July 5, 2020 • 52 mins
Mike Blewitt and George Kurtz are joined by industry veteran and college football expert, Rich Cirminiello. The guys discuss the recent spread of COVID-19 at the University of Clemson. How will this impact the college football season going forward? Mike, George, and Rich also discuss Rich's 2020 All-American Offense and his 2020 All-American Defense. Who were some players that were left off these lists?
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
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(00:21):
the Grid Happy Fourth of July were joined this hour
by a co host of College Football Today, Rich Jermanello, Rich,
What's going on? Bud Happy four? Same to you guys, Yeah,
you guys, have any big plans for today? Let off
some fireworks? Maybe? Yeah? I mean, you know, isn't everything
complaining about fireworks? You know, I've been hearing fireworks in
(00:41):
my neighborhood for like the last six weeks. I don't
know what's going on. So I guess. I guess we're
gonna bring out the armed artillery for Fourth of July,
just to step it up, right, I guess. So. I
think people have been passing the boredom with a little
extra fireworks. But it doesn't really bother me. But I
don't have a pet, or I don't have a dog
that freaks out fireworks, So I'm not I'm immune to
(01:03):
the criticism, right, now. But I freaked out here and
I just run around the table for a while speaking
of speaking of being immune to something we are going
to get into. That's a that's a professional radio segue there, George,
so accept this is TV. But uh so uh. There
has been some discussion. It's funny because I had thought
(01:26):
about this. I never brought it up on air, um,
mainly because I don't think I want to afford this
idea to the public. But there has been some talk about.
Since Clemson now has thirty seven players that have tested
positive for COVID nineteen, there is a growing thought process
(01:46):
that perhaps rich the Clemson football team athletics program should
expose players athletes prior to the season so as to
have more players healthy come um September. Now, this is
similar to those of you and I can remember all
(02:08):
the way back when I was a little kidox party
or whatever it might be, my sister's tenth birthday party,
which was going to be a sleepover of it was
going to be a great order of magnitude, better than
any party she had ever had. She got the chicken
pox prior to her tenth birthday party and had to
cancel it. I was six years old at the time,
(02:30):
and uh, my mom just said, all right, hang out
with your sisters, sleep in the same room. You're getting
My mom was a nurse. She's like, you're getting chicken pox.
And I didn't get it. M I did not get
the chicken pox. I got it when I was a seat,
when I was a senior at Boston College, and it
was awful. I was in quarantine for five days. I
(02:53):
ran a hundred and four fever. I was the sickest
I've ever been in my whole life. Trust me, I
wish I had it when I was six. In any event,
that's a long way around to say, Rich, Uh, you
think it's a good idea. I'm not a doctor. Um,
none of us are. I think, Yeah, no, I don't
either play one on TV. But yeah, this seems like
(03:16):
a a ill advised plan, to say the least. It's
funny because I have heard this as it pertains to Clemson,
because Clemson has made a lot of headlines, as you
guys know, when it comes to COVID and the number
of positive test cases, so that those numbers have been
pretty high from what we've seen compared to other schools.
(03:37):
So this concept of the potential for her immunity. UH,
has been brought up. I can't see intentionally exposing kids.
It does seem careless from a from a healthcare standpoint.
But the other question is, let's say that Clemson does
achieve her immunity, if that is even possible at this point. Uh,
there's a lot of other teams out there that may not.
(03:59):
So you know, I what if Clemson is the only
program that has heard immunity, but there are FBS schools
that do not. Who exactly is Clemson going to play?
So it's such a curious situation. And again we talk
about this every week when we have these discussions week
after week. The climate as it pertains to sports and
(04:22):
the coronavirus seems to be changing. And right now, looking
at what's taking place throughout the south, southwest and the
west of we're in a rough situation considering it's it's
early July already. George, how about this notion to try
to gain some sort of competitive advantage of that all
your good players test positive for COVID, whether they get
(04:42):
sick or not, they'll have some immunity through this season.
What do you think makes sense? What was the word
Rich used? I advised, Uh, this is assinine. This is
completely I was really hoping you guys have backed this
because I'm going to read the doctor's quotes after you.
This is all right. I believe all of our wives
(05:03):
are in the medical field. All right. My wife actually
saw something about this, all right. I don't know if
it was that this exact article, and she saw something
about this and she mentioned it to me. Now, if
you know my wife, my wife was very very woman like,
very soft spoken, doesn't you know, never rarely curses. She
actually went up to me, uh, and have you read it?
Then she goes, are people this ef? And she used
she didn't say ef, and she used the F word.
(05:25):
And she never does that, by the way, stupid. And
I'm like, oh, wow, you really feel strongly And she's
absolutely right. Once again, my wife has worked in these
wards with COVID patients. He sees people of all ages,
not just old people, not just very young one. She
has seen people teenagers. He see people people they're young
in their early twenties, people in shape. Yes, maybe not athletes,
(05:46):
but per se as far as college athletes are pro athletes.
But she has seen people of all ages and some
of them have died, all right, So to say this is, oh, yeah,
we'll just get the disease, you'll be fine. This is
what I mean when I keep saying on all these shows,
but Rich and Joe, who is protecting these kids because
they're thinking like this, that they're they're gonna they're invincible,
(06:06):
that they'll get by with it. There is no proof
that once you get it, you won't get it again.
Maybe you read the article. They even tell you that
they don't know how long the immunity might last. For weeks, years,
they don't know. Henry Bushnell, Henry Bushnell, Yahoo Sports. So
Yahoo Sports did all this, and they presented the concept
to a dozen health experts, some of whom have advised
(06:27):
Power five conferences or the n c A. I'm gonna
start with these, uh lists of quotes because they're genuinely entertaining.
I can see why people are thinking about that, says
Bill Shaffer, a renowned infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University.
UM some of a couple of other quotes. Uh. And
here's furthermore, acknowledging competitive advantage and creating it by purposely
(06:50):
contacting and potentially deadly disease are two different things. Whether
and when asked whether intentional infection is a valid s
tragedy strategy, excuse me, experts give the same answer that
members of the PACTOLS and Medical Advisory Committee gave on Friday.
Unequivocally no, says Matt Turnbill, a virul virologist at Clemson.
There's absolutely no validity, says Paul Pottinger, professor of infectious
(07:13):
diseases at the University of Washington. Quote It's a terrible
idea and under no circumstances should anybody think about it.
Um It gets a little bit more measured after that.
The issue with immunity, says Chinwai Chi Uh, the director
of Global Health at Oregon State University, is how long
(07:35):
it lasts, and this varies greatly across different communical diseases.
Some last for lifetime, some last only for a few months. Uh.
He also points to another finding for asymptomatic patient's immunity
is even shorter. In other words, there appears to be
a relationship. This is really important and the crux of
what I learned from this article. There appears to be
(07:56):
a relation between degree of sickness, immune systems spons and
antibody strength. So people young people who have mild disease
or asymptomatic disease, there antibodies may never rise very high.
So the reality, guys is this isn't doesn't appear to
be a good idea here chicken pox. When we were
having chickenpox parties, there was some sense of how severe
(08:19):
it could be, and rarely was it deadly. I know
people are trying to drive down the number of how
severe this can be, and we would admit that in
the younger, healthy athletes, it's not going to have a
severe in impact, but it isn't zero. And I think
exposing people like this to get some sort of competitive
advantage on the football field when you don't even know
(08:41):
how long that advantage may last, is silly. The reality
is somebody can test and be asymptomatic in June and
then in November can get it again. That's really what
I learned from this article. I didn't know that before.
Rich The biggest issue for me too is I mean,
obviously I can never get on board with risking the
(09:01):
health of athletes or or essentially making them guinea pigs
in this particular case. For as much as we want
football all sports to come back. These are non essential businesses.
I understand the importance from an economic standpoint and even
from the psychological standpoint to get the sports that we
love so much back in the fall. But to me,
(09:22):
the biggest thing continues to be that as as we
in theory have more of these players contract this disease, UH,
they still could be come unless they're completely quarantined, they
could still come in contact with people who are not young,
not quite as healthy. It's that spreading of the disease
some of the things that I have read recently. Because
(09:43):
and and keep this in mind too, for anybody who's watching,
there's a reason why they call this a novel virus.
This is brand new. There's we're learning as we go.
So to pick apart some of the comments from the
medical community back in February and March, they're adjusting to
the data that is changing on a very regular basis,
and Mike gave some of those quotes. But just how
(10:05):
contagious this disease is and how it could impact older people,
older staffers, older coaches. I think we said it last week.
That's something that just cannot be ignored at this point.
I want college football to come back but it would
be really irresponsible for me to say that I'd be
willing to see it at the expense of the health
of young athletes. George von Miller the Broncos had a
(10:27):
frightening quote frightening experience that included difficulty breathing. Rudy Gilbert
of the Utah Jazz which really he was the he
was the guy that lit the candle on all of this,
still hasn't fully recaptured his sense of smell. Swimmer Cameron
Vanderbergh and Olympic gold medace pot covert for weeks and
called it by far the worst virus he's ever endured.
It despite being a healthy individual, strong longest, living a
(10:49):
healthy lifestyle, and being young. So um. We also have
to mention, George, this is primarily about the athletes, but
there's trainers, professors, coaches, other people that are can be
at risk that aren't young, healthy athletes. Well, Richards just
said that. He said it perfectly. It's not primarily about
the athletes, because they're gonna go home and there's gonna
(11:11):
be other people that could get infected. Yeah, they might
be asymptomatic, but maybe mom and dad are right, maybe
grandma and Grandpa aren't. And even if they are, what
about when they go to the bank, they go to
the supermarket, they go to home depot, they go to
wherever they go, They go to the park, they go
play bingo, whatever is they do. It's it's this is
this is so acid and I cave just even came
up once. Get no one. Everyone just wants to play.
(11:32):
It's all about the money. No one cares about the health.
No one cares. They just want to play and make
the money. Well, it's crazy. Is this This is an offshoot?
This is an offshoot into something uglier, like, hey, how
can we get these guys sick now so we can
get w's when the rubber meets the road in September.
It's like, are you are you seriously considering this? It's
(11:53):
fan thinking. He wants Yes, the Cowboys fans take when
he got it, Oh, it's good, he got it now
he'll be September, which doesn't you know you don't even
know that by the way that you just said all
the athletes, you just brought all the names and the
problems they've had, and they're some guys gonna have worst problem.
They won't be able to breathe, you know, as as
with breath as they normally had. It's just nuts. I mean,
(12:14):
it's just nuts. I mean, if you do this too,
let's just say eighty players per team a hundred, that's
eight thousand players you talking. You tell me a certain
sentence of those eight thousands aren't going to have severe complications?
