Broncos, Texans hire head coaches + Baldy on the Big Game

twelve times. We have a lot of shows too, a lot of work, work, work, work, work, work, three shows and before we get to the super Bowl, and then three shows before the actual Super Bowl in Arizona, and some hot guests coming up just a little. I have full confidence we can talk our way through every single show. Anything. We will find a way. Coming up later, the great

Brian Baldinger will join us. Baldy, as he's known. Baldi was probably more unhappy than anyone else that the um extra week was added to the season, pushing the super back ball back a week, which in essence pushes his ability to go wild in the off season back a week. So we'll talk to him about that. Is I mean that said. The one time we had him on during Super Bowl Week, like an hour earlier, he was Scoopa diving in the waters off Miami. So he founds, he

seems to find a way. He does find a way, and he's also there's nobody better when talking about the game in the trenches than Baldi, a former offensive lineman himself turn top right analyst. So we're gonna kind of dig in a little bit on that element of Super Bowl fifties seven. Um, But before that, shall we hit the news some news fly go fly all a road to the dory, fly go fly go. No, No, it was those he goes fly fly fly Oh no, that's from the podium the Risers after the NFC title game.

It is good to see something that Jalen Hurts can't do. You know, he can't sing, so he's not perfect. No, he's got a couple of weeks to work on that. I mean, that is a what a huge argument. The end of that game celebration was UM and the one in Arrowhead to not take the title games. I know these some of these UM money UM hungry and individuals up high want to like shift it to this neutral site. What are we doing here? Never ever do that? I know they will, they probably will, but don't ever do it.

Fans always say, being at home for a winning conference championship game is better than the super Bowl, even better than like, of course winning the super Bowl. That's the whole idea. But just in terms of having a fun day, you can't top that. But they needed to get my Latta on the mike. He's got some pipes. You know, you've heard the singing on the Mass singer, you've got the Christmas I did not see that. My Latta and

the lineman. Um yeah, they needed to replace him. A. J. Brown was just standing up there, admitted afterwards he has no idea. He didn't even know what the words were. He never fair to know that you know every word and very strange although he was butchering it tone wise, Bradshaw taking the mic away for like the final line, just let him finish. At that point, he's already drowning out there. Um yeah, I don't know if that geez that who's asking for the title games to get moved

from the you know, the number one. There are whispers that will become sort of the next but like football based on dot com, my former boss Mike Florio sources idea within the league, So um doesn't that kind of my former co workers over at three Park Avenue where I used to work. Are they still at that? Doesn't it kind of a line with where everything else is going with league events, where they like, I'm a company person, Can this just be Can we just keep this the same?

Can we keep anything the same? I think, Uh, I think there will be extreme pushback if that is the case. But that is uh pour singing notwithstanding. Yes, because winning the conference title is, you know, obviously such a big, big event for every fan base, and and that celebration

I'm sure was a lot of fun. And Philly Colleen Wolfe was there at Connie on the Power Rankings podcast uh today, my co host on that show, and she was at an apartment somewhere in Philadelphia, still breathing in the beauty of the life of a Philadelphia She might be breathing in something else, but I'm sure that happened earlier. And perhaps perhaps let's get into the news. Oh my goodness, we got massive NFL news here. This from rap sheet.

Sean Payton is going to the Broncos. Hey. Now, New Orleans and UH Denver just finalized a trade, uh settling the compensation. Sources say New Orleans gets a first rounder that would be the twenty ninth overall pick in the upcoming draft, that is San Francisco's pick um and an early pick in addition to that first rounder, likely, according to Ian, a second round pick, so a twenty ninth overall pick and then a second rounder. They will also give a pick back um the Broncos will uh to

the Saints. It's a complex deal, as Dan as Ian reports, but it is now done. Sean Payton is the new head coach of the Denver Broncos, ending a kind of a whirlwind affair for Peyton, who you know. This time last year it felt like he was gonna do a year of football mark in the as a commentator and then had the world at his feet. And then it didn't really seem like that was how it was gonna

end up playing out. It seemed like he maybe overplayed his hand and didn't have the chance that he would uh now have, which is be a head coach back in the league, highly compensated obviously and running the show in Denver. Yeah, I mean I could have imagined him taking over the Charger's job. I think that would have

been the ideal landing spot for him. Dallas always hung out there in the midst Denver, I did not think where I kind of always thought that he was using the Broncos his leverage, but there was very little leverage. And you walk into, I think, a very challenging situation. There's kind of at glass half full, half empty, because the half full is they were such a disaster last year and so poorly organized under Nathaniel Hackett, and the quarterback was such a failure that you almost can't do

worse on the offensive side the ball. And maybe if Russell Wilson a year into this and under Sean Payton turns the corner and he's not the guy that he was last drive suspicions around that, that's for sure. Then suddenly Sean Payton like the genius everyone says he is.

But it's a complex job because I'm fully convinced that Russell Wilson will never be the old Russell Wilson, and everything on that offense and everything they're built around, and his deal and all that other stuff centers around Russell Wilson. And I mean, I know there's ways you can get me how did that contract? At some point? But can Sean Payton overcome all that Greg as a Broncos fan.

You're not that you're a Bronis man, but you're thinking, though, man, things could not have gone worse in year one with Russell Wilson, and you could point to a lot of reasons why, but you can't avoid that Wilson played poorly going into year two, which is an emergency situation in terms of them figure out whether he's their guy. You've gotta be at least feeling good that you have Sean Payton now in the building, and now you're gonna know for sure there won't be any unsaid questions after this

year about Wilson and his future in Denver. Right, Sean Payton is the man in Denver now, Russell Wilson is not. If I had to guess extremely early, I would put Russell Wilson's chances of being on this team in two years that like less in fifty fifty. But I am certain Sean Payton's gonna be there in a couple of years. The way his contract Russell Wilson's uh is structured, I don't think they'll try to get out of it right now, although I personally think that wouldn't be that crazy posible.

