The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Middlekauff - NFL's 80-Yard Field Debacle; Jerry/Zeke Endgame; Baker's GQ Lessons; Harbaugh's Weak SEC Take; NFL Buzz

Episode Date: August 23, 2019

In this episode, Middlekauff looks at why the disaster Canada preseason game - played on an 80-yard field - is completely the fault of the Raiders, how the contract negotiations between Zeke Elliot and Jerry Jones have gotten extremely personal, why it's time for Jerry to play hardball, why Baker needs to balance being real' with creating unnecessary problems with his comments, why Jim Harbaugh's comment accusing the SEC of cheating is weak, gives his rapid fire takes looks at the biggest headlines from around the league, and answers listener questions in Middlekauff's Mailbag. Follow John on twitter @JohnMiddlekauff and go to theherdnow.com to find the latest content. Subscribe now! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

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The story I told myself can then shape my behavior, and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection. This Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast deeply well with Debbie Brown, If you've been searching for a soft place to land while doing the work to become whole, this podcast is for you to hear more. Listen to deeply well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

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Zeke, Jerry, Baker Mayfield, Harbaugh, talk some smack about the SEC. I'm going to go around the NFL, pick some stories that I like. At John Middlekoff will end with the Middlecough mailbag. Is my Instagram handle, same as my Twitter handle, but my Instagram. DMs are wide open, you slide right in. For those of you new to the show, I answer your questions at the end of the show. You can ask me anything. And if it's a good question, I'll make it in the podcast.

That's how I interact with the people on the show. And I was planning on starting with Zeke and Jerry. I actually recorded the majority of the podcast, and then I realized the Raider Packer game was on. And I was actually pretty excited for this game. I was going to watch the first half and then just finish the podcast because there's not really a national game on the day, So I wasn't really going to talk probably about one of the games.

Even though the third preseason game, you know, I know Cam got hurt. Some teams, like I know the Niners and Coach Reid have said, they're going to play Jimmy Garoppolo and Patrick Mahomes the entire first half. So I was kind of like, God, we might get Aaron Rogers. Now I know he'd been dealing with the back versus Derek Carl. You know, give me a little preseason action. The game's in Canada. And then about an hour before, maybe 30 minutes before,

I don't even know when I just noticed on Twitter that they were looking at the field. Because, you know, in Canada, the CFL, they don't put the goalposts where we put the goalpost. They put it in like the middle of the end zone, plus their end zones, I think, are 20 yards. Not sure if the Raiders, Twitter is blaming the NFL for this. I want to read you something from a CBS article. This game is the Raiders. You know, you can't even, you guys are kind of seeing it with hard knocks, but not as crazy as they really have been because Mayox's a high-level guy.

Gruden's a little nuts, but he's a high-level guy too. You can't even fake the Raiders dysfunction. I mean, you just can't avoid it. The only reason they are in Canada is because the Raiders chose to go to Canada. Like when they go to London or even Mexico, that's because the league places them there. The Raiders chose Canada. Let me read you this quote from the CBS article. The other reason the Raiders want to play in Canada is because it would save them some money on rent

by moving one of their preseason games away from Oakland, the rent they pay for 2019 will drop from $7.5 million to $7 million. So the reason they're playing in this game was to save the Raiders $500,000. This is a complete embarrassment for the league. And I say this all that. This is an embarrassment. I feel bad for Gruden. I feel bad for Mayok.

And I feel bad for the Packers and their players. they all deserve better. This is all on Raiders management. It's hard to overcome dysfunction. Coward talks about it all the time. I've seen it firsthand. Because when I was in Philly, we didn't really have that much. We had Harry Roseman, Andy Reid, Lewis Riddick.

We had a lot of high-level people. Brett Veach working in the organization. A ton of scouts now that are all over the league still. We've had a lot of impressive people. Then when I started working in the media, I had a front-row seat of Harbaugh in the crazy. but I worked kind of hand in hand with the Raiders and I talked to their business people a lot and it was wild It was nuts. It was like this can't really be going on I didn't grow up a Raider fan so I

I haven't really lived and it had it be a big part of my life But when I started working I saw it firsthand how crazy the stadium situation is Like one of the only teams in the NFL that can't make money and it's not like they're playing in North Dakota They're playing in the Bay area where there's just money everywhere Jed York swims in cash But the Raiders are so poor or so cheap Or so just idiotic They went to Canada

They went to Canada and they didn't Did anyone check? Well, how do the Canadians play their football? Well, their goalpost is not where our goalpost is So there was a massive hole in each side of the end zone Guys, they played And maybe girls, we don't discriminate on this podcast They played a preseason game

the third preseasoned game on an 80-yard field in the NFL. It's on my television right now. That really happened. They went from the 10 to the 10. So if you cross the 10, it's a touchdown. Right before I pressed play on this mic, there was a touchdown. They were at the 15-yard line. They threw a little flat route to the fullback, and he scored.

And then the corner kind of ran into him at the 5, and I think didn't know what to do. Just his instincts kicked in. But you cannot make this shit up. You hard knocks is not doing it justice. Just what a clown show this organization is for $500,000. They went to Canada for a home preseason game all because they didn't want to play at the Coliseum and get an extra $500,000 rent. Think say that out loud. Think about 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

I'm Timbo. Every episode we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart Radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo 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

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I cannot believe I'm about to say this out loud in public. Listen to How Hard Can It Be with Diana Maria Riva as part of my Coutura podcast network available on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. About this, every team in the NFL, I think the number last year was 255. I'd have been 270. Got a check from the league for 200. Let's just round up. $260 million.

$260 million. And the Raiders were worried about $500,000. So they flew to Canada. I'm starting to feel bad for Gruden. And if you've listened to this, you know I've been one of Gruden's bigger critics, but I think he said it. Strange, a couple weeks. He said it best, man.

It's been a strange, strange couple weeks. I got news for you, John. It's been a strange, strange couple decades when it comes to the Raiders. And I've called Gruden Greedy many times. It finally hit me watching them attempt to play a game in Winnipeg or Saskatchewan or wherever the hell they're at when they had holes in both end zones. And they played an NFL preseason game from the 10 to the 10 that the Raiders are just, I'm going to miss them because they're not going to be in my season.

backyard anymore in Vegas. Vegas is getting a gift. If you work in the media, you're getting a gift because a team with every team in the league just has millions of millions of dollars and the Raiders are worried about $500,000 and they clearly don't even know how Canadian football is played where they place parts of their field. And I'm literally watching an NFL game play from the 10 to 10. It feels like peewee football. It's just crazy. I've been laughing for about the last hour. I mean, it's just you can't make this stuff up when it comes to the Oakland Raiders. Hey, Singles. Do you feel like a tourist in your own town?

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Go to geico.com, get a quote, and see how much you could save. It's GEICO easy. Visit geico.com today. That's guyco.com. Okay, let's get into Jerry Jones and Zeke. Obviously, we've talked a lot about it on this podcast over the last, I don't know, since training camp started when the Zeke holdout became official. And since we last talked on Tuesday, we had Jalen Smith,

one of the best stories in the league, a guy that, you know, it looked like his career was over in that bowl game, Notre Dame Ohio State, gets drafted in the second round. everyone thought Jerry was bat-shick crazy for doing it. Turns out the Cowboys team doctor was the guy that did the surgery. Redshirt that first year. Came back the second year. Didn't quite look right.

The next year, as in last year, was awesome. It's clear he's a really good player. Jerry broke him off. But then during that press conference, he was asked a lot about his comments about Zique being disrespected. And I think he talked about it after, that it was basically BS, that he'd earned the right. and you better believe he's earned the right.

