Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
If Broncos Country tonightst here open, Let's go on the.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Official home of the Broncos.
Speaker 3 (00:12):
All Right, all night KOA Well, back to the Broncos
Country Tonight, Betsman Albright, Dick Ferguson's act Seekers back There
Behind the Glass special thanks to Hall of Famer Steve
Atwater for joining us in the last segment. If you
missed any parts of that, including when Steve was about
to murder me.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Uh, you can go to Broncos.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Country Tonight dot com, slash podcast, or where we get
your podcast, Apple, I Tunes, Spotify. The totally free and
awesome my Heart Radio filled in for Grant there when
you can also get to take before credit a podcast.
Let's go out to the KIAE conspert the hot line
and talk to our guy Vinnie Benedetto. Got some Nuggets questions.
But VINNI, how you doing this evening?
Speaker 4 (00:49):
Doing well? Wish I wasn't following off a Hall of famer,
but I'll do the best I can.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Well.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
I mean, look, he was the opening act. You gotta
everybody's gotta have a warm up act.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
And for Vinnie, we we go out and get the
best uh the Denver Nuggets However, they're warm up act,
at least starting the season through the first four games
has not been I think what the fan base had expected.
The three ball hasn't exactly been there. They missed it,
uh in an ordinate amount of shots relative to I
think what fans thought that this team was gonna be
able to do in terms of scoring. Is it's an
early hiccup as they try to figure this out, or
(01:17):
is this team really just uh, not that great at
shooting the ball.
Speaker 4 (01:22):
Yeah, I think the last four or yeah, four haves
have been encouraging from from a shooting perspectives. They've got it.
They've got as a team, you know, around forty percent.
But the uh, yeah, that Oklahoma City game, in the
first half of that Clippers game, it was certainly a
question if a shot was ever going to fall. So
I think, you know, big picture, kind of kind of
(01:45):
tough way to open up with Oklahoma City in the opener,
especially when you've got a second unit that doesn't or
at that point didn't have any like preseason minutes playing together.
And then yeah, just just really poor offensive kind of
float in those first two games. But uh, I guess,
I guess back to back overtime wins on the road
or are are some sort of still silver lining there.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Well, Bennie, speaking of the back to back, those are
always difficult games to play in the NBA, And looking
at those two games, two overtime games, were you concerned
at all with the skill level or there I saying
the Nuggets players being tired for that one.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
I mean, yeah, like he obviously, you know, this early
in the season, it can be a real thing. You know,
some guys prefer to play themselves into shape, and you know,
you just look at the minutes that that the the
starters and the you know, key pieces of the rotation
were asked to play in both ends of those back
to back against teams of those caliber. You you would
(02:47):
really prefer to avoid those kind of workloads this early
in the season against I think what everyone would agree
to be kind of lesser competition. But you know the
fact that they had had enough juice to win both
those games and over time should be somewhat encouraging.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Talking with Video Benedetto, Nuggets beat Ryder for the Denver Gazette,
Caloro Springs Gazette as well at v Benedetto on the
Twitter Machine, you know, Vinnie, if the season started, we
knew kind of Christian Braun was going to be the
the you know, the off guard, starting off guard for
this team, and I I kind of questioned that.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
That move myself.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
I know, you know, hot, hot take microphone guy whatever,
questioning real basketball minds. But Braun always seemed to be
more like an energy guy that you bring in as
a sixth man to come off the bench, where I
felt like the shooting of Julian Strawther or even if
he was, you know, not quite where he wanted to
be defensively, it was something that you would prefer. Now
I've gone full circle on this because they need scoring
(03:39):
off the bench, But how do you view the starting
of Braun through four games and juxtaposed that with Strowther
coming off the bench, who's been red.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Hot from the field.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
Yeah, I think I think there's an argument to be
made that that Christian's probably been the second best player,
or at least the second most consistent player for the
n so far this season. And I've been of the
opinion that that Christian makes the most sense as the starter,
just because if you've got a backcourt of you know,
Jamal Murray, Julians Strauther and Michael Porter Junior. One of
(04:14):
those guys is gonna have to guard the Shade Gilless
Alexanders of the world, and that would be I think
a pretty tough ask for each of those three guys.
Whereas you know, I thought Christian did a, you know,
really a pretty decent job guarding you know, Oklahoma City's
MVP candidate. So I think I think, just from a
fit perspective, the starting lineup needs Christian's defense more than
(04:37):
the second unit. Well, you know, the second unit, you've
get it. You've got Russell Westbrook or Peyton Watson, guys
who could kind of pick up those kind of defensive assignments.
And Julians Strauther shooting and scoring ability which was like
remarkable throughout the preseason and he's really carried that over
into the regular season in an impressive way. But I
think that Julian skill set is just a better fit
(04:59):
with that second union. It. But you know, it's it's
neither of those guys have played poorly by any means,
so it's a it's really a good problem to have
for these Nuggets.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
You know, everyone was kind of concerned about what Russell
Westbrook's impact was going to be on the Nuggets, especially
on that second unit. What did you make of his
performance the other night?
Speaker 4 (05:21):
Oh, last night, he was he was great, And but
you know, you can't say the same for those first
three games. And I think what that that group is
gonna need from him, and it's kind of a tough
needle to thread. They're going to need him to play
kind of with his head on fire, you know, just
kind of relentless aggressiveness and an attacking mindset. But they
(05:43):
also need like some steady consistency from him as well,
and so it's like tough to ask anyone to do
both of those things. And you know, I don't know
how much of the struggles in the first three games
can be chalked up to the fact that that group
hadn't played it all in the preseason because because Peyton
Watson had missed all of it. But yeah, last night
(06:03):
was certainly you know what the Nuggs were looking for.
You know, he's not gonna make both this threes every
night or go ten to ten from the line, but
just the the willingness to kind of take on some
of that scoring responsibility for the second unit and kind
of run the show there. I thought it was pretty
impressive last night.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
We talked a little bit earlier about, you know, the
first couple of games, it didn't look like any shots
were gonna fall. Two guys who specifically struggled, Jamal Murray
and Michael Porter Junior. Thus far, what is it going
to take to get these guys on track as they
are part of the core four when you add in
the extension today Aaron Gordon and of course Nicol Jokic.
Speaker 4 (06:40):
Yeah. For Michael Porter Junior, I like to think it's
just a bit of a shooting slump. After the first
two games, I went back in looked at you know,
he famously started three of sixteen from three point range.
And I went back and you know, kind of looked
at each of those sixteen three point attempts where they
were coming from. You know what kind of you know,
what kind of quot shot he was getting, And it
(07:03):
was really kind of jarring, just like the quality of
looks that he was getting, Like he was getting great
looks that he that we've seen him make over and
over and over again. There was just he happened to
be a touch shorter, touch long. There's only like one
or two really bad mises amongst those sixteen shots, and
I think, you know, he bounced back last night and
hit four to three, So I think, I think, I
(07:24):
don't think there's much to worry about on the Michael
Porter junior front. Jamal Murray, on the other hand, like
that opening game was was really tough for him, and
it makes sense why, Like Oklahoma City is stocked with
some of the game's best perimeter defenders and they have
numerous bodies they can kind of throw at him to
you know, disrupt his rhythm or make even advancing the
(07:47):
ball into the front court a challenge. And in the
three games since that opener, you know, he's had two
pretty solid scoring nights and the one night he didn't
shoot it well, he he grabbed nine rebounds and dissed
out step and assists. So yeah, I was I was
probably as concerned as anyone after that opener. But you know,
these these last three games, it feels like he's he
(08:08):
found ways to make an impact whether or not the
shot is falling.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
Well. This season hasn't been exactly the way that you know,
Nuggets fans have expected in great granted, you know, the
back to back wins for the Nuggets, But all four
of these games have been tough games, tough games where
they had to grind it out. Fatigue as being a factor,
and you know, my concern and I wonder if you
have the same concern too as well, long arduous season
(08:32):
the NBA is is there kind of a concern that
you have for Nicole and Jokic and the possibility of
the team just kind of exhausting his ability because he's
having to do so much.
