Rory & Mal Don't Know Ball | Victor Cruz

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Rory & Mal Don't Know Ball | Victor Cruz"

Podcast Information:

• Title: New Rory & MAL
• Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume
• Episode: Rory & Mal Don't Know Ball | Victor Cruz
• Release Date: April 3, 2025
• Description: New stories, new laughs, new random hot takes that no one asked for... New Rory & Mal

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1. Introduction to Victor Cruz

The episode kicks off with Tia Sircar welcoming Victor Cruz, a New Jersey legend and Super Bowl champion, to the show. Tia reminisces about their past encounters in the city and expresses her excitement about having Victor as a guest.

Tia Sircar [02:28]: "Today is the day we are joined by Patterson, New Jersey legend, Super Bowl champion, one of the coolest guys that I know."

Victor responds with a warm greeting, hinting at the camaraderie between them.

Victor Cruz [02:56]: "What's good? I was waiting for the clap. I didn't know if the clap was gonna happen."

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2. Life After Football: Transition and Challenges

Tia delves into Victor's life post-retirement, asking about his adjustment after leaving the NFL. Victor shares candid insights about the difficulties he faced initially, emphasizing that football was his identity.

Tia Sircar [03:19]: "But how's life post playing football? How has the adjustment been for you?"

Victor Cruz [04:18]: "Life's been pretty good... But it was tough initially because football was my identity."

He discusses his ventures into analyst roles and entrepreneurship, including his show "Players Lounge" where he engages with fellow Giants players on topics beyond the game.

Victor Cruz [05:10]: "I got my own show on there called Players Lounge, where I just chop it up with the players about things outside the game, entrepreneurial things."

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3. Embracing Golf: A Humbling Journey

Transitioning into golf, Victor explains how he initially resisted the sport but gradually grew to appreciate its challenges and the personal growth it fostered.

Tia Sircar [05:18]: "That's a very humbling sport."

Victor Cruz [05:25]: "It's the most... I don't give a fuck who you are. I don't care."

Victor credits golf with teaching him patience and resilience, especially as he mentors his young daughter in the game.

Victor Cruz [09:22]: "I gotta worry about the next shot. Because if you're angry the whole time, you're walking from that bad shot to the next shot, the next shot's gonna be bad too."

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4. Musical Roots and Evolution

Growing up in New Jersey, Victor was immersed in a diverse musical environment, listening to legendary artists like Jay-Z, Nas, and local groups such as Naughty By Nature and Phases of Death.

Victor Cruz [10:35]: "We listened to a little bit of everything, man. It was a full array of music at the crib."

As an adult, his musical tastes have evolved. While he once thrived on aggressive rap to fuel his football performance, he now prefers more lyrical and calming music during his morning routine.

Victor Cruz [11:36]: "I have a 12 o'clock rule, man. I can't listen to none of that heavy rap, rah rah shit before 12:00."

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5. Football and Club Culture: Navigating Aggression

Tia and Victor discuss the unique dynamic of football players in club settings, highlighting the juxtaposition between their athletic aggression and social demeanor.

Tia Sircar [12:54]: "I never enjoyed partying with football players... why football players have an aggressive nature when it's just time to chill and talk to the ladies?"

Victor acknowledges this behavior, noting that certain positions like linemen and linebackers often embody this aggressive persona.

Victor Cruz [13:55]: "But these linebackers and these other linemen, like, we definitely don't know y'all. Like, they definitely don't know y'all."

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6. Memorable NFL Moments: Salsa Dancing and Super Bowl Highlights

One of the most iconic moments discussed is Victor's famous salsa dance celebration in the end zone, which garnered significant media attention and became a defining aspect of his persona.

Tia Sircar [30:06]: "I remember the first time you did the salsa in the end zone... Every sports outlet had you in the end zone doing the damn thing."

Victor recounts the spontaneous nature of the celebration and the mixed reactions from fans and teammates.

Victor Cruz [33:38]: "I started dancing salsa. We lost. Philly fans are screaming at me and they hate my guts."

The conversation also touches on Victor's experiences facing legendary quarterbacks like Tom Brady and his reflections on the high-pressure environment leading up to Super Bowl 46.

Tia Sircar [40:05]: "What was the first time you played against Tom Brady and the Patriots like?"

Victor Cruz [40:26]: "We played them in New England for the first time... It was one of them typical, like November New England games... we beat him and we went down to the wire..."

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7. The Intersection of Music and Sports: Rappers Referencing Victor Cruz

Towards the latter part of the episode, Rory and Mal engage Victor in a playful segment testing his knowledge of how various artists have referenced him in their lyrics. Victor shares anecdotes about artists like Jay-Z, Game, and Fetty Wap mentioning his name, reflecting his cultural impact beyond the football field.

Tia Sircar [53:46]: "Shout out to Kodak Black."

Victor Cruz [60:03]: "I have this thing with artists that I don't listen to. They're not in none of my playlists, but I recognize that anytime I'm outside, if I hear an artist in that song, I'm like, that has to be a hit."

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8. Personal Resilience and Overcoming Adversity

Victor opens up about his personal struggles, including academic setbacks and the loss of his father and grandfather. These challenges fortified his resilience and commitment to succeed, both academically and athletically.

Victor Cruz [22:09]: "I had to be the man of the crib... I knew that I gotta go out here and change things."

His determination to break the mold for athletes from Patterson, New Jersey, underscores his journey from adversity to success.

Victor Cruz [25:24]: "There was nothing but women around me, but I had to be the one to bring home the bacon. I knew that there was a level of responsibility that comes with that."

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9. Engaging Quiz Segment: Rory & Mal Test Their Knowledge

In an interactive portion, Rory and Mal challenge Victor with a series of questions about New Jersey rappers and significant football events, showcasing a blend of sports trivia and musical knowledge. This segment highlights the camaraderie and playful competition among the hosts and guest.

Tia Sircar [61:28]: "East Orange's Naughty By Nature broke onto the scene with this top 10 Billboard song. Is it A, 'Hip Hop Hooray'; B, 'Everything's Gonna Be Alright'; C, 'OPP'; or D, 'Feel Me Flow'?"

Victor correctly identifies "OPP" as the breakthrough single.

Victor Cruz [61:58]: "It's gotta be 'Hip Hop Hooray,' right?"

Tia Sircar [61:55]: "It is."

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10. Closing Remarks and Mutual Appreciation

As the episode concludes, Tia and Victor exchange heartfelt thanks, expressing mutual admiration and a desire to connect further outside of accidental encounters.

Tia Sircar [77:37]: "Let's stop running into each other by accident. Let's hang out a little bit more."

Victor Cruz [77:41]: "I appreciate y'all. I've been a big fan of y'all. I'm proud of what y'all are doing."

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Notable Quotes:

• Victor Cruz [03:31]: "I'm toast. That's dead. That's dead. My body is not in shape to go across."
• Victor Cruz [09:22]: "If you're angry the whole time, you're walking from that bad shot to the next shot, the next shot's gonna be bad too."
• Victor Cruz [25:24]: "I knew that I gotta go out here and change things."
• Victor Cruz [33:38]: "Philly fans are screaming at me and they hate my guts."
• Victor Cruz [77:41]: "I'm proud of what y'all are doing."

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Conclusion

The episode of "New Rory & MAL" featuring Victor Cruz offers an intimate glimpse into the life of a celebrated athlete navigating life after football. From embracing new passions like golf to influencing and being influenced by music, Victor's journey is a testament to resilience and adaptability. The engaging dialogue, coupled with heartfelt stories and playful segments, makes this episode a must-listen for fans of sports, music, and personal growth narratives.

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Listen to "New Rory & MAL" on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Transcript

[Camila Ramon]

I'm Camila Ramon. And I'm Melissa Ortiz. And our podcast Hasta Bajo is where sports, music and fitness collide. And we cover it all. The Arriba Hasta Aho. This season, we sit down with history makers like the Sucar family, who became the first Peruvians to win a Grammy.

[Victor Cruz]

It was a very special moment for us. It's been 15 years for me in this career.

[Eric Andre]

Finally, things are starting to shift into a different level.

[Camila Ramon]

Listen to Hasta Vajo on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Elf Beauty, founding partner of iheart Women's Sports.

[A.J. Jacobs]

Hey, what's up, y'all? This is Eric Andre. I made a podcast called Bombing about absolutely tanking on stage. I tell gnarly stories and I talk to friends about their worst moments of bombing in all sorts of ways. Bombing on stage, bombing in public, bombing in life. Like the time I stole a girl's phone during a sentence, she jumped on stage and threw a big haymaker punch to my nose. Listen to Bombing with Eric Andre on Will Ferrell's Big Money Players network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podc.

[Vanessa Marshall]

Dressing. Dressing.

[Victor Cruz]

Oh, French dressing.

[Vanessa Marshall]

Exactly.

[Victor Cruz]

Oh, that's good.

[Vanessa Marshall]

I'm A.J. jacobs, and my current obsession is puzzles. And that has given birth to my podcast, the Puzzler. Something about Mary Poppins? Exactly.

[Victor Cruz]

This is fun.

[Vanessa Marshall]

You can get your daily puzzle nuggets delivered straight to your ears. Listen to the Puzzler every day on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Camila Ramon]

Welcome to Pod of Rebellion, our new Star Wars Rebels Rewatch podcast. I'm Vanessa Marshall, voice of Harrison Duella. Spectre 2. I'm Tia Sirkar. Sabine Wren, Spectre 5.

[Eric Andre]

I'm Taylor Gray.

[Victor Cruz]

Ezra Bridger, Spectre 6.

[Eric Andre]

And I'm Jon Lee Brody, the Ghost Crew Stowaway moderator.

[Camila Ramon]

Each week we're gonna rewatch and discuss an episode from the series and share some fun behind the scenes stories.

[Eric Andre]

Sometimes we'll be visited by special guests like Steve blum voices Zaborelio Spectre 4, or Dante Bosco voices Jaquel.

[Camila Ramon]

So hang on because it's gonna be a fun ride.

[Victor Cruz]

Cue the music.

[Eric Andre]

Listen to Potter Rebellion on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The Volume.

[Victor Cruz]

No worry about.

[Tia Sircar]

All right, Rory. Today we are joined by another friend, family. I seen this gentleman out in the city a few times and definitely spoke about sitting down and chopping it up. Soon. So today is the day we are joined by Patterson, New Jersey legend, Super bowl champion, one of the coolest guys that I. I know. And there's always great respect and great energy whenever we bump into each other. So I'm happy he's here to join us. Today we are with the legendary Victor Cruz.

[Victor Cruz]

What's good? I was waiting for the clap. I didn't know if the clap was gonna happen. But.

[Eric Andre]

You left out Kith model.

[Tia Sircar]

Oh, y. That's more important than the super bowl race. Kiss model.

[Victor Cruz]

Stay focused.

[Tia Sircar]

Yeah. Vic. How you feeling, man?

[Victor Cruz]

I'm good, my brother.

[Tia Sircar]

It's always good seeing you, man. You still look like you ready to go play.

[Victor Cruz]

I'm ready. So I don't have to get ready. That's the key always.

[Tia Sircar]

But looking back, do you look at the game, like, now and feel, like, physically, like. Cause I know how it is when you play and you're like, ah, I could still get out there. But, like, do you look at it like, there's no way I'll ever.

[Victor Cruz]

I'm toast. That's dead. That's dead. My body is not in shape to go across. And I still think about it now to this day where I be like, yo, like, I was a little nuts. Like, I was a little half crazy to go out there knowing what I was about to put my body through week in and week out. And I was out there willingly doing it. But it was because of, like, the euphoria of succeeding. Right. And like, making those touchdowns and having that moment. Like, those are the moments that I kept striving for and obviously getting paid and taking care of the family.

[Tia Sircar]

Absolutely, that helps.

[Eric Andre]

That is to go across the middle. I was gonna linebacker everyone.

[Victor Cruz]

Exactly.

[Tia Sircar]

But how's life post playing football? How has the adjustment been for you?

[Victor Cruz]

Life's been pretty good.

