NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - Steve Wyche & Matt Rhule

Episode Date: June 2, 2020

A bunker filled with heroes - Dan Hanzus, Gregg Rosenthal, and Marc Sessler sit down with Steve Wyche to talk about the latest in the NFL including the what is happening in our country and around the world right now. Matt Rhule stopped by the Around the NFL broadcast and was so great, we decided to run it again.Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comNFL Daily YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nflpodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

It's everything you need to understand the why behind what happens on Sunday. Don't miss it. Listen to the Move the Sticks podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The Around the NFL podcast. Is Daddy ever leaving home? Welcome to another edition of the Around the NFL podcast. My name is Dan Ansus. Coming to you from a city filled with heroes in bunkers. Marks Dessler, Greg Rosenthal, and joining us from his bunker, Steve Weiss. What's up, boys? What's that, then?

What is up? How is everybody? That was everybody. Wow, hard to measure right now. I wouldn't say glowing. Well, a lot, pretty exasperated there. Pretty exasperated. Yeah.

I mean, I feel like there's only so many moments in life where you feel like you're living through history. history. And you could imagine that it'll be something that's going to be talked about for a long time, decades even. It'll be taught in schools. Hopefully, in this case, it becomes a catalyst for a change. And what happened with the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis and now nationally protests that have been going on, demonstrations, many of them peaceful, some destructive, and including in our city here in Los Angeles and just sitting at home or if you're out and about in the city, it's all, it's all really surreal. And it's all set against the backdrop of a global pandemic, profoundly dysfunctional political landscape we're in right now. And it's just all that is just hard to process.

And our job, obviously, is primarily, um, Greg, is to talk pro football, but real life sometimes steps to the forefront. So that's where we are at the top of today's show. I mean, it's something that it feels, it feels, it's right to talk about where we are in life right now with this country and in the world. Right. And we will get to, we will get to the football. We've got a Matt Rule interview. We're going to, we're going to play. We'll talk some other random news too. But yeah, it's hard to avoid talking about it when it's our reality. Like Santa Monica right now, we're taping this in the afternoon. We're already on curfew. We're not allowed to be outside right now in Santa Monica. I checked out some of the damage that happened yesterday in the town,

and it's obviously dispiriting. But it is different. I mean, it's hard not to think back to Ferguson and all the other incidents of police brutality that this country's talked about and faced over. the last decade. It's hard not to think about that and hard not to think about from our point of view, Colin Kaepernick, look, Steve, Steve Weish is with us. He was the one who broke the story about Colin Kaepernick, you know, first kneeling on the sideline. And it's hard not to think that

this time, if nothing else, it's different. It's like 150 cities this is happening in right now. And so that's different. I don't know, you know, that that more people, are talking about police brutality. I don't think that as many people are getting as distracted by like red state blue state stuff because it doesn't, it's not about the state, you know, look at our state. Like, it's not about red state blue state. It's about police brutality. And that conversation is happening.

And it's, it's a painful one, but it's like it's unavoidable. Yeah. I'm going to chime in here. It's, it's more about right and wrong. and for whatever political landscape or whatever you believe, Blue Lives Matter, Black Lives Matter, there is no way any human being with the souls could have looked at a video of a person dying

with somebody's knee to his neck, two other people on that man's body, and then somebody playing lookout and not be upset about it. And I think that's why, Greg, when you say this is different. There were always excuses before. He should have complied. He had a criminal background.

There was always something to give somebody peace of mind while murdering an unarmed black man was justified. There's no way you could look at that. When you saw this man's lifeless body on the ground for three minutes and smugged Derek Chauvin with his knee on his neck and his hand in his pocket seemed to be just like thinking about planes taking off or sunsets in Jamaica while this man's air is being lost in his body that you could sit by and be okay with that.

The aftermath with these provocateurs and agitators, vandalizing and breaking windows and looting, taking away from the positive protesters is sad. but people like me have had enough. I've had enough. This comes on the heels of Ahmaud Arbery and Rihanna Taylor, where so many people are, in my opinion,

participating in cover-ups. They're just saying, oh, well, you know, that's just another black body gone. And that's what people, when they say Black Lives Matter. That's what it means, not that they're superior to anybody else,

but that they actually mean something in the overall landscape. And again, why this is different. We'll see if anything comes out of it. You know, they've already changed the out of the prosecutor in Minnesota because they had no faith in this person to actually go after these police officers. It's already out of his hand.

So a salute to that. But in all these other stage where this crap has been going on or still going on, the cover up of the actual ugly act, that's what needs to start. Is people need to start being held accountable. Yeah, Steve, I love the way you just experienced. all that. And, you know, I think we're all in one similar boat where, you know, we're at a time where we're housebound for many reasons. And, you know, the fact that coronavirus has been buried as a beast storyline because this is much more striking and more critical to who we

are as people. And I, you know, I am in a state where I'm just sort of observing and trying to make, to listen and make sense of it all. But I feel like what I've watched over. the past three or four days that um like nothing in our country will ever be the same and that's a good thing i i'm thankful and for one thing that that video was captured because without it i think it would have just been another um hideous incident that sailed down the river without much notice um because it was captured because we because anyone with with a beating heart inside of them are horrified by what they saw. It forces us to confront. And frankly, you know, those of us with children, you typically maybe hide their eyes from some of this. My feeling is the

opposite that if things are going to change, it starts with the people inside our own home seeing how wrong things are and how, as you said, corrupt the system is from the deepest levels outward. And so, you know, I total change from here on out. And it should be serve as an eye opener unless you are walking around as a total zombie. And that's, you said, Mark, you know, nothing will ever be the same. That, that to me is when I look at like the big picture of all this, to me, the jury is out on it. And I really hope this is the catalyst. And this will be different than the other times.

And it does feel different. We're old enough, all old enough to remember the L.A. riots in 92. But this seems like, and there is a call for it not just to be black and people of color speaking out, but white America also getting behind this cause. And I feel like that's different too. You sense that as well will it be enough to spark real change. And on the subject, Steve, of the NFL, the NFL obviously has a seat in a chair in the history of all this going in recent history about the idea of police brutality and social injustice. and Colin Kaepernick, who seems to becoming a bigger and bigger figure in American history by the day. And especially now, it almost feels like what he was doing when he was kneeling was prescient.

And it was in a way that was clouded by all the political stuff and all the Trump stuff. Now it's so clear, it should be at least, what that was all about. It wasn't about not being good in American. It was about, hey, this is going on this stuff. And now maybe, Steve, with the advances in camera phones and the fact that people are getting more and more fed up, not just black people, that it's going to lead to a real change. The Kaepernick side of it, how do you think, and the NFL side of it, Steve? Like, they release a statement.

