2021 Sandwich Props and Remembering Our Friend Tara Deeker

to think like you know what happened to me. I don't think I've ever been away from the pod that long. When the pod was going on, um it was what two weeks, I honestly felt like I didn't work anywhere. Um, I thought I didn't have a job. I feel like I didn't have a job at all to some degree. Very strange. Your dream, isn't that your dream that disappearing in theory? I always thought it would be, Um, it wasn't my dream to go through like two trips to the hospital, but um, yeah, it was a bit of

a bit of an odd couple a couple of days there. Yeah, there's nothing good that comes out of a hospital stay like that, I imagine and all the all the stuff that you had to deal with. But I know from my mentions and elsewhere, it must be nice to hear how many people were concerned for you, and how many people have missed you, and how many people said, you know, the show is not the same without him, which is very true. UM, so that was nice, I'm sure, right.

One little silver lining, Yeah, I don't recall hearing from anyone, to be honest, but no, no, that we I do think that whenever we've gone through stuff on our show, we have different a different group of of listeners, a different brand of loyalty. UM, and I think they're more they're more friends than they are anonymous to us. And so you're right. I mean, in my Instagram mentions and Twitter, UM,

thank you to everyone that reached out. I've written back to literally nobody yet, UM, but I but I planned to because you know, I think, like with other stuff that we've gone through, is a group like UM, it's been proven over and over that like these guys are a plus and so UM, I appreciate the people that reached out for sure. Well, the listeners can't see right now, but Mark's looking good, not you sort of almost looked like you were on a little tropical vacation. The buttons

are unbuttoned, the beards looking good. You look a little tan. Um, so you know hospital stays? Did you write? I guess I don't think I know my messages here, but I did like the show starting with like that's Mark Sessler. We should do that Mark too. I think I don't think I looked quite as fresh um inside the hospital. But you know, it was a bit of a chore, um removing myself from all of Erica's Hawaii pictures, because

that was sort of the second part you mentioned tropical vacation. Greg, you gotta confuse with the other person on the show. That's Erica tam Posey, who's looking tan and rested after her little sojourn. Erica, it's really nice to have you back. I will say that Justin gravergekay, uh, he just did unbelievable work. Uh in your absolutely yeah. I mean he's got his own drop now. And um, so thank you to Justin and Erica. Welcome back. Thank you. Yeah, I'm

not sure. Um, you know, Justin Justin did a great job well while I was gone. Um, and you can have him full time. I'm happy to step away. I have a lot of other stuff going on that I would be you know, I would love to take a step back if you do. You are you mad at me? Honestly, because it sounds like you were a little mad before the show started, like some of the comments I made and things of that nature about your absurd vacation. You're upset about the absurd vacation. We have been locked in

the house, Justin. I'm taking you out for the second. We have been locked in the house for two years. I've lost two people very close to me who would have told me, well no, but I'm serious. I'm not talking about you. I'm talking about in general. Before the season starts, I finally decided to go and and have some friend time and vacation, which we all desperately need. And yes, it's like, oh I missed the cut down days. I don't care who made the fifty three man roster,

like good have a podcast about it. Like I lived my life I have. You have to live short, Hey, Ricky, you deserve vacations. Um. And uh, nobody works harder than you. UM. I just wanted to let you know that Justin he's got ambition and he's got talent. He does, and it doesn't mean that I want him to be our producer now, but I just want you to know that if that lights a fire under your hyene or not it doesn't, that's not up to me to decide, but I'm just

letting you know he did great work. Well, that's really great, and the listeners loved it too, and he provided Some people were even saying that Justin should be a fourth I saw that flight flying around, which I think that would be. That was Justin's mom who sent that tweet. But you know, you know what, No, Justin is is awesome. Um and you know, as his boss, I'll take that into consideration. If you should fire Justin, that would be

an awesome move. No, he's amazing, he's boss. That feels definitely getting like Joe Flacco with Lamar Jackson vibes here, Like there are like the Alex Smith types where like Patrick Wombs his whole career. We'll talk about Alex Feth what a great mentor he was to me, And then there's there's other other types of someone tweeted at me.

It was like, is Erica gonna get Cam Newton? Like by Mac Jones and I was like, can I just like enjoy my my tie and like and enjoy your Cam Newton getting cut from your favorite team, which is that if you were reading the reddit board or you're mentioned during your Hawaii Gypt that's on you. Yeah. No, I turned them all off. But no, it was good. But it's good to see you guys and especially Mark and and be all together. And I'm really um, you know,

we'll get into it later. Obviously it's been a really tough couple of days, but you know, besides that vacation and feeling refreshed and really really kind of looking forward to the season and what's coming. I'm glad you got away. I think it's well deserved. Erica, I don't know what all the flak is, um. And then and this is your last jan it's the fire graver on the podcast. Yeah, no, I would never Justin's Justin's because we get we would then go and get him back. We'd we'd appeal to

upper management so he wouldn't actually lose a job. But if if anybody ever like got fired on this podcast, that would be pretty cool. That's all. No, I I actually you know this is it from content standpoint? Yeah, I can't say it, but I had a big hand and making sure that Justin is here with us. Well, well you did say it, I mean, was that not

what you were not going to say? No, I mean just just say like I I fought for him because he's he's the best, he really is, and you're the best, King, and I will tell you that we missed you as well. So this is very nice. And yes, this is once

again trying times um around NFL media. We lost our friend Tara Deaker and we're gonna have check on a little bit later, h to remember a great friend, uh of all of ours, um, but just to have the four of us together as we now start a new season without West, of course, but I'm glad and thankful that we're all together here. Nothing could be taken for granted that that much, uh is for damn sure? Coming up on today's show, Oh it's sandwich props. Go get

my lunch, you disaster. Is this the ninth annual sandwich Props? I don't even know that. I guess you could check on the website. But this is our ninth season together, so it's possible. Well, one thing I love is Justin four Tier, who has been running Go get my Lunch dot org for a decade now. Um, you know, he's been tracking this for so long that it takes like five minutes to scroll all the way through all the

wagers mark to get through it. So, I mean we really are, if nothing else, building out a real archive of content that people can go back to forever. Let's face it. I mean honestly, if it is nine years uh justin fourtiyear could have been in like, you know, eighth grade when this started, and now a college graduate Nick Fortier couldn't. Yeah, it's it would be help if I knew his name. Um, I mean, he's he's done here, so obsessed with him, I just needed to get his

name in one more time. He seems very driven, he's a hard worker. Um you know, I feel the drab that I missed his his time give us the drop. No, I'm not hitting it all right, Okay, So anyway that's coming up. Can't wait for that, and I'll have to check in with go get my lunch dot org for any like outstanding profits. Um that we started free agency

by the way for the um. But before that, Yes, the season begins Tuesday, the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers welcome the Dallas Cowboys to Raymond James Stadium, and um we are going to Now it's time boys for our first game. Preview of football is bad. It's officially back. Where's that Priana Chopka song? Jonas Jonas? Excuse me, I just call her miss Jonas. No Greg on the mean streets lest they l at to go mute because the police were pulling up in front of his house.

