NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - Jamal Adams Trade and Teams Hurt by Shortened Camp

Episode Date: July 27, 2020

A bunker filled with heroes - Dan Hanzus, Ricky Hollywood, Marc Sessler and Gregg Rosenthal bring you all of the latest news around the NFL including Jamal Adams to the Seahawks (7:31) and a check in with Dan's dad (22:14) . MLB is back and Sessler is a new fan but with that brings some possible foreshadowing about the NFL season. (27:55) We take a trip to the kicker club (47:09) before talking teams hurt by a shortened camp.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.

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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 wants to be taken out by a female assassin. One of us does. Welcome to another edition of the Around the NFL podcast. My name is Dan Hansis. Come to you from a virtual room filled with heroes.

Mark Sessler, Erica Tamposi, Greg Rosenthal. What is up? Boys and Girl. Hey, Dan. Hey, hey, Dan. Hey, somebody check on Dan. Has anyone checked on Dan yet? Oh, Dan.

Are you okay, Dan? Twitter is awesome. Wait, it took me. Now, by the time. That rant was over. I wasn't even, so much news that could work as bad news as examples has happened since we last at a podcast. I actually didn't know what you were referring to at first. But now I assume you're talking about the Jets megastar trade.

Yeah, so Jamal Adams traded to the Seattle Seahawks, which we will get into in depth. In fact, I would almost go as far as saying that when the trade went down, my colleague, Mark Sessler, was more fired up than I was. Mark, how are you right now after the Jamal Adams trade? Well, to be honest, I mean, from a sports news story, it feels like three years ago, it was what's Saturday afternoon. And I made, you know, we're more than colleagues here. We're friends and our listeners are more than just listeners. And I think they know well enough that, you know, that occasionally when I, when I, they're just listeners to me. I mean, you don't speak for all of us. I'm reaching for something greater with our listening audience.

But I am prone to sending off the maybe a tweet that might be more based in emotion than maybe like what pro football focus would send out at times. And, you know. We love that about you. Well, not Greg. We just dropped off the podcast here. But yeah. And I think, well, we can get into it.

But I think I created some unnecessary friction between myself and the Jets fan base. because I am looking at things globally maybe for my overall experience with the Jets and who they remind me of versus this specific moment in time which I think had more positives than I gave it out of the gate and I had a lot of people saying

be nicer to Dan, don't critique the Jets and I got the other version of how is Dan doing you should be adding Dan if you're going to say this about his team I mean how many thousands of tweets have I not sent about the Jets because I thought this will only antagonize relations with Dan in the past. This time, I was out to lunch with Simone. We had some pizza.

We had a nice picture of beer. And bang, I shot that thing into the sun. And I'm not sure it was the wisest thing, but I don't really care. Let's start here. Your take was fine. It was a football take along the lines of the Jets can't hold on to their stars. The Jets don't do things well along those lines. All that stuff.

Right. Here's the thing, the dynamic between this podcast and Twitter and the fact that two-fourths of the podcast, half the podcast, Jets Browns fans, there's a hundred times with the Browns where I, and I'm not perfect either, where I hold back on Twitter because I know anything I send that's like a fireball at the Browns is then directly sent Mark's way as a shot at Mark. So as I'm processing this trade and I'm going through Twitter trying to learn about the details, I'm just getting all these. ads related to like Mark flaming the Jets and that's why I fired back with a with a shot at Mark's Browns. I'm catching up on all this. I'm scrolling through. This is good.

My fire. My shot was yes, the Jets need to start following the Brown's model, I guess. Something on those lines. Right. You know, and then I jumped off Twitter because I was enjoying my Saturday with my family. And quite frankly, we're going to get into all the details of that trade and everything else going in the NFL around the NFL in just a few minutes. But yes, well, we'll stick a pin in that conversation.

There's so much to get to, guys, today because on Friday, which we had our NFL network show, of course, there was an agreement between the union and the league to get everyone back on the field and for training camp to go on as planned. And then, of course, on Monday morning, this morning, some bad news outside the NFL, but within this pro sports landscape here in the U.S., again, gets people on edge. and we're all on edge about it. We're going to talk about all that. And some more as training camp hits. This is the beginning of training camp week, but it's going to be like no other week ever. Ricky, I know you're excited.

Click the mute. I'm not muted and I am not excited. Why am I your scapegoat? You just think I'm excited that training camp could be destroyed? No, that's not what I was saying. He was saying you're excited because there's not. It's like a little bit of football. Inside Training Camp Live actually was on NFL network.

Well, like you just alluded to, there is some big news going on in the baseball world that we'll get to. So I'm on edge a little bit. Okay. That's fair. Okay. Listen, all I was trying to do is I miss you. I've seen you very little this year. And I wanted to bring you into the top of the show just to dialogue.

And like everything else in 2020, it went sideways. I thought we were dedicating this whole show to Taylor Swift today. Well, that was a great album, by the way. That was the plan 48 hours ago. Dan, I would be careful. You never know where the female assassins can come from. Just watch the wording. That's true.

That's true. All right. Let's get into all of it. Let's hit the news. He's a super Christian kid, and I'm like, won't it be funny if I throw all these groupies and a bunch of booze at them and see what happens? I mean, that's, that's, I'm just, I'm terrible. You're the devil.

I don't know if you listen to The Throwback Podcast, My Vanity Project, with my buddy Bob Castrone. But if you listen to one episode, that's the voice of God for the around the NFL podcast, Matt Money Smith, who before he was a huge sports broadcaster, he had a whole other past career in the music business, first as an executive for DreamWorks, and then as the creative director of K. Rock in Los Angeles, which is the most legendary FM radio station in the history of Rock and Rock. role. And we had money on the show. He picked one year from his time there, 2004, and we went through a bunch of songs. And that comment was alluding to money backstage at a lifehouse concert. Remember the hang on moment guys? And money openly trying to corrupt the Christian lead singer

and failing to do so. Very enlightening talk from Matt Money Smith. I want to hear it. But when I hear you say, if you're going to listen to one episode, I mean, multiple people that you're speaking to right now have appeared on the show. So it might be maybe a handful of episodes you could look at. That would be one of them. All of us. Yeah, I kind of walked into that one.

Kind of. He's saying that one's better. He's a pro. We're not. I get it. You're all pros, but money's, it was kind of fascinating. It's a podcast I would listen to even if I wasn't on it. Anyway, check that out, throwback podcast.

