00:00 – 19:20 - More reaction to Chris Ballard’s press conference, getting defensive with all the quarterback questions, his comment about “doing enough homework” on Anthony Richardson, where he thinks there are positions of strengths on the roster
19:28 – 29:18 – Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files joins us to discuss where the Fever are as they chase a playoff spot, TJ McConnell night at Victory Field last night, Mike Weinar’s departure from the Pacers
29:19 – 38:28 - Tom Dienhart of On3 joins us to preview Purdue’s football season as the team preps for Ball State, Devin Mockobee staying through all the transition with the team, the latest chapter in the Tyler Trent story, expectations for Barry Odom’s team
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
You were listening to the Best of the Fan Morning
show on ninety three five and one oh seven five
the Fan, Good Morning.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Yes, we are now creeping up on game number one
in the National Football League for the Indianapolis Colts in
the year of twenty twenty five. They'll be taken on
the Miami Dolphins and final I don't know. I never
want to say final fifty three man roster, but after
acquisitions and waivers and practice squad placements, it feels like
this is the group you have right now. And yesterday,
(00:29):
Chris balladers he does every year after that takes place
met with the media and as you might have guessed,
almost all the conversation Kevin Bawen was about the quarterback situation.
Why Daniel Jones as a starter? Does this mean you've
given up on Anthony Richardson? What's the plan? How's this
look moving forward? What about this? What about that? And
so I don't know that anything. I don't know that
(00:50):
the conversation we had before yesterday was advanced any further
than it was when the day started, was it.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
Yeah, that's probably a good way to put it. And
I think we've just reached a point in time where
you know, again, on field answers are gonna have to
happen for anybody's real thoughts to change wholeheartedly about whether
the cultar quarterback wise or you know, certainly how they
feel about Chris Ballard things like that. And again, maybe
(01:16):
it's gonna take more than just one year of results
for that to happen. That remains to be seen. But yeah,
I I wanted to make sure that. Like when we
discussed the ballot press conference on yesterday's show, I didn't
think we dove real deep into it. Maybe I had
a general apathy towards it, but I just I wasn't
(01:37):
expecting much from him. And I think when you heard
the answers, it's you you get why I wasn't expecting much.
And again I'm gonna go back to the combine here
in two specific questions, why are you getting the ninth year? Okay?
His answer to that was more or less Jim Mersey
agreed to be patient with me, like we're gonna Rea
(02:00):
said in twenty twenty three, we're gonna draft Richardson, We're.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Gonna be or I told you Orsay said, fix this right.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
But like agreeing to patients, like agreeing to a hard
reset up. Hey, first year head coach, you know, biggest
quarterback project whatever in the history of the NFL boom.
That's gonna mean you're gonna have a longer leash. Like
that was said, It wasn't something on the resume for
the reason why he was getting a ninth year. And
then again when you ask him, you know, what, do
you feel like your greatest accomplishment here is heading to
(02:28):
the ninth year. You know, you gotta go back to
twenty eighteen. You gotta go back to twenty twenty of
a playoff win or get into the playoffs in twenty twenty. Well,
you know, this is twenty twenty five, and in the
NFL world, it's a long long time. So maybe we're
just prisoners of the moment and reacting to yesterday. But
I think we have generally seen this tone from Ballard,
definitely throughout twenty twenty five, and I would argue even
(02:51):
dating back to the last couple of press conferences twenty
twenty four or twenty twenty three, just kind of the
reality of where things are at with his state and
the franchise and the franchise as a whole.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
What did you think when he said, you know, guys,
there are fifty one other players on the roster.
Speaker 4 (03:11):
My initial thought was thinking number one, I understand where
you're coming from, because if I was in his shoes,
I'd be thinking the same thing. But then number two,
as I wrote my piece for the Athletic, the other
fifty one don't matter as much as those two.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
It's just as simple as that. So I did get
a kick out of that.
Speaker 4 (03:33):
And the one thing I will say, because I hear
fans often tell me this on social media and occasionally
in real life, I run into him like, man, you're
like you're so hard on ballad or man, he really
pushed back on you or Kevin or gave Stephen hold
of the business, And why is he so defensive? Look, man,
when you're sitting up there for thirty minutes taking a
beating from the local media, personally, I don't care if
(03:56):
you throw a few jabs back. I mean that's the
nature of the business. And I feel like if you
can't take some of that as someone who dishes it
and has dished it, then why are you in that field?
So I didn't think that he was super defensive or
he sat up there and gave us, you know, a
ton of nothing burgers. I think that, as Kevin said,
and as you said, Jeff, like, you're at a position
(04:18):
now where it's a cyclical or is that the right
word cyclical whatever the word is conversation because the same
things can happen a year after year, and you're the
same person year after year. So until something changes, what
else can I ask you? You know, what else can
really be broached of you when that is the same thing.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
Yeah, I thought the fifty one players comment, I was
struck by it a bit, and that was if my
math is correct, and listening back to the press conference,
I want to say that I was like minute thirteen
or fourteen, Yeah, about thirteen minutes in and it you know,
he was ready to move on to a different topic,
and you go back to the opening press conference, it's
(05:00):
not about one player in regards to quarterback. Good reference Kevin,
and if you watch his ten year play out, I
actually think this might have been not this year's combine,
but the combine prior. You know, when he sat down
with us, you know, I asked him, Okay, where why
(05:22):
don't you feel like your tenure has led to the
results that you would like and I thought, in a
very candid and again accurate manner, he described the constant
revolving door at quarterback and now you know here he
is wanting to move on from that quarterback question. And
again that was eighteen months ago he said that answer,
(05:43):
and here you are eighteen months later, and you can
make the argument the quarterback questions have only continued to
grow really in that timeframe, and go back to Quentin
Nelson expressing some frustration in his you know arrival lines
up just one year after Ballads arrival. So yeah, that
made me. I thought it was a very interesting comment.
(06:03):
I get why he probably wanted to move on at
that point, but the fluctuation of about the quarterback position
in his ten year is pretty wild. So yeah, that
was a line that definitely struck with me.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
It's fan morning show KBJB, Jeff Mark Dyden over there
on the ones and two is playing Vanessa Carlton all
over the place today, which is fine with me. Two
three nine, ten seventy. The fan text line justin speaks
for a lot of folks. I mean, all this talk
and as you said, cyclical, it just goes round and
round and round. And we talked about maybe diminished attendance
(06:36):
up at Grand Park. We've talked about just a lack
of enthusiasm, the apathy for a lot of fans, and
I think Justin sums it up when he says, I'm
just ready for the daughters to put their stamp on
the team and push the button for a total reset,
find your quarterback of the future, rebuild the team. You
have a left tackle to start with a total reset.
I can get behind that. Find yourself as a quarterback.
(06:58):
You have a left tackle for the future. Clean house.
Looks if it was just as easy as going out
and finding a quarterback. Because even when you have that
number one overall pick. Look the Panthers a couple of
years ago, same draft, they're not quite sure they're optimistic
about Bruce Young after the way he finished last year
well in a really nice seven game finished last year
where I think he put up a lot of top
(07:20):
shelf numbers and came close within the thirty seconds to
beat in both Philadelphia and Kansas City. But the point
is is you just don't go find quarterbacks even when
you have the number one overall pick. It's kind of
a fifty to fifty proposition.
Speaker 4 (07:34):
Yes, but I guess my pushback there, Jeff would be
when you get a pick of that magnitude in the
top five and you can choose a quarterback and you miss,
most people don't get a chance to choose a quarterback again,
and so that's the stakes of the game you're playing.
So I understand it's hard and it's not exact science,
and even looking back at certain players that were taking
(07:56):
over the years, you're probably more likely, as you referenced Jeff,
to miss on that pick. Then it's a hit and
find you know, a all time great quarterback or really
just a quarterback that will be very good for your franchise.
I can't say all time great because that's even rarer,
but yeah, I mean that's what you sign up for.
Speaker 5 (08:13):
Though.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Yep, that's how it goes. But my point is, Kevin,
there are a lot of people who kind of feel
that way, like, let's just move on to what's next,
because this feels like doing the same thing again year
after year after year.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
Yeah. Correct, it almost feels like going through the motions.
It's the final year of whatever. Tom Allen and Bloomington,
it's trying to think of a longer tenured coach because
Nate Bjorkrn isn't very apples to apples with the Pacers,
but you know that sort of Hey, we feel like
we've just got to get to the finish line and
see what happens here. And that's an awful feeling for
(08:45):
a fan base. You know, we have Pete Sampson on yesterday,
and I promise you I'm not trying to make this
about my fandom, but you know, he referenced or I
asked him about a story he wrote about how Marcus
Freeman has turned Notre Dame into a durable national title contender.
I think ultimately as a fan, Pretdue basketball fans are
feeling it right now. Help potentially Indiana football fans are
(09:07):
about to really feel it for the next handful of years.
To me, what you want more than anything is for
the team that you love to have that five to
seven year cycle where you know, annually we've got a chance.
