In episode 52 of From The Pink Seats Podcast, former Louisville great Eric Wood joins to talk Louisville football, life post-NFL, and much more.
Retiring from the NFL due to injury wasn’t in the plans for Louisville football great Eric Wood, but in his post-football life the Cardinal Athletics Hall of Famer has found how to “Scratch the Competitive Itch.” On episode 52 of From The Pink Seats Podcast, Jacob Lane, Matt McGavic, and Vincent Lococo chat with Wood about fatherhood, Louisville football, life as an entrepreneur and so much more.
Three big takeaways
1 – Louisville football is closer than it may seem – Not many believed that 2021 was a “positive sign aside from Eric Wood. He talks during the show about why he actually viewed the 2021 season in a positive light and how it will play a major impact this offseason and into next year. Malik Cunningham’s bounce back performance and the development of the offensive line were just a few bright spots that Eric points out.
Also read: Why “leftovers” aren’t so bad for Louisville basketball
2 – Scott Satterfield is one of the best people you’ll ever meet & that matters – I get there have been some issues with the on-the-field product for Louisville football. The Cards are 18-19 over the last three years but it’s easy to leave out the facts In 3 seasons, there have been 7 losses by one possession, including two, three point losses to ranked teams on the road (@ #21 Pittsburgh in 2020 & @ #24 Wake Forest in 2021). Sure, there have been eight games that were decided by 15+ points (including two versus Kentucky) but overall UofL has been competitive in nearly every game since Satt’s arrival (something that couldn’t be said about them previously).
Satterfield takes a ton of flack for his lack of emotion after losses as well as for applauding effort & players despite losing. Eric points out during the interview that even though fans want to see a more emotional Satt, they won’t. Instead, they should lean into the fact that he is one of the nicest, most genuine, competitive, and caring individuals in the college football world. Players want to go to war for him, giving unlimited effort game-in and game-out. While coaches want to work for him because of how he treats people and how he cares about the game.
Regardless of the narratives that have driven the “fire Satterfield” bus, Louisville football is in the best hands possible and the foundation that has been laid should propel them forward to ultimate success in 2022.
3 – Making the most out of a difficult situation – If you’re a Louisville football fan, you’re probably well aware of the story around Eric Wood’s NFL Career. As one of the NFL’s most reliable offensive lineman, Eric played in 120 games – starting all 120 of those contests. His consistency was a driving force behind the Buffalo Bills re-emergence in the AFC. A serious neck injury limited Wood’s quest to become an All Pro player and ultimately forced him into premature retirement. Since retiring Eric has dove straight into the business and broadcasting worlds, creating a new successful career. Eric talks about his favorite parts of broadcasting and podcasting (subscribe to the “What’s Next with Eric Wood Podcast here) as well as why investing in companies like Dan-O’s Seasoning has helped him scratch his competitive itch.
You can listen to the full episode above or download it (and all other episodes) anywhere you get your podcasts.
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