Aaron Rodgers & 2021 Training Camp Starts

I was like, this isn't the way it is anymore. You want to be showing off those upper upper thighs that meet someone is asking for you to do that for them, Greg, clearly, not my clearly, not Emica who's buying the shorts, but that I want to show it off. I see the cut there, that's say, it's a shorter cut that's in though Mike was very fall looking while you were showing a little bit of a problem. Yeah, if you're watching this on YouTube, which you should, for

that for that moment alone, that we apologize. Um No, the shorts are are shorter. Now, that's what s where society is going. And uh and I did like that reference, um, Greg because Adam Sandler dresses like a ridiculous person, especially when he plays basketball. But I envia it does remind me we all, or at least I dressed like that like like that when I was playing middle school basketball. It's fun to look it is, but six years later.

But no, um, all right, here we are here, We are at the precipice of a brand new football season. We've been inching in this direction. We you know, returned to two podcasts a week last week. We had the network show last week that all went well. Uh, And now we're back with a full week of shows once again,

and this time training camp is upon us. I mean, we've already had a couple of teams report and the NFL network is pumped up about this because starting Saturday, NFL training camp coverage starts on the network back together Saturday. It's called all thirty two teams on the field, and we're gonna have reporters all over the place, and I don't they're not sending us anywhere. I'm not anywhere at all. Sometimes it shows how deep the roster is that there

they are literally at every single camp for Saturday. So they actually got all the teams to agree to this, not only that they're practicing, because all the teams report on Tuesday, and they start kind of, you know, doing the little pathless practices early in the week. Everyone promises pads Saturday, real practices all thirty two teams. Who needs to watch water polo when you can see some good

old tackling. But that means they have enough quote unquote talent at the NFL network to populate thirty two different locations and still not there a call to us and seem very up about this. But I would view it as um somewhat ominous that we weren't even it wasn't even a suggestion that we'd be included in the coverage. I'll take my last couple of weekends with the family and or go to the beach or with you guys. So whatever we're gonna do with it, I'll take it.

While if they're giving it to me, I do wonder about that. I mean, I feel like when we do go to these league events, um, whether it's the owner's meetings or you go to the super Bowl and we're at Radio Row and we get the chance to interview people. We just made news a couple of weeks ago, as you recall with an Baker. Yeah, with Baker, and it's like Bubba Baker, and it's like, you know, get us out there, put me in coach. Hey, well we're working.

That's fine, we got a job. We've had some good updates on the network show for the season that we'll let our listeners here about later. So I'll take it. I mean, I do like that. There's no excuse this year, Dan, because you always point out that year the Lions owed up late. Um, you know, some people thought it was because their preseason game was the latest. But now they got everyone to come in on the exact same day, start practicing. You know everyone's coming in Tuesday. That it's

not in the Hall of Fame game officially. That's a podcast started snitching on these teams. And I want you to go back in the archives and find one team that we called out for showing up to camp late, and then tell me if they hoisted the Lombardi come February. I mean, show me when the lines, you know, last one a playoff game, please, it's because they don't report on time. All right, Enough of that Malarkey. Big show coming up today. It's a big news show. As we

predicted last week. The the trickle began uh last week and now it's a full on waterfall of news around the NFL and it's going to continue. So that's kind of exciting for us. We waited through the off season, Um did the grinding and now we get to talk about some real football news. So without further ado scissor, you want to get in to it, I I we have no choice but two. I mean there's like eighty

eight news items. So proceeding alright, hit the news, Ricky, the Mark Sasler freedom toward Look at the freedom disappearing Mark? That is that's a tough sitch for you. And I really want to know who's screaming there. You have two young sons, so it's not them, Is it Simon or is it someone else? It was a female? Um, I'll need to do more investigation on that. It threw me as well. But it is over. It is here we go. We're diving in. See it come up for air come February.

Ricky already trying to again on us before we started about her thirtieth birthday falling right before the Super Bowl this year, as if we're going to start rallying around that date and start planning something, families, kids, a full football season, unrest at the company. I'm going to do my best to be at the event, but it seemed like she wanted us to organize. Now, I mean, attendance is all you could really ask of us. I mean, I do I understand that, like especially women when they

you know, maybe some guys. It's no, I'm just saying that this is this is not you know, it's not in an accusation. It's just an observation. Oh No. When women get into their thirties, it's like their birthdays become not a day, but it's like not even a week, but multiple weeks of celebrations and parties where it's like slow down just a little bit. Now, this one Erica's special. I'm happy for you. We will do our best to

be there. Reggie, this is just ridiculous because I'm just saying my thirtieth birthday, it's a very big birthday, happens to be, you know, the Thursday, Friday before Super Bowl Sunday. I'm just putting it on your radar. Now. We will be going to Mexico or you know, I'm thinking Cancoon the weekend after and just putting it on your radar. Now, you guys have families. You can't just you know, drop and leave. So you know, letting you, you old men, plan,

because you guys need the time. You made us very aware. Thank you. I was I mentioned before the show, this is the difference between Ricky's generation and and hours Um or me and and Greg Mark is more of the boomers.

