The Ringer NFL Show - 'Hard Knocks' Goes to Cleveland and New York's Top Receiver Is Back | GM Street (Ep. 265)

Episode Date: May 21, 2018

The Ringer’s Michael Lombardi and Tate Frazier discuss how legalized gambling will impact the NFL (03:45), Baker Mayfield and the Browns being featured on HBO's 'Hard Knocks' (11:45), and Odell Beckham Jr. attending OTAs (15:45) while key players such as Tom Brady, Aaron Donald, and Julio Jones did not (17:30). Then, the show wraps up with talk of the sale of the Carolina Panthers (24:00), the Alliance of American Football (28:00), and Nashville hosting the 2019 NFL draft (31:00). Credits: Hosted by: Michael Lombardi and Tate Frazier Produced by: Jim Cunningham Brought to you by: The Ringer Podcast Network Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On today's episode of GM Street, we will discuss gambling and what it means for the NFL and Roger Goodell's response. We're going to hit the Cleveland Browns making their HBO debut on Hard Knocks. And we're also going to talk about the budding rivalry between Baker Mayfield and Josh Rosen. And as always, we are part of the Ringer podcast network where the Ringer NBA show has you covered for the playoffs. Check out our new music podcast as well on Shuffle hosted by Micah Peters as well as our yummy new food podcast, the Dave Chang show. And of course, be sure to check out the ringer.com where we have Westworld coverage.

The NBA takes that'll give you all the spice you need and more. And now, let's get on with GM Street. Welcome to GM Street part of the Ringer podcast network. It is Monday. It is May 21st, and it is a dreary day in Hollywood, and I am joined on the line by Mr. Mike Lombardi. Lombardi, how you doing? I'm great, Tate Fraser. You brushing up on your NBA draft stuff? I'm trying to. I'm trying to keep up with it.

It's obviously a busy weekend. We have the conference finals. The problem right now with the NBA for me is that we cannot get a game that it's closely contested. It's all blowouts. No, it's horrible. But the NBA drafts fun. I went over and spent some time last week since we chatted with the Clippers. I got a chance to watch some tape, study some prospects,

kind of spend some time talking about scouting with them. They talked to me about it, so it was fun. I mean, this is always fascinated how different drafts operate, you know, and considering that these players in the NBA, they get guaranteed, you know, a slot in the first round, and then they don't work out. I was like, like, Fitz. Yeah, that happens all around,

and all it takes is one team to tell you you're going to be a first-round pick. If you're Dante DiVincenzo and the Charlotte Hornets tell you, they're going to take you in the first round, then it's hard to go back to Villanova. I think he actually may go back, speaking to Devinchenzo, but he wild people at the combine. I find it interesting about the Clippers, though. They thought he would go back, too.

I think most people think he'll go back, because even though he had a great combine, from what I was told, he's going to move up. and he's moving up next year. If he has another great year, he'll move way up. Well, he's going to do exactly what Bridges did. Bridges went back. He probably would have been a late first round pick.

He went back and now he's a top 10 pick. And I think Deven Chinzo will do more of the same next year at Villanova. It's good for Jay Wright, if that happens, obviously. But the Clippers with the logo there, with Jerry West there, I find that very fascinating. And there was even a report by the Kevin O'Connor came out. The Ringers' Own Kevin O'Connor said that the Clippers are looking to package those two picks to draft Michael Porter Jr., who Steve Ballmer loves from Seattle.

Right. A lot of stuff going on. Yeah, look, and Jerry was there too. And, you know, Jerry, we go back, Jerry's in the book because in 1994, we all combined back then. And, you know, and so Jerry and Bill go back a long way. And we were in West Virginia practicing with the Patriots and the, some again there. So I've got to have a multiple picks.

They need somebody they can build around. It takes talent. And no matter what's this clippers, like, to me, the best thing you can do in any draft is go back and study. Donovan Mitchell. So you're never going to find the answer if you don't go back and replace the draft, and that's what they should do in the NBA draft. And speaking of the NFL and all things NFL news, we got a lot of news coming out about gambling. That is the hot topic of the week.

