Packers Stunner, Mina Kimes on Baker Mayfield

the first line. I'm just saying, I just felt it felt like a little over there was some sort of a plot going on where my voice was trying that someone was trying to squelch my opinions. Is it is it fair to wonder if west just you and I on this one? Is it fair to wonder if there were some score settling involved here? Well? Yeah, I think think that's always fair. Marc has had his issues with our producers over the years. I and I also noticed it's the only show that Greg was here with me

since I've returned from a long sojourn. And suddenly I'm off to the side in a white chair with a green, fuzzy pillow and my Mike is barely working. I did when I came into the studio. I got there early and Greg was already there, which is weird. And he's seen me in the corner fiddling with some wires with something. I don't blame in the producer. I think he got into the I thought that that's why Mark was putting out there and now putting it all together, you know,

some context. Greg and the motherboard, who knows what was happening. I don't like any even Greg and the Motherboard sounds like his first album. Hey Dan here early, just like ten was for the show. Oh yeah, I know, I just you know, got here. Just sneakers check out? How about the Egkees? It's like, what why is guy asking me about the Eggies? Another sneakers? Check it out? All right? This is the Wednesday edition of the Around the NFL podcast. Much to get to today and now training camps are

really UM ramping up. Almost everyone is either reporting UM already or you know, Thursday Friday and we're in full swing and you see it in the news because after weeks and weeks of UM, you know, let's call it what it is. Much of b s and between the heroes in the studio, you know, looking for stuff to talk about, um, you know, delving into topics that maybe don't need to be delved into. Uh, And sometimes that makes for fun podcasting. But now we have a lot

of actual news to get to us. And that's a bit of earle if I gotta say, you think a little bit, a little bit, so much news that we might even return for the first time and sometime eight o'clock to light one of our favorite tunes. I could have used another few weeks of no news. Yeah, now that it's here, this influx is unwelcome on some level. I was trying to keep a good attitude about it. Um. Also on today's show, Mina times we've teased it for

a few days. A few days now, she wrote about Baker Mayfield for ESPN, a great piece, and we thought it'd be fun to get her on the show and talk about it and got to know me a little bit more who we've we've all been fans of for a long time. So Mena will join this as well a little bit. But before that, now, time for what we're hearing presented by serious exam Let's do some news.

This man was so good people have it old first, A man so good it's been give his own Deil Taylor Cowe because he for favorite old quity for our lockdown. If you'll take his pocket, you got eight master rocks in his pet locks A man Taylor Empy, Oh boy, Jalen Ramsey. That was the sound of the end of the Big Arrival era in the NFL for training camp. Jalen Ramsey killed it. It's over now because he showed up in an armored truck with a hype man and

a megaphone. And as you could hear from the crowd of seven when the because he he as the hype man's in front of the truck yelling into the megaphone about how great Jalen Ramsey is. First of all, you gotta imagine Jalen Ramsey in the truck, who has to be thinking because he pulled up and saw nobody was there. He has to be thinking to himself, Oh, wait a second,

this this may not be a good idea. Then when the lock triggers to open up the two heavy steel armor doors, that's louder than any of the cheers, which really tells you a lot about again, the turnout for this, and the whole thing was just a little bit ponderous. Well, if you're a talented young cornerback with swag in the NFL, the first thing they give you when you in the league, your agent and then your family and friends. They give you the Dion Sanders handbook. And it's up to you

not to be a cheap knockoff of Dion Sanders. It's up to you to embrace the character. In my problem with this, it was in artistic and he did not embrace the rule. He only gave us over now half of the character there. I also, you know, you are a team where every other club in your division one, nine, ten or eleven games you went five and eleven is one of the biggest appointments disappointments in the entire NFL.

