The Kevin Sheehan Show - Commander Carson, Sweet 16, and NFL OT

Episode Date: March 25, 2022

Kevin with Chris Russell and Scott Van Pelt today. Kevin and Chris talked mostly Washington Commanders but some Caps too. Scott Van Pelt with Kevin on the Sweet 16, Kevin Willard, and Carson Wentz. Kevin with his guess on where the NFL will go next year on its overtime rule.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

You don't want it. You don't need it. But you're going to get it anyway. The Kevin Cheon Show. Here's Kevin. Scott Van Pelt's going to be on the podcast today. We'll do all the college hoops talk, Sweet 16 talk with Scott. We'll also talk about the Kevin Willard hire.

And I know he wants to weigh in because I haven't had him on the show, radio or podcast since the Carson Wentz trade. So you'll hear what he said about that. We're going to start the show with my good friend Chris Russell. Chris, of course, hosts afternoon drive with Pete Medhurst on our station, the team 980. And you can hear that every day on 980 or by downloading the Odyssey app or going to the team 980.com. Chris and I have done so much work together over the years. And I'm just thinking, you know, I haven't had you on the radio show in a few months. months and I just said, well, to hell with that. Let's have him on the podcast. We can spend a little

bit more time with him. And I am going to ask you about the Washington Capitals here because Chris is pretty much the only person at the station that knows anything about hockey. Yeah, I think you would admit that, right? Pete, Pete doesn't know anything about it. Is Pete a hockey guy? Well, Mannerist actually knows a pretty good amount. Now, I don't know how he does. I mean, Kevin, you know, like I work with kind of a crazy man in the afternoon, you know. I mean, this guy's got 17,000 jobs. He calls water rugby and water polo every other night, and somehow he knows everything. Just ask him?

Yeah. Well, I mean, you know, back in the old days of 980, when Chris was working with us, Chris has gone from station to station over a long career here in town. But when he was with us at 980, there were really three people at the station that cared about hockey and knew about hockey. And it was Alcoq. It was Alcoquin, obviously, Scott Lynn and Chris. And you and I would get in the occasional argument in the bullpen about the NBA versus the NHL. But we're not going to start with hockey, if you don't mind, because I'd like the listeners to stay tuned in.

So whatever you want to do, Kevin, I am out. Matt, you're not a college basketball guy, so we'll skip that and we'll keep it with Scott coming up here in a little bit. I will tell you this real quickly, if you don't mind. I'm an Arkansas guy. I've got some family in Arkansas, so I've been really, like, I've watched a lot of Arkansas basketball over the last couple of years, and of course it paid off in last year's run to the elite eight. Now one step away from a final four. I mean, how cool would this be, right? I mean, Saturday night, and I picked on PBS or whatever it is, you know, you got Coach K sit on an even one, We know this is the end. You end Coach K, you repeat what happened back in the mid-90s when you had Corliss Williams and Big Natsby and all those guys playing at Arkansas, right? 40 minutes the bell. Musselman's not exactly 40 minutes of the bell, but they didn't get after it, as we all know on the defense event.

So I'm doing the little pitch silly thing, man. I'm all over it. I'm wearing an Arkansas hat right now, Kevin. What kind of family do you have in Arkansas? I have cousins. I have an aunt. Where do they live? Where do they live? They live in Little Rock. Okay.

All right. Here's one for you. Check this out, okay? So the Arkansas men's basketball team, they'll play like an occasional, you know, like one of those early season, you know, games in December, you know, late November. They'll play it in Little Rock. The football team used to play one game every year in Little Rock. They went away from that for a couple of years, but they, I think, went back there, if I'm not mistaken, last year.

And it's an older stadium. I've been right outside the stadium. I haven't been to a game because my schedule, you know, as you know, during the football season, and even during this time of the year, we're pretty busy, right? It's hard to travel. It's hard. I mean, you were gone for a family function for a week. How much stuff did you miss?

It was impossible to keep up. I was gone because of a family funeral, unfortunately, the week that they traded. for Carson went, Aaron Rogers signed back, Russell Wilson got traded, Deshawn Watson got cleared, baseball came back, and that was just the Pittsburgh. You know, it's hard.

So it's funny, because occasionally, whether it's on radio or on the podcast, I will reference my previous professional life where I spent a lot of time on the road. I spent in one of my previous jobs, I spent a lot of time with supermarket chains and retailers all over the country.

country and harvest foods people always laugh tom he always laughs because i know supermarkets in every single market in this country harvest foods was one of my clients and little rock and i used to go to little rock all the time and then walmart um they have you know walmart super centers which are supermarkets they became a client and i you in fayetteville basically you would fly into fayetteville to get to bentonville arkansas which is where um walmart is based in the far northwest corner of the state, and you would drive through this town called Springdale, Arkansas, where Tyson Foods is based on your way to Bentonville, and Fayetteville, you would drive right by the University of Arkansas. I have never been to a game, but, you know, the thing about Arkansas,

I'm going to share with everybody this story as well, you included. I went to high school with a guy by the name of Mark Pryor. Mark Hatt was a long, time senator for the state of Arkansas. His father was a longtime senator in the state of Arkansas, Democrat. And Mark went to the University of Arkansas. And so that was kind of the first experience I had in understanding what incredible sports fans they were. I mean, going all the way back to high school, Mark was older than I was. By the way, Mark dated my high school girlfriend before I dated my high school girlfriend. Anyway, I won't get into the details there, but Mark was a great guy.

Mark became a senator, and I remember so many conversations in high school. He was the biggest Arkansas fan. Now, what's interesting about Arkansas, it's one of those universities where, you know, this was back, by the way, when they were in the old Southwest conference with Texas and, you know, and Oklahoma when all those teams were, well, Oklahoma was in the in the, in the, in the, Big eight. But Texas was in the Southwest Conference with Arkansas. Texas and Arkansas, Chris, played a very famous game in 1969 when they were ranked one and two that Richard Nixon attended. It's a very famous college football game. Anyway, the Arkansas fan base, it's one of those college

fan bases that is almost equal into football as they are into basketball. Basketball, is a big deal for the University of Arkansas, even though they're in the SEC and football's everything except at Kentucky. They are big into their hoops. And they have had some great teams, national championship, obviously, under Nolan Richardson. But when you go back to the 70s, they had what they called the triplets, Marvin Delft, Sydney, Moncrief, and Brewer. I forget what Brewer's first name was.

And they were in a final four back in the 70s when I was a kid watching. college basketball for the first time. But that is one of those schools where, you know, there are a couple of them, right? Arizona's probably one of them where Michigan State, you could probably make that claim where basketball and football are equal in terms of the passion level of the fan base. Is that what your cousins say? Yeah, that's a really good point. I guess I never really thought about that. But it is, I mean, again, just because I watch a lot more of them then probably, I'd be honest with you, probably any other program in America, just because, you know, again, the family ties, and then I've just grown to kind of have an appreciation for them.

You're right. You know, usually at schools like you, of course, you know this at Maryland. Sure, football's important. It's a basketball school. Yeah. At Duke. Football is what football is. It's a basketball school.

You know, and there's countless examples of the opposite of that. We all know that. At Penn State, like basketball is a filler in football school, right? So at Arkansas, you're right, it probably is, you know, I mean, I guess football by inherent nature, just because you can get more people there is maybe more popular, but I would say it's much more the 50-50 split variety than, you know, kind of what you're getting at. And listen, Musselman, and you know this, kid, you've been around basketball, both college and the NBA a long time, you know, Muscleman, the hell of a coach.

First of all, he's got infectious energy, and just because he was fired by the Sacramento King and the old Golden State Warriors 20 years ago, 18 years ago, and because he's coached an A-A-A-U and San Francisco or in the Bay Area, like 15, 16 years ago, that doesn't mean that dude can't coach. That cat can roll, and he can get those guys to play defense, great defense, as we are. I think we all saw against Gonzaga. But if you watch them throughout the year, really for me, I mean, like if Arkansas is going beat Duke and Coach Kay's career. They're going to have to be better from the free throw line than I think they were last night, a little bit better on the offensive glass. And Notet, who's really

the guy that makes everything go. They have others, clearly. But Notet's got to shoot a little bit better. And of course, if he gets into any kind of foul trouble, which occasionally he'll do, even though he's a guard. So then, you know, you could be in some trouble. Look at you. I mean, you know, this has never. really been your thing. I've learned something new about Chris Russell. He's in Arkansas Razorbacks, Go Hogs fan. All right, let's talk football because that's what people want to hear us talk about. Tell everybody here on my podcast what your view of the Carson Wentz trade was. So it's funny because there's a station promo that was running around. And, you know, I said maybe a week

and a half before the actual trade, I said the worst case scenario I could draw up, Kemp, would be them getting Carson Wentz. And I feared the Carson Went edition all along. And this was, and when I said that, this was me thinking, God, there would be nobody stupid enough to trade for that contract and to give Indianapolis anything when everyone knew that Indianapolis was going to let him go. Why would you do that right now? The obvious answer to that is you control then the acquisition and you force him to play for you. So I do understand that. But my theory was, I didn't even want him as a free agent, never mind as a traded for assets. So I had to get past that, quite honestly. And I would say this, Kevin,

um, listen, and I think you probably agree. We all know he's a talent upgrade over Taylor Heineke. Nobody should ever question that. But I have two major questions. All the off-the-field stuff, And when I say off the field stuff, I don't mean like he's a bad dude or a criminal or driving drunk or anything like that. But it's just, you know, the character in the locker room, the dynamics, how you rub people, the right way, the wrong way, how you talk to people, how you take criticism. And I've struggled with that. You know that. Kevin, I've been honest about this. I've struggled with some of those things in my earlier career.