Nuts and long term to George brings up a great
point too, because some of some of the medical uh
data that's coming out now is that there could be
(12:35):
to be recovered from COVID doesn't necessarily mean that you
have full functioning of your lung, so there could be
an after effect, particularly when it comes to athletes. Are
you willing to put these kids out there if they're
at lung capacity? That's something we still haven't quite learned
from the medical data. Yeah, It's the thing I'm most
worried about is sort of long term, we want to
(12:57):
put somebody's lung capacity or heart capacity at risk over
this virus. So that's it. That's our weekly coronavirus stuff
data on in college. Before we're gonna come back talk
about riches. All American offense and All American defense for
even season sports grid dot Com betting, insights and entertainment
at your fingertips seven as our team covers the most
(13:18):
important topics in sports wagering, real time odds, predictive betting models,
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the grid sports grid dot com. Hey everybody back on
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Instagram at sports grid TV. You'll find all three of
(13:41):
us owner individual Twitter handles at Mike Blewett at George
Kurtz at Rich sire Manello see I R M I
N I E L L O. Right, so we got it.
You got it the second, the third. That third eye
is tricky. So in any event, Uh, here we are.
We got your all American offense and All American defense
(14:02):
that you've announced for. I expect to see many Pitt
Panthers in here, but I haven't read the defense yet.
I wanted to surprise myself, so, UM, give me just
real quick. We're gonna start with the offense in this segment.
Give me just sort of overall thoughts how you uh
arrived at some of these players and we can break
them down individually. But was there a theme as you
(14:24):
were picking out these players that you surprised yourself maybe
as you're doing the evaluations. I think one of the
surprises for me, Mike is um just the number of
running backs that put off the NFL draft and decided
to return for another season. UM Travis CTN from Clemson
could be in the NFL returns for a senior year.
(14:47):
Cuba Hubbard, Oklahoma State UH could be in the NFL
returns for his junior season. Na J Harris a second
team All American out of Alabama. Same situation. So that
was one of the themes that really stood out for me,
is just the number of running backs. You know, you
get used to running backs, and it's a very valid point.
You know, there's only so much tread on the tire.
(15:09):
I'd rather be paid to endure this punishment rather than
spend another year in college as an unpaid athlete. UH.
That was not the case this year, and it makes
for a very very deep group of running backs in
two thousand and twenty. Why Why do you think they
decided not to go to the NFL. Do they think
they can raise that draft stock? Which doesn't seem to
(15:31):
be the case in the NFL, because you know, they're
just not gonna take you in the first round, least
not in the first half, the first two thirds of
the first round. Why do you think decided? Yeah, George,
that's a good question. I I don't have an answer
other than possibly, Travis e. T N. It's a kid
I've gotten to know that program. We could have some
fun with Dabo Sweeney. H Hey, I said some maybe
(15:54):
uh inaccurate things this offseason. But the guy has created
a culture that those players down at Clemson really want
to be a part of. So when it comes to
Travis e. T N, could he have could he help
his draft stock this year? Possibly? I think he's a
complete running back becaus a runner in a receiver. I'm
not sure if he rises much higher. But Dabble really
(16:15):
has created a culture. We've seen seniors on the defense
right Uh, Christian Wilkins, most recently defensive tackle, decides to
come back for a senior year. Um Isaiah Simmons returns
a year later than folks expected. It's been a relatively
common theme. So Dabble really has created that family culture
(16:35):
that kids aren't so quick to kind of jump off
to the NFL. In terms of Naja Harris and Cuba Hubbard,
I don't know. I don't know if those backs. We've
seen enough tape of those kids. We know how fast
Cuba is, we know how versatile and how physical Naja
Harris is. So it's a good question, George, in terms
of some of those kids, I I don't have an answer.
(16:56):
It just must be a personal taste that they still
have more to accomplish in college. So let's go back
to the QB position. You pick Fields over Lawrence. What
was the deciding factors there? Uh? So close? And and
you know, I put this out on Twitter, I guess
about a week ago. Got a lot of heat from
from Clemson folks, and I understand that. I to me,
it was one in one a I had to choose one.
(17:19):
I didn't want to sort of take the the easy
route and put both on the team. I just feel
that from an explosive standpoint and a consistency perspective, Justin
Fields was better last year, and I think he'll be
just a touch better this Year's got better weapons around
him than uh than Trevor Lawrence does. Especially with the
(17:40):
potentially season ending injury to Justin Ross, I think Clemson
is a little bit light at wide receiver compared to
Ohio States. So both are athletic quarterbacks. By the way,
both can make things happen outside the pocket. The one
thing I think a lot of folks don't know about
Trevor Lawrence. You look at how tall he is, how
statuesque the Presidency has in the pocket. He is dynamite
(18:01):
as a runner outside the pocket, so underrated as a runner.
So both of these guys have multidimensional skill sets. It's
just a matter of taste for me. Trevor, through a
few too many interceptions early last year super close, I
gave a slight edge to Justin Fields. I know I
was sort of being a dead horse here. I'm gonna
(18:22):
keep going, keep it up here when it comes to
Fields Lawrence, guys who they're going to the top half
of the first T ten picks next year, probably the
top two picks. With what we just discussed discussed last segment,
what's going on, how these effects of COVID could be
long term. I know we even hit this before. Have
have your thoughts changed on when these guys should play
even if we do play this season, should they should
(18:44):
they play this season? If you're their agent or you
could talk, you're their dad, their uncle, would you still
advise them to play with What do they have to
gain by playing this season? That's about what I'm going for. You.
Do they have anything to gain over the fact that
they're playing with their teammates, playing for a national championship.
I mean, what do they have to gain by playing
this year? Uh? They only have things that they can have.
They got a fancies and they can get sick. What
are yeah, I I think it's Uh, it's a two
(19:07):
pronged debate, Georgia. You know, there's the professional debate and
the personal debate. From a professional perspective, if you're talking
about the upper echelon of the opening round, so you know, Uh,
I'll go deeper. I'll say Jamaar Chase at LSU, the
wide receiver should be the first pass catcher taken in
next year's NFL draft. We talked about the backs already, Uh,
(19:29):
the quarterbacks, Field and Lawren Fields and Lawrence I. I
don't think they necessarily help themselves professionally by returning for
one more season. So I don't think there's a lot
to gain. There is the personal side, which obviously impossible
for any any one of us to get into their
heads to get into their hearts. There are kids out
there who love the college experience, love the campus, have
(19:52):
a deep connection with their specific alma mater university, and
they want to spend one more season at the college level.
They want to play with their teammates, they want to
make a run for a national championship. That's something that's
difficult for me to debate. But to your point, George,
from a professional perspective, Trevor Lawrence, justin fields, particularly Lawrence,
(20:14):
I think we've seen enough. I think scouts have seen
enough now justin Fields, we only have one year of tape,
so you might be able to say, you know, we
need to see a little bit more. Let's see the
development he made from nineteen to two thousand and twenty.
But certainly Trevor Lawrence at this point and and listen
it on earths. A fascinating debate, and we've talked about
it before. If we start to see some outbreaks of
(20:38):
COVID on certain campuses, if a team that was in
the top twenty five begins to sink midway through the season,
I would not be the least bit shocked. If you
start to see these star caliber players step off and
say I'm preparing for the NFL draft, even though it's
October and November. I can see that as well. So, UM,
(20:58):
getting back to uh, some of the players in your
Jamaar Chase, there was a thought that he could have
come out, Uh, Rondale More. Those are you starting wide
receivers here, Rondelle More from Purdue. You don't always see
packs catchers from Purdue, Uh rise up to first team
All American. But Chase, I think he proved what he
can do. Uh. Maybe some people out there that aren't
(21:21):
as familiar with produced program and give me a sense,
give me your thoughts on these two. Yeah, I mean,
Jamaar Chases was the best wide receiver in college football
last year. Just the true sophomore had to come back
this year. Yeah, no, no worries. But you know, different quarterbacks.
So he goes from Joe Burrow to Miles Brennan. Is
(21:43):
there any kind of a drop off. I don't know,
But when I watched him on tape, he's a big kid,
He's physical, uses his hands exceptionally well in traffic. He's
an outstanding wide receiver, so he makes his quarterback better,
outstanding catch radius, he has all of the tool rules
to be a a not only not just a starting
(22:03):
wide receiver, but a a go to guy in the NFL.
Rondale Moore people have forgotten just how explosive he was
in two thousand and eighteen, exploded onto the scene as
a true freshman, had that dynamite primetime game against Ohio
State when the boiler Makers upset the buck Eyes. At
that time. He reminds me and I like to do
(22:25):
comps because for people who haven't seen him play, it
draws a parallel. Really reminds me of a young Reggie Bush.
Just the versatility that he brings to an offense. Uh,
extraordinarily strong in his lower body. Not very tall, about
five ft nine, but tremendous strength in his lower body.
Bounces off tacklers, could use him in jet sweeps. More
(22:49):
of a slot guy than an outside receiver. But if
he's healthy this year, now he has something to prove.
We haven't seen him now again since early two thousand
and nineteen. Uh, just an all around dynamite weapon. Uh
for for Jeff Brown. All right, now you have a
living guys listening here in your old American offense. We'll
(23:09):
take just the fields out of this question. Because he's
the quarterbacks too easy. If you're an NFL GM, you
could draft one to start your team with what position
do you draft to get? Who is it? I would Uh?
I would have to go with the offensive tackle Penay
Soil out of Oregon. UM. You know, once we get
to the NFL level, if you could find a tackle
(23:31):
that can protect the blind side of a quarterback, we
all know how valuable that is and how difficult it
is to find someone UH as talented as Pinay Soil.
I think he is a generational talent. I won't get
ahead of myself with hyperbolic statements in terms of what
his potential will be long term during his career, but
(23:51):
just basing a guy strictly on on what we've seen
in two seasons in college. Uh enormously physical, very very smart, competitive, nastiness,
all of the physical traits that you wanted to tackle,
but also excessively agile, great footwork. The way he gets
to the second level and looks to bury opposing linebackers
(24:14):
and safeties. UM. I won't tip my hand too much
because you guys know I have an affiliation with the
Maxwell Football Club. But if there is uh a non
skill position, player who can win major awards that typically
go to quarterbacks. This is the kind of kid that
could do it for people who are paying attention. Uh. Last,
(24:36):
we'll wrap it up with Pat Friarman at the tight
end at out of Penn State. And then you've got
a few offensive linemen on here. Alex Leatherwood from Bama,
Wyatt Davis from Ohio State, Creed Humphrey from Oklahoma, and
Tray Smith from Tennessee. So, uh standouts there, first on
Friarmouth and then maybe the other offensive one. Yeah. The
interesting thing about Pat Friarmouth is um soft hand. You know,
(25:00):
he's got the receiving skills that you need at at
this day and age. In terms of past catchers who
want to move on to the NFL. UM, I still
like tight ends that can open holes for running backs, bruisers,
you know, not not a guy who sort of looks
like a quasi h back or you know, an oversized
wide receiver. Friar Muth is a traditional true tight end.
(25:23):
He'll catch passes, but man, he will absolutely smack opposing
defenders in the mouth and open holes for Johnny Brown
and Noah Can this year. So he's a complete tight
end in a year where we have a really large
list mic of outstanding tight ends brevn Jordan from Miami
with someone I considered as well in terms of the
(25:43):
offensive lineman. The one guy I really like uh is
Trey Smith out of Tennessee. Because we've talked recently about
a lot of health issues, coronavirus and so on and
so forth. Tray Smith had a debilitating disease early in
his Tennessee career. It was really up and down whether
or not he was gonna play football any long or
not only returned, but is returning at an All American level.
