Talk Of The County | Life After Football: Michael Doss

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:00:14

Good afternoon. We're here for a special edition to Talk of the County. This is a Buckeye City edition of Buckeye Nation. Buckeyes Everything. I'm in the Woody Hayes athletic facility here at The Ohio State University, talking to one of the Buckeyes of all time, College Football Hall of Fame, high school football, extraordinaire, and, just all around cool dude, Michael Doss.

Michael Doss [: 00:00:49

-Well, thanks for having me.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:00:50

-Welcome to Talk of the County. -Yes, sir. I'm excited, to just, you know, kick it and and talk about, all things, Buckeyes, but also talk about life. That's what, Talk of the County is all about. It's about not only talking about the professional lives that, many, residents of Franklin County and Central Ohio live, but, just talking about life in general and why we live in Franklin County and why we love to call Franklin County home, and the greater Columbus area. We have a lot of things going on in this town. Buckeye Football is one of them. So that's why we're gonna talk to you because you spent, a number of years of your life aspiring to be a Buckeye and then being a Buckeye and then life after you're a Buckeye and and living in Franklin County.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:01:55

I wanna lead off, Mike, by saying, you know, from the beginning, many of us play several sports. You'd be ex you know, may have been exposed to baseball, basketball. Now kids are playing soccer and lacrosse. What, sports did you love the most early on? And when did you know football was gonna be your main sport?

Michael Doss [: 00:02:25

Great question, Kenneth. And, truly appreciate the opportunity to be here, talking to county with you. This is a a pleasure. I I've haven't done a lot of podcasts, but to you reached out and said, hey. You might be to come on to talk to the county. I was excited, and I felt what other place would it I'd rather host it. We host it knowing that the show moves around. I said, hey.

Michael Doss [: 00:02:50

Let's do that to Woody Hayes facility and have this beautiful backdrop of, you know, all these, luxurious trophies and Heisman's, and just the opportunity to be in this building. And originally, you know, to start with the answer to your question, you know, being from Canton, Ohio, being there, as a youngster, I started playing sports around 8 years old. Started, with baseball. Baseball was kind of the first sport that kicked off in my athletic career. And I also played basketball and played football as well. Never got a chance to dabble into golf or tennis, or maybe I wouldn't be here. But, definitely, you know, I look look at it back, I said, man, I was somebody would have put a golf club in my hand at an early age, you know, I mean, it might be a different story. But, yeah, put, you know, baseball is the first sport that got me going.

Michael Doss [: 00:03:45

I had a lot of fun with that play for the Kent Mighty Mike New York Yankees, Kent Mighty White Yankees, and my uncle was a coach on the staff, and, you know, it kinda bought the whole thing of camaraderie, working hard, you know, building friendships, sacrificing on, you know, on baseball, you know, there may be a sacrifice, but or you gotta, you know, you're trying to steal a base and, you know, you may pitch one game and then next, you know, you're in left field, you know. So Mhmm. And that sport kinda taught me to be a very learned athleticism through different positions. I was actually a left handed catcher. When I kinda got to, like, 9 years old, they put me at catcher because I had the strongest arm to try to throw guys out of 2nd base or for stealing. And But, football kinda kicked in. I was, I went as a 8 as well that summer, after baseball, fall was coming and I wanted to play football. And then I started with the, the Kent Vikings, little league Vikings, and my coach was Carl Jeter.

Michael Doss [: 00:05:02

He's still still there now, still, participating in youth football even to this day, some, you know, 30 some years later. And I started as a cornerback. So I was a corner, 8 year old 8 years old playing corner, and I was playing with the 9 10 year olds playing up. And I was able to start as a as a 8 year old with a 9 10 year old. So, the opportunity, I think, just the the I was aggressive, and I wanted to hit people. So I think the coach took a liking to me. Like, hey. He'll he'll try to make a tackle.

Michael Doss [: 00:05:36

Right. I might not be as big as the other guys, but at least he's not afraid.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:05:39

Stick your nose in there.

Michael Doss [: 00:05:40

Stick your nose in there. Stick your nose in there. I'll stick, you know, stick my nose in there and try to have some fun and ended up, you know, moving the running back when I was 9 and then quarterback when I was 10, but I always played defense. I always was the, the corner or I ended up moving to safety, being the last line of defense, you know, young. Those little league, they always say, hey, the best player last line defense, you know, and we do touchdown, save a tackle. So, did that and I just think the the sport itself, football, baseball, basketball, just athletically, I think a lot of kids these days specialize too early. You know, my my advice would be, you know, continue to let, these young young kids, you know, train and play all sports all around because you just never know which sport may, be the turn or give them an opportunity to go to the next level. But if you specialize them too early, they could get burned out.

Michael Doss [: 00:06:38

They could know, eventually, you know, stop growing. I mean, some guys are great athletes, 11, 12, sometimes 14 years old, 15 years old, and then they get to high school. And now everybody's everybody's their same size. Everyone's hitting the weight room. Everyone's, you know

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:06:54

so I You can lose love for the game Absolutely. When you when you being focused to be, at this camp. Right. You gotta you gotta lift during these hours. You gotta the same thing that turn students off to school can turn them off from sports if you, like, just make it a job. Exactly. And the and the and the for the great ones, it's not a job. They playing a game and then join the game.

Michael Doss [: 00:07:22

Exactly. You wanna keep it fun. Keep keep keep the experience fun. You know? It's like you can you wanna be good. You wanna pursue excellence, and nothing's wrong with that. But at the same time, like you stated, you don't wanna burn a kid out too early. Got them personal training, lifting weights, and doing certain things to a level where it now becomes a job. It's like, hey.

