9/5/24: The Mo Egger Radio Show

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Kick off their season against the Patriots. Coverage begins Sunday
morning at nine on ESPN fifteen thirty, the official home
of the Bengals.

Speaker 2 (00:08):
All right, I'm Saspy that for free ESPN fifteen to thirty.
Muegger here, Thank you so much for joining us. Hopefully
you're having an unbelievable Thursday. It is the first day
of the NFL season. Bengals are practicing. Jamar Chase was there.
More on that coming up a little bit later on.
We are out and about. We are at one of
our absolute favorite events. Our seventh year doing this. We're

(00:30):
a top golf in Westchester, an awesome spot and a
great host for the Anthony Munhios Foundation Top Golf Tailgate,
our seventh year. The Hall of Famer is with me
kicking off this broadcast as he does every single year.
It is always an honor.

Speaker 3 (00:45):
Well, mo yous that don't see you but once or
twice a year here and then maybe when I come
in the studio to cut some spots.

Speaker 2 (00:52):
Yeah, we hung out a couple weeks ago, Cold GoF
we did off. Yeah, where we did golf course. We
don't have to tell everybody how much we're not. We
don't have to do that. We just had fun, had
fun and it's a great dait. But no, it's great
as you mentioned the seventh Daniel, which is amazing, and
the fact that you've taken the time, you and the
radio station to be here do your show here. We
really thank you for that.

Speaker 3 (01:11):
I know as we go through your show, you'll get
some of the former players to come and chat with you,
which I'm always excited to have them be part of
what I do. But you know, and listen to them.
I love listening to them too on air with you.
But appreciate you being here.

Speaker 2 (01:25):
It's great. We wouldn't miss it. You guys are very
gracious to us. You know, you talk about it. I
say this to you every year, but it's always so
striking to me your events. When you ask your former teammates,
when you ask, you know, other people in the Bengals
universe to show up, it feels like they say yes
without any hesitation.

Speaker 3 (01:42):
Well, that's the thing that I'm thankful for. I'm grateful
that they're willing to support what we do. You know,
first and foremost, the opportunity to hopefully impact some young
people in this great community. Our staff, which is amazing.
Our interns, our board, our volunteers, and you know it
has my name on it, and that's great, but that's
kind of where it ends. We're just a team. And

(02:03):
to have you know, former teammates and you know, during
my golf tournament, you know, coaches and have guys come
in town.

Speaker 2 (02:10):
To support what we do means a lot.

Speaker 3 (02:12):
It means that they believe in what we're doing and
they want to be part of the impact that we
have with the young people in this community. So you know,
tonight we'll have five or six of my former teammates
you're here, yeah, you know, which is great. So you know,
it really is a good feeling to know you put
something together and the guys believe in what you're doing.
And I'm just talking you know, my former teammates and

(02:33):
individuals like you. But then that the corporate partners believe
in what we're doing and they step on board and
they help us because you know, we can put together
some great programs as we have, but if we don't
have our corporate partners to fund what we do, we
can't do it. And we have eight programs and we
will not run a program if it's not funded.

Speaker 2 (02:51):
And in twenty three years we did not do one.

Speaker 3 (02:54):
Program because lack of funds, and then the following year
I got a partner. So you figure one program one
year out of twenty three years that we haven't run.
That speaks volumes about the corporate, the community, the engagement,
and how much they care and believe in what we're
doing well.

Speaker 2 (03:08):
And it's it says a lot about what you guys
do because it's one thing to invest once, but you
want to see, Okay, is there going to be returned
on my investment? Are they doing the right thing? Are
they impacting the kids in the right way? And so
it's a testament to you and the folks who work
for your foundation. Your interns are volunteers, and that the
folks who are you know, throwing money in and making

(03:30):
it possible financially, they're seeing the work getting done and
that's that's the most important thing. That's huge.

Speaker 3 (03:36):
It's huge when especially when you have you know, twenty
three years old. We've had individuals that we've seen at
our youth camp as junior high kids and then they
receive scholarships, then they do interns with some of our
corporate partners, then our corporate partners partners hire them and
that's the exciting thing to see, is that cycle. And
then all of a sudden, those individuals get hired by

(03:57):
local companies, are at our camps speaking to the kids
or coaching the kids, and that, to me, is what
it's all about. And you know, it's just not one
or two young people, but we could spend all night
talking about the stories of young people that have gone
through our programs and as a team, we've been able
to impact and be a small part of what they're
doing and to see them giving back in the community.

Speaker 2 (04:19):
Yeah, I brought that up to you. You came on
with me three weeks ago. We were talking about this
event and I said that the cool thing when you've
been at it for as long as you have is
you could see you could see, you know, some of
those kids are adults now and they're giving back and
they're contributing, and they're passing along a lot of the
same lessons, and they're working in some cases hand in
hand with your group, and that I can't imagine how

(04:41):
rewarding that must be.

Speaker 3 (04:42):
It really is, you know, especially about four years ago,
I took a trip to New York and I think
I might have shared on the air last time. Took
a trip to New York to do a boomer sisin show,
and as I was getting ready to leave, my staff
informed that one of our scholarship young men was working
like two blocks from the hotel at a big heads
firm A So I called Sam Becker, and I flew

(05:03):
in the morning. I took him to dinner that night,
so we had a chance to reconnect after we'd given
him a scholarship probably you know, six seven years prior
to us going out to dinner to see him get
through college, to see him be very productive. And at
the time he was talking about how much he loved
working in New York, but how much he missed Cincinnati
and really getting involved in a non for profit. I
don't if I'm correct, I don't believe Sam has moved

(05:24):
back to Cincinnati, but I think he just took a
board position for a non for profit in Cincinnati, lending
his name and his resources and you know, his talents
to the non for profit.

Speaker 2 (05:34):
So you know, it is and that's just one.

Speaker 3 (05:38):
Of many many stories of young people that I've seen,
is you know, either in our mentoring program or our
youth campus as junior high young men and women and uh,
and all of a sudden, now they're productive citizens in
this great country.

Speaker 2 (05:48):
It's it's got to be. It's got to be very
easy for you to sort of in part the lessons
and the wisdom you want to win part when you
have those sorts of success stories that you can reference well, and.

Speaker 3 (05:59):
You know, not only for us to talk about it,
but now they say, he weh, you went to one
of our programs on don't you come speak to our border,
come to one of our dinners and then share your story,
And all of a sudden, it's one thing to read
a story. It's another thing to see a young man
or a young woman up there sharing their story. And
what they had a chance to do is they were
involved with one of our programs and now what they're

(06:20):
doing so, you know, and the great thing about it
is when we contact those young men and women that
are now out of college and that are working now,
very few of them hesitate to come back and share
their story. And if they don't, if they can't, it's
because they're very busy doing what they're doing.

Speaker 2 (06:35):
So, which is awesome. Yeah, that's what you want exactly.
So you have this event every single year and just
we talk about it. People know Top Golf by now,
it's been here for years. If you love golf, this
is a great place. If you kind of like golf,
it's a great place. And I know you know you
have your your golf outing every single year, but this

(06:55):
is sort of an offshoot of it. So for maybe
the uninitiated and perhaps folks who want to join us
next next year, give us an idea of everything that's
happening today and tonight.

Speaker 3 (07:03):
Well, first of all, this is this is the opening
night of the season, so we we have it every
Thursday night that the season opens up. Just like the
golf tournament you talked about in June. We always have
our golf tournament the second Monday of June, so already
we know it's June ninth, of twenty twenty five.

Speaker 2 (07:17):
And the dinner of the night before.

Speaker 3 (07:19):
So what we have, you know, we'll have a lot
of food. Top Golf does a great job with food.
We'll have giveaways, we have auction raffles. As you can
see the staff setting up with some amazing raffle items.
I don't know about this number seventy eight Bengals jersey.
Not many people there here tonight. We'll remember I'm not
going to make much money off that. You know, you
got to remember who wore before you can buy it.

(07:39):
You know, all these young people here like seventy eight,
I don't know. But and then we'll have could you
fit in that? Yeah, that's pretty big compared to how
it used to. Yeah, you know, I tell people we
would buy or you know, the Bengals would buy the
jerseys at fifty two extra long, and by the time
we put them on our pads and put them on,
I think they're like forty two or forty four. You
had to you know, really stretch the straps out on

(08:01):
your pads and able to be able to breathe. But yeah,
that's I have it some at home, and I'm glad
to say that not only.

Speaker 2 (08:08):
Fit with their little bag. Take that that's where you
want to be. But yeah, then we'll have competition.

Speaker 3 (08:14):
I mean, we'll have at the end of the night,
we give you know, the winning team awards out, we
give the individual awards out, and uh, I don't know
if we're still going to give the worst out, but well,
you know, we like to kind of arasp people, And
I say it a golf tournam. If you're going to
give a last place the word out, you give them either,
you know, a nice certificate for tennis lessons or or

(08:34):
something like that. And you know, a few years ago,
maybe even now, I think that's what they would give
me if I took last place.

Speaker 2 (08:40):
Maybe some tennis lesson, but yees. So it'll be a
lot of fun.

Speaker 3 (08:43):
And the great thing about it unlike golf you have
a fource some theme on one hole, you might run
across another one waiting to tee off.

Speaker 2 (08:48):
Here. I mean, every group is like, you know, just
right next to each other.

Speaker 3 (08:51):
Soon for me, I can walk up and down the
bay here or the level here and say hi to everyone.
And then if there's groups that no other groups, I
don't have to go to whole number six and they're
all on whole number seventeen, they can just come up
and down here the aisle and say hi to everyone.

Speaker 2 (09:05):
So it's just a fun time. And you're right.

Speaker 3 (09:07):
You can be an avid golfer and you know, very
competitive and you want to win it, that's fine, and
you can also just come for some camaraderie and maybe
some fellowship and some good food and drinks and have
a blast and really establish some great memories, some fun memories,
some stories you can talk about on how way the
boss supposed to go.

Speaker 2 (09:25):
Forward and mine went backwards. There wasn't any wind. That's right,
all right. Anthony Munho is with his hangout for another
segment if you don't mind. We're at Top Golf the
Munios Foundation Top Golf Tailgate. Learn more about the Anthony
Munhos Foundation at Munios Foundation dot org. We are here
till six o'clock tonight. We have a lot to get
to the Hall of Famer. Joins me for another segment.

(09:46):
When we come back, it's a quarter after three on
ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports.

Speaker 4 (09:51):
Station Cincinnati's fifteen thirty.

Speaker 2 (09:54):
By Wager broadcasting today from the Bunyo's Foundation Top Golf Tailgate.
We are here six o'clock and Top Golf in Westchester.
The Great Anthony guindyos with me for another segment. So
I can't talk to you and not ask about the
offensive line. You called two of the three preseason games,
and you know, here's what I was looking for going

(10:14):
in because the Bengals had such great health up front
last year. All the offensive linemen stayed healthy. That's probably
not going to be the case this year. So when
their depth gets tested, do they answer the bell? And
what I saw in the preseason in that regard was
very encouraging.

Speaker 3 (10:30):
Well, it's interesting, Yes, you asked them about the offensive
line to analyze us. That can analyze the backups and
the guys that's all they played. Yeah, and we saw
the starters for wins series and they look pretty good.
But I feel good about their backups. Now, let's take
the Chicago game for instance. It was all backups, guys
that are going to be backing up and some guys
that might might not make the team, and the Bears

(10:52):
played entire half their starters played.

Speaker 2 (10:55):
The Bears had eight sacks the previous week. I don't
know if it was as.

Speaker 3 (10:59):
Starters or who, but they had eight sacks against the
Bills until they brought an extra man. They didn't get
any pressure on our quarterback on Logan with it. So
I was impressed the way not only they passed block,
but the way they ran. I thought they did a
phenomenal job for being backups and facing the starting defense,
which the Bears defense is pretty good. I mean they
showed they're pretty good. So I was happy with that.

(11:21):
I was happy the way you know, the center from Miami,
I mean Matt Lee, phenomenal job. I thought, you know,
the big guy Kirkland from playing tackle, I thought he
did a really good job. So no, I was excited
about the way those guys played. And I feel good
about the backups the same way.

Speaker 2 (11:38):
The defense.

Speaker 3 (11:39):
I mean they played against even though it was a
rookie quarterback with Caleb Williams, he made some plays, but
you think about their wide receivers with Keenan Allen, then
you know Rome Madonze and they're time, I mean, pretty
good offense. And I thought, you know, it broke out
a little bit and shut out of hand. Sure, I
think for the most part, initially both sides of the
football with backups, played extremely well, and I was happy
with that. And again the offensive line, I think if

(12:00):
we can stay healthy, you know, for most of the year,
like you said last year, I think we have a
chance to be a pretty good offensive line. You know,
right tackle, we got some you know, a veteran plus
a young kid and hopefully a mens' chess will come along.
And with Trent Brown, you know, he didn't practice a
lot at the beginning, but he showed he can still play.
I like the middle of the offensive line with Kampa

(12:21):
and Keras and you know, Volson and then Orlando Brown.

Speaker 2 (12:25):
So I think I.

Speaker 3 (12:26):
Really believe we have the making him a pretty good
offensive line. I've always liked Frank Pollack, what he teaches,
his intensity and how he works the guys. So you know,
I hate to always say, well, you know, back in
the day, but back in the day, when we carried
eight nine linemen, the sixth, seventh, and eighth guy could
probably start and play anywhere else, so that there wasn't
such a big drop off talent. Of course, now with

(12:49):
the money difference and usually a lot of there's a
talent drop off too, But I don't see, you know,
there's a drop off in talent, but it's not so
bad that we can't. I think we can do what
we did, what was and we went up to Buffalo
with that patch, that line we kind of put together
and dominated Buffalo when Buffalo is pretty good defensively. I
think I'm liking what we see with the backups of

(13:11):
the offensive line. So you know, to me, that's the
key is keeping Joe upright, keeping them healthy and giving
him plenty of time to throw to his weapons.

Speaker 2 (13:19):
Would you have liked to have seen, whether it be
on the offensive line or with the team as a whole,
would you have liked to see the starters more? I
always do.

Speaker 3 (13:25):
I mean I always, especially for an offensive line. But
I understand the health thing too. But to me, I
believe you have to see certain things live. You have
to see and I'm always watching closely at the beginning
of the season when guys don't play a whole lot
to see the things that I believe you need live
action to be able to pick up. And you know,
I know they say, well, we had, you know, practice

(13:47):
against the Colts, we had practice against the Bears were
up there, but still practices practice. To me, it's not
the same level as regular season speed. And you know,
guys will do this and they usually don't finish like
they do. But I think the stunts, and not only
the defensive line stunts, but stunts that involve linebackers, I think.

Speaker 2 (14:06):
You have to see those kind of things live. Let
me ask you. I stay on the offensive line. Ted Carris,
So here's a guy comes into town and he's a
good player, but there haven't been many athletes who have
wrapped their arms around the city and the community the
way he has. And it's I don't say this because
you're here, I've said this publicly. It reminds me of you.

