The Ryen Russillo Podcast - Remembering Bill Russell. Plus, Last-Place Chiefs, Other NFL Division Winners, and Aaron Rodgers Stories With James Jones

Episode Date: August 2, 2022

Ryen begins by remembering the life of Celtics captain Bill Russell by sharing his favorite stories about him (0:30). Next, he’s joined by NFL Network’s James Jones to learn about playing with Aaron Rodgers (8:30), discuss the difficulties of changing teams as a wide receiver (11:00), and share some surprise picks in his former divisions (24:00). Finally, he closes it out with some listener-submitted Life Advice questions (37:00). Host: Ryen Russillo Guest: James Jones Producers: Steve Ceruti and Mike Wargon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

today's podcast a couple stories of bill russell james jones talking about the nfl movement with receivers he's got some intense picks for division winners and we'll finish up with life advice. I wanted to open today's podcast talking about Bill Russell. Bill Russell passed this weekend at 88 years old. I have a couple stories. Some are handed to me. Some are my own stories because I actually did interview him when I first, first got started in Boston. That was in 2003.

So it was a morning show and he didn't do any interviews. He just didn't do any. And, you know, I was in awe of him through hearing about him, through my father reading history books, reading anything about it. You know, 11 titles, first player, head coach, first black head coach. You know, Red Auerbach's just like, hey, look, you know the deal. You're the guy, Russ.uss you know you coach the team um and the fact that i'm like wait what was his record in game sevens he was like oh he's 10-0 in game sevens there's this old piece i think it's like 20 years

old that was written about like he goes through and ranks all of his game sevens and go in and look at those numbers and dig through that stuff it It's, it's ridiculous. So it was me and two other younger guys. We'd all kind of started at the same time at this station and they put us on this morning show basically because we were free. We were making like, you know, no money. So somehow through the radio station, there was this connection to a memorabilia guy that was like, we're doing this big memorabilia show this entire weekend. And Bill Russell's actually going to do some of the stuff, which he never does. So to promote it, we can get you Bill Russell if you want. Well, if we want. So we're kind of prepping how we want to do the interview. And all three of us are nervous.

All right. Again again we're all in our 20s it's my first real kind of job after the minor league baseball thing so it's my first talk show hosting gig and i'm doing mornings and it's i'm i'm 20 27 years old and the program director's kind of like making sure he's going over it with us like how do you want to do this and you know all of us are just like there's nothing you could give us a ton of advice you give us no advice we're probably still going to be nervous and screw the whole thing up because it's bill russell he doesn't do these things he doesn't do these things and we get him on and i'm not driving i'm not the host and the host is like well joining us you know hall of fame or 11 time champion and then bill russell immediately

interrupts the host and goes, I don't want to do his voice, but excuse me if you're going to introduce me. This is live on the air. If you're going to introduce me, I would appreciate if Bill Russell captained the Boston Celtics instead of Hall of Famer and all that. And I was like, man, that is so cool. That was so cool. And like he interrupted the introduction because he wanted and again we're the celtics affiliate station so you know everybody's excited about it and and he makes this move and he was great and then he comes on and you know we always would ask uh somebody like

russell from a previous generation we just got to talk about it with Bob Ryan. And I'd asked, you know, how would you handle somebody like Shaq today? And then he laughs and he's got this incredible laugh and he's the ultimate competitor. And he did exactly what I expected him to do. He goes, it's not about how I would defend Shaq. He was like, how would he and i know that i was kind of like all right you know he's bill russell was was 6 10 he's pretty skinny guy like give me a break like he's gonna he's just gonna body up shaq and it's like no no what he would have done is play the mental game and he would have wore shaq down he would have run him all night long now granted he's gonna give us some points as opposed to shaq here i'm not gonna act like bill russell's gonna shut him down but that he would have run him all night long now granted he's going to give us some points

as opposed to Shaq here I'm not going to act like Bill Russell was going to shut him down but that he would have gone with a completely different approach and be like I'm going to run I'm going to be down the court ahead of you every single time and that's what I'm going to do and I would ask my father be like hey is that true he'd be like yeah that's that's what he would have done um that's what he would have done and then we what he would have done. And then we asked him at the end, we were like, what is it that we missed? And the way that Russell loved his teammates, the way he's referenced it in two books that I've read about it, how much he cared for his teammates, how much he cared for Red, especially considering the time that he was living and the stuff that he was going through

in Boston. It's pretty intense stuff and it's a lot of fun to read so that was in 2003 a few years later i'm at espn and i had kept sort of in touch with his handler maybe once a year right hey can we get bill russell back on again and the guy's like look you're probably never getting back on so i was like all right i'll still try so i'm at espn now i get the espn in 06 maybe it's 0607 i call up his handler and i go hey you know i'm i'm here now um it was great that we were able to get both russell on i was wondering if there's any way that i could do it again if i could do what i and he was like um probably never i was like okay that seems rather certain that never seems definitive he goes well look let me tell you a story he goes you remember the sports century stuff they did at the end of the 90s and i was like yeah of course i think i

vhs a few of them is that what you would do tape record them whatever whatever the references i was like yeah i love sports century that's great he's like well do you know what happened with russell i'm like no i don't like when they came out i think i was subletting a room from somebody um so i don't know i wasn't super plugged into what was going on with the ispin production seven years before i showed up there he goes well when it came out like they were they were asking everybody if they could do the interview so they called up bill russell now again this story is handed down to me from the Bill Russell side of it. So I'm allowing that there could be over time perhaps some facts that are a little bit off, but the general story is still accurate.

So they put together the top 50 American athletes of the 20th century. They actually did the top 100, but they did specials on everybody. Like Chris Everett was 50. Mickey Mantle's 37. Secretariat was 35th. Pissed everybody off. Arnold Palmer's up there, whatever. So Bill Russell's like, okay, what number am I? And they're like, well, Mr. Russell, you're right around here. I think it was like, I don't know 12 13 something like that again this is what was told to me and bill was like well who's ahead of me they were like well michael jordan he's like okay he has six rings i have 11 and they were like well

then they got you know jim brown wayne gretzky muhammad ali babe ruth willie mays and i think he was like well willie mays he's like i have 11 rings and it went on and on and on and then the one that really i think annoyed him was that it was will chamberlain and so he was just like i beat will his entire career like why why would i be behind will and they were like well we'd love to come out and do some interviews and sit down with you and he's like no, you have everything you need. I've sat down plenty of times. You have everything.

You don't need more. We don't need to do another 30 minutes. You come to my house and the whole thing is like, we're good. Now, again, this is Russell's guy telling you the story. So I go, so that's the reason why Bill Russell won't come on again. Bill Russell should have been saying no to me because I'm probably filling in on fucking game night at 1 a.m. All right. But back then, then man you just you shoot your shot

he goes no it's not because of that he goes when the list came out after he said no they dropped him to 18th so whatever number russell was told initially when the project was launched russell had a problem with who was ahead of him. And because of that, he was like, I'm not doing any more sit downs. You have all the information you need. I've already done a ton of interviews that apparently the producer at that time then dropped Bill Russell for being difficult. And then when that happened, Bill Russell was like, I'm never doing anything with them. I do think he did some stuff with KG years later, like over 10 years after that conversation. And as somebody that is not afraid of holding a grudge, I always love that story about Bill Russell.