We are in position right now to be a team
that's one of the last one standing. And again you're
(09:29):
not gonna do it every single year, but the thought is,
sooner or later, the more quality darts you get to
throw out the dart board, you're gonna hit bullseye. And obviously,
if you want to make it a predue basketball reference,
they got all the way to Monday Night a couple
of years ago, and they've had great Big Ten runs
and other great now you know, NCAA tournament runs, and
(09:52):
certainly for Notre Dame last year they were able to
get to the final game. Like that is what you want,
And right now it seems like you're so far away
from creating that window.
Speaker 6 (10:05):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
You know, if you want to look at the Manning era,
think anybody you ask in the Manning era, they won't
say that six team, the Super Bowl team was their
best team. They'll point to five, they'll point to O seven,
they might point to nine. And yet it was that
team that got it done. But yet, when you give
yourself a five, six, seven year window, you're able to
break through. And I think ultimately to get there, you've
(10:29):
got to find the answer at the most important position
in sports.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
They have a very high care factor. I was just
about the readiness and the togetherness.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Mentioned Nate york I feel it no idea is he
back with Toronto. For some reason, Portland popped into my head.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
Also inspired by Graham from Avon, He and Mark were
on exactly the same page there.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
Mm hmm, I like that.
Speaker 4 (10:49):
So I do want to. I know, Mark pulled a
bunch of audio last night and I felt bad. I
was sending somewhere sex messages the ex for audio, and
I was like, here, you're getting audio by the and
I believe you have the question. Uh nah, not really,
that's the job, right, But I do think Kevin had
the question and correct me if I'm wrong. Kevin, you
(11:09):
posed it as do you think you all did the
right homework on Anthony Richardson? And I thought Ballard's response
was interesting and we can start to get into that.
But I do want to, you know, play it here
market you got a cued up to sort of react
to it live on the air.
Speaker 7 (11:25):
Yeah, we knew, we knew he was wrong, We knew
he was gonna take time. I think everybody knew. Yeah,
I think we knew, and I'm we knew it was
gonna be a little bit of a roller coaster. Absolutely.
I mean, you know, just his history in college and
so that's just part of the growth. No, you gotta
sometimes you got to take a swing. We took a swing,
(11:46):
and look, I'm not ready to say that we missed
because I don't think we have yet. I think Anthony
has a bright future.
Speaker 3 (11:53):
I believe that is it with the cults. That's the question, Kevin.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
Do you.
Speaker 4 (12:05):
See where he's going or what he was trying to do,
because in my mind, I understand that he personally might
believe that, but from an organizational standpoint, I just don't
know again, where you go from here to give him
an opportunity to be that guy.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
Yeah. You know he described it later in the press conference,
and I'll paraphrase, but you know he says some of
the effect James of like there's one out there that
it's worked. Yeah, in reference to Alex Smith.
Speaker 4 (12:42):
Yeah, that was the why should we believe this possible
question that I threw at him just because.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
And like that little snippet to me, it just describes
trying to put it into betting terms, just how long
of a parlay that you're trying to hit here, I
mean to put it, you know, in some way shape,
or you're trying to hit whatever. Hey, I'm gonna bet
on all four eleven seeds to win their first round
game in the NCAA tournament. Like that's what it feels
(13:08):
like with the Richardson Parlay. I mean, there are so
many branches to the Richardson at this point failure two
and a half years into it. I'd say so much
of the root of it is in misevaluation, is whatever,
not doing enough homework in assessing him at Florida.
Speaker 4 (13:27):
And but by that do you mean off the field
as well? Yes, yes, I mean both on and off, okay.
And then then to clarify there, I'm not saying Anthony's
some bad person.
Speaker 3 (13:37):
He getsht A ton of trouble.
Speaker 4 (13:38):
Is just the leadership qualities, their preparedness for games, that
sort of thing.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
Yeah, you know, I think that's where so much of
it lies. And on the field as well. And you know,
if you want to walk away from anything tangibly from
what Ballart said yesterday, a couple of things. One he
says we're not trading him, Okay, so there's your news item. Two,
it doesn't sound like James. And again these are public words,
but the Colts have also had public words in the
other direction about Richardson in the last couple of years.
(14:06):
It doesn't sound like the issues right now are Monday
through Saturday work ethic, quarterback standard, anything like that. And again,
we have heard them say that before, so I could
get where people quickly are saying, Hey, of course they're
not going to say that. They don't want to throw
the kid under the bus anymore, but at times they
have shared that. But right now that doesn't seem to
(14:28):
be the case with him exactly.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
We heard a lot of that word operation. We like
the operation better with Daniel Jones right.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
Now, correct, I mean oftentimes, you know, when they praise
Daniel Jones. It is probably also a direct one to
Anthony Richardson.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
Cody Wright's kind of crazy thought before we even play
game one. But isn't this roster actually set up for
a young quarterback really well, supposed to be a good
line stud, tight end, possession wide receiver in pits, slotting downs,
deep ball guys, top five running backs, supposedly good play caller.
It's just the weird dynamic of time is up for
Chris and Shane to win. But they should be letting
(15:04):
their young quarterback develop with what seems like a really
solid supporting cast. Instead, they're relying on the cast to
elevate DJ and save everyone's jobs.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
I think that's really well said. You go back to
twenty twenty three, you had an offensive line that was
the only the new left tackle. You obviously didn't f
Tyler Warren. From a wide receiver standpoint, Pearce was not
yet Pierce and josh Awllens was a rookie. So I'm
trying to think was the Taylor contract drama was that
(15:34):
twenty twenty three or twenty twenty four?
Speaker 4 (15:37):
That was twenty twenty three, because remember Anthony started the
year month and was kind of promising, oh.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Yeah, his only snap, he only played like one snap
with him, right exactly. Yeah, So then you had that,
So yeah, yeah, I think that's a great point from
Cody there.
Speaker 4 (15:51):
I still to this day don't think that JT gets
that extension if ar does not look as good as
he did that first month of the season. I truly
believe they thought, wait a second, this guy is better
than we thought. Let's get our running back in there,
make his life easier.
Speaker 3 (16:04):
Then you know, things change.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
James, what you make of if I could transition away
from quarterback for a brief minute, I guess I'm Chris
Boward here thirteen minutes in the Prescott.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
Well, but said, hold on, now I'm the one asking
the question.
Speaker 1 (16:15):
See positions of strength that he mentioned makes sense to you,
not makes sense to you. Would you throw any others
out there? Trenches, wide receiver, tight end with the positions
that he mentioned as what do you consider strengths?
Speaker 4 (16:31):
Yeah, the one that I would push back on a
bit is probably tight end because although everyone here is
high on Tyler Warren feeling good you know by the way, Yes,
I think that he elevates that room a lot, but
you didn't change anything else really outside of him, And
I get that Marley Cox, in my opinion, is probably
(16:52):
a better suited player for the role he'll be in
this season versus being your number one guy. But again,
you didn't really upgrade anywhere else. So I have questions
about that, especially because football, you know, you know how
this game goes. If Tyler Warren gets dinged up, you're
back to where you were before with the same tight
end room. So I have questions there. But I do
agree that wide receiver is really good for them, a
(17:15):
really healthy room. Do they have a bona fide star
like a Jamar Chase or Justin Jefferson, No, but I
think they have a lot of really good players that
can contribute, especially in this style. Of offense that I'll
imagine with Daniel Jones is a bit more conservative. And
you have, in my opinion, a couple of wide receivers
and Josh Downs and my Gonna Piman Junior who can
(17:36):
really help you in the middle of the field short
yardage sort of like the in between games. So that
that to me is a plus. And I did love
and I'm not saying this casually. I mean this honestly
him giving a shout out to LaQuan tread Well because tread.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
Well not the practice squad.
Speaker 4 (17:52):
Yeah, so we'll see what that means. I believe they
have three spots left. They announced fourteen, but they have
one player that was the international exemption. Have sixteen on
your practice squad, so they have three more that they
can feel. And the reason why could be seventeen is
you can have sixteen I guess American players and then
one international exemption.
Speaker 3 (18:10):
So we'll see where that all shakes out.
Speaker 4 (18:12):
But that's a guy who again on another team, he
might be the sixth receiver.
Speaker 3 (18:17):
Is just here. They got too much talent that position
as of the side.
Speaker 2 (18:20):
Someone asked kJ from Brownsburg wanted to know did we
hear anything on Mike Hilton being.
Speaker 3 (18:23):
Brought in for a tryout yesterday.
Speaker 4 (18:25):
No, no update just there just yet. I'm sorry, but
I will certainly check in with the ever so telling
sources to see what I can bring you.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
Maybe they're in the show. We'll see it.
Speaker 1 (18:36):
Sounds like they're going to work out a lot of
dudes here in the next few days.
Speaker 5 (18:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
I Adam Scheff rather report of Anthony Walker, former Colts
linebacker been in Miami most recently has started games in
the NFL. I think people will remember that name. So
Ballard definitely mentioned that Jeremy Foller from ESPN had Tyler Scott,
a wide out who I think spent time with the Bears,
drafted by the Bears.
