The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 3 and Out - Tebow/Urban Reunion Reaction; OTA Cave; Team Building Philosophy; 17-Game Schedule Keys; Mailbag

Episode Date: May 11, 2021

In this episode, John give his thoughts on Tim Tebow re-uniting with Urban Meyer in Jacksonville and discusses NFL players falling in line for OTA's after pushback from high profile players, the constant dilemma of taking talented players with character issues and team chemistry, the biggest factors that determine schedule strength in the first 17-game season. He also answers listener questions in the Middlekauff Mailbag. Follow John on Twitter and SUBSCRIBE now to get all the latest content!! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Hope everyone had a great weekend. Had a good Mother's Day. You took care of your mom, your wife, your baby's mama. Whatever you had to do I went out to dinner with my mother And my brother and his wife and his young son David also goes by DJ He is a terror

I like him He's got a large upside A big personality big smile Like his energy level But obviously we're here to talk football And that is what we will do I have some talks because Talks I have some thoughts

For a while it looked like OTAs were going to be canceled but it looks like the union elites and those super rich players have been outvoted and something that would never happen in society but it happened in the NFL and it really stood out to me

the schedule release is this week the schedule will release. The great part with the NFL we literally know whatever team that you root for who your team is playing and where the games are we just get to find out what week those games are and obviously the primetime games

Thursday night games so I'll just have a couple things I'm looking for with every team. I mean, the first thing that stands out to me. I saw something Tom Brady has already reached out to Kyle Trask, and I just had some overall thoughts as we kind of move away from this draft on just some philosophies I would have when type guys I would look for when pulling the trigger on draft picks. Definitely high, high draft picks for sure. Then just some other little things we'll dive into, of course, Middle Cough Mailbag.

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It helps us with selling this show. It helps us with just everything we're trying to do here in the Three and Out podcast world. Quick opinion on the news of the day. Tim Tebow, after I saw Field Yates tweeted, has not played or been on an NFL team in over 3,000 days, almost eight years ago, is back. And my take was over the weekend,

I think as this thing started gaining steam, if he's able to make the team at 33 years old at tight end, after taking years off to play baseball and work in the media, it would be his most incredible athletic achievement to date. that includes it Florida, that includes winning a playoff game. That would be incredible. If he can catch, get open, and block defensive ends, I would bet against him.

My first take would be, I think it's an incredible, incredibly difficult ask. I get why they're doing it, no harm, no foul, whatever. I do think if he somehow is able to pull this off and he's like decent and he starts at times, I guess he wouldn't start, but even if he just plays, one, they would move the needle immediately in a college area, right? The South is owned by college football. You even hear like, you know what, Drew Bree, Sean Payton?

They're able to be relevant in a college town. That's great. They say the same thing about Atlanta Falcons. Like, it's difficult. It's hard. The only time Tampa's ever relevant is when they win the Super Bowl. So for Tebow, listen, I would bet against him making the team. It's just 33 years old, never played the position?

like, come on, let's just be realistic. And I'm not like I'm betting against the human being. I understand. Like, I think he's an impressive guy. But if he were to make the team, and they have Tim Tebow, one of the most famous college players, easily of my lifetime,

definitely in the South, probably top two or three in the history of the SEC. Urban Meyer, one of the more fascinating, winning, and polarizing coaches of my lifetime. Trevor Lawrence, Travis E.T.N., two of the better players. on one of the current dynasties in college football,

and they're in the South, like that place will be buzzing. I don't know if they're going to be any good or not, but if you tell me, Urban Meyer, Tebow, E.T.N. And Trevor Lawrence, all in the same team? Like, that team is getting eyeballs. That team is getting people that typically are just much more focused on college football

that are going to pay attention. My guess is he does not make the team. I just, I don't, I'm kind of indifferent. I just, whatever, I have no issue with you signing the guy. It's definitely going to bring some media attention. Not that they care about that, but you're not necessarily doing this for football reasons, right?

Unless you truly believe he can make the team. And maybe Irvin believes that. Maybe he does. But their team's not good enough to worry about, like, is it going to ruffle some feathers in the locker room? Are people going to think that Tebow's the teacher's pet? Like, who gives a shit? Like, of course, Urban loves Tebow.

You know who Urban likes more? Trevor Lawrence, that's a starting quarterback. Is Tebow reping with the threes, or is he like reping with the ones? But back to what I said, if he makes the team in his early 30s, after he not played an NFL down or snap or put on pads in years, be incredible, man. It's just, he won't go away. I will give Tebow Mania that. He keeps just creating content. I wanted to dive into what's going on right now with the NFLPA,

which is the union versus the teams. And for a long period of time, obviously last year, the off-seasons were canceled. There was no practice. There were no mandatory mini-camps. There were no workouts in team facilities. It was understandable. We had a lot going on last year, a lot of unknown.

This year, it felt like the NFLPA led by the richest players, Last year, I think universally, we all agreed. Easier, go virtual, no big issue. This year, two of the most outspoken people, Aaron Rogers, who might not have showed up regardless, and Tom Brady, who was on a call with the NFLPA last week and said, it's not like baseball-ass guys in December to throw 95.

Tom, I don't know if that's necessarily true. They don't do it with the team, but they definitely train on their own. Now, Tom's point was, why can't we just train on our own? Now, baseball season, I used to go to spring training when I worked in radio. That bad boy starts in about early February. And it goes, if your team's any good, well into October. Long period of time.

Football season's clearly much shorter. But OTAs are happening. We had rookie mandatory mini camps last weekend. We're going to have them again this weekend. It looks like all the mini camps are on like Donkey Kong. And definitely the mandatory mini camp, which as someone who's gone to OTAs now for a decade, you get used to there are three or four OTA sessions. They usually start middle of the end of May and go through, you know, early middle June.

Only one is technically mandatory. The others are voluntary. Most of these teams get just the majority of guys to show up. Well, I think for the first time, and this represents a little bit of society, the middle class, the lower class, the poor guy never has any say. Look at the coronavirus and the shutdowns and the lockdowns. You know who had no say the middle class worker, the middle class business owner. They were told what they could and couldn't do.

You know who never had to shut down the rich elites? Right? I mean, Walmart, Target, the internet companies, where I live, one of the richest individuals in the state of California, Mark Benioff, was the loudest individual pounding the table for lockdowns. Shut it down. Lock it down. Easy for him to say he's a billionaire.

During the lockdowns, in the winter, his company bought slack for over $15 billion. Lockdowns were incredible for his business. Yet Billy or James or Susie that owns a small restaurant, it wasn't up to her. Shut down, you think she wanted to shut down? I remember being at a restaurant in Walnut Creek. Right before, in California, we had to get, we had a second wave of lockdowns in the winter. For Christmas, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and everyone had to shut down. besides obviously, you know, Target, Walmart, the big boys.

