July 5, 2020 • 53 mins
Mike Blewitt and George Kurtz are joined by Joe Lisi for this episode of Football Full Circle! The guys discuss the College Football Hall of Fame inductees. With Arizona State University pausing all sports workouts at the moment, what does this mean for the future of college football? Mike, George, and Joe talk about the waiver forms that fans will have to sign if they want to attend games. What protocols will the NFL put into place in order to limit the spread of COVID-19?
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Sports grid dot Com Betting insights and entertainment at your
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Sports grid dot Com Welcome back to Football Full Circle
(00:21):
this hour joined by Joe Leasy, co host of College
Football Today. We're gonna talk through some college football, do
a little bit pro with him as well, but as always,
joined by George Kurtz and Joe. First of all, Happy
fifth of July. How is your fourth? Fourth? Was fantastic,
Mike or and Or with the family. Enjoyed great food,
great weather. So just looking forward to a beautiful Sunday
(00:44):
here talking some college and pro football with you. Yeah,
I'm glad you got some downtime with the Fams. So
one thing that did happen this week, which is noteworthy
for college football segment is at the College Football Hall
of Fame, which is obviously experienced a lot in these
last few months. A reopen and they were shut down
amidst COVID nineteen concerns several months ago, and then during
(01:07):
the protests which at times turned violent, between police and protesters. Uh,
looters really started to take hold of that area of
downtown Atlanta, and unfortunately College Football Hall of Fame was
ransacked to some extent. I don't think it's not It's
(01:27):
unclear to me how much of the artifacts and whatever
else within the Hall of Fame was damaged, but it's
good to see that they were able to repair what
needed to be repaired and open back up. Joe. Yeah,
great week for college football. The College Football Hall of
Fame represents everything that's pure and true about the great game,
the tradition and pageantry, the great players and coaches. That's
(01:50):
what it's all about, Mike, and and some artifacts were
taken about a month a month and a half ago
in terms of those protests. But now they're back on track.
They have their Hall of Fame class listed for one,
and we're gonna be honoring some great players this coming season.
In Joe. When it comes to the Hall of Fame
(02:12):
in general, and uh, I'm not a Hall of Fame guy,
I just don't care. And I didn't always feel that
this way, mind you. At one point I really love
the whole of fame, but I know professional sports now
it's not the whole of fame. It's the whole of
very good. You know, what's the whole of You knew somebody,
you had connections, so you got in that sort of thing.
In baseball, in my mind, they need to take people
(02:32):
out football. It's all political hockey. It's really who you know,
that sort of thing. What Why should I came about
the College Football Hall and how is it different? It's
different in the sense that it's just not the marquee players, George,
it's it's the players on every division, on every level,
Division two, Division three, coaches. It's also student athletes, which
really gets undermined in terms of the great game of
(02:54):
college football is that there are student athletes. Each chapter
represents a piece of college football history where they honored
the student athlete, not just on the field, but off
the field in the classroom. So that's what separates the
College Football Hall of Fame, UH separate from the NFL.
And every level of college football is represented. So for
(03:16):
me it's great. I love going to the awards each
and every year, and and they have a great, great
museum in Atlanta. Yeah, I would say in general regarding
the College Football Hall of Fame, and I haven't been
to the one in Atlanta. I look forward to being
able to visit there someday. But I've been to college
Football Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, and I think Joe's right.
(03:38):
I think they do. First thing they do try to
do was, look, you're gonna see some high profile players.
We'll talk about this year's class. It's being inducted. Whenever
that happens, well, we'll talk about this class. And they
do try to isolate the players college career. Inevitably, you're
going to have some players that had tremendous professional careers
and some that maybe they didn't go very far in
(04:00):
the pros. Maybe it kind of fell apart on them
in the pros. But they really try to isolate how
good a player they were during their stint in college.
And again to your point, they do make it several
day affair in order to make sure that the players,
not just the ones who are being inducted, but um,
(04:20):
the IVY League does an event which I've been to
called the Bushnell Cup, which honors the top IVY League players.
You have the top student athletes and actively in college
football that are being honored, and everybody gets honored in
a unique way. I think it does. You know, when
we there's a lot of ugly things about college sports
and about college football, but when you go to events
(04:42):
like that, it reminds you of the reasons that this
all got started. And I think, Joe, to me, it's
one of the good things about the event. It is
you remember your past. I mean growing up as college
football fans, Mike and watching the Great Game every Saturday.
You remember the market players, but it's the under the
radar players that that really succeeded at the different divisions
(05:05):
and different levels. Like you know, Paul Palmer was an
inductee a couple of years ago for Temple. Uh never
made it in the NFL, was a marquee player, might
have been forgotten, but now he's in the College Football
Hall of Fame and and his great work on the
football field is represented. So these players are or what
I like to see, not just the Peyton Mannings, uh
and the Reggie Bushes in terms of that, but the
(05:28):
under the radar players that really got it done on
and off the field. We're gonna talk about the inductees
in a second here, but is there somebody could be
I don't care if what generation you want talk about here?
Is there a player or two that's stuck in your
crew that you can't believe it's still not in the
College Football Hall of Fame. Oh yeah, it's hard, George,
because you know, I have my favorites and my personal
(05:50):
favorites in terms of you know, Robert Edwards from Georgia.
You know Markee running back for the University of Georgia
went on to the NFL for the New England Patriots
thousand yard rusher and his career was ended by a
knee injury and then went to the CFL. I mean,
he'll probably never be in the in the College Football
Hall of Fame because I just didn't lead Georgia's not
(06:11):
with Garrison Hurst, not with herschel Walker. But he was
a fantastic player for the University of Georgia. Eric Bienimy
just is another player that stands out. Just got inducted,
I believe a couple of years ago. But the College
Football Hall of Fame is different in when I spoke
to them in terms of the selection process, they like
to mix it up to keep the interest. Year after year.
(06:33):
Derrick Brooks was a dominant player for Alabama that just
got in a few years ago, and I was amazed
that why did it take so long. That's part of
the selection process. They just don't take the top players
each and every year. They mix it up to keep
the fan interest. So those are two players that really
stand in my in terms of my uh interest for
(06:54):
college football. Yeah, then the the the nominee list this
year is too long for to be able to review.
I'd say, your your highest profile player that will potentially
be inducted next year. Excuse me, Uh, somebody like Champ Bailey.
I think he's somebody that had a standout career on
both levels that you would think would probably get in,
uh relatively quickly. But let's talk about this year's class.
(07:17):
That's about to be inductive. They've already been voted in.
They generally get voted in around uh January, right show,
and then they get inducted the following December. That's typically
the line. But uh, that the number one name, and
he's been waiting a while. I think they're probably in
my estimation, Shoe some complications based on what went down
(07:40):
at s MU when he was in college. But the
most high profile name that you're going to see on
this list is Eric Dickerson, And that's to my point,
Eric Dickerson is still not in the Hall of Fame.
I mean, one of the dominant running backs back for
the must Nangs with Craig James back in the day.
He just got it done, went on to the Los
Angeles Rams and just dominated led the league in rushing.
(08:02):
So I mean you just think about his body, size
six three. He was a tall, lanky runner, but just
explosive at the point of attack from point A to
point B and just took it up the field. And
it's amazing to honor him at this point in in
terms of his life thirty forty years down the road,
but he is at part of SMU that brought them
(08:23):
to national recognition and brought them to respectability. And happy
that the program is back on track under Sunny Dike's.
As a Cowboy fan, I was very happy when the
Rams traded dick Us into the Colts. Uh, that was
a good thing for us. Let's know what Steve McNair
out of Alcorn State. We all know what Carl incredible
NFL career he had career college career. He was just dominant.
(08:47):
I mean, when you think about just dual threat quarterbacks
at the next level. If Air McNair played in today's game,
I mean, he would be one of the most explosive
quarterbacks again at the collegiate level and probably would be
playing at alcorn State, might be playing at Ohio State
or Clemson for that matter. So just a rare combination
of size and speed, strong arm. I mean, just could
(09:10):
make every throw. And we saw his leadership skills in
terms of leading Tennessee to the Super Bowl and almost
getting that victory over the over the Rams. I mean
they were a you'rd short, but just a gutty, blue
collar player that got it, got it done, and became
a better pocket passer over his NFL career. Yeah, obviously
he suffered really tragic demise in his life, but a
(09:34):
player that I think for NFL fans that didn't know
him at alcorn State really respected him. I thought he
was an excellent player. As you said, he nearly won
the Super Bowl, and I think he had the respect
of a lot of players around him like him. Going
to alcorn State was a result of institutional racism, right
he guys that were didn't have the opportunity to be
a high profile particularly African American black quarterbacks. They didn't
(09:58):
receive the respect that they should have. People didn't want
them to lead his program. So he went to historically
black college and he promptly tore it up and became
a star NFL player. So I'll jump around a little bit.
David Pollock. He's now famous for being on ESPN and
College Game Day. He was a first round draft pick,
(10:19):
and Pollock was a dominant defensive player. I still can remember.
This isn't that long ago. I was an adult when
all this happened. To hell, he's a lot younger than me. Uh.
Pollock was a dominant defensive player that was projecting as
kind of a tweener in the pros. They thought as
an outside rusher. Is he a backer? I remember that
was the discussion. So he fell a little bit in
(10:40):
the first round, but tragically, unfortunately for him, suffered a
neck injury as a rookie, never played football again. He's
obviously gone on to have a great broadcasting career. But
David Pollock was a legit football player. He was a
blue collar J. J. Watt type of player, right, I mean,
I that's what I equated him in terms of just
(11:00):
just going after the quarterback and in terms of physicality,
a bit undersized, but gained weight when he went to
the Cincinnati Bengals and really was progressing in terms of
that scheme. If it wasn't for the neck injury, he
might have had a long career in the NFL. I
mean yeah, blue color player and very physical and run support.
That was the one thing that David Pollock was very
(11:21):
good at. Again, he was undersized, but for his size,
put up dynamic stats for the Georgia Bulldogs won a
game single handily against South Carolina back in uh in Columbia,
so Williams Bryce his fumble recovery in the end zone
got it done over the game. Cups ver crowds quarterback Nebraska,
(11:43):
uh I was gonna going to college, call of Fay.
Why didn't he make it in the NFL? Just because
a bit undersize, didn't have the arm strength George and
again a dual threat type of quarterback that if he
played in this type of system in terms of the
five wide r po scheme, he might have had a
Taysom Hill type of career. But it's unfortunate if it
(12:04):
wasn't for Michael Vick and players like Lamar Jackson coming
on on the scene. I mean, let's think about Randall
Cunningham as well. Imagine if Randall Cunningham played in today's
game back when he was with the Eagles, I mean
he led the team to the NFC Championship game with
the Vikings. I mean, he would have been the most
explosive player in NFL history in my opinion, if he
(12:25):
played in today's game. Yeah. So Crouch basically came out
the year after Vick. Right, Vick is the OH. One draft.