(26:05):
So a really interesting story. Good stuff on the offense
right there, fields over Lawrence and some familiar names there
at the skill positions with Hubbard and Travis Eten. We're
gonna come back. We'll talk about the defensive All American
players at Richard Manella has in list and Rich, George
and Mike will be right back on the grid after
(26:27):
this on Football Pool Circle, Sports grid dot Com. Betting
insights and entertainment at your fingertips as our team covers
the most important topics in sports wagering, real time odds,
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than get on the grid. Sports grid dot Com and
(26:54):
we're back on the grid. Thanks for watching us. You're
on Football Fool Circle and talking with rich Sermanelle, the
co host of College Football Today, on his All American
picks for the defensive side of the ball. We just
got through the offense, so started out, I can I
can take a punch of different routes here, but a
(27:15):
name that I see a lot and people think can
really be a huge difference maker at the next level
Riches Micah Parsons, the linebacker out of Penn State. So
let's start there and we can worker so work our
way out from there. Yeah, I'm glad you did, Mike.
Uh to me, if there's a signature defender in college
football for me, it is number eleven on Penn State. Uh.
(27:37):
We saw it as his sophomore season progressed going right
into last year's bowl game. He was unblockable. Uh you
know where's that number eleven? Reminiscent of other number elevens
like LaVar Arrington who played the position at Penn State.
I love everything about this kid, just explode odes on
(28:00):
impact um, great instincts in the running game, can be
impactful as a pass rusher just two years removed from
high school Blue Chipper when he left high school, has
more than lived up to those expectations. I talked in
the earlier segment about you know a pena SEOL and
offensive lineman who can compete for honors like, you know,
(28:24):
best college football player, you know whatever award that might be.
Uh Micah on the defensive side, is is that kid?
I I think position aside to me, he's one of
the five best players in college football this season. You know,
I know when I look on defense, I look with
two things out of college defenders right one, can they
rush the pass? Are too? Can they cover? We know?
(28:47):
The NFL is a quarterback league, quarterback driven league. Every
rule was designed for the passing game. Derek Stingley, he's
your old America at l L s U. How good
a cover corner is he? Yeah? Again, you know, true
freshman last year. UM I knew he'd be good. You know,
LSU recruit four star, five star depending upon what service
uh moves you Uh you know, has the pedigree. Um
(29:12):
I did not expect him to be so good so fast.
He was a blanket cover corner last year. Um, you
know it was not named first team All SEC. I
think there were voters who just maybe we're obstinate and
would not anoint a true freshman at that level. I
think he was an All American last year. That's sticky
in coverage. To be that good your first year on
(29:34):
the campus. Uh in Baton Rouge to me tells me
that as long as he's motivated and keeps learning, uh
should be the best defensive back in college football this year.
Good length, great backpedal, outstanding closing speed. I think the
biggest thing for Derek. It's funny I was I was
talking to scouts a couple of days ago. They put
(29:54):
this into my head, and I think it's a valid
point for such a young kid who thrives on picks
and big plays, wants the ball in his hands. I
think the biggest concern that I have in the next
two seasons, because he's got to be here in two
thousand and twenty and two thousand and twenty one before
declaring for the NFL Draft, is a level of boredom
because because I think a lot of quarterbacks now after
(30:16):
watching him last year, uh Cordelle flat will take over
at corner opposite him, supremely talented, but not as experienced.
I don't think anybody's gonna throw at Derek Stingley. And
at some point, you know, the kid could get caught
off guard just because he's sort of wandering around on
an island. Yeah. Uh. So the defensive line is interesting
(30:37):
because we're bookmarked by a couple of Miami Hurricanes. Uh,
you have inserted one of your players from your favorite
defensive line in the country from Pitt and Jalen Twyman.
Marvin Wilson has been a standout for Florida State and
was involved in some of the um holding his coach
accountable for some of the things that he made. But
(30:59):
it's Rossel and Quincy roach from Miami. So talking about
those players for me, Yeah, I mean Manny Diaz for
as as much as he struggled in his debut season
taking over from Mark Rick, going six and seven last
year was a rough first year as a head coach.
Sort of interesting, right he he and he inherits us
(31:20):
so uh and then he brings uh Quincy over from
Temple where Manny Diaz was supposed to be the head
coach and was for what like a few hours. He
was the head coach before returning back to Miami. That bookend,
uh is obviously I've I've declared them all Americans is
gonna be unstoppable. And by the way, Manny has also
(31:43):
done a great job in general in terms of attracting
transfers to his program because Jalen Phillips just two years
ago was the top recruit. I think according to Rivals,
I believe it was Rivals or two four seven, uh,
top recruit in the entire country. Jail and Phillips that
use c l A had a little problem with health,
(32:06):
decided to transfer Sat out last year. This kid, former
five star Blue Chipper now is going to be a
backup in that rotation at defensive ends. So that's gonna
be exciting to watch. If they developed their young talent
on the interior, Miami is gonna challenge for the best
defensive line in the country. You know, I look at
(32:26):
you list here and uh, you know, I got try
to translate to what's going on today's NFL and we
see Jamal Adams wants to get paid. I keep saying
it over and over again. Safety is pretty much the
running back of defense. They just not a lot of
things believe in paying them. You've got Trevor Mooren at
a TCU Kolbe, Harville Peel at Oklahoma State. Did you
two top safeties here, are either one destined for NFL riches?
(32:47):
Are either one destined to be a first round NFL pick? Yeah,
I don't know if I would go that far. And
both kids exploded onto the scenes as sophomores last year.
It's it's exciting to have an opportunity to champion, uh,
you know, kids like Harvell Peel and Mooring because they
were not the Derek Stingley's. These were not the five
(33:09):
star kids coming out of high school. TCU and Oklahoma
State tend to get the players that Oklahoma and Texas
and l s U, you know, some of those Western
SEC programs Alabama decide not to go after. So these
kids have really, uh so far kind of outplayed where
(33:30):
they were coming out of high school. So I've been
impressed with their playmaking skills. They're not on the level
of Jamal Adams in terms of physicality. I think of
both of these kids more as um supersized cornerbacks. Their
ability to cover their athleticism and agility make them versatile
members of those secondaries, but still need work to be
(33:53):
done in terms of run defense. But for me, you know,
Mike get in terms of offense, brought up overarching theme
teams or themes on offense. Um. Kind of interesting for
me to have two defensive backs on defense out of
the Big twelve because the Big Twelve we tend to
knock a lot of times for their lack of defensive play,
particularly in pass coverage. Yeah. Uh. To wrap up the
(34:16):
players on this list to other linebackers, you've got Nick
Bolton from Missoo and Hammaklar hamilcar Rashid of Oregon State.
Sorry if I've botched that name, but two guys, you know,
maybe from programs that don't always pop out to us
from a defensive standpoint. Similar to what you said with
the safeties, you know we got we're filling in with
(34:37):
Missouri and Oregon State here at the linebacker position is
not always the case. Yeah. Kind of fun, right, And
I don't do it intentionally. I may put a lot
of time throughout the off season to come up with
these lists. There's never any grand plan to leave SEC
players off, although I do get a lot of that
on Twitter whenever there's not an SEC player at every
damn position. But um uh, Nick Bolton, by the way, Missouri,
(35:01):
I'm still forgetting as a part of the SEC. Shame
on me. You got Nick Bolton, Trevor Moore, you got
Derek Stingley in there, so you got two out of
eleven exactly. Um. But in terms of Rashid, what's interesting
a couple of these kids. Hamilcar was a kid I
thought was going to go to the NFL. Uh. He's
an He's an off ball linebacker. He's an outside linebacker
(35:22):
that is going to get after the quarterback. Was amongst
the nation's leaders Mike last year and tackles for loss
and sacks. Love these kinds of players. So it's more
like a kin Law than he is a three three
down linebacker. Kin Yeah, there there. There's no question that
his strength is his length, as athleticism, his ability to
(35:42):
rush the passer. Him coming back this year was a surprise.
Marvin Wilson, big surprise. Thought he'd be in the NFL
right now at defensive tackle. But Nick Bolton what was
really interesting for me Last year the top linebacker at
MISSOO was Cal Garrett, and it looked that way in
the first half of the season first five games or so,
and then Cale goes down for the year, lost for
(36:04):
the season two an injury, and Nick Bolton kind of
steps out of the shadow and rises to the All
SEC first team. Was fantastic in all phases. Does a
really nice job in in coverage, which you don't always uh,
you don't always expect out of linebackers at this level.
So both Bolton and Rashid outstanding seasons. I think they'll
(36:26):
be even better this year. First previous to discussed discussed
all the players. Now, is there a player or two
that just missed this list? And why did they missed list?
Did you not see them enough because they're you know, freshman, sophomore. Uh.
To give you a player or two that just missed
your list? Yeah, you know there's one that comes to mind.
And I I'm not digging him because he played at
(36:50):
a small school. I'm obviously familiar with him. Uh and
maybe I'm guilty of some degree of bias that he
does play at a smaller school. But Boogie Basium not
only has a great name, uh, he is one of
the premier defensive ends in the country. Also, out of
the A C C I have no bias towards the
A C C. By the way, I just think that
the conference is loaded with outstanding UH defenders, but especially
(37:15):
especially along the defensive line. So Carlos Boogie Basium from
Wake Forest, UH is a kid six five to seventy five,
not a you know, one down situational pass Russia. He's
a three down defensive lineman. UH. He's the one guy
more than anyone else who I think can break this UH,
(37:35):
this Miami cabal at defensive end. UH. As far as
all Americans go, good stuff. So that's it for his
All American picks on defense again. Follow Rich on Twitter.
It'll be coming out with some more lists as we
get through the summer real quick. We only have like
two minutes to go. But the IVY League came out
with a statement this week Rich concerning UH the potential
(37:58):
return to play. It looks like they're evaluating over the
course of this weekend and on July eight are going
to announce whether or not football and frankly all of
their fall sports will continue. The IVY Leagues, despite the
fact that they don't have necessarily elite programs and some
other sports are still looked to as a guiding light
(38:18):
for many other programs, particularly in FCS football. So UM,
I'm getting the sense from the statements that they are
looking at perhaps playing in the spring, and that football
won't happen on time in this season. Yeah. And and
the hints that I've been getting without giving too many specifics,
(38:41):
is that the FCS in general Ivy League plays at
the FCS level. FCS in general could be a less
than fifty fifty possibility that they're playing this season. And
you know, we talked about more House. I think there
were other small schools UM that have a bold and
(39:02):
canceled exactly. UM D two and D three does not
look like there's a good chance they're gonna play this year.
I think as we see throughout the month of July,
Mike and George um smaller schools opting out of football.
Sports grid dot Com betting insights and entertainment at your
fingertips as our team covers the most important topics in
(39:25):
sports wagering, real time odds, predictive betting models, expert picks,
and more want the edge than get on the grid.