Obviously, it doesn't get received well by the greater public because a lot of the greater public believes that the NFL did not do right by Kaepernick on the issue and hasn't done enough to support causes related to social injustice. How do you think the NFL, beyond a press really saying that we're going to continue to work with groups can actually make positive change and not just positive words on a press release. Well, I mean, look, it's it's accountability. That's, you know, like I'm with you, Dan, we said, we'll see if it makes change because we've heard this before.

Remember, 2016, four years ago today, election cycle. You know, that's when Colin Kaepernick took a need because you had all of the, all the unarmed black people over the previous couple years, you know, Tamir Rice and Michael Brown and everybody getting killed. We're still here, man. So in terms of the NFL, to me it starts in their own house. And look, I'm going to air a little dirty laundry, but it is what it is. Where are the people of color calling any shots?

And I'm not just talking about owners. I'm talking to league office. We're the people of color at our network. You guys have a black or Latino or a Latino or. Asian supervisor, have you ever? I've never worked for a black editor. I've never worked for a black boss, Latino, Native American, Polynesian. They've all been white men and white women. And so, to me, by having legitimate action and diversity in your own house, instead of a press release, instead of 70% black workforce that people see on Sundays.

But having it in your own house other than Troy Vincent and other than Al Riveron that are legitimate, not hires to make you feel good, but are legitimate hires where people are in on decision-making powers. At our network, there are 30-plus VP senior executives and I think there are two or three of color. and they allow us the freedoms to come on platforms like this and speak our minds and that's great but where's the where is someone for me to aspire to you know who do i look up to to aspire to

um and so i think that's where it starts and i also think guys like you and other people in the league just in private conversations someone's dropping end bombs or saying this and that god i can't believe these people are, are breaking up buildings. Here's why they're breaking up buildings. Because this is the 12 million time we've seen this and nothing has happened. We've got your freaking attention. It may not be the positive attention. It may not be the thing that honors these deceased people and their families properly.

But we've got your freaking attention. And that's, you know, and that's how a lot of us feel. I think you speak to something that there's a lot of statements happening right now, but that's action. I mean, that's taking action. And look, black people in our lives have been telling it. It's not a new thing to know the problem with the police state that black people have in this country. The new thing is cell phones, really. And hopefully a new generation kind of.

speaking up, but I do think the NFL is in an interesting place because of Kaepernick. And we talked about it on the podcast then, how, you know, him not coming back into the league and just everything that they went through. You even knew then that, look, he's going to be one of the most important NFL figures we've ever covered. And you knew that, you knew that then. And that's growing even more so now. but I do think it is interesting to think about where at least the league was publicly then.

And a lot of white people, frankly, were publicly then where it's like there was a lot of division even among the owners of what in coaches of how we're going to handle this. And a lot of teams did not want their players kneeling. And we remember that. And a lot of coaches didn't. And then different ones wanted to do it in certain ways. Okay, you can do it once if it's with the owner and then that's it. whereas I think today you're seeing at least publicly more of a rush to, with a lot of them, to embrace, you know, the right message of fighting police brutality publicly.

And I do wonder if like, and you see a little bit more with white players speaking up, like white quarterbacks. Sure. That's huge, man. That's big. And of course, you know, you can say a lot of it's PR and this or that. but Kaepernick helped open that space and that change and even the social justice initiatives that the NFL has done.

That is, I think, a reflection. So it does put the NFL in this interesting spot, even compared to other leagues, I think, of what happens from here. But I would say this. It remains shameful what happened to the Colin Kaepernick message, what it was about and what it got turned into by people unwilling or unable to embrace it, more unwilling. And if anything, when I mentioned,

and I think there is a bit of a polar shift that we've now seen it with our own eyes and we cannot deny it. And it's not new. It's been going on for a long time. Kaepernick is validated entirely by this, and I will not listen to anyone with a different take on that. I mean, and the league should realize

that it could have been handled completely differently from the start. yeah so we'll continue obviously to talk about this and talk about it from an NFL angle and however we feel like is important and Steve you were at my last thing I was just thinking about with Kaepernick was I think it was last November the workouts for Colin Kaepernick when he had a public workout for NFL teams it reminds me that he at least what we hear is still wants to be an NFL quarterback, and how many years has it been since he played now? Is this going to be the third full season? Third full season. He first sat down for the national anthem in 2016, so he finished out that season and hasn't played since. Pretty unbelievable.

Steve, we have. I was going to ask Steve, just you did some roundtables today, I know, for the network. Oh, yeah. Did anything come out of that? Oh, my goodness. So powerful. Jim Trotter did one with Kurt Warner and Dr. Todd Boyd, a, let's say, a current affairs sociologist, pop culture sociologist who does a lot of stuff with athletics in black history.

And that stem from Kurt tweeting over this weekend, what can I do to help? Because I think there are a lot of non-black people asking that question because they're sickened and they want to know. And Kurt and I had a great discussion Sunday about it. And so that panel was honest and Frank. in a lot of historical context to future solutions. And then I moderated one with Josh Norman, Josh McCown, and Mike Robinson. And, man, just, it was raw. It was raw.

Josh Norman talked about this is racist. This is bigotry. Black people are fed up. But he was also solution driven. And the solution driven is kind of what I was. talked about on the small scale talking to your kids like you're talking about mark talking to your kids about when you see something wrong like your friends avoiding another little black kid because he's a black kid go play with you know to just

things that are far more macro and then Josh McCown another member of the players coalition and of course a white quarterback who's been very active for years talking about how black people walk around life with a weighted vest right whereas and he drew this great comparison this great analogy as to he said he's had a different offensive coordinator every year of this what 19 20 year NFL career so he was always learning new offenses while the incumbent quarterback knew the offense it was preparing for other defense so that person had a leg up so he says white America has always been that incumbent quarterback you can you can attack the opposing defense you have that leg up whereas black folks

are the guy coming in just trying to figure out how to navigate enough to survive. And, you know, Michael Robinson, very passionate. We had some great conversations about Brian Flores and his message. And how not only was he inspiring, but how he called out people who were awfully noisy during Kaepernick and some of his colleagues

and how he's had to lose friendships, because where are you now? Some of his bosses, I think, was a subtext that I read into it maybe. Yeah, very much so, very much so. And isn't it interesting how some of those bosses and some players who are no longer there are being far more outspoken about subjects like this

than they ever were. Kind of makes you think a little bit. Well, and I know, Dan, we are going to spin to other NFL news, but it is interesting because people say, you know, when they say stick to sports, it's like this is sports because all the coaches and players they're dealing with this today. You know, Frank Reich, they put out, you know, he had a statement to the media,

but he talked about what he talked about the player. It's like there's no avoidant. This is what the coaches are talking about. This is what the, you know, the owners, whether they're releasing a statement or not. It's like this is, they're having to handle it. It's not like there's a choice to go just like run and hide when that's your, when that's your workforce. Oh, if you avoid it, you're losing your guys.

