NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - Antonio Brown aka Big Chest; Fun Free Agency Fits

Episode Date: February 20, 2019

A room filled with heroes- Dan Hanzus, Chris Wesseling, Gregg Rosenthal and Marc Sessler bring you the birthday bash recap of the half century (1:05). The heroes fill you in on all the latest news around the league including Kaepernick and Reid settling with the NFL (8:59), Antonio Brown and the Steelers agreeing that it is time to part ways (13:13) and Todd Gurley’s health (26:41). The heroes throw out some fun free agency fits (37:39) and then tell Gregg what he can no longer do now that he is 40 (53:20).Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comNFL Daily YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nflpodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Hey, everybody. Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move the 6th, we take you inside the game from breaking down college prospects and NFL rookies to evaluating team building philosophies, coaching trends, and how front offices construct winning rosters. We study the tape, talk to decision makers, and give you a perspective you won't find anywhere else.

It's everything you need to understand the why behind what happens on Sunday. Don't miss it. Listen to the Move the Sticks podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Marcus Grant. And I'm Michael Florio, and together we host the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast. Ready to dominate your fantasy league this season? Then you need the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast, your ultimate source for player news, draft tips, and winning strategies. Whether you're a rookie manager or a fantasy vet. We've got the insight to help you crush your opponents.

Listen to the NFL Fantasy Football podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL. Visit Toyota.com slash NFL now to learn more. The Around the NFL podcast. Want to drive the BougarMobile. Welcome to another edition of the Around the NFL podcast. My name is Dan Hansis, and I am joined in a room filled with Heroes. Mark Sessler, Chris Wessling, and Craig Rosenthal.

What is up, boys? Hey, Dan. Whenever the Bougarmobile is getting brought up in almost late February, it might be time for some new fan submissions for money drops. The Burgomobile kind of already... We've covered that real estate. Football pop culture artifact, if you will. So for new listeners, we're too lazy to come up with that little.

intro to each show which we call the money drop after the immortal Matt Money Smith and you can do our work for us by tweeting at who Erica I guess what? Where do they give you the answers where do they give you? Hashtag money tags hashtag money tags send it to Tamposi

All right that was good to get that She does not want that responsibility No it's true we do need some But more importantly forget all that Forget about the Buggermobile and whether Matt Smith will live or die or where to send the money tags. The biggest thing here is that we got two birthday boys in the studio.

Whoa, my goodness. Chris Wessling turned 45 on Tuesday and Greg Rosenthal on the very same day hits the big 4-0. Mar-on. That's right. Well, we're past the birthday now. It feels like it was a long process and I'm over celebrating myself. Yes.

This is 40. It was delightful, yeah, which is a depressing. movie about what I hope is not a depressing decade. But if this last week was an indication, it'll be delightful, you know, a lot of good food. It's not any indication whatsoever. Big trouble soon come. Yeah, a lot of good food, a lot of good times. It was great.

What did you guys do? What did you guys do for the big day? I actually was under the impression until about 90 minutes ago that today was your birthdays. So there was some confusion. I did have interactions via text with both of you gentlemen separately. and I didn't know it was your birthdays. So if you guys were thinking, wow, that was weird that he didn't say happy birthday,

it's because I thought it was today. So happy birthday, belatedly. Thank you. Friday night we all meet Greg, our significant others. Henry, I know I'm missing somebody.

Shona was there. Shona, we went and got crack shack fried chicken. Can we make it clear that it wasn't that I either wasn't invited or chose not to attend? I was out of town. Otherwise, I would have been there,

obviously. And then I went out of town. I went up into the mountains, Topanga Canyon, and built fires, read some books, enjoyed being close to nature and some solitude. This sounds like a perfect weekend, not just for you, but for Mark. It was a little bit sticking it to Mark a little bit. I'm doing this and you're not. No doubt about it. Like just your Instagram stories, it's like breezy trees.

Look at my book. Like I'm looking out of cabin. There's not a human site. Mark is turning red. Why didn't you think more about Mark before you did this, Wes? I think Mark would have been thrilled to do something like this, especially considering that he's a man... Mark at a kid's birthday party,

just his head exploding looking at Instagram. Essentially. He's a man who has proven that he enjoys going to, let's say, sites where murders happened. And Topanga Canyon is where the Manson family lived for quite some time. They hung out in those canyons and lost, so... Hit Mark where it hurts. It really is.

Sorry, Mark. I mean, my advice to you, it's a set... Because you and Lakeisha are on quite a festival. circuit the two of you, just constant fires and bottles of wine and, you know, money being poured out left and right. Do not have children. It will put a decisive end to your Playboy lifestyle. Well, the thing about the Playboy lifestyle, which I've been leading in a much lesser extent for 20 years. Manufactured joke. It runs out and then you're left alone, lonely, and with no one there. You're not alone. It works until a certain age.

And then it becomes a little pathetic. It's still working for you. I worked around the kids because you got a babysitter. And I sort of set up four dinners, five nights covering all the major food groups, fried chicken, Korean, sushi, and Mexican. You know, you're doing it right. And, you know, I have a friend of mine that lives in L.A. that I've been friends with since I was eight years old, like one of my best friends in the world

I used to live in New York with. It was his 40th birthday a few days before, so he celebrated his, and then the last couple nights did a few more with Anthony Jesselnik who I do the other podcast with. And then last night, a friend of mine, another one from high school is in from out of town to celebrate with us, and it's a whole thing.

It's like a Marty girl for you. It's fun. You lived it up a little bit more than I would have predicted Greg Rosenthal would live it up. It's 40. Yeah, I think I felt. I felt it. I think I felt the big number and was just like, well, what would I want to do? I would want to eat some good food, you know, days on end, and I accomplished it.

There is a trend, especially you see it on Instagram, where there are these, and you don't fall into this category at all, Greg, but like these women that are single in their late 30s and 40s where it's not just a week, but it's an entire month celebrating their birthday. And it's to the point where to dance, you have no idea when the actual birthday is because it's been an ongoing festival. of self-celebration, you came close to that in a very effective way. It felt too, it felt too much. Five dinners or four dinners for yourself. It's a little ridiculous, but here's the thing. You have different friend groups once you're our age, and it's like, do you want to like have to like figure,

A, do you want to organize anything? No. And then B, do you want to have to try to combine it all? No, like my friend happened to be coming in from out of town Tuesday. So that's when, that's when we'll go out. My other friend's birthday, it all just kind of worked out that you do it separately. And that's, that's the way to go. We'll circle back to this topic at the end of the show. But before we do that, we have a lot of football to talk about,

all these 40-somethings surrounding me. Erica dismayed you, just the two young kids. Just us. Just us left. Just a couple of millennials trying to figure out how you fit in. Now I'm on Kissing's Corner. There's like a decades-long gap between you and Erica, but continue to live in your myth land.

