NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - Jameis Winston Fallout; Ely’s Best Man Pitch

Episode Date: June 22, 2018

A room filled with heroes- Dan Hanzus, Gregg Rosenthal, Marc Sessler, Chris Wesseling & Colleen Wolfe - recap their experience at the NFL Media Talent Summit held earlier this week. The heroes give their winners and losers of the annual company event (5:00), along with their favorite corporate buzzwords that were used (16:00). They dive into the latest news, including the latest on Jameis Winston’s legal issues and possible suspension (19:00), Baker Mayfield vs. Colin Cowherd (25:00) and ESPN’s hires a new rules analyst, which has Wess fuming (34:00). They also check in with Zack Goldman, aka The Gold Standard, to compare World Cup teams to their NFL counterparts (37:00) and NFL Media Senior News Editor David Ely gives his “Best Man Pitch” to Wess (55:00).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. This episode is brought to you by Pitney Bowes. No matter what your small office needs or sends, Pitney Bowes Send Pro C200 has you covered. The C200 lets you send mail and packages right from your desk. Plus, save three cents a letter and up to 39% off retail shipping rates. Start saving today and get a free 60-day trial of Pitney Bowes C-200. Visit us online at pb.com slash.

Around. That's pb.com slash around terms apply. See C-Syfer details. The Around the NFL podcast. Dinosaurs are back and they are not happy. Welcome back to another edition of the Around the NFL podcast. My name is Dan Hansis and I'm joined in a room that's filled with heroes. Mark Sessler, Chris Wessling, Kanye Five. Yeah. And Greg Rosenthal, what's up, people? Hey, Dan. Hey.

It's Thursday, Thursday show. Fresh and fresh as a daisy after attending the NFL talent summit, 2018. Big hit. I think it was a huge success. Got to actually hang out with Matt Money Smith, who we just heard. What a guy. I mean, I felt that way before, but, you know, I've met him before. I liked him.

Then I liked him this week as well. Money who, if you don't know, does the vocal at the beginning of every episode. And Mark, I thought you pointed out very well in your social media posting, which went up immediately. You could always count of Mark to get that thing out there quickly. You pointed out the only person that's been on every edition of the around the NFL podcast. Actually, a couple people, one very good friend of the show, a friend of mine who listens to every episode named Eric Syyes out in Minnesota quickly texted me when that went up and

said, not true. Matt Money-Smith was not on the earliest episodes of this podcast. I thought, well, this already has like 100 likes. I'm not taking this down. I'm just going to roll with it, you know. Fake news, bro. I delivered incorrect news. So good.

And then I got some tweets off that. It was like, oh, what are you going to have money on? We've asked money to come on the pod like 400 times. He has no interest. It's hard to do it. He's been on a couple of times. He's been on this show. I remember hearing specifically about Austin Safarian Jenkins and Deo

and Buchanan when they were coming out for the draft. Are we sure that wasn't the Damashack podcast? No, he's been honest with it. It was like four years. Maybe I was in rehab at the time. Maybe I was at Promises in Alibu. Well, that's happened a couple times, Dan. We're like 700 shows deep.

You can't remember that. Yeah, it's true. It's hard to catalog every single one. Yeah, so the summit is this event that's held right by the beach in Santa Monica at a beautiful hotel where everyone that has any type of on-camera presence at NFL network, all under the same roof, including all the bosses, of course. And it's kind of, Greg, how would you, how would you describe it? It's more, it's kind of like a big old town hall with a lot of different aspects to it.

It's like going to college with everybody because you're sitting in almost like classes, it feels like, because there's a lot of talks and like you've got to be quiet and pay attention and take notes. Sometimes you get in trouble. Exactly. Other than like the views on some of the talents rooms, you know, were nicer than most hotels. I bet it's pretty typical for like a normal, like, annual corporate get together.

It's just a lot of like 30-minute talks that a lot of the room isn't paying super close attention. Like Dion Sanders isn't at most of the. Well, that's why, yeah, I mean, like I'm saying, but the rest of it is kind of like, okay, then there's some breakout groups and it's a lot of just sitting there and listening while people are talking at you. But having had like 25 corporate, hideous corporate jobs, they do the, they love to do those things. You go to them and you're sitting next to like Vince from accounting. In this case, you have Michael Irvin three feet to your right. You have Dion Sanders to your left and Chris Wesleying of all people.

Sitting next to West. I was in between Terrell Davis and Tiffany Blackman. Nice pairing. He's a star-studded group up front there. Jane Slater, our Cowboys reporter. She was my buddy sitting next to her. But, you know, we name all these people. But, Wes, there could only be one MVP of the summit.

And it's a back-to-back winner. Al Riveron. Al Riveron. Al Riveron gave a command performance, like a bullfighter, you know, Hemingway watching a bullfighter. I was disappointed that, like, people didn't throw roses afterward. Al is the senior VP of officiating, as you probably know. He took over for Dino Blandino holding the Xbox controller,

gets a lot of heat from fans, but also internally. So they do this thing every year where they have Al come in and talk to all the talent, explain the new rules to give us a better idea of it. And Al just has complete command of the room. And he was so great last year. I kind of liken it to when the Beatles dropped Revolver and then Sergeant Pepper's 66 and 67. Came out of nowhere last year.

We just had no idea what we were going to get. So maybe the Beatles isn't a perfect example. But the fact that you could just deliver absolute greatness in back-to-back years, he just shutting down people whenever. And we're talking about legends of the game when they tried to get up in his grill, had an answer for everything.

This man is a good man. Well, the role is not for a wilting flower. I mean, he is sort of, I feel like I'm watching like a lost episode of the Sopranos with the way he kind of operates in a Tony Soprano manner. But he's an alpha male and he is going, you know, punch for punch with Hall of Fame football players who are coming at him hard about rule changes and, you know, videos were watching of tackles and stuff. And it's just like one win after the other for River Run.

And I think Sessler, we had a big group chain going during this whole summit. And I think Sessler was the one who pointed it out that. Riveron shut down an entire group of whisperers at a table just with a look. Oh, just with a look. It was insane. It has that kind of power. Don't try to change the topic or get in some long-winded question. That's not really about, you know, the rule that we're talking about.

We've got to move on. You know who you are, people. You know, he's going to shut you down. He's going to move on to the next person. There was a specific example. And we will not reveal the identity of the individual because we don't want to do that. Because this is ultimately a private event. but one very well-known prominent media personality stood up

and tried to change the direction of the conversation like we're saying to the point where this person made their point stood up and then went to hand the microphone to some other people to try to change the direction of it all and Riveron with a wave of the hand we're not going to do that and that person sat down and was not heard from or seen from for the rest of the event. He's so manly he makes

Ron Swanson looked like a sniveling cubs gal. I'm actually really sad that Riveron was not involved in the improv portion of the summit. Well, let's get to that. Before we get to it, we got some news and we got a very special guest to do a little World Cup talk. And then, of course, we all know what's coming up at the end of the show. Dave Ely, sitting at 291 to one long shot odds to be Wes's best man at Wessling's upcoming nuptial. in 2019. He will get a chance to make a formal pitch to Wes.

That's coming up today. But I thought maybe we'd do a quick winners and losers of the NFL media summit. And I think a good place to start, Colleen, was a new event this year. They brought in a dude from the UCB, the U.S. The U.S. Brigade, which is a improv comedy troupe. And first of all, Colleen, speaking of MVP's. Hey.