Speaker 3 (14:28):
Have you had a chance to spend much time with
Ted and what's it been like getting to know him?
If the answer is yes, yes, I've had a chance
to talk to him, not just hang out with them,
but I've had a chance to communicate with them, and
the guy is amazing. What you see is what you get. Yeah,
he truly loves what he's doing. He truly loves what
he's doing in the community, has a passion for it.
I mean, before I even asked him to be a

(14:50):
part of what we're doing, he offered, Hey, if there's
anything And here's the thing. He didn't say if there's
anything I can do. He said, if there's anything we
and I'll get the offensive line involved.

Speaker 2 (15:00):
He said there's anything we can do. We're in Wow.
And I was like, okay, Wow, And that's him.

Speaker 3 (15:05):
And to be able to see him work and what
he's doing in the community and to be able to
be on the field when he was presented you know,
the one of the finalists of the NFL Out of
the Year and he had the group from Indy here
and his parents. To me, that's that's enough when you
see a group like that that are just in love
with not only the person but what he's doing in
the community. So you know, to me, he's wrapped this

(15:27):
around the community. He's doing it, but he's got a
passion not only for that, but he's got a passion
on the field.

Speaker 2 (15:31):
Well, it's what I've always sad. That's what I've always
said about what would you do? I mean, it's it's real, right,
Like you roll your sleeves up and you get involved,
and you know, it's one thing and a lot of
athletes do and they're well intended. They put their name
on something, but they're not as as you know, they
don't dive into the weeds as much. And was ted.
It reminds me of the same thing I've always said
about you is is he really gets involved. He does

(15:52):
and really cares and on top of being a good player,
and he's been a terrific addition to the team. But
as a fan, it's always more fun when the guys
are easy to root for. As people and Ted fits
the bill well.

Speaker 3 (16:04):
And I think that's what's happened in the last you know,
several years that Zach's been here. I mean, all you
have to do is look at the draft. Was it
two drafts to go? I mean every one of the
draft picks was a captain. There's a couple that were
two year captains. There's guys that played for their dad
in high school. There's I mean, you had coaches, sons,
you had captains, you have you bring guys in a
cap on Carris, they won Super Bowls, you bring Orlando

(16:27):
in Super Bowl. I mean, you bring guys on the
you know, defensive side of the ball. And they played
with teams that were contenders.

Speaker 2 (16:32):
All the time.

Speaker 3 (16:33):
So it's it's a culture change, and that to me,
and I think Lapp says the best. Dave Lapham always says,
when your best players are your best guys, those are
the guys that are gonna give everything they have and
that's when you literally become a team. I tell people,
I'd rather have a group of guys that are team
than a group of very talented guys that aren't a team, right,
because you know, the team, they got each other's back,

(16:55):
they're going to work with each other and they're not
afraid to help each other, even if you're if I'm
one tackle and you know tackle, we're gonna help each other.
And that's what it sounds like is happening down, you know,
in the practice field, inside the facility.

Speaker 2 (17:06):
And to me, that's why they're doing so well. Awesome
to have you, Thank you for having us. Thank you.
Boe already can't wait for next year. All right, man,
the Great Anthony Munhos the Amunios Foundation Top Golf Tailgate.
We are here until six o'clock. Will step away twenty
eight after three o'clock on moegor. This is ESPN fifteen
thirty Cincinnati Sports.

Speaker 4 (17:26):
Station, Cincinnati's ESPN Day Football Frenzy with Tony Pike getting
you set for the game.

Speaker 5 (17:33):
From your professional hotball samaraw We.

Speaker 4 (17:36):
On ESPN fifteen thirty twenty six from four, this.

Speaker 2 (17:40):
Is ESPN fifteen thirty on Oego. We're broadcasting from the
Ammunios Foundation Top Golf Tailgate Thursdays. At this time, I mean,
we spend a few minutes with our buddy from Paramount Sports,
the Great Lee Sterling. Check them out at Paramount Sports
dot com on X at Paramount Sports as we preview
the pro and college football weekend, Lee, what is going on?

Speaker 6 (18:02):
I'm good, I'm good. You know, when you spend over
three hundred hours in the summer, you want to get
off to a fast start. If you have a losing
first week, you start doubting yourself. So it feels great
to be eight to one. Mind, the Hurricanes got off
to a fast start, finally, after twenty years. I told
my wife before the game against Florida, I said, Honey,
I'm so invested. You know, it hurts me. This is it.

(18:25):
I mean, if we finally cannot get over the hump
and win this game, I said, I'm done. So I
think finally. I'm not saying they're a top five team.
They're not Georgia, they're not Ohio State. But I think
this team has a chance to get in the playoff.

Speaker 2 (18:41):
All right, I like it. I'm not sure my Bearcats do.

Speaker 6 (18:45):
They did know, but that's that's whe there's hope and
they'll start building, and I like, I like to change that.
You want to start with that game.

Speaker 2 (18:53):
First, Well, let's start there. Cincinnati beat Pittsburgh last year
in Pittsburgh. Obviously, both teams a lot of new guys.
Pama look very good hanging fifty five on Ken State
Cincinnati at home less than a field goal. Favorite, give
me something I want to hear leegue.

Speaker 6 (19:09):
Okay, So I like the transition to the three three
five defense. I think it's going to pay dividends. I
just think it's going to take a little bit of time,
and this Pittsburgh gam is probably the wrong team to
face the second week in the season. They face him
fourth or fifth week. I think they can win. Good
offense average, getting to snap off every nineteen seconds. They

(19:30):
were slow as can be. Last year they looked much
better and beer Katz gave up four hundred and thirty
eight yards. I think it's going to be a competitive game,
but I'll take a couple points here. It's like two
and a half now since he's favored. I like pit
thirty five thirty four should be a fun game to
watch it.

Speaker 2 (19:48):
Yeah, I think it's gonna be a fun game to watch. Unfortunately,
I think I think you're on the right side of
the coin. Let's go to the NFL. If Cleveland slight
favorites against Dallas, who do we like?

Speaker 6 (20:01):
So only the Chiefs I was surprised at this. Only
the kin City Chiefs have won more games than the
Cowboys last three years. Pretty impressive. Dallas, though, nowhere to
go but down after leaving the NFL in scoring. They're
going to have to break in a couple of new
offensive line starters. Really weak group of running backs. I
think they might be bottom two in the league with

(20:23):
the sequel Elliott as their starter right now. They lost
their elite defensive coordinator and Dan Quinn become the head
coach of the Commanders.

Speaker 7 (20:31):
Now.

Speaker 6 (20:31):
On the other side, Cleveland's going to be without Nick
Chubb and Deshaun Watson will start, but we don't know
how healthy he is. There is one constant in this game,
it's the Cleveland defense. At home, they gave up to
thirteen point eight points per game last year, whereas on
the road they gave up up with thirty one year.
I just think this Dallas team is going to take

(20:52):
a dive downward. I like Cleveland here at twenty four
to seventeen.

Speaker 2 (20:56):
All right, let's come close to home. I gotta think
the Bengals are the most popular survivor pool pick around
the NFL this week. Oh yeah, but can we cover
a big number against a New England team that lead,
I'm just not sure can score. What do you think
about Sunday?

Speaker 6 (21:11):
I think they got some real big problems in New England. Now,
Zach Taylor habitually a slow starter. Just one and four,
that's right, one and four straight up in his five
games in Week one. But I like the fact that
the Pats are going here with Jacoby Brissett. Now, Gerard Mayo,
why is he picking him? Well, Brissette played in sixteen

(21:34):
games for the Browns in twenty twenty two and who
was that offensive coordinator none other than Alex Van Pelt.
I think he feels comfortable with him. His start knows
eleven games, four and seven, So I think it spells big,
big problems here for this team. And I just don't

(21:54):
know if their defense is even close to last year
when Joe Burrow walked off the field at halftime with
a twenty two to nothing lead. There finally is some
good news here. I like Cincinnati here thirty to thirteen.

Speaker 2 (22:08):
All right, your free play the game tonight AFC Title
Game rematch Baltimore visiting Kansas City with the Chiefs of
field goal favor.

Speaker 6 (22:19):
Yeah, I think It's gonna be fun for you to
be able to see what the competition is, how these
two teams look opening week. I think there's a clear
easy cut winner in this game. First five callers want
to get it for free, just call eight hundred four
hundred nine seven four one again the number, eight hundred
four hundred nine seven four one. We have never given

(22:39):
out the Thursday night opening game of the season for free,
but I'm gonna do it eight hundred four hundred nine
seven four one if you want to hop on board.
We win eight and one. Last week we hit our
forty to fifty unit best bet. We're now sixty six
and twenty three on these forty to fifty unit plays.
We have another going this week in College foot all month.

(23:01):
We call it September to remember, just four hundred and
forty seven dollars or the entire season fourteen hundred and
ninety seven dollars. Works out to just a little over
sixty dollars a week, just one place and a bunch
of other free pick videos. So let's see. You want
to see me break down and predict Texas and Michigan,
Tennessee and c State, Iowa, Iowa State or how exciting

(23:24):
will these two games be? Nebraska Colorado and Oklahoma State Arkansas.
All those videos are up and available. Take about two
minutes to watch each one on the website right now.
Paramount sports dot com.

Speaker 2 (23:35):
Paramount Sports dot com, Lee Sterling, you're the Manbeltuck.

Speaker 6 (23:38):
Next week sounds good?

Speaker 2 (23:40):
Take care right now. I think the highlight of the hour.
It's great that we had Anthony Moonyal's with us. That
was really cool. But this event can can only happen.
Anthony talked about the support that he gets from so
many businesses, so many companies, the Ventura. Now we've talked
to Miranda Ventura from the Ventura. These are third year
doing this, Yes, and you told me off air you've

(24:01):
forgot last year's, which I've had a lot of interactions
with women in my life who have also described their
encounters with me as forgettable. So join the club.

Speaker 5 (24:11):
No it wasn't you know, No, No it.

Speaker 2 (24:14):
Was okay, trust me, I'm so hardened and jaded at
this point. My wife and I have the same conversations. Well,
we talked about that yesterday. Already forgot. So it's I
deal with it on a daily basis.

Speaker 5 (24:25):
I can, I can relate to that.

Speaker 2 (24:27):
So you're back for a third year with me. You
guys have been a part of this event for a
long time.

Speaker 8 (24:31):
Yeah, Yeah, it's really fun, it's really exciting. We love
to support the Anthony Munios Foundation. He ten fifteen years
ago when we were first starting. We reached out to
him and he has been so supportive ever since for
our different businesses that we've paid, coming out for ribbon
cuttings and everything. Literally on the way to one of

(24:53):
his grandparents or grandkids games, stopping by to come, you know,
fitting us in. So both of them are just such
general good people can't say enough.

Speaker 2 (25:02):
The Ventura Events Center opened a few years ago. Yeah, correct,
And for those who maybe haven't.

Speaker 8 (25:08):
Been about it, Okay, So we have the Ventura and
it's our venue, banquet events center, and it's located in Norwood,
about ten minutes from downtown. It is a five thousand
square foot area that we have completely renovated. Well, it's
a building that we did several floors, but it was
the old Fidelity Bank building right sat for a very

(25:32):
long time, and yeah, completely renovated the entire thing, made.

Speaker 2 (25:36):
It really beautiful.

Speaker 8 (25:38):
We have, like I said, five thousand square feet. We
have a bridal suite and a groomsden, beautiful place for
taking pictures, getting ready, bright white, relaxing for the women
in the bridal suite whatever, and then the groomsden more masculine,
cigar room type really cool, really really crazy.

Speaker 2 (25:57):
Yeah, is it just wedding, It's not not anything.

Speaker 8 (26:00):
No, we actually we do a lot of weddings, yes,
but we do a lot of high school reunions, funeral gatherings,
birthdays and renewals, wedding renewals, so yeah, stuff like that.

Speaker 2 (26:12):
What's the oddest like event that you've hosted?

Speaker 8 (26:15):
The oddest one? Nothing really nothing, really too odd because
our insurance won't cover him.

Speaker 2 (26:21):
Well, I'm not talking about dangerous like you know, hey,
we're celebrating this, and you're celebrating you know.

Speaker 8 (26:27):
That's somebody actually wanted to do like a boxing event
there and I was all for it and I was
trying to get it, but our insurance wouldn't cover it.

Speaker 2 (26:35):
Probably strange people, probably made the right decision.

Speaker 8 (26:38):
Yeah, yeah, but yeah, no, nothing too crazy. Some crazy dancing,
but all good, yeah.

Speaker 2 (26:45):
Very good. Where can folks find out more about the event?

Speaker 8 (26:48):
So on our website we have the Ventura dot com.

Speaker 5 (26:50):
You can go there.

Speaker 8 (26:51):
We have different pricing packages, bar packages, all kinds of
stuff on there.

Speaker 2 (26:56):
So if I just want to like runt a space
and throw a party from my friend, I could do that. Yep.
If I just want to run a space and throw
a party for myself, I can do that. You can
rig your minimum of.

Speaker 8 (27:05):
One yeah sure, yeah, what however many that you want?
However many? And we also we do offer the bridal
suite and groomsden separately if you just want to get
some people want to just get pictures done in there
and not necessarily have the whole rental, but yeah, we
offer that as well.

Speaker 2 (27:22):
It's a great location and beautifully done. Thank you, and
it's awesome that you're a part of this. I hope
when you're back next year you'll remember at least some
of the conversations.

Speaker 5 (27:32):
Oh well, you know what I.

Speaker 2 (27:34):
Like about you. You have a necklace with your name
on it in case.

Speaker 5 (27:38):
I forget, oh yeah.

Speaker 2 (27:39):
Miranda, so people just look at oh yeah, there's your
name again. Something else I could do when I go home,
just put a mo on so everybody understands, all right.
The Ventura huge supporters of this event. It could not
happen without folks like Miranda and your husband. Pete got chay.
Pete don't want to talk to me anymore.

Speaker 5 (27:56):
Yeah, he's a little bit shy.

Speaker 2 (27:57):
I guess I gain well.

Speaker 5 (27:59):
Very good.

Speaker 2 (27:59):
Well, thank you for joining us.

Speaker 5 (28:01):
Thank you have a great time.

Speaker 2 (28:02):
Thank you so awesome, most definitely, Chad Brendel. Next, we're
at the Munios Foundation Top Golf Tailgate on ESPN fifteen thirty,
Cincinnati Sports station. Hey, it's Mowager.

Speaker 9 (28:12):
Get to hit Seekers of Patriots.

Speaker 1 (28:14):
Coverage begins Sunday morning at nine on ESPN fifteen thirty,
the official home of the Bengals.

Speaker 2 (28:22):
Light eleven away from four o'clock. This is ESPN fifteen
thirty on mo Wegor. We're broadcasting from Top Golf in Westchester,
the Anthony Munhose Foundation Top Golf Tailgate. Chad Brendel joins
us on Thursdays to talk UC sports. Obviously, the football
Bearcat's getting set to take on Pittsburgh on Saturday. A
noon kickoff at some UC basketball news yesterday, with the

(28:45):
Bearcats getting set to play Ohio State in a charity
exhibition in October, Chads with Bearcat Journal dot Com Chad
owns Bearcat journal dot com and he owns his ex
handle at Chad Brendel and he's with us. Now, how's
it going.

