Simmons, Loscalzo talk home workouts | All Access

Physical Therapy and CDW. We'll get Thursday night. Everybody, welcome in as we are brought to you by IGS Energy, Jeff Joni Acabong with Tom Dare and Jim Miller our producer tonight to Sean Anderson, and we got a full show tonight coming up at about six to ten, joined by one of the Bears, a rookie members of the twenty twenty draft class seventh rounder of the Chavs, Pig Simmons, offensive lineman. Then at the bottom of the hour, which

joined by Bear strengthening conditioning coach Jason Loscalzo. That'll be around six thirty. We're gonna have a portion of an interview I did this week with former Bears Director of Player Personnel Rod Grey As we've spent thirteen years with the Bears organization. Now the executive director of the Fritz Poler Alliance. Big news this week with the NFL owners

meeting virtually and making changes to the Rooney rules. We'll discuss all of that, but without further ado as we await the arrival a big time getting his technical aspects off fired up, we go to my friend Jim Miller from Serious x M NFL Radio, the former Bears starting quarterback in two thousand and one, the great playoff run the Bears made our things going over at NFL Radio. We're doing great, Jeff, obviously. Yeah, the rules proposals came

out today. The NFL owners will vote on it next week, but the Competition Committee, you know, still a lot of talk, you know, will there be technically a booth judge or a sky judge is how it's been talked about. So that proposals out there, and you know, supposedly what was reported today about the on side kicks, you know, we know because of the new kickoff rule, they really haven't had an impact in the game. They've really plummeted for

on side kicks. So if your team wants to get back in the game, they're considering a proposal to go for it on fourth and fifth team at your own twenty five, and if you get it, you could advance and try to fight your way back into a game, and your teams would be allowed to do that two times per game. So there's still a lot of football talk going around, Patton. There's still or excuse me, Jeff, and still a lot of signings that are going on

right now. So there's a little lot going on in free agency in this virtual world that we live in, right I believe that's the most interesting one of the alternate way to go about it. The onside kick. So as in former quarterback, it's fourth and fifteen from your twenty five, you're trailing. It's obviously you can be for teams trailing. Is it in your DNA to say, hey, coach, we're going for it. The percentage is very low, and that's not what I asked you. I personally, I probably

would still take my chances with an onside kick. You don't have my kicker try to hit one of those front linemen because as you know, with the onside kicks now, you can't overload. You can't overload. It's got to be five and five on each side of the kicker, meaning five players to the right of the kicker, five players to left before you could overload it. But for safety reasons, that's why they wanted to eliminate and they adjusted that rule. But it has plummeted when you look at that number.

I mean on side kicks, the recovery rate used to be over twenty percent, and now that number is plummeted to less than eight percent. We did see the Bears do one last year, right, the Bears got one last year. I probably would still take my chances with an on site kick, is what I would do. Because the field position you're giving up. Imagine you don't get the fourth and fifteen at your own twenty five I mean, I mean right away, the other the oppositions already in field

goal range. Right. Yeah, Well, you know some of the math out there, and we're gonna welcome our guest here in a second. Twenty four percent on fourth and fifteen or longer under ten percent on the on side kickoff. So if you're a guy likes to heave it deep and feel good about your weapons, I think that's gonna be a great conversation. And our conversation picked up. Now Tom Thare's gotta love this because Lachevius, Pig Simmons, the man is from Tennessee State, seventh round pick of the Bears.

He definitely, Uh, he's a guy that's going to check in early. Lachevius, Welcome to Bears all Access here in Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to score. Good to have you along. And Uh, it's hard to say, but are you settling in at all? I mean, this is so bizarre how the season is starting for off football players college or pro. And but are you settling in a

little bit as a Chicago Bear? Uh? Yeah, thanks for having me on the show, by the way, But yeah, now, but everything's been so it's just like we just had to just had to adapt to the situation. So well, it's been pretty smooth being a Bear of And what is your first impression of what you're seeing firsthand with

these virtual meetings? Um, the the relationships were building, like with my other teammates, Like we always have these coffee shop meetings and stuff, and it's like we're getting to know each other as a person less than a player, and I think that's very important. Um and down the line, Lachevis Jim Miller here, Welcome to the Chicago Bears. You're with a great organization, and maybe just talk about that.