But restaurants shut them all down. They got shut down for three months. And I remember being at the best restaurant or best bar in where I live. I was talking to the owners like, yeah, I mean, I got no fucking pull here. Obviously, business is booming right now. We don't want to shut down, but we have no choice. And if we don't do it, they'll pull my liquor license. And anyone in that business knows, one, liquor license, they're expensive.

you know, depending on where you live, can be 75, 100, 150 grand, because they have a limited amount. And two, he's like, even if I tried to, you know, break the rules, there'd be no guarantee I could ever get my liquor license back. And if I don't have a liquor license, I don't have a business. They were treated like yo-yo's. But the thing that always bothered me the most is the working class people had no say. It was like they were just told what they had to do. Buy the super-rich people. Mark Benioff's like, shut it down. Meanwhile, his company's making $20 billion purchases during the lockdown. It's like, well, fuck, business is good for you. It's like, I don't have children, but I obviously that was a point of contention in the last 12 months.

Like, I don't care what your opinion is on whether my kids can go to school or not if you have a stay-at-home nanny or no parent. Like, or you have a 7,000 square foot home. Yeah, it's pretty easy. You got a, you got a nanny. You know, I know a lot of people, I'm sure many people listening, it was hard. It was difficult. Like, it's okay to have a strong opinion whether your kids should be a go back to school. But as you know, you had no say. your say was irrelevant. Well, that's typically how any, the world works. The rich people set the tone.

They get to decide everything. That's how society works. And I thought ultimately these OTAs would be shut down. I was like, they're not going to happen because Brady, Rogers, they got all the pull. But, because there are way more, like in society, they're way more middle class and poor people than there are rich people. I know you get on social media, like rich people, it's a small percentage. There are way less Tom Brady's and Aaron Rogers and guys making $10 plus million in the NFL. Then there are guys on veteran minimum salaries.

Then there are guys on rookie contracts. That is the majority of the league. And those people in the majority of the league, they need to work. Because that's how they survive. If I owned a deli and you were telling me I can't stay open, I might go under. Hell, a lot of people did. Where I live in California, there are businesses left and right that are shut down. Those people had no choice.

If you tell me that I can't go to OTAs when the coach wants me to go there, there's a chance that I'm not going to make the team. It's easy for you to say making $20 million a year. It's another thing for me, like this is my shot. This is my opportunity. I'm a six-round pick. How do you think I'm going to get a look? And this was for the first time seeing all the middle-class guys

like Tom Brady and Aaron Rogers lost. You know why? Because their opinion, I hate to say it, shouldn't really matter. If you guys don't want to show up to practice, don't show up to practice. But if you don't think that the fifth, six, seventh, and late round and obviously undrafted free agents and guys on veteran minimum salaries need this work to one show their bosses that they can play

two just to learn the offense because ultimately when training camp hits the limited reps they're gonna get it's hard to impress if you don't know what the hell is going on and those guys outnumbered the rich guys and they clearly are not listening now listen I'm not I'm not pro or anti-union

I don't really care I'd probably lean more anti-union union, but obviously every industry is a little different. The union in football does play a role. But, like, they don't speak for everybody. Like, when Demoria Smith is saying to cancel these OTAs, that is not speaking for the majority of the league. That's speaking for the rich people, right?

That's speaking for his ruling class. And in society, what the ruling class wants is what they get. Because they're the ones paying for everything. They have all the fucking pool. In football, that's not the thing. the case. Ultimately, if you want to show up to work, like Tom Brady can't do anything about it. And the pushback is like Tom Brady, Russell Wilson, like, you guys don't necessarily need the reps. And you definitely don't need to impress anybody. But we do. This is how we feed our families.

And the only opportunity I have to make a living in pro football is probably to get into OTAs if I'm an undrafted free agent and show out. Because there's a chance if there are no OTAs and all I get a trading camp and I'm a seventh rounder or I'm an undrafted free agent, I have to might not get a real rep. I don't mean you won't get a rep in practice, but a rep that is taken seriously. And that non-rep may lead me to not getting the opportunity in a preseason game. Maybe I only get five preseason plays. Instead of, if I had the opportunity in an OTA, I make some plays, then all of a sudden

we get to the preseason game and I may get a quarter. I may get that last game a half. And that's how I show out to Belichick, to Andy, to Sean Payton, to Pete Carroll, to whoever, I can play and they keep me. Hell, I make the roster. Or maybe it comes down to a practice squad spot between me and another guy and my five plays, or my 10 plays extra,

make the team. And now allow me on a practice squad make a 90 grand where I would have been out of a job. That are the differences here. And I think it's cool to see because it never happens in society. It never happens. And no one consistently gets more screwed

than the middle class guy. He pays a large percentage, especially in my state, in taxes, has no say in fucking anything. That's typically like sports usually works that way too. But they'd had enough in this situation. And they're just showing up. The rookies are going to practice. Zach Wilson, I turn on him like, God, the Jets are practicing. You think the NFLPA wanted Zach Wilson to show up?

But no, he didn't listen. He just showed up. The rest of his teammates showed up. And I think it's a big win just for the league as a whole. It's healthier this way. And it's the right thing to do. because, like, listen, I've never played in the NFL. Offseason OTAs aren't that hard.

You're also getting paid anyway. And as I read, a per diem is like $200 a day. For some guys, that can be $1,000 a week. Well, if you're an undrafted free agent or a late-round pick, that money might help. I mean, it really might. Yeah, to Tom Brady, to Aaron Rogers, to the good players, that means nothing.

But to a lot of these guys whose career agency, the ability to know that we're the experts in our own body. On the podcast cultivating her space, Dr. Dom and Terry Lomax create a space where black women can show up fully and be heard. I wholeheartedly think, you know, you hit 30, you shouldn't have to share one with anybody. Mm-hmm. From navigating friendships and healing to setting boundaries and prioritizing your mental health. These are real honest conversations. We don't always get to have out loud.

Totally unreasonable with different parts of life, right? Like, oh, have all three meals and make sure you're mindful during all of them? Absolutely not. During one meal, I'm standing. That's not realistic. I'm standing and handing my children food. Because healing, empowerment, and resilience aren't just ideas. They're practices.

And this Mental Health Awareness Month, there's no better time to pour back into yourself. Listen to cultivating her space on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, I'm Deanna Maria Riva, actress, mother, lover, and a Gen X woman walking through life one hot flash and hormonal crying jag at a time. You ladies know what I mean. I'll bet you a paramedipausal chin here you do. So let's talk about it. Join me on my new podcast. How hard can it be with Deanna Maria Riva, where I call on my Gen X squads from Ohio to Hollywood as we navigate midlife's most fantastic BS.

All of a sudden, I'd had hanginess happening on my own. I was like, what the hell is that? I was married when I had her, so I didn't even consider how empty that Ness was going to be. Mood swings, night sweats, fupas, sex drive. Wait, what sex? Dating at 45. How can it be getting naked at 50 with the new guy? That one's kind of hard now.