And so this is the year where you need to kind of get back together, get those core leaders operating in unison. And you roll up saying, look at me, I want to open a truck. You need to give me more money, while like eight bosses and like four fans are standing there. It just feels like a little bit little picture Tom Coughlin, and I don't know if he knows Twitter exists. But if this video does get into one of his old nineteen seven TVs that he has in his uh and his study is gonna get there,

he's he's probably not gonna be thrilled with anyway. So Jalen Ramsey, now cautionary tale for you know how to ruin things that would be like you rolling into the news from at five fifteen in the morning and you know, turning on the speakers and shouting about how much of a raise you need with six people sitting there for the four months removed from USC and everyone that makes about a tenth of the amount of money as you a hundred of the amount of money. Everything you just described,

except for the rays part. I've seen Warren Sap do that in the newsroom. You aren't wrong. You ain't in the newsroom no more. All right, let's get to Let's start with some surprising news out of Green Bay. The Packers made a cut that people did not see coming. NFL Networks Mike Garafolo reported Wednesday that the Packers are releasing defensive lineman Mike Daniels to two thousand, seventeen pro bowler. He's do eight million, twenty nineteen in base salary. UM

clears that money and then some on their cap. Thirty years old, that spent all seven years of his career with Green Bay. As I said a Pro Bowl guys recently, it's two thousand seventeen, has some injury issues last year. Um, however, was the Packers make the decision to move on? How about that this comes at a time when they also extend Dean Lowry, who started last year as a rotational guy behind Mohammed Wilkerson. Um, but he's in the prime of his career and Mike Daniels is just now exiting

the prime of his career. UM. I thought the timing was peculiar if you knew this, I mean, what's changed between your spring practices and now that this couldn't have been done six weeks ago or two months ago. And Joe Banner, former Eagles and Browns president, had some pretty strong language on Twitter. He said, let's be perfectly clear, the releasing of veteran players on the eve of training

camp is wrong and indefensible. Unless there are circumstances we are unaware of and have been clearly explained to the player an agent. It's just wrong. I It's hard not to feel for anyone that gets chopped right here and suddenly asked to pick up the pieces somewhere else. And Mike earre full because now we have every reporter reporting all day long from sun up till sundown. The packers had tried to make to complete a trade for Mike

Daniels and just couldn't make it happen. I don't know what they were asking, because this is someone that I could imagine someone giving something for no problem. And then Stacy Dal's later in the morning reported that basically that Matt Lafleur in the front office came to a point where they feel happy and comfortable with the guys you just mentioned, and someone also like Sadarius Smooth who they

can move inside and out and be flexible with. But if you're Mike Daniels, why could this not have happened two months ago, where you've got time to pick up the pieces and move somewhere and he'll catch up, assuming he is healthy. This is a good player that has um years left or perhaps some extra motivation now after what's happened here. Um, But you wonder if this would be as simple as a bottom line situation when we

saw that report a couple of weeks ago. But the Packers reporting record expenses, they're flat year to year in terms of revenue, or excuse me, they were down year to year in terms of revenue, almost had none. Uh, this is a different organization that's run differently. Are they they just tightening up the press springs strings after spending a lot of money back in March. I don't know,

that's a good question. Um. Other news in the NFL Teller, Luan the All Pro left tackle, one of the key pieces um of the Tennessee Titans as they hope to get back to the playoffs in two thousand nineteen. He'll miss the start of the regular season at four game suspension after failing a drug test for a band SUS substance. Luan says he didn't knowingly take the prohibited supplement and

he did. The new move which you're seeing pop up now is these players get out in front of these announcements with a video on social media expressing either ignorance to how it could have happened or um apologies to the fan base and all of that. So Luan um says, you know, he had no idea. He's not a cheater, but he has um failed the test and he will miss four games, and that her It's a lot Mark Sessler, a twenty eight year old smack in the prime of

his career. Uh, and a lot of people think Tennessee is gonna be better this year. Well, it's gonna be a tough start without their best player. Well, I don't think this story is over. He failed the test, but he passed a lie detector test, saying that he did not know that this was part of the mix of whatever is. Well, here's the thing. If you go look at the video, I mean I don't watch you know, I thought that he made a compelling emotional case and

and my just who knows what he did. But from a human behavior angle, I don't think you go this distance if you know inside that you aren't that this didn't happen to you, versus you choosing this to happen. This guy is not a head case. He's someone that is super plugged into the team. He was emotional about

