The Kevin Sheehan Show - Alex Smith the GM?

Episode Date: December 10, 2019

The show opens with a defiant Kevin and Thom responding to those demanding an apology for last week's Haskins' discussion. They talked about Alex Smith's potential role in the organization next year and the report that Eric Bieniemy is a head coaching target for Dan Snyder and the Redskins. They discussed Giants-Eagles and the NFC East then got to the Stephen Strasburg whopping new contract. They finished up with the possibility that RG3 might start Thursday night for the Ravens. <p> </p><p>Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a></p> Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

You want it. You need it. It's what everyone's talking about. The Kevin Sheehan Show. Now here's Kevin. You're listening to The Sports Fix. Tommy's here. I'm here. Arons here. Lots to get to today, including a follow-up to our Thursday show, which created so much angst out there. So many of you. Tommy. This is going to be known as the apology show, right? Well, yesterday, it's funny because you came in here and you said, today's the apology show. And what is the apology show? I say to you? What are you talking about? Because I've already forgotten about what happened last Thursday. But yesterday, what's funny about this, is on the show yesterday, people had asked me to apologize for a tweet that I put out after the game on Sunday, where people thought I was accusing Dwayne Haskins of faking an injury, which I was not. You know, 280 characters or less.

Sometimes people misinterpret. That's not what I was doing. What I was suggesting was, and most of you that listened to the show yesterday, what I was suggesting was maybe they know him, Haskins, better than we know Haskins, and maybe they know him to be a bit of a drama queen, to be overly dramatic. Not that he was faking it, but that he was just overly dramatic, because even Callahan said yesterday, he was cleared to play. Now, I know there are medical stuff and all of that, you know, skepticism over their medical opinions and direction.

I get all that. But bottom line is, I don't think he was seriously hurt in the game. he's not been listed as out like Geis and Carrigan already have. No, listen. You had the rest a couple weeks ago that all of a sudden came up when somebody asked him, how come you were missing receivers? We're going to circle back to this in a bit, but I bring it up because people were asking me to apologize on the show yesterday,

and I said, I'll apologize when hell freezes over for that. That's your fault. If you didn't see the other tweets or you haven't listened to my show or you misinterpreted, I gave you how it should have been interpreted because I was the one that tweeted it. I know what I meant. And there was no chance in hell I was going to apologize to anybody for that tweet. And so you came in today and you said, this is the apology show. And I thought you were talking about that.

But actually, you were talking about the Thursday show in which you reminded me, we got into a discussion about Dwayne Haskins retweeting his pro football focus grade, which was very good. after the game at Carolina. Third in the league, he was. Yes. And we also had no idea what TMC, hashtag TMC meant. I am not going to apologize.

I swear to you, Tommy, hell will freeze over before I will apologize for not knowing what hashtag TMC meant. Because I actually asked later that day when you called me about that. I asked Clinton Portis. I asked Chris Cooley if they knew what it was, they did not know what it was. And then I told them what it was, and they were like, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, but I wouldn't have gotten that as a hashtag. I wouldn't have gotten it, period. It's Nipsey Hustles, the marathon continues.

God rest Nipsey Hustle Soul. You know, it was not meant in any way to be disrespectful to him. I didn't know it. Call me boomer. Call me old. Call me old and white. All of those things are probably true. Although I'm not sure if I'm actually a boomer.

But anyway, I think maybe I am. I forget. But anyway, so are you going to, you're going to apologize, I guess. Well, I mean, because I got really roasted because I followed it up saying that if you don't think the rookie quarterback retweeting, patting himself on the back for his pro football focus ranking isn't a red flag. Then you're colorblind. And that's when. Oh, what did people think? of that is that when you called me and said oh my god people are lighting us up for this conversation

yeah that's what they thought it was somehow racially that i was involved in this conversation i was tagged the racist oh my god i was so i'm limited you're limited good god listen there was nothing there was nothing racial about that conversation kevin you know they people said they expected me to apologize okay so i just wanted i just wanted to tell you that if you think I'm going to apologize, you must have me mistaken for a whole other person. Yeah. Even when you're, people, I've known Tommy now for, it's 2019. I've known Tommy since 2006, 2007.

He doesn't apologize when he is wrong. So don't think he's going to apologize when he's not wrong. So, I mean, it really was, it really, it was, it was, it was, pathetic showing on social media by a small group of people. That's what it usually is. What did I tell you when you called me that day? I said Tommy. I know.

These are limited people that probably didn't even listen, probably heard it from somewhere else. There was nothing untoward, nothing involving race at all in that conversation. But the

thing about it, though, Tommy, is the pro football focus number for this week. Well, why wait, why announce it? I'm sure he'll retweet it at some point. Well, he hasn't so far. He hasn't yet? He's not retweeted it so far, and I don't think he will. You're being sarcastic right now,

and the reason that I don't think he will is because he was 27th this week. He was third last week. The pro football focus number this week is 27th. That's not good? It's not good. and so I doubt that he will retweet that one. But, you know, some of you will out there are shaking your head. Well, why would he retweet something that's bad about him?

He's only going to retweet compliments. My advice to him, Boomer, okay, boomer, would be don't retweet compliments. I don't care how many other quarterbacks have done it. People will do that for him. When you play well, let other people talk about your performance. Let other people promote you. When you do it yourself, that is, by definition, self-promotion. You don't have to have a negative opinion about that if you don't want.

That's a subjective thing. I personally believe that self-promotion is not the way to go. Let other people promote your good games and the things that you do well. And hopefully there will be plenty more down the road. Now, I'm a big fan of it. self-promotion. I promote myself whenever I can. But I'm not the quarterback. I'm not the rookie

quarterback of the Washington Redskins who hasn't done anything yet. Not yet. Who hasn't done squat yet? I'm not the rookie quarterback of the Washington Redskins who basically tweeted, who has gotten, who has had

some strange tweets already since he's been drafted by this team. And also at his press conference after the Detroit win was so dismissive of the notion that he actually couldn't complete passes to receivers. I mean, this is just, this is, the wrist. Yeah, the context of doing that compared to the other things that he's done.

And oh, by the way, he followed that up with a, you know, a like on an instant, no, a comment. I was going to just bring that up. On Antonio Brown's Instagram account saying, can't wait for you to come here. No, he didn't say that. He said, let's go A.B. to D.C. There we go. It was the Instagram apology from Crazy Antonio Brown last week.

And D.H. Simba, that's D.H. Simbabh. That's Dwayne Haskins on Twitter and maybe on Instagram. I don't know. I just know his Twitter handle. D. Wayne Haskins on Instagram responded, Let's go A.B. to D.C. Now, apparently he worked out with Antonio Brown. He did down in Florida.

Remember? We saw some of that video. My comment on that, you know, you can think of it what you want. I don't really give a shit is don't do that, okay? Don't retweet compliments. I'll be really impressed if he retweets the pro football focus numbers this week and says something like, I got to do better. Like if he retweets the pro football focus numbers from the game on Sunday

where he finished 27th in the league, not third, and says, I got to do better. I'd be actually impressed with that. I think he should stay away from all that personally. But here's why I have a problem with him, you know, recruiting or, you know, saying to Antonio Brown, A, B, to D.C., let's go. You know, he's in his rookie season. He has started five games.

There's been some excitement, not a lot, some about McLaren and Kelvin Harmon and Darius Geis and Dwayne Haskins and what the future of that could be. It's a bit, you know, maybe you don't view it this way. and maybe some people listening don't view it this way, but it's a bit of a slap in the face to the other players on his team that he's playing with, that he's out recruiting somebody like Antonio Brown. Other players have done this. I understand that.

Bryce Harper did this in baseball. But he's the quarterback of the team. There's an expectation of leadership. There's an expectation of supporting and being there for your receivers and your offensive line and not out asking for others to come in and join when you're just at the beginning of something with two young guys of McLaren and Harmon. Now, some of you might say, and it might be true.

Well, Harmon and McLaurin would probably be the first two to say, come on, Antonio Brown. And maybe that's true. Let the team recruit Antonio Brown. I also said yesterday, Tommy, if the whole group comes back, and we're going to get to that here shortly, I want Antonio Brown on the team next year.