Winner. Amazing. Thank you. Colleen Wolf, who, you know, so much great. Improv talent was, you know, unmasked at this event. But... History is very rich here. But Colleen in a type of a worried association game that Mark actually also took part with

several other famous people, you really stood out. So a big winner. Thank you. I think that I've finally overcome my fear of public speaking. And that, and I've just realized it at that moment. I was really nervous. I didn't want to go up there. And then it ended up being like...

You had the toughest assignment. You and MGA followed you and VIII. who followed you in basically your same role. Of all the people that went up there, you were asked to do the most difficult. Well, explain what you had to do. It was a faux TED talk that we had to do on a topic that interested us,

but we had producers, quote, unquote, three of them who sat, who were near us and had to basically put words on a whiteboard that we had to work seamlessly into our TED talk. But you've taken an improv class I learned afterwards. Yeah, I have. That was a little bit of a... Cheater.

I do that. We'd be remiss if we didn't point out Money's play-by-play. Oh, that was my favorite. Money was just a natural with Stacey Dales. They did. And who was it? It was Mooch was the, he was had to pretend he was washing, folding clothes. And it was Money and Stacey Dales were doing the play-by-play and color for it.

And it was so funny. They actually had Shreger washing clothes. Oh, that's right. Yeah, yeah. Brushing his teeth. Brushing his teeth and also vacuuming. Anyway, it's all silly as it sounds. But that's great.

Colleen, I thought, narrowly edging money, who was fantastic as well as the MVP there. Any other winners and losers? Anybody want to throw out? I have a few, but I'm curious what you guys think. I'll throw one out at the very end. A sneaky winner. I would call myself a loser in the sense that we've talked about this a little bit. Well, it really came to light at the very end of the conference and really more so after I had left.

and found myself looking at my phone. And we had a big group photo taken. And you've probably seen it if you checked out our Twitter accounts or anything at this point. Every single NFL media person put it on social media the same exact time, by the way. But long story short, we were up on this stage, and I'm not a tall guy. So it's like I was stuck behind a bunch of like pro football players and just generally tall people. So I squirt it around the crowd to kneel down. And I was like, I got to get in this photo.

I got to get in this picture. So I snuck around and kind of kneeled down at the corner of the stage. But little did I know. Mike Garifolo, NFL Network reporter, was positioned near me. And I didn't think anything of at the time. But the way the photo comes out, he had his like left leg poised high up on the stage. Like a Captain Morgan pose. A Captain Morgan pose, where it's essentially has, you know, his midsection just like sort of shoved into my face.

His boys. Right. In some countries, you're now his child. It was a total power mood. You know, as alpha male, as Al Riveron might have appeared, the photo has me looking very much in the opposite end of the spectrum, just sort of poised near this man with his open groin area in my face. You have an Elvin Gwynne on too.

That and Scott Hanson was sitting on Stacy Dales' lap, essentially, on her leg. You have West, like, just Wes's head appearing over rich eyes and shoulder. Very bizarre looking moment. The picture is amazing. I'm done posing. Stop with opposing. Just capture people in their authentic moment. Another loser, not you, Mark, but connected to people that know your situation.

People who thought that getting you and Jim Trotter under the same roof to square away your beef about the pro football writers association, you being turned away on account of your NFL media connection. Right. Thought you were going to maybe confront Jim, but that didn't happen. I talked to him once and he was pretty delightful, so I didn't feel like it would have been the right vibe to go down that road in the middle of a crowded hallway. A winner, Greg Rosenthal. NFL Network's Greg Rosenthal sitting in the front row.

One small step for man. One giant. What did I have? The NFL network's Greg Rosenthal? Front row. That was on your radar right away. You were saying the front row was a positive thing? I think so.

It's better than the back row. Greg wasn't happy about it. It's tough to... Colleen was right in the front too. Colleen was right in the front. It's tough to text. Colleen knows like 14 shows. It's a good.

But I don't think the rankings of, it wasn't like ranked in importance. It's like Dian, like all the big time people were not in the front row. Okay, okay, fair enough. I thought it looked good. You're right in front of like the head of our company the whole time. That only means you have to be paying attention the whole time, though, which is very tough. We had an old unlikable boss who had that comment he made about the newsroom. What was it?

It was, you have to pass the eye, you know, the eyeball test was it? You want to always be seen. I don't remember this, but, you know. You're such a careerist. I don't know what you're talking about No, I honestly don't I know who you're talking about but pretty much anything you said

is long gone from my memory Okay Another winner If you got to stay at the hotel We obviously drove to the proceedings Or Ubered because we're right here in LA The talent that got to fly in Got to stay at this luxury hotel

And for the men specifically After the Tuesday portion of the event Wrapped up and led to the happy hour Dinner Fest all those guys, they went up to their hotel rooms and they changed into their cool shirts and maybe picked up their shades

and returned to the bungalow bar area. Yeah, that's true. Emma, we didn't get a chance to do that. Very much a class system scenario there. I came prepared. I mean, Schrager comes back downstairs and it looks like Fonzie. It's like it was a whole transformation.

It was a nice power move. A lot of power moves. That was another wave of power movements by these media types. That's about all I got. It was nice. Those were good. It's good.

It's good. Oh, and 1775, Hank, by the way. Henry Hodgson, his family's away right now. And what have we seen from Henry since his family left? He came to your house, Wes. Stop by, had a drink. Built a desk with you? Yeah, built my desk for me. Yeah.

The next day, what do you see, Mark? Well, I did see some family members with him, so I'm not sure if he was in full 17, 70. But he was, I took my family on a Father's Day hike and, like, out of nowhere, as I'm texting, you guys hearing about him coming over to your place, out of the forest comes Henry gallivanting with his children. I just thought this guy's everywhere. So maybe he didn't have full freedom yet. He looked free to me.

And then he was on fire at the party, the after party, staying late and having a good time. That's why I call him 1775 Hank, because it's the year before things get tightened up. This is the old Henry. We didn't get to see. He closed it down. He rode home with me and Lakeisha.

What a minute. And you wanted to put a bow on it, West? A little sneaky winner. The around the NFL podcast was mentioned maybe for three seconds of the whole two days, but you would think that would make you a loser, but here's why we're a subtle winner. Okay. The point was driven home. The entire raison d'etra for the network to exist is access to players.

The name of the show is total access. This point was driven home. We have zero access to players and we've been on the air for almost six years. That makes us a sneaky winner. We've been able to exist. in a place that only exists for access players. Don't let them know this. Plus with far more listeners than the other show.

Reason Dieter, right? Plus with far more listeners and the other shows who have ex-players on him. One real quick, sneakie. We didn't attach that in the very brief time we were mentioned of the hundreds of episodes we've done together. And the tons of photos that have been piled up of our show in the studio and in remote locations,

the only photo they chose of our group was when we were with Little Debbie and I did hear behind the scenes that there was someone somewhere was partially convinced that that was just Colleen dressed up like a rapper it feeds into it. Guys it's me

that long time conspiracy theory that Lil Debbie is not a Oakland based rapper, rap artist it's in fact just Colleen wearing Raiders gear and with hoop earrings I busted out laughing when they put that on the slide all right so there you go

that was the immediate summit great times one last thing on that i've compiled this list of corpo buzzwords from oh yes would you like me to sprinkle them in oh my god really oh yeah yes do you want to try to speak i think you're going to talk about the catch rule no no no i'm just happy that riveron talked about the catch rule your head didn't explode i thought the cat it's i'm happy with where the catch rule is that you know what i'm nervous about about getting back to riveron for a second he explained now if you're a quarterback and you dive forward it used to me if you slide that was messy They mark you down as soon as you hit and you don't get forward progress until you get touched. Now that rule applies if you dive forward, which I think is going to cause a lot of trouble.

