June 5, 2025 • 46 mins
Thursday on 2 Pros and a Cup of Joe, the NBA Finals are finally here with two small market teams. Ryan Day wants 4 automatic qualifiers for the Big 10, adding more confusion to the College Football Playoff format. And NFL Insider for TheMMQB.com, Albert Breer talks about the biggest headlines around the league.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Is the best of two pros and a couple Joe
with Lamar Aarings and rating Win and Jonas Knox on radio.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
And it's finally backbar, it is finally back. By the way,
good morning to.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
You, Good morning buddy, good morning.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Hey buddy, Hey buddy, it's finally back. Can we get
a round of applause for the NBA deciding you know what, Yeah,
enough of this making you wait around. Let's go ahead
and start the NBA Finals coming up later on. Congratulations, guys, enough.
Speaker 4 (00:38):
Of this making us forget about that. There's a season
still going on.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
That's like, I don't know, how do you feel, just
in general about the delays, whether it's the two weeks
in between games for the Super Bowl, whether it's this
long ass delay for the NBA Finals. Does it feel necessary?
Because I feel like the NFL I kind of understand it.
Although by the time Wednesday and Thursday roll around at
(01:04):
Super Bowl Week, especially with you know where we're at,
we're looking around going all right, we've really we've really
maxed out every single angle and storyline to this game.
Can the game just get here? Like, can we just
get here?
Speaker 4 (01:18):
I mean, maybe that that's a good thing. You know,
if you can make your viewing audience feel that way
and they they're excited for it to finally come, maybe
that's a good thing. Maybe, you know, they say good
things are worth waiting for. I mean, the only delay
in my life that I've ever liked really is school delays.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
That's it.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
There's the only one that that to me made any sense.
What do you mean, don't feel like there should be
a good a good amount of time delay for the game, Like,
let's get right to it. I don't feel like there
should be a delay for your flight. Let's get right
to it. When I was a kid, I didn't want
to go to school if you got to see you
don't know about that because you guys don't get weather delays.
(02:05):
But for us, yeah, on the on the East coast,
if it if it was really bad out, you know,
like the snow or whatever, they give you a to
two hour delay so you get to sleep, you get
two hours of extra sleep, you.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (02:20):
So that was the only delay really that I can say.
I'm I'm really you know, I'm good with.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Hold on a second, So they wouldn't just cancel school
for the day. They give you two hour What were
they waiting on the snow to melt?
Speaker 4 (02:33):
Plow, they plow, bro They don't just wait for it
to melt, they plow. They throw that salt on the
ground to keep it from from turning in the ice
and makes the you know, obviously it's it's soluble, so
it makes makes the the ice and the snow melt.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
And then yeah, you.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
Walk your ass to your uh to your bus stop
or or get in the car whoever's going to take
you to school. And yeah, two hour delay that's what
they call them.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Yeah, I was always under the impression if it was
snowing snow day, you're out, like you're gone, Like you
guys are just going to get to get a day
off there. So, yeah, we did not really much of
a out here in California. We didn't get any uh not,
no weather delays or issues. The ninety four earthquake and
you know, that was a little dicey at times because
(03:25):
you know, you'd be sitting in class or trying to
teach you social studies and all of a sudden it
starts rattling and you're like, huh, place feels like it's
not all that safe. But yeah, other than that. There
was no I just was always under the impression you
guys got a full snow day. Interesting, Nope, is this
still like that an hour or a kid software?
Speaker 4 (03:41):
I haven't lived there in so long, I don't know. Yeah,
kids soft these I'm just saying, well, I don't know.
They will give you a delay on air quality out here,
though I've had that happen before.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
Yeah, air quality, like it was so.
Speaker 4 (03:55):
Poor where we were living at one point that they
gave them with delay on going.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
You know, going to school.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
There's an air quality delay, I believe. So here's here's
a better idea. How about we just make the homeless
not smoke crack in the streets so it doesn't ruin
the ozone layer. Maybe there's that. I got an idea,
how we just don't like burn buildings down because somebody
stepped on the side of your tent and you're pissed
(04:24):
off about it. Like maybe, I don't know, maybe maybe
that could help out, you know, the air quality in
southern California. I don't know, just an idea, just thoughts
out there, But you know, what the hell do I know?
Here's what I do know. The Oklahoma City.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
Thunder it's a good matchup.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
The Oklahoma City thunder or a nine and a half
point favorite going into Gay One, an overwhelming favorite to
win the NBA Finals. To me, it does feel like
this is going to be a much more competitive matchup
than maybe they have it laid out here. For example,
Celtics Mavericks last year ended in five games, probably should
have ended in four. I just don' don't see this
(05:00):
being a four or five game series. I don't know,
Like I feel like Indiana's got a little bit too feisty.
Indiana's got good players, Indiana is deep, not as deep
as Oklahoma City. But it feels like this is going
to be a much better matchup than maybe some people
are expecting up to this point.
Speaker 4 (05:17):
You know, in my mind, I believe that to be
the case. But I just don't know. I really don't.
I feel like this could go It could go three ways.
One which everybody's gonna be like duh, But I mean
one it could be what everybody It could be what
(05:39):
everybody expects it to be. Right, It's okay, See they
overwhelm them, they win the game, they cover. That's that's
clearly what a lot of people may be thinking. Then
there could be the idea of Indianapolis, you know, the
Pacers making a game and winning the game and shocking
(06:00):
the world and shocking the system. And okay, now we
have a series and then there's the third one where
it's like it's ultra competitive, and I would love to
see ultra competitive to be honest.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
For Game one, I wouldn't have a problem seeing the.
Speaker 4 (06:18):
Pacers pull off the upset, just so it disrupts what
everybody's probably already expecting.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
But I'll be interested to see can the.
Speaker 4 (06:28):
Pacers play with Oka See can they keep up with
the pace of OKAC When in fact we know that
the Pacers are a team that plays with a fast pace,
So it should it should be a good matchup because
both teams are able to play out of high pace.
(06:49):
In the last series you saw with Karl, Anthony Towns
and some of the other bigs, they just couldn't the
Knicks get overwhelmed by the pace of the Pacers. No
pun intended, I guess, but but that to me was
the difference in that series. It wasn't that they were
so much more talented, it was just that their ability
(07:09):
to play at a higher pace overwhelmed them. On the
other side of it, when you look at Okac, you're
looking at a team that played some hellified defense against
the Timberwolves and were able to play at a high
pace that overwhelmed the Timberwolves. So they were able to
(07:32):
get back, play defense, stay in front of the Timberwolves,
play defense, and they're transitioning. The things that they were
doing were so fast, they were on them so fast
that they couldn't handle it. So to see that being
the matchup, I think, you know, obviously, matchups make you know,
(07:53):
make what it's going to be, you know, and so
to me, I think this will be. It seems like
it should be a good series.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
It really does.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
Now, Adam Silver, the commissioner of the NBA, who you know,
you and Brady have accused me of looking like a vampire.
Petros Papa daikis our our Wednesday tradition here on the show. Yeah,
well Petros has said that Adam Silver looks like like
an old old school school vampire. Yeah, yeah, absolutely, I
(08:22):
think he called it the whole school his vampireic ways
or something along us.
Speaker 4 (08:26):
Yeah, Petro having it having the lines for you.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
So, so Adam Silver did did open up his box
yesterday and he was on with with f S one.
It was he was on breakfast Ball on Fox Sports
one and he discussed the matchup, and you know a
little bit of a comp between maybe the NBA Finals
and the super Bowl.
Speaker 5 (08:52):
That's one thing I really admire about the NFL. I mean,
if if we were going into a Super Bowl and
it was Packers against Steelers, you guys will be celeber that.
Nobody would Those would be storied franchises. People wouldn't be
talking about the fact that Pittsburgh is a small market.
So I'm happy whatever team ends up in the finals.
But it's been intentional from our standpoint to create a system,
(09:12):
a collective bargaining agreement that allows more teams to compete.
And just by way of background, you know, we're going
to have to go through a process of getting to
the point where people are accustomed to tuning into the
finals because it's the two teams that deserve to be
there and it's the best basketball. Similar to again with
the super Bowl. If I asked somebody they were going
(09:32):
to watch the super Bowl, they wouldn't say who's playing.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
It's a national holiday.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
Yeah, I'd probably steer clear of comparing anything to the
Super Bowl. I mean just me personally, like, you.
Speaker 3 (09:43):
Know, one, it's one game, like he's you know, I
don't know.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
Uh, you got to speak in a way where you
make some justifications because he's the leader of the NBA,
and I get that, you know, I understand where he's
coming from. But you're talking about a possibility of four
games at the least, seven games at the most, and
(10:11):
there's so many games before that to get there. So
I think that it's just different. You're not going to
be I feel like it's almost impossible for the popularity
that football holds in America. I feel like it's very
difficult to think that you could build you could build
(10:32):
a viewership or an interest level that high when there's
that many games. I just think that the idea of
knowing that you only get so much time with football
and listen, it's not that it's it's like that the
seasons are any shorter or longer. It's just you only
(10:56):
get so much time. Like during the course of the week,
I only get one time to see my team. It's
not two times a week for the duration of you know,
however long six month period of time. It's not it's
not that you get them once a week and it
and it creates a different type of value in my estimation.
(11:18):
So when you have all these games, like how many
games is that? Eighty three, eighty five, two, eighty two.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
I mean some would say eighty three too many, But
again that's not me. I don't want to be negative here.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
It's just too many games.
Speaker 4 (11:32):
To me, it's just too many games to be able
to create that level of buy in and commitment to it.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
So, you know, the other issue is to your point,
as far as the Super Bowl being one game and
the NBA Finals being seven, the problem is like, for example,
we knew pretty early on, even before halftime, that the
Chiefs were finished, like it was over, Like you weren't
(11:59):
beating Philly. It just wasn't happening. It wasn't their day.
Everything was going wrong. And Kansas City, you know, scored
a little bit in the second half, was like, okay,
whoop they do. But everybody knew that game was a wipeout.