Well, that's lighting. They say we can't polish a turd, but we're sure going to try. So let's get blunt with laughs, tears, or tears of laughter, and dive into it, unfiltered and unbothered and ask, how hard can it be? I cannot believe I'm about to say this out loud in public. Listen to How Hard Can It Be with Diana Maria Riva as part of my Cultura podcast network available on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This season on Dear Chelsea, with me, Chelsea Handler, we have some fantastic guests like Amelia Clark. When, like, young people come up to me and they want to be an actor or whatever, my first thing is always, can you think of anything else that you can do? Rather be disappointed in.

Do that. Dennis Leary. I wake up and I'm hitting him in the head with a water bomb. And Bruce Jenner is on the aisle in a karate stance like he's about to attack me. Like, making karate noises. And his entire the Kardashians family over there, everybody's going, and the air marshal is trying to grab my arms and screaming. I immediately know that I've been asleep walking.

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on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. We know we're going to be two to four years fighting for every penny, fighting for every rep matters. And the off-season activities in the sport of football matter. And clearly, you know, the rich pro-ball elites, they didn't win in this case. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox Sports Radio. and within the iHeartRadio app search fsr to listen live 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!

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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 is 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. Before we dive into the schedule release, I wanted to hit on something that jumped out to me. I've been putting these philosophies together when I was in recruiting and around the team a lot in the NFL,

the type guys you want on your roster, right? It's no different than the type people you want to associate with in life, right? Positive, ambitious, smart, good people. High character people. Your life is better off when you have optimism and high character around you than when you have negativity and bad guys around you, right? This is pretty basic. It's not that complicated.

You keep happier people around you? Probably going to be happier. You keep a close circle of negative downers, probably going to be pretty miserable, right? It's a big reason I've kind of tried to stay away from the Twitter.com because that is just a miserable place. I like to be happy. I like to be positive.

And it doesn't come naturally for me, so it's easy to drown down there. A team's no different. One bad apple can ruin a locker room. Definitely, you know, a big personality bad apple. but I saw it had been reported last week that Tom Brady immediately reached out to Kyle Trask and told him, hey man, let's get together, let's throw.

And it was like, I can't imagine what Tampa just the vibe of their franchise. Obviously they just won a Super Bowl, but even before in Corona having Tom around reaching out to those guys, staying on those guys, whether it be Mike Evan, whether it be Chris Godwin,

and just what he's meant, obviously, Antonio Brown's career. Antonio Brown was done. It was over. Without Tom Brady, his career's done. Playoff Lanny never happens. If Tom doesn't pound the table for that. And I'm not even talking about what Rogers and Russell want more personnel.

I'm talking about, don't worry, guys, all handle this. It's less about I need this guy. It's him looking at the GM, looking at the coach, and going, I got it, guys. I can handle it. And that's rare. and ultimately going into the draft you want to draft good guys, right?

Ideally, you would want sweet players who are high character guys. That's what every team would ideally pick. If you could get a great player, super high character, you never have to worry about, or great player, total shithead, bad guy, can't trust. I think we all know which one we choose. But sometimes you get in these positions

where you go, he doesn't even have to be that bad of a guy, there's just a lot of questions. and you go, I don't really want to take this guy, but he's the most talented guy on our board. And I think the best part about team building is trying to balance who you bring in and who you already have there. And I remember when I was with the Eagles, the New York Giants took JPP really high. And there were some question marks coming out about JPP and obviously not even like bad, but just maturity stuff. And it kind of played out, right? But he was a really talented player.

What they had, though, with that franchise was a great infrastructure of high-level guys. Started with Eli, but Justin Tuck and Osi. Like, those two guys were super high-level, and they just thought, we bring this guy around those guys, we can shape,

we can mold them, and it worked. I think the first year they drafted them, they won the Super Bowl. And that balance of going, we have a good group, let's say you're the Packers, and you go, we have Devante Adams. Doesn't it make sense for us to kind of potentially reach,

and ideally you just get another good guy that's a good player. But if we get a question mark, put him around that guy. Or just get a young guy and put him next to him and let him learn from him. Because clearly Jimmy Garapolo learned from Tom Brady.

Trey Lance's first call or text message that he received from a 49er was Jimmy G. Now, obviously Jimmy G. Trying to, you know, repair the whole package, right? it's a good look. But he learned from Tom. That's what you're supposed to do. And I talked about it last week with the Colts and Frank talking about,

he used a quote that was basically like, I got no problem using a risk or taking a risk. Let's take a risk. But why would we when we've worked so hard to build this infrastructure? And they really have, right? Quentin Nelson, they trade for DeForest Buckner, who Kyle Shanahan said was everything they wanted in a 49er. And even some of the Darius Leonard, super high character guy.

I think he had a tweet. Was it a year ago? Might have been this year. I can't remember. It was basically like, if you're a free agent and you're thinking about coming here and you're not a grinder and you don't practice hard every day, we got no fucking room for you. This is a place for grinders. And that's, I mean, he's one of the best players on their team.

And then last year they take two really impressive young guys in Michael Pittman Jr. And Jonathan Taylor, like, they've developed a pretty good infrastructure. What were they able to do this offseason? and I think it works for the draft and just team building acquisition in general. They got Carson Wentz, who has some, quote-unquote, personality questions. Does he getting along with everyone? Is he a good fit in your locker room? Those were legitimate question marks. That people in the league, that people like me, that people listening, that we're all asking.

Like, what is going on? You know why they feel really good? We have an unreal landing spot. We don't have a bad seat in this room. We're full of high character, hardworking, good players. If you can't succeed here, you can't succeed anywhere. And it's a balance. There's never a right or wrong time to do it.

Think about the bills last year with Stefan Diggs. One thing I never got too down on Diggs, even though there were questions like, is he a Dive or whatever? He always played hard. Whenever you watch the Vikings, he not only played hard, they were winning. So that meant he was a productive winning player. Sometimes we have that question mark with guys on bad teams. what's he going to look like when you put them in the right environment.

Jamal Adams, Jalen Ramsey. Well, as you can see, both those guys are so competitive. You put them on good teams. They're good. They belong in that environment. Now, sometimes it doesn't go that well. But the bills get Stefan Dix. He immediately hits it off with Josh Allen.

Zero issues. They pay him, and he's awesome. That's an all-pro, pro-poil type season. Now, we've seen many instances in the past when it goes wrong, and it can go off the rails. But these are the balances, and this is why you get paid so much to be a GM or a head coach because ultimately these decisions are on you.

Everyone just thinks it's about like, just the draft or no, it's about everything. It's about do we feel comfortable? That's what so much of the draft process is. Even in free agency, I remember going to meetings. We talk about their personality stuff, right? I mean, obviously we had the information from when they were in college, but reaching out to coaches that were on the staves that had been around them on various teams. You're constantly worried, because unlike most businesses,

if you're making a $50 million acquisition, if you're making $100 million acquisition, it's usually a business. It's usually like an entity. So you're just bringing over the product, right? Obviously, there are people within the buildings that make the product, but you're ultimately just trying to buy the product and keep the cash flow going.

