NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - NFL ATL: Cutler, Hoyer & '90s memories

Episode Date: June 30, 2014

A room full of heroes -- Dan Hanzus, Gregg Rosenthal, Chris Wesseling and Marc Sessler -- react to the latest news around the league including Brian Hoyer's contract extension talks, Jay Cutler's reported improvement and Bengals OC Hue Jackson's claim that Andy Dalton and A.J. Green are the league's best QB-WR duo. Plus, a tight end pops up on "Making the Leap" before the guys relive glory days from the '90s.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. The Around the League podcast starts now. Welcome back to another edition of the Around the League podcast. My name is Dan Hansis, and I'm joined by room filled with heroes. Mark Sessler, Chris Wessling, and Greg Rosenthal. What up, boys? Hey, Dan. How are you?

Mark Sessler back in the house. house after his staycation, a term that he coined himself. Well, no, it was a classic post-economic collapse, stay-at-home holiday. Plus two children, post-two-children collapse, or whatever you call going on in your house. I'm just saying. I feel like I did see. Who wants to travel with children? Well, I saw all of you at least once or multiple times during the break, so I didn't really feel like I was away, per se.

No, and you did have a cameo on the podcast last week, but now you're back locked in, back part of the machine, no escaping. You're a part of the cogs of the great national football league. Welcome back, buddy. And you came for the right week because this pre-July 4th week we're going to be breaking out two shows while most everyone is doing nothing. And that's all, because we don't have actually any news to talk about. We have some news to talk about. It's almost like being in the heat of a playoff race right now.

There's a parallel. Yeah, that distinct Carolina. We got a great show today. Coming up, we are going to get into, or making the leap series, Get Excited Society. We're into the top 10. Pause for effect. That's a beat.

That's a beat. We're top 10. I won't even tell you who the names are, but just realize that it's going to get real exciting to AFC players. We're also going to get into a little discussion about 90s week this past week at the NFL Network. I wrote a piece that went up last Friday, and now since we're all together again, we'll talk about the 90s a little bit and some memories of the era and also some takeaways.

There's two different generations here. Greg and I, much younger than Wes and Mark. Not that's true. Coming at from two different angles. Well, this is where our age differences shows up quite a bit. Well, that's right. I mean, Wes and I will get into it, but you're right. We have a different viewpoint of that decade.

I was slogging a six-pack of tall boys home from the post office every day while you guys were, like, going to your eighth-grade dance. That's awesome. But before any of that, we want to check in with our producer, who is also back from some type. I don't know if it was a vacation or had some personal matters to tend to. We don't dig in like that. But he's back with us. His name is TD. He's our producer.

What's up, buddy? What's going on, guys? I myself was on a staycation. Oh, another staycation. It was like a World Cup break. Yeah. You guys know how to party. Just, just how many different ways could I watch the World Cup?

Massaging table, check, you know? Buffet table, check. Wait, what? Well, you know, a little stay case. I'm going to get a little massage, you know. And they had the World Cup on there? No, I had my iPhone in between the little peephole. So heads down, getting a massage.

Are you a metrosexual TV? Well, it's been a rough couple of months. You know, I've been working out a lot lately, so I just needed to look and swell. You know. Is this one of those massage parlors where you have? to go in through the alley entrance. A little bit dark, but I made it in. But, you know, it's good to see TD in good spirits

because, after all, his great soccer team, Nigeria, fell on Monday in the World Cup. It is over. Sorry, buddy. That was tough. But, you know, the last time we made it this far, it was in 98, I was 11.

So at least I can cherish this. And we'll know that it might be another 16 years where it comes along again. The Fighting North Stars, right? Is their name? Not at all. Super Eagles. Who put up... I'm joking.

Who put up a better fight? I kind of like that. Who put up a better fight in Nigeria today or the Broncos in the Super Bowl? Oh, Nigeria today, definitely. There's a point in a game we definitely should have won, and we should at least scored a couple goals. But, you know, we actually did score a goal that was disallowed. But let's move on, guys.