You know, you know, this is your dream. It's a lot of young football player's dream to get an opportunity, and that opportunity is presented in front of you. It does have its challenges that you just pointed out, but what does it mean to you to reach a goal of yours and now to knock that door over and down to make this football team. It's amazing, man. Like It's sometimes I'd be thinking about it when I'll be waking up in the morning, like wow, like I'm really

in the NFL. Like I mean, I've been thinking about this ere since I was a little kid, and like everybody used to always ask me, like what what' you're gonna do in your career? Like I said, I always want to be an NFL football player. At matter what position I played, I just want to be in the NFL because I used to play decease a line and linebacker and running back everything. I just I want to be in the NFL. But Chvus Simmons our guest here on Bears All Access, Jeff Joniak and Jim Miller awaiting

Tim Thayre's arrival as well. Um, you know, iferred to you as pig, and I don't want people to think, Okay, where'd this come from? And your story has been told a little bit once you've been drafted, but you know you grew up on a farm man throwing a hale baal's a hay and getting your your strength that way, that natural strength that comes with that being a kid growing up on a farm. But it sounds just like

a total blue collar existence for you. But that's part of it, right is that is that part of the nickname and what your family decided to refer to you as nah is really like my grandma would these homemade meals like some college greens and corn bread, and I never used a fork and I used to just pig out on it and that's how I got it, and she just called me a pig and it just stuck meror since I was a baby. Well, when you look at that in terms of your eating habits, obviously you're

over three hundred, so it's still continued. I would assume, right, oh yeah, I gotta have them greens man. Well, let me ask you this, because you are such a good athlete. You mentioned all the other positions that you played growing up. You have played all five offensive line positions where you know, for you, where do you feel the most comfortable. I think they project you as a guard. But as you know, even Cody Whitehair, he's a talented guy that's played even

left tackle in college, what do you prefer? Like, it really doesn't matter. It's just I want to be put in whatever position like the coaches want me to be to help the team be successful. And like that's what that was my mindset in college too, Like I just wanted to help the team be successful a matter where it was. Because some guys can only play left side, and I feel like, okay, well he gonna play left side.

He good at left side, and maybe I'm I can go try the right side because I can play multiple positions. So it's just to put the team in the better situations and like help them for the win. All right, Well wait with Lachevia Simmons, the big guy working his way up the chart now, and I want to introduce you to my broadcast partner of the Chevas fellow offensive lineman. He's very excited about you, and mister Hambright as well.

In that seventh round, Tomp there. I've played ten years in the National Football League and was a bear starter on the Super Bowl team Big Tom. Hey, it's nice to talk to you, Pig. I don't know. I was a little late to the party, so I don't know how to talk to you. But I gotta say, I

gotta ask you one thing. So in my generation, there is a basketball player's name was Alan Iverson and one of the most famous press conferences was after after a workout where he missed, he said, practice and so I look at your priority one, two three and practice, can you and listen? I agree with it because I think I think strength and conditioning is the most important element to get you into the game. Film study what's going to keep you in the game, and then practice is

going to sharpen your technique. So how did you come to that one two three list of priorities? Um? Pretty much because like before you even get out on the field, like I feel like you gotta have you gotta have the strength and conditioning, and like you gotta be in tip top shape. And then when you also when you get out there, you gotta be prepared. So you don't just go out there just for fun, just just doing stuff. You gotta be prepared. So that's what film study and

stuff come in. And then after you get everything polished up, and then you're go on the field and you work on your technique and get rid of the game day. So, like, you know, you you are identified as being a candidate to come here and be a part of the NFL, so they want at practice. You know you're so you go through the film says, you go through the meetings. What is going to be the one thing that you do so well is the reason you have been I

identified that you have more talent behind you. What's the one thing that's going to bring you confidence to camp when it begins? Just the ability to finish people. Like just I just love finishing blocks. Like because when I was in when I used to play football in high school, like I really didn't want to play offensive line. I played defensive line, and like because I felt like offense was kind of soft. But my coach he told me, he was like, man, you can do the same stuff

you do on defense on offense. So I just got physical with it. And I feel like that's one of my main, like one of my main characteristics on the field. It's just being physical and finishing people. I see that you got your certification in welding. How did you get this welding? I mean that's you know what the welders make, don't you have? It makes some pretty good money. Yeah, yeah,

I got my certification in high school. Like, um, I actually could have participated in the ACE competition, but my my wellderness structor, he knew I was gonna win it, so he was like, there's no purpose that you entered the competition, and um, like winning the competition and you don't be able to get a scholarship to no one. So he wouldn't even let me enter the competition because

I was really good. Well Lachevia Simmons Tackle Bears Draft choice and getting his NFL curer getting out of the way a big six foot five I'm impressed with a couple of things. One, you know, I got some guy giving size obviously, and you've had a chisel yourself into into your three hundred and fifteen pound plus body or whatever it is you're weighing at right now. But the thirty five plus inch arms, I've always been intrigued with that.