Not accurate. But on my thirtieth birthday was the middle of a recession, and I was deeply unemployed, and I sat in a in a bar in Bay Ridge, New York and Brooklyn called the Wicked Monk, and had had a pint of beer, and I was trying to figure out what the hell I was gonna do, as New York was rejecting me over and over again, and I was like, what am I gonna do? And it was shortly after that that I dug out an old business card out of my wallet of an old friend who

was working out in California at the NFL. And the rest is history. So perty Ricky is a time of introspection. But I want to just say to you, Ricky, you're doing very well where you are in your life. Thank you. Yeah. And and you were doing well then too. You know, it all led to well, I had Emily with me, my beautiful wife, and that and that was a major part find someone and don't let go. Let's get to the news. Well, according to you, when I was thirty,

was watching the Statue of Liberty being built. I'm not that much older than you. Anyways, you were part of the Americans that were lobbying with the French about how to to ship the statue over all, right, here we go Aaron Rodgers. Oh my god, all right, here we go. This we're rat This tweet from Ian Rappaport shortly before one pm Eastern time today, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has indicated to people close to him that he does plan to play for Green Bay this season. Sources say that

is the expectation many factors at play. Ian tweets but with g M. Brian Gutagans saying he is quote hopeful for a positive outcome that out of a shareholders press conference meeting thing that went down today, there is a glimmer of optimism and market and it feels like and there are a lot of unhappy people in the building in Green Bay that if you just get the big guy back where he needs to be, everything else to

fall into place for the packers. Yeah, I mean, I guess for us and anyone tracking this for entirelessly for months, it's sort of like, why did why? What did? What? Did you just drag us through this this absurdity? Um? But you know that it was an interesting couple of days too before these tweets came out today, there was the um the Last Dance um CO tweet by Davante Adams and Aaron Rodgers, which I think people were like, what does that mean? Well, but why did people say

what did that mean? I thought that was a very clear response and I and granted I wouldn't have, like, you know, bet my house on it, but it seemed to be like I'm coming back, dummies, like that was it We're gonna do that you're familiar with that would suggest that I think, I mean it was a pretty strong suggestion. I saw, like, you know, Pro Football Talk was like, why are they sending out these things that

are big mysteries? And they were just feeling dumb because they sent out a whole post that said how Vegas like took down the bets and it was a stupid thing to talk about, you know, people, somehow a rumor got started, like late last week that like that he wasn't coming back and they took it down in Vegas and it was stupid to aggregate that, you know, it

was stupid to talk about that. That meant nothing and UH and Rogers like immediately responded like, I like Greg you know, as you get farther away from his p f T days and his blogging days in NFL dot com, he's the aggregation police and he will tell you whether or not you have been successful in your attempts. By the way, and it's true about the last Dance and people should remember this because everybody watched that UH miniseries

last year in the middle of the pandemic. UH. And I read the book as well, which was highly recommended by Chris Wessling himself, And go look at Chris Westling book sports book recommended atitions. I will retweet it if

you want to see some of them. But the story of the Bulls and that Jordan era was the toxic relationship between Jordan and his GM, and it was Jerry Krauss with the Bulls was so ugly and have so rooted an ego on both sides and money of course that Jordan's made it official that they were going to be breaking up. This was his last season there. Uh. Phil Jackson, the coach at the time, also he was walking away after that season, and it was very well known,

hence the last dance that this was it. So this is what Tavante Adams and Aaron Rodgers potentially see is their last season in Green Bay. And frankly, it makes sense right Mark, because you do have Jordan's love there, you do have an aging quarterback, you have a lot of bad blood. Make this the last go around and

see if you can get it done. And because you're also attached to a very talented team that's one regular season games over the last two years, I think the system is good for Aaron Rodgers, Like, why what is the other option? Because I think, you know, unless a trade becomes less and less of a possibility at this point, this late in the year, so are're gonna sit out the season? I think that you, yeah, you go for

it one more time. You you were minutes away from making the Super Bowl and go ahead I don't know. I'm just say I think if you're Aaron Rodgers, like your que rating tumbles, if you walk away from football, I mean you have a lot to prove. I mean, this is a player that's won one Super Bowl when you love you love playing football. If you Arearon Riders, ultimately it's like what are you really out here on earth to do? You know, you only have a couple

more years you want to. It's not like he's not competitive. You know, you can just look at his results and and know how much he wants to do it. And he did his best to get something out of this whole mess, and he made it clear where he's at. I suspect that he will get something official from the Packers in exchange for showing up, and whether that's a little bit of money, but more likely some kind domination of money and more importantly a guarantee that he can

be a free agent after this season. Um I I don't know how they do that exactly, like the structure of their contract, or they just tell him that whatever it is. I think he's gonna it's gonna be his last dance in a way that it's not gonna be for that's not gonna be Davante adams is choice to be his last dance. I don't think like Davante Adams. They have the franchise tag for him next year. That's nice. It's probably gonna be Rogers and Um Adams together one

last time. But like Scottie Pippen, I you know, I don't know if it's gonna be up to Davante Adams whether it's his last dance. I do think, if nothing else, why we wasted all this time Mark, and we you know we did you In terms of the media, he's gonna get that like he's gonna get something where it's like Tom Brady basically knew he had his freedom in his last season in New England if you wanted it,

and this will just be a little more public. I think the one thing with Rogers that still is out there, along with any money size, is that the Packers are run differently than other teams, and he is displeased with how the to run. And he looks at what Tom Brady's experienced over the last year and how much say he has in Tampa and how much pull he had last year and bringing certain players there that Rogers doesn't

have that. I think that is that is, I thought his his feelings at its at its core, that Jordan's love draft pick was such an agregious lack of respect showed to him that it poisoned the relationship with a famously touchy superstar athlete. I I didn't. I haven't heard it being about why don't I have more power in this organization in terms of personnel? But maybe maybe I

missed that. I mean, there are there are like reports out there along those lines that he is, you know, with the way the organization has treated him, and it's not that different than sort of what happened to Brett Farve down the stretch to some degree there obviously you know, little parts of it that are different. But Aaron Rodgers is not happy inside the Packers organization. Primea River. Aaron Rodgers, like, you really think you're part of a dysfunctional organization when

you've won twenty six regular season games? List, Who's I mean, we can't we can't keep going over this, but my level of sympathy for Aaron Rodgers is nonexistent. Great the point you made, if there's going to be some type of concession made between the Packers and Rodgers to get

him on the field. I could see that. I don't see it going as far as them letting him out of the contract after the year, because he's just way too valuable as a trade asset to get them to the next phase of their organization if they do move on. But maybe it's a handshake agreement that we will move you in a trade we promise and won't pull any of that you're reporting uh to our camp because we're not trading you business that he got hit with this year.

