Welcome to Campo’s Corner, where leadership, strategy, and success take center stage. Hosted by Coach Dave Campo, this show takes lessons from the world of coaching and applies them to business and life. Whether you’re leading a team, building a business, or striving for personal growth, Campo’s Corner delivers insights that help you win—on and off the field. Coach Dave Campo and Tom McManus speak with former 3x Super Bowl Dallas Cowboys Defensive Back and MVP for Super Bowl ’30, Larry Brown.
00;00;19;05 – 00;00;39;01
I welcome you to Campus Corner with Coach Dave Camper. I am Tom McManus and we are happy to be here today because we’ve got a great guest. It’s Larry Brown for Dallas Cowboy quarterback. MVP of the Super Bowl and a former player under this great man right here. Let’s welcome in Larry Brown. Hey Larry how are you man.
00;00;39;02 – 00;01;09;25
Welcome to the show. How’s it going, guys? Happy to be here. And, just excited to be on the show. Joe. Talk about you, man. How you feeling with your former player? Right there talking about ball getting ready to listen. This this is the thing I missed about coaching the most is being around the guys. The only time I really miss the field stuff is when we’re in training camp with the Jags and looking around and yeah, you know, you’re on the field, but, Larry knows we were pretty darn close as a as a team.
00;01;09;25 – 00;01;40;01
And, are you my unit? Actually I enjoyed my unit more than I enjoyed the head coaching position, to be perfectly honest with you. Yeah, I bet you did. Well, Larry. 12th round pick when they had 12 rounds back then and you started, like, starting the fourth game of your rookie year. Is that correct, coach? Did you tell me that or how did that I mean, talk about the 12th round of jumping into the starting position for the Dallas Cowboys, man, that you must have had a ton of confidence going in.
00;01;40;04 – 00;01;55;27
Well, you need a little luck on your side. So I had a couple things, you know, you know, the year I got drafted, I was only defensive back. And even though I went in the 12th round, they took. And so got a lot of attention from the coaching. And then you also need someone that can see something and, they camp or saw something.
00;01;55;27 – 00;02;24;10
Saw enough to give a kid young 20 year old kid a chance. And I’m always grateful for that. But you got to have someone who can see something in you. You gotta have somebody that can believe in you, and then also give you the opportunity to do what you can do. One of the questions I had, Larry, was, and, I think no one really knows the story of when I worked you out when you were, running the, 40s, and you wouldn’t quit until you got the time that you thought you really had.
00;02;24;10 – 00;02;59;28
And, you know, I didn’t really know that much about you, honestly. And that’s what spurred me on, to to give you an opportunity. My question to you is, though, you saw a bunch of high school coaches, you saw a bunch of college coaches, you saw do two different NFL coaches. Junior college coach. What what from a leadership standpoint, stuck out to you that made you have the confidence from those guys and different styles to make you, be who you were on the football field?
00;03;00;03 – 00;03;16;03
Well, that’s a great coach. That’s a great question, coach. I think first, you know, I was so young, you know, when I got drafted, I was only 20 years old. So when you go back to the prior to getting drafted, you talk about a 18 year old, 19 year old, 20 year old kid that’s still developing.
00;03;16;06 – 00;03;37;27
And each of those coaches saw something, and I think each coach brought something at different level. My JuCo coach was very good at a JuCo level. My coach, Rocky Long good, very good. From TCU level. Then when I got to you from a from a technique and understand of the game scheme, it just took it to a whole nother level.
00;03;38;04 – 00;03;54;16
That was something I had not been taught before. You know, you’re probably out there pretty much on your own on a raw building. But when you were able to teach me fundamentals, I think my fundamentals were not that great. When I got to you. And then to be able to understand schemes and what people want to do, it just elevated my game to a different level.
00;03;54;16 – 00;04;14;12
So just having great teachers, people that can believe in you, people that can, make you better, and I can truly say that that there’s no doubt. I think once I got the Dave Campbell, it took me to a different level player other than just that alone. Yeah. We all know when we go to the NFL, man, technique is so huge, right?
00;04;14;12 – 00;04;34;12
You’re going against guys are just is faster faster just bigger bigger. You know strong stronger. So you better have some will right. Have some gumption have some guts but also know how to play the game and know how to play within the defense. When you’re a defensive back, talk about Larry working on your craft though, because yeah, you got these teachers and they’re phenomenal.
00;04;34;19 – 00;04;57;17
We all you have them. But at the end of the day it’s Larry Brown going out there running sprints or working on his drops or working on his quickness when nobody’s watching. Talk about the preparation to be the kind of player you were. Well, I credit Dave Campo to really teaching me how to prepare as a professional, meaning that, you know, being committed to your craft, there’s different levels of that.
00;04;57;19 – 00;05;21;25
You know, the standard that they set was a high bar, and it made me question you, where do I want to do this? The way you work, the way you focus, how much time you put in the film? In the weight room after hours, all the things that it takes to be a champion. And, you know, camp all day that that group that came in from college coming off national championship, they were the youth.