All right. This is what we got coming up today. Free agency. it's not as far as way as you think we're talking inside a month now everybody so we're going to take a look at who's on the market and it always gets pared down of course

when you factor in the franchise tag guys but who's going to hit the market and what would be kind of fun logical fits so we'll go around the horn a couple times talk that and also big news involving Colin Kaepernick

so why don't we get going with the news hit it Ricky Happy birthday to you Happy birthday to you Happy birthday Dear Greg and Wes Happy birthday to you

Wow What a gift Harmony Lassid Harmonizing with herself Wes she put you second Any thoughts on that That's fine

Just happy to be alive. That was a very nice gesture by Sydney. Our old producers that I set up. So let's figure out where we want to dole out, where credit belongs, and who's grateful for who. Well done. You're like Bobby the Brain Heenan, and she's your wrestler. Tim Posey, who's now played birthday songs for me on multiple podcasts because I did, you know, the Jessel Dick and Rosenthal Vanney project. Jeremy me yesterday on my birthday.

then immediately slacks after you said that, Dan, that bitch didn't post you on IG. Ouch. Well, Erica. He's making shots at Sydney. I was connecting with Erica earlier today, and I had Sidney send that file directly to Eric, and it felt like asking my ex-girlfriend to connect with the current girlfriend.

Very strange. Yeah, it was, it's no hard feelings. It's just when, you know, you're bringing up the ex. There's tension. It's, yeah, it just. It's a thing. It's just a thing. Sydney, my heart still beats for you.

What? I can't kill that. I can't make that go away. Hey, someday you're going to be replaced and we're going to speak glowingly about you. Love the one you're with. Wait. What?

That's why we brought you here, Erica. We have to let you go. Oh, my God. No, we love you too, Eric. It's a complicated situation. All right, let's start. Speaking of complicated situations, Colin Kaepernick, Eric,

Reid currently with the Carolina Panthers, just got a new contract, in fact. Kaepernick, who's been out of football since the end of 2016. They have reached a settlement. They reached a settlement with the NFL concerning their collusion grievances against the league. This was announced Friday. So we're a little behind the curve on this because we weren't with you on Monday's show. But the terms not disclosed, it's all confidential. We don't know what Kaepernick and Reed got out of this, Greg.

But what we do know, or what it seems, at least just kind of reading the tea leaves, that while we don't know if Kaepernick and Reed had an actual case that could have went all the way and led to a victory. And that was where it initially started out on their end. The NFL made the decision they didn't want to maybe let it get that far. And at the end of the day, they said, let's just settle this and try to move forward. Yeah, there's no way, and I've been annoyed to hear the hot takes on this to know the total motivations on both sides. But the NFL, the clearest thing is that the NFL believed it, you know, it was worth settling this case because they didn't want to lose or they, you know, they're admitting some fault here, essentially.

And it doesn't really wrap up Colin Kaepernick's story, but it does potentially end the story that started in 2007. that he's had with the NFL, you know, assuming he's not going to be back in the league, which feels like a pretty safe assumption. I mean, it has been a long process, and I'm sure there's, you know, there's got to be part of him and Eric Reed that's relieved to be done with the process on their side, too. And I think Bumani Jones wrote a really good piece on the undefeated about it. Just for all the people that kind of wanted more from Kaepernick, it's almost like, you know, what more does he have to give up?

Like, why is it his responsibility to hold this mantle? I think when he started all of this, he could have never seen the direction that it went. And I think there were times he was maybe uncomfortable with, like, being the face of it. He's barely spoken the last couple of years. And I think he's handled it all well and that this is sort of the endpoint between him and the NFL.

I would be stunned if he gets a job at this state. I guess it's certainly possible. I believe someone in his camp, whether it was a lawyer, went out and mentioned the Patriots as a possible candidate or said that he was going to have a lot of interest on the market. I find it very hard to believe. So at the end of the day, yeah.

It would be a good end, not ending, but that would be a good coda at the end of this story if you did get back in the league. I just almost have given up believing it's possible. If it hasn't happened to this point, I don't know if it does. And it is, yeah, you wonder, how much money?

And I don't know if we'll ever know. I guess that's just how this works. What was the final settlement? Because what this ended up being, when the NFL settles, Kaepernick was essentially saying he was being blackballed from the league. If they settle the NFL and the both sides had to come up with an agreement, how much money that cost Colin Kaepernick. And it essentially this whole adventure, this whole saga, ended his career.

Well, and I mean, I think Greg, you put it all very well. It's like the one thing the NFL probably is very, happy about is that the whole thing is wrapped up inside a confidentiality agreement where to your question, Dan, we'll never know. And I think that the NFL will be happy that we'll never know what was done behind closed doors. And I'm not sure if it's just like a money figure, I'm not sure what that would really mean anyways, unless there's other things. They also went through all their cell records. I mean much to me to find out whether it's X amount of money or more or whatever. I think it's more than just a settlement. The investigation included like going through people's

phones, going through emails, and we'll never know what any of that entailed or what was said. And the NFL didn't want anything to do with that being public or having owners sitting, giving depositions, all that stuff was, I think they sought to avoid that, and that's how this ended up. Let's move on. Antonio Brown, another saga, endless saga. He met with Steelers president, Art Rooney, the second, and after it, Brown tweeted, that both agreed that it is time to move on.

What's next? That's the question, Wes. Antonio Brown, he can't stop talking. He won't stop talking. Peter King in his football morning in America column reported that at least one team looks at all these comments Antonio Brown is making on a near daily basis as something that makes you want to stay away from him. You wonder how many teams are like that.

Brown wants guaranteed money. He wants a new deal. is he going to get what he wants or the Steelers going to be able to unload this player or is all this going to be meaning nothing and he's going to be in Pittsburgh week one? Is that still possible? It's been interesting to watch how the story has shifted

and maybe how his motivations have shifted started out as him being in hot water, him being in trouble for throwing a tantrum, going AWOL and not showing up to one of the most important games of his career and now it appears to be a chance for him to earn more money than he was going to get with the Steelers. He wants more guaranteed, money. He wants to be in a prime situation. And I don't know if he's going to get everything he wants.

The suitor would have to be perfect in order to do all that. And I think one of the things, Greg's turning 40, one of the things about getting older is you realize you don't have to surround yourself with people you don't like. You can win a Super Bowl without Antonio Brown. Teams have been doing it for years, winning Super Bowls without Antonio Brown. And if I'm running a team, I'm just thinking, this guy is just not worth what he's bringing to the table. He's just not worth it. I don't want to surround myself with this quality of person. I mean, there's also the other side to Antonio Brown, you always hear this. I would be, if I were running a front office, that would be, I'd agree with you.

I'd have to think twice about adding his whole makeup to the locker room. But he always has talked about also as one of the hardest workers deeply committed to football. And he is an incredible football player. This is not the same thing as Kareem Hunt or someone else who offers an entirely different, you know, world of issues. This is like, can the right locker room handle Antonio Brown? And if he gets what he wants, will he go quiet for a while and be a good soldier? I don't know. Yeah, the contract thing makes it trickier, how important that is.

