August 12, 2026 • 40 mins
Gregg Rosenthal and Jourdan Rodrigue are live from Chargers training camp where they are joined by Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel to talk about working with Justin Herbert, creating offensive advantages for his team, Jim Harbaugh, and building the Chargers. Also, Gregg and Jourdan give you their takeaways from Chargers practice and are joined by Cameron Dicker to talk about the early success in his career and being a "vibes guy" in the Chargers locker room.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome to NFL Daily, where we've got your favorite football
hipster's favorite coach with us. To start the show, I'm
Greg Rosenthal. I'm with one of those football hipsters, Jordan
rod Rieg and yes, Mike McDaniel, the offensive coordinator of
the Los Angeles Chargers, opening up the show with us.
Are you aware of that your your football hipster popularity?
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Yes, I know.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
I think being yourself allows you vulnerable or of vulnerability,
to have both people that cheer for you and and
other people that hate you. So you know, you kind
of I kind of entered in when I decided to
be myself. I kind of know what the stakes are,
so I appreciate that this is part of the population
(00:54):
that isn't.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Hating on me for now.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Another way to say football hipster would just be like
people that love ball, but like Jordan Rori, who you're not, but.
Speaker 4 (01:03):
You're the people who love football's favorite football coach. That's
how I would have probably introduced you. Yeah, that's what
chose a different one.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
I don't want to like you too much, Yeah, which
was cool. I think you know you don't want to
just start off just building you up. But what we'll
be doing that you.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
That's a both were great elite compliments I very much appreciated.
Speaker 4 (01:26):
We're happy to have you here, Mike.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
You you've been here now a minute, Southern California. You know,
you you had the interview for this job, and I'm
I'm thinking watching you know, Herbert throw some dimes out
there today about what it was like for you as
a coach, looking at all those plays which you would
you have talked about before you took the job, and
(01:48):
watching what Justin Herbert did last year and what stood
out the most to you that you could you could
potentially take advantage of as this coach.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Oh, I thought, uh, you know, it was just such
an incredible opportunity, one that I had never had professionally.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Where wait, I can you.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Know, just the opportunity to coach these guys in particular Hymn,
you know, is something that you know, I really appreciate having.
You know, there's not many talents like that in all sports,
you know.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Whether it's quarterback position or or regardless.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
And you know, I'm just glad that I've been chopping
would you know for twenty years in this league before
I had the opportunity to do that.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
So I wouldn't have regrets.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
So it's it's a I mean, I was it was
a weird situation because you're on the heels of you know,
I only know one way to attack a job, so
my expectation is that, you know, I do a good
enough job to keep it and then when you you'd
think that you'd be pretty down when you when you
(02:58):
lose a job, but you know, right in front of me,
it was this opportunity to really do something that you know, uh,
you're very blessed to even get the opportunity in your
entire career.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
So yeah, it was.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
You know, I think I said this before, but I
feel I felt fortunate that I was prepared for the opportunity,
you know, because it's, ah, this is uh, it's something
that I wouldn't be able to live with myself if
I if I wasn't ready for the moment.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
So it's it's it's been awesome.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
I'm glad you alluded to to some of like how
you approach the job and how you approach I think
football in general. Just covering you for for a couple
of years, Mike, like, I always appreciated where you find
ideas and how you think about doing new things within
you know, really understanding who your players are and trying
to do new, interesting things with them. And you're you're
(03:58):
sort of like, you don't you don't really care where
the net is cast. You just want to find cool
stuff to do when you're watching these clips and you're going,
I saw the quote where you went over every single
one of Justin's plays and the concepts and all of that.
Was there anything that really sparked or anything he does
specifically that sparked an inspiration for you or got you
thinking about how you want to design things, or really
(04:21):
kind of got that juice flowing for you.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Well, you know, I think with the breath of.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
The example, you know, I did not want to just
take a leap of faith and base stuff on assumption.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
So watching it, you know, watched.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
All of his passes from his whole career, and I found,
you know, plenty of examples where he was playing, he
was distributing the ball with conviction early in the down,
and then I saw so there was there was things
you know that you know, in the in the years
(04:56):
past that have been a staple of the offense that
I could see that he could do. And then, you know,
there was just he has a spatial awareness, a feel.
You know, I was really taken aback with all the
things that he could he could do extending plays and
making plays and then just you know.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
There's some crazy crazy.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
I watched all of his passes, so you got you
got about fifteen you know, fifteen throws sixty seventy yards
down the field that you know you're not sure is possible,
and to see the clip, so you know, I think
for me it was the feeling has just been both
(05:45):
excitement and focus because you know, I think the like
I said before, you don't get these opportunities and I
and you know, I think it got me me watching
all the film got me super motivated to make sure
that I worked with Jim and and the t's were
(06:06):
crossed and the eyes were dotted on the staff because
I figured, Okay, well, if I can get all the
right position coaches to to really buy in and push
and teach and create relationships with these guys, it will
be an opportunity to you know, I love football. I
(06:27):
love creating competitive advantages for players, and you know it's
something that you know, I looking at the you know,
professional athletes that this is a game about them and
they work their whole lives to get a finite window
and you have, you know, you're blessed with this opportunity
(06:48):
and pack them.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
And I wanted to make sure that, you know.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
I was in the best space to do that, and
I thought, I think it started with the staff, obviously,
with Jim, Joe and John Spanos all being supportive, and
you know, it's I think we put together an unbelievable
offensive staff which is really allowed. I mean, there's been
(07:13):
how I would say, probably five things a day over
the last five practices that you know, we've been able
to try that I've never done before, you know, And
you know, I think it the the It really opens
your eyes to a lot of different schematic things and
(07:37):
just different opportunities. That makes I mean, I'm living the
dream right now.
Speaker 4 (07:42):
Can I ask you about that too? When you come
out here, you look at this roster every every time
I'm out here, I see, first of all, the size
of all of this players. Even your skills are like
some of the Omar and Hampton is like one of
the most giant humans ever. And you know, but you
also have speed, and I'm looking at the personnel options
you have. You could play with a fullback, you could
(08:03):
play with multiple tight ends, you could do all these
different kinds of things, and you have speed, and you
have the quarterback. And I'm wondering, like, where do you
go when you start to build with these players? What
options do you see in terms of you mention it yourself?
You like to create advantages, whether it's personnel or concept
with these players, but also their ability and exploit space.
(08:25):
So where does your mind go and can you kind
of take us through how you think about putting these
guys in those positions?
Speaker 3 (08:30):
Well, I think the most important thing, you know, the
thing that I don't think about is I don't think
about inventing stuff. If you stay true to your core
of what is your job and for me as I
see it, to create advantageous situations for all these players,
(08:52):
then your kind of solution oriented reverse engineering issues and
what in this time of year, what what's really cool
is we you know, I'm just trying to facilitate all
different personnel groups and be able to you know, like
like we we are very confident in ultimately being able
(09:15):
to play in whatever personnel group is. Uh, you know,
you're not dictated by we can be dictated by the personnel,
the defense and what guys do we want to exploit,
what guys do we want to stay away from?
Speaker 2 (09:31):
What what things?
Speaker 3 (09:33):
You know that sometimes base defense is way different than
nickel for when you're playing an opponent or vice versa.
So I think, for me, I'm not trying to I'm
just trying to, UH with the coaching staff, make sure
that we are at the top of UH our our
(09:53):
game from a technique and fundamental standpoint across the board,
whether we're doing ten personnel or thirteen, you know, and
just to give ourselves some options as we you know,
go into the regular season, because that's what I see
from this group.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
And what's been so cool is.
Speaker 3 (10:12):
Your you have a lot of solution or you have
a lot of solutions on the roster, and it's going
to be a lot more difficult for I could be
as varied as I've ever been.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
In personnels, which which makes you harder to.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
Practice and prepare for as an opponent and hopefully creates
more of those advantageous situations for all the guys.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
Do do you have a hand in that in that
team building, because you know, you look on the offensive line,
there's a guy called Strange that comes along with you
from Miami. And then you just look just watching practice today.
Obviously a lot of variety, but you know, Charlie Kohlar
is in the mix. Of course Djoku is in the
mix there. It's just it's a big team out there,
and I'm thinking, like, is this do you have a
(10:57):
big hand in that vision of what happened?
Speaker 3 (10:59):
Well, you know, fortunately the powers that be, both Jim
and Joe allow my voice to be heard.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
Now.
Speaker 3 (11:08):
I will say that one of the reasons this this
place was so attractive to me personally was because of
you know, uh, most specifically the last couple of draft classes.
You know, the players they're drafting or the players that
on the other side of the country I was targeting,
and and you know, and and so I knew there
was a lot of like minded.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Uh you know, really evaluation.
Speaker 3 (11:33):
And then you know, I don't I'm not the general
manager or head coach.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
So I'm very fortunate that they want to hear me.
And we're all fortunate because we were very uh consistent
with in and there was a lot of agreement in
this off season when it came to the free agency
and draft, uh and so I think that, you know,
(12:00):
it's one of the reasons I feel very fortunate to
be here, and one of the reasons this team has
a great chance to be successful is because you have
everyone moving in the same direction, which is one thing
that I knew was a non negotiable for me in
my next opportunity.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
So it yes and no.
