August 28, 2019 • 29 mins
It's the Best of The Odd Couple with Chris Broussard and Rob Parker! Chris and Rob debate whether or not Jerry Jones is making a big mistake by playing hardball with Ezekiel Elliott, and whether or not Tom Brady really is the most marketable player in the NFL. Plus, former All-Pro running back and FOX College Football analyst Robert Smith stops by to explain how he got the nickname 'WAD', why this is a big year for Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines, and so much more!
Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Odd Couple podcast.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday from seven
pm to ten pm Eastern four to seven Pacific on
Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station for The Odd
Couple at Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us
live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching f
(00:21):
s R. You're listening to the Best of the Odd
Couple with Chris Bruce and Rob Harker, Jerry Jones and Zeke.
They're still at it, Rob, obviously no contract sign this
is like, this is weird, and every other day Jerry
Jones is making a comment. Why not just be quiet
(00:44):
about it? I just I mean and again, Rob, let's
listen to it first and then I'll give you my view.
So we don't have anything to report on our contract negotiation.
We have to be prepared to be tried. We have
to be prepared to play without any gibbon player. We
(01:04):
may very well play without a player that is not
coming in on his contract. We've got a marathon here,
and we won't Zeke when we get to the playoffs.
We won't Zeke when we're in the dog days of
this season. Fresh Zeke as we got on end to
the end of the season would be great. What what
(01:27):
is he talking about? Maybe you won't make the playoffs
without Zeke? How dare you assume you're automatically making the playoffs,
Jerry Jones? How dare you put that in the atmosphere
in the universe. I hope you don't make the playoffs
just for that telling your chickens before they hatch. How
dare you sound the alarm? Rob I've been saying since
(01:53):
Zeke held out, since he started to hold out, I've
been saying, I think the Boys. I think Jerry Jones
is willing to enter the regular season and see if
they really need Zeke. I'm with you. I think he's
the best running back in the league. I think that
they do need him to have a chance to win
(02:15):
the Super Bowl. But I do believe Jerry Jones is
willing to engage in a game of chicken. They play
the Giants, they play the Redskins, they play the Dolphins
over the first three weeks of the seasons, three teams
that you can beat. You should even without Zeke. You
should come out of that no worse than two in one.
(02:37):
If you're really a Super Bowl contender, No, worse than
two in one and Steven Jones, Director Player Personnel, he's
handling a lot of this, he is. They have dropped
some analytical gems in this whole thing with Zeke, you
know that, And that's what got me to thinking, I
(02:59):
think they're to play hardball. It started with Jerry saying
you don't need a league leading rusher to win the
Super Bowl, which is true the Cowboys needed it with
him as Smith, but outside of that, you typically don't
need that. And they're looking at the analytics. And here's
what the analytics not the eye test, because like I said,
(03:21):
with my eye, Zeke is the best running back in
the NFL. But the analytics say this his wins above
replacement zero point two. The analytics say this his value
rushing to close out the game, meaning you got the
lead and you want to hand it to your bell
cow you're running back and let him run out the clock,
(03:43):
milk the clock, keep the other team's offense off the field.
He's ranked twenty second among running backs in that category.
In the red zone, his red zone efficiency sixteenth in
the league among running backs. Short yardage value meaning when
you need three yards or less to get a first
(04:04):
down Zeke's TIFFs in the NFL, and I'm just saying,
they're looking at these analytics and they're saying, you know what,
we might not need Zeke. We might not Now I
think they do. But I think there these analytics, combined
(04:25):
with Tony Pollard's playing fairly well in the preseason, combined
with the week schedule to start the season, has the
Cowboys thinking we'll give it a shot. And when we're
two and one or three and old and Tony Pollard's
looking good, Zeke is gonna have no choice but to
come back and be the second highest paid running back
(04:47):
in the league. If Jerry Jones, I think that's what
they're thinking. If Jerry Jones and the Cowboys do this,
it will be the worst decision that they've ever made.
Jerry's already proven that he can't win. Since Jimmy Johnson left,
They've won two playoff games in twenty five or twenty
six years. They finally of us squad together. You could
(05:08):
throw out all those analytics all you want. My eye
test tells me that the Cowboys are better with the
Ezekiel Elliott. My eye test, I don't want to hear
about all these other phony numbers. Everybody's the same people
who try to make it that, Uh, the Pittsburgh Steelers
did the right thing last year. They didn't know. They didn't, Chris,
(05:31):
they didn't even make the playoffs. Stop, they didn't make
them playoffs. You hear me, stop it. You fail? You
need another example, fail, you need another example. I'm on
your side with but did give me another example. I'm
not because it's about making the playoffs. And I'm telling
(05:53):
you right here, right now that Cowboys do not and
ot make the playoffs. With out Ezekiel Elliot, they will not. Chris.
I'll bet you a hundred wings if he sits out
the year, the Cowboys will not make the playoffs. Pollard Smaller,
are you kidding me? I'm not buying that. These are
(06:14):
preseason never want it. They don't even play any of
the real players. You're gonna tell me that you're banking
on Pollard to do something with the Cowboys. Jerry Joy
j J. I think now, Look, they may get a
deal done tomorrow for all I know, but we're talking
about I'm just saying I think that the Cowboys, from
(06:36):
all that they've said, from all the analytics, I think
they're willing to test it, and Jerry Jones said it
a few weeks ago. In the regular season, when the
real game start, that's when the leverage is gonna swing.
If they win and the running game and the offense
look good, the leverage is gonna be heavily in the
(06:57):
cowboys favor. If they win or lose and the offense
looks bad, then it's all Zeke, and I think he'll
be back as the highest Bay running back in the league.
But I think the Cowboys are willing to testing. I
gotta be honest. As much as I hope Zeke gets
his money. If I were in Jerry Jones's shoes, I
would be willing to test it too. I don't know
(07:18):
about for three weeks, but certainly for one week. You're
talking about the same guy who's pushing ninety. Well, I'm
trying to win another championship. Is even eighty. He just
looks like he's ninety, but he's trying to win another
championship to prove that he can run the He's run
the Dallas Cowboys like a seventy six years old. What
(07:40):
are you talking about? What you're talking about? Willis you mean?
