The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - Hour 2: Man McConkey (feat. Mina Kimes)

Episode Date: July 1, 2025

Some major news has come down from the NBA and NFL to start the hour but Greg Cote seems underwhelmed by another major Dolphins move. We ask Mina if the jig is up on the Dolphins' offense, but she ask...s us an even better question: is the term 'jig' offensive? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Starting point is 00:00:00 Listen boys, we gotta talk about Jägermeister. A go-to guy at home, at the bar, or maybe even out at the rink. A drink so ice cold, it deserves its own video tribute at every sports bar across North America. No trash talk, no running its mouth, we love the confidence on them. Jägermeister sent us an ad to read on the show, but they're so confident they said, don't do any of that normal ad stuff. Tell the listeners two things, Jägermeister is great, but everyone's been drinking it wrong. Damn that's cold. Well how should we be drinking it? They're so glad you asked. Ice cold at zero degrees fahrenheit to be exact.
Starting point is 00:00:36 Ice cold shots of Jägermeister. That's it, that's all they want to tell you. So wherever you are, if you're hanging out with friends or at the bar, call the shots. Cheers with ice cold shots of Jägermeister. Damn that's cold! And remember to check Jägermeister out at DraftKingsXJägermeister.com. Drink responsibly Jägermeister Liqueur 35% alcohol by volume, imported by Mass Jägermeister US. White Plains New York. Now is a good time to remember where Tequila's story truly began. In 1795, Cuervo invented Tequila. What are you doing here? Anytime someone says Cuervo, I show up.
Starting point is 00:01:17 I do know that to be true, but even during ad reads, like, I think he could lay out, especially for one of our great partners. Sweet delicious Cuervo. Since then, Quervo has stayed true to its roots. The same family, the same land, the same passion. Quervo. So enjoy the tequila that started it all. Quervo. Quervo. The tequila that invented tequila. Proximo. Quervo.com. Please drink responsibly. Quervo. This is the Don Leventor Show with the StuGuts Podcast. This is the Don LeBattor Show with the StuGuts Podcast. That Gearhead segment was presented by NASCAR. For all the latest insights and storylines and to find out when and where to watch, visit
Starting point is 00:01:55 NASCAR.com. Guys, during the break, two big roster movement stories broke, one in the NBA and one in the NFL. Huh. In the NBA, Miles Turner is headed to the Milwaukee Bucks for a deal that's worth $107 million. And in the NFL. Can I stop you for just a second?
Starting point is 00:02:13 I believe that Greg Cody will be titillated by what you're about to say right now, and I believe that Stugats will also get very excited about this next bit of NFL news that you're about to deliver. So the Dolphins, as you know, traded John New Smith yesterday to the Pittsburgh Steelers in a big-time blockbuster deal that featured an all-pro move or an all- pro. Mike, may I stop you for just a second because I'd like Cody to try and
Starting point is 00:02:38 guess who would make him enthusiastic to replace John New Smith with because the Dolphins have replaced John New Smith with somebody I think of as better than John New Smith. I also have a quick update just broke from Shams as part of this miles Turner move the Milwaukee Bucks are waving Damien Lillard and stretching the remaining 113 million dollars on his contract this facilitates the move Lillard is gonna rehabilitate that torn Achilles. Wow Shams is having a week, huh? It's actually been like an underwhelming NBA one But back to your point and and trying to get Greg Cody excited with this
Starting point is 00:03:10 I believe that I believe that the name that you're about I'm looking to get an instantaneous reaction from Greg Cody Because I believe that what Mike's about to say is a talent that the Dolphins have not had at tight end since maybe like Keith Jackson or Eric Green like going back forever when I said when he says the name Randy McMichael would love a word. I would take Randy McMichael at his peak over this one because we have questions about this one. Jordan Cameron would like a word. I think if he gave Greg a hundred guesses he wouldn't get it but I think it's why it's going to excite him and also it might trouble him. But do you wanna take any guesses?
Starting point is 00:03:51 I would like to take a guess. George Kittle. That's a great name. No, this dude was actually retired. This dude was retired. Tom Palacero is reporting that the Dolphins are bringing in Darren Waller. Wow, I thought it was going to be Joe Rose.
Starting point is 00:04:07 What a story that would be. Joe Rose! Greg, you know, if this guy was still playing, you'd be writing a go get him column. Okay, Darren Waller does not excite me quite as much as George Kittle would have if I'm being funny. Okay, very good. I'm glad we had you here for this analysis. One of the best in the game, sure.
Starting point is 00:04:23 I'm glad that we have a pioneer of football coverage. He's covered football for 50 years. Yes, George Kittle is better than Darren Waller. You got me. You got me. Dead to right. You cornered me and I'm sorry that I got you all enthused. This guy over here was overselling Darren Waller. You did make it seem like Gronk was coming back. Darren Waller had an all-time season. He had two 1,000 yard seasons. He was a very good player. He was awesome. He tailed off after the move to New York and then retired.
