The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Middlekauff – 3 & Out – Odell/Freddie Kitchens tension rising; Baker hype out of control; XXL Middlekauff Mailbag

Episode Date: May 31, 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 looks at the increasing tension between Odell Beckham and Freddie Kitchens, why Odell is blowing it by missing OTA's, why the pre-season hype surrounding Baker Mayfield is out of control and is creating unrealistic expectations, and answers listener questions in a massive Middlekauff 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.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. 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, Ferrari's and Lamborghinis, private jets, a billion-dollar fraud. But how long can this alliance last? Tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Listen to Kingdom of Fraud

on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Life is full of hurdles. So how do you keep going? On Hurtle with Emily Abadi, we're talking with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness from professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions about the challenges that shape them and the mindset that keeps them moving forward. At our level, at this scale, being able to fail in front of the entire world.

Like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of I Heart Women's Sports. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened.

That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo, and every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headlines. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier.

This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an a cappella band with their Between Songs, Bantor. 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. Finding the perfect developer, designer, project manager, or whomever you may need is easy. You just have to know where to look. Find and hire the world's

best talent right now on Upwork, the world's work marketplace. This clip is brought to you by State Farm. State Farm, they know what it takes to ensure your home and ride with surprisingly great rates. That's why it's a good idea to consider State Farm, because with State Farm, you don't have to give up what you love for great insurance. For surprisingly great rates, like a good vecino, State Farm is there. My grandmother had posters on her wall of old school matches at the Carlos Colon Arena in San Juan, and we would watch American wrestling and Lucha Wrestling pretty much every day. and she, as did many back then, was fully convinced that wrestling was 100% real. Listen to the My Coutura Podcast Network, available on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

There's a recipe for getting your car running just right, and eBayMoters.com has all the ingredients you need. They have over 122 million car parts and accessories in stock, all at the right prices. Now that's tasty. eBaymotors.com. Let's ride. What is going on? John Middlecop, three and out podcast. Thursday afternoon, a little bit before the NBA finals.

I thought I'd record a little podcast. Last, or I guess earlier this week on Tuesday's podcast, I said, you know what? Hit me up on my DMs. I'm out of Middlecoff mailbag questions. My DMs are wide open. You slide up into that inbox. And you guys have not only slid. I mean, I feel like a Kardashian.

I have, I had probably 100. I had to answer a bunch just manually, but I'm just going to bang. I'm going to do a huge Middle Cough mailbag. It's going to be the majority of the show just because I literally have ones that I haven't answered about 30 to bang out. I don't know if I would get 30, but I'll try to fly through them here coming up. And I also, I'm going to start off talking about the Browns, but you can always hit me up at John Middlecoff on Instagram. That's my Instagram handle, also my Twitter handle.

Also, I got a YouTube page. You can find me everywhere on the interweb. And the best way, if you want to have your question answered, though, go to John Middlecough on Instagram, just direct message me. You know, I'm basically, I'm the equivalent of a hot babe. You know, I just have, my inbox is full of dudes. They're just all asking me football questions. So, you know, not quite as flattering, but still pretty cool.

I'm not complaining. And I welcome it. slide right into my DMs. But I'm going to start with this. A couple things. And it both revolve around the Browns. And I got some of this. We're going to get into Baker here in a second.

And people think I'm like a hater because Colin's a hater. One, I think I told Colin back when he was coming out. I think I thought he was a better player than Colin was giving him credit for. He's an elite player. But there's this thing going around on social media that I think we need to pump the brakes on a little bit when it comes to these tiers. But first and foremost, I want to start with Odell Beckham. And Freddie Kitchen, and I've gone over this before, but I want to hammer this home again. Just because things in life are voluntary does not mean they're basically, I mean, they should be mandatory.

They may have the, like, again, it's voluntary to take your wife out on her anniversary. It's voluntary to get your kid something on his birthday. It's not mandatory you do that. Is it smart that you do that? Yes. And in any big boy job, once you get on salary, it's not mandatory you show up at certain times. Do most high-level employees work longer than the quote-unquote allotted hours? Of course.

Now, I get in the sport of football or pro sports in general, now you can work out on your own. So, O'Dell Beckham is working out in L.A. He loves L.A. We get it, O'Dell. But when you're paid $20 million a year and this team is going all in on you, it would probably behoove you to show up to practice. Because it's pretty easy. You take a private jet and you just go.

And you go for three days. It's kind of like the country club for NFL. I was just at 49er practice on Wednesday. I can't stress you enough how easy the practice are. They are so easy. And especially for new players, they're so essential because you're learning the base of the offense. If you're going to learn a language,

you don't just start speaking in sentences. When I took Spanish as a kid, you learned the basic words, the basic conjugations of those words, and then as you build on them, you're able to speak. An offense is no different, and him not being at Freddy Kitchen's minicamp,

and Freddy's tried to be the nice guy of the first, I guess, couple weeks. Today he kind of snapped, and I absolutely loved it. Brown's Freddy Kitchens on what specifically Odell Beckham Jr. missed over the last three weeks. Quote, the offense.

That is an incredible quote. And so true. Like Odell, we get it, you're a diva. We get it, you're more important than the team. But you not showing up is just so easy. It really is. And he screwed up, and we're going to see if he shows up next week at the mandatory minicamp.

Who knows? I would assume he does, but I wouldn't bet on it. I won't be shocked if he doesn't show up. But at the end of the day, Odell Beckham and Levion Bell, like they've kind of showed their true colors. It's really kind of about more them than it is the team. And that ultimately is kind of their downfall. I got to tip my hat to him.

Antonio Brown, he missed one day last week, but that's the only day that he's missed at this entire offseason. And to me, the three biggest divas in the league, Odell, Levion, and Antonio Brown. One guy's been at the camp working, and Antonio's just been killing it, according to my sources in the building. For those of you don't know that Raiders president, Mark Badain, despises me.

He banned me from the facility. So I'm not allowed to go to practice. So it's like, okay, I'll just go to all night of practice. You don't want free publicity? It's on you. But, you know, I still know some people that know some people that are in the loop. And he's been crushing it. And you can see on social media.