Speaker 4 (08:44):
Yeah, I mean, he's certainly doing more than you would
like him have to have to do at this point
in this season. Like if you just looked at the schedule,
the games that Toronto and Brooklyn would be games, you know,
over the course of the season where you'd like to see,
you know, the Nuggets have a big enough lead where
he gets to rest. And on the flip side of that,
not only is he not resting, like he's having to
carry the team too close overtime victories. So yeah, I
(09:07):
think that's something that has kind of been an issue
for the Nuggets in the last couple of years, is
that they really struggled to put teams away and get
the extra rest on nights where the opportunity is there,
and you think back to last season, you know, there
were there were conflicting reports on, you know, depending on
or who you talked to on you know, the team's
(09:28):
level of fatigue or what it took out of the
team to kind of be the hunted on an every
night basis coming off the championship run. So I think
that is a real thing, the kind of the gradual
tiring out over the season. So it looks like we
got most of our problems out of the way in
terms of downtown at least.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
I twenty five is sorry about that video.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
I guess we went some crossover traffic there from the
traffic department.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
Didn't mean to interrupt your answer.
Speaker 4 (09:52):
No, yeah, I was just going to wrap up there
by saying, you know, over the course of the season,
it would certainly be a good thing for the Nuggets
to have more of those nights where you know, they're
up twenty with five minutes ago, and Malone can get
some of the best guys in, get some of the
third unit guys in, so so jokers and Jamal and
the rest of the starters are not having to play,
you know, thirty five to forty minutes a night.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
With Vinie Benedetto at Vivenedetta on on Twitter, Denver Nuggets
beat reporter for the Gazette, both here and down there
in Colorado Springs. Anny, as we as we look at
this team, I mean, again, admittedly four game sample size,
is there anything you think this team is missing right
now that they're going to need to have for a
stretch playoff run.
Speaker 4 (10:34):
I mean, I think this is probably a little bit nitpicky,
but I think the two things you can point to
are a reliable backup big you know, Dario Sarich was
was kind of brought in to be that guy, and
you know, Monday in Toronto they had to go away
from him and they had to the previous point about
(10:55):
getting tired over the course of the season. They had
to use their playoff rotation from last year with with
Aaron Gordon being the backup five. They had to use
him as as nikolay Yoak's back up. And that's that's
a lot to ask of anybody. And so I think
that would you know, either either a more consistency from
Dario or seen if they've got anybody else on the
(11:16):
roster who can give them consistent minutes, there would be
big and then even below that on on the wish list,
I think would be a better option at the third
point guard. Right now, it doesn't feel like Michael Malone
has as much as any trust in Jalen Pickett to
be a serviceable NBA player. And the only other kind
of true point guard and he's not even that is
(11:37):
Tredy Alexander, a rookie who's on a two way contract.
So if the Nuggets get to the point of the
season or there's a stretch where Jamal Murray or Russell
Westbrook need a couple of games off, filling those backup
point guard minutes, I think is going to be something
that human need to address.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
Well, Vinnie, we appreciate it as always.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
Follow him at v Benedetto on Twitter for all the
latest and I enjoyed your your piece on the betskid Man.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
That's good stuff.
Speaker 4 (12:04):
Appreciate you guys, yep, take care of any better.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
Dento talking about the Denver Nuggets. We'll come BA.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
We're gonna jump right back into the Broncos talk right
here on Broncos Country to night on Kiawei.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
Welcome back to it Broncos Country Tonight.
Speaker 3 (12:23):
Benjamin Albriden Nick Ferguson's actually He's here with you five
six six nine zero is the text line. Thanks to
Steve Atwater for joining us in the first hour, thanks
to any bed A Dento joining us in the previous segment.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
I think you better say thanks to Steve Atwater for
not putting you through this glass. I did.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
I already said thanks for not murdering me in the
in the last last time I ran that that bit. Yeah,
he was, Uh, that was that was. I actually skinned
my knee crawling on the floor. I was laughing so
hard I could not stop laughing. He shot me the
look of death on that one.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
Listen, I've been around Steve a while since i've been
back here in Denver. I have to say I've never
seen that look on his face that he gave you.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
I've seen some.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
I've seen some looks from Steve before, not that one. No,
he was like the gold suit. That was hilarious because
he was just like, what is happening right now?
Speaker 4 (13:10):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (13:11):
There was the the time he wore that shirt in here,
which we liked, but I was I was, I was
flaming him for it.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
Yes, that was like the hurt.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
Look then there was this one. This was like a
you know, I can hurt you, right. This is the
look My picture.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
Was on his face right before the Akoye hit. That
is the that's the look that I I imagine they
had there. It was it was something else.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
I was, Uh. There was the briefest of moments there
were I feared for my life.
Speaker 3 (13:37):
There was there was There was a half of a
second there and they're like, no, it's Steve, We're cool.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Well I feared for you too as well. And I
realized I looked at Steve, then I looked at you,
and then I looked at Steve again. I was like, yeah,
I can't help you, Ben, I can't.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
I don't want to actually.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
Gonna happen.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
Oh my goodness. And there's somebody the other day I
asked the quite. They were like, are you the guy
that always got your friend group in trouble running your mouth?
You know, like back in the you know what I'm
talking about, Like everyone.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
That wasn't that guy, though I really wasn't. It took
radio from me to become that guy.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
I find that hard to be saying, being that you
were not that guy.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
I know exactly was that guy in my friend group
was a guy named Zach Oh.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
That was zach Oh. It was absolutely Zach and earlier
Baker Benjamino bra Now.
Speaker 3 (14:28):
Zach was the guy that got us like he was
the guy who was always you know, run right and
checks that that the rest of him good in cash.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
I was never I was not that guy. It's like
I've always had a singer, I guess, but I was
not the.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
Guy that that, you know, that started stuff to that degree.
And it took me for radio to be kind of
kind of become that guy.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
I don't know, Ben, I don't know if I'm buying it,
and I don't believe that the listeners are buying it either,
because it is just something about your personality that makes
me feel as though, you know what, Ben has those
capabilities and Kim b.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
I'm instigator now, yeah, that personality.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
At any time I've been with you on remote sometime.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
I've been an instigation instigator. Now, yes, I'm absolutely an instigator.
Speaker 4 (15:15):
Now.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
I remember the the mattress store.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
Yes, we end up sitting around, Yes, because like we're
having church on Saturday. He had yes, five six six
dads zero's at texts that I got a bunch of
great texts. Sixty us to say how to Nick for me,
appreciate you guys.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
Go Broncos, Go Broncos. Brian says, the app suck.
Speaker 1 (15:33):
Uh wow, tell him how you really feel? Uh huh uh.
Speaker 3 (15:37):
The sixty had a great story. So talk with Mike
Shanahan the year after you retired to get let Go
by Denver. He was in Johnson, Kansas. I asked him
if you ever coached the perfect game? Said the closest
to perfection wasn't about scoring the most points. He was
completely dominating a mistake free and mentioned Super Bowl thirty
three is one of the best team performances.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
It was amazing talk with him. Never thought I'd get
that opportunity.
Speaker 1 (15:56):
Well that you know what, that's great because you're absolutely right.
There are not too many fans that are just going
to randomly bump into Mike Shanahan and.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
Get that opportunity.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
Yeah, it's into He's not to say that, you know,
Mike is not approachable, but just kind of really think
about that. What are the odds that you run into
a coach like that who's had a lot of success.
I mean odds on that you're not going to run
into that type of coach and just you know, being
around Mike. Mike is one of those types of guys.
(16:31):
He loves ball and if you want to talk football,
he is talking with you. Now, he's the only caveat
you better know what the hell you're talking about.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
Fair, fair, Yes. And so there's been some coaches over
the years that.
