The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 3 and Out - Teammates Throw Brees a Lifeline; Team Facility Training Camps; Kuechly's GM Track; Headlines; Mailbag

Episode Date: June 5, 2020

In this episode, Middlekauff looks at the massive backlash against Drew Brees for his comments about kneeling for the national anthem, why he should have read the room in this moment of national protest, and his teammates throwing him a lifeline by accepting his apology. He also discusses the NFL's decision to have teams hold training camps at team facilities, looks at some of the non-Drew Brees related headlines, 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.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo, and every episode, we're cutting through the noise,

breaking down the 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 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.

Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter.

Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 is big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a hear, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors.

Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild. I mean, it was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hard Way with your favorite therapist and host, Kear Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing.

How many men carry a suit or armor? It signals to the world that you not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to, listen to learn the hard way on the IHard radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Progressive Presents Forrest Metaphors about bundling your home in auto. In sports, three goals is a hat trick. And when you bundle your home and auto with Progressive, you get a hat trick of great savings at round-the-clock protection. So you might be thinking, wait, that's two things.

A hat trick is three. But in this metaphor, great savings counts as two goals, and so does round the clock protection. So it's like four goals, and that's more than three. It's basic math. Horst Metaphors, presented by Progressive. Bundle and Protect Today. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates, discount not available in all states or situations. What is going on, everybody, John Middlecock, three-and-out podcast, coming at you live from the Home Office Thursday afternoon on just a wild week, an enlightening week.

Crazy week Just 2020 I don't know how else to put it I guess we'll We'll have to touch on the elephant in the room And probably the biggest story It felt like in America But definitely in sports the last 24-48 hours in Drew Brees

Give you some thoughts there The NFL officially says Training camps have to take place From their home facilities That's going to affect a handful of teams And just clearly training camps are going to be a lot different this year. No fans.

A lot of teams, even that practice from their own facility, bring in bleachers, add people. That will no longer take place. I'll give some thoughts there. Wrote down a bunch of different topics that I saw, just little things that have happened this week. We'll hit on them just kind of around the league. And then, of course, at John Middlecoff,

Instagram, DM's wide open. Fire in there, answer a question. I will answer it on this show. We've been doing it forever. listening, no, that's how it goes. Also, if you could leave a review on the Apple page where the show is, three and out podcast with me. I appreciate everyone that has. Leave a review on the Apple homepage of the show. Let's get into Drew Breeze and his comments about the anthem and how it was disrespectful for the military. My first overall take after, because when it happened, if you

weren't kind of watching live of the tweet, I probably came in an hour late and it was, I was getting text, will he have to retire? Is his career over? My number one overall takeaway with his statement was, come on, bro, read the room. Have a feel for the room. And we all know those people, and they can be really intelligent people that for whatever reason are consistently bad at reading the room. And I don't feel Drew Breezes that way. We all can have. have that moment in a certain situation. But terrible job of reading the room, understanding the severity of this. Whether it's, I don't know.

There's no excuse for him to not realize the way it would be interpreted, though he said this before. I saw Dan Patrick say on Thursday, he told me this exact, this was a stop process four years ago. Now nothing's changed. I think a big part of the pushback was how has nothing changed over the four years when it was clear. It had nothing to do with the flag.

we've talked about the flag and the anthem at nauseam for years. To me, for him, given everything that was going on racially in this country the last four or five days, him being the leader of a team that's predominantly black, he shouldn't have said it. He should have worded it a different way. Now, you can say he shouldn't think that way. I don't know the guy. He thinks the way he thinks.

And the way he said it seems like he views it as a disrespect of the flag. He came back. I couldn't even get through it all. Gives the apology. His teammates believe that he's sincere. Here's what I do know. Twitter for about six hours labeled Drew Breeze a full-blown racist. I do, I don't know Drew Breeze personally.

I would imagine 99.99% of people listening don't know him either. I would say most of us, it's a non-partisan take, would, if you and I would have talked six months ago, and we just would have done word association. When Drew Breeze's name came up, we would have very positive things to say about Drew Breeze. I've never met him. You never met him. We don't even know the guy.

Never spent any time with him. It was pretty clear like his life resume had been pretty consistent. High level, great guy that gets along with literally everyone that helped resurrect and does a lot for the community. I'm a big believer and I say it over and over and over again. I judge people off actions, not words. I'm a big believer in that because I think it's never been easier to tweet something out, to get a headline, to tweet, whatever, Instagram, a picture. It doesn't actually mean anything.

I thought Jamie Fox, I saw him the other day like, hey, guys, hey celebrities, stop posting black boxes and come out in March, do something. It's easy to sit from your house and just post something. It doesn't actually mean anything. Just like it's easy to, you know, say whatever now. It's never been easier, given all the platforms. It's very easy also to judge people off a headline. I do it all the time. I'm just as guilty as anybody.

We all are. It's the way the media is set up now. Headlines, push it. Get reaction. It's actually I was thinking about like it's great to be a bleacher report. You just aggregate shit, put it up on your Twitter account. You don't actually give an opinion. You just throw it out there, get a ton of interaction and profit from it.

But I think Drew Breese's resume over a long period of time speaks for itself. and unlike Twitter, the great part about sports and a locker room is like, you know the players on the team? Alvin Kamara, Michael Thomas, Camden, you name it. Any player on that team that has been with him last year, the previous years, for years. Like a lot of guys on that core group has. What's the kid's name? Mike Williams, the safety that missed Stefan Diggs.

