UFL 2025 Season Preview: Everything You NEED to Know Before Kickoff!

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
Well, John, we may have to readjust that countdown intro music.
I'm like falling asleep here.

Speaker 2 (00:40):
That's not what I remember from the good old stream
Yard archives.

Speaker 1 (00:45):
Well, John and I were just joking. I said, I
we don't do this ever. So I think it's been
sixty five days since we podcast.

Speaker 3 (00:51):
So I come on stream Yard.

Speaker 1 (00:52):
Everything's different, but truly because I do listen to my
cracking podcast, and they had started using that. Oh maybe
they've gone in and tweet because I everyone uses the
default just like right, I go, wow, there really were
no I guess Streamyard decided all of that.

Speaker 3 (01:07):
Well, we are back here.

Speaker 1 (01:08):
Jenna's checking in, everyone saying hi, John, we are here
the week of the UFL kickoff Monday.

Speaker 3 (01:15):
This week.

Speaker 1 (01:15):
We'll get to all of that. Paraffina will be stopping
by soon. John's on here today, making time during his workday.

Speaker 4 (01:23):
Whoa, here we are week.

Speaker 3 (01:25):
Of week of kickoff.

Speaker 4 (01:27):
John.

Speaker 1 (01:27):
Let's just check in, say hi, how are you? And
then we'll kind of set the scene here.

Speaker 2 (01:30):
I'm good man, I'm excited about this week. You know,
it's finally here. It feels like we've been talking about
it forever. I have some concerns about Friday night that
we'll talk about. But I'm really looking forward to what
this season holds. You know, we've talked before about if
this is a make or break season.

Speaker 5 (01:48):
I think I was.

Speaker 4 (01:50):
I was on that.

Speaker 2 (01:51):
I was kind of on that train that this is
a make a break season. But I also think it's
maybe it's more of a pivotal season. And I think,
and what I mean by that is, let you know,
maybe if you know this season is, you know, the
equal ratings and equal ticket sales and everything, then that's
not necessarily a bad sign. I know they want to
see growth, but you know, as as they say, we'll

(02:13):
take it one week at a time and see what
goes on here.

Speaker 1 (02:15):
Yeah, so normally we would be generally I go live
kind of the day of the game, or we'll kind
of do all that stuff the Friday. This year makes
it challenging MLB Opening Day, isn't that? So this is
kind of that this year. John and I are doing
the best we can. That's probably we have Monday this week.
John and I's goal is weekly recaps following the games

(02:39):
this week or excuse me, games this season. Maybe Tuesdays
we can get Mike's ratings in there. We'll figure that out,
but we're doing the.

Speaker 3 (02:47):
Best we can. Pat's been traveling for work.

Speaker 1 (02:49):
I was gone to I was at spring training, and
then I was out in Minneapolis and then Toronto. Watched
some fun hockey games, got to go see some other
stuff and kind of participate, and that I think kind
us some meet and greets with some of the podcasts
we listen to, which I always think.

Speaker 3 (03:03):
It's exciting to kind of be on the other side
of that.

Speaker 1 (03:05):
But anyway, so this is the best we're doing. Pala,
come on here. So we're going to run down the
Barlow stuff. We'll talk through all the Labor Strive stuff.
We are going to preview the games. Pat was going
to write an article surprising cuts and things from the UFL.
We'll talk to the website here and all that, so
we'll get to all the football stuff. But like and
subscribe when we get to four thousand subscribers. We are

(03:25):
giving away a couple Royal retros at custom jerseys. We've
done that before. You can get a UFL one, you
can get a CFL one. I've even done like a
throwback XFL back for the away jerseys for the Dragons
that they didn't have a chance to produce back in
twenty twenty, so like and subscribe, give a thumbs up
on that. But I was going to tell John Is,
I'm actually building a custom MLB Randy A Rose array

(03:50):
and the Mariner jersey, and Dustin is able actually because
they print everything you know to order and custom make.
He was actually able to stitch me some custom numbering
I need apply to another jersey. So even if like
what do I need or that you get mean destined
does baseball stuff on there? The season started, so anything
checkout Royal Retros. John has his affiliate length. Do you
want to give him that? Because I never did that?

Speaker 4 (04:12):
Do you want to give them that?

Speaker 2 (04:13):
I know you're above that, but I will say if
you go to Royal Retros and you put in code
JLSS at checkout, you get ten percent off your order.
So thanks for the plug.

Speaker 3 (04:21):
Yeah, well, no support John.

Speaker 1 (04:22):
John's going to be on here all season his channel,
John Lewis Sports and then Pat with analyze and educate.
We're all part of all football digests. We haven't had
a stream since that. Hope everyone's enjoying that. That's been
a little bit more of my speed right now. Traveling
kind of being able to log in and manage the
site as opposed to go in live. John, do you
feel like, Okay, we're weak of kickoff here a hype level.

Speaker 3 (04:46):
I'm seeing a lot of March madness.

Speaker 1 (04:47):
I will talk through the DC Defender stuff, But how
are you feeling right now? Because we haven't done a
podcast in too much because they're really like there's things
to talk about, But like, are John and I going
to sit down for an hour to dice?

Speaker 4 (05:00):
You know?

Speaker 1 (05:00):
Obviously now the week of kickoff, I think we're here,
But it's been weird that way it's been. I have
felt very not knowing kind of as a fan. I
haven't done this much on the media side this year.
What have you made it of kind of the preseason?

Speaker 2 (05:13):
Well, yeah, there's you know, it's been. There's been little
drips and drabs of news and that you know, tends
to happen because there's just not a lot happening. You know,
we get some some social media content through training camp,
those kinds of things. I mean, the big news drops
and we'll talk about it. You know, Reggie Barlow leaving
UH DC Defenders to go to Tennessee State. Uh, there

(05:34):
was some surprising cuts. You mentioned Pat's doing an article.
I just had a video that came out yesterday kind
of my one surprise for each team, And there were
some surprising cuts that you know, I've just I couldn't
you know, a few of them I just couldn't fathom.
So I know there's always more to the story with
some of these, uh, some of these cuts. But as
far as I leading up to game, like, I'm excited

(05:55):
about it, I've been watching a lot of March madness.
So obviously on you know, CBS and True TV and
t n T and TBS, you're not going to see
any UFL content, But here and there, watching SportsCenter and
some of the recap shows on ESPN, I've seen UFL ads.
So I'm you know, really hoping that they kind of start,
you know, rolling it out here this week because this

(06:15):
is a big week for Fox and Disney and certainly
for the league and all of us fans.

Speaker 1 (06:20):
Yeah, just a quick note here Alex's Football buck Club.
That's Rick here. Checking in websites great, Yeah, check out
the website, allfootball dot Com. A little less news, a
little bit more like the news happens. And then we
have opinions and commentary on that. We have CFL stuff
we'll be ramping up. I know Anthony is really kind
of backbuilding a lot of that on his own. Tremendous

(06:41):
sort from Anthony Miller there on that Pat's episodes go
live there automatically when they go up, so this, John's
and this will be on there. So but check out
All Football dot Com and we're going to be doing
more arena stuff. And just I kind of felt like
everything had disappeared, right the UFL board had gone away
and just the sports illustrated with that we were kind

(07:01):
of being a part of, and I thought, well, we
have all these writers and people that need to host,
so that's kind of what it is.

Speaker 3 (07:06):
This is what we've built it.

Speaker 4 (07:07):
To so far.

Speaker 1 (07:08):
We have some premium articles on there as well, trying
to build that membership, which has been pretty I mean,
website self suspicion, so like it should be good that
way in terms of pam for stuff.

Speaker 3 (07:17):
But anyway, it's been exciting. Check out All Football signed up.

Speaker 1 (07:20):
Mike's got some stuff Greg breaking down you know, UFO
word books. Normally I would have plugged a lot more
of that, but we we haven't had a chance to
do that. Denzel's putting something in the chat here. I'm
going to look at that in a minute, John, do
you feel like the I guess let's start here, Let's
get your immediate reactions to the DC Reggie Barlow stuff,

(07:40):
and then we'll kind of move over from there. Came
out over the weekend, right I think, you know, James
had posted about it, and then I think Jake Russell
had posted about it, and then DC came out they posted.

Speaker 3 (07:52):
I can't think it was yesterday.

Speaker 1 (07:53):
I've been running around that weekend thoughts to that here
and then let me check out something else.

Speaker 2 (07:57):
Well, what I thought about it was I was very surprised.
It's understandable. I don't know what his contract situation is
with Tennessee State yet. I do know that Eddie George
was making four hundred thousand dollars a year with another
one hundred thousand dollars incentive claws at there are clauses,
so what.

Speaker 4 (08:17):
The timing is terrible?

Speaker 2 (08:18):
Anthony Miller has a really good article up on All
Football Digest right now about you know how this can
work into the favor of some other assistant coaches that
that maybe they you know, we've heard, like you know,
Jared Horton and with aj Smith, like we thought they
might be given a chance to be head coaches in
some capacity or another. So with Shannon Harris stepping up,

(08:39):
stepping up to be the interim head coach, I think
that is you know, that's interesting and you don't want.

Speaker 3 (08:45):
To see Sean I've got more here, hang on.

Speaker 2 (08:47):
So I'm not going to say I don't want to
see coach defections right now, but I have a feeling
something's breaking right now.

Speaker 1 (08:52):
Yeah, Jans Larson here, Why isn't that can this stepping
away from the show butes for multiple sources, two coaches
now week of a week of the season. John, you
have been on and involved. Candidly speaking, I haven't done
this much of the media surrogate at this time, just
time wise and everything else. John, you've been a part
of a lot of the showboat stuff. Have you had
any chance to interview a head coach or Jared Well,

(09:14):
what do you make of this?

Speaker 3 (09:15):
It's pretty crazy?

Speaker 2 (09:16):
This I don't I don't understand. I mean, you never know,
like what what situations are, what it could be, but uh, yeah,
this is this is surprising. I have been in on
you know, a few of the Memphis preseason availabilities. Talked
with Ken wizen Hunt about you know, all kinds of
different things, and he just seemed very you know, excited

(09:39):
about trying to turn Memphis around. And he's been out
in the community and you know and talked about all
the community events.

Speaker 4 (09:45):
So I don't know what the story behind.

