April 29, 2025 • 24 mins
Tony and Austin chat Bengals and Reds with Fox 19's Joe Danneman on ESPN 1530!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is Cincy Shirts Cincy three sixty About Cincinnati from Cincinnati,
sponsored in part by Cincy Shirts. Cincy Shirts, All Cincy,
all Day. This is ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports station.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Welcome back, It is Cincy three sixty and it's hour
number two. Thanks to our friends at Cincy Shirts. Of
course here and our number two. With our talkbacks, you
can win a Cincy Shirts gift card by leaving us
the best talkback of the week. Our next guest joins
us each and every Tuesday here at one o'clock. Also
is a fan of talkbacks from Fox nineteen, Joe Daniman,
(00:39):
What's up?
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Joe taking a break from one hundred Men Versus Gorilla
and Tarry Ethan's mom against the Warriors Sandy to talk
Cincinnati sports with my favorite two radio host.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Well, you can't say that and then just not expect
to dive in. Who do you got one hundred, one
hundred men or a gorilla?
Speaker 3 (01:03):
I got one hundred men, and I've found the debate fascinating.
I find the simulations, whether they're AI or some kind
of a graphic something that I can't turn my eyes from.
I think the humans have to use two things to
their advantage. Here a the numbers and be our intelligence.
And I was looking up some stats, guys looking up
(01:24):
stats on one hundred men versus gorilla reshirt. Research shows
that a gorilla can lift up to twenty seven times
their full body weight. They can tear down banana trees
without trying hard. They've escaped from cages by bending iron bars,
and they have a bite force around one three hundred
pounds per square inch, double that of a lion. So
(01:45):
what you gotta find and understand is you can't do
this with one hundred people all at once, right, that's
the young people there be. There has to be waves
of like fifteen to twenty, and that first waves has
to be guys with no futures. Man have to be
the guys that are willing to just go in there,
distract the heck out of the gorilla, take the kill shot,
(02:06):
and let other people jump on from behind. And those
first wave of people, even jumping off from behind, are
probably going to be shooken off or taken and thrown.
But I think eventually enough people will be in on
some limbs to latch on the limbs and wear the
gorilla down. I think the only way you do it though,
is just by piling bodies and suffocating him eventually, the
(02:30):
only way it happens. But I do think, uh, the
the idea of the sheer numbers and the intelligence of
the strategy can give the one hundred men. I think
the advantage in this.
Speaker 4 (02:41):
Fight sheer numbers and the intelligence of the strategy.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
A guy that would go and do this. You know,
you talk about intelligence, and any guy that would do
this wouldn't have any intelligence. So I'm kind of speaking
out of both sides.
Speaker 4 (02:57):
The worst thing to get some of the more less
intelligent folks out the way.
Speaker 5 (03:01):
I mean that should probably do it. Joe, thanks for
joining us that.
Speaker 4 (03:05):
Joe, enjoy the derby.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Everyone's got a great Everyone's got an opinion. How do
you view the six draft picks that were made as
a whole here by the Cincinnati Bengals over the weekend.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
I think there are some scenes guys that came out
of what the Bengals did, and I think Zach Taylor
talked about them after the Bengals finished up on Saturday night. Look,
we go back and talk about and think about last season,
and we've talked about that on this show. The idea
that it just didn't feel right, especially at the beginning
of the year. It just didn't feel right in the
locker room, it didn't feel right on the field, And
(03:41):
I think the Bengals went a long way this offseason,
not just in the draft, but also on their coaching
staff to try to to try to fix that, to
try to remedy that. And we can talk about the
high character guys the Bengals brought in the great locker
room guys that stuff matters. The Bengals are betting on
not not only talent, but chemistry locker room for helping
(04:05):
them get back on the get back of the playoffs.
And the other thing too, I think guys that we're
seeing here with this team and what they did in
the draft is I think the Bengals are betting on
their coaches. I think they're betting on their coaches that
they can help develop these guys and get these guys
to a level where you're looking at the especially the
first three picks and maybe eventually more can all be
(04:25):
contributors early maybe even from starters out of that group.
Certainly in the first few rounds. They're looking at those
guys as starters. But I think they wanted to write
what just felt wrong inside the locker room last year.
And I also think they're just betting on themselves that
they can develop better now, especially with the defensive coaching
staff and the changes they made. They're and also on
(04:46):
the offensive line as well, and I don't think those
things can be discounted. It's not just free agency, it's
not just the draft. It's also new coaches, and I
think the Bengals are betting on those three things coming together.
And we can all sit here today and say this
team is better. There's no doubt this team is better
now than then where what they were at the end
of the season. But are they markedly better? Have they?
(05:09):
Are they closing the gap on the real contenders in football?
The Super Bowl champions? Have they closed the gap enough
on the Philadelphia Eagles that they can win a Super
Bowl this coming season. That'll be determined. But what you're
seeing the Bengal was betting on right now is that
a better locker room and betting on their coaches being
better at developing players is going to be a difference
(05:30):
maker for this team this season.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
It does feel and I did think the theme coming
out was that inside the walls of that stadium. They
feel like they are closer than maybe what some of
the people that look at this team from the outside
view that they are. They feel, as you mentioned, with
new coaches and some new schemes and some fresh starts,
and the way maybe they finished the year last year,
that they are better from a roster construction standpoint that
(05:55):
maybe others didn't think they were. Do you believe that
to be true? Do you think that there is more
to this roster when you look at the fumble against
the Patriots and the fourth and long against Kansas City
and the leads blown against Baltimore. Is this roster, as
currently constructed, closer than maybe what we viewed as so
many big holes in this offseason?