Talks of football today. James Jones, NFL Network, a bunch of years in the league as a receiver, hanging out with us. Before we get to kind of some of the new things that we're getting ready for with camps opening up and everything, the deshaun watson ruling it came out yesterday six games uh do you have any thoughts on that i mean uh sure i mean we all knew it was going to be something you know at the end of the day i truly feel like you know one of both one side was going to be mad you know what what I mean? Whether it was the Sean Watson side, whether it was the people side, one side was going to be mad. I think the NFL was kind of at a lose-lose in this situation

because even if you come out and you say a year, I think, you know, shoot, a lot of the women that dealt with them situations, you know what I mean, and went through those situations, they're going to be looking at it like a year. You know what I mean? The Sean Watson side're going to be looking at it like a year, you know what I mean, Deshaun Watson's side is going to be looking at it like a year, an unfortunate situation man, that, you know,

was happening you know, with those women and Deshaun Watson, so I just think it was a tough situation for the NFL but as a teammate man for Deshaun Watson, I think the only thing that you can do right now man, is just try to support him. You know what I mean? Going through this situation, you know, a lot of things is kind of what we read on TV and all that type stuff.

You know what I mean? So, you know, you hear the stories, you hear what happened. You know, I'm sure some of his teammates may hear something different from Deshaun Watson. So I think the main thing right now is that you could just that you could do for Deshaun Watson. So I think the main thing right now is that you could just, that you could do for Deshaun Watson is just support them. And the same thing for those women, you know? And I think, like I said, the suspension,

you know, if it wasn't a lifetime suspension, I think it was still going to be, you know, on some parties, like it's not enough. Yeah. And I think because of the policy,

or at least the, the way the NFL has changed the way they're handling this, it was, it was interesting just to kind of see like, okay, wait a minute. or at least the way the NFL has changed the way they're handling this. It was interesting just to kind of see like, okay, wait a minute. Why did the NFL change this and allow somebody else to have the power, even though they have their appeal power? I think whenever it comes to punishment, it's never consistent. And that's what leads to a lot of frustration with it.

Yeah, I think that is the main thing, man. Just the punishments are not consistent when it comes to punishment, whatever it may be, whether it's betting, whether it's the Sean Watson situation, whether it's getting fined for your game socks, whether it's getting fined for your uniform, man, shoot penalties. A lot of the stuff is just really inconsistent right now.

Let's pivot on the field stuff. When you're a receiver moving to a new quarterback, moving to a new offense, how does that become easy? How does that transition become difficult? Because we've got some receivers that have moved on this year. Not everything is the same. So I'm wondering with your experience of it, and I know you had bounced the one time

to go to Oakland, but how can that be difficult? How can it be hard based on the system and the quarterbacks you're joining with a new team? Well, I mean, how can that be difficult? How can it be hard based on kind of the system and the quarterbacks you're joining with a new team? Well, I mean, it can be really difficult early on, you know, strictly because you learn in a whole different terminology, you know, you're trying to build chemistry with your quarterback and you know, you're not really, you're not really yourself, especially early.

You know, it's crazy. You say that because I had, I had a conversation with Devante Adams when I was at Raiders camp, and he was telling me, like, I'm finally getting to myself. You know, he was, like, going through OTAs and all that type stuff. I was moving so slow. You know, I wasn't myself, you know, because I was learning the playbook, learning the system, learning, you know, all the stuff

Josh McDaniels has been putting in. And he told me, he's like, Josh told me, like, you're not going to be at one spot. You're going to play five different spots, you know. So make sure you truly, truly learn the offense, the ins and outs of the offense. You and Renfro and them boys is going to be all over. So when I was there this past weekend, he was like, man, I'm finally back to tape. You know what I mean? Like, I don't got to mean like i could i don't

gotta look at derrick i don't gotta do nothing i could be looking at the fans listening to derrick call to play boom i know exactly what i'm doing and he said i'm finally myself and it takes a while to get to that because you're learning a whole different terminology so it takes a while to get to that on top of building the chemistry with your quarterback you know he's leaving aaron rogers to where he can look at Aaron and Aaron ain't got to say a word. He knows exactly what Aaron wants. You know what I mean?

So, yes, you play with Derek Carr at college. You know what I mean? You guys are really good friends, but still, coming on this field and the pros, a lot of that stuff, you guys got to kind of build that chemistry back up. I mean, being at practice, you know, is definitely coming along. But for me, that was the same adjustment for me. Started off really, really slow, you know, is definitely coming along. But for me, that was the same adjustment for me. Started off really, really slow, you know, and then once you learn the offense and get in the

rhythm with your quarterback, it all starts to come together. Why do you think Devontae left? Why do I think he left? Yeah. I think this, me and Devontae got the same age, age of man, Frankie Bauer. And obviously, you know, he wasn't leaving because of quarterback situations. I mean, you got the baddest man in the planet throwing you the ball. Just talking to Devontae and talking to my agent, this is something that he really wanted. You know what I'm saying? Like, he really – he's a Bay Area kid just like me.

You know what I mean? Obviously, it's the Las Vegas Raiders now, but he's a Bay Area kid just like me. He wanted to go play with his brother, Derek Carr. You know what I mean? It's something that they've talked about for years. They still train together in the offseason. They felt like this was the time that we truly could make it happen. Derek Carr was up for a contract with some power, with low voice in the building.

You know what I mean? Obviously, what Devontae Adams has done to put himself in the position to kind of, you know, hey, I want to trade or I want out and, you know, to kind of make some of that noise to get himself out of there. I truly believe that this is what both of them wanted, man, and they fought for it and they got it done. It has nothing to do with the Green Bay Packers.

It has nothing to do with Aaron Rodgers. It has nothing to do with his teammates over there. He still loves all them dudes over there. I just think that this was something that they talked about. It was a dream come true for both of them, man, to get out here and play with each other in the National Football League. They got it done, man. We're going to see how it turns out this year.

You were there for what, Favre's last year in 07? That was your first year? Yes, that was my rookie year. And then the transition to Rodgers. I know you've probably talked about this probably too much but um i remember hearing about with farve because at that point before you had gotten there you kind of was flirting with retiring like every year there for a bunch of years in a row and so then rogers is waiting and he's waiting and then i remember very early on when i was at espn and rogers a couple years into being a starter you know we asked him like what was it like to be under far and he basically was like

far if wanted nothing to do with me like wasn't exactly helping me out um and that's not on that's not unusual i mean it does happen at times but what was it like for you to see it as a rookie with the legend leaving and then being replaced by ultimately, as you point out, a guy who'd become a legend again. Well, it's crazy, man. Cause when I first got to green Bay, obviously Brett Favre was still there. Aaron Rogers was a backup. I came in there as a third round pick and you know, it doesn't matter where you go in the draft. Once you come into the building, you're not a starter immediately.