Speaker 3 (16:42):
I've I've had conversation with Mike, but other coaches.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
And it's been like that too. Like you, they're absolutely
they'd love to talk ball with you.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
But don't be the dude showing up there bs and
acting like you know ball at a level that you don't,
because you'll get found out real fast and you'll see
the displeasure on their face. I've seen it, you know.
I've been sitting there always at a dinner with a
couple of coaches who some of which are now head coaches.
There we assistances at the time, and there were some
media guys that showed up, knew me, went to sit
down at the table and kind of act like they
knew some things they didn't know. And man, I'll tell you,
(17:10):
like that table has the vibe has never gotten so
cold so fast.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
But it's that's the way it is with its like
nice to meet you.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Hey, yeah, meet come out and I'm like, man, you
know you guys are bleeping up my dinner here.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
I was up at the Combine a couple of years
ago and a couple of guys uh well actually all
two of the three are head coaches now, but it
was Yeah, it was one of those one of those
that was the one you know you weren't there. It
was Ryan where Scotty terms like you were literally everywhere,
aren't you?
Speaker 4 (17:38):
Speaking of?
Speaker 1 (17:39):
Speaking of which is there is there a person, you know, coach, celebrity, musician, whatever,
that you've admired that you would love to have a
chance meeting with, Oh man, like a running and listen
male the female, Like just just someone You're like, wow,
that would be a good person to just kind of
(18:00):
run into them and ask them this question.
Speaker 3 (18:02):
There's a lot of people like that some and they're
not necessarily the people that you probably would think, you know,
there are I'd love you know, I've never had that
kind of contact or conversation with Bill Belichick. I'd love
to sit there just because of the sustained success, Like
I'd love to, you know, pick his brain on some
of that George W. Bush, I want to know what
(18:24):
it was like that night as nine to eleven was
happening that day, that, you know, like more than just
like I want the off the record conversation, Like what
was going through your mind? Is you try to gather
intel and figure out exactly what's happening in this country
that you're running right now.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
There's the most powerful nation in the world and we're
under attack.
Speaker 3 (18:39):
Those kinds of things I would I would love to
sit down and have a conversation with him about that.
I briefly got to talk to him when they came
out to service Turkey for Thanksgiving. It was you know,
it's like a thirty second conversation, you know, but I
would love to have it an in depth conversation with
him on that.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
I think a lot of people that are tied to historical.
Speaker 3 (18:59):
Events, those kinds of things, I would love to have
those kind of conversations, uh.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
With that that you know, yeah, I just talked about you.
Speaker 3 (19:05):
I'd love to sit down with Barack Obama ask what
it was like to be the first African American president
and if he felt more pressure because of that. You know,
like there's there's a lot of things that I would
just love to know, just to know them, and those
kinds of people to ask those questions for me, is
Dennis Robin?
Speaker 2 (19:17):
Oh my god, all of the questions?
Speaker 3 (19:20):
Yes, I am all of the question because now would
you fumble the back with Carve?
Speaker 2 (19:25):
I'm just kidding, listen, listen.
Speaker 1 (19:26):
I mean that that could be one of those questions
to ask Dennis Robin because he's lived a life worth living, right,
both pro con controversial, whatever you want to call it,
Dennis Robmin has definitely lived it. And to get the
stories from his side of it? What is it like
(19:48):
being Dennis Robin? What was it like being Dennis Robin
and you dated common electure you were linked to? Yes?
What was that like? What was that initial of conversa?
Speaker 3 (19:58):
Basically the same thing but also with yes like like
like Steven Tyler would be another like what is it like?
Speaker 1 (20:07):
We hear stories about what it's like to be a
rock star? Right, what was it like to be the
least saying of Erismith? Yeah? Okay?
Speaker 3 (20:14):
In that regard that, I think you'd have to you'd
have to go with David Lee Roth. You know, you'd
want to have like you'd want to know those kind
of stories and stuff. They not just for the Selation's stuff,
but I mean just what it's like to be at
at the pinnacle of the you know, in that kind
of and have the world at your fingertips kind of.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
Kind of thing.
Speaker 4 (20:30):
There.
Speaker 3 (20:31):
There's a lot of people I think I'd love to
you know, and Nelson med Dallas somebody I would have
loved to have had, you know, different like what it
was like going through all that. There's a lot of
historical figures obviously, but you're talking to I think about
just people that are alive right now.
Speaker 1 (20:43):
I mean, I mean, yeah, the idea people are alive,
but even people who were gone like Muhammad Ali would
be definitely one of those guys. Oh yeah, because think
about what life was like then for African American athletes
and to know that that the idea of him not
(21:03):
going to the draft and then having his career somewhat
wiped off the face of the map and only for
him to recover that WHOA, how difficult was it for
you as an athlete living your life in that time?
Speaker 3 (21:20):
And eraror And it's so funny when people talk about
a lead because you know, usually the words brash or
arrogant come up, and I'm like, man, I don't know
that I could call somebody a arrogant to back it
up at every turn. Yeah, you know, the difference between
confidence and cockiness is the ability to back it up, right,
And so like for me like that, like I always
use the adjective confident for him rather than than arrogant,
(21:42):
because I'm like, he backed everything up, whether you agreed
with every position that he took or not, he backed
it up. And it's tough for me to sit there.
And because I feel like arrogant in that regard is
a bit of a pejorative.
Speaker 1 (21:55):
Well, yeah it is. And I think there is a
thin line between love and hate. Well no, not loving hate,
but just when you think about arrogance and confidence, right,
and when I think about, let me say, Mike Tyson,
(22:16):
Yeah right, that that was the guy who was very intimidating.
But to know who Mike Tyson is and knowing as
though it was almost like a build up persona to
protect himself based on where he grew up, but knowing
as though he was a chill, chill guy, but he
had to live that life and be that type of
aggressive And it's just like Okay, Well, was that a
(22:37):
cockiness that he had or was that just an extreme
level of confidence? Muhammad Ali was kind of the same way.
And I think as an athlete or more or less
been on any profession that you have, sometimes you have
to have that right Well, I.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
Talk about all the time.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
I call it the coaching arrogance because there, you know,
we talk about coaches being arrogant sometimes, but you have
to have that belief in self because nobody going to
have that belief for you, right you know. So, I
mean there is a sort of there is a sort
of arrogance that comes with it. I don't know if
arrogance is the right word again because of the pejorative,
but I do believe that there is a necessity to
have that belief in self because if you don't, why
(23:14):
would I believe in you?
Speaker 2 (23:15):
If you're especially if you're in a leadership position. If
you don't believe in you, why should I believe in you?
Speaker 1 (23:19):
No. Once again, some of the most talented people in
this world in sports and business, they have that type
of attitude and that is the thing that gets them
over the top. Because I'm sure those individuals have moments
(23:39):
of weakness when they feel as that they're not at
their best, but they lean on that confidence and you
can call it arrogance, but it's something to kind of
hit them over the top. And once again, when I
if I were to look at the Denver Broncos right now,
I know we're talking about it before, would you say
that they had that type of confidence, that type of
(24:01):
arrogance or swagger.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
I don't know if they have it yet. I bet
if they beat Baltimore they will.
Speaker 3 (24:07):
I feel like they have a confidence in themselves, but
I don't feel like it's an over the top manifestation.
I don't feel like they're outward with it at this point.
You know, I feel like maybe they have that confidence,
but it's reserved to that locker room. We haven't seen
anybody making comments publicly that would put them out there,
as Eric for instance, you when you juxtapose them with
what's going on in Boulder, like with Coach Prime. Coach
(24:28):
Prime Is has had that arrogance from the get go,
and he's but now they're at the point where people
are buying in and believing it because of the wins.
The wins are starting to follow. And once once you
back that up, then people start to buy into that.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
That's what buy in is.
Speaker 1 (24:43):
Yeah, that's that's a huge part of the buy in.