where he left the team by getting the suspension. So I came away kind of thinking I believe him in and I don't know if this needs to be a case by case thing too with the NFL, where you know you can't just he's gonna appeal it, and I hope he's heard well well to your point, Um and Rapp report reported today on Training Inside Training Camp Live that this has not yet been made official and there's

no statement coming from the NFL just yet. They're still in the process of going through the different samples making sure the first sample matches the second sample. So it's not a done deal, but it seems like it could certainly end that way and Luan sees it coming. So he's he's he's fighting it. He's been their best offensive player. You know that the skill position players are not their

best offensive players in Tennessee. Uh, and their right tackle Jack Conklin, is coming off a bag year in which he had knee issues. They do have a pretty decent backup in Dennis Kelly, So I don't think this means, you know, watch out. They're never gonna be able to

score points in the first four games. But your biggest issue if you're the Titans is quarterback durability and it has been and this is the wrong guy to not go into the season with holdout talk always fun Um Zeke Elliott's the biggest name, and I believe the Cowboys report on Friday, so we'll find out if he indeed plans to hold out. Melvin Gordon of the Chargers did not show up to training camp on Wednesday, so his

holdout is official. UH and Ian Rapport reported that the holdout could be lengthy, as the Chargers will halt halt contract talks with Gordon not showing up, that is not a great situation. Also in Jacksonville, the Jaguars Yannick and Gockway he'll hold out of training camp. Report reported Wednesday that the pass rusher will not report to training camp with teammates. UH. He skipped mandatory mini camp in June after contract desires were not met. So these are two

important pieces of the puzzle right now. Not involved with the team. Quick fantasy note on the Chargers backfield. Mike Silver of NFL Network spoke to Anthony Lynn, the head coach, who said that two thousand, eighteen seventh round pick Justin Jackson will get a lot of reps in camp and they have big plans for him. If Melvin Gordon doesn't come back, I mean they're gonna have to. I mean it's it's a it sounds the front office does not sounding they're gonna cave here, and that one is gonna

go on with the god quay. They offered him a deal of a short term nineteen million dollar deal with over the first two years with fifty million plus but nineteen million per year, which would have made in the fourth highest paid player at his position. But that tells me that he he has a better chance to get paid here sooner than later because they're already offering something.

It just maybe isn't the terms he wants. Again. Back to Joe Banner, I saw he was pumping up in Gockway as a guy who should get Dexter Lawrence money because he's cleaner from a character and health point of view than Dexter Lawrence. I would just add he might be the pass rusher that Dexter Lawrence is, but not the same all around player, definitely not as good against the run. Let's move to Cincinnati. The Bengals are handing

out some money. Wide receiver Tyler Boyd agreed to terms on a four year contract extension worth forty three million. Tom Pallisero reported Tuesday, the team of Leader announced the signing the former second round pick, was slated to enter the final year of his rookie contract, where he'd make

about a million bucks. That will make eleven three in year one of this new deal, twenty four years old, seventy six for one thousand, twenty eight yards and seven touchdowns last year, and uh West the Bengals and A J. Green, who has been injured and not quite himself in recent seasons. Um, we'll see how many years he has left. But Boyd the Bengals have identified as a part of their future. Well, he earned this deal by being one of the best

number two receivers in the league last year. And if A J. Green is healthy, which he hasn't been in a while for sixteen games, this has a chance to be one of the better one two punches at wide receiver in the league. Mike Brown, their owner, said that A. J. Green is one of the great ones, and great ones tend to age better than you know, average players. So reading between the lines, this does not mean that they just because they extended Boyd, they're looking at the end

of the road with A J. Green. Well, I mean they're gonna have to deal with A J. Green soon. He's entering in the final year of his contract. But the Bengals are not a team that goes out. They had to pay their own because they don't go out and sign free agents. We talked about their offensive line as a major question mark, but you could squint, and you know, I'm a big fan of the tight end Tyler Eiffort. If he could stay healthy, you could squint and see this team with an ability to score points.

