The Group Chat Episode 31: Things We Hate

And then we get into New Year's resolutions, but really the ones that we're not keeping anymore and we're jumping into things we hate. The Redskins do a great job of making you feel like it's packed because they cordon off most of the stadiums. They forced all the fans that are the ones that actually show up closer to the field because you know, so it feels like it's a really intimate environment, especially when the Redskins fans are booing their own team. We have that end so much

more on this week's the Group Chat. You've been added to the Group Chat with your friends Caroline, can, Max Sensen, and Will Brian. Everybody, It's the Group Chat. But I have no idea what day it is. It could be Tuesday. Is it tuesday? Are we recording this on our normal I don't think I don't think it is. I actually was going to say to the office, how was everyone's weekend today? It's Thursday, so not Tuesday, the weekend weekend. I need to be asking how everyone's upcoming weekend is

going to be. But this offseason has been wild. We just got back from Mobile, Alabama, Max and I. Max and I went out there and got some good stuff for y'all. The Senior Bowl, the Senior Bowl. What about the Senior Bowl? Did you have a lot of Rece's. I grabbed one, you had to grab You didn't grab one? Have to They're literally like every like five ft there's another pile of refs. I couldn't because they're asked. They're like begging you. They really are, and they really are.

But we had our fill of rece's during the season, That's true. I had no desire to reach. Yeah, you're kind of like down with full pet butter cups. I did have a very nice conversation with the Reese's mascot. What did that conversation consist of? Confidential. Oh yeah, right, I can't really get into you don't clear, but let's just say he impressed. Yeah, I might might be keeping tabs see how the rest of the pre draft process goes. But just like, look into his eyes, which are massive,

and you can tell there's an intensity there. There's something going on behind. It's like, Okay, there's something to this guy. Could be a strong football like you, big hands, big hands, but I'm not sure he has five fingers, hands sentence. He's a little stiff, so I don't know how that will translate because Bendy Bell break his his his flexibility is a little questionable. However, he will only lead by example. He's not a not a leader. The guy who brings

the energy, drives the energy bus great attitude. I mean he's literally never not smiling. He's just always like you know that phrase is like I've never seen him not with smile on his face. Like that is literally just always. I mean, you want to be around that kind of energy. And that's the type of scouting they did to the

Senior Bowl. Know, the Senior Bowl is an interesting It's an interesting place because this is a less intense from the media perspective, combine, but more intense for the players themselves because this is their first introduction to it. By the combine, a lot of these players have been through these All Star games, They've met a lot of these scouts in these coaches, and that combine is crazy. But

the Senior Bowl always just an interesting place. It's not as big media wise, so there's more up close between the scout and the player. Uh, interviews go, Laura. I mean, these teams are holding over a hundred interviews with these prospects. It is a crazy place, but it's in Mobile, Alabama, and some cities are known for things. Mobile Alabama is known for the Senior Bowl. They actually had a slogan that said what was there? The stat was, you know

every NFL first round has come from Mobile. Like, uh, you only say that all they did was they came to Mobile for four days and then played in this game. That would be like if you know some kid went to Fayetteville, Arkansas to visit his family for a couple of days, that that first round draft guy, Fayetteville. Why Fayetteville, I don't know, Yeah, why don't you go Fayetteville? I don't even know anyone, but that's what I maybe it's

just an interesting place. But I will credit for their food. Yeah, it's a it's a good food, so I mean seafood. You're right there on the water, the flame and oysters and all that. It's good stuff. It's just weird, how of all places for the NFL to converge, and like you're literally just walking down the street and there's like a NFL GM and there's like two head coaches and it's it's just of all places, it's weird. Here we are in mobile but literally the NFL just comes to

a stop and everyone is there. Um, So it's a it's an interesting place to to be. And like you were saying, Caroline, I think the thing about this in the combine too, is like the guys actually play real football down there. I mean, not only do you have to go through the interviews, but someone's gonna try to like knock you on your on your butt the next day, like you're putting the pads on and you can get

