The Pat McAfee Show - PMS 2.0 1323 - Masters Overreaction Monday, Chris Solomon of No Laying Up, Ian Rapoport, Josh Pate, Alexander Ovechkin, Western Michigan Head Hockey Coach Pat Ferschweiler, Darius Butler, & AJ Hawk

Episode Date: April 14, 2025

On today's show, Pat is LIVE from Sacramento ahead of WWE Monday Night Raw, while Darius Butler, AJ Hawk, and the boys are back in Indianapolis as they recap yesterday's electric Masters that saw Rory McIlroy finally capture his elusive Green Jacket after a drama filled up and down final round, they chat about their experiences at Big Night AHT, look at the NBA and NHL playoff situations, and everything else happening around the sports world. They're also joined by several incredible guests including Chris "Soly" Solomon of No Laying Up to recap the Masters and Rory's win, Ian Rapoport to update us on everything happening around the NFL including Derek Carr potentially being out for the season, Josh Pate of CBS Sports to discuss the Nico Iamaleava situation at Tennessee and where he might wind up next, the greatest goal scorer of all-time, Stanley Cup Champion, 3x Hart Trophy Winner, Conn Smythe Winner, and countless other accolades, Alexander Ovechkin, and lastly, Head Coach of the newly minted National Champion Western Michigan Broncos men's hockey team, Pat Ferschweiler. Make sure to subscribe to youtube.com/thepatmcafeeshow or watch on ESPN (12-2 EDT), ESPN’s Youtube (12-3 EDT), or ESPN+. We appreciate the hell out of all of you. We’ll see you tomorrow, cheers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to the Pat McAfee show. I'm obviously not Pat McAfee. He joins us via Sacramento. Cannot wait for that. Monday, April 14th starts now. Sports! Nailed it. You nailed it. You absolutely nailed it, Adrian. Wow! Well, it feels like the timing was good. It feels like the timing was good, feels like the boys look good, feels like sports are awesome, especially on this magical post-masters overreaction Monday. AJ, golf was fantastic this weekend. I assume you spent the weekend like the rest of us, either gathering your children or your

family and then peeking up at the television and realizing that the Masters leaderboard was that of legends, was that of dreams, everything we could have hoped for the Masters leaderboard was that of legends was that of dreams Everything we could have hoped for the Masters to be this past weekend It was AJ Hawk is I am live here in Sacramento, California Beautiful arena brand new arena brand new arena the road to WrestleMania continues tonight on Raw But nonetheless the Masters this weekend was spectacular AJ. I assume you watched it as did I yeah I think everybody had to be, I mean even if you're not a golf fan,

you kinda had to be captivated by this whole situation. I'm sitting there watching, like you said, I had all my kids rounded around. They're sitting there and we're watching and they just didn't understand, I guess, the magnitude of every single putt. They'd see like a three foot putt, like what do you mean that's easy putt?

Anyone can make that and I'm saying this is not. Guys, you guys do not understand golf like people do. This place is Augusta that looks like there was glass. Like every single green seemed like, how do you ever hold a ball? How does anything ever stop? And I feel like, Todd, what'd you think when Rory hit that ball?

What was it where he hit the ball that they called it like an egregious mistake, I guess, when he hit it in the water. When he on a short little chip shot on the back nine, he hits in the water and people think this is the one thing you can't do and somehow Rory finds a way. Yeah, I mean, I think everyone just thought

like, here we go again, you know, like that a lot of people really like Rory, but it's also kinda, I don't wanna say it's fun to watch someone who clearly like has issues at Augusta. I haven't spoken in a Mike and Pop program. But like it just, I mean, I think you just assumed like, here we go again. He's gonna, like, he had such a massive lead, thought he was just gonna, you know, kind of wither away. A couple other people behind him were starting to come on hot. And then it was just like, I don't know, it was crazy. He hit some of the maybe the worst shots of his career down the stretch. This right here is an all time shot I've ever seen. Yeah, followed by maybe like the four best shots of his career. So yeah, I mean, it was an incredible weekend all around. Con man, when you watch Rory, do you have any vested interest when you watch any kind of golf comments?

I think, Pat, we finally got you back in here. We watched this shot on 15th that Rory had, I think, captivated everyone, Pat. This thing was unbelievable. Absolutely. I have no idea if you can hear me at all. Oh, no. Yeah.

We're picking up in the background or something. Can you hear me now? Can you hear me now? Can you hear me now? Here we go. Okay, that's 100% on me. Okay, so 13th, whenever he goes into water, all hell breaks up loose. Oh my God, here's Rory McIlroy doing Rory McIlroy again.

All anybody that's followed golf for, you know, an extended period of time since Rory has kind of come into this entire thing. We saw him come in to the golf world incredibly hot. Holy hell, this is the new guy. He had sweet hair, you know, he was in a relationship. He breaks up, gets out of his relationship, becomes single, goes on to become the number one golfer in the world.

This is gonna be the next guy. Then a drought came. Oh my God, this guy can't win it. Including one at the Masters over a decade ago. We're on the 10th tee. He had the lead and he shanked it so bad into a house directly to the left that whatever you tee off there even if it's not during the tournament they go you can't hit it worse than Rory hit it here whenever he was

going to win the Masters and everybody just thought Rory was maybe going to crumble there's no way Rory's going to be able to finish it, even though it felt like a different Rory McIlroy. It felt like Rory McIlroy could possibly Rory McIlroy at any given moment. Every single tee box, every single chip, even the short putt that he missed on 18, oh no, here it is. This is going to be how it all ends for Rory. Instead, he steps on it in extra holes. He ends it, yeah this one. Oh no.

Oh no. This is, it's it's gonna happen Rory McIlroy is gonna blow it again Justin Rose just buried a massive putt Justin Rose is hot going into overtime Rory McIlroy's ice cold ah ah Rory chips that thing to about three feet cements himself as a grand slam champion with that shot right there and I think we're all incredibly happy for him We'll be talking to Solly of no laying up here in a matter of moments about how the golf world has responded to this

But whenever you see him react that way it was very evident that about a billion pounds of pressure Was lifted off of his shoulders this guy was never going to be able to win the Masters Maybe never even win a big one again. And whenever he pulls it off in extra holes and everybody celebrates with him, it's a beautiful thing. Now, I will say, shout out to the D'Cham bro representing for most of the weekend. Now not on Sunday, but through Thursday, Friday and Saturday, absolutely doing his thing. And let's go to our Liv gulf super fan,

Darius J. Butler. What were your thoughts on what happened on Sunday? And what are your thoughts on Rory McIlroy finally conquering a mountain that nobody thought he'd be able to conquer? I mean, it was absolute cinema. You mentioned Liv, everybody thought coming into it is gonna be a battle between those two guys at the top,

Rory and Bryson. Like you said, Bryson had a tough Sunday, but to see Rory and like the mental toughness he had like not only Sunday but throughout the whole term I think he's the first Masters winner that had four double bogeys throughout the weekend throughout the week uh week in total so that was incredible then obviously we talked about the miss putt on 18 for him to sit there and wait on the 18th hole for Justin Rose to get there and then have to play it all over and then get it done like that second shot to put it for that tap in that was incredible

So like the mental toughness the bounce back, so it was just Rose that that long Birdie put he made on 18 to get him in the playoff Patrick me read made a run Scotty had a decent He almost got in there. So it was just absolute cinema the whole Sunday. The Masters kind of never, I'm pissed off I haven't been watching this shit my whole life. This is only like my third, I think I saw Ron win it, I saw Scottie win it, and now seeing Rory. And you mentioned it, like the emotions.

You know, I'm not the biggest Rory guy, especially once Liv came how he was. But he's kind of got back, I guess a little more in my good graces. But just see the emotions, the weight lifted off of off on him enjoying it with his friends with his family It just kind of a whole sports world coming together and kind of just congratulating the patent on the back to get this career Grand slam, which is he's like the sixth golfer ever right to get on this list So just absolutely incredible stuff from from the Masters and obviously for Rory

That's where he was supposed to be, you know, on the list of six ever greatest golfers of all time, especially, you know, in tone, you might know a little better than me, but it feels like Rory was supposed to be a guy that he couldn't keep up. You know, and then speeds was supposed to be a guy and then couldn't keep up with the pace. Brooks was going to be a guy, but then Brooks only really started caring only about majors and, you know, then he disappears over to live taking a couple hundred million dollars

you do what you got to do Rambo was supposed to be the guy same situation Tiger was really the guy for so long everybody was trying to see who was next who was next who was next then the original Rory Nike commercials were like him as a kid practicing the fist pumps as if he wanted to be Tiger coming out of Northern Ireland this is gonna be a lad of the lads. He's going to be the one and for him to finally get on this list that I assume he has thought about on a very regular basis. Him walking through the champions locker room

after getting the win and just you know kind of eyeballing all the different winners and I assume there's a lot of golfers on there that he thinks are crop golfers that have won the Masters. They're like snuck in by crop, you know what I mean, in comparison to what Rory is. But finally his name is etched where it's supposed to be as a Grand Slam champion. Obviously gonna be one of the goats no matter what. But him being able to say that he won the Masters and then he finally got this,

you know, this orangutan off of his back tone felt good for Rory What were the odds on him all weekend and how many people you think hammered Rory McElroy to fail? Yesterday like he had done so many times in the past the odds Scotty was the favorite and Rory was the Second odds on favorite to win this tournament now after the opening round Rory and Scotty were basically the same Rory I believe was minus 220 coming into Sunday to win that one with the lead that he had so the odds makers believed he could get it done but I assume there were a lot of people sprinkling bets on other guys to get this done because of Rory's history in the last 10 years and like you said yeah after Tiger Rory was supposed to be Tiger

now that's almost it's incredibly impossible to live up to, but for the first, for the beginning of his career, he did. Like those first four majors, he was so young. I looked it up yesterday. So Tiger in the early 2000s, there was only one other guy that was ranked number one in the world during that time and it was Vijay Singh. And then in the 2010s after Tiger, Rory led the most weeks at number one. So he kind of, he was the guy after Tiger, but you know, after those first four majors

and he had his, he had the Rory video game after Tiger had the video game. It was only two guys that have done that. So he did have the torch, but then you talked about it where he just had all these second place finishes and heartbreak at all of these majors, especially the masters and all those other guys up there on the list that have won the Grand Slam no other guy took more than three times to add an event to finally get the Grand Slam it took Roy 11 times so just like all that heartbreak and all that waiting over years and years and years and you talked about the weight it just kept getting

more and more and after but so to finally see it get done yesterday was it was really cool to see see it get done yesterday was it was really cool to see scary when he bogeys oh my I mean I was so worried for him how about when he saw his daughter and his wife Pat after they're staying there ready to celebrate hey we just won the Masters and he has to go hit another he knows he's going to a playoff hole and he's a little click little hugging kiss. How about this one right here? I mean, this is what, a foot and a half? I mean, that'd feel like a 45, oh, let's focus in here, Rory.

Look, you know, he gave a little speech to himself because there was somebody earlier in the week that missed the cut, I believe, from missing a two foot tap in that kind of powered it through. So him being able to regather himself to get to the playoff hole to do this tie Schmidt to do This right in front of Justin Rose. Just Rose had a great shot in I mean that was a great shot

Yeah, both of them had stupendous drives as well. That's a tight galley Gallery there on that particular hole. I mean it is long and in tight in there and both of them hit magnetic draws. I'm sorry, they'll fade there. And then for him to be able to put it home and win, good for Rory just to make himself go through a little Rory McElroy one last time, Ty. Yeah, without a doubt.

And we talk, like you talk about the mental toughness, like that, he said, I think he had two yards fewer than his shot on 18. And like, try not to replay that in your head like hey on 18 initially all he had to do was hit it on the green you hit it on the green and you you know you two-putt from there and he wins and Inexplicably, you know, he dunk he goes into the bunker and then it's like, okay, here we go again and then for him to stick it in there that close and then on top of it is just it's so cool to watch him because

Everyone knows about Rory's talent obviously if you've been watching golf for a long time but over the last several years with the PGA and Liv stuff when whether he wanted it or not the PGA kind of like almost made him like a figurehead and a politician it's like hey we need you to kind of be the torchbearer and you know I think that kind of turned a lot of people away from Rory and it kind of you know it made people want to see Rory you know play like shit and and ultimately maybe like lose something like this but it's just like the the the roller coaster that he takes you on and around

like I just there are so few guys left like that anymore and he to win this year when he arguably did it against you know what maybe the toughest field and like the history of the Masters like these guys are just getting better and better and for him You know I mean to have the mental toughness because he could have he could have just absolutely crumbled especially the way Yeah, he could have packed and then when Justin Rose played the way he did down the stretch It's like this guy's got all the momentum and then for Rory to stick it in there from you know two feet on the first playoff hole. It was just it was incredible. Yeah I I thank Augusta and the Masters for just providing something it feels like the whole world watches but is impossible to find. They'll be golfing, I'll see some highlights on social media of something happening,

and it's like, well, where is this at? Oh, it's on Paramount Plus, it's on the ESPN Plus, it is, where the hell is this thing? And then even on Sunday, it didn't even start until like two o'clock or something, but a lot of these channels do interesting little moves like the Golf Channel or even ESPN. They'll show like other masters stuff

and they'll keep the sound in the background as if it is the masters so they can kind of steal kind of your view. And then when you look up, it's like, well, we're not on the, this isn't the master, where's the master? And then you start scanning through and it's like, well, it's not on TV until three o'clock three o'clock

where am I supposed to go to we got to download the paramount plus the pair what is it the Masters app does my TV do that does Mike and I too I don't maybe my TV isn't as smart as everybody else's TV it was hard to find for a little bit but boy whenever that thing came on it was must watch Thank you to the golfers for the electrifying weekend and thank you to Augusta for the whole no cell phone thing still being a thing. That's so cool to see. It's like you're watching like a documentary

on something that happened a hundred years ago. Whenever you see that crowd, that big crowd was huge, gigantic crowds, Weather was beautiful. Remember in years past, there'd been some rain maybe, so maybe that scared some people away. Feels like the weather was perfect down in Augusta, Georgia all weekend, so the crowds were gigantic. Not a single cell phone in the sky.

Everybody taking it in. Celebrities acting just as everybody else as regular ass patrons. It's like, it's one look at that in the background. Just it feels like you're watching something from the 1920s, the 1910s, and everybody just clapping and enjoying the moment. And obviously it was Rory's moment but I think we should get down there someday to set a master. I don't know how.

Did you buy your way into that or how's that? I think we can broadcast down there. Maybe pick up Thursday, Friday around. to set a master's. I don't know how, did you buy your way into that? Or how's that work? You think we can broadcast down there? Maybe pick up Thursday, Friday rounds? Chance. I'll tell you this, AJ. It felt like ESPN had a pretty good batch of land down there in Augusta.

I don't know if we're ever cracking into any of that. I don't know. I don't know. Bro culture, you know the bro Culture not the you know bros like sports or anything like that But I think we would potentially have to be fully suited and booted if we went down there and we definitely do that Hopefully next year before we get back to golf conversation with a man who knows golf much better than we do an old Golf conversation with a man who knows golf much better than we do an old Sully Solomon

From no laying up a couple big NFL news. Obviously there was a couple big deals that took place Congrats to the lads citing massive deals, but there was one deal that wasn't done that we haven't talked about yet TJ watt chucking the deuces up on his IG story T AJ have we got any update? Have you heard any update on what the hell is going on over in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania? Tone I'd love to hear what you have heard from your insiders, but from everything we know they're at a standstill That's all I've heard. I've heard that word standstill a few times tone. What does that mean? Yeah? I mean everything I have seen on the internet is that TJ in the contract talks is not going great right now He wants have they ever been close Like do we know even the parameters? Have they anything?

The rumor is he wants more than Miles Garrett and it feels like the Steelers potentially don't wanna go. They didn't think it would be that high. But that's kinda what you get for waiting on these deals cause if it would've got done earlier, maybe the number wouldn't have been 40. Oh, but no, this was concerning. Like last time TJ had his contract

talks and he kicked the door down. He said, Hey agents, I'm getting this done. I need to play football. There was none of this that happened. So it feels, it feels different this time. It's a bit worrisome. I don't know what the future is going to be. I don't know if they are going to get a deal done. He's got, I mean, he's got one year left. What do you, what do you hold out that last time he got a contract, he didn't go to training camp or he didn't participate in training camp until he got his contract done. So it's definitely something to watch right now. It's interesting. And I don't love it. I don't love it. If we're being honest.

Okay. So let's talk about another Pittsburgh Steeler, Ben Rothenberger last week on his football in with Ben podcast. And I was very lucky to be a guest of, we, hey, H, we filmed that in his basement, Ben Rothenberger's basement. Nicest house I've ever been in, in my entire life. Nicest house. I've heard some crazy things. His basement.