Let's get into the, and thank you, Matt Money Smith, for giving your time. That was a lot of fun. Let's get into it. yes jamal adams jemal adams the pro bowl all pro safety for the new york jets has been moved to the seattle seahawks in a mega trade

what defines a megatrade two first round picks going back to the jets 2021 and 2020 also a third round pick goes to the jets the jets the jets send adams a 2022 fourth rounder uh to the seahaworth rounder uh to the seah Bradley McDougald, starting safety for the Seahawks also goes to the Jets in the trade.

It is a massive deal, and it's a big story from both sides. Let's start on the Seattle side, Greg, because, yes, the Jets, tons of drama tied in with that organization, with this podcast, all that stuff. For the Seahawks, it is a stunning move by them, both in how much they gave up and how they seem to position themselves right now with a trade like this. we are a Super Bowl contender winning now. Do you think Adams can put them over the hump? No, but I think they're always in win now mode to answer your question. I think they, and I think that's the way to be, but I think they always think that they can compete for a championship.

Even the last couple of years where they have taken a step back, I don't think they've entered the season thinking anything less than we could win the NFC if we can pull this off. We're in Russell Wilson's Prime, and it was stunning in terms of what they gave up, in terms of the two first-round picks, that they basically got a very similar trade than the Laramie Tunsell or the Cleo Mac trade. And so that's great for the Jets. But if you were going to pick one team in the NFL that would give up that kind of draft pick capital to get Jamal Adams, I think Seahawks would be near the top of the list because they've shown us that they are going to be aggressive,

that they view these picks a little differently than some other teams. Not only do they trade them away all the time, like for Percy Harbin, but they also take bizarre picks that no one wanted until the third round pick. And I think they know that. And so they view it a little differently like, hey, the guys we want are going to be available in the second or third round. So on some level, the fact that it was Seattle, of all teams, to me, doesn't shock me because, they have an aligned GM and coaching staff who's willing to go for it, and they haven't spent that kind of capital in the secondary, but I do think they can be excited about the secondary.

I think they thought that that was going to be a strength of the team before they got Jamal Adams, that that was the best part of their defense, and now they got Jamal Adams. And Pete Carroll, I think in his biggest wishes thinks, okay, maybe we can run back Legion of Boom two here. I like the guys that we have back there. Let's fly. I think you're so right, philosophically, that they've taken five players in the top 45 picks in the draft since 2014. They're just not using, they're not wed to first round picks the way that others are.

They're trade bait and leverage, and they've been in win now mode for a decade. I think if you look at their cap situation too, and we're in a weird time with the cap, obviously. they're about 26 in cap space heading into next season and you've paid Bobby Wagner, you paid Russell Wilson, so you're going to have to pay Jamal Adams and there was an interesting bit of news there, Dan, on that situation. But they have the ability to, you know, extend his career in Seattle for a while.

He's going to play under the terms of his rookie deal this season, which is something he was steadfast that he did not want to do with the Jets. he tells the Seahawks, Jamal Adams, that he's okay with that, and then let's get business done next year, which is interesting to me. I think it's these deals, and there are very few of them, at this level. In fact, I believe there's only been around five trades in the last 20 years that involved two first-round picks. And this is the biggest one, I think, even bigger than that Jaylon Ramsey trade.

But three or four of teams on rookie contracts in the last five years, it's Tunsel, Mac. I'm forgetting the third one up at that moment. Jalen Ramsey was the third. And the Mac trade to me is the most similar one because in terms of the blockbuster nature of it all, that a player went back, the two first round picks. Also, the Seahawks sent a third round pick, which is very valuable in our league.

And now the Seahawks also have to extend Adams and give him the money he wants. And they have, just like Jalen Ramsey at the Rams, Seahawks don't have leverage with Adams. They're going to give him what he wants and what he needs, which is at least $17 million a year. So the people that view this trade as questionable from the Seattle standpoint are doing it

because you leveraged your draft assets going forward. And on top of that, then you pay him at the very top of the market. You reset the safety market at an extreme level. It is going to challenge the team resource-wise and personnel-wise. But you know what? None of that's going to matter if what they think Adams is going to do to that defense transpires and it takes them up to the next level. I think it's an understandable trade from the Seahawks side for sure.

My takes are so boring with this trade. It's like my first one was like, hey, Bradley McDougald, good player. You know, kind of surprised the Jets got him back as part of it because I thought he did a really nice job. Now, I understand he doesn't make sense in Seattle now, but I thought he did a nice job for that. And the other one is a little bit just like, it makes sense for both sides. I didn't feel like, I thought the Jets got such a good haul that you can't kill them for it in the situation they were in.

That makes sense. But I also think in general, I always talk about that I think cap space is a little overrated. Now, what's going to happen in the next year might test that theory. I mean, if it really does drop by $25 million, it's not going to be as overrated. It'll be different. But the reason I always think that is because good players and great players are way harder to find than cap space. And so that's why I don't fault the Seahawks and it makes sense for both sides because they got a great player. It is just harder to find great players to pay than it is to find extra cap space by making a bunch of other things go away.

And so I'm sure Seattle's going to pay them that money. and their defense, the reason why I said, not to, like, meander here, but the reason why I don't think it puts them over the top is just, I don't know, that their defensive lines terrible on paper. No pass rush. Right, and it's like, I think their offensive lines terrible on paper. Which Adams helps to address, he helps a gifted pass rush. He does.

They're offensive lines on paper, too. So I guess I guess I have to see it to believe that they can compete with the 49ers and the Saints and whoever turns out to be the best teams. And now from the jet side of it, you know, when I saw that the trade went down and I saw the terms of the deal. The initial reaction is a little shock, of course. And then for me, and this is, I'm being honest, a little bit of relief. I love Adams as a player.

And right now I'm thinking of Daniel Jones and that Giants game in November where Adams ripped the ball out of his hands and took it to the house. And the Jets had whiffed on so many draft picks in the past decade, really like the past five decades, that to me it was just refreshing to see Adams come out. right out of the gate as a top 10 pick and bring this all pro level play and then have the charisma to boot. He was just a ray of sunshine in what's been a really dark decade. And I wish cooler heads prevailed and both sides worked it out and Adams was getting paid by Joe Douglas and would have been there forever. But I think everything that's transpired over the last six months and now

this is going to sound like spilled milk for me, but it's really not. Starting with the tantrum over the Cowboys reports last season when the Cowboys called Joe Douglas and inquired about a trade. And depending on who you read, Douglas kind of put a price of two first round picks and it ended that conversation. And that infuriated Adams and ruined the relationship between the two. And then what's happened since using social media and the traditional media to take shots and owners, and the head coach. To me, ultimately, it's smacked of immaturity and entitlement. He wanted everything right now.