For offensive lineman tom My broadcast partner here, Jim, They may have different opinions to bout it, but those so, how does that serve you well at all those variety of positions that you play, And do you feel that gives you some sort of edge against some of these bigger defensive linemen out there. Yeah, I feel like like my arms like they give me a big time. Is because one thing about my hands, though, once I get

my hands on you, it's no getting them all. This is like some vice gripts so like, and then come from from them old the farm days and stuff like taking changing the oil with your barging hands and not using those tools and then and there were all my Griffins stuff came from So it's just it just it just the family tradition. We just had some big, strong hands.

And can you feel the difference though if you're playing inside at guard and then outside at offensive tackle, because there's a different tempo that you use the your hands to each of those positions. Have you had enough reps at each where you you understand the fundamentals from inside, but how they transfer to the fundamentals and the needs to the outside. Yeah, in the inside you're more, You're more in the phone booth and things happen more quicker.

So that's another reason I like using my Landloar event because I'm going to get my hands on the defensive tackle first and then on the outside you gotta tackle. You gotta be more patient and because you gotta wit, you to defend your comes through you. And is this just just working on it, working on it every day and just refixing your craft. Well, how's the virtual world going for you? I know you you're tree it out there.

I mean, do you even have internet where you're at where you can get on the virtual world and learn the playbooks, get to learn your your teammates a little bit and get to know everybody. But how was the concepts and everything going virtually for your lat husband, It's been going well. Like Coach one, he's he really have been breaking everything down with us, and like the stuff really is easy to me, really because like most of the things that we're doing like I kind of did

in college. So it's the same stuff really, and I feel like it's gonna be a very smooth transition and knowing everything and it's just gonna able me to go out there and just play fast. Lachevia Simmons, our guest here on Bears All Access. It's brought to you by Igs Energy, Jeff Johnniac, Tom There and Jim Miller with you until seven o'clock tonight, Lachevias, how much pride do you take in the aspect of a couple of things.

One year from Tennessee State. You know the Super Bowl MVP on Time's name was Richard that you met him last spring. And two Todd Jones, another Hall of Fame player, outstanding player. And you're the only pick this year in the twenty twenty drafts from an historical black college and university. Does that Does that resonate with you in any particular way? And then just talk about Denton the history of Tennessee State football man. That's it's an honored man to be

the Olio HBCU player to get drafted this year. And I feel like like like I gotta I gotta carry everybody on my shoulder for the HBCU, on the community, because there's some very talented players like in the HBCU, like my teammate Chris Rowland, who he got picked up phrasing by the Atlanta Factus. Like that guy, he's amazing.

He broke Jerry Rice's record and um receptions this year, and like it's just so much talent and they come through Tennessee State and then just like it's just amazing, like what we call the Old Line University because Russe Arnfield, like this man, he even put so many guys in the NFL. Don't make no sense. That was one of the main reason I went to Tennessee State because his resume. What's his philosophy? That's that was kind of an interesting

point that you let up to. Is it a physical philosophy? Is at an athletic a technical philosophy? Why why are are so productive in developing offensive lineman there? Because he he's he's like working on your fundamentals. So if your seat ain't right, you're not right. That's that's his mindset going into everything. So and he's just he's just so technical with all, like he just pay attention to the details of everything, and he just wants us to like

perfect our craft. And like if you buy into what he's saying, like you're gonna see improvement fast. Because I only had one year of offensive linement experience coming out of hospital. I only played offensive line my senior year, and he pretty much made me the player I am is today because me just listened to him. Well, last one for me, we appreciate your time. What is your right tenerary every day? Like how much do you get

to go out? And do you have a park near you or where are you working on your your techniques and things like that, and in terms of your time that you're spending virtually as well, but how is your itinerary set up and how you're working out to incorporate all these fundamentals you're you're talking about. Um, I wake up early in the morning, I get me some get a workout in, and I go to treatment and just make sure just fine to my body. And then I have we have meetings start at ten about ten to

about three. And then after I got the meets, I come straight to the country and my dad he got a whole of weight room type thing set up down here, got the bench, the squat rack, try sepumstensions, all that stuff. And then I got beside our garden. I have attractor time. And I had flied up this field with attractor and pretty much I just flipped the tire going down and back.

It's like forty five yards. I flipped the tire down and back, and then I drank the tied down and back, and then I give me some home sprints in It's like some half gasses. And I pretty much just do that every day. I just switched it up, Lachevis. We're gonna have your strength and conditioning coach Jason Lescalzo on here at the bottom of the yar. You're gonna make You're gonna make him real happy when you're talking about all what you're doing. We're gonna let you go here.

But we know it's Memorial Day weekend as we honor those who served over the years and gave of themselves. And we understand you do have a military connection to in your family from the army. Isn't that fact true? And what can you tell us about that? Um? Yeah, my uncle he was in the military for a couple of years, and like I had the time to like just go out there and spend some time with him while he was in UH station in Fort Hood in Texas.

