March 11, 2025 • 36 mins
In the third hour, Dave Softy Mahler and Dick Fain chat with Jon Wilner about Great Osobor, the WCC title, Big Ten television scheduling and Cam Ward, then get Warren Moon’s thoughts on the Seahawks major off-season changes before wrapping the show.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's time for a weekly PAC twelve conversation with Senos
a Mercury News reporter John Wilner, brought to you by
Simply Seattle. Our friends at simply Seattle dot com have
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Speaker 2 (00:19):
I was actually over there today.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
It's simply Seattle dot com picking up a few things
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Speaker 2 (00:27):
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Speaker 2 (00:38):
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Speaker 3 (00:43):
Jump on the website use code kJ R fifteen for
fifteen percent off anything at simply Seattle dot com. Here
he is the Pope of the pack, the Big ten Bear,
and our friend, your friend from the San Jose Mercury News,
John Wilner, John, how are you pal?
Speaker 4 (00:58):
I'm good Thans.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Hey, guys, good, So you just heard Dick of the
update there mentioned that Great Osabor was honorable mention all
big ten.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
I think he should change his name to Good Osabor.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
I don't know for two million bucks if the Husky's
got the return of the investment. They were looking for
fifteen points per game for Good Osabor this year five
and a half rebound excuse me, eight rebounds a game.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
I mean, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
What do you think the reigning Mountain West Player of
the Year comes to U dub and his team finishes
in last place? Two million bucks? It's not what I
thought they'd get. What do you think of the year
the Huskies got from Great Osabor?
Speaker 4 (01:37):
I think it was a little bit Underachievingsbor fair to Midland,
didn't make didn't make his teammates better. You know, he
was okay, but certainly I think didn't live up to expectations.
You know, the expectations for him individually were higher than
(01:57):
for the team as a whole. And I thought, actually
Washington as a team did got closer in meeting expectations
than he did individually.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
That's interesting.
Speaker 5 (02:06):
You might you might be right about that. You know,
we just talked about the Delaware run. Is there anything
that you're really looking forward to over the next over
the next week in conference tournament play, any conference you want,
Is there something that you're gonna particularly be keeping your
eye on.
Speaker 4 (02:23):
Well, I'm looking forward to the good Zach Saint Mary's game.
It starts in what a couple.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Hours hours hour.
Speaker 4 (02:28):
I think it could be a great game. Sam Mary's
won both during the regular season, swept his AX for
the first time in like ten years. I think because
that is playing better now than it was, so I
think it could be a really good game. Certainly, the
SEC tournament is gonna be fantastics, so many good teams.
Same with the Big twelve. I just to me, the
(02:52):
Big ten, the ACC are not as exciting. Well.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
Dick asked a question on the air about an hour
ago about the conference champampionship games in football maybe not
being as relevant as important because now you have the
expanded playoff, and I agree with them. You saw some
of the attendance numbers and ticket prices were in the
gutter for some of these games. You know, we just
played a clip from Calipari about an hour ago where
he said, I don't care about the tournament, right, I mean,
(03:18):
we're about winning in March Madness and winning in the
NCAA tournament.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
I mean, look, I know they make a lot of money,
But do we.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
Think that even the college basketball championship games and tournaments
that the importance has been lessened a bit over the years.
Speaker 4 (03:33):
I don't think so, because it's still the path for
teams that otherwise couldn't get in, you know, the bit Steelers.
That hasn't changed, And even if they expand the thing
to seventy six teams, that won't change in concepts. So
I think it's a little bit different. You know, the
(03:55):
equivalent in football would be like if you're six seed
somehow got into the CFP, but there's no path for
that to happen because the conference championship is just two teams,
whereas in the basketball it's you know, fifteen or more.
Speaker 5 (04:11):
John reading a couple articles where there's some in the
higher ups of the MLS that are regretting their Apple deal.
How and that just got me thinking about the PAC
ten and the PAC twelve, Like how big a disaster
would that have been had they actually signed that contract
solely with Apple.
Speaker 4 (04:30):
Well, I think that it would have been bad. Well,
let me rephrase that if they had actually signed the
contract solely with Apple, and I believe that there was
a way to sign the deal with Apple but then
sub license games on linear TV. That was part of
their plan. Now I don't know for sure that that
would have happened, but if it had, then that would
(04:53):
have been a probably a pretty good deal. The other
piece was that financially, the first two years were going
to be bad, right, and then they had the you know,
the triggers to get the revenue up. And I think
those were fairly easily reached to triggers. But certainly, you know,
it's hard to compare because football and soccer are so
(05:15):
college football and soccer are so different in this country
in terms of consumer consumption popularity. I don't know that
it's you know, apples to apples. To me, it's it's
more like apples and pears.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
Yeah, that's fair, and I hate pairs, by the way,
but that's fair. I mean, more people would have been
justified in paying to watch college football than they would
have been justified to pay to watch soccer, at least
in this country. There's no question about that. But John
Wilner is with us on the air. John, I think
you mentioned this on your on your Twitter account. You
did a story for the Mercury News about Friday night games,
and I don't know has has anybody been assigned Friday
(05:51):
games yet? The Huskies certainly haven't. And if not, when
will that come down?
Speaker 4 (05:56):
No, that will come out in late May, Okay, all
the major conferences will announce the kickoff times and TV
assignments for the first three weeks for the non you know,
the non conference games, and that will also include what's
called the special date games, and Fridays are considered special date,
(06:17):
same with you know, kind of any kind of Monday
deal early in the season. All that so late May,
first couple of days of June, we will know what
the Big ten Friday schedule is gonna be on Fox.
I fully expect there to be nine or ten more
Friday conference games, and I fully expect that the West
Coast schools are going to have an outside share of
(06:39):
those games.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Why do they wait so long to announce the Friday games?
And why does the Big ten give the TV networks
that kind of power?
Speaker 4 (06:48):
Well, they all have it. It's the same thing with
the Big twelve.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Yeah, why.
Speaker 4 (06:53):
I mean every year the special date games can get
I mean the Big twelve just announced I think a few.
But the Big ten's not doing anything that other conferences
haven't done in the past in terms of waiting until
May to announce the Friday games. It'd be better if
they did it all when they announced the schedule in December,
(07:16):
right the TV networks. The TV networks want to take
their time and map out everything. It's all part of
a grid, and the NFL schedule even impacts what you're
doing if you're ESPN with your college games. So it's
it's a big chess board for the TV networks and
(07:38):
they need time to do it.
Speaker 6 (07:39):
Well.
Speaker 5 (07:39):
You said today in that piece, the twenty two percent
of the Big Ten, which was the West Coast, made
up thirty nine percent of the Friday night slots last year,
So the West.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
Coast schools got the shaft.
Speaker 5 (07:49):
Do you think the Big Ten will give the West
Coast schools a bit of a break this year from
those Friday night games?
Speaker 4 (07:55):
Maybe a little bit, maybe a little, But a big
part of the problem as I see it is it
Pens State, Ohio, State Michigan are refusing and so that
leaves fifteen teams to play eighteen slots, and so that's
a big part of the problem. And I assume that
that's gonna be good next year too. I mean, Michigan's
(08:16):
ad war manual said flat out last fall, we're not
playing on Fridays. They're not going to tell Michigan and
Ohio State and Penn State what to do. I don't
think that's the way it's been in the Big Ten forever.
Those schools run the show. So if that's the case again,
I would expect that the West Coast schools are going
to have a few more games than everybody else.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
How many schools will be would be able to do that.
Does USC not have the.
Speaker 4 (08:43):
Power to think? I don't think USC does.
Speaker 6 (08:46):
No.
Speaker 4 (08:46):
I don't think any of them. I mean, Oregon Washington
certainly don't. They're half share members, they don't have the clout.
And my guess is a lot of this was discussed,
you know, before they eve, you know, officially brought in
Oregon and Washington or during the negotiations. The thing is
the money that Fox is spending, and I believe it
is sixty five million on Oregon and Washington per year
(09:09):
for their revenue share that was going to go to
the PAC twelve to be the Friday Night Pack twelve
package until the whole thing blew apart, and then it
blew apart. Fox just said, well, we'll just shift that
money and pay for Oregon in Washington in the Big twelve.
So they don't have the clout really to demand anything.
(09:30):
They kind of got to take what they're given. And
that's just the nature of being the newcomers.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
Yeah, it's like Judge Smalls, you get nothing and like it, right.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
I mean, that's what they're doing right now at least.
Speaker 4 (09:43):
But if the PAC twelve had stayed together and say
added SMU and San Diego State, I mean, those schools
would have taken the bark of any Friday deal. That's
just the way it works.
