05-01-24 Hour 1 of Broncos Country Tonight with Brandon Krisztal

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Broncos Country tonight on a Wednesday.I am Brandon Christall filling in for Benjamin
Albright and often Nick Ferguson. Ido want to hear from one of my
favorite guys that I have recovered,and he came on KOE Sports today and
just called it a career, andthat's Chris Harris Junior. I'm Brandon Christall
in for Ben getting a much needednight off. This was already scheduled and
then has been put out there somereally tough news for those of us in

(00:23):
the radio world. Losing somebody thatif you knew him, was just a
great, great guy and you'd almostcome across those in any walk of life.
But losing Benny Bash who was soclose to so many of us in
the sports world and worked with usand iHeart for a long time down south
in the Springs and Pueblo and veryvery close with Ben and Ben put it
out there on social media as toother people. But just a huge loss

(00:46):
in a sad day. So Iwas already in for Ben and would have
jumped in anyway if he needed meto, but this was already pre planned
and then a really tough day today that Ben already got the night off
just to kind of recover after along draft weekend. So we will hear
from Chris Harris Junior in a matterof moments. But just a shout out
to one of my He's one ofmy favorite guys, not only that I

(01:07):
ever recovered, but got to knowas a proud Kansas alum. Whenever any
Jayhawk is in camp with the Broncosor makes the team, because you remember
Joe Deneen who's now a coach atPurdue with Ryan Walters. Actually, but
Joe Deneen, they called him theMayor because he was from Lawrence and then
and then played at KU. Heactually caught on and played in Jacksonville after
not making the Broncos and maybe makingthe practice squad. But so Chris HARRISI

(01:30):
hitting the rewind button. He washere at Keep to leave. Of course
Jayhawk as well, but Chris comesin undrafted and from the jump, Champill
like, this guy's a dog.Okay, he's gonna make the team,
and now need to make the team. Four time Pro bowler, three time
All Pro, and a member ofthe All Decade team, which means the
entire twenty tens. He was thebest, one of the three best corners.

(01:51):
He was the best nickelback in thegame. I don't think that's gonna
get him a gold jacket, butit will almost certainly get him in the
Ring of Fame. So here isthe one and only Chris Harris Junior who
officially calls it a career. Afternot catching all with the team in the
last year, he stopped by KAASports and started with some huge highlights because
he had plenty in his illustrious career. Denver will bring six rose and quick

(02:13):
throll. Paul will be intercepted.Chris Harris Junior forty five forty Chris is
on the loose thirty twenty five,fifteen, ten to five touchdown Denver,
Denver twenty eight, San Diego twentyfour four man Russian the pocket he throws
Cols intercepted on the sideline. Downthe sideline. This is gonna be Chris
Harris. He is walking into theend zone. Touchdown Denver. There's the

(02:36):
dagger Harris forty seven yards on yetanother interception of Philip Rivers. Go ahead,
Chris Harris, oh Man, somany great memories with our next guests,
and we want to congratulate him.On a terrific career. He announced
his retirement officially yesterday, although wedid get some information about that over the
weekend. Chris Harris Junior joining usright now here on the program. Chris,

(03:00):
congratulations, thanks for joining us.Throw Dave Logan al for Williams and
Ryan Edwards. How are you man? All doing good? Man? Thanks
for having me. Man. Iappreciate it. Guys like you made it
easy. Let me tell you that. What's up, big guy? How
you doing? Man? I'm doinggreat. I was with Ray Crockett,

(03:22):
uh, just Monday, and hesaid he runs into you periodically out there
in the Dallas Metro. It's reallyweird. Uh. For some reason,
when I'm walking the halls, I'mthinking, I'm still gonna see those pretty
little girls of yours and possibly yourwife or mom walking those hallways. Man,
it felt like that that was thethat was a Sunday routine around here
in Denver. Oh yeah, man, you know in ninety years and uh,

