10-23-24 Hour 2 of Broncos Country Tonight

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
It was one of the best bits, uh that Demetri
Martin never did. It's because at this party of the
other this guy with a leather jacket. I was like, man,
that's cool. And then it was at this the same
party and I saw a guy with a leather vest
and I was like, man, that is not cool. And
I learned in that moment what true cool really is
leather sleeves, and that we'll go out to the uk
WA Commas paring a hot lighter. Bring on, Cody Rourke,

(00:21):
the owner of many leather sleeves. Cody, how you doing
this evening?

Speaker 2 (00:24):
I don't know if I mention leather sleeves, I like,
you know, final sleeves. I think that's you know, more appropriate.

Speaker 3 (00:29):
But off the step my name up then, Brian Edwards
happy to hear you.

Speaker 1 (00:33):
I have the leather jackets I have. I don't know
if I've got, like, I think, a dozen leather jackets
or so. When only a few pairs of leather pants,
you know, that's what that's a totally different, right, That's it.
That's the true Yeah, the leather pants. And I keep
those two a minimum. I you know, just when I'm
out there imitating Scott's stab or whatever, you know, ross
from Friends. Yeah, right, Cody, we got a game coming

(00:55):
up to look seminately winnable for the Denver Broncos and
the Carol lot of Panthers, and you don't want to
look past anything. But at the same time, by the
same token, this figures to be something that they could
potentially even rest players for given the three game stretch
that will succeed this Panthers game.

Speaker 2 (01:11):
Yeah. I mean, you know, talking to guys in the
locker room, you know, they're certainly not looking past anybody.
You know, it is any given Sunday, And I think
that a team like Carolina, as bad as they're playing,
with all the stuff that they got going against them
right now, there's a little dangerous. And obviously, with Bryce
Young getting a chance to get back in the starting
line up, for him, it's an audition to say, hey, like,
you know what, if it's not going to be here,

(01:32):
let me make my case to maybe end up somewhere else.
And certainly this could be a game you come out
and you get off to a hot start against one
of the NFL's top passing defense is one of the
top defenses in the league, right now certainly could change
that conversation, So definitely you can't overlook them. But I
mean you're right the upcoming stretch that's that's coming up
here after Carolina, I mean, two straight games on the
road Mountain time kickoffs, one against Baltimore, one against Kansas City,

(01:55):
and then obviously you're going to come back and host
the Atlanta Falcons, a former friend Justin Simmons's three games
stretch right there, and well, it's not going to be easy,
but definitely you want to go into that Baltimore game
hive and three instead of four and four.

Speaker 4 (02:08):
I think only on that day will he be a
former friend Justin Simmons.

Speaker 3 (02:11):
I think he's still very.

Speaker 4 (02:12):
Much a friend of Broncos country. But Cody the one
thing that we've seen this year to this point, it's
only been a couple of times, but against lesser teams,
and it was certainly a JV unit that they saw
in New Orleans as well as as banged up with
the Raiders. The Raiders were, plus the Devonte Adams drama.
That this Broncos team took care of business and one

(02:35):
effectively and was able to get off the field and
obviously make plays on defense to help propel things. So
what do you think has changed this year? Because the
same coaching staff and all that, obviously a different quarterback,
what has changed.

Speaker 3 (02:47):
In general about this team that's allowed them to.

Speaker 4 (02:52):
Win easily in the couple of games where they should
have won easily because in the past that hasn't always
been the case.

Speaker 3 (02:57):
I guess say, for well, yeah, and let's look last
year at the Patriots.

Speaker 2 (03:00):
Yeah, you know, I think I think a great example.
I think there has been a little bit of a
transformation inside the team culture. And you know, you've got
new voices that have emerged this season and obvious need
some surprises. And I think if we all would have
said when the off season happened, after the team released
Justin Simmons and you know, we're like, okay, hey, now
they're fully embracing the rebuild here, if you would have
said that, hey, defensively, they're going to be even better

(03:22):
next year than they are right now, I think we
would have been skeptical saying, Okay, how's that going to
be the case, because there are so many questions who's
going to be the corner opposite of Patzertan. You know what,
what's never going to do to address the front seven.
I think the additions they've made Malcolm Coach has been huge.
I think John Franklin Myers, I mean how they got
him from New York, has been a complete still this season,
and obviously got John Cooper played well. Nick Bonito really

(03:44):
once again picking up on the strong pace he kind
of played with last year here. Now he's starting, he's
emerging that role, even with the return of Baron Browning.
I just think that this team's mentality is different. You had,
you know, a lot of young guys here that you
don't want to continue to play here in Denver. But
more important is another you're an assistem more comfortability, and
now you have guys that can maybe do a little
bit more. You got a secondary that can play more

(04:05):
a Manda Man coverage, the where you can send more crushers.
I mean, you're gonna get to the point, like it's
so fun right now when you're watching them. They even
got Malcolm Roaches dropping back into coverage from playing a
three technique sometimes, so there it just seems like a
different vibe with this team, of different energy and what
is it. John Bruden on his YouTube channel said that
you know he called the defense the anonymous crush because

(04:26):
you never know who's going to step up this week
and make plays. I think that this team's got a
lot of anonymous donors because everyone's contributing, and I think
that's definitely a promising sign to see.