If you avoid it, buy. in case you goodbye. And Steve, I know you're going to continue to be part of the conversation on NFL Network this week. So make sure everybody you follow along for those important conversations. Steve, would you mind sticking around for the rest of the news, which I wouldn't say it was at the same level of importance, but it's pretty close because George Kittle doesn't have a new contract yet.

So maybe we should talk about that as well. Always love hanging out with you guys. Thanks, Steve. All right. But this is what's going on in the kind of news of the NFL. We'll start with Mike Silver, our own Mike Silver of NFL Network, who reports that the 49ers and George Kittle, the start tight end are, quote, far apart in extension talks.

We'll see what happens with this. But, Steve, I mean, Kittle is one of those dudes, one of those dudes that you absolutely build a team around. And Austin Hooper, I believe, Mark Sessler's Austin Hooper, is now the highest paid tight end in the league. I believe the agent said, I don't care about the tight end market. I'm being paid to do a George Kiddell deal. He will be expensive.

Couldn't the 49ers afford him? I guess that becomes the biggest question. Yes. Look, they've clear a lot of cap space. It's one of the reasons why they traded to Forrest Buckner. We're seeing the same thing going on with George Kittle that we saw with Jimmy Graham. I'm a tight end, but I got wide receiver numbers. You say I don't block in line.

So I'm a wide receivers. Give me that wide receiver. receiver money. Give me that, you know, that big Stefan Diggs, you know, those 16, 17 million dollars numbers. And, you know, of course, that went to arbitration or whatever, and Jimmy Graham was a tight end and George Kettle is going to get tight end. But they're going to have to pay them. And this is one, they've already got their quarterback on a big contract. You know, they've got a couple other big deals, but you can finesse, you can work these numbers. This is, you know, What wide receiver is making big – what offensive skill player other than Jimmy Garoppel is making money?

None. So you can work this. You know, you've got, you know, D. Ford, and you've got some other defensive players making big bread. You know, you just paid Eric Armstead. Kwant Alexander's making money. But play that franchise tag game with George Kittland and won't go well. I mean – go ahead, Mark. Well, I would just say, I mean, the concept of back pay, this is a player who has –

giving you 170 plus catches over the past two seasons, 2,300 yards, 10 touchdowns, and made $719,000 last year. The Jimmy Graham comparison is so apt. And you go and look, when you go into pro football focus and you dig into the positions, nothing is weirder than the tight end position because the rankings are all out of whack because we've dealt with this before.

You get one Gibroni who can block really well, but he had eight catches all season. And Ben Hartsock is ranked number one. Right, Ben Hartsock, the number one tight end. There are distinctly two different positions. Jimmy Graham played the different version of tight end. George Kittle plays it times two. I mean, he has a better argument to make an incredible paycheck

based on what they've given him for what he's produced. Well, no, he's a fascinating case if you're into contract because he should be making more than Julio Jones. I mean, he should be making double what probably the highest paid end. To me, Jimmy Graham is not a great comparison, really. I understand at the time it was like an argument, but tight ends are so underpaid if they're as good as George Kittle, who can change a whole offense in terms of the defense doesn't know

what you're going to do on a play-to-play basis. He's such a good blocker. He's such a good receiver that, of course, to me, he's worth as much as an AJ Green or a Julio Jones. And that's almost like double what any tight end is making. I really think, like, tight ends should just be pissed at Rob Ginkowski for the contract that he signed earlier in his career. I know he did it with two years left at his rookie deal. But tight ends have been underpaid ever since because he took a totally below market deal for his entire career.

And he's the greatest tight end of all time. And everyone else got stuck just being like, well, you're not as good as gronk. So you're getting slotted under that. Like, Kittle, and I think he's going to try, is going to try to do what Levyon Bell unsuccessfully did for running backs, which is just blow up the entire market for tight ends because they're all underpaid. in these trying times everybody together now everything's bellichick's fault you're loving this this is your favorite subplot of the office hey we mentioned matt rule is going to be on the show today it was actually an interview we did friday for the around the NFL broadcast on NFL network which steve wise

see what all ties together sat in last week in the chris wesling pregnancy chair um although you didn't look pregnant we owe we always we have some dinner if not Nothing else. Yeah, we do. Him and Matt Money Smith. We do. Drive through a Taco Bell still open. But anyway, Rule will be on the show. We'll play that interview back on the podcast in just a little bit.

But he has someone in his cornerback and his cornerback group that he needs. It's Eli Apple. Signs a one year, $3 million deal. It went nearly two months between when Apple's deal with the Raiders fell apart at the beginning of free agency. And actually, it was 71 days. until he agreed to terms with the Raiders. So more than two months. And this was a, with the Panthers.

This is a spot, Mark Sessler, that Carolina needed help at. Apple's not a big star, despite being a first round pick. But he should bring something to that group. Yeah, on that Friday show, we each had to pitch an NFC South team to win the division. And I was tasked with the Panthers, which is, you know, in that field of four teams, not the easiest pitch job. But it was, you know, what it is. It's heroic, Mark.

It's heroic. But I don't know. You spent most of your time patting yourself on the back for taking it. Well, I think it's heroic in the scope of being a football blogger, not in a larger, not in a larger context of things right now. But, you know. You just demean the credibility of your football blogging there, Mark. Yes. Well, I do that often.

That's a self-defense mechanism. But they lost James Bradbury. You know, I was interesting when Greg did his starter's piece that you mentioned the human beings. named Cornelder as a potential starter had they not found anyone else. So this keeps Corner Elder at bay. Yeah, their cornerbacks are about as bad as bad as they were in the league. It feels like they still need another one or two. They do.

I mean, look at the division. Right. Let's hear you go out again. They're going to have to score some points. In other news, Eagles wide receiver Deshaun Jackson says, quote, it's going to definitely be a culture shock if NFL teams are playing in empty houses this season in the event that there is an NFL season.

We're still hoping that happens as well. Hey, listen, there's a lot of stuff going on in the world right now. He was on Jackson on the Lane Johnson podcast outside the lane. Get it? And he talked about what's something that the NFL could do to juice the telecast in the event that there is no crowd to add that adds that natural excitement. Here's what D. Jacks had to say.

