July 22, 2025 • 52 mins
Gregg Rosenthal is joined by Colleen Wolfe to tell you the awkward truths about the NFL. Gregg and Colleen tell you what you need to realize about the Bengals and who truly is their biggest opponent (03:15), the reality of being a fan (10:15), the truth about the new-look Patriots (13:45), what to expect out of Aaron Rodgers (16:54), the truth about the Cowboys (25:40) and more! Plus, a live reaction to Tyrann Mathieu retiring (42:45).
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome to NFL Daily, where the Summer of Connie never
really ends.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
I hate that it has to, but it kind of does.
Speaker 3 (00:12):
We're back.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
We're in the Chris Westling podcast studio, and I'm with
my friend Colleen Wilf.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Hey, so great to see you.
Speaker 4 (00:19):
I can't believe, first of all, that you're even here
right now with the jet lag that you probably are experience.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
We're good, My god, we're warming up, we're feeling alive.
You're telling yourself that we're seeing you know, we're doing
a show together. I was thinking we this is a first,
but you reminded me way back in the NFL Digital
NFL nowadays, we used to do that.
Speaker 4 (00:40):
Kind of stuff all the time, like ten years ago
and ten years ago.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
It's been a minute, and that's going to be part
of one of my awkward.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Truth Oh no, it is okay.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Not exactly NFL now, but just the passage of time.
So we're going doing things a little bit differently. We
usually start with a big chunk of news, right there,
really wasn't great news today, and the news that we have.
All the teams are reporting to training camp so they
they'll start practicing on Wednesday, and the news will really
(01:12):
pick up from there, but most of the news we
had we decided we could kind of fold in, so
it's all happening. You're going on the road, I am.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
I was thinking this morning, like, when is Aaron Rodgers
going to do something, because Tuesdays is usually the Aaron
Rodgers day in terms of news, but we didn't get it. So, yeah,
you're right, it's really just training camps, and I'm going
on the road.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
I'm excited about it.
Speaker 4 (01:33):
I am heading up close one first, going to Oxnard
for Cowboys training camp, and we're gonna talk about Cowboys
a lot today after Jerry Jones had a lot to say.
Then I'm going to Philly, very pumped about that. Philly
to Denver, yeah, oh, get to talk to my guy
Sean Payton. And then I was supposed to go to
(01:55):
New York for Giants training camp, but I don't know
what how and all of a sudden, I'm.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Not going to Giants.
Speaker 4 (02:03):
So wow, going back to Philly and then to Washington
are you can't imagine why.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
I'm not going to suggesting that maybe your anti Giants
agenda on this very show impacted that way.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Unfortunately, none of them listened. To NFL Daily.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
But I do thank NFL Network for sending me like
five new NFL Network polos, even though I'm not on
inside training camps.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
Take the shirts. They're great gifts.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Are they the Tommy Bahama one?
Speaker 1 (02:33):
Yeah, they're nice, they're breathing, They're nice and nice little
zip up. So, yes, we're going to go through awkward
truce in the NFL. You mentioned the Broncos. They're they're
going to be featured in this show. You mentioned the
Cowboys they are as well. I don't like to think
of us as awkward people.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Do you mean?
Speaker 1 (02:51):
We absolutely are, But I think other people feel awkward
around us, but we're just being us.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
That's true. I mean that's on them.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
Maybe maybe on the inside we are. I will let
you start.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
I was just thinking, like, I am so incredibly awkward
at saying goodbye to people. Yes, it's it's one of
my weaknesses in life.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
Okay, here we go.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
We both are awkward. I guess I need that podcasting.
We'll find out.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (03:18):
Okay, So the awkward truth about the Bengals is their
toughest opponent isn't the Chiefs or the Bills. It's the
front offense. The call is coming from inside the house.
They have a rich history of mishandling personnel and contracts.
(03:38):
They are never proactive, They're always just reactive. They've mishandled
draft assets going way back, and they just repeatedly underinvest
in the defense.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Which is obviously the issue right now.
Speaker 4 (03:52):
And we know Trey Hendrickson he got an offer that
he called criminally low in terms of a contract and
he's not showing up at training camp under his current deal.
But it's a pattern from the organization that is all
about short term savings instead of some type of like
(04:13):
and like long term cost basically, so they never are
investing in the future. It's always like what like a
band aids situation for them. And now you look at
this team. Last year, the defense was such a liability.
They have a new defensive coordinator. Yeah, Al Golden was
there before, but still you have a whole new situation
because lou Anarumo was there for a while six years.
(04:38):
And you have first round pick Shamar Stewart who's also
in a standoff, the only first round pick from twenty
twenty five that is not signed yet because they want
to put some unprecedented language into the contract. So just
on principle, Shamar Stewart doesn't want to sign because he
wants his guarantee to be guaranteed like all of.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
The others before him.
Speaker 4 (05:00):
So they didn't invest in the offensive line until Joe
Burrow was hurt.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
And it still isn't quite right.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
Not great. The guards aren't great.
Speaker 4 (05:09):
No, they still neglected the defense this off season, didn't
really do a whole lot. So the impact is just
like the reputation of the entire organization. Players don't want
to go there because they know that they are pinching
pennies all the time and it's just so much pressure
on the offense. Mike Brown came out had some things
(05:29):
to say, also said that Trey Hendrickson is not so
easy to deal with, but.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
Called them emotional.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
Oh my god, that's a trigger.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Now, it's like telling someone to relax.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
Now. On one hand, I thought, oh, that's gonna get
him emotional if he is emotional, hearing that you're an emotional.
On the other hand, I thought, actually, maybe it's a
step forward hearing a boss call a guy emotional, because
I feel like that that's kind of a trigger for
a lot of women, a lot it's like a code
for being woman. You're getting called emotional, and so he's
(06:02):
doing it for Trey, so maybe it's almost a step
forward here.
Speaker 4 (06:04):
I feel like that Jender quard upling down on how
bad that comment is.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
He did post on ig Trey Hendrickson, and we knew
that because of his Instagram account. He was in Ohio
and he was that we believed he was going to
be possibly reporting to camp. And then he did send
an Instagram story. If you're watching on YouTube, please check
us out subscribe a beautiful sunset I believe maybe sunrise
(06:31):
in Florida.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
So he's he's out. That is kind of emotion, but.
Speaker 4 (06:36):
I like it, but also like, yeah, he without Trey Hendrickson,
what is your defense? Like they were so bad last
year and they had the sack leader, so then you
take him out of the mix, Like they owe him
what they owe him, pay him what he's.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
Owed, right, and they said he deserves a raise, and
the reporting from Pro Football Talk was that he's only
gotten one year of guaranteed money in the offer, So
forget even what the average salary is, He's not gonna
make as much as t J. Watt and Miles Garrett,
but where is he gonna fit in sort of underneath
that average per year.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
That's one thing. TJ.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
Watt, who's in the division, is also over thirty. Like Hendrickson,
signing that deal was bad news for the Bengals because
they guaranteed him three full years. That's like in the
middle of your prime, you know, quarterback type money. And
now Hendrickson, who's only getting the offer for one that's
(07:37):
gonna make you leave town. And it reminds me a
lot of a year ago. And speaking of emotional Nick Wesseling,
our friend the Problem, you know, the brother of the
great Chris Westling, who this podcast studio was named after.
We were we were texting yesterday, met him and his
brother Phil, and he was quite emotional. I'm calling it
(07:59):
up on my computer here, and he you say, like,
what are we excited about is watching the Bengals up
every single year. It's comical at this point, missed the
playoffs last year because Chase sat out and then looked
like the first two weeks. Now the same with Hendrickson
and their first round picks for the Bengals.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
I can almost hear Wes saying that, Okay.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
I'm sorry, Nick, for not having you on to say that.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
I'm also sorry to Eric for having to bleep all
that out, but it's actually kind of a convenient way
for someone outside this studio to say all that stuff.
Speaker 4 (08:32):
Yeah, Like, wow, I'm so sorry to the Westlings and
to all Bengals fans out there what you have to
deal with, Like, come.
Speaker 3 (08:41):
Here's the thing.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
And so I really like this being the first choice
for the awkward truth said because it's absolutely fitting the definition.
Because they're fans for the most part, don't want to
believe this. They point to, look how much money we spend.
It's actually not true. And actually, look what you just
did for t Higgins and Jamar Chase. Like when that happened,
(09:03):
everyone was like, see the Bengals aren't that old school
franchise that you think they are.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
Like, that's not true.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
And then we get here and it is just an
awkward truth you have to accept. And I think if
you love the Bengals, you have to accept maybe that
they're run a different sort of way.
Speaker 4 (09:17):
Well, yeah, and you just went through this last year
and now you're doing the same exact thing, just with
your best defensive player.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
He's a captain, he's.
Speaker 4 (09:27):
A leader on the team, So you're not just taking
away him on the field, you're taking away all of
the other stuff that comes with it, all of the intangibles.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
But I just like, I can't believe they operate this way.
Speaker 4 (09:39):
They always start slow, and now with this, you have
to wonder if that's going to happen again.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
Yeah, that defensive end position we talked about in the
position battles. Everyone really comment to me that we went
big there, fifty nine.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
They liked it.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
So I believe the Bengals edge group was number five
or six or seven, and that includes in theory, Trey
Hendrickson and Shamar Stewart, but neither one of them are
in camp.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
All right, my first awkward truth.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
Okay, this is more of like a big picture of
just what it's like to be a fan. I went
to the FDN Almanac. We're gonna have the writer that
Aaron Schatz or the editor of that on the show
later this week, used to be Football Outsiders.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
I think they're the best in terms of analytics.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
Went to see what their numbers were, and it's very
similar to Vegas of chances to win the Super Bowl.
And here are just some percentage the Lions, according to
FDN Almanac, have a twelve point one percent chance.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
To win the Super Bowl this year.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
The Buffalo Bills, I think we're second or third most likely.
So you think, oh, that's that's awesome. They're one of
the favorites. These are two of the best five teams league.
They have a fourteen point seven percent chance to win
the Super Bowl.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
And what the awkward.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
Truth is is that, like, even when your team is
freaking awesome and you're in the good old days, the
chances of your season ending in complete heartbreak are extraordinarily high.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
That's the awkward truth. I think thirty one teams like that.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
Fans kind of forget that, like cause you hear, oh,
the Bills have the second best chance or the third
best chance, and that sounds great.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
Like like that.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
That's like no, Like if you had something in life
that you have an eighty five percent chance of happening,
If you have an eighty five percent chance of getting
a bonus this year, or like winning a million.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
Dollars, damn good, you're spending that money.
Speaker 1 (11:30):
Yeah, And there's an eighty five percent chance, according to
the best people in the game, that the Bills are
gonna end in heartbreak. It's just like you have to
I think you have to prepare yourself with that awkward youth.
Speaker 4 (11:41):
Well listen, come on, Greg, this is a time of positivity.
It's training camp. Everyone is looking for. No one has
made a bad coaching decision yet. Yeah, no one has
made has fumbled the ball, no one has messed up
a game, no one has missed a kick.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
This is like you know, spring Hope's eternal. Wait, that's
not it.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
It's homecoming. That is Jim Harba's word for what's happened
this week. I'll spin it positive. And what I would
say is it's easy to say and harder to do,
is just enjoy the ride, enjoy the process, knowing that,
knowing that that's the truth. Can you find joy out
of hate? Like we're winning most of these games, we're
(12:25):
in the mix. It's not always gonna be like that,
So try to enjoy the way there before.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Everyone to have fun, especially if you're good.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Yeah, oh yeah, Like I think, I think of the
Celtics a couple of years ago. Their fans were miserable
the whole championship season of all the things that we're
gonna go wrong and we or we're going right.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
They didn't even enjoy the one season that was good.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
I'm saying like, at some point, this Josh Allen arrow
will end and you'll look back and you'll think how
great it is, and maybe they will get a super
Bowl one of these years. But I think you have
to go into the season. And this is true for
every team. It's for your Eagles. You know that ultimately
like that it's extraordinarily likely that it's going to end
with hurt, which is tough.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
That's life, though, Greg.
Speaker 3 (13:11):
I have another awkward truth about that, all right.
Speaker 4 (13:13):
Give me. But also that is a it's a good
message by you to just like be present and like
live in this moment right now, not looking ahead, not looking.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
Back, and also lower your expectations.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Yes, I think that's an important part of life, is
you know, keep.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
Keep the bar on the ground.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
No, it just like, don't have like.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
Things, just don't have any expectations none. Just just come
in and see what happens.
Speaker 2 (13:38):
I mean I do kind of like that.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
You go with the flow, man, all right, give me
another one.
Speaker 4 (13:42):
Okay, So my next one is the Patriots are a
playoff team again.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
Wow, So this is a this is more of a
take than than a truth, it is.
