The Pat McAfee Show - PMS 2.0 910 - Ian Rapoport From The League Meetings, Von Miller, Pacman Jones And Jack Carr LIVE In The ThunderDome, & AJ Hawk

Episode Date: May 23, 2023

On today’s show, Pat, Pacman Jones, AJ Hawk, and the boys chat about the NFL (more specifically Roger Goodell) lobbying to officially change the kickoff rules, which passed today, the Lakers getting swept by the Nuggets and if this is the end of LeBron’s career after he started contemplating retirement, and everything else happening in the sports world. Joining the progrum from the league meetings to chat about the rule changes, the Commanders sale, and all the pertinent things happening at the meetings is NFL Network Insider and friend of the show, Ian Rapoport (17:13-51:54). Next, future Hall of Famer, 2x Super Bowl Champion, Super Bowl MVP, multiple time Pro Bowler and All-Pro, Buffalo Bills edge rusher, Von Miller joins the show to chat about his rehab process, his fight for getting all grass fields in the NFL, recruiting DHop to the Bills and if he thinks that’s likely, and much more (1:28:36-1:50:32). Later, former Navy Seal Sniper and New York Times best selling author and creator of “The Terminal List,” Jack Carr joins the show LIVE In The ThunderDome to chat about his new book, his time in the military, his writing process, the new series and projects he has in the pipeline, and so much more (1:54:26-2:41:55). Make sure you subscribe to youtube.com/thepatmcafeeshow to watch the show. We appreciate the hell out of all of you. See you tomorrow, cheers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello, beautiful people. Welcome to our humble abode, the Thunderdom. On this, whoa, this show is packed. Tuesday, May 23rd, 2023, this sports program starts right now. Sports are a big-time topic around the world right now. The NBA had a massive happening last evening as LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers were swept out of the Western Conference Finals by a big, tall Serbian and a team from Denver that has been remarkable to watch this entire playoff run. No way the NBA lets LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers get swept by a small-time, no-superstar basketball team like the Denver Nuggets. That was the conspiracy theory in all of us.

There's no way that LeBron James is going to lose back-to-back games in the crypt to get swept in the Western Conference Finals. When he's won the Conference Finals like the last nine times he's actually been there, he has lived in primetime in the playoffs, in the finals, and has always been successful. To get swept out the door? No way! What a chance!

They got fucking swept. Yes, they did. Big time. The triple-double machine that is the Joker in this Denver Nuggets team is a story that I wish we would have been able to cover closer. Now, I will say next year I feel like we are going to be able to cover some other leagues a little bit closer. We have somebody from ESPN here.

This is our first interaction with learning what the back end of ESPN is going to look like, what we will be able to access and utilize and weaponize that ESPN has. Oh, just like a $15 million a year back-end thing that we're going to be able to access. We're going to be able to cover everything in a beautiful fashion, in a much more epic fashion. And these Joker highlights that I assume have been happening all season that we have not seen

because it's not our duty to cover that are going to be seen. Because we can find them like that, rip them like that, and put them up on that board within seven seconds, I do believe. It is an amazing thing, and we cannot wait to get started over there, even though everybody

on Earth is calling us a sellout. Our life is about to get much easier, more efficient, quicker, and better, I do believe, and the show is going to do all those same things, which is exciting. But I don't know how I didn't know about this Nuggets team. Just as casual sports stooge, now there might be

a nine-day wait before the next game. Unless the Heat are able to continue doing what the Heat have been able to do, which is just beat the shit out of the Boston Celtics. And if they end up sweeping the Celtics, there would be a nine-day wait before the NBA Finals. Now, that's a terrible business decision by the NBA. That's bad for a nine-day wait before the NBA Finals. That's a long time. That's a terrible business

decision by the NBA. That's bad for fans. We'll forget that the playoffs are even happening. So maybe they'll be able to move it, but I don't think so. This is a fascinating development in the NBA that we could have never guessed happening, especially with all the conspiracy theories that you could potentially throw at the board because LeBron James and the

Lakers. So not just the Lakers. Right. Massive franchise. Massive. So not just the Lakers. Right. Which massive franchise. Massive. Just have to go about them. Powerful. Oh, yeah. In Los Angeles.

Powerful. LeBron James. Yeah. Very powerful. Powerful. Powerful. Powerful. So forever, we have to just be like the NBA. Straight as air.

It's not rigged. We need to stop even dabbling into those conversations about them wanting things and how everything could be a foul, and they can kind of control who's going to the foul line, what players can be in games, what they can't be in games. That's just natural pessimists looking at things. That happening last night, I think, good for the overall judgment of the NBA, although the NBA and the execs probably not expecting this to be the final.

The final between the Heat, inevitably, and the Denver Nug not expecting this to be the final. The final between the Heat, inevitably, and the Denver Nuggets are going to be worth a watch. And in the NHL, we got magic popping off. We got magic popping off. And in the NFL, there's owners meetings happening where they're voting through terrible rules. And we will talk about all that with Ian Rappaport in about 14 minutes. Remember, Rapp, hey.

Yeah, count them while they're here. Full-time job for the league, at the network, you know, friend of the program, not a sellout. No, what side he's going to be on. Not a sellout at all. Nope. This might be the last time he's ever on our show. It could be.

Who knows? Cherish it. We'll see. Because other people would control that. Yes, they would. Yeah, definitely. For sure. What is the deal?

I am so sick of the lack of respect. Nonetheless, Ian Rappaport will be on in 14 minutes. He's at the owners' meetings. Allegedly, Roger Goodell was going around lobbying for this rule to pass about the kickoff, fair catch, 25-yard line, whole Bush League bullshit that they're trying to get into. Commissioner Roger Goodell is lobbying owners to pass the kickoff touchback rule after not having enough votes yesterday.

So, didn't have enough votes yesterday. We're going to delay another vote because we want another round at it, Roger Goodell is lobbying owners to pass the kickoff touchback rule after not having enough votes yesterday. So, didn't have enough votes yesterday. We're going to delay another vote because we want another round at it, Roger Goodell says. Hey, Rog, come on. You're my commissioner. You're our commissioner. This is a bullshit commissioner move. The kickoff rule that I don't want to say it. Put that thing back up.

What's that first one there? Pitch. Here's his pitch on why these rules, why this bullshit rule needs to pass. And this rule will not be present in every game. Okay? Kickers can reach the end zone. There's, like, returners aren't going to take a fair catch. If they can get a short kick at, like, the 10, because normally that's going to be a bad ball,

they're going to try to get it. But at some game where it's going to be windy and cold and games are going to matter, this is going to happen and everybody watching is going to go, that's the most bullshit looking thing I've ever seen in a professional football game. But the pitch, protect yourself versus litigation.

We knew that was the reason why. It's all just covering your ass for future problems. I would like to see these stats that they keep saying are so prevalent and endearing to saving lives and brains that the kickoff and the punt are the only two that it happens. Now, allegedly, there's more stats that say, what's the turf in those particular players that's taking place? But them just continuing to throw these things without us ever actually seeing the whole thing and maybe us doing our own stats, it's like, it feels like, and I don't want to say that,

it feels like they're just kind of, hey, look, look, look, look, look. This part of the game, it matters, but it doesn't really change too much. Ball at the 25, who cares? Ball at the 20, who cares? We're good there. But look, saving the day, at the 25. Who cares? Ball at the 20. Who cares? We're good there. But look, saving the day.

Heroes, heroes, heroes, heroes. It's like, yo, don't have to keep doing that. We get it, okay? And I understand there's potential lawsuits going ahead, but we can't just make the game so fucking fake and bullshit that it kind of disrespects the league as a whole. It's always like a protect the shield thing. When this first thing happens, people are going to think

it's minor league football. They're going to think they're watching the USFL. They're going to think there's a chance that they're maybe watching like junior football. It is a trash rule, but I understand it's just like, let's protect our future potential lawsuits, and we can't just be making

decisions like that. That cannot be how a league that is the biggest in the world, the best in the world operates. That cannot, you have to at some point just make decisions for the good of the game and for the good of your league and just understand that there's potential repercussions that are going to come, but at least have a little fucking integrity for the professionalism and for the lives. There's a lot of special teamers that make a lot of living off of this entire thing. In the game, there's a lot of special teamers that make a lot of living off of this entire thing in the game. There's a lot of strategy that's used in kicking off and kickoff returns. You're taking away like special teams, coaches, um, like incentives on to be good.

You're taking teams, special teams, weapons out of the, to be good. Like, I just don't understand how this is a thing. And then for them to report the the reason is future litigation it's like that can't be how we're making decisions right now that cannot be why and how we're doing it so i is the man and i don't do this a lot but i love the kickoff that's right me too i think i have the highest touchback percentage in the history of the nfl over a year i think i have tied the most onside kicks successfully recovered in one season. I think what teams are doing against our kickoff team became the rule currently

with how many people need to be up because they were scared we're going to do a surprise onside. I have had a pretty large impact on the kickoff play. Very selfish. Very arrogant for me to say that. Stats are stats. It's the real deal. It's a real fucking play though

and there's real strategy and there's real things to be gained from that and there's real i just i hate that they're diluting it down to this to make it look so mickey moss no offense sorry no offense uh pac-man jones is here obviously all pro returner icon of a man kickoff returns our strategy now some people see them as a free throw. Like, hey, this is going to be a touchback, and now we move on. Well, then view it as that. It's a part of the game.

But there is time where you're trying to pin somebody deep, where you need field position late in the game, where you need to pin them. And all of a sudden, out of nowhere, the return team can flip the game on its head as well and get out there. It's like you're just taking away another chess move, and I don't understand why you'd want

to dumb the game down. Pac-Man Jones, your thoughts. I'm sorry I rambled. I think this is one of the dumbest moves ever. Of course they're doing it for the lawsuit, but this fucks up for everything. Now you only need a punter and a field goal kicker. You know, that's taking away jobs. And for me, I would just say fuck it, because

when I'm back there, I'm not looking to get 25. No, I heard you were going to fair catch a kickoff. No, I'm going to try to run it back regardless. So this don't really bother me, but it does take away from the game because now the coach is like, just keep the ball in there if we can't get to the 25-yard line. So I think it's real bullshit. But I'm taking it out every time.

Well, yeah, you wouldn't fair catch a punt either. That's why you were kind of a scumbag out there. Yeah, a little bit. Because you're attacking other people's jobs as well. You know, people hanging them up. Sure, kick it to me. Good cover. Where was this?

I was supposed to punt it out of bounds. Where? I was supposed to punt it out of bounds? Punt it out of bounds. Okay. Sounds so easy. Yeah. That's what AJ says, too.

Yeah, just do it. Punt it out of bounds, dude. I want to cover a kick. It's simple. It's all right. Just jog down there. The guy will fair catch AJ says, too. Yeah, just do it. A few little bonds, dude. I want to cover a kick. Simple. It's all right. Just jog down there. The guy will fair catch. Or hang it up like you always do.

Yeah, that's what I'm trying to do. I mean, this one. Boom. Yeah, I mean, that's a. Yeah, we got six guys. I mean, that is. That's what we're doing. Got them seven-two hang time.

Yeah, yeah. Come on, come on, come on. All right, all right. Get this off. I don't know who made that. They'll probably sue us, even though it's me and it's other people's highlights. But I just don't like dumbing down the game just for the sake of future lawsuits yeah but i appreciate that somebody has to have that thought in the room

i get it we'll talk to you in rapport in about eight minutes the toxic tables here at boston connor and at ty schmidt seems like you wanted to say something here about this well i just think like the cause for concern with this too is like they say if it doesn't if it doesn't work and like the coaches were right then after one year they'll they'll reinstitute it and it'll go back to normal next year. But when you already get the ball rolling with this type of thing, what if... Because we don't know how many actual concussions come from kickoffs. They're saying it's a lot, but when you watch the games, it doesn't feel... I don't remember.

Neither do I. It feels like guys are blowing knees out and stuff like that, which might be more towards. Yeah, super grass and the turf and stuff like that. But if they look at all the numbers after the season and nothing really changed because there probably weren't that many to begin with, then what's to say next year instead of putting it back to normal, they'll be like, okay, actually, this wasn't any safer, so now we just got to eliminate the kickoff as a whole. So you know what they're thinking?

They're thinking that we can get ahead of a narrative that we already foresee coming in a lawsuit 15 years from now. Because college football is already doing this, us choosing not to do it, a lawyer can say, the NFL had examples from college and chose

not to do that in a lawsuit in the future, and I guess you got to do that? We can't be living in our fears. We't be living in our fears. We cannot be living in our fears. One half of the hammer, done. Cowboys, Tony Diggs, Mike Tomlin says that. That lawyer should be disbarred, okay, first and foremost. And if you're a football player,

and if you sue for getting a concussion, then fuck you, okay? All right. So, Tony. That's part of the game. We all know it, okay? That happens. You know what? And I hate to, we have to find a new commissioner now.

Whoa. No, he's not my commissioner anymore. I don't like that he was lobbying this though. Like, I don't like that he was the one. Didn't have the votes yesterday. All right, so what do you do? Go around here. You know, we really need to push the vote back.

All you people that are in charge of the competition committee, I mean, I'm just the commissioner. I kind of oversee everything, including NFL Network and NFL Plus and the league and the refs, everything. But you guys, Competition Committee, you kind of make the game. You voted no yesterday?

Give me a night. I got something for you tomorrow. It's like, come on, bro. If they would have voted yes, cool. But players, coaches, Competition Committee, every human is like, nah, we don't want this. And then he steps back in the batter's box. I guess you've got to be impressed with how convincing he is,

which once again leads us to the case that if he wanted to, he could be the president of the United States whenever. For sure. Whenever he got summoned. Yeah, by Congress. To the House Oversight Committee. Yep. We're all excited to see Roger Goodell go in there and dance with the politicians. Because if he wasn't

making $45 million a year, I assume he would be in some political role somewhere with how great of a speaker he is and how he can handle things. So we were excited to watch him battle with the House Oversight Committee. Now, one of them called him Goodell. Didn't even know the guy's name. Mr. Goodell. He obviously wanted to say, are you asking me that question when he asked about taxpayer money? And he had a good performance, which Roger Goodell always does in front of a microphone. And now we know that he can sway people who think something's bullshit

into believing that it's not anymore. And maybe it's just for litigation purposes. But this is the first time in a while where I've gone, come on, Goodell. Come on, Commissioner. Even when he took away that we couldn't be in the back end, where we couldn't make the wall no more. I was cool with that.

The wedge. Yeah, that makes sense. Yeah, we couldn't make the wedge. That makes sense because people was coming down and the wedge. People were actually, their careers were wedge busters was their name. And people hear that. And if you meet a wedge buster, especially an NFL Wedgebuster, you need to know this. This is an Ohio fuck.

That's exactly whose head is probably going to be gigantic. And they are going to have some general traits about them. They're going to be running real fast. And they are not going to care at all. And that was their job to go head first missile into three people and then others will kind of scoop off the side. So we're going to knock down the wall,

the wedge, with your... So you're cool with doing this 20 miles an hour? Head first, whole body. You're going to try to get shoulder pad of one of them and then head of the other. So you eat two and then we'll come off the side of them. Perfect.

Okay, yeah, I like that job. You're getting on the field, right? Yeah, you can have a 10-year career doing this. You can have a 10-year career doing this because there's not a lot of yous out there. We need you fast, and you need to be very courageous. And they're like, deal, I got it. So them getting rid of that whole part of the game,

I think we were all very understanding because we had friends that did that thing. And it was like, bro, I don't know. I just saw this movie, Concussion. I don't know if you should be just... And then the wedge. AQ was the wedge. Yeah. Same size. He's what?

310 pounds? Yeah. And he's in the middle of the wedge, and you got guys flying down. It's like, alright, we're going head-to-head with this guy. And he loved it. King of wedge. He absolutely loved it. So, he refused to watch the movie Concussion because he told me that Will Smith did not tell the truth,

which is what Will was saying the whole time. So, whenever they got rid of the wedge, I agree. We were all like, that seemed to be a little archaic. But to add this in there, it's like, come on, did we not go far enough already? Because the college has this in there. They still have wedges, I think.

They're still able to have five people back. They're still able to have a run-up. So, like, the NFL has changed the kickoff more than college football has. So if they're worried about future litigation and them saying, well, college did this, it's like, well, you were already proactive before then. So I just don't understand why you would want to hammer this home, like why this is something. And once again, we'll only see it probably a couple times through the season.

Hopefully. But every time we see it, it'll just be like, that's not NFL. The whole thing kind of stinks. Sounds like there was a vote yesterday, and Roger went to the other and said, hey, if one of you guys gets in trouble this year, maybe I won't punish them if you vote for this rule. That's not our commissioner. Well, he definitely moved you vote for this rule. That's not our commissioner. Well, he definitely moved it to today, though.

That's not our commissioner. No doubt about it. That's not quite the accusation. Yeah, you and he, you just said you're out on a commission. You said he'd be a great politician, and guess what? That's what they do. Yeah, trade him votes right there. An eye for an eye.

A favor for a favor. Yeah, but he's actually got to answer to his constituents. But like you said, he's not true. You know what I mean? He never actually. He actually has to answer to them. Maybe he like you said, he never actually. You know what I mean? He never actually. He actually has to answer to them. Maybe he offered up some of those M&Ms that he loved so much. And on his leather couch.

You think he rolled in his leather recliner with those peanut M&Ms and he had somebody push him around? I need to get to that team. Roll me to their room. Rolls me down there. Eats his peanut M&Ms. He goes, future litigation, boys. You don't want that.

It's tough. Have an M&M. It'd be tough not to buy it, I guess. I don't like the Roger Goodell's involved in this. I don't like it. Yeah, it's terrible. Joining us now, ladies and gentlemen, boots on the ground at Roger Goodell's Lobby Fest

out there at Owner's Meeting. The senior insider for Roger Goodell's NFL Network. The senior insider for Roger Goodell's NFL website. The senior insider for Roger Goodell's NFL Network, the senior insider for Roger Goodell's NFL website, the senior insider for Roger Goodell's NFL streaming service, NFL Plus, host of the weekly wrap-up of the Rap Sheet and Friends. That's being a friend.

He'd be in Rap Sheet. Maybe last time ever. Remember, Ian Rap for it. Mike B, hey. Please say it. Never know. Never know, Rap. This is what people are telling me on the internet. Sell out. That's why you don't need to read the comments section, my friend. You never know. You never know. You never know, Rat. This is what people are telling me on the internet. Sell out. Sell out. That's why you don't need to read the comments section, my friend.

Sell out. I need to stay away from that. Well, Roger Goodell, and I don't think I, I feel like I have a solid amount of respect for Roger Goodell because I've seen him work, and I understand that his position, he's going to piss people off. Like, you are signing up. At some point, you're going to make people mad.

People who are fanatical about something are going to get very mad at you if you're the person who has to enact a punishment against the thing that they're fanatical about. So it's a tough job. Every commissioner is going to be hated by people. I understand that. I watched him work a couple rooms. I was very impressed with his brain in everything the way he operated and

obviously he has grown the nfl in a fashion where it is up into the right where everything else is not like that so i got respect for roger goodell what is this bullshit why is he lobbying for this mickey moss. Sorry. Whoops again. Sorry about that. There's an ESPN person in the building. Good guy. Great guy.

Great guy. We appreciate a guy. A lot. Appreciate a guy. A lot. But why is he lobbying for this to pass? And why is it coming out

that the pitch was future litigation? Like, are we just making every decision because of future potential lawsuits? That doesn't sound like the NFL that I love. Ian, what is why are we doing this?