Speaker 6 (09:54):
Well.
Speaker 3 (09:54):
I like Friday games selfishly, I'd like them all played
on Friday because I get Saturdays off. I mean, I
have no problem with doing Friday games at all. But
John Wilners with us. John you wrote today about Dan
Lanning getting a new deal with Oregon. I mean, I'll
just tell you. Look, I think Lanning is a good coach.
I don't know if he's an elite coach. I think
you got to be a schmuck to mess up Oregon
(10:15):
like Free Willy and Helfrich did. Down there, You're handed
this unbelievable opportunity with Daddy Warbucks and the marketing machine
that is Nike. So I'm not surprised that Lanning, who's
got personality, charisma, the whole thing, is getting it done
down there. But do we really believe that Dan Lanning
is at his core an elite football coach and football
(10:37):
mind or is he just in the right spot.
Speaker 4 (10:41):
I am not sure. I think it's a great question.
It is a fantastic spot. They are ahead of the game,
and their machinery is built for this era. With Nike
and Division Street and their donors, they are built as
well as almost anybody to throw in this era with
nil revenue sharing, all that kind of thing. There's no
(11:04):
doubt about that. I also think he's a really good coach,
especially for somebody who's what thirty eight and has only
been doing it for three years. But I would also
argue that while I think he is undervalued at eleven
million a year, I think almost every really good college
football coach is undervalued with whatever they're making because the
(11:26):
programs mean so much to the school, and I would
argue that Kaalan de Boor was obviously we all know,
colossally undervaluedst What was he making four million six millionaires
last year? It was somewhere around there, and he was
worth even more than the extension Washington offered him because
(11:48):
everything that that program's success in twenty twenty three did
for the university, it did for the applications for admissions,
it did for the fundraising, for the community engagement. There's
no better marketing tool than your football team. And if
you're winning at a high level and you're in the playoffs,
it is an astronomical value add to your university.
Speaker 5 (12:11):
John, I'm not sure that I knew Texas State was
a school or even had a D one football team,
But you say you want them in the podcast.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
I did because DeLaura went there.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
Texas clear transferred there and then never went to school
because they hated as Guts.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
I forgot it. Yeah, I mean I probably.
Speaker 4 (12:26):
Watch him play ASU last season on Thursday Night.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
No, I didn't. Sorry, Why do you want him in
the big in the PAC twelve?
Speaker 4 (12:35):
I think this Texas is the place to be if
you're looking at what will help the PAC twelve, the
most in twenty thirty when it negotiates another TV deal.
It's being in Texas. There's money in Texas, oil money,
there's it's football craze, tons of recruits. I just think
(12:55):
that if you're looking for growth, you got more a
better chance for roads with Texas State than you do
with UNLB.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
Yeah. Well, John willows with us for a few more minutes.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
And John, last week you're on with us and we
asked you, if you're the Seahawks and Shador Sanders was
on the board at number eighteen, would you take him?
And you said no? What about cam Ward? I mean
you covered him a little bit when he was at Wazoo.
He was at Miami obviously and became a Heisman Trophy finalist.
I've heard a lot of stories, as I'm sure you
have as well. Would you trust cam Ward to be
(13:27):
the number one overall picking this draft?
Speaker 4 (13:30):
Sam responses last week with Sanders, hang on, I could
not take him in the first round. Wow, like either
of those guys.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
You passed on to both those guys, Oh why why?
Speaker 4 (13:43):
And my issues with Ward are different than Sanders. I
think Ward's got the arm, talent, size, all that, But
I think he's erratic, and I think he's too nonchalant.
How many times have we seen him either with Miami
or Washington State. It's like he's playing seven on at
the park, and I just don't think that's the right
(14:03):
approach for the NFL. And I do not think he's
going to be an elite quarterback, and I don't think
Sanders is either. I wouldn't take either of those guys
in the first round.
Speaker 5 (14:12):
John, last week you wrote about Washington and kind of
lump them in with UCLA as far as your level
of confidence to make the necessary commitments that create the
best chances for success. I mean, isn't Washington closer to
Oregon and USC than they are to UCLA? I mean,
even USC would have loved to have the last decade
the Husky's had on the football field.
Speaker 4 (14:33):
Ah, it's a tough one. I don't know. I really
do not think as an institution that Washington is closer
to Oregon and USC than it is to UCLA. I
still think that there is aspects of the school, and
you could argue it's commendable that they aren't all in,
(14:57):
you know, to win, But I know I'm not sure,
and I'll be curious to see what the new with
the new president, what his view is. But there's there's
no doubt in my mind that Anna Mark Halsey, we
have not all in to win, There's no doubt about that.
And Oregon is all in win and USC is two. Now,
I don't think the Huskies they're not where what UCLA
(15:19):
is on that spectrum, but they are like halfway between
maybe Oregon, USC and Washington and UCLA there they are not.
I don't see enough. And it's not necessarily an athletic
department issue. It's just the vibe on campus about doing
anything it will take to win. John.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
Let's end where we started and I'm going to tap
into the Windelorean here because if you, oh, okay, if
you are anything like what you were for football, we
could make some money with the basketball tournament the end
of the year, winning five in a row. You were
eight and two your last ten. You mentioned you're fired
up for the game tonight. We got the game on
kJ R at six pm. Saint Mary's is getting three
(16:00):
and a half against Gonzaga in Vegas and the WSCC final.
Wendalorean tell us which way to go in Tonight's West
Coast Conference Championship.
Speaker 4 (16:11):
So the Zags are a three point favorite.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
They're given three and a half. I was surprised for.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
So that just tells you, right, there's a ton of
good Zaga fans in Vegas, I'm sure, and that's bumping
up that that number. I mean, I would take Saint
Mary's in the points in a heart beat.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Okay, Saint Mary's it is plus the three and a half.
Speaker 4 (16:30):
Oh my god.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
We'll see what happens.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
Hopefully the Windelaorean knows what he's doing on the hardwood
like he does on the football field, man, because if
he is, we're in for a trait. John, you're the man,
great stuff, and we're talking a week buddy. All right,
John likes Saint Mary's and the points tonight against Gonzaga.
We got that game for you coming up at six
pm when we come back. Warren Moon, hall of Famer,
former Husky, you asked the question if the Seahawks got
(16:55):
better at quarterback by going from Gino Smith to Sam Darnold.
We're gonna ask a whole Hall of Famer Warren Moon
that exact same question next.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
Live from the R and R Foundation Specialist Broadcast Studio
Now back to Softie and Dick on your Home for
the Huskies and the Kraken Sports Radio ninety three point
three kjr Rson tenth in the Seattle thirty nine Steps.
Speaker 7 (17:19):
Up, Sam Brus left pot Jefferson, Top down, Sam, the
man on the fan finds the moneymaker justin Jefferson.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
Oh that guy right there, same down, Good time, the
brand new starting quarterback for your Seattle Seahawks. And we
have on the phone right now one of the all
time greats at Pro Football Hall of Famer, Rose Bowl
winner at Washington and a former Seahawk himself. And Minnesota Viking.
By the way, funny how this all ties in together.
Our old friend Warren Moon joining us on the radio show.
(17:54):
Warren longtime, no talk.
Speaker 6 (17:55):
How are you man, Safty Dick, How you guys are
doing today?
Speaker 3 (17:59):
I'm we are good. It's great to hear your voice. Man,
appreciate you jumping on. So why don't we just start
right at the top. Dick asked the question earlier, flat out,
not assuming anything about the money they'll spend on the
line or draft capital whatever. Simply put on game day
when they start getting going for real on Sunday in September,
did the Seahawks get better in your mind at quarterback
(18:21):
war and going from Geno Smith to Sam Darnold.
Speaker 6 (18:25):
That's the question. There remains to be seen, Softy. You
won't know until he actually gets on the field. I
know he had a outstanding year this past year in Minnesota,
but that's with the Minnesota Vikings and some of the
best receivers in the league. We know what his history
was before that. It wasn't very successful. Gino has played
the pretty well for the Seahawks since he's been here,
(18:47):
a little bit down last year, but I think a
lot of that had to do with money, the reason
why he's not here right now. And I think they
got Sam at about the same rate that they got
Gino on his long term a few years ago, and
they probably felt like they had to pay Gino a
lot more money going forward, something they weren't comfortable doing.
Sam's a lot younger. I think he's twenty seven years old,
(19:09):
where Gino's in his early thirties. So I think there
was a lot of good reasons why they did it.