embarrassed if you're not ready. So I think that's a whole another layer of it for the players that are down there. The interviews, of course, we're super important and from a panther's perspective, and Caroline, you know, I'm sure you felt the same way. I'm just like, you're looking all these people with Panther logos on, and it's like, who are all these people? We're just trying to still wrap our head around what this staff looks like and

who's a part of it. And the Panthers, in addition to doing interviews with prospects, were also doing interviews with potential coaching candidates on the staff while they were down there. So just a lot of moving parts right now for Matt Rule Marty Hernie, is that kind of get that in place and really try to figure out I think it's important for those two individuals what are the kind of players that Matt Rule wants and needs and how

does Marty go about and his staff finding them? And that the senior goal is a good place to start. Can you mentioned the logos walking around? The funny thing about the Panthers logo is there's a lot of clothing and hats and all of this that don't have any

blue on it. So all these other teams are very loud colors, and you know, you can easily pick out different teams, but not knowing who is on the staff for the Carolina Panthers, and then also with the logo being a bit muted sometimes unless they're in the bright blue jacket, which they were just black jackets and black hats with like the little logo on it. I didn't introduce myself to anyone because scouts. Fun fact about it, if you don't really know the dynamic of scouting department,

these scouts are not in the building every day. So we see them at training camp and at the combine. We don't really see them at the combine. Really. At training camp is where you can kind of get some face time with them. So I do some of them, but the other ones, if I if I was like, m I don't know him. I didn't know if he was a scout and had been with the Panthers for twenty years or if he was this brand new coach, and I didn't want to go up to him and

be like, Hey, I'm Carly Kanna, the team reporter. You know, what's your name and him be like, I've been here for twenty years, my name is and you know I didn't. I just didn't. I So I didn't. So I was either extremely rude to some of our new coaches or I played my cards right, and the scouts just thought I knew who they were and didn't need to introduce myself.

It was an interesting dynamic because the entire staff has not been put together yet and so they're still pieces being being put together, and you know, we were just there taking it in with everybody else. It was. It was an interesting scene. You could not miss Ron Rivera though, Burgundy, Scott embracing the Scott Turner walking around Mr Offensive coordinator, just Steve rust former linebackers coach now Washington On Barkers coach, is literally head to toe Burgundy. It was like, just

just go hang out with Burgundy. Literally, Yes, yes, Well, the Senior Bowl is really just the beginning of all of the evaluation that's going to be coming in these next couple of months, and the segment we're going to do today, to be honest with you, has nothing to do with that. It has to do with the fact that it's that time of the year where if you

made a resolution, it's out the window. Now. My resolution, if you all remember, it was to be nice to produce her bat So far, how would you evaluate my performance average? Great, it's going downhill from here. That resolution is out the door. I've I have, I've you know, that's just not me. I took it out for a test drive. I saw how it would go. I'm just kidding. I'm gonna be nice to you. But we are going to do this segment just things we hate. We were

going to be nice this year. We were gonna play nice. We're gonna play by the rules. Everyone was going to go to the gym and they were gonna look great. But you just can't keep eating those sweets. We all ate some some sweets before we sat dusk and do this podcast. All the things that you wanted to do. We are not even through January, which happens to be scientifically proven the longest month of the year, and we

we have not dropped our resolutions. And if you're out there and you're thinking I've kept mine, good for you, check back with us in like two weeks. It got really cold, so I didn't want to keep oking out. It just got too cold. It's hard. So things we hate because we're not gonna be nice anymore. This actually came out of something we saw on Twitter. We're not afraid to steal a good idea and make it our own.

We're going to do that and to get into the segment because our great friends at Lift now want to be a part of this group chat. We're going to say something about Lift here because we love them, and we're gonna start out by saying one thing that I hate. It's finding a parking place. You know what you don't have to do when you get a lift, find a

parking place. I worry about it all, like like South End, trying to go somewhere, like somewhere, and you just got your like circling around these restaurants trying to I just want to I'm skipping the hassle of even finding parking, paying for parking, doing anything. I'm getting a lift. That's number one. Now we can get a little bit more Panther center right here. Let's go either a player or a game or stadium or something that we just don't like.

