Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks to vide Beddetto and Zach Segers for joining us earlier.
You can to stay part of that. You go to Broncos,
Country Night, dot Com, Slash Podcast, rebbigats podcast, Apple iTunes, Spotify,
totally free It also my Heart radio app. I didn't
say redesigned, just to see if you're paid attention, just
like Lady Flubb that Yeah, No, I was just seeing
if you were paid attention. They totally new it redesigned.
(00:20):
iHeartRadio app nailed it, almost nailed it.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Well, you can get to take it forgot the podcasts
as well.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
With that, we'll go right out to the KWA Common
Spirit Health Hotline and bring on Rich de Ruser's the
chief communications officer of the NFL.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Pro Football Hall of Fame. Rich, How you doing this evening?
Speaker 3 (00:36):
I'm doing well. Aren't those live reads fun? Sometimes?
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (00:39):
If they're a mouthful man? And I'm not one of
those people.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
It's used to doing it like I'm over the last
few years, I've just gotten into the driver's chair.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
It used to be the analyst on the show and out.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Of the driver's chair, and I do not envy the
people that have to do all the live reads.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
It's definitely an.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Art that's yeah, and one, if not mastered. I'm still
on stick figures with this stuff.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
So Rich, first of all, well let's let's let's explain
to the audience what it is that you actually do
for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
I'm not sure, you know what. One of the good
things about my job is that it's very it varies widely.
I am involved in the selection process.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
I think that that might be something.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
That we get into a little bit. I'm responding. You know,
I'm responsible for some of the internal and external communications
at the Hall. So some of the messaging that the
Hall puts out, you know, related to the new class,
related to the Hall of Famers and what they've got
going on, new exhibits at the Hall, you know, whatever
that might be that the halls from voting. Right now,
(01:42):
We've got a new exhibit that launched a few weeks
ago and is going to run throughout twenty twenty five
where we talk about character and how character is exhibited
both on and off the field. And one of the
centerpieces around that new exhibit is the Walter Payton NFL
End of the Year Award. And just saw you know
(02:03):
this year's winner announced last night, so his name will
go up on the wall, and and so we celebrate
the different ways that uh, so many athletes are doing
so much both on end off the field.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
Well, we appreciate you taking some time out tonight to uh,
you know, to talk about some things. I think a
lot of people were sort of surprised it was what
felt like a smaller Hall of Fame class.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
Jared Allen Sterling sharp.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
I think everybody's probably seeing the video of him and
his brother getting there to talk about Eric Allen, Antonio
Gates got the.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
News that uh that they're going to be enshrined.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
However, uh, Eli Manning, Luke Keeley, and and probably most
surprising to me, Adam Vita Terry not making the cut there.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Uh what can you tell us about.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
The the process that may be surprising to those from
the outside looking in.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
I think if if the listeners, if I can give
the listeners one takeaway tonight, I think I think one
of the popular misconceptions is that the small class size
reflects a belief that there aren't worthy people of the
Pro Football Hall of Fame, when the exact.
Speaker 4 (03:11):
Opposite is true.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
The way the voting is set up. There are so
many people worthy of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
that it's tough to get consensus on who should be
in any particular class. So our bylaws stipulate that somebody
needs eighty percent of the vote to get in. But
when you have a pool of seven people in the
(03:35):
last pool you're voting for, and you can cast a
vote for five of those seven, you can see how
the votes can get spread out, and if you don't
get eighty percent, you don't get in. And that's what
happened this year. We have four individuals excuse me, who
reached to that eighty percent threshold, but everybody else who
is eligible just spread those votes out, so we had
(03:57):
people who are close to making it, I couldn't quite
get over the top of the number they needed. So
four is the smallest number that we've had for twenty years.
But it's not an uncommon number in the history of
the Hall of Fame. It's actually the nineteenth time. Roughly
thirty percent of the Hall of Fame's classes have been
(04:18):
either three or four members. So while it's been a while,
it's certainly not unprecedented, and I think we recent history,
certainly some of those numbers have been much much larger,
but over the course of the entires Hall history, a
class of four is actually fairly common.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Yeah, and I think there's something to the exclusivity of it.
You know, it should be an achievement, it should be
something to aspire to and shouldn't you know. I don't
want to just just usher every name in there. And
maybe that's you know me, you know, yucket it up
on a microphone. But at the end of the day,
I want the Hall of Fame to be the best
of the best, the top one percent of the one percent.
I want those names to be, you know, the legends.
But at the same time, when you do that, there
(04:56):
are things that they get missed. And there are when
you have smaller classes like that, and football changes the
way that it's played, some guys get left behind.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
One of my old time you know that.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
I feel like it's like the biggest snub out there
right now is the fact that Henry Ellert is not
in the Hall of Fame. Ellard, who had retired third
but third all time and yeah, third all time and
receiving yards and now because of the way the game
has changed and when he retired, it's sort of the opportunity.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
It felt like just sort of passed.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Him by because you had this offensive explosion at the
receiving position. He's still fifteenth all time right now, but
it seems like that that a lot of that passed
him by.
Speaker 3 (05:34):
Yeah, Henry Ellard, you know, I'll throw another one out
there that folks might remember, Harold Jackson kind of, you know,
you know, similar, similar types of players, and you're you're
right the receiving just defining. I'm gonna throw another one
at you here in just a second, but you're right
on the receivers right now. You know, finalists this year
were Steve Smith, Tory Holt, reg you Wayne. I mean
(05:58):
you look at their numbers there. They're worthy. There's no
question that they're worthy. And you know, kind of right behind.
Speaker 4 (06:04):
Them, you've got guys like Akwan Golden and hinz Ward, who.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
Is a little bit different than the ones we mentioned previously,
doesn't have quite the receiving numbers of the other ones,
but I think he is, you know, widely considered, you know,
if not the best, one of the best blocking wide
receivers ever and played in a system that was a
run first oriented offense for most or at least much
(06:28):
of his career. So you know, if he had been
in a different system, would he have put up the
bigger numbers and be in by now? You know, That's
that's the great debate. But I think they're going to
see the same things with running backs. Running back longevity diminishing.
So what do you do with somebody like a Fred
Taylor who's been in the finalist a couple of years now,
and Frank Gore's coming up, and then you know, and
(06:52):
Adrian Peterson. I think Will probably may may jump ahead
of you know, both of those two names when he's eligible,
but kind of behind them. You know, who are you
looking at? You know, you know, Derrick Henry probably is
is a likely type of person, you know, with a
number of rushing titles he has and you know, the
big numbers that he's put up. But you know, you're
(07:14):
you're seeing running backs careers that just are you know, seven, eight,
maybe ten years. But if they get to ten years,
you know, typically if they get to ten years, two
or three of them are you know, production is down,
so you're you're really looking at the best of you know, five, six,
seven years. So as positions of ball that does get
difficult to compare. And the quarterbacks another one with just
(07:36):
big numbers right now with a Philip Rivers, the ben
Roth Plisberger and Eli Manning and and so you've got
to drill down on those numbers and you know.
Speaker 4 (07:43):
What did they do in big games and things like that.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
Talking with Rich Rogers from the Pro Football Hall of Fame,
the chief communications officer at the NFL. Excuse me, the
Pro Football Hall of Fame. Important distinction there. That's not
just the NFL, right.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
It is, thank you, Yes, you are correct, and certainly
the you know, certainly the NFL is the predominant league now, uh,
the only league that plays in the fall, really and
and the you know, the spring leagues are I think,
you know, being being fair, I think everybody understands and
concedes that that any other league other than.
Speaker 4 (08:16):
The NFL is inferior right now.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
But there have been other leagues in the history, the AFL,
all America Football Conference, the World Football League, the original USFL,
the second USFL.
Speaker 4 (08:28):
All of those are represented to some degree in the Hall.