Oh, I've wanted Antonio Brown on the team next year. No, I, I've wanted Antonio Brown on the team from day one. If, if all of these, you know, dummies are coming back next year, just give me Antonio Brown to make it entertaining. Absolutely. Absolutely. Count me in on that. So anyway, so no apology for not knowing hashtag TMC for being critical of Dwayne

Haskins, retweeting his pro football focus number three ranking next week. No, you're not going to get an apology from Tommy. You're not going to get an apology for me. I have not changed my mind on the way I feel despite you telling me that we got a lot of angry tweets about it have you changed your mind no I'm not I've not changed my mind some of those tweets I'm sure were well thought out and really intelligent

oh yes they were absolutely absolutely they were embarrassing they were embarrassing the level of intelligence zone on social media you're the one no offense you're the one that really engages with some of these idiots and 280 characters or less than two.

But once in a while. All the time. And then you end up blocking people or muting people. Why do you engage the dumb-dums? I would say, honestly, for our audience, and you and I have a similar audience on social media, I think 50% of you, I love it, you're smart, you have sharp takes. And 50% of you either don't love you.

either don't listen very well. You don't listen, A, B, you're not good listeners, or C, you're just flat out dumb. So that's the way I would describe a lot of the tweets and interactions I get. I never, or very rarely, compared to others in our field. I very rarely engage those people. Maybe I should. Maybe it would be entertaining. I enjoy doing it. I know you do. I get a kick out of it. It's like playing with a fly. But then you got upset Friday because you did call me. Well, I just wanted to make sure you knew what was going on. But wouldn't you know based on my history that I probably didn't know? I thought I didn't care. I thought you should know what was going on.

Well, you know what? The race thing always bothers me. You know, when people, you know, their default is, oh, well, they're ripping on Dwayne Haskins. Kevin wouldn't rip on Kirk Cousins. Well, I have many times. And Aaron, what's that the guy on Twitter that created a site about me. Kevin Sheen is God? Yeah, he retweeted, he went and found an old tweet of mine where I criticized Kirk Cousins and he put that one out there. That's in defense.

It's hysterical. You know, so one other thing about this, and I talked about this yesterday, but you weren't here, so I'm going to repeat it. When you are in a city with a team like the Redskins, with a fan base that is rooting for a perennial loser. You know, it turns Twitter on game days into a jungle. I mean, it is angry. It is frustrating.

We start eating each other alive. And part of it is just because we're rooting for such a dysfunctional loser. Because if there were games to focus on, you know, rather than all of these other things, like if they were playing important games, if they were playing important games, if they were important and relevant in the National Football League when it came to the standings, there would be arguments, but they would be much different. You know, they would be how, in God's name, did they go for that fourth and one? Or why did he punt it on fourth and one?

This game is for the number two seed in the NFC playoffs. You've got to go for it. You know, things like that. But we never, ever have a chance to have those kinds of debates. No, because they're not an NFL franchise. They play in the NFL, but they're not. an NFL franchise. Right.

But they're about to become one, aren't they? Are they about to become one? Isn't change on the horizon? Yes. So, all right, so let's go there because we've got to get to Strasbourg here. And there are other things too. But a couple of things. So I do believe that there's a chance something will happen this week.

I've been talking about it for a few weeks now. This was, you know, and I felt for a while that Bruce Allen's not coming back. I think the Bruce Allen era is going to end. I do. I don't know that. I'm not reporting it. but it's a pretty informed hunch that they're going to move in another direction and they're going to be changes, I think. You know, I felt the same way last year, based on a lot of the same sort of informed hunches.

Understand that. That this time last year, I was pretty bought in and sold it. When they got eliminated, I thought there was no chance Bruce Allen was coming back. I didn't think Gruden was coming back. I thought there would be major change, and there wasn't. So when you have sort of an owner who is impulsive and, you know, he could change his mind. My bet is he's not going to and there are going to be changes. But then I saw something this morning.

I talked about this on the radio show. Maybe you know who these people are. Do you know who pro football? Pro football network is? No, I don't. I had never heard of them either. But they put out a tweet that somebody sent to me, overnight, and I saw it early this morning.

They wrote that according to Albright NFL, that's Benjamin Albright. He's got 86,000 followers. He's a Colorado Denver guy and an NFL reporter. He may host a show in Denver. That may be how we know that name, and maybe he's had a story before. But he reported that Chief's Offensive Coordinator, Eric Bianami, somebody to watch as an early frontrunner for the Redskins head coaching job. when I read that, it immediately triggered the following response

because I've talked about this on the podcast going back, you know, three weeks, almost a month now. Dan Snyder's new golden boy is Alex Smith. He really likes Alex Smith a lot. They get along. He sits next to him during games. And, you know, I talked about this about a month ago that, you know, if Alex doesn't come back as a player, don't be shocked if he comes back in another capacity. Well, Eric B. Enemy and Alex Smith know each other very.

well, Eric Bienemy's been in Kansas City on Andy Reed's staff for since 2012 or 2013. It's been five, six, seven years, something like that. So he was there for Alex Smith. And if Bianemy is being considered, there's no doubt in my mind that there's Alex Smith influence in this. Because Dan Snyder wouldn't know Eric Bianemy from, you know, anybody else. So Alex Smith, you know, that's one potential path here that wouldn't show. shock me is Alex Smith having a significant, you know, job in the organization. Eric B. Enemy being sought after to be the head coach, and that's the direction they go in.

That wouldn't surprise me either. There are other paths that I think are out there. Now, what about the Todd Bolt's Joe Gibbs path? And don't forget, when Jay Gruden was fired, you know, offshore books were putting up lines, and Eric B. Enemy was the favorite the day Jay Gruden was fired. That's true. But remember, we weren't sure what the reason. Well, the reason was that he was going to be the number one coordinator on anyone's list.

You're right, Aaron. That's exactly right. And Bianamy is going to be sought after by any team with an opening. Yes. But what about the Todd Bowles-Joe Gibbs connection? Well, that's always a connection that I thought was a good one. I'm not hearing, I haven't heard anything about that recently. Also, keep in mind, Tampa's defense this year's not been very good with Bowls, but that wouldn't deter me at all. the uh you know this would so for an owner that let's just say he rids himself of perhaps his biggest you know weight right now which would be bruce allen in terms of his ability to go out and create something new that's legitimate without just taking people that are unemployed you know that's basically what they had to do with their coaching staff last year they had to take people who were out of coaching or didn't have any other opportunities now part of that was because

Jay Gruden was perceived as a lame duck. I understand that. But, you know, Alex Smith may be his opportunity to be perceived as legitimate. Would Alex Smith do you think, first of all, would he, and then the second part is could he, would he tell Dan Snyder no? Not about the job, but just no. I mean, because part of the problem, let's face it, Dan Snyder does not employ people. who will say no to him. That's right.

You're right about that. So would Alex Smith feel confident enough and powerful enough to say, you know, you're wrong, Dan. You can't do this. I have no idea, but I would lean no. I would lean no. Because from what I've heard, Alex Smith really likes Dwayne Haskins,

which, by the way, the owner really likes Dwayne Haskins. And not to say that that's the only reason he's saying he likes Dwayne Haskins to buddy up with the owner to potentially get a big time job. Maybe the GM job. You know, it would be an out-of-the-box hire, but we've seen more of those in recent years. Witness what happened in San Francisco. With John Lynch. If they were going to hire out of the box, sorry, Tommy, don't comment on this. I would hire Chris Cooley because he's been right about every single college player that he has analyzed, including the guy that he said he would have taken a quarterback, which is Drew Locke.

I don't know if he's right about Drew Locke. He had one good game. I'm exaggerating, but it looks like he can play, maybe. How would we feel about Alex Smith? Oh, people would be very excited. Very excited. Why? Well, because Alex Smith is perceived as unblemished, untouched.

An untouched. And experience, too. Yes, but unsoiled. You know, like he is a bright light, and Dan Snyder is the darkness. and I think people would love to bask in the bright light of Alex Smith, the human being as much as anything, you know, because it's been a long time since you've had a human being in charge at Redskins Park. Let's face it.

You know, it's interesting. Vinnie Serato, you know this, I think, to a certain degree. He was obviously not, you know, legitimately qualified to be an NFL general manager. I shouldn't say he wasn't qualified. He wasn't a good animal. No, he wasn't. But he actually was a good guy. Well, Kevin, you can't be a good guy and carry out and be a henchman.