We're just gonna set the record straight for the rest of we just we're not We're done being nice. It's not even February yet. Maybe we'll circle back around for the holidays, but nope, every other day of the year we're being mean, and right now here are the things that we hate. Boys go first. Well, so no one wants to go first because we're actually nice. People were. So Caroline was referencing this thing on Twitter where it was this graphic of every team's most hated player, and

according to that was the one that found it. Yeah, give me the credit a dessert. I just gets awkward sometimes, how mean she is. We're trying to be We're all feel really weird. So according to that graphic, it was Cam Jordans of the New Orleans Saints, who I mean he wants to be. You know, he's trying. He plays the villain role he wants you know, sending the wine to Cam and all that see and Sean Payton with

the broom and stuff. Okay, so I'm going I'm going with a less obvious choice in Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson because outside of that fifteen season, he is just every time the Panthers play really well against Seattle and then Russell does Russell things. Yeah, the last the last two years, just Callen is coming back. Russell just finds a guy for a fort r touchdown on fourth down this year, converts a fourth down to ice the game. You know, he was an NC State and he laughed, you know,

like went to Wisconsin Badgers. You know, now he's okay, that's that's what I wanted to bring up. So, um, Andrew Hawkins, did you see this bit? Hilarious is the best because he so hawk does this where he like profiles or makes fun of different players coming into the stadium. The Russell Wilson is Hilaryer's numb when the Angel luck what is so funny because no one comes around the corner and I don't care who you are, Like you giggled a little bit. You may have hurt him. I

think he kicks off that video. Yeah he did. Yeah, Cam is definitely in this with his I wanted to make sure I'm saying that right. That's a little fishy um. But no, the Russell Wilson one is hilarious because it's pre Sierra and then post Sierra unreal. I mean, you gotta look at Andrew Andrew Hawkins. It's so people people hate on Russell to just be like his interview style is like it's hard to describe, but it's almost like he's a robot and he just like hits the button

when the interview starts. In his mind is programmed to say the same sort of things. It's just all his to the side. He does it. He does that think where it kind of looks through the side, you know what I'm saying. So that's that's a good one. And the thing I think the thing about Russell too, like you can play great defense and he still gets out of his sack. We hate that guy, lock it down. Few times have you said that about Russell Wilson? God,

I hate that guy. I mean, honestly, not that much, but for the for the sake of the segment all the time, you know who? This year, I in the moment hated Drew brees m. We were playing them at New Orleans and it was that final drive where we were in it to win and we we could have done it, but they got the ball back. I said to myself before the drive when he walked out there, just in his little arrogant self. Yeah, but I don't. Sorry, Matt Ryan. I know a lot of a lot of

guys on the Panther's defense. Hey Matt Ryan, really Matt Ryan, Well he did. He'll I think he'll always have a spot in Panther fans. Hearts um for the whole Get the blank off our field momentum. He has two first names. Roddy White was a guy that I always was and he had some big moments against the Panthers too that I thought I thought was very hateable from a Panther's perspective. Yeah, the division rivals. Obviously, here's my big one, Vantes Perfect.

He was hated across the league. Finally someone who likes that guy. Yeah, I as we talked about he literally we watched him twist the ankles of grigg Ols and and cam n in that game against the Bengals, which is just outrageous. Um, we didn't we we said we're gonna do some games we hate to write in addition to players. So Super Bowl fifty is the obvious one from a pantherge prospective, that was just doesn't get worse than having played so well and then have your worst

performance in the biggest game of the mall. But I would also say the very next game for the Panthers, the opener in sixteen at Denver, was brutal, missing the kick late, and that whole season just never was the same. Oh my god. Yeah, that so that one is is up there for sure, even though it was just week one. You know, week one, it's okay, you're going one whatever. That's got a plenty of season left. That one felt very different. And I would say two thousand and thirteen season,

a playoff game against San Francisco. That's the twelve and four Panthers team that was really good and they just completely lost their composure against the Kaepernick led forty Niners. And it just that that felt like that team left a lot out there because it was the personal foul penalties, Ron losing his cool. That's a game I felt they should have won at home. All the people, all the people are players or things that I hate, I actually

kind of love. I hated them in the moment because they they didn't do what would have made me happy. For instance, the entire forty Niners team, I don't like them. An iteration is current one because when we were there playing them, they could do whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted to whoever they wanted, and covering that is a bit frustrating. Yeah, I hated them. Now I hope. I mean, I want Andy Reid to be honest, I want Andy