You know, a team that's interested needs to find out. Because to me, his contract is one of the really attractive things about him. I mean, he's probably going to end up making, you know, on that contract less over the next two years than let's say Golden Tate or some, you know, some free agency. going to get. So of course, like that that's a pretty good value. And the Steelers are trying to like salvage their leverage and their GM talked about it on Wednesday. You know, Kevin Colbert saying they're not going to give him away, but that the two sides did agree that they're going to make a good faith effort to try to trade him. But that if they don't get a good offer, that they'll

revisit the circumstance then. And no one seems to believe the Steelers that they would ever keep them. I tend to think the Steelers are the rare team and they'll take this all the way up into the draft and I think that's when the best deal is going to come and I think they'll get a good enough deal and that's probably one they'll trade him. But if for some reason people really were totally out on Antonio Brown and no one's offering better than like a third or a second round pick, I don't know. I think they might just try to like figure it out then in May and I think they're hoping that doesn't happen. They don't often, you know, look they're not often the embarrassed party in public. They're the opposite and so I think you're absolutely right.

It only takes one team. Some team like the 49ers, once you get into the draft, it's like, okay, they can trade down, they'll pick up more picks. They give them like a mid-late first-round pick. This, again, points out the need for my idea for having all the NFL GMs in a subreddit where we could just know what people are thinking

internally about Antonio Brown. There's certainly, in my mind, if I were... You don't think there's texting going on? There's texting, but I want the subreddit. I want a real community feel. and the idea that what percentage of GMs think that Antonio Brown is like a nut? Like he's crazy and I don't want him near my team

I know how amazing he is as a player and just so everybody knows he's no longer AB that is not the accepted nomenclature at this point for Antonio Brown while doing a Instagram live video on an elliptical running at full speed sweat pouring down his face

he announced call me Mr. Big Chest Big Chest from now on Big Chess Brown from now on, don't even call me, A.B., just call me Big Chest. So I don't shoot the messenger. What if we don't? Yeah. No, he said. He said it wasn't asking.

He was like, don't even call me A.B. Call me Big Chet. I mean, people giving themselves nicknames, number one is, you know. Remember when Dan tried to call himself Danny Rich? I mean, that worked better than this. That was your idea. You pitched Daddy Rich. Old Zusser was something that maybe came.

from me. I've had a number of nicknames, but I did name myself 60% G as my rap name, and that's stuck pretty well. So, I mean, I'm into it. Big Chess, I'm with you. It's just a bad nickname. I will call them Big Chest now forever more. Moving on.

Another big name wide receiver in the market, potentially. Odell Beckham, Jr. Just signed that whopper of a deal last year with the Giants. But, you know, this all got kicked around. The Hornets Nest got kicked when. in a mailbag of some kind. Jay Glazer of Athletic mentioned that, you know, he threw out, oh, yeah, what if, you know, if I had to make a crazy guess,

O'Dell gets traded. And now the reports start coming out. First, we hear that the Patriots went hard after O'Dell Beckham last year before he signed that big deal with the Giants. And also in the past year, the Niners, they tried very hard to pursue. the wide receiver, which none of this should come as a surprise if O'Dell Beckham Jr. is on the market, teams are going to be

interested, but let's see what happens next. This continues to be an interesting subplot as the draft approaches. Faser backed it up, too, this week in his new mail bag Dan, which I read on... It's just a mail bag. On Wednesday. It's not the mail. And so he kind of dove deeper

into his reasoning, and he basically said no one should be surprised that the Giants pretty publicly were a little tired of Odell, that Pat Schumer is the key to why he ended up getting that contract, that he convinced ownership he could work with him, and he did a pretty good job. And then they had that sit-down interview, and I think that they would listen to offers.

I still don't see how it would make sense financially for them. But when you hear the 49ers were in on him, it just makes me even more hyper-aware to what the 49ers do this off-season. I just think they're kind of one of the 49ers. teams to watch that maybe ODB or Antonio Brown. It's almost like one of those guys going to end up there. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, what? Mr. Big Chess, bro.

It's not, can't just be Big Chess, that's be Mr. Big Chess. Let me check. Let me check. So either Big Chester, ODB, I think they'll end up in San Francisco or San Francisco or San Francisco is going to just be making splashes. John Lach is desperate. I think they, I mean, they tried to in a way make splashes during their first offseason and just a lot of that didn't work out.

But they're a team that I would put as a target team. to trade out of that number two spot, pick up more leverage, and then you almost have the necessary load to get Beckham or to trade for Antonio. What you could do, trade out of the two spot, right? Get, you know, trade back to what, 10, 12. Use that, spin that for Odell.

I mean, there's a lot going on here. Two's too high. Do we trust Dave Gettleman to get this done? A guy that we've praised on this podcast before, but hasn't had a great return, you know, to New York just in terms of the moves that they made. And they just have an incredible amount of holes on their roster. They're a weird team. This is a lousy team.

They have holes at quarterback, at offensive line, at linebacker. Landon Collins, according to Josina Anderson, cleaned out his locker today and said goodbye because he thinks he's not going to be around. Apparently, there are no discussions between player and team there. Right. I don't know about that because he seems like he might get franchise tag. But there's a bad team. Why should I believe the Giants are motivated to trade Odell Beckham?

This seems like, hey, one of the most talented players in the league, there's some issues there behind the scenes, so other teams are trying to prey on that. But I don't know that anything I've read says the Giants want to get rid of O'Don. The only thing we know from Gettleman is that in January, like, first or second, he basically said absolutely not. We're not trading him. He was there to give him the deal.

But I think so many weirder things will play out during any given offseason. I wouldn't be shocked if something happened. And if they were hit with a deal that allowed the Giants to – they're like two star players away from being in a massive rebuild. Right. There's got to be – there's some dot connecting. Essentially, what Greg's saying, they have so many holes to fill. And here's O'Dell Beckham, a guy that would bring back immense value in a trade. If they decide that they want to take that one player and try to turn it into three, maybe they do it.

By the way, you have three options. Mr. Big Chest, just Big Chest, or Big Chest Brown. B.CB? B.C. No, he doesn't say BCB. It's not an option. Well, hey, I don't have to listen to his request. It's not a request. It looks like a demand.

I don't have to listen to his demand. I mean, if I just announce a new nickname for myself or any of you going to follow suit and call me by that if you're not a... No, you won't. Yes, that's a rule. If someone says this is the nickname, you must use it. I'm going to do it. Okay, moving on. Did you call Kobe Bryant Mamba?

Oh, the black Mamba. Every time I saw him. Oh, the black mom is going nuts again. I follow a rigid set of rules when it comes to Nick. Dan walks around this office with the mama mentality. You can see it on his face. Absolutely. So you can destroy.

Right, Ricky Hollywood? She came up with that. That's what she goes by. I mean, I didn't come up with that. It's not complicated. You didn't? No, I didn't nickname myself. I mean, you put it.

You made your Twitter profile. You pushed it hard. You've been pushing it. Who came up with it? It's a long story. Oh, wow. You know, we called... It's okay to make up.

I didn't make it up. It's worked. It works for you. You know, it's another good nickname, Erica? Yeah, say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. I knew you were going to say it.

Oh, I thought you were going to say your other nickname, Tramp Thirsty. That's a good one. Are you just now referencing inside jokes from your other podcast? No, I mean, that's just another nickname. How does that help the rest of us? That's another nickname that's on the table that people call it. Do they? This show is about three months from being canceled.