(03:45):
you know, having all y'all comearound, you know, and seeing
Ray and all the vets at waterand those guys. Man, that was
you know, it was a itwas a group. I was all around,
you know, broncos of Amnis,you know, and man, I
can't wait to get back and Hankfee boys. Hey, Chris, I'm
gonna I'm gonna fast forward a bit. Now your career is done, have

(04:08):
you made have you made any decisionson on kind of what the next chapter
will be, what you will bedoing? Yeah? Oh man, you
know, of course, you know, just continue to focus on my home,
my family, continue to uplift thegirls and and whatever they want to
do. But uh, you know, I've had definitely starting to get some

(04:29):
opportunities of being analysts over TV analystsor doing radio podcasts, and also I've
had some, you know, chancesto be played by play TV. So
I've been practicing, and I've beenyou know, having a what you call
that talent coach. Yeah, yeah, and then just getting ready. You
know I did. I did alittle practice with the radio so they would

(04:54):
give the call and now I wouldbe right there breaking down the play.
You know, I just practicing.Man. You know, it's not something
that you know that is real easy. You know, you got to practice.
You got to tune up your communication. You know. I want to
not only I want to do it, I want to be able to do
it to break down the game andteach the game at the same time,

(05:14):
to bring it down to a youknow, a high school level and be
able to show people what these offensesor what these defenses are trying to accomplish
on the game. So it's beenfun. Man, it's a new challenge
for Chris Ares Junior joining us here. Let's talk a little bit about that
no Fly zone as well as youknow your time in the league. I'd
love to know from your perspective abouthow long it takes for a secondary group

(05:40):
to really gel and to kind ofsee things the way that you guys were
able to do. As you obviouslyplayed in the NFL for twelve years,
I would say it definitely takes aboutone or two years, you know,
to luckily with me and to leave. We had chemistry from winning Orange Bowl
and in college and playing together incollege and already being partner, so that's

(06:00):
already that made that kind of switchpretty easy. But you know, when
you added TJ. You know,mainly I played with TJ a lot because
TJ was the dying and I wasthe nickels, so we pretty much had
the inside, you know, andso I worked a lot with him,
so being able to build that chemistrywith him that was huge. And then
picking up d Stu. Luckily bstew already knew somewhat of the defense.

(06:25):
He could come in rite and play. He was a veteran player, so
he was able to kick it offpretty fast with us Man. So I
would say it probably takes me aboutone or two years, you know,
and really Jellings really getting that chemistry. And you know, we got a
lot man with Bruton, with kWebb, with Omar Bowlden, so we
had a lot of guys that hadbeen together for a while and I think
that's what really helped us up.You know, Chris, you talk about

(06:47):
playing in the slot there a littlebit, and I was always amazed at
your ability to basically set the defensefrom the slot position about how you would
attack that. You think that mostdefensive coordinators will give you that latitude in
today's NFL or you thought that,or maybe that was just the way that

(07:08):
Wade went about doing it, lettingyou guys go ahead and coordinating it that
way. Oh yeah, definitely ifthey can handle it. I think if
any player that was able to handleit, you know that they could be
able to make those calls. Ithink after my after my rookie year,
you know, I had to takethat next step because my rookie year we
played with Tom Brady and we gotkilled in New England. Y'all remember that

(07:32):
right with you know, right,But it was a great learning game for
me because it was so much motionscoming into Sack going a bunch of how
to guard, learning from how toguard Tom Brady with Welker right, one
of the great greatest option route runners, you know, and then with Hernandezn't
drown. So that that game rightthere, that taught me a lot,

(07:53):
you know, to be able tomake the calls, be able to communicate,
be able to be that to startto grow, and to be that
coach on the field right And Iwas just an extension for Wade out there.
You know. Sometimes I'm like,hey, way, we might want
to call this right here. Youknow, Wade, we're gonna run it.
So I always loved him. Thesame thing with Jack too, you
know, Jack del Real. Hedefinitely gave me a lot of freedom with
that too. So you got tohave the right coaches that's gonna let you