Speaker 1 (04:35):
You know, one of the interesting things coming up here
is how you keep this assembledg of talent together. You
got two edge rushers do up for contract, John Cooper,
Baron Browning. It feels like there's an odd man out
with Nick Benito still in a rookie deal in drafting
of Joan Allis.

Speaker 3 (04:46):
Do you think they'll be able to keep both?

Speaker 1 (04:48):
And if you don't, which of the two Ohio State
products are you letting go?

Speaker 2 (04:53):
Yeah, that's it's a tough one. I mean I like
both John to Cooper and Baron Brunn and obviously playing
the high level right now, and he's kind of main
a Nesson's taken on the starting job last year. I
think he's been one of the areas he wanted to work on.
Is obviously maintaining edge contain a little bit more appointed
well against the run Nick than Needle as well. I mean,
going to Jonathan Cooper is playing I mean, he's the

(05:13):
guy that, right now you got to play. And I
think the only thing that's working as a negative right
now against Aaron Browning is the fact that availability the
last couple of years has been dealing with injuries and
some things that have just been kind of unfortunate out
of the move for him. I'd say more pressure is
probably him than it is Jonathan Cooper. And look, maybe
there is a situation where George Payton says, hey, we're

(05:33):
going to keep you all here and we're going to
have an extensive rotation. Then you have Drew Sanders said
to return at some point from Hitpotilles injury. So I mean,
how does that rotation work in that room? Obviously Dondre
Tillman's on active roster right now, but I just think
the vision of his team is trying to it's still
being painted in terms of the personnel where they're planning
to go. It's not just about to compete next year.

(05:54):
They want to win some games this year. They want
to change the narrative a little bit. So I think
that's a good expectation to have. But I think that
right now, Johnathan Cooper's probably been a one guy. It's
probably more in line right now to get a contract.

Speaker 4 (06:06):
Do you see a scenario where because Baron Browning and
you were standing there just like I was Cody when
we asked him about his goals, he said, I just
want to play seventeen games.

Speaker 3 (06:14):
Obviously that isn't going to happen this year that you're
gonna pay Cooper, you know, probably not top flight money.
I guess Benito gets.

Speaker 4 (06:22):
Interesting the morning, racks up sacks terns what you're gonna
have to pay him just because of the market, but
where they have Cooper and Browning back, because Browning's gonna
have to sign either a one year deal or a
three year eighteen million, you know, or something that's a
little more reasonable because he hasn't proven that he can
stay healthy.

Speaker 2 (06:38):
You know, yeah, yeah, I could see that being a possibility.
And look, I know, I know the Bronco was like
Baron Browning. I know Sean Payton likes Baron Browning. He's
taking on a little bit more of a bigger leadership
all the year. Like Barren's always been kind of this
quiet guy, you know, kind of to himself, leads by example,
but it's kind of taken on a little bit more
of that role. I think in his offseason. According to
Peyton when we spoke to him at OTAs, I mean

(07:00):
Baron in a position where yet you know, maybe you
do get a proved deal. You know, those are popular
right now in today's game, and obviously we're looking at
the different depreciation values of several positions. We're seeing it
now coming back, We're seeing it now and I think
more recently with the safety position. Path rusher is always
a premium right now, and you know you have to
find a way to get to a quarterback. I mean

(07:20):
Sean Payton talked about it today how important it is
for them to disrupt the quarterback or to disrupt the pocket,
and I think that's just a big key there, and
you have to have in ways because injuries do happen unfortunately.
You see a lot of it at the edge rusher position.
So yeah, I mean, Baron's just in a position now
where hey, if there is an injury, he's back from
the starting lineup. But obviously your I see the future.
Jonah Ellis has been very impressive, Andre Tillman has been impressive,

(07:43):
and obviously still Drew Sanders, so I could see a
proved deal for him on a one year and I
could see a three year one for Cooper. I think
it's probably more realistic one that we do see would
Roarc Cody.

Speaker 1 (07:55):
It's you know, we talked about the edge rushers there
and what they're gonna have to do. So trade deadline approaching,
I don't think that the Broncos are going to be
hyperactive with the trade deadline. I think if the right
tight end came available at the right price, then then
maybe you make a move there. But it doesn't really
feel like buyers are sellers at the trade deadline.

Speaker 3 (08:13):
You see anything different out there? Not really.