Oh, boy. And everyone is talking about the legalized sports gambling in the U.S. The Supreme Court ruled last week to strike down in 1992 law that barred most state authorized sports gambling. This was in your state of the Great New Jersey. Good for it. We did it. We did it for everybody. Yeah.

We actually did it. We took the bullet. Absolutely. You bid the bullet for everyone. So right now, the big question is, what is going to happen with the sports leagues? And Roger Goodell, the NFL commissioner, came out. And he has some stipulations. He says that he wants a uniform standards for any state that plans to legislate sports betting.

And basically the whole point is the NFL wants to be involved in any decisions, and they want to be a part of the compensation and the money that comes in, of course, with these sports leagues. So they're looking for a uniform position on all this. stuff from a federal level, not just at the state level. So it would be interesting to see what happens with this as it rolls out. Well, didn't the Supreme Court just rule that nothing from a federal level can really dictate it? Exactly.

It's done from a state level. And now Roger Goodell is fighting him back. Yeah, he does not agree with the Supreme Court. You know, seven to two by the Supreme Court, that's a resounding victory. That's just not like a, that's not like just you won in the last play of the game. That's a resounding victory when you get seven to two. So, look, I think a couple things are going to happen. First of all, anybody in the league that tells you gamble,

isn't a part of it. Why would we have the inactive list? I mean, those two things right there are telling people who's playing, who's not. I mean, wouldn't it be harder for the gambler? It makes no sense at all. We talk about injuries, right? We talk about making sure the game safer for every but 46 players.

Every game. It gives the gambler a chance to know. We see the line shift at 1230 on Sunday. You know, Eastern time, based on who's inactive and who is an active. You know, but if we don't have that list, it's really hard to have a line. It's hard to shift it. So for all the stuff that the NFL says it wants to do to protect itself about gambling,

every rule that's put in place is about the whole integrity of the injury list is about gambling. I mean, look, you know, if we didn't have an injury, if there was no injury list, that injury list isn't for the clubs. Trust me, nobody that works at a club looks at it and says, oh my God, you know, Tom Brady's doubtful this week. He's not going to play. Everybody knows he's going to play. He's just listed as doubtful, right? I'm pretty sure that Tom Brady is listed as questionable every single week, right? That's the allure of Bill Belich. Nobody in the league pays attention to that. You know, everybody pays attention to who's on the inactive list,

but you prepare as if, you know, the injuries are just a phony. So I think twofold, I think it's going to, I really think to me, if we were really worried about gambling, we should dress all 53 players. I mean, it makes no sense not to take Fraser because we dress, they're playing them, and it helps player safety. And if a guy's not healthy, then he doesn't suit up. And you announce that as an inactive player like the NBA does. You remember Markkel Fultz is inactive for all those

Playoff games why Jason Tatum is playing even though we drafted Fultz ahead of them. I'm not complaining or anything by that, but the reality of it is, is that he was listed as was an active coach's decision, right? They have that in the NBA, correct? Yes, they do. I don't see why they can't do the same thing in the NFL.

And look, they better embrace gambling in the NFL because it's going to be a huge moneymaker. And where the teams are going to make most of their money is when they're going to be able to put a betting pallor in the stadiums. Think about that, Tate Fraser. Think about being able to bet and after the first quarter.

Think about going to the game and being able to bet. It brings the casino environment into the sports arena and I've actually seen some people make some great points about even the fact that it can trickle down to women's sports

and WMBA and how it could help that sport and if people are gambling, then they're going to be invested and involved in that. So there is some good side of this. Obviously what Goodell is saying is that his whole point is they want to protect, this is a quote for him,

he wants to protect the fans and penalize bad actors here at home and abroad. And we should say the fact that it does become legal opens up the door for agencies to be put together to make sure that some of these bad actors aren't out there. The fact that it is, quote, unquote, illegal in some places right now means that bad actors can do things below and behind scenes. And now that it is being brought to the forefront

that will most likely be good. I also want to talk about... Look, we've had bad actors. Maybe the NBA had that referee that was a bad actor. You know, we're all still paying a price for Arnold Rothstein. I mean, let's face it. I mean, you know, the guy in the Black Sox scandal back at what, 1911 or something like that, look, I think this, I think it's good for the game.