I'm sure there's a lot of people that won't agree
with the trade, but then I'm sure there are a
lot of people that will agree and want something new
and fresh going forward.
Speaker 5 (19:23):
Well, people will be watching Sam Darnold vis a vi
Gino Smith this year, no question about it. What do
you think about the Geno Smith reuniting with Pete Carroll.
Speaker 6 (19:34):
You know, that's where Gino had some of his best years,
I think his first two years here, so he went
to the Pro Bowl. I think he led the league
in passing one of those years. So when you're going
back to a coach that believes in you, that's a
big that's a big confidence booster for any quarterback that
he's going to a coach that believes in him, that
brought him in and he feels like he can have
(19:55):
that same type of success with him in a new location.
So I'm sure Gino feels it was great about the trade,
even though he loved playing here in Seattle.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
Yeah, well, Warren moons with us, and Warren put yourself
in the shoes of Sam Darnald, right, I mean you're
going from playing inside you played there in Minnesota in
the Dome. You know what that's all about. It's a
quarterback friendly atmosphere. You're throwing to Justin Jefferson, you're throwing
to Jordanatis and you're throwing a TJ. Hawkinson And now
you come here and really all you've got on paper
is Jackson Smith's and JIGBA. So give me your thoughts
(20:25):
on the weapons right now that Sam Darnald has around him,
and also on top of that to kind of expand
how much would you be concerned for Jackson Smith and
jig but not having DK metcalf as his running mate anymore.
Speaker 6 (20:38):
Well, I think it's still a little bit early. I
mean we're only two days into free agency. There's a
lot more work to be done. I'm sure the Seahawks
have a plan. When you get rid of somebody like DK,
you've got to have a plan on how you're going
to replace him or at least get something that's this
close to what he was. I mean, he's a great
physical specimen, he's got top end speed. He's kind of
(21:01):
had a down year last year, And I think one
of the things might get frustrated with with DK was
with a lot of the penalties that he created as well,
that he got a lot of personal file penalties or
unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, those types of things. Those were frustrating. So,
like I said, they still have a plan in place,
(21:21):
and there's a lot of receivers out there and you
just have to go out there and try and find
one that you that fits best with your team. You're
probably looking for another big bodied guy that can really
fly down the field, but probably might be a little
bit better route runner.
Speaker 5 (21:34):
Well, seeing that price tag on DK over thirty million,
thirty two a year, would you have just bit the
bullet and said, I'll give you a hundred million dollars
for three years.
Speaker 6 (21:46):
I don't think I would have given all the other
things that the Seahawks need. And I think that has
a lot to do with it that they're trying to
cut some calls different places to try and rebuild the
team other places, and I think McDonald has a plan
that he wants to build this team up front a
lot like what he came from, whether it was it
at Michigan where they were really physical on the offensive
and defensive lines, or in Baltimore they were both very
(22:08):
physical on the offensive and defensive lines, and they ran
the ball. They ran the ball a lot, a lot
of play action pass and you have a quarterback that
it's kind of mobile, a little bit more mobile that
can do some of the things not so much like
Lamar Jackson, but you can still run some things with
him where you can use the quarterback's legs. So I
think it's an overall philosophy that that Mike wants to
(22:30):
do a little bit different on the offensive side of
the ball to go along with what he's trying to
build on that defensive side of the ball.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
Warren Moon again as our guest on the radio show
Pro Football Hall of Famer, and you you played with
some great wide receivers. I mean, Chris Carter is number
one right in Minneapolis. Guys like old Heywood, Jeffries, Webster
Slaughter back in the day. But if you were still
playing today, there's a there's a few names of available guys.
Keenan Allen's available, Stefan Diggs, Amari Cooper, Cooper Cup is
(22:56):
available if you want him. He's going to get released
to Tyler Locke. Would you think about bringing him back
on maybe a one year deal for less than he
was making a year ago? Would any of those receivers
do it for you? If you were still chucking the
rock today in the NFL, You know a.
Speaker 6 (23:11):
Lot of those guys are a lot like JSN, so
they're mostly possession receivers. Stefan Diggs maybe still has some
ability to go down the field. I'm not really sure
on his speed right now. But again, I think they're
going to be looking for a big bodied receiver. And
you look in this this year's draft, there's a lot
of speed coming out, there's a lot of size. Maybe
(23:33):
maybe you find somebody in the draft this year that
can help replace DK. But as you look around the league,
and I haven't looked back closely to see what's available,
I think they're looking probably more for a big bodied
guy that can really run and that gives the quarterback,
you know, he gives a little more flexibility as far
as having a catch radius where you don't have to
throw the perfect ball at him all the time. He
(23:55):
can go up and make some of those big grabs
for you that you need, especially down in the red zone.
Speaker 5 (23:59):
Well, when you see I think DK's body and his talent,
I think you just assume that he should have ninety
catches for fifteen hundred yards every year, and he just didn't.
So Warner, why don't you think DK reached his potential
in Seattle?
Speaker 6 (24:14):
It's really hard to say a lot of times. Well,
he missed some games because the injury, and then their
offense wasn't an offense. They did throw the ball a lot,
but I don't know, he just didn't get open a lot.
And I think that a lot of that has to
do with route running. A lot of it has to
do with your temperament. Are you playing the game relaxed it,
(24:35):
are you playing the game focused or are you playing
the game worried about the one on one battle you're
having with that cornerback against you. And I think some
of the time he got caught up in that as well.
He is a guy that should have had ninety catches
over one thousand yards every year that he's been here,
especially in today's NFL. I know if I was throwing
the football to him, he probably would have had that
because I would have made sure that happened. But you
(24:57):
also have to have that type of relationship with your
quarterback as well, And you've got to have the respect
of your quarterback that you're going to go out there
and do the things that he expects you to do
that you do in practice each and every day.
Speaker 3 (25:06):
Well, there's still some teams Warren looking for a QB
I mean, the Steelers are one of them, and I mean,
I gotta be honest with you. Dick and I have
talked about this, Warren. I don't understand why they made
the move for DK. Now they don't even have a quarterback.
They got to rebuild other pieces of their line. Seems
like wide receivers should be the last piece. But okay, whatever,
they did it. But now they're talking about maybe Aaron
Rodgers going to play for Mike Tomlin. I mean, would
(25:28):
you want anything to do with Aaron Rodgers at this
stage of his career.
Speaker 6 (25:33):
Well, I think that's part of the reason the Steelers
went and got the receiver DKs, is to try and
lure one of these quarterbacks to Pittsburgh because you don't
want to go to a team that doesn't have a
lot of talent at the receiver position. So now you
look at the talent they have there and you're like, WHOA,
this might be a place that I want to go.
But yeah, if I'm the Steelers, I don't know if
(25:54):
I want to bring in everything that comes along with Aaron.
I think Aaron can still play the game. He had
a decent second half last year finished but he's with
twenty eight touchdowns and ten pick Most quarterbacks would take that,
but a lot comes with him. Just like right now,
he's really taking his time on what he wants to
do to make a decision, and that's kind of you know,
who he is. He likes a lot of that drama,
(26:16):
a lot of that attention, and that comes with him
when he comes to your football team. I don't know
if you want that, especially when you have a young,
impressionable team like the Steelers do. They have a very
young team on the especially on the offensive side of
the ball. Their defense has a little bit more experience
on that side, but on the offensive side of the ball,
you want your quarterback to be somebody that those players
they're going to respect him because of what he's done,
(26:38):
but they're also going to follow some of his habits
and maybe you don't want them to follow some of
those habits that he brings into the to the locker room.
Speaker 3 (26:46):
Yeah, he's on Aaron's timeline for sure, no doubt. And
you mentioned that, and I.
Speaker 6 (26:50):
Don't and I think there would be kind of a
clash between him and Mike Tomlin if some of those
things started to happen. You just don't want that you
don't want that that distraction in your locker room, especially
if you're a team that's right on the cusp of
maybe being able to go further in the playoffs if
you get the right guy at that position.
Speaker 3 (27:07):
What about bringing Russell back? Does that do it for
you in Pittsburgh?
Speaker 6 (27:13):
I think it'll do it, but it would only do
it so far. I don't think Russell's going to continue
to keep getting better, but he did have some success
there last year. I think they lost their last five games, though,
and that's concerning. So that's something I'm sure they're looking at,
and I know they're talking to both of those two.
I wish they would have been able to sign back Fields.
(27:35):
I think he may had more of an upside as
a guy who can continue to improve, but that didn't happen.
So I think that's kind of what they're stuck with
right now. If they want to maybe get to the
next level. Is the two guys that are available Russell
and Aaron Rodgers, And I just don't know if those
are the two guys that get them to where they
want to go.