In pro sports, but specifically football, you're buying a player and putting them into a large group of people. Like in basketball, you only got 12 guys on the 3%. team, right? Technically 15, but only seven or eight play on any team's worth of shit. Maybe some teams play nine, but definitely wants the playoffs. You have a clear hierarchy. In football, everyone's kind of partaking, even if you're just a random, like, special teamer. You play a role. If you're a gunner, your kickoff guy, if you get into a pinch, the guy, if you're dressing on game day, you're just an injury or two away from playing on offense or defense. So you have to be very,

very careful. And I think ideally when you can set your franchise or set the tone where your best players are your best guys and best workers, you have a blueprint to build a powerhouse team. Now obviously those guys got to be good players. But I think sometimes when you see bad teams and definitely it happens in basketball and in football too where you get guys that think more highly of themselves and they actually are, like they're not as good as they think. And they're not great teammates, and it's why you lose, right? It's, to me, the best teams, everyone understands their role. Like, look at last year with the Patriots, or excuse me, with the Bucks.

Let's even take Brady out. Let's put it in Grunkowski. Grunkowski shows up. He's going to be a first ballot Hall of Famer. He's arguably the best tied end of all time. Go down as, you know, one of the great, truly great players of all time. Not one issue in Tampa. Just comes in, helps guys out, help guys learn the office,

help guys get used to Tom, never complains about his role, and just seamless transition. That's hard to do. Like, I wouldn't even blame him like JJ Watt this year with the Cardinals. He's going to come in, he's got a lot of peltz on the wall. I would imagine he comes in to be pretty seamless transition. But if it doesn't, if a worst case scenario, and I don't expect it to be like this, but a guy with a long history of a lot of success, what if he comes in and he walks in like his shit don't stink? the other guys on the team like bro we've been here for a little while you know that that

meshing that is pretty hard a j green think about some of those big names you bring in when you bring in a big name when you sign a big name how they enter the workforce in football unlike most of our normal jobs like when you hire someone i mean at most some of these guys making right middle manager might make a couple hundred grand most employees aren't making that much money that's why it's easy to get rid of hire and fire people where in sports You not only know the person's resume, but you know how much money they're making. You know about what they've done at other places. It's a very public job.

And the good teams, they understand this. And they build their culture and they build their players or their team around those type players. The ones that don't know what they're doing don't have a vision and end up with just a bunch of random guys. And even if you have talent, it's why it doesn't usually equal wins. Chemistry matters. even the advance of analytics and the power of numbers, which is a real thing, right? And we've always used numbers, I think is actually a little overblown.

But I'll never forget when I first got a job in radio, we had the Oakland A's. And they had a really good team at the time. And they had guys like Josh Donaldson who won an MVP. Yohanna Cespidus, who was a badass. They just had some badass players. I remember going in their locker room in spring training. I got to go to spring training.

It was pretty cool. I had worked in the NFL, but when you get to do something like that and go sit in the locker room and watch games, I was like, this is badass hanging out with like Bruce Bochy and, you know, meeting Bob Melvin and Bob Melvin saying he liked the show. It was really cool. It kind of felt, which I don't, I'm kind of numb to all this stuff sometimes. It felt like a little kid again. Going into, I'm in the big league clubhouse and just seeing the way all these guys interacted. They ended up winning the, did they win the division?

Yeah, they won the division hosting playoff games. Like it was clear, and Billy is known as this like forefather. right of numbers and I truly believe he's one of the greatest general managers ever I know he's never won a World Series his owner is a joke without Billy Bean that franchise

would have gone bankrupt they're a clown show yet every year Google their record right now they win and he's doing it with like the third iteration of group of players because his owner won't pay anybody in the last decade and I'll never forget talking to people on the scouting staff and the coaches

how much they value chemistry and they truly, truly believed in it. Because I remember when the Warriors and the Rockets became big rivals, the Warriors' chemistry was a leap. Ultimately, the Rockets didn't have great chemistry. And the Warriors always got over on them. Even the times when the Rockets probably shouldn't have won. There was always a little bit missing because you know what? The numbers can't quantify. How much I like the guy standing next to me. How much I care about his family. Am I legitimately friends with the person? In most of our businesses, it helps, but it's not

mandatory, right? Now, I do think it helps, like, if you're going to go on a sales call with another human, if you guys have good chemistry and your friends, probably easy to sell if you're working as a tandem. But if you're just doing cold calls and cubicles, like, who cares if you like everyone or not? In football and basketball and baseball, when you're standing next to the guy, when you're playing with the guy every day, for months on months in a public job with a lot of scrutiny, your character matters, right? Your emotional intelligence matters. Obviously, you mature as you go on, who you have looking up, like who you have as stable veterans for your young guys to look up to, matters. Can you imagine Kyle Trass?

Kyle Trass is coming from the SEC. He just was a starting quarterback at Florida. I bet when Tom Brady texts him, like, bro, let's throw soon. It had to be one of the coolest texts he's ever got in his entire life. Like, that's what high-level people do. Now, obviously, he's one of the best players ever, but that happens all over the league with the good players and the high character guys. and the guys the quote unquote get it. That's why some teams win and some teams lose.

Schedule release week. Let's go, baby. I used to laugh at this. Now I take it really seriously. Part of it, I'm a content creator. The other part is, you know, I get excited. And I wrote down five things that I'm looking for, you know, whatever your team is, but just the things that jump out to me when the schedule is released.

Now, we already know who your team is playing. We know the 17 games. Every single one of them. Home and away. We just don't know the order. So let's go one. This is the first thing I jotted down. When is your buy?

I think we all look for that. We always did. Well, they added a game. So wouldn't you imagine the buy is much more important this year? Now, I think ideally, you've always rooted for your buy to be somewhere between like seven, week seven to nine. somewhere in the middle. Most people get really pissed when their buys is like week four.

You would not want your buy week four. You would much rather have your buy week 10 or 11 than week four or five. So that to me is always a key. Now, I do think one day, as they probably eventually get to 18 games, implement two buys, but that's kind of irrelevant because we're not there now. and we're in a one-by 17-week system, so to me, you want your buy

week eight on. If your buy is a little earlier, it's just not ideal. Number two, now maybe this impacts, you know, us out on the West more than some of you guys,

definitely the Midwest probably doesn't have as big of an impact. And if you are on the East Coast, when you play out on the West Coast, you gain time. So there is no better feeling. I know when I lived in Philadelphia, and when come out here for work or vacation,

it was incredible getting hours back. Where it is really difficult, and the first time it really hit me working in football was when I worked at Fresno State. We played Wisconsin my first year, or I guess it would have been my second year, at an 11 a.m. kickoff, which was a 9 a.m. kickoff for us west coasters.