And bottom line, I know I heard Colin say this today when I was in my car that someone DMed him from Dallas and said, Jerry's pissed off. And, you know, in most businesses, big purchases and big acquisitions and big contracts aren't that emotional because usually, you know, you're buying a property, you're buying another business, you're doing whatever. It's all a line item. In professional sports, your biggest purchase besides your stuff,

stadiums are humans. So things can get very emotional. I mean, this is, and Edwarder reported that he had heard that the Cowboys had offered him basically the second highest running back contract in league history. It would have been, you know, a little bit below Todd Gurley who got $45 million guaranteed. So I think it's fair to guess that somewhere in that $35 to $40 million range. I guess turn it down. And my theory was the moment Zs,

Zeke's agent, Rocky, responded to Jerry's joke saying he was disrespected. Jerry flew off the handle, and I've supported him. I would have flown off the handle too. And my theory is he offered that contract. The exact contract that he gave Jalen Smith is money he would have given to Zeke. And this has clearly become very emotional. Zeke's pissed off. I've never heard of anyone be so disrespected and so mad while they hang out in Cabo.

You can say he's working out and he's lowest weight. been in years, whatever, the optics are terrible. There's no way around it. Especially when you have two years left on your contract, and when the two one-year contract guys are in camp. Amari Cooper, one-year left, Dac Prescott, the quarterback, a position that's infinitely more important than Zeech, though he's not a better player than Zeeke, is at camp.

But at the end of the day, on both sides now, I don't know why Zeeks all up in his feelings. We've laid it out a million times. You guys know my stance. But I do understand out why Jerry's pissed off. Because, listen, Zeeke, you're not here. More power to you. Hang out wherever you're going to hold out.

That's your right. This is great part about America. No one's forcing you to play football. You're under contract for the next two years over $13 million. This victim mentality that I think LeBron's leading the charge. I'm sorry. You've been paid a premium and you've produced at a high rate. And you probably deserve more at this point from your on-the-field production.

but you're off-the-field antics prove to everyone that you can't be trusted. Like, you have now a life resume off the field that is a making red flag. On the field, bad-ass player. Off the field, at any moment, you can get arrested. You've proven that. I mean, you can go to a concert with your girlfriend

and you have an incident. It's just, even though I, and I was the one that said after that incident, like, that's kind of nothing. But you know who that never happens to? I don't know, Amari, Jalen Smith, Vandresh, DAC, all those offensive linemen, like you just can't avoid trouble. So how am I supposed to give you $40 million, which I've already offered you, which I'm starting to think.

And I thought Colin was a little nuts when he said he should trade him. But I don't know if you should trade him, because I would just play hardball. What are you going to do? Sit out the season. I'm paying you this. See you a week one. You're not going to show up. You're going to circumvent I think like $6.5 million.

I'll call you a bluff on that one. You're going to be pissed off. So what are you going to do? not run hard, fumble? I bet you won't. I'll see you here week one. If I was Jerry, I just yanked the offer. I'm not offering you a contract anymore.

The problem for Jerry is like the trade scenario, who's trading for Zeke Elliott? Because if you're the Cowboys, when I say, who's trading anything of value? If running backs are the least valuable asset in the NFL of every major position, mainly because they're so easily replaceable, who is trading for a player?

that wants an astronomical amount of money at that position, a high pick. No team in the league's trading you a first round pick for him. Would anyone trade a second round pick for him? Because again, when you trade for, like last year, Killeu Mack, the Bears traded for him. It's a double whammy. It takes huge trade compensation to get the player. And then once you have the player, nothing changed for Kille Mack.

If the Bears would have traded for him and not offered in the contract, he wouldn't have shown up. It was about getting paid. So what did the Bears do? They paid him a huge amount of money. So if Team X trades for Zeke, he's not showing up until you give him a new contract. It's not like he doesn't want to be in Dallas, he just wants more money. So you just look around the league.

What team in the NFL is giving them a second round pick and then giving him, I don't know, $45 to $50 million? Because if you're trading for him, you're more than likely giving him what he wants, i.e. the bears. That's usually how these big, big trades work. Now, could Jerry just kind of say, screw you, I'm over this? and send them to like a Tampa, just to, hey, give us a third, take Zeke, see you, buddy.

Now, the return on your investment, you drafted them forth, wouldn't be ideal. But you're at the point now where your team's so good. The difficult part is Zeke, two of his three years, he's led the league in rushing. Problem was that third year, it probably would have been three straight years, but I got to spend it for six games. And that's where I think we're at this point. But now you pissed off the boss. And, you know, the wise saying goes, don't bite the hand that feed you.

Like what Rocky, the agent for Z, getting mad at Jerry Jones, is one of the stupidest business decisions I've ever seen. It'd be one thing if Jerry Jones was John Middilkoff, and I was just Jerry Jones GM, getting mad at me. It's another thing to blast, you know, really probably the most powerful guy in the NFL, one, two, the team owner, three, the team's GM. Like, he encompasses all these things. Under the umbrella of Jerry Jones is everything.

He signs the checks. He doesn't, like every GM in the NFL, they give out other people's money. It's why I never feel bad and I tell if I could go back some, you know, along my career, I would have been more aggressive in asking for more money. It's not whoever gives you the money wherever you work unless they own the company. It's not their money, you know? Like, this is all Jerry's money. But as Stephen has said, just because we offer Zika,

little less. We're not pocketing any of this cash. We're just distributing it. If Zee could, he'd take $100 million and leave nothing left over for everyone. But who in their right mind, if you had Jerry's roster, you have to be very careful about what you allocate to him. If you keep making him more than generous offers and he keeps saying no, like Zeeke, part of your limited leverage of saying no to $38, let's say $40 million guaranteed, is you're under contract for two more years, and again, you've been in trouble. Like part, yeah, the Todd Gurley contract looks really bad.

They gave him $45 million. He was still under contract for a couple years. But you know why they felt good about doing it? Because he was a great human on top of being an elite player. Now, his knee turns out he's got arthritis or whatever, and he'll probably never be the same. But you see how big Jerry's smile was up on the dais with Stephen? signing the high character team captain type player?

You feel good about, you know how good Ryan Pace and the McCaskys felt about giving that money to Khalil Mack? Do you know how good one day Andy Reid and Brett Veach will feel about giving Mahomes that type money? You feel good. Teams aspire to give their top players and ideally they wanted to be high character guys the amount of money they deserved. Where they struggle with it are paying guys that get in trouble that can't be trusted off the field. It's really pretty simple. I've never met a GM, and you never will either. I don't know, I haven't met every GM, but the point is, there's not a GM that's ever lived in any sport.

I truly believe this to my core. Does it want to take care of the players on his team that are good people? Now, the one kicker might be Belichick, but Belichick has consistently taken care of, now he's got him at a lower market rate, of guys that he likes, Edelman, McCordy, Gronk. He's had Slater who just plays special teams on his team for like 10 years. When he likes a kicker, he has him around forever. Just look at his team. Like, yeah, he was a little uncomfortable with Trent Brown.

But he knew that going in. And like the 49ers, Bill Belichick didn't feel comfortable that Trent Brown would react well to money. Well, the Raiders, he might be the Raiders' second best player behind Antonio Brown. So they might have been wrong on that. I'm not saying you're always right, but there's usually a reason for Belichick's madness. gets rid of Chandler Jones. The dude walked in naked to a jail. What was he supposed to do?

Give him $100 million? So I think at the end of the day, Zeeks played this very, very poorly. Now he's pissed off the last guy you want to piss off, the dude that actually signs the checks. And I'm starting to wonder, one, if I was Jerry, I would no longer be offering him a contract. You're going to plan the six and a half million

or you're not going to play for the Cowboys. Go enjoy Jacksonville. Go enjoy Tampa. You know, go enjoy, I'll send you to Buffalo. You want that, buddy? Take your money. See you, buddy. We won't hear about you much anymore.

