No Football, More Beer, More Friends!

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Recorded February 23th, 2025 

What do you get when two bald guys share a beer and reflect on the weekend? Laughter, heartfelt tributes, and a lively discussion about the latest happenings in sports! Join Graham and Scott as they recount their memorable weekends, featuring a touching nod to local heroes and the exhilarating play of the Four Nations Championship.

In this episode, we start with the guys catching up on life and friendships formed through sports. We dive deep into the heart-wrenching news of the Virginia Beach officers who lost their lives on routine duty, reminding us of the importance of community and those who protect it. Following that, they discuss the recent Four Nations Championship, spotlighting moments of intensity and growing interest in hockey, drawing in viewers from all walks of life.

The conversation shifts as they speculate on the recent salary cap changes in the NFL, focusing on the implications for team dynamics and strategies, particularly around the future of quarterback Matt Stafford. 

This episode is rich with insights, laughter, and a sense of community, making it a must-listen for sports enthusiasts and casual fans alike. If you enjoyed the camaraderie and discussions, we invite you to engage with us: subscribe, share your thoughts, and let us know your favorite moments from the episode!

#baldguysonthebench #grabonandcrackone #4nationschampionship #nfl #mattstafford #pgatour

Episode Transcript

Announcer (00:07):
Welcome to another episode of the Bald Guys on the
Bench podcast, with your hostsGraham Cohen and Scott Wasco.

Graham (00:21):
What's up everyone.
Welcome back to another episodeof the Bald Guys on the Bench.
I'm Graham.
I'm here with my boy, scott.
What's up everyone?
Welcome back to another episodeof the Bald Guys on the Bench.
I'm Graham.
I'm here with my boy Scott.
What's up?

Scott (00:27):
brother.
Well, graham, like we always do, let's grab one and crack one.
But it only took three tries toget that opening statement down
from Graham and folks.
I wish you could have seen it.
We had a before we even startthe episode slap yourself moment
.
So let's grab it, let's crackit, let's get it going.
I guess the fact that we don'thave any football games on

(00:50):
Sunday is really making Graham alittle cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs.
So here we go, let's go.
What?

Graham (01:01):
Wow, I don't know what you're talking about.
I do, I just witnessed it.

Scott (01:04):
I mean't know what you're talking about, I do, I just
witnessed it.
I mean, oh man.

Graham (01:09):
I think you're making shit up because when this comes
out, there's going to be nomistakes in the beginning
Hashtag you're the editor.

Scott (01:17):
So, anyhow, that was pretty good.
You know, before we get intoyour weekend, my weekend and all
the shit about sports, I justgot to go out there.
And you know, before we getinto your weekend, my weekend
and all the shit about sports, Ijust got to go out there.
And you know, throw a shout outto the city of Virginia beach
and their police force.
Uh, they lost two officersFriday night, gunned down on a

(01:40):
routine traffic stop bro Forexpired license plates.
Damn yeah, crazy for expiredlicense plates.
Damn yeah, crazy, expiredlicense plates.
Dude wouldn't get out of thecar, then got out of the car,
there was a little scuffle andthen just shot them both and
then ran and shot himself androutine 25-year-old cop,

(02:02):
30-year-old cop lost their livesfor an expired license plate.

Announcer (02:10):
Wild heart goes out to a man, but that's brutal.

Scott (02:16):
What can you say?

Graham (02:16):
you know, I I'm trying to like emote any type of words
right now and I just I I'm likewhat, like what?
What do you say to that?
Like spire tags, like so itescalates, you shoot the cop and
you don't want to go to jailthe rest of your life?

Scott (02:33):
I mean like okay anyway, yeah, brutal, but had had to
throw that out since you know wegot a lot of local people here
that listen and know the newsFair enough, let's jump right in
.
It's Sunday night.
We're kicking it off.
How was your weekend?
What'd you do?

Graham (02:54):
Weekend was.
You know it was good.
You know my schedule changed atwork recently, so I mean, I'd
always work on the weekendanyway, but like the weekend is
not like the middle part of myweek, so my days off now are
Wednesday, Thursday, so thatmakes things a little more
interesting.
But, that being said, Iactually have two separate

(03:17):
friends that are in town rightnow, one of which was a homie of
mine that I caddied with backat Manhattan Woods back in the
day and you know I met up withhim on Friday night.
We kicked it.
He stayed over at theStratosphere, checked out that
spot, just hung out and had acouple of drinks caught up.
And you know it's funny, I'mhanging out with him and like we

(03:41):
were talking and he was sayingthings so, like you know, when
you're friends with someone, youjust say things so nonchalantly
.
And I was like, bro, you doknow that the last time I saw
you was like 13 years ago, right, and he's like what?
I'm like?
Yeah, bro, my last summer was2012, working there.
I'm like this is 2015, 20.
I'm sorry, 2025.

(04:02):
He's like oh, he's like I guesstime does fly.

Scott (04:05):
And I was like, yeah, like it's been a minute, I do
got to ask Is he still in thatworld, catty world, or is he out
of that?

Graham (04:14):
No, he's out of it, he is in.
Where is he?
He's outside of Scottsdaledoing some farm work.
Actually, got it?
He works in the cannabisindustry.
Okay, so he works on a farm anddoes the grow work and stuff
like that.

Scott (04:34):
But the most important question does he have contact
with your boy that caddies atAugusta?
No, he does not have contactwith Caddy.

Announcer (04:45):
That dude is a ghost.

Graham (04:47):
Yeah, so my buddy from Augusta.
Just case in point, I don'tthink I've ever seen anyone
smoke more ciggies than this guy.
Bro, this dude's atwo-pack-a-day guy, especially
just on the golf course.

Scott (05:00):
The guy you just hung out with, I mean you can't smoke.

Graham (05:02):
No, no, my buddy from Augusta, I mean, obviously the
caddies can't smoke whilethey're at the course, but it's
like, dude, the house that theyhad, so he had a house and then
he rented the other rooms out toother caddies.
Bro, it's like walking into thecasino in the smoking section.

Scott (05:27):
And it's just like you can't live in a house that that
you smoke at least the casinos.

Graham (05:29):
It's just like air filter thingamabobbers yeah,
dude, you can't like, it's justbrutal.
But so I saw the homie, it wasreally good seeing him.
You know, took whole picstogether, pictures together,
send it back to the other homhomies and it's just reminiscent
type stuff.
So that was really cool.
And then also somewhat, Iwouldn't say, friend of the

(05:50):
program, but he is mentionedevery now and then my boy, ted
aka.
Was that a raccoon?
You ate, aka?
Wow.
I was wondering if you weregonna go there.

(06:10):
Um, he don't listen to podcasts, so I don't feel bad at all
does he have?

Scott (06:12):
does he even have the internet?

Graham (06:16):
yes, he has the internet okay, good friends with our
with our boy grammar police?
No, it's, he has high speed.
He has high speed, but uh yeahran into him last night, um,
after I got to work, caught upwith him.
We played uh poker for a coupleof hours and chatted and caught
up.
So you know it was nice.
I haven't seen him in aboutfour years so, um, it was nice

(06:39):
seeing some old friends uh work,just pretty simple things.

Scott (06:43):
Where was Ted?

Graham (06:44):
staying.
They were staying at Excalibur.

Scott (06:48):
Is that where you played poker?

Graham (06:49):
obviously no.
There's only a handful ofcasinos that actually you can
play actual poker at.
You can only really play at MGMHarris, we played at Mandalay
Bay, but there's a bunch of themthat you can't.
It's just like see, I know,caesars, you can, but um, it's

(07:11):
just it's why is that?

Scott (07:12):
why did they get rid of their poker rooms, any idea?
I mean, I know they don't makea lot of money off of poker it's
.

Graham (07:19):
I think it's just it's money and staffing.
To be perfectly honest, yeah,it's just.
Why keep something staffed, whykeep something open when
they're not getting a lot ofbusiness, like the area that
they have in mandalay bay?
They moved it off to the cornerand it's not even 24 hours,
like they stop at 3 am every dayand then open back up at like

(07:40):
seven.
Wow, and it's just like I mean,hey, something's better than
nothing.
But it's just like what, if?
If you're not getting enoughbusiness for extended period of
time, like why be open, you know, if that's not something that's
drawing people to you?
I mean, if it was harris, if itwas, you know, bellagio, aria,
something like that, that'swhere most most serious players

(08:04):
are going to play at.
So you know they go to theirregular spots, but, yeah, a lot
of places don't have it anymore.
I mean, heck, a lot of thecasinos now they have less table
games.
Um, they they're more likevideo versions, like how, like
craps and roulette, like you canplay like automated versions of
these games instead of likehaving the table it's funny.