Hopefully not for Greg. Anyway, Thursday Night football Tom Brady brings back. We'll set it up this way, Mark, I'll see you up since we've missed you. So Tom Brady is now forty four. He's entering his I believe, twenty second season in the NFL, and I personally is listeners know and you know waited twenty years for Tom Brady

to get old. Now, having a different perspective on things and Tom playing in a different place, I don't want him to get hold because I think, like everyone else, we want to see how far Brady can take this thing, how far he could stretch the limits of athleticism and defying father time. But here's the thing that makes the Buck special. The supporting cast around Tom Brady is so

stellar that it's just a perfect spot for him. The Dallas Cowboys are a worthy opponent, but at the same time, you have to love Tampa's chances here at home with all the pop and circumstance. I'm with you. I think that you know, Tom Brady had a flock of teams he could have gone to, and you know, the Bucks stood out as a team that had a lot of talent but always had issues at quarterback, and he's the

perfect puzzle piece. They're the first Super Bowl winning team to return all their starters since the seventies seven Raiders, which tells you just how rare that is in terms of team building. Um, I think that fire. You know, we have a Bruce Arians at coach who is the fire is back. I mean I know that for a number of years I questioned if he seemed plugged in, but I mean it's sort of the perfect Um. Officially, it's official. He seems he seems to be determined to win. Um,

I just look at I look at this game. Particularly is when when you don't have Zack Martin for the Cowboys at at guard. I think that, you know, the last time we saw the Bucks. Their defense was dominant against an offensive line that had issues. I don't like the way the Cowboys looked when Martin wasn't on the field last year. Um, the whole thing is the whole thing is this though? Like for me, we talk about Tom Brady and the offense NonStop. I look at this

this Bucks defense, the way they're built up the middle. Um, they have the dominant sue back. Um, they're essentially healthy with everyone except Jordan's whitehead. I I do think the Cowboys are a worthy opponent, but I'd struggle to see them hanging around with the Bucks in this one. The Bucks to me last year, and I think they are a team that you can say they can pick up where they left off, more so than other Super Bowl

champs because so many pieces are intact. They seem to just get hotter and hotter as the season went on. And if you look what they did after their bye week, that's sort of what that offense is and what it can be. And I don't see one reason why they should be stopped in this game. I'm not even certain it will be close. I don't think it'll be close. I mean, they were they were worthy opponent the Cowboys are because like they can serve up help. The Bucks

serve up a forty burger, and who doesn't like that? Like, if they do not go above thirty five points in this game, I'd be surprised. If they do not uh win by more than what they're saying in the desert, which is just outside of our our lock zone. It's about I think it's just over a touchdown. I'd be surprised. This is not a game you want to be trying

out things. It's like the the Cowboys don't have Nevill gallim or their their best defensive tackle, so they're they're trying out you know, Carlos Watkins is gonna start a defensive tackle. They kind of like them. They have a this rookie o dig Azawa who they like. It's like, okay, we're trying that out. We got these we got these new cornerbacks. It's like nation right, Like we'll try we'll try that out a little bit. We all, we brought him k Z from Atlanta. He's gonna be our safety.

Not sure sure about our like secondary depth. Will try that out. It's like, good luck, this is the last team that you would want to play early in the season. I think the Bucks might not be that eam in December, but right now they're they're healthy, they're ready to go. The preseason overly affected me watching their couple of quarters where they just look so on point. They could be the Cowboys or at least put up thirty points. I

think with their backup skill players. I think you take out Evans and and Godwin and you put in Brown Miller, you know Johnson, there's If you take out their starting running backs and you put in Geo Bernard, there's they take out um Gronk and you put in O. J. Howard, they still would put up thirty points. I I do not think they're gonna be competitive defensively. The question is, yeah,

what does DAC look like going against that Bucks defense? Um. Just in terms of buttoning this up, you mentioned Mark the seventy seven Raiders, being the only other team, were the most recent team to bring back all their starters on both side. That team, the SEVENTI team won thirteen and one won the Super Bowl. Obviously, seventy seven one, eleven and three entered the playoffs as a wild card and made it to the conference championship. That's just a

little history for you, buffs. Um, what my looking forward from this game? I'm looking for Dak Prescott. Let's see where. Let's where Dak's at after the mysterious shoulder injury that had the the Cowboys contacting the Texas Rangers and the New York Yankees saying, uh what is this uh like?

And then he took the time off, and then by the end of camp and if you're watching Hard Knocks, he's slinging it around and we're being told no restrictions, Okay, but now we're gonna play, So we'll see what kind of um doc we get in this game. If it's vintage Dack. And by the way, let's not forget he's coming back from a compound fracture of his ankle and a major surgery that went with that, two surgeries in fact, so that's something to watch her. I'm excited to see

Zeke Elliott. Um, he's one guy on on Dallas. Also, what is Zeke Elliott gonna bring to the Cowboys this year? Because if he is the Zeke of old and not the Zeke of last year, and and Doak is healthy with those great wide receivers, this team is gonna score close to thirty points a game, and and that's gonna that's gonna win enough games probably to win your division. So I'm really interested it in the offense and on

the defense. Justum, stay in Dallas focused here Michael Parsons after a summer breathless hype around the first round pick this special type of modern day linebacker that can rush the quarterback, who could stop their around, who could cover a speedy tight end. Let's see if he develops into a star. Let's see if he gets his UM rookie season off to a great start in a showcase game on Thursday night in front of a hundred million people.

Because that Dallas does a nice job developing stars and offense, they desperately need to develop a new star on the other side of the ball, and that could be Parsons. I would note that, you know last year with DAC and they put up huge numbers on offense. They put up seventeen points, forty points, thirty one points, and thirty eight points over the first four games and still went

one in three. So there's a fair amount on pressure on Dan quinn uh the new defensive coordinator, to put this thing together because I think Mike Nolan's experiment as a one year coordinator last year was an absolute undoing of the Cowboy is a total disaster. I mean, players that looked good two years ago look disastrous in that scheme. The word out of Dallas, though, is that a lot of these guys are happy with Quinn's scheme. That it's more aggressive, it's more simple in nature, where I think

last year's was overly complex. During a covid uh you know, zoom meeting type offseason, it was harder to pick up. So I do think that if they if the if someone like Micael Parsons can set off a defense and and he fits in Quinn's scheme, that is your division winner right there. Because on offense, if they can do what they did last year when Doc was in the lineup, um, they're they're somewhat unstoppable on offense, especially if Ceedee Lamb looks to be the way he's been. Amari Cooper has

looked good in practice lately. He's healthy, So there's no question about the offense in terms of the star power and what they can put up. Points one, they finally have a coach that'll just throw it every down. If you need to. So that's that's part of it. Like if you have doc and fantasy or you know, you you think the Cowboys will end up keeping this game close. It's like they could be down twenty halfway through the third quarter and it just wouldn't be surprising for them

to put up three straight touchdowns. Like I don't think the Bucks are that unstoppable that every single team the Cowboys play, they have advantages out wide, and they finally have a coach not Jason Garrett, uh that will just like throw the ball every time they need to, because what's the point of running the ball against the Bucks? They are literally one of the greatest run defenses in NFL history. There's not a real reason to think that's

gonna change now. And so I don't think this is like a Zeke run the ball too much game and you never know week what is so weird. Sometimes you do see teams like get tired, certain players get tired. Like I don't know which team that's gonna affect more than another, but I do think you get some weird like end of games in Week one. So I think if that if you're a Cowboys fan, that's what you're hoping for but the Bucks, I think are gonna think the opposite, and I think they're gonna go tempo a

lot and like that. That's the type of thing where Brady wasn't that comfortable for most of the last season and now he's so comfortable in that system where they can speed it up, they can slow it down, they can do whatever they want to you And I just I don't know. I'm I'm thinking like one, I don't know, if we're no, maybe let's give the cowboy. And I

want to tell you one thing. When we did our West Hollywood podcast, UM I attempted to bring this up and it was railroaded because it was too serious of a point when we were trying to have more of a um a lighthearted time apparently, but Gio Bernard, I think is going to be a huge story for this team. And it wasn't. It wasn't that it was a serious point. It was like we were trying to like take big swings on like meaty topics, and you were like, keep an eye on Geo Bernard. He is what they were

missing last year. I think the kind of piece to Tom Brady, you know, probably personally requested the same way Aaron Rodgers would want. I want this kind of James Whitish character that come in and he fits perfectly. I think he's going to be a huge part of their offense and increasing part of the offenses as the year goes on. It's crazy. I do remember those some of those Patriots teams that finished strong and won the Super but they did, and this happens a lot with Super teams.

They do come out gangbusters. They're like they're confident, they're ready to go. Everyone's back, like they they are going to be a few steps ahead. I think of the rest of the league, especially the Cowboys, And there's no chance Tom Brady's getting old this year, right. I did see the note that he's more than four years older than anyone else in the NFL. That is crazy. I'm not doing the doubting anymore, but I just want to say he's again forty four and entering his NFL season.