[Tia Sircar]

You've been doing some analyst work.

[Victor Cruz]

I've been doing some analyst work. I've been doing a lot of entrepreneurial work. I ain't gonna lie, though. When I first retired, it was tough. Cause it's like, football is my identity. I didn't know I had done a lot of things while I was playing to kind of prepare myself. I did some TV things. I hosted a couple things on mtv and, like, was just doing things in that space so I could prepare my. For what comes after. But that was all just while I was playing. That was fun until the shit actually happens and you're like, oh, the curtain's closed. Like, I gotta figure something out. So I did the analyst work, but I always Knew that I wanted to do more things. I always wanted to host things, host different opportunities. I still work with the Giants a bunch. I got my own show on there called Players Lounge, where I just chop it up with the players about things outside the game, entrepreneurial things. I'm bringing a crystal's chicken to Patterson, New Jersey, for the first time. So, like, I'm doing different things. So it's been really. I've been traveling the world just doing different things. I picked up golf, which is like the retiree thing to do.

[Tia Sircar]

That's a very humbling sport.

[Victor Cruz]

Yeah. Oh, extreme.

[Tia Sircar]

Very humble. Because you, as a one of the football players, y'all are probably the apex of athletes. So for somebody that played at the level you played at, transitioning into golf, how much does that humble you? Where you feel like, yo, I'm Victor Cruz, I'm in shape, I can do anything.

[Victor Cruz]

It's the most. I don't give a fuck who you are. I don't care.

[Eric Andre]

You'll take the middle linebacker.

[Victor Cruz]

I prefer. I'm more comfortable there.

[Tia Sircar]

Yeah, yeah.

[Victor Cruz]

Plus, I got a helmet on. Like, if something happens, I could kind of hide underneath there. Nah, golf, you hit a bad shot or you shank one into. And I wanted to put myself in the uncomfortable positions first. So I played in pro Ams, out the gate. First year playing. I'm in year four now, so I'm a little bit better. A lot better than I was then, actually. But year one, I wanted to get that bug out. Cause I knew I was gonna be out. I knew I wanted to, you know, show my personality on the golf course so that I could drive other types of business. And that first year playing in front of people, topping the golf ball.

[Tia Sircar]

Yeah.

[Victor Cruz]

Shanking one to the right, telling people to duck. Like, it's different. It's mumbling. But the. But what I love about the sport is that everyone was there, even the pros, Even the Rory McIlroy's and all of those guys. Were you Once.

[Tia Sircar]

Yeah. Okay.

[Victor Cruz]

And so there's never like, you know, basketball, you dribble off your foot, like, ah, you stink. Like, get over there. Don't play with us.

[Tia Sircar]

Yeah.

[Victor Cruz]

When you shank one in golf, people come up to you. It's like, yo, here's how you do it. Kind of have your hands here. Kind of figure. It's a more. Because they're looking at you like, I was there once. And I would want someone to tell me, you know, what I'm about to tell you. Because I was once.

[Eric Andre]

You was that Always the plan in retirement, picking up golf sport. Yep.

[Victor Cruz]

Maybe not just golf, but absolutely not. I think golf came later on. I had a homeboy who was like, yo, you need to golf. Like, even while I was playing for years, he was like, you need to do this. You need to pick it up, I promise you. And I was just like, that shit's corny. I ain't playing that. I'm not getting up at 5am, 6am to go to somebody's golf course because I didn't understand it. And then once I retired, and then my daughter also plays, so she picked it up when she was 6. And at first it was just some shit she did with the nanny that I was just like, just go. Whatever makes her tired at 8:00.

[Tia Sircar]

Yeah, go do this.

[Victor Cruz]

So after school she would go. And then she kept going. And then she kept going. And now she's nine. And we got her like a real coach.

[Tia Sircar]

Yeah.

[Victor Cruz]

And then it was around like nine where I was like, let me go see where my money's going.

[Tia Sircar]

Yeah.

[Victor Cruz]

And she went. I went to a practice. We got there a little early. She was like, daddy, I wanna warm up a little bit. I was like, all right, bet. She grabbed her putter, took three golf balls, dropped em on the putting green, took her time putt three. And it was like, quiet. And my daughter's like, very high energy, always talking super smart, but always gotta go. And she was quiet. I was like, oh, this is the sport that gets you to shut the fuck up and just lock in.

[Tia Sircar]

Yeah, let's do that.

[Victor Cruz]

I'm doing this with you. And then Covid hit. So right when Covid hit, I got in because golf was pretty much the only thing you could do. Yeah, that was like, you know, outdoors. Outdoors. And you're not. You're not close to anybody really. So I picked it up, started taking lessons, and then was off to the races.

[Eric Andre]

I'd imagine that would be great for kids too. Just to learn patience, pay attention to details.

[Victor Cruz]

You learn a lot about yourself, man.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah, I mean, I, you know, basketball, baseball was fun as a kid, but if I had golf, I'd probably be a different person mentally if I started out that way.

[Tia Sircar]

Like, I think that's probably another New Jersey legend. J.R. smith is. He's. He's taken off big time with golf. Like, I watched this documentary and it was just dope to see the change in personality demeanor with jr. Do you feel that you've changed as post football? Just your energy, your frequency, your personality and transitioning into playing Golf. Can you feel the difference?

[Victor Cruz]

100%. I think I channel things with a much more resolve and much more calmness now that I played the game of golf. Like, there's a way they say when you play golf, it tells a lot about your character, who you are, how you play golf, of the game, right? If I'm playing with somebody and you see him and you know he thinks he's not being seen, but you see him like pick the ball up, like, you know, that guy's not a good dude. You know what I mean?

[Eric Andre]

You just know it reflects your energy. You lying on your scoreboard and you.

[Victor Cruz]

Get like a green. You like, yo, what you lying right there, like two. You're like, ah, I saw you back there. Like, so it just tells a lot about who you are and your demeanor. And I think golf has definitely taught me a ton of patience, especially when I play with my daughter, because I have to, but I have to show her as well as an example of be like, I can't curse out the golf ball when I hit it. I have to just take whatever the game is giving me and try to teach her that as well. And I've seen her grow within the game. Cause as she's starting to get more and more competitive and especially around like 10 years old, 11, when she was starting to get better, but still hitting some bad shots, still trying to figure it out. And I would see her get really angry and I was like, yo, it's fine, get in the car, let's talk about it. And then we developed like this eight step rule. So you hit a bad shot, you got eight steps to kind of get mad, talk about it, flush it. And then now you gotta worry about the next shot. Because the next shot is still the next shot. If you're angry the whole time, you're walking from that bad shot to the next shot, the next shot's gonna be bad too. So you gotta flush it, reprocess it, and get to that next shot. So it's definitely changed my perception and changed my emotions around just life in general.

[Tia Sircar]

Who was some of your growing up in Jersey? Who was some of your artists that you listened to before working out and playing football?

[Victor Cruz]

Oh, man. It was, I mean, obviously the Jay Z's of the world, the Nas's of the world, but we had Naughty By Nature was a big one. We had a local group called fod, Phases of Death that used to rock crazy. We used to listen to them a bunch, but who else? I mean, my pops was always on some lost boys, Mr. Cheeks was heavy. So we listened to a little bit of everything, man. It was a full array of music at the crib.

[Tia Sircar]

As an older guy now, do you. Has your music taste changed at all? Cause I was just talking the other day about I can't listen to rap early in the morning. I just can't do it. I don't want to hear it. When I hear just rap, it's 8:00am I'm like, how are people listening to loud rap music? And I laugh because I'm like, at one point when I used to go to school, that's all I had in my headphones at 7am, 7:30 was rap. But now being older, it's like, I need 12:30, 1:00. We can get in, we can transition into rap.

[Victor Cruz]

I have a 12 o'clock rule, male, you know what I'm saying? I can't listen to none of that heavy rap, rah rah shit before 12:00.

[Tia Sircar]

All right, cool.

[Victor Cruz]

I need to have my coffee. I need to have my little breakfast at Cinnamon Rolls this morning. I keep it calm. I got Pimmy. I'm on some Pemmi Heavy.

[Tia Sircar]

Okay, okay.

[Victor Cruz]

Just a nice little Pimmy playlist. Just let it rock out. Just the whole, this is Pimmy joint on Spotify. Let it run. Puts me in a nice calm mood, gets me ready for the day. And then once I get in the whip and I'm ready to go start my day, then I turn on, change.

[Tia Sircar]

The tempo a little bit.

[Victor Cruz]

Then I change the tempo. I'm ready, turn up a little bit, you know what I'm saying?

[Tia Sircar]

Was that the same approach while you were playing though, or was it straight aggressive from.

[Victor Cruz]

No, it was definite. So I always been a. Like, I never loved the crazy aggressive rap. Like, there was moments for it, of course, but when I was getting ready, it was like, it was like a Rick Ross.

[Tia Sircar]

Okay?

[Victor Cruz]

Like, I needed that nice, that energetic. But the words mean something. Like, the content was the lyrics is what's gonna get me going for the day. Not the energy and the beat and like so much energy behind it was more like, you know, hearing Ross talk about the journey, hearing HOV talk about the journey, hearing certain Drake records talk about the journey, like, those things really got me focused and level headed for the day as opposed to hearing something, you know, that was just about the beat and the bass and loud and shit. That didn't really get me going.

[Tia Sircar]

I always talk about. We laugh and talk about it. I never enjoyed partying with football players. I don't know what it is with y'all in the clubs. I call it the helmet syndrome. People don't recognize y'all in public as much if you're not like, you were a star. People knew who you were as soon as you went outside. But a lot of guys in the league, they could be some of the best players at their position, but people don't know them by face. Because you always got this helmet on.

[Victor Cruz]

Yeah.

[Tia Sircar]

So when they're in the club, it's like they. It's the need to be like, first of all, I'm stronger than everybody in here. I want the security. Can't do nothing with me. I bench press 420. Like, there's nothing anybody could do. What is it with football players? And it's just aggressive nature when it's just time to just chill and talk to the ladies?

[Victor Cruz]

Well, I think it's exactly that. I think it's exactly that. I think it's a constant. Because think about it, right? Think about their lives, especially. I think it was more so. I mean, there's some receivers, but it's more so them linemen, them linebackers.

[Tia Sircar]

Okay, so you recognize it, too?

[Victor Cruz]

Yeah, absolutely. Because receivers, we got a suave to us.

[Tia Sircar]

We chilling.

[Victor Cruz]

We understand that if we come in and we hold ourselves a certain way, we're gonna get the attention the ladies, we're going to get the attention that we're looking for, regardless.

[Eric Andre]

You can hit the salsa in the section easy.

[Victor Cruz]

And it's locked, and I'm locked in. And I remember certain clubs in New York, they playing it on the walk and open the cruisers here. And I'm like, oh, I got intro music.

[Eric Andre]

Like, this feels racist, but it's fine.

[Tia Sircar]

I got intro music every time.

[Victor Cruz]

I was like, yo, greenhouse, you say it back. At least give him a little suave. And then we move on. But, like, these linebackers and these other linemen, like, we definitely don't know y'all. Like, they definitely don't know y'all. Especially if you play for the Carolina Panthers and you in New York, they not gonna know you. So it's that constant pressure of. Even as a football player, I need them to know me. I need to make a name for myself here. Boom. I made a name for myself. Now when I go out, I want people to know who I am. So when I go out, it's that same level of aggression. And I've been. I mean, I done seen dudes just buy like 30 grand in bottles and pour em all out on people and pour em on the ground. I'm like, dog, y'all are dumb. Like, that is dumb. Like, are y'all really serious? Crazy to me. Crazy to me. But it didn't. It didn't get a lot of guys far.

[Eric Andre]

Did. Did you have any rapper rivalries? Because you were in the league when Greenhouse was like, Greenhouse Whip. That was a time, and New York rap was still pretty relevant at that time. Well, what was the athlete versus rapper club situations like? I was in GA and Greenhouse watching y'all up top. I had to feel the tension from Gen Pop.