Speaker 4 (13:53):
Well, I guess the truth is like we're gonna have
to deal with the Patriots a lot more.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
Colleen, maybe not, you know, completely understanding the exercise again.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
No, no, no awkward truth that.
Speaker 4 (14:02):
Oh god, now Greg is going to be honking about
the Patriots?
Speaker 2 (14:05):
Is that a better Angle's that's fair? There we go.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
They are relevant no matter what.
Speaker 4 (14:11):
Well, I just think with the roster turnover and Mike
Rabel there with an entire culture shift. Mean, you have,
of the ninety players on the roster right now, only
forty eight were with New England last season, So that's
forty two players gone, which is roughly forty seven percent.
Basically half the team has been turned over. Nearly the
(14:34):
entire coaching staff is new at this point, so it's
a significant amount of change which Rabel comes in and
he's shifting the culture there, which needed to happen. I
love the defensive additions that they had this season, with
Milton Williams bringing him in from Philly, Harold Landry, Carlton Davis, Roberts, Bulane,
(14:55):
they overhauled the entire pass rush. I mean, I just
I think that this is a situation for Drake May
this year that he can develop into something way with
improved chemistry, and you have Mike McDaniels there.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
They're supposed to be.
Speaker 3 (15:13):
So why is this awkward? Why is this even awkward?
Speaker 4 (15:15):
I'm just saying it's awkward for anyone who doesn't like
the Patriots and who were happy that the Patriots dynasty
was done for a while, and I feel like now
they're back.
Speaker 5 (15:23):
Mm.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
That's a good point because we're gonna have Bridget Condon
on the show later this week, and like me, she's
a fellow mass Yeah, there is no more obnoxious fan base,
I would say, and the Patriots fan base has been
humbled and had to mostly stay quiet, not that they
have really not even that long.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
How many years has it been.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
It's been like four since they really four or five,
it's been five since they were like a decent team.
They did have that Cam Newton season which you made.
Speaker 4 (15:55):
The playoff I had the Dolphins just like never still
weren't able to take advantage of this in the division.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
It is a little awkward. I guess I got to
see it first.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
Everything for me with them, they are a much more
exciting team and they are going to be I think
for the entire tenure of Drake May. But this version
this much change all at once. Rabel having to show
to me that he actually can coach up a great
defense because he really hasn't that often. He's got good personnel,
(16:24):
like I got to I guess I gotta see it.
But if nothing else, they're going to be interesting and relevant.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
It's tough schedule.
Speaker 4 (16:31):
It's gonna go one of two ways. It's going to
be really great or it's going to be a dumpster fire.
But their schedule early is like pretty easy.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
Yes, I misspoke, I meant to say, like a very
easy schedule. In general, I think the afcast schedule could rise,
could help everyone. All Right, I'm gonna do one. And
this is just this is a just a truth. It's
a fact. Aaron Rodgers will be forty two years old
when this season ends. Okay, here's another fact. Here is
(17:03):
a list of quarterbacks that finished the season aged forty two.
And let's just throw out like a really low bar
and threw for two thousand yards okay, or even I
think it's twelve touchdowns. Here's the list of quarterbacks that old,
that's ever done that. Tom Brady that's it. That's the list.
Speaker 2 (17:25):
No way.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
Now it was Tom Brady in twenty nineteen, twenty twenty,
twenty twenty one, and twenty twenty two.
Speaker 3 (17:30):
Which is crazy.
Speaker 4 (17:31):
Peyton Manning didn't throw Oh no, I really think he
was gone. I know that his arm was gone.
Speaker 3 (17:35):
Even Braze was.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
Gone by then, like like the only guys they didn't.
The only guys on this list that even played were
Warren Moon like ten games with the Seahawks. He was
the next best, George Blanda, who was a kicker and
a quarterback like back in the forties. I think Vinnie
(17:56):
Testa Verdi head somewhere. He started it where he was
like a backup, uh and played like half the season,
and that's it.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
This is like unchartered territory. Now.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
I think he will top those marks you do, because
he was healthy enough to last the season last year,
and if he's healthy the way the NFL's run and
even if you know, he'll do that. But I think
it's a reminder to like keep expectations extremely low.
Speaker 3 (18:21):
Again.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
I mean, I.
Speaker 4 (18:23):
Don't know whose expectations Okay, very hot, it's very.
Speaker 1 (18:27):
Maybe for yours. No, I'm just kind of a hater
and this is just a way to pour salt on
the wound.
Speaker 4 (18:32):
No, I would love to see the Steelers be successful,
especially on offense.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
They haven't in really.
Speaker 4 (18:39):
Yeah, I don't have an issue with the Steelers.
Speaker 1 (18:43):
That's that's giving like the Super Bowls in the last
seven years or whatever. It's just more generous. Yeah, because,
like I.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
Know, I don't not really worried about them.
Speaker 1 (18:55):
I don't necessarily want them to do well. But there's
also just no to me, there's not a lot of reason.
And I guess it's probably for Steelers fans that it's
an awkward truth. I do feel like Steelers fans are
buying into the idea, and even the national media I
would say consensus is like, well, worst case they upgraded
at quarterback, and I would argue, like, I don't know
about that.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (19:15):
It sort of feels like how it felt when Rogers
went to the Jets, like that before that first season,
the year that they were doing hard knocks and the
buzz around the team and the excitement because it was
new and it was Aaron Rodgers. But it's been so
long since he's been really really productive on the field.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
It's a tough one.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
It is a tough one. I'm going to throw out
another like very quick one, okay. And this, I admittedly
was going to be part of our news segment, and
we realized that there's just like not enough news out there.
So I came up with an awkward truth, but I
believe in it. Zach Tom okay, yep is the best
player on the Packers, the best play And the fact
(19:57):
that Zach Tom's contract, he's a town who just got
an eighty eight million dollar four year extension, thirty million
dollars signing bonus, the fact that his extension caused a
large swath of football Twitter and Blue Sky to be like,
what are the Packers doing?
Speaker 3 (20:15):
Like who is Zach Tom? Are you kidding me?
Speaker 1 (20:18):
Oh no, they themselves is a sign that you don't
know ball and they're getting ahead of things. I went
through the list of players on the Packers, and first
of all, he's one of the best young tackles in
the league and they're getting him at a reduced rate.
Twenty two a year on the extension plus the years
that were already there is actually extremely low for like
(20:39):
a top ten tackle, which at this point I would
say he is, and he's only getting better maybe maybe
top five eventually. So they're doing good business. But then
I looked at the entire Packers roster and I don't
know if you want to do it with me.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
Oh my god, yeah, I'd like to have right now, name.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
Name the player on the Packers roster. And this is
maybe a concern, this is maybe an awkward truth for
the Packers and their Super Bowl hopes. Like who is
a better player at their position than Zach Tom, a young,
improving tackle who's shown versatilities on the right side? Is
Oh wow, you could throw in Jordan Love, but I
(21:17):
don't know. I mean, compared to other quarterbacks, I would
say he's not at that level.
Speaker 2 (21:22):
You know, I have a Josh Jacob.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
Josh Jacobs is a solid pick.
Speaker 4 (21:25):
Yeah, okay, but look at the contract always doing him?
Speaker 1 (21:28):
Who is who is paid quite a bit more? I
mean I know that you could make that argument for
Jordan Love. Xavier McKenney. Yeah, maybe is the best player
on the Packers. Wow, there's a case. There's a solid
case for Zach Tom. Not like a super top heavy team.
Speaker 4 (21:43):
Well, Zach Tom, first of all, is not going to
get the love that he deserves because he's an offensive lineman.
Speaker 3 (21:48):
We're giving it to him.
Speaker 4 (21:49):
But yeah, exactly, that's what this show gives you something
that no one else will. Zach Tom, this one's for you.
Speaker 2 (21:55):
Also, the name Tom, it's just sort of two first names.
Speaker 1 (21:59):
It's just so it's like seven letters. Let's try a
little harder, like.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
The whole thing.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
I would think, well, you know what, let's simplify things.
Speaker 1 (22:06):
It's just sort of maybe it's not forgettable. It's just
Zach Tom. It's just it hasn't really caught fire. Remember
David Baktiari, Like that's a that's an all pro left
tackle type of name.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
Zach Tom plays on the right side. But Zach Tom.
Speaker 1 (22:19):
I think that's part of the reason he hasn't caught
That's the national.
Speaker 2 (22:23):
He's been good for like three straight years.
Speaker 1 (22:25):
He's been good. He's been getting better and better. A
young player, by.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
The way, rather his name be Tom Zach Thana Tom.
Speaker 3 (22:31):
No, Zach Tom's better.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
Okay, let's take a quick break, and we have been
flirting with talking about the Cowboys. We are going to
dive into the Cowboys a little bit back on NFL Daily.
(22:54):
Just a couple of little items. As the players are
showing up for training camp. Juwan Jennings is in camp
even though he asked trade. Kyrid Williams wants a contract,
but he is at camp. James Cook the Bills is
at camp. And part of it is the new CBA.
You kind of have to show up or you risk
not getting a year accrued. So the old hold it
(23:15):
right and we'll see if they practice. Michael Parsons, who
are about to talk about, is expected to practice and
he did show up to Cowboys training camp. And just
as we're coming back to break, we heard the news
that Ozzy Osbourne passed away at the age of seventy
six to rest in peace to one.
Speaker 3 (23:32):
Of the reality show OG's.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
I mean when that show came out, like MTV early
aughts that that was one of my favorite not that
he is an incredible musician, but one of my favorite
reality shows ever.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
Yeah, I watched it too. I feel like it was
a big part of MTV's lineup. It was on MTV.
Speaker 1 (23:50):
It was like a formative Yeah, it was like a
formative reality show. There hadn't been quite the same sort
of like family like reality show.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
Kelly had the pink hair and yes he was the leader.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
Of Black Sabbath. My buddy Chris Babone reminds me, like
that is known.
Speaker 3 (24:07):
For is his music.
Speaker 2 (24:08):
He lived life to the fullest.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
And that reminds me they had a farewell show for
him just a couple of weeks ago, and no, no,
that's great. I think the fact that he got to
experience it. Obviously, it's tragic, it's unfortunate that he died.
It's it's coming for all of us at some point.
But the fact that they got truth to celebrate him.
Hold that thought. The fact that they celebrate it, it always
(24:35):
makes me think, like all the great things that people
say and do about someone when they die, we should
you need to do that while the people are alive.
I even had an idea for like a podcast like
that we should just like celebrate someone that's actually still alive.
I love this idea while they're still alive and call it.
Speaker 2 (24:55):
Like, no, we should have funerals for people that are still.
Speaker 3 (24:58):
That's what I was gonna say.
Speaker 1 (24:59):
It was called like I brought this up at this segment,
idea up to Emmica actually my wife, and it was
going to be like premature funeral and we just like
talk about how much we love someone you maybe even
have them on the show.
Speaker 3 (25:10):
And she's like, you can't do that.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
She said, no, she shut it down.
Speaker 1 (25:13):
I throw it to the listeners. Well, that's sort of
what they did for Ozzy. Obviously they knew he was
not in great health and he got to go up
on the stage and like sit on a throne and
like he got to have that experience, which is which
is great.
Speaker 2 (25:24):
A celebration of life while you're still living.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
Yes, I don't think you need to wait until that
late or someone sick or something.
Speaker 3 (25:31):
Let's do it.
Speaker 2 (25:32):
Look at you being all sentimental today.
Speaker 4 (25:35):
We're talking about living in the moment, telling people how
great they are before they die.
Speaker 1 (25:41):
I think premature funerals. We got to bring those around.
We need a better Brandy, that's what we need. Okay,
all right, let's let's talk about the the Jerry Jones comments.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
So there were a lot of them.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
They started Cowboys training camp as they always do, with
a big podium, and it's Jerry Jones, the owner Steven Jones,
who's more or less running the team as a GM
even though Jerry has the title, that's his son. And
then coach Brian Schottenheimer, and it's just hilarious. I've been
at this press conference up in Oxnard before, like it
(26:19):
was like Mike McCarthy's first year, and this is Brian
McCarthy's first year, and he gets he's just on the
side and he gets almost no questions, which is just
it's such a funny spot to be. But you know
that you just called him Brian McCarthy, by the way,
did I There is something to that, but Brian Schottenheimer.
Let's listen to part of the press conference, and this
(26:39):
press conference went all over the place where Jerry Jones
talks about Micah Parson's potential contract and brings it up
in the light of Dak Prescott's contract.