All those guys now have been, even the younger crew of the new saints, right, have been with him for three or four. years. Every day, the offensive guys, with them all the time. And you can judge and we can react on Twitter. I believe it's stupid. He shouldn't have said it. My personal opinion on the anthem and kneeling, I don't care. It doesn't bother me at all. You could moon the fans if you wanted to take a stay. I don't care. It's clear what over the last three or four years Kaepernick was kneeling for, he said it over and over.

kneeling to protest and bring awareness to police brutality the guy that gave him the idea for kneeling was a former green beret Nate Boyer who played got a cup of coffee in the NFL center or I mean long snapper

from Texas now I'm also not ignorant enough and have a wider scope of people in my life than some in the media didn't know and I've talked to obviously I talk about football for a living so when I meet new people usually what comes up What do you do?

I talk about football. I worked in the NFL. That comes up, and not as much anymore, but definitely did two or three years ago. Turns a lot of people off. Me, I don't care. Drew Brees, clearly kind of cares, but kind of doesn't because it doesn't really bother them because guys are still kneeling. But fans have told me over the years, just like I'm sure many people listening,

then it does bother them. Even though we all know, and it's been talked about at nauseam, that's not the reason they're doing it has nothing to do with the troops. But you can't force people to think something different at this point when it comes to the kneeling for the anthem. But I digress, that's a whole other issue. But with Drew Breeze and these guys, and I got so many text messages,

and I mean, from people in my life, I got a bunch of tweets, do you think he's done? You think he'll have to retire? Well, NBC have to cut his contract? Guys, have we not seen, and right now, the combination, I said it all week, or, you know, on the podcast on Monday

and on my other podcast of Corona, everybody cooped up for three months, pissed off and edgy, while the media cheered it on. Like, let's shelter in place for life. Most people losing their minds, mental health was a big deal until Corona, and then we were all told to suck it up.

And then George Floyd and the racial injustice and all the conversations that are coming back up, as they should, because that's not okay, that the understanding of him and his team, was this going to end his career? And I think maybe a guy with less of a resume, I don't know if end his career, but someone that just hadn't proved

for 15 to 16 years in the city of who he actually is through actions. Not through a tweet or not through some recorded video. Again, I'm not calling people frauds because I clearly see a lot of people that are very passionate about it. But I think it's all fair to say that there are some people that,

there's a huge group think and sheet mentality sometimes on social media. There's a major difference between doing something on a social platform and actually do it in person. And Drew Buries, in front of a team that over his entire career has been predominantly African American, has shown his true colors. So I was never, I never had the thought that he was going to have to retire or the locker room would turn on him. Now, will he have to personally interact and talk with some individuals on his team? of course. That's what humans do. Part of the where we're at in Corona and everything going on right now in society,

it's hard to have a conversation. I've tried to spend as little time as possible on social media this week because for as productive and the awareness that's being raised, I also think a lot of the conversations you see are not very productive. And it becomes so divisive and so partisan. Like, saying Drew Brees was a good guy was not a partisan statement 24 hours, 48 hours ago. And I think when the dust settles, and he gets back with his teammates,

Michael Thomas already accepted his apology. I would imagine the majority of his teammates when they get back around an individual, not socially distance, not communicating through social media, but talking with him. Again, I don't know the guy, just basing on it from afar,

will have a positive outcome. Again, shouldn't have said it. Feel the room, Drew. I don't know why you couldn't. I mean, most of us feel like we could have, right? But he didn't, and it created this, Avalanche that fell down on Drew Brees.

But I also think everything now becomes so political. And I'll never forget, because I was living in the Bay Area well before Kaepernick, the whole thing ever happened. I was here when he was good. I was here then when he started to struggle. Then I was here when the kneeling happened. And sometimes in the media, and anyone that follows the media, and listen, I think, middle, I see some of these, you're just conservative. I have never voted. I'm not proud of that.

I don't vote. I don't even have a political party. I'm conservative with my money. Socially, you will not meet anyone more liberal than me. Like most people in my life that are my age, I think most younger people tend to be pretty socially liberal. I don't know where I fall on the spectrum. I guess maybe when it comes to Twitter, I'm conservative.

In real life, I feel like I'm moderate at strongest. But that's irrelevant. Colin Kaepernick was asked, like, who are you going to vote for? This is right when he started kneeling. Because if you remember when he was kneeling, the election was going to happen. And everyone thought that he'd just be for Hillary Clinton. And I don't remember the exact, whether he laughed or he wasn't in a smiling mood.

He basically just called both parties frauds. It's 10 to how I believe. Neither party cares about anything. I've lived in California for, I'm 35 years old for 33 of those years. The last 10 years, California has had historic economic growth. Probably in the history of the world, no area has generated more money than this from Silicon Valley up to San Francisco over the last 10 years. We also created the greatest, more economic poverty and just poverty of anywhere in America over that period of time. We have a homeless problem where our politicians couldn't give a damn about.

Lower income homeless people, they don't care. And I think sometimes when this becomes a political party, like one side cares more than other, I got news. I don't think anyone really cares, which is a sad indictment on society. It's why I think it's just back to what I said. I judge people off actions. And times of just judging people off tweets and words. It's like I, I get,

because Pete Carroll got so much praise. He spoke so highly about Colin Kaepernick. Pete, you're kind of a fraud. You had the chance to sign him and you didn't. And then you claimed he was a starting quarterback. You don't even believe that. And I feel like you get a lot of that right now when actual people are trying to make a difference

in trying to do things. And I've gained so much respect over the last week for peaceful protesters, people that are going out and actually walking down the street. They've also brought into the light how big losers the looters are.

And I think this kind of is symbolic just how high the tensions are right now and speaks back to Drew Brees, like, come on, bro, for being a smart guy that went to Purdue who's led this, a job. franchise into prominence who's a first ballot hall of famer

and I don't think anyone would have argued before his talk with Yahoo that he wasn't a first ballot human literally universal black, white, purple dogs, cats, everyone would agree Drew Breeze, check mark, great human. And then you go through

the cycle and then let the dust settle, let humans actually get back to seeing other humans, not just tweeting because we're all stuck inside or Zoom meeting, actually sitting around them, Because it's pretty clear. Even Michael Thomas, who was adamant against him, they're like, okay, he's apologized.