Scott (08:24):
You say that because the casino that just opened up here
I told you I went a couple ofweeks ago played craps.
They actually have the videoboards where you sit down and
place your wagers, but then theyactually have the table where a
person that's playing on willgo up and throw the dice, which
is weird.
It's cool.
A person that's playing on willgo up and throw the dice, which

(08:46):
I which is weird, it's cool.
At least you're getting realdice and you don't have a
computer bending you over.
So you've got a real personthrowing the dice, you know.

Announcer (08:54):
But yeah.

Scott (08:55):
I mean it makes sense.
I mean poker.
When you're playing poker in acasino and sorry for being
ignorant, I don't play poker ina casino because I don't play
poker, I do with my boys butwhen you're playing, don't you
have to like every hand, youhave to throw an ante that the
house gets, or something likethat.
That's where they get theirmoney right.

Graham (09:15):
Well, it's not specifically called an ante, but
basically, once all the blindsare collected from the players
that are in the pot, the housejust takes a portion of that.
Got it?
So, based on how many people ishow many people's in the in the
?
Pot that's how much they takeout.

Scott (09:28):
So once again they're making shit versus, versus a
blackjack table where they'remaking all of it.

Graham (09:37):
Yeah, I mean one poker table is making maybe like $80
an hour no.

Announcer (09:45):
Yeah.

Graham (09:46):
Which, I mean, is peanuts.

Scott (09:49):
Nothing compared to that slot machine.
Thanks for playing.

Graham (09:55):
And you don't have to staff anybody.

Scott (09:59):
Yeah, exactly, yeah, anyhow, my weekend dude.
Well, we did our episode lastSunday night.
Uh, went to work on Tuesday andwent to work a little bit on
Wednesday and then we got 13inches of snow, starting about
Wednesday at 11 AM and itstopped about 2 AM Wednesday or

(10:21):
Thursday morning.
So you know where I will livethe world shuts down for about
four inches of snow.
So you can imagine what 13inches of snow did.
So didn't work on Thursday orWednesday, wednesday a little
bit Didn't work on Thursday.
I went to work on Friday.
Why, I have no idea, but uh,just to get out of the house.

(10:44):
But you know, my kids haven'tbeen.
My kids only went to school oneday last week.
Monday was President's Day, itwas a holiday.
They went to school Tuesday.
They were out Wednesday,thursday, friday, same with
Kristen, but you know, becauseof the snow, that was the
weekend.
Watch some sports and let'sjust jump right in dude, the

(11:08):
Four Nations Championship gameUSA versus Canada.
All I can say is wow, and itlived up to the hype.
Dude, why are you smiling overthere?
What are you going to say?

Graham (11:23):
I mean.

Scott (11:42):
Sorry, shit, shit there I mean.
All I gotta say it was epic.
You could not have asked foranything better out of a hockey
game that had been hyped likethat.
You know, the first matchuplast Saturday started off with
three fights right In the first10 seconds.
This did not have that becauseit was the championship game.
Nobody wanted to go to thepenalty box but dude, it was
epic man.
10.4 million viewers mostviewed non NFL or college

(12:04):
football event ever on ESPN Isthat any good?

Graham (12:10):
I mean, that's pretty deece Dude.

Scott (12:12):
JJ Watt hit the nail on the head with his tweet after
the first period.
I don't know if you saw it.
Yeah, he tweets it's incrediblehow much of a home run the Four
Nations has been for the NHLand hockey in general.
Friends who never watched ahockey game in their lives
reaching out, asking what theplan is for tonight's game, what
food we're ordering, etc.

(12:32):
Definition of growing the game.

Graham (12:35):
Bro, it was a mini Winter Olympics Dude.
I mean that's when a lot of thecamaraderie of national sport
comes into play and that's whenwe really pay attention and
watch it.
You know what I mean.
Outside of, I mean, unlessyou're a legitimate hockey fan,
I mean most of the time duringthe Olympics you watch sports
that you normally don't watch.

(12:56):
You know what I mean.
So it's just like I get it fromthat aspect and look, I'm going
to sound naive as hell because,to be honest, I.
And look, I'm going to soundnaive as hell because, to be
honest, I didn't even realizethat the four nations replaced
the all-star game For them.
Like I had no idea, like Ifound that out the other day and
I was like wait, what?

Scott (13:15):
Oh?
That's what was so amazingabout it.
When you just talk about theNFL, the Pro Bowl, back in the
day it used to be legit andeverybody would play.
Then they took away pads, madeit a flag football game, Because
football, let's face it, theyweren't going 100%.
But even when they had pads on,football is a sport.

(13:37):
You have to go 100% or don't goat all.
You can't half-ass it, Right?
No?

Graham (13:43):
you're right.

Scott (13:44):
Major League Baseball the All-Star game meh.
And we're not even going to getinto the NBA All-Star
festivities, like they don'twant to be there.
Hockey you know these dudes,they wanted to be there.
They show up every night and Idon't know if you've watched the
Instagram thing I sent you theother night with PK Subban

(14:09):
talking about the NBA and hockey.
He's talking about guys on theNBA that can't play on
back-to-back nights becausetheir knees hurt.
And you take a family of four,you're going to see LeBron play.
Oh, sorry, bad luck.
You just spent X amount ofdollars.
Lebron's not playing now, andthen you know what you're

(14:32):
getting when you go to a hockeygame.
If the NHL team is coming off aback-to-back, the only thing you
can expect is that goalie thatplayed last night probably isn't
playing tonight.
Other than that, the stars areplaying.
And our boy, bt, hit the nailon the head after the game and

(14:55):
he said yeah, the United Stateslost, canada won, he goes, but
in the long run, hockey won yeah, I agree, and he ain hockey one
yeah, I agree.
And he ain't wrong At all.
I agree, it was epic, it wasfun and, dude, it was intense as

(15:16):
shit.
It was so intense.
I said it last week on theepisode.
As a new hockey fan and by newI'm going back to the start of
Vegas nights Last Saturday wasprobably one of the most intense
games I've ever watched.
Well, thursday night was thattoo.

(15:46):
I mean, I went back the othernight on the snow day just
because I was bored, nothinggoing on, and I listened,
re-listened to the episode youand I did the night that the
Knights won the Stanley Cup andI was listening to the beginning
of it and I felt the same wayas I did Thursday night.
Did Thursday night and, just torephrase it, before the game

(16:07):
that the Knights won game fiveagainst the Panthers, I'm
sitting there pacing around thehouse like, well, this is, hurry
up and start.
Buckeye texts me at noon onThursday.
Dude, I just left work and Igot eight hours till the game.
Son of a bitch.
It was kind of the same thing,I mean, granted, I didn't.

(16:27):
You know what I'm saying.
The Knights won the Stanley Cup.
I wanted USA to win because I'man.
American, but it was insane,dude.
It was intense and then itwasn't when the best player on
the planet scored the game oneand go in overtime, but it was

(16:47):
awesome, right place right time.
It was awesome.
But just before we switchsports, I have to throw this out
there.
Alex Ovechkin okay, he's 13goals away from breaking the
all-time goal record Scored twotoday.
13 away from breaking theall-time goal record Scored two
today.
13 away from the great onePretty wild.

Graham (17:18):
I don't want to step on anyone's toes here, but like is
this like a situation?
It's like a you know, a jordanlebron type of thing where it's
just like everyone is just likegretzky's the man, like it's no
denying it, type of thing.
But then, like, if ovechkinbeats him in goals, like is that

(17:40):
I mean?
But also I mean ovechkin's beenplaying for I, he played longer
than Gretzky?

Scott (17:46):
I don't know.
I'm about to look it up.
That's a great question.
Ovechkin played for a coupledifferent teams.

Graham (17:55):
Yeah, ovechkin's only for one right, only with the
Cavs, only with the.