But once again, it starts with having a marquee signature
win that gets you to that point where you feel
that sense of confidence. It's not something that you think,
it is something that you now know. And when Stephen
(25:05):
was joining us, it was something that I asked him
off air about having that certain level of confidence with
those teams that he was a part of when they
went on those Super Bowls, but more or less before
they even got to that point, right, having that confidence
to say, well, here's where we are capable of as
a team, Here's where we are capable of as individuals. Now,
(25:28):
we've seen this from the Broncos defense. We haven't really
seen that consistently from the Broncos offense. But this is
why I have a lot of optimism because if they're
able to do that, it changes a lot around here
for the Denver Broncos. Well.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
Speaking of arrogance, you know, Aaron Rodgers has never been
accused of being humble, but he's largely backed it up
over the course of his career. Thursday Night Football, you've
got the Jets, the Texans. The Jets are was I
think two and six and six and two. I think
of these teams six and two, Houston, two and six Jets.
The Jets are at home. They're favored in this one
by one and a half. You know, as you look
(26:03):
at this, do you how do you feel? I think
the Jets are going to take this one against a
Houston team. It's missing it's probably two best receivers. Now,
how do you look at this and do you think
that Aaron Rodgers is falling off or he's just getting
readjusted to what it is that they're doing now with
a new OC.
Speaker 1 (26:22):
I think it's more or less of Aaron tapering it
off a little, and you can see it, and most
people blame it on the injury and the recovery it is,
But when you look at some of the passes, the
anticipation that we're so used to seeing Aaron throw with,
we're not really seeing it. And then you can blame
it on the receivers and say, well, maybe they're not
(26:42):
playing well enough, and I'm going to say, no, it
is not the receivers. It's a little of Aaron not
doing what Aaron needs to do. That that becomes somewhat
of a problem for the Jets, but they have an
opportunity against the Texas to try to get themselves back
(27:03):
in the win column.
Speaker 3 (27:05):
Five sixty sixty nine zero is the text line. As
I look at this game, I do feel like it
plays into the Jets hands. Yets are at home, they're
getting healthier. But the one thing that I do find
interesting they trained for DeVante Adams as though that was
the missing piece, and I don't necessarily view that, and
you know, his short stint there so far has not
borne that out.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
I felt like that, and I said at the time
when they traded for.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
Adams, you know, good for them, but it feels like
you're installing a radio on the Titanic. Yeah, it's it's
you know, it's it's definitely added. You know, the symphony
doesn't have to play anymore. But that's not really the
problem and what's going on here?
Speaker 1 (27:38):
No, it's no, it's not. And once again, it just
goes back to, you know, the level of team focus
that one needs to have and in order to do that,
so all those things are in play and must be
of a certain level of of emport. I think that
(28:03):
once again when I start to kind of think about
the Broncos because of where they started, where they are
right now, and potentially where they can get to. This
is a pivotal week for them. If they can get
over this first game, it changes. And when I say
(28:24):
first game, the first game of this tough three game
road stretch, it sets them up.
Speaker 3 (28:29):
Perfectly the avalanche theory right now, what were the confidence
for one? And it just the avalanche becomes bigger as
the snow goes down the mountain.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
Yeah, it is definitely a snowball effect. And because the
defense has been playing well, you get that offense consistently
playing together, getting into someone of a rhythm. Man, it's
just for me, it's just like kind of lookout and
it's kind of unexpected for the team to be where
they are right now, but it would be amazing if
(28:58):
they can continue this train on the tracks.
Speaker 3 (29:03):
Yeah, and we need to see more of we need
to see more of the offense being consistent as far
as that kind of stuff goes five six, six down Zeros.
The text line Brian wants is to find the drop
of Mike Tyson Santa broke my back. I'll have to
see a Zach's got that one back there somewhere with.
Speaker 2 (29:18):
The Texans and the Jets, though, I mean if the
Jets lose, that.
Speaker 3 (29:21):
Pretty much eliminates them. I mean, you're talking about two
and six football team. It's already hanging on by a thread.
They lose this game against the Texans, you go to
two and seven. All practical purposes, you're pretty much eliminated
from playoff contention, which the Jets have pushed all in
on for Aaron Rodgers. This coaching staff has already had
its replacement at the top, Robert Sella, who I don't
believe was the problem, but was replaced.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
Where do the Jets do they blow it up if
they lose this game? Do you have to consider it?
Speaker 1 (29:46):
Because the experiment that you thought was going to pay
dividends hasn't really paid dividends. Because the idea was that
with the defense that the Jets have in the running game,
you only one player away, and you needed a quarterback.
Zach Wilson was their former first round draft pick, and
they didn't figure that Zach was coming along as swiftly
(30:11):
as they thought. So let's go get a veteran quarterback
who has experience, who's been an MVP. You put him
in the mix. Now that changes the trajectory of the
Jets offense. And then, like you mentioned, so Robert sala
is fired. All right, Well maybe Robi Salad was a problem.
That's where you are essentially saying by that move. So
(30:33):
what else do you need? Well, you need reliable wide
receivers who the quarterback is comfortable with. You go get
that guy, and you still still lose it. Now, at
the same time, you look in the mirror and you
have to look at yourself the Jets organization to say, well,
maybe it's not them, maybe it's me.
Speaker 3 (30:50):
They still are a team that can be run on.
They still are a team that is largely unisciplined in
terms of how many penalties they take every game, and
those issues it abated. You can blame Robert solid for
that the scheme, but I mean, at the end of
the day, like firing him didn't change either one of
those things.
Speaker 1 (31:08):
Well, yeah, that is that is obvious. It is it's
Aaron Rodgers, and it's unfortunate that we are seeing Aaron
in this particular way. And what I like in it too,
is like you know a boxer who's totally past their prime,
and I think for Aaron, this is going back to
(31:29):
the conversation of confidence versus arrogance, right is arrogance is
having him to believe that there's still things that he
can do. And I can tell you, as an athlete,
mentally you think that you can, well you have to.
You have to have you have to because it's part
of it. But your body presents limitations and it lets
(31:50):
you know that you know what, I see the ten yards,
I want to get there. Mentally I can run there,
but al allow us.
Speaker 3 (32:01):
To get your legs in your brain having a different conversations,
a different conversation. I learned that at a much earlier age,
I think than guys like you or Steve, you know,
who had the professional careers, where like I knew what
I wanted to do, but my body was like, I mean,
my mind was telling me yes, but my body, my
body was telling me no.
Speaker 1 (32:19):
No.
Speaker 2 (32:20):
To misquote R. Kelly didn't know we were going to
get that one in tonight on the.
Speaker 1 (32:25):
Wherever and slide that one in. But yeah, man, that's
a that's a difficult part of getting to the end
and realizing that what you want to do you can't do, and.
Speaker 2 (32:40):
Just kind of seeing we saw with Peyton Manning.
Speaker 1 (32:43):
I'm telling me that is very difficult to set see
the end of the row closer than you anticipated see
it coming, but can't really do anything. It's a total
opposite of the hallway and Poltic guys, right, total opposite.
Speaker 2 (32:57):
You're running the.
Speaker 1 (32:58):
Hallways getting a longer, right, But in this case, no,
it's right there in front of your face.
Speaker 3 (33:02):
If you're Aaron Rodgers, and let's assume that he, even
though he's not vocalizing it, sees it. How do you
rally the troops to get through this season and try
to get to the promised Land.
Speaker 1 (33:11):
Well, the only thing you do at that point. You
may have a conversation with certain people that you know,
DeVante Adams being one of those guys, close guys, and
just kind of be realistic as far as where you are.
And then maybe there's some other guys on the team
you may say something too, and maybe you able to
rally the team in that particular way, speaking to just
(33:33):
small guys who have big voices, and then you make
it run because you think, okay, well this may be
the last run. Let's go out on a positive note.
But where the Jets are if they don't win tomorrow,
I mean on Thursday, then all of that won't happen.
Speaker 3 (33:49):
Jets, Texans, Thursday Night Football, Tomorrow night, Rocos Country Tonight
rolls on after this
If Broncos Country tonightst here open, Let's go on the.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Official home of the Broncos.
