NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - Unsolved Mysteries With Andrew Siciliano

Episode Date: June 19, 2018

A room filled with heroes- Dan Hanzus, Gregg Rosenthal, Marc Sessler & Chris Wesseling - are back at full-strength, along with NFL Network’s Andrew Siciliano, to recap the latest news from around the league. The heroes discuss Odell Beckham’s training camp status (8:00), Tom Brady’s insightful interview with Oprah and his plans for retirement (12:30), how Mike McCarthy plans to run the Packers’ backfield this season (21:00) and Jay-Z says he doesn’t need the Super Bowl (25:00). They close out the show with Unsolved Mysteries as we reach the summer dark period (32:00).Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comNFL Daily YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nflpodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. The Around the NFL podcast has deep roots in Martha's Vineyard. Welcome back to another edition of the Around the NFL podcast. My name is Dan Hansis and I'm joined in a room filled with heroes. So many heroes. Mark Sessler. He's back, Chris Wessling, Greg Rosenthal, and back for the first time in a bit in a minute. Andrew Siciliano of NFL Network fame.

Was it something I said? Are you just starting? Just starting with you. I was just asking. Dan said it's been a while. Actually, there is some history. And this is a make-up date. The Yankees are down in D.C. today making up a rain out.

You are here all set. Andrew's coming on the show, week 12 or something last year. We're all excited. DeShon Watson blows out his ACL, blows out your appearance. And, yeah, maybe it should have been sooner, but here we are. Well, we tape in the middle of your show up to the minute, so that pretty much ruins it.

I am not in any way offended. I am happy to be here. I'm merely asking because I know it's a question, of course, I'm being a narcissist. That people at home would ask, why has it been so? Well, you've got to ask West. Ultimately, you've got to ask Wes. I had cancer.

I was removed from the situation for a long time. I don't use that. You break out a pretty card for everything. Yeah, one thing about having cancer is the best part about it's ability to use the C card whenever and wherever you want. want. It's not dissimilar to after you have kids. You get to get out of a bunch of things you don't want to go to back. I got the kids. Can't do it. Yeah. Got to do this. Got to do that. That said, you could also in life not have kids and also just say no to things. But it's a bit of a

a big long road to take to have that excuse up your sleeve. Yes. Sessler's is I'm in my underwear watching television. By the way, we were knocked off up to the minute the day that Dishon Watson's knee went out. So I think it's actually us who have the more powerful gripe in this scenario. It was actually a Thursday because I could tell you I was on stage four. I remember it specifically. So it really wasn't up to the minute. I believe it was TNF first look that day. Probably we weren't scheduled for that show then. I don't I don't know. I think we were. I thought we were going to get bumped that day. We got bumped for the business. You got to talk to the boss about I just work. You know, syncing up all there's too many different show titles.

Actually, art show type. You used to work for a show around the NFL. You guys stole the name of the show. Let's cut the garbage here. The show was called around the NFL, then around the league for many years. And then I was told we can no longer have the name. We were told we had to do it. This is the new, like the, it was the JFK assassination.

Where Were You? Right. Where were you when 9-11 happened? Now it's where were you when Deshawn Watson blew out his AC. No, there's no doubt that this is on the level of those two other historic events in American history. And OJ verdicts. Who did?

I like the new logo. It's still a little jarring on Twitter because, you know, your eye doesn't get used to automatically stopping on it because it doesn't flash on. Who came up with it? Greg. Greg? You did it? No.

The NFL design. Why? It was like it. It was explained. Why the need? I don't know if we talked about this or maybe we did. Because it's so different. We, it was explained to me in a call a few months back.

hey, they're going to work up a new logo. You know, do you guys want to be involved? I know these guys don't want to be involved. I don't really want to be involved. Mark's looking at West. Like, you guys wanted to be in the meetings anyway. No, no, not at all. What are the kissing cousin look?

I'm sorry if this has already been covered in a previous point. We haven't talked about it. My point is... We have new logos for all the people listening. They have no idea that we invite content. It would be your phone right out. It was explained to me, do you guys want to be involved, like, step by step? No.

Do you guys want to jump in at a... certain point and just offer your thoughts on what the logo looks like, Greg. Yeah, okay. Cut to the meeting where they unveil it. It was just like, oh, this is your new logo. It's like, okay. And it'll show, like on the TV segments in theory, they've got some stuff, some graphics. Looks good.

It does not look like it's about to jump off the screen and shoot a laser at me like the last logo. It's a little playful. Props to the new logo. All right. So welcome to the around the NFL podcast. Good news, bad news. Bad news, it's Monday. The good news, it's pretending to be knowledgeable about soccer season in the newsroom.

You hear the newsroom right now? It's like, oh, we should have done a bicycle kick there. We have a lot of soccer fans. I was not in the newsroom today, nor Friday for that matter, but we have a lot of soccer fans. Yeah, people were, you were in the huddle with me, Dan, I believe, when Spain scored in that game. I mean, the place went nuts. People are into it. I don't think they're fake fans.

We're fake fans. We don't, I don't even pretend to be a fan, but I don't know anything. I'm just saying people act a little bit, maybe a little out of their depth sometimes. Absolutely. And the first time the word kits makes an appearance, I'm out of the conversation. And I'll say this too for EPL games and for like big champions league games, EPL Saturday morning, bad example. For big Champions League games in our office, it gets loud in this one little area in the middle of the newsroom.

Like when it's El Classico with Barcelona and Madrid, they get loud. Go! I'm sorry. Oh, Robbie Kane. Kane scores in the 90th minute. 90th minute. What is it? Harry Kane.

It's Eric Kane. Harry Kane. Where what the England games are obviously in the background. I'm sorry. This will be great. Some guy named Kane just scored. England leads 2-1. The wrestler?

Kane's a very famous soccer player. I mean, this is huge. If you're the England audience, I'm sure you'll quite enjoy this moment because it's that's on two TVs in the studio right now and the header off the corner kick, was it? Oh. It'll be like reliving it all over again. Gripping radio. Is Alec Ferguson retired these days?