Speaker 10 (28:59):
Good? I did want to say I always get a
lot of pushback from people when I say Danny Hurley
is the biggest Bengals fan I know.

Speaker 11 (29:08):
And if you guys listen to his inter.

Speaker 10 (29:09):
Of you yesterday, you will understand why he's a lunatic.

Speaker 2 (29:15):
Like like real I think I talked about. I meant
to mention this during the my chat with him yesterday,
which which, by the way, you essentially helped set up.
That was the big favor I teased on the air
last week. But Dan Horde told me once Rhode Island
was playing. Maybe it was when Danny was at Yukon

(29:38):
and playing against Cincinnati, and he said, you know, I
was at an NCAA tournament site where you see and
Rhode Island were in the same place, and I don't
know if he was there the day before the game
and whatever, but you know, they're in the arena, and
Rhode Island's in the arena and Dan Hurley season and
approaches him and starts hitting him up with like the

(29:58):
most and it's March, so it's kind of like a
month before the draft, like nuanced draft questions. You could
ever imagine. He's not some rando who has decided no,
I like the Bengals because they've recently been good. That
guy lives and dies with the team. I remember years ago,
before the Bengals got good, you were at a camp

(30:18):
and you called me and said, somebody wants to talk
to you, and it was Dan Hurley, just wanting to
talk and complain about the Bengals.

Speaker 10 (30:28):
We would be at an event every year during the draft.
We'd be at an AAU tournament, and that's all. Like.
So when I first this is why I'm friends with
Danny Hurley. When Mick Cronin first introduced me to Danny,
he's like Chad works in radio and Cincinnati, so he
not only you know, he covers us, he covers the
Bengals whatever, and Danny Hurd covers the Bengals. And that

(30:49):
has been the basis of our friendship ever since then.
Whenever he sees me, it's his chance to like, who's
gonna be the third string punter in camp?

Speaker 2 (31:00):
Like he was the.

Speaker 10 (31:01):
Backup long snapper and stuff like.

Speaker 5 (31:03):
He is as.

Speaker 10 (31:05):
Obsessed as anyone I've ever I've never met anyone more
obsessed with the Bengals. He's OCD like. Of course, he
treats the Bengals like he does everything else in his life.
He is literally obsessed. My favorite was Andrea, his wife,
having to tell him close the windows. The neighbors can
hear you close the windows. It was so good. I

(31:28):
was cracking up this morning.

Speaker 2 (31:30):
Yeah, well again, thank you for helping to facilitate on that.
Let me start with the good. I saw a deep
ball that was thrown with precision and touch, and where
the quarterback didn't look like he was straining himself to
get a downfield he completed it. It was a I
think it was you that tweeted out. It was a
sight for sore eyes. Brendan Swarsby. Early in that game,

(31:52):
he passed his opening Bearcat test. Take what you want
into account what it relates to the opponent. He passed
his test with flying colors.

Speaker 10 (32:00):
His arm is outstanding, and I asked him in the
press conference. I've talked about it a lot on Bearcat Journal.
For me, it's like a return to childhood, speaking of
like the eighties Bengals. His play action is so good.
And that was the ball to Henderson play action, did
a great job hiding it in the bread basket, popped
up and just delivered a dime down the field and

(32:23):
had the play action where he kind of it was
a weird like they play action left and the knee
or right, and then he rolled out left to the
opposite side and found Joe Royer. He's really good at
a lot of that, like old school kind of quarterback stuff,
like nerdy quarterback stuff that you don't really see anymore.

(32:44):
In the shotgun, right, you don't have to be as tricky.
You just take the snap and take three steps and
throw it. But you know, he had a really, really
good debut as a Bearcat.

Speaker 2 (32:56):
The run defense was a concern coming in, has to
be a larger concern coming out, and that obviously takes
into account the good news they got this week with
the Godfather coming back. Then I look at what Pittsburgh did,
take it again into account who they played. I have
a really bad feeling about this. Can you talk me
off the ledge?

Speaker 10 (33:17):
Uh No, not really. I mean I need to see
it before I believe that the run defense is going
to hold up. I mean I have talked about that
from you know, leading up to camp like that. You know,
when we knew Dante was was going to be limited,
and then we knew Mike Coleman was out, and then
early in camp Jalen Hunt is out for the year.

(33:38):
I worry about it, you know. I think we saw
a lot of like they were trying to protect the
runs up the middle on Saturday with Dante out, and
that created you know, the ends kind of crashed in
Cowsen was able to bounce it outside. I think they'll
have a little bit more containment on the edges this
time with Dante on the field, but some of that stuff,

(34:02):
you know, they're going to have to figure it out,
and I think they're going to need to do it
with excellent play from their linebackers, and I don't think
we got that on Saturday. I think the linebackers look
like they were out of their gaps or you know,
they overrun their gap by a couple of steps and
then next thing you know, the ball is bouncing outside
for seven eight yards un touch. They're gonna have to

(34:22):
be a lot more disciplined. I thought Jared Bartlett was
very good, but we didn't see a lot from Jake Golday.
We didn't see a lot from Nate Dingle. They're Jack Dingle, Sorry,
Nate's dad, you know, So that part of it is
going to have to get cleared up. Maybe hopefully with
Dante back, you can move Kamari Burns outside and have

(34:46):
him be a little bit more of that kind of
run stopper defensive end on the edge. But it's going
to be a concern until it's not, I guess, is
the best way I can put it. They are going
to have to prove to me that they're going to
stop the run, because right now it is by far
my biggest concern. Defensively, do they have.

Speaker 2 (35:04):
The personnel to play the three three five? Given who
they've lost upfront?

Speaker 10 (35:09):
Mo here's my question for that. If they don't have
the personnel to play three down linemen, how in the
world are they going to play four? If they don't
have the bodies to adequately put three linemen on the
line of scrimmage, I don't know what the benefit is
of adding an extra one. You know, if they still

(35:30):
had Jalen Hunt and you could put Dante Corleona nose
tackle and Jalen Hunted defensive tackle and put two ends
on each side of them, sure, give the four down
linemen in front a try. I don't know that they
have the personnel to go to four at this point
in time, So I know it's something they wanted to
do a little bit, you know, mix in a little

(35:50):
bit more coming into this season. But I just don't
know that. You know, the map says that they don't
have enough to do three, then having enough to do
four would be even more of a stretch.

Speaker 2 (36:02):
All Right, I got I got like a minute here,
I'll go guest choice. Do you want to talk about
U see playing Ohio State in a charity exhibition? Or
do you want to make fun of Memphis? Yes, well,
I guess we'll go Ohio State. I guess do you
see Ohio State? Thing? There's a charitable component, which is awesome.

(36:25):
Can can this be a regular thing moving forward where
we get a chance to see them before the season
begins and they're not playing everything behind those hours and
we could watch them watch them play teams that matter.

Speaker 10 (36:38):
So, without getting too into the weeds, there was a built,
you know, a thing in front of the NCAA committee
or whatever for basketball to make the secret scrimmages open
and sell tickets and whatever. That was on the table
for this year. It got shelved. It didn't get approved

(36:59):
or denied, It just got kind of kicked down the road.
There was going to be an event that had Dayton, Xavier,
and UC Ohio State all on the same day in
the same location, and because that got shelved, they had
to kind of move it around, and you get the
way that it's being done now via charity exhibition. But yes,
I think if that goes through, then you will see

(37:21):
regular or you know, regular exhibition games open to the
public against Division one opponents coming in the not so
distant future, and potentially just an event with UC Dayton
and Ohio State and Xavier all in the same group,
playing on the same day at the same location. It
would be an exhibition that's not quite as good as

(37:42):
the real thing, but I would take it.

Speaker 2 (37:44):
Yeah, No, sign me up for that, all right.

Speaker 10 (37:46):
Man, Penny Hardaway, ha ha.

Speaker 2 (37:49):
That's all I needed. We could expand upon that next week.
Chad Brendel, Bearcat journal dot Com. Thank you so much.

Speaker 7 (37:56):
Thanks both.

Speaker 2 (37:57):
Follow Chad on Twitter at Chad Rendell. By the way,
reds Windday won nothing ret louder outstanding in his second
big league debut ty France went deep for Cincinnati's only run.
Red sweet the Astros and have won four straight games.
Robert Jackson and Joe Waltzer with me when we come
back on ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 5 (38:17):
This report is sponsored by of the Bengals.

Speaker 2 (38:20):
All Right six after four ESPN fifteen thirty Molegger broadcasting
today from the Munios Foundation Top Golf Tailgate at Top
Golf in Westchester. Everything tonight benefiting the Anthony Munio's Foundation.
And I said this to Anthony. He joined me about
an hour ago. One of the cool things about this
event every year is seeing how so many of Anthony's teammates,

(38:42):
so many of his friends that he has made through
his football travels, join him show up for this event
and support the work that the foundation does. And I
think I get a chance to talk to these two
guys every single year. With Joe Walter I talk to
all the time, which is great, but it's nice to
have it in like a professional setting like this. Robert
Jackson I get to talk to once a year. And

(39:04):
the cool thing about this is he brought cheesecake, right,
brought some cheesecakes from her friend Ruby's chocolate. Yeah, well
tell Ruby more where that came from. Please.

Speaker 12 (39:15):
She has a shop downtown in Finley Street Market perfect,
and she has one out in Hamilton.

Speaker 2 (39:22):
I will be, I'll be. I'll be near her downtown
market tomorrow.

Speaker 12 (39:26):
She makes the cheesecakes from at her house and then
brings them you know, special order.

Speaker 5 (39:29):
Yea.

Speaker 13 (39:30):
She has great Gomeerty chocolates.

Speaker 2 (39:31):
Wow, it's called Ruby's Chocolate, Ruby's Chocolates. Thanks to Ruby,
Thanks to you, Joe. What did you bring?

Speaker 7 (39:36):
I didn't bring anything? Excuse me?

Speaker 2 (39:42):
Three forty five is that? What is that? Now?

Speaker 7 (39:45):
Wow?

Speaker 2 (39:45):
I was gonna say I was going to say three
in a quarter, but you know, I haven't been next
to him on a scale, so I mean, who knows.

Speaker 7 (39:54):
I'm just guessing.

Speaker 2 (39:55):
Yeah, I understand. It's a good guess, Hi, Joe.

Speaker 7 (39:58):
Why do we have to have him on the show
with us down?

Speaker 2 (40:01):
You know, Anthony said, he you know, I mean what
You're gonna say no to him? I'm not you. You
guys could.

Speaker 9 (40:09):
But I'm not. I'm not saying no.

Speaker 5 (40:12):
Not to Anthony.

Speaker 2 (40:13):
Anyway. I'm good, a man, I'm great. I'm I'm better
now that the two of you are here, it's it's
great to see you both.

Speaker 7 (40:18):
Yeah, well, thank you, thank you. It's glad time with you.

Speaker 2 (40:21):
I thought for a second we were going to have
to get you to place and right tackle.

Speaker 7 (40:25):
Well, maybe a series, a series.

Speaker 2 (40:28):
You can play a series, I think so, like a
series of a real NFL game.

Speaker 7 (40:33):
Be tired afterwards, right, that'd be about it.

Speaker 14 (40:36):
So like a series as long as oxygen and a
couple of beers on the sideline.

Speaker 10 (40:40):
Good.

Speaker 2 (40:41):
I don't think they have those, did they back in
your day? No, we wished for yeah, uh, but they
got a Marius Mims. He's at least practicing, and you
know that's a practicing on a limited basis. But I
can't wait to see him in the game. That counts
because he had such a good training camp in the
size is just it speaks for its.

Speaker 7 (41:00):
Well, right, I think he's gonna be fun to watch.

Speaker 14 (41:02):
He talked to you know, Lap and obviously Anthony who's
watched him, then Willie Anderson, and they're all very impressed
with him.

Speaker 7 (41:10):
While he's got good feet, good hands.

Speaker 14 (41:14):
From just where I saw the one series when he
was playing in that preseason game, he reminds me of
a Willie and that once he gets your hands on you,
you're done. He's that strong of a guy. He's got
strong hands. But you know he's got some technique issues,
which is typical of a rookie, right, And I think
you know what's hurt him is losing this time, being injured,

(41:36):
not being able to work on that technique. But I
think he's going to be a very very good tackle
for I think it's me be great for us. And
he's got two tackles ahead of him that can teach
him and show him the ropes, which is good.

Speaker 2 (41:47):
Yeah. Then Robert, from from your position standpoint an overhaul
and for the better. Geno Stone is a guy who
in Baltimore every time they asked him to do more
heroes to the occasion, But they bring back Von Bell
when all anybody has talked about is the communication is
going to be better. Guys aren't going to be in
the wrong spots. That's gonna lead to fewer mistackles, fewer

(42:08):
blown coverages. They were terrible at that last year.

Speaker 12 (42:11):
Speak to that for me, Well, it's nice that they brought,
you know, like you said, the veterans in to help
the younger guys because it is a chaotic game now
with all the passing and you know, you get that
leadership out there and it's great. You know von bell
I he went to Ohio State, so that's against him.
But I love I love him for what he did
to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the little receiver that stomped on

(42:32):
it and he said, I'm.

Speaker 2 (42:33):
Gonna hit you.

Speaker 12 (42:34):
Hey, yes, yes, when you hit like that and you
tell people you're gonna do it, I'm a firm believer that,
you know, this guy is gonna bring it back to
the level they were two years ago.

Speaker 2 (42:44):
Yeah, And and then the Dax Hill at least thus
far successfully making the transition from safety to corner, which
sounds easy, but I know it's not.

Speaker 13 (42:51):
Well, the thing about him, he's an athlete.

Speaker 12 (42:53):
He can and he can run, you know, so and
you know, you you can match up nowadays with receivers
that are fast, okay, with like back in the day
Willie Golf. We knew he had world class feed, but
it took him so long to break down. You know,
Sam was Ronaldo skeik Neamaya, great hurt Olympic hurdler, but
when he when he was running his routes, he really
had to slow down if he was just going, you know,

(43:15):
for five yard inn or anything like that. So you know,
with now with technology, they can critique everything.

Speaker 2 (43:21):
Yeah, you gotta be more than fast. We found that
out with John Ross. Right, that's straight you know, straight
line speed. But it's like, you know, can you get
off the ball, can you cut routes off? Can you
can you win one on one battles? And for John, unfortunately,
the answer was no.

Speaker 9 (43:34):
Right.

Speaker 2 (43:35):
Yeah, uh well, but to me when when you talk
about the Bengals this year defensively, last season they were
the worst in the NFL and explosive plays giving up
and they got a lot of stuff to fix. But
in this day and age, you limit the number of
trunk plays, you're gonna be just exponentially better. And I
think they're equipped to do that.

Speaker 13 (43:52):
Yeah, you know what, you just had to believe in yourself.

Speaker 12 (43:56):
Each and everyone do their own job. That's what I
was telling this guy who was young golfer. He says,
what was it like? I said, you know, I'm one
of eleven out on that field. We all have to
do one to become one. I said, like a golfer,
you're the only one out there, you know, And they
looked at it that way, and I'm like, you know,
they get the eleven guys together, they got talent, you
know in the defensive lineman.