He wanted to be paid at the highest level of his position right now. He wanted to win and he wanted to go to the Super Bowl right now. And when the Jets couldn't do that or said they wouldn't do that, he made it impossible for this marriage to go on. So as a Jets fan, I'm bum because these things happened to the Jets and the Jets seem to never get anything right. And Mark, your point, and I'll let you make it about, the Jets and superstar players don't seem to mix.

But to me, Adams ruin this marriage with his behavior. And I hope he does well in Seattle. I'm glad he's all the way out in the NFC West. But it didn't have to be this way. It was. And now I just have to turn the page just like all Jets fans and just believe in Joe Douglas and believe in what was an incredible haul. The most Jets thing would have been a D'Andre Hopkins type trade.

You know, one of those deals where on top of everything else, you get 70 cents on the dollar and you're just scratching your head is like, what's going on here? That is not what happened here. If Douglas knows what he's doing and he hits on these draft picks over the next couple of years,

the foundation for a new tomorrow is going to be laid for this franchise and it will all point back to this trade. So as an optimistic Jets fan, that's all I have right now. There's frustration, but I believe in Joe, and that's all I can really,

that's what I got. What else do you have? No, I think that's fair too, Dan. And like you always have had an era of optimism around the Jets, no matter what sort of calamity is occurring. And I do, I do think that, I mean, we've all looked at Joe Douglas as someone that is almost like on an island inside that organization. I think there's a lot of reasons to believe in Joe Douglas. He's really well respected as a talent evaluator. And he did not get fleeced in what was really sort of a showdown

situation with a player who I think, you know, here's my thing. And I didn't want to conflate prior to Joe Douglas what happened with the Jets with what he's done. But the storm clouds are still there because what I just don't like about the team in general

is that Douglas alone is going to have to navigate. You know, everyone talks about Greg Williams can figure out how to use the remaining safeties and this is that. Greg Williams probably won't be there five months from now.

Adam Gase probably won't be there five months from now. And so you hope at that point that Joe Douglas believes enough in his role there and in the organization to see it through the long haul. Pick a coach he likes.

I mean, you cannot underrate some of the stuff that whether you like Jamal Adams or not that he bumped on with what we're hearing about ownership. I think you have systemic issues from ownership on down with the Jets. There were whispers that the Johnsonsons don't want to spend a lot of money on players. So my thing is so three years from now when Denzel Mims is a star, what happens when he wants to get paid? I mean, you have to find a way at some point to, and it's not, Joe Douglas has not proven he can't do this. I think he can, but you've got to draft well. You've got to develop core players, keep them around. And it just frustrates me a little bit because, yes, it's a nice draft talk,

but we really can't evaluate this trade for a number of years. And I think where I got emotional, where I just don't like this, cool, you got two draft picks. I could point to that, the Browns on my end, doing that a thousand times. And you got Danny Shelton and Cam Irvin one year. You got Justin Gilbert and Johnny Mansell. You got Trent Richardson and Brandon Whedon. And you got DeBrile Peppers, who's no longer on the team.

He was traded for Odell Beckham. That's part of it. But David Najoku was part of a three first round pick first round. And David Najoku is not panned out. So, I mean, it is a total dice roll. And you have to hope in a really weird draft next year, where there's a potential we don't even see a college football season that you're hitting on that level of player.

And then the year after, do I think Douglas is talented, it can do it? Yes, he's got a lot to navigate beyond just simply evaluating and picking players, though. Right. I've sort of changed the way I react to these in terms of the draft picks of just saying like, hey, this team won the trade.

You know, maybe the Jets won this trade and thought a little bit more that draft capital, it's great, but these are two going to, like, let's say they're mid to late first round picks. In a best case scenario, you're praying you could replace Jamal Adams's total value

between those two players. The odds are you won't, But they're also on rookie contracts and the process of getting those trades. Like the process makes sense. The thing I would push back a little on Dan is I don't think his, you know, actions made it impossible to keep them if they wanted to. I don't think it was, you know, he was using his leverage, which was, you know, being vocal about it. I think if in their heart of hearts, Joe Douglas was the guy who drafted him or that they really believe Jamal Adams is the best safety in the league, and we want to keep them, they could have done it.

They would have done it, but they didn't. I mean, they ultimately didn't really want to for whatever reason. And it should be noted that, and that's true, I agree with you on that. It should be noted that there are people that connected the dots and said, oh, when Adams trashed Adam Gase to Manish Meta, I think it was two days after he was on our podcast, by the way, that's what caused the trade to happen. No, if you talk to people plugged in with Douglas and with the Jets, that this was going on for a while, this negotiation between Seattle and the Jets. And what really made it happen was the agreement. And maybe this will be, well, actually, I have one other thing to add here.

But the agreement made between the NFL and the players about what the salary cap will be on Friday, where the announcement was made that the cap is going to drop potentially next year because of everything that's going on. but it will not drop below 175 from where it is now, which is about 198. And once Seattle and the Jets had the framework of what the cap was going to be, that is really what pushed the deal through. There you go. Anyway, let's move on. But before we do, I mean, if ever there's a time to check in with Keith Hansis,

it was after Tom Adams got traded. Let's hear from my old man. His name is Keith. He's dad's dad. No doubt about it. He's a big. gets fans what is he going to say

about the game today what is he going to say about the game today here's my take on the Jamal Adams trade great talent two-time pro ball player leader fiery

individual but he had become a total distraction as far as I'm concerned to the team he was be he was critical of gase Woody and Joe Douglas, just pushing the envelope, just trying to create trouble as far as I was concerned with the Jets. He wanted to be the highest paid jet, and, you know, with no participation

in the off-season program, he wanted out due to losing. He had said many times last year, so hopefully it works out for the Jets. They usually don't make out very well with these things, but it's about time things are going to turn up right. Not a glowing review, but a realistic one, I think. You can see the through line, though, from like the Keith take to the Dan take. I mean, this is, it's funny because you found yourself at the heart, at the center of it, but this storyline of the players, because Jalen Ramsey I'm thinking about specifically, the player is kind of using their voice and their leverage to create trades.

I mean, this has been your corner even before it came to the jets. Yeah, it's, it's, that's my, My kind of final thought on it is it's happening with Jalen Ramsey, Stefan Diggs, it's happening to Jamal Adams. And whether you want to see this as something that's empowering to the players, fine, or if you want to see it as something that is bad for the league and bad for fans ultimately because stars that you get attached to leave town before you feel like they should, that's fine too.

But it's going to continue to happen. And guess what? It's going to happen to your team too. It's just a matter of time. If they're running poorly. It's more likely to happen if they're run poorly. I just think that's part of it. Everything is more likely to go to go sideways when an organization has run poorly.