Wait, he played Obi-1-Kanobi, didn't he? Alec Guinness? Oh, my fault. Coming up on today's edition of the podcast, an update on O'Dell Beckham and whether or not he'll be joining his Giants' teammates when summer break concludes. Tom Brady talked to Oprah. Got to get Tom Brady and Oprah involved with the show. And we will bring it back. Unsolved mysteries.

We've done this before. Oh, yes. Okay. This might be something you can legitimately use the C-card that you weren't there last. Yeah. I think so. Unsolved mysteries in the NFL as we edge into the summer dark period. How about that?

How about that, Andrew? Pinching yourself, aren't you? It's a quiet month coming up. I'm excited. But before we do that, let's do the news. And to do that, say hello to Lindsay Fulton. How are you, Linz? I'm just great.

That's good. Loving life these days. How about you guys? Sounds like it. Happy to be here. Beautiful. Lindsay, let's do some news. Wow!

Pay attention, Jim Nance. That guy would be very annoying to probably live with as a family member, I think. That was after the Mexico goal against Germany yesterday. See, I'm plugged in. I'm a huge fan of soccer. I follow the sport. The beautiful game is what I call it. Why is it called soccer?

Because, you know, kick it around. I don't know. Short for association. Really? Yes. That's how the way. word soccer came in to be i call football just me start with odell beckham he wants a new contract we all know that he hasn't gotten a new deal but he did guarantee his attendance for training

camp according to kim jones our own kim jones um this this from kim at the end of camp odell passed reporters and when ral vakiano of s n y asked if we'll see him at training camp obj said yes sir yes you will well we can put that to bed, can't we, Andrew? Did we doubt it? Well, I'm not throwing it back in your face. I'm just saying that he has pretty much checked every box. Along the way. Offseason, you know, once we got past the league meetings and we kind of put the trade thing to bed

and the Rams went instead and got Brandon Cooks, I think he's kind of checked every box. I think he deserves, not it deserves credit, he's showing up and doing his job, but he has done everything to convince the Giants that he is not the guy that tried to beat up a wall at Lambo. Right. But there is still some doubt. So you said, like, did we ever doubt it? This is a rare instance of reporting that Vacchiana, who's covered that team forever used to be at the Daily News, got this, you know, I guess exclusive or quote from O'Dell Beckham on the way out where he, you know, says he's going to show up at training camp. And then in that same article, Bacchiano has a source familiar with Beckham's plans saying there are still five and a half weeks left and the source caution those plans could change if there's no movement in contract, which is about as easy to read as possible in terms of sourcing.

It sounds like Beckham's camp is like still putting it out there, still trying to put some sort of pressure despite what their client is saying, that at least let's start keep these negotiations moving forward, or else it's a threat. I see a guy with no leverage. I don't see how you can take it that seriously that he's going to get a new contract in the next couple of weeks. The Giants seem to have no interest in providing that. They can franchise them. I mean, it's like, do we really think that's going to happen in the next 20 days, 30 days? Well, the agent apparently is trying to get some conversation going at least, at least so that there's some sort of talk. Apparently, the Giants have not been interested whatsoever at least in getting close to what he wants.

it could work out for him as well he's coming off obviously the injury that wrecked his season if he does play out this year has an Odell Beckham type monster season he has more leverage then to put the Giants over a barrel yeah but I don't

I personally don't see him playing without a new contract right that's the thing this season yes well we'll have to track that as we get closer to training camp you got a point there I was going to say the 2014 first round obviously

we're talking about all these guys now and Zach Martin just got his deal. The interesting thing is no one's really trying to figure out Clowny's number and he was taken number one overall in that draft. And the franchise tag card is the one card that nobody, I'm not blaming the media here, but I think people in general choose to overlook. You guys clearly do not. Well, what's Aaron Donald going to do? What's Kalee Mack going to do? They have the Rams and the Raiders and the Giants do as well. That franchise hard option. And it's something you also have to consider when you're trying to figure out the number that any of these guys deserves. The Rams or the Raiders, I'm sure we'll hear, well,

here's what Indomacan Su got, right? Here's what JJ. Well, not all those guys are equal. Indomacan Su was an unrestricted free agent at the time. And these guys, Mark, to your point, only have so much leverage. We can argue about. about whether the CBA does them right or not, but they only have so much leverage. Now, the leverage they do have, though, is not show up. And the Giants are a decidedly different team without O'Dell Beckham Jr.

I'm sorry, Pat Schumer isn't the Magic Man that without the number one offensive player in that division on the field, that they're going to just win without them. You're better off if you're drafted in the second round if you're going to be a superstar, especially if it's the end of the first round, if that first round contracts,

essentially with the franchise tag, It's almost like six years that they own you for. Moving on, Tom Brady, the Patriots quarterback, met with Oprah, the mogul. And when two members of the Illuminati get together, Mark, and they sit down for a wide-ranging one-on-one interview, we're listening. We are. We are the official. I did.

I missed it entirely and learned about it today, but in general, yes. I parsed it out. I studied it, note for note, word for word. And at the heart of it, or at least the biggest takeaway, for a lot of, of people is Tom Brady talking about retirement once more, which was once upon a time not such a thing with Tommy. Here is what Tom had to say about the idea of retirement. I think about it more now than I used to. I think now I'm seeing that there's definitely an end coming sooner rather than later. Oprah then asked Tom, you know, what do you think? Like age 43, age 45. What's up Tom?

Good job by Oprah. As long as I'm still loving it. As long as you're loving it, you're going to do Yes, it's always I'm loving the training and the preparation and willing to make the commitment. But it's also, I think what I've alluded to a lot in, you know, in the docu-series was there's other things happening in my life too. You know, I do have kids that I love. And I don't want to be a dad that's not there driving my kids to their games. And, you know, I think kids, you know, my kids have brought a great perspective in my life, you know, because kids just want the attention. You better be there and be available to.

to them. Yeah. Or else they're going to look back on their life and go, hey, dad didn't really care that much. I love it. Wes, you have, you pointed out earlier today, in fact, that this is kind of a story that people aren't talking about. It's amazing to me. I said this back in March that I think, I can't believe that the most underreported story

of the NFL offseason is Tom Brady's changing mentality, which is Stark, that he went from being, if you're going to compete against me, you better be willing to give up your life because I'm willing to give up mine. That was in the first episode of Tom versus Time. And then by the last episode, at the end of the season, he was wavering on how much longer he wants to play. And now he's saying he doesn't come to a lot of the practices. So he's not putting in that work that he was putting in years before.

