Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Alongside my guy Nick Ferguson, both of us coming off
(00:03):
of a refreshing day off.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
At least it was for me. How was your day off?
Speaker 3 (00:07):
Nick?
Speaker 4 (00:07):
My day off was good.
Speaker 5 (00:08):
Now it's a little different for you and me because
I know you like to go skiing, and I still
don't understand how you were able to hit the slopes,
get a couple of runs and get back here on time.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (00:23):
I think it's.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
All about time management, baby.
Speaker 4 (00:26):
I think you have like a time machine.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
That don't don't tell me, don't don't tell my secrets.
Speaker 4 (00:32):
Yes, but it was. It was great, great day yesterday.
Speaker 5 (00:35):
Got a chance to do a couple of things with
the wife and the family, which is always important.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Yeah, well I did nothing with my wife and family.
I went skiing all day long. And it's a little
easier to get some more runs than when I don't
have to hustle back in here to the iHeart studio.
Starting to snow a little bit up there in the mountains.
It's things are finally finally starting to open up. So
I felt like my first real day of skiing yesterday.
Speaker 5 (00:58):
You don't always wonder about that because I know you
are a skier. You always look for those opportunities. But
it was kind of dry for a while.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
It was like skiing on ice.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
It was all man made snow, and what wasn't snow
was just ice from the cold.
Speaker 5 (01:13):
Well, a good thing that mother nature has decided to
open up and bless us with some snow.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
Yeah, they got a foot of snow earlier this week.
I'm sure they're getting a bunch of it right now.
What was your drive in, Like, I know when I
was coming in around twelve thirty or one, it was
it was coming down hard.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Yeah, it was.
Speaker 5 (01:30):
It was definitely heavy around that time. But the roads
are are great now. Obviously I say that because there's
no snow on the road, and thank goodness for those
plows that do get out.
Speaker 4 (01:41):
There and then move things around.
Speaker 5 (01:43):
But just because I'm saying the roads are clear, there
is no snow on the ground. It is still cold outside.
Black ice is upon us. So slow to freak down.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Yeah, the later it gets in the evening, the more
of that black ice appears. And I'm always of the
mindset slow and steady in this kind of weather because
I'm not trying to wreck well.
Speaker 5 (02:03):
Slow and steady wins the race, and the race being
getting to your destination.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
It's alive. That's big show tonight.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
We're gonna hit on Vance Joseph completing his interview with
the Baltimore Ravens earlier today. I got to think that's
the dream job of this head coaching cycle. Also, some
other Broncos coaches getting some head coaching interviews.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
We'll get into all of that and why.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
Nick thinks it's a good thing for the Broncos that
these coaches are getting those head coaching opportunities. But man,
the best college football and the NFL weekend of the year,
at least in my opinion, is upon us. We've got
Ole Miss in Miami, just kicked off Miami up to
an early three to nothing lead. You've got the other
college semi final game tomorrow Oregon and Indiana, and you've
(02:50):
got wild card weekend.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
Is this the best weekend of football in your opinion?
Speaker 4 (02:56):
Yes, it is.
Speaker 5 (02:56):
And the reason why Grant for me is that we're
we're kind of closing out NFL season in the college season,
and that means that we're getting down to the top
four in college football and we have our twelve in
the NFL, and I know at the.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
Beginning of the season.
Speaker 5 (03:15):
That's a very exciting year because hope springs eternal and
everyone thinks that they have a shot. But this time
of year, we know who have a shot, the teams
that are in the tournament.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
The idea is survive in advance, similar.
Speaker 5 (03:28):
To March Madness, which is going to be upon us
in a couple of months.
Speaker 4 (03:32):
But this is the most.
Speaker 5 (03:33):
Exciting year, especially if you are a fan of the
teams that are still remaining.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
Well and even as just like a fan of the
league and the fan of college football. Like you said,
you know, Week one is probably the second most exciting
weekend in my mind, because, like you said, everything's in
front of you. But now we don't have those cinderellas
that you hate in March Madness waiting around anymore.
Speaker 5 (03:56):
Wait a minute, I know hate the cinderellas, but we
know the center roll is for a reason. It's great
to kind of put them on your bracket. But you
know they don't going to go. But so far they may.
They may surprise someone in the first round of the tournament,
but then after that they are what they are.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
Yeah, but no surprises left in college football or the
NFL we've got the best of the best battling it out.
We don't have any more James Madison's in the bracket.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
Wait a minute, so you see.
Speaker 5 (04:23):
You have to go Dame's Madison.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Well they did do an elite trolley job on social
media during their brief college football run.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
But man, like.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
This is this is when it all comes down to
the wire, and it's so great as a Broncos fan
in Broncos Country, Like you don't even have to sweat
out wild Card weekend. You just know you're just waiting
on who you're gonna see in that divisional round.
Speaker 4 (04:48):
Yeah, and then.
Speaker 5 (04:48):
That's great once again for members of Broncos Country. And
this is why all the work and sacrifice comes down
to this point. And this is why it is so
important and valuable for the players and the coaches to
utilize this time. Well, from the players standpoint, rest up
your body, no kind of vacations if you will, Well,
I'm gonna jet set and go down to a book
(05:10):
of raton to rob some Jetski's. No, you can do
that in a couple of weeks. Right now, it's all
about business first and for the coaches just to sit
down as a group watch some of these games and say, Okay,
well who is it that you're going to face? As
soon as you find out, start that week with the preparation.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Yeah, And like Dave was saying earlier today on KOA Sports,
He's like, you know, players are getting a couple of
days off, but I can guarantee you coaches are not
taking any days off.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
They're already probably self.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Scouting this week and then though, like you said, once
they know their opponent after this weekend, they'll be scouting them.
Speaker 4 (05:42):
I can tell you this.
Speaker 5 (05:43):
Leading up to this point, as coaches start to speculate
who you would possibly face, and looking at the teams
that are remaining in the tournament itself, you start doing
your your scouting right there. And because I know in
the NFL they do, they do advance and scouting, if
you will, meaning as though there's a.
Speaker 4 (06:02):
Team that you might play, you might face.
Speaker 5 (06:05):
Then you go out, you send your scouts out, you
come back with information, here's what they're doing different, here's
what they're doing the same, and then you start putting
putting a game play together. So I'm sure not just
Differ Broncos, but every team in the tournament they've looked
at similar opponents, how they performed against opponent. Which teams
have injuries at key positions? How can you take advantage
(06:26):
of those key injuries so things never really die? Is
set down for a coaching stab as preparation always.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
Continues five six six nine zero the common Spirit health
text line. If you want to share your thoughts, is
this the best weekend in football all year long?
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Also?
Speaker 1 (06:41):
How are you feeling as a Broncos fan getting the
week off, just getting to watch the game. What a
slate of wild card weekend we have? I mean, we've
got Panthers versus Rams. We saw the Rams losing Carolina
earlier this year. They're now a ten and a half
point favorite going back to Carolina. Bears are Packers at Bears.
That's an awesome divisional matchup in the wildcard round. Jaguars
(07:03):
and Bills, Eagles and forty nine Ers, Patriots and Chargers,
and wrapping it all up on Monday with the Steelers
and the Texans.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
What game are you looking forward to the most?
Speaker 3 (07:12):
For me?
Speaker 5 (07:12):
Man, it's Buffalo in Jacksonville. Yeah right, because these are
two of the teams. When speaking with you know, other
people on outside national media and some fans. These are
the two teams you don't want to face, right, Jacksonville
has already come in here and they're beating you. And
I know the Broncos fans, some Broncos fans feel as
though they let the Jags get away and Trump Lawrence
(07:33):
make some plays. And then you have Josh Allen and
the Buffalo Bills. I mean, between Josh Allen and James Cook.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
That's a threat, add anybody.
Speaker 4 (07:43):
That's right.
Speaker 5 (07:43):
They eliminated the Broncos last year after if you remember,
it was that opening drive, it was that Troy Franklin
explosive play, and then that was it. So when you
look at these two teams as a little like you
have to say that maybe the coaching staff and the
players are saying they want a little get back, But
this is a game I'm looking forward to because this
particular reason.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
When you look at Trevor.
Speaker 5 (08:04):
Lawrence, he was perceived as being somewhat of a bus
leam Coyn comes in, things look entirely different.
Speaker 4 (08:10):
He's not turning the ball over. Then you think about
Josh Allen.
Speaker 5 (08:12):
His first couple of years in the league, they were like,
oh man, this guy is talented, but he's not doing
as well as one would think for a guy who
was drafted in his position. And oh, by the way,
you don't want to have revision his history, but grant remember,
once upon a time there was an opportunity for the
Broncos to draft Josh Allen.