Speaker 2 (09:47):
This is, but this is this is tough because, as
James points out in this tweet, he's the head coach
and also the offensive coordinator. This is tough for a
team that was really trying to turn things around this year.
I have not gotten anything of official yet for Memphis,
but I'm keeping an eye on it.

Speaker 5 (10:02):
Here.

Speaker 3 (10:03):
Let's bring Pat on. I think he is a guy
out here, Pat pat clean shaven here.

Speaker 1 (10:08):
Let me get get let me get this here for
a minute so we can see paths beautiful face on
her back.

Speaker 6 (10:13):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (10:14):
You know this won't be breaking news all day. This
will be a little bit more of the preview and everything.
But Pat man pretty surprising here. Two coaches, We'll get
your thoughts on DC. But what do you what do
you make your Memphis is coming down?

Speaker 6 (10:25):
So literally, I just get out of a meeting just
you know, gotta gotta check out the twitter.

Speaker 5 (10:31):
X whatever we call it, and I see this and and.

Speaker 6 (10:37):
I'm a venture capitalist, right, But then there's memes on
the Instagram that always go late stage capitalism because of
late stage capitalism.

Speaker 5 (10:46):
Personal opinion, don't really agree agree with that, but in
this stage the meme is fitting. No bueno.

Speaker 6 (10:54):
I I don't know what's going on with coach Whiz.
I don't you know, just like John, I'm on a
couple of these Memphis show boats calls, but man, I
I just form Memphis just not not great, not great.
And obviously you have a little bit of a lack

(11:15):
of transparency because you know, you got David Davis. David
Davis is obviously like not in camp, gets cut and
then we're all like and they're like, oh no, it's fine,
he's coming back. And then you have, you know, they
release Quentin Dormandy with all that stuff, and they bring
in a young guy like Dresser Win, which are like

(11:36):
that dressers in this league. But there's not a lot
of transparency about that. And is it a league issue?
Is it Memphis issue? I think it's kind of both. Personally, Yeah,
it sounds like yeah, I'm sorry. It sounded like the
day with Davis thing was an injury, some kind of
injury deal. But it was really hard to figure out
because when I saw the same thing, I'm like, there's no.

Speaker 4 (11:57):
Way they cut this guy.

Speaker 2 (11:58):
Yeah, but you're right that that was all that I
thought was, you know the issue there, and you're in, Yeah,
what DJP just said, they're just giving AFL vibes and
that that's not a good thing.

Speaker 3 (12:09):
Well, and here's my question. I guess for both the
it's different sides here.

Speaker 1 (12:14):
So the DC obviously more of a fan favorite team there,
right and a little bit more of a culture didn't
succeed as much last year. But DC they have an expectation, Okay,
we want to have this team come in and compete
and all that stuff. Memphis, on the other hand, has
kind of been a dumpster fire since the expansion or
relocation whatever here. Okay, we're going to bring in a
new head coach oc kind of all that build this.

(12:35):
Now you're losing that. I mean, both of these stings,
both these stings from optics pat which one do you
think is worse guy? Kind of from that football or
optics wide And then we'll get to John oh Man.

Speaker 6 (12:46):
I I want to say, I want to say Memphis,
because I am very blessed that I have a connection
to Reggie Barlow that and not like a person like
I know people who are in his circle. So it's
not that I knew that Reggie was going to leave.

(13:06):
I had an understanding that job offers have been extended
to Reggie and he was looking for the right fit money.
I don't know the specifics of it, but Reggie was
definitely entertaining job offers with something else, like obviously love
to be a coordinator at the NFL level, but you know,

(13:28):
he's I don't want to say he's like a very
sought after guy, but he's an extremely capable, like football coach,
a good leader of men to where he did not
have to do the DC Defenders. This was kind of
like a side quest for him. From what I understand
and have been told. I'm sad that he's going. I

(13:49):
would have loved because I think they're like in the
middle of springball right now. I was kind of hoping
that they just kind of let him, Like, hey man,
springball already started, so like just get here when you
get here type thing. On the flip side as you
were saying, Memphis has just not had it together for
the last three years, and you're losing the offensive coordinator

(14:12):
and the head coach of a team in transition a
little bit bigger of a deal with Shannon Harris stepping
up into that role for DC and keeping Kiss and Williams.
There two grown men who have been football coaches and
are you know, older gentlemen. All Harris has to worry
about is just leading men. And while that's not an

(14:35):
easy task, it's a lot easier to do that than
worry about game plans. You can just raw raw your
way and just have Kyson Williams do the scheme, and
you're probably going to be in a good spot with
Memphis with the lack of continuity, the lack of fans success,
the lack of market identity, and now a lack of

(14:55):
offensive scheme.

Speaker 5 (14:58):
I mean, is TJ Vin, are you gonna be the
OC now?

Speaker 1 (15:01):
Like?

Speaker 6 (15:02):
I don't think he's ever called plays even that gain
and nothing against him. You learn when your feet are
thrown to the fire. But there's a lot of concern
there for a team that really hasn't had much success
going back to its days as the Tampa Bay Bandits.

Speaker 3 (15:16):
One real quick joke here, John, and then we'll get
to you on this.

Speaker 1 (15:19):
I just before I forget to make this joke, I
Reggie Barlow updated his profile photo today. I said, I ready,
that's way too soon, way too soon, Reggie.

Speaker 3 (15:27):
I mean, like you brother, like read the room here.
But this is what I like.

Speaker 1 (15:32):
Obviously this is spring football, right John, And we joke
about all this. But to me, and I was reading
James's article kind of in the background here to see
if there was any more details. It says he's stepping away,
could be up to most of the season or part
of the season stepping away versus the the Reggie Barlow
stand down. But like this still is just horrible optics.

(15:52):
Like even if you're right, coach Barlow, like you left
the week before the season, Like I don't care that
you took a better job, Like if that all you
have is the low broom of men in all that way,
I'm just curious, John, just come kind of from a
from a personnel standpoint.

Speaker 2 (16:05):
Well, Pat brings up a good point at springball here,
and I think you know, with the transfer portal in
college sports, now you're recruiting all you're recruiting your own
players all the time, and I think that if there
were you know a lot of players tend to be
on the fence, uh in any sport, in college sports,
when their coach steps away, you know, he Eddie George

(16:26):
might take some players with him.

Speaker 4 (16:27):
It happens.

Speaker 2 (16:28):
I mean, anyone who's watching March Madness, you're seeing some
of these you know, new coaches who roll into the
scene and they're having a run because they brought players
from their you know, previous stop with them. Because of
the transfer portal, you can just you know, you can
play the next year. But so I think that's probably
a big part of it is they they wanted to
hire him and get him you know, in Nashville as

(16:50):
soon as possible, because that's you know, that's what you're
doing all the time. You're always recruiting your own, uh,
your own players. And there, you know, now it's official
with Ken Wesen Hunt. And yeah, the optics are bad.
It feels like there's more to this story. So I'm
not trying to throw Ken Wesden Hunt under the bus.
There's some issue I think that's happening here and it's
too bad. But because I really felt like this could

(17:13):
have been a turnaround for Memphis. I thought the Showboats
were poised to have like maybe the best turnaround.

Speaker 3 (17:19):
Now.

Speaker 4 (17:19):
I know the bar was low.

Speaker 2 (17:20):
They only won a couple of games last year, but
it felt like they were putting everything kind of in
place to like, you know, like be a little better
this year and they get out in the community. It's
just this to me could like really just kind of
wreak havoc on a already kind of struggling franchise and
fan base.

Speaker 1 (17:37):
Pat, how do you think and then we'll transition here
continuing on how do you think UFL management is in
their mindset here today with both of these here in
the span of seventy two hours.

Speaker 6 (17:48):
I think they're wishing they had a little bit of
a time machine and just get it the Friday get
kick off.

Speaker 5 (17:54):
You know good? I mean, what is it? There's some
sort of.

Speaker 6 (17:59):
Saying, I'm I make it's you know, just kind of
good football.

Speaker 5 (18:04):
Oh, character is you're a genius.

Speaker 6 (18:07):
If you're rich, you're you know, you're weird if you're poor,
or something like that.

Speaker 5 (18:11):
If we go on the.

Speaker 6 (18:13):
Field and the football play is great, less.

Speaker 5 (18:16):
People will talk about it.

Speaker 6 (18:18):
I think they just they're just hoping to get the
Friday kick it off, and then everyone starts like saying
like you know, you know, Kumbaya and all that stuff,
you know, and they do that, and they're like, hey, man, yeah,
we've had some you know, hiccups along the way, but
that was a pretty good game on Friday, you know,
you know I and I I it just it sucks, man,

(18:42):
Like this is this all just kind of sucks because
you get a guy like Ken Wizenhunt who's at the
end of his like coaching career, where now he just
becomes a consultant and a analyst for a lot of
bigger schools and whatnot, and you're like, oh, this guy
can just kind of like, you know, coach football but
really not be crazy invested. He's the guy that we

(19:02):
might be able to keep around for two or three years.
And it's unfortunate because he's not there right now. And
I don't think we ever really got a question about Flip.
I mean, Jeff Fisher did a one and done. You know,
Kevin Sumlin the one and done, Larry Fedora won and done.
I mean, you kind of want guys who are in

(19:24):
their wade Phillips Era, who are like, I'm not really
job searching, and you thought wizen Hunt was one of
those guys. And it sucks because it's like, who do
you who is your template to hire now? Like who
is your avatar for your ideal candidate? And they don't
have one because based off the last couple of years,

(19:44):
it's been all jacked up. And you got Anthony Beck
out there tweeting, you know, I also interviewed for the
West Virginia General right, Like.

Speaker 2 (19:53):
It's interesting when you read the release here the quote
from Darryl Johnson is it's a joint quote with with
Russ Brandon and Daryl Johnson said, if and when Ken
wes Quinn Ken wizen Hunt is ready to return to
the UFL family, we will welcome him with open arms.
So it sounds like there's something a little bit more
behind the scenes that that's happening there with him personally.
It does say for personal reasons.

Speaker 5 (20:13):
So the UFL family, not the Memphis show Boats family.