And it's just he's just he's always he's always had me run with him, like doing his little peat stuff. And I just I just I just I just speak everything he'd done for our country and I just just just proud to say he's uncle and you can take a little bit of him into the NFL on your first snap, how about it, buddy? Yes, sir, all right, Lachevias, thank you so much for joining us. We'll meet you, sir,

Lachevias Simmons our guest here on Bears All Access. We continue on after this break on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The Score. Hey, welcome back to Bears All Access, brought to you by IGS Energy, a proud partner of the Chicago Bears, providing electricity, natural gas at home warranty products to over one million customers across the country. Learn more about IGS Energy at igs dot com and enjoyable conversation, to say the least, with the Chevas Big Simmons out

of Tennessee State offensive lineman. I'm gonna try and carve out a long NFL career like your old team. Mattim there Jim Metal with us as well. Richard Dent, whom he met last spring. Everything he had to say, I

was checking boxes, you know what I did. It made me gain belief in what Ryan Pace was saying before the draft that he wanted to go out there in draft guys with high football intelligence, Jeff, every single rookie draft choice that we've talked to this season, this all access season, every one of them has displayed intelligence beyond a college senior, whether they're an underclassman or a graduating senior.

And that's probably left the most impressionable mark on me, because you have to have these canvases to design into a player, to build to build into a player. And I'm really excited about what I've heard out of these young guys so far. Hit the head with all the positions he's played across the line, how significant is that for his future? Yeah, I think he's a He's a terrific athlete. I don't think you can really just label him and put him in one box. I think I mean,

I would give him a shot at tackle. I think everybody's projected him as a guard, but that arm length is impressive thirty five inches. You can always kick him into guard if you want, and he has the ability to play him all so it's not like he comes in completely green from that standpoint. But as Tom mentioned and just piggyback and off of that, you know, I do think there is a maturity level about every one of these draft picks. I've read the article earlier that

I believe you guys were sent as well. I thought in one of the interesting answers, basically it was a question and answer session of Lachevius, and the question was would you rather be liked or respected? And why he goes He goes, I would rather be respected, because anybody can be liked, you have to earn your respect. And I think this is the type of guy. He wants to earn everything. He gets nothing, He doesn't want anything given to him. And you just heard that workout on

how long his day is. Wakes up early, gets in a workout, meetings from ten to three. Then he goes back and I don't know if Tom, if you ever incorporated the tractor trailer tire into your workouts, but he's dragging it back and forth and doing tractor polls and all kinds of things. This guy definitely wants to earn it. You know, I've never had access to that type of equipment, but I you know, it always kind of transforms all of our memories back to the Rocky movie when he

went to Russia. It started carrying logs on his neck and using these rope devised kind of Pulley systems, you know. Yeah, you know when I when I was a kid, my first weights I've ever had my brother in law made for me out of hunks of steel. So I think sometimes in the course of your career, you every a lot of people start out like that. Then it morphs into more modern type of equipment that he'll have in college and certainly access at the Chicago Bears, however, you know,

you can hear their attitude. They're willingness to work at some of these things and it's gonna pay dividends. So if I was veteran Bear offensive lineman, I would be listening to some of these young guys because they come in and sometimes they light that fire underneath you before any of this gets rolling. I do like what he

says about himself. I'm a bloody your nose type of guy, and he has maintained that, and he is blue collar, and he sounds like somebody that you couldn't wait to get in a room and get on the field to start helping to improve and develop. I mean, this is a developmental player, but it's just the way he answered questions and I believe him to be that type of person. There's no reason for me to believe otherwise. This is a guy who's hungry and really wants it so well.

I asked him. I asked him as big as asset, and he said, finish. I finished blocks. To me, that's like taking it to the next level because you think, oh, I gotta get out of my stance quick. Oh I have to have proper hand placement. But when you talk about a young guy talking about finishing the block is the most important element. Boom, I like to hear it.

Coming up next, we joined by the Bear's head strength and conditioning coach, Jason Lescouzo, as we break down Bears football for twenty twenty on Bears Out Access, brought to you by IGS Energy on Chicago's Sports Radio six seventy. The score coming up here on the bottom of the hour. The second of Bears All Access is brought to you by a CDW. People who get it learn more at CDW dot com. Jeff Joning, Act, Tom There, Jim Miller, two Chicago Bears along side now as we walk them in.

