Joe Rogan Experience #1627 — Dan Gable Transcript

Transcript

0:00 the joe rogan experience train by day joe rogan podcast by night all day And these museums kind of help bring us together. i want it to continue to be and it's a little bit difficult sport so, and it's been my life, and I want it to continue to be. their eyebrows do the same when I'm going on this show. you know or North Korea because you know it's like or Turkey you know they just you know especially

3:27 And he's like, and people are so friendly and so inviting and so accepting and just about him, that the people were more appreciative of him that the government was a little concerned about him that that they might do something to him at the government level. It seemed like what they were doing was just making sure that people were scared yeah and that if they can kill a man who's so beloved and you know a national hero

6:07 the people that participate in it, they take pride in the fact that they work in silence. and even coaches at that level. They train different ways, but he made one really good lap, So that's pretty interesting that you bring that up. I don't think there's any sport like it in terms of the amount of effort that's required even say great because you have another level and that's that world and an Olympic level and I don't

9:15 And so once he got that mind, that made the big difference. They're on the same team, and you're competing against them. But in a wrestling match, a few pounds makes a difference And because of that, it gave me the opportunity to feel heavier than him. I don't think I lost a practice from my junior year in college. really think, I pretty much know I'm going to win. So it's one of these things that when you have

12:19 them when when they come over to mma you you recognize, you recognize there's something special about them as athletes. got a lot before that but i just remember what he said in the room. that really taught me a lot of those types of principles. But before that, I was, I was a kid she stayed at home a lot, but she also helped my dad at an office at home.

14:38 you know, I know in fighting, you can go to your back and there's lots of tools that you can do about as people in the world when you have kids growing up. And if you're not giving them what I mean, I always had them looking out for me. And I was already wrestling before that because my dad was a wrestler, wrestling outside in the grass, and these people had a little experience with me.

17:31 I was on one side of the river, and he was on the other side of the river growing up. My dad was there standing watching me, and that guy's dad was standing there. Actually, And by that I mean the cops visited the home quite often just to break up fights or my just lived about a block from us. So after school that day, the my dad found out about that and wow, did I get in trouble.

21:57 you I thought you know but and everybody understood but it's kind of funny how things so that was about in seventh grade, so we're talking six, seven, But he let me in his office in the police station, and we talked for quite a while. But he let me go, too. because these days are, we're divided, you know. because I thought it was interesting. i well i just caught a you know some guy just texted me the other day after a speech and gave me really a lot of hell.

24:56 You can't use she and he? took pretty good care of him also and he was he um he just sent me a note i told him that story and he because and he told me that um this ideology and it doesn't make any sense like you could say she and he it doesn't make you a That guy can eat shit because people like him are the real problem with this fucking country. and this kind of ideology on other people.

27:54 that through social media they could form these little bully gangs and all of them together and attack folks and think that it's right. They're not people that you should aspire to be they're losers you know what i like when you're saying that But one family wasn't there. It was $135. But that's $135 for breakfast for, you know, a nice little restaurant,

30:34 So I put it on, and I said, and I didn't say anything. Especially because the owner is probably pretty decent friends of my family. There's. Well, there's a way to say it that's nice. Yeah. You know, but that's the thing with the mask thing. texted you about uh gendered language he's just telling you what to do he enjoys telling you what if I would have communicated it might have saved her life you know just because she probably would

33:50 And it was mostly about, he just thought my sister was really hot and that he would like to do something with her, you know. the neighbor and back in those days you didn't have cell phones so we had a we had a phone So you can see the tension in the front seat of the car. You know, it's just my mom opened the door of the car. minutes within a half hour of that phone call, I was in the back seat,

37:15 kid and that what he had said. And he just hugged me and threw me back in the car. And we stopped And he'd actually admitted right there that he did it and he actually, in the trial, he was so mad about getting sentenced to life in prison And that was a rental cabin that's torn down now. of the prison he's in i think it was indiana he was in indiana the. And the warden told me that the guy that murdered your sister

40:34 And he goes, and the reason why, he said, I knew I was going to kill somebody. And, you know, I cried for an hour. It helped me because even though I cried for an hour, We don't need to talk about this. Or I get the feelings. I probably don't stand in public. and he was not going to make it in life very far. after he won the national championship. If I'd have known he'd been getting in trouble, I probably wouldn't have been working on him before.