Speaker 2 (20:18):
Well, I mean, I don't I like your conspiracy theory there.
Maybe there's something going on there, but I just, you know,
I hope for for him. And there's some bio information
I hope everything is okay with Ken wizen Hunt because
he seems like again like you said, he's he's a
guy who is uh. I thought he was going to
come in there use that experience to kind of turn
things around, and that that's a tough blow for UH.

Speaker 4 (20:40):
For for Memphis and the fans. Did they announce ye,
Jim Turner, Yes, the line coach?

Speaker 5 (20:45):
Right?

Speaker 4 (20:46):
Yeah?

Speaker 3 (20:46):
Is that that was that from James's tweet? Or is
that this is?

Speaker 2 (20:49):
This is in the release here it says Brandon and
Johnson have named offensive line coach Jim Turner. So it's
interesting that it that it was the CEO and the uh.

Speaker 1 (20:59):
The way I had it the way on my street.

Speaker 4 (21:02):
Yeah, you can see.

Speaker 3 (21:03):
I was like, I was like, what the heck does okay?

Speaker 4 (21:05):
Yeah, Jim turn So it says it. So it's interesting
it wasn't the GM, it was the the league has
named their head coach.

Speaker 5 (21:12):
There.

Speaker 1 (21:12):
Well, and this is gets to this and well, I
want to transition to the labor strife here, Philip. I
see your question. We'll talk opening weekend here in a
little bit. I have it started. This is why and
well to the labor strife. You know, when you have players,
like we're going to sit out or whatever we leverage?
Do you have two head coaches just walked out of
the building the week up and and and obviously, like

(21:34):
we said, we're presuming that Ken's situation is different, right,
I think it's a little worst optics. You have Reggie
Barrow and to take the job the week before. I
understand why he did that. It's just all that stuff.
But yeah, that's why I never understand and they should.
I mean, I support players getting what they want, but
you don't have any leverage and that Pat, do you
have updated thoughts on that as we transition?

Speaker 3 (21:56):
And then I do want to look we'll look matchups
and talk actual teams here, I promise.

Speaker 5 (22:00):
Man.

Speaker 6 (22:00):
Literally, I get out of this meeting at like eleven
fifty seven, and I think I might have said the
word leverage about twenty seven thousand times. Leverage, leverage, leverage.
People like guys and gals in do not understand when
they are not in positions of power. And I'm going
to come off like a corporate hill a little bit.

(22:21):
When you are not in a position of power, you
do not have say. And this is the thing is
when they got rid of AJ McCarran. I personally feel
they lost a lot of leverage because everyone knows who
Aj McCarran is, and I think if he was leading
the charge, a couple more people would listen because he
had the financial backing and he also had the name

(22:43):
recognition and the play on the field.

Speaker 5 (22:45):
This wasn't Matt McGloin going out there or Landry Gilbers.

Speaker 6 (22:49):
Statistically, AJ has been the best quarterback outside of Magoo's
twenty twenty three, which you can technically argue in this league,
and he had the brand. When you don't have let
you don't have power realistically, And I think John you
said this, you could get twenty four more quarterbacks and
we're all still watching. There's plenty of other guys out there,

(23:10):
and maybe would the quality of play go down a
little bit? Possibly, I don't know, because the thing is
if they all step out and you bring in some
more more like you remove and replace the players, if
they're all a little less skilled, they're all gonna look
the same like as far as on the skill level,
and we're still we're gonna be watching Division two, you know,

(23:33):
Division two football, which is still some pretty good football
to the average viewer, which ninety percent of people do
not care. But there's so many guys who also went
to big schools that are killing to get in this league,
and they would do it. It's an unfortunate fact. And I
wish these guys would also make one hundred and fifty
grand plus and have the insurance, but they don't have leverage,

(23:54):
and that we don't know what the p and ls are.

Speaker 3 (23:57):
It just it felt weird to me.

Speaker 1 (23:58):
And then John, I'll toss you we're and I was
really the day it all came out, and I want
to talk a little bit more about the optics of
it before we move on. I just so many people
on here, and I never even realized the fan kind
of aspect of it before I got into this, Like
people really love spring football and really love and obsessed
and the players and we we we followed this and

(24:19):
we follow them online and we DM them when we
do all that, and it was it was crazy to
me that it's the same with the CFL, where you
have this connection with the fans and then I'm not
a player, I'm not on the field, but as soon
as they're like, well we don't feel that we you know,
we need something, We're not gidding, and everyone said, we'll
just shut up and play football.

Speaker 3 (24:36):
What do you do?

Speaker 1 (24:36):
Like it? Just? I think the truth lies there somewhere
in the middle between, you know, the giving the players
everything they want and then this thing with the fans.
But it just seemed weird to It felt like a
heel turned that way, like, well, now the players are
the bad guys, like f the players, I want football
and you go. I thought you were just like championing
this guy with AI photo shops in jerseys and the offseason,

(24:57):
and now you're saying so that to me was we
I never get that because I have never been a
professional athlete, you know, getting paid to do anything.

Speaker 3 (25:05):
So who am I to tell anyone what to do
that way? John? What did you make of that? Yeah?

Speaker 2 (25:09):
I think well, first of all, Pat, you brought up
Quentin Dormandy, which leads me to we talked about like
the top ten players, and I said, Lynn Bowden and
Quentin Dormandy, we're gonna be in the top ten players
before the end of the year, So please delete that video.

Speaker 4 (25:22):
That'd be great.

Speaker 2 (25:24):
But Pat brings up a good point about you know,
we don't know what exactly what the what the profit
and loss here is and what Pat and I had
have conversations and read you and I have had these
conversations too, is when you have a company, it's not
you know, for Fox and Disney, this whole thing is
a rounding era. They're they don't care about losing you know,

(25:44):
you know, a whole ton of money.

Speaker 4 (25:46):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (25:46):
They don't want the headache of this though, if it
if it came to that, if it came to some
kind of player action where they walked out or something,
because they could just say, you know enough, Yeah, it's
it sucks, but listen, we're gonna have to move on
and do something else. Especially when you have some something
like Redbird Capital involved. They're not involved to lose money.
They're involved, you know, you try to go for the

(26:07):
long run here and and and try to make some money.
So yeah, you talk about leverage, and that's that's just
what I worry about. It's like, yes, the players need
to be fairly compensated, and you know, and I don't
know what else they wanted. I reached out to Quentin
Dormandy trying to I just would have loved to have
talked to him to say, like, please, please spell it

(26:28):
out like what do you guys want, like in specifics,
and like what is what's the league telling you? You know,
we hear, we hear little, you know, some things here
and there. But I would love to just one on
one talk to one of these quarterbacks to just say,
tell me what the conversations are, like, what do you
guys want?

Speaker 4 (26:45):
And why is the league not given that to you?

Speaker 3 (26:47):
Yeah?

Speaker 1 (26:47):
I see a comment hear about Dormandy and the child
unless you were on the field with him. I mean,
he was absolved of everything back last you know, with
it with the rule books and all that stuff.

Speaker 3 (26:56):
So I hate that.

Speaker 1 (26:57):
I hate that too, where you it's someone like a
Pro Football Talk or whatever that the reports stuff last year,
and then when that's all gets cleaned up, they never
you know, no one ever sees the the correction as
much as the original accusation.

Speaker 3 (27:12):
And then you you know, then you have this ball
it that way. Pat has this helped?

Speaker 1 (27:15):
Obviously, the UFL has been in the in the spotlight
here the last couple of weeks, I think more than
it would have been.

Speaker 3 (27:21):
But when all you're getting.

Speaker 1 (27:23):
Is national coverage from Fox Office Sports and Mike Flourio
talking about.

Speaker 3 (27:26):
How the league is going under?

Speaker 1 (27:27):
Is that helpful, pat, because this is I see this
now being a thing. Last year we couldn't do anything
because it was the late merger and all that, and
I see this now, well, we had this labor strife
and we had all these players streatening to walk out,
and then we had like what were we supposed to do?
Even though you know, players blogging out two weeks here
doesn't have anything to do with the last six months.

Speaker 5 (27:47):
I think we'll find out on Friday.

Speaker 6 (27:50):
I think we'll find out based off the year long
metrics of of of the viewership and everything like that.
I think we'll find out in attendance and whatnot. But
I think, you know what is it? All press is
good press or something like that. So, I mean people
are talking about it.

Speaker 5 (28:11):
You know.

Speaker 6 (28:11):
It's like when people comment on a YouTube video that
dislike it, you still watched engagement, Yeah, I mean, keep
boosting that algorithm, cheach, you know. I I think I
think it's I think we'll find out on Friday, And.

Speaker 5 (28:30):
I mean maybe battle Hawks.

Speaker 6 (28:31):
Stallions or battle Hawk's Renegades might have been a little
bit better.

Speaker 5 (28:35):
Obviously we don't know what like availability is.

Speaker 6 (28:37):
But I mean, I mean I think I just once
we get more data, I think we'll understand more about
like kind of the temperature check of everything going on
and how many people are going to be engaged. I
don't know if it's like the echo chamber of social media,
but I did see a bunch of accounts that I
never followed before, like after the super Bowl that we're like, man,

(29:00):
and the super Bowl was terrible, can't wait for the UFL.

Speaker 5 (29:03):
So I don't know if that was like the way
it was last year.

Speaker 6 (29:06):
I thought the super Bowl and twenty three going into
twenty four was a lot better. But I mean that's
another conversation in itself personally of like how do we
ride the engagement, especially from like a bad super Bowl
to like football starve people while avoiding March madness, you know. Like,
so it's a lot of minutia that I think we'll

(29:27):
have data for in a couple In a couple of.

Speaker 1 (29:30):
Days, I'll get my shots at thoughts. If I could
talk after John here, John go ahead.

Speaker 2 (29:36):
Uh no, I mean I agree with all that. I
think that you know, we need to see some numbers
here after the first week. We need to see like
this is this is going to be a bit of
a barometer of success for this first weekend. Although I'm
almost willing to throw it out. That said, I mean,
I'll talk on both sides of my mouth here. I'm
almost willing to throw it out because, as you guys mentioned,
and we're going against march madness.

Speaker 4 (29:56):
That's why I wish I know.