They'll give it one year with Sean Payton, and you gotta love it if you're a Broncos fans, because I've had issues with how Sean Payton's manipulated the media and he's friends with everyone, and there's different sources talking to this guy, and it almost looked like, like you mentioned, he wasn't going to get a job in this cycle. I mean, don't forget the Broncos ownership was in Michigan last weekend. By all accounts, beget and Jim Harbaugh trying

to get him to take that job. Dan Quinn pulled out and was reported to be one of their top choices. Maybe it was two sides that didn't quite have a perfect landing spot and they, you know, went back to each other and Walmart's got long money and that's that's who owned the Broncos right now. And one thing we kept hearing from the Sean Payton sources was that he wanted a lot of money and he wanted a lot

of power. So they have a GM there and George Peyton, but Sean Payton's the guy who's running every aspect of this organization and he was good at it in New Orleans, and I get on him for the media stuff. But man, he can manage an offense, and he can manage like every aspect of the organization, from the front office to the coaching staff to everything. He's gonna have to hire coaches a little last minute here, but I mean, Broncos fans have to be excited. It's Peyton and Payton. It

might just be Payton at some point. Yeah, and you know we're gonna get Miko Ryan's in a second here, But I want to mention that you know Ryan's the reporting is out there that he kind of let Denver know that wasn't where he wanted to be and they wanted him in Houston, and dan Quinn, a guy that really had put himself in a good position to get a head coach job, he didn't want to go to Denver.

And it makes sense because you don't want to be a head coach that goes to the Broncos after what happened last year with the quarterback and end up getting fired after a year because Russ Wilson doesn't get better and you kind of get baby with the bathwatered right out of Denver and you don't feel you get a fair shot that is not gonna happen with the Sean Payton for the reasons, Greg, you just said Sean Payton was gonna go somewhere where he would be the the

Grand Puba, and that's what he is in Denver. And no matter what happens with Russell Wilson, now Peyton will get a long run to try to turn this organization around. I think it's kind of a for everything that's gone wrong for Denver Um. I think it's a slam dunk higher for them, and it puts them back on the road to you know, getting back in the right direction here. I mean, they've been dealing with one of the worst sort of optics pr snaff foods of any team over

the last you know, since September. It resets all that but it and now we're in that period where it's gonna be very flowery speak about what Russell, what this means for Russell Wilson. I don't buy it till I see it, But I do think that if you, if there's any coach out there that can find a way to work around Russell Wilson's weaknesses and also probably have another quarterback on the roster that he maybe likes better that you serve Russell Wilson if things getting nasty in

this season. I don't think you have to go sixteen seventeen games without Wilson. You don't, and I throw a se does do that. Uh. I would like to see Taysom Hill just throw throw him in that trade. Yeah, I don't think it's gonna have Actually, players are not allowed by rule to be part of coach trade, so that could anybody's gonna find a way to work around. Let's let's let's bring in Taste and Hill another contract quickly. From the Saints perspective, just to focus on these picks,

You're right, Denver is resetting it. It doesn't feel all better, but it is worth noting they don't have their first round pick, which would have been number five, because they traded it for Russell Wilson. On top of other picks that are coming in the future, Seattle has that pick. They did have a pick late in the first round you mentioned pick because they traded away Bradley Chubb. So they basically, you know, got Sean Payton as part of

almost that Bradley Chubb move. But like you do want to have picks because Chubb didn't exactly like the world umpire in Miami and and now you're gonna end up getting I guess I. Yeah, you're right that they gave him the flexibility to do something like this, but it depends on the results. Because the Rams don't have first round picks. They haven't used them at all. They want a Super Bowl. The problem here's the quarterback went south. Did you got a premier version of Russell Wilson then

added another first to get Sean Payton. No one's complaining about that. I will believe, and I don't know how it can be confirmed because people have different agendas that that that Peyton would have gone back to the Saints if they were willing to get rid of Dennis Allen. They chose not to do that. And I think the Saints will say, well, we just got a first round pick and it sounds like maybe at two next year for our coach. We did we did okay in this, Yeah,

but Dennis Ellinger coach, that is not okay. I would have taken the Sean Payton route personally. More breaking news. Wow, this really worked out timing wise for the old the old Um. The Texans officially signed forty Niners defensive coordinator Damiko Ryan's to a six year contract to become their head coach. Now what does that mean? I don't know.

The money is guaranteed though for Damiko Ryan. So after the Texans went one and done with each of their last two head coaches, Levey Smith and David Culley, Damiko Ryan's enters the picture. He had been kind of like the the Buzzy Mark sexiest pick here for any team, coming off a great season with San Francisco, and now the Texans get their man. Do you like the higher? I know for the it makes sense. The Texans feel

like they hit a home run here. If you're a guy a fan of Damiko Ryan's, are you a little nervous about what he's walking into in Houston. I think it's a good situation. I think like Sean Payton, for whether we want to believe anything he says or not, described it as a good situation. I think it is because it's been an absolute disaster. The organization is in wreckage mode. From a pr angle, Damiko Ryan's comes in

as someone that is from the Texans. They can kind of reset the board a little bit and say all this stuff that just happened, we can forget about it. Now you're months away from selecting the best possible quarterback at number two, which starts things over again and helps you forget about Deshaun Watson helps you forget about a lot of things, whether they should be given that luxury or not. I like to hire because I think number one.

He seems to be an excellent coach who obviously got the most out of his players in San Francisco post Robert Salo, which was a challenge, certainly connects with them, and he's I think like they they there's a reason to believe that the connection with Houston, I think is good for them. That said, cal McNair is now paying like three different coaching staffs an absolute ton of money before I think he probably still playing Bill O'Brien even you're probably right that that starts. I mean, I'm not

worried about him. He's a multi billionaire, but it's just like they can you trust them to hang with Ryan's that things get I think they I think they know they have to. Now. Nick Serio, their general manager, who's been at the front of these hires, is now on his third head coach. He would be the next fall guy. I guess if things don't go well. It's interesting Ryan's and Cassaro kind of from different branches of the NFL universe.