Speaker 2 (08:17):
I think the vibe is that Denver and Sean kind
of hit it as well. I mean, he made the
whole homecoming reference. There's feelers the teams put out. I'm
sure teams are going to call Denver. I'm sure San
Francisco may even called Denver about Courtland Sutton that could
have possibly had on the Brandon and Iyu's thing. But
I would say that I don't think that Denver's going
to be serious movers at this point. I mean even
last year when they were where they were at the

(08:38):
trade deadline, considering their record and the struggles that they
had they still decided not become sellers. They decided a
hold on hold firm. And then you know, you go
on a little bit of a run. You have some
different development storylines, some young guys emerging there. You get
a little bit more of a clear picture because they
were Champagne's first year and now it's going to say, hey,
this is the type of ross I can work with.
These are the guys I can work with. These are
the guys that I'm not going to be able to

(08:59):
work with. I don't see Denver doing it. And the question,
to everyone's wondering, you know, is tight end? The issue
I think that we have with that position is, of
course never right now is one of the lowest targeted
tight end groups in the NFL in comparison to everybody else.
Is adding a guy? Who is the right guy? What
does the right guy look like? You know, I think
people throwing out David and Joki or the Browns want

(09:19):
to part with him to AFC West, I mean an
AFC rival. Maybe maybe not, but also it's the acclamation, Okay,
can a new guy come in and learn a Sean
Payton offense that you know, we all know can be
complex at times how much of that is going to
impact because you signed a guy in the off season
who you know has got some flash to him, and
obviously six foot eight Donald Parum Junior hadn't been called

(09:40):
up yet, So Denver group of a spark at tight end.
It seems that they're really trying to roll with Lucas
Croles that receiving option while still going with heavy run
support with Adam Shoutman and Nate Adkins. I think they're
content with what they have right now, and free agency
is probab gonna be where they're probably the most active.

Speaker 4 (09:56):
As I was looking at possible tight ends other than Parum,
who you would like to see maybe get some run
or just get the ball to Lucas Croll when he's open.
The names that popped into my head and I want
to go look at his contract. With where things are headed,
I get the Jags had a nice pig win the
other day. Why not at least call on having Ingram.
He's already got the bolk of his money on his

(10:18):
new deal up front, and it's a three year, forty
one million dollar deal from Jacksonville, so you're paying whatever
is left of this year and then you could actually
even get out if you wanted to. But if not,
you're paying him sixteen million next year, which might be
a lot, but they're going a lot more room. Is
that an Ingram name that does anything for you? That
might be even easier to get than the Joku?

Speaker 2 (10:37):
Well, I feel like Ingram probably fits the definition of
that joker type role more so than I think you know,
David and Joku would. And look, obviously that position is
a ball for Sean over the years. You know was
take some one year album Kamara. You know, different guys,
different skill sets. Reggie Bush, usually the tailback has a
little bit more of a perplexed role, and now Denver
just doesn't have that. And I also think the challenge,

(10:57):
especially people say, well, you know, look a look at
the NFL draft and try to get a college sight end.
The problem with that, a lot of these tight ends
never play in line with their hand in the dirt anymore,
so they might as well just become receivers. That's really
what Greg Dolsich was doing at the first.

Speaker 3 (11:10):
Part of the season.

Speaker 2 (11:11):
They tried to around some motion plays to you know,
kick out some guys, and that's where he shows he's
struggled in the blocking department, and that's why he's not
there right now, so he's not getting playing time unfortunately.
So you go with the guy like Lucas Cool who
can walk. He's a bigger body, but he's also you know,
an athletic receiver type that can help things out. Evan
Ingram would be I think a nice addition alongside a

(11:31):
guy like Kroll. If you're talking about getting into two
receiving tight end sets, I mean, I would like that.
Is Jacksonville willing to do that right now? Maybe? Maybe not.
That is one of the hardest teams right now to read,
especially after they gave Trevor Lawrence, you know, a mega
contract there. He needs weapons, you know, you need to
be able to do that. And obviously they got a
little bit of an emergency with paying Biggs be on
the ground in terms of their run game, but you

(11:52):
need obviously receiving talent there. I don't think they have
the best right now, and Jacksonville Evan Ingram might be
their best.

Speaker 1 (11:58):
Speaking of the run game, the Broncos largely been successful
when they commit to the ground game, largely been unsuccessful
when they've not done that thus far.

Speaker 3 (12:06):
Can we expect Sean.

Speaker 1 (12:07):
Payton to put aside his base or instincts and continue
to run, ground and pound with a football team that's
frankly designed for it at this point.

Speaker 2 (12:15):
Yeah, I think that's an emphasis there.

Speaker 1 (12:17):
I think the herd.