You know what I mean? So, so I was, I was the twos with Aaron, and me and Aaron was going to work. You know what I mean? And I'm just like, man, this dude is like, this dude is good. Like, I'm like, this dude is a problem. You know what I'm saying? Like, me and I started to talk to Charles and Al Harris, and they're like, yeah, yeah, we ain't seen nothing like it. Even though we got this Hall of Famer number four over here, you know what I mean?

I could swing this ball all over the yard. Jermon Williams, Nick Collins, all the boys that we had, they was like, dude, dude is different. And I'm like, okay, I'm glad. I thought I was the only one who seen this, but you know what I mean? I'm like, this dude is like a problem, you know? So, you know,

obviously Brett played that year. I had a really good year with Brett, my rookie year. And everybody always used to say once, once Brett retired, I mean, he said he was gone. Obviously he went to the jets and all that because he came out of retirement, but everybody's like, man, what y'all going to do when Brett left? And I'm just smiling. Like we are going to be okay. Don't you worry about it.

Now, I didn't know we were going to be this type, okay, four-time MVP and all this stuff. I didn't know that, but I knew 12 was special. You know what I mean? And I'm like, dude, we are going to be just fine. You know, but, you know, relationship-wise, I'd never seen no, like, tension between the both of them. You know what I mean? Now, it might have been something in the quarterback room or something Brett may have said to 12 or

you know showed him but they never let it show on the football field you know you see them dudes on the football field when Brett throw a touchdown shaking hands doing doing all type of celebrations and all that so I've never seen attention on the football field now wanting to help but I always knew the guy behind him. I knew 12 was special, man. Yeah, I think it was more of, you know, Rodgers thinking he was going to get the gig, and then he doesn't. And then it's like, okay, now I'm sitting here another year,

and I'm not playing. I mean, the guy, he had zero starts the first three seasons of his career. And I think that was the tough part for the organization as well. Like, we came off a 13-3 season, you know, with a chance to go to the Super Bowl loss to the New York Giants as they went on to beat the Patriots.

You know, but, you know, a lot of people see you come off a 13-3 season. What do you mean you're going away from Brett Favre? You know what I mean? But at the same time, you know, shoot, he was waiting. He was waiting his time. And if Charles Woodson is seeing how special this dude is at practice, and James Jones is seeing how special this dude is at practice, you better believe Mike McCarthy and Ted Thompson

are seeing how special Aaron was, you know, at practice. And they just knew it was that time, you know, to get the ranks over the 12. All right, I'm going to stay on it because of one more question. Because I don't know what's fair or what isn't when you're in the NFL as long as you've been or as long as the Rodgers, you're going to play with a bunch of different guys. It appears there's some teammates that didn't love the experience.

And I don't know if those are just the players that are more vocal about it that decide to go that route. How did you feel about Rodgers as a teammate? Well, see, I was there early, you know what I mean? And me and Raj clipped it off immediately. You know what I'm saying? So, I mean, Raj, Raj is my brother, man. We have a, we have an unbelievable relationship.

My kids play tackle football, man. He comes in the off seasons, man. And watch, watches these dudes play games, comes and works out with these dudes and all that, man, me and me and Raj got a, got a, got a special relationship, man. That, that, that is my brother. And it's crazy because you hear certain teammates come out of that locker room and say certain stuff, you know what I mean? But I promise you,

it's not, I promise you it's not 12. I promise you it's them. You know what I mean? Because everything I seen from Aaron Rogers, man, he's a hell of a's them you know what i mean because everything i've seen from aaron rogers man he's a hell of a teammate you know what i mean and there's so many stories that i could go with you know just breaking it down you know letting everybody know how great of a teammate aaron rogers is but i don't even think it's no need to do all that man from what i've seen from aaron rogers he's a hell of a teammate from the guys that I've seen come out and say stuff about Aaron, if you talk to anybody in the locker room, they kind of raise their eyes at those guys saying what they're saying about 12.

You know what I mean? So, you know, Aaron Rodgers, man, a stand-up dude. Like I said, man, shoot, my kids call him Uncle Rodgers, man. I mean, shoot, he got a really good relationship with Demi. He's just a great dude, man. And to be honest with you, these last couple years, I'm proud of him for really letting the fans see what type of dude he is, the media see what type of dude he is, the character that he is,

the fun teammate that he is. I'm glad he's finally breaking that shield off and letting the world see, like, you know, he's a character, man. He's a hilarious dude, man. He loves to have fun, man. He loves his teammates. You know what I mean? So, you know, when I hear all his teammates come out and say that, man, I wish I could go on TV and just go crazy and, you know, but

you know, you still got to keep it professional, but no, man. I mean, everything Aaron has shown me, everything Aaron has done for me, everything Aaron has done for my kids, man, unbelievable teammate. Okay, let's talk about some of the other guys moving around. A.J. Brown to the Eagles. How important is that for an Eagles team trying to figure out

who they are going to be? Because this is kind of like make or break for Jalen Hurts. Yeah, we know who they're going to be. They're going to win the East. I don't think it's a team that's going to compete with them in the East, man. I know the Dallas Cowboys is right there, but I don't think it's a team that's going to compete with them in the East, man. You know, I know the Dallas Cowboys is right there, but I don't see that happening. The Dallas Cowboys, to me, got worse, at least on paper, you know,

because all we're going off right now is on paper. You know, everybody in that division kind of got better on paper except the Dallas Cowboys. But just what the Eagles have, man, I think this is their division to lose. Obviously we talk staying healthy. Obviously we talk Jalen Hurst having a big year, but if this team can stay healthy, what they did on the defensive side of the ball, putting big Jordan next to next to Fletcher Cox right there in the middle,

you know, you get a linebacker in the Kobe D who can run sideline to sideline, you upgrade the corner position, you know, on the other side of Darius Slay. Like this defense is going to be dominant, you know. And then not only that, you have arguably the best offensive line in football. You go get arguably one of the best receivers in football to go with the Heisman Trophy winner with a really good tight end in Dallas Goddard

and a really good running back in Miles Sanders. I keep going on and on about the Eagles. I'm really high on the Eagles. I think Jalen Hurts is going to have a big time year. I mean, he has guys in Brown and Smith on the outside who could win right now. You know, and I think when you're a young quarterback and you're a quarterback who's trying to learn how to throw this ball on time, timing throws, not saying Jalen Hurts can't throw,

but when you talk about the one, two, three, ball out, one, two, three, four, five, ball out, he has those guys that can win right now to where he can do that now. He doesn't have to go out back there and be creative and scramble and do all that, even though he is going to make some plays with his legs. But I think you'll see a much better Jalen Hurst ball

coming out of his hands, really good timing routes with these receivers on the outside. I think the Eagles is going to win the East, and they're going to be a tough team to stop, man, especially when they get in the playoff. Okay. Another receiver, Tyreek to Miami.