44:40 But, you know, it was controversial. And he hasn't had a drink ever since. That's just the way it is. all these titles you don't you know you don't need this kid on your team he's been in trouble this and that. And I, you know, I, and I said a few things and I said, the one thing in his life Some people really can't drink. So those days, they should have probably had, but I shouldn't have let it go that far.

48:23 you win a you win a lot and sometimes you think you can cut corners. for scholastic wrestling high school is undefeated and then I was undefeated in and sports pages. to tell me. So I didn't take him for granted. I took him for granted. And so I always went hey, just say this. I kept stuttering, not saying it, and they kept redoing it. So finally So I turned.

51:57 I could hear the crowd. A minute into the match, I could feel how I felt and I was feeling tired and weak And so I got an early lead, just a quick first takedown. I used to be a pretty, well, even today as you get older, What would you do for a warm-up? But usually when you're the fourth guy out or something, quick enough. where the guy was letting you do it, but you're doing it at live pace.

55:22 But it was something out of my control, actually. and that's the way it is. That loss took me to unbelievable heights that I would have never had without that loss. It's kind of like with me when going downtown that night, you know, I had kids at home and a wife and they had dinner and they probably got tired of waiting for me that you kind of forget and you do the same damn thing.

57:56 but sometimes you forget. Could have went overtime. And pretty much dedicated my life to that moment And it started at a pretty young age. but I convinced them that we should move back in. It had been a house. I went in opened the door went in closed the door went to bed got underneath her covers went to bed that room probably hadn't been nobody been in that room for 30 days probably 45 days and about 10 minutes later I seen I heard the

1:02:10 communist bulk sofia bulgaria and when i won the world championship he was down at the waterloo and he ran outside and it was early morning I never knew that. seven days a week when I was gone, only 90 miles. get change in the mail but you know not a whole lot i was getting a full right scholarship that which is the first year of high school. hard and stuff like this but this job's going to be a workout all day long it's going to be with

1:05:37 buckets of mud Little did I know. it was a house, my dad was a house builder and he'd always hired this guy to build the basements. You don't even have to pay him. we're gonna pay him we're not gonna let you pay him you're not gonna have to pay your son. We'll just do it under the table as well. We're going to pay him. We're not going to let you pay him. You're not going to have to pay him.

1:07:51 And they love him. the police were looking out for my dad you know it's uh you just some i Jesus. open practice for wrestling from 5 30 to 6 30 every night after that work so I'd go to work But I'll tell you, it made you tough. I mean, I've got six hips, you know. Yeah, people name beer after you. Dave Morgan. It's good. It's been in two contests. We're going to take that.

1:11:45 And I said, it's not gold. It's called Gable Gold. than adversaries found Dan to be on the mat. Now, I've snuck it across the border a few times. Yes, it would. I just want you to know that. you can limit. For me, it's 32 ounces. And I usually just say two beers, but these are 12 and all of a sudden my hips start hurting so i ran through the my hip for 10 years

1:16:09 he was a surgeon actually he was a when you get in an accident I can't remember the term they And I had been kind of working through the pain for 10 years. So, you know, it made me think a lot. And so, you know, to me, it was like, I got to get that other, my mom looked at me and she said my, my God, you're limping. so now I was probably 24 because wrestling season,

1:18:58 Yeah, I was the only guy, you know, high school, come right across this, because I know you want to come, right? He goes, I go, yeah, I want to come So he gave me a key to school. And even the wrestlers that didn't wrestle or didn't play football, I opened it up. Nobody there was me so I for the first maybe 10 days two weeks of the wrestling season I was the only guy there we had a good team but

1:21:20 So all of a sudden, we had the first dual meet, and I win. And all of a sudden, I open the door, and I kind of close. Coach tells us you're here every morning. You know, you always have to have a leader in there because you've got to go for help again. And they never had done good. From too much competition. I mean, kind of sick that, oh, my God, what's wrong with me?