Speaker 5 (27:53):
Hall of Famer Warren Moon joining us and Warren I'm
gonna give you a very very difficult job. Right now,
I'm going to put you in charge of fixing the
Seahawks offensive line. So how do you go about doing that? Well,
it's it's worth it for this team because it's really
the only thing that's been holding them back the last
five or six years. So how do you balance that
(28:15):
out between free agency draft?
Speaker 2 (28:17):
How do you go about doing it?
Speaker 6 (28:19):
Yeah, that I think that's one of the things that
John Snyder and Micro are dealing with right now, and
that's why they've cut some of the costs on the
football team and they want to be in a position
where they can go out and sign them maybe a
free agent or two, and then look and see what's
best available in the draft. And you look at the
number of draft picks they have in this year's draft,
(28:39):
I think they have five out of the first ninety
two players. So you could package maybe a few of
those picks and maybe move up for one of those
big left tackles that are that are available in this draft.
There's some really good offensive linemen in this draft, and
there's some really good defensive linemen, especially interior linemen, So
I think they'll be able to make some good choices
(28:59):
and they have enough draft picks to maybe move themselves
around to get in a better position to get some
of those guys, and I think they'll do it. I
think John's as good as anybody at manipulating the draft.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
Hey, let me ask you one more before you go quickly,
because we're running out of time. It's a curveball. You're
on the clock at number eighteen. You're John Schneider. Shador
Sanders is sitting there from Colorado, Dion Sun.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
Do you draft him?
Speaker 6 (29:27):
Not that you have, now that you have, I mean
Sam Darnold. No, I don't think he draft him. Sam's
twenty seven years old. He's just going into his prime,
got it, So he's got another decade if he wants
to play the way the game is going right now.
But at least another five or six years. So I
don't think you make that choice now. There'll be a
better draft next year or the year after.
Speaker 3 (29:47):
Gotcha, Warren, great stuff man. Always appreciate the visit. Let's
do it again soon, pallor Ice.
Speaker 6 (29:52):
Horn, you let me know you got my number.
Speaker 2 (29:55):
You're the best. Warren Moon with us on the radio show.
Speaker 3 (29:58):
Well, come back and recap a little bit of that
couple of things I want to ask you next on
ninety three to three KJRFM live from the R.
Speaker 1 (30:04):
And R Foundation Specialist Broadcast Studio. Now back to Softie
and Dick on your home for the Huskies and the
Kruken Sports Radio ninety three point three KJR FM.
Speaker 3 (30:16):
All right, big thanks to Warren Moon. That's a Hall
of famer right there, boys for joining us on the
radio program. And I'm curious to get your thoughts before
you get to Gonzaga Saint Mary's WCC championship game coming
up next on Sports USA Radio from Vegas. We'll have
that game for you coming up, tipping off at about
fifteen minutes here on KJAR. And I'm curious first of
(30:36):
all to see the structure of the Darnold contract number one,
And the biggest thing I'm looking at is it a
two year deal where they can get out after two
years with minimal dead money after the second year, Because
if it is, I don't think that should preclude them
from doing anything at quarterback. And I asked Warren Moon,
if Shador Sanders is sitting there at number eighteen, would
you take him? And he said no, not because of
(30:58):
anything wrong with should do, but he thinks they've solved
their quarterback issue now with Sam Darnald for a while,
and I just think this. I think if John Schneider
is in love with a quarterback, which by the way,
I doubt that he is, Otherwise I don't think he
would have gone after Sam Darnald. But if he's in
love with the quarterback and they can get out of
the Donald contract after a couple seasons and that guy
(31:21):
that they love is sitting there at eighteen or when
they trade down to twenty four or whatever, I'd say,
take him, get him. It's the most important position in sports.
Why not give yourself another option. So I would absolutely
draft the quarterback if I loved a guy, because I
don't think Sam Darnald has done enough to get me
to say no to a young quarterback that I really
(31:44):
really think can be a star in the end.
Speaker 5 (31:45):
Event well, we've gone from a situation where I would
have been absolutely shocked if they didn't draft a quarterback
to now I wouldn't be shocked if they did, but
I also wouldn't be upset if they did, because.
Speaker 3 (31:58):
The odds are less served than they were. But I'm
not saying no to a guy because I have Sam Darnald, I.
Speaker 5 (32:03):
Think, but no, But I think what we've done is
we've bought ourselves twelve months, because in twelve months we're
gonna have a lot better idea who Sam Darnald was right,
and we're gonna have a twenty twenty six draft class that,
by every experts interpretation is far superior to the twenty
twenty five.
Speaker 2 (32:23):
Well in twelve months, let's face it.
Speaker 3 (32:24):
I mean, if you're not going to play a young
guy in year one anyway, then the first year's a
wash and you got four years left, you got the
three years and the fifth year options. So I kind
of like the idea of taking somebody. I'm not taking.
Speaker 2 (32:37):
Somebody just to take somebody, I agree.
Speaker 3 (32:39):
I mean, I don't care what draft year it is,
what conference the guy played in, who we played for whatever.
If you like him, then you like him, and it's
not up to me to decide that. I can tell
you right now that Shador Sanders cam Ward doesn't do
a lot for me. Jackson Dart doesn't do a lot
for me. The later we get in the draft, the
more attractive they become, obviously, but there's really nobody in
this draft that I'm in love with hell. It really
(33:00):
hasn't been much of anybody that I'd been in love
with period the last couple of years in college football.
I like Caleb Williams, but I was kind of weirded
out by his whole crying in the stands thing, the leadership,
the painted fingernails, all that stuff. I think Chicago's doing
a phenomenal job of getting him some protections. They are
really setting that guy up for success. And you're number two.
But I just really hope and I don't think they
(33:21):
would ever act like this. And I don't know what
their thoughts were on Russell if they thought Russell was
going to be a star, if they just said let's
take a fly or whatever. But if they like a
guy and they think, man, this guy is undervalue and
he's underdrafted, he's going to be a star, I really
would hope that Sam Donald would not be a reason
why they would pass on a kid now, not after
(33:43):
one good year.
Speaker 5 (33:44):
And I'm glad that you brought up the contract structure too,
because remember how we felt when we actually got the
real numbers on Genosmith's contract.
Speaker 2 (33:52):
Right, we were like, Wow, this is even better than
we thought. That's right.
Speaker 5 (33:55):
I feel like we're going to feel that tomorrow when
Sam Donald's numbers come out as as great as the
contract is. And I think the Sam Donald contract is
actually better for the Seahawks than the Geno Smith original
contract was. And I think it's gonna get even better
in the next twenty four hours when we've seen the structure,
because I do I think you are right. I think
(34:16):
it's gonna be a two year contract where you can
easily get out of it with a reasonable amount of
dead money in year number three.
Speaker 3 (34:21):
Yeah, and look, you know, I mean Warren's right that
he's twenty seven, where if he really has found success,
I mean, we got to accept the idea that he
could be here for a decade. He could be your
next star quarterback and be here for ten year, which
would be awesome, which would be incredible, Right, I mean,
the case very off. And then you're probably if if
Sam Donald got to keep saying it every time I
(34:43):
say it, Sam Donald, Donald, if he has a good
two years in Seattle. If not, you know, a really
good two years in Seattle, we're gonna be renegotiating that
deal in twenty four months from here. It won't be
for thirty three million dollars either, and you know what
it might be for sixty million dollar. Honestly, if he's
that good, great, in two years from now, he might
(35:03):
be the highest paid quarterback in the NFL. If he
continues to do in Seattle what he did in Minnesota
and puts up those same numbers for two consecutive years,
five years three, he might be making sixty five seventy
million bucks in two and a half years from now.
Speaker 2 (35:17):
And he might not be the best quarterback. It might
just be his turn.
Speaker 3 (35:21):
Okay, So I think the exciting thing for me is
that with Gino, I kind of thought there was a
limit to him, and the ceiling was kind of limited,
and I think the limit to Darnold is also. I mean,
there's not an elite Patrick Mahomes Alan Burrow thing going
on here, but there is an unknown with this guy that, yeah,
he could be a turd and be a flop and
(35:42):
go back to what he was a couple of years ago.
But there's also the upside that hey, maybe this guy
at twenty seven, like you has said, is developing, has
found something, is no longer seeing ghosts, and what if
we have found the guy for the next seven or
eight years, we're going to break the WCC final.
Speaker 2 (35:57):
Gonzaga Saint Mary's is next.
