Green Light with Chris Long - Cliff Avril's Best Legion of Boom Stories + NFL Schedule Leaks

Episode Date: May 14, 2026

The NFL Schedule is here...almost. Chris and Dr. Fax take a peek at the leaked NFL games, notably all the NFL's games on the 2026 International Schedule. Chris and Nate also detail what NFLers look for when the schedule first comes out. Then we catch an incredible convo between Beau and Cliff Avril from the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh. Cliff covers his time in Detroit, heading to Seattle and winning the Super Bowl, playing with Calvin Johnson and Ndamukong Suh, and the Seahawks fans. Chris and Nate finish up with a little Fax Finds - LeBron James' future, Dillon Brooks' trolling, Netflix's QB Season 3 and Ballmaxxing. (00:00:00) - Intro (00:04:57) - NFL International & Holiday Games (00:42:40) - Cliff Avril on Winning the Super Bowl & Seattle's Legion of Boom (01:25:55) - Netflix's QB Season 3 featuring Joe Flacco, Baker Mayfield, Cam Ward and Jayden Daniels (01:35:07) - Layup Line (01:40:59) - LeBron James' Future (01:45:38) - LeBron James vs Dillon Brooks (01:52:07) - Nick Wright on Athletes Bringing Kids to Press Conferences (02:00:07) - Ballmaxxing Have some interesting takes, some codebreaks or just want to talk to the Green Light Crew? We want to hear from you. Call into the Green Light Hotline presented by Zone Nicotine and give us your hottest takes, your biggest gripes and general thoughts. Day and night, this hotline is open: ‪[phone]‬ With the return of the Layup Line, make sure to check out the playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1olmCMKGMEyWwOKaT1Aah3?si=YP1-ffQ3T_yUDRnJRhDtOw Check out Green Light's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, where you can catch all the latest GL action: Green Light with Chris Long: Subscribe and enjoy weekly content including podcasts, documentaries, live chats, celebrity interviews and more including hot news items, trending discussions from the NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, NCAA are just a small part of what we will be sharing with you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It doesn't matter how it starts. As long as you continue to keep putting that work in, long as you continue to keep moving forward, things will work itself out. And that's how my career worked out. O and 16, to win in two games, to become a franchise player for the Lions, to win the Super Bowl.

Starting with the international games and the holiday games. Are we going? Okay. So are we going? So you go. Dude, I was hoping. I was hoping that you didn't know anything about it. And then when you showed up, that I'd be like, hey, by the way, week five?

Is it week five? Week five. The hell, yeah, we're going, dude. And the fans, the 12s understood that. Like, they took pride in being the 12s. As a D-Lyman, it was so clutch because I knew you didn't have, you couldn't audit it. Right. Like, you were stuck in your play count.

You were stuck. So, you know, once my, once the play clock got to a certain point, I'm jumping the ball. Like, you can't, you can't change it up. You know what I mean? So that was a, that was a bonus for me. But playing in front of 12s, man, you feel. I felt like rock stuff. Welcome to today's podcast.

We have an outstanding guest for you, procured by our very own Bo Allen at the draft. His name is Cliff Averill, one of the premier pass rushers, in my opinion from my era, one of my draft classmates, Purdue Boilermaker, and Seattle Seahawk. And I always say this. I was so fucking jealous. I know they say jealousy is like an ugly thing

and you shouldn't get jealous, but I was jealous as fuck of Cliff Averill and Michael Bennett and those guys. And they all became great friends. In fact, I played with Mike Bennett. But Cliff, man, those guys that got to play in Seattle, they got to rush in Seattle, it was deafening up there. They were off the ball when the nose of the football, like before the nose of the football moved.

That was the greatest silent count in the history of football. And also an awesome place to play. And they had a great defense. So we'd go there annually and get beat like 12 to 7. And I would watch those guys and be like, man, these motherfuckers. But I love Cliff Averill. Love Cliff Averill. Great dude.

Bo talked about this. He was like, I've never met Cliff. Like, what's this going to be like? You know, Bo's getting really good at these interviews and he's reping it more. And, you know, sometimes before you go into interview a guy, you're like, what's the chemistry going to be like? and you know are we going to get along like i've never met the guy before what if what if he's boring you know what if he's awkward he called me right after he's like you know cliff averill's the best dude ever you weren't lying he's just an awesome human being great football player

enjoy that one uh i've been asking fan bases uh questions uh you know what did i ask uh who did i who did i ask last it was the colts we had uh laatu latu on the show which by the way was very very good interview in my opinion i part of to the guy. I think he's a heck of a rusher. One of the best young rushers in the game who's got a real full toolkit. He's got a bunch of moves, that sort of thing. But anyways, Colts fans who might not frequent this podcast who came just for the interview, I asked him, who is the most underrated Colt of all time. And I think I'm going to ask the Seahawks fans that same question. So leave that in the comments. Who is the most underrated Seahawk of all time? Let me give

a shout out to Red Bryant. That guy was a really important piece of that L-O-B. Didn't get as much credit as the other guys. I thought he was fantastic. That's not my answer. But, you know, I said Bob Sanders the other day, which legitimately could have been true in indie. But Red Bryant was the first guy that I thought of. And also, shout out to Cortez Kennedy. I know that Cortez Kennedy is a celebrated player, but he used to get it done. That dude was a beast. Red Bryant. That's a big man. Rock 79 out there had no conscience about his swag, dude. Like, he was, I remember one time we were scuffling it at midfield, like pregame,

because it was kind of a rivalry. And he kind of got my face and maybe even pushed me a little bit. There's two pushes I remember really distinctly. Trent Williams pushing me after the game because I pissed Trent Williams off. I pushed the wrong button. Pushed me, my neck almost snapped backwards off my head, dude. It was like, head still attached. Strong individual, as you know.

We squash that. Trent's the coolest. And it wasn't even like I was kissing his ass. The next time I saw him, he was just so cool. Like, we talked about it. It was cool. But Red Bryant, man, that is a strong individual. I was one of those things where I was like,

maybe I should piss this guy off. And then very quickly I was like, maybe a bad idea. But I don't play offensive tackle, so I don't have to deal with him. but enjoy Cliff we've got some news to talk about today I wish the schedule was all the way out

but it's not and we do have some leaks as we do every year starting with the international games and the holiday games so are we going? Okay so are we going

so you go dude I was hoping I was hoping that you didn't know anything about it and then when you showed up that I'd be like hey by the way week five is it week five

Week five. Hell yeah, we're going, dude. Wait, what's that date? I haven't told my wife that we're going yet. Fuck. What happened? Wait, what's that date? October 11th.

Huh? October 11th. Oh, okay, cool. What would have been a short list of things that would have you missing this game? My best friend's wedding is in September, like third week, like week three. I already looked at it. Such an irresponsible time to get married. God.

Oh, my God. But I love, Ali, I love you. So, yeah, dude. It doesn't matter. But thank God, it's not. up it's not oh so so they're m gm they're gonna send us we're going to cross the bottom sending us i don't know how we're getting there maybe maybe nichols air nicholas air nicholas air nicholas air as much i as much i've worn this hat i think they should fucking fly over there

every time you wear that hat all i think about is johnny drama have you do you watch atara have you no oh my god are you guys all honorage guys Oh, yeah. What, Tanner? You'll love... I missed it. I tried it. I didn't watch TV until I was like fucking 19, so I missed a lot of shit.

I'm going back. I'll get there. I'll get there. Entourage is a great show, but it gives Johnny drama. Okay. I don't... First off, you're using the term it gives. Secondly, you're aging in reverse from a, you know, like just a...

Benjamin Button. Yeah, you're culturally Benjamin Button. You just said it's giving or it gives. And I don't want to be giving Johnny Drama if I know the show at all. Okay. Do I? No, you're, you're, you're, you're realistically in the grand scheme of green light, you're Vince.

Which guy's Vince? The main, the main guy's. The show is based on Mark Wahlberg's early days in Hollywood. So basically Vince is Mark Wahlberg. And then his brother is Johnny Drama. Got it. Yeah. And drama.

that they shoot the scenes where Walberg was just hate crime and people. I don't think those made the series. Yeah, the director's cut. It's not funny. But yeah, so you know another show that doesn't do it for me? Don't say it. What do you think I was going to say? Sopranos?

No, I like Sopranos. I try to get my wife to re-watch it with me. That's like a year-long thing. Yeah. For somebody with three kids. No, no, no. To re-watch Sopranos is going to take a year. Yes.

So I mentioned this the other day. Paradise. Can't get into it. You can't? Legitimately don't get what people get about the show. 15 minutes in, some of the most heavy-handed dialogue, the writers were smelling their own farts. And I apologize to the writers of that show. If you did something I liked at some point, and there's some good actors in there and the whole thing.

but like, I was like, Jesus Christ, turn it off. How far did you get into it? 15 minutes. See, like, a show like that, like, give it to the second episode. Dude, there's way too many TV shows out there. No, that's valid. You have to hook me in the first 15 minutes. That's valid.

I don't have time. As I said, three kids, a limited amount of time to watch a show. If you can't get me in 15 minutes, I'm out. Yo, here's a funny thing. I'm the same way, but the thing that kind of, kind of saves me is that my girl I want to watch a show and I'll feel the same way. Like I'll sit down from the beginning and I'll watch it

and I'll give it a chance and in the back of my head, I'm like, this is bullshit. I can't do it. And then she'll keep watching it and I'll end up being right back. I'll be back on the couch and be like, dang, I wish I watched the second half that first episode so I can have a little bit more of context of what's going on.

Oh shit, this guy did cars? Yeah, Dan Fogam. Oh. Well, he, I mean, he was cooking there. Also, too, as well. Crazy stupid love. Oh, great. And then he had...

He invented Lightning McQueen? Yeah. Yeah, I just don't like Paradise. Sorry. All right. This is us. This is us. I want to get...

Yeah, my wife watches that. Yeah, yeah. It looks sad. Yeah, I don't think it's heavy. I'm not into it. It's heavy. It's very, it's very... You know, like when you watch something on an airplane without the sound, like the person next to you is watching it, like that's how I've watched the entire This is Us, like my wife sitting in bed with their headphones on. I'm like, no, it's not for me.

Back to London, dude. We're going. Week 5, Philly, Jacksonville, first thought my head was, we're going. Now, I haven't got my clearance papers yet, but I will. We got to go to London to watch Jags Eagles. So that's one of... You've played there how many times? Twice. Twice. And you, you... Played the Jags there. I've never ever been there.

I played the Jags there. You've never been to London. London's incredible. I was looking at castles that we could walk around. Why does everyone say that the... London is great except for the food? The food sucks. Like, why is that?

Because they eat like beans and hot dogs on a plate with like... I've been to Amsterdam. It's similar to that. Like, every breakfast. like the beans and probably they do fishing chips but at least in london and it's the same thing in amsterdam you can find really good restaurant but just like the everyday fair there is like not not good dude our taste buds aren't meant for no no no no so we we got the londing game oh um that's exciting pull up the whole slate for the international games is this too many

I think this is a good number. It will be, we do have back to back to back, to back, London games, Colts, commanders, Eagles, Jags, Texans, Jags. Who got the short end of the stick here? Definitely Niners Rams who have to fly to Australia. Niners have two international games. Yep. They travel more than the Niners will travel more miles in 2026 on the Panthers, Browns, and Bear

combined. That's insane. So if I was Kyle Shanahan, I'd be pissed too. I would be pissed. Steelers, by the way, I read this somewhere else. I forget who to attribute this to. It's an objective truth, so you just have to look at the schedule, but

the Steelers only leave their time zone one time other than going to Paris the entire season. So that's huge. You talk about like, because my first thought is I've done London the amount of jet lag the amount of like depending on how your team does it there's two ways to do it you can get out there early which sleep specialists say don't do that

because your body clock won't adjust it's like trying to go to Wyoming when we went to Wyoming to play Wyoming and adjusts the altitude in three days and go outside and run you just drain in your battery we did we ran the week of the game I remember I fuck fuck I remember too but uh It's the same thing. It's like they, you know, sleep specials say tactical strike, get in there, get out, like going on Friday or Saturday morning. Don't go in on like Tuesday because you'll just end up jet lagged. But on the back end of it, here's the first thing I thought looking at this deal is bet whoever is playing the Niners and the Rams against the spread week two. Right now, right now.

Yes. Who is it? week two niners rams whoever they play those guys will have been

in Australia like that what is that time zone no idea what even is it it's like ocean it's like it's like

totally different day Australian Eastern standard time so like what is it like what time is it so it is 955 a.m. right now

on on May 14th on Thursday It's a 21-hour difference. That's crazy. So for them, it's an 18-hour difference. I can't tell you, when I go over to Tanzania, East Africa, it's an eight-hour difference. And I'm over there for like eight, nine days or whatever.

When I come back, there's like a two-week adjustment period for me and my body clock. And when you're an athlete and you're so into your routine and your rhythm, that's going to be really hard. How those teams decide to travel, how they want to do it. Like, they're probably getting it and getting out. Yeah, for all this, like, Hawaii, better get a stadium. We might as well be playing games. He might as well be playing games once a year in Hawaii. Like, that's, I didn't realize it was like Australia was that far.

Oh, it's pretty far. Where'd you think it was? I don't know. Like, I've never, like, really looked of going to Australia and, like, look up, like, how long is this flight? But if you had to guess, where would you think it was? Like, I would think. Like, near Hawaii? No, no, no, no, no, no.

I know where it's at. I just didn't know. like that time difference and or not thinking like how long is that flight like 14 hours? It's got to be at least. It's got to be at least from here maybe more. So yeah, that jumps out of you and Niners kind of get the shorter end of the stick. They're also going to Mexico City, which is. That's cool.

