August 8, 2023 • 62 mins
On the NFL's Official Hard Knocks Podcast, Dan Hanzus and Colleen Wolfe are joined by Rich Eisen to recap the first episode of the "Hard Knocks Training Camp with the New York Jets". Dan starts off the show by recounting his life as a Jets fan and how he feels watching the Aaron Rodgers era begin. Dan then welcomes in fellow Jet fan and NFL Network's Rich Eisen to talk about how surreal this feels as a Jets fan (06:22), why he thinks this is different from the Jets' time with Brett Favre (11:00) and why he thinks the franchise is in a good place moving forward (24:25). After the break, Dan and Colleen give you their favorite movements of the show (30:25) and tell you who got their vote for Hard Knocks MVP (44:01).
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Guys, we got a great deal of hype around us.
We do all kinds of expectations, and with great expectations,
we know that there's going to be a whole lot
of people, a whole lot of crows, expecting us to
fall on our face. What are you doing to find
that little bit more to get us closer to being
a great contigue? You finish practice now what? You finished meetings?
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Now?
Speaker 3 (00:22):
What?
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Lifting a rep now what? And if we come together
and we challenge ourselves to do a little bit more
every day, the crows they'll fall by themselves. Embrace what
we're capable of. Embrace the fact that we are the
same old Jets. Embrace the fact that we do have
a target on our back. Embrace the fact that when
(00:45):
teams look at our schedule, they're not chalking us up
for a w They're coming at you. That's exactly where
we want to be, and that's awesome.
Speaker 4 (01:02):
I'll remember this episode for the walk that Walk, which
begins the latest season of Hard Knocks, a walk that
tells the story of this beautiful and unique place in
time for the New York Jets. Aaron Rodgers exits the
doors of the Jets facility in Flora Park and begins
that brief journey to the practice field for another day
(01:25):
of work in the summer heat, waiting for him his team. Yes,
Robert Sala, who you heard? Yes, thousands of adoring fans,
many wearing number eight jerseys, and all them calling out
to the longtime Packers quarterback they hope will finally serve
as the rightful successor to Joe Namath for the Jets.
(01:49):
In January, it will be fifty four years since the
team's lone Super Bowl triumph.
Speaker 5 (01:54):
It's time. It's been time.
Speaker 4 (01:58):
Rogers knows who he is and what he represents to
his teammates, to the front office, to the success starved fans,
to his critics, of which there are many, as we know,
and you know what, he loves it. After he exits
that front door, he says to the camera following him,
I'll give you some good stuff today, and he does.
Everyone is chasing the top tier quarterback, says Robert Sala,
(02:23):
positively beaming by the way across the entirety of this premiere.
Because Sala said, they change games, they change entire locker rooms.
I'll take Sala's deadly accurate statement a step further the
arrival of a truly great quarterback can change lives and
the identity of an entire fan base, no matter what
they've been through previous to the arrival of a true
(02:45):
difference maker at the game's most important position. The New
York Jets will enter Week one riding a postseason draft
that is stretched across a dozen seasons. Now it's the
backdrop of this show. It's tied for the longest of
any team in North American sports. And last year began
with hope as a dynamic rookie class and a rising
(03:06):
defense put New York into position to snap that dry
spell until let's call a G fours free fall in
the quarterback play sparked a catastrophic offensive implosion.
Speaker 5 (03:16):
The waiting game continued for.
Speaker 4 (03:18):
The playoffs and for a quarterback who could return the
franchise to prominence. And now let's take a brief aside,
and let's offer a full disclosure for the unaware. I'm
a Jets fan. My first game in person was October second,
nineteen eighty eight. It was a seventeen seventeen tie with
the Chiefs, and it was played in a downpour at
(03:40):
the Old Metal Lands. The Jets had five fumbles that night,
and three of them lost, including the Freeman McNeil turnover
with the Jets at the case fifteen in overtime. I
was eight, and I left that building feeling like my
dad just took me to an R rated horror film
I had no business seeing at that age. Six years later,
(04:02):
I watched from those same red seats at Giants Stadium
as Dan Marino led the Dolphins on that furious second
half comeback cap by the infamous fake Spike ted pass
to mark ingram sor.
Speaker 6 (04:15):
He's gonna kick the ball corn into the ground I start.
Speaker 4 (04:19):
That prompted a season ending tailspin that got some forty
two year old rookie head coach named.
Speaker 5 (04:23):
Pete Carroll fired.
Speaker 4 (04:25):
I wonder what happened to that guy. Eleven years after that,
I was at some random Jaguars game after I graduated
college in September where Chad Pennington reinjured. And I love
Chad Pennington, but he reinjured that troublesome right shoulder on
a sack. He was replaced by a nice fellow named
Jay Fiedler, who was also flattened and also forced from
(04:46):
action with a shoulder injury. I could still see it today,
Feedler looking up at us from our seats behind the
end zone, giving the thumbs up and mouthing I'm good
as he jogged up the tunnel.
Speaker 5 (04:58):
He was not good.
Speaker 4 (04:59):
Two days l the two qbs shared the same plane
to Alabama for a visit with doctor James Andrews. Their
season's over. There are many sad stories around the QB
position for this team.
Speaker 5 (05:11):
These are just mine.
Speaker 4 (05:13):
Enter Aaron Rodgers and enter the cameras of Hard Knocks,
arriving at a crucial moment in time for this starcross franchise.
The Jets have gone from perennial afterthought to the most
compelling team in football. You heard it right there and
the Hard Knocks sizzle reel before the premiere last week.
Speaker 5 (05:28):
Love him or hate him?
Speaker 4 (05:29):
And that all goes back to the grizzled and eternally
laid back QB from Northern California. Rogers can change games,
he can change locker rooms, and as we saw in
Tuesday's season premiere, he can change the temperature of any
space he enters. Hoping optimism is abundant for the New
York Jets, It's true, it's real. This all feels different
(05:50):
and yes, a touch overwhelming?
Speaker 5 (05:53):
Is it time? It's been time?
Speaker 4 (05:56):
I am Dan Hansis and this is the Hard Knocks Podcast,
back for a second year. In your ears via Around
the NFL. My partner Colleen Wolf will join us just
a little bit later from the road. But let us
start with a very special guest, a man who needs
no introduction, but I'll give it anyway. He is the
face of NFL Network since it's inception twenty years ago.
(06:18):
He has his own show and the Rich Eisend Show
as well. And a man who bleeds green rich eyes.
And welcome to the Hard Knocks Podcast.
Speaker 7 (06:25):
How are you brother?
Speaker 5 (06:27):
Very well?
Speaker 4 (06:27):
Really appreciate it Rich like you know I talked at
the top of the show. My first Jets game was
eighty eight. It was a five fumble affair and a
seventeen seventeen tie with the Chiefs and a downpour. And
where did when did you lose your innocence as a
Jets fan growing up in a lot?
Speaker 8 (06:43):
Oh, I don't remember. Staten Island is where I got islands? Yeah,
no problem, It's all the same island of New York City,
except Staten Island, the fifth and forgotten borrow My brother
My brother was a Jet met fan because that was
in the era of you rooted for the teams in
the same building, and so I realized early on that
(07:10):
when you know, Reggie Jackson and Catfish Hunter were winning
the World Series in New York, I jumped off the
Met and got on the Yankee, but stayed on the Jet.
And I have somewhere in my house here my Wesley
Walker jersey, that number eighty five Wesley Walker jersey with
(07:32):
my name and bunk number from Camp low Conda stitched
into it. And I'm pleased to say that I survived
the aj Dewey Interception Festival when Don.
Speaker 5 (07:45):
Shula, maybe that's it, rich Maybe that's your moment.
Speaker 8 (07:48):
Don Shula watered down the Orange Bowl turf to slow
Freeman McNeil down, and then you know, I've been I've
been a Jet fan ever since. And and watching Hard
Knocks tonight was quite awesome. It was a lot of fun,
and I have thoughts, if you want to fire away,
(08:09):
go for it.
Speaker 5 (08:10):
Yeah, why don't we get to it this way?
Speaker 4 (08:12):
Because I talked about that initial walk that Rogers had
onto the field that started things off really kind of
painted the picture of where this team is both in
you know, obviously you could feel the fans just wanting
this to work and wanting this to be finally the
end of this long wait. As a native New Yorker,
Rich I think about it. You know, fifty four years
for the Jets. Remember the Rangers finally got over the
(08:33):
hump in ninety four. It was the nineteen forty chance
that they were getting before that, and that was fifty
four years. That's we're dealing with something that is extended
and kind of historic in terms of New York's pro sports.
How do you see Rogers and how he has transformed
this team, because it seemed like a lot of the
players were kind of in awe and even the coaches.
Speaker 8 (08:55):
Well, and so, you know, I'll be honest, you know,
I just was watching it, and I know this has
been a reality since April, but I still can't believe
he's a New York Jet and he's happy to be so.
And I know, you know, it wasn't really covered in
(09:18):
this Hard Knocks episode, the concept of his contract that
he forfeited money, and that he forfeited money that he
could earn. Obviously, you know, guaranteed money actually went up
for him with the way that he could you know,
constructed his contract, but the amount of money that he
(09:40):
could earn overall over the two year period went down.
And he's happy to do it, and he's happy that
he's there, and he doesn't feel anything but excitement. And
just seeing that is just again part of the scars
(10:02):
from your you know, tie game and Intercept, you know,
Turnover Athon from the Chiefs and what I just mentioned
for you know, my birth into the Jets fandom.
Speaker 7 (10:12):
It's just difficult to compute. I'm not gonna lie.
Speaker 8 (10:15):
It's tough to compute that this is actually happening and
and and seemingly working.
Speaker 7 (10:22):
Obviously.
Speaker 8 (10:23):
He even pointed out when Leev Schreiber said to him,
you know, all of New York's excited, and he basically said,
you know, we haven't played games yet. He understands how
this works, and so far, so good. I just it
really is. It's too good to be true. I'm like
waiting for shoes to drop, trap doors to open up,
(10:45):
and here we are on August eighth, and and it
hasn't happened yet. And we are coming up on Friday,
one month from the opener against the Bills, and obviously
that's when Rubber is really going to meet the road.
But right now it's just great to see and you know,
obviously one last thing to say here and then I'll
you know, obviously hand it back to you here for
(11:05):
this conversation is we're all looking at Rogers, or at
least Jet fans have through the last few months through
the prism of Brett Farv, like here we go again,
that we're reaching, we're out of We're out of ideas
and options at the quarterback spot. So let's take the
Packers longtime first ballot Hall of Fame or goat at
(11:28):
the end of his career and hope for the best.
And clearly this is a different scenario. Clearly Rogers is
in a much better headspace. Clearly Rogers is in a
much better body space as well. You know, Farv was
at the end of a very long consecutive games played
(11:50):
Streak Road and essentially used in the long run the
Jets as a transfer portal to Minnesota as the vessel
for his revenge on Green Bay. And I don't think
Rogers wants vengeance on Green Bay. I think what he
(12:11):
wants is to win with the Jets, to do what
Brady did at the end of his career, except this
one is he's coming into the AFC East as opposed
to leaving the AFC East to get that ring that
he's looking for. And whereas the young roster in the
way things were constructed in Green Bay appeared to grate
(12:34):
on him, he is loving being the OG in this situation.
And I caught everything from the cameras and the microphones
being picked up in hard Knocks that he appears to
really relish the role that he is in. He's comfortable
in it, he enjoys being there, and he's not thinking
(12:57):
of anything but winning with the Jets. As as to
what happened with FARV where you know, we all it
turned out to be a way station, that doesn't appear
to be the case here, and I'm thrilled about it.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
Yeah, it's despite the obviously it's odd that it's this
legendary packer going to the Jets.
Speaker 5 (13:14):
It's apples and oranges for the reasons you just said.
Speaker 4 (13:17):
And you know, it does feel like he just his
presence and the fact and you could see it, I
mean you could see it even in the in the
practice and of course the dispatches from the Beat writers
that He has a lot of high level ball in
him that I think I feel despite and yes, Jets
fans leaning aside, I know you could look at the
numbers last year and say he was down a little bit,
(13:39):
but there were injuries and there was a lot of
drama around the Packers. This is a fresh start he needed,
and I think he's really gonna lean into that, and
you know, I want to talk about it on to
set up a clip here, Jeff Albrick, who's the defensive
coordinator of the Jets.
Speaker 5 (13:52):
We know the story of last season.
Speaker 4 (13:54):
The defense was on the rise and the implosion of
Zach Wilson in the quarterback position, really submarine season that
was looking very promising, you know, ahead of around you know,
Thanksgiving or so. Here's Olbrick talking to the Jets in
a meeting. They're going over a clip showing Rogers making
an insane throw in practice, kind of across the field,
(14:15):
a throw that you.
Speaker 5 (14:17):
Just don't see. And again you see that the team
and the coaching staff like, wait, this is different, this
is exciting, this is new. Here's Olbrich.
Speaker 6 (14:25):
Just understand this. I don't give what goes down this year.
We will always be in games no matter what, we
break some shoelaces and get a few points on us, guys,
we're gonna be in every game. Guys, this is across
the field on the back shoulder.
Speaker 5 (14:40):
Look at this.
Speaker 6 (14:43):
I don't know's there's any other human on earth that
can make that throw.
Speaker 5 (14:48):
He's our quarterback. He's ours, He's ours, awesome man.
Speaker 4 (14:55):
And it's like Obric speaks for all of us too, rich,
like he's ours. He's our quarterback, I know.
Speaker 8 (15:01):
And that dovetails a little bit into what we've already
talked about. Two things from that moment in the Hard
Knocks debut, because that did stand out. That's an excellent
choice of a SoundBite. That stood out to me because
I thought it was the best inside meeting room truth
telling Hard Knocks at its finest right there SoundBite of
(15:25):
the debut quite frankly. But two other things. First of all,
don't watch Hard Knocks around your twelve year old son.
Where the defensive coordinator of the Jets is on camera.
I mean, that's number one. So we'll give that heads
up to you. We're gonna hear from Tony Dungee again.
Speaker 4 (15:41):
Remember it in twenty ten, Dongee saying Rex Ryan in
the League conversation.
Speaker 8 (15:45):
Well, I mean really, but when I saw that, it
was again just the first fifteen minutes of that and
the whole thing, and you know, and I know Aaron
Rodgers was saying how he had nothing but good experiences
with NFL films and that's the truth. When Leev Schreiber
asked him point blank, you know, like why don't teams
want to do this? And I know, like Leev Schreiber
(16:08):
was just basically giving voice. I'm sure he loves doing
this show and being the voice of Hard Knocks, and
I'm sure he's beginning to get concerned that they're running
out of teams that want to do it, and see
as that of Aaron Rodgers point blank, and I know
Aaron's like, you know, hey, you know, some people think
it could be a distraction, but I really like, you know,
NFL films. He did use the phrase of it being
(16:31):
jammed down the team's throats when he was asked about
it at the celebrity golf outing in Utah. So that's
why Leev brings it on. But the issue I think
some teams don't, you know, like being put out there
is the dynamic here that I guess my point is
(16:57):
this is that the thing I got out of it
was z Zach Wilson seeing.