I've heard it's amazing, like not only big, but like just really cool features too, that like you would love. Oh, secret passages. Oh, really? Things that like you would love Oh secret passages Tunnels underneath yeah, we're acting places. I don't I don't know any of that a J I don't know about any of that you can put his family in or something. I assume he has a bunker I think there's a horse farm there, but he he had these stairs it felt like we're in a castle we go down and there's a

Like a cigar room that has a Braveheart sword and axe up on the wall. That's awesome. Little candle, fire, like, I mean, huge space still. They had to dig it into a hole. I don't know how gigantic. Then we go and do the entire podcast. He was chit chatting about the Aaron Rogers situation and he said, how come nobody's mentioned this little tidbit? Or I think there might be, is there a wild card team out there? Nobody's talking about.

Is there a wild card team out there that's like, oh wow, like maybe there's a quarterback out there and I'm gonna mention any names who maybe has a subtle injury that people don't know about. A starting quarterback on a team out there that has an injury that people don't know about. And maybe he's waiting for that. Okay. Okay. So Big Ben Rotherstberger says, maybe I don't want to mention any names. It feels like he might've knew. Then over the weekend we get the news, Derek Carr, quarterback

for the New Orleans Saints, is dealing with a shoulder injury that threatens his availability for this season. Sources say, we'll be talking to Rappaport in about 10 minutes or so. Are the New Orleans Saints in conversations with Aaron Rodgers? And first of all, Derek Carr, Godspeed, brother. So sorry to hear that. That absolutely sucks. It feels like the Saints had decided Derek Carr

was gonna be their quarterback. Maybe now they're looking into this rookie draft class, but an injury to his shoulder is potentially going to keep him out of next season. This is something like, I arrived at training camp and I was called down to the training room. I got down there, Peyton Manning had a bunch of wires out of his neck.

Okay, Peyton's neck has not been healed. He's going to need more surgery or more procedure, whatever the case is. And I immediately knew, I did not prepare enough to Punt as many times we're gonna punt that season We would then almost go completely defeated but nobody really knew how severe that injury was Offseason injuries don't have to be reported are the Saints I and Aaron Rogers AJ Hawk is that something that's happening right now?

I I When I first heard this whole thing with with a car getting hurt, that's what I thought I'm like, okay Would the do the Saints want Aaron would Aaron want to go there and I don't know I don't have any answers for you but I think any place like this to where a quarterback job becomes open because a Veteran guy goes down You're gonna have to ask if Aaron's not son somewhere, like is this the team that would go after Aaron and would he wanna be there?

I guess we'll see. It's gonna be a terrible situation. They got some good players. They got D-Bot? Yeah, they got Kamara back there. You got Rashid Shahid. Obviously Chris Olave is a dynamic weapon when he's healthy and he's out there.

But this is a wild, wild situation. Obviously, Big Ben new for sure. But then you also look at the quarterback position for Aaron Rodgers. Okay, NFC South or AFC North. You know, we're all expecting it's Pittsburgh or possibly New Orleans Saints. So what's the best path to the playoffs? And then obviously this makes the draft and where the Saints are picking at number nine, a how much, much more interesting, especially for those teams up at the top. Maybe they can trade back the teams that don't need a quarterback and

the Saints jump up. So this was wild though. You mentioned Peyton, we kind of had a similar situation with Andrew Luck coming in and that's always a shock kind of to the locker room, to the fan base. When you're going into a season at this off season point in time when teams report and you get a big news like that, especially from your franchise quarterback or the guy you're expecting to be your starting quarterback for that season. So this is huge, huge NFL news right now.

Oh, they might have muted you. We can read his lips thing we could do like there's videos in the internet. Try to figure out what he's saying. The thing is here like you guys talked about it with the draft now the Saints are now the favorite to take Chedure at night. Yeah. How long did the Saints know that Derek was been hurt like did this do you think something popped up in a workout or is this something he's been thought he could get through?

Probably a while like you've Pat mentioned you don't have to report. Exactly if you don't report you know offseason injuries I think you can make the assumption they've known for quite some time. And I feel like they've kind of been in most of the quarterback conversations when it comes to the rookie class, not so much like Rogers and Russell Wilson and stuff like that. But you can make the assumption they've always known, like, hey, we need to address the QB situation. And they're still what, 50, how many millions dead in the cap or whatever like their cap situation has been shit for so

On that it feels like it's inevitable that they were eventually gonna have to take quarterback Yeah, cuz they weren't gung-ho on on car going into this season Anyway, like we were we were talking about like hey Are they gonna get rid of him with Kellen Moore coming in and then it was like no they're gonna stick with him So I'm sure they've been kicking the tires on everyone. But you also wonder, I mean, I don't think it's a guarantee that they would be picking at the top. But if you're gonna draft the quarterback at nine this year, if Karr is out for

the whole year and you have to start Spencer Rattler or whatever, there's a chance you get the first overall pick next year. So it's one of those things where, how do you balance that? Yeah, that's another good point to it Uh, I kind of completely forgot about Kelly mo being the head coach now So now do you you probably out my preference would be if I'm Kelly mo probably go and get my own young quarterback Exactly, I can mention either this year or next year in the draft. Maybe it's his arch. Yeah Go play for the Saints

For old Archie, but I mean there's a boy who loves gator in that area I think that they look to a good old Jackson Dart. I think he's got a lot of fans down there in that area I mean Ole Miss boy, right? I assume a lot of Mississippi You know people are fans of the New Orleans Saints just because, of course it's close to it, but also there isn't a professional team in Mississippi. So Jackson Dart feels like the guy that's been climbing while Chedur is the one that's been maybe dropping a little bit, even though Chedur has said, don't believe what the media says. Yeah, who do we?

We can't believe anything that's happening right now, but I guess it does really change. It's amazing. I mean, anything else like this thing comes up between now today and the draft any other for show injuries or trades or something happens Not trades. I think on the day. I don't know about Yeah, something's right cuz like the Patriots like Dibbuk mentioned if they're gonna trade up like I don't think the Patriots are gonna make a Draft trade today because yeah Let's say they do trade the four and then all of a sudden two

quarterbacks go one two and then Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter are there at four and all you know they're standing there looking like idiots because they traded out too early so it feels like maybe leading up to the draft might not be as electrifying but then maybe actual draft day like it kind of feels like the, you know, whole entire thing with Trey Lance when that draft day, everything kind of changed for the Niners at that three overall pick where they're supposed to take Mack Jones and then hold on, they're going to take Trey Lance. Like it feels like something like that might happen where out of nowhere is

some team and maybe it's not even the Saints. Maybe the Saints do do like a rattler type move, but maybe the Jets fall in love with someone and all of a sudden they want a quarterback or the Steelers because the Steelers get A little nervous about the Saints taking the guy that they want and they trade up with TJ watt You know why maybe maybe doesn't have his contract figured out Maybe TJ watt George Pickens and you know a first round pick next year to the number four I mean, yeah, I guess who in the top five or ten who in the top ten a first round pick next year to the number four pick. Is that a word? Is that a word? I just have to think about it. I don't know.

I mean, yeah, I guess who in the top five or 10, who in the top 10 do we know is there a team that is pretty much locked in on certain player? You just think of anyone right now? Just the top? Just look at the top 10, you feel like, hey, these guys, this is who they're taking. I mean, Cam Ward at one, I feel like.

Is that Abbe that, though? Do we know anything? No, because I feel like it's bounced back and forth between Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter at number two. We really don't know what those teams are thinking who they truly like we we know what like the pundits are saying no And then one day should or Sanders, you know, you might be going three to the Giants and then the next day It's like well, he actually might be a fourth round pick this year. So it's kind of like outside of Cam ward at number one. I really don't think there's like clear cut. Where's Jackson Dark going?

He's intriguing me. Whatever his whole what he was going on. I feel like this he's gonna be the talk of the draft It's super intriguing and originally, you know, there was a lot of mocks having go 21 to the Steelers But then a few weeks ago, I was listening to feel Yates and Mel Kuyper's show I think it's called I think it's called first draft hosted by Mike Greenberg And I don't care members it was Kuiper or field but one of them had Jackson dart at nine just as something to watch because it made sense you know because he could sit for a year behind Derek

I don't think at this time anyone had any idea about the injury but because when you were looking at the teams you know that are that need a quarterback or whatever like the Raiders got their quarterback the Jets potentially got their quarterback but then like the next spot was that had a big question mark about their future was nine at the Saints. And then there was kind of the gap until 21 at the Steelers for Jackson Dart. And even people said, you know, maybe the Rams poke around

at taking Jackson Dart to be Stafford's replacement. They thought that might be a good fit, but no, as far as now, like it doesn't feel like he's gonna go two or three obviously But you know nine twenty one and then maybe potentially the Rams later, but anything could happen at this point Yeah, I'm on I think I'm on an island here, but I still think Should do or goes to the Browns at two. Yeah, I think I just

Definitely gonna take a look at that after the show. Even after Flacco? But yeah, I know, look, we got Smokin' Joe back there. The guy. Flacco back in Cleveland. That's obviously a big deal. But I don't think you're going to the season with Kenny Pick and Joe Flacco as your quarterback. You obviously have to figure that situation out. So I think Shadr goes too.

And then the question is obviously, where do those two blue chippers go with Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter? In footsteps and foot steps, Flacco. I mean, I feel like there's nobody better. Got some magic left. A mentor when it comes to a guy who knows the game, who knows how to win a Super Bowl and Chidor, you know, I don't know about you guys, but he does remind me a little bit of Flacco. I think he does have a little bit of cool foot steps in him.

But it does feel like- I don't see it. Art Palin. You gotta go watch the blackboard. You gotta keep watching Taylor Hose. in them, but it does feel like the entire thing before and Schefter, I think it said this on the show, like, Hey, the Browns are going to take a quarterback. They need a quarterback. The whole Miles Garrett thing. And maybe this was it. Maybe the Browns are going to take a quarterback. They need a quarterback. The whole Miles Garrett thing. And maybe this was it. Maybe the Browns before they paid Miles Garrett $40 million a year. And the plan they told them at quarterback was,

Hey, we're going to get Flacco. And Miles Garrett said, give me the pen. I need to sign my name now if Joey Flack is back. Cause last time he was here, we went to the playoffs. But also maybe there's a chance that this entire time the Browns have been locked in at two with Shador and instead of just kind of revealing their hands maybe they have kind of thought hey we could possibly trade back if we kind of go with the smokescreen. Hey we're not

going to take Shador we're going to take someone else who everyone loves Travis Hunter. If we drive up the price of these other two guys Hunter and Carter maybe they could move back to like a five or a six and still end up with Shador and you know get high value for that pick if those two guys are available and even with New England like if if the New England Patriots obviously you know wanted to take Shador excuse me Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter and they didn't want to take a left tackle the best way to get them to move to two Would be like hey, yeah, we're locked in on Travis Hunter or you know Abdul Carter If you want them you're gonna have to really come up and get him then they still get their guy at four

But I agree with Darius. I think the the Browns still need a quarterback bad Yeah, they do and we don't want to keep this guy waiting any longer We'll get back to football, but this guy has been polite and hanging on the line waiting for us. Obviously he the co-founder of a no lane lane up podcast He was glued to his television yesterday. I don't think he was there in person. I don't know guys We'll see in a second, but uh, but in gentlemen, please welcome Chris. Sorry Solomon Were you out there walking the hills yesterday, I was there from Sunday to Friday I came home Saturday morning to watch the end on on TV and to help out on the home front. It's a demanding week on the home front but I was going through all the

emotions in front of a TV watching from different parts of my office, moving around in different rooms when it wasn't going very well. It was an emotional journey that really only Rory McIlroy can take us on because that was one of the wildest Sundays I've ever seen. Yeah I mean absolutely watching that it was an emotional journey that really only Rory McIlroy could take us on, because that was one of the wildest Sundays I've ever seen. Yeah, I mean, absolutely. Watching that, it was an absolute, yeah, people, I'm sure, had some heart issues for that when you're

actually rooting for Rory in those situations. But I know he kind of mentioned this afterwards. You think it's, is it relief? Is it joy? Is it a mixture of both? And where do you see Rory going from here? I feel like this could just springboard him and his confidence into a new stratosphere.

Well, I think the relief is, it has multiple layers to it. One, in that it's a burden that he's carried for at least a decade in terms of trying to complete the career grand slam, but as far as winning a green jacket, you go all the way back to 2011, he held a big league going into the final round, shot 80, you know, a historic collapse. Everyone's seen the images of that,

him chipping out from behind a cabin on the 10th hole on the second nine there. And it's been a golf course that has been in his head. It's undeniable. I think he would admit that if he has had a mental block about the golf's biggest championship, its biggest stage and trying to get it done. And the career grand slam only added another layer to that.

And on top of that, you have the way in which this got really close at the end. You want to talk about relief at the end. If he did not close this out, we'd be sitting here talking today about one of the great all-time collapses in golf history. The shot you're showing on the screen there is the wedge into 13 was truly, I know this is probably recency bias, I'm struggling to come up with a more inexplicable golf shot I've ever seen. A professional golfer hit in a big moment because not only does he miss a wedge right into the water he had a slope to use left of the of the pin that he should have been aiming for and I truly don't know what happened on that shot But every time his back was against the wall every time he had a disaster that just continued to reach higher levels

He would come up with a golf shot that I've never seen before in terms of on the positive side. I mean, the the seven iron he hit into the 15th hole after that disaster on 13 is what's gonna get replayed, you know, for forever, for history. And we'll remember it fondly now because of how the final result worked out and and not remember it as one of great golf's all-time collapses. Thank God. and and not remember it as one of great golf's all-time collapses thank god. Solly let's talk about that do you think having to hit a ridiculous draw like I don't want to say it's a trick shot but it's a harder shot was good for him because mentally it's just like an ah to hell with it type shot and then whenever he hits a queen he thinks to himself okay we're back

and then whenever he gets to the 18th and he misses that puck, are you doing what we're all doing? Like oh no, it is gonna happen Rory is gonna blow it yet again 100% I think it's not a can't be a coincidence that every time he kind of took his foot off the gas yesterday Was playing smart like the approach he took into 13 was like hey This is disaster proof three wood little layup wedge on the green only way I get myself in trouble here is if I dunk You know, maybe lose my second ball or hit it in the water I'm playing it smart and grip the steering wheel too tight and had a you know a choke and made double bogey Whereas when he gets to 15 he can go back into

Superpower superhero mode and hit the shot that is his superpower which is to shoot that seven iron way up in the air That green was so firm We saw all week guys struggling to hold this green and watch where this ball lands. Like it lands not very far onto that green and still barely holds the back of that. I mean, I can't even describe how good this shot was, especially with what he had been through.

It can't be a coincidence though, that, you know, when he needed to, he tried to hit a hero shot, a shot that's really difficult. Sometimes in pressure situations, that's easier for players at this level because they're not worried about what could go wrong here or what if I blow this? It's you're trying to achieve versus trying not to screw up, there's a big difference. Yeah, so- Yeah, for me, just hold on one second, just for me as a kicker,

hunter, similar situation, you have a a bad ball a couple bad balls in a row and then you get to one that you're not supposed to make like not supposed to hit and then all of a sudden it kind of lets you free you know kind of lets you free yourself he sees that ball turning he it's almost a nice reminder that he is a golf god you know like hey let's let's remember who the hell we are and why we're here so shout out to the golf gods for blessing them for that. Go ahead, B-Bud. Sorry, AJ.

Nah, shout out to the golf gods for sure for blessing all of us this Sunday. But you know, these golf shots were incredible, but I'd like to talk about a little bit of the drama. You know, the PGA in the Liv, and we expected a big Bryce and Rory showdown. And then after the match, I believe Bryce was interviewed and talked about how, you know, Rory didn't talk to him all day.