I thought the Packers have really handled this well, frankly, considering how how you know the t n T laid in all around the organization. I feel like they've said the right things overall UH to keep this from getting to a total divorce breakdown point. Yeah, I don't think there's gonna be like a lot of trust though, so it's gonna have have to be something very specific. You raise A great point is like, why would they want to give up him at the possible eight assets UH

that he could get. That's complicated. I don't I don't have a I don't have a good answer for that, but I did find it interesting that again PFD and this this was, you know, very interesting reporting to see

this weekend that like the Broncos and other teams. It's like, were they really gonna give up three first or whatever it was gonna be plus And here were some specific numbers being thrown out of what Rogers probably wanted, which was ninety guaranteed over two years, which basically the mahomes average but guaranteed for about two years. Um and and I and you keep hearing these things of like, well, it definitely wasn't about the money with Green Bay, and

like I get that and stuff. But I bet if they had offered him ninety guaranteed over the next two years, he would have taken it. So you can say it's not about the money, but it's partly about the money, because the money could have fixed it. And I don't think the Packers were particting. I think what they've shown is they were not interested in fixing it in the way however Aaron Rodgers had wanted, which would be like going back to this never happened. They were not interested

in that. Uh. Speaking of superstore star quarterbacks with uncertain futures, NFL Networks, Tom Pellisero reports the Texans are willing to trade Deshaun Watson and could be seeking three first round draft picks and exchange for the quarterback. This comes after an earlier report from rap Sheet on Monday that Watson is expected to report to Texans training camp. He has not been put on the Commissioner's exempt list as of right now. Of course, a police investigation into sexual misconduct

allegations against Watson remains open. Twenty two law suits against him are pending, so that is still he could end up on an exemple list. I imagine he could be suspended, He could go to prison. We don't know what could happen here. The outcomes are all over the place. But Watson is doing his due diligence. From his standpoint, he's reporting, uh, Greg, so he doesn't catch catch any finds from the Texans, and it also from his standpoint is murkiest things are.

It advances towards his goal of ending up on a new team. Uh. This is a step towards that you get in the building and hopefully somethings starts shaking loose. Well, Dan, you smartly brought this up last week of like Something's got a break. You know, when we talked about it on our TV show, and he is by the time we've reported this, he he did show up and rap she or Tom Pellisera, I forget which one was, you know, said you know he was polite or they used that

word or something like they didn't. He wasn't like you know, breaking down things in the in the you know, lobby. But he's made it clear through his representatives he's still wanted off the team. And it just felt like, well, this, okay, he made the first move and that made sense from his perspective, but this was the morning that like that suddenly it just was put out there. And I don't know if it's the team pushing this or it's Rotson

or it's both. They're kind of on the same page here that they want him to be elsewhere that it's like, okay, here's what we want. We want like full price for

Deshaun Watson. And um, you guys, like, by the way, not the last three or four months, Like has it been long enough that you guys forgot about that, because like nothing's changed, Like nothing's changed, and and both Tom and I and I was really surprisedly like editorialized and said like this is how much they'd want and that he that like that's like and he'd be worth it, and I'd be like and I was, I'm just thinking,

like what are we deciding here? Like, think of all the first of all, think of the like the women that are hearing these reports that he's worth it when you have these sexual assault cases pending, Like what what have we gone through the last four years here? If like we're doing that and how people are gonna see that sort of news that we've basically ignored it when

it's it's totally pending, nothing has been settled. If this is all after the suspension and or after he's settled these cases, okay, then you start moving on and talking about like what is it is next for Deshaun Watson. But in my mind, it's like we're we're putting hey, what is the you know, the hey in front of the barn? I don't know what it is, but it's

crazy to me that we're doing that. We're the horse in front of the barn that's spoking like a true farmer, Greg, I'm sitting in such a murky place that like, even from a pure football angle, like I don't think the Texans are in a great position to ask for what they're asking on any level, But like, how does another organization show any overt interest in trading for a player in the situation is even if you want to say, look, he's signed through what then maybe it's a really rough

first year. But if you want that asset, you go get it. But I just think that from an organizational standpoint, how do you explain that to the women in your organization, um to anyone to your fan base, that we're bringing this guy in. It's the Texans problem right now, and I don't think it's quite that easy just to dish it off onto someone else, even as good as the player is. It's just sitting in too weird of a place,

you know. I think what with with the reporting here, I think it all again goes back to everyone is kind of uncertain how to even approach this situation and it's such a big story involving such a high level player that you I guess you're as a football news breaker like Tom and E and R. You're you're putting it out there that there are conversations potentially happening with teams and the Texans at this point, and what the value of the trade was but then like, how do

you how do you combine that element of the story with the very real situation involving these very serious allegations. It's it's just very messy, and it has been from the start. And one thing for me, like, now you think about the Texans, if the Texans have now decided

because they were earlier this offseason not about it. There they did not want to trade to John Watson, they knew he wanted out, but they had hoped with their new power structure in place, that maybe they could can vince the superstar was twenty six years old to stay home and happily ever after for everyone. If they now, if they've now resigned themselves too, we don't we don't have a future with this guy, Like why are you even having him in the building, Like what can't you

say to him? Listen, we won't find you, but don't come in because one is his one is his presence in that building. In terms of David Culley, first year head coach, whos waited his whole life for this opportunity. You want to talk about distractions, I mean, that's the lowest stay there to be in that building is taking first team reps, Like, what what are we doing here with Shaun Watson in that building with everything that's going on.