You must be crazy? I'm the best looking seventies some
our year old in this country. Be sure to catch
live editions of The Odd Couple with Chris Brussar then
Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm Eastern four pm Pacific
on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app. Tom Brady,
(08:03):
according to the Sports Business Journal, is the most marketable
player in the NFL. Now, before you go ballistic, let
me kind of explain the whole survey, all right. The
Daily They conducted conducted a survey of sports business executives,
(08:27):
marketing analyst, and media members both on the air and
off the air, you know, media on the air and
broadcast media, print media, and they all agree that they
all voted Tom Brady as the most marketable player in
the NFL. So this is not just one writer's opinion.
(08:48):
This is not somebody in Boston who's a Patriots fan
writing it these This is a survey of various media
members and Brandy experts, okay, marketing experts. We know in
this country, voting doesn't always go the right way. So
I'm just gonna say that he right. All I'm saying
(09:09):
is Tom Brady is the most marketable player in the NFL,
and I agree. I do agree, And you know what
I say to that, No way, no, how is tom
Brady the most marketable? Tom Brady says nothing. He's a
boring captain. Obvious quote. Tom Brady is gee wiz ah shucks.
(09:31):
I don't know. They asked Tom Brady once was he
a cheater during the whole deflate gate thing? And tom
Brady shrugged his shoulders and said, I don't think so.
That's what tom Brady gives you. He's not marketable because
he has a personality, or because people are hanging on
his every word to hear the wisdom that he throws out.
(09:53):
It just has to do with him winning. Why I'm
just saying he's not. That's not what the survey it was.
But they got it Mark, He's not survey is he?
They got it wrong. He's not. He's got indorsements, deals
with under arms. I get hold on with Aston, Mark,
(10:14):
I get it. Hold on, you don't get it. We
don't get cure with and his TV twelve is a
rousing success. His time against Time was arousing success. He's
got the second most Instagram or social media followers of anybody.
Has nothing to do with tom Brady has to do
with the Patriots Super Bowl. I know, but I'm just
(10:38):
sasly these indorsements I name some of the biggest. That's
because he companies in the world. That because he's one.
That's all. Oh really, but six Let me let me
tell you why it is, Rob, This is why it
is because this is Tom Brady's theme song, hit It.
(11:00):
All I do is win, We win, no matter what.
Got money on my mind, I can never get enough.
And every time I self up in the building, everybody
has and they say that half he wins. That's what
people want. They want a winner. When I want to
wear a watch, I want to wear a watch that
(11:22):
a winner's wearing. When I want to wear a suit,
I want to wear a suit that a winner's wearing.
When I want to wear a pair of sneakers or
T shirt, I want a shirt that the winner's wearing.
Michael Jordan, he was a winner. That's why Jordan's are
the best. That's what he does. He wins. Rob, I
don't care to be absolutely wrong. And that's why we
(11:45):
just talked about it with Will Blackman. He just brought
it up. He just paved the whole thing about ob
j who hasn't won Jack. He hasn't even one but
the jan they want nothing. He is walketable, Yes he
is voted Dad, he is more more you next. These
guys don't know what they're doing. Tommy and Tom Brady
(12:07):
is his milk toast is white brand. He does nothing.
He doesn't move the needle. If it wasn't for jokes
on Instagram, please Tom Brady be corny, but so white corny.
He might be the dullest athlete we've ever had. He
got very little charism. He's like a gee whiz country boy.
(12:28):
What's wrong with me? What is that? Doesn't play? It
doesn't play for Madison Brady. Did you see him in
the ug boots dancing? Go look at that video and
tell me that's the guy you wan't wearing your boots
trying to be fashionable and trying to sell your product.
I would have been embarrassed if I was ug boots.
(12:48):
Go look at the video, Chris. He looks like a
dufe is doing that dance with those boots on. That's fine,
but some people relate to that. Even if he's corny,
even if it's you say he's ge whiz, he's all shucks.
So what Peyton man, he comes and did all those
commerce was funny. Let me look, let me we gotta
(13:10):
go one at a time, all those in commercials with
Peyton Man. You're right, he is funny, But what's it?
What character is in ge wiz all shocks? You know
you didn't watch him, you didn't know playdes Now you
know what is? What is the brand he's with nationwide?
You know play you know play these songs he's saying
(13:32):
to the country singer, it's gee wiz all shucks. That
that markets to some people watched time. I'm not saying
he is funny. I'm not saying Tom Brady is the coolest.
That's not what the survey said. I'm not saying he's
the most suave. I'm not saying he's the hippest. But
(13:52):
the dude is marketable, and the endorsement deals prove it.
And on top of that, he wins hit it sh
all I do is win win, win, No d what
money on my mind? I can never get enough? And
(14:13):
every time I tell up in the fielding, everybody hands
and they say that and they say, singing right, singing,
we rob me rob. I think I'm moving to Mexican,
(14:37):
all right, that's enough. That's enough. They get the picture.
He wins, right, that's what people want. A winner. Bill
Belichick wins, and he doesn't have any deals. You know why.
He's boring as hell. He's a grumpy old man. He
does nothing and he's done nothing but whin Greg Papa
Vinch has been a winner in the NBA as a
head coach. You know why he doesn't get anything. He
(15:00):
also is grumpy and and has crazy hair and skin.
He doesn't get any any any endorsements. So it ain't
always about winning. Chris Boussard, You're wrong. It's not always
about winning. You mentioned coaches. No, I'm telling you. You
got Riley hold. Tim Riley got deals. Go look, yes
he did what commercial Nick Saban has deals from. Nick
(15:22):
Saban has dealing them from any commercial as they gotta
look google it. Tom Brady is the most marketable under armor.