(08:18):
do that, right. So Iprobably you might see like a McDuffie starting
to do that, Jay Max isgonna have to do that too, right,
it's the next level. So atthat nickel position, so where you're
going to be that onfield coach.We're talking to former Bronco great Chris Harris
announces his retirement officially and always greatto catch up with. Chris. You

(08:39):
mentioned uh, you mentioned Edelman,and I think of am and dole Line.
I think it's some of the someof the UH and and you played
outside as well, so some ofthe some of the receivers. Talk about
maybe three or four of your guys, guys that you covered, guys that
really presented different challenges, and thentalk a little bit about each one in
terms of how those challenges were differentwith respect to what they brought against you.

(09:03):
Yeah. Yeah, I was atthe position ride to face everybody.
You know. I'll face the short, quick speed guys, and you know,
and the tall, big receivers too. So I was able to face
everybody, you know, and goingagainst Kuntman Johnson, you know that just
his size when it's a freaky stability. Always my game plan was you got
to slow him down, don't lethim get going, you know, let

(09:24):
him start running, because once hestarts running, it's over. So you
always hard to have big hands withCalvin uh and Tokyo Brown. You know
a guy that was short but fast, that could have hands that could run
all amazing routes, great release technicians, right, but also have big being
that could just put the ball right. And it said, I don't think
Big Ben gets a lot of credit, you know, going against these tough

(09:46):
uh, him being such an accuratequarterback, right right, Let me think.
Let me think somebody else man thatwas always tough. Uh, how
about how about Philip Rivers? Ohyeah, oh yeah, Phil Rivers,
you know, facing him, facingAntonio Gates. You know my rookie year
getting thrown in the fire I washaving. I was going Gates pretty much
the whole game, you know,rookie year. So that was always tough

(10:11):
going against him. Then Keenan Allencomes and Micom Floyd. There was always
man and then we had to goto the Raiders, and then we had
to go see crab Train Cooper.Right, that was always tough battles,
you know, so it was itwas, And then Tyree's Hill had I
think I was like year six,a year five. Then now you got
there, four or two guys mahomescoming in, you know, blazing.

(10:33):
So well, what was the key? What was the key? From your
standpoint with respect to Tyreek? Whatdid you try to do? Yeah?
Oh man, we could press Tyreekall day. Man. Tyreek couldn't get
off the line for probably about goodtwo or three years. Two years,
so he had to learn how tobe out of get open. He had
to learn how to run drought,he had to learn how to be a
true receiver. So that was thething on Tyreek. He going against us,

(10:56):
I think definitely helped them and provedhis game and now should that is
pretty much untouchable. Now, hey, last one a half for you,
Chris, really appreciate the time being. Congratulations. I'd love to know what
you think of the Broncos first pickbo Nicks and what do you think he
could be here in Denver? Ithink they killed the draft. Man.
I like all the Chiefs, youknow, I like them all. I

(11:18):
think, well, I think everybodyalways likes from that first you know,
but from just looking looking afar man, I think, Jonah, this is
gonna be a good chick. SoI think that I got to play with
his brother Kit and they're they're goodman, they're good people. And Luther
you know, so, uh,I'm know he's gonna be coming ready to
play. I like both. Nick. I think bow had a ton of

(11:41):
experience in college and he should beable to come right in and be ready
to go. So it's gonna beI think it's his job the lose.
It's gonna be good competition because youknow Stedman and Wilson, they you know,
they want to prove that they belongin the league right they had.
This is really their first real,true opportunity to really show that it can
start. So it's gonna be greatcompetition. I think it should be open

(12:03):
competition. And Coach Payton, Man, I don't think you let the let
the young boy shit longer than ayear or two. I think he's ready
to go. Chris Man, it'salways great talking to you. Man.
I cannot wait for you to showup at one of the alumni events so
we can we can sit back andwait. You know what I'm saying.
I always tell the guys after theyleave, I say, man, you