You know, as far as future litigation, I had not heard that as being a justification for this rule. I did just attend a press conference from Jeff Miller, who basically is in charge of NFL health and from Rich McKay, the head of the competition committee. He's in charge of NFL health and safety. I'm from Rich McKay, the head of the competition committee. So a couple of things. I would say you are correct in saying that Roger Goodell was pushing this. I mean, I just talked to a source literally two minutes ago who said, you know, Roger would not let this go. Like this was something where, you know, I know there was a conference call, which you probably know, but I know there was a conference call among NFL special teamers and special teams coaches.

They all opposed this. Everyone I've spoken to in the special teams community. Yeah, everybody likes football. Yeah. I'm over there looking at Tommy, and he's like, yeah, I hate this. Yeah, that'll do not, is what he said. Everybody. I hate this.

Yeah, that'll do. Not is what he said. Everybody. So the reasons for this was kickers have gotten very good. Punchers, of course, have always been good. But kickers have gotten very good. So what they've been doing is basically creating a situation where opponents have to make returns. So you have returns spike dramatically over the last couple of years. And concussions have also gone up in the last couple of years.

Have we seen that? That just gets said. So I assume it's real, but there has to be some angle. What's the angle of the stat? What's the angle? Because that just gets thrown out there all the time, and it feels like it's like, ah, it's over here. It's over here.

Can you still see me? You can see me, right? Yeah, you look good. Hold on. Yeah, I know. So kickoff play has the highest rate of concussion year after year. That's what Richmond K said. And the actual data, I don't have it here, but I believe 15,

nobody has the actual data. I believe 15% is how much concussions have gone up on kickoffs, uh, the last couple of years. So basically what they say is they do not want to get rid of kickoffs. They want it to be part of it. They just feel like they have to make it safer. And so this is a one year rule.

Yeah. And then they will see at the end of this year. Okay. So I appreciate you telling me all that information. So you and I both know stats are on everybody's team somehow. Stats are on everybody's team, every debate, every angle. Stats are on there. Is that like the most amount of concussions per play

that involves players running more than 40 yards or 45 yards? You never know. You know what I mean? Because you don't see a lot of concussions, I guess, on deep balls. You don't see a lot of concussions on anything else. And I'm not saying that's what it is, but I'm just saying in the stats world that we're in right now, there's an angle seemingly for every single stat

that could be countered by another stat somehow. And they have always just said, well, the kick game is where all it's at. And I watch. I feel like I try to watch every game and it's like, I don't think I see it as... That often? Yeah. I don't think it's that big of a thing, but I might be, I guess, wrong. They have said, the Compensations Committee and Jeff Miller who again runs Edible Health and Safety, that concussions, that

most concussions come on uh specifically kickoff plays now there are ways around this one thing they said is they're going to look at the way the xfl does it oh come on bro who are these people they hate football these people that are doing this this mr miller fella does he even care about football does he know football so you wait hold on so you do not like the way because because we just talked about this for like five minutes. You don't like the XFL version where they- No, come on, bro. What are we talking about?

Football. We're playing fucking football. They're like five yards apart. Down the field. Yes. The kicker is punting like a safety. I'm going to kick off like a safety all by myself back there, right? That's what we're doing?

Right. So they are going to study that. what they would like yeah look at it one time and say that can't be no thing right what do you studied it research is over that can't be how could you imagine walking into a stadium in that being the opening salvo what do we even what are we even talking about like i don't like the fair catch thing i think just optically I'm so disgusted by it. Because when it happens in the professional league, like it happens in college, it's like, all right, we got weak legs. Yeah, I was going to say, so when you're watching college football,

have you, because I honestly did not realize this was the college football rule since 2018. Like, has it altered the kickoff viewing experience when you watch it? Well, I don't know because, to be clear, I didn't watch a lot of. It looks good. A lot of them didn't bring it out, though. A lot of them wouldn't bring it out because they think they will get 25 yards and half of the kids in college not kicking the ball in their zone.

And they're fair catching it at like the 7, the 10, the 11, even on low kicks. Yeah. So it's like the coaches are like just fair catching it anywhere pretty much. I think you can even. Yeah, you can take a knee. They can take a knee on like the seven-yard line, I think, and the ball would go to the 25. It's like, what are we doing?

And on another point, bring this up in the room whenever you're in there, please. You're our only person with boots on the ground. Sounds like the head health person has no idea what football is. That's great news. College still has wedges i think and they have a different rule for how many people can align within like 20 yards of where the ball is being kicked so like the nfl has already proactively changed kickoffs more than college has right so them adding the college bullshit it's like it's not going to happen that often

it's only going to happen a couple times through the year i i assume it's not going to happen that often. It's only going to happen a couple times through the year. I assume. It's only going to happen a few times. Well, and then, obviously, play it forward a little bit. There are still some great returners, some incredibly talented players who make, not a lot of them, but make their living as returners.

It's like, roster-wise, how valuable is that? Roster. Returners are done. Returners are done, potentially. Who knows what they're going to do? Kickoff returners are done if you do this rule. Punt returners, you'll still need. But who knows what they're going to do with the punt game.

We'll see what they're going to do because McKay said, the punt's next. But there's also, on the other side of it, and I know you guys in the media study special teams football and know how important it is. Obviously, I'm one of the experts. I mean, first meeting in every single building, first period of practice in every single building.

Lombardi, Belichick, and all these coaches that are pretty good in football were obsessed with it. But everybody else doesn't fully understand it. So the whole – the thought of having talented kickers, though, like kickers being able to hang it and put it down and then having talented cover people, like that's a weapon. Those are like four jobs. That's like five jobs almost for the coverage people, the core people. So now you take out the kickoff return pretty much and you take out the kickoff. It's like this roster construction's gonna be interesting and i don't know how this just eliminates it eliminates

strategy normally if you win this part of the game you can win the game that's what i say we win win field possession and when we win with the special team part of the game we win the game so it's actually the first most important stat to decide who wins a football game the score okay that makes sense so that sure the score is the number one stat points yeah second turnovers okay the third one indicator field positions normally turnovers goes with field position as well that can kind of change things but if you win the field position, it's like the third highest indicator for if you win a game or not. And now they're trying to eliminate it

because Roger Goodell is lobbying alongside Mr. Miller. Let's talk about some other rules. Thursday night football, weeks 13 to 17. Can only do it twice. Have to have 28 days in advance. Feels like that Patriots-Steelers game

is sitting right on the docket to get Flex the fuck out of there. Now, Steelers fans are obviously incredibly large. Patriots fans, incredibly large and very active. But who knows where both those teams are going to be at that stage of the season? Is that what we're looking at? That's what we're thinking about. Saints, Rams, they might be on the way out.

Chargers, Raiders. I know Mark Davis is not happy about this. Chargers Raiders I know Mark Davis is not happy about this no so if all three Chargers fans have tickets to come to the game how are they going to change your whole thing what does this mean and how happy is all how happy is Bezos and the owners and how pissed does it seem all the players are well you know first of all as far as the Amazon part of it like I I get it because Amazon pays a lot. And there were some games last year. I know you guys had Al Michaels on pretty recently.

I think it was last week, right? And there were some times you could tell he was not pleased about kind of where the game was going and how good the game was. I would say this. From what I know of this, I would still be surprised if any game was flexed. I would be surprised if any game was flexed because they don't want to use this. I mean, it's something that – what's that? Don't they have to try it once, though, you think? I don't – I don't know.

And as you talk about the Patriots-Steelers game, it's not going to be like, well, we have a little bit better game, so maybe we'll do that. It's going to be like, okay, we have like, you know, Mason Rudolph starting versus Bailey Zappi. Like, no one will watch this. We have to move. That's, to me, that's under the circumstances that you'd see a flex. It's not like, hey, maybe this game is better than that game.

We'll put this on. Oh, so Sunday Night Football is biggest game of the week, pretty much. They get to project. What, 13 to 17 days out or something like that? Yeah. How many days is it? You know? The week before, I thought.

Yeah, there's a certain amount of days, though. Yeah, it's the Monday before the one before, right? So it's like 13 days. Okay, so then. Yeah. Yeah, I think that's the window before the one before, right? So it's like 13 days. Okay, so then, yeah, I think that's the window. 28 days is the window. That's because of hotels and teams and everybody having to move. And it sounds like it's a lot. And you're saying they don't even want to use it.

Did they just do this to appease Amazon to be like, okay, you got it? And they are reluctant to use it because it would feel like the NFL would want Thursdays to be like, okay, you got it, and they are reluctant to use it because it would feel like the NFL would want Thursdays to be a success. Start the week. Right, wouldn't they? Yeah, but I think the main thing is because... Who's that? Roger Goodell? Tell him what the fuck.

No, just yelling. Okay. Top of his lungs. Not Roger. No, because I think basically it is the kind of thing where like they want it available, but it's only going to be used if they have literally no other choice. You know, like if it gets to a point where like, you know, it's a quarterback injury and the team is nowhere and it's a game that, you know, you just can't have on TV,

then they'll use it. Otherwise, I don't think it's going to be something that's going to be used. And, you know, I don't know if it's to a few thousand. It'll be smart to play right now, too, because players and coaches hate this so bad. Yeah. So, Sam, we're not going to use it. We just, you know, have to be able to. Yeah.

So, now being like, we're not going to use it. We're not going to use it. I mean, basically, the way they explained it yesterday was like there's a high bar for flexing Sunday. There's a higher bar for flexing Monday. And there's an even high bar for flexing Sunday, there's a higher bar for flexing Monday, and there's an even higher bar for flexing Thursday. That was how it was explained yesterday. Interesting. I'm excited to see kind of how it all pans out.

Connor has a question for you. I'll wrap about what's going on over there. Yeah, Rapsheet, there was something going on with DeAndre Hopkins over the last couple days, and before he was definitely getting traded. Then DeAndre Hopkins said you know what, I never said I wanted to leave Arizona. And now again, he's choosing the top five quarterbacks

that he'd like to play with. What's going on? Is he going to be in Arizona and what's the deal here? He was on IM athlete, right? Full sit down. It was interesting. It was a big interview. It was an interesting angle. It was an interesting angle. We all believed his Arizona thing. He only said one quarterback though. He gave his interesting angle. It was an interesting angle. He only said one quarterback, though.

He gave his top five. Yeah, but he gave teams. It didn't seem like he was going to be in Arizona. Is that what Arizona's like? It felt like that was an interesting angle. How did you feel? I have been over it a bunch. It's almost like if you stop the recording at a certain point, I would say one thing, but then he kept going, and I'm, it's almost like if you stop the recording at a certain point, I would say one thing, but then he kept going and I'm like, oh wait, maybe he means this.

So it's like, I want a quarterback who loves football and wants to win. I'm like, oh, then he's like, and this is why I love Kyle Murray. Oh wait. But then it's like, well, Kyle Murray is going to be injured. So Colt McCoy is going to be my quarterback. And I was like, oh, so it's, it's kind of a winding road. I am not ready to make any definitive statements about DeAndre Hopkins. Like, do I think he'll be on Arizona?

Like, that is kind of what I think. But I don't know what's going to happen as we get, you know, through training camp. Like, maybe there's a playoff-ready team that loses a key receiver that says, you know what, We need to go get this guy. And maybe at this point, Arizona says, all right, we're not as far along. We want to be, maybe this will be a rebuilding season. Like we're going to send the money and get a draft pick.

Like to me, I think he could be on the Cardinals, but it still seems open and he seems open to kind of whatever outcome may end up happening. So it's there's going to be a couple different checkpoints right around the start of training camp and right around cut down day and then the trade deadline where we're all going to be talking about DeAndre Hopkins.

Situation's fluid. Situation's fluid. Fluid situation. Never changing. situation ever changing josh allen jalen hurts patrick mahomes lamar jackson justin herbert andy complimented kyler murray in there those are quarterbacks he'd love to play with via i am athlete podcast the whole thing though about kyler not playing next year is interesting how long you won't play for and what that means for the cardinals they got no primetime games as an owner of a football team which this guy's dialed in with yep this guy's dialed in with cardinals ownership let's remember that we've always seen that in a couple different situations in the past somebody in ownership team if not

direct owner is with cuz right here yeah very in rap you don't pay that guaranteed money to a quarterback and then expect to have the lowest over-under total in the nfl and no primetime games yikes injuries are a crazy thing but that Cardinals team is interesting. Rap, that's an interesting situation on how the next few years kind of turn because I know they're looking for shocks, blows, and everything like that, but

will they ever get a chance to do anything? Because it seems like one step forward, two steps, things start going good, then everything kind of is a clusterfuck. Then it could go forward, then it goes back. Then you pay a guy, and then he's out, and also, he's not getting along with the guy you also paid, the head coach in the offense court. It's like, why is it like

that over there? And does that change, you think? Does that change? So, let's look at what happened during the draft. Worst facilities in football. I didn't even think about that. Worst grade in football, didn't they? Paying for opportunities and meals. Why is it like that. They got worst grade in football, didn't they? Paying for opportunities in New York. Why is it like that? You think,

I'm sorry, go ahead. I just want to add that in there. No, no, no. First of all, I think the hope is that all those things are changing. Change is slow. Change happens not when you snap your fingers. Let's take a look at what happened during the draft.

You had them at three. They traded all the way back to 12. Ended up going up a little bit to get Paris Johnson, but they accumulated draft picks. So when you accumulate draft picks, it makes you think that they're a team that is going to be building, right? Rather than when now they feel like a team that's going to be building. They have a situation this year where Kyler Murray is not expected to be ready to start the season, which obviously we've discussed. We'll see when he's ready. Is it week five? Is it week 10?

You know, if they are two and eight, is he coming back to play? Like those, I do not know what the future holds when Kyler Murray is going to play. So this very well could be the kind of season that you use to sort of bottom out, collect draft picks, and start for the future. And so then it's like, all right, well, you have a big chip, right? You have a starting quarterback. Do you want him to be your quarterback going forward? If you do, then he's awesome and let's go. If you don't, then you can accumulate more draft picks. So there's similar to the DeAndre Hopkins situation,

this could go a couple different ways. They could build based off of all of this for the next 10 years if they do it right. Well, good luck. They need to build a new building. They need to build a new building. They're 31st in the NFL, 31st in the NFL in that report card. The only team that was lower was the commanders Speaking of the commanders

Ty Schmitt has a question for you Yesterday Jim Irsay kind of like Intimated that hey you know Slow down with the commanders being sold Talk like that's not a done deal yet I think you told us One of the last times you were on here that they probably Weren't going to do like there wasn't going to be a vote

For the commanders at these league meetings But like is this up in flux now Like I thought it was a done deal They probably weren't going to do – there wasn't going to be a vote for the commanders at these league meetings. But is this up in flux now? I thought it was a done deal. Is it no matter what going to be Josh Harris and his group, and now it's kind of just they have to get through all the hoops for this thing to be finalized? Yeah, I would say it's more just getting – everyone I've talked to expects it to happen.

I do not believe it's a situation where, like, is it going to happen, is it not? It would be unprecedented, unprecedented if this did to happen. I do not believe it's a situation where like, is it going to happen? Is it not? It would be unprecedented, unprecedented if this did not happen. Josh Harris is expected to be the owner of the commanders. The structure of the deal, how many people are involved, how much debt there is, how much cash is being used for it. Those are still some questions that I think the league is working through. And the finance committee can go back, like, let's say they want more cash. They can go back to Josh Harris and Mitchell Rails

and all of them and say, this has too much debt, we would like more cash. Whatever it is. For this deal to not happen now would be almost unthinkable. But it is not there yet. And so I would expect more of like around the time of training camp, somewhere around there to have a special league meeting, assuming this all gets figured out, which I expect it will,

and figure this out. A couple of days before that. Yeah, okay. You know, just a little. Yeah, we got some more questions. When's the season kicking off? September. Yeah, we got a couple more questions.

Yeah, and then whenever it's time. Boom, guess what? The heel that everybody hated out. See ya. Brand new hero in for one of the biggest fan bases in the entire NFL. Jim Irsay has kind of become like a spokesperson for a couple different things coming out of these owners meetings, which I love. We all love.

He gave his top five. Not everybody in Indy loved it. His top five that he gave on quarterbacks. Put John Elway over Peyton Manning on his original top five. But everybody knew that what Jim Ur said was that he – Peyton's not even on it. What are we talking about? No.

Can't even rank. I mean, he's high. I think is what he meant. Peyton Manning, yeah. He just announced, I guess, that Roger Goodell is about to have a contract through 2027. All right. Wow. Is that real?

And did we know that was taking place? And how does that go? Roger Goodell negotiates with the entire ownership, all the owners on how much he should make. Is there a couple people in charge of Roger Goodell's contract? How does the voting process go? And did they know that Roger Goodell was going to make the kickoff a joke while they were negotiating this deal through 2027?

Like, Roger's done a great job, okay? Yeah. to make the kickoff a joke while they were negotiating this deal through 2027 like roger's done a great job okay yeah this kickoff thing i don't know what he was doing it's a big stain i honestly don't know what he was doing there this is not this is not my commissioner roger goodell i have no idea how this became his thing but anyways new deal through 2027 do we know this was coming congrats to him. And who negotiates that? There is a small committee that's basically involved in deciding the compensation. It was something that I think there was maybe a couple of people who thought this might be done in March. It was not.

And then came in here, and I was actually talking to Leonard about this earlier, that one of the big goals coming out of this was finalize this extension. So Jim Irsa, I mean, who better to come out and speak than Jim Irsa? I mean, very famously came out sort of against Dan Snyder, and that started this whole thing in the fall league meeting. So Jim Irsa has earned iconic ownership speaking status. So yeah, so he announces that they're more, you know, basically closing in, I guess was the word he uses.

And like, I don't think it was any, it's not a surprise that Roger, you know, gets the extension. I wonder how many more of these there are going to be, but I know it's not something he's going to want to talk about, but we're going to go talk to him in a couple of minutes and see what he

has to say. You're talking to him in a couple of minutes. Should be around noon, I was told. What time is it? Around noon, my time. I don't know. I'm in Minnesota. 18 minutes. It's lovely here, by the way. Hey, summer's out there. I heard it's beautiful. Very nice.

Absolutely. Now, in the winter, it gets very cold. This is much nicer. Yeah, well, the Super Bowl out there was one of the coldest things I've ever encountered, I think. Oh, yeah. It was like negative 15, negative 20 with the wind chill every day. Walking through the streets. Yeah.

And then we go out and go fishing out on Lake Minnetonka. It was so cold out there. Oh, my God. Did you actually do ice fishing? Yes. No, we're just kidding. I mean, that sounds like something you would joke about, but then again, I could see you also doing that.

I don't know. I don't know what to believe right now. I did. Yeah, Raph. Yeah. I don't believe it. Yeah, we did. No chance.

I did a lot of fishing. A lot of it. Looking for it all over the place. Sure, Ian. We're going to go to Minnesota and not ice fish. Yeah, that makes sense. Herm Edwards is over and not ice fish. Yeah. That makes sense. Herm Edwards is over there going, yeah. Yeah.

That makes sense, Rob. Yeah. That's. Yes, we won ice fishing. We were there for a long time. Long time. I caught one fish. Seven hours.

Guaranteed to catch fish hand over fist. Yep. Where we were posted up in the middle of that. Ty had the runs he was in an outhouse on lake minnetonka that had no ceiling yeah no roof on the porta potty in the middle of the night i mean it was a scene out there big shout out to rob though took us out on that track thank you man we walked on lake minnetonka allegedly there's wolves oh yeah they're gonna hunted us. One fish I pulled out of there. One fish. Nice fish.