But from my buddies on the staff and the scouting staff, he's a stud. And so's Odell and so is Levion. But just go to practice. it really is pretty easy. It's basically what these voluntary for a couple of mini camps or OTAs or whatever the hell they're called are anniversary dinners. Sometimes, you know, if it's been a long day at work, do you really want to go? Would you rather just go home? Yeah.

But it's just one of those things that you should probably do. Good teammates, good players do it. And don't give me that Tom Brady's missed all of OTAs. He's Tom Freaking Brady's won six championships. And he's still bringing Nikiel Harry over to his house. I think it's been an absolute embarrassment. more for Levy on Bell because of the money they paid him, but a bad look for Odell.

And I appreciate Freddie Kitchens. I'm not just going to tell the company line on this. I think it's a joke. Like how this guy is not here. We're about to pay him $20 million a year. He's a special talent. He hasn't produced at that level. He's actually, and again, I'm an Odell Beckham guy.

But his talent right now far exceeds his production. It ain't even close. I'll say one thing about Antonio Brown. His production probably exceeds his talent. Now, he's really talented. but his production is unprecedented and that's why he's, but they're paid the same amount of money. Pull up the NFL.com pages.

One of them looks a lot better than the other. That's Antonio Brown. He produces. So if I'm going to deal with a diva, I was talking with a buddy yesterday in the NFL, say what you want about Antonio Brown. Maybe he's like a little like T.O and his peak kicked ass and took names. Like Odell's a little more fluff right now. And again, I was one of the biggest proponents of the 49ers trading for Odell. But if the 49ers would have pulled off the truck,

trade and he wouldn't have been at minicamp, I would be eviscerating him. And if I was a Browns fan, I'd be pretty pissed. Here's the other thing on Baker Mayfield. I think Baker Mayfield's a stud. I think he's going to be the modern day, I mean, I guess Drew Breeze is the modern day Drew Breeze. But this generation's version of Drew Breeze, with probably a little bit better of an arm. He has a better arm than Drew Me.

I think he's going to be a flat out stud in this league. I think he's going to be a stud. I think he already is pretty damn good. But there's this tier going around right now on social media. and I would imagine many of you have seen it. You know, you basically, it's like really good players, solid players, average players, and it kind of ranks them, and you can rank them on Twitter, and a lot of people have been doing it.

And I've seen a lot of people that I know and respect, like in the media, that have Baker Mayfield in the tier with like Tom Brady and Aaron Rogers and Drew Brees and Patrick Mahomes. Let's not get it twisted. Baker Mayfield has started 13 games in the, the NFL. He threw 27 touchdowns and 14 picks. So let's just pump the brakes a little bit. I am a Baker-Mayfield guy. I think he's going to be a really good player. But in some big games against good teams, he did not play that well. At

Houston. This is like late in the year. One touchdown, three picks. He had a game at Baltimore, three picks. At Pittsburgh. Two touchdowns, one pick, but he threw for 180 yards. Again, against Kansas City, who didn't have a very good. defense. Now they lost. I mean, obviously the chiefs are better. Two touchdowns. At Cincinnati, he played pretty well through four touchdowns. Carolina, one touchdown. Again, I'm not even going to go through with the box score. It's irrelevant. We all have, you don't need to be Bill Walsh to tell. This guy's a really good player. But to put him right now, and a lot of people in the media are just assuming he's Philip Rivers and Russell, Andrew Luck's equal,

that's just not the case. To me, we have less information on him than like, to me, like Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Josh Allen. I would put all those guys on the same tier. It's just, I don't know. Now, I'm betting more on Baker Mayfield than the other two guys, but I'm not putting Baker Mayfield like right now, right next to Patrick Mahomes, who just won the MVP and has played in, Baker Mayfield has yet to play in a big game,

has yet to play in a game that matters. That's not an opinion, that's a fact. Like, when you start playing in games that matter, and there's legitimate pressure on you, then I can better judge you. It's why I struggle with young players that are playing in meaningless games. Now, again, I'm not trying to be anti-Baker-Mayfield. Someone's like, someone tweeted at me,

you're just doing this because your boss hates him. I know, I don't care what Colin thinks. It's like Colin doesn't care what I think. I mean, we have our own opinions on the guy. I don't think he's as immature as Colin. Like, that doesn't bother me as much. I also think you've got to be careful. Younger people just deal with social media differently than older.

It's just, that doesn't bother me. I'm strictly talking about in a vacuum as a player. I think we need to settle down the expectations on this guy because I think there's a decent chance. They just don't make the playoffs this year. That doesn't mean Baker Mayfield's a failure. Like if he's not a pro bowler this year, okay, it's okay. Let's just walk before we run.

And again, he's played one season, basically 80% of the season, and didn't play in any meaningful games, like any games that had playoff implications. Because by the time that he took over, of the team was already screwed. And it wasn't totally his fault. Hugh Jackson, one of the worst coaches. I think the worst coach statistically wins loss-wise in modern-day history.

So I'm not putting it on Baker. And his receiver stunk, I think Baker, right now, if I was betting on one, I'd take over Darnold and Allen. But we see it all the time with young players. In the NFL, every building has this sign somewhere in it. You're either getting better or getting worse. No one stays the same. Guys take huge strides.

Now, Baker, and I think one of the reasons Freddie Kitchen says, what does O'Dell Beckham miss? The offense, like him and Baker, there's a big difference between working on your timing in the backyard at UCLA or USC in the off season, than doing it at practice. Like, and actually building the timing within the offense, with the coaches around, coaching him up with the film, going back to the practice field, going back to the walkthrough. So we'll see. It might be more of a work in progress than you think with O'Dell Beckham. Maybe it's not. Maybe they just hit the ground running, and they're like, like Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison or Tyree Killemahombs.

I don't know. But even Tyree Kill and Mahomes got to work together before. I just think we need to be a little bit careful about anointing this guy as a Hall of Famer. And I'm saying this in like trying to get in his back because I think it's almost unfair. And we do this all the time with quarterbacks and then they don't because most Andrew Lux's don't live up to the hype. Right? Most guys come back to Earth. Something happens.