Michael Doss [: 00:07:42

You can work the rest. You're gonna work the rest of your life at some point because sports were always in at some point.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:07:46

Yeah. It's gonna come natural.

Michael Doss [: 00:07:48

Yep.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:07:49

And when you love the game, you're gonna work hard and not even realize that you're working. You know, all of the you know, most of the great ones, while they're great, they they the same in practice as they are on game day. But Little League Football, I tell you, I grew up in a small town. And I've been able to accomplish many things over my 56 years of life. And we had Port City Football League, everything. Okay.

Michael Doss [: 00:08:19

I'm

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:08:20

playing for the Port City Genies and the Labor Bowl. That's like the big deal. You practicing all weeks in advance, the whole month of August, getting ready for the Labor Bowl. -Nice. -Like an 80 yard touchdown dude ran back. And I got called for clipping. Oh, no. Still remember that.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:08:38

I'm the county administrator for the largest county in the state of Ohio, and I still remember getting called for clipping in the Labor Bowl when I was, like, 12 years old.

Michael Doss [: 00:08:48

Oh, wow.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:08:49

Still still scarred by it. Right. That's how that's how important good league football is. Man, I had to go on that sideline. I did not wanna see my coach. I did not wanna see my coach.

Michael Doss [: 00:08:59

Hate that feeling. Definitely hate

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:09:01

that feeling. Yards. Right. I ain't I'm thinking I can't even go I can't even go over here and talk to my parents right now. I don't nobody loves Ken Wilson right now. He didn't got a call for Clippett right at the beginning of the game. So, I mean, you learn lessons in sports because I can go give speeches now in front of hundreds of people, and I ain't as nervous as I was when I got called for clipping. I had

Michael Doss [: 00:09:24

to go

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:09:24

to the sideline. -That's the facts.

Michael Doss [: 00:09:25

-The whole town looking. -Yeah. That's the facts.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:09:27

-You know? So sports build you up and prepare you, I tell you, for life, because I can still vividly remember. Like, oh, man. They didn't call me for blocking them back. I'm hyped. I'm just hyped. I'm like, oh, that well, the kids say it ain't so. But anyway, that's a little that's a little bonus content for talk of the county. And that's why I didn't sign a letter of intent.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:09:51

Today or yesterday, probably, they were they saw they saw that film and that clipping call and say he ain't gonna be he won't be playing for us. But, getting back to serious business, you was eventually recruited by Ohio State, to play football here. But your first experience with Ohio State, was through the Young Scholars Program. And talk about how that ignited, a connection for you even before, the athletics all fell in.

Michael Doss [: 00:10:25

Absolutely. So the, Ohio State Young Scholars Program is a program that's, in 30 35 years and running, where they watch, the 9 major cities, will have students selected in their public school systems by their teachers from the 6th grade on, until you graduate a high school where they watched you academically, annually. You would have meetings monthly, quarterly, and every summer. I actually had the opportunity to come to the Ohio State, campus and stay on campus for a week or 2 weeks at a time, back in the the early nineties and actually build a rapport with the university. And it's kinda ironic as well. I actually met my wife in that program when we were 12 years old. So that's another story we would tell on another talk of the county, but the Young Scholars Program, I was nominated, you know, based off my family's financial hardship and then my academic prowess. You were able to earn almost up actually, up to a full scholarship.

Michael Doss [: 00:11:34

So, that program, I got to come down every summer since I was in 7th grade and stay I stayed at the South Campus, stayed stayed in Straddley dorms. I stayed in the stadium dorms. I didn't even know the stadium had dorms at that time in the early nineties and stayed right there, in the horseshoe, stayed on North Campus. So I've seen the growth of, Ohio State, over the years just through that program and then making friends in 9 major cities, Cleveland, Youngstown, you know, Akron, Toledo, Cincinnati, Dayton, I'm a Canton, Ohio. I'm just maybe a I'll, another one, Lorraine. So just the 9 major cities, being able to make friendships, lifelong friendships, and, you know, see each other every summer is a lot of fun. So the Young Scholars Program is still going. I'll I'll still support it.

Michael Doss [: 00:12:30

I'm a contributor, you know, paying it forward in Ohio State way, through that program, but, definitely, the connection for Mike Doss, to come to Ohio State was long before athletics, in my childhood academically. So, you know, then after athletics kicked in, I got my scholarship offer, my junior year, and, high school after winning a state championship, and and the rest is history.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:12:59

Yeah. I mean, programs like the Young Scholars are so important because it's very difficult, particularly, when you come from, marginalized, underrepresented communities, to be something you've never seen before. I mean, you can, you can, you can Google, you can read, but to be on a college campus and to, meet, people going through the experience, people that that that look like me and you, you can think that, why not me?

Michael Doss [: 00:13:34

Absolutely.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:13:35

Why not me? And that's what makes those programs, so important. And that leads me to my next question, mentorship. Can you talk about the value of mentors? You know, touch upon those that have been mentors in your life, both here at the Ohio State University and beyond who you who you come in contact with?

Michael Doss [: 00:13:57

Yes. Mentoring is, is huge. Just when you you know, I look back at my time, you know, here at Ohio State, a, you you know, just coming in as a 18 year old kid, you know, wanting to be a football player, wanting to be a part of this program, you know, you you realize, how hard it is. I was lucky enough that one of my former teammate 2 of my former teammates, Jamar Martin and Kenny Peterson, who went to Camp McKinney along with me, were also here already at the program. And so that they kinda mentored me when I first got here to say, hey. This is how how this is Ohio State Way. This is the expectation. And then from, an athletic standpoint, I mean, I grew up, you know, fall on Michael Jordan.