Speaker 3 (12:23):
I mean, they don't have to ask and they don't
have to listen. And you know, I think it wasn't
like I was standing on a soapbox preaching. It was,
you know, I'll have conviction with my opinion, and they
happened to share it. So it's been a tremendous off
season that way.
Speaker 4 (12:44):
I had this theory last year there was a lot
of injuries, and obviously seems knock on wood, of course,
seems like things are going really, really well in camp
so far in terms of health here. I thought that
the Chargers were because of that roster building and because
of some of the things they were willing to try
offensively and defensively, a really great combinationation of where football
is going right now and where it was like thirty
(13:05):
years ago too, at the same time, all in one place.
Can you speak to that a little bit, and what
you think this team is that's so representative of where
football is right now.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
Well, I think you have, you know, all three phases.
Speaker 5 (13:19):
You have.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
Systems that you know, are coordinated in a evolution, always
evolving fashion.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
There's a lot of.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
Unique players on this roster in all three phases that
have skill sets that allow you to do things that
are different.
Speaker 4 (13:41):
You know.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
The the first thing that comes to mind is you
have a player like Derwin James, you know, and there's
a He's able to play three to four different positions
in different personnel groups in all situations.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
They can play light, they can play big on defense.
Speaker 3 (14:00):
You know, I think uh coach Ficken has been as
good as they've they get in the return game and
he has a lot of a lot of juice there
to be multiple and do some creative things.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
And then you know, we're not pigeonholed into.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
We have a lot of really good players that you know,
the my job is to make sure that they're maximized
and that they're all involved. And you know that's my
my type of problem solve problem solving party. You know,
like that's that's.
Speaker 6 (14:31):
Sounds like a good time.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Yeah, it is a good time.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
You know, I think you know the you're not a
football team, a football offseason, a football season is not
You're not searching for all roses and no problems.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
It's actually the opposite.
Speaker 3 (14:50):
You want a situation where people can thrive by flourishing
together in times of turmoil. And I think that you
know this, this team is really hungry, and it's you know,
I'm not sure if the team's more more hungry than
I am or vice versa, but that's it was a
great fit in that way because, uh, there there was
(15:12):
a lot of uh.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
Like ambition moving forward.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
So I think, uh, you know this, this group of
people has a great chance to be their very best
version of themselves in December and January by stacking days.
You know, just by the nature of the leaders on
the the best players on this team are elite human
(15:37):
beings that are the that are the the benchmark for
how you want your star players to act. So I
think that gives us an opportunity to uh continue to
chop wood and be our best football team when we
need to.
Speaker 6 (15:55):
Be, and all that variety in multiplicity.
Speaker 1 (15:56):
It gives you a chance to just mess with all
the fantasy football players a little more love that all
all the people out there.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
Yeah, no, I I feel like I feel like I
said something about fantasy and my press conference simply because
I've learned over the years that if there's an off
season question about running backs, it's always the same thing.
But realistically, like, uh, no, one has to worry. If
(16:23):
a players playing really well, I'm not going to take
them out.
Speaker 6 (16:27):
It's a good, good idea.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
That's why business, that's why he's the football hipster, his
favorite coach. I appreciate you, Mike McDaniel and my favorite
football hipster, Jordan.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (16:38):
You guys are top tier and that's why I'm in
the sea It talk to you guys because you guys
really care about what you guys do.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
And I appreciate that. Appreciate that, Mike.
Speaker 5 (16:48):
We appreciate you again.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
Appreciate Mike McDaniel joining us. That made me so happy
checking that off the bucket list. Just one of those
guys I wanted to wanted to interview, and I love
that he is comfortable city and awkwardness. That's my that's
my happy place. Yeah, I felt it in making other
people awkward. I mean even when we first said hi
(17:10):
to him. I shook his hand. I'm like, hi, Greg Rosenthal.
I don't think we've ever really met. Maybe we said
hello once and he was like, of course you are
in educated reporter of facts. And I was like, okay,
I'll take that.
Speaker 7 (17:28):
Greg.
Speaker 4 (17:28):
Greg's astis al to just call him this now.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
I'm putting that on the business card, educated reporter of Facts.
So we're gonna have Cameron Dicker coming up after the break.
But we've watched all of practice. The interview took place
here in El Segundo at the Chargers facility, and then
we did the interviews, and I just thought we'd take
(17:51):
some takeaways from practice today. Anything that you saw that
that stood out to you.
Speaker 4 (17:57):
Yeah, it's Charlie Colar season. Yeah, honestly, I mean the
tight end, you know, he was. I think again, if
if you really love football, you'd be paying attention to
where football is going right now, or at least will
go in the next year or so. He was a
very very popular free agent signing. And it's clear that
Mike McDaniel wants to use him all over the formation
(18:20):
and he gets open and Justin Herbert dots and dots
it on him. He it was it was Yeah, it was.
It was fun. He had one that he just dropped
right over the top of his shoulders as he was
getting a little bit of separation. Was covered fine by
the dB. Obviously a mismatch, but justin Herbert just dropped
it downfield over his both of his hands and he
caught it. It was it was the easiest thing. It
(18:42):
looked like the two had ever done. It was incredible.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
I reference with with Mike McDaniel about that, the comment
he made about, you know, sharing the the carries at
running back, But I'm more can you know, thinking about
like how are they going to share this at tight
end in terms of how much each guy plays and
how are they used. I would personally be surprised to
your point, like if Colar isn't the most important one, Yeah,
(19:04):
because the way he moves at his size. I think
there's a feeling that Baltimore let one get away that
they never really took advantage. He has like four hundred
five hundred career passing yards and you see the way
he's moving today, and then you put him on the
field depending on how big you want to be within
Djoku who is out here today, and then Ronda Gadsdon,
who had a great rookie season, and you know it's
not gonna be as good of a blocker, but he
(19:26):
had an incredible catch, Like the best throw and catch
of the day was on a one on one roll
from Herbert to Gadsden.
Speaker 6 (19:31):
And like he moves incredibly.
Speaker 1 (19:33):
We already know that, and so Colar to me, is
gonna be kind of the most important move piece that
that it's all built around. And he's in motion all
the time, Like this is gonna be a big Jordan
football dork tight edd.
Speaker 4 (19:45):
I know, I'm starting to feel a little tingly, honestly,
because it's so cool to watch the emotions too, and
I like watching Mike McDaniel coach this offense, and Chris
O'Leary has been running I think a lot of very
so it looks like Jesse Minter's defense. You know, they're
rushing some of that Nascar package look with the extra rusher,
and they're doing a lot of stand up alignment on
(20:07):
the outsides and and the you know, Derwin James is
everywhere as we would expect. But when I'm watching the
offense and I'm watching Mike McDaniel coach, he likes to
stand in the back of the defense and make sure
that the timing of the motions are correct. And that
was something I had eyes on today that was so
fascinating to me, because this is gonna this offense is
going to get people with timing too, and with some
(20:30):
of the things that maybe break a defense's rules of
where they think they're going to align at a certain
time in the in the pre snap motion. And then
obviously the gaps all change too if it's a tight
end or a running back going emotion like that, which
they are, and it's it's so fun to watch. And
something that Mike said that really stuck out to me
was every personnel is available to him. I mean, this
team also has fullbacks. Let's not forget this team.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
Has spot for Scott Matlock on the team. I don't
know for sure, he's become a little bit of an
extra plays he's a fullback. By yes, they have Alecan.
Speaker 4 (21:01):
They have Alecan Gold, who Mike brought with him from Miami.
And then they have all these tight ends, and then
they've got receivers who are dudes. Like they're really really positive,
positive group and improved a lot last year in my opinion,
and what I love that he said was it anything
from ten to thirteen, And then you know he's obviously
thinking about twenty one, twenty two as well, where it's
(21:22):
like anything. They can do anything they want, and I
hope they get a chance to because health is always
going to be the biggest thing.
Speaker 1 (21:29):
Yeah, I if we had all the time in the
world for him, I was like going to be like,
do you know the offensive line curse of the Chargers,
Like are you aware that you're gonna be looked on
as the saviors? So far, so good this camp. They're
trying to figure out their their left guard. It's really
funny every year because Charges fans are so obsessed with
the offensive line. It's always like an interior line battle
that they care about, Like we don't care about the
(21:50):
wide receivers, the tight ends in an interior line battle, which,
by the way, Auasca I believe is the one listed
as a starter.
Speaker 6 (21:57):
He gave up two sacks to day was not a
good day for him.
Speaker 4 (22:00):
Well, I was talking to somebody on the side about this,
and Jake Slaughter, Coyote Ouasca, and Trey Pipkins are all
still competing. That job has not been decided yet, but
over the last several practices they have been competing all
at that left guard spot. Is the only spot on
this offensive line where there still is a big question
in an open competition.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
Yeah, and there's there's this is a roster and we'll
wrap up with our takes in a little bit.
Speaker 6 (22:25):
But they find guys.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
And that's why I wanted to ask Cameron Dicker coming
up about like the way this coaching staff develops players,
except on the offensive line, I would say, And they
have a new offensive line.
Speaker 4 (22:37):
Coach who which berry.
Speaker 6 (22:39):
You could just.
