Andy Furman & Bucky Brooks Try To Make Sense Of Seattle's Moves, List Their Top NFL Free Agents Ahead Of Free Agency, Pac-Man Jones Cheating The System, And More!

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio Radio, all right?

Speaker 2 (00:04):
Could he be the answer? Really you'll find out in
just about a minute. Good morning, everybody. This is Fox
Sports Sunday. Aren't Fox Sports Radio. He is Bucky Brooks.
I'm Andy Furman, and we are broadcasting live from the
Tiraq dot com studios. Tyraq dot com will help you
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(00:25):
road has a protection and over ten thousand recommended installers
ti rack dot com the way tie buying should be.
Good morning, everybody. It is now six oh one am
on the East Coast. It is time to spring ahead,
and spring it ahead right now, My guy, Bucky Brooks, Hello, Buck,
how are you?

Speaker 3 (00:43):
I'm good Andy?

Speaker 2 (00:43):
What's gonna Everything is good? And I want to tell
you right here and now I owe you an apology.

Speaker 3 (00:49):
I do.

Speaker 2 (00:49):
I owe you an apology because all these weeks and
months that we've been together, I've never really thought about
asking you some personal things that have been on my mind?
So can I do that now? And I apologize because
I want to know a little bit more about you?
Is that okay?

Speaker 3 (01:06):
All right?

Speaker 2 (01:07):
Okay, it's not it's not serious. It's not that deep
because I'm not that smart. You know, I just wanted
to know. As a professional athlete, and you played in
the NFL for what half dozen years or so, and
now you're still working in sports, when did you realize, Like,
was it junior high school, high school that you were
head and shoulders as an athlete above others and you
were going to maybe look at a professional career.

Speaker 4 (01:32):
It wasn't then, It brotherly wasn't until college. I was
a late bloomer. I would say, Uh, there are always
people around me that were more talented. I would say,
things just kind of fell into place.

Speaker 2 (01:46):
So is it possible that I might too be a
late bloomer. There's a chance that I could still play
at the professional level because I could be a late
bloomer like you were.

Speaker 4 (01:56):
Yeah, you could be, you might be, you might be,
you might be late in the game, just kind of
interest ride late.

Speaker 2 (02:01):
Right, That's all I need. I wanted to know, because
you know, it's funny because in my high school I
didn't see anybody that was kind of looking at a
professional career. And I know good athletes, and our high
school basketball team really did well, and I was a
manager of the team, and you know, we went to
the playoffs, went deep into Brooklyn playoffs and things like that,

(02:22):
but I didn't see anybody maybe making the NBA. And
some of them did play college, but not real major college.
So you know, I just wanted to know what it
was like when people looked at you in the high
school and say, Wow, is this kid's good. He's going
to make it one day, you know, but.

Speaker 4 (02:39):
That's yeah, no, I mean I look at I had
some success in high school obviously, but not to the
level that dominated where you could just kind of write
your take and say I'm a shoe into the league.

Speaker 3 (02:51):
It was a pipe dream. It was fantasyland. And then
it started to come.

Speaker 4 (02:55):
More of a reality junior year of college. Senior year,
you feel like you're really going.

Speaker 2 (03:02):
What was the recruiting process like and how many schools
kind of came after you?

Speaker 3 (03:07):
A recruiting process for me was more local. Back then.
Everything was in North Carolina, South Carolina.

Speaker 4 (03:14):
I would say maybe the schools that were probably the
most interested at the end, Wake Forest, Clemson in c State,
South Carolina.

Speaker 3 (03:23):
Those are kind of the options for me.

Speaker 4 (03:25):
North Carolina was the best option because that's where I
always wanted to go.

Speaker 2 (03:29):
There you go. I knew what it did. I just
wanted to know that and thank you so very much. Now,
you know, in the world of life, in the world
of life, it's kind of like not so much what
you know, it's who you know. And I see that
happening even in the National Football League because Pete Carroll
moved from Seattle. He's now the new coach in Las
Vegas of the Raiders, and Gino Smith is moving with him.

(03:50):
The Seahawks have traded the veteran quarterback Gino Smith to
the Raiders in exchange for a twenty twenty five third
round pick, and again it's like he needed a quarterback.
Pete Carroll did, goes to his guy, he knew him,
he's familiar with him, and Gino Smith is there. I
don't know if Gino Smith is in fact the answer,
but at least a stop gap because of what they
had wasn't too good. Agreed.

Speaker 3 (04:12):
I agree with you completely.

Speaker 4 (04:14):
Like the thing about it is, when you jump starting
to coach, you want some familiarity. You want some familiar
faces that can kind of act as the messengers in
the locker room. And so what Pete Carroll did, he's
basically got the ultimate messenger that's aligned with him in
Geno Smith. And people can sit off at Gino and

(04:35):
how he came into the league, but look, he's been
a guy who's played at a Pro Bowl level. When
given sufficient time to throw from the pocket, he can
carve you up. He's a legitimate threat to upgrade and
enhance their passing game.

Speaker 2 (04:49):
You know, it's funny because you love to see a
story like a Geno Smith because I remember when he
played for the Jets and I think got his jaw
broken and it looked like this guy was like down
and out came back and he really and truly proved
to the world, proof to the NFL world at least,
that yeah, I could play in this league and I
could do well. Because really, in Gino Smith, Pete Carroll,

(05:10):
I got to say, has a proven veteran quarterback. And
Carol got his first season next year under his belt.
He's got a veteran coach obviously seventy plus years old.
But the good news is that's for the Las Vegas.
The bad news is, I guess Seattle they are right
now in the market for not only a quarterback, but
I guess they're in the market for a receiver because
they released Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf's looking for a trade.

(05:33):
So Seattle possibly is in the rebuilding mode.

Speaker 3 (05:38):
He could be.

Speaker 4 (05:39):
And I think what is Seattle Seahawks are trying to
do is they're trying to flip the roster while retaining
enough edge to be relevant. And we know if you're relevant,
that means he gets you in the playoffs. You get
in the playoffs, you have a chance. This is one though,
where they need a quarterback. It's super important. They haven't
had one that can push him to the next level

(06:00):
in a long time. Doesn't give them a chance to
go to the top, you know, top of the charts.

Speaker 2 (06:06):
You know, I would say this as far as the
decision for Gino Smith to go to Vegas, I would
have to say this was entirely the decision of Pete Carroll.
And I'll tell you why I figured this out, not
that I've talked to anybody about it, just logically it
comes makes sense because Pete Carroll right now is on
the backstretch of his career, seventy plus years old. Maybe

(06:27):
he's could coach two at most maybe three more years.
I don't know. He's not looking for a long term rebuild.
It makes sense for him to go out right now,
get a proven veteran who could bring maybe a little
bit of stability to Las Vegas and maybe even give
them a shot to get into the playoffs.

Speaker 1 (06:43):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (06:43):
I mean, look, he definitely is on a shorter timeline
than some coaches. He's looking at like, yeah, five years
to get all of this done. I mean year two.
But I need to hurry up quickly to get back
on track. So everyone understands what they're walking into.

Speaker 2 (06:59):
Well, let's say, let's answer this question right now. So
now Seattle a rebuild, perhaps a reboot if you want
to call it. I don't know. They've got to got
a quarterback, you know, And who's out there, I guess
the possibility Sam Donald free agent. Kirk Cousin is not
necessarily a free agent, but he wants out of Atlanta.
I'm sure justin fields he's not going to be back

(07:20):
in Pittsburgh, wouldn't think. And then you got the big one,
the big one himself, Aaron Rodgers. So what does Seattle do?

Speaker 4 (07:28):
Yeah, So when I look at this situation, it's interesting
because Seattle, you don't give up a quarterback without knowing
that you have one coming to me, it's probably two
candidates that Seattle are looking at.

Speaker 3 (07:39):
One would be Sam Donald.

Speaker 4 (07:43):
Being on the market is the opportunity for all the
scoals that were huge Sam Donald fans coming out then
now can sell him. He is a high commodity on
the open market. People and number two can say, see,
I told you so. It just had to be the
right environment to write coach. So that's what I think
that if you're Seattle, I think you have to explore
the possibility of Russell Wilson coming back. The only reason

(08:06):
I say that is because he spent time.

Speaker 3 (08:09):
In that area. He's already in that area.

Speaker 4 (08:11):
We're limited in terms of the amount of time that
we have to kind of make the move. There's a
familiarity with Russell Wilson. You hope that even though he
may have burned some bridges on the way out, you
can mend those fences and those things.

Speaker 3 (08:25):
To me, this is the time for him to come
back and get a gig, all right.

Speaker 2 (08:29):
So so obvious that we just passed over Sam Howell.
Sam Howl who played quarterback for Washington, but he was
on the rushton Seattle, so he has no shot, so
sa I mean this guy Sam Howell right now, you
would think you would think that he's saying, well, you know,
Gino's gone, I got a shot. I mean, no one's
even mentioning his name. Is the possibility as the quarterback
for Seattle? I mean, how does that work? I mean,

(08:51):
is he gonna get a shot?

Speaker 3 (08:55):
Maybe? They like, that's the decision that you have to make.

Speaker 4 (08:58):
If you're a team that likes to play with under sounds,
People like, how do you figure it out? How do you?
You know, said the rebuilding process off, like, and what
do you think about Sam? How there are others on
the market that are more talented. He didn't win a
lot when he was the starting quarterback in Washington. But
that's a lot of it is the circumstances, situation. People

(09:19):
he's around. He's gonna have an opportunity.

Speaker 3 (09:22):
He just may have to wait a little longer than
he anticipated before he gets their real chance.

Speaker 2 (09:28):
Well, here's a deal, because you know, you know talent
and you know what's going on in the National Football League.
There's two quarterbacks right now, schaeduur Colorado and Cam Ward
from Miami a Florida. They'll be gone because right now
Seattle has the eighteenth pick in the draft. But you
do know football players on the college level, and there's

(09:51):
a guy I guess I think you mentioned this at
one point in time. The third rank quarterback prospect is
out of old Miss Jackson Dart. Will he be around it?
Is he a possibility maybe go to Seattle?

Speaker 3 (10:02):
I mean, I think it's a possibility. A lot of
depends on how they have him. Braided. To me, he's
QB three.

Speaker 4 (10:08):
He has the talent, the intangibles, the pedigree, all those
things to be worthy of being a top pick. But
it's consistency and can he consistently do it time and
time again from the fact that is to me, No.

Speaker 3 (10:23):
Of course.

Speaker 2 (10:24):
Yes. It's funny though, because when Pete Carroll had his
opening news conference, I watched part of that tape on TV.
He kind of and he was asked about the quarterback situation. Obviously,
you know, everybody was the quarterback, who's gonna be Who's
it gonna be? H. He downplayed he said, we really
are not looking for and we're not in the need
for a quarterback right now. So he downplayed that. He's

(10:44):
he's pretty coy. He knows he's been around the block.
He knows they kind of pushed him pretty good at
that news conference about a quarterback, but he downplayed it.
But I get it. You know, you're not gonna show
all your cards, obviously to the media, especially when you're
first hired. Your news conferences. We move on. But you know,
one of the stories that really bugged me was this
Miles Garrett story. Okay, initially he said he wanted to

(11:07):
stay in Cleveland, and I was really so happy to
see the guy. You know, why would you want to
stay there? The team is terrible, You're not going anywhere,
and you're you're a great player. I mean, come on,
I mean you're an old pro and you know you're
the leader of the team, probably the best defensive player
in the league. He said he wanted to stay in Cleveland.
Now he says he's not too sure, and he wanted
a trade request, and the owner, Jimmy Haslin won't meet
with him. I mean, what is that? I mean, come on,

(11:29):
you want to get out? Give him a shot? You know,
can you be that cruel? I mean, HASLM told to
me with the general manager Andrew Berry. But still, I mean,
the guy wants out, Give him a shot. I mean,
you're not going anywhere anyway. You have no quarterback, you
have nothing on that team. You're in a tough division.
Why wouldn't you let the guy get some life and
have a career. I don't, I mean, are you that heartless? Really?

Speaker 3 (11:53):
Look, we disagree on this one because I'm with Jimmy Haslam.

Speaker 4 (11:56):
I don't know why most owners don't opt to do
this when they have disgruntled player. All of the power
is in the hands of the player, so I am
not I mean, well, all the powers in the hands
of the ownership.

Speaker 3 (12:09):
So players can moan and pout.

Speaker 4 (12:11):
In all this, but there are all kinds of language
in the collective bargaining agreement that prevents them from fully
executing we'll hold out and if they do it is man,
it is such.

Speaker 3 (12:23):
A dangerous proposition. You never make that up. It's silly.

Speaker 4 (12:29):
It's one of those things where I understand why it
has them is like, nope, I'm not the one. I'm
too emotional. I'm side with the players all the time.
I'm gonna let my guy come off the bench, and
that's what we're saying.

Speaker 2 (12:41):
But you know he wants to play for a winner.
You can knock that. I get it. He's got a contract,
he's got to sign contract. You've got two more years
of a five year deal worth one hundred and twenty
five mil. All right, No guaranteed salary remains in that contract.
But still in all I mean, you gotta let them
up out of it. I mean, come on, I mean,
it's just it's the right thing to do.

Speaker 3 (13:01):
Don't you think, No, it's not directing. The direct thing
to do is what's right for the team. Yeah, all
that other stuff like he made a decision when he
packed his other he made some decisions, and some of
those are proven to be costly.

Speaker 2 (13:17):
Well, you know, we're gonna agree to disagree on this one.
But still, in aill, I get it, he's got a contract.
Who probably ended up playing in Cleveland next year because
he's he's under a signed contract. But still, in all
I think you can't beat that heartless. But maybe I'm wrong.
Maybe maybe I'm too soft, Maybe I am soft. I
don't know, But you know, I just think that the
guy's in the twilight of his career. He's got several

(13:38):
years left, perhaps two three years left, I don't know. Uh,
And he's a great player, But still an only plays
really with garbage. I mean, the team is going nowhere.
I'm not gonna go anywhere next year. You know, we'll
get into that down the road. But and I keep
on hearing almost on a daily basis that, and it's
driving me nuts. You got to help me here with
this term culture. You know, we gotta get this which

(14:00):
he's going to change the culture. I heard it the
other day with Rick Patina with Saint John's I mean
he changed the culture. To me, culture is nothing more
than an attitude, and obviously a winning attitude. You want
to get a good culture, good winning attitude. It's headed
up by coaches, but it's all about the players. Look,
there's no need to like one another. I've seen teams

(14:20):
that really dislike one another, but they win. Why do
they win? Because all you have to do is, you know,
you're working for one common goal, and the goal is winning.
That creates culture. I don't see players all the time
going out buddy buddy, hand in hand, going out to dinner. Now,
coaches can help mold the culture, but players like Garrett
help create the culture. Really, that's what it's all about.

(14:43):
The coach doesn't do it, the players do it the.

Speaker 4 (14:46):
Coach kind of that's what the standards and the expectations are.
The right players buy into that and continue to hold
their teammates accountable to that. In this situation, I think
what you're trying to do is you're not turning round
an NFL team like a business. You're trying to make
it operate off emotion and feelings and those things. The

(15:09):
haslms are doing. What I believe you should do is business,
never personal.

Speaker 3 (15:14):
Is business.