Or if you just lose your balance. Like the Matt Ryan video that they kept showing. There were some rule like rules takeaways that when they really went over the kickoff, it really hit me how incredibly different it's going to be. Yeah. And how many different rules are involved. And all I was thinking as a, as a Pat's fan was like, Belchick is going to find the holes. in this. Oh, he's going to do it.

Because there's a lot going on there, and there's no one that knows special teams more than him. And it's, like, completely different rules that I think he'll take it. He's going to slice and dice, for sure. He's going to enjoy it. And they're really trying to save the kickoff. People think it's inevitable that the kickoff's going away, but I think they are dead set on figuring out a way to keep it.

Wes, let's hear some corpora buzzwords before we get to the news. Number one, piggy bank of credibility. Whoa. Yeah. Very nice. Yeah, you've got to have a piggy bank of credibility or else when you need. need to take something out, you won't have anything left. That's exactly the meaning.

Yep. Keep it platform agnostic. Okay. Okay. Yeah, you know, if you have a podcast, don't think this is only going out to ears. It's also going out to eyeballs. I like that one. What else we got?

Understand the power of unstructured data. Oh, yeah, obviously. Yep. We knew that. Makes my eyes bleed. That's in the steel trap now. What else? Pulling on levers in the marketing funnel.

That's just a little confusing I'm going to be honest I'm just a little confused by that one I felt bad for the marketing section of it because like everyone went to the bathroom when that started It was just like a sea of people standing up What else we got was

As somebody who's been at the tip of the spear Of this process It just doesn't seem right That was one of my favorite What does that mean by the way? I think you're at the point of pain You've been at the point of- Oh I like that

Oh really? I thought it would mean you've been at the point of pain. No, I think you're right. Is it like being in the, we're in the jackpot? I think the opposite of the jackpot now. It's like being in the crucible. Like you're the one who's the spear is cutting.

What else we got was? Casual in Jan Feb drop. Not in January, February. In Jamfib. Back in Jan Fab. Okay. Previations. I like that.

What else? It saves time. This is great. In relation to our unexpected growth in 2000, 16, 17 at a time when the TV industry itself is regressing. Very nice year for the network. We are defying gravity. Oh, yeah we are.

That's right. We should start using these. Let's try to use these throughout. Okay. Please. I need a list. What else we got? I think that's about it.

Hopefully I'm not sounding like the fun police was one of the club. No, you missed just a couple. There's no way to silver bullet this. Oh, no silver bullets. No silver bolts. And X, Y, and Z. Yes. X, Y, and Z.

I didn't want to. go X, Y, Z. Okay. I'd offend some of our British listeners. Let's do some news. We're Mississippi State fans. We're so excited to be here in Omaha at the College World Series. The sacrifices that we personally made to be here are incredible.

My wife's boyfriend sold his prosthetic leg on Craigslist to afford me the opportunity to be here. But they get a long time and I get a chance to be in Omaha. I saw this. Lindsay, you want to provide a little background there? Yeah, I was just a Mississippi State fan talking about going to the College World Series. It's good to catch up with him.

I like the justified it so well. It was like, listen, he loses the leg, but he gets private time. Would your wife's boyfriend do that for you? I don't know. That's quite a... Greg, you wear the pants in your scenario. How would that play out? I wouldn't need new pants.

You wear the prosthetic leg in your room? relationship? Sure. All right. Let's start with big news out of Tampa and bad news for the Buccaneers and their fans. ESPN's Adam Schaefter reporting that James Winston will be suspended three games for violating the league's personal conduct policy at the time of this taping. The league hasn't made it official, but Schaefter has the report on this. This is connecting to an incident in March of 2016, where Winston Winston

allegedly groped in Uber driver. So he has not faced any charges connected to the incident, but as we've learned in the NFL, the legal justice system and the NFL justice system exist mutually. So exclusively of each other.

So there's no, I say that right? You did exclusively. Yes. So they could still do it. And the NFL has decided, to punish James Winston so I'm sure Greg an appeal is coming here but Winston as of now looks like he's heading toward a ban to start the season terrible news for the bucks especially when you look at

their schedule right off the bat they face the Saints Eagles and Steelers it's a playoff run they all won their divisions and I don't I don't tend to put too much into strength the schedule for the season and who knows how these teams are going to look but at least just just for the the teams that they played last year, it is literally the toughest three-game stretch in the Super Bowl era in terms of the strength of schedule. The next closest, the 76 Patriots had a very tough three-year stretch to start.

So it's about as tough as- I remember that team. So if he, if his appeal doesn't work, this is basically saying that three-game stretch, you are not going to have your breakout season that everybody thought that you might have. Last year. And now we, like, I think the bucks are strong,

this year, but I won't pick them to make the playoffs with that three-game stretch to open. I agree, and you have a coach in Derek Carter, I think, is the one guy outside of Hugh Jackson that you wonder why he's even still there after what happened last year, that he was already on shaky turf, and now you open the year with this rugged schedule and without your starting quarterback. Ryan Fitzpatrick and three shootouts possible. Ryan Griffin will have a chance to win that job, I think, in training camp. He had a chance a year ago.

A couple of things. One, he could get it reduced, maybe down to one or two. two games, who really knows, like, that's a possibility. Two, football's a complicated game, West. As you know, like, removing Winston, to me, doesn't remove any chance they have to win. Ryan Fitzpatrick, for all his problems, went two and one as the start. The Bucks won two out of three games with Fitzpatrick as a starter, and you can do the math. We're not very good with Winston as the starter.

Fitzpatrick, and one of those games looked great. One of them, he looked terrible. We know what Fitzpatrick can do when he's on. I mean, you say Ryan Griffin could win the job. I feel like he'd have to blow them away and really... I know they like him, but he'd have to really earn their trust to start the season ahead of Ryan Fitzpatrick. They'd like him enough to cut him, which they've done before.

Well, they... I'm only saying that because at the time that he had a season ending injury a year ago, the belief in Tampa was Fitzpatrick was not going to make the team and that Griffin was going to be the backup. I would still think Fitzpatrick is the favorite. He got hurt, as I recall, on Hard Knocks last season. And let's face it, we should have seen this coming because Ryan Fitzpatrick always finds a way into the lineup.

At some point in every NFL season and it will be this way until the end of time. It's going to happen again. Dan, you're the Hard Knocks guy. I mean, the league has to be counting its blessings that this isn't the year the Bucks are on Hard Knocks with this simmering. Well, he would have still been part of the whole.