All right, we'll move on. You're a good sport to be here and be in good spirit. So why don't we, TD, do some news? Let's roll. Wait a minute Wow Now I am I will now defer over to Mark Sessler

I am not a Star Wars nerd I'm assuming that's for Star Wars Philson Mark I have never heard of that in my life I don't expect neither any of you to get it That just sounds like brass tax That is the great Optimus Prime I did that because the Transformers movie came out last week

Which by the way is a terrible movie I would not recommend it However Shocking Optimus Prime is one of the greatest leaders and there's ever walked this earth. So shout out the Optimus. Optimus Prime ever walked this earth. I don't think there'll be a sequel to this Transformers inclusion. I think he walked another made-up planet.

One of my great achievements in my life is that I've never seen a Transformers Michael Bay movie and never has it ever crossed my mind to watch one. It's not like I've ever felt like I was missing out on it. You know why? Because you're an adult. Right. I bet none of us has more. Oh, boy.

Thanks. Well, let's got the daggers out. Let's say this. It's Bay does everything. it up, which he does. However, I mean, you can't, if you're a fan of Transformers, you're a fan of Transformers, and you've got to watch it. Or you're 12. I was the fan of Transformers when I was nine. By the way, I was Team He-Man. I never even got into the cartoon back in the day. But anyway, so you were going to do some news now. Let's do it. All right, we start with,

Wes, I'm not sure your feelings on Andy Dalton. We haven't talked about it a lot on the podcast, but I want to let you know some information right now from Hugh Jackson, the Bengals' new offensive coordinator who told Sirius XM NFL radio last week that the quarterback receiver duo of Andy Dalton and AJ Green is the best in the NFL. Here's the quote. I think they're the best in the game in my opinion. I know people will fight that and say differently, but I've watched these guys and those guys have grown. They came in together. They started off hot. They're still hot. Every year statistically, they've gotten better. Wes. Hugh Jackson, you know, if you weren't a liar, Yeah, exactly.

A fine offensive coordinator, but we've come to realize maybe talent evaluation isn't his thing. What happened the last time he felt this strongly about a quarterback? He mortgaged the future of the Oakland Raiders. A Bengals team with no leverage whatsoever, with Carson Palmer sitting on his couch, got a first and a second round draft pick for like the one month when Hugh Jackson was allowed to make transactions for the Raiders. No one thinks he believes this. Right. And Bucky Brooks was in our studio talking about Hugh Jackson's style, how he likes to pump up the guys and he likes to kind of get him going.

That's why he said Marvin Jones, for instance, could knock A.J. Green off its perch. Maybe Marvin Jones and Andy Dalton will be the top quarterback wide receiver combo. Well, and also all we've heard is that what they're going to do with Dalton to make him less of a disaster in certain sequences is reduce pass attempts. If you have the best quarterback wide receiver tandem, why would you do that? It's a little quirk of mine, I guess, that I don't really like when people say things they don't believe. I guess that makes me a little weird. I don't know. I'm just saying he's trying to fire up Andy Dalton.

If he really believe this, that would be a problem. He could name ten combinations better than that, especially if you allow tight ends into the mix. That might not even be the best combination on the Bengals. Oh, boy, here we go. How about the Muhammad Sanoo, AJ Green combination when he's there? I thought you were going Jason Campbell-Sinu. I thought you were about... I thought you were about to go crazy with the making of the leap

and throw out A.J. Green for Marvin Jones. Yeah, maybe. There's many combos you can throw. Hey, let's talk about the Cleveland Browns quarterback situation, but it will have nothing to do with Johnny Mansell. Well, it will, but on some level, it's about someone else. It's Brian Hoyer. NFL Media Insider Ian Rappaport reported Monday

that the Browns have staged preliminary talks with Brian Hoyer's camp about a contract extension. Rappapaport spoke with. with Joe Linta Hoyer's agent who confirmed that while discussions have taken place, it will, quote, be a very difficult deal to do. We're always open to talking with the Browns, but we're content to wait and see what happens down the road. Gentlemen. If I'm Brian Hoyer's agent, I'd take any multi-year contract they're offering if it's good backup money.

Yeah, I mean, people talked about Linta being Flacko's bet on myself agent, but this isn't Joe Flacco, who's coming off multiple playoff. Browns fans will tell you otherwise, though. I think that a lot of Browns fans are seeing Hoyer through rose-colored glasses because any guy that won two games in a row for that team is going to be viewed differently than with a disaster they've emerged from.

But I agree with Greg. If you're Hoyer, you can get a multi-year deal right now. A year ago, he never saw that coming. Do people really think that this report means that Mansell might not be the quarterback of the future? No. No. I don't even think anyone would be saying that.