I think it's going to be more money. And I think you hit the nail on the head. It's going to generate, just like fantasy has generated more interest in the game, it's going to generate more interest. But I think this, this is what I truly believe. I believe the pregame shows are going to decrease in popularity if they don't go on and talk about who's going to win the game. I think the pregame shows, the fluffy pieces, the player interviews,

those are before the game, an hour before the game. If you don't come on TV and say, I like this game, I like that game, here's what I do, react to the injuries, and give account and pretend you're a gambler, I think you're going to lose the interest of everyone. And we should say it was the 1919 World Series. I will put that out there. 1999, I apologize.

No, the 1919 World Series. I'll bring that up. But it brings us to a larger point. And a guy who did do that was Jimmy the Greek. people have probably seen the 30 for 30 on him and his impact. But he did do that. He came on and, you know, he was a better. He was known as you.

He left it. He set the line. What he would do, this is now 1230 was when the NFL today on CBS started. And at 12 o'clock he had a radio show. I was just laughing about it. I ran into the Greek and how the Greek would at 12, 15 on his national radio show would pick three games. And then on his TV show on the NFL today, he would pick the opposite of those three. So if you're driving in the car, you're correct? So he kind of looked like a genius

But he never really said I liked this team by 7 He always fudged around it But he was extremely popular And when I went to work for CBS This is how popular it is They told me at CBS Other than Michael Jordan

And he was bigger than Michael Jordan Before he made the ridiculous comment In Washington, Jimmy the Greek Before that He was the most popular He could get any restaurant in the world He had a suite at the Sheridan He was because he was

telling people who to bet. That kind of charisma, that's what America is looking for from somebody. Now, he was basically talking to NFL owners about what they thought about the game. Al loved him, Al Davis loved him. They were always on the fun. He was always pro-rater, and so he was always trying to pick out in the game, but I really do. And I will say, I think it's an open spot for Cousin Sal to make his entrance and become that guy, the 21st century. Cousin-Sal is going to be huge. And everybody's going to want to know how the game's going to go, how it's going to be played. And back in New Jersey, you know, where you bet that, you know,

they have the betting lines right on them, and then they have the teaser games. You bet 10 games with the teasers. I mean, all that stuff is going to be just so impactful. And it's going to be such a generating interest into the game that I think if the NFL takes this approach that, oh, no, you know, gambling's bad. Hell, they've been doing everything to support gambling all along. Something that's going to generate a lot of interest is the Cleveland Browns, the great Cleveland Browns,

headed by Hugh Jackson and the Haslam family. They are going to be... And Hughie's jumping, did he jump in the water? Did he jump in Lake Erie yet? I think he's got to at this point. I think that might be the opening scene of Hard Knocks. It's the 13th installment of Hard Knocks. He has a date he's going to do it.

He promised to do it. Did he actually do it yet? I don't think he's done it yet, but I know that he will do... That will probably be the first scene of Hard Knocks. If I had to guess what's going to happen to open up the series, it will be Hugh Jackson, jumping into Lake Erie, and then we'll get the full cut, the full, you know, full promo of what this Hard Knock seasons will look like.

We have the storyline, obviously, of Tyrae, Taylor, and Baker Mayfield, who's going to be the QB1 there. Baker Mayfield, obviously, the number one pick. But just the full landscape looking at the Cleveland Browns, we're going to get everything we wanted to see. This is going to be pure drama, and I know we're going to be tuned in for it because it's going to be too much phone with Huey headlines. Because when you let those cameras in, right, a job, Todd Hale, he's not shy around a camera. No one's, you know, Huey loves the cameras more than anybody. Who goes to sleep. Let's hope he has a GoPro on his head.

I feel bad for John Dorsey. I really do. I mean, this is going to be a circus beyond a circus, and it's going to document it. I think what happens is when you let these cameras come in there, you get evaluated by John Q Public. They find out whether you really actually know or what they're reading in the paper about you is actually true. And I think it's going to be fascinating. Now, the teams have the cutting right to not let something out there. So they always have the final editorial. Just one more thing that they have to manage in Cleveland as they're moving forward.