At least you had it on video, man. I almost didn't. Almost didn't, actually, because the camera's battery. Pac-Man has a question for you. The list has came out with teams are playing in different countries. Have you heard anything about that, and how soon will that be? So, what came out this i think it was this morning

was basically what teams could be affiliated with different countries and and sort of treat that as their local market right so like you know i'll give you an example like so the steelers sort of can have ireland as one of their local markets meaning they sell advertising and have all sorts of you know events there and stuff because obviously uh mr rooney was the ambassador and you know steelers are very so like it basically is what teams can treat what markets as local markets and it's as the game gets more international and like obviously the interest in international shots of roger goodell trying to make the game worse right now, but he's significant. You know, it kind of allows

them to call different places home. So teams had to sign up for that or the NFL assigned that? I don't think I heard your answer there. I would say you I guess you put in a request and you'd say like, these are the places I would want. And then the NFL ends up assigning it.

But it all, it ends up being stuff that makes sense. So like, you know,, like, these are the places I would want, and then the NFL ends up assigning it. But it all, it ends up being stuff that makes sense. So, like, you know, Steelers and Ireland, that's pretty obvious. Yeah, okay. Now let's go to another one that makes sense. Go ahead. Well, I mean, I would, you know, Steelers and Ireland makes sense because there's an owner who's an ambassador. Let's go to some others now. Let's go to some others.

New England and Germany, that makes sense. Sure. Sebastian Vollmer. Yeah, that makes sense. Dolastian volmer yeah that makes sense dolphins in brazil because i love that teams are doing this i think this is good for business i think it's good for the game and i think it's good for europe as well i got a message from an austrian youth football league that has like kids playing wow hundreds here we go playing and everything like that and they're needing funding or whatever. And I'm like, yo, CFO Phil, you know what I mean? Let's keep growing the game out here. Let's keep doing it. But 21 teams are there.

Colts aren't one of them. I'm like, why? Why do we not want it? Like, why did the 11 teams, 11 out of 32, chose not to do it? Did they choose not to do it, or did the NFL say, nah, it doesn't make sense because you said a lot of these teams make sense. I was trying to piece together why the Colts, because we had Bjorn Werner, number one overall pick. It's like, why would we not have Germany?

That would just be— I think he—doesn't he host a football show in Germany now? Big show. Not just a little show. Yeah. Big show in Germany. They had like a 6,000-seater, I think. Yeah.

Arena. They sold out an arena. Yeah, yeah. Big show. Bjorn's doing it. I'm actually going over there. We got to play ping pong again for his people over there. But he's built a massive following because of how great he is at chatting about football

and how much the Germans love football. And I think it's completely in German. It's a whole thing. And he drafted in the first round for the Colts. Colts aren't in Germany. I don't – so the Colts. Colts aren't in Germany. So the Colts not sign up? How did we miss that, you think?

I do not know the answer to your questions. But for the next time in Germany, it would be a cool play. They seem to be pretty passionate. If Packers didn't sign up for anyone either or didn't request anything, they're not on there. No, they're not. Lions, too. Not on there. Not on there. See, I anything. They're not on there. No, they're not. Lions too. Not on there. I think the Lions should be on there.

MCDC right now would be beloved. What countries aren't on there that could have maybe taken one of these teams on? Germany. We should be in Germany. Absolutely. I don't know why the Colts are not in Germany. First round pick on a German. A guy who's the face of football over there right now. I don't fully

comprehend it, but I do like the fact that the NFL is tapping into the global markets because there's international games. Players and coaches hate it, but as a fan, the environments are fucked. It seemed the Germany one was a really, really positive experience last year. Okay, so maybe.

I'm just speaking from my own experience and every human that I've talked to from the original England setup. And not that it was England's fault. It was just like the schedule was just full-on fuckery, pretty much, in the middle of a season. And it's like, all right, we get it. But the atmosphere was electric.

So I'm happy this is going to continue to grow. I just didn't know why some teams didn't do it and why some teams did. Steelers make sense. Everybody else, I don't fully understand. Maybe the Colts asked Germany and all the Germans got together and said, nine. Is that the owner? He said if they play over here, we're going to have to

pay for their games and he promised two Super Bowls and didn't. Do you have a question? Ian, Tom Brady is now a minority owner for their games, and he promised two Super Bowls and didn't. Do you have a question for Rappi? Yeah, I do. Ian, Tom Brady is now a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders. Is he allowed to call their games? Is he allowed to call Raiders? Is that weird? He is going to.

I believe he's going to be allowed to call their games. I was told it's not going to affect his Fox deal, which, again, is not this year but next year. Hey, that's still real, right? The Fox deal? Yeah. I know people were talking about, like, is it going to affect his Fox deal, which, again, is not this year but next year. Hey, that's still real, right? The Fox deal? Yeah. I know people were talking about, like, is it going to happen? Is it not?

As far as I know, it's still going to happen. He's going to use this year to get really good at it and do it. You know, he's not going to have a move. They say he's not going to have a say in, you know, with what goes on with the Raiders. It's going to be interesting because like i mean obviously we saw it in india like jeff saturday was not an owner and didn't have a say except he kind of did obviously um so like does mark davis end up leaning on brady like he's he's not gonna have a vote or whatever but he's still gonna be close still gonna be there to like give

advice so that's gonna be interesting um but like i would i would expect him to be there to give advice. That's going to be interesting. I would expect him to be able to call their games. It's not like he's going to be really nice to them and not criticize if he's calling the games. It is what it is. I'd be putting my business over. We just built a 35,000 square foot facility.

It's a training harder than anybody on earth. The business is the business. You're pretty honest about the Colts. I have no ownership in the Colts. You're very honest. If I had ownership in a sports team, though, I want to let you know, this would become a propaganda show for said team that I have ownership. You want to talk about sellout.

I mean, if I had ownership in a sports team, I would be this team. The coach is the smartest coach of all time. The players are the biggest dogs in whatever sport that that is in. I mean, you're naturally going to lean that way because you have a personal and a financial interest in it. So I think Tom would be able to handle it. He's a machine. He's a robot.

But you're saying his ownership level is so low. I did not understand the Saturday tie-in. Saturday has no ownership in an NFL team. What I mean. He had pancakes on. Remember? He did. Oh, true. What I mean. He had pancakes on. Remember? He did. Oh, true.

What he was. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Remember that? Oh, yeah. He was awesome. He was great on TV. Kind of pissed that he became the coach.

They sucked. Right. And we lost out on the pancakes. Yeah. He should be back. Should be. We're going back in. There's a chance.

Maybe we, because we're back with the. Can you talk into your left ear and ask if he's back. Yeah. He should be back. Should be. There's a chance maybe we, cause we're back with the, can you talk into your left ear and ask if he's back? Yeah. They've been putting AI inside me too. So this whole week, but anyways, Saturday tie. And I don't think it was anywhere near the same.

No, but what I mean is that like Brady is going to be there available for Mark Davis to use as the sounding board would be done. Similar to how Jeff Saturday was. Got it. So like, even though Brady doesn't have like a vote like hold on i imagine he's still gonna have a say and have mark davis's here that's what

i meant the craft know that mark davis and tom are potentially talking about ownership and did the craft family say hey why don't you actually you know the team that you won with as opposed to the team that you beat to start the entire dynasty why don't we do that or is that never something that popped up i don never something that popped up? I don't believe that popped up, but I do know that they're going to honor Brady back in Foxville this year. So it seems like that relationship is good and headed in a good place, which is nice.

He should go in there with a Raiders cap on. Maybe an eye patch. He does own the Vegas Aces as well. And they're champions. And they're crushing. Hey, the Vegas Aces are nothing to fuck with. Won by 40 the other night. New York team has 6'10", San who?

Yes, I also saw that, yeah. She was standing next to Sabrina Ionescu, who is tall. Sabrina and I, eye to eye at college game day. Sabrina also grabbed a drone that was buzzing our heads at college game day with her bare hand and broke it in half and threw it on the ground and said, I hate this fucking thing. And I said, Sabrina, I fucking love you. You are awesome.

So she's my favorite player, and I've been paying attention. But, yeah, the Aces won a championship. They did, which is why the Liberty went out and got B-Stew and VanderSloot. I saw her at Disney Upfront. She was with Angel. Oh, nice. They walked by. I seen Angel.

I met Angel. But both of them, so much more athletic, taller, faster, quicker than me. Unbelievable. And I was in cowboy boots, so I got an extra five inches. I got an extra Ian Rappaport torso underneath my feet. That's right. All right. I appreciate the hell out of you, pal.

I appreciate you guys. I guess this is it. I'll see you guys whenever. We'll see. You get a chance to talk to Adele here. Will you let him know? Come on, bro. Not everything has to be lost. Don't let Pelletero stand up and clap for that. He's getting his guitar.

I'm going to tell Pelletero now. I'm going to tell him he better ask a real question. Thank you. Hard-hitting question. Are you going to ask? You were a little bit, you know, scared in there, too. I may have to actually be down here to be ready to go on TV right when it ends. Is he going to be live? He's going to be doing a live thing?

I think so, yeah. Okay. On NFL Network? Can Tom put that on his phone so we can stream it? Yeah, that'd be great. That'd be sweet. Actually, I think we could. Well, you could just turn on the network.

You know, we have multiple platforms. Yeah, and Roger Goodell is the boss of all of them. I understand that. So, somebody needs to ask him, what are we doing?

Why do we do this? You're eating at Peanut M&M's. You're on your leather chair. Yep. Everyone loves you. You're super cool. Look how cool he is. I know.

He had machine gun Kelly. He was on the new Heights pod in Kansas city. Yeah. Made a joke about the script writers. Yes, he did. Dapping up players when they get drafted, hugging them.

What's he doing? I don't know. We're in the game. We appreciate you, ladies and gentlemen. Hey, we'll be, we'll be following along with your, uh, your Twitter. Appreciate it. I will, uh, I'll't know. We're ruining the game. We appreciate you, ladies and gentlemen. Hey, we'll be following along with your Twitter.

Appreciate it. I will be tweeting. You look awesome. Ladies and gentlemen, Ian Rufford. Hey, Ian! I don't love that. It's brutal. I don't love that.

It was a good run for Rod. You already said that concussions are up 15% on kickoffs. Since when? Since they took out the wedge? So we should bring the wedge back? They're up 15% on kickoffs since when? Since they took out the wedge? So we should bring the wedge back? They're up 15%? Dude, any of those stats could be so many pre-things. We will never know.

In the third quarter with four minutes left, with plays that are longer than 40 yards worth of running, this thing is this thing. And we've heard that. And I'm not saying that's what it is. I would just like to see what the stats are, how they actually are. Because if somebody with these eyes watches, I try to watch that's what it is. I would just like to see what the stats are, how they actually are. Because if somebody with these eyes watches, I try to watch as many games as possible, literally as many games as possible,

because I don't want to just watch red zone. I like to see the ebbs and the flows of the game. I want to know who's squeaking by. I want to know who has it figured out, who's utilizing clock management in a smart fashion, who's using field position. Like, I want to watch the games. I want to feel the games, you know?

I want to see the teams. I don't feel the games. I want to see the teams. I don't want to just see tight end touchdown, touchdown, touchdown. I want to see the game so we can talk about it accurately. Now, impossible to watch every fucking game. There's a lot of games. YouTube TV, if it doesn't crash, is going to make it a lot easier, I think, because they've got four boxes. You've got a couple TVs. You've got eight

all of a sudden. That's great. That is an incredible setup. With the previous setup, you had to have three and then four maybe and then one and then would it crash? It's like it was very confusing to kind of set it all up. I don't remember unless they're just getting diagnosed on a sideline

after the kickoff happens. Is that what we're thinking? I don't know. I'm trying to figure out how they're coming up with these numbers because 15%, 17 games? That means it's got to be one every game? I don't think. I mean, one per week?

Yeah, because add a game, that's a whole other stat. Yeah. Back when, that's a whole other thing that could get added into the precursor for said stat that gets out there. And I do believe, and I'm not the only one that believes this, but if you have, like, any logic or sound reason in your brain, you'd be like, oh, they're just doing this because it's not as vital publicly to the game.

Right. And we can still cover our ass with this. Yeah. So it's like, hey, we can, we're not really messing up right pat's still throwing 450 yards still doing anything yeah okay but we're not getting a couple right we can easily just kind of do this number here it's hard not to think like that well to your point too um sometimes concussions get diagnosed days later so So you could say, oh, this player was diagnosed on Monday or Tuesday. When did that happen?

Oh, it must have been that kickoff play. Oh, yeah, and it could have been, you know, walking down the street. Maybe you're on a tractor like you're Goldberg, and your head hits into a tree. That's right. You don't know. Did it happen on a kickoff? Maybe. Maybe it happened walking down the street.

What were you doing down the street? I was popping off and somebody punched me in the face. Maybe that's where it happened. It's possible. Nobody ever talks about that. Just put it on a kickoff. I also get it because money and how much the NFL makes, at the end of the day, that is what's most important to these guys.

But it is like when you're talking about player safety and you have all these players bitching about like, hey, we can play two games on Thursdays in a season now and games can get flexed into Thursday. It's just kind of disingenuous to be like, yeah, but guys, we're getting rid of kickoffs for you. Fair catch, though. Okay?

The kickoff's going away. You guys are safe now. Fair catch. That's bullshit. If you have a little bit of a headache, you're worried a little bit, don't have to do anything. Fair catch. Just catch the ball. Catch have a little bit of a headache, you're worried a little bit, don't have to do anything. Fair catch. Just catch the ball.

Catch the ball at 25. You did a better job than you would have done. We actually would like you to do that. If a kicker accidentally keeps it in the field of play, punish his fucking ass. Don't run it back. No. No.

Like pull a muscle. 25 yards, you hit the 50. That's already points. That means 25 yards, you can kick a field goal because there's some field goal kickers out here who can kick it. Tucker's 66. And it seems like they're giving guys more shots deeper. Because they realize that getting – because the new defensive style,

and we'll get to a break here, the new defensive style is the bend but don't break style. Hey, we're going to go high coverage. We're going to go deep. We'll let you get your yards. And then when you get down to the red zone, we're going to lock in. So you're seeing a lot of long field goal attempts because coaches are like, okay, should we punt and pin

or they're going to get here two fucking plays in. So like, why don't we just let our guy at least give a take here? And it's like, well, your field position is going to be bad. It's like, yeah, but we got a guy, we might steal three here. There's a chance. It's like, it's a fascinating transition of actual football happening right now. And the whole fair catch thing just adds into it. I'm surprised they're allowed to try field goals over 60 yards

because what if there's someone in the end zone that catches it and returns it? That could be a concussion. Bro, kick sixes need to be eliminated. Or if you catch it in the end zone, you should get the ball at the 50. If you call a fair catch, catch it in the end zone. For the field goal? Yeah, for the long field goal.

Yeah, so get rid of the kick six. Exactly. You can't run a fair catch. Exactly. Can't run it back, but we'll give you the ball at the 50-yard line if you catch it. Also, nobody's really thinking about the kickers, but 60 back, that's a lot on the hip flexion. Yeah, you should take those out of the game. That should be worth more points.

Or just do 50 plus. Five-pointer. We got a little guy in Cincinnati that can kick a 60. Hey, McPherson's got a big one. Yes, he do. He does. He hits the ball real hard. Prater.

Oh, because Carlson. Yeah. Daniel Carlson. He murders the ball. Yeah. Oh, and they changed the – was it him or Cole that did the kickoff? Kicked off on the back of the tee. Yeah, they changed. They changed the game for it him or Cole that did the kickoff? Kickoff on the back of the tee. Yeah, they changed.

They changed the game for a little bit. Oh, I'm sure that special teams coordinator is super pumped today. That special teams coordinator may or may not have been. I'm not going to say either way. That one might have been a part of the slew of. Oh. I had a slew. I had a full on, like, it was a funny thing because I am the only special teams person that's basically ever gone into media.

I understand that there's been others that have covered kicks, that have gone into covering games and things like that. But in daily conversation of sports, I'm pretty much the only special teams guy that's ever really had things to say or get to say things. So it was funny whenever they kicked. You know, we don't normally do this. We don't have the opportunity to do this. We're going to lay out what's potentially coming and we're not going to tell you how to think. But we need you. But we

would be very grateful if you would potentially say, this is dumb. Carry this fly. Once again, we're not going to tell you how to think. But if that's the reason that you come to. So they started laying it out. It was like a, it felt like it was a Zoom call. I don't know how they are. It was just one phone call, but there was certainly different cities

involved in the call. You're on here? Everybody's in this. I was like, alright, okay, cool. So they were like laying it out. Full pitch. And I would ask questions back. I'm like, so this means now the guys are able to run again on the kickoff? No, still not able to run.

This would mean that they're able to have five guys back, and I guess the college did get rid of the wedge, but they still are a lot more people back than the NFL was allowed. So they're just not allowed to stand in proximity of however many yards with each other or whatever, two yards? They got rid of the three-man. They're allowed a two-man wedge. Still a wedge.

That's a shield then, so they didn't get rid of the wedge. So anybody that was tweeting me telling me they got rid of they didn't two man wedge is still a fucking thing uh but nonetheless did they we added that back in there so we are doing the call no no we keep everything that we have and then add that one in there oh boy it's like come on what are we and then you're like everybody else is muted whenever they weren't talking and you're like one person come and go yes pat we agree and then out yeah it was like a full so i'm happy that they're reporting like every special teams coach because that's what it felt like as it was getting pitched to me it was like this is fucking the entire nfl kind of coming together here being like

if this happens what's next like they do this then what's next well then the punt will actually be exactly just the punter and the returner and It'll be like spring ball where you just punt in a fair catch and wherever that ball is caught is where it's at. It's like, what is next? And then him even saying the XFL thing. Oh, my God. Don't even bring it up. No.

Please. We're playing football here. That would be terrible. It would be terrible, bro. This is professional football. Yeah. This is the highest level, dude. There's strategy happening in your face everywhere that you might not know about.

Who cares? Just enjoy what you're watching. Let's not change. Let's get to a break. AJ Hawk will be on the other side. Can't wait to hear his thoughts. He probably loves this. Definitely.

Yeah, he might. Less contact. I bet he's pumped. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says at the Commander Sale, I think we'll get it to a point where it'll be approved. That's two people that have been in the room. Rapport not being one of them because he was not in the room, who have said, yeah, we'll get there.

That's interesting. Rapport goes, wait for training camp or kickoff. Yeah, they're just waiting for all this shit to be over. I just heard Logan Paul has a video of an alien. A real one? Come on. Yeah. Chuck Clark, I think, was the guy's name.

Allegedly. Chuck Clark? I don't know. This guy's an alien guy. He has a video. Logan wore a pin camera into said guy's house. Was going to give guy money to do it. Records video. Doesn't give him money. Logan said he's sitting on it for the right time. Oh, come on!

Legendary UFO video said to be the most compelling evidence ever drawn on camera. Sounds like bullshit. Yeah, that's hogwash. Release it then. I don't think it's bullshit. I think he has an actual video that he thinks is going to do it. You got to remember, these Paul brothers are playing chess, dude. Yeah. He would sit on that for the perfect moment and then drop it out of nowhere.

When's the perfect moment? Today. There's no perfect time like today. Bingo. See, that's how we operate. Yeah, true. See, that's our thing. I would assume there will be something that will happen.

Oh, yeah. And then, bang, that will come on top of it. And Logan Paul wins the entire day. He could win today. Of course, but is it as big? You know what I mean? The first reveal would be historical, so it will be big no matter what. That was an internet report.