And I'm starting to think that I don't know if it's a lock anymore that Zeke is a long-term fit on this team. Okay, let's get into Baker Mayfield and some comments that came out in a GQ article and just kind of what they represent. Let me just say this first. If you've listened to this or you follow me on social media, like I despise you. frauds. It's why I'm not that into politics. Just because the majority of politicians are just so fake. I live

in an area here in the Bay Area where our richest people act like they care about the poor, yet they live at the top of the nicest communities at the top of the hill and they make sure that low-income housing is never built. They're very fraudulent. They love tweeting a big game. The Mark

Zuckerberg's of the world, like, we're all a member of the Facebook community. No Mark, you own the Facebook community. It's yours. We just happen to give you our information. And I was never against Mark Zuckerberg selling my information. I, you know, and so did you, I'm sure. So did most people. I mean, Facebook has however many users willingly gave you the information and you sold it. And information in 2019 is the most powerful commodity going in America. But Bezos is big on this too. Talks about community and the poor. Like Jeff, you're a capitalist. You're trying to wipe out your competition. Stop being so fraudulent. And you think it like you come off the right way. You live at the top of the hill in some huge mansion. You don't really give a shit about

anyone else. I know it's fun to tweet about that. Listen to go, I despise frauds. And a lot of quarterbacks talk like that. You know, Russell Wilson's taking a lot of heat over the years. If you just watch a Russell Wilson press conference, you want to puke. Like, he says absolutely nothing.

I mean, he's got more coach speak down than even coaches. So I never fault a guy for being genuine. And I know Colin gave crap to Peyton Manning forever. He's a little fraudulent. You know, all those years are like driving Buick's and as Colin always made fun of him, like eating Oreos. I like Peyton Manning.

But, and I'm a capitalist too, so I don't blame him for taking the deals. But we know he was saying one thing and doing another. Like, for the most part, I think Baker has been very transparent. He's just been very true to himself, very candid. Now, I didn't read the GQ article, mainly because I just don't even care. I don't get triggered or offended when players, like, I'm just, I don't even care what players say anymore about, like, other players or whatever. It doesn't bother me.

Like, what bothers me is like when something happens like with Zeke in the comments that they're offended. But when Jalen Ramsey said that, you know, Josh Allen stunk last year, you know, at the time, I kind of agreed with him. Baker Mayfield, however, the way he actually said it, and I know he Instagram, that he got taken out of context and clickbait is a real thing. I'm going to believe him, mainly because I don't even care. But let's just say he had said what every single person the media had said, that they were insane for taking Daniel Jones at number six.

Now, he's looked good the first couple games. Now, granted, Matt Nagy did not play a starter, so he's playing backups and practice squad guys and some guys that are not NFL players. So he was making some of the throws against like AAS level competition. That's not an opinion. That's just a fact. But I don't mind Baker saying what's on his mind. Now, the thing I would say is that in this job, like for me, it's really easy to be candid. It really is.

Maybe Jeff Bezos would tell me if I was in a room one-on-one, you have to be careful about your words when you run a public company. So it's better to just be fake and fraudulent than it is to say what's really on my mind. Look, it got Elon Musk in trouble. So I understand that. And I would say, like, to me, politicians, you're just lying through your teeth. Stuff that's impacting people. That's what drives me nuts. Like, the politicians around, like, where I live, we have a legit homeless problem.

And everyone's like, help the homeless. But no one actually does anything to help the homeless. It's just so easy to say it. Like, Baker says something. He lives it. Like, I appreciate that. But I do think it's going to make his job a lot harder if he doesn't temper it down a little bit. And I've said over and over, like I follow him on Instagram,

follow his wife on Instagram. I actually think it's pretty clear that like Baker on his off days, his home playing video games is chilling with his wife. I don't think his life's that crazy. I think we think he's crazier than he actually is. And clearly he's kind of a lightning rod right now and he's polarizing. But I would say moving forward, you can still be candid and still be yourself.

But just, I wouldn't waste time saying things about other people that clearly people are just out to kind of get you now. and you're going to have a target on your back when you've already kind of pumped your chest out and you haven't really done anything and that's clearly kind of what's happening right now and I think Cleveland and this is the problem like would Baker be acting like this

if Belichick or Andy Reed were his coach? Probably not. Because not that he would have got a quote unquote talking to but they would have had normal conversations just this is easier to handle it this way. I watched Belichick's press conference the other day, and he was getting peppered about Josh Gordon. He's like Floyd Mayweather up on the stage, and he was having fun with it, but he doesn't

give anything, because he just knows how quickly everything gets taken out of context, becomes headlines, it becomes a distraction. Like, the easiest way to win football games in the National Football League is to eliminate distractions. So your teammates don't get asked about stuff you say, and I do think as time comes, he'll grow from it. That's just maturation of any man. I'm much more mature at 34 years old than I was at 22,

just like I was more mature at 28 than I was at 22, and hopefully one day at 40 I'll be more mature than I am now. Just a reality of life. But in his position and in his job, he can make it easier on his team when everyone's kind of gunning for them in a weird way because they haven't really done anything, just by tempering it back a little bit. And I think John Dorsey, his infrastructure is not great.

I mean, John Dorsey's a good GM, but let's call it what it is. He's kind of a meathead. He's not exactly Mr. Dynamic. And Freddie Kitchens, the first time head coach, you know, is clearly kind of swimming. I mean, some of his comments over training camp. And Freddy seems like a good guy. Probably like to drink beer with him, talk football, hang out.

But it's going to be a stretch if he's going to be his head coach. The Baker didn't exactly go into the easiest situation. Like when you go to the Raiders or when you go to the Browns or when you go to Tampa, just crazy shit happens. And if you're not super mature, like if you're not Peyton Manning day one, it can overwhelm you. And you can start saying things, you can start feeling yourself

because success with bad teams is viewed where... 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. locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context and ask the questions

everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slicle Life 12 and the TikTok Podcast Network. work 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, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth, or are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely.

And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way. Open your free, our heart radio app, Search learn the hard way and listen now.

The story I've told myself about love or relationships can then shape my behavior, and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection. This Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast deeply well with Debbie Brown and explore the journey of healing, self-discovery, and returning to yourself. We explore higher consciousness, emotional well-being, and the practices that help you find clarity, peace, and self-mastery in a world that can feel overwhelming. The world is becoming lonelier. We're not becoming more social and connected.

We're becoming more individualized, but we actually meet people in connection. If you've been searching for a soft place to land while doing the work to become whole, this podcast is for you to hear more. Listen to deeply well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever. you get your podcast. Hey, I'm Deanna Maria Riva, actress, mother, lover, and a Gen X woman walking through life one hot flash and hormonal crying jag at a time.

You ladies know what I mean. I'll bet you a parameda apostle chin here you do. So let's talk about it. Join me on my new podcast. How hard can it be with Deanna Maria Riva, where I call on my Gen X squads from Ohio to Hollywood as we navigate midlife's most fantastic BS. All of a sudden, I'd had hanginess happening on my own. I was like, what the hell is that?

I was married when I had her, so I didn't even consider how empty that nest was going to be. Mood swings, night sweats, fupas, sex drive. Wait, what sex? Dating at 45. How high can it be getting naked at 50 with the new guy? That one's kind of hard. Well, that's lighting. They say we can't polish a turd, but we're sure going to try.