I like him. Why would Michael Thomas know? He spit every day around him for the last three years. I'd say Michael Thomas and Cam Jordan, they have a pretty good judge on Drew Brie's character. Like, the thing that happened with Jake Fromm, he tweeted, it was hard for me to even, I feel like I'm out of time.

I feel like a grandpa. I'm like, what is tweeted? He texts? Like, what is this? Turns out he had text. In 2019, I can't even tell who he's texting with. that only elite white people should buy guns. When it comes to Jake Fromm, I don't know what to make of it.

I don't know anything about the guy. I have nothing to say. I can't even begin to say one way or the other. I know this, like, if the Buffalo Bills cut him tomorrow, and they said they didn't, he addressed the team, apologized. Leslie Frazier, the defensive coordinator, black guy, said that, listen, he thought it was,

he thought he spoke from the heart, He thought that players, and I do agree with this, just like most humans, high-level humans, and that's what if you're in the NFL, you're a high-level person in terms of dealing with other people, because that's what you've been doing in a short space your entire life, whether high school, college, or the professional level, like you have a unique working experience is that they believed whatever he said. Now, if you told me that Buffalo Bills had cut him for saying that, I would have no problem with. 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. 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 Slic Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kier 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, 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, Keer Gaines, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim?

Well, you can find out on The Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick you here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack.

So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the tape. right now. Thank you for finishing that sentence. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history.

Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, guys? This is Clivert Taylor the Fourth. 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 walks up to me, he goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What?

Quarterback on office blue of 42. Hey, rep, my mama wants you to wave at her. What? Where's she at? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. But when I saw people and it felt like, again, I tried. right, not to live in the bubble that can be social media.

It can be difficult right now saying like Drew Breeze's career was done for a moronic comment, something that, you know, he just should have had more, just again, feel of the room. Just feel the freaking room could have easily been avoided. Whether he thinks that way or not, that I just not going to bury the guy's career. Look through your children's eyes to see the true magic of a forest. It's a storybook world for them. You look and see a tree. They see the wrinkled face of a wizard with arms outstretched to the sky.

They see treasure and pebbles. They see a windy path that could lead to adventure. And they see you. Their fearless guide through this fascinating world. Find a forest near you and start exploring at Discovertheforest.org. Brought to you by the United States Forest Service and the ad council. If I could be you

and you could be me for just one hour. If you could find a way to get inside each other's mind. Walk a mile in my shoes. Walk a mile in my shoes. Walk a mile in my shoes.

We've all felt left out. And for some, that feeling lasts more than a moment. We can change that. Learn how it belonging begins with us.org. Brought to you by the ad council. Okay, let's transition to something a little less controversial.

And it's training camps. Well, it actually might be, who knows, with the, with the corona. But as of recording this, the NFL allowed all the coaching staffs to return to their facility. Now, the one facility that still can't is Santa Clara where the 49ers are. For some reason, LA, which has been 10x, what we are up here is open, we're not, whatever. But the reality is I saw Philly announced that coaches will not come back. I think a lot of staffs will not even have their coaches back. And Kyle Shanahan even said, like, no big deal, we're able to get everything done.

You're not allowed to the player, so what does it matter? And I think that's fair. One thing, though, is pretty clear is that another rule that came out, I don't know if there's a rule, but a mandate from the league, yes, a rule, that every training camp will have to take place at the home facility. Now there are countless teams, Cowboys, the Bears, the Raiders, that do their training camp.

I think the Texans, when I was in Philadelphia at other places, when I was at Philadelphia, we went to Lehigh where C.J. McCollum, the shooting guard for the Portland Trail Blazers, played basketball. And it was cool. Like, I had never been, one,

I'd just never been to Philly when I moved out there probably during OTAs, but then training camp started, up in the hills, you go to practice, and it's like if anyone's ever been to like a PGA golf tournament, it's kind of like that. Just bleachers everywhere, random people walking around, just kind of watching.

It was like 25,000 people there. And then when Chip Kelly came, he moved it back to the facility. And when I started in the media here, the 49ers, Jim Harbaugh's practice didn't have any, there were nobody allowed in there. The Raiders, it was much smaller than what we did when I was in Philly, but they had their own little place in Napa, really awesome, but you were kind of limited on the amount of people that you could get in the facility.

Probably like added a bunch of bleachers. I'm going to guess like 5,000 people were the max. And the 49ers, the last couple years, have done the same. I would imagine whoever your team is from their home facility, if that's where they do their training camp, has added bleachers for season ticket holders, for sponsors. It's a cool event. You get to go out and watch practice. Now, if you go every day, I remember when I work with the team, it can get a little boring.

It's cool for the coaches, but as the training camp goes on for the scouts, like there are, especially now with the rules, it probably was really sweet in like the mid-2000s when you were hitting and tackling. It was like watching NFL football. It's not really like that anymore. It's a lot different. It's not as physical and not as violent. And part of the cool part about practice is hitting when the pads come on,

but they don't really hit as much. But that's a whole different conversation. there will be no, I would imagine, fans at these training camps. And it got me thinking. One thing, like if I told you, if you're a sales guy, you get a lot more amped up and juiced up for a $30,000 commission than you would a $5,000 commission, right, or a no commission, even if it's still your job and you have to make the sale,

but you're not going to get a commission. But I told you also with this sale, you'll get $25,000. You're just going to have more juice. if I did a podcast and 500 people listened you know when I first start doing it would be like wow really cool 500 people are listening then you're like okay 500 people how do we get more people then I do a podcast like this one let's say hundreds of thousands of people are listening I think we just broke the record last month but not to brag or anything you get a little more juice up

like I take this one pretty seriously because I know a lot of people listen it's part of the juice a lot of people are listening you know it's like I'm on colin's feet Colin promotes the show. It's a big deal for me. Hopefully one day I'll be on shows and as this thing grows, it'll only get bigger. But you get more juice, the more you know, eyeballs are on you.

