August 3, 2026 • 46 mins
Max and Rob continue their Monday coverage discussing the latest from Latrobe and chat with Missi Matthews at the end of the hour.
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
This is live coverage op the twenty twenty six Steelers
Training Camp or the Steelers Audio Network, presented by bud Light,
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(00:49):
Pizza and Drafthouse.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
And welcome back in the locker room from Saint Vincent College.
And the trope went a little long in that first hour,
so thanks for being with us through the break and
into the second hour of the show. Looking up on
the field, see those people up there there gathering for
the Pat McAfee show. Yes, I didn't even know that.
How long is he on there? How long is he
on today?
Speaker 1 (01:09):
For?
Speaker 3 (01:09):
I think shows from twelve to three I think are
the three hour show. I don't know. I think there
are three hours, or there are a two hour show
live on ESPN, and they do another hour on the streamings.
Gotcha think that's what I think. That's how it's twelve
to two ESPN. Then the extra hour, the Power Hour
they call.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
It, and you and Missy Matthews who completes us, who
completes the broadcast team. Yeah, I'm now making a circle
with my hands for those of you listening on radio
can't actually see us, I'm making the complete circle sign.
Speaker 4 (01:41):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
So you guys interviewed Pat this morning.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Yeah, we interviewed Pat because Missy went to high school
with Pat and all those guys up there, Oh show
Diggs as well. Diggs was that plumb sign all plum
plumb Borough guys. So so yeah, those are all her
buddies from high school.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
So I was telling you during the break, uh, Wolfe
and I went to I think I think Wolf was
doing the games and he might That might have been
before he was the regular guy we started doing. We
started doing the high school broadcast for a year or
two with Kevin Gorman did a bunch of games. Mike
White from the Post Gazette would do some games for
(02:19):
us in the booth is the color guy, and then
we settled on, you know it. It started with us
as a celebration of communities and that sort of thing,
and then it quickly, well within a couple of years, morphed.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Into just let's do the football part of it, you know.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
And so we went from showing off communities and and
the high school bands and all the other stuff to
hey man, football of its own is of its own
merit on the high school level to draw attention in
in for viewers. So let's just concentrate on trying to
get the best games. So it wasn't the best games.
So that's why I wonder if it was maybe before
Wolfe was there in our booth those first.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Couple of years. I'd forgotten he wasn't there the first
couple of years.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Anyway, So we we picked Plumb and they were playing
Franklin Regional, and I wonder if Missy was on the cheer.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
Squad for that. I have to ask her that. Yeah,
I have to ask Missy if she was on the question?
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Was Missy on the on the cheer squad for the
Plumb team when we came they played Franklin Regional, who
was really good. Even though Franklin Regional was a smaller classification.
Franklin Regional totally worked him. But I was going out
in the field as I always did, and talked to
the coaches before the game. I never talked to the players, obviously,
you know, forty five minutes before kickoff, I'm not going
to talk to them. To the players, by the way,
(03:32):
obviously then can you imagine me. You imagine me rolling
down on on Accrescher Stadium forty five minutes before a
game and strolling up to Mike Tom, Hey, Mike, how's
it going?
Speaker 3 (03:41):
Everybody? Everybody healthy? What you do it out here? Is
this the actual roster? Yes? Exactly, kids, pronunciation correct.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
So but the high school coaches were all great, you
go down there and talk to him before the before
the game started.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
Well, Franklin Regional just crushed plumb.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
But remember and you know, I was familiar with the roster,
so I knew who was who. But when I saw
Pat Mack if he kick a ball, I was like,
whoa man? I mean, you know, like I said before,
you know, you go to some of these high schools
and the punters number sixty seven, and then the halftime show.
He's taking off his helmet and he's playing the trombone,
you know, with the rest of it. He's out there
(04:20):
in his uniform and the marching band, the little marching
man moving around, you know, and those punts are coming
out end over end. But he's got he's the kid
with the strongest leg and he boots a twenty seven
yarder and then you're watching Pat mc if you're like,
holy mackerel. And then I called a few of his
a few of his games when he was at West Virginia.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
Yeah too.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
So we would always do one or two West Virginia
football games a year on sports Net Pittsburgh. Then it
was then Roots Sports. So but I've never met Pat,
so wow, yeah, call some of his games.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
We never met him. Awesome guy. So what did you guys?
What did you guys chat about? We just got of
chatted about just just them coming back for another year.
This is year two that the show has been back here.
There's kind of the thoughts behind then also the pride
that you have with coming home, right, This is homecoming
for Pat McAfee, right, every time he comes here, because
he was a kid that unlike Eli Heydenreich, who always
(05:11):
had camp and everything. He was a kid that came
and watched games on the hill here and watched those legends.
He talked about his first picture. He thinks he was
trying to get autographs. He got a picture with Kevin
Green KG. Wow, you know, and so he has like
these fond memories. So kind of talking about that, then
we kind of talked about you know, so one of
the former guys you employed is now the head coach here.
(05:31):
Mike McCarthy was on your staff. You hired him a
year ago, was working on your show. So it's like,
so you come here and and even when we went
up there to go talk to Pat ahead of time
to figure out the timing, you know, Mike McCarty and
him are sitting in there. They're going through the script
and everything, and they're just busting each other's chops in there,
and it's all this just yinser accent in this room, right, oh,
(05:56):
which I'm sure unlike anywhere else in America, like to
have those to up here in La Trove and sounding
like locals who just happened to have like broken to
an office somewhere. Yeah. Uh, And these are professionals at
the tops of their game. One's the head coach of
the Pittsburgh Steels, the other one has one of the
top shows on all of sports. And they're both Burger boys,
(06:17):
you know what I'm saying. They're both from the burg area,
and so it's just it was really cool to kind
of see that. So we kind of talked about that,
highlighted that the passion of the town. And then this
is kind of what his expectations where he's looking forward
to with practice, coming back here another year, and you
know how it feels about the quote unquote pilgrimage. Yeah,
what did he say? All Right, just I don't want
(06:38):
to give it all away because we don't want to
get away. It's going to be on all the Steelers
socials and we posted a little bit later today, but
it was just it was pride and and you know,
and only how Pat can do it. So, you know
how normally when you set up for a remote shoot,
you have your microphone and you plug it into your shirt,
you put it on a lapel pin or something. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
(06:58):
what is pack up? No, I'm gonna hold it, he
goes tiny microphone series.
Speaker 5 (07:03):
Really he's holding the He's why because that's Pat, right,
this is the most Pat McAfee thing to do, right,
because he has a black T shirt and it looks
weird with the black microphone up there and having to
run it up his shirt.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
So I'm just gonna hold it and there just kind
of just kind of tuck the uh, the the mic
pack on the side and he's just holding it, talking
as though it's like a stick mic.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
It is hilarious. That is hilarious. So that's uh. I
wouldn't have expected anybody to do that.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
Yeah, but especially with Pat mckett. Right, Yeah, that's exactly right.
That's a good goal. So yeah. So but but it
was a great and we had about five to seven
minutes with him and just amazing guy. I mean, I
love Pat. I've known Pat, I mean played against him,
and just just an awesome guy. So good to have
him up here. And like you said, him and the
(07:49):
rest of the crew, they're all up on set there
behind that tree that you so expertly pointed out that
I did not know until you said it. They're there
on the baseball field this year, whereas they were in
the crowd over here over the remember that year ago.
But because of the way it was situated, because it
set so large the you know, there was a fear
for fans and safety because it's like the sheer drop
(08:11):
off down the hill, and then you got the fencing
there and so people were kind of like, you know,
corraling a little bit too much, whereas here on the
field you have a lot more space you can kind
of fence off what you want. And also a year
ago they couldn't get the same amount of power to
the field because the show takes the set takes a
lot of a lot of electricity interesting to run it,
so they couldn't get it. But now they have it.
(08:32):
This year, they actually got a cart over there on
the far side where they have the big generator portables
and it looks I mean, it looks like a game
day setup, like underneath the stadium where you have like
all the trucks lined up and you have all these
kind of trailer r V style semi truck rigs. They
got one over there to run the power. So better
set up this year.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
Yeah, they knew, they knew, they knew a guy, yeah,
namely the head coach.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
That would help.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Yeah, it is a much better location. Although they can't see.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
The practice as yeah, because you're kind of looking at
field three, right, But they were able to also put
their cameras down on the field. I was amazed at
how big the set was, the traveling set that sets
as humongous. Yeah, that sets humongous. I went on it
last year and I was like, man, I mean they
literally have you know, about the size of a very
(09:24):
nice studio apartment, I would say, on that set. And
you know, because I think they have what six guys
that rotate that are on that are on the show
together that they kind of go back and forth with
I think three or four inside the main studio part
and then usually the guys who are in the booth
or production room they have their own camera, but on
(09:46):
a remote sets, they're actually on the set too with them.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
You know. And let me also say one thing that
and again I've never met Pat, even though I've called
some of his games, but I was really blown away
by the story. Got the massive contract and he gave
his core staff members backpacks, and into backpacks were two
hundred and fifty thousand dollars cash. That is taking care
(10:14):
of your people, Hey, keep the main thing, the main thing.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
I mean and he knows that he didn't get there
by himself. He comes from team sport backgrounds, so he
understands what a team is and everybody. There's no greater
person than the team. There's always a leader, but there's
no greater person in a team when you have to
depend on everybody. Everybody's depend upon each other's success. So yeah, hey, hey,
help the boys out. Listen, I get a raised, We
(10:38):
all get a raised. I was thinking of buying your sandwich, MA,
I mean, listen, but you know you could give me
one of those sticken wings you have sitting over here,
all your sharing his caringreak during.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Your break, it's all yours, which we're running up to
closely a break as we're continuing to look at this
Pittsburgh Seithers team and a few more questions about about
where the team sits now x amount of days in
when you start turning the corner from individual drills to
(11:08):
game preparation. The first game coming up is against the
Green Bay Packers, and of course for Aaron Rodgers, I
doubty steps on the field. Didn't step on the field
in preseason camp last year. Not going to be an
important day probably for TJ. Watter or Cameron.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
Right now. He's now assended as well.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
It is going to be a hugely important day for
a lot of guys, So we're gonna talk a little
bit about that and where the team sits in camp
as we continue on in the locker room from Saint
Vincent College here on the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
This is live coverage up twenty twenty six Steelers Training
Camp or the Steelers Audio Network, presented by bud Light,
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Speaker 2 (12:26):
Yeah, and welcome back in the locker room here at
Saint Vincent College in Latrobe. And we're talking about so
when do you I'm sure you're driving in here? Are
you excited when you're driving in here? Are you a
little bit like, oh man, the family's leaving and are
(12:47):
you Are you excited? Kind of from the jump when
you get into camp. I ease into the excitement level.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
I kind of ease in because I think for me,
it's more than just the drive, right, I got a
fly crail across country, So it's not like like yesterday
was an off day, right, and you get to you know,
you got to spend time at home right with your wife, yes,
you know, and kind of clean up around the house.
You know, luckily I drove five and a half. Oh yeah, no,
(13:15):
no date. But I'm just saying, like it it's something
that you have to ease into it, even when you're
an older guy, because you got kids, you got other responsibilities.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
I wonder about your wife.
