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Sweat Many Bears et Cetera brought to you by Miller Lighte with the voices of the Bears Jeff Joniac and.
Tom Thayer, we go back in time, all looking forward to what's next In this week's Bears et Cetera podcast episode sixty three that would be at the Jay Hilgenberg Podcast with his teammate in Super Bowl winning Bears guard Tom Thayer. I'm Jeff Joniac and we're weeks away from drafting the next starting quarterback of the Chicago Bears in the twenty fifth of this month, and we'll also lay out the red carpet to Canton, Ohio for Bears great
Steve McMichael and Devin Hester. All this while the baseball world is popping and spinning, and the NCAA Men's and women's champions have been crowned. Congrants to the Yukon men and the South Carolina women for camping off tremendous memorable seasons and now, Tom, you were really interested in women's basketball, and South Carolina ran the table unbeaten, and yukon a repeat, so some exciting stuff in the tournament. I know you were glued to it.
I was, you know, because I have so much respect for the coaches in the wave. They brought their coaching talents and brought that to the talent of their players. Because when I watch women's basketball, the precision of their passing, the authenticity of the game, the understanding of the angles and the intricacies of how basketball is played, and again, it reminds me of old school basketball before dunking became so prevalent in men's basketball. And I just loved what
I saw. And listen, I have all the respect in the world for what the men's you know, finals offered.
I gotta say, though, I was talking to Joliet's own Terry Gannon the other day, and he played on the nineteen eighty three national championship team of North Carolina State, and they were all going down to watch North Carolina State in the finals, and so I kind of had my fingers crossed that they would win the championship because two years later the Bears won the Super Bowl, and so I was hypothetically and hopefully thinking ahead during that time.
But you know, Yukon Purdue they did a great job. South Carolina and Iowa they did a great job. So I'm you know, a lot of great basketball there was to be watched.
City champions Joliet, Illinois.
Always yes, I mean, you know it was. It was interesting because when I was going to Notre Dame in that year, North Carolina State played Notre Dame Matt Notre Dame, so I had a chance to meet a lot of those guys on that team through Terry, and we had another local kid from Lockport, Scott Parsitch, that also played on North Carolina State. So you know, a lot of connective tissues there.
So our special guest this week former Bears gentleal manager Jerry Angelo. Unfortunately, all things being real, here, I kicked the cord on the electricity and the first part of that interview was somewhere in the metaverse, somewhere and so long gone. We did save some of it. We'll play some of that. It won't be about what we initially discussed, but he's agreed to come back next week and talk about Devin Hester. We can summarize, though it's an honor that he's in there, that he had a chance a
drafting fifty seventh in round two. Never thought at the time that this was going to be a Hall of Fame career a man without a position. Belty should have stayed in college a year longer to maybe solidify being a cornerback, which Devin really wanted to play. But the excellence in what it ouded to was really pushing the team into a super Bowl in two thousand and six.
Well, I got to tell you the bigger picture that I look at it, and the crossroads of Devin Hester going into the Hall of Fame when he was kind of an athlete without a defined position. I think that because of Devin Hester has been in the conversation of the classes of Hall of Fames. It's continued the discussion about how can we make kickoff returns better in the NFL? And so when you look at devn you know, being
honored by induction into the Hall of Fame. Everybody knew it and we kind of complained about it as much as anybody during the broadcast that they somehow got to get the return game back in to the NFL game. And so I'm glad that the conversation continued to get Devon into the Hall of Fame because he deserves it. But I'm also glad that the conversation continued where they got the kickoff returned back into the NFL.
Miller Light is our presenting sponsor of the Bears et cetera. Podcast tastes like Miller Time. Go to millerd Light dot com. Slash Bears Pod find delivery options near you. Celebrate responsibly. Middle Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Ninety six calories and three point two carbs per twelve ounces. In our discussion with Jerry, which this part you won't here, but we'll readdress it next week on the podcast, is that Yeah, it is about safety, and it is about you know, getting it
back in the game. And it is about point production from his perspective, because point totals are down and you know, they'd like to see that get ratcheted up. He feels the return men. It will be the return men. Maybe it'll be a bigger return man. And it's an actual line of scrimmage play. Now it's a play from scrimmage the way it'll be designed, so that to me is intrigued.
