Mr Jenkins told me. Mr Jenkins told me. Mr Jenkis told me to always make it easy for the customer. That's you alive person will always be here to answer the phone. We're here till midnight, seven days a week, so you never have to take off work, and it's the same prices in the daytime. We're the ones you want to call. We're the ones you want to call. We're the ones you want to call. You're gonna love these people. I guaranteetee. Got to Morris Jenkins dot com.
It's time for a Happy Half Hour with your friends Kristen Balboni, Miles Simmons and Will Brian. It's that time of the week. It's the Happy Half Hour podcast presented by Morris Jenkins. Here with Miles. We got Will in the booth of Shame. We're happy to be here. We are happy to be here in Christen. You know, you know what Mr Jenkins told me. Speaking of Morris Jenkins, what did he tell you? Mr Jenkins told me his plumbers an a c Text secretly were Panthers jerseys under
their uniforms. So when you're plumbing conditioning, is acting up called Morris Jenkins or visit Morris Jenkins dot com. And what a coincidence that is because we are all wearing Panthers jerseys underneath our regular work clothes, because we are so pumped about Week one. It's game week, baby, it's game week. We are here. We'll be honest. Did you ever think we would get here, say, four months ago, did you think we'd get to week one? I think
somebody did. I didn't think I would. You're like, the team will take the field, but I may not be here to see it. I don't know if I'm here anyway, we'll find out. His will an illusion. Stay tuned for more on Happy in the Booth of Shame. We can barely see him. It's true. I like it this way. Yeah, go far away from me. Took one for the team. Didn't even have a reason to be in the Booth of Shame this week, but just you know, he walked in and just went right to it. He's a team player.
He is a team player. So, as you said Week one, Miles, we could not be more thrilled. You know the Raiders, they are coming to town. You have some history with them, so give us, give us your big keys to the game. About what we all should be looking for from an
opponent's perspective. It's funny. I did cover the Raiders last year for the Las Vegas Review Journal, so I do feel like I have a lot of familiarity with that team because, look, they they've overhauled their defense a little bit, especially the linebacker position with Nick Watkowski Cory Littleton, but by and large, they are mostly the same team on offense except for the addition of Henry Ruggs, and I've got Edwards, another young wide receiver over there as well.
So well, we talked about a lot how the Panthers receiving corps predicated on speed. I think the Raiders are a little bit less predicated on speed, but the addition of Henry Ruggs, really, I mean, he can take a top off a defense at any point in time, and I think, you know, this is sec country, right, you know, I think everybody knows what Ruggs was able to do um at Alabama, and that's a exactly what the Raiders
want him to do for them. And so it's interesting me last year, obviously, the Antonio brown saga that went on for a really long time, and it was it was it was bad as a reporter, like, I'll, I mean it was weird. Um. There was one day I guess it was probably the day that they ended up releasing Antonio Brown, right, he had put out that weird video that had Gruden's voice. Either a day or two before, I think a day before that he had kicked the football and practice and had the big blow up with
Mike Mayock. And then it was that Friday morning he had put out the release me Raiders video. And so I was sleeping because I were on the West coast or whatever, and he posted this thing. It's something like five or six in the morning Pacific time, right, and so I get up at seven and I have twenty text messages like, oh, Miles, wake up, Miles, Miles, have you seen this from my boss? And so that made
my head explode. Um. But in terms of the Raiders, I think that they don't necessarily have that kind of drama going on, and it'll be interesting to see what they can do in Las Vegas. Yeah, they don't have the drama going on, but they do have Josh Jacobs.
They do have Josh Jacobs. And that's not only somebody that you know we're familiar with here I'm familiar with, but you know, to your white Head is very familiar with him too, and so I'm looking forward to to speaking with white Head over the court later course of this week just about what he knows about Josh Jacobs and you know, going against him sort of in practice and scout team and in training camp and things like that. And look, that guy is really really good at running
the football. Arguably should have been Rickie of the Year last year. We have a guy that's pretty good at running the football as well, which is a good thing, yes, no doubt. And well, you know, it's it's funny because we as members of of the Panthers and Panthers fans in general, this will really be our first chance to see what Matt rule coach team looks like. I mean, even Marty Hernie spoke earlier this week and he said it's gonna be our evaluation period a Sunday, you know,
because we didn't have preseason. It's definitely gonna be weird to see what that looks like. Um, you know, I want to see how this offensive line does. You know, we can talk about that a little bit in the second. You know, even even now, there's still gonna be some some shuffling along there. Um. You know you're gonna want to see how how this defense does against all of these weapons. For the Raiders, you know a lot of young wide receivers. Darren Waller, we haven't mentioned him yet.