And now he's saying, I don't know how much longer I'm going. To me, that's a 180-degree turn and mentality from where he was. You don't think that's a cliffhanger for season two? Like it's at the end of the season, and now he's saying you have to tune in for next year. You're not being a cynic. I do think, I think it's more a reaction, how do I phrase this? I think we were all delusional when we thought that he was, oh, he's going to play till he's 50.

No, he's not going to play till he's 50. I think the end has always been very, very close. But Chris, you're absolutely right. Now he is admitting that the end is very close. And that is somewhat telling. And the no OTAs thing is telling as well. I think that's as much as anything. So much of it is, so much of Tom.

Brady and who he is and how he got to where he is his mindset, that he is willing to go places other athletes aren't willing to go to get better and to stay better and to master his body. And it sounds to me like he's not quite as committed to doing all that. I totally agree. His words stand out because I think as an athlete more than almost any other profession, when you start whispering about the end, you start whispering and at this point not whispering, I mean, stating to Oprah of all people that the end is much sooner than people think, that that isn't a total shift mentally.

And I wouldn't be surprised that this was his last season. Plus, I'm not just Oprah, but they're sitting on some nice wicker chairs outside on Super Soul Sunday. It's called Super Bowl Sunday. Oh, is that on the own network? Yeah. Oh, is that in like Modicito at her estate? Where was that? Super Soul Sunday.

It's just a beautiful. It's leafy wherever. It's a beautiful setup. lovely setup but it doesn't really i thought he was here like when he talked about that he was talking with peter king last year he was so fired up after winning the super i'm gonna last forever i think we even talked about in this room like okay that's that's great he's on this high i think anyone at this age he's one injury away and he's ultimately year to year because just the nfl we've seen even if your tom brady can change so much this feels like the first year to me anyway that brady is going

year by year yeah and if you read the reports and talk to people even this offseason counted as that. He had to really think whether or not he wanted to keep doing this. I think not going to OTAs is already showing a change in his commitment level and where his priorities are a little bit. I think, Mark, I wouldn't be stunned. Now, I pray for these things that you speak of.

You've been on this story for a while. But it wouldn't stun me. It shouldn't stun anybody. Well, can I just say I think the one reason we believed him in previous years because he had a single-minded obsession with maintaining his body in a way that

no 40-something-year-old athlete ever did. And now, maybe Hershey Walker did. Sure. But Tom Brady, I mean, this is a different mentality. It's so different to me that it's jarring that we don't believe it anymore. I don't believe it anymore because he's not willing to put in that work. Or let me offer this. Jimmy Garoppolo is going to make double what Tom Brady makes this year.

Maybe Tom Brady would like a sweetener at the end, a lovely parting gift to stick around for a year or two. That could be involved as well. In his mind, he is putting in all that extra work, and he talked about it with Oprah. He just thinks his way of doing the work is more efficient than showing up and going to OTAs. Or Oprah Brady 2020. You think he's working as hard this offseason as he has? In his words, he views, you know, when she brought up. He seems to be doing a lot of traveling.

When he's done a lot of traveling throughout his career. I mean, he's basically been all over the globe every off season since, I don't. since I would say 05-06. Something feels different right now. Yeah, the OTA's thing is a big difference, although he has skipped those in the past, you know, some years as well. But the way he puts it is that, look, I love and respect Belichick, you know, that's his words of that, you know,

I think he's the greatest coach. You know, we have different ideas on how to, how I should prepare for the season. And so that is different than the rest of the team. And I prepare in my own way. And that's, you know, TB12. Not a big deal. This, the quotes.

That's not. I mean, him getting older is a big deal, sure. It's a huge deal. If they're five and four, hypothetically. It's a huge deal if after next season he retires and Jimmy G. isn't there to play anymore. And it's like, why didn't we see this coming earlier? Because his mindset didn't change until.

Yeah, I agree. In other news, the Dallas Cowboys will once again be playing without David Irving to start a season. Rap sheet first reported on, when was this, Friday? Yep. Friday that the pass rusher suspended four games for violating the NFL's policy and substances of abuse. The team later announced it. Irving can take part in all the offseason practices and preseason games. You may remember if this feels like deja vu.

Irving was suspended for the first four games last year. That was for a PED test, failing a test for PEDs. And he also missed the end of last season with concussion issues. So, Mark, this man is not on the field a lot. when he is on the field, he does good things for the Cowboys. He gets to the quarterback, but this is a problem because he's got some issues. I think this podcast has liked David Irvin, the player for a long time. And I think the Cowboys saw that incredible potential too.

But now Dallas Cowboys.com writer David Hellman, in his opinion, from what he's hearing, sounds like the Cowboys will not. There's no extension coming for this player. This is probably the last year for him in Dallas. And I think it's a loss because it's a guy who, when he's on the field, he is disruptive. It's a great player. Their front seven pieces the last three years, it's so maddening because this guy's hurt, this guy's suspended, this guy's suspended, this guy's hurt, and then this guy's suspended. It seems like it's a common team here.

If you're a Cowboys pass rusher, I'm just going to assume you're going to miss the first month of the season. Exactly. I mean, imagine if they ever, if Rod Marinelli actually had a consistent group to work with, imagine how good he might make them. David Irving, I'm sorry, is unreliable, and I don't give contract extensions to people that are blatantly unreliable. Can't trust them, can't have them. Can't work with him.

It'll wind up on the Patriots having 14 sacks, two years from now. Moving on, the Green Bay Packers, you know, always an adventure trying to figure out the backfield in Green Bay. They got some guys there. Ty Montgomery, Jamal Williams, Aaron Jones, all players who could potentially have a role. And guess what? Mike McCarthy, the Packers head coach, says they all will have a role.

In fact, he has this to say after the end of their minicamp. The fact of the matter is we're going to go running back by committee. Greg Rosenthal, you're buying? I am that they'll start out that way. I like that you added a lot of intrigue into a... What's wrong with running back by committee? A very rote... You buy the story.

