May 22, 2025 • 48 mins
Pro Football Hall of Fame writer John McClain joined the Texans Radio Crew to talk about the rules changes, the week ahead with OTAs and a whole lot more on a busy Thursday.,
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello, Texans, Welcome to the show in advance of Memorial
Day weekend.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
It's Memorial Day weekend eve.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Here Thursday Night, Mark vandermir John Harris with you, joined
by the General John maclain, and we are excited because
we're always excited to talk Texans and NFL football and
anything else that comes up on the program.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
General, good evening. How are you doing tonight?
Speaker 3 (00:21):
That couldn't be better?
Speaker 1 (00:22):
Guys, how are you doing great? Looking forward to a
big weekend? A lot has happened. We had owners' meetings
this week, among many other things. I wanted to start
here though we'll go in no particular order, but we
want to acknowledge and express our condolences to the Indianapolis
Colts organization and the Ersay family. Jim Ersay passes and General.
I know you've covered this league for a long time.
(00:44):
You covered his dad, Baltimore Colts. Tell us your thoughts
on the passing of Jim Irsay.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
After I retired from the Chronicle after the twenty twenty
two draft, I received a package and when I opened it,
it was a football addressed to me from the Colts
with a note from Jim Ersay congratulating me. On forty
seven years of excellence, and last night I took a
(01:12):
picture of it since it started to put it on Twitter,
and I thought, now we'll do that. He get lost
in all the tributes and it's interesting. Ersay was broadcast
journalism major and the head of his department at SMU
was David mccam, who was the head of journalism when
I was at Baylor. And mccam lives in Houston. He's
(01:32):
ninety one and I go to launch by once a
month and he's told me for years what a good
student Jim Ursay was, and he thought Ersay could have
a great career in broadcast journalism, but of course he
had another thing to do, and he was involved in
the organization early on when he was a teenager. And Jim,
(01:56):
I think people nationally have a different opinion to him
than people are knew. And because he was dicted to pills,
because he was a big weightlifter at one weight two
ninety oh impetitive bodybuilder, and he had all kind of
injuries and surgeries nack back, and I think that's how
he got addicted to the pills. But he was so
(02:17):
generous with giving away millions and millions around the country,
especially in Indianapolis, and he is so revered there. And
the thing that I thought was the coolest thing about
Jim Mersay was his collection. He collected. He spent millions
and millions, and he collected a lot of things sports, music,
(02:40):
non sports, not related, but he had a lot of things. Guitars,
drum set, the drum set the Beatles had when they
made their initial appearance on Ed Sullivan Show, which was
the biggest audience ever til Mash signed off and he
(03:01):
turned down. He said in his story a couple of
years ago, one and a half billion dollars and he said,
but I didn't get all this to sell it. I'm
not interested in selling it, and I'll be interested to
see what his family does with it, because it was
near and dear it his art and he took it
on the road. His collection never charged anything. He had
(03:21):
a band, the Jim Ursay Band, and he didn't charge anything.
But Jim was a really good guy. The media loved
him there, and I've been reading a lot of things
by the media covered him, how accessible he was and
calls it one in the morning because he was a
night out and they knew they better be prepared to
stay up a couple hours, and he just he as
(03:43):
a journalism major, he knew the importance of how a
team used the media to get their message out to
their fans, and it's a shame ninety nine percent of
the owners today do not understand that.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Yeah, there's a little question. General asked the question.
Speaker 4 (04:03):
Because at this point you ask, is there any do
you think there's any ownership issues going forward now that
Ersa has passed, or does he pass it down to
his girls who have been so instrumental in running the colts.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
He has three daughters, and the oldest, Carly, has been
involved on the personnel side for a long time. One
of them's involved on the administrative side. When he was
suspended in I think it was fourteen for six months,
Carly took over. If you google her, there's all kinds
of pictures with her, the headphones and cold stuff on
(04:39):
the sideline she's at practice. So they think they're in
good hands with her because she's learned at every level
of the organization. She's not somebody he just put in charge,
and she has great respect from the fan base and
the media as well.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
General.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
A lot of people listening are in a world where
it's always been the Indianapolis Colts, but we come from
a world where it was the Baltimore Colts, and especially you.
I don't want to say what that implies, ye, but
you understand.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
That I'm old.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
That's sorry, but you want to You understand what the
Colts meant to Baltimore. And it's been an interesting dynamic
because Baltimore eventually gets the Ravens, the former Cleveland Browns,
and look how well they've done. So I guess it's
all's well, that ends well. But your thoughts on that
whole moving the Colts thing, because that predated the Oiler
move obviously, what about that part of the legacy of
(05:33):
the Ursay family.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
My first hero was Johnny Unias, Johnny Yu, Colts quarterback.
I had a Colts uniform from sears number nineteen, and
I'd get out of the yard, throw the ball around
to my little brother and the neighbors, and I was
Johnny Yu. Then the Cowboys came, and the Cowboys were
terrible for a while, but then when they got good,
I didt Cols and became a Cowboy fan. And Jim
(06:00):
Mersey was the antithesis of his dad. His dad was
despicable human being and drunk. He treated people terribly, and
I know they said that he embarrassed to Jim a
lot of times when he was early on. Jim said
the story, my dad fired me more times than I
care to admit. That he wanted to run that organization
(06:21):
opposite the way his dad ran to Baltimore calls. When
he took him out of town in the middle of
the night, they made flower manlines going to Indianapolis. And Jim,
he was beloved by everybody in organization, whether you were
in personnel or you were on the administrative side. There
(06:41):
were times where he took everybody places. He treated his
people right. And it's a tremendous loss for the NFL.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
All right, So you mentioned the collection. It's amazing. I
was reading about Ursay's musical instrument collection. It is phenomenal stuff.
There's a whole Wikipedia page devoted to that. But let
me ask you this, since rather the subject, what is
one item a guitar from a famous guitarist, bass or drums,
or maybe it's a horn, I don't know, But what
(07:10):
musical instrument historically would you love to have as a
collector's item.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
I know the one I.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
Want you talking about the one that he had. No
just one from anywhere.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
One from anywhere. You get to pick it and it's
all yours.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Well, he had guitars from Elvis, the Beatles. I really
came of age with the Beatles. So mane would be
something like Paul Guitar's first Paul guitar, Paul McCartney's first
bass which was distinctive, and that big drum set that
Ringo had the Beatles. That would be something instantly instantly recognizable.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
Johnny Jimmy Hendrick's guitar, very nice.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
Yeah, he had one, preferably one that he didn't burn.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
Yes, that would be good, although the burn one.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Would I'd be fine with Monna. A pop burn guitar
would be cool. I would pick Jimmy Page double neck
SG from the seventy three tour.
Speaker 4 (08:04):
By the way, have you seen the Jimmy Page black Crows. Yes, yes,
Mash that is good. Interesting, that is really really good.
Speaking of good general, the tush push lives on NFL
meetings yesterday twenty two to ten. They needed two more votes,
they didn't get it. The tush push continues to live.
(08:28):
There's a lot of different ways to look at this.
One of the things that that Mark I talked about
last night. I read this that you know, the NFL
sort of pushed the packers into being the ones to
kind of put a team's face, so to speak, on
making that proposal. Your thought about just the tush push
in general not going away and hew up, say you
(08:49):
think the NFL is that it is staying for twenty twenty.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
Five, Well, they're upset about it. Roger Godell didn't want it.
I think, coming two votes short, we'll visit it again
next year and then they'll get rid of it under
the guise of not repelling players forward unless you're blocking
for them. And I think it's terrible. You can't stop
something somebody else is perfected, so you want to go
(09:15):
home and get the bosses to change the rules. I
just think that's preposterous. Somebody ought to work harder on
perfecting it on offense and events instead of whining to
the other owners to change it. And as Jeffrey Lourie,
I've read the behind the scenes things in The Athletic
and ESPN about how it went down. He infuriated some
(09:38):
people when he was talking about it, and I'm surprised
all of them didn't vote against it, just because of
the way he was talking about it. But even though
the Safety Commission, the Competition Committee, Goodell all wanted to
get rid of it, they didn't. But it just shows
you it's coming. And he defied them, said, show us
statistics that say it's caused players get hurt. He brought
(10:01):
in Jason Kelsey. Kelsey said, I'd come out of retirement
if all I had to do was to run the
toush push from the one yard line. So I'm guessing
it'll be gone again next year. And he had solicited
Green Bay like Youdell, it's solicited Detroit on the schedule,
I mean on the playoffs receding, and I'm glad that
(10:21):
didn't even go to a vote. I think that's ridiculous.
Texans could have played on the road, and if they
lost on the road in the first round, then they're
supposed to play a first place schedule. That would be preposterous.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
Oh interesting, You know that's a good point about the
scheduling the following year.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
Channel.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
I never even thought of that. The repercussions. Hey I'm
on the road, but now I got to play a
first place schedule. But you did win the division, so
I didn't know that that's the way you felt about that.
I thought you might be one of these people that thought, hey,
good record, you deserved the host.
Speaker 4 (10:51):
What do you think the NFL would think about Mike
Leech's short yardage pitch?
Speaker 2 (10:56):
Did you Joe hear about this one? Oh?
Speaker 1 (10:58):
Throw the little person, throw a little person over the top.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
I guess it never came to fruition, But I.
Speaker 4 (11:07):
Wonder what the NFL would have thought of that one general,
Why do you I mean, that's a great point about
the playoff seating staying where it is. It didn't even
get to vote, so I'd imagine the owners will leave
it right there. The other one that changed slightly was
the on side kick, And we've talked about this over
the years. You know, do you do fourth and fifteen,
(11:29):
fourth and twelve, fourth and twenty and give it a play,
or do you try and tweak the outside kick.
Speaker 2 (11:34):
They moved it back a yard.
Speaker 4 (11:36):
It doesn't sound like a whole lot, but the kick
is going to move back to the thirty four yard
line such that maybe you can get the bounce in.
It makes on side kicks a little bit more exciting,
I know, it's not a big one, but just the
fact that they give a.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
Little bit more hope.
Speaker 4 (11:49):
General, what do you think about that tweak to the
kickoff on side kick roll?
Speaker 3 (11:53):
I didn't think squad about it because you got to
tell the opposing team you're doing it, which is just ridiculous. Day.
The whole reason they changed the kickoffs was because of injuries.
Now they've changed the rule trying to get more kickoff returns.
What's the sense in that? Just go ahead, let them
start on the thirty or thirty five if you win
the coin toss and take at all this rigmo they
(12:16):
keep trying to put in that people don't understand. It
makes no sense, like telling the opponent, yeah, we're going
to do an onside kick.
Speaker 4 (12:23):
Imagine a halftime of the Super Bowl, how many ever
years ago and Sean Payton walks over to the Colts
and says, hey, I'm an onside kick right here.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (12:32):
I mean, it's one of the great players NFL history.
It is that that's a kick start the.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Second half, and the McAfee one here in twenty fourteen.
I hate seeing it on the MCCAVV pre roll every
day at a chev Oh my gosh, please stop anyway, General,
flag football. It's a thing, and the league will allow
NFL players to participate.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
Thoughts, one player per team if they want to can
go to the tryouts, doesn't mean they'll make it. I
think there will be UFL players. I think there'll be
some college players, some retired recently retired players who want
to do it. I think there'll be a lot of competition.
And boy, let one player blow out his acl while
he's playing flag football and there's going to be screaming
(13:15):
to the high heavens.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
Yeah, no doubt.
Speaker 4 (13:17):
Next week, General, the OTAs that we get to see
are taking place. I think Wednesday is the day that
we get to see next week this team in full
for the first time. We don't get to see pads,
so a lot of times we're gonna watch the offensive line,
defensive line. But I still think they're gonna be eyes
on those guys even if there are no pads, just
(13:37):
to kind of see what the new guys look like
and how they line up and all.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
That kind of stuff.