Speaker 4 (08:30):
They did not We too, that's right.
Speaker 5 (08:33):
So there's some Broncos fans that a ludo upset about that.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
But and his Wyoming connection exactly so.
Speaker 5 (08:38):
And if this was ever a year for Josh Allen
to get to a Super Bowl and win it, this
is the year, budd. He first, he's got to get
over Jacksonville Jaguars and.
Speaker 4 (08:51):
Trevor Lawrence first.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Yeah, and I don't know if he does.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
I mean, we'll do our pick him tomorrow night when
Ben is back on the show for this wild Card weekend.
But the game I'm looking forward to the most Patriots
and Chargers.
Speaker 4 (09:01):
Patriots Chargers.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
I want to see if the Pats are for real.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
They've won one game versus team with an over five
hundred record this year. Now, you like we always say,
you play who's in front of you, But the Chargers,
they're a damn good team in front of you. This
week at home. I want to see if the Patriots
are for real. And I'm also really looking forward to
that Eagles and forty nine Ers game, Like I think
the winner of that game has a good shot to
(09:25):
win at all. You know, you're gonna have to take
down either the Rams or the Seahawks, but both of
those teams have experienced getting to the big game, the
Eagles winning it. I'm interested to see how that game
plays out, too, and how much the Eagles will rely
on Saquon Barkley now that we're in the playoffs.
Speaker 5 (09:41):
Well, Kevin Battuloh has taking a lot of trace this season, Yes,
and obviously some of the well deserved.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
Well, some of them.
Speaker 5 (09:49):
Were definitely well deserved, because how can you not run
Saquon Barkley in certain situations. And then you go back
to the game where the Eagles were able to squeak
out that win against Buffalo on the and we saw
the Eagles score points in the first half, no points
in the second half, and you wonder like, okay.
Speaker 4 (10:06):
Well what happened.
Speaker 5 (10:08):
You know, with your office, you can't keep falling off
the cliff, and you could say, hey, the Eagles won
the game, right, that's the.
Speaker 4 (10:16):
Only thing that matters.
Speaker 5 (10:17):
But then you could look within between the numbers and said, well, no,
there's something fundamentally wrong with that team.
Speaker 4 (10:23):
But luckily for them.
Speaker 5 (10:24):
Luckily for them, And it seems to be a theme
all season.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Long, just like with the Broncos.
Speaker 5 (10:29):
That's right, their defense and Vig Fangio comes to the
rescue for Philadelphia. But it's gonna be interesting to see
if that same thing happens for him this weekend.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
Well, and like Steve always says, you know, it's a
lot better to learn your lessons and a win than
in a loss, and I think that's what's been happening
with the Broncos all year. I'll be interested going back
to the game. You're most excited for the Bills and
the Jags. I think if Sean McDermott loses this game
and they lose by you know, like fourteen points, are they.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
Gonna move on from him? In Buffalo?
Speaker 1 (10:58):
You think there could be another head coach opening after
we saw Mike McDaniel get fired earlier today.
Speaker 5 (11:03):
Yes, actually, yes, it's funny that you bring this up
because I was talking to someone on the national landscape
about this very thing, and.
Speaker 4 (11:14):
When you think about Sean McDermott.
Speaker 5 (11:15):
He's been on the hot seat for a while, even
though Buffalo has won a lot of games. Even though
you have the current MVP and Josh Allen, the question
is is Sean McDermott the type of coach to get
them over the hump. I like coach McDermott, and I
think it would be a raw deal for him if
they lose the game and the Bills decided to part ways.
But that's just the business of football. But the expectations
(11:37):
when they go up, like I've always said, they don't
go down, and right now, having the reigning MVP, even
though you have no receivers that are household names, the
expectations continue to soar. So this conversation that was having
today was they lose the game against Jacksonville, Sean McDermott
gets fired. You know who I said would be an
(11:58):
excellent plug and play for the position.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
Harball?
Speaker 1 (12:01):
Yes, well, and Harball not taking any head coach interviews
until after this weekend, so he's thinking maybe the same thing, like,
you know, maybe the Steelers lose and I part ways
with Mike Tomlin or the Bills lose. Can you imagine
if harpball went to the Steelers and then stuck it
to the Ravens. Wow, how great would that be?
Speaker 4 (12:19):
Dude?
Speaker 5 (12:20):
That would be a ginormous slap to the face. What
did the five things say to the face? But to
John Harbell's credit, you parted ways with me, right, he didn't.
Speaker 4 (12:34):
I didn't ask. I was here for eighteen right, So.
Speaker 5 (12:38):
Then you have to ask yourself because there have been
conversation that fans have gotten involved with this all season long,
where it was fire Mike Tomlin, even from the Pittsburgh Stills,
fans chanting fire Mike Tomlin and firing John Harbaugh, two
coaches with the longest tenure in Pro football eighteen by Harbaugh,
nineteen by Mike Tomlin.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
I know people say, well, maybe it's time to change.
Speaker 5 (13:02):
Well, I know change is good sometimes, but you better
make sure if you're going from one person to the next,
you better make sure that you're doing something. And I'll
put it into a realm that both you and I understand.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
Right.
Speaker 5 (13:16):
The idea is that you marry up, you don't marry
down right. And then I know some stupid guys who
I mean married to some great women, but they cheat
it down right. They cheat it down. And I'm not
saying I condone cheating, but you don't cheat down.
Speaker 4 (13:34):
No, no, you don't do that.
Speaker 5 (13:37):
Yes. So that's why when fans always bark for players
to be traded or coaches to be fired, you just
better make sure that you have an ideal option for
the person you're getting rid of.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
Were you surprised by Mike McDaniel getting fired today?
Speaker 4 (13:54):
No, I wasn't. I was really okay, you tell me
why you were, and I'll tell you why.
Speaker 1 (13:59):
I was just all of his comments earlier in the week, like, hey,
you know, I'm not I'm not picking the names that
are coming in, but I'll be a valuable piece adding
information into the general manager higher and then you know
these You hear that him and Ross had a conversation
that went pretty well, and then a couple hours later
he's gone, Well.
Speaker 5 (14:18):
The reason why I feel is though that was was
going to happen, and I said it the other night
because Stephen Ross, like Arthur Blank, they want to win,
and because of that desire to win, you're looking to
make moves.
Speaker 4 (14:35):
Now, if Mike mcdaimes.
Speaker 5 (14:36):
Had a sensation of season, we're not having this conversation.
Speaker 4 (14:40):
But because things worked out the way they did.
Speaker 5 (14:43):
The Dolphins ended up giving to an extension when you
could say, well, maybe they shouldn't. And the idea was like, well,
who influenced that. I'm not saying Mike mcdaimes was the
person to afforce that. Probably Greer, the GM who they fired,
he probably had a hand in that. But that's probably
why he's no longer with the Miami Dolphin. But because
Stephen Ross wants to win at any cause. And oh,
(15:04):
by the way, you look at the crop of coaches.
This crop of coaches is better than a crop of
quarterbacks coming out of college football. And oh, by the way,
the cream of the crop was just dropped by the
Baltimore Ravens and John Harbaugh.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
Yeah, it's gonna be interesting to see how that plays out.
And speaking of winning at any costs, going back to
the College Football Playoff, and Miami is still up three
to nothing on Ole Miss driving once again. But nil
Man has completely changed how these teams put.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
Their roster together. And you know, I was listening earlier today.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
Maybe we'll get to this sound later, but I can
sum it up for you right now. Pete Golding talking
about the transfer window being open during the college football
playoffs and how some of his coaches are leaving Ole
miss to go to LSU to join Lank Kiffen, and
some of them are staying for the playoff run, but
then they're also getting ready for their new job at LSU. Like,
(15:59):
how do you think NIL has completely reshaped the college
football format or outlook?
Speaker 2 (16:05):
I guess of these teams.
Speaker 5 (16:06):
Well, all you have to do, Grant is look at
the college football playoffs.
Speaker 4 (16:12):
For example, think about Indiana.
Speaker 5 (16:14):
Indiana, even though they lost, they beat Oregon last year
and they lost last season with Kurt Signetti, they've changed
the landscape of college football. Got that Mark Cuban money,
that's right, because no one was talking about Indiana being
a top ten team or top five team, but the
NIO money having boosters, boosters who want to see their
(16:36):
programs get better.
Speaker 4 (16:38):
You mentioned Mark Cuban.