Starting point is 00:04:52 And he's had a bizarre retirement. He had music come out of him. He's a rapper now. A high-profile breakup. A couple of things on Darren Waller. Please get me some of the specifics. This is a troubled individual and his public breakup evidently was embarrassing enough to him. He also talked about various, you know,
Starting point is 00:05:12 weaknesses that he has had in terms of, you know, a stimulant usage and he has talked about concussions and depressions. He is a person who is open about his vulnerabilities and his demons. And he was supposed to be something with the New York Giants and Daniel Jones that he was not. He was that with the Raiders. This is a singularly talented physical human being. The issues with him are not physical. No, but there was a huge drop off in production and he was marred by injury there. So I do
Starting point is 00:05:44 think that there are some physical concerns and we also don't know what kind of shape mental or physical he might be after the time away from football. But if you're looking at available options this late into the season, you just traded John New Smith, you look at your roster, everyone has questions about what that tight end room looks like. I mean, it doesn't cost them much, and it's pretty inspired to give Darren Waller a call. He can make an immediate impact if he's, quite honestly,
Starting point is 00:06:10 if he's half as productive, it's a great move. That's what he did his last three years, though. I mean. Be half as productive as he was. Yeah, he was half as productive as his first couple of years, yes. That's still an upgrade over the time. Wait a minute, though.
Starting point is 00:06:22 Come on now. What the Giants and Daniel Jones were doing and the injury combination. I'm looking at a person, I don't have this wrong when I say this is as physically gifted a tight end as there is in the sport, that he was unguardable with the Raiders. He was their primary weapon. Everyone knew he was their primary weapon and he was still dominant. Now I don't know if his body is broken down since then but this is a player whose skill level I regard as higher than John Who Smith's now he might not be in that point of his career I think of this as a better overall player a more dominant player his best is better than John who Smith's best you put
Starting point is 00:06:59 Him in this system because it wasn't in this system is important right at is important, right. At his best he had 197 catches over two years. Physically, physically. Yes, no, lunacy. Lunacy. But the reason that I was disappointed by Cody's reaction is for two years this was kiddlish. Like this was in the realm. Like you being underwhelmed.
Starting point is 00:07:21 You know, when it comes to production, it surpassed. You being underwhelmed by this human being like caught me off guard because this is a monster physical talent. Well in fairness to Greg though, he's been retired for a year and hasn't had a good year since 2020. Understood. And he's in his early thirties. He retired early and I don't know, the reason he's available to you is because he's a cocktail of physical and mental issues That's why he was out of the sport But the production that you got from him four years ago before the concussions
Starting point is 00:07:52 He plays very physically and they were putting him in a lot of positions where he was getting dinged a lot He's bigger than everybody like he's running through a secondary Yeah, and there is no one in the secondary nearly as big as he is. I believe he said that the reason that he stops playing and retired is because one day he just woke up and he's like, they're playing me at full back. What am I doing with my life?
Starting point is 00:08:13 I don't wanna continue playing like this. This system will either be a rejuvenator or not, but it is a perfect place for somebody who's got high end physical gifts. When I, you guys said Randy McMichael, and yes, Randy McMichael, and yes, Randy McMichael was a nice tight end, taking in the fourth round.
Starting point is 00:08:28 Keith Jackson and Eric Green were prime free agents trying to change the position, so was this. Yeah, I mean, he was number one in receptions for his position in 2020. It's a top 15 season all time at the position. George Kittle in 2018 had a pretty massive one there too, so I don't wanna shortchangechange him but yeah he was really productive for a very limited offense and we saw last year finally you got production out
Starting point is 00:08:52 of that position historically it's a position that you could always count on for whatever reason I think the reasons were Tyree Kellin, Jaylen Waddle on the outside they didn't really use the tight end all that much until last year and John Huch Smith became a pro bowler by finding all that space underneath I think I'm appropriately Reacting to somebody his age with his off-field issues whose only two notable seasons were five and six years ago Right. I mean it's a signing better than not signing him Don't don't get me wrong there and he could work out well and big but the odds are against it. That's all I think
