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Unguarded with Rachel Nichols

College Basketball Player Lauren Hill Suffers From Terminal Brain Cancer; Adrian Peterson Pleads Guilty to Reckless Assault Charge

Aired November 07, 2014 - 22:30   ET

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

ANNOUNCER: Tonight on Unguarded with Rachel Nichols. College basketball player Lauren Hill, suffering from terminal brain cancer, inspired the sporting world and she's force (ph) to play one last game.

(APPLAUSE)

ANNOUNCER: Now, she explains why.

LAUREN HILL, OHIO BASKETBALL PLAYER WITH BRAIN CANCER: There's families going through this and there are kids younger than I am, going through this. They're here and fighting for it.

ANNOUNCER: The latest on the NFL most controversial players, Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson as both to attempt to return to the field.

TORY HOLT, FORMER NFL PRO BOWLER AND SUPER BOWL CHAMPION: It's totally got out of control situation that I think it has been nipped in the bud.

ANNOUNCER: And former Heisman trophy winner, Herschel Walker is fed up with the organization, running college football.

HERSCHEL WALKER, FORMER HEISMAN TROPHY WINNER: The NCAA just sort of like turn out bite, (ph) they did it, good nothing.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

RACHEL NICHOLS, UNGUARDED SHOW HOST: Welcome to Unguarded. We're coming here from our L.A. studios with a packed show. And there's no better place for us to start with the emotional, inspiring stories coming out from Cincinnati this week. Last night not a dry eye in the house. Bengals player Devon Still got a visit from his 4-year old daughter Leah, her first time seeing him play since being diagnosed to cancer. The opposing players got so chocked up, they offered hugs, mid game. And even better, sitting in the suite, watching with Leah was another Cincinnati hero. College basketball player and fellow cancer patient Lauren Hill, you may remember it was earlier this week that Lauren inspired millions just by stepping on to the court. She's been diagnosed inoperable brain tumor and after doctors told her, they didn't expect her to live past this December. Her school petitioned the NCAA to hold their station opener a few weeks early, just for Lauren could play one last game. The result, a truly remarkable moment from a truly remarkable young woman, I caught up with Lauren to talk all about it. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NICHOLS: Lauren, welcome. First, just what an incredible few days since you played that game. And the outpouring of support you've gotten has been amazing. I want to play everyone a clip of you addressing the crowd after you played.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: Today's been the best day I've ever had.

(APPLAUSE)

HILL: Thank you very much.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NICHOLS: That feeling, out on court as you were standing there, what was that like?

HILL: It was the best feeling in the world, because I was a little bit worried if I'll be standing or talking or able to play the game at all. But, I was there and I got to play and it was -- it was just the best moment ever.

NICHOLS: And that's what I think a lot of people don't realize, this is extremely especial for you, but it wasn't easy for you by any stretch. Can you just describe some of the symptoms that you deal with, as you try to get through everyday life, much less actually trying to play basketball?

HILL: Dizziness, like right now sitting here talking, my whole right side is very heavy, I feel like there's like a tractor sitting on this side and it's really hard to lift my hand and I got through a lot of joint pain.

NICHOLS: This has been going on for a while, when did you first start to feel sick?

HILL: At first time I was feeling sick when my senior year in basketball. I was very dizzy and disoriented and the left side of my tongue went numbed.

NICHOLS: So you go to the doctor, you get diagnosed. And they tell you, there's nothing we can do, it's inoperable. How do you even deal with that?

HILL: I mean, when they tell you have an abnormality in your brain even that just -- pulled the rug out underneath my feet, and you know, I hit the ground and I was as breathless for a couple of seconds. The hardest part is probably then this past couple of weeks, since my last MRI because team regroup (ph) and then they change bio prognosis (ph) again and they said that they probably would not make it past Christmas. But -- then I just hatred backed up again and started asking questions because that's kind of -- high, that's how I am more of a scientific mind and then of course my question of the day was, can I still play basketball?

NICHOLS: There were so many people who wanted to see you play. First they have the game in a 2,000 feet arena, then they move to a 10,000 feet arena, and tickets still sold out in less than an hour.

HILL: I just -- I remember my dad coming in saying that tickets were sold out, and I remember wow, wow. And like walking around and just kind of walking around my house and that's the only word I could say was, wow. And as in like repeat less than an hour.

(LAUGHTER)

HILL: I was just, I was amazed.

NICHOLS: And you're telling your story to hope to raise awareness, pediatric brain cancer research is underfunded. And I know you're working with the Cure Starts Now Foundation. What do you want your legacy to be on that front?