[Victor Cruz]

I think I always had a pretty good rapport with, like, rappers and other athletes, for sure. I think with me, I was always cool. Like, I grew up around here. Like, I knew what this energy was. I was in clubs 18, 19 years old. Like, I knew this. I knew how to move around here. Like, I think that was a big deal. That's very important. I knew how to walk up the greenhouse and be like, yo, what's up? I'm by myself. It's just me. My man's in there already. I got two girls with me. You always gotta show up with women.

[Tia Sircar]

You got two girls with you? You good?

[Victor Cruz]

Oh, out the gate. Like, they doing this off rip. Like, so I just knew how to move. So I think that was part of it. But. And then, obviously, furthermore, as I became an athlete, signing the Roc Nation Sports and then having that, like, I just always knew how to move and had a good rapport with a lot of different rappers and other athletes in the city.

[Eric Andre]

Who was the first rapper that you met that you kind of fanned out once you were a celebrity yourself and they knew who you were?

[Victor Cruz]

I mean, I think it was Hov. I mean, I remember being in a meeting, doing the Roc Nation sports thing. And you know him OG Rich climbing in the room, and we're having a conversation about me signing them, and everybody's giving me the fluff, right? And I was like, all right, man. I was like, I got one question, Hov. Like, why? Like, why me? Like, why of all the athletes in New York, about all these other prominent guys that are out here, like, why me? Aside from my contract being up right about this year? Cause I ain't stupid either. And he was like, to be honest, everything that you've done with your career up until this point is what I would have done. And I was like, oh, shit. Like, HOV just told me, I'm moving right out here. You know what I mean? And obviously, he has his people out in the streets to see how I Move in the streets, in the clubs. So he did his due diligence before he even made the call to bring me in. So I think that was a big moment for me. Just to hear someone of his stature talk about me in that way and say that I was doing all the right things, that was a big moment.

[Eric Andre]

Was it a little nerve wracking? I wouldn't say the guinea pig, but you were one of the first athletes over there. It was kind of like a testing out the waters, and he was already having trouble with the nets, and it being a conflict of interest of what this was really going to be. Did that have give you any type of pushback? Like, y'all haven't even proved yourself in this space yet. Don't use my career as a way to figure it out.

[Victor Cruz]

No, that's a good question. Not necessarily. I think obviously I was moving at a point where, you know, everything hov touches was gold. Like, I think anything he was gonna get behind and put his name on, especially in a world that he loves so much in sports. And he's already had his hand on LeBron's career, had understood how to wrap his arms around players Paul's and really figure out how to guide them along. And I was like, okay, if I assigned to them. And not just him, there was the nucleus of people OG who I still speak to to this day. Rich Kleiman, who was there, who I still speak with, obviously he's gone on to do great things. Like, it was the infrastructure of what was built over there that really led me to be like, oh, okay, I see what they're trying to build, and I want to be part of it.

[Tia Sircar]

What was it the first meeting? Because, you know, I always. I laugh when I hear guys talk about the first time they actually sit down and talk to Jay. And one thing that I think people are surprised about is actually how much he's really into sports.

[Victor Cruz]

Yeah.

[Tia Sircar]

What was it like for you, coming from, you know, growing up in Jersey, New York area, and Jay Z obviously being a big part of your growing up in the city, you always listening to him. What was it like to finally be sitting across from him in that moment and just feeling like, okay, I'm in a position to do business with Jay Z.

[Victor Cruz]

It was incredible. Like, and those were the questions that I had for him. I mean, I obviously had a hundred other questions about music and how he felt during these eras and this time and that time. But I sat there and was asking him about, okay, how did this deal come about? How did you. What was your mindset when you were trying to do, you know, when you were creating Roc A fella? Like, what was the business side of it? Like? I'm sure there were hurdles and things you had to get through to start something like that. Like, what was that about? What's your plan with me? Like, what do you envision for me within this? Okay, I signed to you as an athlete, but I have other things to offer. So what's in this building for me to take advantage of from a resource perspective? That if I want to host something, what does that look like? If I want to create a film or if I want to link with a director, I have a story coming from where I'm from that I think can shape into film or a TV show. Who do I speak to in here? And he was like, oh, we have a person in that regard. Oh, we know you love fashion. You want your own line. I had a line back then called Young Whales, a small line that I had started. He was like, oh, we have people here that can help facilitate that. We can carry it under our umbrella and really take it to the next space. So it was like, he's checking all these different boxes for me. Like, fuck. On the field. That was one thing that I knew I could control. If I go out there and play well and I go out there and perform, like, all of that's gonna take care of itself. But how is he gonna help me on all these other pillars that I have in my life? And I was asking him about that, and every time without hesitation, he had an answer and a name like, oh, we have person. Oh, there's a guy right down the hall that we just hired that can help you with that. Oh, we have. Oh, and you have a person that you want to bring as your point person for this. We'll hire him too and bring him in the room. Like, all of these different things were happening. And I was just like, oh, shit. Like, he's not just, you know, hiring me or bringing me on as someone just to put cache. This is like, this is real. He wants to be invested in the Victor Cruz brand, you know, and that's what. And that's what kind of turned me over for sure.

[Tia Sircar]

Where do you get your. Your resilience from? Because, you know, looking back at your career, you know, even back to UMass, you. You had to. Because of academically, you missed some time at school. You obviously went on. Went back and got your, I think, bachelor's.

[Victor Cruz]

Oh, yeah, I'mma fucking did your homework. Y'all are real. This is a real. This is a real.

[Tia Sircar]

Like, I know we used to see each other out in the streets, but this is real. Yeah, this is real.

[Victor Cruz]

Shit. I should have known by the way the leg was crossed that this was a real.

[Eric Andre]

This is the one. You can't.

[Tia Sircar]

We pay taxes now, Vic. We pay taxes.

[Victor Cruz]

Pardon me. Pardon me. Okay, okay, continue.

[Tia Sircar]

But your level of resilience, going undrafted and then having a great preseason, we all remember that, obviously, in the New York. We were all rooting for you and then signing with the team and then playing well, you got hurt, I think, your first year, something like that. But your level of resilience, where did you learn that from? Is that something that was just taught in the home, just growing up in Patterson? Obviously, we all from the hood, and you gotta have some type of resilience because we all meet obstacles. But where does Victor Cruz get that resilience from? Like, no matter what I'm gonna achieve?

[Victor Cruz]

Yeah, that's a good question. I think it's a little bit of all those things. I think it's a little mix of my mother being, you know, I'm first generation Puerto Rican on my mother's side. My mother was born in Puerto Rico. She came here, my grandmother came here, built a life for her, she built a life for me. So, like, my mother was Puerto Rican to the core, who didn't take no for an answer, understood that, you know, all her kids gotta work hard. She worked a job an hour away, dropped us off at school every day. She wouldn't come home till 7pm every day, and, like, left a list of chores for us. Like, it was very structured at the crib. So I understood that hard work and dedication to your craft exuded good results, you know, So I understood that very early on. And then my pops, obviously, he had two other children outside of me, but he understood hard work. He was diligent on the process. He was my first football coach, my first coach, period, in anything. Like, he brought me out and taught me all the sports that I know as a kid. So it was just that infrastructure, and I knew I couldn't let them down. There's a thing in Patterson where we've had so many athletes, especially up to when I went to college, at least there were so many athletes that came before me that had bigger opportunities than me, that didn't necessarily make it or they didn't necessarily pan out. Outside of Tim Thomas and outside of a guy, Kevin Freeman, who was a very good basketball player, got his education at UConn didn't make it to the next level, but that was a high level to reach. If you come from Patterson, that was a big deal. Stanley Jackson, who was a quarterback, went to Ohio State. Never really panned out, but, you know, so we had guys that grew up in my town, and I didn't want that statistic to come back to me. Now I'm next. Now I'm looking at it, I'm like, oh shit, I'm the next one. Let me go be the guy that breaks the mold and continue to work hard. And I had my ups and downs. Got kicked out of school twice for academic issues. Still came home. Now I'm in community college, right in Patterson. So niggas is looking at me like, yo, ain't doing here. Why you in here? Like, are you lost?

[Tia Sircar]

Right?

[Victor Cruz]

And I'm like, you know, and I'm embarrassed. I'm like making up some lies and shit. Yo, they told me I could come back. It's off season, whatever. And so. But just the resiliency. And I think the second time I got kicked out of school, my dad passed away, my grandfather passed away in the same year. And I think that changed things for me. Cause now I look up and I'm like, yo, I'm the man of the crib, like. And I had nothing but women around my girl at the time. My mother, my sister, my grandmother was still alive. Like, now I gotta be the one, not necessarily financially, where I gotta go work and bring home the bacon kind of thing. But I'm still the man of the house. So there's a level of responsibility that comes with that. And I knew that. Like, yo, I gotta go out here and change things. And right after that, I got back into school, got a 3.0 GPA, figured it out. I mean, I had taken some many credits up until that point. I got like a double degree and shit. Like, it's like I'm like two credits away from like another degree. I could get my fucking masters and some shit. So, like, I just understood that. I knew that the way that I was brought up, that level of resiliency I had to have. There was no taking no for an answer. And I knew that I was gonna net out somewhere at the top if I continued that same level of resiliency.

[Eric Andre]

Was there ever a plan B, per se? Like, I was watching a Tom Brady documentary.

[Victor Cruz]

One handed catch, Lefty too, lefty too.

[Eric Andre]

Trying to show off.

[Victor Cruz]

That was special.

[Eric Andre]

Was watching this Tom Brady doc in around like the sixth round. He was at his parents House. And he was like, damn, I guess I'll have to sell insurance. Like he was starting to think of like, all right, I'm probably not going to get drafted. And was coming up with his plan B on the spot. Watching the draft, was there ever another option if it didn't pan out?

[Victor Cruz]

That's a great. Honestly, no. Like I didn't. At least not actively. I think I knew that I was gonna get a chance. Like I knew I probably wasn't gonna get drafted. If so it'd be super late, seventh round, something like that. But I knew I was gonna get a chance in free agency. And I knew that I had to be really smart about where I went, about what organization I chose because I had to look at how many receivers they had and I say all of that cause I had it mapped out. I remember being in big ass notebook and that was the first year that the draft was three days. So it's like three long ass days of like. So I'm looking at, I got it written out. All the receivers on every single team in the NFL, how many they have on the roster right now. And only for me to go to the team that had 10 of them on the roster. And I was like, oh, I chose the wrong. I think I chose the wrong. The giants got 10 and they're young. This was Mario Manningham, this is Hakeem Nick, this is Rams, Barden, Sonoris, Mall, Steve Smith. Like all of these guys are under four years in the league. But I just knew I gotta try this at home. If I do it at home, I could really, I'll figure it out from here, but I gotta try to do this at the crib.

[Eric Andre]

Were you living in Patterson that first year?

[Victor Cruz]

Patterson, New Jersey, on East 18th street between 10th and 11th. And it's funny because, you know, the neighborhood knows you, right? Like they know that you're a heralded guy, you know, the whole thing. So I had went and I think this is what helped me. I went to a. The Giants back then had a local pro day at Giant Stadium and the indoor facility. So any guys in the tri state area that were in the draft, they would bring them in and do like a little combine, okay? And I was like, there was only like eight dudes in there. It was like five receivers, two quarterbacks and like two running backs, something like that. And they really got to see me up close and personal, like running routes, running 40, the whole thing. And after that, I remember the receiver coach coming up to me in the locker room and he's Just chopping it up with me, asking me, like, where I'm working out at different things. He was like, all right, just stay focused. Stay ready. Da, da, da. And then he walked out. And I was like, you're not gonna talk to everybody else in here. There's other guys in here. And he just. And that kind of, you know, any little thing, you kind of take it with you. And I think that helped me because after the draft, I got my phone call from the Giants staff, and they, you know, I'll never forget, they called me and was like, are you ready to be a Giant? And I was like, absolutely. And I was like, to that. To me, I was like, I got drafted. Like, that felt like the moment for me. And I remember putting on. I got that local pro day. I got a Giants hat and, like, a sweatshirt. And I remember walking outside, and the whole community was outside waiting for me to come outside and give him something. And I walked outside with my Giants hat on, and they all, like, started going crazy, and it was a dope moment. And I didn't even tell him that I didn't get drafted, that I told to go through all the doldrums of free agency. I was like, yeah, I'm going to the Giants. That's all y'all need to know. And we took it from there.