Starting point is 00:09:26 There's a place where he's gonna flourish though. I think Dan's point is this is the place. This is the offense physical talent This is a perfect rehab center for whatever it is that he might or might not have left I don't know what he's got left, but I would say that if you can do it with Kasecki You can do it with this person, but I think Greg is right. He had the appropriate reaction to Darren Waller coming back. It's not Antonio Gates. It's not Tony Gonzalez. I actually, I find his skepticism there refreshing because Greg has never seen a Pro Bowl name that he hasn't liked before, but there are plenty of questions about this player at this
Starting point is 00:09:59 age and that physical state, no doubt. Some highlighting his like younger usage of drugs and stuff, he began abusing oxycodone at 15, started drinking at 16, and his addiction escalated to the point where he was spending a hundred bucks a day on pills, overdosed on those, had like a lot of cocaine use in his time. That's why his time got cut short with the Ravens because he was on all these pills
Starting point is 00:10:19 and we didn't know what he was gonna be with supreme talent and then that off the field stuff. But Greg, you would concede, given what their options are at the positions and the fact that they just use John Huse Smith to reacquire Minka Fitzpatrick. It's a pretty inspired idea from this front office to bring him into camp and see what he's got left. It's worth the gamble. The thing that I would wonder about as I always do with the reclamation projects that have an assortment of drug issues, throwing them into this particular cauldron of temptation
Starting point is 00:10:48 in South Florida when you have a history of escapism or depression or darkness or drugs. If you have cocaine in your past, Miami's not the place to be. I mean, you played it. You play drugs anywhere. He played it, yes, and he played in Vegas and New York. Correct, but I would ask you to give me
Starting point is 00:11:05 all the reclamation projects that are coming from drug pasts that four and five years later, when they are talking about the things that he's talked about publicly, whether his heart's in the game, he is a player who feels like he has been spent by whatever the enduring of the last 10 years have been Both being in pain in that sport and killing the pain in that sport
Starting point is 00:11:30 One of the things that I wanted to mention to Tony is Lewis still wanders around the premises here complaining about how tired He is from wrestling Tony. Can you guys look up for me the bar fight that Uriah? Uriah Faber had at one point when you bar fight that Uriah Faber had at one point when you underestimate who these fighters are and what it is that they're training because Lewis was talking in the eating area about how physically granite these fighters are and one of the reasons I've always loved the mixed martial arts is because my initial fascination with whatever it was was is because my initial fascination with whatever it was was foreign combat was the stories of guys who would sharpen their shins by kicking a tree
Starting point is 00:12:13 over and over again until their shins were so callous that they could feel no pain and only administer pain because they'd done so many reps of just turning their body to rocks. No, that was Jean-Claude Van Damme in Kickboxer. He stole it. That was cultural appropriation from Jean-Claude Van Damme. He stole it from the Mystics who did the martial arts before him. But look up the details for me on Uriah Faber, the street fight he got into,
Starting point is 00:12:40 because I'm pretty sure he beat up 11 guys. I believe it was him. There was a reason why I picked his name. He had a, like, was it a Bali, a Bali bar fight in which he and one of his friends were fighting back to back, I think, as an entire bar? No, he didn't want to. He said, he told us the story. I think it might be in the system somewhere.
Starting point is 00:12:56 He was just running from people and they kept chasing him and he kept having to beat them up one after another. And I'm sitting next to this guy, tiny dude. Tiny. Very tiny dude. Small. But at, tiny dude. Tiny, tiny, small. But at his peak of his power, though, in the pound for pound discussion. He was a dog. Yeah, actually had a great rivalry with Mike Brown,
Starting point is 00:13:13 who's one of the great trainers. Do you have for me the details on that report? And I want to get to your other report as well. Mina Kimes is going to join us here in a little bit to ask her about Darren Waller and other football things. Yeah, the Miles Turner thing, Dan, that is a more consequence, I think. That shakes up in the East that is already kind of upside down because of injuries and everything. And we didn't expect Milwaukee to kind of be buyers. I don't really think it was maybe talked about.
Starting point is 00:13:37 Certainly, if you follow the Bucs, like specific Twitter accounts, this stretching and waving Damien Lillard thing. but Miles Turner, leaving a team that is already hampered by their own Achilles injury to go to Milwaukee, it does swing the pot a little bit for Giannis. I do think though that it is interesting and how could it not be, Stugatz, to accelerate our hunger at analyzing who can Game of Thrones their way to the top of the crown, that the first two spots that he would go conversationally are Yannis and Miles Turner and hey, Dame Lillard, nice seeing you.
Starting point is 00:14:13 See you later. That was supposed to be the piece. See you later, see you later, Dame Lillard. Remember when that was gonna run the East and now it's been traded or it's been moved around in the roster for Miles Turner, a player who exasperates me by the way because... He should be better.