But you know, so our name technically is as you mentioned,
the Pro Football Hall of Team with obviously much of
the memorabilia and much of the history around the National
Football League.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
Well, what would it take for at least me to
what I think is an interesting question, What would it
take for in the modern one of these one of
these alternate leagues, and whether it be a spring league
like the the you know, the current version of the UFL,
with the with them or with you know, the our
buddy Ryan Michael, who's who's getting work in the European
Football League? And what would it take for one of
those players to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
I think they'd have to jump to the NFL and
show that their productivity and their stardom translated to what
is I think universally considered the premier league, you know
for this sport. You know, you did see guys that
played some years in the USFL make the move to
(09:29):
the NFL. And you know a few, you know, a
Jim Kelly, a Reggie White, a Sam Mills. You know,
those guys were not likely to make the Pro Football
Hall of You know, it's hard to say because the
USFL wasn't around long enough for guys to put together
big statistics, but I think by and large it was
(09:52):
considered a good league with a you know, with a
handful of excellent players, most of whom then made the
transition the NFL. So I think I think that's always
going to be tough, because the question is going to
be you know, listen, we just talked about guys like
you know, Henry Ellard, Harold Jackson from back in the day,
and then guys like right now that didn't make it yet,
(10:13):
you know, a Tory Holtz, a Reggie Wayne. So I
think there'd be a lot of raised eyebrows that somebody went,
you know, into one of the spring leagues and had
a fifteen hundred yard receiving season and like, well, you know,
what would that person do if they're playing against NFL
caliber defensive backs, et cetera like that. So I think
I think you're always going to see, at least until
(10:34):
one of those leagues is really established and really has
a ten or.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
Fifteen year history.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
I think it's I think we're at a point now
where anybody coming into the Hall of Fame is either
exclusively or nearly exclusively a former NFL player.
Speaker 5 (10:49):
Hey, Rich Grant Smith here, thanks so much for the
time tonight. You mentioned the memorabilia in the Pro Football
Hall of Fame and for anyone who has never been
there and as a football fan, it is a must go.
But what is your favorite piece of memorabilia there.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
There's a heavy woolen overcoat that Ernie Nevers wore with
the Duluth Eskimos and it is in a case, and
just a couple of feet away on the other side
of the of the same showcase is a very large
trunk with the you know, painted delude his Ernie Nevers's
(11:26):
travel and equipment trunk that they took on the trains
when they were going around the league playing their games.
Those two pieces together are my two favorite. They're gray
with blue and they've got the old Duluth Eskimo's e
blue logo on them. And you know, I'm I've yet
to see anything quite like those.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
That's so cool, that's fascinating.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
Obviously, you guys had the Kendall Hinting memorabilia from the
Hinting game that he was, you know, for the Broncos. Yeah,
a lot of the people get fans can get to
go and go see that. I want to get back to,
you know, people getting into the criteria and stuff. One
of the aspects I think that is long time frustrated
Denver Broncos fans. Specifically, he's the lack of inclusion of
Mike Shanahan in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. And uh,
(12:07):
you know this year you had HomeGrid who you know,
didn't get it from the contributed category. Bill Belichick's going
to be coming up soon, and that worries people that, uh,
that that Mike's going to continue to get pushed out
when he's such an you know, an influencer on especially
the modern state of offense in the NFL, as as
many people running a variant of what he did or what.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
His son does.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
What what would you say to people that are perhaps
frustrated that that Mike Shanahan has not yet been inducted
into the into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
Don't give up hope, because he's very very close. Uh,
you know, he was right, you know he And it's
a you know, we talked about the wide receivers. It's
almost like what's your you know, what's your favorite flavor
of ice cream? And I think it's you know, what's
your what's your favorite wide receiver? Among the selectors, you know,
they have to make that decision. And it's the same
way with the coaches, because if you look at Holmgren,
(12:58):
Shanahan un often is kind of in that same discussion.
Right now, Dan Reeves another one is in that discussion. So, uh,
you know, Marty Schottenheimer has been in that discussion. Marty
has more wins than anybody else whose name we've mentioned
right now, but his you know, his postseasons are are
riddled with, you know, some major disappointments. And then you know,
(13:18):
kind of on the flip side, uh, you know, might
be a might be a coach Kaughlin who has a
couple of super Bowl victories, as does coach Shanahan, and
and and home in one one and went to another.
Speaker 4 (13:29):
And you know, so then you know.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
What becomes the basis of of how you tip the
scale to one person or the other. Is it super
Bowl victories? Is it overall winning percentage?
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Is it?
Speaker 3 (13:41):
Uh? Maybe a coach who's winning percentage isn't quite as high,
but he inherited, you know, a train wreck and you
know built, you know, built a winner out of that.
You know, so you give him a little bit of
a pass on some of you know, some of his
year in, year out records. I think that was what
some people decided about coach for Meal. Uh when he
got in a couple of years years ago, Hey, we're
(14:03):
gonna we're going to give him a bit of a
path on an overall winning percentage because he got to
Philly terrible, got him to a Super Bowl, got to
Saint Louis Terrible, got him to win a Super Bowl
and turned it over to Mike Martz for another one. Uh,
got to Kansas City, Terrible, produced a winner that there,
and and so that was you know, he kind of
(14:24):
had a three year plan everywhere he went. I think
that you know, voters said, listen, his his body of
work made him the guy that year. And I kind
of think that's where the same that I think the
same people who use that argument in coach for meals
favor are some of the same people banging the drum
for coach Shanahan. Uh, you know went to places that
(14:45):
uh sometimes needed you know, some uplifting and was able
to do it. And then like you said, you know
the coaching tree, uh, the offensive philosophy that I think
those are both things that work in his favorite He's
very close. And now I think that Coaches Committee needs
to make a really really hard decisions you know, coach
Holmgren was the person who came out of the selection
(15:06):
committee this year. Do they go back to that and say,
you know, hey, he was close and can we push
him over the goal line, or do we look at
the different candidate who maybe the full body of selectors
will receive, you know, with enough approval that that person
can get to the finish line and get their bust
(15:28):
in Kanton, Ohio. So it's going to be really interesting
for me to kind of see how that discussion goes
over the course of this next year as we start
talking about the class of twenty twenty six.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
Well, Rich, I really appreciate you taking the time tonight.
I could probably do this for another two hours. You know,
we'll have to have you back on again soon. We're
just up against it now. But I really appreciate you
taking the time tonight, and we really appreciate you jumping
on the show and giving us a little bit of
insight and look forward to having you on again soon.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
You bring me on anytime if you want. We'll talk
some more Broncos football. And you talked about favorite items.
Don't forget the how about the brown and yellow sox?
So we got we got some of those all right.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
Well, hey, Richard Rogers, the UH for the Pro Football
Hall of Fame, Chief Communications Officer of the Pro Football
Hall of Fame.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
We appreciate the time this.
Speaker 3 (16:10):
Evening, and I thank you guys.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Yep, take care Roccos country. Now I got hit a break.
We come back. It's the NFL six pack.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
Thanks to rich Rosiers from the Pro Football Hall of
Fame for joining us in the last segment.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
Uh looking forward to getting him on a longer format.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
Kind of deal because there's so much to talk about
when it comes to that kind of stuff, and he's
a he's a fount of knowledge for that.
Speaker 5 (16:30):
So what an awesome interview, man, that was so much
We've had some great guests lately, Peter king Man, Rich
what a wealth of knowledge that that's the stuff I love,
the history of the game, and he just has all
the input and uh man, it was so much fun.
Thanks to Ryan Michael for helping set that up.
Speaker 1 (16:47):
Yeah, definitely appreciate him him doing that for us as
as always an uh man. We'll have a good a
chance to talk to him again soon. That further ado
the let's get the NFL six pack.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
It's time for the NFL six path.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
I'm gonna try insight and inside information you can't find
anywhere else.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
No.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
Six the top six NFL headline what it started as
a one year thing and will now continue.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
Austin Carr for The Sports Business Journal reports Prime Video
will continue to televise a Wildcard game for the balance
of its current broadcast deal, while reported a seven year
commitment for the NFL has an early out under all
current media deals at the conclusion of the twenty twenty
nine Season's currently believe the league will exercise that right.
Amazon reportedly paid one hundred and fifty million dollars for
(17:34):
the twenty twenty four playoff game because the future preseason
games is not yet No and Steelers Ravens Saturday Night
game last month attracted twenty two point one million viewers,
down from the twenty three Dolphin's Chiefs Wildcard game on
peacocky year earlier. Prime videos performance the first three years
of Thursday Night package proves that the shift to streaming
has happened and that others like Netflix will be at
(17:55):
the table the next time the NFL sayers sells its
various TV packages more and selections of games to sell
the numbers will continue.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
To go up, up, up, as they always have.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
What do you think do you have all the stream
what of the NFL streaming services do you have?