It's disruptive to go there, but you know, you're not like Mexico City is a long flight from San Francisco, but it's no longer than probably going to the East Coast, I would think. You know, Dallas and Baltimore is going to be very, very fun in Rio that's indie Washington boy oh boy the thing about

Mexico City is the altitude and you don't realize it that's the tough part it's up there that's the tough part and while it's on the you know it's not too far from San Francisco it's not going to be

a big flight you do have to get there that and does altitude altitude sickness like linger no it's just like it just happens and no it's a cute You're fine. It's acute.

Yeah. Well, you have to get, if you stay there, you have to get used to it. Yeah, I'm saying, like, if it got, like, if a guy, like, you bring your team out there, that guy got altitude sickness that bad, like, once y'all leave and y'all get back to where you're going, it's not something where. When you have altitude sickness, you just want to walk down the hill. If you walk down the hill, you feel amazing. Oh, okay.

Like, of all your altitude sick, you know when you have the flu and you're like, man, if somebody could just flip a switch and make me feel better, that'd be so fucking incredible. same thing with any like illness right but when you have altitude sickness literally in real time you can feel like getting better as you walk down the hill it's crazy it feels like um you know there's suddenly room in your in your head yeah like all the sudden um or like somebody let the air out of a really inflated balloon okay uh when you go up and climb killie or something like that and you get you got like a bag of chips in your tent or like a a bag of food and you're up at 18, 17,000 feet.

The shit, you take it out of your bag and it's like this. And that's what's going on in your head. Oh, that's great. So, yeah. But Eagles and Jags, Jags should just move to London. No offense, Nate. Eagles and Jags. Can you do a Duval in a British accent?

Duval, mate. Yeah, speaking of Australia. Speaking of Melbourne. No, but you got... In it? Now, how... Jags are going there two weeks in a row? Are they doing a two weeks stand?

Yeah, it'll stay. You've got Texans and Jags, which is going to be a really good game. And then Steelers and Saints in Paris, I really do look forward to seeing a game in Paris. I think that's cool. If I'm not mistaken, aren't the Jags playing other home games in Orlando this year? Or is that next year? No, it's this year. I think it's this year.

So it's like, that's like extra travel, even though that's not far. but like having to go every single week, every home game, you're traveling to Orlando. No, every week this year, you're traveling. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's actually kind of crazy. It's not a great situation. No, and it's probably a quick flight or however you do it. It's probably like a 30 minute.

It's probably a bus. And that's what I'm saying. That makes it even worse thinking about it. Like, I got to, we got to take a bus every week. No, it's a weird week or year for the Jags. Like, does, and coming off the year they had, like, they're in London twice. they're playing in another stadium like great expectations suddenly you got to deal with that like something to consider here Nate uh when you look at the wind total which I assume is hovering around

a double digit nine and a half 10 and a half win total I think that's that's an interesting one pats and lions in Munich uh and then Mexico city again we have the Vikings and uh and San Francisco and you look at 11 of these fucking games or whatever it is I a lot of of people are making the point that this is too many and it's obvious the NFL wants to go all the way with this. I don't know if they want like a is every game on 11 different streaming sites. Well that's the problem. It's it's going to become increasingly harder to watch football. Impossible bro. And until people stop watching it, they're going to just keep pushing the envelope. But like we are headed to like headed for a situation and I wonder how close we are to this like

where every normal standard week, non-holiday week, non-out-of-whack football Sunday, we're going to have an international game. I think that's the case this year. Pretty much. And it's crazy. Like with all these streaming stuff, it's going to get to the point that it might be cheaper to find cheap seats to every single, like, of your, like, home team rather than being able to stream it. Yeah.

No, there's a But try to watch every single game But what happens when they go on the road You know what I'm saying? Yeah And then you're not buying tickets in Orlando Like you want to see the Jags play in Houston one week And you got to have, you know, a streaming service

So you get And you know There's going to be another peacock game The holiday thing like gives way to a bunch of different Like a Netflix game, this whole thing Netflix. I mean shit the Who do we who do we get on?

Who did we get on the holiday? I heard Rams, host, the Packers, the night before thing. Yeah. November 25th. Our first ever Wednesday game? Mm-hmm. Is it? Take it over?

I don't know. But I'm so desensitized to the normal schedule, or like this abnormal schedule, rather, that this doesn't even register for me. I'm just like, oh, game on a Wednesday. The question I have is like, obviously, you have a bye week the week before if you're that team. Right. And so this is the first Thanksgiving Eve game. so first like Wednesday before Thanksgiving game.

Somebody should probably check with like, that's going to break the box office, like for number. Yeah. Well, I think just because everybody, everybody comes back to town, right, for Thanksgiving. It's a big going out that like Wednesday. And the night you go out, like, you're going to meet up with all your buddies. Yeah, exactly.

Yeah. And drink and you hang out and the family's at the house. Even if it's background, background noise or whatever is going on. Yeah. The Eagles. Cowboys. Roger Goodell, you sly, don't. Yeah.

The Eagles Cowboys are a Thanksgiving Day game. Oh, another day. They're one of the three. Because that's usually what, a basketball night? What, Thanksgiving? No. No, it's a football day. Every Thanksgiving.

No, no, I get it. You're saying the night before. Yeah, was that usually what sports would have used? Well, yeah, that's what I'm saying. You might want to check with like, um, Dort from the Thunder or one of these NBA. Just make sure that they're okay with this. No, that, that's good. Like they're the elite.

Somebody check with Richard Jefferson about this. That's going to be the running, the running theme about this. Somebody check with the fraternity to see if, uh, to see if we're allowed to air a game the night before Thanksgiving. They're going to be upset. They're going to be upset. Well, that's totally they're right. But like, if Godell wants, you know, like fucking St. Patty's Day,

he's going to put a game on St. Patty's Day. Like, it doesn't matter. No, so I do, I'm less, I get less bent out of shape about like the, hey, there's a midweek game, there's a Friday game, then I do about the prospect of like players having to travel internationally every week. It does put players in some peril. I don't mean like actual danger, but like it puts like homeostasis in peril for players. And so it does affect how, you know, like the outcome of games and depending on you know when you play internationally who you play the week before that's what you play after i think about the teams that are going early because

losing a home game dude losing a home game's a big fucking deal i you know i know i know now it's uneven right anyways but like that's a real thing you you lose out on your division you you you know you lose out on a wild card like you don't get a home playoff game because you had an game instead of a home game. Like, that does take away the biggest advantage in football. Front offices have to fucking hate it, right? Everybody hates it. Because, like, I'm just thinking about, like, logistical.

Like, if you have an early international game, it's just, like, realistically, your team isn't made yet. So just the thought of shipping guys back to America, like, or whatever it is. Like, you get out there and maybe a guy's not ready, and you have to find a way to get a guy. How did the Jags? being there for two weeks, work guys out. And that's what I mean.

Like, you work them out in Jacksonville. You have people there. And then, like, I guess they're going to judge and then you send them. I don't know. And, like, you get on a, what, however hour-long flight to go out there and prove yourself right away. Yeah, no question. Like, it's crazy just to think about, like, the teams are going to have to do that.

And just, like, being a guy realistically, like, someone's going to get cut, like, overseas. Can you imagine missing curfew in Melbourne and having to get sent home from Melbourne? Like some of these other places. But sent home potentially like commercial. No, not not potentially. Sent home commercial. Oh, for sure. Like commercial.

Like no. Like all this. Like that would be horrific. Horrific. And then this day and age is just that like you'll be walking. And I don't sound snobby. You'll be walking to the airport. It's not that we can't fly commercial.

It's just like. Yeah. It's like it's embarrassing. If it's for something like that. And the public knows, you'll be walking through a public airport with fans reading, like, oh, this guy's getting on our flight back to America because he missed curfew. Hey, the game's tomorrow, mate. Why are you wearing your sweatsuit at the airport?

11 games is a lot. It's a lot. Now, the holiday games, though, to me, I have one big gripe with the holiday games. I have this gripe every year, and I'll raise it one more time. Thanksgiving is a fucking cold weather holiday, dude. when you think of a turkey being cooked in the parking lot before a game does it have steam on it sure is it smoking because it's because the turkey's hot it's been cooked through but it's also cold outside you know that's what i imagine thanksgiving being like when you think about a turkey bowl game oh in the backyard is the grass bermuda is it western grass or is it clumped up uh fucking fescue back east like when you think of thanksgiving it's It's an East Coast holiday. I know that people in L.A. enjoy Thanksgiving, but it's like 70 degrees out there.

You're hating on the game being out there? Yes, I am, dude. Every year. The NFL misses a lot of opportunities on Thanksgiving just because this is the way it is. Like, oh, we have to play a game in Detroit. We have to play a game in Dallas. I was just about to say, Detroit. I say we scrap that.

Detroit works because it's cold outside. But they play indoor. I know, but the problem is the whole ambiance of the game. Okay, okay. The whole ambiance of the game, we should, one, be playing outdoor football. ball two what did Dallas do to deserve a Thanksgiving game every every year in their home stadium they play the Eagles this year and this isn't even what my gripes about dude they got but but you could play that game at the link it would be incredible could you imagine

philly Thanksgiving you know the fucking pilgrims landed on Plymouth rock they didn't land in galveston or somewhere down there it's a northeastern holiday dude and not that you can't be thankful on the west coast or in Dallas but like to me the game should be played outdoors on thanksgiving i know that football outside is going away because the NFL is is fucking moronic dude and everything's about like you know perfect conditions and and and and plesel holders and stadiums old stadiums are going by the wayside so everyone wants to slap a roof on the stadium but for god's sake while we still have lambo field while we still have outdoor football let's enjoy it on Thanksgiving and on the big occasions like I'm not saying you got to play the Super Bowl in

New York but like let's do an outdoor game on Thanksgiving like Dallas should not get like you know um an automatic bid for a Thanksgiving game Detroit as much I like it cool leave leave one game but you could have Rams at Packers at Lamb's at Lamb's Blue Stadium is smoke coming out of the helmets not completely it's almost done but it's not it's not it's not out it's not inside yeah it's just got a big apron okay so maybe we got that in the future maybe for thanksgiving i hope more teams will because you saw the nfl p a was talking about like natural grass how like players you know shocker like 92% of players want of natural grass over turf yeah and that's backed up by you know players safety and hookers that don't want it i don't know who doesn't want it's probably

dbs or something like they want good footing and they they're 180 pounds they're not they're not they don't feel the impact but um i just think it's stupid i love outdoor football i've you know maybe maybe celebrating the fact that they played in minus 20 degree weather in kansas city and people lost their fingers was a bridge too far but like thanksgiving dude the temp's gonna hover around like 40 degrees it's going to be balmy and beautiful wherever you decide to play that game and people are going to in the fucking parking lot cooking a bird and there's going to be smoke coming off it like that's what i want to see i want to see people like like that's what at least in my memory football look like and maybe for this generation they don't even bat an eye i just think it'd be cool to see rams at packers

cowboys at eagles in the post game you have to have guys in cold in like you know their underarmor with the skin going off the breath as they're eating the turkey that's what it's about yeah it's not about sterile indoor football, which by the way, two of the worst presenting stadiums on TV in the NFL, in my opinion. I do not like watching games indoors over outdoor games anyways, but like I just think I'm not a big fan of Jerry's world. I think it's just like it's as sterile as sterile can get. And I don't think so far has like a great vibe. And I think even Rams fans would tell you that. This isn't like an anti-Rams thing. I was there for game last year. It's awesome. They can the shit out of um tampa and um it was rowdy in there but like i just man remember the coliseum

the fucking flame in the end zone dude like you're you're in california that's the one good thing you got is the weather and with the cowboy's game this thanksgiving game this year is going to be a 430 there's going to be sunlight coming through that it could be a there could be a halacious there's another one of those where everyone's some play's going to happen yes something you're going to You're going to fuck up Thanksgiving. You know what I'm wondering? What? What cartoon franchise is going to collab this year?

It's going to be like Doug Funny Thanksgiving alternate game, like how they've been doing? I don't know, bro. I don't know. They're aging me out so fucking fast. It's crazy, dude. I'm only 41 and I feel like a seven-year-old. How'd you guys like the Christmas games last year? Who played in the Christmas game?

I don't even remember. So we'll have three again this year. And last year. And that's what I'm thinking. And like, I feel like for some of these games, I was watching, like, the alternate, like, the little cartoon. Like, they have. Well, also, like, some of these, some of these carriers of these games, like, they're not used to doing live sports. And so, like, you're watching them kind of work their whole production deal out, like, in real time.

With the weird, the weird, what are those little symbols, the little chirons? Yeah, scorebugs and shit. Yeah, all that. But also, like, you know, like, if it's hard to, to broadcast the game. That's what, that's what I can. tell by watching these networks that don't do it customarily. Two games were on Netflix last year. The same will be for this year. Last year, the Broncos beat the teams. Hold on. Oh, they were terrible. Yep. Yeah, because Josh Johnson played. It's not that I didn't want to see Josh Johnson, but it was like, it was like, no, but like, it was one of these fucking no defense, two teams that are out of it, Washington and Dallas.

there was another game that was hot dog shit Broncos chiefs wasn't great and then the Lions Vikings Vikings Vikings was hot dog shit maybe because I bet the wrong team but but it was the Vikings wore those like alternate uniforms and I think they got smacked

did they not? It was 23 to 10 they got smacked I was on the wrong side from the first minute of the game nine was playing that game um let me double Nine played. Nine played. Nine was starting to, I fell for nine, dude.

I thought like, all right. Nine didn't play that. Oh, no, that's what it was. It was Brosmer. He just got smoked in Seattle. Yep. He got smoked in Seattle. The line was huge.