Speaker 3 (00:12):
All Right, all night KOA Well, back to the Broncos
Country Tonight, Betsman Albright, Dick Ferguson's act Seekers back There
Behind the Glass special thanks to Hall of Famer Steve
Atwater for joining us in the last segment. If you
missed any parts of that, including when Steve was about
to murder me.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Uh, you can go to Broncos.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Country Tonight dot com, slash podcast, or where we get
your podcast, Apple, I Tunes, Spotify. The totally free and
awesome my Heart Radio filled in for Grant there when
you can also get to take before credit a podcast.
Let's go out to the KIAE conspert the hot line
and talk to our guy Vinnie Benedetto. Got some Nuggets questions.
But VINNI, how you doing this evening?
Speaker 4 (00:49):
Doing well? Wish I wasn't following off a Hall of famer,
but I'll do the best I can.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Well.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
I mean, look, he was the opening act. You gotta
everybody's gotta have a warm up act.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
And for Vinnie, we we go out and get the
best uh the Denver Nuggets However, they're warm up act,
at least starting the season through the first four games
has not been I think what the fan base had expected.
The three ball hasn't exactly been there. They missed it,
uh in an ordinate amount of shots relative to I
think what fans thought that this team was gonna be
able to do in terms of scoring. Is it's an
early hiccup as they try to figure this out, or
(01:17):
is this team really just uh, not that great at
shooting the ball.
Speaker 4 (01:22):
Yeah, I think the last four or yeah, four haves
have been encouraging from from a shooting perspectives. They've got it.
They've got as a team, you know, around forty percent.
But the uh, yeah, that Oklahoma City game, in the
first half of that Clippers game, it was certainly a
question if a shot was ever going to fall. So
I think, you know, big picture, kind of kind of
(01:45):
tough way to open up with Oklahoma City in the opener,
especially when you've got a second unit that doesn't or
at that point didn't have any like preseason minutes playing together.
And then yeah, just just really poor offensive kind of
float in those first two games. But uh, I guess,
I guess back to back overtime wins on the road
or are are some sort of still silver lining there.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Well, Bennie, speaking of the back to back, those are
always difficult games to play in the NBA, And looking
at those two games, two overtime games, were you concerned
at all with the skill level or there I saying
the Nuggets players being tired for that one.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
I mean, yeah, like he obviously, you know, this early
in the season, it can be a real thing. You know,
some guys prefer to play themselves into shape, and you know,
you just look at the minutes that that the the
starters and the you know, key pieces of the rotation
were asked to play in both ends of those back
to back against teams of those caliber. You you would
(02:47):
really prefer to avoid those kind of workloads this early
in the season against I think what everyone would agree
to be kind of lesser competition. But you know the
fact that they had had enough juice to win both
those games and over time should be somewhat encouraging.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Talking with Video Benedetto, Nuggets beat Ryder for the Denver Gazette,
Caloro Springs Gazette as well at v Benedetto on the
Twitter Machine, you know, Vinnie, if the season started, we
knew kind of Christian Braun was going to be the
the you know, the off guard, starting off guard for
this team, and I I kind of questioned that.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
That move myself.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
I know, you know, hot, hot take microphone guy whatever,
questioning real basketball minds. But Braun always seemed to be
more like an energy guy that you bring in as
a sixth man to come off the bench, where I
felt like the shooting of Julian Strawther or even if
he was, you know, not quite where he wanted to
be defensively, it was something that you would prefer. Now
I've gone full circle on this because they need scoring
(03:39):
off the bench, But how do you view the starting
of Braun through four games and juxtaposed that with Strowther
coming off the bench, who's been red.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Hot from the field.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
Yeah, I think I think there's an argument to be
made that that Christian's probably been the second best player,
or at least the second most consistent player for the
n so far this season. And I've been of the
opinion that that Christian makes the most sense as the starter,
just because if you've got a backcourt of you know,
Jamal Murray, Julians Strauther and Michael Porter Junior. One of
(04:14):
those guys is gonna have to guard the Shade Gilless
Alexanders of the world, and that would be I think
a pretty tough ask for each of those three guys.
Whereas you know, I thought Christian did a, you know,
really a pretty decent job guarding you know, Oklahoma City's
MVP candidate. So I think I think, just from a
fit perspective, the starting lineup needs Christian's defense more than
(04:37):
the second unit. Well, you know, the second unit, you've
get it. You've got Russell Westbrook or Peyton Watson, guys
who could kind of pick up those kind of defensive assignments.
And Julians Strauther shooting and scoring ability which was like
remarkable throughout the preseason and he's really carried that over
into the regular season in an impressive way. But I
think that Julian skill set is just a better fit
(04:59):
with that second union. It. But you know, it's it's
neither of those guys have played poorly by any means,
so it's a it's really a good problem to have
for these Nuggets.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
You know, everyone was kind of concerned about what Russell
Westbrook's impact was going to be on the Nuggets, especially
on that second unit. What did you make of his
performance the other night?
Speaker 4 (05:21):
Oh, last night, he was he was great, And but
you know, you can't say the same for those first
three games. And I think what that that group is
gonna need from him, and it's kind of a tough
needle to thread. They're going to need him to play
kind of with his head on fire, you know, just
kind of relentless aggressiveness and an attacking mindset. But they
(05:43):
also need like some steady consistency from him as well,
and so it's like tough to ask anyone to do
both of those things. And you know, I don't know
how much of the struggles in the first three games
can be chalked up to the fact that that group
hadn't played it all in the preseason because because Peyton
Watson had missed all of it. But yeah, last night
(06:03):
was certainly you know what the Nuggs were looking for.
You know, he's not gonna make both this threes every
night or go ten to ten from the line, but
just the the willingness to kind of take on some
of that scoring responsibility for the second unit and kind
of run the show there. I thought it was pretty
impressive last night.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
We talked a little bit earlier about, you know, the
first couple of games, it didn't look like any shots
were gonna fall. Two guys who specifically struggled, Jamal Murray
and Michael Porter Junior. Thus far, what is it going
to take to get these guys on track as they
are part of the core four when you add in
the extension today Aaron Gordon and of course Nicol Jokic.
Speaker 4 (06:40):
Yeah. For Michael Porter Junior, I like to think it's
just a bit of a shooting slump. After the first
two games, I went back in looked at you know,
he famously started three of sixteen from three point range.
And I went back and you know, kind of looked
at each of those sixteen three point attempts where they
were coming from. You know what kind of you know,
what kind of quot shot he was getting, And it
(07:03):
was really kind of jarring, just like the quality of
looks that he was getting, Like he was getting great
looks that he that we've seen him make over and
over and over again. There was just he happened to
be a touch shorter, touch long. There's only like one
or two really bad mises amongst those sixteen shots, and
I think, you know, he bounced back last night and
hit four to three, So I think, I think, I
(07:24):
don't think there's much to worry about on the Michael
Porter junior front. Jamal Murray, on the other hand, like
that opening game was was really tough for him, and
it makes sense why, Like Oklahoma City is stocked with
some of the game's best perimeter defenders and they have
numerous bodies they can kind of throw at him to
you know, disrupt his rhythm or make even advancing the
(07:47):
ball into the front court a challenge. And in the
three games since that opener, you know, he's had two
pretty solid scoring nights and the one night he didn't
shoot it well, he he grabbed nine rebounds and dissed
out step and assists. So yeah, I was I was
probably as concerned as anyone after that opener. But you know,
these these last three games, it feels like he's he
(08:08):
found ways to make an impact whether or not the
shot is falling.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
Well. This season hasn't been exactly the way that you know,
Nuggets fans have expected in great granted, you know, the
back to back wins for the Nuggets, But all four
of these games have been tough games, tough games where
they had to grind it out. Fatigue as being a factor,
and you know, my concern and I wonder if you
have the same concern too as well, long arduous season
(08:32):
the NBA is is there kind of a concern that
you have for Nicole and Jokic and the possibility of
the team just kind of exhausting his ability because he's
having to do so much.