It's time for a weekly PAC twelve conversation with Senos
a Mercury News reporter John Wilner, brought to you by
Simply Seattle. Our friends at simply Seattle dot com have
the most amazing collection of all things Seattle Seahawks gear.
UW had some of the largest selection of sonics gear
anywhere in the world. Learn more at simply Seattle dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
I was actually over there today.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
It's simply Seattle dot com picking up a few things
for an upcoming event I'm going to be a part
of the next week and a half.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Can't tell you what it is, but maybe off the year,
I'll tell you super secret. Yeah, big time.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
And they tell me they have some great deals on
some awesome new Mariner drops that have come in for
the season starting in sixteen days from now.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
So is that what new items said? Drop? Yeah? Is
that what you call Jackson a drop?
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Jump on the website use code kJ R fifteen for
fifteen percent off anything at simply Seattle dot com. Here
he is the Pope of the pack, the Big ten Bear,
and our friend, your friend from the San Jose Mercury News,
John Wilner, John, how are you pal?
Speaker 4 (00:58):
I'm good Thans.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Hey, guys, good, So you just heard Dick of the
update there mentioned that Great Osabor was honorable mention all
big ten.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
I think he should change his name to Good Osabor.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
I don't know for two million bucks if the Husky's
got the return of the investment. They were looking for
fifteen points per game for Good Osabor this year five
and a half rebound excuse me, eight rebounds a game.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
I mean, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
What do you think the reigning Mountain West Player of
the Year comes to U dub and his team finishes
in last place? Two million bucks? It's not what I
thought they'd get. What do you think of the year
the Huskies got from Great Osabor?
Speaker 4 (01:37):
I think it was a little bit Underachievingsbor fair to Midland,
didn't make didn't make his teammates better. You know, he
was okay, but certainly I think didn't live up to expectations.
You know, the expectations for him individually were higher than
(01:57):
for the team as a whole. And I thought, actually
Washington as a team did got closer in meeting expectations
than he did individually.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
That's interesting.
Speaker 5 (02:06):
You might you might be right about that. You know,
we just talked about the Delaware run. Is there anything
that you're really looking forward to over the next over
the next week in conference tournament play, any conference you want,
Is there something that you're gonna particularly be keeping your
eye on.
Speaker 4 (02:23):
Well, I'm looking forward to the good Zach Saint Mary's game.
It starts in what a couple.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Hours hours hour.
Speaker 4 (02:28):
I think it could be a great game. Sam Mary's
won both during the regular season, swept his AX for
the first time in like ten years. I think because
that is playing better now than it was, so I
think it could be a really good game. Certainly, the
SEC tournament is gonna be fantastics, so many good teams.
Same with the Big twelve. I just to me, the
(02:52):
Big ten, the ACC are not as exciting. Well.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
Dick asked a question on the air about an hour
ago about the conference champampionship games in football maybe not
being as relevant as important because now you have the
expanded playoff, and I agree with them. You saw some
of the attendance numbers and ticket prices were in the
gutter for some of these games. You know, we just
played a clip from Calipari about an hour ago where
he said, I don't care about the tournament, right, I mean,
(03:18):
we're about winning in March Madness and winning in the
NCAA tournament.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
I mean, look, I know they make a lot of money,
But do we.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
Think that even the college basketball championship games and tournaments
that the importance has been lessened a bit over the years.
Speaker 4 (03:33):
I don't think so, because it's still the path for
teams that otherwise couldn't get in, you know, the bit Steelers.
That hasn't changed, And even if they expand the thing
to seventy six teams, that won't change in concepts. So
I think it's a little bit different. You know, the
(03:55):
equivalent in football would be like if you're six seed
somehow got into the CFP, but there's no path for
that to happen because the conference championship is just two teams,
whereas in the basketball it's you know, fifteen or more.
Speaker 5 (04:11):
John reading a couple articles where there's some in the
higher ups of the MLS that are regretting their Apple deal.
How and that just got me thinking about the PAC
ten and the PAC twelve, Like how big a disaster
would that have been had they actually signed that contract
solely with Apple.
Speaker 4 (04:30):
Well, I think that it would have been bad. Well,
let me rephrase that if they had actually signed the
contract solely with Apple, and I believe that there was
a way to sign the deal with Apple but then
sub license games on linear TV. That was part of
their plan. Now I don't know for sure that that
would have happened, but if it had, then that would
(04:53):
have been a probably a pretty good deal. The other
piece was that financially, the first two years were going
to be bad, right, and then they had the you know,
the triggers to get the revenue up. And I think
those were fairly easily reached to triggers. But certainly, you know,
it's hard to compare because football and soccer are so
(05:15):
college football and soccer are so different in this country
in terms of consumer consumption popularity. I don't know that
it's you know, apples to apples. To me, it's it's
more like apples and pears.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
Yeah, that's fair, and I hate pairs, by the way,
but that's fair. I mean, more people would have been
justified in paying to watch college football than they would
have been justified to pay to watch soccer, at least
in this country. There's no question about that. But John
Wilner is with us on the air. John, I think
you mentioned this on your on your Twitter account. You
did a story for the Mercury News about Friday night games,
and I don't know has has anybody been assigned Friday
(05:51):
games yet? The Huskies certainly haven't. And if not, when
will that come down?
Speaker 4 (05:56):
No, that will come out in late May, Okay, all
the major conferences will announce the kickoff times and TV
assignments for the first three weeks for the non you know,
the non conference games, and that will also include what's
called the special date games, and Fridays are considered special date,
(06:17):
same with you know, kind of any kind of Monday
deal early in the season. All that so late May,
first couple of days of June, we will know what
the Big ten Friday schedule is gonna be on Fox.
I fully expect there to be nine or ten more
Friday conference games, and I fully expect that the West
Coast schools are going to have an outside share of
(06:39):
those games.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Why do they wait so long to announce the Friday games?
And why does the Big ten give the TV networks
that kind of power?
Speaker 4 (06:48):
Well, they all have it. It's the same thing with
the Big twelve.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Yeah, why.
Speaker 4 (06:53):
I mean every year the special date games can get
I mean the Big twelve just announced I think a few.
But the Big ten's not doing anything that other conferences
haven't done in the past in terms of waiting until
May to announce the Friday games. It'd be better if
they did it all when they announced the schedule in December,
(07:16):
right the TV networks. The TV networks want to take
their time and map out everything. It's all part of
a grid, and the NFL schedule even impacts what you're
doing if you're ESPN with your college games. So it's
it's a big chess board for the TV networks and
(07:38):
they need time to do it.
Speaker 6 (07:39):
Well.
Speaker 5 (07:39):
You said today in that piece, the twenty two percent
of the Big Ten, which was the West Coast, made
up thirty nine percent of the Friday night slots last year,
So the West.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
Coast schools got the shaft.
Speaker 5 (07:49):
Do you think the Big Ten will give the West
Coast schools a bit of a break this year from
those Friday night games?
Speaker 4 (07:55):
Maybe a little bit, maybe a little, But a big
part of the problem as I see it is it
Pens State, Ohio, State Michigan are refusing and so that
leaves fifteen teams to play eighteen slots, and so that's
a big part of the problem. And I assume that
that's gonna be good next year too. I mean, Michigan's
(08:16):
ad war manual said flat out last fall, we're not
playing on Fridays. They're not going to tell Michigan and
Ohio State and Penn State what to do. I don't
think that's the way it's been in the Big Ten forever.
Those schools run the show. So if that's the case again,
I would expect that the West Coast schools are going
to have a few more games than everybody else.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
How many schools will be would be able to do that.
Does USC not have the.
Speaker 4 (08:43):
Power to think? I don't think USC does.
Speaker 6 (08:46):
No.
Speaker 4 (08:46):
I don't think any of them. I mean, Oregon Washington
certainly don't. They're half share members, they don't have the clout.
And my guess is a lot of this was discussed,
you know, before they eve, you know, officially brought in
Oregon and Washington or during the negotiations. The thing is
the money that Fox is spending, and I believe it
is sixty five million on Oregon and Washington per year
(09:09):
for their revenue share that was going to go to
the PAC twelve to be the Friday Night Pack twelve
package until the whole thing blew apart, and then it
blew apart. Fox just said, well, we'll just shift that
money and pay for Oregon in Washington in the Big twelve.
So they don't have the clout really to demand anything.
(09:30):
They kind of got to take what they're given. And
that's just the nature of being the newcomers.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
Yeah, it's like Judge Smalls, you get nothing and like it, right.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
I mean, that's what they're doing right now at least.
Speaker 4 (09:43):
But if the PAC twelve had stayed together and say
added SMU and San Diego State, I mean, those schools
would have taken the bark of any Friday deal. That's
just the way it works.