Speaker 13 (44:15):
I don't know who ninety seven is, but I was
down at practice.

Speaker 9 (44:18):
That dude scared me.

Speaker 12 (44:19):
Yeah, I don't know who he is on the defense,
but he's big.

Speaker 2 (44:23):
Right, So you were talking about going down to practice, yes, right,
And it's a little bit different animal now versus when
you guys.

Speaker 13 (44:30):
Right, you know with Forrest greg Era.

Speaker 7 (44:32):
Did you play for Forrest, Joe No.

Speaker 9 (44:34):
Oh my goodness.

Speaker 12 (44:35):
People don't realize the grassy though. That was Yeah, the
grass drills. You know, it was different. There was contact
every day right now, you know it's game time, you know,
contact which.

Speaker 13 (44:47):
I understand for their bodies and stuff like that.

Speaker 12 (44:49):
You know, I applaud that, but you know it would
be fun to see them go back to Forrest greg
day and you know, like you do it this way
or the highway, you know, but times have changed and
athletes are getting better.

Speaker 2 (45:01):
Yeah, you mentioned J two Fahila and like you look
at J two Phiala, who was listed as six foot three,
three oh nine. That's big. And then there's a guy
like a Marius Memes and you know, I mean, you're
a big man, Anthony is a big man. You guys
are are dwarfed next to a guy.

Speaker 14 (45:18):
Oh yeah, it's remarkable, all three.

Speaker 13 (45:21):
Of those guys. Yeah, well, how do you think I
feel anything?

Speaker 2 (45:24):
I feel.

Speaker 14 (45:26):
I mean, I think you were even saying it, you know,
early in the offseason. You know, can you imagine seeing
those three guys get off a bus. Yeah, I mean
that's just crazy, the beef that's coming off there. And
they're all good players, you know, it's it's it's different.
I I'm with Robert. I wish they would go back
to at least three weeks at two days and hitting.
I think that's you know, the game has softened up

(45:48):
a little bit. The players aren't. They're more injury prone.
I think we were beat up enough after six weeks
that our bodies were used to You didn't have the injuries.
You have the bumps and the bruises, but the big
major injuries. I don't think we're as prevalent then as
they are now.

Speaker 5 (46:03):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (46:03):
You know, you talk about a Marius mims Can, He's
got the benefit of at least walking into a situation
where you know there's there's a right tackle in Trent
Brown who has been through everything, and then there's Orlando Brown,
who has been through a lot. There's an offensive line
that has enjoyed, you know, a really great continuity. Obviously
we wish you wouldn't have gotten hurt, but to for
a rookie to join an environment and learn the ropes,

(46:25):
I don't think you can ask for.

Speaker 14 (46:26):
Much better, right, And I think that'll be good for him, right,
because it's kind of like when Willie came into the league.
You know, they Paul Alexander said, I want you to
marry everything that Joe does, so that even to take
notes and meetings and what I did in meetings and
how I watch films. And I think this is gonna
be great for Marius to be able to see that
with these two guys and the way they watch films,

(46:47):
where they take notes, what they do on the practice field,
how they prepare themselves. Because that's a totally different animal
from what it was in college. Right when you get
up here, and so it's a much different game. It's
hard to believe that it's much, but it's much faster.
It's lightning fast. Everything happened, all the moves everything stunts,
everything's faster. And so if you can learn the technique

(47:09):
and be sharp with it, and especially learn from those
two guys and watching film and how they prepare, it's
just going to put him above others faster.

Speaker 2 (47:17):
Can you imagine going through a preseason where if you're
a starter, you might play one series?

Speaker 9 (47:23):
Oh my god.

Speaker 14 (47:26):
We look forward to the last record preseason game because
we didn't.

Speaker 12 (47:29):
Have to fly right, you know? Yeah, Man, I remember,
Forrest Greg. We were playing Kansas City in the preseason game.
I was a third kickoff returner. First two weren't following
the wedge. So I get out there, he says, follow
the wedge, Robert, Right, I get up there. I had
to see a wedge that Kansas City's coming down. I
broke out to the left, like I hit so hard.
He let me have it. But Monday practice was a

(47:52):
full blown but special teams practice, right, and they could
not hit us because he for as Greg said, I'd
lie to my kickoff returners.

Speaker 2 (48:03):
He said, I told them to file the wedge.

Speaker 9 (48:05):
He said, there was no wedge.

Speaker 2 (48:06):
It looked like flower going through a sieve.

Speaker 13 (48:09):
Yes, Forest, we were. We weren't lying. There was no
wedd you know during the game time.

Speaker 2 (48:14):
The Bengals are putting in the Ring of Honor this
year one of your former teammates and Tim Krumrie, and
so you got to each give me your favorite Tim
Crumbrise story.

Speaker 7 (48:26):
Oh jeez, yeah, tell which one do you want?

Speaker 2 (48:29):
Well? Yeah, really, one that's not gonna get us fined, right,
one that's not gonna get me disinvited to this event.

Speaker 14 (48:35):
So yeah, uh, great Tim Krumrise story that I can tell.
I guess I can tell this one. When we were
both injured after the year, after he broke his leg
in the Super Bowl. I blown my knee out that
same year training camp, we weren't really going through it.
We were standing out there, but we had to come
into Blue Ash every day for physical therapy. Back then,

(48:57):
they didn't do it in the stadium what we do now,
all right, So you had to go some way south,
So we had to drive into Blue Ash every day.
Well every day we had to stop at the convenience
store get us the case to drink on the way there.
Then we would get a case on the way back.
And that was kind of what we did for all
of our camp routine, our training camp routine and rehab. Yeah,

(49:20):
that's probably the cleanest story I have of Tim PRIMRII
that can be told.

Speaker 2 (49:24):
Man, I can't wait till we break then. I have
a lot that I want to know. If Tim got drafted,
you had been in the league for a couple of years, yes,
so so like watching.

Speaker 9 (49:32):
This animal make the team.

Speaker 2 (49:33):
Yeah, every morning was drafted. Every day at.

Speaker 12 (49:36):
Nose tackle, you know, they're just like, there's no way
he's beating that guy like that, No way, no way.

Speaker 9 (49:40):
They would do it over and over, you know.

Speaker 12 (49:42):
And one story about Tim, he was telling me, you
know that when he was going to Wisconsin, him and
the defensive lineman I can't remember if it was a
vega or pinto, there's about seven of them would get
in and go to a bar.

Speaker 7 (49:53):
And I'm like, that's not possible.

Speaker 12 (49:55):
You know, seven defensive linemen looked like, I'm like, no,
in one in one penal, you know, great traction.

Speaker 2 (50:01):
I'm not sure the three of us could get into it.
Which three the three of us sitting right here with.

Speaker 7 (50:07):
That three.

Speaker 13 (50:09):
Wow, Hey, but he I haven't seen Yeah, a lot
of you.

Speaker 14 (50:15):
I came out thinking I'm gonna be nicer Robert today.
I'm not gonna and he starts the war.

Speaker 13 (50:20):
All now he put his hand. I mean this we
have today.

Speaker 2 (50:23):
Because he could probably still outrun you, and that's.

Speaker 13 (50:26):
Key move so I can try to get out of you.

Speaker 2 (50:31):
It is always awesome to spend time with you guys,
like what thank you as always, thank you for the cheesecake, Joe,
thanks for just being here.

Speaker 7 (50:36):
I guess well, thanks for having me.

Speaker 14 (50:39):
Tim Krumeri, great guy, right, love to fight every day
in two days, we had to fight, and or he
had to fight. He always found tried to find somebody
to fight. Well, nobody wanted to fight him because you
know it's hot. Yeah, you get tired, you don't want
to do it. So what's he doing? He's playing those
guards somehow. He's always finding me the tackle, the tackle,
and we end up fighting because I'm thinking, you're not

(51:01):
We're going to fight, and that's what it was.

Speaker 7 (51:04):
And I would look at him every day, Why.

Speaker 14 (51:05):
Do we do this? Why do you want to fight
every day? He goes, You're the only one who'll do it.
I want to fight somebody every day who won? Nobody
ever won because I wouldn't let him. He wanted to wrestle,
and I kept him at Bay and kept him away
from him so we wouldn't wrestle, all right, I.

Speaker 2 (51:18):
Didn't want to go to the ground, I can understand.

Speaker 13 (51:20):
Yeah, that's just a nice way of saying he won.

Speaker 2 (51:23):
I was thinking the same thing. Yeah, I mean there
were winners and losers in those bouts.

Speaker 13 (51:27):
I just I always want to of course, I.

Speaker 2 (51:30):
Would expect you not to. I would expect you to
say nothing else.

Speaker 9 (51:32):
Absolutely, all right.

Speaker 2 (51:33):
Gentlemen, thanks so much, Thank you. Moe, Robert Jackson, Joe
Walter with us here at the Munoz Foundation Top Golf Tailgate.
It's nineteen after four o'clock on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports.

Speaker 1 (51:44):
Station Cincinnati's ESPN is football in THENETI brought to you
in part by Modern Opus Methods. On the official home
of the Bengals, Cincinnatis, ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 2 (51:57):
Buddy J. Morrison is with us. Jay covers the bank
for the Pro Football Network, also a part of the
Pro Football Network. Cincinnati Bengals Podcast. Watched it before we
went on the air the season Preview the season Prediction
edition of the Bengals Pro Football Network Cincinnati Bengals Podcast.
Go get that, as we say, where you get your

(52:18):
podcasts also followed Jay on x at by Jay Morrison,
where he has informed his followers that he's no longer
allowed to take pictures of the Bengals players crossing the
street to go to practice. Is this a real thing?

Speaker 11 (52:34):
Real?

Speaker 15 (52:35):
Sounds like it might be temporary. I was told that
it is. It is not an issue of Vincekin. The
fifty's comments about the Bengals having across the streets to
go to practice have been on Twitter for years. The
Bengals have never done anything to try to get rid
of those tweets, So there was another issue at play,

(52:56):
not something that they want discussed. But I don't think
this is going to be a season long thing. It
was just something in reaction to what happened with all
the madness with Jamar yesterday.

Speaker 2 (53:06):
Very good, well, thank you for clarifying the madness of Jamar.
I'll let it take a back seat to what has
popped up on the injury report today, and that's T
Higgins limited during today's workout with the hamstring issue. We're
already in full blown wide receiver panic because of Jamar.
What should we do with this T Higgins news?

Speaker 15 (53:25):
Yeah, I mean it's always concerning a surprise Thursday limited
is usually bad news. But we did talk to Jamar
and Eric, not Jamar to T in the locker room
before the injury report came out, and he was talking
about how great he feels, that this has been the
best training camp he's ever had, and so he was
somehow how excited he is for Sunday and all the
things you would expect a guy like that to say

(53:48):
going into the first game of a contract year. So
it could be just a precautionary thing where he thought
a little tug. But you know this guy, he's got
a history of these soft tissue injuries, and anytime he
shows up again as a surprise on a Thursday, it's concerning.
But for now, I wouldn't hit the panic button.

Speaker 2 (54:07):
I am I am required to ask you what you
think is going to happen between now and Sunday at
one o'clock with Jamar Chase.

Speaker 15 (54:15):
I think he plays with or without a contract. I've
always felt that way. I just didn't. I One of
the only pieces of leverage he has with two years
left on that deal is to sit out practices which
he's exercised, and to sit out games. But I think
that if he sits out games, that leverage just dissolves
if they go three and one without him, which I

(54:36):
think there's a very real chance could happen. So I
just I never really thought that that was a He
never said it was a threat either that he wouldn't
play without a contract. I never really believe that. I
think we're going to see him out there. Will he
sign that? I don't know it. I mean, it feels
like it is getting closer. It feels like a good

(54:56):
faith effort for him to go back to practice, and
at least there are negoti ja's happening, but I don't
know how close they are. I don't know that there's
some grand plan to make it like last year, a
repeat where they kind of steal some c thunder by
announcing it right at kick off of tonight's game. I
will probably lean more towards no, it doesn't happen, but

(55:18):
I think there's a much better chance that it does
than I did when training camp started.

Speaker 2 (55:22):
Jay Morrison, covering the Bengals for the Pro Football Network.
The Jamar Chase things has taken up so much bandwidth
that I feel like, to a degree, you know, it's
obscured a lot of the other pressing questions about this
team coming into the season. Are they really going to
be better against the run? Have they completely fixed the
defense on the back end? Is the offensive line gonna

(55:44):
hold up or they do they have enough depth there?
What's the newly made running back room? How productive is
that going to be? What's the production going to be
from the tight end spot, because they've got a billion
of them. Of all those that I mentioned or one
that I didn't, beyond the Jamar Chase thing, what is
the most interesting question that'll be answered to you starting
on Sunday.

Speaker 15 (56:05):
Yeah, I think is that they can be better against
the run. I think it's important everybody looks at what
this league is now. It's a passing league, but you
still have to stop the run, and especially in this division.
And the one big thing they did to address it
is not going to be in play on Sunday, and
that's drafting the kim Lee Jackson in the third round.
He's on ir and the Patriots are a team with

(56:28):
an older journeyman quarterback that doesn't really scare you as
a passer. They've got two really good running backs and
ramondre Stevenson and Tonio Gibbs and I think they're going
to come in here try to run it down to
Bengals throat, even with a bat offensive line, and that's
going to tell a lot about where this run defense is.
There's a lot of confidence that they've got it fixed,
that even without DJ Reider in there, that they're going

(56:50):
to be better at the point of attack. They're going
to be in a better position, better line with with
von Bell back to playing traffic cop back there, that
that they are going to be a much stouter team,
get to run and are going to have to be
and it's gonna have to start Sun.

Speaker 2 (57:05):
One o'clock Sunday. Jay Morrison covering the Bengals Pro Football Network.
Catch the Pro Football Network Bengals Podcast. Follow Jay on
Twitter at by Jay Morrison or x Now I suppose Jay,
you're the best. Thanks so much. All right, thank both,
Jay Morrison, Pro Football Network. We head to Boston. What

(57:27):
what am I supposed to be optimistic about in regards
to the new England Patriots if I'm a Patriots fan,
which I'm not. Our guest will tell us next on
ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 1 (57:37):
You've been listening to football in Thennetti on the official
home of the Bengals Cincinnatis, ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 4 (57:46):
Since the football frenzy with Tony Pike, getting you said
for the game.

Speaker 5 (57:50):
From through professional Football.

Speaker 4 (57:51):
Tomorrow we do on ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 2 (57:56):
Brendivan and Jones on Baseball is going to join us.
We're gonna come your way inteen minutes on Moegar. This
is ESPN fifteen thirty. I'll give you the Bengals injury
update in just a second. By the way, Red's wind
today won nothing over the Houston Astros, Bengals and Patriots.
Here Sunday on ESPN fifteen thirty, Kick at one Pregame
coverage from the Holy Grail starts at nine oh five.

(58:17):
For a Boston perspective, we go to Shukri Rights, who
is host of the Hub of Champions podcast, part of
the Believe Network. We Love to Believe Network. Shukri a
newly married man which has perhaps disrupted covering the mess
that has been the new England Patriots. Hey man goes
to show that I listen right, thank you for joining us.
How are you, oh man?