Speaker 5 (16:39):
And when you have big boosches like that who are billionaires,
they're willing to donate money because it comes back to
those guys to fold because now you donate to your program,
So are you're giving back to your alma mater school
that gave to you.
Speaker 4 (16:53):
Right.
Speaker 5 (16:54):
Also, when when you give that type of money usually
there's some kind of gymnasium library and so one built
with your name out front. And then also too, you
get a chance to poke out your chest. You know
that's my school, throw out your peacock feathers and say, yeah,
that's right, that's my school. But then also too, if
you ever so chose to, and I don't know what
(17:15):
the rules are about this, but you decided to make
a little wager on your school, so you went.
Speaker 4 (17:21):
On all fronts.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
How about that winning winning? Yeah, and shout out to
my school.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
Ohio University the only college in Ohio to win a
bowl game this year due because Ohio State got wow
by Miami.
Speaker 4 (17:35):
I see what you did. Throw on some shade huh.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
Yeah, they first state school, and.
Speaker 4 (17:42):
They should have put some Skyline chili on up there.
Speaker 5 (17:45):
Like whoever wins, they get this whole bucket of Skyline chili.
Speaker 1 (17:49):
I'd be headed back to Ohio right now, get my
hands on some Coney's.
Speaker 4 (17:52):
Yes, with some diabetes too, But I.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
Mean, the most ridiculous thing to me, I don't have.
I mean, obviously as a wild West landscape, and some
sort of restrictions have to be placed on it. We
have been talking about the Washington quarterback who agreed to
a new contract and then put his name in the
transfer portal. But my biggest issue with all of college
football is that transfer portal window, Like, why what benefit
(18:19):
is it for anyone to have it during the college
football playoffs? That makes no sense to me. Why not
move it back three weeks and have it right after
the college football playoff raps.
Speaker 5 (18:29):
Yeah, I definitely agree with you because the way that
is currently constructed, it creates a lot of confusion. You know,
coaches don't know which of their kids that are going
to remain, and then why guys are in full bowl mold.
They're thinking looking around too, which which schools are looking
to pay players to jump into the transfer portal, So
(18:49):
you're not having full concentration of said players. And I've
always said this that there needs to be a group
in place. We always saw that the NCAA didn't do
a great job handling in this situation. So now it's
a wild wild west. We now have to bring things
into form and do it work. Hey, if you're going
to go to transfer to a team and they make
(19:11):
a contract with you to give you a significant amount
of money, then you tied to that institution at least
for a season or two.
Speaker 1 (19:18):
Right, and make the contract whatever you want to be.
You can make it a one year deal. You canna
make it a two year deal. You can make it
a four year den.
Speaker 4 (19:25):
If you decide to leave, we get some of that
paper bat.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
Or whatever school you're going to has to pay whatever
your contract was.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
From that other school.
Speaker 4 (19:33):
There you go, I'm down for that.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
We're off and rolling on Broncos Country tonight. We're gonna
get back to the Broncos. When we come back with
Broncos color analyst Rick Lewis on KOA, we will head
out to the KOA Common Spirit Health Hotline and bring
on our guy, Rick Lewis, the Broncos color analysts, Rick,
what the funk is going on with you?
Speaker 3 (19:52):
Man? Millennial Grant, Slick Nick? How you guys doing? Man,
I'm sitting in front of the fireplace, Lucky Lewis by
my side. That's not my wife, by the way, it's
my daughter watching the Fiesta Bolt You just what the funk?
I've got a question for Slick Nick. Okay, Nick Ferguson.
(20:13):
If people don't know Nick is the best dressed sports
media member in Colorado, maybe the best dressed media member
in Colorado. And my question for slick Nick is how
many hats do you have in your collection?
Speaker 4 (20:31):
Wow? You're testing me.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
Now.
Speaker 5 (20:34):
I'll sum it up by saying I do have a lot,
and yes, it is definitely the over and I mix
it up as if you see me, man, I got
the Kingo style hats, the regular you know Michelinez new
era hats, but also have some other Fedoras that I
haven't really pulled out yet, so they're still left in
the tank.
Speaker 4 (20:54):
A lot left in the tank.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
Rick, Well, don't ever show up Nick not looking cool,
because I'll be very disappointed. I look forward to seeing
you every time just to see what you're wearing. I
check out your shoes, I check out your hats. You're
the coolest dude in media. Keep that up.
Speaker 4 (21:11):
Appreciate your brother.
Speaker 1 (21:12):
I agree on Rick, and I don't think it's a
choice for Nick to look bad like it doesn't matter
whatever he's wearing.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
He just makes it look cool. You know, not all
of us are that left.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
Yeah. No, the fact he might be the only one
a town that could pull that off.
Speaker 2 (21:25):
I think so.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
Him and romy Bed romy Bean and him maybe the
two best dressed sports media exactly.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
Well, Rick, I wanted to ask you.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
You know, we have this great sound from Garrett Bowles
on Tuesday on KOA Sports talking about how special winning
the division and clenching the number one seed is for
him after some rough times here in Broncos country for
him and guys like Courtland Sutton.
Speaker 2 (21:49):
But it's been a rough time.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
For you as well in the broadcast booth those first
couple of years, and now you're getting to call the
best team in the AFC this year. What's that transition
been like from you know, being down in the dumb
looking for five or six wins and talking about draft
picks the last couple of weeks of the season to
now looking for another Super Bowl run.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
Yeah. Man, you know I love Garrett Bowles. We came
into the league at the same time he was the
first round draft pick. It was my first year in
the booths with Dave Logan, and we both struggled the
first couple of years. Garrett bules his struggles were in
front of the entire stadium. You know, we all know
(22:28):
he got booed mercilessly or mercilessly that's the word, Isn't
that The word nick mercilessly.
Speaker 4 (22:35):
Yeah, correct for five.
Speaker 3 (22:38):
Yeah, And I felt bad for him because he's a
good dude and he hung in there and mad that
he turned his career around. It's been phenomenal. I don't
think you see that happen too often where you've got
a guy who's a first round pick and people are
calling him a bust. It's after year one and even
(22:59):
after year two too, and then he turns it around
and figured his things out. He makes first team All Pro.
He hasn't given up a sack the entire season. I'm
a big Garrett Bulls fan man, big big fan, and
he's a good guy to be around too. And let's
hope his ankle is gonna be okay because they certainly
need him out there at left tackle going into the
(23:21):
Divisional round.
Speaker 5 (23:22):
Yes, they definitely need Garabos to be a healthy if
this team is hoping to get to Levi Stadium and
actually come away with the victory. But when we look
around the league and we look at some of the
remaining teams that are still in the tournament, I know,
majority of the time we talk about quarterbacks because that's
the thing that's been you know, the league lives on,
(23:43):
but there's some quality defensive units that are still remaining
the charges. Last week you got the Broncos themselves, and also.
Speaker 4 (23:51):
You have the Houston Texans.
Speaker 5 (23:53):
So when you look at some of these games, how
important is it for the defense to continue to be
as productive as they have been all season long?
Speaker 3 (24:04):
Yeah, you know, they used to say defense wins championships.
I don't necessarily think that's the case in today's National
Football League, but certainly an elite defense is going to
keep you in every game, and that's kind of what
happened this season with the Denver Broncos. I think the
defense has faded a bit here down the stretch, same
(24:26):
thing we saw last year, but the offense got better
down the stretch this season. So what I think is
missing from this team as we go into the playoffs
is a strong running game. Because if you can run
the football consistently, and you know this, Nick, if you
can run the ball consistently and play tough defense, you're
(24:49):
going to be a really tough out in the postseason.
So hopefully with this week off, the Broncos can figure
out how to put a run game together. I like
a lot lot of things I've seen from RJ. Harvey.
He's a really excellent ball catcher out of the backfield,
but he's so inconsistent running the football. I don't know
(25:11):
how they can figure this thing out. Maybe it's going
to be Julil getting more snaps, which I think is
probably going to be the case. The only problem with
that is when you know Julia's in the game, they're
going to run the ball. They're not going to throw
it because he's not good in pass pro. He's too small.
So I think they need to figure out this run game.
(25:31):
If they can do that and just just be consistent,
stick with it, you don't have to, you know, roll
up one hundred and fifty yards a game. You can
get one hundred and ten one hundred and twenty and
pick up some first downs on the ground and Bo
just let Bo be Bo play that tough defense. Never
Broncos are going to make a really good run at
to Super Bowl in Santa Clara.