I would assume if he did sign a long-term contract, it'll be for solid backup money, maybe $3, $4 million a year, with some sort of incentives where if you do start 12 games, then you can get a whole boatload of money or they revisit it or something like that. I mean, they just handed Henny $8 million over two years, and they gave Castle, what, 10 over two years? Those are bridge quarterback numbers. I think they see Hoyer that way. Brian Hoyer started four games in his entire career. Well, isn't he the definition of a bridge quarter?

quarterback at least right now he's the definition of a guy who bounced around the league and is lucky to be on a roster that's why he should take that money oh i should be an agent i've got the last name i'm sure that's as complex as it's against next time you see mike tannabom asking for some pointers we both went to toulain two lane is that how you pronounce i don't know mike tannbaum two lane do it buddy uh hey randy moss news not really news but let's talk about randy moss because it's fun to talk about randy moss the charlotte Observer reports that the former wide receiver is now the associate head coach at Victory Christian Center School, a small private school in Charlotte that his son, Thaddeus, now attends. Moss, a famous, a famous wide receiver, not always known as maybe the greatest role model

or teammate, but now he's going to be teaching young children. I love straight cash, homie. That is like the condensed version of Don Allmire's great advice to a young Tony Cornheiser, the answer to all of your questions in sports is money. Great cash, homie. Plus, if you watch the video is just as good as the quote. I mean, the guy coming up

to him in the parking lot. I mean, I love Randy Moss. Think how great it would be to high school. This is a small private school. Imagine you're the fifth receiver on that team. Like, he's probably not much of an athlete, and he's getting coached by Randy Moss. Little nugget buried in this story. Randy Moss's 15-year-old son, Thaddeus.

6-4-240 Wow Well, hello Yeah 240 at 15 years old I think he's going to be a sophomore Or a junior He's better at basketball

6-4-2-40 That's Charles Barkley That's Laderius Green I'm just curious Not to get too sidetrack But at the peak of his powers Was Randy Moss better than any wide receiver In the last 20 years

Yes I would say yes also I think the only other option is Calvin Johnson. Unless you are a huge T.O. fan. Nah, I would say Moss at his, I'd take Moss at his peak, but Calvin Johnson's pretty close. NFL Network re-aired that Falcons, Vikings, NSC championship game from 98 over the weekend. Moss is just used all over the place.

He was their only answer, and they went at him over and over. I mean, when Calvin Johnson has a year like Moss did in 2007, then we'll talk. This was actually past Moss's pride, but by far the most disrespectful football player I've ever seen was Moss against Revis when he hit the, put the hand up, got him put the hand up, and he never touched the ball of the second hand when he caught it. He caught it with one hand, never touched him with the second hand. He was a freak. I mean, he was an amazing player.

The original freak. All right, let's talk some Jay Cutler, the Chicago Bears quarterback. Obviously, made some strides last season under Mark Tressman. Cutch, his season was compromised by an injury, but the Bears are looking for even more from the quarterback this season. Of course, he has a new extension. Bears quarterback coach Matt Kavanaugh said Cutler continued his upward personal trajectory during the team's offseason program.

I've seen incredible progress when he got in here last year and we evaluated him. We had a real good conversation with him about certain things that every quarterback should do. We said, Jay, it might not be natural, but we want you to try it, and he did it going on. Every little fundamental we've talked to him about, he's embraced, and it's like night and day. I feel like this is kind of the same thing we talk about every summer. Is this the year that Jay Cutler becomes the guy that he's been getting paid to be for 10 years? Kavanaugh has the same tendency as Hugh Jackson to blow sunshine? This is a better quote.

This is last offseason called Jay Cutler, Borderline Football Brilliant, and then watched him be outplayed by his backup. Oh, come on. That's so unfair. What do you mean it's unfair? Because you yourself were calling him an MVP candidate in October. I don't think they call him an MVP candidate.

You were saying that he was playing as well as he's ever played. Right. That does not equate to MVP can it. That means Jay Cutler's always been a disappointment in a tease. If there is one team right now, though, in terms of a coaching staff, along with the 49ers, I would trust the Bears improving some of the stuff we've seen from Cutler. But you're right. We've never seen it for a full season from him.