Speaker 6 (09:54):
Well.
Speaker 3 (09:54):
I like Friday games selfishly, I'd like them all played
on Friday because I get Saturdays off. I mean, I
have no problem with doing Friday games at all. But
John Wilners with us. John you wrote today about Dan
Lanning getting a new deal with Oregon. I mean, I'll
just tell you. Look, I think Lanning is a good coach.
I don't know if he's an elite coach. I think
you got to be a schmuck to mess up Oregon
(10:15):
like Free Willy and Helfrich did. Down there, You're handed
this unbelievable opportunity with Daddy Warbucks and the marketing machine
that is Nike. So I'm not surprised that Lanning, who's
got personality, charisma, the whole thing, is getting it done
down there. But do we really believe that Dan Lanning
is at his core an elite football coach and football
(10:37):
mind or is he just in the right spot.
Speaker 4 (10:41):
I am not sure. I think it's a great question.
It is a fantastic spot. They are ahead of the game,
and their machinery is built for this era. With Nike
and Division Street and their donors, they are built as
well as almost anybody to throw in this era with
nil revenue sharing, all that kind of thing. There's no
(11:04):
doubt about that. I also think he's a really good coach,
especially for somebody who's what thirty eight and has only
been doing it for three years. But I would also
argue that while I think he is undervalued at eleven
million a year, I think almost every really good college
football coach is undervalued with whatever they're making because the
(11:26):
programs mean so much to the school, and I would
argue that Kaalan de Boor was obviously we all know,
colossally undervaluedst What was he making four million six millionaires
last year? It was somewhere around there, and he was
worth even more than the extension Washington offered him because
(11:48):
everything that that program's success in twenty twenty three did
for the university, it did for the applications for admissions,
it did for the fundraising, for the community engagement. There's
no better marketing tool than your football team. And if
you're winning at a high level and you're in the playoffs,
it is an astronomical value add to your university.
Speaker 5 (12:11):
John, I'm not sure that I knew Texas State was
a school or even had a D one football team,
But you say you want them in the podcast.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
I did because DeLaura went there.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
Texas clear transferred there and then never went to school
because they hated as Guts.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
I forgot it. Yeah, I mean I probably.
Speaker 4 (12:26):
Watch him play ASU last season on Thursday Night.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
No, I didn't. Sorry, Why do you want him in
the big in the PAC twelve?
Speaker 4 (12:35):
I think this Texas is the place to be if
you're looking at what will help the PAC twelve, the
most in twenty thirty when it negotiates another TV deal.
It's being in Texas. There's money in Texas, oil money,
there's it's football craze, tons of recruits. I just think
(12:55):
that if you're looking for growth, you got more a
better chance for roads with Texas State than you do
with UNLB.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
Yeah. Well, John willows with us for a few more minutes.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
And John, last week you're on with us and we
asked you, if you're the Seahawks and Shador Sanders was
on the board at number eighteen, would you take him?
And you said no? What about cam Ward? I mean
you covered him a little bit when he was at Wazoo.
He was at Miami obviously and became a Heisman Trophy finalist.
I've heard a lot of stories, as I'm sure you
have as well. Would you trust cam Ward to be
(13:27):
the number one overall picking this draft?
Speaker 4 (13:30):
Sam responses last week with Sanders, hang on, I could
not take him in the first round. Wow, like either
of those guys.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
You passed on to both those guys, Oh why why?
Speaker 4 (13:43):
And my issues with Ward are different than Sanders. I
think Ward's got the arm, talent, size, all that, But
I think he's erratic, and I think he's too nonchalant.
How many times have we seen him either with Miami
or Washington State. It's like he's playing seven on at
the park, and I just don't think that's the right
(14:03):
approach for the NFL. And I do not think he's
going to be an elite quarterback, and I don't think
Sanders is either. I wouldn't take either of those guys
in the first round.
Speaker 5 (14:12):
John, last week you wrote about Washington and kind of
lump them in with UCLA as far as your level
of confidence to make the necessary commitments that create the
best chances for success. I mean, isn't Washington closer to
Oregon and USC than they are to UCLA? I mean,
even USC would have loved to have the last decade
the Husky's had on the football field.
Speaker 4 (14:33):
Ah, it's a tough one. I don't know. I really
do not think as an institution that Washington is closer
to Oregon and USC than it is to UCLA. I
still think that there is aspects of the school, and
you could argue it's commendable that they aren't all in,
(14:57):
you know, to win, But I know I'm not sure,
and I'll be curious to see what the new with
the new president, what his view is. But there's there's
no doubt in my mind that Anna Mark Halsey, we
have not all in to win, There's no doubt about that.
And Oregon is all in win and USC is two. Now,
I don't think the Huskies they're not where what UCLA
(15:19):
is on that spectrum, but they are like halfway between
maybe Oregon, USC and Washington and UCLA there they are not.
I don't see enough. And it's not necessarily an athletic
department issue. It's just the vibe on campus about doing
anything it will take to win. John.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
Let's end where we started and I'm going to tap
into the Windelorean here because if you, oh, okay, if
you are anything like what you were for football, we
could make some money with the basketball tournament the end
of the year, winning five in a row. You were
eight and two your last ten. You mentioned you're fired
up for the game tonight. We got the game on
kJ R at six pm. Saint Mary's is getting three
(16:00):
and a half against Gonzaga in Vegas and the WSCC final.
Wendalorean tell us which way to go in Tonight's West
Coast Conference Championship.
Speaker 4 (16:11):
So the Zags are a three point favorite.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
They're given three and a half. I was surprised for.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
So that just tells you, right, there's a ton of
good Zaga fans in Vegas, I'm sure, and that's bumping
up that that number. I mean, I would take Saint
Mary's in the points in a heart beat.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Okay, Saint Mary's it is plus the three and a half.
Speaker 4 (16:30):
Oh my god.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
We'll see what happens.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
Hopefully the Windelaorean knows what he's doing on the hardwood
like he does on the football field, man, because if
he is, we're in for a trait. John, you're the man,
great stuff, and we're talking a week buddy. All right,
John likes Saint Mary's and the points tonight against Gonzaga.
We got that game for you coming up at six
pm when we come back. Warren Moon, hall of Famer,
former Husky, you asked the question if the Seahawks got
(16:55):
better at quarterback by going from Gino Smith to Sam Darnold.
We're gonna ask a whole Hall of Famer Warren Moon
that exact same question next.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
Live from the R and R Foundation Specialist Broadcast Studio
Now back to Softie and Dick on your Home for
the Huskies and the Kraken Sports Radio ninety three point
three kjr Rson tenth in the Seattle thirty nine Steps.
Speaker 7 (17:19):
Up, Sam Brus left pot Jefferson, Top down, Sam, the
man on the fan finds the moneymaker justin Jefferson.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
Oh that guy right there, same down, Good time, the
brand new starting quarterback for your Seattle Seahawks. And we
have on the phone right now one of the all
time greats at Pro Football Hall of Famer, Rose Bowl
winner at Washington and a former Seahawk himself. And Minnesota Viking.
By the way, funny how this all ties in together.
Our old friend Warren Moon joining us on the radio show.
(17:54):
Warren longtime, no talk.
Speaker 6 (17:55):
How are you man, Safty Dick, How you guys are
doing today?
Speaker 3 (17:59):
I'm we are good. It's great to hear your voice. Man,
appreciate you jumping on. So why don't we just start
right at the top. Dick asked the question earlier, flat out,
not assuming anything about the money they'll spend on the
line or draft capital whatever. Simply put on game day
when they start getting going for real on Sunday in September,
did the Seahawks get better in your mind at quarterback
(18:21):
war and going from Geno Smith to Sam Darnold.
Speaker 6 (18:25):
That's the question. There remains to be seen, Softy. You
won't know until he actually gets on the field. I
know he had a outstanding year this past year in Minnesota,
but that's with the Minnesota Vikings and some of the
best receivers in the league. We know what his history
was before that. It wasn't very successful. Gino has played
the pretty well for the Seahawks since he's been here,
(18:47):
a little bit down last year, but I think a
lot of that had to do with money, the reason
why he's not here right now. And I think they
got Sam at about the same rate that they got
Gino on his long term a few years ago, and
they probably felt like they had to pay Gino a
lot more money going forward, something they weren't comfortable doing.
Sam's a lot younger. I think he's twenty seven years old,
(19:09):
where Gino's in his early thirties. So I think there
was a lot of good reasons why they did it.