Crouch would have been the O. Two draft. So Vick
is on the scene. But people are sort of comparing
Crouch to Vic, which you can't do. What it was
really different about Crouch is you're right. I think in
(12:47):
these days he'd have a shot. But Crouch bailed on
it early. People wanted to move around the positions, and
I think he just said, the hell with it, I'm
not doing this. I had a thing playing quarterback. I'm
moving on. They were used to utilizing athletes in terms
of like the way Bill Belichick used Julian Edelman. It's
just the bottom line. Now they look at the attributes,
(13:08):
where can I use this player and getting him the
football and space. The sports grid dot Com betting insights
and entertainment at your fingertips as our team covers the
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get on the grid sports grid dot Com. We're back
(13:32):
on the grid football full Circle, joined by the co
host of College Football Today, Joe Leasy. Find him on
Twitter at go for the two the Number two. George
is at George Kurtz. I'm at Mike Blewett. So are
we are obligated during every show, even on this holiday weekend,
to talk about the impact of COVID nineteen on college football. So, Joe,
(13:56):
you and I were talking prior to the show about
the University of Arizona, how they have paused workouts at
the moment and it has created a little bit of
strife within the context of the football program itself. Now
as everybody out there knows Arizona as the state as
spiking in terms of coronavirus cases right now, eighty three
(14:20):
student athletes reported back to campus for voluntary workouts in
Tucson University of Arizona, and only one of them had
tested positive. Uh So it's much lower than the country,
than the state as a whole. But what is happening
is that Governor Doug Doocey earlier this week implemented a
month long shutdown of Jim's bars and movie theaters across Arizona.
(14:44):
But University of Arizona officials are trying to figure out
this that apply to them. Can they use their gym?
Now it's further complicated. Sorry to lay all this out,
but it's further complicated by the fact that the University
of Arizona presidents saying he wouldn't reopen campus to students
did the current conditions. So you effectively have athletes that
are there, most of whom didn't test positive, but they
(15:06):
can't go to the gym, a bar, a movie theater.
They are not having anybody else come back on campus.
So players are basically saying, including quarterback Malik Houseman, saying,
why am I on campus? Good? Great question, That's a
great question, and that's a question that everybody wants to know.
In terms of these programs. We talked about it a
(15:26):
couple of weeks ago in terms of having a plan
implemented in place for these type of situations. In terms
of COVID, Arizona is in a situation right now. They're fat,
They're up against state law in terms of the bars
and restaurants, and now their school presidents come out and
said I would not go through with the football season
or any fall sports under the current conditions. So now
(15:49):
what does that mean in terms of preparation? Is everything
on hold? If everything's on hold, and let's say Arizona
stops everything right now, they could be at a significant
disadvantage as power twelve player goes forward, because if teams
like U C L a USC do not hesitate a
halt or hesitate, what are you gonna do as a coach?
(16:09):
I mean, Kevin Sumone's in a tough spot as well.
He's on the hot seat in my opinion, five and seven,
two years ago, four and eight. Last year, especially with
Khaliel Tate, they started four and one and lost seven
straight games. So they need to get this train back
on the right track. This is putting a huge monkey
wrench into that into that situation right now. George may
(16:30):
pose it back to you because we're seeing in a
Major League baseball we got up to like four players
walked away in Desmond, Mike Leak, Ryan Zimmerman, Joe Ross.
Those are the four as of UM earlier this week
that had opted out. I think more players could opt out.
(16:50):
College players no money on the line, showcasing themselves playing
for scholarships, they're not as likely to just say hey,
I'm out. If somebody has a really serious health issue,
then they would potentially, But if you're a twenty one
year old college athlete, you might not. If you had
(17:13):
this year's health issue, it might preclude you from being
that college athletes. So what do you think there's a
lot here for University of Arizona to go through. Yeah,
I think it's I think it's going to keep coming
up where certain states or certain parts or states are
gonna have explosions of positive cases. You know what, We're
in early July. Now, what's gonna happen in early August?
This is gonna this is gonna keep happening. People think
(17:35):
we're beyond the first phase, We're only is still in
the first phase. This is going to keep happening again
and again. But as Joe brought up, if we're going
to play now, I'm on the belief that I don't
think any of these sports go. I think they some
might start. I don't know if any they're gonna going
to finish. But if we are going to play, then
we're going to have to deal with stuff like this
with different states have different rules where now Arizona you can't.
(17:56):
You can't practice for a month, California you can. So yeah,
us used, you'll be ahead of the game. There might
be some states where you can have fans in the stands,
some states you can't. So those ones that you have
fans in the stands, you'll have more of a home
field advantage of the states where you can't. Once again,
you're gonna have to deal with it. This is gonna
be a season unlike any other in all sports. It's
just the way it is. If you want to get
(18:16):
it in, this is what's going to have to happen here.
And we're all gonna have to understand. If we're all
going to bitch and moan that, oh it's not fair,
this is not fair. Exiety, Well, my team didn't get
this or my state doesn't have this, then we're not
getting a season in because not every state is going
to have the same rules. Yeah. Defensive end Isaiah Johnson Joe.
The n c A and universities want us to play
(18:37):
during a global pandemic so they won't lose millions of dollars,
but can't won't give us money. I'm not asking for
fifty k, but he can't break us off a little something.
You know, it's I think this is gonna come back
into play. You know, Kyl and Wilburne linebacker defensive end
for Arizona College. Athletes need to speak up now more
than ever. If you feel that you are being put
(18:59):
at unnecessary by your institution, it's your job to speak up,
to speak up on it. It's your health. So look,
I think this goes back to a little bit where
we're talking about, even in terms of social justice reform
um players feeling more empowered to speak up, but in
this instance regarding their health, they're also feeling the need
and the ability to speak up, which I think is
(19:20):
a good thing. I just don't know, like for Arizona
at all to be talking about football seems crazy, but
here they are. They got players on campus trying to
work out, and you know the date for them starting,
They moved it up. It's July fift We're only a
week and a half away from players actually not doing
(19:40):
voluntary workouts but getting together as a team ten days
or now in Arizona, it seems insane. And think about
the job that Kevin someone actually has to actually unify
his team right now. Because you heard players speak out
saying about the n C double A pay us. You
heard them say they want us to play in a
global plan dammick. And then you heard the sentiment of
(20:02):
the school president. Right so now you hear the students
talking out. If Kevin Sumlan tries to, let's say, get
this team unified, you can have the players saying, well,
the school president has already said that he wouldn't play
under these conditions, why should I listen to you? The
school president really runs the school, right, so that could
really bring a big problem in terms of the program.
(20:24):
And I think it's important to recognize from the gambling
perspective these types of situations as they play out in
July and August, which coach, which program seems to be unified,
seems to be together? I think you have to monitor
the local papers. You have to monitor the state papers
as well to really get a pulse on these programs
(20:45):
as we inch towards the month of August, especially if
you're betting futures on these teams. So it's a good point, George,
is a really good point that Joe brings up futures
in this instance simply because look, we we are going
to on this network approach everything as if it's all
going off. It's the way we have to approach it
in order to predict. I can't tell you, well, what
(21:07):
if there is only plays eight games? How many things
to win? I don't know which shade games, so I
can't tell you. We have to project everything across the NFL, college,
every sport as if the season is going off. But
it does lead me to my point, which is that
I think if you're in the futures market, I think
it's okay to place wagers down if you feel comfortable
(21:29):
with people hanging onto your money right now. But I'll
say this, I'm going to be less leveraged now in
terms of future bets than I have been for the
last several years, simply because I have major doubts as
to whether or not any of these bets will count.
Forget the season and the championships and the rings and
all and stuff that comes with it. I just don't
(21:51):
know if any of these bets will count, because I
just don't think even if they bury their barrel their
way to some sort of a playoff system in either sport,
I still know if you can count any of these bets.
If there's four fits all over the place. Oh, I'm
agree with you, Mike. I have too proud of the the
future bets one. As I keep saying, I don't think
any of these any of these sports complete a full season.
(22:12):
So all those bets you're making're gonna be canceled anyway,
you're gonna get refunded your money, and to when it
comes to the future bets, I'm probably okay with team totals.
They get canceled, all right, gets cancer, I get my
money refunded. But as long as i'mgoing the unders, if
I think our team is bad, I don't think this
virus is going to help you all that much. But
if I think your team is good, but all of
a sudden, you know, you get a couple of players
(22:33):
got the virus, can't play, but now you're bad in
a hurry, you know, I said, You're not gonna don't
think gonna get all that much better unless you get lucky.
You play teams that uh other they're good players got
taken away. But I'm gonna have a tough time betting
futures on teams that I want to go over if
I don't know if they could be think of those
players gonna play in September or Octobers. They might have
the virus, or the whole team might have the virus
(22:55):
or whatever it might be. So that that's what my
worry is. Once again, I don't think they're gonna complete,
and I don't know who going to be available to
play in certain weeks. Sho. I just want to piggyback
off off of that point because what I look at
in terms of just the gambling perspective is important. You know,
secondaries that have inexperienced players freshman and sophomores, they have
(23:17):
to read coverage, especially week number one week number two
with new schemes, that's gonna be a huge disadvantage. So
I look for certain types of programs like that. Could
be it could be Mountain West schools, it could be
you know, a Power five school that's maybe you know,
under the radar in terms of wins and losses. I
look for those matchups in terms of week one week two,
(23:39):
because those are very important without spring ball, without the
coaching going on to understand and coach these players up.
Now you throw in the pandemic, they're gonna have to
do everything on paper as opposed to read and react.
That's gonna be a huge disadvantage. Look for teams that
have inexperienced secondaries going up against experienced quarterbacks and wide
(24:01):
receivers in week one and week number two. Yeah, I
like it. It's I think it's always a good angle.
Look college I think college football, you can take a
huge advantage of the week one in week two. I
think it's always been that way. I think you really
try to find your edges early. It doesn't mean you
can't throughout the season, but weeks one and two to me,
in college football, Joe or where you can make good
(24:22):
money without a doubt, and those are the mismatches that
you want to try and recognize. Those nonconference schemes. Yeah, okay,
so I've gotten through that. I think we understand that.
You know, COVID nineteen is going to continue to impact
campuses and Arizona in this particular instance, But as you said, Mike,
(24:44):
uh Kevin, someone is now in a position where he's
dealing with all this kind of stuff. How about them
as a team in general? What what did you expect
say all this stuff washes out. We're starting week one Arizona. Uh,
I mean, it's getting so close. We're six seven weeks
(25:05):
away from where the seven weeks away from where they
got to play. But let's just say all this stuff
solves itself. What do you expect that of him this year?
And yeah, I don't know. I don't know. If you
get off it, I don't expect much, Mike, I really don't. Kevin,
someone I thought last year had all the tools in
place to run the table and be a possible nine
win football team because of the athleticism of Khalil Tate.
(25:27):
They started out, they lost their first game to Hawaii
and then ripped off four straight wins. It looked like
they had everything in place, but from an offensive perspective,
they failed to run the football consistently, the defense took
a step back, and then turnovers were a huge problem
for that team. Last year they were negative in turnover margins,
so they need to change it up. Khalil Tate moves on.
(25:50):
Grand Canell's a solid pocket pass or was a player
of the year in his respective high school when he
came out. But again, it's not the type of scheme
that he's used of playing in bright well as a
solid running back. That defense is undersize and needs to
get better and run support. I think this is a
sub five hundred team, so they're sub five. He's gone.
(26:12):
He's he should be gone though. I mean they went
from rich Rod and they had the pieces in place
and now to sub five hundred seasons. Yeah, Okay, we're
gonna come back. We'll talk got Pro Football with Joe
George right after this on Football Full Circle will be
right back sports grid dot Com Betting insides and entertainment
(26:33):
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(27:00):
You know we're back on Football Full Circle right here
on the grid. Get on the grid and stay here
with us to talk a little bit about the NFL.