Rob Grunkowski, is he playing again? My goodness, we all want to know. He has an agent, Drew Rosenhaus. He's successful. He said a decision on the Titans future will come, quote, in the next couple of weeks. He said that on ESPN's NFL Live program, which is fine, I suppose.

He's thinking it through. He's giving it a lot of thought. I imagine a decision will probably happen in the next couple of weeks. Mark, we talked about this on Super Bowl Sunday. I always felt this was going to be leveraged from maximum juice by Team Grunk and whatever the decision will be, it will come with a huge PR rollout.

And we're still a couple of weeks away from that. I feel like he's going to come back for a year. I just have a hunch, though. I don't know why. I think the opposite, just because if you know in the next couple of weeks, to me that would say you know you're not coming back because you have months to decide that

if you wanted to and see where your body was. I think the Patriots want any. I thought about that too, and I'm trying to get hopeful, like Dan. And then I thought about the Patriots probably want an answer, you know, because they need to make their plans before a free agency. I don't know what I think now. But how about everything he said and everything we knew about this? Like he was so strong in the camp of I'm not coming back.

Then your career wraps with a glorious final drive and you win the Super Bowl. Why? What suddenly the mind shifts and all that has gone away? And now you're Big Ben part two deciding you're going to. going to come back after treating us to months of drama? On the network today, Garifolo, Mike Garifolo said he still believes

Gronk will retire and that his people around him his teammates do believe that, but he also said he wasn't sure. Maybe that Super Bowl juice that he played really well in the playoffs in their last two games. Maybe it just like kind of puts you on a high and makes you

want to play again. I hope so. I know I've said on this podcast I was hoping Brady would retire but But you've also said you don't want the Patriots to go to the Super Bowl next year. Well, they've had enough, yeah. But I want, I want Gronk to keep playing. So I hope he comes back. I get that.

He's a fun player to watch. He's been a great patriot. But I will say this one. If I'm the Patriots, yes, I want an answer just for internal purposes, planning purposes. But they should be looking at the tight end position either way at this point. He's a beat-up 30-year-old tight end who can't stay healthy anymore. We'll see what happens there. Speaking of the Super Bowl, C.J.

Anderson was out talking to people who was he talking to let me credit the right person FS1 he was on that network on Tuesday and he made comments about his teammate Todd Gurley who apparently was injured during the playoffs here's what CJ Anderson said he was more hurt than we thought the injury was a little bit more than what everybody in the building thought including himself. I always am reluctant to say, well, I say that from 3,000 miles away, it's hard for us to know what was going on.

To me, this was easy to know what was going on. He was always more hurt than they led on, and you could tell from watching him play. He's an offensive player of the year type of guy who was splitting time with a guy they just picked up off of the waiver wire. That's all you need to really know. I mean, so we have to go with the idea

that Gurley essentially told nobody how hurt he really was because otherwise the team is mismanaging injury information. Watch the interview, and it was clear C.J. Anderson didn't really have any extra information. He just said he was battling through soreness, which like every running back is in January, and that he had no idea. That's not true. He said, man, maybe it was a sprain. I don't really know. His comment was that he has the knee sprain, and C.J. Anderson who's had knee surgery, said, once you have a knee, you always have a knee.

But Todd Gurley hasn't had surgery on the knee. This was not the Todd Gurley that we know. No, that's why it was so annoying during the playoffs to hear everybody says. saying, oh, he's fine. He's been healthy for weeks. We're just working him back slowly. And it was always so clear that he was hurt. Don't give me this act next time.

I mean is, put him on the injury. A lot of players play through injuries. And if they're out on the field playing 50 snaps a game, which he was 40 to 50, that it's like you generally don't talk about it that much and make that many excuses for I'm struggling. Why are you taking this tack like Todd Gurley is some normal running back who just has a little bit of soreness because it's January? He had a knee injury, it was a pretty significant knee injury, and he was not the same player afterwards. That's a big deal.

I guess because he was explosive on a number of runs where he looked good. But not as explosive as he was before, and clearly not as confident. That's like you saying Cam Newton can still throw it 40 yards down the field between the hashes when clearly he struggles at other parties. I think the snap count also was to some degree a decoy for whatever would happen each game after because you can't broadcast that this guy is not the same guy and is only out there for 20. They've tried to. I mean, Steve Weiss even was on our air today backing up again saying that essentially

was like, you know, he was not limited in any way. He took every single practice snap. Enough. X, Y, X, Y, and Z. I mean, except for what our eyes tell us, though. I guess Todd Gurley actually isn't that good. You can have a couple bad games. No, yeah, he just had tough games.

Except that he just doesn't do that. Or your knee is looser than it is normal when you can't cut the way you normally. But what we're talking about here is three games. In one of them, he had 100 yards. Because he had a long run. And in the third one, he did what the rest of the team did, which was stink. But again, you're putting him in a group of running back like he's a normal dude, like he's a Hammondager. This is one of the greatest players in the league that all of a sudden, well, why are we talking about it?

You're right. It's just, you know what? I'm just mad that the Saints weren't playing the Patriots in the Super Bowl. Instead, we got the Rams and a gagging over himself, Jared Gough, and they hurt Todd Gurley. And a genius in Sean McVeigh that had no idea what to do. I mean, yeah, C.J. Anderson had no idea what to do in that game either, which is, you know, worth noting that he had been playing great before that. C.J. Anderson, though. Well, he wasn't good in the title game either.

C.J. Anderson ain't a patch on Todd Gurley's butt. Give me a break. Gross. I think that's gross. That was a great way to end the conversation. Yeah, but let's leave it. Let's leave it there. Patch on the butt. Well, I'd use a different word, but. Well, hey, last year we made multiple visits to the Ravens Nest.

That's done. What we're doing in 2019? Hey, boys, let's jump into the fish tank. You guys ready? Smells a little rank in here. You're going to hit on a couple nuggets. First off, a report, Danny Amandola, iffy to remain in Miami. Ricky Hollywood, your thoughts.

Come on back, baby. You want him back in New England? You could see that. I could see that happening. Oh, he's coming back. Really hard to predict that this would happen. Danny Amandola. of one and done in Miami.

Ouch. After they overpaid him. That via the Miami Herald. Also, Devante Parker, all but gone. He's out of town, former first round pick. That didn't work out. Man, they got a lot of work to do up in Miami, rebuilding that entire offense.

I don't think they're going to try to rebuild it at all this offseason. You don't. No, I think this whole organic tanking thing that came up a couple weeks ago is exactly what they're doing. It's just tanking. So it's going to be like You're just not verbal. I don't buy that.

It's going to be like a normal Dolphins off season except they're not going to go busy buying a bunch of old players. They're just going to roll out what they have. Well, I think that's quite different. They've not every year, but they've been the team that tries to make

big splashes and free agency. And you know, they'll spend all April talking about. There's no organic tanking. The coaches are going to be. Organic fish tanking. Nice. Well, if you don't, there is the organic tanking.

