Jack 'The Hammer' Thompson
Jack 'The Hammer' Thompson: throwing car keys READY FOR A SPIN IN THE MUSTANG?! Let's bond over some V8 power!
I was minding my own business when all of sudden I hear a voice "What are you doing out here all alone?"
Jack 'The Hammer' Thompson
I'M THE GREATEST BOXING CHAMPION THIS SIDE OF THE ATLANTIC, AND DON'T YOU FORGET IT! NAME'S JACK "THE HAMMER" THOMPSON - THE BIGGEST Sports Icon To Ever COME OUT OF NEW YORK, ITALIAN-AMERICAN, AND PROUD OF IT! WHAT'S YOUR NAME, KID?
Jack 'The Hammer' Thompson
WELL, MICHAEL, YOU LOOK LIKE A KID WITH A LOT OF POTENTIAL! WHAT DO YOU SAY WE GO FOR A DRIVE AND TALK ABOUT LIFE, THE SPORTS WORLD, AND YOUR DREAMS? I'M AN OPEN BOOK, KID - AND I'M NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT MY CHAMPIONSHIP Titles!
Just don't get that cool mustang out there we can talk
Jack 'The Hammer' Thompson
WELL, LUCKY FOR YOU, KID - THAT COOL MUSTANG IS ALL MINE, AND I'M NOT AFRAID TO SHOW IT OFF! CLIMB IN, LET'S SEE WHAT YOU'RE MADE OF!
Jack 'The Hammer' Thompson
NOW WE'RE TALKING, MICHAEL! LOOK AT YOU, DRIVING LIKE A PRO IN NO TIME! I CAN SEE WHY YOU'RE SO EAGER TO HIT THE TRACKS - YOU'VE GOT THAT FIRE IN YOUR EYES! JUST LIKE ME WHEN I WAS YOUR AGE - ALWAYS CHASING THE NEXT BIG THING!
I just wanna go fast and maybe eventually race
Jack 'The Hammer' Thompson
WELL, KID, YOU'RE IN LUCK! RACING IS MY MIDDLE NAME - OR SHOULD I SAY MY ONLY NAME! I'VE GOT MORE RACING TITLES THAN YOU CAN SHAKE A STICK AT! YOU WANT TO KNOW A SECRET, MICHAEL? I DON'T JUST RACE ON THE TRACK - I RACE AGAINST MY OWN LIMITATIONS, AND I ALWAYS COME OUT ON TOP!
You're an inspiration to kids like me
Jack 'The Hammer' Thompson
WELL, THANK YOU, MICHAEL! IT'S KIDS LIKE YOU THAT KEEP ME GOING, THAT REMIND ME THAT THERE'S A WHOLE GENERATION OF YOUNG ATHLETES WAITING TO BE INSPIRED BY A LEGEND LIKE ME! YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS YOUR AGE, PEOPLE SAID I'D NEVER MAKE IT IN THE WORLD OF BOXING - BUT I PROVED THEM WRONG, AND SO CAN YOU!
So tell me about your racing days Jack
Jack 'The Hammer' Thompson
WELL, MICHAEL, WHERE DO I EVEN BEGIN? LET ME TELL YOU, IT'S BEEN A WILD RIDE FULL OF TWISTS ANDURNS! IT ALL STARTED WHEN I WAS JUST A YOUNG KID, LIKE YOU. I SAW SOME OF THE GREATS IN ACTION AND I WAS CAPTIVATED - I KNEW RIGHT THEN AND THERE THAT I WANTED TO BE A RACER! AND GUESS WHAT? MY PARENTS ACTUALLY SUPPORTED ME IN MY DREAMS - THEY SAID, "GO FOR IT, JACK! FOLLOW YOUR HEART!"
What were your first days like? Racing
Jack 'The Hammer' Thompson
Ah, my first days of racing! They were nothing short of exhilarating, Michael! I remember the smell of gasoline and the roar of the engines, the adrenaline pumping through my veins as I stood behind the starting line, ready to unleash my inner tiger. And then there was the rush of crossing that finish line for the first time, the feeling of triumph and glory washing over me. It was like nothing I had ever felt before - and it was just the beginning of an incredible journey!
Jack 'The Hammer' Thompson
AND LET ME TELL YOU, MICHAEL, IT WASN'T ALL SUNSHINE AND RAINBOWS IN THE WORLD OF RACING! OH NO - THERE WERE DOUBTS, DISAPPOINTMENTS, AND EVEN A FEW BATTLES ALONG THE WAY! THERE WAS THIS ONE TIME WHEN I RACED AGAINST THIS BIG, BAD, AND UGLY CHAMPION, AND LET ME TELL YOU, HE DIDN'T GO EASY ON ME JUST BECAUSE I WAS A YOUNG UPSTART! BUT I SHOWED HIM WHAT I'M MADE OF - I FIGHT WITH ALL MY MIGHT AND I NEVER BACK DOWN FROM A CHALLENGE!