Speaker 4 (13:42):
What are you most excited, general, about seeing next week,
even without the pads, seeing kind of the full group
for the first time.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
In twenty twenty five, absolutely nothing when it comes to
lineman because they can't do squad sept. I hope they
look good. I'm still watching the receivers, the defensive back
who are covering the receivers even though there's no pads
and they can't knock them down. These young quarterbacks, I
want to see how they throw the ball. It's kind
of ridiculous considering they can't cover, they can't hit, they
(14:11):
can't touch each other. They might as well practice flag
football out there. Give them a head start. But I'm
more interested. Yeah, I'm gonna go. I'm gonna watch him.
I would like. I was watching the two rookie receivers
and I was watching Woody Marks as well, and so
I'm I'm fired up to see the skill position players general.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
There was an account called what was it Johnny slick
Rick Football or something slick Rick Scoops. Slick Rick Scoops,
the always reliable slick Rick Scoop.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
Did have thirty one thousand followers.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
Thirty one reported I'll put that out of air. Quotes
that the Texans were engaged in some kind of talks
with JK. Dobbins, free agent running back. Now, I don't
want to give slick Rick scoops too much credit here.
Maybe he's right, maybe he's wrong, But that aside, or
you can comment on the JK. Dobbins rumor or whatever
you want to describe it as. But is there a
(15:06):
position group you'd still like to see them add to
at this point? Where would you like to see them
inject some more talent?
Speaker 3 (15:14):
Well, if Joe Mixon is in the boot, as reported,
and that may be why they're looking around. And but
to me, you can never have enough offensive lineman, especially
interior guys. If Nick Casio and Nmiko Ryans and Nick Kayley,
if those guys along with Coppopach, if they decide there's
(15:34):
a guy out there they want to bring in, you know,
Cassario will do it. You know, it's more the merrier
when it comes to the offensive line and the way
they've bolstered. I saw some national publication talking about they
need help and linebacker, and I'm like, do you have
a clue what's going on in this organization? Maybe they
(15:54):
know something, Maybe it was slicker Rick. They got injuries
there we don't know about, but right now I think
their depth on defense is tremendous. He can never have
enough corners of course. But and as far as wide receivers,
you know, I guess if you throw another one in there.
But I would like to see even though they have
(16:17):
Damian Pierce and they have Woody Marks. Now, if there's
a guy like JK. Dobbins who's played great when he's healthy,
problem is he gets hurt too much. That's why he's
available and people are skeptical. But he proved last year
when he's healthy he can still run and hit the
home run.
Speaker 4 (16:34):
Apparently, Aaron Rodgers did a three hour interview on Joe
Rogan's podcast, and I take that for what it is.
The biggest part of that was he didn't shed any
light on whether he was going to play football for
the Steelers or for anybody for that matter. At twenty
twenty five general, what do you think happens with Aaron Rodgers?
Speaker 2 (16:57):
Second part?
Speaker 4 (16:58):
If Aaron Rodgers doesn't for Pittsburgh, what do you think
they do at quarterback?
Speaker 3 (17:05):
I think they have Mason Rudolph and they'll go out
there and sign one of these veterans that out there
and they will have big time issue. Now, people point
out Mason Rudolph has a winning record. Wef that's the case,
why is he not a regular starter? But I think
Rogers is going to Pittsburgh. I don't think Mike Tomlin
(17:25):
and the Ruinnies would leave themselves that vulnerable. I think
he's going. I think he doesn't want anybody to know
it because it would create even more controversy. And I'm thinking,
my god, who could listen to him for three hours
with you?
Speaker 1 (17:45):
He should spend some time in the darkness and come
up with a solution here and put.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
A little more Iahuastra.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
Yeah, a little more of that. Well, maybe not too
much more. I don't know too much. Never done that stuff. Okay,
let me ask you this about Jacksonville, because I see
a lot of differing opinions out there about how this
is going to go for them. They drafted Travis Hunter,
we know the rest of the story bounce back yere
maybe with Liam Kohane.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Are they going to be able to do it or not?
In general?
Speaker 1 (18:09):
Do you Let's put it this way, you buying are
selling the Jacksonville Jaguars in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
Well, for what you know, I think they could win
eight or nine games, assuming Liam Cohen can get the
best out of Trevor Lawrence, which nobody's been able to do.
They have the best player in the draft. They had
Brian Thomas last year was outstanding rookie receiver. They're going
to cause a bunch of problems for defensive backs, and
(18:37):
that's one reason the Texans have loaded up on defensive
backs at corner in safety. They're going to be playing
against a team that can throw the ball, and I
would pick them second. I would pick the Colts third,
and I'd pick the Titans last. I think the Colts
wins six or seven games, Jaguars eight or nine, and
(18:57):
the Texans I looked. I picked them to go eleven
and six and win the division. Handle it again.
Speaker 1 (19:03):
Is the Colts pick at third purely because of the
quarterback position.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
Absolutely, they don't. If Anthony Richardson doesn't make it this
year in his third year, they're gonna have to get
rid of it. And Daniel Jones, at least he's had
a really good season or two in the NFL. He
gives them hope. I think he was smart to play there.
I'm assuming they'll begin with Richardson at quarterback, but you
got to think they got some jobs on the line
(19:30):
there and if Richardson bombs out again. I thought it
might Chris costs Jim Chris Ballard his job this year,
but it didn't. It's interesting now to see how does
Carle Let's see carly r say, is it Gordon? I
can't remember it'syphonated because she's married. What does she think?
(19:51):
Will she get involved in it? Would she leave Ballard
and change Dyking a loan for another year? But will
she run it like her dad? Or will she be
more hands off and just leave it to the top dogs.
But to me, it's a make or break here for
the coach.
Speaker 2 (20:09):
See I feel Johnny, how do you feel about this?
Speaker 1 (20:11):
I feel like Jones in an off season, preseason training
camp context should win the job. I feel like his experience,
he should be able to handle things. It's going to
look good. The real pressure doesn't come until you play
these regular season games. I think if they start Anthony Richardson,
it's going to be the Well. We still feel like
he gives us the best chance to win with his
(20:32):
outstanding surprise playmaking. And Daniel Jones, you know, he did
a solid job in the preseason, but we're gonna go
with the guy with the higher ceiling X factor, however
you want to describe it.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
Let's say you're right. Let's say you're right and Daniel
Jones does win that competition.
Speaker 4 (20:46):
Then I start, okay, well, what do you do with
Anthony Richardson? Are you going to keep him as the backup?
Or do you release him? At that point, I guess
you keep them. But I had this thought if they
released him from the Baltimore Ravens.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
Oh, think about this for a second, don't What.
Speaker 4 (21:02):
If the Baltimore Ravens then picked him up and put
him in a backfield, maybe not to throw it, but
put him in a backfield.
Speaker 2 (21:09):
Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, Oh, don't start, Holy con
want to see that.
Speaker 4 (21:13):
I mean, he's got the thread of throwing it if
you need him to. But he could also run. He's
two fifty. He could block for Henry Henry could block
for him. Speaking of Henry, Derek.
Speaker 3 (21:24):
Anning expensive blocker, I know.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
He would be. Derrick Henry signs a two year deal. John.
Speaker 4 (21:30):
He hasn't seemingly hit a wall at thirty years old,
he ran for nineteen hundred yards. Does father time catch
up to Derrick Henry like seemingly every other back, or
is he just completely different and he's gonna keep producing
thousand yard seasons for the next two three years while
with Baltimore. What are your thoughts he signs the extension?
What'd you think of that?
Speaker 3 (21:50):
The latter I think that he knowing now he takes
care of himself and how serious he is. He's been
very fortunate when it comes to injuries. He missed half
a season about four years ago, and he's gonna he's
gotta be a workhorse and he always will be. But
I remember Ladanian, Tomlinson, There's been some Curtis Martin, There's
(22:11):
been some backs Frank Gore who were real good when
they were like thirty three years old. And the fact
that Lamar Jackson is a threat that every team has
to worry about running in passing that plays right into
Derek Henry's hands, and they make sure they always have
a big, strong offensive line that can run block. So
(22:32):
I could see him doing this another two three years.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
General.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
We had a who's better question the other day. I
want you to weigh in on this one. I gave
this one to Johnny which was more impressive. Lamar Jackson
last year throwing forty one touchdown passes only four picks
over four thousand yards and rushing for over nine hundred yards,
or Derrick Henry going for almost two thousand yards and
(22:56):
putting up a season high yard per carry average, which
was more impressive to you.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
Well, I think Gary Henry was able to do that,
and the big reason was because of Lamar Jackson. When
you think of those touchdowns that he provided and how
a few times he turned the ball over, I would
say Lamar Jackson is the more impressive.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
Yeah, he was crazy good.
Speaker 4 (23:17):
Yeah, but Lamar Jackson was also able to do what
he could do because the.
Speaker 2 (23:22):
Dude, why did we ever let these two get together?
Speaker 4 (23:25):
Did you see this dude at the press conference? He
was sitting there with like a sleeveless shirt on. He
was kind of his arms up on a table and
it's like.
Speaker 2 (23:32):
Stop, like Demico ryans, Yeah, they stop.
Speaker 4 (23:36):
I don't want. I mean, if I see that, I'm
just terrified. As a defensive player, I'm.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
Like I have to tackle him.
Speaker 1 (23:43):
By the way, Tomiko at the season ticket State of
the Texans town hall things that night, he shows up
in a shirt and he's just busting out of it.
The biceps are like we want to be free. The
biceps are trying to get out. Everyone commented, like, coach.
Speaker 3 (24:00):
That's watch was Demiko's buying his shirt smaller?
Speaker 2 (24:03):
Yeah, somebody asks.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
You to double x, I'll take a medium.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
Somebody asked him who his workout inspiration is and he
pointed to Nick.
Speaker 2 (24:12):
It was great.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
It was good stuff. General, Thanks so much for joining us.
We really appreciate it, as always to look forward to
hearing more about your documentary.
Speaker 2 (24:19):
Any update now, No updates now.
Speaker 3 (24:22):
I'll update you with a new one next week. But
thank you very much for asking, thanks for having me on,
and I hope everybody has a great weekend.
Speaker 2 (24:30):
Great Memorial Day weekend. Thank you, General.
Speaker 1 (24:32):
Coming up, we've got whose better type questions more on
the schedule. It never ends, and it's awesome because it's
going to get us fired up for the season and
flag football when everyone's getting wrong about this flag football stuff,
and if it's one player per team, there's a Texan
who's a lock to make it and I kind of
don't want to see it because of something the General said.
We'll talk about that and other things coming up here
(24:54):
on Texans Radio. So much to get to here on
the program, let's get right to it. Mark Van Drmir
and John with you Texans Radio. Great to have you
along here in the hun Day Texans Radio Studio. And Johnny,
you're ready for some who's better stuff. Let's go related
to the schedule somewhat mostly, I think let's go all right.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
We'll start off with a little old derv here.
Speaker 1 (25:15):
Better preseason matchup, preseason game in general at Minnesota the
opener three pm on August ninth or August twenty third
closer at Detroit High noon, better preseason game in your.
Speaker 2 (25:32):
Mind, I'm gonna say Minnesota. I don't know.
Speaker 4 (25:36):
Actually one games one and three, you don't even know
how much the starters are gonna end up playing at all,
if at all. But I do feel like, especially after
the way that this offense played last year against Minnesota.
Speaker 2 (25:49):
I know it is a regular season game.
Speaker 4 (25:50):
I get that, but Brian Flores will probably have a
few different wrinkles that I think will be good for
Nick Hilly and this offense to see at least a
little bit good point and to see how they can
adapt to things. And even if you don't see the
quote unquote, starters have to have to do it because
(26:12):
maybe Flores keeps at Vanilla for the first series or so.