I think they should mic up players. They should give fans the insight. to see what really goes on between the lines. It gets crazy, bro. I know in the trenches, it gets crazy. And I know on the outside, it gets crazy, too. The conversations we go back and forth on. Steve, you know what it's all about in the trenches.

You know what it's like covering these guys being in the locker rooms. Is this the best idea ever or the worst idea? Oh, it's awesome. It's so good. The thing is, I mean, you'd have to put a disclaimer coming out of every break that, you know, you may hear some language that you're really not comfortable with. Right. Because it's going to be spoken.

Well, he started doing it with the 30 for 30s on ESPN. They give you the option of the clean and dirty feed. Maybe that's where NFL telecast are heading. I would love it. Yeah, we'll get the clean feed. Yeah. You think. But, I mean, I just think it would be awesome.

If you made Belichick's players, if you made the Patriots get miced up while they're going 8 and 8 this year. No. I mean, I'm just sorry. I just said that for the end and it would be better. but I mean come on it would just be absolutely incredible just the wide receivers and dbs alone well and the mics that might not to be might not even need you don't mean might not need that many mics I mean USC has done this a little bit since they've come back and you can start

hearing everything in the state you know you can start hearing everything because there's no crowd that you might just you know like you had the mics on the center before you might hear a lot just coming off of that like I think there's something to it I hate the idea of fake crowd noise. It seems so, so stupid to like... The Falcons didn't seem to be opposed to it a few years back, but they were ahead of their time. It's so stupid to make an artificial situation. If there's no crowd, it's a totally unique thing and it's going to be weird, but like that's what you're watching. Let's be real. Sports are real. And you might get some good John back and forth. It'd be great.

Could you see coaches or just certain coaches totally bumping on the idea of this where, you know, midgame, you know, it's one thing if it's released, you know, six days later at, as a special, but mid-game, you know, a hot mic picks up various play calls, scheming scenarios, and Bill Belichick's head explodes. I don't know if that's what they're looking for. Well, and also injuries. Right. That's true.

Yeah, that guy over there. That's where that's going to put like, nope. That's a good point. It would really take one terrible injury for everyone to say that that's a bad idea. It's not good. Oh, yes. Some people, it's a great point. The uneducated might not know.

that Steve Weiss playing big-time Division I football at Mizzou in his younger years. Did it never play a game. You never get into a game. You never got on the field? Never got on the field. I saw some really good players.

Who is there? We played against Wisconsin when they had Al 2 and who might be the most incredible player I'd ever see him. It was like 6, 4, 120 pounds and just absolutely destroyed us. We played Oklahoma State when Jimmy Johnson was a coach, you know, Thurman Thomas,

Hartley Dykes. I mean, that's Oklahoma, had Bosworth, you know, Tony Casillas. I mean, incredible. Here's a great one. Hartley Dykes a disappointing first-round pick for the Patriots back in the day. I think I had a shirt and he didn't really come through.

But here's a great one. So we came up, we wore all yellow uniform to the first time, it was a 70-year anniversary since the last time Missouri worn them, which should have been a hint that they weren't going to look good on TV. And we're playing Notre Dame when Jerry Faust was coaching. And they were massive. They had Steve Burline, Mark Bavarro, Alan Pinkett, Tim Brown.

I mean, just first round draftics galore. I think they finished six and five that year. And we had them on the ropes or if you'll go kick or miss like a 35-yard or, you know, we lose the game. But I was like, that team should be 11 and 0. I mean, you talk about watching the team get off the bus and you're like, ooh, they're different. They were so huge, man. And Mark Bavarro, had I played, that's what I would have been going up against. He would have had a great game.

Seemed like a tough fellow to me based on the anecdotes. That's like us when we get off the NFL media bus at the Super Bowl, and everyone's just like, what podcast is that? That's right. We go in slow motion as we put our sunglasses on. Weiss, I find you to be one of the most well-respected and just everyone likes Steve Weish. Like, Weish is just like one of those dudes. if anybody was ever to get a Rudy scenario

where it's like I'm not playing Steve's a senior it's his last game if he doesn't see on field we're not taking the field if there's not a Weishanette Rudy scenario then that's on Mizzou and your entire organization team over there

bro nobody would have cared man nobody would have cared we would have gone up against Kansas our arch rival and lost again and it just they would have blamed it on me I'm trying to think. I don't think, I don't think Sean Ashton would be a good guy to play you in the movie.

Who would, who would play Wich if there was a Rudy scenario? Oh, man. Denzel, maybe? Yeah, young Denzel. Oh, his son, but his son's too short. I think somebody, you go a little CGI and you get Denzel, the young Denzel, the same way they've given you, you know, young, all these other stars in these various movies. We might have to ask your wife about that. I'm sure there's a male celebrity.

that she says, oh, you look like... Oh, you know what? Dwayne Johnson and Rock. I'm going to have my hair. There we go. Bang. That's what I was thinking. Get the offer out to

Dwayne and the Rock Johnson. I guess we need a time machine to make it a situation as well. But anyway, Steve, you've come and you've, as always, delivered an incredible performance. Maybe it didn't get on the field at Mizzou, but you're an MVP on the around the NFL

podcast and a valued member of NFL network and that perspective. that you gave us at the top of the show is frankly necessary and we love to get it from you. So thank you as always, Steve. And best of luck this week because this is a different one. We've been working together for a long time, but this is not

like other weeks. No, I appreciate you guys. Appreciate the conversation. Appreciate all you guys do because you guys are a window and not a mirror to society, man. People can see the future through you guys instead of looking back and see themselves. I appreciate you guys. Thank you, Steve. Thanks, Steve.

You're the best, buddy. All right. Steve Wife, there he goes. He gets a well-deserved glass of Chardonnay as he gets ready for what lies ahead. Gentlemen, we mentioned Matt Ruhl. That's what's happening in the news, by the way. We mentioned Matt Ruhl in the interview that we did on the Around the NFL broadcast, which again,

you can check out every Friday on NFL Network, 6 p.m. Eastern, 3 p.m. Pacific. There are also re-airings late at night and in the morning. I think our show is better drunk. And I'm not condoning alcohol uses, especially if you're underage. But if you are someone who likes to have a few drinks on the weekend to unwind, I think our show is even better. Greg, actually, his performance and his comp, you score numbers go through the roof

when you have a few whiskeys. What is compi score? What is compi score number? I don't know. Wasn't it like the boxing measurement? Wasn't there something like that? I can't remember. Com scorer tells you like how well your website's doing, I think.