Speaker 16 (58:38):
Thank you, thank you so much for that. Yes, a
newly married man indeed, and I appreciate you taking the
time that's greeted me today, But just real quick, I
just wanted to take a moment to send my heart,
my heartfelt condolas to the entire state of Ohio on
the tragic death of Donna Gudreau and as well as
his brother Matthew Gudreaux as well. So my heart is with.

Speaker 15 (58:57):
The state of Ohio as well as the entire hockey
world as well.

Speaker 2 (59:00):
Much appreciated obviously, that hit everybody very very hard late
last week. As for this game on Sunday, it still
feels weird to talk about the Patriots coming to town
and then being a decided underdog and wondering how they
can win this game. These aren't the Patriots we're used to. Certainly,
they're not the Patriots you're used to. If I'm looking

(59:22):
for if I'm looking for optimism, and I guess the
obvious answer is Drake May, who's not going to play
on Sunday. But beyond that, offensively, where do you even begin.

Speaker 16 (59:34):
It's a good question, because you know, like there's a
lot that has been made about the Patriots offense and
some of the things that the Patriots are lacking in
terms of like who is their best receiver on the team,
and that right now is the Maario Douglas, and there's
no question in my mind about that. But even though
that he might not get like the most naps, but

(59:56):
he's going to be mostly working in the slot. But
I do think that Patriots there is some weapons on
office the Patriots do have to work with, as I
mentioned that, the Maria Douglas, and then also Lemandre Stevenson,
And when you think about what the type of running
back that he is, you know, like this is something
that when I look at Stevens and he can be
one of the best running backs in the league, especially

(01:00:18):
in this brand new Alex van Pelt often, so I
do think that that is something that the Patriots do
have going for them. And as well as Hanna Henry,
who is going to be more involved in this office,
especially in an Alex van Pelt's scheme where he or
they like to use multiple tight ends often, especially given
hunting Henry's skill set, I think that's going to come

(01:00:40):
in very important on Sunday as well.

Speaker 2 (01:00:42):
I feel like every time, and obviously you watch him
more closely than I do. Every time I checked in
with the Patriots, either seeing glimpses of a preseason game
or highlights or just reading about the team that the
offensive line was a topic and it often wasn't good.
We've got guys running into each other, We've got a
line that can't protect. How bad are things up there?

Speaker 16 (01:01:06):
In terms of the offensive line? It is a massive,
massive question mark. And when you go into the game
like against like the Cincinnati Bengals, in which that this
is a team that that that has shown its ability
to get after on the quarterback and as well as
like utilize utilized like something like it's safety and the

(01:01:27):
corner and use I can see too blitz. They don't
have to protection that's necessary against teams that have better
pass rushers. And I just think that, like the offensive line,
I know, going into training camp, going into Brison was
a major area of concerns. Your best offensive line offensive
lineman right now is in fact Michael o'linu and alongside

(01:01:50):
with David Andrews, who's who's your veteran who's the guy
who has also won on the Super Bowl for the Patriots.
But so outside of that, you're you're starting five is
just pretty bad. And at this point you gotta be
thankful to have a win you on the line because
of the fact that he's so versatally. He can play guard,

(01:02:10):
he can play tackle wherever. The Pacers may need him
on the offensive line because they're gonna need it. Because
this offensive line was not addressed during the offseason.

Speaker 2 (01:02:18):
We're not going to see, barring something unforeseen, we're not
going to see Drake May. But obviously he played extensively
in the preseason and by all accounts did at least okay.
Would you see from him when he was out there?

Speaker 16 (01:02:30):
I thought that Drake May looked pretty decent. I thought
his final preseason game action against the Washington Commanders on
Sunday Night Football a couple of weeks ago, I thought
that showed me a little something that what he could
potentially be if he has good protection up front and
as well as having a true number one receiver. And

(01:02:51):
I thought that you saw a lot of what you
saw when he was at the University of North Carolina.
And for Drake May, I like his athleticism, his arm
I mean, his arm strength is a massive upgrade over
what I saw the last couple of years from Mac Jones,
and as well as his ability to use to utilize
his leg as well. And I think that for Dake

(01:03:11):
may like I saw a little glimpse of promise, but
there definitely shows a level of he still has some
growing to do. I mean, he is a rookie after all.

Speaker 17 (01:03:20):
But because of this is the overall state of the
roster and where this team is is the reason why
he's not starting on Sunday and Jacoby Brissett is instead.

Speaker 16 (01:03:31):
But from those glimpses that I did watch of him,
I do like what I saw into of his arm
strengthen as well as his ability to utilize his legging
career plays on the ground as well.

Speaker 2 (01:03:41):
I've got like one minute here, Look, there are going
to be, you know, tons of changes over the course
of time from Bill Belichick and the way he did
things to whoever's next. Obviously it's a former Patriots player,
guy who has been a part of the coaching staff.
Just this summer, give me one or two examples of
either some of the same from Bill Belichick or a

(01:04:03):
departure from Bill Belichick. With the way Grod Mayo has
done things.

Speaker 16 (01:04:08):
I think one major difference that stut out to me
so far in terms of the difference between Bill Belichick
Androd Mayer is that draw Merio has certainly been a
lot more open with the media, not saying that he's
been you know, like openly given away like team secrets,
but but he has been a lot more like engaged
candid with the media. And another sign that I've seen

(01:04:32):
so far from Girod Mayer in Wish that has shown
me that that he's a little different from from Bill
Belichick is the fact that he he has really made
it a point whereas he has you know, relegated a
lot of the responsibilities in terms of like the of
the defense to like the defensive coordinators and as well

(01:04:52):
as as well as not not being so heavily involved
in hands on on both sides of the ball. I
think that's definitely been like the biggest difference I'm so
far in my opinion.

Speaker 2 (01:05:02):
Sugary awesome is tough man much appreciated. Enjoy the game
on Sunday. Thanks so much.

Speaker 16 (01:05:07):
Thank you so much for having me on man, I
appreciate it.

Speaker 2 (01:05:09):
You got a Sugary rights host of the Hub of
Champions podcast on the Believe Network. Bengals Pats on Sunday.
It's week one season starts tonight. You've had your draft.
Who should you play? If you're a fantasy owner? Dan
Glaskins tells us next, we're at the Ammunios Foundation Top
Golf Tailgate on ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station. Hey,

(01:05:29):
it's Mo Wager.

Speaker 1 (01:05:30):
There's coverage begins Sunday morning at nine on ESPN fifteen thirty,
the official home of the Bengals.

Speaker 2 (01:05:37):
It is fourteen away from five o'clock. This is ESPN
fifteen thirty. I mentioned I give you the Bengals injury report.
Burrow again, full go today, Jermaine Burton full go today,
Jamar Chase again limited. T Higgins limited. Wasn't on the
report yesterday, apparently a hamstring issue. Chris Jenkins limited for
a second consecutive day, same for Marius. Dan Klaskins is back.

(01:06:02):
I have lost track. I think it's actually year sixteen.
Giving us fantasy football advice get Sportsinfo dot com on
x at Dan Klaskins. He is back. Football is back.
Life is good, Dan. What's going on? Do we have? Dan?

(01:06:23):
Danny got me? Hmmm, they don't hear Dand there he is?

Speaker 6 (01:06:28):
Dan?

Speaker 2 (01:06:29):
What's up?

Speaker 11 (01:06:29):
There we go? There we go. That is all my
fault there. I'm so excited to be back on I
actually forgot to take you off.

Speaker 2 (01:06:39):
All good, great to have you. As always, football starts tonight.
Everybody's drafted. Now let's talk some fantasy storylines and guys
that we should be targeting to play or sit. Let's
begin with some early season streamers.

Speaker 11 (01:06:52):
Yes, I know a lot of people out there. Maybe
they waited on quarterback. Drafted that defensively you're looking for
those weekly matchups. Give you a few quarterbacks, though, I
like right out of the gate. I'm gonna start with
the guy I like a whole ton is Jared Goff.
Finished in my top fifteen at the position of my
season ranks. Love to start. He gets the Rams this
Sunday night's the highest scoring game of the week Tampa

(01:07:13):
Bay and then of at Arizona vers Seattle. It's going
to be a big first month. Love me some Baker Mayfield,
especially this week versus the Commanders. But then a shootout
with Detroit. Another bad Denver defense Matthew Stafford also for
a Week one matchup. I think he's in a great
spot at Detroit ad Arizona on defense Seahawks. They got
a couple of good juicy matchups with Denver in New England.

(01:07:34):
Obviously the Bengals this week. I'm going with the Bucks there.
If you're looking for that one week wonder on the
defense and special teams.

Speaker 2 (01:07:43):
We love bold predictions. Give me some bold predictions for
fantasy owners for twenty twenty four.

Speaker 11 (01:07:49):
Yeah, I tried to get off the radar so we
can talk about a few different guys. I got a
whole bunch of these on my podcast, But Will Levice
is the guy I'm really enamored with. The former UK
are Obviously, I love the Titans from an offensive standpoint
in fantasy because I think they're going to sort of stink.
I think they're going to be playing from behind. Derek
Henry's gone. We all know Brian Collie. I will love
us finishes at the top twenty quarterback dude, I heard

(01:08:12):
you talking some of your rookie props there. MO. I
think we're aligned here on Blake Forum. You're betting to
lead all rookies and rushing yards. If I believe I
was listening earlier in the show. But Blake Corham, I've
got him leading all rookie running backs and fantasy points.
So I think we're both saying sort of the same thing.
I'm real big on the Rams rookie Aaron Rodgers is

(01:08:33):
not a player. I'm very big on it all MO.
I'm going to go really out on the limb here.
I don't even think he finishes inside the top twenty five.
I mean, even if he manages to stay healthy, I
just don't think it's going to be that lucrative. Count
me out on that. Count me out on Chargers wide receivers.
We wonder who will replace Keenan Allen or Mike Winnings
Bans there's nobody. No Chargers receiver do I believe will

(01:08:54):
break eight hundred yards And probably my favorite bold prediction
of them all breakout player for twenty twenty four that
I'm all in on Jackson Smith and the Jigbut not
that I think k Metcalf's going to stink or anything.
I just think Jackson Smith and Jigba is going to
be so good. He's gonna lead all Sea awklide receivers
and Fantasy points this year.

Speaker 2 (01:09:15):
That is music to my ears because I took him
late in a sixteen round draft where we're like out
of dudes. I get him and I felt good about it.
I feel even better about it. Dan Klaskins with US
get sportsinfo dot com. We do it every week every year,
your weekly Studs, Duds and Sleepers.

Speaker 11 (01:09:33):
Yeah, I got a couple for you at the spot.
Let's go with Studs and let's go with Cooper Cup
that started out, I mean the veterans healthy. We just
eluded so much. I just love to shoot out here.
In week one at Detroit, I think I got him
and Pookinaku of both in my top ten. Cup is
the guy I favor. Also, love me some Tyler Murray.
I think Arizona in general, the little sneaky Buffalo deco,

(01:09:56):
especially the back half of it, is very very bad.
I think not only does Kyler Murray blow up, but
I love the Cardinals plus the six and a half.
Kyler Murray a guy that's in for a big season.
Two from the Studs to the Duds. I like Dak Prescott.
I think they don't have a running game there. They're
going to try their heavy football, but he didn't crack
my Top twenty. This week at quarterback. They're in a

(01:10:16):
tough matchup against Cleveland. I'm really heavy to the under here.
I think it's a bad start to the season for
Dak and going back to the Chargers, everybody's talking about.

Speaker 16 (01:10:25):
It, Becus Edwards, JK. Dobbins.

Speaker 11 (01:10:27):
Which one should I draft? Well, they're both nice bench players,
but neither of these guys should be in your Week
one line's let's shit them and a couple of sleepers.
I'm gonna go to chupa Hubbard nothing, I'm all that
crazy about it. But if you drafted me, now's the
time to use it because Jonathan Brooks is going to
have him benched in about a month. I think he's
a flex played in Week one, and I think Courtland
Sudden because I like Seattle to keep that offense wrong.

(01:10:47):
I think Corton Sudden getting all that target share in
Denver's at least a wide receiver three, if not better
here against Seattle.

Speaker 2 (01:10:55):
What are you going to happening right now against Sport.

Speaker 11 (01:11:00):
We're just still trying to help people win. It's all
three over there. And get my podcasts Fantastic Insider Football Podcast.
Subscribe wherever you listen there. Get sports Info, as as
all my fantasy and betting posts that are made throughout
the week, including all my season long props. I got
thirty seven of them. I put best on there all
over there. I get Sports Info.

Speaker 2 (01:11:20):
You're the best. Awesome to have you back. We'll chat
next week. We'll chat next week. Man, thanks so much,
looking forward to it.

Speaker 11 (01:11:27):
Let's enjoy the game tonight, my friend.

Speaker 2 (01:11:29):
I will Ravens and Chiefs live on Fox Sports thirteen sixty.
Dan Klaskins, good Sports Info dot com, Worth the Ammunios Foundation,
top golf Tailgate, Jim Breaches here, We're going to spend
a few minutes with him. I believe we're going to
chat with David Folcher as well. We have a lot
to get to, but first it's time for Brenneman and

(01:11:49):
Jones on Baseball Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 18 (01:11:56):
Traffic from the UC Health Traffic Center. Trust the same
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(01:12:16):
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Speaker 13 (01:12:26):
This report is sponsored by Land.

Speaker 6 (01:12:28):
Of all Right.

Speaker 2 (01:12:29):
That's US five after five ESPM, fifteen thirty. Good afternoon
on Molegger Broadcasting this afternoon from one of our favorite events,
a terrific event, the Munhose Foundation Top Golf Tailgate. We're
at Top Golf in Westchester here until six o'clock. Everything
happening this evening benefits the Munios Foundation, an annual guest
of ours. I was having a conversation with Tony Pike

(01:12:52):
like about three weeks ago, and your name came up,
and we both said, like almost in unison, like maybe
the nicest man ever. Jim Breach, how about that.

Speaker 5 (01:13:01):
That's a nice compliment.

Speaker 2 (01:13:02):
That's high phrase now from both of us. Yeah, especially
somebody who's jaded as Tony.

Speaker 5 (01:13:07):
You know, when you when you're as joke as me,
I don't know, you know, you guys, it's a battle.
I'm the jaded park.

Speaker 2 (01:13:13):
Really, I kind of take that as a compliment. That's
pretty good. We said that we were in studio. I
don't know how your name came up, but like simultaneously
we both said, like man, nicest guy ever. So there
you go. That's the kindest thing you're ever gonna get
from that.

Speaker 5 (01:13:29):
I'm good, I'm happy.

Speaker 11 (01:13:30):
But that.

Speaker 5 (01:13:32):
You don't throw well, you don't compliment yourself. You do compliment.

Speaker 2 (01:13:36):
There's no reason too. So it's always awesome to have you.

Speaker 5 (01:13:39):
What's going on, just living life, retired and coach a
little football. Look, I'm coaching the kickers over the Cody's
High School. John Kitton is a head coach there. Roddy
Rodney Heath has the runs, the defense, Jimmy Turner is
running working with the defensive back all star stats. Well,
it's fine.