He's set up to have an awesome season. He totally set up. We believe in everything about that situation. I don't personally believe that Jay Cutler is not a tease. I looked at these quotes and I started thinking about a rant I made on this podcast about a month ago, how it's kind of setting up for Carson Palmer's big last chance if he's ever going to do it. And I don't think this is Jay Cutler's big last chance. But I do think if Jay Cutler is ever going to have an MVP type of season, now is the time.

I mean, Marshall and Jeffrey are in their primes. Cutler is 31. The offensive line has been together. If there's ever a time for a breakout year, this is it. Here we go. You ready? And I'm going to file this away for personal reasons for... I would not do what you're about to do.

Potential team of ATL reasons. I'm going to throw it around the room. Mark, please don't talk over me when I'm in thought. Over under game, Jay Cutler. Can we just say over under what you predicted for Brandon Whedon last year? No. I'm sorry, I'm the only one that's ever gotten a wrong prediction in this group. All right, over under.

I'll start with the smartest guy in the room. Chris Wessling, 4,000 yards. Over. I'm not convinced he plays 16 games because he never plays 16 games, but if we're saying 16 games, he'll definitely go over 4,000 yards. Yeah, over. Oh, but we have to assume 16. No, you know.

I'll go over. You can predict a. So he's going to stay healthy this year. You can get a Sessler and predict an injury. Over. 28 touchdowns. Over. Over.

Under. Pass a rating of 93. Under. I'd go under. I don't really pay attention to quarterback ratings. I don't think he's ever a... The question was asked. The rating, whether or not you pay attention to it will still exist.

I don't know what's that great or not. It's stupid. I'll go under. He throws too many interceptions. Sounds like he's going to have a pretty good year, though, based on the over-under game. There's no excuse for him not to have a good year. West knows that Cutler, I would say, more than any quarterback in the NFL has been my favorite to watch since about the moment he's come in. So I've been waiting for this year. All right, I've recorded the answers, and I'm filed it away.

Jay Cutler, Apologist. Whatever. Before we move on, Mark, I wanted to get your thoughts on it because I know you had some really strong thoughts about the view a few weeks back. A big-time mass firing. Everyone on the show fired in terms of the on-camera talent except for your girl Whoopi Goldberg. That means Danny McCarthy, who we spoke about on the show, is history. Sherry Shepherd, gone. What are we going to do?

There's even talk of a man being in the mix as a replacement, Mark Sessler. Well, I mean, if we're into quality television, this was a no-brainer. Right? If you're whether you're a male or female who watches the show and you're a thinking person, this was an easy choice. They've done the right thing. Obviously, let's not undersell our own show. Our voice was listened to.

At least it must have been part of some conversation. Ooh, I like that thought. The view which has rotated cast here and there has never dug this. this deep. They heard the level of, I guess, disinterest in the appalling cast they had put together. They said, we are starting over. I'm fine with keeping Goldberg, but they've done everything else correctly. And you especially think that Jenny McCarthy was kind of a post-human and not someone that deserved to be on that show. Hasn't she been disseminating false information? About vaccines and such, yes.

Well, if that's happening, and I'm not watching every episode, but if she is giving us false information about medical items, then she's probably not fit to be, you know, on television. I like the faith that Mark has in all the views producers. Like, if they replace the cast with just some better talent, I'm sure they'll put it together and it'll be a great hour of programming. One note. One of the head producers is actually in the midst of trying to renegotiate his contract from what I'm read.

So no one's safe. They're rethinking the whole show. And one name that's being bandied about it, as I said, there's potential male involved here. Jesse Palmer, Jesse. Yeah, get your life together. Come on, buddy. Do you really want to be the male on the view? No, you do not.

But he's already crossed that threshold, right? Yeah, I was going to say, if you were trying to guess who the male on the view would be, wouldn't Jesse Palmer make your top five list? I think he'd be the favorite. Where's Tiki Barber, is my question. Probably not far behind. All right, let's talk about good insight, Mark. That was exactly when I first read it last week.

I said, I've got to get this to Mark. I got to hear what he has to say, and I feel enlightened. The Making the Leap series continues. Mark Zessler back in the mix and he's all over the place right now. He has the number 10 entry. Brown's linebacker Jabal Sheard. Mark, you see big things from Jabal?

You thought he came along nicely during last season. I loved your post and now I want you to tell the people about it. I think this is the first making the leap that I've worked on in two seasons where the response I got for most people online was who? They never heard of this guy. But he is sort of, A, he plays. in Cleveland for some defenses that I think as a whole is an improving group. But I like his smarts because he started as a 4-3 defensive end.