HILL: There's families going through this and these kids younger than I am, going through this. Which is what I mean, they're here and fighting for. I'm not fighting for myself, I'm fighting for little kids, because one of the tumor symptoms is that they takes their voices away, and time he can't speak anymore. And they can't express their symptoms or how they feel.

NICHOLS: We learned those are very, very lucky to have you speaking for them. We just want to thank you so much for joining us. You have so many people who reading (ph) for you.

HILL: Thanks, I can't believe how many people are reading (ph)

NICHOLS: It's a lot. Trust me.

(LAUGHTER)

HILL: Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NICHOLS: Just amazing you hear Lauren there talking about fighting for little kids? You know why she made sure she was at that football game with Leah Still last night. And her message is now getting amplified by sponsors as well. Wheaties put her on a cereal box, an EA sports made up of special video game cover for her, not bad. All right, stick with us after this, were going to break down in developing news concerning Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson and Roger Goodell. So mean (ph) this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NICHOLS: Welcome back to Unguarded, I'm Rachel Nichols. It was a very busy week for the NFL's off the field. First the Viking stars Adrian Peterson plead guilty to a reckless assault charge, stemming from his whipping of his 4-year-old son with a tree branch. He does apply to the NFL for reinstatement, a request the league rejected at least for now. Then there's Ray Rice, who spent the last few days in front of an arbitrator, arguing the Commissioner Roger Goodell had no right to indefinitely suspend him after seeing that video, that surface of him punching his wife in an elevator. I want dig deeper to all of this with our panel or experts, 7-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion Tory Holt. Former Pro-Bowl running back Jamal Anderson and former Green Bay Packers Vice President Andrew Brandt, who now works for ESPN and sports illustrated. All right guys, let's just get started right away with Ray Rice. He was initially, as you remember suspended only two games after that incident in the elevator. Then the day the TMZ release a video, it shows him punching his wife and the NFL of course suspends him indefinitely, the Ravens cut him. At least he really hears on his hearings this week is that Roger Goodell fails in his handling of this case.

JAMAL ANDERSON, AMERICAN FORMER PRO-BOWL RUNNING BACK: Well, Rachel, I think Roger Goodell, when you watch the press conference, after the video when initially released of course there was the outrage and there was really initial outrage over the two game suspension. Then I thought to myself, surely the commissioner with the power of the NFL and the power of the commissioner law office, and the NFL securities that he seen the video, of course he seen all the facts that are, that are, that are going to take place in this case of this time. I mean, this is the decision that they made and I think -- everybody was shocked about that.

HOLT: Yeah, I mean this totally got out of hand. I agree with you Jamal, I think the commissioner knew something, taking saw the videos. And ray Rice more importantly told the commissioner exactly what happen in the elevator that he struck his wife. So, right from the jump Ray Rice should have been suspended -- a though suspension of it more than two games, originally when this first happened.

ANDREW BRANDT, FORMER NFL PLAYER AGENT AND TEAM EXECUTIVE: Yeah, I think what we're talking about now as you said the credibility of the league at state. The credibility of the commissioners, what went on and then hearing this week is Ray Rice's team is making the point that they gave a complete and full accounting of everything that happened, to not only the Raven's but to the commissioner and nothing change. And they're saying this is the major public reaction of that video coming out

NICHOLS: How much do you guys think the fairness of Rice's suspensions is really the issue of being decided this week or towards -- do you think this is more of a challenge that the commissioners precede absolute power here?

HOLT: Well yeah, miss a little bit of ball (ph) big -- you know it's the commissioner's word versus Ray Rice's word, right now. And the commissioner is saying one thing, and obviously Ray is saying the other. More importantly though, is net -- once the case is done, and we move forward, what would be the rules -- what rules would be in place going forward in the National Football League if this isn't happens again, with any player in our league.

BRANDT: This whole idea of player conduct and personal conduct. Now they are on the field, but off the field, that's been important to Roger Goodell. I think a lot of the economic issues in the CBA and the NFL, they come from the owners. But I think this conduct issue comes from him, this are kicks (ph) some are kick (ph) notion of higher conduct, of role modeling, it's very important to him. And in that hearing yesterday, my sense is said, "Yeah, I had the punishment, I found out new information, I re-up the punishment. That's my right, that's my power."

NICHOLS: What responsibilities does the union have also and telling in some players that their peers frankly, expect more from them.

ANDERSON: Nobody, as certainly from the union's perspective on woman and say, "Hey, we're trying to defend these players" but you have right as a player, and then union must defend certain rights of each and every player in its union.