Speaker 5 (26:51):
Just because we signed him doesn't mean we're going to
have him. He was hurt six games last year. Seriously,
we've signed a remember signed and a player for the
hass paid its position in the league, and he got
knocked out two thirds of the year Dak Prescott. Oh,
so there's a lot of things you can think about
when you just as the player does, when you're thinking
(27:14):
about committing and guaranteeing money.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
First of all, it's factually incorrect.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Michael Barsons only missed four games Dak Prescott only missed
like a little over half the year, was not two thirds.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
So Jerry Jones embellishing something, so.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
Justin bellishing second.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
It's it's so confusing because if you actually watch the
whole press conference, he he is very positive and complimentary
about Michael Barsons for the most part. So I do
think these quotes which are being passed around we'll talk
about that a little bit, like are only part of
the press conference.
Speaker 3 (27:49):
And he calls Michael Parsons like.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
One of the smartest business people as a player that
he's ever met, and all these stuff. Brian Schottenheimer like
started that clip that we you know, went to Jones
like by saying what an amazing player Michael Parsons is
and all this positive stuff, and then Jerry comes in
with that. But you just get the feeling that like,
at some point of all the talking, he's gonna step
(28:14):
into saying something and that's what's gonna.
Speaker 4 (28:16):
Gets off well, and that's exactly what we're talking about here,
he said.
Speaker 2 (28:22):
He rambled for a while.
Speaker 4 (28:23):
There were I texted Jane Slater and I'm like, why
is he talking about dangling participles so much? Like I
And and then I'm like over here looking up dangling participles.
Speaker 2 (28:33):
I'm like, do I understand the meaning of it?
Speaker 3 (28:35):
No, this is it's more of a grammar term.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
But he was using it in a way to just
say it doesn't bother him that certain things.
Speaker 3 (28:44):
I actually got what he was talking about.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
The contract. We're not gonna have any dangling participles.
Speaker 3 (28:48):
No, I mean, that's like a grammar term.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
But he's saying he doesn't mind going into training camp.
I think, if I'm trying to interpret Jerry, that there's
still situations ongoing, not everything is settled. The Micah Parson
contract is to him a dangling participle going into camp.
I think it's just a dangling issue. It doesn't really
make sense.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
Not really a participle.
Speaker 3 (29:11):
No, no, no.
Speaker 4 (29:13):
But it does remind me of exactly what happened with
Ceedee Lamb and how Jerry was pretty dismissive over that
contract situation, and Ceedee Lamb is like retweeting clips of
Jerry Jones saying lol, like it's the.
Speaker 1 (29:29):
Same exact thing, right, And that brings us to some
social media. So Jerry Jones knows this better than anyone,
Like perception is everything, and the perception of the Cowboys
has grown so much over the years as first America's
team and then just this behemoth that has become reality.
(29:52):
They really are the most valuable and the most watched
talked about team in the league. And my awkward truth
is that I hate to bring it to you, I
mean bring it up, but like, the Cowboys are actually
fascinating this year outside of this whole conversation, outside of
the normal drama, like the actual football team is fascinating.
(30:12):
I think that's actually awkward for all the people that
just complain about the Cowboys getting too much attention, because
to me, they are one of the most fascinating football teams.
I'll put a pin in that for a second, but
let's actually bring up what I was getting at in
terms of perception.
Speaker 3 (30:27):
Here is a JJ Watt.
Speaker 1 (30:29):
Tweet oh from Monday that Micah Parsons himself retweeted, and
jj Watt writes, anytime you can publicly take a dig
at your star quarterback and your star pass rusher simultaneously
right before the season begins, you just gotta take it.
Nothing makes guys want to fight for you more than
(30:50):
hearing how upset you are that they got hurt while
fighting for you, which is just a great tweet by
JJ Watt. I would love it if you brought that
energy to the CBS desk, I think, I mean it isn't.
Speaker 4 (31:04):
He gonna be on the Oh yeah, he starts this year, right, he.
Speaker 1 (31:08):
Was on the desk before, and maybe now he's doing
any more of the game.
Speaker 2 (31:12):
Now he's doing the game.
Speaker 3 (31:12):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (31:13):
I feel like sometimes you get in those pregame shows
and you have the pre show meetings, and I want
to see that JJ Watt fire on the mic, because
then he'll be one of the greats. He did do
Christmas last year, and I thought he did a really
good job.
Speaker 2 (31:25):
He's gonna be with Iron Eagle.
Speaker 1 (31:26):
So JJ is saying all that, and Michael Parsons is
retweeting it, and now, no matter what else you said
in that press conference, JJ, that perception of that being
really the main thing that you said is now reality,
especially to the guy you're negotiating with.
Speaker 2 (31:42):
I don't know why they do this. It's like Jerry
can't get out of his own way.
Speaker 4 (31:47):
He loves to talk, and then he ends up like
slipping up and telling the truth a little bit, and
then that's what ends up getting him in trouble, and
that's not a way to start things out in camp.
Speaker 1 (31:58):
Yeah, I mean I've had time I should shut up,
and I keep talking.
Speaker 3 (32:04):
He literally said that. I'm quoting Jerry Jones.
Speaker 1 (32:07):
He said in the press conference, I've had times that
I should shut up, And you know he's very self aware.
Speaker 2 (32:15):
Greg, how much do you relate to Jerry Jones?
Speaker 3 (32:17):
Not at all? I mean not at all.
Speaker 1 (32:21):
This is a man who's like running a billion dollar business.
But I guess one way is he said in that
press conference about like, do you know much how I've
given up in my life to do this, I'm not
going to give up doing it. Essentially, this is the
thing that he loves. I try to have a much
better work life balance. My family is the most important
thing by far in my life. But I think that's
(32:42):
true for Jerry too, because he just brought them all
along with the business. So he's saying he's not going
to give up doing what's fun. I don't want to
stop doing this. This is this is fun. I do
I do relate to that?
Speaker 2 (32:52):
Well.
Speaker 4 (32:52):
I honestly, I was thinking yesterday after I listened to
the press conference, I'm gonna I'm going to miss these
press conferences from him because they are wildly entertaining for
all the wrong reasons.
Speaker 1 (33:03):
The most interesting part of the press conference was me.
For me was something that wasn't picked up by just
about anyone. He made a little joke at once when
talking about like well because I think they asked them
about why do you wait so long?
Speaker 3 (33:16):
Then the price only goes up?
Speaker 1 (33:17):
And he made a comment about well, like sometimes he
signed guys too early, like Trevon Diggs and Tarren Steele
who are on the twenty twenty five Dallas Cowboys. That's great,
I mean, that's goal.
Speaker 2 (33:30):
What was he talking about?
Speaker 1 (33:31):
Those guys haven't performed well since he signed him to
those contracts. To be clear, he is saying, whoops, Yeah,
I made a mistake there.
Speaker 4 (33:38):
Calling them out like just putting them on notice, and they've.
Speaker 3 (33:42):
Just been hurt.
Speaker 2 (33:42):
Really, it's just like that's rough for them.
Speaker 4 (33:46):
He also was talking about getting like car accidents too,
and he was like, you can get in a car accident.
Speaker 2 (33:51):
Like talking about long term deals.
Speaker 1 (33:53):
Yeah, I think he was just saying, like, look, you
give these deals. Life is unpredictable. Anything can happen. That
is true, Speaking to what I was talking about in
terms of loving what you do, because I do think
Jerry Jones loves what he does. He was asked about
possibly giving up the GM title in Dallas.
Speaker 4 (34:10):
Has stepping away as general manager ever been even a
momentary consideration for you for the years?
Speaker 1 (34:17):
Uh?
Speaker 5 (34:17):
Yes, momentary moment.
Speaker 2 (34:23):
Now we're getting down to it.
Speaker 5 (34:26):
Small fractions of seconds.
Speaker 4 (34:31):
The way that he says it too, all fractions of seconds.
Speaker 3 (34:35):
I'm looking forward.
Speaker 1 (34:35):
He mentioned the Netflix documentary about him about Cowboys that
are coming out.
Speaker 3 (34:40):
I'm looking forward to it.
Speaker 1 (34:42):
If they do as good a job on that as
they did on The Cowboys Cheerleaders. Yeah show, which I
just watched over the last week. After you know, they
all got right recommend I'm actually got to save that
conversation for another day. I think it's it's fascinating, but
that show is awesome in the way that like Quarterback
is a total borer, boring snooze fest. Like there's stakes
and there's characters and everything's good about that show, and
(35:04):
Quarterback is like completely boring. They're just counting on, you know,
the fact that it's Joe Burrow to carry you through.
So I'm looking forward to that. That Cowboys on fo
they got okay, So so he he's not technically the GM,
although he did clarify it from a question from our
colleague and your friend, our friend Jane Slater, that Stephen
(35:26):
Jones is the one talking to the agent and doing
the real negotiating. It's Jerry kind of at the end
just talking to Michael Parsons and the principles. So I
don't think he's doing the day to day stuff necessarily
on contracts.
Speaker 2 (35:35):
Hey, Jerry made clear that he doesn't talk to lawyers,
Like I love that he doesn't talk to agents. He
doesn't talk to lawyers. He talks to the primary person.
Speaker 1 (35:44):
So it's a long way of getting to to my
larger point, which is, yes, the circus is there, Yes
this is all happening, but actually this team is really interesting.
It's fascinating, and I think it has a way higher
ceiling than people realize. Like for some reason, I think
people are losing the idea that I think if they
(36:06):
have a very hard schedule, so that's a problem for
the entire division. But I think, like there is absolutely
a world where they are one of the two or
three best teams in the NFC.
Speaker 2 (36:17):
Really, I think so.
Speaker 3 (36:19):
Like why not.
Speaker 1 (36:20):
They First of all, they won twelve games three straight
years like before last.
Speaker 2 (36:25):
I like this as a really season prediction for you.
Speaker 1 (36:27):
It's not even a prediction because I do think they
have about as big of variants almost as any team.
It could go bad. It's the Cowboys. The things that
make them go bad could go bad. Okay, they have
Dak Prescott right one of the when he's healthy, one
of the best quarterbacks in the league. They have a
young offensive line, which that's part of this whole variance thing.
But they have four like high draft picks, some of
(36:50):
who are really talented, all playing like that. Actually they
actually have a high ceiling for that offensive lane. They
have Cede Lamb. They have George Pickens that is an
not wild that's like an awesome TAANDAM and I like
Ferguson as their tight end. So right there, you're starting
on off It don't like running back at all, but
if you're going to be short at one position, and
then I went through it on the position battles. I
think if you go through their edge group and the
(37:11):
defensive line, and you could make an argument their edge
group if it all goes right, and it's a lot
of guys coming back from injury, young guys. It might
be as good a pass rush as like any team
in the NFL. Wow, Now there's a lot of ifs.
Like the backs. You notice I didn't mention the secondary linebackers.
That doesn't look great, And like the coaches are new
and all.
Speaker 2 (37:31):
Is tough on that defense.
Speaker 1 (37:32):
But like, that's a lot of like positives to me,
and guys I want to watch play football is kind
of the other part of it. Like I love watching
Michael Parsons, He's so much fun play football. I love
watching Dak Prescott play football. I love watching Ceede Lamb
and George Like, to me, they they are really interesting
and the fact that they're to me so unpredictable they
(37:53):
actually are are the football side of it to me
is worth like a lot of discussion this year.
Speaker 4 (37:57):
So you think that the Boys have a higher ceiling
than say, like the Commanders, Yes, way higher.
Speaker 3 (38:04):
I think they're a better team than the Commanders.
Speaker 4 (38:06):
Yeah, Okay, still are you gonna so are you putting
Philly at the top?
Speaker 2 (38:10):
Still that's vision and then Cowboys?
Speaker 1 (38:14):
Yes, But I think if you look at the rest
of the NFC, I don't see like a reason why
the Cowboys couldn't think like, if things go right, we
can be the second or third best team in the NFC.
Obviously you're hoping for just things to go wrong with Philadelphia,
but on paper, they're obviously more talent.
Speaker 3 (38:31):
Yeah, if you're the Cowboys.
Speaker 2 (38:33):
I'm not saying you, well, I think too.
Speaker 4 (38:36):
It's the NFC, so it's definitely nowhere near stack. So
when you say top three, top five, whatever, it sounds
like that's way higher that it should be. But actually
you're right because depending on what happens with the Lions,
you have them, you have the Eagles, and then like,
where where are you going from there?
Speaker 1 (38:53):
I think the obvious like one two going into the
years Eagles, Lions. We know that football historically hasn't been like,
hasn't been as consistent, although actually lately the good teams
have stayed great a little more consistently. And so yeah,
you got to put the Lines and Eagles there. But
to me, the Cowboys, in terms of what they have,
if it wasn't for all this other stuff mucking it up,
(39:15):
like Jerry Jones, I think there's a lot to believe in.
All right, give me, okay, last awkward.
Speaker 4 (39:20):
Truth Okay, last awkward truth is I rescued myself as
a dog again.
Speaker 2 (39:28):
Dog Kima is actually me.