Speaker 4 (08:44):
Yeah, I mean, he's certainly doing more than you would
like him have to have to do at this point
in this season. Like if you just looked at the schedule,
the games that Toronto and Brooklyn would be games, you know,
over the course of the season where you'd like to see,
you know, the Nuggets have a big enough lead where
he gets to rest. And on the flip side of that,
not only is he not resting, like he's having to
carry the team too close overtime victories. So yeah, I
(09:07):
think that's something that has kind of been an issue
for the Nuggets in the last couple of years, is
that they really struggled to put teams away and get
the extra rest on nights where the opportunity is there,
and you think back to last season, you know, there
were there were conflicting reports on, you know, depending on
or who you talked to on you know, the team's
(09:28):
level of fatigue or what it took out of the
team to kind of be the hunted on an every
night basis coming off the championship run. So I think
that is a real thing, the kind of the gradual
tiring out over the season. So it looks like we
got most of our problems out of the way in
terms of downtown at least.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
I twenty five is sorry about that video.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
I guess we went some crossover traffic there from the
traffic department.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
Didn't mean to interrupt your answer.
Speaker 4 (09:52):
No, yeah, I was just going to wrap up there
by saying, you know, over the course of the season,
it would certainly be a good thing for the Nuggets
to have more of those nights where you know, they're
up twenty with five minutes ago, and Malone can get
some of the best guys in, get some of the
third unit guys in, so so jokers and Jamal and
the rest of the starters are not having to play,
you know, thirty five to forty minutes a night.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
With Vinie Benedetto at Vivenedetta on on Twitter, Denver Nuggets
beat reporter for the Gazette, both here and down there
in Colorado Springs. Anny, as we as we look at
this team, I mean, again, admittedly four game sample size,
is there anything you think this team is missing right
now that they're going to need to have for a
stretch playoff run.
Speaker 4 (10:34):
I mean, I think this is probably a little bit nitpicky,
but I think the two things you can point to
are a reliable backup big you know, Dario Sarich was
was kind of brought in to be that guy, and
you know, Monday in Toronto they had to go away
from him and they had to the previous point about
(10:55):
getting tired over the course of the season. They had
to use their playoff rotation from last year with with
Aaron Gordon being the backup five. They had to use
him as as nikolay Yoak's back up. And that's that's
a lot to ask of anybody. And so I think
that would you know, either either a more consistency from
Dario or seen if they've got anybody else on the
(11:16):
roster who can give them consistent minutes, there would be
big and then even below that on on the wish list,
I think would be a better option at the third
point guard. Right now, it doesn't feel like Michael Malone
has as much as any trust in Jalen Pickett to
be a serviceable NBA player. And the only other kind
of true point guard and he's not even that is
(11:37):
Tredy Alexander, a rookie who's on a two way contract.
So if the Nuggets get to the point of the
season or there's a stretch where Jamal Murray or Russell
Westbrook need a couple of games off, filling those backup
point guard minutes, I think is going to be something
that human need to address.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
Well, Vinnie, we appreciate it as always.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
Follow him at v Benedetto on Twitter for all the
latest and I enjoyed your your piece on the betskid Man.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
That's good stuff.
Speaker 4 (12:04):
Appreciate you guys, yep, take care of any better.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
Dento talking about the Denver Nuggets. We'll come BA.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
We're gonna jump right back into the Broncos talk right
here on Broncos Country to night on Kiawei.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
Welcome back to it Broncos Country Tonight.
Speaker 3 (12:23):
Benjamin Albriden Nick Ferguson's actually He's here with you five
six six nine zero is the text line. Thanks to
Steve Atwater for joining us in the first hour, thanks
to any bed A Dento joining us in the previous segment.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
I think you better say thanks to Steve Atwater for
not putting you through this glass. I did.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
I already said thanks for not murdering me in the
in the last last time I ran that that bit. Yeah,
he was, Uh, that was that was. I actually skinned
my knee crawling on the floor. I was laughing so
hard I could not stop laughing. He shot me the
look of death on that one.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
Listen, I've been around Steve a while since i've been
back here in Denver. I have to say I've never
seen that look on his face that he gave you.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
I've seen some.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
I've seen some looks from Steve before, not that one. No,
he was like the gold suit. That was hilarious because
he was just like, what is happening right now?
Speaker 4 (13:10):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (13:11):
There was the the time he wore that shirt in here,
which we liked, but I was I was, I was
flaming him for it.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
Yes, that was like the hurt.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
Look then there was this one. This was like a
you know, I can hurt you, right. This is the
look My picture.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
Was on his face right before the Akoye hit. That
is the that's the look that I I imagine they
had there. It was it was something else.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
I was, Uh. There was the briefest of moments there
were I feared for my life.
Speaker 3 (13:37):
There was there was There was a half of a
second there and they're like, no, it's Steve, We're cool.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Well I feared for you too as well. And I
realized I looked at Steve, then I looked at you,
and then I looked at Steve again. I was like, yeah,
I can't help you, Ben, I can't.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
I don't want to actually.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
Gonna happen.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
Oh my goodness. And there's somebody the other day I
asked the quite. They were like, are you the guy
that always got your friend group in trouble running your mouth?
You know, like back in the you know what I'm
talking about, Like everyone.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
That wasn't that guy, though I really wasn't. It took
radio from me to become that guy.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
I find that hard to be saying, being that you
were not that guy.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
I know exactly was that guy in my friend group
was a guy named Zach Oh.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
That was zach Oh. It was absolutely Zach and earlier
Baker Benjamino bra Now.
Speaker 3 (14:28):
Zach was the guy that got us like he was
the guy who was always you know, run right and
checks that that the rest of him good in cash.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
I was never I was not that guy. It's like
I've always had a singer, I guess, but I was
not the.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
Guy that that, you know, that started stuff to that degree.
And it took me for radio to be kind of
kind of become that guy.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
I don't know, Ben, I don't know if I'm buying it,
and I don't believe that the listeners are buying it either,
because it is just something about your personality that makes
me feel as though, you know what, Ben has those
capabilities and Kim b.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
I'm instigator now, yeah, that personality.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
At any time I've been with you on remote sometime.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
I've been an instigation instigator. Now, yes, I'm absolutely an instigator.
Speaker 4 (15:15):
Now.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
I remember the the mattress store.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
Yes, we end up sitting around, Yes, because like we're
having church on Saturday. He had yes, five six six
dads zero's at texts that I got a bunch of
great texts. Sixty us to say how to Nick for me,
appreciate you guys.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
Go Broncos, Go Broncos. Brian says, the app suck.
Speaker 1 (15:33):
Uh wow, tell him how you really feel? Uh huh uh.
Speaker 3 (15:37):
The sixty had a great story. So talk with Mike
Shanahan the year after you retired to get let Go
by Denver. He was in Johnson, Kansas. I asked him
if you ever coached the perfect game? Said the closest
to perfection wasn't about scoring the most points. He was
completely dominating a mistake free and mentioned Super Bowl thirty
three is one of the best team performances.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
It was amazing talk with him. Never thought I'd get
that opportunity.
Speaker 1 (15:56):
Well that you know what, that's great because you're absolutely right.
There are not too many fans that are just going
to randomly bump into Mike Shanahan and.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
Get that opportunity.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
Yeah, it's into He's not to say that, you know,
Mike is not approachable, but just kind of really think
about that. What are the odds that you run into
a coach like that who's had a lot of success.
I mean odds on that you're not going to run
into that type of coach and just you know, being
around Mike. Mike is one of those types of guys.
(16:31):
He loves ball and if you want to talk football,
he is talking with you. Now, he's the only caveat
you better know what the hell you're talking about.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
Fair, fair, Yes. And so there's been some coaches over
the years that.