1:23:55 But whenever we won the championship, that night when I went to bed, Well, it's probably, I mean, I was real just But it's somebody else. Definitely. There was times when it wasn't always pretty. I could handle them because And it's really tough for a mom or even a dad. I saw what it did to my mom and dad. But he had a good reason. And it went right back to my mom and dad too just how how it how it how it

1:29:35 within 30 minutes of finding out that she's murdered, And anger. not that kind of trouble And then he repented at the end, you know, You know, by saying that meant a lot to me my mom and dad I feel they're being ridiculous. I try to have a little feeling. that are also training the same way you are, of these things that had I known it would have got into my head right and I probably would have

1:34:21 You know, so, you know, we just, Maybe it's good in some situations. it's what you did during the time of practice, they were twins practice and almost to the point where he was getting nothing it was going backwards once he just couldn't get that. do something different So me, and make sure that they understand where we're thinking they understand how we think and

1:38:17 And so that was about the last hour. and that he would be good or if not better? Easy decision. You get the team on your side. teacher to get me to become a good student but you know it it was one of And he had been running Iowa's program even though he wasn't about what he taught me right away and that we started practices and he let me run a couple

1:41:48 because you're better than that, than I am. not quite as good as you are in the practice room. And then he says, I'm going to teach you how to recruit. And we went from a team that was top 20, maybe 15 to 20. Here's the story. mats and products and shoes and all this kind of stuff. But University of Iowa, Gary Kirtlemeyer, so he was over there the whole time

1:45:51 knows it and i in at ames so it's kind of interesting so they they get me to he's got a I hadn't even thought about it. They were doing their homework. My dad, I said, Dad, he put this pressure on me. So the next day, I called and took. And so he said, had you signed anything? that I was kind of the leaders on the teams, really liked the kids on the teams.

1:49:14 And when I went for help, I told them, I said you guys are great you guys are good you're as good as I've been around state championship Whereas all these other guys were good and knew it. I said, are you nuts? Yeah, but not Dan, not the coach. I understand that, but don't you think part of what being a coach is and they're one of the legends of the sport, that alone is very valuable.

1:52:42 how to how to succeed there's something about having a guy So I can see why they didn't jump on board. He's running practice with me, but he's the head, He goes, no danger. I said, we're not going. we're not going we're not going we're staying I said, okay. or the Olympic type state. the coach, he says, you know, Gable, we're on a, like I said, we're on a four-year plan

1:57:11 And they really hadn't ryan he's the pound for pound greatest of all time all time. He has a hard time finding matches because not only does he submit people, And he says, open this after the commentators before the match and he says open and they go through one brutal training session, and he says, I go, you don't believe in rest days? where they shut down all the jujitsu gyms. They shut down everything. They shut down restaurants,

2:00:33 Like if you just go there and just don't try as hard if you need a day off. Every day. And to this day, you still do that? Now, when science didn't tell me, and I just went with what science was, and now it's different. Whatever it is. at least after practice is over, recovering before leaving the building. the place I'm at in Florida right now, You know, I've been in saunas.

2:03:54 260? I'm comfortable with 170 i'm comfortable 180 But over time, eventually, we learned how to use it for recovery. Now you've got to go to cold. and everything, and I'd go eat, and I'd be about an hour after I'd been eating, getting a massage you know they might have been getting a massage but but they would you know Right. I do those. That's a bike that's good.

2:07:33 I got a little garage by the lake that's got an airdyne. I'm going to work out when I leave here. Well, I do it to where I don't overdo it anymore. I may have overdone it at times when I didn't know Then I did it again the next day. I wouldn't do it the next day anymore. If I worked you really You think about six weeks. That's what they thought. Yeah. hospitals, there was no function yet.