00;05;21;28 – 00;05;45;18
And so a lot of people have not participated in a championship environment. So I think culture, you have good cultures, you have bad cultures, you have winning culture, then you have championship culture. They can’t win those guys, but in championship culture and they had to build it. But that’s what they’re instilling. So I was very fortunate for the first time to walk in and see what it took.
00;05;45;18 – 00;06;11;05
The type of work and commitment to be in a championship culture. One of the things that sticks out to me is, Tom, especially with this young man. When he walked in, nobody had any expectations, as he said, yeah, with him, you know, and I had seen him firsthand, but when he came in, the first thing that he did was make sure he made a lot of plays.
00;06;11;07 – 00;06;39;29
That’s the key to the whole thing. He opened everybody’s eyes. One question I have for you, Larry, is, you know, we had pretty good, team chemistry with that group that we had in, in, in Dallas and what do you feel that that our football team, the Cowboys had within their midst that to to show that championship level with players now not the coaching staff because the guys that when are the guys on the field.
00;06;40;01 – 00;06;59;17
Well I think great. The great thing I think when I got there, it was a middle of a major transition. We had a lot of veteran guys, Ray Horton, Vince Albritton, Manny Hedrick and a lot of those guys didn’t work as hard as you know. Some of the coaches were coming in. So I end up getting a lot of reps because they were resting.
00;06;59;22 – 00;07;14;15
And and I make the best of. So, I think that that was a part of it back then. A lot of veteran guys are proven. They didn’t really practice as hard under the old regime. And so you guys were all about, hey, getting out there didn’t matter how long you been in the league putting the work in.
00;07;14;17 – 00;07;34;23
And so I think a big part of me getting the opportunity to get on the field to show that I can do was some of those veteran guys who felt they were proven, who didn’t have to work quite as hard or as much, as we need. And I think that really, that helped me. I think the Cowboys, as an organization, and I say this, you don’t know what’s good until you went somewhere bad.
00;07;34;26 – 00;07;54;11
I think the staff from Coach Johnston to yourself, too. But today, just the tone wise to, coach our have that we’re great coaches. And I’ve been a few places. And how you guys got the guys ready? Your expectations, how you set the standard that we’re going to win. You practice like you were going to win. You work like you were going to win.
00;07;54;18 – 00;08;11;05
So I think it was inevitable. And then I think the final thing is, I think you guys are very clear on the type of players you want. And in that culture, I think that affects the team 100%. The type of guys, the type of leaders you have from Emmitt Smith was a great leader. Troy Aikman was a great leader.
00;08;11;07 – 00;08;33;21
Michael Irvin, who’s a great leader. Darren Woodson I think the type of players you guys added to that environment created an incredible culture other than just talent, but from the type of people you want in that locker room. I say it all the time, coach, you know, that’s a general manager’s job, right? Fill that locker room with the kind of people that that that’ll that’ll thrive under that kind of philosophy.
00;08;33;21 – 00;08;53;09
Right. How about inside the locker room, Larry, if you can take us back. I mean, you just named a bunch of superstars. Leadership’s a key. I know that’s part of your answer, but, man, with you guys, all the the rings, the hoopla, you’re America’s team. You got the triplets? Yeah, we got everybody there. Fan. Phenomenal. You guys are phenomenal.
00;08;53;09 – 00;09;10;06
How do y’all keep it together? Did you hold each other accountable to a higher level or how did you how’d you get it done? 100% was all about accountability. And, sometimes we need to have player only meetings. You know, I remember when he gave a play in green Bay and we’re we’re not doing what camp was going ill.
00;09;10;07 – 00;09;31;20
Everyone in green Bay, we had to get him up a huddle up that play, and we all came together and we had to figure it out. But players were accountable, coaches coached, accountable. The players that accountability. Again, when you’re talking about a championship culture, whether it’s business, whether it’s life, whether it’s family, that’s very important. You can’t you can’t be great without accountability.
00;09;31;23 – 00;09;47;05
And we also had guys that didn’t mind that, even bringing Deon Sanders in with Deon came in there. You know, we have to be on. Hey, look, I gotta cut to balls. I want me to catch. You need me to cover, you know? So I think the biggest thing that they did as well, our superstars and we had superstars.
00;09;47;07 – 00;10;07;21
They were not guys that was above the team, you know? So Michael Irvin would be out there and Troy would say, hey, let’s go Newton. We just had so many guys. There were great players, but they also had great leadership skills. And it trickles down. Your stars trickle down to everyone else. Yep. That leads me to another question.
00;10;07;21 – 00;10;32;29
You had a young man, your boy played at UCLA. What did you take from your experiences, success and all that that you used from a leadership standpoint because you were the leader of that family? How did that relate in your mind? Thank you. What I always taught him was, you know, and I learned this, again, I’m giving too much credit.
00;10;33;01 – 00;10;47;12
It’s how to prepare. And once you’ve done everything that you can and you left it out there, you have no regrets. You can say, you know you can’t. We always want to say, don’t say, I wish I would have watched more film or I wish I would have worked a little harder. Why don’t you leave it out there?
00;10;47;13 – 00;11;03;07
There’s no more you can do. So there’s no ill feelings. You can walk away and be happy. But what happens so often? Sometimes we hear that, oh, I should have been in better shape, or I would have worked a little harder. Or if I could do it again. Well, they say if you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready.