And I was like, man, the real sharp play is to bet Max Brosmer right now. Uh-oh. Merry Christmas to bet MGM. See, those games sucked. but there's always this year and we also have Pat's Hawks for an opener that's what I found out another thing is Lions Bears Thanksgiving

that's pretty good but again it's in Detroit it could be it you know you could alternate you could do Lions Bears every Thanksgiving just alternate give us some outdoor football but that's going to be the Ben Johnson Bowl which is fantastic and then and I think Detroit's going to be better this year I think they're going to rebound a little bit

they also have an easy schedule Pat's Hawks for an opener is going to be very good. I bet you it's going to be a more competitive game than it was last year. Because that game in the Super Bowl, a lot of people didn't like. And we'll see if some of the off-the-field BS is blown over, but I don't call it BS. But like, you know, I feel like there's a lot of close-ups of Rable that night. A lot of close-ups. Other games that we have,

got that have been leaked so far so we mentioned 49ers rams to start the season as well as one of the week one games uh cowboys giants will be week two uh we'll have broncos chiefs is the first monday night game lions bills will be september 17th broncos chiefs first monday night game who played an a fc championship last year uh broncos and why are they going on the road to play the chiefs well that's what that was like a whole argument on so social media how one team shouldn't have to go. People were arguing for the chiefs to host that game because they're like, well, they won Super Bowls more recently or whatever.

And the fact when they were coming off their Super Bowl win, they went on the road to Rio the next season to play the Eagles, I think. And so it's a lot of back and forth. I don't care. Let's knock that game out early. Yeah. Okay. We'll see.

It's going to be fucking humid as hell. Yeah, it's going to be gross. But they're not going to have Patrick. Right. I think they are. Oh, he's going to be. Oh, I think they are. So, you know, we'll know more tomorrow night.

We'll know more as far as, like, how the schedule lays out. I kind of wish all that preceded this show because I think that's where the interest is. Like some people are like, oh, we have the strength of schedule. We know the opponents. What's the point? You know, at the risk of stating the obvious, it is about timing. It's about buy weeks. It's about, you know, when's the buy?

You know, do you have a division sandwich? People talk about shit like that all the time. Like, when's your Thursday night game? Like, who do you play the next week? I mean, there's a whole bunch, and for teams with injuries, and you know, you mentioned Patrick Mahomes, but, you know, there are people that are probably going to start the season on, you know, IRR or PUP or whatever it is.

Like, you know, are you playing your best opponents in the beginning? Think about this. Like, whoever starts the season in Minnesota at quarterback, like the schedule is very relevant for that guy because he's going to be evaluated on, you know, his play. And if you're playing, you know, three playoff teams, that might. you the outlook on the player a little bit. So, you know, there's a whole bunch of reasons why you

want to see the schedule release tomorrow night. It's not all, it's not all just, you know, content creation. We've talked about this before in the show, but just for the listeners, what is the first thing you guys as players look to at the schedule? The tackles I'll play, for sure. How many games on grass do I have? Increasingly, as I got older, like, how many games am I playing on that surface? because it's a legitimate thing if you're playing a bunch of games on turf, you know, that you're going to be more sore. And, you know, the attrition adds up. Now, the other thing is night games.

You know, early in my career, I always wanted to play night games. Our team was so bad that, like, nobody gave a fuck. So, like, we were always playing at noon, Midwest time. And people were like, yo, do they play those games in a hangar? Well, eventually, I got the total opposite experience playing in Philly in New England where like we had a bunch of primetime games they're cool for like a second and then they're kind of disruptive and the other thing is like obviously Thursday night games uh Monday night games short weeks like that whole thing uh and and I lied I probably look at the tackles and then the

quarterbacks you know and it's not about like how good the quarterback is it's about how easy he is to get down right he might give you like how many running quarterbacks am I seeing. Yeah. Because that part was honestly that was the work the thing I was the worst at just getting the motherfucker down, you know. Um, so yeah, some of that some of that would be more important than like the tackle you're playing. Right. If we're going to see, you know, I remember one year we played Philly in the opener and they were like, they had Mike Vic. I was like, well, it's going to be hard to, it's going to be hard to start the season with house money, isn't it? ended up with a sack because I fell into one.

But yeah, no, it's everybody's looking at different things. Players are looking at different things for sure. For me, I will be looking and just being like, I hope I travel for this game. I hope I'm active. Yeah, because that looks awesome. Because it's just like, one of Miami? Exactly. Like certain trips, you're just like, oh, like, I want to go to California.

Like, I hope I'm playing by then or whatever it is. but that's funny just the perspective of do you guys look at the yeah do you guys look at the okay hey i've got we've got an away game here and then the next the following week i've got yeah like how long how long's your road stands how long your home stands i would look at by week you look at like when you're by week and or when your thursday night game is like if you have one um i'll give you another one what

How hot is it when I play in Tampa? How early in the season do we play Tampa? How late in the season do we play Green Bay? You know, those are the two extremes. But, you know, like, are Miami Week 2? Yeah. You know, those are the things that, like, kind of stand out. What would you at least rather do Miami Week 2 or Green Bay Week?

Miami Week 2. Really? I could deal with the cold. Yeah, it's always heat. I can deal with the cold. I can always put more layers on. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You fucking play in Miami, you're gonna want to take the first layer of skin off, dude.

Like, he's like, he's the only thing that can like, it's not the only thing, but it's just like, when you're playing. Fatigue. Like, you could be the toughest guy, like, in the world. Like, you could be in the best shape. But if the sun is just hitting you, like, right, the right way that day, like, exactly. Like, turn you a little soft. Bro, it could just drain you. My dad used to say this all the time to the point.

where I'd be like yeah I got it he would say fatigue makes cowards of us all yep and so it was all about conditioning you know um for that reason I didn't want to become a coward and then but sometimes you'd be in the best shape of your life and you're just out there playing in the 100 degree heat like you know what can you do you got you know 15 pounds of pads on and um is there a way I can be out here with the IV in my arm like is there is like Wednesday that invention come in and i can have an iv pumping fluids while i'm out here actively i don't know if it's the chicken or the egg but like it always felt like when you played in places like that like if you played in tampa the cannons were going off early and somebody was like catching there

were more explosives and like you're running and trying to catch people the whole fucking first half you know what i mean like everything that can go wrong goes wrong and you end up just feeling heavy dude like water sloshing around in your cleats you're Like in the first quarter like like I'm supposed to be athletic. I'm barely athletic with dry cleats Squishy squeeze squishy cleats bro squishy cleats from sweat like on hot turf is like one of the worst like sensations like Would you change your socks like just too much you're already spat at half maybe at half time maybe if you're a person that like takes off your cleats or probably do that You have so much tape on like you got tape on your hands your tape is taped over your glove I got my fucking arthritic thumb taped.

It's actually gross. Yeah. But yeah, stepping into your cleat and seeing that water slosh up out. And you're just like, damn, it's that hot right now. The cold only matters for 10 minutes. It's the 10 minutes you get out on the field and you start out. You put as much vaseline on your arms as possible, not just to look shiny, but to warm you up. Insulated.

Stay insulated. And, you know, you could wear sleeves, but that's just baby shit, right? Whatever. I was a baby. Sleep. You were, yeah. People are crazy. It's admittedly a stupid thing just to be like, you know.

But it is. Like when you go out there, it's kind of like makes you feel like an alpha. Yeah. You know. The guy like you, you're just an alpha. Guy like me, I had to go out there and, you know, no sleeves. Try to mind fuck people. Or getting those freaking like those turf burns in the cold.

Yeah. That's why. That's one of the main reasons why. The ground is so hard when it's go. That's why. That's one of the main reasons. of why I do wear sleeves. It's like,

I don't understand, like, that turf burn, like, I don't even know, like, what it is. It's just like,

it's just, no, it's annoying. It's fucking really annoying. Yeah, it's not good. And it's not, like,

those pebbles are all, those little black pebbles. They're making us sick, probably. All right, so we've got Cliff Averall here. Stick around and we'll close the show with a little BSing.

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which is why I'll pop in a zone wintergreen. One six milligram is all I need. Every few days, whether I'm kicking back and watching ball floating the river with the crew or breaking down film ahead of a show, zone easily gets me locked in with its smooth feel and a variety of flavor. zone is always on our game day roster whether you like a fresh mint flavor or you're into citrus flavor check out their roster of options and use promo code g l20 at nicko kick.com slash zone for 20% off at checkout green light pod joined here by friend of the podcast one of the first guests ever with chris on the green light pod uh super bowl champ pro bowler legion of boom member and just the fucking great football player cliff ariel hey my man appreciate you having me man yeah I got to gas you up so you come back on, you know. For sure, for sure.

So I want to, you know, I want to kind of start at the beginning. You know, we've never met before. It was kind of fun to just get to know each other throughout the course of the interview. But I know you're a Purdue guy. I went to Wisconsin. Yeah, Big Ten. Yeah, Big Ten. Like OG Big Ten, though.

Yeah, yeah, the original Big Ten, for sure. The Big Ten these days is, I was joking yesterday. It was a classic Big Ten matchup of Oregon and Rutgers. As teams you don't even, like, so me being out in Seattle, I still live in Seattle. And, like, Washington's in the Big Ten. 10 now. It's like, yo, this is, this is weird. It feels strange. It is. And it's crazy. But like you said, original Big 10, Midwest Big 10. Yeah. When we had some real dogs out there. Well, speaking of real dogs out there, I want to ask you about a guy who's also a friend of the pod. I climbed

Mount Kilimanjaro with him, Rob Ninkovich. Yeah. He was a junior, I think, when you were a freshman, right? Is that right? What was Ninko like in the, in the room at Purdue? Man, you know, funny. So, so, So Rob was there in my true freshman year. So I was starting at outside line back. And he was actually a rotational defense. He wasn't even a starter for us. Yeah, Nico. But man, a grinder, bro.

And it's not surprising that he had the career that he had because even though he was second string or even maybe even sometimes third string, like he was a grinder running to the ball, doing all the things that, you know, basically that you need to have a little bit of success. but just always been on 10 on the football field and off the field. Yeah. Great dude, though. Did he haze you at all when you were like a freshman or anything like that? So Nico came Juko.

So he was basically, it was his first year there too. So he didn't really mess with me as much. But I also was very much a quiet guy. Like I stayed out the way. I just wanted to be heard on the football field and move out the way. I don't want anybody messing with me. So I stayed out the way and I think the older players, the upperclassmen, left me alone. Yeah, I mean, you always respect the guy.

who, you know, comes in and it just works. Yeah, just do your job and get out the way, man. Yeah, so then fast forward. Your third round pick, right in the Lions. Third round pick, 92nd pick overall. That's why I wore 92 actually in Detroit. Yeah, so it was a 92nd pick overall. Third round draft pick.

It's crazy because my last game in college was in Detroit. I don't think it was the Little Caesar's Bowl or something, whatever bowl, but I remember being on the bus, leaving like a practice one time. And at this time, Detroit was, Detroit was going through some hardship. Like Detroit was like, it was considered like the poorest city in America at the time.

And we're riding through and it's abandoned homes everywhere. And one of my teammates is like, bro. And we're all like, whoa, this place is crazy. One of my team was like, bro, watch it. You're going to get drafted here. It's going to suck. And I'm looking around like, oh, yeah, this does look bad. And then end up getting drafted there.

But Detroit is so dope, though. Like what we see and then. like what's really going on and some of that. Detroit was a great experience. I'm glad I got drafted there first. Yeah, I mean, and it's a far. I mean, kind of the Detroit Lions football team now. It seems like a far cry from the Owen 16 team from your rookie year.

You know, do you still, do you have a lot of love in your heart, though? Like, are you happy to see the success of the Lions lately? I love, it's crazy. So Dan Campbell, the head coach was my teammate, the Owen 16 year. Oh, yeah. So seeing him be the head coach and changing things up is crazy. Yeah. Yeah, man, I have, again, I have so much love for Detroit.

I have so much love for the Lions organization. I mean, getting drafted there. Going to 116 sucks, obviously, but it taught me how to be a pro. Because you go 016, the next year the coaches coming in, he's trying to fire everybody. He's trying to get rid of everybody. So it made me learn that this is a business, first and foremost, and I got to be on top of my stuff. And that's how I approach every year going into my career. so it prepared me for what the NFL really is about.

It's kind of a welcome to the NFL moment. Man, yeah. I mean, it can't get no worse than that. Bro, so for a rookie year, of course, you know, I'm just trying to figure out how to get on the field. I'm not really even paying attention to our record because it's such a long season. Yeah. I'm not even paying attention to our record and I'm just out there like, all right, you know, just trying to find reps, get reps here, you know, get some plays for the game or whatever.

And by the end of the season, I was starting. my rookie year, you know, rookie year, you got a couple dollars in your pocket, you're hanging out, you know what I mean? And I found myself being in a position where I was embarrassed to tell people I played for the Detroit Lions. Like, think about this,

you're embarrassed to tell somebody you play in the NFL. Right? You know what I was just like, yeah, oh, what do you do? Yeah, I live in Detroit. Oh, what do you do out there? Yeah, I play for the Lions.

And sometimes you would get somebody to laugh at you, but then, you know, of course, it was dope that you played in the league. But, yeah, it was weird to go, 0 and 16 and then be embarrassed to tell people that you're a pro. Yeah, you would kill for that at some point in your life. Exactly. When you're a young player, but I want to go back real quick talking about Dan Campbell.

What was he like as a teammate? Do you see him now like doing press conferences and stuff? And I just imagine him being the exact same guy, you know? Exact guy, bro. Same exact guy. Same energy dipping in the mouth. Like, same exact guy. And again, you know, I'm a rookie.