Speaker 2 (01:13:57):
Do the kids even have any idea what's at their dispose? Also,
who they're working with.

Speaker 5 (01:14:01):
I don't think. I don't know that they really care. No,
you know they they certainly know what the kickers you're
working with?

Speaker 2 (01:14:06):
No, Like, yeah, they do, Okay, they do.

Speaker 5 (01:14:09):
We've talked about tell them. No, No, I'm not gonna
tell them too much. You know, it's like it was
so long ago that it's it's if they want to
find anything else, just go google me. It's okay with
the young guys anymore. But it's fine. I mean, the
kids are working, they're working their tail off and had
a good win against Mason last week, playing Hamilton tomorrow
night and excited. I mean, it's it's good. Could be

(01:14:30):
a good season.

Speaker 2 (01:14:31):
Here's what I want to start with, because the NFL
is different, and so there's a lot of folks who
didn't watch the preseason and they're gonna turn on that
game tonight and there's gonna be an opening kickoff, and
there are gonna be people like this is probably my
in laws and I'm gonna get that text and what
what are they doing to start the game the kickoff?
For a kickers perspective, now, we're like you, you know,

(01:14:52):
you made tackles. We've talked about the tackles you made.
It's like a football play now, so how do you
what does that mean for the kickers?

Speaker 5 (01:14:59):
Be prepared? Fortunately, I grew up playing football, so they
never really it was ever a big deal for me
to to make tackles or be a part of that.
But tell him, wait, just don't watch it until the
guy catches it. Then it looks almost normal, right at
some point, Yeah, don't watch it before that. Just let

(01:15:20):
the guy catch it and run then you can.

Speaker 2 (01:15:21):
Well, what was weird about it was watching you know,
NFL preseason games and then the first college weekend, Like
I mean, you see on Saturday and they're lining up
the you know, the traditional way, and that looked different
to me based on watching all those preseason.

Speaker 5 (01:15:33):
I'm wondering the NFL way, and I guess it was
kind of the UFL or whatever they have FFL. Yeah,
so here here's they're watching the ball kicked. I'm covering.
I can see the guy catch it, but the guy
that is going to be blocking me, he really can't
be watching the returner. So do I get an advantage
because I can see it and he can't, or they

(01:15:55):
watched it up on the screen that they're waiting for.
Watch you know it's because all you know, one step
I might be able to beat them.

Speaker 2 (01:16:01):
And yeah, no, no, it's it didn't watching the preseason,
it didn't look like the chaos that everybody expected. I'm
not sure that's not a bad thing or a good thing,
but I do feel like teams left stuff that they
want to try when the games actually begin. For when
the game's actually I'm.

Speaker 5 (01:16:19):
Thinking, well, a couple of things. The average return came
out about the twenty eight yard line. Yeah, I appreciated.
They're just gonna kick him in the end zone, get
out to the thirty not even worry about the return.
I think until they moved after thirty five or forty
there might be a lot of touchbacks this year. The
other part, you can almost feel like a zone block
and get everybody going. Try to get everybody going one way,

(01:16:40):
because they're all kind of in a they're all together, right,
and they're all beating on each other. They get pushing
one way, you might have a chance to have a
cutback or something, make something happen. It'll be interesting what
the coaches come up with.

Speaker 2 (01:16:53):
Well, and the trajectory. The kicks look weird and that's
not how you're used to kicking. So is that an adjustment.

Speaker 5 (01:16:59):
Yeah, well it doesn't matter. You know, it doesn't matter
if you hit a line driver or pop up. They
can't move until it's caught.

Speaker 10 (01:17:05):
Right.

Speaker 2 (01:17:06):
But I mean, I think you have a lot of
kickers who were just told boomit, you know, boom it
in the end zone, right, boom it to the back
of the end zone. And now like it's I've seen
they almost look like they almost look like five iron shots,
you know what I mean.

Speaker 5 (01:17:19):
They take a little field goal yeah approach and knock
it down to the five or inside the five. And
they practiced it by now enough to know how hard
they have to kick it. It's just if they can
figure out a way to get it on the ground
where the guy's not handling it easily, that'll be a
great bonus to the kickoff team. You know, inside the twenty,

(01:17:41):
but on the ground where the guy has to run
around pick it up, that could be big. I know
they'd love to be able to do that.

Speaker 2 (01:17:47):
Right now, here's my other kicking question. So and you
and I talked about this. Bengals draft Evan McPherson, and
he's really lucky because he walks into a situation where
Clark Harris and Kevin Hubert had been together for years.
So I mean, he walks into kicking operation that all
he's got to do is kick right right, and then
since then it's been a revolving door of holders. Chrismin

(01:18:08):
Robbins now Rico. To start the season, how long does
it take to get They've obviously had a preseason, but
how long does it take a kicker a while to
be comfortable with a holder.

Speaker 5 (01:18:17):
It can some guys just have a natural they can
just do it. Soft hands really what you want, really
good hands, soft hands and quick. It's not like you
catch it and then put it down. It's like boom.
It's all one motion when you feel that, and the
guys consist on getting down and it'll happen pretty quickly.
You just have to be confident and then once you
see it for a while, it makes a huge difference.

(01:18:40):
It's the ones where the guys gets and just slaps
it down, yeah, and not really like he might get
it within you know, three or four inches of where
the spot was, and you're trying to figure it out
as you go. That becomes a problem because that you lose.
You don't have confidence going to be there. You don't
have any confidence where it's going to be. So yeah,
up having to slow down a hair. That's when the

(01:19:02):
rush has an opportunity. It's hard to adjust in that
last step if it's all of a sudden put two
or three inches inside what you expected or vice versa,
you know, outside or forward or back. So yeah, I mean,
it really is a big deal. If the guy can
do it well quickly, it'll be easy to adapt to.
If not, he's probably spend an extra time to get

(01:19:24):
it down.

Speaker 2 (01:19:24):
It's funny because as you were describing that, I remember
UC game there at Arkansas a few years ago at
a different kicking operation where the holder like caught it
and it was like he looked at it, turned it
and then put it down.

Speaker 10 (01:19:34):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:19:35):
Yeah, And you could almost either kick him, waiting for
him like you can't, you can't do that, My guy
would are you gonna put the ball down? So I
could boot it? And it was It wasn't a good kick.

Speaker 5 (01:19:43):
Actually, I had I remember a game Lee Johnson. I
forgot what happened. Maybe the snap was a little inside
or maybe maybe he even I think he bobbled it, but
she didn't do very often. And he went to put
it down and I'm literally right there, he holds it
with his hands like this, puts the ball down and
takes his hands away and the balls just teetering right

(01:20:06):
there and it was perfect. It was literally a perfect hold. Wow,
just without hands.

Speaker 2 (01:20:12):
Yeah. Perfect. So this you follow the Bengals very very closely.
I do, and which means you know, you follow stuff
beyond Jamar Chase. So of all the different things that
are going to unfold on Sunday that you know, we
kind of wonder about, what's what's at the top of
your list.

Speaker 5 (01:20:27):
I think two things, Uh, the offensive line, how well
they perform. I'd like to see the running game get
going because in the preseason non existent, there was nothing. Yeah,
so I'd love to see something happen in that part
of the game. And I think we're all kind of
curious to see what the defense does with von Bell
and with Gudo Stone back there, how that helps the

(01:20:49):
rest of the team. And and I think we have
to stop the run.

Speaker 2 (01:20:53):
Yeah.

Speaker 5 (01:20:53):
I listened to the guy from New England. He was
real excited about when they going on, which is okay
that they can get better later.

Speaker 2 (01:21:01):
On, right, Yeah. I think of all those areas, the
thing that I'm I'm probably most sure they haven't fixed
is the run defense. I think in the back end
they're gonna be okay. There may be some growing pains,
although beyond Kansas City, I'm not sure who could test
them that early. I think the running game can be okay,
and if that's the case, then I think the offense
takes off. My guess is they're pretty deficient against the run.

Speaker 5 (01:21:26):
So I think run defense, like I mean football in general,
if you do what you're supposed to do right, if
you whatever the play, you know, if you get into
the spots you're supposed to be, it's harder to run.
It's when guys get out of them and they get
pushed and get two guys running together, or a linebacker

(01:21:48):
goes to fill a hole and you know, he runs
over here and the guy gets over here because that's
not filled.

Speaker 2 (01:21:53):
So saw that a lot last year. Yeah, you did.

Speaker 5 (01:21:56):
So I really think. I think if everybody does the
things they're supposed to do, it'll slow thing. It'll slow
them way down. It's those gash plays that we how
much we saw so many of those long runs off
of runs and long plays off of passes. So if
we can cut those down, think about it. We still
went nine and eight, and we played with a quarterback

(01:22:18):
that hadn't played in five years and obviously was a revelation.
And then we had another quarterback that was limping around
it literally a statue and somehow kept us almost beat
Baltimore early in the year. So with that, and they
still go nine and eight with a for them an
unbelievably poor defense. I think that's kind of encouraging to
think what might happen this year.

Speaker 2 (01:22:39):
I agree. I always ask about pitchers and teams and
you know, different athletes. How good you're good, how bad
you're bad? If that's they're bad nine and eight, any
year where it felt like from health perspective, it could,
if it could go wrong, it did. They had, you know,
they kind of fell apart on defense and still in
this division, which granted they weren't very good inside the division.

(01:22:59):
To go week seventeen and still have a chance and
finish with more wins than losses, I think it says
a lot about the talent they have. I think it
says a lot about the coaching they have, and that's
that's not necessarily an InVogue thing to say.

Speaker 5 (01:23:11):
So don't you think you asked me what?

Speaker 2 (01:23:13):
I think?

Speaker 5 (01:23:14):
The best part of this is, Yeah, they're not starting
their first two games with the division team agreed, Yeah,
let them because they always play better at the end
of the year, and that's really six of their right.
Then they pick up six division games and like their
last eight games. That's fine because they're usually playing better
at that time.

Speaker 2 (01:23:29):
Anyway, they played Baltimore Week five, and then they don't
play Pittsburgh until like the last month and a half
to Cleveland games or later. Yeah, you're right, I mean,
the NFL kind of solve for them, the issue with
the slow starts. That said, the Kansas City game, to
me is fascinating because we watched the Bengals and Chiefs
play a ton of great games with each other, but
they've always been late. They haven't been during what in

(01:23:50):
the NFL is now a feeling out process, right, a
filling out period of time, And yeah, they're gonna play
this high stakes game involving, you know, two chief rivals,
which to me is just makes for a fast saiding dynamic.

Speaker 5 (01:24:01):
I agree, and it's how quickly you adapt. Right, Although
the last few years when teams weren't they don't play
much in the preseason. The games are probably better than
I thought they would be where I thought they'd be
just you know, a lot of penalties, turnovers, people lost
on the field, and it really wasn't so much of that.

(01:24:23):
I think the Bengals were just prepared in terms of
you know, they's hadn't they hadn't really hit a whole lot.
They hadn't done a whole lot those first couple of weeks,
and it took them a while to get rolling. And
they've done more this year. It's down the lap. And
he mentioned how much more they've done, how much more
physical it was. And you really have to you have

(01:24:45):
to do something, sure, you know you have to. It's
it's a hitting game. It's a violent game, right, and
you can't not do it well.

Speaker 2 (01:24:51):
And you mentioned early the last two years Pittsburgh. You
know there if there's an old school way of preparing
for the season, that's the way Mike.

Speaker 5 (01:25:00):
Gets his to Baltimore. They do a lot of that too.

Speaker 2 (01:25:02):
They played Cleveland and Baltimore first two weeks last year,
physical teams. And if if you're if you're going to
go the lighter route during the summer, you're going to
be at a disadvantage. And we saw that each of
the last two years.

Speaker 5 (01:25:13):
So yeah, and everything points to the fact that they're
off ready to get to a quick start. And you know,
I'm talking about I'm excited about Joshavas where he is
no question, and I think Charlie Jones and oh my gosht.

Speaker 2 (01:25:31):
Micah Siki a tight end now in the back.

Speaker 5 (01:25:34):
But Charlie Jones, Andre Josha and Jones being the second year,
that big lead, and you hear that they talk about
that these guys are playing fast now and.

Speaker 2 (01:25:44):
Burrow is effusive with how we talks about it's striking.

Speaker 5 (01:25:48):
And Trent Irwin is like his best buddy.

Speaker 2 (01:25:51):
If that's your fifth wide receiver, I can play. It's
I mean, if that's your fifth guy, what a wealth
of of of riches. And that doesn't even taken to
account Jermaine Burton, who athletically at least looks the part right.

Speaker 5 (01:26:04):
They just need to get him. He just has to
figure out what's going on out there, you know, I mean,
it's got to grow up. It's it's kind of like
if if what they're talking about, where he seems to
be lost. It's kind of why Chad didn't make it
in New England. They said in practice he was uncomforable,
but then he was kind of lost. And so Bretty

(01:26:24):
wasn't comfortable because he didn't know he's going to be
where he needed to be, right and Burrow, they need
to be where they're supposed to be or else they're
not going to get on the field.

Speaker 2 (01:26:33):
Yep. Well, said, awesome to have you. Thank you very much.
We'll do it again next year.

Speaker 5 (01:26:38):
Sounds great.

Speaker 2 (01:26:39):
Awesome the Great Jim Breach with us uh Munyo's Foundation Top.
I saw David Folcher finally got here. We'll chance tie
him for being laid Barney Bustle.

Speaker 5 (01:26:48):
No, they're right on time. It's just we're.

Speaker 2 (01:26:50):
Just stagger it a little bit like.

Speaker 5 (01:26:52):
If you want all here at the same time, time,
one at a time, so he's.

Speaker 2 (01:26:56):
Here, it works out. It works out.

Speaker 5 (01:26:58):
Personally. That wasn't very nice of you. Come on, you
said some nice things about me, and you excuse David
being late when he's here. Okay, I got here early.

Speaker 2 (01:27:07):
You got here.

Speaker 5 (01:27:08):
That threw it off. I thought I was gonna be later.

Speaker 2 (01:27:10):
You know. I'm like Tom Coughlin. If you're not early,
you're late. You weren't Forest Gray. I'm not going to
say that to David's face.

Speaker 5 (01:27:17):
That great h that's right, that's you're late.

Speaker 2 (01:27:23):
It's twenty minutes after five o'clock. We're here at Top
Golf for the Munios Foundation Top Golf Tailgate. Our buddy
Robert Wine Trouble spent a few minutes with us next
on ESPN.

Speaker 1 (01:27:31):
Fifteenth thirty, since to you in part by blood Light
and Boy Skyline Shirley on the official home of the Bengals,
Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 2 (01:27:43):
You know, we we chatted for years with Robert Wintraub
because he contributes to the what for years was the
Football Outsiders Pre Season Almanac, and that has moved on
to FTN Fantasy, and so tuestraight years joined us to
talk about his contributions to the FTN Preseason Almanac, wrote

(01:28:04):
the Bengals chapter typically does, and then last year started
joining us on a weekly basis to talk about, among
other things, his weekly column for Cincinnati Magazine. He's weekly
Bengals column is his latest sounds a cautious note, which
we're going to talk about. Go read it at Cincinnati
Magazine dot com. First of all, Robert, it's good to

(01:28:26):
have you back. What's going on?

