The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Izzo's yelling par for the NFL course;AAF onside kick would be a win for the NFL; Gronk is a championship teammate

Episode Date: March 26, 2019

Subscribe here to the 3 and Out with John Middlekauff Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/3-and-out-with-john-middlekauff/id1352730623?mt=2.  In this episode, Middlekauff explains why Tom Izzo's yelling wouldn't be criticized in the NFL, why the NFL needs to adopt the AAF's onside kick immediately, why Gronk being the ultimate championship teammate, not stats, is the most impressive aspect of his Hall of Fame resume, and answers listener questions in Middlekauff's Mailbag.. Follow John on twitter @JohnMiddlekauff and go to www.theherdnow.com to find the latest content. Subscribe now! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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John Middlecough, three and out podcast, Colin Coward Podcast Network. A lot going on. We got the owners meetings in full swing. You know that means Andy Reid has the shorts and the Hawaiian shirt out. We got coaches pictures. We got GM. pictures. I'm sure by Friday we'll have a ton of stuff to go over. You know, Belichick, I'm sure, I can't wait for either Wednesday or tomorrow, whenever he talks at the breakfast to get peppered

about Robert Kraft and the massage parlors. But today, some thoughts on March Madness and the Tom Izzo controversy and how that parallels some stuff with football coaches. This new fourth and 15 rule that's kind of going to might potentially wipe out the onside kick. I'm fact. fascinated by it. I love it. I can't wait to talk about that. Rob Grunkowski retires. Just checked his playoff numbers. They're just stupid. I love Rob Grunkowski. I'm going to miss Rob Grunkowski. There's a chance Rob Grunkowski comes back. But is he the greatest tight end of all time? In my lifetime, probably have some thoughts on that. And then just, I mean, the NFL is literally going viral right now with a coach's picture and a GM picture.

And MLB opening day is on Thursday. And no one even knows it's happening. It is pretty nuts when you think about it like that. But let's start with this weekend. March Madness, lost a little money, but I still got some futures on Gonzaga, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Michigan State. Love the tournament. Love gambling on the tournament. March Madness is a coach's tournament, really. I mean, especially now with the one and duns, typically aren't as many consistent stars. Zion, somewhat of an outlier.

Man, Duke, watching the Duke, watching the Duke, game in the locker room of my gym the other day, and I live in the Bay Area, I pay way too much for a gym, so it's kind of like a country club. There must have been 30 dudes watching the last, I don't know, five minutes of that game huddled around this TV in the locker room. Duke moves the needle. The other guy that kind of moved the needle this weekend on social media, which I thought was pretty laughable, was Tom Izzo. Tom Izzo lit into this star freshman, really lit into him, and social media just freaked out. how is he allowed to talk to the player like that?

That would never fly in the pros. That was for the PC Snowflake crowd that thought that was over the top. I did not, clearly. I was not baffled because I typically on social media, you have to be very careful. There is a small vocal minority that thinks one way. No one I've ever met would go, you know what?

If my kid was a Division I basketball player, I wouldn't want him to play for Tom Izzo because he's going to yell at my kid. You know, if I had an offensive guard as a son, because that's what my kid's not going to play quarterback or wide receiver, you know who I wouldn't want him to play for? Nick Sabin. That wouldn't be a program conducive to success.

I'm a little biased because I've only, besides radio, that was the only job. Regular quote-unquote job I'd ever had. I had never really worked in, you know, like corporate America or the private. Like I worked in college football and then the NFL. So I was used to getting yelled at. When I first got to Fresno State, I vividly remember screwing something up back in the day when to get high school recruiting film, you'd have to sign up for these services

and they would send you like 30 to 50 DVDs every three or four days from the following weekends games of high school football all over either the state of California and we did I think the state of Texas and Arizona. And then you would kind of like old school library, you would numerically order them and kind of set it up inside a program and then you'd print it out. So Coach Hill, Pat Hill, who worked for Belichick, who was old school, I mean on an old school,

tough guy who had a lot of success and I mean as high of a character guy I've ever been around I loved him I screwed it up and we were going and he took recruiting really seriously took a lot of pride in it learned from Belichick love the recruiting process of evaluating recruits and the one most valuable thing he taught me and it still works to this day is and luckily now I just watch highlight tapes on players but that is not the true way to evaluate players I'm able to do it in the media but when you were a scout, highlight tapes are terrible. Any good player can look good in the highlight tape. So you got to watch the game.