Speaker 5 (18:10):
Well, I'm not an old so I have all the
streaming services, and I don't mind the games being on
the streaming platforms at all.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
I actually kind of enjoy them.
Speaker 5 (18:19):
You get a little different vibe, you get a little
different production, and you get a little different commentators. So
I'm a fan of the streaming platforms and I think
it's just going to keep going that way as time
goes on.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
It.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
Well, we've just reinvented cable, though. I mean, at the
end of the day, he's to stop cable. We've had
all these these streaming things and then now they're bundling
things to get We just reinvented cable. So we've just
all one big, one big loop. The one thing about
this is a lot of people are frustrated that the
super Bowl itself big game itself. Uh, in terms of
being streamed, You're only going to be able to get
(18:51):
that on Fubo. So if you don't have the Fubo
package or a live package with the other YouTube.
Speaker 2 (18:57):
TV or Hulu, whatever, you know, the the up scale
packages for those things. You're not gonna be able to
stream it. See that that seems kind of dumb.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
Yeah, because it's on Fox and Fox doesn't have you know,
like everyone else does, which they will eventually.
Speaker 2 (19:09):
He would think they will.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
But you know they're not like Abcspacock and uh you
know in CBS Paramount Plus and in those Fox doesn't have.
So this is gonna wind up having to get anohing now.
I will tell people if you want, Ubo does have
a two week free trial, so you could just sign
up with a trial for the super Bowl if you want.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
Just just to add something.
Speaker 5 (19:30):
You'd think with all the money grabbing that goes on
in the NFL, especially in these broadcast deals, you'd think
they'd be able to sell a streaming option, maybe from
another platform, But maybe that's just not part of the
deal with Fox.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
They want it all coming there. We probably want it
all come in their way.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Two uh, Dion Sanders has hired Marshall fall because Colorado's
running backs coach. I guess we knew that are on
the office here for a while, but official now, the
once in the Hall of Famer has hired another at Colorado.
Fulk has been named the new running the backs coach
for the See Buffs, where his boss will be Dion Sanders.
Speaker 2 (20:02):
Fulk has no coaching experience.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
But was an old time great running back at San
Diego State and an all time great NFL running back
obviously for the Colts and Rams. Both Falk and Sanders
are members of the College Football Hall of Fame as
well as the aforementioned Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
Sanders has turned.
Speaker 1 (20:17):
Colorado what are the world popular programs in college football,
if not into postseason success yet, but his ability to
lure big names as a recruiter has been a plus.
Now he has a very big name on his coaching staff.
What do you think of Marshall Fulk as the running
backs coaches see you?
Speaker 5 (20:31):
I think anytime you can bring in someone that has
the legendary status of Marshall Falk is a good thing,
not only for recruiting, but just for the wealth of
knowledge that he can pass along. And when you have
Dion there as the head guy, he's going to set
that culture that he wants and he's just bringing in
these guys like Warren Sapp and Marshall Falk who can
help at certain positions, and Lord knows they need some
help at the running back position that they do.
Speaker 1 (20:54):
Sorry, Kevin O'Connell got Coach of the Year honors last night.
The Vikings began the season with it over under win
total of six and a half. After losing quarterback Kirk
Cousins in free agency, they drafted JJ McCarthy signed veteran
Sam Darnold, but McCarthy was lost for the season in
August with a full meniscus tear in his knee. I
can still managed to go fourteen and three, and that
earned Kevin o'conno Coach of the Year honors. He had
(21:17):
three hundred and sixty one points twenty five of the
fifty first place votes, beating out Lions coach Dan Campbell
with two hundred and eighty three points and nineteen first
place votes, Andy Reid with one hundred and nineteen and
four first place votes, Dan Quinn with eighty five points
in one first place vote, and Sean Payton seventy one
points and one first place vote. No truth to the
(21:39):
rumor that I celebrated dan Quinn having a higher score
than Sean Payton, even though everybody tried to pretend that
on Twitter.
Speaker 5 (21:44):
Well, I think he should have a higher score than
Sean Payton. And I think, in my opinion, I love
Kevin O'Connell. I love what he does and what the
message he sends. And man, that video of him and
Sam Donald after the Sea or after one of the
big wins earlier this year was so cool.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
It seems like he.
Speaker 5 (22:00):
Really resonates with the players. But I think the most
impressive coaching job this year was Andy Reid, and I
would have liked to see him win it.
Speaker 2 (22:07):
Yeah, I mean they basically lost one game to Buffalo.
Speaker 1 (22:09):
If we're counting that, we right, you know, that last
game against Lebron, I'm not counting that, But I mean
we got the one the win cool and it got
us in the playoffs, But I don't really count that
as beating the Chiefs. I mean, come on, it was
their backups and third stringers that was utterly ridiculous. Ocnnoldty
his credit first coaching team history to win thirteen or
more games twice, vikings reel of nine consecutive wins a
week nine through seventeen time for third logust streak and
team history. They signed him to a contract extension season
(22:34):
getting that Money four, Josh Allen won the MVP Award
over Lamar Jackson, and of course, Twitter proceeded to melt down.
Lamar Jackson won First Team All Pro but did not
win a third MVP Award. One of the more stunning
results in the history of the award to a lot
of people, Josh Allen beat out Jackson for the MVP
received twenty seven first place votes had three hundred and
(22:54):
eighty three points, while Jackson had twenty three first place
votes votes and three hundred and sixty two points. The
Eagals running back Saquon Barkley was third, Bengals quarterback Joe
Burrow finished fourth number and the fifth place vote was
absurd to me. Lyon's quarterback Jared Goff finished fifth.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
In the voting. I think it's weird and I don't
like that, yeah either.
Speaker 1 (23:16):
Allen won the award for the first time in his
career after finishing second to Aaron Rodgers in twenty twenty,
third and twenty two, fifth and twenty three.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
The only other.
Speaker 1 (23:24):
Two Bills to ever have won the award are Thurman
Thomas in nineteen ninety one and Oj Simpson, who killed
the competition back.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
In nineteen seventy three.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
Allen is the first player since Broncos quarterback John Elway
in nineteen eighty seven to win MVP without being First
Team All Pro. Jackson received thirty to fifty votes for
All Pro, Allan getting eighteen. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow got two.
Same voters who selected the All Pro team vote for MVP.
Allen threw four three thousand, seven thirty one yards twenty
eight touchdowns at career low six picks. He added five
(23:56):
thirty one on the ground with twelve touchdown runs. Those
numbers probably could have been a higher except that he
only played the ceremonial opening snap in week seventeen and
was rested. Did you have any problems with Josh allenban
in the award?
Speaker 2 (24:07):
You know, at first, I really did.
Speaker 5 (24:09):
I thought Lamar Jackson's numbers were just so much more impressive.
But then I heard a debate earlier today on I
forget what podcast I was listening to, but they talked.
We were talking about, you know, the difference between All
Pro and MVP, and All Pro is a statistical award,
and MVP is the most valuable player on the team,
and I think Josh Allen was that this year.
Speaker 2 (24:30):
That's exactly what I put out on Twitter.
Speaker 1 (24:32):
You got to codify what most Valuable Player means because
if it's the award for statistical accomplishment, that it goes
to Lamar. If it's the award for who did more
with less and got their team further, it would have
to be Josh Allen. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (24:44):
I mean thing about the narrative around the Bills at
the beginning of this year, you know, they lost Stefan Dick, right,
and they were like, you know, he's not going to
have a great year this year. The Bills aren't going
to be who they were in the past couple of years,
and they proved everybody Wround five.
Speaker 1 (25:01):
Michael Bidwell, owner of the Arizona Cardinals, his former personal assistant,
has filed a wrongful discharge suit. Yet another former Cardinals
employees making allegations against the team and its owner. Bidwell's
former personal assistant, Brittany Neuheisel, has filed a wrongful discharge
lawsuit against Bidwell and the Cardinals. Last year, Cardinal's personal
executive Terry McDonogh won three million dollars in arbitration for
(25:24):
the teams over the top public relations assault after McDonough
filed a wrongful discharge claim. Separate litigation was thereafter filed.