Speaker 2 (12:18):
Balance with Sean, just from looking at it is, obviously
you have a quarterback who you know can build the ball.
I think when when Bow's feet are set and there's
a clean pocket at times like I'm not worry as
much about Bo's rip or delivery. It's a you know,
when you have a false sense of pressure at times,
or when there is pressure, you know, sometimes your mechanics
away from me. Obviously, Sean talked about some of the

(12:38):
things that they coach obviously the quarterbacks on in terms
of footwork, mirroring it with the routes. I think the
run game is their identity. And look, it's nice to
see Javonte rattling off some big runs. Joel McLaughlin almost
brook one for a touchdown against New Orleans. Good, good speed,
change of plays. And it also Denver's blocking is, you know,
on the perimeter with the receivers. The tight end has
been good, the offensive line is coming off. I think

(12:59):
they're best overall game this season, it's just trying to
find consistency there because against the charters, they would have
one or two plays where something could have opened up,
but one miss block led to you know, a tackle
for a loss or a guy leaking through and making
the play bounce to the outside. I think it's just
consistency factor there. But this team, I think Ben and
obviously DK, I think the offense will open up more

(13:21):
if the run game is the emphasis for them, and
then you don't necessarily to put so much in the
rookie quarterback to go out there and make a lot
of players, which he's making right now. I think we're
very pleased with what Bo's at. You want to find
some more consistency in some areas, but the run game
I think is the identity of this team and it'll
make everything easier for both in the offense.

Speaker 1 (13:39):
Tody Rarc, we appreciate you as always, brothers, take care,
appreciate you guys have going absolutely Cody roc Byloy Sports
always love having any thoughts on the state of the
Broncos as it were.

Speaker 4 (13:49):
Yeah, and Sean did touch on that because he was asked, Hey,
where you with buy our sellers you know that conversation
you get louder. So we've seen some moves. We talked
about Hopkins going to going to Kansas City this morning.
A fifth could become a fourth will the Titans because
youinued to sell. There was that rumor yesterday that you
almost wonder someone from the Rams get it out there

(14:09):
about Stafford too. That's the Vikings only to mess week,
Sam Darnold, Yeah, on a short week is because I
know that that that is completely mine and I think
it's been refuted by certainly people like yourself and others
in the know that cut.

Speaker 3 (14:26):
Their shopping and then that I get.

Speaker 1 (14:28):
But the subtrifuge element of it is more interesting to
me than the actual tra I hadn't.

Speaker 3 (14:34):
One about it like that, But yeah, that that could be.

Speaker 1 (14:36):
Maybe it's a siop coming from the RAMS side of
the house with your opponent on Thursday.

Speaker 4 (14:39):
Night, because all it takes is one person that they'll
either help you out or really believes it either way.

Speaker 3 (14:47):
Get Sam Donald hurry to go to the Vikings to
confirm it.

Speaker 4 (14:50):
Yeah, and so it I understand why it would make sense,
Like I could easily be talked into why that trade
would make sense for the Vikes and I guess for
the depending on what they got coming back. But Matt
Stafford still got a couple of good years left and
I think Sean McVay loves them. So there's there's that
Cooper Cup's thirty one dollars dead cap hit. Yeah, so

(15:11):
that's gonna hurt and odds are Josh and Stan Kronk
you aren't gonna love that idea. So but Cooper Cup
at at thirty one years old, when healthy, still extremely effective.
But that becomes a big if based on the last
two years. So who's willing to to pne you up?
I know the team that would interest me if if
if you were available, I can tell you now, I

(15:33):
can tell you after the break.

Speaker 3 (15:34):
That sounds like a tease to me. Let's find out
after the break.

Speaker 1 (15:36):
Rocos Country, like Nick Ferguson will be back tomorrow, will
be out of Sam's number for the last chance to
get qualified for Panthers tickets for this weekend. So you
guys want to come on out scan the QR code
get qualified for those at Sam's number three. Joye tomorrow night. Uh,
looking forward to that. As always. Before we left the break,
we're talking a little bit about you know, some of

(15:57):
the trade target stuff and uh specifically with the Rams
and if they were to deal Matt Stafford beca you
said you had a team in mind for Cooper Cup.
Oh for I'm sorry for Cooper Cup for Stafford again
now because I shut that one down somebody times.

Speaker 3 (16:10):
So it's kind of a one A and one B.
But the one A doesn't need him as much.

Speaker 1 (16:14):
I've got three teams that I know have called. Okay,
so I'm gonna wait to see if this is on.

Speaker 4 (16:18):
There are any of them playing the Broncos next weekend
in Baltimore. No, okay that I don't know even what
their cap situation is. But when you look at the
weapons app and they obviously have two stud tight ends
with how good likely he's become and what we know
Andrews is, especially when he's healthy. Zay Flowers is a
very nice I don't think he's a true true number one,
but certainly kind of a good one.