And Belichick really believed in that and taught him that and he believed in it. And that's why over his 15 years at Fresno State he produced so many pros. He was a great evaluator of talent. But I remember screwing it up and getting screamed at. Like for the first time in my adult life beside my home, where I don't know about you, I can only speak for men and boys and guys. from about seven years old till about 20,

I probably deserve to be legitimately yelled at at least once a day. You know, most boys worth their salt that pushed the envelope probably could justify yelling at them daily. Pat Hill lit into me. I mean, I thought I was going to get fired, but in the football world,

it's just normal to get yelled at and it wasn't that big of a deal. It was fixed, whatever. He probably forgot about it an hour later. And it happened to me a couple times. He was a little, I would say, aggressive than Coach Reed, but Coach Reed yelled at me too. I was yelled at him by him one time at a training camp. I kind of screwed up a drill that I was working on.

It was just, and I got lit into a little bit. Again, football is an aggressive culture. Sports are an aggressive culture. There is a lot on the line. To me, there's a difference of just being an asshole and screaming at people and screaming at people for the right reasons. Like Tom is, though, who produced. arguably the toughest guy currently in the NBA

who will tell you that Tom Izzo is like his father in Draymond Green. Nick Saban constantly lights into guys. What do those guys, you know, typically become? NFL draft picks, really high and really good players. And one notion that I saw a lot on Twitter this weekend was like, that shit never flies in the pros. It doesn't.

Have you not done any research or followed best? Belichick's career? Have you not read about the way he treats guys in meetings and will light into anyone from Tom Brady to the last guy on the practice squad? Every dude who walks into that building is on edge because Belichick's on edge ready to light into you. Do you know what that has equaled? Six championships in 18 years. Eight straight AFC championships. Bill Parcells, one of the biggest A-holes in the history of the league. What did he do? I don't know. He's just known as one of the best coaches ever. Walsh took a little. bit of a different approach, he screamed and berated his coaches.

Like, I'm sorry. Places where they're high standards, where you're trying to achieve and be the best, it usually gets a little contentious. Bill Belichick has a famous quote, that there is no growth without confrontation. So yelling at someone is not a bad thing. Usually, you get the best out of someone. Now you can't yell at every player. Certain guys respond to it better than others, but I bet Tom Brady would tell you,

I like being pushed. I bet Draymond Green will tell you I like it I yearn for it I want it Most guys worth their salt In high level D1 And definitely in the pros

Don't mind it The NBA a little different Like you can't yell at LeBron You know who you can't yell at Steph Clay Draymond They're about to win fourth championship You know the guy you can't yell at Kevin Duran he's a little softer

They treat him with kid gloves But the three champions That have more rings than him They're treated tough Brady, Gronk. We'll talk about Gronk a little bit later. They push him. Guess what it made Gronk?

I don't know. First Ballad Hall of Famer. Greg Popovich constantly lights into guys. I don't know. He just hasn't missed the playoffs in 20 plus years. To think that yelling, and I'm not saying that everyone, you got to be yourself.

You got to be true to yourself. But holding people to high standards and occasionally yelling is not the worst thing. And, you know, Izzo and Belichick, Coach K, those guys, like, Coach Reed doesn't swear. but he has high standards and he will get on guys. Now he does it a little differently, but he's 6-3, 300 pounds. I might be low ball on there.

He actually got in a lot better shape. But he will stay on. I mean, it's healthy. Again, I've never worked in Wall Street or Steve Jobs, Apple, but the stories I've read, the movies I've watched, it can get pretty contentious there too. The highest level stuff, people are usually on edge. And when things don't go right, you get yelled at.