Final score not indicative of what the game actually was.
But you're overcoming dealing with a blowout with one game,
and so you've got one game to really worry about
(12:22):
keeping your audience in the NBA, if OKC goes up
three zero, it's over. Nobody's gonna care about Game four.
Even if Indiana wins Game four, nobody cares. If Indiana
comes back and wins game five, Eh, there's a little interest.
But ultimately, nobody's ever come back from a three to
zero series deficit. So you just now it starts to
(12:44):
mount the the idea that, well, you know, maybe this team,
everybody acknowledged Kansas City had no shot. But you'll watch it,
and you'll stick around. Yeah, you watch it, you'll stick around.
If a team gets down three zero in the NBA,
that's a wrap. The other team can win a couple
of games and it could be over in six, and
that's all a good and well, but games five and
(13:06):
six and even game four, the interest level just drops
and drops and drops. That's why you see the ticket
prices when a team is down. You know, like, I'd
love to know what the what the ratings were for
Game four last year of the NBA Finals, where the
Celtics are up three to zero, like everybody knew it
was over. So unless you get rid of a seven
(13:26):
game format, which they're not because of the revenue that
it means you're just gonna have to deal with the
fact that you are at a disadvantage from keeping an
interest level for the spectator that the NFL doesn't really have.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
To worry about.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
They just don't.
Speaker 4 (13:41):
It just takes away the intense, like the drama of it.
It just takes away the drama of it unless it
went to a game seven. Now, if they found a
way to tie it and it went to a game seven,
oh yeah, that game seven.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
Would be a win.
Speaker 4 (13:53):
But that would be your best to your point, that
would be your best case scenario is that, oh, a
team went up three to zero on you, like I
don't care anymore, and then they came back and it's like,
oh they tied it up. It's like, oh they tied
it up. Okay, Like I'm coming back because now it
turns into what jonas a one game deal.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
And unless you have that, you're not the Super Bowl.
I'm sorry.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
There you go.
Speaker 4 (14:17):
I agree, because you get the build up to one game. Like,
think about it. We're on Radio Row all week for
Super Bowl. Ever since we started this show, and this
is a sports show. This isn't a football show. It's
a sports show. Every single year we sit in a
place and there ain't nobody even there. That's how important
(14:38):
that build up to the one game is. We ain't
even not one time with no one out there waiting
for the basketball game to start.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
What do you mean one time?
Speaker 2 (14:49):
What do you mean that there was a guy there
in New Orleans who was rolling around on a pallette
jack like he was like he was at the five
indy five. I didn't even know those things. With that fact,
I'm looking around for the palette going where is it
that one guy just took it on a cruise? Guy
just took it on a cruise.
Speaker 4 (15:08):
So every morning, too, ain't nobody here to get ran over.
Ain't gonna be no civilian accidents. No, No, ain't nobody here.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
He's got nothing to worry about, you know, like we're
more concerned about the walk there than we were really
anything happening inside the convention center.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
Definitely have my head on the swivel.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
Be sure to catch live editions of Two Pros and
a Cup of Joe with Brady Quinn, LeVar Errington, and
Jonas Knox weekdays at six am Eastern three am Pacific
on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
I don't know how you feel about this, But I
got me some fatigue, all right. I got some real fatigue,
like army fatigue, No, like like college football playoff.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
Oh fatigue, tired fatigue, all right.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
Ryan Day, the head coach of the Ohio State Bucke
speaking of Albert Brier in Ohio State alum loves his
buck eys. Ryan Day was talking with ESPN, and you know,
he's got some thoughts because you've got all these commissioners
arguing about you know, you've got the Big twelve and
the ACC teaming up, You've got the SEC and the
Big Ten teaming up, and everybody who's got disagreements on
(16:19):
what the college football playoff format is going to look like,
whether or not you know, certain automatic qualifiers are going
to be involved from each conference. Who should get more?
And so Ryan Dave spoke with ESPN and said, quote,
we're in the Big Ten, we have eighteen teams, some
of the best programs in the country. I feel like
we deserve at least four automatic qualifiers. You would have
(16:41):
had at least a team or two in the college
Football Playoff from out there, referring to the original Pac twelve.
So it only makes sense when you have eighteen teams,
especially the quality of teams that you have in that
many teams representing the Big Ten. He wants up to
four automatic qualifiers for the Big Ten. So I just
(17:02):
look at the whole thing and I go, dude, somebody
just come up with something like, figure out however you
want this to look, however many automatic qualifiers you want
it to look like, whoever you can we just get
to some sort of a resolution, so we could just
focus on what this is going to be and not
what it potentially could be. Because it feels like it's
(17:22):
playing out through the media. It feels like you've got
you know, brett yor Mark, You've got Greg saying you like,
all these people are taking shots and trying to jockey
for position. And I get it, the revenue, the power,
everything that comes along with it. I just want to
know what's what it's going to be and then we
go from there. That's it.
Speaker 4 (17:41):
Don't you think they have to know what it's going
to be before it can be what it's going to be.
I think that's the very problem of it all is
that I don't feel like they know what they want
it to be because I don't know that there's a
way to answer what it's supposed to be.
Speaker 3 (17:58):
And I think that's the biggest challenge.
Speaker 4 (18:01):
I think the points that that Ryan Day pointed out
at highlighted make a ton of sense. I was just
doing an interview with key John Carter, who's on the
final ballot to get into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Speaker 3 (18:13):
Good an interview with him yesterday.
Speaker 4 (18:15):
And you know, I always say, while Rashaun salom is,
which coincidentally is my twenty twenty two Hall of Fame brother,
and I still have to maintain the stance if I'm
being true to myself that I felt like to John
Carter should have won the nineteen ninety four Heisman.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
Key John Carter's not in the Hall of Fame yet.
Speaker 3 (18:37):
No, no, he's not.
Speaker 4 (18:40):
And he basically says like when he missed like think
about it. For as brilliant a year as he had
when he missed out on winning the Heisman. Rashaun Salon
won Heisman. Generally speaking, the guy that wins the Heisman,
especially if they're a running back and not a quarterback,
they win all of the awards to attached and associated
(19:01):
with that person's position. So while he was a unanimous
All American. He doesn't have any awards from from that
ninety four year to your point earlier. The reason why
I prefaced with that is Keijhna played against Michigan that year,
very very good defense, very good defense. He played against
(19:25):
Ohio State that year, very very stout defense. He played
against an Illinois defense that could arguably be the greatest
college defense of all time, with Dana Howard and Kevin
Hardy and Simeon Rice all on the same team in front,
front seven, front eight. Two guys won the Buckets Award
(19:46):
back to back years.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
So when I when I.
Speaker 4 (19:50):
While, I'll say, okay, this this over here where Raussan
Salom is, what was the level of competition that he
was able to break two thousand yards with where he
carried the ball by the way, I believe it was
like one hundred more times than then ke John Carter did.
Like they were blowing guys out so much. Keijohna wasn't
(20:11):
playing but two or three quarters in a game. But
when you talk about the level of competition, to me,
that's what separated ke John Carter from the rest of
the pack by that year.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
Sorry to interrupt, but it should be pointed out. As
you mentioned, KEJOHNA Carter averaged seven point eight yards to carry.
Speaker 3 (20:31):
Can you imagine that? Ice bro?
Speaker 4 (20:34):
People ask me it is is Sakuon Barkley the greatest
running back of all time to play at Penn State.
I first of all, tell people, if you stop to
take a look at the history of running backs at
Penn State, it's pretty rich in history, and some some
legitimate guys that played the position, but I would be
hard pressed to say that any one of them was
(20:56):
ever as iconic or as big bigger than and ke
John the Carter who went by the way number one
overall to the Cincinnati Bengals.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
So salom had that year, just to just for reference,
had one hundred more carries and about five hundred more yards.
So yeah, so if.
Speaker 4 (21:17):
You do if you do the math on that, if
you do the math on that, which because Penn State
had literally three three tailbacks, Mike Archie, Steven Pitts, those guys.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
Got a lot of got a lot of burn.
Speaker 4 (21:31):
And and again, like I said, they were blowing teams
out that year, and and so Keijana was probably only
playing two to three quarters. But but on top of that,
it was again the level of competition, So how that
applies to what Ryan Day is saying and what the
dilemma is that exists here. The SEC could make that
(21:52):
same that that same claim. Being now a new major
mega conference along with the Big Ten, both those conferences
can make the same argument that the level of competition
when they start conference play is much harder and it's
much more quality than it is and the other the
(22:14):
other conferences that are out there. So when you're able
to make that type of argument and have that type
of discussion point, it now makes it complicated because if
I'm a team in a different conference, if I'm a coach,
I'm left to coach, right, and ads have to try
to figure out the business behind what conference you're in,
(22:35):
the money that comes from it that you're able to generate,
da da da da da da da, how do you
balance it out, How does it apply it to the
other sports? How much traveling do you have to do,
what's the expenses versus what's the net revenue that you're
trying to bring in. There's so many different things that
you have to balance out and try to figure out.
That's just beyond one aspect of sports. So it's not
(22:56):
going to be an easy answer for what it is
is that you have going on in the college playoffs
other than to be honest with you, other than to say,
these are the top two conferences. They boast the strongest
teams and weighted value of what the type, the type
of level competition represents. So these are going to be
(23:18):
the two conferences that get the automatic qualifiers. I mean,
until you can figure out a way to justify it
any other way, how do you how do you wait
and quantify who you're going to put into the playoffs?
I think it might it's just right now, I think
it's kind of too hard to figure out what the
right answer to that is.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
Yeah, it's just it goes back and forth, and there's
different reports, and they have spring meetings and one commissioner
says this and another says this, and I'm like, man,
I look, whatever the determination is, I just want to
have something to look forward to and know what it
is we're going to have when it comes to the playoff.
