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Unguarded with Rachel Nichols

Interview With Jeff Gordon; Catching Up With Matthew Stafford

Aired October 31, 2014 - 22:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

RACHEL NICHOLS, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to Unguarded. Race car driver Jeff Gordon didn't set out to be a pioneer. And certainly when he first burst on the scene more than 20 years ago, no one treated him like one. Dale Earnhardt, Sr. called him wonder boy, and not in a good way. As southern NASCAR fans were deeply suspicious of his precautious driving and California roots. But now at 43 years old, Gordon's not only credited with opening the floodgates for other nontraditional drivers, he's threatening to retake the sport all over again. Yep, right now, it's Gordon sitting atop the leaderboard in NASCAR's Chase championships. But before he makes his final push, he's slowing down to sit down with us.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NICHOLS: We are sitting here in the thick of the Chase, this is sort of to put it in NFL terms, the AC or NFC championship, not bad for a 43-year-old.

JEFF GORDON: Yeah, I think for me now being in the sport as long as I've been in it, I just have a greater appreciation for winning races, as well as knowing that, you know, my career is not, you know, I don't have a lot of years ahead of me. This year has been extremely rewarding in so many ways on and off the racetrack.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What a drive by Jeff Gordon.

NICHOLS: One of the nicest parts as you progress through a career is you become more comfortable with who you are.

GORDON: Yeah, there's no doubt bit.

NICHOLS: It seems like you're just talking more freely about yourself now. You like wine more than beer. You like to vacation in the south of France because it's beautiful there. It just feels like you're more comfortable saying, hey, this is what I like. This is who I am.

GORDON: Yeah, and I think when I first came in the sport I wasn't from the south and I wanted to fit in, and so I wanted to say all the right things, and do all the right things, and you know had my sponsors and I want to make sure they were happy. I want to make sure my fans, make sure the team was happy. I was doing a lot of other things for other people, which worked out pretty good, but along the way you start to realize you know who you are, who I am as a person and that, you know, I like being comfortable with who I am and because I've learned more about myself through my experiences, it allows me to say, you know what, it's just about being happy. That's what life is really all about and the only way you'll be happy is being happy with who you are and, you know, I'm still learning those things, but I'm certainly a lot more comfortable today and I'm happy with it.

NICHOLS: You feel like you don't have to like a certain kind of country music or anything like that?

GORDON: I think some the backlash I got early on in my career was because I didn't fit that stereotype as a NASCAR driver, which was good and bad.

NICHOLS: I don't know how much of the backlash against you was solely because of the mustache, though.

GORDON: That I agree with 100 percent. The haircut and the mustache deserved to...

NICHOLS: That was troubling to look at some of those old photos. It really was.

GORDON: You know what? You got to understand that, you know, I was a pure race car driver from the age of 6. I was always trying to look older and for some reason I thought that mustache would make me look older.

NICHOLS: Let me put a caterpillar on my face. That could really help.

GORDON: Yes. Thank goodness I finally got rid of that.

NICOLS: Dale Earnhardt, Sr. was the guy when you came into your own here at NASCAR, and the idea that he didn't welcome you, I mean, the wonder boy nickname was not a compliment. You cried when you won your first race and he makes fun of you for being weak. I mean, hat's what we read of high school bullies.

GORDON: Sure. Yeah, Dale was that type of driver and because he was the intimidator, he knew how to get into your head. The interesting thing is when he and I were having conversations away from cameras and media, I think he really appreciated what I was bringing to the sport, that I was not only challenging him, but challenging the fans and creating, you know, a good buzz and some rivalries and he loved that. Now, that didn't stop him from, you know, making fun of me and doing things at certain times.

NICHOLS: Was it ever lonely? Did you feel kind of ostracized?

GORDON: As long as I was winning races.

(CROSSTALK)

NICHOLS: People threw beer cans at you as you crossed the finish line.

GORDON: Yeah, well, and I look back on that and I wish that happened every single weekend because that a great problem then.

NICHOLS: Crossing the finish line. You did have remarkable confidence just continuing to forge your own path.

GORDON: There became a point where we realized OK, you know, I do bring something different. Let's take advantage of this. Let's do milk mustache ads, let's go and do Letterman, and you know do other things that, you know, you don't normally see NASCAR drivers do.