Speaker 4 (15:15):
Miles Garrett elected to sign that contract years ago, and
when he signed that contract, it made it like a
binding deal between him and the team.

Speaker 3 (15:24):
Now he wants out, he liked, he wants a new deal.
The team is like, Noah, no, no, no, we can't
do that.

Speaker 4 (15:30):
I appreciate them holding firm because what happens when you
gave into the players, you only begin to make bad
decisions because everything is based on the players and the
players first.

Speaker 3 (15:42):
And they want this and they want that.

Speaker 4 (15:44):
And I will tell you that the best teams don't
operate like that. They are very driven by each individual
on the team, but they also have a set and
set set of standards that has been established that they
always adhere to. And so I love Miles Garrett. I
think he's a great player, He's an all time great,

(16:04):
But in this one, he's wrong.

Speaker 2 (16:06):
You know what, though, I'm going to say that I
think that you're wrong, and I've never said that before,
but I'm going to say it now, and I tell
you why. You for the longest time say players should
get paid nil in the college level, and I agree.
I mean, they're working, they're doing a lot for the school,
they're increasing enrollment, they're increasing merchandise sales, whatever it may be.
They get them on TV and then coaches jump around
all the time and they could do that. So if

(16:27):
the coach could jump around, and they do it, they
break contracts left and right all the time, So why
can't players do it? I don't get it. I mean,
you know, it's good for the goose, is good for
the game, and you have always said, well, you know,
players should get paid and players should be able to
go into a portal because coaches do it, so let
the players do it. So why can't Miles Garrett be
able to break out of that deal and go to

(16:49):
a team where he could really help the team go
deep in the playoffs and play in a winner Instead
of playing with that garbage in Cleveland.

Speaker 4 (16:57):
Well, if Marvis Garrett wants that, he can have them
and act a new collective bargaining and agreement with some
of the protections and stuff wiped away from the players,
so he can move around the way that he chooses too.
But you can't always seek to be the highest paid
and this and that without you know, without giving up

(17:20):
some of the independence that he wants to give up.
Like they're not asking for crazy stuff, but he is
going to have to be a part of the team.
He doesn't have the power to force his way out.
If he does sit out, it's cool. His contract just
told so next year when he reports, he'll play off
this year's contract instead of next year's contract, which is
more lucrative. But look, if that's how he wants to operate,

(17:45):
you're gonna let him operate like that to a point.
But you always keep the team in mind. Is this
trade potentially good for the team. If it's not, you
keep it, keep it moving.

Speaker 2 (17:55):
You know what. I hear what you're saying, and I
can't disagree entirely. But when I when I see a
situation like in Indiana and Indiana basketball, Woodson announce his
retirement that he's leaving, like two weeks ago before the
end of the season. You know, the players on the
team are saying, wait a minute, our leader, our guy,
the guy who brought me here, is going to be leaving.
I mean, I just think that was a bad move.

(18:16):
You want to leave that, you know you can, You
could do whatever you want to do, But there is
a time and a place. Leave after you get eliminated
from the from the playoffs for the tournament, or leave
when your last game is done. That's when you leave,
not now. I don't get it. I mean, unless he
has something cooking and he wants to get out fast
so he could get into the portal for his new job.

(18:38):
Maybe that's what he's doing. I don't know.

Speaker 4 (18:41):
I mean, some of it is what he's doing, trying
to get a jump on a new job. But I'm
not helping him, not within my division, no way. They
have to figure it out. They don't have a quarterback.
That's on them.

Speaker 3 (18:51):
They got to do a better job of finding ways
to get one. Until then.

Speaker 4 (18:55):
We can continue to rock with this team the way
that we rock with them. But I'm not billing them out.
I'm not helping them. I'm gonna let them figure out
some of their own.

Speaker 2 (19:04):
Struggles, all right, and I'm gonna rock with you until
about nine o'clock Eastern time today. That's what I'm gonna do.
Do it every Sunday. He's Bucky Brooks. Get him on Twitter.
Call it X call it Twitter at Bucky Brooks at
Andy from an FSR. You got to comment. Let's hear
it okay or eight seven seven ninety nine on Fox.
That's eight seven seven nine nine six sixty three sixty
nine is Bucky this hour? Yay or ay? Hour? Number

(19:25):
two in the Playing game is our number three. And
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(19:47):
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Speaker 1 (19:58):
Fox Sports Radio, the best sports talk lineup in the nation.
Catch all of our shows at Foxsports Radio dot Com
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Speaker 2 (20:10):
Where will we call home? Where will that be? We'll
We'll get to that in just about a minute. He
is Bucket Brooks. I'm Andy Firman way of Fox Sports
Sunday on Fox Sports Radio. By the way, you can
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(20:32):
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at the top of your screen. And right now we're
live for the Tirak dot com studios. Now, another situation
similar to Miles Garren Bucky Brooks is the situation in

(20:55):
Seattle with wide out dk Metcalf General John Schneider said
just the other day there's no guarantee that Metcalf will
get dealt. But Metcalf right now, he wants more than
eighteen million dollars left on that deal. One season left
with eighteen million there, it's all about money. And I'll
tell you what, have you ever seen such movement like

(21:16):
this in the National Football League? I think that people
want to get to that cap space and they got
to get to it by Wednesday, March twelfth, because that's
when the new season starts. And to get that cap
space settled with the National Football League, they're cutting some
of these big time veterans or trading him.

Speaker 1 (21:34):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (21:34):
No, I mean, I think they're a few different things.

Speaker 4 (21:39):
Instead of thinking about these three year plans that general
managers used to operate on. Everybody's on a year to
year basis, they're trying to put together whatever team they
can sim well to be great this year. Then they
make decisions, hard decisions the following years with DK Metcalf.
DK Metcalf has been the league for a long time.
He's never had a season under nine hundred yards. He

(22:00):
has been a big play threat for a long time
for the Seattle Seahawks. The problem that you have is
you have someone who is still trying to control their
emotions and as the face of the franchise. Do you
trust that he is going to be able to do that?
I would say based on how he's performed, No, I
can't trust it.

Speaker 3 (22:19):
So that's what it is. You're trying to make these decisions.

Speaker 4 (22:22):
You're trying to make calculated our risks, all which players
you can. It's end big money too, and notice you're
going to get the same kind of performance and production.

Speaker 3 (22:30):
That you received.

Speaker 2 (22:31):
Well. The Dk Metcalf situation is very similar to what
we discussed with the Miles Garratt because basically DK Metcalf
has a contract and he wants a contract extension. All right,
He's only twenty seven years old, so we'll see what happens.
I got to believe that he'll probably be traded with
Tyler Lockhart. He's a legend. He's gone in Seattle, So
Metcalf at twenty seven, he's going to be on that
market and I think people want him. But another shock

(22:52):
where I thought was Joey Bosa. The charges let Joey
Bosa go. Oh here, one of the best I guess
careers thus far. I guess he had in nine seasons
out with the charges seventy two sacks, five pro balls.
But look, they got to save money for that cap space.
They saved over twenty five million dollars by releasing Joey Bosa.

(23:12):
How surprised were you when he was gone?

Speaker 4 (23:16):
He's been often injured, off hurt. Production is not the same,
not the same player. And what I can appreciate about
some of these general managers, they are able to emotionally
detach from the player and the player that they might
have loved when he was younger to being able to
make shrewd decisions as a team builder now that they're older.

(23:37):
Joey Bosa was not worth the money that they were
going to have to pay him. It made sense for
them to depart right now. And look, some team can
try and take a chance on him in those things,
but I wouldn't worry about that. If I'm able to
get the right kind of conversation in return, I'm cool
with him wan somewhere else in play.

Speaker 2 (23:54):
And look, it's all about that salary cap deal because
he was due a bonus of like twelve million plus.
LA made the move. They saved almost twenty six million
dollars to us that salary cap and as you remember,
I remember this, he was like the number three pick
overall in the draft back on twenty sixteen, had five
plus sacks and eight of his nine years with the Chargers. Again,
he's only twenty nine. As you say he's injured, someone

(24:15):
will get him. He'll be He'll be playing in the
National Football League next year. So seventy two career sacks. Second,
the franchise history behind you know who it is is it?
Tell me, I'll give you his initials l O apostrophe.

Speaker 4 (24:29):
Leslie O'Neill, but Leslie O'Neill for these Chargers, who also
was my teammate with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Speaker 3 (24:39):
That is interesting.

Speaker 4 (24:40):
Yeah, no, Look, Bosa had some good years, had a
good run with the Chargers. But as we're learning the
days of just thinking that one your player's gonna be
your favorite player is gonna play with the same franchise
forever and ever.

Speaker 3 (24:52):
Yeah, we're beyond that.

Speaker 4 (24:54):
Like people are willing to move off from these guys
as they're trying to stay compar in an ever changing landscape.

Speaker 2 (25:03):
You know, this is going to be a foolish statement,
but I've said many statements that are foolish, and there'll
be some more down the road. I think that hurts
the game when players and it's I think it's certainly
hurt baseball. I hope it doesn't hurt football. I think
football may be too strong. But I think when players
are not remaining with the team that the fans, it

(25:24):
hurts the fans, that there's somewhat loyalty factor or whatever
it may be. I think fans are basically stupid. They
really are. They'll come when the team wins. When the
team loses, they stay away. They go crazy. They take losses,
maybe harder than even some players take losses. They really do.
I've seen it. You know, they get depressed. They don't
got to work the next day if a team loses.
But they kind of realize, as you just said, early on,

(25:45):
it's a business. You got to do it's best for
yourself and your family. And they do that. But if
a player picks up and goes from teammate to team B,
the fans will say, wait, I thought he loved I
thought he loved the charges. I thought this guy loved
the Browns. Oh, it's not that they love the paycheck.
They love to play the game, but they love the paycheck.
That's what it's all about, don't you agree.

Speaker 4 (26:07):
I mean, look, his business is money. So I do
love the team, but I love money more than I
love the team. But the NFL has done has been great.
They have sold us on the team. The team is
everything in pro sports.

Speaker 3 (26:23):
They made it where it's bigger than whatever, and so
all the fans of football far more buying to the team.

Speaker 4 (26:29):
First mentality than the mentality of like, hey, I gotta
get mine and not worried about anybody else. Is that
it's the fallicy of the fairy tale that we've believed
in that changes the way that we want everyone to
perceive the process.

Speaker 2 (26:48):
I will tell you this much. There's one player who
I really believe that loved the team. He retired this
week in Cincinnati, the defensive end Sam Hubbard. He grew
up here in Cincinnati, he played for More high school,
stayed locally. He said he loved the Bengals and he
was hurt last year. I mean, he was a heck
of a player, heck of a guy, good man, and
he played seven years for the Bengals. He said he
was a Bengal full life. And I think that the

(27:10):
Bengals could have released him, he could have been picked up.

Speaker 3 (27:12):
He quit.

Speaker 2 (27:13):
I mean, he just retired. I believe in his heart
of hearts, he loved Cincinnati, he loved the Cincinnati Bengals,
he got his money. Seven years in the league. He
was hurt, doesn't want to be injured anymore, so he
just said, forget it, I'm retiring. I think he's one
of the few. I really believe that. I thought I
loved Sam Hubbard. I think he's one of the strange, strange,
different type of players. And in sports today you don't

(27:33):
see many Sam Hubbards.

Speaker 3 (27:35):
No a great player.

Speaker 4 (27:36):
I remember tracking him promise time throughout you know, Kevin
of the ranks, Ohio State. The other thing that you're
seeing guys like Sam Hubbard. They're making so much money
now in today's NFL, guys are getting out as soon
as possible.

Speaker 3 (27:51):
Five years, seven.

Speaker 4 (27:52):
Years what used to be deemed a very short career.
Some guys saying, yeah, I'm good, this is all I need.
I don't need all the other stuff to us down
the pipe. If I can get to that second contract
and put pen to paper, I'm good.

Speaker 3 (28:07):
I've made it.

Speaker 4 (28:09):
I'm okay with everything else. Beyond that, and there's a
lot of people who have peace in these situations.

Speaker 2 (28:15):
Like that, right and I'll go one step for Let's
talk about the Cincinnati Bengals for a second, because Duke
Toburn has done a great job. You know why he's
done a great job, not so much hiring and firing
and getting personnel. He's the personnel guy. He has taken
over and save Mike Brown and Mike Brown the owner, general, manager, president,
whatever you want to be. He used to be the
fall guy. The fans go nuts on Mike Brown, calling

(28:37):
him cheap doing this, putting that Mike Brown stays out
of the public eye right now. I understand he's eighty
plus years old and that's okay, but I've seen him around,
but he doesn't do any talking to the media anymore.
He shoves Duke Tobin out there, and Duke Tobin's the
guy that gets all the heat. So Duke Tobin right now,
I guess it was during the Indianapolis deal and they
had the workouts. I think he says something to the

(29:00):
fact that we're looking to sign t Higgins for a
long term deal, and I said, we see better than
we hear, because right now, it looks like T. Higgins
is going to be tagged with the franchise tag for
the second year in a row. Look, the Bengals have
it until what July fifteenth to come to terms with
Higgins on a long term contract or he's going to
get that tag of like twenty six mil for the
twenty twenty five season. I get it. I understand that.

(29:22):
But you say one thing is I say I see
better than I hear. You know you gotta hire, you
gotta sign T. Higgins, And you say you're going to
sign T Higgins. That's the deal. What's happening now with Cincinnati?
Can they in fact sign Higgins? Can they sign Jamar Chase?
Can they do that? And also now Trey Hendrickson? I mean,
is there enough money there? I think there is. I

(29:43):
mean can they get it done?

Speaker 1 (29:46):
Yeah?

Speaker 4 (29:46):
It'll be interesting because T Higgins keeping him on the
franchise tag smart move by the beingles.

Speaker 3 (29:52):
You want to keep this offense and tag.

Speaker 4 (29:53):
What it does, It gives you more time negotiate with him.
If you can't get those negotiations, then you know what
you least four year and you can plan accordingly with
some of these other situations. Look, It's about understanding where
the player is and his career, what you potentially can
get back, and is it a better deal if you

(30:14):
if you made it to me right now, all things equal, Look,
I think you stayed a course. You stayed a course
With your best players. They can bitch and moan, but
they don't have any power to do anything. So all
it is is bitching and moaning into the ether lock
in building team.

Speaker 2 (30:30):
Stay with it that way, Okay, you could help me
out because you have the athlete's mentality. You're an athlete.
I mean you played the game twenty six million dollars.
I mean he's not going to be hurting for his
next meal, there's no doubt about that. Is it an
ego thing or is it the fact that I want
more money because I guess he looks around justin Jefferson's
making more money than him. He I guess you could
say T Higgins right now is the best number two

(30:51):
receiver in the National Football League and some teams have
inquired to the Bengals already for his services. But is
it the money? Is it the ego or is it
the fact that this guy is getting this amount? I
want his money. I want more than him. It can't
be the need for money. It's got to be the
ego for money.

Speaker 4 (31:09):
Well, we don't know what any money situation is. But
people show you how much they respect you by how
much they're willing to pay you. And if they don't
want to come up and pay him top dollar money,
then he probably feels like they don't respect him as
a player.

Speaker 3 (31:25):
Why would I want to continue to be here?