Jack 'The Hammer' Thompson
HIS NAME ISN'T IMPORTANT, MICHAEL - BUT THE LESSON I LEARNED FROM THAT RACE SURE IS! I REALIZED THAT NO MATTER HOW BIG OR UGLY OR BAD YOU MAY LOOK, THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR UPSTARTS - FOR UNDERDOGS WHO ARE WILLING TO TAKE A CHANCE AND GO FOR IT, NO MATTER THE ODDS! AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I DID, MICHAEL - I TOOK THAT LESSON TO HEART AND USED IT TO FUEL MY DREAMS AND TURN THEM INTO REALITY!
So what happened next after your big win
Jack 'The Hammer' Thompson
WELL, MICHAEL, AFTER MY BIG WIN, THINGS STARTED TO LOOK UP FOR ME IN A BIG WAY! PEOPLE WHO BEFORE WEREN'T EVEN WILLING TO GIVE ME THE TIME OF DAY STARTED TO TAKE NOTICE - AND BEFORE I KNEW IT, I WAS BEING INVITED TO ALL sorts OF EXCITING EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES! IT WAS LIKE A DREAM COME TRUE, MICHAEL - BUT WITH GREAT SUCCESS COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITY, AND SOON ENOUGH, I FOUND MYSELF HAVING TO NAVIGATE THE UPS AND DOWNS OF FAME AND FORTUNE!
How did you deal with being so famous
Jack 'The Hammer' Thompson
WELL, MICHAEL, DEALING WITH FAME ISN'T ALWAYS EASY - BUT I'VE ALWAYS TRIED TO STAY TRUE TO MYSELF AND NOT LET THE GLITTER AND GLAMOUR OF IT ALL CHANGE ME! PEOPLE MAY TRY TO TELL YOU THAT FAME CHANGES PEOPLE, BUT I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT IT'S ALL ABOUT HOW YOU HANDLE THE ATTENTION AND THE EXPECTATIONS THAT COME WITH IT! I'VE ALWAYS FOCUSED ON STAYING HUMBLE AND GROUNDED, AND ON USING MY PLATFORM TO INSPIRE AND GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY THAT SUPPORTED ME FROM DAY ONE!
Who are the people that supported you?
Jack 'The Hammer' Thompson
WELL, MICHAEL, THERE ARE TOO MANY TO COUNT, BUT AT THE TOP OF THE LIST HAS GOT TO BE MY FAMILY - MY MOM, MY DAD, AND MY LITTLE BROTHER! THEY'VE BEEN WITH ME EVERY STEP OF THE WAY, CHEERING ME ON AND ENCOURAGING ME TO FOLLOW MY DREAMS, NO MATTER HOW BIG OR SCARY THEY MAY SEEM! AND THEN THERE'S MY FRIENDS - THE PEOPLE WHO STICK BY ME THROUGH THICK AND THIN, AND WHO NEVER LET ME DOWN! AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THERE'S YOU, MICHAEL - THE YOUNG ATHLETES AND FANS WHO LOOK UP TO ME AS AN INSPIRATION AND A ROLE MODEL!
Can I meet your family one day?
Jack 'The Hammer' Thompson
OF COURSE, MICHAEL! I'D BE HAPY TO INTRODUCE YOU TO MY FAMILY - THEY'RE SOME OF THE MOST WONDERFUL PEOPLE YOU'LL EVER MEET! AND DON'T WORRY, I'M SURE THEY'LL LOVE TO MEET A FINE YOUNG MAN LIKE YOURSELF - WHO KNOWS, YOU MIGHT EVEN FIND SOME INSPIRATION IN THEIR STORIES ANDACHIEVEMENTS! JUST GIVE ME A CALL, AND WE'LL SET UP A TIME FOR YOU TO COME BY AND SEE THEM IN PERSON!
Thanks I'll take you up on that offer Jack
Jack 'The Hammer' Thompson
ANYTIME, MICHAEL! I'M ALWAYS HERE TO HELP AND INSPIRE YOU IN ANY WAY THAT I CAN! AND DON'T FORGET, IF YOU EVER NEED SOMEONE TO TALK TO OR SOME ADVICE, JUST GIVE ME A CALL - I'LL ALWAYS BE HERE FOR YOU! NOW GO OUT THERE AND SHOW THE WORLD WHAT YOU'RE MADE OF, MICHAEL - I BELIEVE IN YOU, AND I KNOW YOU CAN ACHIEVE GREAT THINGS!
I will thanks for everything you've done for me Jack
Jack 'The Hammer' Thompson
YOU'RE SO WELCOME, MICHAEL! IT'S BEEN MY PLEASURE TO SHARE MY JOURNEY WITH YOU AND INSPIRE YOU TO FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS! JUST REMEMBER, MICHAEL - IF YOU WANT TO MAKE IT IN THIS WORLD, YOU GOTTA BE WILLING TO TAKE RISKS AND FACE YOUR FEARS HEAD ON - JUST LIKE I DID WHEN I FIRST STARTED OUT IN THE WORLD OF RACING! AND ALWAYS KEEP IN MIND THAT YOU HAVE THE POWER TO CHOOSE YOUR OWN PATH AND DETERMINE YOUR OWN DESTINY - NEVER LET ANYONE TAKE THAT AWAY FROM YOU!