Now that I'm 48, I'm a lot more still. You know, I'm a lot. like things don't bother me as much, right? So we all learn as human being. So I'm hoping that's the case for Carson Wentz. You talk to some people they really like him. You talk to some other people, Kevin, that were in that building last year. Okay?

I'll just spend two people that were in that building, and they have significant concern. One even, you know, basically referred to him like it would be like getting a 22 Mustang with a gigantic dent in it. Yeah. That was the term that was used. to me. Yeah, you're talking about people in Indy. Yeah, people that are in that building, were in that building, absolutely. People that you would

think, you know, listen, even for a short amount of time, people that have a better sense, a better idea of what Carson Went is, then you know, then certainly you or I, or even Ron Rivera, to be honest with, you know, Ron's running around.

I know you have a lot of respect for Ron. You had Ron on your show every Friday, and Ron's a good dude. But, I mean, there's a lot of politician around, right? I mean, I think that's safe to say. You know, Ron turned around here said, I have no questions. I've no problems. You have the questions. I have no problems. I talk to, you know, Doug Peterson. I talk to Frank Reich. I, you know, look at what Darius Sanders said, listen, you could talk to everybody but Santa Claus, or maybe even include Santa Claus. That doesn't mean that they're going to tell you everything you need

to know. That doesn't mean that they're going to, you know, when Carson moves it, when the, when the commanders lose three games in a row, which is inevitable around here. And if Carson Wentz is partially, if not mostly the reason, what is Carson Wentz going to be like in early November, Dev? That's what I need to know. And that's, you know, it's all roses right now. But there's no pressure. There's no stress.

What happens then? That's what I need to know. Yeah, it's like I don't know why this conversation. There have been a couple of conversations here over the last 24 hours with Tommy and I that have just triggered people for some inexplicable reason. You people out there have to stop on this, you know, raising red flags on Carson Wentz. You're an idiot if you don't think and you're not concerned about why he was available after, you know, a year in Indy with his mentor and the guy that really wanted him.

And you can throw the Ursa shit at me all you want. bottom line is you don't move on from a guy if he's got a chance to be your guy for a first and a third round pick 12 months after you acquired him. And by the way, that doesn't even mention all the Philly stuff. You can, like we can all multitask here. You know, it's like major red flags, of course, and don't debate them people. They're all over him. This team was going to, more likely than not, release him. They couldn't wait to get him out of the building.

The general manager publicly was telegraphing that they were going to release him. The head coach apologized publicly for vouching for him. And that's before even getting to the Philadelphia stuff. But you can understand that and intellectualize that and then also say he's got talent, he's better than what they have. And who knows? Maybe this will be the place where he matures as a player and as a leader, et cetera. I mean, they have upgraded at a cost and we'll see what happens.

The other part of this, though, for me, has been, and I'm going to ask you what your view is, I just don't think that this should prevent them from drafting a quarterback in the first two rounds. if there's somebody there that they really like that has a big time ceiling. But I think a lot of our fan base have, well, you don't trade a second and a third round pick and take $28 million in a salary cap penalty and then also go draft a quarterback. And oh, by the way, this is what bothered him in Philadelphia, in Philly when they drafted Jalen Hertz. I think it would be insane if there's somebody there that they love. And I'm not advocating they draft somebody that they don't like for this, you know.

I'm talking about if they really loved Malik Willis, and he was there at 11, I think personally it would be insane for them to pass on him. What do you think? So here's the thing. From a football context, I absolutely agree with you. And Malik Willis, by the way, is not ready to play week one. Don't give me this nonsense that I went through on ESPN and throughout the whole national media were guys stomping off a camera or whatever last year because Matt Natty had the audacity to say that Justin Fields was. ready. Guess what? Justin Fields wasn't ready. And that was proven. That was known by football

people. And Justin Field wasn't even ready when he started, what he actually came in, okay? So to me, to me, from a football perspective, right, I totally agree, totally see, totally understand what you're seeing. Because as we know, one, a guy like Malik Willis from Liberty is going to take some time to develop, right? Being in film room, being in meetings, being in practice, even if he's just running scout team once the season starts or what have you, right? There's a lot you can absorb by being around different guys and in an NFL offense, so on and so forth. Here's the problem, Kevin. They're running around.

Like fans and media, right? We are running around and say, well, if it doesn't work out, they can get out of it. They're running around calling this guy, not even Carson Wentz. They're calling him, like, the Messiah, basically. The guy. There's no competition, right? I mean, basically, they're anointed. They're going to give him another gold jacket, right?

The one that goes on in Canton, that's basically what they're doing to pump this guy up because of what you mentioned in Philadelphia with Jalen Hurth. Certainly that soured his relationship with Doug Peterson in that final year. There's no doubt about that. And just in general, right, is everything you hear about this guy. is shaky. Well, I mean, part of that is he's got, you know, he's got a thin skin, right? Which, again, I understand because at one point in my life, I did too.

So I get it. Here's the one thing that I would say. If you're Ron Rivera and you're running around going, this is our QB1, QB1, he's our story. There is no competition. He hasn't said it exactly that, but that's what he means. Then you bring in that guy, and even though you have Heineke as a buffer, is there not going to be pressure on Rivera, Scott Turner, Kent and Pee, the organization, mid-November, late November, early December, if Carson is Clinton and is A, not healthy,

not right, but maybe still playing. B, it's just not playing well, Kev. And, you know, then you're going to say, well, well, Taylor Heineke, right? Okay, but we know Taylor Heineke's not the answer. That guy, we don't know if he's the answer. get his ass in there, get him in there, get him in there, get him snaps, get him reps, so you know what you have. And that's the problem. If you're trying to make Carson Wentz feel like he's Commander Carson, I think drafting a quarterback in the first round is problematic for all of that comes with it.

If it's in the second round, say it's a Carson Strong where Desmond Ritter, who I've heard that they have some interest in, and Carson Strong out of Nevada, who Pete talks about all the time, got a rocket for it on. Big strapping buck, not as mobile, some injuries. If it's that, I don't think there's as much pressure on Carson and Ron and Turner and the organization at least in year one. That's my opinion. I could be wrong. So I'm going to address your first part because we've talked about this before. You're right.

Rivera, like, I mean, it's just interesting to watch it. And I'm not knocking them for this because they've got to market themselves. They, as I've described for multiple years now, people get annoyed by it, but they have been in the customer acquisition business, not the order-taking business. They need fans. They need desperate interest in their team from a business standpoint and from other standpoint. So when you make that trade, you're then very positive about it. I mean, the bottom line is they wanted Russell Wilson. They wanted a lot of things before they got to Carson Went, but they didn't want to be on the dance floor without a partner.

when the music started. And that's the problem, is that, you know, that's why they ended up with Wentz, I believe. Like, you know, he's been saying all of these things. And, you know, the Kimes story, which I read from yesterday or the day before, about how Frank Wright called him to tell him, what a great guy you had. I mean, like, come on, man. Like, if he was so great, why didn't you keep him? You know, if, so I don't have a problem with,

Rivera building them up. But if you're really sincere about that, well, then restructure his deal and create some cap space, you know, and lock into it for a little while longer. Yeah, go ahead. You know, I'm going to you, Kev, but my greatest fear is not a restructure where you're converting, you know, base, non-guarantee base into guaranteed money and maybe taking a little bit of cap hit if you let them go after gear one or what have you. My fear is that they're going to give this cat an extension. No, they're not doing that. them.

Listen, Ron said that was a possibility last week when you were gone. It was there. Let's talk about that as a possibility. Now, I don't think they should do that. And again, it's now my greatest fear. But could I see it? Yeah, I hear it. Well, without, because, Kev, what you just said, we are in the commitment and customer

acquisition or ticket acquisition or fan acquisition business. And what better way to say, hey, we are committed to this guy. We've got our quarterback. We've got our QB1, then all the nonsense, and then put the icing on the cake. It's like, you know, it would be like baking a chocolate cake and then not putting any vanilla frosting on it or chocolate frosting on it. Why not do that while you're at it, right? Even though that's crazy to do, and I would hate it, I think they're going to do it.

Giving him an extension is to me not even remotely a possibility because they have control over them for the next three seasons. So there would be absolutely no reason to do that. I mean, I do believe that in that building, they understand there's kind of a one-year flyer element to this, that this is not a slam dunk. They may publicly posture as if it is. And that's where I get to the second part of this, which is if they pass on somebody they really like to kind of placate or to make him, you know, feel like they are bought in on him. I just think that that is a major mistake. First of all, it's time for this guy to man up.

And secondly, he's got to earn this. Like, you can't hand him this. And I'm not saying that you can't say you're a QB1 because it's too obvious that he's the QB1. So you don't need to fake that. But you've got to earn your right beyond the 2022 season. You've had two teams chase you out of the building, you know, because they couldn't wait for you to get in your car

and get the hell out of the facility. So you've got to earn that a little bit. Again, I don't want them to draft a quarterback just for the sake of drafting a quarterback. But if they like Malik Willis or if they like Desmond Ritter and somehow they trade back or in the second round, they've got an opportunity and they pass on swinging on a guy that's got upside when they don't have an answer for sure at quarterback, well, that would just fit into what, you know, to the numskullness that they've, you know, that they've been for so long. long. By the way, I'm not disagreeing with you. I'm not disagreeing with you that from an optics standpoint, they would be like, whoa, we just traded for this guy. And Ron's out there saying that, you know, I don't have any questions. You guys are the ones with the questions. I've got all the answers. And we feel great. And God, Frank Wright called me to tell me what a great guy I got.

And, you know, anybody that has an issue with what we traded for him, you're going to look foolish because a second and a third is going to look silly when you're, you know, he's a pro bowler next year. But I don't think that they really, really believe that this is a slam dunk. And so they should, if they like somebody, draft somebody. That's my point. I would. And I wouldn't worry about hurting his feelings.