Okay? You can't do both. No, you can be a good guy. You just can be a guy that other people don't respect. You know, it's like saying like a mob hitman. Well, he was a good guy. Well, you know, he was a good guy. You follow me all around on this podcast and I think you're a good guy.

He treated his family well and all that. No, Vinny was not a good guy. He wasn't evil like Bruce is. That's the thing. That's my point, is that Vinny actually, you know, was a, I think he was a decent human being. Okay? But again, you can't be a decent human being and work for dance. Now, you can't do it.

Well, anyway, this Beenemy Alex Smith thing, the Beenemy news, I don't know if it's credible or not. Let me just start there. I don't know enough about Ad Al Al-Albright NFL or Pro Football Network. You know, this wasn't, you know, pro football talk. You know, this wasn't pro football focus. They don't do reporting. But I don't know how credible it is, credible it is. I do have a sense that Alex Smith is one of the new favorite people in Dan Snyder's life.

And that he really respects him and he gets along with him and that he really, that he believes in what he believes in. Like he views Alex Smith as a really good, smart resource. Okay. Let me ask. resource. Let me ask you something. Hold on. I just want to say one thing. I don't think I'd have a problem with it because just like when Mike and Bruce came in here versus Dan and Vinny, it was like it just beat the hell out of the alternative in the moment. And I think I would feel that way. But Alex Smith has no experience to be a general manager. Now, if they brought him in in another

capacity and elevated Kyle Smith to general manager, and Alex Smith was somehow influential on a decision maker, maybe he was, you know, director of personnel. He got some sort of title. Director of Dan Snyder. You know, I don't know that I have a problem with it, and I don't know that I, Eric B. Enemy, to me, is very intriguing, you know, but they've had some talent in Kansas City. Let's not forget that.

They got Tyree Kill. They got Travis Kelsey. They did have Kareem Hunt. They've got a guy you may have heard of him, Patrick Mahomes at quarterback. Haskins, to me, so far, even though I've been more. positive than negative, not Patrick Mahomes. He's not even Drew Locke. Well, it's one game that drew lock. Okay. Well, yeah, I know that. I'm still waiting for the one game. I like I'm still waiting for the one game from Dwayne Haskins. I know. So, oh, well, Kevin, yes. If there is a

Bruce Allen departure, is it friendly? And if it's friendly, does that mean Bruce Allen will still have a voice in the organization as an advisor? He can't. I don't have the answer, but he can't, Tommy, you can't have him. You could, he's got to retire or be fired so that you can get the maximum benefit of his exit. If he's reassigned, well, it wouldn't surprise me because Dan Snyder is clearly detached from what his fan base or majority of the fan base thinks, but nobody then is going to buy into it. Nobody is. Now, if you wanted to hire him as an outside consultant for the stadium, you know, okay, but he can't be in the building. By the way, that would be a waste of time.

Do you agree with me? Yes, I agree. I agree. Or you don't get the benefit of having him. Whatever short-term benefit you're going to get from his exit, and trust me, it will be short-term. Whatever short-term benefit you'll get, you're not going to get if he's still connected with the team in any way, shape, or form.

And hire him as a consultant for the stadium is an absolute waste of time. A waste of time. Yeah, I don't. I don't know. He's not going to have any influence on the stadium. You still think, just as a quick digression, do you still think they do not get any jurisdiction to give them funding for a new stadium? No.

What about the location if Snyder pays for it himself? I think it stays where it is. I think if he builds a new stadium, it's right next to the old one. I mean, I think the chances of going to RFK were slim, but without Jack Evans on the city council or on his way, out on the city council seemingly. He was their biggest supporter. He was the guy who was working with Bruce Allen all these years in plans to try to get a stadium in D.C.

Without Jack Evans, I don't care what the mayor wants. It's not happening in the district. Like I spoke to somebody who's pretty high up in district government yesterday. And they said basically there's a housing crisis right now in the city. people are not crazy about the idea of enabling a millionaire football owner that everyone likes, that everyone dislikes. That polling came out a few weeks ago, remember, actually had a question about the stadium. I know.

And the residents of the District of Columbia actually were in favor of the stadium going at the RFC site, just not in favor of financing it. But politically, politically right now, housing is a very hot topic in the district, affordable housing. and rightfully so. Yeah. Because I mean, the housing in the district right now is ridiculous. Skyrocketing.

Yeah. Skyrocketing. Junior Galette, did you see what he tweeted? I heard you talking about it on the show today. Yeah, so Junior Galette tweeted last night, according to his sources, there's going to be a front office total cleaning. They're going to clean out everybody.

So he's in the reporting business as well. That was funny. His reactions were funny. It's like a player playing with a new toy. This source stuff is for a lot of fun. isn't it? Here it is, Tommy. I've got the Junior Gellet tweets. This one from

I guess late yesterday afternoon. Sources tell me the Redskins are cleaning house starting with the front office. And then you were talking about some of the follow-up tweets with me. I know I have to be more reliable than these reporters, L.O.L.

So I'm waiting to see if the clean house means that the ban is lifted for me. Does he have some sort of ban from the Redskins? I guess he feels like Bruce Allen essentially banned him from the team. And then he says, hold on, where is it? Oh, this is what he tweeted a little bit later on. Using sources is so fun, LOL. I get it now. Sources is usually spot on. I was so upset when I played for New Orleans and would read tweet saying sources say they're looking to trade Jr. Gillette two weeks, looking to trade

junior Gillette. And then two weeks later he writes, boom, I got released L.O.L. So he has a newfound respect for sources. Yes, he does. He gets how it goes. Nobody else picked him up. Let's stick with the Redskins since we've already gone down that path here because I wanted to mention a couple of other things real quickly. Ian Rappaport did have the story this morning that Geis did not have a torn ACL.

That's good news. Which is good news. But still, he's got a sprained MCL and they might keep him out the rest of the season. I think Ian suggested that. He did. I mean, I love it. I love Geis so far, and I didn't think I was going to. I mean, the game against Carolina, and even the run that he got hurt on was another

typical Darius Geist's run. Like, he's good. But you can't count on him moving forward. This is going to be three injuries in a year and a half. I know. So I'm glad it's not the ACL because then he would have been essentially lost for the first half of next year, maybe, or certainly a part of next year. So I'm glad that that's okay.

And then I did want to get your thoughts on. the game on Sunday. They covered, which I had them. I had them covering against Green Bay. They're a covering machine. I don't know if you've noticed that. They're five and two in their last seven with old coach Cal. But what did you make of the hysteria, the fan and media reaction to them leaving a one-legged quarterback in the game? What did you make of that? Well, let me just say this. You know, before we pin a red badge of courage on Dwayne has. Oh, come on. He was tough to get through that game. Tommy Levero here once played two hours of tackle football at J.M. Hill School in East

Strasbourg on a broken ankle, a broken ankle, and then went dancing that night at Sailor's Lake Pavilion on a broken ankle. Were you complaining, hobbling around, making me really dramatic? No, I wasn't. Now, when I woke up the next morning, I had a basketball on the end of my leg. I mean, that's how that's how swollen my ankle was. I didn't know it was broken at the time. So I just want to say that this isn't the first guy on a football field to do this. It's been done before by yours truly. Well, I'm glad we got, we got that cleared up.

A lot of people remembered that particular game. I'm glad you brought it back to everybody's attention. It was. Rich Hillman tackled me and broke my ankle. Yeah. Well, I mean, Rich was a pretty good player. He was actually. He was a darn good high school football player. But, look, I had no problem with him playing. I mean, he sprained an ankle. You know, I mean, you know, they taped it up. They put him out there. Good for you.

He sprained an ankle. All right. I mean, it was not that big of a deal. I mean, because you and I, well, I did in the moment watching him out, I was questioning it, just like I did with RG3 in the playoff game. Like, why is he still playing? And then when I heard the explanation that they didn't really consider it to be very serious and that, you know, he's out there competing and toughing it out.

And Callahan got real testy yesterday in his press conference. He did not want to be questioned about this, in part because, you know, he was cleared, you know, and you can laugh about the medical all you want. But I have a feeling that they probably, you know, recognize it as an injury, but not a serious injury in the moment. But I'm glad. If he can't play through a sprained. If he can't play through a sprained ankle.