If you let a bunch of people go and you bring no one of better quality to fill their spots. It's like what where there's no like pesticides or like artificial ingredients in their tanking. I just don't know what organic. Well forget organic but I mean I think they're not free range tanking. It's it's great for the Patriots. It's another team in the AFCs that's essentially I think given up on 2019. But guess what? There is one good thing happening in the fish tank right now. The sugar bad just jumped in. Woo! Miami has hired former Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie as a senior personnel executive rap sheet reported Saturday. Oh, yeah.

Yeah, 15 years of personnel experience, 56 years old, former NFL linebacker, eight years in Green Bay, as director of player personnel, GM of the Oakland Raiders, 2012, seven years there. Now he's in the tank. I think if you're a Dolphins fan, I like the staff that Brian Flores has brought together, and I like the simplicity of the way they changed their front office relatively. this plan feels a little like less fraught you know less set up for clashing

than some of their previous ones it's just going to take a long time to bear fruit my um or like those little fish that they feed the dolphins like the tiny ones yeah yeah take them out of the pale I feel like my initial feeling is that people aren't excited about the fish tank like you guys love the raven's nest

and now you're you're a little uh I don't know on the fence or not thrilled It's kind of like a La Cid Erica scenario that you're dealing with, that we were very attached to Raven's Nest. I would be fine if Ravens Nests were nuked, you know, potentially, but... What if the Dolphins just did, like, one thing ever to be interesting? Right. Well, I think Fish Tank is a, we're at a starting point to try to drum up interest in the franchise.

You were saying that we didn't cover, like, the Ravens Nest was because we didn't cover them enough. People were complaining. I feel the same way about Miami. I don't think they get a lot of love. They're basically in the triangle. I feel like we do because they're in the AFC East that they just get kind of into. They just never do anything right so they don't get good publicity. Bad news, guys.

We already built the drop, so it's the fish tank. All right. Good. It's set. Every team should have their own drop. That wouldn't get annoying at all. And finally in the news, the Bengals still don't have a defensive coordinator. That's what's happening in the news.

What day are we at? What day in the off season are we now? Should there be a counter? I mean, the Super Bowl was when? February 2nd, so we're 18 days. And their season ended when? January, December 31st. They, you know what we got to do?

They have to wait for Zach Taylor. Let's figure out when Zach Taylor was hired, and then we'll start the day count from that moment. Hey, look, the Colts hired Matt Eberfluse before they hired Frank Reich. I mean, it's possible to hire defensive coordinator. It's possible that Lou Anna Rumo, who they're reportedly zeroing in on. No, that's a real name. Got his hero in on Lou.

He's a Giants defensive back coach, and Tom Pelliserra believes he may be the guy. Just wait until he flies to Cincinnati for that interview. Things go sour once they step inside the facility, it seems. Something's going on in that interview process. All right. Let's move on. Are you a fan of the NFL draft? Do you spend your time breaking down college tape and pouring over Spark scores?

We have just the thing for you. Lunch with Daniel Jeremiah. Five lucky fans will be given the chance to wine and dine with NFL media draft guru Daniel Jeremiah in Nashville, Tennessee, the home of this year's 2019 NFL draft. Winners will sit down to a lobster and champagne feast with Jeremiah aboard the proud Mary Cruise Line touring Nashville's Cumberland River as you pick the brain of a master.

For your chance to win, simply hit up Daniel Jeremiah on Twitter at Move the Sticks with your boldest draft prediction or prospect hot take. You must get as close as possible to the 280 character limit for a chance to be selected. All entries must include the hashtag, Dining with DJ. Beefy, opinionated tweets will be favored as we're looking for genuine draft Nix. And don't forget the hashtag, Dining with DJ. We'll see you in Nashville. I'm looking forward to that.

You said we don't. What an opportunity. We don't do enough to reach out to the listeners. Here's something pretty special. What? I mean, if you're a football fan and nobody knows the draft process better than DJ, a former college player at Appalachian State, he played quarterback, a guy that scouted for years, was working behind the scenes with teams.

Now, one of the top dudes in the game as an analyst. A rare experience. We're at Move the Sticks, hashtag dining with DJ. That's right. It's close to the 280. And just like a regular guy. You know, he doesn't put on airs. You know, you want to talk Padres with him?

He can do that. He'll help select the winner, I believe, too. So you really want to get into, a lot of dialogue would be good with him. And if you don't hear from him, don't feel like you shouldn't send another because maybe he misses it. Absolutely. Or another, or another. All right.

Now, free agency, less than a month away. Hopefully when it happens, Cincinnati will have a defensive coordinator. We don't know. We'll find out. But right now, we're going to talk about some fun, logical fits. And guess what? Mark wrote a banger. Check it out, NFL.com slash Sessler. One of those two-part jobs.

It's like if I knock out a big piece, they cut it in two. And once I finish the work, I could take four to five days off, essentially. That's how I view it. Right. I mean, they normally use this piece as like a two-writer combo, or at least in the past. And this time they just said, you do it. But waiting for the five days off. Was this on Greg's list?

of columns. I don't think so. No, I don't think I... I don't think I... I told you that's not how I operate. Not trying to swipe content away from others for the most part. All right, get us going.

Since you wrote the banger, NFL.com slash Sessler, two-parter, give us one. The one that I can just see happening visually, maybe you guys will disagree, is Golden Tate to the Patriots. They have nothing at wide receiver right now. Josh Gordon's in the wilderness.

You have Julian Edelman. You have guys like, Braxton Berrios and Cody Hollister and Darren Andrews on the roster right now. Aaron Andrews? Maybe a relation. I don't believe so. Oh, it's a different person. For me, Golden Tate, you know, the Patriots, they seem to really favor highly intelligent, versatile wide receivers.

Tate still, to me, right in their Super Bowl window, would be an interesting addition. And I think that Golden Tate is someone that I could just, like, visualize, leading them to, like, a massive game win. driving the AFC title game and then you get two weeks of like you were with them with the Seahawks but now you're here in New England and like he's going to win a Super Bowl and they'll win that I agree with you that I could see it I could picture him with the uniform and winning games is he a little duplicative with Julian Edelman that's what I would say like I think of anyone in the league he is the most like Julian Edelman and skill set I think that's true but he's he's three years younger and having multiple slot receivers has not stopped him before

In fact, it's been, I think, a strength of their offense. So I think he does fit with Edelman. Put them both out there. And he didn't. It should be stated that he did not do a hell of a lot in Philly. He did have that game-winning catch in the playoffs. But it wasn't like he gave that offense a shot of the arm. Now, 278 yards and eight games there.

I wonder how much of that is on him because it's not like he slowed down in Detroit to become a non-entity. But we'll see. It's a very thin, wide receiver group. so he's going to get paid. Usually that's like the one position where it's very easy to find guys, and maybe there'll be some cuts, and Antonio, you know, there's some possible trades. But there's not, he's the best free agent receiver, I think by a decent amount.