Speaker 19 (01:28:28):
Yes, I am the Cassandra of Cincinnati.

Speaker 20 (01:28:32):
That's the way I look at it.

Speaker 19 (01:28:33):
Part of that, of course, is just the fan in me.
I never want to, you know, get over my.

Speaker 2 (01:28:39):
Skis in that sense.

Speaker 19 (01:28:40):
I always want to take the conservative approach, never think
that the team is going to be super.

Speaker 21 (01:28:45):
Bowl bound until they prove it to me.

Speaker 19 (01:28:47):
So I just want to, you know, stay in my lane,
as it were, when it comes to that.

Speaker 2 (01:28:52):
But of course the buried part of me is very.

Speaker 19 (01:28:55):
Optimistic and as assuming seventeen and O as we entered
the playoffs on a high pay.

Speaker 2 (01:29:01):
Of course, of course, well before we talk about some
of the alarm bells that you do sound, I am
required to ask you about Jamar Chase and so specifically
from your standpoint, because you're smart and yeah, you're a fan,
but you could look at this subjectively. You know, a
lot of folks have said, well, the Bengals just get
it done. Pay him, put a contract in front of him,
and this get it done. What do you say when

(01:29:24):
you hear someone say.

Speaker 19 (01:29:24):
That, Well, my first thought is always, you know, it
takes two to tango.

Speaker 20 (01:29:29):
I mean, both.

Speaker 21 (01:29:30):
Sides have to agree.

Speaker 19 (01:29:31):
It's the sort of common approach to all this as well.
It's the Bengals who are not giving Jamar what he wants.
But maybe what Jamar wants is out of line. We
don't know what the negotiates j are. Maybe Dave offered
him something and he agreed in principle and.

Speaker 20 (01:29:47):
Then came back for something else.

Speaker 19 (01:29:49):
You know, we just we can't take it all as Oh,
Cincinnati's holding out because they don't want to give him
Jamar exactly what he wants a dollar more than justin
Jefferson or whatever. So you know, that's the sort of
And also, of course they're looking at a player who
they have on their contract for two years and a
guy who's been around the team that hasn't practiced until

(01:30:13):
this month.

Speaker 20 (01:30:13):
I think he had what.

Speaker 19 (01:30:14):
He's doubled his practices in September that he had from
January through.

Speaker 20 (01:30:18):
August, right, So that's pretty good, I guess, But you know,
it goes back and forth.

Speaker 2 (01:30:23):
I do think in.

Speaker 19 (01:30:24):
The end, you're always better off if you identify a
core player who clearly Jamar is, you're better off paying
him sooner rather than later. If you think you're going
to pay him, you're better off doing.

Speaker 21 (01:30:36):
It sooner because obviously, you know, the salary cap is.

Speaker 2 (01:30:40):
Only going to go up.

Speaker 19 (01:30:41):
They're sitting on giant tiles of money. They're playing the
game in Brazil for God's sake tomorrow, just to make
get more money. You know, the idea that it's somehow
going to come back and haunt them if they give
them a little bit extra money now down the line.
I find that a little bit hard to take. So,
you know, I see both sides of the coin, and
I just think to a point, you know, all summer long,

(01:31:04):
when everybody said just pay them ready, you know, I
can understand why they would. You know, sound a little
bit of a cautionary note about that if you're the Bengals,
But you know, now's the time, if the football would
be played on the field this year, maybe it is
time for both sides just to say enough already, we
want each other, Let's.

Speaker 20 (01:31:20):
Do this and move on to the games themselves.

Speaker 14 (01:31:22):
All right.

Speaker 2 (01:31:23):
You so you raised some questions that kind of loom
over the start of the season that you know, frankly,
have very little to do, if anything, with Jamar Chase.
Could I answer some of them and then get your
thoughts on my answers.

Speaker 20 (01:31:36):
It's not gonna be gonna be that kind of interview.

Speaker 6 (01:31:38):
Is it.

Speaker 2 (01:31:39):
Yeah?

Speaker 10 (01:31:40):
Yeah?

Speaker 5 (01:31:40):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:31:41):
So you you ask has the run defense really improved
after last year's abomination. I'm gonna say no now with
a caveat. They were worse than the NFL in yards
per carry all out right, Well, they're probably not going
to be that bad, but they're probably also not going
to be very good. Agree or disagree, agree to a point.

Speaker 19 (01:32:01):
You know, again, it's sort of what I don't want
to happen, is this I don't want to be saying
at the end of the year.

Speaker 20 (01:32:06):
You know, Derrick Henry really wasn't.

Speaker 19 (01:32:08):
That huge in addition for Baltimore, but boy he did
have those two hundred and fifty yard games against Cincinnati.
Nick Chubb, you know, he didn't really look like his
former self, excepted one hundred and thirty yards and two
touchdowns a.

Speaker 20 (01:32:20):
Game against Cincinnati that he always has.

Speaker 19 (01:32:22):
You know, it's sort of the context of it all,
if you will. It's the bigger picture. Numbers aren't that
concerning to me as much as division games and situational right.
You know, they don't have to be the top ten
run defense strictly by yards per carrier for me. They
just have to clean up in a lot of things.
You know that the big gash plays when they played

(01:32:45):
last year, like in dime personnel, they were the worst
team in the league and stopping the run. Other team
would show them a passing look and then run for
big yards against them.

Speaker 20 (01:32:53):
They got to.

Speaker 21 (01:32:54):
Improve their tackling as we've talked about before.

Speaker 20 (01:32:57):
You know, in twenty twenty two.

Speaker 19 (01:32:58):
Teams would try and run the same exact plays against them,
and the first guy to on the Bengals defense to
approach would get that opponent on the ground.

Speaker 20 (01:33:06):
That didn't happen last year.

Speaker 19 (01:33:08):
It wasn't scheme, personnel especially, you know, and the big
picture was really.

Speaker 21 (01:33:12):
They just didn't tackle very well at all last year.

Speaker 20 (01:33:14):
And that's something that can change.

Speaker 19 (01:33:16):
I think that it can change, and it was an
emphasis this summer and probably.

Speaker 20 (01:33:20):
Will change for the better.

Speaker 19 (01:33:21):
That said, you know, they still are lacking in what
I think of as beef on the interior.

Speaker 20 (01:33:28):
They still don't really.

Speaker 19 (01:33:29):
You know, I think their overall focus and which is
probably the right way to go, is first and foremost
stop the past rather than stop the run. And you know,
I think they're right in doing that. So you know,
even if they are let's say twenty first this year,
strictly you know, stick a number out of the air
in stopping you know, yards per attempt, that's still pretty good.

(01:33:50):
That's that should be fine enough. The big question is
whether or not it keeps them from achieving their goals.

Speaker 20 (01:33:55):
And I don't really think that it will.

Speaker 2 (01:33:58):
You ask, well, the rework second, they eliminate the big
plays that plague the d My answer is eliminate, no,
reduce enough.

Speaker 19 (01:34:07):
Yes your thoughts, Yeah, I mean I think that's what they.

Speaker 9 (01:34:11):
Have to go for.

Speaker 19 (01:34:11):
You're never gonna completely eliminate them all. I mean, even
in twenty twenty two, which we often to compare it against,
you know, they still gave up a fair amount of
chunk plays. But last year it's not only that they
gave up a lot of chunk plays, but they were
tested on the perimeter more than any any other team.

Speaker 20 (01:34:27):
No team gave up more attempts.

Speaker 19 (01:34:30):
Of sixteen yards per passing in the air on the
on the perimeter more than the Bengals. That just means
they didn't respect the corners and they didn't think the
safeties were going to clean up behind them.

Speaker 20 (01:34:41):
When you're talking about the opponents, just having you know.

Speaker 19 (01:34:44):
Bell and Geno Stone out there sort of eliminates that
from the get go, you would like to think, but
the corners are still going to have to prove that
they can stop enemy, you know, the schemes against them.
They're still going to have to show that they can cover.
They didn't really do that as much last year for
of reasons, and to me, the unit still seems especially
the corners, still seem a little bit. I don't want

(01:35:07):
to say one thing, but you know, you have a
good slot corner.

Speaker 20 (01:35:10):
You have three young corners that.

Speaker 19 (01:35:12):
You think are going to be good but are kind
of improving except for Cam Taylor Britt, and then you
have behind them a rookie in Josh Newton and a
guy on the pup list in Djivy. You know, I
think cornerback play in the NFL right now is blessed
about having the one or two elite shutdown guys necessarily,
and more about having six.

Speaker 21 (01:35:32):
Guys that you can always rely on having.

Speaker 19 (01:35:34):
I think back to when they had Trey Flowers and
would use him as a situational matchup against a Travis
Kelcey or some of the other tight ends or an Eli.

Speaker 21 (01:35:42):
Apple who they knew they could rely on to just
be in.

Speaker 20 (01:35:44):
The right position at all times.

Speaker 19 (01:35:46):
It's a question mark whether these guys are going to
step forward and be.

Speaker 11 (01:35:48):
Those kind of players.

Speaker 2 (01:35:49):
Now.

Speaker 19 (01:35:50):
We could be looking back at conversations six weeks from
now and thinking, hey, they got an awesome secondary and
they're all young and arriving and aren't we.

Speaker 20 (01:35:57):
In great shape? But it's not proving yet.

Speaker 21 (01:35:59):
And that's what we're at the moment.

Speaker 2 (01:36:01):
Robert Wintrob's weekly Bengals column, available at Cincinnati Magazine dot com.
One more of your questions, you ask, can the running
back convo of Zach Moss and Chase Brown make us
forget that departed Joe Mixon. Here's my answer. You might
not like it. I already forgot about Joe Mixon. I'm
not sure that's the right barometer.

Speaker 21 (01:36:20):
Yeah, it probably isn't.

Speaker 2 (01:36:21):
And when I say that, not what Joe did here
for seven years, the player that I watched last season, yeah, and.

Speaker 21 (01:36:28):
I mean he was he had an effective year last year.
I mean, you know, it was kind of lost and everything,
but he was a good player last year. Now, didn't
really make too much of a difference in the big picture.
And when I wrote that, some of that.

Speaker 19 (01:36:39):
Is just a rhetorical thing. It's not necessarily even can
the two guys match what Mixon did last year?

Speaker 9 (01:36:47):
Per se?

Speaker 19 (01:36:47):
It's it's do they have an effective running game?

Speaker 21 (01:36:51):
Can they use those guys in the passing game?

Speaker 20 (01:36:53):
And do they have enough to.

Speaker 21 (01:36:55):
Make defenses respect him?

Speaker 2 (01:36:56):
Last year?

Speaker 19 (01:36:57):
They you know, they faced a lot of light box
and when they did, they did well against that because
they had.

Speaker 21 (01:37:05):
Three wide receivers that other teams had due.

Speaker 19 (01:37:08):
Respect and they could you know, the Bengals could know
that they were going to face light boxes on more
than the ratification. Will that be the same this year?
You know, we don't know who the slop receiver is
going to be. Necessarily, they haven't proven that. Higgins and
Chase even have question mark coming into the season.

Speaker 20 (01:37:24):
I don't think we really doubt about that.

Speaker 21 (01:37:25):
But you know, can they punish teams when they played
them six in the box the way they did last year?

Speaker 20 (01:37:32):
You know, as it is, it doesn't matter as much.

Speaker 21 (01:37:33):
I don't think the Bengals are going to throw run
it that much.

Speaker 20 (01:37:36):
Their pass first team.

Speaker 19 (01:37:37):
They were thirtieth and first down runs last year, thirtieth
and first half runs last year, your favorite they were
twenty ninth.

Speaker 21 (01:37:44):
And running the ball on second and long. I mean
they're a pass first team.

Speaker 20 (01:37:48):
I mean, that's what they do.

Speaker 21 (01:37:50):
All they have to get out of the two new guys.
And you know the other thing.

Speaker 19 (01:37:55):
That I did worry me is the lack of sort
of again going back to the AFC North kind of
lack of weight in the running back room. I like
to pick up of Kendall Milton to the practice squat
actually just because he was a two.

Speaker 21 (01:38:06):
Hundred and thirty pounds back.

Speaker 19 (01:38:07):
And I think a lot of times, you see, you know,
the difference between winning and losing games comes down to
did you convert that third and two when you really
needed to in the third quarter?

Speaker 2 (01:38:16):
You know, And it.

Speaker 20 (01:38:17):
Remains to be seen.

Speaker 19 (01:38:18):
We could pretty much rely on mixing to get that.
Whether Zach Watson Chase Brown can do that is up
in the air, or even Kendall Milton. So that's why
I put that in question marks. But I don't think
in the big picture it's a huge, you know, looming
question mark over the team.

Speaker 2 (01:38:33):
All right, one more, not one more of your questions,
one more of mine. And maybe it's the position you
just talked about. Is there a position group We're going
into the season where it feels like, God, you know what,
I wish they had one more guy, or I wish
I wish they would have gone in slightly a different direction,
or maybe they're just not quite as whole as we
would like.

Speaker 21 (01:38:55):
Well a whole is we would like certainly.

Speaker 19 (01:38:56):
I think, you know, you look at the defensive line
and you were hoping at least to see something out
of their third round pick McKinley Jackson, and just know
that they had that beef in there right now, they
sort of They kept five defensive tackles, and I still
don't feel.

Speaker 20 (01:39:11):
That great about it.

Speaker 21 (01:39:12):
The cornerbacks was first and foremost in my mind.

Speaker 19 (01:39:14):
We discussed that already, and the running backs, you know,
we also touched on that as well. I think they still,
you know, they really need a sledgehammer guy in there
they can, you know, when the season goes along. The
other thing to remember about Moss and Brown is it's
not like they have a lot of carries between them
in this league and have proven they can withstand a

(01:39:35):
seventeen game schedule. And you know, that's another reason why
you want to have, if not the one Bell Cow,
a bunch of guys who at least you know, are
going to be able to, you know, take up the
load when one or the other is injured. But to me,
it's really still the corners. I always think that you
can never have too many, and you know, forgetting about
their experience.

Speaker 20 (01:39:56):
You know, like we said, these.

Speaker 21 (01:39:57):
Guys could be good, but they still feel like they're.

Speaker 20 (01:40:00):
Guy short back there to me.

Speaker 19 (01:40:01):
And I don't think it's out of line to think
that they might still pick up somebody between now and
either the trade deadline or you know, somebody gets cut
along the way that they weren't expecting they.

Speaker 21 (01:40:13):
Could do what they did with Trey Flowers and pick
them up midseason.

Speaker 20 (01:40:16):
Like they did two years ago.

Speaker 2 (01:40:17):
Didn't think I'd have any conversations three days before the
opener where there were two Trey Flowers references. But that's
what I get you on the show for Robert. Thank
you was always man. We'll do it again next week.

Speaker 21 (01:40:27):
I bring out the esoterica just for you.