Speaker 3 (16:37):
B and baby Baban did have all the game, and
you know Baman can can.

Speaker 4 (16:42):
Get vertical, and obviously Derrick Henry is a game changer
with what they're able to do. If you were to
add Cooper Cup healthy He's not only been really good,
he has also won a championship recently, so he has
that pedigree when they don't have a bunch of guys
with the ring and to go through the rosters s
if they have anybody with a ring on their on
their actual roster, if they.

Speaker 3 (17:04):
Could make the money work, and I've done zero, you know,
legwork on that. The Ravens.

Speaker 4 (17:10):
I think if I'm the Ravens, if I'm Meerk DeCosta
and asy Knew some who have been the best drafters
of the last twenty years consistently, I'm at least poking
around to say, oh, what's the take? Is it a second,
is it a third? That's a conditional set, what is
it a two and a four? Is it a three
and a five?

Speaker 3 (17:26):
What is it?

Speaker 1 (17:26):
Because you add him to that mix and it just
makes them even more dynamic. So the Ravens are interesting.
And then kind of that same end.

Speaker 4 (17:34):
I guess they did just acquire Mariy Cooper. So the
Bills have they not acquired amari Cooper? But you say
three teams have called, are you making that public or
you just know that three teams have called and Ravens
aren't one of them.

Speaker 1 (17:44):
I know, well, I'll say I know the Bucks, the
Chargers and Steelers have allus makes sense because the Godwin
injury and Evan's being hurt, you know, I mean they
banged up. The Steelers have been searching for another receiver
opposite Pickens the entire time. The Chargers interests me if
that kind of fascinates me a little bit, because they
just I mean, they just don't have and he doesn't
feel like he's going to be the high volume guy

(18:05):
that he's been in a Greg Roman offense.

Speaker 4 (18:09):
Yeah, it was Lee town, but well, exactly what happened
with the Broncos. That's why the Cardinals win is and
I didn't watch much of that game.

Speaker 1 (18:16):
I caught the very end, but I was watching the
Manning cast and they were mostly on that Ravens and
Bucks game.

Speaker 3 (18:23):
The Chargers did exactly to.

Speaker 4 (18:24):
The Broncos what I thought they might do, and I
asked Sean about it. I didn't get a chance to
ask VJ about it, but it was Hey, this quarterback
has thrown for four thousand yards every year he's been
in the league. If memory serves me right, he's got
that to say he has that club in his bag
is almost under selling it. He is a guy that
can light up the scoreboard and throw it all over
the yard. They're not asking him to do that at all.

(18:46):
But on third down he needed to make throws and
he made plenty and that's why they were I think
eleven or fourteen on third down.

Speaker 3 (18:52):
At one point or whatever it was, or nine twelve.
And so if you're gonna give him another weapon, I.

Speaker 4 (18:59):
Like Cooper cup is compared to where Johnston is and
what Lad McConkey is today, Ladd McConkie might be kind
of yeah, he'll be the guy eventually. But if I'm
Cooper Cupp and I get to help with the rams
and the compensation similar, I don't think I'm racing to
the charges. If a team like say the Ravens or
even the Bucks who are gonna probably win their division
or have to chance them in the Falcons and the Falcons,

(19:23):
I wouldn't be in a Steelers are interesting, AFC North
and all that, but mixing in with Pickens, and I'm
ready to say we've seen a lot.

Speaker 3 (19:34):
From Pickens here of late.

Speaker 4 (19:36):
He looks like a true number one based on some
of those plays that he's made throughout the year. Certainly
on Sunday night.

Speaker 1 (19:41):
Well, the reason Russ is out there because Russ will
throw the deep ball to Pickens and Justin Field just
wouldn't do it.

Speaker 3 (19:45):
And that's part of the reason Russ is back out
there and Pickens will go get it, like because you looked.

Speaker 4 (19:49):
At Whops two matched up against and he he wasn't
Pickens plenty Like, Okay, Pickens isn't in the same level
as metcalf or evn't. He's closer to it than I thought.
Is kind of the sense I'm getting. You had Coop
Cup with Pickens. Far Ruth is just a solid tight end,
but he's not a game changer. So uh, Cooper Cup
to the Ravens, No no info behind that just was

(20:11):
one that was interesting. We're gonna play fantasy football for
the time being until until the deals come down.

Speaker 1 (20:16):
Yeah, and that'll be let me see, we get a
lot of questions about the Broncos making trades for these
guys are not involved in Cooper copp And it's funny.

Speaker 3 (20:22):
I saw it. With all due respect to Troy Rank,
who I love, I saw him floating the.

Speaker 1 (20:26):
T Higgins thing. Cincinnati's not moving t Higgins like the
it Sid's a non factor for the Broncos. If they
want T Higgins, they're gonna have to bit him on
the free agent market next year. Like the Cincinnati's not
moving him. I mean calls up there, they're like they're
you know.