2:10:18 No, I'm done. Well, that's what I meant, meniscus. but it takes instead of six weeks or four weeks, it takes three months to four months to heal. Oh, boy. But it's not that bad. I think there might be science every year is a little better, So have you ever gotten any stem cell shots or anything like that? Well, I had six hips, so I had four new hips.

2:13:01 and I adjusted. Smarter. Definitely different products, all that. the blood was being bad or something i can't remember what that was but they because you get I've always worn headgear. And a little bit, they stick out once in a while, too. Okay, okay. I have a little bit of cauliflower And you can't wear them. I want to talk to you about the difference between the way the Russians approached wrestling

2:15:55 didn't have to have structure and all that kind of stuff and i'll tell you once you started watching I mean, I was around them a little bit. I went to the 1970 World Championships in Canada. I kind of learned that from a guy spying on me, from hiring me at Iowa later on, I guess, too. That really helped me become more of a guy that pay attention to details,

2:17:56 right into their locker rooms or right back where their team was staying, even though you don't like the word. and stuff like that. I didn't really have much of a defense until I got beat by Owings, you could lose, why do that? actually he could take me down and still beat me, sides of the body. And you could be better at one side, but if you only are one-sided, you are,

2:21:41 Or I have a fireman carry to this side. you were actually handpicked to be for that sport that's how it was at the beginning and it's not and sometimes we didn't we don't have that we They had some talent. And by that I mean they would hit solid repetitions of live action with one side and not the other. We have picked it up pretty damn well now, though.

2:24:45 it is you walk in their house and if you talk the government's listening back in the day i'm No. As soon as you start listening to people, We're not supposed to work for them. done. But we continued the Olympics and it finished them off. But then in 1980, we boycotted mostly all communists. I think we can do good. And so I said that. I kind of hid it in there, and I figured so it wouldn't be a big deal,

2:28:51 They can disagree with you or agree with you. and it's all about what happened was it was a very fortunate documentary And he was explaining to him what he was going to have to take and how to take it, this and that, along the way while they were doing this. They would take out the dirty urine and replace it with clean urine. that some countries will go to cheat.

2:31:06 shows your power. there was a movie It's been around, but it's a little bit, it's got a little bit of a, So we cleaned up the wrestling. And he's in negotiation now to have overseas rights and all this kind of stuff glenn withrow is i think the wrestling And the statistics were like unbelievable that how many people would say they would take a pill that would win them the right to win a gold medal in the Olympics,

2:34:54 Yeah. and has all these endorsements an amateur sport and it is an amateur sport but only for the people that are the most important But for me, it's like I do it, because I got married. I remember I got a job down there, and my dad said, I'm 29. He said, I should have out the latest what they send me and he said I And so it's been, it was 19 years of accumulating what they could take out of that to put in a retirement plan and this is

2:39:39 You turn that guilt and that anger into something amazing. There's so many other athletes. You got the shoes. It's heading more that way because of people like you, though. They do deserve the endorsements and more. not the actual athletes. You're not broadcasting. You're not producing anything. The athletes are producing the entertainment. That's crazy.

2:42:24 Same way they do with the NBA. Same way they do with the athletes. A lot of it. Okay, well. Same way they do with the NBA. And a lot of these countries when you're great opportunities, but I just take this one and i the athletes and the only reason it's being generated at all is because the athletes and I want money. That's why I'm saying it so loud. Right.

2:45:17 And they've already done both a lot. one. What's the oldest athlete I've got a Gable beer. And it helps our sport, you know, maybe not the beer drinking, yet but so uh you know maybe you're enhancing me a little bit here. No, I'm just kidding. And I already told you that I'm probably the only coach in the country But you do a lot of work, and you've worked your way here.

2:48:25 Yeah. I had notes. I mean, it's pretty tough. Gatorade just came out back in those years, and it was a powder form then. But, you know, it's just one of these things that you learn over the years. I might drink a beer after a hard workout. And the mind also tells you when the hell to get out, you know, or your mom tells you when the hell to get out.

2:51:41 getting used to it and when if if you didn't have success people You'll never do anything in wrestling. I'm sorry to hear you're sick from my mom in the mail that week.