You're gonna see how the offense reacts to it, and
I think that's gonna.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
End up being key. So I'm gonna go Minnesota.
Speaker 4 (26:21):
I don't I don't know how much the starters will
play in either one of those situations, but I feel
like Minnesota, what's the one thing people want to see.
They want to see this offensive line and the offense
in general. How does it pass? Protect, how does the
offense move? I think Minnesota provides a little bit better
test for that.
Speaker 2 (26:40):
It's a good test.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
And in the preseason we've seen more blitzing and more
so called exotic looks than ever before. In the last
few years, five to ten years, preseason has evolved. I
agree with you also JJ McCarthy, because I want to
see him, that's right.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
I think it'll be cool.
Speaker 1 (26:57):
He has to play, he needs to play for ball,
and so they've got to put them out there against
the Houston Texans defense, So that might be fun. The
middle game is Carolina at home, and there were reports,
well Carolina in quite about practicing here, and I would
think Demiko Rans would be up for that, but who knows,
And if they do practice here, then it makes you wondering,
well in the game itself, after joint practices, how much
(27:20):
are we going to see the starters in that noon
August sixteenth game. So we'll find out together. But that'll
be Bryce Young. That'll be fun to see him here
on campus in one way or another.
Speaker 2 (27:31):
So that's cool.
Speaker 1 (27:33):
Yes, Texans Campus, Baby, Texans Campus and Dimiko's the BMOC
all right? Another one? Feeling better about a prime time win?
Buffalo on a Thursday night or the Bucks on Monday
Night football in the Liberty White opener, Bucks on Monday
Night Football. Keep in mind they won the division, they
were tough. We all know how good they can be
(27:54):
with that front. Or Buffalo on a Thursday. They're traveling
on a short week for that Thursday night tilt on
Amazon and ABC thirteen. So feeling better about a primetime win?
Which game do you feel better about?
Speaker 4 (28:09):
Just as I want to talk myself into Week two
against the Bucks because you get an extra day. You know,
we've not played extremely well on Thursday games the last
how many every years? I think the last time I
remember us winning one was twenty twenty for Thanksgiving. I
think that was the only one I could really remember
(28:31):
us winning. Now, we didn't playing Thursday games. We did
twenty one played the Eagles. Was that a Thursday? It
was twenty two? Yeah, played the Eagles on a Thursday.
Twenty one it was Carolina Panthers or it lost that one.
Twenty three didn't have a Thursday game. Twenty four played
the Jets, didn't play exceeding well. Not so we've not
(28:52):
played really really well on Thursday nights even here or there.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
Now it's a different team, different situation, et cetera.
Speaker 4 (29:00):
However, I feel like the Bucks are maybe a little
bit better matchup too. I mean, Baker's tough to stop
Josh's MVP. But I feel like the last time we
played the Bucks and is a little different situation on
both sides. But I feel like we were able to
do offensively what we wanted to. I feel like the
Tampa Bay offense or excuse me, defense isn't all. They're
(29:23):
not back to that twenty twenty level like they had.
That twenty twenty defense was really really good. They're not
back to that. I think they can put up some
points and you get a little bit of a shootout,
hopefully you can win that shootout at home like you
did back in twenty twenty three. So I'm saying Monday
Night against the Bucks, I think the Bills are gonna
be I had a thought last year the Bills are
gonna have maybe a down year, kind of reset year,
(29:44):
and we popped them in Week five. But they got
better and better and better. Yep, and as Josh got
better and better and better. And I just worry about
having to face Josh Allen, regardless in this building or not.
So I'm gonna go Tampa Bay Monday night. Get that
winning week two.
Speaker 1 (30:01):
This era of Buffalo Bill's football. Look, this is a
team that, although they lost for super Bowls in a row,
they went to force super bowls in a row. That's
their standard, at least getting there. That's the high water
mark with Jim Kelly in company. But I've been told
that Josh Allen is already more beloved in Western New
York than Jim Kelly.
Speaker 2 (30:20):
I mean, that's amazing, it's amazing. That's incredible considering what
they did.
Speaker 1 (30:24):
I think losing the super Bowl can be so emotionally
damaging that it almost hurts you.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
More in a way.
Speaker 4 (30:30):
Yeah, I could see that almost, Yeah, I'd like to
be able to go there to test your theater.
Speaker 2 (30:35):
Let's test.
Speaker 1 (30:36):
Let's just test there to win the Super Bowl. But
I want to at least get there. But Allen's done
some incredible things. They just have not gotten over the
hump Thursday night game with the Bills Bill's Mafia, less
of a chance, I would say to travel maybe, Okay,
what at sal car? So?
Speaker 4 (30:50):
I texted sal and I said, well, you know, at
least we're playing you guys on a Thursday night, probably
not gonna have Bill's Mafia. And he said, well, uh,
he said that's not maybe not the case. He said,
it's definitely more challenging. However, Houston is basically the only
true destination city on this year's schedule. Everything else is
(31:14):
Eastern time zone and close by and mostly colder weather.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
So that will still be a popular game to go to.
Speaker 1 (31:21):
You know what warms my heart South Capaccio, Bill's sideline
reporter saying that Houston.
Speaker 2 (31:26):
Is a destination How about that? That is sweet.
Speaker 1 (31:29):
That was very flattering to have Houston called destination city. Yeah,
come here, I Wellesley would not call it a destination city. However,
if you live in Buffalo and it's winter or late fall,
or whatever the heck it is. Yeah, Houston is a
destination city. Anything below the Mason Dixon line is a
destination city.
Speaker 2 (31:49):
I want to get warm, I want to get out
of this.
Speaker 1 (31:51):
Frigid temperature region, the frozen tundra of western New York. Yes,
it's a destination city in that way.
Speaker 4 (31:59):
You know more than anybody. When we fly somewhere to
play a game. Say we're going to play a game
in September and we're going up north of October. We're
going up north, and that plane door hits when we
get off, and it's like, oh, this is glorious.
Speaker 2 (32:15):
Compared to what we have in Houston.
Speaker 4 (32:16):
But then there are times we go in January and
that door opens and it's like, this is not what
we have in Houston, you know. So I can imagine
for Bill's Mafia when they are thinking a November game and.
Speaker 2 (32:28):
They're like, hey, we can go to Houston, can be fifty.
Oh we love that. They'd be ball me.
Speaker 4 (32:32):
Yeah, you get that feel when you get off the plane,
it's like, yeah, this is great. So I think I
can see it. But it's gonna be tough for them
on a Thursday night.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
I love getting off the airplane after coming back from
a cold weather game. Yeah, preferably with a win, and
you just feel that humidity and land.
Speaker 2 (32:49):
Oh I love it. I love it. I hate the
cold on my body.
Speaker 1 (32:52):
Okay, tougher game at the Rams at the Chargers.
Speaker 2 (32:58):
Hear me out. People feel like, I just think.
Speaker 1 (33:03):
There's a narrative. Oh, the Rams much tougher. It's the Rams,
my gosh, Sean McVay the Rams. Well, you got Harriball
coaching the Chargers. Now, they actually won more games than
the Rams last year.
Speaker 2 (33:13):
They won eleven. The Rams won ten.
Speaker 1 (33:15):
Okay, you're opening at the Rams and presumably fresh Chargers.
Is the second to last week of the season, and
it is a relatively short week. It's a Saturday game
now on the schedule says tbd P the TBA or
TV something, but on the Google schedule it says Saturday.
And on an early schedule we saw there was Saturday
(33:36):
in parentheseseason.
Speaker 2 (33:37):
I think it's a Saturday. Yep, so it's a Saturday.
Speaker 1 (33:40):
It could get flexed out if both teams are one
team stinks and they want to move things around, but
for now, it's a Saturday.
Speaker 2 (33:47):
So which is the tougher game at the Chargers.
Speaker 4 (33:50):
At the Rams, I think having to stop Matt Stafford,
Pukinakua and Devonte now that, I think that's gonna be tougher.
I think the Chargers will one of the I wanst
say one of the lessons, but I think one of
the lessons maybe they learned is a maybe we should
(34:12):
try and run the rock against these guys a little
bit more. They didn't have a ton of success, but
they sure as heck didn't have success throwing the football.
So I think the Rams offense is multiple enough, but
has those wide receivers that they can put you in
run pass situations where you're like, I'm not too sure.
(34:32):
I think the Rams will stay in second and four
and second and five and kind of keep you off balance,
where I think that the Chargers, I don't know that
you get pushed as much. I think it'll be interesting
if they go into that game and put staying on
McConkey and see how that goes with them at that point.
Speaker 2 (34:50):
But I think tougher game is gonna be the Rams.
Speaker 4 (34:53):
I think the Rams multiplicity offensively, a McVeigh coach team
who's had all offseason to try and get ready for
the Texans and then getting ready for him and his offense.
Speaker 2 (35:03):
I think that's I think it's tough. I think it's
really tough.
Speaker 4 (35:06):
So I think starting that the season with the Rams,
I think it's more difficult. I think by the end
of the year, week seventeen, either one of these teams
is not gonna be good. One of the teams is
completely out of the playoff run. We're not playing for
seeding anymore. I think the game will not matter as
much for both teams. So I dims say the Rams
(35:28):
right off the bat. Both teams want to get off
to one to zero big time. Get off the good start,
you'd beat a playoff team from the previous year.
Speaker 2 (35:35):
I just think both teams are gonna be sky high
for that game.
Speaker 1 (35:38):
Sky high opening day. Ye, what an opener at the open.
You know what I find interesting? Mike Lafleur, baby Lafleur
as I call him. Yeah, Matt's little brother. Is he
with the Rams now he's been with the Rams?
Speaker 2 (35:49):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (35:49):
So Nick Caley gets the job here as offensive coordinator
and Mike was on the staff in San Francisco with
Debiko Ryant. That's right, Mike went to the Jets to
be the OC with Robert Sala first, and he got
run out of there and doesn't get a whiff as
an OCT.
Speaker 2 (36:06):
Now he's in O C in La.
Speaker 4 (36:08):
But we all know McVeigh long enough, you're gonna end
up getting something.
Speaker 1 (36:15):
Matt was the OC with the Rams and when it's
to Tennessee where he could call the plays actually, and
then he got the Green Bay job. Mike needs that
chance again in order to get a head coaching job.
Can't do it from underneath McVeigh. So coming here if
that was an option, would have been an option, but
didn't want them apparently or whatever. I don't know, if
there are other things.
Speaker 2 (36:34):
Maybe he didn't want it, I don't know, but it
ended up being Nick Keyley.
Speaker 4 (36:37):
And that's the first game that the Nick Kayley attack
will be broken out of the box.
Speaker 2 (36:42):
And you want to see what what it looks like.
Speaker 4 (36:44):
And I'm I'm curious too, because I think we'll see
some of it in training camp.
Speaker 2 (36:50):
I don't think we'll see much of it.
Speaker 4 (36:52):
We'll see the basics during preseason games, but it's gonna
be fun to see it completely unearthed against the Rams,
and that opener I think got opener is a tougher one.
Speaker 1 (37:02):
Okay, next who's better type question? We're gonna mix home
in road. Now tougher game, Oh boy, Broncos at home,
Colts on the road.
Speaker 2 (37:12):
You're going into Lucas Soil. Always tough.
Speaker 1 (37:16):
I think the Colts, the Colts and Jags have I
will say wild card, not in a playoff context, but
wild card meaning you never know what's gonna happen. Yeah,
you never know what's gonna happen with these teams. The
Colts could flash to nine wins again, and they won
nine games two years ago with Gardner Minshew. Right now,
they got Daniel Jones, Anthony Richardson. Some magic happens there,
(37:37):
Jonathan Taylor stays healthy, they run the ball.