Speaker 4 (31:27):
The players are trying to get I mean, ownership is
trying to get the players at the best possible cost.
And there's a budget because they're looking at the mac review,
the entire piece and the postle like, how can we
make sure this works and this continues to work while
we're doing all these other things that we're doing.

Speaker 3 (31:48):
Yeah, there's a happy.

Speaker 4 (31:49):
Medium in there, but you got to kind of push
the line total envelope, be willing to do that. And
Higgins has shown some of that. But when we get
to the regular season, we'll these show all of that.

Speaker 2 (32:01):
You know, I will say this and maybe I'm out
of my mind. Here you got Hendrickson, Higgins, and Jamar
Chase plus Burrow Joe Burrow the quarterback. Three all star players,
no doubt in my mind, however, it's an embarrassment that
three All stars and needn't make the playoffs. So to me,
maybe on way off base, I mean, if T Higgins

(32:22):
is flap with the franchise tag, or if the Bengals
even trade him, I mean your problem there in Cincinnati
is defense. If you could get maybe two first round
picks for T. Higgins, you might be able to or
maybe two second rounders to bolt up that defense. Don't
you think that's more important? Because I think as Almo
as you have, Joe Burrow, the quarterback of my mind,

(32:43):
can make the receiver, the receivers are a diamond. Doesn't
get him in there. You're still gonna get Jamar Chase.
They're gonna sign him. So you get two defensive players
in there to help your defense, which was terrible, couldn't
stop the run, and let T Higgins go, life will
go on. I think it may be better served.

Speaker 4 (33:01):
Yeah, No, I mean I think there's a there's a
there's a plan that you can you know, map out
with T Higgins, Jamar Chase, Joe Burrow commanding all the
dollars and your team still continue to play it up.
You know, a playoff caliber it's gonna take you nailing
the draft with all the cheap labor that's available to
owners when the first year guys come in. And then

(33:24):
there's some other things that I would say have been
attributed to this situation that has made it kind of challenging.
Some of the commentary that exists typically in contract swabbles
can impact the player, and I think what you're seeing
is a player Jamal Chase who's like, look, you can
have to pay me more than my guy if he's

(33:44):
considered the top, I'm better because I just want to
trouble ground. Then you have someone else coming in to
his own being a key contributor. You know that although
those things tend to add up, and I would believe
it that if you're great on one side of the ball.

Speaker 3 (33:58):
That always gives your chance.

Speaker 4 (34:00):
They are great offensively with the weapons that they have
in place, with especially with tu.

Speaker 3 (34:07):
You know T Higgins coming back.

Speaker 2 (34:09):
Yeah, well, I mean it is somewhat of an embarrassment.
I think with Higgins, Chase Burrow and then Hendrickson on defense,
I mean that they didn't make the playoffs. Something's wrong.
I mean, I gotta there's something.

Speaker 3 (34:21):
Yeah, the division is tougher.

Speaker 4 (34:23):
They gotta find a way to start faster because they're
always loosing out the gate behind the eight ball. And
this team shows a team that look they get better
over the course of the season, but they are slow starters.

Speaker 3 (34:33):
They gotta get them going right away.

Speaker 2 (34:36):
All right, we'll get to get going too. He's Bucky
Brooks and Andy Firman. We have Fox Sports Sunday of Fox.
But it's ready because what it's time. Here's Bucky. He's next.

Speaker 1 (34:45):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Foxsports Radio
dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to
listen live.

Speaker 2 (34:57):
All right, it's Bucky right around the corner, about eleven minutes,
not before the top of the hour. That would be
seven a m. On the East Coast. Yes, spring ahead
time and wear a live from the tai iraq dot
com studios. Let's do it as Bucky, it's that time.
Now here we go talking about the Cincinnati Bengals. Okay,
is it better trading rusher Trey Hendrickson for maybe two

(35:17):
possible first rounders if he could command that or sign
him as he turns thirty one next year, because you
remember the success of the New England Patriots always trading
or dumping off guys when they kind of reached their
peak and didn't want to make them too old. That's
what they did, and maybe the Bengals should do that
with Trey Hendrickson.

Speaker 4 (35:37):
Look at I think with Terry Henderson likes it's too
far gone, like no love lost between the two parties.
You hit a situation where like he's the leading sack artist,
but they don't want to go that high and pay
and you have to make don't want to be good
offense good defense. I think they would rather put all
that money on the offensive bucket and see if they
can draft and replace Trey Henderson some of those guys.

Speaker 2 (35:58):
I did some research on Trey Hendrickson. Okay, he had
seventeen and a half sacks this year. However, and I'm
sure everybody in the National Football League who was a
scout or a personnel guy or GM knows this. Those
sacks came in two games. He had four sacks against
Vegas three and a half against Pittsburgh, and both those teams,
as you know, had terrible offensive linemen and they had backups.

(36:20):
Trey Hendrickson did not recorded sack in two games against
the Ravens. He didn't show up at all against the Eagles,
and Eagles had that backup left tackle Fred Johnson in
that game. So basically, seventeen and a half sacks, big number,
good number, But when it came to against the big boys,
he didn't do much. So maybe that's a factor. And
thirty one years of age. I don't think I'll love

(36:41):
to have a season like that. Again, what do you think?

Speaker 3 (36:46):
Look, man, he's already had a w of a career.

Speaker 4 (36:48):
I think the odds are against him continue to be
able to sustain his pace. I understand why he wants
to get paid, but also understand why the Bengals may be.

Speaker 3 (36:56):
Willing to move on when you look at the bigger
picture as they've building it.

Speaker 2 (37:00):
There you go, Okay, who gets to sign a contract
first at quarterback this year? Your choice? Russell Wilson or
Aaron Rodgers.

Speaker 3 (37:10):
Russell Wilson.

Speaker 4 (37:10):
I would take Russell Wilson over Aaron Rodgers. And the
only reason I would say is like down the last
alfter the year, Russell Wilson played better than Aaron Rodgers.
Aaron Rodgers had a moment or two but he didn't
play well, and as a forty plus year old quarterback,
I think you're more likely to have more flops from
Aaron Rodgers.

Speaker 3 (37:28):
In good days. Yeah, I will go at Russell Wilson.

Speaker 1 (37:30):
This all right.

Speaker 2 (37:32):
I got a situation here that kind of bugs me.
They got a guy at the University of Cincinnati, West Miller,
first year basketball coaches this year number four, now four
years they did not get into the NCAA teram I
gotta believe they're not going to go. They lost to
Oklahoma State yesterday one of the reasons, and the athletic
director said the other day that he's going to be
back next year. Normally that would not happen four years

(37:54):
in the school that really has been known for their
tough and good basketball teams coached by Bob Huggins and
Mitt Cronin. You know, normally he'll be gone. So I
got to ask you your thoughts on college coaches and
their buyout clause, because I gotta believe West Miller is
going to be back next year because of the buyout clause.

Speaker 4 (38:13):
I mean, look, that's part of what agents do. They
make it very difficult for teams to move on from you.

Speaker 3 (38:19):
For me.

Speaker 4 (38:19):
The west millerary situation is interesting because down in North Carolina,
people are not happy with Hubert Davis. West Miller was
one of the candidates. There's a faction on the fan
base that still.

Speaker 3 (38:29):
Wants Wes Miller to be the coach.

Speaker 4 (38:30):
So the hero Wes Miller and his struggles in Cincinnati
also shits like on how hard the job is to
be successful And I can't even say turning around a program,
but sustaining a program. Yeah, the bio is a significant deal.
That's why agents fight tooth and nail to get that
into that contract.

Speaker 2 (38:48):
You know. Let me kind of expand on that for
a second, because if you're a college basketball coach, I
would think right now you're not that much concerned which
contract and money, although that's a priority, and what conference
you may be in. I think you may want to
concern yourself as to what city you may be in.
With the Alumbs, for example, in Cincinnati, you have to

(39:10):
compete with another D one school at Xavier, another D
one school at Northern Kentucky, a pro team with the
Bengals Pro team with FS Cincinnati, i f C Cincinnati,
and of course the Red Cincinnati Reds. So my question
is this. You go to a smaller market which everything
is involving the college team. Columbus, Ohio, Ohio State, Still Water, Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma.

(39:34):
These cities are just crave the college team, and there's
more monies for the nil for these kids. Where in Cincinnati,
I don't think there's a lot of money. So if
a coach comes here, he knows he's going to be
behind the eight ball a little bit.

Speaker 4 (39:48):
He's going to be behind a ball a little bit.
But look, they're being able to do it before. They
just got to figure out the new recipe for being
able to get it done with the Bearcats.

Speaker 2 (39:58):
It's tough. I mean, you got to really go to
these alumps and say please open the check book, and
you got you gotta be a fan. You gotta be
a nut job fan to do that. But they do it.
Then they do it other cities. I've seen that. So
what are you gonna do? All Right, we got two
big hours to go. We want to remind you that
the clock has been moved to bring ahead. He's Bucky
Brooks and Andy Furman and these free agents may fall

(40:18):
under the radar. That and more right here on Fox Sports,
Sunday next. All right, it all starts Wednesday, but it
starts here. Now, Good morning, everybody. This is Fox Sports
Sunday on Fox. Butt's ready. He is Bucky Brooks. I'm
Andy Furman. And by the way, we're broadcasting live from
the ti iraq dot com studios. Tyraq dot com will

(40:40):
help you get there, an unmatched selection, fast free shipping,
free road has a protection and over ten thousand recommended it.
Install this ti iraq dot com the way tire buying
should be. Bucky Brooks is here, Bucky. How rough was
it to lose that hour of sleep today?

Speaker 4 (40:58):
I mean looks it's crazy on the West coast because
this is two o'clock wake up time.

Speaker 3 (41:02):
But it's all good. We're doing it.

Speaker 2 (41:05):
You sound the good? You sounding good? No problem? They
all right? Now Wednesday? Wednesday is the big day, Wednesday,
March twelfth, that's when the NFL season starts. How crazy
is that? Because you know, everybody's into the free agent market,
and mean free agency is going to help teams, you know,
with their needs. Maybe it's perhaps even better than the
draft because it's a proven commodity. But how does it work?

(41:26):
I mean, do what general managers and personnel guys say
we need a quarterback. Should we go to the draft,
should we take a chance and develop a guy, or
should we go right now for approven veteran? But it's
gonna be more money. How does it work in free agency?

Speaker 4 (41:43):
So with all things like free agency in the draft,
they work hand in hand. When you're at the top
of the food chain, top of the decision making process,
you have your scouts, your college director, your pro directors
be able to talk about what are the strengths of
free agency, what positions are have the depth and the
talent where we deem positions of need. Okay, then we

(42:07):
go to the draft, Yes to collus directed, what positions,
what are the strong points and weak points of the draft?
How deep at it at certain positions? Where do our
needs fall in line with that? Sometimes, whereas weak in
the draft, you say, oh, that's great, we'll just take
care of it in free agency so we don't have
to worry about it when it comes to the draft.
Sometimes in free agency you can't find the right fit

(42:29):
at the right number, and you say, hey, we'll address
it in the draft. These vehicles work together in the
team building process, and the great team builders the great
general managers and executives. They understand the strengths of both
markets free agency and the draft, and they will attack
it accordingly based on what the talent is in each situation.

Speaker 2 (42:53):
Okay, so you did a list at NFL dot com,
maybe the most underrated free So what does that mean
under a talent wise or good bargains? And you say, look,
I don't think anybody's on the radar. I think every
scout out there knows who's available. So what does that
actually mean? Underrated?

Speaker 4 (43:13):
So underrated are guys that are not household names, but
guys that can come in and maybe modest value contracts
and you know, provide you more bang for the bug.
So think Andrew Van Ginkel, who was a look a
stat stuffer for the Minnesota Vikings, thing Zach Bond, all
pro player for the Philadelphia Eagles. Both were lightly regarded

(43:34):
during the process, but they paid huge dividends. This list
features a a collection of guys who could offer similar
contributions at modest prices.

Speaker 2 (43:47):
All right, So now we go with the quarterback situation,
and you say that Justin Fields kind of tops the
quarterback list as far as guys that may be underrated
or maybe not appreciated. I don't know what may be,
but it's hard to believe what's happening there in Pittsburgh.
I'm amazed they even made the playoffs. They finished what
ten and seven last year and they made the playoffs.

(44:07):
They got bounced out with Baltimore. However, I mean, you
got quarterbacks Justin Fields and then you got the Russell
Wilson and it looks like the rumors say that neither
one of them is going to be back next year,
although it looks like maybe Russell Wilson has the stronger
possibility of returning. What's happening in Pittsburgh And where would

(44:29):
they go if they lose both?

Speaker 4 (44:32):
Yeah, No, there's some talk on the buzz is if
they don't retain Justin Fields or Russell Wilson, Like, hey,
look for Sam Darnold to be in play, look for
Daniel Jones to potentially be in play, just because you
got to have a starting quarterback to be able to
play in this league.

Speaker 3 (44:50):
We saw with the move that.

Speaker 4 (44:52):
The Raid has made to secure Geno Smith. That's what
they tell you that is out there in the marketplace.
Sam Donald could get big bucks, but from Pittsburgh, they
gotta find the right fit. And if they didn't think
that Justin Fields could get it done as a passer,
that's why they moved on from him, despite his running
talents and the way that the Steelers were winning.

Speaker 3 (45:12):
That's all you need to know.

Speaker 4 (45:13):
They want to get better and they don't believe that
better is in their room, so that's why they're looking elsewhere.

Speaker 2 (45:17):
Well. I gotta believe money is a factor too, because
I think they didn't want to pay these guys big
money either one of them, Russell Wilson with his age
and Justin Fields right now with his inexperience and really
he didn't dominate. So you're not going to give these
guys a a lot of money and be a long
term deal because I don't think either one of them
is going to lead you to the super Bowl. So
I think that's the problem that that's why they may
dump both of these guys. But I will say this

(45:39):
first six games of the year, Justin Fields was quarterback
and he led the Steelers to a four and two record.
All Right, he was going to start for the Steelers
in Week one, but he gave he had that CAF injury.
Wilson and Fields got the job. So you look at
the comparison between the two. It's difficult, but look, Justin
Fields last year completed with almost sixty six percent of

(46:02):
his passes, Russell Wilson sixty three percent. But it's difficult
to compare them because they didn't play the same amount
of games. But it was Fields with five touchdowns and
Wilson had sixteen. But he had five iNTS, Fields had one.
I int I think that Justin Fields is a better runner.
He could do that. I think at one time Russell
Wilson was, but I think he's been banged up at

(46:23):
age is a factor. He doesn't run as well or
as much as he did in the past years. He
fumbled five times and Fields fumbled six times. I don't know.
I mean the average twenty two almost twenty three points
a game last year, sixteenth in the league. Not really good.
But I don't know where you go with either one
of these quarterbacks.

Speaker 4 (46:41):
Look, man, you got to play with somebody, and you
don't have many options. You don't have many options available
in the draft. I did a list of, you know,
quarterbacks outside of cam Ward and Shade at Sanders for Fox.
That is up and people can check that on on
Fox sports dot Com. And you know, you look at
free agency and I looked at not a lot of options.
The reason justin field his apros commodity is his age.

Speaker 3 (47:02):
He's mid twenties.