A couple of quick hitting stories this week in the NFL,
first of which is that the NFL is may ask
fans to sign a liability waiver to attend games. So
(27:21):
it's according to the athletic Daniel Kaplan, the NFL is
considering requiring fans attending games this season to sign liability
waivers shielding the teams from COVID nineteen lawsuits. So the
waiver proposal is likely to be forwarded to clubs by
the middle of next week as part of a broad
range of league recommended best practices for reopening stadiums amid
the coronavirus pandemic. So, um, this is insane that you
(27:47):
would go to a game, expose yourself and then sue
the NFL. It doesn't surprise me, but it's just insane. George, Well,
first off, the NFL will be very lucky if they
can get fans at games the season, right, That's the
first thing. As soon as I hear this, if my
first though it is, well, I'm not going to any
games this year. I wasn't gonna go anyway to any
game in any sport, at least this calendar year, maybe
(28:08):
not for maybe next not next calendar year either. I
can't see how that's going to be. All that's safe
unless you're telling me this vaccine that eventually we might
get at some point next year is all on encompassing
and I'm not going to worry about my health ever,
so I don't see myself going I get it. They're
afraid that other people. You know, we're a lawsuit society.
We love to sue, and if you get it, you
(28:28):
go to you know or whatever giants. Can you get
the virus? You can prove you guy it there. You're
gonna sue a giant. You're gonna sue the NFL, You're
gonna sue Goodell, all the owners and everything else. I
get the theory behind it. I don't. I'm not a lawyer.
I don't play one on TV. I didn't stay at
I am married. I don't tell whether that commercial is
so I don't know. And it's it will hold up
in court, I know not all liability waivers will. Yeah,
just because you sign what doesn't mean it will hold
(28:50):
up if you can prove negligence. Those waivers of no worth,
no oldest piece of paper I have here, don't mean anything.
So I think it's a nice tribe by the NFL.
Maybe it scares people from suing, But what did also
scare you away from going to the game. Yeah, So
NFL Senior VP of Security Kathy Lanier is heading these
up Joe uh and people are saying it's probably something
(29:11):
you do electronically, just trying to figure out the operational
challenges associated with waivers. In one source familiar with the
plans of your development, just have to work out how
best to do that. So, look, it is, as George said,
it's a litigious society. Attendees at President Trump's rally and
Tulsa we're required to sign liability waivers. It's questionable whether
(29:33):
they truly legally shield the event organizers. So it could
be one of those situations where you know people have
non competes that are not enforceable. They're not sure if
these liability waivers are enforceable. So I don't know why
the NFL would be eager to have any fans come
if there's a risk of anybody getting sick, and they'd
be open to this. I think it's just for protection.
(29:56):
But you sign a waiver when you go to go
to an amusement park, right, so they sign waivers for that.
In terms of personal injury, should they get hurt on
a ride, as well, so I don't personally have a
problem with it. If I choose to go to a game,
I would sign the waiver. I would wear a mask.
Am I gonna go to a game? Probably most likely not.
(30:16):
I believe watching the you know, football on any level
is better in terms of the high definition television in
a sports bar where you get multiple looks are at home.
But that being the case to fan experiences with fans
miss about the NFL and collegiate game. So if they're
going to choose to risk and go outside and they
want to sign a waiver, go ahead. I don't have
(30:38):
a problem with it. Yeah, I mean I can't really
say much else about that. The three of us wouldn't
really go. If you want to go to a game,
knock yourself out. I just don't think it's I don't
think it's safe yet. I hope it's safe soon. But
that's really where we're at. So another offshoot of this,
(30:59):
George is at you see, Major League Baseball will not
be releasing the names of players that have contracted the
COVID nineteen virus, which is odd because they're going to
talk about the players that are not on the field,
because they actually injured themselves, so we're sort of left
(31:20):
to wonder. But we really know, well, what's up with
that player? He's got unless they lie, like unless they
just say, oh, he's got an ankle thing going on,
but really he's out for two weeks because he tested
positive for covid um. I don't know how that's going
to work. It seems almost silly. But do you think
the NFL is gonna do anything like this. I would
(31:41):
imagine they'll just be honest about he tested positive, he's
out for two weeks. This is kind of stupid of
Major League Baseball, right, First of all, hipo violation. No,
the doctors have said it's not. It's in the sense
that they're allowed to say, uh, you know, not maybe
not to go to detail, but say, yes, he's out.
We've heard all the time plays out with an ankles.
That with me? Is that with the flu? He's sick?
(32:03):
Why are we getting old upset? Is it a negative?
You got covid? How is that a negative? He's nothing wrong,
You've got covid. It could happen to any of us.
So I don't understand what they want to be so, uh,
you know, so sneaky about this and now you said,
you know you're you're a Yankee fan, Aaron Judge, not
the lineup? Okay, day of rest? Is that the laugh
the next day? Well, now we know something's up, now,
(32:24):
don't we. And now the speculates gonna be automatic. By
the way, think about if anybody's out of the lineup
in baseball, you're gonna do assume now it's COVID because
they're not announcing it. So it's that's why I would say.
That's why I would say, I don't. I don't want
people speculating it out. It's dumb. But I wanted if
the NFL wants to what I think it is, guys,
I wanted the ENFL is gonna follow suit? Is they
don't want you to know, howney people are testing positive
(32:45):
for it, you know, so cover up sort of thing.
You know that with the NFL the innlute. Yeah, but
not who will? Not everybody will that sort of thing.
You know, who's gonna keep track? Okay, Judge got it
on the Yankees, the ground's got it on the Mets,
Trout you know, and do all the math. Oh, you
little players are divided by trade? Oh that sort of
thing to figure out the percentage is there? So I
(33:05):
wonder if that said, the NFL generally has been more
open with injuries throughout their read their history because of
the gambling. They want to give every an honest idea here,
So I want I do wonder if the animal will
follow suit because of COVID or keep going with how
what their history tells us and they'll be more honest
about it. So this makes sense to you at all,
not just not releasing the players names. I understand respecting
(33:26):
a player's privacy, but they don't really respect the players
privacy when it comes to any other ailment or injury.
And the only thing I could think of is maybe
the negotiations that they recently had for the season, that
could be the one thing. Maybe the players brought it up.
I don't know, but from the gambling perspective, if the
NFL chooses not to release names can have a huge
repercussion effect in terms of winds, wind totals. Not only that,
(33:49):
but the the over and unders for the games. That's
that you're gonna see huge overreaction when the players out.
If they don't say why that particular players out, and
then you have to fast forward. Is it you know,
one week, two weeks, three weeks, what's gonna be the
process in place if a player test positive. So that's
another reason why as gamblers and betting on these games,
(34:10):
we need to know this information. You might want to
head your bet. You it's gonna be huge in terms
of that. It's just it's just weird because I know
in baseball they were talking about that they were gonna
have a separate COVID I L or not I L
engine list. Well, if you know, these reporters will figure out, well,
Judge is not playing and he wasn't put on the
(34:32):
d L. Well the I LU, he's not put on
the regular I L, but he's not playing for a
couple of days. Well that sort of means once again
that he's on the COVID I L. So you're not
gonna announce that. But and they also know when they
call a player up right, because you don't want to
replace when someone gets on the I L. So it
makes no sense of baseball to do this. Football. Once again,
there could be a thousand injuries that happened during the weeks.
(34:53):
I guess they could hide it a little bit. You'll
still know the guys inactive you know what an out
hit of the game time, we'll know by eleven thirty
for a in the cloud game, so we'd still have
an idea. But I don't know why they're trying to
make this so secret. It's not like COVID is a
big secret that we don't know what's out there. Yeah. True,
Another story coming up. No supplemental draft going to happen
this season. Typically the supplemental Draft isn't really a big thing, right.
(35:16):
There's a couple of players each year that potentially enter
the supplemental draft Joe based on the fact that their
eligibility and college changed. That's really the demarcation line between
the regular draft and the supplemental draft. Something has to
have happened to a player from an eligibility standpoint that
would allow him to be drafted later in the year.
(35:37):
I don't even know if there's anybody that was going
to qualify for it, but I think based on everything
that's occurred here, UM, we're just gonna go without. Normally
it would have already occurred, um or usually it's the
first week of July, so it would be right around
this time. Um, So that's it. No supplemental draft. There
will be no anybody that's on board is going to
(36:00):
be on board now, and conceivably if a player is ineligible,
Joe to go back to college. Because of the slowdown
in the way NFL business is done with free agents,
street free agents, priority free agents, a lot of those
players haven't been signed yet because there's been no workouts.
Anybody could conceivably, instead of being drafted, just be put
(36:22):
onto one of the teams by signing as a free agent.
We saw it in the XFL in terms of the
players moving on right Mike. So that's the biggest thing.
I mean, the teams haven't been able to really have
their doctors check these players out fully. They haven't been
able to see them in prods and see how they
perform in terms of ball skills or ball drills in
(36:43):
that regard. So again, it's a long elong eated type
of process at this point. So to to stop the
supplemental draft, in my opinion, is is the right thing.
I don't think you will see a lot of players
that were qualified anyway, And in terms of just making
teams from a free agent perspective, we saw players opt out.
(37:04):
Now we see players from Arizona state that that are
leaving the program just because they don't like the way
things are going in the state of Arizona. So you're
gonna see it in college. You're gonna see it in
in the NFL as well. Players taking their time coming
back and not so eager to step foot on onto
the football field. George, guys are gonna punt. I can't
(37:28):
blame them. I actually think there'll be more Major League
Baseball players that will opt out. It's only at a
few right now. I think my Aggressive guests is up
to a roster's worth of players could opt out. But
maybe that's way too high. Maybe it doesn't even get
to double digits UM. But as Joe said, on a
college campus, you're not getting paid any money. You're going
(37:50):
to be surrounded by all these people that are potentially
going to be sick, and you're thinking about your long
term health, which is in question as to whether or
not if you can try acted it, how healthy you
would be. So what are your thoughts on that? Oh,
I agree, I think it's going to happen. A lot
of these professional sports is that once you have an
injury and you put on the regular injury, you know,
(38:11):
an arm injury, for a picture or whatever. Still soft
titcher injury for a runner and you put on the
I l you're in no rush to come back. You know, hey,
pull a hammy your first week out there. I can't
make it back. Make it back, guys, you know it
never healed. Shoulder hurts. Every time I throw the bull
(38:32):
with shoulder hurts, you know, And for a picture that's
all the time. I think for football is the same things.
Hand growing just it's just it's not it's not it's
not coming back to me. I still feel sore there.
You can't really prove it. Otherwise you get paid and
you don't have to deal with the scrap. You know.
You know you'll be you'll be home. You maybe gotta
come in to get your therapy or whatever it is,
but you don't have to deal with this. I think
you'll see a lot of players take advantage of that.
(38:54):
I don't know if many of those opt out, because
then you don't get paid. You know, you don't get paid.
Did Joe Roys you brew out the baseball players, Joe Rods, Simmerman,
Mike leak uh Ian Desmond, They're not gonna get paid.
So it's a little different. I think you'll see at
a lot of guys who go to work the system,
they're gonna come in and then you go, Nope, sorry, Charlotte,
than we can't play. Every player that we mentioned there
(39:14):
from MLB is a veteran player that's made some money.
They can afford to sit out for this year and
then they don't worry about service time or money necessarily
they can get it all started again next year. So uh,
that's really it, uh for those stories. At the moment,
we're gonna come back. Joe is good to be with you.
(39:35):
Sports grid dot Com betting insights and entertainment at your
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Sports grid dot Com back to close out this hour
(39:56):
of football Full Circle Mike and George. So yes, you
pose an interesting question during the break George and or
before the show's got started, and we were talking about
it a little bit before the break, But what's gonna
happen if the NFL, ah is, how is the NFL
going to react? Excuse me? If MLB NHL or NBA
(40:21):
start get back into these games, which, by the way,
is still a ways away. We still got like three
and a half weeks before the puck drops and the
ball tips and the bat cracks, however you want to
phrase it. Very many, how were many cliches I can
utilize to signify the start of a sporting event. So
(40:44):
if they get started and they get knocked off pace,
and I know what it's gonna look like on these sports.