Speaker 1 (22:40):
Hear him everywhere, just f bomb after f bomb. This
was one of the loudest coaching practices I've ever been
to in terms of like coaches are just yelling the
whole time in like even more. And then one of
the choir like, it was a chill crowd here today
it's a hot day. It's a nice crowd, a very chill,
chill crowd. But one thing I wanted to make sure
(23:00):
I mentioned, which has been the story for this camp,
was a key messador stepping in as their third ed
drusher maybe will wind up starting for them in terms
of the amount of snaps that he plays alongside Tully
tu Leipolow two and Khalil Mack and that look, he's
a twenty six year old rookie. And I talked to
Matt money Smith our friends, and it's just unfair like
(23:22):
he beat Joe Alt a couple of times in the
last practice and you just don't see that, including out
of mac in Tulli Poload two and that I think
for the people that have been around here each and
every day, the number one story is like, oh wow,
we got a dude in Mesador. So yeah, you watch
a dafe Oway leave. I think there's some feeling they
might have gotten an upgrade there, and so that is
(23:44):
a really good trio on the front end for them
to then mix the coverages on the back end.
Speaker 4 (23:50):
I had to number check Messador a few times because
I kept forgetting that that was a rookie.
Speaker 6 (23:55):
He's a beast.
Speaker 4 (23:56):
He's a freaking dude. Man. Well. The other funny thing,
I mean, we talk about this a lot coming out
of Chargers camps with the size of this team, when
when we're talking about just being physically imposing, we were
standing over watching running back drills and you were reminding yourself,
you know what numbered everybody is and you're like, oh,
Mari and Hampton, and then it was like, oh, we
don't even need to remind ourselves what number Omrion Hampton is.
(24:19):
He's the biggest freaking guy out here.
Speaker 6 (24:21):
He really is.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
And his speed there was one kind of swing pass
during the team drills where he was coming straight at
me on the other side, and his speed is just
it's different. So to Mike McDaniel's point of like, if
he's playing well, I'm not going to take him off
the field. They'll be enough room I think for everyone
in this backfield. Keaton Mitchell is probably the play two
(24:44):
right now. I think that's kind of been how camp
is evolved in Kamanivedelle behind them, but they're all they're
all going to play, And yeah, I thought Herbo.
Speaker 6 (24:53):
You know, he always looks good in camp.
Speaker 1 (24:54):
I mean, he is not gonna look bad, but I
do like his footwork and that's something I kept an
eye on.
Speaker 6 (24:58):
He is is really good on his feed.
Speaker 1 (25:00):
Their offensive line did not like look great today, especially
on the in tier, so he was having to move
and open up his pocket and I just love the
way he looks and plays.
Speaker 4 (25:09):
On the handoffs are tighter too. I was texting you
about this. I noticed this because I got to be here.
You know, I come visit this camp every once in
a while, and I just notice the handoffs are way
tighter in terms of like they're happening instantly, and they're
The fake in them is very very good. When it's
whether it's a fake motion handoff or a play action,
(25:29):
they are a lot they're happening. The act of it
is happening a lot quicker, which is a Mike McDaniel thing.
And it's also the timing of them seems very very
predicated and specific, and that's happening a lot cleaner and
tighter to me as well, which is good. Anything that
gets a defense to hesitate is good for these guys.
Speaker 1 (25:45):
McDaniel saying that they're trying things that he's never tried
before is fascinating, and I saw a couple of them.
I mean, you can't reveal what it was, but just
the run game is going to be creative. It always
is when it comes to Mike McDaniel. Okay, we've talked
a lot about the Chargers, We've preview the AFC West.
We are going to throw it to the break here
(26:06):
on the other side of the break, we are gonna
have a great conversation with right now the best kicker
in the AFC. I can't put him over Brandon Aubrey,
but the best kicker in the AFC. After the break,
all right, we are here, of course, still in El Segundo,
(26:29):
and we're with a man who inspired a Chargers fan
just about fifteen feet away from us to yell out
best kicker in the league. And look, there are numbers
that support that the all time leading percentage in terms
of field goal kicker in NFL history right now, Cameron Dicker, welcome.
Speaker 6 (26:47):
To the show.
Speaker 5 (26:47):
Appreciate you, crazy, thank you.
Speaker 1 (26:49):
I know, is that something earlier in your career You're like,
I must don't want to hear that, because it's gotta
be hard to stay at ninety four percent.
Speaker 6 (26:55):
That's outrageous.
Speaker 7 (26:56):
I mean, it's nice right now, but at the end
of the day, like you said, I'm hoping kick a lot,
a lot more so many more years to come, hopefully
a couple hundred more field goals to come, and so
it's like it's great, but yeah, we'll see where it's
at at the end of the career.
Speaker 4 (27:10):
That's great. We saw you in your hat fielding punts.
Speaker 6 (27:14):
Oh yeah, a little bit.
Speaker 4 (27:15):
Oh yeah, I'm not you caught most of them. We
won't talk about. Maybe the hands a little bit pretty good.
Speaker 7 (27:21):
Yeah, so yeah, I don't know. I'd say compared to
average people, I'm up there is one of the better.
Speaker 4 (27:26):
But it just I always am curious about. I feel
like kickers and specialists in general can be like ultimate
vibes people and kind of keep the vibes locked in
when for a team, I always feel like you always
want to talk to them, and you know, when they're
at their locker, when you guys are making up games
to play on the sideline during you know, workouts or whatever.
(27:46):
And what is it like for you being out here
being a leader on this team now you've been here
for a few years, and to kind of be that
that vibe guy out here in the beachat running around.
Speaker 5 (27:57):
Yeah, it's awesome.
Speaker 7 (27:58):
First I thought you were about to ultimate athletes, which
and I couldn't believe that you just said just vibes guys,
But so ultimate athletes and vibes guys, I think that
I take it as an opportunity to kind of have
fun with these guys. Remind people that we're here to
enjoy our time. I mean, I've been cut from three
(28:19):
different teams. I've experienced what it's like being the undrafted
guy in the room and so making sure those guys
can get to enjoy their days because you're only here
for as many days as you can, be right, and
so enjoy every opportunity you have on this field and
just hanging out learning from some of the best of
the best in the business. And it's just, yeah, that's
kind of the role I've tried to tried to take
with this team.
Speaker 1 (28:39):
People don't realize this, but like Chargers, RAMS is a thing,
and since you brought up, you know that you've been
cut a few times. Your your first spot, you know,
was the Rams as an undrafted rookie and you were
with them through much of their summer into training camp.
Do you ever think like, as they're just rolling through
new kickers a week after week and like it's a
(29:00):
big problem for them, that's like, oh, you made a
mistake there, Rams.
Speaker 7 (29:05):
I mainly think, not my problem. It was awesome being there.
I knew I was going there and wasn't going to
be playing that year. More than likely I was told
they'd keep me around as a guy for the season,
and then they weren't gonna be able to pay their
guys that were there, and everybody knew that, and so
I was like, great, I'll fill in as either a
kicker or a punter wherever they see me grow more.
Speaker 5 (29:24):
And then at this point I don't really care. I
don't really pay attention to.
Speaker 1 (29:27):
Them, because, yeah, Rams Chargers. I don't know if it's
a thing as much among the fans. Maybe a little bit,
but I feel like with the organizations, but the Chargers,
you know, have won up the Rams there on kickers
and on facilities. I love this facility, and I completely
agree they beat them there. You had such an interesting
start to your career. I think about, like, how do
you have the confidence to go out there? And then
I think about how your career started. I don't know
(29:48):
if any player in NFL history has started a career
with game winning kicks. I believe in your first two
games four different franchises, first Eagles where you're filling in
for Jake and then here, like, do you feel like
that super charge everything? Like if I can do that
in my first two games, ever, like that is what's
(30:09):
helped get me.
Speaker 6 (30:10):
To the point I'm at now.
Speaker 7 (30:11):
It was pretty wild, I would say, just because like
my first two games, two different conferences, two game winners,
two different special teams, Player of the Weeks, and the
conference says like, I don't think that's ever been done.
I don't know if it'll ever be done again, because
it's just such a unique thing. And I think for
specialists in the life we live, you have to be
ready for the opportunity when God opens that door for you.
(30:33):
And so for me, preparing, being ready to just go
out there do what I do and have fun smile
doing it was the number one thing for me, And
so I was just putting positions where I had the
opportunity to go excute.
Speaker 4 (30:44):
That's a nice way to put it, and I respect that.
But also, fans know how good you are. I mean,
you're like a cult hero here is like really you people.
You have like a following, like and it's so cool
to me to watch because you're all so just really
you. You're just authentically you. I've been a fan of yours
since the Edna Mode Halloween costume.
Speaker 5 (31:05):
Just very clear, good one.
Speaker 4 (31:06):
That was a really really good one. It was I was, yeah,
it was it was so iconic and obviously iconic character
in our in our history. But I feel like too,
I mean, you're just yourself, and how have you felt
the fans embrace you? And like the organization, you got
a lot of people. We just had one in this chair, Mike,
who they're also very authentically themselves all the time.
Speaker 7 (31:26):
I think a really cool thing with the organization. I think,
starting with Jim Harbaugh, you have a guy who is himself.
People see him in his interviews, think his clips are
hilarious what he says, but are like, is he always
that way? And it's like, yes, he is. This dude
is like an amazing human being, super weird guy, but
like the most loving weird guy ever.
Speaker 5 (31:43):
Right. I always say he's like your best friend's weird dad.
Speaker 7 (31:46):
He's like he loves you so much, but you're just
like he can say whatever, and you're just like, WHOA, where'd.