And we discussed this a couple of weeks back. It's going to be an additional sixteen hundred plays of NFL football, and that's that's gonna be a lot of fun to watch. But what I didn't get a chance to bring up with Jerry, and maybe we can touch on it next week, is that you know what here again, why do we have to tweak the game to have the point total be up or down? Why why can't we just play football?
Well, I sold the antagonistic part of me about the kickoff return. I was saying, Okay, if you take kickoff return out of it, then you should cut the salary of the special teams coaches by one quarter because it's the most difficult play in special teams to organize block a successful blocking scheme. And so when you saw these guys that were great returners, it was really you know, you got to give the special teams coaches throughout the history of the NFL all the credit they deserved because
of the difficulty of it. So now I'm going to give them their salaries back because now I'm interested to really see the reconstruction of a blocking scheme when they have the new setup of the kickoff return. And to me, in some of the ways that we used our blocking schemes on our kickoff return back in the day, you
could work with another player. I worked a lot with Jim Morrissey, and so when you can kind of set up the guys that were coming downfield just by eye contact and you knew you were setting them up for a blindside block by your teammate, I think you're going to have a construction of really interesting returns designed by the special teams coaches in the NFL.
So if in fact, this is going to be looked upon as a scrimmage play in essence, are you gonna involve now, Chris Morgan, the offensive lineco are you gonna you're gonna involve Like from a schematic point of view, will you get their influence at all?
Now, what I'm gonna do is I'm going to design some cross blocking schemes. I'm gonna I'm gonna introduce where my point of return is going to be and move a body across the formation. I'm gonna change different angles. Because we're so close to each other, you got to think being in the wedge back. In my kickoff return, I was retreating at the kick of the ball, setting up about eleven yards away from the returner, and then
initiating our movement towards the pursuers. Nowadays, with the kickoff, the ball is caught and now you get to start your confrontation. I just think that they're super intelligent special teams coaches all throughout the NFL, and I think you're gonna be able to devise those different angles of attack to create that instant of opportunity for a returner. I'm not looking for you to sustain a block for four seconds.
I'm looking for you to get the right angle on the pursuer to create that crease to watch the explosion upfield.
I can't wait to see it. I really can't. I can't wait to see it. There's going to be a lot of interesting plays drawn up over the course of the season. Somebody's gonna do something really intriguing. It's gonna be like the tush push became something. Somebody's gonna do something that everybody else is going to try and copy, and it's gonna become a hop play a thing.
Jeff, consider this as well. So when we're sitting there a training camp and they have the different days that are dedicated to different segments of special teams, you're gonna be able to do these things live. You're not gonna do it like the old kickoff return where we're just gonna run down field and we're not gonna have any contact because we want to keep it innocent. Now you're gonna kick off and we're gonna have actual live kickoff
returns at practice because the impact is significantly less. And the guys that are included on the core special teams, those are that those are the guys that we need to get the most realistic reps before it actually happens.
Have you discussed this with some special teams coaches across the league?
I have not.
I just when I you know, because watching the other leagues that they use this style of kickoff return, I was thinking about that back in the day in practices, that they're actually going to be able to do these more real They're gonna have to do them more realistically live to allow the players to get used to it. Because of the proximity of the pursuers and the blockers are so close to each other, you're you know, you could have these rugby style of plays drawn up. You
could have these type of tacklers against these blockers. And so I think it's gonna be fun in training camp when we have the you know, the mid second, mid part of practice, when they're going kick off, kickoff return time.
You had to be paying attention. You know, no more coffee breaks a training camp.
Oh no, I don't listen. I drink the coffee before I get there. Not a coffee drinking.
You're the one why, you know, I'm awful. You know, have made for.
You and hand it to you when we get there. You know that, don't deny it.
Well, you know, let's talk about that for men, because you used to really get mad at me when I would bring the I'm a guy who likes to have a hot cup of Joe, and I'm a stroller, like strolling out there with my coffee on the practice field, and you would you would burn a hole in me with those eyes. You don't bring the coffee to the practice field. So I keep it up in the in the viewing suite when we have to do our talks with different guests over the course of training camp on
the daily. But I don't do that anymore, because you know you told me that should be outlawed. That was not that was not proper.