Speaker 7 (17:01):
This, and he must sense it.
Speaker 8 (17:03):
I mean again, the fact that we're seeing it will
maybe make it that much more intense for him. But
he's whether we're seeing it or not, it's happening behind
the scenes, and this is Aaron Rodgers's team, and the
team is clearly relieved that he's there and that Zach
can't but help sense that he was the guy that
(17:28):
scuttled last year. Rogers's presence is obviously testimonial to that,
but everybody in that building is just like, that's our quarterback.
Speaker 7 (17:36):
We're going to be in games.
Speaker 8 (17:38):
This guy is incredible, you know, Minicole Hartman going up
to him saying, I'm going to tell my grandkids and
my kids that I played with you, you know. And
so again, how Zach handles it is going to be interesting.
And the only reason why that would, for the lack
of a better phrase, matter right now.
Speaker 7 (17:55):
Is he may have to get in games.
Speaker 8 (17:57):
And you know, if Rogers somehow doesn't answer a bell
or gets a bell rung, he might have to shake
that off that oh god, I'm the guy coming in
that nobody wants to see in the game, and that
is definitely a mental aspect that I think Rogers is
clearly addressing by coaching him up. Which is one last
(18:19):
thing as well, that if Rogers deep down did think
this was being jammed down the Jets' throats, this is
basically a sixty minute documentary as to how awesome and
cool Aaron Rodgers is and how his teammates feel. It
was a big, fat, wet kiss to number eight on
the New York Jets, and credit to him too. He
(18:41):
even said when he was miked up walking out to
the field for the first time and practice like, he
looks at the cameras, I'll give you some good.
Speaker 7 (18:47):
Today, and he did.
Speaker 8 (18:50):
He was engaging, He talked off camera knowing clearly it
was miked up and it was a fun first episode.
But that sounds by calls me to think, you know,
how is Zach Wilson taking the clear relief and excitement
(19:11):
that his teammates rightfully have that Aaron Rodgers is their quarterback?
Speaker 5 (19:14):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (19:14):
That I mean following this team a number two overall
pick that as recently as this time last year, the
idea was that he's the face of the organization.
Speaker 5 (19:24):
I thought it was telling that Sala.
Speaker 4 (19:25):
Says in one of his comments, I feel like him
showing up is successful because he's being asked.
Speaker 5 (19:33):
What he's being asked to do is hard.
Speaker 7 (19:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (19:37):
Yeah, Like this is highly humbling for a guy that's
still very young and twenty four years old. And then,
just to add a little bit more to this stew
like Rogers, it was documented before any of this ever happened,
that Rogers was Wilson's hero, and now he's in the
building and everyone's relieved that he's here to save the
day from Zach Wilson.
Speaker 8 (19:57):
Dan, here's the truth. The day needed to be saved.
Rogers is there for a reason, Okay, And obviously Rogers
has his own reasons for not wanting to be in
Green Bay anymore and pulling the ripcord and giving up
thirty five million dollars or so to go to the
New York Jets because the Jets needed him, they were
desperate to have him, that this team was ready to
(20:19):
start to succeed. That's the other part about Hard Knocks
as well. Certainly, when you're comparing this team to what
Farv came in on, this is a far more talented
team than the one Farv joined from from the coach
in Sala, being, in my mind, a much more ready
(20:40):
for prime time and this moment coach than Eric Mangini,
you know from you know, that's Garrett Wilson, not Jericho
KATCHERI you know, like this is Sauce Frigin Gardner, that's
Quinn Williams. I mean, and that's just three to name
off the top of my head. I mean this this
(21:00):
roster is deep, and this roster is hungry, and this
roster is young and ready to roll. All you need
is just to add future Hall of Fame quarterback with
Chip on shoulder and Zen in heart and mind. I mean,
holy cow, this is real. It's the sense that I
(21:23):
got right now. But what is real is they needed him,
and Zach, you know, kudos to him for, yes, just
showing up. But the part about just showing up that's
tough is that everyone in the building is charged by Rogers'
presence and also ready to roll and follow his lead
(21:46):
on every front. And clearly this is something that Zach
didn't engender or earn last year. But that is the
ultimate part about Rogers's journey that starts from now is
that how it does play out this year is crucial,
and next year we're assuming he will be there, is crucial.
But the endgame scenario, I mean Brady left and it's
(22:08):
Baker Mayfield versus Kyle Trask on the same line as
their depth chart in Tampa. Right now, we all know
what the plan is for the Jets is when Rogers
does hand this thing back is hopefully Zach Wilson will
be what a fourth, fifth, sixth year pro that is
imbued with all of this knowledge and confidence and talent,
(22:29):
and off you go, and you just keep going on,
like say far to Rogers, like that's the way that
this plan is set up, and the fact that there
is one is exciting.
Speaker 4 (22:40):
Yes, you know, and I guess the big picture plan
of handing the reins back over in a few years, Okay,
you could sell me on that hypothetically, the one where
he's the number two quarterback and you know he's one
hit away from being in the lineup in September, that
is the one that scares me.
Speaker 5 (22:55):
And we'll leave. We'll end it this way, Rich because
and again, thank you for your time.
Speaker 4 (22:59):
And Rich got it of course all over NFL Network
and his own Rich eyesend Show, which you can catch
on the Roku channel, west Wood one Odyssey. Anything you
want to see episode two, anything you didn't see here
that you're looking forward to diving.
Speaker 7 (23:14):
I don't.
Speaker 8 (23:15):
Here's what I want to see, and I don't think
we're going to see it. I want to see Dalvin Cook,
what happened when he was there? I clearly the Jets
didn't want any of that stuff at the center good,
you know. And I want to see Breesce Hall. Let's
go like, what's what's he looking like? Clearly I don't
think the Jets are going to show you that either,
(23:35):
you know, and that's that's essentially it. And I just
want to see this team continue to be a cohesive,
chill unit, you know. And again I want to we're
you know, I've been talking about the differences between the
last goat to come from Green Bay to land in
New York and be the hope of Jets fandom that
(23:55):
we will finally reach a promised land and you and
I will cover a Super Bowl for the NFL media
group and see the word Jets in.
Speaker 5 (24:03):
An end zone. You know.
Speaker 8 (24:06):
That the difference between this hard knocks Jets team and
the previous one. And again I'm very appreciative and thankful
that that two AFC Championship Game appearances back to back occurred, right,
and that Sanchez and Rex Ryan were born out of
(24:27):
the far failure. I get it, But to me, Sala
seems to be so much more just sustainable, you know,
And and this team appears to not be on the
credit card either. Now, obviously Rogers is going to come
(24:50):
at a cost once he's done. But the Jets team
that we saw that Mike Tannenbaum put it on the
credit card, grounded pound and try and win with the
Ryan where Sala is absolutely the coach of the moment
the Jets need in the same way Ryan was where
I don't need to kiss Bill Belichick's rings.
Speaker 7 (25:09):
And you know, the.
Speaker 8 (25:10):
Man genius who you know, really didn't have much of
a personality given way to Rex and his braggadociousness, which
definitely worked for a New York audience and for a
fan base that was, if I may say so, sick
and tired of getting kicked in the balls by the
football gods for forty years.
Speaker 7 (25:27):
At that point in time.
Speaker 8 (25:29):
You know, Sala just seems to be a much more
sustainable coach for the Jets, that the cult of personality
isn't going to run out.
Speaker 4 (25:40):
And yet you know, and yet this is the year
three for Sala, right right, so I know, if it
doesn't happen this year, you can imagine ownership potentially making
that change, which.
Speaker 8 (25:48):
Then that would be a mistake. That would be a mistake.
I think it would be a mistake. And obviously we
need to see how things play out from here. But honestly,
Joe Douglas, you know, winding up turning Elijah Moore into
a second round selection, that wound up turning into Rogers.
(26:10):
The drafting of the team, the way that they've been
drafting it. The smart I mean Lazard, I mean he
barely showed up in this first episode of Hard Knocks.
I mean, come on, Like that is a heck of
a wide receiver pickup Mikole Hardman. Also, like, this is
a really talented, deep team that isn't really discussed as
(26:35):
such because we are all attracted to and distracted by
the Rogers acquisition because it is so splashy and so big,
the Quinn Williams signing. Again, the defensive line is deep.
They are a deep, young, hungry team, and I guess
I'd like to see more of that over the next two,
(26:58):
three four weeks. But just let's keep it healthy and
cohesive and hit the ground running on the first Monday
Night of the season, because that is a big fat
piece of Filet mignon the Jets have. The league is
served up to all of us on the first Monday night.
Then a trip to Dallas, then the Belichick visit, then
(27:20):
the Mahomes visit, then the Week five game against Denver
that wasn't on anyone's marquee until Sean Payton's comments hit
open air, and then Jalen Hurts visit. So I just
need health and calm and chill and cohesiveness because the
(27:44):
first six weeks is going to be the crucible that
will forge this team or springboard it or even worse.
Speaker 5 (27:52):
Yep.
Speaker 4 (27:53):
And as to your point or your your vision of
one day us both being in a building at the
super Bowl, the Jets in the end zone is another
famous Jets fan, Joe Beningo is known to say, from
your lips to Gadzia.
Speaker 7 (28:06):
Yeah here, let me hold on, let me flex hold on, sacking.
Speaker 5 (28:10):
Always go, which is walking off Mike. He's in his office.
Speaker 7 (28:15):
Hold on, I'm sorry I should describe it to your
podcast on.
Speaker 8 (28:20):
All right, here we go. This is at an NFL
This is the NFL Honors in Atlanta. Okay, give us Okay,
there you go. That's that's me. Well oh yeah, sorry,
let me uh hold on, there you go. That's me
with Joe Willie. Okay, there it is. And I saw
him and we hugged it out. We like we had
(28:41):
an And then my friend Julie from gave this to
me for my fiftieth birthday. She got to sign because
she worked for UH sports Net New York at the time,
and she got Joe Willie to sign it.
Speaker 7 (28:52):
We well, we just need.
Speaker 8 (28:55):
You know, we need we need This is great and
Joe Willie is the greatest and I you know, but
we need new generations to have their Yeah, like we've
got rich that to to coin the phrase that Lombardi
trophies lonely. And that's my way of flexing in a
way to make a point.
Speaker 5 (29:15):
There you go, you.
Speaker 8 (29:16):
Know, like we gotta we gotta, we gotta have our own,
you know moment here. I don't know if Rogers is
gonna hug me out like.
Speaker 5 (29:23):
This, but in a big radiant smile.
Speaker 7 (29:26):
And I don't know about that.
Speaker 8 (29:27):
I don't know if we'll ever have that, but you know,
maybe I'll just surf off of Peter Schrager's new found friendship,
you know, with him, and.
Speaker 4 (29:38):
Is making a tweet where he explained how it all happened, that.
Speaker 5 (29:41):
I saw a big scoop, you know, no I saw that.
Speaker 8 (29:44):
And again, just to wrap it all up, is that
Rogers appears to be really you know, uh at a
a in a really good state of mind here and
has really taken to New York and New York to him.
And we will just see how it all works out
once schemes are played, and you know, adversity strikes. But
(30:07):
so far, so good. And I thought the first episode
of Hard Knocks was just surreal. That's the only way
to put it. I can't believe it's happening. I can't
believe it's happening.
Speaker 4 (30:18):
Rich and we are in the same boat. We are
in the same boat, sir. Thank you so much. You
got rich eyes and check them out on the rich
Eyes and show them of course an NFL network. We're
going to take a break and be back with Connie Fox.
(30:49):
All right, welcome back and as promised. She is my
co host on this wonderful podcast of Hard Knocks. She
is the great Connie Fox, also known as Colleen Wolf.
Where are you, Colleen right now? You should be in
the studio with me. This is the premiere of the
Hard Knocks podcast.
Speaker 5 (31:09):
I'm upset.
Speaker 2 (31:12):
Here right now, and that's all that really matters, even
though not physically there, Dan, I'm here with you.
Speaker 5 (31:18):
Very Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 2 (31:21):
You know, listen, I am in a hotel right now
in Seattle, looking out at the beautiful skyline and the water.
Speaker 9 (31:28):
It's gorgeous here. I love the city. I'm not even
sure I can leave.
Speaker 2 (31:32):
I don't know if I'll be back at studio because
I might not ever leave Seattle, but it's great. I
have Seahawks camp tomorrow, so I'll be on inside Training
Camp live.
Speaker 5 (31:40):
Get that plug in.
Speaker 4 (31:41):
I like it, Connie, and you know, this is our
second year doing this podcast, and you know we've always
been big fans of Leev Schreiber, the actor and longtime
narrator of Hard Knocks and Connie. Let's get it's like
the fun kind of nuggets from episode one.
Speaker 5 (31:58):
But let's start with a it all because it's it
was pretty.
Speaker 4 (32:01):
Meta in general that the narrator of the show gets
put into the news cycle. Here's the backstory by Aaron Rodgers.
Everything again, everything goes back to Rogers, who tells reporters
that one thing he was looking forward to in terms
of being having the cameras in the whole vibe is
Leev Schreiber because he's a fan of his work, and
(32:22):
so on and so forth. So what what I mean
the budget, Connie? What the budget of NFL Films and HBO?
Do they split the check? They rent a helicopter to
have the man flown in to the middle of the practice,
and and and then you ask Leev Schreiber to narrate
his own arrival on Hard Knocks. And as people fans
(32:46):
of this show know this podcast, we do not have
contractually the ability to use Leev's voice on this program.
Speaker 5 (32:54):
Legally it's a big time no go.
Speaker 4 (32:57):
But we do have Jason Zummol to read transcription from
an episode hit it.
Speaker 6 (33:05):
Sometimes when a show is truly epic, it pulls out
all the stops.
Speaker 5 (33:11):
Full disclosure. I wanted to drive, but the producers thought
a helicopter might.
Speaker 7 (33:16):
Be more dramatic.
Speaker 5 (33:18):
Should have ironed my shirt.
Speaker 4 (33:21):
I'm alt on point as always, the voice of God
for atn and the voice of God of NFL Films.
Speaker 5 (33:28):
Meeting once more, Connie the.
Speaker 4 (33:30):
Schreiber coming down to practice, awkward chit chat, all great stuff,
and then it led to one of my favorite parts
of the episode, one of the things we talked about
last week, Connie about like, what is it about the
Nathaniel Hackett and Aaron Rodgers of it all, this relationship
that has helped create this whole system or situation for
(33:52):
the Jets right now? And here's Rogers who was just
giddy about meeting Schreiber and thought that all these young
twenty four year old quarterbacks around them should be like
super amped up about this veteran character actor. Here is
Rogers and Hackett kind of sniping at each other in
a way that only good buddies can.