Like, hell, Jimmy Garoppel gets a huge deal. He gets hurt. Derek Carr, who almost won the MVP, has never been the same in the last couple of years. And then we just destroy them. Let's just let these guys play it out. Let's give these guys next year. They're going into their second year. Baker, this is the second year in the league.

And just see if he can get it done. Like, even Patrick Mahomes. Let's not put him in the Hall of Fame yet. He's played one season. Now, granted, that was one season was incredible. He won the Hall of Fame. But any coach will tell you that being a really good player in the NFL is about sustaining it. Now, I think all these guys have the work ethic, the desire, the drive, the physical attributes.

You still got to do it. That's why playing in the NFL is so difficult. Like, anyone can have a great NBA season. Try to be Steph Curry, though, and just maintained the greatness and kicking the crap out of everyone for years. Like, it's not easy. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness.

So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back. Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, meeting the president of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee, and this is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across. When Jacob met Levant, this went to a billion-dollar fraud. But with two kings from entirely different worlds, just how long can their empire serve? survive. The largest tax investigation in American history. You need to tell me what you know.

Is somebody coming after me? Jacob told Levin, you're ruining my life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Life throws hurdles big and small.

The question is, how do you conquer them? On hurdle with Emily Abadi, we sit down with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness. Professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions to talk about the challenges that shaped them and the mindset that keeps them going from the WNBA standout Kate Martin and rising hockey star Layla Edwards. If a boy can do it, I don't see why a girl can't. Like, I've never understood that.

Like, it didn't make sense in my brain. It's hard to be in spaces that no one looks like you, but don't ever feel like you don't feel like. Don't let that be the reason you don't do it. An Olympic champs Gabby Thomas and Katie Ladeke. The ability to show a gold medal to someone and have their face light up and smile. That means the world to me. And that's what motivates me to win more gold medals. At our level, at this scale, like being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do

anything. I can, like, I can do anything. Because resilience isn't just about winning. It's about showing up, even when it's hard. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to

hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. SportsSlice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to SportsSlice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games.

And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase

that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing and we're still chasing it and we don't know when we've done enough because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth? Are you a good person because you're afraid?

Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Keir Gaines, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose. On my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free, our heart radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now.

Look at LeBron. Even eventually he, like, ran out of steam. 10 straight years of kicking the shit out of everyone, boom, gets injured, it's over. So I just think, let's just see if Baker Mayfield, before we put him with Russell Wilson, with Philip Rivers, and Andrew Luck, if he can make the playoffs, you know, if he can have a good season, if he can play in games when he's favored to win and actually win. Because what's weird is it almost feels like, how are the Browns already the hunted? That's what it kind of feels like, the way everyone says, oh, they're just going to win.

the division. They're going to win the division? Are we sure? There's just already the hunted. A team that in my lifetime, I'm 34 years old, I don't ever remember them being good. I vividly don't ever remember them being good. When I think the Browns, I think laughingstock. And so if he is going to overcome it, and I can use this example because they're right down the street from me, it's been hard for Derek Carr and it was hard for Cleo Mac to overcome shitty organizations.

It is really hard to overcome that. Like even the highest character, highest worker, high level guys, it beat you down. So can Baker overcome the Browns? That would be an incredible accomplishment. I'm fascinated to see. But in fairness, and to do this, just to give this guy a fighting chance, can we just pump the brakes a little bit on the Baker-Mayfield hype? Imagine the biggest secret of your life.

Now, imagine trusting that big secret with the entire world. That is exactly what Tony Moore. Morrison did when he made the brave decision to share his HIV positive status in an open essay on Good Morning America's website. Hi, I'm Zach Stafford, host of In The Deep stories that shape us. In this episode, we sit down with Tony to talk about his identity as a Filipino American, his work as a producer, and the role trust plays in our own journeys. Because sometimes, the road to healing can feel like a retrograde, forcing us to take a pause

and reflect about what comes next. Listen to In the Deep Stories That Shape Us An IHeartRadio original podcast Coming to you on the Iheart Radio app Apple Podcasts or whatever you listen to podcasts The next chapter in your story includes knowing your status

Learn more and press play on your future at know my status.com sponsored by Gilead CareerBuilder is made for people who have that thing You know, those superpowers that make you good at your job The skills you bring to work And career builder knows Those skills make you right for other

jobs too. Hire paying jobs with benefits. Jobs you never thought of trying. Are you a people person? Work from home as a customer service rep. Are you organized and like driving? Become a delivery driver. You have the skills it takes and CareerBuilder.com has the jobs to get you hired fast. Visit Carebuilder.com. Millions of Americans are getting back to work. Career builder calls it the great rehire. And we want to help you get the best jobs before everyone else. Career building Gilder gives you the competitive edge to get the job you want, at the salary you want, with the benefits you want. We even send job alerts, so your perfect job lands right in your inbox. Go to careerbuilder.com today or get left with whatever jobs are left.

Find your next job fast at careerbuilder.com. Okay, let's get into the middle golf mailbag. We'll do that right now because my mailbag is just stupid overloaded right now. with so many people firing in there. I'm going to start. We're going to do, I think, what's FIFO first in, first out, is the accounting purposes. So I'm just going to start at the top. It could be a Homer bias, but it seems Trubisky gets much more scrutiny than all the other young quarterbacks in the league.

Have you noticed this at all? Or is it just Chicago fans crying wolf? Do you think he could develop into a true franchise quarterback? His floor ceiling. Thank you, huge fan. Appreciate that. I think it's semi-fair. There's no arguing that he plays on a phenomenal roster.