I just, to me... Yeah, and they're trying to restart and rebuild, obviously, with Baker being there. And speaking of Baker, he talked about Josh Rosen. You know, Josh Rosen was the 10th pick in the draft, went to the Arizona Cardinals, and he made this comment afterwards that some people have said was probably not in the right tone for what you say after you get drafted 10th. He said there were nine mistakes made in front of him, and Baker Mayfield made a comment that you don't want to be scripted like that.

Josh Rosen backpedaled a little bit. He said he was talking about the quarterback, so it wasn't all the players that were taken in front of him. of him. But now we've got a little bit of a rivalry between these rookie quarterbacks between Rosen and Mayfield. Who knows if they may see the field? We don't even know yet. But right now, just talking about Baker and Rosen, I mean, that situation between those two guys, I find very fascinating. How it all plays out. I mean, you know, right now, you know, May is, to me, May is

almost the worst lie month of the year. I mean, other than April before the draft, when everybody lies, May is the old... Or the draft. When everyone's calling each other and saying how great they did in the draft. Yeah. I mean, May is the over-exaggeration time of the year. For me, it's going to be interesting to see, you know, how Baker adapts to what he's going to compete with Glennon. He's going to have to compete with Sam, who's not healthy yet, and he will be eventually. But, I mean, does anything at all that, and he looks anything good at all in preseason camps? You know, not in many camps, because let's face it, Tate Fraser, these mini camps, everybody's talking about every day you go online and you read about who's on the bubble, who's time of the year, it's compilous to even read it or believe it.

They're not even in pads. They're in shorts. I mean, if I told you the list of players for the All Alameda team when I was in Oakland or, you know, like you just, so many times you go out to these OTA days and you say, oh, God, this is around. You just can't run it on OTA days. You can't believe in what you see in May. And obviously, you're not winning jobs in May. But the big story that's come out of OTA is, you know, obviously, you know, we got Ferris Bueller. He's in camp, OBJ.

How about that? He goes in reports. Yeah. So the voluntary, he goes in reports. And now everyone's saying that, you know, OBJ is. He's hurting some of his bargaining ability with the New York Giants by showing up to OTAs, which I find very funny because if he didn't show up, they would probably say the exact same thing. But OBJ being in camp with the Giants, I mean, that's taken as a good sign, right, even though it is May.

They come in there and get a contract. Look, he's got a lot of evidence to support that, you know, that 16, 17 million. I mean, when Sammy Rockins' contract, this good thing's going for him, you know, and he's got to go in there. It's a new system. He's Saquan Barkley under his wings. and if he wants to be the face of the franchise, not to be there, can only hurt him. And he knows they promised to pay him. So, you know, I think it's a smart move on, you know, it's not going to affect your contract.

I mean, they're trying to get him done. There's a market. The one thing about doing high-level contracts, there's usually a market in place. There's usually something where you can cling to the guy, this guy's, and he's not actually fully past his physical to go back on the field. But being there is back on the field. I can tell you that. Yeah, and it did come out that, you know, there have been good signs. They said he looks good after his surgery recovery.

I was at UCLA a couple of weeks ago, and he was working out on the football field. They had like a closed little session, and he was running routes out there, and people were all excited. So it seems like OBJ is out and about and trying to make an impact. You talk about faces of the franchise and what that means. One of the guys that is the face of the franchise, and for the New England Patriots is Tom Brady, who is absent from OTAs. We just said it is May. That may not mean much. But Tom Brady has been out and about.

He's been speaking a little bit, that he does feel a little bit slighted. You know, that may be coming down to compensation a little bit. So should we worry about Brady not showing up and being around for the Patriots? You know, older guys, it's better that they don't show up. I say that because, look, you know, the wear and tear on your body. I mean, how many more times is Brady? You know, I mean, and you say, well, timing with the players. Well, oftentimes these OTAs, you've got to practice their team for the younger players.

I mean, the more you can get reps for the Sam Donald's and the young players, the better team you're going to have and the better they're going to be during the season. once the regular one's the training camp starts. But personally he has a contract. That'll all get worked out. Gronks going. But you can't be in or out. I mean, one thing about the OTA days, I think, for it's important.