Speaker 10 (34:12):
Wait. Say right, he's nervous, he won't say you know me,
people feel comfortable. He's never been to a hard knocks practice. Overwhelming,
Just say hi, just be nice, look at him. Hey,
if you don't dressed up for.
Speaker 4 (34:31):
It, slam slim, say hi to Ifaniel Hackett say hi,
it's striver.
Speaker 9 (34:42):
Okay, all right, I have so many thoughts here.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
First of all, Zumbwalt, I almost forgot how accurate he
is with these impressions. It is just so spot on,
It's so well done. I love his driver. The helicopter itself.
Speaker 9 (34:58):
Was so extra but also so perfect.
Speaker 5 (35:02):
I loved it much.
Speaker 9 (35:03):
I loved it.
Speaker 5 (35:04):
The jets are the jets kicking it on it.
Speaker 9 (35:06):
Oh, of course, I have no idea.
Speaker 5 (35:08):
I guess this.
Speaker 9 (35:11):
Blade blade is like a thing in New York. It's
almost like a helicopter uber. I have no I don't
have that type of money. I would have no idea
where to start with.
Speaker 4 (35:21):
It has to be it might five from five hundred
to fifty thousand dollars is what I'm going to stay for.
My guess of how much it cost it to bring
in s Treiber on.
Speaker 2 (35:30):
The on the HELLI I would say definitely more than
five hundred.
Speaker 9 (35:33):
I'm taking the over.
Speaker 2 (35:35):
But maybe they've worked out a deal because they got
the blade promotion in on the show, so who knows.
Who knows what kind of strings HBO can poll. But
the producers were absolutely correct.
Speaker 9 (35:46):
It was super dramatic. That's an insane entrance.
Speaker 2 (35:49):
Uh And of course Leam Dreiver kind of he seemed
a little bashful about it, which I kind of loved,
and he also just kind of came off as a
little humble in general when he.
Speaker 9 (35:59):
Talked of out the fact that he doesn't really do anything.
Speaker 2 (36:02):
It's just his voice and he's just ripping off John
DESCENTA like that I was into, and I loved Aaron
Rodgers sort of fan boying over him and thinking that
everyone else was going to feel the same way that
exchange with Haack.
Speaker 5 (36:14):
It was so cute, I think it was.
Speaker 4 (36:16):
I thought it was endearing for all parties involved in Connie.
One of the things that's great about you is your awkwardness,
which I always enjoy in various social settings, and Shreiber
just gets kind of put in a weird spot because
it made sense to ask, Hey, do you want to
be go down to camp Rogers mentioned you. Then he
gets there and it's like, yeah, it's not everyone is
going to know who he is, so he's standing there.
(36:37):
But Rogers was nice, and it just I think it
was something very real about Rogers sensing that Shreiber should
be getting more attention because he was brought in here
on a helicopter. So he's like, let me get my
buddy Hacket to help me out here and try to
make this a little less awkward in his mind, and
Hackett was like, I don't know, man.
Speaker 5 (36:54):
And then even one of.
Speaker 4 (36:55):
The quarterbacks on the Jets, one of the guys deep
on the depth chart, Rogers, this is Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 5 (37:00):
Come on, man, go say hi to him. Go say
hi to And finally the quarterback's like, I'm talking to
the coach. Can't I know?
Speaker 9 (37:07):
Rogers is like, he's the voice of God. Don't you know.
Speaker 7 (37:10):
Who this is?
Speaker 9 (37:12):
And then I just thought it was.
Speaker 2 (37:13):
Really sweet that his whole thing with Hackett, the way
that he was trying to persuade Hackett to go over
was like, come on, he's never been to a hard
knocks practice, like he just let's just make him feel comfortable.
Let's just be nice people with that. Once again, I
thought was really sweet on a human level. So I
was into the whole thing. It was absurd.
Speaker 4 (37:30):
Yeah, and I thought they did a nice job not
hammering the Sean Payton storyline because at this point it's
a couple of weeks old, but we did get to
see a little bit of that Pylon game, and they
use the old psych out technique from the South Park
Guy's movie Basketball, And at one point when Hacket's about
to throw the ball, Rogers goes Sean Payton and he's like, oh, yeah,
(37:53):
that's a good one. You psych me out with that one.
But yeah, it's interesting. You also get like, you know,
more of an idea of Hacket and and maybe that'll
come up a little bit later.
Speaker 5 (38:03):
What else kind of did you like from this episode?
Speaker 2 (38:05):
Okay, so there were a few things. I love the
music in this episode in general.
Speaker 9 (38:11):
I there were so always.
Speaker 5 (38:13):
Now with the music on the show, always goad.
Speaker 2 (38:15):
I mean like there were They even had a little
bit of the Police in there.
Speaker 9 (38:20):
I thought as well.
Speaker 2 (38:22):
I knew that you would flag that they had greatness
on there by Quavo in the Sauce and Garrett Wilson montage.
Speaker 9 (38:29):
Which was timed perfectly. That song is great. And then
they had a little.
Speaker 2 (38:33):
Cream which is a Wu Tang method Man classic, the
instrumental version of it, and they played it after Meth
broke the huddle, and I think we have some of that.
Speaker 9 (38:43):
Can you pay it?
Speaker 5 (38:45):
All right?
Speaker 3 (38:45):
I want to do a quote from Bill parce Elves,
it's down all right with y'all, all right, all right,
you can pull the whole world down the highway of
years and take pats on the back as you pay,
but your final reward will be herded in tears if
you cheat. The Man in the Glass Jets three two three, Yeah, I.
Speaker 2 (39:08):
Mean having method Man at practice, Like the Jets are
just sexy as hell. I love this team, I love
everything about them, but having method Man there, I am.
I would be fangirling all over the place. If I
was at that training camp that day.
Speaker 9 (39:23):
I was in Pittsburgh.
Speaker 2 (39:24):
Ce Swiss Senior was at Jets practice and he was
fanboying over method Man like that was Method Man was
my first ever concert.
Speaker 9 (39:33):
It was Redman and Method Man and having Meth.
Speaker 2 (39:36):
Do a Bill Parcells quote like I just I need
someone to remix that. I need someone to put the
cream beat under it. Maybe I don't know, but there
was Ed Sheeran, there was the Poppin'.
Speaker 9 (39:48):
Song huh Like. There was just so many good ones.
Speaker 2 (39:52):
So my expectations for like the season now are higher
than ever.
Speaker 4 (39:57):
I remember like being in high school and learning that
cream he meant cash rules everything around me and just
thinking that was the coolest thing I'd ever heard in
my life.
Speaker 9 (40:06):
I mean it's not not true.
Speaker 4 (40:09):
Yes, yes, yes, the music is always uh epic on
this show.
Speaker 5 (40:14):
I thought, you know, let's me and you're a solid fan.
Speaker 9 (40:17):
Too, Connie, as we know of his coaching.
Speaker 4 (40:21):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, sure he I thought it was so nice.
I was very excited to get finally some context, you know,
when the Sean Payton thing went down, and he does the.
Speaker 5 (40:32):
You know, if you ain't got haters, you ain't popping.
Speaker 4 (40:35):
But also then he's talking about he's talking about crows
and suffocating and like I think everyone collectively was a
football fans like shrugging the shoulders.
Speaker 5 (40:45):
Like, what the hell is this guy talking about? And
then uh, it is.
Speaker 9 (40:49):
It was very Dan Campbell asked.
Speaker 4 (40:51):
Yes, and then you cut though to the opening of
the show and we heard the the tail end of
his speech at the top of our recap here or
our podcast. The beginning of the first thing we hear
from sala is explaining the theory that the crows they're
the only bird crazy enough to go after hawks, and
the hawks have the ability eagles, excuse me, eagles have
(41:12):
the ability to fly high, and then the crows get
too high and they suffocate and fall to the ground.
Speaker 5 (41:16):
And die, and I was just like, thank you.
Speaker 4 (41:19):
I needed a little bit more to I was a
little concerned that my team's head coach might be going crazy.
Now I'm like, okay, it kind of connects to a
private conversation he had with the team, and now it
all made sense. Thank you for context and clarity on
the on the crow thing.
Speaker 5 (41:35):
I'm happy.
Speaker 2 (41:36):
I did also enjoy as he was giving that that
whole speech that there were just guys like that were
getting really into it.
Speaker 9 (41:44):
In the background when.
Speaker 2 (41:45):
He was talking about the crows just like falling to
earth and dying.
Speaker 9 (41:48):
They were like, let's go, the crows are gonna die.
And it's like, I don't know, it feels a little disturbing, Like.
Speaker 4 (41:54):
I'm a picture of like Sean Payton going too high
into the altitude and then just like free falling to
a staff and earth. You know, it's pretty hard, Like
he went pretty hard with that. Any other what are
some of the things that you liked in the episode?
Speaker 2 (42:06):
Okay, So I felt like we got an early indication
of our underdog for the season, Chas Surat, the linebacker.
It seemed like Salah absolutely loves him, but he's also
like a.
Speaker 9 (42:18):
Third string guy, and I don't think. I think he
played one.
Speaker 2 (42:22):
Game last year for the Jets, So I am interested
to see if that ends up being a thread throughout
the season.
Speaker 5 (42:29):
And what part of the episode was he I'm kind
of not.
Speaker 9 (42:32):
This was in the Hall of Fame game.
Speaker 2 (42:34):
He had an interception I think in the Hall of
Fame game and Sala was like.
Speaker 9 (42:39):
He's so fast, that's my guy, keeps stacking.
Speaker 5 (42:41):
He's so good, very very good. Astute. You're a Hard
Knocks fan.
Speaker 4 (42:45):
When they have the coach miked up doing something in
a game, they are going to come back to that
player and track him. And I thought I thought rich
Eisen made a good point earlier. It seemed like a
mortal lock that Dalvin Cook would be in this episode
after the hoopla around his visit to the camp and
taking a physical and taking selfies and you know all that.
(43:08):
And then I was thinking in my head, I was like, hmm,
is that a little bit of a hint that maybe
the Jets are looking to distance themselves from that situation,
or more likely Hard Knocks producers are waiting for that
story line to see itself through and then they could
kind of use all this footage that they got earlier
in camp and tied together with his arrival.
Speaker 5 (43:27):
Maybe as soon as episode two, we shall see.
Speaker 2 (43:30):
I would think that it's the latter because I was
kind of thinking the same thing. I also just as
like a final little note, I kind of loved that
Jason Garrett randomly caught some strays in the episode. That
was so random and the guys were like, we can't
have the option here, and they were like, is that
Jason Garrett is that the Cowboys ex coach?
Speaker 5 (43:49):
Wasn't he?
Speaker 9 (43:50):
What the giants like that? I had like a kind
of love deep down.
Speaker 5 (43:53):
I had a bit of a dad moment.
Speaker 4 (43:54):
And Eric Robert's the producer behind the Glass, had to
help me out with that. Eric, what was the best
was your description of what Jason Garrett being compared to ops?
Speaker 5 (44:04):
What does that mean? You should like, please snitch the
rivals opponent. You don't want to mess with the ops.
You don't want to do it.
Speaker 4 (44:09):
We don't need the ops in the building, we don't
need them on the practice field.
Speaker 2 (44:14):
Dan, next episode, we'll tell you what the block is
hot means.
Speaker 5 (44:17):
I know what cream means. Uh, let's do MVP.
Speaker 4 (44:23):
It's time, Okay, all right, So listeners, new listeners, Hi,
how are you?
Speaker 5 (44:29):
I'm Dan and that's Colleen, speaking of awkward.
Speaker 4 (44:33):
We do an MVP, but it's a voting system, and
you just heard from Eric Roberts. Eric, this all falls
on you are great. Former producer Justin Graver handled these
duties last summer. We need someone to tabulate this and
track it. Connie and I cannot do it. Connie actually
privately told me last summer I'm talent, I don't do math,
(44:54):
and I was like, that was weird but also true,
and I agree with that. So here's the system. I
don't know if this is the point system last year,
but it.
Speaker 5 (45:01):
Is this year.
Speaker 9 (45:02):
It was complicated last year. Have no idea, so.
Speaker 5 (45:05):
Maybe it's the same one.
Speaker 4 (45:07):
I remember the term vector point scale or something vector
point scale.
Speaker 5 (45:10):
That sounds cool.
Speaker 4 (45:11):
Whatever that is, we're gonna do it again. So it's
a vector scoring system. First place, We're gonna do a first, second,
and third place MVP vote every episode, and then we're
gonna tally it up at the end of the year
and then name Hard Knocks MVP. A first place vote
is six points in the vector system, a second place
vote is four points, and a third place vote is
(45:32):
two points.
Speaker 5 (45:33):
Does that sound right? Sounds close enough?
Speaker 9 (45:36):
So you're just taking this up right?
Speaker 5 (45:38):
I don't know what the hell?
Speaker 9 (45:40):
Great?
Speaker 5 (45:41):
All right to me?
Speaker 4 (45:42):
Who's your third place MVP vote for episode one of
Hard Knocks Training Camp with the New York Jets.
Speaker 9 (45:48):
Okay, third place goes to Solomon Thomas.
Speaker 2 (45:53):
I absolutely love I love the personalities on this defensive line,
and I thought that Solomon Thomas was involved in the
best exchange of the entire show because there were so
many little things to pick out of that at one exchange.
Speaker 9 (46:09):
Can we play the quote so everyone could hear it?
Speaker 4 (46:11):
Yeah, let's play this this exchange Solomon Thomas, and I'll
just see it up dustly. So it reminded me this
group of defensive linemen like they were like squabbling Irish
brothers on Christmas Eve. Solomon Thomas in the role of
no all older brother, Tanzel Smart as the kid brother
who tags along even when he's unwanted, but they all
love each other.
Speaker 5 (46:30):
It's that type of setup. Let's listen in attention. I'm
not always want to sticking up. I always want to
sticking up for you.
Speaker 3 (46:36):
You remember you said you don't want me to go
to Broadway.
Speaker 5 (46:40):
Let's let's just get it up. I said that.
Speaker 7 (46:41):
I said that because I feel like you'd be talking
during the play, and I want you to respect the performers.
Speaker 5 (46:46):
Okay, I'll get you. I can't. It's actually got bad.
Speaker 7 (46:55):
I want to eat aucie board.
Speaker 9 (47:03):
Oh my, that's the mountaintop. That's it right there, and
so just.
Speaker 5 (47:07):
End the show. Just end the show. Let's be honest.
Speaker 9 (47:09):
It's so good.
Speaker 5 (47:10):
It's so good.
Speaker 2 (47:11):
It started because Solomon Thomas was like, I promise I'll
take the whole D line, like on the next off day,
I'll take the whole D line to MJ the musical.