Because if you're worried about hurting his feelings, then you've got the same issues the last two teams have had. I would largely agree. Again, I just think in the first round, there's a different pressure, a different level of expectation, a different narrative as opposed to, you know, if you draft Dustin Crum from Kent State, you know, there's a totally different context. You and I have been around this team, around this market, a long time, Kevin. We know how this goes. We know how this goes.

We know how this goes. You know, again, I'm not opposed to drafting another quarterback. I'm not totally opposed to a first-round quarterback, but I just think it would create more problems than you know what to do with. Or that this organization and that this coach is prepared to handle. I'll leave this conversation with this. If they drafted a quarterback at 11 or further later in the first round if they were able to trade back or 47, right?

It was 42 and 47. They've got the Colts picking at 47. At 47, because the first two rounds are, you know, like if they, let's just say it was Ritter. I would give a very loud golf clap. Like I would be pleasantly surprised and also incredibly respectful of them understanding this is about our football team and our football future and our understanding about how important this position is and our understanding about this being pretty much our only way out of it and our understanding that Carson Wentz, it may work out. And if it does great, it would be phenomenal if we didn't have to end up playing Desmond Ritter over the next three years.

And we could trade them at some point. But more likely than not, the Carson Wentz thing is not going to work out. So if there's somebody there that Marty Herney, Martin, Mahehoe, Ron Rivera, Scott Turner, polling, and all of them love, they should pick that player because that's the most important position on the field. Now, the next thing that kind of triggered people a little bit, and I got a lot of feedback off of our conversation yesterday. And again, this was very kind of sports talkish hypothetical.

But with all of the zaniness around the wide receiver market, the money, the trade compensation for the Devante Adams's and the Tariq Hills, et cetera, if Green Bay, who now is desperate for some weapons for Aaron Rogers, if they came to this team and they offered a first round pick for Terry McClorn, and you were a little bit concerned that Terry may not sign a long-term extension or is going to demand outrageous money. Would you consider it?

You know, it's funny because one of the conversations Pete and I had long ago was, what about if they could figure out a way to somehow get Aaron Hunters and Devante Adams here in the same package and include Terry McCorn and, you know, three first-round picks and whatever? So we actually had like a modified argument about something similar to this. Not exactly the same situation. We all know what happened. Would I consider just a first-round pick? It would take me more than a first-round pick for me to give up on Terry McCorn,

even if I am not sure, even up on 50-50 right now, on my ability to sign him. That being said, would I consider a trade? Yes, I would absolutely consider a trade for anyone and everything. No untouchable. In my opinion on this roster with the exception of Jonathan Allen, and he's only untouchable because of the dead money associated with his contract if we were to trade him. And he's a leader and he's this and nine debts and all this stuff, and he's the best defensive line, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. So that would be the only thing that would make me pause to hesitate. But Kerry, there's really no dead money. You don't know if you've got him to be able to be on this year. There is no 50-year option. There is a franchise back. So it's not like you can't extend him or keep him. short term beyond this year. But would I consider it absolutely? Would it take more than more? What did Green Bay get in the Devontey Adams field?

First and a second. You're not going to get more than a first for Terry McCorn. I think you can make the case. I think you could make the case that you would get two second-day picks. And let me just say, I think we always get trade compensation wrong in the business we're in. Because first of all, you know, it can be a very subjective thing. You know, it can be a supply and demand thing. But beyond that, I, Brendan and I did this this morning on the show.

Like, I love Terry McClorn. He's a clear-cut number one receiver. He is more than that because of what a great, you know, culture fit he is for what Ron Rivera talked about since the moment he got here. But there are 12 receivers minimum that are better than Terry McLorn. He's not in the Adams to re-kill class. I heard part of your conversation, so maybe you address this. You know, what we all have to realize is, yes, exactly what you said.

And that could be based on size. That could be based on, I mean, I don't know how many more blazing, I mean, Tyree Hill is clearly faster than him. I'm not saying Harry's the fastest guy in the world, but he's pretty fast, right? And he's an excellent route runner, but how much of that perception is colored one way of the other by the fact that he hasn't had a good quarterback to work with? Not one. I totally agree.

No, that's totally fair. You know, you could say the same thing about Debo Samuel to a certain degree. You know, you could say the same thing about like an A.J. Brown, you know, it's not that Tanna Hill is Heineke or Alex Smith. I'm not suggesting that. But, yeah, I mean, and by the way, if people are wondering, okay, name him, she in, well, here's the list. Ready? Adams, in no general order. Adams Cup, Debo Samuel, Jefferson, Chase, Jamar Chase,

Stefan Diggs, Tareke, Mekkf, A.J. Brown, DeAndre Hopkins, obviously, Mike Williams, and Mike Evans. I just gave you 12 there. There are others you could debate. My point being is that we have a really good receiver here. Nobody's debating how good Terry McCorn is. And by the way, I agree with you. if Terry McCorn had been playing with Aaron Rogers the last few years or even Matt Stafford this past year,

you know, the numbers would be off the charts. I'm just saying right now I like them. I like them a lot, but I don't consider them to be an elite number one. I consider them to be a solid top half of the league, 12 to 14 range number one receiver, which is why you're not going to get a first and a second, I don't believe, or anything resembling the Taree Kill package. Adams is the best receiver in the NFL, in my opinion. I think Hopkins is probably a close second. And to re-kill, with the ball in his hands,

there's nobody more dangerous in the league than Hill. Listen, I agree with a lot of what you just said. Do I think it would be an easy get to get more than a first-round pick? Maybe not, but I think you can start with that and then maybe wiggle your way down. And here's the one thing that I would say. Like if you're just talking about what is Green Bay, what, what is Green Bay? 26?

Well, they've got, they've got the Raiders pick now. So they have whatever that is, 20, 21, 22, or whatever it is. You know, if you're talking about, and I know this is a deep draft, but to me, in order to give up on Terry, the most consistent playmaker I have, a guy who,

everything that you describe, great character, great leader, You know, everything you want to build a culture with, all of that, right? For me, at a controllable cost, even if I lose him in free agency, which would be, of course, a disaster, I want more than a first-round pick. That's me. Now, again, maybe push comes to shove and the agent tells you, listen, there is no way this cat is coming back. I don't know why the agent would say that.

but if that maybe I would consider okay all right a first round pick you know and again there's nothing wrong with a late first round pick I got it you could turn that into a really good player or a pretty good player but you could but I guess my point is I'd rather have more chances at the you know and cracks at the apple if I'm going to give up my most my most dependable playmaker because you and I know this death there were plenty of times last year and there's been plenty of times over the last three years where caret been wide open where he did it guy. I agree. And they all have a quarterback to get it to him. So what would his numbers be? Would he be 1,200, 1,300 if he had even a Carson win? I think the argument is there.

So to me, I can't just treat him as, oh, a guy that's a nice fit, but not a great fit. Or a nice player as opposed to a great player. By the way, just three quick things on this. Number one, I don't think they'll do it. Number two, in fact, I would bet that they don't do it. Number two is that I wouldn't do it, you know, without it being a significant package. I think, you know, you've got to give them an upgraded quarterback this year. And by the way,

I think they, I know they love Diami Brown. And hopefully they've got, you know, Samuel back healthy and McKissick and Logan Thomas and the whole thing. And who knows, maybe they'll add another piece. But so I, I wouldn't necessarily do it. I don't think they'll do it. The other thing, too, just so everybody understands this. The franchise tag next year, based on the top five average right now, he's going to earn $25 million on a tag next year if you're forced to tag him. But what they really need to do is they need to be aggressive in this offseason and get him signed to a long-term deal.

And I think it's going to take $20 million as an annual average, you know, as a really minimum. I think it's $22. because he's not the month and he's not a Tyree Hill at 30, but he's better than Christian Kirk and I would assume yours, right? Christian Kirk is up to 21 million per year. Yeah. Yeah. I think the price head starts at 22.

It might. I mean, DJ Moore's, you know, at 20, I think I think Brendan said he's at 20, 21, and Brendan likes DJ more. I like Terry more than DJ more, and I like DJ more. I mean, God, it's so funny because there's so much. many guys. It's really a position that's fascinating because each year you have a different impression. Like, you know, Devante Smith is, you know, in the conversation. Obviously, Jamar Chase should have been in your conversation a year ago, regardless of whether or not he had played it down. Waddle is in the conversation. And then we're not even mentioning guys that, you know,

kind of went away because of circumstance injury, et cetera, like Michael Thomas as an example. and, you know, I'm probably forgetting somebody. Anyway, this is a league filled with receivers. All right. You've got to run. I got to run. But before I do, you know, I, you know I'm not a big hockey guy, even though I do love the postseason.

And I love the hockey conversation, you know, with people like you and Joe Beninati, et cetera. I'm wondering, you know, the caps have lost a couple of games in a row. They're sitting there in fourth place in the first place in the Metropolitan and there's some really, really good teams in the East, right? Carolina, Florida, etc. Do you, is this a team capable, because they're going to make the playoffs, because more likely than not, is this a team capable of winning a series or two in this upcoming postseason, which will get started probably a month from now? I think it's capable of winning a series.

I don't see a long run. And, of course, winning a series is complicated because, you know, as you know, they're probably going to be one of the two Wildcard teams. Right. Either the seven from the eighth, and that means, you know, a Carolina or, you know, a rainwater. Or however, the final standing shakeout, right? Look, a couple of big problems with this Washington team.

Number one, they are thin right now in the bottom six because of, Haglin's injury, Dowd's been in and out of the lineup and banged up recently in the last week, week and a half. O'She's been in and out of the lineup all year, and he's not a bottom six guy, but he's such a key guy. Their defense is either really good or a little bit spotty, and it was really bad the other night when we last saw them before tonight against Buffalo, and I kind of wonder if the Buffalo speed tonight, Friday night, is going to take advantage of that, but hopefully not. The biggest thing is right now, this team, and they've struggled at home for whatever reason in the playoffs in years past where the competition is so much more intense, but this team has sucked at home in the regular season. They've been great on the road. So maybe that helps them in a first round series because they're not going to have home ice advantage, and they've been so good on the road.