And I think most people embrace it. Most people with common sense go, yeah, it's not that big of a deal. The small politically correct minority on Twitter, because that's what it is, the vocal minority freak out. I know this. Is there a parent worth their salt in America that would not want their son to go play for Tom Izzo? That would not want their son to play for Bill Belichick. that would not want their son to play for Nick Saban. I don't think there is.

There isn't one. So this notion that even as times change, like this is sports, the emotions are running high. Even though these accomplishments, you could argue are kind of arbitrary. They don't determine, like, you know, health or really just what is really getting to the final four mean for these guys. it means legendary status at that university. It might mean a better draft pick when the draft comes around. No different than Sabin lighting into a guy in the SEC championship or in the first playoff game.

You're trying to accomplish the highest level of your goals, which at the best programs are championships. And in all these sports, only one person can be a champion. So the level of intensity sometimes just boils over. I've never understood And I got the I saw this a lot on Twitter I think Joe Banner tweeted this

Former Eagle President like Steve Kerr would never Joe have you watched Steve Kerr Him and Draymond famously had A Fuck You interaction several years ago Where Draymond threatened to beat him up And Steve Kerr went right back at him Steve Kerr loses his

Just mind Once every other week on the sideline He screams at people all the time Again It is normal with the world Warriors. Why they dominate. Because he can push Steph Curry. He can push Clay Thompson, just like Belichick can get on, Devin McCordy, or Edelman, or Brady, or Gronk, just like they can the scrubs. The best teams, the standard is the same for the best player. Google Phil Jackson and Michael

Jordan. They used to yell at each other. Again, that's healthy. Because if you can yell at your best player, that means you can yell at everyone else. And that means that everyone else is a little more focused, a little more locked in. You're getting a little better effort. So, this thing went viral on Twitter. The thing that made me the proudest where most people were like, when Scott Van Pelt did this talk, about, yeah, certain people have standards.

Every once in a while, you're allowed to scream at someone. He's not going to punch him. He's not going to fight him. He's just coaching him. Like, I'm sorry, sometimes coaching is yelling because as boys, especially young boys, sometimes we don't listen very well. And we need to be yelled at.

Again, most of the boys, I've been around, CC, my friends over the years, have needed to be yelled at, whether it's an athletic competition. I'm even just talking high school, you know, talking junior high, let alone college. Med-lose are focus. We're humans all the time. Sometimes you need to be kind of yelled at to get locked back in. So I love Tom Izzo.

Tom Izzo, to me, is the closest thing in college basketball to being a football coach. He notoriously, like, his best friend is Steve Mariucci. He has a legendary, I remember reading this in the USA Today. I don't even know if the USA Today paper actually exists anymore. A rebounding drill where it's just like a war zone. I mean, his players have suited up for Michigan State Spring Games. Draymond Green legitimately did. It's a culture of toughness, which means it's a culture of winning.

So I hope that the screaming coach never goes away, and it never will. Because sometimes you've got to scream to get your point across. Okay, let's get into the fourth and 15 rule. I'm not that big of focus on the rules at these owners meetings until something actually gets voted on and has changed because there have been a lot of ideas over the years and I think that's typically why Belichick despises these meetings because of how stupid and unpractical it all is.

There is a clear line of delineation when it comes to the NFL people that care only about the money and then people that only care about the football team. Now, like Belichick, he cares about the money how much are paying players, but he doesn't care about the revenue streams and the storylines and growing the game. He just wants to win the game,

which is keep the main thing, the main thing, he makes his owner the most amount of money possible because all they do is host playoff games and all they do is win Super Bowls. But this rule is pretty fascinating. And Belichick's argued, honestly, you should listen to everything Belichael says, because him arguing to get rid of the extra point from the two-yard line and put it

toward the 35-yard line, it can't really be argued now at this point. What are, are we two years with it? Maybe, I think two, maybe three. However long it's been, it's been awesome. It adds just a new wrinkle, an intrigue, and just something that has had major ramifications in games. You know, people miss that field goal. It used to be, and his argument was like, it's like 99% chance from the two yard line. Make it 42 yards or 35, whatever it is, hell, I don't even know. They kick it from the 35? Yeah, so it's a 42 yard field goal.