And then John Franklin Myers was like, well, we want
a suite, and Solomon Thomas was like, there's no sweet
broath like and then it kind of like went on
from there. So I just kind of loved the idea
(47:31):
of the defensive line going to a Broadway show together
and then bickering about the seats, wanting a suite, and
then obviously the charcuterie board of it all was perfect.
Speaker 5 (47:42):
A perfect right.
Speaker 4 (47:43):
Smart thinks like Broadway is like Ford's Theater, and he
would have one of those those gold like little binoculars
that he'd been watching up from the from the top.
I that that's a Carcucci board that is outrageous and
beautiful and I love it. Great third place vote I
will go with for my third place, and it's tough,
(48:04):
but I will give it to say I want to
give it to Leev Schreiber, but I think that will
be a waste of my vote, just because I don't
imagine he's going to insert himself in the program.
Speaker 2 (48:14):
You need to focus on the now being present, right now,
who do you want to don't even think about the
next voting?
Speaker 4 (48:19):
Nathaniel Hackett. Okay, he's my third place vote. I thought
I thought that Hackett was kind of exactly what I
was expecting, but maybe a little weirder and sillier than
I realized. And I and you see why Rogers for all,
I think there's something there where when you see all
these young guys going up to Rogers, even someone like
(48:43):
Sauce Gardner, who's an instant superstar, it's almost like a
little kid talking to Rogers and and the and and
Sauces trying to talk to Rogers before the Hall of
Fame game, and he's just kind of going on and
on and it's not exactly clear what what he what
he's saying, and Rogers is very succinct and sure but
purposeful in what he's saying, almost like a dad talking
(49:03):
to his son. It's had that, it had that that vibe,
and so so many player players and people around Rogers
in his universe, I think, speak to him in almost
a state of awe as this living legend. And Hackett
is a guy that's just like messing with him like
he's a buddy. And I think that's part of the
reason why Rogers likes having him around, just somebody that
(49:23):
will treat him like a regular person and not this
this other worldly figure.
Speaker 9 (49:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (49:29):
And I also loved just like the little montage that
they did of Hackett where he's like, I.
Speaker 9 (49:33):
Just want to fly around like a butterfly. Ooh, let's
hear it. I want to hear it. I want to
fly around like a butterfly.
Speaker 4 (49:42):
We might be using that often. I also want to
thank Hackett. And I don't know how this is, you know,
because I was just at Cowboys Camp County. You're not
the only one going to camps.
Speaker 5 (49:50):
You know.
Speaker 9 (49:50):
Oh, look at you.
Speaker 4 (49:51):
And Mike McCarthy is still doing Mojo moments over there,
which is a callback to the second Austin Powers movie,
which I thought was okay. The first one total classic,
stolen the cold classic comedy of its era. Second one, Yeah,
Spyo Shagny, It's fine. Third one I thought was kind
of a mess and kind of a disaster. Gold Member,
(50:12):
but Hackett loves it so much that he bases entire
like schemes and discussions about Red Zone, which he calls
the gold Gold Zone because of his obsession with gold
Member the sequel, and I just I'm not down with
Gold Member, but I am down with anything that leads
to Aaron Rodgers saying gold Genitalia on Premium cable, I'm
(50:34):
down with that.
Speaker 9 (50:35):
I flagged this as well.
Speaker 2 (50:38):
I love Hackett's obsession with gold Member, and then Aaron
Rodgers talking about it and saying like that Hackett wants
to know about, like how well how he got his
gold Genitalia where he likes to party, how he roller skates,
like that whole thing.
Speaker 9 (50:52):
But I also loved.
Speaker 2 (50:53):
By the way Rogers a story about Hackett and the
fact that Hackett, when he was in Green Bay, noticed
that Brian Bulaga wasn't celebrating with the team after touchdowns
and that you know, Hackett loved the Lambeau leap, but
also wanted them to celebrate with teammates as well, and
so then he ended up getting Bilaga to celebrate.
Speaker 9 (51:16):
And it was like, Oh, that's so nice that.
Speaker 2 (51:18):
He cultivated this like this team friendly atmosphere and these
like relationships between people.
Speaker 9 (51:24):
So I'm with you on that. That's a good one.
Speaker 5 (51:25):
All right, your second place vote for MVP of the episode.
Speaker 9 (51:28):
Okay, my second place vote goes to Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 5 (51:32):
Now, oh wow, upset. I know I don't think. I
don't agree with this, but go.
Speaker 2 (51:37):
Ahead, Well you have yours, I have mine. Rogers I
think has the constant main character energy throughout the whole show. Yes,
he was like chewing up scenery in the beginning. And
I love the fact that his teammates love his personality.
They talk about how cool he is, and they talk
about whatever they say on TV about him is a lie.
Speaker 9 (51:58):
And there was a whole thing about his no Look passes.
Speaker 2 (52:00):
But I especially love the fact that he was so
complimentary to and about Zach Wilson, and he was talking
about Zach Wilson's NOLA passes and working with him and
answering his questions and celebrating with him after that bomb
of a pass in the Hall of Fame game that
was fun, also alluding to his off season hobby of psychedelics.
(52:23):
Perhaps you can connect those dots if you want.
Speaker 5 (52:26):
How about his handshake with saus Well that.
Speaker 9 (52:29):
I mean that will be part of another.
Speaker 4 (52:32):
Of all right, hold that thought. Then, I know we
talked about it with rich eyes in a little bit,
that Wilson is in such an awkward situation, and you
can see that's Rogers in his way, trying to make
an awkward situation a little bit less awkward by making
him seem like he's still a guy that you know,
is you can get excited about by the way straight
(52:54):
thought about Zach Wilson. No, he You don't have him
coming up again here, do you? Is he getting younger?
Are we reverse aging?
Speaker 3 (53:06):
Yes?
Speaker 4 (53:07):
Yes, he looks like he still looks like a rookie
or now even like maybe like a high school senior.
At one point they cut to him at halftime in
the Hall of Fame game and he's eating what was it,
like a Smucker's.
Speaker 5 (53:19):
Done crustables.
Speaker 4 (53:20):
Yeah, And then you know when he's in the huddle.
He's like, come on, he like Bak basically echoes something
that Rogers said earlier in camp. I think the thing
you kind of called out that you really liked in
our preview episode where he was like, come on, guys,
we don't know how long will we be able to
do this, so let's enjoy it. And it's like, it's
just you. It just seemed like a boy like you.
Speaker 9 (53:40):
He's like a kid, a kid brother and uh.
Speaker 4 (53:43):
And the fact that Rogers is there, which is the
epitome or the opposite end of things.
Speaker 5 (53:48):
This grizzled veteran approaching age forty. It's wild.
Speaker 4 (53:51):
It's not really a shot at Wilson. It's just it's stunning,
really how cherubic he still appears to be. He needs,
you know what, he needs a beard? How about that?
Speaker 5 (54:00):
If you can do it, Zach, it might be time
for the beard. It might be time. All right.
Speaker 4 (54:04):
My second place, I think we flipped. I think we flipped.
So I have Sala as my second place. And it's
not a shot on Sala. I think he was exactly
what I thought he was going to be. And it
is brought it up with Rich like it is. There's
a lot of pressure on Sala here as exciting and
everything is, you know, sunshine and rainbows right now around
(54:27):
the Jets, but there's also this reality that this is
year three for Sala And you go show me the
list of NFL coaches in the past twenty five years
who have gotten a fourth year if they didn't make
the playoffs by year three. So it's it in a
playoff or bust year potentially for Sala. He obviously feels
(54:50):
like he's in a very good spot, and he is.
And one difference we talked about earlier about how different
it is beyond just the obvious the Farv and Rogers
of all and Rich had mentioned that Farv was joining
a much less talented team than Rogers is, and that's true.
But also a difference in these situations two thousand and
(55:11):
eight to twenty twenty three is how much better the
AFC is now compared to the field in eight. Remember
in two thousand and eight when Brett Fahr was there,
Tom Brady blows his ACL in Game one and is
out for the year. That was a wide open conference.
This year, you look at the AFC now and it
is a gauntlet. The top of the season's a gauntlet
(55:33):
for the Jets, and there are so many teams that
are just starving, like the Jets, the Bills, the Bengals,
the name just two. And then of course the Chiefs
are there waiting that it's going to be a very
tough ride. It's gonna be very difficult for this team
to win ten, eleven, twelve games despite all this optimism.
Speaker 5 (55:51):
So just tempering in a little bit.
Speaker 4 (55:52):
But Salad, despite all that pressure behind the scenes are
under the hood, feels like a guy. It's very confident
in himself and in this team.
Speaker 2 (56:02):
I you know, I love me some Robert sala Actually,
when I was at Niners camp yesterday, I asked Kyle Shanahan,
like how he's going to be on hard knocks and
like how.
Speaker 9 (56:13):
He like will actually like secretly deal with it.
Speaker 2 (56:16):
And Shanahan was like, Oh my god, He's going to
pretend like he doesn't like it, but he's going to
love it. He's going to make sure that he lifts
his weights before the cameras turn on, that he has
a fresh shave, like.
Speaker 9 (56:26):
He will be ready for it. Oh yeah, however he's not.
He's not in my MVP voting. I need you know
I need to pump the brakes a little bit.
Speaker 2 (56:34):
It's a long season of hard knocks, so my number
one is a little bit of a surprise.
Speaker 4 (56:40):
Whoa Yeah, you know you could costs all MVP by
leaving them out.
Speaker 5 (56:44):
Of the no haters you ain't popping?
Speaker 4 (56:46):
Yeah, come on, you leave him out of the vector
scoring system for an entire week. That's trouble for his
chances to win the whole damn thing. So it shows
what a fan you actually are. I do want to
hear now Now I'm fascinating. Who's number one?
Speaker 2 (57:00):
No, so my number one MVP And it really was because.
Speaker 9 (57:05):
Of this handshake. It's got for me. It's Sauce gard Gardener.
Speaker 5 (57:10):
The ant jake was so good.
Speaker 2 (57:14):
They do they take a hit of something, then they
put it out on another teammate.
Speaker 9 (57:19):
It's creative, it's fun. I haven't seen it before.
Speaker 2 (57:21):
I also just love the dynamic of him and Garrett Wilson.
They have such different personalities, but they're so competitive and
Sauce is such a chirper, like you could tell he
just loves to get under people's skin.
Speaker 9 (57:35):
And then you have Garrett Wilson who's kind of like this.
Speaker 2 (57:37):
Sweet boyish kind of guy next to him, and Sauce
is just very fiery and sassy. And then I just
also loved that he graduated. And you know, I when
he was putting on his graduation cap, his family was like, oh, like,
you know, he doesn't want to mess.
Speaker 9 (57:55):
Up his hair. I felt that. I really felt that
in a way that I there.
Speaker 2 (58:00):
I hated putting on the grift graduation cap. I hated
getting my picture with it on.
Speaker 5 (58:04):
Its kind of a silly look. Altogether.
Speaker 4 (58:06):
That's maybe something we could kind of transition out of
years go on.
Speaker 9 (58:11):
Why why not?
Speaker 2 (58:11):
Why are we still doing this? I like the fact
that he said it felt like a game day, but
he wasn't nervous, and it was sweet that everyone was.
Speaker 9 (58:18):
Coming up to him and being like, have a great season.
Speaker 5 (58:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 9 (58:21):
Said that he didn't have a chance.
Speaker 2 (58:22):
To graduate high school because he was in camp already,
so this was the first time that he actually got
a chance to walk across the stage, and I thought
that was nice.
Speaker 4 (58:30):
I mean, I can almost I could like picture it
right now, like a cranky column from Phil Mushnik in
The New York Post, like explaining why that handshake between
Sauce and Rogers is everything that's wrong with the Jets
and sports in America or whatever. Calm down, take a seat, relax.
That was just two guys having fun and enjoying. And
(58:51):
Roger is obviously famous for his extracurricular activities, which hav't
slowed him down from winning four MVPs in a Super Bowl.
Love it and it was great as advertising as predicted
on our preview episode, I think Sauce and seeing Gardner
excusely Sauce and Wilson on the practice field together is
just fun. And it's just like, these two guys are
(59:14):
the future of the Jets and the potentially a future
kind of the AFC, and here they are going to
add it every practice. Someone might say, and I won't
because it's cheesy and cliche and overdone. That iron sharpens Iron,
Oh my god, I will.
Speaker 5 (59:28):
Not say it.
Speaker 9 (59:29):
I've heard it at every single camp.
Speaker 2 (59:31):
I honestly like, it's Iron versus Iron season his training
camp and like that, there's nothing we can.
Speaker 5 (59:37):
Do about it, right right?
Speaker 4 (59:39):
And yeah, so my my first place vote does go
to Aaron Rodgers, and you know, I think he'd absolutely
like Salah is leaned into this and despite all the
talk about who we don't want to do it or
stuff you may have heard.
Speaker 5 (59:57):
Rogers is all about it.
Speaker 4 (59:58):
Rogers loves this moment and he loves this time, and
he I loved how the way the episode started, kind
of tying back to how we started today's show that
walked to the field and just a guy that's basking
in this moment on this in this second act to
his career, he could say he went into the darkness
for five days and was ninety percent retired. I watch
(01:00:19):
a guy, you know, hugging Randall Cobb after the DeMarcus
ware his national anthem and saying I love you it's
you know, it never gets old, brother, love you like
and seeing the passion he has for the sport and
talking with the guys and and just chopping it up
and the skill obviously the skill he still has, and.
Speaker 5 (01:00:39):
How easy he makes it all. Look, this guy was
not going to retire.
Speaker 4 (01:00:41):
It was all part of a bigger, you know, idea
with Rogers and a conversation that's fair about like is
this guy for real or is he full of it?
Speaker 7 (01:00:50):
Like?
Speaker 4 (01:00:50):
Who is Aaron Rodgers? But you know, some people might
even say bad things about Aaron Rodgers. But to that
you can reply.
Speaker 3 (01:01:00):
Whatever they say about A and Rogers on TV is
a lie.
Speaker 5 (01:01:04):
Yes that is true, or maybe it's not true. I
don't know, but I will.
Speaker 4 (01:01:09):
I've been vocal in criticism of Rogers in the past,
but he is the right guy for this team right now,
and I thought this episode showed that he is kind
of the sun in which all the planets around of
the New York Jets are rotating around. So Rogers gets
it for me, and we'll see where things go from here. Connie,
anything else you want to get in before we say goodbye?
Speaker 9 (01:01:30):
No, I think that was a great first episode.
Speaker 5 (01:01:33):
Like I right start, I agree.
Speaker 2 (01:01:34):
I love this like they started, like they came out swinging,
and so I expect this rest of the season to
be just as good because I was like stopping myself
from texting you the entire time in real time as
I watched it.
Speaker 9 (01:01:47):
We're gonna have a ton to talk about, a ton
to talk about.
Speaker 5 (01:01:50):
Connie is gonna be back in studio with me next week.
Speaker 9 (01:01:52):
I am.