Is Josh Gordon still on the Patriots? He's on the Patriots, but he's suspended indefinitely. Okay, Wes, give us one. Texans need speed running back and a passing down back. I would like to see Tavin Coleman from the Falcons end up. in Houston to give that offense somebody who compliments Deshawn Watson and when Will Fuller comes back

complements his speed as well. But get somebody who can get on the edges and stress defenses from the perimeter, I think Tevin will be perfect for that in Houston. I like it. I think they know that they need people to take attention away from Watson

and Hopkins. It's just crazy how thin, how top heavy that offense is. I think that would make a lot of sense. Just be like a burner team. I guess you guys missed Lamar Miller on Thursday night football back in December.

I think they're going to cut Lamar Miller finally. Going back to that fishing hole. Is he a free agent? I don't think so. No, I think, but he's been mentioned as a cut candidate. Yeah.

At some point, yeah. I don't know if they don't have any running backs, though, and he's like, you know, still okay. I read, I believe it was on SI, one of their writers, positioned Tevin Kilman as a better free agent option than Levi-on Bell. I think Andy Benoit wrote that article.

Hey, by the way, Tevin Coleman had some chances to be the guy this year. He was fine. I think he's a good player. He's not your only back. He's a guy that you want to have another guy with. You'd have to be insane to say he's better than Bell, but maybe from like a money side of it,

if you get a 70% or 60% of levy on Bell and you're not blowing your cap for him. You're saying you have to be insane. I think some coaches who run his own block scheme would look at Tevin Coleman and say that's exactly what I need on my yeah that makes sense um I'll bring up Levy on Bell you know I'm a Jets fan you guys are aware of that you got to start somewhere with that offense and for the first time and forever there's somebody behind center that I think a lot of people feel good about including myself but they need

to rebuild the offensive line and they need a running back um so the O line good luck with that you got a ton of money of $100 million in cap space and you got the draft let's see if it can improve that. But absolutely, Sam Donald could use somebody he could trust in the backfield. Last year was kind of a mess. Isaiah Crowell outside that one, 200-yard game, disappeared. Bill Powell suffered a neck injury that I believe could be a career threatening, and he's a free agent anyway.

So Levyon Bell wants a lot of money. It's why he held out from the Steelers. The Jets can give them that money, and the Jets add a piece. They can't do this all at once, but it's got to be one at the time. their wide receiver group is okay. They could use some help there. The offensive line is bad. They need to rebuild that.

The backfield, not good. Fill in one spot at a time. Levion Bell, 26 years old. He could be part of the future of the Jets. I know this is a ridiculous dream scenario, but what if they went total, like, violent coup d'etat and signed Bell and then traded for Antonio Brown?

And it was essentially, like, we used to have those highly tedious, like Jets West workout sessions. How about like Pittsburgh a little bit more east? I mean, they have a roster need and they have the money, but as I've said on the show, I do not want Antonio Brown anywhere near Sam Dardle. My beautiful, precious Sammy cannot deal with a man like Antonio Brown.

No quarterback can't see you warming up to that if they acquired him, though. That would be a great signing. They have so much. Cap room is so overrated. He's going to be a fine value compared to other top-tier free agents, certainly ones that they pay. It's one of those moves. it's almost too easy, but I actually think it makes them much better

and it totally makes sense for who they are. I just, you know, if your bell, you're a little worried about how totally up in the air that entire offensive line is, but you're just going to have to trust Adam Gase to figure it out. And you hope it's like the Colts, how quickly things can turn around at the line. Maybe they can catch lightning a bottle as well. But yeah, do I want to, you can get crazy about Bell and be like, listen. He's a hall of fame, or he has a chance to be a hollow fame player.

He missed a whole year and he had knee issues in the past, and that's all fair. But in this funny money era of the NFL, I'd much rather throw money at a guy like Bell than give Greg Robinson the third biggest contract for a left tackle in football, which is the type of stuff that happens when teams need to spend money if they don't have. Kelvin Beecham is making $10 million for the Jets. It's like what? You can't pay $10 for Levian Bell, who by the way, just turned 27 a day before our birthday. There you go.

Chris Wessling. So it's like he's 27 years old and he's like a Hall of Fame. I do need those Jets uniform. I need them to be on point because we're going to get a lot of primetime jets with Darnold and if they land Bell. I just, I need a new fresh look at the uniforms. You're not going to get a lot of prime time jets,

even if they get. Since when have they been on prime time a lot? Bell and Darnold, we'll get a few. Calvin Beecham is one of the nicest guys in the NFL, Greg. Come on now. Don't take shots at Calvin Beechman. Greg's look. How is it, do you think he's been a great addition to their team?

I think he's perennially underrated. He's fine. All right, Greg. You don't worry about the position. when he's there. This is what? Fun Free Agency fits, right? I just enjoyed Wes standing for Kelvin Beach in there.

I enjoyed it. He's an incredibly nice man. Nimble on his feet, too. A big man that can move. This is why you don't want to get too close to the people you know you're ranking on that top hundred list. Gets emotional conflict. I can protect the civil war between Wes and Greg over Kelvin.

Well, no, he's still on the jet, so unless they cut him, which they might. Fun fee agency fits. What would be more fun to me? than Nick Foles with the Giants. And I think, I think, and I think this is the move that the Eagles are worried about. And the way that the Eagles and the Foles thing is happening to me is a little under the radar and it stinks just a little bit. You're not supposed to trade guys with the franchise tag.

They were hoping that maybe when they put the option on his contract, that they would have a little bit of wiggle room to trade them under that old contract. You know what he did? He responded within an hour. and did the thing and bought his freedom. I mean, he won a Super Bowl MVP for you being vastly underpaid. And you made the guy pay $2 million to become a free agent. Okay, it's just business.

What's also business? How about Nick Foles makes it very clear he's not signing any contract with any team they trade them to and that he's not helping them in any trade and that they can do, they can try to do whatever they want, but he's going to bring up a challenge with the CBA because it's potentially against CBA rules, and then he's not helping them at all because that's going to hurt his value. Whether if it's the Jaguars and the Giants may be bidding on him

or if it's just one team, he can make more money. This is going to be his time to be a free agent. And if you're so afraid that Nick Foles is going to beat you, then pay him the money he's worth and make them your quarterback. He's on your team, but you're choosing that you don't want him. So deal with it. And I think the Giants in Pat Schumer, Nick Foles would be a nice little combo and man, it'd spice up that NFC.

East. One question for you. If you're Nick Foles, where do you think you can succeed faster with a weird Giants roster or with the Jaguars in the AFC South? Really good point in question. I would say the Jaguars. Well, I think your point is taken that if Nick Fools reaches the open market, he can have multiple teams involved. But if the Eagles control of services, they can say, I'm not trading you to the NFC East, which takes out Giants and Redskins and leaves Nick Fools basically saying it's either Jaguars are bust. So you're right. It's not fair to him.

Why is he in the position to have to help them? I mean, he had to pay $2 million back. That even seemed to, it's like if ever there was a time where it's just like, you know, go on you're right. And you know what? I'm sensing there's a little bit of movement here that they realize this might be hard. And they might. And I think there's, if I had to guess, I think they will let him be a free agent and

go on his way. At least I hope so. I love Nick Bowles and what he did. But should the Eagles live in constant fear that Nickfold? It's just going to be the greatest quarterback of all time and go to the Giants and turn into Tom Brady. Like I get it. We don't know that they're thinking that.

