8/21/24 - The Mo Egger Radio Show

Paul Dehner Jr joins me to talk Bengals and Ja'Marr's reported asking price, and the next obvious question. Plus, my thank you to the Toronto Blue Jays.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Oh time in primetime.

Speaker 2 (00:01):
Hello spikes the ball in the back of the etside.

Speaker 1 (00:04):
Bengals and Colts top off their preseason schedule with a
furious four quarters and the Queen's sixty.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
Sixty three yards. The Magic is back.

Speaker 1 (00:14):
On last chance to get the Orange and Black ready
for a Super Bowl ruck backed the call from the
masters of the Mic Danhood and Dave lafa Coup. It
starts tomorrow at three on ESPN fifteen thirty, the official
home of the Bengals.

Speaker 3 (00:30):
What's up, Good afternoon. I'm Maleger and this is ESPN
fifteen thirty. Thank you for listening, Thanks for.

Speaker 4 (00:39):
For being there.

Speaker 2 (00:42):
What do we have?

Speaker 3 (00:43):
Bengals are not practicing today, but they have a game
tomorrow against the Colts. We have another round of a
training camp reports even though they're not doing anything today.
Tony is going to join us three forty five, four
forty five and five forty five, and I am going
to thank the Toronto Blue Jays. I'm gonna find something
to send the Toronto Blue Jays. We're going to get
to that a little bit later on, but first, our

(01:05):
buddy Paul Danner Junior is here from the Athletic covering
the Cincinnati Bengals. The Growler podcast Balllls Don't Lie latest
edition out today.

Speaker 2 (01:15):
Yes it is out with me and you. Yeah, we
took a shot let's talk defense.

Speaker 4 (01:19):
I enjoyed that.

Speaker 2 (01:20):
I mean, I feel like as much time as we
spend talking about this team every usually Tuesday for an
hour here you on my podcast throughout the off season,
I mean, we talk about a lot of weird stuff,
we go to a lot of odd places. We don't
go to the defense as much as you would think
all those things considered, and I thought, you know, that

(01:43):
this was a perfect time to do it, coming off
of the Really, I thought the exclamation point of them
kind of be in the quiet storyline of this Bengals camp. Yeah,
of how good they inconsistent they've kind of been. So
it was fun to kind of delve into that and
dive deeper. And there's a lot to you know, lots
to talk about that well.

Speaker 3 (02:01):
And it's interesting because you know when camp started and
it's Jamar Chase is the story right, and obviously Joe
Burrow in his health and how's he doing and how's
he looking, that's a big story. I remember I came
back from vacation and I said, I'm gonna do something
you don't want me to do. I'm gonna take your
head and I'm gonna move your head over here, because
over here's the defense. And you know, let's be honest,

(02:21):
mechanically speaking, this is a really big deal, and it's
it's important, and what's gonna happen on the field over
the next couple of weeks matters a lot. This is
one of the central storylines. And of course people didn't
want me touching their heads, but it did sort of
fly under the radar, at least at the early portion
of camp. And yet it's kind of taken hold of
one of the stories that so many good things have happened.

Speaker 2 (02:44):
Yeah, I feel like pretty consistently you've seen them winning.
You've seen them at every at every step they've held up,
whether we're talking about you know, going up against Joe Burrow.
They've had probably one more than they've lost. They've made plays,
they've gotten turnovers, they have found some young players emerging.

(03:07):
They went to the preseason game against Tampa and the
starters got a three and out and looked good, and
then you saw some of the depth there against Chicago
the next week where they looked. The two certainly looked
really good and shutting down Kayler Williams despite what happened
when he had one good throw against the threes, Kayla
Williams was great. That's totally separate that in those plays.
But let's be honest, that was really encouraging for the

(03:29):
Bengals depth there. The defense did really well in the
joint practice against Chicago and in the rain, and then
you come back here against the Colts and Anthon Richardson
can't compete a ball and now they're talking trash a
little bit. They were feeling themselves a little that's eerily
reminiscent of days of old, where they weren't yelling at
each other. They were yelling at the other team and

(03:50):
kind of taunting a little bit. And that's a little
bit of what you you remember from this defense. And
so as they've gone through this whole camp, they've just
kind of checked box is off and uh and And
while everyone's been talking about everything else, Luanna Romo's group
has been rebuilding itself and to be honest, really mad

(04:11):
and a chip on their shoulder about last year and
not in like the weird cliche way, like they're just mad,
they're embarrassed by what happened last year, and there's a
there's a never again attitude that you hear when you
talk to them about how they've approached this season. I
think that's kind of been apparent with some of the
intensity you've seen from them throughout camp and and now

(04:33):
into what's going to be the regular season.

Speaker 3 (04:35):
Around the corner, yeah, I mean, as as dreadful as
the game Saturday became as it unfolded, and and then
you know, we got to a point where it's Rocky
Lombardi and I'm kind of done. But for a chunk
of the afternoon, I was really excited about what I
was watching from Low's unit. Yeah, acknowledging that a lot
of those guys obviously aren't aren't starters, it was really encouraging,

(04:56):
really encouraging, well, because the depth was something that we've
focused so much on against ones.

Speaker 4 (05:03):
Yeah, like and then a team full of ones that
might be pretty good.

Speaker 2 (05:05):
Yeah, And and there's there's a lot of guys that
you know, you sit here and you're like, man, did
Josh Newton just have a one on one rep against
DJ Moore on a third down and own him? Essentially?
He was blanketed and knocked it down, and Newton had
his ups and downs, and he's a rookie or whatever,
but that's a high flash like that might be the

(05:27):
best individual rep by any member of this rookie class
throughout the entire camp in preseason. I mean to to
make you remember that stuff you don't forget when you're
looking for flashes. Right now, stuff like that is happening,
and so you know, they have invested heavily in the
depth here. They have a lot of high picks that
are not starting. They have guys they have paid that

(05:50):
are not necessarily in full roles are starting, and so
you you have a lot of those guys that are
gonna need to be the next wave for this team,
and probably it's be honest, be the guys that are
gonna need to get him through December and January, because
that's how this this goes. And Uh, to see that
I think was super encouraging, uh, for for where they're

(06:11):
at right now.

Speaker 3 (06:11):
Yeah, no, I mean, and you talked about this a
little bit on the podcast today, the very quick ascension
of daxx Hill from a guy who in the middle
of the offseason we were talking about like you know,
is the light bulb gonna come on? And is it
gonna come on in time for him to be a
factor this year to now? Like, not only might he
be a starter, I'm excited about how that might play
out as well.

Speaker 4 (06:33):
Yeah, I mean we.

Speaker 2 (06:33):
Were wondering if it's gonna be too big of an ask, right,
and like even though he was a first round pick,
it's you know, it just takes a while to learn it.
And you got to talk to lu An Rimo for
a little while about this yesterday and he sort of said, yeah,
I mean, it is a process and instincts for on
the outside. He's still gonna have to pick up those

(06:55):
and and and learn some of those. But everything else
that you've seen, he keeps making plays. He just keeps
looking the part, and they have allowed him to look
the part because he's been the starter for number for
a couple of weeks.

Speaker 5 (07:08):
Now.

Speaker 2 (07:08):
I mean, DJ Turner hasn't sent the first team, and
so it's it's over as far as it appears right now.
I mean, after especially after that joint practice where Dax
was tested a lot and continued to look good, it
feels like it's his job and and he earned it.
And that's that's the thing that the puzzle just looks

(07:29):
so much better when you have a Dax Hill becoming
a real number two. You love DJ Man, you love
DJ Turner is your fourth corner, and you love Josh
Newton fifth corner. If you have real cut and you
like Cam Taylor Britage your one. But you need to
know that you feel like you have conference in that too,
and that's still a projection, but you know, to see
what you've seen there, it makes it feel like the

(07:51):
whole secondary fits together so much better now if if
he can be what he kind of has shown that
is that he can be throughout camp, and.

Speaker 3 (08:00):
I just feel like there's a ton of upside. Oh yeah,
and maybe it's maybe it's not realized this year because
of the youth, but I just I look at the
the perfect you know, just if you fold the safeties
into the conversation, the perfect combo of a guy in
Von Bell who just does everything right, a reliable slot
guy in Mike Hilton you know what he is, and

(08:22):
ascending player in Geno Stone, and then you know early
round draft choices at the corner spots who have shown flashes.
You know, we all expect a big year from Cam
Taylor Britt. That's something you and I talked about today,
Like it's it really feels like the perfect combination if
you're trying to do a one to eighty from what
you were last.

Speaker 4 (08:38):
Year back there.

Speaker 2 (08:40):
Yeah, and so much of that, you know, guys playing
above their level instead of regressing, comes back to, you know,
some of the things that you mentioned, like just feeling
like they're playing confident and having an understanding, and that
goes back to Von Bell. I mean, we go back
to you know what we talked about, what are the
camp battles going to be a month ago and Jordan

(09:01):
battle versus Von Bell? Is that going to be a thing.
It's never once been a thing because the one thing
that everyone agrees upon is that von Bell has made
everyone so much more comfortable in the way that he
is communicating and that it has made a big difference
every day out there. And they've seen that grow not
only with him and Geno Stone, but with the linebackers

(09:21):
in front of them and with even the defensive line
and just that communication keeping everybody so much more confident.
I mean, the terms that's been used to me a
lot is we just were playing in chaos. Last year,
every game felt like chaos, and now it just feels
he said, he said, I'm here to create peace and
then violence, but peace and calm, so everyone feels like

(09:45):
they know exactly what's going on and can just go
play and be themselves. And that is how you get
young players to take the next step to play at
the level that they're physically capable of while they're finding
an environment that they're comfortable with mentally. And so I
just I think it sets up for that things can
go awry and you never know what the heck's gonna

(10:06):
happen when you get out there for the real thing.
But I just think it's been a really really encouraging
month in general for the defense and specifically for a
few of the guys we just talked about.

Speaker 3 (10:17):
Do you know what the four greatest words you've ever
written in an article are?

Speaker 2 (10:22):
The preseason is over?

Speaker 4 (10:24):
Okay?

Speaker 3 (10:25):
Do you know what the second best four words you've
ever written in any piece that you've published? You know
what those four words are? According to Moegar, No, although
that's okay.

Speaker 4 (10:37):
Do you know what the third? The third greatest?

Speaker 3 (10:39):
You wrote four words that I've been looking for okay,
I'll tell you what they are when we come back.
He's Paul Danner Junior, following him on X at Paul
Danner Junior. It's a quarter after three on Moeger. Paul's
here and way of up. But Tony cutting your time
short again at three forty five. It takes trying to
take me down. I don't like personal for the majority
of the four o'clock hour, I'm here, toll six. Glad
you're with us today on ESPN fifteen three, Cincinnati Sports Station,

(11:02):
Cincinnati's ES three o'clock. This is ESPN fifteen thirty one.
Molegg Or Paul Danner, Gender's here, the Athletic dot Com.

Speaker 4 (11:11):
I'm gonna do this because I'm I'm a good friend.

Speaker 3 (11:15):
While I'm on the air tomorrow you have an event,
go ahead and promote it.

Speaker 2 (11:19):
Oh wow, that is that is really that is really nice. Yeah. No,
we'll be uh from well at four o'clock. Yeah, for
for about an hour. We'll be down at right when
we're starting hour number two, Right when you're starting our
number two. People can listen to yours. I don't even can.
You can sit at our thing and listen to your show.

Speaker 4 (11:36):
That's what you want. I don't care.

Speaker 2 (11:39):
No, No, We'll be down at ben MGM Sportsbook and
Nation Kitchen and Bar at the Banks.

Speaker 6 (11:45):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (11:45):
It's gonna be a fun party down there, me Jay
Mark Shalafu. We'll be doing kind of a live show
with tons of giveaways, free graders. You know, we'll be
talking about We'll answer whatever questions people have about the
Colts or about Green Day or smashing Pumpkins because that
concert is going on tomorrow and we'll have We just
have tons of you can get gift cards to Nation,

(12:07):
free bets a part of our grand prize we gave
away with someone got twenty five dollars, or place a
bet on the Bengals to do something this year. They
can choose to do on the Super Bowl if you
are confident, if you're weak and want to get booed,
you can bet them to do anything else. But we'll
give you that. That's all been a part of it,
a ton of fun. We had a great time to
one the last one game, and we're gonna be doing
a bunch of these this year and this is the

(12:28):
next one of them. A game itself kicks off at
eight o'clock. Eight Yeah, it's always four hours before the game.
We're not doing any of the one o'clock games because
nine am feels a touch early, okay, but any of
the non to one o'clocks this year we're pretty much
doing and we'll be there four hours before kickoff.

Speaker 3 (12:43):
I'm gonna I'm gonna go over under games over at
ten forty one. Do you remember that game two years
ago Bengals vat Rams, the finale that bad Boy was played.
It felt like a current Major League Baseball game. Yeah,
that thing was over in like two hours and twenty
five minutes.

Speaker 2 (12:56):
I think they felt like if they played that fast enough,
fl wouldn't look any more into the joint practice, wouldn't
know that it happened. So like maybe they maybe they
won't find the video or even remember that this was
ever a thing. If we just try not to make
this game be long enough, I mean, this is this
is a great time to practice your run offense. And yes,

(13:18):
that's what this needs to be. There seems to be
a lot of run plays. Get out there and grind down.

