This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed human. Liberty has never been just a word to we Americans. It has guided every one of our endeavors for the past 250 years, and now it takes form in a new way. The 2026 Semi-Quincentennial Coin and Metal Program from the United States Mint.
It celebrates the founding ideals that have long shaped our coinage. Available one year only, this historic collection features new coin designs, limited edition releases, and reissues. Shop new official coins at usmint.gov forward slash semi-q. That's usmint.gov/slash S-E-M-I-Q. This July 4th, come celebrate at America's Block Party, hosted by America 250.
America's Block Party is a can't-miss 4th of July concert happening at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Experience music performances from major artists, patriotic tributes, and the kickoff to Giving Forth, helping to make July 4th the largest day of giving in American history. It's more than just fireworks. Learn more about this landmark celebration at America250.org. I turned off news altogether.
I hate to say it, but I don't trust much of anything. It's the rage bait. It feels like it's trying to divide people. If we got clear facts, maybe we could calm down a little. NBC News brings you clear reporting.
Let's meet at the facts. Let's move forward from there. NBC News reporting for America. What's up y'all? Summer's got a different temper.
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Try the new Tropical Butterfly Refresher from Starbucks. And we continue with our American stories. Up next. A story from Rich Wingo. Wingo played football at the University of Alabama under legendary coach Paul Bear Bryant.
Brian is considered by many to be one of the greatest college football coaches of all time. Wingo also played five seasons for the Green Bay Packers from 1979 to 1984. Here's Rich Wingo with a story of how his time under Coach Bryant and with the Green Bay Packers. transformed his life. I was raised in northern Indiana.
Elkhart. It's right on the Michigan line. Coach Bryant recruited me. I was looking to go to had committed to Notre Dame and and Coach Bryant, I just felt it was too far from home. And uh actually committed to Notre Dame, And my father, I came home from that visit that weekend, and my father said, that's a great school.
You get a great education. He said, but Rich, I don't want to see you come through that back door until Christmas time. because I was 20 minutes from Notre Dame. And when you know, when he was 17 and left high school, he went and fought in the World War. And he wanted me to.
to separate. After that, that's hurt my feelings actually, you know, honestly. And I told my high school coach I wanted to visit Alabama because they had recruited me, and I did. I came down here, it was February. It was.
70 degrees and beautiful, and I left 13 below in Chicago, and but I wanted to be a part of something special, Coach Bryant. said if I wanted to be a part of something and work hard, pay a price. I was welcome. If I didn't, Put me on a plane and send me home.
Well, Coach Bryan, I don't think, liked me too much. One day at practice. A week before our first game, I was a starting middle linebacker, and he kicked me off the team, kicked me off the field. And uh I met him in his office that night after practice and He told me he thought I was a good player. He thought he was a good coach.
But he just wasn't sure if he wanted me on his team. It broke my heart, crushed me. He told me that I was satisfied and content with where I was. And he said, I want people around me that are sold out, all in, committed. And he said, Rich, you're not.
I was starting the year before as a sophomore. But that's not what he was taught. He said he could take people. Less of an athlete. He said, I can take those guys and I can win championships with those guys because they want to get a little better every single day.
And he was spot on and uh By the grace of God the next day he took me back. He told me that we'll pretend like nothing ever happened. And in fact, everything happened. Um I was The first person on the field, the last to leave, the one that was in every drill gave it everything they had. You know, in the weight room, in the film room, you know, that day, the next day, the next day.
Over a period of time, you know, I got it. I came from a place of commit content to committed and uh It's because he cared enough about me to push me. to take me to a place that I didn't want to go. And I'm so thankful that he got me there. And the years at Green Bay, the seven years I played at Green Bay, I mean, you know, I would always look back on that.
And that was the difference in my football and probably my life as far as. Effort.
So Coach Bryant had a huge impact on my life. But one thing I do worry about. Today You know, I couldn't imagine being a coach today. With Having the ability to know that if I get on this player Because he desperately needs someone to tough love him. and make him do things that he doesn't want to do.
I mean, that's what coaches do. Yeah. that he has the opportunity to never come back. He's going to the portal. He's going to transfer tomorrow.
And he's being paid. He can leave whenever he wants to leave. I mean... I'm sorry, but when I was 18, 19 years old. I was very immature.
I do stupid things. And we don't like to be told what to do at that age. I can't I couldn't imagine coaching today. You know, when I was there. We lived in a dorm.
They paid for our food. They paid for our education. Blessed. that we were getting a free education, we had to work for it. But what an honor And today, I feel like these young people feel entitled because they're made to feel entitled.
And I think it's just, I wouldn't raise my sons that way. You know, if you really love someone. The greatest thing, the best thing you can do is make them do things they don't want to do. That's the beauty of sport. But see today?
If he were to kick Rich Wingo off the team, his junior year, starting inside linebacker, I would have had My nose in the air. And I would have gone to the portal. And I would have gone to some other, just given up. and missed the greatest lesson that I could have learned. It was my um Fourth year at Green Bay.
I had it made. Married to my colleague sweetheart. starting middle linebacker for the Green Bay Packers. Man, that was my live stream. God, I mean, you know, does it get any better?