Sports grid dot Com closing out this hour of football
full circle right here on the grid with George, thanks
the Ristiam and Ella great guest as always coming on
(39:46):
with us to talk college football. Turning back to the
NFL now, a couple of stories that happened this week
and one George, a little bit of uncomfortable conversation amongst
compatriots when it comes to the nfl p A and
some of the players now. Tom Brady has been one
of the high profile players that has been conducting his
(40:06):
own workouts, insensibly to get more familiar with some of
his new teammates, but in a letter, and NFL p
A has directed player agents to educate their clients on
coronavirus risk factors. The nfl p A basically openly saying
do not conduct these workouts outside of uh team facilities,
(40:28):
I think, ostensibly to keep the players out look risk
factors related to the virus, but also risk factors related
to their career. You're doing this on your own time
and risking your own health, and the team isn't really
going to do anything for you in those instances. Yeah.
I mean, first this point out, Brady is not the
(40:50):
only person doing these workouts. Other teams are doing it
as well, but Brady is making it the most public
he's posting it on Twitter, on instagrams and I he's
post wherever you can find to place the post that
he let it be known and make it obvious, sort
of embarrassing the NFL p A who don't want these
players to be doing that working out of course, it
doesn't make much sense to be uh as far as
the health wise to do it. I get why they're
(41:12):
doing it, Brady new team right, new players wants to
get used to and wants to you know what, a
quarterback wants the chemistry down with this receiver's I get it. Uh,
Damar Da Murray Smith had an interview I believe it
was someone on ESPN pretty much saying the same thing
without naming names, but saying, you know what, you really
shouldn't be doing this. We should being more careful of
that sort of thing. I mean, it's hard to criticize
(41:33):
or I guess treating like a child, you know, and
you know, say Tom really should be doing I'm sure
he's had a conversation with them, so now they said,
what we'll tell the ages. Maybe the agent can get
through to him that sort of thing. My guess is
no player to Tom. I don't know if Tom listens
to anyone, but maybe Giselle, oh on that on the
Tom's taking advice and he's gonna do what he wants
(41:53):
to do, right, So I don't think it's going to work.
Mind you, maybe he'll just won't publicize it as much,
and I think that would make the Murray Smith just
as happy. Just don't let it be known to everybody
in the free world that you're out there practicing. Yeah,
they came with a list of conditions that were it
can put people at further risk, everything from chronic kidney
(42:13):
disease to immunocompromise state from solid oregan transplant. There's a
whole list of things they put together, referring them to
their doctors and a link to the c d C
that allows them to possibly do more research. But I
think you're right. I think I just think it's sort
of making the NFL p A not look great that
the players are out there doing this. But the of
(42:36):
the players didn't vote for the CBA that just went
out there, so they're not one big happy family ever. No,
you have a good point. That's why when they start
doing these negotiations for the season, when the owner is
gonna want less money. This should be fun again. Yeah,
oh yeah, we haven't even gotten there, man, Like that
is a huge the sort of damocles is over our
(42:59):
heads regarding the uh, the players in the teams trying
to negotiate the dollars without fans. But we can't even
get there yet. We can't even get there yet. We
have to get the players into camp. I don't even
know if we can do that. So that's one number two.
I'm probably buried the lead on this particular segment. But
(43:20):
preseason has been Two of the preseason games have been canceled, right, George,
it's weeks one and four are out. Yeah, that's it's
it's the only report weeks one and four or out.
They're not going to readjust the schedule. So like the
Dallas Cowboys actually have two home preseason games, they're not
gonna make, you know, I guess they don't want to redo.
It's preseason. Nobody cares whatever it might be, no fans anyway,
so what does it matter, you know, that sort of thing.
(43:43):
I imagine we will no longer see four preseason games.
Right next year, they're gonna go with you what the
seventeen game season, all right? So I don't think you'll
play all. You're gonna play four anyway, Maybe you'll play three.
Maybe it's down to two. Maybe two is permanent. You
know that sort of thing. Personally, I won't miss it. Uh,
preseason three was a necessary evil. I would watch it, yes,
because I just have to. It's like must watch, must watch.
(44:07):
But I won't miss it at all. You know where
the Cowboy games are a regular game or not preseason
for made men, look at injured players to see how
they look, and new players, the rookies, that sort of thing.
Other than that, I just pray whether it was from
the Cowboys, my fantasy team, or any bets I might
have out there, Please don't get hurt. Agreed. I don't
(44:29):
think we'll ever see more than three games again. I
think it's you're looking at two or three games going forward.
Teams will try to figure out and this and beyond.
I think teams will try to figure out some of
those joint practices. UM teams will travel in, maybe do
a couple of days of practice. But reality is it's
(44:49):
the owners probably wanted those games to continue because they
at least got some gate, some ticket revenues, some sort
of concessions and parking revenues. But that's going by the wayside,
and they're going to be comforted by a sixties seventy
percent jump in media rights. So uh so that's that
next story. Colin Kaepernick. Netflix is going to do a
(45:11):
miniseries and Colin Kaepernick, produced by claimed director Avid Duverney.
So the series is called Colin and Black and White's
going to explore the quarterbacks high school years, attempting to
show the experience and insights that led to his activism. Now, Oh,
Kaepernick said, too often we see race and black stories
portrayed through a white lens. We seek to give new
(45:32):
perspective to the differing realities that black people face. We
explore the racial conflicts I faced as an adopted black
man in a white community during my high school years.
It's an honor to bring these stories to life in
collaboration with AVA for the world to see. So I
would say, regarding a documentary of somebody that is in
the midst of writing their legacy, I'm not always in
(45:56):
favor of it. However, I am in they. I am
a favor of the documentaries and sports documentaries in general,
because I love them. I love documentaries, and I love
when they're about sports. It gives me a lot of insight.
But what I think is important is that it is
focusing on something specific to him. This Tom Brady nine
part thing that's coming out. Why don't we just wait
(46:19):
until your career is over to do it, like the
Michael Jordan's Last Dance documentary retired eighteen years ago, Like
we had a whole life basically to live after we
got that ten part doc. Tom Brady is trying to
jam this thing in at the end of his career
when I think there's more of a story to be written,
(46:39):
potentially for him Kaepernick. What I like about the focus
of this doc George, is that it is focusing on
a specific time in his life, and it doesn't necessarily
mean that his entire life has to be written out.
They're going to focus on his high school years and
what it was what formed his opinions to this point
in his life. Yeah, I suppose it could be an
(47:00):
interesting I always have my doubts about the documentaries how
truthful they are. Are you only looking at from one side?
You're gonna tell the whole story or just your story?
You know? Generally I'm a big believer. And there's two
sides to every story, and I want to hear both sides,
and the truth is generally in the middle anyway, you know,
you always your color towards your viewpoint on one side,
same thing on the other side. So the truth is
(47:21):
in the middle somewhere. I mean the Michael Jordan's I
watched very little, almost none of Lance Armstrong. I no
Tom Brady when it comes out now, thanks not watching
that either. I don't really hold much interest for stuff
like that. Um did you watch Long Gone Summer? Oh? No,
Long Gone Summer? They did right after Lance Armstrong they
(47:43):
did a McQuire doc It was oh no, no. I
lived through that. I didn't need to read. It was
not good. I don't want to get into it. I'm
not gonna bash people. The perspective that it gave was pointless.
It was basically a commercial for how great a season
Mark Require had. And we all know the steroids in
the What is the point of this documentary were? You're
(48:06):
just they could have done it, As one of my
friends texted me, they could have done it right after
the season. That was sort of the approach they took, like, well,
what a ride it was how crazy it was, Like,
what are you talking about? We all know that all
of this stuff went on, and you guys whyed about it? Anyway?
That's what documentaries are about. To me. I need I
(48:26):
need the truth, you know. This is why when it
comes to sports careasters, I like you know you were
talking about uh during the break. I like guys who
aren't afraid to say what's on their mind. I want
to hear the truth. I don't care for you if
I don't agree with you. I just want to hear
that you're saying what's on your mind, not just follow
going with the flow, following the crowd, saying what you
think everyone wants to hear. I don't want to hear that.
I don't need that. That doesn't help me any But
(48:48):
if you're telling me something that it's on you that
you believe. So if you're a former player, because you
should know more than I like that. Sitting the documentaries,
I want to know the truth. I don't care about
what how you view it, because I know how you're
gonna view it. I know the other side's gonna view it.
I need the truth. Soone, what really happened here? That
would make it so much more interesting to me. Yeah, Um,
(49:08):
so we'll see. As far as the Lance documentary, I
did watch it. Um. What's what's funky about Armstrong is
that he actually has reached a point in his life
where he is come clean about all of this stuff.
(49:29):
He's pretty honest about what he did, and he's almost
on the verge of being um remorseful. And I think
he was in a couple of instances, but he did
so many things to people and acted so with such
(49:49):
hubrists and so um he was pretty evil to several
people that I don't need you to come to your
senses in your fifties, after all this stuff has gone
down in the moment, you were a bad person, Like
maybe in your second act you're being a better guy
and all that kind of stuff. But um, I thought
(50:11):
it was interesting. I just happened to know a lot
of it and about about the Lance stuff. And what
was odd is that they were they were going through
a lot of his how he used it and when
it started, and all this kind of stuff, and it
was almost some part of the approach of it was
seemingly that people didn't know about it. And I'm like,
(50:32):
who doesn't know that he cheated there was never one.
There's never a time in my life where I thought
any cyclist was clean. The whole sport relies on doping,
so I'm not I've actually even judgmental about Lance Armstrong
for doping. Everybody doped. It was about the way he
treated the people around him and tried to ruin people's
(50:53):
lives that got in his way. Yeah, I mean, and
that's what really bothers you about people. I said, when
it comes to a doping thing to Royds, my opinions
changed over the years. If you would have asked me
fifteen years ago, I've been very much against it, like,
although it's just it's just terrible, it's bad for the game.
But now I've come to the conclusion that sports, and
maybe it's because you and I work in the in
the indust right now, it is entertainment. We don't get
(51:14):
on actors and actresses when they're du you know, getting
surgeries and ned doping up our role all right, because
they're gonna be on TV, they're gonna be half naked
or fully naked, whatever it might be. We don't get
on them. Baseball, football, hockey, basketball, cycling, whatever sport it is,
it is just entertainment. We always hear where business it is,
you want to use your you want to use roys
to be better at it. I don't care. I just don't.
(51:36):
I think it's stupid because it's gonna affect you later
in life. But I I I'm not the moral police anymore,
you know. And listen, if you told me that for
me to get on a baseball team we're a football team,
to be that fifty third person to be player, I
have to put a nail in my butt to make
that money. As butch as I'm against it, Mike, I
can't tell you I wouldn't do it. It's it's a
(51:57):
hundred percent the way I feel about it. I think
many people out there that are judgmental when when it's
on the line and you're that guy and all the
players that have taken steroids and have made their family
generational wealth, I think some, many, many, many people would
sell their soul in a sense to be able to
do it. Frankly, I'm not that moralistic about it in
(52:18):
the first place. I think many people utilize edges in
their jobs in order to try to be a better
and get paid more. So, it's a tough way to
end it, But thanks for watching this edition of Football
Full Circle. Get on the grid, George and I'll see
against a happy fourth everybody. Sports grid dot Com Betting
insides and entertainment at your fingertips seven as our team
(52:41):
covers the most important topics in sports wagering, real time odds,
predictive betting models, expert picks and more. Want the edge
than Get on the grid sports grid dot Com
Sports grid dot Com Betting insights and entertainment at your
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and more. Want the edge than get on the grid.