Is that pretty normal on a Sunday? Cuz I know I've heard Tiger stories, Tony Fina spoke about how they played one Sunday, Tiger didn't say a word to him. So is that normal? Is that kind of, I guess, athlete by athlete, tournament by tournament type of thing? So I'll say this, I think to give Bryce and the benefit of the doubt in this situation, I mean, Rory, after Bryson won the US Open and Rory kind of collapsed there on the back end, Rory famously sped off, did not speak to media,

did not answer questions. So I want to give Bryson credit for when the scenario was flipped, he's speaking to media in an immediate time period after a very emotional week that he's had. Probably exhausted, probably very frustrated that he had, you know, came up short of a life-changing moment of winning the green jacket. So I'll say that to say, you know, maybe the tone of how he's reflecting on things maybe came across in a certain way, especially when it's going to get clipped on social media. That's the benefit of the doubt. The other side, I'd say he should absolutely not expect Roy McIlroy to talk to him while trying to conquer all the demons of Augusta National. Like you

said, the example Tony Fee now gave of, you know, he tried to talk to Tiger in 2019 around the seventh hole, hey Tiger, how are the kids? And Tiger just said, they're good and never said another word to him the rest of the round. And Finau got the hint of like, okay, this is locked in Sunday Tiger at Augusta. Maybe maybe we talk after the round. Maybe we talk on Monday. I'm sure Bryce and Rory have each other's phone numbers. If they want to talk a lot, they have that opportunity, probably not the opportunity

for that to happen and so I'm not surprised that they that they did not talk or were not talking to each other. A little surprised that Bryson kind of presented in that way but like I said that could that could be a reflection of exhaustion. Bryson had like a thousand range balls this week. They had a counter on range balls. He was number one in the field I think on range balls. I think the guy just needed a little bit asleep yeah i i think certainly brison de chambeau football is to outwork everybody all the time

him on the range late at night is seemingly becoming a custom you know i think that happens at all these and talked about tony fienaar talking about tiger and brison should have known that was worried by the chance adam vignetteri was a kicker, you know, and I was a holder for him. And as a holder for a kicker, you're acting as a caddy almost, you know, you're like kind of a caddy like, hey, this were what aim this is what we think, yada, yada, yada. For most of the time, whenever

we jog on the field, it'd be very jovial, you know, I'd be trying to keep them loose. I'd say something, you know, I'd end up going to an old man. I pointed somebody, let's aim at this guy. Let's go ahead and try to draw it in here around a little bit of the cubby fellow there, you know, like that type of stuff. Then we get to the first one where it was a game winner and I turned around and he was an actual just zombie. Nothing, not nothing at all locked in more so than I've ever seen a human being locked in

I don't even think he blinked for the entire time we jogged out there and it's like those guys that have the capability and women that have the capability to get into that zone are normally the ones who get up to the top if Rory was able to find that which I assume he's had in the past but like those are the different animals up there that are able that's the mamba mentality that everybody talks about being able to, to kind of lock in. I'm happy to hear that that's how Rory was. And I do love that Bryson DeChambeau was, he went and talked to me.

I liked it. It was a little, little dramatic there. I liked it. It was a little dramatic. Go ahead, Con man. Yeah. So take us through while you were at the masters, more specifically this live in PGA thing, while you were there Thursday and Friday, are you eating pimento cheese sandwiches, drinking whatever fancy

drinks they're selling, some pulled pork barbecue perhaps, and are you trying to listen to people talking kind of the higher ups, the big wigs, if you will, about what is going on with PGA and live because it feels like we're in year 10 of hey they're gonna merge and then boom they don't because some BS we heard about a board seat that it wasn't given to the PIF chairman or something along those lines is there something that's going to happen here because you know I feel like all the majors is such a great reminder hey when all the best golfers in the world are playing against each other it is electrifying But we only get it, you know a few times a year and that kind of stinks now

It's a great question because honestly I'm so relieved when these weeks roll around and I can take my brain off of the live and PGA Tour kind of Civil War and I focus on a great championship. However, especially in person at Augusta I mean it's famous famous meeting spot for a lot of the green jackets, past champions, media people, executives of different companies, executives of tours is under the big oak tree right next to the clubhouse. And I did spend a fair amount of time. It's funny that you asked that just hanging around that spot, looking for people to talk to get kind of up to date news on some of this and

seeing who's who else is talking to each other. I was actually quite surprised, I believe it was on Friday, to see the chairman of the Saudi Public Investment Fund, Yasser Al-Rumayan, who's kind of the person that is headed up LiveGolf. He was standing up under the tree and talking to Scott O'Neill, who's the CEO of LiveGolf, and talking to another member of Augusta National as well. So just the fact that he was there is something that I don't think has happened in previous versions of the Masters.

That being said, I have not heard good things about the status of the conversation between Live Golf and the PGA Tour. The rejection of the recent proposal from Live Golf makes sense to me in that I don't think there's a world where Live Golf can continue in its current form and a deal be made. it, like you said,

it makes the most sense when all these guys are playing all together on the same courses in the same tournaments and live continuing in its current form with 14 events would mean that we don't get that happening very often. So, uh, the PGA tour, right or wrong believes they're in a position, uh, where they can, you know, they, they don't need, they're not, they don't feel like they're in a position where they can, you know, they don't need, they don't feel like they're in a position where they need to cave in to Liv's demands or Saudi's demands at this point.

We'll see how that all plays out. From what I've heard about the status of the negotiation, I don't blame them for reaching that conclusion because, you know, Liv continued, like I said, Liv continued its current form and giving a board seat as well where terms they determined to not be acceptable. And I don't know if that means a deal is off the table now,

but we're getting into the late days and things have not trended in a good direction. I will say if somebody invests $1.5 billion into a company, they're gonna probably think they've earned a board seat. So that obviously not something that I think is a real part of the combo I think it's all the other stuff that you mentioned there the live season and all the other stuff and I'm okay with the live season not happening anymore strictly because I don't see it anyways so it would be something that didn't happen yeah it would be yeah something

didn't happen being removed from my life that feels like an easy concession hopefully Hopefully they're able to make it happen. We appreciate the hell out of you. Sorry Thank you so much the founder of led no laying up podcast. Also a scratch golfer We haven't said that yet guys just stick Chris. Sorry Solomon. Thank you I'd make a quick run down to the bus From the upper level. I'll tell you what a little winded little tired, but thank God I got back in time to talk to Sally Hey him chitchat about Rory obviously a big deal him saying that the Saudi Arabia guy was on the grounds Yeah, and Augusta is a big deal. That's a big deal. You know, where's business get done boys?

They're probably golfing today. I think the way the Masters goes, especially for these high level partners or whatever the case is, you kind of go and then you either golf, I think the day after or two days after the Masters. So you can play the same course. You know, it's like one of those types of things. So maybe they get a deal done at the Masters to bring everybody together because watching D'Chambrough and McElroy, you know, just the thought of even D'Chambrough saying, I love the James Bond movies.

I'll probably stay up late tonight and I'll wake up probably around 1030. And then you got Roy McElroy talking about how I treat it the same way I treated today, you know Recover I'll go to bed. I probably watch Zootopia with The daughter and then I'll wake up early get here three and a half hours They're like just two such contrasting styles of players and D. Shambow is clearly in his prime right now And it's like we talked about one to see Brooks take on everybody and Rambo because Rambo was on there This D. Shambrow fella might be playing better golf than he's ever played. We remember as their long ball whacker guy.

We know him as a YouTuber, but he had some chips and some hands throughout the evening. I mean, he's long putt on 18 on Friday night to bring him or Saturday night to bring him with him too. It's like we're missing out on D'Cambow competing against all these people too. Um, so we hope they figured out joining us now, ladies and gentlemen, as a man who walks a golf course and still shoots at 95. No way. Senior NFL insider for NFL network. Ladies and gentlemen,

front of the program, Ian Rapoport. What's going on? Rap, how you doing? I'm trying to get all these whites out of the back so it doesn't, you know, shine in your face, but the lights are always shining. Ian Rapoport's around. Thank you, buddy. Hey, Rap, couple things we need to clear up here. It's a big night out because we haven't been on. First of all, we love you.

Second of all, TJ Watt, we talked about this early in the hour. We don't know what it means. Tell him said that he has heard that TJ wants more than Miles Garrett, which is like 4.8 million a year. And if you're TJ, I think that would certainly be a competition piece between Miles Garrett and yourself, which has obviously been defensive MVP, yada yada, all that stuff. So like the better part of the last decade here. What do you know about this situation? Deal not getting done between TJ and the Steelers, Ian?

Is that a potential reality at this point? Well, it's hard to imagine that's a potential reality because when the Steelers have wanted to sign a player and the Steelers have wanted to commit to a guy, generally they have got it done. Now it's not always on the timeline we all want, right? Like it's not always on the timeline of like right now where I could just hit send on the tweet and just kind of move on from there.

Um, a lot of times these deals happen right before training camps. Cause remember the Steelers have a policy of not negotiating into the season. So right before training camp is the time. And then right before the season is the time, like there have been deals that have gotten done in Pittsburgh, I think the Saturday night before the season. So, there is time. Now, if TJ Watt wants to be paid more than Miles Garrett, I would say that makes sense. You could argue who's better.

You could argue if you were fielding a team, who would you rather have? But you really can't argue that the statistics are that much different. I mean, there are two premium elite pass rushers, you know, still in their prime even though both are a little bit older than, you know, the early 20s or whatever. You know, I would imagine that's what he's shooting for. Will he get it? I don't know because that's more of a decision like at some point in the process as you go, all right, I have enough and we're okay. But I wouldn't be surprised if that's what he's aiming for. And that's kind of what this off season has been about because you know, Micah Parsons is aiming for the same. Well, the interesting thing here is Jimmy Haslam,

yet again, is putting other teams'' ownership in a bind with wild contracts. Did it with Deshaun Watson and I thought it was maybe like he was trying to Big Bank take Little Bank Convo. Now with Miles Garrett knowing that there's a bunch of defensive ends that need to be paid like alright I'll pay him quarterback money see if everybody else could keep up. We might suck. Hey we might suck but everybody else won't be able to keep up. We can ruin other people's teams too. Let's talk about two deals that did get done recently. Go ahead, DB. Yeah, two big deals in the slot specific. Kyler Gordon out in Chicago and Jalen Petrie down in Houston. Both signed two pretty big

deals. I didn't expect these types of deals to be done at this point in the game. Should we expect any more that are in the pipeline pipeline and what do you know about the actual details of these deals? First of all, these deals are related, right? So Petrie is interesting because he's more of a safety but he's become like I think it's like 66% in the slot or something. It's a lot, right? And so you could sort of call him whatever you want and I called him a a safety in my tweet, but he's really like an awesome nickel. Yeah. And I would say Kyle Gordon's kind of the same. So one gets done. And then if you're Kyle Gordon, you're fighting for this money and again, really good money for a really good player. It's easier to say like,

all right, this contract that I said I deserved, this guy who does similar to me, he got it. So like, I should be right there. And I think the Bears were kind of like, all right, that's where the market is. I would also say for the Bears, I mean, actually for both of these teams, it's like a really good draft pick, pretty high, who does everything right, is a good person, makes a ton of plays and gets paid like as an organization. These are the guys you are dying to pay. And like you can see the comments from Ryan polls the last couple of weeks, like he has wanted to pay

Kyle Gordon and I'm happy that this deal got done for him. But do we want the insiders to start reporting them as nickel? Do we want that? Or what do we want? You know, these guys are football players, defenders Durwin James is another guy who's the safety but play you know majority of his Snaps in the slot a lot of guys, you know, you just add value, you know I'm happy to see these guys finally getting paid like this Kenny Moore is a guy Jordan Lewis got paid at Dallas that yeah Reported that he was you know the highest deal So now to see Kyler and Jalen get their money, but these guys can move around

They can impact and help a football team Tyra and Matthew has done this for a long time Jalen Ramsey all these guys can move around and just add tremendous value when they can go in that but that slot defender safety they're great football players overall yeah but like should we start building that brand a little bit here should should whenever it gets reported by Ravenort say hey to Whatever you want this to be called position because I believe you played this position obviously amongst many other positions It is a high it's it's the nipple, you know

It's the safety the secondary member that's coming in for the linebacker has to be able to tackle has to be able to read That's be able to put it needs a better name. I mean Better branding it does it does I mean there's a lot of defenders and some guys are full-time players so they're going to be on the field like I said Derwin James is never going to come off the field Petrie pretty much isn't going to come off the field and then you have other guys who just come in and substitute maybe play 70 70 percent of the snaps depending on the team like a team like the Buffalo Bills with Terry Johnson They play almost every snap in nickel. So This is an NFL that we came into now

You know nickel and slot defenders are pretty much starters on the defense side of the ball You play with five DB's, you know, most of the time how the NFL has been of the ball you play with five DB's you know most of the time how the NFL has been that's what we need a name for I mean that's like colleges like colleges call it like star or rovers yeah that's like a big statement thing what are they all pro league are they just slot just like okay yeah shit that's I guess that's where we are slot defenders all right slots hey those are good slots out there just so much for. I am very very happy that they're getting paid now. There's other stuff happening around the NFL. Ron Mann, your question for Rap. Yeah, Rap, she had other big news. Derek Carr, questionable now for this season with the shoulder injury. He might be done. Is there a chance the Saints now look to move up in the draft to kind of get a younger guy

who kind of fit their cap space as well do you think that's a possibility or do you think they're probably gonna stay at nine or even possibly get in on the Aaron Rodgers sweepstakes? Alright we'll hit the Rodgers one first I would imagine if you're the Saints first of all this you know hurts them cap wise. If only because it's $40 million allocated to a guy who is, may not end up playing for you. Right? Like there is a possibility that Derek Card does not play the season. That is real. That is, that is real. He may have surgery, he has a decision to make that is all real. Um, what

happened? Yeah. How long have we known, Rap? Okay. Just being totally honest, this has been a difficult one for me to figure out. I know the status of a shoulder now. He is currently deciding, seeking medical opinions, seeing if he needs to have surgery. I have heard varying views, reports, facts,

whatever you wanna call it about when this actually happened. Was it something that he had been dealing with that worsened? Was it something that he hurt when he broke his left hand late in the season, whenever that was, and just still is bothering him? Is it just wear and tear and just can't go forward? Just to be totally honest, like there are a lot of questions that I don't really have right now. And I think the Saints, I believe

knew, but a lot of their players, a lot of their players did not know. And so when this news happened, like I think for a lot of people who either are with the Saints or closest, we're kind of like, hold on, what? Like, wait, what? Like, that's how this news felt. And so, like, you talk about the impact on the draft, like, pretty real. Like, rarely do you get an injury like this that really does dramatically impact the draft. But if you're the Saints, like, if you were debating, do we take this guy at nine or take him in the second round? Like, Might this make you move it forward? I think possibly it could.

Go ahead, AJ. What about the Aaron Rodgers situation? You didn't really mention that too much. Is he a possibility? Is he in play here for Kellen Moore as a first year head coach? I meant to mention that, but then my brain got sidetracked. That happened. That was on me, cuz I said, what happened, what happened, what happened?

It's all right, it's all happened? Team effort. Team effort. If you're Aaron Rodgers and you have the option, and I believe it would be an option. He couldn't make a lot of money there, but I believe they could work something out if they wanted to. If you're Aaron Rodgers, would you rather join the Saints who obviously do have a quarterback needs or join the Steelers? I think that's kind of where it is to me like are the Saints I think the Saints are gonna be better than people believe if they do get a quarterback But if you're Aaron Rodgers, you're doesn't the Steelers make more sense to you than the Saints do I don't know. I don't know.

We're asking you. Divisions are a lot better. So Steelers is definitely a prideful city. Great city. We were in it last week. We absolutely love the Pittsburgh area and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Ben Roethlisburg is so friendly. Yeah.

Yeah. The vision is very different down there in the NFC South. And also, not to knock on anybody in the NFC South but Saints fans like if Aaron would come in and do good you know like very pumped probably and I think like him coming down there probably very pumped them all you know what I mean? Governor Jeff Landry his gator? Governor Jeff Landry would be fine I mean like I think you know they celebrate down there too you know from what we've found out.

That's a good, like, I don't know, interesting. I don't know if Aaron's, AJ would know. AJ asking you that question is probably the best part of this whole thing because AJ's trying to see what you know that he already knows in the back. But we will continue to keep an eye on all those situations. Let's talk about the NFL saying, you ain't just gonna be terrible

at your job anymore, do it anymore. Ty has a question for you. Yeah, Rapp, we heard that three officials have been fired or I guess demoted to power conferences and what's been called an accountability crackdown. Do you know more about this situation? Should we expect more of this to happen leading up to the season or did they just basically find three people and say like, hey, you guys suck at your jobs, get the hell out and never come back? I can't confirm the language that was used in these. Sorry, I got flies going on here. It's fine. I can't confirm the language nor do I have knowledge of that. But you know, this, this goes on a lot where the NFL grades these officials and like a lot of times

We don't you know the only way we can really tell how an official is graded is who gets to be in the playoffs But I think this does happen. It's just we don't really hear about it like there's I'm not sure who reported this But there's like a couple pretty good I'm not sure who reported this, but there's like a couple pretty good websites, Twitter accounts that follow the refs really, really closely. And sometimes like they're the only ones who notice, but there are officials who are just not cutting it. And sometimes they lead the business. Sometimes they get reassigned. So it, like, I noticed this, it was noteworthy, but I don't think it's that rare. I don't think it's that rare. Hmm. Hmm.

Hmm. Interesting. Rapshee, where are you? That's looking like the most peaceful, like first off your audio sounds amazing. Where are you? Is that your house? New house?

No, I wish it was my house. No, I'm in Mississippi with my wife and our kids and her family. It's spring break, so I came down here for like two days to hang out, see all the relatives, eat some chicken and dumplings and some amazing food. And then I'm flying out this afternoon to get back to work. Well thank you for joining us live from Mississippi, Queen.