Speaker 3 (20:38):
They're like, we're not moving him, period. So I lean
like that's that fascinates me. I don't.

Speaker 1 (20:44):
I don't think receivers the problem though. I think tight end,
which we've talked about. He passed catching tight end, he
stretched the field, h Jimmy Graham type. You know something
that uh that that Sean Payton has had before. I
think that's what's missing. And if that ends up being
you know, I threw having Ingram out there, we'll see
And I did you know that's one I hadn't put
in the in there. Kyle Pitts was sort of one

(21:04):
I kicked around, but they man, he's taken off to
the point where, yeah, he's an integral part of their
offense and they have as good a.

Speaker 4 (21:10):
Shot as any of the teams in that division to win,
especially with where the Bucks are health wise. So we're
watching some NBA action in here. Get to the shows
called Broncos, Country to Night, Milwaukee is a geographic foot
brind of the content is boat racing uh Philly who
doesn't have mb tonight nor Paul George Embiid says he's
not going to play back to backs and I don't

(21:32):
know why I took the Bucks game off or if
he's so banged up the can't even go. Also free
leak pass on your cable or satellite dish for the
first week. So we were watching the calves and raptors,
we were watching bulls and pelicans. Here in a close game.
Nets and Bucks were in a close game. Lono ball
first points in like three years. Yeah, so I'm through
an ali to Tavusevich, so to go quick sidebar. He

(21:55):
has had he had the exact same surgery that Gabe
Landskog had, same surgeon.

Speaker 3 (22:00):
It's taken him about two years or a little more
to get back.

Speaker 1 (22:03):
So even when somebody came at Landy on Twitter's like, hey,
it's sign for game blanda scary require to retire, Landy's
like is it?

Speaker 2 (22:10):
So?

Speaker 4 (22:10):
Landy's not ready to retire. He's putting in the work.
We'll see if his body lets him. But Lonzo ball
playing is encouraging and they certainly play a different sport
and play things that are different. But the Nuggets are
opening tomorrow. They're one of the you know, last teams
to open. In fact, I guess they might be the
last team, depend on what the West Coast games RBI
behind that. So they host Oklahoma City, the team with

(22:31):
the number one record a year ago.

Speaker 3 (22:33):
And I was down a ball arena to day and in.

Speaker 4 (22:36):
Order of how they spoke, Russell Westbrook, MPJ, coach Malone
all talked and so there was a common theme as
you'll hear through my questioning, but starts with Russell Westbrook
heading in the year seventeen, does he get fired up
and excited for opening Night?

Speaker 3 (22:51):
I'm excited every day. I'm always happy and excited to play.

Speaker 5 (22:56):
You don't.

Speaker 3 (22:57):
You don't take the person, don't take any days with right.

Speaker 2 (23:00):
So I've been able to go into year seventeen and
be able to play the night is always a blessing
and great for that.

Speaker 3 (23:08):
I really, Mike, you've done it for a while now.

Speaker 1 (23:12):
About how excited do you get.

Speaker 3 (23:13):
On the eve of the season and having the season opener?

Speaker 2 (23:16):
Very excited, you know, the preseason felt like it took
a while and to get to the first game, it
feels good.

Speaker 3 (23:23):
How excited do you get me? Old hat?

Speaker 5 (23:25):
But on the eve of the season, in game one
of the regular seasons, no, I always get excited. I mean,
if you're not, then you shouldn't be doing this anymore. Uh.
You know, we were talking as a staff, it's been
a really long preseason.

Speaker 3 (23:36):
You know, you start towards the end of.

Speaker 5 (23:38):
September and you feel like, if you break down the
last month, it's almost been like three different training camps.
Camp before you go to Abu Dhabi, camp when you
get home from Abu Dhabi, and then obviously a little
mini camp after our last game against Minnesota. So I
think I think for the entire group, everybody's excited to
finally get back out there and uh and start the
season off and what creat a challenge and at the

(24:00):
number one seed from last year in Okay see coming
into our building and we know our fans are going
to show up what they always do, and hopefully that
players are ready to go out there and do their
jobs and try to get it off to a great start.

Speaker 4 (24:14):
So Michael Malone, despite being around basketball's whole life, is
that obviously a longtime coach NBA coach and late Brandon Malone.

Speaker 3 (24:21):
It's still exciting.