So let's get blunt with laughs, tears or tears of laughter, and dive into it unfiltered and unbothered and ask, How hard can it be? I cannot believe I'm about to say this out loud in public. Listen to How Hard Can It Be with Diana Maria Riva as part of my Cultura podcast network available on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The success, like, the scale's different. Success for Kansas City or Seattle or Pittsburgh or Green Bay is valued so much higher than it is in Oakland. Like in Oakland, you have two straight games where you throw a couple touchdowns.

like, oh, sorry, this is our franchise cornerback. Or you make one interception like, this guy's our franchise corner. Where these other franchises, the standard is just so much higher that you don't get like this overhyped team before you've done anything. They're just properly hyped teams because they've proven themselves in the past. Their infrastructure spoke for themselves. I wonder if Baker had, if he had been,

remember there was the rumors about the Pats ended up getting Baker-Mayfield, they might trade up to get them. Let's just say that would have happened. I would imagine the way we talked about Baker. Now, granted, he wouldn't be playing because Tom Brady would still be the starter, so he wouldn't really talk at all. Let's just hypothetically say the Steelers or the Packer, whoever. Now, he wouldn't start on any of these teams either,

so this analogy is probably pretty hard. But I do think if he was at one of those type places and was the starter, we would talk about him a lot differently. Because I think he would act a little differently, and I think they would have put him in better positions to not let him talk to someone. from GQ because there's nothing to really gain from that at this point in time. I remember Lee Steinberg, I heard him say after Mahomes is like midway through his second year

when it was clear like this guy might win the MVP, they had been very careful about the endorsements he had done because he hadn't really proven anything and I think Mahomes would sit here and tell you right now. I haven't proven anything yet. I've been, I've been a one-year starter. And it already feels like Baker carries himself, which I like because he's being true himself and he's just acting like he knows how to act and that's the reason that he became a walk-on to a Heisman trophy winner to the number one pick in the draft to

starting quarterback in the NFL. But I do think you can be smart about it. I mean, I have a lot of thoughts that hit me every day that probably five years ago, I would have tweeted out. And in 2019, it's just not necessary. It's just what's really to be gained. And it's a lot different. I'm not trying to say I'm like an NFL quarterback, but you just matured.

Sure, as you get older, you learn what to say and what not to say at certain times. And when the camera and the microphones in front of you all the time, you know, there is a balance to be had. And I hope he's never Russell Wilson, because I think Russell Wilson's a fraud. I think when you give him the mic, he acts like a human that he's not who he's actually is. And that's why I think Richard Sherman and all those guys over the years didn't like him. Because Richard is a great example of someone that I tell Baker to try to emulate. Richard has kind of been himself the entire time. And besides, you know, the thing with Aaron Andrews,

which let's call it what it is, was a little overblown. Richard hasn't had any issues. He's talked a bunch of shit over the years and he backed it up. But he also kind of started talking it after he had proven. He was a pretty damn good player. So you can have an edge and you can be candid, just like Richard Truman has been. But you know what Richard Sherman is now?

Like when I see him around the 49ers, he's a different Richard Sherman than he was four or five years ago. And I admire that. He grows. He's a smart guy. So you grow as you get older. And I bet Richard would say some things that maybe he changed a little bit when he was younger. But I bet there's a lot he wouldn't change. So I just, I hope Baker and this is what's hard about planning Cleveland,

is they're not really going to give you a helping hand. So you've got to learn on the fly. And I think Baker can probably take something away from this GQ article. Like doing non-sports articles, there's just at this point in time in his career, probably just stay away from. Can I tell you about my friends at LinkedIn? Listen, it's a new year, 2022. We're all trying to find people that hire, for those of you listening that are in HR, running small businesses, wherever you are.

And LinkedIn makes it easier than ever to find people you want to talk to faster and for free. Create a job posted minutes. I've done it on LinkedIn jobs to reach your network and beyond to the world's largest professional network of 770 million people. Focus on candidates with the right skills. and experience, use screening questions to get your role in front of the most qualified. Then use simple tools to quickly filter and prioritize who you would like to interview and hire. It's why small businesses rate LinkedIn Jobs, number one, in delivering quality hires, first competitors. LinkedIn Jobs helps you find the candidates you want to talk to faster.

Did you know that every week nearly 40 million job seekers visit LinkedIn? Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com slash John. That's LinkedIn.com slash J-O-H-N, John, to post your job for free. Terms and conditions apply. These days, it can be hard to find and hire the right candidates for your small business. That's why LinkedIn jobs made it easier to find the people you want to talk to, faster and for free. Create a job post in minutes on LinkedIn jobs to reach your network and beyond to the world's largest professional network of over 770 million people. Focus on candidates with the skills and experience you need.

Use screening questions to get your role in front of only the most qualified people. Then use the simple tools on LinkedIn jobs to quickly filter and prioritize who you'd like to interview and hire. That's why small businesses rate LinkedIn jobs number one and delivering quality hires versus leading competitors. LinkedIn Jobs helps you find the candidates worth interviewing faster. Did you know every week nearly 40 million job seekers visit LinkedIn? Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com slash reach. That's LinkedIn.com slash reach to post your job. job for free. Terms and conditions apply. Imagine the biggest secret of your life. Now, imagine

trusting that big secret with the entire world. That is exactly what Tony 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 IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. The next chapter in your story includes knowing your status. Learn more and press play on your future at knowmystatus.com, sponsored by Gilead. Okay, let's get into my main guy. I'm actually wearing a Michigan T-shirt right now. Jim Harbaugh. He made some comments, and I thought they were pretty interesting.

And they kind of went viral today. We talk more NFL, but Jim Harbaugh is a pretty polarizing person, so I'm going to dive into this. A book came out. I don't know if he co-wrote it. If the book's about him, listen, I'm a millennial, and, you know, it was a headline, but I read an article on the quote. I still wasn't quite sure where the quote, like it's from a book, Jim Harbaugh's a part of the book, and his quote was pretty simple about the SEC.

It's hard to beat cheaters. And I think any time you voluntarily enter an industry that you're familiar with, that you have an understanding of, I hate when you complain about it after the fact. Like, Jim was given the opportunity when him and Jed York, and it clearly just run its time, he was no longer going to be the coach of the 49ers.

The actual release said they mutually departed ways. I think everyone in this area knew he was technically fired, but he was so good that regardless of how they played it, he was going to pick his next job. he had three or four teams in the NFL lined up to hire him. He chose to go to Michigan. Chose to go to Michigan. And unlike Stanford where their academics are really high,

they're not going to cheat. I mean, it's just not really, I'd say one of the big problems for the Pac-12. I say it all the time. We don't cheat enough. We're not cheating in basketball, and we're not cheating in football, and we're getting our ass kicked. You know?

That's a fact. So Jim Harbaugh took advantage. Now, we did with Pete Carroll. He pushed the envelope, and Jim beat him. Now, Jim snuck up kind of at the end of his run. It took advantage. Then Jim got the thing rolling. And he did it the right way, which I always struggle with the right way.

The right way, why? Because the NCAA says, like, if you're not breaking any laws, you're just some arbitrary NCAA laws, they never bother me. Like, clearly in basketball, it's not even an opinion anymore. We have FBI and court records that all the top guys in college basketball are getting paid. Whether you go to Kentucky, whether you go to Duke, whether you go to Arizona. Wherever you go, you're getting paid a premium six figures in cash. Well, I've never worked in the SEC. I never scouted the SEC, like on the ground floor,

never went to the schools. Been to the south a couple times, but not for football reasons. I guess maybe I've been there one time for football reasons. But yeah, they cheat. They pay players to go there. It's pretty common knowledge. And I think you could throw some of the southern and ICC schools in there as well, Clemson, Florida, State, Miami. It does not bother me. But if I was a head coach in college, and I could have picked, I would have had the pick of the litter. I could have gone to coach in Florida.

If Michigan doesn't want you to cheat, Jim, that's kind of on you. You knew what you were getting into. You voluntarily left the NFL, a league that wanted you to stay in all these teams, the Colts at the time, the Bears, all these teams would have hired you, where the great part about the NFL, unlike college football, yeah, the SEC are willing to push the envelope. because they know their fan bases and really their administration at the schools don't care. Well, same thing with the NFL.

Even though there's an equal financial playing field, you can push the envelope on a lot of stuff. He chose this. Like, Jim, you knew what you were getting into. Plus, your big rival, their coach, who's not their coach anymore, and I call them Urban Fraud Meyer, clearly kind of a cheater. Doesn't care. I have no, I'm not on my moral high horse here. It does not bother me.