I mean, the Bears top to bottom have a top-five roster in the league. They have a big-time young offensive coach. I think Mitch just, too many times last year, I think why he catches a lot of heat, he misses lay-up throws. He misses easy ones. And he can make some spectacular throws. He's a fantastic athlete, but I think he just consistently misses easy-es. throws. Now, I was driving down to 49 in practice yesterday and I listened to Nagy talking to the

media on Periscope as I was driving. I kept my eyes on the road. And one thing he said is he just thinks that he's coming into his own in this offense. Last year he learned the offense. This year he masters the offense. So there's not really many excuses. I know a bunch of people on their staff. They're very confident. Their running back group is going to be really good. The kid they drafted as a stud to go along with Tyreek or Tyreek. And Mike Davis is a good player. Trey Burton just had hernia surgery, but their receivers are good. I know Miller's not practicing this, I guess, offseason, but he'll be back for training camps. Their teams is going to be good.

So no excuses. I think next year, you know, in three months when the season starts, is a big year for Trabiski to prove like he's a dude. Now, he can still get by on athleticism, and you can always resort to that when the arm's not working. Now, his arm works like he has a good arm. He's got to become more accurate. And he's got to become more consistent with just basic throws. You know, on like, when you've got to hit third and seven, a slant route, you can't miss the guy by 10 yards. You know, some of those red zone passes, his touch in the red zone is just terrible.

You know, it's just not very good. So, you know, but he's young, and he doesn't have much experience. What, last year was his first year starting under the new coach, he'd only started half the years of a rookie, and he'd only been a one-year starter in college. So I'm not writing the kid off by any means, but I think so far the criticism or apprehension, to kind of put him in the tier with some of these other young players is fair. Why can't the PAC 12 seem to get traction lately? I would think these teams would have an advantage in recruiting with some of the more desirable

school locations, Cali, Arizona, Seattle. What's wrong with the PAC 12 these days? That's a great question. I think on this most basic level in 2019, the SEC's, I guess, motto or their mission statement, like the main statement when you see the SEC, it's statement is it just means more. And that's true. Football just means more in the South. It obviously means more in the Big Ten and it means more in the Big Ten and it means more in the Big Twelve and it means more.

So right now it just means more. One, I think that's a big, it's just on a most basic level, it just means more in other parts of the country. Two, they're not doing a good enough job of developing the talent that they are getting. Some of these teams, USC's got good players for years. They have not developed them. Oregon hasn't been well coached the last several years. You could argue Washington, some of the last several years. somewhat overachieved and just properly achieved.

They've been a perfect balance of well-coached, a bunch of NFL players, sent them in the league and kicking ass and winning games. Mike Leach has done a good job too. But I think one big issue for the Pact 12, when your flagship program erodes, sucks, it screws your whole conference. And SC sucking, I mean, not just sucking,

but just being irrelevant, has killed the conference. It really has. they need USC to be good. Like Utah's been really good. Washington's kicked ass. Sanford's been solid. But they need USC to be a factor.

And right now they're not a factor. They still got good coaches. Peterson, big time coach. Leach, big time coach. David Shaw, big time coach. But SC's got Clay Helton. I'm sorry, he's not a USC level coach. It's just that simple.

And I think Chip Kelly has lost his fastball and isn't very good anymore. So, you know, I was talking, I was DMing the other day with Bruce Feldman. I listened to him on, Ryan Rassillo's podcast. And he thinks Chip Kelly is a top 15 coach. I just, I can't agree with that.

There's no question about it, you know, seven, eight years ago, whenever he was at Oregon, he was a top three or four coach in the country. I can't even put him in the top 20 right now. No chance. Not right now. Not until he proves that he's got another pitch. He's throwing one pitch.

Everyone's figured it out. Like, can you do something different? And he doesn't like recruiting. I don't know. I think Herm Edwards is going to do a better job at Arizona State. I think Kevin Sumlin at this point in time is going to give him trouble. Now, S.E. Stinks. Obviously, Kyle Whittingham's a big-time coach. I mean, you could argue Kyle Winningham, David Shaw,

Chris Peterson, and Mike Leach. I mean, that's the cream of the crop. I don't put Chip Kelly on that level right now. Listen to your pod yesterday, and you said the Ravens move off Flacco because he was no longer a max guy. Fair to say that New York Giants have held on to Eli far too long. I'd like to think there are other issues, mostly roster depth, are the reason the Giants have been bad, not Eli's. your take. When I talk to friends in the league that are pro scouts, they actually will defend

Eli somewhat and just be like he's not as bad as everyone makes him out to be. His main problem is he is probably the worst athlete currently as an NFL starting quarterback and his offensive line has been terrible. So when shit hits the fan, he can't move. He's a statue. And, you know, he's so hit or miss accurate. accuracy-wise. He can have those games where it's just like,

I don't even think Eli knows where it's going, and then he can't move, he's always under pressure. You know, I just think it's just these old, it's just a perfect combination, like it's time. But they've held on, and they felt so loyal because of the two championships. And I understand that because those two championships,

they didn't just come as the favorite, right? They were underdogs both times, wild card both times. I mean, that game, it's kind of crazy. listen to the Belichick audiobook, and the 07 game that upset, I think they were 9 and 7 when they beat him. And then the second time they beat them, it is so remarkable that they went into San Francisco and beat that Jim Harbaugh, Alex Smith team, that's defense was so unreal in the right. Now, I know they got help from Kyle Williams, but that was an incredible win. I mean,

they had just some absolute Green Bay, just some incredible wins on those two Super Bowl runs, but I think Eli is just, I don't still think he's very good. Never miss a show. Here's some potential middle cough mailbag questions. P.S., make more Middilcoff podcast. They're coming. Top five most talented players regardless of position, God-given ability. Well, I think if you just take the quarterbacks out, you'd go Khalil Mack, Aaron Donald, Antonio Brown, O'Dell Beckham. He's, you know, he's battled some injuries, but I think Luke Keeckley's pretty special. I'd throw Zeke and Todd Gurley right up there.

So I think there's a group. Top three most well-rounded NFL teams. I think the Eagles, Cowboys, and, you know, this team top to bottom is pretty damn good, the Chargers. Which player on the Dallas Cowboys is the odd man out? You know, are they really going to pay Zeke a running back? That'd probably be it.