Speaker 5 (31:52):
This come from?
Speaker 7 (31:53):
But I think having people like that allows you to
be yourself and feel more comfortable doing things in the building.
And then the fans, everybody's been awesome. I try to
have fun, keep it light through social media, through whatever
it is, and so it's it's fun to see people
embrace that and enjoy it with it.
Speaker 4 (32:09):
Would you have I mean, are you already planning the
Halloween costumers every year? You kind of bring the heat.
Speaker 7 (32:13):
With that, I would be honest. It happens like week of. Yeah,
I'm like, week of, I order four costumes. I'm like,
what am I getting on the edge. One that I
haven't done yet that I really want to do is
the new boot goofing uh and I have the outfit,
I don't have the boots, so I need white boots.
Speaker 5 (32:29):
If somebody has white boots.
Speaker 4 (32:30):
If you're listening, If you're listening, yeah, send Cameron Dicker
some new boot goof and white boots.
Speaker 5 (32:35):
Those would be sick, genuine ostrich leather.
Speaker 6 (32:38):
The spirit Halloween in my neighborhood open last week.
Speaker 1 (32:41):
I was like a little early here, bro, like, I'm
not ready to turn that page. But they're open. It's
all happening. People, people prep the pros like you. You
mentioned Harbot being himself and I was thinking, because you know,
you've had perspective of the different coaching staff, so you've
been here, you know, since the beginning now of Jim Harbor,
and I feel like one of his secret weapons is
(33:03):
he's really good at building a coaching staff and developing
a coaching staff and choosing the right people. And I've
seen it with older coaches he's been around for a while.
That's where they lose their fastball. It's not finding like
the right coaching staff because they stop like learning.
Speaker 6 (33:17):
Can you tell me from a player's perspective?
Speaker 1 (33:19):
And you're involved, obviously in special teams and seeing all
the different coaches, like what his staff's what makes it
unique of like the staffs that that he brings.
Speaker 7 (33:28):
Yeah, I think the hard thing with that is when
you're playing good football, you're gonna lose a lot of
your support coaches because they're gonna go get elevated roles
at other teams that you can't really turn down in
those positions. But what's really cool is he finds guys
that brings something unique each and every day.
Speaker 5 (33:44):
I think. I mean, we have an O line.
Speaker 7 (33:47):
Coach who just yells like everybody knows who's yelling that
the whole time.
Speaker 5 (33:51):
It doesn't even seem.
Speaker 7 (33:52):
Like he's speaking, but everybody has their own energy and
really just gets after it with the players and so
being able to know what type of players you have
in the rooms and then what coach is going to
fit with them?
Speaker 5 (34:03):
And it's really cool how he's been able to build that.
Speaker 4 (34:05):
I like that as a mentality here. I agree with Greg.
I think that sometimes when you're evolving and the game
is changing so often, I mean, you guys just went
through a massive change with special teams, with some of
the new rules and things like that. The game itself
systemically is just it collides against itself and then things change, right,
and some of these coaches here, I would argue, this
(34:27):
is a perfect incubator for like what the league is,
what's happening right now, and what's going to be happening
years from now.
Speaker 2 (34:34):
Now.
Speaker 4 (34:34):
I know when it sounds very galaxy brain for the
guy who does his job and does it very very well.
But I think you have, and specialists in general, have
this bird's eye view of the ecosystem overall and what
it is. So what kind of a like a learning
and teaching environment is it?
Speaker 5 (34:52):
Man?
Speaker 4 (34:54):
I know, I just threw a lot of Galaxy brain
at either.
Speaker 6 (34:57):
I think it was a lot.
Speaker 7 (34:58):
I think we were a really good job as a
team of educating everybody on what's going on.
Speaker 5 (35:04):
Yeah, throughout like unique times in the game.
Speaker 7 (35:07):
So every day we have a teach the game segment
where it's like fifteen minutes a day where we're in
a team meeting room and like I'm learning things like
I don't care about what's going on at this point
in the game, but I'm sitting there learning like okay,
if he throws, like I can't touch us on the sideline,
Like I know my rules. And so they do a
really good job teaching guys, keeping guys engaged with that,
and making it a fun atmosphere for all of us
(35:30):
to be in here. I think again, like you brought
up the building earlier, I think having a really nice
facility where guys want to be is a really huge thing.
And then obviously we live in probably the greatest place
an NFL team is.
Speaker 4 (35:40):
Yeah, it's really hard to visit. You know. It's like
it's like just the breeze the ocean being there. I
can smell it like a taco truck in the distance.
It's just really a tough scene.
Speaker 5 (35:50):
It's a really hard life out here.
Speaker 1 (35:52):
Not as much like weed smell at the old San
Diego charters at Qualcomm Stadium that was like aggressive there,
but still but still some you you've now been in
the division a while, What is your like least favorite
stadium to visit or just like, which are the fan
(36:13):
bases that you go to get after you guys the most,
like the most back and forth.
Speaker 7 (36:17):
I don't think there's been anything like too crazy bases.
I mean, it's kind of fun to listen to people.
The Chief's locker room is like the worst away locker room.
Speaker 4 (36:27):
We go into the purpose.
Speaker 7 (36:29):
Yeah, like it's fine, it's whatever, But you have your
own little stool. It's the Chief's little logo on it.
One day, I kind of want to take a stool.
It would be kind of funny to have, but I
don't know if it'll fit in my bag. So I'm
trying to figure that out.
Speaker 4 (36:43):
Just sort of spitballing here. Maybe you just wear it
is your Halloween costume this year. Maybe you are the
little Chief stool.
Speaker 5 (36:51):
That could be an interesting one.
Speaker 4 (36:52):
Yeah, not not many people. Not many people get it.
I don't think. Yeah, maybe you know, don't ask me.
You're you're the artist here, you're the artist. I'm just
a fan.
Speaker 1 (37:03):
So we've heard you had or at least had I
don't know if it still exists, like a swim club
in the facility that we.
Speaker 5 (37:09):
Did have a Charger swim team.
Speaker 7 (37:11):
It's been about a year and a half since swim
team met together.
Speaker 4 (37:14):
What happened?
Speaker 5 (37:16):
You know?
Speaker 4 (37:16):
There was the drama.
Speaker 5 (37:18):
Guys just go different ways.
Speaker 7 (37:20):
Fights break out, you know, like swimming is intense sport
and so what you see guys together on the football field,
but when it comes to the pool, people get really serious.
And people couldn't handle that. I was at number one.
Speaker 4 (37:33):
Ah, well we did here. You were a team USA,
you had you were all decked out in the gear, right.
Do you think that hurt some feelings anywhere.
Speaker 5 (37:41):
Or that they didn't have the same gear.
Speaker 4 (37:44):
Yeah, that they weren't.
Speaker 7 (37:44):
Like maybe that's the thing. Maybe I need to get
us matching stuff and then people would enjoy it. But
mine would say number one, and then I put everybody
else all there.
Speaker 1 (37:51):
I could see how your attitude, yeah, at some point
might rub them the wrong way. The greatest swimmer in
this building, I mean, so you're trying to like build
up you know, kickers or athletes too, and you came
here having never played football, and by here I mean
the United States.
Speaker 6 (38:06):
I don't think a lot of people know that you
grew up in Shanghai.
Speaker 1 (38:09):
Right before like until you were about eleven years old,
had you ever had any like interest knowledge of football
or anything or it was just like throw them out
there and you just could do it right away.
Speaker 5 (38:19):
I watched one football game.
Speaker 7 (38:22):
It was who was It was the Cardinals Steelers in
the Super Bowl, like two thousand and eight, two thousand
and nine, whatever it was.
Speaker 5 (38:29):
We were on a.
Speaker 6 (38:30):
Ski trip in in Arizona.
Speaker 7 (38:31):
We were in a ski trip somewhere. Didn't even finish
the game. I think I turned it on right before halftime,
watched a halftime show, and then I think I went
back to do whatever I was doing.
Speaker 5 (38:41):
But I played one year of football in China. Was
an o lineman.
Speaker 6 (38:45):
Oh.
Speaker 5 (38:45):
I was like, the sports sucks. This isn't for me.
Oh line wasn't for me.
Speaker 6 (38:49):
Because they had a little American football going.
Speaker 7 (38:51):
We were the first year of the Shanghai Dragons. That's
pretty sick team.
Speaker 4 (38:55):
That's a sick game.
Speaker 5 (38:56):
Yeah, pretty sweet.
Speaker 7 (38:57):
But it was literally maybe thirty guys and we were
both teams, two Shanghai Dragon teams. We'd all pracks together
and then play against each other on the weekends. So
pretty interesting.
Speaker 1 (39:08):
That is an incredible journey to the point where you're
at now, where you got all these stickers on your jersey.
I didn't know the NFL is doing that now it
has an all pro sticker, a block of granite sticker.
Speaker 2 (39:20):
I don't even know if it's jis, it's just Jim.
Speaker 4 (39:24):
Which one was Harbor? Yeah, Walter Payton, Man of the Year.
You know, you like to do a lot of work
in the community.
Speaker 5 (39:30):
Very very cool. The coolestwollow on here. Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 4 (39:33):
Well he's got a cape, I mean capes, but he
does have a cape on.
Speaker 1 (39:37):
So yeah, he put a cape on and delivered for us.