Speaker 3 (13:28):
You know, your wife is still going to call you
about stuff, and you kind of have to be like, hun,
I can't worry about, you know, a leaky faucet, like
you got to call the repair guy, Like I can't
call him. I'm at camp and I got meetings type
of deal. But life still goes on around you even
though while you're up here, and your family does a
really good job of kind of mitigating that because they
(13:49):
know what the priority is. But there is a little bit,
especially when you're older and you have kids, because you
want to spend that time with your little ones. And
you see the guys after practice that are in the
far ends and they and they and they're holding their kids,
they're bringing them on the I mean, heck, we saw
the Brisker family reunion. Yes, you know last time we
were out here there. Yeah, exactly, ye A bit more,
yeah exactly, but but yeah, because you know, we are
(14:13):
we are pack animals, right, And when you have your
pack and you have your group, it's tough to leave
that group. And even though you have another group that
you're going to join up here, your teammates, it's still
a little different and you still kind of have to
ease yourself into it because you're separating from what you've
known for the last three months to now going into
(14:33):
your season mode or you know, in this preparation mode
for what the season is going to entail.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
And everybody, I'm sure is different. You know, some people
some if you're a youngster, you're probably you just can't
wait to get there. You can't wait for that first
twenty three year old Max was on pins and needles
and couldn't wait to be here.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
I was here. I was staying in Greensburg at my
aunt's house three days before I had to report to camp. Yeah,
because I couldn't wait to get here, right, you're pawing
at the ground. Yeah, but year eight, Max, you know,
when my youngest child is born and I got a
little baby at home, You're like, man, I'd love to
be home. But then, of course you also don't want
to wake up in the middle of the night and
have to change a diaper.
Speaker 2 (15:13):
Yeah, like one in the morning with one eye open.
And you know, babies are a little bit babies change things, right,
and and and a lot of the players have young kids.
Your Christian Koons has got a it's a one year
old or a very young one. So you know there
are other players have these have the young kid. If
you see like you said, you see the players and
you're walking on the field and they got their kids
or their wives bring the kids out on the on
(15:35):
the field to them, you know, I would say like
for me personally, I can just say, like when I'm
with my wife hanging out in the morning, when I
have in coffee, I'm like, this is the greatest. And
then I'll hop in the car and I'll go play golf.
And I'm playing golf and I'm like, this is the greatest,
you know, yeah, and then I'll go into work that
and night I'm like, this is the greatest. But it
takes a little you know, you don't want to leave
your wife to go play golf. You don't want to
leave your the golf course to go to go to work.
But they're all good things, right, They're all good. They're
(15:57):
all great things. You leave your family, that's a great thing.
You come out here, you hang out with your teammates,
that's a great thing too.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
Yeah, and you're gonna miss something, right, you can't have
it all. And so you know, like I said, there's
a little slow play process, a slow build, a slow
rise into it. But once you're in it, you're like, man,
this is awesome. Yeah. Yeah, it's like it's like it's
almost like, you know, you have to be you have
to be in the moment to appreciate it versus the anticipation.
(16:25):
Whereas young and you have less responsibilities or less commitments,
it's you can anticipate a lot more about what you're
looking forward.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
To, you know, and I think the human condition can't
be ignored in all this. So for years I wondered,
So you go on vacation, and I would go on,
Let's say I went on a ten day vacation in
the summer, right the first that for me for the
last twenty six years of my life has been pirate season, right, yeah,
(16:55):
And it's also vacation season. That's when you go on vacation.
So you go on vacation, and the first few days
you're like, what's going on in the prit You still
want to know, it's hard to unplug.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
And then it's really a seven day vacation, right it is.
And then at the end of.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
That vacation you start thinking about getting back. I got
to mow the lawn, and I got And I always wondered,
does that mean ten days is the natural course of things?
And how long I should be taking on vacation or
if I had a month long vacation, would those last
few days be consumed with those same thoughts. I gotta
get back, I got to mow the lawn, I gotta
(17:30):
you know, I gotta b reinstitute my mail delivery, whatever
you have to do. So I think it's more the
latter than the former, which makes me wonder is camp
timed perfectly so that by the end of I think
everybody agrees, by the end of camp, you cannot wait
to get out of camp? Right, yes, Now, would you
still feel that way if camp was a week longer
(17:52):
or a week shorter, I think you probably would. You're
just conditioned to know it's time to go. Or is
it a more natural thing like spring and summer and
the camp should be three weeks.
Speaker 3 (18:02):
And that's it. I think this is the perfect amount
of camp, Okay, right, I think that's what it is,
because it's just enough to where you're not thinking about
the family. And then when you start to think about
the family, they have family Day, right, yeah, here at camp,
right yep? And then yeah, and then you do have
the opportunities where after practice you get about a twenty
(18:24):
minute window to see them as long as they're here locally, right.
I Mean that's the other thing because a lot of guys,
you know, they might live elsewhere, the guys who are
free agents, right, you know, outside of Jakuan Brisker who's
from here.
Speaker 4 (18:36):
Right.
Speaker 3 (18:37):
But if you are a Ray Shawn Jenkins and you
have kids, right, and you just got signed by saying
your family doesn't live here, like they're gonna come here
at some point because you think you're gonna make it.
And there is that day on the schedule where you
want to have them there, but they don't live here.
They can't come to practice every day, right, So there's
a little bit like you're gonna be missing them, right
(18:58):
and you're gonna wonder what are they doing and when
are they gonna come? And I think that's what I
would say that it's it's just enough of camp that
you don't feel too much to where you forget about it,
but you also know there's a necessity to it. You
have to be able to get away. You have to
be vulnerable to your teammates and open to them to
(19:20):
create bonds. So there's a certain process that that has
to be. I have to be away at sleep away
camp so many days, so I'm not missing my parents
right right. Yes, as a young person and as and
as a football player, I have to be able to
detach from my other titles, which is dad, husband, son, brother,
(19:41):
whatever that is, and become football player, become the number
that's on the jersey I represent, right, and then focus
on the name played afterwards, and that's where this process,
that's why you see no names on the back of
these jerseys, right because you're a number right now and
you're getting to that plaqua. You're getting to putting a
single Steeler's logo on the side of your helmet because
(20:02):
at the preseason you don't get it all the time, right.
You have to earn those things, and so this is
a certain process where you have to detach yourself in
order to get into that process. And so this camp,
you know, is twenty one practices up here, twenty one days.
Twenty one days of practice. I think it's like twenty
five days when it's all said and done, because there's
(20:22):
that every seventh off day, whatever the type of deal.
So it ends up becoming like twenty five days. But
those twenty one practices done up here is a way
to separate, and a lot of teams don't do that.
The other think. A lot of teams go to the
training facility and then they go back home and then
they come back to practice the next day, so it
feels like in season in the preseason, but you lose
opportunities to grow as a team because there's not the
(20:45):
forced dorm rooms where you're sharing a bathroom with another
person or three other people, depending on if you're in
a two by two situation or a one by one
or two by one. So you know, that forces friendships,
that forces a chemistry and a bond good, better and different.
It forces that. It accelerates that process that would normally
(21:07):
take months. You're getting in a matter of weeks because
you're around each other twenty four to seven. You're bored
in your dorm rooms. Okay, well, I know such and
such as an Xbox. I feel like play an Xbox. Right,
we go in there and just you start gathering a man, Hey,
these guys play cars, these guys play Uno. These guys
play board games. Right, they have the board game sitting
(21:27):
under the ten outside of there for guys to commune
with each other, play some connect for play, some chess,
play some monopoly because there's nothing else to do up here, right, right,
and so, which is why you're here, Which is why
you're here, Like, I need to get to know these guys. Listen,
if I'm if I'm a bleed and sweat, cry and
laugh on the field of battle with you, man, I
(21:49):
better know something about you. I better at least know
your mom's first name or your dad's first name and
how many kids you got, right, right, No, I don't
need to know your favorite color or you know or
you know what's your what's your what's your what your
zodiac sign is. But I need to know some other
pertinent stuff so it becomes personal and I'm not just
calling you by your first name. Like when I first
walked in the locker room my rookie year after I
(22:12):
got drafted for mini camps, I'm trying to find my
locker and I literally ran into Jerome Bettis. I said, oh, sorry,
mister Bettis. He's like, it's like, mister Bettis is my father,
call me jb call me Bussy whatever, just don't call
me mister, right, and you figure that out. And then
by the end of training camp, Bussy, what's up? Man?
Speaker 2 (22:31):
Hey?
Speaker 3 (22:31):
When we going bowling, We've gone bowling together and done
all these other type of events. And I think that's
what matters in this process. You have to get personable
with these guys, yes, and you have to create the
relationships because for the next four months, it's every day.
I mean, my wife would my wife would often joke
(22:52):
like man, I was like, you spend more time with
the guys that you do with me, and I'm your wife.
What kind of has to be for this profession? You know,
we're gonna been eight plus hours at the facility together
and you know, I'm only coming home for dinner and
then we're sleeping next to each other. But that's about it. Yes,
you know, for the next couple of months, and yes
I'll get a day a Tuesday off here, or you know,
a bye week here. But for the most part, yeah,
(23:14):
I've got to be closer to these guys then you.
And then in the spring and in the early summer,
that's when we get to reconnect and that's where we
get to really be a couple. Right But for the
rest of it, my new family, my extended family, is
the priority right now in this.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
In this profession, Well, people don't realize the hours that
players put in and how long those days are. So
I just know that in the in the occasions that
I've you know, moved to a new city and started
a new job, and you know, and probably the first
three months you might as well live by yourself because
you're spending all your time at work and you're figuring
(23:49):
out you know, what is human resources want out here?
You got to navigate your job, but it's so much
more than that, and there's so much stuff going around it,
and you're putting in longer hours to speed up the
act of process. But for football players, that's the entire
season never slows down.
Speaker 3 (24:04):
Twelve hours a day, every day, it feels like. And
then on your off days you're still getting together, you're
still doing rehab, you're still getting your lifts in, you're
watching film or you're getting your film. Now now it's
a lot easier to get those things. You don't physically
have to be at the facility as much. I'd say
you could cut off maybe four hours out of that
work week because now everything gets pushed to your iPad
or your device. Right. But back when I first came,
(24:27):
it was VHS tapes and you had to go into
the video department and ask them specifically. Then they had
to dub it for you and then give it to you.
You know. So that's just a process in and of itself,
and so by the end of it, you're like, man,
I might as well just stay here and watch this
extra film. So you're getting the facility around six am
in the morning, you know, six thirty in the morning,
(24:48):
and you're not leaving till five thirty six, sometimes seven o'clock,
I mean, heck at one point and going to eat.
Then then you got to go to bed and go
to bed and then sometimes I mean we were so
close as a team. We we played cards and we
would designate a wife or a significant other to bring
food dinner to the facility because we were playing cards
in the in the in the lounge.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
Yeah, I think that's that closeness. And you know, people
forget when when you know, say and Aaron Rodgers, I
think was gathering people over this house on Thursday night
or whatever last year. Yeah, and that's a great, wonderful
team bonding thing. But that comes with the sacrifice of Okay, honey,
(25:30):
I'm off on Thursday night. Wait what you know, Yeah,
another night, another night, you're not gonna be home.