You gave me a lot of questions. Appreciate that. I'll say this. You guys came in swinging when I needed some questions. Keep them coming. Hey John, I know you're not a big ACC guy, but I'm sure you're aware of Brocko Mendenhall, former head coach of BYU.

Yep, met him a couple times when I was scouting the West Coast. Great guy. He seems to have the team on the brink of a top 25 finish. Solid year last year, smack to the SEC school in their bowl game. And we have a new AD behind him with new funds. What are your thoughts? UVA finishes top 25, possibly competes for the ACC championship? Was it today or yesterday I saw on Twitter that they gave him an extension?

When you look at the ACC, you go, Miami's in constant turnover. It feels like they have a new coach every three or four years. Obviously, Mark Rick retires and abruptly and Manny Diaz takes over, so they're not really a factor. I think Willie Taggart's one of the most overrated coaches in the country. Clemson is the cream of the crop. But who else are you dealing with?

I mean, why couldn't UVA be second in the conference next year? Beat Miami, be Florida State. I'm not saying they will beat them. I'm just saying be better than them when all the dust settles. Duke just lost their starting quarterback. Boston College, meh. I think it's a very, very winnable division for second place. Obviously, Clemson is like the Alabama of the ACC and they've earned it.

They're the cream of the crop. They're the shit right now. But yeah, I don't pretend to know much about UVA's roster, but I know this. Bronco Men in his halls' teams are tough. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back.

Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, meeting the president of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee, and this is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across. When Jacob met Levant this plant to a billion dollar fraud. But with two kings from entirely different worlds, just how long can their empire serve? survive. The largest tax investigation in American history. You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Life throws hurdles big and small. The question is, how do you conquer them? On hurdle with Emily Abadi, we sit down with the most

inspiring women in sports and wellness, professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions to talk about the challenges that shaped them and the mindset that keeps them going. From the WNBA standout, Kate Martin and rising hockey star Layla Edwards. If a boy can do it, I don't see why a girl can't. Like, I've never understood that. Like, it didn't make sense in my brain. It's hard to be in spaces that no one looks like you, but don't ever feel like you don't feel like you don't belong.

Don't let that be the reason you don't do it. An Olympic champs Gabby Thomas and Katie Ladeke. The ability to show a gold medal to someone and have their face light up and smile, that means the world to me. And that's what motivates me to win more gold medals. At our level, at this scale, like being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Because resilience isn't just about winning.

It's about showing up, even when it's hard. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of I Heart Women's Sports. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo.

Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments. that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls,

we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. SportsSlice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to SportsSlice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok.

Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist. games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch.

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

growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. To NFL guys. He might not recruit NFL guys because he's not getting five, star guys, but he develops NFL players. And you could argue that's more important.

David Chaw's been doing it forever. Dave Chaw's not getting five-star recruits and a bunch of four-stars. He's developing players into NFL people. And that's what Bronco's doing. There's a toughness to his program. I'm a believer in Bronco Menon Hall. That was a good hire. A little off the beaten path, but I think it's going to work out long term.

What would you put on the over-under on yards and touchdowns for Russell Wilson this upcoming season? You know, yards is just, what are yards anymore? I mean, honestly, like 5,000 yards. I mean, how many, like, bubble screens and stuff? I don't know if yards matter as much. To me, it's more of the touchdown to interception ratio. They added, you know, the kid from Ole Miss. I can't even think.

I wanted to say A.J. Brown, but they added D.K. McHaff. Tyler Lockett's back. What's his name? Had to retire. One of my favorite players in the league. Doug Baldwin, which kind of sucks. But he didn't play.

You know, he's been. I wouldn't say a shell of himself, but he's been injured the last couple years. I'd say 34 touchdowns, 10 picks, 36 touchdowns, somewhere in there. 34 to 36 touchdowns, right in that level. Because they want to run the ball. They dratcher Rashad Penny. He's still got Carson. Their physical run team, they play with defense, and just let Russell make some plays.

So I'd say, let's just meet in the middle, 35 touchdowns. If you were the Browns GM, what position would you solidify to improve the team to make them a true contender? Well, their offensive line's solid. They obviously have a franchise quarterback. Their receivers are now good. They have a good tight end. They have Star Young running back and Chubb defensively. They got a bunch of defensive linemen.

Kirksey's a good player at linebacker. You can probably use another linebacker. Corner. I mean, they drafted Denzo Ward really high last year. Could always use another safety. I think it's safe to say. I mean, they top to bottom, they got a playoff roster. Time to get the job done, Freddie Kitchens.

That's why I think Freddie Kitchens is, pissed off, Odell Beckham's not there. It's like, bro, we have, in the NFL, unless you're the Patriots, windows closed so fast. I'll never forget watching the San Francisco 49ers of Jim Harbaugh. I'm like, this team's going to win Super Bowls

or compete for Super Bowls for 10 years. It was over in like three years. I mean, they made the playoffs three straight years, have it sniffed going back since. You feel the Bears could make a deep playoff run this season? Honestly, people are going to sound, say I'm a little crazy. I would say they're the favorites right now to win the NFC.

I think their defense is just elite. I mean, I think they have the best defense top to bottom in the NFL. Khalil Mack, Hicks, Roquan, Eddie Jackson, Fuller, Trevathan, Floyd, Eddie. I mean, they got dudes everywhere. I love everything their defense stands for. Talking to a buddy on the staff the other day, I mean, Pagano's, as good as you're going to get with Fangio leaving. Like I said, Nagy, taking Trubisky to that. next level. They add another running back to go with Cohn.

You know, the receivers are much better than they have been in the last couple years. I pick the Bears. I picked the Bears to win that division. And, I mean, I'm a little biased here. I'm rooting for them to win the NFC. No, actually, I mean, in a perfect world for my business, I wouldn't mind the Niners. I wouldn't mind Niners Bears' NFC championship game. Hey, Singles. Do you feel like a tourist in your own town? Too busy to enjoy all your city has to offer? Events and Adventures organizes up to 30 unique get-togethers around town each and every month.