Speaker 3 (06:17):
Yeah, I think this is a playoff team. I don't
think anybody is going to argue against that. After what
happened last year, it seemed like anything that could go
wrong did go wrong outside of injuries to the biggest
names on this team, and they still were there in
the final week of the season, needing some help, maybe
just to get to the playoffs. But they were there
(06:37):
that despite what happened and everything that did go wrong.
Certainly the Bengals are banking on some of the draft
picks they've made in recent years, especially in the secondary,
and that's the one area of coming out of the
draft that I am still very concerned about. And it's
not just a safety position with Jordan Battle and Geno Stone.
To me, that doesn't feel like it's good enough on
(07:01):
for this team to take the kind of leak defensively
they want to take. But it's also the question marks
there at corner as well. Cam Taylor Britt did not
have a good season last year. He would tell you
that he had confidence issues. Can he get that fixed?
Dax Hill has question marks coming back from a devastating
injury and trying to get back to the form he
was having. Who's going to play slot? Is it going
(07:23):
to be Is it going to be Josh Newton? Is
he ready for that kind of jump? So there are
a lot of questions in the secondary that the Bengals
didn't answer. But we all understood that there's no way
the Bengals can fix everything in one offseason. We talked
about it during the season, the idea that this wasn't
going to be fixed during the year and probably wasn't
(07:43):
going to be fixed in one offseason. But I do
think the Bengals took a lot of steps towards fixing it,
and I do think there are some positives looking at
what they've done both in free agency and in the
draft to make this defense better. There's no question they've
thrown resources at it the draft by using four of
their six picks on defense. But I think they're still
(08:04):
banking on some of these young players that were there
last year to take a next step as well, and
that certainly comes with, at least from the fan base,
I'm sure, just a bit of trepidation wondering if these
guys can do it, are they capable of taking a
next step? And it starts with me in the secondary
that they didn't address really at all in the offseason
(08:25):
and free agency or the draft, And I think that's
why there's a lot of pressure on a pick like
Demetrius Knight in the second round because of the butterfly
effect that it has that they didn't draft the guard
there and that they forced themselves to draft the garden
round three, and by doing so, they didn't address safety,
and so there's a butterfly effect to all these picks,
and that's why you know, looking at this, you know
(08:48):
as a whole on defense. Yeah they got better up front,
Yeah they got better at linebacker, but the secondary to
me still feels like a big question. And I think
you're seeing the Bengals right now really banking on the
draft picks they've made in recent years for those guys
to continue to take a next step going forward.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
Dan Horde joined US last week and said that he
believed that guard was the biggest hole that this team
has on the current roster. That was ahead of the
NFL Draft. Coming out of the draft weekend, are you
comfortable with where this team is at guard or are you
still a little bit of cautious?
Speaker 3 (09:22):
Yeah, somewhere in between. I liked Fairchild. I thought Ratlers
was going to be the guy in the second round
and I thought that was the slam dunk to put
him right next to a Marius Men's and not worry
about it for several years. But Dylan Fairchild is I
don't want to use the word specialists, but that's what
he does. He's he's a great pass protecting guard. And
(09:43):
we know how much the Bengals pass, and so I
think it fits what they're trying to do. Now can
he be coached up by the new offensive line coach.
And it goes back to my original point of them
banking on em, betting on themselves and the coaching staff
to help Dylan Fairchild round out the rest of his game.
I'm not totally comfortable with where they are at guard.
(10:05):
Is it going to be Patrick? Is it gonna be Ford?
Is it gonna be Vulson? Could Vulson be a guy
they cut considering how much money they do owe him
coming up here this coming season. So there's still question marks,
So you can't be totally comfortable with where they are.
I do like the presence of Dylan Fairchild. I liked
everything he said, and he got drafted in the day
(10:27):
he was here in Cincinnati. I think that goes for
all the guys that they brought into town, and especially
Shamar Stewart as well, because there was a lot of
questions guys about Shamar Stewart and the production versus the talent.
But when he walked into the room and the way
he kind of carried himself in his brief visit to Cincinnati,
there's there's a real presidence about this guy. And you know,
(10:49):
I know, you have to be cautious about those intangible
kind of things, especially when it comes to NFL players.
But but he has a lot of the it that
we didn't feel when Miles Murphy on his first visit
here to Cincinnati after being a first round draft pick.
And I'm just talking personality and presence. But Shamar Stewart
has that stuff, and I think that stuff matters. Now
(11:12):
we'll see what it looks like on Sundays. I am
a believer in Shamar Stewart and that his ability will
ultimately lead to a success. I mean, he's instantly what
a top five athlete on the team already before ever
practicing with the Bengals, just based on his numbers, because
he told me he was dunking at five to nine
in sixth grade. That's the kind of athlete this guy is.
(11:35):
That That's that's ridiculous. So Samar Stewart, I'm a believer
in him. But when it comes to guards back to
your original question, Tony, I don't know how you can't
wonder about what the what the plan might be once
they get into the off season, work here on the
field in the coming weeks, and then certainly in the
training camp of who's going to start on the other
(11:55):
side of Dylan Fairchild, assuming that fair Child is the
starter of.
