The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 3 and Out - Final Cut Down Realities; Dan Snyder's Dumpster Fire; Pressure on Oregon; Romo MNF No-Brainer; Quick Hits; Mailbag

Episode Date: August 30, 2019

In this episode, Middlekauff explains how teams have their rosters set well before the final cut down day, why Dan Snyder's dumpster fire organization when you look at his highly competent business successes that landed him the team in the first place, why there's so much pressure on Oregon to prop up a weak Pac-12, why Tony Romo could break the bank by heading to the MNF booth, and answers listener questions in Middlekauff's Mailbag. Follow John on twitter @JohnMiddlekauff and go to theherdnow.com to find the latest content. Subscribe now! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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This is Clever Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me. He goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out.

Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, Wreck, my mama want you to weigh better. What? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam?

It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast point game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season, and I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was hiring. you just understood. That's how personal it got.

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The regular season, the regular season, is officially here. At least for you listening to this because it's Friday, Saturday, or sometime this weekend. This is a middle of Thursday. They haven't played the fourth preseason game, but I'm already just considering the regular seasons here. Because I don't plan on watching one minute of any of these preseason games. College football. can't wait. UCLA as I'm recording this and Cincinnati are about an hour away. Very, very excited for that game.

And just excited for this show. I actually got a lot to talk about. I'm going to dive into these next 48 hours and just some misconceptions. The good and the bad, you know, just everything that's going on with all the cuts, who's getting cut, why they're getting cut, and just how it all works. The Washington Redskins, it's really crazy what a dumpster fire that franchise is. I did a little research today because I didn't know that much about it. him. Daniel Snyder was so successful before he was like 30 years old. It's mind-blowing. It really is. And he, for being such an, the ultimate self-made billionaire, ass kicker businessman, couldn't be any

worse than as a business owner running the residents. It really is just wild. And we're going to dive into this weekend. The pressure on Oregon against Auburn is immense, that they're basically carrying the reputation or the lack thereof of their own conference, trying to beat Auburn, and can Mario Cristobal with a really loaded team beat Gus Mal's on? And I'm not very confident in it. But for the Pac-12, I don't think the game could be that much bigger. Tony Romo wants like $10 million. I have an idea.

If I ran a certain network or if I was his agent, there is a no-brainer situation for him that probably should, I mean, it would be worth to this company like $20 million a year. Again, no-brainer will get into that. I'll do some NFL headlines. I'll do the Middlecoff mailbag, which is at John Middlecoff, which is my Instagram handle. My DM's wide open. You can fire in there, slide in. I think that's what the kids call it. And I'll answer your questions here. Same as my Twitter account, at John Middlecoff, name on the show. A lot of people, including I went to athletic dinner last night. I write forum here in the bay. Only put 1F on a sheet. The Eagles used to only spell my name with 1F. And same thing at Fresno State. Fends me a little. I got two Fs, you know, but it keeps you

humble, you know, when people can't spell your name. Now granted, my last name is not Smith or Johnson, so I get it, but, you know, it's not that easy to, it's not hard to Google, you know, middle cough. But in all seriousness, I'm pretty fired up today. I'm very excited. I was like, when I woke up this morning, I'm like, what am I going to talk about? And then I started looking around. I'm like, God, there's a lot going on. But let's just start with the next 48 hours. Talk to a couple people in the league.

And both of them told me that our too deep has been set for a couple weeks now. We knew who we were going to dress on game day, give or take a player. Obviously, there could be a curveball if you traded for a clowny, you know, if a Zeke was traded, a Julio, something like that. And there have been some little trades made on Thursday. but for the most part, especially competitive teams, like any team that's a playoff team, any team that's probably above six or seven wins, has an idea of who they were going to dress on game day week one.

This last preseason game, when you read bubble guys, you're talking about like the 52nd and 53rd guy on a roster. They're not going to dress on game day, at least early on in the season, and they're battling for that last spot, whether it's on special teams, whether it's because that coach feels comfortable with them, whatever. But these guys are not playing tonight, at least for me it's tonight. For you, it was yesterday or a couple days ago,

for like a chance to be on the team on week one in terms of like playing. Now, they're a rookie, maybe getting some extra reps. But for the most part, those decisions were made weeks ago. It became clear in training camp. Especially now more than ever that these guys do not play in the preseason. You know, like you have a very good idea. you have a pretty good idea probably after the first preseason game

some of the fringe backups who you like and who you don't like and I think the good part about it is with you not playing starters you've got a very good feel like there is a lot of tape now on backup players there has never probably been a better time because forever you heard players

kind of bitch and moan and rightfully so you know I just I didn't get to get enough tape even as like the third stringer I only got 20 snap well now if you're the third stringer you might get 60 snaps, there has never been a better time to be a backup guy in the NFL or a third stringer and get reps in the preseason. Because you just look all over the league, starters do not, they don't even play in any games. If I was an undrafted free agent, if I was an agent, I would want my guy to go to the Rams

because it would guarantee that guy playing. Or the Packers or the Raiders haven't really been playing anyone. I mean, you can go countless teams all up, the Patriots, whoever. I would not send my undrafted free agent to a team that plays their starters in the regular season because it's just hard to get the reps. It can be the difference of like 50 plays. I mean, it really could be. If you're an undrafted free agent for the Vikings,

Zimmer's playing as starters or Pete Carroll, it's just hard to get some reps. Now here's the bad. A lot of people will lose jobs. Now, again, they were going for jobs that are very, very hard to attain. So this is not like getting fired from a remedial job. job. This is the elite of the elite. This is pro football. Over 1,100 players will be essentially fired given the pink slip. I've been the Turk. It sucks. I mean, it's a shitty, it's a shitty day because a lot of the guys, I got news for you, Twitter loves to tell you that the NFL's full

of bad guys. The majority of the league. And when I say majority, I'm not talking 55%. I'm talking like 98%. Are just really good guys. They work hard. They treat people well. They're happy people. They're just coaches like them, the scouts like them. We all like these guys. As fans, we like them. They're just not good enough. And that's why we watch the NFL. If you want overachievers and guys just get an A for effort, go watch a high school game.