Cassirio coming from the Belichick tree. Uh, Ryan's who was with the Texans as a player and then the Eagles and and now under Shanahan. So I would assume there's an agreement there that those two guys will work together. And Ryan's was the defensive rookie of the year there. We're getting old because I remember, you know, I was doing Rhodo World that season two thousand and six, and now he's was in the league ten years and now he's a head coach. He knows the McNair's like he

knows them personally. He was as well respected as as anyone in that franchise for the time he was there. So I think that's what makes uh it a great move for him for the Texans and made it make sense more than if he didn't have a history there, but that that's a team that drafted him. I'm mean, that's the team he grew up playing, you know with with J. J. Watt, And we've heard that his wife and a lot of people love Houston, by the way, like players love Houston, coaches like it sounds like his

family like going back to Houston. I'm just saying, if you took a poll of the players in the league, maybe the coaches to former players, what city in the United States that has an NFL team would I most want to live in. I think Houston finished his top five, so I'm saying that's a factor too. I think get in there. Bye bye Broncos. Okay. I don't know if this turned into a referendum of whether Houston is a

great American city. It is, it's what. It's one of the jewels of Texas, Greggy, but the organization where where that's representing Houston has not been one that anyone would refer to as a great stable place for a head coach to go. Times are maybe different. They have draft picks. It's a new horizon here. Um. I would think I would guess the way the NFL typically works with head coaches, they're not gonna they wouldn't dare. I don't think go

one and done unless something really crazy happened here. He'll probably be on the more typical model for something that inherits a mess, which is you get like three years you get, you get, and you gotta get a team to the playoffs by that third year or they probably are going to take a look, real long, hard look. So that's exactly where Houston needs to start. They need to start with some stability, start with a head coach and a d c uh previously that has a lot

of respect. The players are going to be buying in um. This is just like with the Broncos. I think it's kind of a best case scenario in terms of getting things organized and kind of resetting what your organization is about. I thought they they hit on a couple of young players this year too, so Jalen Patrian. We'll see about Derek Stingley, who was taken ahead of Sauce Gardner, which that's something that Texans fans will be uh mindful of in the coming years. But he was injured. I think

he played okay. So there's there's some young talent there, but not a lot on defense. So it's gonna be a culture shock for Ryan's who has had this loaded defense.

They have Capram, they have a ton of picks. Man that is, whoever ends up as the d C of the Niners that is becoming now a factory um for producing head coaches Sala and now Ryan's and yes, so there's uncertainty at d C for San Francisco, also at QB after the news of Brock Party and one of the saddest things I really remember seeing on the field in terms of just from a competition and and from a storyline standpoint, Party went from waking up that morning

is maybe being the biggest story in the sporting world if you could win another game, to getting hit on the elbow in the sixth play of the series. Turns out it's a complete tear of his ucl UH in his elbow and then going back into that game after Johnson goes down with the head injury and and just handing the ball off when you when you were supposed to be fighting for the Super Bowl. Such a bummer. But anyway, the reporting is that Party has a complete

terror of the ulner collateral ligament um. He will, reportedly, according to Tom Pella Sero, seek a second opinion on the injury, but pell Sarah reports the hope is he will undergo a repair rather than a total reconstruction the famous or the infamous Tommy john surgery. They're hoping six months they're hoping. Pretty spoke Tuesday morning and said nothing was decided for sure yet, So I think that's the hope,

but it's not certain. Nick Mullins is the quarterback that comes to mind that I've read about that that had this injury most recently in the NFL, the same fortins Um you know, back up at the time uack another injury and yeah, he I think he was out six months, and again that was the hope, but it sounds like Pretty is not totally sure that that hill avoid a reconstruction. I mean, it's he'd still be in theory available for camp no matter what goes on here, and it just

clouds what is a maybe here. They always say that a time of year and like, we'll see, but I mean we heard that about camp. Training. Camp is this massive date that hangs out there, but then all sorts of players show up late to camp and they're totally like that. We just have to stop over valuing some of these timelines, because in general, if they really wanted him to be their Week one quarterback over treye Lance, like it's going to be a competition either way. This

this adds some haze to it. But he knows the offense, he knows Shanahany, knows all the players on the team, and he'd be ready by week one, Like I I de emphasized, like the chaos surrounding Brock Party's timeline. Yeah, and I'm just a little bit I'm looking for clarity because as a baseball fan, if a pitcher gets Tommy John surgery, which party is hoping to avoid that which is a ligament replacement surgery? A starters usually out eighteen months,

reliever will maybe miss a year. Uh so maybe it's obviously football is a completely different sports. Good think he's not on the Yankees know, well, yeah, we dodged a bullet there with brock Purty, um, but was completely different than basketball. If if brock Purty miss of six months, okay, maybe he is good to go. But does this open the door for Tom Brady? Is an option for San Francisco Trey Lance? Who knows what the Trey Lance situation is at this point. Jimmy g I think is finally

out the door. And now Party is a big question mark. And by the way, Party wasn't a tools he player to start with, and now elbow and injury, you wonder how that affects his ability to drive the ball down field, especially year one out of the surgery like this, I'm not sure I can stomach Tom the Tom Brady to the Niners scenario. I mean you like you love the Niners too much for that. No, I just think that I think you have to. Would you stomach for Tom Brady? Where?

Where would I mind you going? I had stomach almost like the night the Niners thing to me is not ruin the purity of the nut your Niners love. I just think that you've got like you don't. Trey Lance has had one of the most like miss Like if you look at like what happened to Carson Wentz in Philadelphia, everyone's making it's so bad that Nick Foles took over. If your Carson Wentz like, you had your legacy stolen away during an m v P season, like Trey Lance

has been through this season after season. So if the third, if his third year begins with we've taken Tom Brady like, then get Trey Lance out of there and let him play somewhere else. I think if Brady went, Trey Lance would be gone. I assumed going into the conference championship game it'd be pretty and Lance, and Lance would probably have a better chance to play than most people give him credit more and that would just see and that like not that's sort of a good problem. We have

two young quarterbacks. We like them both for different reasons. We got him. Now that Purdy is hurt, I feel like the Brady chance is higher for sure. Yeah, and whenever party, you know, does resurface and at what level he's playing, there is this concern like what if that was the Brock party story. I hope it's not. I hope he has a lot more in front of him,

but it's obviously disappointing for the kid. Yes, I just sort of acknowledge quickly that Mark jumped on the Niners bandwagon and immediately disaster struck like the curse of Honestly, Like, I'm I like, I largely just ignored Twitter entirely at this point, but when I do, all gone, I see these tweets. I have been pro Shanahan and pro Niners for years. Yeah, the cults or the that your team's situation like the Titans. Yeah, I apologize, but like, how

is anyone in your Titans fandom head this much? It's like no one controls what happened. They created their own misfortune in total darkness. I did not your retort, I have nothing, all right, it's like your team didn't even glad. He apologized that at least that he acknowledges some amount of responsibility there. I don't acknowledge any responsibility at all. It's just like I want to just move on with it, just out of curiosity. Unrelated to this conversation, who are

you picking for the super Bowl? Well, they asked me today to want to make my pick, and uh, I mean I don't think I at this point would not say today. I don't want to know what you want to save it for the previous show picked one of these teams to make the super Bowl, And um, if like, if you want to go back research that, that's where I'm leaning, not you, per se, but like someone else that they've seen if they have a lot of time, I'm leaning there. But I'm not sure, not entirely sure yet.