If I was an active player, I would come and I would slap it on you.
I really would, because well, hey, the late Mark Hatley used to stand under the goal post at every practice with a large, big gulp first thing in the morning.
Yes, I know, I'm just you know, like I said, if I was an active player and you were sitting there sipping coffee, I would slap it right on there.
Let me ask you this question. Did coaches back in your day anybody smoke cigarettes on the field.
Yes?
They did. Yes, you get a coach, Dick Stanfeld used to smoke on the during practice.
Yeah.
I used to smoke during meetings, you know, and we are in the meeting room for a couple hours on Jim Hanniff and the ex offensive line coach of the Rams and the Atlanta Falcons and other teams. There was players when I was in the USFL, there were multiple players that smoked and went into the locker room at halftime to make sure that they could have a couple of cigarettes in the bathroom during halftime.
Unbelievable. It's time to tackle some game day deals. Then go with the grocer who's been a part of Chicago since eighteen ninety nine, Jewel Oscar, the official grocery store of the Chicago Bears. A couple of new additions and there have been plenty on the business side in the front office of the Chicago Bears as a franchise, and one is the hiring of Christa Whittaker, Executive VP of Legal,
Business Affairs and Chief Legal Officer. She comes from the Miami Heat Tommy and will closely work with Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren, a Texas A and M grad and Stanford Law Also Andrea Zapp, Senior Advisor Legal and Business Affairs, a distinguished career in multiple executive leadership roles in the public and private sector, Harvard Undergrad, Harvard Law School. Some really impressive women joining the Bears franchise in that side of the fence. As they continue to work towards
getting a stadium. There are new wrinkles to business. It's not just here, it's global, and so every little bit is going to help the Chicago Bears moving forward. As Kevin Warren reimagines the front office of the franchise.
Hey, the education of the NFL never stops because it seems like there's always something that's in motion that needs to be figure it out factually and with great intelligence. And when you look at Bell's education resumes, it's pretty impressive.
It is no question. So welcome to Christa and welcome to Andrea. So let's get into the interview. We're going to pick it up on the fly with Jerry Angela. The first part obviously not able to be aired, so we'll have to revisit, and he's been kind enough to join us again next week, talk specifically about Devin Hester. We got into many topics as three guys who love football are going to and we picked it up about where the money's going at the guard position in the
National Football League. Here's part of our conversation with the former Bears general manager. I've been tweaking Tom because Tom, you know, had a great career at guard. He was a hell of a right guard, a Super Bowl champion,
never missed a snap, never missed a game. But the salaries are a bit different at guard in twenty twenty four, that's where the skyrocket to combat what everybody's doing on the interior now and that quick point of tech between the line of scrimmage and the closest to get to the quarterback is inside. The guards today are making a lot of money, Jerry.
Yeah, you know, Jeff used to be left tackle, then it became tackle, then it became tackle, guard center. He's still the run of the litter, so to speak. But the guard and tackle, if you're a premium player, you know, they see them the same now and they should. You know, when I think that, you know, canton tackles are going to the Hall of Fame, what do you think Tom pass pro guys? Right, when I think of the guards
going to Canton run balkers. So they each have tremendous value, you know, uh in an offense, you know a little more showing time with the offensive tackles, they're on islands, more to be made like a pass rusher. But no, the value of a guard to me is every bit is essential to good line plays as a tackle. And as I said, we you know, the best lines that you know, I've been around, we always had, you know, good guard play. We couldn't run an offense you know
without her. Particularly Again, Jeff, I go back to if you don't have a franchise quarterback, right, So yeah, you know, as you see in free agencies, they're dinosaurs. There's not enough college alignment back in my day, and it still holds true today. To feed thirty two teams, you can't the college just can't produce, you know, the players. When we were at twenty eight teams, we were okay, we
were good. But when we went to thirty two, Jeff, that position really to me sunk in terms of the talent level, you know, and teams were just band aiding the position and grab bagging. And that's why you see it in free agency. I've never seen so mediocre players, you know, that are making so much money. I mean, some of these players just you know, they're on the high side of average, and look at their salaries. It's not because of their play, it's because of the value of what they are the teams.