He was second or third in the NFL and receiving yards by tight end last year. Um. You know a lot of people don't necessarily know his name. But I mean there's a ton of guys that people do know from this team. You know, you have Clear and Ferrell Hunter, renfro Za Jones went to East Carolina, Brian Edwards from South Carolina. Um. You know a lot of these guys that that are from Trayvon Mullen the cornerback that went
to Clemson. UM, so a lot of Clemson guys, a lot of people from the Carolina is on this team. It's kind of weird for like a West Coast quote unquote West Coast team to have so many familiar, young, familiar faces to North and South Carolina. Um. But but that's that's going to be interesting to see them all come in here. The joke last year in the Raiders media room was while Clemson West, it was just it was interesting that pipeline that kept coming from um, you
know that the Carolinas all the way out there. Well and speaking of you know, all of the Clemson ties and the Carolina ties. Of course, in a normal year, fans would love to see that. Of course you want to come in a lot of the fans would be there to support the Panthers. But then you've got your guys that are now over on the West coast with those Clemson or South Carolina ties that fans would drive up and and come see. But no fans week one.
And it's something that I'm really interested in. We talked either last week or the week before after the primetime practice about hey, you don't look I felt pretty normal. The juice was good in there, and then they had a mock game last Friday the Panthers and Matt Rule came out and said he was disappointed with the energy and guys are going to have to figure out a way to bring their own juice. And I think we're gonna see that, um that adjustment period. How are guys
gonna handle that? Because I've been unsure is it a media narrative that you know, really the players can come in lock in play the game, or is this really going to affect everyone across the league, anyone who doesn't have fans, or even if you have a small amount of fans. So that's certainly that something that I'm going to be looking forward to see how it and if it changes the psychology of of the players as they
step on the field, for sure. And one of the interesting things I thought about last Friday, as opposed to that night practice on the Wednesday, it was a lot quieter in the building, you know, like I could hear myself think, and you were on the field and trying to do interviews with players and coaches for that night practice,
and you basically had like yell across thing right. Well, the decibel level of the crowd noise was turned down, and I believe it was at NFL standards during the Mark Mock excuse me practice on Friday, and that was lower than what it was during Wednesday's primetime practice from a few weeks ago, because I don't think the required decibels had been released yet from the NFL, Yes, exactly that.
So you know, because of that, now, I think players have a much better understanding of what it is that they're going to be stepping into you know, and I think that they're gonna it's gonna be interesting to see how they exactly bring their own juice right, because some guys you can see when they come out of the tunnel, they want to go high five the fake fans and like Burns. He told me that, he said, he visualizes
the fans and he goes over. He's he did it on Friday, went over and pretended to high five and I asked him about it. I kind of thought he was having a little fun, and he said, no, I'm visualizing my fans. And in fact, there was this one little boy that always came to the railing to give us high fives, and I'm thinking of him, and I just loved that. That's really nice. Yeah, yeah, So, I mean, you've got guys who are doing things like that. You've got guys like waving their arms to pump up the
you know, the crowd that is not there. So how different guys are gonna get motivated for different things. It's it's going to be interesting because I wonder too how NBA guys are doing it. And I wonder if some of these guys has maybe no anybody in the NBA, and they ask that because it it's weird to be on a field and not have fans there, especially for guys playing at this level of football. It's weird too. It was weird for me to think that this game
it's gonna have steaks. It's weird to think that there's going to be a win or a loss on your record at the end of it. Because it does, it's probably gonna feel like a practice, at least to us. I mean that's just my perspective, right, I'm sure. So whatever the guys need to do to get themselves there as as coach rule, and you said bring your own juice, is the phrase, um orange juice. Yeah, to separate it in whatever way from practice. It could be tomato juice.
I wouldn't be bringing that juice personally if it were me. I think Will needs to make hype videos for every single player lemon juice with with the lemon and the lime juice. I I think we're gonna see some very interesting things on the bench. Yeah, I think, you know, and maybe and maybe there'll be some you know, line of preserve your energy and all this kind of thing.