Speaker 4 (39:30):
I didn't realize it at the time, but I was
rescuing a very similar being. Out of all of the
dogs that were available at the pound, I got the
one that had way too much going on, way too
many ailments, was allergic.
Speaker 2 (39:47):
To everything anxious. But Quima. I'm wondering if Keima is
like me, or am.
Speaker 4 (39:54):
I actually like a Border Collie in Conan's body?
Speaker 3 (39:59):
Because what a fascinating thing is.
Speaker 4 (40:02):
If I don't have a job to do, I'll destroy
everything around me.
Speaker 2 (40:05):
I get bored very easily.
Speaker 4 (40:06):
I need a ton of stimulation, and if you don't
pay attention to me, I will make you pay attention
to me. I know I don't deserve a treat, but
I will still help myself to any and all treats
that I find. I'm constantly shedding. There's hair and bobby
pins all over the place. I have incredible fomo and
hate being left home alone when people are doing fun things.
Speaker 2 (40:26):
The only thing I want is my backscratched.
Speaker 4 (40:28):
I want to be showering compliments, told how good I
am and how smart I am, and how beautiful my
code is. And I want to be praised for doing
the most basic of things like sitting down, going to bed,
walking away from I shouldn't be playing with So I'm
a working dog, Greg.
Speaker 3 (40:47):
Bravo.
Speaker 1 (40:48):
I was doubting at first because when I think of Keema,
you know, she's young.
Speaker 2 (40:53):
And well, okay, thanks.
Speaker 3 (40:56):
That's not what I've meant. I just meant.
Speaker 2 (40:58):
Kima's young and she's a puppy nod.
Speaker 1 (41:01):
And she's not behaved like she's had to be taught
how to live in society. And maybe this is what
a like the high school version of Colleen Wolfe was like.
But I don't think of I don't think of Colleen
wolf as someone that's going to be tearing up the
house like if the parents leave.
Speaker 3 (41:22):
But maybe maybe they were.
Speaker 2 (41:23):
I did get in trouble quite a few times for.
Speaker 1 (41:25):
That, okay, so maybe that like was her, that's her
and her teenage.
Speaker 4 (41:29):
My mom once found me in high school. I was
sleeping on the side of the house with a loaf
of bread. So that's kind of what it was like
for me in high school.
Speaker 1 (41:42):
My mom once woke me up, like in in late March.
It was like the first warm day of the year.
And she's like, Greg, come with me, and I was like, what,
it's like six fifteen in the morning. It was the
first warm day of the year. All the snow had
melted in the yard.
Speaker 2 (41:58):
What was under there?
Speaker 1 (41:59):
And he brings me outside and there's just tons of
empty beer cans and cigarette butts on my lawn from
like the huge party that I threw a month and
a half before.
Speaker 3 (42:12):
While they were at it down.
Speaker 2 (42:13):
You thought that you got off scott free.
Speaker 1 (42:16):
I did, like they knew and I knew, and they
even made a joke of like the house is a
little too clean when they got home, and I was.
Speaker 3 (42:23):
Just like, haha, yeah, yeah, but that was about it.
And then a month and a half later, what was
the punishment? Like nothing? What?
Speaker 2 (42:32):
Oh my god, Greg, I got.
Speaker 3 (42:34):
Away with murder.
Speaker 1 (42:34):
I love this and it makes me love Kema even more.
But I gotta meet her. I haven't even you haven't
met her.
Speaker 2 (42:40):
She's actually really good now.
Speaker 3 (42:42):
I haven't even met her. I ring you're in.
Speaker 2 (42:44):
I'm sure that won't be a problem at all.
Speaker 1 (42:46):
Here, Okay, we're gonna have some breaking news actually right now,
and then I will give my last awkward truth because
I think it's gonna be tough to pivot from that one.
Speaker 3 (42:56):
Let's do it.
Speaker 1 (42:57):
Some breaking news, Eric, and I apologize Colleen, you do
not know this is coming, but one of my favorite
players in the NFL over the last decade, Tyron Matthew,
is retiring from the league. Honey Badger, member of the
New Orleans Saints the last couple seasons and was expected
(43:17):
to be this season, has decided to retire. So happy,
happy trails to one of my favorites.
Speaker 2 (43:24):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (43:25):
I feel like with him, he was one of the
first players at his position. Maybe not one of the first,
but we were talking about what a hybrid he was
when he was in Arizona with brus Arians and that whole,
that whole situation there. But I just remember him being
like such a different breed of player.
Speaker 1 (43:46):
And so smart and so impactful when he was great.
I do have like a special affinity for players like this,
Like he was a little up and down and he
had he had the two knee surgeries that he had
to recover from, you know, in college and then and
then in the in the pros, and he overcame it
to be one of the most impactful defensive players in
(44:09):
the league in twenty fifteen, he was already in his
third year. At that point, he was like a just
just to kind of paint the picker, like a defensive
Rookie of the Year Canada as a rookie. And then
he's coming back again from the injury and that twenty
fifteen Cardinals team, which was awesome and was one of
our favorite teams on the Around the NFL podcast, Like
he is a first team All Pro, gets this huge
(44:30):
contract and then unfortunately has to like go through it
all again. But when he was great, he was so
great and was like a true leader I think among
that team and among players, and was one of Chris Westling's, yeah,
all time favorite players. And since he's retiring, you know,
it's probably the last, you know, one of the last
times I can I can tell this story.
Speaker 3 (44:52):
But like, you know, he he reached.
Speaker 1 (44:54):
Out to Chris when Chris was going through his treatments
because he remembered how big of a fan Chris was
as like a professional and just the great.
Speaker 3 (45:04):
Chris wrote a really great.
Speaker 1 (45:06):
Piece on NFL dot com about how great Tyron Matthew
was and that he deserves you know, rookie the you
know player the Defensive Player of the Year consideration and
all this stuff, and Tyron Matthew had like retweeted that
and remembered it, and he reached out to Chris when
he was going through everything, like just on DMS, not
trying to get attention or anything, and it was just
saying that he's pulling form and everything.
Speaker 3 (45:27):
And he reached out to, you know, to Keisha after
Chris died.
Speaker 1 (45:31):
I remember that, and you know, just one of them
dudes if I got a chance to interview him last
year at Saints training game, just one of them dudes
that it's just like a real one and an incredible,
incredible player.
Speaker 2 (45:44):
Incredible player, incredible human.
Speaker 4 (45:46):
I remember when he reached out to Keisha, and I
just like, I mean, stock through the roof for him.
And I just feel like I can even still hear
Wes talking about how great of a player he was,
because Wes loved him so much, and I just think
about he kind of had like a huge impact on
the show back then too, like he was a big
(46:06):
part of.
Speaker 1 (46:07):
It absolutely because you know, he had three first team
All pros, two in a row when he was with
the Chiefs. So he goes to the Chiefs and he
gets a super Bowl title. Was kind of the missing
piece to that defense for the Chiefs if I'm doing
(46:27):
the years right. But that was twenty nineteen. Yes, that
was the Super Bowl victory over the forty nine ers,
and he really helped complete and improve that defense. He
was back the next year and was still great in
the year that they ended up losing at the end.
So he had all these different, you know, parts of
his career. Rehabbed his value when he was with the
(46:48):
Texans and made a really great impact there, and then yeah,
I was able to return home to the Saints the
last couple of years.
Speaker 3 (46:56):
So happy trails to.
Speaker 1 (46:58):
One of our favorites. Yeah, Tyron Matthew. So that's that's
the end of his career. I've been thinking about I've
been thinking about, you know, careers and in life and
this it's gonna sound dark, but it's not dark.
Speaker 3 (47:13):
No, it's not dark.
Speaker 1 (47:14):
But the awkward truth, the awkward truth here is that statistically,
I am likely more closer to the end of my
life than the beginning of my life. Damn it, right, Okay,
log as you say it with a smile on your face.
Speaker 3 (47:32):
It's just true.
Speaker 1 (47:33):
Like, you know, the average age that that people lift
you and that's you know, and I'm forty five. I'm
forty six years old. Now that's just the truth. And
then I was doing the math on my way here.
And this is either my twenty second or twenty third season,
depending if you count. I did half a season when
I when I first started, I started like November one year.
Speaker 3 (47:53):
Doing the NFL.
Speaker 1 (47:54):
And that is certainly more than half of like the
NFL seasons that I would dem that I would be covering.
I mean, I hope I'm still covering in my sixties
or whatever, but that it's not going to be like
a yeah, it's not a business that normally allows or
encourages that or whatever. And so that's that's just the
awkward truth that I'm living with.
Speaker 2 (48:16):
Is this what sparked the idea for the segment?
Speaker 1 (48:20):
No, okay, it's actually the Cowboys for some reason, I
just I just thought that the Cowboys being interesting was like,
you know it.
Speaker 3 (48:30):
But I thought of this on the way into work.
Speaker 4 (48:32):
Yeah, you're you're today. This Greg is very nostalgic. He's
really like, I feel like your mindfulness is better.
Speaker 3 (48:41):
Than I'm fine with it. And what I guess why
I bring it up.
Speaker 1 (48:45):
Is dying is such an awkward topic for almost everyone, right,
I don't think it necessarily should be. It's like the
one thing that literally everyone has in common. Yeah, you
know it is going to happen. And if you haven't
had someone like close to you that died early or
anything like that, then you are blessed. But you should
(49:06):
be aware of that blessed because that is going to
become you know, a big part of your life. And like,
at some level you have to be kind of okay
with that because you you know, don't have a choice.
And I think like America and like are like we're
much worse at this, I think than other societies have been.
Speaker 3 (49:25):
Like throughout history.
Speaker 1 (49:27):
Necessarily, I don't think you have to be as Yes, yes,
I think like in other cultures, like it's more of
a part of.
Speaker 2 (49:35):
Death is a part of life.
Speaker 1 (49:37):
Like what you talk about and you understand it's just like, yeah,
it is a part of life and the death of
your career too.
Speaker 3 (49:42):
I was I was thinking about that a.
Speaker 2 (49:43):
Little bit, like are you saying that while looking I.
Speaker 1 (49:46):
Was actually thinking about that with watching that Cowboys reality
show because they only get five years, and that to
me was like an extreme version. And I think about
it all the time with athletes, like I don't think
for us we can totally understand what they go through
through knowing like what a finite timeline they have in
their career choice that yes, you're rewarded for it in
(50:07):
like football and stuff. Certainly not in every sport, but
that like you know, Joe Burrow was talking about it
too in that show, like you know, like he's in
year five, He's like, you know, he knows he's got
a finite timeline.
Speaker 4 (50:19):
So the window, the window is small, but it's also
the wind that we have shelf life too, yes, And
I would say that, yeah, I mean we are. We've
been doing this for quite some time, so we are
closer to them than we are.
Speaker 3 (50:32):
To the beginning. That's the awkward truth.
Speaker 1 (50:34):
And I guess not to have like a lesson about
it at all, but like I think you, I think
it's like knowing that i've personally that actually gives me
comfort to think about it and talk about it in
a way because then you can like appreciate, like appreciate
while you got it.
Speaker 2 (50:51):
You know, what we're doing.
Speaker 4 (50:52):
We're having a premature funeral for ourselves.
Speaker 2 (50:56):
Right now. Greg, I love working with you so much.
Speaker 4 (50:59):
You been one of my best friends over all of
these years.
Speaker 2 (51:04):
You're so good at what you do.
Speaker 4 (51:05):
I'm so proud of you for launching the show and
doing the full year of it.
Speaker 2 (51:10):
There was so much. You work so hard.
Speaker 4 (51:13):
You also have the life balance work life balance with
your family, which I have no idea how to have
any type of work life balance, So I really it's
an inspiration. But I just think that you are an
incredible human being and I love you.
Speaker 3 (51:26):
Greg. Oh my gosh, thank you.
Speaker 4 (51:30):
That was the premature funeral for Greg. You don't have
to do this for me. I'm not a thank you anyway.
Speaker 1 (51:36):
No, The awkward truth is like for a lot of people,
it's hard to like take compliments or take like a
nice moment and just accept it.
Speaker 3 (51:42):
And I will.
Speaker 1 (51:43):
That's like something I would like to to improve upon.
Speaker 3 (51:46):
But it's true.
Speaker 1 (51:47):
We have had the chance to work together for so long,
like ten plus years doing in that NFL. Now, so
knowing that it's not going to last forever, I can
actually appreciate this particular show on July twenty second, that's right,
twenty twenty five, because who knows, who knows?
Speaker 3 (52:05):
Like Kyle Shanaan.
Speaker 1 (52:05):
Says, if we're going to get another one, we will
have another NFL Daily.
Speaker 2 (52:09):
Oh my god, the show.
Speaker 4 (52:11):
I hope on the twenty third, They're never gonna let
us do a show together alone again.
