3 & Out - Fugazi Friday, Mailbag

John opens the podcast diving into his Fugazi Friday and it's one that many people likely will agree with. Next, John answers your questions in this episode's massive mailbag segment.

5:07 - Fugazi Friday

11:33 - Mailbag

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
The volume, what is going on? Everybody happy for Gayzy Friday.
Hopefully everyone's having a great day. Looking forward the weekend,

(00:22):
I definitely am. I haven't had a weekend where I
haven't had to do anything. It feels like in a long,
long time. Your boy has no plans and that that
really excites me. To be honest with you, I don't
plan on doing much, if anything, at all. And after
last week, which I really appreciate, can't thank everyone enough
we had. We definitely had one of the biggest podcasts

(00:44):
we've ever done on Friday night, which is not exactly
podcast uh you know, grade a position right going into
a weekend, but that's what the Shadoor Sanders Uh situation
story became. I mean, it's I mean, it's one of
the bigger Draft Day stories and Draft Weekend stories in
my life doing this and obviously it was just fascinating

(01:06):
to a lot of different people, obviously including myself. So
we appreciate everyone that's that watch, that listened and made
Draft weekend a big, big deal. But this weekend we
get to chill a little bit. So today I'm gonna
just do a big, big mail back. It's Fugazi Friday,
So I actually probably gonna start the show with my
Fugazi for the weekend, but I'm gonna try to get

(01:29):
through a bunch of mail bag questions. So this is
gonna be just strictly mail bag as we you know,
kind of embark on the off season. Most teams have
the rookie mini camp next week. I think the Eagles
actually have it this week, but I feel like the
majority of the league has it the following week and
obviously we got football, you know, give or take thirty

(01:52):
five forty more days of the off season. I think
I saw the the Lions are gonna cancel mandatory mini camp.
Now part of that is because I think it's like
the Lions, the Lions and the Raiders are in the
Hall of Fame game, so obviously that their training camp
start earlier, which means give their guys a little more

(02:13):
time off in the summer, which time off for players.
It's not like you get to do nothing. You got
to keep training coaches. You get to hang with the
fam and drink some beers and kind of chill. But yeah,
we'll dive right into the mailbag. But first, you know,
I got to tell you about my friends my partners
in the official ticketing app of this podcast, Game Time
told everyone if you lived in southern California and you

(02:35):
were a Laker fan, you better get to the game.
This could be the last game of the season, and
it was. If you're a Warrior fan, I mean, it's listen.
As much as I hate the Lakers, I gotta be
real about the Warriors. If they lose this game, Game
six is game seven. Who knows? So this is gonna
be the last game of the season. Two at Chase Center.
I've actually never been. So if you live in North
California and want to get to a Warriors game, we

(02:57):
got baseball. My capitals are in the second round. And
how uh we got concert season kicking off, comedy shows,
you name it. We got you covered. Any event. What
do you want to do? Search by venue, search by artists,
search by the team, save a little money while you're
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(03:18):
tickets with game Time down with the game Time app,
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I'm getting pretty good at that. Let's just bang out
the Fugazi Friday really quick, because I listen, the media
is very predictable, and now that we've had social media

(03:39):
for a long time, like we know what they all
think in any issue that comes up. I can give
like a ninety five percent accuracy rate on what their
take's gonna be. And when JJ Reddick became the head coach,
it was like, oh my god, the media are just
gonna give this guy a slobbery job on a daily basis.
He is gonna be right up their alley because you know,

(04:02):
they put an over emphasis when they feel that you're
intellectually on their level. They ate out of Brandon Staley's
hand until it was so clear he was so over
his head even they had to turn on him. But
early on, he's calling him by their names and press
conferences and he feels like this academic up there and
they're like brand he's talking about analytics. They're like, this

(04:23):
is the next Vince Lombardi. No, this guy's a fucking clown.
He's gonna get fired for Jim Harball really quick. And
that's what happened. Now, I'm not acting like JJ Reddick
is a clown like Brandon Staley. He obviously played in
the NBA for a long time, was a solid role player,
had an incredible college career, and is like a true
basketball guy. Had been around professional basketball, unlike Brandon Staley

(04:44):
for a long long time. And I got no issue
in this sport. Unlike football, you can go if you're
a former player, become a head coach. It's happened a lot.
But the way in which he was covered like he
was a combination of John Wooden meets Phil Jackson over
the last six months, I thought it was pretty laughable.
And it was clear like he knew the right buzzwords.

(05:05):
Everyone acted like he was revolutionizing the game. And I
look today, the Lakers had won one more game than
the de Wolves. They won fifty games. Timberwolves won forty nine.
And let's face it, I mean, what percentage of NBA
teams are literally not trying to win thirty percent? I
mean there's thirty teams in the league, at minimum ten teams,
and so if you got a couple teams in your

(05:26):
own division. You play each team four times, I mean
that's seven and one. If you've got three of them,
that's that's twelve games. You could win ten to eleven.
I mean some of these games are a joke. Plus
the NBA regular season in general, like we have to
acknowledge the own even teams that are trying to win
wave the white flag on half the games when they
give their teams rest management. But the reaction to JJ

(05:49):
over the course of this season, I thought was like,
give me a break. And of course as it starts
getting real in the playoffs, as he's getting absolutely warped
by the Timberwolve. I mean, they got destroyed. This was
five games. It did not feel very close at all,
and that final score in game five looks close or
looks relatively close, it was not. That's what you call

(06:12):
an ass kicking. And this guy started melting down in
the media like most inexperienced people do in situations of
high pressure, and the meeting's like, I can't believe you
can't handle you can't like, give me a break. Now.
I never had an issue with them hiring them, but
I did have an issue with the coverage and listen,
I feel very fortunate that, you know, football pays the

(06:35):
Bills in my home, and like, I don't need like
the Dallas Cowboys to be a fourteen win team to
do big numbers. Football is uniquely suited where they could
have teams like the Chiefs and the Bills and the
Packers and thirty million people watch the games. In basketball,
they are very, very dependent on the Lakers. When the
Lakers are good, and especially combined with Lebron, their ratings

(06:59):
are going to be enormous. This postseason had been going well.
By far, the highest rated series was the Lakers. They
it's not even close, have the most fans in terms
of historically not just in this country but in the world,
and Lebron's one of the biggest athletes of all time.
So it's a perfect combination. Like if I was Adam Silver,
I would have made sure this thing went to six games,

(07:19):
but hey, he's not David Stern, who I would consider
the best commissioner of all time. That's beside the point.
The fugase of the coverage of JJ Reddick. I thought
most of this season was laughable, and they come up
in that that team got as he got absolutely worked
and listen there are going to be people that defend him.