Speaker 3 (25:36):
Well, And Thursday night was was our was our massage
night where we had the massuses come in. And so
Thursday night, my wife knew I was going to James
Ferrier's house because we had a massouse coming in from
New York that did that did acupunctures from New York, Yeah,
because because she was a different world. Yeah, she was
with him at the jets and he was like, no,
(25:58):
I gotta have and then it was like, hey, well
you know I'm going to do this. Do you guys
want to come? So they would come too, and all
of a sudden we got twenty guys sitting at Potzy's house.
And that was just the Thursday night. You sat, you
wait your turn to go see the massuse. And then
after that I would then drive to Charlie Batch's house.
So I drive from a waterfront where Potsy lived, all
(26:19):
the way up to Wexford where Charlie lived, and then
he had his mesuse from the Detroit Lions, who was
more Thai physical manipulation stretching with the massage. So I
would go get both sessions done on Thursday.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
And macaroni cheese, well I mean mac and cheese, listen.
Speaker 3 (26:38):
And her colla greens are just as delicious. So yeah,
so you know, so Tash would be there and she'd
have food there because you have about ten guys that
would go up there to see Sandy, and then you
know we'd see Lisa over over at Potse's house. And
that was my rotation for nine years, and it was
crazy because one year, so actually I take the back
Lisa was eight years and Sandy was nine years because
(26:59):
one year Lisa got pulled from us for you know,
we obviously weren't as cool as Mariah Carey. She went
on tour with Maria Carrey, so Mariah Carey took her
from us. But that was that was one year. That
was one year, and then she came back around and
realized that this was this was the more fun and
it was more lucrative. But I mean, you get to
go into it. Maria Carrey, you're gonna go ma, You're
(27:19):
not gonna sit around a bunch of lugheads like us,
you know, every Thursday night. But but yeah, but that
was like the routine. And so and then that Thursday
before I got to those, it was O line film
watching night, So we designated teammates house. We'd rather be
at Chris's house, Hartwig's house, and I would rent the
projector and we would go through all the situations. We
(27:42):
have running backs come over, we have tight ends come over,
and then all of a sudden it became everybody else
because our offensive line was was a pretty fun.
Speaker 2 (27:50):
Crew that's fun, guys.
Speaker 3 (27:52):
Yeah, But I mean it was literally like Thursday nights
was just that night that my wife knew she's not
gonna see me. She was like, okay, you're like, you'll
be bet at sometime like one in the morning. But
then you're getting up at sixty get to the facility
for fast Fridays Friday. That's being young. Yeah, but we
also got out early. We got out by one o'clock
on Friday, Okay, and the Hayes in the barn of
(28:12):
that point, I'm not staying after watching film on Friday
like I did that Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday watching all
the film.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
I practice on Friday, the walk through on Saturday.
Speaker 3 (28:21):
Yeah, and I could get on the plane or head
to the hotel that night, whichever one it was. So,
you know, my wife just knew Thursday, I'm not going
to see him. Monday night, I'm not going to see
him Tuesday. He's home during the day somewhat, but my
wife worked, so it was like, okay, well he's gonna
be in charge of figuring out what we're gonna have
for dinner. So that was my one day a week
We're to figure it out and then you just rinse
(28:41):
and repeat until the season's over.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
So today was the first day that the players were
putting pads on and they were collisions right, Yes, So
I was fascinated to watch rookie right tackle Maxahona Chore
going against Jack Sawyer and going against t J.
Speaker 3 (28:56):
Watt.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
So forgetting Jack Sawyer for a moment, you're Maxahonachard at
the beginning of your career.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
You're TJ.
Speaker 2 (29:03):
Watt at a different point in your career.
Speaker 3 (29:05):
In years end.
Speaker 2 (29:06):
What are these guys after in training camp?
Speaker 3 (29:09):
Because I don't think.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
They're quite after the same thing. Luckily, I have somebody
sitting to my right who's been on both ends of
that spectrum, and he's going to answer that question for
you when we continue in the locker room.
Speaker 3 (29:20):
Here on the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (29:26):
This is live coveragep DOT twenty twenty six Steelers Training
Camp or the Steelers Audio Network, presented by bud Light,
Easy to Drink, Easy to Enjoy, and brought to you
in part by Pennsylvania One Call Systems Dial eight one
one before You dig SNT Bank People Forward Banking by
(29:47):
Kalucy Chevrolet, serving the Pittsburgh area for over one hundred
and eight years, Clearview Federal Credit.
Speaker 3 (29:54):
Union for every touchdown the black and Gold score.
Speaker 1 (29:57):
In twenty twenty six, Clearview will don't the five hundred
dollars to the light of Life mission, they said, CLEARVIEWFCU
dot org and buy Iron Workers Local Union number three.
We don't go to the office, We build it.
Speaker 2 (30:14):
And welcome back in the locker room. And this, uh,
this room, this h up in the press box felt
a little like the locker room. We had ed troop
rolled in here. Yeah, West U of the rolled in
here with gifts chocolate chip cookies from the De Santas
family in Ohio. Right delicious, by the way, Missy Matthews,
who again, I'm gonna make the circle motion here. She
(30:36):
completes us.
Speaker 3 (30:37):
She cleeks our broadcast team. She completes the circle of trust. Hi, Missy, No,
she's saying Hi. She gonna come in and join us,
so real quick before Missy comes in here.
Speaker 2 (30:47):
You're a young player, right, uh, you're after one thing
in camp, right, I mean, and a veteran guys got
to be after something different. So what are guys are
the veteran guys just trying to get in shape and
hone themselves and look at after their skills. Are they
trying to test the younger guys? Are they the younger guys?
Are everything's to test?
Speaker 3 (31:05):
Right? Yeah? Everything is a test for the end. They
are constantly consuming new information. And you know you talk
about a young guy has to create his encyclopedia or
his book of players. So for just for illustration purposes,
Maxionatre versus t J. Watt? Right, what is I'm sorry? Right? Yeah?
(31:28):
What is TJ. Watt learning? And what is Maxionatre learning?
Maxianature is taking an information like this is what an
all pro pass rusher looks like? How does he line up?
What is like his what is his tendency? I'm taking
a snapshot of his stance, his hands. Okay, what does
(31:50):
he do? Is he a second step or third step guy?
Before he initiates a move? What's the move that he's
going for? How do I counter it? What am I
going to do to dictate to force him to do
something that I want him to do versus what he
wants to do. All that's going through his head. Fast forward.
I've now been in the league nine years. I'm going
(32:11):
into year ten. A'lla TJ. Watt. I've gone against hundreds
of tackles. At this point, I'm going which guy does
he remind me of that I already have in my rolodex, right,
because I have a deeper experience level, so I can
now put guys into styles. So now what style of
(32:33):
guy is he? And that's what I'm trying to figure out.
If I'm TJ. Watt, whereas Maxianachure, I'm gathering brand new knowledge.
I don't have a rolodex of guys. I haven't gone
against Miles Garrett, I haven't gone against you know, a
Cavon Thibodeaux. I haven't gone against a Brian Burns or
any of these other top pass rushers around the league.
(32:54):
I'm getting my first shot at a top fight pass
rusher on my team. The first day of pads sos
a lot different. It's empty. He has a lot of
chapters to write versus a volume to pull from, so
it's a They're both very different, but it's all knowledge gathering.
It's just how you collate and how you gather it.
(33:15):
One's looking at styles and saying I have something for
that style, and the other one's saying, I don't know
what it is, but I got to write it.
Speaker 2 (33:21):
All down, so completely switching gears now because that's something
I want to talk more about at length. You know,
when they have Hall of Fame plaques, like the Hall
of Fame plaques in Cooperstown, which of course my hometown.
Babe Ruth right, so it's George Herman, Babe Ruth and
Babe is in is in quotations. So when Melissa Matthews
gets her Hall of Fame plaque, it'll say Melissa, Missy
(33:46):
matt and the Missy you being quotes.
Speaker 3 (33:48):
Don't you think that's the way it's gonna go. I
definitely think it's that. It'll go from eminem to eminem
plus m. Yes.
Speaker 2 (33:53):
So I had a question, Missy, thank you for being
with us, Thanks for jumping in this feel the whole
rock cast group, right He was like, right now, So
this is what it feels like, Missy, to be up
in the climate controlled. You know it's not raining up here.
Speaker 3 (34:09):
It's yeah, I need to have in your pockets because
you don't have access to it.
Speaker 2 (34:14):
We could open up this window. It could be one
hundred and ten, it could be thirty two. We don't know.
Because we're in a nice air condition, comfort to the
booth while Missy's out there trumping around rain. It's like
the like the US Postal Service. Missy will deliver in
whatever weather.
Speaker 3 (34:27):
That's right.
Speaker 6 (34:28):
And I'm still wearing a sweatshirt because I just can't
gay to it.
Speaker 4 (34:31):
And then one of the ladies at the cafteria was like,
did he get a cold outside?
Speaker 6 (34:34):
I was like, no, I'm just committed at this point
and I just need to take a shower.
Speaker 3 (34:39):
Missy. I have a question for you.
Speaker 2 (34:40):
Were you on a dance tea because you were like
a professional dance team person.
Speaker 6 (34:46):
Right, I was on the dance team at Page.
Speaker 2 (34:48):
Okay, that's to me, a professional dance team person today,
in today's age, you would have gotten paid.
Speaker 3 (34:52):
For doing that, So you have a nil deal you ye?
Were you at Plumb High School? Yes?
Speaker 2 (34:59):
Okay, so we did a high school football game Franklin
Regional at Plumb, So you were on. Do you remember
that game being on? Because because we were the first,
we were the first station that actually started televising high
school football game, so when we would go they would
(35:19):
kind of blow it out and they'd be like marching
bands and all kinds of stuff, especially early. Well, I
know Pat McAfee was punting for the team. So were
you guys at Plumb at the same time.
Speaker 4 (35:30):
Yes, but I'm older than Pat, okay by a year.
Speaker 3 (35:35):
I'm older than Missy.
Speaker 4 (35:37):
Back Well, I'm three years older than my brother and
Pat's a year older than him.
Speaker 3 (35:44):
So it's okay, all right, So you might so if
it was his senior year, you would have been gone.
That would have been very cool.
Speaker 2 (35:52):
If you've been on that, if you've been on the
dance smer something. So when we first started telling Max,
when we first started doing high school football games, and
we didn't have Wolf on as a broadcaster yet, we'd
have Kevin Gorman would come on, Mike White, others would
come on and provide the color because it was more
about what do you know about the school and its
history and the marching band had come out, and you know,
(36:13):
it was just like a it was almost like a
mini celebration. The outcome of the game wasn't important to
uh to really at the beginning, to the people that
I think was then root sports. And we've been through
some name iterations over the years.
Speaker 3 (36:29):
It might you know, what a problem. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (36:33):
I only worked there, Missy, but I'm sure you're right, No,
I know, and I'm not trying to be facetious or sarcastic.
I'm sure you're right.
Speaker 6 (36:40):
I only because when I.
Speaker 3 (36:43):
Okay, so I don't miss the entering there there. And
when I came on the Stan Safron Show as a rookie,
it was f s.