Scott (17:59):
Cavs, and something about Gretzky.
God, I'm so pissed I can'tthink of this dude's name
Everywhere.
Gretzky, god, I'm so pissed Ican't think of this dude's name.
Everywhere Gretzky went, hisprotector went with him, did you
?

Graham (18:10):
know, that.
You've mentioned it before.

Scott (18:13):
If you mess, with Gretzky , you're getting, yeah, the
SmackDown.

Graham (18:18):
I mean, I guess I'm just bringing it up because like
look, obviously Ovechkin getshis flowers.
I'm not saying he doesn't butit's just like, I don't know,
there's just some part of methat is just like, because
Gretzky's just been soestablished for so long granted,
obviously, because he's beenretired for X amount of years
now it's just, I mean, I thinkit's kind of like a recency bias

(18:39):
type of thing, like you don'tthink of Ovechkin that way, but
you know, 20 years from now, whoknows?
I mean, obviously he's going tobe a great of a great, you know
.
I mean it's just, it's aninteresting situation to feel
that it's just like yeah, man, Imean, look, gretzky's goals was

(19:05):
one of those things you're likeis that a record that's ever
going to get touched?
Yeah, I mean, nowadays it would.
Ovechkin's record, I mean, isthat going to get touched?
I mean you have to play.
I mean he's 40-what and hescored how many goals this year
already.

Scott (19:11):
That's insane.
Ovechkin's 39.

Graham (19:15):
Yeah, okay, Still yeah.

Scott (19:16):
I know, yeah, 39.

Graham (19:20):
I mean that's insane.
I mean that's insane.
I mean, look, you could stillplay.
I mean, with hockey, you couldbe an old fart out there and
still pedal it around.
I mean, look, jarmer Jager.
I mean, granted, he's playingoverseas, but I mean he played
in the NHL until what?
45, 44?
.

Scott (19:33):
Yep Ovechkin's first season was 05, 06.
Yeah that's right around Crosby.

Graham (19:40):
Because he's like 06-07, something like that.

Scott (19:43):
Ovechkin had 52 goals to lead all rookies in points.
Wow and his rookie season.

Graham (19:49):
Yeah, I mean yeah, that's not bad.

Scott (19:54):
Let's see, while we're talking about it, I'm going to
quickly look up how long Gretzky.
I couldn't even tell you yeah,I don't so maybe like 20 seasons
, so they're pretty much neckand neck.

Graham (20:06):
He did.

Scott (20:07):
Yep, wow, yep, yeah, 79 to 99.
That's crazy, wow, yep, crazy,huh, yep.
Oilers, kings, blues, rangers.

Graham (20:19):
Yeah, who would have caught me on the Blues?

Scott (20:22):
Yeah, I knew the other ones too.
Wow, yep.

Graham (20:26):
That's interesting.

Scott (20:27):
Hmm.

Graham (20:28):
Hey, I mean, look big ups to the NHL and hockey.
I mean they did what theyneeded to do.
I mean, with PK Subban, youknow throwing the shots at the
NBA, I get it.
It's just the thing that sucksis the players have all the
power.
There's nothing they can do.
They pay him so much money.
It's like you can't force themto do anything.
You know what I mean.
And plus now with all theplayers, for how often they get

(20:52):
hurt.
It's just like with the loadmanagement and all this other.
BS bullshit, it's just like.
Dude don't give me the loadmanagement, I know, but yet
here's the thing.
Joel Embiid, I think he'splayed 12 games this year.

Announcer (21:09):
Who he was the MVP.

Scott (21:15):
I'm saying this as someone that doesn't follow
basketball.
No, I know who it is, but arewe going to start calling him?
Oh, okay, what's homeboy InGrimtono, saints Michael Thomas?

Graham (21:25):
No.

Scott (21:25):
Are we going to start calling him Michael Thomas 2.0?
I mean, don't even get mestarted on Kawhi Leonard.

Graham (21:32):
I mean I just Dude these hockey guys?

Scott (21:37):
I don't know.
These hockey guys break shit,get stitched up and come back
the next period.
Don't tell me load management,oh, load management.
My knee hurts and, like PKSubban said the other night and
I've heard this before frombig-time coaches that I've

(21:59):
listened to in press conferencesBelichick used to always say it
Are you hurt or are you injured?
There's a difference.

Graham (22:09):
Right.
No, I mean, I totally agree.
And look also, it's a mindframe Like there's a stigma.
It's not stigma, but likethere's just there's the way to
play the game the right way.
And it's just, in hockey,you're always going for it,
you're always aggressive, you'realways you know what I mean.

(22:31):
It's just like I don't want tosay it's not like giving it your
all, it's just like you knowwhat you're getting yourself
into.
You know what I mean.
Like you know there's going tobe fighting, you know it's going
to be chippy, you know you'regoing to get banged against the
boards and all the other stuff.
Like so you expect that.
You know, in the other sports,where it's just like you can't

(22:52):
expect.
Like oh, someone ran into me soI twisted my ankle.
Like, oh, like it's just, it'sjust, it's so different.
So, that being said, I don'tlike the NBA is in a situation
right now that like I don't knowwhat they can do to change
their situation.
Like the only thing that Icould think of is if you were to
piggyback off what the NHL didand kind of do like a binatious

(23:16):
thing, because now we have somany international players that
like maybe you could dosomething like that.
But even still, even if you diddo that, these people are still
making the money like right,what?
What would make it different ifyou're playing with all guys
from your, from your country oryour region, versus just the
people that are on the eastcoast, west coast, like how

(23:36):
they've?
been doing it before.
Like, what does the grouping ofpeople mean?
You know different.
Like, at least in hockey.
The only time that you saw teamusa play against team canada
was in the winter olympics.
Like the only time.
Like, does hockey they docountries?
Do they do exhibitions?

Scott (23:56):
yeah, and the biggest thing is the junior championship
and when the united when theunited states beat canada.
The last time they had that.

Graham (24:06):
That was a big deal no, it was no 100, and I'm just
saying like I guess my point ofbringing it up is just the
rarity in which these countriesplay each other also adds to it.
You know what I mean.
So it's just like at this point, like, look, I don't think adam
silver wants to do away withcompletely with the nba all-star

(24:28):
game, but like at this point,like if these people just want
to take a vacation, just likeall right, let's scrap it for a
year and whatever, like you like, they have to be losing money
on this because if no one'swatching it and they're spending
money on doing this, who arethey proving themselves to?

Scott (24:47):
TP sent me a funny meme yesterday.
I'm trying to find it onInstagram.
Here you go he goes.
The meme says it's Monday,february 17th in the year 2048.
The college football nationaltitle is tonight following a
32-team playoff.
The Super Bowl is in two weeksafter a 20-game regular season.

(25:09):
Bracketologists everywhere areprojecting the 96-team field in
college basketball and 12 peoplewatched last night's NBA
All-Star game.
I don't know, dude, I don'tknow.
You know TP, we were talkingyesterday.

(25:32):
He was like mark my words.
Ratings for the Olympics nextyear are going to be insane.
I also wonder if the StanleyCup will get a boost this year
in ratings.
And I responded I'm like, dude,all hockey games are going to
be insane.
I also wonder if the StanleyCup will get a boost this year
in ratings.
And I responded I'm like dude,all hockey games are going to go
up.
I think Anything nationallytelevised ratings are going to
be ridiculous.
Now, I agree, I would love tosee it with a new TV deal so

(25:56):
they can spend some money onplayers and marketing the game.
I'm like like we talked aboutlast week it's so hard.
You can't have a commercialevery other three and out like
in football.
Yeah, it's tough.

Graham (26:10):
I mean the only thing that, like we were saying last
week, the only thing that canhappen is just being on
primetime or on major networksand just get that money, versus
because, like you were saying,if you can't do commercials,
like how are you gonna, you know, get that money?
So yeah, something has tohappen.

Scott (26:28):
I told him, I told tp.
I said they have to getcreative.
Somehow it's too good andintense not to have more eyes on
it.
And right, he ain't wrong.
But he said what did he saythey can do longer TV timeouts

(26:48):
and intermissions.
And it's tough, dude, I don'tknow.

Graham (26:54):
No, I agree.
I mean they tried doing it.
They have that segment whereit's what?
The Hockey Night in America, orsomething.
It's like dude saturday nightit's in their blood up there.
You know what I mean.
Like they, they have thatstaple and it's just like,
unfortunately, here in the usfootball has that staple of bro.
Friday is high school, saturdayis college sunday.