(07:40):
But his interaction the other day in that playoff game,
and I've seen some people say this, like, look at
his history, this is a guy that melted down in
the playoffs, that did not play that well in the
even when he was a duke in the NCAA tournament.
This is I've heard multiple people bring this argument up
and I've never even thought about it like that. Obviously,

(08:01):
he took those shots and Jerry West absolutely took a
dump on his head, which is like JJ, like, let's
not acting like you would have fucking dominated in the seventies, Like,
who are you, guarden? Doctor j Give me a break.
But this notion, the way he was treated like he
was Belichickian or Popovich or Phil Jackson. And then the
first round, I mean easily could have been swept. So

(08:22):
the fugees of the JJ Reddick coverage and the anointing
him and putting him on a pedestal was just laughable.
And the one thing about the media is they're not
very loyal. I mean, they will turn on you in
a New York minute. They do not care, and ultimately
they view him as now costing them because the ratings
will go down. Luckily, Steph is still alive to keep

(08:43):
somewhat of the interest. But Timberwolves, okay, see, ain't exactly
moving the needle potentially. Uh So I'm glad and listen,
I say this all the time. I've been doing this
long enough that I don't get emotionally moved that much
by football. Like I obviously enjoy it, like talking about it,
but my days of being a fan. I grew up

(09:04):
loving the forty nine ers, but I don't feel for
them nearly like I did when I was younger. It's
just not nearly the same the joy I get watching
the Lakers lose still makes me feel like a little kid.
I mean, I fucking hate that franchise and still makes
it feel good. So audios, JJ Redick. Let's get to

(09:26):
the mail bag at John middlecoff is the Instagram fire
in those dms, and we will start with Steven. Can
you explain why Shane and day Ball would pick up
Fibideau's fifth year option? They drafted abdual Carter and have
burns on the roster. You know, I always thought Kavon
was a little overrated. I thought taking him in the
top ten was pretty bold, But I think typically you

(09:50):
see coaches and GM struggle with admitting they're wrong in
these situations when it's close. Sometimes it's undeniable and you're
not gonna pick up the fifth year option. He's a
guy to me that's much closer to the fence. And
if those guys had been fired and me and you
are taking over as GM and head coach, it doesn't
get picked up, right because, like you said, it doesn't
really make sense, especially at the price point, harder to

(10:12):
trade and get rid of. So yeah, I think it's
more which in fairness, they're not alone. A lot of
guys that get picked up probably shouldn't, but it's like
we drafted them. So I think it's just that simple
listen every day question. Why do you and Colin have
excuses for Herbert? Colin picks the Chargers year after year.

(10:35):
I live in LA and they're non existing here. A
lot of Niners and Raiders fans. Philip Rivers took the
Chargers to the playoffs year after year with cheap coaches
and bad offensive lines. I mean, I just like I said,
I think he's good. I would take him on my team.
Can you deny that he had a god awful playoff game. No,
you can't. What do you want to do? Cut him?

(10:55):
Do you want to trade them straight up for Tua?
Would you you want to trade them to the forty
nine ers for Party? I don't see what. Yeah, he
had an awful playoff game, Peyton Manny had several of those.
I would if you want to sell stock on the franchise,
I would buy as much as you were willing to sell. Right.
And No, I've never said that there's some major factor

(11:18):
in Southern California. Honestly, it really bothers me that they
left San Diego. But I get it. You get a
free stadium, you get the cool practice facility. I wish
they were still in San Diego, Like I get like
the Raiders probably make way more sense in Vegas than Oakland,
right because the Niners suck all the energy up. But

(11:40):
does LA need two NFL teams? No, it doesn't do.
I wish the Chargers fill in San Diego. I do,
but they're not. They're never going back. And now they
got Jim Harbaugh and Justin Herbert, and I think they're
gonna be really good. So I don't know what else
you want me to say. Question. I've looked up to
NFL players my entire life. I've grown up idolizing them
and look at them like superheroes. But now I'm twenty
two in a senior in college. A lot of players

(12:01):
are my age, if not younger. It's such an odd
feeling to have to adjust the way you look at
these guys. It feels weird not being able to look
up to these guys because a lot of them are
the same age as me. I grew up playing against
Drake May, Malik Mustafa and will Shipley and Charlotte, and
now they have full blown NFL players. Hell, Shipley just
won the freaking Super Bowl. Did you ever experience a

(12:22):
similar feeling in your early twenties at people your age
excelling in other professions. I just think it's a natural
occurrence as you get older that when you're a kid
and you love sports, you're just gonna look up to like,
I'll just use my years in my age range, like
Steve Young, Jerry Rice, Barry Bonds. And then you get

(12:45):
older and you mature and you're like, wait, Barry Bonds
was awful, treated people very terribly. He's a bad guy.
Maybe I shouldn't look up to that guy, right, and
then as you get even older through your thirties, you don't,
like you realize, like, I don't need these guys to
be like my mentors, right. I can respect the hell
out of certain individuals, the way they work, the way

(13:08):
they conduct themselves. And I just think you change as
you mature, So you don't you just look at it differently.
You just go, I really like the way now this is,
you know, kind of unique to me because I know
someone like a couple of years ago there was working
with the Ravens, and I remember hearing stories about Lamar
and it's like, God it guys, I like that guy,

(13:29):
and you just find yourself rooting for him because you
just like the person, right. And I would say the
same about my buddies with the Chiefs that have been
talking about Patrick Mahomes for seven years. It's like, I
just I respect the hell out of his work, ethic,
the way he conducts himself, the way he operates in
the building. So you just kind of change from being
a ten year old looking up at Michael Jordan or
Tiger Woods, and I mean I love Tiger Woods when

(13:52):
I was a kid. It's like it's a little different
as you get older and you start getting caught cheating
with women and you're like dating someone, You're like, that's
my hero. She's like what. So It's just it's a
natural progression as a guy. Do you think Belichick's incredibly
awkward CBS interview where he came across as a hostage
will affect his locker room status? I do think it

(14:15):
will have more of an impact in college than it
would in the NFL. You know, I saw Julian Edelman
and Gronk talking about it. Belichick could do stupid shit
in the pros, and it's like, ultimately he's helping us
succeed and make us money on and off the field,
and we're winning. Who cares? Like it's ultimately a business.
The older you get, you'll be in business with people

(14:38):
that you know you don't always agree with or always
would associate outside the outside the walls or your zoom right,
But like, it's business. You have bottom line, you're trying
to produce whatever that industry is. In college, and I
said this yesterday, it's a little different, you know, the
perception like there's a reason Nick Sabin and Kirby Smart
and Bill's self you know these guys conduct themselves. Doesn't

(15:02):
mean you can't have bad moments. But when you're seventy
three and you're banging this twenty five year old and
she's acting weird, and I saw today like every story
now in connection with them is gonna go viral. And
I don't know if it's Steve's wife or one of
his other son's wives is commenting clearly they hate her,
and listen, I would put number one in terms of

(15:27):
acrimonious relationships for none, like you know, significant others. I'm
saying the ones you have in your life with, not
your wife or your girlfriend or whatever would be the worst.
Is always if someone fucks you in business, right, if
you get fired, you get screwed, someone screws you out
of money like that. You never forget that. I'll just

(15:48):
use my personal list that that's number one. You can
never underestimate the interactions as families grow and you have
multiple sons and daughters and they marry and all these
interconnected people, and then you get a situation like this
where the patriarch of the family is dating this chick

