The Kevin Sheehan Show - Rivera Not Ready For QB 1 Announcement

Episode Date: August 16, 2023

Kevin opened with thoughts on Ron Rivera declining to officially name Sam Howell the starting QB today. Doc Walker joined Kevin for a Commanders conversation. Kevin finished up with thoughts on "Hard Knocks". Go to https://www.mybookie.ag/sportsbook/ for your gambling needs. Use code KEVINDC! 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 Cheehan Show. Here's Kevin. One guest on the show today, and it's a favorite of all of yours. Doc Walker will be on with me starting in the next segment. The show today is brought to you by our good friends at MyBooky.

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To get started, go to mybooky.ag now. Register for an account. It doesn't cost you anything to sign up for an account. When you're ready to make that first deposit, use MyPum. code Kevin D.C. to grab a welcome bonus on the house. That's promo code Kevin D.C. to claim your deposit bonus. And for a limited time, you'll get a free chip to use in the MyBooky world-class online casino. Bet anything, anytime, anywhere, only with My Booky. I was looking at something earlier today. Somebody sent this to me. It was a link to, uh, it. I,

It was a service that put out projections for point spreads for every NFL game this year. And Washington was favored in just two of its 17 games as of today, August 16th. They're favored in the opener against Arizona. By the way, at my bookie right now, they are a six-point favorite. And then they are a projected one and a half point favorite over the Bears in their Thursday night week five game. Now, just as a comparison, they did the same thing last year. They actually got some that were close to the actual point spread, but some of them were just so far off. This is a ridiculous exercise to project point spreads for games in November and December.

It's impossible. You don't know what these teams are going to be, and you don't know who's going to be available to play. but I give you the biggest wifts from last year's projections week by week of the 2022 season in terms of point spreads and what they actually were as far as Washington's schedule goes. So their week three game against Philadelphia in August was a pickum game. When we got to week three, Philly was a six-point favorite. The Monday night game in Philadelphia that Washington pulled off the big upset in to stop Philadelphia's run at a perfect season, the projected point spread in August was Philly minus three and a half. Philly a three and a half point favorite.

The actual line, Philly went off at minus 11. And so, now there were some that were really close. The San Francisco game, late in the season, I mean, in August, they predicted that San Francisco would be a six and a half point favorite over Washington Christmas weekend. And yeah, that's exactly what it was. The 49ers were six and a half point favorites. But it's hard to pull this off. By the way, with respect to the Philadelphia point spreads that were so off,

remember this time last year, there were a lot of question marks about Philadelphia, a lot of question marks about Jalen Hertz. This is why, like, you know, from one NFL season to the next, it's just hard. Jalen Hertz was the biggest mystery for Eagles fans and for NFL odds makers. And that's why they were projected as a pickum in week three at Washington and ended up being a six-point favorite when, you know, in the first two weeks last year, if my memory serves me correctly, I'd have to pull this up. But Philadelphia scored a shitload of points in week one against Detroit last year. 38 to 35, I think was the final score. Yeah, they won 38, 35, and then they beat Minnesota on a Monday night, 24 to 7. And already Hertz had thrown in two games, he had thrown for 576 yards and a bunch of

touchdowns. But going into that season, nobody was sure about Jalen Hertz. Remember the year before, he had played well primarily as a runner, and Philly had gotten to the postseason. but he laid a big fat egg in the playoff game at Tampa Bay. So I'm trying to think of really like the comp for Jalen Hertz this year. In some ways it's Justin Fields, except I think it's Justin Fields. Like Chicago may make significant improvement this year. Who knows? Maybe they make the playoffs as a wildcard team.

And Justin Fields does an incredible job running the football and improve. as a passer. Although then again, Jalen Hertz wasn't even a given to be a starter. Justin Fields is a given to be a starter. I don't know what the comp is for Jalen Hertz going into last year. You know, I don't think it's Daniel Jones, even though Daniel Jones got to the postseason for the first time and won a game. He's been around too long, and now they've invested in him,

so that's a terrible comp. Yeah, I don't even know what it would be. be. I don't know that there is a true comp for what Jalen Hertz last year was, which is he's on a really good football team, and he's the biggest question mark. You know, there's just no other example. I mean, I guess Deshawn Watson and Russell Wilson in terms of veteran quarterbacks that are big mysteries, but you know that there's a big upside there, but you also wonder whether or not they'll get to it. I think I always felt Jalen Hertz had a big upside. Anyway, my bookie.ag promo code, Kevin D.C.

The Ravens are three-point favorites over Washington on the Monday night football game and the all-important second week of the preseason. That has replaced the all-important third week of the preseason. But I don't even know if the second week's important anymore because it just seems more and more teams are choosing health over getting, you know, game action in an actual game environment. By the way, and I mentioned this earlier on my radio show, and it just kind of occurred to me right before the show started,

that two weeks from today, it will be August 30th. It'll be the day after the cut down date on August 29th. And if you didn't know this, this year, cut down happens all at once. you go from 90 to 53 by 4 p.m. August 29th. So two weeks from now, we'll be talking about 37 players having been released by Washington. You know, in the past, it was always a couple of cuts before you got to the last one, which was the major one, but it wasn't 37 players. You were typically going from like 75, I think, to 53. It was like the final 22. something like that. But no, now it's one fell swoop, and I would imagine, and keep in mind,

because you've got so much time between the final preseason game and the regular season opening, I mean, it's like 16 days in some cases. You know, there could be a lot of movement on that cut-down date. With players out there, you know, Washington could be busy, signing players. I think the cut down areas that are going to be the most difficult are going to be wide receiver and probably the secondary. Those are going to be difficult areas to pick those last one to two roster spots in those areas. I mean, you could make the case. The secondary is as talented and as deep as any other position group on the team. I was on a radio show in Boston late yesterday.

It's a group that calls me every single year to preview Washington's upcoming season. And they, like everybody nationally, they emphasize how great the defensive line looks from their seat because of all of the first round numbers next to names, sweat and Allen and pain and then Young. Lots of questions, by the way, about Chase Young. And I said it may be the best front line starter unit on the team, but if you include depth, it's probably the secondary at this point. We're wide receiver, one of the two. But two weeks from now, we'll be talking about 37 players being released and maybe Washington being busy looking for help in the areas where they need help, like offensive line. The opportunity for all of you to rate and review the show is there. Even right now, if you want to pause it and subscribe to the show, that's important.