NICHOLS: It worked to such an incredible degree. Frito-lay creates a potato chip shaped like you and you become the first NASCAR driver to host Saturday Night Live.

GORDON: First, I was like what in the heck am I doing here, how did this happen, but at the same time, I knew that that was a huge moment not only for me but for NASCAR and for auto racing in the U.S.

Stick around. We'll be right back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NICHOLS: A huge moment indeed. Gordon took NASCAR into the living rooms of people who never considered watching a race before. Still, with immense popularity does come immense pressure. You're going to want to stay with us after this break, Gordon opens up about just what happens when you don't meet the world's expectations.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

Gordon: People are like, what's wrong? What's going on? Jeff, is it this, is it that and it's hard to climb yourself out of that hole.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NICHOLS: I'm Rachel Nichols. Welcome back to Unguarded. We've been talking to racing icon Jeff Gordon who shook up NASCAR back in the '90s by proving you don't have to be a southern good old boy to be good at driving a stock car. Gordon won an amazing four championships in seven years, but take a listen as he explains how his legacy opening up the sport to a wider range of drivers, also may have led to his undoing, especially when it came to the young California kid who followed in his footsteps, Jimmie Johnson.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NICHOLS: You helped bring Jimmie Johnson in and in a way, though, that then leads to problems for you on the racetrack because he's really good.

GORDON: Yeah. You know, the thing with Jimmie is I met him, I saw him on the track, I thought he was doing amazing things, so you can't be disappointed to see somebody who is that good do that well. You know, did it put a thorn in my side at times because you know maybe I could have won a championship if it weren't for him? Maybe, maybe. And our friendship was challenged at times because of that. But at the same time, I wouldn't have done it any different. I just would like him to share a little bit more.

NICHOLS: He lives basically across the street from you. GORDON: He does, yes. I could throw a rock in his house.

NICHOLS: Have you thought about throwing rock, many rocks at his house.

GORDON: No, no. It's not like that. Well, I think we all realize if we do our jobs and do it well, then, you know, one of us should be in victory lane.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Familiar place and a sight for Jeff Gordon.

NICHOLS: It has been 13 years since you have won a championship. As you went through that period in your late 30s where it had been a while since you've won, you were having increasing back problems. You started saying yeah, I can't see myself driving a race car after I'm 40.

GORDON: I wasn't having fun, number one. I don't know. I just didn't feel like I was contributing in the way that I had when we won championships and so you start to question, you know, is it me? Is it, you know, the new rules of the car, the points, you know, you start to question these things. You're around fans all the time. They're also questioning then social media comes along and you get to see some of the stuff, and it's hard to climb yourself out of that hole.

NICHOLS: Derek Jeter has talked about sort of the gift and the curse of winning a lot young and that that almost can start to affect how you compete and the pressure you put on yourself.

GORDON: Absolutely. I look at Derek in a lot of ways how our careers have mirrored one another. You know, when you don't achieve the ultimate goal which is winning the championship or go through a season where you don't even win a race, it's extremely disappointing, but I've always said as long as I'm healthy and as long as I'm competitive and enjoy myself I'm going to do it and luckily, Alan Gustafson came along.

NICHOLS: New crew chief.

GORDON: New crew chief, and he has this great way of motivating me and gave me a new life.

NICHOLS: You mentioned your family, too, the energy you get from wanting to race in front of your kids and you kids now being old enough to see what you do and your daughter, Ella, is pretty excited about it.

GORDON: Oh, yeah. I mean, the first time she came to victory lane when she could understand what that was all about was a bit of a changing moment for me because I realized oh, my gosh, you know, this means a lot to me to see my daughter understand what her dad does.

NICHOLS: It's got to be very motivating.

GORDON: It is highly motivating. NICHOLS: Your step dad got you into racing because you loved it. Now,

your daughter Ella is into racing and you put her in a quarter midget car because hey women are racing now.

GORDON: She comes to the race track, and she sees Danica, oh, my gosh, there's a female driver out there and I knew at that point, when I saw her interest that we had to at least put her behind the wheel.

NICHOLS: If you do win this year and that comes together for you and you get to grab those kids and hold them up in victory lane, what is that moment going to be like compared to all the other championships while you are holding up the trophies?