Speaker 4 (11:59):
Day one, and some say that the selection of Stewart
and where they're at roster wise, gives the Bengals a
little bit more leverage with the Trey Hendrickson situation. Do
you agree with that? Do you think this past weekend
had any effect on those negotiations with Trey?
Speaker 3 (12:17):
I hope not, because the Bengals need him and until
Shamar Stewart can be a proven commodity, I don't see
how you can legitimately go into a season thinking you're
going to play for a division title and a division
as good as the AFC North, and then try to
win playoff games and ultimately try to get into a
Super Bowl without your best defensive player that you do
(12:39):
have control of at least for one more year. So
I don't see like maybe in the future, Shore, but
as of now, I don't see how this team can
legitimately seriously take the football field this coming season without
Trey Hendrickson on one side of that defensive line and
think they're going to be contender for whatever it is
(13:01):
they believe they can contend. For now, I've said all
along that with this team, when you have a quarterback
and there's one glaring need for this team, well there's more,
but one of the biggest glaring needs is that you
have to find ways to pressure the quarterback more that
you just have to keep taking swings at it until
you get it right. So I was in favor all
(13:22):
along whether it was interior defensive tackle who can get
pressure on the quarterback. And I think we know who
the Bengals are going to pick in the first round
next year. I would assume it's probably a defensive tackle
when the Bengals are on the clock in twenty twenty six.
But you got to keep taking swings at that position,
especially when there's a very good chance that Trey Hendrickson
(13:42):
isn't a Bengal after this coming season, and certainly to
your point, there's still a question mark on what his
future looks like for this season. But if the Bengals
are seriously going to take the field and look at
this as trying to win the AFC North and trying
to win playoff games and ultimately getting to where they
want to go, Trey Henderson has to be a part
of this formula. And I've still maintained that he'll be
(14:04):
a Bengaled this coming season. After that, I'm not.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
Sure Joda switch gears for a moment here. The Reds
have won five in a row. We know that the
starting pitching has been good this season, but from a
hitting standpoint, from a lineup construction standpoint, they're showing a
little bit more consistency. Is there anything that you've been
able to point to or see that maybe has led
to some more success at the dish?
Speaker 3 (14:27):
Okay, So let me talk through this with you guys,
because I'm trying not to sound like a hater, Okay,
and I know that's what it would sound like if
I said this. I'm just still curious about the Reds
against really good teams. A graphic popped up on my
timeline yesterday when I was skipping through one hundred men
versus Gorilla, and it was this graphic of the number
(14:50):
of teams in Major League Baseball and the number of
games they played against teams over five hundred or under
five hundred. And the Reds right now have one of
the three or four easiest schedules so far in this season.
And the question is, you know what's real and what
isn't now. I think what is real so far is,
(15:10):
and we said it before the season, is that this
pitching staff is good enough for this team to go
to the playoffs, whether that be by winning the division
title or maybe sneaking in on a wild card if
one of these Juggernauts doesn't figure it out. I mean,
the Atlanta Braves seem like they're starting to figure it
out at this point. But I think we can bank
(15:32):
on this pitching staff, even with an injury or two
that's going to come throughout the season. There's enough depth
in the organization that they're going to pitch enough. The
question is the hitting is the Gavin Lux is the
Austin Hayes? Is the production from the catcher position? Is
that stuff going to continue when the schedule gets harder?
(15:52):
And again, I don't want to sound like a hater,
I'm just very curious if that kind of production from
those guys is sustainable at this point. I mean, Gavin
Lux leads the team in batting averags tied to the
team lead, and hits tied to the team leading extra
base hits. Austin Hayes is hitting three sixty plus, leads
the team in home runs or is tied with Elie
(16:12):
da La Cruz, and then that the catchers are doing
what the catchers are doing. And I think there has
to be a hack tip right to Nick Crawl for
the guys he hand picked this offseason that the luxe
is the Hayeses Travinos the trade for Brady Singer. But
I am curious that when the schedule turns and they
play the Braves soon and the Astros soon and the
Cubs soon, what it's going to look like because on
(16:35):
that same graphic that I talked about with the Reds,
you know, the Cubs haven't played a team this year
with a losing record and they're leading the division. So
the series against the Rockies and the series against the Marlins,
those are coming for the Chicago Cubs. And at the
Reds best pass of making the playoffs is to winning
the NL Central, and I do believe that's probably accurate
(16:58):
for this team. I think it has to with even
though the five wins in a row in the winning
record good on them, I think there has to be
just a little bit of caution to see them do
it when they play the better teams.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
Your confidence from the highest confidence you have to the
least confidence you have in a player. Jamer Candelario, Spencer
steer Matt McLain right.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
Now, Matt McClane. Spencer steer Jamer Candelario. Okay, that's pretty easy.
That's pretty easy.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
At at what point would you be more concerned with McClain.
He's a little bit over seventy at bats right now.
I know he missed a ton of time, But at
what point would it get to a certain point where
you would say, Okay, maybe I am starting to get concerned,
or maybe you at least look and moving him down
the order a little bit.
Speaker 3 (17:40):
I don't know if I'm ever going to get there.
I don't want to be on the wrong side of
history with Matt McLain. I'll maintain sitting here no matter
what his batting average is, that when he's in the
batter's box, I expect damage from him more than anybody
on the team, even right now when he's not going well,
and maybe la David Cruz and the adjustments we've seen
him and these half swing hits and him grounding the
(18:03):
ball down the third base line, and that that's so
exciting for the Red fan base and the Reds organization.