New Heiseel's eleven page complaints, which was filed Thursday in
Maricopa County Superior Court and obtained by US, includes counts
four constructive discharge, wrongful discharge, discrimination based on age, general religion,
(25:44):
and the intentional infliction of emotional distress. The introduction to
the lawsuit of edges that new Heisl was quote continuously
tormented for failing to disavow members of her own family
and for refusing to participate in illegal conduct. Also that
Bidwell quote unmercifully harassed plaintiff in an effort to drive
her to leave the Cardinals, and that he wanted to
replace her with quote someone young, beautiful, and athletic. New
(26:08):
Heizel works for Bidwell from January of twenty nineteen until
January of twenty twenty five. The complaint has riddled with
allegations from new Heisl against Bidwell.
Speaker 2 (26:16):
She claims that he is in.
Speaker 1 (26:17):
A state of constant conflict with his family members and
that Bidwell involves her at his petty battles. The complaint
alleges a meeting between Bidwell his niece regarding her college studies.
New Huisl ledges she was instructed to remove the niece's
personal effects from her vehicle during the meeting so that
the car, which had been given to her by Bidwell,
could be repossessed and sold.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
New Heiseel contents she was instructed to.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
Videotape the car being loaded onto a flatbed so the
video could then be played for his niece. Still in
the meeting with Michael Bidwell, new Heiseel also claims that
Bidwell's dog became a tool for bullying her. She contends
that when he was told to go to Bidwell's house
to open the doggy door, the fifty nine pound pit
bullet attacked her. He later told her to take the
dog to a park while he interviewed current general manager
(26:59):
Mantiasen were back in early twenty twenty three. She contends
that he repeatedly accused her of being an enabler for
her adult children and grandchildren.
Speaker 2 (27:08):
Two of her children three of her grandchildren live with her.
Speaker 1 (27:10):
Bidwell, for the complaint, repeatedly told the plaintiff that she
needed to kick out her daughter and grandchildren from her
home and insisted that she see the team's psychologists so
she could learn how to deal with her children and grandchildren.
Perhaps most significantly as it relates to the potential for
the NFL getting involved, New Hiyesel alleges that Bidwell instructed
her to place false information on complicated federal and international
disclosures relating to his travel by private airplane. Also allegedly
(27:33):
told her to ship a firearm by FedEx, directing her
to ignore any restrictions.
Speaker 2 (27:37):
That potentially applied.
Speaker 1 (27:38):
Who Haizel alleges that her religion objected to her providing
false information, which he allegedly says, do it.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
And then go to confession. Geez what.
Speaker 1 (27:48):
New Eyes alleges Bidwell eventually decided to replace with someone
quote young, beautiful, and athletic. She claims that once he
made that decision, he verbally abused her almost every day.
The final straw apparently came last month, when the Cardinals
lone to their home stadium to the Rams, who had
been displaced from Los Angeles for the Wildcard playoff game
by raging wildfires. New Heisl ledges Bidwell purposely shunned her
(28:08):
when introducing Commissioner Roger Gudell to employees working in the
suite at the stadium and later allegedly directed a tirade
at her when Rams owner Stan Cronkey didn't personally visit
the suite to thank Bidwell for his hospitality. She thereafter resigned,
convinced he was using outrageous conduct to get her to quit.
Speaker 2 (28:25):
Cardinals have denied the allegations. You'll see what becomes of this.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
What do you think of Michael Bidwell being in yet
another lawsuit about his conduct?
Speaker 5 (28:34):
Man, it just makes me think. You know, we've seen
owners forced out in other sports. You know, you go
back to the Reds with Marge Shot and Donald Sterling
with the Clippers a couple of years ago.
Speaker 2 (28:43):
What's it take in the NFL for them to force
an owner?
Speaker 1 (28:46):
Jerry Richardson of the Carolina Panthers was forced out and
that's when our boss, Dave Tepper took over.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
Yeah, God, I'm bad. Scenario made worse.
Speaker 5 (28:53):
Yeah, But I don't know.
Speaker 2 (28:56):
I think it's a mess.
Speaker 5 (28:57):
And I think if these allegations become then I think
this is a situation where you're like, this is a
bad image for the NFL as a whole.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
Why not just force him to sell? Well, I think
you have to have provable cause. To be able to
do that. It would take the other owners getting together
and voting on that.
Speaker 2 (29:20):
But you have to have cause.
Speaker 1 (29:21):
Jerry rich is sitting it very obviously had some kind
of toxic work environments, some racially charged, if not outright
racist statements that he made. Michael Bidwell would have to
be guilty of some of this stuff, and the problem
is is that they've either got it in arbitration or
non disclosure agreements with settlements, and it's just difficult, even
with all of these things stacked against him, to put
(29:42):
your finger on anything provable. Kind of the similar as
it is the way to Deshaun Watson getting NBA's and
settle them with all the you know, all the women,
even though we know what he was up to. Six
Patrol Football Hall of Fame has made it harder more
difficult to earn induction into CANTON, but change the bi laws,
which this year changed the way. The forty nine selectors
(30:02):
vote resulted in only a four player class. Defensive back
Eric Allen defensive and Jared Allen tight end, Antonio Gates
of wide receiver Sterling Sharp earned election on Thursday night.
This is the smallest class for the Pro Football Hall
of Fame since two thousand and five. Sharp was one
of three senior candidates, the only one elected, Eric Allen
Jared Allen Gates were elected from the Modern era players
(30:23):
pool of candidates that began with one hundred and sixty
seven nominees who last played professional football in the twenty
nineteen season. That list was reduced three times to fifty
twenty five and fifteen finalists before the annual selection meeting.
Former Factors and Seahawks coach Mike Holgren and former Giants
quarterback Eli Manning were two of the sixteen who did
not earn election This year. Will Anderson, Torrey Holt, Lukeigley
(30:43):
admitted Tarry for the modern players to advance to the
final seven without being elected. They automatically advanced to the
final fifteen the class of twenty twenty six. Next year,
Sterling Sharp made history with his brother Shannon as they
became the first brothers elected to the Pro Football Hall
of Fame. Three fathers sent a father son tandems are Enshrined,
Tim and Wellington, marrow Art and Dan Rooney, and Ed
(31:05):
and Steve Sable. Eric Allen and Jared Allen learned of
their election when another Hall of Famer knocked at the
door of their homes. Gates and Sharp experienced a reverse
knock by showing up at a site where the Hall of.
Speaker 2 (31:15):
Famer was waiting to deliver the news.
Speaker 5 (31:18):
Yeah, and man, what a cool moment for Sterling's sharp
and Shannon's Sharp. And we'd play the whole video if
we had more time. But I think they're not the first.
They're not going to be the only brothers in the
NFL for long.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
Even though Eli.
Speaker 5 (31:31):
Didn't get in this year and I did not think
he was a first ballot Hall of Famer, I think
he will get in in the next couple of years,
and they'll be the second duo of brothers in the NFL.
Speaker 2 (31:40):
Probably.
Speaker 1 (31:40):
That seems like something the Manning brothers. I don't know
you saw, did you see arch and Hyde Manning going hide? Manning,
who's a freshman at Texas now, was talking to one
of the reporters and talk about I don't see Arcs
that way. He's just a big brother to me, and
you know, he's just he's my older brother who doesn't
know how to use a microwave.
Speaker 5 (31:59):
I just old Mount use a microwave. No, that doesn't
surprise me. Though, I mean, why does he need to?
Speaker 2 (32:06):
No, I mean, what do you go to microwaves?
Speaker 1 (32:09):
Yeah, you got all you foods to the trading table
and all like that.
Speaker 5 (32:11):
Anyway, everything's provided for him, right, and he's probably got
millions of dollars in an il money that someone if
that he needs him to, can microwave it for them.
Speaker 2 (32:20):
I don't even think he needs it.
Speaker 1 (32:21):
He comes from a fairly well off family, as we're.
Speaker 2 (32:23):
All aware football royalty there.
Speaker 1 (32:25):
No, I mean the microwaves could be complicated, though I
don't know about it.
Speaker 2 (32:30):
You get a new.
Speaker 1 (32:30):
Microwave and you're like trying to figure out which one
of these buttons is the popcorn button.
Speaker 5 (32:36):
It took me a minute to figure out the intricacies
of it, but I did. I was bummed a vanitary
didn't get in on the first I was.
Speaker 2 (32:41):
I was surprised by that.
Speaker 1 (32:42):
Certainly was so Roccos Country Tonight rolls off after this
Thanks to vide Beddetto and Zach Segers for joining us earlier.