But you're right. We're on at 10 p.m. Eastern and I think, you know, and 11 p.m. Pacific in a different time. So you're right. You can get a late night viewing. You can get like the next morning 6 a.m. or 10 a.m. waking up. You know. Yeah. A little view.

That's right. What is copy of score? Let me see what this is. It has, we are a full-time family-owned company that has been timing athletes for over 35 years. Yeah, so that was a very ad-running analogy there. Swim events, triathlons, duelsons, televised podcast, biking events, stair climbs, or more. Greg's compu score rises as people in bribal alcohol. It makes total sense now that we know what the company is involved in.

Anyway, we had Matt Rule, the former Baylor coach and a man that my father, father-in-law, Bob Bates, absolutely adored it at his time down there in Waco. Now he's the head coach of the Panthers, and here was our conversation with Matt Rule, including a little speed round at the end. Enjoy. Joining us now, we're so excited to have Matt Rule, the head coach of the Carolina Panthers. Matt, welcome to the show, and is there any way you could have that music underneath you at all time throughout all your coaching duties in Charlotte? I would love nothing more than to walk around with my own theme music.

Matt, it's, you know, even in the best of times, being a rookie NFL head coach is a challenge. But you, it seems like you're entering the picture at a particularly fraught time. You're entering a division that has a perennial Super Bowl contender, favorite in the Saints. All of a sudden, Tom Brady's in the mix and grunk. You have no traditional offseason activities. And, oh, yeah, the organization decided to move on from the most popular, successful player in history. history in Cam Newton in franchise history. This is a challenge.

I know you just rebuilt Beller from the ground up, but this one feels like a tough one. What are your thoughts? You know, I'm excited about it. You know, I mean, it's not like I, I didn't walk in eyes wide open in terms of, hey, that there's things we have to do. But I'll even, you know, amplify it even more.

Like, of the 90 guys on our roster, I've probably actually physically met maybe 20. I think like eight of them played for me before them. So, like, I can be walking down the street tomorrow and bump into somebody, and they can be playing on the team, and I haven't actually met them yet. So, but you know what? You know, there's two sides to everything. Not ideal.

No, no, it's not. But you know what, it's like anything in life. You know, these, these, this adversity, these obstacles, they force you to try to be at your best. I know this. I know myself as a head coach, my assistant coaches, being in the virtual offseason. I think we are better teachers now than we were. month ago. I think being home and being like a dad teaching my kids has made me a better teacher than I was a month ago or two months ago. So just try to take the positives out of it and not

worry too much about the negatives. Wow. I need some homeschooling tips from you then. I don't know if I've gotten any better. It may be a worst podcaster. I have to tell you that, man. I wonder maybe Teddy Bridgewater is one of the guys you met. Maybe not, but I wanted to ask you about him because, you know, these two clowns on the on the other side of the screen from me. like to make their little jokes about Teddy. They talk about his air yards per attempt. I mean, they like him as a person, but they seem to think he's not as exciting as a quarterback.

Explain to me why you guys wanted to bring him in and thought he was a fit for your system. Yeah, you know, I had a chance to coach against Teddy my first year at Temple. I actually put up the stats the other day for our team. It was like 25 of 35 or 348. I mean, he just destroyed us. And then I went on and watched them in Minnesota without knowing him real well and watched them, you know, take a team to the playoffs, I think in year two, whatever it was, and then have that terrible injury.

And I think anything you want to know about Teddy, just go back and watch the game. He comes back and finally plays and watch his teammates. You know, I'm a big statistics guy. I'm a big analytics guy. And they're really important, but they only tell about half the story. The best players in the world bring up the best in their teammates. And I can tell you since free agency started, the amount of guys that want to come, who want to play with Teddy has nothing to do with me, has nothing to do with anybody about

they want to be a part of what he's doing because he brings out the best in people. Then to watch what, you know, he had his little brief stint, whatever, with the Jets. Watch what he did in New Orleans last year. And so we're getting ready to play Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. We're practicing at the Saints facility. And he's out there by himself with a couple guys, and he's still on Red Zone routes. You know, Drew's going to start. He's the backup late.

I think it's, you know, the game before the playoffs. And I'm watching him throw, and I'm watching the way people respond to him. And I have no idea I'm going to be in Carolina. And we start a little, you know, jog through in Taekwon Thornton's this great young receiver for us from Miami. And Teddy walks through our practice and he walks over and says hello to him. He's, you know, maybe eight years older than him. And he's talking to him, chopping up when he comes over and he's like, hey, coach, sorry to interrupt your walk through. I just, I sat there and told him, I said, Teddy, I just want you know how much respect I have for you.

Having coached against you, having seen what you've done, having seen the way people respond to you, man, I just, I wish you the best. So you fast forward a couple months and we have a chance to get him here. I believe so wholeheartedly in who he is as a quarterback. I believe in his abilities. I believe in his arm strength. I believe in his accuracy. I believe in his decision-making. But beyond that, I know he's going to make everyone else that much better.

See, there you go, guys. I like that, coach. I like that. Well, I have a question for you. We're sold. Here's my question for you because I just wonder from a, you've come to the NFL. People talk about the lack of experience on the coaching staff, which I think you kind of have said, forget all that business.

We're going to attack this the way we do everything else. But is it a bit of a mental polar shift to have your mind occupied with like, how do we shut down a sophomore three technique from Rice University to now in the middle of the night you're thinking, we've got Drew Brees to deal with. We've got Matt Ryan to deal with. Oh, and by the way, you know, Tom Brady is going to leave the golf course at some point and be shoved into a Bucks jersey. The NFC South is stacked?

I mean, is it for you just starting? a game plan for these guys that you've been watching for so long at all striking mentally or a challenge. Well, I mean, you know, take out the X as an O's. I mean, Drew Breeze and Tom Brady are not, and Matt Ryan aren't great because of just the X's and O's. I mean, they're great because of who they are as players. And so I would say this.

I would say, you know, go be a defensive coordinator. Go be a head coach in the Big 12. You know, deal with, you know, Jalen Hertz running quarterback counter one way with a speed sweep, the other side with an RPO in behind it. Go deal with quarterback one, every down. Go deal with option football. You know, we're at Temple and we're playing one week. We're playing the spread. The next week we're playing Navy and playing the triple.

You know, the X's and O's can sometimes be really challenging in college way beyond, you know, the more traditional stuff you see in the National Football League. The difference in the National Football League is the matchups is the expertise. And, you know, I brought a lot of guys that I brought with, that were with me at Baylor because I believe they're the best of the best. And a lot of them I brought, I got from the NFL and convinced them to come to Baylor. You know, there's a lot of money in college football. I could pay them pretty well. But, you know, we brought Jason Simmons in as our defensive past game coordinator from Green Bay. We brought Al Holcomb, who's been a defensive coordinator in as our run game coordinator.