Speaker 2 (29:57):
That there are there are reasons for the way that
they start these and the dates they start these. I
really wish they would have waited at least a week
to start to start the league. So you might be
competing with the Elite eight or the Final four, but
you would still like you can work your way in
there with you know, the four games, so especially with
a Friday night game. So that's but yeah, I think

(30:17):
you make some really good points there. We need to
see some numbers to start to just start to feel
things out here.

Speaker 3 (30:25):
I'll be curious here.

Speaker 1 (30:26):
And Greg Parks has a great article up right now
in All Football Digest if you want to check out
kind of comparing the college football ratings on Friday with
basketball and football and kind of what to expect from
the UFL.

Speaker 3 (30:38):
I'm a little scared.

Speaker 1 (30:39):
I am one of the camp that the February start
is the premiere time to do it.

Speaker 3 (30:43):
I think you get lost in a lot of this now.

Speaker 1 (30:45):
I think the UFL did better last season than we
thought and doing this similar weekend, but you're fighting against
MLB opening weekend. That's a little bit deluded now, just
because they do like the Tokyo Series and all that
the week before, but it's still opening for you know,
ninety percent of the fan base. I just think it's
hard in the March Mountains.

Speaker 3 (31:05):
I don't like that. Pat any other thoughts on kind of.

Speaker 1 (31:06):
The time of year, and then I'll pull up the
schedule and we can talk kind of battle hawks for ROUGHNECKX.

Speaker 5 (31:12):
Yeah, I personally lean. I didn't like.

Speaker 6 (31:16):
I didn't dislike in theory the USFL timeline on except
forty games in Birmingham isn't fun, which obviously it would
be five, and then you can put those games at night.

Speaker 5 (31:30):
It'd be a little bit cooler.

Speaker 6 (31:33):
I didn't dislike it because now you kind of create
your own like threshold. But in my optimal, perfect world,
I do like February sixteenth or whatever the date is,
to start the week after the Super Bowl. People, especially
if they don't like, you know, Chiefs playing they can

(31:55):
go into that. My biggest like argument for the for
the for the earlier start was always rookie mini camps
and getting those guys in the rookie mini camps because
it creates content, it creates awareness to the NFL teams,
and it creates guys in the signing cycle. So a
lot of times this year I think we only saw

(32:18):
two or three guys during the mid season get signed
who were fresh, fresh players. If you get those guys
in front of the scouts in the rookie mini camps
in May and whatnot, those guys are in the rollodecks
for these gms. And in twenty twenty three, I think
the XFL had like almost ten guys signed who weren't

(32:38):
in who weren't in camp, Like obviously AJ McCarron was one,
but I mean he had a little bit of a resume.
Drew Plitt was another guy, a couple specialists and whatnot.
But these are all guys who were in rookie mini
camps with teams that didn't go into training camp. But
when the injuries mounted, there was some sort of data

(32:59):
on these guys. So I will always lobby that the
best pathway to advertisement is your product and the proof
that your product is superior, which is these guys transitioning
and making money in the NFL.

Speaker 2 (33:11):
That's what Michael hug Away I'm sorry read, but that's
what Michael Hugues always said, who was the commissioner of
the previous UFL. He always said spring football will never work,
and that's why he ended up. One of the reasons
that he left as commissioner because they wanted to move
in the spring. A lot of people might not remember,
but the other UFL that played in the mid two
thousands and lasted actually for a few seasons, they played

(33:33):
a fall schedule opposite. They didn't play against the NFL obviously,
but they would play like Thursday, Friday, Saturday nights.

Speaker 4 (33:39):
And that's what he said.

Speaker 2 (33:40):
It was about getting these players in the cycle of
the NFL because everybody knows that's where they want to go.

Speaker 1 (33:45):
Yeah, I had I was going to pull up here,
just the kind of the TV ratings and everything as
we transition into the Friday night.

Speaker 3 (33:52):
I found this from Mike Mitchell back last year.

Speaker 1 (33:56):
On the Saturday one point one A, so that was
the midday Saturday. They kickoff game on on ABC right
or on excuse me on Fox, and then this year
it will be on the ABC or no excuse me
on Fox Friday Night. They did it back and forth
with that with the championship That's where I was confused
with that, and then the one point three nine hundred
thousand on Sunday for that. You know, throw your estimations

(34:17):
if you want, and they're kind of weird, thinking, John,
where do you see that?

Speaker 3 (34:19):
Friday?

Speaker 1 (34:19):
I was pulling up Greg's article on you on All
Football and we were talking. You know, it's kind of
in the in the million range one point four in there.
It's there's certainly a floor there you want to hit.
In terms of the UFL, have you seen like have
we I haven't been in a position to see any
like UFL on Friday night commercials rolling out here? Have

(34:41):
we seen any promotion or what are your thoughts on
the Friday and then we'll talk about the game.

Speaker 2 (34:45):
Well, like I said, I've kind of been involved in
March madness, so I haven't watched a lot of you know,
a lot of Fox, so I don't know, but you know,
showing what you know, Greg Parks had there, I really
feel like, uh, it's I mean, and certainly they'll beat
you know, there was like a Providence Saint John's basketball
game there that went up against college football playoffs, which

(35:05):
is like six hundred thousand or something like that. I
just I really do think that they can match or
exceed a lot of those. And this is something that
we have all talked about. If Fox will really go
in and it'll be interesting to you know, maybe we
can see this week if they really really go in
and try to promote this and make the Friday night
thing a thing, make this game a thing, like they

(35:27):
did so much promotion for SmackDown, and they did so
much promotion for you know, for the Friday night college football.
You know, I think that they can hit that that
million number. So it'll be interesting to see that that
That's the one game that I am really interested to
see for a variety of reasons, one being that you know,
that's the Friday night game on Fox, and that should

(35:47):
be that should be like very possibly the largest rating
that they're going to get the whole week, because it better.

Speaker 3 (35:54):
Be that's on that and then I'll respund their comment
will go the game.

Speaker 6 (35:59):
I mean, yeah, I have no idea what to expect
as far as as far as.

Speaker 5 (36:05):
Like ratings and whatnot.

Speaker 6 (36:07):
I'm I care, I care less about the ratings and
more about the people in the stands right now. I
don't know if that's the correct mentality to have. But
I mean, if if they're pulling three million viewers, let's
say arbitrary number, and six people are in the stands,
doesn't matter.

Speaker 4 (36:28):
You know, like three million come back?

Speaker 6 (36:30):
Yeah, I mean like yeah, I mean like I'd like
to get a one point five. I mean, I hope
that you have the Saint Louis metro area is going
to be a little bit engaged, you know. And I
mean it is Fox and everything like that. I I've
never been great at ratings and whatnot. I just I care.

(36:50):
And once again, I'm not sure if this is the
correct metric. I care more about butts in the seats
versus how many people are putting it on passively.

Speaker 5 (36:59):
Yet you know, at a Buffalo Wild.

Speaker 1 (37:02):
Wings, Mike's DM and me he's driving. He goes, I
wish I could call into the show right now, I said, Mike.
I know Mike's running around doing aarons. It's okay, Like
I just one quick thing on here. We did have
a question, you know, and we talked about this all
the time. Do you think the man stay not having
West Coast teams have this country?

Speaker 3 (37:18):
Do you? I'm the same way.

Speaker 1 (37:19):
I mean, I was even at I was at the
Mariners opening. We do like a fan fest, run the
basis and everything yesterday and of course I went, but
you know, and like we're talking with our baseball podcasts
there because we listen and they're all like, you know,
it's all I did Creator Economy and they're like, so like,
what do you do again. I'm like, well, we used
to have a team here, but we don't now. And
then we kind of do you know, and they're like,

(37:40):
so does anyone hear care. I'm like, well, not really,
you know, It's just it's a hard thing when you
don't have any team. It's just it's such a hard
it's an impossibility for me to talk about with anyone.

Speaker 3 (37:50):
Because anyone I meet on a daily basis doesn't have a.

Speaker 1 (37:53):
Team that lives anywhere near them, So it's it's a
really hard sell for me that way.

Speaker 2 (37:56):
Yeah, I really thought and read I think you brought
it up last year. One sign of success for this
league would to have been to expand this year, even
if it was two teams. I know they have kind
of an expansion process in mind. Uh, but I really
thought that and if they did, right, if they did it,

(38:18):
it should involve West Coast because I think that's a
good point that the poster made there was that it was,
you know, just does it feel like you're shutting out
half the country because they don't have a team in
their region?

Speaker 4 (38:30):
I mean not even close.

Speaker 1 (38:32):
Yeah, Pat, we have peeve on both sideses. Yeah, people
need to be in attendance. That's a look good for television, agreed.

Speaker 5 (38:37):
Yeah, I mean I mean yeah, we all heard that way.

Speaker 3 (38:40):
Yeah, we all heard the other side.

Speaker 5 (38:42):
Yeah.

Speaker 6 (38:42):
I mean it's just like it's also for like the
the players, dude. Like I mean, I coached you know,
an AIA football and like, you know, granted, our stadium
is really awesome because it can make make it look
a lot bigger than it really is. But like you know,
you have some teams that have stands that are so

(39:04):
big and it's like two thousand people there in ten thousand,
ten thousand, you know person stadium. And I mean I
think that's what makes DC so awesome, is that it's
fifteen eighteen thousand dollars or thousand people and you get
ten there and you're like, yo, sixty six percent capacity.
You know, I mean what it wasn't It wasn't protective,

(39:26):
But it was Legion Stadium that was in Birmingham that
made it look really bad, right, Like, I know, it
looked there was more people there, like not that they
were selling out, but like it didn't look like five
thousand people were there at a couple of their games
at Legion. You put them in protective it made it
look a lot better, Like I think I think the
Liberty Bowl deals with that a lot.

Speaker 1 (39:49):
Uh, the DC, the Yeah, Audi Stadium, Audifield, wherever you
want to call it.

Speaker 3 (39:53):
It's the best place to see anything. Ever. I would
love to be able to Yeah, okay, cause the Mariners do.
I do a.

Speaker 1 (40:00):
Capital swing and then we can also see something here
in the spring. I don't know a couple of comments here,
and I want to talk about the BattleHawks and kind
of camp and all that stuff. One quick thing, ratings.
It is going to be tough. It is WrestleMania season.
WrestleMania is off a Fox. Obviously, the UFL has taken
that over, but I will be at WrestleMania Vegas.