Speaker 1 (25:52):
Talking with Rick Lewis, Broncos color analyst here on Broncos
Country tonight, and that ron starts in the divisional round
for the Broncos wild card weekend off. After clinching that
number one seed against the Chargers. My question for you
is which one of the four teams that the Broncos
could face would you like to see most here in
Denver next weekend. Bill's Texans, Chargers or Steelers.
Speaker 3 (26:15):
For me, it would be the Steelers. I think that
would be the most winnable game for the Broncos at home.
That being said, I don't think the Steelers are going
to get out of the first round. I think Houston's
going to beat them. Steelers are three point dogs at home.
I think Houston's defense is legit. I think that is
(26:38):
a wicked defense, and I think they'll beat Pittsburgh. So
that would leave Chargers at New England. I'm going to
go New England in that game as well, the two
home teams. I think New England beats the Chargers. Chargers
are beat up, justin Herbert's beat up. Both of their
(26:59):
tackle her out, so I think New England pulls that off.
Buffalo at Jacksonville once again, I'm gonna go with the
home team, and that's going to be Jacksonville. I think
they will beat the Billis Jacksonville the hottest team of
the NFL right now, so that would mean Houston would
come here to Denver and play Denver. Now we played
them already. We played him on the road in Houston
(27:23):
and it was a close game, but the Broncos won
that game. So that would be a low scoring defensive battle,
just like it was in Houston, and I like the
Broncos chances in that.
Speaker 4 (27:34):
Game, all right, Rake.
Speaker 5 (27:35):
Usually when we talk about teams, we talk about head coach, offense, quarterback.
But there's an element of the Broncos team not named
defense and then Vance Joseph that we don't really.
Speaker 4 (27:48):
Often talk about.
Speaker 5 (27:49):
But this guy continues to show up, and that's Will Lutz.
Speaker 4 (27:53):
And I don't know about you.
Speaker 5 (27:54):
I look at Will Lutz being somewhat of an MVP
for this Broncos team. Do you look at Will a
being that same type of caliber and that same type
of asalon.
Speaker 3 (28:04):
Yeah, he's the guy that I trust if he needed
to make a field goal last second to win a
football game, I got up a lot of trust in him.
And he's been consistent. You know, he got booed at home.
I don't know win it was a couple of weeks ago,
which I thought was a little strange because he's been
really good since Sean Payton brought him in. I do
(28:25):
like Will Lutch, and you're right. You talk about coaches
and quarterbacks in the NFL, but a lot of times
it comes down to that kicker. In fact, especially in
the playoffs, because the playoffs are going to be even
tighter and it typically will come down to a one
score game and typically a field goal in the last
minute to win it. So yeah, I'm good with Will Lutch.
(28:48):
How about you.
Speaker 5 (28:49):
I'm perfect with it because think about what happened last week.
Will Lutz scored more of the points for the Denver
Broncos offense, albeit Jakual McMillan with that and turnover, but
it was all on the leg of Will Lutz. If
at any point he wavered and he missed the extra
point of you know, anything at all, the Broncos possibly
(29:09):
don't win that game. So yeah, I'm a big shout
out to Will LUTs for sure.
Speaker 3 (29:14):
Yeah, I'm a big fan.
Speaker 2 (29:16):
Well, we're a big fan of you, Rick.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
We'll talk with you next week as we prepare for
the Broncos Divisional round and whoever they may be playing,
maybe the Texans, as you say, but we always appreciate
your time.
Speaker 3 (29:26):
Man, have a great weekend, Hey man, and Nick, I'm
waiting for you to invite me to the house take
a little tour of your hat and shoe collection.
Speaker 1 (29:34):
Well, we have to make that happen, hey, Rick, shoe
collection may rival yours, Nick.
Speaker 4 (29:39):
Probably, so I love it.
Speaker 3 (29:41):
Now. I'm a sneakerhead, but I am not to the
level of Nick Ferguson yet.
Speaker 1 (29:46):
There to dream, there to dream, Rick, Yeah, Rick, have
a great weekend off man.
Speaker 2 (29:51):
We'll check out with you next week.
Speaker 3 (29:52):
All right, guys, thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (29:54):
Rick Lewis Broncos color Analyst. I had to play some
Doobie Brothers with Mike McDonald for Rick. I don't know
if he even knows this, but Kathy Lee Him and
Kathy do the morning show on the Fox, and they
asked me to help out with their CBA entries the
Colorado Broadcaster Awards, and one of the interviews I pulled
(30:14):
was him talking with Michael McDonald because the Doobie Brothers
just released their first album in like forty years.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
So I thought I'd play a little Doobie Brothers for
Rick or.
Speaker 5 (30:25):
That's awesome for uh Rick. I know, Hey, Rick does
a lot of stuff and he's well known in those
musical band circles. But that's a deep pool right there.
Speaker 1 (30:36):
I believe the Rick Lewis Project or maybe in one
of its former iterations open for the Doobie Brothers at
Red Rocks back in the day, so pretty cool stuff.
Is there anyone, Because I was thinking about this when
I was cutting up that interview for Rick, Is there
anyone for you now that you get kind of like
nervous to talk to? Like, do you ever fanboy or
(30:58):
anything like that over anyone, whether be an entertainer, an actor,
or an athlete.
Speaker 4 (31:04):
You know what you know?
Speaker 3 (31:05):
Uh?
Speaker 5 (31:05):
The person I used to fanboy out a lot about
uh with Steve at Water and it's and I remember
the first time I told him, right, and I was like, look, man,
I'm not trying to be weird and creepy, but uh yeah, man,
uh you're Steve Atwater. And he was just like, yeah, yeah,
I know, I'm just a regular person. I'm like, no, no.
Speaker 2 (31:27):
You're not not.
Speaker 4 (31:30):
I grew up watching Steve.
Speaker 5 (31:32):
I grew up idolizing his physicality, trying to duplicate what
Steve was doing mixed with certain other safeties and just
kind of mash him together. But just kind of being
around him and this was even before he was he
got his gold jacket. But it just, you know, I
just felt as though I was in the presence of royals.
Speaker 4 (31:53):
He has a guy that played.
Speaker 2 (31:55):
That position, presence of greatness.
Speaker 4 (31:57):
Yeah, and it's different now. And I tell him that.
Speaker 5 (32:00):
I remember last two weeks ago, we were standing out
at practice, met him and Jeff Legwall, and I said, man,
you know how wild this is one.
Speaker 4 (32:09):
I'm standing with.
Speaker 5 (32:12):
A historian as far as you know, a journalist and
Leggy right, and then I'm standing to my right is
standing Steve Atwater. And I was like, you know what
if I went back in the time machine and I
went back to Miami when we were standing at Staying
in Scott Projects, and told my younger self, Hey, man,
all the stuff that you're going through, it's gonna be
(32:33):
okay when you grow up. And I'm gonna tell you,
just give you a piece of history. Jeff Legwall to
your left and to your right, Steve Atwater, it's.
Speaker 4 (32:43):
Gonna blow your mind.
Speaker 5 (32:44):
My youngest self would spontaneously combust.
Speaker 1 (32:47):
Yeah, And it would have made it a lot easier
to get through a lot a lot of those tougher
times because it's gonna be worth it one day. Yeah,
they say don't meet your heroes, but and you hear
so many bad stories about that. But Steve is such
a great example of like someone you do hope you
get to meet one day because he's just such a
great dude.
Speaker 5 (33:07):
Yeah, I think you know what that has been saying
a lot, Grant, But I don't think it's don't meet
your heroes. I was there to say to someone, make
sure you are really precise on the people you consider
to be your hero.
Speaker 2 (33:20):
Make sure you got the right hero.
Speaker 4 (33:21):
Yes, right, the right hero.
Speaker 5 (33:23):
Because for me, my hero slept maybe eight feet from
me and that was my mom.
Speaker 3 (33:30):
Right.
Speaker 5 (33:30):
So if you start with that standard right there and
just kind of work around it, man, you never go wrong.
Speaker 2 (33:36):
Ah, you're gonna make me tear up over here. Think
about my son. Wait, I'm a mama's boy too.
Speaker 4 (33:41):
Look, you and I know how we do this.
Speaker 5 (33:43):
When we and I get together, emotions come out and
if there's some tears to be shed, let's go.
Speaker 4 (33:49):
Brother. I'm all for it.
Speaker 1 (33:50):
I've been pulling myself together during this break when they're
back talking little Broncos and how the head coaching interviews
for some of the Broncos staff is actually a good
thing in Nick's mind.