This is not a kicker. I think in Week one, I think that he's got to take some hits. He I think it have to be injury. I think that's where he could get old. If he gets hit and something happens and then recover and stuff like that and that could happen anytime, certainly, but at this point I'm not I'm not thinking it. Not like if he's playing with a sore shoulder in early October, that could reach farm.

Looks so strong in that preseason game. I was like, it is literally stronger right now than it was in two thousand three. I'm not saying maybe maybe maybe not then like eleven and ten, maybe his peak, but it's stronger than it was at the beginning of his career. He's regenerating. Basically, he's probably not growing old, and I think he's exactly his age is exactly like the medium point between me and Greg and Mark, so like it's somebody we could all like look to. You know, I'd

have to look behind me. But yes, I mean he's I passed him in on that category. Uh so you say, a grizzly blowout, Greg, I don't think. OK, I'm gonna keep was going to say, because the cow and Dallas does not want to repeat the beginning of last season. And this is pre deck injury, which is yes, they were throwing for like five yards a game, but they were down three touchdowns and the end of the third

quarter every week. So they were just slinging it. If he gets to that point, yeah, maybe it becomes like over you know, seventy points total. But I think they'll keep it a little bit close, just because there might be a little everybody's got to iron out some things early season, so maybe the Bucks don't come out humming like a total machine. I'll say thirty twenty three a nice game, but the Bucks taking I will go, um Bucks thirty eight, Cowboys twenty six, but not as close

as even that score would suggest. Okay, so across the board the Bucks will start the season. I want to know, looking forward to it, and we're gonna watch it together at Lakisha's house. We watched the uh kickoff game last year at Lakisha's and West's and West was there with us. So we really do look forward to as bittersweet as it is to start a new season. Um, just being back in that house with Lukisha and Link that that will be, that will be in the year before, and

Deeker was there the year before. If thinking about it, we we watched the kickoff the last the last couple of years. It's um all right, So that's Thursday, and remember we have our we're now on the regular season schedule, So you got your Tuesday podcast today Thursday early will record uh the full week to come preview previewing every game, and then uh, either all of us or some combination of us will be back later that night to offer the brief recap of the TNF game. And then of

course this Sunday the flagship show. We're still remote right now obviously, but uh that will be changing either next week or the week after. So we are off and running. And don't forget, forget the broadcast, Yes, do not forget the two hour supersized edition of The Around the NFL broadcast on NFL Network. Premiere is on Friday as well. Do we have a time for that? I'm so bad at the time. I think it airs Saturday morning on the East coast. It's a two hour version, you know

the West coast or am a perfect time slot? You gotta start somewhere seven thirty East Coast. Why would it start on a half hour. We're gonna need to I mean people on the West Coast. For me, it doesn't it doesn't make any sense. I think it's a two hour show though. Get back to us. Yeah, we know that, and uh, I think it'll be good. Though we try to marry up the podcast. It's gonna be better for the podcast. Our Thursday podcast is going to be better, and our Friday TV show is going to be better.

That they're totally separated, so you can you can just like eat us up in many different ways and like, you know, btw, it's more work for us to do this way, but you know what we care about the product. Seven am Eastern season premiere of Around the NFL with Greg Rosenthal, Dan hans Us, and Mark Sessler breaking down the latest heading into each week of the NFL season. The two hour show airs every Saturday at seven am Eastern, So we got we got that cushy four am Pacific

time slot. You know, it's like it's like the more people will see us there though than then in the Friday afternoon. Weirdly, it will be the best show in NFL network within a year and it will find a cozier time slot. One thing on two hours at least. Well, so last year we used our Thursday pod as both the pod and the television show our work produce two hours of content for people. We're now doing three hours. We're doing literally three more work this time if I

have my math, So that's right, nailed it. I don't. I never actually got that wrong. I never get here, sick of here, and you talk Mark, I just want to hear you just talk about g O. Bernard in like every possible format. I will nail that prediction. Hey, it's ricky. Have you guys ever wondered how the NFL schedule is made or what exactly it is that an NFL playing field is made up of? Answers to all these questions and more are available now on the NFL

Explained podcast. Every Thursday, A D. D. King Kambala and Mike Yam will be answering the burning questions you have about the game so you can dominate trivia or just be the smartest person at your next football watch party. This week they're tackling how each NFL team got its name. You can listen to NFL Explained now, that's NFL Explained with a period at the end on the I Heart Radio app, Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcasts. All right, it is time now, it's a tradition. On

the podcast, everybody could do their basic as predictions. We do it too, but with a twist, go get my sandwich your monster. Oh yeah, Mark missed the basic asked predictions last week, so he's not gonna have to be tied down to anything. That's very narin Mark, a free wild horse, a bucking Bronco, just rumbling through open planes. Well now I've filed them with NFL dot com though,

So that's true. Marco got cute like me, Like we're like, oh, let's pick a different team to win the super Bowl than what everyone else is picking, and then like five five basic grows, I'll pick the forty Niners. It's like they're practically the most popular team. Did you happen to catch that show when I've the Browns for the playoffs and Greg and claybon did not? No, I didn't. I did not hear about that. Well, that's it's very loyal of you. Well where are they in your power rankings?

I believe number eight. Well that's a playoff team, and so you so Claybonn and Greg believe that they don't even reach the post. They don't play January football of any relevance. Yeah, I've never I've never had a take I believe in less than this one. But sometimes you want to like throw more teams into the playoffs that aren't gonna get there. So I wanted to get the Dolphins in. I want to get the Broncos in. And it's like only one, only one team from the North

made it. I don't believe this at all. Come one off de fence like West West New. The one thing to really annoy me in the world was when he would say I didn't even believe in a take that I said, And unfortunately this take, this one is like the brown is not making the playoffs is not a take. I don't really believe in that. I think they're like eight or ninth. But it's like just something will happen. I want to get I want to get those Broncos.

I want to sprinkle some other teams. And ridiculous concerning Greg, I gotta have a code, man, Well I did. I didn't change the pick. I almost changed the online. And that was that was what Mark used to do. He would like make one pick online and another on the podcast. Remember that we like made fun of him for not having the Browns in the playoffs a year ago, and then he had them winning the Super Bowl. He like

totally multiple outlets, multiple predictions. What is your Super Bowl prediction, by the way mark, because we shared ours, I picked the win because you have the same Yeah, I picked the Niners to win over another team. I don't remember even remember who the f C team was. I don't think it was that she was not the Chiefs. Was it the f C team that hails from Cleveland? No? I did. Cleveland gets knocked out in the playoffs? In

my in my rock solid predictions. All right, check those out if you can find them on NFL dot com. Let's get into it again. These are the rules of the sandwich game. Sandwiches on the line, You make your prediction. The other two bozos get the opportunity to either agree with said prediction or say no, no, no, no no. I challenge the I go the opposite direction of your prediction with a sandwich on the line, And it's all tracked at Go get my Lunch dot org. The sandwiches

aren't aren't changing hands as much. But guess what, you know, there's been a pandemic, and you know it's so hard to see each other right now that and it will be corrected in due time. But no, uh, that's what's on the line here. As we go, Let's go around the horn three times with the final uh prop you lay out it's not a bet, uh your onion hanger and that's when you really say, I know I'll probably lose this, but I wanna I wanna put it out there. I want to show you that I have some some

onions and sometimes you gotta hang them onions. You try these onions, you'll like them. The rules. Let's get it going. I will start things off and uh, Greg Mark, I don't know if you were here for this show at the oh you weren't. So. At the end of the preseason, I noted the absurd breakdown of the win loss records. Uh, the standings of the preseason, where the NFC had maybe like five wins in the entire preseason. It's filled with interconference games, obviously, and the a f C was like

mostly undefeated across the board. UM, and I questioned whether does that actually hold some water. I know there's they're not real games or anything. But at the same time, when you look at the state of the NFL. And by the way, you mentioned power rankings, which premiered with me and Matt money Smith UH Tuesday at three pm Eastern on NFL Network. Check it out every week. When you look at the top half of the power rankings, it's very A f C heavy because the A f

C is a much stronger conference. Right now, with that set, I hit up l A researchers here at NFL Network. We have a great research team, and I said, hey, what is the inter conference I think it's inter interconference record A f C versus NFC. What is the A f c's winning percentage over the past five seasons? The a f CS one fifty six, one sixty two and two versus the NFC. That's a four winning percentage. Okay, so history tells us, And as Chris Wesling once said,

history is instructive. As history tells us, don't get sucked in here. If anything, believe in the NFC. I believe the a f C will better that percentage by fifty points. The a f C will pay post a five forty one winning percentage and interconference battles against the NFC in who's coming with me, who's going against me? Five one? I mean, it's like a it's a pretty small sample size, so you probably you know, you only have to be a handful of games over right, furn do one in

the last five years. Well that's the same. They were just six under over five years. That's less than one game a year. So it's basically fifty fifty or about why. But I wonder what it was last year? You know, isn't that a little more instructive. I want to root for the a f C. I don't like this stupid thing. Wait a minute, it needs it needs one on the nose or just at it. Well one, I'll take you on that. It's a very obscure, it's a very strange. Probably teams Greg and still go against me on this.