I'm sure there's a lot of people that won't agree
with the trade, but then I'm sure there are a
lot of people that will agree and want something new
and fresh going forward.
Speaker 5 (19:23):
Well, people will be watching Sam Darnold vis a vi
Gino Smith this year, no question about it. What do
you think about the Geno Smith reuniting with Pete Carroll.
Speaker 6 (19:34):
You know, that's where Gino had some of his best years,
I think his first two years here, so he went
to the Pro Bowl. I think he led the league
in passing one of those years. So when you're going
back to a coach that believes in you, that's a
big that's a big confidence booster for any quarterback that
he's going to a coach that believes in him, that
brought him in and he feels like he can have
(19:55):
that same type of success with him in a new location.
So I'm sure Gino feels it was great about the trade,
even though he loved playing here in Seattle.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
Yeah, well, Warren moons with us, and Warren put yourself
in the shoes of Sam Darnald, right, I mean you're
going from playing inside you played there in Minnesota in
the Dome. You know what that's all about. It's a
quarterback friendly atmosphere. You're throwing to Justin Jefferson, you're throwing
to Jordanatis and you're throwing a TJ. Hawkinson And now
you come here and really all you've got on paper
is Jackson Smith's and JIGBA. So give me your thoughts
(20:25):
on the weapons right now that Sam Darnald has around him,
and also on top of that to kind of expand
how much would you be concerned for Jackson Smith and
jig but not having DK metcalf as his running mate anymore.
Speaker 6 (20:38):
Well, I think it's still a little bit early. I
mean we're only two days into free agency. There's a
lot more work to be done. I'm sure the Seahawks
have a plan. When you get rid of somebody like DK,
you've got to have a plan on how you're going
to replace him or at least get something that's this
close to what he was. I mean, he's a great
physical specimen, he's got top end speed. He's kind of
(21:01):
had a down year last year, And I think one
of the things might get frustrated with with DK was
with a lot of the penalties that he created as well,
that he got a lot of personal file penalties or
unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, those types of things. Those were frustrating. So,
like I said, they still have a plan in place,
(21:21):
and there's a lot of receivers out there and you
just have to go out there and try and find
one that you that fits best with your team. You're
probably looking for another big bodied guy that can really
fly down the field, but probably might be a little
bit better route runner.
Speaker 5 (21:34):
Well, seeing that price tag on DK over thirty million,
thirty two a year, would you have just bit the
bullet and said, I'll give you a hundred million dollars
for three years.
Speaker 6 (21:46):
I don't think I would have given all the other
things that the Seahawks need. And I think that has
a lot to do with it that they're trying to
cut some calls different places to try and rebuild the
team other places, and I think McDonald has a plan
that he wants to build this team up front a
lot like what he came from, whether it was it
at Michigan where they were really physical on the offensive
and defensive lines, or in Baltimore they were both very
(22:08):
physical on the offensive and defensive lines, and they ran
the ball. They ran the ball a lot, a lot
of play action pass and you have a quarterback that
it's kind of mobile, a little bit more mobile that
can do some of the things not so much like
Lamar Jackson, but you can still run some things with
him where you can use the quarterback's legs. So I
think it's an overall philosophy that that Mike wants to
(22:30):
do a little bit different on the offensive side of
the ball to go along with what he's trying to
build on that defensive side of the ball.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
Warren Moon again as our guest on the radio show
Pro Football Hall of Famer, and you you played with
some great wide receivers. I mean, Chris Carter is number
one right in Minneapolis. Guys like old Heywood, Jeffries, Webster
Slaughter back in the day. But if you were still
playing today, there's a there's a few names of available guys.
Keenan Allen's available, Stefan Diggs, Amari Cooper, Cooper Cup is
(22:56):
available if you want him. He's going to get released
to Tyler Locke. Would you think about bringing him back
on maybe a one year deal for less than he
was making a year ago? Would any of those receivers
do it for you? If you were still chucking the
rock today in the NFL, You know a.
Speaker 6 (23:11):
Lot of those guys are a lot like JSN, so
they're mostly possession receivers. Stefan Diggs maybe still has some
ability to go down the field. I'm not really sure
on his speed right now. But again, I think they're
going to be looking for a big bodied receiver. And
you look in this this year's draft, there's a lot
of speed coming out, there's a lot of size. Maybe
(23:33):
maybe you find somebody in the draft this year that
can help replace DK. But as you look around the league,
and I haven't looked back closely to see what's available,
I think they're looking probably more for a big bodied
guy that can really run and that gives the quarterback,
you know, he gives a little more flexibility as far
as having a catch radius where you don't have to
throw the perfect ball at him all the time. He
(23:55):
can go up and make some of those big grabs
for you that you need, especially down in the red zone.
Speaker 5 (23:59):
Well, when you see I think DK's body and his talent,
I think you just assume that he should have ninety
catches for fifteen hundred yards every year, and he just didn't.
So Warner, why don't you think DK reached his potential
in Seattle?
Speaker 6 (24:14):
It's really hard to say a lot of times. Well,
he missed some games because the injury, and then their
offense wasn't an offense. They did throw the ball a lot,
but I don't know, he just didn't get open a lot.
And I think that a lot of that has to
do with route running. A lot of it has to
do with your temperament. Are you playing the game relaxed it,
(24:35):
are you playing the game focused or are you playing
the game worried about the one on one battle you're
having with that cornerback against you. And I think some
of the time he got caught up in that as well.
He is a guy that should have had ninety catches
over one thousand yards every year that he's been here,
especially in today's NFL. I know if I was throwing
the football to him, he probably would have had that
because I would have made sure that happened. But you
(24:57):
also have to have that type of relationship with your
quarterback as well, And you've got to have the respect
of your quarterback that you're going to go out there
and do the things that he expects you to do
that you do in practice each and every day.
Speaker 3 (25:06):
Well, there's still some teams Warren looking for a QB
I mean, the Steelers are one of them, and I mean,
I gotta be honest with you. Dick and I have
talked about this, Warren. I don't understand why they made
the move for DK. Now they don't even have a quarterback.
They got to rebuild other pieces of their line. Seems
like wide receivers should be the last piece. But okay, whatever,
they did it. But now they're talking about maybe Aaron
Rodgers going to play for Mike Tomlin. I mean, would
(25:28):
you want anything to do with Aaron Rodgers at this
stage of his career.
Speaker 6 (25:33):
Well, I think that's part of the reason the Steelers
went and got the receiver DKs, is to try and
lure one of these quarterbacks to Pittsburgh because you don't
want to go to a team that doesn't have a
lot of talent at the receiver position. So now you
look at the talent they have there and you're like, WHOA,
this might be a place that I want to go.
But yeah, if I'm the Steelers, I don't know if
(25:54):
I want to bring in everything that comes along with Aaron.
I think Aaron can still play the game. He had
a decent second half last year finished but he's with
twenty eight touchdowns and ten pick Most quarterbacks would take that,
but a lot comes with him. Just like right now,
he's really taking his time on what he wants to
do to make a decision, and that's kind of you know,
who he is. He likes a lot of that drama,
(26:16):
a lot of that attention, and that comes with him
when he comes to your football team. I don't know
if you want that, especially when you have a young,
impressionable team like the Steelers do. They have a very
young team on the especially on the offensive side of
the ball. Their defense has a little bit more experience
on that side, but on the offensive side of the ball,
you want your quarterback to be somebody that those players
they're going to respect him because of what he's done,
(26:38):
but they're also going to follow some of his habits
and maybe you don't want them to follow some of
those habits that he brings into the to the locker room.
Speaker 3 (26:46):
Yeah, he's on Aaron's timeline for sure, no doubt. And
you mentioned that, and I.
Speaker 6 (26:50):
Don't and I think there would be kind of a
clash between him and Mike Tomlin if some of those
things started to happen. You just don't want that you
don't want that that distraction in your locker room, especially
if you're a team that's right on the cusp of
maybe being able to go further in the playoffs if
you get the right guy at that position.
Speaker 3 (27:07):
What about bringing Russell back? Does that do it for
you in Pittsburgh?
Speaker 6 (27:13):
I think it'll do it, but it would only do
it so far. I don't think Russell's going to continue
to keep getting better, but he did have some success
there last year. I think they lost their last five games, though,
and that's concerning. So that's something I'm sure they're looking at,
and I know they're talking to both of those two.
I wish they would have been able to sign back Fields.
(27:35):
I think he may had more of an upside as
a guy who can continue to improve, but that didn't happen.
So I think that's kind of what they're stuck with
right now. If they want to maybe get to the
next level. Is the two guys that are available Russell
and Aaron Rodgers, And I just don't know if those
are the two guys that get them to where they
want to go.