Starting point is 00:14:30 Miles Turner is always on the trade block and I'm always wondering why he's always on the trade block and I'm always wondering why he's on the trade block the same way I also used to wonder why is Brook Lopez always on the trade block and then I see Brook Lopez win a championship when he's used correctly is that the seventh guy miles turner i'm sitting there waiting in the finals for him to prove that i'm right about miles turner and in game six and seven he proved that i'm wrong about miles turner and his pacer's career by not showing up when they needed him to give him something
Starting point is 00:15:03 with haliburton out and he couldn't give him any rebounds and he couldn't do anything other than he just parlayed it into 113. Other than wander around the court and score six points. At this point he's a bit of a role player. At 107 million though, that's not bad, he has some value and I do find it funny, yeah, he was perpetually on the trade block
Starting point is 00:15:20 which is why I think he protected himself this time around. He has a trade kicker in his contract. He gets a 15% bonus if he gets moved. He's sick of the trade rumors too. When you talk about keeping Yannis and the Bucks doing that, obviously it's his decision, but is the pot sweetened with Miles Turner losing Brook Lopez and adding Miles Turner? They didn't seem like, the reports were that this wasn't a team that was going to be buying. And they made a $100 million investment. Miles Turner is a player that can help them. They've made a decision on Damian Lillard. It does seem like they've got some direction, which is, if you're Miami, what is the direction? At least you see all
Starting point is 00:15:54 these other teams in the East making moves and it's very clear that they're going into their offseason with a plan where other teams are just apparently just treading water again. Because the East is wide open. I mean, the Hawks are making moves. It's weird. It's a weird year to just decide now you're gonna tread water again You have to think that anything the Bucs do right now anything is strategic with the idea This is gonna help us resign. I don't want to skip past though what we're doing here, which is Dame Lillard is now officially a liability. I understand that he's been injured I understand that people get awfully forgetful and athletes will tell
Starting point is 00:16:28 you all the time just stay out of the training room. Even your teammates will forget if you're living in there. That happened fast man. Damian Lillard was the piece and now Portland is young and better, good at defense, gets out from under what that would have been if you had it on your contract with an Achilles tear at 50 million dollars a year, but you look at that whole trade in its entirety and it's kind of garbage on both sides It's bad on both sides. He players had some values some of the players that were talked about over there, but Damien Lillard I don't think it's one of those things like you could look at it certainly what happened in Milwaukee
Starting point is 00:17:03 They just have an in-season tournament win to their name you could look at it and say well Miami avoided disaster there but I think it's more nuanced than that there were a lot of things going on in Damien Lillard's personal life at the time and he did not want to be in Milwaukee wasn't in shape either he told Doc Rivers and then his body broke down from not being in shape there were and he wasn't in shape because of what was going on in his life and all of a sudden he shows up in a place that he didn't want to go to. He thought his franchise that he gave everything to would send him to the place that they wanted and they decided to make an example out of him when he did everything the right way. I don't think it would have gone the same way had Damien Lillard come to Miami. I actually think it would have certainly helped Jimmy Butler and it certainly
Starting point is 00:17:39 would have given Miami what they needed but the Sats speak for themselves. Well you can't know though whether someone would have gotten injured on your watch or not. I'm more interested in the end of his career, because his value is now past its prime. Whatever that comes back as, even if it can shoot, it will come back as a bargain. He'll always be able to shoot, and he's gonna have to get accustomed to being a role player.
Starting point is 00:18:03 And we've seen in the NBA in this century Dallas won a championship taking these former superstars and making them role players and maybe that's gonna be the future for Damian Lillard because when he considered that injury and what was such a big part of his game was how much quicker he was. Okay but the thing that you guys are doing that it's okay like I get it right it's all about now the trade just happened with miles Turner and Yanis is interesting but we're talking about a league superstar who that's the announcement that his career as a star
Starting point is 00:18:34 is over yeah that that announcement of we got to get miles Turner because the thing we were doing to keep Yanis that's a spectacular failure and it's a failure none of us saw coming that has a spectacular failure and it's a failure none of us saw coming that has at the end of it and also Dame you're pretty much done you're you're not a marquee name in this league LeBron's still around and Steph's still around you're not. We probably would have been there before the Achilles honestly he just wasn't considered that he hadn't flashed it and I do think that you can tie the injuries to the conditioning
Starting point is 00:19:03 and whether or not one franchise would have taken care of his body more. But I don't think it's the end of Damien Lillard's story. I think he's one of the five greatest shooters that we've seen all time. I know it's a mental hurdle for him to clear that, to change his game and maybe become a role player off the bench. It's a spot of shooter, but that guy can shoot forever. With the landscape of all these Achilles injuries in the East East Dugats brought up an interesting point that I wrote down Uh earlier today, I think the hawks might be the best team in the east right now. Oh my god It's a scary crazy thing to say
Starting point is 00:19:33 But you get no Danny East is so bad. There are so many injuries guys The nicks are probably the best team in the east right now, right? The calves. Yeah, they won 68 games They're cooked they're frauds and look imagine how bad the heat are that they got smoked by the Cavs who are frauds. But I will bring up this. The Hawks add poor Zingas. They add the New Orleans 2026 first round pick. That's going to be a really good pick next year. They've got Nikhil Alexander Walker on a side and trade. They got Luke Kennard, another shooter on a trade. You did something to Cleveland that's wrong. That's not right.