Scott (27:17):
Sunday's pro monday's pro thursday is pro, so it's is pro
, so it's like you have to.

Graham (27:22):
It's like you got to compete with all these other
markets, which is why, to behonest, how, like, how is
baseball surviving?
Just as like, cause it'sthere's just so many games,
right, like I was talking topeople at work about it and it's
just honestly, with what theDodgers have been doing and
spending all this money and allthe Mets and all those people,

(27:45):
when the CBA is up, there's noway that the owners are going to
allow these contracts to begone that way.
There has to be a salary cap,there has to be a floor and a
cap, because teams just can't go.
You just can't have the richteams go.
All right, we're just going tospend a floor and a cap because
teams just can't go like youjust can't have the rich teams
all right, we're just going tospend this money and defer it
with ourself because, like wesaid before in previous previous

(28:07):
episodes, I don't want to watcha sport that you're seeing the
same four teams like what's thepoint of rooting for your
personal team during the regularseason, just to be like, okay,
cool, we had rooting for you,but you're not going to make the
playoffs?
Or if you do make the playoffsthen you get beat.
You know what I mean.

Scott (28:29):
I get where you're coming from, especially the salary cap
thing.
That has to happen somehow,some way.

Graham (28:35):
I mean look at the NFL.

Scott (28:39):
Tons of parity, right?
I mean, every year there's fivenew teams in the playoffs.
Every year Hockey's the sameway.
It's a hard salary cap, unlessyou're the Knights and you take
advantage of the long-term IRwhich they're getting ready to
do again.
But I agree 100%.

(29:03):
I mean not as far as the amountof games.
Yeah, it's a shit ton amount ofgames, dude, I get it.
But there is a little parity inMajor League Baseball.
Granted, you know the Dodgersare going to be in the playoffs,
okay.
You don't know the Mets aregoing to be in the playoffs,
okay, you don't know the Metsare going to be in the playoffs,
because look at the divisionthey're in with the.

(29:25):
Braves and the Phillies.

Announcer (29:26):
No, yeah, I mean.

Scott (29:27):
But I mean, I get what you're coming from 100%, and so
that's next in the notes.
Spring training kicks off.
Yesterday Did you see my boySoto in his first at-bat as a
Metropolitan?

Graham (29:43):
He bunted Booba.

Scott (29:48):
Dude.
I'm in the car on the way to gosomewhere and I get a
notification and I'm like, netscore one to nothing.
And I'm like, oh, how'd theyscore in the first inning?
And I open up my phone and I'mlike, oh, how'd they score in
the first inning?
And I open up my phone and I'mlike, oh damn, my boy just hit a
430-yard bomb in his firstat-bat.
Like, let's go.

(30:09):
Couldn't be happier.
I know you don't give two shits.
Shut up Once again.
Yeah it's spring training, I getit.
You can't get super excitedabout it, but you can if your
team just signed the biggestcontract in Major League

(30:30):
Baseball $280 million.
To homeboy in his first at-batRips one out.

Graham (30:38):
I mean yeah, I get it.

Scott (30:42):
Can't be mad at that.

Graham (30:44):
You know, it's just such a long season and anything can
happen again.

Scott (30:47):
Yeah, I don't know, I know Anything can happen, just
like us last year, dude.
We were supposed to finish inthird place in the division,
which we did, but we still alsomade the playoffs.
And look what happened.

Graham (31:05):
I get it.
It's just like you were sayingI'm just ready for some parody
in hockey, in baseball, becauseit would be nice to see teams
like hey, we're going to forceyou to spend this money.
We're going to force you to be,good, you know, it's just.
It's like for people to beloyal fans of an organization

(31:30):
that you know is just not evergoing to be good, or like
they'll be average at best.
Like how do you just stay a fanof I just I don't.

Scott (31:42):
I mean, yeah, if you love them, like I just I don't well,
once again, you don't reallyhave a dog in the fight that
you're behind no yeah it's likeme I mean I'm not, it's like me
with hockey?
Yeah, did I watch the westernconference finals in the eastern
conference finals and then stayin the Cup 100%.
But until I had a dog in thefight I wasn't diehard and

(32:08):
watching games all the time, youknow.

Graham (32:12):
Yeah.

Scott (32:12):
And I will never forget.
You know the first season whenthe Knights you know I went to
three or four games with Jerryand TP and you know the Knights
played the Kings.
The first round of the Knights.
You know I went to three orfour games with Jerry and TP and
you know the Knights played theKings.
The first round of the playoffs.
And that first game in theplayoffs, tp was like dude, you
have not experienced hockey as afan until your team's in the
playoffs.
Just wait until tonight.
It's going to be on a whole newlevel.

(32:33):
It was, it was ridiculous.
No, I agree.
Same thing with baseballPlayoff baseball, dude, it was
ridiculous.
No, I agree.
Same thing with baseball.
Playoff baseball, dude.
Intense, every pitch.

Graham (32:44):
No, it is.

Scott (32:45):
When you're a fan of a team every pitch.
And I know you like to cheerfor the Pirates, you like to
cheer for the Yankees andbecause you lived in LA, you
cheer for the Doyers, but untilyou have one dog in the fight.
You know, and like I've saidnumerous times on this show, the
Mets were my first sports loveyeah, ever.

(33:10):
But anyhow, some other crazythings in baseball, something I
never thought I would ever saythe Yankees, facial hair policy,
the end.
When I saw that I was like I'msorry.

Graham (33:30):
Am I reading this wrong?
Yeah, almost 50 years, 49 years.
That law went into effect in1976.

Scott (33:39):
I'll never forget Johnny Damon going from the Red Sox to
the Yankees and Johnny Damonlooked like god dang, you know a
Neanderthal out there with hislong-ass hair and his big-ass
beard for the Red Sox and thengo to the Yankees clean-shaven
as shit.
Insane, insane, insane.

(34:01):
About time I love it.
Yeah, I mean, they still saidyou can have a beard.
It's got to be trimmed good,and your hair can't be super
long, but at least you can havea beard.

Graham (34:10):
But I mean, I mean, like , I get it.
It's very like an old schoolway of thinking.
You know just prim and proper.
I mean I get it.
It's very like an old schoolway of thinking.
You know, just prim and proper.
I mean, I get it.
And look, change is always agood thing.
Um, I mean, I knew it wouldeventually go away.
It's just I'm surprised that ithappened when it did.

(34:31):
I mean, look, I'm sure theywere getting flack on it for so
long now, especially with GeorgeSteinbrenner passing away.
It's been like 20 years now atleast since George Steinbrenner
died.
Now it's hard to point to whereit's just like, because you have
to think about it.
There's been players that werein negotiations to go to the

(34:51):
Yankees and they're like wait aminute, I gotta shave no.

Announcer (34:55):
Nah, I'm gonna get the same money over here.

Graham (34:57):
I'm gonna go over here To know that you lost players
based on your facial hero policyyeah like it can't be that
important, and that's.

Scott (35:07):
That's basically what it came down to.
I guess some current player forthe yankees went and said
something and that's whatstarted making them open up
their eyes about it yeah, I mean, in mean, in this day and age,
like bro, you can't Like, comeon, you got to be realistic.
You're talking about?
I mean, you're talking aboutgolf, the gentleman game 75, 80%

(35:33):
of the people we're watching onTV all have what A beard.
And you're telling me abaseball player can't have a
beard.
I mean, my guys are literallyplaying 162 games, finishing up
a nightcap in New York, and theyget on the plane and go
straight to wherever LA and nowyou've got to make them shave.

(35:55):
I mean, my guy landed in LA at4 o'clock in the morning.
They're going straight to bedsleeping all day.
Got to be at the stadium at 4.Aat 4 o'clock in the morning.
They're going straight to bed,sleeping all day.
Got to be at the stadium.
435 for a 7 o'clock game.
Yeah, I know shaving takesthree minutes, but it's just one
more thing to add on to yourdaily routine 100% agree, but
another crazy Yankee thing.

(36:17):
What happens at the end of everyhome Yankee game?
What music do they play?
Frank Sinatra.

Graham (36:25):
Oh yeah.