Michael Doss [: 00:14:47

You know, I watched Jack Tatum. I never even knew Jack Tatum went was a Ohio State graduate until I got to Ohio State, and he was walking the hallway.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:14:55

And

Michael Doss [: 00:14:55

I looked up, and I'm like, man, that's Jack Tatum. He's like he comes in our DB room with our coach, John Tanuta, and he's like, hey, guys. You know, you wanna when you get out there and hit, you better hit him with that forearm, put it up right up under your chin, showing you a man, and then just the mentorship. But to answer your question, you know, my my mentor, mentors, I would say, was my uncle Larry who helped raise me, my uncle Steve, who was the 1st college graduate in our family, uncle Steve Doss. So he had that experience. And just like you said, being the first, I will call it, what's the what's the word I'm 1st generation. 1st generation college student. He had that experience.

Michael Doss [: 00:15:37

He went to a small school called Tiffin, but in Ohio, but then to tell me, hey. When you get to campus, that's how you need to carry yourself. This is, you know, how you need to talk. That's how you need to be in front row in class and make sure because the student athletes gonna get picked on by the counselors and teachers and everyone anyway because the expectation is we were just, you know, jocks, and we just we didn't care about academics. So I was one that would, you know, dress, wear a polo shirt, khakis to class, and then I would go in and sit in the front row, ask questions just to let the teacher know I'm here, I'm present, just to show, you know, that, I wanna really participate, and and learning, you know, and and the learning process. So mentorship, when I was here, you know, I met Ty Howard. He was just, just leaving. He had left in 96.

Michael Doss [: 00:16:27

He was a a cornerback here, secondary guy, and then Tim Patillo. Tim Patillo was a former safety here, that actually played in the big game, played here, and then he became our player development. So Tim was one of the people that pulled me aside and said, hey, Mike. As as well as your athletics, I want you to go out. When you meet people, shake your hands, ask for the business card, figure out who they are, and build a relationship with them. Because at the end of the day, you know, there's gonna be life after football. And he had he was in that experience at my time in 99. So now as I'm coming through the program and I'm seeing the different donors and, you know, relationships being built.

Michael Doss [: 00:17:12

And I say, hey. You know, I need to make make shake some hands, kiss babies as well Yeah. And and make and make some rapport.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:17:18

We definitely gonna talk about that. Life life preparing yourself for life after football.

Michael Doss [: 00:17:24

Exactly. Yeah.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:17:25

Because the ride is beautiful. Mhmm. I mean, I've I've never you know, I can never imagine what the ride is like. But it you know, you got you you you well compensated by any measure. Today's numbers for contracts are one thing. But when they weren't in, that was a lot of money then. Might not seem like a lot of money now.

Michael Doss [: 00:17:48

Correct.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:17:48

But just to have that opportunity to know that there are just fewer than 2 a half percent

Michael Doss [: 00:17:56

Yes.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:17:57

Of all of those that scrap it up, like me that got called for clipping in in the label bowl, and 12 year old don't make it. Correct. They don't make it to beyond high school football, which is where the day ended for me. Mhmm. High school football, then you go to college, and you play Division 1 football. That itself is a special privilege. But then to go on and play in the National Football League

Michael Doss [: 00:18:28

Yeah. I mean, it's when when you think about it, I I I I try to correlate it to an analogy. If I was if you're were at, CMH airport and it was gonna take you to LAX, and it was only a 2% chance that that plane was gonna land in LA, would you get on that plane? And a 100% of people will say no. They will say no. And the reality of it, you know, when you're young and ambitious and you dream big, you know, and I I and I I remember looking at those numbers during coming up and, you know, playing and getting or starting to get recruited and getting letters, and I was just like, you know, the high school chance is, like, a 3% chance you go to division 1 college football, then just then it goes to, like you said, 2 a half percent Mhmm. To get drafted. And I was just like, well, if I go to Ohio State, my percentage points may go up. This is one of the biggest programs in the country.

Michael Doss [: 00:19:23

I might get to a 5%. Right. You know? Then, you know, if I play well, if I'm a all American or something, then that adds another couple percentage points and whatnot. But at the end of the day, collectively, I think I probably maybe got to about 15%. Right. But you

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:19:38

woulda got on that plane. You know? You woulda got on that plane because you just went on the tour. Yes. And you they, look. Gentlemen will ask you, the young guys, like, why you look so upset on me?

Michael Doss [: 00:19:50

You were hungry.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:19:52

Hungry is a positive thing. You were like, I'm ready to hurt somebody.

Michael Doss [: 00:19:57

Try to make, by any means, necessary.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:19:59

I'm gonna work my way to get to the front of the film room and not the back

Michael Doss [: 00:20:03

of the film room. Correct.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:20:05

You used the same mentality that you touched upon when you said you wore the polo and the khaki. Mhmm. Ask a lot of questions. Because you, you know, you know you gotta be exceptional. Because at anything in life, first you gotta dream.

Michael Doss [: 00:20:21

Right.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:20:21

And it take people to dream towards something. Some people stop there. They just had a dream and they stop there. Correct. Then you gotta have a plan.

Michael Doss [: 00:20:29

Yeah. Gotta have

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:20:30

a plan. Some people have a plan and they stop there. Correct. Then when you put the plan together, you gotta put the work in.

Michael Doss [: 00:20:36

You gotta put the action

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:20:37

behind it. And you gotta put the action behind it, and then you gotta see how that's gonna turn out. Oh, no. And then Yes. The cycle repeats.

Michael Doss [: 00:20:46

Yes. Over and over again.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:20:47

Over and over again.