[Vanessa Marshall]

Something unexpected happened after Jeremy Scott confessed to killing Michelle Schofield in Bone Valley season one.

[Eric Andre]

I just knew him as a kid.

[Vanessa Marshall]

Long, silent voices from his past came.

[Victor Cruz]

Forward, and he was just staring at me.

[Vanessa Marshall]

And they had secrets of their own to share.

[Eric Andre]

Gilbert King. I'm the son of Jeremy Lynn Scott.

[Vanessa Marshall]

I was no longer just telling the story. I was part of it.

[Victor Cruz]

Every time I hear about my dad is, oh, he's a killer. He's just straight evil.

[Vanessa Marshall]

I was becoming the bridge between a killer and the son.

[Victor Cruz]

He never known if the cops and everything would have done the job properly.

[Tia Sircar]

My dad would have been in jail. I would have never existed.

[Vanessa Marshall]

I never expected to find myself in this place. Now I need to tell you how I got here.

[Victor Cruz]

At the end of the day, I'm literally a son of a killer.

[Vanessa Marshall]

Bone Valley Season 2 Jeremy.

[Tia Sircar]

Jeremy, I want to tell you something.

[Vanessa Marshall]

Listen to new episodes of bone Valley Season 2 starting April 9th on the online my heart radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And to hear the entire new season ad free with exclusive content starting April 9th. Subscribe to Lava for Good plus on Apple Podcasts.

[Tia Sircar]

When was the first time? Because I can't. I'm trying to remember it, but the first time you did the salsa in the end zone, I can't remember what game it was, but I do remember that was everywhere. The first time you did it, it was on the news. Every sports outlet had you in the end zone doing the damn. What was that? Did you plan that or was that just, like, impulse?

[Victor Cruz]

So it was a. I didn't necessarily plan that, but I remember it was week three, and it was funny because it was my second year, right? So up until that point, I was the longest tenured guy because Mario Manham got hurt. We had other younger guys on the. On the roster from the receiver position, but none of them, they weren't older enough to be trusted just yet. They weren't. They hadn't been there long enough. I was the one that was there a whole year prior. I knew this offense inside and out. Steve Smith was gone, so it was just Hakeem Nicks and myself. And they kind of looked at me like, all right, we gotta start you like this. You know, we kind of have no other option. But leading up to that week, our quarterbacks coach at the time, Mike Sullivan, he's Mexican American all week. And it was Hispanic Heritage Month, too. It was the first week of Hispanic Heritage Month, and mind you, I don't even know it's Hispanic Heritage Month. To me, it's Tuesday, and I better be at pract on time and I better have my shits laced and I better run and not sprain anything. And every day he's like, yo, you know what time it is? It's Hispanic Heritage Month. You're getting your first start. You gotta hold it down for us. And I'm like, sure. I don't know what that means.

[Tia Sircar]

I don't know what that means.

[Victor Cruz]

Yeah, I'm just go out there. Like, you want me to cook rice and beans out there while I'm playing? Like, I don't know what you want me to do with that. But every day he came up to me, he was like, we're back again. You know what you gotta do? It's Wednesday and Thursday. And I'm just like, what the fuck does he want? Like, I get it. I'm gonna go out there and be proud. I am who I. But I didn't understand it. And then Sunday morning comes and we warming up, and he came up to me. This was the first time he actually prayed for me. Every pre game, he'd come up and pray, and he looked at me, he was like, hispanic Heritage Month. Gotta represent your culture today. And I was like, all right, cool. And first play of the game, I'll never forget, I shake a guy first play of the game, shout out to my OC Cause he knew he needed to do something to keep me in it. So first play of the game, we run a double move. And the guy asante Samuel, he bit. And I get by him. And Eli overthrew.

[Tia Sircar]

Okay.

[Victor Cruz]

But in my head, I was like, oh, I won. I could win out here.

[Tia Sircar]

Oh.

[Eric Andre]

Like, first of all, Samuel was one of the best.

[Tia Sircar]

He was at the time, but we.

[Victor Cruz]

Knew he was aggressive. So he's double move susceptible because he plays with so much, he want to pick everything.

[Tia Sircar]

Yeah.

[Eric Andre]

His son is in the league now.

[Victor Cruz]

I think his son is. And his son is nice. And so I think it was the next drive. And we run a play on the other side, like a little switch route. And the guy blitzed off my head. And I ran a switch route and I was the guy blitz. I probably should look back and thank God I did. Cause the ball was already in the air. And I looked back, caught the ball, and I remember running and I remember seeing Nnamdi Asinwa. Cause that's when they had the dream team and all this. And I remember looking at him in his eyes, and I'm looking at him and I'm like, are you about to like, do you play with that ferocious tenacity where you about to just come take my head off, or are you just gonna be tentative? And I'm looking at him in his eyes, and he gave me like the tentative, like, what do I. And I was like, oh, you're. So I hit him with the move. They kind of collapsed. I stayed on my feet. I'm going in the end zone and I'm at the three yard line and I was like, I was like, like, lethal shooter. I understand it now. I get it now.

[Tia Sircar]

Yeah.

[Victor Cruz]

I got in the end zone and I started dancing salsa. Cause I knew, like, this was the swaggiest thing I could do.

[Tia Sircar]

Nobody else did that.

[Victor Cruz]

Nobody else was even. I think Chad did it, but he didn't really do it. Like how a Puerto Rican would do.

[Tia Sircar]

Exactly. Right, exactly.

[Victor Cruz]

So I dropped the ball, I started doing it. We infit. The Philly fans are screaming at me and they hate my guts. And it just add. It was just like that moment I understood, like, oh, this is what he was talking about.

[Tia Sircar]

Like, this was coach on the sideline crying. When you did that, he was up in the booth.

[Victor Cruz]

He was up in the booth and he came down at halftime, and he looked at me, he was like, soa. Like, the first Spanish. Like, first time I ever heard him talk Spanish, he was like, soa, I be go. And I was like. Like, thank you.

[Eric Andre]

He showed up wrapped in the Mexican and Puerto Rican flavor.

[Tia Sircar]

He had a sombrero. He came down with a sombrero on at the halftime.

[Victor Cruz]

Yo, he was. He was. He was more excited than I was.

[Tia Sircar]

Yeah, absolutely. All week.

[Eric Andre]

I only celebrate that with the Giants, not really the Jets.

[Tia Sircar]

Yeah, exactly.

[Eric Andre]

Giants are bit more liberal with the crowd than I say with the jets fans.

[Tia Sircar]

Oh, absolutely. Absolutely.

[Eric Andre]

With. I mean, the Manning energy that was going on at the time. New York media, if the Giants stink or if they're. New York media is still crazy, then add in the Manning family. Was that a lot of pressure at that time?

[Victor Cruz]

Yeah, big time. I think, especially because they were looking for anything and Eli didn't give them much. Right. Like, he was always even. He's never thrown anybody under the bus. He's never. It was always about his play. And I think, for the most part, you know, he had his ups and downs. He was. You know, we had days where we was like. As receivers, we'd be like, damn, Eli not on it today. Like, he threw three. He had one game, I remember, against Tampa, where he threw three picks in the first half. And we like, God damn. Like, who is this guy? This ain't the guy for practice. But then the second half, he threw for, like, 3:15 and had four touchdowns. And you're just like, okay, okay. Maybe he's the same guy. So we had our ups and downs with Eli, but, man, that media pressure is real. Like, you'd go anywhere. I mean, I was on the heavy. Coach Coughlin used to call it the rubber chicken circuit. I was on every gallon, every. You know, New York Presbyterian. I was at all of them. And, you know, the media's there and they're asking you questions, and you better answer them a certain way or they gonna clip you out. They gonna take that one blur in.

[Tia Sircar]

The locker you don't even know about.

[Victor Cruz]

So now I got beef. And now, like, every week was like, well, how do you feel about the Bears coming up? And they're DB Core, and you're just like, in my head, I'm like, I don't give a fuck about none of that. Stay super solid and just be like, you know, we respect them. We understand, but they're a great team. Yeah. But we think we got guys that can take advantage of. You know, we do the politically correct thing. So. But you had to walk that fine line. And, you know, there's days where especially once I got a little older and I had a little bit of tenure and I won a Super bowl and I went to a Pro Bowl, I was like, now I could talk my shit a little bit more. And that's when I started to get a little bit more open, but still respectful, but just be myself a little bit more in front of the media, and it turned into something. Something great.

[Eric Andre]

But what's the catch 22 of, like, yeah, everyone loved when dance, but if you miss a pass, there'll be a headline. Like, less dancing, more practice.

[Victor Cruz]

Big time.

[Eric Andre]

Did you want to even stop drawing the light and attention on you at certain times?

[Victor Cruz]

No, because I think. I think because I knew the galas were great, because I knew that, like, good or bad, like, when you're bad, they hate you, but when they. When you're good, they love you again. So I was like, I'm never going to stop because my next pass could be the best pass. Like. Like, I remember all year long, I'm having great times. You know, we had a 4, 3 game skid where we lost some games. Now I was scoring touchdowns and still dancing, but we lost. So, you know, there was certain games where we was getting blown out and I would score and I was like. And I wouldn't do it. And I wouldn't do it. And I was like. And I'm gonna be honest, I got more credit for the ones that I didn't do than the ones that I did. Cause I would hear. I would obviously watch the games back, and the commentators would be like, yo, this guy gets it. Like, this is a model guy for the Giants. He understands that's displaying great character. This is the type of guy that they want at the Giants, you know? And I would get more love for not doing it sometimes given the circumstances of the game. So I always wanted to continue to do it because it was a representation of who I was and my character and being Puerto Rican and my grandmother and, like, the whole thing. So I never. I understood what came with it, but I never wanted to stop. I just wanted to make sure. I always was smart about how I used it.

[Eric Andre]

What was Eli Manning's locker room swag? Like, what. What's Eli, man?

[Tia Sircar]

What is he listening to? What is Eli listening to?

[Victor Cruz]

Eli's listening to country music. I mean, naturally, yeah, he's on. He's on a different vibe, but he was always cool as shit. Like, he always was. He was the biggest prankster on the team. So he would come in and he. Did he catch me? I don't think he caught me one time, but I remember him. So we would have in the beginning of the season in training camp with all the rookies before we made any kind cuts. And he would always prank the rookies that would come in, and he would go. We'd be in our indoor facility, and he grabbed those little rubber pellets that would be on the field turf. They're rubber pellets. So he would come up and he'd go to one of the young guys that was super gullible and just would do anything that Eli would tell him to do. And he'd be like, man, I got a really, really bad tooth right here. I think I got to get my wisdoms taken out. He was like, I still got mine. He was like, do you have yours? And he'd be like, can I see? And they'd be like, they like, pull their cheek back, and he would dump like a mountain, a mountain of just rubber pellets down their mouth paws. And they'd be like, choking for like, two days. And then the coach would call them in. They'd be like, all right, second group. And they'd be like, yo, hilarious. So he had a whole bunch of, like, practical jokes and different things. He would turn. I mean, even just last year, our new. We just got a new gm, Joe Shane, whatever. Just two years ago. And I guess they had a relationship or maybe they didn't. I don't even know. But Joe Shane, long story short, left his phone on the table, went to go get there in the cafeteria, went to go get, like, a tray of food. By the time he came back, Eli had changed all of his language settings to Chinese. And not only that, you know how you can do key words in a joint. He changed the word and to ass. So anytime he wrote and it would be ass and he didn't know it, so he would just be texting his secretary. Ass. Can you tell Coach Colvin ask. I was just like, yo. He didn't know how to change it.

[Tia Sircar]

Oh, Eli, he played them.