But at the same time, you know, typically you see guys, you know, if they're not on the field, you know, they're sitting down, they're talking to coaches, they're they're looking at tablets, they're just relaxing. I think early on you're gonna see it might feel like a high school game, Like people are standing up, everyone's lined along the sideline, everyone's watching, and these guys are all cheering or you know,
yelling or or doing something. You know. I think there's gonna be potentially more there in a way that we've probably never seen an NFL game that will be curious to watch. Like I'll be curious how you know, CBS that's covering the game, you know, how how they choose
to show. I mean you think of like as a producer, think of all of the shots that you go to fans, like coming in and out of breaks, all of the different things that you do to show the the atmosphere of a game, Like what are they going to show? Like what are they gonna do? Like it's just right, you know, Like I so I'm I'm curious to watch the bench. I think that's gonna be there could be some interesting things happening with how they try to provide juice and energy and in more than what they would
usually do. Somebody mentioned that over the course of the last week, and I wish I could remember that basically exactly what you said, Will, that it's going to have more of that college high school atmosphere than it usually would, where guys on the bench are gonna have to be really really engaged and uh and you know bring it basically in order to um sort of spell quell the difference from the crowd. Boy, I really petered out there. Huh, yikes. Look,
it's it's week one. We're all feeling like this. We all walked in and just like we're like, we're so excited. We have a thousand things going on. So no one holds this against us. It's not right. Yeah, I feel like, hold on, let's take a quick break. Let Miles get his thoughts together. Let's Will and I get our thoughts together, and we'll be back with more Week one talk. Mr Jenkins told me. Mr Jenkis told me. Mr Jenkis told
me to always make it easy for the customer. That's you alive person will always be here to answer the phone. We're here till midnight, seven days a week, so you never have to take off work and it's the same price as in the daytime. We're the ones you want to call. We're the ones you want to call. We're the ones you want to call. You're gonna love these people. I guarantetee got a Morrish Jenkins dot Com. Okay, we are back, um, and let's get into our overheard segment.
We had some some great soundbites this week and something overheard. We know Miles is familiar with John Gruden and the Raiders. So is Matt Rule. He talked about his relationship with Gruden. You know, he's a guy that in my previous life I would have considered, you know, a sort of a mentor from afar UM. You know, I got to know him. We hit it off, um even a couple of years ago when I had another NFL opportunity, you know, trying to figure out what to do. He's one of the
first people that called. UM. I haven't talked to him very much. Mistaken this job is because I think we've all you know, it's been a it's been a unique set of circumstances. Mike Mayock is another guy that I've known for a long time. My first year as the head coach at Temple. He came in and talked to my team about the draft process. So there's a lot of people that that I respect, but I really respect
John Gruden. Um. You know, here he is, you know, super Bowl winning coach Monday Night football at the time, and he's got the head coach and you know, Temple, he's pouring into and spending time with, and so I I'm very grateful to him, and so I think it'll be it'll be an honor to take the field with with someone that staid him and he's done and I'm
excited to get on the field. I just love that even two guys that you may not associate immediately together, although of course John Green has spent a lot of time as a commentator and Matt Rule in college, so you could say, oh, there's maybe a possibility there. But two guys that you wouldn't necessarily associate together, there's just this coaching fraternity and they all talk to each other
and provide mentorship, and I just think it's so cool. Yeah, some sometimes coaches like to downplay that stuff too, um at least in terms of um like what they get from other coaches, because it's like you don't want to have a perception of like the other coaches doing this, the other coach doing that. It's it's interesting I think about that with like Sean McVeigh and Bill Belichick, because those two guys have texted a lot, and that kind of became a storyline at one point and McVeigh tried
to downplay it. But I think it's nice to see something like when Matt Rule was talking about Jon Gruden and he was like, Hey, you know, I was this coach at Temple and Jon Gruden didn't have to spend any time with me. He didn't have to do this, but he did. And I think that really shows just how much of a coaching fraternity it is, as you were just saying, Kristen, people, especially if you're not in a situation where it's competitive. You know, like right now,
Matt Rule and John Gruden not family. They're not necessarily all that close, and so that's why they're not necessarily going to go back and forth clash and whatever. But I think in a in a situation where Gruen's a commentator and rules a young coach and he's trying to learn as much as he possibly can, that's exactly the kind of thing that coaches want to do. They want to help each other, you know, they want to make sure that people can get better, especially those who have
an interest in getting better. Um so I like it too, Miles. I have a request. What can you do your best? John Group? I was going to ask you will, since you're the impression guy. No, no, no, no, Miles has been around him far longer than I have. I will. I don't know exactly how much you want me to do it, John Gruden, All right, man, I'll tell you what. Man. This will guy. He's stuck in the radio booth over there.