Speaker 1 (52:18):
Louke Keikley is joining the show, Thank god. Jordan Rodrige,
the athletic Heay also joining the show. And yeah, when
we're we're thinking about mortality, footballs back.
Speaker 2 (52:29):
Yeah,
Welcome to NFL Daily, where the Summer of Connie never
really ends.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
I hate that it has to, but it kind of does.
Speaker 3 (00:12):
We're back.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
We're in the Chris Westling podcast studio, and I'm with
my friend Colleen Wilf.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Hey, so great to see you.
Speaker 4 (00:19):
I can't believe, first of all, that you're even here
right now with the jet lag that you probably are experience.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
We're good, My god, we're warming up, we're feeling alive.
You're telling yourself that we're seeing you know, we're doing
a show together. I was thinking we this is a first,
but you reminded me way back in the NFL Digital
NFL nowadays, we used to do that.
Speaker 4 (00:40):
Kind of stuff all the time, like ten years ago
and ten years ago.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
It's been a minute, and that's going to be part
of one of my awkward.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Truth Oh no, it is okay.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Not exactly NFL now, but just the passage of time.
So we're going doing things a little bit differently. We
usually start with a big chunk of news, right there,
really wasn't great news today, and the news that we have.
All the teams are reporting to training camp so they
they'll start practicing on Wednesday, and the news will really
(01:12):
pick up from there, but most of the news we
had we decided we could kind of fold in, so
it's all happening. You're going on the road, I am.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
I was thinking this morning, like, when is Aaron Rodgers
going to do something, because Tuesdays is usually the Aaron
Rodgers day in terms of news, but we didn't get it. So, yeah,
you're right, it's really just training camps, and I'm going
on the road.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
I'm excited about it.
Speaker 4 (01:33):
I am heading up close one first, going to Oxnard
for Cowboys training camp, and we're gonna talk about Cowboys
a lot today after Jerry Jones had a lot to say.
Then I'm going to Philly, very pumped about that. Philly
to Denver, yeah, oh, get to talk to my guy
Sean Payton. And then I was supposed to go to
(01:55):
New York for Giants training camp, but I don't know
what how and all of a sudden, I'm.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Not going to Giants.
Speaker 4 (02:03):
So wow, going back to Philly and then to Washington
are you can't imagine why.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
I'm not going to suggesting that maybe your anti Giants
agenda on this very show impacted that way.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Unfortunately, none of them listened. To NFL Daily.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
But I do thank NFL Network for sending me like
five new NFL Network polos, even though I'm not on
inside training camps.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
Take the shirts. They're great gifts.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Are they the Tommy Bahama one?
Speaker 1 (02:33):
Yeah, they're nice, they're breathing, They're nice and nice little
zip up. So, yes, we're going to go through awkward
truce in the NFL. You mentioned the Broncos. They're they're
going to be featured in this show. You mentioned the
Cowboys they are as well. I don't like to think
of us as awkward people.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Do you mean?
Speaker 1 (02:51):
We absolutely are, But I think other people feel awkward
around us, but we're just being us.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
That's true. I mean that's on them.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
Maybe maybe on the inside we are. I will let
you start.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
I was just thinking, like, I am so incredibly awkward
at saying goodbye to people. Yes, it's it's one of
my weaknesses in life.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
Okay, here we go.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
We both are awkward. I guess I need that podcasting.
We'll find out.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (03:18):
Okay, So the awkward truth about the Bengals is their
toughest opponent isn't the Chiefs or the Bills. It's the
front offense. The call is coming from inside the house.
They have a rich history of mishandling personnel and contracts.
(03:38):
They are never proactive, They're always just reactive. They've mishandled
draft assets going way back, and they just repeatedly underinvest
in the defense.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Which is obviously the issue right now.
Speaker 4 (03:52):
And we know Trey Hendrickson he got an offer that
he called criminally low in terms of a contract and
he's not showing up at training camp under his current deal.
But it's a pattern from the organization that is all
about short term savings instead of some type of like
(04:13):
and like long term cost basically, so they never are
investing in the future. It's always like what like a
band aids situation for them. And now you look at
this team. Last year, the defense was such a liability.
They have a new defensive coordinator. Yeah, Al Golden was
there before, but still you have a whole new situation
because lou Anarumo was there for a while six years.
(04:38):
And you have first round pick Shamar Stewart who's also
in a standoff, the only first round pick from twenty
twenty five that is not signed yet because they want
to put some unprecedented language into the contract. So just
on principle, Shamar Stewart doesn't want to sign because he
wants his guarantee to be guaranteed like all of.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
The others before him.
Speaker 4 (05:00):
So they didn't invest in the offensive line until Joe
Burrow was hurt.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
And it still isn't quite right.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
Not great. The guards aren't great.
Speaker 4 (05:09):
No, they still neglected the defense this off season, didn't
really do a whole lot. So the impact is just
like the reputation of the entire organization. Players don't want
to go there because they know that they are pinching
pennies all the time and it's just so much pressure
on the offense. Mike Brown came out had some things
(05:29):
to say, also said that Trey Hendrickson is not so
easy to deal with, but.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
Called them emotional.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
Oh my god, that's a trigger.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Now, it's like telling someone to relax.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
Now. On one hand, I thought, oh, that's gonna get
him emotional if he is emotional, hearing that you're an emotional.
On the other hand, I thought, actually, maybe it's a
step forward hearing a boss call a guy emotional, because
I feel like that that's kind of a trigger for
a lot of women, a lot it's like a code
for being woman. You're getting called emotional, and so he's
(06:02):
doing it for Trey, so maybe it's almost a step
forward here.
Speaker 4 (06:04):
I feel like that Jender quard upling down on how
bad that comment is.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
He did post on ig Trey Hendrickson, and we knew
that because of his Instagram account. He was in Ohio
and he was that we believed he was going to
be possibly reporting to camp. And then he did send
an Instagram story. If you're watching on YouTube, please check
us out subscribe a beautiful sunset I believe maybe sunrise
(06:31):
in Florida.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
So he's he's out. That is kind of emotion, but.
Speaker 4 (06:36):
I like it, but also like, yeah, he without Trey Hendrickson,
what is your defense? Like they were so bad last
year and they had the sack leader, so then you
take him out of the mix, Like they owe him
what they owe him, pay him what he's.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
Owed, right, and they said he deserves a raise, and
the reporting from Pro Football Talk was that he's only
gotten one year of guaranteed money in the offer, So
forget even what the average salary is, He's not gonna
make as much as t J. Watt and Miles Garrett,
but where is he gonna fit in sort of underneath
that average per year.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
That's one thing. TJ.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
Watt, who's in the division, is also over thirty. Like Hendrickson,
signing that deal was bad news for the Bengals because
they guaranteed him three full years. That's like in the
middle of your prime, you know, quarterback type money. And
now Hendrickson, who's only getting the offer for one that's
(07:37):
gonna make you leave town. And it reminds me a
lot of a year ago. And speaking of emotional Nick Wesseling,
our friend the Problem, you know, the brother of the
great Chris Westling, who this podcast studio was named after.
We were we were texting yesterday, met him and his
brother Phil, and he was quite emotional. I'm calling it
(07:59):
up on my computer here, and he you say, like,
what are we excited about is watching the Bengals up
every single year. It's comical at this point, missed the
playoffs last year because Chase sat out and then looked
like the first two weeks. Now the same with Hendrickson
and their first round picks for the Bengals.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
I can almost hear Wes saying that, Okay.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
I'm sorry, Nick, for not having you on to say that.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
I'm also sorry to Eric for having to bleep all
that out, but it's actually kind of a convenient way
for someone outside this studio to say all that stuff.
Speaker 4 (08:32):
Yeah, Like, wow, I'm so sorry to the Westlings and
to all Bengals fans out there what you have to
deal with, Like, come.
Speaker 3 (08:41):
Here's the thing.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
And so I really like this being the first choice
for the awkward truth said because it's absolutely fitting the definition.
Because they're fans for the most part, don't want to
believe this. They point to, look how much money we spend.
It's actually not true. And actually, look what you just
did for t Higgins and Jamar Chase. Like when that happened,
(09:03):
everyone was like, see the Bengals aren't that old school
franchise that you think they are.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
Like, that's not true.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
And then we get here and it is just an
awkward truth you have to accept. And I think if
you love the Bengals, you have to accept maybe that
they're run a different sort of way.
Speaker 4 (09:17):
Well, yeah, and you just went through this last year
and now you're doing the same exact thing, just with
your best defensive player.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
He's a captain, he's.
Speaker 4 (09:27):
A leader on the team, So you're not just taking
away him on the field, you're taking away all of
the other stuff that comes with it, all of the intangibles.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
But I just like, I can't believe they operate this way.
Speaker 4 (09:39):
They always start slow, and now with this, you have
to wonder if that's going to happen again.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
Yeah, that defensive end position we talked about in the
position battles. Everyone really comment to me that we went
big there, fifty nine.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
They liked it.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
So I believe the Bengals edge group was number five
or six or seven, and that includes in theory, Trey
Hendrickson and Shamar Stewart, but neither one of them are
in camp.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
All right, my first awkward truth.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
Okay, this is more of like a big picture of
just what it's like to be a fan. I went
to the FDN Almanac. We're gonna have the writer that
Aaron Schatz or the editor of that on the show
later this week, used to be Football Outsiders.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
I think they're the best in terms of analytics.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
Went to see what their numbers were, and it's very
similar to Vegas of chances to win the Super Bowl.
And here are just some percentage the Lions, according to
FDN Almanac, have a twelve point one percent chance.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
To win the Super Bowl this year.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
The Buffalo Bills, I think we're second or third most likely.
So you think, oh, that's that's awesome. They're one of
the favorites. These are two of the best five teams league.
They have a fourteen point seven percent chance to win
the Super Bowl.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
And what the awkward.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
Truth is is that, like, even when your team is
freaking awesome and you're in the good old days, the
chances of your season ending in complete heartbreak are extraordinarily high.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
That's the awkward truth. I think thirty one teams like that.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
Fans kind of forget that, like cause you hear, oh,
the Bills have the second best chance or the third
best chance, and that sounds great.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
Like like that.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
That's like no, Like if you had something in life
that you have an eighty five percent chance of happening,
If you have an eighty five percent chance of getting
a bonus this year, or like winning a million.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
Dollars, damn good, you're spending that money.
Speaker 1 (11:30):
Yeah, And there's an eighty five percent chance, according to
the best people in the game, that the Bills are
gonna end in heartbreak. It's just like you have to
I think you have to prepare yourself with that awkward youth.
Speaker 4 (11:41):
Well listen, come on, Greg, this is a time of positivity.
It's training camp. Everyone is looking for. No one has
made a bad coaching decision yet. Yeah, no one has
made has fumbled the ball, no one has messed up
a game, no one has missed a kick.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
This is like you know, spring Hope's eternal. Wait, that's
not it.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
It's homecoming. That is Jim Harba's word for what's happened
this week. I'll spin it positive. And what I would
say is it's easy to say and harder to do,
is just enjoy the ride, enjoy the process, knowing that,
knowing that that's the truth. Can you find joy out
of hate? Like we're winning most of these games, we're
(12:25):
in the mix. It's not always gonna be like that,
So try to enjoy the way there before.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Everyone to have fun, especially if you're good.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Yeah, oh yeah, Like I think, I think of the
Celtics a couple of years ago. Their fans were miserable
the whole championship season of all the things that we're
gonna go wrong and we or we're going right.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
They didn't even enjoy the one season that was good.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
I'm saying like, at some point, this Josh Allen arrow
will end and you'll look back and you'll think how
great it is, and maybe they will get a super
Bowl one of these years. But I think you have
to go into the season. And this is true for
every team. It's for your Eagles. You know that ultimately
like that it's extraordinarily likely that it's going to end
with hurt, which is tough.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
That's life, though, Greg.
Speaker 3 (13:11):
I have another awkward truth about that, all right.
Speaker 4 (13:13):
Give me. But also that is a it's a good
message by you to just like be present and like
live in this moment right now, not looking ahead, not looking.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
Back, and also lower your expectations.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Yes, I think that's an important part of life, is
you know, keep.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
Keep the bar on the ground.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
No, it just like, don't have like.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
Things, just don't have any expectations none. Just just come
in and see what happens.
Speaker 2 (13:38):
I mean I do kind of like that.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
You go with the flow, man, all right, give me
another one.
Speaker 4 (13:42):
Okay, So my next one is the Patriots are a
playoff team again.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
Wow, So this is a this is more of a
take than than a truth, it is.
Speaker 4 (13:53):
Well, I guess the truth is like we're gonna have
to deal with the Patriots a lot more.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
Colleen, maybe not, you know, completely understanding the exercise again.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
No, no, no awkward truth that.
Speaker 4 (14:02):
Oh god, now Greg is going to be honking about
the Patriots?