But about halfway through the season there was something terribly missing. And it had nothing to do with football. But football didn't fulfill And I came to a place in my life where I just said, there's got to be more to life than this. And, uh, I was searching. and really searching.
And God stationed a man in my life. His name was John Anderson. And he was an all-American outside linebacker for Michigan. Andy was my roommate for seven years. when we would travel on the road.
Andy was in charge of chapel services, and he would always invite me to chapel. And seldom would I ever go. We'd get in town on a Saturday afternoon. We'd meet and have chapel and then play the game on Sunday. But seldom did I go just because I knew what was right, but I always chose what was wrong.
My parents did a wonderful job. My dad was a deacon. My mom taught Sunday school. I mean, listen, I was raised in the church. I knew what was right.
It's just that I chose to do I wanted to live my life. And I was lost. You know, the Bible says. that the evidence of your salvation is by the fruit. And I was bearing no fruit.
I walked the aisle. I checked the box. I was baptized. I checked that back when I was 12 years old, but I was as lost as lost could be. And uh Andy invited me to chapel.
We were playing the New York Jets. in New York and uh He said, Rich, come, there's going to be a famous baseball player, New York Yankee, Hall of Famer. And so I thought, well. I'm searching. I'll go.
So I went, I don't even remember his name. I just remember one thing that he said. He said he envisioned Judgment Day. Being like this, and he said that he stepped through a turnstile, and Jesus Christ was seated on his right, and Satan was seated on his left. And he said, Almighty God was on this unbelievable throne.
And he said, It was just, he said, the words I couldn't even express, I couldn't even look at. He had my attention. And he said, when it was my turn, this huge semi-truck backed up. And Satan stands up, opens the tractor trailer doors, and it's packed full of computer printout paper. That the truck, you know, remember how computer printout paper was, it was all connected, and the smallest print.
And he said he said that Satan grabbed the end of it and he started reading. And he said, I he's reading the filthiest, sickest, most perverted sin you and I have ever heard. And and he said, in front of God, and he said, in front of Jesus, who gave his life. For this sin. And he said, all of a sudden, I realized that what he was reading was my sin.
Those were of all that truck is packed full of my sin. Yeah. And he's now he's really got my attention. And he said that. He said in front of God, and he said, It just goes on and on: the sins of the mind, the sins of the mouth, the arrogance, the flesh, the filth, the lust, the anger, the pain.
He said, It's all. And he just goes on. He's loving it. And God finally interrupts him. and looks at him and he said, what about it?
And he said, before I could just say, Father, just cast me to hell, because that's what I deserve. He said Jesus stood up. put his hand at the father and said, father. He's with me. And I remember sitting there in that New York.
Hotel meeting room. Saying to myself, Jesus Christ would never stand for me. How about I'm a joke. I'm a liar. From the world's view I was a good guy.
I didn't do drugs. I didn't. I didn't cheat on my wife, but I would have. 'Cause I was searching. And I couldn't wait to get out of there.
I'd like to tell you, I gave my life to Christ. I was too prideful, too arrogant. I didn't want my teammates to see me. And Three weeks I ran. from Almighty God.
And I found myself in an empty Grain Bay locker room. One night, the last guy there. I don't know how, I don't know why, I don't know where the managers were, I don't know where the trainers were. I was just in my locker and I was just sitting there saying, I mean, I'm I'm the middle linebacker for the green paper. I'm the signal caller.
I'm the quarterback of the team. And I could care less about the game. And I just begged Jesus Christ, I said, man, if you are real. Come into my life. Change me.
Take control of my life. No longer am I the authority of my life that. that you be the authority and that I put my faith and my trust in you. And he did. I mean, I.
I was one of those guys that was radically changed. I mean, people thought I'd... got a concussion or something. You know, I was the talk. Did you hear about, did you see wig, you know?
I was that guy. Amen. And a terrific job on the production and editing by Greg Hengler. A special thanks to Rich Wingo for sharing his story and a shout out to 1819 News and their media company in Alabama. And my goodness, that story about Bear Bryant and that confrontation.
Bear says, I want people who are sold out, all in and committed, and you're not. And as Wingo told us, everything changed. Rich Wingo's story of Bear Bryant and the faith journey of Rich Wingo. Here. on our American stories.
Liberty has never been just a word to we Americans. It has guided every one of our endeavors for the past 250 years. And now it takes form in a new way. The 2026 Semi-Quincentennial Coin and Metal Program from the United States Mint. It celebrates the founding ideals that have long shaped our coinage.
Available one year only, this historic collection features new coin designs, limited edition releases, and reissues. Shop new official coins at usmint.gov forward slash semi-q. That's usmint.gov/slash S-E-M-I-Q. This July 4th, come celebrate at America's Block Party, hosted by America 250. America's Block Party is a can't-miss 4th of July concert happening at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Experience music performances from major artists, patriotic tributes, and the kickoff to Giving Forth, helping to make July 4th the largest day of giving in American history. It's more than just fireworks. Learn more about this landmark celebration at America250.org. I'm U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
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