But I really think the rookie scale needs to be revisited down the line because I think these players that outperform the rookie deal by the third year are going to continue to be upset about being underpaid. And I think that's something to track here. Right. The precedent has been set now. And, you know, this were in 1991, players have no voice. And you wouldn't be hearing half the stuff we're hearing from Jamal Adams.

But we live in a time now. where in many good ways, player empowerment is at its height. And, you know, Jamal Adams, I don't know who was sort of in his ear through all this, but he has a flare for the dramatic. I'll give him that. And it was about every third or fourth day, Jamal Adams was doing something to get back in that news cycle. And it just seemed to chip away at the relationship with the Jets.

So I do agree, despite some of my protests initially, that, you know, this was a tough situation for Douglas. And he did not get fleeced. That's the one guy in the building I would build around, is your GM, and I really hope that he's still around when these picks are made two years next year and a year from now after that. It's a six-year deal, so. And I know.

Weirder things happen. The only thing that happens to these teams is suddenly someone who's an extremely valuable person says, I don't want to put up with this. Again, there are issues going on much higher up than the GM in that building from what we're seeing. There's even new reports today, and, you know, it's, it would be concerning. I wonder how a locker room is going to respond to what they're hearing about the person that owns their team.

Well, and Adam's talking, I know we are moving on. I know that wasn't what inspired it, but what Adam said about Gase that he doesn't have his respect. I mean, it was untenable. I mean, everyone knowing that that's the leader of the team. And it's still a little untenable because, you know, because what he's speaking for other players there. But it would have been, it would have been tough because who had faith in Gase being able to

handle that in a way that engendered the respect of all the players. Not a lot of people. We do assume that Jamal Adams was loved and a leader internally on that team, but I didn't hear a lot of people coming out and defending Jamal Adams. In fact, Levyon Bell gave Jamal the business after this. I mean, I think it probably turned, it probably turned pretty awful in the last, you know, three or four days in a week. But I don't think he's alone in finding offense in some of the comments and scenarios around ownership and other things. And in Adam Gase, I mean, how many players, you could have probably a support group of players that did not feel supported by Adam Gase through his whole career.

So I just think that's a looming issue. And then you're stuck as a Jets fan, kind of hoping maybe for a meltdown. I told you he's worked up about it, everybody. You what? You're more worried about the Jets than I am, and I love it. Well, I just see a lot of mirror similarities to some, you know, reasons that football's not always been fun following the team that I follow. and I don't think, I don't really wish that on any other fan base, to be honest.

I have a long weekend. Joe Douglas needs to get this right. But we did it. Douglas needs to get this right, these draft picks. Right. We did a Jets-centric show on Wednesday. Our broadcast on Friday was very Jets heavy, as it should have been. It was AFC East.

And after I tweeted that on Saturday, I mean, I am getting destroyed by Jets fans all Saturday, all Sunday, into the day when I get out the show. I need a break from the Jets. I wish them well. I wish your fans well. A breather, please. I have been trying to move on from this segment for five minutes, but certain people keep talking. Okay.

All right. Let us move on to other matters at hand. Major League Baseball started out Thursday night, went through the weekend, and they made it to Monday morning before disaster struck. At least two MLB games postponed after members of the Miami Marlins caught COVID-19, at least 13 is the report, 13 players. So that causes the Marlins' next game to be called off their home opener against the Orioles.

The Marlins' previous location, when all this went down, was Philadelphia, where they were playing the Phillies. The Phillies were supposed to host the Yankees today, and that game was canceled as well. And now MLB scrambling, trying to figure out if they can make this work. And NFL, of course, Greg, is watching all of this because MLB, like the NFL, at least right now, is not doing a bubble plan. They're not putting people in Orlando like we're seeing with the NBA and keeping everyone away from the public and trying to get through a season. You're counting on all these outside elements and variables to not bring down a schedule in a season. And things are off to a tricky star for MLB. Yeah. And everyone immediately, at least on my timeline, the people covering the NFL immediately tried to apply it to the NFL. And look, the challenges that the NFL face are the same today as they were Friday. When we, frankly, you know, we're so excited on our broadcast for those who did tune in, that news that the NFL and the NFLPA had agreed to an adjusted CBA, which we'll talk about.

about briefly, you know, was a big shot of optimism because I really was uncertain about how that part of the equation was going to go. And the NFL settled it pretty calmly. I mean, there really wasn't the huge back and forth. It wasn't going, it didn't play out in the public as long as certainly baseball did. And that was a positive. But the challenges that the NFL still faces in terms of testing and in terms of keeping the players safe are the same really as they were a week ago at this time as they were Friday and the MLB I guess is showing a worst case scenario of how quickly it could happen. I mean, that's the thing that gets you. It was like we're four days into the major league baseball season and a team's already gone down. I mean, the

timing of it is is tough because I know everyone, everyone here, you, Mark has suddenly turned into a huge baseball fan. Everyone was excited to have sports back. I know you're, you're a huge baseball guy. Did you curse baseball? Mark, what happened? I have, I have, you sign up for MLB TV on Sunday and by Monday the whole league shutters. I've been a baseball fan for about 17 hours and it's suddenly into the darkest corner we've ever seen. I, Greg, I don't know what it means either though. I also don't like put like a okay, this means what for the NFL? I don't know. Mark, don't forget about the Blue Jays extra inning loss in your first day as a Blue Jays fan. You put some stink on the league right now. That was eight minutes into my becoming a Buffalo Blue Jays. It's a one year deal I have with

the Buffalo Blue Jays. But here's the thing. It honestly felt amazing. amazing to sit on a Sunday afternoon and flip through all these games happening. And I don't care about the cardboard fans and all this other business. It was just cool to see. And I'm with you that on Friday, I felt this real optimism for the first time in a while that the NFL was moving forward sensibly. They had gotten their issues out of the way. And you hope that can continue. I mean, they have put a ton of layers into place to stay safe. And it's just, I think, from a human angle, you're hoping that you're asking like 200. people from each NFL team when they go from City A to City B to, you know, engage in week one

in week one contests. And A, that we get there and that B, that can happen safely. I mean, it comes down to safely. It comes down to the fact that in the NFL, 70% of players have BMI body mass index issues that make them a little more peculiarly vulnerable to Corona. We just don't know. And we all, the idea that any of us are, you know, like overly cynical about it, I think you're just dealing with the logic and the facts and the disruptions were seen as baseball tries to commence. I mean, you hope that these are blips on the radar and improved testing and improved methods around it. And, you know, they're learning on the fly. But then, you know, I read this great article from Peter King last week about Eric Sugarman, the Vikings VP of

Sports Medicine and all the safety implications he had put into place so well inside the team complex. And then he caught it. And so it's just his family too. His family and it's, It's just like it involves more than just the actual players. It involves a lot of other things. So it's like everyone is hoping this works. But it is easily the trickiest thing that we've ever witnessed as sports fans from birth until now. Virus kind of virus. I mean, you know, viruses like this have been taking out the human race and been a problem for a lot longer than any of us have been around.