I kind of do believe in the a f C this year. I'm not going to take you on it. You know, everybody, if you're a real veteran this game, you know it's a win when someone's gonna take you because you usually lose. Uh. And that's one sandwich, Okay, I'm mean it's I'm glad you brought that up. We are exactly tied Dan with a fifty two point one percentage. We have almost the exact same record. One I'm one four and one six seven. You have one less winning

and one less lost. Mark. You're gonna have to go undefeated for the next seventeen years to get even even even though you're like out of the gate. But I think I've thrown some things out there that you know, you're swinging for the fences. Um, with a low percentage of success. All right, Mark, why don't you go next? So I got so, I got one mark on that on the line. All right. I don't know how to top that the obscurity of of what you just came up with, but um, I'm gonna go with this. Uh,

Baker Mayfield will throw more touchdowns than Aaron Rodgers. Oh, okay on that. That's good. Okay, So let's take a look at something here, because there's going to be some regression I think for Aaron Roger in terms of touchdowns thrown, because all those advanced analytics tell you that things kind of all worked beautifully to get him to where he was. What was he forty six touchdowns or something last year? Let's take a look here. Touchdowns that's that outrageous, not

like top five all times. It's like you see Aaron Rodgers like he's got to get some weapons around him. A touchdowns are the two years fire he had twenty six the year before that, in the year before that success fire the GM, I've only thrown forty eight touchdowns this year Baker through twenty six, so that's a twenty two touchdown gap. That's a big gap to make up for. I will take you up on that, but I like where your head's at because I think that Brown's offense

is going to be good. I think touchdowns are a little more random than some other stats. So even if Rodgers outplayed Baker, Baker could have more touchdowns. It's not too crazy. But as marks want to do, it's an onion hanger right off the top. I mean, he doesn't wait for the third one. I like that. Well, Baker, let's see, he's this is his age twenty six season,

so obviously there's still room for growth. But after watching him for three years, I feel like I generally got a vibe of who he is and what his ceiling is, and that is of a the right side of the Dalton scale, but not too far. Like he's kind of I think like a Kirk Cousins type guy. Now, Kirk Cousins can throw thirty six thirty seven touchdowns in a good season, so I'm gonna put Baker's like ceiling this year at about thirty five. Rogers will throw about thirty five,

So it's a it's a good one. I'll take you up on it just for fun. But I bet they do finish within two or three of each other. I think that's how it's because I do think Baker will play well in that offense, and I think Rogers will just kind of come back to the pack a little bit after last year's brilliance. I think realistically you'd you'd probably maybe need Rogers to miss a few games um

for it to happen. But I think one thing about Baker Mayfield, if you take out the season, which you know that is part of his career, and he did not play well in twenty nineteen, but the environment around him, if you just looked at if you, let's say his career had been twenty I think people would look at him so differently and they forget how chaotic was I don't think it's impossible that he has a breakout type campaign with the parts that are around him, he was

having it. He doesn't need to play any better than he did from Week twelve on last year for them to win a super Bowl. He really doesn't. They could have won the last year the way he was playing. He he was playing great. He just has to sustain that over the course of the season. There's not a lot of reasons, like on paper that they wouldn't that they have a top six seven roster. It's just it's a lot of any like concern for me is there is the division, it's the conference, and it's the bad

Brown's mojo. Just he's a little streaky too. I think that's the other thing about the Baker experience. Uh, there's going to be he's gonna be fourteenth. I'm doing the QB Index once again. He is fourteen. That's exactly where he should be on the QB Index. Going, you're back with the QB Index. I'm back and herating from the great late Chris Wesling. Okay, who inherited it from you? What? What a history to the QB Index? Okay? Uh so

we both take you up on that mark. I like when you get the Brownies involved, Greg, You're up, all right, let's just go simple to start. It's one I we already talked about last week. The Broncos are going to make the playoffs. You know, Dan. Dan wanted me to put sandwiches on the line that I would stand behind some tweet that they're in the divisional round, and I was like, that's one step too far. You don't get to fifty two point one percentage historically, and go get

my lunch putting them in the division round. Let's just have it. Let's just put this team that's been terrible the last two years into the playoffs. That's good enough, give me a break. But you're doing it again. I mean, this one's not as egregious, but you're saying something in one format and then when it's time to actually put up the money, put your money where. I think they're

making the playoffs is realistic. Uh, then like winning a game, possibly as a road team because you don't, it's gonna be tough to win the a f C West. That's another I think winning the playoffs is realistic. I think Teddy Bridgewater is gonna play well. I think the defense and everyone else will be even better, and I think

they can get They can scrape out eleven wins. It's gonna be tough to make the playoffs in the a f C. Might it might take eleven and six I'd almost think Vic Fangio could be out of there if they if they don't make the playoffs, because they've got the roster to do it. Um it really just centers around Teddy. I'll take you on it, but I I'll I say this, I think they're a playoff team too, but I'll do it just for sports. But then you're

counting them. It's like the Chargers and the Paths and the Steelers and Browns and Dolphins, like all these teams, Raiders, they all think they're there, can make it. I'm looking for this tweet from Greg, but Greg is a surprisingly robust tweeter. Um oh, I found it. August. I will remember who jumped off the bandwagon when Teddy is starting a divisional round game in January. That's so strong, Greg, that's a strong us. It's gotten with the touch of Murphy. I mean, it's a it's a it's a time when

why can't that be your say? Which prop? I don't understand why you're making it. I'm disappined. Why can't I be six inches taller? It's like, this is the life. You're doubt Dan, so you're gonna have to make it. What I abstain on this just because I have a fundamental disagreement with about how you carry yourself in this game. Right now. I don't know this teddy bandwagon business any either. All right, up next, one of these teams will post

a double digit lost season. Now remember seventeen games. I don't wanna I'm not trying to rip anybody off here. So you have an extra week essentially to lose that tenth game. Pittsburgh, Chicago, No Orleans, Indianapolis all playoff teams a year ago. Wait, none of them are are just one of them? One of them will lose ten games? Plus Who wouldn't take you on this if if you at this prop in Vegas, this is minus three fifty.

This is like, of course, the odds are extremely strong that one of them would lose at least ten games, extremely strong. This is extremely strong. Yes, because first of all, that that's like the Bears over under on on its own. Um. The other you know, Pittsburgh has looked at as like a five hundred team. I think that's a little low for them. Um. And then you're the New Orleans is a volatile team, certainly, and they're around a five hundred team. Projected.