It's just a, it's a bizarre narrative because he was a very celebrated character in that four or five weeks stretch. It's interesting, too, that this story's been so under the radar. It's two years old. He was someone that came into the, League with some concerns about, you know, what he had done at the college level. And now in a really big year for both Dirk Cutter, who's trying to keep his job and

James Winston, who I think is going to get that second contract, but we talked about on this podcast. Like, this is the year he's got to kind of step up. And there's a lot of great players around him on offense in Tampa. I'm not sure our audience knows how long the long arm of the NFL law is, that they have connections. most people in their security department are former military, high up CIA,

FBI. They have connections in every city. They found something on James Winston here. He did something wrong and that's why he suspended. And our own reporting from RAP sheet at the time of this taping that Winston has not been notified of his suspension, but the expectation is that he's off the field

several games. And the next circumstance if there is one for Winston and let's face it now, there is a pattern of behavior going back to college with this guy. You can't rule anything out. It would be a year suspension. So Winston and the Bucks are going to have to deal with this, and it probably won't be pleasant. Moving on, Cleveland Brown's quarterback and number one overall pick Baker Mayfield went through the Fox Car Wash today, Thursday, and a part of one of his stops was on Colin Coward's

show on Fox Sports Radio and FS1. Coward, apparently, I'm not a big coward guy in terms of following his career or his active work. But apparently he's been critical of Mayfield for some time leading through the draft process and having issues with some of Mayfields off the field dealings and also the way he carries himself on the field at Oklahoma, blah, blah, blah. Anyway, Mayfield goes on Coward's show and during the conversation, Coward decides to run a clip of a Oklahoma touchdown from last season in which after throwing the pass for the the score, Mayfield runs in the other direction and away from the celebration with teammates.

Cowherd tries to go after Mayfield and Mayfield returns fire. I don't like this. I'm going to tell you right now. How come you're not what? Where are you going over there? Our band is over there, our student sections right there, and then straight back to our sideline. What about your team? Did you watch the rest of the game? I watched the whole game. You did? So you saw me celebrate with my teammates like the three touchdowns before that too? I don't like that. Oh, okay. Yeah. You pulled the one clip. of me running right there to our fans and people that traveled well to that game

first of all. And then you didn't show the rest of the clip of me going to our sideline? No, no, no. We have to go to the sideline. You're not going to go the hospital. What were you going to go after the touch day? You're not going to go... Well, you're acting like I just ran away from everybody. Well, you did, but then you came back and circled to the sideline.

This is a, what is it? A five second clip of you're showing me and then I'm off the screen right there? I'd like you to be with your teammates. Watch the rest of the game, I was. Thanks, Dad. And you would think, you would think Colin Coward sensing that Baker Mayfield was prepared for this and kind of shut you down would back up but I guess coward at that point in the moment was a little in too deep so he didn't give up oh I know you went back to the sideline no no watch the other touchdowns I got very

excited on that one so you think my accusation that this doesn't this is a fact I feel like you're going for the fact that I'm not a team guy I'm selfish is that what you're shooting at right here um it is a no I don't think that I think you I think sometimes your judgment's just a tad off and I think the NFL's a judgment league because the game is so fast. You have to make the windows get really, really tight and really small. You've got to make decisions really, really fast. In college, you got that Orlando

Brown guy, got a little more time. I don't love that decision. I don't love it. The celebration? Do you see what people do in the league now celebration-wise? Hip thrusting, not a fan. Your thoughts worked. Well, that doesn't surprise me. When they drafted him, because in the past,

I've immediately without any logic, fall on head over heels for Colt McCoy. I name my child Colt. I mean, let's start with that scenario. I, well, that's a good kid, though. It's a good kid and a good name. It's a good name.

But like, I fell for Brandon Whedon before he played. And it's like, I've been really cautious this time around with Baker Mayfield. It's like, I'm just going to let this unfold as a Browns fan the way, naturally. Let me see what he actually does on the field. But there's something I've noticed following him, especially on Instagram, where he does a lot of Instagram story. his girlfriend Emily Wilkinson who's like got her whole own life of her own

and she's incredibly smart is posting about him and the two of them like he is a guy's guy I love this dude I love his whole persona when you go and dig into this thing that Coward's trying to go after him on

his teammates loved him they adored him and I totally buy the fact that that was a road game those fans traveled to that game and he went up first to them to the band he was he's all one touchdown out of like six

and I just I think it's It's like you're digging for this, and Baker Mayfield, who has been hearing this for months and months, will not put up with it. I really like the makeup of him. I think he is a fascinating guy. And I know the whole pre-dive process kept dinging him and focusing on how great other quarterbacks were and stuff. It's like, we're getting different types of personalities playing quarterback. You're making the point, Mark, that I think Cal and Coward and a lot of other people got paid and had their careers jump or just had some of their best radio because Johnny, Manzell was such a disaster.

So it's like you see what he's trying to do in this instance. And it's like, well, you're trying to make him Manzell. But they're not the same people. It's the not the same situation. And I think Mayfield handled himself incredibly well. I think our favorite quarterbacks over the years are swash bucklers. They have Daring do. As Johnny Unitas once said, I wasn't a quarterback until I could tell my coach to go to hell.

That's the type of personality we want in the quarterback. And Baker Mayfield has it in spades. He has my favorite personality of any young. quarterback in football. Coward's just pulling all the curmudgeon levers at this point because like you hear what he's saying and you're like he just sounds

like such as like you he says I want you to be with your teammates and then he starts telling Baker about what the NFL is like the windows get smaller and things get like what's nothing to do in the needs of that point anyway but he also is like this dad who thinks he should be making judgments on a behavior

of like a quarterback it's absolutely outrageous but it's just one of many things that he's probably said on his four hours of radio that you have to fill up with something and you end up just trying to create characters like Dan said. It's like, okay, this is the bad guy. This is the good guy. And most of it is total nonsense. And it's refreshing to hear an intelligent young quarterback come and point out that nonsense. He showed up to the interview. I mean, he came ready to go. This wasn't just happened to come up. Baker Mayfield came to the interview with a sweatshirt that said, in quotes, undraftable on it, which was in reference to what Colin Coward had called him previously. And so he came, just wanted to knock him down. I love it. I love that keeps tabs on all of the slights against him.

The most egregious part from Coward's point of view is it's disingenuous. He doesn't even believe what he's saying. It's totally playing up drama for a radio show. And then you're really just encouraging like the worst of human instincts if you do that. Because you know that there is a section of fans who think they can read Baker Mefield and think he's not a good teammate because they saw that one play. And he's just playing up to them. It's good radio, though.

I'll give him that. It's good radio on Baker Mayfield's side. Right, but he... But I would never listen to that radio host again. I would also say not to defend Coward, but Coward badmouthed Mayfield and then at least had the guts to have him on the show. And then came at him with a lack of good faith in his own argument. He probably had to have him on the show, though,

because isn't Baker Mayfield's documentary docu-series coming out on Fox? Listen, I don't know. I don't know the internal workings. I'm just saying, I think it worked out for everyone. because we get to talk about it and we get to see a side of Baker Mayfield we like and Coward gets stinking and that's in the Brown and when they took him number one and everyone thought all the Browns they've messed up this draft you obviously needed to go with quarterback X Y or Z and you went with Baker Mayfield well here's the thing they talked about

number one they loved his mental makeup and who he was and who they got to know over that process so it's like we're seeing it play out I kind of it gives me a little bit more trust in what they what they did I mean and frankly like they weren't the only team I think The Jets, if the reports reactant, they wanted Baker Mayfield. There were many teams that did. The media, we were slow to know that. Yep. Should have taken Sam Darnold, though.

He's going to be here. All right. We'll figure that out down the road. Baker Mayfield, a nice little personality. He's going to be a great analyst. We'll figure that out in week three. It's going to be a great analyst. No, I'm rooting for Baker Mayfield.