You can to stay part of that. You go to Broncos,
Country Night, dot Com, Slash Podcast, rebbigats podcast, Apple iTunes, Spotify,
totally free It also my Heart radio app. I didn't
say redesigned, just to see if you're paid attention, just
like Lady Flubb that Yeah, No, I was just seeing
if you were paid attention. They totally new it redesigned.
(00:20):
iHeartRadio app nailed it, almost nailed it.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Well, you can get to take it forgot the podcasts
as well.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
With that, we'll go right out to the KWA Common
Spirit Health Hotline and bring on Rich de Ruser's the
chief communications officer of the NFL.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Pro Football Hall of Fame. Rich, How you doing this evening?
Speaker 3 (00:36):
I'm doing well. Aren't those live reads fun? Sometimes?
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (00:39):
If they're a mouthful man? And I'm not one of
those people.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
It's used to doing it like I'm over the last
few years, I've just gotten into the driver's chair.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
It used to be the analyst on the show and out.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Of the driver's chair, and I do not envy the
people that have to do all the live reads.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
It's definitely an.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Art that's yeah, and one, if not mastered. I'm still
on stick figures with this stuff.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
So Rich, first of all, well let's let's let's explain
to the audience what it is that you actually do
for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
I'm not sure, you know what. One of the good
things about my job is that it's very it varies widely.
I am involved in the selection process.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
I think that that might be something.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
That we get into a little bit. I'm responding. You know,
I'm responsible for some of the internal and external communications
at the Hall. So some of the messaging that the
Hall puts out, you know, related to the new class,
related to the Hall of Famers and what they've got
going on, new exhibits at the Hall, you know, whatever
that might be that the halls from voting. Right now,
(01:42):
We've got a new exhibit that launched a few weeks
ago and is going to run throughout twenty twenty five
where we talk about character and how character is exhibited
both on and off the field. And one of the
centerpieces around that new exhibit is the Walter Payton NFL
End of the Year Award. And just saw you know
(02:03):
this year's winner announced last night, so his name will
go up on the wall, and and so we celebrate
the different ways that uh, so many athletes are doing
so much both on end off the field.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
Well, we appreciate you taking some time out tonight to uh,
you know, to talk about some things. I think a
lot of people were sort of surprised it was what
felt like a smaller Hall of Fame class.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
Jared Allen Sterling sharp.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
I think everybody's probably seeing the video of him and
his brother getting there to talk about Eric Allen, Antonio
Gates got the.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
News that uh that they're going to be enshrined.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
However, uh, Eli Manning, Luke Keeley, and and probably most
surprising to me, Adam Vita Terry not making the cut there.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Uh what can you tell us about.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
The the process that may be surprising to those from
the outside looking in.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
I think if if the listeners, if I can give
the listeners one takeaway tonight, I think I think one
of the popular misconceptions is that the small class size
reflects a belief that there aren't worthy people of the
Pro Football Hall of Fame, when the exact.
Speaker 4 (03:11):
Opposite is true.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
The way the voting is set up. There are so
many people worthy of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
that it's tough to get consensus on who should be
in any particular class. So our bylaws stipulate that somebody
needs eighty percent of the vote to get in. But
when you have a pool of seven people in the
(03:35):
last pool you're voting for, and you can cast a
vote for five of those seven, you can see how
the votes can get spread out, and if you don't
get eighty percent, you don't get in. And that's what
happened this year. We have four individuals excuse me, who
reached to that eighty percent threshold, but everybody else who
is eligible just spread those votes out, so we had
(03:57):
people who are close to making it, I couldn't quite
get over the top of the number they needed. So
four is the smallest number that we've had for twenty years.
But it's not an uncommon number in the history of
the Hall of Fame. It's actually the nineteenth time. Roughly
thirty percent of the Hall of Fame's classes have been
(04:18):
either three or four members. So while it's been a while,
it's certainly not unprecedented, and I think we recent history,
certainly some of those numbers have been much much larger,
but over the course of the entires Hall history, a
class of four is actually fairly common.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Yeah, and I think there's something to the exclusivity of it.
You know, it should be an achievement, it should be
something to aspire to and shouldn't you know. I don't
want to just just usher every name in there. And
maybe that's you know me, you know, yucket it up
on a microphone. But at the end of the day,
I want the Hall of Fame to be the best
of the best, the top one percent of the one percent.
I want those names to be, you know, the legends.
But at the same time, when you do that, there
(04:56):
are things that they get missed. And there are when
you have smaller classes like that, and football changes the
way that it's played, some guys get left behind.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
One of my old time you know that.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
I feel like it's like the biggest snub out there
right now is the fact that Henry Ellert is not
in the Hall of Fame. Ellard, who had retired third
but third all time and yeah, third all time and
receiving yards and now because of the way the game
has changed and when he retired, it's sort of the opportunity.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
It felt like just sort of passed.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Him by because you had this offensive explosion at the
receiving position. He's still fifteenth all time right now, but
it seems like that that a lot of that passed
him by.
Speaker 3 (05:34):
Yeah, Henry Ellard, you know, I'll throw another one out
there that folks might remember, Harold Jackson kind of, you know,
you know, similar, similar types of players, and you're you're
right the receiving just defining. I'm gonna throw another one
at you here in just a second, but you're right
on the receivers right now. You know, finalists this year
were Steve Smith, Tory Holt, reg you Wayne. I mean
(05:58):
you look at their numbers there. They're worthy. There's no
question that they're worthy. And you know, kind of right behind.
Speaker 4 (06:04):
Them, you've got guys like Akwan Golden and hinz Ward, who.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
Is a little bit different than the ones we mentioned previously,
doesn't have quite the receiving numbers of the other ones,
but I think he is, you know, widely considered, you know,
if not the best, one of the best blocking wide
receivers ever and played in a system that was a
run first oriented offense for most or at least much
(06:28):
of his career. So you know, if he had been
in a different system, would he have put up the
bigger numbers and be in by now? You know, That's
that's the great debate. But I think they're going to
see the same things with running backs. Running back longevity diminishing.
So what do you do with somebody like a Fred
Taylor who's been in the finalist a couple of years now,
and Frank Gore's coming up, and then you know, and
(06:52):
Adrian Peterson. I think Will probably may may jump ahead
of you know, both of those two names when he's eligible,
but kind of behind them. You know, who are you
looking at? You know, you know, Derrick Henry probably is
is a likely type of person, you know, with a
number of rushing titles he has and you know, the
big numbers that he's put up. But you know, you're
(07:14):
you're seeing running backs careers that just are you know, seven, eight,
maybe ten years. But if they get to ten years,
you know, typically if they get to ten years, two
or three of them are you know, production is down,
so you're you're really looking at the best of you know, five, six,
seven years. So as positions of ball that does get
difficult to compare. And the quarterbacks another one with just
(07:36):
big numbers right now with a Philip Rivers, the ben
Roth Plisberger and Eli Manning and and so you've got
to drill down on those numbers and you know.
Speaker 4 (07:43):
What did they do in big games and things like that.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
Talking with Rich Rogers from the Pro Football Hall of Fame,
the chief communications officer at the NFL. Excuse me, the
Pro Football Hall of Fame. Important distinction there. That's not
just the NFL, right.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
It is, thank you, Yes, you are correct, and certainly
the you know, certainly the NFL is the predominant league now, uh,
the only league that plays in the fall, really and
and the you know, the spring leagues are I think,
you know, being being fair, I think everybody understands and
concedes that that any other league other than.
Speaker 4 (08:16):
The NFL is inferior right now.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
But there have been other leagues in the history, the AFL,
all America Football Conference, the World Football League, the original USFL,
the second USFL.
Speaker 4 (08:28):
All of those are represented to some degree in the Hall.