It's like, so I have three to the smallest, this onion is still underground. It's not. These are three teams with double digit wins a year ago and a Chicago team that, yes, when eight and eight made the playoffs, but has this exciting young talent waiting in the wings. I don't hardly said one of these teams if you said three of these teams, sure to. I struggled to take this one because I think the Saints definitely to to. I'll too. I'll take you one sat start team in

total change, Steelers Chicago, New Orleans, Indy. Okay, because it's like the Bears. It's like I'm penciling them in for twelve. So that just felt like I don't think they're gonna be good. I mean, they could be better. But if I had to guess, then I'm not really high on the Colts, and you just gotta get one of those other two teams, right, It's it's more reasonable. See how I'm not rigid, Greg, See how like you know, I'm just you nimble? Mine? I mean mine is still I

was picking like an underdog. The Broncos making the playoffs is very much an underdog pick. You know you were picking Chuck. You deserve to be shamed. I think the cults are gonna be bad too. I'm not even gonna take it bad. I don't know about bad, but I mean, also, you can go seven and ten. That's like an average team. So so you're still not taking it. I'm still not taking this really goes against my Uh Wow, by the way, seven and ten is an awful sounding record, and so

it's like five and twelve. I'm not I'm not into this. I'm with you, I don't. I feel like we're we're pounding the drum on this for months, but it's gonna take a while. The fact that there's no eight and eight teams anymore, you happen to choose two of the teams I feel like I'm most down on in the NFL relative to average, which is the Colts and the Bears. And so then it's like, wow, and one of those other teams could could potentially mess up too. Alright, Mark,

You're up all right? Um during the course of the season. It's not unusual for the coaches to be fired Um during the season. In fact, it's happened. It seems to be more and more as teams get a start on finding their next coach, but something unusual will happen. Um this year. It's not a firing. This happens very rarely, and I had to think back to um Butch Davis, I think it's the last coach I remember that did this. Well,

I'm just gonna say that I'm worried about what's coming next. No, no, no, this is it's pretty it's pretty clear cut that a coach will resign during the season. Now I now out this is out. That's the bet, that's the prop. So but I I just say that, Um. What I would add to it, not as a stipulation, Nick Fortier, Um of of the prop is that, uh, I think it will be scandalous. I think it will be something that um causes immense waves through the NFL and becomes a

trenchant um story that does not go away. But it will require the coach to resign. That pops into my head. Two teams and they're both connected by the same thing, which is a very toxic situation in our league. Right now. It's Deshaun Watson. Yeah, could David Culley resigned because of some ridiculous things going on behind the scenes. And him realizing what am I doing here? Why am I being

set up to fail? What is happening? How about Brian Flora's Miami What if they get off to a bad start and management pushes Deshaun Watson into the building and he says, wait a second, I love this kid too. This is not fair and I'm not on board with this guy coming in here. Just random, obviously conjecture, but it just flew into my mind when you said that. So I will not take you up. I will take you up on it, I will say, because I don't

think it will happen. But the Deshaun Watson situation and how volcanic that is sitting out there makes me wonder if that could lead to something crazy happening. Yeah, this is a massive onion hanger. When was the last resignings? I don't know the answer. Petrina resigned. Petrino would be more recent than Butch David. But David Petrino just like

left a note in everyone's locker. That was That was one of the more amazing moments is that after he got the road rash face when he was with his mistress on a motorcycle or that was before that, that was that was later. Um, yeah, I'm definitely gonna take you up on this, and I'm happy that it wasn't

too dark. For some reason, I my mind immediately went to Gary Kubiak collapsing at halftime during the and I just thought you were gonna say, like he can like a coach can't continue the game, or he's like, you know, camp, thank you, thank you, But night Gary kuba took a stroke on Sunday Night Football. That was scary. Um. Interesting, Mark. And by the way, since we're on the topic of coaches, you've been out for the last few shows, and I

wanted to talk to you about this. Remember last month when we were like racking our brains trying to figure out who the one and done head coaches were And the most recent guy was Freddie Kitchens And so I got about four tweets. So can you just just because we're all in, we're all in a good place, we're happy to be back together a new season. Did you knew you knew Freddie Kitchens was on that list, but

you just didn't want to surface it in that conversation. No, No, I'm old, and I completely forgot that the scenario and that you were trying to protect like your mental health or something, or just like protect the bad the bad name of the Browns being mentioned, and so you purposefully this was his theory. Do you think that I care that much? I mean, it's like, you know, it was evident that we did left as a group. We completely just spotched that that conversation. That wasn't a great one. Okay,

good guess though. We had Freddie on the show, always a nice guy, and Nick Shook said it as well, one of the best guys you could ever hope to have be belly up at the bar with at at the Road hotel ahead of a Sunday game. Maybe you should have been back in the hotel room prepping for said Sunday game, but he was drinking with Nick, and maybe that's why Nick doesn't work there anymore. Well, there's

a lot, there's a lot happening there. Many layers speaking of onions, were peeling back the layer of that onion. How did Nick Shook get from the Browns back to NFL? All right, Greg, your second? I mean I feel like all my all my selections are intended for you both to take them. Mark's got the biggest onions minor medium Dan's are the smallest onions so far. I'm still upset that I print two in a row that feel like, uh,

this one's a little convoluted. But I'm gonna say that Terry McLaurin, the Washington Football Teams receiver that I implored people to take in their fantasy drafts, will finish with a higher ranking in receiving yards then the Rams seed in the NFC this season. So the Rams will finish

in ex place in the NFC. You know last year they would have been what fifth or something fifth or sixth um you know when they when they won their division and they had to buy, they were like the two seed Terry McLaurin will finish in the NFL's receiving rankings. Is basically counting on him to be a top five receiver this year at a higher seed or a higher number than the Rams playoff seeds. Well wait till you see my next one. I decided to get as convoluted

as possible. I'm like mixing like different you know this way, I'm like getting almost two predictions in one sort. So if you have if you're a division winner, that puts you in the top four seeds. You're a top four seeds. Seven teams make the playoffs. It's pretty simple. And and they do number everyone's seed one through uh fourteen, so just in case they didn't or sick steen, just in case they didn't make the playoffs, they would have like

a ranking or a seed. I mean, you're the Niners winning the Super Bowl, right, so I'm putting them down at like five or six and McLaren hasn't ranked you know that nearly the high yet. But I'm are we talking catches or yardage because he was receiving yards. Okay, he was thirteen last year in yard Okay, he was thirteenth in yards. I'm I'm projecting him, you know, to finish higher than the Rams seeds to stay healthy too.

They do rank them one through sixteen. You get, you get a ranking in the NFC, whatever their NFC ranking is it. Because I think it's important to have integrity and have it lined up with your predictions. I have the Rams making it to the Super Bowl. Um and although I don't break it down where they finished, I saw them as a division winner. And I'll just say let's say there, let's say they were the number two seeds,

I'm just gonna go with that. So McLaren needs to finish first, then he needs to finish to finish your head. So yes, I will take you on it. Um. And I think McClaren would be a top ten receiver. He could be number seven or eight and be a superstar this year. So it doesn't define failure if he can't out gain the Rams seed. And anyway, I'll take you on it. I I like where you're going with this. Um, I will take you too. I actually a sandwich prop that I'm not using was that the Rams would miss

the playoffs but the Chargers would make it. Uh, sending you know a lot of l A based journos into a tizzy. Um, but I you know, I know that, you know. I I'm trying to repair my relationship with the Rams, considering that we're moving into their house like in mirror days. UM. So it's not a Rams thing, except that I do believe in McLaurin and I think that you're onto something. I can root for the Ram. I mean, my daughter is a Rams fan. You know, if five seeds find or if even a four seed

and McLaren comes in first, either way, I'm fine. I think it's good. Mark, like, you want to be more a Cato Kalin type. Um, you want to be a nice house guest. You want to be non offensive. You keep to yourself. Maybe here a thump in the night, don't check it out, Like, just just do what you gotta do, stay in the guesthouse. And and hopefully a similar career path is him if I am lucky enough. Alright, last round, now here comes show you a little bit

of all grown huge onions. Okay, my boy, Zack Wilson is the offensive rookie of the year. You guys can take the field, how Zach Greg That's fine, I'll take it. That's good. That's a nice onion hanger in the field. Just because there's a lot of there's a lot of good options this year. I can't remember. I guess it makes sense there's so many offensive players taking at the top of his draft. This quarterback class looks amazing. I can't remember there being This makes excitement over ten to

fifteen rookies. So absolutely, I'll take you, and that I love it. I'll take you to UM. I don't know if he's in the best roster scenario for that to happen. For the for the numbers to be there. But I think you've got you found your quarterback. Um. From what we've seen so far, Rookie of the Year would be the biggest Jets story and two decades, right. I mean

