I AM ATHLETE (S2E28) | Tarzan Swings By With A Snake

03/15/21 • 64 min

It's a wild conversation when Mike Holston aka The Real Tarzan swings by the I Am Athlete set and the guys talk about Orca Whales, Black Mambas and how studying animals translates into understanding human behaviors. Chad, a known animal lover, reiterates his passion for orcas and lifelong desire to swim with the killer whale as he shows off his orca tattoo on his legs. Holston says everyone has an "Inner Tarzan" in them and commends Chad for using his strength to fuel his play on the football field.

Holston recounts his journey and how his love started when he was 3 years old and led him into making a successful career out of his passion. Brandon is in awe of Holston's story and the fact that a black man was able to carve out a unique niche and become king of the jungle. Channing, holding Sasha the snake for the beginning of the conversation, respects what Holston has done to show young kids, especially minorities, that no dream is unreachable, even if it seems out of the ordinary.

Fred and Chad learn of Brandon's snake phobia as they see him squirming as the snake hisses curling around Channing in the chair. The guys have an intervention with Brandon and coach him up to face his fear which leads to a tense 30 seconds on set.

Chad who says he would have either been a veterinarian or zoologist if never making it as a NFL wide receiver, poses the question to the others asking what they would have done for work if they didn't make it as professional athletes which prompts Brandon to talk about a pivotal story from his college years. Doing what you love hopefully turns into a monetary career but following your dreams is also very daunting to start when so much is put into it with little financial gain. Brandon opens up to the guys about his challenge to follow in the footsteps of his father selling drugs because it was fast money or to stay the course of his dreams even if it meant living without to get through.

Of Course no episode can be complete without the ongoing debate of Ocho vs Science as Brandon and Chad battle over their divided thoughts and lure Holston into picking sides and choosing between which one of the receivers he would want as his X. The on set competition continues as Fred and Channing talk about lining up against each other and doing something for love or for money. Chef Nancie joins the conversation offering up her take that having a passion for what you do is more important than chasing the money, if you do something you love long enough, the money will follow. Missing the last conversation about manscaping, Chad takes advantage of the opportunity to ask Channing about how he keeps his "man areas" manicured while Holston says part of living in the wild is being all natural.

I Am Athlete is filmed at the Botaniko Weston in Weston, Florida. For exclusive I AM Athlete merchandise, please shop at www.HouseofAthlete.com.

I Am Athlete podcast is candid, unscripted weekly discussion between former NFL greats: Brandon Marshall, Chad Johnson, Fred Taylor and Channing Crowder. These gridiron giants pull no punches and have no filter while expressing themselves on the importance of the issues and topics they cover. Each week the podcast is growing in popularity and its subscribers due to the panelists frankness in sharing their thoughts and views on relevant topics covered each week.
A new episode premieres every Monday at 12pm Eastern.
I AM ATHLETE is a thought provoking and in-depth podcast that offers multiple perspectives
on subjects ranging from sports to controversial topics to fashion to lifestyle covering all cultural conversations and building a platform to educate but encourage viewers to engage.

I Am Athlete is filmed at the Botaniko Weston in Weston, Florida. For exclusive I AM Athlete merchandise, please shop at www.HouseofAthlete.com.

Previous Episode

I AM Woman (S1E6)- Date Night Couples Edition

No excuses, it's date night as the guys join the ladies in a special edition of I Am Woman and the couples are talking everything from sex to finances to relationship issues!
Brandon Marshall joins wife Michi, Channing Crowder with wife Aja, Antonio with Terricka Cromartie and Chad Johnson with soon to be wife Sharelle Rosado let loose and nothing is off limits! The guys have a chemistry that stems from their NFL playing days while the wives are there to remind them that it wasn't always easy to deal with the lifestyle that came along with their careers.
Channing calls out the women for ragging on them in their previous I Am Woman shows and Chad says they are there to defend themselves if necessary. The show is fiery from the start talking about sex hot spots and triggers in the relationships over the years.
As the guys boast about the lifestyle their jobs provided the ladies, Terricka reminds them that long after the game is over the women will be the ones still loving them so it should have been more about them than the game. Aja explains how they desire intimacy and connection and Michi agrees saying it's nice to have trips with friends and girl time but at end of the day, she isn't married to her friends, she wants to feel close to her husband. Iron sharpens Iron, partners are supposed to make the other stronger.
Sharelle chimes in that she can't relate as Chad and her got together after his football life but that communication is key, encouraging red table talk type of openness in order to establish what each wants and expects in a relationship. Chad says losing the competition aspect of the game has led him to studying Sharelle as his new playbook but their dedication to weekly date nights is quickly questioned by the other married couples who say that may be nice now but what happens when that honeymoon phase fades.

Diving into the mental aspects and pressure felt during their NFL careers, Brandon tries to paint a picture of how grueling the journey of playing football really was and the daily grind left them mentally and physically drained everyday so it wasn't intentional but a result of the demands being that 1%. Seeking marriage counseling from the start is the best piece of advice they want to share with younger athletes so that their home is kept intact while chasing the NFL dream.

Cutting them little slack, the women disagree with that notion and feel it wasn't hard to put them first while playing. The conversation shifts from relationship issues to finances to sexual chemistry as the couples break out into laughter sharing stories about one another and opening up about their most intimate aspects of marriage.

I Am Woman is a 8-part limited series streaming Fridays on I Am Athlete platform.

Next Episode

I AM Woman (S1E7)- Check On Your Friends

Check on your friends...the strong ones, the weak ones and the everyday ones. Michi, Aja and Ashley are joined by Kijafa Vick and Terricka Cromartie in this week’s episode of I Am Woman and the importance of being mindful to those close to us is at the core of the discussion.

"You never know what someone else is experiencing or going through,'" says Michi, as the ladies reflect on hearing Megan Markle's story and how widespread mental health struggles are, no matter who it is. Everyone experiences it at some point in life but it's getting through it and keeping the ones close to you moving forward that's important. The conversation moves through the various emotions and situations as the ladies each share parts of their personal journeys of struggles they faced.

Ashley talks about how it was difficult at first to read negative comments when she was doing television but the hardest part was the criticism from those closest to her. MIchi and Aja agree and discuss how the lime light comes with a lot of perks but also a lot of pressure from the outside as well as the pressure put on ourselves to fit a certain mold and live up to expectations. Kijafa and Terricka felt the public pressure during their husband's football careers and experienced the fallout of what was going on at the time on the field, in their personal lives.

The ladies also share their fashion inspiration and how what they wear often emulates their moods and creates a chance to express certain personality traits.

Chef Lowe changes it up and serves the ladies southern comfort food as a treat from the usual healthy options he makes for his athlete clients. The ladies ask him if his new position in the spotlight has brought unwanted attention or negativity in his life which he responds that at first it did but he immediately tuned it out not to let the bad takeaway from the good he was experiencing through these opportunities. I Am Woman is a eight part limited series on the I Am Athlete platform and filmed at the Botaniko Weston in south Florida.