(12:24):
know, when you come back,you'll really feel the love with with the
alumni and seeing all those different faces. I saw keep last year and TJ.
TJ and the Keep came back fora game last year. So hopefully
at some point we'll get you backhere as well. Oh yeah, I'll
be back, man, and especiallyhopefully I'm not working so I can't come

(12:45):
back this year, but now Ilook forward to it. Man, I
can't wait. See y'all. AllRight, you're the best, Chris.
Appreciate your time. Appreciate you Chrisproblem. He really is one of the
best. That's why Chris Harris Juniorwon the Garrett Williams Good Guy and Darren's
from Fort Worth played at Oklahoma State. Chris an Oklahoma guy who actually lives
in Dallas now but played at KU. Grew up in Bixby outside of Tulsa,

(13:09):
actually had a basketball scholarship to OklahomaState. The play point guard.
That's a good basketball player, Chriswas, and so a hell of a
career for an undrafted guy. Nosurprise that media is in his future.
He's been doing a podcast a while. I think he's doing it with Patrick
Chiotti, and it's fun to justhave Chris back around. Really keep an

(13:31):
eye on Broncos country, both heand Shelby Harris, who's still in the
league and he and I do apodcast together that is going to be resurrected
this football season, if not sooner. And Ryan Harris was working as a
basically a counselor. They were allat the broadcast boot camp of the NFL
does for active players to get themconditioned and meet some of the TV and

(13:52):
radio execs. So that was cool, cool to see and speaking Ryan Harris,
color analyst at Notre Dame. Wetalked him Saturday after the draft because
the Broncos took well, couldn't havebeen perhaps the most impactful player certainly the
season across the board. In thedraft, we'll see how Jonah Ellis,
the pass rusher from Utah, worksinto the pass rush rotation. But Audrick

(14:13):
estimate who they got in the fifthround similar to getting Troy Franklin bo Nick's
favorite target, the white out fromOregon. Estima had eighteen touchdowns at Notre
Dame. They had him graded significantlyhigher. He was sitting there by himself.
They get to the fifth round andcould not get him fast enough.
Here's how Sean Payton in a runningback room that has some a JP Ryan
for one more year at least undercontract Jamonte Williams going in the final year

(14:35):
of his rookie deal and an undraftedguy we know they like. And Julian
McLoughlin. Here's how Sean Payton Saturdayafter the draft said they envisioned using estimate
in the backfield, the first visionwould be first and second down runner.
You know, I'm always says tojust say someone's third down rule. We'll
kind of see how that unfolds.But he's strong. I think he has
a real good vision contact balance.He was one of the higher graded backs

(14:58):
after contact. He's a physical playerand we always try to look at comps
and I don't want to do thatwith him. Man, he is he
is a first and second down runnerwho I think is strong and as pretty
good feet for his size and playedwith a real good front, a pro
type offense. So he'll have experiencerelative to the schemes both under center and

(15:20):
in the shotgun. And again it'salways difficult. A lot of times,
well if close friends and family asklike, why'd you take a runner?
You already have it, and it'slike this is this is an entirely different
process that's really factored in with value, you know, going into it a
lot. I don't know that whenwe left last night, we knew that
that would be an opportunity. Andyet you have to pay attention to it
when you're when you're looking at itaround and you see a tag by himself

(15:43):
by itself. So but first andsecond down physical, real smart, tough,
real good teammate. I mean,they love him at the school.
He kind of grew on us asthe process went. Understand this one.
We great all of these players,you know, we we great them all.
You know, we don't go towhere we think we need. We
have to evaluate and put around andput a grade, and a lot goes

(16:03):
into that. And so the scouts, I mean so much goes into a
player like that sitting there then,and so the room sees that they can
almost bake the pick. All right, So we'll see Otter Custome works in
that running back room. Perhaps heends up being a fantasy steal. This
show is called Broncos Country Tonight.I'm in for Benjamin Albright. My name
is Brandon Kristall. We're going totalk to Paul Klee, the esteemed columnist