00;11;03;10 – 00;11;19;20
There’s all sides. So my goal with him to stay ready, get ready, prepare yourself. And at the end of the day, you won’t have any regrets about however it goes down. If you’re going to be a backup, be the best backup. You’re going to be a scout and be the best scout team. You know, find that place for you and then then get out the way.
00;11;19;25 – 00;11;44;14
Because once you’re prepared, there’s no more you can do. Everybody gets the win, right, Larry? It doesn’t matter where they are in that football team. They all get the ring. That’s right. And, one of the things that that sticks out to me was that I believe it was the, NFC championship against, Jerry rice and John Taylor, Kevin Smith, our corner.
00;11;44;14 – 00;12;17;23
And Larry Brown pressed those two guys as he was a second year player. Kevin was a first year player and probably 40 out of 60 plays. I was giving the press signals. Yeah. What we’re saying, what is it that that’s when you could mark them, though? Yeah, right. Are you kidding me? Peter? Yeah. Yeah. Well, one thing that I would say that those guys did for us, the expectations and teaching you how to compete, and they didn’t lower the standard.
00;12;17;26 – 00;12;38;27
It didn’t matter what. Jerry rice, we played down in Atlanta. We pressed bigger. And so it didn’t matter. They believed in you. You put the work in and they expect you to get it done. And so that’s the accountability. And I think, you know, as a players who want to be great, who want to leave a legacy, you look forward to those things, those challenges.
00;12;39;04 – 00;12;53;22
And you can’t be afraid to be challenged. And like I said, you can’t build it. Everything got to love who screamed, yelled, he hugged, kissed. It was all a lot of love. But it made you a better person and it made you a better player. You know, the the the last thing. And then, a bullet to finish it up.
00;12;53;22 – 00;13;16;07
But, somebody asked me the other day, how did I handle the stress of a Super Bowl the night before the Super Bowl? And I basically said the same thing you just said. Preparation. If you’re prepared and you go into the game and you have the confidence that you’ve done everything from a preparation standpoint, yep. There is no stress.
00;13;16;13 – 00;13;35;18
Let’s go out and have some fun. And I think it’s probably the same as a player. What you just said. And we had some loose guys and I tell the story about Campbell. I told him the story before. I don’t know if you remember, one of our first Super Bowls. Let’s me our second one. We’re in Atlanta and, Kevin Smith, the other corner on the other side, found a script.
00;13;35;18 – 00;13;53;18
The day had dropped, and so Dave’s out of practice looking for a script. He didn’t realize that. We know every play that’s going to be run. When Kevin and I, we’re jumping everything. We’re intercepting everything and private statements. They were so afraid we’re going to have a really good soup bowl and didn’t realize that Kevin Smith had the script.
00;13;53;20 – 00;14;15;19
You just you just ruined my whole. Oh, it’s all right. I, I was going to say a couple Excedrin p m, so. Yeah, well, it’s a rest, all right. Three times. Yeah. I think guys were loose, too. The main thing was we had we were loose. We wanted to have fun. Yeah. In addition to the work, we were prepared game for, easy for us.
00;14;15;19 – 00;14;35;02
I mean, the way we practiced, the way we prepared the games were pretty much easy. Yep, yep. No doubt our practice should be harder than the game, right? Coach Larry Brown, three time Super Bowl champion here with us on campus corner. As we wrap up Larry, real quick the transition to the real world, right. The real life and what do you do?
00;14;35;03 – 00;14;54;12
How was it for you and what did you take from football in your athletic career to help you get through that? And what are you doing today? Let the people know. Please. Well, it’s been great transition for me. I’m appreciative of all the moments we had. And I think camp used to say this when we’re playing, you won’t realize it when you get older and you have your own kids these moments.
00;14;54;12 – 00;15;27;08
And so the fact that, everyone doesn’t get a chance to go to a Super Bowl, we went to three. Everyone didn’t get a chance to play with Hall of Fame guys. I’m like, I played with potential seven Hall of Fame guys. Wow. Prime time playmaker to the Troy to the NFL. All time leading rusher. To play to have to be coached by several guys that went on to be NFL head coaches from day camp and they watched and Norv Turner, Jimmy Johnson again just to have that opportunity to be a part of it in a small way, means everything.
00;15;27;08 – 00;15;43;07
So I have no regrets. It was a blessing. And I love my teammates. I love my coaches. And if I could do it all over again, I go right back with the same guys. Awesome, Larry, great to have you on. Great to meet you. First and foremost, a great to have you on Campus Corner. Thanks a lot, Larry.
00;15;43;07 – 00;16;05;13
Really appreciate it. I’ll be in touch with you. We’ll talk. And this young man right here was a pretty good football player as well. I got to judge. I watched him. Yeah. We actually really star Ron Stone’s good, friend of mine from Boston College. What’s your name? Ronnie. Yeah. Very good. Great to meet you, man. Great pleasure.
00;16;05;15 – 00;16;07;23
Thanks a lot. Talk to you later, bud. Thanks,