That state is a beautiful one. You know, they, I mean, this is, I mean, right? Like this is awesome. My kids have been fishing all day. It's great. It's great. Oh really? They learned that out of camp in the summer. That's among the many things that helped them grow as people. They do. Oh yeah. They learn more than just when is that summer camp that you take your kids out of your house for four weeks or eight weeks I'm sorry 12 not soon enough absolutely something not crashing the back back here that's why I had to get

up and move in the middle of the thing so I apologize for that what a first hour boys what a good conversation I've been to different spots I'm gonna head back up to the other set I believe for the next hour But I feel like we got a lot of good info there how to wrap he said it's the teammates. Yeah. Hell yeah The teammates had no idea about the shoulder so rap what's that we got I assume a lot of okay. All right see that So rap, what's that? We got, I assume, a lot of... Oh, okay. All right, see you then. Hahaha! Whoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo Nice. Now the offer? Lease a 2025 Escape Active All-Wheel Drive from 198 bi-weekly at 1.99% APR for 36 months with $27.55 down.

Wow, that's like $99 a week. Yeah, it's a big deal. The Ford It's a Big Deal event. Visit your Toronto area Ford store or Ford.ca today. Okay, flights on air Canada. How about Prague? Ooh, Paris, those gardens. Gardens, Amsterdam, Amsterdam.

Tulip Festival. I see your festival and raise you a carnival in Venice. Or Bermuda has carnaval. Ooh, colorful. You want colorful. Thailand. Lantern Festival. Boom.

Book it. Um, how did we get to Thailand from Prague? Oh right, Prague. Oh boy. Choose from a world of destinations if you can. Air Canada. Nice travels. Sports! Sports! Oh yeah boys it is great to be back. I am in the Sacramento Kings Arena and it is obviously getting prepared for a massive night on Netflix. I will be able to tell you the exact ins and outs of this particular arena by the

time the show is over. I have been sprinting through it there is a fantastic group of people from the concessions to the production to the people that are hanging from the ceiling just moments ago I had a chance to chat with them two to three minutes before they got kind of sent up there. So I feel like I know this city and this arena at a very, very high rate. But what I also do know is that AJ Hawk, you traveling to Indianapolis is such a cool thing. Boys get so jacked up over there. Talk about sports. Hour two here, AJ should be a big one, brother. Yeah, should we got Josh Pate joined us in about? 13 minutes, and I don't know I don't know about the next couple guests. I don't want to if there's nothing's confirmed

I don't want to throw anything out there Pat What are you talking about? I don't know if we have anybody else after Josh Pate. I'm not sure if we have anyone Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, Alexander Ovechkin will join us 130 Yeah, OV will be joining us at 130 Eastern to chit chat you know about just being the greatest goal scorer in the history of hockey. Now the great chase is obviously something that has captivated the world throughout this season for the NHL. Now that that's been accomplished, all eyes are

looking ahead to the playoffs and this Capitals team can win another Lordo If they piece it together, which they have certainly been doing there's Wayne Gretzky looking on at Alexander Ovechkin I believe the FBI is represented and Batman the commissioner of The NHL Ovechkin's lady. I do believe in family. They're celebrating it in this historical moment But we'll get a chance to chit chat with him, and I'm pretty pumped up about it to be clear. How could you not be pumped up? I mean, this guy's taken over the world. I do want to ask him if he had a celebration or a planned celebration, you know, when he jumped and, you know, kind of swan dive on the ice. I wonder if that's just, that had to just be organic in the moment, right? It felt good for me. That boss of

Connor, I think that's one of the best celebrations I've seen because the entire team was involved. I think we chitchatted about it immediately upon it happening. And I think that's one of the best celebrations. I've seen because the entire team was involved I think we chit-chat about it immediately upon it happening in I think that's kind of the hockey way You know try to never be about one person even though a vet skin is very Confident lad and obviously understands who he is and I assume he didn't love the fact that there was an ISO camera on him Full-time through a lot of these games because it is a team team team event But just like in soccer that type of slide that's a welcoming to the entire team now I would never want to be on the bottom of that never in a million years But I love the celebration of choice and I like that the entire team came out there and said we love this guy

And we appreciate this guy con man. Yeah, awesome And like you see all the clips of him before they go out he's singing bands of maker dance which is hilarious I believe juicy J was in the arena yesterday or this weekend for one of their games but yeah I mean especially when you look at what the Capitals have been you know this year they're great but they weren't fantastic last year and it feels like especially when guys get to you know know, Alexander the great's age, sometimes, you know, they can get moved or sometimes they can say, Hey, I'm going to call it a career, but he kind of stuck with it. And they're unbelievable.

Once again, going for another Lordo. It feels like you kind of all the stars are aligning for the capitals. And you know, also hats off to the Islanders because I didn't realize this I Realized it after the fact, you know, they stopped the entire game in the middle of it They rolled out the carpet and then you know, they had to keep going. Yeah, this wasn't just a hey once the game You know ends we can do the whole ceremony the Islanders, you know, they got on the ice They stood they sat on the bench. They acknowledged the greatness of this entire thing But I mean what an honor it is for to speak with Alexander Oveska And this is kind of like I won't say LeBron ask LeBron conversation, but talk about Alexander the great here He's the greatest goal scorer in the history of hockey

So I am jacked up for this and he lays the wood cannot forget that he is not afraid to throw the body around Yeah, he's a tough guy too. Not just a goal scorer and Yeah, it shout to the ESPN NHL relationship for making this possible cannot wait to talk to Ovi tie Die Schmidt. Yeah Hey, I want to let you know I watched Big Night Out on Hulu last night. Okay? Incredible. There is a moment where you're yelling at the sumo wrestlers

that I know you meant it, and you were like, what the hell are we doing there? I know what you're talking about. You and your guy, Boston Connor, should feel very proud of yourselves for what you guys did at that thing. I just wanna let you know that. Thank you. I wanna let you know that.

Thank you very much, man. Now, it's going back and watching everything. It's still surreal to think that we were doing that the other night, you know, like the show, sure, but like that's what, you know, like a lot of people saying like, holy shit, like Pat actually flew in two 600 pound sumo wrestlers from Japan and these guys were on the stage

and, you know, getting to do it with Connor and Cole up there. And then obviously, you know, like to do it with, with Connor and Cole up there. And then obviously, you know, like Shane Gillis not really being able to hear us kind of being able to hear us was just the cherry on top. Like it was just, it's so cool, man. And, and going back and being able to watch it and kind of relive it. Like that, what, what a fun night that was. Like, thank you so much for letting us be a part of that.

It was so cool. Yeah, no problem. Each, he just got a win there for, you know, and to be clear, I might be getting into sumo wrestling. I might become a sumo wrestling fan. I might try to figure out if there are sumo wrestling leagues that I can watch. That man right there, Andrew in the all black suit, who was the translator for Shane 2, the sumo wrestlers.

He was the knower of sumo of all things for us throughout the entire day. He runs USA Sumo, but those three guys right there need to be commentating more sumo wrestling and we will certainly be trying to make that happen. AJ, how about the crowd? Okay, slowly getting behind their guys, like slowly. not nothing by slowly I mean within a matter of minutes But it's like whenever they would pump fake each other like now the mental war games would continue to happen To hear the fans instead of boo them out of the arena the complete opposite

Yeah, like excited for her rookie and excited for each II I felt like I hope more people watch sumo. We need more sumo wrestling in our lives. And those guys are so large, so big. Ichi's so, so big. So big. So I was a Hiroki guy. I'm cheering for Hiroki at Big Night Out. And I'm sitting here, these guys first off,

they're showmen as well. They know, like this is, they're competing at the highest level, but they are performing at the same time. And you're right, every time they kept pump faking us and anyone else would have like any crowd would have got pissed and started doing but these guys like it was an honorable thing. What I did? It definitely was a few times I think but then with Shane not exactly knowing what was

going on like this whole this whole seg really hit well with me I really love this whole situation. I did not expect it to be as long as it did, you know, sumo wrestling matches we holed up. I think like 10, 15 seconds, you know, best of three. Let's see how it goes. But each year and Hiroki brought out the best in each other. We're currently suspended from TikTok because I do believe it was Mr. Hiroki's, you know, I do believe it was mr. Hiroki's You know Bag yeah, that's right Yeah

But to be clear when you talk about showman, I would I would book her rookie for anything Oh my anybody that's thinking about booking anything. I had no idea what to expect Obviously, they don't speak any English, you know So a lot of lot of bowing they could kind of understand what I was trying to do. There's some behind the scenes clips of me trying to move these dudes and catering like my actual head on their chest and getting a chance to chit chat with them was, was very, but I had no idea what to expect from these guys. Hard to read them. Yeah. Hard to read them.

Whenever you're talking to Andrew and Andrew is so, so electrifying. A lot of Moxie he needs they need to do a Netflix drive to survive on him just just him to Pat like what's that he did like a full character flip too because in rehearsal he was like dead serious like it felt like dead serious and like and then but like during the actual show you can see him in the background smiling and laughing and shit like I did Not expect his character flip that which made it so much better for the show. Oh, yeah, I think so, too

Yeah, there's clips now that we have on the Hulu version which Foxy didn't sleep for like two days Big night out you got to search for it on Hulu, but there's behind the scenes kind of woven through the entirety of the show and it showcases some parts and the rehearsals for the sumo wrestling with Shane and and this guy Andrew from USA sumo who loves sumo wrestling and knows everything about it loves it Loves it is Loves it. Yeah loves it is one I love maybe This guy I Hope I hope that everything

That exists has a supporter and a believer and a lover and an in a knower of it like Andrew does of sumo wrestling I Am speaking Japanese to these guys, just so smooth, just in the middle of the thing, but but but but but but but but completely different language. And then he'll turn a little bit of moxie with us. Yeah, things back into it. Like he I get your drift. It's like, do you I don't know if that's the message I want to send. Yeah, it is the message you want to send this guy was just dialing it all up.

And then he told Shane Shane what he tells Shane 20 years of training in 20 minutes or something like that. Yes, how many years two years? He said right we're gonna give you a two years of sumo and you know two minutes Maybe 30 seconds because I don't know how much you're gonna retain Yeah, and Shane was like I'm not a ref dude I'm trying So him trying to learn it was just it was spectacular and I thought you guys did a great job and I hope sumo wrestling is something that

more people will give it a go AJ I think they meet NFL teams you know and we saw when Micah and CJ traveled over to Japan with Bleacher Report and they did some clips with some sumo wrestlers and we saw the Micah one you know and it's like Ichi I think could play tackle. Yeah Gee, I think you could play tackle. He's the one in the red here. He's 540 pounds filled 550 540 maybe D tackle nose tackle whatever the case. I mean these dudes are I mean think of If you had a full fight if you had five of these guys on your offensive line pass think of the run blocking these guys

Do I don't know if they're kick sliding and doing much pass protection? If you had a full five, if you had five of these guys on your offensive line, think of the run blocking these guys do. I don't know if they're kick sliding and doing much pass protection. You gotta teach them that, but they can drive block all day long. I don't know how much they're driving down field. Maybe they make those jabs a little tighter. They can bend them. They got great hips. They got great hips. I mean, no big guys like that can, you usually can't bend that well when you're that big. This is how you stop the tush push. Bingo.

This is it. Oh, okay. You want to stop the tush push? Bring bring in the touch push specialist? Who's that? Sumo wrestler have them line up right over to the center Yeah, and just say hey don't move but for him put both hands down don't move. They won't Much more nimble than I thought. Yeah, is that is that how you guys felt? Yeah, Hiroki when Hiroki came out for his entrance, he went side shuffle. He was like Elvis.

He reminded me of Elvis. He took his robe off and he was kicking his leg. He was crazy. I mean, he was pumping up his entire side of the arena while he was going down the catwalk. It was incredible. Yeah, I need a little more fight here, Dan, from Hiroki. Yeah, he was exhausted.

He was throwing his hips more. They were out there for 30 minutes. Look, it was 250 on the line, all right? On my side, on our side. The humps here, though. That were out there for 30 minutes. Look, it was 250 on the line, all right? On my side, on our side. The heart is here though. That's where we were, right? Yeah, it was hard. Here come the humps.

Here it is. Up, up, up. On those hips, on those hips. Up, up, up. That's when he knew he had him. He knew he had him. Hiroki also felt his nut fall out of his mochi, so he was like, all right,

I gotta just tuck this thing in and get out of here. Big thank you to Ichi and Aroki for showing up. Sumo, shout out to Sidney Crosby. That guy might be the next quarterback. The Saints need a quarterback. You know, obviously he's never gonna leave the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. But Sidney Crosby who said, got years to come

with the Pittsburgh Bang Ones. I heard it, he was right here. He was right, he was two feet in front of me, whatever he said. He might be thelins. I heard it right. He was right here. He was right. He was two feet in front of me, whatever he said. He might be the next quarterback in the NFL that the world needs to see. This guy, for a million dollars, steps up, spins that thing right into it. Now the night before, obviously, they beat the Chicago Blackhawks, five-nothing. Boy, they're a terrible hockey team.

Yeah. Boy. Blackhawks are? Really? Yeah. They so looking good bad We were there and I'm only saying this because we were there I think the pens Connor when we got there we sat down the pens kept possession of the puck without the blackhawks Touching it. This was not a power play knows five on five or whatever two and a half minutes I think it was three different shifts

So like they they had the puck with the with the first unit that was out there Kept the puck down there. They change they they go off still have the puck and then again they continue to Cycle, you know cycle the puck pucks on that, you know, everyone knows the terms but then even that line changed Like it was insane the Chicago Blackhawks I mean for a team that's in a big market like that The NHL is gonna have to rig the next five drafts for them to be good because boy they stink out loud right now It was tough to watch and we had great seats shout the PPG paint Serena the seats that we were in were awesome So we were right on the ice after get a chance to watch skeins over at PNC Park

Nonetheless, Sidney Crosby still doing it on the ice having one of his best years now granted They're not making the playoffs this year But he talked about how we're gonna do that in the future of Denny Malkin Chris LaTang comes out Those guys have been teammates longer than anybody else more three the three longest tenured teammates In the history of professional sports those three not for what they've done with the Pittsburgh Penguins and everything So when they come out and Tanger tells me the night before after they just beat the hell out of the black I mean just Smash the Chicago Blackhawks

I mean there wasn't even a question about a Tanger goes Sidney Crosby will throw and Sidney Crosby will make it and I'm like, you don't even know how far it is He goes it doesn't matter. Sidney Crosby will make it. That's just that's just how it goes So when I walk up to Sid the night before and I go hey would you want to throw? For a million bucks or whatever. He goes. Yeah, I'll throw wasn't even question I think Tanger probably told him and I was like, do you want to know what it is? He goes it's gonna be in the arena, right? And I'm like, yes, he goes. Okay I go you'll be thrown like 25 yard throw probably 25 30 or throw 10 by 10 hoop

We'll be hanging from a stage about 10 feet high, 15 feet high or whatever. And he goes, okay, yeah, I'll do it. I go, how do you feel about it? He goes, I'll figure it out. I'll figure it out. And then whenever he walks out there, grabs that ball and I was standing next to him, it's like, this guy's going to make it. Then there's a still shot of him throwing like this.

His form's perfect. I have no idea how this guy's form. He's a hockey player. Hockey players are like wrestlers you know when it comes to ball sports that it is a it was wild to watch and I guess that's just like that's the most Sidney Crosby thing of all time they say. Shout out to Sid, shout out to Ben, shout to Evgeny Malkin, shout out to Chris Letang, shout out to Paul Skeens. There it is look at him coming up over the top.

This guy. Perfect. Tight elbow. It's not an easy throw either. If you were in the arena like that is not an easy toss. I saw a couple of people say it looks easier or whatever. It's like, no. It's not.

No, that's not, especially with the people that were just sitting on top of you hammered drunk at that point, three hours into a show. Paul Skeens was there, shout to Paul Skeens. We love Paul Skeens. Hey, baby, Paul. Paul Skeens, he had a sweet David Allen jacket on. That's a DA, uh, KMO jacket that Paul skeins has on. Paul skeins didn't make it because Paul skeins want to let people know that it

might look like it's going in, but then it's going to miss. That's his pitches, baby. You think you got it. You don't. He's a baseball thrower, not a football thrower. He missed two of those things and then Sid makes it but to the Pittsburgh Pirates more specifically Andrew McCutcheon Who put a tweet out that said he wasn't invited? It was like I think you were at least from our end you were and if it was a miscommunication

I should have followed up more but McCutcheon tweeted that he wasn't invited We gave an entire suite to the Pittsburgh Pirates legitimately because we understood it was middle of the season So that's probably on us for not following up more but McCutche. We love you buddy Thank you for everything you've done for Pittsburgh would have loved to have you in The next time whenever we do it hopefully and everything else like that like ways being there Snoop being there just It was Holy shit singing renegade to start this entire thing. It was like come on earnest Yeah, I mean it was an awesome night and I can't thank everybody enough that came through

How about whenever you know whiz comes out the black and yellow place goes banana shot the DJ bonnix Then he goes hey I think I got something pretty cool for you guys And then all of a sudden Snoop Dogg walks on. The place went absolutely ape shit. Snoop Dogg resonates with everybody, literally everybody. 85 year old Yenzers all the way down to I think probably 10 year olds know who Snoop Dogg is. So the fact that he came, Wiz came through, just everybody.