Jason Lascalazo, the head strength and conditioning coach of the Bears, Good to talk to you. It's been a bit a minute, as they say, Jase, everything good. It's been a while, man, I hope all you guys are doing well. Yeah, you know, just we're trying to stay fit to hit even broadcasters, you know. Uh, you know, I wish you would maybe

you did, I don't know. We just had um Lachevia simmons on and he's out out there in Alabama getting ready and doing his own meetings with you guys, and he was telling us what his workday was like, and it included all kind of of stuff that you would you would presume would be the case out in the country a little bit, flipping tires and using you know, dad's gym that he built for him whatever, um is that?

Did you hear any of that? And if not, are these guys telling you what they're doing in addition to what you're giving them to do. Yeah, a lot of guys are a lot of guys are calling and texting. Man. You know, a lot of the vets have their own routines as it is, so you know, and I know what a lot of these guys do when they aren't at Hollis. So yeah, we're we're staying informed with everybody. And it's just you know, everybody says it's a crazy time,

so we're navigating our way through. Hey, Jason, this is Tom there. Thanks for joining us, Thanks for taking out the time. And you know, Jason, you've been around strength and conditioning nutrition for over twenty five years. So you know, when you look at workouts from free agents or rookies, how long does it take for you to dissect by watching them what they need going forward. That's a great question. Tom.

I would say it's actually takes longer for the free agents because as guys are in this league, the longer they're in this league, there's little there's little things that you have to adjust as the body ages, as the body gets beat up, as you put that mileage on, so to speak. So the rookies, you know, they're coming

in there. Most of them come in fresh. Some of them come in with some some ailments here and there, but most of them come in fresh, and we want to we want to get them right into what we do and we keep it pretty basic until they until

they can they can catch on. But the vets, the guys that come in as free agents, those guys, a lot of those guys have routines that they've been successful with UH and we try and we try and find ways where we can fit what they like into what we do on top of introducing what we do and

getting them solid in that area too. Coach Jim Miller here, pleasure to talk to you and when you look at it and helping guys set up their home gyms because as we know, I mean, football has evolved where it's a position specific and has a lot of specialty tool but the core things you're looking to help players with the have that base that is necessary. Maybe just touch on that with helping these plays out with their gyms of Keith areas that you really want to focus on

with certain groups. The big thing for us is a barbell to squat with ways to put on that barbell that that's the major thing that the biggest concern that we have when it got when you come into the times like this is guys having enough weight to lift. Um. You know you come to Hollis all they you know, we got we got plates on top of plates on

top of plates. So um. The thing that this is a big time of years where you want these guys to this is the time of year to lift that heavyweight this is the time of year to get the body used to that heavyweight and develop from that standpoint. And that really doesn't matter what age they're at. You know, the weight is all relative. But at the same time, they've got to have the weight to be able to uh put the stress on the body that they need to adapt so that they can stay healthy and they

can be at their at their max potential. UM. So the big thing for us is we try and get these guys hooked up with a way to get to get a squat rack of barbells, weights. They can do some they can do some lift, they can do some polls, maybe bump a place, they can do some Olympic lifting, but we really really like to stress the squad and um, you know. So it's it's it's a matter of finding ways for them. Some guys don't have the ability to have that stuff, so we got to find ways around that.

And that's that's the biggest challenge when it comes to helping these guys. Bears had strength and conditioning coach Jason Loscalzo with us on Bears All Access brought to you by IGS Energy, Jeff, Tim and Jim with you. Yes, you're asking them to and they want to, they want to put that armor on. I've known guys over the course of my time cover in the NFL that, you know, if the off season didn't go well, there was family

issues or an injury, rehab or whatever. Yeah, they start the season and second month of the season they never felt they had the armor on, um and then it was a mental thing, like they didn't feel strong enough to beat their man. How about the mechanics of doing it, though, because when they're in the weight room, you and your staff are watching technique being done properly and so forth.

There's that a significant aspect of this too that you're hoping that everything's being done the right way in terms of mechanics. Yeah, I mean absolutely, there's just there's obviously there's no way we can watch every set. There's no way we can we can coach them up while they're doing the lift or why they're working out. Um, so yeah, you have to put trust in these guys. But as you guys know, these guys are pros. These guys are professionals.