Thank you Cameron dicker uh for joining us. Thank you,
of course to Mike McDaniel for joining us earlier in
the show. We will be back in the feed next
myself and Nick Shook with our power ranking show.
Speaker 6 (39:55):
We will see ev
Welcome to NFL Daily, where we've got your favorite football
hipster's favorite coach with us. To start the show, I'm
Greg Rosenthal. I'm with one of those football hipsters, Jordan
rod Rieg and yes, Mike McDaniel, the offensive coordinator of
the Los Angeles Chargers, opening up the show with us.
Are you aware of that your your football hipster popularity?
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Yes, I know.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
I think being yourself allows you vulnerable or of vulnerability,
to have both people that cheer for you and and
other people that hate you. So you know, you kind
of I kind of entered in when I decided to
be myself. I kind of know what the stakes are,
so I appreciate that this is part of the population
(00:54):
that isn't.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Hating on me for now.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Another way to say football hipster would just be like
people that love ball, but like Jordan Rori, who you're not, but.
Speaker 4 (01:03):
You're the people who love football's favorite football coach. That's
how I would have probably introduced you. Yeah, that's what
chose a different one.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
I don't want to like you too much, Yeah, which
was cool. I think you know you don't want to
just start off just building you up. But what we'll
be doing that you.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
That's a both were great elite compliments I very much appreciated.
Speaker 4 (01:26):
We're happy to have you here, Mike.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
You you've been here now a minute, Southern California. You know,
you you had the interview for this job, and I'm
I'm thinking watching you know, Herbert throw some dimes out
there today about what it was like for you as
a coach, looking at all those plays which you would
you have talked about before you took the job, and
(01:48):
watching what Justin Herbert did last year and what stood
out the most to you that you could you could
potentially take advantage of as this coach.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Oh, I thought, uh, you know, it was just such
an incredible opportunity, one that I had never had professionally.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Where wait, I can you.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Know, just the opportunity to coach these guys in particular Hymn,
you know, is something that you know, I really appreciate having.
You know, there's not many talents like that in all sports,
you know.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Whether it's quarterback position or or regardless.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
And you know, I'm just glad that I've been chopping
would you know for twenty years in this league before
I had the opportunity to do that.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
So I wouldn't have regrets.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
So it's it's a I mean, I was it was
a weird situation because you're on the heels of you know,
I only know one way to attack a job, so
my expectation is that, you know, I do a good
enough job to keep it and then when you you'd
think that you'd be pretty down when you when you
(02:58):
lose a job, but you know, right in front of me,
it was this opportunity to really do something that you know, uh,
you're very blessed to even get the opportunity in your
entire career.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
So yeah, it was.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
You know, I think I said this before, but I
feel I felt fortunate that I was prepared for the opportunity,
you know, because it's, ah, this is uh, it's something
that I wouldn't be able to live with myself if
I if I wasn't ready for the moment.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
So it's it's it's been awesome.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
I'm glad you alluded to to some of like how
you approach the job and how you approach I think
football in general. Just covering you for for a couple
of years, Mike, like, I always appreciated where you find
ideas and how you think about doing new things within
you know, really understanding who your players are and trying
to do new, interesting things with them. And you're you're
(03:58):
sort of like, you don't you don't really care where
the net is cast. You just want to find cool
stuff to do when you're watching these clips and you're going,
I saw the quote where you went over every single
one of Justin's plays and the concepts and all of that.
Was there anything that really sparked or anything he does
specifically that sparked an inspiration for you or got you
thinking about how you want to design things, or really
(04:21):
kind of got that juice flowing for you.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Well, you know, I think with the breath of.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
The example, you know, I did not want to just
take a leap of faith and base stuff on assumption.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
So watching it, you know, watched.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
All of his passes from his whole career, and I found,
you know, plenty of examples where he was playing, he
was distributing the ball with conviction early in the down,
and then I saw so there was there was things
you know that you know, in the in the years
(04:56):
past that have been a staple of the offense that
I could see that he could do. And then, you know,
there was just he has a spatial awareness, a feel.
You know, I was really taken aback with all the
things that he could he could do extending plays and
making plays and then just you know.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
There's some crazy crazy.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
I watched all of his passes, so you got you
got about fifteen you know, fifteen throws sixty seventy yards
down the field that you know you're not sure is possible,
and to see the clip, so you know, I think
for me it was the feeling has just been both
(05:45):
excitement and focus because you know, I think the like
I said before, you don't get these opportunities and I
and you know, I think it got me me watching
all the film got me super motivated to make sure
that I worked with Jim and and the t's were
(06:06):
crossed and the eyes were dotted on the staff because
I figured, Okay, well, if I can get all the
right position coaches to to really buy in and push
and teach and create relationships with these guys, it will
be an opportunity to you know, I love football. I
(06:27):
love creating competitive advantages for players, and you know it's
something that you know, I looking at the you know,
professional athletes that this is a game about them and
they work their whole lives to get a finite window
and you have, you know, you're blessed with this opportunity
(06:48):
and pack them.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
And I wanted to make sure that, you know.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
I was in the best space to do that, and
I thought, I think it started with the staff, obviously,
with Jim, Joe and John Spanos all being supportive, and
you know, it's I think we put together an unbelievable
offensive staff which is really allowed. I mean, there's been
(07:13):
how I would say, probably five things a day over
the last five practices that you know, we've been able
to try that I've never done before, you know, And
you know, I think it the the It really opens
your eyes to a lot of different schematic things and
(07:37):
just different opportunities. That makes I mean, I'm living the
dream right now.
Speaker 4 (07:42):
Can I ask you about that too? When you come
out here, you look at this roster every every time
I'm out here, I see, first of all, the size
of all of this players. Even your skills are like
some of the Omar and Hampton is like one of
the most giant humans ever. And you know, but you
also have speed, and I'm looking at the personnel options
you have. You could play with a fullback, you could
(08:03):
play with multiple tight ends, you could do all these
different kinds of things, and you have speed, and you
have the quarterback. And I'm wondering, like, where do you
go when you start to build with these players? What
options do you see in terms of you mention it yourself?
You like to create advantages, whether it's personnel or concept
with these players, but also their ability and exploit space.
(08:25):
So where does your mind go and can you kind
of take us through how you think about putting these
guys in those positions?
Speaker 3 (08:30):
Well, I think the most important thing, you know, the
thing that I don't think about is I don't think
about inventing stuff. If you stay true to your core
of what is your job and for me as I
see it, to create advantageous situations for all these players,
(08:52):
then your kind of solution oriented reverse engineering issues and
what in this time of year, what what's really cool
is we you know, I'm just trying to facilitate all
different personnel groups and be able to you know, like
like we we are very confident in ultimately being able
(09:15):
to play in whatever personnel group is. Uh, you know,
you're not dictated by we can be dictated by the personnel,
the defense and what guys do we want to exploit,
what guys do we want to stay away from?
Speaker 2 (09:31):
What what things?
Speaker 3 (09:33):
You know that sometimes base defense is way different than
nickel for when you're playing an opponent or vice versa.
So I think, for me, I'm not trying to I'm
just trying to, UH with the coaching staff, make sure
that we are at the top of UH our our
(09:53):
game from a technique and fundamental standpoint across the board,
whether we're doing ten personnel or thirteen, you know, and
just to give ourselves some options as we you know,
go into the regular season, because that's what I see
from this group.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
And what's been so cool is.
Speaker 3 (10:12):
Your you have a lot of solution or you have
a lot of solutions on the roster, and it's going
to be a lot more difficult for I could be
as varied as I've ever been.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
In personnels, which which makes you harder to.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
Practice and prepare for as an opponent and hopefully creates
more of those advantageous situations for all the guys.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
Do do you have a hand in that in that
team building, because you know, you look on the offensive line,
there's a guy called Strange that comes along with you
from Miami. And then you just look just watching practice today.
Obviously a lot of variety, but you know, Charlie Kohlar
is in the mix. Of course Djoku is in the
mix there. It's just it's a big team out there,
and I'm thinking, like, is this do you have a
(10:57):
big hand in that vision of what happened?
Speaker 3 (10:59):
Well, you know, fortunately the powers that be, both Jim
and Joe allow my voice to be heard.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
Now.
Speaker 3 (11:08):
I will say that one of the reasons this this
place was so attractive to me personally was because of
you know, uh, most specifically the last couple of draft classes.
You know, the players they're drafting or the players that
on the other side of the country I was targeting,
and and you know, and and so I knew there
was a lot of like minded.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Uh you know, really evaluation.
Speaker 3 (11:33):
And then you know, I don't I'm not the general
manager or head coach.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
So I'm very fortunate that they want to hear me.
And we're all fortunate because we were very uh consistent
with in and there was a lot of agreement in
this off season when it came to the free agency
and draft, uh and so I think that, you know,
(12:00):
it's one of the reasons I feel very fortunate to
be here, and one of the reasons this team has
a great chance to be successful is because you have
everyone moving in the same direction, which is one thing
that I knew was a non negotiable for me in
my next opportunity.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
So it yes and no.
Speaker 3 (12:23):
I mean, they don't have to ask and they don't
have to listen. And you know, I think it wasn't
like I was standing on a soapbox preaching. It was,
you know, I'll have conviction with my opinion, and they
happened to share it. So it's been a tremendous off
season that way.