Speaker 3 (40:19):
I think about that.

Speaker 1 (40:20):
So I do think that that is bringing a lot
of that leon here at football versus forgetting about football
mainstream fans at all. It's all March madness, and they
just real quick. And this isn't throwing reels and heels
under the bus at all. I just this is just
at its expansion. They put out a press release totally.
But that's why when we do stuff like that, you

(40:41):
always take it with a grain of salt. Because we
had two head coaches walk out this week, So like, yes,
the plan is to expand or kind of do all
that stuff, but any of that stuff, yeah, and then
chuck here.

Speaker 3 (40:52):
I wonder if developments will affect that. I think you need.
I think all Darryl.

Speaker 1 (40:56):
Needs is like a hangnail or like a stub toe
and be like, you know what, Like I got too
much on my plate right now.

Speaker 3 (41:01):
We got to way to get until next year.

Speaker 1 (41:02):
Like, I think there really needs to be ideal situations
for the UFL to kind of move forward.

Speaker 3 (41:07):
John, any thoughts on that or ELSEO, I'm gonna pull
up the schedule.

Speaker 2 (41:10):
No, I would I would agree with all that and
I think that again, to show success, to show that
you're doing things, and to show that this is financially stable,
you don't want to expand. If it's going to you know,
it's going to kill you. We've seen too many spring
leagues die because of that. But I would like to
see two more teams next year, and I would hope
that that's what we do see, assuming this league happens
next year.

Speaker 3 (41:32):
Let me go in super quick.

Speaker 1 (41:34):
Philip was asking about ticket sales, and then I'm going
to talk about the games. I promise here I have
not done this this year because I do feel like
this is somewhat of a fruitful venture to try to
do this with the retails. So we're only selling Riot
the lower bowl here, so so don't worry about that.
Let's just see what like home field there you go,
so that gives.

Speaker 3 (41:52):
You kind of a good view, if can you.

Speaker 1 (41:55):
Guys all see that right? So there is a lot
of inventory available. So again, none of that above, it's
just the stuff with the blue visitor side obviously less
on that not looking gray. Again, I don't think Fox cares.
I think they should care. I think that they care
more about maintaining that that ratings on Friday night with

(42:16):
that any quick reactions, Well.

Speaker 2 (42:19):
The I think the concern I was talking about earlier
and maybe why there's tickets available right now. The forecast
in Houston for Friday is an eighty four percent chance
of thunderstorms, potential for heavy rainfall and then scattered thunderstorms
that night. So to me, we talked about it before
and we joked about you know, I kept saying, they're

(42:40):
rolling the dice. They're rolling the dice. You're rolling the
dice on weather, and you're also rolling the dice on
a Houston Roughnecks crowd that didn't show up last year
when they played at Rice Stadium. So are they going
to show up, you know, this year when they're back
in their their old home of TDECU, pat quick anything.

Speaker 6 (42:57):
I just wonder, I just want, I wonder if they how
bad they messed up, if they did becoming the gamble
Necks instead of the Roughnecks.

Speaker 3 (43:09):
Yep, alien of the family.

Speaker 5 (43:11):
I just I just I just wonder.

Speaker 6 (43:14):
Yeah, I mean I'd have to dig dig into, uh
the metrics and everything like that, but I just you know,
hindsight twenty twenty, I just wonder how much that matters.

Speaker 4 (43:25):
I think I don't. I think it does matter.

Speaker 2 (43:26):
I don't think it's it's it's even if it's just
a little bit, you know, we're talking about a sport
that is not you know, it's not the NFL. So
even if it's a little bit, you know, for them.

Speaker 4 (43:36):
That's it's that's huge.

Speaker 2 (43:38):
And and you're right, it just I did. I'm sure
there was some business decision behind it, but it seemed
to me the gamblers had more of uh, I mean,
historically certainly, but it just seemed to me like that
was just more of a it was kind of to
appease both sides.

Speaker 6 (43:53):
I kicked back on the historic I talked to Larson
about this like two years ago. He was like, well,
the gamblers have more historical I was like, name one
other person other than Jim Kelly. Yeah, and and and
it's it's it's nothing against you, it's nothing against anyone.

Speaker 5 (44:07):
It's just yeah, it's Jim Kelly, big deal.

Speaker 6 (44:10):
But like I mean, and it's it's it's anyone who
says that it's like the gamblers had more historical prowis.
It's like Mike Mitchell is seventy years old, bro, Like
he remembers it.

Speaker 5 (44:23):
That's it.

Speaker 4 (44:23):
Hey, listen, I remember that. I remember them.

Speaker 5 (44:26):
Yeah, what do you? Yeah? Because you because that's also seventy.
I thought you were twenty six.

Speaker 6 (44:31):
But like yeah, man, it's like and you know, going
back to the alienation part, it's like, dude, they had
six thousand people coming to their games or something like that.

Speaker 5 (44:40):
You alienate a thousand people, what is that? Like eighteen
that's eighteen percent of your market?

Speaker 6 (44:45):
Dude, Like businesses shut down because of that.

Speaker 5 (44:48):
Homie.

Speaker 1 (44:48):
So just real quick, Leon here says, we all know
football will be fine, but if a if a tree
falls in the forest, this is my point, and we're
gonna make John John Lewis is off a Twitter, but
we're gonna to make.

Speaker 3 (45:00):
Him a burner just so he could get back in
our group chat because I said this the other day.

Speaker 1 (45:04):
I said, so the Mariners just reveil and keep talking
about this, but we just unveiled, Like all what did
they do there? All right, they just unveiled all of
their stuff. So we have like this new market. You know,
we have a new Cup for the season, right like
it's a new so the Cup and I go, the
Mariners are the anti UFL because the Mariners cannot play
baseball at all, but we can like market the baseball

(45:26):
really well or the UFL. The football is and we've
always said this, so football has never been the problem
with the ufl' it's everything else around it.

Speaker 3 (45:33):
So like if the Mariner's.

Speaker 1 (45:34):
Sales staff could merge with that, that would be awesome.

Speaker 3 (45:38):
All right, let's go to this.

Speaker 1 (45:40):
John, you have been involved, and this will relate to
our conversation.

Speaker 3 (45:43):
You're going into opening weekend?

Speaker 1 (45:46):
Have you felt as though you have been able to
get a clear picture? And Pat, this goes for you
as well of any of the teams. What's going on?

Speaker 3 (45:55):
John?

Speaker 1 (45:55):
I know you've been on the show Boats. I know,
like I think some of these teams are more clear
to us than not. I think Anthony Miller's done a
good job with the Renegades. You can look at all
of his write ups on football dot Com. Pat, have
you with the battle Like you get what I'm saying here?
Do we have a clear picture? I guess Pat will
start with you. Any thoughts on the battle Hawks here
facing Houston?

Speaker 4 (46:15):
What do we know?

Speaker 5 (46:16):
I mean? I've I know, I've talked to a couple
of players.

Speaker 6 (46:20):
I think I've only done like one or two media calls,
because you know, I have a real job and whatnot.
And from what I'm understanding, it's a couple things tight
to the chest. I knew some things about Isabella. I
knew I know some things about some of the like
the movement. As far as the offensive line, I've talked
to some players regarding the offensive coordinator situation. Believe it

(46:42):
or not, it's actually people are a little bit more
a lot more excitement around Phil than normal than well,
excuse me, not normal than expected. My biggest fear, and
I wrote this in my article, was I didn't want
it to be a Orlando Guardian situation with them bringing
in Seneca and like having the QB like the QB

(47:05):
offensive or QB coach because he actually has called plays
and whatnot, be the like the woman in the red
dress to where Phil has obviously been there, but like
things aren't working very much relating to Robert Ford and
Shane Matthews of twenty twenty three Guardians. So regardless, I'm

(47:25):
really excited about, you know, all these weapons at Receiver.
I know a lot of people will get hyped up
about Isabella being released. From what I understanding, did not
have the greatest of camp but the one that they
release that really upsets me a little bit is Komoko Toure.

(47:46):
And the reason why is because in twenty twenty four
they bring in Peta tome Pano and a couple other
pieces and Chris Garrett to up that pass rush. And
guess how many more sacks they had from twenty twenty
three to twenty twenty four. Yeah, zero, they stood at nineteen.

Speaker 4 (48:04):
Yeh.

Speaker 6 (48:04):
Tua comes into the UFL with twelve career NFL sacks,
not the craziest number, but way more than anyone on
this podcast and in these comments most like so like,
my biggest question for Saint Louis is how are the
tackles going to hold up? I think they did a
good job of And I don't want to say this

(48:26):
in jest of moving on from Vidal Alexander, but their
tackles are a little bit older.

Speaker 5 (48:32):
They're both creeping up on thirty.

Speaker 6 (48:34):
I never have been a big fan of Jared Jones's
smith's footwork.

Speaker 5 (48:38):
I think he's got great hands in great length.

Speaker 6 (48:40):
And I didn't think Jowan Bushwell Beattie was improved from
twenty three to twenty four and what's that pass rush
going to be. Donnie Abraham has done a great job
of implementing a NASCAR package in which he's putting his
edge rushers in the A gaps and they're taking and
they're running what we call a heat front and whatnot,
which they're the int Your rushers are a little bit wider.

Speaker 5 (49:01):
I love that, but I'm just.

Speaker 6 (49:03):
Not sure, like with how much better are we going
to be in the past rush. I think the secondary
will be fine. I just worry about their trenches a
lot more. And I'm glad they're playing Houston because I
think they.

Speaker 5 (49:17):
Can get away with not being air quote fine tuned.

Speaker 6 (49:22):
And I think I'll be a lot more excited for
Week two Saint Louis than I will be Week one,
because then I'll have an actual expectation for the rest
of the season.

Speaker 1 (49:32):
John just general thoughts on you know, the return of
Houston here and TJ and we've had thoughts on that,
and I'm trying to look at rosters and we've been
trying to track and I've made jokes too about you know,
let's Fox Sports and who's on the There's not a
lot of information to hear about this, which I always
hope is going to change every training camp, and it's
it's hard. I mean, Anthony Miller went to the Renegades practice.

(49:54):
I think he said he was the.

Speaker 3 (49:55):
Only media there. You can't go, you know, cover if
you want to do.