Scott (36:26):
So they played New York New York after every home game
win or lose.
They're now going to playthat's Life by Frank Sinatra
after losses.
Instead of New York, new YorkOnly wins.
Will they get the New York NewYork Right?

(36:47):
Pretty wild, pretty wild.

Graham (36:52):
I mean, yeah, if the Yankees are going to shake it up
, they're going to shake it up.
That's all you can say to that.

Announcer (37:00):
Yeah, more power to them.

Graham (37:00):
Yeah, that's all you can say to that.
I mean more power to them, yeah, wow.
Oh yeah, I had to think aboutthat.
Yeah, I mean, I've been to acouple games.
That's what I was trying tothink.
I was like, I'm like what is it?

Scott (37:11):
But let's jump real quick into golf because your boy told
you to make a bet.
That was as easy as waking upand brushing your teeth in the
morning, and that is Jaeger top10 plus money.
Let's go easy winner.
But uh, the one thing I want tobring up is the playoff between

(37:33):
Brian Campbell and god.
What is the dude's name?
He hits it about eight miles.
He was leading the tournamentall week.
Crazy last name, damn it.

Announcer (37:47):
Look it up.
Look it up while I'm talking.

Scott (37:49):
I am On the second playoff hole.
Brian Campbell literally hitsit out of bounds Hits a tree,
hits a cart path, kicks it backin play, wins the event.
Pot Guider yeah, Something likethat Is that how you say it.

Announcer (38:11):
Yeah, I don't know.

Scott (38:12):
The guy hits it a mile though.
Yeah, from South America.
The crazy thing is Jake Knapp,who won this event last year.
The news he went from being abouncer at a bar in Southern
California, won it last year forhis first win, and then this

(38:32):
Campbell guy wins it today.
Yeah, they were collegeteammates and roommates.

Graham (38:42):
Back to back.

Scott (38:45):
That's pretty dope.
It was insane dude.
I mean this Campbell guy's beenon the tour forever, lost his
car, got his car back, yada,yada, yada, gets his first dub.
It was sick to see.
I love watching first-timewinners.
Oh, the best Life changed yousaw the clip of the wife.
Yeah, his wife like was losingher mind, I mean.

Announcer (39:08):
Oh dude, balling the stress, balling the stress.

Scott (39:11):
You know, I mean it was a sick tournament to watch, but
you know, I don't know man, Idon't know man, I don't know.
Golf is golf.
We got the tournament at theBear Trap coming up this week.
It used to be called the Honda.
I don't even know what theCogna's in, or some bullshit

(39:33):
this week.
Then we got Arnie's Place.
You know, saw some news.
They had a huge meeting withTiger Trump, jay Monahan and the
dude from Live.
Rumors are Live players couldbe playing on the PGA Tour as
soon as the Players Championshipin two or three weeks.

(39:53):
Don't know how they're going todo it.
Don't know how they're going topull it off, but that seems to
be the rumor flying out there.
I hope it happens.
I hate the fighting.

Graham (40:10):
No, I mean, so do I, but still there's only 100 people
that can have tour cards.

Scott (40:15):
Next year.

Graham (40:16):
I mean there's only probably.

Announcer (40:17):
Next year.

Graham (40:18):
Next year?
Yeah, but my point in sayingthat is the people that are on
live.
What is there like 50 guys?
How many of those 50 guys aregoing to have their cards next
year?

Scott (40:31):
Yeah, and people that are already into the Players
Championship, which is the fifthmajor.
I mean, who from Liv is goingto be in that field?
I can tell you two, but Icouldn't tell you the third
Bryson and Brooks.
Yeah, you're in.
Who else?

Graham (40:56):
Well, it's just like all the big guys that we know
they're all older, right?
Well, it's just like all thebig guys that we know they're
all older.
Like none of the young studs Imean the only thing like.
I mean Cam Smith, does he evenlike?
I just get the opinion thathe's just as happy, like he's
the only person that is justlike you know what.

(41:16):
I'm actually completely happywith this whole situation.
I already got my major.
I got one.
I got paid.

Scott (41:23):
I got a lot of zeros in my bank account.
I live all the way.

Graham (41:26):
Yeah, like I live all the way down in Australia, which
those flights are brutal.
I don't care if you're on aprivate jet or not.
Like he spends time with hisfamily, he spends more time down
there.
It's just like you know itreally just comes down to, I
mean what are you looking?
For what's the meaning of life?

(41:47):
like what like are you know, noteveryone wants to be tiger
woods and has to win every event.
Like no one wants to be thegreatest player of all time.
Like there's some people thatjust want to be good enough at
their job that they can play onthe tour.
Or they can just be a player.
You know what I?

Scott (42:04):
mean, like Kevin Kisner said three or four years ago,
there ain't nothing wrong withcoming in the top 20 on the PGA
Tour.
Facts and people crucified himfor saying that.
And he goes I'm coming in thetop 20 in every event.

(42:24):
I'm getting 150 a week, yeah,and you're?
You're mad at me for saying I'mcoming in the top 20 and I'm
cool with it.
Sign me up.

Graham (42:39):
I mean I don't even I can make 50 G's a week.
I don't even have to play inevery event.

Scott (42:42):
I was playing three and I'm cool.
Yeah right, I mean dude butit's going to be interesting to
see you know how it pans out,and I don't want to spend a shit
ton of time on this because Idon't know all the details.

(43:04):
But how are you going to makeit up to Rory?
How are you going to make thisup to Ludwig for not going over
there when Jon Rahm signed a$300-whatever million contract,
and now they're?

Graham (43:21):
back.
Yeah, it's called the TGL.

Scott (43:23):
But now they're back playing in your field when Rory
could have gone and gotten thatmoney.
Yeah, I mean.

Graham (43:34):
Well, look, I mean, rory even said it he's just like.
You know what he's just likefor as hard as we hammered this
back when we did right and forinstead, exactly, and look, I
get it now he's just at thepoint where it's just like dude.
I just want this to be I mean, ahappy family like I just want

(43:55):
to go back to playing the bestguys in the world and it's just
like I get it.
But the thing is this you can'tbe upset at the guys that left
because they got punished.
The only difference is theirpunishment was yeah, they don't
get to play in majors, theydon't get to have that
opportunity.

(44:15):
But for them to not have theopportunity to play, they got
paid X amount of money.
So it's just like you can't usethe money as the yes, the money
is the reason why they left,but for three years now, plus or
a solid three years theyhaven't been able to play in the

(44:37):
events that they should.

Scott (44:38):
They lost World Working Points.

Graham (44:41):
What I'm trying to say is it's not like we should
punish them more for taking themoney.
Well, everyone had a choice.
You could have done it too.
You just picked legacy overmoney.
That's really what it comesdown to.

Scott (45:00):
You said it earlier and we said it way back in the day.
It made sense for these olderguys to do it because, if you
remember what I called it backwhen all this shit was going on,
I called it the 401k for thePGA Tour players.
Henrik Stenson bye.
Patrick Harrington bye.

(45:22):
Well, no, he's on the seniortour.
But these older guys, bubbaWatson yeah, he's not even on
there anymore.
He got booted.

Graham (45:32):
Patrick Reed yeah.

Scott (45:33):
It made sense for these guys to take the cash.
It was their retirement, soreal quick.
And then we're going to jumpinto the nfl.
I I'm chuckling right nowbecause before we got on air,
graham goes.
So what do you think?
You think we can make it 45minutes?
Look at the time.
Yeah, you're welcome.
The first minute was youlearning how to introduce the

(45:57):
show.
So so we're at 46, but whatever.
So the live tournament lastweek averaged 12,000 viewers on
FS2.
Okay, the American cornholeleague averages 50,000 viewers,

(46:18):
so more people watch cornholethan want to watch Rom bryson
dechambeau play golf.
The end.
That was great.
Two billion dollars spent there, but whatever uh, okay, yeah,
no, but okay.

Graham (46:34):
A whole last thing, and I'm just gonna make this one
point what?
What if you swapped the playersthat went?
Okay, keep, we keep bracing onthis side, keep brooks and keep
rom.
What if rory went over?
What if the other people likeit would be the same thing I'm
saying it shouldn't matter whatplayer at what you I don't think
so what did you?

(46:56):
just because you think they movethe stick, the needle, more, I
think there's more people loyalto the PGA Tour than to this new
thing.
No, of course, but that's mypoint.
But what I'm saying is, if Roryleft and went to live, if Tiger
did it.