Michael Doss [: 00:20:48

Because and and this at this at that level of sports, you're being evaluated every day. It's not, hey. I made one good play today, and then I think I'm gonna be the solidified starter for the rest of the season. No. You gotta continue to make plays every day. You gotta make new plays, new plays, new plays. Then it's another season. You gotta prove yourself again.

Michael Doss [: 00:21:10

Gotta make plays and go out and earn the right to be a starter. I mean, Ohio State alone, I mean, I was coming into a program where, you know, the likes of Sean Springs, Antoine Winfield, Deneight Clements, you know, these guys are perennial college superstars, and I'm coming in here as a, you know, young freshman with hey. With no name, no understanding of what it what it's gonna take and try to earn a starting job. And then I fought my way through my my freshman year a little bit and ended up breaking into the starting lineup and had a chance to start against Todd Brady at the big house in 1995.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:21:44

Right. Right. Right. Right. You know what

Michael Doss [: 00:21:45

I mean? Where you say, every day, you're proving your worth and you're proving that you're worthy. You wanna earn it, you know, on on the field. And I think from just the the level of, the experiences, as you were stating, that experience when you're chasing it, you don't really realize how big it is until you look back when it's over. Like, when I was just a young dog trying to eat, like, now I was I'm I wanna give myself a chance to be successful, and I'm competing, and I'm wanting to earn an opportunity. And next thing you know, I'm a sophomore all American, and I never really chalked it up to say, hey. I'm one of the best defensive backs in the country. I'm like, hey. I wanna wanna win some games.

Michael Doss [: 00:22:28

It was it was Right. 84 as a sophomore. Right? So Right. Now I come back my junior year, I become another all American, and I'm like, hey. I got a chance to go pro. Do I decide to stay? Do I decide to leave? But I still have to prove it another year. And, ultimately, you know, my mom, you know, weighed in on me very heavily on my decision making and wanted me to stay in school and be the 1st college graduate on my mother's side because my father and my mother were never married. So on her side, she wanted me to be the 1st college graduate of all her children.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:23:01

Mhmm.

Michael Doss [: 00:23:01

And, you know, I decided to stay, and I said, I'm only staying for, to get my degree and to win an absolute championship, being a winner from Camp McKinley, winning, you know, on little league levels and middle school levels and just wanting to lead the program better than when I came in. Because I was recruited in 97. We lost to your alma mater, Michigan State, in 97, and to not go to to I

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:23:29

was in the I was in the horseshoe. I remember vividly. The upset when they beat us in It was a gigantic upset.

Michael Doss [: 00:23:35

They beat us, and, we did not get a chance to play

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:23:37

for the Knicks. Just did not had a all day in the office.

Michael Doss [: 00:23:41

They did not show up, but, so I was a bit Not every

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:23:44

reason behind that, but that's the subject for another podcast. Yep. I won't go into sports analysis, but I sit there and witness some things that was done a little bit differently than they have been done all season.

Michael Doss [: 00:23:56

Right. Right. So but then ultimately, I come in. My freshman year, we go 6 and 6. I stayed in my sophomore year, we go 8 and 4. You know, my junior year, we go 8 and 5. So I'm just literally looking at the opportunity to go pro or or stay, but I wanted Ohio State to be in better hands and a better program. And I decided to ultimately stay, and I said I wanna stand and get my degree and win the national championship.

Michael Doss [: 00:24:20

And we make the greatest run-in college football history in 2002 that's never been matched until just, I think a year or 2 ago, 14 wins in a single season, and, you know, beat the perennial, all all time great team, Miami Hurricanes.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:24:36

Yeah. I mean, that was, Columbus, in Franklin County. On a previous podcast, I talked about how people here love to win. -Yes. -And your seats can get light. We just can't, like, embrace losing. And, like, some some of our we have some professional franchises in this great state of Ohio where fans are just so loyal. It don't really you know, don't matter if they win.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:25:06

But here, inside of the out of in inside the outer belt

Michael Doss [: 00:25:10

-Yes.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:25:11

You gotta win, baby. Yeah. Or, yeah. People ain't gonna be, like, cheering you on. You know, you ain't gonna go in the store and everybody smiling and happy and embracing you. Right. They be like, well, how many days is it before you play Michigan again? Exactly. You know, that's just that's just the that's the mentality.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:25:30

But that's okay because I think that it spills over in other aspects of life here living in Franklin County. It makes you it makes people hyper competitive. It makes the fact that even though we're the 14th largest city, we're always thinking above our weight. We're always thinking and and striving to to do more. And, I think that that's a valuable thing. Ed, you know, you knew that you wanted to go into the National Football League, as you outlined. But when on day 1, when you signed the contract with the Indianapolis Colts, did you also, in the back of your mind, think about life after football? I I think it would be difficult to do that. Yeah.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:26:23

That's a great question.

Michael Doss [: 00:26:25

I mean, it was it was all We

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:26:26

are humans and

Michael Doss [: 00:26:27

We are. You think

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:26:28

you can play for us? You don't think you're that person. You don't think about the statistics. For all the reasons you made it

Michael Doss [: 00:26:35

Right.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:26:35

You won't think about the statistics. Right.

Michael Doss [: 00:26:39

So so for me, you know, getting drafted 2nd round to Indianapolis Colts under Tony Dungey, was a phenomenal experience. You know, like you said, going in, I remember the day signing my contract, getting my signing bonus. And this is a true story. I get my sign bonus. They hand me a check, and I didn't have a bank account. I had a I had a bank I didn't have a bank account locally. They hand me the check. They said, well, where you gonna go? I said, I gotta go find the bank.