Speaker 2 (37:39):
Whoop, We're back to eight nine wins.
Speaker 1 (37:42):
We're back to being a semi contender in the AFC South.
Tough game at Indie or is it home against the
Broncos who were tough last year made the playoffs?
Speaker 2 (37:51):
Lost on the road against Buffalo.
Speaker 1 (37:53):
I don't know it's in store for Act two with
bo Nicks in his career, in his so called sophomore season,
But we'll see which is tougher.
Speaker 4 (38:03):
Let me ask you question fast got me thinking who
wins more games in twenty twenty three for the Colts
or or let's just say who wins more games for
the Colts this year.
Speaker 2 (38:16):
Gardner Minshew is the starter or Daniel Jones as the
starter this year?
Speaker 1 (38:22):
If you had Gardner, yeah, I think the ceiling is higher.
With Jones, potentially the floor could be a little lower.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
I think that's that's a good way put it.
Speaker 1 (38:32):
I think Minshaw gets you a steady assue goes kind
of performance. Minshe beat the Ravens in Baltimore last year
playing for the Raiders. For the Raiders, I mean, and
they look good in the fourth quarter and they came
back and won the game.
Speaker 2 (38:45):
It was very good if they could do what we
could do it Darning.
Speaker 1 (38:48):
But with Daniel Jones, if he's really rolling, you know,
and hangs out of the ball, you can run the ball,
bit throw the ball.
Speaker 4 (38:54):
I mean, stop that sentence right there, that if Daniel
Jones is rolling, the Colts end up being the tougher
the tougher game, right, because I do think that Bonnick's
and the Broncos offense will step back a little bit.
He'll see some things that you know, kind of like
CJCJ saw a few different things last year, and you know,
the offense wasn't able to handle it. Now, I do
(39:15):
think that Sean Payton has got his system kind of
set in place the way that he wants and I
think they'll be able to see some things and see
Bo grow a little bit. But I do think second
year for a quarterback it can be tough because now WHOA,
they've seen you a little.
Speaker 2 (39:29):
Bit kind of caught onto your tendencies.
Speaker 4 (39:33):
And I think the Broncos defense is going to be
rock solid, but I think we're going to face a
number of more explosive offenses than what the Broncos are
bringing here. That said, I think the Colts if what
you just said, if Daniel Jones finds a little bit
of a groove, he's not turning the ball over, They're
(39:53):
protecting him, he's not making big mistakes, it's the Colts.
It's the Colts because if he's playing at that level, now,
the question is, can Daniel Jones play at that level?
Can Daniel Jones give you a B minus or B
performance every single week?
Speaker 2 (40:12):
If he is capable.
Speaker 4 (40:13):
Of that and you get the B plus performance, it's
gonna be it'll be tough to beat them up there.
Speaker 2 (40:19):
It'll be tough to beat them one more for you.
Best schedule video this year that you saw? So, so
who's best question? Chargers.
Speaker 4 (40:29):
Chargers Minecraft was exceptional. Yeah, and I thought the What's up?
I mean, I understood that commercial, But what I loved
about it was I think the first five seconds of
it because when Bunn picks up the phone you see
in the background and Finnigan going at it. Yeah, oh yeah,
you see the old commercial, but you also hear so
(40:54):
there's a little I love. I love the subtleties in
the little easter head.
Speaker 2 (40:59):
I love having on there. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (41:00):
Dennis in huge, so many great sports arguably second to
Costner in Sport Movie, just prolific showings.
Speaker 2 (41:12):
I did a double take when I saw him, was
like what I mean?
Speaker 4 (41:14):
I was like, yeah, whoa awesome. So I was so
excited to see him. But the Chargers have just these
little subtle easter eggs thrown throughout their their Minecraft video
that were really really could and really funny.
Speaker 2 (41:30):
And then it's been that way for the last three
or four years.
Speaker 4 (41:32):
So the Chargers are the Chargers are definitely the Philadelphia
Eagles in this thing.
Speaker 2 (41:37):
They're they're top notch. They're they're the best at it.
Speaker 4 (41:41):
I didn't love the schedule videos this year, by and large,
By and large, I didn't love them.
Speaker 2 (41:47):
I thought there were some that could have been. Yeah,
a little bit better.
Speaker 1 (41:50):
Is the Titans won from a couple of years ago
where they're surveying just asking questions on Broadway.
Speaker 2 (41:56):
Is that the best one we ever saw? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (41:58):
It's funny because I've seen kind of I've seen kind
of a trend I guess on being Instagram or whatever.
Speaker 2 (42:05):
And so I.
Speaker 4 (42:06):
Saw one the other day kind of along the same
lines where this guy these these uh, these two guys. Uh,
he says, I asked my my Mexican friend how to
pronounce SEC teams, and so they pre pronounces, you know,
like and then he spells them out like how it's pronounced.
Speaker 2 (42:27):
He just cracked me up.
Speaker 4 (42:28):
But it was kind of the same kind of along
the same vein, And those those cracked me up because
they're so easy to do.
Speaker 2 (42:34):
It's just you don't film your buddy saying it incorrectly.
But you have to edit them, well, you do. You
have to edit them extremely well. It's all of the editing.
That's what we always say it's all the editing.
Speaker 4 (42:43):
Yeah, but that to me is better than something pre
produced that costs god knows how much.
Speaker 2 (42:49):
And sometimes isn't that funny?
Speaker 1 (42:50):
Okay? Next up, flag football? What's our starting five in
the NFL? And what Texans player do I not want
to see make it? Who I think would be a
lock to make it. We'll get to that next year
on Texans All Access. Back to it for a final
segment here on Texans Radio and Johnny the Texans player.
Speaker 2 (43:09):
People have been waiting.
Speaker 1 (43:11):
The Texans player who I think is a lock the
number one flag football Olympic candidate for me. I think
you might agree with my choice here, Derek Stingley just
there's no question in my mind he would be the guy. Now,
multiple people players could do this, but sting is the
number one candidate. Great hands, so as a dB, forget
(43:32):
about it. I forget about it. He is so good
he could also play receiver for your flag football team,
no doubt about it. And my buddy Matt, who's you know,
kind of an acquaintance buddy who ran the flag football
league that my older kid played in. I knew that
he played with some NFL guys like he played with
Steven Simms. Oh, he played with a bunch of guys.
(43:53):
He played on a team with flag football athletes, really
great athletes, and they played NFL players during the lockout.
So this would have been twenty eleven. Jamal Charles among them.
Earl Thomas, he said they beat him soundly, just boat
race them. Yeah, then he's not bragging, but he's making
the point that a lot of people are making. And
(44:14):
Darryl Ducett, the quarterback from Team USA, that hey, it's
a different game, different different game, different game. I saw
different Pro Bowl flag football highlights on NFL Network and
they weren't They weren't touting it as this is what
it's going to look like. But you watch them play
at the Pro Bowl, and I know that's friendly competition,
but it ain't going to be that. This is going
to be hell raising stuff. Joe Burrow is not going
(44:36):
to be the flag football quarterback. It'll be Kyler Murray,
It'll be Jaden Daniels, Lamar Jackson, It'll be some or Mahomes,
somebody like that.
Speaker 2 (44:44):
If anybody from the.
Speaker 4 (44:46):
League to get the most out of the offense, yes,
because you've got to have somebody that's mobile. I use
this analogy in a sense, and I think, you know,
I went over to Spain with a group of American
basketball players to be an assistant coach, kind of go along
for the ride, to kind of be a chaperone whatever.
Our guys had the hardest time going from playing American basketball,
(45:07):
how you play American basketball to playing international basketball. I
totally understood the dream team thing after I went like,
I totally got it.
Speaker 2 (45:13):
Two totally different games.
Speaker 4 (45:16):
American basketball and international basketball are way closer than flag
football and NFL football.
Speaker 2 (45:21):
Yeah, like they're on different plants.
Speaker 4 (45:23):
And the analogy I used was, it's like taking PGA
golfers and putting them in a contest against putt putt champions.
Speaker 1 (45:32):
You know what, that's a good one. Now PGA golfers
can putt. They can't put these putt putt guys. They
know the the bounce off the wood right, the angle
the windmill is gonna go this way.
Speaker 4 (45:42):
Like pg golfers could go in there and do it
and eventually get better at it.
Speaker 2 (45:47):
Sure, but immediately to spend the time.
Speaker 4 (45:50):
If they spend the time doing it, but immediately they're
not gonna jump right in and be successful because it's
a totally different game.
Speaker 2 (45:56):
Serious X and NFL.
Speaker 1 (45:57):
They would say, like, yeah, Michael Parsons would be great
to rush the pass flag football.
Speaker 2 (46:00):
No, we wouldn't. This is not what you're looking at.
Speaker 1 (46:04):
You gotta get a fat I mean not that Parsons
isn't fast, but faster than Parsons type guy.
Speaker 2 (46:08):
Yeah. Now, long is good if you had a wingspan.
Speaker 1 (46:11):
But you got to be able to pull that flag baby,
and that thing gets quite elusive in these games. This
is this is interesting because McClain's right. You know, you
get one injured player, people are going to freak out.
That's why you know, I'd love to see Derek Stingley
Junior play, but I wouldn't want to see him play.
Speaker 2 (46:27):
If you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 4 (46:28):
I know exactly what you're saying, and it's not to me.
It's really that sting is out of injury history. It's
just injuries anybody, anybody.
Speaker 1 (46:34):
Because soft tissue stuff happens when you're running around. These
guys are gonna be running around quite a bit now
they're playing on a field.
Speaker 4 (46:40):
It's not like when Robert Edwards got hurt with the
Patriots many years ago. They were playing a beach at
that point. Yeah, Okay, that's a little different. You're playing
on more true surface, et cetera. I'm just saying you
are arguing it. It's almost like apples and crab apples,
like they're completely different things.
Speaker 2 (46:57):
Yea.
Speaker 4 (46:58):
And to say, well, yeah, I'm gonna be the NFL
player's gonna be great at it eventually, yes, eventually.
Speaker 2 (47:04):
I mean, look what happened in American basketball. International basketball.
Speaker 4 (47:07):
International players became so good that they came over and
dominate American basketball.
Speaker 1 (47:11):
Before I would go Micah Parsons, I might look at
some NBA point guards or something like that.
Speaker 2 (47:16):
Seriously, Yeah, not that I even go to.
Speaker 4 (47:18):
I might even go with the Xavier You're worthy. He
runs four to two, He'll get to the guy faster.
Speaker 2 (47:22):
Are you here? Might do that.
Speaker 1 (47:23):
You know what I would want as far as receivers,
and I guess if you have ten people on a team,
you're gonna have some offensive specialists. Yeah, I'll go tall,
but I want the tall guy who can cut best,
not necessarily a four to four guy. I want a
guy who can you know, turn on a dime, because
those are the guys who really make trouble for the
defenders in the flag football context. So I want to
(47:46):
see that. Will Fuller I think would have been outstanding
at flag football. I mean just able to turn on
a dime with speed, that sort of skill set. Jhalan
Knowle would be a stun in flag football. Oh, Chalen Knowle,
that's another one. We'll just start stop. He's so good
and so clean. I think by the time they play
Mahomes it might be like, I'm not gonna do it.
You know, he'll be a little older by then and
(48:08):
then forget about it. Okay, didn't mean to say forget
about it twice a minute show, right, but I did.
Speaker 2 (48:12):
All right.
Speaker 1 (48:13):
Tomorrow we've got Chris Clark. He has some things to say.
Former Texans offensive lineman spent a dozen years in this league.
Smart guy can't wait to catch up with him, among
other things. On Friday Show pre Memorial Day Weekend, Area
forty five coming up. You want to hear what those
guys have to say about everything. Have a great night,
(48:33):
Go Texans.