I am. I really do. You know that. I hope he kicks ass. Well, we are looking for a massive AFC power shift that has the Patriots going about two and 14 nine years in a row in the Jets and Brown's meeting in the AFC title game

nine years in a row. Exactly. Platform agnostic. Finally in the news. Doesn't even make sense. I don't get a ding for that one. I just sort of shove that in there. There's no silver bullet to getting the Jets.

That's true. That's true. That's true. That hot take could be platform agnostic, though. You know, you could put that anywhere. Like in Jad Fab, probably is best. Finally in the news,

I didn't realize this. It makes sense that Monday Night Football, ESPN, rebooting the whole thing. That included parting ways with poor Jerry Austin, who was overwhelmed for several years as the rules analyst on that program and routinely seemed like what Mike Garifolo did with you, Mark, is what Gruden did to Austin for years on that program,

which surprised me that he joined the Raiders in an advisory role, Jerry Austin. He's out of the picture, yes. Gruden hired him. Yeah. So they must have been buddies. He took a consulting role with the Raiders. Jerry Austin always seemed vaguely surprised that he was on television.

Yes. You know what I mean? They would like go to him and he'd be like, whoa, whoa. Like, wait. That movie, 51st dates with Drew Barrymore where every day, like, she didn't remember anything. That was Jerry Austin every time I threw it to him. He was like, wait, why am I here? It was always like a moment of like, oh, we're doing this.

Okay. Anyway, so Jerry Austin's out. Someone else had to be hired and reportedly this according. uh to who did report this football zebras yes all right reported that jeff triplet who retired six months ago after a a fairly disastrous playoff game that ended his career uh he slated to join esbian as a rules analyst along with joe tessitore and jason witten in the booth uh that is a football zebras also learned that the NFL specifically steered ESPN to hire triplet interesting he'll replace Jerry Austin, who was there since 2012.

This led to a lot of, you know, derision, some sniping on social media because Jeff Triplett, West, did not have the greatest reputation as an official. If you could draw up like the perfect candidate to never have this opportunity, it would be Jeff Triplett. He's unqualified in just about every way. He, first of all, Al Riveron, the best part of the Al Riveron discussion was him acknowledging and pointing out. I don't have to tell you guys we're in the entertainment business. This isn't about being on the camera too long for an official or being under the hood too long. Get it over with. Make fewer calls.

Get the entertainment out there. Jeff Triplett had like a secretariat like lead on every other official for players kicked out. Penalties thrown. Most time on camera. Most mistakes. Jeff Triplett also never made a confident call in his life. When he makes a call, he bumbles the wording. He can't get it out.

He can't communicate, and now they're going to ask him to explain calls that he couldn't explain when he was doing the job. He was also on the grassy knoll in Dallas in 63. He's going to make Mike Carey look like Walter Cronkite. So you don't like the hire. He's just totally, I mean, it's like if you could, wait, wait, I just, if you're ESPN and you're in a meeting, you're like, well, who would be the worst one we could have to do this? Triplett? Well, why not? Why not?

Let's try it. It's a controversial hire. I can't wait to see it because I feel like it is going to be just a giant dumpster fire that's entertaining to me I know I like it just for the Wes angle yeah we've got Wes fired up

because Mark pulled up or I found an old tweet of Mark's Oh no from September 2017 Best subplot of this night Chris Wesleyan's unhanged disdain for Jeff Triplett and is overly officious We've been here before That's when you were

That was right after my surgery When you guys were at At our apartment watching the game That's right I was probably just going off on Triplett like a post-cancer haze. This is perfect. Oh, my God.

I mean, this couldn't be better. That only got 11 retweets. I think that needed more attention that tweet. Wow, that, so there you go. Triplett reportedly taking over for Austin and Chris Wessling is going to be following this extremely closely. I mean, I already have a list of reasons not to watch ESPN. So, I mean, Wes typically covers Monday Night Football for the site. So, you know, this will be an interesting.

You're not not watching it. I mean, you think I track kicker battles closely? Wait until you watch West tracking every time they throw it to triplet. Whoa. I mean, I think you underestimate my ability to not watch stuff. All right, that's what's happening in the news. All right. We promised a very special guest, a mystery guest.

But of course, if you're a longtime listener to the show and you know that these guys don't really know their soccer, they don't know nothing. Who? Us? No doubt. No doubt. But there's one person in the history of the around the NFL podcast that was extremely knowledgeable of the sport. In fact, he's made his life. His life surrounds the game now, the beautiful game. I know that, humble brag. That's what they call it.

It is, of course, one of our favorites of all time. He's on Mount Rushmore. He is the gold standard, Zach Goldman. And he's here for a little World Cup NFL talk. Yeah, Zachie. Yeah, baby. Can't wait. what's up man we caught you you're back from russia right you're at the world cup i was at the

world cup i'm back from russia i have a little cold so i apologize for my voice but uh no not too worse for we're having a great uh great start to the tournament how are you guys very well great it is great to hear gold standards what it's been a while one thing on gold standard's voice and we haven't heard in a while even with you know a chest cold or a head cold or whatever you're battling your little c um just such a kind voice oh man you're too kind that's what i say dude this is great thank you guys for having

how is russia before we get to the rest of it it was good it was good it was really fun i think like for the tournament it was kind of interesting because you have so many different cultures kind of descending on this place that uh i think a lot of people never thought that they would get to go to i certainly i've been there a couple times but i i like did not spend a lot of time there at all

and it was just kind of a surreal period of uh... exploring a new culture that I knew very little about, couldn't read any signs, and, like, just met a lot of really interesting people and kind of heard their story and heard a lot about a place that I really knew very, very little about. What's the food like there? Yeah, what's the nightlife, the food? I mean, what it's, man, the food is tremendous. It's kind of like, it's like very heavy meals of, like, doughy meat and potato dishes, which

are right down my alley. Yes. I had a couple very suspicious vodka pours from very large gentlemen who wouldn't let me not drink vodka. Suspicious in what way, Zach? Was it just the quantity or? Well, yeah, it was in many ways. It was like just like unmarked bottles of what I thought. It was sort of like, is this water or is this vodka?

And I knew the answer was going to be vodka. Yeah, obviously, because of the size of the, unless we were doing water shots. uh but no it was uh pretty interesting like we went to a lot of like hole in the wall restaurants where i did not know what i was ordering and a lot of goulash a lot of goulash you know a lot of goulash a lot of borsh you know borsh oh very good super fun well of course zach you are no one knows more about the beautiful game than you do oh i don't know about that and uh yeah we need we need help obviously but so this is not going to be some overview or you giving us a uh a crash course so much is we're going to take our NFL knowledge and where you lack an NFL knowledge

and where we lack in soccer knowledge, we're going to try to connect the dots here. And based on the way that the segment is set up, it could go horribly wrong. Because if both sides don't know about something that's central to the conversation, how does the segment work? I don't know.

It feels like a very high possibility of that happening. But so, go ahead, Zach. Oh, no, I was just going to say, well, I set the tone during my tenure there of like very half-baked ideas turned into tournament that didn't quite pan out and you guys typically save the day so I feel like we can just do that for all-time sick

it sounds very far too humble yeah in honor of Zach I've come up with a half-baked idea and now we're going to try to make it work so this is what we're thinking so with the World Cup currently going are we still in the stage one yeah yeah in the group one what is it called it's like OTAs group stage

group stage okay that's a match of the group stage that's perfect so nobody is eliminated yet a couple teams very small teams are but they still have another game to play but there's a few that are mathematics okay got it United States eliminated

yes and we're going to touch on the United States team so we're thinking is taking some of the big names some of the big countries that are in this event and Zach is going to with his soccer knowledge give us kind of an overview of what the team is kind of a general like characteristics

connected to the team and then we will then lean on our NFL knowledge And we take the baton and we try to connect which team in the World Cup connects with NFL teams heading into 2018. The premise is decent. Like on paper, it could work. Are you

convincing yourself? Yeah, but I don't know if we're going to be able to pull it off. This is like the chargers of a segment. On paper it's great. Exactly. All right. So, Zach, why don't we start since we do have so many English listeners, why don't we start with England?