If you don't want to be there, don't come. But the one thing you can have one day, next day I'm going to come on Tuesday. That won't work. Either you're in or you're up. And then you have to come for the mandatory minicamp or just don't come until the mandatory minicamp. Because I think the other way just affects you. And that's always been to me the best way to handle it. Either you're in or you're out.

I want to talk about, The defensive player of the year from last year, Aaron Donald with the Los Angeles Rams, of course. He did not attend the Rams all-season program that started in April. He is in the last year of his rookie contract set to make about $6.8 million this year. It's obviously part of his fifth year option. He is holding out for a new contract. And the mandatory minicamp for the Rams starts June 12th. So people are interested to see if he'll show up for that when it is mandatory.

But the whole Aaron Donald situation obviously bringing in Sue and bringing in Talib and all these guys. and stacking up that defense. You still need the defensive player of the year on that side of things to get things really rolling for the Rams, right? Oh, no doubt. You need it. But, I mean, look, the one thing you know for sure is the fact that you're going to get,

it's not that difficult to figure out that, you know, somewhere Fletcher Cox's contract or Kwan Shorts' contract or Marcel Darius, and the defensive players that impact the game. So, you know, if you're Aaron Donald, you're looking at Fletcher-C's deal, and then you're looking at the edge-rusher's deals because he impacts the game.

be looking at Bob Miller's deal. So then to me, you're going to take those two deals and try to come up with a deal. The thing he can do is hold out. I mean, look, the Rams are all in. The one thing I think about the Rams team, this stadium, because they're over, but make money, and I think they know they need to get Aaron Donald. Him not be in there. Again, I'm not worried about it in May.

Then he two lined up next to him, which to me makes it really hard. Now you've got to have three on two inside teams. Yeah, they did all they could personnel-wise to incentivize Aaron Donald to one of you back on the field with some of those playmakers that they brought in. One playmaker also that is still sitting out OTAs is Julio Jones. There was a lot of stuff that came about this offseason where he deleted a bunch of Falcons stuff on Instagram, and then it came out that he was trying to prove a point to Alabama players about having a quote-unquote fresh start on social media. Dimitrov came out the GM of the Falcons and said Julio and the organization are doing very well together

and that he had good discussions with Coach Quinn and that they're in a great spot. So it seems like Julio Jones, they're figuring that situation out in Atlanta, even though he is also not at OTAs. Well, look, he's got Antonio Brown making $17 million, right? Mike Evans is at 16 and a half a year. Dondre Hopkins is at 16-2, and Julio's at 14-2. So Julio's, well, I mean, Alan Robinson just signed a new deer with the Bears, and he's at $14 million a year.

So Al-Shon Jeffrey just signed a deal with the deal with these deals. What happens is happy because when they come in, Travis Landry's making more money than Julio Jones. How could that possibly be? Yeah. Right? So Julio's not going to come in. And no matter what Dimitrov says, it's been a problem with Antonio Brown,

Mike Evans got this new deal, all these players issue. You can't, you know, it's an issue for Gronk. Because Gronk's sitting here saying, would you trade Mike Evans for Gronk? Of course you wouldn't trade Mike Evans for Gronk. I mean, DeAndre Hopkins is a great player. These guys impact the game, so why shouldn't they make more? And I think that's the biggest issue. I mean, look, it's making more money than them.

Absolutely. All right, Lombardi, we're going to take a quick break here, and we're going to come back and talk about the Panthers, Selt, David Tepper, Nashville having the NFL draft and a couple more storylines that are all around the NFL. Be right back. Hey, it's Bill Simmons. I wanted to tell you about the revamped Ringer NBA show podcast. We are Monday through Friday on Mondays.

John Gonzalez's host, Heat Check, bounce around, talk to a bunch of different ringer staffers about the weekend that was and what's coming up on Tuesdays. Chris Vernon and Kevin O'Connor, America's favorite couple. On Wednesday, sources say with Chris Ryan and Julia Lipman, and maybe you're a little. some interview podcasts as well. And then Thursdays, group chat. Chris Ryan, a rotating cast of Ringer staffers. We even put this on YouTube, too. And then Friday, draft class.