Speaker 2 (01:40:29):
My man, Any said, thanks very good, Thanks so much,
Robert Wintrob's weekly Bengals column, Cincinnati Magazine dot Com. David
Fulcher next the Ammunios Foundation, Top Golf Tailgate on ESPN
fifteen thirty.

Speaker 1 (01:40:41):
You've been listening to football in Theinetti brought to you
by Cincinnati Tax Resolution powered by Top Sheldon on the
official home of the Bengals. Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen to.

Speaker 4 (01:40:52):
Thirty, Cincinnati's ESPN fifteenth.

Speaker 1 (01:40:56):
Bengals twenty twenty four season begins.

Speaker 13 (01:40:58):
Hello, spike the ball in the back of the Zee.

Speaker 1 (01:41:01):
The Orange and Black kick off. There run for the
Super Bowl against New England's Patriots.

Speaker 7 (01:41:05):
Sixty three yards.

Speaker 2 (01:41:07):
The magic is bad.

Speaker 1 (01:41:09):
Time for Jobur or his boys to put on the show.
Davin crush the patch like an empty beer can get
the call from Dan Horde and Dave Lap. Coverage begin
Sunday morning at nine on ESPN fifteen thirty, the official
home of the Legals.

Speaker 2 (01:41:26):
Quarter to six ESPN fifteen thirty Moegger at the Munios
Foundation Top Golf Tailgate. We're here for another fifteen minutes.
We wrap things up with the great David Fulcher College
Football Hall of Famer One day Bengals Ring of Honor inductee.

Speaker 9 (01:41:42):
Boha.

Speaker 2 (01:41:42):
You look awesome when you walked in, and then I
made fun of you for being late. But that's okay.
But I select that dude that looks like nineteen ninety
eight over there, that looks like it looks like a
guy who can give me some wraps.

Speaker 22 (01:41:54):
You know, if we could take this bad nay, all
the reps you want.

Speaker 2 (01:41:59):
Grant. I saw you from the way stock, yeah, oh good.
Once you saw this down here, No leave him at home.
We were just talking off air. I maybe see if
you can get a hold of Jamar and help him
with how this business works.

Speaker 22 (01:42:14):
You know, I understand the nature the beast of the
game today. Everybody wants that upfront money, guaranteed money, right.
But you know, when I was playing, we signed a
contract and when that contract was up, now you negotiate.

Speaker 9 (01:42:32):
It's not my fault my second.

Speaker 22 (01:42:33):
Year that I'm Player of the Year on defensive Back
of the year, I'm an All Pro. But I still
have another two or three years left. And I'm not
saying he's a bad dude. I just know that sometimes
it gets in people's heads. Just go play ball.

Speaker 2 (01:42:47):
This is how it works around the league is different
because he's got two years, but he's like, not the
only guy who's who's going through this.

Speaker 22 (01:42:55):
But he's got two years left, and you got to
honor those years. And I understand. You know, it's one
of those things where you could be twenty five and
get hurting football is over. You can be thirty five
and still playing. You be forty and fifty whatever. Them
guys are the older guys, but you still have an
obligation to the contract that you signed. You know, he

(01:43:17):
may be listening to this here and I'm not. This
is not a jab to make him look bad. It's
just to say, listen, this team will be one hundred
percent better with him on the field every Sunday. And
it doesn't matter to me if it's one million that
he's making or if it's twenty million that he's making.
That's more money than a lot of people who wake

(01:43:37):
up every morning going to work getting the money to do.
You do a great job on radio. I don't think
you're you know less unless you're something You're accurate somewhere,
but no, you know, take it well, this is take
take your wealth.

Speaker 9 (01:43:52):
And you do what you need to do with it.

Speaker 2 (01:43:53):
Yeah. Now there's a lot of there's a lot of
validity to that. And I think you know you the
first thing you said to me off heardy sat down
to go what do you think this year? And we're
both bullish, right, we're both optimistic, and you just you
hate anything that sort of undercuts that optimism, and this
kind of has to at least a small degree.

Speaker 9 (01:44:10):
I look at it like this. I would I would.

Speaker 22 (01:44:13):
Rather the Kansas City Chiefs, so the New England Patriots
slowed me down than to have a player on my
team slow us down.

Speaker 9 (01:44:22):
Does that makes sense totally not having him?

Speaker 22 (01:44:25):
And I'm pretty sure he's probably gonna you know, I
think the kids in great shape. He looks looking running
rounds or whatever. He could probably play without doing anything.
There are a lot of athletes in the country, in
the world that could do that without having to go
through training camp or preseason. But for him to be
on the sideline not playing, it's not helping this team.

(01:44:48):
It's not And it's not like it's, you know, a
contract dispute when you don't have another contract. It's a
contract dispute when you got two years lest just go play. Ude,
you signed that rookie contract four years ago, and now
you're here four years later and you're saying.

Speaker 9 (01:45:04):
I want more money.

Speaker 22 (01:45:06):
When you signed a rookie contract, you should ask for
one hundred million dollars then, but they wouldn't have gave
it to you.

Speaker 9 (01:45:11):
But they want to give it to you now.

Speaker 22 (01:45:13):
And my thing is, if he goes and play this
year with the money that he's gonna make, he gonna
get thirty forty million next week, right, Just the money
is going to be there, just go do what more
money's going to be there? Right, do you just have
to do You're just going to do yours.

Speaker 2 (01:45:30):
What you can do for the next four and a
half months, and you know what, and the kids.

Speaker 9 (01:45:34):
He's a natural bone athlete.

Speaker 22 (01:45:36):
Oh yeah, this guy could probably not practice during the
week and play on Sunday. Not too many people can
do that. I think this guy could do that.

Speaker 2 (01:45:44):
So we like their chances. We do, and we like
their chances based on a lot of different things, not
the least of which is retold secondary and that obviously
being your spot. You know, you could speak to this.
You know, last year all the communication breakdowns because they
didn't have and Bates and now Bell comes back, and
it feels like a lot of that is going to
be rectified.

Speaker 22 (01:46:05):
Listen, Defensively, there's a quarterback on the defensive side of
the ball, and it's a safety. He's getting everybody lined up.
Joe Burrow sees this come over in motion. Blah blah
blah blah. That's what Bell does, and it's the safety
is do. I really felt that them guys should have
stayed here. You go to Carolina because you're taking the money.
Kind of elbowed Bell man, what are you doing?

Speaker 5 (01:46:27):
Man?

Speaker 22 (01:46:27):
Going to Carolina? And they said what they offered it
to me? Man, that's why I went. Now I'm back, Dude,
you should have stayed here. Let me tell you, ten
million is a very good paycheck. Eleven twelve, thirteen mins
a pretty good paycheck. But if they offered me ten
and somebody offered me fourteen, and I know I'm not
gonna win because my purpose of winning playing is winning
super Bowls and championships. I'm not going to Carolina for

(01:46:48):
for four million dollars more. Nick, you can't, well, you're
gonna take it. You know, if you gave me ten million,
I can make ten million. I remember my first conversation
with Jack Brennan when I first came Cincinnati, and he
asked me very first question, how does it feel not
to get that million dollar signing bonus?

Speaker 9 (01:47:08):
You lost a lot of money.

Speaker 22 (01:47:10):
I looked at him and said, it wasn't in my pocket,
so I didn't lose it.

Speaker 2 (01:47:14):
You never had it, you can't lose it.

Speaker 9 (01:47:17):
If you never had it, you can't lose it.

Speaker 22 (01:47:19):
So when I get one hundred thousand dollars signing bonus
compared to being a first rounder getting a couple of
million dollars signing bonus. I said, I'm gonna make it
up somehow, some way, and you go knock some people
out and then they're gonna have to pay me, you know.
And obviously the Bengals back then they weren't paying nobody.

Speaker 2 (01:47:35):
Well, I was gonna say, did that work out for it?

Speaker 9 (01:47:37):
That didn't work out, But I got a little bit
more than I did in the year before. That makes sense.

Speaker 2 (01:47:41):
Al Davis gave you sign Yeah, Al gave me exactly
what the Bengals.

Speaker 22 (01:47:45):
I asked the Bengals to give me, all right, I did.
I asked the Bengals to give me this, and Al
gave me the same thing. He said, I'll give it
to you. And I'm like, why couldn't my own team
do that, right?

Speaker 9 (01:47:54):
Because I never would have left, dude.

Speaker 22 (01:47:55):
I mean, remember, I didn't leave like Bond went to Carolina.
I left because they got I got fired, right. They
were bringing in young guns and letting the young guns
do it. So I was saying to myself, you know,
I just want to play, dude. If the Bengals would
have offered me the same dollar amount or less, I'm
wanna stayed here.

Speaker 9 (01:48:15):
Dude.

Speaker 22 (01:48:15):
Yeah, well, why would I go somewhere else to learn
the new system? New city, new Town, get a new number? Yeah,
or number forty five? That didn't make any sense.

Speaker 9 (01:48:23):
Who in the heck is forty five?

Speaker 2 (01:48:24):
I remember as a kid that looks weird like it.

Speaker 9 (01:48:26):
It looked ugly, look ugly.

Speaker 2 (01:48:29):
Well, you know, the good news is you're back and
you sit here with me, and yeah, you know, you
could be in Vegas right now with the other Raiders alumni.

Speaker 22 (01:48:36):
And out there with them and losing all your money
because the gambling is right around the corner and the
back in your back pocket.

Speaker 9 (01:48:41):
Nobody wants to do that.

Speaker 2 (01:48:42):
You know. You and I were Arizona State in Cincinnati.
Play now this show?

Speaker 22 (01:48:46):
Oh yeah, I will be there, man, And I'm trying
to figure out what what do I wear?

Speaker 9 (01:48:51):
Do I wear UC or do I well State?

Speaker 2 (01:48:53):
Do you want to?

Speaker 22 (01:48:54):
I think I'm gonna go get a hirt and cut
it down the middle you see here, because I want
to see U see play? Well, well, great, you here.
It's against my if it's against my alma manor so,
which is hard. I can't go yo, go U see
and then go Arizona State.

Speaker 2 (01:49:06):
Yeah, so just said go.

Speaker 9 (01:49:07):
You see, I'm just gonna go Arizona State.

Speaker 2 (01:49:09):
I have to.

Speaker 9 (01:49:10):
I have to just because I went to school there.

Speaker 5 (01:49:13):
You know.

Speaker 2 (01:49:13):
Like I'm gonna make Joe Walter wager on the Texas
Tech game again Cincinnati, and then once I win that one,
we'll talk Sun Devils versus Bear Counts.

Speaker 22 (01:49:22):
Yeah, because I don't think I think you see you
see's pretty good.

Speaker 9 (01:49:27):
I think they've got it. And they're young. I guess
QB quarterback from Indiana.

Speaker 2 (01:49:32):
Soresby Brend not bad.

Speaker 9 (01:49:34):
Yeah, big strong defense. Yeah, you gotta play defense. That's
the party.

Speaker 22 (01:49:39):
Here's the thing about football to me, man, and that
because I played defense, but offense puts points on the boards.

Speaker 9 (01:49:44):
Defense win championships. You shut people out.

Speaker 22 (01:49:47):
You should win a game, keep somebody under a certain
scoring like Le Bowl when we played, our our goal
was to keep everybody on the sixteen points.

Speaker 9 (01:49:56):
We did that pretty well.

Speaker 22 (01:49:57):
But we had an offense that could score twenty five
twenty seven game, so it didn't matter.

Speaker 9 (01:50:02):
We gave up twenty because our offense.

Speaker 2 (01:50:04):
But you guys played complimentary football. We did. I mean
the two units really fed off together.

Speaker 9 (01:50:09):
Yeah, worked together, and we practiced like that.

Speaker 22 (01:50:11):
You know, Anthony who you know, if you look at
Anthony's finger goes like backwards like mine. I think I
had a significant role in Anthony's finger going like that,
because every time I would blitz in practice one versus one,
there was seventy eight pushing his hand out there, pushing
me in the chests.

Speaker 9 (01:50:27):
So I really liked playing against our ones because it
helped me week to week.

Speaker 2 (01:50:33):
Would you have liked to have seen more of that
in the preseason one versus one?

Speaker 9 (01:50:37):
Yes, yeah, I would have.

Speaker 22 (01:50:38):
I would have loved to see the first series that
we had this year with Joe five for seven, sixty
seventy yards, one touchdown. If you look at them, five
them seven pass attempts, they weren't.

Speaker 9 (01:50:51):
He had one deep fel cross the middle, the outs,
nothing crazy, It was basic.

Speaker 2 (01:50:57):
Vinalla.

Speaker 9 (01:50:57):
Yeah, so Vanilla.

Speaker 22 (01:50:58):
The next week too do it too too? Uh possessions
and then on the third week you do three. You know,
I heard Joe say he wants to get hit. Well,
nobody wants to see him get hit, but he needs to.
What about the fall on the ground when somebody pushes
him and he comes down on the risk.

Speaker 2 (01:51:17):
He's talked about learning to learn how to fall learning
how to fall, and there's only one way to do that.

Speaker 22 (01:51:22):
And the problem with learning how to fall, man, is
not in a live game, because when they hit you
and you knock you down, you ain't thinking about that risk.
You're just gonna And he's gonna. I'm telling you, he's
gonna do this. And I hope he gets up because
there's no way he could be thinking about getting sacked
and worrying about how to fall.

Speaker 2 (01:51:43):
That makes sense, It makes total sense. All right, we
got to run. You're awesome as always.

Speaker 22 (01:51:47):
I know, man, I'm sorry we didn't get We didn't
talk a whole lot about anything, but culture talks too much.

Speaker 2 (01:51:54):
You think, from awesome to have you good to see it.
It's always good to see it. Thank you for doing
this every single year, day every day, man, who day
every day?

Speaker 22 (01:52:04):
This I'm saying it today man at five fifty six, Okay.

Speaker 9 (01:52:08):
Get your tickets ready, guys. New Orleans is calling us.

Speaker 2 (01:52:12):
I'm there.

Speaker 22 (01:52:13):
I know, week to week, week the week, I just
have this gut feeling of watching the offensive line that
they put together and the determination that Joe is talking
and showing.

Speaker 9 (01:52:27):
That this is going to be it. Man, this is it.
I love it. This is our time.

Speaker 2 (01:52:31):
I feel it.

Speaker 9 (01:52:31):
Cincinnatian needs one.

Speaker 2 (01:52:32):
I feel it. We'll see you in New Orleans. I'll
get you like a beer cat pullover for the Arizona
State game and life will be good.

Speaker 9 (01:52:38):
I'm gonna cut it down the middle. Thank you, brother.

Speaker 2 (01:52:42):
We are done. Our thanks to the folks at the
Anthony Munoz Foundation. Certainly want to thank the people here
at Top Golf. My guy Mike Mill sweating out here
doing his thing, all of our guests, Drew Wester, Heidi
filling in for tearing Back, and Kenwood Bengals pep rally
is on in our place. Tomorrow. We are at Florence
and Florence Twin Peaks for the Tony and Mo Football

(01:53:03):
Show on Monday. So have a great weekend. Thank you
for listening and we'll talk to you on this station
on Monday on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 11 (01:53:12):
By the time you're finished listening to this, Pepsi zero
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