We do all the work, so you have all the fun. On your schedule, visit places you didn't even know were places, and get to know the fellow singles you didn't know you needed in your life. Fall in love with your hometown all over again by joining events and adventures. Get started by visiting Events and Adventures.com today. That's Events and Adventures.com. This is the sound of your single life. This is the sound of your single life with events and adventures.

This is the sound of your single life with events and adventures. Our members live a single life they love with exciting events every night. Events and Adventures provides an easy, relaxed environment to meet new people and find that someone special. Start enjoying the sounds of your new single life. Get started today at events and adventures.com. There's a recipe for getting your car running just right. And whatever you're cooking up in the garage, you'll find what you need at eBay motors.com. They have over 122 million car parts in existence.

accessories in stock, all at the right prices, and that can help you turn your ride into something really tasty. The parts you need are just to click away at ebaymotors.com. Let's ride. Do you own or rent your home? Sure you do, and I bet it can be hard work. You know, it's easy, bundling policies with Geico. Geico makes it easy to bundle your homeowners or renters insurance along with your auto policy. It's a good thing, too, because you already have so much to do around your home. Go to geico.com, get a quote, and see how much you could save. It's Geico, easy. Visit geico.com today. That's geico.com.

John, big Rams fan from Manchester, England. What's up? Every year we get four NFL games in the UK. When do you think we will get a UK franchise? Will it work? The one reason I always thought it would be difficult is just the travel purposes. Because even if you're in, like you need to bring in players constantly when guys get hurt for practice squad guys, you're constantly cutting and bringing in players.

Well, isn't the UK like five hours away from the East Coast? Well, what if you need to sign a guy from California that's a 10-hour trip? I just think logistically it could be a little difficult. I'd be a little surprised. Maybe I'm naive. I don't pretend to know that much about this subject. I don't know people in the league office from the business standpoint. I mean, I know presidents of teams, but I don't ever ask them about this type

stuff because I'll be honest I don't really care just I've also I've never thought it was that realistic again I might be naive I'd be a little shocked if it happens I just think logistically it'd be a little difficult now again maybe maybe I have I haven't been to Europe in so long so maybe my timeline's a little off maybe it's not even five hours but I thought it was five hours New York to like the UK so that would mean what's California the UK 10 12 hours I'm just wondering what you think about the impact Antonio Brown realistically going to have on the Raider's success this year. In my opinion, wide receivers can't come in and change the dynamic of a team like a top-tier quarterback or a running back can't.

It just seems like Gruden signed a big name and I don't have them winning five or six games this year and I think AB will bring a little change of the table. Well, I think he's immediately the best player in the team by a mile. So anytime you add an elite talent, that's a positive. but the one thing with wide receivers if Derek's not playing well you have to get him the football now if Derek's playing really well

like if Derek has an MVP season you could convince me the Raiders win seven eight nine games but if Derek has plays like he has the last couple years yeah they're going to win four or five especially with that schedule now check out Antonio's nfl.com page I mean he's been rattling off I think he's average I did the math months ago

the last six years like 111 catches 1,400 yards and 10 touchdowns. So is Antonio Brown going to maintain those averages? Do we assume that Antonio Brown in 2019 for the Oakland Raiders is going to have 111 and 1,300 yards, and 9 touchdowns, let's say. I would probably take the under. And I know this. When Antonio Brown doesn't get the pill, he complains.

But here's what we do know. He got the pill like every play in Pittsburgh, and he still complained. Like they forced, they built the office. offense around him. Now, obviously, I think Gruden's going to build the offense around him here, too. But Derek's just much more of an inconsistent player than Big Ben. It's just, that's not an opinion, that's a fact. I've known Derek since high school. I'm rooting for Derek.

But he's got to play better. How do you think the Pats will utilize their new receivers like Demarius Thomas, Nikiel Harriet, after having a five receiver lineup last year? Well, they've never really had a guy like Nikiel Harry. I mean, I think best case, Nikiel Harry becomes like a better version of Anquon Bolden, like that physical. type receiver, back shoulder catches.

I mean, they've basically just dealt with a bunch of little white guys that look like me. In Edelman, Welker, who actually saw Welker yesterday at 49er practice, I had to do a double-take. I'm like, Welker's a coach. I forget, but he's the wide receiver coach for the 49ers. And I mean, I'm taller than him, and I'm not that tall. So, you know, I think they're going to have to get on the same page. I think Nikiel Harrier's a stud. Anyone that's listening to this show knows that I thought he was my favorite wide receiver in the draft.

but he's going to have to play the receiver role of Gronk. You know, work the middle of the field, red zone target, and I think the Patriots are as good as anyone, finding what a guy does well, and then building packages around that. So I would imagine that, you know, Nikiel Harry will have a role for him.

Do you think the rookie standout from last year, Chris Warren gets number two work behind Jacobs? This is a Raider question. I don't know if he was a rookie standout because he didn't play at all. No, so I'd say no. I would say that Jalen Rashard and Josh Jacobs are the two running backs, and then they, whether it's Doug Martin or they claim a guy.

If the Browns add Gerald McCoy, does that make them the best team in the NFL, possibly an all-time great unit? I wouldn't go all-time great unit yet, but yeah, they added Gerald McCoy, you got Gerald McCoy, Vernon, Miles Garrett, Baker. I mean, we've talked about this team so much. They would immediately be one of the best teams in the NFL. I mean, on paper, you could argue they already are, for sure. That's why the pressure on Freddie Kitchens is immense.

Hey, John, avid listener, we need to become a full-time listener. How difficult is it for an owner to be bought out? Then it just banned my whole life, 27, so the dysfunction isn't anything new. But at some point, it doesn't seem fair that the fans are at the mercy of these owners and their constant lack of detail. Basically, how does one hope for better days? Well, I don't think you can be forced out. unless something happens.

Like Donald Sterling said a racist remark. I mean, if an owner doesn't break any laws, I don't think there's anything you can do. I mean, it sucks. It's the shittiest part about being a fan. You're just at the ownership's control. And when the owners are as nutty as the Johnsons, you're just kind of along for the ride.