Speaker 4 (01:01:53):
I love it Connie and Dan together and hopefully you
with us along for the ride as we go through
each the five episodes, And just like this one, it
lands Tuesday, night, right after the airing of Hard Knocks,
and it's there for you, for us to discuss this
great show in this very interesting Jets team until next week.
Speaker 5 (01:02:14):
Heat the Call
Guys, we got a great deal of hype around us.
We do all kinds of expectations, and with great expectations,
we know that there's going to be a whole lot
of people, a whole lot of crows, expecting us to
fall on our face. What are you doing to find
that little bit more to get us closer to being
a great contigue? You finish practice now what? You finished meetings?
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Now?
Speaker 3 (00:22):
What?
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Lifting a rep now what? And if we come together
and we challenge ourselves to do a little bit more
every day, the crows they'll fall by themselves. Embrace what
we're capable of. Embrace the fact that we are the
same old Jets. Embrace the fact that we do have
a target on our back. Embrace the fact that when
(00:45):
teams look at our schedule, they're not chalking us up
for a w They're coming at you. That's exactly where
we want to be, and that's awesome.
Speaker 4 (01:02):
I'll remember this episode for the walk that Walk, which
begins the latest season of Hard Knocks, a walk that
tells the story of this beautiful and unique place in
time for the New York Jets. Aaron Rodgers exits the
doors of the Jets facility in Flora Park and begins
that brief journey to the practice field for another day
(01:25):
of work in the summer heat, waiting for him his team. Yes,
Robert Sala, who you heard? Yes, thousands of adoring fans,
many wearing number eight jerseys, and all them calling out
to the longtime Packers quarterback they hope will finally serve
as the rightful successor to Joe Namath for the Jets.
(01:49):
In January, it will be fifty four years since the
team's lone Super Bowl triumph.
Speaker 5 (01:54):
It's time. It's been time.
Speaker 4 (01:58):
Rogers knows who he is and what he represents to
his teammates, to the front office, to the success starved fans,
to his critics, of which there are many, as we know,
and you know what, he loves it. After he exits
that front door, he says to the camera following him,
I'll give you some good stuff today, and he does.
Everyone is chasing the top tier quarterback, says Robert Sala,
(02:23):
positively beaming by the way across the entirety of this premiere.
Because Sala said, they change games, they change entire locker rooms.
I'll take Sala's deadly accurate statement a step further the
arrival of a truly great quarterback can change lives and
the identity of an entire fan base, no matter what
they've been through previous to the arrival of a true
(02:45):
difference maker at the game's most important position. The New
York Jets will enter Week one riding a postseason draft
that is stretched across a dozen seasons. Now it's the
backdrop of this show. It's tied for the longest of
any team in North American sports. And last year began
with hope as a dynamic rookie class and a rising
(03:06):
defense put New York into position to snap that dry
spell until let's call a G fours free fall in
the quarterback play sparked a catastrophic offensive implosion.
Speaker 5 (03:16):
The waiting game continued for.
Speaker 4 (03:18):
The playoffs and for a quarterback who could return the
franchise to prominence. And now let's take a brief aside,
and let's offer a full disclosure for the unaware. I'm
a Jets fan. My first game in person was October second,
nineteen eighty eight. It was a seventeen seventeen tie with
the Chiefs, and it was played in a downpour at
(03:40):
the Old Metal Lands. The Jets had five fumbles that night,
and three of them lost, including the Freeman McNeil turnover
with the Jets at the case fifteen in overtime. I
was eight, and I left that building feeling like my
dad just took me to an R rated horror film
I had no business seeing at that age. Six years later,
(04:02):
I watched from those same red seats at Giants Stadium
as Dan Marino led the Dolphins on that furious second
half comeback cap by the infamous fake Spike ted pass
to mark ingram sor.
Speaker 6 (04:15):
He's gonna kick the ball corn into the ground I start.
Speaker 4 (04:19):
That prompted a season ending tailspin that got some forty
two year old rookie head coach named.
Speaker 5 (04:23):
Pete Carroll fired.
Speaker 4 (04:25):
I wonder what happened to that guy. Eleven years after that,
I was at some random Jaguars game after I graduated
college in September where Chad Pennington reinjured. And I love
Chad Pennington, but he reinjured that troublesome right shoulder on
a sack. He was replaced by a nice fellow named
Jay Fiedler, who was also flattened and also forced from
(04:46):
action with a shoulder injury. I could still see it today,
Feedler looking up at us from our seats behind the
end zone, giving the thumbs up and mouthing I'm good
as he jogged up the tunnel.
Speaker 5 (04:58):
He was not good.
Speaker 4 (04:59):
Two days l the two qbs shared the same plane
to Alabama for a visit with doctor James Andrews. Their
season's over. There are many sad stories around the QB
position for this team.
Speaker 5 (05:11):
These are just mine.
Speaker 4 (05:13):
Enter Aaron Rodgers and enter the cameras of Hard Knocks,
arriving at a crucial moment in time for this starcross franchise.
The Jets have gone from perennial afterthought to the most
compelling team in football. You heard it right there and
the Hard Knocks sizzle reel before the premiere last week.
Speaker 5 (05:28):
Love him or hate him?
Speaker 4 (05:29):
And that all goes back to the grizzled and eternally
laid back QB from Northern California. Rogers can change games,
he can change locker rooms, and as we saw in
Tuesday's season premiere, he can change the temperature of any
space he enters. Hoping optimism is abundant for the New
York Jets, It's true, it's real. This all feels different
(05:50):
and yes, a touch overwhelming?
Speaker 5 (05:53):
Is it time? It's been time?
Speaker 4 (05:56):
I am Dan Hansis and this is the Hard Knocks Podcast,
back for a second year. In your ears via Around
the NFL. My partner Colleen Wolf will join us just
a little bit later from the road. But let us
start with a very special guest, a man who needs
no introduction, but I'll give it anyway. He is the
face of NFL Network since it's inception twenty years ago.
(06:18):
He has his own show and the Rich Eisend Show
as well. And a man who bleeds green rich eyes.
And welcome to the Hard Knocks Podcast.
Speaker 7 (06:25):
How are you brother?
Speaker 5 (06:27):
Very well?
Speaker 4 (06:27):
Really appreciate it Rich like you know I talked at
the top of the show. My first Jets game was
eighty eight. It was a five fumble affair and a
seventeen seventeen tie with the Chiefs and a downpour. And
where did when did you lose your innocence as a
Jets fan growing up in a lot?
Speaker 8 (06:43):
Oh, I don't remember. Staten Island is where I got islands? Yeah,
no problem, It's all the same island of New York City,
except Staten Island, the fifth and forgotten borrow My brother
My brother was a Jet met fan because that was
in the era of you rooted for the teams in
the same building, and so I realized early on that
(07:10):
when you know, Reggie Jackson and Catfish Hunter were winning
the World Series in New York, I jumped off the
Met and got on the Yankee, but stayed on the Jet.
And I have somewhere in my house here my Wesley
Walker jersey, that number eighty five Wesley Walker jersey with
(07:32):
my name and bunk number from Camp low Conda stitched
into it. And I'm pleased to say that I survived
the aj Dewey Interception Festival when Don.
Speaker 5 (07:45):
Shula, maybe that's it, rich Maybe that's your moment.
Speaker 8 (07:48):
Don Shula watered down the Orange Bowl turf to slow
Freeman McNeil down, and then you know, I've been I've
been a Jet fan ever since. And and watching Hard
Knocks tonight was quite awesome. It was a lot of fun,
and I have thoughts, if you want to fire away,
(08:09):
go for it.
Speaker 5 (08:10):
Yeah, why don't we get to it this way?
Speaker 4 (08:12):
Because I talked about that initial walk that Rogers had
onto the field that started things off really kind of
painted the picture of where this team is both in
you know, obviously you could feel the fans just wanting
this to work and wanting this to be finally the
end of this long wait. As a native New Yorker,
Rich I think about it. You know, fifty four years
for the Jets. Remember the Rangers finally got over the
(08:33):
hump in ninety four. It was the nineteen forty chance
that they were getting before that, and that was fifty
four years. That's we're dealing with something that is extended
and kind of historic in terms of New York's pro sports.
How do you see Rogers and how he has transformed
this team, because it seemed like a lot of the
players were kind of in awe and even the coaches.
Speaker 8 (08:55):
Well, and so, you know, I'll be honest, you know,
I just was watching it, and I know this has
been a reality since April, but I still can't believe
he's a New York Jet and he's happy to be so.
And I know, you know, it wasn't really covered in
(09:18):
this Hard Knocks episode, the concept of his contract that
he forfeited money, and that he forfeited money that he
could earn. Obviously, you know, guaranteed money actually went up
for him with the way that he could you know,
constructed his contract, but the amount of money that he
(09:40):
could earn overall over the two year period went down.
And he's happy to do it, and he's happy that
he's there, and he doesn't feel anything but excitement. And
just seeing that is just again part of the scars
(10:02):
from your you know, tie game and Intercept, you know,
Turnover Athon from the Chiefs and what I just mentioned
for you know, my birth into the Jets fandom.
Speaker 7 (10:12):
It's just difficult to compute. I'm not gonna lie.
Speaker 8 (10:15):
It's tough to compute that this is actually happening and
and and seemingly working.
Speaker 7 (10:22):
Obviously.
Speaker 8 (10:23):
He even pointed out when Leev Schreiber said to him,
you know, all of New York's excited, and he basically said,
you know, we haven't played games yet. He understands how
this works, and so far, so good. I just it
really is. It's too good to be true. I'm like
waiting for shoes to drop, trap doors to open up,
(10:45):
and here we are on August eighth, and and it
hasn't happened yet. And we are coming up on Friday,
one month from the opener against the Bills, and obviously
that's when Rubber is really going to meet the road.
But right now it's just great to see and you know,
obviously one last thing to say here and then I'll
you know, obviously hand it back to you here for
(11:05):
this conversation is we're all looking at Rogers, or at
least Jet fans have through the last few months through
the prism of Brett Farv, like here we go again,
that we're reaching, we're out of We're out of ideas
and options at the quarterback spot. So let's take the
Packers longtime first ballot Hall of Fame or goat at
(11:28):
the end of his career and hope for the best.
And clearly this is a different scenario. Clearly Rogers is
in a much better headspace. Clearly Rogers is in a
much better body space as well. You know, Farv was
at the end of a very long consecutive games played
(11:50):
Streak Road and essentially used in the long run the
Jets as a transfer portal to Minnesota as the vessel
for his revenge on Green Bay. And I don't think
Rogers wants vengeance on Green Bay. I think what he
(12:11):
wants is to win with the Jets, to do what
Brady did at the end of his career, except this
one is he's coming into the AFC East as opposed
to leaving the AFC East to get that ring that
he's looking for. And whereas the young roster in the
way things were constructed in Green Bay appeared to grate
(12:34):
on him, he is loving being the OG in this situation.
And I caught everything from the cameras and the microphones
being picked up in hard Knocks that he appears to
really relish the role that he is in. He's comfortable
in it, he enjoys being there, and he's not thinking
(12:57):
of anything but winning with the Jets. As as to
what happened with FARV where you know, we all it
turned out to be a way station, that doesn't appear
to be the case here, and I'm thrilled about it.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
Yeah, it's despite the obviously it's odd that it's this
legendary packer going to the Jets.
Speaker 5 (13:14):
It's apples and oranges for the reasons you just said.
Speaker 4 (13:17):
And you know, it does feel like he just his
presence and the fact and you could see it, I
mean you could see it even in the in the
practice and of course the dispatches from the Beat writers
that He has a lot of high level ball in
him that I think I feel despite and yes, Jets
fans leaning aside, I know you could look at the
numbers last year and say he was down a little bit,
(13:39):
but there were injuries and there was a lot of
drama around the Packers. This is a fresh start he needed,
and I think he's really gonna lean into that, and
you know, I want to talk about it on to
set up a clip here, Jeff Albrick, who's the defensive
coordinator of the Jets.
Speaker 5 (13:52):
We know the story of last season.
Speaker 4 (13:54):
The defense was on the rise and the implosion of
Zach Wilson in the quarterback position, really submarine season that
was looking very promising, you know, ahead of around you know,
Thanksgiving or so. Here's Olbrick talking to the Jets in
a meeting. They're going over a clip showing Rogers making
an insane throw in practice, kind of across the field,
(14:15):
a throw that you.
Speaker 5 (14:17):
Just don't see. And again you see that the team
and the coaching staff like, wait, this is different, this
is exciting, this is new. Here's Olbrich.
Speaker 6 (14:25):
Just understand this. I don't give what goes down this year.
We will always be in games no matter what, we
break some shoelaces and get a few points on us, guys,
we're gonna be in every game. Guys, this is across
the field on the back shoulder.
Speaker 5 (14:40):
Look at this.
Speaker 6 (14:43):
I don't know's there's any other human on earth that
can make that throw.
Speaker 5 (14:48):
He's our quarterback. He's ours, He's ours, awesome man.
Speaker 4 (14:55):
And it's like Obric speaks for all of us too, rich,
like he's ours. He's our quarterback, I know.
Speaker 8 (15:01):
And that dovetails a little bit into what we've already
talked about. Two things from that moment in the Hard
Knocks debut, because that did stand out. That's an excellent
choice of a SoundBite. That stood out to me because
I thought it was the best inside meeting room truth
telling Hard Knocks at its finest right there SoundBite of
(15:25):
the debut quite frankly. But two other things. First of all,
don't watch Hard Knocks around your twelve year old son.
Where the defensive coordinator of the Jets is on camera.
I mean, that's number one. So we'll give that heads
up to you. We're gonna hear from Tony Dungee again.
Speaker 4 (15:41):
Remember it in twenty ten, Dongee saying Rex Ryan in
the League conversation.
Speaker 8 (15:45):
Well, I mean really, but when I saw that, it
was again just the first fifteen minutes of that and
the whole thing, and you know, and I know Aaron
Rodgers was saying how he had nothing but good experiences
with NFL films and that's the truth. When Leev Schreiber
asked him point blank, you know, like why don't teams
want to do this? And I know, like Leev Schreiber
(16:08):
was just basically giving voice. I'm sure he loves doing
this show and being the voice of Hard Knocks, and
I'm sure he's beginning to get concerned that they're running
out of teams that want to do it, and see
as that of Aaron Rodgers point blank, and I know
Aaron's like, you know, hey, you know, some people think
it could be a distraction, but I really like, you know,
NFL films. He did use the phrase of it being
(16:31):
jammed down the team's throats when he was asked about
it at the celebrity golf outing in Utah. So that's
why Leev brings it on. But the issue I think
some teams don't, you know, like being put out there
is the dynamic here that I guess my point is
(16:57):
this is that the thing I got out of it
was z Zach Wilson seeing.
Speaker 7 (17:01):
This, and he must sense it.