(16:08):
that's twenty five that the country hates. If everyone kind
of hates her decent chance that the people closest to him,
you know, his kids and definitely their significant others, are
not gonna like them or her. I mean the story
yesterday about her having eight million dollars in real estate,
which again it I would guess Bill has hundreds of

(16:33):
millions of dollars in the bank. I mean, he's been
making twenty plus million dollars in the NFL potentially for
like a decade, and there are stories about Ernie Adams
making him a ton of money in the stock markets
after several crashes. Like Bill is really really rich, and
so eight million dollars of some real estate purchases is
not that much in a vacuum given his wealth. But

(16:55):
if I'm his son, and even if it's not about
like Steve Belichick makes over a million dollars in or Carolina,
he was making a million dollars last year Seattle, like
Steve is rich on his own now. But if I go, hey, Dad,
you've worked your whole life to make all this money
to become this legend. And just because she's doing who
knows what to you in the bedroom, and I would

(17:16):
imagine it is blowing his mind. I mean blowing his
mind whatever she's doing, because it can't just be that
she's got like, you know, a skinny waste and you know,
a nice jaw line, and you know she looks good
in a bikini. It's gotta be, you know, whatever's happening
in that room with the door shut and who knows,
maybe Billy's it open. It's gotta be. But like, you

(17:37):
can't just be giving her all this money, right, it's
not even about me getting this money one day, but
like for your own sake, like this is insane, this
is crazy. We have a history in this society of
people doing this and it clearly is a mistake. So
just because she's given you, you know, some of those
call her daddy. You know what. Let's let's calm down, Bill,

(18:01):
Let's calm down. But who can tell him that. I
don't think Lombardi can. There's definitely no one whose coaching
staff can. It'll only be as kids, and it's got
to be a tough situation for as kids, because you know,
Steve works for them. And here's the other thing. We've
all been around people, even if they're our own age,
if they're older than us, father, grandparents, mutual you know, acquaintances.

(18:23):
If I'm dating this person and she's a big part
of my life, sometimes it's very difficult for that individual
to listen to anything on the outside. She can do
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Speaker 1 (20:28):
I'm from Wisconsin, work with high school vaulters. Tough little
words say the state just allowed high schoolers to accept nil.
Sounds like a lot of states have already moved in
this direction. In your opinion, is NIL going to step
too far to potentially allow fifteen year olds to start
signing their likeness away? Or is it positive to get

(20:49):
involved in business side in sports younger? I don't know
about like the Olympic sport. You know, who's giving them money?
You know? Is it because they have a big social
media following? Because if I am just a very talented
sixteen year old, I can start a business. I can
make money. So what's wrong with those people making money? Right?

(21:13):
I think we get so consumed as like this is
bad for their mental health. It's like, yeah, maybe, but
I've known a lot of people that were, you know,
very successful entrepreneurs that are sixty years old that said
they started starting businesses when they were like fourteen, knowing
had an issue with that. So if someone's willing to
give you money, what are they supposed to say?

Speaker 3 (21:30):
No?

Speaker 1 (21:32):
I think it's just you could argue both sides. I
think you can't put the toothpaste back in the tube
at this point, what's a pull vaulter even worth? And
you could argue, like, you know, the top college basketball
players or football players have always kind of been taken
care of. Now it's at a different level. But how

(21:52):
many of those individuals actually exist? I mean, it's a
pretty small percentage that are going to be like Lebron James.
Try having a Hummer to high school like that. That's
not really going to exist most places, I don't think.
But maybe I'm out of the touch and out of
the loop. I don't know. I'm not bothered by it.

(22:13):
A huge fan of the pod and your takes. My
question is about the Niners and their lack of investment
in concern around the O line. I know they have
concentrated on the D line with the draft and may
make trades, but barring Williams and Poney, Kyle and John
haven't really hit on other picks or signings during their
time with the Niners. Putting the D line knead aside.

(22:34):
We see how many teams like the Lions and the
Eagles have done. I just wanted to hear your take
on what their plan is moving forward. Not the biggest
fan of this individual, like I wouldn't have given him
fifty million dollars guaranteed, but they did draft Mike McGlinchey
in the top ten and he started for him for

(22:55):
five years at right tackle. So was it the right pick?
Would you rather have Cold Miller? I mean, but he's
a starter, not just for them on teams that went
to the Super Bowl, but then he starts for the
Broncos now the last couple of years of playoff team.
So like they've hit. They hit on that guy. But
after doing that, maybe they thought, I mean, they didn't
extend them that. They're like they've got out of that business. Listen.

(23:19):
I think their approach for defensive line is commendable. They
invest in it constantly. I mean, they have invested so
many high picks over the years. Some whift, some hit.
They double down again this year. They have no issue
with taking they take ten defensive linemen. But for whatever reason,
Kyle does not believe that much in the offensive line.

(23:40):
He just doesn't. So unless you're Trent Williams. Maybe it
was the mcglinchy thing rattled them, but he believes plug
and play random guards and centers and even Colton mckivots,
and that ain't gonna change. Like that's I don't know
what to say, Like I don't agree with it, you
don't agree with it. Howie and Andy Reid wouldn't agree
with it, but that's what he does. So it's like,

(24:04):
I don't he's not gonna change. Question for the pod.
Do you think the Saints should just cut ties with Derek? Uh?
Didn't they change his contract? I saw rap sheet? Maybe
it was during the draft, maybe a schefter. I think
both those guys have talked about it. However, they mess
with his contract like it's his forty million dollars this

(24:25):
year is fully guaranteed, so they could cut him, but
they still have to pay him forty million dollars and
I think his dead cap would like accelerate to sixty.
So listen the shoulder situation. He's given a sermon in Vegas,
acting like he's some victim. It's like, bro, relax, it's
not that big a deal. He's your shoulder, okay or not? Uh.
He clearly is mad at them. Kellen Moore clearly isn't

(24:48):
that big of a fan of his. They draft a
quarterback really high in the second which it feels like
they're gonna be comfortable playing. I guess you could. I would.
I would be a little stunned if he's not there
in the next couple of weeks. Now, you know, this.
You know, I don't care who you are. This hurts
your heart. His wife had, you know, a tragic situation

(25:11):
the other day where she had a you know, I
think I don't know how many weeks she was pregnant,
but he had to rush through the hospital and they
had a miscarriage. As part of the reason he hadn't
been there at someone in Fresno like made the local
news there and then became I saw it on the
internet yesterday, So I think maybe that's delayed some of
the interaction between them and the or him in the organization. Listen,

(25:33):
I was around Derek at Fresno State. I've always thought
he was probably more talented when he was young than
he got credit for. But this same situation when they
signed him, let's face it has been a disaster. Like
if they could do it over again, they would not.
He's got to be the only player in NFL history
who's gonna I mean, after this forty million dollars this year,