I mean, it stinks. But, yeah, nothing you can do. So just keep your fingers crossed that Sam Donald is a stud. If Sam Donald becomes a stud, he can overcome a nut job. Look at Jim Ursay. I mean, Jim Ursay has been caught with drugs, cash, always looks like he's just lit on something,

and they've had Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck, and they've overcome. So if Sam Darnold can overcome Jim Ursay, or excuse me, if those guys can overcome Jim Ursay, Sam Donald's has got to be that great, he can overcome the Johnsons. If you could pick any three-past or present NFL head coaches to fill out your own four-sum golfing,

Who would they be? Probably need a combo of talent, great stories, and cashing beers. That's a great question. Well, you'd need just a big, big personality, so you take Parcells. I think if you got him drinking,

I think Belichick would be pretty good. And Belichick and Parcells telling stories, that'd be pretty sweet. You know, Didka be in the running. I think Didka a little younger would be pretty damn fun. Walsh would be right up there. I mean, it'd probably be Walsh. I'd go fivesome.

I'd go Lombardy, Walsh, Parcells, the hoodie. That would be my group. Because I think Walsh, anyone that knew Walsh, he was sneaky a little more fun than he got credit for. I know he used to run around. I mean, maybe he was divorced, but he had like a Playboy ex-playmate

that was like working a TV up in the bay. It was a girlfriend. So I think Walsh. I mean, if I just had to do a two-sum, it'd probably be Bill Walsh. I don't think Parcells plays, but Parcells would just be a fun personality to have around. And D-Kah. I mean, if you're drinking beers, I'd want D-Kah to be there. Buddy Ryan, the Rians would be a sleeper. Like, if I couldn't get any of those guys, if you told me I'd get a younger buddy, obviously RAPE, and just the Ryan brothers,

I wouldn't be opposed to that. Why didn't it know what you think of the Panthers' chances this year if Cam Newton could win a Panthers, a Super Bowl in the near future? No and no. I think the Panthers are going to struggle this year. I'm out on Cam Newton. I'm short in that stock. I like Ron Rivera a lot.

Northern California guy. I think he actually, from down the street from where I live right now. I met him twice, been as cool as possible. So I'm a fan of Ron Rivera. I just, I don't like Cam Newton. I don't really like their roster. I think they're going to suck. Crazy question, but it has been bothering me for a while.

Do you think we will ever find out why Belichick benched Malcolm Butler in the Super Bowl two years ago? could it really have been that he was just bad playing and him being sick? Thought it was weird, the teammates, especially Brady, said they didn't even know until the game. Someone asked me the other day, I think on Twitter, they said in your lifetime, what's the craziest NFL moment? And the more I thought about it, I think the defining moment of my lifetime in football. If I just had to pick one moment, it would be the Malcolm Butler, Seattle, I&T. I think that would be the moment.

Now, this isn't as crazy, but him getting benched in the game. Now, again, he hadn't played as well, but it's still pretty nuts when you think about it. This dude had just won the Super Bowl, what was it, two years ago, and he got benched, and he's a free agent. I don't know. It's just, it's a blemish. Now, Belichick's resume is pretty unreal, but it can't be disputed that it's a little bit of a blemish on the resume. Just finished up your Memorial Day pod, mentioned these questions. Where would you rank Andrew Luck among NFL quarterback?

Well, I think Brady right now's grandfathered into one. Rogers, Breeze, and then luck. And then probably Russell Wilson. You know, I know Mahomes had a year, but let's see Mahomes do it a couple years. I think Mahomes will be right up there when it's all said and done. But I'd go Brady, I'd go Breeze Rogers in some order. I know Breeze struggled a little bit down the stretch, but he's earned it too. And then I'd go Luck Wilson, because I would take luck over Russ.

Do you reckon Notre Dame will return to the playoffs this season? Well, I'm trying to think, how many, off the top of my head, I don't think they had too many guys drafted off that team, so they had a pretty young squad, and they didn't make the playoffs right after losing McGlinchie and Quentin Nelson, you know, two top 10 picks at offensive line.

The one problem for Notre Dame is they got to run the table. They have no margin for error. I think your locks right now, if I'm sitting here, I go Alabama, Clemson. Georgia, I'd be hard pressed to keep out too. So you got one spot for basically Notre Dame, Oklahoma. Does there a team out west? I mean, Oregon's teams on paper is pretty good.

I don't know if their coach is good enough. Yeah, I'd say Notre Dame has a legitimate shot to make the playoffs again. They make the playoffs last year? It was two years ago. I can't even remember now. What was our first round? Oklahoma. Yeah, because, oh yeah, Notre Dame played Clemson and got their ass kick.

Hey John, love the pod. I was just wondering what players, teams you are most excited to watch this season. Well, one would be my home, so I just think he's Steph Curry of football right now. He's box office. I always love watching the Patriots. I mean, the Browns are an incredible story. I'm a little biased because you're in my backyard, but I want to watch Jimmy come back. I want to watch Antonio Brown with Derek.

I think the NFL is loaded with teams. The Eagles, the Cowboys, the Saints. I'm interested to watch the Falcons this year. I like watching Seattle, the Rams, I mean, Kyler Murray and Cliff Kingsbury. In Minnesota, there's no way they're going to, you know, are they going to suck two years in a row? What's Aaron Rogers going to look like in his prime?

I think the NFL right now is absolutely loaded with good storylines. I mean, the only team's like, Middlecough, who do you not want to watch? The Redskins, the Bengals, Tampa kind of. I mean, there's only, the Giants. There's really only like four or five teams that just like go, I really like Dwayne Haskins, but I feel like the skins will not sit them along with Jay being on the hot seat.

Seems like if scouts thought Haskins needed a year to sit. I honestly hope they let Gruden go after this season. Do you think he makes it past 2019? And if not, who would the Redskins target? Well, I actually have a great little sound bite here from my main man Jay talking about Hard Knocks. It's just so good. I mean, let me get it. Let me bring it up here.