It's no different as a football player. Like, you still give juice out of practice because the coach is yelling at you. When you got 10,000 people watching you, you get a little more amped up. It's like the games. I'm fascinated. You know, part of the game,

if you're a player, what Ray Lewis once famously say, like, you pay me Monday through Saturday, Sundays are for free. I would play for Sunday for free. Playing football, the actual game is the fun part. The hard part about football, the entire sport, is everything not the game.

The scouting element, the training element, the practice element, the evaluation element, the game plan element, like that is intense. That's why Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday are intense for players and coaches. The getting your body back up. One thing, though, the training camp, again, a lot easier than it used to be.

When I first got to the league, my first year was before CBA, and Coach Reed ran a pretty intense training camp. It was dramatically different than next year. And when I got to Harbaugh, and I've seen the difference to like what Kyle and does now, it's just a lot different. It's just not as physical. Now it doesn't mean it's not difficult. You're moving a lot, you're running a lot.

Football in the NFL is hard, but it's not as physically taxing in terms of tackling. You're not tackling anyone on the ground in training camp. But like anything, a week in, two weeks in, get a little tired. You know, there's a reason sometimes Monday or Friday, you got a little more energy at your job than maybe on a Wednesday. What's the nickname for Wednesday? Hump day, because you kind of got to get over the hump. Well, one thing is great about pro sports, unlike most of our jobs, even regardless how many people I have listening to this podcast, it's not like I'm doing it in front of a live audience. It's not like every, you know, minute I'm talking, I see a ticker how many people are, I'm recording this and then I send it out. So I actually don't feel the live, right?

When you're at a training camp, and I've been going to them consistently now for over a decade, you do feel the juice in a team period, ones on ones, or, you know, if your team's doing a joint practice, and there are 5,000 people watching because those people, it's pretty serious. I mean, are taking it like a game. You know, the Niners have practiced against the Broncos forever. When you're watching Vaughn Miller go against Joe Staley or, you know, whoever, you know, premium players go at Nick Bosa, going against their left tackle, who's not any good. and you know what I'm talking about.

It adds an element, and I'm just fascinated. It's going to be a little more difficult. Now, the one thing they're going to have going for them is they haven't been together. These guys haven't been spending time around each other. So they're going to be excited and amped to be playing football. But like anything, that dies, right? Whenever Corona ends and you can go back to doing your job and kids can go back to school, people are going to be really excited at first, right?

You get to just get out of, like, your home, you get to go back. to some level of normalcy. And then like anything, your job becomes a job. Or school homework is due. Or football, like, oh, seventh practice in a row, right? It's just, and I wonder if it's going to hurt the initial product and the initial training camp on top of they're just going to have to be, because all these guys have going to be trained at different levels, right?

And I think pro sports can be a lot different in college. A lot of these guys have access to stuff, and they have the financial wherewithal. to buy the proper food. It's not like they have to eat Taco Bell every day. Like they're able to get the elite nutrition. They're on top of it. But it is a lot different training by yourself, you know, even if you have a trainer or a couple teammates,

then your entire defense, right? Because normally during OTAs, you train in groups, whether it's the DBs and the linebackers together and then you run together and then practice starts and you lift together. It's like you're able to push each other based, your teammates right there, all of your teammates.

Actually, more because you have these 90-man rostered. It adds some juice. And then you factor in when the practice comes, fans are out there. I don't know. This is going to be, if fans are not allowed in the games, on top of training camp,

it's, I just wonder, now, the games, once you get hit, like you're going to be alive, right? It's like if you're getting into a fight. Even if you don't really want to fight the guy, even if you're roughhousing with your brother, and you're like, I'm not taking it that seriously, the moment you get like an elbow to the nose

and you look down and you start bleeding, you get pissed off, let alone a normal fight when you get hit, Well, football's is no different. You get blocked thrown to the ground. You'll wake up fast. I don't care if there are 70,000 people there or zero. But camp, when you're going up against each other,

it's going to be a lot of pressure on the coaches, man, to get these guys going. Okay, let's dive into a couple stories around the league before we get into the middle-coft mailbag. Also, you just want to have this out there. I'm doing this show. My AC broke last week. Big heat wave coming in northern California. But then it died for the weekend. But when a big heat wave hits, I'm sure many of you know this,

for the first time of the year, the AC companies get overwhelmed. So immediately I start calling AC companies, and everyone's like, earlyest we can get out there is June 20th. Early we can get out there is June 18th. I start checking weather.com, like, guys, it's going to get hot again next week,

i.e. right now. And I just, I called about 10 people. I finally found one that came a couple days ago. Problem, though. AC motor broke. Anyone that's had to deal with AC stuff knows that bill immediately comes. Okay, you need a new motor.

Well, the motor was older in your AC unit, so I got to get $1,300, and then they got to order it, and they can't come back to next Monday. It's like, oh, my God. So just know, you've got a mentally tough podcaster. It's, let me check my nest, 85 degrees inside. I got all the blinds shut.

Windows closed is dark in here. And it's still not really working, because when it's 102 outside, nothing you can do. But one thing the Carolina Panthers can do is hire their, you know, their face of their franchise with Cam Newton for the last decade. One of the best players in the league over that period of time.

High character, just a great human being. I remember when I, my, might have been the year we took Fletcher Cox, and Luke Keekeley was coming out. It was an incredible draft. I remember Coach Reed, by the time the draft was getting close, he thought he was going to be a Hall of Famer. This was when he was coming out.

And after he went to the combine and ran a 4-4, he immediately became a dominant player from day one, and when he was healthy, he was dominant. But I had a buddy tell me last year, a pro scout, like, God, you know, and I didn't know one person who didn't love Kikley. He was like, he doesn't really look the same. Clearly his body was breaking. down and retires, it looks like they're going to hire him as a scout.