And I did watch a high school game last weekend, St. Thomas Aquinas and Dale La Salle. And I'll promise you, there ain't many overachievers playing in that game. So you got to go watch like a bad high school game. This is the NFL. These guys are losing their jobs because they just weren't good enough. And that's welcome to America, right? It's just everyone's like, you know, treat these people with respect. No one's talking shit about them.

But a lot of these guys just are not good enough to play pro football. They should be very proud of themselves. They played four or five years in college. They got a cup of coffee in the NFL in training camp with all these teams. It's a hell of an accomplishment. It really is. Now, there is a percentage of that over 1,100 players that will immediately go on practice squads. Because a lot of guys do the math.

Now, the NFL did a solid where they gave, it used to be eight, it's now 10 players. So 10 times 32, I didn't go to Harvard, but that's 320 players. So of the 37 players per team that are cut, over 300 of those guys will be on practice squads, more than likely. You know, some of the guys will be, yeah, I guess all of them, it'll be from that pot of guys, will be practice squad players. Now, the practice squad contract is separate from an NFL contract. So you no longer have an NFL contract. because it gets ripped up when you're waived and then you sign the practice squad contract.

I don't know the exact number. I'd have to look it up. I think it's like 95 to 100 grand to be on the practice squad. Now, if I really like you, I can pay you up to the veteran, not the veteran minimum, but like the rookie minimum, which like a seventh rounder would make,

so I can fully guarantee your salary. If I want to keep you on the practice squad, the Patriots have done it for years, the Eagles do it. Good teams do that. I know the Niners have paid more for practice squad guys. So there are ways to like

manipulate the system again but that guy still if he's on your practice squad he cannot be like he ain't playing on game days because if you do want that guy to play on game days you got to cut someone from your roster and here's the other thing just because you make the team and I think it's at 4 o'clock Eastern

Standard Time so 1 o'clock for me on Saturday you have to have your roster down to 53 guys now just because you make that roster there are going to be like if there's 1100 people the waiver wire is massive. If I claim one of those players, if you're a vested veteran, I think you've been in the league or over four years of service time, you're not subject to waivers. So you just

become a free agent. If I sign, either claim a guy in the waiver wire or sign a free agent, to put on my active roster, I then have to cut someone that initially made the team. So just because you initially made the team, if you're the 52nd or 53rd guy, you are not safe. I mean, you're probably safe by about Tuesday, but Sunday and Monday, you are 100% not safe. So it's a time where if you're a back-in roster guy, you're just kind of holding on for dear life, hoping your team either can't claim a guy. Because if you're like the Chiefs and you claim a guy, or the Patriots or just any team that was good last year because it's based on draft order, there's a decent chance that that guy

gets claimed before he gets to you. So then you just don't get the player. That means it's safe. So think about the dumb luck that if you're a player on like the Patriots, you're a player on like the Patriots or the Chiefs or Seattle or just the Rams, any team like that, the Saints, and you're the 53rd guy and they claim a player or they put in a claim. But another team well ahead of them like the Jaguars, I'm just using random teams, the Jets, claim that player, you just don't get them, right?

Because it's based on the draft order. So every team, if you're the Patriots and you're the Super Bowl champion, you're picking 32nd, if you claim a guy to acquire that player, you're going to need every team in the league. to pass on claiming that guy. And then if you do claim him, you are then awarded that player, and again, you have to immediately cut some guy that thought that he originally made the team, and it was probably one of the proudest days of his life. Now, typically, if the guy made the team and then you're going to cut him, you would

probably bring him back on practice squad. So even if you signed a practice squad guy on Saturday afternoon, you may cut that guy if you could upgrade with a practice squad guy a day later. So it really just once the roster is not set by any means in concrete on Saturday afternoon. It's probably, unless you're like the Bears or the Packers because they're playing on Thursday, they'd have a pretty good idea. But most of the teams probably by about Monday they'll have a pretty good idea. Now again, it does not affect who's going to play week one on Sunday or if you're playing on Monday night because there's a couple games.

It would just affect you typically your practice squad guys. and the guys that are not going to be up on game day. So I think we make a big deal about this because it is a big deal. You're cutting a lot of players. It's an intense time. A lot of the guys have done everything you've asked. They even flashed. I mean, there are probably different points in time for a lot of these players during OTAs.

You're like, God, this guy might make our team. Or even during early on in training camp, like, God, this guy might make our team. And then usually, and this is any competitive business, right, the more the stakes raise, it usually exposes people. I'm a big believer. The cream always rises the top in any business. And there's also situations where you might have just had a training, bad, you know, offseason, bad training camp. They get cut you, put you on practice squad.

Maybe physically or mentally, you weren't quite ready yet. And in two years, you go on to have a seven-year NFL career. That's a great part about the NFL. Unlike, like in basketball, undrafts of free agents don't make a team. In baseball, ask anyone. I got friends that played college baseball and they had guys that, you know, spend a lot of time in the minor leagues. I've spent time with guys

and spent time in the minor leagues. The amount of luck that goes into just being in the right franchise to be called up. If you're on a franchise with a higher draft pick, that guy's going to get called up over you. Like in the NFL, you're going to see countless fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh rounders cut this weekend. And you're going to see undrafted free agents make the team.

So because it's a meritocracy. I don't care. If I find a fifth rounder, or excuse me, if I find an undrafted free agent. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in.

I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered.

SportsSlice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to SportsSlice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests.

I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing and we're still chasing it and we don't know when we've done enough because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses.

Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth? Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing,

growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free, our Heart Radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. What's up, guys? This is Clever Taylor the Fourth. And on my podcast, The Cliver Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee.

We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker walks up to me. He goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Quarterback on office blue 42. Hey, rep, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Hey, Miss Parker.

Listen to the Clippers show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. The story I've told myself about love or relationships can then shape my behavior, and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection. This Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast deeply well with Debbie Brown and explore the journey of healing, self-discovery, and returning to yourself. We explore higher consciousness, emotional well-being, and the practices that help you find clarity, peace, and self-mastery in a world that can feel overwhelming. The world is becoming lonelier.