(16:26):
of the Gazette. On the otherside. Don't go anywhere you're listening to
Koa, Colorado eight fifty ninety fourto one FM. This show is Broncos
Country tonight and for Benjamin Albright gettinga much needed night off. I am
Brandon Christall and happy to be joinednow by a Steam columnist and sports editor
of the Gazette. Make sure you'rechecking out all the great covers they have

(16:48):
of all your local team at theGazet dot com by Paul Clee on x
which used to be called Twitter,I still call it Twitter. And one
of my great friends, Paul Well, you were there to meet bon Nix
the other day, just like somany of us were. What were your
impressions and houtside are you as someonewho grew up in Denver remembers John Elway

(17:11):
on the way up even though youwere certainly younger then as a kiddo.
What just to take me through allof it as it relates to bon Nicks
and how excited your readers have beenwith the selection and the way you and
Mark kisl and Woody and Chris Thominsonhave written about bon Nicks that Kay and
at first man, thank you forhaving me on. If I ever decline

(17:33):
an opportunity to come on the bestradio station in the country. You got
to come check on me. Youknow where I live. I have great
memories of this radio station. Italways reminds me of fly fishing with my
dad when I was a kid.So, you know, the best time
to go back in the day waswhen the bus or the Broncos were playing,
because there's nobody on the river,so we'd listen to Larry Zimmer and

(17:55):
we listen to the Broncos and wego fishing. So I always appreciate it
when you guys have me on.But to answer your question, man,
it's really good for business when theBroncos take a quarterback early. As you
get older, you start to thinkabout those things a little bit more.
But yes, I will say thatreaders have jumped all over anything Bonnicks related.

(18:19):
My first impression of the young manis that he may be more mature
than you and I put together.He's he's twenty three or twenty four,
I can't remember which, something likethat. He played a very long time
in college. He's like Drew Timmyat Oregon and Auburn. But he's very
mature, and this is a pressurecooker for a young quarterback. You know,

(18:45):
there was one Broncos executive that mentionedthis to me the other day.
He said, immediately, bo Nicksis kind of the you know, he's
the biggest deal going and we gotthe best hockey player and the best NBA
player here in town. And Ithink you could make that art. But
he's going to be able to handlethat. His media training with the Broncos,
you know, they put him throughall the media training. What's the

(19:06):
same one not to say that's gonnalast about twenty seconds, because he's been
through it with Auburn, he's beenthrough with Oregon. As far as the
football wise goes, I think there'stwo schools a thought for me. One,
I did think it was a reachfor the Broncos. I thought he
was probably taken too high. ButI completely understand why Sean Payton did that.

(19:27):
There was clearly a kind of acerebral connection between the two. They
both strike me as you know footballlifers. Bonnicks grew up in the football
household. That's all they did downa long time coach. Bonnicks is gonna
be able to sit down and watchfilm with Sean Payton and they are going

(19:48):
to be able to be aligned.They're going to know what the other guy's
talking about. There was always thatdisconnect that felt like with Russ and Sean
Payton, that's not going to bethe case of Bonnicks. I think it's
going to come down to the physpart, if he's simply physically gifted enough
to do to run that position.But in terms of the intellectual, the
cerebral half of the game, whichobviously Sean Payton values more than most and

(20:15):
as much as you could probably boNicks is going to be fine in that
regard public lely with us from theGazette. And you mentioned the Nugs and
Abs having the best players. We'llget to both those teams here in just
a little bit, because although it'sBroncos Country tonight, it would be unfair
to our listeners talk about the twoteams making deep playoff runs and all of

(20:36):
that. But a couple more thingson Bonnick. So I'm gonna throw two
things at you. One I sawearlier and when I just saw why we
were sitting here talking. When Igoogled bo Nicks's age, this also came
up. He is twenty four.He turned twenty four on February twenty fifth,
so he's twenty four years old.But this courtesy of then Cummins FF

(20:56):
on X, but Pro Football Focus, which we know dives away into metrics
out of one hundred and sixty fivequalifying college qbs last year, and Sean
Payton gave us a lot of this, but these are PFF's metrics. His
passing grade. Bo Nick's passing gradewas first in the country. His intermediate
grade in terms of intermediate passing first, his pressure grade, so under pressure