NICHOLS: Let's say that the arbitrator does reinstate Ray Rice to the NFL when this ruling comes down probably next week. The Ravens cut had him, so he would be free to sign anywhere. I mean, Andrew if you were still with the Packers, would you take a chance of this season, do you think and NFL team would?

BRANDT: That's the tough one, if I had to say, I would say no. This has something that has to be run all the way up to flagpole, not only with the coach and general manager, but with community relations, with public relations, all the way to ownership.

NICHOLS: Jamal, do you think a team would sign him?

ANDERSON: I do hope that he does an opportunity down the line to play football again, and give the second chance. Because, this is all been so awful, but it's -- as long as he does everything he needs to do and he continue to move forward, because I do believe in the second chance.

NICHOLS: All right guys, we going to have to stop there. Thank you so much for joining us, really good insight, and certainly still a long way to go on both of these stories.

All right, up next, we're going to switch to the NBA, and a very prevailing conversation with new L.A. Clippers owner Steve Ballmer. Stay tuned. What he says? Not what you expect.

STEVE BALLMER, NBA NEW LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS OWNER: There's only going to be two teams in L.S. for the next 50 years. And all of that make me feel, you know, feel good with the team I made.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NICHOLS: I'm Rachel Nichols, welcome back to Unguarded. Tonight were in L.A. where new Clippers owner Steve Ballmer is the toast of the town, a breath of fresh air after the Donald Sterling fiasco. And of course thanks to the $2 billion that the former Microsoft CEO laid out for the franchise, he's also the subject of intense interest. So I took a little trip down the road here to find out more about the NBA's newest celebrity owner.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, oh, oh, oh, I got a new and if you...

NICHOLS: So, you had the time to get used to it. But does it feel real yet? You own an NBA team.

BALLMER: It doesn't really feel real yet. Even when I first retired in February, I'm talking to somebody and said it all, "You don't need to worry, you -- don't even look at L.A." No team in L.A. will ever be for sale in your lifetime. So, no, I think it is a very unusual chain of events.

NICHOLS: One of the other bidders didn't value the Clippers as high. Did you worry overpaid at all?

BALLMER: I knew what I felt was a fair deal, and if you compare it to tech companies, which is my sort of my practice. It actually makes more money for its cost, than many tech companies that I participated in buying. And at the same time it has lower down side risk, because there's going to be two teams in L.A. for next 50 years, and all of that made me feel, you know, feel good with the bid I made.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Steve Ballmer.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NICHOLS: And building Microsoft up, is just a huge part of your personal story. You can go on YouTube and see some of your old sale pitches.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BALLMER: Introducing new Microsoft Windows XP. How much do you want the new windows? Wait, one minute before you answer.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NICHOLS: Have you always been like this?

BALLMER: No, I actually no. No, you will not believe it, but I was a very shy kid. And over time you just sort of practice, you grow in confidence, you build your skills, but, now it's something I guess, I, I do so to speak, at least I have fun doing it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIIFED MALE: All right, let's bring out Steve Ballmer.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NICHOLS: And then the fan rally you guys had in mid August. I Love that you came out to Eminem.

BALLMER: I picked it. That was a line to it. One shot, one moment, one opportunity. I love that line, anyways. NICHOLS: Can I get a rap here. This is fantastic.

BALLMER: No, you don't want that. You really don't want that. But I kind o f love the scene that's kind of our time. It's just, you know, one moment, one opportunity, for all of us. Because, whatever the, the clouds were so to speak, can been in the background, and now, the team can go out there and just come and get it done.

NICHOLS: Now, this past years had highs, lows, that haven't been without controversy, the Seattle Times recently released an investigative report talking about the basketball program at your kid's school, that you were having students come and have improper benefits, so that you were helping get their grades relaxed. Do you have a response to that?

BALLMER: Well, I haven't paid any coach. We are donors to the school. That should come as no surprise. I have, I have -- I'm very proud of the support that we've given towards program that -- that the coach actually started it try to take kids, primarily from the inner city of Seattle and help with academics, life mentoring and basketball. I'm proud of those things, and in fact that the paper could make those sound anything other than great, can this disappointing to me.

NICHOLS: There's such a scrutiny now, of franchise owners especially in the NBA. Do you feel bad?

BALLMER: Yeah, a little bit. I mean if the worst thing could be said is, "Hey look, I've been part of some things that were designed to try to help some kids develop," you know, using both basketball and academics as a hook, I'll take that, that's the criticism -- I'll take it as a compliment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BALLMER: Do we have any Clipper fans here?