Speaker 4 (12:44):
I had this theory last year there was a lot
of injuries, and obviously seems knock on wood, of course,
seems like things are going really, really well in camp
so far in terms of health here. I thought that
the Chargers were because of that roster building and because
of some of the things they were willing to try
offensively and defensively, a really great combinationation of where football
is going right now and where it was like thirty
(13:05):
years ago too, at the same time, all in one place.
Can you speak to that a little bit, and what
you think this team is that's so representative of where
football is right now.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
Well, I think you have, you know, all three phases.
Speaker 5 (13:19):
You have.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
Systems that you know, are coordinated in a evolution, always
evolving fashion.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
There's a lot of.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
Unique players on this roster in all three phases that
have skill sets that allow you to do things that
are different.
Speaker 4 (13:41):
You know.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
The the first thing that comes to mind is you
have a player like Derwin James, you know, and there's
a He's able to play three to four different positions
in different personnel groups in all situations.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
They can play light, they can play big on defense.
Speaker 3 (14:00):
You know, I think uh coach Ficken has been as
good as they've they get in the return game and
he has a lot of a lot of juice there
to be multiple and do some creative things.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
And then you know, we're not pigeonholed into.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
We have a lot of really good players that you know,
the my job is to make sure that they're maximized
and that they're all involved. And you know that's my
my type of problem solve problem solving party. You know,
like that's that's.
Speaker 6 (14:31):
Sounds like a good time.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Yeah, it is a good time.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
You know, I think you know the you're not a
football team, a football offseason, a football season is not
You're not searching for all roses and no problems.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
It's actually the opposite.
Speaker 3 (14:50):
You want a situation where people can thrive by flourishing
together in times of turmoil. And I think that you
know this, this team is really hungry, and it's you know,
I'm not sure if the team's more more hungry than
I am or vice versa, but that's it was a
great fit in that way because, uh, there there was
(15:12):
a lot of uh.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
Like ambition moving forward.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
So I think, uh, you know this, this group of
people has a great chance to be their very best
version of themselves in December and January by stacking days.
You know, just by the nature of the leaders on
the the best players on this team are elite human
(15:37):
beings that are the that are the the benchmark for
how you want your star players to act. So I
think that gives us an opportunity to uh continue to
chop wood and be our best football team when we
need to.
Speaker 6 (15:55):
Be, and all that variety in multiplicity.
Speaker 1 (15:56):
It gives you a chance to just mess with all
the fantasy football players a little more love that all
all the people out there.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
Yeah, no, I I feel like I feel like I
said something about fantasy and my press conference simply because
I've learned over the years that if there's an off
season question about running backs, it's always the same thing.
But realistically, like, uh, no, one has to worry. If
(16:23):
a players playing really well, I'm not going to take
them out.
Speaker 6 (16:27):
It's a good, good idea.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
That's why business, that's why he's the football hipster, his
favorite coach. I appreciate you, Mike McDaniel and my favorite
football hipster, Jordan.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (16:38):
You guys are top tier and that's why I'm in
the sea It talk to you guys because you guys
really care about what you guys do.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
And I appreciate that. Appreciate that, Mike.
Speaker 5 (16:48):
We appreciate you again.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
Appreciate Mike McDaniel joining us. That made me so happy
checking that off the bucket list. Just one of those
guys I wanted to wanted to interview, and I love
that he is comfortable city and awkwardness. That's my that's
my happy place. Yeah, I felt it in making other
people awkward. I mean even when we first said hi
(17:10):
to him. I shook his hand. I'm like, hi, Greg Rosenthal.
I don't think we've ever really met. Maybe we said
hello once and he was like, of course you are
in educated reporter of facts. And I was like, okay,
I'll take that.
Speaker 7 (17:28):
Greg.
Speaker 4 (17:28):
Greg's astis al to just call him this now.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
I'm putting that on the business card, educated reporter of Facts.
So we're gonna have Cameron Dicker coming up after the break.
But we've watched all of practice. The interview took place
here in El Segundo at the Chargers facility, and then
we did the interviews, and I just thought we'd take
(17:51):
some takeaways from practice today. Anything that you saw that
that stood out to you.
Speaker 4 (17:57):
Yeah, it's Charlie Colar season. Yeah, honestly, I mean the
tight end, you know, he was. I think again, if
if you really love football, you'd be paying attention to
where football is going right now, or at least will
go in the next year or so. He was a
very very popular free agent signing. And it's clear that
Mike McDaniel wants to use him all over the formation
(18:20):
and he gets open and Justin Herbert dots and dots
it on him. He it was it was Yeah, it was.
It was fun. He had one that he just dropped
right over the top of his shoulders as he was
getting a little bit of separation. Was covered fine by
the dB. Obviously a mismatch, but justin Herbert just dropped
it downfield over his both of his hands and he
caught it. It was it was the easiest thing. It
(18:42):
looked like the two had ever done. It was incredible.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
I reference with with Mike McDaniel about that, the comment
he made about, you know, sharing the the carries at
running back, But I'm more can you know, thinking about
like how are they going to share this at tight
end in terms of how much each guy plays and
how are they used. I would personally be surprised to
your point, like if Colar isn't the most important one, Yeah,
(19:04):
because the way he moves at his size. I think
there's a feeling that Baltimore let one get away that
they never really took advantage. He has like four hundred
five hundred career passing yards and you see the way
he's moving today, and then you put him on the
field depending on how big you want to be within
Djoku who is out here today, and then Ronda Gadsdon,
who had a great rookie season, and you know it's
not gonna be as good of a blocker, but he
(19:26):
had an incredible catch, Like the best throw and catch
of the day was on a one on one roll
from Herbert to Gadsden.
Speaker 6 (19:31):
And like he moves incredibly.
Speaker 1 (19:33):
We already know that, and so Colar to me, is
gonna be kind of the most important move piece that
that it's all built around. And he's in motion all
the time, Like this is gonna be a big Jordan
football dork tight edd.
Speaker 4 (19:45):
I know, I'm starting to feel a little tingly, honestly,
because it's so cool to watch the emotions too, and
I like watching Mike McDaniel coach this offense, and Chris
O'Leary has been running I think a lot of very
so it looks like Jesse Minter's defense. You know, they're
rushing some of that Nascar package look with the extra rusher,
and they're doing a lot of stand up alignment on
(20:07):
the outsides and and the you know, Derwin James is
everywhere as we would expect. But when I'm watching the
offense and I'm watching Mike McDaniel coach, he likes to
stand in the back of the defense and make sure
that the timing of the motions are correct. And that
was something I had eyes on today that was so
fascinating to me, because this is gonna this offense is
going to get people with timing too, and with some
(20:30):
of the things that maybe break a defense's rules of
where they think they're going to align at a certain
time in the in the pre snap motion. And then
obviously the gaps all change too if it's a tight
end or a running back going emotion like that, which
they are, and it's it's so fun to watch. And
something that Mike said that really stuck out to me
was every personnel is available to him. I mean, this
team also has fullbacks. Let's not forget this team.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
Has spot for Scott Matlock on the team. I don't
know for sure, he's become a little bit of an
extra plays he's a fullback. By yes, they have Alecan.
Speaker 4 (21:01):
They have Alecan Gold, who Mike brought with him from Miami.
And then they have all these tight ends, and then
they've got receivers who are dudes. Like they're really really positive,
positive group and improved a lot last year in my opinion,
and what I love that he said was it anything
from ten to thirteen, And then you know he's obviously
thinking about twenty one, twenty two as well, where it's
(21:22):
like anything. They can do anything they want, and I
hope they get a chance to because health is always
going to be the biggest thing.
Speaker 1 (21:29):
Yeah, I if we had all the time in the
world for him, I was like going to be like,
do you know the offensive line curse of the Chargers,
Like are you aware that you're gonna be looked on
as the saviors? So far, so good this camp. They're
trying to figure out their their left guard. It's really
funny every year because Charges fans are so obsessed with
the offensive line. It's always like an interior line battle
that they care about, Like we don't care about the
(21:50):
wide receivers, the tight ends in an interior line battle, which,
by the way, Auasca I believe is the one listed
as a starter.
Speaker 6 (21:57):
He gave up two sacks to day was not a
good day for him.
Speaker 4 (22:00):
Well, I was talking to somebody on the side about this,
and Jake Slaughter, Coyote Ouasca, and Trey Pipkins are all
still competing. That job has not been decided yet, but
over the last several practices they have been competing all
at that left guard spot. Is the only spot on
this offensive line where there still is a big question
in an open competition.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
Yeah, and there's there's this is a roster and we'll
wrap up with our takes in a little bit.
Speaker 6 (22:25):
But they find guys.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
And that's why I wanted to ask Cameron Dicker coming
up about like the way this coaching staff develops players,
except on the offensive line, I would say, And they
have a new offensive line.
Speaker 4 (22:37):
Coach who which berry.
Speaker 6 (22:39):
You could just.