So I'm, and I was big on just paying attention to my vets. Yep. And he was one of the guys I just remember, like, you know, tight-ins typically, you know, they got some, you know, they got a different type of energy about him sometimes. Yeah. And he was definitely that guy. The same way you see him in the media right now, the same way you see him talking to, that's him to a T. And it's cool to see he didn't have to change up who he was to become a head coach in the NFL, but also having success with that, right? And players appreciate that too.

Well, players respect the coach who's, they're themselves and they can relate to you because they play it. And I think that's why, you know, everyone finds Dan Campbell so endearing, you know. It keeps it real with you guys. 1,000 percent. I think players, it's a newer thing, right? Because I never had a coach that actually played in the league. You know what I'm saying? So it's like, okay, coach, you're telling me these things.

I used to joke with my D-line coach. Of course, as you get older, you can start messing with your coach. Yeah. I'm like, hey, coach, these Xs and O's that you're putting on the board, like the plays that you're putting on the board, you know, when they snap the ball, they move. Right? Like, you know that. So I got to adjust and I got to do these different things.

But if a coach that actually played at that level, he would understand exactly what you mean by that, right? So I think guys will gravitate a little bit more towards coaches that have played, but also can, you know, really pour into you too. Right. I mean, I think that. So I'm not surprised that he's having success. No, not at all. And I think the interesting thing to me is like, you know, we talk about that own 16 year. I think what gets lost in some of those down years to the lines is how many great players are you guys had, you know?

We were watching the draft last night over at the hotel that they got all the guys had in Calvin Johnson. Yeah, CJ was on the team. What's it like playing with a guy like that who, in my opinion, is one of the biggest freaks. Unreal. And what's crazy is, like, we would see him do stuff in games and people like, oh, my gosh. None of the comparison of what we've seen in practice. Oh, I bet. I mean, and then for CJ to have been the superstar that he is, by far, I'm not sure if you ever met him.

but like one of the most down-to-earth people you'll ever meet. Like, bro, you know you're a Hall of Fame right? Yeah. Like, you know you, like, for eight years, led the league and all these different things. But, like, he just one of the coolest guys. But, again, seeing his work ethic, I think that was the biggest thing, his work ethic. It didn't matter if he had 200 yards a week before or 50 yards, not many of those types of games for him. But he was the guy that was going to go out and show up every single day, practice.

But again, very humble. I remember my firstborn son, because at that point, we had been teammates for four years or whatever. Firstborn son, he was on the cover of Madden. And this man literally went around the locker room, handed everybody out of Madden and was signing for people, right? And he signed one for my son. But like most quote unquote superstars probably ain't wasting that type of time. Like they'll have somebody pass it out for him or something like that. But that's just the type of person he is, man.

CJ is awesome. Yeah. And I feel like people just forget how dominant he was. Man, unreal, bro. I mean, there's catches, like I said. I've seen him catch the ball over four or five dbs, like, you know, and nickel. Like people are, and somehow he comes over top of everybody and snatches. You're getting double tune every game.

Every game, bro, and still giving guys a business. But if you remember back with him, we're talking about the draft, but more so like the combine, he wasn't even going to run the 40 in the combine. I believe he borrowed somebody's cleats to run one of the fastest times. I love hearing stories like that. That sounds like a folk legend or something. Yeah. Like he borrowed somebody's cleats and ran like a four, two, four, three, whatever it was.

But you got to remember this guy is six, five, 230, 235 pounds. And like you would see it on game day. You know what I mean? Like just pulling away on DBs to be so big, so fast, so explosive, unreal. Yeah. And so talking about, you know, some of your teammates from those Detroit days, what was it like watching Matthew Stafford, your old, your old quarterback when his first MVP at 37 years old with the Rams?

It's crazy, bro. So staff being in L.A., I'm very involved with the Seahawks. I go pretty much all the home games. So, you know, I see him play quite a few times. And I make it in my business to go holler at them because, like, bro, this is crazy that you're still playing. Yeah, right?

But not only that you're playing, like, you're playing at a high freaking level. MVP. You know what you said? Like, so it's, I love seeing my teammates win, especially the good guys, right? The good guys, the guys that did it the right way. So seeing staff continue to keep elevating,

continue to keep getting the bag first off. But continue to keep elevating and still playing at an elite level. Truly, truly proud of him, man. But to be honest, like, when you look back and you think about him as a teammate, think about some of the different things that he's experienced when I was a teammate with him, I'm not surprised. Yeah. I mean, as a rookie, I think this boy dislocated his shoulder or something.

I was going to, dude, that was the coolest thing ever. drive. I watch that on like Instagram Reels or whatever. I see that. Every time that pops up, I'm like, he's so tough, man. He checks himself out. They come check him out. And then that was your rookie year. Yeah, his rookie year. Yeah. I'm a year older than him. That's right. And like, that's the type of person you want to ride with. Most quarterbacks aren't even cut like that. No. They're not built like that at all. So to see him do that and like, screw this, we're about to win this game. A game that really probably didn't have much to do with the season, but it showed what type of person he is, what type of player is, how tough he is. So to see him, you know,

I don't know, you're 16, 17 still dominating. Not surprised, but super impressed. Yeah, he's an easy guy to root for him. I mean, I played against him. He was always a pain in the ass because he knew exactly what you're doing on defense and dish and the ball. See, he's seen every look. Yeah, exactly. At 16 years, you've seen every single look. Yeah, I mean. But now that, you know, not playing against him, you got so much respect for him. Yeah, exactly. And then I want to talk a little bit about another guy you played with that I actually played with when I was in Tampa, Sue. Sue, yeah.

That's my dog. What was young Sue like? Because I got him as a vet and I went to Wisconsin and, you know, I watched him in Nebraska and his college shape is probably some of the best D-line tape I've ever seen in my life. I wanted him to win the Hysman and shit in college. And then I meet him as a teammate and he's like this soft-spoken business man. Yes. Taking calls of Warren Buffett.

Oh, man. Yeah, my mentor, Warren Buffett. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Sue is my guy. To this day, we still communicate. We still work on different business. ventures together or whatnot.

But as a rookie from day one, Sue has always been about his business. Yeah. And what I mean by this business, like, if he was supposed to get a bonus in the middle of the season on that Tuesday, and it didn't hit his account,

he might not practice on Wednesday. Yeah. Like, he was very much about, because he's like, if I got to show up, y'all got to pay me. You know what I'm saying? Like, he's, so I respect that.

When you're a player, though, when you're a teammate, you're like, this dude is a jerk. But as you get older, you're like, yo, I get it. Yeah, it's rare to have that kind of mentality as a rookie, too. As a rookie that comes in with that mentality, right? So I always appreciated how he's approached the game. I mean, he's a hardworking dude.

I know when he played with the Lions and even through Tampa, like, he might miss two or three snaps a game. He was going to play 97, 98% of the season. Like, he's very durable. But, yeah, Sue was one of those guys that as a rookie, you're like, yo, this guy, he might not make it because of his attitude towards things. But then when he gets on that football field, he always knew where to be. He always understood how to, and he would dominate.

Like he's going to dominate practices. He's going to dominate in the games. And, you know, him and I play along. He's next to each other for three years. Right. Some of our best three years. Yeah. Well, I want to ask you about that because it's like when you have a guy, like when I was in

Philly, he played with, you know, Fletcher Cox. Cox. And when you have another guy, obviously, like, interior guy and you're an edge guy. How do you, did it take a while to kind of? kind of get your guys as rushes kind of synced up or was that kind of something where he stepped in? Because he had, what, 10 sacks, his rookie year? Yeah, but did you guys kind of work your rush plans or was it kind of a natural fit from the get-go?

We, I think we learned how to rush with one another. But Chris Kaserk, shots out to Chris Kuserk. He's our D-Line coach. I think he's in San Fran right now. He understood what we both were good at. Yeah. And really is just getting, I mean, very similar to what you guys were doing in Philly. It's really getting off that rock, you know, being disruptive on the other side of the line

scrimmage. And then for me as a defensive end, if I've seen color, I knew to come underneath. Yeah. If I didn't, I stay high. And once we learn kind of that, those two things, man, we were, we were dominant being next to each other. Once you can run those natural games. It's love, right? It's the best.

Yeah. You just got to be able to see it, right? You got to understand. And people think pass rushing is just, you know, put your hand in dirt and go. Like, nah, there's an art to pass rush. 100%. Right? And when you get every.

everybody, all four of us, because it was Sue, myself, Corey Williams, and Kyle Vannebosch. Vannebosch, yeah. My guy, and he was the tone setter. Yeah. Kyle was the tone setter. And he was older in his years, but he was the tone setter. And we were probably one of the more dominant D-lines in the NFL for about two or three years there. Oh, I know.

So your coach at the time was our coordinator, Jim Schwartz. Yeah. So it's like you're talking about similar schemes. Like yeah, that wide nine. I mean, it's fun because kind of turn your brain off a little bit, you know. Yeah.

You're just trying to get up field and just be disruptive, man. Be disruptive. First line, you know, fuck shit up. Yeah, clean it up. Yeah.

Jim always used to say. But I want to ask you a little bit about what, uh, what Schwartz was like as a head coach. Because when I had him in feeling like it was so, it was so funny man. Like he's a tough guy. He had so much respect for the game.

He loved players. But then he's also walking around when Farragamos, you know. And like, he would take the game day outfits more seriously than a lot of the players. Yeah. You know, but what was he like as a head guy? So it was his first time being a head guy. Yep. So, of course, you want to come in and, and put your stamp on things, right?

You want to show that you're tough. So, like, the first week of him being there, he was just trying to weed guys out. Yeah. Got to remember, we was coming off an 0-16 year, right? So his whole thing was like, yo, we're going to see who's really cut to be a part of this team. And, of course, you're trying to get your guys in, too. So, hey, how are we going to do that? We're going to run these guys to run these guys.

We're going to run. Like, guys were pulling hamstrings left and right. You know what I mean? And I think for him, again, it was putting that dominance presence of like, this is my team. This is how we're going to do things. But that first year was rough. I think we only won two games. So, of course, you got to stay on top of us.

But by year three, I mean, I think we went 10 and six. First time the Lions had went to the playoffs or whatever. Yep. And so his system was working. But he was a tough dude. And for me being young, like, to be honest with you, at the time, I couldn't stand them. I'm not surprised. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And at the time I couldn't stand him because it was just one of those things is like, yo, why are you always messing with me? Like, why are you always messing? Like, I just come to do my job. Why you? But I appreciate it now. I appreciate it later in my career because it made me just stronger, just like anything else.

When you go through hardship, it just makes you stronger, right? Yeah. But he was definitely a guy that I wasn't rocking early on in my career just based on what he had to do to make sure he got the right team too right and i think i want to ask you a little bit about uh 2011 we used to always joke with him in in philly about that interaction he had with harbaugh after the game did you guys when you were you guys on the field for that like did you even know that happened or is that one of those things yeah what was that so it was definitely one of those things um because for whatever reason we dislike sam fran and it might have been the whole hardball situation i don't know

but it was definitely one of those things when you got back to the locker room you start seeing the ESPN and all that. Like, yo, like, yeah, did you see that? Yeah, you're ready to square up?

Like, what's going on? You know what I'm saying? So it was definitely one of those, one of those situations where, you know, you didn't find out to afterwards, but it's also funny.

He's like, dang, Schwartz, we didn't know that you had to end you. Yeah, yeah, exactly. We didn't know you had to do you, you know what I mean?

So it was cool, though. It's fun to laugh about later. Yeah. So I want to fast forward. We talked a lot about Detroit, but, I mean, you're here,

draft weekend. You're calling a pick on day two for the Seattle Seahawks, man. What a run you guys had. Oh, amazing. It was amazing, man. On all fronts, bro. And again, I think this is a testament to, and this is how I live my life, is it doesn't matter how it starts.

As long as you continue to keep putting that work in, long as you can see you keep moving forward, things will work itself out. And that's how my career worked out. Yeah. 0-16 to win in two games to becoming a franchise player for the for for the lions to win the Super Bowl right you know I mean like putting that work in no matter how it starts so going going to yeah what was that transition like going from from Detroit you know to Seattle I had my notes that you you know there are a couple other teams interested in free agency but Pete Carroll really wanted you

and was that a big draw for you was so it's twofold so so so Officially as a pass rusher, I'm thinking of the guys on the back end. Yeah. Like, bro, they'll give me a split second to longer to get to the quarterback. No brainer, right? As long as the scheme fits what I do. But then the other thing was Coach Carroll gets on a call with me during free agency. And it was like college all over again in a sense of like recruiting.

Like, again, I'm approaching this as a business at this point, right? Like I know what the NFL is about. I'm here to do my job, whatever. He called, hey, hey, hey, Cliff, hey, man, we're excited to have you. What do you think about being a Seahawk, man? Like, you know, we would love to have you. Like, just hyping me up. And I'm like, yo, what's going on right now?

Like, I haven't heard this since I was in college, you know what I mean, like getting recruited. So, so that was cool. And then talking to a few of the guys that was there, you know, talking about the organization, all that stuff. It was really cool from that perspective. But then when I got there, I was like, yo, this environment is completely different from when I'm used to. Yeah. You know, when I was in Detroit. you know, like with Schwartz and all those guys,

it's like, man, they want things buttoned up. You know what I mean? It's damn near quiet in the locker room sometimes, quiet in meeting rooms and very militant. I call it like very militant. Yeah, right? Yep. You get to Seattle.

They got music playing. You know, they're shooting hoops in a team meeting room. It's like, yo, what kind of circus are we running in here? Like, what is going on? You know what is it? And it was just a different environment. And then when I, by time, but what I, what I realized, though, is like, everybody was mature enough to have fun and keep, like, be able to enjoy this process.