Starting point is 00:20:03 And Orlando. Orlando's going to be nice to Dyson. But your point is, look at Atlanta. They were a total afterthought in the conference. Battling it out with Miami in that play in range. Now all of a sudden they have a path and they're doing something. I have no frigging clue what Miami is doing. You add all those guys to Trey Young, to Jalen Johnson, who's going to be incredible coming up, to Dyson Daniels, probably second or third and defensive player of the year like Atlanta's building pieces and if they get that number one pick next year if the pelicans are that bad all the sudden things are starting to
Starting point is 00:20:31 rotate in the way that Even Chicago everyone everyone Top everyone around the bottom and middle of the pack is making moves in the east and the heater just standing silts if the heat Would have lost in Pat and had the same pick, New Orleans would have called the Heat to make the same trade for Derek Queen and the Heat would have had a number one pick next year that could be a top three, top two pick. Mina Kimes is going to join us in a moment and I'm laughing on the inside at the idea that I keep trying to get you guys to talk to Damian Lillard about Damian Lillard and
Starting point is 00:21:07 We're talking Hawks. You'd rather talk about the Hawks! Like there's no conversation that you would rather have Who's not gonna play for a year? Less than the one about Damian Lillard and what this means, you wanna throw this through the frame of Miles Turner when what this means is the announcement from Milwaukee that they're out on the experiment of Yanis and Damian Lillard can ever be anything here as an architectural blueprint. What's the most aggressive timeline for Damian Lillard to return at his age from that injury? I mean maybe he's done as a star player he will be a name but it'll be a faded name he'll be able to hit
Starting point is 00:21:42 jump shots but if you take away his quickness he's no longer Damian Lillard right where I think the conversation that we're having is what does this do to the landscape of the East and I don't think Damian Lillard has a damn thing to say about the East next year he's injured he's out he's 35 years old I'm just pointing out how quickly things change it wasn't but a couple of years ago we're just pointing out the Hawks have a shot yeah Yeah, boy. That's all you're doing. Nina Kimes is next. Jeremy, you know something about me, right? You know when I'm grilling outside and it's summertime,
Starting point is 00:22:11 you know how I supplement my summertime? Of course I do. I make it Miller time. Of course. That beautiful white can. Oh, when it's so hot outside, I just put it right to my forehead, right there. And I just roll it sometimes right on the forehead,
Starting point is 00:22:22 cool my body down, and then I crack it open in some relief and then that first sip, brother does that first sip? That is a top five sequence of events that you can possibly go through. I'm just serenity now when I just imagine that first sip of Miller Light. Just think about it, it's making me happy. Dude, the sun is out, it's nice, you have your friends showing up, you got your family there, you just had your first sip of Miller Lite, and you know what? You're happy, you're blissful, you're fulfilled.
Starting point is 00:22:51 I've been stocking my cooler with Miller Lite for years, and for good reason. It's brewed for taste, only 96 calories and 3.2 grams of carbs. This year, Miller Lite turns 50. It has five decades of cookouts, laughs, and ice cold moments that never miss. It's the original light beer, and it's still my go-to. Miller Lite, great taste, 96 calories.
Starting point is 00:23:11 Go to MillerLite.com slash Dan to find delivery options near you, or you can pick up some Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell beer. Cheers to 50 years of Miller time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces. Hey friends, it's Jarabare here, and I'm here to tell you all about Boost Mobile, which is now a legit nationwide 5G network. So I must take a break from the jokes here for a second and put on my serious voice. Because I would never ever joke about a 5G network that has invested billions building
Starting point is 00:23:45 5G towers across the country. Not even once. Not even if Mr. Boost Mobile himself asked me to. There is nothing funny about it. Boost Mobile is now a legit nationwide 5G network and also provides coverage across 99% of America. Seriously. Visit BoostMobile.com or your nearest BoostMobile store location to learn more. The Boost Mobile network, together with our roaming partners,
Starting point is 00:24:14 covers 99% of the US population. 5G speeds not available in all areas. Roy, you know that moment when you're out watching puck and the server comes over and asks the table, what can I get you guys? And everyone freezes up? You know what you should do? What should I do, Mike? You've gotta have some confidence! Or as Jägermeister calls it, shot-fidence.
Starting point is 00:24:36 If everyone's struggling, take control. Just order for the whole table a round of ice cold Jägermeister shots. Damn that's cold! Because apparently, we've all been drinking Jägermeister wrong. Well how should we be drinking it? We should be drinking it ICE COLD. At zero degrees Fahrenheit, Roy, like Jägermeister, what else is infinitely better ice cold? The sport of hockey, Mike.
Starting point is 00:24:57 It's in the name! It's ice hockey! Ice hockey! Yes, regular hockey, not as great. Not floor hockey. Ice hockey, real hockey! Yes, regular hockey not as great. Not floor hockey. Ice hockey real good. Damn right.
Starting point is 00:25:07 Wherever you are, if you're hanging with friends or at the bar, call the shots. Cheers with ice cold shots of Jägermeister. Damn that's cold! And remember to check Jägermeister out at DraftKingsXJägermeister.com. Drink responsibly Jägermeister Liqueur 35% alcohol by volume. Imported by Mass JägermeisterS., White Plains, New York. Shaffer-dence! Darn, Lebertard!