Speaker 4 (18:59):
Yeah, yeah, and signed fourth round pick Yea Rings the Bell.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
They had him signed with the Colts practice squad. So
that would probably further push Laquon Treadwell away because that
would give him what three line or three wide outs
I think on the practice squad with that, So no,
also no Jason Bean on the practice squad for those
that care are curious if the fourth quarterback would be
there or if Jason Bean would hang around. So I'm
(19:25):
not surprised by that, but just thought our chair it.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
Good morning and welcome into the Fan Morning Show. Along
with Kevin Bowen, James Boyd, I'm jeff Rickord, Mark Dyton
with us as well bombshell report from the Washington Post
this morning. Colts owner Jim Mersey spent his final years
in the throes of a relapse that was hidden from
the public. We'll talk more about that coming in a
few minutes. We're all reading through it and getting more
details as we speak, but scheduled to join us at
this time one of our favorite, Scott Agnes from the
(19:50):
Fieldhouse Files on the Payless Lookers Hotline, is here to
talk a little bit more about the Indiana fever. Coming
off a big win at home the other night against Seattle,
getting ready to go on the road, take on the Sparks,
a team that currently is on the outside looking in
and chasing the fever in the playoff spot, and of course,
the never ending questions about the health of Caitlin Clark.
Speaker 1 (20:09):
Good morning, Scott Agnes, and welcome to the show. How
are you doing this morning?
Speaker 6 (20:13):
Good morning, I appreciate it, doing just fun. How about you, guys?
Speaker 2 (20:16):
We're doing very well. Is today the day that Caitlin
Clark gets the practice jersey on and makes it up
and down the floor with her teammates.
Speaker 6 (20:24):
Yeah, I would expect that they're out in LA and
we'll get the practice in out there, and they were
able to enjoy yesterday off. But I would guess if
you're Caitlin and you're chomping to get back to it,
I'm sure you were in the gym and getting a
workout session in as well. So you're talking about maybe
Jeff After today, she would have at least three, maybe
(20:48):
four workout sessions in and in getting to a number
in a number of situations where I think Stephanie White
would be comfortable continuing to move forward with all this,
And so I think that's the best thing because obviously
there's not much time left. You have four the next
five games on the road, in just six games left total,
(21:11):
and so clock is ticking. But I think there's an
opportunity right here for her to return, and it would
probably be early next week.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
Scott, I don't care about Kaitlyn Clark. I care about
TJ McConnell. Knight. You were boots on the Crown, tell
me all about it that the crowds looked massive last
night of Victory Field for the backup point guard.
Speaker 6 (21:31):
Yeah, KB, I think it was an overwhelming success. As
TJ came out, they played a minute long montage on
the giant video boarding. I just looked around, panned around
the stadium. It was all TJ and Pacer fans. It
was remarkable. Let's go back to before gates open. Half
(21:52):
an hour before that, there had to be hundreds at
least outside of the Victory Field gates. Then they open
up the gates and TJ's going was signing in the outfield,
so kind of right where everybody came in, and I
kid you not, within two minutes there was a line
kind of down and back that was already sneaking in
(22:14):
just two minutes and something you just don't hear. Ever,
he set to his sign for about a half an hour.
The line was so long that it looked like there
was no progress made that he goes all, right, after
I throw out the first pitch, I'll come back and
sign more autographs, and he did for another half an hour.
There was supposed to be kb A pushing for him
(22:35):
at the bottom of the second inning. He was still
signing autographs even then, so I think he was a
massive success and more than anything. I think sometimes in
a giant field house it's hard to understand maybe the
fandom or whoevery wys and of course you have your superstar.
Pl look, TJ is a role player, crushes that role
(22:58):
in his fan base. I mean they really rallied around him,
and it was and it was remarkable too for me
to see the demographics of fans just ranged entirely. There
was there was adults, there was there was young kids.
Speaker 7 (23:14):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (23:14):
There was one guy that said, yeah, I drove four
hours from Kentucky to c TJ. So, uh, you saw
everything last night and I thought it was it went
over really well.
Speaker 2 (23:23):
So you proving my theory. Mark Dyke in the TJ.
McConnell in this town is just as popular as Blue.
Speaker 1 (23:27):
He is among adult males. I would wholeheartedly agree.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
So, Scott, I know.
Speaker 4 (23:32):
You do a lot of serious supporting, but you know,
along those same lines, I see here that you said
there was a slam dunk contest on a mini hoop
the out hustle TJ in Great Cliffs style cam with
photos of him. So yeah, of those three, which one
are which one are you? Because I would love to
see in a mini hoop dunk contest myself. But can
(23:56):
you explain what the out hustle TJ events or theme was.
Speaker 6 (24:01):
Yeah, so those didn't really involve him more just the themes,
but they were they were really fun. And again the
first one he was supposed to judge the slam Dunk contest,
but he was still signing autographs when that happened, so
he was not You would not want me in the
slam dunk contests. I'm much like Tye and such. I
(24:22):
much rather pass than set.
Speaker 3 (24:24):
Up the basket.
Speaker 6 (24:25):
But in terms of the outrun him, it was kind
of cool. They set up like a digital Oh I'm
gonna get yelled at, like a tech techmo or whatever
it is. That was a digital version on the out
outfield wall I think it's left field, and an individual
tried to out race that character. So that's what that.
Speaker 4 (24:47):
Oh okay, I got you, I gotcha. This is like
in baseball? Was that the mister Freezer?
Speaker 1 (24:54):
Yeah gotch okay?
Speaker 4 (24:59):
Well on a more, yeou is no because I could
talk about this all day seriously with your Scott, But
looking at the fever, huge win obviously over the Seattle
Storm to put themselves in a great position down a
stretch here when we look at the playoff picture, what
do you think this team has shown despite all of
the injuries, yet they're still in this position to make
(25:21):
the playoffs for a second consecutive year.
Speaker 6 (25:23):
I think they've shown exactly what they're made of. And
I think all these hardships pun intended here, with all
the hardship contracts, I think it's shown how close they are.
And I mean just you're watching the middle of these
games and several of them are not even a team
at the moment because they had surgery and their life
tweeting or hey I love these girls, or hey that's
(25:46):
you know whatever throughout the game or after a big
play or whatever. I think this is hardened this group
because all they have is each other as they see
one player after and they almost go down in this
trying season like any we've seen before, and so they
realize there's a lot of doubt that what they can do,
(26:06):
or who's available and such, and all we keep seeing
is is players from the outside shut again that it's
all about fitting opportunity right. Erry McDonald was phenomenal and
unfortunately she's out, and Odyssey Simms is the latest in
that situation, coming you know was available is a veteran
(26:27):
came in has played her role in the last game.
For example, you see here chipping twenty two points as
a starting point guard while the team keeps their turnovers
to twelve. I think that's been fantastic no matter who
they're playing there. And the fact there's sixth and certainly
vying for a playoffs spot to fight despite Caitlin only
(26:48):
playing in about a dozen games this season is incredible.
And so overall, I think you've just seen a lot
of a lot of culture being established, I think by
this front office, by the coaching staff, and then this players.
They've just made the most of their opportunities.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
Again, Scott Agnesfield as files you can find its work.
He's with us here on the Payless Slickers hotline. Scott,
we're about six days removed from the story about Mike
winer Rick Carlisle. I guess you'd call maybe his top
assistant mutually parting ways. And I thought the press release,
and I mean, you've read plenty of mutually parting ways
press releases in your day, that one was one of
(27:28):
the more complimentary ones that I've ever read. Steven Simon
went to Twitter and called Mike Winer a rock star,
and I don't know. I read it and it didn't
scream to me at all. This guy is just going
got a better job offer somewhere else, And honestly, when
I read it, I'm like, boy, I hope everything's okay
with Mike Winer and his family a month out from
the start of training camp. Anymore that you have found
(27:50):
out about Mike Winer and leaving the Pacers about a
month before the start of the season.
Speaker 6 (27:56):
Yeah, I would agree with what you said there, starting
with the press release in that and I even noted
this in my story that the press release for him
to them having this parting of ways longer than one
like three days earlier, about celebrating Rick Carlisle being signed
to this contract extension, which is obviously a huge success
and celebration, and so instead of just being a one
(28:17):
or two liner, No, they wanted to take a long
time with this, and clearly Rick Carlisle wanted to Charlot
to make sure to emphasize his contributions and him being
a winner. But right now, no, nothing more has emerged
from this situation. I know it was a challenging finish
for him family wise over the last several months and
(28:38):
to in the last this past season. But there was
no indication in my mind and from what I had heard,
that this might head this way or anything like this.
But right now it does seem more perhaps like a
family and personal decision for him to not be with
the team this year.
Speaker 1 (28:57):
Scott, thanks for stopping by.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
We always appreciate that you have to come men some.
Speaker 3 (29:00):
Morning when you're downtown, have you It'll be fun, all right?
Speaker 1 (29:06):
Not getting it.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
I appreciate you waking up for the show. You can
do it from you know, from home.
Speaker 1 (29:10):
I think Mark Dyton wakes him up.