I loved it as soon as I saw it. And then I saw him talking about it at the right time. I'm like, you're a legend, bro. Because as soon as I get that video, gone. Yeah. Take this out. Now, granted, he did try to pay said cuz who had the actual video. I think he walked in with $100,000 to the person who has this video. And the person said, no, I'm not selling it to anybody.

But he showed it to Logan, and Logan had a camera on him. Allegedly. I think that is what was said. But he showed it to Logan, and Logan had a camera on him. Allegedly. I think that is what was said. That says, confirms the existence of UFOs. Is it a UFO or an alien? Because everyone knows UFOs exist already. Interesting. We already know when they're going to reveal.

One of the presidential candidates is going to walk them out on stage during one of the debates and say, this is my alien friend. Hey, I'm willing to tell you that. Are they? And then what if they roll out one? Oh, man. What if they roll out one? A little short little one. Like a tall one. Like a floating one. Little warring factions of aliens.

And obviously, this is not all confirmed. Well, we are speaking in speculation. Mon has three eyes. Still possible. Don't have three eye ones gonna come out on a stage. Who was on the side there during Zuck's thing?

You mean the guy falling asleep? No, that was in... The guy bringing anything out of his ears. Yeah, I'm talking about two people that are on the side. Who were those people? We know, because they would have come out by now

if they were human. Could you imagine this being on an ESPN? How mad some people would be? I know it wasn't a motorcycle. Approaching this subject. Can't have it. What are they? They're not aliens? I'm not aliens. Listen to know it wasn't a motorcycle alien. I'm broaching this subject. Can't have it. What are they? They're not aliens?

They're not aliens. Listen to this. Not with a cowboy hat. He said that one of the presidential candidates was going to trot to, quote, one of those things out there and then be like, what do you got? That is how the show,

that's what's going to be talked about. Yep. And then motorcycle aliens come down. Boom. Whoa. Two motorcycles with a house in the middle. Tim Robinson. Tim Robinson.

They got motorcycles. Yeah, that guy doesn't have human things. There's a better one. Why is it blurry? That looks doctored. That looks like Voldemort. Yeah, it looks like doctored footage.

There's a picture of him. There was two of them, wasn't there? Yeah, with the green tie. And there are some good photos. And the whole internet was calling these people. Not the whole internet. Obviously, there's people on the internet that were not privy to seeing photos of this person.

Because if they did, they would have thought the same thing as the rest of them. What's that thing doing? That's not a human. Those two, I don't know how they tickled on shins pretty heavily if they're not aliens, have not come out and said, hey, come on, humans.

What are we doing? Because they know. They don't care anymore. They're all just so nonchalant with it. They don't care. Foxy, we saw that orange globe. 1000% UFO. So cool. What? What? Foxy, we saw that orange globe. 1,000% UFO. So cool. And then, what? What?

I ain't seen no damn UFO. All right, see, everybody's wrong. Pac-Man, you weren't there. Everybody's wrong. Did y'all take a picture? Yeah, we have full video. Full video. Right on his phone.

We've run it numerous times. Yeah, it's on a vlog. That's a sun. Okay, yeah, I'm fucking 36 years old. I have seen the sun. Yeah, it's on a vlog. That's the sun. Okay, yeah. I'm fucking 36 years old. I have seen the sun. Yeah. I'm thinking I have. Okay?

I'm thinking I've seen the sun. My wife even. You should show me a video of the sun. It's 1130 at night. So it's the moon? It was hovering. We could see it hover. It was in our world?

Yes. And then they reported around five to ten major cities in the United States. Orange Globes. The exact same thing. The other reason why we questioned it all was because Foxy was there. Yeah, I started to realize that. I'm like, I wish I was alone for this thing, I guess,

which is normal. What do I have to do with anything in this situation? Foxy, you were getting attacked. I don't know, I don't think you deserved it as well. I think you did an incredible job, but it did feel as if every time I said it, and I'd be like, Foxy, you were getting attacked. I don't know. I don't think you deserved it as well. I think you did an incredible job, but it did feel as if every time I said it and I'd be like, Foxy was there and then immediately be like, who cares? I literally filmed it though, boys.

You guys saw what we saw. Foxy, you do not deserve any of what came. I saw a Chinese spa balloon. That's what I saw. I'll tell you what. Let's keep in mind the Los Angeles Rams. That's the moon. That's the sun. Full I'll tell you what. Let's keep in mind the Los Angeles Rams. That's the moon. Team. That's the sun.

Full moon. A full moon. Yeah, you're fucking right. Who's filming this? Well, it's not me. I'm right there. Me. Exactly.

Okay. That thing is at like 30, 25,000 feet. Yeah. Where y'all at? Cali? Huh? Cali? No, it's coming back to Indianapolis.

From where? From where? Chicago. Chicago. Yeah, because of Raw.? From where? Chicago. Chicago. Yeah, because of Monday Night Raw in Chicago. Yep. That does look like a Chinese five-a-win. I don't know.

That doesn't look like China to me. All right. Let's get to a break. That's not China. China blinks, guys. All right. Listen, let's get to a break, okay? And I'm sick of it.

I'm not happy about it. But that's the program. You know what I mean? People are not going to love it. What can you do? They'll get used to it. Or they that's the program. You know what I mean? People are not going to love it. What can you do? They'll get used to it. Or they just will see something else. We got Von Miller in about 21 minutes.

Can't wait for that conversation. What is he up to? And he was in a commercial for Supergrass. Oh, yeah, he was. He was in an actual promoted video for Supergrass, and the NFL needed to do it. I think it was like a letter to himself about how fucked up it is that there is natural grass on the field

and how careers are going to get ended quickly and you are going to have to deal with this because turf being on the field. It was a very heavy and serious video, and Vaughn has been talking about this pretty heavily over the last two years, I think, at this point. And he was at the PGA Championship this weekend with Josh Allen. Oh, yeah. I wonder how his game's going.

He said, I look good. Yeah. And he was at the PGA Championship this weekend with Josh Allen. Oh, yeah. I wonder how his game's going. He said, I look good. Yeah. And he certainly does. Also, their season may have ended a little bit differently if he doesn't blow his knee out. And what was it on Thanksgiving against Detroit? He was defensive MVP combo. 11 sacks, I think, going in.

They just really weren't. I mean, then obviously the DeMar Hamlin stuff, but they really were not the same after he got hurt. Oh, the DeMar Hamlin stuff? What does that mean? Well, yeah, like Michael B. Jordan suiting up and playing. See, that's another thing. I met DeMar Hamlin, what was that, last week?

Yeah, people can't say that anymore. I'm just saying what people would have said. I saw the picture. That's DeMar Hamlin. People are still questioning why they didn't, you know, why the angle of the camera at DeMar during that snowy game, he couldn't. Hey, one little prophecy.

The guy was dead fucking 10 days before that. I respect it. To that point, are we going to take tackling out of the game now, Roger? Because that could happen too? I am a little bit worried about all the potential things that could happen with this one thing that is so absurd to think that the NFL would ever institute

it. Legitimately, you would not expect the NFL to put this type of thing in there. As somebody who's been lucky to be in it, a fan of it, and kind of study their moves, I think we've done, this is like, I think this is out of the norm. Let's just not fuck up the game. We signed up for this.

You know what you signed up for. We get paid millions of dollars to compete at a holly. Well, some of us do. We still get paid a million dollars. They still make a million. You might take them a year or two. They'll make a million. Yeah, I agree.

But we signed up for this, man. Let's not fuck up the game. The game is really good right now. There it is. There you are. That's an alien guy. He's breathing out of his ears. Alright, let's get to a break.

What does that guy know? Too much. Or that guy. Maybe it's the camera because other very normal look alienish too did i see you looking at me that's got four eyes the ear that's a normal human come on no way no way you think that yeah absolutely dude that's human human for sure that is the most alien looking thing i've ever ever seen. Human. They're onto me. No way. That other guy was actually Mandy Patinkin.

No way. All right, let's get to that. Look, he's got four eyes. Yeah, that's not the camera. He's the champion of Ohio. Urban Meyer's cruise mate, ladies and gentlemen, A.J. Long. Yeah! A.J., how's that?

LeBron's not done. He's not stopping. He's not stopping. He's not going to reach the Lions. So, Pac there is a little bit worried because I was watching the press conference live afterwards, and they cut away from Austin Reeves. Austin Reeves had his own press conference going. He's talking, and he's not. And screen gets kicked out.

I didn't know that in basketball they did two people at the same time press conference, especially on the same team. Feels like probably split those up. But we're kind of watching one they come right in for lebron he sat there very casual very calm complimented the joker heavily he said this is not a surprise at all to people that have watched the joker and he had massive respect for his game which i think we all that fucker's the best basketball player on earth. What? He's everything you need to do in basketball. He's the best at it. It makes no sense. And we don't know anything about him.

I mean, we personally don't. LeBron said he did. And then at the end, it was that kind of sail out question. I have a lot to think about in that particular subject. And I was thinking, it was like, wait a minute. LeBron James is thinking, it would make sense with how old he is, with how long he's been around, with how much money he's made, with what his legacy already is.

He's in the conversation Mount Rushmore basketball. He has the championships. He's not joking. He was able to win by himself. He was able to win with people. There's every argument that could be made against him. He can go around for the rest of his life and say, oh, you're dumb. You're dumb. You're dumb. You're dumb. He did it.

Just a kid from Ohio. So I think that was the big surprise. Like, maybe he does, but this certainly means the end is very near. Right, AJ? Don't you think that's the case? Yeah. I mean, everyone talks about him wanting to play with Bronny, right? And Bronny will be at USC next year.

He could be one and done. But how you work that out, it seems like it's a lot tougher than I would imagine, though. But LeBron has the power, I guess, to facilitate something like that. But, no, I mean, I think when you talk to somebody right after they get swept or after they lose a game, the season ends, it's so final. I mean, you need a little bit of time, I think, before you can actually truly answer those questions. He said he loves the whole process of basketball.

He is a guy committed, like, you know. Yeah, they showed him there at noon, hitting shots with 700 people on the other side of the court that showed him when he got there so early yeah the press the media whenever they were doing the press conference for the other team on the other side of the court he's working in the background because that was always kobe's thing right kobe's thing was he was at the gym before you were at the gym yep you're a new guy trying to get into the league and you're playing against kobe for the first time and you want to get a couple extra shots up to potentially be better. Kobe's already

in the gym. It's like, well, I'm going to go earlier than anybody's ever gone. It's like Kobe knew what time you were going and he scheduled it to be an hour and a half earlier so he would have a full soak on by the time you get there. He is done by the time you get there, just setting the tone and he did that for like 15 years

to every player. It's like that work ethic is something that they talk about with Kobe. The Mamba mentality is his competitive drive, which led to everything else. The early mornings, late nights, the studying, the cerebral, the him talking shit. LeBron isn't really like known for that, right? LeBron's just known for being LeBron pretty much, I think.

And like when you say that word it goes a couple different ways for people some people go i hate that guy and he's been at the top of the mountain for so long i guess that's an easy thing uh taylor swift says who's mac jones favorite artist hell yeah people throw rocks at things that shine so it's easy to hate on lebron since he's been famous since he's 12 fucking years old or whatever then there's other people that are like hey this guy was anointed as a teenager to be the next michael jordan and he had publicity he had scandal remember he was getting investigated for where they got that hummer from he had shoe deal he had business he had everything

since he's a fucking teenager which is hard to handle no matter where you're from, let alone having no experience in this field at all. And he has just lived up to every expectation that was absurd. He's exceeded them. He's exceeded them. I was in Ohio when he was one year behind me. That dude, like they – I remember thinking at the time, like, wow, this guy better be good.

Like this is a lot that they're putting on him. To his credit, he has exceeded all those expectations. And I'm not a diehard LeBron guy either, but I can respect, like, everything he's done. I kind of am, mostly because I got to see the buildup as well. I was younger, a little bit younger. So I got to see the buildup from, like, he was still older than me as I was watching the thing.

So it was a little different view as a kid for the people that are older as opposed to maybe younger or same age whenever you're at that. So I got to watch him and he sold out in Pittsburgh. I've talked about this before. He sold out Pittsburgh Arena because they were playing the entire state of Pennsylvania's All-Stars at all things.

His school was playing them and they won and they sold out and I think he did from... And then he's committed to the game. his school was playing them yeah and they won and they sold out and i think he did a through the leg on the thing and then he's committed to the game like you would think somebody like that potentially gets jaded towards the business jaded towards everything that has happened jaded towards the game and what has forced him to his only life has been as a famous basketball player yes and there's sometimes where people get to a point where that fucks them up

you know you see it with children's stars and uh celebrities all the time it's like as a famous basketball player. And there's sometimes where people get to a point where that fucks them up. You know, you see it with children's stars and celebrities all the time. It's like, yes, they've gotten to live an incredibly comfortable life where they're financially free and able to do things that other people are not. But also the amount of pressure that they wake up with every single morning

to live up with everything that's being said publicly for them, their family, their people is a different type of problem. I think it comes along. Although a lot of us who come from next to nothing would say, fucking give it to me. Agreed completely. But we've seen in the past that that can fuck people up.

LeBron has somehow just maintained being a human, like who he is, not stepping in any shit, really. He's made a couple of PR doofus decisions, which is going to happen when you're in the spotlight yeah since you're 13 years old pretty much but i think he has been phenomenal at who he was supposed to be and what he actually became and it is kind of a shame that we're about to see the end of it because he might be the last of a dying breed who's fully committed to the fucking game which is all he seems to care about at all. And he was

so good. You know, I think we as fans, as media, I personally say LeBron has been held to a way higher standard. He has been picked at more than anybody that's in our ranks. Yeah, sports media was actually LeBron vs. Jordan. Exactly.

That was actually sports media. For years. Like, every day. Every day. If he don't have 40, LeBron versus Jordan. Exactly. That was actually sports media. For years. Like every day. Every day. If he don't have... LeBron's timing too, though. Think about that timing too with LeBron. He comes out as... Is it as like social media and everything is gaining traction too? That's another thing that put even more pressure on him, I guess.

He dealt with it. These others didn't. And they'll say a lot of people support him, which is true. But you'll see the one burial a lot louder than you'll see the thousand. Think about all the things that have been said about LeBron. And he is, I assume, at this stage, he's pretty secluded. I would assume he is pretty distant. We're not inviting a lot of new friends, I'd assume, into LeBron's thing,

but he has maintained not being fully jaded towards the entire fucking world somehow, and I think that's impressive. I think that's another full impressive. You can see how he could easily get into everybody hates me. Yes. I'm being used by everywhere. I haven't got to live an actual life. Like, I've never really got, oh, you go to all these cities. You know what I do when I go to these cities. I go into a hotel. They put me in an ice bath. I use these pressure things that they put on my legs.

Then I go shoot. Then I nap. Then I do those things again. Then I shoot. Then we hop on a plane and we're in another city. That commitment to the game and being able to handle it, I think, is something that should be added to the LeBron entire conversation. I don't think it does. We saw that in the added to the lebron entire conversation and i don't think it does well that's like we saw that in the last dance stuff you know like when jordan by the

time he was getting he was like i'm so ready for this shit to be over with you know like i get to these hotels there's 15 000 people here that want to take a picture with me want to talk to me for a minute he's like i i don't get to enjoy myself at all. Ever. Or spend any time with my teammates. It's like all I can think about is the game and how I'm going to perform. Not only do these guys put a shitload of stress and like, oh, I need to be the best guy out there already. But then you go to these hotels and you can't enjoy yourself. You basically are just sitting inside a prison just waiting for like, okay, now I got to go play. And it's like, you could understand why I'd be like,

I'm ready to fucking move past all this shit. I've only had one opportunity to be around a human like this, and it was Peyton. And I think Peyton was like very focused on remaining a human in the locker room, which I think with the power he had, that would have been tough to, you know what I mean? Yeah, he's out to GM, damn it. You know what I mean? With how competitive he is, with the ability to be like,

I want this guy on my team, this guy on my team, and still remain like a human in the locker room. That's a tough battle. I guess Aaron kind of got experiences as well where you go in public, you're not in public. You can't go to dinner with your teammates like you used to unless you rent out a whole portion of the restaurant. But then are you even doing the restaurant rent out a whole portion of the restaurant.

But then are you even doing the restaurant? You're in the restaurant, but, yeah, I guess you're at the table that is the restaurant. You're not living a normal life, though. You can see how they become unrelatable at times. I think people have to, like, check themselves, and you've got to have actually real friends around you, people that aren't on the payroll. Like, that's the key, I think.

But congrats to LeBron being able to navigate that entire thing in the most exposed sport as the most exposed player. And now in L.A., arguably the most exposed city, too. Cleveland, I guess it's a little different because he was from there, so it's the same deal. I would fuck that up so bad. Could you imagine 13, 14 years old? They're saying, yeah, you're the guy. And then you actually are the guy.

Did you see that clip that was going around when he was from his rookie year when he was literally saying it's Hall of Famer bust? Yeah. Yeah. That was because they were saying Wemba Yama is the most hyped player in the history of the NBA. It's like. No, he's not.

I learned about what car this dude was driving around in high school. You know why? Because that was before social media. Do you know why? Sports Illustrated. Yeah, do you know how the word of mouth got to my street about this dude? Because he was driving a Hummer. Yeah, because I learned of his sweet car.

So sweet. You look it up on dial-up internet to go find out who the fuck this guy is. Comparing him to Kareem and Jordan. I mean, two of the best players, if not the two best of all time. But also the game has changed throughout his career, and he's been able to adapt to it. Like when he came into the NBA, it was way before the three-pointer Curry era that's happening now.

But he just had 40 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists. Like this guy is – 31 in the first half. Yeah. I understand, like there's definitely decisions to be made, but I think he has one year left with the Lakers. Bronny has one year, and then he's a free agent, and Bronny's getting drafted.

He's not retiring. There's no chance. Maybe this was, though, a little bit of a bird call to tell all because of the conversation we just had. Like, hey, just remember. Yes. Okay. These days are coming.

I just put up 40 points. Yeah, I get it. Okay. I'm 55 years old right now. I just put up another points. Yeah, I get it. I'm 55 years old right now. I just put up another 40 just like I have for the last two decades. Need surgery on your foot. I'm hurt. Playing against maybe the best basketball player today, Jumper.

Definitely. Just put up 40 still. This might be over soon. I'd appreciate it. Why don't we start a little bit of a different narrative here, which I would respect and appreciate. Not like the fact that during the interview, he said, you guys probably say I'm lying during this too,

but I knew this was all happening. Yeah, that was sweet. He's starting to be even more self-aware. Yeah, it's like, here we go, dude. Here we go. I'm happy for him. And if anyone does deserve to go the Drew Brees route and make it about themselves one last time.

It's LeBron. It's LeBron. Dude, Drew Brees. I am so mad, Coach K. What happened, Ty? What did he do? Derek Jeter. What do you mean?

Well, I love Drew Brees. Did Drew have a retirement year? Were they giving him gifts and everything? They stopped. You remember they stopped that game. They stopped the Monday night football game so he could take his cleats off. Bro, that was awesome, bro. Middle of the game. Ref's even like. cleats off. That was awesome, bro. Middle of the game.

Raph's even like. Yeah. Kids came down. That doesn't. No. No. I don't think that's ever happened in any sport. Because what?

There was the year after someone broke a record and none of that happened. Brady. Brady broke the record that he said. How did that happen? And just nothing happened. Well, that's because Tom deflated his balls. That's a good point. But the playoff yards don't matter, right? So they don't even

go to those stats. How? But we don't know how long they were doing it. That's a good point. What do you think the dynasty happened? Oh, if we're playing that game, remember there was an article written that that was actually a bullshit report. It was a witch hunt. And, you know, that came out three years later. So no one remembers. Who wrote that article?