Speaker 3 (13:22):
And practice like getting into the huddle, you know, communicate
where's everybody going to be coming out of the huddle.
You know, and then get to the line of scrimmage,
you know, make sure do the pre snap stuff, hand
the ball off. And I think that's a good idea.
I see no reason to pass. Four greatest words you've

(13:42):
ever written came on the heels of yesterday's joint practice.
I mean that there's been some angst about Joe there
has the glove.

Speaker 4 (13:50):
The glove.

Speaker 3 (13:51):
I expected an expose into the glove. Yeah, maybe one
of your colleagues or peers.

Speaker 2 (13:56):
Can do that.

Speaker 3 (13:56):
And and so, you know, just a little uneasy, just
a touch, not full ball play, just a little honey.

Speaker 2 (14:03):
Sure.

Speaker 3 (14:03):
And then yesterday I read your dispatch from the joint
practice and you typed or wrote quote Burrow looked the part. Yeah,
it's all I wanted to hear. Yeah, it's all I need.

Speaker 2 (14:13):
I think generally, like we can speculate about gloves, and
we can talk about you know, bad practice here or
what happened Chicago in the rain, and we can make
Burrovers the rain jokes, and we can do all that stuff.
And in general, over the course of this last month,
I've seen Joe Burrow make everything I need to every
throw I need to see him make.

Speaker 3 (14:34):
If you take the entire entirety of everything, tired of
everything that he has done, everything I've seen that there's
no box.

Speaker 2 (14:42):
I feel like he didn't check. And if you tell
me that that he's checked every box in terms of
what he can do and played, you know, really well
yesterday and made a lot of really nice throws and
one that I specifically highlighted in this piece that was
one that I've been waiting to see for a long time,

(15:03):
which was a sort of really deep out to t
Higgins in a tight window, just on an absolute rope.
That's the type of high velocity throw you want to
see him be able to rare back because he knows
he has to to get it there and be able
to do it every throw. I feel like you've wanted
to see him do He's done. And if you know
that about that guy, then you trust when it's time

(15:24):
to go out there and play for real, like he's
going to have everything he needs and be just fine.
Nobody can say anything for certain about this risk over
the course of the long haul of the season. We
knew that before it started, but you did want to
say that you saw that he's done everything that he
normally does. Do I want to see him taking a

(15:46):
glove on and off and blowing into it and like
doing all that.

Speaker 4 (15:49):
Not particularly right.

Speaker 2 (15:51):
I don't understand necessarily what that is, and I have
PTSD from last year from anything compression sleeve or glove
or whatever. But that said, I can only go by
what my eyes tell me when I watch him play
the game. And when I watch him play the game,
I see him making the throws that you want to
see him make. And that's that's enough for me, you know,

(16:14):
And maybe it's not enough for some other people. But
I you know, what do we know about him as
a normal camp? Who've never seen him in a normal camp?
This is the most normal one. Maybe that's just how
he ramps up. Yeah, Like, maybe that's just part of
it getting going. I've seen him be up and down
in the first and second game of the season, so

(16:35):
perhaps that plays in the same way as he builds chemistry.
Or perhaps it's a little hard to run offense sometimes
when Kwame Lassiter and Kendrick Pryor are trying to win
one on once, which is what it's been for some
part of it. And that's no disrespect to them, they're
just there's some practice squad guys going against a really
salty first scene defense a lot. This Camp all of
that to me, says Joe Burrow has looked the part

(16:56):
and kind of shown, I think what you would want
to see, with Tuesday being kind of the last final
piece of that.

Speaker 3 (17:03):
I had like three questions here related I think we
kind of answered one. Most encouraging thing about Camp would
just be the overall performance and development of the.

Speaker 2 (17:12):
Defense I think, so okay, yeah, yeah, I would agree
with that. Most surprising thing about Camp how quickly Amarus
Mims looked like a dude. And that's something we documented
and talked about early a lot, so I don't want
to like over extend on that point, but that's surprising. Yeah,
I Mean, this was supposed to be raw inexperienced guy

(17:36):
with barely any college tape, and like, can you even
evaluate he looks good when he's out there, but he
hardly played and he has you know, everything that you
heard of though I don't know about him was kind
of debunked instantly, from his personality to the way he
played to where you're like, yeah, that guy's just starting
right tackle immediately and that's it was a bit of

(17:59):
a surprise. Would say, when you when you consider what
we were saying about him before, what has.

Speaker 3 (18:04):
Been the most disappointing thing that has unfolded over the
last few weeks.

Speaker 2 (18:10):
I mean, the whole Jamar saga is disappointing, just because
you you want to feel that momentum offensively, everybody's out
there and he and and just that, Okay, here they
go like big Year. Everybody's on board, and it's kind
of hung over everything. Yeah, exactly. And it hasn't necessarily

(18:33):
hindered a ton. I'm sure there's a lot of scheme
stuff they'd like to be doing with Jamar right now,
and I'm sure it would be better if Jamar was
like really ramping up in full shape. But I don't
have as much a problem with that other than it's
just been kind of like it's kind of sapped some
of the momentum sure at the end, and the feel
of everything. So that's that's probably the most disappointing aspect,

(18:53):
even though that's a much broader answer, probably than you
were looking for. I think I think it's probably the
most disappointing aspect.

Speaker 3 (19:02):
You think we're talking about the same thing with him
a week from now.

Speaker 2 (19:07):
Yeah, Yeah, it feels like something that's going to roll
over into that first week, right, it's like Labor Day, yeah,
you know, and I always it's about me, right sure, yeah,
not being able to enjoy Labor Day weekends. And last
weekend was having the same you know, when you're staring
at the beers in front of you and you're like, well,
I've had three, you know, and you're like, are these

(19:30):
accessible to me with Jamar situation hanging out there or
do I need to like be thinking about that to
pace you that no one wants that in the back
of their head on Labor Day weekend.

Speaker 3 (19:39):
Yeah, So this is this is how I've kind of
framed it in my mind, similar to this past Saturday.
You know, we we had some some people over and
we're at the pool and I look at my phone
and I'm the guy that has to walk over and
say Hunter Green on the injury list. Yeah right yeah,
and you're just like, man, I want to forget that.
I envision on Labor Day mey being the guy who's like, hey,
the Jamar chase things done?

Speaker 6 (20:00):
Yeah?

Speaker 4 (20:00):
Right?

Speaker 3 (20:01):
And then it's it's a different feel. It's a it's
a different vibe that.

Speaker 4 (20:04):
Would I would sign me up for that.

Speaker 2 (20:05):
That'd be okay, that would be that would be great.
I think you I think you take that for sure.
I mean, I mean, I just I my No, I
don't think anybody can say anything for certain. My gut
still is that it doesn't get done. And he plays
week one that's still no deal, and he plays against
no deal and he plays week one, that's my gut
on it. Okay, Now again that's I still contend all

(20:28):
anyone really has his gut right now. Sure, even Jamar
Chase doesn't know what he's gonna do, and the Bengals
don't know how this is going to play out. But
I still think that that's where this thing ends.

Speaker 3 (20:39):
How And I don't want to spend we don't have
a lot of time. I don't want to spend it
all on Jamar Chase. How significant was it that he
got on the plane and went to Chicago.

Speaker 4 (20:49):
After going a day?

Speaker 2 (20:50):
Yeah, that that didn't become a thing? Yeah that that
the one day away didn't become Oh now he's just away.
Uh yeah, No, I think that. And you know he's
out there, he's he's running routes in seclusion, right, I mean,
he's doing he's doing his getting ready thing when no
one's watching. So I just are those are positive signs? Okay?

(21:12):
Very good.

Speaker 3 (21:12):
It's three thirty one on ESPN fifteen thirty. Paul Daanner
Junior covering the Bengals at the Athletic get his work
at the Athletic dot com and the Growler podcast. You
can get that, as we say, where you get your podcast.
Sports headlines and more next ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati.

Speaker 2 (21:29):
Sports Station, ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 3 (21:31):
Sports headlines are a service of Kelsey Chevrolete home of
lifetime powertrain protection and guaranteed credit approval from their family
to yours for life kelseyshev dot Com. Bengals are off today.
They play the Colts tomorrow night. The game's live on
ESPN fifteen thirty. Pregame coverage and three kickoff at eight o'clock.

(21:52):
Multiple reports say that Miles Murphy is dealing with a
knee sprain and the expectation is he'll only have to
miss a few weeks. Pretty good news relative to what
our fears were yesterday. Meanwhile, Reds and Blue Jays again tonight.
Nick Martinez throws for Cincinnati against rdy Ariel Rodriguez seven
oh seven tonight on seven hundred WLW Florence on the
road at Gateway and FC Cincinnati goalkeeper Alec Cann having

(22:16):
surgery head surgery for the torn meniscus and his hip.
He is out for the remainder of the season. The
Orange and Blue getting set to take on Miami on
UH Saturday. Paul Danner Juniors here multiple reports chasing our
friend James Rapeene on that one.

Speaker 2 (22:30):
Who had that?

Speaker 3 (22:30):
So, Miles Murphy, I wrote that down, yes, but I
didn't want to say it in front of you.

Speaker 2 (22:35):
I'll say it.

Speaker 3 (22:35):
I wrote Rapine, Yeah, that's my guy. Absolutely, Yeah, Rapine
was first. Absolute then everybody. I didn't want to say
that with you here, It's okay. I don't I'm young,
because then what didn't you have it first?

Speaker 2 (22:46):
Then it's one of THEO and I didn't want to.
I don't get I don't get super involves to be weird.
I don't get super involved. I know you, James, James
crushes it. Yeah, no, no question about it.

Speaker 4 (22:56):
Uh. Are you willing to admit you were wrong about
Matt Lee.

Speaker 5 (23:01):
Lee?

Speaker 7 (23:01):
Come vote yes, I was not wrong about Matt Lee.
My point last week was that I'm not going to
put somebody who had to that point only slightly rotated
in with the two's and played a cup what a
dozen snaps in the fourth quarter behind Trey Hill ahead
of him in my fifty three, he needed to do

(23:24):
something like, oh, I don't know, play the entire game
against the Bears and do well, Like that's how you
hop somebody that was he was given that opportunity that,
you know, I still I do love.

Speaker 2 (23:38):
I do love the groundswell of of Matt Lee for
the Hall of Fame Hall of Famer, and that's you know,
it's it. I think he's a cool story and what
he's done is really really fun and really exciting like that,
there's no doubt about that. But because he's he's come
from off the map. I'm from a guy that what
didn't get a wasn't getting even one rep with the

(24:00):
twos until he came in in the fourth quarter of
that game against the Bucks to now being you know, certified,
absolutely going to be the backup to Ted Harris and
probably saying goodbye to Trey Hill. Is a nice week. Yeah, Yeah,
he's a happy camper. I've talked to him a couple
of times in the last week and he's a he's
having a good time right as he should be.

Speaker 3 (24:21):
And for those who don't know, you did your original
your fifty three man roster projection last week, which was
a reflection of what you had seen in practice, as
you said, follow the reps, he wasn't getting second team reps.
And then he goes out there and he plays sixty
plus naps against the Bears and played terrific.

Speaker 2 (24:37):
It started to change right after I put that out
because that week in practice they rotated him in and
some with the twos, not all who's still him and
Trey Hill rotating, and then they gave him the full
shot there and he played well against Chicago.

Speaker 3 (24:49):
What is between now and week one, beyond the Jamar
Chase thing, What is left to be solved, what's left
to be figured out?

Speaker 2 (24:58):
Not much. It feels pretty straightforward. I feel like there's
there's not a ton happening beyond the top fifty three.
I don't feel like there's a lot there that you're like,
oh man, look at all this. It feels pretty cut
and dry, and their roster's pretty cut and dry. There's
a lot of people that you know the plan for

(25:20):
and and that have been around and and are high picks,
so you know they're gonna be in a position to play.
There's there's not a ton happening there. And I think
the offensive line coming into focus over the last week
was the last thing. You know, we Nick Kirkland Ford Lee. Yeah,
like those are the those are the last guys that
you had to kind of figure out where that was

(25:41):
going to land. I think you know what that nine.

Speaker 4 (25:43):
Tomorrow, NaN's Jackson Carman Swansong.

Speaker 2 (25:46):
It will be how many? I mean you think he'll
go out in this a hal of false starts, like
just as a way to go out.

Speaker 3 (25:52):
I think that's Yeah. I think they should have a
pre game ceremony for him.

Speaker 2 (25:58):
It's tough, it's what it's a It's been a rough
run for seventy nine here and but yeah, I do
think that this will be the end.

Speaker 4 (26:05):
Punter Battle's not settled, you.

Speaker 2 (26:07):
Know, it's not. But Ryan Rico has not taken it. Yeah,
in fact, he's kind of handed it back to Brad
Robbins more than anything.

Speaker 3 (26:17):
It felt like Saturday was if he has a clean game,
it's his if you know he could.