Scott (47:12):
Well, if Tiger did it?
I mean, like we always say,Tiger is the needle.

Graham (47:17):
Fair, fair.
Okay, I'll slap myself for that.

Scott (47:20):
So if the thing is, here's what I'm trying to say
like all these golf podcastseverybody's been talking about
rankings are down, Viewershipsdown on every platform.
Well, yeah, because they're notall at the same place, Of
course.
Viewership, Right.
You know, at the beginningthere was I'm pro-Liv, I'm

(47:42):
pro-PGA Tour.
Now people are just like F youCan we put all the best players
in the world back on the samegoddamn golf course besides,
four times a year, Right?
And like you and I said, beforeany of this shit started, the
only thing we cared about as faras golf tournaments was what

(48:02):
the thing that happens everyother year known as the rider
cup.
That's right, all I care about.
I want the best players for theunited states, the best players
for that other team that wecan't seem to beat playing, and
that's all I care about.
Dude, you know I.

Graham (48:24):
I just, I just feel like golf, like golf needed tiger
woods.
I mean it needed.
It starts to keep building upthe game and what tiger did for
it, I mean there's obviously itis what it is, but my, my, where
I'm getting at it with it now.
It's just like it's almost likethey feel like golf is at a

(48:47):
certain level already and theyfeel like it can branch out, and
it's just like yo, there's onlystill the same amount of people
watching golf.
If you take those people andyou break them up, you're
diluting the game is really whatit comes down to, because
before you did that, people werestill only I mean, look, when

(49:09):
Tiger was hurt and all thatstuff, people were still only
watching the majors and thecouple main events, the big-time
events.
And this is because, obviously,this is before the elevated
events.
So it's just like when you saythat's not about to live, like
yeah, but like that, I feel likethe numbers make it sound worse
than it is.

(49:30):
I mean, believe me, that soundsterrible 12,000 people.
And I'll say this I mean, howmany people watch this open
today?
I don't know.

Scott (49:38):
Those numbers aren't out and I told you.

Graham (49:41):
Well, that's my point, but that's also because it's on
NBC or CBS.

Scott (49:44):
And I think I talked about this last week or maybe
the week before, when I was downat the PGA show.
The message that was going onthroughout the entire show was
golf is at a point right nowwhere it was in the early 2000s
because of tiger.

(50:04):
There's more golf.
There's more golf courses rightnow being built than there were
in the last X amount of years.
Okay, and the only thing andpossible I think we talked about
this, I don't know the onlything that and my boss went down
to the golf course managersassociation meetings down in

(50:27):
Tampa last week and that was thesame message and the only thing
that makes sense to me yeah,pga tour ratings are down.
However, when Rory won a coupleof weeks ago at pebble, those
were the best ratings for a PGAtour event since like 2022.
But, yeah, I think people aregetting their golf fix through

(50:51):
all of these YouTube golfplatforms.
Yeah, yeah, bob does sportsGood, good, the foreplay guys
from Barstool.
And why is that?
Because I can go watch the Bobdoes sports guys and I can watch
them play a four-man scrambleversus a PGA Tour player, and I

(51:12):
can watch that episode onYouTube in an hour and 20
minutes.
Yeah, no I agree, and same withthe good good guys.
Same with the good good guys,same with the foreplay guys.
They're making golf fun again,like Tiger did way back, when
the only difference is Tiger isthe GOAT, arguably the GOAT, and

(51:34):
these dudes that we're watchingon YouTube right now suck just
like me and you, and they'rewatching them play on tv against
world-class players.

Graham (51:47):
No, I mean, like it's, it's it's.
The game has just evolved insuch a way that, with youtube
now and how things are, like,it's really changed it.
I mean, I think I think whenthe, when the merger happens,
you know things will get better,but they're still gonna have

(52:09):
the same stuff is still gonnahappen.
You know what I mean.
Like, and then obviously, withthe TGL, like, things will still
move forward.
I think things will kind of getback to what it was.
Um, it's just I don't know.
I mean like, does it just feellike it'll be business as usual?

(52:31):
Everything's just gonna go backto whatever it is, and then
just all the angst is just, itis what it is.
And then, I mean, the reallything that just comes down to is
are people really going to bebitter about the people that
left?
Because from some interviewsthat I've seen with other tour
players talking about it,they're just at the point now
where they're like dude, we'reover this shit, make it stop.

Announcer (52:50):
Come back.

Graham (52:50):
Yeah, you know what I mean.
They're just tired of talkingabout it.
Let's get it over with.
And look, like I said earlier,they took the money, they lost
out on opportunities, they lostout on sponsorship, like you
know.
It's just like I mean, therewas actions and there was
reactions and it's just we're ata point now where we're just

(53:12):
ready to be like, okay, at leastwe can say now at this point
and this is something that Isaid from the beginning which,
in the beginning, you alwayswere saying that I was, you know
, pro-Liv, and it wasn't like Iwas pro-Liv, I was pro the
advancement of the game.

(53:33):
And I think now we're at thepoint that look what happened.
Now we have the TGL, now wehave all this stuff, I mean, and
bryson chambo, dj bo, I mean,with his youtube stuff, just
building it all up.
Everything that we're seeingnow is just a microcosm of the
effects of things that happenedthree, four years ago.
You know what I mean.
It's just especially now withcontent creators and that being

(53:55):
such more of a big thing it'shuge, that it's just huge we're
exactly like.
We're at a point now where it'sjust like the thing is.
I think it almost it kind ofdivides us too, though you know
what I mean In the sense of justlike the age bracket, because
most I mean, let's be honest,what do you think the average

(54:16):
before the YouTube golfers cameon the scene?
What do you think the averageage of the people that watch
golf is?

Scott (54:23):
48?
For an average event maybe Fora major it's probably going to
go down, but I 100% agree withwhat you're saying, 100%.
The only thing that I hatedabout Liv was they said they're
going to live to grow the game.

(54:43):
There's no grow in the game.
The only person that I can givea shout out that went to live.
That is actually done that Iknow I might be wrong.
Don't yell at me that I knowthat is done.
Something with the money theygot from signing with live is

(55:04):
none other than Harold Varner.
And Harold Varner has put ashit ton of money into
facilities and his hometown inCharlotte for golfers, young
golfers, to come and practiceand play.
And I also got to give a shoutout.
You know where Harold Varnerplayed in college, right, e-c-u,

(55:25):
so just throwing that out there.
But the whole growing the gamething, you know the PGA Tour
dude.
We're 57 minutes into thisepisode and we haven't even
talked about the NFL.
That's why, in a nutshell, thispodcast was created.

Graham (55:54):
Yeah, I mean, I agree with you.

Scott (55:56):
I mean I got to go get another beer because we're not
ending this before we even getinto the NFL.
This might be a long episode.
Sorry about your editingtonight, but you're off tomorrow
.
Oh no, you're not, You're late,but whatever, dude like you.
We just talked about it.
There's nothing more that needsto be said.

(56:17):
We want to see the best playersin the world playing at the
same venue.
I'm over it, you're over it.
How do you think the guys on tvthat are walking the walk and
talking the talk every week, youthink?
they're tired of listening tothese questions at their press
conferences?

Graham (56:34):
of course they are brando champley, everybody, dude
, everybody, I know, it'severybody Brando Chamblee,
everybody, dude, everybody.

Announcer (56:43):
I know.

Scott (56:46):
It's everybody, that guy.
I mean it's time for us,besides the majors, to see these
guys playing again.
And you know, part of it goesback and I'll forever say this
Liv is the Roman numeral forwhat?
54.
Because they only play 54 holes.

(57:06):
You only get world rankingpoints if you play a 72-hole
tournament.
If they would have named theirtour whatever the hell that's
going to be in Roman numerals,we wouldn't even care, because
these players would be allowedto play in the majors.
They knew what they weregetting when they signed up.

(57:27):
They knew they weren't gettingworld ranking points.
They knew the deal.

Announcer (57:34):
So don't come whining to me about.

Graham (57:36):
I'm not exempt into the US Open or this or that 100%,
we'll just finish this horse,this dead horse that we're
beating.
If you're the organization andyou're this is like alright,
we're going to come up with anew thing.
If you know, like you have tothink that eventually you're

(57:56):
going to get these world.
Like you can't start somethingwhen you know these players will
not get world ranking points.
Like you don't think like, didthey really think that just
offering them all this money, itwill be enough for them to be
like okay, I don't care aboutthis anymore.