Follow us. That's important. Apple allows you to follow us in the upper right-hand corner of the Apple podcast screen. Spotify, it's down the left-hand side. Following us is a big deal. Subscribing to the podcast is a big deal. And rating and reviewing us is always appreciated. We've gotten so many good ratings and reviews.

This one real simple. I mean, this is what Snow 20 said to us. Best DC Sports Podcasts. Kevin and Tom are the best five stars. That's really all we're looking for. Now, some of you have really taken the opportunity to express your appreciation for the podcast. And every once in a while, every once in a while,

we get those of you who have a lot of recommendations on how to improve the show. And by the way, I read those too. But this one comes from Sean. Sean writes, First time, long time. I was devastated when Kevin went off the air on 980 a few years back. Five years ago. Five years ago, almost to the day,

Urban One had acquired the station from Red Zebra. And by the way, Dan's Red Zebra group got a great deal on the station. Urban One was a big and still is a huge radio company, and they acquired 980. They had never acquired a sports talk station. They didn't know anything about talk radio or sports talk radio. But they were based here, and they wanted the opportunity to kind of learn. Well, you know, I've told this story many times. They wanted me back, but they wanted me back at a 40% compensation discount,

and I wasn't going to be working with Cooley anymore. And so I told them no. Thanks, but no thanks. And it was the best thing that ever happened to me because it forced me to launch this podcast five years ago. Now, it wasn't exactly five years ago because it was early September right before the first Alex Smith home game, road game against Arizona, the season opener.

Adrian Peterson, Alex Smith, they go to Arizona. They win 24 to 6. And I launched the podcast that week leading up to that game with the help, by the way, of Tony and Mark Stern. They were tremendously helpful. And Tony was really the biggest advocate for me to do this. I mean, he was the biggest. He's like, you have to do this. This is something that is, it'll work.

It'll work for you. You've got an audience, et cetera, et cetera. So that was the best thing that ever happened to me. I didn't feel it in the moment, to be honest with you. I was concerned. You know, I just couldn't. People were taking pay cuts. Don't get me wrong, but they not only wanted me to take a significant pay cut,

they took Cooley from the show, which I told them, I'm like, this is a bad idea. If actual audience and revenue generation is part of what you want, you know, to come out of this purchase, you know, I think you should leave Cooney and I together, and we were, I mean, the show that we had together generated really good revenue for Red Zebra, really good revenue. But anyway, five years ago, launched the podcast, and it was the best thing that ever happened to me. Now, eight months later, nine months later, they came back and said, we want you back. And so it was about a year,

I guess it was like 11 months of being off radio. Yeah, back in 2018. five years ago. But anyway, Sean writes, I was devastated when Kevin went off the air on 980 a few years back. I'm grateful he's back on the air, even more grateful for the podcast, especially because as a bonus, we get

the Sports Fix 2.0 with Tom. One of my favorite episodes from the past year was when in a single episode they covered archery, UFOs, the Kansas City Chiefs run to the World Cup,

and people getting thrown into woodchippers in Cumberland. Thank you, Sean. And Sean went on to write a lot more. He did say he made one constructive criticism, and I'll read it to you. He said, I know you love when we program the show for you. He said, to the very loud and annoying minority of the harvest feast crowd, It's clear you love dunking on them. Who doesn't?

But I think sometimes the content is directed at them too much instead of us norms, i.e. going a bit over the top about how nobody wanted Bianami. I can only imagine what they put you through at L.O.L. No, it's, look, every day is a new day and trying to come up with what to talk about. Some days are truly easy. Those days start, by the way, in about three weeks, the beginning of football season. through really the NFL draft is the easy time of the year to do a show like this. And then, you know, June, although I love the NBA, May and June,

but, you know, July and August are typically, you know, the months where, you know, it takes a lot of sometimes creativity at the beginning of a day or the night before because there isn't the obvious. But I think the Bianami thing, I just don't understand, and I don't think it's even the harvest feast crowd only. I think a lot of people everywhere here and nationally think that Washington really got themselves an absolute steel in Eric Bianney. And they may have, but again, my point, Sean, is that they didn't have to fight anybody for them. But anyway, Sean finished up his review with, as Zab says, let's go have ourselves a season. First time reaching out, long-time listener, Sean M.

Yeah, Zab's favorite saying this time of year is we got ready for the regular season each year was, hey, it doesn't look that great, but let's go have ourselves a season anyway. And this one, to me, looks really interesting. It does. Anyway, please rate us and review us if you have a moment to do so. And following us and subscribing is big for us as well. So how quickly is new ownership paying off for this franchise? Well, this afternoon, the team announced a new partnership with Verizon that will improve the experience for fans at FedEx Field starting in 2024.

Verizon named the official 5G network. of the Washington commanders, Verizon is the first corporate partner to sign on with the commanders since the sale of the team was finalized last month. Verizon's Chris Flood, the Atlantic North Market President for Verizon, said, quote, as a new corporate partner supporting the Washington commanders, we look forward to providing technology solutions that will improve the experience for fans on and off the field and ensure reliable communications for game day operations and personnel. This is an exciting new chapter in Commander's history, and we are excited to be a part of it

in a big way, closed quote. Very rarely, if ever, in the past, have we read press releases and now announcing corporate partnerships. But Verizon, the first official corporate sponsor to sign on since the change in ownership. And this has been something that's been missing in recent years. You know, we've talked about the ancillary revenue after the media, you know, one 30-second cut that Washington gets, which is the same cut the other 31 teams get. You know, that ensures that the league and every single team in it will be viable forever, as long as that media money continues to be there and there's no sign of it slowing down.

only been going up. In the other bucket of revenue, you know, ticket sales, ticket, then game day, you know, revenue from concessions and parking and then corporate sponsorships, etc. Washington's been near the bottom of the league in recent years. And this is what I've said before, Washington and Dan in particular has been, you know, one of the worst earners in the league that had to just burn him up. I mean, from 20-some years ago being one of the top earners in the league along with the Cowboys, and then there was big separation, remember, between Washington, Dallas and whoever, or whomever, number three was, they had become a bottom-of-the-barrel earner in the league. And part of the Josh Harris business plan that he sent out when he was raising money

in trying to find, you know, co-investors to buy the team was that, Once Dan was gone, all of the sudden revenue floodgates would open up. And this is an example of one of those revenue streams that's kind of had the gate closed for a few years. And now it probably won't be, at least for the time being. So good for them. Anyway, there was some football again today up in Baltimore, day two of the joint practices between the Ravens and the commanders. I wanted to go back real quickly to yesterday because I missed this quote. I saw it this morning.