Speaker 4 (47:03):
He's played significant snaps in the league he started, He's
flashed the talent, but he hasn't been able to string
it together. More likely to bank on him being who
he is and working around some of those issues then
completely swinging the miss on a guy that I know
is being overdrafted in the first round.

Speaker 2 (47:19):
Okay, if you look at the stats comparing the two,
and I don't know if that's what they do. Would
would they do that with Mike Tom Let's say, let's
compare their stats. I don't think he would do it.
He'll compare with his eyes. Now with the stats on paper,
I would think, right.

Speaker 4 (47:34):
I mean, I think it's a combination. Is not only
the stats that we talked about on paper, it's the film.
It's the analytical people coming in projecting where somebody is
at this age, given the injury history, the way they
take care of themselves. This is how much more time
they could have as a peak performer. This is when
it could fall off The Cliff and then you have
to make a decision on you know, where is he

(47:55):
at and the team plans. Do we feel like in
three four years when we're really good, he's gonna be
contributed at a high level. Or is it best to
move on and get a young player ready for that spot.
All those decisions are you know, independent, There's so many
different things where people weigh in, but it comes down
to the leader what they feel best for the team.

Speaker 3 (48:18):
It is. Look, it's not.

Speaker 4 (48:20):
Ideal, but it's it's one of those situations where you
got to make some hard decisions sometimes.

Speaker 2 (48:24):
I'm trying to do the comparison. I'm trying to help
Mike Tomlin, all right, because I'm gonna put this to paper.
Maybe he doesn't even have it. I'm sure he does.
Wilson Russell. Wilson has the upper hand and the key
categories like points per game, totally yards and passing yards.
I would have to admit, though it's a small sample size,
but the Steelers were not running the ball as effectively

(48:47):
with Justin Fields at quarterback.

Speaker 3 (48:49):
All right.

Speaker 2 (48:50):
Whatever that means, I don't know. And maybe that's why
Justin Fields is going to be the guy on another
team next year.

Speaker 4 (48:58):
I mean they look for reason it wasn't clicking with him.
Everyone can sit here and see the talent. We can
sit there and say they should run more, but for
whatever reason, they weren't scoring enough points. They were barely
getting to twenty. Mike Tomlin could look and see like, man,
my team is playing well, but I can't count on
my defense to hold everyone to under twenty two win games.
So he opted for the veteran, thinking that Wilson would

(49:19):
bring stability given his experience and expertise and knowledge. Wasn't
quite what any of them anticipated. But you know, sometimes
you gotta roll the dice.

Speaker 2 (49:30):
All right. So you mentioned perhaps that Sam Donald may
be wearing a Pittsburgh Steel or uniform next year, And
if you were to take a list of like the
top free agent quarterbacks, I would have to think that
Sam Donald is the top of the list. And if
the season ended after week number seventeen, this guy would
have made bookou bucks, big time money. He would have

(49:52):
been a tremendous demand. But as you know, he had
a tough time struggling those last two games at the
playoff loss, and there was some questions he had about
maybe he's not as good as we thought he was.
Maybe he was just on a hot streak. Who knows,
but I still think that lucky for him, he's still
the number one quarterback in free agency. Age is a

(50:12):
key factor right there, and I think that he may
be gone to another team and maybe with the system
in Pittsburgh he could be successful. I mean he was
successful until the playoffs, right.

Speaker 4 (50:23):
Yeah, No, he was successful. You want to see him
step his game up. He wasn't able to do it
the last two games. And people have to determine was
that a foreshadowing of what his career could be like
going forward or was it just a man just had
a bad game on a big stage. That is for
team builders to try and figure out. But for us,

(50:44):
I would say, look, great year. He deserves to be
paid and rewarded for that. If he goes to Seattle,
he has a tough situation because they had a really
good quarterback and All Pro quarterback in Gino Smith that.

Speaker 3 (50:55):
They moved on to bring him in.

Speaker 4 (50:58):
How he handles the locker room, all that it looked
at that to go a long way and determined whether
his guys play for him or not.

Speaker 2 (51:05):
Well, look, Sam Donald, as you know was signed to
a one year deal and until they drafted JJ McCarthy.
Then McCarthy got hurt that the season ending injury. You
know this is a risk factor with McCarthy coming back.
Will he be ready? Right? I mean sometimes it takes
and you said this to me several times. Sometimes after

(51:27):
an injury, a serious knee injury or an arm injury,
the quarterback or any player, it has to take a year.
And maybe he's more successful that second year. And why
do I say that, because I'm looking at Aaron Rodgers,
who may very well be the second best free agent
quarterback available, not considering a free agent yet. But the
Jets basically said we don't want you. You're not coming back.

(51:48):
He's going to be forty two. This year was his
first year after that big injury. He may be coming
back stronger next year even though he's forty two, because
sometimes it takes longer to heel. We've seen that with
injuries like that.

Speaker 3 (52:01):
We have seen that.

Speaker 4 (52:02):
We have seen people continue to improve defid the odds,
that's what we call it. But yeah, we've seen it
happen before. It is unlikely, but it can't happen Unlike.

Speaker 2 (52:11):
I would say, he finished. He was pretty good down
the stretch. He finished the season pretty strong, don't you think,
Aaron Rodgers? I mean, could you see him in Pittsburgh?
Could you see him in the NFL next year?

Speaker 3 (52:21):
I mean, I can see someone taking a chance on him.

Speaker 4 (52:22):
But I look, it's not just the on field performance,
it's just all the stuff around the team.

Speaker 3 (52:30):
For me as a coach, I'm not willing to do
that for one.

Speaker 4 (52:34):
Year, Rental and Aaron Rodgers, I would rather have something
else where I can keep the attention focused on the
team and not conspiracy theories and vaccinations and all this
other stuff.

Speaker 2 (52:44):
I'm with you there. And the third quarterback I think
on the free agent list, and again he's not technically
a free agent, but I know he went out of
Atlanta with him aout Kirk cussins. He may be the
best fit at all if he is a free agent
going to Pittsburgh, don't you think.

Speaker 3 (52:59):
I don't know. He didn't very well.

Speaker 4 (53:01):
Like I know, we like to romanticize all these guys
as if they're still the player that we saw when
they were the best. But he did not play well.
He's not played well the last two years. I understand
the fascination. I understand people want to see him kind
of do his thing, and you know, I have a
chance to go out, but I wouldn't go crazy. Aaron Rodgers,

(53:21):
Russell Wilson, any of those guys like I have to
make sure that they understand that it's the team first them.

Speaker 3 (53:26):
Second.

Speaker 2 (53:27):
Let me ask you this because you're a scout. You
played the game, and I look at stats. But you
know when you look at stats, and I think the
average Joe who looks at stats, they really don't know
what they mean. Really. I got these five quarterbacks who
are technically free agents, and they're available, and obviously people
in the National Football League are looking to fill the
void of a quarterback. And the stat columns I have

(53:48):
are yards passing yards per game, percentage, touchdowns, and quarterback rating.
Which number do you think stands out the most? Which
is the most important number for a personnel guy? All right?
Yards totally yards passing yards for each game, percentage, completion, percentage,

(54:08):
touchdowns or quarterback rating.

Speaker 4 (54:11):
I would say quarterback rating because quarterback rating comas is
all of those things at once. Completion rate can you
manufactured on bubble screens and those things to push it up? Yeah,
I just think it's the other stuff that I want
to comprehensive profile because that allows me to make a
better decision.

Speaker 2 (54:31):
Okay, So basically, if you had to take the quarterback
rating of these five potential free agents, Sam Donald's number
one at one O two five, Aaron Rodgers believe in
its number two at ninety point five, followed by Kurt
Cousins eighty eight six. No, I actually, followed by Russell
Wilson ninety five six, then Justin Fields ninety three to three,

(54:54):
and Kirk Cousins picks up the rear at eighty eight six,
which is not a good quarterback rating. Eight six.

Speaker 3 (55:01):
That's not good. That's not great at all. I mean
that's very, very very average.

Speaker 2 (55:06):
All right, I hear what you're saying. So now I
learned something again from you. Okay, But is it better
to draft and take a chance on a drafted quarterback
or develop this quarterback or have a quarterback out of
free agency, because look, they could still draft the quarterback
the Steelers and still sign Aaron Rodgers and the new
quarterback could stay on the sidelines and learn for a

(55:28):
year under Aaron Rodgers. Perhaps I don't know.

Speaker 4 (55:32):
I mean, you could, but Aaron Rodgers gonna play nice
in the sandbox. He didn't do it with Jordan Low
but you know, be far, I didn't do it with
Aaron Rodgers.

Speaker 3 (55:42):
I don't know.

Speaker 4 (55:42):
I think at some point you want the entire room
to succeed, and those are the best environments to me.

Speaker 2 (55:48):
All right, let's move to running backs again. We go
to the Steelers. Naja Harris free agent, Aaron Jones, free
agent Vikings. Let's talk about these running backs? Who do
you like and why?

Speaker 3 (56:04):
Why?

Speaker 2 (56:05):
I mean Nag, I mean Harris. I mean, I don't
know why you'd say. This guy basically is kind of
like under the radar. He was like, you know, average
almost four yards a game, and he's a first year
but I think of twenty one.

Speaker 4 (56:17):
Yeah, but if you think about it, right, so he averaged,
you know, he had for one thousand yard seasons, but
the still has saw so little of him they didn't
pick up his fifth year option.

Speaker 3 (56:28):
I mean, that's what we're talking about.

Speaker 4 (56:29):
So this is a guy with four straight one thousand
yard seasons, but he's so lightly regarded that his own
mom couldn't really do anything to set him up to
celebrate his situation. I think when I look at Naja Harris,
he is someone who if he goes to the right team,
he can see more production. People talking about the lack
of juice, explosiveness and all those things. But he's really

(56:51):
good at a lot of things. He just has to
be fully committed to the process and the team has
to be fully committed to him.

Speaker 2 (56:58):
Yeah, I think they will be. I mean, I think
it is a good chance he stays in Pittsburgh, don't you.

Speaker 4 (57:04):
I don't think so. I think he goes elsewhere. I
think Pittsburgh has their sights on somebody else. I think
they were allowed to get maybe more younger and dynamic
in the draft. They're willing to move on from the
running back. And I understand that because I'm one of
the ones that champion phrase like, hey get him, get
him for seven than trade him.

Speaker 3 (57:21):
That's that's it.

Speaker 2 (57:23):
Well, what about Aaron Jones. I mean, I don't think
you had him listed as under the radar kind of
free agents round under.

Speaker 4 (57:30):
The radar, like I don't know what he can provide
this year, Like he's fine, but he's a descending player
to me, Like descending meaning he's declining. He's no longer
the guy that was the Jewish player, the hype man
all that he's fine, Like he's solid player, solid NFL career,
he just isn't one of those that revolutionized the game.

Speaker 2 (57:49):
I think Aaron Jones' best bet would be to stay
with the Vikings. I mean, just he was at the
Vikings last year to stay there, and I think him
staying with the Vikings would certainly help JJ McCarthy, who
comes into a second year but is really gonna be
like his first year because he didn't play, he was hurt.
I think that JJ McCarthy, we need a running back
like Aaron Jones.

Speaker 3 (58:11):
Repeat what she said, because it kind of heard something
about Aaron Jones.

Speaker 4 (58:15):
I just don't think, I think, for me, with Aaron Jones,
I don't think he is durable enough, dependable enough in
terms of like size, structured to be a workhorse running
back at this stage of his career.

Speaker 3 (58:27):
He offers something as an RB two.

Speaker 4 (58:30):
I just don't want him as a lead back, which
is why I don't view him as like one of
those underrated guys on the list.

Speaker 2 (58:35):
All right, let's talk about some wide receivers of you.
Who do you got for wide receivers?

Speaker 4 (58:41):
You know, when you think about the wide receivers, like,
the market is really interesting because there's a few guys
can go. But I got the Yammy Brown from the
Washington Commanders on the list, and the Yammy Brown. If
you look at his numbers then they don't wow you.
But if you look at how he performed over the postseason,
it suggests that if you put him in the right role,
he can pop this this postseason, he averaged over sixteen

(59:02):
yards per catch. Big playmaker from my alma mater.

Speaker 3 (59:05):
This is what he does.

Speaker 4 (59:06):
He's a speedster, vertical threat right offense, bombs away where
you can push it down the field. He could be
someone who emerges as a much better player than he's
been for the Washington Commanders.

Speaker 2 (59:16):
So you got him as a kind of under the
radio kind of wide receiver. But looking at wide receiver,
Amari Cooper is a free agent, I mean, he'd be
better served I think staying with the Bills. I would think.
But Stefan Diggs, T Higgins obviously we mentioned him, Keenan
Allen all Right, and DeAndre Hopkins. The's a lot of
big names as wide receivers. But again, you know that's

(59:37):
money out there. I don't know if these teams are
going to spend that kind of money. I mean, what
do you think?

Speaker 4 (59:41):
No, Well, they also everybody that you name it is
like an over thirty player, Like they were great. If
you're nostalgic, you love them, but like at some point, man,
you want younger, because it's rare that someone even on
the outside a wide receiver, once they get to thirty,
that number typically is the number that you try to avoid.
Seeing your best players near their thirties. You don't want

(01:00:03):
to pay big money for those guys because I tell
you that they're going to begin to fade. They're not
gonna be the same kind of players that they were
when they were in their prime in their twenties.

Speaker 2 (01:00:12):
Lose that gas in the tank. That's what they're doing,
all right. He's Bucket Brooks and Andy Furman. And by
the way, shortly after our show, our podcast will be
going up. If you missed any of today's show, be
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Just search Fox Sports Radio wherever you get your podcasts,
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Review the podcast and rated five stars. Again. Just search

(01:00:34):
Fox Sports Radio wherever you get your podcasts and you'll
see today's show Fox Sports Sunday posted right after we
get up there. By the way, we're gonna have yay
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three and get us at Twitter or x whatever you
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from an FSR or eight seven seven ninety nine on
Fox will take some calls. That translates to eight seven

(01:00:56):
seven nine ninety six sixty three sixty nine. Now what
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Good morning, everybody. This is Fox Sports Sunday and Fox
Sports Radio's Bucky Brooks. I'm Indy Furman. It'll be just
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(01:01:18):
And by the way, be sure to check out the
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(01:01:39):
by the way, We're live from the ti raq dot
Com studios. Now we've got Jay or Nay coming up
in about ten twelve minutes from now. But let's talk
quarterbacks and a team that really needs one, needs one
badly in a tough division. And he guesses, Bucky Brooks
what I'm talking about? Which team needs a quarterback badly
in a tough division?

Speaker 4 (01:01:58):
I mean there's so many, so many teams. I mean,
everybody needs one. You look at the East, you know
you need you need a team in the Giants if
you're gonna bounce back. The Jets need a quarterback. Look, man,
they're a ton of quarterback needy teams out there.

Speaker 3 (01:02:14):
But who are you pointing to?

Speaker 2 (01:02:16):
I was pointing to the Cleveland Browns. All right, are
you ready? I mean this dissector is Cleveland brown situation. Okay,
it's somewhat ironic. It was the Browns who pushed the
quarterback pay scale through the roof when they signed to
Shawn Watson four years undred seventy seventy five million back

(01:02:36):
in July. Got one hundred and eleven of that million
guaranteed through twenty twenty five. All Right, so there's a
good chance that the Browns I think won't be real
active in free agency because they got a trim twenty
three milli in cap compliance by Wednesday, March twelfth to
get in there. All right. As far as Deshaan Watson
second Achilles surgery, do you think his career is over?