It just makes it interesting. Is it 42 or is it 35 yard field goal? Whatever it is, point still valid, it makes it more intriguing. Well, this rule, I think, is awesome. The fourth and 15 rule. To me, the number one thing you have to have in sports right now, you have to be able to keep people's attention. And the thing that kills, I say it all the time in baseball,

and I know Colin uses this word a lot, urgency. And as someone that does local stuff, baseball is a big deal, not lately, because the giants suck. But a baseball season is so long, there's no urgency to any game. I've often thought there is a, misinformation is probably the wrong word. There's like an over-confidence,

With the baseball world, the gambling is going to have a big effect and help baseball. Listen, I've been gambling since I was like 17 years old. If you ever gambled on baseball, it sucks. I mean, the best sport to gamble on by far is the NFL. It's just not the easiest sport because you still lose a lot, but you feel you have the best chance. And March matters because every game matters, every snap matters. Well, there are sometimes there's blowouts in the NFL,

and relative it's not college football 30, 40 points. but 17 points with 5 minutes to go. If you're sitting on your couch, you know, for me, it's the 10 to 1 window. If I'm watching a game, it's 17 points, and I'm gambling on the game, probably turning the channel. Flip into another game,

flip it into the Red Zone channel, whatever, if I have money on the game. Well, now with this 4th and 15 rule, and here's how I read it. Anytime in the 4th quarter, if you're down, instead of kicking an on-side kick, you can get 4th and 15.

So let's say you're down 17 points, five minutes left. You score. So now you're down 10 points. Imagine having the underdog at plus 7 and a half. So you're now down 10 points. You just need a field goal. Well, with five minutes left or four minutes left or whatever, you probably usually have to kick an onside kick

because you're down multiple scores. Well, now, potentially the rule, and I think the way Florio is writing, that it's probably going to pass. Of course, John Mara hates it. that you get the ball at your own 35, not, I guess, on the 35, yeah, on their 35, so you've got to still go 70 plus yards or whatever, and it's 4th and 15. I always get that messed up.

On your side of the field, or is it their side of the field? Like, you still got to go a long way, but at the 35-yard line, instead of kicking an on-side kick, you can just go for it with your offense, fourth and 15. I think that's awesome. And to me, the sport that is pretty dependent on gambling, it's a huge benefit for the sport. to football. That to me brings immediate intrigue and keeps attention. For the random guy that might change the game, like 17 points is big. But boom, you get it to 10. And I got the fourth and 15 rule. I'm all for it. And Colin has been talking about this for years. And I never quite understood it

until once I started working in the media to really the minutia of baseball. And they're the complete opposite. They refuse to change. They refuse to ever try to be progressive with their rules. basketball is somewhere in the middle, but there's only so much they can change. In baseball and football, there's just a lot of rules. Basketball, for the most part, it's pretty basic. But in football, they're always trying to adapt. They're always trying to make things more interesting. And they don't always get it right.

But to me, this is genius. I absolutely love it. I'm all for it. If you implemented this next year, I think we would immediately have some crazy freaking moments. Someone's like, I saw a great tweet. you put the fourth and 15 rule the Chiefs will never lose. It's like their favorite down in distance.

But in all seriousness, imagine, honestly, five minutes left of a game you're watching your team or the team you've bet on is down multiple touchdowns. Let's just say 17 points. You score a touchdown

with, let's say, three minutes left. You score a touchdown. So now you're down 10. Well, you'd have to onside kick typically. Now you go fourth and 15. What if you get it? Then boom, you score another time and I don't know.