It's just like. I feel like I watched a health video in 1991 where that was a similar. catchphrase. Virus going to virus. Prins up the T-shirts. Well, you know, so that, you know, people have

been asking us for a long time, when are you going to get there around the NFL merch going? Virus-gun-a-virus feels like a good start. No, no. And then right on the back, like, double dash, Greg Rosenthal. No. Gotta quote them. I don't want to put, I don't want to put my name on that.

In other news, We have a player. Part of the agreement between the union and the league were opt-out clauses for people that had either pre-existing medical conditions that made playing during the COVID-19 pandemic highly risky or just players with or without, even if they had no pre-existing conditions that just weren't comfortable. And we already have a player who has opted out, Chiefs Guard, Laurent de Verne Tardif. Did I get that right? Tardif. Tough name. Tardif.

Tardeeth. He announced Friday night that he is opting out of the 2020 season. He played regular snaps for the Chiefs, but you also may know the name because he is the doctor. He's the offensive lineman doctor, a medical school graduate. And he spent the offseason working in the medical field at a long-term care facility in Montreal, trying to help people dealing with this horrible virus. And he has decided that he is going to take the opt-out option negotiated by the league and NFLPA, not play in 2020 because of the dangers and risks to him and his family. And he will not, he's the first, but he will not be the last. Yeah.

And it is a, he was a unique circumstance. You know, he's doing it because he thinks he's needed elsewhere. He wants to continue working in his community. And he feels like that's, that's more important. He also, you know, as he said, he doesn't want to potentially transmit the virus. you know, in his communities, just to play sports. And that is something that, in theory, every player has to make that decision. But he's coming from it from a very different standpoint.

He said, if he's going to take risks, he wants to do it for his patient. So he's going to, I have a soft spot in my heart for this guy. It followed his whole career because he went to McGill like my brother. And, I mean, he's kind of an amazing person. Andy Reid said it well. He said doctors or givers. They're not takers. You know, Andy Reid's, I think his mom is a doctor.

And, you know, it's a profession that ultimately they're going to give and that they're worried about the greater community. And Andy Reid couldn't have been more supportive of what, you know, DuVernay Tardeef was doing because that's what he's doing. He has a higher calling. Yeah, you got to respect that. You know what I mean? He has a higher calling.

So he's in a unique circumstance. But he's also a starting offensive lineman for the defending world champs. Well, and they turn around and sign Caligio Semily as a guard, but I mean, here's the thing. Good luck with that. Well, I know. He didn't exactly shine with the jets. That's fair. But suddenly you have to make moves. It's good to see, though, along the lines with Reed, that Patrick Mahomes came out and said, I can't think of anyone in this locker room that doesn't support his choices. And I can remember back to the 1987 strike where you had certain players scabs crossing the picket line

to help their teams try to compete in a winner. They just simply weren't as taken by some of the player strike issues. And they were treated poorly, and there was all this contention. And you could see that happening here because, I mean, the culture of football could be like you don't walk away from the rest of your team. But this is a very different situation. And he specifically, it's such a unique scenario. I do think one of the more compelling items about this week is who else might drop out.

I mean, the amount of money they're being offered if you're, non-risk is essentially nothing for an NFL player. I mean, it's low. It's $150,000, which is essentially applied to what they'll make next year, too. It's almost like a loan of $150,000, which would be significant for players at the bottom of the, you know, pay scale, of which there's a lot. But yeah, it's not a huge incentive to skip out, that's for sure. I don't believe it's alone if they opt out with medical clearance behind it. Right.

That's the difference. No, and it has to do with if you need it. Yeah, that's just if you are just choosing to play out of just wanting to be safe. And speaking of high risk, here's one of those nuggets from the agreement between the players and owners. NFL players who attend high risk events and contract the coronavirus face team discipline and lack of play. Here is the memo in which the NFL defines high-risk conduct as attending, colon, an indoor nightclub with more than 15 people. I mean, if the nightclub has less than 15 people in it, it's not a good place to be anyway. Barely a nightclub.

Yeah. An indoor bar with more than 15 people other than to pick up food. An indoor house party with more than 15 people. An indoor music concert or entertainment event with more than 15 people. a professional sporting event other than applicable NFL games or events with more than 15 people an indoor religious service attended

by more than 25% of the venue's capacity. It's fascinating to me. It sounds weird to say I love it because what do we love about any of this? But it makes a lot of sense to me because this whole pandemic is all about, you know, on some level you have to have some care and concern for the rest of your community and the, you know, the rest of the

country and in this case it means your team. And it's going to, for any chance for this NFL thing to work, it's going to be an incumbent on all these players to be extremely disciplined like we're all trying to be like hopefully the majority of like the community is going to be. And one way to do that I think is with some pretty severe economic punishment. So I don't know. It makes a lot sense to me. I don't know what the reaction's been. Ben. Yeah, the word discipline is that's what came to my mind too. And it is different for us as like, you know, washed up dads, not you Ricky. And these guys, imagine being a millionaire. Imagine being a good looking professional athlete that has the world at his fingers and has no responsibilities at home, many of these

guys. And then being told, you can't do anything. You can't enjoy any of the fruits of your labor or your successes or your money it's it's asking so much of these guys because i remember what i was like when i was in my 20s if you get right it's it's such a challenge and i don't like people that and you'll see that i'm sure on social media from crowd you know crodgy old uh beat reporters will kill a guy for going to pick up what was it there was an NBA player that that went to pick up wings left the bubble yeah hot wings um maybe that's a little bit of a different example that i'm trying to draw here but i'm not going to like kill these guys if somebody messes up because it's an incredibly difficult thing, the temptation,

I would think, to stay in this, your own bubble, and it's all up to you to do so. But I also think it's fair, because you're making the decision that that, like, then don't play, I guess. Like my point would be, then don't play, because it's not about you. It's about, let's say it was a chief's player. It's about Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid and everyone else, and you're making the decision that you're, ultimately, your lack of discipline. I'm okay with putting those guys at risk.

Not about yourself, but I'm okay putting my homes and everyone else on the team and read at risk. And it's like, okay, a financial, you know, huge financial penalty totally makes sense to me. And if you don't think you can handle it, then don't do it. It does. I mean, I think someone like Jamie Collins came out and said, it is going to have to be on, you know, time, weather-worn veterans who've been around the block to really get in the ear of younger players.