Speaker 2 (34:00):
We'll get that next on Broncos Country at Night on
k Away
Alongside my guy Nick Ferguson, both of us coming off
(00:03):
of a refreshing day off.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
At least it was for me. How was your day off?
Speaker 3 (00:07):
Nick?
Speaker 4 (00:07):
My day off was good.
Speaker 5 (00:08):
Now it's a little different for you and me because
I know you like to go skiing, and I still
don't understand how you were able to hit the slopes,
get a couple of runs and get back here on time.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (00:23):
I think it's.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
All about time management, baby.
Speaker 4 (00:26):
I think you have like a time machine.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
That don't don't tell me, don't don't tell my secrets.
Speaker 4 (00:32):
Yes, but it was. It was great, great day yesterday.
Speaker 5 (00:35):
Got a chance to do a couple of things with
the wife and the family, which is always important.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Yeah, well I did nothing with my wife and family.
I went skiing all day long. And it's a little
easier to get some more runs than when I don't
have to hustle back in here to the iHeart studio.
Starting to snow a little bit up there in the mountains.
It's things are finally finally starting to open up. So
I felt like my first real day of skiing yesterday.
Speaker 5 (00:58):
You don't always wonder about that because I know you
are a skier. You always look for those opportunities. But
it was kind of dry for a while.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
It was like skiing on ice.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
It was all man made snow, and what wasn't snow
was just ice from the cold.
Speaker 5 (01:13):
Well, a good thing that mother nature has decided to
open up and bless us with some snow.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
Yeah, they got a foot of snow earlier this week.
I'm sure they're getting a bunch of it right now.
What was your drive in, Like, I know when I
was coming in around twelve thirty or one, it was
it was coming down hard.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Yeah, it was.
Speaker 5 (01:30):
It was definitely heavy around that time. But the roads
are are great now. Obviously I say that because there's
no snow on the road, and thank goodness for those
plows that do get out.
Speaker 4 (01:41):
There and then move things around.
Speaker 5 (01:43):
But just because I'm saying the roads are clear, there
is no snow on the ground. It is still cold outside.
Black ice is upon us. So slow to freak down.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Yeah, the later it gets in the evening, the more
of that black ice appears. And I'm always of the
mindset slow and steady in this kind of weather because
I'm not trying to wreck well.
Speaker 5 (02:03):
Slow and steady wins the race, and the race being
getting to your destination.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
It's alive. That's big show tonight.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
We're gonna hit on Vance Joseph completing his interview with
the Baltimore Ravens earlier today. I got to think that's
the dream job of this head coaching cycle. Also, some
other Broncos coaches getting some head coaching interviews.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
We'll get into all of that and why.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
Nick thinks it's a good thing for the Broncos that
these coaches are getting those head coaching opportunities. But man,
the best college football and the NFL weekend of the year,
at least in my opinion, is upon us. We've got
Ole Miss in Miami, just kicked off Miami up to
an early three to nothing lead. You've got the other
college semi final game tomorrow Oregon and Indiana, and you've
(02:50):
got wild card weekend.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
Is this the best weekend of football in your opinion?
Speaker 4 (02:56):
Yes, it is.
Speaker 5 (02:56):
And the reason why Grant for me is that we're
we're kind of closing out NFL season in the college season,
and that means that we're getting down to the top
four in college football and we have our twelve in
the NFL, and I know at the.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
Beginning of the season.
Speaker 5 (03:15):
That's a very exciting year because hope springs eternal and
everyone thinks that they have a shot. But this time
of year, we know who have a shot, the teams
that are in the tournament.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
The idea is survive in advance, similar.
Speaker 5 (03:28):
To March Madness, which is going to be upon us
in a couple of months.
Speaker 4 (03:32):
But this is the most.
Speaker 5 (03:33):
Exciting year, especially if you are a fan of the
teams that are still remaining.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
Well and even as just like a fan of the
league and the fan of college football. Like you said,
you know, Week one is probably the second most exciting
weekend in my mind, because, like you said, everything's in
front of you. But now we don't have those cinderellas
that you hate in March Madness waiting around anymore.
Speaker 5 (03:56):
Wait a minute, I know hate the cinderellas, but we
know the center roll is for a reason. It's great
to kind of put them on your bracket. But you
know they don't going to go. But so far they may.
They may surprise someone in the first round of the tournament,
but then after that they are what they are.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
Yeah, but no surprises left in college football or the
NFL we've got the best of the best battling it out.
We don't have any more James Madison's in the bracket.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
Wait a minute, so you see.
Speaker 5 (04:23):
You have to go Dame's Madison.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Well they did do an elite trolley job on social
media during their brief college football run.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
But man, like.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
This is this is when it all comes down to
the wire, and it's so great as a Broncos fan
in Broncos Country, Like you don't even have to sweat
out wild Card weekend. You just know you're just waiting
on who you're gonna see in that divisional round.
Speaker 4 (04:48):
Yeah, and then.
Speaker 5 (04:48):
That's great once again for members of Broncos Country. And
this is why all the work and sacrifice comes down
to this point. And this is why it is so
important and valuable for the players and the coaches to
utilize this time. Well, from the players standpoint, rest up
your body, no kind of vacations if you will, Well,
I'm gonna jet set and go down to a book
(05:10):
of raton to rob some Jetski's. No, you can do
that in a couple of weeks. Right now, it's all
about business first and for the coaches just to sit
down as a group watch some of these games and say, Okay,
well who is it that you're going to face? As
soon as you find out, start that week with the preparation.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Yeah, And like Dave was saying earlier today on KOA Sports,
He's like, you know, players are getting a couple of
days off, but I can guarantee you coaches are not
taking any days off.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
They're already probably self.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Scouting this week and then though, like you said, once
they know their opponent after this weekend, they'll be scouting them.
Speaker 4 (05:42):
I can tell you this.
Speaker 5 (05:43):
Leading up to this point, as coaches start to speculate
who you would possibly face, and looking at the teams
that are remaining in the tournament itself, you start doing
your your scouting right there. And because I know in
the NFL they do, they do advance and scouting, if
you will, meaning as though there's a.
Speaker 4 (06:02):
Team that you might play, you might face.
Speaker 5 (06:05):
Then you go out, you send your scouts out, you
come back with information, here's what they're doing different, here's
what they're doing the same, and then you start putting
putting a game play together. So I'm sure not just
Differ Broncos, but every team in the tournament they've looked
at similar opponents, how they performed against opponent. Which teams
have injuries at key positions? How can you take advantage
(06:26):
of those key injuries so things never really die? Is
set down for a coaching stab as preparation always.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
Continues five six six nine zero the common Spirit health
text line. If you want to share your thoughts, is
this the best weekend in football all year long?
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Also?
Speaker 1 (06:41):
How are you feeling as a Broncos fan getting the
week off, just getting to watch the game. What a
slate of wild card weekend we have? I mean, we've
got Panthers versus Rams. We saw the Rams losing Carolina
earlier this year. They're now a ten and a half
point favorite going back to Carolina. Bears are Packers at Bears.
That's an awesome divisional matchup in the wildcard round. Jaguars
(07:03):
and Bills, Eagles and forty nine Ers, Patriots and Chargers,
and wrapping it all up on Monday with the Steelers
and the Texans.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
What game are you looking forward to the most?
Speaker 3 (07:12):
For me?
Speaker 5 (07:12):
Man, it's Buffalo in Jacksonville. Yeah right, because these are
two of the teams. When speaking with you know, other
people on outside national media and some fans. These are
the two teams you don't want to face, right, Jacksonville
has already come in here and they're beating you. And
I know the Broncos fans, some Broncos fans feel as
though they let the Jags get away and Trump Lawrence
(07:33):
make some plays. And then you have Josh Allen and
the Buffalo Bills. I mean, between Josh Allen and James Cook.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
That's a threat, add anybody.
Speaker 4 (07:43):
That's right.
Speaker 5 (07:43):
They eliminated the Broncos last year after if you remember,
it was that opening drive, it was that Troy Franklin
explosive play, and then that was it. So when you
look at these two teams as a little like you
have to say that maybe the coaching staff and the
players are saying they want a little get back, But
this is a game I'm looking forward to because this
particular reason.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
When you look at Trevor.
Speaker 5 (08:04):
Lawrence, he was perceived as being somewhat of a bus
leam Coyn comes in, things look entirely different.
Speaker 4 (08:10):
He's not turning the ball over. Then you think about
Josh Allen.
Speaker 5 (08:12):
His first couple of years in the league, they were like,
oh man, this guy is talented, but he's not doing
as well as one would think for a guy who
was drafted in his position. And oh, by the way,
you don't want to have revision his history, but grant remember,
once upon a time there was an opportunity for the
Broncos to draft Josh Allen.