(01:02:59):
Is he done?

Speaker 3 (01:03:02):
I think he's done. Not because of the injury.

Speaker 4 (01:03:04):
I would say because of the mental He's never been
the same player that he once was.

Speaker 3 (01:03:09):
As a three time pro bowler in Houston.

Speaker 4 (01:03:12):
Whatever it is, he's lost his mojo and they've tried
multiple play calls, multiple systems to get him on tracked.
He just has lost the juice. And I think this
is a cautionary tale. He got his money and it's
all good, but it's a cautionary tale in terms of
he didn't like his situation, refused to play in this situation,

(01:03:33):
lost a year voluntarily because he didn't play, but that
year turns into two years because football is a funny
game where if you don't play it, you can't get
better at it. And it's not only that part of it,
but now he no longer has the confidence to go
with But some would say and arm significant arm talent
change and without the confidence you have no shot, and

(01:03:56):
so to me when I look at him, there's no
shot he ever returns to being anywhere close to the
player that he once.

Speaker 3 (01:04:03):
Was in Houston.

Speaker 2 (01:04:04):
I don't think he'll return to Cleveland. But you think
someone takes a flyer on him, there's a chance or no.

Speaker 3 (01:04:10):
I mean, I can't understand why, who what?

Speaker 4 (01:04:13):
After seeing him play and after chasing him around him
like who wants to pay for that product?

Speaker 3 (01:04:19):
Like who wants to deal with all of that?

Speaker 4 (01:04:21):
He has not played well, he's not the same guy,
and look, man, the attitude is going to be the
attitude like he look, he can be surly and not
putty and all that other stuff, but it doesn't play
well in the locker room when your team is getting wax.
And the teams he's been a part of the last
four years have been wax.

Speaker 2 (01:04:39):
All right, So they don't have a quarterback that may
lose their old pro Miles Garrett, who wants out of then.
I think eventually he's going to win that argument, I
really do. Although Jimmy has him the mass.

Speaker 3 (01:04:51):
Why do you think he went He doesn't have any leverage.
He doesn't have any leverage.

Speaker 2 (01:04:56):
I mean, he'll just I think sometimes general is a
frightened to have a guy who's not happy on the roster.

Speaker 1 (01:05:04):
That's the problem.

Speaker 4 (01:05:05):
Do you think, No, I think of anything like you
put a hard line in the sand. The last time
we saw players sit out willingly like this was Livy
and Bell. How did that work out for him? He
got his grit, but it crushed it. You cannot look,
this is the prime of your career. He is at
thirty already. He cannot afford to sit out and think

(01:05:25):
that he's going to play at high level. He'll get
the money regardless, But I'm just saying he doesn't have
any leverage. He makes it hard on himself in this
situation because all of the things that are written into
the CBA make it impossible for somebody to feed the change,
to go with this and to do what he wants

(01:05:46):
them to do. Trade him and all this. No, you're
not getting traded. I don't care if you don't like it.
You can sit out in power, but this is what
it is. That's the kind of power that owners have,
and Jim Haslam willing to use it.

Speaker 2 (01:06:00):
He's willing to use you, right. But I think the
average public fan, the average fan has no clue. Really,
they really don't. They understand they're yelling and screaming, are
standing on their head in Cincinnati. The Bengals better signed
Jamar Chase, the better signed to Higgins, Well tee Higgins. Basically,
he's gonna slap with the franchise tags. They'll play, He's
gonna be He may not be happy about it. Nothing
he could do. It's a second year in a row again,

(01:06:21):
his twenty six meal. Now Jamar Chase, he's still got
a contract signed. I mean, I don't know why they're
yelling and screaming. The publics say, well, you know, the
Bengals are gonna have to pay a thirty five mil.
They could have got him last year for a lot less,
but no, he signed. He's got to play. And the
Bengals basically by being quiet about it that they're using
that leverage as you mentioned, so it's not a big

(01:06:43):
whoop they're going to play. Both of those guys will
play for the Bengals next season. Well you know what,
they don't play at all.

Speaker 4 (01:06:52):
I mean, that's true, and that's it, and it may
not look it may not brand him any the coaches,
any fans.

Speaker 3 (01:06:59):
Within the locker room, but they can always say, hey man,
it's management.

Speaker 4 (01:07:03):
I would love to open the bank and change your situation,
but I don't have the juice to do that right now.

Speaker 3 (01:07:09):
You're on the contract. This is what the situation is.
You go deal with. If you shoot it straight with players,
everyone can handle it.

Speaker 4 (01:07:16):
With Miles Garrett, you can tell Miles Garrett, hey man,
it's done the person to talk about you play for us,
so you don't play. You make that decision, But we're
gonna make decisions based on the guys that we have
in the build.

Speaker 2 (01:07:27):
Okay, So I understand how frustrating it is for a
player they want more money. I understand that Jamar Chase
won the Triple Crown and he wants more money than
the best tie of the best wide receiver in football
right now, his friend who plays with the Vikings. However,
you know how frustrating is it for an agent? What
does an agent? What juice does an agent have if

(01:07:49):
he's knocking on the door or of the Cincinnati Bengals
saying let's open up some negotiations here for jim Ar Chase,
and then all of a sudden, Mike Brown or Duke
Topin says, why why should we really, I mean he signed, Well,
wait wait another year, then we'll talk, right, I mean
we're frustrating is for an agent.

Speaker 4 (01:08:07):
I mean it's frustrating, but those are the rules and
more guys have to be able to be shrewd like
that if you want to build a team the right way.

Speaker 3 (01:08:14):
The team has the power. You got to know when
you can wield the hammer when you need to kind.

Speaker 4 (01:08:17):
Of like lay off. But if you have to hammer,
you hammer them. And then what it sends a message
to everyone else in the team. Do not come up
here talking about money. I'm not changing, We're not renegotiating
in the middle of a deal.

Speaker 3 (01:08:29):
This is what it is.

Speaker 4 (01:08:30):
Take it or leave it. I mean, look, it sounds
very terse and kurt, but man, it's business. It's not personal.
Like if we talk about it being business, what this is.

Speaker 2 (01:08:42):
Let's do this though, Let's go behind the scenes. Let's
go behind the curtain. Because you played the game, You've
seen it firsthand. I talk about it, I see it
from a distance. You have played on teams where guys
are really poed that they wanted more money and they
didn't get them want the money that they wanted. How
does that affect the locker room. How does that affec
the team? Are they really sullen? What is Give me

(01:09:04):
an example. You have to mention a player's name, but
I'm sure you've seen a guy who's banging on the
door wants more money, didn't get it because of the
situation he was signed. You know, how does that affect
the team? And it may affect other players? Say, wow,
you know this team will not open up and help me.
I want out of here. Well, my contract's up, I
want out of here.

Speaker 3 (01:09:21):
I mean, that's the other side of the coin.

Speaker 4 (01:09:23):
You can take the hardline stance of ownership and say
just what we're doing is that we operate. But the
team is also looking and paying attention. The team knows
the observations shape how those people, whether they fully commit
and by it to the program or not. So all
of this is part of a trickle down effect where
you don't pay one much. We're not paying them all

(01:09:44):
and that's not great.

Speaker 2 (01:09:46):
Now, let me ask you something I'm going to jump
over here. Let's go to the college level. What if
we have a player on college a who's a quarterback
and finds out that he had better st that's a
quarterback on college b and that guy was getting more
money because of nil. I mean, it's going to trickle
down to the college level now, isn't it. It's all

(01:10:08):
about the money is the root of all level. It's true,
it really is.

Speaker 4 (01:10:13):
I mean, it's already down there. It's a part of
You got to be able to handle it. You've got
to have conversations about it. You've got to make sure
that That's why they say you got to have a
salary cap in college. You got to have a clear
system for how you want to pay your players. You
have to have a clear system for how you value
those players so that everyone knows. The quarterback is the
big biggest piece on the on the chessboard, so you

(01:10:33):
got to make sure that he is compensated fairly. But
everybody else, yeah, get in line. You got to figure
that part out. It is a part of the landscape now.
When college sports became pro sports, that's what you're so,
this is what you're getting and you still have to
promote a team first environment. Amit at all? That's a
challenge for coaches, But look, that's that's that's what you

(01:10:56):
get paid for. That's why they make the big bucks.

Speaker 2 (01:10:58):
Now, okay about the coaches. I mean, does a coach
on the NFL level go go to the front office
and say, look, can you just do me a we
need this guy. Could you just open it up and
give them give him the money? Well, just he stays
out of it. And what about the other day I
read a thing about Rick Patino that his team Saint John's.
He coaches Saint John's like twenty seven and four this year.

(01:11:19):
He says he doesn't get involved at all with the money,
with the nil they got a general manage to handles
all that stuff. I mean to the other right, it
can be ugly.

Speaker 4 (01:11:29):
But the reason why you want to keep the coaches
out of it, at least surface level the appearance of
is you want him to be able to build a
relationship separate and independent from what the money is. You
want to be able to coach the player hord without
knowing the money factor, about the money factor being a
part of you go about your interactions. For instance, if

(01:11:50):
you're paying a guy significant summer money, you know, I
don't want to coach him too hard because if I
go with him hard, he may transfer and go somewhere else.

Speaker 3 (01:11:58):
Right, man, that changes everything changes the ingredients of the cake.

Speaker 4 (01:12:01):
So you want to have a check and balance this
system where the general manager handles the money and the negotiations,
I handle the on field product. No matter what you
get paid, you have to impress me. I'm the gatekeeper
when it comes to playing time.

Speaker 3 (01:12:15):
Okay, but the coach is what he's making.

Speaker 2 (01:12:17):
Doesn't the coach have a list of the salaries with
these kids are making pology?

Speaker 4 (01:12:21):
He knows, but he doesn't want to be directly involved
in that part of it allows him to really focus
on what he does well with his coach.

Speaker 2 (01:12:30):
It's amazing. I mean, really and truly. I'm going to
get into this when we go to the Ana coming
up in a couple of minutes. But this this salary
cap that has to work it really it's funny. You know,
remember Woj he used to work for ESPN. He was
at the college basketball guy.

Speaker 1 (01:12:44):
He left.

Speaker 2 (01:12:44):
He loves his alma model, he loves Saint Bonaventure. He
left to go to Saint Bonadventure. So what is he doing.
He's trying to get nil money for Saint Bonaventure. You
know what that's like. That's just trying to make it
rain outside. If I go outside right now and say
a prayer. It's not going to rain. Really, he's trying
to do that at say pod Venture universally, and he's
raising money. I read a story the other day. He
raised sixteen thousand dollars. He's selling trinkets. He's selling like watches,

(01:13:08):
you know, championship watches, press passes from events. Come on, really,
I mean these kids are making Bukou money and he's
making sixteen thousand. I mean, you couldn't get a jocks
drop case for that at Saint Bonaventure. Of sixteen thousand,
you're not going to get the players. And it's not fair,
you know, it's not fair to call them division one.
I have to call Saint John's Division one because there's

(01:13:30):
two separate animals. It really is.

Speaker 3 (01:13:32):
I mean, there are two separate animals. But I mean
that's just the way it goes.

Speaker 4 (01:13:37):
And look, it's a different time and wooh, and a
bunch of these guys are stepping in the college arena
trying to figure out what's going on, and I show
him most of them are doing like what we said,
it's like drinking from a fire hose.

Speaker 3 (01:13:53):
We first did this a lot. It's a lot of
process a lot to do, but they're figuring it out.

Speaker 2 (01:13:58):
Amazing, figure it out. That's O trying to do all
my life. Figure it out. He's Bucky Brooks. I'm Andy Freman.
We are Fox Sports Sunday at Fox Sports Radio. Raise
your hand. It's time for yay r nae and it's
freaking next yay orna come in right up. It's about
twelve minutes before the top of the hour, and of
course we're a lying from the Ti rock dot Com

(01:14:19):
studios and it's time for our mine and executive producer
Paate Pat You ready for yayo n A.

Speaker 3 (01:14:28):
Okay, let's figure.

Speaker 1 (01:14:29):
Rock those brains, gentlemen, these stories needed as.

Speaker 3 (01:14:33):
I think we need a ruling on this nay.

Speaker 5 (01:14:37):
All right, Andy and Bucky, it is time to play.
And what can I say? It's the yay or the nay,
And let's play, guys, a little wordplay there for sorright.
I'm done being doury.

Speaker 2 (01:14:50):
I didn't realize you with that.

Speaker 5 (01:14:51):
Cre Yeah, I'm done being goofy with that. But let's
get started with the ear nase guys. But thank you
for the creativity on that.

Speaker 1 (01:14:58):
Andy.

Speaker 2 (01:14:59):
First, we creativity.

Speaker 5 (01:15:00):
Hey, what can I say? All right, I'm done. So
here's our first one, guys. The w NBA has announced
expansion to Toronto Cleveland in San Francisco. Too much, too soon,
Andy Furman, Yeah, your name, I say yay.

Speaker 2 (01:15:16):
Now now that I'm kind of torn between this because
I think more teams need more jobs, more jobs, so players,
front office people, coaches with me, So I like that,
But I think it's sna the success wise. I think
sometimes less is more and they really jump in the gun,
put the brakes on just a little bit. So I'm
gonna say nay on that one.

Speaker 3 (01:15:38):
To let's say nay on that one as well. I
just think it's the situation where you just don't want
to go that route. So I'm gonna go down knows my.

Speaker 5 (01:15:46):
Answer, all right too, nay's for that one on that
all right? Well, next one up here, guys. As for
Major League Baseball, it all gets under weighed about three weeks.
I can't wait. By the way, they can't get out
of their own way. Though the World Series coincide, the
NFL opener and the MLB opener coincides with March madness. Agree,
Yeah your nay, Bucky, you get first go I disagree.

Speaker 4 (01:16:10):
Bad timing, like, you have to know, you gotta read
the room, You got to know where you're at. Baseball
is behind football and baseball, so I just think you
should have your own day. Let basketball and football have
their days, but don't get mess it up. The World
Series is a great event set that out separate and
apart from everything. I think they're doing too much when

(01:16:31):
they try to infringe Upondo's other sports.

Speaker 2 (01:16:33):
Yeah, I'm gonna go. Yeah, I agree. I mean, stay
in your lane. You know what you got. And obviously
you can't compete with the NFL and March madness, that's
a big deal. I mean, don't compete with them. So
and what baseball is doing? Did this starting earlier and
earlier in northern cities? I mean Cincinnati opens up on
the twenty seventh, I believe the twenty seventh of March.

(01:16:54):
Are you kidding? Then you just to open up baseball
like April ninth, tenth around there? Why so early? I
mean the in the cold. You know, I've gone to
opening days and since when there was snow. You know
it's not fan conducive. I mean, come on, really push
it back, and I know that I'm not gonna mention
play less games. That's never gonna happen because owners will
not stand for They used to have double headers. They

(01:17:16):
didn't want you to pay, you know, once for two games.
They want two separate admissions. I get it, all right,
it's all about the Mulah, the green cabbage, the gult,
that's what they want. But still at all make make
it fan friendly, you know, March twenty seventh, come on?