I don't necessarily like this guy all that much, but really I think wolves and no, okay guy, I mean you know he likes to do all the things with the Panthers stats. How's that you run the ball, you stop the run? This is Raida's football. Knock on wood. If you're with me, man, knock on wood. I like it. I like it. Good job. Yeah, I gotta give Miles this edge there. But it had a little bit of like a Tony soprano, just a hint. Definitely had some
mob vibes. Wow, okay, I mean there's some frank Caliendo in there. But you know, it was good. Not not much. I'm not a very good impressions person. It was I thought it was great. Thank you, really truly, I promise, no, I'm kidding. I really really thought I really really thought it was great. All right. Next up, we are going to hear from Miles. This guy, Miles Hartsfield and Miles, I know you have spent some time with the other
Miles this week. Yes, I have, and it's interesting there are not too many people that I've ever met who spell Miles like me, you know, with a y. So we talked a little bit about how he actually started running the ball for the Carolina Panthers because he was a defensive back in all of college. So one day after practice, it was just a rookies out there. Was one of those early practices when the vets were still
coming in but they couldn't really do much. So we were out there, Um, we went through the whole practice with the DBS coach, Coach Ruyle. That came out to me like right before and I was like, all right, after practice, you know, we're gonna, you know, see if you could still do some running back drills. And I was like, Okay, you know, maybe he just wants to see how I have let us how athletic I am.
So I'm like, I go over there, they're doing the cuts, so I'm doing all the cuts, jump cuts and all that. So it's starting to come back, starting to feel familiar. Um,
and what was going through my head. I was excited because I felt like going to college, I should have played running back, and I wanted to play running back, but going to score as an athlete, and you know, growing up with the parents I grew up with, you know, you know, you don't you don't second guests with a coach is trying to tell you he's gonna put you
in the best position to win for the team. And I've always been a team player, so I didn't argue when I when my coaches put me at dB at college. So uh, you know, I was bussed with the opportunity to show them what I can do on offense. And you know, I took full advantage because I know deep inside, like my true heart, that I want to play running
back in the National Coball League. Even when I was five years old, I didn't start playing do you be really until I got to old Miss Hartsfield story is very interesting because he was a running back in New Jersey. He was recruited as a running back out a New Jersey and by Matt Rule at Temple. So he had gone up to Philadelphia a couple of times on unofficial visits um and then he actually ended up going East Coast Prep um up there in Massachusetts, and that's when
he really started becoming a defensive back. So he had the sort of a gap year between high school and then going to Old Miss, and then once he got to Old Miss, he was really entrenched as a defensive back. So what he told me is that his coaches at Old Miss were a little bit surprised wised when he got to the NFL and they saw him taking carries and they were like, you were running back. I didn't even know. And it's because of just the way that things worked out for him. So he's a guy you
root for. You know that. Um. You know, now that he's on the fifty three, he's probably gonna play a lot of special teams. I think it will only see him really as a running back, probably in an emergency situation. But you know, asking Marty Herney, general manager yesterday, about Miles Hartsfield and everything and her and he said, look, he's got a chance to contribute at two places and in a year where versatility is key because we don't know really what's gonna happen in a couple of weeks
with COVID, you know that that's something that's pretty valuable. Yeah. I just love that. He was like, yeah, I should have been playing running back. That's that's talent, that's some confidence. Yeah, He's like, yeah, yeah, I could have done that easily, and so I'm glad I might get to do it now.