Speaker 8 (17:03):
I mean again, the fact that we're seeing it will
maybe make it that much more intense for him. But
he's whether we're seeing it or not, it's happening behind
the scenes, and this is Aaron Rodgers's team, and the
team is clearly relieved that he's there and that Zach
can't but help sense that he was the guy that
(17:28):
scuttled last year. Rogers's presence is obviously testimonial to that,
but everybody in that building is just like, that's our quarterback.
Speaker 7 (17:36):
We're going to be in games.
Speaker 8 (17:38):
This guy is incredible, you know, Minicole Hartman going up
to him saying, I'm going to tell my grandkids and
my kids that I played with you, you know. And
so again, how Zach handles it is going to be interesting.
And the only reason why that would, for the lack
of a better phrase, matter right now.
Speaker 7 (17:55):
Is he may have to get in games.
Speaker 8 (17:57):
And you know, if Rogers somehow doesn't answer a bell
or gets a bell rung, he might have to shake
that off that oh god, I'm the guy coming in
that nobody wants to see in the game, and that
is definitely a mental aspect that I think Rogers is
clearly addressing by coaching him up. Which is one last
(18:19):
thing as well, that if Rogers deep down did think
this was being jammed down the Jets' throats, this is
basically a sixty minute documentary as to how awesome and
cool Aaron Rodgers is and how his teammates feel. It
was a big, fat, wet kiss to number eight on
the New York Jets, and credit to him too. He
(18:41):
even said when he was miked up walking out to
the field for the first time and practice like, he
looks at the cameras, I'll give you some good.
Speaker 7 (18:47):
Today, and he did.
Speaker 8 (18:50):
He was engaging, He talked off camera knowing clearly it
was miked up and it was a fun first episode.
But that sounds by calls me to think, you know,
how is Zach Wilson taking the clear relief and excitement
(19:11):
that his teammates rightfully have that Aaron Rodgers is their quarterback?
Speaker 5 (19:14):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (19:14):
That I mean following this team a number two overall
pick that as recently as this time last year, the
idea was that he's the face of the organization.
Speaker 5 (19:24):
I thought it was telling that Sala.
Speaker 4 (19:25):
Says in one of his comments, I feel like him
showing up is successful because he's being asked.
Speaker 5 (19:33):
What he's being asked to do is hard.
Speaker 7 (19:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (19:37):
Yeah, Like this is highly humbling for a guy that's
still very young and twenty four years old. And then,
just to add a little bit more to this stew
like Rogers, it was documented before any of this ever happened,
that Rogers was Wilson's hero, and now he's in the
building and everyone's relieved that he's here to save the
day from Zach Wilson.
Speaker 8 (19:57):
Dan, here's the truth. The day needed to be saved.
Rogers is there for a reason, Okay, And obviously Rogers
has his own reasons for not wanting to be in
Green Bay anymore and pulling the ripcord and giving up
thirty five million dollars or so to go to the
New York Jets because the Jets needed him, they were
desperate to have him, that this team was ready to
(20:19):
start to succeed. That's the other part about Hard Knocks
as well. Certainly, when you're comparing this team to what
Farv came in on, this is a far more talented
team than the one Farv joined from from the coach
in Sala, being, in my mind, a much more ready
(20:40):
for prime time and this moment coach than Eric Mangini,
you know from you know, that's Garrett Wilson, not Jericho
KATCHERI you know, like this is Sauce Frigin Gardner, that's
Quinn Williams. I mean, and that's just three to name
off the top of my head. I mean this this
(21:00):
roster is deep, and this roster is hungry, and this
roster is young and ready to roll. All you need
is just to add future Hall of Fame quarterback with
Chip on shoulder and Zen in heart and mind. I mean,
holy cow, this is real. It's the sense that I
(21:23):
got right now. But what is real is they needed him,
and Zach, you know, kudos to him for, yes, just
showing up. But the part about just showing up that's
tough is that everyone in the building is charged by Rogers'
presence and also ready to roll and follow his lead
(21:46):
on every front. And clearly this is something that Zach
didn't engender or earn last year. But that is the
ultimate part about Rogers's journey that starts from now is
that how it does play out this year is crucial,
and next year we're assuming he will be there, is crucial.
But the endgame scenario, I mean Brady left and it's
(22:08):
Baker Mayfield versus Kyle Trask on the same line as
their depth chart in Tampa. Right now, we all know
what the plan is for the Jets is when Rogers
does hand this thing back is hopefully Zach Wilson will
be what a fourth, fifth, sixth year pro that is
imbued with all of this knowledge and confidence and talent,
(22:29):
and off you go, and you just keep going on,
like say far to Rogers, like that's the way that
this plan is set up, and the fact that there
is one is exciting.
Speaker 4 (22:40):
Yes, you know, and I guess the big picture plan
of handing the reins back over in a few years, Okay,
you could sell me on that hypothetically, the one where
he's the number two quarterback and you know he's one
hit away from being in the lineup in September, that
is the one that scares me.
Speaker 5 (22:55):
And we'll leave. We'll end it this way, Rich because
and again, thank you for your time.
Speaker 4 (22:59):
And Rich got it of course all over NFL Network
and his own Rich eyesend Show, which you can catch
on the Roku channel, west Wood one Odyssey. Anything you
want to see episode two, anything you didn't see here
that you're looking forward to diving.
Speaker 7 (23:14):
I don't.
Speaker 8 (23:15):
Here's what I want to see, and I don't think
we're going to see it. I want to see Dalvin Cook,
what happened when he was there? I clearly the Jets
didn't want any of that stuff at the center good,
you know. And I want to see Breesce Hall. Let's
go like, what's what's he looking like? Clearly I don't
think the Jets are going to show you that either,
(23:35):
you know, and that's that's essentially it. And I just
want to see this team continue to be a cohesive,
chill unit, you know. And again I want to we're
you know, I've been talking about the differences between the
last goat to come from Green Bay to land in
New York and be the hope of Jets fandom that
(23:55):
we will finally reach a promised land and you and
I will cover a Super Bowl for the NFL media
group and see the word Jets in.
Speaker 5 (24:03):
An end zone. You know.
Speaker 8 (24:06):
That the difference between this hard knocks Jets team and
the previous one. And again I'm very appreciative and thankful
that that two AFC Championship Game appearances back to back occurred, right,
and that Sanchez and Rex Ryan were born out of
(24:27):
the far failure. I get it, But to me, Sala
seems to be so much more just sustainable, you know,
And and this team appears to not be on the
credit card either. Now, obviously Rogers is going to come
(24:50):
at a cost once he's done. But the Jets team
that we saw that Mike Tannenbaum put it on the
credit card, grounded pound and try and win with the
Ryan where Sala is absolutely the coach of the moment
the Jets need in the same way Ryan was where
I don't need to kiss Bill Belichick's rings.
Speaker 7 (25:09):
And you know, the.
Speaker 8 (25:10):
Man genius who you know, really didn't have much of
a personality given way to Rex and his braggadociousness, which
definitely worked for a New York audience and for a
fan base that was, if I may say so, sick
and tired of getting kicked in the balls by the
football gods for forty years.
Speaker 7 (25:27):
At that point in time.
Speaker 8 (25:29):
You know, Sala just seems to be a much more
sustainable coach for the Jets, that the cult of personality
isn't going to run out.
Speaker 4 (25:40):
And yet you know, and yet this is the year
three for Sala, right right, so I know, if it
doesn't happen this year, you can imagine ownership potentially making
that change, which.
Speaker 8 (25:48):
Then that would be a mistake. That would be a mistake.
I think it would be a mistake. And obviously we
need to see how things play out from here. But honestly,
Joe Douglas, you know, winding up turning Elijah Moore into
a second round selection, that wound up turning into Rogers.
(26:10):
The drafting of the team, the way that they've been
drafting it. The smart I mean Lazard, I mean he
barely showed up in this first episode of Hard Knocks.
I mean, come on, Like that is a heck of
a wide receiver pickup Mikole Hardman. Also, like, this is
a really talented, deep team that isn't really discussed as
(26:35):
such because we are all attracted to and distracted by
the Rogers acquisition because it is so splashy and so big,
the Quinn Williams signing. Again, the defensive line is deep.
They are a deep, young, hungry team, and I guess
I'd like to see more of that over the next two,
(26:58):
three four weeks. But just let's keep it healthy and
cohesive and hit the ground running on the first Monday
Night of the season, because that is a big fat
piece of Filet mignon the Jets have. The league is
served up to all of us on the first Monday night.
Then a trip to Dallas, then the Belichick visit, then
(27:20):
the Mahomes visit, then the Week five game against Denver
that wasn't on anyone's marquee until Sean Payton's comments hit
open air, and then Jalen Hurts visit. So I just
need health and calm and chill and cohesiveness because the
(27:44):
first six weeks is going to be the crucible that
will forge this team or springboard it or even worse.
Speaker 5 (27:52):
Yep.
Speaker 4 (27:53):
And as to your point or your your vision of
one day us both being in a building at the
super Bowl, the Jets in the end zone is another
famous Jets fan, Joe Beningo is known to say, from
your lips to Gadzia.
Speaker 7 (28:06):
Yeah here, let me hold on, let me flex hold on, sacking.
Speaker 5 (28:10):
Always go, which is walking off Mike. He's in his office.
Speaker 7 (28:15):
Hold on, I'm sorry I should describe it to your
podcast on.
Speaker 8 (28:20):
All right, here we go. This is at an NFL
This is the NFL Honors in Atlanta. Okay, give us Okay,
there you go. That's that's me. Well oh yeah, sorry,
let me uh hold on, there you go. That's me
with Joe Willie. Okay, there it is. And I saw
him and we hugged it out. We like we had
(28:41):
an And then my friend Julie from gave this to
me for my fiftieth birthday. She got to sign because
she worked for UH sports Net New York at the time,
and she got Joe Willie to sign it.
Speaker 7 (28:52):
We well, we just need.
Speaker 8 (28:55):
You know, we need we need This is great and
Joe Willie is the greatest and I you know, but
we need new generations to have their Yeah, like we've
got rich that to to coin the phrase that Lombardi
trophies lonely. And that's my way of flexing in a
way to make a point.
Speaker 5 (29:15):
There you go, you.
Speaker 8 (29:16):
Know, like we gotta we gotta, we gotta have our own,
you know moment here. I don't know if Rogers is
gonna hug me out like.
Speaker 5 (29:23):
This, but in a big radiant smile.
Speaker 7 (29:26):
And I don't know about that.
Speaker 8 (29:27):
I don't know if we'll ever have that, but you know,
maybe I'll just surf off of Peter Schrager's new found friendship,
you know, with him, and.
Speaker 4 (29:38):
Is making a tweet where he explained how it all happened, that.
Speaker 5 (29:41):
I saw a big scoop, you know, no I saw that.
Speaker 8 (29:44):
And again, just to wrap it all up, is that
Rogers appears to be really you know, uh at a
a in a really good state of mind here and
has really taken to New York and New York to him.
And we will just see how it all works out
once schemes are played, and you know, adversity strikes. But
(30:07):
so far, so good. And I thought the first episode
of Hard Knocks was just surreal. That's the only way
to put it. I can't believe it's happening. I can't
believe it's happening.
Speaker 4 (30:18):
Rich and we are in the same boat. We are
in the same boat, sir. Thank you so much. You
got rich eyes and check them out on the rich
Eyes and show them of course an NFL network. We're
going to take a break and be back with Connie Fox.
(30:49):
All right, welcome back and as promised. She is my
co host on this wonderful podcast of Hard Knocks. She
is the great Connie Fox, also known as Colleen Wolf.
Where are you, Colleen right now? You should be in
the studio with me. This is the premiere of the
Hard Knocks podcast.
Speaker 5 (31:09):
I'm upset.
Speaker 2 (31:12):
Here right now, and that's all that really matters, even
though not physically there, Dan, I'm here with you.
Speaker 5 (31:18):
Very Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 2 (31:21):
You know, listen, I am in a hotel right now
in Seattle, looking out at the beautiful skyline and the water.
Speaker 9 (31:28):
It's gorgeous here. I love the city. I'm not even
sure I can leave.
Speaker 2 (31:32):
I don't know if I'll be back at studio because
I might not ever leave Seattle, but it's great. I
have Seahawks camp tomorrow, so I'll be on inside Training
Camp live.
Speaker 5 (31:40):
Get that plug in.
Speaker 4 (31:41):
I like it, Connie, and you know, this is our
second year doing this podcast, and you know we've always
been big fans of Leev Schreiber, the actor and longtime
narrator of Hard Knocks and Connie. Let's get it's like
the fun kind of nuggets from episode one.
Speaker 5 (31:58):
But let's start with a it all because it's it
was pretty.
Speaker 4 (32:01):
Meta in general that the narrator of the show gets
put into the news cycle. Here's the backstory by Aaron Rodgers.
Everything again, everything goes back to Rogers, who tells reporters
that one thing he was looking forward to in terms
of being having the cameras in the whole vibe is
Leev Schreiber because he's a fan of his work, and
(32:22):
so on and so forth. So what what I mean
the budget, Connie? What the budget of NFL Films and HBO?
Do they split the check? They rent a helicopter to
have the man flown in to the middle of the practice,
and and and then you ask Leev Schreiber to narrate
his own arrival on Hard Knocks. And as people fans
(32:46):
of this show know this podcast, we do not have
contractually the ability to use Leev's voice on this program.
Speaker 5 (32:54):
Legally it's a big time no go.
Speaker 4 (32:57):
But we do have Jason Zummol to read transcription from
an episode hit it.
Speaker 6 (33:05):
Sometimes when a show is truly epic, it pulls out
all the stops.
Speaker 5 (33:11):
Full disclosure. I wanted to drive, but the producers thought
a helicopter might.
Speaker 7 (33:16):
Be more dramatic.
Speaker 5 (33:18):
Should have ironed my shirt.
Speaker 4 (33:21):
I'm alt on point as always, the voice of God
for atn and the voice of God of NFL Films.
Speaker 5 (33:28):
Meeting once more, Connie the.
Speaker 4 (33:30):
Schreiber coming down to practice, awkward chit chat, all great stuff,
and then it led to one of my favorite parts
of the episode, one of the things we talked about
last week, Connie about like, what is it about the
Nathaniel Hackett and Aaron Rodgers of it all, this relationship
that has helped create this whole system or situation for
(33:52):
the Jets right now? And here's Rogers who was just
giddy about meeting Schreiber and thought that all these young
twenty four year old quarterbacks around them should be like
super amped up about this veteran character actor. Here is
Rogers and Hackett kind of sniping at each other in
a way that only good buddies can.
Speaker 10 (34:12):
Wait. Say right, he's nervous, he won't say you know me,
people feel comfortable. He's never been to a hard knocks practice. Overwhelming,
Just say hi, just be nice, look at him. Hey,
if you don't dressed up for.