It's kind of like a black Cat ladder, the black cats going underneath the ladder, A mirror falls off, the wall shatters whoever is connected. Maybe not the best news, but we move on. But first, let's take a quick break without further ado, here is the top five cities that players want to play in. This is correct, No gonna. I'm gonna decide if this is true. Okay, um, here we go. Number five Houston, So you did crack the top five, just barely. Number four Vegas. And by the way,

a big part of this no income tax. Those are two states right off the bat. No income tax. Three Los Angeles. It's a it's a great place to live for a pro athlete. Maybe taxes too high. Keep an eye in that. Build your other brands. Number two Atlanta. Players want to be in Atlanta. And number one another income tax free haven and also a great place to live. Colleen, Colleen, Miami. Where it is Miami. I thought you were going to sneak in New York there at the Houston, Vegas, Atlanta, Miami.

Nashville has got to be above Houston. This is where with the players factors. Number seven, I I think you did a good job there. I think I don't Houston. Houston needs to be top four, and then I wouldn't argue you could chake up those four anyway. L A Miami, Houston, Atlanta. I don't think Vegas. I think Vegas is a little bit of a niche pick there. I don't think again, this is one of your weirdest like stand on the

hill and just take it no matter what, Houston. But other than I'm saying top four, I just what a topne you're like. I don't agree with one of your top five, but I won't replace its top four. I would say Houston to me might be number one or two. Uh, but I don't have a problem with any of the top five in Vegas. I just was saying Vegas can't be in the top four Vegas. Maybe New York get sneaks in over. I'm saying, why are we still discussing this? Maybe New York? I don't know. I think you did

a great job. Thank you, Vic. F gggio guess what he is back in business. The Dolphins will hire the x Broncos coach as defensive coordinator, or will they? Fagio himself says, who wa woa, whoa whoa, whoa, whoa whoa. Stop the clocks. That's not necessarily what's gonna happen here, because there's another team that could be interested in Fongio.

Ian Rappaport was on who had the NFL never had The original reporting on this was on Pat McVie today, I believe, and said, although the Niners are in the mix with the ties to Kyle Shanahan, ultimately this this He thinks this will end with Fongio go into Miami, but as of right now it remains open. There's the update on Fogio. I mean Tom Pellicero, the pell Raiser, previously announced that the deal with Miami would be on

pill Raiser. On that episode the highest would make in the highest paid defensive coordinator, So I mean, I think money might ultimately just do this. Who would be the highest paid funds you to go to Miami. He loves Kyle Shanahan though the Niners, you know, their DC is out the door, So I think that's where this all shifted. Yeah, they don't have a natural replacement on the roster. They've done a great job, you know, developing coaches, but they've lost so many now in a in a short span.

Like Fon it seems so older, it seems old. But he's like much younger than Bill Belichick. And and Carol, does you think of him as this cranky old guy? But cranky, yeah, I think of that. He's old school if you're if you're how many vics are out there actively now? I mean they were previously they were victors. How many victors are out there even fewer? Where is Vic Beasley? Is he still in the NFL? I don't know?

Um and other news. Kellen Moore out you know this is this is not you know in fantasy sports when you drop a guy from your roster and you kind of wrestle with it, a bit of a crunch or I don't really want to do this, but I think I should do this in my mind it makes it's in the best interests of my team. And then right away somebody else picks up that player and you're like, A, probably shouldn't have done that. Kellen Moore fired by the Cowboys.

He's the fall guy after Dallas falls short again. I guess you can't fire Dak Prescott, so you gotta fire somebody, so get rid of the OC. It's his fault. Uh. Their season once again ended short of the NFC title game, And almost immediately you blink and Kellen Moore is hired by the Los Angeles Chargers. And the one other kind of note to the story, mark not only is more out of Dallas and immediately in l A upgrading that

situation for the Chargers. It is Zaddi himself, Mike McCarthy who is taking oh r uh play calling duties for the Cowboys. Q the laughter and the snickering from the God listen. I don't think we need to laugh at Mike McCarthy um calling plays, but I do think a layers removed from there, it is laughing. I mean, you

you have fewer and fewer guys to blame. Dan Quinn's defense wasn't wasn't dan Quinns sticking around by the way, because I think dan Quinn's thinking, if things go south here, I've been nothing but Dan I'll be dan Quinn the head coach by November because the next fall guys Mike McCarthy. I think the fact that more was hired immediately to go pair with Justin Herbert, which I like, uh, tells me all I need to know this is this doesn't

make a whole lot of sense to me. I know their offense was a little up and down this season, but they were top five over the past four years under More in e. P A. I mean, they've been a highly productive offense. Have we pointed to it. I think it's two seasons in a row where you were undone by the nine or and it's been a bad look at bad eggs at two times. Who was asking for Kellen Moore to be fired ten days ago after they thrashed the Buccaneers and Dak Prescott looked like the

best quarterback around nobody. It's just totally reactive and I I just there were whispers. Albert Brierre told Dan Patrick that More and McCarthy were not necessarily getting along very well at the end, and so maybe it just the relationship broke down, right. They probably have different philosophies. More was there a long time. I mean More was Dak's former teammates, so you could almost understand a little bit of a power struggle there that like More is getting

what his offense wants to be done. I as a justin Herbert, you know, fan, I didn't know how to feel about this because people are all over the place with More. I mean they did really struggle down the stretch last year, and they do a lot of stuff, But did they have an identity? But some people think that's McCarthy and More clashing that it wasn't one guy's system, so maybe better to have a divorce. McCarthy made this

move quite a few times in Green Bay. It was like he would call plays and then he would back off, and he would call plays and he would back off to Penny on what was happening. So I think it's McCarthy thinking, if I'm going to go down, I'm gonna do it my way. The Zaddi move. There you go, classic Zaddy move. And finally in the news, Ddy doesn't have a job. Wait, I do have and Mark was talking over market has become utterly Zaddy on any level. The news, the NFL salary cap will continue to climb.