Reid to win the Super Bowl with you. But I just feel like that forty Niners team made impression, but you know I didn't. We didn't see I gotta say though, I love watching George Kittle. That is one of my favorite guys so watching the league. That that T shirt he wore after the it's incredible. What about the two thousand eight divisional game versus the Cardinals with all the interceptions Will's boy Jake here, Yeah, that was that. That was even that that transcended hate to self loathing. We

don't even blocked that out of our memory. We don't even think I'll meet my Mike against I guess, yeah, get out of here, get out most hated uh stadium. So I'm hoping that our good friend Ron Rivera turns this one around. But for me, it's it's Washington's good one. I hate Washington. It feels like a bad college dump, like from outside inside press bos and then you lose. You go there and then you lose to him. If we were still in our New Year's resolution, like, how

would you describe that stadium in a nice way? Like you know, when you don't like someone and they're like, you have to say three things nice about this person, So what are three things that are nice about that stadium. The Redskins do a great job of making you feel like it's packed because they cordon off most of the stadiums. They forced all the fans that the ones that actually show up closer to the field because you know, so it feels like it's a really intimate environment. Especially when

the Redskins fans are booing their own team. That seems that seems like a backhanded Do I get two more? I'm just kidding, No, you can. I think the thing, the thing you always say about something that's not very nice but you're trying to make it sound nicer, is like it has charm. Yeah, that's all the different colors, all different. The seats are really charming because they're all the different colors. My stadium that I hate is I kind of can't say it anymore because they are moving.

But Oakland, Yeah, just terrible. The black hole. The black hole was terrible because it was a baseball stadium, so it was not you know, I just wasn't a football stadium, so it's so weird to get around the field. Looked terrible. It just felt awful. But since they're moving, I'll cut them a break. I guess they know it's bad too. The other one Jacksonville, there's I mean Florida. The only nice thing that I can say about the stadium is

that they do have puppies. They have a they have a section of their stadium that is like the Humane Society has a portion and there's dogs there that's adoptable. So that part I like them for that party. Think that's really cool. But everything else about that stadium, I just I think it's terrible. Do you think the dogs count for attendance because they need all the attendance. They got to make sure they're not blacked out in Jacksonville. Actually,

great Jacks fan from Jacksonville. How does this sit with you? This was actually a ploy. This is how it's not being No, I'm just kidding. Yeah, the Jacksonville stadium just isn't a good looking stadium. There's nothing about it. I think Jacksonville, I just don't have a great time when I go there. But I think a reason is they put the visiting team in this hotel that is only near David Busters. Yes, and listen, I don't want to

go to Damon Busters. I just that's not what I want to do when I go to a city I like to go and experience a little bit of that city. I like to go find some good food. Well, this place you have to you have to lift, which I love lifting, but you have to lift to someplace you can't. You can't just you know, walk or scoop. It's it's a David Busters or bust when you're down there. And I don't like that. And I don't like their stadium, and I don't like their colors. Man, you don't like

a lot of things about Jackson though. Max. Let's hear it. I want to hear this rant. Well, the super dumb for me. Home of the Saints obviously, I think if you're looking at from a panther perspective, okay, like where if we had like some House of Horrors moments, and that certainly has been one of them. The Saints have a tendency at home especially. I think I think they probably the best team in the NFL at home, right, Like playing in their home field Seattle is probably It's