Speaker 2 (14:05):
Is that a better Angle's that's fair? There we go.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
They are relevant no matter what.
Speaker 4 (14:11):
Well, I just think with the roster turnover and Mike
Rabel there with an entire culture shift. Mean, you have,
of the ninety players on the roster right now, only
forty eight were with New England last season, So that's
forty two players gone, which is roughly forty seven percent.
Basically half the team has been turned over. Nearly the
(14:34):
entire coaching staff is new at this point, so it's
a significant amount of change which Rabel comes in and
he's shifting the culture there, which needed to happen. I
love the defensive additions that they had this season, with
Milton Williams bringing him in from Philly, Harold Landry, Carlton Davis, Roberts, Bulane,
(14:55):
they overhauled the entire pass rush. I mean, I just
I think that this is a situation for Drake May
this year that he can develop into something way with
improved chemistry, and you have Mike McDaniels there.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
They're supposed to be.
Speaker 3 (15:13):
So why is this awkward? Why is this even awkward?
Speaker 4 (15:15):
I'm just saying it's awkward for anyone who doesn't like
the Patriots and who were happy that the Patriots dynasty
was done for a while, and I feel like now
they're back.
Speaker 5 (15:23):
Mm.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
That's a good point because we're gonna have Bridget Condon
on the show later this week, and like me, she's
a fellow mass Yeah, there is no more obnoxious fan base,
I would say, and the Patriots fan base has been
humbled and had to mostly stay quiet, not that they
have really not even that long.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
How many years has it been.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
It's been like four since they really four or five,
it's been five since they were like a decent team.
They did have that Cam Newton season which you made.
Speaker 4 (15:55):
The playoff I had the Dolphins just like never still
weren't able to take advantage of this in the division.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
It is a little awkward. I guess I got to
see it first.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
Everything for me with them, they are a much more
exciting team and they are going to be I think
for the entire tenure of Drake May. But this version
this much change all at once. Rabel having to show
to me that he actually can coach up a great
defense because he really hasn't that often. He's got good personnel,
(16:24):
like I got to I guess I gotta see it.
But if nothing else, they're going to be interesting and relevant.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
It's tough schedule.
Speaker 4 (16:31):
It's gonna go one of two ways. It's going to
be really great or it's going to be a dumpster fire.
But their schedule early is like pretty easy.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
Yes, I misspoke, I meant to say, like a very
easy schedule. In general, I think the afcast schedule could rise,
could help everyone. All Right, I'm gonna do one. And
this is just this is a just a truth. It's
a fact. Aaron Rodgers will be forty two years old
when this season ends. Okay, here's another fact. Here is
(17:03):
a list of quarterbacks that finished the season aged forty two.
And let's just throw out like a really low bar
and threw for two thousand yards okay, or even I
think it's twelve touchdowns. Here's the list of quarterbacks that old,
that's ever done that. Tom Brady that's it. That's the list.
Speaker 2 (17:25):
No way.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
Now it was Tom Brady in twenty nineteen, twenty twenty,
twenty twenty one, and twenty twenty two.
Speaker 3 (17:30):
Which is crazy.
Speaker 4 (17:31):
Peyton Manning didn't throw Oh no, I really think he
was gone. I know that his arm was gone.
Speaker 3 (17:35):
Even Braze was.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
Gone by then, like like the only guys they didn't.
The only guys on this list that even played were
Warren Moon like ten games with the Seahawks. He was
the next best, George Blanda, who was a kicker and
a quarterback like back in the forties. I think Vinnie
(17:56):
Testa Verdi head somewhere. He started it where he was
like a backup, uh and played like half the season,
and that's it.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
This is like unchartered territory. Now.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
I think he will top those marks you do, because
he was healthy enough to last the season last year,
and if he's healthy the way the NFL's run and
even if you know, he'll do that. But I think
it's a reminder to like keep expectations extremely low.
Speaker 3 (18:21):
Again.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
I mean, I.
Speaker 4 (18:23):
Don't know whose expectations Okay, very hot, it's very.
Speaker 1 (18:27):
Maybe for yours. No, I'm just kind of a hater
and this is just a way to pour salt on
the wound.
Speaker 4 (18:32):
No, I would love to see the Steelers be successful,
especially on offense.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
They haven't in really.
Speaker 4 (18:39):
Yeah, I don't have an issue with the Steelers.
Speaker 1 (18:43):
That's that's giving like the Super Bowls in the last
seven years or whatever. It's just more generous. Yeah, because,
like I.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
Know, I don't not really worried about them.
Speaker 1 (18:55):
I don't necessarily want them to do well. But there's
also just no to me, there's not a lot of reason.
And I guess it's probably for Steelers fans that it's
an awkward truth. I do feel like Steelers fans are
buying into the idea, and even the national media I
would say consensus is like, well, worst case they upgraded
at quarterback, and I would argue, like, I don't know
about that.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (19:15):
It sort of feels like how it felt when Rogers
went to the Jets, like that before that first season,
the year that they were doing hard knocks and the
buzz around the team and the excitement because it was
new and it was Aaron Rodgers. But it's been so
long since he's been really really productive on the field.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
It's a tough one.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
It is a tough one. I'm going to throw out
another like very quick one, okay. And this, I admittedly
was going to be part of our news segment, and
we realized that there's just like not enough news out there.
So I came up with an awkward truth, but I
believe in it. Zach Tom okay, yep is the best
player on the Packers, the best play And the fact
(19:57):
that Zach Tom's contract, he's a town who just got
an eighty eight million dollar four year extension, thirty million
dollars signing bonus, the fact that his extension caused a
large swath of football Twitter and Blue Sky to be like,
what are the Packers doing?
Speaker 3 (20:15):
Like who is Zach Tom? Are you kidding me?
Speaker 1 (20:18):
Oh no, they themselves is a sign that you don't
know ball and they're getting ahead of things. I went
through the list of players on the Packers, and first
of all, he's one of the best young tackles in
the league and they're getting him at a reduced rate.
Twenty two a year on the extension plus the years
that were already there is actually extremely low for like
(20:39):
a top ten tackle, which at this point I would
say he is, and he's only getting better maybe maybe
top five eventually. So they're doing good business. But then
I looked at the entire Packers roster and I don't
know if you want to do it with me.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
Oh my god, yeah, I'd like to have right now, name.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
Name the player on the Packers roster. And this is
maybe a concern, this is maybe an awkward truth for
the Packers and their Super Bowl hopes. Like who is
a better player at their position than Zach Tom, a young,
improving tackle who's shown versatilities on the right side? Is
Oh wow, you could throw in Jordan Love, but I
(21:17):
don't know. I mean, compared to other quarterbacks, I would
say he's not at that level.
Speaker 2 (21:22):
You know, I have a Josh Jacob.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
Josh Jacobs is a solid pick.
Speaker 4 (21:25):
Yeah, okay, but look at the contract always doing him?
Speaker 1 (21:28):
Who is who is paid quite a bit more? I
mean I know that you could make that argument for
Jordan Love. Xavier McKenney. Yeah, maybe is the best player
on the Packers. Wow, there's a case. There's a solid
case for Zach Tom. Not like a super top heavy team.
Speaker 4 (21:43):
Well, Zach Tom, first of all, is not going to
get the love that he deserves because he's an offensive lineman.
Speaker 3 (21:48):
We're giving it to him.
Speaker 4 (21:49):
But yeah, exactly, that's what this show gives you something
that no one else will. Zach Tom, this one's for you.
Speaker 2 (21:55):
Also, the name Tom, it's just sort of two first names.
Speaker 1 (21:59):
It's just so it's like seven letters. Let's try a
little harder, like.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
The whole thing.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
I would think, well, you know what, let's simplify things.
Speaker 1 (22:06):
It's just sort of maybe it's not forgettable. It's just
Zach Tom. It's just it hasn't really caught fire. Remember
David Baktiari, Like that's a that's an all pro left
tackle type of name.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
Zach Tom plays on the right side. But Zach Tom.
Speaker 1 (22:19):
I think that's part of the reason he hasn't caught
That's the national.
Speaker 2 (22:23):
He's been good for like three straight years.
Speaker 1 (22:25):
He's been good. He's been getting better and better. A
young player, by.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
The way, rather his name be Tom Zach Thana Tom.
Speaker 3 (22:31):
No, Zach Tom's better.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
Okay, let's take a quick break, and we have been
flirting with talking about the Cowboys. We are going to
dive into the Cowboys a little bit back on NFL Daily.
(22:54):
Just a couple of little items. As the players are
showing up for training camp. Juwan Jennings is in camp
even though he asked trade. Kyrid Williams wants a contract,
but he is at camp. James Cook the Bills is
at camp. And part of it is the new CBA.
You kind of have to show up or you risk
not getting a year accrued. So the old hold it
(23:15):
right and we'll see if they practice. Michael Parsons, who
are about to talk about, is expected to practice and
he did show up to Cowboys training camp. And just
as we're coming back to break, we heard the news
that Ozzy Osbourne passed away at the age of seventy
six to rest in peace to one.
Speaker 3 (23:32):
Of the reality show OG's.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
I mean when that show came out, like MTV early
aughts that that was one of my favorite not that
he is an incredible musician, but one of my favorite
reality shows ever.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
Yeah, I watched it too. I feel like it was
a big part of MTV's lineup. It was on MTV.
Speaker 1 (23:50):
It was like a formative Yeah, it was like a
formative reality show. There hadn't been quite the same sort
of like family like reality show.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
Kelly had the pink hair and yes he was the leader.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
Of Black Sabbath. My buddy Chris Babone reminds me, like
that is known.
Speaker 3 (24:07):
For is his music.
Speaker 2 (24:08):
He lived life to the fullest.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
And that reminds me they had a farewell show for
him just a couple of weeks ago, and no, no,
that's great. I think the fact that he got to
experience it. Obviously, it's tragic, it's unfortunate that he died.
It's it's coming for all of us at some point.
But the fact that they got truth to celebrate him.
Hold that thought. The fact that they celebrate it, it always
(24:35):
makes me think, like all the great things that people
say and do about someone when they die, we should
you need to do that while the people are alive.
I even had an idea for like a podcast like
that we should just like celebrate someone that's actually still alive.
I love this idea while they're still alive and call it.
Speaker 2 (24:55):
Like, no, we should have funerals for people that are still.
Speaker 3 (24:58):
That's what I was gonna say.
Speaker 1 (24:59):
It was called like I brought this up at this segment,
idea up to Emmica actually my wife, and it was
going to be like premature funeral and we just like
talk about how much we love someone you maybe even
have them on the show.
Speaker 3 (25:10):
And she's like, you can't do that.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
She said, no, she shut it down.
Speaker 1 (25:13):
I throw it to the listeners. Well, that's sort of
what they did for Ozzy. Obviously they knew he was
not in great health and he got to go up
on the stage and like sit on a throne and
like he got to have that experience, which is which
is great.
Speaker 2 (25:24):
A celebration of life while you're still living.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
Yes, I don't think you need to wait until that
late or someone sick or something.
Speaker 3 (25:31):
Let's do it.
Speaker 2 (25:32):
Look at you being all sentimental today.
Speaker 4 (25:35):
We're talking about living in the moment, telling people how
great they are before they die.
Speaker 1 (25:41):
I think premature funerals. We got to bring those around.
We need a better Brandy, that's what we need. Okay,
all right, let's let's talk about the the Jerry Jones comments.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
So there were a lot of them.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
They started Cowboys training camp as they always do, with
a big podium, and it's Jerry Jones, the owner Steven Jones,
who's more or less running the team as a GM
even though Jerry has the title, that's his son. And
then coach Brian Schottenheimer, and it's just hilarious. I've been
at this press conference up in Oxnard before, like it
(26:19):
was like Mike McCarthy's first year, and this is Brian
McCarthy's first year, and he gets he's just on the
side and he gets almost no questions, which is just
it's such a funny spot to be. But you know
that you just called him Brian McCarthy, by the way,
did I There is something to that, but Brian Schottenheimer.
Let's listen to part of the press conference, and this
(26:39):
press conference went all over the place where Jerry Jones
talks about Micah Parson's potential contract and brings it up
in the light of Dak Prescott's contract.
Speaker 5 (26:51):
Just because we signed him doesn't mean we're going to
have him. He was hurt six games last year. Seriously,
we've signed a remember signed and a player for the
hass paid its position in the league, and he got
knocked out two thirds of the year Dak Prescott. Oh,
so there's a lot of things you can think about
when you just as the player does, when you're thinking
(27:14):
about committing and guaranteeing money.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
First of all, it's factually incorrect.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Michael Barsons only missed four games Dak Prescott only missed
like a little over half the year, was not two thirds.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
So Jerry Jones embellishing something, so.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
Justin bellishing second.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
It's it's so confusing because if you actually watch the
whole press conference, he he is very positive and complimentary
about Michael Barsons for the most part. So I do
think these quotes which are being passed around we'll talk
about that a little bit, like are only part of
the press conference.