And, you know, you get up five hours or four hours before the game, so you're eating breakfast on your body clock, at like five in the morning. So it's difficult for West teams to go east. And the Niners, Seattle, Arizona, the Rams, the Chargers, Denver, any kickoff against any of the Eastern Seaboard teams or the Eastern Time Zone teams that are 10 a.m. Are not easy.

They are hard on the body clock. And a massive advantage for the East Coast team. I think it is much easier for the East Coast teams to come out west. because those games are also at 1 o'clock, right, on the West. So really, it's 4 o'clock. Like, they're wide awake. So the time zone games for the West Coast teams. Your Thursday night game.

Every team has one. They're unavoidable. The first thing you look at is the game home or away. You would, every, you know, you would much rather have the Thursday home game, clearly, right? It's much easier. But even if you had the Thursday night home game, the first thing I look for, what's your week before?

It's very, very difficult for teams that have to play a road game, and maybe they have a new rule, maybe this is the rule. You can't come off a road game and then play a Thursday night game, even though if I remember correctly, that's definitely happened recently. But who are you playing before? Is it a big time game? Are you playing like a Sunday night marquee game, and then you have a Thursday night game, even if it's a home game?

Who you play before the Thursday night game does matter. that clearly is probably not as hard of a game as we once kind of talked about four or five years ago I think guys have gotten more used to it but it does matter what time of the season talking about the buy you would much rather have the buy later I would much rather have my Thursday night game week three or four right I'm fresh I'm into the season I basically get an early you know if you win that Thursday night game it's like a three-day weekend right you get Friday, Saturday, Sunday off. It's an incredible little mini-buy.

It can be used as a huge advantage. So when is the Thursday night game on your schedule? Who are you playing the week before your Thursday night game? Home or away? That to me really factors in. Obviously love the primetime games. The Sunday night games, Monday night games are a big deal. They just are.

You know, Monday night football I think is having somewhat of a little bit of a renaissance. It's kind of back. We're feeling good about it. it again. Who even called? Oh, it was Riddick and those guys. It's now flexible. So who you play on Monday night football, maybe I'm of a generation where it still means everything. Obviously, everyone older than me, it still matters. Like Monday night football matters. Your marquee, you're by yourself. You get a couple of Monday night games. Sunday night game, I think after week 11 is flexible. This year, Monday night is flexible too. But Sunday night, it just depends.

If it's September, October, you're playing that Sunday night game. If it's, you know, late November, your team better be good. Or they'll kick you out of there. And they don't care who you are. I'm pretty sure they flexed a Dallas Cowboy game last year. Like, they will flex anybody. Because the great part about the NFL, it's a national sport. If your team is good, if the Jags are a 12-win team,

they will get flexed into Sunday night. It will happen. If they suck, we're not going to watch the Texans this year. We're probably not going to watch much of the Jets this year. The bad teams are just, we're not going to watch much of the Lions this year. But if you win, if the Lions somehow are 10 and 2, they will get flexed. So the prime time games for the non-like Kansas Cities, one question mark too is Rogers, Packers, Chiefs,

like that was going to be probably the best game on paper on the schedule release. Is Rogers going to be on the team? I don't know. What would you do if you're the NFL? If I was Roger, I would say put it in a primetime game, make it later in the season so it's flexible if somehow the Packers trade Rogers and Jordan Love and the team doesn't turn out to be good.

But if we just put it in a flexible spot, even if they trade Rogers, if they're still good, the Packers are a massive brand. Packers Chiefs, I'm good with that. I'd say the biggest game on the schedule release probably just on paper is going to be Tom Brady returning to New England. That game feels like an absolute lock.

I'd probably go Monday night. You could Thursday night feels like a little bit of a rush. I would put that on Monday night. Non-flexible. I would probably have that Monday night football in September. I would have that early on. And remember, agency, the ability to know that we're the experts in our own body.

On the podcast cultivating her space, Dr. Dom and Terry Lomax create a space where black women can show up fully, and be heard. I wholeheartedly think, you know, you hit 30, you shouldn't have to share one with anybody. Mm-hmm.

From navigating friendships and healing to setting boundaries and prioritizing your mental health. These are real, honest conversations. We don't always get to have out loud. Totally unreasonable with different parts of life, right? Like, oh, have all three meals and make sure you're mindful during all of them?

Absolutely not. During one meal, I'm standing. I'm standing and handing my children food. Because healing and, empowerment and resilience aren't just ideas. Their practices. And this Mental Health Awareness Month, there's no better time to pour back into yourself.

Listen to cultivating her space on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, I'm Diana Maria Riba, actress, mother, lover, and a Gen X woman walking through life one hot flash and hormonal crying jag at a time. You ladies know what I mean. I'll bet you a paramedaposal chin here you do. So let's talk about it.

Join me on my new podcast. How hard can it be with Deanna Maria Riva, where I call on my Gen X squads from Ohio to Hollywood as we navigate Midlife's most fantastic BS. All of a sudden, I'd had hanginess happening on my own. I was like, what the hell is that? I was married when I had her, so I didn't even consider how empty that nest was going to be.

Mood swings, night sweats, fupas, sex drive. Wait, what sex? Dating at 45. How high can it be? I'm getting naked at 50 with the new guy. That one's kind of hard, you know? Well, that's lighting. They say we can't polish a turd, but we're sure going to try.

So let's get blunt with laughs, tears, or tears of laughter, and dive into it, unfiltered and unbothered and ask, how hard can it be? I cannot believe I'm about to say this out loud in public. Listen to How Hard Can It Be with Diana Maria Riva as part of my Cultura Podcast Network available on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This season on Dear Chelsea with me. Chelsea Handler, we have some fantastic guests like Amelia Clark.

When like young people come up to me and they want to be an actor or whatever, my first thing is always, can you think of anything else that you can do? Rather be disappointed in. Do that. Dennis Leary. I wake up and I'm hitting him in the head with a water bomb and Bruce Jenner is on the aisle in a karate stance like he's about to attack me like making karate noises. Here's the entire the Kardashian family over there. Everybody's going, and the air marshal is trying to grab my arms and screaming. I immediately know that I've been a sleepwalk.

David O'Yellowo. I love this podcast, whether it's therapy or relationships or religion or sex or addiction or you just go straight for the guts. Guy Branham. So anyway, Nicole Kidman broke up with Keith Thurban. Being half of a country couple was always a hat she was going to wear, not like a life she is going to lead. Oh, interesting. I like that.

Did you practice that on your way over? Gaten Madarazzo from Stranger Things. Tana Mujou. Camilla Marone, Carrie Kenny Silver, and more. Listen to these episodes of Dear Chelsea on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

This is Saigon, the story of my family and of the country that shaped us. The United States will not stand by and allow any power, however great, take over another country. From My Heart Podcasts, Saigon. Please allow me to introduce Joseph Sherman. You don't think I'm serious about a free Vietnam?