And the second year, they come in and they change everything up and they make him a 3-4. And now he's going back to play sort of a hybrid and outside linebacker. I can't stress so hard it is if you're a young defensive player to have your third defensive coordinator in your young career. And in each situation he's produced, he's put up. pass rushing numbers. I think what I love to see him is used. He's faster than I thought he was on tape.

That's what stood out to me. And it's not me that thinks he's going to make that leap necessarily. It's Petten, who mentioned they could say one guy on your defense that fits the mold to kind of be your breakout guy. He did not hesitate to say Chabal Sheard is that guy. That's his bitch kitty. And we read that book and he talked about your bitch kitty is a pass rusher who you just unleashed on your court.

I think so. I think you can say it. Do you want the definition? Read it out there. This comes from Nicholas Dawadoff's collision low crossers. This guy, he needs to be paying, so I'm telling him. Petten coined the frame, I believe. Bitch Kitty pass rusher, is a pass rusher with an insatiable, unblockable, pocket-infiltrating force of war daddy bedlam.

Wow. Is Jabal Sheard that guy? You know, initially we were going to do the post with Sheard. and Barquevius Mingo. And I am just more sold on Shared at this point because of his versatility that no matter what he's been through in Cleveland, he continues to produce. I like Mingo from other angles, but Shared is a more solid candidate. What's the biggest obstacle you think that he's facing? I think for him, it's just another scheme switch.

You know, it's worked so far, but maybe this is the one where he can't quite find his spot. But it seems to me that there's no real physical obstacle for him. He's not the fastest guy in the field But watching his tape He finds a way inside and out To get to the quarterback He never gets the hype I mean they bring in Paul Kruger

Pay him a lot of money They draft Mingo in the first round I'm trying to think of who he was with Early in his career He's never been the guy And yet he's always been the guy Who's been the most productive Anybody in the front seven though

I think he fits the Mike Patton kind of player The most he's got a relentless motor He's on the NFL's Rasputin list With Wayne Fonson Rex Ryan You can't get rid of it He's been mentioned in Cleveland as a guy they should trade because they signed Kruger, drafted Mingo, and he ends up being better than both of those guys. Well, they were definitely considering trading him a summer ago because, oh, he doesn't fit in a 3-4,

he fit in a 4-3, and you're right, he continues just to prove, I'll find a role, I'll flourish somehow. Moving on, let's go to number 9. Greg Rosenthal wrote about a player that's come up, I feel like, a little bit in the last couple weeks on this podcast. Chargers tied in Ladarius Green, who obviously has Antonio Gates still in town, but it might be a situation where he could end up becoming the man at that position for the San Diego Chargers and Greg Rosenthal, and he speaks for all of us, believes it happens in 2014. Greg. I don't know where to start. I have so much to say on Ladarius Green. What a weird mix of talent this guy has.

He was asked to block 62% of the time he was on the field, so he's barely allowed. to go out on a pass route. But when he did, he went deep. Only Rob Grancowski averaged more yards per route run out of tight ends in the league. Out of receivers that caught at least 15 pass, Green led the league in yards per reception. So he is a vertical threat, a guy who's 6.6, 240, and he moves like a wide receiver, but he can block well. He just seems like a player that almost didn't exist a generation.

go, a guy built like this that's tough enough to block and you can move like that. I mean, he's built more like Calvin Johnson than he is Antonio Gates. I guess that would be my question about him as far as breakouts go. I noticed while watching last year that basically they only used him on deep routes. So if he's going to break out, is he going to be taking more shallow routes from Antonio Gates? He's going to need more routes to run. That's true. He hasn't gotten on the field, and there's probably a reason for that.

When Bucky Brooks was in here, that helped support the kids. case for me because he talked about Frank Reich installing an up-tempo offense. I think that works best when you have two tight ends on the field and then you have a big matchup problem because you don't know if they're going to stay into block. You don't know who can cover him one-on-one and you would think just being on the field more, he'll get more chances. One obstacle that I can see happening and Greg, I'm wondering you feel the same way. While it seems like Gates is on the way down and we talked on in the last podcast as numbers dipped significantly

in the second half last season. But as a possible, Green ends up getting hurt by the respect that Gates is garnered within that organization over the last seven or eight years. And they're a little stubborn to kind of hand the torch over. Well, I think that's why he didn't get enough playing time last

year. But I think from everything the coaches are saying and the direction of the offense, they understand that he was underutilized last year. He had fewer snaps last year, then guys like Lee Smith. Do you guys even know what team Lee Smith is on? Not the old baseball closer.