Ashton Martin tag Heuer TV twelve is sorring Tim against
I ignore what I said. You see what ignore? He
ignored it, Tom, And I'm gonna be honest. I'm gonna
(15:44):
say this. I think if Bill Belichick wanted indorsement deals
and all that, you could market Belichick you can't. You
could easily make commercials with him. He probably won't do them,
but you could make light of his personality, the fact
that he doesn't say Tim duncan make five out of
six championship. He was another guy who was worse than
(16:06):
paint dryant. Nobody was interesting on the air for that.
He whispered it. He didn't say anything about Tim. Rob
Rob his ear. He's busy, okay, thank you, not too
busy printing out lipsys right now. It's only forty five.
Why set you so much? Rob? Nothing, that is the
(16:29):
most I'm just telling you he's not. I'm telling you,
look at Audie endorsement doesn't matter. I'm telling you he's
the He's the definition of marketable. I'm telling you the
other deal, I'm telling you you said it was about
because he wins. I'm telling j O b J hasn't
won anything with the Giants or with the Browns. And
look at the deals that he has. Ob J was
(16:51):
low on the list, not low, but he was like fifth. No,
but whether or not, but does he have deals? National deals?
He has one with Calvin Klein Underwear right as we speak.
Ob J was third. But still yeah, because what does
he want. No, I'm not saying this only because he won.
I'm just saying that's a big part of it. And
(17:12):
you're right, O b J doesn't win, or at least
hasn't to this point. But he is colorful, There's no
I'm not. I would never argue that Brady is more colorful,
more exciting, you know, more more fun to listen to
or watch or look at or whatever, groovy or hipper
cooler than ob J. But that doesn't mean he can't
(17:35):
be marketable. I'm not saying he's not in the world,
not in my world, in the world. This wasn't Chris
Bruce art survey. But you agree with I mean, look
at the endorsement deals. These are facts. Tag you were
(17:55):
under arm or Aston Martin ugs? How many times you're
gonna give them plug? On the radio? We heard it.
You named him four times. Why are you so upset?
Are you getting a free car or something that I
don't know about? Time? I wish I was Ashton Martin
knows a fresh For Christmas. I'm gonna get you a
pair of Tom Brady ug boots. That's their Christmas present,
(18:17):
and I'll take it all right. But you gotta dance
like Tom Brady. No, I got rhythm. Even you don't
have rhythm doesn't mean you're not marketable. The ge wiz
all shucks can work, that's what. And you're right, Peyton
Manning is hilarious. But in those nationwide commercials, is he
not gee wiz all shucks? Yeah, but that's just the character.
(18:39):
I'm saying. When you watched him on Saturday Night Live,
I don't know how have you watched him on? He's funny,
he really really is. I'm not so sure Tom Brady
can't be that. Did we know Peyton was that funny
when he was a player? No? I didn't. I didn't know. Okay,
that's what I'm saying. But I've listened to enough of
Tom Brady to say that. He doesn't say anything I don't.
It's not like he enlightens me on it. But no,
(19:01):
on Instagram he tries to crack his jokes. They're corny,
but so that can be marketable. Be sure to catch
live editions of The Odd Couple with Chris Brussar and
Rob Parker week days at seven pm Eastern, four pm Pacific.
We are glad to bring it out. There's so much
to ask him about college football and pro football. He
was a great running back, former All Pro and now
(19:25):
a Fox college football analyst. It is none other than
Robert Smith. Robert, what's happening? What's up? Robert? So, what's up? Fellows?
Are guys doing? We're doing great? And now, Robert, I'm
just gonna tell you this. We were talking about your
trying to shame me at the beginning of the show,
saying he was saying there were no great light skin
running backs, and we determined you were the great running
(19:51):
back of all time? Is that fair? I think you
were wear I wear the badge proudly. Yeah. And it's funny.
It's funny because you know, we had we had nicknames
for the running backs and they were all like three
(20:11):
letter abbreviations. So we had chocolate ass dude, we had
dark as Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy Klein. Sausser was wad Wad.
He was white ass dude, and I and I was
lad light ass dude. So uh, and we always choked.
We had the whitest backfield in the NFL, with one
(20:33):
and a half white guys at the backfield. That is perfect.
That is hilarious. Back but I was saying that, I
mean and that this was the first thing I want
to ask you about, because you retire at age twenty eight.
You were coming off your best year fifteen hundred yards rushing,
and you walked away. We all knew, you know, even
(20:55):
from college, that you had even high school. I was
in Ohio when you played high school, and you know
you wanted to be a doctor. You had a lot
of other interests. What was your take being that you
walked away, we could say in your prime of Andrew Luck?
I know you weren't banged up necessarily like he was,
but what was your take on him? You know, retired
early and even Gronk if you want to throw him in. Yeah, well,
(21:19):
I you know, I think with Andrew Luck in particular
because of the combination of the injuries and the frustration,
and quite frankly, you know, the money now, I mean,
is even so much different than when I played. I mean,
you know, quarterbacks are making more in a season than
I made it my entire career. And I made good money.
But you know, I you know, my last season was
(21:41):
the only season I didn't miss any games, and I
still needed knee surgery after the years Wow. So so
I wasn't I wasn't truly injured, but I had done
enough damage earlier in my career. You know, I had
an ACL repaired my rookie season, but I also broke
the bottom of my femur, so I did some damage
to the cartilage and needed to have a microfracture, I believe.
(22:01):
After the ninety eighth season, and then again after that
last season, I was like, man, I'm literally going to
be a forty five year old knee replacement guy. Here
I am at forty seven, and I can run with
the kids and you know, only some minimal swelling in there.
And you know, I mean the phrase I always use
is that it's better to walk away early than to
limp away late. And I have people say to me
(22:22):
all the time, man, you walked away too early, and
I laugh, like, it's better than walking away too late,
because we know, we know what the game can do,
and only people that play the game truly understand just
how difficult it is. Number one, to play the game,
you know, in any sense physically, but then to have
to rehab and come back and you know, play this game.
(22:45):
You know, I played my last four years on two
surgically repaired games. Wow, it it was time, no doubt.