Sports grid dot Com Football full Circle Right here on
(00:21):
the Grid Happy Fourth of July were joined this hour
by a co host of College Football Today, Rich Jermanello, Rich,
What's going on? Bud Happy four? Same to you guys, Yeah,
you guys, have any big plans for today? Let off
some fireworks? Maybe? Yeah? I mean, you know, isn't everything
complaining about fireworks? You know, I've been hearing fireworks in
(00:41):
my neighborhood for like the last six weeks. I don't
know what's going on. So I guess. I guess we're
gonna bring out the armed artillery for Fourth of July,
just to step it up, right, I guess. So. I
think people have been passing the boredom with a little
extra fireworks. But it doesn't really bother me. But I
don't have a pet, or I don't have a dog
that freaks out fireworks, So I'm not I'm immune to
(01:03):
the criticism, right, now. But I freaked out here and
I just run around the table for a while speaking
of speaking of being immune to something we are going
to get into. That's a that's a professional radio segue there, George,
so accept this is TV. But uh so uh. There
has been some discussion. It's funny because I had thought
(01:26):
about this. I never brought it up on air, um,
mainly because I don't think I want to afford this
idea to the public. But there has been some talk about.
Since Clemson now has thirty seven players that have tested
positive for COVID nineteen, there is a growing thought process
(01:46):
that perhaps rich the Clemson football team athletics program should
expose players athletes prior to the season so as to
have more players healthy come um September. Now, this is
similar to those of you and I can remember all
(02:08):
the way back when I was a little kidox party
or whatever it might be, my sister's tenth birthday party,
which was going to be a sleepover of it was
going to be a great order of magnitude, better than
any party she had ever had. She got the chicken
pox prior to her tenth birthday party and had to
cancel it. I was six years old at the time,
(02:30):
and uh, my mom just said, all right, hang out
with your sisters, sleep in the same room. You're getting
My mom was a nurse. She's like, you're getting chicken pox.
And I didn't get it. M I did not get
the chicken pox. I got it when I was a seat,
when I was a senior at Boston College, and it
was awful. I was in quarantine for five days. I
(02:53):
ran a hundred and four fever. I was the sickest
I've ever been in my whole life. Trust me, I
wish I had it when I was six. In any event,
that's a long way around to say, Rich, Uh, you
think it's a good idea. I'm not a doctor. Um,
none of us are. I think, Yeah, no, I don't
either play one on TV. But yeah, this seems like
(03:16):
a a ill advised plan, to say the least. It's
funny because I have heard this as it pertains to Clemson,
because Clemson has made a lot of headlines, as you
guys know, when it comes to COVID and the number
of positive test cases, so that those numbers have been
pretty high from what we've seen compared to other schools.
(03:37):
So this concept of the potential for her immunity. UH,
has been brought up. I can't see intentionally exposing kids.
It does seem careless from a from a healthcare standpoint.
But the other question is, let's say that Clemson does
achieve her immunity, if that is even possible at this point. Uh,
there's a lot of other teams out there that may not.
(03:59):
So you know, I what if Clemson is the only
program that has heard immunity, but there are FBS schools
that do not. Who exactly is Clemson going to play?
So it's such a curious situation. And again we talk
about this every week when we have these discussions week
after week. The climate as it pertains to sports and
(04:22):
the coronavirus seems to be changing. And right now, looking
at what's taking place throughout the south, southwest and the
west of we're in a rough situation considering it's it's
early July already. George, how about this notion to try
to gain some sort of competitive advantage of that all
your good players test positive for COVID, whether they get
(04:42):
sick or not, they'll have some immunity through this season.
What do you think makes sense? What was the word
Rich used? I advised, Uh, this is assinine. This is
completely I was really hoping you guys have backed this
because I'm going to read the doctor's quotes after you.
This is all right. I believe all of our wives
(05:03):
are in the medical field. All right. My wife actually
saw something about this, all right. I don't know if
it was that this exact article, and she saw something
about this and she mentioned it to me. Now, if
you know my wife, my wife was very very woman like,
very soft spoken, doesn't you know, never rarely curses. She
actually went up to me, uh, and have you read it?
Then she goes, are people this ef? And she used
she didn't say ef, and she used the F word.
(05:25):
And she never does that, by the way, stupid. And
I'm like, oh, wow, you really feel strongly And she's
absolutely right. Once again, my wife has worked in these
wards with COVID patients. He sees people of all ages,
not just old people, not just very young one. She
has seen people teenagers. He see people people they're young
in their early twenties, people in shape. Yes, maybe not athletes,
(05:46):
but per se as far as college athletes are pro athletes.
But she has seen people of all ages and some
of them have died, all right, So to say this is, oh, yeah,
we'll just get the disease, you'll be fine. This is
what I mean when I keep saying on all these shows,
but Rich and Joe, who is protecting these kids because
they're thinking like this, that they're they're gonna they're invincible,
(06:06):
that they'll get by with it. There is no proof
that once you get it, you won't get it again.
Maybe you read the article. They even tell you that
they don't know how long the immunity might last. For weeks, years,
they don't know. Henry Bushnell, Henry Bushnell, Yahoo Sports. So
Yahoo Sports did all this, and they presented the concept
to a dozen health experts, some of whom have advised
(06:27):
Power five conferences or the n c A. I'm gonna
start with these, uh lists of quotes because they're genuinely entertaining.
I can see why people are thinking about that, says
Bill Shaffer, a renowned infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University.
UM some of a couple of other quotes. Uh. And
here's furthermore, acknowledging competitive advantage and creating it by purposely
(06:50):
contacting and potentially deadly disease are two different things. Whether
and when asked whether intentional infection is a valid s
tragedy strategy, excuse me, experts give the same answer that
members of the PACTOLS and Medical Advisory Committee gave on Friday.
Unequivocally no, says Matt Turnbill, a virul virologist at Clemson.
There's absolutely no validity, says Paul Pottinger, professor of infectious
(07:13):
diseases at the University of Washington. Quote It's a terrible
idea and under no circumstances should anybody think about it.
Um It gets a little bit more measured after that.
The issue with immunity, says Chinwai Chi Uh, the director
of Global Health at Oregon State University, is how long
(07:35):
it lasts, and this varies greatly across different communical diseases.
Some last for lifetime, some last only for a few months. Uh.
He also points to another finding for asymptomatic patient's immunity
is even shorter. In other words, there appears to be
a relationship. This is really important and the crux of
what I learned from this article. There appears to be
(07:56):
a relation between degree of sickness, immune systems spons and
antibody strength. So people young people who have mild disease
or asymptomatic disease, there antibodies may never rise very high.
So the reality, guys is this isn't doesn't appear to
be a good idea here chicken pox. When we were
having chickenpox parties, there was some sense of how severe
(08:19):
it could be, and rarely was it deadly. I know
people are trying to drive down the number of how
severe this can be, and we would admit that in
the younger, healthy athletes, it's not going to have a
severe in impact, but it isn't zero. And I think
exposing people like this to get some sort of competitive
advantage on the football field when you don't even know
(08:41):
how long that advantage may last, is silly. The reality
is somebody can test and be asymptomatic in June and
then in November can get it again. That's really what
I learned from this article. I didn't know that before.
Rich The biggest issue for me too is I mean,
obviously I can never get on board with risking the
(09:01):
health of athletes or or essentially making them guinea pigs
in this particular case. For as much as we want
football all sports to come back. These are non essential businesses.
I understand the importance from an economic standpoint and even
from the psychological standpoint to get the sports that we
love so much back in the fall. But to me,
(09:22):
the biggest thing continues to be that as as we
in theory have more of these players contract this disease, UH,
they still could be come unless they're completely quarantined, they
could still come in contact with people who are not young,
not quite as healthy. It's that spreading of the disease
some of the things that I have read recently. Because
(09:43):
and and keep this in mind too, for anybody who's watching,
there's a reason why they call this a novel virus.
This is brand new. There's we're learning as we go.
So to pick apart some of the comments from the
medical community back in February and March, they're adjusting to
the data that is changing on a very regular basis,
and Mike gave some of those quotes. But just how
(10:05):
contagious this disease is and how it could impact older people,
older staffers, older coaches. I think we said it last week.
That's something that just cannot be ignored at this point.
I want college football to come back but it would
be really irresponsible for me to say that I'd be
willing to see it at the expense of the health
of young athletes. George von Miller the Broncos had a
(10:27):
frightening quote frightening experience that included difficulty breathing. Rudy Gilbert
of the Utah Jazz which really he was the he
was the guy that lit the candle on all of this,
still hasn't fully recaptured his sense of smell. Swimmer Cameron
Vanderbergh and Olympic gold medace pot covert for weeks and
called it by far the worst virus he's ever endured.
It despite being a healthy individual, strong longest, living a
(10:49):
healthy lifestyle, and being young. So um. We also have
to mention, George, this is primarily about the athletes, but
there's trainers, professors, coaches, other people that are can be
at risk that aren't young, healthy athletes. Well, Richards just
said that. He said it perfectly. It's not primarily about
the athletes, because they're gonna go home and there's gonna
(11:11):
be other people that could get infected. Yeah, they might
be asymptomatic, but maybe mom and dad are right, maybe
grandma and Grandpa aren't. And even if they are, what
about when they go to the bank, they go to
the supermarket, they go to home depot, they go to
wherever they go, They go to the park, they go
play bingo, whatever is they do. It's it's this is
this is so acid and I cave just even came
up once. Get no one. Everyone just wants to play.
(11:32):
It's all about the money. No one cares about the health.
No one cares. They just want to play and make
the money. Well, it's crazy. Is this This is an offshoot?
This is an offshoot into something uglier, like, hey, how
can we get these guys sick now so we can
get w's when the rubber meets the road in September.
It's like, are you are you seriously considering this? It's
(11:53):
fan thinking. He wants Yes, the Cowboys fans take when
he got it, Oh, it's good, he got it now
he'll be September, which doesn't you know you don't even
know that by the way that you just said all
the athletes, you just brought all the names and the
problems they've had, and they're some guys gonna have worst problem.
They won't be able to breathe, you know, as as
with breath as they normally had. It's just nuts. I mean,
(12:14):
it's just nuts. I mean, if you do this too,
let's just say eighty players per team a hundred, that's
eight thousand players you talking. You tell me a certain
sentence of those eight thousands aren't going to have severe complications?