Speaker 3 (16:42):
I've I've had conversation with Mike, but other coaches.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
And it's been like that too. Like you, they're absolutely
they'd love to talk ball with you.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
But don't be the dude showing up there bs and
acting like you know ball at a level that you don't,
because you'll get found out real fast and you'll see
the displeasure on their face. I've seen it, you know.
I've been sitting there always at a dinner with a
couple of coaches who some of which are now head coaches.
There we assistances at the time, and there were some
media guys that showed up, knew me, went to sit
down at the table and kind of act like they
knew some things they didn't know. And man, I'll tell you,
(17:10):
like that table has the vibe has never gotten so
cold so fast.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
But it's that's the way it is with its like
nice to meet you.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Hey, yeah, meet come out and I'm like, man, you
know you guys are bleeping up my dinner here.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
I was up at the Combine a couple of years
ago and a couple of guys uh well actually all
two of the three are head coaches now, but it
was Yeah, it was one of those one of those
that was the one you know you weren't there. It
was Ryan where Scotty terms like you were literally everywhere,
aren't you?
Speaker 4 (17:38):
Speaking of?
Speaker 1 (17:39):
Speaking of which is there is there a person, you know, coach, celebrity, musician, whatever,
that you've admired that you would love to have a
chance meeting with, Oh man, like a running and listen
male the female, Like just just someone You're like, wow,
that would be a good person to just kind of
(18:00):
run into them and ask them this question.
Speaker 3 (18:02):
There's a lot of people like that some and they're
not necessarily the people that you probably would think, you know,
there are I'd love you know, I've never had that
kind of contact or conversation with Bill Belichick. I'd love
to sit there just because of the sustained success, Like
I'd love to, you know, pick his brain on some
of that George W. Bush, I want to know what
(18:24):
it was like that night as nine to eleven was
happening that day, that, you know, like more than just
like I want the off the record conversation, Like what
was going through your mind? Is you try to gather
intel and figure out exactly what's happening in this country
that you're running right now.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
There's the most powerful nation in the world and we're
under attack.
Speaker 3 (18:39):
Those kinds of things I would I would love to
sit down and have a conversation with him about that.
I briefly got to talk to him when they came
out to service Turkey for Thanksgiving. It was you know,
it's like a thirty second conversation, you know, but I
would love to have it an in depth conversation with
him on that.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
I think a lot of people that are tied to historical.
Speaker 3 (18:59):
Events, those kinds of things, I would love to have
those kind of conversations, uh.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
With that that you know, yeah, I just talked about you.
Speaker 3 (19:05):
I'd love to sit down with Barack Obama ask what
it was like to be the first African American president
and if he felt more pressure because of that. You know,
like there's there's a lot of things that I would
just love to know, just to know them, and those
kinds of people to ask those questions for me, is
Dennis Robin?
Speaker 2 (19:17):
Oh my god, all of the questions?
Speaker 3 (19:20):
Yes, I am all of the question because now would
you fumble the back with Carve?
Speaker 2 (19:25):
I'm just kidding, listen, listen.
Speaker 1 (19:26):
I mean that that could be one of those questions
to ask Dennis Robin because he's lived a life worth living, right,
both pro con controversial, whatever you want to call it,
Dennis Robmin has definitely lived it. And to get the
stories from his side of it? What is it like
(19:48):
being Dennis Robin? What was it like being Dennis Robin
and you dated common electure you were linked to? Yes?
What was that like? What was that initial of conversa?
Speaker 3 (19:58):
Basically the same thing but also with yes like like
like Steven Tyler would be another like what is it like?
Speaker 1 (20:07):
We hear stories about what it's like to be a
rock star? Right, what was it like to be the
least saying of Erismith? Yeah? Okay?
Speaker 3 (20:14):
In that regard that, I think you'd have to you'd
have to go with David Lee Roth. You know, you'd
want to have like you'd want to know those kind
of stories and stuff. They not just for the Selation's stuff,
but I mean just what it's like to be at
at the pinnacle of the you know, in that kind
of and have the world at your fingertips kind of.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
Kind of thing.
Speaker 4 (20:30):
There.
Speaker 3 (20:31):
There's a lot of people I think I'd love to
you know, and Nelson med Dallas somebody I would have
loved to have had, you know, different like what it
was like going through all that. There's a lot of
historical figures obviously, but you're talking to I think about
just people that are alive right now.
Speaker 1 (20:43):
I mean, I mean, yeah, the idea people are alive,
but even people who were gone like Muhammad Ali would
be definitely one of those guys. Oh yeah, because think
about what life was like then for African American athletes
and to know that that the idea of him not
(21:03):
going to the draft and then having his career somewhat
wiped off the face of the map and only for
him to recover that WHOA, how difficult was it for
you as an athlete living your life in that time?
Speaker 3 (21:20):
And eraror And it's so funny when people talk about
a lead because you know, usually the words brash or
arrogant come up, and I'm like, man, I don't know
that I could call somebody a arrogant to back it
up at every turn. Yeah, you know, the difference between
confidence and cockiness is the ability to back it up, right,
And so like for me like that, like I always
use the adjective confident for him rather than than arrogant,
(21:42):
because I'm like, he backed everything up, whether you agreed
with every position that he took or not, he backed
it up. And it's tough for me to sit there.
And because I feel like arrogant in that regard is
a bit of a pejorative.
Speaker 1 (21:55):
Well, yeah it is. And I think there is a
thin line between love and hate. Well no, not loving hate,
but just when you think about arrogance and confidence, right,
and when I think about, let me say, Mike Tyson,
(22:16):
Yeah right, that that was the guy who was very intimidating.
But to know who Mike Tyson is and knowing as
though it was almost like a build up persona to
protect himself based on where he grew up, but knowing
as though he was a chill, chill guy, but he
had to live that life and be that type of
aggressive And it's just like Okay, Well, was that a
(22:37):
cockiness that he had or was that just an extreme
level of confidence? Muhammad Ali was kind of the same way.
And I think as an athlete or more or less
been on any profession that you have, sometimes you have
to have that right Well, I.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
Talk about all the time.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
I call it the coaching arrogance because there, you know,
we talk about coaches being arrogant sometimes, but you have
to have that belief in self because nobody going to
have that belief for you, right you know. So, I
mean there is a sort of there is a sort
of arrogance that comes with it. I don't know if
arrogance is the right word again because of the pejorative,
but I do believe that there is a necessity to
have that belief in self because if you don't, why
(23:14):
would I believe in you?
Speaker 2 (23:15):
If you're especially if you're in a leadership position. If
you don't believe in you, why should I believe in you?
Speaker 1 (23:19):
No. Once again, some of the most talented people in
this world in sports and business, they have that type
of attitude and that is the thing that gets them
over the top. Because I'm sure those individuals have moments
(23:39):
of weakness when they feel as that they're not at
their best, but they lean on that confidence and you
can call it arrogance, but it's something to kind of
hit them over the top. And once again, when I
if I were to look at the Denver Broncos right now,
I know we're talking about it before, would you say
that they had that type of confidence, that type of
(24:01):
arrogance or swagger.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
I don't know if they have it yet. I bet
if they beat Baltimore they will.
Speaker 3 (24:07):
I feel like they have a confidence in themselves, but
I don't feel like it's an over the top manifestation.
I don't feel like they're outward with it at this point.
You know, I feel like maybe they have that confidence,
but it's reserved to that locker room. We haven't seen
anybody making comments publicly that would put them out there,
as Eric for instance, you when you juxtapose them with
what's going on in Boulder, like with Coach Prime. Coach
(24:28):
Prime Is has had that arrogance from the get go,
and he's but now they're at the point where people
are buying in and believing it because of the wins.
The wins are starting to follow. And once once you
back that up, then people start to buy into that.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
That's what buy in is.
Speaker 1 (24:43):
Yeah, that's that's a huge part of the buy in.