Rap sheet and the pell Raiser this week on pill that's his nickname, that's nickname. Don't even really talk to Tom. I gotta be honest with you. Yeah, he doesn't seem to know. We've heard nothing. Have you how many conversations you've had with Pell raisers? I believe one great, I mean a handful, not not many. I used to know Tom a little bit when he was at USA today that pft, you're very close with him now, but spoke

with him. The pell Raiser reported with me in that the league informed teams Monday that the salary cap in three will be a record to point eight million per club. That's a sixteen point six million leap for each club from the two point two million cap. Pit of this connects to new media deals, the addition of seventeenth game, and other increased profits, and it's continued to go up

that way and continue an upward climb. I'm wondering, um if, like, for instance, Greg real quick here, like, what is the percentage of teams that didn't meet the salary cap and spent under the salary cap? In like that's set well, sat well under it, Like he could have made moves but chose to maybe leave a little bit of a good percentage of the league. Yeah, I didn't get that close to it, more than ten teams. I would say.

My question is, as the salary cap continues to escalate, are we going to start to see something akin to MLB where certain owners are going to start making business decisions uh that and they stay far away from the cap, which is high enough now where you could feel halfway competitive team and and pockets some money while you're at it. I worry about that as a one, and I know the union is going to fight to make sure that doesn't happen that but they ultimately the owners are the

ones sign in the checks. I wonder at what point you start to see that becoming there is a floor you have to spend. I forget what the rule of it. It's like cash spending of it over a three year period in aggregate, So there have been teams that have had to like spend at the last second to make sure that you get over that floor. But it's something like the caps, so you can't. You wonder we're going to see more and more money because there's so much

cap space now, it's gotten up so much. It's sixteen million this year raising it's like thirty over the last three that and there's no good players. It's harder to find good players in free agency to spend it on and in the draft than it is to spend that money, So it does open it up for that trade Tsunami. I think that is where it's getting a little more NBA like because there's so much cap space and makes good it's the only way you can get good new players.

That's rate for like the off season. I mean that creates massive storylines and probabilities and possibilities. I do have an update though, for you on the top five cities that players want to live in. Well, it's not going to change. Is out as number five. I overlooked one town that we just talked about, which is officially entered the list at number five. Justin here we go, Stephen, this doesn't sound as good. It's Dallas. Dallas is the fifth. Dallas fifth day is better than where are you from?

I'm from Dallas. I think I think the players prefer Houston. We're greg sorry, but like you, you suddenly are acting as this inside that's spoken to would need to be a majority of NFL players. Steven have an opinion on I just have a good feel the last time, the last time you spoke to an NFL player though, m D. I mean someone's not living in Los Angeles for a job here. I just have a good feel of the league, you know. Okay, let's take a break, utter far, welcome back.

Our guest is a long time favorite of a t N but let's be honest, it's he's kind of everybody's favorite. And that's and that's a credit to the man, the myth, the legend. Uh. And also we're very lucky to have him because he's always in hot demand. He is Brian Baldinger, also known as Baldy. It's up body, Well, hello guys, how are you. How's everything going? We're good? Can you settle something here? Well, i'd like to look today, Baldi.

You look straight out of like an eighties action movie. Yeah, well, I mean I did the NFL now and it was just time to put the stuff away now right Like um, Baldi is like an action figure who has like seven or eight kind of scenarios like that. I'm thinking like Predator with Schwarzenegger, you being like one of his dudes, with like Jesse the body of wentor I get the vibe. Uh yeah, hyper hyper masculine. Um. We were just talking earlier in the show, Baldy, and you are a long

time NFL player. I think you played how many years? A dozen years? Yeah, and sounds like you know the lifetime to go, so you know, I might I understand, but you're you're plugged in as hell, Baldy. And we're just curious, like, what are the top like five NFL c U cities that players want to play and live in? And I threw out a list that included Houston, and I factored in things like in state income tax and

the culture of the city and all that. Houston, Vegas, l A, Atlanta, Miami as my top five and descending order. How does that list look to you? And what I miss? And what are you thinking? Where are you? I'm just looking out at Fort Lauderville Beach right now. I'm saying, how how could it get any better than this? I think that's number one. I mean, I literally could probably throw a baseball to Nick Bos's house from here, you know,

you right down the road. You can go to Fort Lauderdale Port Um any day in the week in the off season. You're gonna see players. They're all coming here, and there is no state income tax. And um, the sunshine is about as bright as it gets right now. So if you want to training part. But I also have a philosophy. I don't know if I should share it with you guys or not. Please please do it.

You've already decided, all right, Like Mike McDaniel doesn't want to hear this, But I don't think the Dolphins will ever win a championship ever, because life is just too good in South Florida. Remember, well, one night. I was at the hard Rock Casino. Right it's late, We're playing blackjack, and there's two prominent starters on the Miami Dolphins on a Monday night at four am with the drink in her hands. And I'm like, look, I don't blame I've

been doing the same thing as player. But I don't know if that's what Andy Reid wants when he gets his team trying to get his team ready, you know, to play on Sunday, because well, let's face it, there's no place open at four to morning in Kansas City. So no. I mean, like, I just think the temptations in the lifestyle, it's too good to actually think about winning championships here. And you started your career with the Cowboys. Greg same, I put Dallas in the top five. I

like dance stuff five. I just replaced Vegas with Dallas and then it was good. But here was the argument, Like Greg made a huge case for Houston being not only top five but number one. I said, top three, top three, Miami I think would be one. I think Miami is Houston top three, Like, like I still have a form in Texas. You can't put Houston in the top five and I'm not down you like, you know, like whoever planned houston't like they had a g D

the whole time. You know, there's three different it's changed thought. Wait, Greg, I'm I'm connecting more with the younger generation. And it's a it's a different city. A lot of night clubs James Harden types of clubs that he liked hasn't talked to an NFL player since. If he even did that, well, you know, h might have a different opinion about and somebody that doesn't come from that city, which is fine. I know this. It's still the number one recruited city

in America for high school football. So if you want to find your talent for major colleges, just go to Houston. They're in every single corner in crevice, you know, from Katie all the way out to where you know Jalen played for his dad, so and everywhere in between. Yeah, and you know a lot of guys want to go back home when their uh college days are through. And anyway, that's why I made by top five. But we're not

at Greg's level in terms of breaking these things. Um Baldi, Let's talk a little bit, like let's dive in the trenches here. I know this has to be a matchup you love. Um, I want to start with the Eagles. Let's start here just because you know, we think about what are the what are the best defenses of this century? And of course you start with the Ravens. In two thousand you talked about the Legion of Doom Boom. Excuse me, um that that obviously that big Seattle defense, that one