We're not becoming more social and connected. We're becoming more individualized, but we actually meet people in connection. If you've been searching for a soft place to land while doing the work to become whole, this podcast is for you to hear more. Listen to deeply well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. It plays the same position as my fifth rounder, and I like my undrafted free agent a lot more. I'm cutting the fifth rounder, and I don't even feel that bad about it.

I really don't. So it's a busy time of year, the hype on the impact. It doesn't have that much impact, especially early in the season. Now, later in the season, it does for sure. And the best teams do the best job of evaluating your own team, because you've now had six months with these players, of coaching them up in pads, in the offseason, meeting with them. So you better be sure.

The 37 guys you cut and the 53 guys you keep, you're picking the right ones to keep and the right ones to get rid of. And let's call it what it is. We're dealing with humans. This is not an exact science. Some of the best teams make mistakes. Some of the best teams cut guys that go on to be really good players. It's tough.

I mean, this is not a computer program. You're not guaranteed to get a perfect result. Even Belichick's cut guys that have gone out to be good players, or Sean Peyton or Andy Reid or Pete Carroll, part of the business. But I'm just glad it's finally taking shape and we can get ready for the regular season. This clip is brought to you by State Farm. At State Farm, they know it's important to ensure the things you love. They also get that everyone has a budget.

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I don't know. I always look at like this. Like, what do I want? I wanted to be a WWE superstar. All right, what does it take to be a WW superstar? What are the tools I will need to give me every possible, opportunity I can get. And so I took the tools of acting

classes, improv classes, wrestling school, everything I possibly can to knock on the door of WW. The people of the everyone on that real world show would wear my t-shirts would always ask me to do the MIS. Like, they were so supportive. Like, you don't get it that very often. You really don't. Listen to

the My Cultura podcast network available on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. There's a recipe for getting your car running just right. And Whatever you're cooking up in the garage, you'll find what you need at eBay motors.com. They have over 122 million car parts and accessories in stock, all at the right prices. And that can help you turn your ride into something really tasty.

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or whomever you may need, becomes a whole lot easier. Upwork, the world's work marketplace. Okay, let's dive into the Washington Redskins. Bruce Allen got tweeted on my timeline, claimed yesterday that Trent Williams is going nowhere. They're not going to trade them. Now, they control them,

because they got these things in America and worldwide called contracts. He's under contract. Now, he doesn't have to show up, but they control him. I know that's hard for people on Twitter. I think everyone should just be able to rip up contracts at nonstop. That's not the way pro sports works. He's under contract. So he can either play for them or not play.

The one thing I will not dispute, when I hear Bruce Allen talk, when I hear anyone talk about the Washington Redskins, they are a complete dumpster fire. I mean, a legit embarrassment. And I just don't get it because Daniel Snyder bought the team back in 1999. And they have been just beyond terrible now going on 20 years. Made the playoffs maybe two times.

I don't have, had they won a playoff game over that period of time? Not sure they have. Just a joke. For one of the highest valued franchises in one of the most lucrative areas in D.C., in by far the most lucrative division. with Philly, the Giants in Dallas. They're a joke. I mean, they couldn't be any more poorly run.

And I just wanted to Google. I'm like, you know what's crazy about pro sports? Is humans can buy the team. And whatever they were doing before, be just ultra successful. Just be the ultimate alpha. You know, so many of these guys that have bought pro teams over the years. Like people that run teams in the NFL, for example, quote unquote, inherited it. like a Mark Davis, I got Jed York here down the street.

Like those guys inherited, Clark Hunt, Robert Kraft's son, Jonathan Will one day, Stephen Jones. But when you buy the team, it's usually a guy that did not inherit the team. Self-made billionaire. Because I got news for you, most billionaires in America, the study show, are self-made people. So Daniel Snyder falls into that category. Well, I just Googled Daniel Snyder. I'm like, I want to know some more about them. I just found these two paragraphs.

Snyder is already a self-made man years before he became the owners of the Redskins. Amazingly, he became the youngest head honcho of a company quoted in the New York Stock Exchange. He was only 32 years old when he got that distinction. Now, that's probably changed in the last six or seven years with the tech stocks. But at the time, you know, probably until this tech boom of the last 10 years, he was the youngest man ever to run a company that was on the New York Stock Exchange. Despite being a University of Maryland dropout, Snyder already made his first million dollars by the age of 20, by selling trip packages and leasing jets to college students who wanted to travel to spring break destinations in Florida and the Caribbean.

At 23 years old, he started a company. Snyder Communications, abbreviated SNC. The company was into advertising and marketing. The company is best known for their creative advertising, advertising, ventures like wallboards and for handing out product samples and daycare centers. I don't even know what that means. The firm was a fiscal success and Snyder was able to get himself a private jet in 1991. He was 26 years old.

So in Daniel Snyder's 20s, he was a millionaire at 20. Again, self-made guy did not come into money, dropped out of college. He reads like Steve Jobs. I mean, this guy's resume before he bought the Redskins in 1999 read probably like, one of the truly great up-and-comers in American business history. If you just would have read his resume, not known anything about him, before he bought the Houston Texans, or excuse me, the Washington Redskins, you would have said, this guy is going to be a raging success.

Because to me, I'm reading this stuff. It reads a little bit like Joe Lakeb, the guy that took over the Warriors. Now, he was much older when he bought the Warriors, but his resume was just super successful, super young, self-made, grew up poor. You just usually bet on those guys. But this guy, despite all this success, whether it's hiring the wrong people, which he consistently does, whether it's meddling in football operations, which he consistently does,

whether it's just, I don't even know, just running a chaotic organization, which he clearly consistently does, I don't understand how a guy, it's one of the rare cases, can be that successful. This wasn't a guy, you know, by the time he was 40, he started making him. This guy was a million. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind.

Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athletes themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real.

From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience

in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it,

and we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross. you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth? Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely.

And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose. On my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. What's up, guys? This is Clifford Taylor the Fourth.

And on my podcast, The Cliver Show, I'm bringing you. conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me, he goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out.

Quarterback on office blue 42. Hey, rep, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clippers show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. The story I've told myself about love or relationships can then shape my behavior, and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection. This Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast deeply well with Debbie Brown and explore the journey of healing, self-discovery, and returning to yourself.