Nuts and long term to George brings up a great
point too, because some of some of the medical uh
data that's coming out now is that there could be
(12:35):
to be recovered from COVID doesn't necessarily mean that you
have full functioning of your lung, so there could be
an after effect, particularly when it comes to athletes. Are
you willing to put these kids out there if they're
at lung capacity? That's something we still haven't quite learned
from the medical data. Yeah, It's the thing I'm most
worried about is sort of long term, we want to
(12:57):
put somebody's lung capacity or heart capacity at risk over
this virus. So that's it. That's our weekly coronavirus stuff
data on in college. Before we're gonna come back talk
about riches. All American offense and All American defense for
even season sports grid dot Com betting, insights and entertainment
at your fingertips seven as our team covers the most
(13:18):
important topics in sports wagering, real time odds, predictive betting models,
expert picks, and more. Want the edge than get on
the grid sports grid dot com. Hey everybody back on
the grid. Follow us on Twitter at sports Grid on
Instagram at sports grid TV. You'll find all three of
(13:41):
us owner individual Twitter handles at Mike Blewett at George
Kurtz at Rich sire Manello see I R M I
N I E L L O. Right, so we got it.
You got it the second, the third. That third eye
is tricky. So in any event, Uh, here we are.
We got your all American offense and All American defense
(14:02):
that you've announced for. I expect to see many Pitt
Panthers in here, but I haven't read the defense yet.
I wanted to surprise myself, so, UM, give me just
real quick. We're gonna start with the offense in this segment.
Give me just sort of overall thoughts how you uh
arrived at some of these players and we can break
them down individually. But was there a theme as you
(14:24):
were picking out these players that you surprised yourself maybe
as you're doing the evaluations. I think one of the
surprises for me, Mike is um just the number of
running backs that put off the NFL draft and decided
to return for another season. UM Travis CTN from Clemson
could be in the NFL returns for a senior year.
(14:47):
Cuba Hubbard, Oklahoma State UH could be in the NFL
returns for his junior season. Na J Harris a second
team All American out of Alabama. Same situation. So that
was one of the themes that really stood out for me,
is just the number of running backs. You know, you
get used to running backs, and it's a very valid point.
You know, there's only so much tread on the tire.
(15:09):
I'd rather be paid to endure this punishment rather than
spend another year in college as an unpaid athlete. UH.
That was not the case this year, and it makes
for a very very deep group of running backs in
two thousand and twenty. Why Why do you think they
decided not to go to the NFL. Do they think
they can raise that draft stock? Which doesn't seem to
(15:31):
be the case in the NFL, because you know, they're
just not gonna take you in the first round, least
not in the first half, the first two thirds of
the first round. Why do you think decided? Yeah, George,
that's a good question. I I don't have an answer
other than possibly, Travis e. T N. It's a kid
I've gotten to know that program. We could have some
fun with Dabo Sweeney. H Hey, I said some maybe
(15:54):
uh inaccurate things this offseason. But the guy has created
a culture that those players down at Clemson really want
to be a part of. So when it comes to
Travis e. T N, could he have could he help
his draft stock this year? Possibly? I think he's a
complete running back becaus a runner in a receiver. I'm
not sure if he rises much higher. But Dabble really
(16:15):
has created a culture. We've seen seniors on the defense
right Uh, Christian Wilkins, most recently defensive tackle, decides to
come back for a senior year. Um Isaiah Simmons returns
a year later than folks expected. It's been a relatively
common theme. So Dabble really has created that family culture
(16:35):
that kids aren't so quick to kind of jump off
to the NFL. In terms of Naja Harris and Cuba Hubbard,
I don't know. I don't know if those backs. We've
seen enough tape of those kids. We know how fast
Cuba is, we know how versatile and how physical Naja
Harris is. So it's a good question, George, in terms
of some of those kids, I I don't have an answer.
(16:56):
It just must be a personal taste that they still
have more to accomplish in college. So let's go back
to the QB position. You pick Fields over Lawrence. What
was the deciding factors there? Uh? So close? And and
you know, I put this out on Twitter, I guess
about a week ago. Got a lot of heat from
from Clemson folks, and I understand that. I to me,
it was one in one a I had to choose one.
(17:19):
I didn't want to sort of take the the easy
route and put both on the team. I just feel
that from an explosive standpoint and a consistency perspective, Justin
Fields was better last year, and I think he'll be
just a touch better this Year's got better weapons around
him than uh than Trevor Lawrence does. Especially with the
(17:40):
potentially season ending injury to Justin Ross, I think Clemson
is a little bit light at wide receiver compared to
Ohio States. So both are athletic quarterbacks. By the way,
both can make things happen outside the pocket. The one
thing I think a lot of folks don't know about
Trevor Lawrence. You look at how tall he is, how
statuesque the Presidency has in the pocket. He is dynamite
(18:01):
as a runner outside the pocket, so underrated as a runner.
So both of these guys have multidimensional skill sets. It's
just a matter of taste for me. Trevor, through a
few too many interceptions early last year super close, I
gave a slight edge to Justin Fields. I know I
was sort of being a dead horse here. I'm gonna
(18:22):
keep going, keep it up here when it comes to
Fields Lawrence, guys who they're going to the top half
of the first T ten picks next year, probably the
top two picks. With what we just discussed discussed last segment,
what's going on, how these effects of COVID could be
long term. I know we even hit this before. Have
have your thoughts changed on when these guys should play
even if we do play this season, should they should
(18:44):
they play this season? If you're their agent or you
could talk, you're their dad, their uncle, would you still
advise them to play with What do they have to
gain by playing this season? That's about what I'm going for. You.
Do they have anything to gain over the fact that
they're playing with their teammates, playing for a national championship.
I mean, what do they have to gain by playing
this year? Uh? They only have things that they can have.
They got a fancies and they can get sick. What
are yeah, I I think it's Uh, it's a two
(19:07):
pronged debate, Georgia. You know, there's the professional debate and
the personal debate. From a professional perspective, if you're talking
about the upper echelon of the opening round, so you know, Uh,
I'll go deeper. I'll say Jamaar Chase at LSU, the
wide receiver should be the first pass catcher taken in
next year's NFL draft. We talked about the backs already, Uh,
(19:29):
the quarterbacks, Field and Lawren Fields and Lawrence I. I
don't think they necessarily help themselves professionally by returning for
one more season. So I don't think there's a lot
to gain. There is the personal side, which obviously impossible
for any any one of us to get into their
heads to get into their hearts. There are kids out
there who love the college experience, love the campus, have
(19:52):
a deep connection with their specific alma mater university, and
they want to spend one more season at the college level.
They want to play with their teammates, they want to
make a run for a national championship. That's something that's
difficult for me to debate. But to your point, George,
from a professional perspective, Trevor Lawrence, justin fields, particularly Lawrence,
(20:14):
I think we've seen enough. I think scouts have seen
enough now justin Fields, we only have one year of tape,
so you might be able to say, you know, we
need to see a little bit more. Let's see the
development he made from nineteen to two thousand and twenty.
But certainly Trevor Lawrence at this point and and listen
it on earths. A fascinating debate, and we've talked about
it before. If we start to see some outbreaks of
(20:38):
COVID on certain campuses, if a team that was in
the top twenty five begins to sink midway through the season,
I would not be the least bit shocked. If you
start to see these star caliber players step off and
say I'm preparing for the NFL draft, even though it's
October and November. I can see that as well. So, UM,
(20:58):
getting back to uh, some of the players in your
Jamaar Chase, there was a thought that he could have
come out, Uh, Rondale More. Those are you starting wide
receivers here, Rondelle More from Purdue. You don't always see
packs catchers from Purdue, Uh rise up to first team
All American. But Chase, I think he proved what he
can do. Uh. Maybe some people out there that aren't
(21:21):
as familiar with produced program and give me a sense,
give me your thoughts on these two. Yeah, I mean,
Jamaar Chases was the best wide receiver in college football
last year. Just the true sophomore had to come back
this year. Yeah, no, no worries. But you know, different quarterbacks.
So he goes from Joe Burrow to Miles Brennan. Is
(21:43):
there any kind of a drop off. I don't know,
But when I watched him on tape, he's a big kid,
He's physical, uses his hands exceptionally well in traffic. He's
an outstanding wide receiver, so he makes his quarterback better,
outstanding catch radius, he has all of the tool rules
to be a a not only not just a starting
(22:03):
wide receiver, but a a go to guy in the NFL.
Rondale Moore people have forgotten just how explosive he was
in two thousand and eighteen, exploded onto the scene as
a true freshman, had that dynamite primetime game against Ohio
State when the boiler Makers upset the buck Eyes. At
that time. He reminds me and I like to do
(22:25):
comps because for people who haven't seen him play, it
draws a parallel. Really reminds me of a young Reggie Bush.
Just the versatility that he brings to an offense. Uh,
extraordinarily strong in his lower body. Not very tall, about
five ft nine, but tremendous strength in his lower body.
Bounces off tacklers, could use him in jet sweeps. More
(22:49):
of a slot guy than an outside receiver. But if
he's healthy this year, now he has something to prove.
We haven't seen him now again since early two thousand
and nineteen. Uh, just an all around dynamite weapon. Uh
for for Jeff Brown. All right, now you have a
living guys listening here in your old American offense. We'll
(23:09):
take just the fields out of this question. Because he's
the quarterbacks too easy. If you're an NFL GM, you
could draft one to start your team with what position
do you draft to get? Who is it? I would Uh?
I would have to go with the offensive tackle Penay
Soil out of Oregon. UM. You know, once we get
to the NFL level, if you could find a tackle
(23:31):
that can protect the blind side of a quarterback, we
all know how valuable that is and how difficult it
is to find someone UH as talented as Pinay Soil.
I think he is a generational talent. I won't get
ahead of myself with hyperbolic statements in terms of what
his potential will be long term during his career, but
(23:51):
just basing a guy strictly on on what we've seen
in two seasons in college. Uh enormously physical, very very smart, competitive, nastiness,
all of the physical traits that you wanted to tackle,
but also excessively agile, great footwork. The way he gets
to the second level and looks to bury opposing linebackers
(24:14):
and safeties. UM. I won't tip my hand too much
because you guys know I have an affiliation with the
Maxwell Football Club. But if there is uh a non
skill position, player who can win major awards that typically
go to quarterbacks. This is the kind of kid that
could do it for people who are paying attention. Uh. Last,
(24:36):
we'll wrap it up with Pat Friarman at the tight
end at out of Penn State. And then you've got
a few offensive linemen on here. Alex Leatherwood from Bama,
Wyatt Davis from Ohio State, Creed Humphrey from Oklahoma, and
Tray Smith from Tennessee. So, uh standouts there, first on
Friarmouth and then maybe the other offensive one. Yeah. The
interesting thing about Pat Friarmouth is um soft hand. You know,
(25:00):
he's got the receiving skills that you need at at
this day and age. In terms of past catchers who
want to move on to the NFL. UM, I still
like tight ends that can open holes for running backs, bruisers,
you know, not not a guy who sort of looks
like a quasi h back or you know, an oversized
wide receiver. Friar Muth is a traditional true tight end.
(25:23):
He'll catch passes, but man, he will absolutely smack opposing
defenders in the mouth and open holes for Johnny Brown
and Noah Can this year. So he's a complete tight
end in a year where we have a really large
list mic of outstanding tight ends brevn Jordan from Miami
with someone I considered as well in terms of the
(25:43):
offensive lineman. The one guy I really like uh is
Trey Smith out of Tennessee. Because we've talked recently about
a lot of health issues, coronavirus and so on and
so forth. Tray Smith had a debilitating disease early in
his Tennessee career. It was really up and down whether
or not he was gonna play football any long or
not only returned, but is returning at an All American level.