Starting point is 00:25:33 Did you get lost on the way to Home Depot today, Dan? Like, what's going on with the plants? Get his ass, Mina! Stugats! But do it in song. You look like you're about to ask me to check the oil on my car. Get him! Or come over and look around and point things in my house that need to be fixed.
Starting point is 00:25:49 This is the Don Lebatar Show with the Stugats! I wish you guys could see the negotiations with Stugatz and Greg Cody during the break as Stugatz tried to become a presenting sponsor on Greg Cody's podcast, the Greg Cody show featuring Greg Cody brought to you by God Bless Football as presenting sponsor. We're in negotiations. We have enough bills that have piled up that need to be paid first. Greg Cody's not going to be the first one to get God bless football money. I like the we there.
Starting point is 00:26:29 We are owed money from the episodes that aired on Metal Art that you were paid for that I did, that you did not. So we are owed money. Thank you for doing this. Turmoil. Very nice of you. It's our privacy. Yes.
Starting point is 00:26:40 So maybe it won't be a presenting sponsor soon. Title sponsorship. We'll see what the judge decides. We will have the judge in the next couple of days to make some rulings. Mina Kimes is with us now. I was disappointed earlier with Greg Cody's reaction to the Darren Waller signing and him being generally unimpressed with Darren Waller physically and just complaining in general that Darren Waller is not anything special.
Starting point is 00:27:04 Let me say one thing. Levitard was talking about them signing Darren Waller as if he were Darren Waller's agent. All I'm saying is I was appropriately standoffish in my enthusiasm based on a guy his age with his off-field issues whose last great season was five or six years ago. Yeah, Greg, I don't know. There's such an impressive track record of older players in their 30s coming back years after they were good and being dominant in the NFL. So shocking that you're underwhelmed by this.
Starting point is 00:27:39 Dan, how are you? Were you whelmed by it? Were you overwhelmed by it? Dan was whelmed. What are we? Properly whelmed. I was appropriately whelmed. Stop watching football three years ago, four years ago? Yeah, but if we told Greg that Kellen Winslow Senior
Starting point is 00:27:50 was coming back, he would have been more excited. He would have been. Well, but here's the thing though. I believe the Giants were a place where every talented person went to die over the last three years. Mm. I think if he was younger,
Starting point is 00:28:06 I could maybe work up a little bit more excitement. You know, I, with all due respect to his rapping career, I believe it was, as you guys, I'm sure, remember maybe the most embarrassing music video of all time that he dropped after him and Kelsey Plumb split. You remember this, right, Dan? Yes, yes, yes. Whew, never one.
Starting point is 00:28:26 It's hard for me to get excited about this. It's also hard for me to get excited about it specifically for the Miami Dolphins because they seem to be leaning it, committing to the bit that they're not a physical football team when everybody for now two or three years has been saying the one thing this team needs to get better at is January is running the
Starting point is 00:28:48 ball and instead if so they go out and get a tight end last year. John Smith, who I thought was excellent, not in terms of he's not like a real blocker, but he was getting those yards after the catch underneath. They're like going away from it and it feels like they're leaning even more into their identity. But we already know that identity has not worked out over the long term What are the things from the last couple of days that have been most interesting to you? I mean the trade was really interesting the Steelers Dolphins trade because
Starting point is 00:29:16 You don't really see this type of trade that much in the nfl, which is essentially two teams betting against each other That the players they are acquiring are better, right? Because it wasn't like a huge salary dump, although I think that was a big incentive for Miami was getting Jalen Ramsey's contract off their books. And by the way, a success. So I know Dolphins fans maybe don't have the highest of Enthusiasms right now, but that to me was a success because we thought that they would have to eat that contract. But you know, they felt Minkifits Patrick was a good fit for their defense.
Starting point is 00:29:46 The Steelers felt Jalen Ramsey was a better fit. We'll see who's right. I actually think both sides, from a football standpoint, have a case for going after those particular flares, but I think it's a really interesting talent bet. Greg, could I not make the argument that the Dolphins just traded away two of their top five names?
Starting point is 00:30:05 You could make that argument, particularly since John L. Smith had such a career year last year, sort of transforming his reputation in a way. Amina, is Jalen Ramsey a Hall of Famer? Yeah, I think so. I think he's got a good case of it. I would have to take a look at sort of the threshold for corners, but you know, multiple all pros, pro bowls off the top of my head, Super Bowl appearance, many years where he was
Starting point is 00:30:32 a top three player at his position. Usually that sort of resume does lend itself to the Hall of Fame. We were talking though about interceptions as a bad stat to use for DBs. What do you use and who do you regard as the best three going now? The best three corners in football? Well, so interceptions definitely matter if you get a
Starting point is 00:30:51 lot of them. I think if you don't, it matters less, if that makes sense. And so, you know, they tend to regress year to year, they tend to not be sticky. They also depend on scheme. Are you playing a defense where you have eyes on the football, maybe play with less man coverage, have an opportunity to make plays off the ball, playing behind a good pass rush, all of that matters. The truth is, and this is hard for me to say as a numbers person, there really aren't good stats for quarterback play. I can look at the average passer rating and I'll consider those things, but because it's so dependent on scheme and what's being asked of the players, it really hard to make broad sweeping generalizations on court about corners based purely on
Starting point is 00:31:28 numbers as far as u.s. who are the best three pat certain easy uh... there yellow yeah are you doing this in order you want to go three two one or did you already wrote out i was going to three i think i mean he was a defensively
Starting point is 00:31:43 adopted stingly already ruined it. No, no, I was going one, two, three. I think, I mean, he was the defensive player. You stopped at Stingley, yeah. Okay, so Derek Stingley Jr. Mm-hmm. Thank you. Um, this is hard. I know I'm leaving somebody really obvious out. I love Marlin. McDuffie is really good.