Speaker 6 (29:13):
Yeah, thanks Scott, you bet, thank you.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
Here we are fully of the week one the college
football season. Got a top twenty five matchup later on tonight,
a couple of three what three top ten matchups coming.
Speaker 1 (29:27):
Up over the weekend, Kevin Bowen, I'm looking forward to it.
IU gets back on the.
Speaker 2 (29:31):
Field, Perdue gets back on the field, and I cannot wait.
We go to the payless Liquers hotline right now we
talk to our next guest who knows all about these things.
Tom Dinert from on three dot com kind enough to
join us here on the Fan Morning show.
Speaker 1 (29:45):
It is that time of year. Are you ready for
some football? My friend?
Speaker 5 (29:49):
I am c the what Hank Williams Junior. I guess
so much speculation, conjecture, what ifs talk talk talk, We're
finally going to see some action heres. I can't wait
for high newt on saddly oben ross a.
Speaker 1 (30:04):
Tom I, if you don't mind, I kind of want
to go into the Devin Mockaby story. I was talking
about my buddies, a big Purdue football fan the other day.
I had almost forgotten that Maccabee stayed. You know, so
much of the team is obviously gone, and so much
of the headline guys went to frankly so Marquis schools
in the transfer portal. If we haven't maybe been glued
to the maccaby story over the years, why has he
(30:28):
chosen to stay through all of this? Because I think
a lot of athletes in his position in today's world
of college football would have been gone.
Speaker 5 (30:37):
Yeah, we sort of taken for granted at this point,
all the drama, all the roster tumult that took place
after the season, their sad Devin Mockaby right waiting patiently
see the head coach was going to be no hasty
moves and had to sit down with with with co
qotam and and I tell you that we asked him
(30:57):
about this over the winner, and I think he was
after he decided he was going to stay. Was he
really wants a Predue engineering degree. And I think he's
sincere about that. If you talk to him at all,
you know he's really into his car mechanics and and uh,
and it came to Pue to be an engineer. He
wants to be a Purdue engineer. So I think that's
a big part of it. I think he realizes the
(31:18):
legacy's guy here too. With a good season, I think
close to twelve hundred yards rushing, he could leave here
as the all time leading rusher. So you know, it's
setting up well for Devin Mockaby. He's become a beloved figure.
I'll be honest with you, just because he did decide
to stay. Well, so many players left you're talking about
will help going to Clemson, you know, and just online
(31:38):
ago it's dealing theme and going out to Oregon and uh.
But but you know what, Devin Mockaby stayed and he
has a chance to be the centerpiece of this offense
this year.
Speaker 3 (31:47):
I'll tell you what I feel like that is proof
that God has favorites.
Speaker 4 (31:51):
Because you're telling me you're playing Big ten football and
you want to get an engineering degree.
Speaker 3 (31:56):
What do you mean like they one or the other?
Speaker 1 (31:59):
Young man good big football?
Speaker 3 (32:01):
Exactly?
Speaker 4 (32:02):
No, that is that is awesome And so uh, I
do want to pivot a bit here too. You know,
got a new coach in town. How has Barry Odom
sort of injected a sense of confidence or a certain
standard with this team? Because we know obviously you're gonna
be judged by wines and losses. So in his mind
or what you've been able to gather, what do you
think will define success for this team this year?
Speaker 5 (32:23):
You know, if you believe Las Vegas, I think the
over under win total was three and a half for Purdue.
It probably sounds about the spot on, honestly, three and nine,
four and eight. But and in a lot of ways,
I'm not sure you can totally judge the team just
on the win total. I know that sounds silly to
say that's really what matters at the end of the day,
But given what produced coming off of I think that
(32:44):
one and eleventh season not just a one and eleven season,
but a disastrous one and eleven season, a soft for
do not just lose, but often losing spectacular fashion. So
get your wins, get your three to four wins, but
also be competitive, right, don't don't embarrass the university. Look organized,
look buttoned up, look well coached, especially against your peer programs. Right.
(33:05):
I mean, you're gonna have Mischigan, Ohio State at the
heavyweights and Notre Dame Piers Doing not gonna have much
of a chance to match up with. But the other
peer programs, that's where peer's got to show the stuff.
Be competitive and win some of those games too.
Speaker 2 (33:18):
Tom Dianar joining us on the payless Liquers hotline right now,
what would you say a successful season for Purdue would
look like at the end of the year.
Speaker 5 (33:27):
Yeah, again, a lot of that. Uh what I recap?
I think you know from a win loss standpoint three
and nine, four and eight. You know, these first two games.
You hate to call the first two games of a
season must win games, but I'm gonna go in and
call the must win games for Purdue. They got ball
staying here Saturday, and then they've got seven Illinois coming
in the next week for a night game. Peer's got
(33:49):
to win both those games. You need the momentum, we
need the confidence. You need the wins because the lifting
gets a lot heavier from there on out. You know,
USC comes here, so pre ope is a three home
games and the Trojans coming, guy, guys, that could be
very a fun, interesting game, right, Produce two and oh
here comes? Do I see all the way from the
West Coast to Westlafia for a three three o'clock kickoff?
(34:11):
Were on on Lincoln Rallies on the hot seat. We
on a lot of times the West Coast teams struggle
coming east, so I'm not saying it, but you never know.
It could be kind of a fun afternoon. But again,
you gotta be two. And I mean look at the
rest of the schedule. Right they have Rutgers for homecoming.
I think that's when you probably get there. At Northwestern,
I think that's why probably has to win as well.
(34:32):
And you know Indiana, Illinois and now Sudden the top
twenty five teams, they got to go to Minnesota as stuff.
You got to go to Washington to play Ryan Walters.
That could be tough. So I think I see upwards
of four winds on that on that roster. If I
if I look close enough and squint my eyes.
Speaker 1 (34:48):
Tom d Hart, the voice right there on the Paylos
Stickers hotline covering Purdue for on three, Tom, I think
you know a large chunk of our audience certainly recalls
the Tyler Trent story. It was one of the more
or moving stories that we've seen here locally in quite
some time. Obviously, everything around that Ohio State game and
then sadly died of bone cancer that next year. But
(35:10):
that story seems to be again alive with his brother,
Ethan Trent, who I believe is going to start on
the offensive line for the Boilers. Could you share a
little bit more on that story.
Speaker 5 (35:25):
Unbelievable and then just incredible that Tyler Trent's story has
another chapter to it. Here comes Ethan Trent. Do you
guys remember back in twenty eighteen, you know, they brought
Tyler up to football games and there was this kind
of little chubby kid pushing Ethan in the wheelchair. I'm sorry,
pushing Tyler in the wheelchairs. It was Ethan Trent. And
now he's your full growing obviously a red shirt, redshirt
(35:47):
sophomore's third year, Purdue committed to Indiana State out of
Carmel got to walk on offer to produce who came
here and this is his third year on campus, And
you're right, he's he's gonna start it right guard. I'm
pretty sure of that. And and it just not not
just a blossoming football player, but just just a great
young man. We had a chance to talk to him
(36:09):
several times. We did again yesterday, and I'm just blown away. Guys,
for somebody to be so young and seeming to be
so mature and and have their life and order just
really impresses me when I think where I think where
I was at as a twenty year old to produce.
So he's gonna be a fun guy to watch. Number
seventy six and you're gonna hear that story we told
every time produced on television a million times. Ethan said
(36:31):
he at first he kind of shrinked from that, wanting
to be in the spotlight because of it, He says,
now he embraces this. So it's gonna be fun of
watching him this year and continue to hear his story.
Speaker 4 (36:41):
Yeah, to kind of pick it back off of that.
I'm reading the quote here from him and in the
story by your colleague Dub jealouson and he was saying,
how you know he felt a bit ashamed. He says,
I was ashamed because I just didn't want to be
in his shadow while I was here. In a way,
that is a lot of pressure for a young person
to face when your brother is such a prominent figure
(37:02):
for positive reasons, obviously, but you want to be your
own person. So how have you seen him kind of
you know, maybe not carry that grief is like a
like a like a tag or something like that in
a way. Obviously it's always there, But how have you
seen him kind of you know, come in life and
be his own person and maybe not have to be
the first thing come in to mind people think of him.
Speaker 5 (37:23):
I think just I think it comes from from the
way he carries himself.
Speaker 7 (37:27):
You know, he.
Speaker 5 (37:29):
He's growing up obviously. I think he's realized, you know,
the deacon do your not as a football player, but
other aspects of his life as well. So and he,
like I said, he's a kid that then it has
all this priority priority strand I know he's a very
popular teammate as well. It was a lot of fun
to spring to see him get rewardless scholarship by Barry Old.
(37:53):
I mean he and Ethan Trench sort of the count
on a story for us when when Odin first got here,
he he wanted to sit down meeting with with Burrio.
And this is tell coach to them, Hey give me
a chance. All they want is a chance. Let me
show you what I can do and bury you. I'm
that kind of guy. And here we are. He earns
a scholarship in the spring. And now we've been transpoised
(38:13):
to start on the offensive line on Saturllinge.