Hello, Texans, Welcome to the show in advance of Memorial
Day weekend.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
It's Memorial Day weekend eve.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Here Thursday Night, Mark vandermir John Harris with you, joined
by the General John maclain, and we are excited because
we're always excited to talk Texans and NFL football and
anything else that comes up on the program.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
General, good evening. How are you doing tonight?
Speaker 3 (00:21):
That couldn't be better?
Speaker 1 (00:22):
Guys, how are you doing great? Looking forward to a
big weekend? A lot has happened. We had owners' meetings
this week, among many other things. I wanted to start
here though we'll go in no particular order, but we
want to acknowledge and express our condolences to the Indianapolis
Colts organization and the Ersay family. Jim Ersay passes and General.
I know you've covered this league for a long time.
(00:44):
You covered his dad, Baltimore Colts. Tell us your thoughts
on the passing of Jim Irsay.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
After I retired from the Chronicle after the twenty twenty
two draft, I received a package and when I opened it,
it was a football addressed to me from the Colts
with a note from Jim Ersay congratulating me. On forty
seven years of excellence, and last night I took a
(01:12):
picture of it since it started to put it on Twitter,
and I thought, now we'll do that. He get lost
in all the tributes and it's interesting. Ersay was broadcast
journalism major and the head of his department at SMU
was David mccam, who was the head of journalism when
I was at Baylor. And mccam lives in Houston. He's
(01:32):
ninety one and I go to launch by once a
month and he's told me for years what a good
student Jim Ursay was, and he thought Ersay could have
a great career in broadcast journalism, but of course he
had another thing to do, and he was involved in
the organization early on when he was a teenager. And Jim,
(01:56):
I think people nationally have a different opinion to him
than people are knew. And because he was dicted to pills,
because he was a big weightlifter at one weight two
ninety oh impetitive bodybuilder, and he had all kind of
injuries and surgeries nack back, and I think that's how
he got addicted to the pills. But he was so
(02:17):
generous with giving away millions and millions around the country,
especially in Indianapolis, and he is so revered there. And
the thing that I thought was the coolest thing about
Jim Mersay was his collection. He collected. He spent millions
and millions, and he collected a lot of things sports, music,
(02:40):
non sports, not related, but he had a lot of things. Guitars,
drum set, the drum set the Beatles had when they
made their initial appearance on Ed Sullivan Show, which was
the biggest audience ever til Mash signed off and he
(03:01):
turned down. He said in his story a couple of
years ago, one and a half billion dollars and he said,
but I didn't get all this to sell it. I'm
not interested in selling it, and I'll be interested to
see what his family does with it, because it was
near and dear it his art and he took it
on the road. His collection never charged anything. He had
(03:21):
a band, the Jim Ursay Band, and he didn't charge anything.
But Jim was a really good guy. The media loved
him there, and I've been reading a lot of things
by the media covered him, how accessible he was and
calls it one in the morning because he was a
night out and they knew they better be prepared to
stay up a couple hours, and he just he as
(03:43):
a journalism major, he knew the importance of how a
team used the media to get their message out to
their fans, and it's a shame ninety nine percent of
the owners today do not understand that.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Yeah, there's a little question. General asked the question.
Speaker 4 (04:03):
Because at this point you ask, is there any do
you think there's any ownership issues going forward now that
Ersa has passed, or does he pass it down to
his girls who have been so instrumental in running the colts.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
He has three daughters, and the oldest, Carly, has been
involved on the personnel side for a long time. One
of them's involved on the administrative side. When he was
suspended in I think it was fourteen for six months,
Carly took over. If you google her, there's all kinds
of pictures with her, the headphones and cold stuff on
(04:39):
the sideline she's at practice. So they think they're in
good hands with her because she's learned at every level
of the organization. She's not somebody he just put in charge,
and she has great respect from the fan base and
the media as well.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
General.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
A lot of people listening are in a world where
it's always been the Indianapolis Colts, but we come from
a world where it was the Baltimore Colts, and especially you.
I don't want to say what that implies, ye, but
you understand.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
That I'm old.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
That's sorry, but you want to You understand what the
Colts meant to Baltimore. And it's been an interesting dynamic
because Baltimore eventually gets the Ravens, the former Cleveland Browns,
and look how well they've done. So I guess it's
all's well, that ends well. But your thoughts on that
whole moving the Colts thing, because that predated the Oiler
move obviously, what about that part of the legacy of
(05:33):
the Ursay family.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
My first hero was Johnny Unias, Johnny Yu, Colts quarterback.
I had a Colts uniform from sears number nineteen, and
I'd get out of the yard, throw the ball around
to my little brother and the neighbors, and I was
Johnny Yu. Then the Cowboys came, and the Cowboys were
terrible for a while, but then when they got good,
I didt Cols and became a Cowboy fan. And Jim
(06:00):
Mersey was the antithesis of his dad. His dad was
despicable human being and drunk. He treated people terribly, and
I know they said that he embarrassed to Jim a
lot of times when he was early on. Jim said
the story, my dad fired me more times than I
care to admit. That he wanted to run that organization
(06:21):
opposite the way his dad ran to Baltimore calls. When
he took him out of town in the middle of
the night, they made flower manlines going to Indianapolis. And Jim,
he was beloved by everybody in organization, whether you were
in personnel or you were on the administrative side. There
(06:41):
were times where he took everybody places. He treated his
people right. And it's a tremendous loss for the NFL.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
All right, So you mentioned the collection. It's amazing. I
was reading about Ursay's musical instrument collection. It is phenomenal stuff.
There's a whole Wikipedia page devoted to that. But let
me ask you this, since rather the subject, what is
one item a guitar from a famous guitarist, bass or drums,
or maybe it's a horn, I don't know, But what
(07:10):
musical instrument historically would you love to have as a
collector's item.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
I know the one I.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
Want you talking about the one that he had. No
just one from anywhere.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
One from anywhere. You get to pick it and it's
all yours.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Well, he had guitars from Elvis, the Beatles. I really
came of age with the Beatles. So mane would be
something like Paul Guitar's first Paul guitar, Paul McCartney's first
bass which was distinctive, and that big drum set that
Ringo had the Beatles. That would be something instantly instantly recognizable.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
Johnny Jimmy Hendrick's guitar, very nice.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
Yeah, he had one, preferably one that he didn't burn.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
Yes, that would be good, although the burn one.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Would I'd be fine with Monna. A pop burn guitar
would be cool. I would pick Jimmy Page double neck
SG from the seventy three tour.
Speaker 4 (08:04):
By the way, have you seen the Jimmy Page black Crows. Yes, yes,
Mash that is good. Interesting, that is really really good.
Speaking of good general, the tush push lives on NFL
meetings yesterday twenty two to ten. They needed two more votes,
they didn't get it. The tush push continues to live.
(08:28):
There's a lot of different ways to look at this.
One of the things that that Mark I talked about
last night. I read this that you know, the NFL
sort of pushed the packers into being the ones to
kind of put a team's face, so to speak, on
making that proposal. Your thought about just the tush push
in general not going away and hew up, say you
(08:49):
think the NFL is that it is staying for twenty twenty.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
Five, Well, they're upset about it. Roger Godell didn't want it.
I think, coming two votes short, we'll visit it again
next year and then they'll get rid of it under
the guise of not repelling players forward unless you're blocking
for them. And I think it's terrible. You can't stop
something somebody else is perfected, so you want to go
(09:15):
home and get the bosses to change the rules. I
just think that's preposterous. Somebody ought to work harder on
perfecting it on offense and events instead of whining to
the other owners to change it. And as Jeffrey Lourie,
I've read the behind the scenes things in The Athletic
and ESPN about how it went down. He infuriated some
(09:38):
people when he was talking about it, and I'm surprised
all of them didn't vote against it, just because of
the way he was talking about it. But even though
the Safety Commission, the Competition Committee, Goodell all wanted to
get rid of it, they didn't. But it just shows
you it's coming. And he defied them, said, show us
statistics that say it's caused players get hurt. He brought
(10:01):
in Jason Kelsey. Kelsey said, I'd come out of retirement
if all I had to do was to run the
toush push from the one yard line. So I'm guessing
it'll be gone again next year. And he had solicited
Green Bay like Youdell, it's solicited Detroit on the schedule,
I mean on the playoffs receding, and I'm glad that
(10:21):
didn't even go to a vote. I think that's ridiculous.
Texans could have played on the road, and if they
lost on the road in the first round, then they're
supposed to play a first place schedule. That would be preposterous.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
Oh interesting, You know that's a good point about the
scheduling the following year.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
Channel.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
I never even thought of that. The repercussions. Hey I'm
on the road, but now I got to play a
first place schedule. But you did win the division, so
I didn't know that that's the way you felt about that.
I thought you might be one of these people that thought, hey,
good record, you deserved the host.
Speaker 4 (10:51):
What do you think the NFL would think about Mike
Leech's short yardage pitch?
Speaker 2 (10:56):
Did you Joe hear about this one? Oh?
Speaker 1 (10:58):
Throw the little person, throw a little person over the top.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
I guess it never came to fruition, But I.
Speaker 4 (11:07):
Wonder what the NFL would have thought of that one general,
Why do you I mean, that's a great point about
the playoff seating staying where it is. It didn't even
get to vote, so I'd imagine the owners will leave
it right there. The other one that changed slightly was
the on side kick, And we've talked about this over
the years. You know, do you do fourth and fifteen,
(11:29):
fourth and twelve, fourth and twenty and give it a play,
or do you try and tweak the outside kick.
Speaker 2 (11:34):
They moved it back a yard.
Speaker 4 (11:36):
It doesn't sound like a whole lot, but the kick
is going to move back to the thirty four yard
line such that maybe you can get the bounce in.
It makes on side kicks a little bit more exciting,
I know, it's not a big one, but just the
fact that they give a.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
Little bit more hope.
Speaker 4 (11:49):
General, what do you think about that tweak to the
kickoff on side kick roll?
Speaker 3 (11:53):
I didn't think squad about it because you got to
tell the opposing team you're doing it, which is just ridiculous. Day.
The whole reason they changed the kickoffs was because of injuries.
Now they've changed the rule trying to get more kickoff returns.
What's the sense in that? Just go ahead, let them
start on the thirty or thirty five if you win
the coin toss and take at all this rigmo they
(12:16):
keep trying to put in that people don't understand. It
makes no sense, like telling the opponent, yeah, we're going
to do an onside kick.
Speaker 4 (12:23):
Imagine a halftime of the Super Bowl, how many ever
years ago and Sean Payton walks over to the Colts
and says, hey, I'm an onside kick right here.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (12:32):
I mean, it's one of the great players NFL history.
It is that that's a kick start the.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Second half, and the McAfee one here in twenty fourteen.
I hate seeing it on the MCCAVV pre roll every
day at a chev Oh my gosh, please stop anyway, General,
flag football. It's a thing, and the league will allow
NFL players to participate.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
Thoughts, one player per team if they want to can
go to the tryouts, doesn't mean they'll make it. I
think there will be UFL players. I think there'll be
some college players, some retired recently retired players who want
to do it. I think there'll be a lot of competition.
And boy, let one player blow out his acl while
he's playing flag football and there's going to be screaming
(13:15):
to the high heavens.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
Yeah, no doubt.
Speaker 4 (13:17):
Next week, General, the OTAs that we get to see
are taking place. I think Wednesday is the day that
we get to see next week this team in full
for the first time. We don't get to see pads,
so a lot of times we're gonna watch the offensive line,
defensive line. But I still think they're gonna be eyes
on those guys even if there are no pads, just
(13:37):
to kind of see what the new guys look like
and how they line up and all.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
That kind of stuff.