Sam Bradford won offensive Rookie of the Year. I think just because like he successfully walked from the bus to the field every game without following, Like that was the level of rookie quarterback play back then he was. He was not good. He was like quarterback in the league. Zack Wilson is gonna have to be good to win this award because there's just too many other good, good

options at a receiver and and quarterback. The one thing though, like let's say that trade Lance for some reason is splitting snaps with Jimmy g Till the middle of the year, Justin Fields continues to be um put through the ringer in an absurd scenario in Chicago, and they don't play and they continue any Dalton that gives Wilson a jump, I mean they have literally no other quarterback. Yes, and mac Jones. Mac Jones has a chance. I wonder where

um Zack Wilson ranks. And like the the predictions that are out there right now. Trevor Lawrence is first, tied with Mac Jones, surprisingly Field, second, Lance and Zach Wilson next. I think there there's a lot of bad thanking there on, like your team needs to win games, which which makes sense that you know who I think Tony Romo picked Za Zach Wilson. Let's listen to what Tony had to

say about the Jets rookie. It's rare for me to say someone has the ability to get in the stratosphere of the mahomes, but I think this kid actually has that ability. So when you have a quarterback like that, I think there's no telling how good you can be. He can make up for a lot of weaknesses, a lot of areas for a football team. I think Zach Wilson is going to be in the discussion as one of the top three or five quarterbacks very quickly, you know,

within the next couple of years. I think you're gonna see him rise. And just I think he's unbelievable. His ceiling is so high my own now, Romo, like Sam Donald too, that should be stated, but that just I mean, if that doesn't get you pumped up as a Jets Van I don't know what will. I think you should have that like tattooed on your back, that entire statement from Romo. If if, if I will Zach Wilson wins an m v P or a super Bowl in the next three years, I will do that, the whole statement.

You'll have Tex Well, I hope we can all my back. I'll affleck it what size font though, I mean it can't be we need to notice the nineties one? Is it the comics sans you can't. I mean it's gonna have to be small because uh, there's a lot of words. Alright, three years, so that's the twenty three season. I'm looking forward to tracking this one as the Jets like marched through the playoffs and Dan starts like having mixed feelings about it, and if they three over the next three years,

I'll get it done in all different parts of my body. Oh, I'm rooting for this back front, buttocks, buttocks. This is what it tells you. I'm to become a Jets fan. But I'm finally here. It's a big treat for Emily, your wife. She's gonna have It's there's gonna be a lot to discover, alright, let's let's keep rolling here, Mark yours all right, UM, I feel very strongly about this.

I'm not taking it. I will take you will take your on in hangers like Okay, I think you're gonna want to UM but I and I want to say that I this is not UM a gag. This is something I feel very um dug in about that there will be a major we will look back and we will and I you can try to not you can. You can try to spin it and say that you don't agree that it was UM. What I'm about to say that it is a top It is the number two news story in the NFL m outside of the

coach resigning. That it is so it will least be one or two biggest story in the NFL. UM will involve something to do with an NFL cheerleader. There will be a story involving an NFL cheerleader that will be considered a UM sort of an earth shattering type breaking news scenario in the eventually got to an uncomfortable place. Greg. It just took one more question. No, I don't think it's it doesn't see you're that's where your mind goes. I mean, she could be involved in a bank robbery.

I don't know, it could be any sort of thing she could steal comfortable for the people in the bank. You know, well that would be. That would be, But it doesn't suggest for the cheerleader. Basically, you're saying it's uh situation. It's just like all there would be no question that the cheerleader is a pivotal um centerpiece, a core centerpiece of the story. I don't. I'm not pattying alright, like I know, but then if I say, like j Howard Mary as a cheerleader, that doesn't qualify you. Just

I'm gonna try to help you out. You said this would be one of the two biggest stories of the year, which I don't even know how you would rank that, Like we should, we should try to make it like, you know, this is a seismic story including a cheerleader happen. How Like that's a huge story, Like are we talking

like that level news story? I'm saying it will be because I've already talked about the resignation of the coach um sending you know, shockwaves through the league, So I can't I don't know if it's going to top that. When you look when you do your like a year in review, This cheerleader story will be a devastating one of the biggest stories of the year. You know, involves a cheerleader. Yes, let's keep it right there. Doesn't sound good whatever it is, it just doesn't sound good for

the cheerleader. It's not a player. It's not a player marrying a cheerleader. That that that's not a huge story. There's no news value to that. And you you can think it's bad. But maybe it would be something like the cheerleader goes to space or something. Sure, it could be transfer. I don't know. That to me feels like blaise news to something big story. I guess it's big.

I don't know, like the cheerleader of the Dolphins blasted off with SpaceX or something that would be like that would get a lot of play in the national news cycle. I don't know if it's the biggest story, second biggest story of the year. But well, I think we've removed second biggest story because it's too hard for us to and you'll you'll just claim that it's not so we're taking that out of it. All right, Greg, We we got you and then we got our annual Ricky props.

So Greg, okay, yeah, um, here we go. I don't know if the onion is any bigger than the first two, but it is more convoluted even. All right, three teams from the a f C East, we'll have more victories than the amount of consecutive pictures. But you stopped me now, all right, Three teams from the a f C East will have more wins this season than the amount of consecutive pictures. Mark Sessler once posted on instagram of Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet you are not allowed to go

look at the instagram and see how many. Mark probably knows you could help to check. Yes, you know, I went to check and Mark probably knows. Um. But that day, that was an infamous day. It was many days. It was more than one day, a couple of weeks, for sure, many consecutive pictures. Three teams from the a f C s will have more victories than than that number. So I know what the numbers. You know what the number is.

You could help out Dan if you really want. You know, I thought the mystery was kind of part of the fund. But you know, you can do whatever the number is. Nine It was it was a solid three three three Instagram. I shouldn't have I shouldn't have allowed that. Now the pats, the pats of the Dolphins will bust out and under um and um, and they were underachieved. So I do not think three teams will do it. So I'll take you up on it. But that was an amazing I

should but I thought, I don't know it. I guess in my mind. In my mind, I thought it was possibly fifteen, and someone would think that too, that it was just like an impossible number at the top. Because I was guessing we're going into it. I thought it, that's gotta be double digits. It turned out to be nine. Well,

I was going to continue on with it. Um, what happened, I'll tell you real quick, was that my wife went on a like one of these girls trips with her friends and they were sort of saying, why is your husband posting endless Leonardo DiCaprio Kate Winslet's photos. So I I gotta talking to were like, it's a little too weird, please stop doing that. And so then the air kind of got let out. Um nine wins. I got a question about it at one point, just someone was like,

what's up marks, Like, is it for Simone? Is it Eddie? Worse than when you like pick post pictures of your girlfriend from you know, Lake Happiness or whatever. I am not nor because I'm not doing that. That's not something that I'm doing. So Lake Happiness alright, okay, okay, um, alright, I will sit there. I will take you on it, just because I do everything. Alright, good, alright, Ricky, you

had one, I do Okay. So we know that there's been a little bit of trouble and paradise with Michael Thomas and now he's on the pup list untill that puts them after their by right. So Marcus Callaway totally exploded in the preseason. So what I am predicting is that not only is he going to be the wide receiver one, especially with Jamis Winston for the Saints, but he is going to make it questionable to the point where Michael Thomas, even when he's back, is going to be, Um,

you know, I guess lose the starting spot. He'll be a number two, not the number one. How do we know he's not even yeah, maybe he doesn't even play. I think that Marcus Callaway is going I got it, Ricky, what if we say when whenever Michael Thomas returns from that point onward, whoever has more targets between the two guys. Yes, helping you out because your first two things you threw out there. We could have been mean and been like, yeah,