You know, Jerry, in the nineteen eighty three draft and I came out there as five quarterbacks taken in the first round, and two of the premier guys obviously were Elway and Dan Marino. Put them in these modern day quarterback classes, do you scout them and evaluate them differently or do you try to fit them into the system that you want to run. If there are RP less RPO guys in more passing type of guys.
Tom, I'd say this still holds true today, and I you know, I will swear by it. You know, I everybody, if you're in my position, you're always looking, you know, at that position. And I would tell our scouts evaluate every quarterback in your area and make sure that you know them. And when the draft's over, with anybody that we had on the board at the quarterback position that we said to make it, you need to watch them in the summertime. You can't do enough work on the
quarterback position. But saying that, Tom, I think these these tenants hold true. And Jeff, you and Tom agree or disagree, But I think the number one criteria for that position thom his toughness, you know, mental and physical toughness. You cannot play that position without it. Number two is accuracy, not armsprint accuracy because most of the throws are coming around ten yards of a line of scrimmage, so you've got to be able to hit the receiver the moving targets.
That's where you're going to get your after catch. The other one, and you know everybody talks about it. I you know, boys, emotional intelligence, however you want to call it. How does he act in the unrehearsed How does it And it doesn't mean make a great play. It might be taking this act, throwing the ball out of box, not doing something stupid with the ball, and you can call it emotional intelligence. I always define it as poised.
And then lastly, leadership tom critical critical to the position, in which leadership mean hard worker, hard working guy. You know, he had to have the respect to the locker room and the only way you're going to get that is through your work ethic and through your toughness. So for those criteria that I use for myself, three were intangible. I think that the position as a character position in the NFL, it's always been that way. I saw a documentary on Bart Starr brought a tear to my eye.
I mean, if you haven't seen it, you need to watch it. What an incredible story. But again, that's why you know, it's the hardest position in sport to play because the intangibles along with the intangibles are rare and so few people you know have Hey, listen, I tried my best to get them, and they're just you know, they're rare, but I really believe this time, Jeff, You've got to have those four criteria to be successful in the National Football League.
Well, we hear a lot about the Bears tied to Caleb Williams as a projected number one overall pick here in sixteen days. So with that being said, how do you as a general manager and as a as a department to prepare your team for what looks like is going to be a Day one rookie starting quarterback and ease that transition. Who's the backup right now? It's Tyson Beaging.
Okay, Well he I heard a lot of good things about it. I didn't see him play a lot, but I think it's it's important who's in the room if I'm taking a quarterback in the first round like we had Josh McCown. I mean, he was great, a great guy to have in the room, So I would my focus is who's in the room. And I like the back up there in Chicago. He's I wish he had a little more experience, but he seems like he's got a lot in terms of his intangibles. And you know, will be a good fit. I would look at a
veteran of sorts. I think that's going to be very very important. You know, coaching can't minimize coaching. You know, look at that real you know, what do we what's your plan for him? You know we'd have to we have to have a plan. It's not like, well, let's throw him out there and let's see what he can do. We have to work and operate within the plan. I think history tells you, Jeff, that the more he's able
to watch, the better his chances of success. You know, you you look at uh, you know, at hasselback when he was up in Green Bay. You look at the Jordan Love kid, you look at Aaron Rodgers. They say it a long time, and we're very better. I think, percentagely speaking, quarterbacks that have that that window of time, their chances of success are going to be better. In the old days, Tom, tell me, when you drafted a quarterback in the first round, he might be lucky, you know,
starting his third year. You know, you know you own the players then, so you could be more patient. But I think that's still you know, very very important. You know who's in that room. It's a tough position. And you know, nobody has the formula, you know, but you want to be you want to be sound in your approach. And I think you have to look at these components. And I'm touching on Jeff.
Yeah, you may. I mean you look at quarterbacks. Unfortunately, they get drafted at the highest in the first round, are sometimes going to the worst supporting cast. Now you're asking that quarterback to go out and compete like he's at Alabama with a five star class of athletes, when that's really not what you're offered in the team you're going to. And then can you stay healthy long enough in order to allow them to build the roster so
you have that supporting cast around you. And you know, sometimes quarterbacks are treaty treated the most unfairly in their route to success.