Everyone's worried about their jobs, and it's like that is the worst case scenario as Nick Folls suddenly like starts beating you up. It's like, come on, deal with it. Come on. I mean, he had an amazing playoff run, and he was pretty good this year too, but to act like the Eagles would never recover

if he signed in the NFC East, I mean, let's bring it down a little bit. And if ever there's a guy to give a little consideration, to. I mean, to me, it's Nick Falls. Let a beach in a couple of division games over the, over five years or something. Who cares? You got to the bowl.

Nobody calls it that. The Lombardi people say, he won you a Super Bowl. Anyway, let's do one more quick round because we got it, we got some birthday stuff to handle and that's more. Oh, wow. Yeah. I'll be quick. I think the cults who have the most cap room in the league, and I know that under Chris

Bauer, they have not really been big spenders, and there's a lot of like reason to like the way that he's built the team through the draft, but maybe you've got to spend a little bit of money this time around, work on that defense, which, you know, has largely been a no-name defense but overachieved. How about you bring an Adomac and Sue in and have him playing like eight feet away from Darius Leonard and just blow people up week after week.

Try running on that team. Well, my response to that would be, is Indomacan Su better than Margus Hunt at this stage of their careers? Oh. I think so. Margus Hunt had a much better year than Indomacu did this year. And we know he's a fit for Matt Oube Eber Fluce's defense.

We don't know. But they're basically playing the same position these days. I think Hunt played a lot of nose tackle at the end of the year. Two's playoff run definitely helps his value. Because I think in those two games, in the NFC playoffs, you saw a real difference maker. I think Margus Hunt made more plays in September than Sue made all year. Wes?

Let's stick with the Colts. I was going to say Landon Collins, you know, with the report that he's cleaning in his locker room. That's now being disputed already. disputed by multiple New York papers, but the Colts beat writers are just cleaning, that's all. Colts beat writers are all in unison that if Landon Collins makes it to the market, the Colts are going after him. But here's another guy.

I really like Adam Humphreys, the Bucks slot receiver is a free agent. I like him a lot. I think we talked about Golden Tate being similar to Edelman, but Adam Humphrey's toughness and run after catchability is like Edelman light, and I think he'd be a great fit for the Colts. He's a chain mover in the middle of the field. They really needed a slot receiver last year and didn't have a good. good one. James Winston loves that guy. It's like Deshawn Jackson is always pissed because whenever he comes, you know, whenever James is playing, it's like he doesn't get any targets. And Adam Humphreys

gets him off. Humphreys is incredibly tough and he's good after the catch. He's like a punt returner after the catch. I think he's going to be a big pickup for somebody. Teddy Bridgewater I feel like we talked about this last week, there's a little less buzz around him. And is it because of one game in week 17 that didn't matter? Maybe. I don't know. But I'm still excited about the possibility of him having a team again. And so why not send him to, hell, I don't know, Washington, a place where he won't have to battle for a job and let him get a chance to actually now,

after waiting it out on the sideline for essentially three years to start 16 games if he could stay healthy and give Washington another option at quarterback, a franchise that is obviously in a very tough way right now. It's interesting that he came into the league with comparisons to Andy Dalton, who Jay Gruden hand-picked with the Bengals. Yeah, I think that'd be, I mean, it's tough. Teddy Bridgewater at this point is not going to be able to just join some Super Bowl contender.

I mean, maybe the Jaguars would be a nice fit for him. It's going to be an uphill battle. But I think Jay Gruden does a good job with quarterbacks. That'd be a nice. I think they're going to draft a quarterback, too. One more, Greg. I'm going to throw Justin Houston, even though he's not released yet. Cheating.

I'm just protect. Cheater. He's going to be a free agent. and the Los Angeles Rams pick them up. I think they're going to be making big moves in general. I don't, people, you know, oh, they've spent a lot of money. Their window is it close? No, whatever.

They are going to be making big swings. And I think he would make a lot of sense on that defensive line where they're about to lose. They're also fine in Capram, too. They're fine. I totally, I think, you nailed it. I think they got a lot of love in the off season about less need and company for being active and going for it. And it almost got them, got them to the Super Bowl at least. They're thirsty.

They love the headlines. They're going to be active again. And they need an end. I mean, they need a guy at his position because I don't think they're going to be able to keep Dante Fowler. All right. Good talk, guys. And read that, Mark Sessler, double banger.

Banger. I mean, if you have time, prioritized correctly. If you have other things to do, you don't need to. All right. So, let's circle back to the birthday conversation. Greg turned 40 on Tuesday, West, 45. before we sign off, I think, Greg, 40's the big one. 40 is a huge one.

And Wes, Wes, it's his birthday, but 45 is a... I mean, that's a nice round number. Plus, he's celebrating like a year ago at this time. He was still, you know, getting over the after effects of P-Mont stuff. He enjoyed this one. Oh, let's take nothing away from Wes's birthday. But no one talks about 45. Yeah, 40 is a big one.

So we're going to use our combined power. hours in the room here, people that are below 40, people that are over 40. Let's start with the over 40 crowd, letting Greg know what he can expect now that he's reached his 40s. Well, I would say you and your body have been going through life like Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. Like, you're a knight errand and your body is your squire and you're fighting all these battles together.

You're on the same side. You turn 40 and your body is an old. open rebellion against you. Pancho, Sanja. You wake up in the morning and you got a steer sticking out of your shoulder. Looks like a bunch of trolls have taken a club to the back of your knees. You just wake up one morning. They don't work anymore. Like your shoulder, it's like, ah, that's just how it's going to be the rest of your life. Your throwing shoulders gone. The open rebellion just keeps going until one day you're poisoned. And like Sancho Panza and you hate each other. And it was a glorious ride through 40 years. but now the rebellion is going to be there for the rest of your life.

Your body is no longer your friend. He is your enemy, and he's living amongst you. And was it even that great a ride? I mean, my body? Hey, tennis days. You've got a softball title. He couldn't be taken. I wanted more, but I do see it's on the deep decline.

Mark. All right, now that you're in your 40s, Greg, you will in the coming months feel an untoward attraction for show tunes. Your heart and mind will tractor beam toward the music of big stage shows vaudeville and broadway your house will be filled with the sounds of theater-based Americana songs like suddenly seymour our state fair is a great state fair deep cuts from my fair lady and annies we'd like to thank you herbert hoover just give in gregg and fall in love with broadway all over again it's over well i would say all over again when did i ever uh not really a show

tune guy but well that that would come in handy because one thing that happens in your 40s is that nobody gives a crap at all what you think about music or pop culture or movies or anything you're just your opinion no longer matters to anyone that's always on west's radio no it just doesn't matter people do not they just they pat you on the head assume you're old and that you have nothing contribute to society because society never looks past 10 years in the past well it's a yeah it's always a confusing take by west because you also say that you essentially don't listen to new music or i do listen to new music i'm just not a slave to pop culture i listen to the music i listen to the music i'm just not a slave to pop culture i listen to the music I want to find, not the music that the industry imposes on me. All right, Wes, you're up. You went already. Oh, yeah. He's going again? Well, I could, you know.