a title nearly one another does Philadelphia? Is there a chance they cracked this conversation or at least can be seen in that group if they dominate Kansas City with what they've been able to do, especially up front. Yeah, yeah, I mean in one offensive football. Uh, you know, they got some legendary coaches on the other side and read Eric the enemy. Uh, you know, you can gain play with the best album. They got the best quarterback in

the league. Um. You know, if they get to Patrick Mahomes and they just you know, chased him around the yard the way Tampon did a few years ago, and they end up with shape five more sacks, which might be possible. Um, you know, you're in the eight easy four sacks in the season, and then if you add the interceptions and you know what they're doing in the postseason right now that Daniel Jones and to what they

did to San Francisco. I mean, I think you'd be foolish not to start talking about this is one of the all time great defenses. And look, I played in Philly with Reggie White and Clyde Simmons and Set Joint and I know what, you know, great defense looks like when Buddy Ryan was coaching those teams, And this looks a lot like what Philadelphia put on the field, um a lot of weekends back then. Where do you think

the matchup is where they can get pressure? Because the Chiefs are so good in the interior, Maybe you tell me, like, is that the best center in guard combination in the league between Creed Humphrey and Tray Smith and Tuney They're good. They're good, Greg, I think you know the look. I'm

a big fan of Zeus. Like I'll say this about a Landaground junior, Like he's so big that it's like, you know, it's like trying to run around the sun to get to the quarterback, you know, I mean, you can't really run through them, but you can you can't get pressure off the edge from the land like he's he's not the best athlete out there playing in that position. I think you do it against Wiley. I think off the edges, you can definitely get pressure on pass mahomes down.

You know. The great thing about great but the thing about great quarterbacks is they know how to escape edge pressure. They just do. They feel like they got a GPS system in their head, but they can't. They have a hard time if Javon hard Grave or Fletcher Cox or something like that is coming right up the middle at you. And that's where I think this defense defense gets really good because you know the guys I'm talking about inside and we'll we'll play Brandon Graham in there. They lined

up Hassan Reddick in there a little bit last Sunday. Um. Their ability to get pressure up the middle is probably the best in the league right now. I mean, so we're gonna spend the next two weeks. Andy Reid obviously offensive wizard. Whatever Philly throws at him, we can know he's gonna come in with a bag of tricks. Uh. Andy Reid deserves to be coronated at this point that

they win this game for what he is. But it's almost like Nick Sirianni's The biggest headline he ever generated was his opening press conference, which I think is a kind of a tell on everyone at this point where it's like, we're gonna destroy the guy before he does and everything. We don't know who he is. Um, but I still feel like we don't really know that much about Nick Sirianni. I know you're close to the team.

What have you observed that makes him effective with the players, that makes them special, that makes him a factor in the Super Bowl as a head coach. Well, I mean, if you looked at the coach on the other side last Sunday, I'm seeing Kyle Shanahan smile all year, like you know, and so like there's you know, a nutshout, a knock on Kyle. Maybe he was stressing that job that you know, we don't see. I mean, he's a great job. But Nick Sirianni's that guy's having a ball.

He's got his kids up in the phodium after the thing. Like his ability just to just watch him in practice, just mingle with the players, shoot to breathe with him, whether it's certing the stretch line in the in the weight room. Um, after practice, you name. The guy just knows how to like really build one on one relationships. Uh, he's special like that, and he's having a ball now. It helps that they won sixteen games, you know that.

You know, it's not like the Eagles two years ago there four eleven and one and it was just misery in Philadelphia. But you know, the guys having a good time. And I like that about there because I used to saying this all the time with coaches. They walk around with their butt like this type all week long, and then their pre game speeches, let's go and have some fun. Well I don't think it works that way. Like mirror

what you want your players to do. And so he basically empowers his team to to pay this is your team, I'm empowering you. But look, these are the fundamentals the game. We're gonna harp on the fundamentals every single day so that they're sharpened tools when you get to Sunday. So we're not gonna let anything slide, but we're gonna have some fun along the way doing it. And I feel like that's kind of how this team is built, is like they're having a good time, working really hard. They

got great team chemistry, he helps build that chemistry. They're getting all their work done. They're prepared, like the nuance of the game, you know that, um, all of the stuff that you gotta know in the moment, Like they're ready, fourth down in one, you name it. They gotta play ready. But you know it looks like they're having a good time along the way. Yeah, and you and I'm sure you played under you know, all types of coaches in terms of how they were um designated or how they

were described. That is a kind of a needle to thread though, right when it comes to the guy that's the the good, good guy, smiling coach, it's having a fun time without getting walked over ultimately when things go sideways. So what he's been able to pull off here that that's not so easy, is it? Well it isn't. But that's why you need a good staff. I mean, nobody's walking over Jeff Stout. You know, like when it was when it was COVID and you know everybody was doing

these meetings on zoom. I was just like in Lane Johnson's house listening to Stout, and I see the terror on these players faces like after games and like they would be like having a competition, like who's gonna get shoot out the most because it's coming, you know, for missing that assignment on third down or missing the protection

or whatever. Like nobody walks over stout. And you know, even a guy like Lane Johnson has been in the league ten years, like the ultimate respect right there, you know, with Kelsey and Lane and how to do things and so Malada how to learn it? You know and say, Amala, how to learn it? And Dickerson is finding it out, you know, And so I think it's important. Like if you're talking about, okay, a coach that has to needle

that threat, which is a really good analogy. Um, you have to you gotta have your your guys in place that are really good assistant coaches that can do a lot of you know, that have to do all the work for you. What's going on at Lane Johnson? He can't just sneak that in there. What's going on you guys playing? You know, he's got a barn in his backyard. You know, they's this like you know, this gym, this weight room, and we called the barn, and everybody wants

to work out there. Like the Eagles have a good facility at Nogacare. But you're not having as much fun is your Lane, you know, and his girlfriend and his you know, his chef and his trainer. They're all there and they're welcoming. You know, you just gotta find a little spot in the driveway to park the car. But you know, I mean every day there's you know, you don't know who's gonna be there working out or training. Could be an m M fighter, it could be a

college kid. It could be a guy from another t um you know, it's it's like, you know, it's the ultimate like uh fraternity over there. I think I might take all these top five cities. Ever, Greg's at this point. I love I love it when you're turning on the Eagles tape now, Like which lineman is it? Lane Johnson that that you like watching the most. I almost feel like him playing through this torn uh a ductor muscle which he read tour has been weirdly under the radar.