I haven't been able to quite get the details on this if you can only use it once if it's like a challenge to me if it's like a challenge if you get it you then if you score let's say you're down 10 you get it you kick a field goal now you're down 7 you should be able to do it again

again like a challenge you get it it doesn't go away it's not a one time deal I am 100% all for this and John Mara's beef and his quote that I saw he said like what are we becoming the arena league Like, John, I'd argue you kind of already be... 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,

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Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts for wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of I Heart Women's Sports. Game Arena League-ish with your rules with headhunting. Like your game, for being still a physical, violent game, which the sport of football will always be, just because, I mean, the most basic premise of the sport is tackling. Right?

The guy with the ball, you tackle. So there's just going to be violence in that, I mean, no matter how you try to regulate it. but let's call it what it is. You can't touch a quarterback anymore. You can't touch a wide receiver. The wide receiver down the field is considered defenseless, even though I've never heard of a defenseless player when you're on offense and you know they're defenders ready to hit you.

You're not defenseless. You know the guy's coming. You just might not see him coming. But let's not act like your sports hasn't become arena league-ish already. So to me, adding this rule, it's not like that. Sometimes you feel like a rule is kind of minor league. This does not feel like that at all. To me, this adds action, and this keeps attention, which is the hardest thing again to do in 2019.

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on this, that he had talked to Gronk about potentially working with the Patriots, about skipping OTAs, about skipping training camp, and just showing up when the season started, and thought that they would have worked something out. He was one of Belichick's favorite players ever. And Gronk

just says, no, I'm out. And it didn't really come out of left field. I think we had thought about Gronk, retiring really all season, somewhat of a shell of himself during the regular season. It was awesome in the playoffs. But I think when you look at his career, it really is nuts. Brady had been in the league for like 12 years. Then Gronk comes in, has a nine-year career, and Brady's still going to play a

couple years? It might have been 10 years, whatever it was. Brady's career, he had 10 plus years before him, and he's going to have several after him. I still think there's a chance Gronk comes in at the end of this season, but there's also a chance. I mean, unlike most of these idiots and I never give you credit when, you know, if you make 10 million bucks or five million bucks after agent fees, taxes, depending on where you play, you may only bank a couple million bucks, but if you make 20, 30, 40, I mean, Gronk's made 50, 60 million dollars and you ever go bankrupt, you are a moron. I mean, an absolute imbecile. So do I give Grunk credit for saving all of his money? Somewhat, but he's just a smart guy. I, I,

I also think that he stood for a couple things. In a day and age when you constantly see guys, it happens more in the NBA, but you see in the NFL, one of my favorite draft prospects, Devin White, just said he wants to be a $100 million player. Like, bro, you haven't even been drafted. Let's just, let's pump the brakes. What did Grunkowski really do poorly, you know, or wrong that he got dinged for? He liked to drink beer?

Oh, who do you hang out with? I don't know, his four brothers? Like, who was his posse? Oh, his family? Like, that's literally who he hung out with. He took a photo one time with B.B. Jones. He kind of made B.B. Jones's career. I think she's since retired.

But when you look at Rob Gruncowski to me, he's arguably one of the greatest playoff non-quarterback players ever. He played 16 games in his playoff career. So he basically played one NFL regular season. He had 81 catches over 1,100 yards, and 12 touchdowns. I mean, that's an all-pro season. He played nine seasons, went to five Super Bowls, and won three. Like, his career resume is just incredible.

Again, five Super Bowls in nine seasons and one three, with those playoff numbers, 130 targets, 81 catches, over 1,100 yards, and 12 touchdowns. And, you know, the PC crowd, they always got so bothered, like, why is he not held to the same standard as Cam Newton? I don't know, because Cam Newton, I watched him in the Super Bowl. I literally was there, and I had money against him, shit the bed, and was God-awful, and then acted like an idiot after.

So, Grankowski came through in the clutch. Every time, every single time, healthier not, because a lot of times he wasn't healthy. You look like Barry Bonds with all the armor he had on. He answered the bell literally every time and played his best in the biggest games. And in a day and age when all these athletes talk about their brands, and how much money they're going to make. Like, the biggest knock on Gronk was he liked to drink and party. And really, it was just hanging out with his four brothers and his dad.