Let's flip over to college football, and there's a you know,
obviously Ohio State Urbant Myer's done. He's a TV analysts
now for Fox. But when we talk about Jim Harbaugh
and the Michigan is this one of those things where
(23:08):
if he beats Ohio State finally without Urban Meyer being there, well,
people say, well, Urban's not there, that's why he wins.
And if he loses to Ohio State right without Urban
being there, he's in a tough spot. Uh, It's like,
I don't think he wins either way, does he? Well, Hey,
(23:30):
if you're if you're a Michigan fan, you haven't won
since twenty eleven against Ohio State, You're gonna take that
win no matter what. So I don't think. I don't
think you know, there's gonna be any pushback if he
beats Ohio State, of course, you know, without Urban Minor.
I think there's a lot of pressure on Ryan Date
quite frankly, because no Urban won seven straight. And when
you talk about recruiting and you talk about perception becoming reality,
(23:53):
if people think that the tides are turned because of
one game, and we know impressionable young athletes can be.
Then you know, all of a sudden they start believing
that Michigan may be the answer instead of Ohio State.
But you know, there's no question. I mean, he's had
his struggles, and even against Ohio State, you know, there's
a fourth down play a couple of years ago. There
(24:13):
have been some really close games, even in that stretch
of you know that Urban won seven and that Jim
Harbaugh has lost for a straight you know, but this
is all the pieces are really in place because Ohio
State has to replace him many people, particularly on the
offensive line. You got him in quarterback, Hardball brings in
(24:34):
Josh Gaddish, the OC who had been at Alabama. It's
it's really an offense that they're going to change tone
that Fitzshade Patterson. Everything's lining up. But you know, I
wouldn't go so far as to say that if he
loses that game to Ohio State that people are going
to say let's get rid of him, because the question
then becomes, Okay, if we replace him, who were going
(24:54):
to replace him with. There's certainly could be pressure, but
hey man, you know, buy the ticket, take the ride.
That's college football, you know, at the highest level on coaching.
The couple were joined by former All Pro running back
Fox Sports college football analyst Robert Smith. Robert rob brought
up Urban Meyer and he I don't know if he's
retracted this since then, but he said recently that Trevor
(25:18):
Lawrence is the greatest quarterback college quarterback in history. Did
you see that? I told me he took back to
comment about trouble, but I had not seen the comment.
That must have been it. Did you, Rob G Did
you see a retraction? Okay, he did retract it, but
(25:42):
so he walked it back. Yeah, he was a little
over the top. I liked Trevor Lawrence talk about Yeah,
that that was way over the top. But he is
a great prospect. What do you think about him? Yeah,
I mean he's incredible, you know, just so poised. And
you know, when the season started last year, obviously Kelly
Bryant was the starter and you had a great defense,
(26:03):
you know, but as the season progressed, you know, I
just I didn't think that when you got into the playoffs,
when you got into those high pressure games that they
continue now. Obviously he's got a lot of great talent
around him. Too. You know, he got a great receiving
corps Travis at ten at running back, so you've got
you've got some horses on that offense. But I think
his poise, his placement. Uh, you know, he's he's an
(26:26):
incredible young player. And it's it's crazy that, you know,
because of because of the rule the way, but it is,
he's got no shot at turning pro before next year.
So it's it's it's gonna be uh, it's gonna be
interesting to see kind of how that one blaze out. Robert.
One more thing from me. The pack the back twelve
is talking about nine am kickoffs. They want to appeal
(26:48):
to the East Coast and they want to get more
of their games and get attention and all that, so
they want to start at nine am. Is that cool?
Is that fair to fans that they have to go
to the game so early college football? Or or is
this just the world we live in where television is
more important than actual fans in the stands. Yeah, And
(27:10):
obviously they're not going to try it this year. I
think it was a little bit too late really to
try and schedule anything like that. But is it fair?
You know, I think the fans are gonna show up.
They're gonna show up, you know. You know, the the
West Coast obviously a lot of a lot of distractions
out there, a lot of other things to do. But
you know, it's like a lot of fan bases. I
(27:31):
don't want to say that it's only the back twelve,
but you got a lot of fair weather fans out there,
and you know, if the product is better, people will
show up. And if they think that that that's going
to help them. Kind of getting prime spots at twelve
where you don't have the competition at the four o'clock
or in the primetime window at eight o'clock, then you
know they can they can certainly go ahead and try it.
(27:53):
So I think I think it's possible that they'll do it.
I think that I think that they'll they'll they'll have
some of those games. I believe at that nine o'clock
window next year, Robert, we've got thirty seconds left. Clemson
and Alabama are obviously one two and all the polls.
Is there anybody you could see beating one of those
two for the national championship? You know, it's you always
(28:18):
have so many things that happened during the course of
the season. Obviously, Alabama loose is Dylan Moses great linebacker,
and you know Nick Saban got all salty last year
saying you can't just roll guys in there, even in Alabama.
So there are a lot of things that could happen
even within the sec LSU Auburn gonna be a lot
better and m so let's not just hand it to them.
But if there are teams out there, you know, I
(28:39):
would look at an Oklahoma maybe with Jalen Hurtz, or
even Texas with Sam Ellinger at quarterback. They got a
lot of faces to replace on the defensive side. And
we just don't know, We don't know how good Ohio
State and Michigan is going to be. But I think
those are really the best bets outside of the other
other teams that have any kind of legitimate shot to
knock off Clemson Alabama. All right, he's Robert Smith, the
(29:02):
lad is that is that? What it was? The Lad?
The Lad right, the best lights getting running back in
the history of right. That's right. Let me let me,
let me, let me let me throw Georgia in there too,
of course, Eddie George about that, Eddie Georgia, Georgia George
George Duke, Duke Eddie. We call him Duke short for
(29:27):
Marma Duke. At Ohio State. He fits into that light's
getting running back category too, So there always man we
look forward to watch, Buddy've been talking to you during
the season. All right, sounds good, guys,
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Odd Couple podcast.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday from seven
pm to ten pm Eastern four to seven Pacific on
Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station for The Odd
Couple at Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us
live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching f
(00:21):
s R. You're listening to the Best of the Odd
Couple with Chris Bruce and Rob Harker, Jerry Jones and Zeke.