But I don't know if you can survive with as bad as they've been at home this year, quite honestly, and win a couple of rounds in the playoffs. I think you've got to be better. I think there's questions about the goaltending. I didn't have as many questions as others did as long as Vanichick was healthy. Again, he wasn't great the other night, but some of that was his fault. Some of that was the defense. To me, it's Vanichick. And if they can keep, you know, old that's getting back from, excuse me, Wilson, O'Shee, healthy,

they've got a chance. They've got a chance at winning a round or two. Would I count on it? Would I bet on it? Yeah, again, it depends on the match. up, and I would actually favor probably, if I'm being honest, I'd actually favor a matchup with the Rangers as opposed to, say, Carolina, even though they've beaten Carolina twice in the last three weeks, I think Carolina is probably a better playoff team than they are a regular season team.

I could be wrong on that, though. Did they do well at the deadline bringing Marcus Johansson back? Yeah, I think he helps. I think he helps him kill some penalties. I think the familiarity helps. I think they're familiarity with his personality helps. He can still score a little bit, play two-way. The kid that I'm, or the guy that I'm interested in is before they got from Arizona,

now he's banged up right now. And they do that. It's going to take him, you know, maybe another week or so to get back in the line. But he can kill penalties. And he can give you a little something on offense. And remember I was talking about they are without Haglin long term. And Haglitt's one of their best speed guys and one of their best penalty killers. And you're going to need somebody like that if Haglin's not available and doesn't look like he's going to be available anytime soon.

So I actually, I'm more intrigued by that fit than the Johansen fit, but Johanson helps them right away. So are you, it sounds to me, correct me if I'm wrong, that you believe that Vanichek is the, game one, round one starting goaltender. True? No doubt in my mind. Samsonov is still probably, arguably, the more talented guy,

he's so inconsistent. He's matured, but he's still not as mature as they need him to be. And to me, I'd be stunned if it's anybody but Bannichick. Absolutely. And to be fair, I mean, I've been saying this for weeks,

but McClellan essentially, said the same thing. The general manager said the same thing. I think on Monday or Tuesday, right after the deadline to Vogel or NBC Sports Washington, whoever it was, that Vanichick has earned this opportunity. He's the number one guy, and they're going to roll. Now, the one thing you've got to be careful about, and it happened last year in the first round, first game against Boston, he gets hurt, right? And he never came back. And then he got hurt a couple of times earlier this year. So he's been a little bit of a fragile, whatever you want to call it, right? And if you've got to go to San Antonio,

of again, he's got the talent to win you a game or two. I don't think he's got the consistency or the maturity or, you know, kind of the mental steely toughness, if you will. And I don't think they're good enough two-way and defensively to make up for that against a really good team. Do you agree that Florida is and should be the favorite to win the East? Because odds-wise, they're kind of a prohibitive favorite to win the Eastern Conference. You know, I mentioned the Rangers in Carolina earlier, and you're right, I forgot about Florida, and how could I? I mean, Florida's really freaking good. I think they are the better all around in every phase team out of Carolina and the Rangers, because I think they're better in Golden Carolina, and I think they're deeper and maybe more explosive offensively than the Rangers.

you know, so to me, Florida is the team that I would ideally, I mean, listen, you're going to have to play a really good team in the first round. There's just no offense or bucks unless the capitals win the remaining rest of their regular season games and somehow get into the top three in the metro, which, again, nobody should expect. But you're going to have to face a really good team, Kev. I'd probably, I'd probably like to avoid Florida. If you gave me the choice between Florida, Carolina, the Rangers, I'd probably go, I'd like to avoid Florida one, the Carolina Hurricanes 2, and the Rangers 3. So meaning I'd rather play the Rangers first, then Carolina, then Florida, if that's my option. At Russellmania 6-2-1, Wu-Pigsui, my man. and of course, three to seven every day on the Team 980 with Pete Medhurst.

Thanks for doing this. I'll talk to you soon. My guy. Good to be with you. I appreciate the offer. Scott Van Pelt next right after these words from a few of our sponsors. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast. It doesn't cost you a thing.

Don't forget to rate us and review us on Apple and Spotify in particular. Keep those five-star ratings in those wonderful one-to-two-two-cent. reviews coming. It's a huge help for us. Scott Van Pelt is with us right now. And, you know, I was away last week. I think you're away now. Kevin Willard's been hired in the interim. We'll talk about that here shortly, but what did you think of the games last night? I have not talked to NCAA tournament yet on the show, and I wanted to do it with you. What did you give me your overall impression of the four suite 16 games last night? The tech Duke game was just sensational.

I mean, Duke's, I saw a Duke in person the last game against Carolina. I was just, I left it stunned that they didn't guard anyone and they didn't run anything. I just couldn't believe what I saw. Since then, we've seen Carolina play to a ceiling that you're like, oh, actually, they're pretty good. But what Duke did in the second half against that Texas Tech defense, that is the best in the country, I believe they shot 71% against him in the second half. They didn't miss in the last seven minutes. That's the best defense statistically in the country.

And they've got a bunch of 20-some-year-old guys, a bunch of men out there that have a whole lot of toughness to them. What Duke was able to do making one big shot after another to extend Kay's career was remarkable. And they had to absorb some punches early. Tech came out. They jumped them. And, you know, that first time out, Kay has to take, and you're thinking,

wow, they're just about to get boat race. And obviously, they caught a deep breath and settled in. And it was just a spectacular college basketball game. I mean, a lot of times, Kevin, you know, there's close tournament games, but are they played at a high level, right? Not always. That was. That was just tremendous.

And it was going on at the same time that Houston is dispatching with a one-seed. And speaking of grown men, holy crap. like Calvin Samson's teams, you see a tape like that. You just think, give this to Coach Willard and say, get some dudes to play like that, man, like that level of toughness and just making everything difficult and offensive rebounds. Oh, my God, I love the way Houston plays. And, you know, they made Arizona look ordinary. And that's another team that does it with defense.

They're one of the best defensive teams in the country. So, like, those two games going on at the same time, you were kind of having to split your attention just because the tech game was a little ahead of it and by the time that that one ended it was pretty clear Houston was the one to win but I don't know I was

just I was really impressed by Duke I wasn't surprised really by Houston and then in the early window obviously that Arkansas getting getting rid of Gunzag I mean that that continues the

conversation on Zagga people that want to dismiss them I guess are predisposed to do that. I disagree. I think they're an excellent program. If you have to win a title to be considered a great program, then people can hold on to that. But, you know,

they had a great game plan. I don't know about the fifth foul on Holmgren. How much of a difference was that I made? I don't know. I thought it was a poor goal. And what was the other game? Michigan. Michigan, Villanova. That's the one I saw the least of because I was more locked into the

and I know that was close. And then, you know, when it was, Gillespie hit yet another big shot. That guy, I hope he's okay. I think Jay said afterwards, he thought he was. But, I mean, with the history of the knee injuries, you know, you just, you hope he's, you know, he's going to be ready to go and you need him against Houston. But I didn't see nearly as much of that one just because it didn't, the Arkansas game just thought that was just so compelling because you're thinking, you know, are they going to

knock that guy out again? Well, which one was more important to you? Say again? Which one was more important to you of the two early games? Usually that's the one you're dialed in on. I didn't have the guts to take Arkansas outright, but I did think they were the correct side. Really? That was a big number.

I did. I liked them. I was actually, what's interesting is I was watching much more of the other one because I had Michigan. I had all the unders last night, so that worked three and one on the unders. But I liked Michigan. and I'm telling you missed. This is not an exaggeration. They missed a dozen shots within two feet of the basket.

Several of them on easy tap-ins that were uncontested. Hunter Dickinson had so many good plays on, you know, say offensive rebounds or moves and just could not finish for whatever reason. That game was much closer than the eight-point final score. You know, I'm not objective in the way I'm. viewed the game last night because I really wanted Michigan to cover. But I thought Villanova survived what was, you know, sort of an onslaught at times at the rim by Michigan.

It was just weird. They just couldn't finish at all. That's weird because Nova's not like they've got a bunch of big rim protectors. Exactly. I'm just saying it was more just misses. Yeah, it was just flat out misses. It was like there was literally a lid, you know, or a hand in the, in the rim just, you know, throwing everything back out. So where you started, it's funny because, you know, Gary always said,

and I've used this formula each and every year of picking, you know, doing that exercise where you narrow the 68 down to the teams that, you know, can win it all. And for me, it's always been based on kind of these offensive numbers, offensive efficiency numbers in Ken Palm, you know, guard play, all that stuff. And it goes back to Gary telling me several years ago, he said, you can't win six games in a row unless you can score. And the really good defensive teams are, you know, good enough to win three, four games, not six in a row. Anyway, long story short, last night was about three incredible defensive performances. Because Texas Tech, even though Duke, to your point, they were sensational as shot makers, you know, down the stretch. I mean, I was really happy for Jeremy Roach.