Speaker 5 (01:17:31):
So no, all right, well, speaking of fan friendly and
all about the Moulah, here guys, we've got Luca Donson's
Lebron James have the Lakers looking like title legitimate title contenders.
I'm a Laker fan, so I'm happy to hear this one.
Uh Andy Verman, yay or nay on this?

Speaker 2 (01:17:49):
You know what, I would have said, yay, but Lebron
got hurt. Have you heard that ankle? And they say
maybe out for several weeks. I would have said yeay,
but I may have to move today because the Lakers,
I mean, one of the best games of the year
was a Thursday night. They beat the Niche and overtime
one thirteen one o nine. I think it was something
like Luca and lebronca buying for like sixty three points
and like nineteen rebounds. It was tremendous. And since Luca

(01:18:11):
has joined the Lakers, they were ten and three, so
they're on their way. They were rolling, but now with
Lebron on the shelf, I don't know, I don't know.
I just have to say nay.

Speaker 4 (01:18:19):
Maybe, But when I look at it, look, look, I
still think yay. I think they still are a threat,
just because those two guys can get it done a
two main game. The injury to Lebron Jame changes everything.
But we've seen this team play without them and have success.
They're just deep and people not as big, but they're deep.

(01:18:40):
They have a talented bunch. I think they can mess
it up and get to the finals and beyond.

Speaker 5 (01:18:44):
All Right, well, I love hearing that one buck he
has a Laker fans, So let's go. But next we're
gonna move to Auburn here because Auburn's ranked number one
college basketball? Are they now a basketball slash not a
football school? Yay or nay?

Speaker 4 (01:18:59):
Bucky Rooks, they haven't been great in football the last years.
I think they're basketball school. Bruce Pearl has done a
really good job with Arburn getting to it, and I
think about the rivalry between them and Alabama and all
of the stuff.

Speaker 3 (01:19:15):
That the SEC has committed.

Speaker 4 (01:19:16):
They want to be good in three sports, football, basketball, baseball.

Speaker 3 (01:19:19):
So yeah, Arba's in the midst.

Speaker 2 (01:19:21):
I'm gonna say nay. I love Bruce Pearl. He's done
a great job wherever he's been. I mean, sometimes he
has some problems with the NCAA. But more than that,
I say nay. I'll tell you why. It's not so
much the schools where you're at is the geographic situation
and that area right now, they're football crazy. They're nuts
about football down there. And I know Auburn lost yesterday,
they lost Alabama. They'll still be number one. Well maybe not.

(01:19:43):
Maybe Duke will be number one this week. We'll see.
I don't know, but they lost yesterday. But I still
believe in the scheme of things. That area right now
is football nuts. I think they'll be football all right.

Speaker 5 (01:19:53):
All right, Well, final, say, guys, a salary cap for
nil and college across the board, all the visions.

Speaker 2 (01:19:59):
Yeah your nay and say yay yay because Bucky Brooks
said so, and I agree, yay yay.

Speaker 3 (01:20:05):
Yeah, yeay, yay. I'm all about it. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yes,
let's continue to do it.

Speaker 2 (01:20:09):
Unbelievable. By the way, he's a cheat and he tells
you how he did it. Yes, he's a cheat. Data
Moore when on Fox Sports Sunday, coming up right here next,
All right, this was dumb, really dumb, and you know what,
he doubled down on it. We'll get to that in
just about a minute. Good morning, everybody. This is Fox
Sports Sunday and Fox Sports. Ready. He's Bucky Brooks. I'm

(01:20:32):
Andy Furman, and you know what. We're broadcasting live from
the ti iraq dot com studios. Tire rack dot com
will help you get there and on that selection fast
free shipping, free road has a protection and over ten
thousand recommended installers. Ti iraq dot com the way tie
buying should be. And I say, I say, let the

(01:20:53):
sun shine spring ahead with your clock on the East coast.
It's now eight oh one o one on the East coast.
All right, Bucky, are you ready? I know, I know
you're a little bit sleepy because you had that moving
the clock deal. It's rough, I know, but we're almost
at the finish line.

Speaker 4 (01:21:13):
It's a little different. It's a little different. It's a
little different. Yeah, like it's one of the things. And
because of the way that it changed, Like, man, the
two to three thing is just a little different, little different.

Speaker 2 (01:21:25):
Maybe they should change the clock like at noontime, you know,
instead of two of them.

Speaker 3 (01:21:29):
Yeah, give me a little more time.

Speaker 2 (01:21:31):
Yeah, right, they should do that. And this way people
could get out of work faster. If you get out
of work at five pm, you know it's twelve o'clock, right, boom,
but you lose your lunch hour. They should do it
at four. Maybe do it at four o'clock. I don't
know what it is.

Speaker 3 (01:21:44):
It's a different deal. Why even do it at all?

Speaker 2 (01:21:47):
Well, they should leave it this way. They should leave
daylight savings all the time, right, that's what they should do.

Speaker 3 (01:21:52):
Leave it. Just leave it one way.

Speaker 2 (01:21:54):
There you go. I love it because it is a
pain in the rear rent to change all the clocks
in your house. The good news is most of the
things go automatically now, like in your car and on radios,
on your phone goes to it, So that's not a
bad deal, all right. I gotta kind of pri I
love to pride with you because you played the game,
you were a pro, you were there, you wore the uniform.
Do you ever save your checks? I mean you just

(01:22:16):
just as a as a momento, I mean the check
to say Green Bay Packers or wherever it may be,
the team.

Speaker 3 (01:22:23):
No, it would be nice, no deposit deposit and't gone long.

Speaker 2 (01:22:26):
Make a copy of it to say that, you know, momento,
you gotta scrap. Do you have a scrap book?

Speaker 3 (01:22:32):
No?

Speaker 4 (01:22:32):
Yes, I mean I guess some things, but I can't
even say this organized enough to really take advantage of.

Speaker 2 (01:22:41):
All Right, quick question, because again, you've been around athletes.
You've seen it. I'm sure sometimes you shake your head
so you can't believe it you see, but you know,
say say it. It gets money. You know he's a
great player and against that next contract, it's big time money.
Do you sometimes not only see a change in attitude,
which I'm sure that may happen, but do you think
that he sometimes gets lazy a little bit? He's got

(01:23:02):
the money, he's there, he does have to put out
that much on the field. He's not practicing as hard
as he used to before he got that big money.
Have you seen that?

Speaker 4 (01:23:11):
I mean you see it all the time, but like
I mean, it's no different than people who are losing weight.
They lose weight, then they get complacent and the way
it comes right back on. It's more of like trying
to examine how people are motivated and driven, like are
they competitors that just love competing or do they just.

Speaker 3 (01:23:29):
Kind of like the game as what ends to a means,
you know, means to an end.

Speaker 4 (01:23:35):
And I think you have seen guys who have gotten
the money and become fat cats and are no longer
the same type.

Speaker 3 (01:23:42):
Players because they're not driven. They don't do the work
that they did to get to this point.

Speaker 4 (01:23:47):
You hope before you invest in a player like that,
that you know how they're wired, what makes them tick,
and you know and you feel very confident that the
money's not gonna change how they perform.

Speaker 2 (01:23:58):
Interesting, all right. I saw a thing the other like
one of those thirty for thirty things, I think, maybe
with a coach and he said there's two kinds of
players want they just want to play and some that
play to win. And I forgot who it was. It
was kind of interesting. I forgot who that was. An
old time coach. Maybe he was maybe was coach K.
I don't remember. It'll come back to him. I just

(01:24:18):
things come and go sometimes, But he hears a player
and he played here. Since then I got to know him,
and he wasn't a bad guy. But every time I
read about him, I shake my head. I can't believe
the guy's like nuts. He really I'm talking about Adam
pac Man Jones. He's always had incidents, but no matter
what it was, I mean, and he comes back out again,
and I'll tell you in a second what he said.

(01:24:39):
But he seemed to me like a good guy. He
really was. I mean, I've had him several times on
the radio and no problem whatsoever. Always somewhat of a gentleman.
And next thing you know, he goes ballist, he goes
crazy because Adam pac Man Jones said just the other
day he used to smoke marijuana all the time while
he was playing. But he I have faced any punishment

(01:25:01):
because he was able to outsmart the NFL. Why would
you do that? Why would you say that? Now? And
I get it, the NFL has changed and got very lenient.
Now there's no suspensions for failing a test smoking marijuana
back in twenty twenty five. Now they change. I get it.
It's society. But if you're wondering how we did it,

(01:25:21):
he revealed the secret this week with Dion Sanders on
the two B show We Got Time Today, and Jones
said he cheated the NFL's drug program by get this,
using someone else's urine. I mean, again, I don't like
the fact that he cheated number one, But why now? Why?

Speaker 1 (01:25:41):
Who?

Speaker 2 (01:25:41):
First of all, who why? I'm not gonna say who cares?
I care because I'm talking about it. But why why
would you bring what good does that do? Why? I
had a general manager always used to say this to
me when I went crazy on the radio. What's the upside?
What is the upside for Adam Pacman Jones to go
public with this announcement that he cheated the NFL and
he smoked marijuana before every game and during the game.

Speaker 3 (01:26:05):
It's an attention grabber. It grabs headlines when you see that,
it becomes fodder.

Speaker 4 (01:26:10):
Is on every talk show outside of your own personal show.
If you're in the industry. Yeah, Like, I mean, that's
why you do it. You go on because there's some
truth to it. You can put it behind the picturesque backdrop.
And now it becomes a major story, which it has become.

Speaker 2 (01:26:24):
I guess he wants his name out there. He has
an ego. He wants people to talk upo aut him.
I guess like we're doing right now, at least I'm
doing it. Have you seen guys smoke marijuana when they played?

Speaker 4 (01:26:33):
When you played, I mean, I mean not during the game,
but it's a big part of the culture back then,
no doubt. I mean there are guys that did what
they needed to do to get ready to play and
perform and deal with all the stress or whatever.

Speaker 3 (01:26:49):
So yes, I've seen all kinds of things, and I
think I.

Speaker 2 (01:26:51):
Don't have a problem.

Speaker 3 (01:26:54):
But I've seen it.

Speaker 2 (01:26:55):
If they wanted to punish athletes with marijuana today, they
have to shut down the end. Really they would, And
I don't have a problem with that. I've been around
the NBA, I've seen, I did some work with some teams,
and I don't have a problem with it. And I'm
certainly glad they made it a little more lenient, you know,
with the rules. It's not that big of a deal.
I don't think, I really don't. But Jones says he

(01:27:16):
never got caught, but one player did back in two
thousand and five. Former running back I don't know if
you knew from the Vikings, Ontario Smith yes, yeah. Now
do you know what a wizarenator is? I never heard
of this before. I guess it's a contraption that helps
you be drug tests. Right, how does that work? I

(01:27:39):
don't think you have one? Do you know wizator?

Speaker 5 (01:27:41):
No?

Speaker 4 (01:27:42):
I don't have one, but I just remember it was
the apparatus that Smith used to try and defeat one
of the tests and he got caught, and they do
it again. So it's a thing that everyone is always
trying to push a lot, particularly those guys who have
an issue with weed. And you know it only comes
once a year. If you gear up for that year,

(01:28:04):
you don't have to worry about take that.

Speaker 3 (01:28:07):
I mean, those two things. So that's why you have
that stuff built in.

Speaker 4 (01:28:10):
But never did they think Kyle warn would make a
run and do some things like that and then come
back and admit it years after the fact.

Speaker 3 (01:28:19):
That's crazy.

Speaker 2 (01:28:21):
That would be like if you were to admit on
this show that you cheated on your income tax. I mean,
I don't care if you did, good for you, but
why would why would you do that?

Speaker 5 (01:28:33):
You know?

Speaker 2 (01:28:33):
Why is that a pavan? I don't know why people
do certainly, I mean, is he proud? I guess he's
proud of the fact that he was able to smoke
marijuana through his career. And he entered the NFL back
in two thousand and six. The Titans made him the
six pick overall and the draft in oh six. And look,
I'm sure he's taken many drug tests and he passed
every one of them, you know, so he said he's

(01:28:55):
someone else's urine. So I guess he didn't have a Wisitator.
He didn't buy a Worsinator. What do you where do
you get one? Could you? Could I get a Wiginator
on Amazon?

Speaker 1 (01:29:03):
Now?

Speaker 2 (01:29:03):
Patty our executive Patrick, are you there are?

Speaker 4 (01:29:07):
Oh?

Speaker 5 (01:29:07):
I am here?

Speaker 2 (01:29:08):
Could you do me a favorite one? Well, I'm talking
to Bucket. Could you go on Amazon see if you
could purchase a Wizinator A H Z Z I N
A T O R.

Speaker 5 (01:29:21):
I'm already going on right now, okay, And.

Speaker 2 (01:29:23):
I do want to know how much they go. I
wont how much is a wisdoms Oh my god, no way,
I may buy. I may buy you one for Christmas
for me. Yeah, well, I don't know if you.

Speaker 5 (01:29:34):
I mean, if you do, I mean, I'll tell you
what I think. My athletic days are behind me now.

Speaker 2 (01:29:41):
But don't forget about athletic. I mean, I think it's
a great conversation piece. You go to a bar with
some with some buds and then you go to the toilet,
and then when you go to the toilet, you take
your oator. You say, what's that for? Just you know,
it's a good conversation. It breaks the ice, that's what
it does.

Speaker 5 (01:29:55):
Well, I'll tell you what as I'm literally like talking
and looking up on Amazon right now in my computer. Uh,
there's not nothing that is titled the Wizardator, but there
are some test kits and even one that has like
you know, like the bag and all that stuff on
there doesn't say Wizinator, but pretty much the brand name.

Speaker 2 (01:30:15):
Yeah, that may be a brand name, Wiator.

Speaker 3 (01:30:18):
I would think it is a brand name.

Speaker 2 (01:30:20):
But they well wait a minute, how do you know,
Wait a minute, Wait a minute, Bucket Brooks, how do
you know?

Speaker 3 (01:30:27):
I mean I've heard, Hey, that's I've heard it talked
about Bennie.

Speaker 2 (01:30:32):
Yeah, just checking, all right, that's so, so he's looking
at that right now. But Jones played twelve years in
the NFL, so he probably took a lot of drug tests. Okay, Uh,
he never well, He did get suspended one year back
in two thousand and seven for violating the NFL's personal
conduct policy. All right, but he was never suspended for

(01:30:53):
failing a drug test, even though he says he smoked
pot throughout his career. Who cares. Come on, well, I
guess again I do. I'm talking about it. I think
it's interesting. I think I'm more interested not the fact
that he smoked pot, the fact that he'd want to
come out publicly. Put it away. Put the Wizardator away. Now.
I know you're using it. I hear it. I know

(01:31:14):
you're using an as disgusting. There are people eating breakfast
as we speak, and you're doing the Wizardator deal. No,
go to the men's room if you want to use it.
That was you Patrick, right, Well, it.

Speaker 1 (01:31:24):
May have been.

Speaker 5 (01:31:24):
Or you can get one on Amazon, or at least
the Wizarenator equivalent on Amazon. You can buy those. By
the way, it's just not a Wizardator. I'm looking at
prices of the best seller. Amazon's best seller has thirty
five ninety nine. I'm also seeing one bit, so I'm
seeing around the price of like the sixteen dollars twenty
thirty five's year best value. Oh, no way, there's actually

(01:31:48):
one that's one hundred and ninety dollars. Geez, I'm not
spending I'm not spending one hundred ninety.