Yeah, the media, I mean, they're up in arms over this thing. This is terrible what they did to him and the danger they put him in. This is the sheep. The sheep going bah. Yeah. This was, look, I experienced the same thing at game seven of the World Series in the press box. Were you playing? No.

Oh. When Scherzer was struggling during the game and people in the press box are going nuts that Dave Martinez isn't taking them out. Right. And Dave Martinez had had invested in Max Scherzer. He had too much invested in Scherzer to pull him from that game. But all you heard from the press box was, oh, you know, Nats are blowing it. They got nobody up in a bullpen. You got to pull Scher and what happened?

Right. He got through the five innings. They, you know, gave up two runs. Battled. Battled. You know. competed. Yes.

So, I mean, look, it's nothing. I mean, it's just sheep. It's a sheep. It's a sheep on. It cracks me up because I think. It does and then the rest of them do. Because the one, So when Callahan, Callahan was testing in his response yesterday to back-to-back questions from Craig Hoffman from your station about why he didn't pull him.

And he specifically, to be fair to Craig, he didn't answer the questions that were asked. He was just, you could tell. He was like tired of being, you know, essentially lectured about how he should have pulled his rookie quarterback out there to protect him from something. and all of the people that feel that way don't have anywhere near the information that they have. It's like what you always say. It's like you don't have enough information. You don't know what Dave Martinez is thinking. You don't know what the context is.

You don't know what the conversations have been. You don't know what the trainers are telling the coach. One thing he made very clear is that he didn't, according to the doctors or according to the information he got, he was cleared to play and he was fine. So, you know, was he hobbling around? Was he hopping at times? Yeah, he looked hurt. I'll grant you that I'll concede that point.

Was he carrying his leg in his arms? No, he wasn't doing that either. No, that's not true. He was limping badly. He was limping badly, and RG3 is playing in a playoff game with a real injury. Much more serious injury. But remember this, too. RG3 lied about it.

Yes, he did. And we had that on tape. We have that. Tell him Trent Williams, not to say anything. Don't say anything to the coach. And we have what Mike Shanahan told us, if you believe, Mike, and I think both of us do, that he was about to put Kirk Cousins in the game for the second half because RG3 was nowhere to be found at halftime. And he and Dr. Beanie, James Andrews, came out of the room just as they were breaking for halftime. And Shanahan said, where the hell were you?

And he said, oh, I'm fine. The knee's fine. And Dr. Andrews said he's good. And it was about adjusting the brace. So, you know, I don't, I think all of these situations, I do think, I do think there's an element. I'm not trying to be super condescending. I'm being slightly condescending. But I do think there's an element where a guy like Callahan, who's been a professional, competitive football coach his entire life,

looks out into the media room and says, you know, sorry, but we're in a competitive business. This is a competitive business. And you know what? journalism is a competitive business. And what we do is a competitive business to a certain degree. But they feel that they have a competitive level that we just don't understand. And he wasn't really seriously hurt or seriously in jeopardy of being hurt further. So don't question us on this.

Like, we know what we're doing. I didn't have a problem with him being out there. Okay. That said, let me ask you a question. Okay. Was it important for that team to win the game? as it relates to Bruce Allen as it relates to anything

I think if they had won that game Tommy I think it could have potentially altered the plan that could be in place right now and that is to move in a different direction I do because it would have been three wins in a row with the third coming against the Packers at Lambeau Field and it would have been

and they would have nearly they would have been eliminated no they wouldn't have been eliminated last night even with the Eagles win My point is, they would still be, however bizarre, they'd still be in a playoff front. So my point would be if it was important to win that game, after Dwayne Haskins. Actually, no, no, no, no. Last night would have eliminated them.

Really? Yeah, because now you're guaranteed to have at least a seven-game division winner, Aaron, right? Because the Cowboys and Eagles are both six and seven. So whoever wins that game is going to have a seventh win. So last night's Eagles win would have eliminated the Redskins. When the Redskins still finish? seven and nine if they won out? Oh, that's right.

Yeah. But I think there'll be tiebreakers. They still had it. No, no, no, maybe Tommy's right. I forget. See how the guy that's always been in charge of playoff scenarios? See how completely dismissive of their chances I've been? Okay.

I haven't really even paid attention to it. Let me just still play that game. Yeah. That still matter to somebody. Right. Their best chance to win that game once Haskins was hurt was to put Case Keenham in the game. Good point. If you wanted to win the game.

Yeah, if you really, really thought that Callahan and the organization was thinking that this was a playoff game, they had to win the game. Then if he were seriously injured, they would have yanked him to put the guy that they actually think right now is better than Jane anyway. Yeah. And Haskins, they would have. It's a good point. And look, and here's the other thing I want to ask you. I know you're not a big Bill Callahan fan. and I love the guy.

How come the defense is playing better with Callahan in there? So, I mean, you didn't listen to the podcast or the radio show yesterday. You know, I have things to do. I know you do. But for... You know, I'm a busy man. But so for... There's many demands on my time.

I know there are. You're very important. Yes. And if we're not sure, just ask him. And he'll tell you how important he is. So I said yesterday, like, I'm not a Callahan fan. I think if God forbid they brought him back, it would be an utter disaster. I think we'd be sitting here a year from now having the same conversations, maybe not about a three and ten team, but about a five and eight team or a six and seven team.

And so I don't want him back. I'm not overly impressed with him. I don't think he is a head coach in the NFL at this point in his life. With that said, you know, you'd be an idiot not to say that this team now, after the last three games in particular, isn't a better team than, they were early in the season with Jay Gruden coaching it, that they're not a more physical team, that they're not a better team defensively, that they're not a better and more sort of philosophy-based team offensively of being physical and trying to run the football. Like, you know, I give him credit for that. I give him credit for the Carolina game being down 14-0-0. Being down 14-0 the other day.

You know, most two and nine teams last week, most three-and-nine teams this week, down 14-0-0. consecutive weeks, you know, most of them bail. You know, most of them then get, you know, absolutely thumped, you know, 35 to 7. And in both of those games, they came back and won the game last week against Carolina. And on Sunday, I never thought they were going to win the game. I never had that sense. Sort of felt like the Minnesota and Buffalo games a little bit, that they were in it score-wise. But I didn't feel like they could win the game, but still, they were in it. They were playing hard. I know that you mock that and you, mock the effort stuff.

But, you know, I think there are times where you can see a team that's thrown in a towel and has given up on the season and it has major issues. And that's not what you saw from this team last week or this week. That's because Bill. I give him credit. I give him Minnowski some credit too. No, Minoski's the same defensive coordinator who was there when they were terrible. Okay, that's fine.

But here's the thing. You know, still, at the end of the day, they're 3 and 10. He's 3 and 5 since they became. since he became head coach. And the three wins are over the dolphins, the lions, and the Panthers. Backup quarterbacks in every stuff. And back up quarterbacks in all three games. And they really didn't have a chance to beat Minnesota, Buffalo, or Green Bay.

I mean, the score, if they had recovered an onside kick, who knows. And the defense once again gave up an end of the game six-minute-plus drive down one possession, in terms of the score, 17 to 9 at the time. But no, I mean, like, you know, Doc's been all over Callahan, and he's really dubbed him to be the guy that he wants. He really, Doc wants him back. You know, I thought it was Schick at first. It's not.

He believes in him. But I also know that Doc and Brian, you know, they really couldn't stand Gruden. They really thought Camp Gruden was a big part of why this team sucked. Well, it's not Camp Callahan anymore. There is a discipline. There is something going on there that's different. It's not good enough, though.

No? Oh, Tommy, come on. No? You cannot bring Bill Callahan back as the head. First of all, he is totally clueless when it comes to the management of the clock and the timeouts. Again, on Sunday, it was embarrassing. Yeah, but that makes him no different than anybody else. It makes him no different than 50% of the guys in the league.