(21:19):
he was first, adjusted percentage,adjusting completion percentage, first, turnover worthy
percentage, first, deep passing gradefifth, and no pressure grade actually eight.
So you read that and he's betterunder pressure. Then there were some
guys that were better with no pressure. He was eighth best there. And
then this I hadn't seen this,but Nick Saban ESPN said that Bonix's the

(21:41):
guy's been through it and came outthe other end very successfully out at Oregon.
And the thing I really like aboutbow and I've known him since his
sophomore year. Him and kool AidMcKinstry played together in high school. He's
the most accurate guy in the draft, and everybody could say, well,
seventy percent of his balls were tenyards from the line. Of scrimmage.
But in Sean Payton's offense, you'vegot to get the all out of your
hand. You get it out quick, and you've got to be accurate.

(22:03):
And I think he's a good fit. So with all that being said and
the excitement that comes with it,I'll say this, I wan't see him
get on. I want to seehim earn the job, but I want
to see him start day one.What do you think is the ideal scenario
to get bow Nicks going in thisoffense and getting him on the field.
How would you like to see aplayoff pall? Yeah, man, because

(22:23):
we wear this what the Chiefs didwith the homes and Alex Smith, you
know where they waited a little bit. I don't think that happens here.
I really don't. Sean Payton doesn'tstrike me as a gradual build, don't.
I don't think he wants to waitthree or four years to get this
thing going. I think there's avery good chance that the rookie is the

(22:45):
week one starter. I really believethat, because he's twenty four. In
part, you know, this isn'tyour usual twenty one, twenty two year
old kid leaving early out of school. You know, because there's a five
star war True, there's a guythat's played a whole ton of football.
So I do think there's a verygood chance of that. I think it's

(23:06):
risky, but I don't think it'sa risk that Sean Paytn's going to shy
away from. You know, it'sinteresting because it reminds me of the Jeff
Bridis. You remember Briders with theRockeys. He didn't he didn't grasp that
idea that fans had been through fouror five, six years whatever it was,

(23:27):
of losing. It was like theclock started when he got there.
I didn't Sean Payton understands that partof it that people here. It's been
a decade, man, it hasbeen a really long time since the Brounkers
were since the Broncos were a factor. I think he's going to try and
speed this thing up. Uh.The kids they got from the Jets.

(23:48):
You know, I don't have alot of NFL contacts, but I got
a couple, and two of themreached out to me and said, the
defensive lineman they just picked up forthe Organs. Yeah, John Franklin Myers,
we heard from him. Uh withJailee Sports and replayed that here as
well. Yeah, so they bothlike him. They're both scouts in the
NFC, and they said the Broncosgot to steal with him. He plays
really hard. He's got all thatyou know, the motor and all the

(24:11):
draftnicks talk about all that stuff.He plays very hard. So I think
they're going to try and feed thisthing up, probably more than outsiders would
expect. And that tells me thatBonex is going to play pretty early.
I can't see them trying to beatmahomes Harbaugh. I think the Raiders are
going to be much better with ZachWilson. I think you know what you

(24:33):
have there. So all those analyticsthat you just listed, it's interesting because
I do think Champagne is very mucha quote unquote old school type coach.
This this operation leans heavily on thenumbers, very much, so they look
at their accountants, you know.That's how That's a big reason why they

(24:55):
decided to go with bone Nicks.But also I think there was a connection
between the coach and the quarterback,which is obviously what he had in New
Orleans forever, that they could sitdown, pass things out, work things
out, and they seem to operateon the same wavelength. So I think
there was a little bit of thehuman side where they flight out got along.
Maybe Sean Payton just needed a friendin the building who knows he wants
to hang on talking football with.But also I think that those numbers play