Speaker 2 (36:49):
Cent and I remember Max Way. I remember I remember
Max coming into our UH into it. We had that story.
We talked about that last year when he and Ben
came in to do the show with Stan. I remember
what I told him was Ben walked in and I'm like,
that's a quarterback. I mean, you put that guy into
a weight program. He's two hundred and ninety pounds and
(37:10):
he's got his hand in the dirt, you know yet
and then Max walked in. I was like, WHOA, that's
most protecting me? Oh yeah, wow yeah.
Speaker 3 (37:21):
But yeah.
Speaker 2 (37:22):
So when I was calling UH hockey games HL hockey
games in Syracuse, I called them for two different companies.
Are company, which was WTVH and then they allowed me
to do them for the local cable company. And there
was a post to my left and the only thing
(37:42):
written on that post was which station I was on
that night.
Speaker 3 (37:45):
And I only called ten a year. I'd be like
you're watching Crunch Hockey on TVH.
Speaker 2 (37:51):
I'd looked if I left him whatever I had written there.
So I don't remember when it was around teleprompter, FSN
the Fox Sports Net to Root Sports or what order
they were in, but you were an intern and it
was f s N.
Speaker 6 (38:03):
But it was a Pittsburgh and St.
Speaker 3 (38:06):
Louis that's right.
Speaker 5 (38:07):
Oh gosh, yes, do you know those games as well?
Speaker 2 (38:14):
I remember doing both shows and that the names of
the shows were similar, and people said, you know, how
do you keep it straight? And I will admit that
I one time, so the Rams were still in Saint
Louis at the time, I one time on the air
said Rams quarterback Cordell Stewart. Nope, no, that's not that's
(38:36):
not correct. That's the only one I ever remember before
Adam Schefter. I'm sure I did other ones, but but
that is so missy missy intern for us. But I
thought that would have been another seven degrees of Kevin
Bacon because I know you were over there. It's this
started with the conversation that you were over there talking
(38:56):
to Pat McAfee. I told Mac, I saw that would
have been cool if you've been on the the the
the performance squad is called dance squad. Cheer squad would
be called the high school dance teamer cheers dance steamer.
Speaker 3 (39:09):
Okay because both of them marching mates. Yeah, you didn't
play an instrument.
Speaker 2 (39:16):
You were a yeah, you were an athletic.
Speaker 4 (39:19):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (39:20):
What are they cheer squad, cheer squad, dance squad, dance team,
dance team okay, dance ta.
Speaker 3 (39:25):
Yeah, dance team and cheer squad. Yeah, we're two different ones. Okay.
One had pomp poms, the other ones didn't.
Speaker 4 (39:31):
Right, so we had we had gold pomp poms. The
cheerleaders had blue pumps.
Speaker 3 (39:36):
Ah, okay, you mixed up. It was the problem a lot.
Speaker 2 (39:41):
Yeah, so there was a there was a was there
like a haughty relationship between the two.
Speaker 6 (39:47):
It depended on the gear and the girls.
Speaker 4 (39:49):
But ironically enough, one of my friends that I danced
with since I was three at Abby Lee's, she's the crazy.
Speaker 3 (39:57):
Oh yeah from Dance Moms. Oh wow. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (40:00):
We danced together forever and we both did not make
it through our high school year before we were like,
we're out and we were roommates. Actually it pit for
our entire year, but we were first in towers where
it was just the two of us, but she tried
out for cheerleading.
Speaker 6 (40:19):
I tried out for dance team. So we were never
you know, going back and forth. But you heard the drama.
Speaker 2 (40:26):
From our room.
Speaker 6 (40:28):
Knew everything.
Speaker 2 (40:29):
So I remember you tell me this dance mom's is
a Is that like a show or something?
Speaker 3 (40:33):
Yes? It is. Yeah, yeah, definitely watched that.
Speaker 6 (40:36):
So I don't know if we should add that to
the rob King Traveler.
Speaker 2 (40:42):
So yeah, I'm I'm very very slow to the party,
as you guys know when it comes to cultural events.
Let's just say that I had to figure out something
technical this morning and Bob Labriola was helping me out,
and Matt Williamson said, wait a minute, Bob's helping you
thought you got You've got problems many technological stuff, you know,
(41:05):
the the latest trends and stuff. But dance Moms.
Speaker 3 (41:09):
Okay, so not for me.
Speaker 6 (41:10):
No, okay, all right, google it and watch a quick trailer.
Speaker 3 (41:14):
All you need to do, ye is watch a clip.
Speaker 2 (41:16):
You're like, yep, this isn't so in case you're wondering,
this is the two other members of our broadcast team
calling me old.
Speaker 3 (41:23):
So just just you know, that's that's the quick translation.
What's going on? You're saving me? Okay, you're saving Okay,
yes it is not your cop. Okay, all right, all right, okay, yes,
I yes, I have my own cups of tea.
Speaker 2 (41:37):
But but when we were at when we were I
was telling Max that you know, when you go to
these high school games, we saw lots of great players.
I mean, look, I saw Drell Reeves, many many I
called many games from uh oh my god, Penhills, Aaron Donald,
Aaron Donald, Wow, Rob Aaron Donald. You know all these
(41:57):
great players that I called, But I don't ever remember
we're seeing anybody close to kicking the ball the way
Pat When he and I was down in the field,
I was like whoa.
Speaker 3 (42:08):
And then I then I called some.
Speaker 2 (42:09):
Of his games at I think maybe the last year
or two it West Virginia. We then we then picked
up some of the West Virginia broadcasts. I think, I
think I maybe got his junior and senior years, I think.
Speaker 3 (42:21):
But you know, he was just a.
Speaker 4 (42:22):
Soccer player who the high school city coach big to
only come to games.
Speaker 6 (42:27):
Right, yeah, which is like the crazy part.
Speaker 3 (42:29):
Right.
Speaker 2 (42:29):
So we had the story down and all that and
all the other stuff. But as I told Max, you know,
we would never talk to the players. We would always
I would. My contact was always with the coaches, you know,
Craig McConnell and other people who go out and talk
to the coaches, to the players.
Speaker 3 (42:45):
You know, because that was like it was like pit game.
Speaker 2 (42:48):
I mean it was Penguin's game, Penguins game, Penguins game,
high school football.
Speaker 3 (42:51):
Game, you know.
Speaker 2 (42:52):
So so you know, and I and you know, I
was getting ready for the play by play. So I
never talked to the players. So I've never actually met Pat,
but I just remember seeing that the impression he made
the first time when he kicked the ball, I'm like,
whoa man, I've never seen a high school kid kick
a ball.
Speaker 3 (43:06):
Like that as it was professional as a professional level
future kicker.
Speaker 6 (43:10):
I think Pat was on.
Speaker 4 (43:11):
At least one of the whippy Old championships for Plump
Soccer too.
Speaker 3 (43:14):
Oh, I wouldn't doubt it.
Speaker 6 (43:16):
I could be too. I can't.
Speaker 4 (43:18):
The years are all overlapping and you know, getting a
little fuzzy.
Speaker 6 (43:21):
But oh they were. They were a bad you know
what team.
Speaker 3 (43:26):
Yes, they were phenomenal. Yeah, And I'm trying to think
how many guys on his on his crew were went
to school with him. I know, you said Diggs, right, Digs.
Speaker 4 (43:37):
Anthony to Guilio, which I still call him Anthony because
his parents had called him his entire life.
Speaker 6 (43:42):
I mayby sat him and his little brother Michael, which
we called him little Michael, and I was like, hey,
how's little Michael, Like, yeah, he's a grown adult.
Speaker 3 (43:50):
Yeah, but your big sister though, you know what I'm saying,
You're your big sister to all these guys. So yeah,
and like he had the.
Speaker 6 (43:57):
Best house to his parents.
Speaker 4 (43:59):
We called it Paaradie Digs in their backyard, the coolest
cabana bar, tiki bar, pull like whole nine.
Speaker 6 (44:06):
Yards and they were like, there's still some of my
favorite people.
Speaker 4 (44:09):
Like I was sad his mom couldn't come up today, yeah,
because she had to do some work.
Speaker 6 (44:14):
But Nick Mouraldo, who he's more behind the scenes, but
he's on the show too.
Speaker 3 (44:19):
Okay, both were.
Speaker 4 (44:21):
At Plumb at the same time. I don't know if
Nick is Pat's age or Digs, but yeah, so those
two for sure.
Speaker 3 (44:28):
Yeah see so yeah, so when I said, I'm like,
was this is like a homecoming for the Pat McAfee show, Like,
I mean, this is that pilgrimage that they make back home,
because this is, like I said, they're they're yensers there,
they're from here. They grew up watching practice on this
set very hill. Yes, you know, as young kids. So
I mean, and it is. That's the coolest part about this,
(44:49):
right that you kind of have this full circle moment
where you know, he's doing punt passing kick in Hinsfield
and then you become the punter for the Cult and
you're punting in Heinsfield as a pro. Oh and now
you're able to bring your your highly successful television show
back here and have a set at Saint Vincent College's
pretty it's pretty dope.
Speaker 4 (45:10):
Well, I'm excited because I've missed a ton of it,
although they do kind of have like a PA system
over there so you can do some of it, and
the camp Off has had it on TV. But I
just want to go back and watch the interviews with
McCarthy and Aaron and I think DK was on with
Erin for a little bit.
Speaker 6 (45:24):
I know, I think Cam and TJ and Omar.
Speaker 3 (45:26):
Were going on.
Speaker 6 (45:27):
Heesel was on earlier.
Speaker 4 (45:28):
Yeah, they just extract things from their guests that are just.
Speaker 3 (45:32):
Yeah, you can't get anywhere else.
Speaker 6 (45:34):
Yes, and I love those nuggets.
Speaker 3 (45:36):
So, by the way, we are preposterously over.
Speaker 2 (45:39):
But we know I'm gonna make here. I am on
radio agains. I have to point these things, so Max
will occasionally gesture it. I have to have to point
out that people. For those of us who can't see
us on radio today, Max is now thrusting his arm
in the air.
Speaker 3 (45:51):
Whatever. So I've been making this.
Speaker 2 (45:52):
I've been making the Missy completes this motion, this circle
with my hands. Missy has completed us. It's nice to
have you in here, miss.
Speaker 3 (45:59):
Because we don't get Missy because she's fancy on television
in the preseason and so we don't get Missy till
the regular season. But we do get Missy on the show.
Speaker 2 (46:08):
Yes, and we'll only Missy will only be here for
another three weeks.
Speaker 3 (46:11):
So we'd love to see.
Speaker 2 (46:12):
If you gotta pop down and say hello, we are here.
Speaker 3 (46:15):
You know where to find us. Yeah, absolutely, a special.
Speaker 2 (46:18):
Guest appearance from Missy Matthews for Max Starks. I'm rob
king the drive is coming up with west Euler Matt Williamson.