(25:55):
he'll have a mass like two hundred and thirty five
million dollars. He's never won a playoff game. He does
have a lot of Pro Bowls, but like half of
those are the fake ones where like someone drops out.
It's like Peyton Manning's out, right, Mahomes is out, Josh
Allen's going to Pebble Beach. Darri's like, I'm in the

(26:16):
question for the back, what do you think of the
Texans draft? I know Casario is a high level GM,
but looking back at twenty four, the moves for Digs
and mixing doesn't make sense given the twenty five draft
of the two wide receivers in a deep running back draft. Well, listen,
you take swings on guys like Digs. I have no
problem with making moves like that. Like philosophically, now we

(26:40):
can argue over the individual player, but moves like that
happen constantly older veterans who have been high level players
who are kind of expensive. You have some cap room
and you make a swing on the Commanders. Just did
it with Debo, right. I totally understand moves like that.
Some work, some don't. And the Dig situation, obviously he
wasn't quite as good and then he tears acl. You know,

(27:03):
I think part of it. I think they take what
two wide receivers with their first three picks. Tank Dell
was an excellent player, so it looked like him and
Nigo Collins, Like you got a dominant little wide receiver
crew with your young quarterback. I'm not trying to be
Debbie Downer here, but I mean there's a chance he's
never really able to play football again and definitely not

(27:25):
impactful football. So the moment that happens, you got to
draft some wide receivers, you know. So I think they
took two Iowa State guys. I'm just all off. I
looked at it earlier today because when I took the
screenshot and they took an offensive tackle, which I think
the Minnesota offensive tackle, which a lot of people liked,
but a lot of people like the Iowa State receivers too.

(27:45):
I mean those guys. I don't know. The forty nine
ers were really interested in them. A lot of teams
I saw brought them in for visits. I got no
issue with it. I really don't, because you have to
look at it like Tankdale doesn't exist anymore, which sucks
to say. I mean, who talking with a buddy with
the Texans like they love Tankdale. They love those two guys.
I mean they think Nico Collins and who doesn't is

(28:07):
a monster. I mean that guy, honestly, he's got one
of the best contracts in the league. But when Tankdale
has that situation where he's laying in the back of
the end zone back to back years, it's one thing
to break your leg, it's another thing that injury. I mean,
guys are in tears. It's I think you just got
a bank on it never being the same, which sucks.
But I'm a pretty laid back guy and generally laugh

(28:31):
and roll my eyes at the outrage culture all over
social media. I agree, but I feel like an old man.
I'm so pissed off at a dual Carter. I just
can't get over the sheer audacity of asking for LT's number.
It reeks of arrogance and disrespect, and I won't lie.
I'm rooting for this guy to fail. There's been so

(28:51):
many draft busts throughout NFL history that this guy will
always be the fool that asks for LT's number. Here's
the one thing I think you're overestimating. I don't know how.
I'm guessing you're a little older than me because I
don't really remember. I mean no, I don't remember at

(29:12):
all watching LT play. By the time I really came
into a football watcher. That I can remember like ninety three,
ninety four or ninety five, when I was like, you know, nine, ten,
eleven years old, he was done. Obviously, he's widely considered
the best defensive player ever. You know, Belichick swears by him.
But Abdull Carter, I think sometimes when you get a

(29:35):
kid his respect level for LT, if he had been
this might not be a perfect example, but Abdull Carter
was born in two thousand and four, I feel like
a pretty young guy. Like I feel pretty young. I

(29:55):
was a sophomore in college when this guy, Actually I
was a freshm in college when this guy was born.
Like that, that's I'm forty years old. This guy like
not only never saw Lawrence Taylor play. It's hard to
put in context people that were born way before you
kind of came into your own, your own, whether it's

(30:17):
a fan or a player. So I get it. Like
I think, if if LT had been von Miller, like
von Miller had been this great player and they you
know it's his number, was he had helped the Giants
win a Super Bowl, or even let's just say Abdul
Carter wanted Eli Manning's number, you know, something that he
could contextualize. I think it would feel a little different

(30:39):
to him, and maybe he wouldn't say it. But I
think it's harder to judge a young person. It's like
when I was a kid. It's like trying to think
of athletes, you know, whether it was Jerry West or
Rick Berry or Mickey Mantle or Jim Brown's like, I
no context of these. I can google it all I want,
but it's not the same as watching it. You have

(31:00):
asked for it. If it was Von Miller or Aaron
Donald or something like that, probably not hopefully if he would,
then I'm with you kind of douchebag material, But I
give you a little like what what year did you think? LT?
Stop playing? Like, I'll be honest. I mean, I do

(31:20):
this for a living. So I mean you just talk
about football and these guys so often when you say
the word Lawrence Taylor. When you just say Lawrence Taylor,
you know the first thing I think about, it's not sacks,
it's crack. I mean, I think of a guy this
wili Is that are the best player ever that dominated
while doing crack. He retired over a decade before this

(31:43):
guy was even born. So I hear you, I would
get the outrage. If I was of age, like if
someone if bo Nicks had asked for Peyton Manning's number,
I'd be like, what the think is? What's the point
of retiring? Now? In football it's a little harder unlike

(32:03):
some of these other sports where you got, you know, basketball,
you got ten guys that play max and only a
guy that would ask for a number would be like
an elite player that would want a Legends number. So
there's a lot of options in football. There's not as
many as you think. But if you retire a number,
isn't that kind of retired? That number is now as untouchable.

(32:26):
It's like, hey, I'm just calling up you know, like
Joe Montana or John Elway or whoever was like that
numbers off limits guys. Now, do you get to a
point where you have twenty five numbers retired? You have
a problem. How do teams adjust for salary cap they're
forced to sign players because of injuries. I think I've

(32:49):
been asked this question. I would assume most teams get
enough money back from voided contracts non guarantees that it
would significantly outweigh signing backups. I not a you'd have
to get a cap guy to explain that I don't know,
and I definitely don't know how to articulate that. So
that's all I've been asked that a couple times. Great question,

(33:13):
A question for the pod. I'm a recent Iowa State
grad as i've been working my first full time job. Congrats,
welcome to the workforce. I've been considering starting my own
YouTube channel, slash podcast and hopefully turn that into my
full time job. What recommendations would you give? Thanks for
reading my message. It's a good question. I would say,

(33:35):
I'm gonna assume you're working kind of a nine to
five because if you're working a job, let's say, like
my first job was in football, I mean it was
I was gone, I wouldn't have had any time to
do a side job. So if you have time to
do a side job, the one thing I would say
is all the energy you have, you put into it
and just be consistent with it. It's going to take

(33:56):
a while. It's not going to be easy. It's safe
to say the market is oversat traded with a bunch
of people trying to do that, so it's it's easy
to get down. But I think the only way to
make any progress in any side hustle is you got
to be consistent with it. Whether it's like a you know,
a business selling shoes, whether it's a side internet business,

(34:17):
whether you're trying to start a YouTube channel. You can't
just do it like once a week or three times
a month. Like, you got to have consistency to it.
It's the only chance, and you're not guaranteed to have success,
but that's the only chance you have to have success.
I would say in anything, consistently showing up. You know,
it's cliche and people laugh at it. It's like, you know,