Speaker 2 (38:16):
Outstanding story, outstanding stuff. And we look forward to the
build up of Purdue football and may it starts this
week against ball State. So thanks for stopping by, Tom.
Speaker 1 (38:25):
We appreciate it as always.
Speaker 5 (38:27):
Finally here, thanks for having me, fellows,
You were listening to the Best of the Fan Morning
show on ninety three five and one oh seven five
the Fan, Good Morning.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Yes, we are now creeping up on game number one
in the National Football League for the Indianapolis Colts in
the year of twenty twenty five. They'll be taken on
the Miami Dolphins and final I don't know. I never
want to say final fifty three man roster, but after
acquisitions and waivers and practice squad placements, it feels like
this is the group you have right now. And yesterday,
(00:29):
Chris balladers he does every year after that takes place
met with the media and as you might have guessed,
almost all the conversation Kevin Bawen was about the quarterback situation.
Why Daniel Jones as a starter? Does this mean you've
given up on Anthony Richardson? What's the plan? How's this
look moving forward? What about this? What about that? And
so I don't know that anything. I don't know that
(00:50):
the conversation we had before yesterday was advanced any further
than it was when the day started, was it.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
Yeah, that's probably a good way to put it. And
I think we've just reached a point in time where
you know, again, on field answers are gonna have to
happen for anybody's real thoughts to change wholeheartedly about whether
the cultar quarterback wise or you know, certainly how they
feel about Chris Ballard things like that. And again, maybe
(01:16):
it's gonna take more than just one year of results
for that to happen. That remains to be seen. But yeah,
I I wanted to make sure that. Like when we
discussed the ballot press conference on yesterday's show, I didn't
think we dove real deep into it. Maybe I had
a general apathy towards it, but I just I wasn't
(01:37):
expecting much from him. And I think when you heard
the answers, it's you you get why I wasn't expecting much.
And again I'm gonna go back to the combine here
in two specific questions, why are you getting the ninth year? Okay?
His answer to that was more or less Jim Mersey
agreed to be patient with me, like we're gonna Rea
(02:00):
said in twenty twenty three, we're gonna draft Richardson, We're.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Gonna be or I told you Orsay said, fix this right.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
But like agreeing to patients, like agreeing to a hard
reset up. Hey, first year head coach, you know, biggest
quarterback project whatever in the history of the NFL boom.
That's gonna mean you're gonna have a longer leash. Like
that was said, It wasn't something on the resume for
the reason why he was getting a ninth year. And
then again when you ask him, you know, what, do
you feel like your greatest accomplishment here is heading to
(02:28):
the ninth year. You know, you gotta go back to
twenty eighteen. You gotta go back to twenty twenty of
a playoff win or get into the playoffs in twenty twenty. Well,
you know, this is twenty twenty five, and in the
NFL world, it's a long long time. So maybe we're
just prisoners of the moment and reacting to yesterday. But
I think we have generally seen this tone from Ballard,
definitely throughout twenty twenty five, and I would argue even
(02:51):
dating back to the last couple of press conferences twenty
twenty four or twenty twenty three, just kind of the
reality of where things are at with his state and
the franchise and the franchise as a whole.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
What did you think when he said, you know, guys,
there are fifty one other players on the roster.
Speaker 4 (03:11):
My initial thought was thinking number one, I understand where
you're coming from, because if I was in his shoes,
I'd be thinking the same thing. But then number two,
as I wrote my piece for the Athletic, the other
fifty one don't matter as much as those two.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
It's just as simple as that. So I did get
a kick out of that.
Speaker 4 (03:33):
And the one thing I will say, because I hear
fans often tell me this on social media and occasionally
in real life, I run into him like, man, you're
like you're so hard on ballad or man, he really
pushed back on you or Kevin or gave Stephen hold
of the business, And why is he so defensive? Look, man,
when you're sitting up there for thirty minutes taking a
beating from the local media, personally, I don't care if
(03:56):
you throw a few jabs back. I mean that's the
nature of the business. And I feel like if you
can't take some of that as someone who dishes it
and has dished it, then why are you in that field?
So I didn't think that he was super defensive or
he sat up there and gave us, you know, a
ton of nothing burgers. I think that, as Kevin said,
and as you said, Jeff, like, you're at a position
(04:18):
now where it's a cyclical or is that the right
word cyclical whatever the word is conversation because the same
things can happen a year after year, and you're the
same person year after year. So until something changes, what
else can I ask you? You know, what else can
really be broached of you when that is the same thing.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
Yeah, I thought the fifty one players comment, I was
struck by it a bit, and that was if my
math is correct, and listening back to the press conference,
I want to say that I was like minute thirteen
or fourteen, Yeah, about thirteen minutes in and it you know,
he was ready to move on to a different topic,
and you go back to the opening press conference, it's
(05:00):
not about one player in regards to quarterback. Good reference Kevin,
and if you watch his ten year play out, I
actually think this might have been not this year's combine,
but the combine prior. You know, when he sat down
with us, you know, I asked him, Okay, where why
(05:22):
don't you feel like your tenure has led to the
results that you would like and I thought, in a
very candid and again accurate manner, he described the constant
revolving door at quarterback and now you know here he
is wanting to move on from that quarterback question. And
again that was eighteen months ago he said that answer,
(05:43):
and here you are eighteen months later, and you can
make the argument the quarterback questions have only continued to
grow really in that timeframe, and go back to Quentin
Nelson expressing some frustration in his you know arrival lines
up just one year after Ballads arrival. So yeah, that
made me. I thought it was a very interesting comment.
(06:03):
I get why he probably wanted to move on at
that point, but the fluctuation of about the quarterback position
in his ten year is pretty wild. So yeah, that
was a line that definitely struck with me.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
It's fan morning show KBJB, Jeff Mark Dyden over there
on the ones and two is playing Vanessa Carlton all
over the place today, which is fine with me. Two
three nine, ten seventy. The fan text line justin speaks
for a lot of folks. I mean, all this talk
and as you said, cyclical, it just goes round and
round and round. And we talked about maybe diminished attendance
(06:36):
up at Grand Park. We've talked about just a lack
of enthusiasm, the apathy for a lot of fans, and
I think Justin sums it up when he says, I'm
just ready for the daughters to put their stamp on
the team and push the button for a total reset,
find your quarterback of the future, rebuild the team. You
have a left tackle to start with a total reset.
I can get behind that. Find yourself as a quarterback.
(06:58):
You have a left tackle for the future. Clean house.
Looks if it was just as easy as going out
and finding a quarterback. Because even when you have that
number one overall pick. Look the Panthers a couple of
years ago, same draft, they're not quite sure they're optimistic
about Bruce Young after the way he finished last year
well in a really nice seven game finished last year
where I think he put up a lot of top
(07:20):
shelf numbers and came close within the thirty seconds to
beat in both Philadelphia and Kansas City. But the point
is is you just don't go find quarterbacks even when
you have the number one overall pick. It's kind of
a fifty to fifty proposition.
Speaker 4 (07:34):
Yes, but I guess my pushback there, Jeff would be
when you get a pick of that magnitude in the
top five and you can choose a quarterback and you miss,
most people don't get a chance to choose a quarterback again,
and so that's the stakes of the game you're playing.
So I understand it's hard and it's not exact science,
and even looking back at certain players that were taking
(07:56):
over the years, you're probably more likely, as you referenced Jeff,
to miss on that pick. Then it's a hit and
find you know, a all time great quarterback or really
just a quarterback that will be very good for your franchise.
I can't say all time great because that's even rarer,
but yeah, I mean that's what you sign up for.
Speaker 5 (08:13):
Though.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Yep, that's how it goes. But my point is, Kevin,
there are a lot of people who kind of feel
that way, like, let's just move on to what's next,
because this feels like doing the same thing again year
after year after year.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
Yeah. Correct, it almost feels like going through the motions.
It's the final year of whatever. Tom Allen and Bloomington,
it's trying to think of a longer tenured coach because
Nate Bjorkrn isn't very apples to apples with the Pacers,
but you know that sort of Hey, we feel like
we've just got to get to the finish line and
see what happens here. And that's an awful feeling for
(08:45):
a fan base. You know, we have Pete Sampson on yesterday,
and I promise you I'm not trying to make this
about my fandom, but you know, he referenced or I
asked him about a story he wrote about how Marcus
Freeman has turned Notre Dame into a durable national title contender.
I think ultimately as a fan, Pretdue basketball fans are
feeling it right now. Help potentially Indiana football fans are
(09:07):
about to really feel it for the next handful of years.
To me, what you want more than anything is for
the team that you love to have that five to
seven year cycle where you know, annually we've got a chance.
We are in position right now to be a team
that's one of the last one standing. And again you're
(09:29):
not gonna do it every single year, but the thought is,
sooner or later, the more quality darts you get to
throw out the dart board, you're gonna hit bullseye. And obviously,
if you want to make it a predue basketball reference,
they got all the way to Monday Night a couple
of years ago, and they've had great Big Ten runs
and other great now you know, NCAA tournament runs, and
(09:52):
certainly for Notre Dame last year they were able to
get to the final game. Like that is what you want,
And right now it seems like you're so far away
from creating that window.