(25:19):
to how you know Sean Payton wantsto run an offense. Yeah, Sean
Payton's actually a really interesting case studybecause and it was some of the things
I brought up throughout the year becauseI had heard them from people close to
him, people that knew him reallywell. For all the old school stuff,
and we know how much he reliesupon his time with Bill Parcells and

(25:40):
references Bill all the time. Well, we're seeing right now, is there
in this part of the phase oneof the off season program that April is
for running and lifting. You shouldn'tbe doing any football stuff the first couple
of weeks of OTAs I get that, we're now into the first week of
May. But when they get intoPhase two and all of that, then
you start to introduce more football stuff. But you get enough Football's not worried
about you being able to pick upthe playbook. Part of that comes from

(26:02):
drafting smart players and all of thatbut that for all the old school stuff.
He was the first coach in theleague to embrace next gen stats,
Zebra technology powers that he's been sponsoredby them and partnered with them for a
long time. He was the firstguy to have cryo chamber of recovery,
he was the first guy to havea flow tank. All this and I've
asked him about it kind of throughoutthe year. So he blends the new

(26:23):
school and the dad and the analyticswith kind of an old school football mentality.
And so I think it's just fascinatingwhen you look at how Sean approaches
thinking to everybody thinks so much ofwhat he does as old school, But
what isn't maybe talked about enough isthe new school approach blended with the old
school, right, and there's notgonna be a lot of patience involved there.

(26:45):
And one thing when you watch someof the bonicks, I'm the furthest
thing from a draft expert, butyou got to go back and watch some
of it. He if you havea tailback or a wide receiver or someone
who is out of position, hegoes old Chanpayne and Russ on the sideline
on that player. I'll talk aboutBo Nicks like, you've got to know
exactly where you are, You're exactlyyou have to know exactly what you're supposed

(27:08):
to do on that route. Ithink the student of the game part is
going to be very true. LikeI said, I think it's gonna be
about the physical part. Does hehave the arm for it? The processing
and the understanding of what Chanpagne wantsto do, that's not going to be
an issue. He's he's a veryhe's a very intelligent kid. I call
him a kid because we're world.We're a world, right. I graduated

(27:32):
college two months after he was born, and you were right behind me a
year or two. Jeez. Buthey, we have little kids, so
let's keep it up young we mightdo. And my little kid needs to
go to better pretty soon. No, and I get I get that,
I get that mine who we're fightingit as well. But let's shift gears
to to the two teams in townthat how about this. For as good

(27:53):
as they've been, this is justthe fourth time. And they had a
kind of a stretch that overlapped COVIDwhere three years in a row they both
made it to the second round.But now after we saw the absliced a
Cup two years ago. The Nugsbowed out in the first round because of
injury that year, even though Jokerwas the MVP. Last year, injuries
and just shortcomings, the Abs couldnot follow up their Stanley Cups, so

(28:15):
they bowed out in the first round. So the first time in a few
years, but just the fourth timeever both teams advanced to the second round.
And from where I'm sitting, youmentioned the two best players we'll see
when they get those awards, andodds are both Nathan McKinnon will get the
Heart Trophy and Joker will get astart MVP if they can be healthy,
and that's always a big if.But if their teams are healthy, there's
no reason I think they're not bothmaking a conference finals for the first time

(28:36):
the same year. Or perhaps we'regoing to be at Ball Arena so much
because they're both making the finals inthe NBA Finals and Stanley Cup Finals.
Yeah, the conversion crew over thereat Ball Arena, that's really good.
You watched them set up and takeit down. They're going to have a
workout over the next two months,I thought, and I traveled with the
Nuggets last year for their four playoffseries. The best players they played in

(29:00):
the postseason last year where they wasAnthony Edwards. He was the biggest problem
that they faced from the Lakers tothe Suns to the Heat. He was
the best player. And now he'sa year older, he looks about ten
to fifteen pounds. Figure he's superconfident. He might be the best player
on this Olympic ross that they putover in Paris, and it's going to

(29:23):
be an absolute treat. There area couple of players that when he's on
television, you have to watch him, and he's one of them. And
they surrounded him with the best defensiveteam in the NBA, so it's not
really close. The Timberwolves are aferocious defensive team and you've got this kid
that jumps out of the gym thinkshe's better than everybody. He's a fantastic

(29:45):
teammate. Tim Connley raves about him. Joe just got down at air Force
had him in Georgia when he wasat the University of Georgia. He raised
about him. Anthony Edwards is thereal deal. So the Nuggets absolutely have
their hands full in this one.It's going to be the most difficult playoffs
are he's that they've played in theJokichira. It's going to be sensational basketball.