But once again, it starts with having a marquee signature
win that gets you to that point where you feel
that sense of confidence. It's not something that you think,
it is something that you now know. And when Stephen
(25:05):
was joining us, it was something that I asked him
off air about having that certain level of confidence with
those teams that he was a part of when they
went on those Super Bowls, but more or less before
they even got to that point, right, having that confidence
to say, well, here's where we are capable of as
a team, Here's where we are capable of as individuals. Now,
(25:28):
we've seen this from the Broncos defense. We haven't really
seen that consistently from the Broncos offense. But this is
why I have a lot of optimism because if they're
able to do that, it changes a lot around here
for the Denver Broncos. Well.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
Speaking of arrogance, you know, Aaron Rodgers has never been
accused of being humble, but he's largely backed it up
over the course of his career. Thursday Night Football, you've
got the Jets, the Texans. The Jets are was I
think two and six and six and two. I think
of these teams six and two, Houston, two and six Jets.
The Jets are at home. They're favored in this one
by one and a half. You know, as you look
(26:03):
at this, do you how do you feel? I think
the Jets are going to take this one against a
Houston team. It's missing it's probably two best receivers. Now,
how do you look at this and do you think
that Aaron Rodgers is falling off or he's just getting
readjusted to what it is that they're doing now with
a new OC.
Speaker 1 (26:22):
I think it's more or less of Aaron tapering it
off a little, and you can see it, and most
people blame it on the injury and the recovery it is,
But when you look at some of the passes, the
anticipation that we're so used to seeing Aaron throw with,
we're not really seeing it. And then you can blame
it on the receivers and say, well, maybe they're not
(26:42):
playing well enough, and I'm going to say, no, it
is not the receivers. It's a little of Aaron not
doing what Aaron needs to do. That that becomes somewhat
of a problem for the Jets, but they have an
opportunity against the Texas to try to get themselves back
(27:03):
in the win column.
Speaker 3 (27:05):
Five sixty sixty nine zero is the text line. As
I look at this game, I do feel like it
plays into the Jets hands. Yets are at home, they're
getting healthier. But the one thing that I do find
interesting they trained for DeVante Adams as though that was
the missing piece, and I don't necessarily view that, and
you know, his short stint there so far has not
borne that out.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
I felt like that, and I said at the time
when they traded for.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
Adams, you know, good for them, but it feels like
you're installing a radio on the Titanic. Yeah, it's it's
you know, it's it's definitely added. You know, the symphony
doesn't have to play anymore. But that's not really the
problem and what's going on here?
Speaker 1 (27:38):
No, it's no, it's not. And once again, it just
goes back to, you know, the level of team focus
that one needs to have and in order to do that,
so all those things are in play and must be
of a certain level of of emport. I think that
(28:03):
once again when I start to kind of think about
the Broncos because of where they started, where they are
right now, and potentially where they can get to. This
is a pivotal week for them. If they can get
over this first game, it changes. And when I say
(28:24):
first game, the first game of this tough three game
road stretch, it sets them up.
Speaker 3 (28:29):
Perfectly the avalanche theory right now, what were the confidence
for one? And it just the avalanche becomes bigger as
the snow goes down the mountain.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
Yeah, it is definitely a snowball effect. And because the
defense has been playing well, you get that offense consistently
playing together, getting into someone of a rhythm. Man, it's
just for me, it's just like kind of lookout and
it's kind of unexpected for the team to be where
they are right now, but it would be amazing if
(28:58):
they can continue this train on the tracks.
Speaker 3 (29:03):
Yeah, and we need to see more of we need
to see more of the offense being consistent as far
as that kind of stuff goes five six, six down Zeros.
The text line Brian wants is to find the drop
of Mike Tyson Santa broke my back. I'll have to
see a Zach's got that one back there somewhere with.
Speaker 2 (29:18):
The Texans and the Jets, though, I mean if the
Jets lose, that.
Speaker 3 (29:21):
Pretty much eliminates them. I mean, you're talking about two
and six football team. It's already hanging on by a thread.
They lose this game against the Texans, you go to
two and seven. All practical purposes, you're pretty much eliminated
from playoff contention, which the Jets have pushed all in
on for Aaron Rodgers. This coaching staff has already had
its replacement at the top, Robert Sella, who I don't
believe was the problem, but was replaced.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
Where do the Jets do they blow it up if
they lose this game? Do you have to consider it?
Speaker 1 (29:46):
Because the experiment that you thought was going to pay
dividends hasn't really paid dividends. Because the idea was that
with the defense that the Jets have in the running game,
you only one player away, and you needed a quarterback.
Zach Wilson was their former first round draft pick, and
they didn't figure that Zach was coming along as swiftly
(30:11):
as they thought. So let's go get a veteran quarterback
who has experience, who's been an MVP. You put him
in the mix. Now that changes the trajectory of the
Jets offense. And then, like you mentioned, so Robert sala
is fired. All right, Well maybe Robi Salad was a problem.
That's where you are essentially saying by that move. So
(30:33):
what else do you need? Well, you need reliable wide
receivers who the quarterback is comfortable with. You go get
that guy, and you still still lose it. Now, at
the same time, you look in the mirror and you
have to look at yourself the Jets organization to say, well,
maybe it's not them, maybe it's me.
Speaker 3 (30:50):
They still are a team that can be run on.
They still are a team that is largely unisciplined in
terms of how many penalties they take every game, and
those issues it abated. You can blame Robert solid for
that the scheme, but I mean, at the end of
the day, like firing him didn't change either one of
those things.
Speaker 1 (31:08):
Well, yeah, that is that is obvious. It is it's
Aaron Rodgers, and it's unfortunate that we are seeing Aaron
in this particular way. And what I like in it too,
is like you know a boxer who's totally past their prime,
and I think for Aaron, this is going back to
(31:29):
the conversation of confidence versus arrogance, right is arrogance is
having him to believe that there's still things that he
can do. And I can tell you, as an athlete,
mentally you think that you can, well you have to.
You have to have you have to because it's part
of it. But your body presents limitations and it lets
(31:50):
you know that you know what, I see the ten yards,
I want to get there. Mentally I can run there,
but al allow us.
Speaker 3 (32:01):
To get your legs in your brain having a different conversations,
a different conversation. I learned that at a much earlier age,
I think than guys like you or Steve, you know,
who had the professional careers, where like I knew what
I wanted to do, but my body was like, I mean,
my mind was telling me yes, but my body, my
body was telling me no.
Speaker 1 (32:19):
No.
Speaker 2 (32:20):
To misquote R. Kelly didn't know we were going to
get that one in tonight on the.
Speaker 1 (32:25):
Wherever and slide that one in. But yeah, man, that's
a that's a difficult part of getting to the end
and realizing that what you want to do you can't do, and.
Speaker 2 (32:40):
Just kind of seeing we saw with Peyton Manning.
Speaker 1 (32:43):
I'm telling me that is very difficult to set see
the end of the row closer than you anticipated see
it coming, but can't really do anything. It's a total
opposite of the hallway and Poltic guys, right, total opposite.
Speaker 2 (32:57):
You're running the.
Speaker 1 (32:58):
Hallways getting a longer, right, But in this case, no,
it's right there in front of your face.
Speaker 3 (33:02):
If you're Aaron Rodgers, and let's assume that he, even
though he's not vocalizing it, sees it. How do you
rally the troops to get through this season and try
to get to the promised Land.
Speaker 1 (33:11):
Well, the only thing you do at that point. You
may have a conversation with certain people that you know,
DeVante Adams being one of those guys, close guys, and
just kind of be realistic as far as where you are.
And then maybe there's some other guys on the team
you may say something too, and maybe you able to
rally the team in that particular way, speaking to just
(33:33):
small guys who have big voices, and then you make
it run because you think, okay, well this may be
the last run. Let's go out on a positive note.
But where the Jets are if they don't win tomorrow,
I mean on Thursday, then all of that won't happen.
Speaker 3 (33:49):
Jets, Texans, Thursday Night Football, Tomorrow night, Rocos Country Tonight
rolls on after this
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