We thank you for listening to us in the locker
room here on this two there's audio network,
This is live coverage op the twenty twenty six Steelers
Training Camp or the Steelers Audio Network, presented by bud Light,
Easy to Drink, easy to Enjoy, and brought to you
in part by Always Safe Flagging and Traffic Control making
traffic Safe again called four one two three oh one
twenty three hundred or visit us online at awsafe dot
(00:26):
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Visit Remax Select Pittsburgh dot com. The Laurel Highlands of
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Shop visit shop dot Steelers dot com and buy Condiente
(00:49):
Pizza and Drafthouse.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
And welcome back in the locker room from Saint Vincent College.
And the trope went a little long in that first hour,
so thanks for being with us through the break and
into the second hour of the show. Looking up on
the field, see those people up there there gathering for
the Pat McAfee show. Yes, I didn't even know that.
How long is he on there? How long is he
on today?
Speaker 1 (01:09):
For?
Speaker 3 (01:09):
I think shows from twelve to three I think are
the three hour show. I don't know. I think there
are three hours, or there are a two hour show
live on ESPN, and they do another hour on the streamings.
Gotcha think that's what I think. That's how it's twelve
to two ESPN. Then the extra hour, the Power Hour
they call.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
It, and you and Missy Matthews who completes us, who
completes the broadcast team. Yeah, I'm now making a circle
with my hands for those of you listening on radio
can't actually see us, I'm making the complete circle sign.
Speaker 4 (01:41):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
So you guys interviewed Pat this morning.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Yeah, we interviewed Pat because Missy went to high school
with Pat and all those guys up there, Oh show
Diggs as well. Diggs was that plumb sign all plum
plumb Borough guys. So so yeah, those are all her
buddies from high school.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
So I was telling you during the break, uh, Wolfe
and I went to I think I think Wolf was
doing the games and he might That might have been
before he was the regular guy we started doing. We
started doing the high school broadcast for a year or
two with Kevin Gorman did a bunch of games. Mike
White from the Post Gazette would do some games for
(02:19):
us in the booth is the color guy, and then
we settled on, you know it. It started with us
as a celebration of communities and that sort of thing,
and then it quickly, well within a couple of years, morphed.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Into just let's do the football part of it, you know.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
And so we went from showing off communities and and
the high school bands and all the other stuff to
hey man, football of its own is of its own
merit on the high school level to draw attention in
in for viewers. So let's just concentrate on trying to
get the best games. So it wasn't the best games.
So that's why I wonder if it was maybe before
Wolfe was there in our booth those first.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Couple of years. I'd forgotten he wasn't there the first
couple of years.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Anyway, So we we picked Plumb and they were playing
Franklin Regional, and I wonder if Missy was on the cheer.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
Squad for that. I have to ask her that. Yeah,
I have to ask Missy if she was on the question?
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Was Missy on the on the cheer squad for the
Plumb team when we came they played Franklin Regional, who
was really good. Even though Franklin Regional was a smaller classification.
Franklin Regional totally worked him. But I was going out
in the field as I always did, and talked to
the coaches before the game. I never talked to the players, obviously,
you know, forty five minutes before kickoff, I'm not going
to talk to them. To the players, by the way,
(03:32):
obviously then can you imagine me. You imagine me rolling
down on on Accrescher Stadium forty five minutes before a
game and strolling up to Mike Tom, Hey, Mike, how's
it going?
Speaker 3 (03:41):
Everybody? Everybody healthy? What you do it out here? Is
this the actual roster? Yes? Exactly, kids, pronunciation correct.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
So but the high school coaches were all great, you
go down there and talk to him before the before
the game started.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
Well, Franklin Regional just crushed plumb.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
But remember and you know, I was familiar with the roster,
so I knew who was who. But when I saw
Pat Mack if he kick a ball, I was like,
whoa man? I mean, you know, like I said before,
you know, you go to some of these high schools
and the punters number sixty seven, and then the halftime show.
He's taking off his helmet and he's playing the trombone,
you know, with the rest of it. He's out there
(04:20):
in his uniform and the marching band, the little marching
man moving around, you know, and those punts are coming
out end over end. But he's got he's the kid
with the strongest leg and he boots a twenty seven
yarder and then you're watching Pat mc if you're like,
holy mackerel. And then I called a few of his
a few of his games when he was at West Virginia.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
Yeah too.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
So we would always do one or two West Virginia
football games a year on sports Net Pittsburgh. Then it
was then Roots Sports. So but I've never met Pat,
so wow, yeah, call some of his games.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
We never met him. Awesome guy. So what did you guys?
What did you guys chat about? We just got of
chatted about just just them coming back for another year.
This is year two that the show has been back here.
There's kind of the thoughts behind then also the pride
that you have with coming home, right, This is homecoming
for Pat McAfee, right, every time he comes here, because
he was a kid that unlike Eli Heydenreich, who always
(05:11):
had camp and everything. He was a kid that came
and watched games on the hill here and watched those legends.
He talked about his first picture. He thinks he was
trying to get autographs. He got a picture with Kevin
Green KG. Wow, you know, and so he has like
these fond memories. So kind of talking about that, then
we kind of talked about you know, so one of
the former guys you employed is now the head coach here.
(05:31):
Mike McCarthy was on your staff. You hired him a
year ago, was working on your show. So it's like,
so you come here and and even when we went
up there to go talk to Pat ahead of time
to figure out the timing, you know, Mike McCarty and
him are sitting in there. They're going through the script
and everything, and they're just busting each other's chops in there,
and it's all this just yinser accent in this room, right, oh,
(05:56):
which I'm sure unlike anywhere else in America, like to
have those to up here in La Trove and sounding
like locals who just happened to have like broken to
an office somewhere. Yeah. Uh, And these are professionals at
the tops of their game. One's the head coach of
the Pittsburgh Steels, the other one has one of the
top shows on all of sports. And they're both Burger boys,
(06:17):
you know what I'm saying. They're both from the burg area,
and so it's just it was really cool to kind
of see that. So we kind of talked about that,
highlighted that the passion of the town. And then this
is kind of what his expectations where he's looking forward
to with practice, coming back here another year, and you
know how it feels about the quote unquote pilgrimage. Yeah,
what did he say? All Right, just I don't want
(06:38):
to give it all away because we don't want to
get away. It's going to be on all the Steelers
socials and we posted a little bit later today, but
it was just it was pride and and you know,
and only how Pat can do it. So, you know
how normally when you set up for a remote shoot,
you have your microphone and you plug it into your shirt,
you put it on a lapel pin or something. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
(06:58):
what is pack up? No, I'm gonna hold it, he
goes tiny microphone series.
Speaker 5 (07:03):
Really he's holding the He's why because that's Pat, right,
this is the most Pat McAfee thing to do, right,
because he has a black T shirt and it looks
weird with the black microphone up there and having to
run it up his shirt.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
So I'm just gonna hold it and there just kind
of just kind of tuck the uh, the the mic
pack on the side and he's just holding it, talking
as though it's like a stick mic.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
It is hilarious. That is hilarious. So that's uh. I
wouldn't have expected anybody to do that.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
Yeah, but especially with Pat mckett. Right, Yeah, that's exactly right.
That's a good goal. So yeah. So but but it
was a great and we had about five to seven
minutes with him and just amazing guy. I mean, I
love Pat. I've known Pat, I mean played against him,
and just just an awesome guy. So good to have
him up here. And like you said, him and the
(07:49):
rest of the crew, they're all up on set there
behind that tree that you so expertly pointed out that
I did not know until you said it. They're there
on the baseball field this year, whereas they were in
the crowd over here over the remember that year ago.
But because of the way it was situated, because it
set so large the you know, there was a fear
for fans and safety because it's like the sheer drop
(08:11):
off down the hill, and then you got the fencing
there and so people were kind of like, you know,
corraling a little bit too much, whereas here on the
field you have a lot more space you can kind
of fence off what you want. And also a year
ago they couldn't get the same amount of power to
the field because the show takes the set takes a
lot of a lot of electricity interesting to run it,
so they couldn't get it. But now they have it.
(08:32):
This year, they actually got a cart over there on
the far side where they have the big generator portables
and it looks I mean, it looks like a game
day setup, like underneath the stadium where you have like
all the trucks lined up and you have all these
kind of trailer r V style semi truck rigs. They
got one over there to run the power. So better
set up this year.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
Yeah, they knew, they knew, they knew a guy, yeah,
namely the head coach.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
That would help.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Yeah, it is a much better location. Although they can't see.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
The practice as yeah, because you're kind of looking at
field three, right, But they were able to also put
their cameras down on the field. I was amazed at
how big the set was, the traveling set that sets
as humongous. Yeah, that sets humongous. I went on it
last year and I was like, man, I mean they
literally have you know, about the size of a very
(09:24):
nice studio apartment, I would say, on that set. And
you know, because I think they have what six guys
that rotate that are on that are on the show
together that they kind of go back and forth with
I think three or four inside the main studio part
and then usually the guys who are in the booth
or production room they have their own camera, but on
(09:46):
a remote sets, they're actually on the set too with them.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
You know. And let me also say one thing that
and again I've never met Pat, even though I've called
some of his games, but I was really blown away
by the story. Got the massive contract and he gave
his core staff members backpacks, and into backpacks were two
hundred and fifty thousand dollars cash. That is taking care
(10:14):
of your people, Hey, keep the main thing, the main thing.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
I mean and he knows that he didn't get there
by himself. He comes from team sport backgrounds, so he
understands what a team is and everybody. There's no greater
person than the team. There's always a leader, but there's
no greater person in a team when you have to
depend on everybody. Everybody's depend upon each other's success. So yeah, hey, hey,
help the boys out. Listen, I get a raised, We
(10:38):
all get a raised. I was thinking of buying your sandwich, MA,
I mean, listen, but you know you could give me
one of those sticken wings you have sitting over here,
all your sharing his caringreak during.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Your break, it's all yours, which we're running up to
closely a break as we're continuing to look at this
Pittsburgh Seithers team and a few more questions about about
where the team sits now x amount of days in
when you start turning the corner from individual drills to
(11:08):
game preparation. The first game coming up is against the
Green Bay Packers, and of course for Aaron Rodgers, I
doubty steps on the field. Didn't step on the field
in preseason camp last year. Not going to be an
important day probably for TJ. Watter or Cameron.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
Right now. He's now assended as well.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
It is going to be a hugely important day for
a lot of guys, So we're gonna talk a little
bit about that and where the team sits in camp
as we continue on in the locker room from Saint
Vincent College here on the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
This is live coverage up twenty twenty six Steelers Training
Camp or the Steelers Audio Network, presented by bud Light,
Easy to Drink, easy to enjoy, and brought to you
in part by your neighborhood, Ford Store, queenor Pittsburgh Community
Food Bank, First National Bank. Let's get started. Remember FDIC
(12:05):
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free next day delivery, CGR Wholesale and by Hoss's Steak
and Seahouse hass Is Is Hospitality.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
Yeah, and welcome back in the locker room here at
Saint Vincent College in Latrobe. And we're talking about so
when do you I'm sure you're driving in here? Are
you excited when you're driving in here? Are you a
little bit like, oh man, the family's leaving and are
(12:47):
you Are you excited? Kind of from the jump when
you get into camp. I ease into the excitement level.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
I kind of ease in because I think for me,
it's more than just the drive, right, I got a
fly crail across country, So it's not like like yesterday
was an off day, right, and you get to you know,
you got to spend time at home right with your wife, yes,
you know, and kind of clean up around the house.