Speaker 2 (26:20):
Go grab it, Yeah, didn't at all. And I think
they were pretty happy with what they'd seen from Robbins
to that point, and obviously as the hip flexor injury,
but I think it's so of its depending on how
quickly he comes back from that and how he looks
or whatever. But I'd lean it towards Robins at this point.

Speaker 3 (26:38):
If they were to get a veteran player post cutdown day,
and obviously the player has to match what they need
and positions, but if if they were to look at
a specific area for a veteran, what would the what
would the first place on the team be, what would
the first position group be?

Speaker 2 (26:55):
That position would be the Samaj p Ryan role and
they'd fill it with Samaj because they still haven't done that, right. Yeah, No,
I am still very much of the mind that Samaj
p Ran is going to be a Bengal as some
in some way, shape or form, whether it's via trade
or cut and pick up. He just appears to be
on the outs in Denver, and especially with the Chris

(27:19):
Evans injury, it's like, or you know, right, you're right
back where you want him to be as that third
running back, third down back guy, like you can have
him in the rotation. So that to me is one.
I still think if there's a way to acquire a
bigger defensive tackle, they have to be looking into that.
And you know, think of crazy things happen this time

(27:40):
of year. Billie Price was traded for bj Hill around
this time of year. Yes, Reggie Nelson was acquired for
David Jones. Like thing. This is one of the few
times of the year the Bengals actually do trade, and
it's usually with somebody that they know they're going to
cut and they try to acquire something in a position
of defensive tackle, a bigger guy. Just with with the
McKinley Jackson injury hanging out there, what do you can

(28:02):
even get how much did that Halt hit? What he
could even get from him for a rookie year. I
think you have to be looking into that if somebody
is available and another team needs something that you're going
to discover.

Speaker 3 (28:12):
It was at least nicer to see nice to see
Chris Jenkins play better than he did in his first game.

Speaker 2 (28:17):
Yeah, lou and Arumo I talked to him about it,
and he was he, you know, likes where Chris Jenkins
is at and even as a run stopper, he's like,
you know, it's adjusting to double teams in the NFL
is a deal, and that's the thing you got to learn.
And he's learning that, he said. But you know, you
you see it, and I still feel like he's in
a good place to be part of the rotation.

Speaker 3 (28:34):
Uh, all right, if Jake Browning, if the Bengals the
game tomorrow night, if it counted, would Jake Browning be active?

Speaker 4 (28:41):
Would he be the number two?

Speaker 2 (28:42):
If this was if this was a game one and
they had to have him, I think he'd play.

Speaker 3 (28:47):
He's okay, Yeah, well I don't want him to play,
but he would be active in a uniform just in
case he would be the number two. Yeah, I think so, okay,
So that rib issue that I was fretting about.

Speaker 2 (28:56):
Just being careful to make sure there's a zero reason
to mess with it. Just make sure he's all the
way healthy and back.

Speaker 3 (29:02):
In case you need him any I mean, you could
do quickly like a Jackson Carmen poster bobblehead is like, and.

Speaker 2 (29:10):
Just there's gotta be some of those laying around in
the back room from the year they draft. They could
have like Frank Pollock make a speech, you know, and
just everyone goes around like you know, a fan cam.
Everyone goes around and talks about their favorite moment of
the Jackson Carmen area.

Speaker 4 (29:24):
The Bengals social media team is awesome.

Speaker 3 (29:25):
You can get, like you know, some players to sort
of talk about, like why I tell you what? Man,
Just I'm gonna tell my kids. I got a chance
to go through training camp with Jackson Carmen. It may
be fun.

Speaker 2 (29:36):
Just slow motion of every rep from that from the
playoffs that year that he didn't that he didn't lose,
just looking great. I love it all right, Uh, have
a good time tomorrow night. Yeah, I will, I will.
I'll tell people maybe maybe when we if we take
a break or when we're done, to make sure they
flip it onto.

Speaker 5 (29:53):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (29:53):
Hey, we're gonna stop talking for a second. Now, let's
go see what nonsense mo is spewing.

Speaker 4 (29:57):
Let's do that. Four o'clock tomorrow. Four o'clock tomorrow.

Speaker 2 (30:00):
Yep, right downtown at bet MGM, Sportsbook Nation Kitchen.

Speaker 4 (30:04):
But were back on Tuesdays next week? As are we
back on normal?

Speaker 2 (30:07):
Uh yeah, we'll be right in the cut down cut
down next Tuesday at four o'clock. Oh man, wow. Of
one of the most anticipated shows.

Speaker 4 (30:14):
I think we've done this before. We have, We've done
this for a while.

Speaker 2 (30:17):
Night up right up against it.

Speaker 4 (30:19):
I can't wait. Got all right, Paul Danner Junior.

Speaker 3 (30:21):
Follow him on x at Paul Danner Junior, Theathletic dot Com,
n Wide Times dot Com, and the Growler Podcast. Thank
you as always. Tony Pike joins us next. Hey, it's
Maager dealing with an urgent orthopedic injury. Just walk into ortho.

Speaker 1 (30:35):
This is the training camp report. Brook to you bar
Camber credit on PESPN fifteen thirty, the official home of
the Bengals.

Speaker 2 (30:45):
Bengals are not practicing today.

Speaker 3 (30:46):
They have the Colts tomorrow at the venue originally known
as Paul Brown Stadium. But we're committed to giving you
the best and most thorough and most in depth Bengals
training camp coverage. So Tony Pike is here without a
practice to cover. Yeah, it's good to have you.

Speaker 8 (30:58):
How do you view camp reports versus what we start
next week with season preview reports? How will you approach
those differently?

Speaker 4 (31:05):
Well, the season preview reports.

Speaker 3 (31:07):
You know you're not going to be at a practice, sure,
so I'm not going to get like the boots on
the ground eyewitness coverage of what's happening. So you know,
we can preview the Bengals all the different areas of
the team, but we could spend a day on each
AFC North team and maybe talk about some of the
other AFC contenders.

Speaker 8 (31:23):
And as training camp comes to a close, everyone has asked, Okay,
what are your thoughts on different positions? What are you
grading on? How would you grade this year's camp reports? Outstanding? Great, terrific.
You've been awesome, great, It's terrific. It's a lot of
fun to have somebody who's there when stuff is happening
at training camp practice, even if sometimes you're reporting things
that many of us might not like to hear.

Speaker 2 (31:43):
You know.

Speaker 8 (31:44):
The positive thing is that in years past, I felt
like I spent every day at camp talking about the
old line. Yeah, we didn't have to do that as much,
and we may have to at some point with with
Trent Brown's progression and the MEM's injury. But at least
that part is refreshing.

Speaker 2 (31:59):
It is.

Speaker 3 (32:00):
But I'll say this, and I was gonna mention this anyway,
I still I still can't get past the thought that
number one, this is going to be at very best
a league average offensive line. Yeah, and number two when
their depth gets tested, they're not going to be ready.
You know.

Speaker 8 (32:14):
I had Richard Skinner on sincey three sixty today and
I asked him, what is one of the main things
you're still concerned about is camp breaks?

Speaker 2 (32:23):
And he said Trent Brown.

Speaker 8 (32:24):
Trent Brown in yesterday's joint practice took the first rep
of one on ones, got beat, went and took a knee,
didn't take one other rep. In most of the team drills,
he would take the first three or four snaps and
then he would sell himself out. Talked after practice and
he's working through some stuff not there yet and his
skinny brought up September eighth, say, it's eighty five eighty

(32:45):
eight degrees one o'clock. Are you counting on Trent Brown
to make every snap in Game one? And if you're not,
and if a Marius Mims is not available yet, what's
your option at right tackle in the most important season
that this franch his head in protecting Joe Burrow.

Speaker 4 (33:02):
I will say this, you're right.

Speaker 3 (33:03):
I mean to me, right tackle is still the biggest
offensive question mark.

Speaker 4 (33:07):
We don't know who's gonna play it. And if it's
Trent Brown.

Speaker 3 (33:09):
He's a guy who lessened two weeks ago was telling everybody,
I'm not in football shape. I am sort of interested
tomorrow and seeing if we can see the continued progression
of Matt Lee, who was really good against the Chicago Bears.
What a handful of players who was in Jackson Kirkland.

Speaker 8 (33:24):
Can't wait to see those two because they're getting better
with each opportunity they get. The left side, We've really
not talked about Orlando Brown Junior, which is a great
thing on the offensive line. But the question after the
preseason game is going to be do they carry nine
oer linemen? Do you carry ten offensive lineman? Because that
has the ripple effects on how the rest of the
roster is constructed. But it's just unique in the sense

(33:46):
of Mimes is not ready yet, Trent Brown might not
be ready yet. Does that mean you have to carry
extra positions there? If you take ten offensive linemen, that
starts dipping into the pool of other positions and depth
across the roster. So I think offensive line construction, who
makes the fifty three man and how those guys perform
tomorrow night is huge.

Speaker 2 (34:08):
Yep, good stuff.

Speaker 3 (34:08):
Tony Pike Bengals Colts tomorrow live on ESPN fifteen thirty.
Kickoff at eight o'clock from the venue originally known as
Paul Brown Stadium, and we start pregame at three o'clock.
All right, it's six minutes away from four o'clock. Good
stuff from Paul Danner Junior. As always, a couple of things.
Show preview video. I know we're a third of the
way through. Go get it on X thanks to our

(34:30):
friends at Emery Federal Credit Union.

Speaker 2 (34:34):
What do we have.

Speaker 3 (34:35):
We're gonna talk about Hunter Green and other injuries with
one of the experts from Orthosincy, doctor Adam Metzler, that
coming up at four to twenty, Reds get crushed again.
Last night, I felt terrible for Carson Spyers. I don't
know that David Bell necessarily did him dirty. Look at
there are times where, look, man, we're not going to

(34:57):
win this game, and the starter's gonna have have to
wear it and eat some innings because of whatever's happening
with our bullpen and the other starters in ability to
go deep in games and Hunter Green's recent injury and so,
but I felt bad for him. He didn't pitch very
effectively and look, let's face it, his performance put himself
and the manager and the team in that position. I

(35:21):
haven't seen that Joey Vado has been called up yet,
but we're going to give you your Joey Vado fix
at five point thirty three when we give away our
final pair of Green Day tickets Tomorrow night, Green Day
and smashing Pumpkins at GABP. That coming up at five
thirty three, we'll check in again with Tony Pike with
training camp reports. We have a lot of ground to cover.
I have a question about Jamar Chase. We'll get to

(35:43):
that and we'll thank the Toronto Blue Jays. Coming up
in the four o'clock hour on ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati
Sports Station.

Speaker 1 (35:49):
This report is sponsored final preseason game coverage starts tomorrow
at three on ESPN fifteen thirty, the official home of
the Bengals.

Speaker 3 (36:00):
There you go, I'm a Leger. This is ESPN fifteen thirty.
Thanks for listening. I'm gonna Fank feeds Toronto Blue Jays
here in just a few minutes, and I was talking
with Paul Dayner Junior. Hopefully we're here for the conversation
about the defense, and you know, the headliner is always.

Speaker 2 (36:22):
Joe Burrow and should be Joe Burrow.

Speaker 3 (36:24):
And you know, as as much as as much as
we've we've spent a lot of time, you know, combing
through every individual throw and everything that he has done,
and how he's looked and how he has reacted and
watching him at times express frustration. I feel like, and
I say this from the standpoint of someone who's sitting

(36:45):
here in the studio while the Bengals are practicing, but
I feel like training camp, the part of training camp
that everybody could watch in the preseason, have been a
net positive for Joe Burrow. Right, he might not be
in Week one the player he's gonna be week five,
week six, But relative to what we feared back in November,

(37:08):
relative to what we wondered when the offseason started, and
I think even relative to maybe what we wondered once
training camp began, it feels like camp for Joe Burrow
has been a net positive. That's terrific. But for as
much as we've talked about Joe, and for as much
as the Jamar Chase thing has dominated the conversation as

(37:30):
the Bengals have gone through training camp, mechanically speaking, like
I know Joe Burrow is a great quarterback, and if
he's healthy, I think he's gonna have a great season.
And he's at the start of training camp. Even if
you wonder what's camp going to be like, he was
closer to full health than he was when he came

(37:51):
off the field against the Baltimore Ravens last year, and
he played in a preseason game and.

Speaker 4 (37:56):
Played all right.

Speaker 3 (37:58):
It still feels like And I could be dead wrong
about this, been dead wrong about a lot of things.
If we were to bet an amount of money that
mattered on whether or not Jamar Chase will be there
for the first game, I think I'd still put my
money on him being there even if there's no deal.
Now many will disagree, no one more prominent than Chad

(38:22):
Johnson himself. But beyond all of that headline grabbing stuff,
one of the most important things about this training camp
is this defense laying the foundation for being a unit
that could be substantially better than last season. And that's
in pretty much every phase.

Speaker 2 (38:43):
Now.

Speaker 3 (38:43):
There have been some individual battles if you've paid attention
on a daily basis, and maybe the work isn't complete
because there's still a game tomorrow and There's still some
time before the first game, but it feels like Dax
Hill has exceeded everybody's expectation at quarterback and now stands
to have a very good chance at least to be

(39:06):
the starter opposite Cam Taylor. Britt that there have been
some setbacks. Miles Murphy and James Rapene reported last night
it's a nie brain and based on that, the assumption is,
you know, he's going to have to miss a few weeks,
but it's not as bad as a lot of his
feared yesterday. And on the defensive line they dealt with

(39:27):
some injury. They have dealt with some injury here during training.