We brought Mike Fair in from the Annapolis Colts. So we tried to bring in a bunch of great, great guys with me from Baylor and, you know, supplement them with a bunch of guys from the NFL. I really like our staff, and I think we'll do a good job coaching over the next couple of years. All right, Matt. So far, we're all impressed. We think the Panthers are going to go 19 and 0. But you know what? We haven't done anything yet because we haven't done the speed round.

And this is where champions are made on the around the NFL broadcast. Are you ready, Matt? Yeah, give a shot. I have no idea what's coming. Hit the music. Hit the music. Here we go. Sopranos are Game of Thrones.

Oh, wow. That's like the ex-sat soprano. Springsteen or Bon Jovi? Springsteen. Your uncle is married to your... Ant? Some people say aunt. Zessler says aunt.

It's weird. Best Tarantino movie. Oh, um, old fiction. Safe. Flat Earthers. What's their deal? they don't get the whole story pick the age that you live until

what is the age you live until wow yeah I'm going on early I'm saying 67 oh my God have you read Art of War by Sun Tzu I legitimately have wow

if you haven't read Art of War do coaches talk about you behind your back Maybe just How is the pizza in Charlotte, be honest I love New York City pizza Jersey Shore of the Hamptons Jersey Shore I have the Alton, Dayton Lane, Jersey Shore

Are my Jets getting a star in Denzel Mims? Yes Final question, founding and you plan to keep doing it. I plan to keep pounding. Keep pounding. Well, you did it. You're a champion, Matt.

You killed the speed round. And we thank you so much for joining us. And like we said, not a traditional way to start your NFL head coaching career, but you sound like a guy that's going to get it done. So best of luck to you in 2020 and beyond. Matt Rule. Thank you guys. Appreciate y'all.

Stay safe. Thanks, Matt. All right. Mark, I have to say, your ability to keep it together during the Rule interview was, I mean, kudos, because in terms of man crushes, you have to go all the way back to maybe Kyle Shanahan during his OC days to find someone that you have adored as much as rule. I put petting up there. I think I learned firsthand when Little Debbie visited the studio and I just went silent for about 15 minutes while the three of you knocked that interview out of the park because I didn't know how to what to do or who I was. It's like a girl at a Beatles concert and a backstage meeting at all in John. I'm laughing because I totally forgot about that.

That is a sneaky great moment. Oh, I think about it daily. It concerns me daily. But, you know, Rule was, you know, he was, we're used to at this point seeing all sorts of people in the fourth square on our show or the fifth square. So, you know, I did my best to get one question out there. And I don't think I did a great job with that question. If I could critique that show, I had a kernel of a thought. And it went totally sideways with a question that went on for about,

four minutes longer than it needed to. Yeah, I didn't remember that. Well, you know, you have to self-critique. When you're watching it late at night, you got that beer in the hand thinking, hmm, I would have done that better. It was a missed. It was a little verbose.

If we had time, my next question, if we had time for one more question, I was going to ask Matt Ruhle seriously if he was ready to handle the pressure as Mark's new coaching crush. I would have maybe used a different word than that, but just that, you know, he might not know this,

but every year there's a coach that Mark kind of fixates, you know, an offensive mastermind and whether he thought he could handle that sort of... Well, and it's often not going well for those people. So I, you know... Laser. We haven't seen... Laser was one of the originals back in the day. Tough sitch for Laser.

DeFilippo was another one. Petten. Oh, he caught some fire. Petten, of course. Petten's okay. Petten's back on his feet. For now. Petton very nearly got...

I feel like he was... maybe a little closer to getting shoved out the door than people realized by the end of last year. That was a rough ending. Their defense got better. That might be the best Browns coach of the decade. Yeah, although I would say probably Kyle Shanahan.

They let Carl Shanahan get out the door, please. We didn't need to go ahead. You mentioned, all right, so Kevin Stampton is there now. Stephansky enters his first year with the Browns. Rule is first year with the Panthers. You got Joe Judge, who, talked about on Wednesday's show entering his first year with the G-man. Who's the other debut coach this year?

It's Mike McCarthy being a new coach, not a first-time coach. Mike McCarthy in Dallas. And we could open this up to new OCs and D-Cs, but Rule, it feels like, and we talked about it in our conversation, as you just heard, that he's in a very challenging situation, and we didn't really like dive in too deep on the Cam Newton stuff because who knows how much say he really had in that. but that's a major kind of cloud hanging over rule that he might not even have control over about how his quarterback ends up playing, how Newton's career continues.

But it feels like rule with Christian McCaffrey, with some pieces, he seems to have his stuff together. It's going to be a challenge in year one. But you feel like he could be set up for success down the road. Where does he compare to some of these other new coaches and coordinators out there? Is anyone else that jumps out to you that's in an especially good spot or conversely a bad spot. I would say I think Stefansky is in a, from a roster angle, you'd like

to think he'd succeed right away, if not very early. But the overall Cleveland experience leaves you just sort of wanting to see it. I don't quite have the idea. It's an institutional nightmare in Cleveland. Ultimately. One part of it looks great. And then it's like the actual history of the organization the last 20

years. And it's like, how could you ever think positive? But that's, what does that even really mean ultimately? You know, right? He has a fresh start. He has a fresh start. Right. I'd offer this, that Andrew Barry, I think, has, like, kind of under the radar for a GM who's been there for three or four months, done an incredible job. And I'm not, I'm looking that through. I typically look at their front offices thinking there's probably a disaster looming behind the scenes. But Stefanski and Andrew Barry, every time they're asked about it, sing each other's praise and seem to be on the same page. And the petins and all these guys we mentioned from before were in counteroffice.

opposite scenarios where they were battling their front offices and being undermined by them and text messages down to the sidelines and suspensions. So I think Stavansky's set up to succeed this year, but I have a much better idea of who Matt Rule is. And I really just believe, and to your father-in-law, his support of Matt Rule, and what he witnessed with his own eyes as a dug-in, Baylor fan. He's done that everywhere he's gone. So to me, and I, you know, I've said it over and over, it just I get kind of like college to pro Jimmy Johnson vibes. I just think that I really think Matt Rule is going to be the story of the NFL two or three years now. Yeah, Baylor wasn't at the level obviously of Penn State that was unprecedented.