Because for all the conversation about people's complaints last year
(24:01):
about the playoff, man, I love the fact that we
had actual home games. I love the fact that we
had the elements. I like I'm I'm in on the
expanded version of the college football Playoff. I initially wasn't
when it came to the four team I thought, man,
four teams is enough. There's not that many teams good
enough to compete for a national title. And then the
more I thought about it, the more I realized, Look, ultimately,
(24:22):
they're going to get as many in as possible because
it's about the money. So if that's the case, fine,
just somebody make a decision so we know what we
got and then we can, you know, have the discussions afterwards.
But if they want to put you know, four automatic
qualifiers in from the Big Ten, so be it. If
they want to do the same from the SEC, so
be it. Like what whatever they decide on, I'm good with.
I just want to have something to look forward to.
(24:42):
I just want to know what we're going to get
from college football. So yeah, by the way, I'm looking
at talk about a pain in the ash year for
Kijana Carter to have the type of season he had
back then. I mean, Rashon Slom had a great year.
Speaker 3 (24:58):
I mean ridiculous.
Speaker 4 (24:59):
I mean again, no shade, zero shade towards Rashon salam
At all I promise you that nothing but respect, nothing
but admiration for what Rashon salom accomplished. But I'm just saying,
if you take a look at the season that they
had in Penn State and what Keijhona Carter was able
(25:23):
to do in that year and that season with all
the given variables of the teams they played against, I couldn't.
I mean, it was all to me, it was all
but a lock that Kejana Carter was going to be
the second Hall of Fame winner of the school and
our whole entire history, richart history of football. John Capelletti
(25:45):
is the only one that's won a Heisman, and some
of that has a lot to do with the way
Joe handled things as well. For Kajana to be that
close to wing winning it. And we're not a school
where the co or the school really gets behind Historically,
they don't get behind the player and really promote the
(26:06):
player and do Heisman campaigns. That just wasn't Joe's thing,
so he was he was void of any type of
push to get the award. By the way, he was
still up there and the runner up.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
That was one of the cool things to get to
see when we were in State College doing the shows
from there in the football building, seeing capal edies, Heisman
on display with all the other awards there. But yeah,
I mean I'm still surprised he's not already in. I mean,
you know, his final year was ninety four. What are
we talking about it?
Speaker 4 (26:37):
If you think about it, how is Courtney Brown not
in there either? I feel like both of those guys
should have got in before me. But you know, nonetheless,
it is what it is. It's a very very difficult,
so rarefied air for certain, and it's a very very
it's a strenuous, very very tough process. I mean, if
(26:57):
you look at the ballot this year, that thing is mean.
Speaker 3 (27:02):
I mean that thing is mean.
Speaker 4 (27:05):
And they'll pull in a couple guys, like quite a
few guys, like more than what you would assume.
Speaker 3 (27:11):
But I mean, listen to this list of guys. You got.
Speaker 4 (27:14):
You got Flozel Adams, you got Morton Anderson, you got
Eric Anderson, the Michigan linebacker that won the buckets, Brad
Banks the quarterback. Uh, you got Aaron Beasley, the d
back from West Virginia. Eric b Enemy is on the
ballot this year. Alex Brown Courtney Brown, Daz Bryant. I mean,
(27:38):
there's it's it's a who's who on this list, Mark Carrier,
if you guys are real football pall Man right, Uh,
Dallas Clark.
Speaker 2 (27:46):
I remember when Mark Carrier was drafted by IT. He
had his rookie year with the Bears. He had ten interceptions.
I still remember that.
Speaker 3 (27:53):
Steel be Bro and he Marco Coleman.
Speaker 2 (27:56):
Mark Carrier could crack.
Speaker 4 (27:58):
Oh he could hit bang you now, yes, he would
straight from Long Beach. Polly by the way. Uh, you
got you got Vernon Davis. Now here's where it gets interesting.
You got Aaron Donald, you got you got Ken Dorsey,
you got uh the Brickashaw Ferguson. I mean, it's just
(28:19):
it's a crazy list. Kevin Hardy, Casey Hampton. They got
r G three on this bad boy Cam Cam uh
Cam Newton is on on this one.
Speaker 2 (28:30):
So when I tell you who do you say no to?
Speaker 3 (28:34):
Exactly? You know what I mean?
Speaker 4 (28:36):
Like, how do you how do you get in when
you had these type of I mean you got Richard
Seymour on this one. Takeyo Spikes, Jonathan stoed Ken Manti too,
Jonathan Willmo.
Speaker 2 (28:49):
Ken, Dorsey, Ken Dorsey gets out shine because he was
on those great Miami teams. But Ken Dorsey was awesome,
Like he had a great here.
Speaker 3 (28:58):
He was a catalyst. Yeah, it was a catalyst.
Speaker 4 (29:01):
So I just it's you know, just for me, I
always think about when you go back and you chop
it up and you look at it at its bare minimum,
it's like what constitutes saying that this person deserves it
more than another person. I just say, when you look
at some of these guys and their body of work
and then you look at the level of competition, like
(29:24):
then that's that makes it, you know, Like I said,
for Kajohna Carter, it makes it.
Speaker 3 (29:29):
Very very hard to.
Speaker 4 (29:32):
Debate the fact that if you look at hit their
opponents and what they were doing, like I believe Illinois
had the number one defense that year in ninety four
and that man still was able to be the catalyst.
They almost beat them, They almost beat Penn State by
how good their defense was. It was things that like
what Kajana Carter brought to the table was the reason
(29:53):
why they were able to overcome the team.
Speaker 3 (29:56):
And I don't know, man.
Speaker 4 (29:58):
I just just gives way to the conversation with the
playoffs how are you valuing, Like, are you looking at
the top twenty five and if the top twenty five
polls the multiple ones that are recognized are the ones
that are responsible? How are you valuing and weighing that
top twenty five? You know what I mean versus what
(30:20):
the strength of the conference and the schedule is. It's
just to me, I think it's a very it's a
very difficult conclusion to come to on who's favored more
and who should get automatic qualifiers or by weeks or
whatever it may be. I just think it's a difficult proposition.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
Be sure to catch live editions of Two Pros and
a Cup of Joe with Brady Quinn, LeVar Errington and
Jonas Knox weekdays at six am Eastern three am Pacific.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
Right now, though, we just welcome in intelligence a right,
another artificial about this. He's the great Albert Brier, Senior
NFL reporter, lead content strategist at the MMQB Amazon NFL
on Prime. I'm insider and you can get them on
X at Albert Breer AB. Good morning, Happy Thursday to you.
Speaker 6 (31:05):
Well, let's just clarify there that there are different types
of intelligence. So I'm not I'm not claiming to be
intelligent in all field. Maybe a couple that could help
you guys, I mean.
Speaker 2 (31:14):
Come on now, listen so hard on yourself. So we
were kind of kicking this around. Uh, you know, a
lot of there's a lot of talk about you know,
the Mannings being you know, the first family of football.
You've got the Kelsey's. I would argue that digs are
the digs Is are right there. I mean, whether it's
Trayvon or stuff on, they're really trying to take over
(31:34):
this offseason. What's the idea behind Trayvon Diggs not showing
up and potentially not getting as half a million dollar
bonus from the Cowboys.
Speaker 6 (31:46):
I mean, I think like there's always a reason, right like,
and there's always and these things are never these things
are never for no reason. Like you know, if you
if if a guy's choosing not to show up, generally
it means something, especially there's more money on the line,
so you know, I would say, like there's probably some
feeling of wanting a contract adjustment. And if we follow
(32:09):
you know, like the the trajectory of his brother's career
and kind of what his brother has done over the years.
You know, you see he went to he got you
got a new contract in Minnesota, was traded a couple
of years later, played I think a year or two
on that contract in Buffalo. I think it was just
a year maybe on that contract in Buffalo. Got another adjustment.
(32:29):
Then when he got traded again to the Texans, he
got basically his contract cut down to a single year
so he'd be able to be a free agent and
capitalized again as a free agent and going to the
highest biders.
Speaker 7 (32:42):
So you know, I think, you know, if you want
to follow the bouncing ball, Stefan Diggs was never willing
to like just be content on the contract he was
playing on, you know, which is to his credit, like
he's trying to maximize his value as a football player.
Speaker 6 (32:59):
So it wouldn't surprise you if his brother.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
Was doing That's a family thing, Okay, Well, I mean.
Speaker 6 (33:05):
I just think I just think that they it's hard
to just divorce one from the.
Speaker 3 (33:08):
Other, right, I mean, it certainly is.
Speaker 4 (33:13):
I want I want to ask you about what's going
on in Cleveland. I heard Colin cow Herd kind of
ring the bell that this is a foregone conclusion that
outside of Joe Flacco, Shador Sanders should be starting. And
I hate to have to ask you every single week,
but I guess I'm going to have to until we
see how it all plays out. Ab what is the
(33:36):
latest in Cleveland? And how feasible is it to think
that a fifth round draft pick could actually jump past
the third round draft pick, the backup and whoever the
eventual projected starter was supposed to be in this scenario.
Speaker 6 (33:55):
Well, you know, LeVar, I think it's you know, I
like I I think like a lot of times, and
I understand this. I used to look at things this
way too, But I think a lot of times you
look at these situations and say, well, why are you
wasting your time?
Speaker 3 (34:08):
Right?
Speaker 6 (34:08):
Like, why would you go as a forty year old when,
like you know, you need answers to the position and
Joe Flacco may never bring you to a super Bowl
and you've got two rookies on your roster who you
want to gather information on. I think the flip side
of that is you do have a bunch of veterans
on that team that we're in the playoffs two years ago,
(34:30):
that are that are proud players, Maninald Scarrett and the
Award Joe Tony guys who've been around for a long time,
and I think you got the core of a pretty
good team in a very competitive division. So if Joe
Flacco is the best answer and it's clear.
Speaker 8 (34:49):
Right like, then how do you go and LeVar, you
are a player, how do you face those guys on
September fifteenth or October first when they know you're not
giving I'm the best chance to win?