Speaker 5 (27:53):
Hall of Famer Warren Moon joining us and Warren I'm
gonna give you a very very difficult job. Right now,
I'm going to put you in charge of fixing the
Seahawks offensive line. So how do you go about doing that? Well,
it's it's worth it for this team because it's really
the only thing that's been holding them back the last
five or six years. So how do you balance that
(28:15):
out between free agency draft?
Speaker 2 (28:17):
How do you go about doing it?
Speaker 6 (28:19):
Yeah, that I think that's one of the things that
John Snyder and Micro are dealing with right now, and
that's why they've cut some of the costs on the
football team and they want to be in a position
where they can go out and sign them maybe a
free agent or two, and then look and see what's
best available in the draft. And you look at the
number of draft picks they have in this year's draft,
(28:39):
I think they have five out of the first ninety
two players. So you could package maybe a few of
those picks and maybe move up for one of those
big left tackles that are that are available in this draft.
There's some really good offensive linemen in this draft, and
there's some really good defensive linemen, especially interior linemen, So
I think they'll be able to make some good choices
(28:59):
and they have enough draft picks to maybe move themselves
around to get in a better position to get some
of those guys, and I think they'll do it. I
think John's as good as anybody at manipulating the draft.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
Hey, let me ask you one more before you go quickly,
because we're running out of time. It's a curveball. You're
on the clock at number eighteen. You're John Schneider. Shador
Sanders is sitting there from Colorado, Dion Sun.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
Do you draft him?
Speaker 6 (29:27):
Not that you have, now that you have, I mean
Sam Darnold. No, I don't think he draft him. Sam's
twenty seven years old. He's just going into his prime,
got it, So he's got another decade if he wants
to play the way the game is going right now.
But at least another five or six years. So I
don't think you make that choice now. There'll be a
better draft next year or the year after.
Speaker 3 (29:47):
Gotcha, Warren, great stuff man. Always appreciate the visit. Let's
do it again soon, pallor Ice.
Speaker 6 (29:52):
Horn, you let me know you got my number.
Speaker 2 (29:55):
You're the best. Warren Moon with us on the radio show.
Speaker 3 (29:58):
Well, come back and recap a little bit of that
couple of things I want to ask you next on
ninety three to three KJRFM live from the R.
Speaker 1 (30:04):
And R Foundation Specialist Broadcast Studio. Now back to Softie
and Dick on your home for the Huskies and the
Kruken Sports Radio ninety three point three KJR FM.
Speaker 3 (30:16):
All right, big thanks to Warren Moon. That's a Hall
of famer right there, boys for joining us on the
radio program. And I'm curious to get your thoughts before
you get to Gonzaga Saint Mary's WCC championship game coming
up next on Sports USA Radio from Vegas. We'll have
that game for you coming up, tipping off at about
fifteen minutes here on KJAR. And I'm curious first of
(30:36):
all to see the structure of the Darnold contract number one,
And the biggest thing I'm looking at is it a
two year deal where they can get out after two
years with minimal dead money after the second year, Because
if it is, I don't think that should preclude them
from doing anything at quarterback. And I asked Warren Moon,
if Shador Sanders is sitting there at number eighteen, would
you take him? And he said no, not because of
(30:58):
anything wrong with should do, but he thinks they've solved
their quarterback issue now with Sam Darnald for a while,
and I just think this. I think if John Schneider
is in love with a quarterback, which by the way,
I doubt that he is, Otherwise I don't think he
would have gone after Sam Darnald. But if he's in
love with the quarterback and they can get out of
the Donald contract after a couple seasons and that guy
(31:21):
that they love is sitting there at eighteen or when
they trade down to twenty four or whatever, I'd say,
take him, get him. It's the most important position in sports.
Why not give yourself another option. So I would absolutely
draft the quarterback if I loved a guy, because I
don't think Sam Darnald has done enough to get me
to say no to a young quarterback that I really
(31:44):
really think can be a star in the end.
Speaker 5 (31:45):
Event well, we've gone from a situation where I would
have been absolutely shocked if they didn't draft a quarterback
to now I wouldn't be shocked if they did, but
I also wouldn't be upset if they did, because.
Speaker 3 (31:58):
The odds are less served than they were. But I'm
not saying no to a guy because I have Sam Darnald, I.
Speaker 5 (32:03):
Think, but no, But I think what we've done is
we've bought ourselves twelve months, because in twelve months we're
gonna have a lot better idea who Sam Darnald was right,
and we're gonna have a twenty twenty six draft class that,
by every experts interpretation is far superior to the twenty
twenty five.
Speaker 2 (32:23):
Well in twelve months, let's face it.
Speaker 3 (32:24):
I mean, if you're not going to play a young
guy in year one anyway, then the first year's a
wash and you got four years left, you got the
three years and the fifth year options. So I kind
of like the idea of taking somebody. I'm not taking.
Speaker 2 (32:37):
Somebody just to take somebody, I agree.
Speaker 3 (32:39):
I mean, I don't care what draft year it is,
what conference the guy played in, who we played for whatever.
If you like him, then you like him, and it's
not up to me to decide that. I can tell
you right now that Shador Sanders cam Ward doesn't do
a lot for me. Jackson Dart doesn't do a lot
for me. The later we get in the draft, the
more attractive they become, obviously, but there's really nobody in
this draft that I'm in love with hell. It really
(33:00):
hasn't been much of anybody that I'd been in love
with period the last couple of years in college football.
I like Caleb Williams, but I was kind of weirded
out by his whole crying in the stands thing, the leadership,
the painted fingernails, all that stuff. I think Chicago's doing
a phenomenal job of getting him some protections. They are
really setting that guy up for success. And you're number two.
But I just really hope and I don't think they
(33:21):
would ever act like this. And I don't know what
their thoughts were on Russell if they thought Russell was
going to be a star, if they just said let's
take a fly or whatever. But if they like a
guy and they think, man, this guy is undervalue and
he's underdrafted, he's going to be a star, I really
would hope that Sam Donald would not be a reason
why they would pass on a kid now, not after
(33:43):
one good year.
Speaker 5 (33:44):
And I'm glad that you brought up the contract structure too,
because remember how we felt when we actually got the
real numbers on Genosmith's contract.
Speaker 2 (33:52):
Right, we were like, Wow, this is even better than
we thought. That's right.
Speaker 5 (33:55):
I feel like we're going to feel that tomorrow when
Sam Donald's numbers come out as as great as the
contract is. And I think the Sam Donald contract is
actually better for the Seahawks than the Geno Smith original
contract was. And I think it's gonna get even better
in the next twenty four hours when we've seen the structure,
because I do I think you are right. I think
(34:16):
it's gonna be a two year contract where you can
easily get out of it with a reasonable amount of
dead money in year number three.
Speaker 3 (34:21):
Yeah, and look, you know, I mean Warren's right that
he's twenty seven, where if he really has found success,
I mean, we got to accept the idea that he
could be here for a decade. He could be your
next star quarterback and be here for ten year, which
would be awesome, which would be incredible, Right, I mean,
the case very off. And then you're probably if if
Sam Donald got to keep saying it every time I
(34:43):
say it, Sam Donald, Donald, if he has a good
two years in Seattle. If not, you know, a really
good two years in Seattle, we're gonna be renegotiating that
deal in twenty four months from here. It won't be
for thirty three million dollars either, and you know what
it might be for sixty million dollar. Honestly, if he's
that good, great, in two years from now, he might
(35:03):
be the highest paid quarterback in the NFL. If he
continues to do in Seattle what he did in Minnesota
and puts up those same numbers for two consecutive years,
five years three, he might be making sixty five seventy
million bucks in two and a half years from now.
Speaker 2 (35:17):
And he might not be the best quarterback. It might
just be his turn.
Speaker 3 (35:21):
Okay, So I think the exciting thing for me is
that with Gino, I kind of thought there was a
limit to him, and the ceiling was kind of limited,
and I think the limit to Darnold is also. I mean,
there's not an elite Patrick Mahomes Alan Burrow thing going
on here, but there is an unknown with this guy that, yeah,
he could be a turd and be a flop and
(35:42):
go back to what he was a couple of years ago.
But there's also the upside that hey, maybe this guy
at twenty seven, like you has said, is developing, has
found something, is no longer seeing ghosts, and what if
we have found the guy for the next seven or
eight years, we're going to break the WCC final.
Speaker 2 (35:57):
Gonzaga Saint Mary's is next.
Dave 'Softy' Mahler and Dick Fain News
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