This is what they do. And um, you know, if these guys are really wanting to win a Super Bowl and if we really want to get and and win that Super Bowl trophy, and we want to go do those things. And you know, we have to find ways to get every everybody from the GM to the head coach down to me, to all the players to everybody has to do their job and we have to motifying ways to motivate ourselves to do our job and do it better than the next guy. Um, So there really

are no excuses. I mean, you know that. That's you know that, that's that's the big thing that we try to hammer with these guys. There's there's no excuse. History history, History never accepts the excuse of well it was really hard. You know, all thirty all the other thirty one teams are going to the same thing we are. So we have to figure out ways to make sure that we stay focused, we stay dialed in, and we get our

job done. You know, Jason, twenty years ago, when you got involved in the strength business, it might have been a phone call from a landline of a kid needing some advice from you. Has video gotten so good to this point, or even talking to like high school strength coaches and college strength coaches and maybe some advice can

that you could give them. Has the video advanced so much that you can adjust the techniques of a specific lifter, because no two lifters are exactly the like the way they bend up and down, the way they bring weights to their chests, and a power clean, whatever the movement is, no one is exactly the same. So can you give specific technique adjustments if you see a guy through Facebook or maybe some type of video lifting. Yes, as a

matter of fact, we've done some of that already. Guys will guys will film a set that they've done, or they'll film one of their exercise. They'll send it to me and they'll say, hey, where can I get better? And you know, you just text them back or it's

a phone call. And it's a little bit different from a standpoint where you have to explain it over a telephone call or a text, but um, you know it's it's the video advancements of cell phone videos and you know everybody's everybody can have find a way to get to get seen with something, so to speak. So, um, yeah,

it has advanced quite a bit and it does help. Yeah, well, coach, as from the listeners out there, every player is like gauged coaches obviously getting the feedback of where these guys are, but coach is kind of the unknown when these guys do get back and you finally get your hands on them, and how to ease these players back into football. And certainly some guys are going to be in better shape

than others. And I've talked to a lot of coaches around the NFL of that that is probably one of their biggest challenges of what they're how they're thinking that these guys come back. But without giving anything away, just the plan to ease guys back in football, because it's a lot of different than say the anaerobic uh shape that players are going to be getting out there in terms of getting into football shape. Yeah, it's it's uh,

it's delicate. You know, you got to be careful, but at the same time, you know you also have to get ready to go, and you got to get ready to go quick because when when we get called up to go, it's go time. It's not uh, We're not gonna have very much of a grace period or a

honeymoon to get going. So we gotta be smart. Um, it's a matter of how we you know, tempo things, how we how we schedule things, how we figured things out with guys, and we got to keep a close eye on a lot of different guys, and you know, just just keep our eye out and that there's there's key factors I look for when I see guys move, when I when they'll come in, they'll we'll, we'll, we'll ron, we'll live, we'll do those things, and I'll be able

to see little things that are guys that I've picked up um over the year, especially with the guys I know again with the free agents will be a little bit harder, but a lot of it's communication, you know, staying in communication with players, making sure they're getting what they need and how they feel. And it's just it's gonna be a feeling out process. Everybody's in the same boat. Not anything we've ever had to do before, I know, the lockout years kind of what we try to compare

it to. So it's just it's uncharted territory for a lot of people. So we just got to work our way through it. Hey, Jason, is yours off season program one hundred percent in place or is it dependent upon the equipment that each player has access to? Very good question. It's half and half. We have an off season program. So you know, we have the off season program we would have done if we were here, and then we also make sure that we can tailor it to help

guys with what they have specifically. So it becomes a little bit of a challenge. But you know, that's again, that's that's just the challenge we're presented with right now. We have to we have to step up to it and made it. Jason the Scouzoe Bear strength and conditioning coach, the man in charge of that weight room for the Bears up at Hattis Hall. A slow trickle expected, hopefully, but not coaches and players just yet to get the

old building open and so forth. And you mentioned the lockout so in twenty eleven, and I was reading about this from the perspective of a rookie back then. Today's rookies frankly, are way ahead of the game because back then they had no playbook. They were barred from the team facilities like now, but there were no contact with coaches at that time. So when the lockout ended in late July, boom they got their playbook camp started. It was go timers, you like to say, and nobody was

slowing down. If you were new to the program or a rookie or an undrafted player. He was on you to really you know, so from a psychological point of view, that is a role you fill as well to get these guys mentally ready to go, in addition to expecting them to be that way as professional. Yeah, and that and that's that's kind of the advantage we have over

the lockout years. I'm able to be in communication with these guys, and Soup is able to be in communication with these guys, and they're talking to their coaches and they're seeing all the other players, and our coaches are doing an outstanding job with this offseason and putting it together and and it's really been impressive the things that UH Coachneggie's done and put together with this offseason. So, um, they do have that advantage over that year. Um. You know,

obviously the disadvantages are still there, but obviously not as much. Um. You know, for me, when I when I sit and I'd look, it's it's I'm able to be in communication, able to contact. We actually use that twenty eleven year as a as an educational tool. Hey, look, when guys came back, we saw tons, we saw increase in achilles an increase in huts soft tissue, and increase in acls, and those are things we try and tell our guys and and and keep pounding into their heads like look,

there's no there's going back. I mean, once this thing start again, you're not getting time. It's not all of a sudden we're rocking to reverse time and started over. So when we start, you gotta go. And if you didn't take care of your business, you're gonna have to suffer the consequences. And the rest of us, hopefully you know, we're not in the same boat. But you know, it's one of these things that this is the NFL, this is this is not you know, this isn't intermural sports.