But once you cross those lines, everybody's about their business. Oh, yeah. You know what I'm saying? Now, we're still having fun, but we're about our business. So it showed me that there's two different ways of running an organization and still having success, right? The Andy Reid's of the world and some of those guys, like, they're very cut, like, they're very, again, I'm going to say militant F, for like a better words.

And then you got the, you know, you got the Pete Carroll where it's like, yo, I need my guys to be loose. I need my guys to have fun. And they're going to go out there and ride for me too. And that was the difference maker for me was when I got to Seattle, man, not one day felt like work. Every single day was a turn up. That's a blessing. Oh, huge blessing. So it was a no-brainer to like resign for less money, honestly, to be there because I'll have a better career and I enjoy what I'm doing.

I mean. And so Coach Carroll and those guys, they did a real good job of that. Now, it's a slippery slope because if you're not one of the 22, 25, 30 guys, you can get lost in the sauce of not realizing you're still here to work. Right. You know what I'm saying? Because of all the fun. So you just got to make sure, hey, although we're having fun, we got to go out here

and bust our tails. Well, I mean, yeah, there's a lot of personalities in that team, you know, like, I think about Marchant Lynch, you know, and I love, you know, we're talking about the lore behind like Calvin Johnson and stuff like that. I feel like Marshawn Lynch is another one of those guys where you just hear so many great stories and you're like, what? You know, like the image of him driving around

on that cart, you know? Like, he was just like that every day. Sean was, man, I've been blessed to have a lot of great teammates. Yeah. You know, we talk about Sue. He was a great teammate. And there's been three guys and you brought them all up, actually. There's been, well, I'll bring two guys.

There's been a couple guys in my career where the perception of them is completely different from who they really are. Sue is one of them, right? Like on the field, he's, oh, man, this guy's chaotic. He's kicking people, whatever, you know what? You know what? But he's like soft-spoken.

Very soft-spoken, chill, very business-oriented. Like, I mean, it's crazy. Marchand's the other guy. Marshawn is the guy where it's like, yo, in the media, he's, you know, all these other things. But when you really get to know him and talk to him, like, Sean is one of the dopest people you'll meet. I mean, on my birthday, he's calling me FaceTime.

me like this guy's on movies he's on he's like on every single commercial right I mean like this is a guy that hated the media but now he's keeping him out of the media well now he's doing it on his terms yeah and that's all he's always wanted to do do it on his terms but um just I mean so so as an example Marshaun he does a lot of charity work he's big in Oakland yeah he started doing stuff in Africa and some of these different places and uh my my family comes from Haiti so I'm Haitian and he and he was like hey bro I'm building some schools in Africa, the same company does it, the same organization does it in Haiti. You should look into it.

So he connected me with these people, but then I would, he retired actually, and I was still playing, and he would go to Haiti on my behalf with my foundation, right? Like, he would go to Haiti. He's gone to Haiti with me three or four times. Like, this is, again, a man that could be doing a gazillion other things. But, like, he's also pouring into the community. So, I mean, Sean is dope, dope, dope, dude, man. And I, again, I said this earlier.

I love seeing my old teammates or friends still having success and doing it the way they want to do it, right? And I love to see him doing like any kind of way I can support him and any of my teammates, really. I try to. But Sean is one of the dopest teammates you ever have, man. Yeah, I mean, it's so cool. Like thinking about the guys in that locker room, the Legion of Boom, obviously incredible. And you talk about how great is as a D-Lignment to have them. But, you know, Bobby Wagner.

And I was with Russell in college. Like, you have so many characters. Is there anyone on that team that you feel like? Like, doesn't get enough love as they should. Oh, man. So you talk about the team, right? That team in particular, to talk about Wags, talk about Russ. You talk about Marchion, Michael Bennett.

Oh, yeah. I can't believe it took that long for Mike to come up, man. Oh, man. Talk about a character. So Mike is my best friend. Like, we're going to Ghana next week with each other. Like, you know what I mean? Like, that's my guy.

Like, you know what I mean? And you got Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, Cam, all these different personalities. And all guys, and I think what made it special was we all respected each other. Yeah. We respect, like, Richard Sherman's Hall of Famer, right? Like, this guy will be a Hall of Famer. He could easily just be like, I did this on my own. He's not afraid to shout out his D-Line and be like, yo, shout us on my D-Line.

Like, they allow me to do such and such. Or, and vice versa, like, hey, man, Sherman, you guys are killing it back there. Like, you all give us that split second to get us a quarterback. So everybody respected what everybody brought to the table. But a guy, I don't think, get enough respect out of all the guys that I just mentioned, it's probably KJ right. Yeah. KJ was a dog, man.

I mean, we call him a Spider-Man. He used to be able to read screens. Like, he just all around just did his job at the highest level. And I don't think he got enough credit for what he brought to the table. But we, as his teammates, obviously, respected what he does or did. But he didn't get enough credit. for how well he played on that defense as well. Yeah.

And when you think about that defense, man, as a defensive guy, I think I played over there with CenturyLink. I can't remember what it's called now. Century Link at the time, yeah. We played there, I played there like three or four times, and every time I was just so jealous

because the atmosphere, unreal, the 12s. And like, I played there. I was with the Bucks, and we had a road game in Seattle, and I was like,

this is what it should be, you know? What year was that for you? Man, that might have been 2018 or 2019. Okay. Yeah, yeah. But we're like, you know, our defense is on the sideline, like, kind of looking in the crowd.

Like, this is loudest, it was the loudest stadium in the NFL had ever played in. Like, how awesome was that atmosphere on game day, man? Bro, at our heyday, I'm talking about 2013, 14, 15, 16. Unreal. Like, it used to be so loud in there that we wouldn't get the ringing sound out of our ears to probably like Wednesday. Bro, you got tinnitus. Yeah, bro. It was, like, this conversation couldn't.

happen on the football field. Yeah. Like, that's how loud it was. So loud that even in Madden, I'm not even a Madden player, but like my son plays, like that whole vibrating, the field vibrate, like, that comes from us. You know what I'm saying? Like, and it was, it really was an advantage. Yeah.

And the fans, the 12s understood that. Like, they took pride in being the 12s. And, and as a D-Lyman, as a D-Lyman, it was so clutch because I knew you didn't have, you couldn't audible. Right. Like, you were stuck in your play count. you were stuck so you know once my once the play clock got to a certain point i'm jumping the ball like you can't you can't change it up you know i mean so that was a that was a bonus for me um but playing in

front of the 12s man you felt like rock stars bro it was it was crazy you guys were rock stars man you guys were i mean the legion of boom and that whole defense that run man i think that's got to be you know that's cemented as one of the best defense in the NFL of all time i i i don't disagree i don't disagree I think, you know, what we were able to do and what made it special, I think, wasn't the fact that we won a Super Bowl, just winning a Super Bowl. Man, we were the number one defense for like three or four straight years. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Like, we were the top defense, we were top five at least for five straight years.

You know what I'm saying? So to be able to do that in the National Football League. But here's the kicker, though, we didn't play that many different schemes. We only played, like, three different defenses. Yeah. We just knew where the holes were in our defense, and we were just going to make you throw it there and we just tackled. You know, that's kind of nice because you know how teams are going to attack you. Exactly.

You know, and it's, you know, everyone says it's a copycat lead. Something works in week three. They're going to try it again in week five. That's okay. We'll be ready for it. Yeah, exactly. And for us, it was we were going to play the same defense, same coverage on the back end. And we just got great at those things.

Yeah. You know what I'm saying? And we, again, we knew where our holes were going to be. All right. Throw it there. Check down. All right, tackle. On to the next play.

Yeah. So I want to talk a little bit about that Super Bowl run, man. 2013. Cowboy Reed is a huge Rockos fan, so you kind of broke his heart. Don't be sorry, man. But, you know, when we think about our run in Philly, it's like, it almost seems like such a blur, you know, and it's fun to get together with your guys and kind of react, oh, yeah, you know, like yada, yada, yada, like what's the thing that sticks out to you the most about just the game in particular?

Man, you're talking about the Super Bowl? Yeah. Oh, man. I mean, so many things, bro. I think going into the game, I'll say this, going into the game, we knew we had them from jump. Like we probably wasn't, there's other teams throughout the season where it's like, okay, you know, they, you know, we got to respect them and all these other things. And the same thing with these guys, but going into the game that first, because, you know, you get two weeks to prepare. Yep.

I kid you not, everybody that first Wednesday meeting, everybody left their meeting room, like, yo, oh, we don't get on them. Like, they're good, but they're not as good as, like, we played other teams that we felt like like were better in certain spaces. And at the time, now, don't get me wrong, at the time, the Broncos were the hottest thing out. Like, they had one of the top offenses ever. Of course, Peyton Manning, all these different things. But we're like, yeah, we're going to be in nickels the whole game. That means our pass rushers are going to be out there the whole time.

Like, y'all won't have a problem. Yeah. And I would say that was the biggest thing is, like, the confidence that we had going into that game. On top of the fact that nobody was giving us any freaking credit. No one's talking about the defense. Everybody's like, oh, man, the office is this. Which is wild the thing. Exactly.

We're number one. Like that year, we were number one in pretty much every single category. You know what I'm saying? And they weren't giving us any love. So I think that was probably the biggest thing going into that game was like, yo, we got these guys for sure. Nobody else outside this locker room really believes that. But, yeah, we're about to jump on them. I didn't think it was going to be as big of a blowout.

Yeah. But we're actually mad that we gave up eight points. See, that's elite defenses. That's the attitude you got to have. So I know you're obviously, you know, involved in Seattle a lot. You stay out there and everything. But do you, like, you know, we're talking about the Super Bowl that you won with Seattle. Do you see a lot of comparisons or do you get a lot of comparisons with the defense,

your defense to the Seattle defense from last season? Yeah, no, that's been the biggest thing. Like, man, which defense is better? You know, I mean, like, oh, my gosh. Like, these guys, of course, you know, everybody looks at the nouns like, oh, these guys are way better. Or, you know, sometimes depending on where you were at your career back then is like, oh, you know, the comparison.

And it happens a lot. But what I would say is, again, kind of what I said earlier, the difference in the two, those guys played some great ball last year. Yeah. Amazing ball. But I think the difference in the two defenses is going to bore down to longevity of how long you can do it. Right. You mean, like to be able to be the number one defense for two, three, four straight years

in the NFL is very, very hard. And I think that's going to be the difference maker. Those guys are awesome. They have some guys up front that can get after the quarterback, stopping the run. I mean, it was great to watch, but that would be the only difference, I would say, in our defense and theirs is, you know, maintaining that, you know, moving forward. I think that's the biggest thing. But also, I think it's extremely important for them and fans, honestly, is to let them have their moment.

Yeah. Like, there doesn't have to be a comparison. We don't have to compare and say who was greater, who what, like, we was the best at our time. Now let them be great at their time now. You know what I mean? But, you know, overall, though, of course I'd pick us. I would too. Yeah.

But they have something special brewing right now, and I'm looking forward to seeing how they bounce back in and hopefully repeat. 100%, man. They're so fun to watch. I mean, one guy I love watching. I have so much respect for is Leonard Williams. Oh, dog. Yeah, I don't think he gets enough love.

And he's been doing it now for 10 years or whatever. And that's the other part, bro. Like, Leonard is an OG OG. Like, he's, I think 11 years in or something like that. and still kind of like, you know what I mean, turning in the right direction, which is crazy. He's incredible. So Leonard, I mean, Lawrence last year played crazy ball. But one guy, too, that doesn't get enough credit that's had a really, really solid career is Jaron Reed.

Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And he was my rookie. You know what? Oh, really? I didn't know that.

Yeah. He was my rookie. So, like, seeing him go from being my rookie to, like, just some of the different things that we've helped and taught him and trained them with and whatever and, like, still. he'll playing at a high level. I told him, matter that at the Super Bowl, like, bro, you did it your way. And I love to see it. I love the fact that he was able to go win one and lead the team to do it.

I mean, it was dope. Yeah, I was happy for that guy, man. Okay, a couple quick things. I want to be courteous of your time. I know you got a big draft pick tonight, but is there anyone? I mean, I know you watch a lot of football, obviously. Is there any, are there any edge rushers in the NFL when you're watching them on tape? And you're like, man, he kind of reminds me of me.

Oh, reminds me of me. Oh, that's a, that's not a hard one to, no, I'm just, no. No, I mean, I'm just a fan of pass rushers in general, right? I mean, I'll point out some obvious guys first. The fact that Von Miller is still going at it. Crazy. Is unreal. You know what I mean?

And, like, still can get you six, seven sacks. You know, I mean, like, I couldn't imagine putting some cleats on right now. No. and like let one of these young dudes punch me in like chest. Like I couldn't imagine it, right? So you got Vaughn. Of course, you still got Mack doing his thing. I guess if I was a pick, I mean, again, I'm a fan of all pass rushers.

But if I was to pick like a young up-and-coming guy, this guy was a surprise to some folks. But, and he didn't even start for the Seahawks last year. And I think Cincinnati just picked him up. Mafie, young dude. obviously they see a lot of potential in him. They gave him the bag off of three sacks or whatever, four sacks. But I've been paying attention to him for the last four years. If he gets in the right system and the right coaches to believe in him,

I think he can be one of the top of pass rushers in the league. And they just got Dexter Lawrence there too in Cincinnati, so that's helpful. Yeah, exactly, exactly. I mean, and that's the thing, too, as a pass rusher, man, like, your surrounding cast got to be on point, too. Yeah. It's very much a team-oriented type of situation. Because if you ain't got no detackle,

out there that can get a field. If it's third and three, you can't really rush, you know? Exactly. So, so have, your surrounding cast definitely helps you be a better pass rush for sure. And that's something I was kind of curious about. We talked about Sue and, you know, how you guys were dialed. You brushed on the same side, how nice that is. Then we kind of talked about the Legion of Boom behind you, you know, giving you an extra second.