Speaker 4 (13:42):
What are you most excited, general, about seeing next week,
even without the pads, seeing kind of the full group
for the first time.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
In twenty twenty five, absolutely nothing when it comes to
lineman because they can't do squad sept. I hope they
look good. I'm still watching the receivers, the defensive back
who are covering the receivers even though there's no pads
and they can't knock them down. These young quarterbacks, I
want to see how they throw the ball. It's kind
of ridiculous considering they can't cover, they can't hit, they
(14:11):
can't touch each other. They might as well practice flag
football out there. Give them a head start. But I'm
more interested. Yeah, I'm gonna go. I'm gonna watch him.
I would like. I was watching the two rookie receivers
and I was watching Woody Marks as well, and so
I'm I'm fired up to see the skill position players general.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
There was an account called what was it Johnny slick
Rick Football or something slick Rick Scoops. Slick Rick Scoops,
the always reliable slick Rick Scoop.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
Did have thirty one thousand followers.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
Thirty one reported I'll put that out of air. Quotes
that the Texans were engaged in some kind of talks
with JK. Dobbins, free agent running back. Now, I don't
want to give slick Rick scoops too much credit here.
Maybe he's right, maybe he's wrong, But that aside, or
you can comment on the JK. Dobbins rumor or whatever
you want to describe it as. But is there a
(15:06):
position group you'd still like to see them add to
at this point? Where would you like to see them
inject some more talent?
Speaker 3 (15:14):
Well, if Joe Mixon is in the boot, as reported,
and that may be why they're looking around. And but
to me, you can never have enough offensive lineman, especially
interior guys. If Nick Casio and Nmiko Ryans and Nick Kayley,
if those guys along with Coppopach, if they decide there's
(15:34):
a guy out there they want to bring in, you know,
Cassario will do it. You know, it's more the merrier
when it comes to the offensive line and the way
they've bolstered. I saw some national publication talking about they
need help and linebacker, and I'm like, do you have
a clue what's going on in this organization? Maybe they
(15:54):
know something, Maybe it was slicker Rick. They got injuries
there we don't know about, but right now I think
their depth on defense is tremendous. He can never have
enough corners of course. But and as far as wide receivers,
you know, I guess if you throw another one in there.
But I would like to see even though they have
(16:17):
Damian Pierce and they have Woody Marks. Now, if there's
a guy like JK. Dobbins who's played great when he's healthy,
problem is he gets hurt too much. That's why he's
available and people are skeptical. But he proved last year
when he's healthy he can still run and hit the
home run.
Speaker 4 (16:34):
Apparently, Aaron Rodgers did a three hour interview on Joe
Rogan's podcast, and I take that for what it is.
The biggest part of that was he didn't shed any
light on whether he was going to play football for
the Steelers or for anybody for that matter. At twenty
twenty five general, what do you think happens with Aaron Rodgers?
Speaker 2 (16:57):
Second part?
Speaker 4 (16:58):
If Aaron Rodgers doesn't for Pittsburgh, what do you think
they do at quarterback?
Speaker 3 (17:05):
I think they have Mason Rudolph and they'll go out
there and sign one of these veterans that out there
and they will have big time issue. Now, people point
out Mason Rudolph has a winning record. Wef that's the case,
why is he not a regular starter? But I think
Rogers is going to Pittsburgh. I don't think Mike Tomlin
(17:25):
and the Ruinnies would leave themselves that vulnerable. I think
he's going. I think he doesn't want anybody to know
it because it would create even more controversy. And I'm thinking,
my god, who could listen to him for three hours
with you?
Speaker 1 (17:45):
He should spend some time in the darkness and come
up with a solution here and put.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
A little more Iahuastra.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
Yeah, a little more of that. Well, maybe not too
much more. I don't know too much. Never done that stuff. Okay,
let me ask you this about Jacksonville, because I see
a lot of differing opinions out there about how this
is going to go for them. They drafted Travis Hunter,
we know the rest of the story bounce back yere
maybe with Liam Kohane.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Are they going to be able to do it or not?
In general?
Speaker 1 (18:09):
Do you Let's put it this way, you buying are
selling the Jacksonville Jaguars in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
Well, for what you know, I think they could win
eight or nine games, assuming Liam Cohen can get the
best out of Trevor Lawrence, which nobody's been able to do.
They have the best player in the draft. They had
Brian Thomas last year was outstanding rookie receiver. They're going
to cause a bunch of problems for defensive backs, and
(18:37):
that's one reason the Texans have loaded up on defensive
backs at corner in safety. They're going to be playing
against a team that can throw the ball, and I
would pick them second. I would pick the Colts third,
and I'd pick the Titans last. I think the Colts
wins six or seven games, Jaguars eight or nine, and
(18:57):
the Texans I looked. I picked them to go eleven
and six and win the division. Handle it again.
Speaker 1 (19:03):
Is the Colts pick at third purely because of the
quarterback position.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
Absolutely, they don't. If Anthony Richardson doesn't make it this
year in his third year, they're gonna have to get
rid of it. And Daniel Jones, at least he's had
a really good season or two in the NFL. He
gives them hope. I think he was smart to play there.
I'm assuming they'll begin with Richardson at quarterback, but you
got to think they got some jobs on the line
(19:30):
there and if Richardson bombs out again. I thought it
might Chris costs Jim Chris Ballard his job this year,
but it didn't. It's interesting now to see how does
Carle Let's see carly r say, is it Gordon? I
can't remember it'syphonated because she's married. What does she think?
(19:51):
Will she get involved in it? Would she leave Ballard
and change Dyking a loan for another year? But will
she run it like her dad? Or will she be
more hands off and just leave it to the top dogs.
But to me, it's a make or break here for
the coach.
Speaker 2 (20:09):
See I feel Johnny, how do you feel about this?
Speaker 1 (20:11):
I feel like Jones in an off season, preseason training
camp context should win the job. I feel like his experience,
he should be able to handle things. It's going to
look good. The real pressure doesn't come until you play
these regular season games. I think if they start Anthony Richardson,
it's going to be the Well. We still feel like
he gives us the best chance to win with his
(20:32):
outstanding surprise playmaking. And Daniel Jones, you know, he did
a solid job in the preseason, but we're gonna go
with the guy with the higher ceiling X factor, however
you want to describe it.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
Let's say you're right. Let's say you're right and Daniel
Jones does win that competition.
Speaker 4 (20:46):
Then I start, okay, well, what do you do with
Anthony Richardson? Are you going to keep him as the backup?
Or do you release him? At that point, I guess
you keep them. But I had this thought if they
released him from the Baltimore Ravens.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
Oh, think about this for a second, don't What.
Speaker 4 (21:02):
If the Baltimore Ravens then picked him up and put
him in a backfield, maybe not to throw it, but
put him in a backfield.
Speaker 2 (21:09):
Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, Oh, don't start, Holy con
want to see that.
Speaker 4 (21:13):
I mean, he's got the thread of throwing it if
you need him to. But he could also run. He's
two fifty. He could block for Henry Henry could block
for him. Speaking of Henry, Derek.
Speaker 3 (21:24):
Anning expensive blocker, I know.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
He would be. Derrick Henry signs a two year deal. John.
Speaker 4 (21:30):
He hasn't seemingly hit a wall at thirty years old,
he ran for nineteen hundred yards. Does father time catch
up to Derrick Henry like seemingly every other back, or
is he just completely different and he's gonna keep producing
thousand yard seasons for the next two three years while
with Baltimore. What are your thoughts he signs the extension?
What'd you think of that?
Speaker 3 (21:50):
The latter I think that he knowing now he takes
care of himself and how serious he is. He's been
very fortunate when it comes to injuries. He missed half
a season about four years ago, and he's gonna he's
gotta be a workhorse and he always will be. But
I remember Ladanian, Tomlinson, There's been some Curtis Martin, There's
(22:11):
been some backs Frank Gore who were real good when
they were like thirty three years old. And the fact
that Lamar Jackson is a threat that every team has
to worry about running in passing that plays right into
Derek Henry's hands, and they make sure they always have
a big, strong offensive line that can run block. So
(22:32):
I could see him doing this another two three years.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
General.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
We had a who's better question the other day. I
want you to weigh in on this one. I gave
this one to Johnny which was more impressive. Lamar Jackson
last year throwing forty one touchdown passes only four picks
over four thousand yards and rushing for over nine hundred yards,
or Derrick Henry going for almost two thousand yards and
(22:56):
putting up a season high yard per carry average, which
was more impressive to you.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
Well, I think Gary Henry was able to do that,
and the big reason was because of Lamar Jackson. When
you think of those touchdowns that he provided and how
a few times he turned the ball over, I would
say Lamar Jackson is the more impressive.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
Yeah, he was crazy good.
Speaker 4 (23:17):
Yeah, but Lamar Jackson was also able to do what
he could do because the.
Speaker 2 (23:22):
Dude, why did we ever let these two get together?
Speaker 4 (23:25):
Did you see this dude at the press conference? He
was sitting there with like a sleeveless shirt on. He
was kind of his arms up on a table and
it's like.
Speaker 2 (23:32):
Stop, like Demico ryans, Yeah, they stop.
Speaker 4 (23:36):
I don't want. I mean, if I see that, I'm
just terrified. As a defensive player, I'm.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
Like I have to tackle him.
Speaker 1 (23:43):
By the way, Tomiko at the season ticket State of
the Texans town hall things that night, he shows up
in a shirt and he's just busting out of it.
The biceps are like we want to be free. The
biceps are trying to get out. Everyone commented, like, coach.
Speaker 3 (24:00):
That's watch was Demiko's buying his shirt smaller?
Speaker 2 (24:03):
Yeah, somebody asks.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
You to double x, I'll take a medium.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
Somebody asked him who his workout inspiration is and he
pointed to Nick.
Speaker 2 (24:12):
It was great.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
It was good stuff. General, Thanks so much for joining us.
We really appreciate it, as always to look forward to
hearing more about your documentary.
Speaker 2 (24:19):
Any update now, No updates now.
Speaker 3 (24:22):
I'll update you with a new one next week. But
thank you very much for asking, thanks for having me on,
and I hope everybody has a great weekend.
Speaker 2 (24:30):
Great Memorial Day weekend. Thank you, General.
Speaker 1 (24:32):
Coming up, we've got whose better type questions more on
the schedule. It never ends, and it's awesome because it's
going to get us fired up for the season and
flag football when everyone's getting wrong about this flag football stuff,
and if it's one player per team, there's a Texan
who's a lock to make it and I kind of
don't want to see it because of something the General said.
We'll talk about that and other things coming up here
(24:54):
on Texans Radio. So much to get to here on
the program, let's get right to it. Mark Van Drmir
and John with you Texans Radio. Great to have you
along here in the hun Day Texans Radio Studio. And Johnny,
you're ready for some who's better stuff. Let's go related
to the schedule somewhat mostly, I think let's go all right.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
We'll start off with a little old derv here.
Speaker 1 (25:15):
Better preseason matchup, preseason game in general at Minnesota the
opener three pm on August ninth or August twenty third
closer at Detroit High noon, better preseason game in your.
Speaker 2 (25:32):
Mind, I'm gonna say Minnesota. I don't know.
Speaker 4 (25:36):
Actually one games one and three, you don't even know
how much the starters are gonna end up playing at all,
if at all. But I do feel like, especially after
the way that this offense played last year against Minnesota.
Speaker 2 (25:49):
I know it is a regular season game.
Speaker 4 (25:50):
I get that, but Brian Flores will probably have a
few different wrinkles that I think will be good for
Nick Hilly and this offense to see at least a
little bit good point and to see how they can
adapt to things. And even if you don't see the
quote unquote, starters have to have to do it because
(26:12):
maybe Flores keeps at Vanilla for the first series or so.