I should stop talking so much. I like hearing you talk. One city, a divided country, and the war that tore America apart. This is for Vietnam. I've taken a hit from Japanese ground fire. They're pouring petrol all over him. He's holding matches. I'm on a landmark.

Four free time. Let's get out. Freedom, Mom, and Nah! Saigon, starring Kelly Marie Tran and Rob Benedict. Sting, here's madness. The world should hear about this. There's a fire coming to this country,

and it's going to burn out everything. Listen to Saigon on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Tampa gets the first Thursday night game because they won the Super Bowl. So that probably game is going to be against, I saw Dallas, some of the good teams that they play. So Dallas, Tampa could be the opening game this week. Then the other game, again, this impacts us a little more on the West Coast

just because we have nice weather. But cold weather games. You know, if you're a Steeler fan, like, you're playing cold weather games. Patriot fan, Jets fan, whoever. For us, like, if you're the Rams, the Chargers, the Cardinals, the Niners, the Raiders, just these West Coast teams, Even the Colts, do you have two or three potential snow games in December? Do I have to go to Baltimore in late December?

Do I have to play at Lambo Field in November or December? Philadelphia, Washington, New York's, New England. Like that matters. Cleveland, Cincinnati. Those places are cold. Miami, every year when their schedule comes out. Well, their division all plays in cold weather cities. All of them are outdoors.

Do I got to go to Chicago, December 20th or whatever. So to me, cold weather games, especially for certain players, let's face it, some quarterbacks, you feel more comfortable in a windy cold weather game than others. Derek Carr and Jared Goff's record in cold weather, not good. I don't really trust Matt Ryan in a rainstorm. I like my chances more with Russell Wilson, right? Tom Brady, Aaron Rogers.

Those guys are good in the cold. So I'm going, when's your by, the time zones, the Thursday night game, week and who you play before, primetime games, and then of course, I'm actually got my air conditioning on. It's a little chilly. I had to put on slippers because I had sandals on, and I was like, I'm cold.

You know, it's 69 degrees. So us guys out west, we're a little soft when it comes to weather. We like our sun. If you love to be remembered as the person who gives the best birthday gifts, I'm here to tell you that 1800 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 1800flowers.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. 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 is 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.

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We can change that. Learn how at belonging begins with us.org. Brought to you by the ad council. Walk a mile in my shoes. Middlecoff mailbag. At John Middlecough. Instagram. Fire in there.

you get right here on the pod. I also throw this up on YouTube. John Middlecops the page. I throw a bunch of the podcast content up there as well. Easy for people to find. Try to be with the times, you know. 2020's, new decade, heading into brighter times, hopefully. Quick question for you.

Do you think Fitzpatrick is getting a little overhyped? The dude has never won, the dude has never made the playoffs in a sneaky old. 38, he'll be 39 this season. He is very streaky and not ever, can play lights out into their late 30s and early 40s like Brady and probably Rogers. The Washington football team has a great defense, but it's hard to keep the defense that good every season.

I agree. Do you think Washington has a real chance to win the division? I like Dallas's chances better. I think who wins the NFC East. I'm with you. The Eagles just have a lot of moving parts, new coach. if Washington gets the Ryan Fitzpatrick from Miami, yes. They will win the division.

Dallas offense is going to be awesome. Their defense is in shambles. Now, should it be better with Dan Quinn? Yes, in theory, but we've watched the Falcons defense. They were atrocious. They were terrible. The Giants, a little bit like Washington, is just solid, but is Daniel Jones any good?

I could envision all three of those teams winning it. Now, on Fitzpatrick, he was awesome last year. I mean, it was just from the I test, I have to pull up his bio, but I don't know if it was the best statistical season of the year. I test, it's as good as he's played I've ever seen since maybe that one Buffalo Bill season. He was lights out.

He came to Levi Stadium in the Bay. I remember a guy looked like Dan Marino. It was, and every time Tua would get benched, he'd come in and they'd be awesome. He was fantastic, but I'm with you. Not only is he streaky, he's kind of like an overachiever. And I do think it's hard when you're an overachiever in sports. In life, like you can fail, whatever, get knocked down.

If you're an overachiever, you ain't going to stay down long. It is really easy to kind of regain yourself, even in tough times for overachievers, because that's the mindset. In sports, like ultimately you need your body to cooperate. So one thing, like in the business world, if you just have your mind, your mindset, your will, your ambition, like you just can't. keep charging. Like Ryan Fitzpatrick has always charged.

It was just sometimes his talent. It's not good enough. He doesn't have a great arm. And eventually, Father Time catches up with you. So it's a risky move. I don't know what else they were supposed to do, though. My question is about the Pittsburgh Steelers. Kevin Colbert and the front office seemingly hits home runs every draft,

especially on the offensive side. Why does it seem that they cannot, figure out the not so distant future of the quarterback position. Their backup quarterbacks have been marginal at best, and they bring on a known problem with Haskins. It at least appears that they think Big Ben is going to last a lot longer, or they have a little faith in their backups. Well, they make the playoffs every year, so their first round pick is never high.

They never even have like a three or four or six-win season where they draft like 10th. and the one year when they went 8 and 8, they traded their first round pick from Mika Fitzpatrick. But even when you go 8 and 8, you draft 18th. So it's a tough spot to get a quarterback. You saw it with Washington this year. They desperately needed a quarterback. They would have loved to take Trey Lance or Justin Fields.

They're drafting too far away. So the Steelers are almost a victim of their own success when it comes to quarterbacks. And they've drafted mid-round guys. Mason Dobbs. Now, I never liked Dobbs. I didn't know that much about Mason. I watch him play.

I'm not that big of a fan. as a player? I just don't... What are they supposed to do? Now, what I might have done, I would have taken a flyer on Sam Darnold, but maybe Kevin Colbert says, I don't like Sam Darnel as a player,

so I would trust his, you know, professional opinion. He's arguably the best GM in the league, one of them. But part of being a GM, he's got to figure this situation out. It is hard to acquire him, right? I'm with you.

I'm not touching Dwayne Haskins with a 10-foot pole. But, organization has always been a little bit like a more buttoned up Raiders, they take chances because their culture, their infrastructure, Mike Tomlin, they mold you. You're either shape in or they shape you out. And most guys shape in. So if Dwayne Haskins can't make it in Pittsburgh, he's out of the league.

It's over. But I'm with you. Like, I don't think that's going to do much for him. I, uh, yeah, I just, I don't think there's an easy answer. I guess is my ultimate take. here. I don't think they had an easy no-brainer option. I mean, they thought about cutting men,

but they were just so financially tied to them they had to stick it out. What's up, John? I listen to the podcast every time there's a new one available. I'm 27 and I live in Central Florida. I am wondering if going into scouting is even possible at this point. Also, would it be worth it to leave a job

I'm at to get into scouting? Right now, I'm making 35K a year, So how much of a loss do you think I would have if I tried to get into scouting? Well, my first year with the Eagles, I was 25 or 24 in 2010. I think I made $25,000. And that was the lowest position in the franchise, in the scouting department. 20 or 25. I think it was 25.