[Victor Cruz]

Nah, he played a different type of games. That's why I never leave anything vital around Eli. Cause you never know when it's gonna turn into a prank.

[Tia Sircar]

The first time you played against Tom Brady and the Patriots, what was that like for you? Like being on the field with Tom Brady and just seeing the Patriots and the organization that they are, did you feel like, damn, everything that I've heard about this guy, like, it's all true?

[Victor Cruz]

Yeah, for sure. I think, you know, I'd be lying if I didn't say, like, prior to the game. I'm warming up and I'm kind of peeking at his process. Like, what's he doing with his receivers over there? Like, how's he getting them ready to play? Like, what's his technique? Like, like, just where's his mind at when he's getting ready to play? Just trying to get any little tidbit, any little advantage I can, that I can add to my process or whatever I was doing. But we played them in New England for the first time. This is in the regular season and it's cold as shit and it's like one of them typical, like November New England games and you're just like, okay, this is it. And we went in there and we beat him and we went down to the wire and it was Edelman and it was the whole thing. And I just remember being like, yo, this is like, they're a top tier organization. Like, Tom Brady has those boys playing on a different level, on a different scope. They just understand the game differently. And luckily we were of that same ilk. Right. I think Coach Coughlin prepared us the same way. Belichick understood that. Belichick comes from that New York Giants cloth as well, so, like, you know, very militant, very structured, kind of set up on both organizations. And I think us being cut from that cloth helped me understand Tom Brady and how he conducted his business as well. But, man, it was, was you get a little, A little star struck when you out there playing with him. Because, you know, like, okay, that's TB over there and he's going to. Every time he laces him up, he's trying to win, he's trying to gain an advantage and you know, he's going to have those receivers and everybody over there prepared to play.

[Tia Sircar]

So 2012, it was super bowl leading up to it, did you feel like, oh, like we got a shit, like we might actually go all the way this year? What was that like in the locker room? Like, what was the energy? What was the, you know, what was some of the music you remember listening to? Like, staying. Keeping yourself in a certain zone mentally. Like, this is the year where I think that something like the super bowl can actually, we can get there. What was that time like for you?

[Victor Cruz]

It was a crazy time. Cause again, that was my second year playing and we have a bunch of. I wouldn't consider myself a leader on that team just yet. I was kind of climbing towards it. But we had Justin Tuck, obviously, Eli Osi umenyura. We had OGs like Rocky Bernard, who was out there, like, who had been, I don't know, 12 years in the league at that point. So I was leaning on them. Like, they were the ones that set the tone. But, man, I think once we rattled off all of those games leading into the playoffs and then started and then won all the. You know, beat Atlanta at home, beat Green Bay, and Green Bay, like, then the San Fran game was like. That was the biggest test I thought, in my opinion, was like, okay, San Fran is gonna. They're gonna beat us up a little bit. Can we withstand? Can we fight through and win this game? And that was the biggest test for us physically. And those practices that we had leading up to New England in the Super Bowl, I remember I was just. It was Rock La Familia. It was Dynasty album for me the whole time. Like, that was the mindset I was on. Like, it was. You know, it was. I was dialed and it was. And that album specifically. Cause it was about the team, too. It was like that album felt like he was bringing everybody in to this world. And now y'all gotta see all of us. You know what I mean? And that's how I felt going into those games. And I'm gonna be honest, at every level that I've ever played the game of football, those practices leading up to that super bowl game was the most perfect practices that we've ever had to this day. Like, there wasn't a drop pass. There wasn't a missed assignment. Everybody knew what they were supposed to do to the point where we would come. You know, it'd be like the Tuesday before after a practice, and our coach had no notes. Like, he literally was like, guys, for the first time ever, I have nothing. If I told y'all something, I'd be like. It'd be like white glove getting a little dust off. And I don't even want y'all to think. Think that y'all are doing anything wrong. So we're just gonna watch film on New England tonight. Like, we not even gonna watch practice. Cause y'all are. Y'all get it. We're gonna watch New England and look at Tendencies and look at dbs and look at. You know, I want you guys to really key in on your matchups and the guys that are. That you guys are gonna be seeing for the majority of the game and really lock in on that. But, man, I think we. I think it was up until that moment, I think we knew we had the confidence all throughout the playoffs. But that week of practice where everything was perfect, we knew, like, they gonna have. They gonna have a hard time beating us.

[Eric Andre]

What was the last song you listened to before you walked on the field for the Super Bowl? And then what was the first song you listened to after being a Super bowl champion?

[Victor Cruz]

Ooh, that's a good question. I think the song I played before going out there, I think it was.

[Eric Andre]

I know it was a long time ago.

[Victor Cruz]

It was a minute ago. It was this 2012, right? I think it had to be. Cause I would always listen to Blueprint before going out there. Like Blueprint top to bottom. Probably the rule is back or one of those joints that was like, get me really, really locked in. And then after the game, I was listening to some, I don't know anything Drake at that point, because he was like all them, you know, he was at the height of it. We were partying crazy. Drake was obviously the biggest thing on the planet back then. And we were partying. It was all you heard in the club. So it was definitely something, something Drake related back then. But man, it was a time. And I remember, I mean, we had a lot of alcohol as well. It was a lot of liquor. And the best part, the best part is like, you know, you're still with the team, so the next day we gotta fly back home and everyone's hungover. And I was like, wow, I ain't never been this hungover, like in front of my receiver coach. This is weird. A little bit. So he's like, yo, you good? I'm like, yeah, which way is the bus? Cause I can't open this right eye.

[Eric Andre]

Then we go to the parade to get more drunk.

[Victor Cruz]

Then we get to parade to get more drunk.

[Tia Sircar]

But at that point it's like, fuck it, who cares? Everybody drunk. Yeah.

[Victor Cruz]

Yeah, we all in.

[Eric Andre]

Being from Patterson in the era that you grew up in, what's your relationship with Jersey club music?

[Victor Cruz]

Ooh, man, big time. I remember we used to go down to Elizabeth, New Jersey. I forget the name of the club. It was like two clubs off the highway. And those were back in the days where we would like, we used to dance probably the Abyss or something like that.

[Eric Andre]

Probably Abyss.

[Victor Cruz]

There was another one across. It was like. Used to walk across this dangerous ass highway just to get to the other side of the club. And I remember, like, it's time for the percolate. Like we was. It was a thing. And I remember leaving there, like, I sweated out my drawers, my pants, my shirt. Was off. Like, there was no. Like, that's when we used to dance. For real, yo.

[Eric Andre]

You know it's the walla parties.

[Victor Cruz]

Yes, 100%. So, I mean, I miss that. I mean, I remember that energy. I remember loading up, you know, somebody's mama's van to go down there and really party and have a good time. Time and. And really dance our faces off. That was. That was a. A moment in time.

[Tia Sircar]

You spoke about Greenhouse earlier. I feel like Greenhouse killed the clubs in New York. Like, ever since that fight, that brawl and cre. And Greenhouse and Whip downstairs.

[Victor Cruz]

Yeah.

[Tia Sircar]

Like the culture, the club culture in New York, it don't seem like it never really bounced.

[Eric Andre]

That was the beginning of the end. Was.

[Victor Cruz]

Was whipping 100%. It was the beginning of the end. Shout out to who? I think Chris Brown and somebody else had a fight down there. And then Tony Parker caught a crazy. Yeah, caught a crazy.

[Tia Sircar]

Were you there that night?

[Victor Cruz]

I was there that night, but I left. I. I left right on time. Like, literally I got home and it was like, yo, it's going crazy. I was like, right now? I was like, I just left there. No way. They was like, yeah, it just went down over here. And I was like, wow. And then someone, I think right after that, because I think they stayed open, but someone died. Someone got shot.

[Tia Sircar]

Yeah, that was it. That was the end of it.

[Victor Cruz]

That really did.

[Tia Sircar]

That neighborhood was like, get this out of here.

[Victor Cruz]

Get this out of here.

[Eric Andre]

It mainly was Chris and Drake that ruined.

[Victor Cruz]

That was the. That was the. The high level of why it was.

[Eric Andre]

Done, but was so funny about that was like, hearing about it the next day. It wasn't crazy that Chris Brown and Drake fought over a woman. It was who hit Tony Parker with.

[Victor Cruz]

A. Yeah, like, where was Tony Parker at?

[Tia Sircar]

I never even knew Tony Parker clubbed until that day. I was like, I've never seen Tony Parker.

[Eric Andre]

Him and Tim Duncan did, like, family barbecues.

[Victor Cruz]

Tony Parker used to be outside. Yeah, but Tony Parker is 5, 8. You know, he kind of be low. He used to be outside, but he would be. He would be super low. Yeah, he caught a bag off that too. He like, sued.

[Eric Andre]

As he should have.

[Victor Cruz]

I would have sued everybody. Like, everybody's gonna.

[Tia Sircar]

Absolutely. You said you had your. Your shirt off at the club. I'm glad. The infamous yacht.

[Victor Cruz]

I'm glad that that's what you picked up.

[Eric Andre]

No, listen, there was one time I was in Griffin. I think you had your shirt off.

[Victor Cruz]

Oh, God.

[Tia Sircar]

I mean, if you worked out. Listen, you can't be mad, but I'm.

[Victor Cruz]

Still a football player. Right. So I'm still rooted in that.

[Tia Sircar]

Or you're on that line. I have to be over gr.

[Victor Cruz]

Restless.

[Tia Sircar]

I get it.

[Victor Cruz]

Still there.

[Tia Sircar]

But I'm glad. The infamous yacht picture. I'm glad that you chose.

[Victor Cruz]

We were going great.

[Tia Sircar]

No, we were. The yacht picture is super legendary, super nasty. But you, my. You my guy. I'm glad. I'm glad you.

[Victor Cruz]

You.

[Tia Sircar]

You had to wherewithal to keep your shirt on in that moment and not look as crazy. Who orchestrated? Who does? Who's the one that said? Because I'm gonna say Trey songs did. I'm gonna say Trey orchestrated that.

[Victor Cruz]

Well, it was his.

[Eric Andre]

Took the photo.

[Victor Cruz]

It was his. His man's was like. We were just all. We was just chopping it up on the front of the boat. Mind you, we just won a playoff. Let me paint the picture for y'all. Real.

[Tia Sircar]

Okay.

[Victor Cruz]

We just want a playoff game. Yeah, we want to play. No. We won our last game of the season to get into the playoffs. We now know that. Like, yo, we're good. We're in the playoffs. We're in. We're coming from Philly, which is just up the street there. We come back on the train. O is like, yo, we going on a. I got the plane. We going to Miami. I was like, maybe we shouldn't go. I'm just throwing it out there. We just won. I know we're excited.

[Tia Sircar]

Yeah. But maybe we should sit this one.

[Victor Cruz]

Maybe we should just wait.

[Eric Andre]

I think I needed to say that. I.

[Victor Cruz]

To say it. I was like, as the OG in the group, I'm just gonna say it.

[Tia Sircar]

Yeah.

[Victor Cruz]

These young was like. They looked at me like, we out of here. You coming with us or you can go home. Like, we're going. And I was like, all right. Mind you, is New Year's Day.

[Tia Sircar]

Yeah.

[Victor Cruz]

So I'm just like, you know what? Of course I want to go.

[Tia Sircar]

Yeah.

[Victor Cruz]

But I was like, I gotta be. I gotta make sure that chaperone.

[Eric Andre]

You gotta chaperon proof.

[Victor Cruz]

I gotta make sure that we are. At least I can bring all of them back together. So we get on the plane, we go. We have a great time. We go to Liv. We go to 11. Trey has the crib. He's like, yo, let's get on the boat. Sun is up. I'm like, all right, bet. Whatever. We go on the boat. Now we're just hanging in front of the boat. Yeah, we're hanging out, and we're having a conversation. Trey's man goes, yo, let's Take a picture. And I'm like, all right. I'm not thinking anything of it. It's just a photo. And, you know, his man gets the camera out. We all line up, whatever. We're all kind of in our same positions. We take the photo. And I distinctly rem. I remember taking the photo and looking around. I was like, there isn't a female. Told you there's girls in the boat. But I was like, why didn't we just grab one? There's not a female in sight on front of that boat, bro. And I didn't think nothing of it. Whatever we get done.