Iceberg obviously representing. And then Shane Gillis, celebrity officiating a sumo wrestling match. Just awesome night. Can't thank everybody enough and everybody that came, the crowd made that place electrifying for three plus hours. A lot of money obviously giving away. Shout out to Aaron and Mara. I believe are their names, Philadelphia Eagles. Oh yeah, Philly fans. Who won two million bucks at the end of the night from the random money maker.

Great ending, great ending. Just like, you know, everybody together. And then money donated to charity. Shout out to the X that said, I don't want money. Shout out to Shane and Jelly Roll who actually paid to actually come do the show because they're donating money to local charities. Oz is electric. Oz Dementilish. Main event, J. charities. This is electric. I was the mentalist.

Main event. J. Oh, yeah. Parker Parker. We forgot about Jay. Who's did you? Did you lose me there for a second? Yeah.

No. Okay. Good. Now. All right. You're good. You're good. I was flexing over here.

You know, I'm getting these muscles. I'm getting back in shape. I feel like I might've been too electric. You know, talking about the show could potentially be doing that through the microphone, but to everybody that participated was part of this, including the WWE people that helped put this together. I feel like I might have been too electric. Talking about the show could potentially be doing that through the microphone. But to everybody that participated was part of this, including the WWE people that helped put this together. Thank you so, so much.

Thank you, thank you, thank you so, so much. Okay, this weekend there was a big storyline around college football that I think we are potentially staring down without realizing we are staring down. This particular thing happens in professional sports, happens in the NFL, but for the first time in college football, it's happened in a massive way. It includes millions of dollars. It includes a star quarterback.

It includes a team that was in the college football playoff last year. And ladies and gentlemen, to break it all down, from Pate State, Josh Pate. Yeah, Josh. How are you, man? I'm happy to be here. Yeah, just under the wrong circumstances.

I saw you in a soup kitchen like 15 minutes ago. Are you back on set? Yeah, dude, there's been some things going on. There's a microphone thing, there's another thing, but the people here figured it out quicker than ever. I probably ruined it, Josh. It was probably on me. But you you're right it wasn't a soup kitchen. It was certainly a very nice place and I will certainly return to

that. Now Josh this weekend was a crazy situation for college football. I have been very fortunate and lucky to be a part of the college football landscape for the last few years, baptized with College Game Day into the biggest moments, the biggest traditions, and probably the most hardcore fans every single week. Very lucky to have done as such, growing up in Pittsburgh, obviously not the biggest college football place on earth. Whenever this NIL thing started happening, it was very evident there was one worry. It's gonna ruin the game, it's gonna ruin the sport, it's gonna ruin what college football is as a whole.

This past weekend with Nico Iamaleava, quarterback for the University of Tennessee, holding out of spring ball and basically saying, I want a new contract before I come back. This is the first time this has happened. Everybody fears, I assume, that this is going to happen a lot. And is this one of the things that everybody was worried about potentially being the downfall of college football mr. Pete? Yeah I mean you sit next to a guy every Saturday morning who just got out of this business and into the media business and warned about all this but notice whether it's Nick Saban whether it's planning or

Ryan Day or Steve Sarkeesian whoever I've not heard any of them say man I'm worried about NIL ruining this sport what they've said is I'm worried about zero structure ruining this sport like zero guardrails no one knows what's legal I was down in Athens two weeks ago Kirby Smart said you know what my wish is my wish is when I'm in spring practice to know who's gonna be on my roster in the fall like I've already disillusioned myself to all the other stuff. I just kind of wanna know who's on our team. But here's the part that sucks, okay?

So Nico Iamaljava is the face of all this, right? And then you get down to the nuts and bolts of the story and it's not Nico Iamaljava really representing himself. It's people representing him. Now, when you guys talk about the NFL, that means a certified agent. They don't even know what the word certification means in college football. I can go represent someone today. My cousin can go represent someone today. And they're the least equipped people on planet earth to do it. But yet because

they happen to share the last name or they happen to have grown up in the same cul-de-sac, they're actually going to collectives before the playoffs saying, hey, my client got you to the playoff. We want to renegotiate now. And then you're in the middle of spring. Hey, we want to renegotiate now. And I'm telling you, Pat, this thing got made public because of Nico, dozens of other examples of this going on, including with other playoff teams this past cycle. And so the big fear for college football to me has always been the slow erosion of

what really makes it great. Cuz like you're out on the road every Saturday. So you feel this stuff emanating from campuses or camp I, which is the plural of camp. Nice. It is. Hey man, good work. There's a different layer, like several layers, pageantry, tradition.

But at the very core, there's something about that power T, as infantile, as rainbow and unicorn as that sounds, it means something to those folks. And the big fear is, it doesn't mean as much to the players anymore one day as it does to me, and that's kind of what makes me check out a little bit. You've got to have that stuff, man. You've got to have that or else you don't really have college football as you and I have known it our whole lives.

Yeah. And I think the turnover obviously of teams every single year, I mean, the higher quarterback situation won the Ohio State Buckeyes, the national championship with Will Howard. I mean, you can go through a lot of the teams where the NIL actually helped them and made their school bigger and better, but the thought of potentially, you know, everybody leaving and everybody disrespecting a brand is certainly one that will piss off the old college football heads. I'm so torn on it all. I don't understand it.

I don't know how there isn't any guardrails. I don't know how this got passed without there being any kind of Hey, this is how it has to be run though So you're saying there's no certified agents that have to kind of come in there There's no actual contracts either because guys are you know signing like two times in the same year with different people I mean, so what is real I guess it in all of it at this point, Pete? And how does it get fixed? All right.

Let me tell you what's real. What's real is for a long time, college football was great and it was really profitable. And when things are going good, that's when you let your guard down. That's when anyone can walk in and put their hands on the wheel. And so this is not a month or a year's long problem that's been brewing. It's been decades in the making. And you had really piss poor leadership. You had those bureaucratic academic types that climbed the ladder of academia or this

also exists in the federal government, people who don't really have the talent to do something themselves. So they kind of get in charge of something else someone else built and they're not really equipped to do it. Okay, so 10 20 years ago they had an opportunity the NCAA University presidents don't let them escape culpability They had the opportunity to create a world where in IL as it really should be stated was legal They did man They dug their heels in and they just kicked the can down the road. And then you get to a point where your rules aren't enforceable.

They don't stand up against, you know, the law and stuff like that. So then judges come in and just whack you with their gavel. And so you get to this world where, dude, over the span of like 24 months, a few years ago, coaches just got the NIO and portal dropped in their lap. And they're being asked, hey, cast a vision, build a program for the next five, seven years. And they're like, we don't even know what's legal. We don't even know what we're able to do. They're still saying that.

They don't even know what's legal this fall. We don't even know what the structure of the playoffs is going to be this fall, by the way. So, long story short, lack of leadership created a big vacuum. And you've got a mess now. And it's up to your Greg Sankey's and your Tony Petitie's but also league presidents and university presidents to probably get Congress to pull some levers to help them. I'm the last dude who ever wanted federal intervention in college

athletics but I've grown in more and more convinced that given the state of affairs that's probably your best shot to get a set of rules that are actually enforceable. Yeah, I concur with you. I think they need some sort of something because if not, how do you ever have a season? I'm dealing with it with West Virginia right now because Rich Rodriguez is obviously back. He's trying to bring his guys in and do it all all So I've been paying close attention to it all that first transfer portal obviously in December Whatever middle college football playoffs that it could have been you could bring guy in then Say pay them have to pay them because that's a deal and then they can leave in April There's another transfer portal coming in April. They literally didn't even play a season

They just did the offseason and then the same exact thing They got to figure it out Josh thing they got to figure it out josh they gotta figure it out okay let's go back to nico uh digs has the last question for you here pal yeah pay do we know do we have any idea where uh nico is gonna go i know scc bylaws if you transfer in the spring you cannot go to an scc school and be eligible to play that season so it's gonna be somewhere outside the scc i don't know if it was a screenshot or an altered screenshot. Saw 247, crystal ball, maybe saying UNC. Is there a chance he goes and partners up with Bill Belichick? Well, first home, don't just assume

because something's written as a bylaw that it's enforceable. That's the first thing I'd say. The second thing is, yeah, I've heard the North Carolina thing. I've heard Tulane. To be honest with you, it makes me feel gross. This entire be honest with you it makes me feel gross this entire time of year makes me feel gross so I kind of sit back and let let

the other guys break the news but here's the question is he the bad guy wherever he goes like it's my opinion the people who screwed this up for him his represented his representation probably should do the first dignified thing they've done and step up and take the arrows for him and and Fesla, hey it's us man we screwed it up he was just trying to play we're the ones who got him into this mess cuz right now he goes to Tulane he goes wherever he goes he's like a heel man he's treated like a legit bad guy within college football and yes he's a legal adult like yes he bears some responsibility dude he's not the one who got himself into this mess.

Yeah, if he goes to UNC, that would be a wild move by old Bill and Lambeau. Welcome to college football. Here we are. Go ahead, Connor. No, just the entire thing. But you would assume with, you know, how big the Big Ten kind of roles, maybe he goes over to Ohio State, you know, who says that Ohio State doesn't just play the the transfer portal game He's Ryan day the one behind all this right now is that is it so who do you so you talk about the representation? You talk about the representation so they're talking to people they obviously know that there's that amount of money somewhere else Is that what we're all assuming? I don't think they do. That's the problem. A legit agent would. I think they just decided, oh man, we can leverage.

You know, none of these college programs actually talk to each other behind the scenes. They're all idiots. So we can just play them for fools and we can just tell Tennessee we got 4 mil on the table somewhere else. And Hypal's like, you don't. I know you don't. Now, here's a hot rumor. I'm going to give you the hot rumor, okay?

I have not confirmed it. Yes. Rumor on the page. Allegedly, rumors. Allegedly, allegedly. It's all caps word these days around here. Allegedly. No. A certain friend of the program out on the West Coast, maybe up near Eugene, may have sent up a flair to let Tennessee know that this was happening behind the scenes. Oh. that this was happening behind the scenes. Imagine that. Other head coaches sending up the flair to let their fellow peers know there's some shadiness going on behind the scenes here. Might they be looking out for each other's best interest for a change? Allegedly.

Wow. Pretty shady. Well, I think the coaches, now who knows if that's real or not. I like a good rumor and I assume that'll get an answer or a non-answer but I like the fact that the coaches are probably a part of feeling ownership and having to get some guidelines around this entire thing too. It's like hey, there's always going to be the haves and have nots whenever it comes to money. Ohio State's always going to be loaded.

Penn State now we know is always going to be loaded but at least if we could have some sort of you scratch my back, I scratch your type rules, we can all kind of keep this thing going ahead. We appreciate the hell out of your coverage and your time today, my brother. Appreciate it, brother. Hey, tell LeVetchkin I said hey, or tell Alex I said hey.

Oh, you call him Alex? First name. Well, that's how I've referred to him. He'll understand, just let him know. He'll understand. Do you do full DAP up, or is it a handshake? Where are you at with him, or a hug? Is it a hug with you and him?

It's mainly been a head nod from me and then he just walks on by because he has no clue who I am. It's been that sort of vibe. Oh, one of these. One of these in a hotel. Got it. Yeah, he's there with Josh Payton.

Thank you. Yeah, Josh! Sounds like there needs to be guard rails, AJ. Sounds like that's what everybody's saying. Sounds like you better know who's speaking for you too. Like if you're a player, like anybody could say they're speaking for you, right? And go to other teams.

If you don't have any like official people. What do you think D-Bud of the whole entire situation? I think somebody in his team probably heard from some team, like, hey, we have this amount of money or there's this amount of money on the table for somebody. And maybe that's a Carson Beck deal that he heard about and thought if Carson Beck's getting that I deserve more but somebody on the team heard it then they pitch it you think or how do you think that kind of comes to be the decision? Yeah that's

what I think I mean I hate it the whole like you said I've been talking about the whole nine guardrails and this coming up during the playoffs even potentially but yeah I think as you see another guy get a deal or getting paid that you think you're either on that level or higher. And then you go to your people and say, I want that or they come to you and say, Hey, you should be getting this. You know how it is when you're in college or you're going to a different level and the people around you think they have all the answers. But at the end of the day, I think this is an example because you know,

he may go and be the bad guy, but whatever he goes and plays well, gets drafted, all works out nobody cares but it does it does fall on you you know as the athlete as the person as the quarterback as the cornerback whatever you are ultimately it falls on you you got to take that responsibility um and hopefully he figures it out it all works out for him and all the other parties involved and like Dan Laning my bad go ahead Connor with with Oregon and Dan. Like, I feel like there hasn't really been a line. And if what he says is true, and who knows, again, he said it was a rumor. But like, if Dan Lanning and other coaches are even saying like, okay, now we're going

too far. Like, if we are hearing from, you know, representation from a player where that team doesn't know that this is happening, Like the amount of shady behind the scenes stuff that happens in college football and has happened for years. But for it to get to a point where the coach who might be benefiting, like we're talking about Oregon getting Nico, like Nico is unbelievable. We, we sung his praises after the Ohio state tie off game. Like he's tough son of a bitch. He all the throws he can move he's awesome and for the team that would possibly be getting him that needs a quarterback allegedly might

need a quarterback depending on who they still have but who just lost you know Dylan Gabriel who could possibly you know get a player like Nico to get them over the hump for that team to be like okay we we can't go this far. Like hey, we want to win a national championship We would love to have a guy like this But even this feels, you know dark and kind of messed up in the sense of like hey We're screwing over another school so bad here that even that says a lot about the situation Well, I think every coach knows that it would probably happen to them too. Yeah Situation well, I think every coach knows that it would probably happen to them, too Yeah, if we yeah, you know that that's like like a hey

We have to have some sort of like if you're gonna out recruit somebody outpace somebody like that's that's I think fair game But if it's like this type of stuff taking place, especially when it comes to Nico Nico, I thought Nico was a dog You know against Ohio State he got up. He got up like a lot cracked two helmets Yeah Ohio State he got up he got up like a lot cracked two helmets Yeah, two helmets get cracked because it was so cold and then he was getting hit so hard So him getting up standing through all that I had massive respect for now He's just like I see Carson Beckett three million bucks. I don't know I don't know if we're playing the same game anymore and then hypo goes bet I'll see you later And he hits transfer portal. Where does he end up if it's UNC like I guess he's being reported

I didn't know that was being rumored out there tone. Is that real Tennessee is moving Tennessee coach? Okay, I am I am Maliava miss meetings. Okay, so tone. Where were you hearing UNC? I saw I saw a screenshot so to 247 sports does a Like when someone's in the transfer portal, they do a crystal ball of where they're going to go. And I saw a screenshot of it on there saying UNC. Now I don't know if that was doctored, I saw it during the break, but that was the place where I saw it.

Oh no. And it makes sense because, you know, they- They're not paying them, bro. They potentially need a quarterback. Can you sign incentive deals? Can you get incentive laden like NIL deals? Cuz there's no way they're gonna give him to do anything. You can do anything long as the Trinity clears it.

Yeah. Yeah, exactly. That's what I've heard. Yeah, right. Isn't it kind of like if is cuz they said it'll be maxed out. Everything will be maxed. You know, like basically that's what had to happen, right? If we listen to what Lombardi was saying and Belichick was saying leading up,

it's like, yeah, there were certain things. And if we knew that was possible, we felt like we could compete, you know, we'll kind of do our thing. Did you hear about their spring practice? I read about that. I did. Yeah. Not spring game, not a spring practice kind of in between. They don't really know. Showcase. Yeah. It was pro showcase. I think yeah, D, but did you, did you see what have, I guess, I guess Bill wasn't doing a lot of me. I thought they wasn't doing along me They thought bill was gonna do a like a halftime performance and he didn't do that so they were disappointed or I don't know His players got no numbers on we can't we don't know who's

Didn't talk to us. He walked off I want to build a take the mic like for the PA over the whole crowd and thank you everybody for coming I don't know how many people 80,000 people there Tom Kern is grinning like the butcher's dog. I told you I told you Chapel Hill This is Bill, baby But I mean they did say in one of those articles that you know Maybe the mic'd up your bell check will give a little bit more into the entire thing We saw him getting my it was like It would be like an in-house production they were doing. Yeah exactly so if like you got some you know college Belichick clips

coming out that would be sweet too. The guy also ripped on Lambeau's playlist and basically said like Jesus Christ he was putting everybody to sleep playing Springsteen. You know what are you doing Lambeau? Let's get some bops in here. Come on Mike.. Yeah, Van Halen, I think, and Springsteen. The players weren't excited, and neither were we, is what the guy said. The players weren't jacked up by the music, and neither were we. They got a win down there. I guess getting a quarterback would be good. On the complete flip side of that, I think Rich Rodriguez, for our spring showcase, was actually in the crowd letting fans call plays

Oh, yeah So a little bit different a little bit a little bit a little bit different operation out of those two Who has the money at this date? I guess Ohio State would be a you guys have a quarterback at all I say they have a legit QB battle going on both guys look good even the third guy young kid that just Graduated high school came in the spring game and threw a touchdown and played pretty well Because it's hard for me to get upset about the whole NIL destroying the sport thing because

Vanderbilt loves it, you know, Diego goes in there turns their entire thing around Oregon enjoyed it because Dylan Gabriel won in there They had an undefeated year whatever until they didn't in the Rose Bowl. Ohio State loves it. They got Will Howard in there. Penn State? Just like, Penn State obviously is going to use it more than anybody else going forward. And I don't think anybody's ready for that. Penn State is about to go, I don't know if they have Uncle Phil at Oregon type money

at Penn State, but it feels like that's how they're operating. Feels like that's how they're operating. So like when something like this pops up, Enique Michigan, so much money. They got Cook Halde, but they got Ellison, the richest guy. I'm trying to recruit billionaires to West Virginia, by the way. I'm trying to recruit billionaires to adopt West Virginia. But let's say this, you know,'ve heard brain and being talk about how uh... if there's a rumor on the internet about a player being disgruntled or team being

disgruntled with a guy they'll like a hand stoop around hey is there anything open you guys wanna make a move boom they get stuff on days up there i wonder for colleges you hear something about nico going around do they start stooping around with like their friends and family?