The NHL, and and and NBA have the best set up,
right was bubble set up? Um? MLB it's a little trickier,
but they seemed to have a lot of reserve players
ready to go step in there. But what's gonna happen
(41:04):
if what would it take like fifteen players on an
MLB team to be half to quarantine um the rosters.
They have as many as sixty players available, right, so
they just bring in a whole new crew to fill in.
It's gonna be crazy if something like that happens. Um.
And look, during all of this, you and I have
(41:27):
tried to be I think we're on the same side,
but I'm trying to be reasonable. I'm trying to play
Devil's advocate in some instances. I understand that businesses want
to open up. I understand that not everybody against the
virus is going to die a horrible death. I get that,
But we're trying to be safe here. And baseball, football, hockey,
(41:48):
basketball are important in huge air quotes, not that important.
So how does this thing gonna look if it gets
knocked off the rails? And will the NFL actually react?
You said, how will they react? Are they going to react? Well,
I think it's a lot to talk to go through here.
(42:09):
I don't want to sound like the get off my
lowe guy, the Courbudgeon When I keep saying I don't,
I keep I don't think these sports are going to finish.
It's how I feel, all right, I listen. I want
the sports to finish, Mike, you do we all do?
We work for a sports network. I want to watch
games at night. You know. I enjoy watching the games.
You know I'm not gambling on our fantasy league or
whatever it might be. I enjoy watching the games. I
(42:30):
want them to come back. That being said, I think
it's going to be incredibly difficult. First off, if we're
just worried about health of the people and the citizen
the United States, there should be no games all right.
There is no way you can tell me just the
smart thing to do. It's not you know, you're gonna
players go going across country on planes, hotels and ballparks,
you know, trying to play here. If I'm going to
(42:50):
handicap the sports as to which ones might start and finish,
or baseball, you know, be third right now. I think
football is the worst because it's gonna play unto the winter.
It would be asketball, hockey being number one. My first
thought was to be basketball because you're playing in one
hub city, but it's also Florida, which is getting crushed
with cases right so that hurts Canada right now, which
is it's looking like the NHL is only gonna play
(43:12):
in Canada. In Toronto and Edmonton, I think is the
leader now for the other hub city and Demonton has
got a great rate, by the way, at very low rate.
Toronto's little, higher, bigger city. You know, listen, no one's
going to everton View unless you live there. Sorry you're not.
It's cold, miserable, whatever, uh it is. It's no one's
going there. So the rate is low, so they have
a chance of completing there. I wonder what the NFL
(43:33):
is this, So it's only Edmonton in Toronto, it looks
like those will we have two hub cities right now.
That's changed a lot. But if I had, if I
had to bet, I can't find a place to bet
on this, But if I could, I think it's Edmonton
in Toronto for the NHL. But I don't think the
end of what are they making a decision? Cheez like,
let's get on with it. I think as far as
the NHL is concerned here, I think they want to
get everything done at once. They want to announce the
(43:55):
hub cities, They want to announce all the say health
and safety protocols that they're done, and they also want
to announced a new c b A. I think this
is I think they're all they think they're close on
each and they want to announce everything at wance, sort
of throw it in baseball's face. You guys couldn't figure
it out, We got it done, that sort of thing,
especially if they made a mockery of the lottery draft
last week and all the disaster that happened there. So
(44:16):
I think that's what's going on there. But I just
don't think football cares about any of the sport But
I think what they're gonna they're going to look at
baseball since baseball is the closest to them, because baseball
is going to play in their home ballparks. That's a
football wants to do. How's football going to react? And
baseball starts on July twenty right now, that scheduled first pitch,
and they have to close fugust, you know, that's it.
(44:38):
For whatever reason you mentioned, several teams have fifteen players
out or a couple of states say hey, that's it,
we're closing down again. It's not working. You know, Florida
closed down, Hell, California closes down, and you have all
those baseball teams there and all those football teams there.
How does the NFL react? In the NFL believes, hey,
we're the NFL. You know, we're we're a hot knife
(44:59):
through butter. We'll go. We're playing no matter what we're going. So,
but I wonder, how are they gonna justify doing this
and state to say no, this is nuts, we can't
do it. It can't happen. Everything the interval has done
so far as saying we're getting it done. You know,
we held our Francy, we held our draft, and we'll
cut back in the preseason. But who cares. Don't cares
about it anyway. So I think that's the bigger question.
How will the NHL react, the NFL react if Major
(45:21):
League Baseball can't get it done. I think they're gonna
barrel through it. Man. I think they are gonna barrel
through it, and they're gonna say, we'll deal with our
players when our players get sick. Well, it seems silly.
It doesn't seem silly, it is silly. But I think
they're gonna barrel through it gets started, and if they
experience um positional groups going down and again, like George
(45:45):
and I think it's not going to happen, it's not.
It's going to be difficult, extremely difficult. And if we're
predicting it that you won't be able to complete all
the games because of the manner in which this could
take hold. In at a positional group goes down so
you have no offensive alignement for two weeks, or your
quarterbacks gets sick and nobody can play quarterback for two weeks.
(46:08):
That is the most likely scenario that I think, if
people are being careful about being quarantined. I think that's
most likely what's going to happen, even if they're asymptomatic.
To this point, people have been reacting by quarantining, right,
so I can only assume people will continue to do that.
And that's why I think it's going to be difficult
for these seasons to be completed. Not because everybody is
(46:29):
so violently ill uh and being rushed to an ICU.
That's not really that's not the realistic possibility. Could happen
with coaches and even some players, But the realistic part
is that you're not going to have available players. And
in football, it's going to be more difficult. Unless I
guess we're gonna roster six quarterbacks in case and stuff happens,
(46:50):
it's just not feasible you're gonna have a real storting
starting quarterback out here. I think you're a Hunters not
correct again. I think it's the oddleensive lines always position
I'm gonna worry about is how do you protect your
forty million dollar quarterback if you you know, the whole
offensive linemom just got crushed, you know, and virus, you know,
everybody got infected. How are you gonna be able? How
can you justify saying, oh, yeah, we'll worried about the
(47:11):
help of sate, they of our players, you know, and
then oh no, you're playing moms, Get out there. I
don't care if Mike Bluets playing offensive line, you get
out there. How do you justify that? No, that being said,
I said, I think fans are gonna have to realize
maybe it doesn't quite come to that. Maybe Homes has
to play without two offensive linemen. That's life, because that
might happen to most teams. You know, you lose a
(47:32):
couple of linemen. I mean it really might. I mean, uh,
And it's the manner of which these positional groups are
exposed to one another. I don't know how just paid
for football. It's made to kill football. I mean you
think about it, and you're tackling everybody, You're you're sweating,
You're in a huddle every play. Are we gonna see
huddles this year? Mike? I mean, I mean that's a
that's a question, that's a valid question asked. Maybe a
(47:53):
lot of them more no huddle offenses so you don't
get together. Are they gonna let everybody wearing earpiece like
you and I are wearing to say the play the
plays this way once again, you don't have to huddle up. Yeah,
I wonder if there's gonna be some innovations. We haven't
heard any of that anything like that. I doubt it,
but I wonder that would be a better thing to
do here. The bottom line is this, I think for
all fans, you know, you and I included, if you
(48:15):
want your sport to play and finish, you're gonna have
to live with the fact that, you know what, it's
a weird season. Maybe the Yankees don't make the World
Series this year because they lose too many players, but
at least you got the games and you got the latch.
You know. Maybe Pat mahonfilling has to play two games
this year, then he gets the virus and he doesn't
get the Defenders title. That's life. We're gonna have to
live with that because of what's going on in in
the country, in the world right now, the pandemic. If
(48:37):
you want your sports to get in we're all gonna
have to make sacrifices and understand that it's not going
to be a perfect season by any means. Yeah, so
let's let's have some fun with the last four minutes
or so of this segment fantasy football. You and I
are fantasy football guys for a long time. We I'm
gonna be in scott Fish Bowl starting on Monday, July six,
(48:59):
so you I'll be communicating during that draft. You can
help me out if I need it. But um, how
would you fashion of fantasy football league? What were what
would be the restrictions the caveats that you would put
in place this season? I think once again, because I
don't think the seam is gonna be able to be completed.
I don't think he really play head to head. You know,
(49:21):
if you're playing head to head, you're probably not gonna
have a champion because I don't they're gonna be able
to get to Week sixteen. That's when most championships are
are handed out week sixteen. I think you have a
good points oh roto. It's more points in football than
a Roto. When you could go roto too, that would
be this way. It wouldn't matter what it ended. You know.
Then you have to decide what's gonna league vote? Uh?
When is that? When? What have enough games been playing?
(49:42):
Is a week eate half the season? Week nine, Week ten?
You know you have a league vote for that, you know,
because that's what I'm doing. In a baseball the guys
we set up you know, we set one up. It's
a points league, and we decided if each team average
is playing forty games two thirds of the season, then
there's no refunds. Winners will be paid out. Whether or
be completed or not doesn't matter. I think football in
your football league, you better be you better put rules
(50:05):
in there that status. If you're in a money league,
if you just playing for it for laughs of Breggan rights,
this doesn't matter. But if you're playing for any kind
of prize, prize money, then I think you need to
do this. If you're playing I think in a league
where it's a dynasty league, it's a home league, not
I'm not talking about the big league you and I play,
and that's fine. But if you're playing in a dynasty
home league or a heavy keeper league, I think you
(50:25):
want to put that league on hiatus for a year
and just do it. Do it all the fun league.
Keep the same guys, and that basically I'm talking about.
We we are not doing our home baseball league, but
putting it's a heavy keeper league, everything's gonna stay the same.
Rule to start next year again, not this year. But
you start a fun start a fun league, Start a
Frankenstein league, started suicide league, start a h whatever, a
(50:49):
vampire league. Have fun with it. But when you give
it a shot, trying something different, but once again, have
rules in place that discuss you know whether this league
counts or not. I think once again for football, when
enough games have been played to determine a winner. Yeah,
Quia team league is another one I'd throw out there
if you can do that. So yeah, look, I think
(51:10):
have fun with it, be creative, do the different kinds
of stuff. If you are intent on going through your
standard league, I would put something in place, like George,
did I think you in a thirteen game regular season
that you normally do? I think you have to set
in set in place. Look, everybody's we gotta play at
least eight games. We gotta play at least nine weeks
(51:30):
in order for this money uh to really count. But look,
just make sure everybody's on board. You got to know
the rules, You got to know the scoring system, you
gotta know the money rules in place. And if if
you're one of your friends wants to back out and
say I'm really not comfortable. I think you don't judge
anybody for any of this stuff this season, whether it's
going to games, playing in fantasy football and that kind
(51:51):
of stuff. People have a lot of different um considerations
in place, you know, especially with a lot of people
out there, many of you out there listening may have
lost uh their jobs, people are unemployed, not as much
money floating around these days. But um, what else can
I say? I mean, I think you try to talk
through it and don't force people to play the same
(52:12):
way that you've played every other season, because there's obviously
extenuating circumstances, as we already know with baseball. Yeah, it's
it's weird year. Once again, what I say about reality,
you know, live with it, you know, deal with some
of the weird things. Same thing, but fantasy. If you
had a long time league, just to lay the league
a year, all right, it's just not worth what's going
on right now. You don't want to make some of
these long time members unhappy and put everything up for
(52:35):
a vote. This way, you don't hear any aggravation later. Great.