What does that do for Tua? Everything. Everything, man. I tell people all the time, Tyreek Hill is a coverage dictator. When you break the huddle, where's number 10? You find number 10. Even on the Chiefs, he was the coverage dictator. When you break the huddle, where's number 10? You find number 10. Even on the Chiefs, he was the coverage dictator. He made everything easier for Patrick Mahomes.

I know Patrick Mahomes is very special, but he made everything easier for Patrick Mahomes because when he breaks the huddle, defenses have to identify number 10. It's not identify Travis Kelsey. It's not identify, you know, whatever running back they got, whoever. It's identify number Kelsey. It's not identify, you know, whatever running back they got, whoever it's identified number 10 and number 10 is the coverage dictator. And it makes it easy on Kelsey.

It makes it easy on my homes. It makes it easy on Eric, the enemy. It makes it easy on Andy Reed. So I'm really looking forward to seeing Tyreek Hill, Miami. I'm really looking forward to seeing Tua and how he develops. You got two premier receivers in Jalen Waddle and Tyreek Hill and Tyreek Hill in Miami, I'm really looking forward to seeing Tua and how he develops. You've got two premier receivers in Jalen Waddle and Tyreek Hill. And Tyreek Hill is going to be that coverage dictator to where you know immediately where you're going with the ball. So you should see a much better Tua. I think the offense is going to be much more creative. I'm excited to see what Miami does over there. Then if Tyreek is that important,

and I'm not disagreeing with you here, Buffalo, Kansas City. A lot of Bills fans probably feeling like, hey, that was our deal. That should have been us. It ends up being Cincinnati. It's neither of the two teams. There was an incredible playoff game last year,

but which team do you like better in the AFC now between Buffalo and Kansas City? It's the Buffalo Bills, man. The Buffalo Bills is going to be a problem. I think, you know, like I said before, I mean, health plays a big part. But if this team stays healthy, I mean, it's Super Bowl or bust for this team. You know, everybody thinks I'm crazy, man. But I really think the Kansas City Chiefs are going to finish last. I think they're going to finish last in the West.

I don't think they're better than the Denver Broncos. I don't think they're better than the Denver Broncos. I don't think they're better than the Denver Broncos. I don't think they're better than the Las Vegas Raiders. I don't think they're better than the Los Angeles Chargers. I don't. I think this is the worst team in this division, and I know it sounds crazy because they done won it the last 15 years in a row, but they probably got the worst defense out of them all.

You know what I mean? They probably have the worst playmakers on the outside of their quarterback out of them all. You know, so now you want to go out here, you need Patrick Mahomes to be super, super, super, super, super, super special. And he has shown us he can, but can he do it consistently without Tyreek Hill out there

for a whole year beating these tough teams, winning these close games, knowing that your defense is going to struggle as well too. You lost your captain on your defense in the honey badger. It's not like you guys consistently get pressure up front on the defense side of the ball. So it's going to be an interesting season for the Kansas City Chiefs, man.

I'm not really high on the Kansas City Chiefs and what they've done. Wow. Last, I guess when you present it that way, I feel like you're penalizing them for all their question marks and then not doing the same to the other teams. Like, what is it about the Raiders that you're going to get the benefit of the doubt? I think the Kansas City Chiefs has the most question marks. That's why I'm saying that. When I look at the Las Vegas Raiders, I'm like, I'm looking at on the offensive side of the ball.

I'm looking Devontae Adams, Hunter Renfroe, Darren Waller, and I'm looking at Josh Jacobs, right? Really good, right? Offensive line will be solid, but I think from what I've seen with Josh McDaniel's ball coming out of the quarterback's hands fast,

let's run the ball, you're going to help that offensive line out, right? Obviously, the Denver Broncos, everybody's been screaming defense, big time, quarterback away from compete for a championship. Well, they have that quarterback now. They have the weapons on the offensive side of the ball. They have a good offensive line, and you have a big-time defense. So that puts them in front of the Kansas City Chiefs. We all know what the Los Angeles Chargers has done. And this is just on paper. This is just

me talking about just on paper. You look at the Chargers, you put a Khalil Mack on the other side of Bosa. You add a JC Jackson with the young Asante Samuel. We all know you got the baddest safety in football and Derwin James on the defensive side of the ball. This defense is going to be big time. And then you got Keenan Allen. You got Austin Eckler. You signed back Mike Williams. And obviously you got Justin Herbert, who's going to be in the MVP conversation.

I think the Kansas City Chiefs on paper right now have the most question marks. And I think they are going to struggle this season, especially trying to find their way with playmakers on the outside. I love Sky Moore. I think Sky Moore is going to be a really good receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs that they drafted in the second round. But when you start looking at MBS, you start looking at Juju Smith, you start looking at Sky Moore, who is going to be that guy other than Travis Kelsey?

We know what Kelsey is going to do, but you take him away. Who's going to win? You know what I mean? Are you going to stick with the run game? Who's going to win? Your defense is not, like I said, going to be big time. You know, it'll probably be an average of the pack defense. So I'm concerned about the Chiefs, man.

With all that being said, I mean, we could talk for an hour, but I'm concerned about the Chiefs. All right. No, compelling. I just feel like the Chargers every year, I love the roster. Oh, yeah. And then I'm let down. Okay.

We know what the track record says about the Chargers. That's why I keep saying it on paper. And even referencing the Mike Williams thing, I'm like, man, I love that dude. And then it's like, oh, where is he? And then I don't know what's going to happen with Russell Wilson. I'm a big defender of Russell Wilson, the quarterback. I have a hard time believing he's going to have a bad year.

That would seem ridiculous. He's still too young to all of a sudden have some kind of bad year. But I don't know what to make of Denver because they've been kind of in this odd holding pattern of a team with a really good defense that got some of the worst. I think you could probably put some numbers together. You could argue Denver's gotten some of the worst quarterback play for consecutive seasons in NFL history. And if they had just been average a couple times they would have been more competitive all right so you're on fire right now you got any nf nfc zingers for us then because that was kansas city last uh probably the breakout video yeah i do man i just i do that i'm not high on kansas City right now.

The NFC, man, I mean, shoot, the NFC is – I mean, it's going to be a dogfight, man. You know what I mean? It's some strong teams in there, and to me, it's some very weak teams in there. So, you know, I think when it's all said and done, I think you're going to be looking at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Green Bay Packers, the Rams. You know, I know I'm missing one or two teams in there. That's really gone once the playoffs hit.

You know, going to be some dogfights in the playoffs. But my sleeper, and I hate to say it, you know what I mean, because I know I got my Raiders sweater on right now, but, you know, Packers through and through as well. But the Vikings, you know what I mean? And the Vikings is kind of one of those teams like the Chargers where it's like every year we're like, hey, man, you know, they're going to turn that corner.