You come in, you play, and we're here to win. We're here to win a Super Bowl, period. Yeah, last one for meat coach. In just terms of obviously keeping up with guys weight levels and things like that, maybe some guys got a high metabolism where they gotta just need a lot more and just keeping track of the diet situation with players, you know, because normally at the facility, hey, you can just go whip up a protein shaker or something like that and keep those calories coming. You know,

how is that going from that standpoint with players. But Jen's doing a great job with that. Jen Gibson, our sports scientist dietitians, She's been on top of it. She's been staying in communication with guys. And it's the same thing as working out, same thing as getting your playbooks, same thing is shown up to your meetings on time, same thing as everything else. I mean, you got to you gotta keep your weight up. And again it all comes back to these guys are pros. These guys are pros.

We have a great locker room, we have good leadership, we have a great locker room. We have guys, we have good chemistry. We have guys that hold each other accountable and that hold themselves accountable. So as long as our nucleus of guys is doing that, and the and the new free agents that we've brought in have have really added to that. And so if we can keep improving on that and just keep guys accountable, you know, when they show up, we should be able to just

hit the ground, run and go. Jason, last question for me, also, you know a lot of times we hear Matt and Maggie bring up how this office will go from one oh one to two oh one. So when you first introduced to these athletes and these weightlifters this season, are you going to expect them to be at two oh one? So I mean what I'm saying, you're going to ask them to be in a position that you can kind of get into the weight room, get the strength where

we hope and you're already building your own foundation. Yeah. No, I don't think we can do that in our room. I don't think that's the smartest way to do it. Um. I have the luxury of being able to build up. UM. I have the luxury of being able to start a little bit slower and then and then add on as we go. The worst thing you want to do in the weight room is you want to put the pedal all the way down and then have to hit the brakes.

If you have to hit the brakes in the weight room, chances are you've gone way too far and it's it's it's bad news. UM. So, when when it comes to the weight room and it comes to strength training, we want to make sure that that we start at a level where we're, you know, where we can compete, But we don't want to start blazing right away. We want to make sure that we give our guys time, we kind of figure out where they're at, and then as camp goes along, we can start adding to it and

really get going. Then I would hope to be at two oh one by you know, by that first second, uh preseason game. His head strength and conditioning coach Jason, the scouts will let you go, but before we do. It's the craziest creative way some player on this roster has come up with a plan to get strong. Could be anything. Oh man, I don't know. I would I would have to go with U. I would have to go with sober putting together building his own uh squat

rack in his garage. Just went to home depot and bought a bunch of wood and just built his own built his own gym essentially out of out of out of screws and boards, and he sent me a picture of it and it was really good. He's uh, you know, he's really innovative with carjacks and he uses those as his blocks and things to go off of. But yeah, I mean, guys are coming up with all kinds of things and find all kinds of ways to do things. But I thought that was I thought that was pretty interesting.

When he was doing we do a snatch of a snatch Exerciseman kept them come off of blocks obviously then that blocks and was using carjacks, and uh, it was actually it was actually pretty neat. I was like, Oh, I gotta start trying that my driveway too, you know so, But yeah, I mean, they they've got all kinds of interesting stuff, so it's it'll it'll be neat to find some of the stuff. Once they come back and we start talking to them about a lot of the different

stuff they do. That, I think that a lot of that stuff will start coming out. Then. All right, who was that? Because I couldn't catch it? Eric Aubert, Oh, okay, the tight end? Very good? Yeah, all right, very good. Hey Jason, we could talk to you for an hour. Good stuff. We'll talk to you. Jason, the Scouzo head strength and conditioning coach for the Bears, back with Jim and Tim after this on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy

to score. Tide is offering free laundry services to the families of Chicago land frontline responders until the end of May. Visit Hope dot Tide cleaners dot Com to find a location nearest you, Jeff, Tim and Jim As. We had

a great time talking to Jason Lescauzo and Lachievious. U also had an interview You this Week with Chance Yesterday about thirty minutes on the phone with former Bears person executive Right Graves thirty seven years in the NFL, thirteen with the Bears, he was their player personnel director and now executive director of Fritz Pollard Alliance, talking about the adjustments to the Rooney Rule on coaching and management diversity approved by NFL owners this week, but Right wanted to

open the conversation with his own condolences to the McCaskey family on the passing on Saturday of seventy six year old Michael McCaskey. You know, I just want to say that given the period that we're going through, there stopped certainly a lot of other issues out there for many people who are as far more important than what we're dealing with in the National Football League. But I just want them to know that I remembered them, and certainly my hearts go out to you during these tough times.