It was from the NFL, actually. How about that deflategate thing wrote that article? It was from the NFL, actually. Okay. How about that Deflategate thing being a thing? That was crazy that that happened. That sucked for you guys. You've talked about that. I was not going to be on receiving end both that day. Yeah, I played him the next week after that.

I think he threw for fucking 350 yards. That's because he got a better grip on ball. You were on Seattle? Yeah. No, when I was with the Bengals. Oh. That was the AFC Championship game, the Deflategate game. You mean when it came back from suspension? Yeah. No, when I was with the Bengals. Oh. That was the AFC Championship game. The deflate game.

You mean when it came back from suspension? Yes. That was the AFC title game. It was Championship. Yeah, because Pro Bowl was the week right after. Yeah, and it was two weeks of that conversation. I went right to the Pro Bowl after that game. Me and a bunch of guys.

Luck. We go straight out there. Yeah, we had seven guys, eight guys. We go out there, and we're just trying to fucking get past how miserable that ass beating was up there. Media asking them every time. Do you think it mattered that they had a little less PSI in their bowls after they beat you guys by 75 points? No, we would like to get drunk at the Pro Bowl and move on.

And that thing carried on for two years, AJ. Two years. Two years. He got suspended. What, the next season he got suspended? It was 2014 season. He played 2015, and then he got suspended for the first four, 2016. Unreal.

Two years we had to get brought up. That really happened. That really happened. They came back, suspended him shortly before that season, right? And said, hey, he has four games. Jimmy, right? That was Jimmy? That was Jimmy G, yeah.

Yeah, that was Jimmy Garoppolo comes in and goes 3-1. And he played one game, yeah. Yeah, he played a game. Yeah. Didn't Tom go down to Costa Rica or something? Wasn't he posting pictures with his family on vacation? It was a carnival. Yeah.

Geez. He did a bunch of stuff. No, they got a house in Costa Rica. Yeah, they were a carnival. They get all dressed up. They do the dancing. They do the painting. Yeah, that's what he was.

FTX Island or whatever it's called. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Or let this guy win with Pete. Got to get some investments back. Oh, money. The NFL just up and to the right. Right here. Very fungible, too.

Oh, yeah. Very fungible. You can feel it. People actually buy the fungible stuff for more. Can I get the ticket? Please, give me Very fungible. You can feel it. People actually buy the fungible stuff for more. Feel it in your bones. Can I get the ticket? Please, give me the ticket. Exactly. Can I get the receipt for the $35 beer that I paid for right here?

The best. At Lambo? Hell, yeah. Just like this, right here, AJ. And then they're adding in some bullshit amateur hour rule. AJ, they passed it. Roger Goodell was lobbying. Not they.

Rod passed it. Yes. This is Roger Goodell was lobbying. Not they. Rod passed it. Yes. This is Roger Goodell versus special teams. I didn't want this war. That's my commissioner. That's our commissioner. I've been on his side a long time. He thinks it's a throwaway play.

He thinks it doesn't matter. AJ, don't you say. You don't know what he's saying. It feels like he says that. I'm just telling you, if he overrides all of the special teams coaches, they said unanimously are against it. Also, is it a possibility that all these special teams coaches come together and their head coaches are on board and say,

hey, we just act like this rule wasn't even implemented. None of us are going to fair catch any of these kickoffs. You know what? That would be me. Yeah, but then you wouldn't. Then Belichick. Yes. Then Belichick, when the game mattered, would be like,

we didn't make an agreement with anybody. Yeah, true. What did the rules say? The rules say we're allowed to – what were they doing with offensive linemen? Remember, they do – this is something they actually do. They would overload to the right side, put the tight end on the left like a guard or a tackle. And they didn't have to report anything.

And then they had to change the rule after like three weeks of it because the coaches were all like, what the, what is this? And they're like, well, technically, they are not breaking a rule. Now, we have not had to create a rule for this, which we are doing right now, actually. But, yeah, it's like that's what all coaches do. Most definitely special teams coaches. They are trying to find every nuance of it.

You see, it says you can't hold the jersey. What about the undershirt? Doesn't say it in the rules, does it? So if we can get their underwear, so this is a technique we're teaching now. You're going to grab pants like this, underwear, because you're allowed to hold the underwear. So now don't be grabbing any, you know. Nothing else. Any meats. Don't grab anything in the front.

Do not touch skin. Or the back. But you get that underwear. That's how special teams coaches and coaches in the NFL think. That's why they don't sleep at home during the season. That's why a lot of them, I mean they say it's caffeine. Has to be more than that.

A bunch of heart attacks at all times. All the time. Because they're trying to either study the rule book. Oh, I just thought of something. Let me email the fucking Walt. He hasn't answered me in two minutes. Walt, it's 3 a.m. Your job is to fucking answer me.

I didn't get an email back from Walt. Okay, I guess I'll watch punts in Seattle in November since 1945. And I'll watch every single one. Then get an email back from Walt. All right, thank you. Thank you. That's bullshit, Walt.

Okay, three and a half hours from Walt. And then bang, go back in it. And then you got to pitch now. Now you got to put together a PowerPoint to the coach of what your new idea is that you would like to lay out

to the special teams room. And then've got to go do it to the team by Thursday, and there's a guy that just signed on the team that's never played special teams before. He has to learn how to do that now. That's what special teams is. So whenever you talk about a Mickey Mouse – no offense. Sorry. Sorry.

No offense. We don't mean it. Jeez. That's going to be tough to get out of the world. You got to come up with something else, man. No. So when we're talking about Mickey Mouse rules like this one, it will be exploited.

It will be made to the most advantage that any coach could possibly do it. We'll only see it a couple times, and when we see it, we'll say that's dumb. And then sound mind goes, what will they do next? Yeah. They're already talking about the XFL kickoff. Uh-oh. And what exactly do they do? So XFL kickoff is like whenever you're working kickoff, but you're only running 20 yards.

You know, when you move everybody down the field. They condense the drill. Five yards apart. Like, yeah, the old drill. Like punt, kick, and then run all the way. Yeah, I think they're at the 30, and the return team's at the 25. Every special team coach says, I'm saving your legs today, okay? We're not running, but we got to get our lanes.

We're doing it. That's what they want the actual kickoffs to be. I'm so – It's fucked up. Who's making – it's not Denardo. No. Raj can just overrule it and make this happen and say, he basically wants to test this for a year and see what the numbers look like.

Right? That's what he wants to do. What numbers? Yeah, and he said the data is very clear. And we don't want to get rid of the game. It's like, can we see the data that's very clear? Show us. And I would like to know what the precursors are to all the stats

because we're learning a little bit more about stats these days. Speaking of stats, there are stats that are alarming about turf and grass. And there's a man that is basically at the forefront of this entire discussion publicly. And the reason why he's at the forefront of the discussion is because his resume is certified. This man is a Hall of Famer. He's a multiple-time Super Bowl champion. He's a defensive MVP. He's a Dancing with the Stars alum.

He has a farm, chicken farm. Best chicken in town. Nobody beats this man's meat. Ladies and gentlemen, Vaughn Miller. Howdy, guys. Thanks for having me again. Hey, thank you for joining us. How was OTAs?

How do we feel? Are we back to healthy? Where are we at, like, knee-wise? I'm in a great spot. You know, five months and a week and a couple of days, I'm right where I need to be. I'm feeling good. I'm feeling like I could do more.

And that's always a good sign. I got a great training staff here with the Buffalo Bills. And I got a great training staff in Dallas with Matt and Melvin and all the guys that I'm working with, with Dr. Cooper and stuff. So I'm in a great spot, man. I'm just taking it one day at a time. And, you know, we'll see where we get. I should be ready to go.

I'm feeling good, though. Hell, yeah. We're happy to hear that. Is it hard not to just assume that you would like your rehab done by the guy that saved DeMar Hamlin's life up there, the Buffalo Bills? Like, hey, I understand what you're all saying, but also, what are your thoughts on him? Is he a hero right now? He should be.

What an absolute dog that guy is. Man, Denny, he is a dog. Like you said, he's a real superhero, man. I feel like the best thing about it, he just walks around like it's normal. It's the same Denny. Nothing's changed, man, but it's an honor and a privilege to come here and be around that guy every day. Hell yeah. Happy to hear you're okay. Happy to hear you're healthy. Would like to talk about the video that I seen in my feed. It was a promoted tweet, I believe, from you. Pretty heavy. Hey, that was a pretty heavy message that you were sending.

It sounds like the turf-grass conversation is one that you would really like the NFL to have and consider. I think something you brought up last year was the NFL is going to have to change turf for when the World Cup comes to the United States of America to put grass on because the soccer players said,

we're only playing on grass and the NFL obliges like yep you got it but for the NFL as a whole for some reason they won't I think that was a very valid point and how are you is there any further steps other than the letter that you wrote and how close do you think we are to maybe getting a fully grass league well you know the NFL they always do things things to make this game better. They might not do it. They might not do it exactly when we need it, but I think it's eventually on the slate, especially when we put player safety first. If we're truly putting player safety first with concussions and all these other things, we have to consider grass fields as well. Just

imagine this, right? Just say if the PGA Tour said, hey, we're going to build these golf courses and they're going to be stadium golf courses, but we're going to use AstroTurf in the fairways because we want to have concerts, we want to have Monster Jam. VCon, VCon. We want to do all of these things in these stadiums. Yeah, of course. The pro golfers would be like, what?

No, the game was founded on grass. Our game was founded on grass, too. We've gotten away from that. But I firmly believe, you know, when the NFL, they do all the analyzing, how to make this game better, switching all the fields to grass turf, it has to be soon. I hope so as well. And I'm happy that you're the person that is potentially driving it

because you're a superstar, Vaughn. You should know that. You have to know that at this point. you're a superstar, Vaughn. You should know that. You have to know that at this point. And that's really how things will change. Go ahead, AJ. Vaughn, any of the pushback that they're giving you, is it more just financially? Like, hey, we need this because we want to have concerts and do all that

and it's easier to maintain? Or is it they don't believe the numbers? They don't believe that, you know, playing on field turf, you know, causes more injuries? And have you had a meeting? numbers they don't believe that you know playing on field turf you know causes more injuries and have you had a meeting um i specifically have not had a meeting with the nfl but our union nflpa you know we every time we have a meeting that is that's constantly a subject that we talk about like i said it has to be soon um obviously if i'm an owner of a football team i can look at

the analytics and say like well we can play on ast say, like, well, we can play on AstroTurf. We can play on Artificial Turf because this is the data that shows it's safe. And obviously the players were like, well, this is the data that says it's unsafe. And I think eventually we just have to get to a preference of the players. Like the players, of course, you know, they do a great job of making our league great, but the players do the same thing as well. And we prefer grass.

It's data, it's that, it's data and statistics that show less injuries are made on real turf,

real grass. Sign the petition now. Utilize hashtag flip the turf. Flip the turf. Hell yeah. We've seen those stadiums over there in England where they actually have turf on one thing,

and then they just transform out. It's 2023. It's 2023. Come on. We can solve this problem so easy. Everybody just has to get on board and let's get it done. I mean, we've got a lot of good technology right now, don't we? Yeah. 2023. I'd say

some of the best. I'd say. Yeah. Let's get to grass, dude. Hashtag flip the turf. Speaking of player safety, Connor has a question for you, Vaughn. Yeah, Vaughn. How do players yourself specifically feel about the Thursday night flex? Now, I think it's

week 13 to 17 and you get 28 days in advance to know if you're playing another game on Thursday night but how do you guys feel about that um you know for me last year we had two Thursday night games back to back so we played on Thursday night then we had a Thanksgiving game and that was on Thursday night as well so um I like I said I said, I'm all for player safety. I'm also for growing our game to make it as big as possible. Hell yeah. And all these Thursday night games, these Thursday night games are big time games for us.

I enjoy playing on Thursday night. The whole world watches these games. It's the only game on. So it's just that happy medium. I can play on Thursday night. If the field is grass. No problem. It don't matter. I will play on Thursday night. If the field is grass, it don't matter. I will play

on Thursday night. Give you some of these. Need this. Some of these. Need this. That's business. It's not just me saying it. I'm a pass rusher. Of course, I'm out here.

I have leverage on the ground. I'm running and I'm bending. It's not just me saying this either. This other guy, you got Patrick Mahomes. You got all the big names saying the exact same statement that I'm saying. And the guys that are before me have said the same thing as well. It's a better field, less injuries. Our game was founded on grass.

This is our natural element. Ronald football. It just has to happen for sure i love hot ron uh ty and the boys have some questions for you and obviously pac-man does as well but i couldn't help but notice as you were talking there and i thought it was maybe our camera you know because the internet thing because you upload a video it'll be in like 420 and it's like is that my internet or is that the actual video you kind of give or take there do you have red contacts in right now are Are these those sniper contacts?

You know those videos you see? Those are sweet. Is that what you're doing right now, or are you just having a time? We were outside today, and it was sunny. They really like shades. They really like shades for their contacts. What? You got sunglasses as contacts, bro?

Super contacts? No way. They're called Altus Sports Contacts. They make them for golf, too So they make the dark ones for golf and they had a real ones for like football and sports outside So you are not a contacts person. This is just what you instead of putting on a glasses You know a fucker I'm putting on my sniper contacts on it. Does it have like? Clear vision so it's just like it's like it's just like looking You know you have like those shooter frames like if you go ski shooting and they have like the amber frames that the amber

lenses that's all it really is just amber it blocks out some of the sun they're blue blocking as well so um i really like them i started wearing them when i was in la and it took me a while because i've been i've been playing and practicing in clear contacts for a long time but i really love these a lot especially when i'm out here and it's sunny especially on the golf course they're the altis contacts so hold on you have prescribed uh contacts as well prescription yeah these are prescription and shades all at the same time so if i got lasik and i have superhuman eyes which i do i used to live that contact life sorry about it it's the worst i kept mine in for three years straight yeah i don't know

yeah i hated it yeah i didn't i didn't enjoy the process of putting in and putting out right so i just eliminated that turns out my eyes were very swollen and massive problems and i had to wear glasses for like actually six months before i could get the lasik done but if you don't need contacts anymore thank god i don't there's people signing up just to wear those, like instead of putting sunglasses on? Yeah, they got the non-prescription version of them as well. For me, it's just more comfortable. I'm out here running, I'm warming up, I practice,

to take the shades off to get the little water, the steam on the shades, that kind of bothers me. But out here, you can work as hard as you want, sweat, and you won't have any problems. Yeah, you work too hard for glasses. Yeah, that's right. What do you want from me? I had a contact loss, right eye, in the middle of a game.

Didn't even have backup contacts because literally I've been wearing these for two years. Oh, yeah? Nightmare. Trainers are like, hey, we have to have a backup pair of contacts. I was like, I don't have any. I have not gotten new ones for so long. They won't fall out. These things are like, hey, we have to have a backup pair of contacts. I don't have it. I have not got new ones for so long.

They won't fall out there. These things are, college into the NFL, these things. Congrats to those contacts making it to the league. But that thing fell out

middle of game. I'm looking at the world in stereo all of a sudden. Had to hold. Had to hold. Oh no. Almost dropped them. I mean,

full nightmare. I'm like, I'm getting LASIK as soon as possible. So as soon as the season ended, I go to the doctor. I'm like, fix these please. I heard you mean, a full nightmare. I'm like, I'm getting LASIK as soon as possible. So as soon as the season ended, I go to the doctor. I'm like, fix these, please. I heard you guys do the whole thing. I'm like, well, your eyes are so fucked up because you kept contacts in for 150x the amount of time you're supposed to have it.

So I had to wear glasses. I almost had to go into a season with specs because of how fucked up my eyes were. Then I got LASIK. I woke up the next day, 2010. Felt like a superhero. Whole different world. Do you walk around and like this is what you see with those contacts on? Is there a version of that that we could potentially get?

Yeah, it looks exactly like that. Probably not as dark. Probably a shade lighter, but exactly like that. And you can just imagine the sun and everything. It's perfect. So these are performance-enhancing contacts. A little bit. How come Roger Goodell isn't banning those fucking things?

Are they transition lenses? You know what I mean? It sounds like you've got quite an advantage here. I mean, if you think about it, LASIK is performance-enhancing, too. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Don't you put that on me. Hey, don't you ruin my resume. And I get LASIK, I'll be able to see and I'm more accurate and I can throw better.

It could go either way. You go into a non-lit room right now, you're fucked more than me or no? You know, sometimes at night, like at night, you know, they're not as dark as regular shades. But, you know, at night and like, you know, when you get around the house, you got the lights on and stuff. And so I have long days in these contacts as well. You know, I'll put them in in the morning. I'll wear them to like, you know, 10, 11 at night and like you know when you get around the house you got the lights on and stuff and yeah so i have long days in these contacts as well you know i'll put them in in the morning i'll wear them to like you know 10 11 at night so i i have long days just like just like you so i'm very familiar with that but they're good man they're good they're good contacts they come in different colors you got a a dark one that's really for like golf so that white golf ball

i wear yeah i hit a yellow golf ball it just lights up so whenever you hit it it just stands out on the grass oh my they're really cool that one's like the hey we solved the golf problem context is that what they call those ones no i still got i still got a shitload of problems but you know it's a huge part finding the ball is a massive piece of the golf problem when I'm out there. Like, that is, if you can eliminate that whole part of golf, boy, it would be so much better. Maybe a super ink or something that you're able to put on the ball that is trackable. That would be great. That would be super cool.

That would be super cool, wouldn't it? Or if they had, like, a little, you could press a button in the ball and make a noise, and it, like, beat for you. Like, find my like a little, you could press a button and the ball would make a noise and it'd like beep for you, like find my iPhone. You could press a ball and they're like. But that would really mess with the compression of like the ball. Certainly what somebody needs to figure it out, though. Say somebody figure it out. Pac-Man's got a question for you, Vaughn.

What's up, V? I had those contacts, too, when I was catching punts. Did you really? You were cheating this whole time. I knew that was, catching punts. That's what I was doing. Did you really? No way. You were cheating this whole time. Yeah. I knew that was it. I knew it.

That had to be the case. Huh? You were cheating. Yeah, I knew it. Wasn't cheating. Take back every yard this guy gained against our team. Now. I would like that in the record books.

This guy had different eyes than me. Wasn't cheating at all. Hey, question. The petition thing you have signed. How many NFL guys do you have that's done signed it? And out of the 1,600, how many of them do you have actually that's done signed it? I haven't looked at the list of pro guys that have signed it. But, you know, initially when, you know, they approached me to, like, you know, be part of the petition and be part of uh be part of this movement that

we have with grass i was i was initially like taken back like i didn't want to start problems and this and that and you know eventually i was like bro you know i was injured twice i have two season ending in season ending injuries on artificial turf so i'm like man it's it's this is for me and then when i when i did the shoot and we put it out like the love that i got back from all the guys in the nfl it was incredible like everybody was hitting me up yeah one like this yeah it just it it justified it for me like this was the right thing i always knew it was the right thing before i'm always about player safety but you get the love and the the support from my colleagues around the league, from offensive linemen to quarterbacks to receivers

to other defensive ends, you know, it made me – it justified me in thinking that I'm doing the right thing for sure. Hell, yeah. Go ahead, A.J. Have you caught any of that backlash you said you might have worried about beforehand? It's kind of like Rory McIlroy right now with the PGA Tour. He's kind of put the tour on his back to, you know,

fight the whole live battle and what they're doing. Do you feel like you're in a similar situation? No. With me, you know, I don't like speaking for my colleagues, but I'm sure 90% of these guys feel the exact same way that I feel about AstroTurf. And the 10 that don't feel that way, they're probably young guys that haven't even got to that point yet where they even start thinking about. They don't know. Artificial versus AstroTurf and the 10 that don't feel that way, they're probably young guys that haven't even got to that point yet where they even start thinking about artificial versus

natural turf. So everybody's on board. We all play on this shit. We all understand what you feel like after you even practice on it. We all understand the difference between grass and artificial turf. To have the support from all of my guys, man, that's all I really need.