We explore higher consciousness, emotional well-being, and the practices that help you find clarity, peace, and self-master. in a world that can feel overwhelming. The world is becoming lonelier. We're not becoming more social and connected. We're becoming more individualized, but we actually meet people in connection. If you've been searching for a soft place to land while doing the work to become whole, this podcast is for you to hear more. Listen to deeply well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the IHeartRadio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And they're 20 years old. At 20 years old. And we're talking back in the late 80s when a million, like a million dollars today, I got news for you. Ain't that much money relative to what it was 30 years ago. You know, now if you have $2 million is a lot of money. But to me a million, like when I was growing up in the early 90s, you said a million dollars meant a lot. You said you made six figures.

That meant a lot. I don't think that even means a lot anymore. So you get this guy who's making a million dollars at 20 back when a million dollars was a shitload of money. and he just can't run a functional franchise. They, for whatever reason, despite having all these smart people that live in the area, their doctors consistently screw up people's injuries, he hires this president slash GM in Bruce Allen that knows nothing about football, who might as well just be a politician.

His best employee is probably Jay Gruden, and Jay Gruden has to, like, he doesn't have any power. Because Dan Snyder picks who he's going to want to pick, Dwayne Haskins. Bruce Allen picks who he wants to pick, or can't get a deal done with Kirk Cousins and all these years. It's just a debacle. And Jay Gruden is probably going to be collateral damage at the end of the season when they don't make the playoffs and he gets fired. But it really is baffling.

I understand why Mark Davis is a train wreck. He inherited a franchise that his dad wouldn't let him do anything with all those years with the Raiders. I understand why Jed York has not won many games besides the Harbaugh era since he owned the team. Mainly because he inherited the team from his parents who inherited. inherited it from an owner that won a lot of money, Eddie de Bartolo, because he was kicked out of the league. I get it. It makes sense to us.

I understand when teams that are inherited fail. Now, it doesn't mean they're always going to fail. Clark Hunt runs a high-level organization. Stephen Jones, everyone I know thinks he's a high-level guy. Everyone that deals with Jonathan Kraft go, God, he's sharp. But, like, David Tepper, we all think David Tepper with Carolina probably going to be pretty good. He's one of the richest investors in the history of America. I think there is something to being older once you're able to buy this team.

Like David Teper, I don't know exactly how old he is, but I guess mid to late 50s or early 60s when he bought the Carolina Panthers. What was Daniel Snyder when he bought the Washington Redskins? Like 35? Maybe it was just too much too fast. But you would think by this point in time, you know, 20 years later, after experiencing all these up and downs for a guy that's clearly pretty smart. You know, Steve Jobs had some rough patches, but eventually he figured stuff out.

Why? because the guy was a genius. Daniel Snyder, his business resume, you go, this guy's a genius. Again, a million dollars at 20 years old, and you're talking about in the late 80s, when that is, I mean, I can't imagine, that might be like $5 million right now. That's crazy. And he just couldn't be any more of a failure. I just, I don't get it. It honestly doesn't really make sense for how terrible the Redskins consistently are and how at one point in time, the golden child, like one of the great up-and-comers in American business history, they're connected.

And they're not just connected. That guy has run this franchise into the ground. And they're a laughing stock. They're a joke and they're a disaster under this guy's watch. It really, they should do a 30 for 30 on it, honestly, because I can't figure it out. What up? It's Dramos. You may know me from The Recap on LATV.

Now I've got my own podcast, Life as a Gringo, coming to you every Tuesday and Thursday. We'll be talking real and unapologetic about all things life, Latin culture, and everything in between from someone who's never quite fit in. Listen to Life as a Gringo on the IHeart Radio app

or wherever you get your podcasts. Brought to you by State Farm. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Millions of Americans are getting back to work. Career builder calls it the great rehire. And we want to help you get the best job before everyone else. CareerBuilder gives you the competitive edge to get the job you want, at the salary you want, with the benefits you want. We even send job alerts, so your perfect job

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that has more pressure on them to get the job done than Oregon. They are carrying the pressure of a conference. And, I mean, there are a lot of pressures in life. Like, I'm sure many of you have children. There's legitimate pressures, like feed your children. Make sure they, you know, have health insurance so they can grow up healthy. Like, you know, do well in your job so you can pay for everything in your life and, you know, pay for a roof over your head.

Like, those are legitimate pressures, right? I used to always get great joy overseeing when I was a GA at Fresno State and guys, you know, we recruited a lot of players that didn't come from much. And a lot of times they would be the first guy to graduate, you know, from a college, from a university in their family's history.

Like, there's pressure behind that, but that's more of just an accomplishment. And you see a lot of times, and I still get pretty excited when a guy goes, you know, maybe came out of school early, goes to the pros and then ultimately graduates because they knew it meant a lot to their family. Like they felt pressure because it meant a lot to their mom. But it wasn't going to change their life by the time they're in their late 30s or 40s or whatever.

But they knew before maybe their mom or dad died, it meant a lot to them. They wanted to do it. They had played in the league for a long time. I think that's always cool. And I think there's pressure involved there, but at the end of the day, it's not going to change anything. Where at the end of the day, if Oregon wins or loses this game, I don't think it necessarily changes anything, but there is tangible pressure for a perception of a conference that is viewed right now, they say the Power 5, let's call it what it is. Right now there's a Power 4 and then

there's the Pac-12. There's the ACC, which Clemson is carrying. There's the SEC, which is the lead dog. Then there's the Big 10 and the Big 12 that have been pretty damn good with Oklahoma, Oklahoma, State, Texas, and then obviously Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin. The Pac-12 has been terrible these last three or four years. Like a borderline embarrassment. Here's a big problem I have for the Pac-12 this season, that their most talented team, the Oregon Ducks,

have a major question market head coach. Because here's what Mario Crystal Ball, who has the pressure of the conference riding on his shoulder is going to have to do to give this team a decent chance to make the playoffs. One of he's got to win this game. And Gus takes a lot

of crap down in the SEC and down in the South, mainly because their standards or astronauts. economically high. But say what you want, Gus has beat some pretty good coaches over the years. So to me, even if he doesn't have the more talented team in this game, he sure as hell could out-coach Mario. Let's say Mario upsets the, I guess I have to look at the line. It might not be an upset, but just wins this game.