Speaker 4 (39:30):
Camp, but.

Speaker 2 (39:33):
That to me is.

Speaker 3 (39:36):
The central part of this offseason. There's only so much
they can do to get their quarterback back and healthy.
The jamar Chase thing. He's still under contract to play
for the team this year, and assuming he does, we
all expect Jamarty be great because he's one of the
best two or three wide receivers in the sport. The
big unknown is what about that defense. Here's the encouraging part.

(40:00):
Last year's d brutal third worst in the NFL in
yards per carry allowed, worst in the NFL in explosive
plays given up beyond Trey Hendrickson, not much of a
pass rush, No unit on last year's defense played well.
There's a lot of good news. One piece of good

(40:21):
news is for the Bengals to have a successful, winning
season where they maybe win the division, get to the postseason.
It's not like they need a top five defense, right
The way the team is built is have an elite offense,
let Joe do his thing, and defensively, just don't be
a train wreck. That's I think attainable. But I also
feel like among the things that are I guess under

(40:43):
the category of good news, if you're a defensive coordinator
and your test with remaking your defense and improving upon
last year's performance top to bottom significantly, well, you could
do a lot worse than what Luanna Rumo is working with.

(41:05):
If you're a defensive coordinator. Hell, if you're a head
coach and you're tasked with, dude, the defense, it's maybe
not going to be overhauled, but the performance has to
be significantly better, and there are going to be some
overhauls within the overall structure of the defense. What are
you looking for, Well, you're looking for players, individual players

(41:26):
who have good track records with your team and in
your system. Okay, you could check that box here. You're
looking to acquire replacements via free agency who are in
their prime, maybe toward the back end of their prime,
but in their prime. I feel like that's happened. Sheldon

(41:47):
Rankins is terrific, at least in terms of getting after
the quarterback from the inside of that defensive line. A
little bit deficient as a run defender. Von Bell Maybe
Von Bell's not in his prime, but he's a well,
he's a veteran that you're getting from another team who
I think still has a lot of gas left in
the tank. Is very smart and at least knows your

(42:07):
system and has had success in your system. You're looking
for players like that. You're looking for high round draft choices,
high round draft picks who are high round draft picks
because they've got a world of upside. If you're a
defensive coordinator and you are, like lou Ana Roumo having
to fix a broken defense from a year ago, what

(42:31):
lou has at his disposal should make you insanely envious.
It's a great place to start. Now, is everything going
to be fixed? My guess is this team's defense is
still not great against the run. Maybe they're better than
they were last season. My guess is this team's run

(42:51):
defense is still going to be at very very very
very best league average and probably slightly below. I do
believe you're going to see significant improvement when it comes
to not giving up explosive plays. You can't get any worse.
They were the worst in the NFL last year. But
even there, Like I said this to Paul Danner Junior

(43:12):
a little while ago, look at the pieces in the secondary.
They haven't gone the Cincinnati Reds route, where it's let's
get some dude who used to be good, or a
guy who's kind of putting out on seventeen in his career,
or hurt guy who used to be good. It's let's
see in Geno Stone and ascending player in his prime,

(43:34):
a guy who every year of his NFL career has
gotten better. Every year the Ravens gave him more to do.
He was successful, and so an ascending player who still
probably has, if not his best football in front of him,
a lot of years of good football in front of him.
It's the kind of free agent you're looking for. Von
Bell is a different type of player. Because he's older

(43:55):
but intimately familiar with your system, knows where to be
awesome communication, plays his role exceptionally well. If Jordan Battle
is your third option at safety, just like look around
the league, how many defensive coordinators trying to fix a
broken secondary would like to have Jordan Battle, a twenty

(44:19):
three year old second day pick from Alabama who in
his rookie.

Speaker 4 (44:24):
Season did a lot of really good things. That's your
third safety. That's really damn good.

Speaker 3 (44:30):
We can wonder about the ups and downs that maybe
Dax Hill experiences that corner and teams are gonna come
after him, but that's that is a former first round pick.
You might argue they should have used him at corner
all along. There's something to be said about that, I guess.
But there's a former first round pick with a great
athletic profile early round pick, and DJ Turner early round pick,

(44:51):
and Cam Taylor Britt.

Speaker 4 (44:53):
Like, that's that's a real There's so much upside there.

Speaker 3 (44:57):
We're talking about maybe Josh Newton being the FI corner
on this team.

Speaker 4 (45:01):
Also, Mike Hilton comes back. You talk about reliable, how.

Speaker 3 (45:04):
Many defensive coordinators who have to get their secondary fixed
would love to have what lou An Arumo has. I
know I'm talking about this as sort of the same
terms I talk about baseball gms in relation to what
the Reds have with starting pitching. Now that's obviously been
dinged a little bit because of the Hunter Green injury,
but I think there's a lot of gms or managers
or pitching coaches who would love to have that wealth

(45:25):
of talent. I think if you're if you're a defensive
coordinator and you know, the first thing I gotta do
is we gotta stop the explosive plays and my secondary's
got to be fixed. Wouldn't you love to have the
combination of the types of players that lou An Arumo has.
That is a really, really good place to start. And
I feel like that kind of played itself out during

(45:46):
training camp, where you could see the individual upside and
you could see the collective upside. Now they've obviously got
some returning players who have to play better. The linebacker.
Linebacker play last year dropped off significantly. Are we giving
low Logan Wilson and Jermaine Pratt the benefit of the doubt? Yeah,
for me slightly. Sam Hubbard has to stay healthy. They've

(46:07):
they've got to be healthier and better and deeper and
be able to rotate more guys on the defensive line.
But the biggest issue last year was getting beat over
the top explosive plays, secondary issues, mistackles. If you're a
defensive coordinator tasked with fixing that, could you do any
better than what lou an Arumo has been given? And

(46:27):
by the way, lou a Narumo has a track record
of being a good defensive coordinator who can do a
lot of really good things when he's got the right pieces,
at least in the secondary, and I think across the
defense top to bottom, feels like he has a lot
of good pieces. And while he might not have a
top five or even the top ten defense, the good
news is with the way the Bengals are constructed and

(46:49):
who they have at quarterback, they need a defense better
than the last years, but they might not need an
elite unit. That's a really good place to be if
you're a defensive coordinator. Five point three, seven, four, nine,
fifteen thirty is our phone number. I need to thank
the Toronto Blue Jays not for blowing out the Reds
last night, but I still need to thank and we

(47:10):
have that coming up. But first, uh, the Hunter Green
injury issue supersedes anything the Reds are doing on the field.
Right now, we'll get the thoughts on Hunter from doctor
Adam Metzler from Ortho Sincy.

Speaker 2 (47:22):
He'll join us next on ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 3 (47:25):
We do this every Wednesday, we talk injuries with one
of the experts from Orthos Sincy. Orthos Sincy has specialists
and locations all over the Dry State and they also
offer walk in orthopedic urgent care during the week from
nine a m. To nine pm and on Saturdays nine
am to one pm. You can learn more at orthosinc

(47:45):
dot com orthos ci Ncy dot com. Doctor Adam Metzler
from Orthosincia is with us. We got some sobering news
over the weekend. Hunter Green goes on the injured list.
Now the Reds are insisting this is precautionary. We don't
think this is going to be anything that we really
have to fret that much about. But it's the staff ace.

(48:05):
It's a guy who's had Tommy John surgery before. It's
an elbow issue, and he is one of the faces
of this franchise. So let me start with this. They've
done an MRI he's going to get a second opinion.
But when they when they review the MRI with Hunter Green,
what sort of stuff are they looking for?

Speaker 5 (48:24):
Yeah, I mean looking at the elbow there, you're he's
had that previous injury and issue in surgery to that arm,
and so referencing that area, he'd be looking to make
sure the previous ligament that they used to reconstruct, the
Honor collateral ligament also known as the Tommy John ligament
and Layman's terms, really just looking to make sure that's intact.

(48:44):
And so there might sometimes be some inflammation which is
seen on mriah as well, But the big key that
MRI is looking to make sure that the actual ligament
reconstruction that was FORFOIME surgery is fully intact.

Speaker 3 (48:59):
So he he's going to get a second opinion. Let
me ask you about that. Is that commonplace when we're
talking about athletes with the profile of a guy like
Hunter Green.

Speaker 5 (49:08):
I think many professional athletes get multiple opinions anymore, It
is very standard to get different opinions from different surgeons
with different experiences. So even at the college level, it's
not uncommed aymore, it's really much more common and the
professional circuit.

Speaker 3 (49:25):
So they've done the MRI, and then there are the
next steps. Should the next steps, out of maybe an
abundance of precaution, be to just shut them down for
the year, Well.

Speaker 5 (49:37):
It seems like with the current pathway that the team's on,
there wouldn't be a lot of reason to continue to
throw your stud pitcher until something worse happens, pending that
MRI is relatively benign in nature. Don't see a huge
reason to push your stud pitcher into a situation that
would put them into making their twenty twenty five campaign
more vulnerable. But that's my end and into discretion or decision.

Speaker 4 (50:02):
Yeah, no, I think you and I are on the
same page.

Speaker 3 (50:04):
So if if we're we're dealing with something here that's
maybe on the little bit more benign level, but is
still significant yet it's not going to get to the
level of Tommy John surgery, what sort of possibilities are
we dealing with?

Speaker 5 (50:18):
Well, if hopefully it's just inflamed and you know, maybe
take a work on some small mechanics and get a
month some anti inflammatory medications and some rehabilitative protocols that
get things strengthen around the elbow and shoulder to reduce
the mechanical torque on that area. Hopefully it's symptoms resolve,
and sometimes that can take weeks, sometimes it can take months,
and so that would be the best case scenario for

(50:40):
his situation.

Speaker 3 (50:41):
He obviously has had Tommy John surgery before. Does having
that in his history make him more susceptible to elbow injuries?

Speaker 5 (50:50):
Absolutely, anytime you've had any surgery to any giant, your
risk of injury or further injuries increased.

Speaker 3 (50:55):
Want to ask you about jam Or Candelario who has
been placed on the injury list with a big toe fracture.
They've called it the Great toe. I'll call it the
big toe for something like this. Is there is there
any treatment beyond rest.

Speaker 5 (51:10):
Well, yes there is, but most of the time it
is non surgical intervention. The big toe we call it
the great toe for whatever reason in the orthopedic glature.
But that toe, if it does go into the joint,
and so if it involves the cartilage or the joint,
that can be something that needs surgery because we don't
want that joint to kind of fall apart and separate
and that can cause early arthritis. That really be you know,

(51:33):
one of the only major indications for surgical intervention or
if it's significantly angled one way or the other or dislocated.
But many times these are indirect hit injuries and they'll
have a subtle kind of hairline fractures if you will,
and they can heal on eventually in a boot and
protective weight bearing and protective from being hit. And you

(51:54):
do a lot of running, it does slow that healing
process down, so they have to lower the impact type
of activities that they're doing until they start to seek
healing and on X ray as well as the athlete
feels more comfortable.

Speaker 3 (52:07):
We had last week. Doctor Adam Mesler from Moorthosincia is
with us. We had last week during the same joint practice,
two Bengals get carted off with patella tendon tears. Both
Deontay Smith and Chris Evans out for the season with
this injury. Can you start with the patella tendon and
tell me what it is and what it does.

Speaker 5 (52:26):
So it's it's a vital structure to our knee. It
connects the kneecapter patella down to the tibbia the shinbone
and allows you to straighten your leg out and so
it's vital for everything every athlete needs to do, which
is cut and pivot and do squats and push athletes away.
And whether you're a big guy in the trenches or
a skilled player making cuts in the backfield, and he's

(52:50):
your patel tenon. And when it ruptures, you know, you
need surgery. And it's a pretty long rehabit and pretty
significant recovery for these guys. But it's always a surgical problem.

Speaker 3 (53:03):
So we've got a lineman and we've got a pretty
diminutive running back. Does the recovery and the rehab differ
based on you know, one guy being much much bigger
and playing a different position than the other.

Speaker 5 (53:15):
Well, what I tell my patients' is biologies.

Speaker 6 (53:17):
Biology.

Speaker 5 (53:17):
I need to get attended to heel, to a bone,
And whether you're a running back or an offensive lineman,
you need biology. You need it to heal. So our
job as a surgeon is to reattach your ptel attendant
back to its home location, typically the patella. And then
your job is to follow the protocols. And these protocols,
as I say, are not Adameser's protocols. These are national
protocols set in stone. And it's a tough, slow rehab.

(53:40):
They're locked in full extension for walking for six weeks,
and they do start early rehab for swelling control and
very limited range of motion when seated, and we typically
advance that motion slowly to hopefully by three months we
have full motion. But you got to get to tended
to heel the bone, you know, and bone likes to heal.
Bone heels pretty quick. Ten into bone healing as much

(54:00):
slower process, and so that's why these rehab protocols are
much slower than you know. If you break your collar bone,
we put a plate on it and by three months
usually back playing sport, maybe even earlier for the tendon
like this, you're looking at nine to twelve months for
a high level, skilled athlete to return back to the
field at their previous level of function, pending everything goes
well with rehab and recovery. Whether that surgery is done

(54:21):
here in Cincinnati or in San Francisco, those protocols are there,
they're in place, and that's a big rehab. It takes
a long time to get your muscles reactivated around that
joint as well.