Because, you know, I don't remember, I don't feel this way walking around all the time. But when you're like a pro athlete and you've been essentially told that you're invincible for the last seven or eight years of your youth into adulthood, you're going to be seeing some of this differently than others. And I do think it's interesting. One little note that it's indoor bars, it's indoor this or that. I mean, there are, we all have friends out and about in various capacities that we've seen who are gathering in large groups outdoors and people are catching Corona that way as well. I mean, to me, this is a time thing too. We've seen this in society. Everyone's really cool with following rules for a bit of time. And then

boredom, exhaustion, whatever you want to throw the words out, their temptation, the desire to be social. Really, things that are real. I mean, if you're alone, if you're imbubbled alone in your own apartment and your 22-year-old NFL player, you want to go out and see other people. And it's like, how do you, you've got to stay perfect between now and January. That's a tall order. All right. Let's move on. I'm going to zoom through. a couple of things really quickly here. Rahim Mostert and the 49ers agree to an adjusted deal after his trade request. I don't know what's been going on with this story. There's a lot of

stuff going on in my life. There's a lot of stuff going on in the NFL. I'm not too plugged in. There was something with an agent apologizing. Was that even real? I don't know if that was that was a fake. That was a fake tweet. Okay, I thought so. Yeah. But, you know, I know there was some talk about that. And then apparently he was very upset, but now they have everything worked out. Best landing spot, too. Rap sheet says, with achievable incentives and a signing bonus, he can almost double a salary of $2.875 million this year. Good luck to him.

Good luck to Rahe. The 49ers did a solid to the agent, basically, almost by giving him nothing and being like here, you can at least put this out here as a news release and pretend like we gave you some more money. Right. And I mean, Kyle Shanahan could get Raggedy Ann to run for 1,200 yards. So it's the best place, where was he going to go that was going to be better at this point in time?

As a running back, there aren't a lot of teams that even need running backs right now. The doll, Raggedy Ann, the doll. The doll. 1,200 yards. Don't hear a lot of dogs. That would actually be terrifying. 1,200 yards, 10 touchdowns.

I would not try to tackle a living doll running through a secondary. I would run the other way, in fact. I think Raggedy Ann's died with, with, it wasn't even our generation. It was before, but even the, do you know what a raggedy Ann is, Erica? Yeah, I had one. Oh, wow. I couldn't have been more wrong. Raggedy Ann's going strong.

It freshen up on doll culture. It's still going strong. I was off my mark. Maybe Courts of Thunder needs to be retired, Greg, and maybe a doll-associated blog is what you should launch next. Or combine them, I mean, in some way. Alex Smith. How about that?

The Washington quarterback who suffered that gnarly broken leg and almost cost him his life and his leg. But he's been working his way back. since November of 2018. He's underwent 17 surgeries. He wore like a halo-like contra. There's Raggedy Ann, by the way, if you're watching the video stream.

Look at that. Concerning headlines. Nice job by them. Was the Raggedy Ann doll modeled after a child killed by a vaccine? All right, I don't need to read that story. Pretty dark. There's too much negativity in my life as it is.

Anyway, Alex Smith. He is undergoing a physical or has done with Washington team doctors today Monday. the expectation is that he'll start training camp on the active physically unable to perform list that from Rapsheet and Tom Pelliserro, he's in the building. Let's see if you can actually get back on the field in game action and in training camp. But it's an incredible comeback story, Mark, for a guy that lost almost everything, including his life. And the guts, the guts to say not only am I going to move on from this and survive everything I came with it,

I'm going to try to play football again. I can't even imagine. Yeah, I just wonder what his career would look like in Washington right now had this injury not occurred. I mean, I like I've seen out there, some people said, you know what, shut down the comeback player of the year award race right now. Just give it to Alex Smith because having seen images of what that leg looked like not so long ago, I am incredibly impressed that he's even essentially moving anything faster than a walk right now. incredible toughness that that's a good point i would say if he makes the active roster and he's dwayne haskins's backup this season i don't care if he never takes a snap he's the comeback

player of the year bingo come on now yeah even if he even if he practices i mean it it's funny because you you think of how his career could have played out too like sometimes we're so unfair in terms of like using the word toughness in terms of athletes you know it's like i don't think toughness would have been the word people thought of when you thought of Alex Smith before this and yet if you act if you think about what he actually had gone through one one of the worst starts for like a number one overall draft pick we've ever seen in the kind of career that he did end up having that takes toughness too and there's so much that goes on behind the scenes you don't you don't know these

men at all it's a crazy story they do have Kyle Allen as who's supposed to be their backup still feels like I don't I guess even guessing what's going to happen is tough to guess but uh still feels like man it is a long shot but he has made it so so far that who's who's to doubt him now i did forget that kyle allen was in the building and finally in the news kickers club everybody can well 15 people can come into the kickers club and you better wear a mask at most okay aljerk rosas evicted from the kickers club because he's been released by the New York Giants. Mike Gara Folo and Rapshoot reported Sunday morning.

In a subsequent move, the Giants are expected to sign Maron, Chandler Catnazero. So, Rosas ultimately marked this situation. If he was a second team all pro this offseason heading towards the new season, he's still on the Giants, let's be honest. But after that ugly hit-and-run arrest that followed a bad season with New York, he could. gone. Yeah, I think it's, you know, if you're the Giants, you better be scoring touchdowns.

I don't think that your team strength is long-distance field goals at the moment. Maybe the kicker club can go outdoors. I don't know if you guys saw the video of our old friend John Locke, who is now the strength and conditioning coach of the Chargers, former NFL scouting combine hero and hard-knocked guy. But they've got a beautiful outdoor, you know, facility to lift weights and why not bring the kick club out there Eric is in the club with that one person in the club but she seems to be making the most

an outdoor nightclub all right well like I see like the bars now are you know the ones that are sort of outdoors but not really like they're pushing the envelope where it's like you know they open up like kind of a thing but it's not really outdoors you know so

You know we need right now It might be unsafe And I've talked about this on this show We've been teasing the virtual reality masks Since Skinimax in the mid-90s The capabilities It is time to get these virtual reality masks going And maybe we could all

In a socially responsible way Gather in a large field Put on the virtual reality masks And our regular masks and then just have a nice time together in a virtual sense. What do we, I mean, what do we look like and what are we wearing?

Are we wearing, when you look through the mask and I were to look at you, what would I be seen? Just you wearing the same t-shirt you're wearing now or something like. Well, if we're going to be in a field together, why don't we just hang out? Like with our masks?