To see the adjustments he made to getting on base
and into being a harder out this season. But but
Matt McClain is a guy that I will never have
concerns with. I'm seeing signs of Spencer Steer hitting the
ball better. His mechanics do look better.
Speaker 6 (18:26):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
Jamer Candelario, I'm just almost all the way out on
the money. Would say you're probably not going to be
able to do that considering what they owe him. But
as of now, I'm just out on Candelario being an
everyday guy or a guy they rely on. So I
would go mclin Steer and then a big golf and
then Jamer Candelario.
Speaker 4 (18:48):
How do you expect the roster to shake out when
Tyler Stevenson does come back? That what you just said,
Candelario is not going anywhere.
Speaker 3 (18:58):
Yeah, that that's a really hard thing to figure out
for this team. I don't know, and that's coming that
That's gonna be a hard decision here. And what what
do they call those champagne problems? Isn't that? What was
that Taylor at Duke to said this offseason the champagne problems? Uh,
I don't know, Austin. I have a hard time believing
(19:19):
this team carries three catchers. Uh, so I would think
it would be Jose Travigno and Tyler Stevenson. And we'll
see what happens with Austin Wins. Even though he's Austin,
all he does is wins nice, still outstanding by you
that that to me would be the likely scenario of
what happens. But you know that's that's still several days away,
(19:40):
and something could pop up with you know, a Freely
going on the injured list or with his squad and
what's happening with him or or somebody else might have
to go down for a week or two. So, uh,
that's to be determined, but a good problem to have
that the Reds have to make hard decisions here in
late April and early May.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
Joe, you're the best Before I let you go. Seth
Rollins has teamed up with Paul Hayman. Bron Breaker is
now a member of that faction as well. Where do
you stand on on where Paul Hayman is aligned and
what's next for him?
Speaker 3 (20:13):
Three of my favorites Paul Hayman, Seth Rollins and bron Breaker.
And if we're going to do one hundred men versus Gorilla.
Give me one hundred bron Brak, Yes.
Speaker 5 (20:22):
Yep, then I feel I feel more confident.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
Feel pretty good about that. Give me prime brock Lesner,
give me prime bron Breaker. Give me one hundred of
WWE's best, and I think that Gorilla is going down.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Man, did you like the WWE contingent at the NFL
draft making some picks?
Speaker 3 (20:42):
I did. Wait when Seth Rollins was on TV, I
had to stop what I was doing. How can you
not just be entertained by everything that is Seth Rollins? So, yeah,
he's the one that caught my eye the most. Certainly
always the fashion and certainly the belt was was was
shining bright in Green Bay, Wisconsin. I love that problems.
Speaker 4 (21:05):
I do have one more question. Should we be worried
about Bill Belichick's well being?
Speaker 3 (21:10):
Yes? Yes, this thing's about the blow up. Doesn't it
feel like have you ever experienced so.
Speaker 5 (21:18):
You're trying to interview someone?
Speaker 3 (21:22):
Yeah, nothing did that extend? There have been people on
the side who said such and such person is not
answering that question. But that person came with a little
more cachet than then what Bill Belichick's girlfriend is doing?
That that whole thing. Uh just felt really slimy during
(21:42):
that interview, and I really wonder why they agreed to
do that interview and risks exposing themselves the way they did.
Uh that that's not going to be a good ending.
I think that's going to hit ahead here in the
next month or two.
Speaker 2 (21:57):
Certainly feels like it's it's coming to that. Joe Day,
You're the best. What's next? What's uh, what's what's going
on with with Fox nineteen that you can share with us?
Speaker 3 (22:07):
The Cincinnati Reds are on Fox nineteen tonight. Wow, what
about that ball back on local TV. We're doing this
nine times this year, nine different Tuesdays throughout the year.
This is our first simulcat to night is still Sadak
and Markin and Gaden's Law and Jim Day all the guys,
Sam LeCure, but we're simulcating. He's going to be on
(22:29):
Fox nineteen tonight. So pray for no rain over the
ballpark and we get Tuesdays. Look, we're trying to make
Tuesdays cool again. Right?
Speaker 5 (22:38):
Yeah? Thanks?
Speaker 3 (22:40):
You know what I'm saying there? We go married up,
married up, and we'll make a We'll make a Sincy
three sixty nights Scott on a Tuesday night as well.
I'll be there for it.
Speaker 4 (22:51):
I actually have another question you might not be able
to answer this. Do you think that eventually the future
of watching sports will be kind of in like the
Apple TV model where you get to choose what audio
you listen to?
Speaker 3 (23:07):
Yeah? I do. I do think that I haven't thought
about it that specifically about choosing which audio, but I
do think sports are going to kind of be an
a la carte app choosing as we go forward, we'll see.
I still think there's enough people in the generation of
mine and older that that are so used to finding
(23:30):
sports on on the TNTs or or the fan duels
or the ESPN, that that it's gonna be hard to
phase us out. But but I think your younger generation
might get to the point here in a couple of
decades where it's a la carte on streaming services.
Speaker 5 (23:49):
Danaman, You're the best.
Speaker 4 (23:50):
Thanks, Joe.
Speaker 6 (23:52):
Man, see you boys, Yeah Yeah Yes, Box nineteen Talkbacks Next,
ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.
Speaker 5 (24:04):
Thanks to Sinti shirts.