Underrated closer. He played for the bills at one point. He was out of the bills. Craig Stevens. I mean, he was barely on the field, but he has a big play, you might remember. A 60-yard touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs where he ran through their secondary, outran Brandon Flowers, outran Sean Smith. Before that play.

You want to make flowers? Oh, wow. Got it back at the show. Drop. Before that play, he was only on the field 30% of the time. After that game, he was on 60% of the time the last five games. So it's almost like Wisenhunt is sitting there on the sidelines watching it and be like, oh, yeah, maybe I should play this game.

Maybe the fantasy football dorks are right. Yeah. I was Mike McCoy who said at the owner's meeting that he acknowledged he was kind of slow on the draw to realize what he could do, and he's going to play him more now. Well, he's a unique player because he has wide receiver skills. He's jumping up. He's tapping his feet on the sidelines. He didn't get a lot of separation necessarily,

but he has the right quarterback who's just willing to throw him the ball. Half his catches were in very tough spots, and he made tough grabs. Over under time, 55 receptions. Wes. Under. I might go under for that. I'm going to go over just to be different. I like your style.

800 yards receiving. Under. I'll definitely go over with that. I'm going big plays. Come on, he's got to make the leap, right? Yeah, if he's not doing any of these things, and he's not making the jump, we're talking about it, so over. Touchdown, six.

Under. Over. Love him in the red zone. Check out that highlight in the article where he has the Bengals cornerback one-on-one in the playoff game just jumps for it. I'm just going to continue to side with my boss here. I like them both. Get excited.

Lederius. How is he only number nine? Well, it doesn't sound like West thinks he's going to make the leap, so. You guys, see, I've done some research on tight ends. You guys think that like a thousand yards is common. 800 yards would put you in the top five, probably among tight ends last year. I love him, and I said in the post, 850 yards and seven touchdowns. I'm not saying that's impossible.

I'm saying it's unlikely. I am going 801 yards. All right, everyone? Classic Sessler. Noted. All right, as we talked about earlier this past week on NFL Network was, 90s week. I wrote a piece on the Around the League website, which you could find at

NFL.com slash ATL. That's how you do it. I'm part of the future now. No more backslash. So you can check that out. It is now best of the aughts week, which you know, that's what's going on now. But we're going to stick with the 90s since we're all back together

and talk about one of the more interesting, endearingly goofy type times for the NFL. Chris Wessling is a man of history. Your thoughts the decade. I like endearingly goofy. Let's set this up. In the late 60s and 70s, the NFL overtakes baseball as America's best sport, most love sport, but kind of took a step back in the 80s with a lot of upheaval. You had USFL and Al Davis lawsuits. Teams were being uprooted and

moved. You have multiple work stoppages, and it took a step back. There was some concern that the NFL might no longer be the giant. And then the 90s, it just becomes a jugger. not with 32 teams you've got that kind of balance and then really the most important thing fantasy football starts in the 90s and that really takes the momentum across the country and now across the world so I think the 90s you could argue are the most important decade for the NFL and I don't want to give too much credit to the to the Cowboys because I know there's a lot of people that don't love the Cowboys but I think it helped them also that there's a Cowboys dynasty at the beginning of the decade which a lot of people could get behind so I was thinking maybe we could

go around the room and share our 90s thought before we get out of here today. I'll start with mine. I have it in the piece I wrote. One of my favorite things back before DirecTV and the internet and NFL network, ESPN's NFL Primetime was like the real show,

the only show to go on Sunday nights I think at 7 to watch highlights and all that. The thing that sticks with me so much is the music that accompanied those highlights. It was really the best part. So we're going to have DJ T.D. behind the glass right now, not behind the glass, maybe a top

five. I did a power rankings in my post of my five favorite primetime songs, and I did go through all 10 of them. These are my five favorites. So here's the first one by TD. I called this one Blackbeard's Delight. Does you bring back any memories, guys?