But whatever. he's not coming back. Well, if there's a house cleaning, he's not coming back. I think Dan likes Callahan and respects Callahan, though. I do think that. The question, though, is what does Alex think? That's right. The question could be what does Alex Smith think about,

I think Alex Smith likes Haskins. The question would be, what does Alex Smith think about Callahan? And remember, and knowing that Alex Smith likes Haskins, it all goes hand in hand with you don't have to go somebody that buys into Haskins. You don't have to worry about the guy that you might want that says, no, I'm, you know, if we have a chance to draft Joe Burrow, we're drafting Joe Burrow, which they should. I am more encouraged by Dwayne Haskins, and I think the jury's, but the jury's clearly still out, and I would still bet against it being elite or being, you know, top 10.

But I'm encouraged by some of the things I've seen. There's no way if I'm the Redskins and I have a chance to draft Joe Burrow, number one overall, that I would pass on Joe Burrow. Well, they're not going to have that chance. They're not going to have a chance. I agree with you. That's the guy I wouldn't pass on it. One last thing. Looks like Aaron Rogers to me. About the Redskins. Yeah. I was so right about Matt Ionitis. Yes, you were? I mean, so right. He's a good, he's a damn good player. He is so good. He should go to the pro ball this year. He's not going to. But he, he's got that kind of potential. Yes.

And so do Alan and so does pain. Yeah, but Ionitis is their best defensive lineman. It's, you know what? On some days, I think you're right. On other days, I think it's pain in terms of the talent. On other days, I think it's Alan. What Ionitis does better than anybody is he collapses the pocket, man. He is a true interior pocket rusher.

Well, Gordon said he was the strongest guy in the team. I know. Yeah. He's having a great year. A great year. All right, anything else Redskins related? Because I want to get to the Strasbourg thing. The Eagles won last night just real quickly on that game.

They stink. Yeah, they do. I mean, with that said, last year they were six and seven also. And then they pretty much got to nine and seven. And they won a playoff game and had New Orleans dead to right. You know, if not for the drop pass by, I think it was Alshon Jeffrey? Was it Jeffrey or Aguilar? One of those two dropped a pass against the Saints.

the playoff game when they were going in to take the lead. You know, things change in the NFL. It's a week-to-week league. Could the Eagles get hot? Do they have, is Wentz capable of getting hot that he is? But God, they looked horrible in that first half. I stayed up and watched that whole game. And can I make one other comment?

And I can, and I will, because it's my podcast. This is really strange. Tell me what you think about this particular feature. that I had watching the Eagles last night. I understood the draft significance. The Redskins could still lose to the Giants and finish in front of draft position-wise the Giants that they lose to the Giants in two weeks.

I don't want the NFC to look so bad. NFC East, excuse me. I get that. I want either the Cowboys or the Eagles to end up with a nine and seven record. You know, I mean, the NFC East has a proud tradition. And you don't want to be embarrassed by, by your conference that you're in, your division that you're in. I mean, it used to be, it was the gold standard in the league.

At the end of that game, I was thinking, you know what, I hope that Dallas and Philadelphia play in two weeks, and they both have seven and seven records so that the winner gets to eight and seven and has a chance to get to nine and seven. And I'm sitting there going, why do I feel that way? I'm curious if anybody else out there is a Redskinned fan, long-time Redskin fan, if you had this, a similar feeling. Just tweet me because I'm curious as to whether anybody else felt that way.

Because I thought it was such a random way to feel, and I didn't think anybody else would identify with that. But I don't want the NFC East to be six and ten or seven and nine as a division winner. That goes to teams like the Carolina Panthers and like the NFC West when it was terrible there for a few years. Part of the greatness of the Redskins in the 80s was the fact that the Cowboys, the Giants, and the Eagles. 70s, 80s, 90s, yeah. Yeah. I mean, that was part of what made it so great. It was like every time there was a division game, it was like a heavyweight title fight.

You know, it's strange. And you know, I felt this way about Maryland in the ACC, that it was part of my fan identity, the ACC. Right. And part of my fan identity is the NFC East. And the NFC East being perceived as a marquee brand of a division. Like, if you think. think we've had this conversation before, I believe, but when you think about divisions or conferences that are true brands, ACC basketball, all right, SEC football, the NFC East, the American League East,

you know, these are like real brands that are associated with conferences and divisions. And one of the reasons for that is, you know, they've had heavyweight teams over the years, you know. Now you've been reduced. The last thing I wanted to see is the NFC East be the first division to produce a 6-10 winner. Now you've been reduced to club fighters. That's what you, from heavyweight fighters to club fighters. But it changes year to year, it changes so quickly year to year. You know, how come if it changes quickly?

The Redskins don't change? How come nothing happened? No change happens with the Redskins. I don't know. They're part of that group that never. It's like the Patriots are at the top that rarely change. and then there are a couple teams at the bottom rarely change. And I know people are going to say,

you're so critical because they were seven and nine. It's not like they've been three and 13. No, they haven't been. But they're going to be three and 13 or four and 12 this year. And they were three and 13 in 2013. And they were four and 12 in 2014. And then we got Kirk Cousins. Okay.

Well, I bet you wish we had Kirk back, everybody. You know what? Somebody really called me out so well this morning on Twitter. Hold on. I'm going to find it real quickly because it made me laugh so hard. Hold on. Let me find it. So this morning I was talking about, and I felt this way all year.

I've said it on the podcast too, that I really didn't think that Minnesota was going to be a playoff team this year. I didn't pick them to make the playoffs. I thought there was something wrong there. It didn't seem right. It didn't seem right for Kirk. It didn't. And then as I've watched them throughout the game. the year, he's actually played very well. But I think their defense is fraudulent. I've watched

the Vikings enough to know that they're very inconsistent, especially in their secondary. You know, they're the number one penalized team on pass plays defensively in the NFL. And I just have this sense that they're not a legitimate threat. And I've said that. And Greg, you know, this morning said we were talking about our final four teams, like two in the AFC, two in the NFC, and he said, what about Minnesota? I'm like, I don't believe in them. I really don't. So the incomparable CJ, who we know on Twitter, we knew Kevin Sheehan was a contrarian better. Didn't know he was a hedging expert too, because when Kirk wins, it's a 15 minutes of C told you he was great. Hashtag stats, which really made me laugh. And when he loses against winning teams or in big games,

said I didn't like the Vikings this year. And with a laughing emoji, and I responded, ah, you got me. I am not hedging as much as I, because I really don't think, in fact, I have this weird feeling they're going to throw up all over themselves down the stretch here and the Rams are going to make the playoffs and they're not. But just to be clear, I am rooting for Kirk cousins to play well and for his team to make the playoffs. Every year when the Redskins are out of it, I look for something to root for. It's been so many years the Chargers, and as people have referred to my

AFC girlfriend, Philip Rivers, the Chargers are out of it. They play the Vikings this week, so I've got Kirk against Philip Rivers. I'm rooting for the Vikings to win because they've got a chance to make the postseason. The Chargers haven't. But I'm such a huge NFL fan,

and this season's a great season, and there's a lot left to it. It's going to be great. And I usually find a team that I believe in, or there's a player or a coach that I like that I'm rooting for. So yeah, and I've done this in the past. Do you know that when the Cleveland Browns had Mark Mosley as their kicker, remember when he left the Redskins?

And Mosley was their kicker in that playoff game, double overtime game against the Jets in 86, and he missed like three field goals, but he finally made one in the second overtime to win. I was a massive Browns fan because I was rooting for Mosley. Who was the quarterback? Bernie Cozard. Was it Bernie?

Yeah, yeah. That was, that 86, that was before the drive. That was the game before they lost to Denver at home. Now that was Marty to coach or Sam? Marty. Marty was the coach. Yeah, Marty was the coach. Okay.

Yeah, that was the Cozar Browns that lost back-to-back AFC championship games to Denver. Okay. You know, in 86, they lost in the drive, and in 87, they lost in the fumble. And Mosley was the kicker in 86. The skins had released him the year before or early in that, maybe that particular year. That would have been the first year.

