'm leading small group.

The accountability with
that small group is amazing.

Like again, continue to grow in
your different levels of faith.

When you have to lead, like you have
to have a command over something, you

have to learn it at a different level.

You're held to a different accountability.

So I think having people to go
through the word with is huge.

Having people to go
through life with that.

You say, listen, if you see
something like that, man, I

want you to hold me accountable.

And um, man, I've Clif, I've survived
because of people in my life that

Reese Davis was that on game day.

Reese Davis in a heartbeat.

We would absolutely, um,
do that for each other.

Talk about being on the road.

Talk about let's make sure that we're
not in spots we shouldn't be in.

Let's make sure we're not doing
things we shouldn't be in.

And I think that is, it was huge, man.

That iron will sharpen and you
will grow and we'll get better.

But you can slip fast without
somebody being there to say,

Hey, don't forget you're this,
this is why you're doing this.

Clif Marshall: You know, uh,
as part of that, my pastor once

shared with me, he said, Clif,
the devil wants you to isolate.

But God wants you to insulate.

And so that may be my
Clif note today, actually.

Uh, Sam, the devil wants you to isolate.

God wants you to insulate.

The devil wants you to isolate because
that's where he can attack you.

When you're vulnerable and you're
by yourself and you're in the dark,

however, when you're around good
man, good people, friends who are

gonna hold you accountable, that
insulation is gonna protect you.

And that's what we need, I
think, in our day to day life.

Right.

Let's,

David Pollack: in my name, there I am.

Clif Marshall: that's true.

David Pollack: it's, it's the,
the accountability all of it.

It is, it is necessary.

It's important for, for
every walk of your life.

Sam Acho: Well, David, you know, Clif
loves to kind of end with his Clif note.

Uh, I love to ask the question,
love to ask the question, and my

question for you is this, uh, how
do you win without losing it all?

David Pollack: How do you
win without losing at all?

Sam Acho: Without losing it all?

You've seen a lot of successes
on TV in sports, marriage.

You've seen failures.

On tv, in sports, in
marriage, even in finances.

How do you win without losing at all?

David Pollack: Well, I think
we win the ultimate prize.

You know when you, when you get
up, when you get up to the pearly

gates and it says, you know,
why do you deserve to be here?

And you

Clif Marshall: Hmm.

David Pollack: I don't,

Clif Marshall: Wow.

David Pollack: I don't deserve to be here.

Like, I'm hoping you'll let me in,
but hopefully I'm living a life that

reflects, I mean, I, I don't think
you're gonna lose following Jesus.

I think it's

Clif Marshall: Wow.

David Pollack: like, how can you lose

Clif Marshall: Hmm.

David Pollack: losses.

It's lessons and it's things
that we need to learn.

The loss, the, the losing becomes when
I start doing things for me and when

I start doing things my way, I have
a tendency to really, really lose.

When I love God and love
people, it's hard to lose man.

Like, and by the way, God has
assured me victory already.

Like who calls on the name
of the Lord shall be saved.

Not the this, it doesn't matter you
what you've done, whoever you think

you are, and you've gone way too far.

I God can't love me.

Yes, he can.

word tells you.

He will love every single person.

Everyone who calls on the name
of the Lord shall be saved.

And so, I think winning is keeping the,
the, the WIN what's important now, like.

Keeping God at the center
of everything, right?

Like that's, you're not gonna lose.

Like if you keep chasing him,
you'll continue that process.

It's called sanctification.

You'll continue to grow and
he'll continue to sharpen you.

That iron will continue to sharpen
and you'll grow and you'll get better.

And here's the thing, wrinkles suck.

Um, aches and pains suck, but the wisdom
that comes with that stuff doesn't.

And the ability, like, and, and here's
another thing too, another thing about

what I was telling you about Simon,
serene, Simon of Serene, another thing

too about him picking up that cross,
and here's another thing I'm learning

about 'cause I'm, I'm picking up
that cross and I'm carrying a cross.

I don't wanna carry is, guess what?

After I've carried it, I
know what it felt like.

I know what it felt like.

And when somebody else is
going through that, man, do I

have an awesome opportunity?

My, my baby doll has already
started her cancer ministry.

She's already reaching out to people
that she find out with cancer.

Like I'm talking to a, I'm talking
to a guy right now that, you

know, we talked about we're in a
fraternity, we don't want to be in.

Clif Marshall: Hmm.

David Pollack: to be in a fraternity,
but like, we're in this fraternity

now that we, and now we have an
opportunity because I think the only

way you really have empathy for people
is when you feel how bad it hurts.

Clif Marshall: Hmm.

David Pollack: true wisdom is
learning from other people's mistakes.

But I can tell y'all as, as
Davy, I, I don't do that great.

But I learned from mine.

I just wish I wasn't so
stubborn and hardheaded.

I wish I could really learn from others
more than mine, I really learn when I'm

getting slapped in the face with it.

When I'm getting a a, a spoonful
of it, man, it helps me to, that

sympathy, empathy, compassion.

And the suffering and without the losses.

How do we know how good we got it, man?

You know, like we, we
see how good we got it.

So, I mean, that's a long, long-winded
answer to, to your question,

but them, I, I know one thing.

Chasing, chasing Jesus is
not gonna lead you astray.

There's no part of your
life that will get worse.

And, and here's another thing too, like.

If, if I told Sam a lie and then
Sam told everybody this lie, and

then everybody came to Sam and
they're like, Sam, we're gonna kill

you unless you tell us the truth.