Keep it going. I want the synths come in. Yeah, right there. All right, here's number four. Counting down, this is uh i call this one phil collins's lament t-d can't you picture like phil collins i feel like this is number one right here this should be like an intro to a miami vice episode this is yeah this is basically like uh you say this should be number one this is the signature but it's like saying what's the top five

beatles songs because they're all so good that's fair all right number three i call this one what i call this one oh great ellway is driving oh this one made me nervous all the time That's why. Elway's driving. Yeah, he's like, and then Berman at his apex is like, and here comes John. Oh, they're going to come on down the field. Very depressing.

This one I call the Nobleman's Call. Yeah, that horn? Oh, yeah. That's a call out to all the Nobleman. This is like greatest hits. Listen to this. It makes me nervous. Sand's hip movements are making me nervous right now.

Is that a pelvic thrust? Listen, it's a minor pelvic thrust. All right. Wouldn't it be funny to play football to that music? It would be a lot of fun. And now, number one, my choice for number one, Greg obviously disagrees, but he hasn't heard it yet. This one I call urgency express.

Just picture it. Mark, you're 30 years old. Prime of your life Was not 30 years old at that point By the way You paint a pretty picture I don't know With these pelvic thrust

And then the urgency express name here I don't know about that Greg Do you think urgency express Cannot be Phil Collins Lament I love Phil Collins Lament Number four Sign me up

That's my pick All right so that yeah That's like When I think of 90s football I think of that music So that's my memory I used to miss, like, hanging out with my grandparents in order to watch NFL Prime Day. I think they started to not like me anymore because I would run upstairs.

Yeah, that's the reason. Okay, so now, gentlemen, I want you all to put on your Zubaz. I want you to pull over your starter jacket, take out whatever's in that pouch, and we'll go around the table, and share me some 90s moments. We'll start with the Sizzler, Mark Sessler. I think for me, what I remember about being, you know, the 90s began. I was very early in high school. You guys were Greg and Dan both about seven or eight years old.

But Wes and I are the same age. That's 40. Techmo Super Bowl hit like a bomb. Right when I was at that point in high school where I had no car, no way to get anywhere. Every girl I liked was dating someone from an upper grade because she was mobile and can move around. I'm like, I had got nothing but Techmo Super Bowl. QB12. She was a five-final woman.

She could date other men. There's nothing else in my life. And my brother, Eric Sessler, and I would sit and play Tecmo from Friday night through Sunday morning until the games came on. And we created these massive poster boards, giant double elimination tournaments where 32 teams would be fed into like a second grid. It would go on for months. And it brought me great joy because we'd write about each game.

And we would talk about it all day long. And my parents thought we were crazy. They might have been right. But Tecmo had a huge impact on me. It speaks to the popularity of Tecmo that on the old ATL debate club we once had on, do you remember the gentleman's name? You do. Neither do I do.

But NFL Films had a great documentary. They released, I guess about two years ago now, about grown men of the modern era that are still playing Tecmo Bowl, and they traveled for tournaments to play against each other. And we had a guy on the show named Merv, Mort. Mort it was more on the show and Mort was a delight. Mort was a delight. And so, yeah, Techno Super Bowl was special.

I remember a tournament in a friend's basement right around the early 90s where we took turns. I had a partner. So you would be offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator of a super technical team. Any girlfriends in the mix of that time? Yes or no. I was like 15. I'm definitely no, I'm still throwing rocks at girls. It's not like it's the thing.

The thing that I don't think. like people listening to this that didn't grow up during that wouldn't understand is it's not like there were other options there weren't some people that play that game or there weren't friends that you knew that didn't play techno super bowl it was like everyone it was one of the few games that had 32 NFL teams with NFL players there were definitely people we knew who did not play super technical but they were not friends right and there and there was no competition like John Elway's quarterback was another NES game at the time was garbage bad job by you Johnny Elway I remember it

But Super Bowl was the king. It kept stats. It was the first game where you could keep stats. And as a Jet fan, it was a bummer because it was a bad team. I think O'Brien was still there. And Rob Moore was the number one receiver. So I always played with the Niners just to have some more fun. But Super Bowl.

Greg. I'm going to go to something that changed my life and change the lives of so many fans that now we take it for granted. NFL Sunday Ticket. When you could first get the ability, and for me, this was early in college, to hook up a little direct TV and you're not at home and you can still watch your hometown team. I mean, it blew my mind to even go to a bar and watch the Patriots or whatever. But once you could dial that into your apartment, I mean, it was a game changer for fans. I think it's been one of the reasons that the sports exploded so much.