You know, luckily I drove five and a half. Oh yeah, no,
(13:15):
no date. But I'm just saying, like it it's something
that you have to ease into it, even when you're
an older guy, because you got kids, you got other responsibilities.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
I wonder about your wife.
Speaker 3 (13:28):
You know, your wife is still going to call you
about stuff, and you kind of have to be like, hun,
I can't worry about, you know, a leaky faucet, like
you got to call the repair guy, Like I can't
call him. I'm at camp and I got meetings type
of deal. But life still goes on around you even
though while you're up here, and your family does a
really good job of kind of mitigating that because they
(13:49):
know what the priority is. But there is a little bit,
especially when you're older and you have kids, because you
want to spend that time with your little ones. And
you see the guys after practice that are in the
far ends and they and they and they're holding their kids,
they're bringing them on the I mean, heck, we saw
the Brisker family reunion. Yes, you know last time we
were out here there. Yeah, exactly, ye A bit more,
yeah exactly, but but yeah, because you know, we are
(14:13):
we are pack animals, right, And when you have your
pack and you have your group, it's tough to leave
that group. And even though you have another group that
you're going to join up here, your teammates, it's still
a little different and you still kind of have to
ease yourself into it because you're separating from what you've
known for the last three months to now going into
(14:33):
your season mode or you know, in this preparation mode
for what the season is going to entail.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
And everybody, I'm sure is different. You know, some people
some if you're a youngster, you're probably you just can't
wait to get there. You can't wait for that first
twenty three year old Max was on pins and needles
and couldn't wait to be here.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
I was here. I was staying in Greensburg at my
aunt's house three days before I had to report to camp. Yeah,
because I couldn't wait to get here, right, you're pawing
at the ground. Yeah, but year eight, Max, you know,
when my youngest child is born and I got a
little baby at home, You're like, man, I'd love to
be home. But then, of course you also don't want
to wake up in the middle of the night and
have to change a diaper.
Speaker 2 (15:13):
Yeah, like one in the morning with one eye open.
And you know, babies are a little bit babies change things, right,
and and and a lot of the players have young kids.
Your Christian Koons has got a it's a one year
old or a very young one. So you know there
are other players have these have the young kid. If
you see like you said, you see the players and
you're walking on the field and they got their kids
or their wives bring the kids out on the on
(15:35):
the field to them, you know, I would say like
for me personally, I can just say, like when I'm
with my wife hanging out in the morning, when I
have in coffee, I'm like, this is the greatest. And
then I'll hop in the car and I'll go play golf.
And I'm playing golf and I'm like, this is the greatest,
you know, yeah, and then I'll go into work that
and night I'm like, this is the greatest. But it
takes a little you know, you don't want to leave
your wife to go play golf. You don't want to
leave your the golf course to go to go to work.
But they're all good things, right, They're all good. They're
(15:57):
all great things. You leave your family, that's a great thing.
You come out here, you hang out with your teammates,
that's a great thing too.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
Yeah, and you're gonna miss something, right, you can't have
it all. And so you know, like I said, there's
a little slow play process, a slow build, a slow
rise into it. But once you're in it, you're like, man,
this is awesome. Yeah. Yeah, it's like it's like it's
almost like, you know, you have to be you have
to be in the moment to appreciate it versus the anticipation.
(16:25):
Whereas young and you have less responsibilities or less commitments,
it's you can anticipate a lot more about what you're
looking forward.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
To, you know, and I think the human condition can't
be ignored in all this. So for years I wondered,
So you go on vacation, and I would go on,
Let's say I went on a ten day vacation in
the summer, right the first that for me for the
last twenty six years of my life has been pirate season, right, yeah,
(16:55):
And it's also vacation season. That's when you go on vacation.
So you go on vacation, and the first few days
you're like, what's going on in the prit You still
want to know, it's hard to unplug.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
And then it's really a seven day vacation, right it is.
And then at the end of.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
That vacation you start thinking about getting back. I got
to mow the lawn, and I got And I always wondered,
does that mean ten days is the natural course of things?
And how long I should be taking on vacation or
if I had a month long vacation, would those last
few days be consumed with those same thoughts. I gotta
get back, I got to mow the lawn, I gotta
(17:30):
you know, I gotta b reinstitute my mail delivery, whatever
you have to do. So I think it's more the
latter than the former, which makes me wonder is camp
timed perfectly so that by the end of I think
everybody agrees, by the end of camp, you cannot wait
to get out of camp? Right, yes, Now, would you
still feel that way if camp was a week longer
(17:52):
or a week shorter, I think you probably would. You're
just conditioned to know it's time to go. Or is
it a more natural thing like spring and summer and
the camp should be three weeks.
Speaker 3 (18:02):
And that's it. I think this is the perfect amount
of camp, Okay, right, I think that's what it is,
because it's just enough to where you're not thinking about
the family. And then when you start to think about
the family, they have family Day, right, yeah, here at camp,
right yep? And then yeah, and then you do have
the opportunities where after practice you get about a twenty
(18:24):
minute window to see them as long as they're here locally, right.
I Mean that's the other thing because a lot of guys,
you know, they might live elsewhere, the guys who are
free agents, right, you know, outside of Jakuan Brisker who's
from here.
Speaker 4 (18:36):
Right.
Speaker 3 (18:37):
But if you are a Ray Shawn Jenkins and you
have kids, right, and you just got signed by saying
your family doesn't live here, like they're gonna come here
at some point because you think you're gonna make it.
And there is that day on the schedule where you
want to have them there, but they don't live here.
They can't come to practice every day, right, So there's
a little bit like you're gonna be missing them, right
(18:58):
and you're gonna wonder what are they doing and when
are they gonna come? And I think that's what I
would say that it's it's just enough of camp that
you don't feel too much to where you forget about it,
but you also know there's a necessity to it. You
have to be able to get away. You have to
be vulnerable to your teammates and open to them to
(19:20):
create bonds. So there's a certain process that that has
to be. I have to be away at sleep away
camp so many days, so I'm not missing my parents
right right. Yes, as a young person and as and
as a football player, I have to be able to
detach from my other titles, which is dad, husband, son, brother,
(19:41):
whatever that is, and become football player, become the number
that's on the jersey I represent, right, and then focus
on the name played afterwards, and that's where this process,
that's why you see no names on the back of
these jerseys, right because you're a number right now and
you're getting to that plaqua. You're getting to putting a
single Steeler's logo on the side of your helmet because
(20:02):
at the preseason you don't get it all the time, right.
You have to earn those things, and so this is
a certain process where you have to detach yourself in
order to get into that process. And so this camp,
you know, is twenty one practices up here, twenty one days.
Twenty one days of practice. I think it's like twenty
five days when it's all said and done, because there's
(20:22):
that every seventh off day, whatever the type of deal.
So it ends up becoming like twenty five days. But
those twenty one practices done up here is a way
to separate, and a lot of teams don't do that.
The other think. A lot of teams go to the
training facility and then they go back home and then
they come back to practice the next day, so it
feels like in season in the preseason, but you lose
opportunities to grow as a team because there's not the
(20:45):
forced dorm rooms where you're sharing a bathroom with another
person or three other people, depending on if you're in
a two by two situation or a one by one
or two by one. So you know, that forces friendships,
that forces a chemistry and a bond good, better and different.
It forces that. It accelerates that process that would normally
(21:07):
take months. You're getting in a matter of weeks because
you're around each other twenty four to seven. You're bored
in your dorm rooms. Okay, well, I know such and
such as an Xbox. I feel like play an Xbox. Right,
we go in there and just you start gathering a man, Hey,
these guys play cars, these guys play Uno. These guys
play board games. Right, they have the board game sitting
(21:27):
under the ten outside of there for guys to commune
with each other, play some connect for play, some chess,
play some monopoly because there's nothing else to do up here, right, right,
and so, which is why you're here, Which is why
you're here, Like, I need to get to know these guys. Listen,
if I'm if I'm a bleed and sweat, cry and
laugh on the field of battle with you, man, I
(21:49):
better know something about you. I better at least know
your mom's first name or your dad's first name and
how many kids you got, right, right, No, I don't
need to know your favorite color or you know or
you know what's your what's your what's your what your
zodiac sign is. But I need to know some other
pertinent stuff so it becomes personal and I'm not just
calling you by your first name. Like when I first
walked in the locker room my rookie year after I
(22:12):
got drafted for mini camps, I'm trying to find my
locker and I literally ran into Jerome Bettis. I said, oh, sorry,
mister Bettis. He's like, it's like, mister Bettis is my father,
call me jb call me Bussy whatever, just don't call
me mister, right, and you figure that out. And then
by the end of training camp, Bussy, what's up? Man?
Speaker 2 (22:31):
Hey?
Speaker 3 (22:31):
When we going bowling, We've gone bowling together and done
all these other type of events. And I think that's
what matters in this process. You have to get personable
with these guys, yes, and you have to create the
relationships because for the next four months, it's every day.
I mean, my wife would my wife would often joke
(22:52):
like man, I was like, you spend more time with
the guys that you do with me, and I'm your wife.
What kind of has to be for this profession? You know,
we're gonna been eight plus hours at the facility together
and you know, I'm only coming home for dinner and
then we're sleeping next to each other. But that's about it. Yes,
you know, for the next couple of months, and yes
I'll get a day a Tuesday off here, or you know,
a bye week here. But for the most part, yeah,
(23:14):
I've got to be closer to these guys then you.
And then in the spring and in the early summer,
that's when we get to reconnect and that's where we
get to really be a couple. Right But for the
rest of it, my new family, my extended family, is
the priority right now in this.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
In this profession, Well, people don't realize the hours that
players put in and how long those days are. So
I just know that in the in the occasions that
I've you know, moved to a new city and started
a new job, and you know, and probably the first
three months you might as well live by yourself because
you're spending all your time at work and you're figuring
(23:49):
out you know, what is human resources want out here?
You got to navigate your job, but it's so much
more than that, and there's so much stuff going around it,
and you're putting in longer hours to speed up the
act of process. But for football players, that's the entire
season never slows down.
Speaker 3 (24:04):
Twelve hours a day, every day, it feels like. And
then on your off days you're still getting together, you're
still doing rehab, you're still getting your lifts in, you're
watching film or you're getting your film. Now now it's
a lot easier to get those things. You don't physically
have to be at the facility as much. I'd say
you could cut off maybe four hours out of that
work week because now everything gets pushed to your iPad
or your device. Right. But back when I first came,
(24:27):
it was VHS tapes and you had to go into
the video department and ask them specifically. Then they had
to dub it for you and then give it to you.
You know. So that's just a process in and of itself,
and so by the end of it, you're like, man,
I might as well just stay here and watch this
extra film. So you're getting the facility around six am
in the morning, you know, six thirty in the morning,
(24:48):
and you're not leaving till five thirty six, sometimes seven o'clock,
I mean, heck at one point and going to eat.