probably between those two. Maybe Green Bay, I would throw in book like the difference of facing the Saints on their turf versus when they're on the road is so like Drew Brees numbers at home are just insane, and when the crowd gets into it just feels like it's an avalanche. And they have the guy in the stadium that actually looks like Drew Brees and dresses up like him. The guy like the voice of the p A guy really annoys me. And they play that same they still

playing that song they had every time. The score and then the press box situation. You're like souper, You're high high up like the top the top of the dome pretty much, and then they have the big air conditioning vents there so it's freezing. Literally it's gotten better of the years, but you used to have to bring like gloves because your fingers were frozen. Is it really hard on us? You know what? Really was really rude about

that that stadium. So on the big boards they did the like comparisons of the city, and it was like, if you're going to try and be us, then like do better. So they showed like the light rail here in um Charlotte, it is nothing like what We're not trying to have what they have their New Orleans. I'm not trying to have anything that they have in New Orleans, because God knows what they have. But the light rail.

They were like, oh, we have so many miles, And then in Charlotte they have they always do that, they always try to take jabs with that's rude. Yeah, yeah, at least we have an elevator that can hold more than four people at a time. Yeah, we haven't. We have real issues with the fake issues. Mobile is a is a miniature New Orleans hold of the original Marty of the original Marty Girl. How it what is it like? Cajun?

It's like originally originally? Now I read this, so you can't read every or you can't believe everything you read, but I felt pretty certain about this one. Marty Girl started as a social lighte event where very rich and uh prestigious people would have these parties, Marty Gral parties, and they started like being super cut off from the

other members of society. Well then these lower class people started sneaking their way into these parties and then opening up the back door and getting everyone to come in. So that's how it grew. But apparently Mobile was the original home of these socialite parties that we now know of Marty Grau and they were they were set up and ready to go. The first parade The first parade is on February five. Down there. Yeah, do you like Do you like kinkake? You're gonna have a kinkcake this

you never had one? What? I don't get it? They're really tasty. There's a there's like a little baby inside and you get good luck if you eat the baby. So the funny thing about this podcast today that I'm just giggling inside about is we had this great sponsorship um meeting this morning where a bunch of partners for the for the Panthers and Temper Sport and Entertainment came to the Atrium Health Doome and we did this whole presentation.

Vice presidents were speaking. The president was speaking, not Donald Trump, Tom Click And in this one of the vps, Paul, the one that we had on the group chat in London. Paul highlighted a great chat and it was like gave

us a lot of props. So if you are listening this for the first time because of Paul and because of what you heard, I'm sorry, Like, but this is that what he did say that we're a little bit off the wall, that we're funny, but if you really want to know what's going on and some fun things about the organization. This is a good place to come. I feel like we've delivered. We've told you about the real Senior Bowl. We've told you the not pretty side, about the things that we hate. I don't know, I

feel like that. I mean, I feel like this is a pretty honest evaluation after a couple probably had if I had other episodes where maybe should we tell them where that what else they should watch? The first time listener, maybe scroll on down those recent episodes and what is our favorite episode? What are some favorite segments that we've had. You got one, Matt, no group, it's going to be

rude to Caroline again. That was good revenge. I still think you're saying Curtis Samuel getting two thousand yards because that was me not even trying deep into the memory band. That was like the second episode we talked about. I'm really proud of the Fixer Upper segment was the best. That was just an episode or two ago. Yeah that if you're listening, go back to that one. I enjoyed my stat of the weeks. Those were fun line of the week line of the week. Remember We're a train.

I thought the London episode was cool with paul I remember good one. I'm trying to think the one where we left Caroline in Waco. That was really rude, Caroline. That's why you should have named that one, Matt, the one without Caroline. Southern Mama wasn't too bad. Have you been thinking about that? Oh? You're looking at I was like, trash was good to their trash was a good one. Southern Mama doesn't need to when Southern Mama meet met Lisa McCaffrey. Oh, we haven't told this story story time.

I don't even know how long this is anymore. Okay, so Southern Mama, everyone remembers. I was defending Christian McCaffrey about how many carrious that he had had in this game. I was like, not my baby, hell, given forty five carries. Anyways, if you've missed that, just go back you can find it. So it was a bit of a running joke with probably just myself, but I feel like other people were in on it of actually telling Lisa McCaffrey about Southern Mama.