Michael Doss [: 00:27:04

So I got in the car, drove straight to PNC, and, I remember the lady's name was Carol. And I walk in. I said, hey. I I got drafted to Indianapolis Colts. I'm I need to open the bank account. She looked at the check. She said, oh, yeah. You need to open the bank account right now.

Michael Doss [: 00:27:20

You need to open one right right here right now. And, open open that bank account, but the vision of me, I thought, would play, you know, get 10, 15 years, be a a hall of famer, NFL hall of famer, all pro this, win 3, 4 Super Bowls. And I'm just like, hey. I'm just doing what I've been doing since I was 8 years old. You know? And ultimately, I had a 6 year career, a short span, and, you know, you realize, you know, for me, I remember my 4th year of my contract season and, playing in the Washington Redskins. That's about 2 minutes left in the gang. And, I said, normal routine play. A guard comes up.

Michael Doss [: 00:28:01

I try to kinda scoop and kinda get get around him, and he just pushed me over, and I heard him pop in my knee. And I just remember laying on the ground, and it felt like a little air went out of the tire or something like, like a little and I was like, I grabbed my leg. I kinda tried to move it. I couldn't move it for a second, then it came back. I said, oh, man. I'm hurt. I said, I can't get up. And I remember laying on that turf, and I was like, man, if this is it, what am I gonna do next? Because my contract year and I was just like, oh my gosh.

Michael Doss [: 00:28:35

And ultimately, I got surgery within, like, 2 weeks. And even though I stayed my senior year at Ohio State, we won an Astros championship, I still did not finish my undergrad degree. So that following this was October 2006, I signed up for classes at Ohio State in January 2007, and I was enrolled in on campus finishing up my undergrad degree on crutches, going to class, not knowing what my NFL future would be like. And that was the start of my transition of kinda like life after football, that forward thinking as to after the game, what am I going to do? How am I gonna move forward? And I just remember laying on that turf thinking I did not make the, you know, a gazillion dollars and I'm I didn't I'm I may never play, you know, I might not gonna reach my goal.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:29:28

To the bank though and open up an account. Because when I was 22 Yes. And they would gave me a check, I probably would've asked, where has the nearest Mercedes Benz dealership? And took my check, and then I said, can I cash this check to get this? It's been as of when I was 22.

Michael Doss [: 00:29:44

Right. Right. But I

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:29:45

know that's what I would've did. I would've saved a little I would've saved a little, but I don't want you to be I

Michael Doss [: 00:29:50

would've went

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:29:50

to the Mercedes Benz dealership.

Michael Doss [: 00:29:52

Well, I had a rewind.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:29:54

On 56 today, though, I rewind to 22. That's where I would've been at.

Michael Doss [: 00:29:59

Well, I I I did buy Benz at some point. I did do all that. I had my fun.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:30:03

I had a I had a

Michael Doss [: 00:30:04

nice little run as a professional. You know, when you're young, you know, and you just you you think it's always gonna be there, and it's always the next one's coming. And so but I was, had a, my wife now, a smart girlfriend in, and she would always tell me, she's like, tomorrow's not a promise, so you better put a little something away for tomorrow. She's like so I always she was always standing there on on my neck a little bit.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:30:29

Right. Yeah. It always take that. It's good. It's good to have it. It's a blessing to have it because otherwise, you see some individuals that get on a 30 for 30 and it ain't for good. It's for the reason. It ain't for

Michael Doss [: 00:30:40

the right reasons at all. So no. But no. I just and I like you just said, when you're thinking about life after the game, and then what really helped as I finished so I went to class at 07 spring, got some classes the Vikings end up signing me. So I went to Minnesota for the 2007 season, had a chance to play with NFL Hall of Famer to be Adrian Peterson, his rookie year, was phenomenal to watch. Finished that season on a 1 year deal, and then I came back in January again in spring of 2008 and actually walked with my undergrad degree in 2008, and fulfill my mother's wish of me being a 1st college graduate and her side of the family of her kid of her children and walked in the spring commencement right there in the Horseshoe, a beautiful hot day, one of the hottest days ever. They say they think today's hot. It was hot that day.

Michael Doss [: 00:31:33

We was out there in a horseshoe and, but it was a great experience that filled her wish and, you know, it, it it kinda kinda cemented. We know the things are that come next that life there is life after football and, you know, how will I take those steps and move forward?

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:31:51

Mhmm. Yeah. We're sitting here looking at, national championship ring, which you stated. That was an incredible, accomplishment in a team game. Because as you stated, nobody thought it was possible. That hurricane team was flat out loaded. Log in. Yes.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:32:15

Beast of the game. I mean, they were they were saying that I remember all the press conference and leading up to the game. They was like, y'all were running in high grass. They were telling me how fast the 40 times was of Miami players. And, you know, that that ended. You know, couple of couple of you guys just, you know, that were alpha males was like, we can run too. I don't know if y'all do. I don't know if y'all seen us yet, but Right.

Michael Doss [: 00:32:39

Right. It's

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:32:40

kinda like y'all ain't seen us, but we can run too.

Michael Doss [: 00:32:42

Right. So a couple

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:32:43

of your teammates I mean, I just been with press conferences, even though you had to be humble because, you know, you had to go out there and shot the world. You know, but I look at that game on the level of when James Buster Douglas beat Mike Tyson.

Michael Doss [: 00:32:58

-Really?

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:32:58

-I mean -Okay. I mean, that was an incredible upset. Maybe, you know you're probably saying, no. Don't say it with that big upset because y'all knew something that I didn't know because y'all

Michael Doss [: 00:33:07

well, we kinda what we our thing was we knew we had a tough stingy defense. We knew our offense was optimistic, and they would make plays when they had to. We didn't have, you know, this averaging 35 points a game, 40 points a game type offense, but we play really well, and our special teams are really good. Our kicking game was really great with Andy Groom and Mike Nugent. And I think for us, when we kinda watched the film so back you know, in that time, it wasn't a playoff. It was about a 6 week span, 5 to 6 week span from the end of the season until the championship game. So we really had a month to prepare Mhmm. For these guys, and we started watching the tape.