I just was like, that's awesome. I think the bigger question is ken Christian McCaffrey play defensive back, because then that, you know, then we're getting versatility, Like could imagine coming out on on defense, and I think Christians doing enough. I think he's doing it right. I'm sure he could an emergency rule say something like that a couple of weeks ago or whatever that like Christian McCaffrey probably safety if you wanted to, But like, yeah, I think there's
a difference between somebody like Hartsfield and Christian McCaffrey. To state the obvious, I'm just trying to blow up Twitter over here. That's all Will. Will is always trying to blow up Twitter, whether it be a hot dog or a Christian McCaffrey hot take. You're listening to the Happy Half Hour podcast presented by Morris Jenkins. We appreciate you joining us. Guess what Mr Jenkins told me? Though? What
did he tell you? Well, he told me that the Panthers make him proud and he's honored to support the team. When you're plumbing or air conditioning is acting up, called Morris Jenkins or visit Morris Jenkins dot com. I love it, absolutely love it. Well, I want to start with you, do you have a pregame or game day ritual? Now that we are, you know, game days right around the corner.
So this started maybe eight nine years ago. I was working at College of Charleston and I was like doing baseball and it was the Sunday of like a long weekend series, and I ran out of socks, and so I had to wear mismatched socks, like a black sock in a white sock. That's incredibly mismatched. That's not just like, oh my god, a great toe and uh no, no, no, very mismatched. And of course we we won the series, like we had a big win. We ended up with
like clinching like our conference that day. And so it's always kind of been a thing that I try to wear mismatched socks on game days. Like here, it's more like dark blue and darker blue or something. It's not like completely different colors. But typically I will wear different socks on a game day. I am far too vain to do that. I just some socks fitch you differently. You know, does that not ever get uncomfortable, like like there's different thickness. It's it's about it's about the tradition.
You ever go dress sock athletic sock? No, what's what's the weirdest match socks that you do? Um? Sometimes red and blue? Dear god. Yeah, Now every game day I'm aware that, oh what are you doing? Uh no, what about footie sock and like high crew like a well,
I mean this this year it might be different. So this year, like since there will be fewer people that will see me, I might just have to do this just to mess with Miles and like throw him off his game and like show up in some ridiculous sock combination. I don't like it because Miles is already getting triggered over here. I really am leader Hosen on one side, no show on the other. What do you think that's
pretty funny? Miles? What about you? All right? My game day ritual this started a couple of years ago, and it's sort of this was this thing that I did organically, and now it's just what I do every game day. I listened to Fed's Watching by True two chains in Farrell gotta blast it really loud when I'm on the way of the stadium. I love that to try to Maybe I should adopt you, guys, I'll wear mismatched socks and then just listen to Fed's Watching on the way
and see how it goes. I wouldn't do the mismatched socks though, that's just I don't think that's gonna look good. Come on, are you part of this podcast or not? Yes? But I'm too vain, man, I'm way too vain. Like it's weird. I mean, you guys have not actually seen me in a situation where I try to look good. But usually I try to look good most days, and I'm I'm kind of a vain guy. I'm not gonna lie and so the thought of wearing mismatched socks to a public event. You can you can always wear socks
over your mismatched socks. I say, you couldn't cover them. I'm not, No, why would I wear two pairs of socks. It gets cold here in Charlotte. It's not gonna be cold on Sunday. It's it's cold for September right now. Don't knock until you try. I don't even know I'm saying you should wear two pairs of socks. I just want to see Miles out of his startorial comfort zone.