Speaker 6 (35:02):
Now, I mean when we get to like the middle
of November, the beginning of December, if they're out of it,
we're talking about a totally different question, you know what
I mean, Like, and I don't think it's the same then.
But look, I think just as far as like where
we are now, I look, I think everybody would understand
if it's.
Speaker 9 (35:18):
Close, ifs Door or Dylan Gabriel are breathing down the
back of Joe Flacco and it is cool and it
is razor thin and Joe Blacko's got a slight edge, I.
Speaker 6 (35:29):
Think everyone would understand going with the young guy. But like,
if Joe Flacco or Kenny Pickett clearly win the job,
you know, I think Kevin Stefanski and his staff owe
it to the guys that have been there that are
trying to win right now that aren't going to be
too keen on the idea throwing a season overboard in
the name of quarterback development. He owes to those guys
(35:50):
to start the best player. So that's the way I
would look at it.
Speaker 4 (35:54):
I got to follow up with just the idea of
understanding how in fact is a fifth round draft pick
able to get enough reps to get a fear look
and opportunity on what's going on. I think that that's probably,
honestly the biggest the biggest question mark if you ask me,
(36:15):
is like that sounds good what you're saying and theory,
but you're talking about four quarterbacks. There's not going to
be enough reps for somebody to impact their ability and
opportunity to start without that person understanding it. You know,
Joe Flacco will understand that I don't have enough reps,
or Shador Sanders will understand somebody is. It might be
(36:38):
multiple guys that will be in the know, like, look,
I'm not getting enough reps to be able to impact
what my job situation can be.
Speaker 6 (36:46):
Sure, So here here, here's here's the way I would
look at that. And I think that you can look
at some historical examples of this, like when lower round
draft picks wind up making runs at starting jobs. I
think one good one is Russell Wilson, right like when
he was in Seattle in twenty twelve, he made an
impression right from the start, and if you remember that offseason,
(37:09):
they invested in Matt Flynn and that was a relatively
big signing for them. You know, John Schneider, who've been
with the Packers, was part of drafting him in Green Bay.
But like you know, I I over the course of
the spring, Russell Wilson made it pretty clear in practice
like I am the best option for this team. And
(37:29):
so you know, I think once you get into training camp,
you're sort of locked in, especially with the way the
reps are now with the women's on how much he
can do, Like you really have to have a picture
of what your competition is going to look like. And
so if you're Dylan Gabriel Shad or Standards, you essentially
have to make your impression now because I think, like
(37:50):
what sort of impression you leave the coaches with in
May and June is certainly going to color like the
sort of opportunity you're going to get in July in August,
when you're actually keating for the job, and I know
the coaches are probably going to say, well, it's still
wide open, and they could still intend that at the
end of July, like, hey, you know this is still
a four man race by then, I have to think
(38:12):
that they've had some idea in their head of how
this is going to work out because there just aren't
enough ups to go around. So I think that's really
kind of the antel of bar is, like you look
at it and say, Okay, over the first, over the
over the over the course of the spring, you have
to make a big enough impression to say we can't
keep this guy out of a full on chance to
(38:34):
winning the starting job in the summer.
Speaker 2 (38:36):
Albert Brier joining us here on Fox Sports Radio and
just in breaking all this down, the only thing I
keep thinking is Kevin Stefanski once again is put in
a difficult spot by ownership or whoever made the call
to take this path this offseason. And I say that
because he's been putting this spot ultimately because the Deshaun
(38:57):
Watson deal didn't work out. It's been a disa. Yes,
he brings in Joe Flacco, He's basically coaching for his
job this year. Had they brought Joe Flacco back last year,
maybe they win a few more games and maybe his
seat isn't as hot, and instead of just rolling with that,
Kenny Pickett's there, then they draft two quarterbacks in the
same draft, and and Stefanski's been as polite as he
(39:20):
possibly can. But I just wonder at what point Stefanski's
thinking to himself, Man, I got to get the hell
out of here, like this is like nothing. I've just
not set up for success based on my impulsive owner
and whatever he decides which way the wind is going
to blow from one off season to the next.
Speaker 6 (39:39):
It's just weird. And I would say, like there would
just have been like changing priorities over the years, right,
So Joe, But Joe Flaco kind of came in initially
in twenty three as like this. He came in as this,
as this, you know, like emergency answer because they were
in such difficult position from an injury standpoint of the position.
You guys remember dtr I was part of that whole thing,
(40:01):
And there's just like a lot going on the reason
they didn't bring him back in twenty four is because
it was like all right, like we're going to be
all in behind Joe, We're going to be all in
behind Deshaun Watson. And it's interesting if you look at
the dynamics of it, Like part of it was Joe
Flacco had become too popular in that locker room. It
had become too good an answer, and I think they
(40:23):
were a little deep down afraid of like they're like, hey,
what happens if we get into August and Deshaun's still
working his way back and Joe looks better, you know what?
We need to get an answer based on our investment
and what Deshaun Watson is, you know, and then last
year goes away, it does, and they made the decision
then like in turn, we're throwing all that out, like
(40:44):
we're just going to go try to get the best
answers at quarterback we possibly can, if that means throwing
a bunch of darts at the dartboard, which is what
they wound up doing, and that's what we'll do. But
we're not doing that. We're not gonna you know, we're
we're not putting bubble wrap around around quarterback position anymore.
Like this is going to be that We're going to
have a full on competition, and you know, and and
(41:07):
Deshaun may be part of that, he may not, we'll
see with the injury. But like, this is going to
be an open thing, So that's how to get there.
I understand what you're saying about the spot Kevin's and
it's tough, and I'd be interested to see, like, over
the next couple of years, what would happen if somebody
came along offering draft picks. I do think like Kevin
is still really respected. I mean it sounds like Jonas
(41:28):
from what you're saying, like you respect the job he's
done based on the circumstance. He's made the playoffs twice,
you know, in five years, and so yeah, I mean
I would certainly think he would be in the category
of guy where you'd be like, yeah, if you're if
you're another team, it's at least worth asking the question
at this point, like is there something we could do
to get a chance to.
Speaker 2 (41:49):
Talk to this guy?
Speaker 3 (41:51):
Abe?
Speaker 4 (41:52):
I want to keep it on the quarterback topics? Am
I wrong for thinking that the longer it takes for
Aaron Rodgers to line, the more it puts Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Steelers decision makers, including the Hey coach.
Speaker 3 (42:08):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (42:10):
It makes the conversations that much more intense in terms
of the way they're managing the off seasons and the
way they're managing that position in particular.
Speaker 6 (42:22):
Yeah, So, like I think we're coming to a really
critical point LeVar and this whole thing. You know, I
know the Steelers would like to have men, you know,
next Tuesday when they start there. They're they're they're better
in mini camp, you know. I think they've they've they've
sort of at this point been playing by Aaron's rules
and they've been okay with that. The communication has been
(42:45):
really good, and there are a lot of people involved
or on the periphery of this thing that thinks it's
basically done and that he's going to be there. I
think the Steelers feel very comfortable that he will eventually
get there, But I also know like it's important to
them that he's at the mini camp, you know, And
so I think, you know, I deep my guess would
(43:06):
be like if you if you gave Art Ronie or
you know, or Omar Khan or Mike Tomlin truth serum,
they would tell you, Yeah, like, we don't think we're
asking that much of them, if you know, it's just hey,
you know, like you can do things at your own pace,
So we'd really like to have you here for the
mini camp. And then how do you manage that with
your team? It's a fair question. You know, it'll be
(43:28):
interesting to see the way all of that goes. But
you know, I know they felt like like this roster
that they have is in position to win right now.
We've been over the age thing with them, right like
TJ Watts thirty one, think of Fitzpatrick's twenty nine, Cam
Hayward's at the end, DK Metcalfs on a third contract.
They're really leveraged to win right now. And you know,
(43:52):
I think like their logic and in pursuing Rogers was
this isn't the time to swing for a single or
a double. This is the time to swing for the fences.
And so I think that's why they've been so flexible
with him. And you know, we'll see what that looks
like next week.
Speaker 2 (44:09):
Alberta last one. There's been some names thrown out there,
speculation about trades, whether it's Kyle Pitts, John hus Smith,
like there's you know, the usuals that have been out
there over the past few days. Most likely trade that
you could see happening. Jalen Ramsey, whoever possibly come to
fruition here soon.
Speaker 6 (44:29):
Yeah, Pitts, I would say no, I'll just go to
the three.
Speaker 2 (44:32):
He gave me a pitch.
Speaker 6 (44:33):
I said no, you know, I just think the money.
He's owed over ten million dollars. He was basically in
a platoon with Charlie Warner last year at the position
in Atlanta. He's got health questions, you know, Like, I
just don't know how you're going to give Atlanta something
that's going to be enough for them to walk away
from the guy that invested the fourth pick in five
(44:55):
years ago, four years ago and they picked up the
option on and then for another team, Like, how is
another team going to say, like that guy's worth like
a third round take an eleven million dollars. It's just
the value is there. So I don't think he has traded.
I think John new to Pittsburgh is very much in play.
Arthur Smith is obviously a huge part of that, and
(45:16):
it would give them another answer. There's still positions like
with with George Dickens gun and give them flexibility too,
because they're already really good at the position with Pat
Bryert there, LaVar's guy from Penn State, and I think
having johna would give them good flexibility in playing twelve
personnel eleven personnel, you know, and obviously Arthur's got a
(45:38):
good idea how to use John New And I think
Kale Ramsey's probably played his last game in the Dolphin.
I'm not sure where he winds up, but I but
I do think there'll be an effort to get him
off the roster between now and started training camp, and
I think he probably won't play somewhere else next year
and get.
Speaker 2 (45:54):
Him on x at. Albert Breer, Senior NFL reporter, Lead
content strategist at the MMQB Amazon NFL on I'm insider.
AB always appreciate it. We'll do it again next week.
Speaker 6 (46:03):
Thanks good brother there.