Starting point is 00:32:06 Okay, fine, try McDuffie. He's taking Okay, fine. Travick Duffy. Official pick, right. I don't know if that's my official pick. Mina, you mentioned Scheme, and a lot of people were pointing to Scheme as to why there was a huge issue with Minka Fitzpatrick's on-field performance last year. He really dropped back. PFF had him ranked 44th. He's a confusing player. A lot of Dolphins fans were confused he was bad. He goes to Pittsburgh, all of a sudden Ballhawk making a huge big-time impact and then that same uniform gets used
Starting point is 00:32:31 differently and there's a huge drop-off in production. Is Micah Fitzpatrick good? He's good. Yes, I do think he's good. He was not good this last year in Pittsburgh and his play has been up and down but I do think in the right defense he can return to form and I like I like Miami's defense better for him than Sears defense for the reason you described Mike that's a defense where he was all right basically only asked to play deep safety Miami with her defense coordinator who I think is quite good by the way Anthony Weaver more split safety so we'll play a little bit closer to the line of scrimmage I think there's more opportunities for him to be versatile, fly around the field. So
Starting point is 00:33:07 I like this for him too. What about Jalen Ramsey? Is he going to move to safety, the long rumored move to safety? Or is he still too good at corner? Because his PFF grades, that's all I really can consult here, were pretty good at corner. Yeah, well I still think he's a good corner. I think there's a reason why Jalen Ramsey is a really, really smart player. He's really, really aware of his skillset. And I think there's a reason why he has been talking about moving to safety.
Starting point is 00:33:28 He understands that, you know, it's hard to play quarterback at a high level when you get old because it's just athleticism and the things that are asked of you, turning your back to the quarterback. I do think he can play more slot, maybe safety, closer to the line of scrimmage. He's definitely not gonna play the make-up
Starting point is 00:33:42 of its Patrick Rollo in Pittsburgh. So anyone who says that is that wrong you know with this week straight in mind particularly adding john and smith is erin rogers in a good spot right now to make believers of his dollars time to walk through some colors yeah all uh... really callers were just we're just gonna. We're going to multiple callers like there's nobody business. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom.
Starting point is 00:34:07 We don't need that. That's nobody's business. That doesn't make sense. Nobody's calling. It doesn't make any sense. Who's calling? Welcome to Billy's experience, the Billy experience. He's tired of listening to you talk
Starting point is 00:34:19 and so he's gonna throw some grenades your way. Mina, we haven't seen the full video. We didn't answer Greg's question. But should Shelly really be this mad at Ace? She was mad at Huda and that's the problem, Billy. Why wasn't she mad at Ace? Double standards, anyone? The music's too loud.
Starting point is 00:34:37 It's very loud, Billy. More exciting season to watch. Love Island or Hard Knocks in season following the NFC East? Love Island, come on, next question question the music's too loud Billy. Yeah, it's to be quieter turn it down It's too loud your headsets that why you can't that doesn't Thank you for a whole lot of nothing Greg Cody did you have something well he asked it around Didn't get an answer.
Starting point is 00:35:06 Shenanigans began. Oh yeah, I did. Aaron Rodgers, yeah. Aaron Rodgers, cause he turned doubters into believers. I am skeptical that he is going to return to anywhere close to the form of a few years ago. Can he be competent? Sure.
Starting point is 00:35:21 Can the Steelers offense be a run first offense? You got John New Smith is an underneath option sure But I think at this point in his career Aaron Rodgers is not Aaron Rodgers of 2021 mean us doing a car phone What's gonna happen with TJ want I? Think he's gonna be a Pittsburgh I don't understand why the Steelers would make all these other moves where they're clearly all in on this season and then trade away Their best defensive player doesn't make sense is the jig up with the Dolphins offense or can they still be good?
Starting point is 00:35:49 The jig up. I haven't heard that for a while. I know, really. Old timey. Yeah. Jealous. I think the jig, why am I so uncomfortable saying that? Is that offensive?
Starting point is 00:36:02 It feels offensive and I don't know why. It should be. You think the jig is? Now you've got me scared of it. You guys have got me scared of it for no reason and it's just the jig, but I don't think any of us know what the jig is or what the origins of the jig are.