Speaker 4 (34:31):
It, slam slim, say hi to Ifaniel Hackett say hi,
it's striver.
Speaker 9 (34:42):
Okay, all right, I have so many thoughts here.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
First of all, Zumbwalt, I almost forgot how accurate he
is with these impressions. It is just so spot on,
It's so well done. I love his driver. The helicopter itself.
Speaker 9 (34:58):
Was so extra but also so perfect.
Speaker 5 (35:02):
I loved it much.
Speaker 9 (35:03):
I loved it.
Speaker 5 (35:04):
The jets are the jets kicking it on it.
Speaker 9 (35:06):
Oh, of course, I have no idea.
Speaker 5 (35:08):
I guess this.
Speaker 9 (35:11):
Blade blade is like a thing in New York. It's
almost like a helicopter uber. I have no I don't
have that type of money. I would have no idea
where to start with.
Speaker 4 (35:21):
It has to be it might five from five hundred
to fifty thousand dollars is what I'm going to stay for.
My guess of how much it cost it to bring
in s Treiber on.
Speaker 2 (35:30):
The on the HELLI I would say definitely more than
five hundred.
Speaker 9 (35:33):
I'm taking the over.
Speaker 2 (35:35):
But maybe they've worked out a deal because they got
the blade promotion in on the show, so who knows.
Who knows what kind of strings HBO can poll. But
the producers were absolutely correct.
Speaker 9 (35:46):
It was super dramatic. That's an insane entrance.
Speaker 2 (35:49):
Uh And of course Leam Dreiver kind of he seemed
a little bashful about it, which I kind of loved,
and he also just kind of came off as a
little humble in general when he.
Speaker 9 (35:59):
Talked of out the fact that he doesn't really do anything.
Speaker 2 (36:02):
It's just his voice and he's just ripping off John
DESCENTA like that I was into, and I loved Aaron
Rodgers sort of fan boying over him and thinking that
everyone else was going to feel the same way that
exchange with Haack.
Speaker 5 (36:14):
It was so cute, I think it was.
Speaker 4 (36:16):
I thought it was endearing for all parties involved in Connie.
One of the things that's great about you is your awkwardness,
which I always enjoy in various social settings, and Shreiber
just gets kind of put in a weird spot because
it made sense to ask, Hey, do you want to
be go down to camp Rogers mentioned you. Then he
gets there and it's like, yeah, it's not everyone is
going to know who he is, so he's standing there.
(36:37):
But Rogers was nice, and it just I think it
was something very real about Rogers sensing that Shreiber should
be getting more attention because he was brought in here
on a helicopter. So he's like, let me get my
buddy Hacket to help me out here and try to
make this a little less awkward in his mind, and
Hackett was like, I don't know, man.
Speaker 5 (36:54):
And then even one of.
Speaker 4 (36:55):
The quarterbacks on the Jets, one of the guys deep
on the depth chart, Rogers, this is Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 5 (37:00):
Come on, man, go say hi to him. Go say
hi to And finally the quarterback's like, I'm talking to
the coach. Can't I know?
Speaker 9 (37:07):
Rogers is like, he's the voice of God. Don't you know.
Speaker 7 (37:10):
Who this is?
Speaker 9 (37:12):
And then I just thought it was.
Speaker 2 (37:13):
Really sweet that his whole thing with Hackett, the way
that he was trying to persuade Hackett to go over
was like, come on, he's never been to a hard
knocks practice, like he just let's just make him feel comfortable.
Let's just be nice people with that. Once again, I
thought was really sweet on a human level. So I
was into the whole thing. It was absurd.
Speaker 4 (37:30):
Yeah, and I thought they did a nice job not
hammering the Sean Payton storyline because at this point it's
a couple of weeks old, but we did get to
see a little bit of that Pylon game, and they
use the old psych out technique from the South Park
Guy's movie Basketball, And at one point when Hacket's about
to throw the ball, Rogers goes Sean Payton and he's like, oh, yeah,
(37:53):
that's a good one. You psych me out with that one.
But yeah, it's interesting. You also get like, you know,
more of an idea of Hacket and and maybe that'll
come up a little bit later.
Speaker 5 (38:03):
What else kind of did you like from this episode?
Speaker 2 (38:05):
Okay, so there were a few things. I love the
music in this episode in general.
Speaker 9 (38:11):
I there were so always.
Speaker 5 (38:13):
Now with the music on the show, always goad.
Speaker 2 (38:15):
I mean like there were They even had a little
bit of the Police in there.
Speaker 9 (38:20):
I thought as well.
Speaker 2 (38:22):
I knew that you would flag that they had greatness
on there by Quavo in the Sauce and Garrett Wilson montage.
Speaker 9 (38:29):
Which was timed perfectly. That song is great. And then
they had a little.
Speaker 2 (38:33):
Cream which is a Wu Tang method Man classic, the
instrumental version of it, and they played it after Meth
broke the huddle, and I think we have some of that.
Speaker 9 (38:43):
Can you pay it?
Speaker 5 (38:45):
All right?
Speaker 3 (38:45):
I want to do a quote from Bill parce Elves,
it's down all right with y'all, all right, all right,
you can pull the whole world down the highway of
years and take pats on the back as you pay,
but your final reward will be herded in tears if
you cheat. The Man in the Glass Jets three two three, Yeah, I.
Speaker 2 (39:08):
Mean having method Man at practice, Like the Jets are
just sexy as hell. I love this team, I love
everything about them, but having method Man there, I am.
I would be fangirling all over the place. If I
was at that training camp that day.
Speaker 9 (39:23):
I was in Pittsburgh.
Speaker 2 (39:24):
Ce Swiss Senior was at Jets practice and he was
fanboying over method Man like that was Method Man was
my first ever concert.
Speaker 9 (39:33):
It was Redman and Method Man and having Meth.
Speaker 2 (39:36):
Do a Bill Parcells quote like I just I need
someone to remix that. I need someone to put the
cream beat under it. Maybe I don't know, but there
was Ed Sheeran, there was the Poppin'.
Speaker 9 (39:48):
Song huh Like. There was just so many good ones.
Speaker 2 (39:52):
So my expectations for like the season now are higher
than ever.
Speaker 4 (39:57):
I remember like being in high school and learning that
cream he meant cash rules everything around me and just
thinking that was the coolest thing I'd ever heard in
my life.
Speaker 9 (40:06):
I mean it's not not true.
Speaker 4 (40:09):
Yes, yes, yes, the music is always uh epic on
this show.
Speaker 5 (40:14):
I thought, you know, let's me and you're a solid fan.
Speaker 9 (40:17):
Too, Connie, as we know of his coaching.
Speaker 4 (40:21):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, sure he I thought it was so nice.
I was very excited to get finally some context, you know,
when the Sean Payton thing went down, and he does the.
Speaker 5 (40:32):
You know, if you ain't got haters, you ain't popping.
Speaker 4 (40:35):
But also then he's talking about he's talking about crows
and suffocating and like I think everyone collectively was a
football fans like shrugging the shoulders.
Speaker 5 (40:45):
Like, what the hell is this guy talking about? And
then uh, it is.
Speaker 9 (40:49):
It was very Dan Campbell asked.
Speaker 4 (40:51):
Yes, and then you cut though to the opening of
the show and we heard the the tail end of
his speech at the top of our recap here or
our podcast. The beginning of the first thing we hear
from sala is explaining the theory that the crows they're
the only bird crazy enough to go after hawks, and
the hawks have the ability eagles, excuse me, eagles have
(41:12):
the ability to fly high, and then the crows get
too high and they suffocate and fall to the ground.
Speaker 5 (41:16):
And die, and I was just like, thank you.
Speaker 4 (41:19):
I needed a little bit more to I was a
little concerned that my team's head coach might be going crazy.
Now I'm like, okay, it kind of connects to a
private conversation he had with the team, and now it
all made sense. Thank you for context and clarity on
the on the crow thing.
Speaker 5 (41:35):
I'm happy.
Speaker 2 (41:36):
I did also enjoy as he was giving that that
whole speech that there were just guys like that were
getting really into it.
Speaker 9 (41:44):
In the background when.
Speaker 2 (41:45):
He was talking about the crows just like falling to
earth and dying.
Speaker 9 (41:48):
They were like, let's go, the crows are gonna die.
And it's like, I don't know, it feels a little disturbing, Like.
Speaker 4 (41:54):
I'm a picture of like Sean Payton going too high
into the altitude and then just like free falling to
a staff and earth. You know, it's pretty hard, Like
he went pretty hard with that. Any other what are
some of the things that you liked in the episode?
Speaker 2 (42:06):
Okay, So I felt like we got an early indication
of our underdog for the season, Chas Surat, the linebacker.
It seemed like Salah absolutely loves him, but he's also
like a.
Speaker 9 (42:18):
Third string guy, and I don't think. I think he
played one.
Speaker 2 (42:22):
Game last year for the Jets, So I am interested
to see if that ends up being a thread throughout
the season.
Speaker 5 (42:29):
And what part of the episode was he I'm kind
of not.
Speaker 9 (42:32):
This was in the Hall of Fame game.
Speaker 2 (42:34):
He had an interception I think in the Hall of
Fame game and Sala was like.
Speaker 9 (42:39):
He's so fast, that's my guy, keeps stacking.
Speaker 5 (42:41):
He's so good, very very good. Astute. You're a Hard
Knocks fan.
Speaker 4 (42:45):
When they have the coach miked up doing something in
a game, they are going to come back to that
player and track him. And I thought I thought rich
Eisen made a good point earlier. It seemed like a
mortal lock that Dalvin Cook would be in this episode
after the hoopla around his visit to the camp and
taking a physical and taking selfies and you know all that.
(43:08):
And then I was thinking in my head, I was like, hmm,
is that a little bit of a hint that maybe
the Jets are looking to distance themselves from that situation,
or more likely Hard Knocks producers are waiting for that
story line to see itself through and then they could
kind of use all this footage that they got earlier
in camp and tied together with his arrival.
Speaker 5 (43:27):
Maybe as soon as episode two, we shall see.
Speaker 2 (43:30):
I would think that it's the latter because I was
kind of thinking the same thing. I also just as
like a final little note, I kind of loved that
Jason Garrett randomly caught some strays in the episode. That
was so random and the guys were like, we can't
have the option here, and they were like, is that
Jason Garrett is that the Cowboys ex coach?
Speaker 5 (43:49):
Wasn't he?
Speaker 9 (43:50):
What the giants like that? I had like a kind
of love deep down.
Speaker 5 (43:53):
I had a bit of a dad moment.
Speaker 4 (43:54):
And Eric Robert's the producer behind the Glass, had to
help me out with that. Eric, what was the best
was your description of what Jason Garrett being compared to ops?
Speaker 5 (44:04):
What does that mean? You should like, please snitch the
rivals opponent. You don't want to mess with the ops.
You don't want to do it.
Speaker 4 (44:09):
We don't need the ops in the building, we don't
need them on the practice field.
Speaker 2 (44:14):
Dan, next episode, we'll tell you what the block is
hot means.
Speaker 5 (44:17):
I know what cream means. Uh, let's do MVP.
Speaker 4 (44:23):
It's time, Okay, all right, So listeners, new listeners, Hi,
how are you?
Speaker 5 (44:29):
I'm Dan and that's Colleen, speaking of awkward.
Speaker 4 (44:33):
We do an MVP, but it's a voting system, and
you just heard from Eric Roberts. Eric, this all falls
on you are great. Former producer Justin Graver handled these
duties last summer. We need someone to tabulate this and
track it. Connie and I cannot do it. Connie actually
privately told me last summer I'm talent, I don't do math,
(44:54):
and I was like, that was weird but also true,
and I agree with that. So here's the system. I
don't know if this is the point system last year,
but it.
Speaker 5 (45:01):
Is this year.
Speaker 9 (45:02):
It was complicated last year. Have no idea, so.
Speaker 5 (45:05):
Maybe it's the same one.
Speaker 4 (45:07):
I remember the term vector point scale or something vector
point scale.
Speaker 5 (45:10):
That sounds cool.
Speaker 4 (45:11):
Whatever that is, we're gonna do it again. So it's
a vector scoring system. First place, We're gonna do a first, second,
and third place MVP vote every episode, and then we're
gonna tally it up at the end of the year
and then name Hard Knocks MVP. A first place vote
is six points in the vector system, a second place
vote is four points, and a third place vote is
(45:32):
two points.
Speaker 5 (45:33):
Does that sound right? Sounds close enough?
Speaker 9 (45:36):
So you're just taking this up right?
Speaker 5 (45:38):
I don't know what the hell?
Speaker 9 (45:40):
Great?
Speaker 5 (45:41):
All right to me?
Speaker 4 (45:42):
Who's your third place MVP vote for episode one of
Hard Knocks Training Camp with the New York Jets.
Speaker 9 (45:48):
Okay, third place goes to Solomon Thomas.
Speaker 2 (45:53):
I absolutely love I love the personalities on this defensive line,
and I thought that Solomon Thomas was involved in the
best exchange of the entire show because there were so
many little things to pick out of that at one exchange.
Speaker 9 (46:09):
Can we play the quote so everyone could hear it?
Speaker 4 (46:11):
Yeah, let's play this this exchange Solomon Thomas, and I'll
just see it up dustly. So it reminded me this
group of defensive linemen like they were like squabbling Irish
brothers on Christmas Eve. Solomon Thomas in the role of
no all older brother, Tanzel Smart as the kid brother
who tags along even when he's unwanted, but they all
love each other.
Speaker 5 (46:30):
It's that type of setup. Let's listen in attention. I'm
not always want to sticking up. I always want to
sticking up for you.
Speaker 3 (46:36):
You remember you said you don't want me to go
to Broadway.
Speaker 5 (46:40):
Let's let's just get it up. I said that.
Speaker 7 (46:41):
I said that because I feel like you'd be talking
during the play, and I want you to respect the performers.
Speaker 5 (46:46):
Okay, I'll get you. I can't. It's actually got bad.
Speaker 7 (46:55):
I want to eat aucie board.
Speaker 9 (47:03):
Oh my, that's the mountaintop. That's it right there, and
so just.
Speaker 5 (47:07):
End the show. Just end the show. Let's be honest.
Speaker 9 (47:09):
It's so good.
Speaker 5 (47:10):
It's so good.
Speaker 2 (47:11):
It started because Solomon Thomas was like, I promise I'll
take the whole D line, like on the next off day,
I'll take the whole D line to MJ the musical.
And then John Franklin Myers was like, well, we want
a suite, and Solomon Thomas was like, there's no sweet
broath like and then it kind of like went on
from there. So I just kind of loved the idea
(47:31):
of the defensive line going to a Broadway show together
and then bickering about the seats, wanting a suite, and
then obviously the charcuterie board of it all was perfect.
Speaker 5 (47:42):
A perfect right.
Speaker 4 (47:43):
Smart thinks like Broadway is like Ford's Theater, and he
would have one of those those gold like little binoculars
that he'd been watching up from the from the top.