But Baylor went from this organization or this college program that was kind of an internal also ran in that region. And then Art Bryles came to town and RG3 exploded on the scene and it turned them into a powerhouse. And then scandal brought that whole thing to the ground. And as with my family ties, I followed a pretty. closely. That program, it appeared to be in a position where they had exploded and then the way that things went up in flames that they might just go underground for decades and be just an afterthought in the college football scene again. The fact that he was able to come in and rebuild that program, I think he went one and 11 the first year when they just had all sorts of issues

and they were just trying to get on their feet. But after that point, they became one of the top programs in their conference and in the nation. And if he can take that same ability to team build, then obviously you could say it's apples and oranges, college and pros. But you just get the vibe. And I'm always a sucker with, not to like keep our focus on rule, but I'm kind of a sucker as a New York, New Jersey guy for the straight shooting, New York, New Jersey guy, the guy that seems relatable.

And he seems like when you were younger, the type of guy, like your friend's dad that had his shit together type guy. and you imagine that he would just be successful. And that to me is Matt Rule. And a guy like that engenders a lot of faith. So I'm with you, Mark, that I think that he could be a very good hire. And yes, do I think what I take the unknown with Matt Rule over what I have

in hand with Adam Gase? Absolutely. Oh, yeah. I think the Panthers have somebody there that you can get excited about for sure. Well, he combined a few things in college. And I think he's shown that he might be able to do it at the pros, which is it's the team building and the organization building. And it's the scheme. It's the combination.

The great coaches can do both. And his, you know, his coaching was extremely inventive. So he seems to get it, whatever it is. But he also is, you know, bringing Joe Brady from LSU. And to get back to the whole thing with Cam Newton, I mean, I assume Matt Ruhle 100% made that decision. Or that he was the biggest voice by far. I assume that everything in the Panthers organization, he's the biggest voice by far. And I know ownership is going to be part of it.

But I think David Depper is signing up for Matt Ruhl to be that guy. And I think when you heard him talk about Teddy Bridgewater, look, I think there was no mistake that they released that statement that Cam Newton can seek a trade the day before they signed Teddy Bridgewater. when you can assume they basically agreed to terms with Teddy Bridgewater the day before. So once they knew they had Teddy, the guy that they wanted to go after, and it's less money. It doesn't mean he's going to be their guy forever, but it's the guy that they wanted to go after for this year, who's played for Joe Brady, his offensive coordinator, I mean, I assume they looked at the cam situation and thought, for whatever reason, I don't want to deal with that. And I do want to deal with Teddy Bridgewater, who one of our coordinator knows well.

And I think that rule is set up for success, too, because they don't have. have to win. Like, if they go 5 and 11 and they're an exciting offense, everyone's going to love Matt Rule, at least this year. In terms of public perception, just score some points and people will love Matt Rule, whereas Stefansky and McCarthy, they're going to have high expectations. I mean, they're going to be expected to win. Well, like, given Matt Rule, like, what, a six, seven-year contract? I mean, I think Stapansky has to have, if they go seven to nine again, it's like, well, Freddie Kitchen's got a seven to nine, and everyone's talking about him, like, he's the worst coach in the history of the U.S. So that's actually

kind of a high bar for Kevin's the fans to get it. The U.S. History of the U.S. I've never heard that before. I'm just saying, people now talk about Freddie Kitchens. Like, he is the worst coach ever, basically. And like, I get it. He did a bad job. But like, he was not the only person in that.

Well, you know who doesn't think so? Joe Judge, who hired him to come coach tight ends, I believe. So, you know, these guys keep power in each other no matter what happens. Well, the one thing we know about Freddie Kitchens, because we got a chance to meet and talk with them, like he seems like a totally cool guy that loves football and is passionate about it.

So maybe sometimes the guy's just not right for the big chair and the Browns learned the hard way that that appeared to be Kitchens's fate. The one guy might as well just touch on quickly. I think McCarthy is the best set up for success in Dallas, but also, and I think you've alluded to this a few times, Mark, this offseason, he also is under the most pressure because people are going to expect the Cowboys to win that division. You can't really say that with the Browns and the Giants and the Panthers, McCarthy's going to need to get that team going to the right

direction and win 10, 11 games, or he's going to be seen as, oh, we hired the guy that was burned out in Green Bay and is still getting the same type of result. So there's some pressure there, but he certainly has, especially on the offensive side of the ball, an awesome setup. Don't discount the epiphany that he had during this year away from the gridiron. So, you know, I think that's probably the secret sauce right there. I think you hit on it, though, did. Like, you don't hire McCarthy to, like, rebuild and, like, develop young players.

And, you know, it's like, they hired them because they're ready to win now, which is, okay, that makes sense. And they kept Callan Moore. They kept Callan Moore because they're ready to win now. I mean, they are one of the, you know, in the desert. And I've already seen among some of our cognizanti, they're one of the favorites. They're one of the, like, top five or six favorites to go win the whole thing. And I don't think that's that crazy. When you have that good an offense, I don't think it's crazy.

I can also think of other years. where they're the favorites because they're Dallas and it's presumed that they'll roll into the NFC title game. I mean, they've found a way to not do that for 20 plus years in a row, but what could go wrong? All right. Man, you do not like Mike McCarthy. No, I like.

That's more of a, the Cowboys have viewed themselves as a Super Bowl team since 1996. And all of a sudden, you know, Mike McCarthy can't even be in a conversation without getting married. I really wanted to get deep into it. You could almost read this. You always mentioned the epiphany and the off-season PR that he did. I mean, if I'm out there and I'm Tom Palisero and we know he doesn't listen to our podcast. But if he did, who kind of put together the biggest piece about McCarthy, I might take some offense that you're coming after my work.

Well, that is not true. But if you want to fire back, go look at anything I've written for the site over the last three months. I mean, what is talk about unnecessary fluff. Right to tell yourself, Mark. Very hard out himself today. No, I just, you know, I look at, I, I question the nature of, you know, sitting around on your phone reading like 8,000 hours of sports articles right now, but people are in different situations.

That's fair. That's fair. I've also moved on epiphany-wise. I am now all on the Baker Mayfield. I'm not going to talk trash anymore. Epiphany. That's the epiphany I'm all right. Yeah, for now.

We move in silence. He's going to, like, he's got to, like, show up to game. Sure, buddy. Like, like a ninja outfit on and to, and. And just like little small letter of silence, you know, on his shirt. All right. Move on to the next part of the show, whatever you guys have cooked up. All right.