Starting point is 00:36:15 It's up in the offering area. It is up. It used to be a little dance. Like if you were doing a jig, you were like dancing. Hmm. That's all I can say. I feel like a jig is the best word to describe my dancing style.
Starting point is 00:36:28 I think it is up, yes. I think that everybody has been begging this offense to become more diverse and become better at running and become more physical and they just aren't and aren't investing in that. Drake May, what is he? Good player. I thought played excellent last year despite being in worst situation in football very optimistic about him and
Starting point is 00:36:48 his arrow pointing out best young quarterback nobody's talking about who that nobody's talking about it's hard we all talk about all the quarterbacks young young or not talking about enough why is it came word the number one overall draft I haven't heard enough people talk about it. That's actually true we don't really talk about Cam Ward so that is actually a pretty good answer. I'll throw out one. Caleb Williams. I think I went back and watched some of his games last year and I was really impressed with what I saw. I understand you know this is like a horrible season some really difficult performances but I think the talent was
Starting point is 00:37:23 there. Will Carolina make the playoffs? I don't think so. They would have to win the NFC South and I've got either Tampa or Atlanta. Fulls gold though with Bryce Young. Typically when we see young teams close out the season and a young quarterback close out the season the way that they did,
Starting point is 00:37:37 it's usually a good indicator for a future season. Optimistic about Bryce Young, less optimistic about that pass rush and pass defense. Breakout wide receiver this year. Ooh, I think he's already broken out, but I went back and watched Lad McConkey. Oh, yeah. Oh my God. I mean, he's so good.
Starting point is 00:37:54 He's so good. He's so fast. This is the year he becomes a man. McConkey number 100 on the NFL's top 100 player. I like that. I like that. I go and excite like American White. I contacted you when I said that. I looked up. That was for you, too. I like that, really. I like that. I like that. I contacted you when I said that. I was like, I looked up, yeah.
Starting point is 00:38:09 Tried to do it in like your voice a little bit. I haven't used that one, that's for us. Only the best stuff for us. She does it. I wonder why she hasn't used that elsewhere. It can't be because they rejected it out of hand anywhere else on earth. You loved it.
Starting point is 00:38:27 What are you talking about? Van McCocky. CJ Stroud, give me a reason, give me a reason that he was bad last year other than pressure up the middle. I thought he, obviously pressure was the biggest reason, but I thought you saw his accuracy weighing in moments. Granted, because of that pressure,
Starting point is 00:38:44 but you really saw how bad offensive line play can also eventually lead to bad quarterback play separate from the offensive line, even when there was a clean pocket, he looked skittish at times. Your best thoughts on Pablo Torre finds out almost finding collusion, but being screwed by an arbiter who got it wrong.
Starting point is 00:38:58 So close. I thought it was a great story, a great podcast, and my first thought was, oh my God, this NFL PA got like the, was that your, like I, this Dugats was strong in him. Oh my goodness. The player had the treader, the head of the PA. Fall guy. Terrible look, terrible look.
Starting point is 00:39:17 Fall guy, fall guy. Is Bill Callahan so skilled as an offensive line coach that it can mitigate some of the issues along that offensive line to help guarantee Cam Ward the most possible success? I think so. I think though more than just Bill Callahan, they bring in Dan Moore Jr. who is a competent left tackle.
Starting point is 00:39:33 I think everybody is sliding to their correct position. You bring in Zeitler. So I think the investments they've made in players, just competent veteran players. Faster. Is Trevor Lawrence good? Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Is the jig up in San Francisco
Starting point is 00:39:48 Looked up that phrase. Uh, it is not up. I think that they're going to bounce back Has anyone looked up how many people Uriah Faber was fighting in ballet countless. They said hundreds Yeah countless people breaking bottles over people's head By the way is Billy just playing Uriah Faber's laugh instead of Uriah Faber telling us that story. It's all he's got in the system. A team that's going to be less good than people think it is next year. Chiefs.
Starting point is 00:40:14 I am not super high on the Chargers. People are higher than me. Sougat's major penalty, five minutes for talking about the Chiefs. A team that's going to be a lot better than people expect it to be. I think the Jaguars. I know I was like, eh, I'm at Trevor Lawrence, but I think they're going to be, I think that offense is going to be pretty good. BTJ is fun.
Starting point is 00:40:35 The next disposable position in terms of value that's going to get cut the way that running back has been cut. It changes constantly because football is changing constantly. I would say it's less that it's less valuable, but I think maybe the interior of the defensive line has been climbing and edge has gone down a teeny bit in my mind. She's the host of the Mina Kimes show starring Lenny.
Starting point is 00:40:58 She is Mina Kimes, NFL analyst on ESPN. We miss you young lady. Thanks for stopping by. Bye guys. Man, McConkey. I'm gonna use that again. Terrible. I'm gonna use it again.
Starting point is 00:41:08 Watch me get laughs.

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