You're gonna see how the offense reacts to it, and
I think that's gonna.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
End up being key. So I'm gonna go Minnesota.
Speaker 4 (26:21):
I don't I don't know how much the starters will
play in either one of those situations, but I feel
like Minnesota, what's the one thing people want to see.
They want to see this offensive line and the offense
in general. How does it pass? Protect, how does the
offense move? I think Minnesota provides a little bit better
test for that.
Speaker 2 (26:40):
It's a good test.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
And in the preseason we've seen more blitzing and more
so called exotic looks than ever before. In the last
few years, five to ten years, preseason has evolved. I
agree with you also JJ McCarthy, because I want to
see him, that's right.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
I think it'll be cool.
Speaker 1 (26:57):
He has to play, he needs to play for ball,
and so they've got to put them out there against
the Houston Texans defense, So that might be fun. The
middle game is Carolina at home, and there were reports,
well Carolina in quite about practicing here, and I would
think Demiko Rans would be up for that, but who knows,
And if they do practice here, then it makes you wondering,
well in the game itself, after joint practices, how much
(27:20):
are we going to see the starters in that noon
August sixteenth game. So we'll find out together. But that'll
be Bryce Young. That'll be fun to see him here
on campus in one way or another.
Speaker 2 (27:31):
So that's cool.
Speaker 1 (27:33):
Yes, Texans Campus, Baby, Texans Campus and Dimiko's the BMOC
all right? Another one? Feeling better about a prime time win?
Buffalo on a Thursday night or the Bucks on Monday
Night football in the Liberty White opener, Bucks on Monday
Night Football. Keep in mind they won the division, they
were tough. We all know how good they can be
(27:54):
with that front. Or Buffalo on a Thursday. They're traveling
on a short week for that Thursday night tilt on
Amazon and ABC thirteen. So feeling better about a primetime win?
Which game do you feel better about?
Speaker 4 (28:09):
Just as I want to talk myself into Week two
against the Bucks because you get an extra day. You know,
we've not played extremely well on Thursday games the last
how many every years? I think the last time I
remember us winning one was twenty twenty for Thanksgiving. I
think that was the only one I could really remember
(28:31):
us winning. Now, we didn't playing Thursday games. We did
twenty one played the Eagles. Was that a Thursday? It
was twenty two? Yeah, played the Eagles on a Thursday.
Twenty one it was Carolina Panthers or it lost that one.
Twenty three didn't have a Thursday game. Twenty four played
the Jets, didn't play exceeding well. Not so we've not
(28:52):
played really really well on Thursday nights even here or there.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
Now it's a different team, different situation, et cetera.
Speaker 4 (29:00):
However, I feel like the Bucks are maybe a little
bit better matchup too. I mean, Baker's tough to stop
Josh's MVP. But I feel like the last time we
played the Bucks and is a little different situation on
both sides. But I feel like we were able to
do offensively what we wanted to. I feel like the
Tampa Bay offense or excuse me, defense isn't all. They're
(29:23):
not back to that twenty twenty level like they had.
That twenty twenty defense was really really good. They're not
back to that. I think they can put up some
points and you get a little bit of a shootout,
hopefully you can win that shootout at home like you
did back in twenty twenty three. So I'm saying Monday
Night against the Bucks, I think the Bills are gonna
be I had a thought last year the Bills are
gonna have maybe a down year, kind of reset year,
(29:44):
and we popped them in Week five. But they got
better and better and better. Yep, and as Josh got
better and better and better. And I just worry about
having to face Josh Allen, regardless in this building or not.
So I'm gonna go Tampa Bay Monday night. Get that
winning week two.
Speaker 1 (30:01):
This era of Buffalo Bill's football. Look, this is a
team that, although they lost for super Bowls in a row,
they went to force super bowls in a row. That's
their standard, at least getting there. That's the high water
mark with Jim Kelly in company. But I've been told
that Josh Allen is already more beloved in Western New
York than Jim Kelly.
Speaker 2 (30:20):
I mean, that's amazing, it's amazing. That's incredible considering what
they did.
Speaker 1 (30:24):
I think losing the super Bowl can be so emotionally
damaging that it almost hurts you.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
More in a way.
Speaker 4 (30:30):
Yeah, I could see that almost, Yeah, I'd like to
be able to go there to test your theater.
Speaker 2 (30:35):
Let's test.
Speaker 1 (30:36):
Let's just test there to win the Super Bowl. But
I want to at least get there. But Allen's done
some incredible things. They just have not gotten over the
hump Thursday night game with the Bills Bill's Mafia, less
of a chance, I would say to travel maybe, Okay,
what at sal car? So?
Speaker 4 (30:50):
I texted sal and I said, well, you know, at
least we're playing you guys on a Thursday night, probably
not gonna have Bill's Mafia. And he said, well, uh,
he said that's not maybe not the case. He said,
it's definitely more challenging. However, Houston is basically the only
true destination city on this year's schedule. Everything else is
(31:14):
Eastern time zone and close by and mostly colder weather.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
So that will still be a popular game to go to.
Speaker 1 (31:21):
You know what warms my heart South Capaccio, Bill's sideline
reporter saying that Houston.
Speaker 2 (31:26):
Is a destination How about that? That is sweet.
Speaker 1 (31:29):
That was very flattering to have Houston called destination city. Yeah,
come here, I Wellesley would not call it a destination city. However,
if you live in Buffalo and it's winter or late fall,
or whatever the heck it is. Yeah, Houston is a
destination city. Anything below the Mason Dixon line is a
destination city.
Speaker 2 (31:49):
I want to get warm, I want to get out
of this.
Speaker 1 (31:51):
Frigid temperature region, the frozen tundra of western New York. Yes,
it's a destination city in that way.
Speaker 4 (31:59):
You know more than anybody. When we fly somewhere to
play a game. Say we're going to play a game
in September and we're going up north of October. We're
going up north, and that plane door hits when we
get off, and it's like, oh, this is glorious.
Speaker 2 (32:15):
Compared to what we have in Houston.
Speaker 4 (32:16):
But then there are times we go in January and
that door opens and it's like, this is not what
we have in Houston, you know. So I can imagine
for Bill's Mafia when they are thinking a November game and.
Speaker 2 (32:28):
They're like, hey, we can go to Houston, can be fifty.
Oh we love that. They'd be ball me.
Speaker 4 (32:32):
Yeah, you get that feel when you get off the plane,
it's like, yeah, this is great. So I think I
can see it. But it's gonna be tough for them
on a Thursday night.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
I love getting off the airplane after coming back from
a cold weather game. Yeah, preferably with a win, and
you just feel that humidity and land.
Speaker 2 (32:49):
Oh I love it. I love it. I hate the
cold on my body.
Speaker 1 (32:52):
Okay, tougher game at the Rams at the Chargers.
Speaker 2 (32:58):
Hear me out. People feel like, I just think.
Speaker 1 (33:03):
There's a narrative. Oh, the Rams much tougher. It's the Rams,
my gosh, Sean McVay the Rams. Well, you got Harriball
coaching the Chargers. Now, they actually won more games than
the Rams last year.
Speaker 2 (33:13):
They won eleven. The Rams won ten.
Speaker 1 (33:15):
Okay, you're opening at the Rams and presumably fresh Chargers.
Is the second to last week of the season, and
it is a relatively short week. It's a Saturday game
now on the schedule says tbd P the TBA or
TV something, but on the Google schedule it says Saturday.
And on an early schedule we saw there was Saturday
(33:36):
in parentheseseason.
Speaker 2 (33:37):
I think it's a Saturday. Yep, so it's a Saturday.
Speaker 1 (33:40):
It could get flexed out if both teams are one
team stinks and they want to move things around, but
for now, it's a Saturday.
Speaker 2 (33:47):
So which is the tougher game at the Chargers.
Speaker 4 (33:50):
At the Rams, I think having to stop Matt Stafford,
Pukinakua and Devonte now that, I think that's gonna be tougher.
I think the Chargers will one of the I wanst
say one of the lessons, but I think one of
the lessons maybe they learned is a maybe we should
(34:12):
try and run the rock against these guys a little
bit more. They didn't have a ton of success, but
they sure as heck didn't have success throwing the football.
So I think the Rams offense is multiple enough, but
has those wide receivers that they can put you in
run pass situations where you're like, I'm not too sure.
(34:32):
I think the Rams will stay in second and four
and second and five and kind of keep you off balance,
where I think that the Chargers, I don't know that
you get pushed as much. I think it'll be interesting
if they go into that game and put staying on
McConkey and see how that goes with them at that point.
Speaker 2 (34:50):
But I think tougher game is gonna be the Rams.
Speaker 4 (34:53):
I think the Rams multiplicity offensively, a McVeigh coach team
who's had all offseason to try and get ready for
the Texans and then getting ready for him and his offense.
Speaker 2 (35:03):
I think that's I think it's tough. I think it's
really tough.
Speaker 4 (35:06):
So I think starting that the season with the Rams,
I think it's more difficult. I think by the end
of the year, week seventeen, either one of these teams
is not gonna be good. One of the teams is
completely out of the playoff run. We're not playing for
seeding anymore. I think the game will not matter as
much for both teams. So I dims say the Rams
(35:28):
right off the bat. Both teams want to get off
to one to zero big time. Get off the good start,
you'd beat a playoff team from the previous year.
Speaker 2 (35:35):
I just think both teams are gonna be sky high
for that game.
Speaker 1 (35:38):
Sky high opening day. Ye, what an opener at the open.
You know what I find interesting? Mike Lafleur, baby Lafleur
as I call him. Yeah, Matt's little brother. Is he
with the Rams now he's been with the Rams?
Speaker 2 (35:49):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (35:49):
So Nick Caley gets the job here as offensive coordinator
and Mike was on the staff in San Francisco with
Debiko Ryant. That's right, Mike went to the Jets to
be the OC with Robert Sala first, and he got
run out of there and doesn't get a whiff as
an OCT.
Speaker 2 (36:06):
Now he's in O C in La.
Speaker 4 (36:08):
But we all know McVeigh long enough, you're gonna end
up getting something.
Speaker 1 (36:15):
Matt was the OC with the Rams and when it's
to Tennessee where he could call the plays actually, and
then he got the Green Bay job. Mike needs that
chance again in order to get a head coaching job.
Can't do it from underneath McVeigh. So coming here if
that was an option, would have been an option, but
didn't want them apparently or whatever. I don't know, if
there are other things.
Speaker 2 (36:34):
Maybe he didn't want it, I don't know, but it
ended up being Nick Keyley.
Speaker 4 (36:37):
And that's the first game that the Nick Kayley attack
will be broken out of the box.
Speaker 2 (36:42):
And you want to see what what it looks like.
Speaker 4 (36:44):
And I'm I'm curious too, because I think we'll see
some of it in training camp.
Speaker 2 (36:50):
I don't think we'll see much of it.
Speaker 4 (36:52):
We'll see the basics during preseason games, but it's gonna
be fun to see it completely unearthed against the Rams,
and that opener I think got opener is a tougher one.
Speaker 1 (37:02):
Okay, next who's better type question? We're gonna mix home
in road. Now tougher game, Oh boy, Broncos at home,
Colts on the road.
Speaker 2 (37:12):
You're going into Lucas Soil. Always tough.
Speaker 1 (37:16):
I think the Colts, the Colts and Jags have I
will say wild card, not in a playoff context, but
wild card meaning you never know what's gonna happen. Yeah,
you never know what's gonna happen with these teams. The
Colts could flash to nine wins again, and they won
nine games two years ago with Gardner Minshew. Right now,
they got Daniel Jones, Anthony Richardson. Some magic happens there,
(37:37):
Jonathan Taylor stays healthy, they run the ball.