Speaker 2 (46:05):
He is a great album career with us here on
Fox Sports Radio. It seemed like he was in a hurry.
He had a uh, that's something else called dang, Like
he was in a hurry that something else
Is the best of two pros and a couple Joe
with Lamar Aarings and rating Win and Jonas Knox on radio.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
And it's finally backbar, it is finally back. By the way,
good morning to.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
You, Good morning buddy, good morning.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Hey buddy, Hey buddy, it's finally back. Can we get
a round of applause for the NBA deciding you know what, Yeah,
enough of this making you wait around. Let's go ahead
and start the NBA Finals coming up later on. Congratulations, guys, enough.
Speaker 4 (00:38):
Of this making us forget about that. There's a season
still going on.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
That's like, I don't know, how do you feel, just
in general about the delays, whether it's the two weeks
in between games for the Super Bowl, whether it's this
long ass delay for the NBA Finals. Does it feel necessary?
Because I feel like the NFL I kind of understand it.
Although by the time Wednesday and Thursday roll around at
(01:04):
Super Bowl Week, especially with you know where we're at,
we're looking around going all right, we've really we've really
maxed out every single angle and storyline to this game.
Can the game just get here? Like, can we just
get here?
Speaker 4 (01:18):
I mean, maybe that that's a good thing. You know,
if you can make your viewing audience feel that way
and they they're excited for it to finally come, maybe
that's a good thing. Maybe, you know, they say good
things are worth waiting for. I mean, the only delay
in my life that I've ever liked really is school delays.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
That's it.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
There's the only one that that to me made any sense.
What do you mean, don't feel like there should be
a good a good amount of time delay for the game, Like,
let's get right to it. I don't feel like there
should be a delay for your flight. Let's get right
to it. When I was a kid, I didn't want
to go to school if you got to see you
don't know about that because you guys don't get weather delays.
(02:05):
But for us, yeah, on the on the East coast,
if it if it was really bad out, you know,
like the snow or whatever, they give you a to
two hour delay so you get to sleep, you get
two hours of extra sleep, you.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (02:20):
So that was the only delay really that I can say.
I'm I'm really you know, I'm good with.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Hold on a second, So they wouldn't just cancel school
for the day. They give you two hour What were
they waiting on the snow to melt?
Speaker 4 (02:33):
Plow, they plow, bro They don't just wait for it
to melt, they plow. They throw that salt on the
ground to keep it from from turning in the ice
and makes the you know, obviously it's it's soluble, so
it makes makes the the ice and the snow melt.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
And then yeah, you.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
Walk your ass to your uh to your bus stop
or or get in the car whoever's going to take
you to school. And yeah, two hour delay that's what
they call them.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Yeah, I was always under the impression if it was
snowing snow day, you're out, like you're gone, Like you
guys are just going to get to get a day
off there. So, yeah, we did not really much of
a out here in California. We didn't get any uh not,
no weather delays or issues. The ninety four earthquake and
you know, that was a little dicey at times because
(03:25):
you know, you'd be sitting in class or trying to
teach you social studies and all of a sudden it
starts rattling and you're like, huh, place feels like it's
not all that safe. But yeah, other than that. There
was no I just was always under the impression you
guys got a full snow day. Interesting, Nope, is this
still like that an hour or a kid software?
Speaker 4 (03:41):
I haven't lived there in so long, I don't know. Yeah,
kids soft these I'm just saying, well, I don't know.
They will give you a delay on air quality out here,
though I've had that happen before.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
Yeah, air quality, like it was so.
Speaker 4 (03:55):
Poor where we were living at one point that they
gave them with delay on going.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
You know, going to school.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
There's an air quality delay, I believe. So here's here's
a better idea. How about we just make the homeless
not smoke crack in the streets so it doesn't ruin
the ozone layer. Maybe there's that. I got an idea,
how we just don't like burn buildings down because somebody
stepped on the side of your tent and you're pissed
(04:24):
off about it. Like maybe, I don't know, maybe maybe
that could help out, you know, the air quality in
southern California. I don't know, just an idea, just thoughts
out there, But you know, what the hell do I know?
Here's what I do know. The Oklahoma City.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
Thunder it's a good matchup.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
The Oklahoma City thunder or a nine and a half
point favorite going into Gay One, an overwhelming favorite to
win the NBA Finals. To me, it does feel like
this is going to be a much more competitive matchup
than maybe they have it laid out here. For example,
Celtics Mavericks last year ended in five games, probably should
have ended in four. I just don' don't see this
(05:00):
being a four or five game series. I don't know,
Like I feel like Indiana's got a little bit too feisty.
Indiana's got good players, Indiana is deep, not as deep
as Oklahoma City. But it feels like this is going
to be a much better matchup than maybe some people
are expecting up to this point.
Speaker 4 (05:17):
You know, in my mind, I believe that to be
the case. But I just don't know. I really don't.
I feel like this could go It could go three ways.
One which everybody's gonna be like duh, But I mean
one it could be what everybody It could be what
(05:39):
everybody expects it to be. Right, It's okay, See they
overwhelm them, they win the game, they cover. That's that's
clearly what a lot of people may be thinking. Then
there could be the idea of Indianapolis, you know, the
Pacers making a game and winning the game and shocking
(06:00):
the world and shocking the system. And okay, now we
have a series and then there's the third one where
it's like it's ultra competitive, and I would love to
see ultra competitive to be honest.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
For Game one, I wouldn't have a problem seeing the.
Speaker 4 (06:18):
Pacers pull off the upset, just so it disrupts what
everybody's probably already expecting.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
But I'll be interested to see can the.
Speaker 4 (06:28):
Pacers play with Oka See can they keep up with
the pace of OKAC When in fact we know that
the Pacers are a team that plays with a fast pace,
So it should it should be a good matchup because
both teams are able to play out of high pace.
(06:49):
In the last series you saw with Karl, Anthony Towns
and some of the other bigs, they just couldn't the
Knicks get overwhelmed by the pace of the Pacers. No
pun intended, I guess, but but that to me was
the difference in that series. It wasn't that they were
so much more talented, it was just that their ability
(07:09):
to play at a higher pace overwhelmed them. On the
other side of it, when you look at Okac, you're
looking at a team that played some hellified defense against
the Timberwolves and were able to play at a high
pace that overwhelmed the Timberwolves. So they were able to
(07:32):
get back, play defense, stay in front of the Timberwolves,
play defense, and they're transitioning. The things that they were
doing were so fast, they were on them so fast
that they couldn't handle it. So to see that being
the matchup, I think, you know, obviously, matchups make you know,
(07:53):
make what it's going to be, you know, and so
to me, I think this will be. It seems like
it should be a good series.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
It really does.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
Now, Adam Silver, the commissioner of the NBA, who you know,
you and Brady have accused me of looking like a vampire.
Petros Papa daikis our our Wednesday tradition here on the show. Yeah,
well Petros has said that Adam Silver looks like like
an old old school school vampire. Yeah, yeah, absolutely, I
(08:22):
think he called it the whole school his vampireic ways
or something along us.
Speaker 4 (08:26):
Yeah, Petro having it having the lines for you.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
So, so Adam Silver did did open up his box
yesterday and he was on with with f S one.
It was he was on breakfast Ball on Fox Sports
one and he discussed the matchup, and you know a
little bit of a comp between maybe the NBA Finals
and the super Bowl.
Speaker 5 (08:52):
That's one thing I really admire about the NFL. I mean,
if if we were going into a Super Bowl and
it was Packers against Steelers, you guys will be celeber that.
Nobody would Those would be storied franchises. People wouldn't be
talking about the fact that Pittsburgh is a small market.
So I'm happy whatever team ends up in the finals.
But it's been intentional from our standpoint to create a system,
(09:12):
a collective bargaining agreement that allows more teams to compete.
And just by way of background, you know, we're going
to have to go through a process of getting to
the point where people are accustomed to tuning into the
finals because it's the two teams that deserve to be
there and it's the best basketball. Similar to again with
the super Bowl. If I asked somebody they were going
(09:32):
to watch the super Bowl, they wouldn't say who's playing.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
It's a national holiday.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
Yeah, I'd probably steer clear of comparing anything to the
Super Bowl. I mean just me personally, like, you.
Speaker 3 (09:43):
Know, one, it's one game, like he's you know, I
don't know.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
Uh, you got to speak in a way where you
make some justifications because he's the leader of the NBA,
and I get that, you know, I understand where he's
coming from. But you're talking about a possibility of four
games at the least, seven games at the most, and
(10:11):
there's so many games before that to get there. So
I think that it's just different. You're not going to
be I feel like it's almost impossible for the popularity
that football holds in America. I feel like it's very
difficult to think that you could build you could build
(10:32):
a viewership or an interest level that high when there's
that many games. I just think that the idea of
knowing that you only get so much time with football
and listen, it's not that it's it's like that the
seasons are any shorter or longer. It's just you only
(10:56):
get so much time. Like during the course of the week,
I only get one time to see my team. It's
not two times a week for the duration of you know,
however long six month period of time. It's not it's
not that you get them once a week and it
and it creates a different type of value in my estimation.
(11:18):
So when you have all these games, like how many
games is that? Eighty three, eighty five, two, eighty two.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
I mean some would say eighty three too many, But
again that's not me. I don't want to be negative here.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
It's just too many games.
Speaker 4 (11:32):
To me, it's just too many games to be able
to create that level of buy in and commitment to it.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
So, you know, the other issue is to your point,
as far as the Super Bowl being one game and
the NBA Finals being seven, the problem is like, for example,
we knew pretty early on, even before halftime, that the
Chiefs were finished, like it was over, Like you weren't
(11:59):
beating Philly. It just wasn't happening. It wasn't their day.
Everything was going wrong. And Kansas City, you know, scored
a little bit in the second half, was like, okay,
whoop they do. But everybody knew that game was a wipeout.
Final score not indicative of what the game actually was.