No, that was not the first year of Loh Miller. No, that's when they went through all of the, what you call it, brothers. The Zendahas. The Zendahas brothers. They went through a lot of Zendahas's over the course of a few years. But, you know, I have always at the end of the year when my team's been out, you know, and the Redskins were in it in 86, okay, they were involved. But, you know, when Rippin quarterbacked a couple of teams late in the season,

including the Indianapolis Colts one year, I was so rooting for Ripon to do well. When Monk was in New York and when Gary Clark, you know, was in Arizona, Dexter in Arizona, I was always rooting for those players. So many have been like your infatuation with Kirk now that he's not a Redskin is ridiculous. Well, no, I've actually been that way a lot over the years

with players who were Redskins that I really liked. You know, Monk, Clark, Manly, Ripon, all come to mind as guys that, you know, when they went to other places, I was really rooting for them to do well. And I am with Kirk, too. This is a bit disingenuous. What is? No, it's not.

Yes, it is. I'll tell you why. Okay. Minnesota versus the Redskins. Kirk versus the Redskins. Who are you rooting for? With the Redskins out of it right now, Minnesota. Okay.

Well, then, I mean... Yeah, no, no. Well, but I'm rooting for the Redskins. That's a little bit different. I've been rooting for the Redskins to lose here this year anyway. I want to complete... Now, next year, if they've... If they've got a new front office and Eric B. Enemies the coach, and we got a new start,

and Dan's apologized to all the fans for the last 20 years, and he's owned the last 20 years, and he provides a new GM with contractual autonomy, and he promises to stay out of it, I'll probably get suckered into buying into rooting really hard and saying, all right, we got a shot now. And next year, if they actually had a meaningful game against the Vikings, no chance. Okay. No chance. But if they came in here, if they had the Redskins on the schedule this year.

I know. If they had the Redskins on the schedule at the end of the year to get into the playoffs with the Redskins being, you know, 3 and 11, I absolutely would be rooting for the Vikings. There you go. That's enough on that. Real quick word about mybooky.orgie.ag. It's an exciting time for sports. Really exciting for the NFL as we approach the, you know, December.

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That means if you deposit $2,000, you'll get an extra $1,000 in free money to play with. All you've got to do is use my promo code, Kevin D.C., K-E-V-I-N-D-C, to activate the offer. Once again, Kevin D.C. at mybooky.orgie. All right, let's get to Strasbourg, Tommy. That's a lot of money. $245 million for seven years. Did you think he was going to get that kind of deal? No, I didn't think he'd get that much money.

I thought that he'd be back of the two free agents, Strasbourg and Rendon. I thought that Strasbourg was the most likely one to come back. That is a ton of money. You know, I've raised concerns about the expiration date on guys who have had Tommy John surgery. You know, how long do they last before they need another one? Strasbourg has started, I think, 240 games, including the playoffs. Since Tommy John's surgery, I think had like 1,400 innings since then. You know, so, I mean, that kind of commitment, seven years, that kind of money for a guy who, you know, is that removed from the Tommy John surgery, normally would be a big risk.

But then part of me also says nobody knows Strasbourg's medical situation better than the nationals, obviously. they know the player, they know his medicals. Mike Grizzow knows what the risk is for an investment like that. So you got to think that they think that it's worth the risk. Because look, I'm against long-term investments against pitchers in pitchers, unless it's your pitcher. Because then you know the guy better than anybody. And you know, you know the likelihood of what could happen. into him down the line.

So this is their guy. They know his medicals better than anybody. They decided that it's worth the risk. I mean, it's great for the fan base. I wrote a column saying, you know, the other day saying that the learners, you know, they can't run their baseball team like a mall. They have an opportunity here to, to, if they can, if they can like become the baseball team in baseball, the dominant team in baseball for the next couple years.

They have an opportunity here to plant long-lasting, important roots in this town that could be game-changing, given the competition they're dealing with. I mean, what's better than one world series? Two-world series, you know? So they have an opportunity to do that, but it was important, I think, to bring both Strasbourg and Rendon back in order to do that. they've done that with Strasbourg and he's the easier one because he clearly loves it here. Yeah, he loves it here. He loves it here. But doesn't Rendon like it here too?

Look, it nobody knows what Rendon likes. I mean, I remember you telling me, though, maybe a year ago that you didn't think that Rendon, you thought Rendon was a guy that didn't like change, didn't want the limelight, wasn't going to fall in love with a New York or a Boston or in L.A. and would ultimately, you know, be, end up where he's comfortable, and that is here. But that, but their biggest competition is the Texas Rangers.

Yeah. I mean, you know, Texas, I mean, he's from Houston. Right. So, I mean, it's not like it's right next door, but at least it's in the same state. And I think, you know, I don't, I'm not sure Rendon is particularly close to anyone on the team. You know, the Nationals did a smart thing a couple years ago by making him their designated player to connect with the Youth Academy to try to. establish roots for him here and a connection.

And he did embrace that. But again, I just think he's the kind of guy who I just don't think he feels any kind of his best friend of all the years he played on the Nationals was Daniel Murphy. And he saw Daniel Murphy go from the Mets to the Nationals to the Rockies. So he understands that, you know. That was his best friend? Yeah. Yeah, I mean, Rendon is a very devout Christian.

Yeah. And so is Daniel Murphy. And they shared that. That was a real important connection. Daniel Murphy, a Catholic? I don't know if he's a Catholic. But they shared that, and that was very important to both of them. So he's seen his best friend go from, you know, one team to another team to another team.

He understands how that goes. And so I just think, now it's interesting because Mark Lerner, in this interview that he did with NBC Sports Washington. I don't know if it's aired yet, but when they released part of it. Donald Dell did the interview. Yeah, I don't know what that's about. But, you know, he said we can't.

I saw Donald Dell dinner the other night. Really? Well, I didn't say hello to him, but he was in the same restaurant. He said we can't afford, Mark Lerner said we can't afford both of them. Well, you know, that's not true. They can afford both of them. Of course they can.

They're rich. Yeah. I mean, that's true. And they just probably made about $30, 40 million dollars extra in revenue. We saw a Rizzo said about that, did you? Yeah, he tried to diffuse it. And they said that the structures of the deal, which, by the way, the Strasbourg deal included $80 million of deferred money. Yes.

To 2028 through 2030. What was the Harper? Wouldn't it like 2070 or something like that? Yeah. But I might want to point out, I might want to point out that the same formula they use for present-day value in the Strasbourg thing. The formula that you use for present-day value was a Major League Baseball Players Association formula. Okay. And that formula had the Harper contract at 267.

million dollars. I don't want to go back and re-litigate that. My point is that Rizzo was saying that the way that we've structured the deals should allow us for the ability to go after Redone. That he didn't really you know, Lerner didn't really agree necessarily with that. Well, but he

We've only seen the headline. But Mark's not to sign, I mean, Mike's not signing a check. Yeah. It's, it's Mark Lerner. And again, the learners dictate a lot of stuff and they have to they have determined, I think. And like, one of things he did say was that Mark Lerner also supposedly said, you know, it's not one-sided.

The player has to want to play here. That's right. He did say that. And I don't think Rendon doesn't want to play in Washington, but I don't think you're, I don't think you're going to be able to tap into any kind of special feeling for Rendon to take a deal that's more, that's more team friendly than Strasbourg did. I think Rendon is gone. I think, I think, I think that's a. missed opportunity for one thing that they could have signed him when they were the only team able to talk to him. Yeah.

Like in spring training, they could have signed him. I will really, really be upset. I'm expecting it now because all of the tea leaves have sort of indicated that Rendon's not coming back. I'll be disappointed, though. Man, what a great player, what a clutch player. What a player in terms of tied to just one of the great. memories in DC sports history, and immediately he leaves. It just, I said to you the other day

that it would be really truly deflating if both of them were gone. I'm glad Strasbourg's back, and I'm, I want to just get to him here in a moment in a little bit more detail. But, man, Anthony Rendon is just everything you would want in like a, to me, he's like the Kauai Leonard. You know, I love Kauai Leonard. Like he's so great, but he's so. so unassuming and it's never about him and, you know, all the things that old people like about great players. I like about Anthony Rendon, you know, so anyway. But the thing is also with Rendon is you've got this dynamic of two players at the Nationals draft in the back-to-back years, Bryce Harper and Anthony Rendon walking away. And that's a bad look. I mean, you know, that, I mean, that tells fans

that they can't keep the stars that they fall in love with. Now, they couldn't keep all of them, obviously, but Rendon was not Harper, and Rendon was a guy that if they had made the investment when they had him under control, it would have cost them a lot less money. And they should have had the foresight to see that Rendon, based on his track record,

was capable of the kind of year he had this year, and is capable of more years. like that throughout his career. So it's the disappointment of that. And I'm sure there's some fans that are thinking, well, you know, Juan Soto will be here another five years maybe. And then he's gone. Is that what's going to happen?