(30:07):
You have a transcendent type offensive playeragainst one of the best defensive teams
of the last decade. A coachin Minnesota with Chris Bench. Who you
know, when when Joker is playing, it's not the opposing center or opposing
big man that he's matched up against. Jokic is matched up against the opposing

(30:30):
coaching staff, and this Minnesota coachingstaff knows them very well. Now nobody
can stop him. He's impossible tohold down. But I think the big
key for the Nuggets in this seriesis still Michael Porter. He's been playing
his best ball since he got toDenver. He's playing really good ball.
He's got a lot of stuff goingon in his life that he's played through

(30:52):
it. I'm very interested to seehow Mpja plays in this series because I
think he is the most important playerfor the Nuggets. Well, I can't
really put you on the spot asit relates to the Abs against You know,
the Stars not take a three totwo series lead, but we'll see
what the defending champ Golden Knights cando in Game six Friday. So regardless
do you think the Abs move onbased on how they're playing? And then

(31:15):
secondly, you want to give mea Nugs prediction, because I'm going Nugs
in seven. I think it's gonnatake all that they have and obviously the
health of Murray and Casey p area big part of that as well.
This series right here, that's whythey wanted that two seed. You know
that you get that game seven againstMinnesota because it's a whole different deal that
Minnesota arena. It's got to beone of the oldest in the NBA.

(31:37):
I think it's nineteen ninety two.They're really good ballfans, They're into the
game. It's a typical place toplay. But you get games seven here.
I'm with Ubk. I think it'sa seven game series. I think
you got to hold at home court. You don't want to drop one at
ball arena with the Abs, youknow, I think it was Jared Bennar
said something about that Stars game whereDallas had I think it was seven to

(32:00):
four, they put seven goals onhim that he admitted that they had a
difficult time with that Dallas team.So I'm a Dallas, City of Dallas
stan Well. I grew up there, I get it. Then you want
to go there? Yep, yep. I love the city of Dallas and
my sister's there, so I hopethat happens. But you want to play
the Knights, And that's not myhockey expertise talking. That's the betting markets

(32:25):
target because Vegas are still way onthe list and the Stars are even with
the As. So I hope it'sthe Dallas Stars because I think that could
be a you know, I thinkthe winner of that thing probably comes out
of the West, but Vegas hasthat championship pedigree. Man, So I
think that series is too two.That game might be on tonight. Well
yeah, three two Stars one tonight. They actually won the game three

(32:47):
too, so they're up three too. Well, there you go. So
I think it's you know, Ithink it's probably gonna be the Stars.
They're a better team, and that'sprobably another seven game series if there were
to happen. All right, Paul, we got to run because we're up
again. But you're always the bestat by Paul Klee on X and of
course in because that thanks so much, right on, BK. Thanks for
having me. Ben. There yougo, the one and only Paul Klee

(33:10):
at by Paul Klee, make sureyou're reading him, and of course Mark
Kisla, who they brought over fromthe Denver Post and the Great Woody Page.
Good good stuff there from Paul whois dialed in and as an award
winning columnist. We're going to keeprolling on Grant Smith here with me,
but plenty of fun stuff here everysingle night. I'm glad I got to

(33:31):
fill in for Benjamin Albright, gettingto fill in tonight here on Broncos Country
Tonight again, I'm Brandon chris Stallat BK Denver Sports. You catch me
every single morning on CMN here listento KOA eight fifty ninety four one FM