Speaker 4 (24:22):
Russell Westbrook going into year seventeen MPG tried and true,
Vet right, this has got to be year seven forum
or so. He is a little bigger. It was something
that we saw when he came into camp. It's going
to be interesting because he did talk about he understands
his role in this offense and with the team in
the first unit, but he thinks he has room to grow.
And I think he does as well, because we've certainly

(24:43):
seen flashes were like, oh, that's why that guy was
maybe going to be the number one overall pick, and
you see, we haven't seen it consistently, and his health
has obviously been a more of an issue in previous
years in the last couple but I think Nuggets fans
should be excited. And it's cool that even in year seventeen,
Rustll Westbrook doesn't really have an off switch, not on.

Speaker 3 (25:00):
The court's on and it's going one other thing. They're
too real quick man.

Speaker 4 (25:04):
I finally got a chance to ask coach moncause I
hadn't been able to make it down to practice, munch
or any of the preseason games last year.

Speaker 3 (25:11):
And maybe we can find the answering.

Speaker 4 (25:12):
But especially in the playoff f and Jokers off the floor,
you're like, okay, what's the score, what's the plus minus?

Speaker 3 (25:18):
Okay, they're up twelve. Oh he comes back and they're
only up eight. Okay.

Speaker 4 (25:22):
Well, you have a Russell Westbrook running your second unit
and Jamal Murray's healthy. There's no reason that you're not
only maintainingly the margin, you're extending it.

Speaker 3 (25:32):
You're hoping anyway. Yeah, for sure, I think that's sort
of the idea.

Speaker 4 (25:34):
And obviously young guys coming into their own, like Peyton
Watson and Julian Strather, they're out there with him, and
then Malone's quick to say, hey, you know, we don't
just can see that. And I if I saw him,
you know, off to the side, I would say, I
wasn't saying that's what your plan was. But that's the
way we all looked at it from a practical standpoint.
And now with Russell Westbrook at least healthy, this seems.

Speaker 1 (25:53):
Really interesting adding him, adding Sarich Christian Brown, what he
brings to the starting lineup.

Speaker 3 (25:59):
That's the other thing. I don't like him in that
starting role.

Speaker 1 (26:02):
For me, it'd be Strawther and you bring down off
the bench as a high energy guy, similar way that
far Red used to, you know, kind of do things.

Speaker 3 (26:07):
You got Russell Westbrook is your high energy guys, so
to an agree.

Speaker 1 (26:10):
But and here's the thing I like about that, though,
is because when Jokis got off the court, this offense
went into park. With all due respect to Jamal Murray,
there's no facilitator on the Nuggets outside of Nicole Yo,
which now you got one.

Speaker 3 (26:20):
Russell Westbrook is a facilitator.

Speaker 1 (26:22):
And all the jokes aside, like when both of them
are parked at nine assists and then throw the ball
back and forth to each other, who's gonna get the
triple double?

Speaker 4 (26:29):
And we'll see because obviously the I think jokers chasing
Russ's mark, right, and then you's got to get to
Magic and he'll end up passing both of them.

Speaker 3 (26:38):
But I think Strather being able to knock down shots
more consistently.

Speaker 4 (26:41):
You don't need that as much from CB when you
got Jamal and and MPG out there. But so yeah,
here was me asking coach Malone about the idea that
when Westbrook's in there, you're going to not just maintain
whatever the margin is.

Speaker 3 (26:56):
One way or the other.

Speaker 5 (26:57):
Yeah, I mean the thinking should never be from a
losing mindset, like, hey, let's just hold water.

Speaker 3 (27:02):
Let's only get out.

Speaker 5 (27:03):
Scored by two. Now you're hoping that your second unit,
whoever that winds up being from, we're out there and
build whatever lead the starter's at, or if we're down,
they can go in there and get us back in
the game. Like I want us to have a positive
mindset and aggressive mindset as opposed to just trying to
hold water. Well, that's just you know, that's not good enough.
And obviously the Russell Westbrook's never taken a backwards step

(27:26):
in his life, and I don't expect him to start
doing that now.

Speaker 3 (27:31):
That's the way he's wired and everyone that's been around him.

Speaker 4 (27:34):
It's funny that when you look at what Russell Westbrook
has been and hasn't been, you understand the flaws in
his game. The funny thing about him, you know, because
the biggest criticism is always gonna be a shot selection
watching him play with Joker, and it's clear that Joker
raises everybody's level.

Speaker 3 (27:50):
If you were watching.

Speaker 4 (27:51):
We talked about the opening night and the lebron Ronney thing,
and obviously Celtic's getting a ring and all that, and
again another really cool ring saw the Hopefully you've seen
the clip, and I posted one of the clips of
it of the TNT crew picking.

Speaker 3 (28:05):
Their top twenty players right now.