Do whatever you have to do to win. Because I'll promise you cheating's gone on before I've lived in college, and it'll go on after I die. John Wooden, who has held of the highest esteem possible, probably of any coach in the history of coaching. It'd be like John Wooden and Vince Lombardi, probably. If you just thought like who are the... It might be John Wooden clearly at number one.

There was a guy named Sam Gilbert, the number one booster, paying all the players for years. Now, maybe he was in denial. Maybe he refused to know. know, but UCLA, that program was paid for. You know, the Alabama program, Bear Bryant, probably paid for too. Programs now,

all the good ones, I got news for you, guys are getting money into the table. So Jim, if you're going to be in Michigan, I don't want to hear you complain. Either push the envelope, break the rules, and do what your competition is doing, because at the end of the day you're judged on winning, wins and losses. You're judged on making the playoffs.

I know Ohio State's pushing the envelope, and they're kicking your ass. You signed up for this. This is not Stanford a feel-good story, which Bruce Feldman once told me on an interview when I had a radio show that it was the best coaching job he'd ever seen. They were 1 and 11.

They'd never really won. People don't realize, though they've produced a lot of NFL players over the years, like Elway's senior year, they were 5 and 6. You don't really win at Stanford. So Stanford to win the Pac-12, and him to get them going like that was incredible. It was an incredible feat.

But he also, and David Shaw has figured this out to a they have a very, very niche recruit that they are getting. They're getting a guy that academically qualifies for the school. And unlike you don't need a 2.0 and an 800 on your SAT, I mean, you need really good grades. So you need to be an academic qualifier and a potential NFL player. It's a very, very small community throughout this country

that Stanford's recruiting from and recruiting against. And it's a unique school, and I would hope, pray to God, my kids could go there one day, not to play football, but just to go to school there. In my opinion, the number one school in America. I don't even think there's a second. But he had a unique thing going. If he's going to win at Michigan, and he's recruited pretty well,

I'm sorry, I don't want to hear him bitching and moan about the SEC cheating. Jim, they cheated before like you were in college, and they're going to cheat forever. Ohio State's probably cheating. So if you want to beat these teams, you better cheat. Stop complaining about it. I get you want to make headlines, and I appreciate how candid,

Harbaugh is. I can't get enough of Harbaugh. But to me, this seems like Sour Grace. Like, you're just not getting it done. I watched Ohio State. They kick the crap out of you, Jim. They kick the living crap out of you. Like, you have no excuses this year. It's time to win. So, yeah, it's hard to beat cheaters. Yeah. I mean, well, then, uh, I don't know if you, if you can't beat them, join them. You know, start pushing the envelope. Maybe go Nick Nolte and blue chips. Start maybe looking the other way. I don't know. You've got to do something because no one's going to care if you're, quote, unquote,

doing it the right way if you're getting your ass kicked at Michigan. And for me to think that Michigan's always done it the right way in football, I'd be a little apprehensive about writing that bad boy in Sharpie. Yeah, they've pushed the envelope before. Now, I do think that Harba probably wants to do it the right way and has tried. Well, it's not working. You have not been good enough. So let's up the ante here or just stop complaining about it.

Because if you're going to keep complaining about it, you're just going to keep losing because that's just the reality. They're not going to stop cheating. I think as Jerry Tarkhanian once famously said, when he was the head coach at UNOV, Kentucky cheated so hard that they put, I think, Cleveland State on probation. So, like, no one's busting Alabama.

No one's busting Clemson. Like, in the SEC, when they want to get someone in trouble, they bust Ole Miss. They don't bust LSU in Alabama and Georgia. Those schools are like made men in the mob. They're safe. No one, none of their administration. Claims, Miami, Florida State, and neither of them either.

Ohio State, I mean, they had a coach on their staff last year that, I mean, it sure looked like was beating the crap out of his wife, and Urban didn't even really care. So, Jim, if you're going to be on this moral high horse, which, again, I'm not obviously the domestic violence thing, Urban Meyer, and that's why I call him Fraud Meyer, because, but don't think that Urban was just getting all those guys to come play for him because it was the Ohio State. Like, the brown bags were full of cash. That's the way this thing works

And it's not this isn't some new revelation It's always work like this Stop complaining Jim And just either start cheating Or somehow find a way to win some games the right way And good luck to you Because no one does Okay let's go rapid fire

With some NFL stories I just kind of things that I've seen On Rodo World I always recommend Rodo World We use it when I was in the NFL I know still a lot of NFL buddies use it It's basically a fantasy site But they put everything together really

well and you can just, I scroll it, you know, three to four times a day, especially during training camp. You just, you're able to keep up with injuries and just, you know, guys that are excelling, guys that are playing bad, guys that are getting benched. It's, it's my go-to site to kind of stay up with the stock market that is the NFL. Amari Cooper. It had been reported he's dealing with planar fasciitis and there's, it's just pain in your foot. He could play, you know, he said he played with it before and he has, but it's actually an intrinsic muscle strain. I saw someone tweeting about it, a doctor on Twitter if he's tweeting about it, basically just said it's really nothing. I would say this about Amari. My big red flag on

Amari would be toughness and just inability to play when he's a little dinged up. So I know the cowboys and Amari are saying it's no big deal. I just say there's something to keep an eye on, you know, just can this guy stay healthy for a season? Can he play when he's dinged up? Because to me, that's the big knock. Melvin, willing to hold out games, miss games, hold out the year.

Like, hey, Melvin, they ain't calling you. They have a contract offer. I've been saying this for a while. Anyone with a brain has been saying this. Go sign the contract. Because looking through their schedule, they open up with the Colts,

but they got Miami, they got the Texans. I think they have bills. I looked at it yesterday. They're really good. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying,

and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise. Breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions,

the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments, that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered.

Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, 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, Kier Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing,

we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing and we're still chasing it and we don't know when we've done enough because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns,

Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth, or are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, 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. The story I've told myself about love or relationships can then shape my behavior, and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection. This Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast deeply well with Debbie Brown and explore the journey of healing, self-discovery, and returning to yourself. We explore higher consciousness, emotional well-being, and the practices that help you find clarity, peace and self-mastery in a world that can feel overwhelming.

The world is becoming lonelier. We're not becoming more social and connected. We're becoming more individualized, but we actually meet people in connection. If you've been searching for a soft place to land while doing the work to become whole, this podcast is for you to hear more. Listen to deeply well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you give you. It's your podcast.

What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast, point game is about defining the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows.

Without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series. because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense.

And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nass would get that thing. That man, hell get the flying. He running up the court, licking his fingers while he got the ball, like, after you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah, you figure it out real quick.

Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Like, they could easily start, if you miss the first month, they could be three and one. Echler's playing well, Josh Jackson's playing well, they got a bunch of receivers, Hunter Henry's back.

I don't know, they got a pretty good quarterback last time I checked. Be careful. Because as we talked about Zeke, at the end of the day, Zeke has led the league in rushing, and he's way better than you. So he does have a little leverage just because he's an elite player. You're a good player. And they like you as a guy,

but I don't think they're losing that much sleep overpaying you what you think you're worth. Because they don't think you're worth that. Trent Williams, I knew this story was fake immediately. The Pats offered their 2020 first rounder. I have a hard time seeing them offering a first rounder for a guy that I think is currently injured.

I know he hasn't been at camp, but is he healthy? One, two, he wants a new deal. Like, one of the things, money. So they'd offer a first round pick for a guy that, wants a huge new deal. It's not like Trent Williams is 28. I mean, I'd have to look up how old he is, but I'm pretty, if I had to guess, typing it in right now, I'd say Trent Williams 32. I mean, he's an elite player. He's really good, but he's 31 years old. I guess he just turned 31

about a month ago. I just, I'd be hard pressed to see Bill Belichick trading a first-round pick for a 31-year-old tackle. He's a great player. I mean, an elite player. I think seven-time straight pro bowl or an elite player, but he might be injured and wants a bunch of money. That, to me, doesn't add up. That seems very, Washington is just kind of a clown show. I mean, you're going to do, I'm sure Bill Belichick talked to him, but you don't talk, when you have conversation with Bill, you leak it out, he'll never do deals with you again. I mean, the Redskins are a joke.