Michael Doss [: 00:33:48

And we're like, they just play bully ball. They got the better athletes. They just line up. Mhmm. And they're going they're running the same place every game. So no matter from the first game of the season to the last game of the season, when we saw their formations come out and we were like, if they just come out here and line up in these formations and think they're just gonna bully us, they got the wrong one. And, you know, we were on the plane traveling out there out to Arizona. I'll never forget it.

Michael Doss [: 00:34:16

Thomas Matthews came with this flyer. He's from, Florida area. And, he came with this flyer. It was like, hey, man. Miami's set up. They're already, promoting their back to back national championship party. And we was, like, on the plane, I want I read that flyer. I'm walking around, saw the players.

Michael Doss [: 00:34:34

I said, you see this? You see what they've been trying to do? Do you see what they're setting up?

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:34:37

All the celebrities.

Michael Doss [: 00:34:37

I was like, all the celebrity names on there, Reggie Wang, Edmond James, my future teammate, and Warren Sapp and all these guys. And I'm just like, they they already got their party plan. I said, you know what? We're gonna crash that party, and we're gonna have a party in Tempe, and they're gonna be upset. And all the guys was focused, and, you know, we went out there, and and we shocked the world. It wasn't easy. We probably really won in the regular regulation. They would have called a holding on Chris Gant on the the corner of Chris Gamble, But, ultimately, you know, it took double overtime, and we pulled it out. Mhmm.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:35:10

Yeah. That was, that's just a tremendous feat. And and what's been the theme of our conversation, in my opinion, on this podcast has been, preparation and planning. You all had studied, and have prepared, and and have put in work. And when you do that, you can overcome any kind of odds, when you when you're willing to put when you're willing to put in the work and, perseverance. Absolutely. Because you all in that game, it didn't like y'all went out there and just crushed him. Y'all had to get up off the mat a couple of times.

Michael Doss [: 00:35:53

Facts.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:35:54

Had to make a few special plays

Michael Doss [: 00:35:56

Yes.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:35:56

During the course of that game.

Michael Doss [: 00:35:58

Yes.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:35:58

I mean, who won't remember when Maurice could wear it when they took the ball back

Michael Doss [: 00:36:03

From Sean Taylor. I'll rest it somewhere.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:36:05

On the in on the interception.

Michael Doss [: 00:36:06

On the interception. Yep.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:36:08

I mean, without that without plays like that Mhmm. That's that perseverance. And I talked about, my with my staff about the value of having a plan because life is gonna hit you with things.

Michael Doss [: 00:36:21

Oh.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:36:22

And if you don't have a plan, you're constantly in a state of flux. And

Michael Doss [: 00:36:26

You ain't lying.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:36:26

You know, quote, you know, quoted, you know, one of Mike Tyson quotes I always take in is that he said, Everybody got plans till they happen. -You can't get

Michael Doss [: 00:36:34

hit. -His whole

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:36:35

whole thing was, he gonna make people blow massive amounts of pay per view money because he was gonna go out and just rush the person and knock them out. Stay on no plane. But the night, that didn't work. Right. Right. It's not. Right. You saw.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:36:51

We know how that turned out.

Michael Doss [: 00:36:53

Yes. And I think, you know what You

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:36:54

met Buster Buster Douglas jab

Michael Doss [: 00:36:56

for Exactly.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:36:56

He he it did

Michael Doss [: 00:36:58

not work that night for him in the plan. He was not. He did not. And I and I correlated to the 5 p's as you said. We I'll always use, you know, proper preparation prevents poor performance. And that was something that, I learned, you know, under, coach Dungey. And then even now in life after sports, you know, that's something I still carry. Proper preparation prevents poor performance.

Michael Doss [: 00:37:25

And it, it allows, you know, if you're prepared for the moment, then there's nothing that can happen or something that is shocking that can throw you off. And now you may have to make a audible or a quick decision on the fly, but in the sense, your thought process, if you're, you know, strategically calculating, you know, all the options, and if you do have to make that that quick snap decision, we are prepared because you've already planned for that audible. Hey. If this audible needs to happen, this is where we're going with it. So, you know, that's something I I continue to carry with me daily, and and and my and my current career in commercial real estate here in Central Ohio. I did that in medical sales, while I was with Johnson and Johnson and Zimmer Biomet, collectively for 10 years with those guys. And even with my transition, I'm I'm I know we're kinda talking on that, in 2008 when the game ended for me. That was my last accredited season coming into the spring of 2009.

Michael Doss [: 00:38:25

Obama had just got an office. We had just went into a recession. And, you know, I'm a retired athlete trying to, you know, figure out what's my next day job is gonna be. And I remember making a call to James Smith. I called James Smith and said, you know, you know, I don't know what I wanna do just yet. I just got my degree in the spring, you know, summer commencement of 2,008. Can I just come learn the university in ways with the Young Scholars Program? I had a relationship there, knowing Ohio State. And I said, can I just come learn the ways of university to decide, build a resume up, write my resume out, and just figure out if I wanna go into coaching? I was kinda, like, under trestle a little bit, kinda learning, do I wanna go into coaching? And then deciding, you know, do I wanna go into corporate America? And just my entrepreneurship and my business mind, I I went and sat down with Gene, followed him for about 6 to 8 months, and I kinda went to some meetings and and dinners and, you know, help raise money for university and and things like that at that time.