If you're a starting quarterback, there are requirements. It's for media availability. Do you do we want to Shaun Watson in front of a microphone talking to people? I couldn't agree more with you on that front. I mean to me, it's just the It was one of the utmost awkward um updates of the off season to find out that he is now back in the building working with the quarterbacks. I just I was driving my car and nearly went

off the road. I didn't unders and this was happening, Like maybe and maybe this is his way and his representative Obviously this is all pointed out of pushing the Texans or the NFL too not let him in the building to say, Okay, we're not going to take away your pay, but stay away and and we'll see. Maybe that is maybe that's how it plays out. But this

whole like, Okay, now he's for sale. This is how much he'd cost three first round picks plus and any and it should be that much for that calor okay, if you want to go to this should be then saying. Then I say no, like, like, first of all, are you putting a like a first round pick price on like a serial sexual assault cases? Like does the the your your picks change based on someone who is in the process of being a serial sexual assaulter. I guess

that's what you're kind of saying. And then I would say, when it's when it is unsettled, if you do want to go there, then no, like you're not the same guy, you don't have the same value. If if someone was gonna if some team was gonna be bold enough, whatever word you want to use to do it now when everything it's uncertain, no, man, like everything about you and

your value has changed. So I don't know. I don't get it, and I don't think I don't think teams would be that And my last my last thought on it. And if you remember this feels like a million years ago, but very early on, before the allegations came to light, but after he had uh leaked to the media that

he wanted out of Houston. I remember the Jets popping up right away in a news report that he would go to the Jets and all this and everybody fans like me, were you know, rubbing our hands together all excited. Jets obviously went in a different direction now with a number two overall pick. But you hear team the Eagles, you hear the Broncos, you hear the Dolphins, all connected potentially to a trade if you're a fan of those teams. And this isn't even a judgment zone, I'm just I'm wondering.

I'm legitimately curious if you want to Shaun Watson on your team or if this is a guy all this stuff around him, you don't want him anywhere near your team. I kind of think I know the answer, even if some people won't say it out loud. But that's different different opinions, and in the fan base it's going to be split, but there are going to be people that

would say, yes, they do right. I think. I think it's a totally fair thing to ask, and I think different people in the organization and fans would feel differently about it. But here's what I think is in arguably that there would be a more uh consensus when everything is settled like that, there will be a consensus of what to do next year or whenever this is settled, And in the meantime, you're bringing it on yourself. Yep.

Maybe just hit pause. Maybe just hit pause. In other news, Chandler Jones great pass rusher, It's been great for years and with J. J. Watt now in the building in Arizona, you have a great bookend set up there for the Cardinals to beef up their pass rush in one However, ESPNS Jeremy Fowler reported Sunday that Chandler Jones has requested a trade from the Cardinals. Uh Arizona, according to ESPN, does not want to move the star pass rusher. They

expect him to report to camp Um. However, they would save a ton of money if they did trade him. Fifteen and a half million. Uh so you can't rule that out. He's aged thirty one. I believe he missed most of the last season. Uh am, I correct there, Yeah, he played five games. I think, um, but still a guy that a lot of teams would take a chance and I think to regain his form. He's not too old.

Mark your thoughts on Chandler Jones, Well, I guess it's it's a shame because the concept wasn't just you know, let's get a latter stages. J J. Watt. It was pairing Jones and Watt together and Son you look at that defense very differently, and it wasn't his best year last year. But Chandler Jones has been really consistent, and I think someone that if you're a Patriots fan, you're thinking, why did we get rid of this guy? Because he

really was great in Arizona. But you know, for me, it's like put me in carbon Nite and wake me up when we find out what happens because some of these little well just some of this business where it's like, you know all the ins and outs, Um, if he gets traded, great, tell me what happened, tell me where

he goes. We did talk about this one back in umar Greg it was it is one of these few ones and I throw Xavian Howard and there too that I I do think there's a chance that Chandler Jones is traded for a draft picked or whatever it's going to be before the season. I just it depending on how much of a stinky wants to make about it. And now we're finding out that he really does. And it goes back to the DeAndre Hopkins contract. Reportedly that when they brought in Hopkins and gave Hopkins all this

money without him playing it down for Arizona. When Hopkins had like three years left on his deal, Chandler Jones was like, I've been wanting this deal for a while, bro, and I think it would be easier to trade if not for that one month of play he had last year happened to be like maybe the worst month of

his career. And it's such a small sample size, but he was not like an impact player for about four or five games, and then he tore his biceps, which is not an injury you worry about long term, but that does cloud the picture a little. I'm sure that like the Ravens or the Dolphins or some team would like be like, you want a second round pick for Jones,

We'll do it today. But I I don't know if the Cardinals would be like, you definitely have twelve to thirteen players on every roster who are quietly stewing over what someone in their own position room makes. I mean, this stuff has to be going on all the time. Happens in real jobs. I'm gonna say it happens everywhere.