Marlon Humphrey, the corner for Baltimore, said about Sam Hal, quote, he looked really comfortable. He's a second-year guy, but he looked comfortable back at quarterback, closed quote. Marlon Humphrey, by the way, got hurt yesterday. He's going to be out for a while. But that was, you know, that kind of fits with what we've seen in the preseason game and what people have seen with Sam Hal. out at training camp. He really seems to be comfortable with everything. It's one of the pieces to

my game take the other night is the poise, calm, he just kind of looked the part, which leads me to really the newsworthy item of day two of the joint practices. It's not really that newsworthy to me, but it made headlines earlier today. Ron Rivera was asked about whether or not he was ready to name a starting quarterback yet, and he said he isn't ready to name a starting quarterback quite yet. Ben Standig had some information on that. He tweeted out the following about Ron Rivera's comments. He wrote, quote,

Ron Rivera said he isn't ready to name anyone the starting quarterback, but Rivera said he would speak with Eric Bianami and QB. to Vita Pritchard once the team returns home, I'd imagine we'd hear the obvious news no later than post-game Monday, if not by Friday's practice. Kime had, you know, basically the same thing that Ben had. Kime wrote, quote, Rivera declined to officially name Hal as the starter for the season. However, they'll meet over the next two days could lead to a formal announcement on Friday. Hal hasn't done anything to lose the job, but these two days were key.

Go back, analyze, discuss, and proceed. From James on Twitter, what's Ron trying to pull? Does anybody believe that this has been a competition? I don't get what the hesitancy is to name Sam Howell the starter, as it seems many other teams around the league are doing. You can follow me on Twitter at Kevin Sheen, D.C. tweet me at Kevin Sheen, D.C. I don't have a big reaction to him waiting on this. You're right. There are other programs out there. Like Anthony Richardson was apparently floored that Shane Steichen in Indianapolis named him the starting quarterback for the upcoming season the other day.

That was supposed to be a legitimate competition between Gardner Minchew and Anthony Richardson. Remember, many people thought Richardson was a prospect that needed a year to sit behind a veteran quarterback. But yeah, I don't know. It doesn't bother me. I guess, you know, on one hand, it's like Ron's opening up about people coming to him to complain about Eric Bienimi, you know, and it's like he can't tell us the obvious, you know, on August 16th, that Sam Hal, who by the way, he has slapped the QB1 label on many times. Howells basically had every rep in training camp with the first team.

It's not been a legitimate competition. Sam Howell is going to start the season at quarterback. There's no chance that that's not happening unless there's an injury. So, I don't know. I mean, is it a competitive advantage? Not really. I mean, the Cardinals don't think for a second, you know, doing there any sort of level of research about who's taking all of the reps with the ones and who's starting the preseason games. They're not going to think that all of a sudden, after the Bengals preseason game, the Washington's going to name Jacoby Brissette, the starter with no first team.

reps throughout camp and in the preseason. But it doesn't bother me. It really doesn't bother me that much. It just is, it is odd. The things Ron is willing to kind of offer up versus those things that he thinks maybe, I got to keep those things close to the vest. I got to keep those things. I got to play with everybody out there.

I got to make them believe. I mean, I guess you could make the case that, You don't want to give it and just hand it to Sam Howl, you know, after one preseason game, that the illusion of some sort of competitive, you know, situation for him, or at least the idea that he still has to earn it. You know, Ron did say yesterday that he didn't think the ball was coming out quickly enough, you know, a constructive criticism, I guess, of Sam Hal. But anyway, it doesn't really bother me as much as it does you, James.

It really doesn't. Let's get to Doc. We'll do that right after these words from a few of our sponsors. Before we get to Doc, let me just mention that this segment of the show is brought to you by the Circa Million and the Circa Survivor Pools in Vegas. The Circa Million is $6 million in guaranteed prizes, a million to the winner. pick five games against the spread every week. If you've got the best record at the end of the year, you will pocket a million dollars.

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I was in Vegas, by the way, a week and a half ago, as you know. I was there. I met Casey. Casey is one of your favorites, and you are definitely one of his favorites. He lives in L.A., so he came and met me in Vegas. And I went to the Circo where Tim Murray works. and where Aaron works, and they're doing well. And then from there, I went and visited our boy, Christopher Cooley.

Yeah, yeah. Now, did you have any air conditioning where you were at? You've already talked to Larry, haven't you? You already know that. No, I know how he's a nomad. And so I'm saying, when you're in his environment, you've got to go play by his rules. And I don't see you as a steady slicker being able to deal with the mosquitoes. Well, here's the thing.

They're at 4,000 feet of elevation. So it doesn't get really hot. So the need for air conditioning isn't that great. And yeah, there are a lot of flies, but there aren't a lot of mosquitoes. Mosquitoes weren't the problem. But you're right. They live. He's an outdoorsman, Doc.

He's a nomad. I know. You know? Look, he is who he is, and that's what makes him authentic. But you, in his environment, I just didn't see that working. I didn't know how that fit. I mean, it was like, okay, let me see how you survive it. Well, so I wanted, the reason I wanted to get to this is, so this just, look, this isn't totally me,

but I've done a lot of this stuff, and my father's very much. and outdoorsmen and a big fly trout fisherman. And my... I'm sure his father was, too. And my brother-in-law's, my father-in-law, they're big hunters. It's not been my thing over the years as an adult, but I'm somewhat familiar with it, but I'm going to tell you right now, when we got out for one of these fishing expeditions, we parked about a half mile away from the river that he wanted to go fish.