Scott (58:11):
It obviously worked.

Graham (58:15):
I mean yeah.

Scott (58:17):
But when you got guys like Brooks, who've won the US
Open before they went there,he's exempt into the majors for
X amount of years.
You've got Rahm that won theMasters, you've got Bryson that
won the US Open.

Announcer (58:31):
They're exempt.

Graham (58:35):
Yeah, I mean, I just— You've got Phil who's exempt
into every Masters.
Isn't Phil like 55 by now?
Like he's like Because he wonthe PGA when he was 50?
And how long ago was that?
Like four years at least, atleast, yeah.

Scott (58:53):
That's what I'm saying.

Graham (58:55):
I mean he should he said he should be playing.
I wouldn't say should beplaying on the tour, but on the
PGA tour.
But like I mean he could comeback.
I mean obviously just do themajors and play like a couple of
them here and there, but likeyo kick it with the other homies
your age on the Champions Tour,like what's up?

Scott (59:11):
No cuts, guaranteed money .

Graham (59:17):
Well, it's not even that , guys that you and I watched 98
to like 2008,.
Like those years, like all ofthose guys.
They're like primed, ready togo on the tour Now.
Ernie yells, you know, like allthose guys, it's just like I
mean, it's, yeah, I you ain'twrong, it's time.

(59:39):
Let's just get it over withSpeaking of time.
Hey, you ain't wrong, it's time.
Let's just get it over withSpeaking of time.
Hey, newsflash.
Did you know that the salarycap in the NFL guess what?
It went up again, Surprise.
Oh wait, Was that a surprise?

Scott (59:52):
No, not when the NFL is making a shit ton on every
platform.
Everything, everything,everything.

Graham (01:00:04):
Like you can't just keep paying quarterbacks more money.
Like you have to play the otherplayers on your team.
Like you can't have thesequarterbacks making now $65
million but yet you're runningback on the league and get $15
million Dude, and that's why.
You're telling me SaquonBarkley ain't worth $15 million.
Saquon Barkley should have beengetting $25 million this year

(01:00:25):
for what he did.

Scott (01:00:26):
And, like Billy says, every time we bring up Saquon
Barkley, he goes that Giantsgeneral manager should be hired
and fired every day for the restof his career for not giving my
guy.
The Giants should hire him inthe morning and fire him by noon
every day for not paying Saquon.
But the salary cap, dude,they're announcing it's going to

(01:00:48):
be between 275 and 282 million.
And something I heard the otherday and I put it in the notes
10 years ago, only 10 years ago,okay, the salary cap was 140
million.
10, only 10 years ago, okay,the salary cap was $140 million.
10 years ago, three years ago,it was barely over $200 million.

Graham (01:01:11):
That's why they all want to play football, bro.

Scott (01:01:14):
It's nuts, nuts.

Graham (01:01:18):
Well, that or the NBA I mean the top guys in the NBA are
making $60 million.
Now We'll be making almost $70million yeah.
It's just insane.

Scott (01:01:28):
But there's only 12 people on a.
How many people are on an NBAroster?
12, 13?
, yeah, and eight play Nine,yeah, pretty much.
I mean you got 53 on a roster,or actually 56, 57 on an NFL
roster, but only 53 can dress.
That's why you got these dudesin your organization, these

(01:01:51):
salary cap negotiators that knowwhat the hell they're doing.
Ed McGuire has been with theChargers forever and his only
job is salary cap negotiations.
It's him and Ortiz negotiatingwith the player's agent and

(01:02:14):
creative ways to get aroundsalary cap.
You know sign-in bonuses, this,that.
But dude rumors flying aroundall over the league.
Dude and the one that's makingthe biggest headlines is
Stafford got permission tosearch for a trade.

(01:02:34):
We talked about it a little bitlast week.
I don't know, man.

Graham (01:02:42):
I mean Stafford's biggest value Last week, I don't
know man, stafford's biggestvalue.

Scott (01:02:46):
I'm going to get a beer while you're talking about this
because I'm out.
I didn't know we were going togo this long.
This is great.

Graham (01:02:51):
His biggest value.
For the Rams to get what theywant would be to go to a team
that has the pieces and is aquarterback away.
How many teams are in that typeof situation?
I can be, you know I don't wantto say naive or a homer here,

(01:03:13):
but Pittsburgh could be, youknow, one of those teams.
I mean, look, we still need alittle help in free agency and
obviously with the draft.
But just kind of thinking aboutit, like, who are the teams
that's a quarterback away thatif you plugged and played right
now, he's going to be thedifference maker.
I mean, we're looking for a teamthat was the Rams a few years

(01:03:34):
ago, that traded Goff to get himand those couple of first round
picks and look what happened.
They won the Super Bowl thatyear.
So it can work, but it's allperceived value.
The Rams are saying go outthere, see what you can get.
And I'm kind of curious whatwould a team give up for him?
I mean, yeah, the Rams say theywant a first, but is someone

(01:03:57):
really giving them a first, andthen especially a team that
really wants to get him reallygiving them a first, and then
especially a team that reallywants to get him.
I mean I, what are you gonnagive your 15th overall pick?
Or you can give away your 20thoverall pick, or 28th.
I mean I, well, at 28 you're agood team, you don't even need a
quarterback.
So I just I just can't foresee afirst round pick going um.

(01:04:19):
Would you give up a second?
Most likely.
I mean, look, he's 36 now, Ibelieve.
I mean, look, he can stillsling it.
Dude has an arm.
He had a little bit of injuries.
You know these last two yearsper se, um.
But I mean he's a machine, he's.
I mean I won't say first ballot, but I mean he's a hall of

(01:04:43):
famer.
You can't say that he's not.
I mean, I'd argue I've.
I've know we've made this pointalready on the show before, but
I would feel more confidentputting in matt stafford over
eli manning into the hall offame all day, every day.
Granted, they're both stillgoing to get in, but I'm just

(01:05:03):
saying I can make a case forStafford over Eli, no problem.
Just the fact that he beat TomBrady twice in two of the most
unbelievable games ever, and hewon MVP both of those times.
Like I get it, you beat theundefeated Patriots, and like I
get it.
But when your record as astarter is barely over .500, and

(01:05:26):
then your touchdowns andinterceptions is barely over
.500, it's like Not to mentionyour defense both of those games
and seasons of their work.

Announcer (01:05:37):
Oh yeah.

Scott (01:05:39):
Stupid.

Graham (01:05:39):
Yeah, I mean that's what I'm saying.

Scott (01:05:40):
I mean we're also talking about a league, where Brad
Johnson won a Super Bowl.
Why?

Graham (01:05:48):
Defense.
I mean all three phases.
You want to talk about defense.
What do the Eagles do?
What did that defensive line do?
Like, yeah, you need a prolificoffense, but you need to have a
defense.
I mean, I think I saw a statthat said the last 10 super bowl
winners, all their defenseswere top tens.
Believe it?

Scott (01:06:07):
100 believe it like.

Graham (01:06:10):
So, that being said, now I'm sure you were listening
like can you think of a team I'mthinking the only team that
stafford's going to is playoffready team.
Right, how many playoff readyteams don't have a quarterback
or could be a playoff ready team?
I mean, there's a couple teamsthat took us by surprise,
obviously.

(01:06:30):
What denver did even.
I mean, I mean, granted, theydidn't make the playoffs, but
they were right there.

Scott (01:06:34):
Denver made the Washington was a piece away.

Graham (01:06:36):
Yeah, sorry, stop myself .
I'm don't know why I said that.
Um, I guess are there teamsthat we don't think could be a
playoff, like I mean, like whocould he go to?
And not being a homer for mewith Pitzer, but like where
could he go that you're justlike throw him in there.

(01:06:56):
I mean, it ain't the Giants Ifhe went to the Jets.

Scott (01:07:01):
We've seen that with Rodgers going to the Jets,
Granted he was hurt.
To answer your question, I haveno idea what the right answer
is.
There isn't.

Graham (01:07:12):
So if there's not enough value, what do the Rams do?
Because his number is large.

Scott (01:07:19):
Yeah, I looked it up 49.7 .