They're still at it, Rob, obviously no contract sign this
is like, this is weird, and every other day Jerry
Jones is making a comment. Why not just be quiet
(00:44):
about it? I just I mean and again, Rob, let's
listen to it first and then I'll give you my view.
So we don't have anything to report on our contract negotiation.
We have to be prepared to be tried. We have
to be prepared to play without any gibbon player. We
(01:04):
may very well play without a player that is not
coming in on his contract. We've got a marathon here,
and we won't Zeke when we get to the playoffs.
We won't Zeke when we're in the dog days of
this season. Fresh Zeke as we got on end to
the end of the season would be great. What what
(01:27):
is he talking about? Maybe you won't make the playoffs
without Zeke? How dare you assume you're automatically making the playoffs,
Jerry Jones? How dare you put that in the atmosphere
in the universe. I hope you don't make the playoffs
just for that telling your chickens before they hatch. How
dare you sound the alarm? Rob I've been saying since
(01:53):
Zeke held out, since he started to hold out, I've
been saying, I think the Boys. I think Jerry Jones
is willing to enter the regular season and see if
they really need Zeke. I'm with you. I think he's
the best running back in the league. I think that
they do need him to have a chance to win
(02:15):
the Super Bowl. But I do believe Jerry Jones is
willing to engage in a game of chicken. They play
the Giants, they play the Redskins, they play the Dolphins
over the first three weeks of the seasons, three teams
that you can beat. You should even without Zeke. You
should come out of that no worse than two in one.
(02:37):
If you're really a Super Bowl contender, No, worse than
two in one and Steven Jones, Director Player Personnel, he's
handling a lot of this, he is. They have dropped
some analytical gems in this whole thing with Zeke, you
know that, And that's what got me to thinking, I
(02:59):
think they're to play hardball. It started with Jerry saying
you don't need a league leading rusher to win the
Super Bowl, which is true the Cowboys needed it with
him as Smith, but outside of that, you typically don't
need that. And they're looking at the analytics. And here's
what the analytics not the eye test, because like I said,
(03:21):
with my eye, Zeke is the best running back in
the NFL. But the analytics say this his wins above
replacement zero point two. The analytics say this his value
rushing to close out the game, meaning you got the
lead and you want to hand it to your bell
cow you're running back and let him run out the clock,
(03:43):
milk the clock, keep the other team's offense off the field.
He's ranked twenty second among running backs in that category.
In the red zone, his red zone efficiency sixteenth in
the league among running backs. Short yardage value meaning when
you need three yards or less to get a first
(04:04):
down Zeke's TIFFs in the NFL, and I'm just saying,
they're looking at these analytics and they're saying, you know what,
we might not need Zeke. We might not Now I
think they do. But I think there these analytics, combined
(04:25):
with Tony Pollard's playing fairly well in the preseason, combined
with the week schedule to start the season, has the
Cowboys thinking we'll give it a shot. And when we're
two and one or three and old and Tony Pollard's
looking good, Zeke is gonna have no choice but to
come back and be the second highest paid running back
(04:47):
in the league. If Jerry Jones, I think that's what
they're thinking. If Jerry Jones and the Cowboys do this,
it will be the worst decision that they've ever made.
Jerry's already proven that he can't win. Since Jimmy Johnson left,
They've won two playoff games in twenty five or twenty
six years. They finally of us squad together. You could
(05:08):
throw out all those analytics all you want. My eye
test tells me that the Cowboys are better with the
Ezekiel Elliott. My eye test, I don't want to hear
about all these other phony numbers. Everybody's the same people
who try to make it that, Uh, the Pittsburgh Steelers
did the right thing last year. They didn't know. They didn't, Chris,
(05:31):
they didn't even make the playoffs. Stop, they didn't make
them playoffs. You hear me, stop it. You fail? You
need another example, fail, you need another example. I'm on
your side with but did give me another example. I'm
not because it's about making the playoffs. And I'm telling
(05:53):
you right here, right now that Cowboys do not and
ot make the playoffs. With out Ezekiel Elliot, they will not. Chris.
I'll bet you a hundred wings if he sits out
the year, the Cowboys will not make the playoffs. Pollard Smaller,
are you kidding me? I'm not buying that. These are
(06:14):
preseason never want it. They don't even play any of
the real players. You're gonna tell me that you're banking
on Pollard to do something with the Cowboys. Jerry Joy
j J. I think now, Look, they may get a
deal done tomorrow for all I know, but we're talking
about I'm just saying I think that the Cowboys, from
(06:36):
all that they've said, from all the analytics, I think
they're willing to test it, and Jerry Jones said it
a few weeks ago. In the regular season, when the
real game start, that's when the leverage is gonna swing.
If they win and the running game and the offense
look good, the leverage is gonna be heavily in the
(06:57):
cowboys favor. If they win or lose and the offense
looks bad, then it's all Zeke, and I think he'll
be back as the highest Bay running back in the league.
But I think the Cowboys are willing to testing. I
gotta be honest. As much as I hope Zeke gets
his money. If I were in Jerry Jones's shoes, I
would be willing to test it too. I don't know
(07:18):
about for three weeks, but certainly for one week. You're
talking about the same guy who's pushing ninety. Well, I'm
trying to win another championship. Is even eighty. He just
looks like he's ninety, but he's trying to win another
championship to prove that he can run the He's run
the Dallas Cowboys like a seventy six years old. What
(07:40):
are you talking about? What you're talking about? Willis you mean?
You must be crazy? I'm the best looking seventies some
our year old in this country. Be sure to catch
live editions of The Odd Couple with Chris Brussar then
Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm Eastern four pm Pacific
on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app. Tom Brady,
(08:03):
according to the Sports Business Journal, is the most marketable
player in the NFL. Now, before you go ballistic, let
me kind of explain the whole survey, all right. The
Daily They conducted conducted a survey of sports business executives,
(08:27):
marketing analyst, and media members both on the air and
off the air, you know, media on the air and
broadcast media, print media, and they all agree that they
all voted Tom Brady as the most marketable player in
the NFL. So this is not just one writer's opinion.