[Vanessa Marshall]

Which made it sicker.

[Victor Cruz]

It made it really bad in my head.

[Eric Andre]

I was like, of course there's women on that boat. Did somebody say, nah, just the fellas for this one.

[Tia Sircar]

Just the fellas for this one.

[Victor Cruz]

Yeah, yeah. Which is even worse on the boat.

[Eric Andre]

Almost like, hey, let's take a silly photo.

[Victor Cruz]

And mind you, I'm not. I got the leather jacket. Mine is 80 degrees. I got a leather jacket on. I think I might have just had the black tee. I took the leather off the to.

[Tia Sircar]

You had a tee off?

[Victor Cruz]

I got a beanie. I got the red beanie on, by the way, back then, red beanies was taking a wild hit.

[Tia Sircar]

Yeah.

[Victor Cruz]

Soulja Boy had the red beanie on. Called a wild hit. Me, it was somebody else. It was a third person. It was the red beanies was taking a wild hit back then. So mind you, it's just a photo on the boat. I'm not tripping. We go back to the Clearport. We're getting ready. Our plane is pulled. We knocked out. Now everybody hasn't slept. Yeah, I'm kind of the one that's up. All I hear is, ding, ding, ding, ding. Phones going off. And I'm like, what's going on? I take my phone out, my shit's going crazy. I open it. They was like, look at the Giants on the boat. And I'm on this Twitter, and I'm like, oh, my God. This is just the same photo. I'm like, and it's just the. And I was like, well, this can't cool. It's a crazy photo. But I didn't think it would get the backlash that it got solely because we had a playoff game in eight days from then, and it felt like we weren't focused and all of those things that they tried to force on us. But at the end of the day, it was a phenomenal time in Miami.

[Tia Sircar]

I'm sure y'all had a great Time. I'm sure y'all had a great time. Just that moment. Capturing that moment was like, what are they doing? But looking back, Vick kept his shirt on, so he's safe.

[Victor Cruz]

Thank God.

[Tia Sircar]

Can't kill Vick too much on the game.

[Eric Andre]

That was the chaperone.

[Tia Sircar]

Exactly. All right, Vic, so you know you was one of the more popular players in the league at one point, and a lot of rappers. Rappers had your name in their bars. So we're gonna see if you can recite the artist that recited these bars. I'm gonna try my best.

[Victor Cruz]

The cadence, I can't remember.

[Tia Sircar]

I can't remember all of the cadences. So I'm trying. I'm reading it, and I'm trying to see if I can remember the cadence.

[Eric Andre]

And this is mostly going to be a you section.

[Tia Sircar]

Yeah, you cannot say. All right, this is. This is for the brothers, right now. This is for the brothers. All right, first one. Going up top, catching plays like I'm Victor Cruz and I'm catching picks. I'm catching yours, too. You ain't reason. That's a flu flicker.

[Eric Andre]

All right, now can you do it in his voice?

[Tia Sircar]

Hell, no. I'm not. I'm not high.

[Eric Andre]

I'll give you a perk.

[Tia Sircar]

You got to give me a perk to get this one right.

[Victor Cruz]

Okay, wait, that tells me something there. Yeah, because I don't remember that one.

[Tia Sircar]

Going up top, catching plays like I'm Victor Cruz and I'm catching picks. I'm catching yours, too.

[Victor Cruz]

You ain't Drew Breeze. That was. Was that Fab?

[Tia Sircar]

No, this is Kodak I N U. Kodak.

[Victor Cruz]

That was code. Oh, I remember the Kodak.

[Tia Sircar]

Kodak Black.

[Victor Cruz]

Yeah, that one had a different cadence.

[Eric Andre]

Kodak said it like that.

[Tia Sircar]

He definitely didn't say it like that. All right, second one.

[Victor Cruz]

Okay, shout out to Kodak.

[Tia Sircar]

Second one, Desert Eagle, nickname D easy. Bullets pass, roam with a D Easy. Brian. I'm in New York. In New York, I'm a giant. I'm like Victor Cruz with chicks to choose.

[Victor Cruz]

Yeah, that's fat.

[Eric Andre]

Nice. I knew you ain't nice at the end.

[Tia Sircar]

Yeah, I knew he was gonna get that one.

[Eric Andre]

I feel like Fab is a whole Victor crowd Cruise mixtape with this. That can't be the only fab.

[Tia Sircar]

You know, Fab. Can't wait to Vic to have a good game. He got a good song coming out at that point. All right, third one, Drop went right from a Honda to a box 62. They dance and they ball and then they zoning like they Victor Cruz Ooh I don't know. That one drop went right from a honda to a box 62. They dance and they ball, and then they zoning like they Victor Cruz.

[Victor Cruz]

That's a goodie, too. Who is that? I don't know that.

[Tia Sircar]

Royce the Five nine, which is Royce the Five nine, which is cool.

[Victor Cruz]

So funny story about Royce. I remember back in 2011 12, when Slaughterhouse was at the height of it, Joel Ortiz hit me to go be in one of their videos during south by Southwest.

[Tia Sircar]

Yeah.

[Victor Cruz]

And I went out there, and the tension was weird. First of all, like, within the group, there was just, like. You could tell they were.

[Tia Sircar]

Well, we know why it was weird.

[Victor Cruz]

Yeah. It was a whole thing. It was a whole thing. I remember feeling that tension, but overall, the experience was fire. Like going out there shooting a video. It was him.

[Tia Sircar]

Hammer dance.

[Victor Cruz]

Yes. Hammer dance. Yes.

[Eric Andre]

That was the one in south by.

[Victor Cruz]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Filmed it out there. That was. That was a crazy time.

[Eric Andre]

Like, some prank call. I heard on YouTube that you set Joel Ortiz up to, like, get tickets to, like, an NBA game. They were like, yeah, yeah, I got your number for Victor Cruz. And they wanted, like, Joelle to like a pig at court for finals tickets. YouTube that.

[Victor Cruz]

I set my guy up.

[Eric Andre]

Did you know premise was going to be.

[Victor Cruz]

I had no idea what the actual prank was going to be, but they was like, hey, we want Joel's number to, like, prank him.

[Tia Sircar]

I was like, absolutely, 100% shout out to Joel.

[Eric Andre]

No, but you got to hear that call. Like, Joel is super. Like, yo, what? I get courtside tickets to the finals. Got you.

[Tia Sircar]

Who the.

[Victor Cruz]

Would you.

[Eric Andre]

No, of course. And then Joel's entire mood changed. We're like, yeah, man. You just got to, like, you know, this male pig. And he was like, nah, man, it's got a little weird. I don't think I want to do that.

[Tia Sircar]

I don't think I want to do that. All right, next one. I was skipping school trying to get a plug on a brick of food I get them shipped to your living room One call. I bet they touched down in New York just like Victor Crew.

[Eric Andre]

I see you tried to get in your bag with his.

[Tia Sircar]

I know that cadence. I know that cadence.

[Victor Cruz]

Down in New York I was skipping.

[Tia Sircar]

School trying to get a plug on a brick of food I get them shipped to your living room. One call. I bet they touched down in New York just like Victor Cruz.

[Victor Cruz]

Damn. That was another good one, too.

[Eric Andre]

Another great, right? Ever.

[Victor Cruz]

They touched down, like, Victor Cruzway. I remember that one.

[Eric Andre]

I'll give you. He Might be a Bills fan.

[Victor Cruz]

Oh, that was. Is that Benny?

[Tia Sircar]

That's Benny.

[Victor Cruz]

Yeah, that's Benny. I like. I remember this one.

[Tia Sircar]

Dirty needle.

[Victor Cruz]

That's a recent one. Shout out to Benny, man. We talk often on the gram and go back and forth.

[Eric Andre]

You better hit this next flow.

[Tia Sircar]

I don't remember. Remember this one?

[Eric Andre]

Oh, I don't remember this record either, but he just has the same flow.

[Tia Sircar]

All right. She robbed the dick like Yee haw. She don't with no cowboys I beat it up like I'm he, man she love. She love the G. Them G men. And after I score, I do the salsa and the. And after I score, I do the salsa in the Victor. Cruising that fandom. Yeah, but why you ain't just say pussy?

[Victor Cruz]

He been cursing all this other.

[Tia Sircar]

All right, let me try this again. She ride the dick like Yee haw She don't fucking with no cowboys. I beat it up like the. Like I'm he, man. She love them gman and after I score, I do the salsa and the Victor Cruz. And that phantom drop the antenna.

[Eric Andre]

I don't know where he was taking us with the Last bar. Still a great rapper. I. I didn't really. I got to hear this one.

[Tia Sircar]

Yeah. Victor sound like he don't know this. He like, who the is that?

[Victor Cruz]

No idea.

[Tia Sircar]

That's game. Mean mugging.

[Victor Cruz]

Oh, that was game.

[Tia Sircar]

That's game. Mean mugging. This one, he going.

[Eric Andre]

This one's hilarious to me because it. It. The first bar and the second bar have absolutely nothing to do.

[Tia Sircar]

Nothing to do with each other. Salsa dancing on this. Cruz riding with the chopper like I ain't got to lose.

[Eric Andre]

I don't even know how those two things.

[Tia Sircar]

Nothing to do with nothing. Yeah. Salsa dancing on this. Victor Cruz riding with the chopper like I ain't got to lose. What?

[Eric Andre]

Never salsa dance before you saw the OP N. Never.

[Tia Sircar]

Never.

[Victor Cruz]

I have no idea who that is.

[Eric Andre]

He was on the Dynasty album.

[Victor Cruz]

Okay.

[Tia Sircar]

It ain't salsa dancing on this. Victor Cruz riding with the chopper like I ain't got to to lose. That means absolutely nothing.

[Victor Cruz]

Only person on the Dynasty album that would say some like that that would have the choppa. Have nothing to lose would probably be Beanie Seagull.

[Eric Andre]

That would have been my guess.

[Tia Sircar]

That would have been my guess, too, is Freeway.

[Victor Cruz]

Oh, the other.

[Tia Sircar]

The other that has nothing to lose.

[Victor Cruz]

Yeah. He also had nothing to lose.

[Eric Andre]

His beard was sticking out for every hom.

[Tia Sircar]

That was Freeway on Rock Reunion.

[Victor Cruz]

Holy.

[Tia Sircar]

All right, last one. Hail Mary. Total. It's the world ain't got to lose, about to go long Celebrate like I'm Victor Cruz.

[Eric Andre]

Every time someone wants to rap about Vic, they got nothing to lose.

[Victor Cruz]

I love that they doing nothing but winning.

[Tia Sircar]

Hell, Mary told her it's the world. Ain't got to lose, about to go long Celebrate like I'm Victor Cruz.

[Victor Cruz]

Wait, that was. That was Jeezy. I think Jeezy.

[Eric Andre]

Hail Mary. Which is great.

[Victor Cruz]

Great.

[Tia Sircar]

All right, so Vic know a little bit. You know, a little bit of music, man.

[Victor Cruz]

A couple.

[Eric Andre]

You're very humble. Because if I had this many lyrics about me, I would know.

[Tia Sircar]

See, that was. That was 2000.

[Victor Cruz]

That was Royce.

[Eric Andre]

Imagine having Game talking about bitches on your arm.

[Tia Sircar]

Yeah. Just the artist and the date. Like, yeah, that was game right there.

[Eric Andre]

That was when Game was in the Phantom in that.

[Victor Cruz]

Yo, it's crazy because as a kid, like, you dream about that, right? Like, you. Especially when you become an athlete and you start making noise and you start doing something. I distinctly remember, like, I think after, like, four or five good games, I had to, like, revelation relation of, like, oh, like, somebody might. I think I've gotten there. Where somebody might drop my name.

[Tia Sircar]

Yeah.

[Eric Andre]

Every flex freestyle, just waiting.