I asked a question. I'm buying. Okay. And then I'm hoping that Aaron Jones... Yes. Wes loves, and the more I went back and watched him a little. I hope he takes care of this job, that he takes it. And Ty Montgomery is kind of sprinkled in because he's too good to totally.

Aaron Jones has a problem. Yes, he's by far the best runner in this group. He's the most dynamic playmaker in this group. Jamal Williams is a better blocker, better receiver. He's bigger. He's more durable. So I think those two are going to split a lot of carries. And they're left once again to wonder what or who Ty Montgomery is.

Who is he, by the way? Have we figured it out? Well, maybe we could address that in our unsolved mysteries. I don't think he's a running back either, but I will say this. They don't really... Damn good little running back when they have to use them. He's perfect for a team that doesn't have a third receiver at all. So you would think they can move him, they can be creative.

Show us something, Joe Filbert and Mike McCarthy. Like, give me a running back that makes plays for Aaron Rogers. Aaron Rogers always making running backs look better. How about a running back that does some things on their own, makes him look better? I also have no problem with running back by committee. I know Fabiano would come in and beat me sense. I mean, it's worked for the Patriots for like a decade. Of course it has.

I couldn't care less. Do you really think Fabiano could beat you since? No, not at all. Actually, your arms are looking somewhat jacked. You're here in a short sleeve shirt in the middle of gym. I haven't worked out and God knows how much. Are we already at the point of the show where Andrew comes on and we start talking about his body? I feel like it happens.

I'm fat. How can we not? By the way, Mark, is it time to take a walk? I think it might be. We're going to take a walk over to the Mark Sessler Fantasy Corner while we're on this topic. Wow. Let's head over there. It's been a while.

Let's head over to the corner. Such a surprise. I mean, I look at this topic. I thought this is a prime area to offer a little bit of fantasy advice. Here in the middle of June, as you start to prepare your potential rosters, dynasty league stuff, I would stay away from this backfield. That's all I have to say. All right.

You're the Browns also. are looking at a backfield by committee. Well, yeah. They've been doing a lot of things by committee for a long time. Let's see how that works. I figured I throw the Browns thing actually. There was no vote. There used to be a time in your neighborhood, Mark,

where you could hide in one of those phone booths. No longer. Now it's just like. No longer. The Nasty Corner actually is in his neighborhood because there's been some drama in your neighborhood from time to time. Actually, you're absolutely right. We're talking of your physical neighborhood?

Yeah, it's not too. I can walk there. from five minutes from here. That's where the fantasy corner is. There's some police active. Robberies, there was a helicopter, which I'm sure Dan heard this over, our house for like four hours last week.

Did they finally find you? Yes, they did. It was Simone wondering. But it was very, there is one little tiny little nugget that was very annoying because, like, this helicopter was looking for a runaway robber. And, like, I woke up Simone. And I was like, Simone, like, are you hearing this?

Because there were police cars all parked outside of our house. And she's like, oh, I forgot. I left the side gate open. And there's a suspect running around looking for shelter. So I had to run out in, like, my underwear and try to close the side gate with like a helicopter light on me thinking I'm going to be viewed as some suspect in my own home. I do love the idea of at the end of a mark staycation. Simone just summons a helicopter to go search and get you back home.

She's like, check the Culver City bars first. It's pretty much accurate. They have a whole map set up and they just go. across like all these walking tap. Dan's been put on that task before. It is fun.

Finding Mark is fun. All right. Finally in the news, you may have heard, I'm sure you have, if you're moderately plugged into popular culture, that Jay-Z and Beyonce

dropped a surprise album featuring the new single ape poop. Let's listen to it a little bit. They say I'm classy but I would call it classy. see me coming they was looking past me

I ain't chipping up I keep a love pro why are you shaking your head because these guys think this is Jay-Z I don't think this is Jay-Z Frank I was listening

to the Jay-Z before you were I was going to say this sounds a little different but I'm laughing at the what's going on here just in general I was saying to our producer

Lindsay before the show that that's in our rights-free library even though we're talking directly about this album and should be able to play a clip from the new album

our bosses, the shadowy league figures and all their brilliance, say we can't play anything, even that's newsworthy. So I was saying there's a guy that gets paid to sound like Jay-Z for free libraries. That's an interesting niche. That's pretty good. And I was grabbing my phone because I honestly knew nothing of this album over the weekend. I've been in a cave. And I was trying to look up a story to be prepared.

Oh, okay. My title subscription finally paid off. So last year, it's also on Apple Music now, which I was a surprise. I don't know. Anyway, Jay-Z was in the news last year that Jay-Z in the NFL could not come to a deal for him to do the Super Bowl. And now Jay-Z on the new single with Beyonce, and the album is called Everything is Love under the title of the Carter's. What does he say? He says this in the song, Ape Poop. It's actually Ape S. Ah, I can't see.

Family show. I said no to the Super Bowl. You need me. I don't need you. Every night, we in the end zone. tell the NFL, we in stadiums too. So that's a bit of a power play by Jay-Z. But he's wrong, by the way. Yes, he could fill stadiums, but you look, there is an absolute business monetary gain to be had from playing halftime of the Super Bowl. It just, if you want more people to hear your music.

We should do it. But Beyonce has done it twice. One says the lead. Yeah. What else do you need to know? Top 10 NFL rap references. That's what. Top 10 NFL rap references.

Ten. Go. Has that slide you? Show been on the site? No, no, no. Top 10 NFL. Top 10 NFL rap reference. I think Rhino made that slideshow.

I'd be hard pressed to come up with. What's the number one? I don't know. I just, I had Bismarkey pop into my head, kicking like Bruce Lee and Jim Kelly, which made no sense. No, that does not make sense. I think Fife Dog, may he rest in peace, had a couple. I got to think of them.

He had a bunch of NBAs, too. I like, little Wayne had like a Frank Gore reference on the drought three. And that was kind of like my Right at the end of Little Wayne's kind of Incredible run there So that combination for me was That's big for you in your world That's the whitest conversation

What about Wiz Khalifa? Black and Yellow, black and yellow What a horrible song that is Bangers Bangers are plenty on this album I'm shocked I'm shocked at your Ambivalence

Oh my gosh That's what's happening in the news Mark you wanted to touch on something Well I did And I don't, I religiously don't listen to this show when I'm not here. Yes. So I can't reference this first person, but it has come to my attention that the three of you, Andrew, we do sandwich props here where we, and we had a Super Bowl related one where I suggested that the Super Bowl would produce a play with a nickname that would be bigger than anything before, bigger than the helmet catch, bigger than anything in any previous Super Bowl. And I came out of the game thinking, well, I lost that.