Kevin O'Connor, Jonathan Charks, sometimes Danny Chow, talking about the 2018 NBA draft, mock stuff, who's rising, who's falling, who's going to do what. You get this every day all the way through the playoffs, the draft, and even free agency, five days a week. The Ringer NBA show, subscribe now on Apple. podcast, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcast. All right, Lombardi, we are back.

Your Panthers Soul Tate, Fraser. Were you involved with this? No, unfortunately not. I was hoping to get, I have no, I don't have the finances to be involved, but I do have a lot of opinions that I would love to throw out there for the Panthers fans. But David Tepper, he had this beautiful speech that he gave at Carnegie Mellon this past weekend. Love it. Talking about, you know, he went from someone that couldn't even afford to go to an NFL.

all game at one point into his late 20s, and now he is going to own the Carolina Panthers. He, of course, had a 5% stake in the Pittsburgh Steelers under the Rooney family prior to this purchase of the Carolina. Which is an interesting thing, and it's not being talked about. To me, Aslam did it, and now Tepper did it, which increases the value for, you know, when you're a minority owner in the NFL, you basically get nothing. You basically get Super Bowl tickets. You don't even get a suite at your stadium, maybe, at your own stadium. You don't get a suite on the road. You know, you're basically just, you get better tickets, and you have no influence on the team, right?

So the Steelers buy their team because they had to sell those racetracks and they needed more revenue, they needed more cash. It's like if you go and become a minority partner for them, you're almost, I'm not saying you're guaranteed, but you've been vetted and you're, you have inside information to be the next guy. So if you want to buy, if you think the Tennessee Titans are going to come for sale, or a minority inter next team. And I think that's the story that's not being told. And it's almost like the value of the Steelers, that little share is more than you think it is because of the outside. If Tepper didn't get this and somebody else did, the value of that Steelers position wouldn't be as high. And could it be one of those things, too, with him being in with the Rooney family, you know, you don't have to worry about all the background checks that go into this. I mean, like you said, they're already vetted.

you're already sort of welcome into the NFL family. And that's sort of the tough part of this and to parse through that because when Stefan Curry was putting out there that he wanted to be a part of some sort of ownership bid, he was embedded within the NFL ranks. And people may know obviously the name and everything, but it seemed like it was some sort of a bigger process and a bigger deal.

So with Tepper, you know, people seem to be very excited about this. Peyton Manning was a name that was thrown out there. I don't know if he actually got in the ownership group with Tepper. I don't think he really did. I think Peyton has been one. to do and strategic. I don't think he's ready to just jump on to any team anywhere.

And it's going to be interesting to see what TEPR does. I mean, you know, all the lines came out. He's very happy with everybody at, you know, he goes down there. He buys the team. He's going to run the team like the Steelers. I mean, you read his quotes. It's the same exact quote you read when Jimmy Haslam bought the Browns and nothing that Haslam has done has represented anything.

One thing, these owners, as if the other 31 teams are their competitors and not their friends, I think that's the hardest lesson for them to learn because they've just joined this exclusive club, but this exclusive club really doesn't want them to win. Yes, yes. And it is obviously, it's always new and different as we roll into these situations with ownership. And obviously there will be, I know a lot of people in Carolina are very excited to have Tepper come in.

But there is, you know, the old regime with Richardson. Richardson had a very big following in Charlotte. I think some of that is tempered down a bit. But it'll be interesting to see how all that plays out. Speaking of football leagues and trying to figure out what the future is, there is a new football league that is coming. It is the Alliance of American Football. The A-A-F is the name of it.

San Diego is one of the cities. They now have five franchises that they found. Phoenix is the most recent one. There's some old... And Rick Duhisel is unbelievable. I can't wait. To me, I think the next league that... I mean, you know, like our partners...

I would think the league would be like a developmental league to develop coaches and young people so could supplement the other. But these are guys. that have already been doing it for a long time. And like Brad Childress left a job in the NFL to become the head coach of the Atlanta team. And the CBS on college football on Saturday afternoon, now he's going to go coach a pro team. Yep.