Um And for what it's worth, Jones was, according to PFF, highest graded edge rusher in I was gonna say, you said second round pick is obviously uh, My New York Jets have not had a premier ed rusher since John Abraham blah blah blah blah blah blah blah two thousand and six. But I don't know, maybe a third round i'd give up. Maybe I could of saying if I'm sure, unlike a lot of these guys, when this comes up, I am sure that multiple teams would give up a

pick firm. I don't know if it's second or third or whatever, but I think they would give a shot, give him two or three years, guaranteed money, and hope for the best. Uh. In other news, Michael Thomas, the star wide receiver of the Saints. His season was completely wrecked by an ankle injury suffered way back in Week one.

Ankles continued to give him issues and he had surgery in June and UH as a result of the rehab that comes after a serious UH surgery to repair the ligament damage in there, he could be missing the start of the regular season and he could potentially miss significant time and this latest from New Orleans Football's Nick Underhill said that Thomas will need six to eight weeks for the ligament to heal, and again the surgery was in June, and then another six to eight weeks to get it

in shape. He can run and cut effectively. Closed quote, you do the math there, I'm not doing it great, But if you do the math there, who knows? Maybe he's coming back in October. Um and is he the same guy you worry about an injury like this, Well, this one was on your radar a little bit, uh, Cessler, wasn't it that the mic there's like spend some behind the scenes were not totally thrilled with Michael Thomas talk in New Orleans. You know, obviously the like punching the

teammates a great thing. Getting you know, getting suspended for a big game by your coach, that's probably a bad sign. Stuff. Um. And then there was some like delaying of surgery. Perhaps in this case he had he had multiple surgeries this offseason. He um, he had surgery elsewhere in January, and they and supposedly according to PFT, they kind of wanted him to get the ankle thing, but he was told he could maybe rehab it, and then he gets it in June,

and now he's gonna miss five weeks this season. He didn't look great last year either. It's it's a lot, it's a lot. I'm with you. I think that the the Michael Thomas experience has probably gone off a cliff a little bit over the last calendar year. I mean, for all the things you mentioned, but I look at the team too, and like one thing that I think I mentioned our TV show, Sean Payton, I think he likes challenges. He wants uh, he's like, look at I'm

up for it. I'll take Jamis Winston and fix him. Um, I'll turn a you know, a jack knife player into a starting quarterback if I need to. But there isn't a lot going on here at this wide receiver position, like Trey Kawan Smith, Deontay Harris. I like Deontay Harris, Marcus Callaway, little Jordan Humphrey. But suddenly it's like Alan Kamara is gonna be catching a ton of passes. And you know my guy Adam Troutman, who I like, I mean, he didn't really he didn't get He wasn't put into

a role last year as a big pass character. He was more of a he can do that. He did it in college. But now you're asking to do it right away. So this offense to me is some shaky scenarios. And if you're the Bucks, you're thinking absolutely your quarterback has gone. Your roster's in the in a bizarre place. We're the Tampa Buccaneers. We're gonna eat you. I totally forgot about the Lil in front of Jordan Humphrey, and

I think you'll lose the little. It definitely sounds the most of any player in the NFL, like a name Mark wrote made up. I really like it. I thought you've been condescending it first, and I was like, oh, wait a second, and then it rang the bell that he is. Indeed, he goes by little Jordan Humphrey and uh. The reason I say it is an entertainment. Now I'm gonna bring up an example. Little bow Wow, Little bow Wow, huge,

huge rapper, boy, rapper of his time. And then then he started to grow up, and I think he had a conversation with Snoop or somebody and they were like, yo, bro, God will lose the lil if you want to age into the next demographic. So he did, and bow Wow ended up having hit songs with the likes of Russell Wilson's wife. We don't have any issues with bow Wow, isn't. I mean as a name is also questionable. I think so he goes to Snoop for the name change advice.

I mean, it's just his master p, his dad, his master p. That's but I believe he has an association with Snoop. Snoop was part of I think I think he was his football coach or something. Snoop was part of the crew too. He was in the limit. It's worked for. It's worked for Little Wayne and another New Orleans guy. Um, you know Little Wayne. He's kept it little Little Wayne. I'm you know, we've never sounded uh whiter.

But yeah, I do love I do love the idea of Little Jordan Humphrey being like a key part of this offensive. I mean the names are crazy. Trackwan Smith is like their number one ride receiver by far. Wait second, it's back to the Little Wayne. Little Wayne is like four ft tall. He's legitimately a little man. So yeah,

it's a descript stick right. I'm said maybe I would would if i've I will venmo you seventy five dollars to go into your onto Twitter and change is your name for one week to little Dan Hansas and don't make any comment about it. Don't say anything about it to anyone. I could be like little Geog, little g works, little little six ft little sixty. Yeah, I'm a little man.