I think any time you can get really, really high-level people and keep them as a part of your organization, especially a franchise like that that actually hasn't been around that long, you utilize humans like that because he'll be a, he'll benefit your organization. You want guys, clearly, I don't know if you guys saw the Amazon Prime special on the Panthers, it was really good. Keeckley, just how high level of a guy. I mean, he studied film like a quarterback. Dude was just a savant.

So if you're going to be that big of a study guy, it would be hard. I mean, if Kekley really wanted to, I don't see how he wouldn't become a general manager. If you study film that much and can break down players and tendencies, he probably could make an elite scout. One thing that's been floating out there, the NFL and the players, when it comes to money, are partners. They split revenue. And that's the way the salary cap is to do.

determined. Well, depending on if fans are allowed this year or not, the revenue could change. So the first time the salary cap could diminish. Now, all these teams have made huge cash. I do think next year, in light of this just outlier pandemic, hopefully, knock on wood, we don't get another one for the foreseeable future, is that you could just keep at worst case. We're talking about diminishing the salary cap, $50, $70 million. Come on, guys. this business has been generating just stupid cash. If you can't just keep the salary cap, you don't have to move it up,

but you don't necessarily have to move it back. Just keep it as is for a year. Because you'll easily make that money back when you're allowed to have the fans back in, especially with gambling and everything changing. So I think there's a little overreaction on having to take the salary cap down $50 million. I got a hot take right here.

That will not happen, even if the fans aren't allowed in. I think they will figure out a way to just keep it neutral, float some loans, do something. The NFL, they ain't going to have a $130 million salary cap in 2021. I don't care who's allowed in the stadium. Bruce Ariens said that their base personnel will be 12, meaning they will have one running back and two tight ends. Obviously, they have three, I mean, they got two legit tight ends in Grunkowski,

and I guess Cameron Brayt was really good, had a down-eons. O.J. Howard is somewhat underachieved, but they got three tight ends. I mean, Gronk's an all-time great. Is he still good? I don't know. Then they got a plethora of wide receivers, two star ones. Mike Evans is a Hall of Famer. Godwin is just a budding star. And I actually think that they're running back, who maybe I'm holding on too much hope to when he was in college, but I think Rojo is meant to be in a one-back situation, and I think will be really, really good.

So their offense, which Tom Brady is really, really comfortable with and had some of his most success when he had two tight-in situations. Now, for the last decade, they have been much more dependent on tight ends and slot receivers than they have on these star outside guys. Now, great players play with anybody. So if he's got to play with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin at a more higher level than a slot guy, now both those guys, especially Godwin, can line up inside. They'll be fine.

But they are not your traditional Welker-Eddleman type player, right? I mean, I would much rather have Godwin and Mike Evans stretching the field. And when I say, 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. 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 Slic Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast. Learn the hard way 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, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth, or 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. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking.

What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just.

just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so you all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you for finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people.

Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get Your podcasts. What's up, guys? 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 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, rec, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. I don't even mean like go routes. I just mean 10 to 20 yards. You know, the Edelman and Welker felt like did most of their damage in like the 5 to 7 yard, you know, range.

And then if they break a tackle, they'll get 15 yards. That's why they'd have like the 10 catches for 99-yard type games. Look at Mike Evans. He'll have like a 6-catch 230-yard game, right? That's a little extreme. Say 6-catch 140. Tennessee, Arthur Smith, and now I get it, we're low for content that said the offensive coordinator, actually son of the CEO of FedEx, said that Derek Henry's usage will depend on how the game goes.

Now, I met Arthur Smith at the Combine. I am not trying to rip him, but no shit. And I don't blame him for saying this. But some of these questions that get asked in these media availability, like how will use Derek Henry next year? I don't know. He'll be a huge part of the game plan. He's good. If we're down 14 points, we'll have to throw.

If we're up, we'll bleed the clock with him. If he's humming, we'll keep handed in the ball. I'm going to have him rush for 200 yards like we did last year. I don't know. It's June 1st in a pandemic. How are we going to use him? He's a great player. We're going to use him like we've always used him.

Give him the rock. But in situations where we're down, we can't use them, right? It's pretty basic. How do you use a great running back? Well, the game plan usually, he's a big part of it. Then if you get the lead, you keep giving him the ball. Or if he's getting loose and your offensive line's dominating, You keep feeding him the rock.

If for whatever reason, you're down, he can't be used as much. How has anyone ever used a great running back? Like, the actual way to use running backs will never change. Now, obviously, some guys catch the ball more. His job is much more between the tackles. But it's pretty clear. We will run him, gain the lead, milk the clock, play defense. That's how we're built.

But if we're down, we'll have to throw the football. It's not that complicated. Again, not ripping Arthur Smith, like the guy. Probably a dumb question. If you love to be remembered as the person who gives the best birthday gifts, I'm here to tell you that 1-800 Flowers.com is your ultimate birthday gifting destination. 1-800 Flowers has thoughtful and artfully created options that are guaranteed to deliver the best birthday surprise. Shop thousands of unique gifts at 1-800flowers.com for exclusive offers and great values.

To order today, visit 1,800flowers.com slash tune in. That's 1,800flowers.com slash tune in. What grows in the forest? Trees? Sure. Know what else grows in the forest? Our imagination, our sense of wonder, and our family bonds grow too. Because when we disconnect from this and connect with this, we reconnect with each other. The forest is closer than you think.

Find a forest near you and start exploring at Discovertheforest.org. Brought to you by the United States Forest Service and the Ad Council. What grows in the forest? Trees? Sure. Know what else grows in the forest? Our imagination. Our sense of wonder. And our family bonds grow too.

Because when we disconnect from this and connect with this, we reconnect with each other. The forest is closer than you think. Find a forest near you and start exploring at Discovertheforest.org. Brought to you by the United States Forest Service and the Ad Council. Okay, let's get into the Middlecoff mailbag. At John Middlecoff is the Instagram and DM's wide open. Just fire in there.