I know. You start thinking, look, you know, it was only, it was in May when they were floundering, and they hadn't brought Harper back, and now they were in danger of losing Rendon. And Scher was being talked about as a potential trade deadline guy that the franchise looked like. It was on the verge of being in tatters in terms of perception of it. And then, you know, obviously they go on that crazy run.

They get to the playoffs. They win the World Series. So losing Rendon now is a lot different than losing Rendon if you didn't have a world championship to go with it. But, you know, whatever. It seems to be that sport. You get big-name players that should stay in certain places or you perceive them to be players that are built for certain markets

and then they leave. Happens all the time. The nationals are a unique situation. Baseball in Washington was here for decades, and then it wasn't. For like 33 years, it wasn't. And the learners still haven't gotten this, this notion that, I mean, there's no other market like this in baseball that went through something like that. And they have a unique opportunity to jump, to jump, I mean, huge jump forward in,

in their place in this town. Yeah. If they build a perennial World Series contender, if they build a team that goes back to the world. I know, well, but no one, I mean, they were a first round exit team. Now they're going to be looked. But they're in the hunt like almost every year. Yes, they are.

Like Mike Rizzo says, and rightfully so, they're the second winningest team in baseball since 2012. But attendance was down to almost 2.1 million this year. TV ratings, they were outrated by the Orioles that lost 108 games. So that narrative wasn't worth. It's a unique fan base that still has to be nurtured. I'm sorry, but I don't know why they don't understand that. Well, you got to tell them.

I do all the time and they don't listen. You know, it's funny. At the World Series documentary premiere, after it was over, there was an elevator with Mark Lerner and some of the other learners and Bob Tannenbaum who's the brother-in-law Right

And very nice guy I mean all the learners are nice guys I really I mean they're always very pleasant Mark's always pleasant Yeah very very nice individuals All of them But their elevator is packed And I'm and I say that's okay

I'll wait And Bob Tannenbaum insisted I ride down with them remember you told me. On the elevator. It was so it was all you got to do to impress Tommy. It was so bizarre. Give me a good parking place. Give me a space on the elevator. I'm happy. It's

his simplicity that makes him so complex. On Strasbourgville, you know, he has become one of the best big game clutch performers in sports. He just has been. And his

game six in the World Series against the Astros, I don't think I'm being hyperbolic. I don't think this is major exaggeration because I felt that way that night that it was one of the all-time DC sports moments. You know, we went through, remember, and we sort of ranked all of those October moments. And that was, for me, the number two moment that I'll never forget. Kendrick's Grand Slam in game five in Dodger Stadium was number one.

But there were so many to choose from, you know, getting to Josh Hader in the wildcard game. But what Strasbourg did in this postseason, you know, starting with the relief appearance, in the wild card game against Milwaukee, pitching three innings, two hits, no runs, dominant. You know, keeping that lead, the Milwaukee lead to three to one before they had the rally in the eighth against Hader. The game two in Dodger Stadium in that next series, when they lost game one, and he gave up a couple of runs,

and then he was dominant, and they won, which was really, you know, if you go back and talk about some of the great games on that run, that Friday night, 4 to 2, Nats winning game two, That was a phenomenal baseball game. Yes, it was. But, you know, there he was in game six, a moment. Like the Cubs moment from a few years ago, game four down two one on the road at Wrigley, got a win to extend the season.

That's a big moment. But you're talking about being down three to in the world series, facing elimination after your team has lost three games in a row at home. And your team looks like you're about to get beat. Like it felt going back to Houston that they were going to get beat. beat. And that game did not start well for him. Remember, he was tipping his pitches. Oh, yeah. And Paul Menhart, you know, one of my favorite stories from Menhart after that game, or after the series, it may have been after that game six, was we debated whether or not to tell him that he was

tipping his pitches. And I thought to myself, debating it. What do you mean debating it? You've got to tell him right away, which they did. And then he was dominant. But can you imagine in all times, story of the Nats lose game six, and Paul Menhart and others in the Nats organization knew he was tipping his pitches, which is why he got beat early, and they didn't tell him because they thought it might shake him somehow. I don't know. But Menhart, you know, told him. And then Strasbourg, basically, after giving up two runs on two hits in the first inning, he takes that game into the ninth. He goes seven in a third of lights out. And remember a moment, Tommy, there were a couple of moments. He struck out Carlos Correa to escape a two-on, two-out jam.

But it was the moment in the fifth when the game's still tight. And Al-Tuve, who's been the clutch hitter for them, is up with runners on second and third and with just one out. And he gets him on what turned out, the change-up and the curveball were just unhittable. And that curveball was in the dirt, and Al-Tube is chasing it. And Strasbourg got through that inning, and you're like, oh, my God, this guy delivers. And I read this quote this morning on the air when I was talking about Strasbourg because I had it in my notes about game six because I think that that game was really an all-timer in our city and in an all-time performance. A.J. Hinch said after the game, he said, that guy has an uncanny ability to slow the game down when he's under any duress.

And you think about just Strasbourg's career of being delicate, of being shaken by everything. Yes. And now he's out there in the biggest moment the sport can produce. You know, down 3-2 in game 6 of the World Series. And he's given up a couple of runs early. And then he's able to slow everything down and just go out there and be badass dominant, which he was. And he ended up pitching into the ninth. He would have pitched a complete game had that score been tighter. But remember, they pulled them with one out in the ninth because they figured we might need him in game seven.

You know, went 5 and 0 in the postseason, first pitcher in history to go 5 and 0 in the postseason. Also had a 1.98 ERA in 6 total postseason outings in October, which included the relief appearance in the wildcard game. His ERA in the postseason of 1.46 is second all-time to Sandy Koufax. I know. He has become, and this cemented it. the best big game pitcher in the sport. You had to re-sign him. I don't care about Tommy John surgery.

There's too much that's unknown about the risks of what he might be two, three years from now. I love Rendon and I want Rendon back. I would have been crushed had Strasbourg not re-signed. I can't wait until he pitches for the first time next year. I can't wait until he pitches in the postseason next year. I want him to get back to the postseason. it'll be so huge the anticipation for it, much bigger than it was this year.

I compared it to remember the Caps when they played Carolina last year after being Stanley Cup champions and trying to defend it, how big that series was. If the Nats get into the postseason next year, it will be massive, even more massive than it was before this postseason. And just to see the best big game pitcher in the sport pitching for this team again, I'm so happy he's staying. Well, I'm happy staying too.

I've always liked them. I've always had a good relationship with Strasbourg. And over the years, I found that be more insightful than he led on. Except you saw a lot of that insight in some of his quotes during the postseason this year. He became obviously much more relaxed. You know, in a way, this year and what we saw in the playoffs was the pitcher that we've been waiting for since the 2009 debut. since the debut against Pittsburgh. I mean, he's been great since then.

Yeah. He's been great sometimes, good other times, but there's always been a question mark. And, and I mean, because he came out of, I mean, front, you know, like cover Sports Illustrated, the highest, the most highly touted pitcher out of college in decades, you know. So he finally realized the expectations that everybody had for him when he had that rookie debut. against the pirates. I don't want to tread on sacred ground here, but his run in the playoffs this year

over three different, over the Wild Card, the Division Series. No, four, if you take the Wild Card. They count the Wild Card as a series, but, you know, it's a game. Is it similar to what Rigo did in the playoffs that year in the first Super Bowl season? I mean, where he, I mean, against Minnesota and Detroit.

Yeah, it was Detroit, Minnesota, and then Dallas, and then Miami in the Super Bowl. I mean, Riggins, I think, still holds the record for the most rushing yards in a postseason, in a single postseason. Well, I think to me, those are the three greatest weeks in Washington sports. Yeah, I mean, of course. I mean, that first Super Bowl, winning that first Super Bowl, and beating Dallas in the NFC championship game is, for me, as a sports fan,

as a Washingtonian, it's the greatest moment of my sports. fandom, you know, being a sports fan in D.C. That January is the greatest. And Rigo's run, to me, he's always going to be all-time for it because he delivered in the clutch he wanted it. And Strasbourg's very similar. Very similar. Not personality-wise. No, not at all. Not at all. But in what he accomplished? I mean, he had the greatest postseason pitching performance ever. Nobody's ever gone five and oh. Yeah. So yeah, they're comparable. Yeah. Definitely comparable. Um, okay, uh, quick reminder that we've got an app.