Which would you rather have, like, you know, four dogs up front that can rush? Or like, you know, one guy up front who would be you and then an elite person? back end. Oh, no, I'm taking the four guys up front. The reason I'm taking the four guys up front is because you can be disruptive in the run game, but also in the passing game, like I said, everybody has to be on the same page. If you don't have a solid nose tackle that can demand a double team. Dude, my guy, yeah. You know what I'm saying? I'm serious. Like, they don't get enough credit. Brandon Mebang, that's the guy that we don't, you saw about guys that we brought up, I brought KJ, but Brandon Mebang was that guy for us. Dude, he played that that tilted shade.

That's so hard, man. And he's going to demand that president. You're going to demand that double team. And if he demands a double team, okay, you might get a chip block from somebody else. But pretty much everybody's one-on-one. Like, you got to go dominate, you know what I'm saying? So I think having the four guys up front, somebody demanding a double team, all right, then, you know, that chip block, the other two guys got to eat.

You know what I'm saying? So I'm definitely taking the guys up front. Yeah, I'm kind of with you on that, man. Okay, real quick, obviously here in Pittsburgh for the draft, you're calling a pick tonight, the last pick of the last pick of the, the second round. If they don't trade. If they don't trade out of it.

But just kind of curious to hear your draft story. You know, probably seems like a lifetime ago now. Man, draft story. So going into the draft, you know, you kind of have, you think you have an idea of where you're going to get drafted. Right. I tell people this all the time, man. The draft is only fun for the top 10 picks.

Because those guys know they're getting picked up. Yeah. Everybody else is like, it's a crapshoot. You don't know what the heck is going to happen, right? But, like, you know, you kind of have an idea in your head, like, all right, you know. In my head, I'm like, okay, I killed the combine, you know. Yeah, you ran like a four, four, five. Yeah, four, five, one or something like that.

At the time, it was like one of the fastest times for a lot, for, for a D.N. But, like, you know, you so you have an idea, you think you have an idea of where you're going to get drafted. So I do I don't get drafted in the first round. So I went to the mall with my cousin, one of my best friends, walked around the mall, like, let that die down. Then the second round rose around. I'm like, okay, a slight chance I might get picked up in a second round. You know what I mean? And, of course, didn't get picked up.

And that's the first time in my life, first and last time in my life where I'm watching the draft and I get, I get pissed. I'm hot, like, because I'm like, yo, who are these guys going in front of me, right? So first time in my life where, like, I come home, my mom's like, it's going to be all right, baby. Like, leave me alone. Like, I spazzed on my mom. I had to come back and apologize. I'm like, yo, what are you thinking?

You know what I'm saying? And so next day rose around. This is when they had the first two rounds in the first day. And the second round rose or second day rose around. And again, I'm watching this. I'm like, who the heck are these guys? Like I don't understand who this guy is. Okay, such and such.

And so bad that I end up falling asleep during the draft. I'm like, yeah, I can't watch this. I just passed out. And I had my phone on the mantle just because that's the only place we had service. Fall asleep, wake up. My uncle taps me like, like, hey, yo, you're, you're, your phone's ringing. And I've seen 313 on the, what's call it?

Now, at the time, 8 Mile had just came out. Everybody in the 3-1-3, yeah. So I'm like, 3-1-3. Oh, that's Detroit. Okay, cool. You know what I'm saying? So I run, pick up the phone. Brigh-in, like I said, I didn't have any service.

So, hello, hey, Cliff, you know, this is Rob Marinelli. Friggin' phone goes out. Call back again. Hey, hey, hey, Cliff, we're thinking about it. Phone goes. I'm like, what is going on right now? So I had to run. So, so.

we knew one of the That's the most important phone call your life, man. Most of them have no service. And luckily, one of the coaches was from Jacksonville, and I had known him since I was a kid. He was the wide receiver coach, Sean Jefferson. My brother was dating his, like, niece or whatever.

And one did they draft to do. It worked out. And he ended up calling him on his phone, and I end up taking a call from his phone. It was like, hey, we're going to pick you up And right in the middle of him telling me he's going to pick me up, everybody in the background goes crazy because they just announced it. So I found out basically simultaneously as it was being announced on the TV and geeked, like, happy.

Oh, my gosh, I really got drafted. Like, I get to keep playing football, you know, all these different things. You know, like, oh, shoot, I'm going to Detroit, though. You know what I'm saying? But then again, I came back to my reality. Like, bro, you got drafted. Like, this is a big deal. You get to keep playing football.

And then, you know, I mean. But it was a great, great. starting something special. Yeah, for sure. I got two more quick questions for you. I like asking guys this question. I feel like you can kind of only enjoy your career once you're done playing. Yeah.

Because while you're in it, it's just like, you know, got to get ready, got to prepare, got to get ready for game week, everything like that. But do you have a favorite play of your football career? Favorite play, man, so many dope plays. So many dope plays. I'm going to list a couple of them, but my favorite leaves the end because you've got to make it dramatic. Yeah, exactly. But no, I mean, as a Dean Lyman, I think the best.

best, and bias, of course, I think the best play in football is sack fumble, formal recovery. Oh, yeah. And if you can house it even better, right? So I only had one of those in my career against Tim Tebow, against the Broncos, actually. Cow boy. Came off the edge. Sack fumble, recovered, housed it.

And so that was one of my favorite plays. And then honestly, any sack or sack fumble that I've gotten against any Hall of Famer. Yeah. And I've gotten all the guys throughout our career, whether you talk about Aaron Rogers, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning. I mean, all the guys that are Hall of Fame, for sure, Hall of Famers,

I've sacked all those guys. So I'll be, they'll always be on my highlight tape. You know what I was there? And I say the biggest play for real, for real, is, I mean, the biggest game I ever played in was a Super Bowl. And I got the fastest score of Super Bowl history

with that safety. That's kind of what I was hoping, you know. That's by far. I mean, it's got to be the highlight, right? It's the biggest stage. You're planning to be the last team standing and being able to, I guess, have a record in the,

Super Bowl I think it's pretty dope. Well, okay, you know, I got to say this. This next question of the grain of salt, because obviously you've made some incredible plays. But what I found out in talking to guys is sometimes they remember like their worst plays even more. So do you have any of those plays of bad plays that that keep you up at night that you still think about? There's there's there's quite a few. I can start. I, uh, this was in the Rose Bowl. We played the Rose Bowl at Wisconsin three years in a row. This was before the playoffs and everything was, you know, there was the Rose Bowl is kind of the biggest game you could have the big 10 and we were playing

Stanford one year and there was a screen I'm looping around on like some sort of TT stunt and I'm like kind of going to hawk the guy down I don't know what happened but there's an O-Lyman kind of hanging off me pulled all my pants down all my spandex and I was bare ass mooning the entire Rose Bowl

like Pasadena is beautiful there's flowers and I was like everything letting up and I didn't make the play and we went and found it on tape we lost the game I went and found out of the table like a month later. I was like, we went to go to talk to our video. I was like, you guys have to delete this. Dude, we got to get this out there.

I was a full moon in Pasadena. Oh, man. That was pretty embarrassing. That is, yeah, no, yeah, nothing, nothing that crazy. Okay. I mean, I've had, we all get got, right? We all, we all at some point, you know, somebody's going to get you. And I would say my biggest thing is, actually, this happened to high school.

Yeah, exactly. It still sticks with you, though. Yeah. This happened in high school. running down on a kickoff, heading out on a swivel, and I'm thinking I'm lining up the returner, and out of nowhere somebody blindsized me. Donahue, I never, I didn't even know his name.

I still remember his name freaking 22 years later. Donahue comes out of nowhere and smacks the dog mess out of me. But it was like one of the first times I've ever gotten the wind knocked out of me. Ah, yeah. And I thought I was going to die. Yeah, like, oh. And I can't come out the game. Guys are looking at me like, yo, are you okay?

I can't tell. Like, getting the wind knocked out. There's nothing pleasant about that. So I would say that's probably the one play that still sticks to me to this day. Like, if I seen him, I would daff him up. Like, yo, you got me. You got me, bro. But yeah, that was, that's the one play.

Even, like, all my friends back at home, like, hey, they'll bring it up randomly. Like, hey, bro, you remember that play against Donahue? Like, yeah, yeah, I do remember that. So that's the one I probably, it's crazy. That's not even one in the league or anything. But that's the one play. I'll say this, though. In college, my very first game, we're playing against Syracuse, true freshman year.

I don't know why we were playing on a Sunday, but we're playing on a Sunday, one of the few teams, the college games is on the Sunday. And very first play on a kickoff. I'm hyped up. The first player of college career, really, right? First play of college career. Hiked up everything. Take off, go down the field, about to make the tackle. They call it dead.

I jumped off sides. The reason I bring that up is my very first play in the NFL against the Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions, on kickoff. Very first play, jump off sides on kickoff, bro. Start both my college and pro career jumping off sides on kickoff, which is... You're just too juiced up, man. You're trying to run down the field.

Just ready to go. Mind you, I hated kickoff. Well, I just think it's impressive that, you know, an edge rushers run down on kickoff, man. I was on kickoff for like five straight years. My first four, I was a starter on defense and still on kickoff. Like, yo, y'all got to get me off this business. Yeah.

And kickoff too. It was like, you're about to be right back out there. Right back out there. And this is when they had the four-man, five-man wedge. Oh, my goodness. That was, that right there amped me up to be one to become a starter in the NFL. Like, I had to get off kickoff. Like, that was my main goal.

That's about as pure motivations you can have. Oh, man. Kickoff was a beast back in the day, bro. Yeah. Well, dude, hey man, really appreciate chopping it up with you. It's fun just, you know, talking ball. No doubt, man. Appreciate you guys.

Again, I'm a big fan. I'm a big fan of athletes that obviously did what I've done, played in the league, but also the transition into other spaces and being good at it. One, but then two, like having success at it. So y'all keep it up, man. Chris is my guy. You're my guy now. I'm a big fan of what y'all are doing.

Y'all know I've been on the create gummies, and you know the positives. I've talked about this. It really helped with recovery, strength, cognition, staying active as I get older. And now creatine has a new addition, the creatine electrolytes. You take them together. Gummies of the foundation. Habit. You build the product. You trust, create. It's the thing I take every day. And so now you can stack the gummies with the electrolytes. Together, the two products puts you about 8 to 10 grams of creatine a day, which is, again, like the magic number for cognition and that sort of thing. If you're only taking three to five

grams, you're kind of leaving some of the benefits on or off the table, however you want to however you want to put it. But, you know, consistent higher daily dosage has helped me a lot. And yeah, the electrolytes to the equation, I think hydration's enormous. So like the way I feel late in the day is going to be dependent upon how hydrated I am if I got my exercise in. If I've taking my creatine gummies, if I'm sleeping, all that stuff. But on a day where maybe I don't have all those things lined up, creatine and create specifically really does help me, kind of get through that occasional tough day.

And the research on creatine and sleep deprivation is one of the most interesting things that honestly I've read this year. Being prepared and being ready is just as important for you as it is for any of us who have been through the draft process. So make sure you treat your body right with, create gummies and electrolytes. First off, really enjoyed that interview. What was your favorite part, Nate?

Close the great guy. Yeah, exactly. He makes Seattle seem cool. Yeah, he does. So the other thing that came out, we've been talking a lot about the schedule, but QB season three, and the fact that you don't know who's on it yet is good, because I want you to, I think they nailed it. Okay?

No. Damn. That would not be nailing it. No offense to him. What? But he's not one of the most four, the foremost electric personalities at quarterback in the NFL.

He's not. Did he cut his hair? That, I think that was AI. That's AI. Yeah, yeah. Have me worried, bro, because you know what I do? Wait, wait, who did cut their hair? Drake May.

C.J. Stroud. C.J. Stroud. Mm-hmm. It's not good if you're biblical, man. You're not supposed to, because of Samson? Sampson. So you have, so you, you don't cut your hair. Huh?

You don't cut any hairs. No. You just let your hair grow. Like me let his wife do it. That's the more biblical part. Oh, interesting. Yeah. Interesting.

Only time we'll tell. Man, that's biblically, that team's in trouble this year. So, all right, the four quarterbacks are. You ready? Drumroll. Josh Allen. I'm going to start with the least interesting one. And that's saying something, Jaden Daniels.

Okay? He's number one. I think that will be interesting. Rehab and being awesome. Yeah. Being like an adult. He's going to be like boring. He's going to be like, man, he's going to be like, this guy's really good of shit together.

Him and Juju. Him in Juju. Wackens. Watkins. Is that a girl? Oh, the basketball player. Yes. Yeah.

Like maybe. Are they together? It was rumored. It was rumored. You get your ear to the street, man. You're giving play. plugged in so so i think jaden daniels is probably the least interesting one but i'm excited he's on it three okay then you've got joe flacco which i think is going to be incredible joe

joe flacco wait what team is he on right now none he's still on the bangles yeah bangles so you'll get some um you'll get some joe burrow stuff right like by way of having from season two you remember joe burrow joe flag is going to be more interesting he's going to be doing like fucking you know i said he likes to hang out alone at restaurants and shit like they'll probably shoot a lot of shit at a restaurant like just incredible that would be so sick to be alone at a restaurant no no no they put that in that like it's they open one of the he's like ruby tuesdays he's getting salad at the salad bar do they even have ruby tuesdays anymore man back of my day used to hit that salad bar up all the time ruby tuesday at least they don't wainsborough

Bears Road, dude. So great. Right? There's one in... We've got a couple near us. Oh, really? Coal pepper. So they still have them.