In the Pac-12, there's cut into two divisions, the north and the south. Well, the north is dramatically more difficult than the south, mainly because it's top-heavy with coaches. David Shaw, top 10 coach in this country, Chris Peterson, I'd put it as a top five coach in this country, and Mike Leach, I mean,

one of the better coaches in the country. Definitely one of the better coaches at non-powerful programs and is able to win nine or ten games a year. You're telling me that Mario Cristobal, even though he's got a potential top five quarterback and a loaded roster, is going to go,

because the Pac-12 is not getting a team into the into the conference or the playoffs if they have one loss because at the end of the day, let's say Alabama is undefeated, Georgia has one loss and, you know,

Wisconsin or Michigan or Ohio State has one loss and Oklahoma or Texas have one loss like the Pac-12's on the outside looking in. We know that for a fact. So you've got to run the table in the Pac-12 to get in unless it's just one of those years

where all these teams have two losses which the last several years has not been the case. So if the Pac-12 is going to get a team in the playoffs, they're going to need them to go to undefeated. And right now to start the season, Oregon has all the momentum. But you go, okay, he beats Auburn, which would be a big win for him. His biggest problem is he has to beat Mike Leach, Chris Peterson, and David Shaw. And I see, I don't see him having a snowball's chance in hell to beat all four of these coaches.

I just don't. I think he'd be lucky sitting here where I'm sitting, watching this conference and watching these coaches my entire life, especially Peterson. I've been watching his career closely at Boise State. Obviously, we've all been watching Mike Leitz since he was lighting people up at Texas Tech. And then David Shaw is just a big David Shaw guy, and I'm a big Harbaugh guy, so I follow Stanford pretty closely. I just don't see how that's possible.

I really don't. I think that Oregon is like set up in what's kind of unfair, and I've heard other people talk about this on other shows, they're like, it's kind of stupid. Like, the Oregon could lose this game and it not, really be a bad loss, and that is true. Gus Malzahn beats good coaches, beats good teams. The problem is

the Pact 12 is viewed at like the JV conference right now, and they deserve that. They have created that. Their inability to hire the right coaches, to make football a priority, they're too into I got news for you, academia

means, and the culture out here on the West Coast is just different than it is in the South, the Big Ten, and the Big 12. And at Clemson, it just is. There are hoops that you have to run through at some of these West Coast institutions that you just don't at Ohio State. Or Florida or Georgia or Alabama. When Nick says jump, everyone on campus says how high. When you say jump at Cal, people look at you, they just keep on walking.

No one cares. So I just don't know how he does it. And I think I'm already set up for the letdown, which is sad. And the Pac-12, I don't know how they get out of this rut. I really don't. I think their best chance in the next. several years to eventually make the playoffs will be Chris Peterson, who did it several years ago and then got his ass kick by Alabama in that

playoff game. But I do not feel good about Mario. I think he's the worst coach of the best ones in his own division, let alone his conference. Even if you factored in the South, Kyle Whittingham is a better coach than Mario Cristobal. Kevin Sumlin's accomplished more than Mario Cristobal. Chip Kelly, who I think has kind of lost his fastball, I mean,

has forgot probably more football in big games than Mario. crystal ball. So I just I think the conference is kind of set up to be a major, major letdown and I'm telling you, if Oregon loses this game, which I would love for Oregon to win it, but I got news for you, I'm picking Auburn.

Just because I'm just, I'm going with the SEC in these tight games. I mean, Washington, who's a better program than Oregon, did the same thing last year and didn't even play that well, and then flip it in the second half, actually, they played pretty well, and they still lost. I just, I

I can't see it. And I think they are going to get eviscerated. Especially, let's say Oregon loses by, I don't know, 10 points. People will not take the Pac-12 seriously at all moving forward, which sucks, but it's also earned. They've created this monster kind of now of everyone viewing them as a second-rank conference, and there's nothing they can do to get out of their own way until they have a team run the table and then probably win a playoff game.

because just making the playoffs right now isn't good enough. You've got to show out in the playoffs. Like Notre Dame last year had a really good season, but then they kind of got their ass kicked again in the playoffs. I can't view Notre Dame as Alabama, as Clemson and Ohio State. They're not their equals. They're on a different level. Just same with the Pack 12.

You know, I mean, they might give on a one-off a game, but they don't belong on the same field right now. And they used to. You know, Pete Carroll, when he had USC Humming, Chip Kelly when he had Oregon humming, Stanford and some of those early David Shaw years when he had it humming. But right now, man, the Pac-12 could be in for another long year. Okay, let's dive into Tony Romo.

I saw a headline on Twitter that he wants $10 million. And that would be the high... Last night, a blown call changed the game. This morning, the Internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo.

Every episode, we're cutting through the noise. Breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real.

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Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slic Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardaway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience

in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. Trip Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch.

Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth. Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines,

as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. What's up, guys? This is Clivert Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Clivert Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff,

like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me, he goes, Hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue 42. Hey, rec, my mama want you to wave at her.

What? Hey, Ms. Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. The story I've told myself about love or relationships can then shape my behavior and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection. This Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast deeply well with Debbie Brown and explore the journey of healing, self-discovery, and returning to yourself. We explore higher consciousness, emotional well-being, and the practices that help you find

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Think about how much that was in the early 90s when Fox finally got the NFL shows you. I mean, the money's been a little cap, but I have a pretty easy solution. And a lot of times, you know, people like, Middle Coff, you're just complaining. I'm like, well, I'm not in the solution business. I'm just critical or just give my opinion on stuff. It's not my job to figure out a solution. It's the coaches, it's the players, it's whatever. I just observe.

But I think this one's pretty easy. Because I have been very critical, and I'm not on an island on this one, of Monday Night Football. Because Monday Night Football last year was an utter embarrassment. I mean, it was unwatchable. If you watch these preseason broadcasts, a lot of them are terrible. It's what it was like. But it's Monday Night Football. It was terrible.

And it hasn't been the same since John left. Now, you can be critical of John Gruden as a broadcaster in terms of, well, he just kind of cookie cutter. He entertained. And that's really what I'm looking for in my analysts. I don't care about X's nose breakdown. I really want to be entertained. Now, the best of both worlds is Tony Romo, who gives me the entertainment aspect and then can call plays early.