And it comes back to the name recognition in football circles. You have Bill Pollian, right, who's a part of this major football league of people. But he's still going to be doing ESPN. He's not going to be doing the league. Yeah, well, he's going to be all over the place, it seems like. I don't know how he does it. That must be too Bill Pollian. Yeah, he may have like a doppelginger or something out there.

But it is funny to see some of these big-name guys be a part of this league. And, you know, there will be people that tune into this just because of those names like a Bradshaw, or just like a Bill Pull-in. And people will see what it is and what it looks like. But I make sure to see if it can work out and if it can play out and where is the money and where is the interest coming from? Because obviously, you know, there's a lot of people that think the NFL is, you know, the popularity is declining.

So it's interesting to bring in another league. I don't think that's at all. I think, you know, they just sold the Panthers for $2.2 billion. How is it declining? I think it's going up. I think now a gambling coming in, it's going to increase. I think this league has a chance to, on the surface, it has a chance to do something.

It just depends on the pro-developed quarterbacks, and you can develop. I would think the World League over in Europe would still be good. I mean, they should still go back to Germany and play. I'm thinking that these cities, like people in San Diego, are going to stop. Of course, and then you also, I think they're a big push that they're putting out. They have no kickoffs in the Alliance Football League and no TV timeouts,

and they have 60% fewer commercials. So that is apparently the draw. I mean 60% less revenue, right? Yes, that is the translation. It is not like the NFL is warning to put commercials on. That is how they fund everything. Let's talk about a little bit more about just news and notes around the league. We have Nashville is involved.

They're going to have the NFL draft. That's going to be great. I mean, like Philly, like the last two drafts, Philly and Dallas have been remarkable, right? It's going to be interesting to see what Nashville does. it's going to be fat. I mean, like, I don't know how you could get better than Philly. Nashville's, you know, I hope they just blow it out. There's so much to do.

There's entertainment. I mean, there should be, it should be a party. It's remarkable. 45.8 million people watch the draft. I mean, you know, it's even more remarkable is, and I know some people, you know, I love the NBA too, and people are hogwashed over the NBA. Did you realize that the Celtics are raiding than the Pro Bowl? Yes, I did see that.

How is that possible? It's fascinating. It's fascinating. I do believe. that a lot of people love having football in the NFL especially as like even if they're not necessarily watching it like the Pro Bowl just having around as background in the background I think that happens a lot with those things but you know it talks about just the audience and how great that audience and how grand that audience is I mean the NFL draft at this point is you know it's

event television people will tune in to event television even if they are reading everything on Twitter that they still have it on they're still watching it they're still taking it in and I will say this. I mean, Nashville as a city has grown so much since I went there as a kid into, I went to the Music City Bowl in 2010 to I went there in 2015. I mean, it just seems to keep growing. There's so many people moving down to Nashville. There's so many people in Tennessee, the state alone that love football. And, you know, with the Tennessee program, with the state that it is, I mean, they've turned over to the, you know, Tennessee Titans maybe and maybe have bought into the professional leagues a little bit more. So I find it fascinating that Nashville is getting that bid. And I think that will be a fun. party if you're in national for the NFL draft, that's for sure. I think it will be too. I mean, I always grade national anthems, and one of the best ones I heard was, I think it was Naomi Judd sang it there. We were playing, and she had a Frank Whitechek jersey on, and she were, the Raiders were playing. It was an incredible national anthem. I mean, that plays can get loud. It can, I mean, when things, you know, the great Stephen

behind them, I mean, there's as many people to draw as much there, but it should be as much fun. And I mean, look, the NFL is remarkable. People say it's declining, and yet the games, Now the draft is, you know, 45.8 million people watch it. It's remarkable. It's like another major event that I can, you know, and I went and stood in line at the Sheridan Hill to get in just to watch it down there. That's amazing. I should have kept that ticket.

You should have. Put that on eBay, make some money. Yeah. I want to talk about some of the Super Bowl, some of the hosting sites, the Super Bowl, Glendell and New Orleans are the two places that are put up for 2023 and 2024. The question I have. I love New Orleans as a Super Bowl. It's the best town of all.