But then the Philly Special, not instantaneously, which is an argument against me winning this, but over time started to bubble up and gain a claim. There was no time limit on there. No, there was no time limit. So I think it's nebulous. Some people will say, yes, it's bigger than the helmet catch. I actually believe that the three of you probably came up with the correct results,

except I don't like the way that you did it. With me, not here. It is clown work to operate that way while I am out of the studio. Where's the flag? I think Philly Special is legitimate. I mean, it's been trademarked. It's on T-shirts. It's big.

I mean, the number of the diamonds in the ring. It's directly related to the guys. Keeps gathering momentum. West does not agree. I think you're a winner. Our listeners are 100% now and blowing up stories and misrepresenting them. When a person of the podcast is near, I went out of my way to say I'm proud of you, that you really nailed this. You got this.

Well, I'm also rabble-rousing because I didn't hear it, so I will go listen. I'm assuming that you did. At the time that it was a little strong to say he was proud of you. I kind of. I appreciate that, once again. But we gave you credit that it was a long shot and you're very close, but if we have to judge it, helmet catch. You got it. No, well, I don't know.

Hold on. I guess I actually, I think helmet is bigger. Okay, I'm confusing. I thought it was that there would be a play with an iconic name. What you said is that the iconic name would trump the others. When we do these propositions, I always manage to add a layer of detail that dooms me every time. To make it unwinnable. Right, because they probably would have taken me up had I not included the word bigger then.

I agree with your flag there. Yeah, this is not bigger than the drive. One of the listeners has sent this does not pass the look at yourself in the mirror test. Apparently the way we know. Is this Super Bowl only? Super Bowl only It's no fumble There's no

Drive It's as Beyonce You know Said on this album Which delights me It's like get off my D-Boh Come on

She said it Not something Greg said to utter Too many times Hey that time you said that On up to the minute I thought was great too And one tip mark If you are going to come at us like that

I know I should listen to the SEG You know listen Whenever number one You can make a proposition And you come You take it 95 yards and fail I'm fine with that.

And then to come up at U3 with literally no research done, that's part B of that. All right. So you came close, but no cigar. All right, now. Like L.A's drive

just stopped at the two-yardlinger. Can I hear fake J-Z again? I just enjoy his fake work. This sounds nothing like J-Z. This isn't even fake J-Z. You're wrong, Ed. It's kind of fake J-Z. Early, fake did.

Jay Farrow sounds more like Jay Z than this guy does. This is Sean Carter, S-E-A-N. This sounds like the NFL hired rappers that rap about like the upcoming game on those hideous commercial segments. This is Jay-Y. This is Jay-Y.

Okay. All right, let's move on now. Yes, we are in the summer dark period. Let's enjoy it. And what happens during the summer dark period? Well, you find ways to get our blood pumping. The NFL. The NFL, Wes, and thank you.

This music is me flashbacks. The NFL goes dark, but leaves behind Unsolved Mysteries. So that's what we're here for. That's what the money's for. They go dark. We stay. We try to bring the light to darkness. Only light can defeat the darkness.

So that's why we're here, Mark, Cessler. Good preamble. Welcome back, by the way. Thank you. So we're going to go around the room. Andrew Siciliano of NFL Network. Up to the minute, live, host that. Great skill.

He also, the Red Zone. And a lot of people say, ooh, Siciliano or Hanson, who you got? Sicilianna. well we always side with a friend of the show how much do I are you for that I mean that's not even close thank you so Brunson burner blowtorch I like that

so I love you guys so let's go around the room and offer up one unsolved mystery and maybe I oversold all of us because we're not necessarily giving the answer to the mystery but we're just putting it out there just like Robert Stack once did

like there's not always the chupacabra there's not always an up at the end that solves the mystery. It's out there as a mystery. And maybe come the end of August or the end of the 2018 season, you get the update and everybody gets a little excited in their pants. Update.

And you get the update. But for now. The chupacabra was actually a fox. I have spent an embarrassing amount of time in my life researching chupacabras. Yeah. Everybody's had a chupacabra. Like, didn't hear of this. It was a pincher of some kind.

I believe. Mark, get us going. Well, I mean, there's a lot of weather-worn storylines out there. The one for me, I'd like to see whether or not Earl Thomas is on the Seahawks when the season begins. Because for all the back and forth, it seems to be getting a bit more contentious. And they asked Pete Carroll, will he be on the roster? And his response was, we'll see. This is one of the best players that we've watched while we've been on this podcast together.

For the record, the president says we'll see for everything. He does. Pete Carroll, maybe a bit of a different guy. I'm interested to see if they might move them because Seattle obviously this offseason for the first time with this regime have made it very clear that they're starting over at many position groups

that the identity of this team has been completely overhauled and the players that are going are long-term veterans that are overtly not buying into what Pete Carroll is selling at this point and Earl Thomas may not be on board with this rebuilding plan and maybe the Seahawks move on. We will see.

He's definitely the most likely of all the potential holdouts, which is a great list of players this year. I mean, they're the best players in the league. Levyon Bell, Aaron Donald, Cleo Mac, Earl Thomas, O'Dell, you know. Julio Jones. Right, it goes on. I mean, these are like first team all pros. He's the most likely to get traded before the season,

or that something crazy could happen. But keep hearing about Dallas. He's waiting for the Cowboys to give up, like, 42 points in the third preseason game, and then Jerry Jones to just, like, flip out and send a first round. Makes so much sense. They'll see it as I could see him with the star in his helmet and them giving up a first round pick that they have no business giving up and making it happen. I feel like you said the most underreported storyline that you're surprised about Wes that it was Tom Brady. To me it's it's the new empathy post by Pete Carroll.

That's the most underreported story of the off season that like if I feel like he put that out there and everyone is just like, oh yeah, it's just Pete being Pete. It's just an important document. It is Pete being Pete. I don't know. If Kanye West put that out or something, like people would have gone crazy. What's wrong with this person? You have a major issue with this empathy thing, and I have a major issue with anybody who has an issue with empathy.