Michael Doss [: 00:39:26

And I kinda realized, like, you know, I could do sales. I was like, I could get into sales and, you know, made made the opportunity to go into medical. And I my first job offer came from, up there in that state of that that state of north. So I put my resume out, sent out, you know, email blast. And if anybody in the medical space knows, there's some, you know, websites like medrevs.com, search engines where you can go search out medical jobs. And I put a email blast out and actually had us some interviews, up in that that state of North. And a guy was like, hey. The distributor was like, hey.

Michael Doss [: 00:40:04

I know some people on Columbus. Let me make a call. And that kinda kick kicked off my career in medical here in Central Ohio.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:40:11

Yeah. One of the things that I, really, had to give value to is that most athletes, have to decide what they wanna be when they grow up twice. Right. You know Say

Michael Doss [: 00:40:27

that one more time.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:40:28

Most athletes have to decide what they wanna be when they grow up twice. Right? And there's not many that doesn't happen to many people. Should we change jobs, as adults to different things? But athletes are unique in the fact that they have to make that decision twice.

Michael Doss [: 00:40:47

Correct.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:40:48

So they go from playing a get being paid Mhmm. To play a game

Michael Doss [: 00:40:52

Yes.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:40:52

And they are a professional athlete Mhmm. Flying on charter jets and living that whole glamorous life. But then, that ends. Yes. Because only a few make so much money that they really can just like not figure out anything and do anything else.

Michael Doss [: 00:41:11

Right, right.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:41:12

You know? Right. Because how many restaurants have we seen around the countries? Some of them have made it.

Michael Doss [: 00:41:18

Some of them don't.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:41:18

Some of them think long gone.

Michael Doss [: 00:41:20

Most of them and most of them do not make it. Yes, sir. Or construction companies or,

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:41:26

you know, or auto dealerships. It's like, you know, it's some common some common pathways. But with you, one of the one of the principles of Ohio State is paying it forward. And you have, from my observation of what you're doing currently in commercial real estate, has blended in paying it forward in in the things you aspiring to do. Talk a little bit about that.

Michael Doss [: 00:41:58

Absolutely. You know, obviously joining the Robert Weiler company there in, 2020, right at the start of COVID was, me taking a chance and even taking it a step back. In 2019, I went back to the Ohio State Fisher School of Business to get, my master's degree, and that's a master in business operational excellence. That was something that I I aspired to while I was in medical. I wanted to get a master's, and then a lot of those programs were 18 months, 24 months. And the mboe program was a 13 month program, and then just the timing kinda worked out. I looked at that program for about 2 years, kinda there in 17 18, but it worked out, in 19 that I could get into the program. And I want, you know, to I was thinking that I wanna go higher level corporate and medical or just from, again, my entrepreneurship mindset.

Michael Doss [: 00:42:53

I was already investing in real estate, somewhat early on, and, I had a few rental properties, little onesie twosies here and there. And then, ultimately, you know, me and my business partner have bought, you know, some vacation rentals down to Florida at a at a point in time, and that was fun. You know, down by Disney and, you know, the VRBO Airbnb thing was was really hot, at that time. And then kinda I said, you know what? Because if I'm looking at HGTV every night, you know, my wife just wants to do these renovation things, and I'm just like, you know what? Why why won't I just make this my lifestyle? Real estate is something I've already had a connection to, already had a a a relationship with, and I was was able to make that decision, say, I got my masters. Let's start fresh. Let's start over. Let's reinvent myself again. As you said, grow up again.

Michael Doss [: 00:43:42

Right? And, I went back, I had a personal relationship and had a coffee with Skip Weiler. And all of a sudden, Skip was like, hey. You know, you wanna join the organization that we we got some opportunity here. We're losing a couple sales guys, and you can learn the business. And here we are, 4 years later, been, you know, in the organization. Bob, has been great. Skip has been great, and Jim has been awesome. And this is a great story about Bob.

Michael Doss [: 00:44:10

So when I actually come in, I met Skip, you know, out of the office. We had coffee and our little networking and building rapport. And I and he's like, hey. Meet me at a couple different meetings, and I go to, a a county meeting. I won't say what what county it is, but I go to the county meeting and I walk in, and I'm the only minority in the room. And I kinda, you know, look around and I see, like, there's a lot of influence, a lot of the powerful decision makers in this room. And I remember, and I said, hey. You know, they were like, hey.

Michael Doss [: 00:44:41

You know, what do you hear? Who you here for? You know? We all know Skip. He Skip gonna be that 2, 3 minute. You know? He come in at 2, 3 minute. Mhmm. You know, he walking in. And, so I had beat Skip there. I was there early, and I was like, yeah. I'm here with, Skip Wyler.

Michael Doss [: 00:44:56

And and the tone in the room was like, oh, really? Like, he was Skip. Oh, okay. Oh, come on in. Alright. Yeah. You alright. And then it was like, what's your name? I was like, Mike Dawson. I said, Mike Dawson.

Michael Doss [: 00:45:06

I mean, former Buckeye, Mike Dawson.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:45:09

I'm like,

Michael Doss [: 00:45:09

yes, sir. He's like, oh, okay. Oh, man. You you okay with us? Come on in here. And, you could just see the energy in the room and just people started to just, you know, gravitate and just kinda, you know, what do you wanna aspire to do? How can we help you? And, you know, then ultimately so now I go into my office of the store. I was going down that line was when I go in to meet, with Bob, my first time meeting Bob Wyler, I walk into Robert Wyler down there downtown, and Bob walks in with a number 2 jersey on. And he goes he goes, Mike. He goes, Mike.