Give us a little overview of what this squad is all about? Sure. Well, England's interesting. I think just like on a broader level, obviously the heritage of the game in so many ways comes from England. Massive, massive soccer culture. They won one World Cup in 1966 on home soil, which is obviously a very big deal. I remember that from Mad Men. Do you? Okay. Yeah. That's how I knew. They've got amazing tradition around the game, but typically tournaments tend to result in heartbreak. this time we've got a really exciting young team which is really cool

and you know I don't know there's it's it's sort of like this this never-ending hype machine around the team people are super negative up until the tournament then everyone starts to buy in and believe and then it tends to not work out for them all right and I'm gonna hear from that on Twitter I'm gonna hear about who does that sound like to you ladies and gentlemen chargers I'll throw one out there because Zach suggested it And I kind of like the Dallas Cowboys.

Well, you're talking, there was these incredible high moments. There's a history of an heritage of glory. Yeah, that's true. And it's been a real, a bit of a rough road now. And far too much attention in general compared to, you know, their chances of winning the Cup or at least their history of winning the Cup. It's partly because we're here in the States. They probably don't get as much attention everywhere.

Because I, it's funny, we just had a conversation, West, where you were saying, you know, the cowboys get way too much pub and a lot of people feel the same exact way. And in my mentions, after we were, we happened to be doing the pod when England won their World Cup match on Monday, I think it was, people hitting me up on Twitter like, oh, don't bring up England. They get way too much coverage as is. That's the Cowboys. Yeah.

Yeah, that's perfect. All right. Are we cool with that, Wes? I was thinking either Packers or Bears, because they were there at the beginning and people talk more about their history than their present. I like that a lot Maybe the Bears Because basically

George Hallis was running the league Forever and he was there At the founding of it I don't know And the Cowboys have a chance In the NFC If everything breaks right this year England, can they win?

I'm gonna do the diplomatic thing And say yes it is possible I don't think that they will I think this is a really talented team That can get to the quarterfinals or so But they're sort of one cycle away I think in four years but be interesting to watch because they've got a lot of really good young players from like 17 to 21 or so

and they're not quite in the national team yet but I think a lot of people have a lot of hope for them interesting one cycle away the England soccer team story um how about another team uh Zach let's do it how about Spain uh Spain's kind of an interesting one they're you know for so many years they were considered really talented chokers uh you know in major tournaments they would be seemingly pretty stacked, but would never kind of get where they needed to go. And then all of a sudden they broke through in 2008, really, during the European Championships. They won the 2010 World Cup. And then, yeah, since then they've been pretty much a powerhouse.

Obviously, they went out in the group stage last time in the World Cup. But they're a super talented team front to back. Is that the Patriots? I would say, sounds like the Philadelphia Eagles. I would take that. I like that. Yeah, the Goldman's... They're here to stay.

Finally break through after years. There's a creativity to their playing style. Ooh, I like that. That works for me. And they're known as talented chokers. I mean, the Eagles, years and years, could not get over the hump and lost all those Andy Reid playoff games. Yeah.

One question, they're saying that Spain won a while back? They won 2010. The only thing this kind of reminds me of a little bit is the Packers, because they won in 2010. They're extremely talented and have been all along, but I can't think of a team that's choked more in the playoffs with some insane fizzle-out scenarios. Watch out.

The Packers just came from behind, took the lead. All right. Let's start coming. Let's do another one. What about France and Mboppe? Is that his name? Yeah, Mbapet. Very good.

Totally. That's a hard one. I mean, yeah. France is a really exciting team that I think people are really frustrated about the coach. Didia Deschamp, he hasn't really, like, put together the pieces in the correct way, but people are really excited about the amount of talent they have. I mean, they've left so many good players at home because they literally can't fit them all into the squad. And, yeah, just their attacking talent is kind of next level.

So I defer to you guys on that one, but I think, you know, they have kind of a pipeline of incredible attacking players. It doesn't look like slowing down anytime soon. It sounds a little bit like... Pittsburgh Steelers. We always say they have the best roster. in the league. Bingo.

And then everyone spends time wondering why Mike Tomlin can't beat Bill Belichick. I was going to say the Falcons offense because of Shanahan. Just a few focused on the offense. Would you consider them a likable team, Goldman? Some buzz, you know, that maybe the Steelers, okay, they are a likable team. I don't know if the Steelers are like America's team right now. Not a bunch of sweethearts. Maybe not.

Maybe not. Well, give us another team, Zach. All righty. is it how's this going I like it It's half time A little halftime performance from you You're moving along

A little half time that we This is good I'm sorry I feel like for me I'm like very close to dangerously being found out by the audience right now Or else

I just like hearing Goldstander's voice That's the main purpose behind this All right All right we're back from half Commercial free Belgium Belgium

All right Belgium is a team that you wouldn't normally put in kind of the top tier of global soccer nations, but everyone's kind of waiting for them to explode onto the scene. Obviously, they've got a tremendously stacked team at pretty much every single position, but none of those players have really coalesced into anything for the national team. They got through the quarterfinals of the World Cup last time.

They were eliminated in pretty embarrassing fashion by Wales in the last European Championship, but basically what they are is they've got a great defense in kind of a stacked young core of players who have finally come of age, but no one's sure if they can get all the way to like a World Cup final yet. This one's a no-brainer. Well, I don't know about embarrassing exit from the playoffs, but how about the Jacksonville Jaguars?

Yeah, Jags. Everything connects there. And Gold Standard also put that together in our pre-production meeting. Home run. He did a nice job. That's clearly, Belgium is the Jaguars. Yeah.

I gave Gold Standard some credit for how he's describing these teams because he's drawing parallels to NFL. Does, by the way, lost here if he does Belgium have, like, a really bad, like, goalkeeper that's holding to the back or something? Not a bad goalkeeper, but they have a coach who's really interesting. I don't know how this one fits that. Doug Marone? But they've got, yeah, I mean, good.

Well, they've got Roberto Martin as who everyone thinks he's a super smart, like, really articulate guy, but no one's actually sure if he's a good coach or not. I don't know if that's... That's not really helping the Jaguar, Jaguar's scenario too much. What I'm getting from you, though, Zach, is that despite your... your professed, you know, appreciation of your time with us, not necessarily still a regular listener of the around the NFL podcast, hasn't been keeping up with, you know, American football too much.

I go, you know, I go in waves every now and again. I check in. I have no, it's my faith in you guys are doing such an incredible job without me that, like, I get done. Great answer. Well done. Perfect answer. All right.