So I told Christian about it when we were in London, and he was like, oh, my mom would actually put Southern Mamma to shame about the way that she would defend me, but like in a loving way he said it, not like you're about at your job. He would just say, like my mother would would be even better at that. So I was on the sidelines of the last home game and I see Lisa McCaffrey and Olivia Culpa and I was thinking to myself, this is the opportunity to go and and meet both of them. I had not

met Lisa certainly, and not met Olivia. So I walk over, I introduced myself and you know when things kind of fall like silent, like there's a silent pause, Well that happened. In My first knee jerk reaction was, oh, Lisa, we did this really funny bit where I was a Southern mama defending Christian and she was like, ha ha. But if you don't like, that's not a true representation of

the bid is. So I did it for them. So I did the Southern Mama boys in front of Lasa McCaffrey and supermodel Olivia And to say whatever, well, um would be true. I give a lot of credit for that, Like man spot to just have to pull that out. I'm committed to this podcast, right, But and it goes to show just how natural Southern Mama is for you, like you didn't have to practice it, you don't have to make sure. Okay, let me get the voice right

constantly living inside me. She's just they're ready to be called on. No, she is, she is, she's a she's a true part of who I am. Yeah, well, I hope you guys enjoyed us, and thank you for honestly allowing us to vent. I needed this. It's been a long I don't know. I don't know what day it is outside. It is Thursday, and I know that. But the yeah, I mean your mom's birthday? Does she listen to the podcast? Right? Well, I wasn't that I was going to wish her a happy birthday, but never mind,

you can do it anyways, Happy birthday. Will you send it to her? Sure, don't tell her where it is in the podcast, though, Just tell her that we wished her happy birthday and let her listen to the whole thing we need to we need to listen to. You know, is there anything else you guys want to get off your chest here? Any resolutions that you've genuinely given up

after twenty three days? Nothing? Are you resolutions? I'm not really a resolutions person, but I was gonna say you were You were like just about to say how it's been a bit of a long week, and I would agree. The Senior Bowl down there, it was colder than we really thought it was going to be. You guys came back on a seven am flight, which I haven't seen. Means it's a pretty early wake up. So it's it's just been kind of one of those little events Sash.

I really did because not to you know, I love my job and it's great and the opportunities are wonderful, but going to wake up and then coming back waiting on the coordinators, and then I decide to take a personal trip to Nashville, which you all know how that goes, and then you come back from that, and then we go to the Senior Bowl, and then we have this weekend. We're going to the super Bowl next the move. So it's a lot. I needed this, Thank you guys. This

was almost like group therapy. I needed to get some things off my chest. Group therapies A good episode. Two. Don't need to toot our own horn, but it was a good one. Is that all we've got is that what we're venting about today Matt, you got anything you want to get off your chest? I think I figured out which one was my favorite. I did like the one where we told the story of me leading my luggage. What's the name of that one? We definitely want to point we need to talk, we need to talk, or

a family matter. Oh, it is a family matter because he's family. You need to Yeah, that's the one. I like that. That's a good title. That is actually when people reach out about the group chat, that's the main topic they bring up. What you leaving your stuff? Yeah, a lot of my friends didn't really listen, and then after that when they started listening. Yes, yeah, you have six for it. You're being generous at least. Okay, you're popular. All right, Well that was a group job this week. Again,

if you're a first time listener, you're welcome. But I'm a little bit You're sorry. You can go listen to other ones where we're a little bit more positive. But we're funny always, so I hope you enjoyed. We're always funny, except when will Like takes it to a weird place, which she did today, which he did today, but that's on brand for him. Yeah, it's still funny. Yeah, it turns into laughing at you, not laughing with you. I'm fine with that. Sometimes sacrifices need to be made. We

do get some giggles, guys. Thank you so much for listening, Thank you Lift for making us feel so official, and we will see you guys next week