there's no chance he's getting benched. Yeah, but why but what if he don't like he's there's been trouble in Paradise with him there without Drew Brees to like, it could happen like Michael targets Thomas. Okay, I could buy a trade. I thought that's where you were going. Well maybe I'm just but if he's there, if he's there, he's not, I'll take Michael Thomas. I'll take you up

on it. But it's not it's not crazy because Callaway will out target Thomas if he's traded before Halloween also, so yeah, these things are but we we to clear, you know, to make it clear for Nick out target him from the moment that Thomas returned. I'll take you up on it. I love it because I think that you're onto something that you know, even if Sean Payton says that you know he's he's sort of back in a good place with Michael Thomas. This has been going

on for over a year. This isn't the guy that they thought he was a while back. I mean, I do think he's uber talented. So if he's healthy and they need him, I don't think you're gonna win this. But um, I think it's possible that he's traded. All right, he gets traded White. So if he gets traded, you win or did it just the time? I think definitely want Marcus Calloway. So Thomas could also come back and not be healthy because he hasn't been healthy since this

time last year. All right, that's good. There, you go, close up the books, Nick Fortier, go get my lunch dot org. Uh please uh check him out, give them a give him a follow on Twitter too, and go get my lunch on Twitter. And we will, of course, as we all do, we'll cycle back and take a look circle back, I should say, and take a look at these props come the end of the regular season. Okay, without further ado, let's welcome in. Whoa, there he is the legend. He's doing the thing. By the way, this

is the thing the kids are doing. And check is to where it's Vicker mustache, the beard comes in. You see Aaron Rodgers is doing it as well. But this is a look and check has it? What's up? Dave? Damnae check? Look at what's the poop? Fellas? Can you hear me? Okay? My connection here and lake happiness is coming through. I you know what, I'm sure you guys have first rate equipment. We can hear Rosenthal up there on mouthpious. So that's fine. You guys are getting what

what what? What? What pious is going on? I don't know you're easy thrown or whever the hell you the hell else you guys talk about. You guys are still doing the show. Good for you. I'm happy that. I'm happy to see that that you guys continue to press on. Um I I would love in on some of these, uh, some of these wagers. Like, for instance, you know that the Los Angeles Chargers are in fact going to win the a f C West. Well we'll let you if that want if you want that to be your schrop? Yeah, okay,

well I'll take you up on that. Can we can we throw Damna chick in charges win the division? That sounds like three delicious promancy brothers. I'll take you too, but I think you're right. So the Chargers finished with a better record than the Chiefs win the division. Whoa d I like it. It's not that wild. I mean, it's the Is the Chargers defense markedly better than the Chiefs? Yes? Is the Chargers offense markedly worse than the Chiefs? No ergo,

I'll take Staley's company. Um. Dan's not used to onions this big. He's been tending this little tiny onion. Greg oh, I did when I had a stand on principle with some of your nonsense earlier. I feel a little bit, I really do feel a little bit bad for hands is in this one here because you know Rosenthal, Okay, one year blip Tom Brady dumped him in Belichick and everybody else. But I suspect Belichick will rise back up here. Um and and you know Cessler, you know, let me

be the first. And if I'm not, I want to get in on it. Now you've already done this actually on this show. Well, I want to do it again because because I'm a man of the highest integrity and I'm a class act. That's what I uh, you know, that's how I view myself, and I think we all agree on that, and I want to say, listen, Cleveland Browns, everybody agrees universally brilliant front office. You know, head coach

comes in. What's he do first? Your coach of the year, best roster in the a f C, maybe all of pro football, one to punch at running back, best in the biz, fancy pass catchers one handed or otherwise, and best news of all the first overall pick just a few years ago at not just the sports, but all of sports, most important position bank. What will possibly go wrong? I want to say, congratulations, Browns fans go wild. This

is your year now. This is another attempt at psych warfare, psychological warfare, which you know, it's been a long off season for you, Um, you're used to talk about thrown a vis It's just been one division title after the next for the Steelers, big benage Er quarterback. You're now being chased and dogged by questions of when he's going to fall off a shelf. Um, if the team is, you know, psychologically ready to pick up the ball again.

After getting smushed by Cleveland in January, which you know, I know, Dave, that was that quietly that injured you, that that it lifted me. It was a humiliating defeat. Nothing quietly. Yeah, we heard about it the darkest loss in Steelers history and that's not which is just another way to throw shade at the Browns. We I see

what you're doing, David, and I appreciate. No, I think I think in hindsight, I think the pain will will go away when I realized that that was just uh that you know, that heralded the rise of the Cleveland Browns and you know we were there first, real big victim as they took over all approgram Can you can you guys take this to the minus three podcast. Okay, we need to talk about it's exciting story. It's an exciting time for everybody accounting for Taste minus three pod

the Extra Points pot. Dave's a thunder. Get caught up on that back back catalog with your buddy feeny Um, haven't, Davon, Because yes, we lost Tara deaker Um this weekend to cancer, which is just outrageous, uh and tragic. We lost We lost West the day before the Super Bowl in February. We lose deaker right on the eve of the start of the season. Two of the best people that any of us knew, and I just want to say, like

haven't Checked on the show? Is important is Deaker's introduction to our audience and Check's audience was really through the pie off more than anything else. And I think it was so cool that she was so passionate and such a great fun woman, that she had that spotlight that Dave you allowed her that opportunity and she made some great pies and we're all gonna miss her a lot.

And we just wanted to um, just talk about Deaker and how much we're gonna miss her in and what what did you mean to you Check and your time at NFL media and beyond yeah, I I you know, heartbreaking beyond you know, our ability to sort of especially you mentioned West there and I texted Deeker, I think right around a year or so ago, just checking in with her, knowing that you know, she was going through her health stuff, and I caught her um or. In fact, she called me back and she was on the way

to pick up West for his chemo treatment. And that is who she was doing the tough stuff, the heavy lifting of friendship, and she did it to everybody, you know, that was that she did it for everybody And as I just keep saying, that's how she made everybody feel like a million bucks. And yet she still had a deep enough well that if any of our kids came around, then we were yesterday's news and they were the focus.

And from the moment she met them, for the rest of the time you would ever interact with Deeker if it was every day, every week, or if you didn't talk to her for for three months, it was always first and by their nicknames. Where I was concerned by my little and you know I have somewhere between three and seventeen children, whatever it is, she knew all their nicknames, always asked questions, you know, And that was her way

with everybody who she dealt with. And I was talking to our our mutual pal and producer over there, Drew Christiansen. He had the bad status u UM and a close friend of course, as we all were with with deeker Um. And he said, you know to something I that was poignant that it it always felt as though she never it was her in any circumstance. She devoted herself to not being the center of attention, and yet she was always the center of attention. And that was no small feat.

That's no small feed in any workspace, in any gaggle of friends or otherwise. But think about the big personalities that you know that we've worked with over the years, pro football players and Greg Rosenthal and people like that, you know, and and and um a kid. But you know, she she was that way with every single person the Hall of Fame, whatever football guy or or um you know, somebody who was one of the security guards. She was

that way with everybody. And I feel like, you know, I feel like in the movie As Good as It Gets, Nicholson gives that great speech to Helen Hunt about Helen Hunt and her greatness. And I was worried. I don't love taking to social media too, you know, to to lament something like this happening. It feels it doesn't feel quite right to me. It didn't feel quite right to me. But it occurred to me that she made everybody feel so good that I want the world to know this

was this was a great soul, a special soul. And the speech Nicholson gives is if you'll remember that he goes to see her and she's a waitress in the movie and and he and he tells her I feel special because I see it with with you, Helen Hunt. And I felt like in talking to Drew Christians in a little bit and to other people, UM, you know, I feel special because I know Deeker. Uh no her period, but no her greatness, um, and we're all lucky to

have known her. But now I've come to realize and I've seen the posts and it's the same recurring themes. It's about that she was a light, and she was a d light and she was um so kind to everybody. Um. And now I realized that I don't have to have that concern. At least everybody got it. Everybody got it, you know that we so we were all lucky, and I think we all get that we were lucky to

know her. I feel bad for the people who didn't know her, but I feel that I feel like, boy, her time was well spent because there's not anybody who knew her, and she knew a ton of people. And everybody seems that seems to have landed on the same stuff she was. You know, I we can wax poetic about it and otherwise it plain and simply she was the best? That was it? What what more can you say?