So, Juju, who last year played almost 60% of his snaps inside, has really been working this year playing outside. With Antonio Gond, that number 60%, he'll probably be in the slot half that much now, depending on how some of these young guys play well. They're going to need him to play well outside. They're going to need him to be an outside wide receiver. I'm a big juju guy.

I think he'll thrive in this situation, and he's never going to be the fastest guy, but Anquan Bolden dominated forever and couldn't run either. So to me, you don't, if you have elite ball skills and you're tough, and you're great at contested areas, you don't need to run a 4-3. Like, Jujer's a player, and he's been a player since the moment he showed up at S.C. Because he's tough, great ball skills, and he's a playmaker. Crabtree signed with Arizona.

What I don't understand, how many receivers do the Cardinals need? They got Larry Fitzgerald, they have Christian Kirk, they drafted about 18 rookies. How many guys they need? How many receivers this guy going to keep? Like, eight receivers on the team? Geez, Louise. Like, they really need Michael Crabtree? They have Larry Fitzgerald.

I'm not saying they're at this point in times Are they the same player? Why do you need multiple? Is Larry Fitzgerald going to be on this team? Is that kind of a wild card? Maybe they'll trade. If I was Larry Fitzgerald, trade me to some good team, for the love of God. Darren Waller, I thought his little cameo,

his section during Hard Knocks was pretty interesting. I mean, a great human story. A guy that was clearly an addict. He's two-year sober. But he's the Raiders best tied end. And he's their starting tight end. and he clearly is really talented. I went back and looked in 2015,

coming out of college at Georgia Tech. He was 240 pounds. He ran a 4-4-6. He's 6-foot-6. I mean, you see it in some of those clips at Raiders training camp. The dude has all the physical tools. But the Raiders are depending on a guy that's, you know, kind of going into his late 20s now,

who has 18 career catches. It would be a great story, but usually a guy like that is kind of always an underperformer. You get so caught up. up, you know, he's so big, he's so fast, he can move with the ball in his hands, but for whatever reason, I know he's sober now, but man, I don't like betting on players like that as starters. Now, if that guy's my backup and I hit lightning in a bottle, maybe I got something. But when I have to depend on a guy that has been an underachiever his whole career for

multiple reasons and just has not produced in the NFL, so regardless of his physical attributes, he just doesn't produce in the NFL, I think it's a pretty big stretch. I think Seattle Wift on their first round pick two years ago or I guess it was last year And I like this guy a lot I mean I'm a nerd on Saturdays I consume 12 plus hours of college football

And because I'm on the West Coast I watch a lot of the late night games And usually we get one of the Pack 12 games But we also usually get a Mountain West game Fresno State, San Diego State Boise State I watched a lot of Rashad Penny Rashad Penny

And I really liked him I thought he was going to be a really good one of those second round picks that becomes a really good player in the NFL. But he just, he looks terrible. And I watched the game they played last week against Minnesota. He's so slow. You know, he's just a plotter. There's just nothing there.

And just compared to Chris Carson's, you know, Adrian Peterson or Walter Payton compared to this guy. You drafted him in the first round. Like, that's the problem when you do take a first round running back. You better hit. Like, it better be Zeke. It better be Christian McCaffrey. Hell, it better even be Melvin Gordon. If you get Rashad Penny, even if it's at the end of the second round,

that is a disaster. And you know who got lucky? Because the reason Seattle took them is because they wanted to trade back, but they knew that Cleveland was going to take him. Well, Cleveland ended up getting Nick Chubb. Who would you rather have right now? Nick Chub or Rashad Penny. Rashad Penny's mom might rather have Nick Chub right now.

So that's a swing and a miss. Nelson Aguilar, this guy's had a crazy career. It was drafted in the first round by Chip. Then when Doug got there, it looked like they might trade him. And then he kind of excelled in the offense. Well, this year, the fifth year option, I think he almost makes $10 million. It's like, well, they may trade him. Well, I guess he's had an incredible camp.

He's going to be a significant part of the offense. Sometimes when you have a guy like that, holding on for the long term, it works out. And they might just get lucky. I think some version of this with the 49ers with Eric Armstead, they picked up his fifth-year option. He's always kind of been an underachiever. He's at an excellent camp. I think he's going to be a good player for him this year in this game. And sometimes it doesn't work.

You hold on that fifth-year option and just bites you in the ass because the guy sucks. So you give the Eagles some credit holding on to this guy. I've always liked Nelson Aguilar. And I think this year in free agency, the Eagles won't pay him, I'm sure. But someone will pay him. He'll get good money. And he's a good player. These days, it can be hard.

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LinkedIn jobs helps you find the candidates worth interviewing faster. Did you know every week nearly 40 million job seekers visit LinkedIn? Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com slash reach. That's LinkedIn.com slash reach to post your job for free. Terms and conditions apply. This clip is brought to you by State Farm. At State Farm, they know it's important to ensure the things you love. They also get that everyone has a budget.

That's why they have options, like insuring your car and your home, getting you great rates on both. It's a good idea to consider State Farm. For surprisingly great rates, like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Call or go to StateFarm.com for a quote today. If you could talk to me a little bit about the process you went through, and I think it's good to not pat yourself on the back, but to put it out there so other people can kind of hear what it takes. Like, I don't know. I always look at like this.

Like, what do I want? I wanted to be a WWE superstar. All right, what does it take to be a WW superstar? What are the tools I will need to give me every possible opportunity I can get? And so I took the tools of acting classes, improv classes, wrestling school, everything I possibly can to knock on the door of WWW. The people of the, everyone on that real world show would wear my T-shirts would always ask me to do the MIS. Like, they were so supportive. Like, you don't get it that very often.

You really don't. Listen to the My Cultura Podcast Network available on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. This winner, there's something for everyone with the Disney bundle. Unforgettable stories on Disney Plus, like Marvel Studios Eternals. It's beautiful, listener. And Disney's Encanto. This is my chance. Fan favorites on Hulu like Penn 15 and The Great.

And epic sports on ESPN Plus, like Man in the Arena, Tom Brady, and over 1,000 NHL games. Get the Disney bundle today for only $13.99 a month. Includes Hulu ads and support a plan. Access content from each service separately. Terms apply. See the Disney bundle.com for details. Okay, let's get to the Middlecoff mailback. It's where I answer your questions from Instagram.

At John Middlecoff's my handle. Instagram DM's wide open. Slide on in and I will, I'll answer your question. Also, I do a couple rants, usually a couple days, or every day on Instagram. throw it up there. And I was thinking about maybe this fall on my Insta stories, you know, on Saturdays when college football games are going on,

jumping on there, going live, you know, talking about players, and even Sunday, just ranting and raving throughout the game. So just give me a follow on Instagram, and I'm going to be very active during this football season. Let's give you your questions. Do you think there's a scenario in which the Patriots win at all and Tom Brady retires, then tank the 2020 season in order to get,

Trevor Lawrence? I like that question. I think there's definitely a chance he retires. His contract's over. I mean, he'll technically be a free agent at the end of the year the way they structured it. They gave him a huge bonus. I could see him retiring if his game fell off. You know, if it dramatically slipped. And it'd be hard.

I don't necessarily think it would ever look like Peyton Manning did that last season, but he is 42, 43. Like, how long, is he really going to be able to play to his 45? I get he eats, you know, kale smoothies and avocado ice cream. But eventually, that famous thing they like to call Father Time is going to catch up to him. Now, if Belichick's the head coach, there's 1,000% they're not tanking. They would not tank. Think about the teams that have tanked and the humans that led them.