Well, I don't have an issue with empathy. What's wrong with empathy? Empathy is great. But you're overreacting to, like, how bizarre this is or how weird Pete Carroll's post was. I think, like at the bottom of it, he's coming from a warm place. Okay. I don't know.

I mean, look at the way. Look what he's asking for, and look what other people in this country are asking for. What he's asking for is pretty sensible and relatable. He just seems like he's entering a new part of his life, and I wonder how connecting with, you know, 22-year-old football players fits into that. Look, he has been able, and this goes back to SC as well. He has been able to connect with young people, and he has been able to make people forget how old he is.

How old is Pete? Can we do the Google real quick? Seven? Upper 60s, I think. He's pushing 70. Pete does not look at... 367 in September. Okay, so he's going to be 67 this season.

He looks great. He moves a lot slower. Pete's that guy. I'm going to compare him to Jim Brown real quick. Jim Brown obviously now uses a cane and he's really slow. Jim Brown has had trouble moving around for years, but when he would walk through an airport, and I've seen this many times, he does not want you to see that he is slow. and he is going to move.

And Pete is that guy as well. Pete's got a little trouble moving around, but he is never going to let you know that he is not a young man still. It was a bit of a stretch with that comparison. But you get my point. And that's why Earl Thomas is going to be on the field week one. Well, look, he had to get rid of all the old guys

that are now sick of that act. I feel like Earl Thomas is the outlier. I think Earl's sick of it. But Earl would like to get paid, and that is the most important thing. and if getting paid happens in Seattle, then he's all in. Earl Thomas feels like a major part of an era of Seahawks football that is over now. Yeah, he's the guy that's still lingering.

Wes, give us a mystery that's yet to be solved. It seems like it should be the goal of every sports franchise to be at least semi-successful and stay in the playoff hunt every year. But it takes more than that. Your team has to be fun. It has to be exciting. It has to have buy-in from people, especially fans. For the entire existence of this podcast, we've been throwing shade at the Chiefs for being boring

because we didn't, and also because we didn't trust it. We didn't think an Alex Smith-led team could get to the Super Bowl and win it. To me, the biggest unsolved mystery is when the calendar flips from July to August to September, are we going to discover that the Patrick Mahomes chiefs are must-watch TV, and they might be our favorite team in the NFL. I think they're going to be must-watch, but does must-watch mean consistently? winning. No, to me it's consistently captivating.

I think they're going to be captivating because I think that guy is fantastically fun to watch, but I don't know that it's going to translate into winning every week. Well, I wouldn't expect that the happening year one. Well, defense, they have a lot of room

for improvement on defense. They have Kareem Hunt, who's pretty under the radar for a guy who led the league in rushing as a rookie. You know, he can get better. Tyree Kill, Travis Kelsey. I mean, they are primed. They're loaded. They have a lot of potential.

And a white receiver making $16 million you haven't mentioned. Yeah, they have potential to be better if Mahomes can replicate Alex Smith. Right. And this didn't happen in a desperate fashion. I mean, they could have, if they wanted to, if they really didn't feel Mahomes could make the leap. And Andy Reid knows what he's talking about when it comes to quarterbacks. They didn't have to trade Alex Smith. They could have kept them both for another year.

Because they're not ultimately looking for someone to replicate Smith. They're looking for a guy that's a difference maker. A higher ceiling. It gives you a higher ceiling, whether that ceiling, if he reaches that in year one, if he does, look out. Even though Alex Smith had his best statistically, which can be deceiving, his best downfield throwing season and his best overall season of his career. I think a little under the radar, I think, just to piggyback on that, has anyone read at all into Sammy Watkins' comments about how fun and how exciting and how he's on the same page with the quarterback and how this offense suits him as a very subtle diss to 2007. here in L.A. Am I the only one that sees that a little bit?

He said some things that he basically, look, he got there late in camp. Very late. Well, not, he got midway through campers. It's late before the season to get there. And basically, he thought he's over there as the X on one side of the field. He's drawn double teams the whole season, and that's part, and he's just running those vertical routes. And that he was, you know, that was his role.

You know, I think coaches would say, well, you've got to be better to beat those double teams and do something like that. But his role was that, and that's it for the Rams. And maybe that wasn't that much. I mean, that offense helped him to the second most touchdowns he's had in his career in a season, too. He denied it anyway have a bad season. Drew.

It never was, you know, through the roof as the offense was through. Anybody call you Drew? Most of my, yeah, my family does. Almost exclusively. Drew, give us an unsolved mystery. So I have like 10 of them, but I'll take an easy one, and I truly do think it. It is a mystery, and that is regardless of how optimistic,

and I think we all notice the difference in tone and attitude, demeanor, everything from Andrew Luck last week. We still really don't know if he's going to consistently be able to let it rip. And when they say that he wants to manage training camp as if it's a game week, only throw one or two times during that game week, well, training camp is a little different. And I am all four, and I read what Breer wrote this morning about easing him in, and they are not going to push at any and everything, and his attitude told me a lot last week.

It is still a mystery as to whether or not all of this caution and optimism will mean come September. He's the guy that we saw three years. And that, to me, is a mystery. There are other ones like Can, Matt Negi, and Mitch. It's Mitch now, not Mitchell. smart. Can Met Nagy and Mitch Trubisky have that same kind of offensive leap that say

Sean McVeigh and Jared Gough had last year? That's what the Bears won. I mean, they're really I mean, they would love to see that. Young coach, top of the draft quarterback, bam, year two, it happens with more offensive weapons around. I think that is a mystery as well. I also think from visiting Detroit a couple of weeks ago or two, I don't have lost track of time. Humble brag. Well, I was in Chicago too. I love that the show's on the road I've heard for five straight years five straight years that the lions are going to run the ball this year

and damn it they mean it they mean it now that it seems wherever you put Ragnow left guard or wherever that they have all the pieces in place on that offensive line right can they actually run the football this year because I mean if I had a dollar for every year they've claimed it's going to work I'd probably have five dollars but you know what I'm saying

I keep hearing it. Yeah. Well, their running backs were always either a bunch of guys who were jitterbugs or a bunch of guys who are big but way too slow to be playing the position. And now they've got LaGarrette Blunt, and they've got Kerryon Johnson, who might be a good mix of both. So at least the personnel is different than it's been in that whole five years that you're talking about. And Abdullah as well, whatever they decide to do with them,

there was one thing that I did take from Detroit about the running backs. They may actually have a surplus at the end of the end of August. Amir Abdullah. It would be an interesting trade candidate. They may have a surplus there. Keep an eye on that. Moving on, an unsolved mystery in the AFC's North Division. Robert Stack emerges out of the fog in a graveyard.