(08:48):
This is not somebody in Boston who's a Patriots fan
writing it these This is a survey of various media
members and Brandy experts, okay, marketing experts. We know in
this country, voting doesn't always go the right way. So
I'm just gonna say that he right. All I'm saying
(09:09):
is Tom Brady is the most marketable player in the NFL,
and I agree. I do agree, And you know what
I say to that, No way, no, how is tom
Brady the most marketable? Tom Brady says nothing. He's a
boring captain. Obvious quote. Tom Brady is gee wiz ah shucks.
(09:31):
I don't know. They asked Tom Brady once was he
a cheater during the whole deflate gate thing? And tom
Brady shrugged his shoulders and said, I don't think so.
That's what tom Brady gives you. He's not marketable because
he has a personality, or because people are hanging on
his every word to hear the wisdom that he throws out.
(09:53):
It just has to do with him winning. Why I'm
just saying he's not. That's not what the survey it was.
But they got it Mark, He's not survey is he?
They got it wrong. He's not. He's got indorsements, deals
with under arms. I get hold on with Aston, Mark,
(10:14):
I get it. Hold on, you don't get it. We
don't get cure with and his TV twelve is a
rousing success. His time against Time was arousing success. He's
got the second most Instagram or social media followers of anybody.
Has nothing to do with tom Brady has to do
with the Patriots Super Bowl. I know, but I'm just
(10:38):
sasly these indorsements I name some of the biggest. That's
because he companies in the world. That because he's one.
That's all. Oh really, but six Let me let me
tell you why it is, Rob, This is why it
is because this is Tom Brady's theme song, hit It.
(11:00):
All I do is win, We win, no matter what.
Got money on my mind, I can never get enough.
And every time I self up in the building, everybody
has and they say that half he wins. That's what
people want. They want a winner. When I want to
wear a watch, I want to wear a watch that
(11:22):
a winner's wearing. When I want to wear a suit,
I want to wear a suit that a winner's wearing.
When I want to wear a pair of sneakers or
T shirt, I want a shirt that the winner's wearing.
Michael Jordan, he was a winner. That's why Jordan's are
the best. That's what he does. He wins. Rob, I
don't care to be absolutely wrong. And that's why we
(11:45):
just talked about it with Will Blackman. He just brought
it up. He just paved the whole thing about ob
j who hasn't won Jack. He hasn't even one but
the jan they want nothing. He is walketable, Yes he
is voted Dad, he is more more you next. These
guys don't know what they're doing. Tommy and Tom Brady
(12:07):
is his milk toast is white brand. He does nothing.
He doesn't move the needle. If it wasn't for jokes
on Instagram, please Tom Brady be corny, but so white corny.
He might be the dullest athlete we've ever had. He
got very little charism. He's like a gee whiz country boy.
(12:28):
What's wrong with me? What is that? Doesn't play? It
doesn't play for Madison Brady. Did you see him in
the ug boots dancing? Go look at that video and
tell me that's the guy you wan't wearing your boots
trying to be fashionable and trying to sell your product.
I would have been embarrassed if I was ug boots.
(12:48):
Go look at the video, Chris. He looks like a
dufe is doing that dance with those boots on. That's fine,
but some people relate to that. Even if he's corny,
even if it's you say he's ge whiz, he's all shucks.
So what Peyton man, he comes and did all those
commerce was funny. Let me look, let me we gotta
(13:10):
go one at a time, all those in commercials with
Peyton Man. You're right, he is funny, But what's it?
What character is in ge wiz all shocks? You know
you didn't watch him, you didn't know playdes Now you
know what is? What is the brand he's with nationwide?
You know play you know play these songs he's saying
(13:32):
to the country singer, it's gee wiz all shucks. That
that markets to some people watched time. I'm not saying
he is funny. I'm not saying Tom Brady is the coolest.
That's not what the survey said. I'm not saying he's
the most suave. I'm not saying he's the hippest. But
(13:52):
the dude is marketable, and the endorsement deals prove it.
And on top of that, he wins hit it sh
all I do is win win, win, No d what
money on my mind? I can never get enough? And
(14:13):
every time I tell up in the fielding, everybody hands
and they say that and they say, singing right, singing,
we rob me rob. I think I'm moving to Mexican,
(14:37):
all right, that's enough. That's enough. They get the picture.
He wins, right, that's what people want. A winner. Bill
Belichick wins, and he doesn't have any deals. You know why.
He's boring as hell. He's a grumpy old man. He
does nothing and he's done nothing but whin Greg Papa
Vinch has been a winner in the NBA as a
head coach. You know why he doesn't get anything. He
(15:00):
also is grumpy and and has crazy hair and skin.
He doesn't get any any any endorsements. So it ain't
always about winning. Chris Boussard, You're wrong. It's not always
about winning. You mentioned coaches. No, I'm telling you. You
got Riley hold. Tim Riley got deals. Go look, yes
he did what commercial Nick Saban has deals from. Nick
(15:22):
Saban has dealing them from any commercial as they gotta
look google it. Tom Brady is the most marketable under armor.
Ashton Martin tag Heuer TV twelve is sorring Tim against
I ignore what I said. You see what ignore? He
ignored it, Tom, And I'm gonna be honest. I'm gonna
(15:44):
say this. I think if Bill Belichick wanted indorsement deals
and all that, you could market Belichick you can't. You
could easily make commercials with him. He probably won't do them,
but you could make light of his personality, the fact
that he doesn't say Tim duncan make five out of
six championship. He was another guy who was worse than
(16:06):
paint dryant. Nobody was interesting on the air for that.
He whispered it. He didn't say anything about Tim. Rob
Rob his ear. He's busy, okay, thank you, not too
busy printing out lipsys right now. It's only forty five.