Then then you got to go to bed and go
to bed and then sometimes I mean we were so
close as a team. We we played cards and we
would designate a wife or a significant other to bring
food dinner to the facility because we were playing cards
in the in the in the lounge.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
Yeah, I think that's that closeness. And you know, people
forget when when you know, say and Aaron Rodgers, I
think was gathering people over this house on Thursday night
or whatever last year. Yeah, and that's a great, wonderful
team bonding thing. But that comes with the sacrifice of Okay, honey,
(25:30):
I'm off on Thursday night. Wait what you know, Yeah,
another night, another night, you're not gonna be home.
Speaker 3 (25:36):
Well, And Thursday night was was our was our massage
night where we had the massuses come in. And so
Thursday night, my wife knew I was going to James
Ferrier's house because we had a massouse coming in from
New York that did that did acupunctures from New York, Yeah,
because because she was a different world. Yeah, she was
with him at the jets and he was like, no,
(25:58):
I gotta have and then it was like, hey, well
you know I'm going to do this. Do you guys
want to come? So they would come too, and all
of a sudden we got twenty guys sitting at Potzy's house.
And that was just the Thursday night. You sat, you
wait your turn to go see the massuse. And then
after that I would then drive to Charlie Batch's house.
So I drive from a waterfront where Potsy lived, all
(26:19):
the way up to Wexford where Charlie lived, and then
he had his mesuse from the Detroit Lions, who was
more Thai physical manipulation stretching with the massage. So I
would go get both sessions done on Thursday.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
And macaroni cheese, well I mean mac and cheese, listen.
Speaker 3 (26:38):
And her colla greens are just as delicious. So yeah,
so you know, so Tash would be there and she'd
have food there because you have about ten guys that
would go up there to see Sandy, and then you
know we'd see Lisa over over at Potse's house. And
that was my rotation for nine years, and it was
crazy because one year, so actually I take the back
Lisa was eight years and Sandy was nine years because
(26:59):
one year Lisa got pulled from us for you know,
we obviously weren't as cool as Mariah Carey. She went
on tour with Maria Carrey, so Mariah Carey took her
from us. But that was that was one year. That
was one year, and then she came back around and
realized that this was this was the more fun and
it was more lucrative. But I mean, you get to
go into it. Maria Carrey, you're gonna go ma, You're
(27:19):
not gonna sit around a bunch of lugheads like us,
you know, every Thursday night. But but yeah, but that
was like the routine. And so and then that Thursday
before I got to those, it was O line film
watching night, So we designated teammates house. We'd rather be
at Chris's house, Hartwig's house, and I would rent the
projector and we would go through all the situations. We
(27:42):
have running backs come over, we have tight ends come over,
and then all of a sudden it became everybody else
because our offensive line was was a pretty fun.
Speaker 2 (27:50):
Crew that's fun, guys.
Speaker 3 (27:52):
Yeah, But I mean it was literally like Thursday nights
was just that night that my wife knew she's not
gonna see me. She was like, okay, you're like, you'll
be bet at sometime like one in the morning. But
then you're getting up at sixty get to the facility
for fast Fridays Friday. That's being young. Yeah, but we
also got out early. We got out by one o'clock
on Friday, Okay, and the Hayes in the barn of
(28:12):
that point, I'm not staying after watching film on Friday
like I did that Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday watching all
the film.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
I practice on Friday, the walk through on Saturday.
Speaker 3 (28:21):
Yeah, and I could get on the plane or head
to the hotel that night, whichever one it was. So,
you know, my wife just knew Thursday, I'm not going
to see him. Monday night, I'm not going to see
him Tuesday. He's home during the day somewhat, but my
wife worked, so it was like, okay, well he's gonna
be in charge of figuring out what we're gonna have
for dinner. So that was my one day a week
We're to figure it out and then you just rinse
(28:41):
and repeat until the season's over.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
So today was the first day that the players were
putting pads on and they were collisions right, Yes, So
I was fascinated to watch rookie right tackle Maxahona Chore
going against Jack Sawyer and going against t J.
Speaker 3 (28:56):
Watt.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
So forgetting Jack Sawyer for a moment, you're Maxahonachard at
the beginning of your career.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
You're TJ.
Speaker 2 (29:03):
Watt at a different point in your career.
Speaker 3 (29:05):
In years end.
Speaker 2 (29:06):
What are these guys after in training camp?
Speaker 3 (29:09):
Because I don't think.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
They're quite after the same thing. Luckily, I have somebody
sitting to my right who's been on both ends of
that spectrum, and he's going to answer that question for
you when we continue in the locker room.
Speaker 3 (29:20):
Here on the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (29:26):
This is live coveragep DOT twenty twenty six Steelers Training
Camp or the Steelers Audio Network, presented by bud Light,
Easy to Drink, Easy to Enjoy, and brought to you
in part by Pennsylvania One Call Systems Dial eight one
one before You dig SNT Bank People Forward Banking by
(29:47):
Kalucy Chevrolet, serving the Pittsburgh area for over one hundred
and eight years, Clearview Federal Credit.
Speaker 3 (29:54):
Union for every touchdown the black and Gold score.
Speaker 1 (29:57):
In twenty twenty six, Clearview will don't the five hundred
dollars to the light of Life mission, they said, CLEARVIEWFCU
dot org and buy Iron Workers Local Union number three.
We don't go to the office, We build it.
Speaker 2 (30:14):
And welcome back in the locker room. And this, uh,
this room, this h up in the press box felt
a little like the locker room. We had ed troop
rolled in here. Yeah, West U of the rolled in
here with gifts chocolate chip cookies from the De Santas
family in Ohio. Right delicious, by the way, Missy Matthews,
who again, I'm gonna make the circle motion here. She
(30:36):
completes us.
Speaker 3 (30:37):
She cleeks our broadcast team. She completes the circle of trust. Hi, Missy, No,
she's saying Hi. She gonna come in and join us,
so real quick before Missy comes in here.
Speaker 2 (30:47):
You're a young player, right, uh, you're after one thing
in camp, right, I mean, and a veteran guys got
to be after something different. So what are guys are
the veteran guys just trying to get in shape and
hone themselves and look at after their skills. Are they
trying to test the younger guys? Are they the younger guys?
Are everything's to test?
Speaker 3 (31:05):
Right? Yeah? Everything is a test for the end. They
are constantly consuming new information. And you know you talk
about a young guy has to create his encyclopedia or
his book of players. So for just for illustration purposes,
Maxionatre versus t J. Watt? Right, what is I'm sorry? Right? Yeah?
(31:28):
What is TJ. Watt learning? And what is Maxionatre learning?
Maxianature is taking an information like this is what an
all pro pass rusher looks like? How does he line up?
What is like his what is his tendency? I'm taking
a snapshot of his stance, his hands. Okay, what does
(31:50):
he do? Is he a second step or third step guy?
Before he initiates a move? What's the move that he's
going for? How do I counter it? What am I
going to do to dictate to force him to do
something that I want him to do versus what he
wants to do. All that's going through his head. Fast forward.
I've now been in the league nine years. I'm going
(32:11):
into year ten. A'lla TJ. Watt. I've gone against hundreds
of tackles. At this point, I'm going which guy does
he remind me of that I already have in my rolodex, right,
because I have a deeper experience level, so I can
now put guys into styles. So now what style of
(32:33):
guy is he? And that's what I'm trying to figure out.
If I'm TJ. Watt, whereas Maxianachure, I'm gathering brand new knowledge.
I don't have a rolodex of guys. I haven't gone
against Miles Garrett, I haven't gone against you know, a
Cavon Thibodeaux. I haven't gone against a Brian Burns or
any of these other top pass rushers around the league.
(32:54):
I'm getting my first shot at a top fight pass
rusher on my team. The first day of pads sos
a lot different. It's empty. He has a lot of
chapters to write versus a volume to pull from, so
it's a They're both very different, but it's all knowledge gathering.
It's just how you collate and how you gather it.
(33:15):
One's looking at styles and saying I have something for
that style, and the other one's saying, I don't know
what it is, but I got to write it.
Speaker 2 (33:21):
All down, so completely switching gears now because that's something
I want to talk more about at length. You know,
when they have Hall of Fame plaques, like the Hall
of Fame plaques in Cooperstown, which of course my hometown.
Babe Ruth right, so it's George Herman, Babe Ruth and
Babe is in is in quotations. So when Melissa Matthews
gets her Hall of Fame plaque, it'll say Melissa, Missy
(33:46):
matt and the Missy you being quotes.
Speaker 3 (33:48):
Don't you think that's the way it's gonna go. I
definitely think it's that. It'll go from eminem to eminem
plus m. Yes.
Speaker 2 (33:53):
So I had a question, Missy, thank you for being
with us, Thanks for jumping in this feel the whole
rock cast group, right He was like, right now, So
this is what it feels like, Missy, to be up
in the climate controlled. You know it's not raining up here.
Speaker 3 (34:09):
It's yeah, I need to have in your pockets because
you don't have access to it.
Speaker 2 (34:14):
We could open up this window. It could be one
hundred and ten, it could be thirty two. We don't know.
Because we're in a nice air condition, comfort to the
booth while Missy's out there trumping around rain. It's like
the like the US Postal Service. Missy will deliver in
whatever weather.
Speaker 3 (34:27):
That's right.
Speaker 6 (34:28):
And I'm still wearing a sweatshirt because I just can't
gay to it.
Speaker 4 (34:31):
And then one of the ladies at the cafteria was like,
did he get a cold outside?
Speaker 6 (34:34):
I was like, no, I'm just committed at this point
and I just need to take a shower.
Speaker 3 (34:39):
Missy. I have a question for you.
Speaker 2 (34:40):
Were you on a dance tea because you were like
a professional dance team person.
Speaker 6 (34:46):
Right, I was on the dance team at Page.
Speaker 2 (34:48):
Okay, that's to me, a professional dance team person today,
in today's age, you would have gotten paid.
Speaker 3 (34:52):
For doing that, So you have a nil deal you ye?
Were you at Plumb High School? Yes?
Speaker 2 (34:59):
Okay, so we did a high school football game Franklin
Regional at Plumb, So you were on. Do you remember
that game being on? Because because we were the first,
we were the first station that actually started televising high
school football game, so when we would go they would
(35:19):
kind of blow it out and they'd be like marching
bands and all kinds of stuff, especially early. Well, I
know Pat McAfee was punting for the team. So were
you guys at Plumb at the same time.
Speaker 4 (35:30):
Yes, but I'm older than Pat, okay by a year.
Speaker 3 (35:35):
I'm older than Missy.
Speaker 4 (35:37):
Back Well, I'm three years older than my brother and
Pat's a year older than him.
Speaker 3 (35:44):
So it's okay, all right, So you might so if
it was his senior year, you would have been gone.
That would have been very cool.
Speaker 2 (35:52):
If you've been on that, if you've been on the
dance smer something. So when we first started telling Max,
when we first started doing high school football games, and
we didn't have Wolf on as a broadcaster yet, we'd
have Kevin Gorman would come on, Mike White, others would
come on and provide the color because it was more
about what do you know about the school and its
history and the marching band had come out, and you know,
(36:13):
it was just like a it was almost like a
mini celebration. The outcome of the game wasn't important to
uh to really at the beginning, to the people that
I think was then root sports. And we've been through
some name iterations over the years.
Speaker 3 (36:29):
It might you know, what a problem. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (36:33):
I only worked there, Missy, but I'm sure you're right, No,
I know, and I'm not trying to be facetious or sarcastic.