I'm probably about the same height as little Wayne. So according to Wikipedia, little Wayne is five ft five, but you know, you usually add a couple inches the entertainers, so he's probably five three you do, I'm five six of you round up, but it's more like it's three quarters, you know, right there. And I'm just saying Jordan Humphrey, I'm more I'm more confident in him. And by the way, when you're six ft four or little Jordan Humphrey six

works very well. This team could stink, right, couldn't the same? Think Jamis has got You're gonna have a good offensive line and running game in theory, But that is it is really adding up the degree of difficulties scale because I was already worried this defense might totally collapse, which is which has happened for the Saints defense under Dennis Allen before. It's been a few years, but I thought

the defense might be pretty bad too. David Anyr Mada suspended, Marsha Marshaw a lot a lot of more potentially suspended. You have a complete unrested quarterback. Michael Thomas is a is a wreck right now. It's the recipe is there for I was gonna say seven and nine, but let's say eight and nine. Oh man, I mean I think the recipe in a worst case scenario is there for like six and eleven. I mean, I could see it

either way. But I was reading Football Outsiders the Saints section, and I noticed, like as much as we made fun of Drew brees Is, like their offense did move the ball like he was still somehow in the top ten in per play, Like they picked up they were boring to watch. They were not he was not like a great quarterback, but like they were still like a borderline top ten offense, Like they have a long way that they could go down in terms of productions. Hey, it's

all on your boy. I don't really like um, you know, Teddy. I'm rooting for Teddy, you root for the root for players. Jamis I think is better than people. Um, you know, believe that he's a better He's a better player than he's been given credit for it. But I'm not sure he's gonna like come in and save save the world. I mean, we've talked about big Ben before, and a lot of the reasons why, I know you just like big Ben is some of the off the field things

that happened in his life. Well, Jamis had some unfortunate situation and I'm not talking about the Crabs. No, You're right, there were some off right issues. But I did dust off the old I wrote something about Jamison. I put him in making the leap anyways here and here I am talking. I did break out the old stat um. I just love always checking this. In yards per attempt career, he's tied for fifth all time, so he's you know,

and he started seventy games. That's not in a small same so he's ahead of like Matt Ryan, He's ahead of Matthew Stafford, He's ahead of Tom Brady. So I'm just what is he leaping to. I mean, he's been like a conduct to starter, improving from one year to the next. You know, this is the first time I ever was just picked one per team and it gets it's like him or Troutman, and you you stole Troutman on the TV show Troutman. All right, Uh, we gotta do it. It's that time of the show. It's that

time of world history COVID talk. We'll start with the Indianapolis Colts. Coach Frank Reich has tested positive for COVID nineteen, despite the fact that he's been vaccinated. Reich said in a statement the following I'm fortunate to be fully vaccinated and I'm asymptomatic. I'm feeling well and I'm looking forward to returning as soon as I'm medically cleared. He can return to camp as soon as next Monday, according to

Colts GM Chris Ballard. So that is good news. The bad news is he tested positive for CODE even though he got the he got the shots. But that is popping up here and there um in other COVID news. I'm just gonna goel through it. Then we can react to all of it. Terrell Pryor remember him, the former quarterback turned wide receiver. Uh, he said that. Uh. He tweeted on Saturday night that he has a tryout lined up, but he was told that he can't take part in

the tryout unless he's vaccinated, and he had this to say. Now, I'm torn between tough decision and finally, in the news late last week we U it was reported that Vikings coach Rick Dennison UM had been let go because he would not get the COVID nineteen vaccine, which would take him out of the class group that would allow you to be in team meetings and and be able to be forward, front facing with the players. So he wasn't

gonna be a part of the team. Well, that's been reported after the fact to be a little bit premature that he's out this uh from the Vikings. The Vikings continue to hold discussions with offensive line coach Rick Dennison regarding protocols. At this time, coach does not have an exemption to the vaccination requirements of those protocols. We will adhere to the requirements of the protocols and of applicable law.

But it's well, there's different rules, you know, and you mentioned it with the coaches, um, we should point out, you know, with the players. There was some clarification in that that latest memo that brought up the forfeit. How you know, if you are vaccinated and then you once you start testing negative again, you can return to practice in the team quicker than if if you were unvaccinated. These are all fact that the Patriots did lead let

go of a coach that has not been disputed. His name is Cole Popovich, no relation to to Greg who's been there for a while and was like, there, you know a co offensive line coach and he refused to get the vaccine. Uh, It's it's pretty obvious with like a player at the end of the roster that teams

aren't gonna mess around. Like it doesn't surprise me with prior and I just I just hope that like every time something like right pops up and it's gonna keep popping up because players who have been vaccinated are going to test positives, Like do we need do we need to have a huge Twitter argument like every time this happens, Like this is gonna happen, Like it's gonna it's gonna be part of it. It just is. Yeah. I mean, Schefter noted that thirteen staffers and four players who were

vaccinated have caught coronas, so it's gonna be happening all year. Um, it's something I think we just weren't really expecting a couple of months ago. It's we're not out of the woods on this but it's this is a little bit to me different than just the based argument of whether you should or should not be vaccinated. I mean the NFL, the life of an NFL player and what your mission is and what your job is as a team and

a group of coaches is singular. You're there to win a title, and I just think it is it is a overt disadvantage if you have a bunch of players or people that are refusing to do it because it's like your week number one. Coaches want consistency, They want the same thing every week. They don't want surprises. Last

year they were just daily surprises because of Corona. But if you got fifteen to twenty players refusing to take the vaccination, then you're asking for muddled um, you know, muddled scenarios where players are suddenly kept popping up with Corona. It's gonna be the same thing as last year. And the cults, you know, they this is not a Frank Reich thing because he's vaccinated. They have only their players right now that are vaccinated. Keep them out of that,

you know. And for everyone who's trying to use this as a point of like whoa Either way, it's you know, they're keeping Frankreich and anyone who's vaccinated catches it out of the billion to protect the unvaccinated. I mean, that's what it's about right now. It's protecting unvaccinated people and trying to just keep them safe, whether whether they're in the bill they or not. In a little a personal note here, I have a very good friend UM down

here in Texas, UM who works. He's a frontline medical worker. He works as a nurse and Um he worked said a major hospital in Waco, Texas, and he said, the last few weeks it's it's feeling like it's back to where it was last July. And he comes to work and he works at twelve hour shift and it's an entire e er filled with people that have COVID and he says the large majority of them almost entirely unvaccinated, people that refused to get the shot and now are ill.