Let's spin the wheel. It is time to the wheel of teams, which is our weekly deep dive into one team in our league. It started off with the Arizona Cardinals. Last week, we had our buddy Bob Glauber talk to the New York Giants. And now, Ricky Hall. And hey, Ricky, how are you, by the way? How are you, Ricky? I'm okay. How are you guys?

What do you think of Hartley Dykes, the former Patriots first round receiver? Yeah, no, such a bust. Tough sit. Hey, you got it right. Ricky, I heard there's demonstrations going right outside your window, too. Yeah, I get there's helicopters going on. I just got a notification that curfew went from 6 to 5 p.m. in about five minutes. The helicopters are unnerving.

So there was helicopters the entire day, non-nors. stopped yesterday from the morning until about 10.30 p.m. It went away. And then they were back around 5.5.30. And I was like, well, we're in the morning today. I was like, we're doing this again. But for the most part, they've left. Yeah. It's scary out there. Stay safe. Fricky Hollywood. We're going to spin the wheel and find out which team we will be diving deep on on Wednesday's show. Erica, are we ready? All right, Ricky, spin the wheel, baby. All right, let's go Dolphine.

Big moment here. Let's go Broncos. Oh, the Tennessee Titans. Wow. Look at that, Mark. One spot away from the Browns. So cool. I think it's better for the show that we're going to have a 20-minute conversation on the Browns anyway.

So let's go Titans here. I feel like we've over-corrected, though. We used to joke that we never talked about the Titans to now after this show, we've almost talked too much about the Titans. We've talked a lot about it. Guess what? It's coming. More Titans talk.

Greg, and we know that they knocked off your Patriots and ended Tom Brady's New England career with a pick six. You don't have to take it out on them. They were just doing what they were trained to do, which is win a football game. Yeah. Be kind.

I enjoyed their little run. Reminded me of some early Patriots teams. So, yes, we will talk about the Titans on Wednesday show. And we will talk. We will get our. heads together and pick someone from the beat or someone connected to the Titans to speak to as well. So tune in for that. All right. Before we go, we, I just want to talk about

something guys. And I know this particular person didn't necessarily want it to be something that was a big to do. But we have a well-trod saying here at the ATN podcast that we deliver football news with a touch of mirth. And that comes, all that comes both directly and indirectly from Dave Damashek, who, if you're paying attention, released this final episode of the DDFP yesterday. And the phrase is how Shaq would describe around the league news write-ups on NFL.com penned by Mark and I years ago, news with a touch of mirth.

And like I said, when he was on our show last week, Sheck is the godfather of mirth at NFL media. Before he came, it didn't exist, at least not in any form that was funny. And Mark and I didn't follow a traditional linear path to get to where we are. We started out as part-timers in 2010. And I think for me and Mark, I think we're in the same boat on this, there was two people at this company that really believed in us and gave us a chance. One was Justin Hathaway, our old news editor who hired both of us within a month of each other in 2010. And then about a year and a half later, I want to say when they were relaunching the news division of dot com had us be the editorial voice of it.

And so Justin was a champion of us. And then Shaq, you know, I had no experience talking to him like, zero. I never did it in college. I never did it after college. I was 30 years old and I was hired at the NFL. Mark, I know you weren't someone that came from any deep broadcasting background. But Sheck started to have us on the podcast. In fact, they looked it up because I was feeling a little nostalgic today.

And it was July 19th, 2012, when Dave had Mark and I on the show for the first time. And we were on a few times. And that gave birth to the ATL debate club, which was a weekly mini pod. featuring Just Mark and I tacked on to the back of Dave episodes. And then that spun out into about a year later, Greg and West now in the fold and this podcast, which was the Around the League podcast, and it's now the Around the NFL podcast, of course. And I was thinking about all this history this morning while listening to Dave's last show with us. And I know, like I said, he doesn't want us to make a big deal about him.

And I know our relationship with him is going to continue. and we look forward to having them on the show again down the line and maybe we'll cheat life one of those shex sayings and attend a Dodgers game, one of those weekday matinees, once the world to gain some sense of normalcy. But as a podcast, I just wanted to say thank you to Dave, both for the opportunities and for being such a fun person to work with all these years

and can't wait for what comes next from Dave because he's a truly talented and good dude. Yeah, I'd say real quick that, you know, I think Justin Hathaway encountered some resistance when he tried to put us in those roles of writers with opinion attached to the writing. And I'm sure Dave did too, and we never would have known about it. But the thing I could say about Dave is that that was, you know, almost 10 years ago when he gave. And if you go back and listen to that first encounter with him on a show, I sound like a scared fifth grader. I mean, I am offering no opinion of worth.

It was scary. I don't even know how to speak into the mic at that point. But the thing about Dave is that since that time, I think he's done that for about 50 other people who would have never naturally been given a role on any show. And, you know, it's some people from out of left field. And I just think that that's who Dave is. And he could have said, forget that.

And even as our show became what it was, it's the one person I always thought of that. We never would have had our show with, Dave, one of us at least would not have been on this podcast, if not both of us. I don't know how it would have all unfolded, but it doesn't happen without Damashek, not in the way that it has. He's a mensch, you know, to use the word from Dave and I's background, you know, Mazel Toff.

I mean, he's a wise man. I mean, he should. After Cyrene as many children as him, he is wise. But I do think of like a lot of his sayings, like, in life. Like I'll catch myself cheat in life and think of Dave in that moment because he has a way of like putting things so perfectly and then repeating them over and over so you never forget them. And it's like he's he's like inside of all of our heads sometimes. So what better compliment to a broadcaster than that. And we know he's going to do other great things. So I'm looking forward

to what he's he's going to be announcing coming up. Yeah. And I, I might get it i don't even know i might get an annoyed text from dave for us even talking about this but i just thought it was important i just because of all the things we just said he was such an important figure to us so uh best of luck to you dave and we will uh hear from you uh down the road hopefully soon all right that's it for today's show good show good conversation important conversation and we'll be back on wednesday yes talking about the tennessee titans and um whatever else comes across our plate. So thank you to everybody for listening.

Until then, this is Dan Hansa, signing off for The Quiet Storm. The old boss, Rick Hollywood. Stay safe there, Ricky. And everybody else, Steve Weish, of course. Until Wednesday. You know, I'm sorry. Hey everybody, Daniel Jeremiah here.

And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move the Six, we take you inside the game from breaking down college prospects and NFL rookies to evaluating team building philosophies, coaching trends, and how front offices construct winning rosters. We study the tape, talk to decision makers, and give you a perspective you won't find anywhere else. It's everything you need to understand the why behind what happens on Sunday. Don't miss it. Listen to the Move the Sticks podcast on the IHeart Radio app. podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

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