I watched him play, you know, no less than six or seven times in high school. And he's had kind of that up and down, or season. And he just took the game over down the stretch. And Bancaro did as well. And Duke made all those big shots. But the way that game started, I literally made a note to myself because I was taking notes for the show this morning and I'm like men against boys. This is like Baylor against Gizaga in the final. And this is going to be, and by the way, I bet Texas Tech last night. I just thought the line looked short and everybody was on Duke and I got it at plus one and I took it and I'm like, this is going to be a winner. And then, you know, the game went back and forth. And I did think late in that game when it was a two point game in like

15 seconds to go. I do think Texas Tech forced that turnover on the inbounds, and that was a legitimate steal. That's where I think the officials can be guilty of human nature. You're anticipating a foul, and you just call what you think is contact. That looked clean. It looked totally clean. I thought so, too. Yeah. But it was a big time showing from Duke, and then I thought Arkansas's defense was just phenomenal. And by the way, way, I thought Mark Few was so, he always is. It's not a new thing. He's just so classy, and he just spoke glowingly about how they were just shut down, and they were. I mean, Gonzaga scored 68 points in the game. They shot, I want to say they shot, because I looked this up this morning,

let me see if I can find it, it was like 36%, 37 and a half percent from the field. You know, Timmy was, even though he got a lot of looks, I mean, everything was difficult for. them in their offense. And then, you know, like you said, Houston's defense is just awesome. And in fact, so many great coaches last night, of the eight coaches last night, who's the best coach? Because I have an answer. I think it might be Kelvin. Yes. I think it is. You agree? Yes. Look at what he's done with that team without his best player. They're back to the Well, I mean, that's the point is you lose, you know, you lose what they lost and they somehow maintain identity. And that's where, you know, buzzwords, culture and identity and things like, I just used it.

I mean, they can be, they could be like the blanket, you drape over something to explain away things. I mean, but I do think that there needs to be within your group some sort of belief where you're like, okay, we lose a significant player, but we know what we do. and we're going to make it difficult on you, and we're going to make this a pain in the ass of play. I saw when he was standing in front of their fans, when it ended, he just took his right fist, and he pounced, he pounded it into his left palm, like, over and over and over,

which to me was him saying, like, that's what we do. We just beat you into submission. That's what I took that to mean. Might have had something entirely different, but he just stood in front of their fans. They're roaring, and he's just pounding his fist into his palm. and that's what they do to you. And I remember watching

him, Kevin, early in the year at Alabama. And it was just nuts, back and forth game, and they lost that game. And when it ended, I thought, I love Houston. I just love how they play. Now, we're having a conversation about who's the best coach left.

I mean, K's won more than anybody. The next matchup with Jay Wright's an incredible incredible coaching, where you've got a guy in Jay Wright, whose program has become, you know, the next Duke. And by that I mean a teammate, if they go to the Final Four, you know, every year or every other year, you just shrug and go, that's just what they've become.

He's turned Nova into a job. He never has to leave because they're that. They have identity. They have culture. They have tough guys that make big plays when big plays have to be made. I just thought last night was so full of that. And now you're going to get, you know, I think Arkansas, Duke and Nova Houston are two spectacular games on Saturday. Yeah, I do too.

I just want a little bit more conversation about Kelvin Sampson because I've talked a lot about him on the show in recent years about how much I like him and how, you know, when you look at his record, it's really amazing how big he is won everywhere he's gone. Two things. Number one, you know, Gary was on with me earlier this week after the Kevin Willard thing. And, you know, over the last couple of times he's been on with me, you know, we've been. talking about the 20-year anniversary of the 2002 season. And I think the other night was like the to the date of the Kentucky Sweet 16 game. And somehow it morphed into a conversation about the schedule. And I said, you know, you ended up playing Indiana in the final. But Oklahoma and Kelvin Sampson, they were the favored team. And they had, and he just finished the sentence, he goes, they crushed us earlier in the year. He said it was a terrible scheduling job by me.

It was a home and home because we had played him the year before, and then we had the return trip to Norman, and we played them, you know, coming off finals after 11 days or whatever, and they got thumped. And I just said, well, what would that game have been like in the final and the championship game had Indiana not pulled off the upset? And he just said it would have been a war. It would have been an absolute war. I mean, Oklahoma would have had a much better chance than Indiana did. And Indiana played well in that game. It was an ugly game, as we know. But I just wanted to mention that.

But the other thing is this, if you're an Indiana basketball fan, I mean, don't you look back at, you know, what happened to him there and you think about what the violation was and what people get away with now? And you're like, if Kelvin Sampson had been our coach and he hadn't been forced out, they would have been a juggernaut powerhouse for the last 15 years. I mean, you can't know the unknowable, but I mean, I bet they'd bet they'd have been better than they have been without a doubt. You know, I agree. Look, we both about Kelvin. I just would say this, just when the whole, you know, Maryland coaching search came up. And, you know, I was asked what I saw. And I said, look, my understanding that I hear about Kelvin is number one.

There's a gigantic number associated with the buyout. But number two, more important, my. my understanding, he's happy. He and his family are happy in Houston. Kind of like, it feels a bit like Jay and Nova, and what I mean by that, it's a different conference. You know, that conference doesn't have the cashier of the Big East.

But if you're in a place where you can win and you've established an identity and you're good, then you don't, why go someplace else? You know what I'm saying? Like, as much as people would have thought, oh, that would be awesome if you could get a coach that good, sure it would. but A, or the finances, and if it's a giant number, well, that's probably a odd starter.

But then B, if someone's happy where they are, then you're not going to get anywhere with a conversation anyway. And why wouldn't he be happy in a place where they've already made one fall before? They're a game away from going back to back. And that's, as you say, having significant injury losses throughout the course of the year. He's a hell of a basketball coach. Oh, my God. I mean, it's unbelievable how good he is. I think there's just been, you know, and I don't know,

what the time frame is, I'll just say the last 10 years, maybe it's longer than that. I just think there's just much more of a feeling among coaches who could maybe get better jobs that if they're really comfortable in the job they're in, they're not moving. You know, I think it was Naki who gave me this number, like, you know, a month ago when he said, like, before this season, not including the higher so far now, but like 34 of the last 30, 39 power conference hires have been made from non-power conference schools. You know, you had Chris Beard going to Texas. You had Buzz Williams going back to his, you know, kind of alma mater.

I guess it was Kingsville where he went to it, you know, A&M, whatever. And it's just harder to get guys to budge like Ed Cooley. I mean, you know, Cooney's probably a guy like Samson. He's from there, first of all, and he's comfortable and he's got to really good situation, and he's got a good season going, and, you know, it's just harder to get guys to bolt now, because most of these places can't afford to pay these guys enough. Yeah, and I mean, the thing that you ultimately have to ask yourself as a coach, can I win here? And I don't mean win games.

I mean, can you win big? Can you give yourself a chance? and I think that's what Willard spoke to at the introductory press conference this week at Maryland, is that idea of can you do that there? And, you know, I think Cooley this year at Providence, it was interesting timing from Maryland's perspective, whether there was interest or not. I think he had the special kind of year where the love affair between he and the Providence fans and the kind of run the wrong, it would have made it incredibly difficult for him to entertain any offer.

You know, how do you leave after a year like that where you, you just realize this is who I am? This is what I do. I coach Providence, and I don't need to go someplace else to find something that fulfills me. I mean, that's the sense I had watching it because they had this just an incredible year, and I know you were watching closely for a lot of reasons, including the fact, you know, your some play with Bynum and, you know, and he made so many big shots time and time again throughout their season as they won so many close games. But I do think that's interesting.

You know, Kevin, in this profession, you have to get to one of those brass ring jobs, not necessarily. Not necessarily. Now, if you're Matt McMahon at Murray State and LSU comes calling, you've done what you can do at Murray, right? You can win at Murray.

You can give yourself a chance at Murray, but you get a chance in the SEC for, what, triple your number. To go for that. That's a different deal, though, like you're saying, that's a non-power-5 to a power conference. I had Jimmy P. on the radio show yesterday, Patzos, and he's just like, you know, Ed's getting, ends getting 8,000 a night at the dunk whether he's good or not. And he's packing it if he's got a good team.

I mean, it's perfect. But, yeah, I think also the sport allows for basically almost anybody, not even in a power conference team, to compete for a national championship. If you're a good enough coach and you can attract one to two really good players. Before we get to Willard, tonight's games, you know, also include, by the way, a couple of our favorite coaches, you know, Matt Painter being one of them. And I'm going to throw Larenegg in here as well. You know, I looked this up this morning. I had no idea that this was true.

I didn't realize, like I knew he had had success at Miami, you know, back thinking about the Shane Larkin team in particular. This is his third Sweet 16 at Miami. I mean, I didn't realize that this is the third time. he's been out of the first weekend at Miami, Laranague is a hell of a coach. Everywhere he's been, too. You're right. You're right.

I think the thing about Miami is that I don't think I'm, I'm trying to frame this diplomatically, but I don't think what I'm saying is objectively, I don't know how you'd argue with it. I've just, like, you watch Miami, and does it feel like you're like watching, like, packed houses that it means the world to them,

You know what I mean? Right. I never just get the sense that Miami basketball, I shouldn't say never. I just, I don't always get the sense that it means what it means to other schools in the ACC. Clearly not what it means to Carolina or Duke. Those are different deals. But your point is the right one that Miami's been better than maybe people realize.

I told Stanford Steve at our podcast before the tournament started, we were picking one team. It was a double-digit season in each region that we liked. And when we got to this region, I said, look, I don't like Miami. I love Miami. I think USC good, have fun with that. I think they're better than them.

And Auburn just looked like the wheels were coming off at the end of the year. I thought they'd beat. And they just beat them. They dominated that game. I mean, I think what Laroniaga does is I think he creates. You watch his team play. It's a, and I watched him beat Duke this year in Duke. He's got men, and he's got men that are fearless.

Like, they don't play within, like, within, like, the margins where maybe we can win Maybe we won't. They play like, now, we'll kick your ass. I like that about them. And I just, like I said, I just, maybe it's because the ACC, the perception was it was down this year. I don't know. I watched them play a number of games, and I just, I liked what I saw, but I never, I didn't think that they were like a threat until I saw the bracket. And I thought, you know, shit, they could win a couple games easy. And now, like, their favorite tonight. Yeah, I totally agree with you. I think Laranagan is just one of those. well, you know, I don't give a shit what school I'm coaching or what league

I'm in or what my seat is. They're going to play the game anyway, and I can coach my ass off with anybody, and my guys are really good, and they're fearless. I think that's always been the nature of his teams. So who do you... You know, it's wild. Just as a quick aside, as like a college hoop jockey like you are,

like Charlie Moore, you know his story? Like, he's played for 14. I know. He played a cow. he played at DePaul, he played at Kansas, and now here he is. It's like he's a bit of a vagabond, you know, he's got a lot of stamps on the past port, but man, that dude doesn't care. And by that, I mean, he doesn't care about the moment.