And I think that goes back and of course Joax Hailer now in the mix as well, Joe mix and AJ Green, Tyler boyd Uh, Tyler Eifford, if you could stay healthy, um, these guys can potentially put up some points. But if you don't have anybody to block, well, I feel like the personnel hasn't changed much on offense and the skill position players. You know, they've had Mixing for a couple of years, they've had Boyd for three years,

they've had Green the whole time. They've had Eiffort. Kind of kind of you, right, but you don't know if he's gonna be good for six or sixteen games this year either. But offensive lines can kill an offense if they just can. In other Bengals News, team president Mike Brown. It's been the face of that front office for years and years and years. He concedes in an interview UH this week that Baglos fans are quote edgy, uh disappointed, and he had this to say, we have to excite

our fan base. We haven't made a playoff appearance for three years, and in this business that's forever. We have lost some of our hold on our fan base. We have to win that back. I mean as count as progress West that that Brown is coming out and saying such things, I feel like he's just even ignored. This is an even issue for decades. It's not progress. I

heard similar quotes years ago. I would also say to you know, to state we haven't made the playoffs in the past three years as the core issue in Cincinnati. I mean, that's not where the troubles and the identity of a team that does not really want to stand out because a starting point. Though it's well, you know what coming from him, and I mean, this is West's territory. But I have heard enough. In my binder, my infamous binder, there are highlighted and annotated quotes to Mike Brown that

are almost word for word what he's saying now. That we've lost a hold on our fan base. Just feel them out from from two thousand one, from two thousand three, it's you know, it's a broken record. They are who they are and they're not that that. You know. This is that time where they make that statement and they'll go right back to being the Bengals. We know, let's

swing back to big d. Yes. We don't know what what the future holds with Ezekiel Elliott, but very good news for one of the men that would hypothetically block and will block for Zeke Elliott once Week one comes around, Traffics Frederick to be active for the start of Cowboys camp. Rap sheet had this will avoid the NFI list and

be ready to go. Frederick, of course, missed the entire eighteen season after being diagnosed with Gillian bar syndrome and autoimmune disease that affects the nervous system, which is scary. I mean, that's scary business that's with a nervous system.

I think this is one of the most underrated storylines of the NFL off season and a huge development in the NFC East, in the NFC wide, because I mean, we don't we hear the name of the syndrome, and the more you read about it, you're like, wait a minute, this person is coming back from where they were a year ago to not people come back to work and sit in a desk and they can type again. But these coming back to play NFL center at a high level.

It's that's not happening every day. Arguably the best center in the NFL prior to this diagnosis last year. And I don't see any reason why this is not a twelve win team. I just their roster is so strong, still just twenty eight years old. So Frederick, if he comes back and he is the guy that he was, that is a major piece, uh for Dallas returning to the fold and other Cowboys news not returning to the fold. Alan Hearns, the wide receiver UM He was released by

the team on Tuesday. UM The move was confirmed on Wednesday. Hearns had one season with the Cowboys, ending in gruesome fashion with an awful aft broken ankle suffered against the Seahawks in the playoffs. Um in Rapp report reported that Herns's ankle is ready to go, but after several months of rehab which kept Turns out of O t S and Mini camp Um excuse me. He did. He did participate in ots in mini camp. But the Cowboys are

deciding to go in a different direction. Well, they have Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup and Randall Cobb locked in as the top three. They've got Tavon Austin as their Swiss Army knife in the four role. Where are the snap? Where were the snap's gonna come from? For Alan Herns and we talked about getting released at this time. It's never fun for the player who has to scramble to catch on with teams that kind of have their rosters in order or have an understanding of what their roster

is gonna be, or a plan. Hern said, I'm good, just wish they did this earlier. They asked me for a pay cut Monday, a couple of days before the camp, which is certainly fair, certainly fair that he's a little miffed. What saying, certainly fair that if you're gonna ask the guy to take a haircut, you know, go had a haircut. Little industry parlance, right it still I think that's been around for like fifty it's been around, But is it's