Speaker 3 (24:06):
Now your chance to win
This is Cincy Shirts Cincy three sixty About Cincinnati from Cincinnati,
sponsored in part by Cincy Shirts. Cincy Shirts, All Cincy,
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Speaker 2 (00:19):
Welcome back, It is Cincy three sixty and it's hour
number two. Thanks to our friends at Cincy Shirts. Of
course here and our number two. With our talkbacks, you
can win a Cincy Shirts gift card by leaving us
the best talkback of the week. Our next guest joins
us each and every Tuesday here at one o'clock. Also
is a fan of talkbacks from Fox nineteen, Joe Daniman,
(00:39):
What's up?
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Joe taking a break from one hundred Men Versus Gorilla
and Tarry Ethan's mom against the Warriors Sandy to talk
Cincinnati sports with my favorite two radio host.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Well, you can't say that and then just not expect
to dive in. Who do you got one hundred, one
hundred men or a gorilla?
Speaker 3 (01:03):
I got one hundred men, and I've found the debate fascinating.
I find the simulations, whether they're AI or some kind
of a graphic something that I can't turn my eyes from.
I think the humans have to use two things to
their advantage. Here a the numbers and be our intelligence.
And I was looking up some stats, guys looking up
(01:24):
stats on one hundred men versus gorilla reshirt. Research shows
that a gorilla can lift up to twenty seven times
their full body weight. They can tear down banana trees
without trying hard. They've escaped from cages by bending iron bars,
and they have a bite force around one three hundred
pounds per square inch, double that of a lion. So
(01:45):
what you gotta find and understand is you can't do
this with one hundred people all at once, right, that's
the young people there be. There has to be waves
of like fifteen to twenty, and that first waves has
to be guys with no futures. Man have to be
the guys that are willing to just go in there,
distract the heck out of the gorilla, take the kill shot,
(02:06):
and let other people jump on from behind. And those
first wave of people, even jumping off from behind, are
probably going to be shooken off or taken and thrown.
But I think eventually enough people will be in on
some limbs to latch on the limbs and wear the
gorilla down. I think the only way you do it though,
is just by piling bodies and suffocating him eventually, the
(02:30):
only way it happens. But I do think, uh, the
the idea of the sheer numbers and the intelligence of
the strategy can give the one hundred men. I think
the advantage in this.
Speaker 4 (02:41):
Fight sheer numbers and the intelligence of the strategy.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
A guy that would go and do this. You know,
you talk about intelligence, and any guy that would do
this wouldn't have any intelligence. So I'm kind of speaking
out of both sides.
Speaker 4 (02:57):
The worst thing to get some of the more less
intelligent folks out the way.
Speaker 5 (03:01):
I mean that should probably do it. Joe, thanks for
joining us that.
Speaker 4 (03:05):
Joe, enjoy the derby.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Everyone's got a great Everyone's got an opinion. How do
you view the six draft picks that were made as
a whole here by the Cincinnati Bengals over the weekend.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
I think there are some scenes guys that came out
of what the Bengals did, and I think Zach Taylor
talked about them after the Bengals finished up on Saturday night. Look,
we go back and talk about and think about last season,
and we've talked about that on this show. The idea
that it just didn't feel right, especially at the beginning
of the year. It just didn't feel right in the
locker room, it didn't feel right on the field, And
(03:41):
I think the Bengals went a long way this offseason,
not just in the draft, but also on their coaching
staff to try to to try to fix that, to
try to remedy that. And we can talk about the
high character guys the Bengals brought in the great locker
room guys that stuff matters. The Bengals are betting on
not not only talent, but chemistry locker room for helping
(04:05):
them get back on the get back of the playoffs.
And the other thing too, I think guys that we're
seeing here with this team and what they did in
the draft is I think the Bengals are betting on
their coaches. I think they're betting on their coaches that
they can help develop these guys and get these guys
to a level where you're looking at the especially the
first three picks and maybe eventually more can all be
(04:25):
contributors early maybe even from starters out of that group.
Certainly in the first few rounds. They're looking at those
guys as starters. But I think they wanted to write
what just felt wrong inside the locker room last year.
And I also think they're just betting on themselves that
they can develop better now, especially with the defensive coaching
staff and the changes they made. They're and also on
(04:46):
the offensive line as well, and I don't think those
things can be discounted. It's not just free agency, it's
not just the draft. It's also new coaches, and I
think the Bengals are betting on those three things coming together.
And we can all sit here today and say this
team is better. There's no doubt this team is better
now than then where what they were at the end
of the season. But are they markedly better? Have they?
(05:09):
Are they closing the gap on the real contenders in football?
The Super Bowl champions? Have they closed the gap enough
on the Philadelphia Eagles that they can win a Super
Bowl this coming season. That'll be determined. But what you're
seeing the Bengal was betting on right now is that
a better locker room and betting on their coaches being
better at developing players is going to be a difference
(05:30):
maker for this team this season.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
It does feel and I did think the theme coming
out was that inside the walls of that stadium. They
feel like they are closer than maybe what some of
the people that look at this team from the outside
view that they are. They feel, as you mentioned, with
new coaches and some new schemes and some fresh starts,
and the way maybe they finished the year last year,
that they are better from a roster construction standpoint that
(05:55):
maybe others didn't think they were. Do you believe that
to be true? Do you think that there is more
to this roster when you look at the fumble against
the Patriots and the fourth and long against Kansas City
and the leads blown against Baltimore. Is this roster, as
currently constructed, closer than maybe what we viewed as so
many big holes in this offseason?