Why set you so much? Rob? Nothing, that is the
(16:29):
most I'm just telling you he's not. I'm telling you,
look at Audie endorsement doesn't matter. I'm telling you he's
the He's the definition of marketable. I'm telling you the
other deal, I'm telling you you said it was about
because he wins. I'm telling j O b J hasn't
won anything with the Giants or with the Browns. And
look at the deals that he has. Ob J was
(16:51):
low on the list, not low, but he was like fifth. No,
but whether or not, but does he have deals? National deals?
He has one with Calvin Klein Underwear right as we speak.
Ob J was third. But still yeah, because what does
he want. No, I'm not saying this only because he won.
I'm just saying that's a big part of it. And
(17:12):
you're right, O b J doesn't win, or at least
hasn't to this point. But he is colorful, There's no
I'm not. I would never argue that Brady is more colorful,
more exciting, you know, more more fun to listen to
or watch or look at or whatever, groovy or hipper
cooler than ob J. But that doesn't mean he can't
(17:35):
be marketable. I'm not saying he's not in the world,
not in my world, in the world. This wasn't Chris
Bruce art survey. But you agree with I mean, look
at the endorsement deals. These are facts. Tag you were
(17:55):
under arm or Aston Martin ugs? How many times you're
gonna give them plug? On the radio? We heard it.
You named him four times. Why are you so upset?
Are you getting a free car or something that I
don't know about? Time? I wish I was Ashton Martin
knows a fresh For Christmas. I'm gonna get you a
pair of Tom Brady ug boots. That's their Christmas present,
(18:17):
and I'll take it all right. But you gotta dance
like Tom Brady. No, I got rhythm. Even you don't
have rhythm doesn't mean you're not marketable. The ge wiz
all shucks can work, that's what. And you're right, Peyton
Manning is hilarious. But in those nationwide commercials, is he
not gee wiz all shucks? Yeah, but that's just the character.
(18:39):
I'm saying. When you watched him on Saturday Night Live,
I don't know how have you watched him on? He's funny,
he really really is. I'm not so sure Tom Brady
can't be that. Did we know Peyton was that funny
when he was a player? No? I didn't. I didn't know. Okay,
that's what I'm saying. But I've listened to enough of
Tom Brady to say that. He doesn't say anything I don't.
It's not like he enlightens me on it. But no,
(19:01):
on Instagram he tries to crack his jokes. They're corny,
but so that can be marketable. Be sure to catch
live editions of The Odd Couple with Chris Brussar and
Rob Parker week days at seven pm Eastern, four pm Pacific.
We are glad to bring it out. There's so much
to ask him about college football and pro football. He
was a great running back, former All Pro and now
(19:25):
a Fox college football analyst. It is none other than
Robert Smith. Robert, what's happening? What's up? Robert? So, what's up? Fellows?
Are guys doing? We're doing great? And now, Robert, I'm
just gonna tell you this. We were talking about your
trying to shame me at the beginning of the show,
saying he was saying there were no great light skin
running backs, and we determined you were the great running
(19:51):
back of all time? Is that fair? I think you
were wear I wear the badge proudly. Yeah. And it's funny.
It's funny because you know, we had we had nicknames
for the running backs and they were all like three
(20:11):
letter abbreviations. So we had chocolate ass dude, we had
dark as Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy Klein. Sausser was wad Wad.
He was white ass dude, and I and I was
lad light ass dude. So uh, and we always choked.
We had the whitest backfield in the NFL, with one
(20:33):
and a half white guys at the backfield. That is perfect.
That is hilarious. Back but I was saying that, I
mean and that this was the first thing I want
to ask you about, because you retire at age twenty eight.
You were coming off your best year fifteen hundred yards rushing,
and you walked away. We all knew, you know, even
(20:55):
from college, that you had even high school. I was
in Ohio when you played high school, and you know
you wanted to be a doctor. You had a lot
of other interests. What was your take being that you
walked away, we could say in your prime of Andrew Luck?
I know you weren't banged up necessarily like he was,
but what was your take on him? You know, retired
early and even Gronk if you want to throw him in. Yeah, well,
(21:19):
I you know, I think with Andrew Luck in particular
because of the combination of the injuries and the frustration,
and quite frankly, you know, the money now, I mean,
is even so much different than when I played. I mean,
you know, quarterbacks are making more in a season than
I made it my entire career. And I made good money.
But you know, I you know, my last season was
(21:41):
the only season I didn't miss any games, and I
still needed knee surgery after the years Wow. So so
I wasn't I wasn't truly injured, but I had done
enough damage earlier in my career. You know, I had
an ACL repaired my rookie season, but I also broke
the bottom of my femur, so I did some damage
to the cartilage and needed to have a microfracture, I believe.
(22:01):
After the ninety eighth season, and then again after that
last season, I was like, man, I'm literally going to
be a forty five year old knee replacement guy. Here
I am at forty seven, and I can run with
the kids and you know, only some minimal swelling in there.
And you know, I mean the phrase I always use
is that it's better to walk away early than to
limp away late. And I have people say to me
(22:22):
all the time, man, you walked away too early, and
I laugh, like, it's better than walking away too late,
because we know, we know what the game can do,
and only people that play the game truly understand just
how difficult it is. Number one, to play the game,
you know, in any sense physically, but then to have
to rehab and come back and you know, play this game.
(22:45):
You know, I played my last four years on two
surgically repaired games. Wow, it it was time, no doubt.
Let's flip over to college football, and there's a you know,
obviously Ohio State Urbant Myer's done. He's a TV analysts
now for Fox. But when we talk about Jim Harbaugh
and the Michigan is this one of those things where
(23:08):
if he beats Ohio State finally without Urban Meyer being there, well,
people say, well, Urban's not there, that's why he wins.
And if he loses to Ohio State right without Urban
being there, he's in a tough spot. Uh, It's like,
I don't think he wins either way, does he? Well, Hey,
(23:30):
if you're if you're a Michigan fan, you haven't won
since twenty eleven against Ohio State, You're gonna take that
win no matter what. So I don't think. I don't
think you know, there's gonna be any pushback if he
beats Ohio State, of course, you know, without Urban Minor.