You know, he's obviously one of their very best players. Uh Like what what too excited watching this team? Well? I mean that that that injury, like when he had the injury, Like the doctor that everybody in the world goes to his Dr William Myers in Philadelphia, And when I was at Duke, Bill Myers was at Duke. He was Bill that. Now he's what, he's a big shots, but you know he was our doctor and dude when I was there. I know, like he's done two of

those core muscle surgeries for me. And so when Lane had his injury, like I talked to him about it and I said, there's no way he can play. Like, if they want you to play, you can rest rehabing all this, but like as soon as you make an explosive move plane like you're just gonna drop. And the guy's played almost every snap, like it's been unbelievable. Nice. He's in his house right now, hooked up with a bunch of wires doing the guy never stops doing treatment.

But it's been amazing watching him. But I also I love Samalo because Doboy ever says a word about Isaac, he's probably the smartest guy on the whole team. He could play every position. He's played for dinner, positions in a game. Never says a word like he's so he's played every snap this year. So steady Um Dickerson. You can't have any more fun than Landon Dickerson's having your life period, like the guy. The guy's mind is just

it's just out there. What he's thinking about. What he's texting players at two in the morning about having you know, like he's thinking about like how he could build a barn better than lanes, thinking importantly, like you know, like you can get into some conversation about him about anything.

You know, Um, you know when you when you talk about Jordan Mallotta, like you guy didn't put a helmet on until five years ago, and now like he's throwing nick bos around on the field, like you're not supposed to be able to do that stuff. He's got six toes, Like who has six toes? You know, he's got wet feet, like he's he's not even human. He's like, you know, he's an amphibian, you know, like the league office something that should be you should photograph and like, you know,

we make fun of his toes. It's a performance enhancer, Mike, Like, I don't know how you find a shoe to fit in. Think he doesn't make it, you know, like you gotta have like uh, you know, it's like you gotta have to fit like a giant fin out there, Like, that's why he warms up barefoot every week, you know, because he didn't really have shoes that fit. Man, they delivers big spot. These two teams, you've anything throughout these playoff runs that you've learned about them that kind of I know,

you're a tape dog above almost all. So you were watching all these games throughout the regular season, did you learn anything new about the Chiefs of the Eagles throughout the upfront? You know, like, I don't know how many teams you could do what the Chiefs just did. They lost their best corner, Lagarius Sneed on the fourth place. All right, he's out there against you know, Jamaar Chase. Alright, we got a guy that can match up with Chase. All Right, they lose one of the fourth place. So

there's Joshua Williams. You know, there's Jalen Watson. Uh, there's Brian Cook, you know, there's you know, Trent mcdealfie. You've got four rookies playing in the secondary four like, and they're not breaking down and you're, oh, by the way, you're going up against Joe Burrow and you're going up against maybe the best fleet of receivers in the league. And you know they take them all away twice, and

it's the difference in the game. Like, I just blown away by it because, like I thought, pre game, just going in and you know a week ago at this time, going the Bengals are going after these guys, you know, Jalen Watson interception against you know, Trevor Lawrence. Okay, here's the test, Like they're gonna wear him out. They didn't. You know, SPACs had a good game plan, Doubltom won.

It was appropriate. They didn't break down the back end because let's face it, if you break down on the back end of the defense, either by structure like blown a call or missing tackles, you're gonna give up explosive players. You're gonna get beat. And they didn't do that the whole game. Like I was amazed that Cincinnati couldn't take advantage of four rookies playing in the secretary like that.

You know, before we get out of here, there is a play in history that involved you, Baldi, and I'd love to see something like this in the Super Bowl because we all love when an offensive lineman does something we're not expecting. You go back to you blocked for Eric Dickerson that year nearly seventeen hundred yards. But check out this pass to ball the attackle eligible what is going on here? Looking at the like I'll get blown up there, I'm caught by by the way. I just

want to just clarify here. The guy tackling me is the fastest player in the Packers. I just want you to know that. It wasn't like some slow lineman to catch me. It was the fastest guy on the team. He kind of cut who was the quarterback we were When we had to lead in the fourth quarter, we went to the wish bump and I would go from right guard to the tight end spot to block the edge on these runs. We had Albert Bentley, Eric Dickerson. We had to loaded backfield, and we brought in this

quarterback that every ran the wish bump. So I told the coach Ron Meyerson, Look, Ron, I'll do that. I'll make the switch for you, but you gotta pull. You gotta put a pass play in for me. We gotta keep monest like, I'm not gonna just flock like I need like I need a real path. So he goes all right. So we worked in his past, you know, a little play action thing block and you know, hesitate

and they go out. So they called it. They called the end zone there you know at lambeau Field, and um, you know, I'm proud to say that I led to the league in yards per catch that year with thirty seven yards. And I'm looking at your pro football references. The only catch of your career where you ever targeted again? Well, I was targeted again. And this is where Mike Single Arry comes in. I've beat single Charry in the end zone against chic Against Chicago that year. They were the best,

every one of the best defensive football. But like single Cherry had to interfere with me in order to stop me from catching the ball. You should that that guy, you know, that single Cherry guy man, he ruined the chance for you attack. Uh baldi um. Always a pleasure, sir, Thank you. Um. You're gonna be in the Phoenix, I assume next week. Yeah, I'm gonna head there for a little bit fun. Maybe we'll be working assignments mostly go have some fun. Can we just be in like your

entourage perhaps or night out just to see what's going on? Uh? You better you can't, yes, you can't notice how you hesitated. I mean even I'm amazed at what's coming with me to this one party. Like, I'm amazed again, you can't tease these things. He's coming. You know it's nobody from Hollywood. But I'm just saying, when these three girls show up into this party with me, like like, it's it's it's gonna stop. It's gonna stop the party he's gonna deliver to.