GORDON: Yeah, no comparison. The ultimate is winning the championship and having them to be a part of that and I can't think of anything better this life than experiencing that moment, such an employment with my whole family there and all of us taking it all in. It would be unbelievable.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NICHOLS: Wouldn't that be something? And it is certainly within reach for Gordon whether it's the crew chief or maybe the inspiration of racing for his family, he has been having a career year in the sport that he changed forever.

All right. Coming up, we switch things up from the track to the gridiron catching up with one of the hottest quarterbacks in the NFL right now, Matthew Stafford.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATTHEW STAFFORD: Obviously you walk into this situation, the face of the franchise in a lot of cases and you have to learn to adapt.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NICHOLS: Welcome back to Unguarded. I'm Rachel Nichols. The NFL is a quarterback league. Just look at how this weekend's Broncos-Patriots match-up is being billed, Manning versus Brady. But how does a young quarterback navigate trying to become the next Manning or Brady? Well, a little earlier, I caught up with Matthew Stafford, the former number one overall draft pick whose 6-2 Detroit Lions are leading their division.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NICHOLS: Well, welcome, Matt. I mean, such an interesting time to be an NFL quarterback. As you've been doing this job now for a few years, what have you learned about leading an NFL team, the good parts of that and the hard parts?

STAFFORD: Quite a bit. You know, obviously you walk into the situation, the face of the franchise immediately in a lot of cases and you have to learn to adapt. You know, a new city, a new team, but at the same time, you have to be yourself and make sure you're original and true to you, but, you know, there's a lot that goes wit, not only just on the field but also the field stuff, you know it's a big responsibility, but the more experience you get, you know, the better you get at it.

NICHOLS: Yeah, there are only 32 starting quarterbacks in this league. You are one of the faces of the NFL and the league certainly has been going through some tough issues. I mean, how much did you hear from fans at the start of the season that they were frustrated and we heard plenty of players say they were frustrated, too? Were you one of them?

STAFFORD: You know, it's obviously like you said we went through as a league some tough times. You know, with off the field issues, on the field issues, whatever it was, but I feel like, you know, once the game started being played, people had that to talk about and, you know, all the other off the field stuff will take care of itself. Obviously, we have people in charge to make sure those decisions are made in the correct manner and we trust them to do that.

NICHOLS: As the quarterback, there's also this expectation of you just inside your own building. You got to be that good example for off the field. You got to be the hardest worker. You got to be the first one in the building. I do know that earlier this season, you had an interesting experience trying to get in to work for the day. A bridge on the freeway, one of the freeways you travel to actually collapsed?

STAFFORD: Yeah, it was a crazy morning to say the least. You know, obviously a down bridge on the freeway is not something you're expecting to see on the way to work.

NICHOLS: Fortunately the bridge didn't crash on to your car but you were one of the first cars to come across it and there are all those pictures of you, you're walking on a highway where there's cars going 60, 70 miles an hour. What was it like?

STAFFORD: It was pretty surreal. I remember the first time I walked under it, there was a little bit of a gap that you could walk or drive your car under. I walked underneath it, kind of a little scared, making sure it didn't fall on me, but I didn't know what to do. I was just trying to figure out what the situation was, trying to find a police officer to talk to. But we made it work and I till got in there with plenty of time.

NICHOLS: You've gotten a lot of attention for your arm, how long you can throw things. I want to show people the video. There are all kinds of video out there online of you throwing all kind of objects besides the football. I think there's a banana in here, some rolled up socks. I mean, how much fun is it to get to do stuff like that?

STAFFORD: Oh, it's a blast. It is part what have makes this job fun, not only the football, but opportunities off the field for sure.

NICHOLS: And you're encouraging people to send this their own videos right now, too. I understand you and the Lions are working with a company, Reprieve, encouraging people to recycle and want them to send in videos of them throwing bottles, cans, everything in creative ways. STAFFORD: Yeah, we're challenging fans to make the smart throw with

Reprieve. The Lions and I have partnered with them. It's been great and we just want fans to submit their videos of them making the smart toss or the smart throw and showing me what they have to a trick shot battle.

NICHOLS: Well, Matt, we wish you the best. One of these days down the road, I expect you to post a video throwing the Lombardi trophy around after you win a Super Bowl. So put that in the back of your mind somewhere.