We've really just had one huge tank job, and that was the 76ers. Now, it happened a couple times in basketball, like on individual years. The Knicks attempted it this year, and it failed. they wanted Zion, and they ended up getting the third overall pick. In the NFL, it's never really happened. Remember that the year the Colts got luck, they want a game, if I remember correctly, kind of late. It's just not really, in the NFL, it's hard to tank. I mean, the Niners were trying to tank last year, kind of, and they won a game in December.

It's just hard to, it's hard to tank in the NFL, so I'd say no on the tanking, but Belichick would love to get Trevor Lawrence? Now, would he trade a bunch of picks to get him? If a team, let's say, had a starting quarterback that they liked and was taking number one, I wouldn't rule that out. The problem is, as long as they have Brady or just someone functional, they're going to win so many games, they have to trade up a pretty long, you know, a pretty far ways to go. If you're drafting in the 20s and you want to get up to one.

I mean, remember how much it cost Demetroff when he traded for Julio Jones? And what was he coming from, like, 27 to 6? He gave up a boatload. The Bears are going to win the suit. Super Bowl? Yes? No. I'm going to say no.

I think my Super Bowl pick, loosely right now, will be, will probably be Chiefs Saints, maybe Chiefs Eagles, maybe Chiefs Cowboys. Probably be one of those three teams. Chiefs are Patriots. I kind of have it narrowed down to like four or five teams. Chiefs, Patriots, Eagles, Cowboys, Saints. Maybe. I like the Bears, though.

And I like the Vikings. I think the NFC is going to be really hard. I think it's going to be much harder in the AFC. I see the AFC as a pretty top-heavy division. I say the Chiefs and the Patriots are kind of in a different league. Now the Derwin James is out for the foreseeable future. Who knows if Melvin Gordon's coming back? I think they were the third best team.

I think the Steelers are going to be good, but they've lost everybody. So there's a lot of unknown there. And then you look at probably the most talented other team in that division, the Browns. Well, a lot of question marks there. Who am I missing here? The AFC South, luck has been injured the entire offseason. The Jaguars could bounce back. The Texans, I mean, what's going to happen with Clowny?

There are a lot of question marks with all the other teams. So I'd go Chiefs, Patriots, and then the NFC. I think the Bears have a shot. They definitely do. If you think about it two years ago, the Rams went from getting bounced in the first round to making the Super Bowl. So if you go, this is Matt Nagy's second year. It's a second year with Trubisky.

The Bears are built a lot differently than the Rams. team, right? Their defense is what carries them. They're running back should be pretty good this year. If Trubisky can take a little step, Alan Robinson looks good. It's not crazy. It's not crazy. My dream scenario would be Chief Spares. Would Jadavion Clowny fit a 4-3 scheme at defensive end? If so, what would the realistic value that Seahawks would have to give up?

Yeah, I mean, he fits any scheme. I actually think he's a better 4-3 defensive end than a 3-4-3. for outside linebacker, but he 100% could just, he could play in their division, or in their defensive scheme. He'd be awesome in the scheme that Seattle runs. I would say

Houston would ask for their first round pick. I would say Seattle would probably say seconds as high as we'll go. Because like we've talked about, it's hard to trade a first round pick for, I mean, if you had, if you knew it was picked 28, you'd probably do it.

But if you're Seattle, you go, well, what if we kind of take a step back this year and that's in the teens, we can't sign him until December 29. So what if he has an awesome year and just wants to hit free agency? I think it's just a huge risk. It's why it makes it very complicated for them to trade them because any team trading for them can't immediately lock them up like, you know, for example, the bears did with clowning or the Niners did with D-Ford.

I can trade for the guy, but I have to wait to sign him. So to me, that immediately diminishes the compensation that I would give up to acquire the player. I like clowning more than most, I feel like. Is it just me because I'm older, but I'm over Baker Mayfield. Do younger NFL fans react better to this crap than older fans? Yeah, I mean, I've been saying all week. I'm just kind of tired of these NBA-type stories. I'm just ready for the season.

You know, it was GQ magazine. They're talking to them. The interview probably happened in May. I think our culture has just become about all these type stories about guys talking about stuff. I don't even care. I really don't. And I'm young.

Younger. I guess it would be 35 here. I don't know, a couple months. But I'm just worn out by all the fluff stories. I can't take it anymore. I just want the games. Can the regular season start for the love of God? and then we just talk about coaches and players

and the games and the matchups. Because that's all I care about. No, don't get me wrong. I mean, I like a good Antonio Brown drama story every once in a while. But just like the NBA jumped the shark a couple years ago and just following the Warriors like I did with Kevin Durant.

It just wears you out. I don't care what the guy Instagramed. It doesn't matter. I follow him on Instagram. Yeah, I saw it. It's not that big a deal. But, you know, Bleacher Report and ESPN, it's like, God, I just,

I get worn out by it. I'll be honest. Because I also think a lot of people in this business love that stuff because they can't talk about the games. They can't break down whatever sport you cover or talk about. That's where they're going to struggle. That's where they're going to get exposed. Anyone can talk about some drama of what someone said about someone else

and some article. I mean, you could do that. We all can do that. But it's, you know, if you follow basketball or football, there are certain people that talk about the sport that just know more. Why do you think Colin runs circles around everyone in this business? He just understands sports a lot better than most hosts, most radio personalities, most personalities in general. He just does.

He sees it differently. He understands what he's looking at. That's why I've been listening to him for 10 plus years or whenever I first found him, like end of college. That's why most of you guys listen to him. It's why he's the best in the business. It's why when you try to listen to some radio shows, you go, Jesus, this guy has no clue what he's talking about. Now, but again, like anyone can give an opinion on, well, do you see what he Instagrammed about this guy? I mean, yeah, it's like just normal human high school gossip.

Can you talk about what actually happened with the game? Can you give us some opinion that we go, wow, the guy's pretty smart. Hopefully, you know, I kind of do that on this show. Why you're listening? That's why I listen to other certain people. They're smart. You know, I was listening to some of Joe Rogan's podcast today. Why do I listen to Joe Rogan?

I like, I just think he's intelligent. So he just makes me think. I don't always agree with everything he says. Sometimes I do agree. You know, just, I like listening to smart people, like hopefully most of us do. But, you know, sports has become so fluffy now. It's like, that's why I couldn't even get into the Baker story. And I talked about it early in the pot.

Like, I don't even care what he said. I just want to watch Baker play football. Because I think Baker could be like a Drew Brees type player. That's all I care about. I just want to watch him play football. but that's not really what sports talk is about anymore. It's like the LeBronification of sports. I'm a Patriot fan, but have family in the Twin Cities.

They can't stop raving about how good of a coach Mike Zimmer is. Three-part question. One, where would you have Zimmer ranked in the coaching hierarchy? Two, when analysts talk about the halftime adjustments that coaches make, what are some specific examples that a defensive-minded coach might make? And finally, what at the Viking ceiling for, what is the Viking ceilings for 2019? I would say

Zimmer's a top 10 coach. Him and Fangio are probably the two best defensive coaches in the league. I would say a halftime adjustment would be if a certain, let's say your defensive coach and I don't know, like they have a third receiver that's kicking your ass and he's

playing in the slot. Maybe you would adjust, like you would take one of your outside corners that doesn't usually play in the slot, but maybe you think he could match up and you just move them to the slot. So anytime that third wide receiver's in the game, he would just follow that guy. I'm just giving some random, arbitrary, made-up example.

I had a coach told me last year that in the first half of a playoff game, he was getting, like his center was getting killed because they had shifted the defensive line and basically just rushed the A-gap, rush the A-gap, rushed the A-gap, and blitzed. So he made a halftime adjustment where he stopped just running basic, you know, three-and-five-step drops.

he started getting his quarterback on the move either to the left or the right, and that kind of neutralized the agate pressure. I can't remember if they were putting two linemen basically over the center on each side, or they were rushing a blitz of a linebacker. But whatever, he just started moving his quarterback and really kind of open up the offense. Half-time adjustments are not like implement a whole new offense or defense.