What? In a creepy trench coat. What? What's going on over in the old Ravens Nest, the quarterback situation? because obviously Joe Flacco is still capital T, capital M, the man, in terms of getting the reps. But John Harbaugh is continuously finding ways to get Lamar Jackson, the number 32 overall pick on the field.

He's lining up at multiple positions throughout off-season practice, which got some people in the football cognizante fired up. Oh, no, this is how you rule Lamar Jackson. Come down, everybody got that just a little bit. But it does remain to be seen what they're going to do here, how Flacco react to it, how you're able to coexist if you do try to play two quarterbacks. Here's a quote from Harbaugh.

Gosh, I sure like him out there helping us. If you put two quarterbacks on the field at once, what options does it create for our offense? That's what we're trying to find out. Greg, the Ravens could look very different on offense unless this is all just talk. I thought Harbaugh was throwing that out there to just get people thinking. I'm sure they'll think about it.

I'm sure they'll try to maybe do it as a trick play every three games or something, but I don't think it's going to change their offense. Over under 12 snaps this year with two quarterbacks on the field for the Ravens. Over. I'll take the over. Really? You're buying it. Oh, yeah.

Now, I'm not saying it's going to be a lot. How many the Ravens watchable? Come with us. How many teams since you've been following football have used two quarterbacks on the field at the same time, more than 10 snaps in a season? I don't have an answer for that. But does this feel like? How about Mark Sanchez out on?

on the edge. They tried it with Mansell and Hoyer. And it quickly went away. But doesn't this feel like a scenario where the team and this specific example, something could happen? Yes. Because Joe Flacco's fading. Because everyone loves Lamar Jackson.

No, because. Send him out wide. Like, they always do. Be a statue like he is when he's playing quarterback. I don't believe it because NFL players are so good that Lamar Jackson, without any training, or very little training isn't going to be as good as a number three receiver or your number three running back or whatever. I find it interesting that they have RG3 on the team

who years ago, some years ago, would have been the guy you would want on the field along with another quarterback to use in different ways. And he's not even in the conversation. I'm going to tune to Lamar Jackson. Hey, hey, guys, I got this. Hey, I'm the mature one who's going to handle grooming the young quarterback. I got this.

Mark, I got an update for you. Update. RG3 has been released. Well, I wouldn't be shocked at all if he didn't even make the team. If Bob's not making it. After he teaches Lamar Jackson how to. Like, right? How often do they keep three quarterbacks?

Nobody keeps three. So, I would say this about Lamar Jackson. It is not a story to me that they may use him on the field with Joe Flacco. It is a story that John Harbaugh made a very transparent and blatant attempt on Tuesday for the very first time, because he really didn't do it in rookie minicamp. And he didn't do it on draft day to go, hey, everybody, y'all better start thinking about this. I am now willing to admit that we're looking at this stuff. So I'm going to throw it out there.

I'm surprised he did it in June and didn't wait until later to pull that card out maybe week one. A little trip to the Ravens Nest. It's rare. Close this out, Greg. All right. An unsolved mystery. The gravitas in your voice immediately takes us there. We're in an old dock.

You know, as the Cowboys talk about. Their DAC-friendly offense, the phrase I didn't want to hear anymore, this offseason. And they say, well, we don't really need a number one receiver. Don't worry about that. They got a little problem. They don't even have a number two receipt. And so my unsolved mystery is basically just who is Dak Prescott throwing the ball to me. I don't care that they're focused on the running game and that it's 2018.

You have to throw the ball. Their number one receiver in terms of production, by a good margin, is terrible. parents william he is the most productive and esteemed player on that team you have esteemed i mean in terms of NFL career experience he might be gone in the mid the beginning of the season with a suspension anyways you're counting on alan or cut you're counting on alan hernes to be a big factor maybe a third round rookie michael gallop maybe taevan smith who you also play running back maybe cole beasley who was you know kind of just disappeared last year like you you cannot get by with a bunch of guys who are probably three and four receivers it's not that they're

just don't have a number one is they don't really have a starter level of receiver. I mean, they've been talking about Michael. How they're going to advance the ball through the air when they're trailing? They've been talking about Michael Gallup all offseason, but even the first round receivers have been so hot and cold their first year, if not sometimes they're second. I mean, it's not in the production, right? I have a different unsolved mystery about the Cowboys.

Oh, wow. When is our employer going to change his name to the National Cowboys Network? Oh. Thanks, dad. Like, 78% of our stories are the Cowboys. I can't call home without, in the first 60 seconds, my dad telling me, and I really liked your show today until you got to the Cowboys. I mean, every day.

Doesn't have to wait long to get to the Cowboys. Son, you disappointed me again. Somebody's punching the coach on the Titans practice field. Let's break away from that because somebody sneezed in the Cowboys locker room. Do your parents watch you every day? The show is on the majority of days. That doesn't mean they make it through. My parents are in their 70s.

Sometimes you don't hold their interest through the entire show. That is what I'm getting at. My parents are in their 70s. They're like, oh, it's Jane Slater from Frisco again. Let's move on. The four Eastern is right around midday nap time. So they sometimes do snooze with the TV on. Yes.

And they love Jane. however They didn't race Jane Correct They don't love Jane I mean they They love Drew My dad

But my dad has had this Backlash against Excessive Cowboy Coverage I believe since the 70s Love you dad I think we We lead by example here

And I don't think we've overtalked The Cowboys this offseason Much of me should ask Instead of trading for Earl Thomas Which veteran receiver do they trade for At the end of August You know who will be good? Does Brian at like a half the price

It might work Might work Is it that crazy Come on Yes, it is Why? Crazy Why can't we just

Are you? They said they're not going to They So? Bring them back anyway And you could kind of see In all or nothing Exactly

The issues he created Not to mention He almost And I had forgotten That he had basically His worst game of his career To give away Their playoff appearance

Against the Seahawks Where he turned the bottom washed their hands at that moment? I'm just saying he turned the ball over twice. No, because they didn't decide until May, but he did turn the ball over twice and ruined two drives in the game that ended their season. Which kind of encapsulated his entire.