By the way, this is his hometown. He knows every nook and cranny of every river, every mountain, the whole thing. But, you know, he gets out of the car, and he's loading up his 10-millimeter pistol, and he's looking for the bear spray for me. He's like, and I'm like, well, what's going on here? And he said, well, this area is the highest concentration of grizzly bears in the entire state of Wyoming. Yeah, yeah.

And I said, well, so you've got the pistol. Where's the, what do I do with the bear spray? And he said, well, you'd spray it at the bear. And he said, now a lot of the attacks, and there aren't many of them, but sometimes you don't even see the bear coming. But let me just say, typical of coolly, I love him dearly, he forgot the bear spray. He left that at home. Yeah, but all this you knew going in, it's not like he surprised you.

I mean, you didn't expect him to have everything he might have needed to have. And you know he's fearless. Fearless. I mean, for him, he absolutely is Daniel Moon. And so it meant none to him. What all of us were here waiting was to see, I know you're capable of roughing it. But your ideal deal of the rough is with a wedge in your hand.

And so in a stress, so I just don't understand. Yeah, there's nothing wrong with that. I mean, but we just all were so confused, admire you and your friendship to where you would make yourself uncomfortable for a friend. But I just didn't understand it. That's no idea of a vacation to me. It's like you lost a bet and you had to go pay it off. I'm laughing. My, man, that shit was so funny.

And I'm with Larry. How's Larry? Can you imagine? I mean, what do you really think is going on with Kevin right now? I know he wants to be there, and he wants to stand up to his word and do all that. He's got to be miserable. I mean. I wasn't miserable.

It was a great time because I'm with Chris. And we always have a good time, just like I always have a good time with you. Chris would turn being in a concentration camp into a riot. I get that. but we're still saying here's the country club guy okay who's used to having his toast and his tea and now he's out quote roughened it man it was the best laugh we had thank you for that too and also thank you for leaving your audience with me for a few days we had a ball um i mean we had a ball you're like a principal type and so everybody kind of is able to kind of let their hair down

when you're not around. And I'll tell you, we had an absolute ball. We're kind of like, it's almost like we're in detention. I know what you're doing. I know what you're doing. Yeah. No, you don't know what I'm doing. I'm being honest with you.

No, no. And I'll tell you what, didn't he had a ball. He's the best. Being treated like an equal. Oh, stop it. See, don't do that because people actually, some people walk away thinking that Doc's telling everybody she entreats his producers poorly. You name one producer that I haven't been the kindest person to.

I'm the easiest person to work for. You were with a group there for a while that was difficult on a producer. Oh, my God. Okay, you know what? This is your show, so I'm going to stay in my lane and I'm going to actually be like a guest. Yeah. Well, one last thing on the bear thing. When he didn't have the bear spray, what's the, what's the,

chance if you had been there, which would have been slim and none to begin with. It would have been in part. No, it would have been in pop. What's the chance that when he didn't have the bear spray and he was holding the pistol that you would have gone on a half mile hike to the river to fish? Zero. Zero. My son just went up there to climb up to the mountain. I said, you realize there's Mount Lions up in the mountain where you're going up in Utah.

Yeah, I know. I said, good luck. Look, man, I admire you guys because you're adventurous. See, my idea of adventures is going to see an R-rated movie. That's it. I've done enough ignorant things in my life. I'm done. But I'm glad you made it back.

That's the most important thing. When do you leave again? Late next week. Okay, good. All right, good. God, I get to eat. Beautiful. I do want to just mention one thing, and I don't need you to respond to this.

But the preseason game last Friday night against the Browns, you were missed. I'll leave it at that. All right. So I'm going to ask you something that I talked about a little bit in the open to the show today. Okay. Ron Rivera said today that he's not ready to name publicly the starting quarter. back, which I think we all know is Sam Howe. I mean, he is referred to Sam Hal as the QB1.

Sam Hal's taken, I think, almost every single first-team rep in training camp. Do you have a problem with him playing coy on this and holding off on the announcement of Sam Howe as if there's actually legitimately still a competition going on? No, because I refuse to take any of that bait. I don't focus on anything that any of them say. I'm strictly looking for the results that they can produce. And they lost me as a listener. But I'm a follower.

Now I'm waiting to sit on their actions. It doesn't matter what they say. I want to know what they do. And so far, this is the best camp that I've seen since he's been as their coach. Why? And so because the pace, because of the guy he hired, which is his, to him, kudos. He brought in a guy

that no one wanted to give their whole program over to. He gave half of his over to him. And it's the best movie's made since he took the job. And so I've got to give him credit for that. Now, if they can get the results on game day, they've done a lot of good things off the field in the past. What they've not been very good at is once the game starts, outscoring the opponent.

and so I'm just hopeful that all of this will lead to a victory against the Arizona Cardinals. Tell me what you've seen from Eric Bianami that has you so confident that Ron Rivera made the right call. Because he's taking the pressure off the guys and he's the bad guy. Not the players, not the scheme, not anything, not Ron. It's him. and he took training camp, which is mismanaged across the league board. But our September's, from a wagering standpoint, you may have made a fortune. As a diehard enthusiast over victory, my teeth have been smashed. So his formula is just horrendous for September results.

So he made a change. Brought in somebody's completely different than him and anybody else's bad around him. and so that's what was needed. And so now, whether or not they complained, I don't know what they did, if they did or didn't, I don't know anything else. All I know is that when you see them on the field now in Cleveland and in Baltimore, as I've watched them in scrimmages, there's intent. They're not, if you make a mistake, you know you've heard it, you've used it as a coach.

Make it full speed. The worst thing you can do is show that you would. indecisive and go half ass. You make a mistake in a hundred miles now, you might end up getting lucky. So I like that. And I like the athleticism on the team, the team speed overall. Those are things I like. What I don't like is that I don't know if we are, we block well enough or stop

to run well enough to be a champion yet. And so those are things that you have to wait and be patient with. So that's what I'm watching, what I'm monitoring. I mean, my whole focus in the entire team to me goes across the board, offense, defensive line, period. Period. Period. That's it. And so I have enough question marks within those two units to whether you're either going to make

or break the season for me. And so that's where my attention is now. All right. I want to get back to O-Line and your concern over the ability to stop the run. but you didn't mention among your concerns, quarterbacks. So what have you seen with number 14 that makes you feel comfortable, you know, heading into the regular season, that that's not going to be an area of concern? Well, both guys are competent.