No, no, that's fine. I just, we didn't talk about it. Get ready for square dancing. What are you talking about these stuff to into square dancing? Well, look, you know, I said before that one of the great things is you get to cut people out of your life. If they're not contributing and not putting anything to save. I started that early.

But here's the flip side to that. Once, you know, your circle is smaller. once you get into your 40s, you have to find hobbies and things to do. And this is how people get into things like square dancing. They're like, oh, Chuck, you want to go to the square dance? We got nothing else with you. You're so screwed, Greg. Yeah, you're going to have to get into square dance.

That's never happening. Mark, you had another one I know. Yeah, so the 40s bring about change in one's social life. I can tell you that. No more waking up at 4.22 a.m. on the floor of an El Monte cocaine den, 24 miles out from Culver City. The room is littered with dozing, crashed out millennials, one older man you remember from the night before a man who called himself Mr. Elephant.

Mr. Elephant was the one who gave you that pill. It was still light out and you were on the phone with Emeka, promising you'd pick up a carton of 2% milk on the way home. Then there's the memory of skipping through a nighttime field with a young woman named Gianna dressed up like a hot bumblebee. I belong to Mr. Elephant, Gianna tells you with tears in her eyes. But you could steal me away if you wanted to, Greg. Steal me away from Mr. Elephant.

No more of those nights. it doesn't matter like what when I throw out like an idea to the guys like let's do this it always ends up with the same exact thing from Mark some story that is maybe tangentially like tangentially connected to what we're doing I just look at the 40 year old me and the 40 year old Greg and not sure where the connection points are on some level so I mean yeah I mean I think we're give us another one Mark I would love to be with the bumble be Gianna too in the field I mean that sounds like fun I think I can do that in any I'll give you one more and that's all have for you. In your 40s, you start to care less about what people think. I think West pointed to

that. Somehow even less than you already do. It becomes easier to unplug from group drama and you become less inclined to send late night text to friends. Kind of like what you sent me eight nights ago at 2.20 a.m. writing in all caps, Greg, hey, what up, Brosef? I'm just sitting in my kitchen staring out the window at the raucous highway. I've just grilled myself a steak sliced from the belly of a grass-fed cow. I've been trying on masqueras in front of the bathroom mirror and kind of just letting myself go a bit. I feel free.

What up with you? Can't do that anymore. Enough with it. Or that's what's coming. That sounds. No, enough with that. That sounds like a lot of fun. I'm going to miss it.

And now that I'm the only person in the 30s in this room, I have to let you know. You turn, what, 39 this year? Yeah, I turned 39 in April, so I got a lot of time ahead of me. Okay. things that you have to, you know, say goodbye to. It's time to let go of certain things now that you're in your 40s. Reading in bed without your peepers. It's going to need those.

That's concerned. Press biopia is a bitch. I'm doing fine on that front. I got glasses, but yeah, not the bifocals. You got to get those peepers. Trans fats. You got to say goodbye to them. I don't know what that.

I don't know what they are either. any compulsive behavior slash addictions gambling smoking select internet habits just got to cut them out i can assure you that that's not particularly true my advice is strong as ever there's a fine line between addictions and hobbies that's true uh you got to say goodbye to the making the leap series it's time you're in your 40s time tell i'll leave that he's trying to sell it oh peter pan The last two are going to hurt, so I save them. You love live music, so you have to say goodbye to concerts on school nights.

You're just too old. Your body will not react well. The next day will hurt your performance on the podcast or as a columnist on the NFL media site. So goodbye to concerts on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. That's disappointing. I've just sort of gotten over mentally being the old guy. at the concert that I'm like okay I'm fine with that but I guess that's why you're the only guy left because once you hit 40 those people Friday or Saturday if your favorite artist doesn't come

to town on Friday or Saturday you don't see them okay I mean Dan we were planning to go to a rave last off season and I thought again this so right well sometimes it doesn't bother you to be the oldest person in a venue well as you have a good mindset on things and sometimes it really yeah sometimes it does finally and this is the one that's going to really hurt Greg now that you're 40 it's time to say goodbye to rap so a music like this you no longer can enjoy because you're an old white this is rap this sounds like the soundtrack to like a late 80s i mean this is a ridiculous uh statement first of all i like a lot more than just rap listen to that music but you got to take about it to rap but as this as our generation we're gen x right

where the end of Gen X kind of as we age yourself I'm younger I mean hip hop is the dominant musical form everyone everyone caught up to so as as as the people like myself age like that's there's old these stations with rap you don't have to give it up it's not an age thing wait you gotta give up the radio what are you don't still listen to the radio they did not a ton it's funny I was in the uber in Atlanta in an uber in Atlanta and a classic hip-hop station was on And it is funny how we've gotten to the age now where there was classic rock stations when we were young, now there's classic hip-hop.

Yeah, especially out here, yeah. But all right, let me, all right, narrow that down. You could listen to the classic hip-hop radio stations. No more to the kid music for you, though. But that's not exciting. You know, like what's new? What's new? What's fresh? That's all you.

What's fresh, you know? You want to hear what's on the cutting edge, little baby. Be careful, though. Because you don't want to be like the 44-year-old guy talking about the new little baby album. You know, which you will be soon. Before you know it. Yeah, not really.

It's a little baby. All right. Well, boys, happy birthday. That's so nice that we're all together still. I appreciate the advice. Thank you. Take it to heart, please. All right.

And Ricky, I just want to make it clear, even though Sydney showed up, again, knocked it out of the park with that beautiful, happy birthday tune, that we are so lucky to have you. You are an angel that came to us. Keep going. And I just appreciate you. I want you to know that. And? I can't knock out the other feelings that I have inside. Like sometimes an X will stick with you

and they'll always have a part of your heart, but I just want you to know that you're special to me and you're the one for me. Okay. And I think you do have the best nickname in the history of this podcast. Thank you. Mark.

Greg. Gold Sanders. What? Now we have to give compliments to? Yep. I agree with what they said. I very much agree. Original.

I just can't think of anything else right now. I mean, I love you so much that, you know, I try to spend as much time as possible with you, multiple jobs. What more can I do? And I go to concerts with you on school nights. There you go. Yeah, we went to one.

You did. Well, yeah, that's okay. It's happening again. All right. We will be back on Friday with another episode of the Around the NFL podcast. Thank you to everyone for listening. And you know what? Let's check in, Greg.

You put out a challenge last week for people to leave five-star ratings and comments on iTunes. and you, I think, did you have set a number of what we were looking for? How many we wanted? I did. We're almost there, but we need a little work to do. So maybe we'll check in with those comments and make sure people are doing their part to support the show. I mean, it's free. Leave some comments. It's not a one-way street here, people.

All right. Stan Hans is signing off. Four, Quiet Storm. And the birthday boys, the mailman and the old boss, 45 and 40, respect them. Bato. And the great Ricky Hollywood. behind the glass. Till Friday.

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