Speaker 3 (54:30):
Yeah, really unfortunate that the two injuries occurring minutes within
each other. I appreciate the expertise and your time is
always Doctor Metsli, thanks so much, No, have a great day.
I'll try doctor Adam Metzler from Orthos. Since I say
this every single week, the great thing about the people
at Rothos Sincy is they have specialists and locations across
the Tri State. This includes walk in orthopedic urgent care

(54:52):
weekdays nine a m. To nine pm and on Saturdays
nine am to one pm at both Edgewood and Anderson.
It is easier and cheap than going to an er
when you have an urgent orthopedic injury. Go to Orthosinc
dot com. That's Orthos ci ncy dot com. Sports headlines
and a few minutes with the volleyball coach at the

(55:13):
University of Cincinnati. Plus Tony Pike training camp report, Brendamant
and Jones on baseball, and my thank you to the
Toronto Blue Jays. Plus one hour from now your final
chance to win Green Day tickets lots to get to
join us. You're already here, so stay with us, I
should say on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports.

Speaker 2 (55:30):
Station, Cincinnati's ESPN. There you go, It's twenty five from five.

Speaker 3 (55:36):
This is ESPN fifteen thirty on Moeger, Brennemant and Johns
On baseball is just about fifteen minutes away. The fall
sports season at the University of Cincinnati is inch and closer.
The volleyball team has an exhibition match at home against
Wright State that's Saturday at two o'clock, and then they

(55:56):
begin the regular season in the Hampton and Invitational that's
at Bowling Green that is going to be next weekend.

Speaker 4 (56:03):
Entering her thirteenth season.

Speaker 3 (56:04):
As the head coach of the University of Cincinnati volleyball
program and obviously getting said for year two in the
Big twelve, Molly Alvi is with us coach. It's good
to have you. I know you have a lot going on.
I appreciate the time.

Speaker 2 (56:16):
How are you no problem.

Speaker 9 (56:18):
At all though, I'm very happy to be here, and
this actually.

Speaker 10 (56:21):
Worked out excellent.

Speaker 9 (56:22):
We have a little bit of break, so our saved
time for your.

Speaker 5 (56:25):
Show since you have one.

Speaker 9 (56:27):
I like hearing that earlier.

Speaker 10 (56:29):
Yes, I do have a show that.

Speaker 9 (56:31):
Made me last.

Speaker 3 (56:33):
Sometimes we have to have to remind folks. You know,
I asked this of every coach. When you get you're
on the doorstep of the season. You've had the entire
offseason to get ready. You've had the entire off season
to figure out who you're bringing in from other programs.
You go through camp, you go through practice, and now
the season's almost here, and yet I'm sure it feels

(56:53):
like you haven't had nearly enough time. What sort of
stuff is going to keep you up between now and
not just Saturday, but your first regular season match next weekend.

Speaker 9 (57:02):
Well, you know, you're right, it's always this evolving kind
of our science that we have to put together. And
even you know, we know all the pieces, we can
see them.

Speaker 10 (57:12):
We've had a.

Speaker 9 (57:13):
Couple of weeks, but that still changes over the season,
you know, and you think you have all these pieces
that you think you know what you have, and then
players come in looking different too. After the spring. You know,
we have some jump heights that look amazing, we have
some passing touches or a wow, and things really clicked
for some of our kids over the summer, so that
even changes a little bit. I think, you know, biggest

(57:36):
fear is always just keeping everyone as healthy as possible.
We want to train hard, you want to train fast
so that the game flows down. So how do we
do that and still keep all of our athletes as
healthy as we possibly can. That's probably most coaches biggest
fear to be smart in that.

Speaker 3 (57:52):
And you know, you you referenced health and injuries, and
that was that was an issue last year in the
year before, early in the season, so you had to
you had to play some kids, you know, maybe earlier
than you would like. But as much as you don't
want to do that, the payoff could be down the
road and that's where we are. So how much are
you looking forward to that early experience from some of
those younger players then paying off with with what your

(58:13):
older kids are going.

Speaker 4 (58:13):
To do this year.

Speaker 9 (58:15):
Yeah, you know, it's funny that you said that, because
that's a little bit of what I was referencing and
some players coming in and looking different.

Speaker 10 (58:21):
I think, you know, it really is.

Speaker 9 (58:25):
I think they hit their stride junior year, right, that's
in general for all of them. I starting to figure
out my body, the speed of the game. I can
catch up too. But I think that early experience one
getting more time on the court and.

Speaker 10 (58:35):
Too, I think even having to play out of position
a little bit.

Speaker 9 (58:38):
You know, Abby Walker had to play out of position
a little bit for us because she's such a dynamic athlete.
She has the ability to do that, but it's really
paid off for her on the court and just learning
the game and volleyball IQ. I think Harley Glendenning saw
a lot of pt early on in her career. Now
she's hit that stride of junior year, and you're exactly right.
Those kind of dividends pay off for you have some

(59:00):
growing teams early on. But experience, I think is one
thing as coaches we can't That's the one thing we
can't teach, you know. They have to go through it
to figure some stuff out. So I think we do
have some really strong pieces that have the experience.

Speaker 4 (59:13):
Now you know, I can't goodness, Yeah, thank goodness.

Speaker 2 (59:15):
I wasn't an athlete.

Speaker 3 (59:17):
I came back from my junior year of college and
my body was different too, but not in a good way.
So you know, I guess I can. Yeah, I can
kind of relate to that. I hear you out and clear, Yeah,
I'm just doing much athletically. You have a freshman class
that that folks who follow recruiting are are high on.

(59:37):
Let me ask you this, what is in every sport
freshman did they go from the high school level or
the club level or whatever it is, and now they're
going to make the adjustment to the collegiate level for
for volleyball, what's what's the most difficult adjustment for players?

Speaker 10 (59:52):
It's two things. I think speed of the game.

Speaker 9 (59:56):
So now I've played my most competitive volleyball typically is
in our AAU the club, you know, the club scene.
So at most I'm playing with everyone that's exactly my age.
Maybe there's someone that's you know, playing up the years,
so it's a year difference. But we have some that
haven't even turned to eighteen yet, right, that can't even
sign their paperwork yet, that are seventeen playing against some
of our older players that are fifty years that could

(01:00:18):
be twenty three years old, you know, And that's a
really big developmental difference. So speed of the game, height
at which the game is played, so the angles that
the ball is coming to you and how fast that
is is just a totally different perception. So I think
it takes time to figure that out, but it's a
good thing that's have to figure out, right, Like, you

(01:00:39):
got to kind of check yourself and get gritty real
quick to figure that piece of the game out. The
other part I think, you know, we do have a
lot that there's so much accessibility with weak lifting and
agility coaches and all of those pieces that I think
younger kids have some opportunities with. But it's still extremely
different to be in a strength and conditioning probe at

(01:01:00):
the college level, and I think sometimes that can be
eye opening. So how do I balance out? Wow, my
body's really changing and feels different, but knowing I'm okay
to go out and grind every day in practice.

Speaker 10 (01:01:11):
So those are the two biggest things, you know.

Speaker 9 (01:01:13):
Now, I have a lot older players with a lot
more experience coming at me, a lot higher and a
lot faster and a lot harder.

Speaker 3 (01:01:20):
Do you do you have freshmen obviously, who are coming
in and are highly thought of. Do you think do
you think that class as a whole can make an
immediate impact?

Speaker 5 (01:01:29):
Yeah? I do.

Speaker 10 (01:01:30):
I really do think so.

Speaker 9 (01:01:31):
And you know it's that's twofold. Obviously you have to
have the ability, but I think you also have to
believe in the ability and treat it as I'm coming
in to compete. I'm not coming in as a freshman,
right like the best players will play, So how do
I come in and tackle this and just be the
competitor that that I am, and that's one thing I

(01:01:52):
really appreciate that we spend a lot of time with
this freshman class identifying I think the exposure that we've
had just with the success of the program with Jordan
nationally right now, we can we've been able to really
identify some players that can compete at a high level,
but have that motor you know, like have that confidence
that that want to come in and they want to

(01:02:13):
win championships.

Speaker 10 (01:02:14):
So that's that's a hard thing for a coach to
build too.

Speaker 9 (01:02:16):
You've got to kind of have that internal motivation or that,
you know, that inherent ability to get yourself going. So
that's a big piece of this freshman class. I think
our fans will be ball to identify that too. That's
a really visible quality to see on the court.

Speaker 3 (01:02:30):
Uh, what was the biggest adjustment going from the AAC
to the big twelve year one?

Speaker 10 (01:02:37):
You know, it's I've been in similar conferences this in
the past and my coaching.

Speaker 5 (01:02:41):
Career, and it's there is no gimme.

Speaker 9 (01:02:44):
And I'm not saying there were any gimmes before. I
think the parody of volleyball across the board in the country.
I mean we see upsets, reverse sweeps this team, who
shouldn't have bet that team. We're seeing that all the time,
which is a great thing for the sport. But you're
you know, last year, I think we have five teams
in the top twenty five. Most were in the top
twenty at one given time. So you are constantly on

(01:03:07):
your constantly battling, and you have to recover much quicker
and perform at a high level, much faster than in
the past.

Speaker 10 (01:03:15):
So but you know who doesn't like that?

Speaker 9 (01:03:17):
Who then in a battle every night? You know, I
would take that any day of the week.

Speaker 4 (01:03:20):
Yeah, no question about it.

Speaker 3 (01:03:22):
Molly Alvi, the volleyball coach at the University of Cincinnati.
An exhibition game on Saturday, and then it gets underway
for real up in Bowling Green first home regular season
match will be on the fourteenth of September of Saturday
against Kent State. You mentioned Jordan Thompson, you went to France.
You went to France and Winter France.

Speaker 10 (01:03:42):
Yeah, Winter France.

Speaker 9 (01:03:44):
Yeah, all right, and I got to see the pool
play match against France.

Speaker 10 (01:03:47):
It was amazing.

Speaker 3 (01:03:48):
Now, Yeah, so the atmosphere for that was awesome, unbelievable.

Speaker 2 (01:03:52):
Yeah, so it's unbelievable.

Speaker 9 (01:03:54):
Just the France, you know, all the French were there.
They have their tears, they have their songs, the just
total the euro vibe around volleyball is totally different than
what we see in America.

Speaker 6 (01:04:04):
But it was.

Speaker 10 (01:04:04):
It was unbelievable.

Speaker 3 (01:04:06):
Yeah, and obviously we wish that the US women would
have won gold, but still they meddle. Jordan's coming back
to the University of Cincinnati when you play Morehead State
on the nineteenth, and she's going to be inducted in
a loaded class to the University of Cincinnati Hall of Fame.
So that's got to be awfully special for you.

Speaker 10 (01:04:24):
It's unbelievably special.

Speaker 9 (01:04:26):
And I'd have to say, you know, for a team
that came back when the first ever gold medal for
USA Indoors that they've ever had, and really, you know,
and no one would mind me saying this. I don't
think this was necessarily you know, a meddling team on
paper or from the summer performance, but how they came
together and pull out silver is just I mean, it's outstanding.

(01:04:47):
And Jordan had obviously had a big piece in that.

Speaker 3 (01:04:49):
No question, can you take time when you when you
go to a match like that. Are you able to
just be a fan or you like resisting the urge
to yell at the players? How does that work?

Speaker 6 (01:04:59):
I do my best.

Speaker 9 (01:05:00):
I'm never really a yeller too much of these kind
of places, so I do my best. But it's definitely
a different perspective. It's way more like nervous, right, like
if you're like watching your own kids, like, oh gosh,
come on, you got to do good, you know, instead
of instead of necessarily you know all the volleyball technique
and pieces, though I do have that in my mind

(01:05:20):
as well, but.

Speaker 10 (01:05:21):
Totally different perspective.

Speaker 9 (01:05:22):
It is extremely nerve wracking at the highest level in
the entire world, and you know, you're you're watching somebody
you've known and loved for years.

Speaker 3 (01:05:30):
So yeah, that's that's pretty cool. I'll let you get
back to it. You have a lot of work to
do between now and this Saturday and obviously next Saturday
as well, at two o'clock an exhibition match against Wright State.
It's so awesome to have you on. Let's do it again.
Thank you so much, amazing though, thank you so much anytime.
Molly Alvey is the volleyball coach at the University of Cincinnati.

(01:05:53):
By the way, if you missed Scott's Opperfield yesterday was
on our show, go get that on the iHeartRadio app.
The Women's Volleyball Programvolleyball program at you see exhibition match
against Wright State. Those games are fun. They are fun,
and they got like promotions and it's a good time.
They're a fifth third arena. And then they opened up
the regular season next Friday against Illinois in the Bowling

(01:06:14):
Green State University Hampton In Invitational. Tony Pike, who is
not going to be in the UC Hall of Fame
but should be, is going to join us next on
ESPN fifteen.