And the one other note that he he added was a he's seeing it in younger people between this year and last year. And this again, this is coming directly with someone that's on the front lines. Is when he was in the working in those drs in Waco last year, it was a lot of older people, and what he's seeing now is the the disease is now hitting a younger demographic. And he was with a younger guy that he said he was with him all all day the last shift he was on that it looked like he

wasn't gonna make it. And it's a young man who refused the vaccine, got sick and now could die. Um, this is a very scary thing and it's ongoing, and I know everyone a big part of it. Even this friend of mine is he leans in a different direction than I do politically on this and morally on some level. Um, but the the idea of not getting the shot, it puts you at greater risk of getting sick and dying.

It's just it's there. And talk to people that are on the front lines and they'll tell you that even it doesn't matter what their political beliefs are, it's just it's the facts of the facts. So tough sich, as they say, Ricky's thirtieth birthdays, as you say, always a sharp right turn to another update there? Hey really yeah,

hopefully I mean hopefully like this. So this super Bowl is in l A. I mean, there is something about the Olympics where they're trying to, you out, make it as good as possible for the athletes, because it's not the athletes fault. They've been training so hard and these are great moments. But there is something about the fact, you know, I saw this like preamble during the opening ceremonies. My kids are super into the Olympics, and the rock

is like, we have overcome so much. We have you know, withstood so much over the last year and a half and now it's time to like battle. And honestly, the fact that the Olympics were a year delayed and there's still no one in the crowd and there's and we're still dealing with it so much makes it more depressing. Yeah, you know, it's it. We're like eighteen months removed from when this all started and the Olympics for instance, are you know, being totally impacted, and that makes it more sad.

I don't know, watching it, I have the same thought that we we thought we were kind of out of the woods and now it's all it's all still here. Um. And it absolutely could affect the NFL season as well, even though a couple of months ago we would have been like, okay, we dodged it, and then we move forward. Well,

we'll see eight o'clock to light time, Ricky. We'll start with the Dallas Cowboys trouble on both sides of the ball to Marcus Lawrence and Amari Cooper, both expected to be out until after the second preseason game for the Cowboys. There's only three of those this year, which takes us close to the season mark. We worried, Well, I mean, it's an it's an ankle situation for Cooper, the back thing for Lawrence sounds like it was an entire offseason

journey for him. But they will be ready for Week one, so it worried is not the word I'd use. I'm not staying up all night thinking about it. In other NFC East new Stephen Nelson has a job. The Eagles signed the cornerback to a one year deal worth more than four million Greg. This is another one of those signings late in the process where you look at the year and the commitment from the team and the player's ability, You're like, ah, there's some real value to ads to

be made. He's a capable star. Darius Slay like pushed for it and they got him, saying like I I am convinced. Okay, I'm back on the Eagles bandwagon. Let's do Oh, you're in, Let's do it. A trade went down over the weekend. The Texans acquired wide receiver Anthony Miller from the Bears. There was also a late round pick swap involved. Mark Miller was in the doghouse of Matt Naggy. What does that mean to you? Well, I think it's a good it's a fresh start. He's never

crossed seven hundred yards in a season. It's been a little bit of a disappointment. Never really got off the ground in Chicago. But you look at this Texans team. They had like eighty seven running backs and about seventy eight wide receivers. I mean, Niki Serios just like, we're gonna find someone who's cook play here. Maybe the Bengals do business with one of their stalwarts. Sam Hubbard signs

a four year, forty million dollar extension. Good money for a former third round pick, Greg Good good contract too. I was thinking, like, is he much different than Carl Lawson. They're kind of similar in their profiles to me. Maybe not as good a pass rusher, but a good developmental prospect who probably would have done better as a free agent next year. And finally in the news, the m's higher Andy Benoitt as assistant to head coach Sean McVeigh

slash Special Projects Benoit cross passive. Benoit formerly of s I and New York Times CBS Sports. He's gonna be a researcher in second opinion for McVeigh, We're told, Mark, do you think this deep down is Greg Rosenthal's dream job? I do, And I think there's probably a lot of people at NFL media who have been cozying up UM hardcore to the Rams for a couple of years who felt like they got kind of sideswiped here. They'd like

to have this job. But Andy Benoit also UM a very large fan of drinking milk, and I don't know him at all, but I would like to get to the bottom of that. Like apparently he used to drink. Like Ricky said, it was three gallons of milk a day according to reports. I don't know what the Rams see. I don't know. Well, we'll have to work on that part of it. Maybe not as much of a milk drinker. Now that's eight o'clock delight, Greg Little. It's like the

postgame show for eight o'clock Delight. That is true, though, be honest, because we don't remember. A couple of weeks back, we the guests on the shows like, oh yeah, your your buddy with the Eagles that you're friends with, and then you made a weird point that you were closer to that guy than to me and Mark, and then and then on top you weren't at that show. Mark,

I'll I'll fill you in after the show. And then, um, you know you have this situation pop up with the Rams and we're right in the backyard of the Rams. Is there a part of you that this is really what we're really going for? We want to be in the front office. I want to be involved. No more more work for less pay is not what I'm looking

at right now in my life. And I think that's what any anything, uh it would be with with one of these teams, you got to hire, you know, an agent that can get you, you know, the guop bro. I don't think that. I think if you go into a team, you're starting you know, you're starting at the bottom bottom all over again. What am I really going to offer? That was my fault, Like if I was flip it around like a team team complex, Like what am I actually what what skill set would I be bringing?