Because you don't have to get in a car. You can walk everywhere. When we were at the Super Bowl in Glendale, I mean, Phoenix is a great town. Don't get me wrong, but we are all spread out. I mean, everything's all, I hate when it's all spread out. I like it to be compact and close. That's why I still think we're missing a great opportunity to make the conference championship games.

I think the conference championship games should be like, and sell the tickets to the home team, give them a chance to have an excuse, because most people can't buy Super Bowl tickets, but they would still like to go on vacation. in the wintertime, you know, and they could still support their team. Absolutely, and it should be said that the interesting part of the Glendale, New Orleans decision is that you have candlestick in San Francisco and then you have what, you know, they're about to build in Los Angeles.

And those, you know, these West Coast Super Bowls are trying to get a Super Bowl out to the West Coast. There will be a lot of competition to see who will get that next spot. And I know that San Francisco desperately wants to have a Super Bowl up there. And Los Angeles probably will expect to have a Super Bowl down here. So there could be a little bit of a bidding war between those two. Yeah, the Super Bowl helps pay for the new stadium. So that's going to be critical that they do that. And, you know, if the weather keeps staying like this in Los Angeles,

I don't know if the weather will be good for the Super Bowl. That's ridiculous. Take it. You promised me it was sunny here all the time. Hi, that's what they told me when I came out in 2015. I think I got lied to. It hasn't quite worked out that way. But luckily, you know, we're trying to live as best as we can, you know,

trying to survive. Just kidding. I know all the people on the East Coast are rolling their eyes as we say this. Is there anything else, Lombardi, around the NFL that we need to hit? No, I'm just looking forward to a little summertime in New Jersey and going to enjoy getting ready, caught back about the games and see all these teams and remind everybody, please don't believe anything that you read

about a team and about players during OTA days. It's all fake. When I was in Oakland, we had this wide receiver named Rico Cannon. He was on the All-A-M... We had guys like James. I mean, I could make an All-A-Mita team from minicamp that we were... not we. When I say we were, Mr. Davis was...

You know, guys would look good at these practices. practices, you know, but once the competition starts, it changes. That would be my advice. How good did Ronald Curry look every year? Oh, he was great. Ronald Curry didn't have the two Achilles injuries. He would have still been a good player. I mean, good.

And he was only going to get better. And unfortunately, it was a tough one right now. His could never really stick. His wound kept opening up, which became a problem. We'll catch in Denver on a Monday night game where we won. Yes. I have it in my office in New Jersey. I love it.

I love Ronald Curry. And I will say, Achilles injuries are the worst. Dominic Wilkins, Achilles got to him, and I actually saw Boogie Cousins is, you know, obviously overcoming that. And he brought up Dominic Wilkins. He said he's coming back. He said he's coming back.

And I think that is good news for those who suffer that injury because it used to be over. Oh, yeah, they compare Dominique Wilkins to Andre Aguadale yesterday on television. I almost had to go to the bathroom. Yes. Can you imagine that? Well, Reggie Miller, you know,

it was the first time he ever. It was Chris Weber that made the comparison with the putback dunk, because, you know, Dominique would always take the shot and get his own rebound and dunk it back. But, yeah, Reggie Miller was very quick to remind him that that was not the case. I like Iguidala is like Scotty Pippin. He's not like Dominique Wilkins. Yeah, I don't even know.

He's not going to the Hall of Fame, Scottie Pippon. I think he might. I think they're all, I think, you know, Igwadala's not going to the Hall of Fame. Depending on what happens, that finals MVP, and if they win three or four championships, I would buy into Livingston, Iguadala, Draymon, Clay, Clay, Curry. I think they're all going to go. I don't think they can be stopped.

I don't understand this. Kevin Durant made a cameo on Billions last night, and Tate Fraser wasn't there for it. I don't wish to. How could that happen? I can't believe I missed that. I'm glad he's on Billions, though. He was very interested in the show when we did our last interview with him. He said he loves the hedge fund. So maybe he likes David Tapper.

Maybe he needs to talk to Tapper. We'll go, Durant and Teper. We'll figure it out. This has been another rousing edition of GM Street, part of the Ringer Podcast Network. I am Tate Frazier, and I've been joined by the great Mike Lombardi. Thanks, buddy.