Speaker 11 (01:06:27):
Thirty, I'm John Walthach, which is the training camp report
brook to you by Hollywood Casino, Lawrenceburg on ESPN fifteen thirty,
the official home of the Bengals.

Speaker 3 (01:06:40):
Tony Pike is with us. Bengals are not practicing today.
They host the Colts tomorrow night. We are still doing
live training camp reports. And then, as we mentioned at
three point thirty five or three free five, we're going
to pivot next week two season preview reports, which means
just more time for you and I have.

Speaker 4 (01:06:52):
To spend with each other.

Speaker 8 (01:06:53):
You can't wait.

Speaker 3 (01:06:54):
One of the stories that training camp has been Dax Zill,
who has not only made at least so far, made
the transition very smoothly from safety to corner. It sort
of feels like he goes into the last preseason game
with the inside track on the starting job. But I'm
not sure that's something we would have thought a month ago,
you know.

Speaker 8 (01:07:11):
You know, on top of these training camp reports, every
day when I would get to practice, I would check
in with Austin an hour three of sinty three to sixty.
And I think one of the days Austin said, every
rep that I see the wide receivers make a good
play on, it's against Dax Hill. Early in camp, ye,
and that was the case, and it was like, man,
DJ Turner's going to be the guy. But it wasn't
because DJ Turner was excelling every day. It was like, man,

(01:07:33):
Dax looks rough. And to Doax's credit, to Luanna Rumo's credit,
to the coaching staff's credit, he has developed every single
day literally at practice, like not just winning by default,
making plays on the ball, breaking up passes on key,
third and fourth down scenarios.

Speaker 4 (01:07:51):
At practice.

Speaker 2 (01:07:52):
He is.

Speaker 8 (01:07:54):
You already know, bursting with athleticism. That's what he's he
was known for. You make the move from safety corner,
I think is one of the hardest positions in the NFL.
And the fact that he's getting better every single day,
and I believe at this point kind of has the
inside track at that corner number two spot. I think
it speaks volumes on not only him but the coaching
staff to have the faith. And let's face it, he

(01:08:15):
struggled early in camp. If you're going to be a
successful corner in the NFL, you better have a short
term memory. You better move on to the next play
because you're gonna get beat a lot of times because
of play designer wide receivers are throws. And I think
he has exhibited all of that and we'll leave camp
as a positive for this defense.

Speaker 3 (01:08:33):
Well, and you know, maybe not so much week one,
but early in the season, they're gonna come after him,
and I mean that's what's going to be interesting, right,
I mean, he is the number two corner the Kansas
City Chiefs League two. I mean he's gonna have a
big target on his back with Patrick Mahomes. So I'm
interested in how does he pass those tests? And when
he does fail, how does he bounce back? Yeah, that's
that's how you are viewed in the NFL level. For

(01:08:56):
a corner, like I said, you could be in the
perfect coverage. Back just makes a great throw, receiver goes
up and make it. I mean T Higgins yesterday coverage
was great, one up above the defender and made a
great play.

Speaker 8 (01:09:08):
That's going to happen. Can you move on to the
next play? Like I said, the athleticism jumps off the
chart that he's going to make plays. But do you
have that short term memory that you know you're gonna
have guys that are going to challenge you?

Speaker 2 (01:09:21):
And can you answer the bell?

Speaker 5 (01:09:22):
All right?

Speaker 4 (01:09:23):
Tony? Thank you so much? Tony.

Speaker 3 (01:09:24):
Back at five forty five Brendanman and Jones on Baseball.

Speaker 2 (01:09:27):
Next Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty. Traffic from the uc Health
Traffic Center.

Speaker 12 (01:09:35):
With uc Health, the future of care is happening now
through clinical trials and innovative treatments that give patients a
chance for better outcomes.

Speaker 2 (01:09:43):
Visit UCHealth dot com.

Speaker 12 (01:09:45):
Stop and go traffic is causing almost a forty minute
delay if you need to travel southbound seventy one between
Montgomery and Fort Washington Way, and stop and go traffic
is causing a fifteen minute slowdown on southbound seventy five
between Hopple Street and Fort Washington Way. We have a
twenty minute delay on northbound seventy one at Fifer Road.
I'm nicoll with traffic.

Speaker 2 (01:10:04):
Is guess what day is day?

Speaker 3 (01:10:12):
For a second, you we're gonna play that Taco Tuesday thing.
I I've had so much going on this week.

Speaker 4 (01:10:20):
You could tell me it's Tuesday and I would believe you.

Speaker 3 (01:10:22):
But it's it's not it is, and you're talking about
something I could use right now, five o'clock happy hour,
the michelob Ultra five o'clock happy Hour. Thanks to michelob Ultra.
If if you're like me and you're already thinking about
the weekend, make plans now, stock up or uh. If
if like you're you're going to a happy hour, well okay,

(01:10:43):
then get a michelho Ultra. If you're if you're to
get ahead to a maybe you're tailgating before the Bengals
game tomorrow, uh michelob Ultra, You're good to go either way.
Michelob Ultra sounds amazing.

Speaker 2 (01:10:54):
Right now.

Speaker 3 (01:10:54):
I am gonna thank the Toronto Blue Jays. I'm gonna
give away some Green Day tickets. We're gonna give you
a Joey Vado fix. Earlier today on SINCY three sixty.
On ESPN fifteen thirty, Tony Pike and Austin were joined
by Richard Skinner from Local twelve and Skinny, I think
he's still going to do this. Joins our show every
Wednesday during the season. Does a great job at Local twelve.

(01:11:17):
I think right now, Harvey Smileowitz is back. He's going
to do some sports for a while there on Local
twelve while Skinny covers the Bengals, which is great anyway. Skinny,
as Justin is as well sourced as he is, told
the guys that what he is hearing, what he is
hearing is that Jamar Chase and his camp, his camp,

(01:11:38):
I need a camp. Jamar Chase and his people are
looking for a four year deal in the one hundred
and sixty million dollar range, which is significant and certainly
higher than what the Bengals are the Vikings gave Justin
Jefferson he's looking for. And again this is Skinny speculating
what he's hearing is four years, hundred and sixty mili

(01:12:01):
with one hundred and twenty million dollars guaranteed from the Bengals.
Justin Jefferson, for the sake of reference, got one hundred
and ten mil in his extension. So here you go,
four years, one sixty one twenty guaranteed. And like Richard
Skinner is not a hot take artist. He's not not

(01:12:21):
somebody who's just gonna throw stuff out there. So when
when he says something like that, I tend to think
that there's some heft behind it.

Speaker 4 (01:12:32):
Here's my question.

Speaker 3 (01:12:34):
Clearly, the Bengals knew that Jamar Chase was going to
ask for more total money and more guaranteed money than
what Justin Jefferson got, right, Bengals knew that the moment
the the Justin Jefferson parameters were set, the moment that
deal was done, I think they okay, cool, one hundred
and ten.

Speaker 4 (01:12:53):
Mil guaranteed, So we're gonna have to go higher than that.

Speaker 3 (01:12:57):
So based on that, what I want to know is
have the Bengals made a counter offer and what is it.

Speaker 4 (01:13:06):
And how far apart are the two sides.

Speaker 3 (01:13:08):
You might look at this and go, God, okay, I
thought Jamar was gonna get a lot of money. Thought
he was gonna get more than justin Jefferson, but one
twenty guaranteed four for one sixty forty milli a year.

Speaker 4 (01:13:24):
Uh, maybe maybe.

Speaker 3 (01:13:25):
That's your first reaction, and that's okay. What's been the
Bengals counter to that? Clearly it's got to be let's
just talk about the guaranteed money for a second, which
is really the only figure that matters. They knew he
was gonna ask for more than one ten. He's asked
for one twenty. To this point, he hasn't signed a deal.
So it's fair to wonder are they haggling over ten

(01:13:47):
million dollars? And really are they haggling over five million
dollars guaranteed or eight million dollars guaranteed? Like, what what's
the difference between if the Bengals have made an offer?
If they have what's the difference between what the Bengals

(01:14:08):
have put in front of Jamar and what Jamar is
looking for? If you believe and again this is Richard Skinner,
it's not some rando on social media. He's hearing four
one sixty one twenty guaranteed. The Bengals haven't given him that,
at least not yet have they shown a willingness to

(01:14:30):
give him a contract that's worth more than what Jefferson got,
but would be worth less than what Jamar is looking for.
And if the answer is yes, how far apart are
those numbers? I know it's a lot of money goes
without saying. I know it's a lot of guaranteed money

(01:14:52):
for a wide receiver who still has two years remaining
on his contract. And you know I I've asked this
now for a week, understanding that you are assuming some risk, right,
you give the guy the guaranteed money he plays this year,
something bad happens?

Speaker 4 (01:15:13):
Uh oh?

Speaker 2 (01:15:13):
Right?

Speaker 3 (01:15:14):
Like that, that's not a position you want to be in.
But isn't isn't there something to be said about writing
a check and almost instantly taking care of the question
about whether Jamar is going to play for you this
year early in the season. Isn't there something to be

(01:15:36):
said about writing a check and getting it back in
the fold and just eliminating this as something that Zach Taylor,
Dan Pitcher and Joe Burrow have to worry about. I
think in a year like this, the answer is yes.
I think you also have to answer or answer this question, like,
let's say Jamar Chase was a free agent, and on

(01:15:58):
the open market he made it known he wants four years,
one hundred and sixty mili one twenty guaranteed, worth more
than what Justin Jefferson got. Would there be teams willing
to give him that contract? I think the answer is yes,

(01:16:20):
understanding the risk involved, I think the answer is yes.
If the Bengals put Jamar Chase on the block, which
they're not going to do, and Jamar's traded and now
he's under contract to a new team, is there a
strong likelihood that that new team would then say cool,

(01:16:42):
four years one sixty one to twenty guaranteed.

Speaker 4 (01:16:46):
My guess is yes.

Speaker 3 (01:16:51):
The difference between some of those teams and the Bengals is, well,
they didn't just say no to t Higgins because they
knew they wanted to sign him Chase again, like that,
that's such a factor here, right here, you have this
productive player, this popular player, a good player, a guy
who has been a lot to this team's success that

(01:17:12):
they've they've basically stiff armed. Now they've given him the
soft landing of the franchise tag and the nearly twenty
two million dollars that comes with it. But they've given
him the stiff arm, and and like there's you, there
has to be some hurt feelings there.

Speaker 4 (01:17:27):
We're talking about human beings.

Speaker 3 (01:17:29):
You've stiff armed this guy because you know you're gonna
pay this player, and you know you're gonna pay him
more than Justin Jefferson. And and and now you're not.

Speaker 4 (01:17:40):
I get it. He's got two years left.

Speaker 3 (01:17:41):
And from the get go, I have said, I can
understand the Bengals going, hey man, what's the rush? But
you are trying to win a title this year. You
would like for this to go away so that everybody
could just move on with the sole purpose of winning
a championship this year. It'd be great to get Jamar
on the practice field, like you're you're gonna do it anyway.
You understood he was gonna ask for more than Justin Jefferson,

(01:18:02):
which means you had to prepare for him asking for
something like this. Just get it done. And I don't
mean to overly simplify it, but just it is a
ton of money, and it's a lot of guaranteed money
for a wide receiver. There is a big part of
me having followed this league from my entire life. I

(01:18:24):
can't believe we're talking about nine figures worth of guaranteed
money for a wide receiver like that would have been laughable.
Hell maybe five years ago, much less ten fifteen years ago.
But that's the league. That that's the league asn't exists.
That's the value of top end wide receivers. That's that's
what has happened to the market. And yeah, I do
think it's gonna burst, but it's what's happened to the market.

(01:18:47):
You've said, your owner has said we're gonna sign the player.
It's gonna happen. We're gonna bend over backwards. You knew
he was gonna ask for more than what Justin Jefferson
got you. There's no way that you could be floored
by these figure if you're Mike Brown, Katie Blackburn, Troy Blackburn,
are Duke Tobin, No way none. So if you're not
floored by it, and you've been preparing for it, and

(01:19:08):
you stiff arm the other wide receiver and the owners
said we're gonna sign him, and you would like to
get rid of the distraction, if you will, of Jamar
missing practices, and you want to ensure that he's gonna
play the first game. All right, Jamar, here's the contract,
four for one sixty one twenty guaranteed. It's a tough
pill to swallow. It's gonna create maybe some chaos down

(01:19:29):
the road with our spreadsheet, but let's go ahead and
get it done. This would be different if they didn't
do what they just did with T.

Speaker 2 (01:19:37):
Higgins.

Speaker 3 (01:19:38):
This would be different if Jamar wasn't the caliber of
player that he has been. This would be different if T.
Higgins wasn't a part of the equation. This might be
different if the Bengals didn't harbor legitimate, bonafide, real Super
Bowl championship hopes this season. I certainly do understand the risk.