He's not afraid. He'll take big shots, make big shots. You know, I like Wong a lot, obviously. They got playmakers. And, like, Iowa State, the problem is, like, they ugly it up so much. It's just, you've got to figure out how to survive the rock fight. Where, more was it Cal, he was at Kansas.

Where was he, where also, how many different schools has he played for? I just said it, Cal, DePaul, DePaul,

DePaul, okay. Got it. Yeah, yeah, okay. God. And I mean,

you know, the world now where you have the autonomy to kind of go some places, you know, he's, he landed the right place.

But Gussie's obviously, and that's one player too. I just, that's, Iowa State game. Like, I like them again. Wisconsin just because I thought they're just as comfortable playing that ugly low-scoring game.

You just have to be able to be comfortable in a game that gets so ugly. Do you have clarity right now, betting-wise, on the tournament? Do you have some clarity right now? Have you been doing well on the tournament? Yes and no. I mean, I really like Texas Tech last night like you. And, you know, it looked, you know, air quotes right off the bat. but then it was clear it was a coin flip game.

I mean, I've been, from the conference tournament on, I've had a decent run. The thing that would fear me, as much as we're giving, you know, Miami a pump up here, it feels like there aren't a whole lot of folks that like that Iowa State side. No, but there's, that line opened at one. It's at three now. So tons of sharp money on Miami. There was a ton of sharp money on Duke last night, too, even though the world was on them. Who do you like tonight?

Purdue. Yeah, me too. Me too. Like, this is, look, God bless Shaheen Holloway, his team's been tough. You know, the dude with a mustache got like a wing steel. Like, good for all, good for everybody. But Purdue's just, there's just, they got a lottery pick

and they got two enormous humans. And I just think that they're going to win comfortably. That's what I think. Have I told you about the neighbor Nick theory? What is that? if the guys that comes over and says, hey, I really like St. Peter. I think I told you. My friend Tim Murray, who hosts that show for Vizan, Tim has, we have a mutual friend.

His name is Nick. And, you know, he texted me yesterday. He said, neighbor Nick just peered over the fence and said, how is St. Peter's getting 12 and a half when they beat Kentucky? So, yeah, I like Purdue as well. I like UCLA tonight. As long as Hawkes is healthy and he's playing. I like UCLA tonight.

I don't, I, I, I, I, sure, I, you're not obligated to play all four games. I'd hard not to just because it's just like, oh, I'll take a little nibble on this one, right? But I, I like St. Peters more. I, if I had to make a pick in Iowa, Miami, I'd take Iowa State even, even though it's a sharp money kind of thing that you're saying. And then, you know, Providence, Providence feels like they could keep it close. I mean, but Kansas is the kind of team that's scary. They have a, they have a gear where they can kind of let you. you mess around with them for a while,

then they just put the foot on the gas, and they end up winning by, like, 10. You know what I'm saying? Like, they're not a fun go against a team at all. If I had one, like, to me, if you want to put, you know, one chip on the table, I just, I like Purdue. Yeah, me too.

I like, I like unders again tonight, but I like Purdue and UCLA. I like Purdue a lot. All right, give me and give all of the Maryland fans that are listening, especially since you're on today,

give everybody your thoughts on the Kevin Willard hire. I think let's just let's start with the process and I understand how it's that it was a long time and it took everyone, it tested everyone's patience because you want to know the answer. But by you, I mean me and you, right? You and I both, we would love to have known early on like who's going to be, you know, because this year was kind of this odd just sort of stuck in between stations and it's like, you know, just wanted to get to March and figure out who's,

going to be. And I understand you put together a list in your mind. You go, well, what about this guy? Okay, what about, oh. Well, I mean, if it's 10 million to start the conversation just to buy them out, that's probably going to be a problem. And the muscleman thing, I get that infatuation, and you're seeing why now, but you'd still be waiting, even if, let's say you had a dialogue with him, and there was interest. And I'm just saying theoretical. Well, now it was, really become difficult because now you're a win away from a final four and then how the hell do you leave? And if you do, how much money is it now? Right? So I understand why fans all along had their eyes on different coaches that played different styles and, you know, that seemed appealing because

they do. There's reasons why all these different names, Petino, sure, he had a massive buyout. He also, you know, the past was that going to be a problem for our president to entertain? I mean, There were things that you could, fun things to talk about, conversations that I totally get from a fan's perspective, but would, when push came to show how real could they have been, okay, well, so you land with maybe more realistic options for numbers of different reasons, one of whom is Kevin Willis. And I think that there was, my sense, you know, among fans, whether it's my friends or whether it's, you know, a board like Ermans where you, you know, you get a, you. a sense of the temperature in the room is that people are like, Ah, Willard, it doesn't feel inspired, it doesn't feel this, doesn't feel that. Then they heard him talk.

Northeast guy who talked about Swagger, who talked about one to play for Gary, who talked about one to work his ass off, who talked about Maryland being a top ten job. I've always felt like Maryland fan. You just need to hear that you're what you think you are. And so, Maryland fans believe there's a certain level of a job. and then the coach stands up there and says,

I feel like this is top 10 job, and now what do you got? You got a bunch of Maryland fans that go, I like this guy. Then he hires skin. Then he hires David Cox, a couple of guys with local ties. You hear conversations about what are they going to do with the other pieces,

and it gets difficult because you've got a lot of areas. Baltimore feels like they'd like some representation. I know I personally feel like some kind of link to the past, whether it's a Jimmy Patsos or a, or a former player, I feel like that's important to have some turf representation if you can make that happen. And look, he's got a lot of seats to figure out, and you've got a lot of people to try to make happy. But I guess what I'm saying here in a long-winded answer is what he had to say about the place, the move she's made initially in terms of bringing people that know the area that give different constituents of feeling like they got a stakeholder at the table.

I don't know how much better it could have gone this week for Damon Evans, for Kevin Willard, and for Maryland fans, then to get a guy that I think people look around and go, all right, let's give this guy some runway and let's see what he can do. That's my sense of how the week has gone. I'm just, is that, do you feel similarly? Yeah, I think I do. I mean, the reason I don't want to speak for everybody else, although you and I always think we have a sense of the fan base,

and I think you put it kind of well. Kind of, by the way, the whole you want to be told how beautiful you are fits with this inferiority complex that we always had in the ACC, which, by the way, I kind of always liked, the back into the corner, the red-headed stepchild, the whole thing. I always liked being that team. I felt like it was part of our fan identity. But we wanted to be. Yeah, but wasn't that? I found that interesting, though, because through the years it was always like,

okay, Carolina and Duke looked down their nose out of it because Maryland hadn't won a title. And then once Maryland won a title, it was still, like, it wasn't like we were in the club. It was now like, hey, fuck you, you can't kick us out now. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. Like, it wasn't like, even then we weren't going to, like, sit down in the squishy chair and act like we were members. It was just like, hey, we just liked the fact that we got in whether you wanted us to or not. But I feel like over time, and I really believe, Kevin, being in the Big Ten during this period where there hasn't been like a long run,

where Maryland fans feel like our history and who we've been through the years is more than our Big Ten conference sort of teams understand that Maryland is or has been, right? So there's this feeling like, well, who's going to be our rival? How do we clearly define that? How do we, you need to go on runs because you don't want to lose that. You don't want to lose touch with feeling like you're truly relevant on that level. And so I think it's a complicated dynamic of being a Maryland fan, because there's a past that feels far away. There's a present that wasn't like you were awful,

but you just want to be in the mix. You want to be playing games on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, of this weekend if possible. That's really what all of this tonnage of words I'm saying really boils down to. You just want to have a chance to play these games. Yeah, I mean, like I really miss not having this, which we've had for pretty much the last six, seven years of having a chance. But, you know, I know I've talked about this with you before.

And you being, having moved here recently and been away from the market for so long, and, you know, you've always, you know, relied on me to kind of keep you up to date on what's going on in the market. It's just such a different situation. Like I think this is very important that Kevin Willard be the right guy and be the right guy fairly quickly. And I say that because as passionate as the fan base is and as great as the fan base is and as large as it potentially can be, which we've always felt that way about it. I just think it's different now.

This town is different. You know, there was a time when Maryland basketball you could legitimately argue was the number two behind the Redskins. you know, especially when they were really going well with Gary in terms of the true attention paid to it, you know, how hard of a ticket it was, television ratings, all of that. But now we've had a World Series champion, a Stanley Cup champion, and as bad as the football team's been,

you know, it's almost like you have to be careful and assume that it's just going to come back. And because the longer you're away from it, the riskier it gets. Look, the pandemic taught us all, for a while that, hey, you know what, we can kind of live without sports. We found other things to do. You know, it was kind of strange that way.

And it was a little bit of a risk for all the sports to be shut down as long as they were. And I'm not saying they haven't come back. And the NFL is bulletproof, clearly. But, you know, Maryland basketball is way down the list right now in the market. There is so much competition that, you know, Purdue and Indiana and places like that will never face. And I just think it's really important that Damon got this right and that Willard really turns it around quickly because it wasn't the higher like Petino would have been, which would have immediately, you know, raised it back to the level

of being super important, you know, right away. So that's all. I agree all that, that's all well said because, and I think, listen, like Maryland fans and, you know, we obviously count ourselves among them. that there's a sense of what we are and what Maryland basketball is, but there were opportunities for Maryland basketball fans to show up and sort of back this team this year, and they didn't always do it. And, you know, this team deserved better than that, frankly. You know, I mean, the 20th anniversary day against Ohio State was nice, wasn't filled.