H So thanks for watching. On behalf of Joe Leasy,
our producer Brian Rodkowski and Mike and Padre, George Kurtson,
Mike Blewett, and thanks for watching out being fourth of
July weekend. Get all the Grid Sports grid dot Com
betting insights and entertainment at your fingertips seven as our
(52:58):
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 h
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 Welcome back to Football Full Circle
(00:21):
this hour joined by Joe Leasy, co host of College
Football Today. We're gonna talk through some college football, do
a little bit pro with him as well, but as always,
joined by George Kurtz and Joe. First of all, Happy
fifth of July. How is your fourth? Fourth? Was fantastic,
Mike or and Or with the family. Enjoyed great food,
great weather. So just looking forward to a beautiful Sunday
(00:44):
here talking some college and pro football with you. Yeah,
I'm glad you got some downtime with the Fams. So
one thing that did happen this week, which is noteworthy
for college football segment is at the College Football Hall
of Fame, which is obviously experienced a lot in these
last few months. A reopen and they were shut down
amidst COVID nineteen concerns several months ago, and then during
(01:07):
the protests which at times turned violent, between police and protesters. Uh,
looters really started to take hold of that area of
downtown Atlanta, and unfortunately College Football Hall of Fame was
ransacked to some extent. I don't think it's not It's
(01:27):
unclear to me how much of the artifacts and whatever
else within the Hall of Fame was damaged, but it's
good to see that they were able to repair what
needed to be repaired and open back up. Joe. Yeah,
great week for college football. The College Football Hall of
Fame represents everything that's pure and true about the great game,
the tradition and pageantry, the great players and coaches. That's
(01:50):
what it's all about, Mike, and and some artifacts were
taken about a month a month and a half ago
in terms of those protests. But now they're back on track.
They have their Hall of Fame class listed for one,
and we're gonna be honoring some great players this coming season.
In Joe. When it comes to the Hall of Fame
(02:12):
in general, and uh, I'm not a Hall of Fame guy,
I just don't care. And I didn't always feel that
this way, mind you. At one point I really love
the whole of fame, but I know professional sports now
it's not the whole of fame. It's the whole of
very good. You know, what's the whole of You knew somebody,
you had connections, so you got in that sort of thing.
In baseball, in my mind, they need to take people
(02:32):
out football. It's all political hockey. It's really who you know,
that sort of thing. What Why should I came about
the College Football Hall and how is it different? It's
different in the sense that it's just not the marquee players, George,
it's it's the players on every division, on every level,
Division two, Division three, coaches. It's also student athletes, which
really gets undermined in terms of the great game of
(02:54):
college football is that there are student athletes. Each chapter
represents a piece of college football history where they honored
the student athlete, not just on the field, but off
the field in the classroom. So that's what separates the
College Football Hall of Fame, UH separate from the NFL.
And every level of college football is represented. So for
(03:16):
me it's great. I love going to the awards each
and every year, and and they have a great, great
museum in Atlanta. Yeah, I would say in general regarding
the College Football Hall of Fame, and I haven't been
to the one in Atlanta. I look forward to being
able to visit there someday. But I've been to college
Football Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, and I think Joe's right.
(03:38):
I think they do. First thing they do try to
do was, look, you're gonna see some high profile players.
We'll talk about this year's class. It's being inducted. Whenever
that happens, well, we'll talk about this class. And they
do try to isolate the players college career. Inevitably, you're
going to have some players that had tremendous professional careers
and some that maybe they didn't go very far in
(04:00):
the pros. Maybe it kind of fell apart on them
in the pros. But they really try to isolate how
good a player they were during their stint in college.
And again to your point, they do make it several
day affair in order to make sure that the players,
not just the ones who are being inducted, but um,
(04:20):
the IVY League does an event which I've been to
called the Bushnell Cup, which honors the top IVY League players.
You have the top student athletes and actively in college
football that are being honored, and everybody gets honored in
a unique way. I think it does. You know, when
we there's a lot of ugly things about college sports
and about college football, but when you go to events
(04:42):
like that, it reminds you of the reasons that this
all got started. And I think, Joe, to me, it's
one of the good things about the event. It is
you remember your past. I mean growing up as college
football fans, Mike and watching the Great Game every Saturday.
You remember the market players, but it's the under the
radar players that that really succeeded at the different divisions
(05:05):
and different levels. Like you know, Paul Palmer was an
inductee a couple of years ago for Temple. Uh never
made it in the NFL, was a marquee player, might
have been forgotten, but now he's in the College Football
Hall of Fame and and his great work on the
football field is represented. So these players are or what
I like to see, not just the Peyton Mannings, uh
and the Reggie Bushes in terms of that, but the
(05:28):
under the radar players that really got it done on
and off the field. We're gonna talk about the inductees
in a second here, but is there somebody could be
I don't care if what generation you want talk about here?
Is there a player or two that's stuck in your
crew that you can't believe it's still not in the
College Football Hall of Fame. Oh yeah, it's hard, George,
because you know, I have my favorites and my personal
(05:50):
favorites in terms of you know, Robert Edwards from Georgia.
You know Markee running back for the University of Georgia
went on to the NFL for the New England Patriots
thousand yard rusher and his career was ended by a
knee injury and then went to the CFL. I mean,
he'll probably never be in the in the College Football
Hall of Fame because I just didn't lead Georgia's not
(06:11):
with Garrison Hurst, not with herschel Walker. But he was
a fantastic player for the University of Georgia. Eric Bienimy
just is another player that stands out. Just got inducted,
I believe a couple of years ago. But the College
Football Hall of Fame is different in when I spoke
to them in terms of the selection process, they like
to mix it up to keep the interest. Year after year.
(06:33):
Derrick Brooks was a dominant player for Alabama that just
got in a few years ago, and I was amazed
that why did it take so long. That's part of
the selection process. They just don't take the top players
each and every year. They mix it up to keep
the fan interest. So those are two players that really
stand in my in terms of my uh interest for
(06:54):
college football. Yeah, then the the the nominee list this
year is too long for to be able to review.
I'd say, your your highest profile player that will potentially
be inducted next year. Excuse me, Uh, somebody like Champ Bailey.
I think he's somebody that had a standout career on
both levels that you would think would probably get in,
uh relatively quickly. But let's talk about this year's class.
(07:17):
That's about to be inductive. They've already been voted in.
They generally get voted in around uh January, right show,
and then they get inducted the following December. That's typically
the line. But uh, that the number one name, and
he's been waiting a while. I think they're probably in
my estimation, Shoe some complications based on what went down
(07:40):
at s MU when he was in college. But the
most high profile name that you're going to see on
this list is Eric Dickerson, And that's to my point,
Eric Dickerson is still not in the Hall of Fame.
I mean, one of the dominant running backs back for
the must Nangs with Craig James back in the day.
He just got it done, went on to the Los
Angeles Rams and just dominated led the league in rushing.
(08:02):
So I mean you just think about his body, size
six three. He was a tall, lanky runner, but just
explosive at the point of attack from point A to
point B and just took it up the field. And
it's amazing to honor him at this point in in
terms of his life thirty forty years down the road,
but he is at part of SMU that brought them
(08:23):
to national recognition and brought them to respectability. And happy
that the program is back on track under Sunny Dike's.
As a Cowboy fan, I was very happy when the
Rams traded dick Us into the Colts. Uh, that was
a good thing for us. Let's know what Steve McNair
out of Alcorn State. We all know what Carl incredible
NFL career he had career college career. He was just dominant.
(08:47):
I mean, when you think about just dual threat quarterbacks
at the next level. If Air McNair played in today's game,
I mean, he would be one of the most explosive
quarterbacks again at the collegiate level and probably would be
playing at alcorn State, might be playing at Ohio State
or Clemson for that matter. So just a rare combination
of size and speed, strong arm. I mean, just could
(09:10):
make every throw. And we saw his leadership skills in
terms of leading Tennessee to the Super Bowl and almost
getting that victory over the over the Rams. I mean
they were a you'rd short, but just a gutty, blue
collar player that got it, got it done, and became
a better pocket passer over his NFL career. Yeah, obviously
he suffered really tragic demise in his life, but a
(09:34):
player that I think for NFL fans that didn't know
him at alcorn State really respected him. I thought he
was an excellent player. As you said, he nearly won
the Super Bowl, and I think he had the respect
of a lot of players around him like him. Going
to alcorn State was a result of institutional racism, right
he guys that were didn't have the opportunity to be
a high profile particularly African American black quarterbacks. They didn't
(09:58):
receive the respect that they should have. People didn't want
them to lead his program. So he went to historically
black college and he promptly tore it up and became
a star NFL player. So I'll jump around a little bit.
David Pollock. He's now famous for being on ESPN and
College Game Day. He was a first round draft pick,
(10:19):
and Pollock was a dominant defensive player. I still can remember.
This isn't that long ago. I was an adult when
all this happened. To hell, he's a lot younger than me. Uh.
Pollock was a dominant defensive player that was projecting as
kind of a tweener in the pros. They thought as
an outside rusher. Is he a backer? I remember that
was the discussion. So he fell a little bit in
(10:40):
the first round, but tragically, unfortunately for him, suffered a
neck injury as a rookie, never played football again. He's
obviously gone on to have a great broadcasting career. But
David Pollock was a legit football player. He was a
blue collar J. J. Watt type of player, right, I mean,
I that's what I equated him in terms of just
(11:00):
just going after the quarterback and in terms of physicality,
a bit undersized, but gained weight when he went to
the Cincinnati Bengals and really was progressing in terms of
that scheme. If it wasn't for the neck injury, he
might have had a long career in the NFL. I
mean yeah, blue color player and very physical and run support.
That was the one thing that David Pollock was very
(11:21):
good at. Again, he was undersized, but for his size,
put up dynamic stats for the Georgia Bulldogs won a
game single handily against South Carolina back in uh in Columbia,
so Williams Bryce his fumble recovery in the end zone
got it done over the game. Cups ver crowds quarterback Nebraska,
(11:43):
uh I was gonna going to college, call of Fay.
Why didn't he make it in the NFL? Just because
a bit undersize, didn't have the arm strength George and
again a dual threat type of quarterback that if he
played in this type of system in terms of the
five wide r po scheme, he might have had a
Taysom Hill type of career. But it's unfortunate if it
(12:04):
wasn't for Michael Vick and players like Lamar Jackson coming
on on the scene. I mean, let's think about Randall
Cunningham as well. Imagine if Randall Cunningham played in today's
game back when he was with the Eagles, I mean
he led the team to the NFC Championship game with
the Vikings. I mean, he would have been the most
explosive player in NFL history in my opinion, if he
(12:25):
played in today's game. Yeah. So Crouch basically came out
the year after Vick. Right, Vick is the OH. One draft.
Crouch would have been the O. Two draft. So Vick
is on the scene. But people are sort of comparing
Crouch to Vic, which you can't do. What it was
really different about Crouch is you're right. I think in
(12:47):
these days he'd have a shot. But Crouch bailed on
it early. People wanted to move around the positions, and
I think he just said, the hell with it, I'm
not doing this. I had a thing playing quarterback. I'm
moving on. They were used to utilizing athletes in terms
of like the way Bill Belichick used Julian Edelman. It's
just the bottom line. Now they look at the attributes,
(13:08):
where can I use this player and getting him the
football and space. The sports grid dot Com betting insights
and entertainment at your fingertips as our team covers the
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get on the grid sports grid dot Com. We're back
(13:32):
on the grid football full Circle, joined by the co
host of College Football Today, Joe Leasy. Find him on
Twitter at go for the two the Number two. George
is at George Kurtz. I'm at Mike Blewett. So are
we are obligated during every show, even on this holiday weekend,
to talk about the impact of COVID nineteen on college football. So, Joe,
(13:56):
you and I were talking prior to the show about
the University of Arizona, how they have paused workouts at
the moment and it has created a little bit of
strife within the context of the football program itself. Now
as everybody out there knows Arizona as the state as
spiking in terms of coronavirus cases right now, eighty three
(14:20):
student athletes reported back to campus for voluntary workouts in
Tucson University of Arizona, and only one of them had
tested positive. Uh So it's much lower than the country,
than the state as a whole. But what is happening
is that Governor Doug Doocey earlier this week implemented a
month long shutdown of Jim's bars and movie theaters across Arizona.