I that that's a Carcucci board that is outrageous and
beautiful and I love it. Great third place vote I
will go with for my third place, and it's tough,
(48:04):
but I will give it to say I want to
give it to Leev Schreiber, but I think that will
be a waste of my vote, just because I don't
imagine he's going to insert himself in the program.
Speaker 2 (48:14):
You need to focus on the now being present, right now,
who do you want to don't even think about the
next voting?
Speaker 4 (48:19):
Nathaniel Hackett. Okay, he's my third place vote. I thought
I thought that Hackett was kind of exactly what I
was expecting, but maybe a little weirder and sillier than
I realized. And I and you see why Rogers for all,
I think there's something there where when you see all
these young guys going up to Rogers, even someone like
(48:43):
Sauce Gardner, who's an instant superstar, it's almost like a
little kid talking to Rogers and and the and and
Sauces trying to talk to Rogers before the Hall of
Fame game, and he's just kind of going on and
on and it's not exactly clear what what he what
he's saying, and Rogers is very succinct and sure but
purposeful in what he's saying, almost like a dad talking
(49:03):
to his son. It's had that, it had that that vibe,
and so so many player players and people around Rogers
in his universe, I think, speak to him in almost
a state of awe as this living legend. And Hackett
is a guy that's just like messing with him like
he's a buddy. And I think that's part of the
reason why Rogers likes having him around, just somebody that
(49:23):
will treat him like a regular person and not this
this other worldly figure.
Speaker 9 (49:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (49:29):
And I also loved just like the little montage that
they did of Hackett where he's like, I.
Speaker 9 (49:33):
Just want to fly around like a butterfly. Ooh, let's
hear it. I want to hear it. I want to
fly around like a butterfly.
Speaker 4 (49:42):
We might be using that often. I also want to
thank Hackett. And I don't know how this is, you know,
because I was just at Cowboys Camp County. You're not
the only one going to camps.
Speaker 5 (49:50):
You know.
Speaker 9 (49:50):
Oh, look at you.
Speaker 4 (49:51):
And Mike McCarthy is still doing Mojo moments over there,
which is a callback to the second Austin Powers movie,
which I thought was okay. The first one total classic,
stolen the cold classic comedy of its era. Second one, Yeah,
Spyo Shagny, It's fine. Third one I thought was kind
of a mess and kind of a disaster. Gold Member,
(50:12):
but Hackett loves it so much that he bases entire
like schemes and discussions about Red Zone, which he calls
the gold Gold Zone because of his obsession with gold
Member the sequel, and I just I'm not down with
Gold Member, but I am down with anything that leads
to Aaron Rodgers saying gold Genitalia on Premium cable, I'm
(50:34):
down with that.
Speaker 9 (50:35):
I flagged this as well.
Speaker 2 (50:38):
I love Hackett's obsession with gold Member, and then Aaron
Rodgers talking about it and saying like that Hackett wants
to know about, like how well how he got his
gold Genitalia where he likes to party, how he roller skates,
like that whole thing.
Speaker 9 (50:52):
But I also loved.
Speaker 2 (50:53):
By the way Rogers a story about Hackett and the
fact that Hackett, when he was in Green Bay, noticed
that Brian Bulaga wasn't celebrating with the team after touchdowns
and that you know, Hackett loved the Lambeau leap, but
also wanted them to celebrate with teammates as well, and
so then he ended up getting Bilaga to celebrate.
Speaker 9 (51:16):
And it was like, Oh, that's so nice that.
Speaker 2 (51:18):
He cultivated this like this team friendly atmosphere and these
like relationships between people.
Speaker 9 (51:24):
So I'm with you on that. That's a good one.
Speaker 5 (51:25):
All right, your second place vote for MVP of the episode.
Speaker 9 (51:28):
Okay, my second place vote goes to Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 5 (51:32):
Now, oh wow, upset. I know I don't think. I
don't agree with this, but go.
Speaker 2 (51:37):
Ahead, Well you have yours, I have mine. Rogers I
think has the constant main character energy throughout the whole show. Yes,
he was like chewing up scenery in the beginning. And
I love the fact that his teammates love his personality.
They talk about how cool he is, and they talk
about whatever they say on TV about him is a lie.
Speaker 9 (51:58):
And there was a whole thing about his no Look passes.
Speaker 2 (52:00):
But I especially love the fact that he was so
complimentary to and about Zach Wilson, and he was talking
about Zach Wilson's NOLA passes and working with him and
answering his questions and celebrating with him after that bomb
of a pass in the Hall of Fame game that
was fun, also alluding to his off season hobby of psychedelics.
(52:23):
Perhaps you can connect those dots if you want.
Speaker 5 (52:26):
How about his handshake with saus Well that.
Speaker 9 (52:29):
I mean that will be part of another.
Speaker 4 (52:32):
Of all right, hold that thought. Then, I know we
talked about it with rich eyes in a little bit,
that Wilson is in such an awkward situation, and you
can see that's Rogers in his way, trying to make
an awkward situation a little bit less awkward by making
him seem like he's still a guy that you know,
is you can get excited about by the way straight
(52:54):
thought about Zach Wilson. No, he You don't have him
coming up again here, do you? Is he getting younger?
Are we reverse aging?
Speaker 3 (53:06):
Yes?
Speaker 4 (53:07):
Yes, he looks like he still looks like a rookie
or now even like maybe like a high school senior.
At one point they cut to him at halftime in
the Hall of Fame game and he's eating what was it,
like a Smucker's.
Speaker 5 (53:19):
Done crustables.
Speaker 4 (53:20):
Yeah, And then you know when he's in the huddle.
He's like, come on, he like Bak basically echoes something
that Rogers said earlier in camp. I think the thing
you kind of called out that you really liked in
our preview episode where he was like, come on, guys,
we don't know how long will we be able to
do this, so let's enjoy it. And it's like, it's
just you. It just seemed like a boy like you.
Speaker 9 (53:40):
He's like a kid, a kid brother and uh.
Speaker 4 (53:43):
And the fact that Rogers is there, which is the
epitome or the opposite end of things.
Speaker 5 (53:48):
This grizzled veteran approaching age forty. It's wild.
Speaker 4 (53:51):
It's not really a shot at Wilson. It's just it's stunning,
really how cherubic he still appears to be. He needs,
you know what, he needs a beard? How about that?
Speaker 5 (54:00):
If you can do it, Zach, it might be time
for the beard. It might be time. All right.
Speaker 4 (54:04):
My second place, I think we flipped. I think we flipped.
So I have Sala as my second place. And it's
not a shot on Sala. I think he was exactly
what I thought he was going to be. And it
is brought it up with Rich like it is. There's
a lot of pressure on Sala here as exciting and
everything is, you know, sunshine and rainbows right now around
(54:27):
the Jets, but there's also this reality that this is
year three for Sala And you go show me the
list of NFL coaches in the past twenty five years
who have gotten a fourth year if they didn't make
the playoffs by year three. So it's it in a
playoff or bust year potentially for Sala. He obviously feels
(54:50):
like he's in a very good spot, and he is.
And one difference we talked about earlier about how different
it is beyond just the obvious the Farv and Rogers
of all and Rich had mentioned that Farv was joining
a much less talented team than Rogers is, and that's true.
But also a difference in these situations two thousand and
(55:11):
eight to twenty twenty three is how much better the
AFC is now compared to the field in eight. Remember
in two thousand and eight when Brett Fahr was there,
Tom Brady blows his ACL in Game one and is
out for the year. That was a wide open conference.
This year, you look at the AFC now and it
is a gauntlet. The top of the season's a gauntlet
(55:33):
for the Jets, and there are so many teams that
are just starving, like the Jets, the Bills, the Bengals,
the name just two. And then of course the Chiefs
are there waiting that it's going to be a very
tough ride. It's gonna be very difficult for this team
to win ten, eleven, twelve games despite all this optimism.
Speaker 5 (55:51):
So just tempering in a little bit.
Speaker 4 (55:52):
But Salad, despite all that pressure behind the scenes are
under the hood, feels like a guy. It's very confident
in himself and in this team.
Speaker 2 (56:02):
I you know, I love me some Robert sala Actually,
when I was at Niners camp yesterday, I asked Kyle Shanahan,
like how he's going to be on hard knocks and
like how.
Speaker 9 (56:13):
He like will actually like secretly deal with it.
Speaker 2 (56:16):
And Shanahan was like, Oh my god, He's going to
pretend like he doesn't like it, but he's going to
love it. He's going to make sure that he lifts
his weights before the cameras turn on, that he has
a fresh shave, like.
Speaker 9 (56:26):
He will be ready for it. Oh yeah, however he's not.
He's not in my MVP voting. I need you know
I need to pump the brakes a little bit.
Speaker 2 (56:34):
It's a long season of hard knocks, so my number
one is a little bit of a surprise.
Speaker 4 (56:40):
Whoa Yeah, you know you could costs all MVP by
leaving them out.
Speaker 5 (56:44):
Of the no haters you ain't popping?
Speaker 4 (56:46):
Yeah, come on, you leave him out of the vector
scoring system for an entire week. That's trouble for his
chances to win the whole damn thing. So it shows
what a fan you actually are. I do want to
hear now Now I'm fascinating. Who's number one?
Speaker 2 (57:00):
No, so my number one MVP And it really was because.
Speaker 9 (57:05):
Of this handshake. It's got for me. It's Sauce gard Gardener.
Speaker 5 (57:10):
The ant jake was so good.
Speaker 2 (57:14):
They do they take a hit of something, then they
put it out on another teammate.
Speaker 9 (57:19):
It's creative, it's fun. I haven't seen it before.
Speaker 2 (57:21):
I also just love the dynamic of him and Garrett Wilson.
They have such different personalities, but they're so competitive and
Sauce is such a chirper, like you could tell he
just loves to get under people's skin.
Speaker 9 (57:35):
And then you have Garrett Wilson who's kind of like this.
Speaker 2 (57:37):
Sweet boyish kind of guy next to him, and Sauce
is just very fiery and sassy. And then I just
also loved that he graduated. And you know, I when
he was putting on his graduation cap, his family was like, oh, like,
you know, he doesn't want to mess.
Speaker 9 (57:55):
Up his hair. I felt that. I really felt that
in a way that I there.
Speaker 2 (58:00):
I hated putting on the grift graduation cap. I hated
getting my picture with it on.
Speaker 5 (58:04):
Its kind of a silly look. Altogether.
Speaker 4 (58:06):
That's maybe something we could kind of transition out of
years go on.
Speaker 9 (58:11):
Why why not?
Speaker 2 (58:11):
Why are we still doing this? I like the fact
that he said it felt like a game day, but
he wasn't nervous, and it was sweet that everyone was.
Speaker 9 (58:18):
Coming up to him and being like, have a great season.
Speaker 5 (58:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 9 (58:21):
Said that he didn't have a chance.
Speaker 2 (58:22):
To graduate high school because he was in camp already,
so this was the first time that he actually got
a chance to walk across the stage, and I thought
that was nice.
Speaker 4 (58:30):
I mean, I can almost I could like picture it
right now, like a cranky column from Phil Mushnik in
The New York Post, like explaining why that handshake between
Sauce and Rogers is everything that's wrong with the Jets
and sports in America or whatever. Calm down, take a seat, relax.
That was just two guys having fun and enjoying. And
(58:51):
Roger is obviously famous for his extracurricular activities, which hav't
slowed him down from winning four MVPs in a Super Bowl.
Love it and it was great as advertising as predicted
on our preview episode, I think Sauce and seeing Gardner
excusely Sauce and Wilson on the practice field together is
just fun. And it's just like, these two guys are
(59:14):
the future of the Jets and the potentially a future
kind of the AFC, and here they are going to
add it every practice. Someone might say, and I won't
because it's cheesy and cliche and overdone. That iron sharpens Iron,
Oh my god, I will.
Speaker 5 (59:28):
Not say it.
Speaker 9 (59:29):
I've heard it at every single camp.
Speaker 2 (59:31):
I honestly like, it's Iron versus Iron season his training
camp and like that, there's nothing we can.
Speaker 5 (59:37):
Do about it, right right?
Speaker 4 (59:39):
And yeah, so my my first place vote does go
to Aaron Rodgers, and you know, I think he'd absolutely
like Salah is leaned into this and despite all the
talk about who we don't want to do it or
stuff you may have heard.
Speaker 5 (59:57):
Rogers is all about it.
Speaker 4 (59:58):
Rogers loves this moment and he loves this time, and
he I loved how the way the episode started, kind
of tying back to how we started today's show that
walked to the field and just a guy that's basking
in this moment on this in this second act to
his career, he could say he went into the darkness
for five days and was ninety percent retired. I watch
(01:00:19):
a guy, you know, hugging Randall Cobb after the DeMarcus
ware his national anthem and saying I love you it's
you know, it never gets old, brother, love you like
and seeing the passion he has for the sport and
talking with the guys and and just chopping it up
and the skill obviously the skill he still has, and.
Speaker 5 (01:00:39):
How easy he makes it all. Look, this guy was
not going to retire.
Speaker 4 (01:00:41):
It was all part of a bigger, you know, idea
with Rogers and a conversation that's fair about like is
this guy for real or is he full of it?
Speaker 7 (01:00:50):
Like?
Speaker 4 (01:00:50):
Who is Aaron Rodgers? But you know, some people might
even say bad things about Aaron Rodgers. But to that
you can reply.
Speaker 3 (01:01:00):
Whatever they say about A and Rogers on TV is
a lie.
Speaker 5 (01:01:04):
Yes that is true, or maybe it's not true. I
don't know, but I will.
Speaker 4 (01:01:09):
I've been vocal in criticism of Rogers in the past,
but he is the right guy for this team right now,
and I thought this episode showed that he is kind
of the sun in which all the planets around of
the New York Jets are rotating around. So Rogers gets
it for me, and we'll see where things go from here. Connie,
anything else you want to get in before we say goodbye?
Speaker 9 (01:01:30):
No, I think that was a great first episode.
Speaker 5 (01:01:33):
Like I right start, I agree.
Speaker 2 (01:01:34):
I love this like they started, like they came out swinging,
and so I expect this rest of the season to
be just as good because I was like stopping myself
from texting you the entire time in real time as
I watched it.
Speaker 9 (01:01:47):
We're gonna have a ton to talk about, a ton
to talk about.
Speaker 5 (01:01:50):
Connie is gonna be back in studio with me next week.
Speaker 9 (01:01:52):
I am.
Speaker 4 (01:01:53):
I love it Connie and Dan together and hopefully you
with us along for the ride as we go through
each the five episodes, And just like this one, it
lands Tuesday, night, right after the airing of Hard Knocks,
and it's there for you, for us to discuss this
great show in this very interesting Jets team until next week.
Speaker 5 (01:02:14):
Heat the Call
Host
Gregg Rosenthal
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