But I truly think this is the year that the Vikings compete with the Packers for this division. I think this could be last couple games. It's like, man, you know, this division is coming down to the wire between the Green Bay Packers and the Minnesota Vikings. I just like everything the Vikings have over there, man. They built a really good offense around Dalvin Cook. Kirk Cousins is a quarterback that I feel can win you some ballgames.

You know what I mean? Last year his defense was extremely bad. I think that defense will be better. But the Minnesota Vikings is my sleeper in the NFC. What did you make of all the Kyler Murray stuff? I mean, he gets the contract. Part of me was like, wait, everybody's going to feel really bad for a guy who just got the second most guaranteed money in NFL history

and is still kind of a question mark, even though I think from a dynamic standpoint, he's as dynamic as anyone that plays the position. But I think last year concerned me in that when he got hit in that Packers game, it was a lingering thing for him for weeks where a bigger guy maybe recovers a little bit differently to be that young and then to have the injury keep going. So I still have hope and enjoy the hell out of it. But I don't know.

I thought some of the reaction was pretty intense after he had already gotten a contract. I don't know that every team would have given the same quarterback that deal. Yeah, no, and watching Kyler Murray, Kyler Murray, I don't know when it's going to be, but Kyler Murray is going to be the MVP of the National Football League very soon. I don't know this year, next year, the year after. I don't know, but Kyler Murray is that type of talent,

and that's why he got that type. And it's really crazy to me because I don't know but Kyler Murray is that type of talent and that's why he got that type yeah and and it's really it's really crazy to me because I don't like when I don't like when NFL players put put extra sauce on and what I mean by that is I see a lot of people running out of the building you know everybody wants to sit here man I studied for 10 hours and I watched this amount of film and this and that. I see a lot of people running out of the building. When I was with the Las Vegas Raiders, when I was with the Green Bay Packers, other teammates that I talked to, I see a lot of people running out of the building.

You know, I see a lot of people watching just the film that they're required to watch when you're in the team meetings. And yes, a couple of people might go home and watch a little extra hours of film or stay a little extra and watch some film but when guys sit there and say man i did this i studied it um i wish i was sitting next to you when you said that man because i seen you being the first one out of the building or i seen you so for me i think it's just a bunch of bs you know what i'm saying and i know a lot of people is trying to get on the black quarterback, white quarterback. I ain't going to get on the black quarterback, white quarterback and all that type stuff. But I've, I've seen plenty of people at any position run out of that build. You know what I'm saying? When, when coach said meeting over, you know what I mean? So NFL players don't just sit there and sit down and study for five hours of film after practice or go home and do it.

They just don't. And I know people say that the Peyton Manning's and the Drew Brees is and all that type stuff. I'm still questioning that. Obviously, I play with them, but I'm still I'm still questioning that. Now, I understand putting in a little bit extra time, you know what I mean? On the film study, but the way people are putting it like, man, no, no. And to be honest with you, the way Kyler Murray has played, I know it's some names like any other quarterback that has been ups and downs, but this dude has showed you nothing else, but he is special. You know what I'm saying? And that is why they paid him that money. So I don't, I don't get into all that, but I is special you know what i'm saying and that is why they paid him that money

so i don't i don't get into all that but i know you know with what they were trying to put in this contract and i believe they said they took it out i mean people ain't studying like that yeah and then it gets in the motivation of like who leaked it and then it was like did somebody leak it to make them look bad or did somebody leak it after and i'm kind of like all right i understand and you're right the race element the history's terrible you know like anytime i hear warren moon talk about something i'm like what am i gonna tell warren moon he's wrong you know guys in the canadian football league watching other people that he's 10 times better than you know screwing up his career so you know whenever i hear from a warren moon or whatever but i guess that there was just another part of me there. I was like, he just got the second highest guarantee.

Like, this is a really great deal. Yeah, they definitely believe it. Yeah, it played out a little differently. Okay, last thing before we let you go. We know you're a big Trey Lance guy. So were you excited to kind of hear the franchise just say, we're moving forward with him, and they'll have to figure out the Jimmy decision later on?

I am, man, because I believe he's that dude. I believe Trey Lance is truly that dude. I think the Niners are a much better football team. And I know it sounds crazy because, you know, I've been to the NFC Championship a couple of times with Jimmy G. But I think they're a much better football team than Trey Lance under center. Just all the stuff that Trey Lance presents, man. I mean, able to make plays with his legs, able to get outside the pocket

and throw the ball on the run. And just when I talk to a lot of those guys in that building with the Niners, they sound like me earlier in this show when I was talking about Aaron Rodgers when Brett Favre was there. Like, don't worry, we got a dude behind him that can really play. Like, they sound like that. Like, dude, this kid is special. You know, just talking to them guys late, like, man, this dude is special.

Like, dude, we going to be all right. You know what I'm saying? And I know Jimmy G's not Brett Favre and coming to Aaron Rodgers, but at the same time, they sound like they got the same confidence that I had when I was talking about Aaron Rodgers. I think this is going to be a hell of a year for Jimmy. I mean, for Trey Lance, I think Kyle Shanahan's excited. You have to show the organization that you are that dude for them just to walk

away from Jimmy G. You know what I mean? Like for you to pull Jimmy G in the office and say, Hey bro, I know you took us to the NFC Championship. I know you've played well here. I know your track record says when you are on this field for the San Francisco 49ers, this is our record. When you're not on the field for the San Francisco 49ers, our record is absolutely terrible. I know all that stuff says that. But as we sit here and look you eye to eye, this is Trey Lance's team.

For you to do that, Trey Lance has checked every box for you. team. For you to do that, Trey Lance has checked every box for you. Trey Lance is showing you that, yes, I'm that dude, and I'm going to be that dude for a long time. So I'm excited to see him go this year. He's kind of in my Kyler Murray boat

too when I talk about one day, he's going to be standing up there with an MVP trophy. That's James Jones, NFL Network. Hey, thanks a lot for the time today. Not a problem, man. Thanks for having me. You want details?

Fine. I drive a Ferrari 355 Cabriolet. What's up? I have a ridiculous house in the South Fork. I have every toy you could possibly imagine. And best of all, kids, I am liquid. So now you know what's possible. Let me tell you what's required. Today's Life Advice is presented by Modelo. It could be about love, money, or in-laws. Life is always going to throw some serious challenges your way. And that's why Modelo celebrates people who

show resilience and courage in the face of adversity. Modelo, brewed for those with a fighting spirit. Drink responsibly. Beer imported by Crown Imports, Chicago, Illinois. Okay, lifeadvicerr at gmail.com. A couple of really good ones here. Let's see. This one's awful just because I think it's such a terrible idea, but that's why we're going to read it.

510-155. Traveled for the last 14 months and thought working out would be easier. It wasn't. I'll never throw weights around like some dudes, but even now, if we go camping, a bear wouldn't get me first. Quick, former track guy. Also math team, but sneaky athletic. Okay. All right.

I like all those attributes, to be honest with you. Against a bear, quick, understanding angles, geometry. Yeah. Like a tree guy. Is that bear going to cut me off there? Nope. I've already mapped it all out in my head. All right.