It's a big crowd, it's a good crowd, but it's like, to your point about a Purdue or in Indiana where there just aren't as, there's not as much to do in West Lafayette, right? But it didn't matter in years past. There's always been a lot to do in Washington, but Maryland basketball, when it was really cooking, was where people wanted to be. And we're not far removed from, you know, it being a packed house and that passion.

I don't think we're far removed from that. That passion still exists, but you're right. If it were a bigger name, would it have gotten people more buzz, maybe? But my sense from, like, the friends I, you know, hear from and just keeping my ear out as it relates to social media or were Herman's board, and things like that.

Where I'm on there, by the way, I'm not talking about it. Like, it's some place I don't know what it is. You just, how are people talking? And it seemed that there were a lot of fence-sitters and even a lot of people that thought, I don't want Willard. They're like, I like what I hear. I like what I've seen. And so now it becomes a very, a very important, you know, three months of figuring out who

will stay, figuring out who you can get, and giving yourself a chance to be competitive. And I think you're right quickly because people are going to want to see what it look like. You know, what kind of teams do you have? Who are you willing to play? I think Willard has scheduled pretty aggressively when he was at Seaton Hall. I was one thing that Mark didn't do. And so there's a lot to figure out, but my sense of it is that, you know, that people are more than ready to have his back. And by the way, that's what everyone who roots for Maryland should do, whether this is the one or not.

That's the way I feel. Like, as much as I liked Mark and I, you know my position, I think Mark was an excellent coach. I understand he didn't have good enough postseason results. And that's, you know, that is a reason to have moved on. I've never disputed that. But what you said, I just, I just want to, I don't want to lose this thought. You know, after watching the press conference, after having them on the radio, show the other day. There are two, the two things strike me. Number one, I think initially it was

kind of uninspiring, but I think after people got, you know, and he made the rounds on local sports talk radio, including my show, I think for a lot of people, and I hate saying this because I like Mark a lot, but I think for a lot of people, he's not Mark, so that's a positive. Like, we've made a change because these people have been asking for a change for a long time. But then there was this kind of New York, New Jersey, Northeastern, Gary Williams' tough grittiness to him that I think people liked. And I think they're like, okay, we got a guy that can, and by the way, I think Turgeon's teams were super tough defensively and all of that as well, too. But I think that he did himself well this week in every appearance that he made. I think that,

I think it helped him a lot. And then I just as an aside, like, I know people from the, in our business that know him privately who are like, to a man, they've all said the same thing. You're going to love this guy, Van Pelt. Like, just as a guy. So that's, you know, like, listen, there's coaches and there's people like, that's not always how they're described when you're talking in private conversations, you know, like, ah, this guy can be this or he can be, none of that.

he's just sort of a one of us, I think, and you've said it for years, and it's true. Going to Maryland, like, how many of my friends and your friends were from that Jersey, New York area, and have that sort of northeast mentality where it was, you know, it's why our fans sort of studs-wise and, hey, bleep you and all that. Like, that's kind of in us for good or for bad. It's for good. It's much more for good. Yeah, well, exactly, but I mean, it's not always described as such. If Kevin's got a little of that in him, then it's like, great. Like, you're, let's go.

I got your back. And really, that's again, lots and lots of words where it suffice to just say, whether this was who you wanted or not, he coaches Maryland basketball. And if you love Maryland basketball, then what do you do? You put your support behind him. You cheer for the team. And you hope that, you hope for, you know, next year or in years soon after that, when you and I are talking on this week, and we're talking about, hey,

who we're playing on Thursday, right? like that's all you want. Yeah. All right. Two things and I'll let you run. Because people, I don't think you've been on since the Wentz trade. I don't think you have. Tell me what you thought of the Carson Wentz trade. You've thought, all right.

I mean, I get it. I have so many Eagle fans friends, and they went from calling him the greatest quarterback that's ever lived to now he's a punchline. So I get my Eagle fans' sort of reaction to this. Look, Heineke did Yeoman's work to, to give him a chance and be competitive. But is Carson Wins better than him? Well, yeah.

I mean, I don't know what sort of empirical data you'd have to say otherwise. And so you have upgraded your position. And I think this is a guy, if Carson Wins has any self-awareness at all, has to realize you got traded from Philly, where they were just kind of shoving you out the door. You got traded from Indy, who moved some significant. pieces to get you and they were okay letting you go after a year. You need to recognize that this is probably the last shot you get to be a guy, right? Yeah.

So my thought is here's a guy who's upside. He has demonstrated and granted it was a while ago that he got injured, but he was a leading MVP candidate before he got hurt in that game at L.A. So, I mean, again, that was a while ago. But I just shrug and go, is he better than what Washington had last year? Here he is. So that's fine by me. I don't know what else I'm supposed to say.

What do you make of just the last week on receivers? Adams leaving Green Bay. I mean, by the way, you know, Valdez Scantling gone. I mean, Rogers has no receivers. Alan Lazard is the best receiver he's got left right now. Tarik Hill getting traded. What do you make of the whole receiver thing here over the last few weeks? I mean, I think together there are a story, but each one is.

is its own thing. Divite Adams clearly want to play for the Raiders and want to play with Derek Carr. And so he's going to. And the Raiders are willing to give him a zillion dollars to do it, so there you go. And if you're Green Bay and you know the guy wants to go, you can get something for it. The chiefs are living in the reality of when you get that

quarterback that you have to pay a zillion dollars to, that you're not going to be able to afford all the toys and bells and whistles that you had in the past. and so they move Hill, which gives them a bunch of picks and some cap relief. Yeah, I mean, these are the financial constraints that you deal with. Green Bay, to a degree as well, when you're paying a man to $50 million to play one position. So, I mean, I think if you know this, but I don't know the finances nearly as well because it's just, I'm not good with the numbers unless it's like minus two and a half.

It's not your best thing. Isn't it just that? Isn't it the Green Bay in Kansas City situation when you pay that much to your quarterback, you're going to have to make some choices when it comes to other big-ticket items. Yeah, I think that they, you know, there's cap magic with every capologist with these teams to make it work, and you end up having to give up on a lot of players. But the Packers let the best receiver in the game go, and that pairing has produced 39 wins in the last three years in the regular season. And, you know, the Mahomes-Kel-Telke-Hill era is over.

Hill's probably, you could argue, the most electrifying and dangerous player in the league with the ball in his hands. And it's funny, a friend of mine who used to produce me on radio here is the program director and does a show in Kansas City on their sports talk station out there. And I had him on the show yesterday and I said, you know, he started talking about, you know, this is like the Mahomes era part one is over. And now they start like a Mahomes era part, you know, next era without to really. kill and they're going to have to figure out, you know, how to build, you know, around that. And I said to him, I go, you know, a couple of years ago, we thought Mahomes had a chance to win, you know, to start to move, not Brady territory, but lots of Super Bowls. And I said, was one Super Bowl enough for Mahomes part one?

And they're like, and that's a stupid question, by the way, for somebody like me with the team I root for and cover here. But still, it's a totally different experience. in Kansas City, and he's like, the fans don't think so. The fans think they didn't get enough out of this first era. I mean, two Super Bowl appearances, one Super Bowl win. What was it? Four straight AFC titles, championship games, right?

And it's, I don't know. I mean, look, the money he got 30 million a year is just unbelievable, the receiver money. But I just, I'm personally surprised that DeVante Adams isn't playing with Aaron Rogers and that Tariq Hill got traded. I think most of the league is. Maybe I'm wrong with that. I agree. I agree because

you're talking about the premier deep threat speed guy in the game in Tyreek. And you're talking about, in my opinion, the best receiver in the game of Devotee Adams. I mean, the hardest thing to do in the NFL when you get in the red zone,

score touchdowns instead of settle for field goals. And watching Rogers and Devonte Adams work in the red zone, particularly like inside the five was just insane to me. They did things that just looked so simple and clearly aren't because if they were, other teams would do them. And so that just felt like the cheat code with him. And so, I mean, I don't know.

The Rogers thing is, to me, is more interesting just because he had these decisions to make, then he got all his dough and then you lose the number one guy. And the guy that he clearly had a great on and off the field. relationship with. Loses his number two guy too. Yeah, no, I understand. Although he was more hit or miss. I agree. He'd catch two passes for 120 yards.

One of them was 75 yards. And then he'd have weeks where he just didn't catch the ball. I don't think he's, you know, I don't think that's the same kind of thing. Nor is he going to be that in Kansas City. Like, you go out and you get Juju Smith-Schuster and you get, you get Markquez-Valdives handling. Like, you're not replacing Tyree Kill because if you just don't. They don't replace speed like that.

All right. The Watson deal, too, was just incredible. Cleveland's got a lot riding on this, man. I mean, by the way, Tommy and I, when we were on yesterday, the news broke that there was another potential criminal thing, and then that got dropped. I mean, there's still the 22 civil cases, but it's amazing.

Not the trade value, but the contract for Deshawn Watson. I don't know how much you talked about that. It's all guaranteed. And as you and I are talking, today's Friday, at some point I believe I read this morning that there's going to be an introduction in Cleveland, which, I mean, there's the football piece, which, okay, I understand what that is, but I mean, we're talking about 22, 22 people that have made allegations that it's, okay, there's no criminal charges. I just, what I'm just really interested in is, all right, there's no criminal charge.

charges, that's good. But we're talking about 22 people that have made accusations of the worst possible kind that could be made about someone. And so you have to have someone, preferably Deshaun Watson, have some, he hasn't said anything to this point. So I think everyone, look, we're, we're, we're, we're not, we're not in court here, but I think we, you presume innocence in a court, but when it comes to this, when you haven't heard from someone, you just would want to know, what are we talking about here? What is all this? Yeah, I mean, I think, you know, the not hearing from him is pretty much standard. You know, his attorneys aren't going to let him speak during these team times.