[Victor Cruz]

Once I won. Once I won a Super Bowl, I was like, oh, in New York. Yeah, absolutely.

[Eric Andre]

We found just recently that Beans had Name Drop Mall in a verse. What was it, 2,099? Maybe a freestyle on, like, a state property mixtape.

[Victor Cruz]

Holy.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah, about Mall getting sued super high. He ate way too many edibles at that time.

[Victor Cruz]

Saw this. I actually saw this clip.

[Eric Andre]

So Beans rapped about it on a state property mixed.

[Victor Cruz]

Really?

[Eric Andre]

Yeah.

[Victor Cruz]

Did they do your nickname? Because they gave you, like, a nickname. Space something.

[Tia Sircar]

Space Cakes.

[Eric Andre]

Beans calls him Space Cakes in the verse.

[Victor Cruz]

There's one way to get a name drop. There's one.

[Tia Sircar]

Listen, man, I'm a legend like you.

[Eric Andre]

He had nothing to lose that day.

[Tia Sircar]

I lost my appetite. I threw everything the fuck up. That was it. All right, Vic. So me and Rory obviously don't know Ball, but we want to see how much music you know. So we got some questions for you, and then you got some questions for us, okay? To prove that we absolutely do not know Ball. All right, so first question. Vic.

[Victor Cruz]

Yup.

[Tia Sircar]

East Orange's Naughty By Nature broke onto the scene with this top 10 Billboard song.

[Eric Andre]

This is such, like, a producer question. This is definitely broke onto the scene. Broke onto the scene with a top 10 Billboard song.

[Tia Sircar]

Trek's Tretch probably broke somebody's jaw. He never broke into the scene of anything, but he broke the Blood.

[Victor Cruz]

Exactly.

[Tia Sircar]

Is it A, hip Hop Hooray. B, everything's gonna be all right. C, OPP or D, feel Me Flow?

[Victor Cruz]

It's gotta be hip Hop Hooray, right?

[Eric Andre]

No, it is not.

[Tia Sircar]

It doesn't have to be. It is.

[Eric Andre]

OPP See, OPP OPP what's funny is I would've went hip Hop Hooray as well.

[Tia Sircar]

Yeah.

[Victor Cruz]

Why? Cause Hip Hop Hooray felt like the one that was like the.

[Tia Sircar]

Well, no, but see, this is where we go back to broke onto the scene.

[Victor Cruz]

Yeah.

[Tia Sircar]

OPP Was the single.

[Victor Cruz]

That was the first. That was the first.

[Eric Andre]

Is it crazy for me to say Feel Me Flow is the best out of these four Naughty by Nature songs? Is that. Is that too much of a high tech.

[Tia Sircar]

Definitely the best video. I remember. I remember so many girls.

[Victor Cruz]

Video is legendary.

[Eric Andre]

While we're here, top five Jersey rappers. Personal.

[Victor Cruz]

Your personal top five Jersey rappers. Okay. In order or. It doesn't matter.

[Eric Andre]

Doesn't matter. Just five. Yeah.

[Victor Cruz]

Okay. I gotta go. Jersey Joe Button. I got.

[Eric Andre]

Not on this show, sir. All right, so five more.

[Victor Cruz]

Okay, six more. Six more. He's from Queens. I gotta go. Obviously both guys from Tretch. Yeah, Vinnie, of course, as well. Who else are my Jersey guys? Why can't I think of Jersey rappers right now?

[Tia Sircar]

You can go.

[Eric Andre]

Women as well. Well.

[Victor Cruz]

Oh, okay. Queen Latifah. Why am I drawing blanks out here?

[Tia Sircar]

Ransom has been on.

[Victor Cruz]

Oh, Ransom, of course, of course. And then. Okay, last but not least, look in the corner. Oh, okay. Lauryn Hill, obviously. Yes, yes. Lauryn Hill, for sure. I always forget about Lauryn Hill being from Jersey, even though, like, they got the studio in Orange that I've been to numerous times and, like, just to know that they created legendary, legendary music in that place. And that all happened mostly in Jersey. Is a. Is a. Is a beautiful thing.

[Tia Sircar]

We can't choke Jersey rappers and not say red man. I'm gonna just put that out there, though. We gotta say red man.

[Victor Cruz]

Absolutely.

[Tia Sircar]

We got.

[Victor Cruz]

I'll swap him for Joe. How about that?

[Tia Sircar]

There you go.

[Victor Cruz]

We like that.

[Tia Sircar]

There you go.

[Eric Andre]

Finally some sense on the show.

[Victor Cruz]

All right, my question for y'all, okay. After playing four seasons with the Giants, I ended my career after signing with this team. A, the New York Jets Browns, B, the New Orleans Saints, C, the Los Angeles Rams, and D, Chicago Bears.

[Tia Sircar]

Oh, the Bears.

[Victor Cruz]

How you just. How you just, like, click.

[Tia Sircar]

I said Browns. I knew it was like it was a B. I don't know if it was the Browns or the Bears. It was the Bears, right?

[Victor Cruz]

It was the Bears.

[Tia Sircar]

Yeah, there you go, The Bears.

[Victor Cruz]

I was there for a little cup of coffee.

[Tia Sircar]

Yeah.

[Victor Cruz]

It's funny because once I transition, you know, the stigma or not the stigma, but something they tell you in the league often is like, oh, it ain't. You know, when you leave the Giants, it ain't the same everywhere. Or like it ain't. And I'm like, well, I'm like, I'm going to. The Bears heralded organization been around for 100 years. Like, they absolutely run a high level organization there. And I got there and I was looking around, I was like, this shit is trash. Really? Food was trash. Ownership was trash.

[Tia Sircar]

Wow.

[Victor Cruz]

Chicago coaching staff was trash.

[Eric Andre]

I get that part.

[Victor Cruz]

But food, I meant in the organization, like a cafeteria, like that.

[Eric Andre]

It was just lunch, deep dish pizza.

[Victor Cruz]

It was just awful in comparison to the Giants, where it was like gourmet. We got packaged lunch. I'm talking about Prince of Mukamara would come in. I mean, he's a different type of person, but he would come and just. He not steal because it was free, but he would like take a bag and dump Gatorade and take the shit. I would go to his crib and he'd got like the giant locker room of Gatorade in his fridge. I'm like, bro, you know, you get. You made eight and a half million last year.

[Eric Andre]

I know what your contract is.

[Victor Cruz]

Eight and a half M's last year, bro, you get a deal with Powerade or some.

[Eric Andre]

See, that's how you keep generational wealth, man. Saving his money.

[Victor Cruz]

He's still to the same day, mind you, he's retired. He'll go back to the Giants right now and take. It's really nuts. It's really crazy.

[Eric Andre]

All right, this, this next one, I. I feel like we can't give him options here because it's too obvious. I would just say, all right, this rapper is from Patterson, okay. And had three top 10 hits in 2015. I feel like this is kind of an easy.

[Victor Cruz]

Oh, yeah. Is he missing an eye?

[Tia Sircar]

Yes.

[Victor Cruz]

Shout out to Fetty Wap.

[Tia Sircar]

Yeah, shout out Fetty Wap.

[Eric Andre]

Man, that was a crazy run.

[Victor Cruz]

That was a crazy, crazy run. And I love. I used to see Fetty when he was a young kid. And back then he was just a kid with like a little. He just had a little eye patch on. And he would be running around 12th Ave. And we would just see him and we knew because he came from like his family was like a musical family, but we didn't know what his talent was. He didn't really display any of that. He was just a young kid running around Patterson. And then fast forward. I think I went to college and then it was tour. I went to college and then I'm in the league, and then I'm in the league a couple years, and then I'm in Patterson at my man's crib. And I'm hearing four cars ride by, and I hear prom Trap Point. And I'm just like. I'm like, yo, what song? This is maybe like a year before it even came out. And four cars in six session. And I'm like, yo, what song is that? He was like, yo, that's Fetty. Like, you remember Fetty from 12th? That with the. I was like, that's Fetty?

[Eric Andre]

Yeah.

[Victor Cruz]

And he's like, absolutely. And I was like, yo, that song, I don't know what that is, but it sounds different than anything I've ever heard.

[Tia Sircar]

Yeah.

[Victor Cruz]

And four women just came through playing it. And I was like, that might be. We might be up to something.

[Eric Andre]

That's. That's why I think people get up with Fetty. Like, of course, 2015, back to back. I mean, it's three here, but it was like, what, seven records he had. Trap Queen took about a year and a half to pop. He wasn't some overnight success. When Trap Queen hit, you go on YouTube. That shit had been up there for almost two years.

[Victor Cruz]

Yeah, big time. I wish he just had some better, just people around him while he was in the heart of it. Because although he had a couple guys that I knew that were in his corner, but I think they were all new to the success and didn't know how to. To facilitate it and make it last. I think they were seeing it as whatever's happening right now, let's hit it right now. Let's buy as much as we can. Let's take care of everybody not realizing that that shit runs out.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah. I was working with Kevin Lyles when they started 300, and that entire process was happening. And in the office, sometimes too much too soon can burn you out. But even on the management side, what are you supposed to do when you have seven hit records? Not put them out?

[Victor Cruz]

Exactly.

[Eric Andre]

Like, everyone was kind of just in the position of like, well, this is what it is now.

[Victor Cruz]

Exactly.

[Eric Andre]

Let's figure it out. But Free Fetty, he should be out soon, right?

[Tia Sircar]

Yeah, I think he's coming home soon.

[Victor Cruz]

Yeah.

[Tia Sircar]

I think his time is almost up.

[Victor Cruz]

Football question. Let me see what we got. Okay. I ranked 10th all time. Well, I didn't even know that I ranked 10th all time in New York Giants history for receiving touchdowns. Who ranks number one? A. Amani tumor, plexigo burris, Odell Beckham Jr. Or D. Mark. Mark Bavaro?

[Tia Sircar]

It gotta be Bavara.

[Eric Andre]

Oh, yeah, I would say Mark Bavaro.

[Victor Cruz]

Ooh, y'all just showing y'all age. Not really. Cause the answer's A. Imani Toomer. Oh, shit, really? But yeah, Toome sneakily has, like. He has a lot of records with the Giants.

[Tia Sircar]

Really?

[Victor Cruz]

Cause I think he had. He's the longest tenure.

[Tia Sircar]

Yeah, he was there for years.

[Victor Cruz]

And every time I see a Toomb highlight, he's like tiptoe catches on the sideline. He had the best footwork of any receiver.

[Tia Sircar]

See, when you asked that question, Vic, I was thinking back to my Tecmo bowl days.

[Victor Cruz]

Okay, got it.

[Tia Sircar]

And I used to go crazy with Mark Bavar. It was the same play.

[Victor Cruz]

Marburg, the real deal. Tecmo Bowl.

[Eric Andre]

What. What was that first year like with Odell? Did you guys know he was an alien out the gate?

[Victor Cruz]

Yeah, yeah, big time. I think when he first came in, he had a little injury, I think just a little like hamstring or something. And so he didn't really practice with us at first. Cause they wanted to preserve him, make sure, you know, they. They kept him. They tried to get him back as healthy. But I would see him kind of out the corner of my eye working out and, you know, to be throwing him balls. And I was like, oh, okay, that catch was different. Or like, what's going on over there? You know what I mean? So I remember the first practice he came out with us and they wanted to test him immediately. You know, they gonna see, especially at the NFL, like I would say in the league, practices are much harder than games. Like in practice, you have to prove yourself each and every day. You come out to practice and I remember they put him in. It was the first play he was in. And they gave him like a. I don't know, it was just like a fly route. And I hadn't seen no one be as explosive as that down the field. And he jumped up and caught it and caught it for a touchdown over like our best corner at the time. And everybody kind of stopped and looked at each other and was like, I think we got one guy. I think we got one. Then fast forward. He had an amazing career with us. Amazing career overall, obviously. But we knew, I mean, at least I knew in practice early on, and then from then on, like all the one handed Stuff he would do during the. I mean, the stuff he was doing in practice was even more insane than anything that he's seen in the game. That the catch against the cow with V. Catch.