(34:37):
you just you kind of end up out. Like if
you just show up, like you'll take out the percentage
is changed. Some people say fifty percent of the competition,
some say seventy percent of the competition. But just by
showing up every single day consistently on time to whatever
you're doing, you will just bypass people. It doesn't even

(35:00):
count being good or bad at whatever you're doing. Question
for the mail back, do you think mel Kiper's credibility
will ever return? Will he ever be able to live
down the way he acted during the draft about Sanders.
I mentioned this the other day, and I was thinking,
like I don't know if I quite articulated it that well,
probably sounded kind of like a douche talking about it that, Like,

(35:21):
you know, in any of these people's jobs, like the
one I have obviously, guys like Colin steven A, whatever,
their job is not to be right or wrong. They're
in the entertainment business. Like that's what they're in. And
if you're a GM I was watching Joe Ortiz today
on McAfee, like his only job is to pick and

(35:45):
sign good players, Like that's his job. And the more
good players he signs and the more bad ones he bypasses,
he'll be good at his job. His job's not to
be a politician. His job's not to be happy all
the time. His jobs not to entertain people. It's just
to like know the right football players a sign. Right,
This job to make money is people that are advertising

(36:07):
on this show, you know, push their product by having
a large audience and people that come back over and
over that you know, listen to what I say. That
is literally the job, right And I think mel Kiper's job,
whether he's right or wrong, is completely irrelevant. He's never
had a team take the field on Sunday. His job

(36:29):
is to entertain. Now, you could argue, like has he
been there too long? Right? Is? Is he overstayed? Is welcome?
Like does he still have the same juice? And you'd
say probably not right. But I'd say when you think
NFL Draft, he is clearly not just a pioneer, but
he's one of the more legendary figures non drafting like

(36:50):
part of the production of football in the history of sports. Right,
there is no more person in America that is more
synonymous with an event than like the NFL Draft on ESPN.
You think mel Kiper. You don't think the GMS, the coaches,
even the player. You think mel Kiper first. And I disagreed.

(37:11):
I used freaking out. But his job is not to
be right or wrong. It's really not. His job is
just kind of entertained. Now, I think he'd tell you
like I do, think he believes it. I don't necessarily
know about the chade or that fell a little weird,
but I mean he's had these takes before. He compared
JaMarcus Russell to John Elway. He loved Jimmy Clausen, and listen,

(37:31):
we're all gonna like players, but specifically we remember the
quarterbacks like you don't remember where he screwed up at dB.
No one cares. You don't remember the guard that he has,
a first rounder that was out of the league in
two years. No one cares think about the players that
we hold these guys on TV accountable for. In football,
it's the quarterbacks. It's like you love John Gruden, loved

(37:52):
Johnny Manziel, right. No one can talk about the receivers
or the linemen that he liked or didn't like. So
I think we overvalue like credibility, Like he's not in
the credibility business, as crazy as that sounds. Because he
ranks draft players. He's an entertainer. I mean that's that's
honestly what he is. He can rank and talk about

(38:13):
draft picks all he wants like he's there to entertain. Uh.
It seems to me that very rarely trade with the
intention of getting high picks in better drafts. Why do
we Why don't we see this more? For instance, team
trading twenty five first round picks for multiple twenty six picks,
which is supposed to be a better draft. Not saying

(38:34):
it never happens. I'm just surprised I don't hear about
it more. PS your previous episode. You've gotten into some
Bravo shows, but you've never mentioned vander Pump Rules. You
and possibly Maria are missing out if you've never seen Uh,
she's seen it. I've I've watched it. That's we went

(38:54):
to last summer when we were in Tahoe. She really
really wanted to go to Wolf, which is Lisa's restaurant
in South Lake Tahoe in the casino. And obviously Lisa's
a restaurant tour at which I think vander Pump is
the restaurant which all these people worked at, which the

(39:14):
restaurant was really good. I'll say that the drinks were
a little a little foofy, but the food was elite.
It was really if you're ever in South Lake Tahoe.
I don't know the Harris, the Harvey's what I remember.
We were leaving and you don't have I think you
have to. We had to valet or a car, and

(39:35):
I remember the guy came back to me and was like,
I can't find your keys. I'm like, you got my keys?
I mean I don't have them. You guys valeted my
car and then it turned out like I don't even
think they ever moved my car just sat there and
the keys were in it. But yeah, Lisa restaurant was good.
Your question, well, it takes two to tango. I think

(39:55):
teams definitely later in the draft will never have a
problem making move. I also think sometimes it's tough to
convince a coach if they like a player that we're
not going to get a pick. We talked about this yesterday.
Coaches are looking at the depth chart. So it's like
as a GM, as an owner, as a scouting staff,
you're like, hell, yeah, we got two first round picks

(40:17):
next year. It's sweet. And the coach goes, well, what
about those four guys that we could have drafted right there?
Picked twenty four sweet running back, a sweet defensive tackle,
a sweet corner. So you know, part of it is
like you need someone willing to do that, which half
the people, if you're saying that out loud, well they're
thinking it too. So you need someone desperate, and then

(40:39):
you also need the coach to agree, which look at
the two teams that did it. The Browns, I mean,
the reason that they feel comfortable doing that is the
Deshaun Watson situation. They're a disaster. And two the Rams,
I mean have a coach on scholarship for as long
as he wants to coach there. Hey, John, it's been
a pretty quiet around the Bengals since they re signed

(41:01):
the receivers and no one's really asking about Joe Burrow.
What are the expectations for him in this team this year?
The division looks weaker. If Burrow says healthy, it's hard
to see them missing the playoffs. Worst case, they're second
in the North. Only real concern seems to be the defense,
especially with Hendrickson still not locked up long term. I
think the expectation is for him to be MVP caliber

(41:24):
and the team offense to be elite and the defense
to not be as bad. Right, you draft the A
and M pass rusher, who's a freak athletically who I
think people would say leaves a little something to be
desired on the field. Al Golden I saw some clips.
Who's the new DC? You know he's the Notre Dame defense.
I mean he's big time defensive coordinator. But Liam Maruno

(41:46):
was good. I know he had a bad on defense.
Like you need the players, so I think figuring out
the Hendrickson thing is kind of important, Like, is he's
just not going to show up. It's already got kind
of contentious, right. Brown's daughter came out and said, like
he should just this is not verbatim, but basically like
shut up and just come show up and play. I

(42:08):
don't know it, just whatever her comments were, he clear
was pissed because then he went on McAfee. So that, that,
to me is interesting to watch. Offensively, they should be
unreal forty nine ers fan. I constantly hear you talk
about how much money brock Purty deserves. Isn't he better
and more accomplished than Dak Prescott? What justifies Dak being

(42:29):
the highest paid quarterback? But Purty has to take a
pay cut. No one deserves anything, especially in business. You
get what you negotiate. I don't think brock Purty deserves anything.
I don't care one way or that he get a
hundred million dollars he get a billion dollars deserves. I
don't give a shit about deserves. I have never ever
said that word. So you're misquoting me there because I