But you know, so our name technically is as you mentioned,
the Pro Football Hall of Team with obviously much of
the memorabilia and much of the history around the National
Football League.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
Well, what would it take for at least me to
what I think is an interesting question, What would it
take for in the modern one of these one of
these alternate leagues, and whether it be a spring league
like the the you know, the current version of the UFL,
with the with them or with you know, the our
buddy Ryan Michael, who's who's getting work in the European
Football League? And what would it take for one of
those players to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
I think they'd have to jump to the NFL and
show that their productivity and their stardom translated to what
is I think universally considered the premier league, you know
for this sport. You know, you did see guys that
played some years in the USFL make the move to
(09:29):
the NFL. And you know a few, you know, a
Jim Kelly, a Reggie White, a Sam Mills. You know,
those guys were not likely to make the Pro Football
Hall of You know, it's hard to say because the
USFL wasn't around long enough for guys to put together
big statistics, but I think by and large it was
(09:52):
considered a good league with a you know, with a
handful of excellent players, most of whom then made the
transition the NFL. So I think I think that's always
going to be tough, because the question is going to
be you know, listen, we just talked about guys like
you know, Henry Ellard, Harold Jackson from back in the day,
and then guys like right now that didn't make it yet,
(10:13):
you know, a Tory Holtz, a Reggie Wayne. So I
think there'd be a lot of raised eyebrows that somebody went,
you know, into one of the spring leagues and had
a fifteen hundred yard receiving season and like, well, you know,
what would that person do if they're playing against NFL
caliber defensive backs, et cetera like that. So I think
I think you're always going to see, at least until
(10:34):
one of those leagues is really established and really has
a ten or.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
Fifteen year history.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
I think it's I think we're at a point now
where anybody coming into the Hall of Fame is either
exclusively or nearly exclusively a former NFL player.
Speaker 5 (10:49):
Hey, Rich Grant Smith here, thanks so much for the
time tonight. You mentioned the memorabilia in the Pro Football
Hall of Fame and for anyone who has never been
there and as a football fan, it is a must go.
But what is your favorite piece of memorabilia there.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
There's a heavy woolen overcoat that Ernie Nevers wore with
the Duluth Eskimos and it is in a case, and
just a couple of feet away on the other side
of the of the same showcase is a very large
trunk with the you know, painted delude his Ernie Nevers's
(11:26):
travel and equipment trunk that they took on the trains
when they were going around the league playing their games.
Those two pieces together are my two favorite. They're gray
with blue and they've got the old Duluth Eskimo's e
blue logo on them. And you know, I'm I've yet
to see anything quite like those.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
That's so cool, that's fascinating.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
Obviously, you guys had the Kendall Hinting memorabilia from the
Hinting game that he was, you know, for the Broncos. Yeah,
a lot of the people get fans can get to
go and go see that. I want to get back to,
you know, people getting into the criteria and stuff. One
of the aspects I think that is long time frustrated
Denver Broncos fans. Specifically, he's the lack of inclusion of
Mike Shanahan in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. And uh,
(12:07):
you know this year you had HomeGrid who you know,
didn't get it from the contributed category. Bill Belichick's going
to be coming up soon, and that worries people that, uh,
that that Mike's going to continue to get pushed out
when he's such an you know, an influencer on especially
the modern state of offense in the NFL, as as
many people running a variant of what he did or what.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
His son does.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
What what would you say to people that are perhaps
frustrated that that Mike Shanahan has not yet been inducted
into the into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
Don't give up hope, because he's very very close. Uh,
you know, he was right, you know he And it's
a you know, we talked about the wide receivers. It's
almost like what's your you know, what's your favorite flavor
of ice cream? And I think it's you know, what's
your what's your favorite wide receiver? Among the selectors, you know,
they have to make that decision. And it's the same
way with the coaches, because if you look at Holmgren,
(12:58):
Shanahan un often is kind of in that same discussion.
Right now, Dan Reeves another one is in that discussion. So, uh,
you know, Marty Schottenheimer has been in that discussion. Marty
has more wins than anybody else whose name we've mentioned
right now, but his you know, his postseasons are are
riddled with, you know, some major disappointments. And then you know,
(13:18):
kind of on the flip side, uh, you know, might
be a might be a coach Kaughlin who has a
couple of super Bowl victories, as does coach Shanahan, and
and and home in one one and went to another.
Speaker 4 (13:29):
And you know, so then you know.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
What becomes the basis of of how you tip the
scale to one person or the other. Is it super
Bowl victories? Is it overall winning percentage?
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Is it?
Speaker 3 (13:41):
Uh? Maybe a coach who's winning percentage isn't quite as high,
but he inherited, you know, a train wreck and you
know built, you know, built a winner out of that.
You know, so you give him a little bit of
a pass on some of you know, some of his
year in, year out records. I think that was what
some people decided about coach for Meal. Uh when he
got in a couple of years years ago, Hey, we're
(14:03):
gonna we're going to give him a bit of a
path on an overall winning percentage because he got to
Philly terrible, got him to a Super Bowl, got to
Saint Louis Terrible, got him to win a Super Bowl
and turned it over to Mike Martz for another one. Uh,
got to Kansas City, Terrible, produced a winner that there,
and and so that was you know, he kind of
(14:24):
had a three year plan everywhere he went. I think
that you know, voters said, listen, his his body of
work made him the guy that year. And I kind
of think that's where the same that I think the
same people who use that argument in coach for meals
favor are some of the same people banging the drum
for coach Shanahan. Uh, you know went to places that
(14:45):
uh sometimes needed you know, some uplifting and was able
to do it. And then like you said, you know
the coaching tree, uh, the offensive philosophy that I think
those are both things that work in his favorite He's
very close. And now I think that Coaches Committee needs
to make a really really hard decisions you know, coach
Holmgren was the person who came out of the selection
(15:06):
committee this year. Do they go back to that and say,
you know, hey, he was close and can we push
him over the goal line, or do we look at
the different candidate who maybe the full body of selectors
will receive, you know, with enough approval that that person
can get to the finish line and get their bust
(15:28):
in Kanton, Ohio. So it's going to be really interesting
for me to kind of see how that discussion goes
over the course of this next year as we start
talking about the class of twenty twenty six.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
Well, Rich, I really appreciate you taking the time tonight.
I could probably do this for another two hours. You know,
we'll have to have you back on again soon. We're
just up against it now. But I really appreciate you
taking the time tonight, and we really appreciate you jumping
on the show and giving us a little bit of
insight and look forward to having you on again soon.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
You bring me on anytime if you want. We'll talk
some more Broncos football. And you talked about favorite items.
Don't forget the how about the brown and yellow sox?
So we got we got some of those all right.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
Well, hey, Richard Rogers, the UH for the Pro Football
Hall of Fame, Chief Communications Officer of the Pro Football
Hall of Fame.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
We appreciate the time this.
Speaker 3 (16:10):
Evening, and I thank you guys.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Yep, take care Roccos country. Now I got hit a break.
We come back. It's the NFL six pack.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
Thanks to rich Rosiers from the Pro Football Hall of
Fame for joining us in the last segment.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
Uh looking forward to getting him on a longer format.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
Kind of deal because there's so much to talk about
when it comes to that kind of stuff, and he's
a he's a fount of knowledge for that.
Speaker 5 (16:30):
So what an awesome interview, man, that was so much
We've had some great guests lately, Peter king Man, Rich
what a wealth of knowledge that that's the stuff I love,
the history of the game, and he just has all
the input and uh man, it was so much fun.
Thanks to Ryan Michael for helping set that up.
Speaker 1 (16:47):
Yeah, definitely appreciate him him doing that for us as
as always an uh man. We'll have a good a
chance to talk to him again soon. That further ado
the let's get the NFL six pack.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
It's time for the NFL six path.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
I'm gonna try insight and inside information you can't find
anywhere else.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
No.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
Six the top six NFL headline what it started as
a one year thing and will now continue.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
Austin Carr for The Sports Business Journal reports Prime Video
will continue to televise a Wildcard game for the balance
of its current broadcast deal, while reported a seven year
commitment for the NFL has an early out under all
current media deals at the conclusion of the twenty twenty
nine Season's currently believe the league will exercise that right.
Amazon reportedly paid one hundred and fifty million dollars for
(17:34):
the twenty twenty four playoff game because the future preseason
games is not yet No and Steelers Ravens Saturday Night
game last month attracted twenty two point one million viewers,
down from the twenty three Dolphin's Chiefs Wildcard game on
peacocky year earlier. Prime videos performance the first three years
of Thursday Night package proves that the shift to streaming
has happened and that others like Netflix will be at
(17:55):
the table the next time the NFL sayers sells its
various TV packages more and selections of games to sell
the numbers will continue.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
To go up, up, up, as they always have.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
What do you think do you have all the stream
what of the NFL streaming services do you have?