What impression did he leave on you? Well, you know, Mike actually gave me my first opportunity as an executive in a leadership role. I joined the Chicago Bears in the back in nineteen eighty four and I was working as a road scout, as an area scout, and he gave me the opportunity to elevate into a director of scouting position and then to become directive player personnel. I was one of the few African Americans who held that

position during that time. So Mike was, in my opinion, a very open minded man, as I've known the rest of his family to be. He was kind, he was honest, certainly fair, and he encouraged me during my period when I was there, and I'm ever grateful for him for doing that. You were a scout and then you rose to your level as director of college scouting and then player personnel and then general manager of the Cardinals. You did climb that ladder. A lot of guys don't get

that opportunity. Will this be a critical juncture? Really? National Football League putting teeth behind what they're talking about, Jeff, This is a monumental step that we saw yesterday, and yes it is long overdue. Some people may say with skepticism that it may not last or and others will say, well, we should have been focused on other things. But I will tell you this, we're better off today than we

were yesterday in the National Football League. And because of the comprehensive nature of this program meanings, it spans into a number of different areas on the business side, on the football side, it addresses development, It addresses education biased training. It talks about opportunities at both the ground level and the executive level for growing careers and addressing the hiring practices which is stimied growth in the National Football League

for so long. So from that standpoint, I see it as a great first step. But I you know, there are many parts to this process. You know, my group, the Fritz polit Alliance Task Force, has been working with the National Football League, particularly with a commissioner, with Art Rooney and Troy Vincent and others, going through a process over these last several months, and that process has entailed ideation,

the formation of proposals. Yesterday we saw the adoption of some of those proposals and initiatives, but they also has to be a period of implementation, a period of evaluation and compliance, and then most importantly a period of adjustments, so because some of the things that they initially beyond the table we may render ineffective, and that we need to come up with stronger programs that really propel diversity.

So you know, I prefer to look at yesterday as a great first step, but it's like getting through the first quarter of four quarters of football. We still got a lot of a lot of game to play. Let me also point out for those fans that don't know, George mccowsky is a member of the Workplace Diversity Committee, a group of owners who have worked very hard to create and give blessing to many of the initiatives that

were voted on and embrace yesterday. And so I applaud George for his work, and I have been told by those who are very close to the inner circle of that group that he has been a very strong advocate for diversity and improving the landscape for opportunities, and so, uh, you know, his work and the work of others, I think it has been important. But to your point, this group and the Commissioner has told us that this system is not only broken, but the current hiring system should

not survive. And the bears in general, how do you feel they've done over the years. But I have always viewed the Bears as one of those clubs. Number One, I was very blessed to work with because of their attitude towards you know, minorities and opportunities. And you know, I can just tell you through my experience there that the mc caskeys treat me very well. It was a

culture of having an open door and fair approach. And you know, and I have never said anything less than that when I've talked about my experience in the NFL, when it comes to the Chicago Bears and the Arizona Cardinals, where you know, it was fortunate to work with two families who embraced me wholehearted me and encouraged my growth. And as an employee that that that's really the most

that you can hope for is just be given the opportunity. Hey, you're even interviewing Rod Graves at this point in his career. Is it because he's been so successful? I remember Rod as a young man working for the Bears and paying his dues Because you know, one of the things that we're talked about as players is the relentless work ethic of a lot of scouts in this industry, the amount of hours they have to put in both of their personal time, they're traveling time, and how they investigate talent.

Rod Graves is a perfect spokesman for what they're trying to develop here in the NFL because he is so successful. Jim, Well, I think, you know, how would the expansion of the rule one? If you get more candidates in front of owners. And I believe a lot of psychologists have touched in on this too, you are more than likely to hire because one you can compare the two candidates, and I think, you know, incentivizing the draft it would have been a

bad road to go down. I think everybody agreed with that. Even African American coaches have come out and said about that like anybody else and all of us in general, everybody just wants a level playing field. That's all they want in order to compete, and they want to earn it every step of the way. All right, fellas, that's all the time. We have great show tonight, Thank you, Jim, thank you Tom, thank you for listening, everybody. Thanks to our guests, the JVS Simmons, also Jason Lescalzo and you

for listening. Sean Anderson. Thanks as always, this is bearzow Access, brought to you by GS Energy in Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The Score. Thanks for sitting to this Chicago Bears Network presentation of Bears All Access. Podcasts are available on Chicago Bears dot com and on iTunes, or download the official Bears mobile app. Bears All Access has been brought to you by IGS Energy and sponsored by Miller Litte