(42:51):
don't use deserves now. Based on his play and based
on what I would feel comfortable paying him giving out
good I think he is. I think Dak Prescott is
is grossly overpaid, and I think they're in business with
him at a number that limits their team because he's
not good enough. I think that's a bad business. And
I look at these situations from a business standpoint. I
appreciate the hell out of Dak Prescott, the way he

(43:14):
conducts himself, the way he operates in life. I'd say
the same thing about Brock Purtty. I admire and respect
like those guys stories and what they had to overcome
being laid around picks. Everyone thinks they suck and they
both guys have won a lot of you know games,
parties wants big ones. Dak really has it in the playoffs,
but he's had an incredible career. But I think the

(43:35):
Cowboys have handled it poorly financially on their side, and
I look at things through like how's this team gonna win?
And I think paying him what you pay Dak Prescott
like is a losing contract for the forty nine ers.
But if he can get it like they deserve it,
I don't know, but he negotiated it, so kudos to
his agent. Now, if I want to be the if
I'm a forty nine Er fan and want them to

(43:55):
continue winning, Like, can we find some middle ground, because like,
we ain't gonna win if we gotta pay a two
hundred and fifty million dollars guaranteed. It's not I mean,
based on his play in what world should he be
paid like Dak's paid like Joe Burrow and Josh Allen.
That's stupid. I mean, that's that's bad business. That's the

(44:18):
way I discuss it. Not deserves Dak deserve. What does
anyone deserve? You get what you can get, and his
agent got a lot. Considering how offense is choreographed and
defense is reactionary, do you think Ben Johnson went heavy
on drafting offense this year knowing the Super Bowl isn't
in the cards so they can develop some chemistry for

(44:40):
next year and draft heavily on defense. With Dennis Allen,
I would say that's a good question. I think it
kind of tells you that they're not that high on
Cole Comet. Ben Johnson isn't and Loveland he I think
he even mentioned this, he saw Laporta. I think they

(45:00):
invested so much in the offensive line they didn't need
to do that. I think they go our defense is
already good, so Dennis Allen's one of the best coaches.
We already have a good defense. Now, could they have
taken who was there? To really take a ten that
they bypassed on defense? Would be my question. Because let's
go to the twenty twenty five draft, so they draft Lovelin,

(45:22):
mikel Williams goes at eleven. I don't think anyone would
have complained if they took him. Kenneth Grant, the Michigan
defensive tackle win at thirteen, could have taken him. I
think you could have taken those two guys there, but
I think they go, We're already good on defense. I
probably would have been more inclined to take a defensive
line in there, one of those two guys over the

(45:44):
tight end. But I think what you're because we got Rome,
we got DJ Moore, we got Caleb, we already got
Cole Comett. But I'm telling you if cole Comet's traded,
I wouldn't be surprised. This is another question about Kyle
Shanahan not liking the offensive line. They seem to not
be addressing it. They are literally at Williams Trent injury

(46:04):
away from thirty second best offensive line in the league.
No way Kyle assumes he can zone block with me
and you at guard. He does, he believes, and listen,
I'm not disagreeing that it is much easier to find
a guard and center than a lot of other positions.
Like you should be able to find functional guards and

(46:27):
centers in the zone blocking scheme, which is much more positional. Right,
if I'm a good athlete, it's me getting on your
edges and just staying in front of you. I don't
need to shove you back like I'm Orlando Pace or
you know, jim Otto. I don't even know if jim
Otto was a power player, but I'm trying to think
of centers. You know, Kelsey was kind of unique. He

(46:47):
got stronger as he got older, but he was so quick.
I just need athletic bodies. But the amount of good
interior pass rushers and just interior good play that have
come into the league over the last seven eight years
dwarfs what Kyle started off in the NFL. There used
to be when I got in the NFL, like fifteen

(47:09):
years ago, there weren't I was doing the math ada.
I'm like, God, that's that's a long time ago. Now,
there weren't that many great defensive tackle pass rushers, and
then over the course of the twenty tens, the Aaron Donalds,
the Fletcher Cox, JJ Watts, all these versatile players that
can rush over guards and centers came in waves. Look
at this year, multiple defensive tackles, Look at the last

(47:30):
couple of years defensive tackles, defensive tackles. They can pass rush.
So I think that I don't care how good your
running game is, You're just gonna be in second and
nine and third and ten sometimes. And when you're in
third and ten, we know what you're doing in a
tie game in the fourth quarter against the Rams, like
can you block Bradon Fisk because last year he was

(47:53):
giving a lot of people trouble. So I was like,
I don't know the irony is. They just admitted it,
like the reason we love mikel Williams because he can
rush over guards. It's like, well, yeah, you can take
advantage of matchups. I don't know, man beating a dead
horse here.

Speaker 3 (48:11):
Blending Vice's signature dynamic storytelling with the high octane world
of sports, Vice Sports brings an exciting and diverse range
of programming that goes beyond the game catch action pack
live events and exclusive to sports documentaries and profiles only
on Vice TV.

Speaker 1 (48:28):
What are your thoughts on the Steelers. I was hoping
for Shador and became increasingly frustrated as they kept passing
on him in the first, third, and fourth rounds. Does
this mean they're signing Aaron Rodgers or does Tomlin really
not understand the importance of having a quarterback not named
Mason Rudolph. Yeah, I think Rogers will lock. I was
actually sad, this is what I think about in the shower,

(48:50):
But I think it's a foregone conclusion at this point,
and I think the question is what's the best case
Because I'm just gonna assume Rodgers is their quarterback? What's
the best case scenario for the Steelers? Like? Could they
win twelve games? The running back they drafted from Iowa?
That guy's a stud. I think that guy's going to

(49:12):
be good. You draft a plug and play defensive tackle
early in the draft their defense, especially against a run.
As the season went on, it was like, so, I
actually kind of like their draft, but you're getting a
forty one year old Aaron Rodgers. They tried to trade
George Pickens. Clearly they were making calls no one will bite.