It's not a defunct brand. No, no, no. Just defunct around us. Yeah. So Joe Flacco is going to be great. Joe Flacko, yeah. The perspectives that he's going to be able to give and also just, like, may not be playing, but... And of his kids, there was, it was like three years ago, I think that viral video of his kid

shitting on Joe Flacco. Oh, he's shit on his head? Or Joe Flacko was recounting being shit on at home by... Oh, yeah. How his kid's super hard on him. Maybe that kid will get on camera a little bit. Oh, I get you like, Dad, you stink. You guys were lost again?

When you stink? But it's like a good nature thing. It's not like Joe Shane thing. Yeah. Yeah. Wait to your kids, do it a little TikTok trend to you. Dad, do you ever wish you were a good athlete? Oh, but here's the thing I'm online enough to know.

Okay. Because I think that's what they're, his kids, like they. But I do wish I was a good athlete. No, like, legit, I do. You're a great athlete. No, I'm a good athlete. But I'm not a great athlete. Not relatively speaking.

Like, watch me try to do something besides football. It's not that great. Baker Mayfield is on the show. I love Baker Mayfield is going to be very interesting to be spicy. And then the last one is this. Tampa. And this to me, this guy's going to be a little prediction here. And maybe it's not the hottest take.

But I think that Cam Ward is going to be one of the most popular NFL football players by the end of his second year in the league. Because I just think he's got it. And I love the dude. I have not. I just love he's such a fucking adult dude. He's such an adult, but he's still interesting. And he has a howitzer for an arm. You're biting the cheese.

You're taking Tennessee's over a win total. I'm biting the cheese. I think their win total is probably like seven, six and a half. Yeah. I am biting the cheese. And I'm biting the cheese on Cam Ward being on this show. I think it's going to be great for him. And I think this show is actually going to be very interesting this year.

I mean, these are four very interesting guys in their own ways. So QB season three, you got that to look forward to. Before we get into Fax Fines, I have a layup line. and read i think you're gonna really like this one okay and you can go ahead and just put this whole album on our playlist usually put a song or two last night i texted my buddies and i said and my phone just died so i'm not going to be able to look up the name of the album i i said to my buddies this might be the best album i've heard one of the best albums i've heard all year one of and I had never heard of the guy, and I apologize for not having heard of the guy.

But Dave Cobb, who you know produced this album. And the guy's name is Coleman Jennings. And maybe you've heard Coleman Jennings, but this album came out like Friday. So I was just kind of going through new stuff. Dude, people compare him to, they say he's got like a Willie Nelson sound. Lead you home. Dude, there's, I don't know that there's a skip on the album. And it's a 31-minute project.

It moves fast. Instrumentally, it's awesome. It's super well-produced. I didn't know Dave Cobb produced it, but then afterwards, somebody pointed that out. The guy sounds like, and I mean this as a huge compliment, because I love Coulterwall.

He sounds like Coulter-Wall on Prozac, which is maybe a joke you can't make because Coulter-Wall is going through something right now. But you know how Coulter-Wall's music is kind of, it's brooding. It's, like, dark. it's um and you know it's there's a time and a place for it i love culture wall but this guy is like a he's like a sped up peppier culture wall hell to me and uh he's awesome he's awesome Coleman

Jennings that guy you heard it here first this is like a football take this is like when i draft romeo dobs in fantasy draft a couple years back and i'm like hey one day this guy's this guy's this guy's going places this guy Coleman jennings going places Dave Cobb always seems to be on some musician early and produces one of their early album. He did Ian No. I like Ian No years ago. It was tremendous. And he's been to he's done a bunch of guys like he did Marcus King's Carolina confection which is really good. But he does he does some of these albums early on in their musical life that kind of is there catapult them. Listen this is one of the best albums i've heard all year and and in in a genre which is harder to pin down with which i

love it's not just like straight country it's not straight bluegrass it's not like you know i don't know what you would call it um it's it's just good music and uh and this guy's going places so coleman jennings check him out the album was lead you home it's a fucking great album dude and you know it's funny i was sitting there last night and i almost hit up you know how charles charles wesley godwin connected with us a little bit and we we haven't like linked with him get them on the show or whatever or like i haven't been to a show yet right i was stoned and i was like man i want to reach out to charles wesley godwin because this guy would like he'd be a perfect opener like it'd be perfect dude and then i looked at coleman jennings tour dates he's in callus bell

Montana in July opening for Charles Wesley Godwin dude I'm you imagine if I message Charles Wesley God was like hey bro I got a good idea dude I don't have you ever heard of this guy with 95,000 listeners on Spotify monthly but like they're going to be there for the cherry festival? Maybe I don't know when the cherry festival is this year so yeah anyways that was that was sick the other the other musical conversation we were having before this started was our buddy Chris Canney was on was on Twitter the other night and I'm watching this argument go down. I don't really like jump into too many tweets anymore, but people are, it wasn't an argument.

He was saying he did debate in my house right now around New York rappers. Maybe it's just me, but I take the life after death album by big over any JZ project, no disrespect. And I would say this. It depends on what kind of mood you're in. and I was just going through this like, you know, if you're going to listen to like life after death or ready to die, which I really like ready to die, like you're at a

totally fucking different mood than you are if you're listening to, which would be my pick for this is the best JZ album in my opinion and the best album out of the two artists reasonable doubt. Reasonable doubt makes you want to fucking ride around in your

Mercedes-Benz that you don't own. Stop every once a while, smoke some pot. Big facts. You know, act like you're rich as fuck. Like, you know, drink some crystal. Like, just kind of have a, like, have a vibey day where, like, ready to die makes you want to, like, hurt somebody or yourself, dude. So they're incomparable. But the point I was going to make to Tanner, who's younger, I was giving him, like, a speed tour through Reasonable Doubt earlier.

Reasonable Doubt is one of the best albums of all time. It is butter, dude. The production on that album is fucking butter. The whole thing, there's no skips. How many albums can you name with no skips? Ice Man by Drake, it comes out on Friday. Won't have any skips. Dude, I just, and I respect the fuck out of Drake, but like, that's not my vibe.

Like, I'm not doing activities at 41 that you, like, play Drake to. That's just not my vibe. I'm going to be in Puerto Rico. It's going to be a vibe. And speaking of another thing you're really passionate, you're going to be in Puerto Rico. Here's another thing that, speaking of things,

you're passionate about Tanner. How about them Lakers? Oh, yeah. I turned that game off. It's it over for LeBron, dude? If LeBron retires, I was legitimately thinking about this, but, like,

the NBA's done for if LeBron's done. Like, they... What? People already aren't watching. Whimby's to go. First off... Wimby could be... People can debate about on first take.

First off. But... You're totally, like, The NBA is in trouble. Yes. And one of the things that, and I'm not saying it should matter, but you're American-born star. Yeah.

It is being dominated by people from other countries. You got Aunt. That's it. Which, well, Aunt to me is like, he's your, he's your OB-1. Help me, Obi-1. You're our only hope. It's so crazy to watch the LeBron thing because the LeBron, LeBron brings out the goofiest fucking takes, dude.

Like, the goofy, and I'm a Jordan guy. Like, I just am because I'm older, and I, like, I don't know, I was in the 90s. I was collecting Gatorade caps that said Bulls and 6th. And I was a Knicks fan, but like, to me, I never saw anybody better than Jordan.

And also, the game's totally different now. So it's like, I'm one of these people that's like, how about they're both the best ever, and they're different. And we shouldn't, like, try to pin two players against each other who are completely different players who played in completely different eras and just can't we just appreciate their fucking greatness instead what it does is it brings out the goofiest most intellectually dishonest people on the planet you know to either you know

pray for lebron's downfall yeah or misrepresent michael jordan or you know um you know i It doesn't have to be bad. Like, if you're a LeBron fan, you don't have to be like, Jordan sucked. You just might think. But who doesn't, how many people,

what percentage of, like, stands for either of those guys, don't try to tear the other guy down? Don't, like, less than 10%. And I think that,

like, people are just so intellectually dishonest these days. Oh, for sure. I mean, like, the one respite from, like,

in cells and racism, and politics and like World War III on Twitter should be sports but even sports the discourse around it sucks so much ass right now and I didn't even watch that series at all the guy's 40-something years old okay C's incredible

I mean I didn't think anybody but Big Cat my boy my boy Dan and I think he's a little bit tongue in cheek with this thing but he was like yeah I would say LeBron's time and LA is a failure. Oh.

I don't even count the bubble. Yeah. Like, you know. If he plays again, he's not going to play for the Lakers. There's no way he's going on. Where would you like to see him? If he go, one, I had this conversation with my buddy last night. He's got to go somewhere where he can win.

Yeah. Cleveland, he can win. So it makes sense to do. To go home. To go two years at home. That'd be cool. Yeah, it'd be cool. He might win one.

He won't be the guy. That'd be cool. But that's where you go. Or hear me out. He's a big fan of Michael Jordan. Come to the Wizards. Team up with AD. Well, here's another thing.

That reminded me this. You know our boy, Bad Back Backy, you know, he sounds like a fucking, uh, sounds like somebody that works at like Kamiski Field, dude. And so, you know when he starts talking about MJ. Oh, we, I talked to, I talked to him about it at your, uh, event. He said the other day, he goes, see, LeBron got swept. Yeah. That would never happen to Michael Jordan.

He said, he said, he said, it's MJ versus God. That was what, when I said, I told him LeBron was better than MJ at, like, passing. and he said, fuck no, MJ versus God. But here's the deal. MJ at, you know,

MJ's last season, did the, did the Wizards go to the playoffs? No. No. LeBron's in the dance at 40 years old. And you can tell Backy

that the, that Michael Jordan got swept twice in his career in both by the Celtics. Early. Early. Yeah.

Yeah. He also never won a playoffs with his son. Yeah, he never, maybe, MJ also never won a playoff game. without Scotty Pippin? No, I think they're both great. I do think the NBA's in a tough spot

if LeBron retires because O.KC's going to win like five straight. It's going to get real boring, real quick. I'm worried. Respectfully, I don't think LeBron being in the way is going to stop them from winning five straight. Somebody else is going to have to do that. But at least you have that. Anyways, this Dylan Brooks thing, not to be on my soapbox, is that in facts fines? Should I just wait for facts fines and we start facts fines how great how great of a troll is Dylan brook well that's like saying how great of a murderer is John Wayne gasey is it yes serious well I don't think trolling should be you and I are different on this I think that trolling has ruined America I think they have a legit like they don't like each other they don't like each other like an aunt doesn't like a human like the

Humans not think LeBron's not thinking about that's an aunt dude. He's an aunt to LeBron, dude. Like, I'm sorry. Listen, this has been memed. I think that like this is a really, it's going to be a really good meme, right? This is going to, it already is. I think it's being framed poorly. I also think Dylan Brooks is probably there to support his friend. That's absolutely what's happening. But the internet hates LeBron so much or some faction of it that all the sudden this guy that they've disliked for like years on end here is like, favorite guy on the internet because he's showing up and laughing at greatness, dude. That's greatness at the line. You're being celebrated for laughing at greatness. That's the problem with- Celebrate him, no. Everybody. Oh, are they? I didn't know that. Like, I- Oh, people are like, yo, this is the best. This is, this is legendary. This is legendary. Legendary would be, would be being in the series. That's so funny. My, like, I'm on my timeline. They're killing him. Oh, it's the complete, it's the complete. Everyone hates.

must be on the I must I'm my timeline must be all the the the white guys that like no my my timeline it's like imagine spending 15,000 plus to sit in this in the front row seat to watch to watch a game I think you can find a lot of people being like you know this is fucking this is awesome but I I do think like the the cella celebrating like trolling to me not to be on my soapbox about it but like there's a whole whole there's a whole streaming community that's like centered on trolling like isn't that what a lot of streaming and content is now is like trolling there's a lot of people like the fucking dude the u.s. government their official account trolls people the white house trolls people

trolling has ruined America, dude. And if that's the way Dylan Brooks sitting in the front row laughing, or the way it's being framed as he's laughing at LeBron, 7 to 7, it's not a foregone conclusion they're going to lose this game. You would think looking at this frame

that he was like maniacally laughing at LeBron, that's not what he's doing. But the way people loved it, they were like, yeah, fuck yeah, more of this. It's really just the cameraman's full of it. The cameraman got an amazing, angle an amazing pullout shot and like now we can we can literally interpret it any way we want yeah but it's just their history and their background of not liking each other it's like yeah but

it's it's like no difference if that if that's lance stevenson no there's a big difference i liked lance stevens no it's see it is because but also like i was going to say because Lance wasn't hated on like as much as or Lance didn't want to be the villain the way Dylan Brooks yeah like that's that's his thing he's like if I'm gonna be the NBA villain Lance Stevenson was a good player no no not to say Dylan Brooks isn't a good player no no Dylan Brooks is a good player too but I think he's made it his thing that everyone thinks I'm the villain so I'm gonna really do it's OD Lance Stevenson was out there just like fucking he was he was he's just trying to get like hey trying to get under his people's skin I'm not going to be able to stop LeBron so I got a blow in his

See what I can do. I got to blow in his ear. That's not trolling. That's, that's instigating. It's instigating. Yeah. Which are the same two things, but like, trolling has like a, trolling has a younger, like, more like, just like, dude, you know what it is for me?

It's content, dude. Content has just become a bunch of trolling. So it's like a, it's like a trigger point for me where I'm just like, God damn, dude. Like, fuck, everybody's trying to get rich off, just trying to make people upset. And then saying like, well, I wasn't being serious. Or like, you know, who cares that LeBron would dog walk me? I'm in his head. I'm sitting under the basket.