It could just be a subtle change. Because you've game planned, unlike the preseason, you've game planned all week. for specific things. And the first half is like a feeling out process. So you find out what your game plan is working and what is not working and what you expected to see from them and what they expect to see from you vice versa. So then you just go down and you go, well, I think this can work against what they're showing

me instead of we don't know what they're going to show me until the game. But off the film, getting ready all week, we make... All the game plan is is an educated guess of what you're going to see. or if you're an offensive coach, what is going to work against what you've seen on tape that they run on defense? It's all kind of an educated guess. And then the actual game is what actually is going to happen. So once you go to halftime, you get a feel for what they're doing.

And I think the Vikings just watched a little bit of that preseason game. I guess it would have been last Sunday night. Viking Seattle, maybe it was Saturday night. I think they could be good. If Cousins plays well and their defense is a little better than it was last year, they're a double-digit-win team. I think them and the Bears would be two playoff teams from that division. Their roster is really, really talented.

How many more years do you think Antonio Brown plays in the league? Well, I mean, he's 31. I mean, he's in the prime of his career. If he wasn't just a complete nut, I'd say, I think he had to have a long career ahead of him, especially the way he plays. You know, he's not a physical guy. He's had the one concussion against Cincinnati on that Monday night game.

when Vontes killed him and then Juju got Vontes, I would, I don't even, I can't even, with Antonio Brown, I can't even begin to guess. If you told me he played eight more years, I'd believe you. If you told me he quit in the middle of this season, I'd believe you. As a football fan, I hope he keeps playing. I really enjoy watching him. Now, if you watch Hard Knocks, it's one crazy dude, man.

Is he high on weed, or is he high on life, Or was he just nuts? I don't know. But he's a different cat. What are your thoughts on a clowny to the Raiders trade? The Raiders have two first-round draft picks, which one projected from the Bears, to be late the first round.

So trading a second-round pick for him wouldn't hurt to have an elite pass-rusher for a year at least. Well, I'd have to double check, but I'm pretty sure the Raiders do not have a second-round pick next year. Because remember, part of the Kille-Mac trade was 2-1, so they got their one last year. Josh, I guess it was, yeah, it was Josh Jacobs, the running back. Then this year they get the Bears' first round pick.

Remember, they did a pick swap. So in 2019, or excuse me, 2020, the Bears get their second round pick. And then the Raiders get the Bears' third round pick, so they flip picks. So if the Raiders are like 5 in 10 or 5 and 11 and are picking relatively high in the second round, the Bears get that pick. Don't forget that. You can't give a first round pick for Clowny when you can't re-sign them.

So you can't risk doing that. All they can do is trade the Bears third-round pick. But if you're Houston, you go, well, that pick might be kind of shitty. I mean, if the Bears win double-digit games or in the playoffs again, that's in the 20s of the third round. So you're talking, what pick is that? You're talking in like the high 80s, 90s. I mean, that's not a great pick.

Complementary podcast. Thanks. With Trent Williams and Clowny both, not happy with their respective situations. Why not do a straight-up trade? Houston's line get a massive boost, and Washington would have a pretty sweet-de-line. They would. I mean, I think the Redskins,

or excuse me, the Texans would do that yesterday. I think the hard part for the Redskins, again, is this guy's contract. You just, you can't sign them. So you're giving your best trade asset by a mile and Trent Williams for a good player and I think you do that if Trent Williams said I'm never playing for you again

but you can't resign the guy so why would Clowny stay with the Redskins? Now the owner would pay him a lot of money more than likely but he can't do that until the end of the season but I like where you're, I've seen that

throwing around on Twitter let's get a couple more questions here shouting out from Oxford England love the pod any good books to start me off the basics of playing and having a deeper understanding of the game. Thanks, go Steelers. I'm trying to think of the, I think it's the David Halberstam book,

the one on Belichick, the education of a coach. I'm pretty sure that Bill O'Brien, when he got to Penn State, gave that book to all of his employees, because that's kind of how he wanted to run his operation. It might be a different Belichick book, but it was just kind of how they've got. Maybe it was Michael Hawley's book on Belichick. It's a Belichick book.

Google whatever book that Bill O'Brien gave to his employees at Penn State to help them run the organization. It's a good read. My mailback question the other day, my mailback question is the other day when I was listening to Boston Sports Radio a few days ago, and they mentioned that Dantraal Inman asked the Patriots for his release. Then today he returned to the Chargers. What are situations where players asked for their release and what are their motives? Is it generally that they think they won't make their current team? Yeah, I think for the majority of players, like a Dantrell-Inman,

it's a numbers game. Where they're a veteran player, I don't know. I'd have to ask around the league. I'm assuming he's a high-character guy. He has a good relationship with Belichick. Josh Gordon gets reinstated. Well, you start doing the math. You go Edelman, Gordon, Nikiel Harry.

You know, obviously Slater just makes a team even though he doesn't play on offense. and I'm sure they got, you know, they have that undrafted free agent rookie is his last name Myers. It's something he's crushing it. He's a lock to make the team. Inman just sees the right, like, you're going to cut me anyway.

Can you cut me now to give me a chance to go to another team this last couple weeks of training camp to try to make their team? I think that's usually the case with a veteran. Because a younger player wouldn't really have the juice. He would just play it out. So I think that would be what happened in that situation. Do you think that Ronald Jones makes a big jump year-two under Ariens?

I hope so. I've liked Ronald Jones since he came out of USC. I did see on Rotor World the other day, though, that he's dealing with knee swellness. So, you know, that's, I don't know how serious it is. I mean, Mike Evans is out two with the quad. You just, it's hard to tell when some of these guys get injured. Is it just precautionary? Why they take them out of the games or why they don't practice?

Because you're not winning the Super Bowl in the middle of August. but, you know, I don't know, I'm starting to be a little less confident, but it is a good offense for him to play. Remember when David Johnson's rookie year, how good he was with Ariens, Ariens makes running backs look good. The one thing they're preaching also in Tampa Bay is James. James stop forcing the ball down the field, either throw it away or check the football down.

Well, who do you usually check the football down do? The running back just sitting there in the flat. And in theory, Ronald Jones should be able to catch the ball. I like that. Yeah, if Ronald Jones healthy, I think he makes a big step. Appreciate everybody listening. I'm still laughing about the Raiders and the Packers playing an 80-yard NFL game in Canada in the preseason.

You just, you can't, you can't, to save the Raiders $500,000, you can't make it up. You honestly can't. Appreciate everybody listening. And I'm actually going to end on this. You guys should hear this just because this is pretty funny. I got this, someone sent this to me. Gruden was asked if they sent someone to Canada.

Here's what he said. Have you guys sent somebody else to take a look at the turf? We have. Yes. I heard it was a field turf. I didn't examine it myself, but it's a new stadium. It's a great opportunity for us to make some friends. Well, I don't know if they made any friends.

the league can't be happy. Whoever they sent to check that field turf probably lost his job, which isn't funny because we all make mistakes. But enjoy the weekend. And the regular season is almost here. Thank God. See you all next week.

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We dive deep into IT profiles and learn what it takes to drive large-scale IT transformations for successful businesses. Visit Changemakers.freshworks.com. 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. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in.

I'm Timbo, and every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to Sports

Slice on the Iheart Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slice Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and Friends,

me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, S&L'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. What's up, guys? this is Clivert Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Clivert Show, I'm bringing you conversations

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

What? Where's she at? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, it's Edwin Castro, also known as Castro 1021. And I'm Conky, his best friend, and business manager. And we've got a new show called The 1021 Podcast. I'm taking you behind the scenes on how I became one of Twitch's most popular streamers.

We also love sports. And with the World Cup right around the corner, we'll be breaking down the biggest storylines ahead of the big tournament here in the USA. Listen to the 1021 podcast on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.