(26:05):
So a really interesting story. Good stuff on the offense
right there, fields over Lawrence and some familiar names there
at the skill positions with Hubbard and Travis Eten. We're
gonna come back. We'll talk about the defensive All American
players at Richard Manella has in list and Rich, George
and Mike will be right back on the grid after
(26:27):
this on Football Pool Circle, Sports grid dot Com. Betting
insights and entertainment at your fingertips as our team covers
the most important topics in sports wagering, real time odds,
predictive betting models, expert picks and more want the edge
than get on the grid. Sports grid dot Com and
(26:54):
we're back on the grid. Thanks for watching us. You're
on Football Fool Circle and talking with rich Sermanelle, the
co host of College Football Today, on his All American
picks for the defensive side of the ball. We just
got through the offense, so started out, I can I
can take a punch of different routes here, but a
(27:15):
name that I see a lot and people think can
really be a huge difference maker at the next level
Riches Micah Parsons, the linebacker out of Penn State. So
let's start there and we can worker so work our
way out from there. Yeah, I'm glad you did, Mike.
Uh to me, if there's a signature defender in college
football for me, it is number eleven on Penn State. Uh.
(27:37):
We saw it as his sophomore season progressed going right
into last year's bowl game. He was unblockable. Uh you
know where's that number eleven? Reminiscent of other number elevens
like LaVar Arrington who played the position at Penn State.
I love everything about this kid, just explode odes on
(28:00):
impact um, great instincts in the running game, can be
impactful as a pass rusher just two years removed from
high school Blue Chipper when he left high school, has
more than lived up to those expectations. I talked in
the earlier segment about you know a pena SEOL and
offensive lineman who can compete for honors like, you know,
(28:24):
best college football player, you know whatever award that might be.
Uh Micah on the defensive side, is is that kid?
I I think position aside to me, he's one of
the five best players in college football this season. You know,
I know when I look on defense, I look with
two things out of college defenders right one, can they
rush the pass? Are too? Can they cover? We know?
(28:47):
The NFL is a quarterback league, quarterback driven league. Every
rule was designed for the passing game. Derek Stingley, he's
your old America at l L s U. How good
a cover corner is he? Yeah? Again, you know, true
freshman last year. UM I knew he'd be good. You know,
LSU recruit four star, five star depending upon what service
uh moves you Uh you know, has the pedigree. Um
(29:12):
I did not expect him to be so good so fast.
He was a blanket cover corner last year. Um, you
know it was not named first team All SEC. I
think there were voters who just maybe we're obstinate and
would not anoint a true freshman at that level. I
think he was an All American last year. That's sticky
in coverage. To be that good your first year on
(29:34):
the campus. Uh in Baton Rouge to me tells me
that as long as he's motivated and keeps learning, uh
should be the best defensive back in college football this year.
Good length, great backpedal, outstanding closing speed. I think the
biggest thing for Derek. It's funny I was I was
talking to scouts a couple of days ago. They put
(29:54):
this into my head, and I think it's a valid
point for such a young kid who thrives on picks
and big plays, wants the ball in his hands. I
think the biggest concern that I have in the next
two seasons, because he's got to be here in two
thousand and twenty and two thousand and twenty one before
declaring for the NFL Draft, is a level of boredom
because because I think a lot of quarterbacks now after
(30:16):
watching him last year, uh Cordelle flat will take over
at corner opposite him, supremely talented, but not as experienced.
I don't think anybody's gonna throw at Derek Stingley. And
at some point, you know, the kid could get caught
off guard just because he's sort of wandering around on
an island. Yeah. Uh. So the defensive line is interesting
(30:37):
because we're bookmarked by a couple of Miami Hurricanes. Uh,
you have inserted one of your players from your favorite
defensive line in the country from Pitt and Jalen Twyman.
Marvin Wilson has been a standout for Florida State and
was involved in some of the um holding his coach
accountable for some of the things that he made. But
(30:59):
it's Rossel and Quincy roach from Miami. So talking about
those players for me, Yeah, I mean Manny Diaz for
as as much as he struggled in his debut season
taking over from Mark Rick, going six and seven last
year was a rough first year as a head coach.
Sort of interesting, right he he and he inherits us
(31:20):
so uh and then he brings uh Quincy over from
Temple where Manny Diaz was supposed to be the head
coach and was for what like a few hours. He
was the head coach before returning back to Miami. That bookend,
uh is obviously I've I've declared them all Americans is
gonna be unstoppable. And by the way, Manny has also
(31:43):
done a great job in general in terms of attracting
transfers to his program because Jalen Phillips just two years
ago was the top recruit. I think according to Rivals,
I believe it was Rivals or two four seven, uh,
top recruit in the entire country. Jail and Phillips that
use c l A had a little problem with health,
(32:06):
decided to transfer Sat out last year. This kid, former
five star Blue Chipper now is going to be a
backup in that rotation at defensive ends. So that's gonna
be exciting to watch. If they developed their young talent
on the interior, Miami is gonna challenge for the best
defensive line in the country. You know, I look at
(32:26):
you list here and uh, you know, I got try
to translate to what's going on today's NFL and we
see Jamal Adams wants to get paid. I keep saying
it over and over again. Safety is pretty much the
running back of defense. They just not a lot of
things believe in paying them. You've got Trevor Mooren at
a TCU Kolbe, Harville Peel at Oklahoma State. Did you
two top safeties here, are either one destined for NFL riches?
(32:47):
Are either one destined to be a first round NFL pick? Yeah,
I don't know if I would go that far. And
both kids exploded onto the scenes as sophomores last year.
It's it's exciting to have an opportunity to champion, uh,
you know, kids like Harvell Peel and Mooring because they
were not the Derek Stingley's. These were not the five
(33:09):
star kids coming out of high school. TCU and Oklahoma
State tend to get the players that Oklahoma and Texas
and l s U, you know, some of those Western
SEC programs Alabama decide not to go after. So these
kids have really, uh so far kind of outplayed where
(33:30):
they were coming out of high school. So I've been
impressed with their playmaking skills. They're not on the level
of Jamal Adams in terms of physicality. I think of
both of these kids more as um supersized cornerbacks. Their
ability to cover their athleticism and agility make them versatile
members of those secondaries, but still need work to be
(33:53):
done in terms of run defense. But for me, you know,
Mike get in terms of offense, brought up overarching theme
teams or themes on offense. Um. Kind of interesting for
me to have two defensive backs on defense out of
the Big twelve because the Big Twelve we tend to
knock a lot of times for their lack of defensive play,
particularly in pass coverage. Yeah. Uh. To wrap up the
(34:16):
players on this list to other linebackers, you've got Nick
Bolton from Missoo and Hammaklar hamilcar Rashid of Oregon State.
Sorry if I've botched that name, but two guys, you know,
maybe from programs that don't always pop out to us
from a defensive standpoint. Similar to what you said with
the safeties, you know we got we're filling in with
(34:37):
Missouri and Oregon State here at the linebacker position is
not always the case. Yeah. Kind of fun, right, And
I don't do it intentionally. I may put a lot
of time throughout the off season to come up with
these lists. There's never any grand plan to leave SEC
players off, although I do get a lot of that
on Twitter whenever there's not an SEC player at every
damn position. But um uh, Nick Bolton, by the way, Missouri,
(35:01):
I'm still forgetting as a part of the SEC. Shame
on me. You got Nick Bolton, Trevor Moore, you got
Derek Stingley in there, so you got two out of
eleven exactly. Um. But in terms of Rashid, what's interesting
a couple of these kids. Hamilcar was a kid I
thought was going to go to the NFL. Uh. He's
an He's an off ball linebacker. He's an outside linebacker
(35:22):
that is going to get after the quarterback. Was amongst
the nation's leaders Mike last year and tackles for loss
and sacks. Love these kinds of players. So it's more
like a kin Law than he is a three three
down linebacker. Kin Yeah, there there. There's no question that
his strength is his length, as athleticism, his ability to
(35:42):
rush the passer. Him coming back this year was a surprise.
Marvin Wilson, big surprise. Thought he'd be in the NFL
right now at defensive tackle. But Nick Bolton what was
really interesting for me Last year the top linebacker at
MISSOO was Cal Garrett, and it looked that way in
the first half of the season first five games or so,
and then Cale goes down for the year, lost for
(36:04):
the season two an injury, and Nick Bolton kind of
steps out of the shadow and rises to the All
SEC first team. Was fantastic in all phases. Does a
really nice job in in coverage, which you don't always uh,
you don't always expect out of linebackers at this level.
So both Bolton and Rashid outstanding seasons. I think they'll
(36:26):
be even better this year. First previous to discussed discussed
all the players. Now, is there a player or two
that just missed this list? And why did they missed list?
Did you not see them enough because they're you know, freshman, sophomore. Uh.
To give you a player or two that just missed
your list? Yeah, you know there's one that comes to mind.
And I I'm not digging him because he played at
(36:50):
a small school. I'm obviously familiar with him. Uh and
maybe I'm guilty of some degree of bias that he
does play at a smaller school. But Boogie Basium not
only has a great name, uh, he is one of
the premier defensive ends in the country. Also, out of
the A C C I have no bias towards the
A C C. By the way, I just think that
the conference is loaded with outstanding UH defenders, but especially
(37:15):
especially along the defensive line. So Carlos Boogie Basium from
Wake Forest, UH is a kid six five to seventy five,
not a you know, one down situational pass Russia. He's
a three down defensive lineman. UH. He's the one guy
more than anyone else who I think can break this UH,
(37:35):
this Miami cabal at defensive end. UH. As far as
all Americans go, good stuff. So that's it for his
All American picks on defense again. Follow Rich on Twitter.
It'll be coming out with some more lists as we
get through the summer real quick. We only have like
two minutes to go. But the IVY League came out
with a statement this week Rich concerning UH the potential
(37:58):
return to play. It looks like they're evaluating over the
course of this weekend and on July eight are going
to announce whether or not football and frankly all of
their fall sports will continue. The IVY Leagues, despite the
fact that they don't have necessarily elite programs and some
other sports are still looked to as a guiding light
(38:18):
for many other programs, particularly in FCS football. So UM,
I'm getting the sense from the statements that they are
looking at perhaps playing in the spring, and that football
won't happen on time in this season. Yeah. And and
the hints that I've been getting without giving too many specifics,
(38:41):
is that the FCS in general Ivy League plays at
the FCS level. FCS in general could be a less
than fifty fifty possibility that they're playing this season. And
you know, we talked about more House. I think there
were other small schools UM that have a bold and
(39:02):
canceled exactly. UM D two and D three does not
look like there's a good chance they're gonna play this year.
I think as we see throughout the month of July,
Mike and George um smaller schools opting out of football.
Sports grid dot Com betting insights and entertainment at your
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(39:25):
sports wagering, real time odds, predictive betting models, expert picks,
and more want the edge than get on the grid.