Speaker 2 (37:39):
Whoop, We're back to eight nine wins.
Speaker 1 (37:42):
We're back to being a semi contender in the AFC South.
Tough game at Indie or is it home against the
Broncos who were tough last year made the playoffs?
Speaker 2 (37:51):
Lost on the road against Buffalo.
Speaker 1 (37:53):
I don't know it's in store for Act two with
bo Nicks in his career, in his so called sophomore season,
But we'll see which is tougher.
Speaker 4 (38:03):
Let me ask you question fast got me thinking who
wins more games in twenty twenty three for the Colts
or or let's just say who wins more games for
the Colts this year.
Speaker 2 (38:16):
Gardner Minshew is the starter or Daniel Jones as the
starter this year?
Speaker 1 (38:22):
If you had Gardner, yeah, I think the ceiling is higher.
With Jones, potentially the floor could be a little lower.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
I think that's that's a good way put it.
Speaker 1 (38:32):
I think Minshaw gets you a steady assue goes kind
of performance. Minshe beat the Ravens in Baltimore last year
playing for the Raiders. For the Raiders, I mean, and
they look good in the fourth quarter and they came
back and won the game.
Speaker 2 (38:45):
It was very good if they could do what we
could do it Darning.
Speaker 1 (38:48):
But with Daniel Jones, if he's really rolling, you know,
and hangs out of the ball, you can run the ball,
bit throw the ball.
Speaker 4 (38:54):
I mean, stop that sentence right there, that if Daniel
Jones is rolling, the Colts end up being the tougher
the tougher game, right, because I do think that Bonnick's
and the Broncos offense will step back a little bit.
He'll see some things that you know, kind of like
CJCJ saw a few different things last year, and you know,
the offense wasn't able to handle it. Now, I do
(39:15):
think that Sean Payton has got his system kind of
set in place the way that he wants and I
think they'll be able to see some things and see
Bo grow a little bit. But I do think second
year for a quarterback it can be tough because now WHOA,
they've seen you a little.
Speaker 2 (39:29):
Bit kind of caught onto your tendencies.
Speaker 4 (39:33):
And I think the Broncos defense is going to be
rock solid, but I think we're going to face a
number of more explosive offenses than what the Broncos are
bringing here. That said, I think the Colts if what
you just said, if Daniel Jones finds a little bit
of a groove, he's not turning the ball over, They're
(39:53):
protecting him, he's not making big mistakes, it's the Colts.
It's the Colts because if he's playing at that level, now,
the question is, can Daniel Jones play at that level?
Can Daniel Jones give you a B minus or B
performance every single week?
Speaker 2 (40:12):
If he is capable.
Speaker 4 (40:13):
Of that and you get the B plus performance, it's
gonna be it'll be tough to beat them up there.
Speaker 2 (40:19):
It'll be tough to beat them one more for you.
Best schedule video this year that you saw? So, so
who's best question? Chargers.
Speaker 4 (40:29):
Chargers Minecraft was exceptional. Yeah, and I thought the What's up?
I mean, I understood that commercial, But what I loved
about it was I think the first five seconds of
it because when Bunn picks up the phone you see
in the background and Finnigan going at it. Yeah, oh yeah,
you see the old commercial, but you also hear so
(40:54):
there's a little I love. I love the subtleties in
the little easter head.
Speaker 2 (40:59):
I love having on there. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (41:00):
Dennis in huge, so many great sports arguably second to
Costner in Sport Movie, just prolific showings.
Speaker 2 (41:12):
I did a double take when I saw him, was
like what I mean?
Speaker 4 (41:14):
I was like, yeah, whoa awesome. So I was so
excited to see him. But the Chargers have just these
little subtle easter eggs thrown throughout their their Minecraft video
that were really really could and really funny.
Speaker 2 (41:30):
And then it's been that way for the last three
or four years.
Speaker 4 (41:32):
So the Chargers are the Chargers are definitely the Philadelphia
Eagles in this thing.
Speaker 2 (41:37):
They're they're top notch. They're they're the best at it.
Speaker 4 (41:41):
I didn't love the schedule videos this year, by and large,
By and large, I didn't love them.
Speaker 2 (41:47):
I thought there were some that could have been. Yeah,
a little bit better.
Speaker 1 (41:50):
Is the Titans won from a couple of years ago
where they're surveying just asking questions on Broadway.
Speaker 2 (41:56):
Is that the best one we ever saw? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (41:58):
It's funny because I've seen kind of I've seen kind
of a trend I guess on being Instagram or whatever.
Speaker 2 (42:05):
And so I.
Speaker 4 (42:06):
Saw one the other day kind of along the same
lines where this guy these these uh, these two guys. Uh,
he says, I asked my my Mexican friend how to
pronounce SEC teams, and so they pre pronounces, you know,
like and then he spells them out like how it's pronounced.
Speaker 2 (42:27):
He just cracked me up.
Speaker 4 (42:28):
But it was kind of the same kind of along
the same vein, And those those cracked me up because
they're so easy to do.
Speaker 2 (42:34):
It's just you don't film your buddy saying it incorrectly.
But you have to edit them, well, you do. You
have to edit them extremely well. It's all of the editing.
That's what we always say it's all the editing.
Speaker 4 (42:43):
Yeah, but that to me is better than something pre
produced that costs god knows how much.
Speaker 2 (42:49):
And sometimes isn't that funny?
Speaker 1 (42:50):
Okay? Next up, flag football? What's our starting five in
the NFL? And what Texans player do I not want
to see make it? Who I think would be a
lock to make it. We'll get to that next year
on Texans All Access. Back to it for a final
segment here on Texans Radio and Johnny the Texans player.
Speaker 2 (43:09):
People have been waiting.
Speaker 1 (43:11):
The Texans player who I think is a lock the
number one flag football Olympic candidate for me. I think
you might agree with my choice here, Derek Stingley just
there's no question in my mind he would be the guy. Now,
multiple people players could do this, but sting is the
number one candidate. Great hands, so as a dB, forget
(43:32):
about it. I forget about it. He is so good
he could also play receiver for your flag football team,
no doubt about it. And my buddy Matt, who's you know,
kind of an acquaintance buddy who ran the flag football
league that my older kid played in. I knew that
he played with some NFL guys like he played with
Steven Simms. Oh, he played with a bunch of guys.
(43:53):
He played on a team with flag football athletes, really
great athletes, and they played NFL players during the lockout.
So this would have been twenty eleven. Jamal Charles among them.
Earl Thomas, he said they beat him soundly, just boat
race them. Yeah, then he's not bragging, but he's making
the point that a lot of people are making. And
(44:14):
Darryl Ducett, the quarterback from Team USA, that hey, it's
a different game, different different game, different game. I saw
different Pro Bowl flag football highlights on NFL Network and
they weren't They weren't touting it as this is what
it's going to look like. But you watch them play
at the Pro Bowl, and I know that's friendly competition,
but it ain't going to be that. This is going
to be hell raising stuff. Joe Burrow is not going
(44:36):
to be the flag football quarterback. It'll be Kyler Murray,
It'll be Jaden Daniels, Lamar Jackson, It'll be some or Mahomes,
somebody like that.
Speaker 2 (44:44):
If anybody from the.
Speaker 4 (44:46):
League to get the most out of the offense, yes,
because you've got to have somebody that's mobile. I use
this analogy in a sense, and I think, you know,
I went over to Spain with a group of American
basketball players to be an assistant coach, kind of go along
for the ride, to kind of be a chaperone whatever.
Our guys had the hardest time going from playing American basketball,
(45:07):
how you play American basketball to playing international basketball. I
totally understood the dream team thing after I went like,
I totally got it.
Speaker 2 (45:13):
Two totally different games.
Speaker 4 (45:16):
American basketball and international basketball are way closer than flag
football and NFL football.
Speaker 2 (45:21):
Yeah, like they're on different plants.
Speaker 4 (45:23):
And the analogy I used was, it's like taking PGA
golfers and putting them in a contest against putt putt champions.
Speaker 1 (45:32):
You know what, that's a good one. Now PGA golfers
can putt. They can't put these putt putt guys. They
know the the bounce off the wood right, the angle
the windmill is gonna go this way.
Speaker 4 (45:42):
Like pg golfers could go in there and do it
and eventually get better at it.
Speaker 2 (45:47):
Sure, but immediately to spend the time.
Speaker 4 (45:50):
If they spend the time doing it, but immediately they're
not gonna jump right in and be successful because it's
a totally different game.
Speaker 2 (45:56):
Serious X and NFL.
Speaker 1 (45:57):
They would say, like, yeah, Michael Parsons would be great
to rush the pass flag football.
Speaker 2 (46:00):
No, we wouldn't. This is not what you're looking at.
Speaker 1 (46:04):
You gotta get a fat I mean not that Parsons
isn't fast, but faster than Parsons type guy.
Speaker 2 (46:08):
Yeah. Now, long is good if you had a wingspan.
Speaker 1 (46:11):
But you got to be able to pull that flag baby,
and that thing gets quite elusive in these games. This
is this is interesting because McClain's right. You know, you
get one injured player, people are going to freak out.
That's why you know, I'd love to see Derek Stingley
Junior play, but I wouldn't want to see him play.
Speaker 2 (46:27):
If you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 4 (46:28):
I know exactly what you're saying, and it's not to me.
It's really that sting is out of injury history. It's
just injuries anybody, anybody.
Speaker 1 (46:34):
Because soft tissue stuff happens when you're running around. These
guys are gonna be running around quite a bit now
they're playing on a field.
Speaker 4 (46:40):
It's not like when Robert Edwards got hurt with the
Patriots many years ago. They were playing a beach at
that point. Yeah, Okay, that's a little different. You're playing
on more true surface, et cetera. I'm just saying you
are arguing it. It's almost like apples and crab apples,
like they're completely different things.
Speaker 2 (46:57):
Yea.
Speaker 4 (46:58):
And to say, well, yeah, I'm gonna be the NFL
player's gonna be great at it eventually, yes, eventually.
Speaker 2 (47:04):
I mean, look what happened in American basketball. International basketball.
Speaker 4 (47:07):
International players became so good that they came over and
dominate American basketball.
Speaker 1 (47:11):
Before I would go Micah Parsons, I might look at
some NBA point guards or something like that.
Speaker 2 (47:16):
Seriously, Yeah, not that I even go to.
Speaker 4 (47:18):
I might even go with the Xavier You're worthy. He
runs four to two, He'll get to the guy faster.
Speaker 2 (47:22):
Are you here? Might do that.
Speaker 1 (47:23):
You know what I would want as far as receivers,
and I guess if you have ten people on a team,
you're gonna have some offensive specialists. Yeah, I'll go tall,
but I want the tall guy who can cut best,
not necessarily a four to four guy. I want a
guy who can you know, turn on a dime, because
those are the guys who really make trouble for the
defenders in the flag football context. So I want to
(47:46):
see that. Will Fuller I think would have been outstanding
at flag football. I mean just able to turn on
a dime with speed, that sort of skill set. Jhalan
Knowle would be a stun in flag football. Oh, Chalen Knowle,
that's another one. We'll just start stop. He's so good
and so clean. I think by the time they play
Mahomes it might be like, I'm not gonna do it.
You know, he'll be a little older by then and
(48:08):
then forget about it. Okay, didn't mean to say forget
about it twice a minute show, right, but I did.
Speaker 2 (48:12):
All right.
Speaker 1 (48:13):
Tomorrow we've got Chris Clark. He has some things to say.
Former Texans offensive lineman spent a dozen years in this league.
Smart guy can't wait to catch up with him, among
other things. On Friday Show pre Memorial Day Weekend, Area
forty five coming up. You want to hear what those
guys have to say about everything. Have a great night,
(48:33):
Go Texans.
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