Speaker 5 (18:10):
Well, I'm not an old so I have all the
streaming services, and I don't mind the games being on
the streaming platforms at all.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
I actually kind of enjoy them.
Speaker 5 (18:19):
You get a little different vibe, you get a little
different production, and you get a little different commentators. So
I'm a fan of the streaming platforms and I think
it's just going to keep going that way as time
goes on.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
It.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
Well, we've just reinvented cable, though. I mean, at the
end of the day, he's to stop cable. We've had
all these these streaming things and then now they're bundling
things to get We just reinvented cable. So we've just
all one big, one big loop. The one thing about
this is a lot of people are frustrated that the
super Bowl itself big game itself. Uh, in terms of
being streamed, You're only going to be able to get
(18:51):
that on Fubo. So if you don't have the Fubo
package or a live package with the other YouTube.
Speaker 2 (18:57):
TV or Hulu, whatever, you know, the the up scale
packages for those things. You're not gonna be able to
stream it. See that that seems kind of dumb.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
Yeah, because it's on Fox and Fox doesn't have you know,
like everyone else does, which they will eventually.
Speaker 2 (19:09):
He would think they will.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
But you know they're not like Abcspacock and uh you
know in CBS Paramount Plus and in those Fox doesn't have.
So this is gonna wind up having to get anohing now.
I will tell people if you want, Ubo does have
a two week free trial, so you could just sign
up with a trial for the super Bowl if you want.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
Just just to add something.
Speaker 5 (19:30):
You'd think with all the money grabbing that goes on
in the NFL, especially in these broadcast deals, you'd think
they'd be able to sell a streaming option, maybe from
another platform, But maybe that's just not part of the
deal with Fox.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
They want it all coming there. We probably want it
all come in their way.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Two uh, Dion Sanders has hired Marshall fall because Colorado's
running backs coach. I guess we knew that are on
the office here for a while, but official now, the
once in the Hall of Famer has hired another at Colorado.
Fulk has been named the new running the backs coach
for the See Buffs, where his boss will be Dion Sanders.
Speaker 2 (20:02):
Fulk has no coaching experience.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
But was an old time great running back at San
Diego State and an all time great NFL running back
obviously for the Colts and Rams. Both Falk and Sanders
are members of the College Football Hall of Fame as
well as the aforementioned Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
Sanders has turned.
Speaker 1 (20:17):
Colorado what are the world popular programs in college football,
if not into postseason success yet, but his ability to
lure big names as a recruiter has been a plus.
Now he has a very big name on his coaching staff.
What do you think of Marshall Fulk as the running
backs coaches see you?
Speaker 5 (20:31):
I think anytime you can bring in someone that has
the legendary status of Marshall Falk is a good thing,
not only for recruiting, but just for the wealth of
knowledge that he can pass along. And when you have
Dion there as the head guy, he's going to set
that culture that he wants and he's just bringing in
these guys like Warren Sapp and Marshall Falk who can
help at certain positions, and Lord knows they need some
help at the running back position that they do.
Speaker 1 (20:54):
Sorry, Kevin O'Connell got Coach of the Year honors last night.
The Vikings began the season with it over under win
total of six and a half. After losing quarterback Kirk
Cousins in free agency, they drafted JJ McCarthy signed veteran
Sam Darnold, but McCarthy was lost for the season in
August with a full meniscus tear in his knee. I
can still managed to go fourteen and three, and that
earned Kevin o'conno Coach of the Year honors. He had
(21:17):
three hundred and sixty one points twenty five of the
fifty first place votes, beating out Lions coach Dan Campbell
with two hundred and eighty three points and nineteen first
place votes, Andy Reid with one hundred and nineteen and
four first place votes, Dan Quinn with eighty five points
in one first place vote, and Sean Payton seventy one
points and one first place vote. No truth to the
(21:39):
rumor that I celebrated dan Quinn having a higher score
than Sean Payton, even though everybody tried to pretend that
on Twitter.
Speaker 5 (21:44):
Well, I think he should have a higher score than
Sean Payton. And I think, in my opinion, I love
Kevin O'Connell. I love what he does and what the
message he sends. And man, that video of him and
Sam Donald after the Sea or after one of the
big wins earlier this year was so cool.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
It seems like he.
Speaker 5 (22:00):
Really resonates with the players. But I think the most
impressive coaching job this year was Andy Reid, and I
would have liked to see him win it.
Speaker 2 (22:07):
Yeah, I mean they basically lost one game to Buffalo.
Speaker 1 (22:09):
If we're counting that, we right, you know, that last
game against Lebron, I'm not counting that, But I mean
we got the one the win cool and it got
us in the playoffs, But I don't really count that
as beating the Chiefs. I mean, come on, it was
their backups and third stringers that was utterly ridiculous. Ocnnoldty
his credit first coaching team history to win thirteen or
more games twice, vikings reel of nine consecutive wins a
week nine through seventeen time for third logust streak and
team history. They signed him to a contract extension season
(22:34):
getting that Money four, Josh Allen won the MVP Award
over Lamar Jackson, and of course, Twitter proceeded to melt down.
Lamar Jackson won First Team All Pro but did not
win a third MVP Award. One of the more stunning
results in the history of the award to a lot
of people, Josh Allen beat out Jackson for the MVP
received twenty seven first place votes had three hundred and
(22:54):
eighty three points, while Jackson had twenty three first place
votes votes and three hundred and sixty two points. The
Eagals running back Saquon Barkley was third, Bengals quarterback Joe
Burrow finished fourth number and the fifth place vote was
absurd to me. Lyon's quarterback Jared Goff finished fifth.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
In the voting. I think it's weird and I don't
like that, yeah either.
Speaker 1 (23:16):
Allen won the award for the first time in his
career after finishing second to Aaron Rodgers in twenty twenty,
third and twenty two, fifth and twenty three.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
The only other.
Speaker 1 (23:24):
Two Bills to ever have won the award are Thurman
Thomas in nineteen ninety one and Oj Simpson, who killed
the competition back.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
In nineteen seventy three.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
Allen is the first player since Broncos quarterback John Elway
in nineteen eighty seven to win MVP without being First
Team All Pro. Jackson received thirty to fifty votes for
All Pro, Allan getting eighteen. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow got two.
Same voters who selected the All Pro team vote for MVP.
Allen threw four three thousand, seven thirty one yards twenty
eight touchdowns at career low six picks. He added five
(23:56):
thirty one on the ground with twelve touchdown runs. Those
numbers probably could have been a higher except that he
only played the ceremonial opening snap in week seventeen and
was rested. Did you have any problems with Josh allenban
in the award?
Speaker 2 (24:07):
You know, at first, I really did.
Speaker 5 (24:09):
I thought Lamar Jackson's numbers were just so much more impressive.
But then I heard a debate earlier today on I
forget what podcast I was listening to, but they talked.
We were talking about, you know, the difference between All
Pro and MVP, and All Pro is a statistical award,
and MVP is the most valuable player on the team,
and I think Josh Allen was that this year.
Speaker 2 (24:30):
That's exactly what I put out on Twitter.
Speaker 1 (24:32):
You got to codify what most Valuable Player means because
if it's the award for statistical accomplishment, that it goes
to Lamar. If it's the award for who did more
with less and got their team further, it would have
to be Josh Allen. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (24:44):
I mean thing about the narrative around the Bills at
the beginning of this year, you know, they lost Stefan Dick, right,
and they were like, you know, he's not going to
have a great year this year. The Bills aren't going
to be who they were in the past couple of years,
and they proved everybody Wround five.
Speaker 1 (25:01):
Michael Bidwell, owner of the Arizona Cardinals, his former personal assistant,
has filed a wrongful discharge suit. Yet another former Cardinals
employees making allegations against the team and its owner. Bidwell's
former personal assistant, Brittany Neuheisel, has filed a wrongful discharge
lawsuit against Bidwell and the Cardinals. Last year, Cardinal's personal
executive Terry McDonogh won three million dollars in arbitration for
(25:24):
the teams over the top public relations assault after McDonough
filed a wrongful discharge claim. Separate litigation was thereafter filed.