(49:32):
It seems like a few NFL teams are in salary
cap crisis every year with the amount of players they
with the amount they have to pay players on their team.
Do they have to worry about paying newly drafted players
all that guaranteed money, especially when they have high draft
picks every round? Do certain teams have to make roster
moves pre or post draft to accommodate the money. Well,

(49:55):
you know, to start the season, you gotta be cap compliant, right,
which is usually the first day of the league year.
So that's the start of free agency March fourteenth this year,
and you have to have an idea of your cap compliance,
how much you're gonna need to sign those guys. Well,
none of the rookies, at least that I've seen, have
signed yet. So you could still cut a guy to

(50:15):
make room if you don't have the space now, But
the only way to officially sign that guy if you
are have zero cap space is you got to make
some room, especially if you have a high pick like
the Saints. Big Bills fan, I felt like our secondary
has been lacking in recent years. While we've had great

(50:35):
players in the past like Tredavius White and Gilmore. I
feel like we've lost the edge, that edge in the department,
in that department. After this year's draft, I'm feeling pretty
confident in the players we have in our DV room.
Start rattling off the players. We drafted Harriston in the
first round. Do you think Harriston, along with the other
draft picks we selected this year, gives us a final

(50:58):
bit of depth to lead us to a super Bowl.
My issue with the team last year when they upset
Baltimore when it felt like Baltimore was just like the
better teams, like they're just not big enough on defense.
So you know, Milana gets hurt. You have some good
pass rushers. Now, think about the teams you need to beat, right,

(51:23):
the Ravens and the Chiefs. This isn't exactly the ninety
nine rams, Like you're you're getting into a physical street fight,
and for a team in Buffalo that has actually become
a lot more physical on offense, it feels like defensively
and I got no issue with drafting the corner in
the first round, but who seems like I mean that
the clipto went viral of him congratulating every guy in

(51:45):
the in the green room was pretty cool. Seems like
a great kid. I just think sometimes they lack of
physicality and Brandon being their GM whenever I see him
being interviewed, seems like an impressive guy. Sean mcgermott is
a defensive guy, but I I don't know something about
physically their bodies. They just they feel a little smaller
sometimes in the big games. But they got Josh and

(52:06):
he can make up for it. I'm wondering what it's
like for someone to watch a football game casually, Being
that you talk about football for a living. Do you
find it harder to relax and casually watch a game
without thinking of talking points you want to bring up
on the next podcast. How easy is it to turn
your brain off and chill while watching a game? Go

(52:27):
pack Go Well, I mean I don't really. I mean
when I watch foot NFL, I mean I always have
a notepad out and taking notes and thinking about shows
and takes. Man So it's like college football a little
bit less. But I do think as that sport grows
in popularity and we talk about it more, I'm gonna
add that I think where I can turn my brain

(52:49):
off and not care is less like I enjoy thinking
about that with football, like it's my market. It's the
NBA and baseball and some of these other sports. If
they're just on TV, I do not care well unless
I'm rooting against the Lakers. But football, no, I can't
casually watch. But I don't mind. I mean, what else

(53:13):
am I going to be doing? Again? It's also it's
a football game, so it's not It's not that crazy.
It's not you know. I think this is a throwaway Okay.
I wanted to send this mail bag as a Colts
fan regarding Chris Ballard. I think this is a throwaway
year for the Colts. Richardson is likely a bust. He

(53:34):
was perhaps the biggest risk of quarterback ever drafted in
the top five. Try lanceby up there too. I think
the owner looked around and saw GM head coaches having
multiple years left on their contracts and no obvious player
to pivot a quarterback, and decided the easiest cheapest thing
to do is to give this trio another year. Based
on how I expect this team to do, I hope

(53:56):
the end is near for Ballard. However, why do so
many seem to give him a pass? And Portram is
one of the better GMS. Is he just a likable person?
It's really historic for someone with his resume to be
given a ninth year as GM. Their roster isn't nearly
as good as people make it out to be. This
isn't some of the reason forty nine er teams where

(54:17):
you can say, if they just had a quarterback like Luck,
they would have won the Super Bowl. The Colt roster
has some good players, but not great, particularly at important positions.
To me, it's beyond insane that Ballard is still the GM.
How do you think this season will go for the Colts?
And think of my opinion on Ballard is too harsh.
I don't know him personally. Everyone I know that knows

(54:38):
him likes him. Obviously, Colin's been buddies with him forever,
so my buddies with the Chiefs that worked with him
love the guy. Seems like a good guy. Whenever he talks,
just seems like just your classic football, relatable guy you'd
be friends with. So I think there's some of that.
He just he seems very genuine and maybe I could

(54:58):
be wrong. Again, this is a every outsider's point of view.
Let's face it. The cold situation with the owners a
little weird. I mean, the guys off his rocker feels
like not even harsh enough. And the family's dynamics now
proud franchise because of Peyton Manning only. I mean, how

(55:20):
often can you just run an organization where the head
coach or i mean the quarterback also becomes like essentially
your offensive coordinator. And they had a great you know,
Hall of Fame GM and Poleon, So yeah, I mean
I think like there's a reason Grigson gets kind of
bitter at like the way his general manager tenure is
portrayed relative to Ballard when he was winning a lot,

(55:42):
and I think most people push back. He's like, well
he had Andrew Luck and this team has had no
quarterback now, I mean they seriously had no quarterback. It
is hard to find a quarterback. It's why I saw
Jason Light asked about it yesterday, like how awesome is
it going into a draft where you do not need
to think about a quarterback? And he just he just
had a smile ear to ear. It's the best feeling

(56:02):
of all time because one no one has any clue,
and like they took a big swing on Anthony Richardson.
Let's face it, they were pretty desperate, and they were
doing a bunch of one year band aid situations with
Matt Ryan's and Philip Rivers and Carson Wentz, and it
was becoming a disaster. So they took a huge swing

(56:23):
and it's now blown up in their face. So yeah,
I don't know what else to say. I think they're
probably in trouble if they missed the playoffs. Now that
NFL games are being played outside the country, do you
think someday a Super Bowl will be played in countries
like Germany, Mexico or Brazil At this point in time,

(56:46):
I would never say never, but that does feel a
little far away as sitting here today now, is that
fifty years away? Probably not, but like five in the
next five ten years feels like we got a little
waste to go. I've been watching the Pods since Colin
loved the perspective. I've grown up in Kansas City and

(57:08):
been a Chiefs fan forever, but also a huge Tiger fan,
So I've loved the Eagles since I was young, and
they drafted Macklin and had Andy as a coach. Jeremy
was a good player. My question quarterbacks excluded who would
be the top two or three players currently in the
NFL that you would want to start a franchise from
scratch with, and why. I know you value certain positions

(57:31):
as ever changing with in the league, the play calling, officiating,
But curious who you to select. You know, obviously, if
you can't take quarterback, I think you have a start
of the line of scrimmage. So when you think of
the best tackles, some of them are old. You know,
Trent's old lanes old. I think you would start with
some version of Wharfs. I know Darrisaw got hurt last year,

(57:53):
but it would be some Pina Seoul would be really high.
I think you'd be hard pressed to go wrong. Pay
in one of those guys. And if you weren't going
to take an offensive tackle first, I think you'd have
to think about some sweet defensive lineman. You know, if
Jalen Carter, if I could bring a couple of high
level veterans to just keep him in line, he'd be

(58:14):
hard to pass up, you know, I think Jalen Carter.
It feels like most of the best pass rushers are
a little older, you know, Miles Garrett, TJ. Watt. I'm
sure I'm missing somebody Khalil Max way Older. That Benito

(58:38):
guy is kind of interesting. I don't know if you'd
take him two or three, but I think i'd go
with tackles, And if I had to go with the
skill guy, I'd probably be like jeffersoner Chase. Okay, we're
gonna end on this. Love the show. In ninety nine
percent of the time, I agree with your takes, but
I disagree heavily with the Big Twelve, and that is