Speaker 1 (49:58):
I've seen some local report orders now or some naw
you know, like local reporters doing that remote zoom staff.
But it feels like it's been hard getting information now.

Speaker 2 (50:07):
Yeah, I mean we're seeing a lot of you know,
funny videos out of you know, on social media and
that kind of thing. But as far as like you know,
really going into you know, what personnel looks like, that
kind of thing. I did have an opportunity to talk
to Chris Peyton Jones and you know with the BattleHawks,
and he said he felt like kind of you know,
building on what Pat said there, he said he felt

(50:28):
like they have been much more competitive in camp this
year than maybe they were last year. And I mean
it's showing right now. Saint Louis BattleHawks courting draft Kings
are a touchdown favorite over Houston.

Speaker 4 (50:39):
So so somebody knows something.

Speaker 2 (50:41):
You know, the information is out there, we just don't know,
you know, really, I would love to know more, Yes,
we know Luis Perez, you know, probably look good in camp.
And I you know, I've told you guys. Four of
the teams have finally put me on their mailing list.
The other four, I you know, and and the league itself,
it's like, my it's it's a dust bend. I can't

(51:02):
It's like I open my email and it's like tumbleweeds
from some of these. So I mean, shout out to
the ones who actually, do you know, send us, send
us some things that we can learn about. And but yeah,
I mean I don't know and that and going back
to Pat's point and what Pat and I had talked
about before. If you're if you're not going to promote
your talent that much, these players don't have a lot

(51:24):
of leverage to say, well, we're going to walk out
because it feels like the league is saying, well, you know,
we don't want you to do that, but also we're
not really going to promote everyone and start telling these stories.

Speaker 4 (51:34):
Yet.

Speaker 2 (51:35):
Maybe this week changes that with with the game being
on Fox and this is the first week, so maybe
we'll start to see some roll out of that this week,
I hope. So, I mean the funny videos and camp
that's been fine, and it's good to see some social
media presence. But you know, I think there's there are
some of us out there, and I know we're the sickos,
but we would like to know a little bit about,
you know, what these teams look like.

Speaker 1 (51:55):
I know that they just pushed out the media I
think it was the updated media portal today and we
had a chance to look into any of that stuff
he had that's that improved.

Speaker 2 (52:04):
H I looked at it earlier today. There's no there's
no video on there. It's a lot you know yet
that uh there's some photo well there's a there's a
tab for photos. But when you earlier today, when I
clicked that, it just took you to the Getty Images
site and there's nothing there. So some of some of
the links were still kind of four oh four's And
I talked to somebody in the league earlier with one

(52:26):
of the teams who said they're going to update the
media portal so stand by, and they did today, but
it's still not you know, and this is listen, I'm
ninety nine percent of the people watching this don't care,
but it's just it speaks to you know, what the
league is right now.

Speaker 1 (52:43):
It does and it speaks to and we've always said
this them not even necessarily knowing the audience and the
people that want to and we'll see here as we
approach Friday with injury reports and practice reports and who's playing.
And once he starts like, that's the people you are
trying to attract it and candidly, I've just given up.
I've made such an effort last year, then that's I mean,

(53:04):
and we haven't podcasted every you know, I mean, it's
been what it's been in the labor stripe and all that,
but I just I really used all of that energy
last year, you know, the repeated email lings every week
over the last couple of years, and yeah, I don't
even get all the things from everybody who know what's
going on. And it seems like that to me is
the easy stuff. And be updating that. Let's get some

(53:26):
can we get some simulated depth charts up so people
can start doing this and how yeah, how the hell
are you putt in Saint Louis Is it's just based
on last year?

Speaker 3 (53:33):
Pat? Is that what you can make of that?

Speaker 1 (53:35):
Is it just well, the roughnecks were asked last year,
so they're probably gonna lose that. I don't even know
how these DraftKings formulate that.

Speaker 5 (53:42):
Yeah, I mean I think that's part of it.

Speaker 6 (53:44):
I mean I knew for a fact that DraftKings guys
aren't getting more info. I think they're just going off
the roster and being like, yeah, they're not that good.
But I was thinking about this. By the way, is
with the coaching turmoil.

Speaker 5 (54:00):
Is like C. J. Johnson kind of like air quotes
safe because.

Speaker 6 (54:08):
It's like it's like, you know, you you have that
guy at is that guy at work who's like, I
just need to be not the worst guy here. Like,
but I like like that's it's kind of just like
the Will Smith meme a little bit where he's just like, like,
where's everyone else like uf L u f L Daily

(54:31):
or UFL Central whatever that is.

Speaker 5 (54:33):
Can you make that meme? It's not me? By the way,
I've been accused.

Speaker 3 (54:38):
I do like that. Yeah, I do, Like I don't
know who.

Speaker 1 (54:40):
I like that we have kind of our little centael
now account.

Speaker 5 (54:43):
I love it.

Speaker 3 (54:45):
That's how you.

Speaker 1 (54:46):
Really know that you're you're doing all that. Just a
couple of comments here reels and heels. They're talking about
Brahma's doing so I hanging out and I can't. I
can do that here showing up the Pear. I love
the Pearl in San Antonio. That's a freaking sweet spot.
So that would be awesome to get together for that. Yeah, well,
that's good. Thoughts on the on the rest of the

(55:07):
matchups here, I mean, we don't have super deep die
but you know Arlington hosting the Bramas Bramas favorited there.
Do you have any thoughts on that? John, and kind
of the big Saturday I guess that would be the
standalone Saturday matchup at one o'clock?

Speaker 3 (55:22):
Is that?

Speaker 4 (55:22):
Well? Uh yeah, I do like that.

Speaker 2 (55:25):
Uh yeah, it's four o'clock Eastern time, and you know
it's on Fox on a Saturday afternoon. You know, Arlington,
which is the headquarters of the UFL. You got to
hope that, you know, there's a good turnout for that
and the optics are there. Yeah, let's see what Brama's
three point favorites right now? I mean, again, how do
we know? But DraftKings says that's what it is. Yeah,

(55:47):
this should be you know, Now, obviously Friday is the
is the marquee game, but that's Saturday afternoon game at one. Now,
I don't know there's I'm sure there's basketball on at
that time too, or should be. I guess I haven't
looked at it, even looked at the schedule yet, but
you'll have your Thursday winners playing sometimes Saturday.

Speaker 4 (56:05):
And in the UH and then Sunday, which.

Speaker 2 (56:07):
Though that's noon in three o'clock, it is probably the
same way I should have had my I'll have to
get right now, Okay, So yeah, I mean there are
opportunities here. You know, we can plain so much about uh,
you know, last year and the year before with the
f S ones and the ESPN twos and all that,
we don't have.

Speaker 4 (56:26):
We don't have a lot of that.

Speaker 2 (56:27):
So it's awesome to see on the first week Fox, Fox, ESPN, ESPN.

Speaker 1 (56:32):
It's not even on, it's not even showing up on
my Fubo right now, I'm trying to see one o'clock.
There we go, So one o'clock it's going out, and
then what's the Mark Schmand that's on tn T and
all that. I'll yeah, so you're going up against yeah,
directed regional finals, both those on ESPN. You Yeah, I

(56:54):
don't know, they did decent last year going up the
head against the Athletics at the Mariners.

Speaker 2 (56:59):
John so well, I get it, Like, so Friday Eastern time,
So that game Friday is at eight o'clock Eastern. At
seven o'clock, you've got on Friday seven eastern time, You've
got yeah, you've got you know, you've got actually Ole
miss Michigan State, Kentucky, Tennessee. It's in the seven o'clock hour,

(57:19):
and then the late games in nine thirty and ten
or Michigan, Auburn, Purdue Houston. So you got two number
one seeds that are playing in that late window. So
that's why I say, like this this should be I
almost want to throw it out, but I also want
to say, like, this is your first Friday night, Friday
night game, so you've got to make this kind of
a market marquee thing.

Speaker 3 (57:40):
Pat thoughts Renegades here.

Speaker 1 (57:43):
Anthony's had a lot of coverage at PRES and all
that I saw. He had some comments this week talking
about the development the important is string football, and Mike
was going with people just not going out but just
you know, trying to build up all of this. How
do we feel about the Renegades, How do we feel
about Perez. How do you feel about and it feels
like we're kind of rolling this out now a third
time with that, What do you make of the Reneganes?

Speaker 6 (58:03):
I mean, I just talking like all the matchups, believe
it or not, I think I think the marquee matchup
of UH Saint Louis and Houston is actually the least
attractive one.

Speaker 5 (58:15):
So I think, Yes, I think everyone.

Speaker 6 (58:17):
Kind of not like and I don't say it in
disrespect to the league. It's just like the BattleHawks should
be Yeah, exactly, Leon. The BattleHawks should win this game.
They should win by ten points or more. Yes, and
they need to work out all their kings Arlington and

(58:38):
San Antonio. Yeah, is exciting because we get to see
Kellen Mond and we you know, could see if he's
going to be you.

Speaker 4 (58:47):
Know, p J.

Speaker 5 (58:48):
Walker or is he going to be Aaron Murray.

Speaker 6 (58:50):
And I find that really awesome because my biggest complaint
about quarterbacks in in pro football in general is get
these guys out of Q be purgatory. Kyle Sloter, he
was a guy who just practice squad, practice squad, you know,
elevation never got the opportunity, did okay with the breakers,

(59:11):
you know, was able to latch on for a couple
of weeks in the NFL, got another chance with the.

Speaker 5 (59:15):
Renegades washed out.

Speaker 6 (59:17):
He's good like we had our opportunity, couldn't make the standard.
Kellen Mond to me is in that mold. Also with
the Louis Presning. He's launching his book I think on
the twenty seventh or twenty eighth Thursday night.

Speaker 5 (59:29):
Zoom.

Speaker 4 (59:29):
I'm on it.

Speaker 5 (59:30):
I'm on it.

Speaker 4 (59:32):
He's gotten zoom that he's it's the whole event. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (59:36):
Oh, I haven't gotten my media invite.

Speaker 4 (59:39):
Oh it wasn't a media invite.

Speaker 5 (59:40):
I'm yeah, dude, he got it.

Speaker 3 (59:43):
Wow.