Speaker 3 (06:17):
Yeah, I think this is a playoff team. I don't
think anybody is going to argue against that. After what
happened last year, it seemed like anything that could go
wrong did go wrong outside of injuries to the biggest
names on this team, and they still were there in
the final week of the season, needing some help, maybe
just to get to the playoffs. But they were there
(06:37):
that despite what happened and everything that did go wrong.
Certainly the Bengals are banking on some of the draft
picks they've made in recent years, especially in the secondary,
and that's the one area of coming out of the
draft that I am still very concerned about. And it's
not just a safety position with Jordan Battle and Geno Stone.
To me, that doesn't feel like it's good enough on
(07:01):
for this team to take the kind of leak defensively
they want to take. But it's also the question marks
there at corner as well. Cam Taylor Britt did not
have a good season last year. He would tell you
that he had confidence issues. Can he get that fixed?
Dax Hill has question marks coming back from a devastating
injury and trying to get back to the form he
was having. Who's going to play slot? Is it going
(07:23):
to be Is it going to be Josh Newton? Is
he ready for that kind of jump? So there are
a lot of questions in the secondary that the Bengals
didn't answer. But we all understood that there's no way
the Bengals can fix everything in one offseason. We talked
about it during the season, the idea that this wasn't
going to be fixed during the year and probably wasn't
(07:43):
going to be fixed in one offseason. But I do
think the Bengals took a lot of steps towards fixing it,
and I do think there are some positives looking at
what they've done both in free agency and in the
draft to make this defense better. There's no question they've
thrown resources at it the draft by using four of
their six picks on defense. But I think they're still
(08:04):
banking on some of these young players that were there
last year to take a next step as well, and
that certainly comes with, at least from the fan base,
I'm sure, just a bit of trepidation wondering if these
guys can do it, are they capable of taking a
next step? And it starts with me in the secondary
that they didn't address really at all in the offseason
(08:25):
and free agency or the draft, And I think that's
why there's a lot of pressure on a pick like
Demetrius Knight in the second round because of the butterfly
effect that it has that they didn't draft the guard
there and that they forced themselves to draft the garden
round three, and by doing so, they didn't address safety,
and so there's a butterfly effect to all these picks,
and that's why you know, looking at this, you know
(08:48):
as a whole on defense. Yeah they got better up front,
Yeah they got better at linebacker, but the secondary to
me still feels like a big question. And I think
you're seeing the Bengals right now really banking on the
draft picks they've made in recent years for those guys
to continue to take a next step going forward.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
Dan Horde joined US last week and said that he
believed that guard was the biggest hole that this team
has on the current roster. That was ahead of the
NFL Draft. Coming out of the draft weekend, are you
comfortable with where this team is at guard or are you
still a little bit of cautious?
Speaker 3 (09:22):
Yeah, somewhere in between. I liked Fairchild. I thought Ratlers
was going to be the guy in the second round
and I thought that was the slam dunk to put
him right next to a Marius Men's and not worry
about it for several years. But Dylan Fairchild is I
don't want to use the word specialists, but that's what
he does. He's he's a great pass protecting guard. And
(09:43):
we know how much the Bengals pass, and so I
think it fits what they're trying to do. Now can
he be coached up by the new offensive line coach.
And it goes back to my original point of them
banking on em, betting on themselves and the coaching staff
to help Dylan Fairchild round out the rest of his game.
I'm not totally comfortable with where they are at guard.
(10:05):
Is it going to be Patrick? Is it gonna be Ford?
Is it gonna be Vulson? Could Vulson be a guy
they cut considering how much money they do owe him
coming up here this coming season. So there's still question marks,
So you can't be totally comfortable with where they are.
I do like the presence of Dylan Fairchild. I liked
everything he said, and he got drafted in the day
(10:27):
he was here in Cincinnati. I think that goes for
all the guys that they brought into town, and especially
Shamar Stewart as well, because there was a lot of
questions guys about Shamar Stewart and the production versus the talent.
But when he walked into the room and the way
he kind of carried himself in his brief visit to Cincinnati,
there's there's a real presidence about this guy. And you know,
(10:49):
I know, you have to be cautious about those intangible
kind of things, especially when it comes to NFL players.
But but he has a lot of the it that
we didn't feel when Miles Murphy on his first visit
here to Cincinnati after being a first round draft pick.
And I'm just talking personality and presence. But Shamar Stewart
has that stuff, and I think that stuff matters. Now
(11:12):
we'll see what it looks like on Sundays. I am
a believer in Shamar Stewart and that his ability will
ultimately lead to a success. I mean, he's instantly what
a top five athlete on the team already before ever
practicing with the Bengals, just based on his numbers, because
he told me he was dunking at five to nine
in sixth grade. That's the kind of athlete this guy is.
(11:35):
That That's that's ridiculous. So Samar Stewart, I'm a believer
in him. But when it comes to guards back to
your original question, Tony, I don't know how you can't
wonder about what the what the plan might be once
they get into the off season, work here on the
field in the coming weeks, and then certainly in the
training camp of who's going to start on the other
(11:55):
side of Dylan Fairchild, assuming that fair Child is the
starter of.