Maybe you put turf, though, in the 23-yard line, though, on each side for the extra points. That makes sense. That'd be good. You know, I certainly would love it. I want the old AstroTurf. What's that? It's 2023. Like, we can solve this problem so easy.

We can sit down and we can solve this problem in a couple of hours. Nobody's pressed for money. Nobody's pressed to... They're not saying that we can't do it. It'll create more jobs. There's so many upsides. There's so many upsides to just putting natural turf out there, man. That's why I firmly believe it's just a matter of time before we get it done.

Yeah, because AI can't take care of natural turf. Exactly. You need a sod father out there. Exactly. Yep. You need, you know what I mean? There's a little bit more human touch, a little bit of care. Yep.

A little bit of appreciation. TLC. A little bit of earth, you know, part of the game. The game was founded on earth. It was. Wasn't it? Yeah. Not turf.

Not that turf. Earth. Now, as a kicker, though though I would like to let you know And I'm not going to speak up Because I do not need to Add any excuses to anybody That think the fake stuff's better than grass But you put me on concrete

I'd be pretty happy Those onside kicks I could hit on fucking concrete Oh man Boom I would hit a jump ball On that thing And then some of those grass

You know That's like way too thick. Oh, yeah. I'm slipping all over. Get that the fuck out of here. It's bull. So maybe just let me take a – let the kickers and punters take out a little mat. Like a carving mat.

On top of the grass. Like for golf. Yeah, and then I think you'd have everybody else on board. I think the kickers would be the only ones that say, not give us the – but they would never say it publicly because they – for the greater good. But I think every human that we've talked to said, give us the grass. They're going to do the grass for soccer.

Why not just do it for the game? I appreciate you doing that. That was very serious. Hey, that was a very serious thing. As you were recording it, was it like, how'd you feel as it was being recorded? I felt, you know, when you do the takes at first, you know, I was having like a little smile on my face.

Like, nope, nope, no, we don't need that. You know, because I'm just a happy guy. Like, you know, I smile, I throw a joke in there. You know, they would laugh. I'm like, no, we need a little bit more serious. The tone of this message is very, very serious. So, you know, I adjusted to it. And, you know, I'm so grateful that the opportunity was presented to me.

Like I said, I don't think that there's nobody else that was fit for that position other than me. I've been in the league 13 years, had season-ending injuries on artificial turf in games and at practice. So I just – it was perfect for me. So I'm thankful for the opportunity. Good luck out there, Vaughn. Go get it, Vaughn. More power to you. Thank you. I could not do that the opportunity. Good luck out there, Vaughn. Go get him, Vaughn.

More power to you. I could not do that. Ty has a question for you, Vaughn. Yeah, Vaughn, last time we talked to you, it was right after D-Hop basically said, like, hey, I'd love to go play in Buffalo. I got a lot of friends up there. You were working out with them.

And then for whatever reason, that doesn't happen. He goes back to Arizona, and he says, I'm happy to be in Arizona. But then I think either yesterday or two days ago, goes on a podcast and they ask him you know hey who what quarterback would you want to want to play with and he was just over the moon for hey i want to play with josh allen i'd love to go play with a guy like josh allen have you still been talking to d hop is there any chance you think, you know, putting your assistant GM hat on, that he's going to end up in Buffalo before the end of the season? Josh, I mean, DeAndre Hopkins is my real friend.

So even though we're not talking about, like, contracts and, you know, coming to the Buffalo Bills, I'm still in contact with D-Hop all the time. But I did see that podcast and all the things that he was saying, and I'm sitting there watching podcast and all the things that he was saying and i'm sitting there watching all the things that he was saying he was like man i want to be on a team where the front office is stable and you know ownership is great and i want to play with a great quarterback to me to me it really felt like he was talking about the buffalo weird situation to be in it's like you know you you know, you got the girl that you like, and she's saying, I like you.

And then you're saying, yeah, let's get in a relationship. But at the same time, it's like, I don't want to leave. Just, yeah, it's like, bro, it's a weird situation to be in. So we just got to wait and see, man. We got, you know, Brandon Bean is the greatest. Brandon Breen is the greatest. You know, DeAndre Hopkins is a Hall of Fame player, man. And, you know, it's just so many different things that come in between

things happening or not happening. You've got the financial element and all of these other different things that come into play. So I'm hopeful. I'm optimistic that it'll happen. But for right now, we've just got to wait and see. The Dolphins this year, and you get around the edge, and you've got your eyes set on Tua.

Does your mindset change at all? Anything knowing that he is now a black belt in jiu-jitsu? Is he a black belt? No, because you hold the ball out just like this, and I'm just going to slap it out. Okay. Watch out for the arm bar. Just saying.

What if you go to slap it and he catches you, hits the toss, down, takes the sack, but in doing so takes your fucking arm? You tap out. What if he has you full wrapped up on that thing? I didn't even think about that, Tony. Great question. Yeah, I've been thinking about it a lot lately. I would be deeply embarrassed.

I would be deeply embarrassed, you know, because the quarterback just hip-tossed me and got me in the headlock. Even though I got the sack and I got the forced fumble, I would be happy about that. But, you know, viral Twitter and, you know, the way things go, I would be deeply embarrassed about getting hip-talked about. Could you imagine Tua snaps your arm after a sack? Like, you know, Sunshine goes like, hey, let that guy through.

And then throw, and then boom, does that thing. What if Tua's like, let Vaughn in. First play. Breaks his arm. I'm going for the ball. I'm going for the ball. He can have my arm. He can dislocate my arm and all that stuff later.

As long as I get the sack, I'll be good. Oh, that's awesome to think about. Yeah, because, Tone, I appreciate you bringing that angle because all we've thought about is him falling better. Right. And, like, having a better flat back and everything like that. You're thinking on the offensive about. Yeah, because, Tone, I appreciate you bringing that angle because all we've thought about is him falling better and having a better flat back and everything like that. You're thinking on the offensive side. Yeah.

Everybody's talking defense. What about the offense that comes with being, what did you say he was, a black belt in jiu-jitsu? Yeah, he's a black belt in jiu-jitsu. That's insane. We don't know if that's true. Probably, though. If that was true, we would have learned that a long time ago. Yvonne, have an incredible afternoon.

We appreciate you taking time, pal. Man, I appreciate you guys, man. Pat, AJ, Pac-Man, all the guys on the show, man. You know I love you guys, man. I appreciate y'all for having me on the show again. Until next time, I'll see you guys. Hey, next season, you know, we're going to have to figure this out, obviously. Will you still come on the program each week?

We sold out. I don't know if you heard this. Yeah. We sold out. We are complete sellouts. Will you still come by the program each week, we sold out. I don't know if you heard this. We sold out. We are complete sellouts. Will you still come by the program next season? Man, I would love that, man. I'm sure it's something that we can work out. We got

enough time to get it all done. But y'all know me, man. I love y'all, man. I know y'all love me, man. As long as we put the love first, I'm sure it's something that we can work out. Boom. I was told. Well said. We appreciate you. Have a good one.

Ladies and gentlemen, Fallen Mates. Yay! That team's terrible at football. Yeah, they are. They are. He knows that. You think we're doing hook'em?

No, no, he knows. He just said thumbs up. Okay, cool. Yeah, got it. That's weird because I was told guests weren't going to come on our show anymore because they won't feel comfortable. Did people say that? Oh, cool. Yeah, got it. That's weird because I was told guests weren't going to come on our show anymore because they won't feel comfortable. Did people say that? Oh, yeah.

I didn't see that part. I was too busy me being here. No, no. I was told. The worst human on earth. There's a couple of those. Oh, yeah. A lot of them.

Very loud. Let's get to a break. Don't worry about the negativity. Thank you. Yeah, you're right. Let's talk about the positives. Von Miller and also Gary Vee said, love is undefeated.

Yes. True. What Andrew Schultz did. Oh, man. Oh, boy. Oh, man. I saw he was a speaker at that. Topical material he has.

Crushed for his set. As we read that he was going to be a speaker at that thing I think we all immediately thought how it could go they were like they know this guy's brain of comedy no way is that the guy that said the thing yeah and then we watched

a clip it's like Schultz has got his fastball no matter where he's going you can see the wave taking over the crowd laughing at the start oh boy he's really giving it to us his hair was awesome looks great

oh my god Gary V sitting back is this what we signed up for he knew it though he said hey all good Gary Vee knows. Let the man speak. That's right.

Go ahead, Connor. Let's get to a break. Let's take five minutes. Let's reset this whole thing. I did not expect to watch that video and have what happened happen. Me neither. It was awesome. It was awesome.

Think about how uncomfortable he had to be. Like, how uncomfortable the room was. I mean, front row. He had to love it. He had to love it going in. He knew the material he was bringing into that place. He's like, yep, I'm going to do it. I'm going to do this.

Good to see you. Good to see you. Thank you for having me. Good to see you. Good to see you. Go out there. Yeah. Boom.

On the way out. Good. All right. All right. All right. It was fun. Good to see you guys. All right, guys.

Just that whole thing. Yeah thing Is one of my favorites Electrifying That is special Think about how uncomfortable it was on the way out Oh man I couldn't imagine So awesome I bet he loves it

You gotta be built for that Some of those comedians that are just like so, you know, the complete opposite way of how everything, you're getting booed off a lot of places. When you do the stand-up, well, Jeselnik was a Pittsburgh guy, I think. Jeselnik was like, he was making some very, very dark jokes. Oh, yeah. And I would assume there was a lot of comedy clubs he would go into, and it would not go well.

No. No. And he would just have to sit in that discomfort clubs he would go into, and it would not go well. No. And he would just have to sit in that discomfort and then go right back on the stage the next night in the same place, all the way to get to a point where he finds his crowd or whatever. That whole, I can't handle that whole real uncomfortable moment that has to happen. So that's a talent. You've got to have some real metal to stick with it.

And Schultz walking into a stadium. Yeah. He went into the other team's locker room And Schultz walking into a stadium. Yeah. He went into the other team's locker room, and the locker room was a stadium. Mm-hmm. Just wet. Yeah. So much respect, AJ. So much for that.

That's awesome. I love it. I'm sure Gary had an idea going in. Hey, this is going to be good. Yeah, he had to tell him something. It was a little – hey, he was on his ass. I don't know. He had to tell him something. I'm don't know he had to tell him something

i'm not sure maybe an idea he told me a brief outlaw everybody there was 60 speakers yeah exactly there was 60 speakers i don't know if there was a full you know what i mean especially like there was a few things what he ended with in that video was just... And joining us, a man that we are lucky to have in our presence. Yep. Now, he will not say that because it appears if he is still just a very humble human being, hard working human being. It doesn't make sense, though,

because he's badder than you, fucking Navy SEAL sniper. That's right. And he's better and more creative than you, founder and author of the terminal this is sixth uh season pretty much and only dead available now in new york town sellers on the way no six of them uh he is an absolute dog of a human ladies and gentlemen jack car thank you thank you for having me bro thank you for stopping by dude this is awesome i love this place you guys got it going on yeah we try to you know we can we spend a lot of time

here you might as well enjoy it i think uh what i've read about you is you get up into the mountain up and by. Dude, this is awesome. I love this place. You guys got it going on. Yeah, we try to. You know, we spend a lot of time here. You might as well enjoy it. I think what I've read about you is you get up into the mountains sometimes and do your writing. You're a getaway write guy. Is that accurate? I need some quiet time, uninterrupted quiet time, which is extremely difficult with three kids, wife, dog. Anybody that works from home knows that as soon as you close that door to your home office,

it's like a magnet. And no one wants to talk to you until you close those doors to work. Then it's dog, wife, kids, everybody wants to talk to you. I don't know what it is, but yeah. Uninterrupted writing time, so maybe that corner up there for a little bit. You can just make yourself at home. We'll actually go somewhere else.

If it's going to provide you something to the world again, I think we will all certainly take that. AJ, he has a door to this office that he's at here. He has a kid named Axel who actually comes up and tries to run his actual face through it every single day. So I'm not at that stage of parenthood yet, but I do understand where you're coming from. Whenever you're writing these things, how long does this take? And I guess that's probably a amateur like question. Nope, nope. About a year and a half or so. There's a little overlap between editing one and starting the next one, but about a year and a half. So when I start, I write, I have a

title because I don't like to waste bandwidth worried about a title, a theme that's going to guide the writing process. And then I write a one page executive summary and I read that and I say, is this worth the next year and a half of my life? And if the answer to that is yes, then I read it again and say, Hey, if someone was walking through the airport and were to go into Hudson news and pull this thing off the shelf and read that synopsis on the back, would that be enough for them to invest time in that they're never going to get back? And if the answer is yes or probably, then I'm all in, turn it into the outline, turn it into the story, and here we have it right now in hardcover. Okay, so when you're writing it all, we appreciate your

time and dedication to this. Are you at this stage, because of the success that Prime's terminal is at, are you writing potentially for a series as well? Or are you just trying to make the best book possible and then let the series kind of take place? Is it hard not to drift into like, oh, this would be a sick scene in Prime? Or is that not something you can dive into? Not really like that, but it's all about the story. So it has to be all about the story. I don't think about reviews or critics or if I'm going to alienate anybody or anything like that. It has to be all about the story. I have to honor the story because people are going to trust me with their time that they're never getting back.

So that's something I take extremely seriously. But the screenwriting side of the house and the show certainly has influenced my writing just because I'm in both worlds now, writing with 100% creative control on this. And then on the screenwriting side of the house, there's so many people involved. But some of those storylines have kind of morphed over a little bit into the last two novels, particularly flashbacks and that sort of a thing. So I think of it in those terms, but not like, oh, this would be a great scene someday for Chris Pratt to be in, and it would be amazing set piece or anything like that. So that doesn't intrude on my thought process. I did hear, though, that you thought Chris Pratt was the proper person for the book, for the series that is about the book.

And that has seemingly been a match made in heaven for the first one. Are we getting another one soon, or what is the process on that all? Yep, so the writer's strike has pushed things to the right a little bit. So we'll see how they deal with the streaming side of the house. They have to deal with that and the AI side of the house. Okay, okay. Whoa, whoa, whoa. All right. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Whoa.

All right. Whoa, whoa, whoa. It's AI thing. All right, so we're going to have to dive into old AI. But you're saying, hold on, what's the expectation, do you think? And have you been given an expectation? Because I think a lot of us who are maybe the most sound readers, I am one of those people, although this book looks delightful.

Look at that. Look at that sunset. Look at how beautiful that is. I mean, you do want to kind of dive into that, AJ, don't you? But I don't know if I have the time, you know, you said like a year and a half audio book potentially, but the show is where I learned of the book. I think probably a lot of people did that and I will continue to kind of digest the next one would be incredible, you know? And you already have all the stories. So it's like we're not waiting on the story.

The brain behind it all is there. Let's hopefully get that done. I think we're all kind of hoping you are too. Yep, so we got about episode, as far as scripts go, five out of seven, and then we had to put pencils down for the writer's strike, and then we'll see how that goes. Then we're going to roll right from that into the second season of Terminalist,

True Believer, my second book. So it's the spinoff season starring taylor kitch uh from friday night lights uh chris pratt will be in a few of those episodes and then right into second book true believer with chris pratt starring in that one your brain's got enough it's going going going are you like one of the most creative humans of all time and have you always been this way i think it's just work yeah it's just putting just putting in the time like putting in the time on the mat if you're a wrestler time in the ring if you're a boxer uh Same thing, just putting the time on that keyboard and reading, building that foundation from that fan's perspective. So you're learning the craft by reading, by being that fan. So it's all about building on that foundation.

AI, what do we? Oh, yeah, yeah, I don't know. What was that sound? What was that? He knows because he knows. He knows. What is that, Pac? What do you think?

You ever thought about putting all your books into AI? Into having AI write them? Write the next book? No, because I think I missed that band. I think the kids coming up now might think that's normal or natural. Definitely not normal or natural. Oh, what are your thoughts on AI? Let's dive into it.

What are your thoughts? So this is interesting because AI Drake, we were introduced to AI Drake. AI Drake is so good. So good. Drake, we were introduced to A.I. Drake. A.I. Drake is so good. So good. Like A.I. Drake made like two songs. It was like huge. And that was when my eyes opened. I'm like, damn, A.I. can actually make some really incredible stuff.

Then you talk about like graphic design, arts, logos. Commercials. Commercials, thoughts, stand-up routines. Tom Brady had one. Crazy. What are your thoughts on it as a man who obviously knows more about stuff than we do? Well, this first writer strike, this is going to be one of the first union strikes that we're going to see that will eventually have to be dealt with with other industries.

So this is a test bed, and we'll see what comes out of it. But from the executive level, it looks like, oh, very financially lucrative to have a machine do these things that I'm paying hundreds of people to do. It's not a matter now of if we should or we could. It's here, and it's about management at this point. So for me, if I ever used AI, it would be more like a research assistant, but definitely not to write or create. It's going to be a tag team partner, I think, at the beginning.

Absolutely. And that's going to be able to do its thing. I mean, the shit we just learned about being able to do for a show as we move on is wild about how we're going to be able to do its thing. I mean, the shit we just learned about being able to do for the show as we move on is wild. How we're going to be able to find stuff that we potentially need. How it's going to be just like an assistant. A splunker. You know, we got Gumpy now.

And you got enough power. Gumpy's been deported to Canada. Unfortunately. Yeah, he's still a part of it. We miss you, Gump. We miss you, Gump. Love you, Gump. Love you, Gump.

Good luck tonight, Gump. But Gump is our internet splunker. He puts the light on whenever we need to find something that has Gump. We miss you, Gump. We miss you, Gump. Love you, Gump. Love you, Gump. Good luck tonight, Gump. But Gump is our internet splunker. He puts the light on whenever we need to find something that has Gump. He goes in. He goes deep. He finds it. He's very good at it. Top of the line at it.

Now, that's important. Hey, we miss you, Gump. We miss you, Gump. Love you, Gump. Look at that beard. Look at that beard, too. I mean, he's a good... Man.

We lost a good guy. He's been kicked out of the country. Pour a little out. Yeah. Have to. Yeah, if we had a little, we certainly should. Oh, man, I should have brought you my whiskey. Got a whiskey.

We got your whiskey. Oh, yeah. Yeah, I'm thinking we do. But he's our internet speaker. You got to have one of those. AI. Gump. Kind of crosses that off.

They are. Maybe he can do something else. Maybe he can be retrained for something else. Yeah, he certainly can be retrained. He can do anything. He could bring the whiskey right now. Yeah, well, he would be great. God, he would love nothing more than to bring the whiskey right now.