I don't, I think, And this is no disrespective, annoyed and good job by him, that's absolutely he's more of a tape tape dog guy. And in research project I think he had a relationship with McVeigh going way back writing all these articles. Who knows he's gonna do like a little special work assignments. I put my mind to it, but they're not gonna. They're not gonna You're suddenly gonna be working like seven days a week for like less pay your your your family, forget about it. I'm not

I don't like this. Coaches coaches bring their dudes, and they bringing guys they like. And he did form this relationship with him, so it's like you gotta start spending time with some head coaches. Greg that's then then they don't. Then you need to prove yourself as a slight unseen I mean, like if you want to say people have been cozying up to the rams, there's a lot more in line ahead of me, who you know, don't offer

any sort of negative covers to anything. If anyone was paying any attention, I would you know, I would have said many things which would have eliminated my candidacy with all these but not hiring me, that's for sure. It's two thousand. It's two thousand twenty two. Because you're Greg, You're the one most likely to get hired in this capacity on this podcast. It's two thousand twenty two. Uh. And the Rams with Matt Stafford in the building, go nuts.

They win the super Bowl and here comes big swinging Andy Benoit into Sula's at the combine with a huge rock on his finger. Uh. And it's not an engagement ring, it's the Rams Championship super Bowl ring. Okay, they came out early just to get him at the combine. Um, you see that ring? Does that change your mind the idea that you could be walking around with the Super Bowl? I mean in that scenario, have I won the Lack

of the Week Championship for a third straight season? Because I mean, that's maybe that's the only hardware I need? Or did did Apple finally give us like best New podcast again? To like it's all it's all a factor? And Uh? And how I would feel? I find it absurd that you took that to your house. I was waiting for you guys to say something. I even put it there for Friday show and to respond, Greg does have the lock trophy behind him. I think that's a

well earned trophy. Greg, and I actually take it as a positive because you have in vain attempted to cancel the Lock of the Week segment um or challenge on our regular season shows, and now that you're showing off the hardware, I think you've maybe had a little bit of in a bath face. Well, I was back in the office and I saw it buried. It was just on the ground in that back area where there's just boxes and boxes, and I thought, there's a there's a chance here that no one takes this um And if

someone's gonna take it, I guess it. I guess it should be me. But that's a good point. I'm trying to cancel the lock thing. If I win a third straight time, can I get get it out? I think it's on the table, Okay, Okay, Well that's fair, right, Mark? Yeah, I think I mean it's on the table. It doesn't we there's more to be discussed about it. I think he's going to win it this season against me. If if you win the law competition for I think it would be the third straight year. I don't think you've

won three in a row. But if you three, Pete, we will um, we will put it to a vote amongst the three of us majority rules. I'll take it. I'll take it all right, good stuff. We'll be back Thursday. I'll be back in l A. We'll be all back together. One step closer. Uh to be being reunited, and were hoping to be in the studios, you know once the season starts. For if any listeners are curious, yes, that's

our goal, and and and other housekeeping news. Ricky jump in a second, because I have seen a lot of this. There are some people listeners that are upset that there are some ads connected to the program right now, just understand that that has nothing to a a decision, that nothing to do with us. Be Uh. The ads bring zero revenue to the talent of the around the podcast or our producer. We so we see no money. We

have no control over how it's really rolled out. But Erica, who's excellent at her job, is on quality control to make sure it doesn't happen pop in in an unprofessional way to try to work them as they are. This is a free podcast for you listeners that are upset about it. And as you know, there have been some issues, unfortunate issues with downsizing at our company. And if they want to insert some ads, uh to keep this enterprise in a good place. And I'm not saying that's why

they did it. I'm just saying that's it's it's a business. Just be chill about it. It's has nothing to do with us selling out. It's just the way things are. And it's been a long time before since we've had ads on the show. So just enjoyed that era. Don't don't be mad that it's over. Be happy, be happy

it happened at all. And I would also say, you know, I wouldn't classify us as puppets, but we do work for like a multibillion dollar corporation that occasionally does seem to have some control over what what we do on a day to day basis. Selling out is on the table, like sign me up, Like where can we sell out? Have us read the ads? You know, um, if that is going to help us, we'll we'll pull back the

curtain here. Before before this this big deal went through, there were some attempts to see, hey, how could we maybe make some more money if there is our ads involved with the show just shot down. It was just not an option for us. It was like, okay, no, you will do no. Yeah, we we sent up the Patriot missile scud missile went right through it and said no, no, no, you will continue to be good little boys and girls. You will do your little show and we will do

what we want with you. And what what are we gonna do? I mean, they're they're missing out as anyone who listens to the jess Nick and Rosenthal Vanity Project now was like, when I have an ad to sell, I sell it baby. You know how you guys kind of of us is leave some more iTunes reviews for our show. It really does help and talk about you know, being the best new podcast of um, the more reviews that pop in there, it populates us higher in you know, Apple podcasts. So it'd be very very helpful if we

don't get paid for good reviews either. So there's just no channel to money coming our way. All right, there you go. That's the update. Thanks to everybody for listening, both today and for all the years that have passed and all the years to come. That's the plan here, but we don't have control over its very little control, don't you understand. That's what we're getting out of here.

We're just doing our bets, all right. That's it, Dan, It has to signing off board Fiet Storm, the old boss Ricky Hollywood who's turning thirty in a few months, to start planning until Thursday. He's the call s