Michael Doss [: 00:45:43

He was like he was like, you're number 2 in the program, but you're number 1 in my heart for Stan for your senior year.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:45:50

Oh, god. For Stan

Michael Doss [: 00:45:52

for Stan for your senior year. And and, I think

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:45:55

I think I I think I got a job. I think I got a job. I think I got one

Michael Doss [: 00:46:01

a day. I think so so but they've been great. A lot of

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:46:02

Double what it was.

Michael Doss [: 00:46:04

A a great organization to be a part of. I mean, the commitment to the community that they have and the philanthropy and just and just the products and and the things that they do, you know, just bringing quality, you know, all around the city Mhmm. And just helping the city grow. You know, that, and which and aspiring for me knowing that it was a family atmosphere in the office. And Rob and Skip asked me, they go, what are your endeavors? How do you how do you see real estate in your future? And I go, I wanna learn all aspects of the business. I wanna have ownership. I wanna get into development. And these are the things that they've been supporting for the last 4 years.

Michael Doss [: 00:46:44

And, you know, you know, having the opportunity to break into, the break actually, I mean, reword that. Getting selected to get into the emerging developers accelerated program with the affordable housing trust of Columbus and the partnership that they have with Franklin County. Mhmm. That program, was truly a godsend, for myself, other, cohort, members, you know, Aaron McDaniels being a a a young developer, Otto Beatty, you know, being a young developer. You know, this program has given us access, to, funding sources, resources, relationships in the city of Columbus to allow, minority developers, women, you know, people of color the opportunity to to break into development. So Mhmm. As you stated, you know, that is, my goal is to break into development, working on some things now. I'm kinda under the radar, but just, you know, trying to figure out the right opportunity and and and moving forward.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:47:53

Yeah. Real estate is one of those areas where you can generate wealth if you got access to capital.

Michael Doss [: 00:48:02

Correct.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:48:03

You can, make the right, purchases, the right acquisitions, and, actually actually be able to to help people do at the same time. And, you know, that's really, you know, what it's about. It's about, making contributions, beyond just yourself to benefit, being able to position yourself to do that. And, you know, you with a you with a great company that I know that are friends of The Ohio State University in many ways and support nonprofit partners like the cancer support community.

Michael Doss [: 00:48:40

Yes.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:48:42

Doing a lot of that, you know, giving back, pan you know, giving back. This community, is only strong, is is weakest residents. And we we talk in Franklin County all the time about putting people in a position not just to survive, but thrive. And we talk about looking at looking out for the interest of every resident every day. And as the, the leader in administration, I want us to not just be about talking about it, but have tangible examples of us doing it, through our work. So, this this whole hour went, I didn't get I could ask. I had a couple areas. I wanted to talk a little bit about the NIL and how that's changed the game, but, we had to catch that on another episode.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:49:35

But I wanna thank you for, providing the behind the scenes tour of, the Woody Hayes athletic facility. It is just a tremendous facility for student athletes to, develop their craft and and and take their shot, so to speak, at, getting their degree and, going to the next level. In many cases, given the level of athletes that are recruited here at Ohio State. So I wanna thank you for, allowing, those that listen to this podcast to get some insights Yes. On this university, from someone that that lived it every day during their time here. So we're gonna wrap this edition up of,

Michael Doss [: 00:50:22

Well, let's just say, again, thank you, Franklin County and the Franklin County podcast. Just the opportunity to allow me to speak and use your platform, to just let the Franklin County community see a little bit more of me. I mean, you always know me as, an athlete at my days at Ohio State, my professional days, but everyone that's seen me here in the last, I say, oof, 2008, 16 24 16 years of my life after football, I've been out of football longer than I ever been in. So, you know, to see me now, today, was just truly a blessing. You know you know, God has continuously blessed me, you know, my family, and then just the city and the Franklin County itself supporting me and my endeavors. Looking forward to doing many great things here and building on for the near the near future with with the county and the city as well.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:51:18

Yeah. I wanna see you do well, mister Doss. Because as a fellow girl dad, you need all the help you can get to be, able to, to that's a tough title to hold.

Michael Doss [: 00:51:30

Yes. Yes. I got 3 of them. I got 3 of them.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:51:33

I got 2. It's a tough title to hold being a girl dad.

Michael Doss [: 00:51:36

Yes, sir.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:51:37

And and to excel at it and for them to vote yes most days that you're doing a good job is particularly tough?

Michael Doss [: 00:51:44

Right. Well

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:51:44

And I have adult daughters, and I'm still working here.

Michael Doss [: 00:51:47

Well, I'll be remiss if I didn't say their names. Mariah, Jordan, Cadence, you know, they they are the apple of my eye, and they will always, you know, try to put a smile on my face as they are right now. And and and ultimately, my wife's Jasmine, who's from Columbus, always been, Columbus native and, you know, we really enjoy the city, the county, and everything that's happening and the growth in the city. We've and we've seen it over the last,

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:52:16

whoo, 25 years. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I've I've I know. I know. I'm blessed to be able to have had the opportunities professionally that I've had. But when I go home, there's 3 women that ruled my world, and I just follow directions and do everything that I'm supposed to do to try to stay in good graces.

Michael Doss [: 00:52:37

No. Hey. I I agree.

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:52:40

That's all

Michael Doss [: 00:52:40

I can do. I got 4 wives. You got 3, I got 4. That's all

Kenneth Wilson [: 00:52:43

I can do. I'm I'm trying I'm trying to keep keep keep going year after year. As we wrap up, this podcast, we've had a great discussion. Again, I would thank, Michael Doss, for giving us a a a Buckeye style edition of Talk of the County. And I will conclude like always saying, do you. No one else has time to.