Speaker 2 (01:31:54):
I mean maybe Mark or Bucky knows what would the
difference between the thirty five dollars Wisionator and one hundred
plus dollar Wisator is more of a filter. I mean,
I don't know. I mean, I just I have no
reason to use a Wizarinator. I don't think answer. I think,
and I think maybe it's I know you don't want
to talk about I guess I don't know.

Speaker 4 (01:32:14):
I just looks it's a funny thing, like yeah, yeah,
I don't I don't know anything. I haven't seen anything,
so I don't.

Speaker 2 (01:32:22):
Nobody wants to incriminate themselves. Now, wait a minute. You've
been in a lot of NFL lockerrows. You tell me
you never saw a wizarator once.

Speaker 3 (01:32:31):
I've never seen a person No, I've never seen a
personally close.

Speaker 2 (01:32:34):
And personal note, never seen I wouldn't know what it
looks like if you showed it to me, so really
you could. So you're on Amazon now, do to have
pictures of it?

Speaker 5 (01:32:44):
I'm on Amazon right now, it doesn't say wizinator. You
want me to take a screenshot in Texas?

Speaker 2 (01:32:50):
Yeah, well you do that. Yeah, I just want to
see what it looks like. You know why, I'm going
to carry it around with me because if I go
to a restaurant or a bar and I go to
the men's room and someone may take it this. Oh you,
I have a resonator. How do you like that? I
would think, I Meananda Frahman is trying to beat the system. Yes, no,
I'm not. I've beaten the system years ago, years ago.

(01:33:11):
Really Okay, So during Adam Jones when he played the
NFL and Bucket Noses, they had a very strict drug
policy towards marijuana and THCHC. The player could be suspended
four games if he failed four tests, and the suspensions
number will go to ten games if he failed five tests.
A player who failed six tests could face a season

(01:33:33):
long suspension. But you don't have to worry about that now,
good or bad. Bucket brooks that they changed it because
now the NFL sawtened the marijuana policy in twenty twenty,
when it was bumped up from thirty five two hundred
and fifty nanograms per miller leader. That's what they did.
The change was part of that new collective bargaining agreement,

(01:33:53):
which also eliminated suspensions as a punishment for a positive THC,
and the NFL once again updated the leagu's drug policy
in December of twenty twenty four, and a move that
lowered the fine amounts for first and second time offenders.
The threshold for a failed THHD test was also bumped

(01:34:15):
up again, going from one hundred and fifty nanograms whatever
that is, to three fifty What's a nanogram? Do you
know what that is? Patrick? A nanogram? I don't know
that one day he could help me out with that
too good or bad? Bucket Brooks that they changed their
drug policy. You know what I think it is. I
think there were so many players doing it that had
to change it. Really, no one will be playing. Everybody

(01:34:37):
be suspended.

Speaker 4 (01:34:40):
Well, they needed to change the policy because that is
crazy that your wizinators and all this other stuff.

Speaker 3 (01:34:46):
Like I don't like what I heard from pac Man,
even though I understood.

Speaker 2 (01:34:49):
I don't like it though, Yeah, well, I don't like
the fact that he came out and talked about it.

Speaker 3 (01:34:55):
Now.

Speaker 2 (01:34:56):
I don't care that he used it, that he smoked.
I mean, who cares because everybody was doing it? What about?
I mean, what is the deal on the college I mean,
I know Travis Kelcey was caught with it at the
University of Cincinnati and they threw him off the team,
you know, So I don't know is it a coaches deal,
is it an NCAA situation in the college level, or
that they loosened it up there in college too.

Speaker 3 (01:35:20):
I mean there's always something that she was ready to
get around it, that's for sure.

Speaker 2 (01:35:25):
Really, I thought cheating on Final Champs was a big deal.
I didn't think using a wizardator was a big deal,
to be honest. You know, you learn something every day,
all right, So now I know what a wizarinator is,
and so do you, Patrick, Right, you now know what
a wizitator is.

Speaker 3 (01:35:39):
I do now know.

Speaker 2 (01:35:41):
And here's the good news. If you should receive a
box in the mail, maybe for a present, you know,
and you open it up, you don't have to say,
what the hell is this? You'll know what's a wizinator.

Speaker 5 (01:35:52):
I mean, my birthday is coming up, and.

Speaker 2 (01:35:56):
You never know, it could be an this is a
great April Fools present.

Speaker 5 (01:36:01):
Yeah, that's true.

Speaker 2 (01:36:03):
Bucky. What if I I shipped an Amazon originated to
your home? Would would that cause a ruckus? I mean,
you know, your wife is there, you open up the
box and she's going to scream or something. I just
just just stir up a little bit. Would that be
a bad thing? No?

Speaker 3 (01:36:22):
No, no, no, I mean I just I just look.
I think we're dancing on a line where you're trying
to protect some old players.

Speaker 4 (01:36:31):
But yeah, like, look, here's the thing. Sometimes you have
to do what you have to do to move beyond it.
I still go all the way back to the original
thing with Pack. I don't know why he decided to
share a decade later, but he did, and they cast
a light on all these new players.

Speaker 3 (01:36:45):
What are they doing to beat the system? In those things?

Speaker 2 (01:36:49):
Did you know him at all? Did you get to
know pac Man Jones?

Speaker 3 (01:36:53):
I did I get a chance to interview with stuff
when it's coming out.

Speaker 4 (01:36:56):
I will say, for all the thembastic that takes whatever, like,
I'm really proud of him in terms of how he
turned everything around. You think about how he was just
consistently and routinely in the paper for headline after headline
after headline, none of which was positive. Then he goes
and he's been a model citizen and just continues to

(01:37:18):
kind of rewrite his own story. So it's a great read,
it's a great thing to look at. But yeah, it's crazy,
one of the more crazy stories I've been around.

Speaker 2 (01:37:29):
I understand. I mean, these guys have so much testosterone
built up. They really do. I mean, you play football.
It's a mean sport, it really is. It's a war,
it's a battle. I mean, you want to beat up
on the guy on the other side of the scrimmage,
like you really do. And I guess during the off
season you still have that testosterone in your system and

(01:37:50):
some people don't have a way to release it. I
know when pac Man he went to a casino in
the Cincinnati region right a year or so ago, when
he got into a fight with the security guard there.
You gotta do a lot of stupid things, really nothing
really bad, like you never held up a bank, but
there was always stupid things. That's the problem. And I
think that is it runs consistently with some players in

(01:38:15):
the National Football League because of the type of game
they play. Don't you agree, I mean, you do see
the time with basketball and baseball, but not as much
because I think that the built up hate and the
hitting and just you want to get somebody, you want
to just take their head off. And when the season's over,
you still have that built up inside you.

Speaker 4 (01:38:38):
Yeah, no, it still it never goes away, and you
look at some sip place that and more important that
you look for something to give you that same high.
You know, there's nothing used to hire that game. They
feel that you love that you embrace on way to say,
and there's nothing that does it. It's one of those

(01:38:58):
things where as much as people say they love the game,
you truly love the game. The game becomes almost like
one of your kids, but maybe your favorite kid, you know,
in terms of like what you do for how much
you devote to it, the commitment, earning, gets trust and respect,
all of that stuff.

Speaker 3 (01:39:15):
It's to your life, you know.

Speaker 2 (01:39:18):
And I would think that guys who play the line,
the lineman, I think more than anybody else. I mean,
you play sixteen. I mean it's hard for the average guy.
It's hard for a person like me to realize. And
I've seen football games, NFL games on the sideline. You
hear that crunch. It's like two trucks hitting each other
it really is. I mean you have to hear this sound.

(01:39:39):
If you watch HBO Hard Knocks, you kind of get
a good picture of it because they have great sound
on those shows. They really do. But you get two
guys hitting each other like that, you know, and then
all of a sudden, when the season's over, that goes away.
I still believe you want to hit somebody. I sound stupid,
but I still believe you do.

Speaker 3 (01:40:00):
Yeah. I mean at the heart of it is blood sport,
Like you live for that part of it. You live for.

Speaker 4 (01:40:07):
Doing all kinds of stuff when it comes to that,
and it's hard to find an outline. It's an outlet
to channel all that extra testosterone in those things. Well,
imagine being a former player now you don't even have
the facility to go to like you got to figure
that all that stuff out on your own. That's why
so many guys struggle when they're first out, because you
don't have any guidance.

Speaker 3 (01:40:27):
You just are just wallowing in this.

Speaker 2 (01:40:32):
I would think a team should have like a director
of like off season activities to take these players. I
know it's difficult with the guys that spread out and
they go to their homes in all parts of the country,
but a director of preseason activities where they could give
you a list of what they should be doing in
the off season to either a stay out of trouble

(01:40:55):
or kind of take that hate not hate, but that
built up testosterone and put it in a positive manner
if you can. I don't know if teams. Do teams
have that, like a director of like social activities, of
postseason stress, whatever it may be. I don't know. They
should have someone like that.

Speaker 3 (01:41:17):
Yeah, it should. Absolutely. It's one of those things that
you want to make sure that you have it.

Speaker 4 (01:41:21):
We talked about the testosterone, We talked about trying to
keep people active. We talk about being able to come
after it. That is their way to wake up everybody
in the build, to make sure everyone is on alert. Also,
when you just think about just the challenges and I
can't say this enough, the challenges that you phase transitioning
from one phase of your life to another phase, it's hard.

Speaker 3 (01:41:41):
Everyone goes through it.

Speaker 4 (01:41:42):
Whether you're a regular college student that goes from high
school to college, then you're about to graduate and you're
about to hit the real workforce. To look thank kid,
trying to figure out what to do is for for year,
all this other stuff like it is a challenge trying
to find a way to balance it out, because the
most successful people have a level of balance where they
don't allow their work to over consume them.

Speaker 2 (01:42:04):
You're exactly right. That's why we take it easy on
this show. We don't want it to over consume us.
We really don't. He's Bucket Brooks. Get him on X
at Bucket Brooks on any firm, and Andy from an
FSAD get us on the phone if you wanted to
get that testosterone out, and maybe we'll give you a Wizinator.
Lucky Colo, get a Wizzinator. Eight seven, seven ninety nine
on Fox eight seven, seven nine nine six sixty three

(01:42:26):
sixty nine. We got the blame game in this hour
and for the best pregame show every single weekend, be
sure to tune into Fox Sports Radios. Countdown presented by
bet MGM every Saturday and Sunday morning from nine am
to noon Eastern six to nine am Pacific will count
you down to all of the biggest games right here
on the best pregame show in the business. Tune in

(01:42:48):
the Countdown presented by bet MGM every Saturday and Sunday
morning right here on Fox Sports Ready and of course
the wonderful iHeartRadio app. And we're going to tell you
what these teams really need.

Speaker 3 (01:43:00):
That's next.

Speaker 2 (01:43:01):
Okay, there's at least three teams that need the same thing.
We'll explain that in just a few minutes. Okay, and
we'll do that with Bucky Brooks. I'm Andy Furman and
we're live from the ti Raq dot com studios. We've
got the blame game in about twelve minutes from now,
Bucky Brooks, are you ready? We've got free agency? Are
you excited about free agency?

Speaker 3 (01:43:21):
Is that a big yeah? No, I'm excited about it.

Speaker 4 (01:43:24):
So on NFL Network starting tomorrow, like we have free
Agency Frenzy, which is we're gonna look at all the
pre negotiated transactions, talk about all the players and so
you can get excited.

Speaker 2 (01:43:36):
Just think you're gonna be on tomorrow.

Speaker 3 (01:43:37):
What could be?

Speaker 2 (01:43:38):
Yes, I'll be watching. Could you give me like a
hand sitting like a wave like Carol Burnett used to do,
like with a mom, you know, could you give me
a little like a wink or something so I'll know
it's me, you'll know you're.

Speaker 3 (01:43:50):
Doing You're right, Thank you.

Speaker 2 (01:43:53):
I appreciate that. That'll be wonderful. Okay, we've got three team.
I think there's at least three teams that really need something,
and it's basically the same thing. And I want to
start with the number one draft selected, the Tennessee Titans.
All right, they got the number one pick. They were
three and fourteen last year. So when you got to
think about it, they kind of need a lot. We

(01:44:13):
have three and fourteen. You don't just need one thing.
I think you need an overhaul. Really, three and fourteen
they need a lot. But I think they kind of
set at running back and cornerback. I would think, all right,
so what are you looking at quarterback? When you talk
about quarterback, you gotta also look at the offensive line.
You got to protect the quarterback. What do they do
cam Ward should do? Or Sanders? What do you think?

(01:44:35):
Or maybe a veteran free agent for quarterback? I don't know. Well,
maybe they get the draft the quarterback and also got
a quarterback out of free agency to do both. So
what do you think is gonna happen with Tennessee?

Speaker 3 (01:44:48):
So for Tennessee, there are a lot of different things
in play.

Speaker 4 (01:44:51):
I would like the think that they find a pass
rusher early in the draft, find a veteran to man
the position until they improve all the pieces of around
the quarterback right now, if they don't feel great about
any of the quarterbacks at the top, see if you
can trade down a little bit, gets more picks, and
then kind of build it by building the defense up first.

Speaker 2 (01:45:10):
Okay, if you're a Tennessee and you ever say so
on the draft, and I guess there's a committee or
a group all the coaches, the coaches are involved. There's
just personnel and scouts and GM are coaches involved in that.

Speaker 4 (01:45:23):
Yeah, coaching, everybody's involved because the coaches have to coach
them so that you want to get their input.

Speaker 2 (01:45:27):
So if I'm a line coach, if I'm a defensive
back coach, I guess I do I attend the meeting
or I just tell them, look, I want this guy
I want I mean obviously want something for your own area,
for your your deal that you coach. But if you're
a Tennessee right now making that final pick, whoever makes
the pick, is it a vote or to or one

(01:45:49):
guy makes the pick? Say so?

Speaker 3 (01:45:51):
It depends. Everyone can voice their opinion to the one
guy will kind of make notes.

Speaker 2 (01:45:59):
So so if I'm Tennessee, is it cam Ward or
should do Sanders? If they're going for a quarterback, and
tell me why you pick one over the other. I
would go with Schauduur for for several reasons, including the
fact that it's a good ticket box office guy. Because
he's got he's got the hype. He's got the hype Colorado.

(01:46:20):
His dad Deon Deon Pace show up to a game
or two. So I think I think he he he
offers you more. He could run the football. He may
not be the passer that cam Ward is. But I
go with Shadoor. What do you go with? H Nothing.
I don't hear you.

Speaker 3 (01:46:39):
Now, you don't hear me. No, they repeat it because
I was just talking.

Speaker 5 (01:46:44):
Repeat it.

Speaker 2 (01:46:45):
No, you're a Tennessee You're in the war room.

Speaker 4 (01:46:49):
So if I if I'm in there, So, if if
I'm in Tennessee Titans, we're at the top of the board.
I'm looking and assessing what we have. The draft is
strong at pass rushing. We just let Harold Landry go.
We want more pass rush because we got to win
out of vision, so that means we got to knock
off CJ.