Speaker 4 (08:30):
They did not We too, that's right.
Speaker 5 (08:33):
So there's some Broncos fans that a ludo upset about that.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
But and his Wyoming connection exactly so.
Speaker 5 (08:38):
And if this was ever a year for Josh Allen
to get to a Super Bowl and win it, this
is the year, budd. He first, he's got to get
over Jacksonville Jaguars and.
Speaker 4 (08:51):
Trevor Lawrence first.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Yeah, and I don't know if he does.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
I mean, we'll do our pick him tomorrow night when
Ben is back on the show for this wild Card weekend.
But the game I'm looking forward to the most Patriots
and Chargers.
Speaker 4 (09:01):
Patriots Chargers.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
I want to see if the Pats are for real.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
They've won one game versus team with an over five
hundred record this year. Now, you like we always say,
you play who's in front of you, But the Chargers,
they're a damn good team in front of you. This
week at home. I want to see if the Patriots
are for real. And I'm also really looking forward to
that Eagles and forty nine Ers game, Like I think
the winner of that game has a good shot to
(09:25):
win at all. You know, you're gonna have to take
down either the Rams or the Seahawks, but both of
those teams have experienced getting to the big game, the
Eagles winning it. I'm interested to see how that game
plays out, too, and how much the Eagles will rely
on Saquon Barkley now that we're in the playoffs.
Speaker 5 (09:41):
Well, Kevin Battuloh has taking a lot of trace this season, Yes,
and obviously some of the well deserved.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
Well, some of them.
Speaker 5 (09:49):
Were definitely well deserved, because how can you not run
Saquon Barkley in certain situations. And then you go back
to the game where the Eagles were able to squeak
out that win against Buffalo on the and we saw
the Eagles score points in the first half, no points
in the second half, and you wonder like, okay.
Speaker 4 (10:06):
Well what happened.
Speaker 5 (10:08):
You know, with your office, you can't keep falling off
the cliff, and you could say, hey, the Eagles won
the game, right, that's the.
Speaker 4 (10:16):
Only thing that matters.
Speaker 5 (10:17):
But then you could look within between the numbers and said, well, no,
there's something fundamentally wrong with that team.
Speaker 4 (10:23):
But luckily for them.
Speaker 5 (10:24):
Luckily for them, And it seems to be a theme
all season.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Long, just like with the Broncos.
Speaker 5 (10:29):
That's right, their defense and Vig Fangio comes to the
rescue for Philadelphia. But it's gonna be interesting to see
if that same thing happens for him this weekend.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
Well, and like Steve always says, you know, it's a
lot better to learn your lessons and a win than
in a loss, and I think that's what's been happening
with the Broncos all year. I'll be interested going back
to the game. You're most excited for the Bills and
the Jags. I think if Sean McDermott loses this game
and they lose by you know, like fourteen points, are they.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
Gonna move on from him? In Buffalo?
Speaker 1 (10:58):
You think there could be another head coach opening after
we saw Mike McDaniel get fired earlier today.
Speaker 5 (11:03):
Yes, actually, yes, it's funny that you bring this up
because I was talking to someone on the national landscape
about this very thing, and.
Speaker 4 (11:14):
When you think about Sean McDermott.
Speaker 5 (11:15):
He's been on the hot seat for a while, even
though Buffalo has won a lot of games. Even though
you have the current MVP and Josh Allen, the question
is is Sean McDermott the type of coach to get
them over the hump. I like coach McDermott, and I
think it would be a raw deal for him if
they lose the game and the Bills decided to part ways.
But that's just the business of football. But the expectations
(11:37):
when they go up, like I've always said, they don't
go down, and right now, having the reigning MVP, even
though you have no receivers that are household names, the
expectations continue to soar. So this conversation that was having
today was they lose the game against Jacksonville, Sean McDermott
gets fired. You know who I said would be an
(11:58):
excellent plug and play for the position.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
Harball?
Speaker 1 (12:01):
Yes, well, and Harball not taking any head coach interviews
until after this weekend, so he's thinking maybe the same thing, like,
you know, maybe the Steelers lose and I part ways
with Mike Tomlin or the Bills lose. Can you imagine
if harpball went to the Steelers and then stuck it
to the Ravens. Wow, how great would that be?
Speaker 4 (12:19):
Dude?
Speaker 5 (12:20):
That would be a ginormous slap to the face. What
did the five things say to the face? But to
John Harbell's credit, you parted ways with me, right, he didn't.
Speaker 4 (12:34):
I didn't ask. I was here for eighteen right, So.
Speaker 5 (12:38):
Then you have to ask yourself because there have been
conversation that fans have gotten involved with this all season long,
where it was fire Mike Tomlin, even from the Pittsburgh Stills,
fans chanting fire Mike Tomlin and firing John Harbaugh, two
coaches with the longest tenure in Pro football eighteen by Harbaugh,
nineteen by Mike Tomlin.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
I know people say, well, maybe it's time to change.
Speaker 5 (13:02):
Well, I know change is good sometimes, but you better
make sure if you're going from one person to the next,
you better make sure that you're doing something. And I'll
put it into a realm that both you and I understand.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
Right.
Speaker 5 (13:16):
The idea is that you marry up, you don't marry
down right. And then I know some stupid guys who
I mean married to some great women, but they cheat
it down right. They cheat it down. And I'm not
saying I condone cheating, but you don't cheat down.
Speaker 4 (13:34):
No, no, you don't do that.
Speaker 5 (13:37):
Yes. So that's why when fans always bark for players
to be traded or coaches to be fired, you just
better make sure that you have an ideal option for
the person you're getting rid of.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
Were you surprised by Mike McDaniel getting fired today?
Speaker 4 (13:54):
No, I wasn't. I was really okay, you tell me
why you were, and I'll tell you why.
Speaker 1 (13:59):
I was just all of his comments earlier in the week, like, hey,
you know, I'm not I'm not picking the names that
are coming in, but I'll be a valuable piece adding
information into the general manager higher and then you know
these You hear that him and Ross had a conversation
that went pretty well, and then a couple hours later
he's gone, Well.
Speaker 5 (14:18):
The reason why I feel is though that was was
going to happen, and I said it the other night
because Stephen Ross, like Arthur Blank, they want to win,
and because of that desire to win, you're looking to
make moves.
Speaker 4 (14:35):
Now, if Mike mcdaimes.
Speaker 5 (14:36):
Had a sensation of season, we're not having this conversation.
Speaker 4 (14:40):
But because things worked out the way they did.
Speaker 5 (14:43):
The Dolphins ended up giving to an extension when you
could say, well, maybe they shouldn't. And the idea was like, well,
who influenced that. I'm not saying Mike mcdaimes was the
person to afforce that. Probably Greer, the GM who they fired,
he probably had a hand in that. But that's probably
why he's no longer with the Miami Dolphin. But because
Stephen Ross wants to win at any cause. And oh,
(15:04):
by the way, you look at the crop of coaches.
This crop of coaches is better than a crop of
quarterbacks coming out of college football. And oh, by the way,
the cream of the crop was just dropped by the
Baltimore Ravens and John Harbaugh.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
Yeah, it's gonna be interesting to see how that plays out.
And speaking of winning at any costs, going back to
the College Football Playoff, and Miami is still up three
to nothing on Ole Miss driving once again. But nil
Man has completely changed how these teams put.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
Their roster together. And you know, I was listening earlier today.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
Maybe we'll get to this sound later, but I can
sum it up for you right now. Pete Golding talking
about the transfer window being open during the college football
playoffs and how some of his coaches are leaving Ole
miss to go to LSU to join Lank Kiffen, and
some of them are staying for the playoff run, but
then they're also getting ready for their new job at LSU. Like,
(15:59):
how do you think NIL has completely reshaped the college
football format or outlook?
Speaker 2 (16:05):
I guess of these teams.
Speaker 5 (16:06):
Well, all you have to do, Grant is look at
the college football playoffs.
Speaker 4 (16:12):
For example, think about Indiana.
Speaker 5 (16:14):
Indiana, even though they lost, they beat Oregon last year
and they lost last season with Kurt Signetti, they've changed
the landscape of college football. Got that Mark Cuban money,
that's right, because no one was talking about Indiana being
a top ten team or top five team, but the
NIO money having boosters, boosters who want to see their
(16:36):
programs get better.
Speaker 4 (16:38):
You mentioned Mark Cuban.