And they say, hey, there's a chance that this is available if you're able to do that. Then whenever he gets into the transporter, it's already a done deal. How long do you have to remain in the transporter? Can you hop in there for half a second and then hop right out of there? Is there a 24 hour period? Is there a grace period? I don't think I fully understand it. But all those schools here that Nico is available, then they're just immediately calling all

their boosters? That's what they're doing, AJ? Is that how that Nico is available, then they're just immediately calling all their boosters. That's what they're doing AJ. Is that how that works? Trying to secure enough. Do they keep, like how much do you have like in a slush fund for NIO in a situation like this when a quarterback might become available at a time that you wouldn't think he would? Like, yeah, I don't know. Or they got to go instantly get some donors to promise a couple mils so you bring them

in. I don't know. Then these coaches, I feel like. Got to hit the phones. Got Gotta hit the phones they're thinking. Be terrible. And once the Neco news came out, I know Pate talked about the smoke signal, but I found it interesting,

Mario Cristobal down in Miami, he kinda came out kinda like, yeah, this is kinda how we're gonna start doing things. Cause as coaches, even though you're competing for these players, you do want some type of standard or some type of precedent, like hey, you could try to opt out mid season or in the middle of your deal or something like that, then maybe it will be tough for you to find a spot.

But ultimately, we know it comes down to winning. Yeah. You can get a guy that can come in and help you win. You look at all the top quarterbacks in the last however many years, they've been transferred. So once again, hopefully it all works out for the players. been transferred. So once again, hopefully it all works out for the players. Ladies and gentlemen, without further ado, greatness has arrived. Now granted his nickname had the word great in it for a very long time. He has showcased that he has been great for a very long time in the NHL, I assume throughout his entire life. Ladies and gentlemen, he'll

be remembered as the greatest goal scorer in the history of the NHL From the Washington Capitals Stanley Cup champion ladies and gentlemen Alexander Ovechkin What's up guys Ovi thank you so much for taking time to join us. We are massive fans of yours brother Yeah, thank you so much for taking time to join us. We are massive fans of yours, brother. Yeah. Thank you very much guys. All the boys watching right now.

So let, let me introduce to everybody. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. I like that. Big, big Mac, big Mac, Roy Z, to be match. Little kid. Lano. Hey little kid

Tom Wilson You son of a bitch They call you son of a bitch Hey, we have another guy What's up? Yeah, what's up guys? Jesus Hey guys

Frankie Stein Big Al Hey, what's up son? Big Al what up? Yeah. Bull. What's up Bull? What's up Bull? Rattie.

Doggie. Hey Doggie. Captain America, John Carlson right here. USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA LA. Hey what's up businessman good to see you handsome. The boys. Oh that's the one. Here we go boys. What's up guys. What's up guys. Hey Ovi thank you for introducing us to your team you guys are really good you guys are a really good team this year. Let's talk about your team. This year has been a lot of focus on you. With what you just did there, where you immediately introduced your entire team to us, was it uncomfortable at moments when all focus was on whether or not you were going to score and how many you were going to score?

Well, they honestly like before the season and obviously last year, like no one thought like it can be happened you know because 894 it's a huge number right but soon as I get like closer and closer closer and closer like I have so much attention and it's it's been crazy because attention media fans like yeah it was it was something nuts but overall it was it was great for hockey because everybody's talking about hockey about about Wayne Gretzky, the greatest player to play hockey and it was great. So I mean I started to believe like when it was three or four goals and I was like okay like maybe it can happen. I broke my leg during the year and I was thinking maybe next

year, maybe one more year. But overall, that's why I introduced my team. Without them like I would never reach that milestone and I would never reach that great accomplishment and obviously without my family, without my wife, my mom and obviously support from my friends. Yeah, shout to the whole support system obviously everybody needs that around them the better the system the better anybody could potentially be and you mentioned a lot in there He talked about the attention you talked about it being great for hockey We agree completely everybody was watching the great chase and whenever you bring up Wayne Gretzky a lot of people learned of Wayne Gretzky's greatness

I believe that maybe didn't know beforehand a lot of people maybe learned that this goal scoring record was considered unattainable Because of how great it was. I think you grew the game massively. I think you were great for the sport. You should take a lot of pride in that. Now, when it comes to Wayne Gretzky, he said that he was going to be the first person to congratulate the person that broke that record or whatever. And he came through for that, showed up at the last couple of games, knew you were going to break it. Have you always had a great relationship with him and how has that kind of friendship, peerness kind of gone? Yeah, he's such a great person. First time I met him in the draft 2005 or 2006.

And you know, we have a dinner with him in LA when we have an All-Star game. And I met with his wife, you know, we spent such a great time together like, you know, like it's a kid like it's a dream to meet the legend and I'm lucky enough to have a meeting with Mario you I played against him my first year Wingards T German being over Nolan like all those guys still get better love I'm lucky guy because it's like in basketball you have a dinner with Michael Jordan. I never had a chance to meet Michael Jordan but it's one of my dream and I have his

signed jersey but yeah it's one of my dream to meet the greatest player to play basketball well let's make that happen obviously I think that will immediately now but whatever you talk about meeting with all those guys yeah when he's talking about meeting all those guys they're all saying they sat with you, brother. You're fucking Alexander Ovechkin. That is awesome. And I'm happy to hear how humble you are about how much everybody is given to you. Go ahead, AJ. Yeah, Ovi, can you take us back to how you felt right after you made that goal and your celebration, you're on the ice, you're sliding through there. We see the iconic picture, but then instantly you are pummeled by your whole team it had to feel amazing like what was it like were you expecting this that

you planned to do this little celebration or how did this all come about? No like I just I was so excited I just felt probably my my skate like my my trainer Brock probably didn't show my skate before I scored the goal. That's why I felt. But yeah, that moment is going to live forever and it's unbelievable. like I still can believe like this happening and you know what we did and What what we did and New York down there, it's gonna stay forever. So yeah I'm very happy That's an awesome poster right there forever. What a moment legendary only more to come tie has a question for you

Yeah, Ovi just curious. Are you still drinking like pop like Coke or Pepsi on the bench I know that was a big thing during your career and at what point oh yeah I still like win the plane and I have my Cheetos my subway and coke for sure and on the bench I always have a coke so if you see me drinking bottle, it's a cult God that's awesome. That's a legend So with that being said a lot is talked about how you're incredibly jacked and how good a shape you're in and now you're in Record-breaking season. Are you sure I'm gonna shape? I See pictures of you with no shirt more than I see a lot of other people with no shirt on

I see pictures of you with no shirt more than I see a lot of other people with no shirt on Now all the time good you're you're one of the OGs man, you're like the old Our thing do you think about you know? How much longer the body can go could do like and have you had to make an adjustment in your game as you've gotten older on the ice? Well, I have one more year and we'll see what's gonna happen. They'll see you like all of the team I love be around the boys and As long as I can I will I will try to stick around and put my great body how you said in Michelle so we'll see Have you had to change up because it looks like you're playing the same

when you're sitting in the office over there, pucks coming and it's going right to the back of the net. You're still hitting people, still a dog, which is never talked about. Best goal scorer in the history of the game, also willing to fight you if he has to. Have you had to change up? Do you feel your game changing or do you still think you play the same way? Yeah, yeah, of course you have to adjust a little bit. But like, soon the season is over, like you know how many times you have to prepare your body, to prepare your mind for next year. So I mean, like when you're young, like it's's one thing but when you get older it's a different thing but overall sometimes you have to start training a little bit earlier sometimes you have to

train a little bit later because it depends when you season it over. Yeah less vodka sometimes you know you got to get going there. You a vodka guy? No, beer guys. Beer, strictly beers? Yeah, we see you after every single game, crack open a beer. It doesn't matter what type of beer. Um, I like Stella and Sapporo.

Okay. I like that. Every arena will make sure they have them going forward. D-Bud has a question for you. Yeah, congrats again. It was great watching the great chase. I got to ask you about a question. So popped up on my timeline a couple of weeks ago, 3-6 Mafia, Banzamaker, Dance, that being

kind of your song. When did that start and what was it like having the guys in the arena? Yeah, we signed Jacob Chikrin and he wears, you know, it's Ben and John Carlson, Benza, like he called him Benza and I'm like, okay, Benza make a dance and we start that kind of stuff. And yeah, it's wires. It's lots of kids, lots of NBA players doing that kind of stuff. And yeah, it's pretty cool to see those guys to support us. And obviously, you know, it's pretty cool. Like how I said, it's great for. Like I said, it's great for hockey. It's great.

It feels like the more we learn about you, Ovi, the more we love about you. That's coming from a guy who grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as a Penguins fan. Obviously, old school rivalry there. Tone has a question for you, Ovi. Yeah, I do. It's kind of about that rivalry cause I watched you at PPG, you know, going against Sid. And then obviously you break Wayne's record this year for scoring and then Sid breaks Wayne's record for 20 seasons a row, averaging at least a point per game. How cool is it like that you guys came into the lead

together, you know, after the lockout and you guys have basically been carrying the NHL for the last 20 years. And how, what is your relationship with Sid like these days? Yeah, obviously me and Sid, the first couple of years was not that good, but right now we talk, congrats each other. We hit some milestones and those relationships from the battle to the hockey and outside the hockey it's a totally different thing. So we're going to have the last game in three days between us and Pittsburgh and I'm pretty sure it's going to be a battle because it's still still a rivalry but after the game like we're always hard we're always chatting and yeah we

we have respect to each other and you're right like what we did all those years is great for us. People are going to talk about the Krav Maga, the Peace Work and the Washington sport for maybe 20 or 50 more years and it's great. So it's, yeah, it's a battle, but it's a friendship right now. So it's all good. I'm happy to hear that you both were incredible to watch all those years and can't wait to see how you both finish these legendary careers. You're the man, the greatest goal scorer of all time, Alexander Ovechkin. Yeah. Thank you Yeah, OV. Thank you.

Thank you. Legend. We met his whole team there. That was awesome. We'll be back tomorrow. We'll see you then. Be a friend, tell a friend something nice that might change their life.

I think I got it in. Shout out to the screen here. Shout out to the screen here. How about him introducing us to his entire team? That was awesome. That was awesome. That's hockey. What a legend.

Yeah. That is hockey. You're right. Yeah. That's how they do it. Here's Judy. Here's, hey, here's dog. Say hello dog. They're saying hello. Cap. Oh, America. It's Carlson. America. They're chanting USA. USA. That was awesome. Yeah. Whole fucking plane. AJ, what'd you say? Hey, who's flying it? Didn't you say that? I thought we were gonna, yeah,? Hey, who's flying it? Didn't you say that? The pilot?

Yeah, someone said, who's flying this plane? I was hoping he'd go see the cockpit. We'd introduce to the pilots. Imagine, like, how many years has he been there? 20? 20, yeah. I mean, yeah. 20? Ovi is, he is that organization.

That's him. Yeah. It's gonna be so weird when he's not there. When he's not there, it's gonna be really awkward. It won't be the same. He's like, I got one more year left. I love the boys. You know, I be the same. He's like a woman your left. I love the boys, you know I love the boys like such a such a moment there

whenever It he shows up on the screen then I immediately start thinking myself I don't know if I've ever heard of he just like chill and talk Nick is that happen often very rare and you could tell like throughout the 20 years He's gotten much more comfortable with his English and he speaks pretty pretty damn Well all things considered to come to a different country dominate a sport then try and learn a second language Uh, you can tell like he's just got a great personality and it's one of those things that people complained about with the NHL For years is like we need more guys like this who are open-minded and willing to talk and sometimes it makes a little bit

Tough when they speak a different language primarily, but Ovi's been one of the to try and break down that barrier. He's just an awesome personality super cool, dude And they've been there this whole time. We talked to Sid now at a big night out cool We talked to OV coolest dudes of all time. They've been here the whole time Can we get a mic front in these guys face at some point? Could we have could we have met these guys, you know, cuz I guess hockey so like it's not about me It's about we yeah, they're all like you literally just cool Yeah, for real like they're in there almost too long like think about the guys He mentioned when he came in like Fedorov Lemieux. Yeah, Wayne

Like he's almost been in the league so long that he's like so far removed from like the time now like Kachuk You could say like Matthew Kachuk's great he comes on all the time but that's kind of that new era whereas Ovechkin and Crosby like they came up in the hey team team team like if you get asked to do an interview you better shut your mouth if you go do it like now it's cool that they're at the point in their careers though where it's like hey we are like part of Mount Rushmore of our generation like we can do whatever the hell we want. D-bot OV is different brother that guy is just awesome. Dog since day one can tell by talking to him. Yeah watching his highlights over years is crazy just his physicality obviously he's an unbelievable

goal scorer but watching his physical physicality how he just pummeled guys out there and it is crazy to hear what the question ties him is he still drinking coke On the sideline for him to steal and I guess you know, especially old school guys They are who they are to kind of stick to to who they are and how they go about their business But that's insane that he's been able to have this type of longevity In this game and then breaking the record is obviously awesome him says shit. I'm coming back. I got one more year We'll see how it goes But to the culture thing, the personality's great,

hearing these guys talk, I got an opportunity to go kind of in the change room with you after the Penguins game. Obviously, they're all cool as fuck behind the closed doors, but once they get in front of mics, they don't want the spotlight just on them, it's just team, team, team. And I still kind of love that, but from a marketing,

from a brand thing, from a money making thing, I'm sure Gary Bettman, I would think, I would assume, that he would want it to kind of change a little bit and open up and learn more about, you know, the athletes, you talk about it sometimes with the NBA, like the more we can get to know these guys and see them behind the scenes, I think the more, you know, likeable they become, more relatable they become,

and you know, people tend to like the league more. People like humans these days, you know, that's like the, they follow, that's, you know, social tend to like the league more. People like humans these days, you know, that's like the they follow. That's, you know, social media, these streamers. Yeah. I mean, the just think about all of it. Like, I think people have to be invested in the person more now than ever before to be a fan of said thing. Like, I think that is just kind of the way the world is

because we know so much about so many. And I think them not wanting to have any attention on them is one of the traits that people is because we know so much about so many and I think them not wanting to have any attention on them is one of the traits that people would love about hockey if they knew about hockey you know but it kind of works against them because they don't want anybody to know they exist because they don't want to do interviews and people know that they're awesome so nobody fucking knows about them so they don't know about the game so it's like you know it's a it's a big it's a big one of these, but hockey is awesome. And, uh, so is Ovi.

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you've been hearing about. Follow the crime scene for special access to the people who know these stories best. Rapper Sean Diddy Combs was a kingmaker. He had wealth, fame, and power. What's up, welcome to New York! Until it all came crashing down. Federal investigators raiding two homes

owned by hip-hop mogul Sean Diddy Combs. I'm Brian Buckmeyer, an ABC News legal contributor. As Diddy heads to trial, we trace his remarkable rise and fall and what could be next. Listen to Bad Rap, the case against Diddy, a new series from ABC Audio. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts. Sports are the best. Pat, what's happening over there in Sacramento?

I see them still. I mean, there's WWE, sorry, WWE production people. Everyone with the WWE has always impressed me. But, man, watching them for big Night Out and watching them build everything from scratch was just awesome. Everything about what they do blows my mind. Yeah, the WWE production crew are second to none, always have been, always will be the creative team.