I'm sure you're right.
Speaker 6 (36:40):
I only because when I.
Speaker 3 (36:43):
Okay, so I don't miss the entering there there. And
when I came on the Stan Safron Show as a rookie,
it was f s.
Speaker 2 (36:49):
Cent and I remember Max Way. I remember I remember
Max coming into our UH into it. We had that story.
We talked about that last year when he and Ben
came in to do the show with Stan. I remember
what I told him was Ben walked in and I'm like,
that's a quarterback. I mean, you put that guy into
a weight program. He's two hundred and ninety pounds and
(37:10):
he's got his hand in the dirt, you know yet
and then Max walked in. I was like, WHOA, that's
most protecting me? Oh yeah, wow yeah.
Speaker 3 (37:21):
But yeah.
Speaker 2 (37:22):
So when I was calling UH hockey games HL hockey
games in Syracuse, I called them for two different companies.
Are company, which was WTVH and then they allowed me
to do them for the local cable company. And there
was a post to my left and the only thing
(37:42):
written on that post was which station I was on
that night.
Speaker 3 (37:45):
And I only called ten a year. I'd be like
you're watching Crunch Hockey on TVH.
Speaker 2 (37:51):
I'd looked if I left him whatever I had written there.
So I don't remember when it was around teleprompter, FSN
the Fox Sports Net to Root Sports or what order
they were in, but you were an intern and it
was f s N.
Speaker 6 (38:03):
But it was a Pittsburgh and St.
Speaker 3 (38:06):
Louis that's right.
Speaker 5 (38:07):
Oh gosh, yes, do you know those games as well?
Speaker 2 (38:14):
I remember doing both shows and that the names of
the shows were similar, and people said, you know, how
do you keep it straight? And I will admit that
I one time, so the Rams were still in Saint
Louis at the time, I one time on the air
said Rams quarterback Cordell Stewart. Nope, no, that's not that's
(38:36):
not correct. That's the only one I ever remember before
Adam Schefter. I'm sure I did other ones, but but
that is so missy missy intern for us. But I
thought that would have been another seven degrees of Kevin
Bacon because I know you were over there. It's this
started with the conversation that you were over there talking
(38:56):
to Pat McAfee. I told Mac, I saw that would
have been cool if you've been on the the the
the performance squad is called dance squad. Cheer squad would
be called the high school dance teamer cheers dance steamer.
Speaker 3 (39:09):
Okay because both of them marching mates. Yeah, you didn't
play an instrument.
Speaker 2 (39:16):
You were a yeah, you were an athletic.
Speaker 4 (39:19):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (39:20):
What are they cheer squad, cheer squad, dance squad, dance team,
dance team okay, dance ta.
Speaker 3 (39:25):
Yeah, dance team and cheer squad. Yeah, we're two different ones. Okay.
One had pomp poms, the other ones didn't.
Speaker 4 (39:31):
Right, so we had we had gold pomp poms. The
cheerleaders had blue pumps.
Speaker 3 (39:36):
Ah, okay, you mixed up. It was the problem a lot.
Speaker 2 (39:41):
Yeah, so there was a there was a was there
like a haughty relationship between the two.
Speaker 6 (39:47):
It depended on the gear and the girls.
Speaker 4 (39:49):
But ironically enough, one of my friends that I danced
with since I was three at Abby Lee's, she's the crazy.
Speaker 3 (39:57):
Oh yeah from Dance Moms. Oh wow. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (40:00):
We danced together forever and we both did not make
it through our high school year before we were like,
we're out and we were roommates. Actually it pit for
our entire year, but we were first in towers where
it was just the two of us, but she tried
out for cheerleading.
Speaker 6 (40:19):
I tried out for dance team. So we were never
you know, going back and forth. But you heard the drama.
Speaker 2 (40:26):
From our room.
Speaker 6 (40:28):
Knew everything.
Speaker 2 (40:29):
So I remember you tell me this dance mom's is
a Is that like a show or something?
Speaker 3 (40:33):
Yes? It is. Yeah, yeah, definitely watched that.
Speaker 6 (40:36):
So I don't know if we should add that to
the rob King Traveler.
Speaker 2 (40:42):
So yeah, I'm I'm very very slow to the party,
as you guys know when it comes to cultural events.
Let's just say that I had to figure out something
technical this morning and Bob Labriola was helping me out,
and Matt Williamson said, wait a minute, Bob's helping you
thought you got You've got problems many technological stuff, you know,
(41:05):
the the latest trends and stuff. But dance Moms.
Speaker 3 (41:09):
Okay, so not for me.
Speaker 6 (41:10):
No, okay, all right, google it and watch a quick trailer.
Speaker 3 (41:14):
All you need to do, ye is watch a clip.
Speaker 2 (41:16):
You're like, yep, this isn't so in case you're wondering,
this is the two other members of our broadcast team
calling me old.
Speaker 3 (41:23):
So just just you know, that's that's the quick translation.
What's going on? You're saving me? Okay, you're saving Okay,
yes it is not your cop. Okay, all right, all right, okay, yes,
I yes, I have my own cups of tea.
Speaker 2 (41:37):
But but when we were at when we were I
was telling Max that you know, when you go to
these high school games, we saw lots of great players.
I mean, look, I saw Drell Reeves, many many I
called many games from uh oh my god, Penhills, Aaron Donald,
Aaron Donald, Wow, Rob Aaron Donald. You know all these
(41:57):
great players that I called, But I don't ever remember
we're seeing anybody close to kicking the ball the way
Pat When he and I was down in the field,
I was like whoa.
Speaker 3 (42:08):
And then I then I called some.
Speaker 2 (42:09):
Of his games at I think maybe the last year
or two it West Virginia. We then we then picked
up some of the West Virginia broadcasts. I think, I
think I maybe got his junior and senior years, I think.
Speaker 3 (42:21):
But you know, he was just a.
Speaker 4 (42:22):
Soccer player who the high school city coach big to
only come to games.
Speaker 6 (42:27):
Right, yeah, which is like the crazy part.
Speaker 3 (42:29):
Right.
Speaker 2 (42:29):
So we had the story down and all that and
all the other stuff. But as I told Max, you know,
we would never talk to the players. We would always
I would. My contact was always with the coaches, you know,
Craig McConnell and other people who go out and talk
to the coaches, to the players.
Speaker 3 (42:45):
You know, because that was like it was like pit game.
Speaker 2 (42:48):
I mean it was Penguin's game, Penguins game, Penguins game,
high school football.
Speaker 3 (42:51):
Game, you know.
Speaker 2 (42:52):
So so you know, and I and you know, I
was getting ready for the play by play. So I
never talked to the players. So I've never actually met Pat,
but I just remember seeing that the impression he made
the first time when he kicked the ball, I'm like,
whoa man, I've never seen a high school kid kick
a ball.
Speaker 3 (43:06):
Like that as it was professional as a professional level
future kicker.
Speaker 6 (43:10):
I think Pat was on.
Speaker 4 (43:11):
At least one of the whippy Old championships for Plump
Soccer too.
Speaker 3 (43:14):
Oh, I wouldn't doubt it.
Speaker 6 (43:16):
I could be too. I can't.
Speaker 4 (43:18):
The years are all overlapping and you know, getting a
little fuzzy.
Speaker 6 (43:21):
But oh they were. They were a bad you know
what team.
Speaker 3 (43:26):
Yes, they were phenomenal. Yeah, And I'm trying to think
how many guys on his on his crew were went
to school with him. I know, you said Diggs, right, Digs.
Speaker 4 (43:37):
Anthony to Guilio, which I still call him Anthony because
his parents had called him his entire life.
Speaker 6 (43:42):
I mayby sat him and his little brother Michael, which
we called him little Michael, and I was like, hey,
how's little Michael, Like, yeah, he's a grown adult.
Speaker 3 (43:50):
Yeah, but your big sister though, you know what I'm saying,
You're your big sister to all these guys. So yeah,
and like he had the.
Speaker 6 (43:57):
Best house to his parents.
Speaker 4 (43:59):
We called it Paaradie Digs in their backyard, the coolest
cabana bar, tiki bar, pull like whole nine.
Speaker 6 (44:06):
Yards and they were like, there's still some of my
favorite people.
Speaker 4 (44:09):
Like I was sad his mom couldn't come up today, yeah,
because she had to do some work.
Speaker 6 (44:14):
But Nick Mouraldo, who he's more behind the scenes, but
he's on the show too.
Speaker 3 (44:19):
Okay, both were.
Speaker 4 (44:21):
At Plumb at the same time. I don't know if
Nick is Pat's age or Digs, but yeah, so those
two for sure.
Speaker 3 (44:28):
Yeah see so yeah, so when I said, I'm like,
was this is like a homecoming for the Pat McAfee show, Like,
I mean, this is that pilgrimage that they make back home,
because this is, like I said, they're they're yensers there,
they're from here. They grew up watching practice on this
set very hill. Yes, you know, as young kids. So
I mean, and it is. That's the coolest part about this,
(44:49):
right that you kind of have this full circle moment
where you know, he's doing punt passing kick in Hinsfield
and then you become the punter for the Cult and
you're punting in Heinsfield as a pro. Oh and now
you're able to bring your your highly successful television show
back here and have a set at Saint Vincent College's
pretty it's pretty dope.
Speaker 4 (45:10):
Well, I'm excited because I've missed a ton of it,
although they do kind of have like a PA system
over there so you can do some of it, and
the camp Off has had it on TV. But I
just want to go back and watch the interviews with
McCarthy and Aaron and I think DK was on with
Erin for a little bit.
Speaker 6 (45:24):
I know, I think Cam and TJ and Omar.
Speaker 3 (45:26):
Were going on.
Speaker 6 (45:27):
Heesel was on earlier.
Speaker 4 (45:28):
Yeah, they just extract things from their guests that are just.
Speaker 3 (45:32):
Yeah, you can't get anywhere else.
Speaker 6 (45:34):
Yes, and I love those nuggets.
Speaker 3 (45:36):
So, by the way, we are preposterously over.
Speaker 2 (45:39):
But we know I'm gonna make here. I am on
radio agains. I have to point these things, so Max
will occasionally gesture it. I have to have to point
out that people. For those of us who can't see
us on radio today, Max is now thrusting his arm
in the air.
Speaker 3 (45:51):
Whatever. So I've been making this.
Speaker 2 (45:52):
I've been making the Missy completes this motion, this circle
with my hands. Missy has completed us. It's nice to
have you in here, miss.
Speaker 3 (45:59):
Because we don't get Missy because she's fancy on television
in the preseason and so we don't get Missy till
the regular season. But we do get Missy on the show.
Speaker 2 (46:08):
Yes, and we'll only Missy will only be here for
another three weeks.
Speaker 3 (46:11):
So we'd love to see.
Speaker 2 (46:12):
If you gotta pop down and say hello, we are here.
Speaker 3 (46:15):
You know where to find us. Yeah, absolutely, a special.
Speaker 2 (46:18):
Guest appearance from Missy Matthews for Max Starks. I'm rob
king the drive is coming up with west Euler Matt Williamson.
We thank you for listening to us in the locker
room here on this two there's audio network,
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