Speaker 4 (59:44):
Wow, it's a it's a it's a book event. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (59:47):
So you can buy the book, and I guess he's
gonna talk. I would just I did sign up. The
sign up was free. You're gonna have to buy book.

Speaker 3 (59:53):
I've met.

Speaker 1 (59:54):
I think we've had beers with Louis Prez's cousins both
and in Choctaw, Texas life there, so I'll take that.
I'm happy.

Speaker 6 (01:00:04):
I'm the biggest thing with the Renegades I'm curious about
is how do they use Holton Ayler's or Luke Lennon
to kind of elongate the effectiveness of Perez and shout
out to Daveon Smith big money moves, just showing up
when he felt like it.

Speaker 5 (01:00:22):
I love that for him.

Speaker 6 (01:00:24):
He's like, hey man, you know I got I got
this consulting gig I'm doing.

Speaker 5 (01:00:29):
Probably I can't be there.

Speaker 6 (01:00:30):
Nor will I real real pumped for him to give
it another go in the league. But yeah, I'm just
curious to see how, you know, because Bob is like
the best coach in this league and not from like
the wins and loss, but like him and Wade, they're
just two bros coaching ball, loving it, and I just,
you know, I'm I'm curious to see, in a perfect

(01:00:51):
utopia where the league lasts for ten more years, how
do they integrate the next wave of these guys and
whatnot to see if like they can actually build a
true franchise, because I think Bob and Wade they're kind
of the only ones who are thinking that far ahead
because they they're gonna be all right if this thing goes,
you know, could put in a year. So like, I like,

(01:01:15):
I'm curious to see if they start integrating some of
these younger guys and as Luis, I mean I don't
personally think you launch a book with the intention of
coming back another year.

Speaker 2 (01:01:24):
No, I agree, like this is this is the final
chapter of the paperback. When it comes out, this will
be Yeah, you know, I thought it was interesting back
to the BattleHawks that they posted today, you know, are
starting quarterbacks and it was starting quarterbacks. So I don't
know that you can't have two starting quarterbacks. So uh
it was you know, So that was I thought that
was interesting that you know, everyone is starting to to

(01:01:46):
show kind of their depth and who who's who's going
to be playing quarterback and you had a you had
a two for in the uh in the picture from
Saint Louis. So yeah, it's sounds like they're going to
try to be pretty creative on offense.

Speaker 6 (01:01:58):
I mean you can, you can do it against Houston.
I can play quarterbacks, you know what I mean?

Speaker 2 (01:02:04):
There it is Yeah, I think, uh yeah, I think
the three here on the on the left of the
screen could probably get in there and maybe complete a pass.

Speaker 1 (01:02:12):
Well, so here's my question here, as we like to
these last two games and then there I wanted to
do that. So this this Stallion's game, this might be
a disaster, right because you have Birmingham coming in off
the championship game here and then d C. Right, we
have no coach, we have no OC. You know, we're
we're kind of reeling that way. Uh the Memphis they

(01:02:33):
might have been screwed kind of anyway.

Speaker 3 (01:02:35):
I don't know.

Speaker 1 (01:02:35):
I'm curious what you guys make of those two games
where I think Birmingham probably was obviously going to be
the favorite anyway, but especially now with the head coach.

Speaker 3 (01:02:44):
But Johnny Eddie thoughts on that, Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:02:46):
I kind of wish this was switched around because if
Michigan Memphis ends up just being an absolutely terrible game
in a blowout, it gives you no lead in for
the Birmingham and DC. Just from a TV perspective. I mean, again,
the people want watching here. We're all sick, so we'll we'll,
we'll watch it. It doesn't matter. But yeah, you know,

(01:03:07):
I don't know, we see we see so often with
a new coach steps in and you know, the players
kind of end up playing for him. Uh So I
don't know that. To me, Birmingham d C is a
lot more maybe compelling maybe in my eyes than it
is your guys eyes. But I just I really worry
about that lead in because Michigan Memphis right now. I mean,

(01:03:31):
you know, maybe the Memphis players step up to play
for for Jim Turner. But also I don't know how
much talent they had in the first place there, so
it's it's hard to tell.

Speaker 1 (01:03:39):
Yeah, that's what we're having comments here. Mike ge is
chatting in this ye shots see Barlow leave.

Speaker 3 (01:03:43):
I don't know.

Speaker 1 (01:03:45):
Yeah, some of these teams might not have been great anyway,
but certainly with all of this, Yeah, it'd be nice
if you could have had the Memphis DC.

Speaker 3 (01:03:51):
Kind of the battle of the coach list teams. I
would have liked that.

Speaker 1 (01:03:55):
That's on either of these, either of these other bats
before we get out here.

Speaker 6 (01:03:59):
I think Memphis the Memphis game, it will be closer
than we think. And then because there's talk about a
dual QB system, and I think with those two guys
getting comfortable, I do think Perkins is way better or
excuse me, I say like maybe a gear or two

(01:04:19):
above Ettling. I think either one of those guys obviously
wins the game, but with them not being able to
get into a system, whether it be are they going
every series or are they going every quarter?

Speaker 5 (01:04:31):
And then whichever quarterback.

Speaker 6 (01:04:33):
That they lean towards for that second half or those
second set of series and whatnot. That's when I think
the kind of the continuity and whatnot getting together. That's
when I could see that Memphis game looking into that
thirty to thirty to fifteen, which yeah, it's only a
two score difference, but it really was like Michigan kind
of messing around a little bit, figuring out their kinks,

(01:04:56):
and then exploding into the second half with DC with
the continuity at coordinator, with Tayamu, a good offensive line,
and good football players on that team. Very generic speak.
I know, Shannon Harris just needs to not mess up.
That's all he has to do. And like I said,

(01:05:18):
it's he doesn't have to worry about the x's and
o's to an extent.

Speaker 5 (01:05:23):
He just has to not mess up.

Speaker 6 (01:05:25):
He needs to lean on he needs the lean on
his experience in his staff. There might be some issues
because I know that they've lost their offensive line coach
as well. I don't remember who they replaced it with,
but you you have Fred Kais and Greg Williams.

Speaker 5 (01:05:44):
These are two smart, grown men. Use them.

Speaker 4 (01:05:47):
Well.

Speaker 2 (01:05:48):
Here's the question, though, do they have them, though, are
they gonna stay on staff?

Speaker 4 (01:05:52):
I don't.

Speaker 2 (01:05:52):
I haven't seen if. Because there's some talk that Reggie
Barlow was gonna take some coaches with him.

Speaker 6 (01:05:57):
Man, I so I will I will shoot I will
shoot somebody at TACKS message about that because I I
have had the privilege of talking to some Tennessee State people,
and I will talk to my mentor about that and
maybe have a breaking news thing. But I mean, yeah,

(01:06:18):
I just I feel like that decision comes out tomorrow,
like now, you know what I mean, Like like I
have to look at what Tennessee State's doing springball wise.
I was under the understanding that they started already, but
you know, you just.

Speaker 5 (01:06:36):
I don't know.

Speaker 6 (01:06:36):
Man, I feel like, if anything, he would have brought Shannon.
Shannon's his guy, like he Shannon Harris is his guy.

Speaker 5 (01:06:43):
So it's like like.

Speaker 4 (01:06:45):
He might go ahead, go ahead.

Speaker 5 (01:06:48):
He might leave after the season.

Speaker 6 (01:06:49):
Like it's not it's not a big deal to take
a QB coach or OC after springball. There's going to
be coaching changes throughout college football after springball because guys,
just stuff happens, you know, it's a real reality of situation.
I mean, guy from UCLA just went to UTPB within
the week ago.

Speaker 5 (01:07:09):
You know, like there's been stuff with our staff as spring.

Speaker 6 (01:07:12):
Ball's going on, you know, and so like you know,
and it's gonna continue to change. I believe a year
or two ago, our offensive coordinator did spring ball with
another college and then came to us.

Speaker 5 (01:07:25):
Like we lost our oc he went to another school.

Speaker 6 (01:07:27):
It happens. So granted's smaller level, but it happens all
over the place. And if you go on FootballScoop dot com,
job applications are out there every day and it's the
greatest website out there.

Speaker 4 (01:07:40):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:07:40):
I was just gonna you know, what do you guys think?
Was this Shannon Harris move? Maybe Reggie Barlow saying listen,
I'm gonna leave try out this head coaching thing. This
could be more of a of a resume builder than
you coming, you know with me to Tennessee State.

Speaker 1 (01:07:56):
Yeah, it's certainly not a not a bank account booster,
so yes, but get your name on your resume as
a head coach of a football team.

Speaker 2 (01:08:05):
Right, Yeah, I mean helped Reggie Barlow, I mean he
had been a head coach before, obviously.

Speaker 5 (01:08:10):
I don't think it helped.

Speaker 6 (01:08:11):
I think Reggie personally, I think Reggie Barlow was trying
to make the jump from and I don't compare him
to be enemy because there are two different human beings
from a character standpoint, but I would say Barlow was
trying to make the jump from college football coach to

(01:08:32):
associate head coach at the NFL level, with hopes of
getting to become a coordinator one day and then eventually,
like Barlow, I think will be an NFL coordinator and
then a NFL head coach before he leaves this Earth.

Speaker 5 (01:08:47):
I am one confidence on that. If that is what
he wants to do.

Speaker 4 (01:08:52):
Seems like he's positioned for that. That's true.

Speaker 6 (01:08:54):
He is in a very good spot to where and
he's got some connections to the pro level, played in
the NFL. I think he has a Super Bowl ring,
and he's got plenty of guys that are yeah that
have Barlow.

Speaker 5 (01:09:09):
And I think Mike has told me this. Barlow has
had position.

Speaker 6 (01:09:12):
Jobs to him, But I think the associate head coach
position job is it not even money wise, but a
status wise. That's what he needs to get the coordinator
to do his time and then there. But if he
crushes at Tennessee State, I mean they play in the
o VC wins a couple of those. He could go

(01:09:33):
to a Power four level. Power four guys have come
from OVC schools.

Speaker 3 (01:09:39):
Anything else.

Speaker 1 (01:09:39):
I had a couple of comments, I'm gonna pull up
here before we get out. Pat's got it out here in.