The way they go about doing it is phenomenal. Every single Monday I get to see it obviously in Raw arenas and in our SmackDown arenas and there's some house shows. They're doing it three four times a week So them adding big night out last week was incredibly kind of all parties that worked on that shout out to the WWE team and shout Out to Sacramento Kings. He's brought me Jersey I'm on team. I'm on team Well, they came coming

Cool that's cool. What are we handing out participation trophies? All right Well, I don't know if I like the number 25 either, but if I was given a 10-day I think I would I would take it for sure here if I had to but um, yeah They're the ones that drafted Halliburton, right? And they're bringing them to the Indiana P So I'm very thankful for the Sacramento Kings. And I'm also appreciative of the Jersey that a man named James who's very handsome and also understands city layout a little bit. He told me ADA's stadium is right over there too.

If you want to go take a block, we kind of run that place too. If you want to go walk around a little bit, get a tour, see something maybe for one of the last times. I said, absolutely, James, good guy. Thank you for the Jersey. Thank you for the time. But also we get a chance to chat with a national champion. Ladies and gentlemen, you should have been paying attention

I only saw it on social should have been watching it on TV. I do apologize, but there was a frozen four of sorts a National championship of college hockey, which is obviously fantastic in a team that you've heard of for sure. Boston was being represented A lot of hockey there a lot of hockey there and then there was a team that was've heard of for sure, Boston, was being represented. A lot of hockey there. A lot of hockey there. And then there was a team that was in its 50th season. The Western Michigan boys were on the ice. And the Western Michigan team would win 6-2 to win their first ever national championship. Joining us now, ladies and gentlemen, head coach of the Western Michigan Broncos. Ladies and gentlemen, Coach Pat Ferschwaller.

Yeah! Oh! Guys, I'm excited. I'm a huge fan of yours. I could not be more pumped to be on this show. Coach, I just want to have you know that I didn't know enough about your team before you guys took on Boston.

I was watching these highlights roll in and I was watching the mocks of your your team and then I was learning about your team about how this is the first national championship and it's 50 year run up there at Western Michigan and I learned about your story being a former player an absolute dog on the ice and I couldn't help but fall in love with your team over the last 24 or 48 hours tell me about about the experience. Tell me about winning the national championship. What was it like in that moment realizing that you guys have accomplished something that no other team in your school's history has been able to accomplish?

This is a special group of young men. It's a team that with your energy, you'd love to be a part of. I think we kind of came in there and bullied Boston University a little bit with our will. And, you know, I just happy and proud for these young men. Bullied them a little bit. Boston Connor has a question for you actually. Yeah, coach bullied them. You know, it's incredible.

First of all, can you also talk about the fans? Cause word on the street is the fans really showed out. They bullied the BU fans as well. Can you talk about them all season? Cause I know they were massive for you guys all year. Yeah. I mean, we have an electric atmosphere here at our home rink and they're called the loss and lunatics and they're, they've earned that name for sure. They have their own website, they have their own gear. Um, they're ready to go. So the support from the community, community, the support from the school is outstanding. And I felt like half of Kalamazoo was in St. Louis at that day. You could feel it on the streets, the support from the school is outstanding and I felt like half of Kalamazoo

was in St. Louis that day. You could feel it on the streets, honestly. Okay, so let's talk about college hockey as a whole. We know college sports are incredibly passionate and pageantry and tradition and we learn about it through football. We very rarely get a chance to chit chat about college hockey except for when the Frozen Four takes place. How many arenas, how many schools have a Western Michigan fan base? Like how, how many college schools in hockey are like, I don't want to say top tier passion schools, but you understand what I'm saying. I think you're right.

I do. I do. I mean, there's a good number of schools with hockey is a sport that, that breeds passion. And I think the fans that are there are all in. Obviously, it's a little more niche sport than football. But when you like hockey, you love hockey, and you're there and you're cheering and you're all in on hockey. So I think a number of them have that but our student section is generally rated number one in the country and I think they've earned that right. Who are these guys that are playing for these colleges? Are they kids that have been drafted in the country and I think they've earned that right. Who are these guys that are playing for these colleges?

Are they kids that have been drafted in the past? Are they kids from overseas? Is it high school, junior B, I think was something I remember that was talking about whenever I was coming through high school. What is the who are the- Yeah, generally kids, honestly from all over, we have about four, we have two Finns, two Swedes on our team. It's an international game hockey as there's no doubt, but this is one third of the national hockey league

comes out of college hockey. I don't know if everybody knows that at all times, but superstars in the NHL have played in college hockey. You know, the one overall draft pick, Mackensuller-Greening played for BU the year before. He stepped in with San Jose. He's a star. There's stars all over the NHL have played in the,

you know, from college hockey. And again, it's about one third of the league that comes out of our league. That's awesome. And you guys are national champs to that whole damn thing. AJ has a question for you coach. Yeah, coach you mentioned it's such an international game. What's recruiting like? Like what is it now that your season's over, you guys win and all.

Now what do you do? How do you go to the corners of the earth and find these guys? Yeah, as you know, college sports is a fluid situation. So one, who's returning? And I say that more not because they don't want to return, but who's going to sign in the NHL? I think our captain is going to sign this morning. He'll play probably Wednesday in the NHL game. We've got one or two other players that may do the same. So it's a pretty fluid situation. Who's going to return? Who's going to enter the portal? Probably the guys that didn't get as much ice time, but and then who are we going to

recruit? Obviously, this helps recruiting in a massive way, but real unique as far as international players, you have to recruit off video and hope they turn out. Ours have all panned out in a great way. So fluid, interesting environment all of college sports, but you know, we lean into it and we enjoy it. Coach look out for these AI editors they can make anything happen they can make any you think you're getting OV you're getting OV pal how many how many games in a season in college hockey how what's similar is the game to the NHL? Well, we play about half the amount of games. So we

played 42, NHL plays 82. But you know, it's great for us because it allows development, allows practice time, it allows us to really, you know, get our hands on these players and help their improvement on the ice, but also help them, you know, grow up as young men and develop to be successful in life. Ty has a question for you, coach Yeah coach. I know you coach as an assistant with the Red Wings for a few years. What in your opinion, what's the biggest difference between coaching college kids? I mean you mentioned it, you know a couple of these kids obviously are studs and will go play in the NHL. But what's the biggest difference coaching NHL guys versus college kids? Well, I think start with the similarities is they all want to be great.

And our kids want to be great, NHLers want to be great. And so the passion is there on both sides of it. But the NHL is just a more mature game. They've learned how to be repeatable. And I think the repeatability is the magic of pro sports. And can you perform every time, not just once, not just have a great game. But as I coach, Hendrick Zetterberg and Pavel Dazuk, I learned they're either great or they're really, really, really good every single night.

It's incredible how repeatable performances are in the pro hockey world. Consistency is the difference between good and great, I believe. That is literally the difference between having a full-time career and just being a guy who has a cup of coffee. D-Bud has a question for you coach. Yeah, coach, you play, you know, coaching at your album, man. I'm sure you probably dreamt about the moment where you were the number one team in the country. You had that target on your back and you were playing for a national championship.

What was it like actually before going out there? What was the nerves like and what was it like getting the boys ready to go to battle? Well, I mean our groups prepared and I always say the nerve nerves are for the unprepared our group was felt fully prepared They believe themselves they believed in each other and they believed in our plan for success and they followed through in a big-time way Hey, I Just got a text from we have a our our CFO his name is Phil I went to elementary school with him junior high with him in high school with him He played high school hockey played for the junior pens

I do believe he would go on to play at Pitt and then coach at Pitt loves hockey He just texted he's got a little boy too that we're looking to get him to Western Michigan whenever he comes You know of age. You guys are building a $300 million arena up there in Western Michigan right now, is that real? That's an old headline, it's $515 million. Wow! Oh yeah.

So we've got one guy who's gonna build it and he's gonna donate it to the university. He said, coach, I want you to think big. And I said, I'm your guy, let's go. And so I've added over a hundred million dollars to that building myself, every possible amenity he could ever have. He said, I want it to be the best arena in college hockey,

and I want it to be the best performance center gym in college hockey. And I think we're gonna have both. We're gonna give the players everything they could possibly want for success. Wow. Okay, so you talk about recruiting and winning a national championship obviously helping and having your captain play You know a national championship on a weekend and then in an NHL game on Wednesday and obviously

People know you for being a guy that can take their you know The boys should turn them to men whatever comes to recruiting having a 500 million dollar arena Is that is that abnormal? I assume that's abnormal in College Hockey or no? I think it's abnormal everywhere. And the whole situation is, they haven't said no to me in two years. This is an arena built with an imagination, not a budget. It is the best of everything. It's honestly a dream.

And the support we have here, again, in the community is outrageous. And we're going to lean into it and enjoy it. When's the season start? All right. It's a school year in September, but we start practicing regular first regular season games in October, start of October. So we got a few months here to kind of regroup, enjoy this for a hot second, and then lean into recruiting and preparation.

Congratulations. They'll never be able to take that trophy over your right shoulder. Is that what that is? It is. Well, that's a little mini personal version. You know, the other ones at our celebratory, you know, deal we're gonna do tonight.

Nice. Okay, well, enjoy the little ones and the big ones and the 500 million dollar investment into an arena. Little Phil Maines he's a goal scorer this guy. We will expect him to be a Western Michigan Bronco hopefully someday and we appreciate your time. You're the best ladies and gentlemen. National Champion Coach Pat Firstwiler. National champion coach Pat first wilder Thank you coach AJ Fuck is that dough? Yeah, we need to find out

Basketball too, right? Yeah, who is that donor? I'm sure that's not anonymous. Yeah This has been built with an imagination not a budget What a line what a line. What a line. It's like literally like Rothenberger's house. I don't want to come back to the same thing, but that seems like what that is. College hockey. Connor, you might follow it more.

I don't know who would follow it in our, maybe Gumps. Gumps, can you bet on college hockey? Oh yeah. I'm sure. I just looked it up. Tim Allen, I believe went now, the Internet's telling me went to Western, Michigan I assume Tim the tool man. He's probably He's building buzz light year, yeah

I think Tim's probably got the yeah pat the frozen for though every year is like electrifying like before They played Denver actually watched a Denver game because I missed the national championship But they played Denver in the semis and they beat them to like it is incredible anytime it gets down to it And I know BC he talked about you know a captain playing in an NHL game right after Excuse me Leonard Ryan Leonard was captain of BC. They lost and he was in that little video of Edgkin just showing everybody of the team. He was on that plane. He was one of the guys on there.

So it is one of those things where as soon as that season ends, they go to the NHL. And then sometimes too, like if they get on a good team and they go on a little run in the playoffs, like they can make a name for their themselves pretty quickly like I assume Leonard is gonna have some massive goal for the Capitals and then all of a sudden they're gonna be talking about how he was playing At BC they won all these games now. He's you know in the playoffs this year starting next week Sunday The hockey life is crazy. They move in high school

Yeah, like most of them they go live in different move in high school. Yeah. Like most of them, they go live in different houses in high school and you know, there's like different training grounds almost like Michigan, Minnesota. I think is that Nick, we had what RJ Umberger and Sergio Soma out of our high school that basically one did this. I think Nick, is that accurate? And where do they move to junior B? Is that what it's called? I forget. Yeah, there's, there's a couple junior leagues. There's junior B is very popular in the United States. And then I think you might be talking about the United States National Team Development Camp. And I know Foxy had an uncle that actually coached up there that ran that program for a couple guys.

It's based out of Michigan. And they travel around and they play a bunch of the good junior teams, a bunch of good college teams. and it's unreal experience. And most of those guys are the guys you'll see in the World Junior Champions and eventually one day in the Olympics. They live there though, right? Don't they live in like houses, people's houses and shit? And that kind of how they sacrifice their- Yeah, a lot of players go to juniors

and live with billet families, families that sign up the host players and kinda- What's Shattuck? You know what Shattuck is? Shattuck St. Mary's, the prep school, yeah. Okay, so that's like Mighty Ducks 2 they were they went to like a Shattuck right? Mighty Ducks 3. What did Jack do? Jack went to Shattuck he was there with Sid so that's why that's why I know about it like but that's where you it's like a boarding school for hockey players right or everything I don't know. And they're moving in there like when they're 14 right? I think we were 14 or something yeah 14 that's like we were into high school it's like IMG made it popular but it was happening in hockey forever but it was only just hockey umberger our guy umberger disappeared

he was like gone like he went to our high school we heard about him like we got a guy in plum and I'll go I go to like a plum high school hockey game he's like a freshman I think Dyson and then the next year gone. It's like where to go Oh, he's living with another family. It's like doing doing what? Why is everything okay? Like no, it's better than okay. It's like, okay, he's on a fast track and then he would have like a 12 13 year career in the NHL and he you know, he lived he's Hockey's a full commitment. Yeah, the skating too. Like did you see Sid's quads?

D-butt. Did you see those things? Yes. Yeah, on that throw, that was the first thing I saw that popped out. Obviously he had perfect form, but the lower body on these hockey players, and obviously, you know, because they skate so much, but yeah, he built like a tank. Yeah, you gotta be a dog in hockey. Like have to be.

Even the softest hockey players are the biggest dogs. Let alone the amount of face wiping that's just happening. You're just getting punched in the face, slapped in the face just casually during the game. Let alone these sticks banging off your wrists and your shins and everything. I mean it's just, you're getting your ass beat the whole time. And then skating is so hard. And they're just full sprints, full sprints, five a.m. because that's when you can get ice time.

Four a.m. they're out there doing it late night, midnight. It's just their gear smells like ass. And they're strapping themselves into it. It's hockey is a that's a dogs only sport They get in the lights all like workout in like we're in there The team was no wasn't like a you know hard-ass workout But a light workout, you know after a game pretty much the whole team coming in Then they're going in shooting shots like but alone how many games 82 games? Yeah, and then obviously their playoffs start this Sunday

I believe as well like the respect I have for those guys It's incredible basketball to like basketball gets all the hey one and done but he just mentioned it coach did like Sassell Brinney was in college last year and then he's going and playing in the NHL and a lot of times you know like those camps sometimes don't even go to college like these guys are playing in the NHL at 18 years old like Jackie Aces, Jackie Aces did a one and done at BU and then he went right to the league and I think it was he the number two overall pick what's that called the Western Ontario is that it the Western I've heard Biz talk about it it's like a junior league the WHL yeah the the playoffs are happening right now and Gavin McKenna is supposed to be the next number one pick

next year he just lit up a fucking tremendous goal last night He's but that high schoolers go to that or no. Yeah, they're high school age kids and like young college age kids It's like an alternative instead of going to university up north a gum so they go play junior hockey Do yes, but his whl is the same thing. I guess it is it is real deal. I guess from what I've been told this is this whl is the same thing I guess it is it is real deal I guess from what I've been told This is a W HL These guys That was nasty McKenna's gonna be a penguin or what? We stink bad enough next year. He's the guy I mean how do you want to do that?

I did once win one what's the percentage of the, because I feel like whatever their route is and the scout it pays off and coaches talk about recruiting online only. That's wild. But I feel like every top guy who's supposed to be the guy at like a 90% clip in hockey hits as opposed to like NBA is almost like, you know, 50, 50, 60, you know, 40. Like why, like is it always, has it always kind of been like that with hockey? It's not every year though. You know what I mean?

Like usually they say someone's going to be great like It's not every year though You know what I mean? Like usually they say someone's gonna be great like every five years Okay, you know what I mean? Like every other year someone's not saying he's the next cross He's the next this like but Dard was the first one that's really been built up since big Jesus, right? Oh, man, and there's not a lot of depth right in hockey in the draft. It's normally like top two guys Yeah, there's not much after the time you might draft a guy and he goes to college for two years too, right? That happens. Yeah, might opt to go do that.

Yeah, it's, hockey's interesting, man. It is an interesting sport. And when you get labeled like that, like Nugent Hopkins got drafted before McDavid by the Oilers, he was supposed to be the next one. He's an unbelievable two-way hockey player, but he never lived up to the hype, but now he's like one of the Oilers best players,

two way player. Okay, got it. Cause I remember asking you- Anytime you're with, go ahead, I'm sorry. No, I just remember asking, I think it was Austin Matthews. Like, Hey, what was your welcome to the league moment? It's my first game, I scored six goals.

Yeah. Oh, okay. You guys, they say that's the guy, that's usually the guy, but okay, it makes more sense if it's kind of spread out every few years. Well, Connor Bidard, I don't know if it's the Blackhawks or which it might be. I'm telling you, these eyes. I've never my whole life I kept looking up. I thought the Penguins were on the power play.