The experience feels over. But who's better right now in that roster? I don't know. I guess they're going to go with the unknown, the unsolved mystery. People who know far more football than me can look at tape and tell you that he is not the player he was five years ago and that he is no longer worth what they were paying him.

Well, and their own coaching staff felt that way two years ago. I also think that there's an addition by subtraction, not necessarily in productivity, but they, look, no one's calling Des a bad person. I think what they're saying is it just got to be too much. As much as Jason Garrett says all the right things on the podium about, we love his fire, we love his enthusiasm, no one loves football more than Des. He's just kind of a pain to deal with. Let's just say it how it needs to be said. You don't want to deal with him anymore. Week 1, starting wide receiver for the Cowboys,

and I'm not saying this solves all their problems. Corey Coleman. Ooh. Baylor Unit. Hey, I saw Corey Coleman make a couple of nice catches in the back of the end zone. Mark's been trying to get rid of Cory Coleman. No, I'm not trying to get rid of him, but I, like, I, you ask if he's a real pleasant guy in the locker or me either. How about this?

Mike's like working on his Jimmy Haslam impression. and he's just going to start calling Jerry Jones directly. Hey, I'd like to see him work out, actually. A lot of Baylor fans in the Dallas area, right? You're the GM of the Browns, and the Cowboys ring you up, third round pick for Cory Colvin. I don't think they'd get a third. Well, but yes.

You should probably take it then. Do it. Yeah, I would. Then you're basically, you're saying. At the same time, like, I also, I think that maybe you give him one more year and see if it works. Just what the Browns need more third round pick. Yeah, what's, exactly?

Exactly. What's Problem Child from Florida? What's this, the fourth round pick they took? Calloway. Yes. Right? Ernie Old Calloway? Yeah, right? I mean, his, I think his selection says all you need to know about.

I thought you were talking about the little scene problem child. With John Ritter? Number four. Oh, no, no, I missed that one. Rest in peace. By the way, for all the Sashiites, they drafted like five receivers two seasons ago, and none of them are a factor. Right. Well, they couldn't catch.

Or in the league. No, Richard Higgins is still there. I saw Richard Higgins. I don't know if I'd call him a factor. He's not a factor, but his name is Hollywood. Maybe they should trade him out here to the Chargers or something. They could use a wide receiver that stays healthy. Andrew, you said it all.

You came here. It was a rain date. You made it up. Sean Watson couldn't stop you this time. I talked too much. I just want to say that I made a conscious effort to not just blah and laugh. No, you were excellent. It was great having you.

I wasn't the big horseshoe. The big horseshoe. And the next time we'll see you is tomorrow because it's the big NFL talent. Medias. Yes, the summit. Whatever it is. You are, are you speaking at it? How?

I sit in the back of the room. Okay. That's my goal. Yeah, I drink coffee and, you know, try to keep my head down. Last year, no, the last couple of years, I believe they've assigned seats for this thing. They want people to mingle. I was in the second row or the third row last year and it was difficult. They put Hansis next to Daniel Jeremiah.

Did they? Yeah, that was. Total. Last year, Silver wouldn't shut up. Did you guys notice this? Last year. Sounds out of character. And I have no problem saying this to Mike Silver.

I'm not podcasting behind his back. Last year, Silver was just blah, blah, blah, blah, like to the point where everyone's looking at that one guy that's talking over the speakers. And you just, you felt awkward for the speakers. Who, by the way, are the people that sign our checks, right? Management up there speaking. And Silver's just on and on and on and on and on. If you can be the one who talks over a crowd of people who have worked their way up in a career for your job is to be on television, talking as much as possible and putting yourself in that position, you're a special guy. I have a loud voice.

I recognize other loud voices, and his was loud. Voice recognizes voice. All right. Our next show, we will have a very special guest to talk a little World Cup soccer slash NFL, football v football. be fun very special guest mystery guest was and i fell oh yeah he's one of my favorite people or she yes this person is wonderful let's lean into it west yes big time mystery scenario uh also most importantly uh davy will be in studio wow two ha Vegas moved it by the way Vegas has moved it to two hundred ninety to one shot uh of him being your best man but davy will be that's what the pussy

foot in Vegas just making the odds way back but uh ealy will have a chance uh uh and uh healy will have a chance uh And you have to keep an open mind. You're promising to keep an open mind. Sure. That guy's got some big pipes. You better be talking about his arm. I'm still taking that plus. Do Ily?

Yeah. He's got big pipes? Well, then he wears tight shirts. Well, he does wear tight shirts. I've never seen it with a shirt off. He only shops. There's anything wrong with that. Shmedium.

Yeah. On Thursday, Dave will make his pitch to be the best man. And knowing the guest list and where the wedding is, and is also his only chance probably to even be at the wedding. Right. I'm still taking the plus 350 bet of him not getting. invited is this allowed now i don't know it's all in play now it's all in play uh and it's all theoretical and if you are one of our english listeners uh congratulations the big victory over tunisia yeah

no they would say they would say tunisia no no tunisia and if you're a tunisian listener well we apologize if you can narrowly you know banged clear you can narrowly defeat tunisia in the 91st minute they the world cup titles are you all that matters is whether you win oh tunisa they had no shot england had a much deeper roster. But do we know? To use proper... I did.

I looked at the... Proper soccer English. They would say England win, right? As opposed to England wins? That's my favorite thing about soccer. Oh, God, I hate that. I love it. It's better than acting like an it can cogitate or concoct a trade.

Please. And it does not think. So don't stop using it. Same for the It podcast, Wes. All right. I'm looking forward to it. I feel like that would be a good one. Oh, I would love to have an It pod.

Van Hed is signing off. Drag the ringer through the month. Drew, the old boss, and Lindsay Polton behind the glass till Thursday. Podcasts.