This is the best room of arms we've had since Kirk Cousins departed. So we've got big-time throwers. They have guns, they got touch, they can throw. All three of them can throw. and mobile enough and 14 could beat you with his legs. I don't think Jacoby can do that yet, but that kid could beat you with his legs if need be. I see such an up-tempo, quick rhythm,

get the ball out your hand if that or die. They don't have an option. The quick game, anybody could. The rate Charles can see that. They got to have a quick game or no game because they couldn't stop running water right now. And so we're going to have, but that could change because you can scheme.

The thing he has over his predecessor is that I think you can scheme and help your offensive line, which Turner didn't do to my liking. There's no way Tibido is supposed to destroy a game, an undersized guy with speed, just unheard of, the one man could devastate you like that and not be L-T. That's just poorly, poor scheme.

they'll do that and they'll get rid of the ball and they got an athlete at quarterback. So if they give him, and if certain people could, again, stay healthy. Shaddeke Charles, Nick Gates, and Stromberg, they got to prove if they can actually play, then we've got a chance. What I can't do is I can't stop immediate penetration. I'm dead. But I can work with you on the edge if you are folding,

if you're a folding chair, I can get around that. I can't get around the fact that if you, are the two stiffs they had playing guard last year. I'm just, there's no way you can do it. Don't you like Cosmy? I love Cosby. But he's got to have reserve because he's not always available. He's got Shadee Charles syndrome is that they're Nick really a lot.

The linemen, I mean, and nobody gets hurt on purpose. Nobody wants to be hurt. But trends are trends. And I love him. I think he's a Pro Bowl talent at guard. He may be forced back out. If I don't see marked improvement or get some help, you know, whether or not it's Trent Scott, a King Ballou, or whether it's Daniels, whomever. I have a term I use as when I'm in a chair, we need a hero.

And they need a hero in that offensive line. It could be unfreeze, drafted free agent. It could be a guy that was spending the night with a friend of the family, anybody. with good feet and long arms and an attitude. That's what's needed now. And it can very well happen. I haven't seen it yet, but it's possible. I was really impressed, and I talked about this on the Friday night show after the game

and Monday and even yesterday. I thought 23 Rodriguez looks. Oh, stop it. What? Stop it. You like them too? No. Yeah.

What? beach mode. That's right. You have a man on your show recently. This guy, now here's where we're so rich in certain positions.

The nitty line and the Buckeye, he's certified. He's like art monk to me. If I never mentioned Terry's name, don't think I'm slighting him. I put him in Monk's category. It's a given with me and Terry. This kid from Penn State

If we could develop a line that could protect long enough to get into a five-step game, it's absolutely over. You have no chance with this receiver room and the tight-in room. They don't have time to get the tight-in. They can't. They just don't have enough time. But as they develop and get better, this skills group. It's silly. I am so excited.

Now you can't get to them. There's no way they can execute a five to seven-step drop-back plan with this current offensive line in the state that is in. That's impossible. But they could work into it, down and distance into it, and they can get better. And maybe, maybe we can get to that. It's going to be quick game, rollout, move all that, which the enemy is a master at. I just can't wait to get him into the regular season

because you're not going to see any of his tricks now. But just know this. Like the great Joe Gibbs, we showed you nothing. And preys ever, nothing. And that's what they'll do. All the smart ones do it. Only the idiots try to impress people that don't understand the game.

They're playing to an audience that just absolutely has no factor on your results. But I'm optimistic at hell. I'm excited about the crowds and, anticipating what will happen. I was just at the stadium for a fantasy draft and... Your favorite thing. And the place is sold out. It's going to be sold out.

I think they all have all but two sweets done. The place is going to be bedlam. Detroit sold out. So this is kind of like the night of the living dead to me. And it's really seeing all this now. Here come the zombies. Yeah. No, it's going to be as quick.

It'll be out just as quick as you can say that it's in if they lose. And somebody gets upset. Now, Detroit won't get spoiled because they're playing the world champions. But if these guys, if the fan base talks the team into thinking they're better than Arizona just by showing up, then all this could be poofed or it'll be a platform to week two and it's going to become bedlam. because I'm telling you what, this is one of the best atmospheres and anticipation. I've been around it long, long time. This is fun. It's exciting.

I can't work for the open. But it's a fool's goal. All right. Back to the playmakers. I started with 23 Rodriguez, Kentucky Wildcat, and you immediately went to, you know, Buckeye and Nittney Lion and the Playmakers, and I agree with you. I think they have, I think dots, if I were ranking the most dangerous playmakers on offense, I think Dotson would be number one for me.

You get no argument out of me because I'm old enough to have seen and worked with Charlie Joyner. And the best route runner, now, it's Raymond Barry like, and that's a little old for you, but Raymond Barry. I remember 18, Joyner. I remember him. Oh, my God. Charlie Joy.

And when I give this kid that compliment. Not only are these some of the nicest young men you'll ever meet, they're legit. There's not a jerk. And for a wide receiver group, I'm really on a role now. This is a great group. They could lead your Sunday school lesson, or they could go out, you take them to the club and concert with you. They're versatile. They're athletic.

They can all run. They're all special team. They have special teams' backgrounds. and they're football players. And I'm telling you, I am, and this is why I just want us to come of age. And it's going to be a process, going to take some time. But we don't have the time we've always farted around with September.

We cannot give September away. We've got to go take September. And I just, I'm hopeful that what I see will translate into better results. At Rick Doc Walker on Twitter. Doc's podcast is at patreon.com slash Doc Walker. So let me just get to Chris Rodriguez. I love Robinson, Jr.