Because I remember thinking hearing the stories about the guys in New England who were called 20 for 20s, 20 hours a day, 20,000. I was like, I'm making more than those guys. But yeah, you don't make much, so you would take a pay cut. And listen, I also was coming from college football. So if you just, if you wanted you're in and you didn't have a background, you might have to take like an unpaid internship, assuming that you could even get in the door.

So yeah, I mean, you're not, your first year, if you have no experience, you're not going to be making $35,000. Promise you that. but I advise every single human that I ever meet to this follow what you want to follow take a swing you'll never live with regret you're not making a hundred grand

so you're not giving up ultimately that much like you can find another job whatever you're doing if you really want to try it out and it's something you think about put all your chips in the middle of the table and if it doesn't work out so be it and if it does

it's the best thing that you'll have ever done but you can't be afraid especially in your 20s to take a huge swing. Now's the time. Because hopefully if things keep going well in life, you're just going to keep making more money and it's going to be definitely hard to ever make the jump. So if you're thinking about it right now

and you've got an end or you know someone or whatever, you're just going to just put all your chips in the middle of the table or just start working the back channels now. And if you get the opportunity, take it. Then you can never live with regret or say, you know, I didn't try this one thing I wanted to do. Because life does get away from you. Once you start making a certain amount of money,

whatever that number is for an individual or have a kid or get married, life becomes more complicated. That's for sure. So I would recommend if it's something that itches at you, scratch it. Scratch it, baby. Is it just me or did the dolphins put Tua in a lose-lose situation last season? Coming off a busted hip with no off-season to their then tanking over the starting job of a quarterback who was playing winning football.

Also, could people quit acting like Preston Wilson is some great talent? Guy is average at best. Pod's awesome. Appreciate it. Uh, Jacob. Yeah, I mean, it was a tough situation. But Ryan Fitzpatrick looked good when he was in, as we just talked about. He didn't just look good, he looked really good. Like, maybe not Pro Bowl good, but like fringe Pro Bowl.

He had some games where it was like, this guy is playing like a high-end starter. So once they benched them, the bar was kind of high. And then Tua comes in, like you said, he had come off an injury, he was a rookie. It's not easy. But he looked dramatically worse than Ryan Fitzpatrick. Now, you could, if I was countering it, Ryan Fitzpatrick's been in the league for 15 years. Of course Ryan Fitzpatrick's going to be more comfortable. True.

But then as the season went on, it felt like Tua got a little worse. And I'll never forget the Raider game. I think it was a Saturday night game or Thursday night game. It was Saturday. and Fitzpatrick comes in and saves the game. And that was later on in the season. It's like Tua wouldn't let it rip. Now, we can argue, did they have great weapons?

Of course not. But, you know, I think it's okay to go, listen, I'm not going to make an overall judgment of Tua that he's good or he sucks. But I think it is fair to say, not an ideal start. Now, life, football, not about where you start. It's how you finish.

so he's getting a pretty good start now, right? They just drafted Jalen Waddle number six overall. Didn't they sign Will Fuller? Like, they just added some speed. Now, Will Fuller gets injured a lot. But time to put up or shut up down. Not put up or shut up, but like, he should show that he's a pretty good player this year.

Following the big guy around all day today. I think he mean Bryce and Deschambeau. Do you think his roller coaster of emotions will prohibit him from winning frequently, or when he's riding high, he can just kill it. Love the pod, heard you on Collins feed, picked up you and guys podcast, I appreciate it. If you're talking DeCambeau,

I would say that he basically missed the cut, flew back, and still finished top 10. If he is hitting his driver straight, he's easily one of the best players in the world. He's an unsolvable force. But when you hit the ball 370 yards, and if he's not hitting it straight and in a course like Quail Hollow

where it's got some thick, some thick trees, and if you're off the beaten path, you're kind of screwed, it can look ugly. And I bet on him, I put $100 on him. The first couple days,

he was all over the map. He's not going to play well at these hard courses when he's in the trees. But when he's hitting fairways, I mean, Rory was hitting at $350. He was hitting fairways. He was unstoppable. If Bryson hit fairways all week,

like he would have been right there with Rory, I think his high ends really high. and yeah he's emotional John Rom's emotional a lot of golfers like Justin Thomas is pretty emotional one thing I think Rory really Bennett

Rory's become pretty even keel Dustin Johnson very even keel if you get really emotional in golf it's hard sometimes Bryson gets yeah I mean he's got to learn to gather his emotions but he's pretty freaking good

so he won seven eight times he already got a major 27 like to me he easily could win another major this season I'm a big Charger fan and I can't understand why we don't go all out to surround Herbert with talent. I know the Spanos family has historically been labeled as cheap. However, surely every NFL GM has a license to use the full cap.

Rendering that narrative redundant. We are the golden window great quarterback talent plus rookie contract. We need to get aggressive. Yeah, I mean, I'm with you. I don't think that's going to change though. Your owner pinch his pennies. He's one of the cheapest guys in the league. It's not even just he operates cheap.

He thinks cheap. And when you think cheap, it's hard. In a league full of absolute ass-kicking rich guys who think aggressive, who think about spending, who think they'll do whatever it takes to win. There's a reason the Chargers always underachief. It's not the owner. Ultimately, he has the money.

They have cash. It's his mindset. What's crazy is, I've not. known a lot of rich people that have inherited some wealth, sometimes they tend to be pretty aggressive and it get you in trouble. To me, it's weird when you inherit a bunch of wealth and you get really tight and cheap. I don't understand that. The Steinbrenners are kind of like that. Even though they're a much, much higher level than the Spanos, but like they're not like their dad. You think George, George would have been spending way more money. They have way more money.

Part of the reason all these owners spend way more money now, they have an unlimited amount of wealth. Spanos is such a small-time thinker that it's just, it's kind of sad because I'm with you. They should have emptied the kitchen sink, which, I mean, they added a couple of offensive linemen. Their general manager is good. They always hire coaches also that feel like they're cheap,

even though Brandon Staley might become a really good head coach. He definitely was not very expensive. They never, ever swing for the fences. Like they would never hire a Lincoln Riley, an Urban Meyer. Thought of the perfect trade scenario for the Packers and would love to know your thoughts. Trade Jordan Love to Atlanta straight up for Julio Jones.

Solves both teams problems. Green Bay gets a top flight receiver and gets rid of Jordan Love to appease Rogers. Atlanta fixes their cat problems and gets potential heir to Matt Ryan and Arthur Smith. If I was Arthur Smith and I love Jordan Love coming out, I would be intrigued by that. I really would.