Speaker 3 (27:49):
And he calls Michael Parsons like.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
One of the smartest business people as a player that
he's ever met, and all these stuff. Brian Schottenheimer like
started that clip that we you know, went to Jones
like by saying what an amazing player Michael Parsons is
and all this positive stuff, and then Jerry comes in
with that. But you just get the feeling that like,
at some point of all the talking, he's gonna step
(28:14):
into saying something and that's what's gonna.
Speaker 4 (28:16):
Gets off well, and that's exactly what we're talking about here,
he said.
Speaker 2 (28:22):
He rambled for a while.
Speaker 4 (28:23):
There were I texted Jane Slater and I'm like, why
is he talking about dangling participles so much? Like I
And and then I'm like over here looking up dangling participles.
Speaker 2 (28:33):
I'm like, do I understand the meaning of it?
Speaker 3 (28:35):
No, this is it's more of a grammar term.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
But he was using it in a way to just
say it doesn't bother him that certain things.
Speaker 3 (28:44):
I actually got what he was talking about.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
The contract. We're not gonna have any dangling participles.
Speaker 3 (28:48):
No, I mean, that's like a grammar term.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
But he's saying he doesn't mind going into training camp.
I think, if I'm trying to interpret Jerry, that there's
still situations ongoing, not everything is settled. The Micah Parson
contract is to him a dangling participle going into camp.
I think it's just a dangling issue. It doesn't really
make sense.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
Not really a participle.
Speaker 3 (29:11):
No, no, no.
Speaker 4 (29:13):
But it does remind me of exactly what happened with
Ceedee Lamb and how Jerry was pretty dismissive over that
contract situation, and Ceedee Lamb is like retweeting clips of
Jerry Jones saying lol, like it's the.
Speaker 1 (29:29):
Same exact thing, right, And that brings us to some
social media. So Jerry Jones knows this better than anyone,
Like perception is everything, and the perception of the Cowboys
has grown so much over the years as first America's
team and then just this behemoth that has become reality.
(29:52):
They really are the most valuable and the most watched
talked about team in the league. And my awkward truth
is that I hate to bring it to you, I
mean bring it up, but like, the Cowboys are actually
fascinating this year outside of this whole conversation, outside of
the normal drama, like the actual football team is fascinating.
(30:12):
I think that's actually awkward for all the people that
just complain about the Cowboys getting too much attention, because
to me, they are one of the most fascinating football teams.
I'll put a pin in that for a second, but
let's actually bring up what I was getting at in
terms of perception.
Speaker 3 (30:27):
Here is a JJ Watt.
Speaker 1 (30:29):
Tweet oh from Monday that Micah Parsons himself retweeted, and
jj Watt writes, anytime you can publicly take a dig
at your star quarterback and your star pass rusher simultaneously
right before the season begins, you just gotta take it.
Nothing makes guys want to fight for you more than
(30:50):
hearing how upset you are that they got hurt while
fighting for you, which is just a great tweet by
JJ Watt. I would love it if you brought that
energy to the CBS desk, I think, I mean it isn't.
Speaker 4 (31:04):
He gonna be on the Oh yeah, he starts this year, right, he.
Speaker 1 (31:08):
Was on the desk before, and maybe now he's doing
any more of the game.
Speaker 2 (31:12):
Now he's doing the game.
Speaker 3 (31:12):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (31:13):
I feel like sometimes you get in those pregame shows
and you have the pre show meetings, and I want
to see that JJ Watt fire on the mic, because
then he'll be one of the greats. He did do
Christmas last year, and I thought he did a really
good job.
Speaker 2 (31:25):
He's gonna be with Iron Eagle.
Speaker 1 (31:26):
So JJ is saying all that, and Michael Parsons is
retweeting it, and now, no matter what else you said
in that press conference, JJ, that perception of that being
really the main thing that you said is now reality,
especially to the guy you're negotiating with.
Speaker 2 (31:42):
I don't know why they do this. It's like Jerry
can't get out of his own way.
Speaker 4 (31:47):
He loves to talk, and then he ends up like
slipping up and telling the truth a little bit, and
then that's what ends up getting him in trouble, and
that's not a way to start things out in camp.
Speaker 1 (31:58):
Yeah, I mean I've had time I should shut up,
and I keep talking.
Speaker 3 (32:04):
He literally said that. I'm quoting Jerry Jones.
Speaker 1 (32:07):
He said in the press conference, I've had times that
I should shut up, And you know he's very self aware.
Speaker 2 (32:15):
Greg, how much do you relate to Jerry Jones?
Speaker 3 (32:17):
Not at all? I mean not at all.
Speaker 1 (32:21):
This is a man who's like running a billion dollar business.
But I guess one way is he said in that
press conference about like, do you know much how I've
given up in my life to do this, I'm not
going to give up doing it. Essentially, this is the
thing that he loves. I try to have a much
better work life balance. My family is the most important
thing by far in my life. But I think that's
(32:42):
true for Jerry too, because he just brought them all
along with the business. So he's saying he's not going
to give up doing what's fun. I don't want to
stop doing this. This is this is fun. I do
I do relate to that?
Speaker 2 (32:52):
Well.
Speaker 4 (32:52):
I honestly, I was thinking yesterday after I listened to
the press conference, I'm gonna I'm going to miss these
press conferences from him because they are wildly entertaining for
all the wrong reasons.
Speaker 1 (33:03):
The most interesting part of the press conference was me.
For me was something that wasn't picked up by just
about anyone. He made a little joke at once when
talking about like well because I think they asked them
about why do you wait so long?
Speaker 3 (33:16):
Then the price only goes up?
Speaker 1 (33:17):
And he made a comment about well, like sometimes he
signed guys too early, like Trevon Diggs and Tarren Steele
who are on the twenty twenty five Dallas Cowboys. That's great,
I mean, that's goal.
Speaker 2 (33:30):
What was he talking about?
Speaker 1 (33:31):
Those guys haven't performed well since he signed him to
those contracts. To be clear, he is saying, whoops, Yeah,
I made a mistake there.
Speaker 4 (33:38):
Calling them out like just putting them on notice, and they've.
Speaker 3 (33:42):
Just been hurt.
Speaker 2 (33:42):
Really, it's just like that's rough for them.
Speaker 4 (33:46):
He also was talking about getting like car accidents too,
and he was like, you can get in a car accident.
Speaker 2 (33:51):
Like talking about long term deals.
Speaker 1 (33:53):
Yeah, I think he was just saying, like, look, you
give these deals. Life is unpredictable. Anything can happen. That
is true, Speaking to what I was talking about in
terms of loving what you do, because I do think
Jerry Jones loves what he does. He was asked about
possibly giving up the GM title in Dallas.
Speaker 4 (34:10):
Has stepping away as general manager ever been even a
momentary consideration for you for the years?
Speaker 1 (34:17):
Uh?
Speaker 5 (34:17):
Yes, momentary moment.
Speaker 2 (34:23):
Now we're getting down to it.
Speaker 5 (34:26):
Small fractions of seconds.
Speaker 4 (34:31):
The way that he says it too, all fractions of seconds.
Speaker 3 (34:35):
I'm looking forward.
Speaker 1 (34:35):
He mentioned the Netflix documentary about him about Cowboys that
are coming out.
Speaker 3 (34:40):
I'm looking forward to it.
Speaker 1 (34:42):
If they do as good a job on that as
they did on The Cowboys Cheerleaders. Yeah show, which I
just watched over the last week. After you know, they
all got right recommend I'm actually got to save that
conversation for another day. I think it's it's fascinating, but
that show is awesome in the way that like Quarterback
is a total borer, boring snooze fest. Like there's stakes
and there's characters and everything's good about that show, and
(35:04):
Quarterback is like completely boring. They're just counting on, you know,
the fact that it's Joe Burrow to carry you through.
So I'm looking forward to that. That Cowboys on fo
they got okay, So so he he's not technically the GM,
although he did clarify it from a question from our
colleague and your friend, our friend Jane Slater, that Stephen
(35:26):
Jones is the one talking to the agent and doing
the real negotiating. It's Jerry kind of at the end
just talking to Michael Parsons and the principles. So I
don't think he's doing the day to day stuff necessarily
on contracts.
Speaker 2 (35:35):
Hey, Jerry made clear that he doesn't talk to lawyers,
Like I love that he doesn't talk to agents. He
doesn't talk to lawyers. He talks to the primary person.
Speaker 1 (35:44):
So it's a long way of getting to to my
larger point, which is, yes, the circus is there, Yes
this is all happening, but actually this team is really interesting.
It's fascinating, and I think it has a way higher
ceiling than people realize. Like for some reason, I think
people are losing the idea that I think if they
(36:06):
have a very hard schedule, so that's a problem for
the entire division. But I think, like there is absolutely
a world where they are one of the two or
three best teams in the NFC.
Speaker 2 (36:17):
Really, I think so.
Speaker 3 (36:19):
Like why not.
Speaker 1 (36:20):
They First of all, they won twelve games three straight
years like before last.
Speaker 2 (36:25):
I like this as a really season prediction for you.
Speaker 1 (36:27):
It's not even a prediction because I do think they
have about as big of variants almost as any team.
It could go bad. It's the Cowboys. The things that
make them go bad could go bad. Okay, they have
Dak Prescott right one of the when he's healthy, one
of the best quarterbacks in the league. They have a
young offensive line, which that's part of this whole variance thing.
But they have four like high draft picks, some of
(36:50):
who are really talented, all playing like that. Actually they
actually have a high ceiling for that offensive lane. They
have Cede Lamb. They have George Pickens that is an
not wild that's like an awesome TAANDAM and I like
Ferguson as their tight end. So right there, you're starting
on off It don't like running back at all, but
if you're going to be short at one position, and
then I went through it on the position battles. I
think if you go through their edge group and the
(37:11):
defensive line, and you could make an argument their edge
group if it all goes right, and it's a lot
of guys coming back from injury, young guys. It might
be as good a pass rush as like any team
in the NFL. Wow, Now there's a lot of ifs.
Like the backs. You notice I didn't mention the secondary linebackers.
That doesn't look great, And like the coaches are new
and all.
Speaker 2 (37:31):
Is tough on that defense.
Speaker 1 (37:32):
But like, that's a lot of like positives to me,
and guys I want to watch play football is kind
of the other part of it. Like I love watching
Michael Parsons, He's so much fun play football. I love
watching Dak Prescott play football. I love watching Ceede Lamb
and George Like, to me, they they are really interesting
and the fact that they're to me so unpredictable they
(37:53):
actually are are the football side of it to me
is worth like a lot of discussion this year.
Speaker 4 (37:57):
So you think that the Boys have a higher ceiling
than say, like the Commanders, Yes, way higher.
Speaker 3 (38:04):
I think they're a better team than the Commanders.
Speaker 4 (38:06):
Yeah, Okay, still are you gonna so are you putting
Philly at the top?
Speaker 2 (38:10):
Still that's vision and then Cowboys?
Speaker 1 (38:14):
Yes, But I think if you look at the rest
of the NFC, I don't see like a reason why
the Cowboys couldn't think like, if things go right, we
can be the second or third best team in the NFC.
Obviously you're hoping for just things to go wrong with Philadelphia,
but on paper, they're obviously more talent.
Speaker 3 (38:31):
Yeah, if you're the Cowboys.
Speaker 2 (38:33):
I'm not saying you, well, I think too.
Speaker 4 (38:36):
It's the NFC, so it's definitely nowhere near stack. So
when you say top three, top five, whatever, it sounds
like that's way higher that it should be. But actually
you're right because depending on what happens with the Lions,
you have them, you have the Eagles, and then like,
where where are you going from there?
Speaker 1 (38:53):
I think the obvious like one two going into the
years Eagles, Lions. We know that football historically hasn't been like,
hasn't been as consistent, although actually lately the good teams
have stayed great a little more consistently. And so yeah,
you got to put the Lines and Eagles there. But
to me, the Cowboys, in terms of what they have,
if it wasn't for all this other stuff mucking it up,
(39:15):
like Jerry Jones, I think there's a lot to believe in.
All right, give me, okay, last awkward.
Speaker 4 (39:20):
Truth Okay, last awkward truth is I rescued myself as
a dog again.
Speaker 2 (39:28):
Dog Kima is actually me.
Speaker 4 (39:30):
I didn't realize it at the time, but I was
rescuing a very similar being. Out of all of the
dogs that were available at the pound, I got the
one that had way too much going on, way too
many ailments, was allergic.
Speaker 2 (39:47):
To everything anxious. But Quima. I'm wondering if Keima is
like me, or am.