We should all be like that? She um She was like a like if you think of the NFL is like a like a locker room, and I don't think of the NFL network is like being amazing in terms of team camaraderie, she was like the ultimate glue glue person, Like she had a meaningful relationship, like you were talking about with everyone at the company, from like the part time people who are cycling in and out for seven months that she would make like them feel great to

the highest executives at the company, to the to the

biggest name talent you know at the company. Everyone almost had a relationship because she didn't give you an option to or not and if and if you didn't like something was wrong with you, like if you couldn't go along with it because you're right, like in a in a place of like big personality, she was still the loudest, Like she was the most she was the most bombastic um and and there's just something about her that like you couldn't but earn a ucks and that you just

you love you loved every every minute of it. I was I'm I totally agree with you, Dave about like the how do you feel about posting everything? But it did feel good to hear all the stories of everyone else's kids and realize like, oh wow, everyone had those experiences.

She would invite you know, me and my kids over to this place she house sat and she had a pool at and she'd you know, have desserts ready for them and have things to play and and it would be like a beautiful afternoon that she just wanted to like set up for the kids. And this is during the pandemic and during her um fighting cancer, and she she was just such a good friend, um to to everyone. It really it's it's been a brutal it's been a tough weekend where like depressed, angry, um mad um, but

also like hearing hearing this stuff. She she was one of a kind. Yeah, I think we've lost like two incredible lights over the over during this offseason and it's

been this this Um. The timing of this was very rapid towards the into It completely threw me off and it kind of just reminded me of um, you know, maybe I could have texted her one more time, called her one more time, But I also look back on her and I like what you guys said, because um, I think we did have in a way all very similar relationships with her because she had a special talent of making you feel when she'd be hanging out with

you like you were the best friend she had. And it was genuine too, because she would just pour herself out and pay attention to you and listen like, um. I remember one Thanksgiving when I was working in the news room and there's like, you know, two people in there, and she um brought over this huge plate of food from like the real talent um spread of food, not the kind of thing they threw in the in the

lunch room. I mean it was like little things I do that for us on Thursday night, very early on to any she would like, she would sneak us over so we could get better food on Thursday nights because she didn't think it was fair about the drink. The drink, right. That dates back to when you know, we just started here as a group and you know, there was no

one person more important than the other. And you know, one special memory of how I have of her is that she called me up one day and she's like, dude, you know was when Once upon a Time in Hollywood

came out. She's like, I have tickets one ticket, Um, guest ticket to like the media premiere, and it was on this like seventy millimeter perfect screen and it was like all journalists and she brought me to it and we drove, you know, up into the depths of Hollywood, and and the thing I remember is not so much the movie but the drive up. Um, she was just unveiling things about her life previous to the NFL. She's friends with like Nev Campbell, she knows like tons of celebrities.

She was in that industry. She hung out with Quentin Tarantino, and she dropped that behind me as we were driving up. She just was a person, a multifaceted person that you talk about how she was able to get along and show her heart and be loved by so many different types of people at the NFL. I think that's just who she was with everyone in her life. And I'm still figuring out how to even respond to this. Um, she's a really special person. And I'm with you, Dave

that I feel lucky to have been her friend. And she made me feel like a real friend. Well, I mean, she was prison loyal, you know what, you know what I mean, Like and for a vain guy like me, it was. It was striking to realize, like, oh, you're that way with everybody. I feel a little let down. I thought I was special. Oh no you're not. You do that with everybody. And if I if I take a step in the wrong direction about another one of the people who you're that loyal with, you'll let me

know about it. And she was like even like that with everyone. But Henry had it like a little he was like a little a little bit more. I do agree with that. I do agree with Handsome Hank and their special relationship. But it engendered but her loyalty engendered that. I mean, people would and it would play is half funny with the aforementioned pie Offfs. She would go around and she would you know, she did gorilla sales. She

went around to everybody taste this pot. She would prepare for months on end trying to unseat the mighty hands Us Corps and it's strangle hold on the pie off Um and she would solicit the opinions of everybody. And when she lost, Willie McGuinness and Ike Taylor and I don't know who else came and I was like, are you kidding? No, they weren't kidding. They were angry. How there you not give her the pie off? They gave me a wedge. I remember that. You don't have to

you don't have to embarrass me. But okay, that's what happened. But uh yeah, they that's that's kind of what she did. But the other thing, and when you mentioned handsome, I feel required to point out because and we had the same conversation sadly too recently about West. It's you're inclined in situations like this to to uh, you know, sand off any rough edges and just you know, uh put the put the halo on her and and and West and obviously stand out human beings and everything. But you know,

let's be very clear. She was five foot nothing, um brassy broad who gave it as as well as she took it. And there was nothing better than than going too far with her and get Dave, come on, you can't do that. You can't you can't do that. In the in the text exchanges with her and handsome Hank and how body and all that stuff, it was, she was above or at least as important as anything else I might point out about her. She was goddamn hysterical.

I always think about like you know she's she's a Korean girl who was adopted and grew up in like this white family in the Midwest, where you know, she is as strongly political as as anyone I knew. Like she would send you like little like flyers of giving

you advice of how to vote and stuff. And I always think of like she was herself in that situation where you know her family and she loved her family so much, you know, like much different political stripes and stuff, and like she almost that It's just to me, like the sign of this unbreakable spirit that she she grew up standing out like her. She stood out in her in her own house and never changed her if anything had just like made her stronger. She was so like herself.

I don't know, there's nothing more you can you can ask for a person. We would always are like laugh, argue about golf and how she loved tweeting about golf and watching golf. And I would always say, what's more boring than golf? And she'd roll her eyes and say what And I would say watching it on TV? And you know, I would just say that over and over again. One time. Pretty recently, actually, she's always been trying to

get me into a golf podcast. And I was like, okay, well, what's more boring than watching golf on TV is listening to a podcast about it. But one day, it was pretty recently, she was like, she's like, Erica, you need to listen to this minute mark or whatever. And it was this golf podcast about the host or maybe he

was a golfer or something. Yeah, in the shower, you know, celebrating a win and Hyper extended his knee doing some act in the shower alone, and she was like, if you're gonna listen, like she was so laughed, like laughing, and she had to call me after I listened to it to be like I knew this clip would get

you into this golf podcast. And it's just like the conversations that I've had with her over you know, she's been such a staple in my career with my choices, and she would be that person that you could really

go to for honest advice. And you know, Dave, you and I and Emma were texting this weekend about it, and Emma got to see Deeker like you a lot of you did at Dad's summit, and Emma was like, you know, Deaker hugged me for literally sixty seconds, like people started taking pictures of it because it was just such a long hug. And it's I just can't find the words to to say to even memorialize her, because she is just such a a love and we're all

so so worse off for not having her around. She's gonna be missed and I and I'll just I'll just wrap it up this way in check thanks for coming on, because she loved you. And and when I think about Deaker, and I think about, uh, the NFL, like you're right

there too. Um, just you know, we're learning the hard way about you know, the passage of time and things that things changes, time goes along, and I it's not so long ago that I remember being at the Shield and having our Thursday nights softball games and we'd play the game and usually we'd win, and then afterwards there we'd all be sitting on the grass together drinking some beers.

And I'm picturing West there with Lakisha and their newfound love, and I'm picturing Deaker there because she came to all the games just to watch it and socialize and just knowing that that stuff is gone and it's not coming back and that and that sucks, but um, it's just it's great that we have these people in our life. So Deaker, we love you, and I don't think we need to say anything really else or sign out music or anything. Just um, we're thinking about your, Deaker, and

you'll you'll be missed forever. We'll be back on Thursday. And then every single thought that you have and how you say what you mean, and how you almost always mean something that's all about being straight and good. I think most people miss that about you. And I watched them wondering how they can watch you bring their food and clear their tables and never get that they just met the greatest woman alive. And the fact that I get it makes me feel good about me a