As I've said, I've been traveling for the last 14 months. What wasn't mentioned was 13.5 of those months were with my girlfriend. The spare two weeks is when I had an emergency surgery in a foreign country with heavy COVID restrictions. So she couldn't visit. And the other week was when her dad got hit by a car. He's okay all right not going on there uh but it's kind of his fault because he and i quote thought the driver would recognize who he was

i don't know what that means is the dad famous he's so famous he stops traffic yeah is anybody that famous? I don't know. My father-in-law, again, this is the girlfriend's dad, so we don't know if it's going to go down there. I'd be like, you know, my girlfriend's dad is a real head turner. I wonder how, like, what is his level? Who is he?

Was he like a local politician? Like, do you know who I am? Yeah, I don't know. I mean, that's the ultimate do you know who I am move to just step out in traffic expecting people to go. I do know who that is. Stop the car. Even though the light is green, I don't really get this.

That's not how it stops on. Maybe it's traffic works. The dad is like, I don't know. I don't know. All right. Anyway, let's keep it moving. So he walked out in traffic as a car was coming, albeit on a crosswalk. Anyway, before we traveled together, we spent two years of quarantine next to each other without any separation.

I could tell you every meal she's had for three of the six and a half years we've been dating. Things are going great. Our families even had Christmas together. My dad saved her family home from being burnt to the ground. What? What? What did the girlfriend's hot dad think of your dad doing that yeah who's better now i don't know i don't really how does one save a house from burning down

too like is he a firefighter yeah or is this or is he just like a is this concerned citizen email just exaggerate stuff like there was a there was a curtain that was near some lights and he's like we should move those lights or yeah somebody with the, and he's like, we should move those lights. Yeah, somebody with a burner on. He's like, hey, shut that off. All right, yeah. I smell a gas leak. This guy's a hero.

I don't know. Let's keep going with the email. I mean, maybe this family has some weird shit happen to it on both sides. So he goes, I don't think many things are wrong however she always insists on recording our arguments oh my god this is i finally agreed to let her record um or hit record on our most recent argument my dilemma now what do i do should i transcribe two sessions of 45 minute discussions, one and a half hours total? Thanks, math guy.

We're able to figure that out. He's got, he's got, he starts throwing some math stats that this is the number one math team in the nation, 13 of the last 14 years. If we needed to look that up.

I don't. Thanks though. I don't know. I'm so confused on this math thing like he added 45 minutes and then he started talking about his math resume uh i imagine some of the other math is more challenging than that but so then simple addition yes so he's asking should he transcribe the two sessions 45 minutes each and present her with the full version for review whether i'd be right or wrong

i don't see a world in which any recording goes down a happy path but i also feel obligated to see the matter through i'm a neuroscientist and my whole career is based on interpreting evidence would a careful study of a transcript end this desire to record the proceedings as someone who records many conversations i figure you would know best i mean look dude i'm taping a podcast i'm not fucking sitting there with my girlfriend taping our arguments and standing in front of the phone. I would think that's also super inconvenient because you have to stand or sit near the phone and then you're like across from a table looking at each other, making sure the phone is picking it all up. Okay. I mean, just look, the headline is going to be

pretty simple for me. I think this is a terrible, terrible idea. Not only that, because like the only way I could see this working is if there's such a disconnect every time that you have these arguments, but it's apparently, it sounds like you don't have that many arguments and everything is great, but she wants to do this. I don't know where she learned this. I'm sure there's somebody, maybe a professional person listening to this right now going, it actually can be a really great exercise because it removes you from the emotions of being in the conversation at that time and then you're listening here like i would say okay if you felt like this is the the last resort here and you're trying some way to salvage relationship i'd be like all right fine cool figure it out

but i hate it so much and the fact that if you do ever break up and you sound like a psychopath in these things, she could send it to a friend or something like that. So I don't know. Honestly, I think too many people record each other now in some fucked up ways. And the best thing would be to not be doing that more often. So I would only say it's okay if you feel like it's the only thing you can do. But if this is her move and she wants to do it all the time that's a that's a real problem do you really fight enough is there such a disconnect

between the two of you that you need these things to be because you basically have described it you know her dad's hot he's okay your dad's saving christmas um you said you know all like for the most part it seems like you've gotten along so So if it's just the occasional argument, this is her move. That's actually more frustrating and I hate it. So yeah, I wouldn't be doing this a ton. This is one of the most random, just like throwing things out there, emails that I think we've ever gotten of just like different stories that have nothing to do with the actual question in hand. I think anytime you're keeping score in arguments in a relationship, it's just never a good idea. Never. Because I just think about the arguments I get in with my wife, and we don't really even argue a ton.

But they're usually when one of us is in a bad mood, and one of you is definitely irrational and wrong, but you just don't want to admit you're wrong. And then after a while, you kind of come around. If you're in a healthy, good relationship, you realize that you were an asshole. And you don't even have to apologize, but you just kind of know that like you were in the wrong and you probably took that too far. So if you're playing that stuff back to your significant other, you're just, it's basically you getting more agitated or repeating whatever thing you were arguing about in the first place. And it's just not healthy. So I don't, I don't know why if she insists on you doing, I definitely don't think you should like take a time stamp on this and

transcribe it and like read it back to her and analyze it unless it's really something very serious that you guys are discussing. If they're just like petty arguments, then just let it go. But if she like insists on recording this stuff, I hate to say, man, that's like a major red flag to me. I don't, I don't think that's like the sign of a very healthy relationship. Now, if she's like, if she's recording them and she's not actually using them for anything and she's, I mean, I would hope she's not like sending them to other people, like without, you know, your permission, that would be because otherwise, why is she recording them? If it's not just going to be a playback to you, I guess if she's not using them at all, it's fine. But if she wants to record them and like keep score on who's right

and who's wrong and have like a whiteboard with like tally markers on it, I think that's a recipe for disaster in my opinion. Yeah. She taping every time you guys have a disagreement and then what's the exercise that you're supposed to go back. I mean, I think I lost some of it there when he was talking about then transcribing it. And so then he's going to hand it to her and then have a read it. Definitely don't do that.

Definitely. No, but I felt like he was saying he was going to do that to prove to her how pointless this was and have a read it back. So I don't know that that's, um, that sounds like an awful time an awful time and i would break up if that's what i had to deal with sorry again i think we all you just

now you just end it you just say hey it wouldn't even be like a negotiation in the future it was like hey we're gonna have to always tape these recordings like we're gonna have to tape our arguments i'd be like well you fucking you can yell at yourself on your phone because I'm out of here. Tell your dad to check with crossing. Your dad's not even that famous. Dad's not nearly as hot as he thinks he is. All right. Photos of the athletes. Hey, Ryan, 29, 5'9", 165.