Also, just to reiterate, if you like the show and if you're listening at this point still, I think you do, go to the Apple podcast and leave a review. Got a question. What's the deal with Josh Rosen? Is he just plain bad question? Or does he keep getting bad luck with coaches, preferred quarterbacks getting drafted over him? Do you see him as a perennial backup

or get a chance with another team? That's a great question. And at this point, I really don't have the information. I mean, I have the information. I don't have the answer. I liked him a lot coming out. Now, given the knowledge I have over the last two years and how dramatically the game's changed

in terms of, it's really, really hard nowadays for younger quarterbacks to be like Tom Brady or Philip Rivers. You have to be able to move. He can't move. He's not mobile. He has a good arm, though. But I think it's really difficult to be that stagnant within the pocket.

You know, if this was the mid-90s or mid-2000s, I'd say, yeah, he's going to resurrect. At this point in time, I don't know. Now, he played, the little bit he played, as anyone, my buddies in the league would be like, it's impossible to judge him. And I don't think that many people were watching the Cardinals two years ago.

I mean, they had the number one pick, so they were god-awful. But his offensive line that year was, I mean, was the worst in the league. So you can't even judge him off that. Now, last year, Miami trades a second-round pick for him. He couldn't beat out Ryan Fitzpatrick. Now, Ryan Fitzpatrick is just going to be a better player, more than likely, right now. But there's a potential that maybe we'll have to see what the dolphins. Are they going to keep them?

Do they cut them? because I'd say if they cut him, there's a chance he's not good. If they trade him, maybe they think he's not good, but they're still value. If they keep him, maybe they kind of like him. And maybe he'll be the backup after Ryan Fitzpatrick. Why do you think everyone is so high on the Eagles? Outside of a good but injury-prone quarterback and defensive line, none of their position groups would really scare me as an opposing team.

I get that the front office is great, but if the team doesn't pull its weight, it won't matter. They have a lot of older injury-prone players not make it through the team. season again. What do you think? It's a good question. Well, they got a good offensive line. Now, replacing Jason Peters with their first round pick last year, Dillard is a huge question mark. Like, I mean, the guy was a first round pick, but you got to play. Their tight end group is good. I mean, Ertz and Goddard, those two guys are good. So you got a good quarterback, you've got good tight ends. I think Miles Sanders is going to be a good running back. In theory, you're right. Al-Shahn and Deshawn get hurt a lot. You draft a first round, you know, receiver. They need

J.J. Artega White's eye to do something. defensively, their defensive line is good. They sign the guy from Pittsburgh, Barnett, Fletcher, like their group's good. Linebacker's major question mark. D.B.'s adding Slay will obviously help. But you're right. I mean, they got, one thing they got going for him is they got good coaches. I mean, Doug is an elite play caller.

He's really good. I mean, what he did last year with nothing. I mean, he went into a gunfight with a dull knife and somehow survived. so and Jim Swartz has proven to be a good defensive coordinator. A little aggressive. What's up, John, big fan of the pod. What are your thoughts on the Cowboys revoking the franchise tag from DAC? From my understanding, Dallas could do that allowing DAC to become a free agent. Then the Cowboys could pick up Cam on a one-year prove-a-deal and save Dallas some money to build up the defense.

But who are you building up the, like who are you signing right now? No one's out there. Also, if Cam is a train wreck, they have Dalton as a backup. They can get DAC and go try to get $45 million elsewhere. which will never happen. Yeah, I mean, I, listen, I wouldn't be totally opposed to that. I don't know who they would end up bidding against. I don't think that's an option.

I think they will just either have them play on the franchise tag or that they will, you know, sign them to a deal. I'm with you. I'm not paying them $40 million a year, especially now with the unknown of the cap. Listen, I don't think the cap's going to go down, but I'm not a math major here. And enough smart people saying it might,

though I do think the league would get involved and do something. how would you shave $50 million off everyone's cap? That'd be a problem with the union. It would be a disaster. I think these teams have enough money just in the teams. Like these owners don't need to go into their personal wealth that they'd be able to function. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I'm naive.

Maybe I need to text around on that. Because I got to dig a little deeper. I honestly haven't really asked about that because I just... Maybe I've underestimated it. I don't know. Okay, a question for the Middilcoff mail bag. I just wanted to ask what you think the NFL will do in relation to Colin Kaepernick after the protests, which are exactly what he tried to peacefully protest years ago.

Do you think he will get a job or he will stay on the outside looking in? Well, I do think that they came to a financial agreement. I mean, I know they did. We all do it. It was public record. Was it two years ago and they paid him, what, $5 million? I think his, like, he got blackballed after that happened, because the kneeling had adverse effects on the ratings.

Whether we like it or not, it did. Again, I'm not offended by the protesting. I don't care. People did. Ratings went down. That cost them money and pissed them off. They blackballed them. Then Kaepernick, you know, fought the league in trial, won some cash.

I thought he would have won a lot more because he legitimately got blackballed, but somehow only got five. I think it was less than $10 million. Even after the craziness of everything that's happened, in 2020. Really, not too... I mean, it's happened in the last, you know, two weeks since George Floyd.

Though, I think we'd all agree that racial injustices and things he were fighting for has been going on. Well, before Kaepernick, and well after Kaepernick, we just pick and choose when we talk about it, which is sad. I don't think he's coming back to the league. You know, at this point, I think the ship has sailed, and I just...

I think literally he got, like, signed a deal that he can't come back. Not that any team would sign him. Like, what team would sign him? Kaepernick right now, even just to like, hey, to try to quell everything. Is quell even a word? You know what I mean? Just to kind of, you know, quiet everything.