Graham (01:07:24):
That's what I'm saying seven years old so they
obviously want to try to getsomething for him, like they're
not cutting him right you can'tdo that so they got to pay him.
So what?
Okay, if you're stan kronenkeor oh.
No, that's the owner, it's Leswhat's his name?
Yeah, I forget the GM there?

(01:07:44):
I can't think of it.
If you're him, you're going tocatch 22 Because what you could
do with that money Based if hegoes away?
Teams have to know thatsituation, so they're going to
loathe ball them on the trade100%.

Scott (01:08:00):
What do?

Graham (01:08:01):
you give up for him.

Scott (01:08:02):
You're not giving a first .

Graham (01:08:03):
I'm not giving a first.

Scott (01:08:04):
No, no, no, no chance.

Graham (01:08:08):
Is a second too much.

Scott (01:08:11):
Like you said, you were asking what team is a plug and
play that he could helpinstantly.
If he goes to your team, doeshe give the Steelers a better
chance outdoors he's neverplayed outdoors than Fields or

(01:08:35):
do the Steelers go all out andtry to get Sam Darnold, who's 10
years younger?

Graham (01:08:41):
no, because they don't want to pay Darnold, but Darnold
wants to get Sam Darnold, who's10 years younger.
No, because they don't want topay Darnold what Darnold wants
to get paid and plus, yeah, heplayed well, but you saw what
happened in the playoff game.
Whose fault was that?

Scott (01:08:53):
I don't disagree.

Graham (01:08:55):
I mean, my thing is, they don't want to trade him
within the division.
What about him going to?

Scott (01:08:59):
Seattle.
I know that's not going tohappen unless he gets cut.

Graham (01:09:04):
I mean, that was the only.
I'm just trying to think ofteams that could be, because the
Raiders need too many people.
I'm just going division to buydivision in my head and I'm like
what do people need?
You know what I mean?
Saints have too much to go in away.
I'm just going through all thedivisions and it's just like I

(01:09:26):
mean maybe I mean Indy, I don'tknow they got it's.
You know like it's just such ahe's in, he's in such a weird
position that it's just likeyou're dangling that fruit out
and you're just like come on,can I get some nibbles?

(01:09:47):
Anyone Feeler?
And it's like is the priceright?
Is this going to be another oneof those scenarios where it's
just like how did this guy gofor that little?
Or how did he go over there forthat?
How did they get this guy, Idon't know Go for that little?
Or how do you go over there forthat?
How did they get this guy?

Scott (01:10:05):
Like I don't know, like Randy Moss, to the Patriots out
here for a sixth-round pick fromthe.

Graham (01:10:13):
Raiders, dude, I don't know how, what?
No, only in the NFL can oneman's trash be another man's
trash Like oh, let's just getrid of him.
Like he's a cancer to thelocker room.
So let's just get rid of himfor nothing.
And the next thing you knowit's like I'm an all-pro now.

Scott (01:10:29):
It's crazy.

Graham (01:10:30):
Yeah, he's washed, he's washed.

Scott (01:10:32):
I don't know what to say about Stafford.
That's a weird one.

Graham (01:10:39):
Totally weird one.
I mean it'd be in division.
I'd say trade him for the cardbills for what's-his-name.
I mean I don't even like.

Scott (01:10:50):
Murray's getting paid $45 .
At least he's 10 years younger.

Graham (01:10:55):
I'm scanning my brain right now.
The different teams are likewhere could he go?
Either he stays or it'sPittsburgh, or who yeah?

Scott (01:11:07):
It's a great question.
That's why we love the NFLbecause it keeps on.

Graham (01:11:11):
I mean I'll take him for a year.
I mean, if I had to make a betright now, you know if my life
was on the line he's staying, Iagree, he's going to have to
renegotiate that.

Scott (01:11:25):
But the problem is, if he renegotiates that contract,
what's that mean?
They've got to put years on theback end of it.
He's 37.

Graham (01:11:35):
Yeah, but then they'll just cut him.

Scott (01:11:37):
You're still.

Graham (01:11:38):
Yeah, no, but it'll be signing bonus.
Still, that still affects yeah,no, but it'll be signing bonus.

Scott (01:11:41):
Still, that still affects ?
Yeah, it does.
Signing bonus goes against cap.
Signing bonus goes against capIf you have to.
I thought I gave you $10million as a signing bonus for a
two-year deal.
The cap you get, half it goes.
They divide it for every yearyou're under contract.

Graham (01:12:03):
Oh, I always thought Tom Brady just took less.

Scott (01:12:06):
The reason why he took less is because they offered him
less.
But they would give him a $20million sign-in bonus for five
years and X amount on his salary, and so the sign-in bonus was
only four or five a year.
And that's the thing going inwith BOSA.
If everybody's sayingrenegotiate Bosa's contract,

(01:12:26):
that means we have to extend him.
You know, if we cut him we freeup 25 more million.
He only is 11 of dead cap space.
If we renegotiate it.

Graham (01:12:40):
And there's people to get, yeah.

Scott (01:12:44):
I mean if we, if we cut Bosa, if we renegotiate it and
there's people to get.
Yeah, I mean if we, if we cutbosa, if we cut pipkins which is
probably going to happen we'regoing to have around with the
new cap.
We're going to have about 100to spend, which is insane.
Yeah, yeah, but once again,it's which way do you want to
attack everything you know?

Graham (01:13:04):
Tell you one thing Najee is going to look good in that
Charger jersey.

Scott (01:13:07):
That's another crazy thing, steelers, why, why are
you going to let him go?
He's had 1,000 yards everyseason.
He's young.

Graham (01:13:20):
I don't disagree.
I think it's all how much moneyI mean, it's all I mean, I
don't.
He's young.
I don't disagree.
I think it's all how much moneyI mean, it's all I mean, I
don't.

Scott (01:13:26):
He's young.

Announcer (01:13:29):
Yeah.

Scott (01:13:31):
I don't think, I mean I don't think the Chargers are
going to sign him just becausethis running back class is
ridiculous, coming out,absolutely ridiculous.

Graham (01:13:43):
Which is why I don't think Pittsburgh would sign.
You know, what I mean.

Announcer (01:13:46):
Pittsburgh they have no problem drafting a running
back.

Scott (01:13:49):
Yeah, it's going to be a tough year to be a free agent
running back with these peoplecoming out of the draft.

Graham (01:13:55):
Which is ridiculous because the cap's going up.
How can you spend more money onother people but you keep
devaluing the running back Makeit make sense, and we just saw
what giving a stud running backdoes.
You'd think he'd be the personthat helps the situation, but
when you're one of one, andDerrick Henry, yeah, I know, but

(01:14:17):
anyhow, we got the combinecoming up.

Scott (01:14:22):
We got free agency starting in less than a month
March Madness is around thecorner.
Sports are going.
We're not even in an NFL seasonand we just went an hour and X
minutes and Graham was worriedabout 45.

Graham (01:14:48):
No, I just you.
I had a reason for that, allright, and there's no reason to
get into it now, but anyway,anyhow.

Scott (01:14:52):
Uh, what next week should be good.
Who knows what we're going totalk about, but I have something
for an hour.

Graham (01:15:05):
It's like so hockey's back, all right, cool.
No, you know like what's likethere's no all-star weekend like
now.
It's like all right, regularhockey games, spring training,
nba, I don't know, collegebaskets, we'll figure it out.

Scott (01:15:16):
We got a little golf, I don't know, college baskets,
we'll figure it out Little golf,but Graham get us out of here.

Graham (01:15:24):
Scott, as I always like to say at this time, it's a
pleasure doing the podcast withyou.
I enjoy how you make fun of meall the time and say things that
don't need to be mentionedbecause they're going to get
edited.
But, all that being said, Ilove you.
I love looking at your faceright now.
You're going to light me upright now and I can't wait for

(01:15:47):
it.
So, that being said, as thebest homie always says, buh-bye.

Scott (01:15:53):
Good night friends.
Good night Graham.
Please memorize the opening ofour episode.
It's only episode number X andyou still can't get it right.
Slap your face moment before weever hit record.
I love you, booba.

Announcer (01:16:19):
This episode of the Ball Guys on the Bench podcast
is brought to you by our friendsat Northstar Credit Union and
Southern Auto, located inSoutheast Virginia.