STAFFORD: That's the plan. Thank you very much.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NICHOLS: Did you see that banana? Serious air right there.

All right, it is marathon weekend here in New York City and coming up, we're going to visit with the man simply known as Meb, the master of the 26.2 mile.

But first, our moment of the week, Lebron James returned to Cleveland last night. The building was absolutely electric and his first basket, yeah, that is what the city of Cleveland had been waiting for. The return of the King indeed. But the Cavaliers are still clearly a work in progress, plenty of missed shot, turnovers and in the end it was Carmelo Anthony who stole the spotlight. He had a win for his Knicks with this late jumper, yep, right over Lebron James.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NICHOLS: Welcome back to Unguarded. As the New York City marathon approaches this Sunday, it's hard to not also think of this year's emotional Boston marathon, which was dedicated to the victims of last year's bombings. Most inspiring, but the man who won that race was an American, who had scrolled the names of those who died on his bib and earlier, I had the chance to catch up with Meb Keflezighi. He's hoping that in New York this weekend, he can pull off another triumph. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NICHOLS: Well, welcome, Meb. Thanks for joining us. I do want to talk about New York, of course, but first we have to discuss what happened at the Boston marathon earlier this year.

MEB KEFLEZIGHI: You know, for 365 days or a little more I was thinking about what can I do positively to change the scene of the Boston street where there was bombings site and I was nervous to write the names of the victims on my numbers and I wanted to give them the best I can and it was just an amazing experience and they were saying USA, USA, go Meb, go Meb.

NICHOLS: You are the quintessential American success story and had that great tweet just the other day saying exactly 27 years ago today the U.S. welcomed my family. Six months ago, I said thank you the best way I can.

KEFLEZIGHI: The United States gave us so much opportunity to me and my family, 27 years ago we came here not knowing English, we didn't have the finance, language barrier and it was difficult, but my parents always told us work hard. This is the land of opportunity, don't waste it and, yeah, we are the American dream and we feel blessed that the United States gave us the opportunity because there were other countries that didn't do that.

NICHOLS: You go from that to a guy who is getting phone calls from President Obama. You recently even attended a state dinner at the White House. I hear you got to sit at a table with former President Jimmy Carter and he ran cross country in college. Did he trash talk you at all during the dinner or what?

KEFLEZIGHI: I mean, it was an unbelievable experience. I was so honored to be at the White House. President Jimmy Carter was there. It's like I've been meaning to meet you because I ran high school and a big fan and you know from humble beginnings, I come here 27 years ago and to be very White House and having dinner with President Barack Obama. They were very, very, very, nice.

NICHOLS: Not bad at all for sure. Now, of course, getting ready for the New York marathon and here courtesy of Power Bar, how rigorous are you before a race about what you put into your body and how you train in general for a moment like this weekend?

KEFLEZIGHI: Almost definitely. You know, nutrition is very important. You are what you put in your body and have to be very careful of what you put on and for me, you know, since I turned 35, (inaudible) I used a lot of snacks in between to be able to graze throughout the day instead of big meals. That gives me a lot of energy.

NICHOLS: You are so beloved here in New York City and I have to play everyone a clip of you on Letterman after last time you won. Take a look at this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KEFLEZIGHI: Am I experiencing a runner's high or is it the bus fumes?

LETTERMAN: Yeah, it's the bus fumes. Number seven.

KEFLEZIGHI: Is that the finish line or a crime scene tape?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NICHOLS: How much fun was that whether it's Letterman or other the all New York institutions, I would have to think running this mar honor is an experience like no other?

KEFLEZIGHI: You know, to be able to be on David Letterman calling the top ten, that was funny, I was nervous. The marathon has been a great moment for me. This is my ninth in the New York City marathon. I'm very excited to be there. NICHOLS: We wish you the best of luck, Meb. I know you'd like to mo

pull off, get the W in both Boston and New York this year, so we'll be watching.

KEFLEZIGHI: I look forward to it. I will be giving my best. Thank you.

NICHOLS: Just a great story, right? He's such an easy guy to root for. That is going to do it for tonight's show. Follow me on Twitter and Facebook or on the web at cnn.com/unguarded and be right back here next Friday night for more Unguarded with the end of the game is just the start of the story. Good night.