I think there's a lot of pressure on Ryan Date
quite frankly, because no Urban won seven straight. And when
you talk about recruiting and you talk about perception becoming reality,
(23:53):
if people think that the tides are turned because of
one game, and we know impressionable young athletes can be.
Then you know, all of a sudden they start believing
that Michigan may be the answer instead of Ohio State.
But you know, there's no question. I mean, he's had
his struggles, and even against Ohio State, you know, there's
a fourth down play a couple of years ago. There
(24:13):
have been some really close games, even in that stretch
of you know that Urban won seven and that Jim
Harbaugh has lost for a straight you know, but this
is all the pieces are really in place because Ohio
State has to replace him many people, particularly on the
offensive line. You got him in quarterback, Hardball brings in
(24:34):
Josh Gaddish, the OC who had been at Alabama. It's
it's really an offense that they're going to change tone
that Fitzshade Patterson. Everything's lining up. But you know, I
wouldn't go so far as to say that if he
loses that game to Ohio State that people are going
to say let's get rid of him, because the question
then becomes, Okay, if we replace him, who were going
(24:54):
to replace him with. There's certainly could be pressure, but
hey man, you know, buy the ticket, take the ride.
That's college football, you know, at the highest level on coaching.
The couple were joined by former All Pro running back
Fox Sports college football analyst Robert Smith. Robert rob brought
up Urban Meyer and he I don't know if he's
retracted this since then, but he said recently that Trevor
(25:18):
Lawrence is the greatest quarterback college quarterback in history. Did
you see that? I told me he took back to
comment about trouble, but I had not seen the comment.
That must have been it. Did you, Rob G Did
you see a retraction? Okay, he did retract it, but
(25:42):
so he walked it back. Yeah, he was a little
over the top. I liked Trevor Lawrence talk about Yeah,
that that was way over the top. But he is
a great prospect. What do you think about him? Yeah,
I mean he's incredible, you know, just so poised. And
you know, when the season started last year, obviously Kelly
Bryant was the starter and you had a great defense,
(26:03):
you know, but as the season progressed, you know, I
just I didn't think that when you got into the playoffs,
when you got into those high pressure games that they
continue now. Obviously he's got a lot of great talent
around him. Too. You know, he got a great receiving
corps Travis at ten at running back, so you've got
you've got some horses on that offense. But I think
his poise, his placement. Uh, you know, he's he's an
(26:26):
incredible young player. And it's it's crazy that, you know,
because of because of the rule the way, but it is,
he's got no shot at turning pro before next year.
So it's it's it's gonna be uh, it's gonna be
interesting to see kind of how that one blaze out. Robert.
One more thing from me. The pack the back twelve
is talking about nine am kickoffs. They want to appeal
(26:48):
to the East Coast and they want to get more
of their games and get attention and all that, so
they want to start at nine am. Is that cool?
Is that fair to fans that they have to go
to the game so early college football? Or or is
this just the world we live in where television is
more important than actual fans in the stands. Yeah, And
(27:10):
obviously they're not going to try it this year. I
think it was a little bit too late really to
try and schedule anything like that. But is it fair?
You know, I think the fans are gonna show up.
They're gonna show up, you know. You know, the the
West Coast obviously a lot of a lot of distractions
out there, a lot of other things to do. But
you know, it's like a lot of fan bases. I
(27:31):
don't want to say that it's only the back twelve,
but you got a lot of fair weather fans out there,
and you know, if the product is better, people will
show up. And if they think that that that's going
to help them. Kind of getting prime spots at twelve
where you don't have the competition at the four o'clock
or in the primetime window at eight o'clock, then you
know they can they can certainly go ahead and try it.
(27:53):
So I think I think it's possible that they'll do it.
I think that I think that they'll they'll they'll have
some of those games. I believe at that nine o'clock
window next year, Robert, we've got thirty seconds left. Clemson
and Alabama are obviously one two and all the polls.
Is there anybody you could see beating one of those
two for the national championship? You know, it's you always
(28:18):
have so many things that happened during the course of
the season. Obviously, Alabama loose is Dylan Moses great linebacker,
and you know Nick Saban got all salty last year
saying you can't just roll guys in there, even in Alabama.
So there are a lot of things that could happen
even within the sec LSU Auburn gonna be a lot
better and m so let's not just hand it to them.
But if there are teams out there, you know, I
(28:39):
would look at an Oklahoma maybe with Jalen Hurtz, or
even Texas with Sam Ellinger at quarterback. They got a
lot of faces to replace on the defensive side. And
we just don't know, We don't know how good Ohio
State and Michigan is going to be. But I think
those are really the best bets outside of the other
other teams that have any kind of legitimate shot to
knock off Clemson Alabama. All right, he's Robert Smith, the
(29:02):
lad is that is that? What it was? The Lad?
The Lad right, the best lights getting running back in
the history of right. That's right. Let me let me,
let me, let me let me throw Georgia in there too,
of course, Eddie George about that, Eddie Georgia, Georgia George
George Duke, Duke Eddie. We call him Duke short for
(29:27):
Marma Duke. At Ohio State. He fits into that light's
getting running back category too, So there always man we
look forward to watch, Buddy've been talking to you during
the season. All right, sounds good, guys,
Hosts And Creators
kelvin washington
Rob Parker
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Betrayal: Weekly
Betrayal Weekly is back for a brand new season. Every Thursday, Betrayal Weekly shares first-hand accounts of broken trust, shocking deceptions, and the trail of destruction they leave behind. Hosted by Andrea Gunning, this weekly ongoing series digs into real-life stories of betrayal and the aftermath. From stories of double lives to dark discoveries, these are cautionary tales and accounts of resilience against all odds. From the producers of the critically acclaimed Betrayal series, Betrayal Weekly drops new episodes every Thursday. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack. And make sure to check out Seasons 1-4 of Betrayal, along with Betrayal Weekly Season 1.