Speaker 6 (10:05):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
You know, if you want to look at the Manning era,
think anybody you ask in the Manning era, they won't
say that six team, the Super Bowl team was their
best team. They'll point to five, they'll point to O seven,
they might point to nine. And yet it was that
team that got it done. But yet, when you give
yourself a five, six, seven year window, you're able to
break through. And I think ultimately to get there, you've
(10:29):
got to find the answer at the most important position
in sports.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
They have a very high care factor. I was just
about the readiness and the togetherness.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Mentioned Nate york I feel it no idea is he
back with Toronto. For some reason, Portland popped into my head.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
Also inspired by Graham from Avon, He and Mark were
on exactly the same page there.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
Mm hmm, I like that.
Speaker 4 (10:49):
So I do want to. I know, Mark pulled a
bunch of audio last night and I felt bad. I
was sending somewhere sex messages the ex for audio, and
I was like, here, you're getting audio by the and
I believe you have the question. Uh nah, not really,
that's the job, right, But I do think Kevin had
the question and correct me if I'm wrong. Kevin, you
(11:09):
posed it as do you think you all did the
right homework on Anthony Richardson? And I thought Ballard's response
was interesting and we can start to get into that.
But I do want to, you know, play it here
market you got a cued up to sort of react
to it live on the air.
Speaker 7 (11:25):
Yeah, we knew, we knew he was wrong, We knew
he was gonna take time. I think everybody knew. Yeah,
I think we knew, and I'm we knew it was
gonna be a little bit of a roller coaster. Absolutely.
I mean, you know, just his history in college and
so that's just part of the growth. No, you gotta
sometimes you got to take a swing. We took a swing,
(11:46):
and look, I'm not ready to say that we missed
because I don't think we have yet. I think Anthony
has a bright future.
Speaker 3 (11:53):
I believe that is it with the cults. That's the question, Kevin.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
Do you.
Speaker 4 (12:05):
See where he's going or what he was trying to do,
because in my mind, I understand that he personally might
believe that, but from an organizational standpoint, I just don't
know again, where you go from here to give him
an opportunity to be that guy.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
Yeah. You know he described it later in the press conference,
and I'll paraphrase, but you know he says some of
the effect James of like there's one out there that
it's worked. Yeah, in reference to Alex Smith.
Speaker 4 (12:42):
Yeah, that was the why should we believe this possible
question that I threw at him just because.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
And like that little snippet to me, it just describes
trying to put it into betting terms, just how long
of a parlay that you're trying to hit here, I
mean to put it, you know, in some way shape,
or you're trying to hit whatever. Hey, I'm gonna bet
on all four eleven seeds to win their first round
game in the NCAA tournament. Like that's what it feels
(13:08):
like with the Richardson Parlay. I mean, there are so
many branches to the Richardson at this point failure two
and a half years into it. I'd say so much
of the root of it is in misevaluation, is whatever,
not doing enough homework in assessing him at Florida.
Speaker 4 (13:27):
And but by that do you mean off the field
as well? Yes, yes, I mean both on and off, okay.
And then then to clarify there, I'm not saying Anthony's
some bad person.
Speaker 3 (13:37):
He getsht A ton of trouble.
Speaker 4 (13:38):
Is just the leadership qualities, their preparedness for games, that
sort of thing.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
Yeah, you know, I think that's where so much of
it lies. And on the field as well. And you know,
if you want to walk away from anything tangibly from
what Ballart said yesterday, a couple of things. One he
says we're not trading him, Okay, so there's your news item. Two,
it doesn't sound like James. And again these are public words,
but the Colts have also had public words in the
other direction about Richardson in the last couple of years.
(14:06):
It doesn't sound like the issues right now are Monday
through Saturday work ethic, quarterback standard, anything like that. And again,
we have heard them say that before, so I could
get where people quickly are saying, Hey, of course they're
not going to say that. They don't want to throw
the kid under the bus anymore, but at times they
have shared that. But right now that doesn't seem to
(14:28):
be the case with him exactly.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
We heard a lot of that word operation. We like
the operation better with Daniel Jones right.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
Now, correct, I mean oftentimes, you know, when they praise
Daniel Jones. It is probably also a direct one to
Anthony Richardson.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
Cody Wright's kind of crazy thought before we even play
game one. But isn't this roster actually set up for
a young quarterback really well, supposed to be a good
line stud, tight end, possession wide receiver in pits, slotting downs,
deep ball guys, top five running backs, supposedly good play caller.
It's just the weird dynamic of time is up for
Chris and Shane to win. But they should be letting
(15:04):
their young quarterback develop with what seems like a really
solid supporting cast. Instead, they're relying on the cast to
elevate DJ and save everyone's jobs.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
I think that's really well said. You go back to
twenty twenty three, you had an offensive line that was
the only the new left tackle. You obviously didn't f
Tyler Warren. From a wide receiver standpoint, Pearce was not
yet Pierce and josh Awllens was a rookie. So I'm
trying to think was the Taylor contract drama was that
(15:34):
twenty twenty three or twenty twenty four?
Speaker 4 (15:37):
That was twenty twenty three, because remember Anthony started the
year month and was kind of promising, oh.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Yeah, his only snap, he only played like one snap
with him, right exactly. Yeah, So then you had that,
So yeah, yeah, I think that's a great point from
Cody there.
Speaker 4 (15:51):
I still to this day don't think that JT gets
that extension if ar does not look as good as
he did that first month of the season. I truly
believe they thought, wait a second, this guy is better
than we thought. Let's get our running back in there,
make his life easier.
Speaker 3 (16:04):
Then you know, things change.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
James, what you make of if I could transition away
from quarterback for a brief minute, I guess I'm Chris
Boward here thirteen minutes in the Prescott.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
Well, but said, hold on, now I'm the one asking
the question.
Speaker 1 (16:15):
See positions of strength that he mentioned makes sense to you,
not makes sense to you. Would you throw any others
out there? Trenches, wide receiver, tight end with the positions
that he mentioned as what do you consider strengths?
Speaker 4 (16:31):
Yeah, the one that I would push back on a
bit is probably tight end because although everyone here is
high on Tyler Warren feeling good you know by the way, Yes,
I think that he elevates that room a lot, but
you didn't change anything else really outside of him, And
I get that Marley Cox, in my opinion, is probably
(16:52):
a better suited player for the role he'll be in
this season versus being your number one guy. But again,
you didn't really upgrade anywhere else. So I have questions
about that, especially because football, you know, you know how
this game goes. If Tyler Warren gets dinged up, you're
back to where you were before with the same tight
end room. So I have questions there. But I do
agree that wide receiver is really good for them, a
(17:15):
really healthy room. Do they have a bona fide star
like a Jamar Chase or Justin Jefferson, No, but I
think they have a lot of really good players that
can contribute, especially in this style. Of offense that I'll
imagine with Daniel Jones is a bit more conservative. And
you have, in my opinion, a couple of wide receivers
and Josh Downs and my Gonna Piman Junior who can
(17:36):
really help you in the middle of the field short
yardage sort of like the in between games. So that
that to me is a plus. And I did love
and I'm not saying this casually. I mean this honestly
him giving a shout out to LaQuan tread Well because tread.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
Well not the practice squad.
Speaker 4 (17:52):
Yeah, so we'll see what that means. I believe they
have three spots left. They announced fourteen, but they have
one player that was the international exemption. Have sixteen on
your practice squad, so they have three more that they
can feel. And the reason why could be seventeen is
you can have sixteen I guess American players and then
one international exemption.
Speaker 3 (18:10):
So we'll see where that all shakes out.
Speaker 4 (18:12):
But that's a guy who again on another team, he
might be the sixth receiver.
Speaker 3 (18:17):
Is just here. They got too much talent that position
as of the side.
Speaker 2 (18:20):
Someone asked kJ from Brownsburg wanted to know did we
hear anything on Mike Hilton being.
Speaker 3 (18:23):
Brought in for a tryout yesterday.
Speaker 4 (18:25):
No, no update just there just yet. I'm sorry, but
I will certainly check in with the ever so telling
sources to see what I can bring you.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
Maybe they're in the show. We'll see it.
Speaker 1 (18:36):
Sounds like they're going to work out a lot of
dudes here in the next few days.
Speaker 5 (18:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
I Adam Scheff rather report of Anthony Walker, former Colts
linebacker been in Miami most recently has started games in
the NFL. I think people will remember that name. So
Ballard definitely mentioned that Jeremy Foller from ESPN had Tyler Scott,
a wide out who I think spent time with the Bears,
drafted by the Bears.