That's actually a party animal for an older guy. And he dated, or I don't know, dated might be strong. Hung out with B.B. Jones? Like, I'm sorry. I think Gronks never been arrested. Was the ultimate teammate. Tom loved him. Belichick loved him.

Clearly he was willing to do whatever you ask. And that's the other thing. The modern-day athlete is a little bit of, it big on like, hey man, instead of running routes, I want you to block. Instead of running the go route, I'm going to want you to run outroutes. Instead of shooting threes, I'm going to want you just to rebound. They get very offended because they all think they're stars. Gronk was legitimately an all-pro star, and he would do whatever he was asked.

The Patriots would say jump and he would say how high. Like he did everything, like he couldn't have been a better teammate member of the Patriots. I'm just talking about from a teammate perspective. Then when you factor him on the actual field, how well he played, I mean, he dominated in the biggest games. And he was just one of the big personalities I think we've had in the NFL in recent memory. It wasn't fake personality. Wasn't like K.M. dressing up and acting funny, but then not getting it done in big moments.

Or like, you pound the table requesting a trade. Now you could argue why would he request a trade. He's on the Patriots. He actually, Belichick. Cold-blooded as he is, tried to trade him last year, and Gromk told the Lions, I'll quit. I will not play. And he kind of did a little player empowerment,

and I don't blame Gronk. And then he gave him a season where he couldn't really catch the ball. But all he did was he operated like one of the best office of tackles in the league. He dominated blocking. But again, to me, the numbers that really stand out, beside the all pros and everything, in 16 playoff games. So he basically played one regular, season. One regular season. He had 81 catches, 12 touchdowns, and 1100 yards. And a lot of those

games, he was banged up. He's the ultimate playoff player. I'd argue non-quarterback best playoff player I've ever seen would probably be Larry Fitzgerald. Maybe Jerry Rice, obviously right up there too, some of the early games in the 80s. I was too young. But Larry Fitzgerald in the last couple decades is so damn good in the playoffs. That's Kronkowski. So the Patriots, they can draft a guy, they can end up signing Jared Cook, who as of right now, they're trying to talk in to, you know, back it out on the Saints, whether that will happen or not, I don't know. But I think at the end of the day, this is one of the great players we've ever seen, one of the great teammates we've ever seen, one of the great true champions we've ever seen. Like, when you think about this Patriot Corps, starts with Brady, then it's Gronk, then it's Edelman, then it's McCordie, then it's High Tower, then it's Slater

Listen, I'm unbiased. I just like watching the Patriots because they kick everyone. They're just dominant. They kick ass and take names. They've owned the league for the last decade. That core has been fun to watch. All those guys, you know, kind of keep their mouth shut.

They don't talk that much. They're just kind of like Belichick's little creations. I mean, Tom's got his own personality, even Gronk. But when he's in the football bubble, they are focused on one thing and one thing only. And that's kicking the shit out of you. That's when the game starts. on Sunday, I'm going to be better coached,

I'm going to be more into the game plan, I'm just going to be better than you. And when shit hits the fan in the third and fourth quarter and you get tight, I won't get tight. And Gronk is a great example. Obviously, Brady is the cream of the crop. But Gronk and Edelman, and Edelman's not the level of player,

Gromk, but that little trio of those three guys to go along with Belich and the coaching staff just champions in every sense of the word. I mean, the ultimate type guys you would want to go to war with on Sunday. New England and Patriot fans will realize this probably in 20, 30 years,

like how good they had it. Like to me, this core has had a little more personality, a little more juice than the first core, which had to be cool. I mean, your first Super Bowl ever, but the Bruske, the Brable. I mean, those guys are cool and all, but to me, the Edelman-Gronk has a little more flavor, a little more juice to it. You know, TB12 kind of gotten a little different as time got on, but those two guys, and especially Rob,

I mean, you could argue in a city that's produced Larry Bird, Bill Russell, Tom Brady. He's one of the most unique athletes in one of the top sports cities in American history. Just his personality, his how clutch he was, how nails he was, how tough he was, how good he was, how unique he was. I mean, he was like 6'5-250, 260 that could run, had soft butter hands and was an absolute killer. So I'm going to miss him.