Speaker 4 (11:59):
Day one, and some say that the selection of Stewart
and where they're at roster wise, gives the Bengals a
little bit more leverage with the Trey Hendrickson situation. Do
you agree with that? Do you think this past weekend
had any effect on those negotiations with Trey?
Speaker 3 (12:17):
I hope not, because the Bengals need him and until
Shamar Stewart can be a proven commodity, I don't see
how you can legitimately go into a season thinking you're
going to play for a division title and a division
as good as the AFC North, and then try to
win playoff games and ultimately try to get into a
Super Bowl without your best defensive player that you do
(12:39):
have control of at least for one more year. So
I don't see like maybe in the future, Shore, but
as of now, I don't see how this team can
legitimately seriously take the football field this coming season without
Trey Hendrickson on one side of that defensive line and
think they're going to be contender for whatever it is
(13:01):
they believe they can contend. For now, I've said all
along that with this team, when you have a quarterback
and there's one glaring need for this team, well there's more,
but one of the biggest glaring needs is that you
have to find ways to pressure the quarterback more that
you just have to keep taking swings at it until
you get it right. So I was in favor all
(13:22):
along whether it was interior defensive tackle who can get
pressure on the quarterback. And I think we know who
the Bengals are going to pick in the first round
next year. I would assume it's probably a defensive tackle
when the Bengals are on the clock in twenty twenty six.
But you got to keep taking swings at that position,
especially when there's a very good chance that Trey Hendrickson
(13:42):
isn't a Bengal after this coming season, and certainly to
your point, there's still a question mark on what his
future looks like for this season. But if the Bengals
are seriously going to take the field and look at
this as trying to win the AFC North and trying
to win playoff games and ultimately getting to where they
want to go, Trey Henderson has to be a part
of this formula. And I've still maintained that he'll be
(14:04):
a Bengaled this coming season. After that, I'm not.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
Sure Joda switch gears for a moment here. The Reds
have won five in a row. We know that the
starting pitching has been good this season, but from a
hitting standpoint, from a lineup construction standpoint, they're showing a
little bit more consistency. Is there anything that you've been
able to point to or see that maybe has led
to some more success at the dish?
Speaker 3 (14:27):
Okay, So let me talk through this with you guys,
because I'm trying not to sound like a hater, Okay,
and I know that's what it would sound like if
I said this. I'm just still curious about the Reds
against really good teams. A graphic popped up on my
timeline yesterday when I was skipping through one hundred men
versus Gorilla, and it was this graphic of the number
(14:50):
of teams in Major League Baseball and the number of
games they played against teams over five hundred or under
five hundred. And the Reds right now have one of
the three or four easiest schedules so far in this season.
And the question is, you know what's real and what
isn't now. I think what is real so far is,
(15:10):
and we said it before the season, is that this
pitching staff is good enough for this team to go
to the playoffs, whether that be by winning the division
title or maybe sneaking in on a wild card if
one of these Juggernauts doesn't figure it out. I mean,
the Atlanta Braves seem like they're starting to figure it
out at this point. But I think we can bank
(15:32):
on this pitching staff, even with an injury or two
that's going to come throughout the season. There's enough depth
in the organization that they're going to pitch enough. The
question is the hitting is the Gavin Lux is the
Austin Hayes? Is the production from the catcher position? Is
that stuff going to continue when the schedule gets harder?
(15:52):
And again, I don't want to sound like a hater,
I'm just very curious if that kind of production from
those guys is sustainable at this point. I mean, Gavin
Lux leads the team in batting averags tied to the
team lead, and hits tied to the team leading extra
base hits. Austin Hayes is hitting three sixty plus, leads
the team in home runs or is tied with Elie
(16:12):
da La Cruz, and then that the catchers are doing
what the catchers are doing. And I think there has
to be a hack tip right to Nick Crawl for
the guys he hand picked this offseason that the luxe
is the Hayeses Travinos the trade for Brady Singer. But
I am curious that when the schedule turns and they
play the Braves soon and the Astros soon and the
Cubs soon, what it's going to look like because on
(16:35):
that same graphic that I talked about with the Reds,
you know, the Cubs haven't played a team this year
with a losing record and they're leading the division. So
the series against the Rockies and the series against the Marlins,
those are coming for the Chicago Cubs. And at the
Reds best pass of making the playoffs is to winning
the NL Central, and I do believe that's probably accurate
(16:58):
for this team. I think it has to with even
though the five wins in a row in the winning
record good on them, I think there has to be
just a little bit of caution to see them do
it when they play the better teams.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
Your confidence from the highest confidence you have to the
least confidence you have in a player. Jamer Candelario, Spencer
steer Matt McLain right.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
Now, Matt McClane. Spencer steer Jamer Candelario. Okay, that's pretty easy.
That's pretty easy.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
At at what point would you be more concerned with McClain.
He's a little bit over seventy at bats right now.
I know he missed a ton of time, But at
what point would it get to a certain point where
you would say, Okay, maybe I am starting to get concerned,
or maybe you at least look and moving him down
the order a little bit.
Speaker 3 (17:40):
I don't know if I'm ever going to get there.
I don't want to be on the wrong side of
history with Matt McLain. I'll maintain sitting here no matter
what his batting average is, that when he's in the
batter's box, I expect damage from him more than anybody
on the team, even right now when he's not going well,
and maybe la David Cruz and the adjustments we've seen
him and these half swing hits and him grounding the
(18:03):
ball down the third base line, and that that's so
exciting for the Red fan base and the Reds organization.