I don't work out. I do play golf when I can. Today, my wife and I went to Bengals training camp. My father-in-law is a writer for the team, was able to hook us up with friends and family's passes, allowing us a spot in the end zone right by the field and a few other amenities that made the day great. Surrounded by the players and coaches' families, we felt like we were a bit out of place, but didn't mind the shade and refreshments. After practice ended, the players came over to greet their families,

do interviews, and sign autographs. My wife is used to being around the players on the team because of her dad. But I'm still new to this. We got married last October at the stadium. They got married at Paul Brown. So they really like it. Paul Brown. They really like it. How romantic.

I waited until after all the kids got their autographs and approached Jamar Chase for a photo. He graciously took one with me and carried on with his day. My wife thought this was embarrassing because I was an adult and this was her father's coworker. Was I wrong to approach him and ask for a photo? As an adult, asking players for autographs and photos against some code. Would love to hear your thought. Love the show. Okay. Can we just stop real quick on something that was said there? The father-in-law who writes and covers the team is not a co-worker of an all-pro receiver. Yep. He is adjacent to his career.

Yeah. Now, I don't know if Jamar Chase has been named all-pro. I just think he's that good and he will be at some point. Yeah. It's an anticipatory comment, if anything. Right. I mean, look, even if he was a slot guy colleague seems like a stretch second team seems like a second team opera here's here's what uh i'm gonna take your side i'm gonna take your side on this because the person who's totally

you know desensitized to it the the father, the girlfriend, now your wife, they're actually like, I've been, you know, what, 20 years in this, whatever my instincts would be, I actually don't think they're the right ones. It might be cooler that I don't care, but it's completely being dismissive of so many people, whether it's listening to this podcast or the hours you spend watching the NFL or all the NBA stuff that you love, that you still are enamored with these people that are so special at what it is that they do. This is a big part of your life. To let the other kids, and you're saying you had all of them go first or whatever, maybe you're trying to sell your side of the argument even more, but you asking for a quick selfie with a guy who's used to this, I don't think you're really wrong here. Now, I don't know

if there's some sort of stipulation that was made that's, hey, if you're doing the friends and family thing, like you're not supposed to go in there, even though that's where your access was. I mean, maybe there's some sort of rule that you could have broken. Maybe it's some sort of understanding, but I think for them to be like dismissive of what you wanted in that moment is not very realistic. And that most people want a picture with the famous person. Most people want to go ahead and get the autograph, even if they're trying to pretend that they're above it being like, Hey, normally I wouldn't ask her. I wouldn't normally do this, but deep down, it's actually that they do want something. And people kind of lost their minds about like the photo thing where it's just like hey i'm gonna just take a photo and you're gonna like you have

to do that it doesn't seem like that's what you're doing at all even included the photo i mean jamar chase is like standing behind him and he takes a quick shot with with the phone so unless you were completely not allowed to do that all right but there's nothing you've told us that would say that um then i i think you're actually in the right here. And they need to remind themselves that even though their access to it is to sensitize them to it, they are over it. And yes, I get it. Like the cool thing is to do, the cool thing to do is to not actually want any of these things. That doesn't really apply to most people.

Most people are going to want what you did. And if it was pretty harmless, which it appears to be from this picture, and they're just more annoyed with you than some rule that you broke, I would not spend too much time feeling guilty about this. practice like that happens all the time with fans i've seen them i've seen that a million times um and i think the players you know if you ask them and they say yeah sure like be polite about it and that's fine so as you said unless there's like a rule about it i think they're being incredibly incredibly lame here and you know it reminds me like remember back in the espn days when like you know we'd have like car wash people come in and you know there was like a rule that if you were working you shouldn't really be asking for pictures of like, have Jake Gyllenhaal come through because he's promoting some new movie.

Don't ask Jake Gyllenhaal for a picture if you're working on the show. That rule got broken a million times. It didn't really matter. It did get annoying at times when people would be working nights and they come in during the day just to meet Rick Ross and take a picture with him. You're like, all right, maybe you're doing a little bit too much here, guy. You don't even really work on the show. But I don't know. People get excited. They want to everybody get excited about a new like Facebook profile picture.

I'm sure this guy's pumped to like have the selfie with Jamar Chase and he's getting a bunch of likes and he feels good about himself. I think his wife needs to lighten up a little bit. This is what training camp is for. It's not that big of a deal as long as you're not being a dick about it and like asking every player for a million autographs or different things. And to suggest that, you know, you're you're part of the team or that you are in some way like affiliated with the team. So you shouldn't be doing this. That's not what the situation is. So I think you should feel fine about it.

I wouldn't argue with your wife about it, but I would, I would rest easy knowing you're in the right here. Yeah. And if Jamar Chase is upset, you can have the dad who's his coworker, you know, smooth it over for you.

But again, if he was, if the dad is writing for the team site, you know, smooth it over for you. But again, if he was, if the dad is writing for the team site, then maybe it's looked at a little bit differently. But yeah, whatever. The co-worker thing kind of made me laugh. I don't think anybody's going to care. I really, I don't think the rule of ESPN doesn't know who your dad is or that your, your, your, your father-in-law is. He doesn't, he doesn't know any of this stuff. You're, you're completely clean here. Yeah. I would say the ESPN one was always hysterical because they'd be like, hey, just make sure you know. What they didn't want people doing was

asking for autographs or pictures in the hallway. And then remember we had that kid who just started lurking for a little while. Remember that stretch of that dude? And he just was coming by all the time, getting his pictures taken. Then he started posting them on Instagram. Who was that guy? That was hilarious. And then we started looking through and we're like, who is this guy? And that's actually what's kind of funny about life too, is that he was so sure of himself that nobody ever knew what the hell was going on. We're like, why is this guy coming over and doing this every time we have a celebrity? Yeah. He doesn't even go here.

What? I, I, I, that was a mean girl's reference. No, don't worry about it. I didn't know mean girls.

I knew it was, it was sort of a reference. No, but there was some random, like to have the confidence to not really know anybody in the department, but still hang around and like get a picture with, I don't know, like Eli Manning, somebody, some random person's coming through.

Like, and then I think he got a picture with Van Pelt once and we were like, what's going on here? That's right. And then we were like, somebody goes, hey, did we found his Instagram? And then we started realizing like, dude, he's just posting, like he's an intern at ESPN

and he's turning this into his own little like posting of whatever he was taking pictures of everybody and then posting them um and he clearly had had no concern for it but the one the only time that ever bothered me would be like the management you get the like again we knew we were gonna have our pictures taken because we were on the fucking show right it was our show it was understood when you get done with yeah we did for social media you get done with jake gyllenhaal he's gonna take a picture with you because that's the whole point um were you with me was it was it michelle was with us in miami when they had me do it was we were both there was it vince for the all-star game yeah

we were both there there's michelle and okay yeah like when we went up to mb to ask him for a picture just because we wanted to see what it looked like and i kind of was like uh i don't really you know don't ask him or whatever and then he was actually really cool about it and then we figured all right whatever for the social page and it's me next to mb um at marlin's yeah you don't strike you're not the guy who's going to be like anywhere asking people for pictures unless it's in a work setting like that. Like it's a formula, you know, it's like a formulaic,

like, Hey, here's Joe and bead. He's doing a car wash, take a picture with Ryan. Like you wouldn't tap on the shoulder at it at a Marlins game and be like, Hey, Hey,

I'm being like, hold up. I probably, I probably wouldn't do that. You just don't have that genie. You don't have that in your body. I don't really either. I kind of find that really cringe.