Speaker 4 (18:59):
Yeah, yeah, and signed fourth round pick Yea Rings the Bell.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
They had him signed with the Colts practice squad. So
that would probably further push Laquon Treadwell away because that
would give him what three line or three wide outs
I think on the practice squad with that, So no,
also no Jason Bean on the practice squad for those
that care are curious if the fourth quarterback would be
there or if Jason Bean would hang around. So I'm
(19:25):
not surprised by that, but just thought our chair it.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
Good morning and welcome into the Fan Morning Show. Along
with Kevin Bowen, James Boyd, I'm jeff Rickord, Mark Dyton
with us as well bombshell report from the Washington Post
this morning. Colts owner Jim Mersey spent his final years
in the throes of a relapse that was hidden from
the public. We'll talk more about that coming in a
few minutes. We're all reading through it and getting more
details as we speak, but scheduled to join us at
this time one of our favorite, Scott Agnes from the
(19:50):
Fieldhouse Files on the Payless Lookers Hotline, is here to
talk a little bit more about the Indiana fever. Coming
off a big win at home the other night against Seattle,
getting ready to go on the road, take on the Sparks,
a team that currently is on the outside looking in
and chasing the fever in the playoff spot, and of course,
the never ending questions about the health of Caitlin Clark.
Speaker 1 (20:09):
Good morning, Scott Agnes, and welcome to the show. How
are you doing this morning?
Speaker 6 (20:13):
Good morning, I appreciate it, doing just fun. How about you, guys?
Speaker 2 (20:16):
We're doing very well. Is today the day that Caitlin
Clark gets the practice jersey on and makes it up
and down the floor with her teammates.
Speaker 6 (20:24):
Yeah, I would expect that they're out in LA and
we'll get the practice in out there, and they were
able to enjoy yesterday off. But I would guess if
you're Caitlin and you're chomping to get back to it,
I'm sure you were in the gym and getting a
workout session in as well. So you're talking about maybe
Jeff After today, she would have at least three, maybe
(20:48):
four workout sessions in and in getting to a number
in a number of situations where I think Stephanie White
would be comfortable continuing to move forward with all this,
And so I think that's the best thing because obviously
there's not much time left. You have four the next
five games on the road, in just six games left total,
(21:11):
and so clock is ticking. But I think there's an
opportunity right here for her to return, and it would
probably be early next week.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
Scott, I don't care about Kaitlyn Clark. I care about
TJ McConnell. Knight. You were boots on the Crown, tell
me all about it that the crowds looked massive last
night of Victory Field for the backup point guard.
Speaker 6 (21:31):
Yeah, KB, I think it was an overwhelming success. As
TJ came out, they played a minute long montage on
the giant video boarding. I just looked around, panned around
the stadium. It was all TJ and Pacer fans. It
was remarkable. Let's go back to before gates open. Half
(21:52):
an hour before that, there had to be hundreds at
least outside of the Victory Field gates. Then they open
up the gates and TJ's going was signing in the outfield,
so kind of right where everybody came in, and I
kid you not, within two minutes there was a line
kind of down and back that was already sneaking in
(22:14):
just two minutes and something you just don't hear. Ever,
he set to his sign for about a half an hour.
The line was so long that it looked like there
was no progress made that he goes all, right, after
I throw out the first pitch, I'll come back and
sign more autographs, and he did for another half an hour.
There was supposed to be kb A pushing for him
(22:35):
at the bottom of the second inning. He was still
signing autographs even then, so I think he was a
massive success and more than anything. I think sometimes in
a giant field house it's hard to understand maybe the
fandom or whoevery wys and of course you have your superstar.
Pl look, TJ is a role player, crushes that role
(22:58):
in his fan base. I mean they really rallied around him,
and it was and it was remarkable too for me
to see the demographics of fans just ranged entirely. There
was there was adults, there was there was young kids.
Speaker 7 (23:14):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (23:14):
There was one guy that said, yeah, I drove four
hours from Kentucky to c TJ. So, uh, you saw
everything last night and I thought it was it went
over really well.
Speaker 2 (23:23):
So you proving my theory. Mark Dyke in the TJ.
McConnell in this town is just as popular as Blue.
Speaker 1 (23:27):
He is among adult males. I would wholeheartedly agree.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
So, Scott, I know.
Speaker 4 (23:32):
You do a lot of serious supporting, but you know,
along those same lines, I see here that you said
there was a slam dunk contest on a mini hoop
the out hustle TJ in Great Cliffs style cam with
photos of him. So yeah, of those three, which one
are which one are you? Because I would love to
see in a mini hoop dunk contest myself. But can
(23:56):
you explain what the out hustle TJ events or theme was.
Speaker 6 (24:01):
Yeah, so those didn't really involve him more just the themes,
but they were they were really fun. And again the
first one he was supposed to judge the slam Dunk contest,
but he was still signing autographs when that happened, so
he was not You would not want me in the
slam dunk contests. I'm much like Tye and such. I
(24:22):
much rather pass than set.
Speaker 3 (24:24):
Up the basket.
Speaker 6 (24:25):
But in terms of the outrun him, it was kind
of cool. They set up like a digital Oh I'm
gonna get yelled at, like a tech techmo or whatever
it is. That was a digital version on the out
outfield wall I think it's left field, and an individual
tried to out race that character. So that's what that.
Speaker 4 (24:47):
Oh okay, I got you, I gotcha. This is like
in baseball? Was that the mister Freezer?
Speaker 1 (24:54):
Yeah gotch okay?
Speaker 4 (24:59):
Well on a more, yeou is no because I could
talk about this all day seriously with your Scott, But
looking at the fever, huge win obviously over the Seattle
Storm to put themselves in a great position down a
stretch here when we look at the playoff picture, what
do you think this team has shown despite all of
the injuries, yet they're still in this position to make
(25:21):
the playoffs for a second consecutive year.
Speaker 6 (25:23):
I think they've shown exactly what they're made of. And
I think all these hardships pun intended here, with all
the hardship contracts, I think it's shown how close they are.
And I mean just you're watching the middle of these
games and several of them are not even a team
at the moment because they had surgery and their life
tweeting or hey I love these girls, or hey that's
(25:46):
you know whatever throughout the game or after a big
play or whatever. I think this is hardened this group
because all they have is each other as they see
one player after and they almost go down in this
trying season like any we've seen before, and so they
realize there's a lot of doubt that what they can do,
(26:06):
or who's available and such, and all we keep seeing
is is players from the outside shut again that it's
all about fitting opportunity right. Erry McDonald was phenomenal and
unfortunately she's out, and Odyssey Simms is the latest in
that situation, coming you know was available is a veteran
(26:27):
came in has played her role in the last game.
For example, you see here chipping twenty two points as
a starting point guard while the team keeps their turnovers
to twelve. I think that's been fantastic no matter who
they're playing there. And the fact there's sixth and certainly
vying for a playoffs spot to fight despite Caitlin only
(26:48):
playing in about a dozen games this season is incredible.
And so overall, I think you've just seen a lot
of a lot of culture being established, I think by
this front office, by the coaching staff, and then this players.
They've just made the most of their opportunities.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
Again, Scott Agnesfield as files you can find its work.
He's with us here on the Payless Slickers hotline. Scott,
we're about six days removed from the story about Mike
winer Rick Carlisle. I guess you'd call maybe his top
assistant mutually parting ways. And I thought the press release,
and I mean, you've read plenty of mutually parting ways
press releases in your day, that one was one of
(27:28):
the more complimentary ones that I've ever read. Steven Simon
went to Twitter and called Mike Winer a rock star,
and I don't know. I read it and it didn't
scream to me at all. This guy is just going
got a better job offer somewhere else, And honestly, when
I read it, I'm like, boy, I hope everything's okay
with Mike Winer and his family a month out from
the start of training camp. Anymore that you have found
(27:50):
out about Mike Winer and leaving the Pacers about a
month before the start of the season.
Speaker 6 (27:56):
Yeah, I would agree with what you said there, starting
with the press release in that and I even noted
this in my story that the press release for him
to them having this parting of ways longer than one
like three days earlier, about celebrating Rick Carlisle being signed
to this contract extension, which is obviously a huge success
and celebration, and so instead of just being a one
(28:17):
or two liner, No, they wanted to take a long
time with this, and clearly Rick Carlisle wanted to Charlot
to make sure to emphasize his contributions and him being
a winner. But right now, no, nothing more has emerged
from this situation. I know it was a challenging finish
for him family wise over the last several months and
(28:38):
to in the last this past season. But there was
no indication in my mind and from what I had heard,
that this might head this way or anything like this.
But right now it does seem more perhaps like a
family and personal decision for him to not be with
the team this year.
Speaker 1 (28:57):
Scott, thanks for stopping by.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
We always appreciate that you have to come men some.
Speaker 3 (29:00):
Morning when you're downtown, have you It'll be fun, all right?
Speaker 1 (29:06):
Not getting it.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
I appreciate you waking up for the show. You can
do it from you know, from home.
Speaker 1 (29:10):
I think Mark Dyton wakes him up.
Speaker 6 (29:13):
Yeah, thanks Scott, you bet, thank you.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
Here we are fully of the week one the college
football season. Got a top twenty five matchup later on tonight,
a couple of three what three top ten matchups coming.
Speaker 1 (29:27):
Up over the weekend, Kevin Bowen, I'm looking forward to it.