(APPLAUSE)

BALLMER: I can't hear you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NICHOLS: Going forward you have this opportunity to establish a new footprint as a clippers owner.

BALLMER: I hope people say, "He cares? He cares even intense as anybody else, he cares of the team, he cares about the community, he cares about doing the right stuff, as long as people say that, then can call me a knucklehead in every other way.

NICHOLS: Maybe rapping along the way, later.

BALLMER: No, no I guarantee, nobody wants me to rap. Nobody wants that.

(END VIDEO CLIP) NICHOLS: Oh, come on. Well I guess we're going to have to wait on that. But it is clear that with Ballmer around L.A. have some interesting times ahead.

All right, coming up next, we're going to take a look at the controversies in college football. With one of the best to ever play at the level, Heisman trophy winner Herschel Walker.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HERSCHEL WALKER, HEISMAN TROPHY WINNER: A lot of things happen within the school more than you thing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NICHOLS: Welcome back to Unguarded, I'm Rachel Nichols. This should be one of the most exciting times of year for college football. The games are fantastic, and interest is building in this year's first ever playoffs. But no matter how good the action is, on the field. Controversy keeps flaring up off of it. We thought there'll be no better person to break it all down than Herschel Walker. Heisman trophy winner and all-around college football legend, and as you're going to stay here, he has got a lot to say.

Welcome, Herschel. So many issues we have to get to -- your former Georgia running back who won the Heisman. So let's start with Georgia's current running back Todd Gurley. He was the guy everyone thought would win the Heisman trophy this year. But then he was suspended for taking money to sign autographs. First of all, how did that all incident change your perception of Todd?

WALKER: You know young men are entitled to make mistakes, unlike what a day it did hurt his Heisman chances, but then Coach Rick did the right thing by suspending him but, I do think the NCAA must do a much better job than what they did in determining his punishment along with everyone else. And you know they waited so long to even continue about the Todd to rest of his punishment, but then some of the other people they haven't even told about it.

NICHOLS: You are hardly alone Herschel, there's a lot of fans frustrated with the NCAA, and on the one hand they feel like the NCAA is penalizing players for things like signing autographs and really in a haphazard way, as you point out. Well, on the other hand, you have players like last year's Heisman trophy winner, Jameis Winston. He was caught on tape shoplifting, he's been accused of rape, he's been stopped by police for shooting off a pellet gun in public, and yet he's still playing, and even one college football highest honor.

WALKER: The NCAA just sort of turn their backs, they did absolutely nothing. And I think that was is, what to say out of this that you're going to have -- let the school handle the situation because, I've seen athletes that get in trouble, and all of a sudden the school is aware, we are not going to let him practice this, this game here. But he can play in the game, and that's not punishment. NICHOLS: Do you think that it's a college coach's responsibility, maybe more than a pro level to take a talented kid and really teach him some life lessons?

WALKER: There is no doubt. The coach's responsibility because, that's a young man just left home, he just home and you're -- I know you're not his dad but you really are because you're the adult man in his life at that time. And I don't think whether coach Rick is going or other coaches are doing it. I think that's what going to hurt the young man.

NICHOLS: It's interesting too when you brought it in out to the schools. You're talking about the responsibility of colleges, and we've had some institutional failures as well. Huge nearly two decade long academic scandal unearthed at the University of North Carolina. You have student athletes getting grades for fake classes. Which we be shocked by this kind of thing, and you are in insider does it happen more often than we think?

WALKER: Well, I think a lot of things happen within the school more often than you think. And I point back to the NCAA. What has the NCAA done at that time to punish the school right now? There's nothing been done and I've said a long time ago. I love to be on something, deal with the NCAA that determines things that happened like this. I asked that long time ago, as I love to be on the other side of board. I think I've earned my stripes in the business world and outside that as well. I think they need former athletes that have the integrity to say, "Guys, let's jump on this right away."

NICHOLS: Well, it is always fantastic to talk to you, Herschel, we really appreciate it. This is the sport that so many people care about, and they want to see it administer the right way. Thank you.

WALKER: Thank you.

NICHOLS: Now that would an interesting idea right? Herschel Walker as the NCAA official, he got the feeling he'll be making a lot of changes if they set him loose in the office. All right, that is our show for tonight. You can follow me on twitter and on Facebook or on the web, @cnn.com/unguarded. And of course we'll be right back in the spot next Friday night for more Unguarded with the end of the game.