Joe and Hall. I was very excited about, and I, I remember, didn't you do the picture of then you do like the the fight pitch because he was i think he was throwing that movie south right so i think i think you both did like the arm like you know a boxer thing and it was actually pretty funny but he was a good dude he was he was um he was really really good um in those

didn't you know because i i try not to pretend that like hey that guy was really nice to me for seven minutes while i helped promote his movie he's an awesome dude you know, cause I, I try not to pretend that like, Hey, that guy was really nice to me for seven minutes while I helped promote his movie. He's an awesome dude. You know, cause it's, you know, everything about him. Cause you have to be, as I've said a million times, you have to be an absolute like hall of fame asshole to screw up those seven minutes. Some people did. I mean, there were a few people I won't name names, a single digit number, one, one wide receiver. But of all the people that we've ever sat down with, think about it, hundreds, it's not more than 10 where you got done with those seven minutes going,

that guy sucks. He's the worst. I can only really think of like three ever. And that's why after everybody gets done with all the other people, it's the E.J. Manuel thing. E.J. Manuel was so good in those seven or eight minutes that people were like, he's going to be an awesome quarterback. I'm like, I might get a summer place with him, but I don't know if he's going to be any good as those seven or eight minutes that people were like, he's going to be an awesome quarterback. I'm like,

I might get a summer place with him, but I don't know if he's going to be any good as a quarterback or not. And he wasn't as good as a quarterback, but he ended up back at ESPN. But the, the picture thing that was, that was like the managers would always be big on it. Remember like,

don't do this, don't do this, don't do that, don't do this. And then as soon as Liam Neeson shows up, seven managers are back there waiting to get their picture taken with them and that's where you're like as a manager like it's such it's a really bad look because it's like you're telling everyone we can't do the thing that you are absolutely going to do and uh every time that would happen and then they

would leave the studio we'd just be like what the fuck like seriously i haven't seen you in months but congrats none thanks for stopping by yeah and then did liam neeson and did it end up we could do a whole car wash episode where we just talk about like different times uh i don't i didn't i don't remember liam neeson that i bring up jill and hall because at the time i was working on mike and mike you look like a little bit and i was and i had a bun and he had a little Gyllenhaal face. And he had just cut his bun for the movie. So, well, a couple, this is why Gyllenhaal is like my all-time favorite. Sorry to the Taylor Swift crew who I know is like, he's very much in the crosshairs of that situation. I still like Taylor Swift, but I am team Gyllenhaal here.

Sorry. He comes in, Mike and Mike, it's like 7 a.m. It's his first hit of the car wash, right? And you know when like people come in on those car washes and they've washes and they roll like 10 deep, they've got a publicist, they've got multiple PR people, they've got buddies. I remember Joe Kim Noah came in with a crew and some guy shook up a protein shake and the top wasn't on it

and it just exploded all in the studio. And it was a disaster. Gyllenhaal came in with no one. It was him and the ESPN talent booker. And I immediately was like that's fucking awesome because that means this guy is super down to earth so he gets there i'm producing mike and mike that day i didn't know if those guys were in or whatever and he's like 15 minutes early so we literally just shot the shit for like 15 minutes and he was he could not have

been nicer awesome dude i talked to me i was talking about my bun i was like was it hard to cut it off he's like yeah man it sucked like i was so bummed i really like the bun but i had to cut it i had to get the buzz cut for the for the movie because you know remember he had like a like he basically buzzed his head and he was like kind of like a meathead crazy guy um so we talked about that for a while he will that was my number one like this guy is actually i was debating like hey you're gonna be around because like i'll be in west harford later like you want to hit a brico grab a drink or something i didn't quite go that far and i would never do that but our vibes were so good on that that I even stopped by the studio later to see you guys interview Jake. That's where I saw the picture of you guys, you know, back to back doing the boxing thing. But Joan Hall was the number one nicest guy that I've ever met in any car wash.

the talent department. Like you could ask three different people that handled like the talent department is kind of a vague term for a department at ESPN because sometimes the talent department's doing our contracts. They're telling us what we should be looking for. Sometimes they're taking you off of shows, but they'd also have the people and be like, Hey, Adam Sandler's coming by. He's promoting grownups. And then the talent department would have one of their employees assigned to that person the entire day. And, you know, we both steve and i've been there for such a long time but you just be like what what is uh who's the coolest sandler sandler sandler was always sandler it was uh it was unbelievable then kuba gooding jr i think said rock out rock out with your cock out on sports center that shut that shut his day down pretty Yeah, give him a car service home.

I think Liam Neeson swore too. I don't remember Liam Neeson. I remember I was so upset because Rick Ross came in on the day that I was off. And I literally debated coming in because he's my favorite rapper. I love Rick Ross. And I ended up not doing that. And I think he told Michelle. Michelle had like a necklace on.

And she was like, hey, nice chain. And Michelle's never forgotten that to this day. He was cool, but he kind of was like, he knew he was Rick Ross and he was just whatever. And I think Canel asked him about like, what do we have to do to be a friend? Like it was, it was pretty funny, but it was, it's not as cringy as that sounds. Cause as I just said it, I cringed a little bit on the inside, it was just so the whole thing was absurd and so we started just talking like what does it take to get i think canel's like what does it take to get in your crew or something and rick was like rick he goes uh man it's just about money like making money and opportunities and partnerships so if you if you don't waste my time and your time is money and my time is money, then we can do whatever.

And we were like, so what does that mean? I like pitch you. Pitch you on a fucking. Have you ever been on a picnic? So, all right. I guess that's enough memory lane car wash stuff there. TI. TI, real quick.

Also awesome. TI was. I don't know if it's a rapper thing. No. He was great. Super cool. I told him, I was like,

dude, I listened to that album. I listened to King in high school. Like, I think I broke the CD in my car and he was like, that's awesome, man.

Like I loved it. He like genuinely was like happy to hear that. Yeah. We were talking watches. He was, he was cool. TI was actually really cool to us. All right. There you go. Today's Life Advice presented by Modelo. Modelo knows it doesn't matter where you come from. It matters actually really cool to us. All right, there you go.

Today's Life Advice presented by Modelo. Modelo knows it doesn't matter where you come from. It matters what you're made of. And when you need a little advice, it never hurts to have someone in your corner cheering you on. Modelo came from small beginnings and never gave up. That's what makes a lion. Modelo, brewed for those with a fighting spirit.

Drink responsibly. Beer imported by Crown Imports, Chicago, Illinois. Okay, that's life advice. Email us, lifeadvicerr at gmail.com. Thanks to Steve and Mike in for Kyle today. And thank you as always. Ryan Russell, Podcast Ringers, Spotify. Outro Music