(59:01):
the fourth in the power for rankings. The ACC does
have three Big Ducks, but Clemson's not Clemson of five
years ago. FSU couldn't beat the bottom feeders in Miami,
didn't even make the conference championship, and the rest of
the ACC is a joke. I believe if you did
an ACC versus Big Twelve top to bottom challenge, the

(59:23):
Big Twelve would come out with more wins. Sincerely, a
K State fan whose team has good players in every draft.
K State's a really good program, and I I don't
I understand being a fan of k State and hearing
me say that and going middle Coff, you're a fucking clown.
But let's just bring up these standings. Okay, the ACC

(59:50):
they had two playoff teams in SMU and Clemson. And
I think Clemson's gonna be pretty good next year and
they're gonna be a preseason top ten. They got a
good year quarterback, they got multiple you know, wide receivers.
Defense has fallen off a little bit, but I think Clemson.
If I had to pick between the two conferences, Clemson

(01:00:10):
would be my number one pick. People are pretty high
on SMU now relative to like Penn State, Ohio State, Georgia. Yeah,
but like you know, I know, Arizona State had a
good year last year. I'm with you on Miami. You know,
Syracuse went ten and three, Miami went ten and three

(01:00:33):
with their defense sucked. Louisville went nine to four. Boston
College has Bill O'Brien, who's just a good coach. North
Carolina hired Belichick. You said Florida State couldn't beat bottom
feeders two years ago. They ran the table and their quarterback,
who just retired from the NFL Lake snapped in half

(01:00:54):
that program. I mean, two of the best players on
the RAMS are second year players. So I think Florida
State I'm giving them a little repri from that year.
Arizona State one year conference at eleven and three. Iowa
State's good, BYU's solid. Colorado, I mean just lost their
two best players, and we saw BYU play Colorado in

(01:01:15):
that Bowl game and they beat the shit out of them.
I don't think Baylor's that good. Texas Tech spend a
lot of money. Here's what I would say. I do
think the ACC is much better at the top, and
I determine a conference like, no one cares about your bottom, right,
the Big Ten's bottom sucks. The SEC's bottom sucks, but

(01:01:39):
has a lot of NFL players on their bottom teams.
But I don't judge you on your bottom. Now, your
mid tier depth like is is Boston College, Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech. Duke,
would you take TCU, Texas Tech, k State, West Virginia?
You know, Kansas had a weird because they started slow.

(01:02:00):
They're good program, Cincinnati, Utah had it awful year. Yeah.
I think ACC is better at the top, which is
what matters the way we talk about the playoffs, the
depth of your conference. Yeah, if you wanted to argue that,
here's what I will say. The gap between the ACC

(01:02:21):
and the Big twelve combined relative to the other two
is pretty big. So the best teams in your conference.
Arizona State won the conference. They're gonna be good again.
I bet Iowa State's still really good. B YU is
gonna be good. I bet Utah bounces back. I mean,
it's gotta be the worst year Winningham's ever had got
Arizona State or Arizona was terrible last year. I respect

(01:02:48):
the programs and the coaches in your you know, in
the conference, just relative to like Georgia, Bama, LSU, Tennessee,
I you know, oh, Hileo State, Michigan, Penn State. There's
a gap Oregon. I mean, it's just That's what I'm
talking about. So I like when I talk about the

(01:03:10):
best teams in the NBA, I don't care the bet
the shitting ones. You're compared in college football by the
cream of your crop, and I do think the top
of the a SEC is much better than your conference. Okay,
before we get out of here, I need to welcome
everybody to Chasing Challenges brought to you by Microsoft in

(01:03:32):
the NFL. Just like in the business world, overcoming obstacles
is key to success. Microsoft empowers business decision makers with
AI solutions, simplified cloud and data management, and trustworthy responsible
technology to turn challenges into opportunities. In this segment, we
will explore some of the biggest challenges being faced in
the NFL and how they can be overcome. Whatever challenge

(01:03:55):
you're facing, Microsoft empowers you with the expertise to say
bring it on. This week, we're discussing the challenge faced
by NFL teams when it comes to getting their rookies
up to speed. These guys, all these guys that you drafted,
have not been working out like they normally do. They

(01:04:16):
have been traveling all over the country doing visits with programs.
They have been doing weird private workouts they like train
for the Pro Day, and then they haven't done much since.
So when you start your rookie mini camp, either this
weekend or next weekend, it's not really a normal practice.
A lot of these teams now have turned into a
glorified walkthrough. But here's what we know. Whether you're the Bills,

(01:04:39):
the Ravens, the Chiefs, the Eagles, the Lions, or you
are the Jags, the Titans, and the Giants, you are
going to depend on rookies to impact your football team.
Some are going to start, and definitely a lot are
going to play. So The key these next thirty to
thirty five days of OTAs and the is about teaching

(01:05:04):
these guys the base of your playbook so when they
come back for training camp they understand what's going on.
It's less about how they look on the practice field
right now and more about mentally getting them up to speed,
because once training camp comes, it is full speed ahead
and within a couple of days, pads are on and

(01:05:26):
you got older players trying to make sure that these guys,
you know, do not take their spot. It's a very
competitive environment, very doggy dog and a lot's going on.
A lot you can be overwhelmed. Right now is a
very chill time in the NFL. It is a great
time when everyone's kind of relaxed, when you can have
a lot of one on one time with young players.

(01:05:48):
So your position coaches, if I was a GM or
I was a head coach, I'm my position coach, we
need to spend extra time, especially with our high you know,
first three four round guys, to make sure mentally by
the time they go to summer break that they at
least have a solid base of our offense or defense,
and then we can build off that when we come

(01:06:09):
back to training camp. It's less about making the mistakes
where to line up and everything on the field right now.
I need you mentally to have just a base understanding
of our scheme because I'm going to depend on this player.
And the only way to depend on the player once
the actual games come is they gotta know what's going on.
Because the more you know what's going on, the easier

(01:06:30):
it is to play free and fast. So while OTA's
has become more chill than ever, it is extremely important
when it comes to the classroom and teaching these young
players because a lot of them are coming from schemes
that don't translate at all. We see it with the
quarterback when John Gruden looks at Jackson Dart and says,

(01:06:52):
give me your your cadence, and he does a clap
and Gruen laughs at him. But that's all these guys.
So if you're in that offense, you know, your play
call might be two words blue seven, you know, and
that tells everyone what to do. Where we see I mean,
we saw last year in that off season hard Knocks
when Brian Daball was given the quarterbacks play calls. We

(01:07:14):
have seen for years these NFL quarterbacks give out the verbiage,
it's like there's a lot going on, so you got
to try to get these guys up to speed as
quickly as possible. That's it for this week's Chasing challenges.
Remember Microsoft's AI solutions empower you to take bold steps
and make informed decisions, sparking new ideas to help drive

(01:07:37):
your business forward. With Microsoft as your trusted partner, you
can navigate your journey with confidence, finding innovative solutions, and
reaching new possibilities. Visit Microsoft dot com Slash challengers to
learn more. The volume