Speaker 5 (16:39):
And when you have big boosches like that who are billionaires,
they're willing to donate money because it comes back to
those guys to fold because now you donate to your program,
So are you're giving back to your alma mater school
that gave to you.
Speaker 4 (16:53):
Right.
Speaker 5 (16:54):
Also, when when you give that type of money usually
there's some kind of gymnasium library and so one built
with your name out front. And then also too, you
get a chance to poke out your chest. You know
that's my school, throw out your peacock feathers and say, yeah,
that's right, that's my school. But then also too, if
you ever so chose to, and I don't know what
(17:15):
the rules are about this, but you decided to make
a little wager on your school, so you went.
Speaker 4 (17:21):
On all fronts.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
How about that winning winning? Yeah, and shout out to
my school.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
Ohio University the only college in Ohio to win a
bowl game this year due because Ohio State got wow
by Miami.
Speaker 4 (17:35):
I see what you did. Throw on some shade huh.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
Yeah, they first state school, and.
Speaker 4 (17:42):
They should have put some Skyline chili on up there.
Speaker 5 (17:45):
Like whoever wins, they get this whole bucket of Skyline chili.
Speaker 1 (17:49):
I'd be headed back to Ohio right now, get my
hands on some Coney's.
Speaker 4 (17:52):
Yes, with some diabetes too, But I.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
Mean, the most ridiculous thing to me, I don't have.
I mean, obviously as a wild West landscape, and some
sort of restrictions have to be placed on it. We
have been talking about the Washington quarterback who agreed to
a new contract and then put his name in the
transfer portal. But my biggest issue with all of college
football is that transfer portal window, Like, why what benefit
(18:19):
is it for anyone to have it during the college
football playoffs? That makes no sense to me. Why not
move it back three weeks and have it right after
the college football playoff raps.
Speaker 5 (18:29):
Yeah, I definitely agree with you because the way that
is currently constructed, it creates a lot of confusion. You know,
coaches don't know which of their kids that are going
to remain, and then why guys are in full bowl mold.
They're thinking looking around too, which which schools are looking
to pay players to jump into the transfer portal, So
(18:49):
you're not having full concentration of said players. And I've
always said this that there needs to be a group
in place. We always saw that the NCAA didn't do
a great job handling in this situation. So now it's
a wild wild west. We now have to bring things
into form and do it work. Hey, if you're going
to go to transfer to a team and they make
(19:11):
a contract with you to give you a significant amount
of money, then you tied to that institution at least
for a season or two.
Speaker 1 (19:18):
Right, and make the contract whatever you want to be.
You can make it a one year deal. You canna
make it a two year deal. You can make it
a four year den.
Speaker 4 (19:25):
If you decide to leave, we get some of that
paper bat.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
Or whatever school you're going to has to pay whatever
your contract was.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
From that other school.
Speaker 4 (19:33):
There you go, I'm down for that.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
We're off and rolling on Broncos Country tonight. We're gonna
get back to the Broncos. When we come back with
Broncos color analyst Rick Lewis on KOA, we will head
out to the KOA Common Spirit Health Hotline and bring
on our guy, Rick Lewis, the Broncos color analysts, Rick,
what the funk is going on with you?
Speaker 3 (19:52):
Man? Millennial Grant, Slick Nick? How you guys doing? Man,
I'm sitting in front of the fireplace, Lucky Lewis by
my side. That's not my wife, by the way, it's
my daughter watching the Fiesta Bolt You just what the funk?
I've got a question for Slick Nick. Okay, Nick Ferguson.
(20:13):
If people don't know Nick is the best dressed sports
media member in Colorado, maybe the best dressed media member
in Colorado. And my question for slick Nick is how
many hats do you have in your collection?
Speaker 4 (20:31):
Wow? You're testing me.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
Now.
Speaker 5 (20:34):
I'll sum it up by saying I do have a lot,
and yes, it is definitely the over and I mix
it up as if you see me, man, I got
the Kingo style hats, the regular you know Michelinez new
era hats, but also have some other Fedoras that I
haven't really pulled out yet, so they're still left in
the tank.
Speaker 4 (20:54):
A lot left in the tank.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
Rick, Well, don't ever show up Nick not looking cool,
because I'll be very disappointed. I look forward to seeing
you every time just to see what you're wearing. I
check out your shoes, I check out your hats. You're
the coolest dude in media. Keep that up.
Speaker 4 (21:11):
Appreciate your brother.
Speaker 1 (21:12):
I agree on Rick, and I don't think it's a
choice for Nick to look bad like it doesn't matter
whatever he's wearing.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
He just makes it look cool. You know, not all
of us are that left.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
Yeah. No, the fact he might be the only one
a town that could pull that off.
Speaker 2 (21:25):
I think so.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
Him and romy Bed romy Bean and him maybe the
two best dressed sports media exactly.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
Well, Rick, I wanted to ask you.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
You know, we have this great sound from Garrett Bowles
on Tuesday on KOA Sports talking about how special winning
the division and clenching the number one seed is for
him after some rough times here in Broncos country for
him and guys like Courtland Sutton.
Speaker 2 (21:49):
But it's been a rough time.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
For you as well in the broadcast booth those first
couple of years, and now you're getting to call the
best team in the AFC this year. What's that transition
been like from you know, being down in the dumb
looking for five or six wins and talking about draft
picks the last couple of weeks of the season to
now looking for another Super Bowl run.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
Yeah. Man, you know I love Garrett Bowles. We came
into the league at the same time he was the
first round draft pick. It was my first year in
the booths with Dave Logan, and we both struggled the
first couple of years. Garrett bules his struggles were in
front of the entire stadium. You know, we all know
(22:28):
he got booed mercilessly or mercilessly that's the word, Isn't
that The word nick mercilessly.
Speaker 4 (22:35):
Yeah, correct for five.
Speaker 3 (22:38):
Yeah, And I felt bad for him because he's a
good dude and he hung in there and mad that
he turned his career around. It's been phenomenal. I don't
think you see that happen too often where you've got
a guy who's a first round pick and people are
calling him a bust. It's after year one and even
(22:59):
after year two too, and then he turns it around
and figured his things out. He makes first team All Pro.
He hasn't given up a sack the entire season. I'm
a big Garrett Bulls fan man, big big fan, and
he's a good guy to be around too. And let's
hope his ankle is gonna be okay because they certainly
need him out there at left tackle going into the
(23:21):
Divisional round.
Speaker 5 (23:22):
Yes, they definitely need Garabos to be a healthy if
this team is hoping to get to Levi Stadium and
actually come away with the victory. But when we look
around the league and we look at some of the
remaining teams that are still in the tournament, I know,
majority of the time we talk about quarterbacks because that's
the thing that's been you know, the league lives on,
(23:43):
but there's some quality defensive units that are still remaining
the charges. Last week you got the Broncos themselves, and also.
Speaker 4 (23:51):
You have the Houston Texans.
Speaker 5 (23:53):
So when you look at some of these games, how
important is it for the defense to continue to be
as productive as they have been all season long?
Speaker 3 (24:04):
Yeah, you know, they used to say defense wins championships.
I don't necessarily think that's the case in today's National
Football League, but certainly an elite defense is going to
keep you in every game, and that's kind of what
happened this season with the Denver Broncos. I think the
defense has faded a bit here down the stretch, same
(24:26):
thing we saw last year, but the offense got better
down the stretch this season. So what I think is
missing from this team as we go into the playoffs
is a strong running game. Because if you can run
the football consistently, and you know this, Nick, if you
can run the ball consistently and play tough defense, you're
(24:49):
going to be a really tough out in the postseason.
So hopefully with this week off, the Broncos can figure
out how to put a run game together. I like
a lot lot of things I've seen from RJ. Harvey.
He's a really excellent ball catcher out of the backfield,
but he's so inconsistent running the football. I don't know
(25:11):
how they can figure this thing out. Maybe it's going
to be Julil getting more snaps, which I think is
probably going to be the case. The only problem with
that is when you know Julia's in the game, they're
going to run the ball. They're not going to throw
it because he's not good in pass pro. He's too small.
So I think they need to figure out this run game.
(25:31):
If they can do that and just just be consistent,
stick with it, you don't have to, you know, roll
up one hundred and fifty yards a game. You can
get one hundred and ten one hundred and twenty and
pick up some first downs on the ground and Bo
just let Bo be Bo play that tough defense. Never
Broncos are going to make a really good run at
to Super Bowl in Santa Clara.