Or Tom and Jerry. As you mentioned Jerry, Tom and Jerry. I just caught that myself. This is no cartoon. This is no cartoon.
Uh.
Like you mentioned the turnover on coaches, I believe since twenty twenty one, they've all overturned already. And so at offensive coordinator. So now you got to hear the Bears have another offensive coordinator. You've got a passing game coordinator. You've got a run game coordinator, slash offensive line coach. You've got a quarterback coach. You've got an assistant quarterback coach who played in the league as av Ryan Griffin here.
So they're trying to build a lot of people to, as you say, enhance the most difficult position in sports, the quarterback position. But you know, once these guys get a name for themselves, then now they're head coaching candidates. Right, It's a cycle.
Yeah, The Jeff and the dynamic is tough. And you know the other thing, Jeff and I learned this in Chicago. Chicago's that market very tough, very tough, very hard for a quarterback to be successful in Chicago. That's a fact. You know, I saw it firsthand. It's tough. They really, you know, they're on you. It's not like when I was in Tampa or other places. You know, it's very tough, you know, with the scrutiny that you have. And you know when players or coaches tell you, well, we don't
read or listen to that bull crap. They listen, they read, they hear. If they don't, their family their friends are telling them. It's tough emotionally, So that's why I say, you need to let the guy settle, you know, let them settle in, let them, let them get to know the ropes a little bit, help him, you know, and uh, you know the thinking. You know, I would if I were coming in, I'd said, what are we going to ask him to do? The less he has to do
post snap, the better his chances are to develop. See what I'm saying, Let's let's keep those reads as simple as we can, knowing it's it's a it is a complicated game, but let's not over complicate it for him. You know, let's talk about that. You know, let's have be an a fishing offense. We don't necessarily have to come out, you know and put thirty thirty five up on the board because we got the number one pick
in the draft. You know, that's not my goal me personally, you know, I want to make sure that we know are going to build a good foundation and then in time he'll reach his ceiling. Okay, but we got to help them. We got and we got to do everything we can, and we can't think what Tom desperately Okay, desperately. You know, people that think desperately usually think stupidly okay, and I've been there. I know that firsthand, you know, so.
We're not going to ask you when you got desperate. We won't ask for any examples. Last thing, though, I want to touch on Julius Peppers and then we'll let you go. Jerry, more more than kind with your time. I forgot about this, and Tom, I don't know if you remember this, but in the two thousand and six collective Bargaining Agreement there was a clause that there was no salary cap in twenty ten. Remember that I forgot
I did so no salary cap in twenty ten. So I remember NFL Network flew me out to talk about the Bears free agent Hall in twenty ten, and Julius Pepper's obviously heading into the Hall of Fame and started what turned out to be an impactful few years with the Bears before he went elsewhere. But NFC Championship game, and I remember sitting in that room with a lot of different people just sending me a lot of arrows about, ah, is this really going to help the Bears with this?
And you know, we were in the NFC Championship Game and a whisker away from being in the Super Bowl. But how impactful was Julius from your seat and just his overall career as a former I think number two pick in the draft.
Yeah, I think, you know, Jeffy, I thought one of the things that we did really really well, and I read at our pro department, Bobby DePaul, Morocco, Brown, Kevin Turks. We did a great job in free agency. If you look at the free agents we had, I don't you know that we really paid money to you know, I'm not just talking about you know, any free agent you know, but look at you know, contracts that were lucrative. I think we had a really high batting average, and I
know we did. And Julius, you know, given you know, he had some things being said about him. You know, basketball player playing football. You know, a great talent, but you know, could he go fifteen rounds? So to speak, you're gonna give him the money? What are you going to get? You know? So all those things were in my mind, and we did an in order amount of work on him, particularly our coaches. I really give credit
to our coaches to in this one. And we were sold that this guy loved football, you know, his work ethic, everything, and we knew the impact he was had. Jeff, this guy, this guy was special. I never seen the things you know that he could do. And I've been around some pretty good players, now I had never seen, you know, guys do what he do at his size. He was rare, probably the best pure athlete you know, I've ever seen.