Gibson is one of my two or three favorite players on the team. In fact, behind Dotson, I think Gibson might be the most dangerous offensive playmaker. Oh, yeah, and he could be outside too. Yeah. But Rodriguez showed me something, and I, you know, I saw him at Kentucky, powerful, powerful dude, but he's got, I think, even quicker feet and better vision than Robinson Jr. Yeah, yeah, he could very, you know, one is, see, it's amazing that if I were to pick the battering ram, I'd pick Robinson as the battering ram, and Rodriguez, he can shake and bake you too and run through you.

he reminds me of like B Mitch's running style and Brian's intention was to split you in half and a lot of guys never want to do they want to take a shoulder very few guys want to split you want to bust your vertebrae and this is our Rodriguez

and I saw the SEC I'm like we have some similarities one I want to pick my players from the FCC that did not go to Georgia, Alabama, or LSU. I want the guy that had to go against and play six games because the other guys just play three games a year that they actually have to get a sweat up for.

But the guys, they have to play seven or eight, and they're under man, and they make all SEC, and everybody respects them, that's a football player. And that's the guy I want on my team. That's how you build them. If you notice, our dear friends spread smooth. They're more Mississippi State Bulldogs in the league that you can shake thick. They ain't won nothing.

So many. Right. They can't win as a team. They're everywhere. They got players. They got players. You know, but they're not, as a group, have not been able to put it together yet. But individually and who they have to go up against, that's the guys I want.

If I'm scouting, like Jim, Jimmy Johnson wasn't afraid to go meack, swag. He shopped it. He did. He built his dynasty off the fact that these other clowns. Keep hanging around reading Smith and Smith and all them magazines. No, you've got to go out and get you a sack lunch and go out and scout and find you some canines. And our group here, they're bringing in people.

I mean, the best guy in the country is in Dallas. That guy, he hits winter after winter after winter. But we're pretty good. we're pretty good, especially middle rounds. All right. And later, we're pretty good. Tell me why you think stopping the run is, well, just tell me why you're concerned with that particular aspect of what should be a good defense. But why is stopping the run going to be a problem?

Well, until we've proved that we can do it consistently, I mean, most people we've played it, they've gutted us, and we're always behind because we don't score enough points, so our defense is at a natural disadvantage. If we flip that and make our opponents chase, that will change automatically. But until I see that, I can't guarantee that. Specifically, though, you feel good about the defensive front, right? Is it linebacker that concerns you? No, I don't feel feeling good and seeing them do their job versus running two different animals.

until they decide to play as a unit, they're never going to reach their potential as a team. You can't freelance. They ain't about you and your stats. It's about gap control. And teams that get split or when some guy decides to do his own thing, on maybe just one play. And then I like Cody,

we got to get a bona fide, Dick Butkus-type ass kicker at linebacker. And if a guy can't drive the speed limit, I no longer trust him to develop. So he's got to prove to me that he can pay attention to the rule. He's just a little bit over the speed limit. Yeah, well, you lost me, Slim. I was defending you.

I was hoping for you. See, a guy that's that undiscipline. I can't put him in charge of calling my defense. He can't even manage his life. No, I got to get somebody, and I got him. I got him. 47, let me tell you something. I know.

You like Cleek Hudson. Oh, I love him. I love him. And these guys are around the ball and our safeties. We got a lot of people. They remind me Alvin Walt. I love Dirty Al, because Dirty Al, I mean, Dirty Al, he would jet. He lived to inflict pain upon people.

He got off on that. He'd run right into a wall headfirst. He loved it, and we got guys like that now. 40. We have got some attack dogs. Our secondary, all of them, they'll knock you out. Even Slim Jim. Man, Slim Jim threw a right-left,

he threw a combination on the guy that swung at him. He's a bulldog, so I know he's tough. I don't question any of that. All we need. Yeah, all we need. Yeah, when you explain it to your, quote, fan base, it's so rabid and understands the team, and you've got to spill everything out for them every damn show.

Yeah, that's really neat. You really got an hell of a following. I'm just making it clear, because sometimes you'll just, you'll throw out. No, no, no, because they should know. You're talking about you got the number one fan base in the national football league, and you've got to feed them like their babies. Slim Jim is a feeding them Pavlum. Slim Jim's a pit bull.

I just wanted to make sure everybody understood that that was Emmanuel Forbes. That's all. Okay, all right. Okay. In terms of gap control and being disciplined, how's Chase Young doing so far in camp when you've seen him before, you know, getting the stinger the other night?

I don't know. Again, unless it's live, I don't really pay a lot of attention. The drills, I can't evaluate him until a real game. He got hooked on one play, then he was Deacon Jones on the other one, then he was out.

So pretty much gives me what he's sensational. Then he doesn't give me anything. Then he's gone. So I got to have a better sample size. Chase Young can do anything on a football field he decides to make up his mind to do. The question is, will he decide to do it? All right. Two more for Doc Walker.

Give me the player or players, because this is your time of year. You know, you find a few of the young pups and they stand out and you talk them up. Tell me about some of the players that are a little bit off the radar that you've noticed and you're really excited about. Well, you already know who they are. And you mentioned that Rodriguez, the back, I love Ridgeway. If he ever needed a ride at home and got stranded, he could call me. I come pick him up. He's absolutely filthy.

I mean, occasional late hit. He just, he plays, he's my kind of guy. Big, flying to the ball, inflicts pain on the opponent, love him to death. Andre Jones, Jr. Yeah. Let me tell you something. 48. I had a, oh, good for you.

Good for you. I had dinner with him. I remember. Prior K.J. Henry, the Pups. Yep. and what I said to him, but I said, you know what, you better be glad Trent Williams is no longer here because he would have whooped your ass in practice.

He told me, he said, we'll keep your eye on me. We'll see him week, too. We play him this year. And I knew that he's my guy. He's my guy. He didn't give a damn who Trent Williams was. And he knew we're going to play him, knew who he was. He don't back down from, I'm telling you,

He's a hitman. You remind me a Dexter. I'm always looking for the next Dexter, Manley. I'm looking for the next world grand. We all do this. Well, you don't. But the rest of us that are beneath you do. We're always looking for some remember.

I don't play a lot of the comparison games and the hypothetical stuff. That's more your thing. Yeah. Yeah, I know it's more me. Well, that's what you ask the question. K.J. Henry, Andre Jones, Joshua Pryor, those are my kind of guys, straight out of tag dogs. Right.