(14:44):
But University of Arizona officials are trying to figure out
this that apply to them. Can they use their gym?
Now it's further complicated. Sorry to lay all this out,
but it's further complicated by the fact that the University
of Arizona presidents saying he wouldn't reopen campus to students
did the current conditions. So you effectively have athletes that
are there, most of whom didn't test positive, but they
(15:06):
can't go to the gym, a bar, a movie theater.
They are not having anybody else come back on campus.
So players are basically saying, including quarterback Malik Houseman, saying,
why am I on campus? Good? Great question, That's a
great question, and that's a question that everybody wants to know.
In terms of these programs. We talked about it a
(15:26):
couple of weeks ago in terms of having a plan
implemented in place for these type of situations. In terms
of COVID, Arizona is in a situation right now. They're fat,
They're up against state law in terms of the bars
and restaurants, and now their school presidents come out and
said I would not go through with the football season
or any fall sports under the current conditions. So now
(15:49):
what does that mean in terms of preparation? Is everything
on hold? If everything's on hold, and let's say Arizona
stops everything right now, they could be at a significant
disadvantage as power twelve player goes forward, because if teams
like U C L a USC do not hesitate a
halt or hesitate, what are you gonna do as a coach?
(16:09):
I mean, Kevin Sumone's in a tough spot as well.
He's on the hot seat in my opinion, five and seven,
two years ago, four and eight. Last year, especially with
Khaliel Tate, they started four and one and lost seven
straight games. So they need to get this train back
on the right track. This is putting a huge monkey
wrench into that into that situation right now. George may
(16:30):
pose it back to you because we're seeing in a
Major League baseball we got up to like four players
walked away in Desmond, Mike Leak, Ryan Zimmerman, Joe Ross.
Those are the four as of UM earlier this week
that had opted out. I think more players could opt out.
(16:50):
College players no money on the line, showcasing themselves playing
for scholarships, they're not as likely to just say hey,
I'm out. If somebody has a really serious health issue,
then they would potentially, But if you're a twenty one
year old college athlete, you might not. If you had
(17:13):
this year's health issue, it might preclude you from being
that college athletes. So what do you think there's a
lot here for University of Arizona to go through. Yeah,
I think it's I think it's going to keep coming
up where certain states or certain parts or states are
gonna have explosions of positive cases. You know what, We're
in early July. Now, what's gonna happen in early August?
This is gonna this is gonna keep happening. People think
(17:35):
we're beyond the first phase, We're only is still in
the first phase. This is going to keep happening again
and again. But as Joe brought up, if we're going
to play now, I'm on the belief that I don't
think any of these sports go. I think they some
might start. I don't know if any they're gonna going
to finish. But if we are going to play, then
we're going to have to deal with stuff like this
with different states have different rules where now Arizona you can't.
(17:56):
You can't practice for a month, California you can. So yeah,
us used, you'll be ahead of the game. There might
be some states where you can have fans in the stands,
some states you can't. So those ones that you have
fans in the stands, you'll have more of a home
field advantage of the states where you can't. Once again,
you're gonna have to deal with it. This is gonna
be a season unlike any other in all sports. It's
just the way it is. If you want to get
(18:16):
it in, this is what's going to have to happen here.
And we're all gonna have to understand. If we're all
going to bitch and moan that, oh it's not fair,
this is not fair. Exiety, Well, my team didn't get
this or my state doesn't have this, then we're not
getting a season in because not every state is going
to have the same rules. Yeah. Defensive end Isaiah Johnson Joe.
The n c A and universities want us to play
(18:37):
during a global pandemic so they won't lose millions of dollars,
but can't won't give us money. I'm not asking for
fifty k, but he can't break us off a little something.
You know, it's I think this is gonna come back
into play. You know, Kyl and Wilburne linebacker defensive end
for Arizona College. Athletes need to speak up now more
than ever. If you feel that you are being put
(18:59):
at unnecessary by your institution, it's your job to speak up,
to speak up on it. It's your health. So look,
I think this goes back to a little bit where
we're talking about, even in terms of social justice reform
um players feeling more empowered to speak up, but in
this instance regarding their health, they're also feeling the need
and the ability to speak up, which I think is
(19:20):
a good thing. I just don't know, like for Arizona
at all to be talking about football seems crazy, but
here they are. They got players on campus trying to
work out, and you know the date for them starting,
They moved it up. It's July fift We're only a
week and a half away from players actually not doing
(19:40):
voluntary workouts but getting together as a team ten days
or now in Arizona, it seems insane. And think about
the job that Kevin someone actually has to actually unify
his team right now. Because you heard players speak out
saying about the n C double A pay us. You
heard them say they want us to play in a
global plan dammick. And then you heard the sentiment of
(20:02):
the school president. Right so now you hear the students
talking out. If Kevin Sumlan tries to, let's say, get
this team unified, you can have the players saying, well,
the school president has already said that he wouldn't play
under these conditions, why should I listen to you? The
school president really runs the school, right, so that could
really bring a big problem in terms of the program.
(20:24):
And I think it's important to recognize from the gambling
perspective these types of situations as they play out in
July and August, which coach, which program seems to be unified,
seems to be together? I think you have to monitor
the local papers. You have to monitor the state papers
as well to really get a pulse on these programs
(20:45):
as we inch towards the month of August, especially if
you're betting futures on these teams. So it's a good point, George,
is a really good point that Joe brings up futures
in this instance simply because look, we we are going
to on this network approach everything as if it's all
going off. It's the way we have to approach it
in order to predict. I can't tell you, well, what
(21:07):
if there is only plays eight games? How many things
to win? I don't know which shade games, so I
can't tell you. We have to project everything across the NFL, college,
every sport as if the season is going off. But
it does lead me to my point, which is that
I think if you're in the futures market, I think
it's okay to place wagers down if you feel comfortable
(21:29):
with people hanging onto your money right now. But I'll
say this, I'm going to be less leveraged now in
terms of future bets than I have been for the
last several years, simply because I have major doubts as
to whether or not any of these bets will count.
Forget the season and the championships and the rings and
all and stuff that comes with it. I just don't
(21:51):
know if any of these bets will count, because I
just don't think even if they bury their barrel their
way to some sort of a playoff system in either sport,
I still know if you can count any of these bets.
If there's four fits all over the place. Oh, I'm
agree with you, Mike. I have too proud of the the
future bets one. As I keep saying, I don't think
any of these any of these sports complete a full season.
(22:12):
So all those bets you're making're gonna be canceled anyway,
you're gonna get refunded your money, and to when it
comes to the future bets, I'm probably okay with team totals.
They get canceled, all right, gets cancer, I get my
money refunded. But as long as i'mgoing the unders, if
I think our team is bad, I don't think this
virus is going to help you all that much. But
if I think your team is good, but all of
a sudden, you know, you get a couple of players
(22:33):
got the virus, can't play, but now you're bad in
a hurry, you know, I said, You're not gonna don't
think gonna get all that much better unless you get lucky.
You play teams that uh other they're good players got
taken away. But I'm gonna have a tough time betting
futures on teams that I want to go over if
I don't know if they could be think of those
players gonna play in September or Octobers. They might have
the virus, or the whole team might have the virus
(22:55):
or whatever it might be. So that that's what my
worry is. Once again, I don't think they're gonna complete,
and I don't know who going to be available to
play in certain weeks. Sho. I just want to piggyback
off off of that point because what I look at
in terms of just the gambling perspective is important. You know,
secondaries that have inexperienced players freshman and sophomores, they have
(23:17):
to read coverage, especially week number one week number two
with new schemes, that's gonna be a huge disadvantage. So
I look for certain types of programs like that. Could
be it could be Mountain West schools, it could be
you know, a Power five school that's maybe you know,
under the radar in terms of wins and losses. I
look for those matchups in terms of week one week two,
(23:39):
because those are very important without spring ball, without the
coaching going on to understand and coach these players up.
Now you throw in the pandemic, they're gonna have to
do everything on paper as opposed to read and react.
That's gonna be a huge disadvantage. Look for teams that
have inexperienced secondaries going up against experienced quarterbacks and wide
(24:01):
receivers in week one and week number two. Yeah, I
like it. It's I think it's always a good angle.
Look college I think college football, you can take a
huge advantage of the week one in week two. I
think it's always been that way. I think you really
try to find your edges early. It doesn't mean you
can't throughout the season, but weeks one and two to me,
in college football, Joe or where you can make good
(24:22):
money without a doubt, and those are the mismatches that
you want to try and recognize. Those nonconference schemes. Yeah, okay,
so I've gotten through that. I think we understand that.
You know, COVID nineteen is going to continue to impact
campuses and Arizona in this particular instance, But as you said, Mike,
(24:44):
uh Kevin, someone is now in a position where he's
dealing with all this kind of stuff. How about them
as a team in general? What what did you expect
say all this stuff washes out. We're starting week one Arizona. Uh,
I mean, it's getting so close. We're six seven weeks
(25:05):
away from where the seven weeks away from where they
got to play. But let's just say all this stuff
solves itself. What do you expect that of him this year?
And yeah, I don't know. I don't know. If you
get off it, I don't expect much, Mike, I really don't. Kevin,
someone I thought last year had all the tools in
place to run the table and be a possible nine
win football team because of the athleticism of Khalil Tate.
(25:27):
They started out, they lost their first game to Hawaii
and then ripped off four straight wins. It looked like
they had everything in place, but from an offensive perspective,
they failed to run the football consistently, the defense took
a step back, and then turnovers were a huge problem
for that team. Last year they were negative in turnover margins,
so they need to change it up. Khalil Tate moves on.
(25:50):
Grand Canell's a solid pocket pass or was a player
of the year in his respective high school when he
came out. But again, it's not the type of scheme
that he's used of playing in bright well as a
solid running back. That defense is undersize and needs to
get better and run support. I think this is a
sub five hundred team, so they're sub five. He's gone.
(26:12):
He's he should be gone though. I mean they went
from rich Rod and they had the pieces in place
and now to sub five hundred seasons. Yeah, Okay, we're
gonna come back. We'll talk got Pro Football with Joe
George right after this on Football Full Circle will be
right back sports grid dot Com Betting insides and entertainment
(26:33):
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(27:00):
You know we're back on Football Full Circle right here
on the grid. Get on the grid and stay here
with us to talk a little bit about the NFL.
A couple of quick hitting stories this week in the NFL,
first of which is that the NFL is may ask
fans to sign a liability waiver to attend games. So
(27:21):
it's according to the athletic Daniel Kaplan, the NFL is
considering requiring fans attending games this season to sign liability
waivers shielding the teams from COVID nineteen lawsuits. So the
waiver proposal is likely to be forwarded to clubs by
the middle of next week as part of a broad
range of league recommended best practices for reopening stadiums amid
the coronavirus pandemic. So, um, this is insane that you
(27:47):
would go to a game, expose yourself and then sue
the NFL. It doesn't surprise me, but it's just insane. George, Well,
first off, the NFL will be very lucky if they
can get fans at games the season, right, That's the
first thing. As soon as I hear this, if my
first though it is, well, I'm not going to any
games this year. I wasn't gonna go anyway to any
game in any sport, at least this calendar year, maybe
(28:08):
not for maybe next not next calendar year either. I
can't see how that's going to be. All that's safe
unless you're telling me this vaccine that eventually we might
get at some point next year is all on encompassing
and I'm not going to worry about my health ever,
so I don't see myself going I get it. They're
afraid that other people. You know, we're a lawsuit society.