It's incredible. He's got to be as unique of a broadcaster as we've ever heard, at least in my lifetime. Maybe, you know, Phil Sims or some of those guys when they first started doing it had some of that in them. I don't remember. Maybe older listeners of this could tell me. To me, Tony Romo's kind of,

of a one of a kind. Well, if I'm ESPN, and clearly they've tried to get their business model, remember for a couple years, it was about politics, ratings in the tank, because I got news for you, people want to talk sports, not politics. If I go to ESPN, I want to watch football, I want to watch basketball, I want to watch whatever, not hear your anchors, political opinions 24-7. We understand, you know, where they fall. We follow their tweets. They're all extremists. I just want to watch football. And the ESPN has got it back on track. They've become about sports, and they've done a good job. They got this new president

ever since they got rid of John Skipper for his drug problem, we think, or whatever happened. No one really knows. But this new guy is come out swinging. He tried to get Peyton Manning last off season and came up short. Well, of course he came up short

because Peyton Manning's not going to do it. He's worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Even if you offer him just a stupid amount of money, he doesn't need to do it. Remember we talked about earlier this week about Andrew Luck, the hardest people are to gauge or those not driven by money.

Now, Peyton Manning is clearly driven by money, but he has so much that he can say no to stuff. So he has the leverage of having so much money that he doesn't need your money. Tony Romo also has a lot of money, but clearly likes doing this, would be to me a no-brainer for ESPN.

And I think you could basically replace him, you know, he could do the Gruden roll. He would be on Monday night football and if he wants $10 million, I'd give him $20 million. Because he'd be on Monday night football, you would get so much credit for hiring him. Monday night game is just, is bigger.

than the Sunday night afternoon game. And, I mean, it's cool working with Jim Nance or whatever, but I would rather be the Monday Night Football announcer. You could also do this. I mean, one of the things that really put Gruden on the map was his quarterback camp. He worked with all those rookie quarterbacks before they were drafted and did a 30-minute TV show. And it was clearly really highly rated.

It was really interesting. It was really cool. It kind of separated Gruden. Made him pretty special. Like, Gruden was awesome. And then once he started doing the... MMQB, or not the MMQB, but the fire coaches of America, you know, at his operation in Florida, it was a hit.

I mean, it was a major, major hit. Why couldn't you do that with Tony Romo? Set up a little shop in Dallas or wherever you want and have Romo spend 24 hours with all the quarterback prospects. Talk football, talk life, do whatever. Film it. Cut it up. It would crush. Romo and the quarterback.

I don't know, like the Romo hour, whatever you want to call it. you know, it'd be awesome. I think this is such a no-brainer that you immediately, if you're ESPN, you let his agent know, you let him know, you tell Tony to tell us his price, he'll be our guy. We will build the network around him.

Now, it would ruffle feathers with ESPN because everyone was always pissed off that Gruden was making that much money. And I know Collins talked about this many times, that Gruden was worth way more than even ESPN was paying him. Because of the value, Obviously, Monday night crushed it, but his television shows in the offseason with the quarterbacks were a huge success.

Romo and the quarterbacks would be a huge success. To me, it's a no-brainer. Us as fans, we no longer have to watch the crap that is Monday night football right now. And we get Romo in the booth. He's really entertaining. Put him with, I don't know, whoever you want to be the play-by-play guy, I'd probably get Test Store out of there, too. He's a little over the top for me. Though, I mean, test Toro, whatever.

I could live with that, though I'd want a little better. And I think we'd be back on track. And I think it would be a huge win for ESPN and just Monday Night Football overall. To me, it's, I don't give you many solutions on this show, but that's a BP fastball in my book. This clip is brought to you by State Farm. At State Farm, they know it's important to ensure the things you love. They also get that everyone has a budget. That's why they have options, like insure.

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And that's what I'm not okay with. Because why? Why? Because I have cellulite because I have thick thighs. I can't do that. I can't feel sexy in my own skin. And those are the things that I want to break because there are so many women like me. And I want to be and represent us, you know? Obviously, there's always room for improvement. I always want to look better. I want to work out. I want to lose weight. But in reality, this is the body God gave me.

And I've never really been skinny. Listen to the My Cultura Podcast Network available on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Millions of Americans are getting back to work. CareerBuilder calls it the great rehire. And we want to help you get the best jobs before everyone else. CareerBuilder gives you the competitive edge to get the job you want, at the salary you want, with the benefits you want. We even send job alerts so your perfect job lands right in your inbox. Go to CareerBuilder.com today

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Terms apply. See the Disney bundle.com for details. Okay, let's get into the Middilcoff mailbag, but first I want to hit on a couple things that I've seen just throughout the training camp slash last week. One, hard knocks. That last episode was a train wreck. It couldn't have been any more boring.

the season had such high hopes with Gruden. We get no Mayock. We get none of their first round pick, Josh Jacobs. They lightly touch on Antonio Brown, but it never gets too in depth. For all the hype, the show sucks. I mean, it's had one good episode out of the four, been a massive, massive letdown. It's really sad because I was really, really excited for it. But just watching the All or Nothing with the Panthers,

watching the All or Nothing on just other sports, Man City, the All Blacks. It's 2019. Like we're not, Hard Knocks isn't my only option anymore. We've had countless now All or Nothings on Amazon Prime where I get way better access with their coaches, their GMs, their players. I don't know, man.

As Hard Knocks run its course, they don't give me anything interesting. I get no personnel meetings on players. It just stinks. And I get the Raiders having just knowing the way they operate. Just personally, I knew that they would be very hesitant to let any information out. They're very guarded just to begin with. Then they're very insecure about looking dumb because I think they think that most people think they're dumb

because history would show us. They've struggled. You know, they go to Canada. The field's a joke and they come out of it like blaming the Packers. Now, Matt LaFleur kind of looked like a wuss. You know, Gruden ran all over them at midfield. But the Packers shouldn't have played. played in the end zones.