Yeah, that might be his thing now. Well, AI does seem to be a powerful weapon. Exactly. But it will never have the ability that you will have. Do you have ideas? Do you write a couple chapters and then you think uh scribble it out it's trash you know like uh marshall mathers or once something gets down it's pretty much we're going with that for now yeah i don't have the uh the uh right now with just how much is going on

uh there's not enough time for me to be able to be like oh that wasn't a great chapter i'm just gonna toss that aside so it's all thus far maybe when I get a little older or something like that and the kids are out of the house and gone then I can afford to write half a book and have it not be good and just toss it into the wind but right now it's I don't really have chapters like that and that's because so much thought I think goes in ahead of time and I have that theme that guides me the entire way so the first one like the show you saw, Revenge Without Constraint. So everything had to tie back to Revenge Without Constraint. He did, didn't he?

I think he was. Wrecked or indirect. Yeah. And Chris Pratt, like we talked about, he was the guy, as I'm sitting, starting to write this thing

in December of 2014, no connections to Hollywood or publishing or agents or anything like that. Chris has not been in Guardians of the Galaxy yet, hasn't been in Jurassic World, none of that stuff.

He's been Andy Dwyer on Parks and Rec. And he had this very small role in Zero Dark Thirty as a SEAL. So I saw him change from this kind of jovial, overweight guy into the SEAL operator and thought, this is the guy that can pull this off. I'm going to give Chris a chance. He needs

this for his career. And then all these years later, he ends up with a book. My friend Jared Shaw gave it to him. SEAL buddy gave it to him. Seal Buddy gave it to him. And he wanted to option it. And off we went to the races. And we're all executive producing it now. And here we go.

What a perfect match it seems to be. Because he's a big outdoorsman too and everything like that. Yeah, he's a good solider. I wanted somebody that was likable on and off screen. Because I thought the audience was going to have to forgive him maybe for some things that he was going to do. Oh, interesting. Yeah. And I wanted somebody that hadn was going to do. Ah. Interesting. Yeah. Yeah.

And I wanted somebody that hadn't done this sort of a thing before. Like I didn't want someone who'd always played an action guy before. So Chris seemed like the exact right person, and he ended up being that person you want to have a beer with, want to have a whiskey with, want to have a coffee with, want to hang out with, and just a solid dude, solid American. What was the mindset going into this one? So this one is truth and consequences.

So everything's kind of been building towards this over the last few novels. So we seem to have lost accountability really across the board in this country. So these are very therapeutic for me to write because my main character can take people out in ways that would put me in prison if I was to actually do things like that. So he gets to hold people accountable. Oh, that's amazing. That's like Jeff Dunham who has the puppets so he can say the jokes. Yep. In the book, he's like, all right, let's build up a situation that is really grinding my

gears. That's it. That's it. So truth and consequences in this one. So everything comes to a head. There's some very interesting interrogation techniques in all of the books, but this one is particularly brutal everything comes to a head there's some very uh interesting interrogation techniques in all the books but this one is particularly brutal go ahead aj how fun is it for you to come up with different ways to kill bad people on the show especially and in the books like no i don't know how much crosses into reality or whatever's happening i'm just thinking of the

dude with the uh telephone pole strapped to his body when he's out in the ocean from criminal list all those different ways like that like you're gonna be pretty creative to think a lot of those things is that is that enjoyable to go around and really spitball those ideas that is that is you got to get creative with it and that's what you're doing on the battlefield really is uh you're solving problems aggressively and oftentimes violently so that's uh it's just very natural for me to also do on the page but if i mess something up on the page it's there's the consequences aren't nearly as dire no one's coming home in a body bag. I can get up the next morning and tweak it a little bit, make something that was okay, make it great.

But on that particular one right there, so that log scene in the show wasn't in the book. That was Jared Shaw, my buddy, wanting to tie something in from SEAL training where we're running around with those logs all the time in buds. You might have seen that on TV. Yes. And we wanted to take that and tie that character's death into that training and into that brotherhood, into that foundation that we all share. And so that's where that one came from. But a lot of them are tied to history, like the scene where he gets eviscerated. Disemboweled.

And he walks around. So that was in the book. And in the book, I give a little history of where that came from. And then in the show, it was something that Amazon was a little nervous about. So having that in there. And it was because you send these scripts up the chain and they come back down with notes. So then you have discussions and they were a little nervous about that one, but they let us film it.

And it ended up being the one that put, it was all over the billboards in LA with Chris holding that Winkler Tomahawk right there as he's about to cut this guy open. So it ended up, ended up working out for everybody. So he said, based on reality, and I think we talked about this, because you're a Navy SEAL sniper,

hey, your resume in the military is a real fucking deal. You know what I mean? Just like in, and obviously what you're doing, much more serious, much more honorable, admirable, courageous. I could go on for a bunch of words, and I don't have a lot of words.

I'm not an author. But there's a bunch of words, and I don't have a lot of words. I'm not an author. But there's a lot of words that describe the military. So everything that you signed a line to do, there's a lot of us motherfuckers that would never be able to sign that line. So let alone to go on and become Navy SEAL and top of class. And you talked about that training thing you got to do at Bud's? Yeah.

Yeah, I think that was one of the ones I saw. I was like, yeah, I'm never going to be able to fucking do that. No chance. Because old Pat's going to say, I'm done. You know what I mean? So like you have been an incredibly accomplished lack of a better soldier, like soldier almost, right?

And I don't know if that's the proper word. I don't want to disrespect you, but you don't see a lot of people that are able to be that accomplished in one field. Especially one that is as serious, as pressure-packed, as potentially traumatic, than to be able to pivot and have success in another place. How much of your story do you use integrative? And you said it's like therapy for this. I would assume it is pretty nice to

get a lot of your thoughts out in this PTSD world that we're currently in with a lot of vets. I'm not putting this on you, but in that world that a lot of people struggle with. Yeah, no, I was very lucky that I knew exactly what I wanted to do from a very early age, serve my country in uniform specifically as a SEAL. But then also after that- Family SEALs or what? My grandfather was killed in World War II. So I grew up with his, he was a pilot, Corsair pilot, which was the planes that had the wings that would fold up so you could fit them on aircraft carriers. So he had his maps that they gave aviators back then, silk maps. I had his wings. I had

his medals. I had his photos of him and his squadron. So I knew I was going to the military at a very early age and then found out about SEALs at age seven and did a bunch of research, found out that by going out of the library that they were touted as some of the most elite special operations forces in the world. And then that the training was some of the toughest ever devised by a modern military. So I was in. They had me at age seven, and that's what I wanted to do. And then at age 10, I really started reading the same books that my parents were reading, certainly by age 11. My mom was a librarian, so I grew up surrounded by books and a love of reading.

And for those who grew up in the 80s, they'll remember that most of the protagonists, main characters in books and on TV and in films, they had a background in Vietnam as like a a navy seal army special forces marine sniper cia paramilitary uh so it would give them the skills now in the 80s when they're a private investigator or a cop or a stuntman or whatever they are for their tv show movie or book that would allow them to solve these problems because they had that skill set so i started reading all those books in the 80s by all these masters of the genre. And that was really my education in the art of storytelling. So, uh, so I had that foundation, knew what I wanted to do. And I was also a student of warfare for my entire life.

Still am today, because really what I want to do is be a better operator and a better leader every single day in the SEAL teams than I was the day before. You want to earn that Trident. That's that pin that we wear. You want to earn that trident every single day. I've built that my whole life and now I want to be a better author for this next book that I'm writing now than I was for this book. I want the next sentence to be better than the one before. So this book stinks compared to the next one? Well, that's the goal. For the next one to be better.

Always improving. I don't know, bro. I mean, you somehow are doing that. Hey, this dude's an alien, huh? This guy's like a super special. Real legit. This is legit talent worth sharing. I would say so. How many books are you going to write? Do you have any kind of end goal? Not really. I'm not against

bringing the series to an end at some point if that's what honors the story because it has to all be about that story. Ted Lasso just said this to Rich Eisen. He said, we're not just going to have another season just to have another season. Have you struggled with that or can you make any story go? Not yet, because there are so many ideas that I want to explore. And our senior-level military leaders and elected representatives in politics give me a lot to work with as far as antagonists and bad guys and this therapy that I'm talking about.

So I don't think I'm ever going to run out of ideas or storylines or people to dispose of in very creative ways. This isn't live, is it? No, no. Dump it. Dump it. Dump it. We this isn't live is it we're not on espn we're not sell lots uh ty has a question for you so speaking of all that stuff and writing the books like have you considered at all at this point like writing your own features since now you are you know on like the other side of it you're working for amazon or is it difficult because you feel like there's so much stuff you want to still explore with the James Reese character and I'm I assume writing the books now is much easier than it was when you first started writing them maybe not but I just feel like like this character's clearly like a big part of you you know you probably feel like it's almost like another side of you but like have you considered maybe when either right now or when that's done, writing your own features just independently?

So I have, and there may be a couple things in the works. Oh! You got a sports show in there? You got a sports show in there? But, yeah, I can't announce it yet because we're not quite there yet and things are on pause because of the writer's strike. So we'll see when that gets all finished here, see what we pick back up. But, yes, there are some other ideas in the works

outside of the James Reese universe. If you need a sports program to get violently murdered by you, please let us know. Whatever you need. We will certainly eat whatever. We'd love to add to it. We are certainly a group that you can dream up a reason for why somebody wrote it. That'll be easy light work for you.

Tone has a question for you, Jack. Yeah, I believe we talked about it a little bit when you were on last time, but we didn't dive in deep enough for me. You said you did a lot of research on AI and in the military. Is that correct? And what's the future look like for that? Yeah, so this last book, the one right before this is called In the Blood. And I went deep down the rabbit hole on AI and quantum computing because I didn't know anything about that from my

time in the military. Just like the one before that, it's called The Devil's Hand. And I didn't really know much about bioweapons research or what they call biodefense research to get around some conventions associated with those kind of weapons. So I went deep down the rabbit hole there. And in both instances, quantum computing and AI and the national security implications and where we are as far as that goes, and the bioweapons research, you have to interview a lot of people. And each one of them, because it's the national security space and they're all very close hold, they'll give you a little morsel and then that's it. But if you talk to enough people, they all give you a different morsel. And so you can put this puzzle together, especially if you do your research ahead of time and have a foundation in which to ask questions and then

build upon. So I would be very shocked if what I described in that last book, as far as AI and quantum computing, isn't almost exactly as described in real life. Are you doing life spoilers in this house? But also things are moving so fast. So that was a year ago. So we're probably light years ahead of that. You got A.I. Drake in that book? You got A.I. Drake, but I need to work him in at some point.

A.I. Beatles too, bro. Adam in. A.I. Prince. Next time. Well, then they got the holograms too of people. Yeah. So you can actually have concerts from old people with new songs. That's wild.

Tupac. That's amazing. Is it? It sounds like you're saying no. I don't know. I'd have to see it. Yeah, you're the one who did all the research, though. You're talking about...

Mine is national security space, not necessarily AI Drake or Tupac, but getting ahead of China, essentially our main competitor when it comes to AI. Well, they got those balloons. Yeah, they got balloons. That's true. That's true. I mean, I see hot air balloons fly over the lake all the time. I mean, what is that?

It's easy. Way ahead. That's no problem. They're still using balloons. Come on. What are we talking about? Wake up. We have AI Drake.

Exactly. Yes. We don't know what computer created that. We're not 100% sure if it was ours, but here in America we can get it. Great computer either way. Yeah, yeah. You scared? You scared for the future because of it?

I'm concerned for the future for not really AI specific reasons, but more so for a generation growing up that hasn't put the requisite time, energy, and effort into studying the past in order to make decisions in the present that are going to affect future generations. So more so in that respect, that we're distracted by 15-second videos and not necessarily respecting and appreciating what was sacrificed so we could have these options. Now you can Google these answers and then answer them at the top. You don't even need to Google it anymore. We ask our AI assistant. Google is an AI. Oh yeah, I saw that. Actually called and made a hair appointment

for somebody. Hi, I was wondering if Lisa could get a haircut at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 2nd or something. Pretty absurd. Hey, there we go. They think how wonderful life is going to be with our hair appointments taken care of. How much time we're going to have. You're right, Jack. You're telling these people to do more research.

It's like, excuse me, I got a phone. Set up a haircut for me. Sorry you guys couldn't figure this out. Exactly. Hence my worry. There is so much of that. Pac-Man has a question for you, Jack. Jack, the seal test. We was talking last time when he was on the show. Can you tell us a couple things that you have to do to go through to be on the seals? I need some whiskey. Oh, my goodness. Here you go. you have to do to go through to be on this list i need some whiskey oh my goodness oh man oh it's coming nice so the other the main test so there's tests every every day essentially um but every

week there's a timed run there's a timed swim there's a timed obstacle course and there's other things in there how far is this one uh it's two nautical miles i believe every week and you have to improve your your time in the ocean it's the ocean, yeah. Oh, open water, yeah. Sharks, yeah. Well, the sharks are off of San Clemente Island. That's where you spend your last month. Oh, yeah, they just hang out in one area, yeah. And there's like a triangle of death, and actually it's their breeding ground.

And so your swim times get a lot faster once you get out to that island and do that. But the main test. Oh, man, this is awesome. I got a little frog. Oh, man, thank you. Oh, man, let's have a little sip of this. Thank you. Thank you, guys.

Awesome to be here. Cheers. Thank you. Cheers. So the main test, though, is called Hell Week, and there's 80% attrition overall, typically, throughout the course. And it's six months, but the Hell Week starts on a Sunday morning, ends on a Friday afternoon.

That's where you get most of your 80% attrition. So by the time you wake up Sunday morning and then go to sleep on Friday, you've gotten two hours-ish on Wednesday, two hours on Friday, but you're in a horrible little tent on the beach and you're just... How old? How old are most people? So you're between 18 and let's say, I think the oldest you can be is like 27, 28 without a waiver. But most people are about 19, 20, 21. How old were you when you were 22? I was 22. 22. Yeah.

I was old man. But no, there were some guys that were older. But you want to do it much older than that because I hear that the body just can't really take staying up a whole week. And you're carrying those logs the whole time, carrying these boats on your head the whole time. You're on the verge of hyperthermia. Hey, that's never going to stop, right? Because we do get worried about the next generation. We're always going to have those motherfuckers, right?

We're always going to have those? Let's hope so. I mean, you never know how they trickle down, how the standards are changed to meet some sort of a goal or whatever. So I don't know. I hope not. Sounds like you're pumped. But I don't think that you couldn't create that kind of a program today.

Same thing with the Special Forces Q Corps, Army Ranger. So if you were to create this program today, you'd walk in and you'd talk to a commanding officer of some sort, an admiral, whatever, and say, hey, I want to create this, in this case, a SEAL team. I want to have this six-month training program where every now and again someone's going to die, but we're going to have this thing called Hell Week. We're going to keep them awake for an entire week, and we're going to have them on the verge of hypothermia, and we're going to get 80% attrition, and we're going to see who's tough enough to make it through this thing. You couldn't brief that today and get the thumbs up on it.

The only reason that these programs exist is because they're legacy programs, and they've existed for so long. So will they exist into the future without changes? I don't know. We've seen the benefit of it though, right? I think so. So we just kind of forget about it?

You think that's kind of what the problem is? I think they need more people but you have less people coming in because you have parents and people that are

16, 17, 18 watching us leave Afghanistan and ask the question we had 20 years to prepare for this eventuality and this is the best the United States could do.

Maybe as a parent I'm not going to encourage my child. In fact, I might discourage them from going in. So we have a recruiting problem right now, and only time will tell. Those recruiters at the mall were awesome. Yeah, solid. The recruiters at the mall were awesome. How close were you? No, I was going to get into sports.

I'm not tough enough. I knew that. They didn't get you, those mall recruiters? I was going to get into sports. I'm not tough enough. They didn't get you, those mall recruiters? I signed my friend up, actually. Showed up at the house. Nice. Sister of kid cried her eyes out, thought he was going. He was going away? Yeah, and I was actually there as

it happened. Had to be like, this is a whole mistake. I'm so sorry. They didn't leave with him right there. They didn't walk out. No, and he had a back issue. I believe he wasn't actually able to do like, this is all a mistake. I'm so sorry. They didn't leave with him right there. They didn't walk out. He had a back issue. I believe he wasn't actually able to do it. I did watch the whole situation unfold and it was a thousand percent my fault. I felt like a bad guy.

That's pretty good though. Thank you. Not bad. Solid move. Address, birth date, everything. It was because how adamant the recruiter was and how much I respected. I didn't hate the recruiter. the recruiter was and how much I respected the recruiter. I didn't hate the recruiter. The recruiter was a good person, but felt like the only way to get out of this

is if there's a successful operation here. So I signed Chris Larman up for the Air Force, and it just kind of... Has he been in for, what, 15, 20 years now? Yeah, he never did. I felt terrible about that one afterwards. I stopped that whole gimmick. But that feels like that's not a real thing anymore.

Is that because people aren't – I go to the mall, I don't see a single – No, yeah. I don't see a single – like how does the military kind of get up with recruiting? I don't know. That is a good question. But they have the recruiting stations, and I think they still go to places, and they do the recruiting. Go to high school.

High schools and colleges and stuff like that. Ohio, I guess. You just got to go to Ohio. Yeah, just stay in Ohio. Just give us every kid in Ohio. You said Maverick probably recruited. Yeah, Maverick, like got to go to Ohio. Just stay in Ohio. Just give us every kid in Ohio. He's at Maverick probably. Yeah, Maverick. I assume that actually did quite a bit. Because I know the original

top. In the 80s it did. I don't know about this last one. How did you feel about this motion show? It was awesome. This last one was so much fun to get back in the theater and watch that movie. I had a blast. Do you think about whenever you see those planes turn that corner in the valley with the creek? And I assume that's real, right? Yeah, DC was piling them. Are they able those planes turn that corner in the valley with the creek.

And I assume that's real, right? Yeah, DC was following them. Are they able to do that? I'm not sure. I don't know much about that sort of thing, but it looks awful like Star Wars, like into the Death Star, kind of going through all those things. Yeah.

Yeah, X-Wing fighter, very similar. But, I mean, with such high expectations for that movie, Skydance did it. They did an amazing job with that one. I mean, knocked it out of the park. When you have expectations that high from something that was so iconic back in 1986 and then you knock it out of the park in the way that... First movie back, too, after

COVID, pretty much. Legit saved the theater industry. Who said that? That's what Steven Spielberg told me. Steven Spielberg, I saw that. You talked to a bunch of other show writers and people like that? Are you guys in a little community? Yeah, a little bit.

I just open some doors. And once you are an executive producer on something, just like in any other industry, people talk. And if you've added value to a show or to a film or whatever it might be, people talk. So it has opened a few doors. Any random text from people, you're like, holy shit. There was a cool one.

A cool one. I don't get starstruck too often, you know. But Fester Stallone wanted to talk. Rocky! Yeah. So that was close. As a child of the 80s, you know, growing up with Rocky and Rambo, like this was a huge deal for me.

And so I do the Zoom thing, and I'm trying to act cool and take a little picture off to the side so I can do that. But he wanted to talk about a project. And I'll tell you what. He was kind. He was wise. He was humble. He was funny. And he was just, I mean, exceeded all expectations and was so awesome.

Yeah, amazing. Everything. He's got a reality show coming on, I do believe. Yeah, no, that's a documentary. He does have a reality show about his family though and his daughters. Action coming out. Yeah, I saw it the other day because they just had Rocky's face. And then his whole family, we are the new reality show.