Like that's what this, man, that's Lance Stevenson blowing in LeBron's here. That's fucking good stuff. That's the good stuff. That's a trolling that I can get behind, dude. Because you're on the court with him, dude. You're on the court with him. I guess what bothered me was like, I will find some tweets of people celebrating this. You guys

I believe it I believe it People were like Man this is awesome I'm buying his jersey I was like First off I don't think he's laughing at LeBron

Like I agree And I feel like it's just I don't have that algal Because I feel like I'm like More of a like LeBron stand So I probably get like You're getting LeBron Stan stuff

That's why Tanner's not getting either Yeah Hater Report Nah man Dylan Dylan Billon bro showed up to game four Just to Hate Watch I'm in tears.

No, you're not. Shut the fuck up. I know that's like a hater report account or whatever. Dylan Brooks is the greatest hater of all time. He showed up courtside to watch LeBron get swept. This guy is a super villain. He's not a super villain, dude. He's not a super villain.

He's not. He's the 30th guy in a suit that John Wick kills in fucking John Wick 3, dude. He's not a super villain. He's just on one of the teams that LeBron has beaten. Like I just don't understand. Like, that's my, the framing of it is just irresponsible. He is not LeBron, dude. They don't like each other, but he thinks about LeBron every night.

LeBron's not thinking about Dylan Brooks. I'm sounding like a Brown sexual like you, aren't I? Braun definitely lives rent-free in his head. Well, and how much do those courtside seats cost for him to go to the game? I bet he got him. But he was going to watch his friend. No, yeah. Did you see Nick Wright's comments?

I did see Nick Wright's comments. You want to fill me in on that? So Nick Wright does not think that NBA... Yeah, let me watch it. Let me watch it so I don't misunderstand him. I want to say one other thing because I've said this many times, but now it has come up again. Bringing children to press conferences after losses should not be allowed.

And I think Joe L. Embed is obviously an awesome family man and a great dad. And when we first saw it with... I think it was Steph's daughter, Riley. Right. It was not only was it adorable, here's the other thing. It was in the midst of them always winning, and all the press conference stuff was just celebratory. And so it was cute, and there was never a, oh, man,

I kind of need to ask him an awkward question, but he has this adorable child with him. Right. It is, it is, whether intentional or not, The ultimate effect is your kid is shielding you from what could be tough or uncomfortable questions. That is the point of those press conferences. Right. Man.

Talk about a bear trap, huh? Yeah. Right? Yeah. Yes and no. I understand what he's saying. But part of it on the players side or just any. I feel like if you're a reporter, do your job.

Like I don't, I like, Bingo. Do your job. I don't, I don't feel like you asking a, a sensitive question as long as you're not being disrespectful, like why it should matter if the kid's up there or not. I do want to acknowledge,

and I do think you could acknowledge this probably, that eventually if reporters did their jobs in those scenarios, an NBA player will take offense to being asked a certain caliber or question in front of his kid. Absolutely. And then that's one of those things where then... And then it's like, hey, man, you said you wanted the tough questions. Then what he is saying is valid in the sense of don't get sensitive and be upset.

If I'm asking a question, if you're going to bring your kid up here knowing, hey, you lost a game. This is when those type of questions will probably come. I understand that for a pool of reporters, somebody with an adorable kid on their lap after game is going to probably deter them from asking the pointed question. But that's your fucking job. So let me ask you.

That's your job. As a reporter, that is your job. Ask the tough question, see what happens. So let me. That's my take. So I'm sitting here and I'm finding it hard to think of. So if I was sitting here with my daughter, what question in your head, like if you,

would you not want to ask me in the moment because I have my daughter up here like imagine like Braybill has his grown sons on his lap Whoa Yeah Like bro That's that's hilarious

You're just bringing in Like that's You know what I'm saying? You know what I'm saying? Like Philip Rivers throws like three picks And he's got like fucking like a whole lineup of dudes You can ask me that in front of my boys

Yeah like like Because what were they going to ask them? They were asking them, hey, how do you feel like you might not be in, like, you're right. You're right. When you really run through it, they're not asking you like, you know, it's not a deposition. Yeah. I can see if you just got in trouble off the court and it was like something personal that like everyone wanted to ask about. I think there just needs to be a contract sign between the players and reporters where they get together and they say, all right, you guys can bring your kids to press conferences.

It's wholesome. It's awesome. and the kids are cute and like you guys are together after the game I don't know how much you get to see each other because you're traveling and you're playing and that sort of thing like no one's going to tell you not to but if you do that

we're not going to pull any punches are you guys okay with that yes then the minute an NBA player gets offended by a fucking question on account of their kid being up there and that player needs to get like fucking fined or something yeah or just like hey like you can't you can't bring your kid up

No, but like you don't want one guy who gets sensitive to ruin it for everybody. That player just needs to get like a... No, you just tell that player. Like, hey, like, you got to do the rest confidence. All right, well, you lose your kid privileges if you like this question, dude. Like, that, like... I'm sorry, I had to ask you about the free throws. Like, as crazy as it seems, it's just like, that's what it...

I feel like that's what it needs to be, but I kind of... I do understand what, like, I hear what Nick Wright is saying. I hear what he's saying, but in the same token, I'm just like, and it's... And it's, it's Philadelphia. Those reporters shouldn't be scared to ask a question. And the person already made it, like Joel Embed, like had his son up there. If his son was at the game, they probably heard the fuck Joe L.M.B. chance. You know, your kids already heard, like, the worst of it in the game.

Having said that, like, it is a touchy deal. I think about this a lot because as a player, it's so easy to be like, yo, we could cut out the middleman. We could just go on all go on IG live after the game. And we don't need reporters anymore. which I disagree with because when you govern yourself or you're accountable only to yourself, you're not going to be accountable in a way that like... You're not going to see through your lens. But as a player, it's easy to go, we don't need y'all.

Yeah, yeah. But the truth is the game is propped up by the media in a sense that like, hey, listen, if we didn't have the media, we probably wouldn't make as much money. Like the media is part of the... it's a bit antiquated to have a post-season post-game presser but like who are players going to be accountable to and it really is just like the media is the conduit to the fan right like the fans that pay money to watch players play or pay for Netflix or fucking peacock or like whatever it is they want to hear the quarterback get up there after the game if there's no pool of media members

quarterback could just say i'm not talking after the game you never hear insight from the quarterback and before you're like yeah it's just athletes like fortune 500 companies they have press conferences fucking CEOs have press conferences they have to answer questions i'm not sure that they're ironically held to the degree of like accountability as an NFL quarterback is but like which is fucked up but media makes the world go around so like if we're going to do away with the media and we don't want to talk like then we're we're probably going to lose some opportunities as players like financially and otherwise so i just think for me it's like yeah do i think the media can be scummy and the media can't like certain media members can't abuse the privileges and that sort of thing

i also think they have a job to do and it's not that hard to just answer questions but for the media this is your job and so and if it makes you wince a little bit to ask joel and beat a tough question because his kids on his lap then maybe you're not cut out for it yeah that that's that's that's that's that's what you're doing is you're blaming the players for the way you feel yeah you feel but go ahead sack up and ask the question because it almost it almost sounds like you're he's saying that saying that like I want to be able to ask a question that's not in good faith like that's ultimately what I hear when I when like when you say that like because if it is in good faith and it's a a legit question it should never feel that way regardless of who's around the person you're

asking the question but you know our egos like sometimes we don't even want to be asked about the tough thing. Absolutely. And it's kind of like, why you got to bring up old shit? It happened an hour ago, dude. Like, come on, we're fucking, you know. So anyways. All right.

Last thing in facts finds. And this is probably not in anyone's algorithm. And I don't know how it crossed minds. But there's this new trend going around called ball maxing. Is that where you get saline in your ball sats? No, that wasn't what I was going to say. To stretch your scrolldom out as much as it can filling it with fluid until your balls become like elastic. Elastic?

Big, yes. So you get like double pendulum down there? You're just like they said like. Why do you want this? The procedure is like an IV going like where the scrotum and the shaft meets like stuck in there. Yeah. And you fill it with like this like this licked. with. It's like a BBL. And I guess it's like the, I guess it's the sensation, but like the one dude

that they're following in the article, he's like, it's more that I'm different now. But listen, bro, bro, he has bald max so much. Listen to this. He has ball match max so much. At one point, he got stuck in the toilet. Like, of shit like like stuff in this place stop it dude bro this is a sickness dude this is a mental illness this is a mental illness I'm sorry but some of this stuff is my strange addiction no it made me think of my strange addiction but like it's just a mental illness like where I understood when dudes were like although I thought it was the goofiest shit of all time when dudes

were lengthening their femurs and had to go through a rehab process to become taller. Like dudes were like, I'm six months out of the surgery. They got like a walker. Like they're trying to. I'm like, Jesus, dude. Like everybody knows you cut your leg open to try to get taller. Like it kind of negates the gained height. At least there was a function to that.

This is totally functionalist. Having bigger balls does nothing, dude. Does nothing. What does it do? It makes you stand down. different. To who? To Shorty. You walking around naked, dude?

Shorty never going to forget these balls. Yeah, but what is she? She's going to go to their friends. This is like Shorty having like a big Montana down there, an Arby's big Montana down there. That's like the equivalent of having an Arby's big Montana down there, dude. Your bulge maxing is what it is, I think. Yeah, like fold maxing would be the equivalent of that.

And that sounds stupid as. fuck to me dude bro so like also like where do you put them me my girl had to go to nova yesterday for like some shopping for this wedding and like so on the drive back when charlie sent me this article like i made her read it for me out loud i can hear her talking about this too that's pretty funny and we were just and i was yeah we were just dying like yo but like my thing is it's just like Like, what are you doing about, like, your shorts and, like, traditional underwear and, like, stuff like that? What are you doing about sitting down, dude? Yeah, I know.

Just sitting down. And. We're going to get this done? Can it be undone? No, I think it's something that it's, it's like, it doesn't stay, like, when you max, it's not like you max out forever. I think it, like, the saline or, like, it comes out. Yeah, it runs out. It runs out.

significant risks and dangers infection and tissue damage infertility and medit well don't worry it no don't worry about infertility whoever's whoever's blowing up their balls isn't gonna fucking have sex with anybody anyways guys a total virgin guys guys ac green against this fucking will dude like somebody who is willing to do that to their balls doesn't deserve to procreate so infertility maybe just is actually like a good thing um the dude was like in the article he was like it's amazing how much the scrotum could stretch yeah i know dude i used to do the flying squirrel all the time dude come on oh you're telling me come on now because i like to fucking stretch my balls out oh why

so you've been ball maxing your ball maxing without the without the natural ball maxing dude natural ball maxin it's just air you're just i'm just natural ball maxing you're air ball max you guys in the locker room after a game see a teammates ball maxing. Oh, dude. You sit them down at a conversation. There was a coach. There's no physical way you could play a serious

sport ball maxing. We had a, we had a coach that. What kind of a cup would you get? Listen, we had a coach. The balls are the cup. You get a bowl. You get a fucking ceramic breakfast bowl.

You get that Yeti bowl. You get a bowl. No, there was a coach. My teammate went in the stall and opened it too fast. I guess he was bending over to like wipe his ass or something. He goes, dude, his balls were like cow udders, dude. He had like a cow utter. And I'm thinking to myself like, that's not cool.

That's not fun. That's like it could have been your dick, but instead you're just sitting on your balls all the time. Oh, you could have made six figures plowing hot chicks or, you know, having confidence. But instead, you're sitting on your balls. and you're telling me that there are guys out there that are like intentionally like that's what I want to I want to be or fill my balls with saline. Humanity has never been. Hey Doc, dude, here to max out. Max me out, Doc.

I really do think this is the end days, dude. Like I'm not to be, I'm not trying to say like locusts are coming or whatever, but I'm starting to wonder if we're too far gone as a society. I think people get fucking bored, bro. Like, I think people, like, seriously get bored and they be like, what haven't I seen someone do? And let me, and let me do this. Like, I really do. Like, I, I, because it's just like, why the fuck are you doing this?

Like, like, the person says it's a sensation. But it's just like, how do you mentally come to this? Idol hands is the devil's playground. But it's just like, but it. Start ball maxing. Bro, it's just like, for one, it's just like, oh, I'm going to. I'm gonna find, I'm gonna find a liquid. Like, yeah, my calendar's wide open this week.

Let me shoot my balls full as clean. Right. Dude, like, fuck, man. Let me find a liquid that's not gonna kill me. Oh, man. I'm gonna shoot it into my scrotum and see as how far I can stretch, stretch it. And then. What's next?

And then find other people who like to do this. I'm out. What's next? That's it. I just wanna show you guys one thing to close the show. I thought this was hilarious. Did you get the thing about the Raiders? guy the b yu tackle oh yeah okay so you got to look up look look this up yeah oh yeah so this was so

interesting all right so this is sick dude this is an m l football post i actually really liked this is like a historical thing and i love when m l football i don't love it i actually muted m l football but somehow i saw this powerful in all caps former six foot eight b yu stand out Eli Herring refused to play in the NFL because he would not work on Sundays due to his religious beliefs. Before the draft, Herring told teams not to select him, making it clear he would not play because of his beliefs surrounding the Sabbath. The Raider still drafted him in the sixth round, but Herring stayed true to his faith and never played a single snap in the NFL. Herring says he has no regrets despite believing he had the talent to become one of the league's best. Eli is now married with seven children and works as a school.

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Wayfair, every style, every home. School teacher and assistant football coach in Utah. He's standing on business like Chick-fil-A, dude. And I'm telling you, this is the lead of this story is to me. it's not his it's not his fucking his steadfast religious beliefs

he's a coach no it's that the the Raiders were like we don't care hey do you plan on playing football on Sundays he's like no and they were like we'll see about that we'll see about that and they drafted him and he was like yeah no I was I was like I'm not coming to work like I don't play on Sundays only the Raiders dude

he could play now draft the guy that was like I'm just warning you I'm not going to play football for your team.