He's a that's true. So my pregame ritual, it's not necessarily on game day a um, but every the night before every game, as I was doing my notes, I traveled around for three iss years covering a lot of college football and college basketball, and I would always sit down the night before and you know, just really prepare. And that was my time. And so what I liked
to have on in the background. What really gets me geared up for some great football, What really locks me in to knowing as much as I can about the players on whatever team I was covering, is great British bake off. I love to watch some Great British bake Off as I'm preparing my notes and guess what, I'm probably gonna do it Saturday night, just to keep the tradition alive because it's nice. It's comforting, but you don't miss too much and you can kind of favorite. I
love Ruby. I loved Ruby. Ruby is awesome. The last Ruby, right, not the earlier. I liked the The guy that just won most recently, I think he beat Ruby. Oh yeah, the guy that he is a scientist. Yeah that's right. Yeah, he had really good Cardman buns. Yes. Absolutely. Are you a Paul Hollywood fan? And that's the last thing I'll say, promise, I mean yes and no, like I'm obviously a fan of that's the right answer. That's the right answer. There's
no This is a whole different podcast. Stay tuned for Will and I has Great British Bakeoff podcast coming to your feeds next week. Um, it's so good. It's a it's a rare show. I haven't seen. I don't know. Look check it out. Check it out as you're getting ready for game day. That's all I say, nothing, Look is it? Is it? Two Chains is a great British bakeoff which one is going to get you more hyped? Who can say? I don't know. Alright, it's time for
a weird question of the week. So Teddy Bridgewater has a children's series, the children's book series based on him and all that he has overcome in the last few years. It is written by his friend Erica Cardona, and they both talked to the media about it this week because the latest book in the series was just released. It's called a Little Bear, Little Bear Teddy Series. I just
think it's absolutely adorable. So it kind of got me thinking, Miles as a kid, what was your favorite fictional character or cartoon? Okay, uh, I could easily sort of punt and be like Harry Potter, right like, because that's a good one that I mean, he was great, he's still he's still the best. I actually just recently watched all eight movies because they're on HBO Max so I and they were supposed to go away. I think that they
already may have gone away. I don't know, but I was like, I haven't seen these in a long time. So Harry Potter, Harry Potter is really good. Hermione was much better than ending up with Ron, Like, if we can roll back and watch those things. J K. Rowling is admitted that she probably should end up with Harry because Ron. I mean, Ron's gotta loser. Man. Wait, can I tell you this really quick. I was doing a an interview with with Coach Rule and he's a he's
a big reader. And I said, I'm going to ask you, just so you can think about it. I'm going to ask you what book you recommend. And he said, okay, I gotta think about it. And I said, hey, I just finished my annual reread of Harry Potter. I don't know how I feel like that. You just started laughing, so rolls. Okay, Yeah, so those hermione Harry, not Ron, uh serious black obviously, but Tommy Pickles love Tommy. That was my guy. I liked Angelica too. She was a jerk.
She look she was a strong independent lady and what she wanted. No, no, no, Susie was the strong independent lady who knew what she wanted. Yes, Angelica was just kind of mean. All right, we'll probably run she's probably running Fortune five D somewhere right now. Well, what about your favorite fictional character cartoons? So then that just jogged my memory. At first, I was going to go much younger and kind of along the same line Clifford as Teddy.
I was gonna go with Winnie the Pooh that's adorable. Yeah, that was more younger. But then hearing rug Rats then obviously there was definitely a period of my youth where I was a stand for Doug. I was a Doug stand. You know what Doug did. Doug picked out his close every single day so that they were exactly the same, and I bet he had matching sucks. Doug was. Doug was great. Do you guys remember there were two Dougs, Like one like Patty Mayonnaise had a different haircut, and
one Doug. Yes, O G. Doug was on Nick and then it went to Disney, and like which one was the Patty Mayonnat's longer hair. I think that was O G. I think that was a new one. She had pretty short hair in the O G and the O G. Yeah, I liked them both, guys. I was a big Hay Arnold fan. That's going to be my I think my favorite. I loved it. I loved it so much that do you remember they did the movie a few years ago.
I was also on the road for that and I was like, I gotta get back this basketball game is you know, gotta end so that I can get back and watch the Hey Arnold movie. Was it? Was it good? Was it worth it? It It was just nostalgic. I don't want to Okay, first of all, I'm not like still the biggest super fan. I thought you guys were like, oh yeah, sure love Heroin. You're both looking at me like I am. You know, Helga, she was more than Angelica, I will put it that way, like shelved Arnold. I
just thought Arnold had the coolest room. Arnold. Yeah, Arnold, Arnold. I can't believe none of you mentioned Patrick Starr or SpongeBob. SpongeBob's great man. SpongeBob's the obvious choice, right SpongeBob is that yours? I would probably be mine because that show got really big, like right when I was in the height of my Nickelodeon. Yeah, watching days, but it's just really I mean, is it Overexpoon? I mean, at this point with the culture, I wombo you wombo Alright, Well, um,
that point is I was gonna say. The point is we're excited for a week one, right, what other what other podcasts talking about Week one? Are you going to get Great British Bake Off, mismatched socks and SpongeBob Princess, You're not. You're not. Guys. When we talk again next week, we'll have seen again and we'll be on the season. I can't believe it. It's finally here. We are so excited and we appreciate all of you listening. We'll see you next week.