Time for two more because I want to get to the U.S. last. But we should, we should discuss the defendant. world cup champions is that is defending a word do they use that in world cup yeah okay good yes defending champs so

Germany I don't know how one would describe them I guess throughout history they're just kind of in this ruthlessly dominant soccer power but they I know exactly who we're picking for this already

but they're they're deeply unlikable deeply I mean to me deeply unlikable it's like Malcovich is doing this they're a machine marching on the Germans I can't imagine who we're picking

for this would you say that do they kind of exist almost on a throne of ease within that culture throne of ease for sure yeah I think there's probably there's probably a boss somewhere in the German soccer news office but no

I mean they've got a coach Yogi Love who's like basically every time he loses a player like last time when they won the World Cup, a ton of, like, the core of the squad left. And then he sang dudes just, like, young players in the German league who seamlessly fit into the team. I think this is falling into place. Some undersized slot receivers.

A lot of undersized whites. Definitely the L.A. runs right now, God. Yeah. And they cheat every once in a while? Every now and again, you know. Everyone cheats in soccer. That's true. Football, too.

Well, we don't even have to say it, I guess. We don't. I think everyone knows. Well, a nice connection because, you know, my dad, Tom Rosenthal, born in Germany, so it all comes together. There you go, perfect. Look at that. And finally, although it's a bit of a cheat, but we are a United States-based podcast, the Americans did not qualify to great disgrace for the entire nation, let's face it. And for a casual fan like me, crushing because it's really fun to root for the U.S. every four years in this tournament, even though they never go deep.

We lost that ability. Who are, who is the NFL equivalent of the Americans, the United States? Give us a rundown of that squad. Yeah, I mean, I really haven't come with an answer on this one because it's pretty hard. So I'll defer to you guys. But basically, we're, I think there's a very questionable system in place, and that's kind of the main downfall. I think we're as talented in some ways as we've ever been in terms of, like, the actual

pool of players, but a bunch of things sort of systemically have broken down. We haven't like, we, we fired our coach halfway through the qualifying cycle and didn't really replace him with someone with much. of a plan. We have like this kind of weird. We have an amazing player, Christian Fulisuk, and then like very little supporting cast offensively. Defensively, we're a little bit of a mess too. So I don't know who that sounds like. I know who this is. Mark? Well, now, I don't know. There's a fresh start here, but it reminds me of the New York Giants. You have one amazing star player. You've got essentially, you said defense a little shaky. You fired your coach midway through

the season. And you think the Giants, you keep thinking there's a lot of problems. Thomas Joyce Joyce, I picked them to go to the Super Bowl. The Giants of a pedigree. Yeah, the problem is the history. Well, okay, the history. They have a rich history. It's very rich. Another one came to my mind quickly when you said an organizational structural

problem, a lot of talent, but then when you watch it on the field, kind of blah. And I thought about the Cincinnati. Oh, no, I was afraid you were going to say that. I was thinking it fails too. Because you're probably right. It's the system. And, you know, maybe they're now they're drafting some good players. They've got one big offensive superstar and A.J. Green, but then you watch it.

And it's just. That works, too. We struggle to get out of the first round. I like it. I was going to say the Jeff Fisher Rams. That's even worse. That is bad. I mean, one thing, gold standard, on a scale of 1 to 10, not even being a U.S. soccer fan,

but it's not like the sport was introduced to our country five years ago. On a scale of 1 to 10, how disgraceful is it that we could not get into this tournament? It's a 1. It's a 1. Because you have to imagine that, like, there's, I know that each year there's a certain division in the NFL that's not very good in like a six and ten team gets in but conquer calf our region that we qualify from which is North America Caribbean and Central America like you should be able to basically put together like

a four and 12 season and get into the World Cup and like we couldn't do so it's a 10 it's a 10 wow yeah it's a 10 okay uh well it's Zach you you've said it all you came in here and you conquered and um you what are you up to we get a plug in to for what you're doing right now or anything uh even your Twitter handle whatever you Whatever you want. Sure. Okay, great. I have a little company called Common Goal.

We're a sports marketing and business development agency, and we do nerdy soccer stuff pretty much. So it's been good, but I miss you guys, and I want to come in NFL HQ and get some, like, barbecue. I don't know too many people that own little companies, so this is cool. It's pretty impressive. Yeah, we got...

We knew Gold Standard when he was here. He was too smart for us. Like, long term, he was going on. Oh, yes. Yeah, we got barbecue. with Zach about a year ago. We got to do that again. So follow him on Twitter

if you don't already at that damn yank. And yes, he's a common goal. Where is football? All that good stuff. Zach, thank you. You hit a home run. And I'm not shocked.

Thank you guys. Thanks, Zach. Thanks, man. Thank you guys. The gold standard. Turn that up, Lindsay. Okay. You can turn it down.

All right. Before we go, yes, It is time to welcome in a man who he's the longest of the long shots. Let's face it. Here he comes into the studio, Dave Ely, the new senior news editor downstairs in the newsroom. And he's known Wes for a long time. How long has it been, Dave? Four or five years maybe?

At least five years. Yeah. And so four or five years, you've known Wes and you're both bald men. And also you've had a – Wes, how would you characterize your relationship with Dave first starting as a fellow employee and then him being your boss? I'd say a work relationship with mutual respect. I wouldn't say we're tremendously close just in the sense that we haven't shared a lot of experiences outside of the workplace. He did come to Wesleymania and drink the champagne of beers.

So that's good. He's been in your home. It's not your home. But I do have a lot of respect for Dave. He makes good decisions. he manages the crew well. And Vegas, of course, Dave Ely, has you installed 290 to 1. The odds have not moved all week, though,

because I think Vegas senses there's a shot at a miracle here, that this, what you're about to do, which is pitch yourself to be West's best man at his wedding in Tybee Island next year, there's a sense in the air that you have a shot here, that this isn't just some stupid podcast stunt in late June. Despite West, just saying they're not tremendously close. Right.

Well, there's time to make up, too. That this is the opportunity. Nobody's not for a year. We can get close. Right. Tusha. So this is... Is that a threat?

I mean... Let me just set... Before we throw it to Dave, let's just set the table here, West, because I want you... This is serious. And I want you to understand that I don't feel compelled

to make a decision one way or another. If you do, if you're blown away one way or the other, certainly express it. But if you're, If you think maybe this is, he planted seeds, if you will. If he does that, you have every right to say, well, I'm not ready to make an announcement, but thank you, Dave.

I'm going to keep an open mind because there's nothing to lose by keeping an open mind. It would be good for the podcast. It would be good for me if out of nowhere I get a new best friend. That's true. You know, it's an unexpected gift if Dave Ely becomes my best friend. And Connie Fox behind the glass. One way to put it. I'm a fun best friend.

How's that perspective, by the way? It's very different. I have some distance from you guys physically. There's a wall now between us. Always has been. Glass. There has. I just always keep that wall up.

Dave, Ely, I don't know. I don't know if I ever call you by your full name, but how you feel? Have you ever, have you ever spoken before? It's usually like, hey. Yeah, but it's usually like, cheers. Can you grab me a beer from over there? Like, do you want the sandwich? We had a fun time.

They were like bonding on the bench of the softball team two years ago. Yeah, that was great. Okay, and that's good. Because you know all of us well, but now what this is about is about Dave and it's about West. And it's about one of the more sacred things. can do for anyone, which is to be the best man at a wedding. I mean, that is special.

I would say that Vegas is slightly optimistic on this. You know, I was going to say it would be like Villanova knocking over Georgetown in 85. Right. But if you factor in, look, just making the tournament, Dave and I haven't known each other a whole lives. I've built up all, I have brothers, I have friendships. Yeah. It would be like a 16th seed winning the entire tournament.