That's Baldi and somehow added the three of us to the mix. I didn't feel quite as um Baldi couldn't show up as he is right now and uh workout long sleeve tea and a bandana or a tuxedo, either one equally possible, and he'll he'll just crush no matter what. I can't wait to. I hope we run into it. Baldi. We love you, buddy, alright. What a legend. It's so clear, uh that where wherever he's going in the evening does not in his mind include us. He is you know,

and he is. Let's see, Baldi. Baldi was born in nineteen sixty. He's sixty three years old. And I feel like you no, he's not. Yeah, I feel like as a man twenty some odd years as junior. Um, that's best case scenario, Like what could you be if you were born in nineteen sixty What is the best version of a man? Baldi? Yeah, is that am coming on to sin. He's created his own life and lifestyle, though, I think he's done it in a wake. Like downstairs in the locker room, they have our names on lockers

and it's very it's all our our full names. It just says Baldi's bio like you just we don't. We all know he's operating a little differently. Um, all right, that was good too. That was interesting to hear Baldi's take on it, and I do it is he had like fifteen valuable nugs. They're always always and it is interesting when you look at like, oh the great defenses? Am I missing one in the in these past twenty

plus years? Obviously? Ravens Seattle, do you want to say maybe the Denver defense the second Super Bowl den I think you have to say pass rush, yes, defense, you know it. Part of it is just the opponents they've played, Like their numbers defensively aren't quite as overwell. I mean because in theory you can run on them, and they haven't played a lot of high powered one. But now they get the ultimate test. This is it's great, It's it's gonna be I think I'll watch the game. That's

what I'm trying to say. One more I missed this note, Um, but we are very plugged in obviously on the Pro Bowl. And they made a big addition to the Pro Bowl roster. You guys aware of this, UM, Tyler Huntley, he threw two touchdowns this year. He has been added to the Pro Bowl roster and he's a fourth alternate. He replaces Josh Allen. I just want to say, like again, nobody asks us anything. Um, we we can help, like we could help the direction we want the Pro Bowl to

be successful in this new iteration. Um, we didn't have

to fill that spot. We could have just kept it vacant and and pivoted off that because I don't think it helps Huntley or the Pro Bowl itself ultimately, No, it's like it becomes a talking point where where it stands out and we are used to Pro Bowl alternates all over the map, like Mahomes super Bowl bound, so he's not going Alan Herbert, Lamar Jackson and to all about out due to injury related and Barrow doesn't want to go, so the only like I was like then,

I was like, wait a minute, there's still gonna be a bunch more than Huntley, but it's Derek Carr and the Raiders put out a bizarre tweet celebrating with an exclamation, right, the next guy is Trevor Lawrence. That makes sense. But then if you go beyond the list, I would argue that I would have said this like Ryan Tannehill, who absolutely if he wanted to go, like, would be my next guy, Kenny pick it. After that, I put jeollutely.

This made news even when it first came up that he was the fourth alternate, because that was public information. People were like, wo, how could that be? And it's the player's vote, like you can you can mix up the different votes. So there was enough people maybe they

were just Ravens players. They maybe they went to college with him or friends with him or whatever enough people put him on the initial list that he should be a starter, because it's not like people are voting for altered just for like, I think he was behind Lamar, but it was like Lamar was third alternate and Tyler Huntley was forth for some reason, I don't know, maybe the Ravens just voted a lot. But yeah, it's a little it's it's a little traveling. It's a player vote

like tip this. It's not the fan vote. I mean, it doesn't matter, but it also is why. It's also not a football game, so it's a little less Octaney in terms of seen Huntley out there. I guess they need someone flag football game and the target practice stuff. Pivot, pivot, panic, pivot like the Empire State building. Um, but you can't put that on his Pro Football reference page, can you?

But you will? I guess it was well, I was, Well, the first thing that cames in my mind is that, you know, the agent can use that as a you know, a bargaining tool. Is there any escalators in his contracts? I don't know, Probably not, but I'm sure we'll convince a team to double you. Yeah, you point that out and then I'm the team. I would be like, but he did go throw two touchdowns aware of that, and um,

you know, I thought that was good. Baldi also sharing um underlying people should know that for Fort Lauderdell, especially people that aren't from this country, is about thirty miles away from Miami. So that's where Baldi is Miami a clear number one for spring break is too if it sounds like you're involved in that Miami and Greg, just

I understand the Houston thing. It's not like certain legendary totally understand because you're not as in with the players as as myself, right, But I think you think that you're you're factoring in things that I haven't with my list. Legendary cuisine, it's a hip hop mecca culturally, it makes sense. Now, Let's what am I missing something else? Why Houston would be higher on the no taxes that? How is he like? How is he neatly? Gentlemen's clubs? There's lots of stuff. Well,

they're everywhere. I file that under culture. We have Atlanta on the list. Atlanta, we have Miami on the list, Atlanta's number two, Vegas on the list. Nightlife anyway, good stuff. Anything else. I will tell you something that came up during that interview. I was born with two um webbed little toes, to be honest, and I had surgery to remove the breaking. But I've never heard I mean, I know it's not that uncommon, but like to have an

NFL player with that same situation. I enjoy that, and you had a surgery to reverse early on, because I remember being I mean, I don't know why I'm saying this there, but like when I was young and i'd be on the swim team or at the pool, like it's like, well, I realized that my little toes look different. They were almost like double the size. It was like a bone situation, and so I had a surgery to remove it. Would you like an incredible swimmer at that time?

It did not help myself. I was all right swim team member, but like if we're talking freestyle, then you get into butterfly and stuff, it's like get out of here. But um, I don't think it helps. I think it's something that a lot of people are born with. I don't think there's anything Gregg thinks that's something shameful. I don't think so at all. Thank you, Dan, if you've kept it the way you were, you would have been

just as beautiful to me. Mark. I appreciate that, and I don't not believe you, but I'm glad you're probably a better swimmer before. Yeah, that's that's probably true. Maybe it maybe it helped my lot of his footwork somehow. That's why I said, maybe you gotta send it up the Flag Bowl with the league off. Well, he's had an like a pretty intriguing rise from nowhere, so right almost he's suspiciously great. Yeah, he's from the International Pathway Program.

Henry Hodges the incredible size and athleticism that virtually unmatched in the NFL, but hes six toes. There's an ex fact. Would you take a six toe to be one of the great tackles of the sport? Give me it? Give me a digit, right, I mean I'd take a six toe for a lot less than that. How about it? Like a nice dinner, good steak. I don't think. I don't think you would. Thursday show, by the way, will be the iconic don't say super Bowl show where you

will be penalized. We'll figure out some ground rules on this. If you even say the words super Bowl, you can say super and Bowl, um, but not you can't put them together. And if you do, you're penalized. We will not talk the Big Game on Thursday. Now, we gott figure out what we're gonna talk about. There's the challenge. You think this is an easy job, all right, it's pretty easy. We're very lucky. But we will give you a great show on Thursday, or we'll try to until then. Hey, the coll