There was like a quarter inch thing sticking up out of a hole. And the Raiders did a good job of glossing over that. Of course they did because they don't want to look like idiots in the show. But the show is just completely fake. It used to be real. And now it's just, I don't know. I don't know if it's going to be around that much longer. I'm very disappointed in this show.

Leonard Fournett, I think Leonard Fournett looks fantastic. He's running with a purpose, aggressive. He looks skinny. I know he talked about, I think, in the media this week, how he's lost some weight. I'm really impressed. And I think that Leonard Fournett, I'll give you a hot take. Sleeper MVP pick. Now it's obviously really hard for running backs to win the MVP, but could the guy rush for like 15, 1,600 years?

MVP might be strong. That's a super hot take. How about comeback player of the year? The preseason game last week, he was run violent trucking guys. I just like what I'm hearing and what I'm saying. and what I'm seeing out of Leonard Fournette. And I've been hard on Leonard Fournett. I said, how do you take a power running back that high last year?

He was acting like an idiot, fighting with dudes, getting kicked out of games, was chubby and out of shape. Well, he's come back this season looks like he's on a mission. I'm excited to watch him play. And then the other story is Carly Lloyd. Could she kick a football? I can't even get into all the takes on Twitter over it. But if I was an NFL team, I'd work her out.

I don't think it's that nuts. I'm always shocked that more soccer players don't go into football and try it out just because we see how shitty kickers are. Now, I also think that tells us how hard it is to kick. It's difficult to find kickers. There are only so many Adam Venetaries and Justin Tucker's that those guys, you know, they're just few and far between. And even good ones can have terrible stretches of their career.

Robbie Gold, who the Niners franchised, now that's more of indictment on the level of talent on their team. But still, Robbie Gold's had the... two of the best years of his career, had gotten like a three-year stretch where he wasn't very good. So kicking is a little like golf. Could she do it? You know, I would give her a try out if I was like the Bears.

I don't see why I don't think it would be as easy as people like on Twitter assume. But I think she would have the leg strength. And I'd be interested if she was kicking a game. I'd be, I'd love to watch that. Let's dive into the Middlecough mailbag. Ad John Middlecough is my Instagram handle. You can slide right up in those DMs and I'll answer them. whenever, so fire in them.

Huge fan of both podcasts from Canada. Hey buddy. If Jimmy G. and Tom Brady have both have down years and the 49ers and Patriots are both looking to move on, do you think Bill Belichick would make a move for Jimmy to come back? Well, if Tom Brady left and Jimmy was really terrible this year and the Niners got rid of him, I think one million percent Belichick would bring him back. One million percent Belichick would bring him back. I just don't, I think the big wild card is just Tom Brady.

When's he going to leave? How's he going to leave? You know, I keep saying, I don't think his arm's going to fall off a cliff like Peyton Manning's did a couple years ago or kind of like Eli's has done. I think it's going to be an injury. So when it's something like an injury, it could happen at any time. But if Jimmy Garoppolo became available, him and McDaniels would one billion percent bring him back.

And I think Jimmy would be nuts for not going back. Again, they'd need Brady to be gone. But, you know, next year Brady's going to be 43. Is he really going to make it to 45? I think we all just kind of assume it at this point. But when you take a step back and you say that out loud, he's going to play football. 45 years old quarterback, not kicking quarterback?

That's nuts. Over under 8 and a half wins for the Colts, question. How much are the Colts to blame for not having a good line during luck's career or is luck just unlucky during his career, pun intended? Love the show. I think, I mean, Ryan Grixon's to blame for those first three years when he just got absolutely destroyed, crushed every game, physically beat down. Eight and a half wins, I'll be honest, because when we did the over-unders all summer,

I definitely took them over, and I think I picked them to win the division. I don't have a great feel because I still think their team's really good. I believe in their general manager. I think their coach is good. I just don't have a great feel for Jacoby Burset. I was talking, we had an athletic dinner. for the Bay Area, the athletic, and I was talking to Ted Nguyen.

He's a good follow on Twitter. I think football analysis is his Twitter handle. I'm sure many people listening follow him. He was telling me that he went back for an article that he just wrote and watched Jacoby that year that he started, you know, the year that Ballard traded for him. And I just said, how'd he look? Because I remember watching briefly,

but that team was terrible, if you remember, because they ended up, remember, they ended up drafting third overall, and then they traded with the Jets, and that was the year they took Quentin Nelson. And he's like, well, honestly, it was hard to judge because that offensive line was still like Ryan Grickson's offensive line, and it was atrocious.

He was getting destroyed. So I think the way people talk about him, it's really high, but I think we've seen that song and dance with backup quarterbacks before. But I'm not discounting him. You know, he gets better. Hardworking, smart players improve, even when they're not playing. So I'm not going to just write him off and say that he hasn't improved from that year and just being a backup.

I'm looking forward to watching them play, but I would just, as a gambler, I just wouldn't touch it. Because they might be a 6 and 10 team just because Jacoby sucks. What if Jacoby's like Alex Smith and they win 9 or 10 games just because the coach is good? I think they are one of the great wild cards in NFL history. Hey, big fan of Ham and 3 and Out podcast. I've been listening for two years now. Appreciate it. I was talking with a buddy about an interesting prospect for a trade proposal and wanted your thoughts.

With both Clowny and Williams, Trent Williams, holding out with no end in sight, what do you think about a player for player trade? Texans obviously have O-line issues despite throwing some draft capital at it, and they don't seem to want to pay Clowny. The Washington Williams relationship seems broken beyond repair, and you can never have enough pass rushers. True. Only question would be Capspace.

I'm a Niner fan, so I have no dog in this fight, but thought it was an interesting concept. Would love to hear your thoughts and keep killing it. Thanks. hashtag bald brother bald brotherhood baby yeah I mean if I was the Texans I would one million

percent do that deal if I'm the Redskins trading my franchise left tackle then who's going to play left tackle I'm getting clowny on an organization that's pretty crappy where my coach is probably getting it fired and I can't sign the guy until the end of the season if I'm trading Trent Williams

I would rather have multiple picks probably than clowny Now, in theory I'd want clowny, but I can't sign him. So I think that makes it very, very complicated. It's where I always, Bill O'Brien, I'm a Bill O'Brien guy. But, man, I think he's just kind of screwed up this situation. He's created a mess. John, do you think that there is a plan in place when Andrew comes back in two years after

destroy and rebuild is put in motion after this season, and they trade away assets, bringing fresh faces and solidify the line around Andrew reemerges at the new freshly healed quarterback and give a second go that he's still young and I say this is not that far off. Yeah, I would say that 100% you can never rule out him coming back, right? He made a pretty emotional decision.