You can get it, uh, on your iPhone through the app store, uh, on your Android through the Google store. Um, it works. You guys have liked it. You don't have to use it, but if you're looking for another way to listen to the podcast, you can do it that way. I've got two things before to wrap it up for today. And I got something to before we wrap it up. So we didn't mention RG3 in the possibility of him starting Thursday night. Yeah, we didn't. Yeah. I think Aaron and I talked about it before the show, uh, started. So Lamar Jackson's got an injured quad. He didn't practice yesterday. RG3 took all of the reps. They're playing the Jets on Thursday night, short week. You know, Aaron said it. I totally agree with him. If he's not 100 percent, why would you even play Lamar Jackson if you're the Ravens?

You're playing the Jets at home. Why risk Lamar Jackson? I agree with that. I mean, Lamar Jackson, you want his legs to be healthy. Which sets it up for a potential Robert Griffin, the third start. I'm rooting for that. Thursday night football. I don't know. what the outcome will be, but I'm rooting for that scenario. I am absolutely convinced to this day that if he had not been empowered by the owner, if he didn't have sort of some self-destructive tendencies, I think if he had stuck with Mike and Kyle that they could, you know, he was always injury prone, he sort of had that track body, he was breakable, I get all that, but it would have turned out much better for him in the long run. And he had, but he had, but he,

had to be committed to playing that football, and we know that he wasn't. Right. He went in on that day in whenever it was February or January, you know, after that rookie season, and he basically, you know, called the meeting with Mike and with Kyle and Matt Lafleur and, you know, wrote on a whiteboard the plays that were not going to be in the playbook the following year. Can you imagine? But it's true. We know this to be a true story. And never forget that.

Never forget that. So. And basically, he was doing. what the owner pretty much told him to do. Yeah, he absolutely was. And if that hadn't happened, and if he had stuck with that style of play and continued to be groomed by two of the best when it comes to quarterback play, it would have turned out well for him.

So now if he gets this start Thursday night playing in that system that suits him, you know, the Lamar Jackson-Baldimore offense, I think he has a chance to succeed. I do think that Lamar Jackson's a better pocket. passer and a better thrower altogether. But Griffin always had a good arm and always had an accurate arm. You know, so it would be interesting to see because it would also be an opportunity for him. If he played really well, he's a free agent.

To be a potential starter next year somewhere. Yes, it would. The last thing I wanted to mention before you get to your last thing, did you see Friday night, Aaron, we didn't talk about this yesterday, I don't believe. Chris Paul and the Thunder are playing the Tim. number wolves in Oklahoma City. This is the NBA, right? This is the NBA. I'm not familiar with that league.

I know I used to be familiar with an NBA. So at the very end of the game, Chris Paul sees Jordan Bell come out onto the floor with about 1.1 seconds to go. Minnesota's at the free throw line. It's Carl Anthony Towns who's at the free throw line. They're up two, I think. And Jordan Bell comes out under the floor with his shirt untucked. It's a delay of game penalty when you come out onto the floor.

floor with your shirt untucked. It's an NBA rule. You've got to tuck your shirt in before you check into the game. When you walk out onto the floor, it's a delay of game. Well, a delay of game had already been called on Minnesota earlier in the game. So when Jordan Bell walked out onto the floor, there's video and sound, natural sound. You can hear Chris Paul, who's on the free throw line before these free throws start saying to Scott Foster, the referee, his shirt's untucked. His shirt's untucked. That's a technical foul. That's a tee. You got to tee him up. And they did. They teed Jordan Bell up.

And so they made a free throw to cut it to one. And then Carl Anthony Towns made the free throw. They're up two. They went length of the floor and Dennis Schrooter hit a shot to force overtime at the buzzer. And the Thunder won the game in overtime. So Chris Paul, after the game, was asked about it. And he said, I knew the rule. And they said, well, did you know in a delay of game had already been called?

He said, of course I did. You knew everything. It was really ironic for me because it came the night after or the day after we had discussed, I think we had discussed together, that LeBron James basically went out onto the floor in his socks, was four feet from the actual action going on on his end of the floor. And we did talk about this on Thursday, right? And they didn't do anything about it. They didn't do anything about it.

And then you saw his phony baloney Instagram the next day where he, did you see, I did this on Friday, so you weren't here. So the LeBron James Instagram to all the criticism of him coming on the floor. Did you see that, Tommy, or not? No, I didn't see that. Hold on. The Instagram response from LeBron to, you remember the Utah Jazz announcers that got, you know, said that he was disrespecting the game and they were upset about him coming out on the floor.

So his Instagram Friday, Tommy, I mean, you talk about needy, man. This was his Instagram response. Imagine doing your job at the highest level to where you're not needed anymore. He's referring to himself playing so well that he's at the bench because the game's a blowout. Giving your shoes to a little girl and boy who you inspire and hoped you made proud that night. Then cheering on your teammates because you love seeing them succeed more than yourself, only to be criticized while doing it. People, it's the world we live in and you can't let it ever stop you from your purpose in life. Negativity, bad energy, hate, envy, et cetera, et cetera.

We'll try to bring you down throughout your journey and it's up to you on how you handle it. I handle it by simply saying, thank you with a smile on my face and continue to push forward while doing it. Live, laugh, love. It was so disingenuous because he's smart. He knows what the criticism was. The criticism was not about him giving his shoes to a little girl or boy, or it wasn't about him cheering on his teammates. The criticism specifically from many, including me,

was that he came out onto the floor with the action going on on the end of the floor near him with his socks on waving a towel. You know, there's a shot somebody put out a shot. I didn't see this until after the show on Friday, where you see the guy who had his shot blocked by Kuzma, twice. Before he gets a block for a second, he looks briefly to make a pass, and LeBron's in his periphery. And so that may be one of the reasons he went back up with the shot, because he thought that LeBron was a player on the floor and would have picked off the pass. But he had a wide-open

shooter out on the wing, and he didn't pass it to him. So a lot of people really went after LeBron for that response, including Craig Bolerjack. I think that's his name, Aaron, who's the Utah Jazz guy that he was criticizing. He said, you know, no offense. You're You're the greatest, you're the king, but no one was criticizing you for cheering on your teammates. We're criticizing you because you're out on the floor as a sixth man. But I just thought it was very ironic that Chris Paul gets a technical foul called for somebody who's on the floor legally, but he's got his shirt untucked. And LeBron James is out there as the sixth guy and waving a towel with his socks on.

And no one will even consider finding him or giving him a tea. So anyway, the Chris Paul thing, I just thought was in. interesting. You know, Chris Paul is not a, he's not a well-liked NBA player, but he is really smart. And he's going to be a, I think he's going, like Rondo, it's the same way I feel about Rondo. I think he's going to be a very good coach, a really good coach. Rondo is going to be a phenomenal coach. He's actually had almost a- You have to get along with people to be a good coach. I know, but now Rondo is getting along with people later in his career. You know, all the young people on the Lakers last year loved Rondo. couldn't stand LeBron, you know, the team they had last year.

Anyway, you said you had one more thing before we get out here. Well, no, I just wanted to mention that, you know, because I forget to do this sometimes, because I'm not, you know, that much of a self-promoter, you know. Right. I mean, so I wanted to mention, you can hear me on 1067 the fan, Wednesday afternoons with Chad Dukes and Saturday mornings from 9 to 12 with Nick Ashu, and you could read my columns in the Washington Times, Washington Times, and times.com slash sports.

There you go. And for those of you that don't know, I'm back on radio. Been back on radio for four months now. August, September, October, October, four and a half months on 980, 7 to 10 a.m. Weekday mornings, I'm enjoying it, and I enjoy doing this too. Thanks to all of you. Thanks to Aaron. Back tomorrow, I think Cooley's going to be on with me tomorrow.

So tune in for that. That's it. That's all I got. you got something else. No apology day. Have a great day, everybody.