Of course. But to your first, but I'm not in court. I'm just saying as a human being, and if I'm a Brown fan, like, okay, I want to go out and get to Deshaun. watch in Jersey because I'm excited, sure, but like I would like to hear you tell me how, what's your, how would you explain this? You know, you're the, you know, I mean, not, we're not in the court of law. You just, you know, we got daughters. We get wives. It's, it's, it's 22. It's 22. It's not a he said, she said. It's a he said and they said, lots of she's said. So it's, it's like what the Washington thing. It's like people wanted to. you know, a bash the post is, you know, after, well, look, if there are two allegations, that's

one thing. There were 42. So stop. I mean, there was clearly a culture that was, you know, misogynistic and not very healthy for women in that organization during a period of time. I think the interesting thing at this point is it would certainly appear as if he's not going to be criminally charged. You know, my good friend Neil and Rockville, who's our legal contributor here on this show and the radio show says to me all the time. He's like, look, these civil cases sometimes can create through deposition another reason to open up a criminal investigation. So never think it's over until it's over. But what really is the next piece here is how many of those 22 cases get settled? And for what? And then what does the league do about it?

Is it a, you know, is it a Zeke Elliott six-game suspension or is it something greater than that? I think it's going to be every bit of six games when all is said and done. But, you know, Neil says he thinks it's going to be more. And I've read where people think it might be more. But we'll see. I mean, that's really, you know. Isn't that why they thought that the salary was structured the way it was for the first year? Of course.

Of course. They're expecting it. I mean, a million dollars in base salary. I mean, the difference in his, in the missed game, missed money is the difference between $50,000 and like $2 million. You know, that's a rough estimate, but it's literally like almost $1.95 million difference in what he'll be fined or what he'll be missing, excuse me, in the games that he misses in 2022, which it's going to be some games. I think that that's almost a lock at this point. But who knows? Yeah, I mean, it's amazing what Cleveland did.

And they also took huge risk. Like when this thing came out yesterday, like another potential criminal thing, you know, for a moment, it's like, can you imagine if Cleveland's on the hook for all that money and he is convicted of a felony and has to serve time? You know, and I don't think that's going to happen.

But for a moment, brief moment, it looked like that was back on the table yesterday. I mean, they did roll the dice in a big way because that would be devastating to a franchise, that kind of money guaranteed and not to get services rendered for it. Right. Well, I mean, you know, that's the business side of the equation. And, you know, if he's convicted because he sexually assaulted someone, and that's far more devastating to someone's life. Of course.

A team that rolled the dice and got cost a lot of money because someone did something horrendous. So, I mean, you know, I think you could talk about things and you can compartmentalize what the subject matter is. But I think in this case at some point, the Cleveland Browns have to just have to, you know, explain how they were comfortable doing what they did. And, you know, then we wait to see what happens with 22 cases. Yeah. If today's the day, I think you're right that he's being introduced to Cleveland Media or Cleveland. That's going to be a fascinating presser to watch. Yes, it will.

All right. Thank you. Enjoy where you are and the weather, and I'll see you when you get back. Yeah, we'll be back for a week and then we'll go to Augusta. I'm sure we'll talk to the week of the Masters. I would like to do that. Oh, you know what? We're definitely going to talk before then on the podcast at least because I want the whole explanation of the Mickelson thing.

Because I think a lot of people have to. Let me help you. I don't understand. I don't know what the deal with. This is really short. I don't know. I have no idea why he's out playing golf and he's, I mean, he made some comments about playing golf and with Saudis. And then it's the end of that.

I don't know. The whole thing is interesting. And I think most people probably feel the way you do. They don't understand it, really. And maybe he doesn't either. All right, I'll talk to you soon, thanks. Thank you. The NFL is seriously considering

tweaking the overtime rule. I will finish up with my thoughts on that right after these words from a few of our sponsors. This final segment of the show brought to you by MyBooky. Go to mybooky.com or mybooky.orgie. Use my promo code, Kevin D.C., they'll match your first to podcast.

all the way up to $1,000. They've already got the lines out for the first two elite eight games. Houston, the five-seed, is a two-and-a-half-point favorite over Villanova, the two-seat. Houston, the five-seat, Villanova, the two-seat. The Ken Palm numbers would reflect Houston being a two-point favorite. I was a little bit surprised at that when I saw this earlier this morning. I thought Villanova would be like a pickum one point favorite, maybe a two-point favorite. Houston is a two-and-a-half point favorite.

And then Duke, as the two-seat, is a four-point favorite over Arkansas in the other Elite Eight game on Saturday. So Coach K, one step away from a final four in his final year of coaching. And really, you know, that whole thing could be fascinating, right? Like you could get, you know, potentially, look, we'll see what happens with Carolina. Carolina plays UCLA tonight. I like UCLA, but what if Carolina also got to a final four? That would be pretty wild to have Duke and Carolina in the final four together and have a, you know, somehow end up with a rematch of that final game,

which I meant to ask Scott about. Damn it, Scott was at Cameron Indoor for that final Coach K game. and I forgot to ask him. He's told me it was a phenomenal experience, but I wanted you guys to hear the story of him walking in, and actually they were chanting as he walked into the arena, Go Terps, which he turned around and acknowledged, and it was respectful for the Duke people to do that.

Anyway, I wanted to finish up just with something real quickly. So the NFL has narrowed down the 2022 rules change proposals to two rules. One is dealing with the free kick formation. I'll move past that one quickly because the most important one is there have been three proposals made, actually two proposals, two teams made essentially the same proposal, and then another team made a proposal with respect to tweaking the overtime rules. Indianapolis and Philadelphia proposed that each team began.

guaranteed a possession in overtime. Simple. I mean, you get a possession, I get a possession. We kick off, we have a coin flip, you take the ball, you score a touchdown, kick the extra point, you're going to have to kick it back off to me. Okay, so it's just simple, easy, same 10-minute regular season, 15-minute, and then however long it takes after that in the post-season. Meantime, Tennessee proposed a rule where, whereby each team would be guaranteed a possession unless the team that got possession of the football first and overtime, scored a touchdown, went for two, and made it. That would end the game. I think the NFL is going to update the overtime rule.

I think that that Buffalo Kansas City game was enough for them. Now, personally, I think like they did in 2010, when they introduced the rule that we have now, which is scoring a touchdown is the only way the game can end on the first possession. They put that into the postseason in 2010, 2011, then moved it into the regular season in 2012. And then they went beyond that with the regular season rule in 2017, putting the clock at 10 minutes instead of 15 minutes for the length of over. overtime before you ended up with a tie if the game hadn't been decided. I think that what's going to happen here, this is my guess,

is we're going to get the Indianapolis Philadelphia proposal voted on by the owners. You need three quarters of a vote for it to pass. I think they will pass it but for the postseason only. I think they will first put this in to the postseason, keep the current rule for the regular season. although I think that's absurd. I think you might as well just do it for the regular season too. You know, there's always this safety thing. I've mentioned this before.

I think overtime should be 15 minutes in the regular season, as it is in the postseason. You're talking about less than 20% of the overtime games go beyond 10 minutes anyway. And so, you know, what's an extra five minutes if you played the whole overtime in terms of a true, you know, increased safety risk. I think it's stupid.

I've talked about the reasons why before I'll net it out for you. The reason why is that that first drive could be a seven and a half minute drive that ends in a field goal. And then the other team has two and a half minutes to either tie the game or win the game. It's not the same. Like now you're rushing to win the game, but really at that point, it's almost like the best you can do is tie it. I don't like that.

15 minutes gives the next team that gets the ball after a field goal. kind of equal amount of time on a super long drive. I mean, hell, it's not out of the question, even though you have timeouts that you can use, that a team could take nine minutes and then kick a field goal and not end the game. So I think they should go back to 15 minutes, but that's not being proposed. I think the Indianapolis, Philadelphia, each team gets a possession in overtime, is going to pass for the postseason. That's what I think. I think they should pass it for both. God, I used to be so rigid and so adamant on they don't need to change the overtime rules. Going back to sudden death, I didn't think that that was bad at the time. I was wrong.

And then when they, you know, went to the touchdown is the only way you can end it on the opening possession. I didn't like it at first. Now I love it. Now, you know, for a while I was like, no, we don't need to change it again. But after that Buffalo, Kansas City game, I think we need to change it. You know, the funny thing is the data on this is that since 2012, which was the beginning of the rule in the regular season of needing to score a touchdown to end it on the first possession, it's 50-50 on the team winning the coin toss. The team winning the coin toss overall since 2012 wins the game 50% of the time.

Now, since they've gone to the 10-minute overtime, 54% of the coin toss winners go on to win the game. Now, the results have been different in the postseason. We talked about this after the Buffalo Kansas City game at Arrowhead. Seven of the 12 overtime post-season games since 2012 have been won on the opening possession, and 10 of the 12 have been won by the team winning the coin toss. the logic there is that you've got better offensive teams in the postseason. Like every game that goes to overtime in the regular season does not include two capable offensive teams of going down the field and scoring on the opening drive.

By the way, one of the things I argued against the 10 minute, the reduction to 10 minutes, was that it would increase the number of ties, and it has. Since reducing overtime to 10 minutes in 2017, the NFL has a rate of tie games at 7.8%. And prior to that, the rate was 2.6% of the overtime games. So, you know, basically three times the rate of ties in the NFL. That's why I'd move it back to 15 minutes. and I would adopt the indie indie Philadelphia rule.

Just guarantee a possession for each team. It's really not that hard. All right, we're done for the day. Back next week, enjoy the weekend, everybody. Thanks.