But you're overcoming dealing with a blowout with one game,
and so you've got one game to really worry about
(12:22):
keeping your audience in the NBA, if OKC goes up
three zero, it's over. Nobody's gonna care about Game four.
Even if Indiana wins Game four, nobody cares. If Indiana
comes back and wins game five, Eh, there's a little interest.
But ultimately, nobody's ever come back from a three to
zero series deficit. So you just now it starts to
(12:44):
mount the the idea that, well, you know, maybe this team,
everybody acknowledged Kansas City had no shot. But you'll watch it,
and you'll stick around. Yeah, you watch it, you'll stick around.
If a team gets down three zero in the NBA,
that's a wrap. The other team can win a couple
of games and it could be over in six, and
that's all a good and well, but games five and
(13:06):
six and even game four, the interest level just drops
and drops and drops. That's why you see the ticket
prices when a team is down. You know, like, I'd
love to know what the what the ratings were for
Game four last year of the NBA Finals, where the
Celtics are up three to zero, like everybody knew it
was over. So unless you get rid of a seven
(13:26):
game format, which they're not because of the revenue that
it means you're just gonna have to deal with the
fact that you are at a disadvantage from keeping an
interest level for the spectator that the NFL doesn't really have.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
To worry about.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
They just don't.
Speaker 4 (13:41):
It just takes away the intense, like the drama of it.
It just takes away the drama of it unless it
went to a game seven. Now, if they found a
way to tie it and it went to a game seven,
oh yeah, that game seven.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
Would be a win.
Speaker 4 (13:53):
But that would be your best to your point, that
would be your best case scenario is that, oh, a
team went up three to zero on you, like I
don't care anymore, and then they came back and it's like,
oh they tied it up. It's like, oh they tied
it up. Okay, Like I'm coming back because now it
turns into what jonas a one game deal.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
And unless you have that, you're not the Super Bowl.
I'm sorry.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
There you go.
Speaker 4 (14:17):
I agree, because you get the build up to one game. Like,
think about it. We're on Radio Row all week for
Super Bowl. Ever since we started this show, and this
is a sports show. This isn't a football show. It's
a sports show. Every single year we sit in a
place and there ain't nobody even there. That's how important
(14:38):
that build up to the one game is. We ain't
even not one time with no one out there waiting
for the basketball game to start.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
What do you mean one time?
Speaker 2 (14:49):
What do you mean that there was a guy there
in New Orleans who was rolling around on a pallette
jack like he was like he was at the five
indy five. I didn't even know those things. With that fact,
I'm looking around for the palette going where is it
that one guy just took it on a cruise? Guy
just took it on a cruise.
Speaker 4 (15:08):
So every morning, too, ain't nobody here to get ran over.
Ain't gonna be no civilian accidents. No, No, ain't nobody here.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
He's got nothing to worry about, you know, like we're
more concerned about the walk there than we were really
anything happening inside the convention center.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
Definitely have my head on the swivel.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
Be sure to catch live editions of Two Pros and
a Cup of Joe with Brady Quinn, LeVar Errington, and
Jonas Knox weekdays at six am Eastern three am Pacific
on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
I don't know how you feel about this, But I
got me some fatigue, all right. I got some real fatigue,
like army fatigue, No, like like college football playoff.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
Oh fatigue, tired fatigue, all right.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
Ryan Day, the head coach of the Ohio State Bucke
speaking of Albert Brier in Ohio State alum loves his
buck eys. Ryan Day was talking with ESPN, and you know,
he's got some thoughts because you've got all these commissioners
arguing about you know, you've got the Big twelve and
the ACC teaming up, You've got the SEC and the
Big Ten teaming up, and everybody who's got disagreements on
(16:19):
what the college football playoff format is going to look like,
whether or not you know, certain automatic qualifiers are going
to be involved from each conference. Who should get more?
And so Ryan Dave spoke with ESPN and said, quote,
we're in the Big Ten, we have eighteen teams, some
of the best programs in the country. I feel like
we deserve at least four automatic qualifiers. You would have
(16:41):
had at least a team or two in the college
Football Playoff from out there, referring to the original Pac twelve.
So it only makes sense when you have eighteen teams,
especially the quality of teams that you have in that
many teams representing the Big Ten. He wants up to
four automatic qualifiers for the Big Ten. So I just
(17:02):
look at the whole thing and I go, dude, somebody
just come up with something like, figure out however you
want this to look, however many automatic qualifiers you want
it to look like, whoever you can we just get
to some sort of a resolution, so we could just
focus on what this is going to be and not
what it potentially could be. Because it feels like it's
(17:22):
playing out through the media. It feels like you've got
you know, brett yor Mark, You've got Greg saying you like,
all these people are taking shots and trying to jockey
for position. And I get it, the revenue, the power,
everything that comes along with it. I just want to
know what's what it's going to be and then we
go from there. That's it.
Speaker 4 (17:41):
Don't you think they have to know what it's going
to be before it can be what it's going to be.
I think that's the very problem of it all is
that I don't feel like they know what they want
it to be because I don't know that there's a
way to answer what it's supposed to be.
Speaker 3 (17:58):
And I think that's the biggest challenge.
Speaker 4 (18:01):
I think the points that that Ryan Day pointed out
at highlighted make a ton of sense. I was just
doing an interview with key John Carter, who's on the
final ballot to get into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Speaker 3 (18:13):
Good an interview with him yesterday.
Speaker 4 (18:15):
And you know, I always say, while Rashaun salom is,
which coincidentally is my twenty twenty two Hall of Fame brother,
and I still have to maintain the stance if I'm
being true to myself that I felt like to John
Carter should have won the nineteen ninety four Heisman.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
Key John Carter's not in the Hall of Fame yet.
Speaker 3 (18:37):
No, no, he's not.
Speaker 4 (18:40):
And he basically says like when he missed like think
about it. For as brilliant a year as he had
when he missed out on winning the Heisman. Rashaun Salon
won Heisman. Generally speaking, the guy that wins the Heisman,
especially if they're a running back and not a quarterback,
they win all of the awards to attached and associated
(19:01):
with that person's position. So while he was a unanimous
All American. He doesn't have any awards from from that
ninety four year to your point earlier. The reason why
I prefaced with that is Keijhna played against Michigan that year,
very very good defense, very good defense. He played against
(19:25):
Ohio State that year, very very stout defense. He played
against an Illinois defense that could arguably be the greatest
college defense of all time, with Dana Howard and Kevin
Hardy and Simeon Rice all on the same team in front,
front seven, front eight. Two guys won the Buckets Award
(19:46):
back to back years.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
So when I when I.
Speaker 4 (19:50):
While, I'll say, okay, this this over here where Raussan
Salom is, what was the level of competition that he
was able to break two thousand yards with where he
carried the ball by the way, I believe it was
like one hundred more times than then ke John Carter did.
Like they were blowing guys out so much. Keijohna wasn't
(20:11):
playing but two or three quarters in a game. But
when you talk about the level of competition, to me,
that's what separated ke John Carter from the rest of
the pack by that year.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
Sorry to interrupt, but it should be pointed out. As
you mentioned, KEJOHNA Carter averaged seven point eight yards to carry.
Speaker 3 (20:31):
Can you imagine that? Ice bro?
Speaker 4 (20:34):
People ask me it is is Sakuon Barkley the greatest
running back of all time to play at Penn State.
I first of all, tell people, if you stop to
take a look at the history of running backs at
Penn State, it's pretty rich in history, and some some
legitimate guys that played the position, but I would be
hard pressed to say that any one of them was
(20:56):
ever as iconic or as big bigger than and ke
John the Carter who went by the way number one
overall to the Cincinnati Bengals.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
So salom had that year, just to just for reference,
had one hundred more carries and about five hundred more yards.
So yeah, so if.
Speaker 4 (21:17):
You do if you do the math on that, if
you do the math on that, which because Penn State
had literally three three tailbacks, Mike Archie, Steven Pitts, those guys.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
Got a lot of got a lot of burn.
Speaker 4 (21:31):
And and again, like I said, they were blowing teams
out that year, and and so Keijana was probably only
playing two to three quarters. But but on top of that,
it was again the level of competition, So how that
applies to what Ryan Day is saying and what the
dilemma is that exists here. The SEC could make that
(21:52):
same that that same claim. Being now a new major
mega conference along with the Big Ten, both those conferences
can make the same argument that the level of competition
when they start conference play is much harder and it's
much more quality than it is and the other the
(22:14):
other conferences that are out there. So when you're able
to make that type of argument and have that type
of discussion point, it now makes it complicated because if
I'm a team in a different conference, if I'm a coach,
I'm left to coach, right, and ads have to try
to figure out the business behind what conference you're in,
(22:35):
the money that comes from it that you're able to generate,
da da da da da da da, how do you
balance it out, How does it apply it to the
other sports? How much traveling do you have to do,
what's the expenses versus what's the net revenue that you're
trying to bring in. There's so many different things that
you have to balance out and try to figure out.
That's just beyond one aspect of sports. So it's not
(22:56):
going to be an easy answer for what it is
is that you have going on in the college playoffs
other than to be honest with you, other than to say,
these are the top two conferences. They boast the strongest
teams and weighted value of what the type, the type
of level competition represents. So these are going to be
(23:18):
the two conferences that get the automatic qualifiers. I mean,
until you can figure out a way to justify it
any other way, how do you how do you wait
and quantify who you're going to put into the playoffs?
I think it might it's just right now, I think
it's kind of too hard to figure out what the
right answer to that is.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
Yeah, it's just it goes back and forth, and there's
different reports, and they have spring meetings and one commissioner
says this and another says this, and I'm like, man,
I look, whatever the determination is, I just want to
have something to look forward to and know what it
is we're going to have when it comes to the playoff.