(01:20:00):
I certainly do understand what can happen if Jamar plays
and he's got his deal and something bad happens. But
something bad can happen next year, and something bad could
happen while he's playing under the new contract. Just get
it done now, obviously, along with the questions that I
have asked, and it's a fair one, right, I mean,

(01:20:21):
let's just make it about Mike Brown for a second.
You cannot tell me that when Mike Brown found out
that this is what Jamar is looking for, that these
numbers blew him away or stunned him, or if you
want to make it about Katie or Troy or Duke
or anybody else, like I heard that today with Skinny

(01:20:42):
And you know, again, there is the part of me
that's like, but I can't believe we're talking about that
kind of guarantee money for receivers. But all right, I
knew what Justin Jefferson got it stood the reason Jamar
was going to ask for more, and probably a lot
more sign if not like a couple bucks, more a
lot more. So again, if you knew that going in,
if you're the Bengals, if you know what he's going

(01:21:03):
to ask for more than Justin Jefferson, you had to
be prepared for this to be what Jamar was looking for.

Speaker 4 (01:21:09):
Are you really that far off?

Speaker 3 (01:21:11):
Or is it simply about not wanting to do it
while there's two years left on the deal? Maybe the
answer is yes. But is sticking to that worth it
if Jamar decides cool, I'm missing games. And that's the
other part of this. And I know when I asked
this that it makes people uncomfortable. And Adam Schefter asked it.

(01:21:32):
Adam Schefter has more contacts and more bona fides than
maybe anybody who covers this sport right now, and you know,
he asked, okay, is Jamar going to be willing to
miss games? And people got pissed at him, But it's
the central question to this and I keep bringing this up,
and so I'm sorry for being repetitive, but if if
you're in a negotiation, some party has to be willing

(01:21:57):
to do something drastic or else it's two sides just
staring at each other. Is Jamar willing to miss football games?
And again it's plural, football games plural, and the paycheck
that comes with them and the ability to help his
team that comes with it. Is he willing to miss
those games? If the answer is no, then what has

(01:22:20):
been the point of all this? And if the answer
is no, then he's nothing more than the guy who
constantly complains about his job but doesn't do anything about it.
And along with that, is he willing to take the
public relations hit that fair or not, will will come
his way? I asked the pole question two weeks ago,

(01:22:44):
do you believe Jamar is willing to set out? Seventy
three percent say no, and maybe he's genuinely not Jamar
Chase is a beloved member of this football team, and
understandably so. It's been awesome on the field, everything you
ever could have asked for. He's very pop, But you
and I both know there are going to be folks who,
perhaps understandably so turn against him. If he's like cool,

(01:23:07):
I am out. I'll see you when I have to
to get here to accumulate the year and make it
count toward free agency, which means I'm not going to
play against the Chiefs. I'm not going to play Week
five against the Ravens. I see you, see you when
I see you? Is he willing to be the bad
guy here? Is he willing to be the villain? Because

(01:23:28):
right now you could say, what's about the Bengals and
they're the bad guys here? But it changes, I think
a little bit if Jamar says I ain't playing and
if he does that, does he become one of the
rare individuals to force the Bengals to do something they
don't want to do. So there's some reporting and again
if you want to hear the entire conversation, obviously, since

(01:23:51):
he Three to sixty is podcast on the iHeartRadio app
four years, one sixty one twenty guaranteed, it's a lot.
But I just want this over. I don't want it
over from a talk show perspective. It's been awesome for us.
I want this over. I want it over as a
fan of the team, but I also want it over
for the the people who could, who have so much

(01:24:12):
to gain by this season being everything it can be,
which means Zach Taylor, Joe Burrow, etc.

Speaker 4 (01:24:21):
Dan Pitcher, many many others.

Speaker 3 (01:24:26):
If you knew he was going to ask for more
money than Justin Jefferson, and you knew what Justin Jefferson got,
what's the difference between what the Bengals are willing to
do and what Jamar is now reportedly asking for. What's
the difference there? Or is it merely about not wanting

(01:24:48):
to do this while there's two years left on the contract?
And will Jamar be willing to be the bad guy,
be the villain and say I ain't playing, I'm not practicing,
I ain't playing. It continues nineteen after five o'clock five one, three, seven, four, nine,

(01:25:08):
fifteen thirty eight sixty six seven oh two, three seven
seven six, Hey really quick, The Tony and Mo Football
Show is coming. First game that counts obviously on September
the eighth, and for the fifth year, we are going
to be back at Twin Peaks every Monday, with the
exception of two Tuesdays when the Bengals play on Monday.

(01:25:29):
Our first show, Tony Pike, myself, Tony and Mo Football
Show will be at the Twin Peaks location in Florence,
which is very easy to get to, very close to
the Turfway Road exit, very easy to get to right
off the Route eighteen exit as well right off I
seventy five. And we're going to go to to we
kind of what we did last year, two weeks one place,

(01:25:51):
two weeks at the other. So two weeks in Florence
on September ninth and sixteenth, and then two weeks in
Westchester starting on Tuesday after the Bengals playing Monday Night
the twenty fourth, and then back at it on Monday,
September the thirtieth, those two shows in Westchester, then to
in Florence, then to you get it by now most
important first show Twin Peaks in Florence. If you've never

(01:26:12):
joined us at Twin Peaks, it's a blast. We're there
from three to six. We love doing our show there.
Waite staff is always awesome, terrific food, huge beer selection,
both locations very easy to get to. I put this
on my social media. I put the actual schedule, and
so we hope to see this fall at both Florence

(01:26:33):
and Westchester, starting with the first show at Twin Peaks
on Monday, September the ninth, the Tony and Mo football
show at Twin Peaks for year number five. We could
not be more excited.

Speaker 2 (01:26:44):
Sorry to our friends in beaver Creek.

Speaker 3 (01:26:46):
I'm not going to beaver Creek. Sorry, I'm beaver Creek's
a lovely town. Beaver Creek is not in the Cincinnati
radio market, and gas is still three pot fifty a gallon.

Speaker 4 (01:26:55):
So nothing against beaver Creek.

Speaker 3 (01:26:56):
If I did a radio show in Dayton, I'd do
a show at Twin Peak some beaver Creek every day.
But you might be in beaver Creek right now, which
is awesome. I thank you for listening. Beaver Creek is
in the Dayton market. I get this question occasionally, why
don't you come to beaver Creek. Nothing against beaver Creek
that's not in our market. We have two Twin Peaks

(01:27:18):
locations in our market. I'm gonna thank the Toronto Blue
Jays next on ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 1 (01:27:23):
Gulsen Colts in their final preseason game. Coverage starts tomorrow
at three on ESPN fifteen thirty, the official home of
the Bengals.

Speaker 3 (01:27:31):
Hey, you want to win VIP front row seats to
the Western and Southern WEBN fireworks.

Speaker 2 (01:27:38):
Of course you do.

Speaker 3 (01:27:40):
We've got them for you thanks to Johnstone's Supply Grimmy Group.
Get them at ESPN fifteen thirty dot com. The contest
runs for a week through next Wednesday, August twenty eighth. Obviously,
the Western and Southern WEBN fireworks are a week from
this Sunday night, and we've got your or VIP front

(01:28:01):
row seats again thanks to Johnstone Supply Grimmy Group. Just
go to ESPN fifteen thirty dot com, sign up and win.

Speaker 2 (01:28:10):
Good luck.

Speaker 3 (01:28:11):
To the best of my knowledge, the the Reds and
Blue Jays are going to play tonight without Joey Vado
appearing because the Blue Jays haven't called him up. He
did play Joey last night for the Buffalo Bisons and
went over three with a pair of strikeouts. He is
batting at last I checked one forty three with like

(01:28:33):
a billion strikeouts and a very small amount of plate appearances.
When Joey signed with the Blue Jays, we looked at
the schedule and said, well, there it is, okay, Red's
Blue Jays. Joey could be up by then, could be
healthy by then, could play against his former team, and
that that could provide some really cool moments. By the way,

(01:28:56):
he struck out twenty two times in fifty one played appearances,
including twelve of his life twenty six. He has a
homer and a four to eighty nine ops. Now, as
the weekend ended and the Reds traveled to Toronto, a
lot of people north of the border wondered, Okay, they're
gonna call him up?

Speaker 4 (01:29:13):
Are they gonna go? This is the time to call
him up.

Speaker 3 (01:29:15):
Could be a fun pr move, maybe sell some tickets,
get the folks in Cincinnati excited. I want to thank
the Toronto Blue Jays for not calling them up. I
say this as a huge Joey Vado fan. I only
wanted to watch Joey Vado and only want to watch
Joey Vado play in the big leagues if he's capable
of playing well in the big leagues. I did not

(01:29:38):
want and like this was a thing up there. Should
they call him up for this series? And Joey, to
his credit from day one, has said I want to
earn a spot on the roster. I want to get
there based on merit, based on current merit, not what
he used to be and what he used to do, which,
for my money's got a hall of fame resume. I
didn't want to watch Joey Vado write out a bunch

(01:30:00):
of times against bad Reds pictures. Now, let's be honest
the way specifically Carson spires through last night. Perhaps that
could have gotten Joey out of his slumber, but I
want to thank the Blue Jays for not just looking
at it going well, the Reds are here, so let's
do something kind of fun.

Speaker 4 (01:30:18):
Number one, make him earn it. Number two.

Speaker 3 (01:30:21):
I didn't want to watch Joey Vado. I don't want
to watch him suck. I'm selfish about this. It's his career.
I'm never a proponent of telling someone they should or
shouldn't retire to each thrown. If he thinks this is
worth continuing to pursue. God bless him. I hope it
turns out well for him, but me as a fan

(01:30:42):
I didn't want to watch Joey Evado this week strike
out against guys coming out of the Reds bullpen. Didn't
want to have him look overmatched. Didn't want to see
him do what he has been doing in Buffalo, which
is looking awful at the plate. That might sound harsh.
I know, there's a lot of folks who is this
season unfolded the way it did. And then as this

(01:31:04):
as the series inched closer, thought well.

Speaker 4 (01:31:06):
This would be kind of cool.

Speaker 3 (01:31:08):
The Reds have like the next forty years to celebrate
Joey Vado and to author really cool moments when he
comes back for stuff like his Reds Hall of Fame induction.
Maybe they retire his number. I think they should. Maybe
there's a Joey Vado statue, Maybe they have a day
commemorating his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Speaker 4 (01:31:29):
Whatever it is. The Reds are really good at that.

Speaker 3 (01:31:32):
By the way, They're awesome at celebrating washed up retired
ball players. They're awesome at that. They have the next
forty years to do that. So if you looked at
this as well, this is a chance for an on
the road tribute like the you know, the games weren't
going to be in Cincinnati. The games are going to
be in Toronto. The Blue Jays care about Reds fans,

(01:31:55):
so they did the right thing baseball wise, and spared
us from having to watch him strike out against Duke Mayley.
I didn't I didn't want to watch that. I don't
want to watch a dude whose career I have loved
watching and talking about. I didn't want to watch him
do at the big league level what he's doing at
Triple A. So a big old thank you to the

(01:32:16):
Toronto Blue Jays for sparing.

Speaker 2 (01:32:18):
Us of that.

Speaker 3 (01:32:20):
Speaking of Joey Evado, you want to go see Green Day,
we have one more pair. Green Day tomorrow was smashing pumpkins. Uh,
we'll just do one contestant and if we don't have
a winner, we'll figure something else out. In fact, well,
let's do two contestants five one, three, seven, four, nine,
fifteen thirty. I'll test your Joey Vado knowledge. This will
be your Joey Vado fix. Since he didn't get a

(01:32:41):
chance to watch him in Toronto. God knows if you're
ever gonna watch him in the big league level again,
but you couldn't watch him this week against the Reds.
If you were holding out hope and you needed your
Joey Vado fix, I'm gonna give it to you. I'll
test your Joey Evado knowledge. Two contestants five point three
seven four nine, fifteen thirty and and you can go
win Green Day tickets. Two pole questions by the way,

(01:33:04):
thanks to United at Heartland Insurance, both of them related
to Jamar Chase. Go vote on x at Moeger Sports
headlines and we'll play our Joey Vado game for Green
Day tickets next on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.
Cincinnati's ESPN fifteenth thirty headlines are a service of a
Kelsey Chevrolet home of lifetime powertrain protection and guaranteed credit

(01:33:26):
approval from their family to yours for life kelseyshev dot Com.
No Bengals practice today because they have a game tomorrow
against the Colts. It's live on ESPN fifteen thirty, kickoff
at eight o'clock.

Speaker 4 (01:33:36):
Thanks to our friend James Rapine.

Speaker 3 (01:33:38):
We know that Miles Murphy at least it's been reported
that he's got a knee brain and the prognosis is
I think a lot better than originally feared still gonna
have to miss a couple of weeks. Red's in Toronto
finale with the Blue Jays Tonight, Nick Martinez and Yariol
Rodriguez on the Hill seven oh seven this evening seven
hundred WLW RED starting lineup thanks to made Well Restoration

(01:34:01):
go toa made well Restoration dot com India.

Speaker 5 (01:34:03):
L E.