To see the adjustments he made to getting on base
and into being a harder out this season. But but
Matt McClain is a guy that I will never have
concerns with. I'm seeing signs of Spencer Steer hitting the
ball better. His mechanics do look better.
Speaker 6 (18:26):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
Jamer Candelario, I'm just almost all the way out on
the money. Would say you're probably not going to be
able to do that considering what they owe him. But
as of now, I'm just out on Candelario being an
everyday guy or a guy they rely on. So I
would go mclin Steer and then a big golf and
then Jamer Candelario.
Speaker 4 (18:48):
How do you expect the roster to shake out when
Tyler Stevenson does come back? That what you just said,
Candelario is not going anywhere.
Speaker 3 (18:58):
Yeah, that that's a really hard thing to figure out
for this team. I don't know, and that's coming that
That's gonna be a hard decision here. And what what
do they call those champagne problems? Isn't that? What was
that Taylor at Duke to said this offseason the champagne problems? Uh,
I don't know, Austin. I have a hard time believing
(19:19):
this team carries three catchers. Uh, so I would think
it would be Jose Travigno and Tyler Stevenson. And we'll
see what happens with Austin Wins. Even though he's Austin,
all he does is wins nice, still outstanding by you
that that to me would be the likely scenario of
what happens. But you know that's that's still several days away,
(19:40):
and something could pop up with you know, a Freely
going on the injured list or with his squad and
what's happening with him or or somebody else might have
to go down for a week or two. So, uh,
that's to be determined, but a good problem to have
that the Reds have to make hard decisions here in
late April and early May.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
Joe, you're the best Before I let you go. Seth
Rollins has teamed up with Paul Hayman. Bron Breaker is
now a member of that faction as well. Where do
you stand on on where Paul Hayman is aligned and
what's next for him?
Speaker 3 (20:13):
Three of my favorites Paul Hayman, Seth Rollins and bron Breaker.
And if we're going to do one hundred men versus Gorilla.
Give me one hundred bron Brak, Yes.
Speaker 5 (20:22):
Yep, then I feel I feel more confident.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
Feel pretty good about that. Give me prime brock Lesner,
give me prime bron Breaker. Give me one hundred of
WWE's best, and I think that Gorilla is going down.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Man, did you like the WWE contingent at the NFL
draft making some picks?
Speaker 3 (20:42):
I did. Wait when Seth Rollins was on TV, I
had to stop what I was doing. How can you
not just be entertained by everything that is Seth Rollins? So, yeah,
he's the one that caught my eye the most. Certainly
always the fashion and certainly the belt was was was
shining bright in Green Bay, Wisconsin. I love that problems.
Speaker 4 (21:05):
I do have one more question. Should we be worried
about Bill Belichick's well being?
Speaker 3 (21:10):
Yes? Yes, this thing's about the blow up. Doesn't it
feel like have you ever experienced so.
Speaker 5 (21:18):
You're trying to interview someone?
Speaker 3 (21:22):
Yeah, nothing did that extend? There have been people on
the side who said such and such person is not
answering that question. But that person came with a little
more cachet than then what Bill Belichick's girlfriend is doing?
That that whole thing. Uh just felt really slimy during
(21:42):
that interview, and I really wonder why they agreed to
do that interview and risks exposing themselves the way they did.
Uh that that's not going to be a good ending.
I think that's going to hit ahead here in the
next month or two.
Speaker 2 (21:57):
Certainly feels like it's it's coming to that. Joe Day,
You're the best. What's next? What's uh, what's what's going
on with with Fox nineteen that you can share with us?
Speaker 3 (22:07):
The Cincinnati Reds are on Fox nineteen tonight. Wow, what
about that ball back on local TV. We're doing this
nine times this year, nine different Tuesdays throughout the year.
This is our first simulcat to night is still Sadak
and Markin and Gaden's Law and Jim Day all the guys,
Sam LeCure, but we're simulcating. He's going to be on
(22:29):
Fox nineteen tonight. So pray for no rain over the
ballpark and we get Tuesdays. Look, we're trying to make
Tuesdays cool again. Right?
Speaker 5 (22:38):
Yeah? Thanks?
Speaker 3 (22:40):
You know what I'm saying there? We go married up,
married up, and we'll make a We'll make a Sincy
three sixty nights Scott on a Tuesday night as well.
I'll be there for it.
Speaker 4 (22:51):
I actually have another question you might not be able
to answer this. Do you think that eventually the future
of watching sports will be kind of in like the
Apple TV model where you get to choose what audio
you listen to?
Speaker 3 (23:07):
Yeah? I do. I do think that I haven't thought
about it that specifically about choosing which audio, but I
do think sports are going to kind of be an
a la carte app choosing as we go forward, we'll see.
I still think there's enough people in the generation of
mine and older that that are so used to finding
(23:30):
sports on on the TNTs or or the fan duels
or the ESPN, that that it's gonna be hard to
phase us out. But but I think your younger generation
might get to the point here in a couple of
decades where it's a la carte on streaming services.
Speaker 5 (23:49):
Danaman, You're the best.
Speaker 4 (23:50):
Thanks, Joe.
Speaker 6 (23:52):
Man, see you boys, Yeah Yeah Yes, Box nineteen Talkbacks Next,
ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.
Speaker 5 (24:04):
Thanks to Sinti shirts.
Speaker 3 (24:06):
Now your chance to win
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