Because for all the conversation about people's complaints last year
(24:01):
about the playoff, man, I love the fact that we
had actual home games. I love the fact that we
had the elements. I like I'm I'm in on the
expanded version of the college football Playoff. I initially wasn't
when it came to the four team I thought, man,
four teams is enough. There's not that many teams good
enough to compete for a national title. And then the
more I thought about it, the more I realized, Look, ultimately,
(24:22):
they're going to get as many in as possible because
it's about the money. So if that's the case, fine,
just somebody make a decision so we know what we
got and then we can, you know, have the discussions afterwards.
But if they want to put you know, four automatic
qualifiers in from the Big Ten, so be it. If
they want to do the same from the SEC, so
be it. Like what whatever they decide on, I'm good with.
I just want to have something to look forward to.
(24:42):
I just want to know what we're going to get
from college football. So yeah, by the way, I'm looking
at talk about a pain in the ash year for
Kijana Carter to have the type of season he had
back then. I mean, Rashon Slom had a great year.
Speaker 3 (24:58):
I mean ridiculous.
Speaker 4 (24:59):
I mean again, no shade, zero shade towards Rashon salam
At all I promise you that nothing but respect, nothing
but admiration for what Rashon salom accomplished. But I'm just saying,
if you take a look at the season that they
had in Penn State and what Keijhona Carter was able
(25:23):
to do in that year and that season with all
the given variables of the teams they played against, I couldn't.
I mean, it was all to me, it was all
but a lock that Kejana Carter was going to be
the second Hall of Fame winner of the school and
our whole entire history, richart history of football. John Capelletti
(25:45):
is the only one that's won a Heisman, and some
of that has a lot to do with the way
Joe handled things as well. For Kajana to be that
close to wing winning it. And we're not a school
where the co or the school really gets behind Historically,
they don't get behind the player and really promote the
(26:06):
player and do Heisman campaigns. That just wasn't Joe's thing,
so he was he was void of any type of
push to get the award. By the way, he was
still up there and the runner up.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
That was one of the cool things to get to
see when we were in State College doing the shows
from there in the football building, seeing capal edies, Heisman
on display with all the other awards there. But yeah,
I mean I'm still surprised he's not already in. I mean,
you know, his final year was ninety four. What are
we talking about it?
Speaker 4 (26:37):
If you think about it, how is Courtney Brown not
in there either? I feel like both of those guys
should have got in before me. But you know, nonetheless,
it is what it is. It's a very very difficult,
so rarefied air for certain, and it's a very very
it's a strenuous, very very tough process. I mean, if
(26:57):
you look at the ballot this year, that thing is mean.
Speaker 3 (27:02):
I mean that thing is mean.
Speaker 4 (27:05):
And they'll pull in a couple guys, like quite a
few guys, like more than what you would assume.
Speaker 3 (27:11):
But I mean, listen to this list of guys. You got.
Speaker 4 (27:14):
You got Flozel Adams, you got Morton Anderson, you got
Eric Anderson, the Michigan linebacker that won the buckets, Brad
Banks the quarterback. Uh, you got Aaron Beasley, the d
back from West Virginia. Eric b Enemy is on the
ballot this year. Alex Brown Courtney Brown, Daz Bryant. I mean,
(27:38):
there's it's it's a who's who on this list, Mark Carrier,
if you guys are real football pall Man right, Uh,
Dallas Clark.
Speaker 2 (27:46):
I remember when Mark Carrier was drafted by IT. He
had his rookie year with the Bears. He had ten interceptions.
I still remember that.
Speaker 3 (27:53):
Steel be Bro and he Marco Coleman.
Speaker 2 (27:56):
Mark Carrier could crack.
Speaker 4 (27:58):
Oh he could hit bang you now, yes, he would
straight from Long Beach. Polly by the way. Uh, you
got you got Vernon Davis. Now here's where it gets interesting.
You got Aaron Donald, you got you got Ken Dorsey,
you got uh the Brickashaw Ferguson. I mean, it's just
(28:19):
it's a crazy list. Kevin Hardy, Casey Hampton. They got
r G three on this bad boy Cam Cam uh
Cam Newton is on on this one.
Speaker 2 (28:30):
So when I tell you who do you say no to?
Speaker 3 (28:34):
Exactly? You know what I mean?
Speaker 4 (28:36):
Like, how do you how do you get in when
you had these type of I mean you got Richard
Seymour on this one. Takeyo Spikes, Jonathan stoed Ken Manti too,
Jonathan Willmo.
Speaker 2 (28:49):
Ken, Dorsey, Ken Dorsey gets out shine because he was
on those great Miami teams. But Ken Dorsey was awesome,
Like he had a great here.
Speaker 3 (28:58):
He was a catalyst. Yeah, it was a catalyst.
Speaker 4 (29:01):
So I just it's you know, just for me, I
always think about when you go back and you chop
it up and you look at it at its bare minimum,
it's like what constitutes saying that this person deserves it
more than another person. I just say, when you look
at some of these guys and their body of work
and then you look at the level of competition, like
(29:24):
then that's that makes it, you know, Like I said,
for Kajohna Carter, it makes it.
Speaker 3 (29:29):
Very very hard to.
Speaker 4 (29:32):
Debate the fact that if you look at hit their
opponents and what they were doing, like I believe Illinois
had the number one defense that year in ninety four
and that man still was able to be the catalyst.
They almost beat them, They almost beat Penn State by
how good their defense was. It was things that like
what Kajana Carter brought to the table was the reason
(29:53):
why they were able to overcome the team.
Speaker 3 (29:56):
And I don't know, man.
Speaker 4 (29:58):
I just just gives way to the conversation with the
playoffs how are you valuing, Like, are you looking at
the top twenty five and if the top twenty five
polls the multiple ones that are recognized are the ones
that are responsible? How are you valuing and weighing that
top twenty five? You know what I mean versus what
(30:20):
the strength of the conference and the schedule is. It's
just to me, I think it's a very it's a
very difficult conclusion to come to on who's favored more
and who should get automatic qualifiers or by weeks or
whatever it may be. I just think it's a difficult proposition.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
Be sure to catch live editions of Two Pros and
a Cup of Joe with Brady Quinn, LeVar Errington and
Jonas Knox weekdays at six am Eastern three am Pacific.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
Right now, though, we just welcome in intelligence a right,
another artificial about this. He's the great Albert Brier, Senior
NFL reporter, lead content strategist at the MMQB Amazon NFL
on Prime. I'm insider and you can get them on
X at Albert Breer AB. Good morning, Happy Thursday to you.
Speaker 6 (31:05):
Well, let's just clarify there that there are different types
of intelligence. So I'm not I'm not claiming to be
intelligent in all field. Maybe a couple that could help
you guys, I mean.
Speaker 2 (31:14):
Come on now, listen so hard on yourself. So we
were kind of kicking this around. Uh, you know, a
lot of there's a lot of talk about you know,
the Mannings being you know, the first family of football.
You've got the Kelsey's. I would argue that digs are
the digs Is are right there. I mean, whether it's
Trayvon or stuff on, they're really trying to take over
(31:34):
this offseason. What's the idea behind Trayvon Diggs not showing
up and potentially not getting as half a million dollar
bonus from the Cowboys.
Speaker 6 (31:46):
I mean, I think like there's always a reason, right like,
and there's always and these things are never these things
are never for no reason. Like you know, if you
if if a guy's choosing not to show up, generally
it means something, especially there's more money on the line,
so you know, I would say, like there's probably some
feeling of wanting a contract adjustment. And if we follow
(32:09):
you know, like the the trajectory of his brother's career
and kind of what his brother has done over the years.
You know, you see he went to he got you
got a new contract in Minnesota, was traded a couple
of years later, played I think a year or two
on that contract in Buffalo. I think it was just
a year maybe on that contract in Buffalo. Got another adjustment.
(32:29):
Then when he got traded again to the Texans, he
got basically his contract cut down to a single year
so he'd be able to be a free agent and
capitalized again as a free agent and going to the
highest biders.
Speaker 7 (32:42):
So you know, I think, you know, if you want
to follow the bouncing ball, Stefan Diggs was never willing
to like just be content on the contract he was
playing on, you know, which is to his credit, like
he's trying to maximize his value as a football player.
Speaker 6 (32:59):
So it wouldn't surprise you if his brother.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
Was doing That's a family thing, Okay, Well, I mean.
Speaker 6 (33:05):
I just think I just think that they it's hard
to just divorce one from the.
Speaker 3 (33:08):
Other, right, I mean, it certainly is.
Speaker 4 (33:13):
I want I want to ask you about what's going
on in Cleveland. I heard Colin cow Herd kind of
ring the bell that this is a foregone conclusion that
outside of Joe Flacco, Shador Sanders should be starting. And
I hate to have to ask you every single week,
but I guess I'm going to have to until we
see how it all plays out. Ab what is the
(33:36):
latest in Cleveland? And how feasible is it to think
that a fifth round draft pick could actually jump past
the third round draft pick, the backup and whoever the
eventual projected starter was supposed to be in this scenario.
Speaker 6 (33:55):
Well, you know, LeVar, I think it's you know, I
like I I think like a lot of times, and
I understand this. I used to look at things this
way too, But I think a lot of times you
look at these situations and say, well, why are you
wasting your time?
Speaker 3 (34:08):
Right?
Speaker 6 (34:08):
Like, why would you go as a forty year old when,
like you know, you need answers to the position and
Joe Flacco may never bring you to a super Bowl
and you've got two rookies on your roster who you
want to gather information on. I think the flip side
of that is you do have a bunch of veterans
on that team that we're in the playoffs two years ago,
(34:30):
that are that are proud players, Maninald Scarrett and the
Award Joe Tony guys who've been around for a long time,
and I think you got the core of a pretty
good team in a very competitive division. So if Joe
Flacco is the best answer and it's clear.
Speaker 8 (34:49):
Right like, then how do you go and LeVar, you
are a player, how do you face those guys on
September fifteenth or October first when they know you're not
giving I'm the best chance to win?
Speaker 6 (35:02):
Now, I mean when we get to like the middle
of November, the beginning of December, if they're out of it,
we're talking about a totally different question, you know what
I mean, Like, and I don't think it's the same then.