Speaker 3 (01:09:43):
A few minutes. And then I know, John, you got stuff. Well,
it'll be good. This very is.

Speaker 2 (01:09:47):
This is my lunch break right now, So this is
what that's good.

Speaker 1 (01:09:50):
I did think it was funny they posted this, you know,
the Shannon Harris thing, and it's like just the most
generic coach speaking the world, Like I want them to
know we're going to be the team that plays.

Speaker 2 (01:10:00):
When I saw this, it reminded me of every college
basketball media day that I covered in thirty years of television.
We're gonna play up tempo this year. We're gonna do
but I want the team to know.

Speaker 3 (01:10:11):
I want them to know when we step on the
kind of team that we.

Speaker 4 (01:10:14):
Are one hundred percent.

Speaker 2 (01:10:15):
But I will give DC you know, it was probably
good to get him, you know, instead of just pictures
like get him talking and and here this is your
new head coach that's gonna that's gonna be coaching this.

Speaker 4 (01:10:26):
Weekend, so I'll give him credit on that one for sure.

Speaker 3 (01:10:29):
Oh totally.

Speaker 1 (01:10:29):
I did see something about new jerseys coming out here,
so I'm gonna see.

Speaker 3 (01:10:32):
If we can get that before we get out.

Speaker 1 (01:10:34):
Uh, pat Any, any thoughts on the Oh yeah, here
we go.

Speaker 3 (01:10:37):
No here, let's do this here real quick. So we
got under.

Speaker 1 (01:10:39):
Armor here, I'll look through here. Pat Any pouts on
engineering coach speak.

Speaker 3 (01:10:43):
Let me get some decent to pull up.

Speaker 5 (01:10:44):
Oh dude, I love generic coach speak.

Speaker 6 (01:10:48):
You know what I always have to do with my
kids is I always have to like, you know, it's
I always gotta give some generic coach speak where it's like, yeah, man,
you gotta drive your hands, keep your leverage and oh
yeah man, like keep keeping this fight, you know, and
low yeah. I mean my favorite thing is if you
play for the name on the front, the.

Speaker 5 (01:11:09):
Name of the back will prosper.

Speaker 3 (01:11:11):
All right, here we go, so let me share this
and this this website. But we got it here.

Speaker 1 (01:11:15):
I'm like, can we just like pull up the thing?
So we have new under Armour stuff so you can
buy like shirts ever. But they now have the jerseys
on here, which I think, right fantastic because you get
home on the ways of both, which we never got again.
I can subscribe, get us up to four thousand subscribers.
Dustin and Royal Retros will make you a custom one.
I have a Dragons one from twenty twenty. That's awesome.

(01:11:37):
I get complimented out all the time. But anyway, we
have all these on here Birmingham. I still love the
Roughnecks stuff. I think the roughnecks look really good, but
you know, go check them out on there. Not a
big fan of the one. It's a tough number to wear.
I was really upset when Deebo Samuel decided to keep
it one for the commanders. I was going to get
a Devo nineteen John. I was going to get it

(01:12:00):
like the Vapor Rush Nike Elite, you know, like the
five hundred dollars. I was going to get that, but
he didn't.

Speaker 4 (01:12:07):
He had a one.

Speaker 1 (01:12:07):
I said, well, I'm not going to do that anything else.
Before we want to get out of here. Mike did
have a comment that he's not seventy but he is.

Speaker 3 (01:12:15):
Where is he?

Speaker 1 (01:12:17):
I had it here. I had Mike's yeah, not seventy
yet out there? Yeah, Mike with sarians and DMS in
the group chat people very very shocked by that.

Speaker 3 (01:12:26):
So there you go. Anything else before we want to
get out of here.

Speaker 2 (01:12:29):
John in the comments, Well, that brings up a good
question though that maybe that's why in the release. I mean,
I'm speculating here because it's what we do. But in
the release it never said that Jim Monos the GM
made this, made made this, you know, Jim Turner elevation.

Speaker 4 (01:12:43):
It was it was the league that did it.

Speaker 2 (01:12:45):
I just I just thought that was interesting and that
Buell's right that under armour gear looks pretty awesome. Yeah,
it looks good, and he's also right about that.

Speaker 3 (01:12:54):
Anyway, I've pad anything else real, No, I just.

Speaker 6 (01:12:58):
You know, really excited to see the Stallions, believe it
or not, in the post Potter era. You know, I
don't think this is like a legacy thing for Skip.
I think, yeah, I'm a pretty big Skip Holtz fan,
you know, just the love that his players have for
him and whatnot. But I mean, I think my favorite

(01:13:19):
part about the Stallions and a lot of people are like, oh,
I'm sick of them winning, and I'm like, but it's
really not them. It's a new group of guys and whatnot,
and like I'm curious to see on the Magoo, Like
how does Magoo look like in twenty twenty five? You know,
like I still you know a lot of people don't
realize like how many reps he's got in and whatnot,

(01:13:40):
his perspective with the receiving and whatnot. So I'm just
I'm really excited to see how Birmingham looks. I mean,
that team is that team looks great. I mean Pother's
not there anymore, but I think like eighty percent of
those players are his, So I don't get mad when
they repeat because it's not Pat Mahomes. I mean, they've
won three different championships with three different qbs. I would

(01:14:03):
even lobby a fourth because Matt Corral got them to
the got them to the championship game against Michigan last year.

Speaker 5 (01:14:11):
And you know, I'm excited. I'm pumped for that game too.

Speaker 6 (01:14:14):
So I know we didn't talk about Birmingham too much,
but I mean they are the standard.

Speaker 1 (01:14:18):
So we did I think our best kind of working
through all this stuff. One quick thing on here. Yeah,
so we already have the thing, Yo, Leon, who's number one?

Speaker 3 (01:14:29):
You can't do the number one?

Speaker 1 (01:14:30):
Just do just do twenty five, Like just do the
year of the thing. If you can't, if you're only
doing one number one looks terrible.

Speaker 3 (01:14:36):
But if you do. Look down here it's a pre order.

Speaker 1 (01:14:38):
They'll ship on April eighteenth, which is and again obviously
it's not going to ship by the kickoffs this weekend,
but like the season's done, I mean that's gonna be
and the best, right, So like.

Speaker 3 (01:14:51):
Just just something to think about. I had.

Speaker 1 (01:14:54):
I wrote a horrendous email to WWE Shop about something
because I ordered a on seeing the shirt that they canceled,
and they said, so it took him, John, it took
him three weeks to cancel my order. And then they go, oh,
it's sold out. I go, well, everything's gone now and
everything's markup and everything's bootleg. I go, okay, so what

(01:15:15):
did I get from buying through the source anyway?

Speaker 3 (01:15:17):
So we have all that on there? Yeah, Boomer says,
someone beat the Stallions.

Speaker 1 (01:15:21):
All right, we're gonna get out of here. So Pat's
gonna go John and I gonna get out of here.
You know, check out Pats Channel, I analyze and educate.
All his episodes go on.

Speaker 3 (01:15:30):
All Football, Allfootball dot Com.

Speaker 1 (01:15:32):
And then John's John Willis Sports on there, John and
I will look to be back every week at some
point after the games. We'll talk through all that and
figure out and we might have some special guests and stuff.

Speaker 3 (01:15:43):
But like, this is kind of where we're at now.

Speaker 1 (01:15:46):
If it's too like, if people got too much stuff
going on, we do it when it works. If you
like it, listen, please like it, subscribe. But I can't
stress anymore. I spent four years trying to stress about
all this stuff. So that's what we're gonna do. Pat
anything from you, and then we'll go to John.

Speaker 3 (01:15:58):
We'll get up no guys.

Speaker 6 (01:16:00):
Obviously, like Reid said, my channel is to analyze and educate.
I will probably be doing QB ranking videos, all that
goofy stuff I've done for the last couple of years.
Should have a showboats player on, might do a little
fifteen minute video with them. Personal opinion to those I

(01:16:20):
don't know how many people are watching this have tuned in.

Speaker 5 (01:16:23):
I usually we do pretty well with these type of things.

Speaker 6 (01:16:26):
But very grateful that we're able to continue to do
this for twenty twenty five. And obviously, like this might
sound a bit crass, but the more engagement, the more
videos we do. If people don't like it, you know,
we'll still probably do it, but just for Yeah, it's

(01:16:46):
more just like hanging with the homies and type thing.
But yeah, guys, you know, continue to get feedback and
you know, obviously I think I think, you know, the
more feedback we get and worst case he done, the
CFL will continue.

Speaker 5 (01:16:59):
To do there a thing.

Speaker 6 (01:17:01):
But you know, we got a prep for when we
get this real, right if the QFL is our next niche.

Speaker 1 (01:17:07):
Yeah, Pat and I We're always gonna work for the
quality Football league here coming up in twenty twenty five.

Speaker 3 (01:17:13):
Yeah, John, anything else from you.

Speaker 2 (01:17:15):
No, I had, Like I said earlier, shout out to
Brian Stall, who's the PR director at Saint Louis, helped
me get a you know, one on one with Chris
Payton Jones, who has a great story.

Speaker 4 (01:17:24):
If you don't know it, I'm hoping to tell it
this week.

Speaker 2 (01:17:27):
And I did not mean to put my handle on
there twice, but it is at John Lewis Sports. If
if I wants to check it out, and I do
some I do some UFL stuff, you know, try to
at least weekly and and you know I'll be on
here with you read every week.

Speaker 4 (01:17:42):
We'll talk break down the games. I'm looking forward to it.

Speaker 2 (01:17:45):
I'm cautiously optimistic, So I'm looking forward to this weekend
and I you know.

Speaker 4 (01:17:52):
I'm pulling for this league. Man.

Speaker 2 (01:17:53):
It is so fun to watch and it's given these
players so many chances. So looking forward to it.

Speaker 3 (01:17:58):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (01:17:58):
I said, we're gonna do what we can in the
in the in the way that we.

Speaker 3 (01:18:02):
Can in the time. But I appreciate it.

Speaker 1 (01:18:04):
Check out Anthony's workover on allfootball dot Com and Pat's
Got stuff and John's episodes. Everyone's kind of stuff and
Mike and crag and should be fun. Give a thumbs up.

Speaker 3 (01:18:13):
I like everything, and we'll see you guys next time.
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