And now, hey, I'm looking at her Lacker too when I say this, Okay, but Peppers, you won't see this. He's a generational talent. So you know, he was a very good player for us. The thing that really struck me when I look back at him, his humility. The kid he was just so humble about, you know, himself, and you know, a lot like her Lacker that way. Just humble, you know. And I couldn't be any happier
for him too. These guys are not only you know, great players going to Canton, they're great people, which is you know, which is a good story for football.
No question, need more great stories like that. You're going to be there in Canton, Jeff, I don't know that.
I'm not, Jeff, come on, no, it's too close to young Stan. Now, I'm close to Youngstan, and I don't know that Youngstown's that's the best place for me to be right now. I'm only teaser. I love Youngstown, I love Canton, the Canton Bulldogs.
Yeah yeah, but hey, one of your own in Canton going to be in shrine and Canton. It's got to feel good even to this day.
Yeah, real good.
Jeff, Hey, this was fun. Appreciate it so much. Jerry, thank you for joining us.
Okay, good seeing you guys. Tom. Good seeing you and Jeff. Always a pleasure, buddy.
Thanks Jerry.
We're brought to you by a PNC official Bank of the Bears and Busy Heart Seltzer Flavors for every Vibe Celebrate Sponsorbly Motion of Course Beverage Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Jeff and Tom wrapping things up on the podcast, he says the same lines as he did when he was here, Right, They just ring true. It takes me back with Jerry. Always loved Jerry.
You know what's weird is any ex player, any ex front off member of the front office, it's always so refreshing to talk to them once they're out of the seat.
Yeah.
And it's the same thing with our guy Jason McKee. You know, we covered him as a player and you kind of have a different approach, and now we're workmates together and you just love his personality and you love what he's become. And it's a great opportunity to talk to Jerry Off after all the years of seriousness that every time you see him, that's what our that's what the approach was. It was always professional.
A couple of things I want to get over here before we wrap things up. Montes Sweat was on Chris Long's podcast, The green Light podcast that he does every week. Asked if he prefers a new defensive tackle out of this draft or another edge. He picked edge, not because that's a tough decision, but at another guy on the outside to free him up. He says he's not losing to the Packers this year. Jump. They were talking about the Packers and how you know they're they're going to
be a tough team, and he wasn't having it. So I like that that's refreshing. And he loved up TJ. Edwards, who he was shocked at Philadelphia let him go on free agency. So I like hearing that from a veteran who was dumped in here finished the nine games strong, dominating those nine games and is a big reason why there's so much an arrow up on the Bears defense.
You know, one thing about having an edge rusher is it thins out the protection. Now it's got the direction protection going in two different areas. Say we are playing against Reggie White. I could sit in there and help on the interior defensive lineman, and then Jay would come over and take control, and then I could go out and help Van Horn on Reggie White. And so you've got two guys that are playing next to each other. Of dominance that you can always have three guys on two.
If you have edge rushers at the opposite end of the rushing paths, then you got to spread things out. So I can see why Montese would say that.
All right. The reported visits the top thirty visits at Tallas Hall include a bunch of wide receivers, and we know a lot of them. Reportedly Marvin Harrison, Malik Neighbors, Roma, Doonza, Xavier Worthy the fastest man at the combine the four to two to one forty from Texas and others. Edges late two a lot too, from UCLA, Dallas Turner, Alabama, Chop Robinson at Penn State, and then offensive lineman in Tier end and tackle Tyler Geyiton of Oklahoma is one
of them. Jackson Powers Johnson the center from Oregon, Graham Barton from Duke Zech Frasier the interior offensive linean from West Virginia, and a couple tight ends Brock Bauers from Georgia and Ben Sinnett from Kansas. So Kansas State. Excuse me. So that doesn't mean that this is where they're headed.
But I think we all agree though. Offensive line, edge wide receiver, if they keep it at nine, or even if they trade down out of nine and pick up an extra pick or two, seems to be where most of the analysts are looking at where the Bears will go after the likely selection of Caleb Williams at number one. Any of these guys stick out.