But look, I think just as far as like where
we are now, I look, I think everybody would understand
if it's.
Speaker 9 (35:18):
Close, ifs Door or Dylan Gabriel are breathing down the
back of Joe Flacco and it is cool and it
is razor thin and Joe Blacko's got a slight edge, I.
Speaker 6 (35:29):
Think everyone would understand going with the young guy. But like,
if Joe Flacco or Kenny Pickett clearly win the job,
you know, I think Kevin Stefanski and his staff owe
it to the guys that have been there that are
trying to win right now that aren't going to be
too keen on the idea throwing a season overboard in
the name of quarterback development. He owes to those guys
(35:50):
to start the best player. So that's the way I
would look at it.
Speaker 4 (35:54):
I got to follow up with just the idea of
understanding how in fact is a fifth round draft pick
able to get enough reps to get a fear look
and opportunity on what's going on. I think that that's probably,
honestly the biggest the biggest question mark if you ask me,
(36:15):
is like that sounds good what you're saying and theory,
but you're talking about four quarterbacks. There's not going to
be enough reps for somebody to impact their ability and
opportunity to start without that person understanding it. You know,
Joe Flacco will understand that I don't have enough reps,
or Shador Sanders will understand somebody is. It might be
(36:38):
multiple guys that will be in the know, like, look,
I'm not getting enough reps to be able to impact
what my job situation can be.
Speaker 6 (36:46):
Sure, So here here, here's here's the way I would
look at that. And I think that you can look
at some historical examples of this, like when lower round
draft picks wind up making runs at starting jobs. I
think one good one is Russell Wilson, right like when
he was in Seattle in twenty twelve, he made an
impression right from the start, and if you remember that offseason,
(37:09):
they invested in Matt Flynn and that was a relatively
big signing for them. You know, John Schneider, who've been
with the Packers, was part of drafting him in Green Bay.
But like you know, I I over the course of
the spring, Russell Wilson made it pretty clear in practice
like I am the best option for this team. And
(37:29):
so you know, I think once you get into training camp,
you're sort of locked in, especially with the way the
reps are now with the women's on how much he
can do, Like you really have to have a picture
of what your competition is going to look like. And
so if you're Dylan Gabriel Shad or Standards, you essentially
have to make your impression now because I think, like
(37:50):
what sort of impression you leave the coaches with in
May and June is certainly going to color like the
sort of opportunity you're going to get in July in August,
when you're actually keating for the job, and I know
the coaches are probably going to say, well, it's still
wide open, and they could still intend that at the
end of July, like, hey, you know this is still
a four man race by then, I have to think
(38:12):
that they've had some idea in their head of how
this is going to work out because there just aren't
enough ups to go around. So I think that's really
kind of the antel of bar is, like you look
at it and say, Okay, over the first, over the
over the over the course of the spring, you have
to make a big enough impression to say we can't
keep this guy out of a full on chance to
(38:34):
winning the starting job in the summer.
Speaker 2 (38:36):
Albert Brier joining us here on Fox Sports Radio and
just in breaking all this down, the only thing I
keep thinking is Kevin Stefanski once again is put in
a difficult spot by ownership or whoever made the call
to take this path this offseason. And I say that
because he's been putting this spot ultimately because the Deshaun
(38:57):
Watson deal didn't work out. It's been a disa. Yes,
he brings in Joe Flacco, He's basically coaching for his
job this year. Had they brought Joe Flacco back last year,
maybe they win a few more games and maybe his
seat isn't as hot, and instead of just rolling with that,
Kenny Pickett's there, then they draft two quarterbacks in the
same draft, and and Stefanski's been as polite as he
(39:20):
possibly can. But I just wonder at what point Stefanski's
thinking to himself, Man, I got to get the hell
out of here, like this is like nothing. I've just
not set up for success based on my impulsive owner
and whatever he decides which way the wind is going
to blow from one off season to the next.
Speaker 6 (39:39):
It's just weird. And I would say, like there would
just have been like changing priorities over the years, right,
So Joe, But Joe Flaco kind of came in initially
in twenty three as like this. He came in as this,
as this, you know, like emergency answer because they were
in such difficult position from an injury standpoint of the position.
You guys remember dtr I was part of that whole thing,
(40:01):
And there's just like a lot going on the reason
they didn't bring him back in twenty four is because
it was like all right, like we're going to be
all in behind Joe, We're going to be all in
behind Deshaun Watson. And it's interesting if you look at
the dynamics of it, Like part of it was Joe
Flacco had become too popular in that locker room. It
had become too good an answer, and I think they
(40:23):
were a little deep down afraid of like they're like, hey,
what happens if we get into August and Deshaun's still
working his way back and Joe looks better, you know what?
We need to get an answer based on our investment
and what Deshaun Watson is, you know, and then last
year goes away, it does, and they made the decision
then like in turn, we're throwing all that out, like
(40:44):
we're just going to go try to get the best
answers at quarterback we possibly can, if that means throwing
a bunch of darts at the dartboard, which is what
they wound up doing, and that's what we'll do. But
we're not doing that. We're not gonna you know, we're
we're not putting bubble wrap around around quarterback position anymore.
Like this is going to be that We're going to
have a full on competition, and you know, and and
(41:07):
Deshaun may be part of that, he may not, we'll
see with the injury. But like, this is going to
be an open thing, So that's how to get there.
I understand what you're saying about the spot Kevin's and
it's tough, and I'd be interested to see, like, over
the next couple of years, what would happen if somebody
came along offering draft picks. I do think like Kevin
is still really respected. I mean it sounds like Jonas
(41:28):
from what you're saying, like you respect the job he's
done based on the circumstance. He's made the playoffs twice,
you know, in five years, and so yeah, I mean
I would certainly think he would be in the category
of guy where you'd be like, yeah, if you're if
you're another team, it's at least worth asking the question
at this point, like is there something we could do
to get a chance to.
Speaker 2 (41:49):
Talk to this guy?
Speaker 3 (41:51):
Abe?
Speaker 4 (41:52):
I want to keep it on the quarterback topics? Am
I wrong for thinking that the longer it takes for
Aaron Rodgers to line, the more it puts Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Steelers decision makers, including the Hey coach.
Speaker 3 (42:08):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (42:10):
It makes the conversations that much more intense in terms
of the way they're managing the off seasons and the
way they're managing that position in particular.
Speaker 6 (42:22):
Yeah, So, like I think we're coming to a really
critical point LeVar and this whole thing. You know, I
know the Steelers would like to have men, you know,
next Tuesday when they start there. They're they're they're better
in mini camp, you know. I think they've they've they've
sort of at this point been playing by Aaron's rules
and they've been okay with that. The communication has been
(42:45):
really good, and there are a lot of people involved
or on the periphery of this thing that thinks it's
basically done and that he's going to be there. I
think the Steelers feel very comfortable that he will eventually
get there, But I also know like it's important to
them that he's at the mini camp, you know, And
so I think, you know, I deep my guess would
(43:06):
be like if you if you gave Art Ronie or
you know, or Omar Khan or Mike Tomlin truth serum,
they would tell you, Yeah, like, we don't think we're
asking that much of them, if you know, it's just hey,
you know, like you can do things at your own pace,
So we'd really like to have you here for the
mini camp. And then how do you manage that with
your team? It's a fair question. You know, it'll be
(43:28):
interesting to see the way all of that goes. But
you know, I know they felt like like this roster
that they have is in position to win right now.
We've been over the age thing with them, right like
TJ Watts thirty one, think of Fitzpatrick's twenty nine, Cam
Hayward's at the end, DK Metcalfs on a third contract.
They're really leveraged to win right now. And you know,
(43:52):
I think like their logic and in pursuing Rogers was
this isn't the time to swing for a single or
a double. This is the time to swing for the fences.
And so I think that's why they've been so flexible
with him. And you know, we'll see what that looks
like next week.
Speaker 2 (44:09):
Alberta last one. There's been some names thrown out there,
speculation about trades, whether it's Kyle Pitts, John hus Smith,
like there's you know, the usuals that have been out
there over the past few days. Most likely trade that
you could see happening. Jalen Ramsey, whoever possibly come to
fruition here soon.
Speaker 6 (44:29):
Yeah, Pitts, I would say no, I'll just go to
the three.
Speaker 2 (44:32):
He gave me a pitch.
Speaker 6 (44:33):
I said no, you know, I just think the money.
He's owed over ten million dollars. He was basically in
a platoon with Charlie Warner last year at the position
in Atlanta. He's got health questions, you know, Like, I
just don't know how you're going to give Atlanta something
that's going to be enough for them to walk away
from the guy that invested the fourth pick in five
(44:55):
years ago, four years ago and they picked up the
option on and then for another team, Like, how is
another team going to say, like that guy's worth like
a third round take an eleven million dollars. It's just
the value is there. So I don't think he has traded.
I think John new to Pittsburgh is very much in play.
Arthur Smith is obviously a huge part of that, and
(45:16):
it would give them another answer. There's still positions like
with with George Dickens gun and give them flexibility too,
because they're already really good at the position with Pat
Bryert there, LaVar's guy from Penn State, and I think
having johna would give them good flexibility in playing twelve
personnel eleven personnel, you know, and obviously Arthur's got a
(45:38):
good idea how to use John New And I think
Kale Ramsey's probably played his last game in the Dolphin.
I'm not sure where he winds up, but I but
I do think there'll be an effort to get him
off the roster between now and started training camp, and
I think he probably won't play somewhere else next year
and get.
Speaker 2 (45:54):
Him on x at. Albert Breer, Senior NFL reporter, Lead
content strategist at the MMQB Amazon NFL on I'm insider.
AB always appreciate it. We'll do it again next week.
Speaker 6 (46:03):
Thanks good brother there.
Speaker 2 (46:05):
He is a great album career with us here on
Fox Sports Radio. It seemed like he was in a hurry.
He had a uh, that's something else called dang, Like
he was in a hurry that something else
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