Speaker 4 (39:54):
I actually like a Border Collie in Conan's body?
Speaker 3 (39:59):
Because what a fascinating thing is.
Speaker 4 (40:02):
If I don't have a job to do, I'll destroy
everything around me.
Speaker 2 (40:05):
I get bored very easily.
Speaker 4 (40:06):
I need a ton of stimulation, and if you don't
pay attention to me, I will make you pay attention
to me. I know I don't deserve a treat, but
I will still help myself to any and all treats
that I find. I'm constantly shedding. There's hair and bobby
pins all over the place. I have incredible fomo and
hate being left home alone when people are doing fun things.
Speaker 2 (40:26):
The only thing I want is my backscratched.
Speaker 4 (40:28):
I want to be showering compliments, told how good I
am and how smart I am, and how beautiful my
code is. And I want to be praised for doing
the most basic of things like sitting down, going to bed,
walking away from I shouldn't be playing with So I'm
a working dog, Greg.
Speaker 3 (40:47):
Bravo.
Speaker 1 (40:48):
I was doubting at first because when I think of Keema,
you know, she's young.
Speaker 2 (40:53):
And well, okay, thanks.
Speaker 3 (40:56):
That's not what I've meant. I just meant.
Speaker 2 (40:58):
Kima's young and she's a puppy nod.
Speaker 1 (41:01):
And she's not behaved like she's had to be taught
how to live in society. And maybe this is what
a like the high school version of Colleen Wolfe was like.
But I don't think of I don't think of Colleen
wolf as someone that's going to be tearing up the
house like if the parents leave.
Speaker 3 (41:22):
But maybe maybe they were.
Speaker 2 (41:23):
I did get in trouble quite a few times for.
Speaker 1 (41:25):
That, okay, so maybe that like was her, that's her
and her teenage.
Speaker 4 (41:29):
My mom once found me in high school. I was
sleeping on the side of the house with a loaf
of bread. So that's kind of what it was like
for me in high school.
Speaker 1 (41:42):
My mom once woke me up, like in in late March.
It was like the first warm day of the year.
And she's like, Greg, come with me, and I was like, what,
it's like six fifteen in the morning. It was the
first warm day of the year. All the snow had
melted in the yard.
Speaker 2 (41:58):
What was under there?
Speaker 1 (41:59):
And he brings me outside and there's just tons of
empty beer cans and cigarette butts on my lawn from
like the huge party that I threw a month and
a half before.
Speaker 3 (42:12):
While they were at it down.
Speaker 2 (42:13):
You thought that you got off scott free.
Speaker 1 (42:16):
I did, like they knew and I knew, and they
even made a joke of like the house is a
little too clean when they got home, and I was.
Speaker 3 (42:23):
Just like, haha, yeah, yeah, but that was about it.
And then a month and a half later, what was
the punishment? Like nothing? What?
Speaker 2 (42:32):
Oh my god, Greg, I got.
Speaker 3 (42:34):
Away with murder.
Speaker 1 (42:34):
I love this and it makes me love Kema even more.
But I gotta meet her. I haven't even you haven't
met her.
Speaker 2 (42:40):
She's actually really good now.
Speaker 3 (42:42):
I haven't even met her. I ring you're in.
Speaker 2 (42:44):
I'm sure that won't be a problem at all.
Speaker 1 (42:46):
Here, Okay, we're gonna have some breaking news actually right now,
and then I will give my last awkward truth because
I think it's gonna be tough to pivot from that one.
Speaker 3 (42:56):
Let's do it.
Speaker 1 (42:57):
Some breaking news, Eric, and I apologize Colleen, you do
not know this is coming, but one of my favorite
players in the NFL over the last decade, Tyron Matthew,
is retiring from the league. Honey Badger, member of the
New Orleans Saints the last couple seasons and was expected
(43:17):
to be this season, has decided to retire. So happy,
happy trails to one of my favorites.
Speaker 2 (43:24):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (43:25):
I feel like with him, he was one of the
first players at his position. Maybe not one of the first,
but we were talking about what a hybrid he was
when he was in Arizona with brus Arians and that whole,
that whole situation there. But I just remember him being
like such a different breed of player.
Speaker 1 (43:46):
And so smart and so impactful when he was great.
I do have like a special affinity for players like this,
Like he was a little up and down and he
had he had the two knee surgeries that he had
to recover from, you know, in college and then and
then in the in the pros, and he overcame it
to be one of the most impactful defensive players in
(44:09):
the league in twenty fifteen, he was already in his
third year. At that point, he was like a just
just to kind of paint the picker, like a defensive
Rookie of the Year Canada as a rookie. And then
he's coming back again from the injury and that twenty
fifteen Cardinals team, which was awesome and was one of
our favorite teams on the Around the NFL podcast, Like
he is a first team All Pro, gets this huge
(44:30):
contract and then unfortunately has to like go through it
all again. But when he was great, he was so
great and was like a true leader I think among
that team and among players, and was one of Chris Westling's, yeah,
all time favorite players. And since he's retiring, you know,
it's probably the last, you know, one of the last
times I can I can tell this story.
Speaker 3 (44:52):
But like, you know, he he reached.
Speaker 1 (44:54):
Out to Chris when Chris was going through his treatments
because he remembered how big of a fan Chris was
as like a professional and just the great.
Speaker 3 (45:04):
Chris wrote a really great.
Speaker 1 (45:06):
Piece on NFL dot com about how great Tyron Matthew
was and that he deserves you know, rookie the you
know player the Defensive Player of the Year consideration and
all this stuff, and Tyron Matthew had like retweeted that
and remembered it, and he reached out to Chris when
he was going through everything, like just on DMS, not
trying to get attention or anything, and it was just
saying that he's pulling form and everything.
Speaker 3 (45:27):
And he reached out to, you know, to Keisha after
Chris died.
Speaker 1 (45:31):
I remember that, and you know, just one of them
dudes if I got a chance to interview him last
year at Saints training game, just one of them dudes
that it's just like a real one and an incredible,
incredible player.
Speaker 2 (45:44):
Incredible player, incredible human.
Speaker 4 (45:46):
I remember when he reached out to Keisha, and I
just like, I mean, stock through the roof for him.
And I just feel like I can even still hear
Wes talking about how great of a player he was,
because Wes loved him so much, and I just think
about he kind of had like a huge impact on
the show back then too, like he was a big
(46:06):
part of.
Speaker 1 (46:07):
It absolutely because you know, he had three first team
All pros, two in a row when he was with
the Chiefs. So he goes to the Chiefs and he
gets a super Bowl title. Was kind of the missing
piece to that defense for the Chiefs if I'm doing
(46:27):
the years right. But that was twenty nineteen. Yes, that
was the Super Bowl victory over the forty nine ers,
and he really helped complete and improve that defense. He
was back the next year and was still great in
the year that they ended up losing at the end.
So he had all these different, you know, parts of
his career. Rehabbed his value when he was with the
(46:48):
Texans and made a really great impact there, and then yeah,
I was able to return home to the Saints the
last couple of years.
Speaker 3 (46:56):
So happy trails to.
Speaker 1 (46:58):
One of our favorites. Yeah, Tyron Matthew. So that's that's
the end of his career. I've been thinking about I've
been thinking about, you know, careers and in life and
this it's gonna sound dark, but it's not dark.
Speaker 3 (47:13):
No, it's not dark.
Speaker 1 (47:14):
But the awkward truth, the awkward truth here is that statistically,
I am likely more closer to the end of my
life than the beginning of my life. Damn it, right, Okay,
log as you say it with a smile on your face.
Speaker 3 (47:32):
It's just true.
Speaker 1 (47:33):
Like, you know, the average age that that people lift
you and that's you know, and I'm forty five. I'm
forty six years old. Now that's just the truth. And
then I was doing the math on my way here.
And this is either my twenty second or twenty third season,
depending if you count. I did half a season when
I when I first started, I started like November one year.
Speaker 3 (47:53):
Doing the NFL.
Speaker 1 (47:54):
And that is certainly more than half of like the
NFL seasons that I would dem that I would be covering.
I mean, I hope I'm still covering in my sixties
or whatever, but that it's not going to be like
a yeah, it's not a business that normally allows or
encourages that or whatever. And so that's that's just the
awkward truth that I'm living with.
Speaker 2 (48:16):
Is this what sparked the idea for the segment?
Speaker 1 (48:20):
No, okay, it's actually the Cowboys for some reason, I
just I just thought that the Cowboys being interesting was like,
you know it.
Speaker 3 (48:30):
But I thought of this on the way into work.
Speaker 4 (48:32):
Yeah, you're you're today. This Greg is very nostalgic. He's
really like, I feel like your mindfulness is better.
Speaker 3 (48:41):
Than I'm fine with it. And what I guess why
I bring it up.
Speaker 1 (48:45):
Is dying is such an awkward topic for almost everyone, right,
I don't think it necessarily should be. It's like the
one thing that literally everyone has in common. Yeah, you
know it is going to happen. And if you haven't
had someone like close to you that died early or
anything like that, then you are blessed. But you should
(49:06):
be aware of that blessed because that is going to
become you know, a big part of your life. And like,
at some level you have to be kind of okay
with that because you you know, don't have a choice.
And I think like America and like are like we're
much worse at this, I think than other societies have been.
Speaker 3 (49:25):
Like throughout history.
Speaker 1 (49:27):
Necessarily, I don't think you have to be as Yes, yes,
I think like in other cultures, like it's more of
a part of.
Speaker 2 (49:35):
Death is a part of life.
Speaker 1 (49:37):
Like what you talk about and you understand it's just like, yeah,
it is a part of life and the death of
your career too.
Speaker 3 (49:42):
I was I was thinking about that a.
Speaker 2 (49:43):
Little bit, like are you saying that while looking I.
Speaker 1 (49:46):
Was actually thinking about that with watching that Cowboys reality
show because they only get five years, and that to
me was like an extreme version. And I think about
it all the time with athletes, like I don't think
for us we can totally understand what they go through
through knowing like what a finite timeline they have in
their career choice that yes, you're rewarded for it in
(50:07):
like football and stuff. Certainly not in every sport, but
that like you know, Joe Burrow was talking about it
too in that show, like you know, like he's in
year five, He's like, you know, he knows he's got
a finite timeline.
Speaker 4 (50:19):
So the window, the window is small, but it's also
the wind that we have shelf life too, yes, And
I would say that, yeah, I mean we are. We've
been doing this for quite some time, so we are
closer to them than we are.
Speaker 3 (50:32):
To the beginning. That's the awkward truth.
Speaker 1 (50:34):
And I guess not to have like a lesson about
it at all, but like I think you, I think
it's like knowing that i've personally that actually gives me
comfort to think about it and talk about it in
a way because then you can like appreciate, like appreciate
while you got it.
Speaker 2 (50:51):
You know, what we're doing.
Speaker 4 (50:52):
We're having a premature funeral for ourselves.
Speaker 2 (50:56):
Right now. Greg, I love working with you so much.
Speaker 4 (50:59):
You been one of my best friends over all of
these years.
Speaker 2 (51:04):
You're so good at what you do.
Speaker 4 (51:05):
I'm so proud of you for launching the show and
doing the full year of it.
Speaker 2 (51:10):
There was so much. You work so hard.
Speaker 4 (51:13):
You also have the life balance work life balance with
your family, which I have no idea how to have
any type of work life balance, So I really it's
an inspiration. But I just think that you are an
incredible human being and I love you.
Speaker 3 (51:26):
Greg. Oh my gosh, thank you.
Speaker 4 (51:30):
That was the premature funeral for Greg. You don't have
to do this for me. I'm not a thank you anyway.
Speaker 1 (51:36):
No, The awkward truth is like for a lot of people,
it's hard to like take compliments or take like a
nice moment and just accept it.
Speaker 3 (51:42):
And I will.
Speaker 1 (51:43):
That's like something I would like to to improve upon.
Speaker 3 (51:46):
But it's true.
Speaker 1 (51:47):
We have had the chance to work together for so long,
like ten plus years doing in that NFL. Now, so
knowing that it's not going to last forever, I can
actually appreciate this particular show on July twenty second, that's right,
twenty twenty five, because who knows, who knows?
Speaker 3 (52:05):
Like Kyle Shanaan.
Speaker 1 (52:05):
Says, if we're going to get another one, we will
have another NFL Daily.
Speaker 2 (52:09):
Oh my god, the show.
Speaker 4 (52:11):
I hope on the twenty third, They're never gonna let
us do a show together alone again.
Speaker 1 (52:18):
Louke Keikley is joining the show, Thank god. Jordan Rodrige,
the athletic Heay also joining the show. And yeah, when
we're we're thinking about mortality, footballs back.
Speaker 2 (52:29):
Yeah,
Host
Gregg Rosenthal
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