I've never seen anything like that. It was pretty absurd. I'm not kidding. I thought the Penguins were on the power play. I've never seen anything like that. It was pretty absurd I'm not I'm not exaggerating. I've never seen a team keep the puck in someone's head that long five on five It depends morning. We're trying to score at some point I felt like they were just trying to keep it away from in there and in the Blackhawks and they were just Passed I mean it was it was a big off right for us for sure. Yeah Yeah, five zip big night for the pens. That was good. I'm happy they won their off year for the pens as well This is the first time in how long?

pens Bruins Rangers Yeah first time ever that game was sad yesterday Just knowing the watch that game and knowing those two teams weren't going to playoffs. It was weird. It was weird Yeah, I wonder how the playoffs will do No, Boston It was weird. It was weird. Yeah, I wonder how the playoffs will do. No Boston, no New York, no Pittsburgh. Players' money counts on that. They get that escrow account that depending on how the playoffs do like with ratings and all that,

how much they get back. Oh, they do great. Islanders, Islanders in? No. No. No New York team. Devils? Texas Hawks? Devils are in. Texas Hockey, Colorado in the first round is diabolical. The Westabolical. Those are two of the best teams in hockey playing in the first round

Yeah, this might be the first time. Oh my bad No, I'm just thinking about you could definitely I'm just thinking strictly about like hockey towns that give ratings Yeah, this is the first time you mentioned those three teams But this is also the first time all four of the US based original six teams Are not going to be in the playoffs So you're talking Detroit the Rangers the Bruins and the Blackhawks those are those are pretty big markets together boy I'm saying it's like who's gonna need a national audience It's no obviously each individual team that is still left has a massive fan base

We are not knocking that at all. But whenever we're talking about like, you know, those Those are hot. Those are hockey times. Those are hockey times, you know in a lot of stars there But I think this Capitals team has become beloved so much that people will want to follow along go ahead Connor Sorry, I cut you off there. No, no I was just gonna say like this might be the first time where the first round of the NBA is kind of like outweighing the first round of the NHL just because of that like obviously We all know the NHL playoffs start to finish It's probably the only sport where an 8c can go on and win the entire thing in the playoffs

But when it comes like matchups that we're talking about like brands and names the NBA Playoffs are looking unbelievable, you know? The Warriors are either gonna play the Rockets or the Thunder, hopefully they end up playing the Thunder, which would be a great matchup. But then, you know, the Grizzlies get in, they play the Rockets or the Thunder as well. So those are all teams with superstars.

Nuggets, Clippers, Kawhi, Leonard played 47 minutes the other night. So like we're talking about finally a team that has, you know, the guy that we've been hoping they've had for the last damn near five years with the Clippers and they're playing the Nuggets who, you know, they fired their coach Mike Malone last year, not the magician, the head coach of the Nuggets. Yeah, that was wild. Yeah.

Kind of out of left fields. And then a lot of people are pointing to how like he lost a locker room and he said some stuff about their players not watching the film and all those types of things. But then you got Ant and the Timberwolves playing LeBron, Luca, JJ Reddick and the Lakers. That's a massive matchup. And then on the East too, Pacers and the Bucks, that's kind of been their biggest rival is the Bucks with, you know, the whole entire thing with Giannis And their biggest rival is the Bucks with, you know, the whole entire thing with Yonis grabbing the basketball from the Pacers after that game last year and they've had beef for a while. And then the Knicks Pistons, everyone, the Pistons have turned into like America's favorite

pick as of late this last month. Nobody's really, or at least being talked about as, Hey, no one wants to play the Pistons. I don't know about that, but still got the Celtics and Cavs there as well. So the NBA playoffs, it feels as though it's going to be incredible too. We always talk about how when the football season ends, we have like March Madness and the Masters is a good reminder how awesome the, you know, the golf majors can be, but this is also this next two weeks span where the NBA and the NHL playoffs we got two games four

games every single night it is an incredible time up until you know like the conference finals where it starts to slow down again let's enjoy it all boys let's enjoy it all especially as tonight's Monday night roll will be live from Sacramento AJ they're piecing some shit together behind me that I Lot of screws how about how many people were there for big big night out crazy Incredible everywhere you looked and they're all felt like they were on the same page too Like just every you look you look down for 10 10 minutes you look up and there's like a whole other section of stage built People hanging from wires and the roof like it was nuts a whole other section of stage built, people hanging from wires on the roof, like it was nuts.

We haven't got a chance to chat about this as a group. So if you're watching and this bores you out, I completely understand. We'll see you manana. How about the catering at big night? We haven't really got a chance to catch up on all this. Okay, Foxy and I didn't, Foxy didn't sleep. I passed out for a few hours.

We alongside Bill and Gumpy on Thursday had to battle against file uploading exporting and basically doing it four or five times because certain file type either didn't work with our computer or the sending computer or we got to change something whenever something's at 70% exported so that Thursday was a tedious day Foxy is that a good way to describe Thursday? Yeah, spot on. I always thought I had a really powerful computer.

Actually Zito ordered for me and it's always been so fast. But first time ever in our company's history that we had a three and a half hour video to render out. So that thing crashed three or four times. Thank you. Thank you. Thank Bill. Thank you guys for hanging out with me literally the entire day trying to get that thing up. We actually ended up leaving the office late at night and just letting it export and letting it upload and that was risky

That was certainly risky, but it all worked out. I appreciate you guys Yeah, there was a lot of there was a lot of decisions made that maybe you weren't based in reality That show went along brother geez Louise that show one one. Did you expect it to be that long AJ? I'll tell you I did not okay.. Did you expect it to be that long AJ? I'll tell you, I did not. Okay, I did not expect it to go that long. I wasn't exactly sure how long it was gonna be, but it felt like I wasn't asking for it to stop. I was like, who else is coming out?

I was surprised with everybody else. I'm like, he may have some other people coming out. I don't know. It was great. It was crazy. Going back to the catering, started to catch off deep, but I had to, I mean, I think I ate there four times within like five hours.

The food, I don't know how to describe it. If you just saw me in there, and there's a coffee, making these crazy coffees and everything, yeah, I just. Ice sculpture. Top to bottom, I think it was amazing. Everything about it. Top not, 10 out of 10.

And we've been here, you talk about it, and you know, obviously one thing for you to dream it up and then actually for it to come to life and I know a bunch of people I talked to kind of behind the scenes like there's no way Anybody else could have fucking done this so fucking hats off for actually putting that shit together And we talked about how long it was like it didn't really feel like any low points You know in the show so even would have been that long so many moments that kind of like when the fucking moneymaker came out and that many moments that kind of like, when the fucking money maker came out

and that shit was like captivating. And my brothers were there and they were hitting me and texting me after like, bro, this is the most amazing live shit I've ever been to in my life. When's the next one? That was the first question I had for pretty much everybody.

But yeah, obviously things change and it's just like a game. Everything doesn't go perfectly, but that was fucking an incredible experience. And a game, you know, everything doesn't go perfectly but that was fucking an incredible experience And then obviously, you know flight was fly-fitting winning at the end The great way to end it there I don't want to tell their story they're expecting Their first child in July, you know, so congrats to them He goes I get a chance to meet him afterwards and there's the clip on the hulu vert go birds He's just like getting shocked and then I say Philadelphia Eagles fans

Everybody starts booing omega yo birds in everybody's face, but get a chance to chat with him afterwards It was like just so cool, and I thank you for saying that D But that's room and from your family and friends that watched it There was quite an audible that was made in the middle of it that nobody would Hopefully no There's quite a quite audible that took place so as her rookie was backing out I was pretty pumped up about it I'm like take your time a rookie I Didn't have any years in obviously I couldn't get to him, but every time there was time, Hiroki, we gotta figure some shit out. Slow down. He does. So as...

He didn't have any ears in, obviously. I couldn't get to him. But every time there was a... Every time there was a little bit of a delay out here, a crowd go, GAAA! Or whatever, I'm like, okay, that buys us an extra at least 15 seconds. But massive shout out to everybody. The catering though, I felt very... I felt very compelled to make the catering very good.

Because I think the catering is a place where people hang out. I think the catering can set the tone on if somebody is thankful to be there. If you get some shitty food, you're just going to be like, this sucks. That's just how everybody feels. And everybody is going to have to eat. So I wanted to get good food in the catering. And shout out to the WWE folks, piecing together the contracts with the local companies too.

There's local restaurants that were represented in there. There's some down south pizza in there, some meat in there, some seafood out there. There was a lot. There was a lot in there. And that guy right there on the camera, Stu, shout out to him wearing that camera for like 10 hours Shout out to whiz and snoop obviously showing up in bonnets in the back, but it was like It was a long night and then we had a delay and obviously I think

There was a lot of upbeats as well throughout. I mean sit throwing a ball for a million bucks is absolutely Awesome. We had to delay the doors early boys. You guys saw that take place. You saw that We had to delay the doors early, boys. You guys saw that take place. You saw that. Didn't you see that, Con Man? Did you expect that whenever you were watching rehearsals unfold? I think just because of the PPG from the night before, it was such an ass-peeding, I believe everybody who was kind of watching that Penguins game, Blackhawks, was kind of just enjoying

it after the fact. So the entire transition from the ice to then that entire stage, which was incredible is massive. The fact that they do that we were talking about before. Big! I didn't think it was gonna be that big. It's huge. Like the fact that WWE people can put together, you know, have been doing that twice a week, sometimes three times a week, over and over again for I don't know how 30 plus years it is insane but once you like walked in and because we got there around noon and saw like the spectacle of what they were building I think that was always a possibility but then once

we were kind of going through everything because you also had to make a lot of like organizational changes just to like the things that were popping up because a lot of people probably don't know like you also produce the entire thing of when everything's coming up and when people are doing what and you know exactly to a tee what everyone was doing which was wicked cool to see you working and doing that entire thing but it felt around like six o'clock that okay there's a chance that this might get pushed back a little because we didn't get done with like our entire run

through until like six like me and Ty had to go back to the hotel to get ready because we were we still weren't you know showered here at least I still wasn't showered in the entire thing I had to cut out the pants the ass was chaps in my pants so now that wasn't so tailoring yeah Taylor until like six you have to return that rental today till like six six thirty so it was just one of those things where, where it didn't really matter, though. It felt like, like these people are going to be, you know, having fun. Of course, in the moment, if you're lined up out there, I'm sure that did suck. And, you know, we apologize, but we also like knew on the other side of that

weight, like what you're going to experience is going to be well worth it. It's a beautiful day too. Yeah, it was. It wasn't raining or anything, you know what I mean? But also like, you know, people had to wait a half an hour, but I'm sure most people thought that the show was only going to be two hours or, you know, so it's like, yeah, you had to wait a little bit, but then they got the extra bang for their buck on the back end, you know, where it's like, oh, okay, like I'll wait a half an hour if I'm going to get an additional hour on top of what I thought I was paying

for. So it was, it was sweet. I listened, I listened to Mikey and big Bob. Uh, they did big morning after their podcasts and I listened to a little bit of them talking about it. And at one point they were like, okay, sumo's coming out here because Pat saw sumo wrestling one time in Japan And I think if you watch the big night out Hulu version That is currently available now. I Think and my wife said this Like that shows so ridiculous. That's such a ridiculous collection of shit and it didn't really because of what a minute

I'm just kind of like how do we get to the next part do we got to stretch a little bit because we have something going on with the big moneymakers ladder potentially the ladders potentially not connecting need that because you got to be able to get up there need to stretch a little bit need to feel a little bit and that's like why the WWE people are so great like there's got him Fathom and Marty obviously in the truck that are doing their thing just constant communication with me about how it all kind of goes there. But if you were to watch it, it's like very obvious that I have maybe the most ADD of

all time. Do you think? The most? Is it the biggest? The mostest? ADHD of all time? Foxy put together a clip where I'm like, ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba. And the fact that everybody was able to kind of understand what the hell I was trying to other clip where I'm like ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba my face as he and each year just battling. It was so ridiculous, but I enjoyed all of it. I can't thank everybody enough. You included AJ on a hot mic.

Yeah, well, it was, that was fun as well. The show was shifting and changing. So I may have spoken to a hot mic a few times before that even not really sure if you could hear me or not. Yeah, it was, Oh really? You have to watch back. See what's on. I don't know how it's going to go, but it was, it was Parker. I mean, Parker McCollum comes walking plays right next to us like yeah That dude's amazing to seeing him earlier in the day seeing him go through what was going on hitting like he even said like he said

He's like we're like he's like agent. We're witnessing greatness like this. There's nobody in the world can do this But Pat was like, yeah, I know From when you talked about it to to it all like executing everything. Yeah, it was just the sumo thing I got text my wife during the sumo thing She said the kids are loving the sumo bit everything about they love Shane's comment They loved everything about the sumo situation. So that was a huge thing for us Shane Shane Elite yeah, I think that's the only way to describe that there's a reason he's best of all folks

How about it when he gets up on top of the thing on top of the mic money maker really? I felt like he got real comfortable in there And if you I think in the arena because some of the audio not as easy to hear I think if you watch it back the thing Shane is saying during the matches Yeah, awesome. So you can't really hear it in the arena But whenever you watch it back just like Ty and Connor like the things they were saying you can't really it's I think cuz the echo Maybe it with all the energy that was going on and maybe somebody next to you is yelling You couldn't really hear the exact words that were being said. It's like

You guys were the right commentary team you guys and Michael Cole were the right people to be honest appreciate it yeah at one point i was going to say something i heard him like i was mid or i was about to say something and so like while he was finishing his moment like i went to talk and i popped so hard i could barely speak into the mic from what he was saying then even the end where he's like fucking Yeah, it was a wild night, thank you everybody for making that possible and also a park of a call Still maybe the craziest thing of all is you wearing your cowboy boots with no socks for a five hour show. Like you have 55 blisters that had to be, I cannot imagine that. Left foot's in a bad spot,

the right foot is okay for some reason. So Connor talked about six o'clock, his rehearsal wrapping up, having to get back into a shower and everything like that. I needed a shower as well. I'd been there all day and the rehearsals ran all the way up until You know basically the door opened so then I had to go

Backstage chit chat with everybody about what we just rehearsal maybe an hour ago Maybe two hours ago to make sure everybody's on the same page Obviously, there's some sage and some vitamins bouncing around, you know, so there's a hey, how you doing? How you doing? Hey, don't one thing leads to another need to shake this hand need to shake this anything this person Thank you for doing this catering you guys are crushed it. Okay boom-bam bam, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba. 22 minutes until showtime, okay? So now I got to sprint to bus. I'm like, all right, I'm going to shower. Can't shower though, because on bus I am told about a potential situation that could be

brewing, okay? Nothing bad, but just something that could pop off. Okay, cool, no big deal, let let's do that we'll move forward. Now we got 17 minutes till the delayed start time. So I go with no shower. I turn on my shower, dunk my head basically, towel it, get dressed and then I go to find socks. I don't have any socks in the place that's normally in. We got 8 minutes so I just shoved the cowboy boots on with no socks because I run out of time, sprint over there, get underneath the ring and then underneath the stage and then come up there and it was 14 seconds in where I was like, man, this is my left foot is going

to be in some real pain here. And it was, it certainly was. I got blisters on the pinky bushes on the big toe You know the whole thing but hey It's Elise. It's Elise. I could go through for all the people that came out and hung out with us. There's one fight I saw that was reported other than that. I feel like it was a pretty solid Evening of happiness. Everybody was kind of enjoying the vibe. You're always gonna get one of those in Pittsburgh That's just standard. It wouldn't be a Pittsburgh show if you didn't yeah, I saw some people respond like of course a Pat McAfee event this douchebag There's a fight or whatever. There's chaos and it's like I'll tell you what I don't think I thought about whether or not there was gonna be a fight

But if I was to be asked I probably would assumed that there would have been at least a hand thrown in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at a three hour event. Instead, hopefully everybody's okay. Hopefully everybody's healthy. And I feel like everybody had a good time. I feel like everybody had a good time. And we're going to try to provide more of that. Once again, want to be an additive, not a negative. AJ, thank you for traveling to Indianapolis. Boys, thank you for everything. I will see you tomorrow back in the Thunderdome., it's WrestleMania week. Hell, yeah Let's go Friday Friday. We have a massive couple guests

Massive from WWE world Big Bob back Big Bob back when? How big this is just like when people are pushing Aaron for the big night out, right? Oh, you got big surprises on his Aaron Rodgers saying he's done Steelers. He better be saying it's like now we got other shit, though I hope you're over you're okay with them I hope you're okay with and Aaron did not sign with the Steelers the big night out falsely reported by a few people Never mind Parker McCccall will be in pittsburgh may thirty first with george straight uh... can't wait for people to

watch him at acrosure thank you to him doing that uh... cushion orange juice to cushion oj to coming out april eighteenth with ways to leave for obviously getting gone of stooped on in earnest is now. We had the world premiere on Wednesday night. And Oze the Mentalist guessing my PIN code made me change my PIN code for first time, long time, made me a better person.

What a night, what a time, what a life. We appreciate you all for allowing us to do this for a living. Be a friend, tell a friend something nice that might change their life. We're in this thing together. Team on me. Team on three this is

pretty cool PPG too yeah yeah it was yeah oh yeah great sweet hey yeah seems like they all know I wonder if people do it at home whenever we do this on a daily basis it's interesting I think they do all right team on me team on three I appreciate you all love you all one two three good bye