We love to sue, and if you get it, you
(28:28):
go to you know or whatever giants. Can you get
the virus? You can prove you guy it there. You're
gonna sue a giant. You're gonna sue the NFL, You're
gonna sue Goodell, all the owners and everything else. I
get the theory behind it. I don't. I'm not a lawyer.
I don't play one on TV. I didn't stay at
I am married. I don't tell whether that commercial is
so I don't know. And it's it will hold up
in court, I know not all liability waivers will. Yeah,
just because you sign what doesn't mean it will hold
(28:50):
up if you can prove negligence. Those waivers of no worth,
no oldest piece of paper I have here, don't mean anything.
So I think it's a nice tribe by the NFL.
Maybe it scares people from suing, But what did also
scare you away from going to the game. Yeah, So
NFL Senior VP of Security Kathy Lanier is heading these
up Joe uh and people are saying it's probably something
(29:11):
you do electronically, just trying to figure out the operational
challenges associated with waivers. In one source familiar with the
plans of your development, just have to work out how
best to do that. So, look, it is, as George said,
it's a litigious society. Attendees at President Trump's rally and
Tulsa we're required to sign liability waivers. It's questionable whether
(29:33):
they truly legally shield the event organizers. So it could
be one of those situations where you know people have
non competes that are not enforceable. They're not sure if
these liability waivers are enforceable. So I don't know why
the NFL would be eager to have any fans come
if there's a risk of anybody getting sick, and they'd
be open to this. I think it's just for protection.
(29:56):
But you sign a waiver when you go to go
to an amusement park, right, so they sign waivers for that.
In terms of personal injury, should they get hurt on
a ride, as well, so I don't personally have a
problem with it. If I choose to go to a game,
I would sign the waiver. I would wear a mask.
Am I gonna go to a game? Probably most likely not.
(30:16):
I believe watching the you know, football on any level
is better in terms of the high definition television in
a sports bar where you get multiple looks are at home.
But that being the case to fan experiences with fans
miss about the NFL and collegiate game. So if they're
going to choose to risk and go outside and they
want to sign a waiver, go ahead. I don't have
(30:38):
a problem with it. Yeah, I mean I can't really
say much else about that. The three of us wouldn't
really go. If you want to go to a game,
knock yourself out. I just don't think it's I don't
think it's safe yet. I hope it's safe soon. But
that's really where we're at. So another offshoot of this,
(30:59):
George is at you see, Major League Baseball will not
be releasing the names of players that have contracted the
COVID nineteen virus, which is odd because they're going to
talk about the players that are not on the field,
because they actually injured themselves, so we're sort of left
(31:20):
to wonder. But we really know, well, what's up with
that player? He's got unless they lie, like unless they
just say, oh, he's got an ankle thing going on,
but really he's out for two weeks because he tested
positive for covid um. I don't know how that's going
to work. It seems almost silly. But do you think
the NFL is gonna do anything like this. I would
(31:41):
imagine they'll just be honest about he tested positive, he's
out for two weeks. This is kind of stupid of
Major League Baseball, right, First of all, hipo violation. No,
the doctors have said it's not. It's in the sense
that they're allowed to say, uh, you know, not maybe
not to go to detail, but say, yes, he's out.
We've heard all the time plays out with an ankles.
That with me? Is that with the flu? He's sick?
(32:03):
Why are we getting old upset? Is it a negative?
You got covid? How is that a negative? He's nothing wrong,
You've got covid. It could happen to any of us.
So I don't understand what they want to be so, uh,
you know, so sneaky about this and now you said,
you know you're you're a Yankee fan, Aaron Judge, not
the lineup? Okay, day of rest? Is that the laugh
the next day? Well, now we know something's up, now,
(32:24):
don't we. And now the speculates gonna be automatic. By
the way, think about if anybody's out of the lineup
in baseball, you're gonna do assume now it's COVID because
they're not announcing it. So it's that's why I would say.
That's why I would say, I don't. I don't want
people speculating it out. It's dumb. But I wanted if
the NFL wants to what I think it is, guys,
I wanted the ENFL is gonna follow suit? Is they
don't want you to know, howney people are testing positive
(32:45):
for it, you know, so cover up sort of thing.
You know that with the NFL the innlute. Yeah, but
not who will? Not everybody will that sort of thing.
You know, who's gonna keep track? Okay, Judge got it
on the Yankees, the ground's got it on the Mets,
Trout you know, and do all the math. Oh, you
little players are divided by trade? Oh that sort of
thing to figure out the percentage is there? So I
(33:05):
wonder if that said, the NFL generally has been more
open with injuries throughout their read their history because of
the gambling. They want to give every an honest idea here,
So I want I do wonder if the animal will
follow suit because of COVID or keep going with how
what their history tells us and they'll be more honest
about it. So this makes sense to you at all,
not just not releasing the players names. I understand respecting
(33:26):
a player's privacy, but they don't really respect the players
privacy when it comes to any other ailment or injury.
And the only thing I could think of is maybe
the negotiations that they recently had for the season, that
could be the one thing. Maybe the players brought it up.
I don't know, but from the gambling perspective, if the
NFL chooses not to release names can have a huge
repercussion effect in terms of winds, wind totals. Not only that,
(33:49):
but the the over and unders for the games. That's
that you're gonna see huge overreaction when the players out.
If they don't say why that particular players out, and
then you have to fast forward. Is it you know,
one week, two weeks, three weeks, what's gonna be the
process in place if a player test positive. So that's
another reason why as gamblers and betting on these games,
(34:10):
we need to know this information. You might want to
head your bet. You it's gonna be huge in terms
of that. It's just it's just weird because I know
in baseball they were talking about that they were gonna
have a separate COVID I L or not I L
engine list. Well, if you know, these reporters will figure out, well,
Judge is not playing and he wasn't put on the
(34:32):
d L. Well the I LU, he's not put on
the regular I L, but he's not playing for a
couple of days. Well that sort of means once again
that he's on the COVID I L. So you're not
gonna announce that. But and they also know when they
call a player up right, because you don't want to
replace when someone gets on the I L. So it
makes no sense of baseball to do this. Football. Once again,
there could be a thousand injuries that happened during the weeks.
(34:53):
I guess they could hide it a little bit. You'll
still know the guys inactive you know what an out
hit of the game time, we'll know by eleven thirty
for a in the cloud game, so we'd still have
an idea. But I don't know why they're trying to
make this so secret. It's not like COVID is a
big secret that we don't know what's out there. Yeah. True,
Another story coming up. No supplemental draft going to happen
this season. Typically the supplemental Draft isn't really a big thing, right.
(35:16):
There's a couple of players each year that potentially enter
the supplemental draft Joe based on the fact that their
eligibility and college changed. That's really the demarcation line between
the regular draft and the supplemental draft. Something has to
have happened to a player from an eligibility standpoint that
would allow him to be drafted later in the year.
(35:37):
I don't even know if there's anybody that was going
to qualify for it, but I think based on everything
that's occurred here, UM, we're just gonna go without. Normally
it would have already occurred, um or usually it's the
first week of July, so it would be right around
this time. Um, So that's it. No supplemental draft. There
will be no anybody that's on board is going to
(36:00):
be on board now, and conceivably if a player is ineligible,
Joe to go back to college. Because of the slowdown
in the way NFL business is done with free agents,
street free agents, priority free agents, a lot of those
players haven't been signed yet because there's been no workouts.
Anybody could conceivably, instead of being drafted, just be put
(36:22):
onto one of the teams by signing as a free agent.
We saw it in the XFL in terms of the
players moving on right Mike. So that's the biggest thing.
I mean, the teams haven't been able to really have
their doctors check these players out fully. They haven't been
able to see them in prods and see how they
perform in terms of ball skills or ball drills in
(36:43):
that regard. So again, it's a long elong eated type
of process at this point. So to to stop the
supplemental draft, in my opinion, is is the right thing.
I don't think you will see a lot of players
that were qualified anyway, And in terms of just making
teams from a free agent perspective, we saw players opt out.
(37:04):
Now we see players from Arizona state that that are
leaving the program just because they don't like the way
things are going in the state of Arizona. So you're
gonna see it in college. You're gonna see it in
in the NFL as well. Players taking their time coming
back and not so eager to step foot on onto
the football field. George, guys are gonna punt. I can't
(37:28):
blame them. I actually think there'll be more Major League
Baseball players that will opt out. It's only at a
few right now. I think my Aggressive guests is up
to a roster's worth of players could opt out. But
maybe that's way too high. Maybe it doesn't even get
to double digits UM. But as Joe said, on a
college campus, you're not getting paid any money. You're going
(37:50):
to be surrounded by all these people that are potentially
going to be sick, and you're thinking about your long
term health, which is in question as to whether or
not if you can try acted it, how healthy you
would be. So what are your thoughts on that? Oh,
I agree, I think it's going to happen. A lot
of these professional sports is that once you have an
injury and you put on the regular injury, you know,
(38:11):
an arm injury, for a picture or whatever. Still soft
titcher injury for a runner and you put on the
I l you're in no rush to come back. You know, hey,
pull a hammy your first week out there. I can't
make it back. Make it back, guys, you know it
never healed. Shoulder hurts. Every time I throw the bull
(38:32):
with shoulder hurts, you know, And for a picture that's
all the time. I think for football is the same things.
Hand growing just it's just it's not it's not it's
not coming back to me. I still feel sore there.
You can't really prove it. Otherwise you get paid and
you don't have to deal with the scrap. You know.
You know you'll be you'll be home. You maybe gotta
come in to get your therapy or whatever it is,
but you don't have to deal with this. I think
you'll see a lot of players take advantage of that.
(38:54):
I don't know if many of those opt out, because
then you don't get paid. You know, you don't get paid.
Did Joe Roys you brew out the baseball players, Joe Rods, Simmerman,
Mike leak uh Ian Desmond, They're not gonna get paid.
So it's a little different. I think you'll see at
a lot of guys who go to work the system,
they're gonna come in and then you go, Nope, sorry, Charlotte,
than we can't play. Every player that we mentioned there
(39:14):
from MLB is a veteran player that's made some money.
They can afford to sit out for this year and
then they don't worry about service time or money necessarily
they can get it all started again next year. So uh,
that's really it, uh for those stories. At the moment,
we're gonna come back. Joe is good to be with you.
(39:35):
Sports grid dot Com betting insights and entertainment at your
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Sports grid dot Com back to close out this hour
(39:56):
of football Full Circle Mike and George. So yes, you
pose an interesting question during the break George and or
before the show's got started, and we were talking about
it a little bit before the break, But what's gonna
happen if the NFL, ah is, how is the NFL
going to react? Excuse me? If MLB NHL or NBA
(40:21):
start get back into these games, which, by the way,
is still a ways away. We still got like three
and a half weeks before the puck drops and the
ball tips and the bat cracks, however you want to
phrase it. Very many, how were many cliches I can
utilize to signify the start of a sporting event. So
(40:44):
if they get started and they get knocked off pace,
and I know what it's gonna look like on these sports.
The NHL, and and and NBA have the best set up,
right was bubble set up? Um? MLB it's a little trickier,
but they seemed to have a lot of reserve players
ready to go step in there. But what's gonna happen
(41:04):
if what would it take like fifteen players on an
MLB team to be half to quarantine um the rosters.