I just, I don't see that happening. I don't know anything. That would just be my gut. I found it about a, I love the show, found it about a year ago, and it's become the podcast that I look forward to. Appreciate it. I live in Canada, but I'm a huge NFL fan. My question is to you, with you being a former scout, how do NFL team's management view

the CFL? it seems to me that a lot of fans don't give the respect it deserves. There's been a lot of quality NFL players that either started or received their career in Canada, or revived their career in Canada. Every year the Grey Cup champions get their rosters decimated from NFL teams signing their best players. Example, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers lost their two best corners to the NFL teams, Winston Rose of the Bengals and Marcus Sails to the Vikings, and that's just two examples.

Sure, they're most likely going to be depth players that don't get that much playing time, but the CFL consistently pumps out quality NFL players year after year. Agree. I just feel if more people in the States gave it a chance, they would love it. Also, from a personal level, what do you think of it? When I worked for the Eagles, I was a pro scout, and my second year I got sent to Whistler Canada to scout a defensive lineman. And he was actually a really good player,

and we brought him in for a visit, and we wanted to sign him. He ended up elected to stay in Canada. would it fit our scheme perfectly. I know a lot of teams, like you said, take the Canadian League, the CFL very seriously. You break down all the top prospects if you're an in-house guy. You fly your scouts to go watch. I literally flew across the country from Philly to Whistler.

God, Vancouver is badass, too. It was the Vancouver, the BC Lions is what they're called. And, yeah, I mean, I think the NFL and the pro scouts in the league and the front offices take the Canadian Football League very, very seriously. You know, they have players, whether you're a starter or not. If I can get a 53-man roster guy on my team that has upside to become a starter, we're taking those guys seriously if you work at a scouting department. Now, me personally, doesn't do that much for me.

I didn't mind scouting the league in terms of scouting the best players in the league, right? You're not scouting just the randoms. You only scout the guys that really have NFL potential. So yeah, I mean, I had no problem. I got a cool trip out of it. We were always on the right guys. I think most of the good scouting departments are always on the right Canadian guys

because you can find starters and you can find guys that dress on game day. That's hard to do. I'm a football fan who didn't play football so I understand it at a pretty basic level. I'm wondering if you could talk about offensive linemen and what major challenges they face changing positions along the line.

When guys get drafted, you hear analysts say he's a right tackle, but maybe with work he could play left tackle or vice versa. What makes each position at O line so unique? Well, the tackles, for the most part, are on an island, right? At tackle, you are blocking an end who is usually lined up on the outside of you, kind of getting a running start. And as we've seen over the last, really forever, but definitely of late, The best pass rushers are

Von Miller, Khalil Mack, you know, J.J. T.J. Watt. Obviously, JJ can line up both places. T.J. All these elite pass rushers, Clowny forever. Nick Bosa now. Other Bosa. Ingram.

They're all around the league, right? The sweet Shaquille Barrett now. DeMarcus Lawrence. You're getting a guy who is faster than you. So you are on an island. You have to be both strong and an elite athlete. It's why every team is looking for quote unquote dancing bears, guys with, you know, tight end, wide receiver level feet, but the strength of a center or guard.

It's why they're such highly paid guy. I think that term is kind of, I don't know what the right white word would be to describe it. At this point, ignorant, maybe just wrong, right tackle only. I think Howard Mudd, who was the famous offensive line coach who coached with Peyton Manning, who was with us in Philly. I remember telling me and another buddy, like, what the hell is the difference between a right and the left tackle?

He's like, in Indianapolis, we got Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis. So your right tackle is not as good of, it's basically saying the right tackle doesn't have to be as good of an athlete as the left tackle. Because your left tackle protects, if your quarterback's right-handed,

his blind side, so he can't see the guy. Well, if I'm Peyton Manning, and I drop back, Eli Manning or Philip Rivers or Homes or any right, Russell Wilson, I can see the right tackle the guy who he's blocking. 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. 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 Slic Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast. Learn the hard way 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, 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 Hard Way. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. You remember when Diana Ross double-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people.

I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill,

waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you finishing that sentence. Yes.

I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, guys? 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, rep, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. In theory, my eyes are supposed to be down the field, but I can, if I just move my eyes, I can see the guy coming. But as Howard Mudd said, well, if you got Dwight Freeney over there, or Khalil Mack, or Von Miller, if your right tackle is a bad athlete, you're in trouble.

Dwight, who's the best right tackle in the league? Lane Johnson, Mitchell Schwartz. You need good right tackles because they're blocking really good players. McGlinchie for the minor's drafted the right tackle number nine. nine overall. So, and he's just been okay. Like, he's been solid. He hasn't been some star.

It hasn't been Lane Johnson. It's why Lane Johnson will never move. He'll just stay at right tackle. He's blocking all the best players over there. Like Chase Young is going to line up both left and the right side. I think that term's kind of overuse. And I also think why just hearing offensive linemen and coaches talk over the years, and I know my buddy Jeff Schwartz tweets about this a lot,

it's very hard to change your foot, right? If you're a left tackle, you're left foot's back. and if you're a right tackle, your right foot's back. Same thing as both guard spots. Some guys are just not comfortable doing the opposite. Just like some guys, if you're not a starter

and you're going to be one of those swing guys, because you dress on game day probably seven offensive linemen. Really, you're banking on, you know, no more than two guys getting injured. And your backup offensive lineman, your backup tackle,

has to be able to play left and right tackle. Just like your backup guard has to be able to play both guard spots and center. Or if you put the backup at a certain spot, one of your starting centers or guards can move around. So you do need players, and the majority of players, I think, are comfortable moving a little bit if push comes to shove. But ideally, you like to get guys that are just comfortable doing one thing.

I'm just a right tackle, I'm a right guard, I'm a center. Ideally, if you're a center, I'd like you to be able to play guard and center. Like anything in life, the more you can do. But a lot has to do with footwork. as a guard or a center, I don't need you as athletic as I do a tackle because you're in a much more confined space. Now, you're going up against better athletes than you ever have.