Speaker 3 (01:47:04):
Stroud.

Speaker 4 (01:47:04):
So I could take Abdul Carter if the injury checks out,
take him at number one, sign another one in free agency,
and then try and find my veteran free agent quarterback
to help me go along the way.

Speaker 3 (01:47:15):
It could be Aaron Rodgers, it could be Russell Wilson.
I just need a grown up in the room. I
feel good.

Speaker 4 (01:47:20):
Enough about the weapons and the firepower that we have.
We can run it, we can do those things. I
need someone that can manage it. So that's why to
be a veteran, not one of the rookies coming in
abdual Carter number one overall from Penn State, to help
us get this team up and going.

Speaker 2 (01:47:35):
So you're telling me, if you have the first pick,
you're not gonna go for either cam Ward or Shad
or Sanders.

Speaker 3 (01:47:41):
You're not going to court to one of them.

Speaker 4 (01:47:42):
No, I'm not gonna take you to one of them.
I'm gonna take the pass rusher and see if I
can get my veteran. Because remember I'm Brian Callahan. They
fired my general manager who hired me. They fired him
last year. I don't have time to wait on a
young player to play through those mistakes. We need to
get to winning and get to winning in a hurry.
And I just know given that, yeah, they don't. They

(01:48:03):
have to go and they got to be aggressive and
have to be aggressive in how they build a team.

Speaker 2 (01:48:07):
Okay, nope, I hear. I'm running this down. I'm keeping
this him, putting it in my safe. Okay, Now, they
were three and fourteen, But there's another team that was
three and fourteen that's the number three pick, and that's
the New York Football Giants. And the sad thing about
the Giants they do have one quarterback on the roster
right now. They just signed Tommy DeVito. I mean really,

(01:48:27):
I mean the only thing that he may be good
for is being a tackling dummy. You're not going to
win anything with Tommy DeVito. Do you agree with me?
I hate to talk about that.

Speaker 3 (01:48:35):
Yeah, no, I mean I'm with you. I'm with you
on that.

Speaker 4 (01:48:38):
Like, Tommy DeVito has a limited shelf life. Like he's
a backup quarterback. He's a QB two at best. You
can use him in a pinch to complete a game,
maybe start a game or two, but you don't want
this to be your guy that has to play for
a long term. Tommy DeVito has shown spunk and moxie
and all those things. That's why he's a fan favorite.

(01:48:58):
But we need to keep him where he is.

Speaker 2 (01:49:01):
He signed a one year deal for one point zero
three million dollars, which is the minimum salary for a
player with his experience, no guaranteed money, which he shouldn't
get the guaranteed money. You would think the Giants are
expected to maybe get a veteran and free agency and
they could get a rookie quarterback on the draft. But
the rumors have it and they're floating pretty strongly now

(01:49:23):
that it could be Aaron Rodgers going up to the
New York Football Giants. That to me would be almost
as as a mistake as letting Saquon Barkley go.

Speaker 3 (01:49:36):
H Yeah, it's a huge misay. They should never let
him go.

Speaker 4 (01:49:40):
It was obvious and when it went on the show
Hard Knocks and everyone saw it, it was a death
knill and it's one of those things that, man, it's
hard to see how Brian dave Ball and Joe Shane
bounce back from that.

Speaker 3 (01:49:50):
They got to crush it this year.

Speaker 4 (01:49:51):
And when I mean crush it, they not only got
to build a winning product, but they got to field
the championship caliber team, a team they can go deep.

Speaker 3 (01:49:57):
Every Giants fan was.

Speaker 4 (01:50:00):
Naxis watching the Super Bowl, watching Saquon Barkley go crazy
throughout the postseason, and this is exactly what Willington Marrick
warned them about.

Speaker 3 (01:50:09):
Man, he's the best player for sure.

Speaker 4 (01:50:11):
So now that we've seen Saquon go and and and
showcase his talents, you got to find another one.

Speaker 3 (01:50:18):
So the person's on them to be in the player.

Speaker 2 (01:50:20):
And Marra and hard knocks. Marra wanted it. That was
his guy. Sak Al was his guy, and he kind
of leaned towards his GM saying, well, and I think
we should keep him. And still he let him go.
I'm surprised that the GM kept his job. I'm surprised
he wasn't canned. I really, I really am you know that.
I think this is his year. You don't get in
the playoffs, He's gone, don't you think.

Speaker 3 (01:50:42):
I mean, they're a very patient team.

Speaker 4 (01:50:44):
But if you go back, like, look, man, I just
think about David Shuley got all the years of his deal.

Speaker 3 (01:50:51):
Mike Brown does not like to pay coaches for not working.
That is part of the deal.

Speaker 4 (01:50:55):
When you're when you're being you're gonna be a being
for life until the end of the contract. So, uh,
you can ever complain about not having enough time to
build your plan.

Speaker 3 (01:51:03):
That's not it.

Speaker 2 (01:51:05):
Oh, you're right about that. So we go cross town
to the New York Jets. New York Jets. Right now,
Aaron Rodgers, they say, we don't want you. He's out.
So is Tyra Taylor at the quarterback. He's got to
be a stopgap quarterback. He may start twenty twenty five.
I doubt it, but he's not your future. So they
need a lot, they need a wide receiver, they need

(01:51:26):
a quarterback, maybe a defensive tackle, so I could see
Kirk Cousins or maybe even Derek Carr. Maybe Derek Carr.
We haven't talked about Derek Carr. He's a possibility, I
think one of the Jets. And obviously also Justin Fields.

Speaker 1 (01:51:40):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (01:51:41):
When I look at the Jets and I look at
all the things that they need, they want to play
great defense, they want to control it on offense. That's
something that Aaron Glan wants to do. Coming from his
defensive background. Justin Fields is the perfect fit. You get
the plus one in the run game because the quarterback
is a runner as one and it evens out the game.

Speaker 3 (01:51:59):
Defensive coach have.

Speaker 4 (01:52:00):
A great appreciation for the look at the mobile playmakers
around the league, at quarterback, anywhere. Their coaches all for
the defensive side of the ball. It makes sense to
me for them to go for that. The Jets have
a lot of things going, but they feel like they
have a seemingly good culture around them. I think this
team that rolls up to sleeves to go to work
and they find a way to get it done. And

(01:52:21):
the only way the Jets can get it done flipping
their identity to a defensive amount of team with a
young athletic running quarterback lead the way in justin fields.

Speaker 2 (01:52:30):
All right, I want to do one more I want
to squeeze it one more team, and that's going to
be your team right there, because I want to help
you a little bit. You know, I'm on the outside
looking in and you're you're a guy that works for
the Jacksonville Jaguars. But still in all, I'm a fan
and I'm looking at them, and I think the one
thing they need to do in the draft, they got
to strengthen that offensive line, and they need on that line,

(01:52:51):
they need a left tackle badly agreed. I mean, maybe
I'm you're there, you work for them, you know what's
going on, trying to help you a little bit, you know, really.

Speaker 4 (01:53:00):
I mean, I mean, I appreciate the help, but yeah,
they need they need all of that. But this is
a complete culture reset. And when you're resetting the culture,
there are some things that you do that are unpopular.
Like one, you release two really good players Chris Evan Ingram.
Now you got to figure out a way to kind
of get this thing going and you got to get
it popping.

Speaker 3 (01:53:19):
But everyone is.

Speaker 4 (01:53:20):
Going to look to the Philadre for Eagles for the blueprint,
and a blueprint at a successful time or time is
building up the trenches offensive and defensive lineman early in
the draft, because if you hit big ones, big ones
each and every year, big ones, it gives you a
chance to build depth, It gives you a chance to
play big boy ball whenever you want to, and it
minimizes maybe some of the need to have these.

Speaker 3 (01:53:41):
Explosive options on the perimeter. So I re commit to
We're gonna draft high and heavy, big guys, them high
because they're talented.

Speaker 2 (01:53:52):
You got the fifth pick of the draft, so you
have a pretty good chance to get the first offensive
lineman off the board, right, I would think.

Speaker 3 (01:53:59):
Yeah, you get first one and we'll see how they
We definitely an't getting.

Speaker 5 (01:54:04):
On to the war.

Speaker 2 (01:54:05):
There we go, all right, I want to roll into, uh,
the blame game. So after the playing game, you can
go back to bed. How's that take a little nap
because you gotta get ready for TV. I don't know,
it's going to be wide away for TV for the
NFL network.

Speaker 3 (01:54:20):
Yeah, not today, but tomorrow still, yeah, yeah, tomorrow happened.

Speaker 2 (01:54:25):
I'll be watching you know better than that. He's Bucking
Brookes on Indy Firm and we have Fox Sports Sunday
A Fox Sport's ready on us. Time to point those fingers.
Why the playing game is freaking next? All right, the
Blame Game in about thirty seconds from now, about twelve
minutes nap before the top of the hour. That will
be nine am Eastern. And of course we got the

(01:54:46):
great show of the Trio coming down to the countdown
show coming up at nine am Eastern. But right now
it's time for the playing game. It's all your fault.
It's your fault, all your maybe it's everyone's fault.

Speaker 1 (01:55:06):
See the liar. That's why there's the blame game.

Speaker 2 (01:55:08):
The blame game.

Speaker 1 (01:55:09):
Let's figure out.

Speaker 2 (01:55:10):
Who to blame. Oh, the blame game. Yeah, all right,
my life at the tire rack dot Com studio. And
the man we want to blame all the time is
our guy, Patty, our executive producer. Take it away, Patty.

Speaker 5 (01:55:19):
All right, Andy, why blame you for this? It's the
blame game, everybody. Well, let's get started here. So MLB
has seen their pitchers hit the DL or recently.

Speaker 2 (01:55:30):
Who do you blame?

Speaker 5 (01:55:31):
Andy?

Speaker 2 (01:55:32):
You know what I used to blame. I used to
blame the contracts because they didn't want pitchers to pitch
more than four or five innings. Really, and there are
friend goes the amount of the money they make, and
they're gonna get injured. I'm blaming the trainers and the
team physicians because there are certain teams that have more
pitching injuries than others. So I gotta believe there's something
wrong with the training techniques the trainers and or the

(01:55:53):
team physicians. That's who I'm blaming.

Speaker 3 (01:55:56):
Uh No, I mean I.

Speaker 4 (01:55:58):
Will blame the analytics, the analytical crowd, because what they
did is they shortened everybody down. Everyone are used to
not going long where in the back of the day
everyone would go super innings, thing about Sandy Kofax and
all those guys and how they pitch complete games all
the time. They changed the training, which is why they're
always heard. So I blame the analytics crowd. They messed
up the game.

Speaker 5 (01:56:19):
All right, all right, well we got one more for
you guys here. So Friday nights were always reserved for
high school football. Now college and even the NFL has
moved in. Who do you blame, Bucky Brooks?

Speaker 4 (01:56:31):
I blame the TV networks because they got greedy. They
moved college football to Friday night and made it a
big deal that was supposed to be observed for Friday
night lights. Now we got Colorado playing every Friday, it
seems like, and it's going to continue.

Speaker 3 (01:56:44):
So yeah, I blame the TV networks.

Speaker 2 (01:56:47):
Taddy, This is an easy one. It's TV. You know,
people a little for content on TV. They thought Friday
was a great opportunity and basically a lot of high
school games are not on TV, so they got the
opportunity to put them in there, and they did, and
they with the kids. They hurt their little kids out
there that play high school football.

Speaker 5 (01:57:04):
All right, Well, speaking of TV guys, Lebron James says,
the NBA media is too negative.

Speaker 2 (01:57:11):
Who do you blame?

Speaker 5 (01:57:12):
Andy?

Speaker 2 (01:57:13):
I blame guys talk show hosts like Bucket Brooks. I
think Bucket Brooks attacks people all the time, and just
to what he is, it's his nature. I'm a nice guy,
I'm up bee, I'm positive, and I try to control
Bucket from time to time. I hope the goodness of
my part rubs off on him. But when Bucket Brooks
gets behind that microphone, oh my goodness, it's like fire
coming out of his mouth. That's what it is.

Speaker 3 (01:57:36):
I am with it.

Speaker 4 (01:57:37):
I agree it's my fault because I've read all the negativity.

Speaker 3 (01:57:41):
All of the hate goes.

Speaker 4 (01:57:43):
In my direction because we as a media base has
turned all of the players against us because we're so
negative against it.

Speaker 2 (01:57:49):
Yes, yes, you agree? Yes, all right.

Speaker 5 (01:57:53):
Well here's another one for you guys. So college football
and basketball coaches are leaving really at kind of an
alarming rate. Who do you blame, Bucky?

Speaker 4 (01:58:06):
I say, the fan base is we don't have any
patients anymore for program building. We want everyone to be
ready to be at a championship contender right away.

Speaker 3 (01:58:14):
And it's unrealistic. We don't have the patients.

Speaker 2 (01:58:17):
Well, it's easy to blame nil because they didn't want
to go out dre and stuck getting money to pay
these players, which they can't change. Change is difficult for
a lot of people. But you know what, I think,
I'm gonna blame the big salaries because you make that
much money, you can retire a kickback earlier than before before.
Coaches we've been coaching thirty years, twenty five, thirty years.
You don't see that anymore. They make too much money

(01:58:38):
too soon, so they pack it up and say, I
don't need it anymore. I leave.

Speaker 5 (01:58:42):
All right, Well, this one goes out to my Cincinnati
guys out there in the Midwest. So Wes Miller will
finish this fourth season at the U of Cincinnati's basketball coach,
now making the nc and also not making the NCAA tournament.
Yet he's gonna be retained for next season. Final blame
and Furman, who do you blame?

Speaker 2 (01:59:01):
Well, we kind of chatted on this a little bit
early on. Is the buyout clause? I mean, they don't
have the money to buy him out, so they're stuck
with him. Any other coaches who make the NCAA tournament
in two years, he's usually out on the street looking
for a job. This is four years he hasn't made
postseason tournament. So he's lucky they got the buyout. Baby.

Speaker 3 (01:59:20):
Yeah, I mean, look, I blame the ages.

Speaker 4 (01:59:21):
The agents did a great job negotiating that poison peel
in the deal. You can't get rid of him because
it costs an exorbitan amount of money. That's why, Cincinnati
you're stuck with Wes Miller.

Speaker 2 (01:59:32):
I wish I had a buyout clause, and they can't
get rid of me. I want to buy out clause.
That's what I want. What else? Anything else?

Speaker 5 (01:59:41):
That's freaking it? Let's go blame game everybody.

Speaker 2 (01:59:45):
You must have something you want to ask us? Really,
all right, I'll throw in audible. Why do pac Man
Jones get a Wisitinator?

Speaker 5 (01:59:53):
Why DoD back Man Jones get a Wizonator? Who do
you blame?

Speaker 2 (01:59:57):
I don't know. I like smoking pot. What can I
tell you? I don't know.

Speaker 5 (02:00:02):
I blame I blame the Wisdoms.

Speaker 2 (02:00:04):
Anybody get a Wisionator? Really think about it? Why would they?
I don't know who knows?

Speaker 5 (02:00:10):
Apparently I'm expecting one.

Speaker 2 (02:00:12):
In the mail let the let Jeff Schwartz talk about
the Wizardnator coming up. He probably knows about that coming
up right here next on Fox Sports

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