I'm not 100% sure his career is over. I feel pretty confident. But you never know. Like Tom might get on the phone. Here's the other thing. In a league full of guys that love telling you how smart they are, everyone's like, oh, Gronch is some big idiot meathead. He clearly isn't that big of an idiot if he saved every dime he's ever made.

I give him some smart credit points on that one. You know, I get Arizona's an easy school to go into, and he's just meathead, he likes the lift. Well, in a league full of guys, the majority of them that go broke in pro sports in general, maybe Krenkowski's a little smarter than you think. You don't become that good of a teammate. You're not that revered by Belichick and Brady if you're an idiot. I actually think that's one of the more underrated parts of Gromk is probably how truly smart he was. He liked playing up his role, and he's kind of like a WWE character.

But I think when the dust settled and he showed up to work, every day, answering the bell every day. Never had one problem in the facility. Not one! In a program that is so hard for so many people to just be able to handle the pressure that comes

with being a patriot. And that's why I think his core of guys starting with Brady, Edelman, McCordy, Hightower, Slater, and him, they are just, to me, when I think Patriots, I just think of those four or five guys. And that's why they got three championships in the last five years. They've been to eight straight AFC championships.

And I know he's going to be gone, but to me, they're the heavy favorite to win the AFC, the AFC just in general again, especially if he comes storing through those doors. I don't know. Mid-December, I'm back. Let's do it. Championship. I'm going to miss him. I hope he comes back.

Don't feel great about it. But I hope you realize what a complete badass and teammate and championed it ever since the where Gronk was. Let's get into the Middilkoff mailbag. Do it every week here on the show. And you slide up in my DMs at John Middlecoff, my Instagram handle, also my Twitter handle, and basically all my handles.

And just slide up in those DMs. Ask me a question and I'll answer it here. What do you think the chances are, here's a question on Gromk coming back after a year off? I can see that becoming a trend in the NFL and potentially even negotiable in a new CBA. that off-season is never enough to fully heal. Yeah, I don't know.

I mean, I think he legitimately is just taking some time off. Like, he wants to retire. I don't think it's like, it's just his body's kind of giving up on him, you know? And I think it's just time for, in his mind, he saved a bunch of money like we talked about. And he's just ready to take some time away, get his body back. I really don't even think it's that crazy because we've been talking about him retiring for a while.

And he didn't look the same last year. He was shell of himself might be strong, but he wasn't the same old gronk. You know, peak, all pro, gronk going to the Hall of Fame. But he was still an elite blocker. And I think it just comes down to the fact that he doesn't want to be a blocker. He wants more. Hey, John, quick question. You see Tua having success at the NFL level?

It seems like he was the talk of the town. He came in a half time. After this year's performance, it seems like a lot of people have bailed on Tua and are now favoring Trevor Lawrence. Does Tua need another great playoff performance in order to go within the top five picks? No, I mean, I think his tape is pretty damn good.

I think he's established himself as one of the better players, you know, in the NFL, or excuse me, college football through those two years. He had a terrible, what was that, SEC championship game against Georgia when he was clearly banged up. I don't think NFL evaluators will hold that against him. If he comes back this season, plays well. I think he will compete to be a top 10 pick.

He's going to get nitpicked. Arm strength, is his arm good enough? How tall is he? How big is he? The question is also going to be his level of comp. His team was so much better than everyone else. If that will hurt him, he's going to get nitpick. but he's really accurate.

He's just kind of a rhythm passer. He's kind of like a Russell Wilson meet Steve Young. Not as good as those guys, but... 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.

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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 SportsSlice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 and 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. Street or 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 I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Michelle McPhee, and I've been unraveling the strangest criminal alliance I've ever reported on, a Mormon polygamist, and an Armenian businessman. Multi-million dollar house, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private. but just a billion dollar fraud. But how long can this alliance last? Tell me what you know.

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