Right. I've put my pretend money on another bet that's out there, plus 200. He doesn't even get invited to the wedding. Were you even born in 1985? A 16C did just win a game in the tournament. Oh, won a game. So Ely's trying to be Cinderella. But you're not, yes.

I've always used myself. But you can win one game, you can win the next game. You make the point that there was a 16-1 upset for the first time this year. But you're not looking just to get into the second round. I want it all. Okay. Now, without further ado, Dave Ely is standing at a platform looking spiffy in a jean jacket and just things looking up for Dave.

But now the pressure is on to give the speech of a lifetime to change the course of two men's lives. Dave, the floor is yours. I have three pieces of the platform. First off, you said we're not very close. That plays from my advantage. Think of all the tough decisions you're not to face. You pick some random person, everyone can be mad. You're not going to upset only one or two people.

All of your brothers will be offended. They'll be offended. Then they'll put the blame on me, which is the other part. You need a fall guy. Something goes wrong at the wedding. Blame it on Dave. There's an unruly family member. Blame it on Dave.

I can even escort the family member outside of the wedding. Take care of that. I can be the fixer. There's a lot of things that I can do for you. And also, I don't know if you've ever heard about this, but my college girlfriend won't stump me, so I know love when I see it. You guys have the love that we did not have.

So I value that. Well, you had it, but she took it from me. She did, but I don't think Lakeisha would do that to you. And also, if you want to hear a potential type of toast I'll give, I have a toast ready to give. All right. Kind of your tryout. And you can't toast without champagne. Wow.

You're doing great. Whoa! Look at this. He brings, you're winning me over. This is great. I Ubered here today. Not only champagne, it's sparkling rosé, just the finest from California. Wow.

Oh, what a moment. look at this he's doing it he's opening it up ladies and gentlemen Ely has come like almost like Gallagher this will be great time no no no no no no no no no I was what I could he's going to take out a

30 $30,000 camera that'll make it to that cork's not going to break anything it's going to open that oh god oh god oh geez all right look at that like a pro like a pro everyone gets a glass let Vegas and the judges note that he

opened it up without incident and it's a A perfect pour. A perfect pour. You need a best man that can pop bottles. You know what you really need from a best man? The ability to make a moment come alive, and you just did. Way to go. What a statement by Wes.

I would also make... Just a factual note here. Wes is David Elyle, or David Ely is Wes's boss, but also Lakeisha's boss. So you are dealing with... You want a month on honeymoon. I mean, I can make that happen. All right. So, all right, we all right, we all have our glasses.

Collin, you want to run in here? Yeah. Okay. Well We got plenty of football cups to go around This is really Well, okay, you've done the poor now Now it's time to come in for the landing now

This is yours, Mark All right, time to come in for the landing, Dave This is Testing on Testing 1-2 Testing 1-2 All right, here we go This is Dave Ely now making his pitch Apparently, the floor is his

Good evening, everyone Now I know what you all are thinking Who is this guy? Because I don't know really any of you My name's Dave Veeley. I'm Chris's and Lakeisha's boss back in Culver at Enfell Network. And you know what? God damn, this was a beautiful ceremony.

I got tears in my eyes. Just thinking about this. And you know what? Again, I don't know if you've heard about this, but my college girlfriend wants stumped me. Oh, no. So I won't stop. I know love. I know the love that bonds Chris and Lakeisha, and that's real love.

That's the notebook love. to Wes and Lakeisha. Wow. To Wes and that's a powerful. That was powerful message. Nice pop culture reference. Why buy the cow when you're giving away the milk for free right here?

Wow. So there it is. That is, that's the toast. That's a short and sweet. They're not here to see me. Wow. He gets his role. He gets his role and he gets the David Ely experience.

I say one thing. Whoever does wind up being the best man if it's not David Ely, that person is on the fence to come up something better than he just did right here. And just like you study the All-22 film, if it's not Dave, and let's face it, even despite that, and we don't know, we haven't heard from Wes yet, that you study what Dave just did. You better.

It was very well done. All right. Wes, Dave is at your mercy right now. You have three options from as far as I can tell. Yes, you're my best man. And that, I mean, that would be fucking wild. No. No, it's just not as much as.

like you do it's just not under consideration it's just it's too fast maybe it's just the door's still open and now it's west's time i don't want to shut down the dream uh you know i'm not here for that i if he's got a year and if he wants to continue this i'm open to um listening to his strength um i will say after this after listening to that speech like i don't think he knows the person getting married very well it was more like a maid of honor speech to give to shout out the notebook at my wedding they're very rarely good by the way and also to bring up his own romantic situation it was maybe you did collie but in my experience it's something that ladies have to work well it was a lot about you know wasn't a lot about you and

lakisha necessarily it was a lot about using him as a shield for the rest of your family a fall guy you know what that was that was a good i thought you made three excellent points um blame it on dave could easily become my credo. It could be a hashtag. Yes. Blame it on day. By the way, like the best man relationship doesn't just end when the wedding does. It goes on and on. So he could continue to blame you for things for the rest of his life. I have another dad. I have been a best

man before. Gave the toast. And afterward the wife came up to me and said, I'm surprised that went well. So, yeah. He could surprise everybody. Okay. I would have kept that one close to the best. Are you concerned David Ealy, because you mentioned you're the boss of Chris

and Lakeisha, that you have the full support of both sides here, that you're going to, that, that, that Lakeisha is going to support this. That, that you're confident in your management. West strikes me as a guy that will make this decision for the best man that he wants. Also, that I agree with it on the line. Wow. Interesting angle. Just dismissing the wife right there. Yeah, well, I'm playing, I'm, I'm playing shoot-to-se again, play it on Dave. Play-man on Dave. You had the, the window. We're going to now, he's keeping it open. West's key. I think that's a victory for you. We'll see what Vegas says about it, but I think that's a small victory.

That might be a 16-1 upset. But now you're in the second round against better competition. Ely, you have a year now to court West. What's the first thing you will do? Top office cup. Oh, yes. This guy just gets it.

He just sort of gets it. Whoa. Extra points. Lange's just gave him a few points there. All right, there you go. Dave, nice job. Well done. And Love will come calling for you eventually.

Actually, I have some sparrows in the street that's saying, hey, things aren't so bad of Love Lane. This could be a little tip for Tats, so to speak. Yeah, after just like a large-scale disaster in his previous long-term relationship, things are finally looking up, looking up Ely's way. So great times. Dave, great work.

Thanks, guys. Wes, thank you for your time. Oh, this is a sacred process. As I said, this is a sacred process. And there's nothing to be gained by shutting this down. I mean, there's only something to be gained by considering how great Dave Ely could become a part of my life. You are my boss, too, so I just want to say.

I thought you did an excellent job. You handled that very, very well. There's only leverage to be gained by having your boss under your thumb for an entire year. All right. It's not the angle I was coming from. We will be back. And by we, I mean, the around the NFL podcast, I will be going away next week. So the gentleman will hold down the fort.

And there will be another show on Monday. So make sure you check that out. Check out the subreddit around the NFL and leave comments. I'm not going to be here if you're not going to be here. Okay, well, we could work that out after the show. There might be a large scale shutdown of the operation. So do all that. And thank you for listening.

This Dan Hansa signing off for Quiet Storm, the mailman, the old boss, Connie Fox, Dave Healy, senior news editor. Well done, Dave. Nice. Till Monday. This is an I-Heart podcast.