Like every team now, like there are multiple Mean Joe Greens in the league, right? Think how many sweet interior pass rushers there are. JJ Watt, DeForest Buckner, Eric Armstead, Aaron freaking Donald. I mean, they're coming everywhere. Fast and furious. And, I mean,

Akeem Hicks is just a dominant interior player. Like, you've got to be really good now to play center and guard. I think that stuff gets overused a little bit. It's kind of lazy. Well, you can play right tackle. He can play right guard. I don't know, can he?

Because I like, personally, to watch a guy on tape. I know I was like this as a scout and I am this now as a media member. If I'm going to feel comfortable of saying, like I think that guy's going to be a good NFL player like Quentin Nelson. I didn't love taking him in the top 10.

Now, I thought he was an elite player. He's even better than I thought. He's worth it, right? He's a Hall of Fame level player, took him in the top 10, he's a guard. But you watch Quentin Nelson played, you know, left guard. It would have been a left guard

because McGlensy was a left tackle, or was he right, whatever, Quentin Nelson is. And he just played that same position in the league, right? I like to watch that guy do that and then just put him right and just plug and play. That's where I feel the most comfortable.

Now, the best coaches can project. It's difficult. And to me, that's where you're going to have some misses when you start playing. You know, this guy's a tackle, but I think you can play guard in the league. It doesn't always work. Look through your children's eyes to see the true magic of a forest. It's a storybook world for them. You look and see a tree.

They see the wrinkled face of a wizard with arms outstretched to the sky. They see treasure and pebbles. They see a windy path that could lead to adventure. and they see you. Their fearless guide through this fascinating world. Find a forest near you and start exploring at discovertheforest.org

brought to you by the United States Forest Service and the Ad Council. Adoption of teens from foster care is a topic not enough people know about and we're here to change that. I'm April Dinwiddie host of the new podcast Navigating Adoption presented by Adopt U.S. kids. Each episode brings you compelling

real-life adoption stories told by the families that live them with commentary from experts. Visit Adoptuskids.org slash podcast or subscribe to navigating adoption presented by Adopt U.S. Kids. Brought to you by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families and the Act Council. And we're live here outside the Perez family home just waiting for the... And there they go. Almost on time this morning. Mom is coming out the front door strong with a double-armed kid carry. Looks like Dad has the bags.

Daughter is bringing up the rear. Oh, but the diaper bag wasn't. Closed. Typhers and toys are everywhere. Ooh, but Mom has just nailed the perfect car seat buckle for the toddler. And now, the eldest daughter, who looks to be about nine or ten, has secured herself in the booster seat. Dad zips the bag closed, and they're off. Ah, but looks like Mom doesn't realize her coffee cup is still on the roof of the car, and there it goes. Oh, that's a shame. That mug was a fam favorite.

Don't sweat the small stuff. Just nail the big stuff. stuff. Like making sure your kids are buckled correctly in the right seat for their age and size. Learn more at NHTSA.gov slash the right seat. Visit NHTSA.gov slash the right seat. Brought to you by NHTSA and the Ad Council. My two favorite teams are the Bears and the Jags. So I was wondering what your take is on how Foles will be this year in Chicago. I've been haunted by him the past few years with double doink game and last year's debacle in Jacksonville and was heartbroken when I found out the Bears traded for him. I personally don't think he's great quarterback, but

Do you think he can perform consistently this year if he stays healthy? Well, I don't think he's a great player. I think we'd all agree there. I think he got really hot three years ago when he won the Super Bowl. And it was fun to watch. It's an all-time cool story, right? It's just one of those all-time sports stories. Miracle on ice.

The New York Giants upsetting. The Patriots in 07. The Marlins beating the, or the Diamondbacks beating the Yankees, foals beating the Patriots. Like it's just, when you just think about in my 35 years of life, ones that just jump out, it's just up there. As a whole, his career is, he's a solid player. I think he's probably somewhere between 15 to 20 as a quarterback.

If he's with the right coaching staff and on a good team. Now, he had moments for the Eagles that year of like a little higher in that, obviously. I think the bears are going, we had the worst, or one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL last year. Mitch was a bottom three quarterback. And we went eight and eight. If we just had like the 16th best quarterback, we would have won 10 or 11 games.

We don't need Joe Montana. We just need Nick Foles and we'll win 10 games. I think that's how they're looking at it. And then figure it out after the season because that was really their only option. So I can't judge Nick Foles last year in Jacksonville. He broke his collarbone the first game of the year and didn't come back when to like week 10.

I mean, or week nine. I think it's hard to say much about Nick Ful's Jaguar's stint. He made a lot of money. I mean, but he cashed in, in fairness to him. Like he earned the cash in with the Super Bowl run. And I think he will be better on the Bears. I'm soaked in sweat right now. But don't worry, I did it for you guys.

No AC, 85 degrees inside podcasting. That's how we roll. Appreciate everyone listening. Tell your friends. Godspeed, stay safe this weekend. And I'll talk to you next. week. Adios. Thunderstruck, adjective.

Shocked and amazed by the power of fun on Carnival. Riding Bolt, the world's first roller coaster at sea. Brian got Thunderstruck so hard, his 93-year-old grandmother felt it 3,000 miles away in Nebraska, and immediately booked a cruise. Hooray! Get Thunderstruck starting at 289. Carnival. Choose fun.

Cruiser in U.S. dollars per person, double occupancy, taxes, fees, import, import expenses additional restrictions apply. Full details on carnal.com, ships, registry behind us Panama. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo, and every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headlines.

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 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. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel,

help an acapella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 is big to me.

I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a hear, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild. I mean, it was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people.

Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hard Way with your favorite therapist and host Kear Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor? It signals to the world that you not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to. Listen to learn the hard way on the IHard radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

This is an IHart podcast. Guaranteed human.