They have as many as sixty players available, right, so
they just bring in a whole new crew to fill in.
It's gonna be crazy if something like that happens. Um.
And look, during all of this, you and I have
(41:27):
tried to be I think we're on the same side,
but I'm trying to be reasonable. I'm trying to play
Devil's advocate in some instances. I understand that businesses want
to open up. I understand that not everybody against the
virus is going to die a horrible death. I get that,
But we're trying to be safe here. And baseball, football, hockey,
(41:48):
basketball are important in huge air quotes, not that important.
So how does this thing gonna look if it gets
knocked off the rails? And will the NFL actually react?
You said, how will they react? Are they going to react? Well,
I think it's a lot to talk to go through here.
(42:09):
I don't want to sound like the get off my
lowe guy, the Courbudgeon When I keep saying I don't,
I keep I don't think these sports are going to finish.
It's how I feel, all right, I listen. I want
the sports to finish, Mike, you do we all do?
We work for a sports network. I want to watch
games at night. You know. I enjoy watching the games.
You know I'm not gambling on our fantasy league or
whatever it might be. I enjoy watching the games. I
(42:30):
want them to come back. That being said, I think
it's going to be incredibly difficult. First off, if we're
just worried about health of the people and the citizen
the United States, there should be no games all right.
There is no way you can tell me just the
smart thing to do. It's not you know, you're gonna
players go going across country on planes, hotels and ballparks,
you know, trying to play here. If I'm going to
(42:50):
handicap the sports as to which ones might start and finish,
or baseball, you know, be third right now. I think
football is the worst because it's gonna play unto the winter.
It would be asketball, hockey being number one. My first
thought was to be basketball because you're playing in one
hub city, but it's also Florida, which is getting crushed
with cases right so that hurts Canada right now, which
is it's looking like the NHL is only gonna play
(43:12):
in Canada. In Toronto and Edmonton, I think is the
leader now for the other hub city and Demonton has
got a great rate, by the way, at very low rate.
Toronto's little, higher, bigger city. You know, listen, no one's
going to everton View unless you live there. Sorry you're not.
It's cold, miserable, whatever, uh it is. It's no one's
going there. So the rate is low, so they have
a chance of completing there. I wonder what the NFL
(43:33):
is this, So it's only Edmonton in Toronto, it looks
like those will we have two hub cities right now.
That's changed a lot. But if I had, if I
had to bet, I can't find a place to bet
on this, But if I could, I think it's Edmonton
in Toronto for the NHL. But I don't think the
end of what are they making a decision? Cheez like,
let's get on with it. I think as far as
the NHL is concerned here, I think they want to
get everything done at once. They want to announce the
(43:55):
hub cities, They want to announce all the say health
and safety protocols that they're done, and they also want
to announced a new c b A. I think this
is I think they're all they think they're close on
each and they want to announce everything at wance, sort
of throw it in baseball's face. You guys couldn't figure
it out, We got it done, that sort of thing,
especially if they made a mockery of the lottery draft
last week and all the disaster that happened there. So
(44:16):
I think that's what's going on there. But I just
don't think football cares about any of the sport But
I think what they're gonna they're going to look at
baseball since baseball is the closest to them, because baseball
is going to play in their home ballparks. That's a
football wants to do. How's football going to react? And
baseball starts on July twenty right now, that scheduled first pitch,
and they have to close fugust, you know, that's it.
(44:38):
For whatever reason you mentioned, several teams have fifteen players
out or a couple of states say hey, that's it,
we're closing down again. It's not working. You know, Florida
closed down, Hell, California closes down, and you have all
those baseball teams there and all those football teams there.
How does the NFL react? In the NFL believes, hey,
we're the NFL. You know, we're we're a hot knife
(44:59):
through butter. We'll go. We're playing no matter what we're going. So,
but I wonder, how are they gonna justify doing this
and state to say no, this is nuts, we can't
do it. It can't happen. Everything the interval has done
so far as saying we're getting it done. You know,
we held our Francy, we held our draft, and we'll
cut back in the preseason. But who cares. Don't cares
about it anyway. So I think that's the bigger question.
How will the NHL react, the NFL react if Major
(45:21):
League Baseball can't get it done. I think they're gonna
barrel through it. Man. I think they are gonna barrel
through it, and they're gonna say, we'll deal with our
players when our players get sick. Well, it seems silly.
It doesn't seem silly, it is silly. But I think
they're gonna barrel through it gets started, and if they
experience um positional groups going down and again, like George
(45:45):
and I think it's not going to happen, it's not.
It's going to be difficult, extremely difficult. And if we're
predicting it that you won't be able to complete all
the games because of the manner in which this could
take hold. In at a positional group goes down so
you have no offensive alignement for two weeks, or your
quarterbacks gets sick and nobody can play quarterback for two weeks.
(46:08):
That is the most likely scenario that I think, if
people are being careful about being quarantined. I think that's
most likely what's going to happen, even if they're asymptomatic.
To this point, people have been reacting by quarantining, right,
so I can only assume people will continue to do that.
And that's why I think it's going to be difficult
for these seasons to be completed. Not because everybody is
(46:29):
so violently ill uh and being rushed to an ICU.
That's not really that's not the realistic possibility. Could happen
with coaches and even some players, But the realistic part
is that you're not going to have available players. And
in football, it's going to be more difficult. Unless I
guess we're gonna roster six quarterbacks in case and stuff happens,
(46:50):
it's just not feasible you're gonna have a real storting
starting quarterback out here. I think you're a Hunters not
correct again. I think it's the oddleensive lines always position
I'm gonna worry about is how do you protect your
forty million dollar quarterback if you you know, the whole
offensive linemom just got crushed, you know, and virus, you know,
everybody got infected. How are you gonna be able? How
can you justify saying, oh, yeah, we'll worried about the
(47:11):
help of sate, they of our players, you know, and
then oh no, you're playing moms, Get out there. I
don't care if Mike Bluets playing offensive line, you get
out there. How do you justify that? No, that being said,
I said, I think fans are gonna have to realize
maybe it doesn't quite come to that. Maybe Homes has
to play without two offensive linemen. That's life, because that
might happen to most teams. You know, you lose a
(47:32):
couple of linemen. I mean it really might. I mean, uh,
And it's the manner of which these positional groups are
exposed to one another. I don't know how just paid
for football. It's made to kill football. I mean you
think about it, and you're tackling everybody, You're you're sweating,
You're in a huddle every play. Are we gonna see
huddles this year? Mike? I mean, I mean that's a
that's a question, that's a valid question asked. Maybe a
(47:53):
lot of them more no huddle offenses so you don't
get together. Are they gonna let everybody wearing earpiece like
you and I are wearing to say the play the
plays this way once again, you don't have to huddle up. Yeah,
I wonder if there's gonna be some innovations. We haven't
heard any of that anything like that. I doubt it,
but I wonder that would be a better thing to
do here. The bottom line is this, I think for
all fans, you know, you and I included, if you
(48:15):
want your sport to play and finish, you're gonna have
to live with the fact that, you know what, it's
a weird season. Maybe the Yankees don't make the World
Series this year because they lose too many players, but
at least you got the games and you got the latch.
You know. Maybe Pat mahonfilling has to play two games
this year, then he gets the virus and he doesn't
get the Defenders title. That's life. We're gonna have to
live with that because of what's going on in in
the country, in the world right now, the pandemic. If
(48:37):
you want your sports to get in we're all gonna
have to make sacrifices and understand that it's not going
to be a perfect season by any means. Yeah, so
let's let's have some fun with the last four minutes
or so of this segment fantasy football. You and I
are fantasy football guys for a long time. We I'm
gonna be in scott Fish Bowl starting on Monday, July six,
(48:59):
so you I'll be communicating during that draft. You can
help me out if I need it. But um, how
would you fashion of fantasy football league? What were what
would be the restrictions the caveats that you would put
in place this season? I think once again, because I
don't think the seam is gonna be able to be completed.
I don't think he really play head to head. You know,
(49:21):
if you're playing head to head, you're probably not gonna
have a champion because I don't they're gonna be able
to get to Week sixteen. That's when most championships are
are handed out week sixteen. I think you have a
good points oh roto. It's more points in football than
a Roto. When you could go roto too, that would
be this way. It wouldn't matter what it ended. You know.
Then you have to decide what's gonna league vote? Uh?
When is that? When? What have enough games been playing?
(49:42):
Is a week eate half the season? Week nine, Week ten?
You know you have a league vote for that, you know,
because that's what I'm doing. In a baseball the guys
we set up you know, we set one up. It's
a points league, and we decided if each team average
is playing forty games two thirds of the season, then
there's no refunds. Winners will be paid out. Whether or
be completed or not doesn't matter. I think football in
your football league, you better be you better put rules
(50:05):
in there that status. If you're in a money league,
if you just playing for it for laughs of Breggan rights,
this doesn't matter. But if you're playing for any kind
of prize, prize money, then I think you need to
do this. If you're playing I think in a league
where it's a dynasty league, it's a home league, not
I'm not talking about the big league you and I play,
and that's fine. But if you're playing in a dynasty
home league or a heavy keeper league, I think you
(50:25):
want to put that league on hiatus for a year
and just do it. Do it all the fun league.
Keep the same guys, and that basically I'm talking about.
We we are not doing our home baseball league, but
putting it's a heavy keeper league, everything's gonna stay the same.
Rule to start next year again, not this year. But
you start a fun start a fun league, Start a
Frankenstein league, started suicide league, start a h whatever, a
(50:49):
vampire league. Have fun with it. But when you give
it a shot, trying something different, but once again, have
rules in place that discuss you know whether this league
counts or not. I think once again for football, when
enough games have been played to determine a winner. Yeah,
Quia team league is another one I'd throw out there
if you can do that. So yeah, look, I think
(51:10):
have fun with it, be creative, do the different kinds
of stuff. If you are intent on going through your
standard league, I would put something in place, like George,
did I think you in a thirteen game regular season
that you normally do? I think you have to set
in set in place. Look, everybody's we gotta play at
least eight games. We gotta play at least nine weeks
(51:30):
in order for this money uh to really count. But look,
just make sure everybody's on board. You got to know
the rules, You got to know the scoring system, you
gotta know the money rules in place. And if if
you're one of your friends wants to back out and
say I'm really not comfortable. I think you don't judge
anybody for any of this stuff this season, whether it's
going to games, playing in fantasy football and that kind
(51:51):
of stuff. People have a lot of different um considerations
in place, you know, especially with a lot of people
out there, many of you out there listening may have
lost uh their jobs, people are unemployed, not as much
money floating around these days. But um, what else can
I say? I mean, I think you try to talk
through it and don't force people to play the same
(52:12):
way that you've played every other season, because there's obviously
extenuating circumstances, as we already know with baseball. Yeah, it's
it's weird year. Once again, what I say about reality,
you know, live with it, you know, deal with some
of the weird things. Same thing, but fantasy. If you
had a long time league, just to lay the league
a year, all right, it's just not worth what's going
on right now. You don't want to make some of
these long time members unhappy and put everything up for
(52:35):
a vote. This way, you don't hear any aggravation later. Great.
H So thanks for watching. On behalf of Joe Leasy,
our producer Brian Rodkowski and Mike and Padre, George Kurtson,
Mike Blewett, and thanks for watching out being fourth of
July weekend. Get all the Grid Sports grid dot Com
betting insights and entertainment at your fingertips seven as our
(52:58):
team covers the most important topics in sports wagering, real
time odds, predictive betting models, expert picks and more. Want
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