But what a great role model for a kid growing up. You see that. I mean, you're knocked down. Rocky, I mean, all those iconic characters that he played during the 80s. But specifically, Rocky, what a great lesson to teach kids. Do you feel an obligation to do that with some of your stuff? Well, I hope I'm doing that with some of it because people are drawn to those kind of characters,

and we're all getting knocked down in life. So if you have a character that gets knocked down, you can somehow feel a kinship to through whether it's a written word or it's on the screen, and you can identify with that. And then when you're in that tough place, it helps you, even if it's just by a degree. I mean, Rocky, I think, helped people more than just by a degree yeah because it would transform lives yeah i think it did i think it really did so i've been uh approached a couple times

now that our show has gotten so dumbly large our show is so fucking stupid jackie do you know that well i don't i mean stupid large you mean or bingo part of it and. And it's all, everything about it, Jack. Very dumb. Look at you. You're sitting on a roller table that would probably break at any moment that we just put a little tarp over top. A little dicey. Yeah, exactly. A little bit.

The wheel stopper thing doesn't even work. Maybe with the new deal, they can lock the wheels or something. No, because if we do that, then we're changing everything. And sell out. Yeah, exactly, Jack. You get it. I saw. Yeah, you get it, Jack.

Yeah, I got absolutely slaughtered for that, but I've been approached to write some books now. Nice. They're asking me if I'd like to write a book, and that's a lot of time, and I have a lot of respect for the people that do it, because I know the amount of effort. Now, I've read a couple of these children's books, because I got a baby. These motherfuckers need not say they

are creative or talented at all. These stories are terrible. You know, I, if I didn't read these stories myself, if I would have met somebody that was a child's author at a thing, I would have thought immediately very talented human being. I would just naturally done that.

Then you read the story. You're like, okay, what the hell? We can do 50 of these literally by tomorrow. If we had to. Yeah. Yeah.

Later this afternoon. But I want to, I think like hard work needs to be something that is kind of like championed again. Don't you think that's kind of something? Oh, yeah. I mean, that's why Mike Rowe is doing such great work with what he does. Jocko's books. Jocko's books.

Exactly. Way of the Warrior Kid. Really? I didn't know that. I need to look into that. But I've been asked, if you wanted to write something that was like a tale or something, what would it be about? I think hard work would be a cool thing.

That's it? I think there is a generation that's getting back to it, and I think everything's cyclical. But there came a time where people were like, no, I'm not doing that. And that became a cool thing to not want to work. It's like, what are we here for? Aren't we here to do stuff, get better, grow? Exactly.

I can guarantee that if you don't put in the hard work, you're not going to get where you want to go. But I can't guarantee even if you do put it in that you're going to get there. But if you don't, you're certainly not going to get where you want to go. So it's a it. Yeah, it's tough when people don't want to put in that hard work or you have Instagram and you have these expectations of things happening immediately. Overnight seeing a second snapshot of all these people. It's an advertisement, whether it's somebody's personal account or a business account. It's all an advertisement. It's all getting trying to elicit some sort of a reaction from you. So,

and very few of them are talking about putting in that work. Jocko being an example of somebody who does, but you talk about like the Kardashians, they work their fucking asses. Like their work is not like anywhere near saving the world, but that's like, they are working to get all that. And I think people just see him talking about like drama and bullshit but that's like, they are working to get all that. And I think people just see him talking about drama and bullshit.

It's like, yeah, to get to that point, the amount of storytelling and effort that has had to go into that whole thing. And I think it just kind of gets passed over by a lot of people. And it's like, I'm looking at my daughter right now, who's a couple weeks old, and I'm like, I want her to be sweet, I want her to be a nice person, I want her to be a thankful person, but also like,

I would like this, I would like her to be a hardworking person. You know what I mean? That is almost something I find very important. So it's amazing thinking about how much influence you have with these books. And it's interesting to hear you kind of shape the thoughts in your head. And do you judge the children's authors, children's books authors? I mean, it's been a while because the kids are a little older right now. But they certainly have their place. Which one did you read like good night moon or what are you

reading it was peter cottontail i think classic no character development well you know no nothing and they say well the the baby can't understand it's like well i can this is crop yeah This is absolute crop. AJ, for Jack Carr. Go ahead, Carl. Jack, I was wondering if people send you garbage scripts and garbage ideas for books. Like now you're such an accomplished writer. Are people sending you stuff all the time trying to get you to collaborate?

They are. And, yeah, there's so much going on right now. It's hard to just say that I can't run out of time to read this because some of them might be great. But, yeah, there's a lot of incoming these days, a lot of asks. New friends. But I feel very fortunate that I'm in that position every single day. I feel extremely fortunate. But, yeah, there's a lot of incoming, I would say. Once that stops, though.

Exactly, exactly. Once that stops. But, yeah, I have a lot of my own projects that I'm juggling right now. So luckily, it's not something that I'm sifting through day by day. But there is a lot incoming. And I appreciate it. You stay in shape with all this shit you do? Not really.

Not really. If you mean staying up late and drinking whiskey, getting up early, drinking coffee, it's just how it goes. Caffeine in the morning, a little booze at night? You don't want to flip those. So as soon as I flip those, then that's when I need to take a pop. People sit you down in a room and care about you. Say, hey, we've been meaning to talk. At least you know,

though. At least I know if I flip those, then it's time to take a breath and reevaluate some things. So you diet or you just don't eat or what do you do? So, let's see. Sleep, nutrition, and workouts fell to the bottom of the priority list and by that I mean pretty much off the priority list because there's so many things going on.

But I'll get back to it at some point. But right now it's not. Yeah, you earned this, though. You earned the ability not to sleep and take care of yourself. The all-nighters are tougher, though, now at this stage. Like the last – every book I've done a couple all-nighters. This one, I did three all-nighters over about a week and a half time period. Different than just three years ago.

Three years ago, I could pull an all-nighter, no big deal. You're old, bro. You see all the gray in there. Yeah, a lot of it. Yeah, a little more. A lot of success. A little more gray. So it's, yeah.

Got a spinoff show already. Yeah. Spinoff show. Got a spinoff show. Yeah, it's good. Got one show. Spinoff show is looking good. It's the more international espionage.

Like the first show was like a revenge thriller, conspiracy thriller, action thriller. This one with Taylor Kitsch and Chris Pratt's in them as well but this is more international espionage taking Taylor Kitsch's character Ben Edwards from the SEAL teams into the CIA and going international it's good but good news is

he's doing all his research on the CIA so we'll be able to learn a lot of stuff about the CIA which a lot of people immediately go what is it? what's going on? so now he's going to do a full interview process learn a lot of stuff about CIA, which a lot of people immediately go, what is it? What are they? So now he's going to do a full interview process, and he's going to have it all in there. So thank you for making us all much smarter.

Well, and speaking of that, there's a new nonfiction coming out, too, so about a year and a half, and working on that with a historian, Pulitzer Prize finalist, James Scott, amazing guy, writes primarily about World War II, but my first nonfiction is part of a series, first one, exploring the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing in Beirut, Lebanon, where the Marines lost more people in a single day than they'd lost since Iwo Jima in World War II. So diving into that, there's some newly declassified documents from the Reagan administration that talk about who was advocating to put Marines ashore in Beirut,

Reagan administration that talk about who was advocating to put Marines ashore in Beirut, who wanted to keep them on amphib ships, how that decision was made, how the decision was made to leave Beirut after that happened in early 1984. So those are all becoming docu-series. So we'll see about that, but it's a book for sure at this point. And that's coming out in about a year and a half. Definitely going to become a docu-series. You are, you're a wizard, bro. I don't know how you have enough time.

I guess you're pulling all nighters. Three all-nighters to do this book. Oh, also, I'm telling a whole story that nobody ever told before. That's pretty pivotal to our American history and everything else. Oh, yep, got a movie feature coming out as well. Oh, spin-off. Oh, this one. International CIA stuff.

Oh, and then also still got James Reese. It's unbelievable what you're accomplishing right now. Thank you. Well, same with you guys. You guys are crushing it. I love seeing you guys. It's awesome what you're accomplishing right now. Thank you. Well, same with you guys. You guys are crushing it. I love seeing you guys. It's awesome. So we covered AI. There's also a lot of reports

of alien activity around military bases. Have you talked about any of that in your travels, interviews, everything that you've gone through in your life? Anything you could dive into with us about that? Right now, breaking news. Yeah, other than it just being so incredible that it's in the news. People are in front of Congress testifying about things.

And it's just like a blip on all our radar. If this had happened in 1985, 1990, this is all we would be talking about right now. That there is the possibility that aliens have been visiting us since whenever. And now we're just like, oh, yeah, aliens. Okay, and what's next? That is the part. That's what it is. So that's how you view it, huh?

You view aliens have been visiting us for a long time. Well, I don't know. I don't know. We'll see. That's what I just heard. What's crazy is that it's just like another thing in the news. It's just like another thing. It's not the only thing.

It should be probably the only thing we're talking about. Jack, look at this. Who's this guy? That was at Zuckerberg's trial. Breathing out of his ear. Oh, I've seen pictures of this guy. So you know Jack. What is that?

Is this AI generated though? Oh, fake clips. Has there been any alien interaction in this thing? When you do your CIA interview process, you said you've got to be fully researched to go into your interview, so you're asking actual questions. Have you started that already, I assume you have?

Not on the alien stuff, because I don't have a book coming out on alien stuff yet, but if I did... But CIA stuff. But CIA stuff, oh yeah. So this goes... Luckily, I have a little bit of a background there. A little of something. Yeah. The research that needs to be done

there is more confirmation rather than anything else, because even if you've been a part of something for a while, and I was just attached to them for a little bit in Iraq back in the day. Who's that? Up to the agents of the CIA. So now it's not in the CIA, just attached to them for a little bit. So now it's more confirmation than it is actual research and trying to draw things out. It's more like, was I remembering that right? And I know who to reach out to to confirm a lot of these things.

We want Zero Dark Thirty is about the CIA side. Yeah, a lot of CIA stuff in there, SEAL stuff in there, but mostly CIA. Yeah, that's from, I think, the CIA's angle. That's their angle. Yeah, I think so. Right? And then the way they portray the SEALs working alongside of them, trying to snoop around but not really being in,

that's kind of what you're talking about, confirming information. Like, hey, the things we thought that we were kind of thinking was going on with them, we are now learning, yeah, everything we thought was accurate. Yeah, well, CIA in general, you can go back and look at, it's quite the history, quite the history. Yeah, but we know nothing about it really. Well, just go to the mid-'70s church hearings and Pike Committee hearings where a lot of overreach by different institutions in our federal government, particularly the CIA, were exposed in front of Congress. And there were changes made, but to think that those changes were institutionalized to a way where they wouldn't encroach on our civil liberties again, that's wishful thinking.

So you served our country, but you're kind of an outlaw it feels like you've never been much of a what do they call a rule follower um but i think we go back this is the this is the uh popular culture the influence of popular culture because back in the late 70s there was a show called black sheep squadron starring robert conrad as pappy boynton who was a marine corsair pilot which is what my grandfather was the wings photo exactly exactly so They're in the South Pacific and Robert Conrad portraying Pappy Boynton. They're drinking and they're fighting. I liked that leadership style.

At that age, I think that really did have an impact on my leadership style going forward. Somewhere I had a disdain for authority just ingrained in me. I'm not sure exactly where it came from, but it's probably it. It's probably Stunk Boss. A little slacky if I'm not sure exactly where it came from, but it's probably it. It's probably Stone Cold Steve Austin. A little slacky if I was to really think about it.

Yeah, the real anti-authority narrative in Jack Carr's books and everything is from Stone Cold Steve Austin. I need to send him a book. Well, hey, listen. I would assume he's a massive fan of what you got cooking. How could you not be? You're an impressive human being. We're very thankful that you stopped by.

The more information you spill into these papers and into these books, we will be grateful for it, and we will support, pal. Man, thank you so much. I sincerely appreciate it. It's so fun to hang out with you guys. You're going to be in Franklin, Indiana tonight. That's it. And you're going to be in Des Moines, Iowa on Wednesday, which is Minyana.

And then June 4th, you'll be in New Jersey. That's it. So we got Franklin, Indiana tonight, Des Moines, Iowa tomorrow night, and then New Jersey in a week or whatever. Go see it. What are those books? So this is going to surprise you. Yeah.

I've never been to one of these book hangout sessions. This is my shocked face right here. Yeah, but you're a Navy SEAL, though. So what the fuck? And a CIA. Yeah, that's right. And CIA or whatever. So what is it? And CI. And CI or whatever. So what is it? Everybody just kind of buys your book,

you sign it for them, and then it's a meet and greet? That is the... Pretty much. Like last night, there was about 425 people in the forum. Yeah, it was packed. All of your single seats. That was the max capacity. You earned that. Appreciate it. So do a little talk up on stage

and then do a question and answer and then do a little signing thing in line and get to talk to people and say thank you. What I like about it is that I get to say thank you because without people buying the book, reading the book, telling a friend, I wouldn't get to do what I love to do, which is the writing. That's my passion, taking care of my family. It's my mission. Both those things come together. That's my purpose going forward. So I just love to be able to shake somebody's hand, look them in the eye and say thank you for supporting this effort because it means the world to me.

And I'm assuming they say like, yeah, you're right. You should be thanking them. You're welcome. You're welcome. You're welcome. Yeah. You serve your country. You've created some of the greatest things that have made me occupy time and motivate me.

But, yeah, you're welcome, Jack. Is that what it is all night? Pretty much. About 425 people. Or 24. We'd like to say thank you. Okay, Jack. Is that what it is all night? Pretty much. About 425 people. Yeah. 424. We'd like to say thank you. Okay, Jack. We appreciate the hell out of you.

Connor would also like to say thank you to a special company here before we roll out of this beautiful, incredible Tuesday, May 23rd, 2023. That was really cool. You stopped by, Jack. Go ahead, Connor. Today's show is sponsored by the best ticket app on planet Earth and the moon. Jack, what do you know about the moon? I'm about to learn a lot right now, I think, Connor. Today's show is sponsored by the best ticket app on planet Earth and... The Moon! Oh, Jack, what do you know about the Moon? I'm about to learn a lot right now, I think.

No, well... Almost. Good ad read. I respect that. Sure. I respect that. SeatGeek is the number one rated ticketing app with over 28 million downloads. They have a special link just for this program. For a limited time, you can get 15% off NFL tickets with the link in the show description. It works

whether you're a first-time buyer or not. No code. Just click the link in the description. Hell yeah. And if there were to have ticketed events on the moon, SeatGeek would be the app to use up there. Are we going to be on the moon soon? Why did we go to the moon one time and then we haven't been able to be back? What's that all about? That is a good question. We're going to have to ask

the CIA guys about that one. Hell yeah, we'll have to ask them. What about Jeff Epstein? Jack, anything on him? Is he in your books? Do you draw up any Jeff Epstein characters to get fucking murdered? I think it might be in the future because it's such a target. Truth and consequences, this book.

A lot of that. Oh, here's something I read about one time you would know a better answer than me. You guys train those dolphins, right? Yeah. Navy SEAL dolphins? Oh, yeah. Like, they're a real deal.

Oh, yeah. Weapons. The mammal program. Yeah, so it might have changed. My information may be dated on that. But, yeah, really cool program. Mammal program, which includes the dolphins, and they're incredible. Yeah, they do anti-combat swimmer operations and swimming against the dolphins,

meaning you're training the dolphins. You're just underwater with your rebreather on going to a ship or something to put a limpet mine on it and they send those dolphins down to go hit you and they uh what they would have in real life on their on their nose is like a like a shotgun shell with some air in it or something like that or it's a co2 cartridge that's it so you hit somebody hit a combat swimmer under the water and it gives them an embolism, and up they go. I didn't really do too much with them, so that's mostly from my research. But there they are right there.

Look at that. Hey, they're like dogs, dude. Yeah. I learned about these dolphins from an equipment manager for the Indianapolis Colts. He had just read it, I think, in a newspaper. He just happened upon an article about this thing, and he couldn't wait to get the information out of his mouth, and I happened to be the next person he talked to.

He's like, you should see what they're doing with dolphins. And I'm like, what do you mean what they're doing with dolphins? He's like, I just read it. Look. He like handed me the article. He's like, look, they're training these dolphins to swim around the ships that we have out at sea. And then I didn't know it was the CO2 that they actually hit.

I think it is. I think it was like a dye. I heard it was like a dye that they had on their thing. So whenever they hit somebody that was trying to put a bomb, not only do they break a rib and obviously fuck them up, but then a die goes to the top of the water, and they're able to, like, something must be here. And they're like, yeah, the dolphins are the secret weapon of basically every ship that we have out at sea.

I was mind-blown by it. Because it makes sense. Because do you talk to the dolphin? Do you have a dorsal fin? You go, ee, ee, ee. You know, Jim Carrey, that whole thing. They're a real deal. Dolphins are a real deal out there. I don't know what the program's like now, but it's pretty cool.

We got these millennial dolphins. They don't fuck. Jack, I can't take you with these millennial dolphins. I know. I know. A whole program down the tubes. Let's give away some books.

Let's do it. Here we go. Look at this. Book is still right, let's give away some books. Let's do it. All right, well, I got to make a shot. Oh, hell yeah. Oh, here we go. Look at this. Book is still available, right? Book is still available. Very available. Very available right now.

Are we on the bestseller list yet for this one? Find out tomorrow. Find out tomorrow. Here we go. Let's get on it. Hell yeah. Let's do it. Let's do it.

Hell yeah, you're on it. I got to make a shot here, Jeff. Let's do it. Let's see this. Hello, booze. What? No, vitamin. What?

Oh, no. Let's do it. Let's see this. Hello, booze. What? What? Oh, no. Oh! That was close. Gotta make it. Give away books for the betterment of the world. Yeah, I like that. I'll go with it. Only the Dead. A thriller from Jack Carr.

The most recent version of the Terminalist series. Sixth. Sixth. Nice. Sixth installment. There it is. It's a big book. That's the longest one thus far and the most brutal.

The date. 559 pages here. Dang. That's a lot. That's a lot of words. A lot of words. Jack, you got a Bible. But you can use it as a blunt impact weapon if need be or a doorstop.

Or a doorstop. How about this? This was smart marketing here too, this thing. Yep. Yep. That thing is sweet. Well, I always thought, you know, hey, my iPhone doesn't come in just a manila envelope. You know, it'd be the same device, but it comes in a package that as much thought has

gone into that packaging as goes into that phone itself. Did we take the book out of there already? Open that thing. This thing showed up at our office. Oh, look at that. Yep. There it is. Oh, yeah. So you got the coin in there. Did we take the book out of there already? Open that thing. This thing showed up at our office. Look at that. Yep, there it is. Oh, yeah. So you got the coin in there.

There we go. You got a little letter in there, a little other bookmark at the book, and inside, signed to you. Appreciate you, Jack. Yeah, you got stuff in there.

Is that for sale or only like marketed? Just, this is just, most of them go out to people who'd have no sort of social media presence or anything, just as thank yous.

Friends, yeah. So yeah, these are just for people that I want to send them to to say thank you. So that's you guys. What a guy. Weapon. Nice. Thank you. Appreciate everything.

You're one-on-one, Jack. You're literally one-on-one. Here's to you, pal. Here's. Make a shot. Make this shot. Oh, no, Jack. Oh.

Oh. Let's go. Let's get it. Oh! Let's go! Fifteen books. Only the dead. The latest installment from Jack Carr, the incredibly brilliant Navy SEAL, who's a badass, who has not only entertained us, but protected us all, and will do so

going forward. You're the man. We appreciate the hell out of you. To everybody that watches, thank you for allowing us to do this every single day. We'll be back tomorrow with a massive Wednesday. Coach McDermott from the Buffalo Beals. Also another big time guest. Not in studio, not as big as Jack Carr, but should be a blast. Be a friend, tell a friend something

nice. Goodbye!