Speaker 1 (22:40):
Hear him everywhere, just f bomb after f bomb. This
was one of the loudest coaching practices I've ever been
to in terms of like coaches are just yelling the
whole time in like even more. And then one of
the choir like, it was a chill crowd here today
it's a hot day. It's a nice crowd, a very chill,
chill crowd. But one thing I wanted to make sure
(23:00):
I mentioned, which has been the story for this camp,
was a key messador stepping in as their third ed
drusher maybe will wind up starting for them in terms
of the amount of snaps that he plays alongside Tully
tu Leipolow two and Khalil Mack and that look, he's
a twenty six year old rookie. And I talked to
Matt money Smith our friends, and it's just unfair like
(23:22):
he beat Joe Alt a couple of times in the
last practice and you just don't see that, including out
of mac in Tulli Poload two and that I think
for the people that have been around here each and
every day, the number one story is like, oh wow,
we got a dude in Mesador. So yeah, you watch
a dafe Oway leave. I think there's some feeling they
might have gotten an upgrade there, and so that is
(23:44):
a really good trio on the front end for them
to then mix the coverages on the back end.
Speaker 4 (23:50):
I had to number check Messador a few times because
I kept forgetting that that was a rookie.
Speaker 6 (23:55):
He's a beast.
Speaker 4 (23:56):
He's a freaking dude. Man. Well. The other funny thing,
I mean, we talk about this a lot coming out
of Chargers camps with the size of this team, when
when we're talking about just being physically imposing, we were
standing over watching running back drills and you were reminding yourself,
you know what numbered everybody is and you're like, oh,
Mari and Hampton, and then it was like, oh, we
don't even need to remind ourselves what number Omrion Hampton is.
(24:19):
He's the biggest freaking guy out here.
Speaker 6 (24:21):
He really is.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
And his speed there was one kind of swing pass
during the team drills where he was coming straight at
me on the other side, and his speed is just
it's different. So to Mike McDaniel's point of like, if
he's playing well, I'm not going to take him off
the field. They'll be enough room I think for everyone
in this backfield. Keaton Mitchell is probably the play two
(24:44):
right now. I think that's kind of been how camp
is evolved in Kamanivedelle behind them, but they're all they're
all going to play, And yeah, I thought Herbo.
Speaker 6 (24:53):
You know, he always looks good in camp.
Speaker 1 (24:54):
I mean, he is not gonna look bad, but I
do like his footwork and that's something I kept an
eye on.
Speaker 6 (24:58):
He is is really good on his feed.
Speaker 1 (25:00):
Their offensive line did not like look great today, especially
on the in tier, so he was having to move
and open up his pocket and I just love the
way he looks and plays.
Speaker 4 (25:09):
On the handoffs are tighter too. I was texting you
about this. I noticed this because I got to be here.
You know, I come visit this camp every once in
a while, and I just notice the handoffs are way
tighter in terms of like they're happening instantly, and they're
The fake in them is very very good. When it's
whether it's a fake motion handoff or a play action,
(25:29):
they are a lot they're happening. The act of it
is happening a lot quicker, which is a Mike McDaniel thing.
And it's also the timing of them seems very very
predicated and specific, and that's happening a lot cleaner and
tighter to me as well, which is good. Anything that
gets a defense to hesitate is good for these guys.
Speaker 1 (25:45):
McDaniel saying that they're trying things that he's never tried
before is fascinating, and I saw a couple of them.
I mean, you can't reveal what it was, but just
the run game is going to be creative. It always
is when it comes to Mike McDaniel. Okay, we've talked
a lot about the Chargers, We've preview the AFC West.
We are going to throw it to the break here
(26:06):
on the other side of the break, we are gonna
have a great conversation with right now the best kicker
in the AFC. I can't put him over Brandon Aubrey,
but the best kicker in the AFC. After the break,
all right, we are here, of course, still in El Segundo,
(26:29):
and we're with a man who inspired a Chargers fan
just about fifteen feet away from us to yell out
best kicker in the league. And look, there are numbers
that support that the all time leading percentage in terms
of field goal kicker in NFL history right now, Cameron Dicker, welcome.
Speaker 6 (26:47):
To the show.
Speaker 5 (26:47):
Appreciate you, crazy, thank you.
Speaker 1 (26:49):
I know, is that something earlier in your career You're like,
I must don't want to hear that, because it's gotta
be hard to stay at ninety four percent.
Speaker 6 (26:55):
That's outrageous.
Speaker 7 (26:56):
I mean, it's nice right now, but at the end
of the day, like you said, I'm hoping kick a lot,
a lot more so many more years to come, hopefully
a couple hundred more field goals to come, and so
it's like it's great, but yeah, we'll see where it's
at at the end of the career.
Speaker 4 (27:10):
That's great. We saw you in your hat fielding punts.
Speaker 6 (27:14):
Oh yeah, a little bit.
Speaker 4 (27:15):
Oh yeah, I'm not you caught most of them. We
won't talk about. Maybe the hands a little bit pretty good.
Speaker 7 (27:21):
Yeah, so yeah, I don't know. I'd say compared to
average people, I'm up there is one of the better.
Speaker 4 (27:26):
But it just I always am curious about. I feel
like kickers and specialists in general can be like ultimate
vibes people and kind of keep the vibes locked in
when for a team, I always feel like you always
want to talk to them, and you know, when they're
at their locker, when you guys are making up games
to play on the sideline during you know, workouts or whatever.
(27:46):
And what is it like for you being out here
being a leader on this team now you've been here
for a few years, and to kind of be that
that vibe guy out here in the beachat running around.
Speaker 5 (27:57):
Yeah, it's awesome.
Speaker 7 (27:58):
First I thought you were about to ultimate athletes, which
and I couldn't believe that you just said just vibes guys,
But so ultimate athletes and vibes guys, I think that
I take it as an opportunity to kind of have
fun with these guys. Remind people that we're here to
enjoy our time. I mean, I've been cut from three
(28:19):
different teams. I've experienced what it's like being the undrafted
guy in the room and so making sure those guys
can get to enjoy their days because you're only here
for as many days as you can, be right, and
so enjoy every opportunity you have on this field and
just hanging out learning from some of the best of
the best in the business. And it's just, yeah, that's
kind of the role I've tried to tried to take
with this team.
Speaker 1 (28:39):
People don't realize this, but like Chargers, RAMS is a thing,
and since you brought up, you know that you've been
cut a few times. Your your first spot, you know,
was the Rams as an undrafted rookie and you were
with them through much of their summer into training camp.
Do you ever think like, as they're just rolling through
new kickers a week after week and like it's a
(29:00):
big problem for them, that's like, oh, you made a
mistake there, Rams.
Speaker 7 (29:05):
I mainly think, not my problem. It was awesome being there.
I knew I was going there and wasn't going to
be playing that year. More than likely I was told
they'd keep me around as a guy for the season,
and then they weren't gonna be able to pay their
guys that were there, and everybody knew that, and so
I was like, great, I'll fill in as either a
kicker or a punter wherever they see me grow more.
Speaker 5 (29:24):
And then at this point I don't really care. I
don't really pay attention to.
Speaker 1 (29:27):
Them, because, yeah, Rams Chargers. I don't know if it's
a thing as much among the fans. Maybe a little bit,
but I feel like with the organizations, but the Chargers,
you know, have won up the Rams there on kickers
and on facilities. I love this facility, and I completely
agree they beat them there. You had such an interesting
start to your career. I think about, like, how do
you have the confidence to go out there? And then
I think about how your career started. I don't know
(29:48):
if any player in NFL history has started a career
with game winning kicks. I believe in your first two
games four different franchises, first Eagles where you're filling in
for Jake and then here, like, do you feel like
that super charge everything? Like if I can do that
in my first two games, ever, like that is what's
(30:09):
helped get me.
Speaker 6 (30:10):
To the point I'm at now.
Speaker 7 (30:11):
It was pretty wild, I would say, just because like
my first two games, two different conferences, two game winners,
two different special teams, Player of the Weeks, and the
conference says like, I don't think that's ever been done.
I don't know if it'll ever be done again, because
it's just such a unique thing. And I think for
specialists in the life we live, you have to be
ready for the opportunity when God opens that door for you.
(30:33):
And so for me, preparing, being ready to just go
out there do what I do and have fun smile
doing it was the number one thing for me, And
so I was just putting positions where I had the
opportunity to go excute.
Speaker 4 (30:44):
That's a nice way to put it, and I respect that.
But also, fans know how good you are. I mean,
you're like a cult hero here is like really you people.
You have like a following, like and it's so cool
to me to watch because you're all so just really
you. You're just authentically you. I've been a fan of yours
since the Edna Mode Halloween costume.
Speaker 5 (31:05):
Just very clear, good one.
Speaker 4 (31:06):
That was a really really good one. It was I was, yeah,
it was it was so iconic and obviously iconic character
in our in our history. But I feel like too,
I mean, you're just yourself, and how have you felt
the fans embrace you? And like the organization, you got
a lot of people. We just had one in this chair, Mike,
who they're also very authentically themselves all the time.
Speaker 7 (31:26):
I think a really cool thing with the organization. I think,
starting with Jim Harbaugh, you have a guy who is himself.
People see him in his interviews, think his clips are
hilarious what he says, but are like, is he always
that way? And it's like, yes, he is. This dude
is like an amazing human being, super weird guy, but
like the most loving weird guy ever.
Speaker 5 (31:43):
Right. I always say he's like your best friend's weird dad.
Speaker 7 (31:46):
He's like he loves you so much, but you're just
like he can say whatever, and you're just like, WHOA, where'd.
Speaker 5 (31:52):
This come from?
Speaker 7 (31:53):
But I think having people like that allows you to
be yourself and feel more comfortable doing things in the building.