something that we're still employing it? Why we should we have a nice platform here at the Around the NFL podcast. We should be doing everything on our power to make sure my attitude towards it and embrace it from here on out. Some of us never had a hair in the cut once upon a time, he did. I meant metaphorically. As far as in other news, Andy Reid UM says that he is quote comfortable having wide receiver Tyreek Kill back with the team following Friday's news that he'll will

not be suspended. UM. The NFL announced last Friday, as we talked about on Monday's show, that it could not conclude that Hill had violated the league's personal conduct policy and therefore will not be suspended. UM. Here's what Reid had to say. Let's talk about Tyreek. Uh. I know that's a that's a hot topic. So I the law enforcement side of it. Uh, there have been statements made

on that. Uh. There's been statements made by the chief servant, statements made by Tyreek and UM and with all those, we we've obviously we were comfortable with Tyreeke coming back here and and uh and by the National Football League. Statements by the National Football League, So we were comfortable with Tyreek coming back here, look forward to bringing him back here and having an opportunity to get back doing

what what he loves to do. Um, he has some obligations and he'll he'll take care of as he goes. And I'm not gonna get into all that. I'm I'm going to kind of end it after after this here. But we've all, particularly you folks here, you've all read all the statements and as we have and UM, and we have the trust in Tyreke and that we're gonna go forward in a positive way here. You get the idea,

Mark you talked about it on Monday. You know, the Chiefs had also an opportunity here to step up and if they decided that Hill, because of his actions and specifically what we know for sure, which is the threat that that we heard in that UM recorded conversation between Hill and his fiance, that they could step in and say, well, you're not gonna play with us. But the Chiefs have chosen to go a different route, which is more in

line with the NFL decided. Yeah, and it's uh, I mean, this seems like one of those scenarios where Read and the pr man get together very close to say here's exactly what you're going to open your news press conference with. Let's not have a lot of follow ups about this. The PR guy was in like the corner of the prescott which is staring at Andy Reid, exactly exactly. It doesn't change anything that we discussed on our last show. Moving on, Oh, the town of friendly people, Pearl River.

We're back in business. Excuston. Texas General manager Brian Gaine landed a new job with a former team, The Bills hired Gain as senior personnel adviser to assist with both pro and college scouting the team and outs. Tuesday, the Texans, in a surprise move, fired Gain is their GM after just one season. In June, tough news for Pearl River. We were proud to see one of our own grew up on Quake Lane and Pearl River about a stone's throw from the Handsas House, and um, we can keep

playing that. I just like it. It's very It makes you feel like I'm back at in PR and it's the fourth of July and the fireworks in the cemetery. Yeah, I mean I think one thing that I've always thought my whole life, even when I grew up, Um, you know, not too far from Pearl River, far enough that you can knock someone from Pearl River down, but you know they're going to get back up. They're climbing out of that mine shift. Do you know my mom? Over and over?

My mom? I love deb the greatest woman well than my mom. She she is actively actively miffed that you could keep Erica's mom too. That what what are we talking about? Mom's Your mom is the greatest mom. That's fine that you think that, but there are other people that she's a wonderful. But my mom is the greatest. Now,

I'm not saying that you need to believe. You said it definitively, as if there's something that we all believe to you know what, I'm gonna put them on the phone with you and you can share about an hour and a half conversation with them at the super Bowl. We're tight. But I think she don'tnderstand where I'm coming from.