[Tia Sircar]

Yeah.

[Victor Cruz]

He had did that like, four or five times in practice.

[Tia Sircar]

Nobody on the team was impressed.

[Victor Cruz]

Nobody was like, oh, he just did it.

[Tia Sircar]

He did it against them.

[Victor Cruz]

Dominic Rogers in practice. Like, it was crazy.

[Eric Andre]

All right, ma, you can definitely take this one based off the first option.

[Victor Cruz]

Yes.

[Tia Sircar]

Okay, I got you. All right, so you caught the first touchdown pass of Super Bowl 46. That was February 5, 2012. What song was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 that day? A, Niggas in Paris. B, we Found Love. C, good Feeling, or D, set Fire to the Rain by Adele.

[Victor Cruz]

Ooh. This was. This was 2012.

[Eric Andre]

I would have gotten this one wrong.

[Victor Cruz]

Yeah, 2012. I don't think it was N In Paris. Cause that was. That had to be 2011, I think 2010. Ish. So that's pass out.

[Tia Sircar]

See all the process of elimination.

[Eric Andre]

See how he got his bachelor's. That was definitely.

[Victor Cruz]

Yeah. I won't tell y'all my SAT score. I'm gonna go Adele.

[Eric Andre]

You are correct.

[Tia Sircar]

You are correct.

[Eric Andre]

2012, I would have went Rihanna and Calvin Harris. We found Lily. That would have been my guess.

[Victor Cruz]

That makes sense too.

[Eric Andre]

But then again, Adele is Adele.

[Victor Cruz]

That song was every. But Adele had a different type of wave, and I didn't even really. I don't got a lot of Adele songs in. In the catalog to be. But I'm very familiar with the vibe.

[Tia Sircar]

Adele. Adele is like, I have this thing with artists that I don't listen to. They're not in none of my playlists. I don't listen to them on Apple Music or Spotify. But I recognize that anytime I'm outside, whether it's shopping, doing, whatever, and I hear an artist in that song, I'm like, that has to be a hit. Cause I just went to Whole Foods, Target, and I'm hearing the same fucking song. And so it's Adele for me. She's that person. Like, anytime you go out somewhere, Adele, Rihanna, you're gonna hear those two artists no matter where you are.

[Victor Cruz]

Yeah, big time.

[Eric Andre]

I'm a sad boy. 30's my shit I listen to. I know every Adele album through and through. Are you crazy? I text Mack Wild. So jealous. When he was in that hello video, I was like, you couldn't call me.

[Victor Cruz]

Wait, and what? Like, how did you. How. Like, I don't even know what question I have. But just how does. What part of you being a sad boy who is like Adele. Adele.

[Eric Andre]

Cuz she's a sad. She's a sad girl.

[Victor Cruz]

When are you listening to Adele? When you. Are you in the whip. Like I'm feeling Absolutely.

[Eric Andre]

On a rainy day, I would put 30 on. Okay, listen. Now that. Do you have a daughter? Go listen to 30.

[Victor Cruz]

Okay.

[Eric Andre]

Like you will relate to that way more than you think.

[Tia Sircar]

You would know his Pimmy.

[Victor Cruz]

Shit.

[Tia Sircar]

Pimmy and Adele. Now Pimmy is not the vocalist that Adele is.

[Victor Cruz]

And the content, yeah, the. The content, the lyrical content, lyrics that she's talking about is. You know this. I resonate with those a little bit. A little bit differently.

[Tia Sircar]

Okay.

[Victor Cruz]

Now I also. I can't say I resonate with more. I don't really listen to Adele. I don't know a lot of the lyrics and the content that she's really on. So I gotta do a little bit more research before I just dismiss that, to be honest.

[Eric Andre]

Her bars are crazy.

[Tia Sircar]

No, Adele, she's a beast.

[Victor Cruz]

I believe that.

[Tia Sircar]

She's definitely a beast.

[Eric Andre]

Incredible writer. Do you have one more?

[Victor Cruz]

I got one more for y'all. Last one. On Christmas Eve 2011, I scored a 99 yard touchdown against the New York Jets. Who was the last player score a 99 yard touchdown? Is it A, Devonte Adams? B, Derrick Henry, C, Justin Jefferson? OR D, Christian McCaffrey? This is. This is actually. This is actually a good one.

[Tia Sircar]

Who was the last player to score a 99 yard touchdown?

[Victor Cruz]

Yes. Who was the last player to score a 99 yard touchdown?

[Tia Sircar]

I'm gonna say Henry.

[Eric Andre]

I don't remember Derrick Henry having.

[Tia Sircar]

I think he went in zone, right. It was a kickoff.

[Victor Cruz]

I gotta get an answer from both of you.

[Eric Andre]

What was. What was D?

[Victor Cruz]

D was question mcaffrey. I'm gonna go.

[Eric Andre]

Christian mcaffrey.

[Victor Cruz]

You are correct. Mall is.

[Tia Sircar]

I'm no bull, man.

[Victor Cruz]

I'm no bull.

[Eric Andre]

Pull it up. Pull up the high. When did Derrick Henry have a 99 yard?

[Tia Sircar]

It was on a kickoff.

[Victor Cruz]

It was.

[Tia Sircar]

It was a kick return.

[Victor Cruz]

Crazy. No, no, no.

[Tia Sircar]

It wasn't a kick.

[Vanessa Marshall]

Why would.

[Eric Andre]

Derrick Henry has never.

[Victor Cruz]

It was a run.

[Eric Andre]

He's way too valuable.

[Victor Cruz]

They just handed that man the ball.

[Tia Sircar]

N. He went 99.

[Victor Cruz]

He went 99. It was a. It's a stupid run. You got to look it up. It's a. He's shaking, dude.

[Tia Sircar]

Well, shit. I don't know how he got it, but I know he got it. Goddamn it. I knew it was more.

[Victor Cruz]

Watch a little espn.

[Tia Sircar]

Just, you know, I tune in A little bit, man. A little bit of espn, man. A little bit of ESPN in my life.

[Eric Andre]

We asked you your top five Jersey rappers. This question has to be in order, though. Top five Jay Z albums.

[Victor Cruz]

Top five Jay Z album.

[Eric Andre]

In order.

[Victor Cruz]

Jesus, you're doing this to me. Okay, number five, I'm gonna go. Okay, number five, I'm gonna go minus the album.

[Tia Sircar]

Okay.

[Victor Cruz]

Okay, number four, I'm gonna go. Oh, we. Number four, I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go Black album. Okay, number three, I'm gonna go. Oh, this is easy now. Number three, I'm gonna go American Gangster. Number two, I'm gonna go blueprint. And number one, reasonable. Wow, that's a s. I'm trying.

[Tia Sircar]

That's a solid. I'm trying to think what mine will be. Reasonable D, number one. Number two, I'm going Hard Knock Life. Okay, number three, probably American Gangster. Number four, probably volume three.

[Eric Andre]

Interesting.

[Victor Cruz]

Wait, blueprints. Nowhere in the top five. Four.

[Tia Sircar]

That would be my fifth.

[Victor Cruz]

That's the fifth.

[Tia Sircar]

That would be fourth blueprint for me.

[Victor Cruz]

Okay.

[Tia Sircar]

And then volume 35.

[Victor Cruz]

Okay.

[Tia Sircar]

Yeah.

[Eric Andre]

I would go Reasonable Doubt. Blueprint, Black album, American Gangster. 444.

[Victor Cruz]

Ooh, 444.

[Eric Andre]

And volume. Two switches, depending on what day it is. It's either 444, depends on the volume. Would be my number five.

[Victor Cruz]

The first song I play after my 12 o'clock rule is so ghetto, for the most part. Almost. Almost every time. Because the beat, the. Obviously the lyrics, they just put me. It puts me in a different type of space.

[Eric Andre]

That would make my top 10 Jay Z songs of all time, which is saying so ghetto. You say it's one of the greatest Jay Z songs?

[Tia Sircar]

Nope. J to the 8. Wow. Nope.

[Victor Cruz]

Who?

[Tia Sircar]

Timberland did that, right? If I. I think Tim did that.

[Eric Andre]

That's not primo.

[Tia Sircar]

That was ghetto. I'm sorry. So ghetto. So ghetto. Primo did that? Yes.

[Eric Andre]

It's so ghetto. And it's like. That are like, my two go to, like, when I wanna love makes bitches.

[Tia Sircar]

Wanna love with me. Yeah, that's primo. Yeah, that's primo on the scratch, for sure. Definitely. All right, Vick. Well, listen, man, this was long overdue. I'm glad we finally got a chance to sit down and kick it with you, man. Proud of everything you've accomplished. Proud of everything that you're doing. Let's stop running into each other by accident. Let's hang out a little bit more. I am trying to get into golf. I suck right now. I'm trash.

[Victor Cruz]

But I was you, my friend.

[Tia Sircar]

I was you, But I wanna get more into golf, so definitely gotta get out on the course with you. And. Yeah, man. Let's chop it up again soon, man.

[Victor Cruz]

Absolutely, man. I appreciate y'all. I've been a big fan of y'all. I'm proud of what y'all are doing.

[Tia Sircar]

Thank you, bro.

[Victor Cruz]

And proud of the way you guys are carving your own path out here. It's really special. Special to see. I've obviously tuned into all the little clips on Social is hilarious. I'm always laughing at y'all. Thank you, bro. Keep doing your thing. Keep, keep, keep rocking.

[Tia Sircar]

Thank you, bro. That's Victor Cruz, Rory and Maul. We know a little bit of ball, I guess. Just a little. Just a little bit.

[Victor Cruz]

No worrying now.

[Camila Ramon]

I'm Camila Ramon. And I'm Liz Ortiz. And our podcast, Hasta Bajo is where sports, music and fitness collide, and we cover it all, the Arriba Hasta. This season, we sit down with history makers like the Sucar family, who became the first Peruvians to win a Grammy.

[Victor Cruz]

It was a very special moment for us. It's been 15 years for me in this career.

[Eric Andre]

Finally, things are starting to shift into a different level.

[Camila Ramon]

Listen to astavaho on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Elf Beauty, founding partner of I Heart women's sports.

[A.J. Jacobs]

Hey, what's up, y'all? This is Eric Andre. Well, I made a podcast called Bombing about absolutely tanking on stage. I tell gnarly stories, and I talk to friends about their worst moments of bombing and all sorts of ways. Bombing on stage, bombing in public, bombing in life. Like the time I stole a girl's phone during a sentence, she jumped on stage and threw a big haymaker punch to my nose. Listen to Bombing with Eric Andre on Will Ferrell's Big Money Players Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Vanessa Marshall]

Dressing. Dressing.

[Victor Cruz]

Oh, French dressing.

[Vanessa Marshall]

Exactly.

[Victor Cruz]

That's good.

[Vanessa Marshall]

I'm A.J. jacobs and my cousin. Our current obsession is puzzles, and that has given birth to my podcast, the Puzzler. Something about Mary Poppins? Exactly.

[Victor Cruz]

This is fun.

[Vanessa Marshall]

You can get your daily puzzle nuggets delivered straight to your ears. Listen to the Puzzler every day on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Camila Ramon]

Welcome to Pod of Rebellion, our new Star Wars Rebels Rewatch podcast. I'm Vanessa Marshall, voice of Harrison Duela Spectre 2. I'm T. Sabine Wren Spectre 5 I'm Taylor Gray.

[Eric Andre]

Ezra Bridger, Spectre 6 and I'm Jon Lee Brody, the Ghost Crew Stowaway moderator.

[Camila Ramon]

Each week we're going to rewatch and discuss an episode from the series and share some fun behind the scenes stories.

[Eric Andre]

Sometimes we'll be visited by special guests like Steve blum voices Zabarelio Spectre 4 or Dante Bosco voicing Jake Hell and many others.

[Camila Ramon]

So hang on because it's going to be a fun ride.

[Victor Cruz]

Cue the music.

[Eric Andre]

Listen to Potter Rebellion on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.