Speaker 3 (01:34:03):
Stevenson, Fried Old Steer, France Freiley, Noelvee Marte and Santiago
espinal Is Dhing Florence is at Gateway tonight. FC Cincinnati
goalkeeper Alex Can had surgery to repair the tor meniscus
in his hip. He is out for the remainder of
the season. The Orange and Blue back at it in
the MLS, play with a big one on Saturday night

(01:34:25):
against Miami. All right, let's uh, let's play one more
game to give away Green Day tickets. They're at GABP
tomorrow night, along with Smashing Pumpkins, the Linda Lindez and
uh Rancid. All right, and we're gonna test her Joey
Evado knowledge because and everybody wanted a Joey Vado fix
this week, I'm here to give it to you. Uh Dave,

(01:34:46):
You're on ESPN fifteen thirty. You want to you want
to play a game? Sure than I'm wonderful. You big
Joey Vado fan.

Speaker 9 (01:34:55):
I wouldn't say the biggest, but I'm a fan.

Speaker 2 (01:34:57):
Okay, very good. Here's what we're gonna do.

Speaker 4 (01:34:58):
We gotta name. We got a guy named Joe.

Speaker 3 (01:35:00):
On hold, if if you get three out of five correct, Dave,
You're going to Green Day. If you don't, Joe's going
to go to Green Day. And uh and and maybe
he'll take you tomorrow night. Are you?

Speaker 2 (01:35:10):
Are you ready?

Speaker 4 (01:35:10):
Are you excited? We don't have a lot of time,
so we got to be quick.

Speaker 1 (01:35:13):
I'm ready.

Speaker 2 (01:35:14):
All right, there we go?

Speaker 4 (01:35:15):
All right, Terren, you want to play your game show music?

Speaker 2 (01:35:19):
All right?

Speaker 4 (01:35:20):
Here we go Question number one in multiple Choice.

Speaker 3 (01:35:23):
In two thousand and eight, Joey Evado finished second in
the National League Rookie of the Year voting.

Speaker 4 (01:35:29):
Who finished first?

Speaker 3 (01:35:30):
Age I hear Jurgens B Kazuke Fukudome or C Giovanna Sodo.

Speaker 2 (01:35:38):
B Soto? Did you say B Sodo? See Giovanni Sodo? Arren?

Speaker 4 (01:35:45):
Can I get a Giovanni Sodo?

Speaker 2 (01:35:46):
Yes?

Speaker 4 (01:35:46):
In the background, you might have heard the ding. Correct,
You're one for one?

Speaker 3 (01:35:50):
Yeah, I feel like we should have rehearsed this, all right,
Question number two, you got to get two more. Joey
Evado hit more home runs off this picture than any other,
or I should say has hit more home runs off
this pitcher than any other. Hey, Kyle Hendricks, B Zach
Grinky or c Adam Wainwright.

Speaker 5 (01:36:12):
Grinky?

Speaker 4 (01:36:12):
Is it Zach Greenky Terran?

Speaker 2 (01:36:15):
No?

Speaker 3 (01:36:16):
Sorry, it's uh, it's Kyle Hendricks. Six career hard runs
off Kyle Hendricks. That's okay, you got to get two
of the next three.

Speaker 4 (01:36:24):
Here we go, ready.

Speaker 3 (01:36:25):
In twenty thirteen, Joey Vado became the first Reds player
since two thousand and two to play in all one
hundred and sixty two games. Which two thousand and two
Red played in all one hundred and sixty two games?
Was it a Adam Dunn, B Sean Casey or C
Aaron Boone?

Speaker 9 (01:36:46):
Sean Casey?

Speaker 3 (01:36:47):
Was it Sean Casey Tarrn No, Aaron Boone played in
all one sixty two back in that poor guy played
every game for a ninety six lost squad.

Speaker 2 (01:36:55):
That's rough.

Speaker 4 (01:36:56):
All right, that's okay, you're still alive. You're still alive.

Speaker 2 (01:36:58):
Here we go, all right.

Speaker 3 (01:37:00):
Only two active Major league players have a higher career
on base percentage than Joe Evana. Two active players have
a higher career on base percentage than Joe Evada. One
of them is Mike Trout. Who is the other? A
Juan Soto, B Bryce Harper or C Aaron Judge.

Speaker 6 (01:37:25):
Harper?

Speaker 4 (01:37:25):
Is it Bryce Harper? Terren?

Speaker 2 (01:37:29):
No, No, it is not all right.

Speaker 3 (01:37:32):
Well, Dave, I'm sorry, but the bunny plenty of tickets
on sale to go see Green Day. Congratulations for finishing
second and not winning anything. Thank you for Joe, you
did absolutely nothing. You're gonna go see Green Day tomorrow night. Congrats.

Speaker 4 (01:37:46):
Awesome, thank you, You're very very welcome.

Speaker 3 (01:37:48):
You wanna you wanna, you wanna you want to answer
the last question?

Speaker 4 (01:37:50):
Just for fun, let's try it.

Speaker 3 (01:37:53):
Sure, here we go. In two thousand and seven, Joe
Evada was called up in September. He started twenty three games,
seventeen at first base, six in left field. In those
six games, Joey started in left field. Who started at
first base? A? Scott HADIBERG B. Jeff co nine. See
Orgey Canto. It was Orgey Canto. You got it wrong,

(01:38:15):
But it doesn't matter because you're still going to go
see Green Day. I put you on hold tarm We'll
get your info. Tony Pike is next.

Speaker 1 (01:38:21):
Get This is the training camp report, brook to you
by Skylight Chili Feeling good. It's Skylight on ESPN fifteen thirty,
the official home of the Bengals.

Speaker 4 (01:38:36):
Bengals are not practicing today.

Speaker 3 (01:38:37):
They have the Colts tomorrow at the venue originally known
as Paul Brown Stadium. But we're committed to giving you
the best and most thorough and most in depth Bengals
training camp coverage. So Tony Pike is here without a
practice to cover.

Speaker 4 (01:38:48):
Yeah, it's good to have you.

Speaker 8 (01:38:49):
How do you view camp reports versus what we start
next week with season preview reports?

Speaker 4 (01:38:55):
How will you approach those differently?

Speaker 3 (01:38:56):
Well, the season preview reports, you know you're not going
to be at a practice, sure, so I'm not going
to get like the boots on the ground eyewitness coverage
of what's happening. So you know, we can preview the
Bengals all the different areas of the team, but we
could spend a day on each AFC North team, maybe
talk about some of the other AFC contenders.

Speaker 8 (01:39:15):
And as training camp comes to a close, everyone has asked, Okay,
what are your thoughts on different positions?

Speaker 2 (01:39:19):
What are you grading on?

Speaker 8 (01:39:20):
How would you grade this year's camp reports? Outstanding, great, terrific.
You've been awesome, great.

Speaker 2 (01:39:25):
It's terrific.

Speaker 3 (01:39:26):
It's a lot of fun to have somebody who's there
when stuff is happening at training camp practice, even if
sometimes you're reporting things that many of us might not.

Speaker 2 (01:39:34):
Like to hear. You know.

Speaker 8 (01:39:35):
The positive thing is that in years past, I felt
like I spent every day at camp talking about the
old line. Yeah, we didn't have to do that as much,
and we may have to at some point with Trent
Brown's progression and the MEM's injury. But at least that
part is refreshing.

Speaker 2 (01:39:50):
It is.

Speaker 3 (01:39:51):
But I'll say this, and I was gonna mention this anyway.
I still I still can't get past the thought that
number one, this is going to be, at very best,
a league average offensive line. Yeah, and number two, when
their death gets tested, they're not going to be ready.

Speaker 5 (01:40:05):
You know.

Speaker 8 (01:40:05):
I had Richard Skinner on Sinsey three sixty today and
I asked him, what is one of the main things
you're still concerned about is camp breaks? And he said,
Trent Brown Trent Brown in yesterday's joint practice, took the
first rep of one on ones, got beat, went and
took a knee, didn't take one other rep. In most
of the team drills, he would take the first three

(01:40:27):
or four snaps and then he would sell himself out.
Talked after practice and he's working through some stuff not
there yet and his skinny brought up September eighth, Say
it's eighty five eighty eight degrees one o'clock. Are you
counting on Trent Brown to make every snap in Game one?
And if you're not, and if a Marius Mims is
not available yet, what's your option at right tackle in

(01:40:49):
the most important season that this franchise has had in
protecting Joe Burrow.

Speaker 3 (01:40:53):
I will say this, you're right, I mean to me,
right tackle is still the biggest offensive question mark. We
don't know who's going to play, and if it's Trent Brown,
he's a guy who lessened two weeks ago, was telling
everybody I'm not in football shape. I am sort of
interested tomorrow and seeing if we can see the continued
progression of Matt Lee, who was really good against the
Chicago Bears, one of a handful of players who was

(01:41:14):
in Jackson Kirkland.

Speaker 8 (01:41:15):
Can't wait to see those two because they're getting better
with each opportunity they get. The left side, we've really
not talked about Orlando Brown Junior, which is a great
thing on the offensive line. But the question after the
preseason game is going to be do they carry nine
ozer linemen? Do you carry ten offensive lineman? Because that
has the ripple effects on how the rest of the
roster is constructed. But it's just unique in the sense

(01:41:38):
of Mims is not ready yet, Trent Brown might not
be ready yet. Does that mean you have to carry
extra positions there? If you take ten offensive linemen, that
starts dipping into the pool of other positions and depth
across the roster. So I think offensive line construction, who
makes the fifty three man and how those guys perform
tomorrow night is huge.

Speaker 3 (01:41:58):
Yeah, we're on the same page. Back with me tomorrow
as we preview the Bengals and Colts. That game, of
course live on ESPN fifteen thirty. Pregame covered starts with
our show at three kickoff from the venue originally known
as Paul Brown Stadium at eight o'clock. Very quickly, here
a couple of pole questions on X thanks to United
Heartland Insurance go to uhins dot com. According to our

(01:42:22):
friend Richard Skinner, he's hearing Jamar is asking for a
deal in the neighborhood of four years, one hundred and
sixty mill and one hundred and twenty mil guaranteed. Of
course I put it one hundred and twenty dollars guaranteed
on the pole question. But I think at the point,
should the Bengals simply say yes and get the deal done?
Sixty eight and a half percent say yes. Question number two,

(01:42:42):
will you be mad at Jamar Chase if his holding
extends to the regular season and he misses games? Eighty
six percent say yes. Vote now at Mo Edgar. That
is the central question to this entire thing. We got
about three minutes, Mike, They are all yours, my friend,
Go ahead.

Speaker 6 (01:43:01):
Pruscious, Okay, okay, I thank you seriously. I wrote when
we wanted to talk still in an abstract way, about
what the Reds haven't done, and that other teams have
done that are serious about winning. And I could harp
on the Dodgers, and I know it'll bore everybody's listening,

(01:43:24):
but I got two examples, three examples. Actually, why can
the Dodgers trade for you know, guys that are already
established big leaguers. Why because their farm system is deep, perpetually, perpetually.
So they picked up Kiermyer, great center fielder, won several

(01:43:45):
Gold Gloves from Tampa Bay. They pick up Nick Mohmed,
the old veteran who's done a great job for him
a shortstop, but they are in love with Tommy Edmunds,
so he's their shortstop. Now you just but you see
my point. Well, yeah, that farm system has got to
be perpetually deep, and the Reds has done great the

(01:44:07):
last few years. But how deep is it?

Speaker 2 (01:44:09):
How long?

Speaker 6 (01:44:10):
What longevity does it have?

Speaker 3 (01:44:11):
I don't know, you know, there's a gap in the pipeline.
Like if you looked at this year as Louisville team,
there hasn't been anybody that was, you know, kind of
pounding on the door like there was last year and
the year before. Now, there are a lot of evaluators
who really like what the Reds have at the lower
minor league levels, but those guys aren't, you know, ready
to play in the big leagues. And so all the

(01:44:33):
promotions of last year created a gap that you knew
you were going to have. So what you should have
done is found better ways to fill it, not so
much for trades, but for reinforcements when injury took hold.
And so I think the long term goal here you
speak to something that's important. The long term goal here
isn't just to have a farm system that's ranked really

(01:44:55):
really high and then you promote some guys or you
trade one of them and it's empty. The idea have
is to have a consistent pipeline that's constantly full of
guys who are ready to help, who are ready to
be a part of the big league club. And then
obviously a surtplus that you can trade from, which the
Reds in there pretty distant past did that they're not

(01:45:16):
really capable of working with right.

Speaker 13 (01:45:18):
Now, Okay, and uh, I got a Bengals question to
end it up, because quick, okay, I told you, well,
I think I told you I was going to kind
of keep an eye on the Rams and the Chargers
for you.

Speaker 6 (01:45:34):
And I'll tell you what. Sean McVeigh has been on
TV several times out here. He had ten draft picks,
eight of them made the team. Darren Verse and Florida
and Brayden Siss the two defensive lines that have a
good chance to start, and cam kinshes Is, the safety
from Miami, has a good chance to start. And Blake

(01:45:56):
Koram has a good So they're they're well they you've
ever had to draft this good. My last question, what
two situations can talk tho the Bengals in this upcoming season?

Speaker 3 (01:46:09):
The defensive changes not paying off in Joe Burrow not
playing anywhere close to seventeen games. Mike, I gotta go
have a great night, man. We will be back at
it tomorrow with three oh five. Thanks to Aran for producing,
Thanks to you for listening. This is ESPN fifteen thirty