You got to be crazy. You got to go to us next year maybe. Not if you make the playoffs. If we don't make the playoffs, I probably won't be here anyways. They can come here and do it all they want. So Jay, I mean, just admitted. I mean, it's playoffs or bust. And I got, I like Jay Gruden, but they're not making the playoffs.

Zero chance. I mean, it's not a snowball's chance in hell they're making the playoffs. So I would say that, yeah, Gruden. will more than likely be fired. Because I would imagine the Redskins, if I had to guess right now, I'd go six wins. You kind of touched on it in the podcast,

but wanted to know your thoughts on this debate. Someone sent me a YouTube. I can't click it, so I'll have to answer that guy back personally. I have a couple questions for you since you're pretty close to the Chiefs Organization. How do you think the defense looks this upcoming year? They pretty much overhauled their

scheme and replace so many legacy players. Yeah, I mean, getting rid of Eric Barry, Justin Houston, Tom Ball, Lee, Derek Johnson, I mean, in the last 18 months was the right move. I think that adding Frank Clark is a big upgrade over D. Ford, adding the Honey Badger is just a huge upgrade over them, just because Eric Barry didn't even play last year. With Tyree, Tyree Kills Rolls still up in the air, how do you think that affects Mahomes development? Am I crazy to think that it could help his development since he'll be forced to take more

what the defense gives them, then have them methodically move the team up and down the field rather than just go for the home run play? I haven't thought about it like that, but that's not a bad idea. I know this. The Chiefs believe Tyreek Hill and his lawyers, what they leaked out, or didn't leak out, I mean, they just handed out to the ESPN,

that they think she's making it up, clearly. And I think the league, and I'm a big believer in this. People are like, he should go to jail, and the media loves saying this. They did it with Ruben Foster. I never say that. Doesn't the progressive media say that they don't like mass incarceration? Then they immediately want to throw these minority young kids in jail?

I say it all the time. If he did it, he should be in jail. If he didn't, she should be in jail if she's making it up. And right now, I think that becomes a very difficult decision for the lead. It's hard to know what to do. It's not really black and white. So in terms of what happened, I really have no clue what's going to happen with him. but if he's not there, it has a huge impact on Mahomes

because you could argue that Tyree Kills, one of the best, I forgot to have him on the list earlier of best non-quarterbacks, Khalil Mack, Aaron Donald, Antonio Brown, Odo Beckham, Tyreeks better than Odo Beckham right now. That's a fact. So, yeah, I mean, it's, that'd be a big loss. I'm a Niners fan originally from Sunnyvale, California. I see you.

I love to hear your take on all things NFC West. However, my question is about the NFC South. Do you see the Saints dominating division again, or do you think the resurges of the Falcons, Panthers, or Bucks with Arients? Well, I think the Bucks should just be better, because B.A. is a great coach. I'm not a big Panthers guy, but I do think the Falcons are to come back this year swinging. They have a ton of guys coming back from injuries. Their offense was good last year, just personnel-wise.

You got Ridley, you got Julio, you got Devonte, you got Maddie Ice coming back. I think that the NFC is a pretty interesting division between the Saints and the Falcons, which is kind of the rivalry, right? I had a question concerning the Minnesota Vikings in their tight-in situation. How do you think they should handle Kyle Rudolph and Irv Smith, Jr.? Well, I would guess that Kyle Rudolph's traded by the beginning of the season and that Irv Smith just as their starting tight-end. Now, Kyle Rudolph's been a big team leader, a big part of their franchise,

but that sure feels like where it's headed. I don't know enough about it. Obviously, financial implications are involved, but I wouldn't say stunned, but I would not accept. expect Kyle Rudolph to be on the team. Long-suffering Bill's fan here. What are your thoughts on the crowd of backfield? Should they cut Shady McCoy to save cat space and give more carries a single tarry?

Also, can Frank Gore possibly have anything left in the tank? I would never count out Frank Gore until he just can't walk anymore. I would also be a little surprise if Shady McCoy is on the team this fall. Whether it's a cut, whether it's a cap casualty, whether it's a trade. I would just expect him to be gone. but they're going to need production out of the backfield because their quarterback is not that accurate. And the best way to handle a young, inaccurate quarterback

is to have a guy to handoff to. So they need to figure out their running back situation. Okay, I'll get to some of your more questions. Just interact with you guys directly. But I appreciate everyone filling up my mailbox. You can do it again at John Middilcoff, Instagram, DM's wide open, holler at me, enjoy the weekend. Godspeed, may the peace be with you.

And, you know, don't get too wasted this weekend. See you. Hey, singles, do you feel like a tourist in your own town? Too busy to enjoy all your city has to offer? Events and Adventures organizes up to 30 unique get-togethers around town each and every month. We do all the work, so you have all the fun. On your schedule, visit places you didn't even know were places, and get to know the fellow singles you didn't know you needed in your life. Fall in love with your hometown all over again by joining events and adventures. Get started by visiting events and adventures.com today.

That's events and adventures.com. When I had COVID-19, I did not want to leave my house. When I learned about the active-six study, I was thrilled to learn I didn't have to. I could quarantine and participate in research at the same time. The active six study is a paid COVID research study that's learning how existing medications may help people with COVID feel better faster. We'll mail the medications to your door and you can take online surveys from your own home. Take action both for your health and your community's health. Visit research from home.org for more information.

That's research from home.org. 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. 1-800 flowers has thoughtful and artfully created options that are guaranteed to deliver the best birthday surprise. Shop thousands of unique gifts at 1-800flowers.com for exclusive offers and great values. To order today, visit 1-800flowers.com slash tune in. That's 1-800flowers.com slash tune-in.

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 jets, a billion dollar fraud. But how long can this alliance last? Tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Wife is full of hurdles.

So how do you keep going? On Hurtle with Emily Abadi, we're talking with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness from professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions about the challenges that shape them and the mindset that keeps them moving forward. At our level, at this scale, being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. Last night, a blown call changed a game.

This morning, the internet lost its mind, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo, and every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to SportsSlicse on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok.

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