Sports grid dot Com closing out this hour of football
full circle right here on the grid with George, thanks
the Ristiam and Ella great guest as always coming on
(39:46):
with us to talk college football. Turning back to the
NFL now, a couple of stories that happened this week
and one George, a little bit of uncomfortable conversation amongst
compatriots when it comes to the nfl p A and
some of the players now. Tom Brady has been one
of the high profile players that has been conducting his
(40:06):
own workouts, insensibly to get more familiar with some of
his new teammates, but in a letter, and NFL p
A has directed player agents to educate their clients on
coronavirus risk factors. The nfl p A basically openly saying
do not conduct these workouts outside of uh team facilities,
(40:28):
I think, ostensibly to keep the players out look risk
factors related to the virus, but also risk factors related
to their career. You're doing this on your own time
and risking your own health, and the team isn't really
going to do anything for you in those instances. Yeah.
I mean, first this point out, Brady is not the
(40:50):
only person doing these workouts. Other teams are doing it
as well, but Brady is making it the most public
he's posting it on Twitter, on instagrams and I he's
post wherever you can find to place the post that
he let it be known and make it obvious, sort
of embarrassing the NFL p A who don't want these
players to be doing that working out of course, it
doesn't make much sense to be uh as far as
the health wise to do it. I get why they're
(41:12):
doing it, Brady new team right, new players wants to
get used to and wants to you know what, a
quarterback wants the chemistry down with this receiver's I get it. Uh,
Damar Da Murray Smith had an interview I believe it
was someone on ESPN pretty much saying the same thing
without naming names, but saying, you know what, you really
shouldn't be doing this. We should being more careful of
that sort of thing. I mean, it's hard to criticize
(41:33):
or I guess treating like a child, you know, and
you know, say Tom really should be doing I'm sure
he's had a conversation with them, so now they said,
what we'll tell the ages. Maybe the agent can get
through to him that sort of thing. My guess is
no player to Tom. I don't know if Tom listens
to anyone, but maybe Giselle, oh on that on the
Tom's taking advice and he's gonna do what he wants
(41:53):
to do, right, So I don't think it's going to work.
Mind you, maybe he'll just won't publicize it as much,
and I think that would make the Murray Smith just
as happy. Just don't let it be known to everybody
in the free world that you're out there practicing. Yeah,
they came with a list of conditions that were it
can put people at further risk, everything from chronic kidney
(42:13):
disease to immunocompromise state from solid oregan transplant. There's a
whole list of things they put together, referring them to
their doctors and a link to the c d C
that allows them to possibly do more research. But I
think you're right. I think I just think it's sort
of making the NFL p A not look great that
the players are out there doing this. But the of
(42:36):
the players didn't vote for the CBA that just went
out there, so they're not one big happy family ever. No,
you have a good point. That's why when they start
doing these negotiations for the season, when the owner is
gonna want less money. This should be fun again. Yeah,
oh yeah, we haven't even gotten there, man, Like that
is a huge the sort of damocles is over our
(42:59):
heads regarding the uh, the players in the teams trying
to negotiate the dollars without fans. But we can't even
get there yet. We can't even get there yet. We
have to get the players into camp. I don't even
know if we can do that. So that's one number two.
I'm probably buried the lead on this particular segment. But
(43:20):
preseason has been Two of the preseason games have been canceled, right, George,
it's weeks one and four are out. Yeah, that's it's
it's the only report weeks one and four or out.
They're not going to readjust the schedule. So like the
Dallas Cowboys actually have two home preseason games, they're not
gonna make, you know, I guess they don't want to redo.
It's preseason. Nobody cares whatever it might be, no fans anyway,
so what does it matter, you know, that sort of thing.
(43:43):
I imagine we will no longer see four preseason games.
Right next year, they're gonna go with you what the
seventeen game season, all right? So I don't think you'll
play all. You're gonna play four anyway, Maybe you'll play three.
Maybe it's down to two. Maybe two is permanent. You
know that sort of thing. Personally, I won't miss it. Uh,
preseason three was a necessary evil. I would watch it, yes,
because I just have to. It's like must watch, must watch.
(44:07):
But I won't miss it at all. You know where
the Cowboy games are a regular game or not preseason
for made men, look at injured players to see how
they look, and new players, the rookies, that sort of thing.
Other than that, I just pray whether it was from
the Cowboys, my fantasy team, or any bets I might
have out there, Please don't get hurt. Agreed. I don't
(44:29):
think we'll ever see more than three games again. I
think it's you're looking at two or three games going forward.
Teams will try to figure out and this and beyond.
I think teams will try to figure out some of
those joint practices. UM teams will travel in, maybe do
a couple of days of practice. But reality is it's
(44:49):
the owners probably wanted those games to continue because they
at least got some gate, some ticket revenues, some sort
of concessions and parking revenues. But that's going by the wayside,
and they're going to be comforted by a sixties seventy
percent jump in media rights. So uh so that's that
next story. Colin Kaepernick. Netflix is going to do a
(45:11):
miniseries and Colin Kaepernick, produced by claimed director Avid Duverney.
So the series is called Colin and Black and White's
going to explore the quarterbacks high school years, attempting to
show the experience and insights that led to his activism. Now, Oh,
Kaepernick said, too often we see race and black stories
portrayed through a white lens. We seek to give new
(45:32):
perspective to the differing realities that black people face. We
explore the racial conflicts I faced as an adopted black
man in a white community during my high school years.
It's an honor to bring these stories to life in
collaboration with AVA for the world to see. So I
would say, regarding a documentary of somebody that is in
the midst of writing their legacy, I'm not always in
(45:56):
favor of it. However, I am in they. I am
a favor of the documentaries and sports documentaries in general,
because I love them. I love documentaries, and I love
when they're about sports. It gives me a lot of insight.
But what I think is important is that it is
focusing on something specific to him. This Tom Brady nine
part thing that's coming out. Why don't we just wait
(46:19):
until your career is over to do it, like the
Michael Jordan's Last Dance documentary retired eighteen years ago, Like
we had a whole life basically to live after we
got that ten part doc. Tom Brady is trying to
jam this thing in at the end of his career
when I think there's more of a story to be written,
(46:39):
potentially for him Kaepernick. What I like about the focus
of this doc George, is that it is focusing on
a specific time in his life, and it doesn't necessarily
mean that his entire life has to be written out.
They're going to focus on his high school years and
what it was what formed his opinions to this point
in his life. Yeah, I suppose it could be an
(47:00):
interesting I always have my doubts about the documentaries how
truthful they are. Are you only looking at from one side?
You're gonna tell the whole story or just your story?
You know? Generally I'm a big believer. And there's two
sides to every story, and I want to hear both sides,
and the truth is generally in the middle anyway, you know,
you always your color towards your viewpoint on one side,
same thing on the other side. So the truth is
(47:21):
in the middle somewhere. I mean the Michael Jordan's I
watched very little, almost none of Lance Armstrong. I no
Tom Brady when it comes out now, thanks not watching
that either. I don't really hold much interest for stuff
like that. Um did you watch Long Gone Summer? Oh? No,
Long Gone Summer? They did right after Lance Armstrong they
(47:43):
did a McQuire doc It was oh no, no. I
lived through that. I didn't need to read. It was
not good. I don't want to get into it. I'm
not gonna bash people. The perspective that it gave was pointless.
It was basically a commercial for how great a season
Mark Require had. And we all know the steroids in
the What is the point of this documentary were? You're
(48:06):
just they could have done it, As one of my
friends texted me, they could have done it right after
the season. That was sort of the approach they took, like, well,
what a ride it was how crazy it was, Like,
what are you talking about? We all know that all
of this stuff went on, and you guys whyed about it? Anyway?
That's what documentaries are about. To me. I need I
(48:26):
need the truth, you know. This is why when it
comes to sports careasters, I like you know you were
talking about uh during the break. I like guys who
aren't afraid to say what's on their mind. I want
to hear the truth. I don't care for you if
I don't agree with you. I just want to hear
that you're saying what's on your mind, not just follow
going with the flow, following the crowd, saying what you
think everyone wants to hear. I don't want to hear that.
I don't need that. That doesn't help me any But
(48:48):
if you're telling me something that it's on you that
you believe. So if you're a former player, because you
should know more than I like that. Sitting the documentaries,
I want to know the truth. I don't care about
what how you view it, because I know how you're
gonna view it. I know the other side's gonna view it.
I need the truth. Soone, what really happened here? That
would make it so much more interesting to me. Yeah, Um,
(49:08):
so we'll see. As far as the Lance documentary, I
did watch it. Um. What's what's funky about Armstrong is
that he actually has reached a point in his life
where he is come clean about all of this stuff.
(49:29):
He's pretty honest about what he did, and he's almost
on the verge of being um remorseful. And I think
he was in a couple of instances, but he did
so many things to people and acted so with such
(49:49):
hubrists and so um he was pretty evil to several
people that I don't need you to come to your
senses in your fifties, after all this stuff has gone
down in the moment, you were a bad person, Like
maybe in your second act you're being a better guy
and all that kind of stuff. But um, I thought
(50:11):
it was interesting. I just happened to know a lot
of it and about about the Lance stuff. And what
was odd is that they were they were going through
a lot of his how he used it and when
it started, and all this kind of stuff, and it
was almost some part of the approach of it was
seemingly that people didn't know about it. And I'm like,
(50:32):
who doesn't know that he cheated there was never one.
There's never a time in my life where I thought
any cyclist was clean. The whole sport relies on doping,
so I'm not I've actually even judgmental about Lance Armstrong
for doping. Everybody doped. It was about the way he
treated the people around him and tried to ruin people's
(50:53):
lives that got in his way. Yeah, I mean, and
that's what really bothers you about people. I said, when
it comes to a doping thing to Royds, my opinions
changed over the years. If you would have asked me
fifteen years ago, I've been very much against it, like,
although it's just it's just terrible, it's bad for the game.
But now I've come to the conclusion that sports, and
maybe it's because you and I work in the in
the indust right now, it is entertainment. We don't get
(51:14):
on actors and actresses when they're du you know, getting
surgeries and ned doping up our role all right, because
they're gonna be on TV, they're gonna be half naked
or fully naked, whatever it might be. We don't get
on them. Baseball, football, hockey, basketball, cycling, whatever sport it is,
it is just entertainment. We always hear where business it is,
you want to use your you want to use roys
to be better at it. I don't care. I just don't.
(51:36):
I think it's stupid because it's gonna affect you later
in life. But I I I'm not the moral police anymore,
you know. And listen, if you told me that for
me to get on a baseball team we're a football team,
to be that fifty third person to be player, I
have to put a nail in my butt to make
that money. As butch as I'm against it, Mike, I
can't tell you I wouldn't do it. It's it's a
(51:57):
hundred percent the way I feel about it. I think
many people out there that are judgmental when when it's
on the line and you're that guy and all the
players that have taken steroids and have made their family
generational wealth, I think some, many, many, many people would
sell their soul in a sense to be able to
do it. Frankly, I'm not that moralistic about it in
(52:18):
the first place. I think many people utilize edges in
their jobs in order to try to be a better
and get paid more. So, it's a tough way to
end it, But thanks for watching this edition of Football
Full Circle. Get on the grid, George and I'll see
against a happy fourth everybody. Sports grid dot Com Betting
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