No, because you want to replicate the club experience. So maybe you upload what you perceive to be the greatest physical look you have, whether you're a man or woman. And that's what gets uploaded into the, the hard drive or whatever, the software. And then that's what the people see from you when you come into their vision.

I would amp up my hotness like by two unrealistic levels. So hot. Suddenly I'm six foot two. I mean, a lot of things would be changing. Personally, like one of the toughest things about this pandemic has been the reduced time in the club for me. You know? It's just not out there with the people like I used to be.

I get it. I get it. That's what's happening in the news. All right. Before we go, let's just talk about something that Greg Rosenthal is working on this week on NFL.com. It's a column, Greg, and it's kind of digging into and what's going to be the most non-conventional training camp in the history of professional football. How teams are set up for success or failure. Right.

Take it away, Greg. Well, because it's. In theory, okay, the pandemic hurts everyone. But it's like the standings are a zero-sum game, right? So it's like, no, it's going to hurt. The teams that can take advantage of it and essentially be less hurt by it are going to have an advantage. And it crossed my mind when we did this segment on Friday on our broadcast.

Again, I think you can check this out on NFL Game Pass, which has been free all summer if people are looking for a way to find it. But we talked about the AFC East. And I thought about the challenge that Brian Flores had. So obviously rookie head coaches are going to have a challenge. But I looked at the Dolphins roster. They got about 11 starting jobs up for grabs. They have so many young players all over their roster.

Draft picks, because they had three first-round draft picks, you know, some of that Laramie Tunsell trade coming through. They also have a rookie quarterback in Tua who they want to get up to speed. They also have a brand new offensive coordinator, Chan Galey. They have a brand new defensive coordinator, although that's Flores' side of the ball. And that, to me, I looked at that roster.

It's not a very good one. And I thought, like, that is one team to me that's going to be hurt more than other teams. It's going to be hurt more than the other teams in the AFC East, let's say, for instance, who have continuity on their coaching staff. I mean, they have, like, literally nine spots on their team that they're like, okay, those are the guys that are starting. Otherwise, it was going to be competition and it's young players, and it's trying to teach them a new system.

And that, to me, I know Brian Flores is good, and he was impressive. But, like, that is one of the teams I look at. It's like, that is a big time challenge, and not every team is facing that sort of challenge that the dolphins are. So what's another team that's facing a challenge, Mark? Well, I would actually look towards a player. I would say a positive would be someone like the bills returning their entire defense. But when I look at, when I think about the idea of having,

to have your dry run come in like week one, this flurry of left tackles that were drafted to start from the minute the season begins. And your raw first experience against an unknown opponent could be you dealing with Von Miller. I just, you know, fill in the blank, total behemoth that's out to destroy you. You've never played in the NFL before.

There's a couple, I can think of the Brown's first round pick who has to shift to left tackle for the first time. I mean, there are complex. And imagine being, along with that, you know, rookie-wide receivers struggle in general, more so than you think when you look at them on draft day. A lot of their numbers just aren't that impressive. You're shifted into an offense that you really have never been into any sort of game scenario with. And it extends to, Greg mentioned it, like a first-time play caller, whether you're up in the booth or on the sideline. And general game communication, you're going to have no ability to test that

out other until, you know, week one starts. And it goes back to the idea that, We could be seeing some really wacky September football, which I kind of think is cool if it happens. I think it's going to be fascinating, but it could be really hard for certain players being thrust into it out of nowhere. I think September has the potential to be completely strange. And, of course, you worry about. The thing I worry about is the least exciting thing to talk about,

which is a bunch of guys blowing hamstrings and straining calf muscles. And you just have to, you have to kind of maybe expect that to be part of this experience. hopefully everybody will be proven wrong. But the fact that you're not going to have a traditional ramp-up period through the spring, summer, training camp. You're not going to have preseason games for guys to get their feet wet. You're just going to be – just imagine the adrenaline that's going to be pumping through these guys by the time they get to the field in week one.

And then one team that did jump to mind for me, and I know you don't need to be a rocket scientist to know that rookies are in a tough spot right now and rookie quarterbacks specifically because the leap is so big from college to pro. the Joe Burrow thing, the number one overall pick in Cincinnati, I know our podcast is high on the Bengals as a potential sleeper team this year. But if Joe Burrow, who by everyone's accounts is going to be a week one starter, if he's going to need six weeks to even kind of figure it out or three or four weeks even and the Bengals as a result get off to a really bad start, well, the thoughts of them as a playoff wildcard darling or hanging around in the AFC North, maybe you need to recalibrate some expectations. Right, like this, maybe this idea is even too simple to even put in a column. But it's like, yeah, anyone rely. Like, he's the only rookie QB that we were expecting to start week one.

It's going to hurt the rookies. In theory, it's hurting teams that have new systems on both sides of all. Because I think one thing we should point out, yeah, as part of this, is the rules that the NFL and the players agreed to with training camp. And with like, we're reporting, we have inside training camp live happening right now. And right now it's just like, you know, guys test it. On NFL network. On NFL network, sorry. Are we going to do live test results or something?

Because that's all we're talking about. It's like, okay, Lamar Jackson has now passed his first three days of testing, and he's now into the building. So that's like the level of football news we're at. But it's got to be that way for a while. It's testing for four days, and most of the teams haven't even started that. Then it's physicals for a couple days. then it's strength and conditioning for a week

then it's like light practice so by then we're to August, mid-August and we're to light practicing then we're to mid to late August before you put the pads on and it's only like it's some sort of level of I think eight padded practices in camp and then maybe a few more in the season

you're talking about like 10 padded practices so to your point like on a left tackle trying to get ready like that's hard for him and it's hard for the Browns too because they've got a new coach Like they've got more of a veteran team, but they've got a new coach on both sides of the ball. I haven't heard a lot of Joe Woods pop this off season, but that's their defensive coordinator. They have a whole new system to try to install, and it just feels like a little more challenging when you're barely on the field.

Like it's one reason why teams that kept their coaches like the Jets, for instance, that might have been on the fence. It's like, well, that's one plus of it, I think, this offseason that you don't, I don't think you want a new coach right now. Look at like we, I love Matt Ruhl and the whole idea of Matt Ruhl, but talk. about a potential slow start. You have an entire group of assistants that have no NFL experience. And your defense is rookie heavy, completely overhauled, and you have a new quarterback. I mean, it just seems like there is a competitive disadvantage there. And I know that this, you know, I feel like I maybe overly stressed and hit on this point back in March and April and it was a tad panned. But at this point, I think it is just, it is going to separate

experienced. You got to be coaching, typically they're very militaristic looking. You know, you do the same thing day after day, but you're going to have to be flexible and nimble on your feet. And I think that the coaching staffs and players who can operate in that environment are going to thrive. And I don't think it's crazy to think that we're probably not going to see, you know, Corona could throw everything into a blender. But would we see more playoff teams from last year with that coached quarterback veteran presence still intact, just going back to the playoffs. I think it's just the challenges for some of these newfangled operations are as heightened as they've ever been. There is no padded practices for 30 of the 32 teams until August 17th.