He's cheap. We can develop him. I would 100% do that. Now, the Packers don't necessarily have the cap room, so I think they would have to cut somebody. But I've been saying all along, whether they trade Jordan love for Julio, the Packers should be all over Julio Jones.

What does it take to get him? Because all of a sudden, okay, Rogers, I get it, you're pissed, you hate Goudicans. How about this? Devante, Aaron Jones, Julio, Tanya, let's fucking rock and roll. What are you going to do? Say you want to go to the Raiders

over Julio and Devante? Come on, bro. But the Packers actually got to do it. Are they going to pull the trigger? I think we'd all bet against them not doing it. 13-year-old in New York, I like the young demo. I want to hear your rundown on the Giants off-season and draft, thanks, I love your pod and keep up the good work.

I think the Giants on paper are pretty solid, right? They get Sequeon coming back, they add Gala Day, they add Tony in the draft. smart move by Gettleman at a first rounder. Their defense is solid. They retained all their coaches. I mean, to me it comes down to simply, is Daniel Jones any good?

Is Daniel Jones someone you pick up his fifth year option? Is Daniel Jones someone you would think about giving a contract extension? If he is, they should win nine games. If he's not, they could be a five or six win team again and complaining that the Eagles, you know, bench their quarterback. I think their coach looks, solid. Feels like they got a solid group of guys. Leonard Williams, re-signed him.

Leonard Williams was really good. Give Gettelman credit on that. I thought that was kind of a weird trade. It was good. He had a breakout season with all the sacks. He was a guy that could never land the quarterback. Gettelman believed in him and was proven right. I look at the

Giants and the Washington football team very, very similarly. Both of them have a very, very solid core of just tough, physical-minded guys, good defensive players, can they get a quarterback play? Now, I bet on Fitzpatrick being better than Daniel Jones, but if Daniel Jones can just have a Ryan Fitzpatrick type season, Giants could win the division. I totally agree the NFL shouldn't move a franchise to London, and they would be competitive, free agent disadvantage, and the fan interest would wane and the novelty factor of new visiting teams. Keep the current

rotation approach. Secondly, the international image of the league is moving toward high profile players rather than teams. Is there a concern that the league moves toward an NBA player power model where the strengths of the team franchise is diminished in order to maintain interest in their star names? Cheers. UK-based listener. God, I love the international listening. I need to get to the UK. It feels like just a cool place. Never been there? would love to go. I don't think that's the case because I think basketball has failed that way.

At the end of the day, if you grew up in L.A., you're a Laker fan. You love Kobe because he became a Laker and spent his whole career as a Laker. You like Shaq when he was on the Lakers. Once he started bitching him own and you traded him away like he wasn't your guy anymore. One of the reason the NBA to me

has had a precipitous drop-off in fan interest, they stop putting the fan first. Fans care about teams. wherever you grow up, you watch the Lakers, the Mavericks, the Knicks, whoever. You care about the team first. Obviously, if your team has a great player, you root for that player. But when your team sucks, would all these players leave? That sucks.

Like, even if you love James Hardin when he was on the Rockets, once he demands a trade and says, screw you to the city of Houston trades, what are he supposed to do, just follow him wherever he goes. Your team then sucks. That's awful for the fan. Like, ultimately, I think most Packer fans want Rogers to come back, but they're going to keep rooting for the Packers. they just really are

because I think right now if you're a Packer fan you go Aaron your team's pretty freaking good you've had it pretty awesome I'd say Tom Brady is somewhat of an outlier he brought them six championships six

so if you're a New England fan like listen Tom was 42 years old he wanted a new start a new team we get it so I'd say Tom's an out he brought us the greatest 20 years we'll ever have we can't thank him enough

he's a legend but he's our guy and I'm going to root for him in Tampa. To me, the way, he didn't handle like Rogers either. He was a free agent, he left. And it was clear Belichick wanted to move on from him. Rogers is like destroying the franchise. So I don't think that'll be the case. Because I think deep down, we root for the team first.

Now, the players come with the team, but fans are team first. Because usually you root for a team where you live. You care about where you're from. even if you leave. I'm someone who's left, come back, and I live, you know, an hour,

45 minutes, depending on traffic, away from where I grew up. I take pride in where I grew up, right? I mean, I grew up a Big Kings fan, and I still kind of subtly root for them. Not really, but if they were good,

I'd be a fan again. I doubt you have time to read all your DMs, but it would be willing, would be so awesome to meet you and ask you a few questions. I live in Northern California, and can come to you. My dream is to scout. I would like to pick your brain.

I'll buy. We can go to any restaurant you choose. Ruth Chris, Flemmings? No, I'm just kidding. Yeah, I'll shoot this guy at DM. I get this question a lot. The best thing you can do, you've got to get involved in football.

If you truly want to work in football, you just got to get involved. Whether that means starting at the high school level, whether that means getting involved in the college level, you've got to get in football. because you can't just be not in football and have no football experience besides maybe like played in high school

and be 26, 27, and think you're going to get an in. Because they're like, well, do you know what you're talking about? Just because you're a fan or whatever? You've got to get involved. That would be my number one recommendation. Find a way into a college program. And it might be working for free. It sucks, but I did it when I was at Cal Poly

and it helped kind of open doors and get me in places like Fresno State. And I would never have worked in the NFL if it wasn't for Fresno State. Zero chance, 100%. No chance. Zero. I mean, it would not have happened.

So you got to find a way in. That's always my number one advice. Appreciate everyone listening. Have a great week. Adios. If you love to be remembered as the person who gives the best birthday gifts, I'm here to tell you that 1-800flowers.com is your ultimate birthday gifting destination.

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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. Hey, everyone, it's Ryder Strong and Wilfredel from PodMeets World.

And now the Pod Meets Twirled podcast. We're two men who were completely clueless to reality TV, and we're gearing up for the season finale of Survivor. I know we annoyed a lot of our listeners by our severe lack of survivor knowledge. That is the point of the show. I'm just going to remind you. Again, we are experts. Listen to Pod Meets Twirl on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

I'm Joey Dardano, and on my new podcast, Hope from a Hypocrite, I'll be changing lives, helping people in need with thoughtful solutions. Sike, I'm a comedian. I'm not qualified to give good advice. Join me and my comedian friends as we riff, rant, recommend some of the most legally dubious advice known to me. This is Help from a Hypocrite, the worst advice from the dumbest people you know.

Listen to Help from Hypocrite Wednesdays on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. American soccer is about to explode. The World Cup is coming. Ramel sending on to Ernie Stewart, the Chip. I'm Tab Ramos. I'm Tom Boeke. On our podcast, Inside American Soccer,

you'll get the real storylines, the biggest decisions, and the truth about the U.S. national team. It wouldn't be a huge surprise if our team ends up in the quarterfinals or potentially a great run into the semifinals. Listen, Inside American Soccer with Tom Bogart and Tab Ramos

on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcast, wherever you get your podcast. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.