To you, Yeah, Dallas Turner, I really like his get off. I like his length. I like his ability to get around the corner. He's got good bendability, he's got good feet work. I like the UCLA kid. I think he when you look at his athleticism in some of the drills that they did at the combine, not necessarily the forty. That's what I pay attention to, and I think he's a really clever athlete. Obviously you named all those receivers. I don't think he could go wrong with any of.
The one hundred percent right. You can't go wrong. You can't go wrong.
Maybe I need to do I wish, I, you know, could do a little bit more in depth about the background, about their work ethic, about their commitment to the sport, about their commitment to the sport after they're gifted millions of dollars, because man, that changes a lot of you know, you know, just factors about about guys, you know, and so there's you know, other things that I, you know, you kind of can take away from a player if you have an inside the building conversation.
Game Day snacking costs for good foods chunky guacamolee made with hasa, avocados, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice. Score some today at your local grocery store. Game Day is guac Day. I know that players are very particular about their helmets, and the NFL and the NFLPA have been working. The NFL awarding grants for companies to research the most BOSI health related and safe helmets you can possibly get for the sport, but I just
saw this. So they're introducing five new helmets for the season that tested better than any helmet ever worn in the NFL, A big advancement in helmet safety innovation, and so a record twelve new helmet models eligible for players to wear for the season. Some are not some have been eliminated. So if you want to play in the NFL, you got to pick one of these twelve. And now this year there's more position specific helmets. I know this is probably sounding crazy to you, but it's more than
ever before. Eight new position specific models introduced the season to mitigate impacts more likely to be sustained by individual positions. They don't name the positions, but they were introduced to the offensive defensive lines a year ago, if I'm not mistaken. So all of this is as constantly evolving every year
trying to improve this. As a former player who was probably pretty particular on what he wore in a different time and place, obviously, with technology being what it is, how do you feel about this as a player, a modern day player looking back as a former player, you.
Know, I'm glad they get players a lot of different options. Whatever makes them feel the safest but you know, there was unfortunately for me being a bald guy and I sweat so profusely that I needed a helmet that stayed above my head. Because when I tried to go to the latest technology and they had the system called the Pack three, and it was a series of sponges that was covered in plastic, and when I got sweaty, it slipped so badly it'd come down and break the bridge
of my nose. Wow, And so I couldn't wear that helmet anymore. So I had to go and I got introduced to a bike helmet, and then it had a bladder that fit around your head and you could put air in it to keep it floating kind of above the impact zone. So sometimes you have to do what, according to you best fits your head style and your hair style and everything else that go along with it.
And what's the impact of the weight of that helmet on you minimal?
You know, you really don't pay attention to it.
You know.
I was watching a thing that they had TV about the King's guards, and they wear a helmet year round that's in between eight and thirteen pounds. They said they have the strongest necks in the world. I think That's one of the things as a young football players you develop through time is to develop those neck muscles where you don't feel the weight of the helmet. It's more of a protector rather than something that you're paying attention to the weight.
So let me get this straight. You are talking about England.
Yeah, okay, So they got helmets that are made out of actual bear skin and they weigh in between eight and thirteen pounds. They wear them year round, no matter if the temperatures are severely cold or severely hot. And I think of what is the you know when you look at the race car drivers and you look at football players, and I introduced to that type of helmet. You know, it's amazing what you know, what you have, what's expected of you.
You never know what you're going to learn from Tom Thayer and the Bears, et cetera. Podcast. That's why it's et cetera. That that is only a Tom Thayer thought.
Yeah, hey, listen, you know.
I thought you were talking about when you said Kings. I'm thinking, is he talking about the LA Kings hockey team or second.
The Royal And you know, you don't volunteer for that, you're chosen for that so wow.
Yeah, just like you're chosen for this taste like Miller Time, celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Ninety six calories and three point two carbs for twelve ounces.
Unfortunately, you have to you have to be above five to ten, so I have no shots. You can you can be king, but you can't be a king.
At five seven and a half on a good day. All right, that's gonna wrap us up. We appreciate the time of Jerry Angelo, the former Bears general manager, and we appreciate you listening. Please subscribe now the Chicago Bears official app, Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts for tome, I'm Jeff. Thanks for listening, everybody, and bear down.