Sam, what would you do

Sam Acho: I'm gonna tell the truth.

David Pollack: by God?

You would tell the truth in a heartbeat.

Just think about the disciples and
Paul, they all saw a resurrected Jesus.

Like they could have easily
just been like, bro, I'm out.

Like, I don't know what
you're talking about.

But they couldn't contain themselves.

They kept talking.

They kept preaching and they knew
what it, and they, they got burned.

They got beheaded, crucified, upside down.

Like for a lie, like if it was
a lie, every single one of them

would've been like, I'm out.

Clif Marshall: Right.

David Pollack: like that's the great,
that's one of the greatest, like

what do you need in a court case?

If somebody, if somebody comes
to you and they're like, Hey man,

like there's a court case, there's
one way to win a court case.

Like that eye witness, I
saw him shoot her guilty.

That's exactly what you got in the Bible.

You've got eye witness accounts, hundreds
of eye witness accounts to this person.

We just had Easter, man, like our, our
country is going in such a great way,

man, and it's, I love to see so many
people praising Jesus, athletes praising

Jesus because man, it's, it's awesome
because you can see and feel it like the,

the country's starting to shift in the,
you don't have to be ostracized and you

don't have to be weird and different.

It's, it's a fun thing.

It's a cool thing and it's the only
thing that you pursue consistently that

will always be there every single time.

Good, bad, hard, different, whatever.

Clif Marshall: So, in other words,
Davy, what you're saying is when

you obey God, you never lose.

David Pollack: Never lose.

Clif Marshall: That may be, that may be
the second Clif note of the show, Sam.

David Pollack: I mean, hey,
he's already got the victory.

It's

Clif Marshall: Exactly, yes.

Amen.

David Pollack: dub.

It's, it's already, it's already done.

It's already been done.

He's already got it.

So as long as we on his squad, we win.

Clif Marshall: Davy, I can't let
you go before I, the last question

I've gotten, it relates to football.

Sam was an All-American defensive
end for the Texas Longhorns.

Davy was an All-American three-time
defensive end for the Georgia Bulldogs.

Who, in your opinion, has the
better football team this year?

Sam Acho: Oh,

David Pollack: Oh, this year,

Clif Marshall: Yes,

David Pollack: Texas.

Clif Marshall: Texas.

Wow.

Okay.

You're going against the.

David Pollack: hey, can we, can
we recap what happened last year?

What happened last year?

Okay.

I, I just real quick.

Last year I feel like
it was two to nothing.

Yeah, it was two to nothing.

Okay.

Um, no, I, I tell you what I think, um, I
think Texas is, I think Texas has a chance

to be one when all the polls come out.

Um, arch Manning obviously coming in, SARC
has, has proven, you know, what he does.

Um, at a high level, uh, the
receivers will be, will be great.

The offense will be great.

The defense, the scheme
in the system is awesome.

Uh, returning the, the key guys to
me, the Pivotal guys, and you got

young guys that you look at like
Hil, you're like, he's a superstar.

He's a stud.

Um, so I, I think that
they're building is great.

And here's the thing.

I think with NILI don't think any team
in the country benefited more than

Texas, because just found $4 million
under this seat cushion right here.

Like that oil money is real, right?

Like, and here's the thing,
they're using it good.

And Sark's a great coach.

It's all aligning well, but like.

I, I think it's such a great, um,
a great situation for NIL is is

for Texas, but I, I think they're
gonna be, I think they'll be great.

They're gonna be in the mix.

The schedule is really,
really good again this year.

Um, you look at Oklahoma coming
into the league and what they had

to play last year and this year.

Good gosh.

Like they got the short
end of the stick for sure.

But Texas has a chance to be a
national champion, like two back to

back, to back, you know, final fours.

I think they're going, their
trajectory is going in the right way,

Sam Acho: Mm.

I got a question then.

You know, so we talked about
what's next for Texas and Georgia.

What's next for Davey Pollock?

David Pollack: broski, I don't know.

Um, I, I, you gotta love the name
of my podcast for college football.

It's sea ball.

Get ball, like

Sam Acho: I do

Clif Marshall: Yes, I do.

David Pollack: is nothing better
than that because again, they

put the dumb players on defense.

When the ball moves, you go get it.

Like you just get the guy with the ball.

That was my job.

It was fantastic.

Um, I.

I think I'll definitely do the,
the, the podcasting world is fun.

Just talking football is fun.

I've had a pastor with my, or a podcast
with my pastor since 2021, I think, where

we've done family goals and, and we just
talk about different things and, and what,

how to goal set and how to accomplish
different things and different messages,

and that's been really, really fun.

But day at a time, baby, if I, if I
can bring joy to, to my people and

to, to my area and influence and,
um, live a live, live, a life worth

emulating and, and keep pointing up, I,
I think that will be very successful.

But, um, you know, what we're
learning quickly is, you know, listen,

we're getting young, we're getting
older, we ain't getting no younger.

Clif Marshall: Hmm.

David Pollack: the days
are shorter and shorter.

You know, you see sickness all over
the place and it's not, it's not

always the most fun thing, getting
old, but continuing to inspire,

motivate, and, and help in any way.

Sam Acho: That's awesome.

Well, uh, David, thank you so
much for joining the show podcast

featuring Clif Marshall, AKA Clif.

We also wanna check out more of
the podcast, go to sam macho.com

and David, once again, we thank you.

David Pollack: Appreciate it guys.

Oh, Clify.