Andre Jones sticks out to me and did the other night because he's not, like he's not your typical looking defensive end. He's tall. How tall is he? And he's kind of, I'm not going to say he's slim, Jim like you did with Forbes, but he's more, what would the word be, like angular? Like DeNeil Hunter in Minnesota is kind of that tall, lanky, You know all of Kurds teammates. I like that.

Yeah, I do. I do. But that's when I looked at him, I'm like, that's kind of the body type he has. Yeah, athletic, but even more so than what he brings there is his attitude. He is, you know how we could talk with Dexter? Yeah. I'm telling you, I had dinner. I told me, let me tell you something. I mean, he don't back something.

And then in practice, man, he's making move. He's gutting to him. He's that guy. Now, he's got to stay healthy. And things got to go his way. It's just like when we're talking about the linebackers.

And I told you that I'm a big Cody Barton guy. Yeah. Because I saw his work in Seattle. Anybody that can play for Pete Carroll can play for me. I mean, because his approach to football is like hard balls.

I love these guys that get fired every year in camp and do it because they don't give a damn about, they understand there's only one way to build that callus, develop that mindset. Colleague Hudson, oh, my God, another guy. He don't need AAA. You get a problem calling me. I'll come pick you up because I just adore the way he plays the game. They come after you, man. It's like the guys that you, when I hear a lot of,

about them, because, again, you just may not. But F.A. Obata, you get in the problem, Jam, just call me. I'm coming. I'm coming to get you. That's your thing right now. You're going to be, I mean, you're going to have your own Uber service. No, I'm just telling you, James Smith Williams. Yeah, he's on it. I can get all the list of the guys I pick up. They call me 4 a.m. anymore. Neither ride, I got you. Because they come to play. They can play three techniques. They can go outside. They're not. they're not zeroed into one positional thing they can do.

They can do whatever. They're football players. Right. Put them in whatever. And they don't care. They don't care about nothing other than succeeding, playing hard. Very seldom, they on the injured list. They play specials.

They just football players. Right. And I'm so happy that we have those kind of guys. I just hope that they get to be celebrated and get to win. hear and not be constantly in the news for everything other than their performance. Amen to that. All right. Last one.

Thank you. Because I haven't talked to you about this, but as a PAC 8, Pac-10, Pac-12 guy, having had a storied career at UCLA, which included a Rose Bowl win, what do you make of the PAC-12 disintegrating? Progress. What do you mean? You got to go to the money. Well, you can't be on at midnight. In other words, the nitwit that came up with this after dark crap should be... I loved it.

And yet you loved it because you're nocturnal. And you've got a great producer. You've got a staff. You can wake up five minutes before your show and you got it going. Just roll in five minutes before. Look, look, it's okay. I know you don't like the public to know. That's okay.

Let me take that back. Let me track that. He didn't have a staff. He doesn't have staff. Look, man, I love waiting to see Tennessee, Alabama. Answer the question. How do you feel as a Pact,

as a longtime Pact 12 guy? I was Pact, it's over. This is the last year and you'll never have that league anymore. Good. Great, great. Because AFL went to the endomets progress. What do you want to? to do.

Prior to 10 years. You own the game. You're playing at midnight. Come on, man. Not always. Bad deal. You know, it was one of my favorite things when back in the day when, you know, you'd only have like one or two games on TV a week.

Oh, yeah. You'd have the early game and the late game would be something out of the Coliseum or the Rose Bowl. And it was cold and dark on the East Coast and it was bright and sunny on the West Coast. I love those games. Look, you see, you were, it was changing for you anyway because UCLA was, you know, headed to the Big Ten and we'll be, we'll be in the same conference together for the first time. But, um. What do you say, we? Well, Maryland.

Who are you for? Are you Penn State? Oh, you're Maryland. Okay. I get confused. Who am I? What do you? Because you represent so many different different.

Well, you, you, you. Let me ask you something. How long have, I've known you for almost 20 years. I know. What is, what thing in my most passion? about. Terps, basketball. Okay.

So asking me which team? I know. I had to mess with you. I take that back. I apologize for that. That was really slanderous because you very clear with your allegiance, although I was right, you wanted to stay in the AECF and no slim. You got to go to the big time.

And now you haven't thanked me officially yet, but you will. In about a year and a half, you will. All right. I thank you. I thank you all the time for everything. I just, I get, I got a long list. I'm always thinking. I read your threads. I know people are constantly requesting more of us. And I go, look, I can't make him ask me to come on. They keep asking me, how come you not on? Look, he makes all the decisions. And I right now, I'm an emergency guy, break glass, you know, when needed. And then I'm there. and no problems. But I just wanted your public to know, it ain't me. Okay, I'm always available to be a part of the Sheehan show. So that's the way it goes.

You are, and it's much appreciated, as always. Slim Jim Pitbull, Emmanuel Forbes number 13. He is a bulldog for sure. You're getting there. You're getting there. Doc Walker's podcast. He's got his own, which is one of the reasons I don't ask him to come on this one all the time, because he's got his own.

I haven't been on his podcast in over a year. I wouldn't hear. Never asks me to go on his podcast. Okay. Now let's go full disclosure. Full disclosure, you do a.m. talk. Yeah. And I tape 7.30 in the morning. Well, I could do. I'm up two hours before that. No, you, you were always on the air.

I'm not anymore. I haven't been for four months. I get, but you're prepping and you've got on. No, no, no, no. Everybody knows. Look, everybody knows the deal, all right? I just love, listen to it. When you do your sponsor, I am so proud of you.

When you start saying, when you give the credits out, I just go, wow. I knew him when he just had one. Okay. And now, and now he's up. Patreon.com slash Doc Walker. One of these days, I'll get the invite to go on with Sally. Yeah. Well, you know what?

You did come on. came on the show in the weekend. I hate the book. It was like a year and a half ago. No, no, no. That was because the podcast is hard for you. But the show, you came on Saturday. You came on a couple weeks ago.

I'll go on with you whenever you asked me to come on. I know, but I know you're playing golf. The last thing I want to do is take you off golf or you're playing. What's the new thing you're playing now? paddle ball? It's not a pickleball, but I'm not playing. Pickle ball. You got pickleball.