I agree. You think about what it was like before that. if you were somebody that had a move for business or, you know, your favorite team was not in the city that had the two or three games at NBC or CBS aired or Fox, you were done. It was it. And you can only watch the highlights or somehow maybe you had a buddy send you a tape of the game. But this, that opened the doors for everything.

That was huge. Not just your team. It's like, okay, your team played early. You weren't stuck with just the national games. If you didn't want it, you could be flipping around. And anyone that had the Sunday ticket, if you guys had it in college or whoever, Everyone was going over to that guy's house. I had to convince my dad, and I lived in the Tri-State area,

to take a 50-minute trip down to Bobby Valentine's Sports Bar. You ever had a place in Norwalk? Because it was the only place that got Browns games. And you're right. Direct TV Sunday ticket blew the whole thing up. You could sit in your own house. Chris Wesleyan. Let me take you back to about 1995.

I'm 20, 21 years old. Trudging through the snow and the Covington, Kentucky Projects delivering mail. Listening on your tape deck to Atlantis Morissette's first album, I like this. Probably not. And the Bengals are in the midst of one of their four, three, and 13 seasons of the decade. Things are bleak. They've got David Klingler, Achilles Smith, one of these hapless Dave Shula is their coach. Gibronies.

I fall out with the Bengals, realize there's no use following them, but fantasy football shows up. And I remember first playing about 1995, and then by 97, I'm working at a lot of a law firm, and they hired me in over a buddy of mine, who was the commissioner of my league. He would go down to the basement of this big skyrise and tabulate all of our fantasy football scores using USA Today. He'd get done with that, and he'd mail him out. This is not email. This is real mail.

So by Thursday, you get your stats, the standings, and you finally know how you're doing. But those were the old days, not until, like, 98 or 99 did the Internet start getting involved. Because I even, I remember in, like, 97, the same thing. We paid for a service to mail to some guy that clearly probably lived in his grandmother's basement. And his job was tabulate our staffs and then mail it back to us. And that's how we found out who won at the end of the week. It changed everything. And I'm just curious, Wes, because we've talked to it on the show.

You even brought it in. When did you decide in the 90s to begin your Bengals dossier? I think it ends up being around 1998. And what is it again for people that don't know? I had to compile a file folder filled with, there are. are probably two or three hundred articles backing up my point of why I broke up

with the Bengals. The heartbreak. It's hard to describe the catch-22 situation where you are disloyal if you stopped rooting for your team, but you were an idiot if you kept supporting what was going on there. So what year did you break up with him? I think it was 98

because 97 was the boomer of science comes in and Corey Dylan explodes his rookie year. So the second and a half Boomer is like the best quarterback in the NFL, and then he decides to go into Monday night football the next year. And the next year is an absolute debacle. I think Nilo died on his quarterback.

They start like 0-N-8. Lee Johnson says everything wrong with the franchise, and then the next day they cut Lee Johnson, who was their punter? Wait, well. And I was like, all right, they cut him? They cut meat. Are you certain that your fallout with the Bengals wasn't the absence of playing the Browns two years in a row,

two years per year, where they got moved to Baltimore? It did not involve that. Sorry, the Browns were not on my radar. As you'll notice, Greg, the older gentlemen in the podcasts are becoming cynical and shady. The conversation goes on as far as the more happy. We don't all have the New England's Patriots Dynasty in our lives. They weren't a dynasty in the 90s. We had Rod Rust and Dick McPherson.

Scott Zolak. Lucky to win four or five games. Before we move on, though, I do want to say, everyone go read this article by Dan the man, Hanses. He did the damn thing on this thing. It's great. The Zubaz, the poster. Just go check it out on the website. NFL.com backslash, ooh, I did it again.

NFL. NFL.com slash ATL. You can find that story and all the stories that we write. All right, gentlemen, that's it. Nice trip down memory lane there. And that's it for Monday's edition of the Around the League podcast. We'll be back on Wednesday with another action-pack show. Sessler's going to be here.

The whole group will be heroes everywhere. So make sure you tune in for that. that. This is Dan Hansen signing up for the sizzler, the boss, the mailman, and the great TD. Until Wednesday. Thank you.