IU gets back on the.
Speaker 2 (29:31):
Field, Perdue gets back on the field, and I cannot wait.
We go to the payless Liquers hotline right now we
talk to our next guest who knows all about these things.
Tom Dinert from on three dot com kind enough to
join us here on the Fan Morning show.
Speaker 1 (29:45):
It is that time of year. Are you ready for
some football? My friend?
Speaker 5 (29:49):
I am c the what Hank Williams Junior. I guess
so much speculation, conjecture, what ifs talk talk talk, We're
finally going to see some action heres. I can't wait
for high newt on saddly oben ross a.
Speaker 1 (30:04):
Tom I, if you don't mind, I kind of want
to go into the Devin Mockaby story. I was talking
about my buddies, a big Purdue football fan the other day.
I had almost forgotten that Maccabee stayed. You know, so
much of the team is obviously gone, and so much
of the headline guys went to frankly so Marquis schools
in the transfer portal. If we haven't maybe been glued
to the maccaby story over the years, why has he
(30:28):
chosen to stay through all of this? Because I think
a lot of athletes in his position in today's world
of college football would have been gone.
Speaker 5 (30:37):
Yeah, we sort of taken for granted at this point,
all the drama, all the roster tumult that took place
after the season, their sad Devin Mockaby right waiting patiently
see the head coach was going to be no hasty
moves and had to sit down with with with co
qotam and and I tell you that we asked him
(30:57):
about this over the winner, and I think he was
after he decided he was going to stay. Was he
really wants a Predue engineering degree. And I think he's
sincere about that. If you talk to him at all,
you know he's really into his car mechanics and and uh,
and it came to Pue to be an engineer. He
wants to be a Purdue engineer. So I think that's
a big part of it. I think he realizes the
(31:18):
legacy's guy here too. With a good season, I think
close to twelve hundred yards rushing, he could leave here
as the all time leading rusher. So you know, it's
setting up well for Devin Mockaby. He's become a beloved figure.
I'll be honest with you, just because he did decide
to stay. Well, so many players left you're talking about
will help going to Clemson, you know, and just online
(31:38):
ago it's dealing theme and going out to Oregon and uh.
But but you know what, Devin Mockaby stayed and he
has a chance to be the centerpiece of this offense
this year.
Speaker 3 (31:47):
I'll tell you what I feel like that is proof
that God has favorites.
Speaker 4 (31:51):
Because you're telling me you're playing Big ten football and
you want to get an engineering degree.
Speaker 3 (31:56):
What do you mean like they one or the other?
Speaker 1 (31:59):
Young man good big football?
Speaker 3 (32:01):
Exactly?
Speaker 4 (32:02):
No, that is that is awesome And so uh, I
do want to pivot a bit here too. You know,
got a new coach in town. How has Barry Odom
sort of injected a sense of confidence or a certain
standard with this team? Because we know obviously you're gonna
be judged by wines and losses. So in his mind
or what you've been able to gather, what do you
think will define success for this team this year?
Speaker 5 (32:23):
You know, if you believe Las Vegas, I think the
over under win total was three and a half for Purdue.
It probably sounds about the spot on, honestly, three and nine,
four and eight. But and in a lot of ways,
I'm not sure you can totally judge the team just
on the win total. I know that sounds silly to
say that's really what matters at the end of the day,
But given what produced coming off of I think that
(32:44):
one and eleventh season not just a one and eleven season,
but a disastrous one and eleven season, a soft for
do not just lose, but often losing spectacular fashion. So
get your wins, get your three to four wins, but
also be competitive, right, don't don't embarrass the university. Look organized,
look buttoned up, look well coached, especially against your peer programs. Right.
(33:05):
I mean, you're gonna have Mischigan, Ohio State at the
heavyweights and Notre Dame Piers Doing not gonna have much
of a chance to match up with. But the other
peer programs, that's where peer's got to show the stuff.
Be competitive and win some of those games too.
Speaker 2 (33:18):
Tom Dianar joining us on the payless Liquers hotline right now,
what would you say a successful season for Purdue would
look like at the end of the year.
Speaker 5 (33:27):
Yeah, again, a lot of that. Uh what I recap?
I think you know from a win loss standpoint three
and nine, four and eight. You know, these first two games.
You hate to call the first two games of a
season must win games, but I'm gonna go in and
call the must win games for Purdue. They got ball
staying here Saturday, and then they've got seven Illinois coming
in the next week for a night game. Peer's got
(33:49):
to win both those games. You need the momentum, we
need the confidence. You need the wins because the lifting
gets a lot heavier from there on out. You know,
USC comes here, so pre ope is a three home
games and the Trojans coming, guy, guys, that could be
very a fun, interesting game, right, Produce two and oh
here comes? Do I see all the way from the
West Coast to Westlafia for a three three o'clock kickoff?
(34:11):
Were on on Lincoln Rallies on the hot seat. We
on a lot of times the West Coast teams struggle
coming east, so I'm not saying it, but you never know.
It could be kind of a fun afternoon. But again,
you gotta be two. And I mean look at the
rest of the schedule. Right they have Rutgers for homecoming.
I think that's when you probably get there. At Northwestern,
I think that's why probably has to win as well.
(34:32):
And you know Indiana, Illinois and now Sudden the top
twenty five teams, they got to go to Minnesota as stuff.
You got to go to Washington to play Ryan Walters.
That could be tough. So I think I see upwards
of four winds on that on that roster. If I
if I look close enough and squint my eyes.
Speaker 1 (34:48):
Tom d Hart, the voice right there on the Paylos
Stickers hotline covering Purdue for on three, Tom, I think
you know a large chunk of our audience certainly recalls
the Tyler Trent story. It was one of the more
or moving stories that we've seen here locally in quite
some time. Obviously, everything around that Ohio State game and
then sadly died of bone cancer that next year. But
(35:10):
that story seems to be again alive with his brother,
Ethan Trent, who I believe is going to start on
the offensive line for the Boilers. Could you share a
little bit more on that story.
Speaker 5 (35:25):
Unbelievable and then just incredible that Tyler Trent's story has
another chapter to it. Here comes Ethan Trent. Do you
guys remember back in twenty eighteen, you know, they brought
Tyler up to football games and there was this kind
of little chubby kid pushing Ethan in the wheelchair. I'm sorry,
pushing Tyler in the wheelchairs. It was Ethan Trent. And
now he's your full growing obviously a red shirt, redshirt
(35:47):
sophomore's third year, Purdue committed to Indiana State out of
Carmel got to walk on offer to produce who came
here and this is his third year on campus, And
you're right, he's he's gonna start it right guard. I'm
pretty sure of that. And and it just not not
just a blossoming football player, but just just a great
young man. We had a chance to talk to him
(36:09):
several times. We did again yesterday, and I'm just blown away. Guys,
for somebody to be so young and seeming to be
so mature and and have their life and order just
really impresses me when I think where I think where
I was at as a twenty year old to produce.
So he's gonna be a fun guy to watch. Number
seventy six and you're gonna hear that story we told
every time produced on television a million times. Ethan said
(36:31):
he at first he kind of shrinked from that, wanting
to be in the spotlight because of it, He says,
now he embraces this. So it's gonna be fun of
watching him this year and continue to hear his story.
Speaker 4 (36:41):
Yeah, to kind of pick it back off of that.
I'm reading the quote here from him and in the
story by your colleague Dub jealouson and he was saying,
how you know he felt a bit ashamed. He says,
I was ashamed because I just didn't want to be
in his shadow while I was here. In a way,
that is a lot of pressure for a young person
to face when your brother is such a prominent figure
(37:02):
for positive reasons, obviously, but you want to be your
own person. So how have you seen him kind of
you know, maybe not carry that grief is like a
like a like a tag or something like that in
a way. Obviously it's always there, But how have you
seen him kind of you know, come in life and
be his own person and maybe not have to be
the first thing come in to mind people think of him.
Speaker 5 (37:23):
I think just I think it comes from from the
way he carries himself.
Speaker 7 (37:27):
You know, he.
Speaker 5 (37:29):
He's growing up obviously. I think he's realized, you know,
the deacon do your not as a football player, but
other aspects of his life as well. So and he,
like I said, he's a kid that then it has
all this priority priority strand I know he's a very
popular teammate as well. It was a lot of fun
to spring to see him get rewardless scholarship by Barry Old.
(37:53):
I mean he and Ethan Trench sort of the count
on a story for us when when Odin first got here,
he he wanted to sit down meeting with with Burrio.
And this is tell coach to them, Hey give me
a chance. All they want is a chance. Let me
show you what I can do and bury you. I'm
that kind of guy. And here we are. He earns
a scholarship in the spring. And now we've been transpoised
(38:13):
to start on the offensive line on Saturllinge.
Speaker 2 (38:16):
Outstanding story, outstanding stuff. And we look forward to the
build up of Purdue football and may it starts this
week against ball State. So thanks for stopping by, Tom.
Speaker 1 (38:25):
We appreciate it as always.
Speaker 5 (38:27):
Finally here, thanks for having me, fellows,
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