You got golf. You got so much. stuff you do, but anyway, give my best to your lovely family, and tell the boys, it's not me that's avoiding them, is you not allowing me access. They're not in town anymore.

I mean, you know, they're doing their own thing. You never get used to it. It's not fun. I know. You've got the same situation with your three boys. It's not fun. I'll talk to you later. Thanks.

All right, good deal, man. Appreciate you. Bye, bye. All right, later. Thanks. I'll hollocks you later. Later. I want to get this thing out.

Bye, bye, bye, bye. I'm going to finish up with hard knocks. I watched episode two last night. I've seen both of those episodes. And there was an incredible rant from the head coach of the New York Jets, Robert Sala, that I will play for you. I also have a constructive criticism of the show. We'll finish up that way next right after these words from a few of our sponsors.

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A good meal and a good cigar, the Good Life. Find out more at Shelley's Back Room 1331F Street, Northwest. So I am watching Hard Knocks. I've watched the first two episodes. The Jets, Aaron Rogers. I haven't watched a lot of Hard Knocks in recent years, but I've watched the first two episodes, but I don't know if I can watch anymore. The praise, the over-the-top praise of Aaron Rogers from everybody, coaches, players, staff.

It's just one constant suckfest of Aaron Rogers. It's embarrassing. You know, I give HBO some of the blame because, you know, they're micing up a lot of the different players in different areas, and they're choosing to have 40 to 50% of the first two episodes be about how much they love Aaron Rogers and about how he's doing things that just they've never seen before. Oh, my God, did you see eight make that throw? Do you see?

And then they're showing play fakes in the quarterback room and they're showing Aaron Rogers and putting them side by side, which one's going to be the pass, which one's going to be the handoff because they're just so great. It's over the top. I have to think that HBO is getting some pushback on just the Aaron Rogers love fest. It's a bit too much. Now, something that did come out of last night's episode was Robert Sala, the head coach of the New York Jets. They had joint practices last week with the Carolina Panthers.

And this was him talking about his offense, but specifically. his offensive line. And for the purposes of the podcast, well, I don't know if I'm going to beep if I'll beep out all the F-poms. I'll make that choice in what we call post-production. But here's what Salas said.

Guys, it was our first opportunity to change the stink that's been in this organization for a very long time on the offensive side of the ball. You can have a Hall of Fame quarterback. You can have two $10 million plus receivers. You're going to have a reigning offensive rookie of the

year. You can have all kinds of skill in the running back room. None of it f***ing matters until the big boys up front change who the fuck we are. We as coaches, we as an organization can't want it more than you. And I'm watching that tape all night last night trying to find something to show that we're faking changing and it didn't show and it was our first op. And I'd love to say we got another practice. But you know what? It's like Sunday. You don't get Monday morning to go redo. It's getting your mind right to who the fuck you are every single fucking time you are on the fucking field.

Not happy is the head coach about the offensive line play talking about the stink of the offense for so long and regardless of Hall of Fame quarterback, 10 million dollar receivers, offensive rookie at a year, a really good running back room.

It doesn't matter if the boys up front can't do their job. Now, what's interesting about this rant that appeared last night on hard knocks. A few things. Number one is the Jets had a joint practice last week with the Panthers, and they've got a joint practice this week with Tampa Bay. Washington just had, you know, the two days with Baltimore, but the Jets had two different joint practices or two different teams that they joint practiced with. But today, there were six sacks, numerous pressures that the Buccaneers put on the New York Jets offensively, to which

Aaron Rogers insisted that his concern about the offensive line is, quote, pretty low, close quote. He didn't give the famous relax line from a few years ago. He preached patience and suggested that the past protection issues will get resolved once the starting five is set. But man, on hard knocks, you picked up the head coach talking about that offensive line. And other than the Hall of Fame quarterback difference, that could have been Eric B. Ename or Ron Rivera talking maybe about Washington's offensive line. Aaron Rogers has had, at times in the past, in Green Bay, average offensive lines.

In fact, the year they won the Super Bowl, their offensive line was very banged up and injured. And I don't know if he can overcome a terrible offensive line. It is their weakness, at least on paper going into the season. The Jets' weakness is their offensive line. Remember, they wanted to draft Broderick Jones out of Georgia, but couldn't because the Steelers jumped in front of them, traded with New England, picked Broderick Jones, and they then selected Will McDonald,

the defensive end pass rusher out of Iowa State, who, according to Hard Knocks, has had a pretty good showing in camps so far. But man, that was getting after your offensive line in a big way after a joint practice with the Panthers last week. Now, in their preseason game, the Jets have played, remember two preseason games so far because they were in the Hall of Fame game against the Browns. In that game, they gave up a total of one sack. Zach Wilson got sacked in that game once. In their second preseason game, the one against the Panthers, when he got after his team after the joint practice, they also only gave up one sack. By the way, you know who just completely off topic, kind of off topic?

You know who's actually played well in his first two preseason games? because Aaron Rogers has not taken a snap in a preseason game as of yet. Is last year's whipping boy, Zach Wilson. He so far is 17 of 25 in the first two preseason games for a total of 188 yards, a touchdown, no picks. He's actually looked pretty good. And there is some discussion just from Jets fans that and Jets media that Zach Wilson is really benefiting from Aaron Rogers being in the quarterback room. But the Jets, look, you know, they got to face some big time defenses, you know, on their schedule.

You know, just in the AFC East alone, don't forget that Miami's defense was good to begin with, right? and they added Vic Fangio as their defensive coordinator. So you've got them twice on your schedule. You've got Buffalo's defense, although, you know, they seem to be, you know, searching for sure. You know, Leslie Frazier moved on. Sean McDermott's going to call the defensive signals. And then New England had one of the best defenses in the league last year. And they should be really good defensively again.

So the Jets are going to have, I, love the Jets this year. I'm not coming off my thought that the Jets can compete, can compete for the AFC title, certainly the AFC East title, but they open up with the Bills, Cowboys, Patriots, Chiefs. All right? Those are, three of those four teams were top five, top six in defense last year. So they better get their offensive line situation straightened out. All right, that's it for the day. I'll be back tomorrow.