New Heiseel's eleven page complaints, which was filed Thursday in
Maricopa County Superior Court and obtained by US, includes counts
four constructive discharge, wrongful discharge, discrimination based on age, general religion,
(25:44):
and the intentional infliction of emotional distress. The introduction to
the lawsuit of edges that new Heisl was quote continuously
tormented for failing to disavow members of her own family
and for refusing to participate in illegal conduct. Also that
Bidwell quote unmercifully harassed plaintiff in an effort to drive
her to leave the Cardinals, and that he wanted to
replace her with quote someone young, beautiful, and athletic. New
(26:08):
Heizel works for Bidwell from January of twenty nineteen until
January of twenty twenty five. The complaint has riddled with
allegations from new Heisl against Bidwell.
Speaker 2 (26:16):
She claims that he is in.
Speaker 1 (26:17):
A state of constant conflict with his family members and
that Bidwell involves her at his petty battles. The complaint
alleges a meeting between Bidwell his niece regarding her college studies.
New Huisl ledges she was instructed to remove the niece's
personal effects from her vehicle during the meeting so that
the car, which had been given to her by Bidwell,
could be repossessed and sold.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
New Heiseel contents she was instructed to.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
Videotape the car being loaded onto a flatbed so the
video could then be played for his niece. Still in
the meeting with Michael Bidwell, new Heiseel also claims that
Bidwell's dog became a tool for bullying her. She contends
that when he was told to go to Bidwell's house
to open the doggy door, the fifty nine pound pit
bullet attacked her. He later told her to take the
dog to a park while he interviewed current general manager
(26:59):
Mantiasen were back in early twenty twenty three. She contends
that he repeatedly accused her of being an enabler for
her adult children and grandchildren.
Speaker 2 (27:08):
Two of her children three of her grandchildren live with her.
Speaker 1 (27:10):
Bidwell, for the complaint, repeatedly told the plaintiff that she
needed to kick out her daughter and grandchildren from her
home and insisted that she see the team's psychologists so
she could learn how to deal with her children and grandchildren.
Perhaps most significantly as it relates to the potential for
the NFL getting involved, New Hiyesel alleges that Bidwell instructed
her to place false information on complicated federal and international
disclosures relating to his travel by private airplane. Also allegedly
(27:33):
told her to ship a firearm by FedEx, directing her
to ignore any restrictions.
Speaker 2 (27:37):
That potentially applied.
Speaker 1 (27:38):
Who Haizel alleges that her religion objected to her providing
false information, which he allegedly says, do it.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
And then go to confession. Geez what.
Speaker 1 (27:48):
New Eyes alleges Bidwell eventually decided to replace with someone
quote young, beautiful, and athletic. She claims that once he
made that decision, he verbally abused her almost every day.
The final straw apparently came last month, when the Cardinals
lone to their home stadium to the Rams, who had
been displaced from Los Angeles for the Wildcard playoff game
by raging wildfires. New Heisl ledges Bidwell purposely shunned her
(28:08):
when introducing Commissioner Roger Gudell to employees working in the
suite at the stadium and later allegedly directed a tirade
at her when Rams owner Stan Cronkey didn't personally visit
the suite to thank Bidwell for his hospitality. She thereafter resigned,
convinced he was using outrageous conduct to get her to quit.
Speaker 2 (28:25):
Cardinals have denied the allegations. You'll see what becomes of this.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
What do you think of Michael Bidwell being in yet
another lawsuit about his conduct?
Speaker 5 (28:34):
Man, it just makes me think. You know, we've seen
owners forced out in other sports. You know, you go
back to the Reds with Marge Shot and Donald Sterling
with the Clippers a couple of years ago.
Speaker 2 (28:43):
What's it take in the NFL for them to force
an owner?
Speaker 1 (28:46):
Jerry Richardson of the Carolina Panthers was forced out and
that's when our boss, Dave Tepper took over.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
Yeah, God, I'm bad. Scenario made worse.
Speaker 5 (28:53):
Yeah, But I don't know.
Speaker 2 (28:56):
I think it's a mess.
Speaker 5 (28:57):
And I think if these allegations become then I think
this is a situation where you're like, this is a
bad image for the NFL as a whole.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
Why not just force him to sell? Well, I think
you have to have provable cause. To be able to
do that. It would take the other owners getting together
and voting on that.
Speaker 2 (29:20):
But you have to have cause.
Speaker 1 (29:21):
Jerry rich is sitting it very obviously had some kind
of toxic work environments, some racially charged, if not outright
racist statements that he made. Michael Bidwell would have to
be guilty of some of this stuff, and the problem
is is that they've either got it in arbitration or
non disclosure agreements with settlements, and it's just difficult, even
with all of these things stacked against him, to put
(29:42):
your finger on anything provable. Kind of the similar as
it is the way to Deshaun Watson getting NBA's and
settle them with all the you know, all the women,
even though we know what he was up to. Six
Patrol Football Hall of Fame has made it harder more
difficult to earn induction into CANTON, but change the bi laws,
which this year changed the way. The forty nine selectors
(30:02):
vote resulted in only a four player class. Defensive back
Eric Allen defensive and Jared Allen tight end, Antonio Gates
of wide receiver Sterling Sharp earned election on Thursday night.
This is the smallest class for the Pro Football Hall
of Fame since two thousand and five. Sharp was one
of three senior candidates, the only one elected, Eric Allen
Jared Allen Gates were elected from the Modern era players
(30:23):
pool of candidates that began with one hundred and sixty
seven nominees who last played professional football in the twenty
nineteen season. That list was reduced three times to fifty
twenty five and fifteen finalists before the annual selection meeting.
Former Factors and Seahawks coach Mike Holgren and former Giants
quarterback Eli Manning were two of the sixteen who did
not earn election This year. Will Anderson, Torrey Holt, Lukeigley
(30:43):
admitted Tarry for the modern players to advance to the
final seven without being elected. They automatically advanced to the
final fifteen the class of twenty twenty six. Next year,
Sterling Sharp made history with his brother Shannon as they
became the first brothers elected to the Pro Football Hall
of Fame. Three fathers sent a father son tandems are Enshrined,
Tim and Wellington, marrow Art and Dan Rooney, and Ed
(31:05):
and Steve Sable. Eric Allen and Jared Allen learned of
their election when another Hall of Famer knocked at the
door of their homes. Gates and Sharp experienced a reverse
knock by showing up at a site where the Hall of.
Speaker 2 (31:15):
Famer was waiting to deliver the news.
Speaker 5 (31:18):
Yeah, and man, what a cool moment for Sterling's sharp
and Shannon's Sharp. And we'd play the whole video if
we had more time. But I think they're not the first.
They're not going to be the only brothers in the
NFL for long.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
Even though Eli.
Speaker 5 (31:31):
Didn't get in this year and I did not think
he was a first ballot Hall of Famer, I think
he will get in in the next couple of years,
and they'll be the second duo of brothers in the NFL.
Speaker 2 (31:40):
Probably.
Speaker 1 (31:40):
That seems like something the Manning brothers. I don't know
you saw, did you see arch and Hyde Manning going hide? Manning,
who's a freshman at Texas now, was talking to one
of the reporters and talk about I don't see Arcs
that way. He's just a big brother to me, and
you know, he's just he's my older brother who doesn't
know how to use a microwave.
Speaker 5 (31:59):
I just old Mount use a microwave. No, that doesn't
surprise me. Though, I mean, why does he need to?
Speaker 2 (32:06):
No, I mean, what do you go to microwaves?
Speaker 1 (32:09):
Yeah, you got all you foods to the trading table
and all like that.
Speaker 5 (32:11):
Anyway, everything's provided for him, right, and he's probably got
millions of dollars in an il money that someone if
that he needs him to, can microwave it for them.
Speaker 2 (32:20):
I don't even think he needs it.
Speaker 1 (32:21):
He comes from a fairly well off family, as we're.
Speaker 2 (32:23):
All aware football royalty there.
Speaker 1 (32:25):
No, I mean the microwaves could be complicated, though I
don't know about it.
Speaker 2 (32:30):
You get a new.
Speaker 1 (32:30):
Microwave and you're like trying to figure out which one
of these buttons is the popcorn button.
Speaker 5 (32:36):
It took me a minute to figure out the intricacies
of it, but I did. I was bummed a vanitary
didn't get in on the first I was.
Speaker 2 (32:41):
I was surprised by that.
Speaker 1 (32:42):
Certainly was so Roccos Country Tonight rolls off after this
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