The point I'm trying to make is that my mom, who grew up well, she was born in Queens in New York City and then as a young girl moved to Pearl River, Um and she she loves the town where she grew up. She has issues with how I sometimes, uh portray Pearl River, which to connects because I believe it's I portrayed in a flattering light, but opinions very apparently it's definitely portrayed in a light. Um. Well, Pearl Brian game back on his feet. Um, finally in the

news before we get to um eight o'clock de light. Yes, a well known player is hanging up the cleats after ten seasons. Sanchez takes the step. There's the high point of my Jets fandom, as set as that may seem. It was a divisional round playoff game against Nollingland Patriots in January two thousand and eleven. Um, Mark Sanchez throws a beautiful ball, Santonio Holmes gets his toes down in the corner of the end zone. The Jets upset the Patriots one in Foxborough. Uh. That is the famous can't

wait Bart Scott game. They then they could wait, actually because then they got beat by the Steelers the next week. But Mark Sanchez is finished. He's retiring from ten after ten years in the NFL. Uh. He's taken a college football job at ABC ESPN, And I don't think that this is a career that deserves a long winding um obituary or anything like that, but I will just say that for a guy that will be remembered, and perhaps

fairly so. I get it for the butt fumble. Um. There is a large segment of football fans in the New York, New Jersey area that have fond memories of Sanchez and what he was able to do. And while the Jets defense in those early Rex Ryan years carried that team, go back if you care to and watch highlights from those four playoff wins, all on the road from Sanchez, and he made some big money throws as a three year old kid who actually was a bit of a limited player as it turned out. The Jets

drafted him to be a star. He was never close to that, but he had moxie at charisma. He didn't quite have the game to become a true franchise passer, but he had some really special moments, and for Jets fans who haven't had had a lot of special moments since Joe Namath, he will always be remembered fondly. I get it the butt fumble, it's part of his legacy, but he was more than that. It's real, it's real, different if you are a fan of a team that has to look back to that far, to your last

playoff appearances at all. And it's so he came very close to being Eric man Jeanie's quarterback in Cleveland. They traded with the Dijets, traded up, and the Browns wound

up getting Alex Mack at number twenty one. And I'll say one thing about like when you've seen what happened with Tony Romo, and around this time was when Tony Romo was criticized so rounding his career for one or two mistakes he made, and it kind of the book was out on him, and I think that helped him as a broadcaster, along with his incredible smart But we've

already seen some stuff from Sanchez. He's very good on air, and I kind of love what he's gonna do with his next career because this is when the quarterback gets revenge, when they go have a nice twenty or thirty year long career where they're still in the limelight and we learned to love him. I don't think about the bumbo and I don't really even think much about the playoffs.

For me, when I think of Mark Sanchez, it's the first few NFL starts when he looked like a throwback to the fifties and sixties with his ball handling and sleight of hand, and it looked like we were seeing a guy who was gonna be the Jets quarterback for the next decade. And I just never thought he got better after his first few starts. He yeah, and he

after that second season. They actually after the Bart Scott Patriots game, they fell behind three in the a f C title game against the Steelers, almost came all the way back. They lost nineteen, and there was a it will live in Jets infamy. A third and three, Roethlisberger rolls to his right and hits a young guy named Antonio Brown for the first down that let Steelers run out the clock to clinch the a f C title.

Every Jets fan that knows the game and was following what was going on the second half just wanted to see Mark Sanchez get the ball one more time because he was playing incredibly well in the second half. And it's a great what if in his career in the Jets history if they could have gotten that last stop, but they didn't, and that is it. Good luck, Mark Sanchez or whatever comes next. Uh, let us now hit eight o'clock the light all right? Jadavian Clowney, unsigned franchise

tag player, expected to report before Week one. Mark surprised, Well, I I would have been a couple of days ago. But Tom Pella Sero talk to someone who said they'd be shocked if he missed any regular season games. Also from Tom Pella Sero, he reports that quote, no new deal is on the horizon at this point for Tom Brady, the Patriots quarterback going on forty two years old. Another chip on the shoulder, the old man West. Well, you never know if that lack of a contract is coming

from Brady or from the Patriots. But Mike Giardi from NFL Network says there is some frustration from Brady's camp. This hasn't been taken care of yet. Interesting drama. Ricky Cooper Cup, the Rams wide receiver who towards a c L last November, will avoid the act of publist to open training camp. Great news, Mark sass for a team that missed Cooper Cup down the stretch last year. For a team that has questions about Todd Gurley, for a team that's wondering how Jared goff will rebound from an ugly,