You know, who's hurt by this? Hard knocks. What is going to be going on with that show? You got no preseason games. Actually, I don't know. Once they're in the building, there is part of it that at least I'm interested in what, I'm not sure what it's going to be in terms of the drama. You're right. But I guess I am curious to see whatever this is going to be because it's also unprecedented. If anything, we always make fun of hard knocks for hitting the same beats. Well, they can't hit the same beats this year. Not this time, right? That's true. Some of the hard knocks tropes you won't be able to lean on like the defensive

linemen going to Disneyland for the seventh time. You can't, you just can't hit that anymore. You can't hit it. The Broncos stand out to me. I'm just going to throw one more random surprise team also stood out to me because they were really counting on rookies and people kind of forget that they have a whole new offense with Pat Schumer and it's just a very young team on both sides of all but especially offense they stuck out to me and the ones that are helped are kind of that I guess it's maybe too obvious but it's like it's it's veteran teams veteran coaches Raven Steelers it's chiefs you know it's Sean Peyton kind of grown men team where it's a bunch of guys

on their second contracts that matter for you with all due respect to with all due respect to Tom Brady, I feel like Sean Peyton and Drew Brees are going to run rough shot through the NFC South. Just call it a feeling, call it a hunch. I mean, there is no coach quarterback combination that I would trust more right now with the extenuating

circumstances at play. And you know Belichick is going to do well through this. You just know it. 14 and 2. 14 and 2. So that's another kind of take that went on through the spring and summer. This is the Bill's year.

You know, get excited. Hey, Jets fans, there's hope. No, there isn't. The Patriots, when they're 4-0, when they hit October, all of a sudden, they're going to be in the driver's seat for another division. Mark my words on that one. Bill's have some great continuity, though. You know, like they are a team that feels like all their coaches,

they got all their players back. You know, they are a team, I think, would also feel good. It's like, hey, we're bringing back the same guys that have mostly been here the last couple years, you know? So that's a plus. And I'm looking forward to seeing your piece, Greg, on NFL.com this week, but one thing that you might want to alter is any trepidation around the Broncos who have a second year quarterback who is a solid C-plus for the last five games last

year. I liked your lot. There is nothing to worry about there. I mean, a rock solid C-plus performance by Drew Locke down the stretch. So that team is locked and loaded 30 points a game. I don't care what's going on in the world. I was on. I was going to virus, not in Denver. I was on I was on your corner there with lock, but I went back. I watched those games. Now I'm a little, I'm a little bit on the corner. But I am, I'm not on Pat Schumer corner. So that raises, that raises issues for me.

Whatever you saw it of Drew Locke last year, it's like, okay, now it's a whole new system. All right. Good talk. Anybody else have anything else to add today? I'm ready to go. Ricky? Yeah. It's good.

We'll be back. Yeah, folklore is pretty good. I like it. I mean, it's good. It took me a minute to warm up to it, but I really like it. Do you have regrets that that's an album that's, if there's ever a grower, and we're talking about Taylor Swift's surprise release folklore featuring a huge contribution from Greg's band, The National.

My band. If there's ever been an album that requires, you know, a full weekend of living with it a little bit before making a statement about it, Ricky comes. on the air about 12 hours after it comes out a national television and says it's quote unquote good not her best not that great good I still cannot forget 12 hours about 12 minutes after she started listening to it

she calls it folk bore on Twitter which you know I enjoyed it just as a bit you know yeah I don't know it definitely the more it's catchy it's it's a it's good it's good I still don't think it's her best album do you You think it's her best? Not her best, but I, it's a perfect album for the times.

It's, I'm really, I'm into, I'm big into it. And if, if you're interested in like a great connection of American history with a huge popular artist and then the fates intertwine to bring them together, and then that artist writes an incredible song, the last great American dynasty is about a really interesting woman who actually lived. lived in Taylor Swift's house in Rhode Island. I know. And she wrote a whole song about her history. And it's very interesting. And it's the best song in the album, I think. I really like August, too.

August is a really good one. Mark, how about you? Well, I mean, I went on a, I'm not a huge Swifty or whatever you would call them. But like, because of the album landing, I spent the weekend kind of going down. What a weekend for Sessler, by the way. Between the Jets mania, between his MLB fandom exploding in nowhere. Was your family out of town again or something? something? No, they're home. They were, we were, it was all happening in one. And then you're big

on Swift. Let's hear about that. I just think that, because I'm more like, you know, I didn't focus just on this album. I watched her documentary on Netflix. I went through a bunch of her. So I knew some of her songs, but just the whole thing. And I, and more and more am I a fan. Now, I, you know, I'm a newbie to the whole thing. I'm not an expert by any stretch. But I think she's, by myself, had been vastly underrated up to this point. Then you throw in the Buffalo Blue Jays, assuming the thing doesn't go off a cliff, and there are a lot of new things to be plugged into right now. I think the Blue Jays game starts in about two hours, so let's wrap this up. Did you say, am I right that you texted the word, she's my, she's my new Princess Diana?

Was that? Yes. Well, I think she has that aura to her a little bit, which is, you know, I probably had a different viewpoint than you guys on Princess Diana. I moved from England, if you didn't know, I lived in London, and like, as a small child got up at four in the morning to watch her marriage to prince up to prince charles and like so she had been part of my life forever and couldn't believe when she was um you know taken away from us terrible anyways too soon i love too soon so i think she's got a little bit of that aura to her she's she's she's got some royalty i think your hearts had time to heal so now it's time for someone new you know it's been that's it's been 20 years or whatever i mean it's been 23 years since we lost i'm not claiming that i'm

like heartbroken over Princess Tite every day. I'm just saying that there was some attachment to the idea of Princess Diana and Taylor Swift is a similar archetype in my book. Goodbye English Rose. By Elton John, great song or the greatest song ever? Neither. All right.

Hot take. Good stuff, guys. The greatest song ever. Yeah, no, not even close. Come on. do you think well it was a princess thysol

believe it is yeah but yeah I guess it's it's subjective why so um uh you were still podcasting guys

still doing this yeah right bye stay hans is signing off war Clyde storm the old boss

Mickey Hollywood till Wednesday Thank you. Hey everybody, Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move the Six, 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.

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