Speaker 1 (25:52):
Talking with Rick Lewis, Broncos color analyst here on Broncos
Country tonight, and that ron starts in the divisional round
for the Broncos wild card weekend off. After clinching that
number one seed against the Chargers. My question for you
is which one of the four teams that the Broncos
could face would you like to see most here in
Denver next weekend. Bill's Texans, Chargers or Steelers.
Speaker 3 (26:15):
For me, it would be the Steelers. I think that
would be the most winnable game for the Broncos at home.
That being said, I don't think the Steelers are going
to get out of the first round. I think Houston's
going to beat them. Steelers are three point dogs at home.
I think Houston's defense is legit. I think that is
(26:38):
a wicked defense, and I think they'll beat Pittsburgh. So
that would leave Chargers at New England. I'm going to
go New England in that game as well, the two
home teams. I think New England beats the Chargers. Chargers
are beat up, justin Herbert's beat up. Both of their
(26:59):
tackle her out, so I think New England pulls that off.
Buffalo at Jacksonville once again, I'm gonna go with the
home team, and that's going to be Jacksonville. I think
they will beat the Billis Jacksonville the hottest team of
the NFL right now, so that would mean Houston would
come here to Denver and play Denver. Now we played
them already. We played him on the road in Houston
(27:23):
and it was a close game, but the Broncos won
that game. So that would be a low scoring defensive battle,
just like it was in Houston, and I like the
Broncos chances in that.
Speaker 4 (27:34):
Game, all right, Rake.
Speaker 5 (27:35):
Usually when we talk about teams, we talk about head coach, offense, quarterback.
But there's an element of the Broncos team not named
defense and then Vance Joseph that we don't really.
Speaker 4 (27:48):
Often talk about.
Speaker 5 (27:49):
But this guy continues to show up, and that's Will Lutz.
Speaker 4 (27:53):
And I don't know about you.
Speaker 5 (27:54):
I look at Will Lutz being somewhat of an MVP
for this Broncos team. Do you look at Will a
being that same type of caliber and that same type
of asalon.
Speaker 3 (28:04):
Yeah, he's the guy that I trust if he needed
to make a field goal last second to win a
football game, I got up a lot of trust in him.
And he's been consistent. You know, he got booed at home.
I don't know win it was a couple of weeks ago,
which I thought was a little strange because he's been
really good since Sean Payton brought him in. I do
(28:25):
like Will Lutch, and you're right. You talk about coaches
and quarterbacks in the NFL, but a lot of times
it comes down to that kicker. In fact, especially in
the playoffs, because the playoffs are going to be even
tighter and it typically will come down to a one
score game and typically a field goal in the last
minute to win it. So yeah, I'm good with Will Lutch.
(28:48):
How about you.
Speaker 5 (28:49):
I'm perfect with it because think about what happened last week.
Will Lutz scored more of the points for the Denver
Broncos offense, albeit Jakual McMillan with that and turnover, but
it was all on the leg of Will Lutz. If
at any point he wavered and he missed the extra
point of you know, anything at all, the Broncos possibly
(29:09):
don't win that game. So yeah, I'm a big shout
out to Will LUTs for sure.
Speaker 3 (29:14):
Yeah, I'm a big fan.
Speaker 2 (29:16):
Well, we're a big fan of you, Rick.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
We'll talk with you next week as we prepare for
the Broncos Divisional round and whoever they may be playing,
maybe the Texans, as you say, but we always appreciate
your time.
Speaker 3 (29:26):
Man, have a great weekend, Hey man, and Nick, I'm
waiting for you to invite me to the house take
a little tour of your hat and shoe collection.
Speaker 1 (29:34):
Well, we have to make that happen, hey, Rick, shoe
collection may rival yours, Nick.
Speaker 4 (29:39):
Probably, so I love it.
Speaker 3 (29:41):
Now. I'm a sneakerhead, but I am not to the
level of Nick Ferguson yet.
Speaker 1 (29:46):
There to dream, there to dream, Rick, Yeah, Rick, have
a great weekend off man.
Speaker 2 (29:51):
We'll check out with you next week.
Speaker 3 (29:52):
All right, guys, thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (29:54):
Rick Lewis Broncos color Analyst. I had to play some
Doobie Brothers with Mike McDonald for Rick. I don't know
if he even knows this, but Kathy Lee Him and
Kathy do the morning show on the Fox, and they
asked me to help out with their CBA entries the
Colorado Broadcaster Awards, and one of the interviews I pulled
(30:14):
was him talking with Michael McDonald because the Doobie Brothers
just released their first album in like forty years.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
So I thought I'd play a little Doobie Brothers for
Rick or.
Speaker 5 (30:25):
That's awesome for uh Rick. I know, Hey, Rick does
a lot of stuff and he's well known in those
musical band circles. But that's a deep pool right there.
Speaker 1 (30:36):
I believe the Rick Lewis Project or maybe in one
of its former iterations open for the Doobie Brothers at
Red Rocks back in the day, so pretty cool stuff.
Is there anyone, Because I was thinking about this when
I was cutting up that interview for Rick, Is there
anyone for you now that you get kind of like
nervous to talk to? Like, do you ever fanboy or
(30:58):
anything like that over anyone, whether be an entertainer, an actor,
or an athlete.
Speaker 4 (31:04):
You know what you know?
Speaker 3 (31:05):
Uh?
Speaker 5 (31:05):
The person I used to fanboy out a lot about
uh with Steve at Water and it's and I remember
the first time I told him, right, and I was like, look, man,
I'm not trying to be weird and creepy, but uh yeah, man,
uh you're Steve Atwater. And he was just like, yeah, yeah,
I know, I'm just a regular person. I'm like, no, no.
Speaker 2 (31:27):
You're not not.
Speaker 4 (31:30):
I grew up watching Steve.
Speaker 5 (31:32):
I grew up idolizing his physicality, trying to duplicate what
Steve was doing mixed with certain other safeties and just
kind of mash him together. But just kind of being
around him and this was even before he was he
got his gold jacket. But it just, you know, I
just felt as though I was in the presence of royals.
Speaker 4 (31:53):
He has a guy that played.
Speaker 2 (31:55):
That position, presence of greatness.
Speaker 4 (31:57):
Yeah, and it's different now. And I tell him that.
Speaker 5 (32:00):
I remember last two weeks ago, we were standing out
at practice, met him and Jeff Legwall, and I said, man,
you know how wild this is one.
Speaker 4 (32:09):
I'm standing with.
Speaker 5 (32:12):
A historian as far as you know, a journalist and
Leggy right, and then I'm standing to my right is
standing Steve Atwater. And I was like, you know what
if I went back in the time machine and I
went back to Miami when we were standing at Staying
in Scott Projects, and told my younger self, Hey, man,
all the stuff that you're going through, it's gonna be
(32:33):
okay when you grow up. And I'm gonna tell you,
just give you a piece of history. Jeff Legwall to
your left and to your right, Steve Atwater, it's.
Speaker 4 (32:43):
Gonna blow your mind.
Speaker 5 (32:44):
My youngest self would spontaneously combust.
Speaker 1 (32:47):
Yeah, And it would have made it a lot easier
to get through a lot a lot of those tougher
times because it's gonna be worth it one day. Yeah,
they say don't meet your heroes, but and you hear
so many bad stories about that. But Steve is such
a great example of like someone you do hope you
get to meet one day because he's just such a
great dude.
Speaker 5 (33:07):
Yeah, I think you know what that has been saying
a lot, Grant, But I don't think it's don't meet
your heroes. I was there to say to someone, make
sure you are really precise on the people you consider
to be your hero.
Speaker 2 (33:20):
Make sure you got the right hero.
Speaker 4 (33:21):
Yes, right, the right hero.
Speaker 5 (33:23):
Because for me, my hero slept maybe eight feet from
me and that was my mom.
Speaker 3 (33:30):
Right.
Speaker 5 (33:30):
So if you start with that standard right there and
just kind of work around it, man, you never go wrong.
Speaker 2 (33:36):
Ah, you're gonna make me tear up over here. Think
about my son. Wait, I'm a mama's boy too.
Speaker 4 (33:41):
Look, you and I know how we do this.
Speaker 5 (33:43):
When we and I get together, emotions come out and
if there's some tears to be shed, let's go.
Speaker 4 (33:49):
Brother. I'm all for it.
Speaker 1 (33:50):
I've been pulling myself together during this break when they're
back talking little Broncos and how the head coaching interviews
for some of the Broncos staff is actually a good
thing in Nick's mind.
Speaker 2 (34:00):
We'll get that next on Broncos Country at Night on
k Away
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