And then the fans, everybody's been awesome. I try to
have fun, keep it light through social media, through whatever
it is, and so it's it's fun to see people
embrace that and enjoy it with it.
Speaker 4 (32:09):
Would you have I mean, are you already planning the
Halloween costumers every year? You kind of bring the heat.
Speaker 7 (32:13):
With that, I would be honest. It happens like week of. Yeah,
I'm like, week of, I order four costumes. I'm like,
what am I getting on the edge. One that I
haven't done yet that I really want to do is
the new boot goofing uh and I have the outfit,
I don't have the boots, so I need white boots.
Speaker 5 (32:29):
If somebody has white boots.
Speaker 4 (32:30):
If you're listening, If you're listening, yeah, send Cameron Dicker
some new boot goof and white boots.
Speaker 5 (32:35):
Those would be sick, genuine ostrich leather.
Speaker 6 (32:38):
The spirit Halloween in my neighborhood open last week.
Speaker 1 (32:41):
I was like a little early here, bro, like, I'm
not ready to turn that page. But they're open. It's
all happening. People, people prep the pros like you. You
mentioned Harbot being himself and I was thinking, because you know,
you've had perspective of the different coaching staff, so you've
been here, you know, since the beginning now of Jim Harbor,
and I feel like one of his secret weapons is
(33:03):
he's really good at building a coaching staff and developing
a coaching staff and choosing the right people. And I've
seen it with older coaches he's been around for a while.
That's where they lose their fastball. It's not finding like
the right coaching staff because they stop like learning.
Speaker 6 (33:17):
Can you tell me from a player's perspective?
Speaker 1 (33:19):
And you're involved, obviously in special teams and seeing all
the different coaches, like what his staff's what makes it
unique of like the staffs that that he brings.
Speaker 7 (33:28):
Yeah, I think the hard thing with that is when
you're playing good football, you're gonna lose a lot of
your support coaches because they're gonna go get elevated roles
at other teams that you can't really turn down in
those positions. But what's really cool is he finds guys
that brings something unique each and every day.
Speaker 5 (33:44):
I think. I mean, we have an O line.
Speaker 7 (33:47):
Coach who just yells like everybody knows who's yelling that
the whole time.
Speaker 5 (33:51):
It doesn't even seem.
Speaker 7 (33:52):
Like he's speaking, but everybody has their own energy and
really just gets after it with the players and so
being able to know what type of players you have
in the rooms and then what coach is going to
fit with them?
Speaker 5 (34:03):
And it's really cool how he's been able to build that.
Speaker 4 (34:05):
I like that as a mentality here. I agree with Greg.
I think that sometimes when you're evolving and the game
is changing so often, I mean, you guys just went
through a massive change with special teams, with some of
the new rules and things like that. The game itself
systemically is just it collides against itself and then things change, right,
and some of these coaches here, I would argue, this
(34:27):
is a perfect incubator for like what the league is,
what's happening right now, and what's going to be happening
years from now.
Speaker 2 (34:34):
Now.
Speaker 4 (34:34):
I know when it sounds very galaxy brain for the
guy who does his job and does it very very well.
But I think you have, and specialists in general, have
this bird's eye view of the ecosystem overall and what
it is. So what kind of a like a learning
and teaching environment is it?
Speaker 5 (34:52):
Man?
Speaker 4 (34:54):
I know, I just threw a lot of Galaxy brain
at either.
Speaker 6 (34:57):
I think it was a lot.
Speaker 7 (34:58):
I think we were a really good job as a
team of educating everybody on what's going on.
Speaker 5 (35:04):
Yeah, throughout like unique times in the game.
Speaker 7 (35:07):
So every day we have a teach the game segment
where it's like fifteen minutes a day where we're in
a team meeting room and like I'm learning things like
I don't care about what's going on at this point
in the game, but I'm sitting there learning like okay,
if he throws, like I can't touch us on the sideline,
Like I know my rules. And so they do a
really good job teaching guys, keeping guys engaged with that,
and making it a fun atmosphere for all of us
(35:30):
to be in here. I think again, like you brought
up the building earlier, I think having a really nice
facility where guys want to be is a really huge thing.
And then obviously we live in probably the greatest place
an NFL team is.
Speaker 4 (35:40):
Yeah, it's really hard to visit. You know. It's like
it's like just the breeze the ocean being there. I
can smell it like a taco truck in the distance.
It's just really a tough scene.
Speaker 5 (35:50):
It's a really hard life out here.
Speaker 1 (35:52):
Not as much like weed smell at the old San
Diego charters at Qualcomm Stadium that was like aggressive there,
but still but still some you you've now been in
the division a while, What is your like least favorite
stadium to visit or just like, which are the fan
(36:13):
bases that you go to get after you guys the most,
like the most back and forth.
Speaker 7 (36:17):
I don't think there's been anything like too crazy bases.
I mean, it's kind of fun to listen to people.
The Chief's locker room is like the worst away locker room.
Speaker 4 (36:27):
We go into the purpose.
Speaker 7 (36:29):
Yeah, like it's fine, it's whatever, But you have your
own little stool. It's the Chief's little logo on it.
One day, I kind of want to take a stool.
It would be kind of funny to have, but I
don't know if it'll fit in my bag. So I'm
trying to figure that out.
Speaker 4 (36:43):
Just sort of spitballing here. Maybe you just wear it
is your Halloween costume this year. Maybe you are the
little Chief stool.
Speaker 5 (36:51):
That could be an interesting one.
Speaker 4 (36:52):
Yeah, not not many people. Not many people get it.
I don't think. Yeah, maybe you know, don't ask me.
You're you're the artist here, you're the artist. I'm just
a fan.
Speaker 1 (37:03):
So we've heard you had or at least had I
don't know if it still exists, like a swim club
in the facility that we.
Speaker 5 (37:09):
Did have a Charger swim team.
Speaker 7 (37:11):
It's been about a year and a half since swim
team met together.
Speaker 4 (37:14):
What happened?
Speaker 5 (37:16):
You know?
Speaker 4 (37:16):
There was the drama.
Speaker 5 (37:18):
Guys just go different ways.
Speaker 7 (37:20):
Fights break out, you know, like swimming is intense sport
and so what you see guys together on the football field,
but when it comes to the pool, people get really serious.
And people couldn't handle that. I was at number one.
Speaker 4 (37:33):
Ah, well we did here. You were a team USA,
you had you were all decked out in the gear, right.
Do you think that hurt some feelings anywhere.
Speaker 5 (37:41):
Or that they didn't have the same gear.
Speaker 4 (37:44):
Yeah, that they weren't.
Speaker 7 (37:44):
Like maybe that's the thing. Maybe I need to get
us matching stuff and then people would enjoy it. But
mine would say number one, and then I put everybody
else all there.
Speaker 1 (37:51):
I could see how your attitude, yeah, at some point
might rub them the wrong way. The greatest swimmer in
this building, I mean, so you're trying to like build
up you know, kickers or athletes too, and you came
here having never played football, and by here I mean
the United States.
Speaker 6 (38:06):
I don't think a lot of people know that you
grew up in Shanghai.
Speaker 1 (38:09):
Right before like until you were about eleven years old,
had you ever had any like interest knowledge of football
or anything or it was just like throw them out
there and you just could do it right away.
Speaker 5 (38:19):
I watched one football game.
Speaker 7 (38:22):
It was who was It was the Cardinals Steelers in
the Super Bowl, like two thousand and eight, two thousand
and nine, whatever it was.
Speaker 5 (38:29):
We were on a.
Speaker 6 (38:30):
Ski trip in in Arizona.
Speaker 7 (38:31):
We were in a ski trip somewhere. Didn't even finish
the game. I think I turned it on right before halftime,
watched a halftime show, and then I think I went
back to do whatever I was doing.
Speaker 5 (38:41):
But I played one year of football in China. Was
an o lineman.
Speaker 6 (38:45):
Oh.
Speaker 5 (38:45):
I was like, the sports sucks. This isn't for me.
Oh line wasn't for me.
Speaker 6 (38:49):
Because they had a little American football going.
Speaker 7 (38:51):
We were the first year of the Shanghai Dragons. That's
pretty sick team.
Speaker 4 (38:55):
That's a sick game.
Speaker 5 (38:56):
Yeah, pretty sweet.
Speaker 7 (38:57):
But it was literally maybe thirty guys and we were
both teams, two Shanghai Dragon teams. We'd all pracks together
and then play against each other on the weekends. So
pretty interesting.
Speaker 1 (39:08):
That is an incredible journey to the point where you're
at now, where you got all these stickers on your jersey.
I didn't know the NFL is doing that now it
has an all pro sticker, a block of granite sticker.
Speaker 2 (39:20):
I don't even know if it's jis, it's just Jim.
Speaker 4 (39:24):
Which one was Harbor? Yeah, Walter Payton, Man of the Year.
You know, you like to do a lot of work
in the community.
Speaker 5 (39:30):
Very very cool. The coolestwollow on here. Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 4 (39:33):
Well he's got a cape, I mean capes, but he
does have a cape on.
Speaker 1 (39:37):
So yeah, he put a cape on and delivered for us.
Thank you Cameron dicker uh for joining us. Thank you,
of course to Mike McDaniel for joining us earlier in
the show. We will be back in the feed next
myself and Nick Shook with our power ranking show.
Speaker 6 (39:55):
We will see ev
Host
Gregg Rosenthal
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