He was pretty beat up. They were going to put him on injured reserve. But their team was equipped to win right now. So I don't think they need to blow this thing up. Like, their team is good. I think most people in the NFL, most fans like me and you on the outside, viewed the Colts,

if luck was their starting quarterback, it's probably an 11 to 12 win team. I felt pretty confident that they were, I mean, at minimum a 10-win team. So you don't just get that, especially in a division that's really good without having a really good team. I mean, they got stars at a lot of different positions. T.Y, their offensive line. I like their running backs. Eric Ebron's now a star. Darius Leonard.

They're good, man. They really are. So I don't know. That's a tough question because I, again, you can never discount them coming back, but I think by no means it doesn't lock. I would say actually it's a, it would be a little shocking. Luck was reportedly a vegan. Do you think there is correlation between vegan,

vegetarian diets, increased rates of injury, and decreased rates of recovery? I would, I just don't think that many professional athletes. I'm not a dietitian, but I don't think that many professional athletes are vegan. I think it's a very, very small percentage. Just because of the importance of protein, how much just naturally these guys have been used to eating this type, you know, meat their entire lives, just being an athlete for the protein.

Again, not a dietitian, so it's hard for me to speak and have an educated take on this, just a gut feel outsider take and as someone that just powered down a bunch of meat today. I really do think it's a really, really small percentage of people that don't eat meat. did it lead to like Andrew Luck getting injured a lot? I think what led to Andrew Luck getting injured a lot was just his offensive line sucked and he was getting peppered. I mean, absolutely tattooed. Absolutely tattooed.

And even if you're 6'5, 235 pounds, a man can only be hit so many times if he goes down. Tyson says everyone's got a game plan until they get hit in the mouth. Imagine just getting hit over and over and over and over again. You just, it breaks any man. and I think if you watch that Andrew Luck press conference after the game, he was a broken man. Any chance this year's Colts could be like the Rams when Trent Green went down and Kurt Warner comes in?

Well, to me, Kurt Warner is just one of the all-time outliers, not just in sports, but in world history. This guy was discounted multiple times, had to go to the NFL, then even when he got a shot in the NFL, was like a four-stringer when training camp started, and then to go on to become a Hall of Famer, Think about the, we talk a lot of times, just in all aspects of life, people overcoming long odds. I would say in the history of the Hall of Fame, any sport, Warner's odds were the longest. The way he started, what he overcame, and even once he got to the league, the randomness he needed just to get a shot, right?

He needed the starter to go down with the torn ACL. And then he went on to become multiple-time MVP in a Super Bowl champ and a Hall of Famer. I don't think we'll ever see that again. So I would say the likelihood of Jacoby Berset being Kurt Warner is probably already slimmed the nut because we would have probably seen glimpses when he was the starter. Huge fan of your podcast.

Which website do you recommend for online sports betting? I use MyBooky. That's MyBooky.orgie.g. And if you follow me on Instagram, you'll see the promo codes of stuff to use. That's where I gamble, though. I've actually given them a lot of money. They pay me for it because they're a sponsor, but I've lost the majority of it to them.

Now, as I'm recording this, we're in the second half of Cincinnati and UCLA. I took a little dinner break, and Cincinnati is up 10 points. Chip Kelly, not going well. Okay. Chargers fan from North Dakota. Three-team trade.

Gordon to Houston, Clowny to Washington, Williams to L.A. What do you think? Gordon to Houston, clown into Washington, Trent Williams to L.A. That'd be sweet. That'd be, I'm down for it. I just don't think any of this stuff's going to happen. Because as I said with the Redskins,

they're adamant that Trent Williams is not going to get traded. John, quick question. Okay, I accidentally deleted that. Been listening to Pott a lot lately. Appreciate it. First time in the DMs. With Lamard Miller's injury, Here, quick, before I finish reading this, Lamar Miller, for his, people freaked out, like, oh, Lamar went down, and it sucks.

Anytime you lose a starter in preseason. But Lamar Miller was a pretty average starter, you know. And again, I'm not trying to kick him when he's down because I root for no player to get injured. Regular season, preseason, whenever. But I think a lot of people have overreacted like Lamar Miller's Zeke, you know, or Sequin Barclay. I mean, he's fine. Servicable. I mean, I got running backs in the base.

area. Jalen Rashard and he might not be better. I mean, he's better at the passing game, but like Matt Brayda for the 49, like you can find undrafted free agents. I just don't think Lamar Miller's that good. Is it realistic to trade between the Chargers and Texans, Clowny for Gordon? Would Clownie even be a good fit in the 3-4 and would O'Brien even be willing to pay for Gordon after that trade? I think there's no chance that the Chargers would trade for Clownie. I just, I can't see that. They are, they have two blue chippers on their. defensive line. I think they think Gordon's coming back.

It's been reported. I think he plans on coming back week one. So it sounds cool and it's cool to talk about, but I don't think that's unrealistic. I think that's unrealistic to think that's going to happen. Appreciate everyone listening. I hope you're enjoying college football Thursday night. I know I am.

I take a little enjoyment in watching Chip get his butt kicked. But have a good week, and I will see you next week, which we also known as, week one of the NFL season. Adios, Godspeed, peace. See you. Do you own or rent your home? Sure you do. And I bet it can be hard work. You know, it's easy. Bundling policies with Geico.

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biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to SportsSlic. On the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slicel Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends.

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What's up, guys? This is Clever Taylor the Fourth. And on my podcast, The Cliver Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker walks up to me, he goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her.

What? Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, rep, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Cliverts show on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas.

And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast, Point Game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season. And I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was part of it. You just understood. That's how personal it got. Wow. Then after that Game 7, Marquis keep coming to. He's like, you know I love you, dog. You know it's all love. This was just playoffs. This was just basketball. So listen to Point Game on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

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