Speaker 4 (28:07):
Ernie Shack and Charles Barkley all had Joker number one
on their list. Kenny has Joker two or three, by
Jannis and Uh and Luca and so that's it's all fine.
But the point is Joker makes everybody better. Is that
Russ in Oklahoma had to be the guy. He gets
to the Lakers, and I think Lebron wanted him to

(28:27):
do what the Nuggets also want to do is take
some pressure off of the first unit and or Lebron
bringing the ball up. But in this case, Russ is
just there to run the second unit and I play
with the ones when Jamal's either out or Jamal's banged
up and out of the game. And so it's and
even with the Clippers, it was his role kept changing
because he got adding p you know, they had ball

(28:48):
or the ball Georgia Kawhi when he's healthy and right,
and then they go trade for Harden and so.

Speaker 1 (28:54):
I I mean, it wasn't I mean, he was a
thirty minute a game guy in twenty two, twenty three.

Speaker 3 (28:58):
Last year he was only twenty tw a halve minutes,
but he was I mean, he was still racking up minutes,
you know, two seasons ago. And this might be the
way fans.

Speaker 4 (29:06):
And I'm not pretending to be a Nuggets fan. You know,
I grew up a Mavericks fan. I like the Nuggets.
They're fun to watch, Jokers amazing, and so it's they're
fun to cover. But I'm not coming out like, oh,
he's here, he's our guy. I'm looking from a practical
basketball standpoint. Reggie Jackson was asked to do a little
too much last year, especially when he had to play
with the ones, but even with what he did with
that second unit, but asking Russ to just be himself,

(29:27):
but just with the second unit and then with the
first unit, just fit in where we need you, but
go out and run the show and make these young
guys around you better, and him buying into it because
he's now realizing, Okay, in the man, Okay, See, both
LA teams didn't work, even though I'm an LA guy.

Speaker 1 (29:43):
Now I'm gonna come to Denver Joker wants me. I'm
signing for way, way, way less money than in theory
he might get. I'm going to come in and truly
embrace this and we're gonna get a ring because I'm
gonna take that second unit to an elite level. Yeah,
I mean, I just love the fact that we got
somebody else who will hustle for rebounds too. That's the
other thing, because outside of Aaron go in the occasional
night that Michael Porter Junior showed up to, you know,
decided he had to do something besides shoot.

Speaker 3 (30:06):
There really just this does not exist on this roster.

Speaker 1 (30:09):
People that are scrapping for boards, and that's so much
of what makes this offense go as second chance opportunities
if you don't get it on the first chance, a
second chance opportunity and the percentages there and how they
play in your favor. So I believe that having him
there one gives you versatility because you can play with
Murray on the court, move Murray over to the two
at times you can. You can, But you've also got

(30:31):
a guy who he will scrap for boards, will get
in there and get get gritty for boards. And I
think that's the thing that's been missing since Brown's been
gone since Bruce Brown's had gone.

Speaker 3 (30:39):
And he attacks right to a level that really nobody.

Speaker 1 (30:44):
You have to have a six or seventh guy who's
a gritty type player, and Bruce Brown was that guy,
and they have not had that.

Speaker 3 (30:49):
With all the respect to KCP, they've not had that
since he's been gone.

Speaker 4 (30:52):
No, Casep's role was was there was a toughness and
a grit to him, but it was different than what
Bruce Bruce Brown. And with Westbrook there's no letup, there's
no off switch, similar to if we want to equate
it to the way Zach Allen plays there. And I
realized Russ has done for seventeen years at a Hall
of Fame level and been an MVP and all of that.

(31:12):
But I had Sean today about Zach Allen. He said
he's a guy that he reminded him of Cam Jordan
and that not that they play the exact same, but
play forty eight looks the same as play three in
terms of effort, right and for Russell Westbrook when he's
out there every single time down the court, especially now
that he's a mile above sea level, and even when
these the second unit guys are getting in, they're still

(31:33):
getting in it for the first time at the same
time he will and Ken.

Speaker 3 (31:38):
It's gonna be really fascinating to see because.

Speaker 4 (31:40):
The drop off last year from the starters to the
bench was stark so much so that I understand why
Michael Lund didn't want to trust those guys and it
really shortened the bench. But that stressed your starters so
much in the playoffs. So if Sarich can be just
kind of what he's been in the pros, smart player
that's gonna do enough dirty work, but just make the plays.
Strawther takes a step that you think he's gonna take,

(32:02):
and Russ's is Russ and and Peyton Watson takes a step.
We're finally gonna see Peyton healthy. Russell Westbrook's also Payton
Watson's hero. Yeah, it reminds me to some degree of
when Von Miller got DeMarcus Ware at the perfect time.

Speaker 3 (32:14):
And it's great.

Speaker 4 (32:15):
Now Payton's not at a crossroads and every that's in
year three, But could that take him to another level
because Westbrook is his guy.

Speaker 3 (32:22):
It's gonna be It's gonna be a fun start to
the year.

Speaker 1 (32:23):
Looking forward to it now it's playing tomorrow night Broncos.
Country Tonight rolls on previeing the Panthers when we come back.