ugly super Bowl. This is a nice bit of news. Uh, there's some bad news for you, potentially, Mark set devolve. Watch the Patriots have signed tight end Lance Kendricks. Isn't that the roster spot that Devolved would hypothetically have at the stage. As I've tweeted, I think this is the move behind the move behind the move. Oh like that. Bobby Wagner reports to the Seahawks. Duke Johnson also reports to the Browns West, So some people are reporting Decide

being unhappy. Yeah, it's good that Bobby Wagner's there. This seems like Earl Thomas is uh the way he handed it last year that he might not give and practices, but he's still gonna be there. Mark, I'm annoyed that this on this Duke Johnson thing. I'm not saying he's the greatest running back on the planet, but that they're supposed to give him away for a bag of spoons because he's disgruntled. Don't do it, Mark, I know you're furious about this. The Redskins part ways of linebacker Mason

Foster that this is your platform. I'm still coming to grips with this, um, I am working on a written piece of personal diary piece that I you know, I just need to dump out some emotions, a lot of conflicting, like what I do with Sanchez. Just now, I thought you're Mason Foster monologue with a hit hard. I have raging forces inside of me over this topic and not ready to discuss. Hey, Wes, this is not a laughing matter.

But Adrian Peterson is reportedly in financial rune. Guy that's made more than double of any running back in NFL history, like a hundred million, and he's got people coming after him over loans. It's like trying to keep water in your hands. Yeah, you you just had to wonder like who's who who? Yeah, just like water. That's it. I'll leave it there. Uh Andy Reid exotic offseason activity. He had some Mexican food mark one spice. Okay, need more

and need more information. He was asked to be if he did anything fun or exotic exotic this offseason, and he said that he had taco bell No, he had chili relanos a great I meant stretch boundaries of the human experience whenever you can. That's my next project. I'm gonna make Chili ns um. That's what's happening in the news alright, As promised our next guest, you know who. She is, senior writer over at ESPN. She's involved in roughly four hun ESPN programs and and beyond. The Queen

of Bristol Mena Coimes. Welcome to the Around the NFL podcast. Well, the Queen of everywhere but Bristol. That's what I've managed so far. It's so good to have you mean on the show. We are big fans of yours and uh we have been doing like a dance for like a year or so, like we gotta get Mina on the show, and finally here we are. Yeah, same city, yet not together. No,

isn't it weird? And one quick note, I mean Greg he had been very excited about being a part of this, but confided to UH, Dan and I this morning that he was a little too nervous to appear. So we're just gonna force on with the three of us. F Y I and the reason we have Mina on uh there was a lot of reasons, but the idea came from her latest profile um for ESPN on Baker Mayfield headline Baker Mayfield isn't afraid of the hype and it's

a great piece and uh Mina as you. I'm sure no. Mark Sessler is a huge Cleveland Browns fan, So this just felt like the perfect opportunity to have you on the show and talk about it for a few minutes. And um let me start here. Well, let's get into it this way. So Hugh Jackson, uh not Baker Mayfield's favorite guy called Baker the Pied Piper, that his charisma quote has a way of drawing people to him, which you wrote in the piece a lot of found deeply weird.

Did you find that when you spent extended time with the Cleveland brown starting quarterback. Well, I want to add a quick note on that pie Piper analogy. While I was writing the piece, I actually looked up the pie Piper story. I don't know if you guys know, but it's very dark. Oh yeah, in retrospect, may have been accurate. So the pie Piper ends up, you know, leading the

rats out of the town. They don't pay him, so he like kills all the kids or leads them away from the town as well, and may have foreshadows some of the tension between Baker and Hugh Jackson, because he did lead the team away from human in some ways. Why is it that in the old days the fairy tales that were read to children, children slaughtered all the time in those fairy tales. I guess it was a way to keep them in line. Lived to be fourteen or fifteen years old and some of those olden times,

so they were tough for an earlier age. I think, well, how else do you commemorate a tragan That's that's true too, you remember the victims anyway, So, baker Field, what was your sense on the guy spending How much time did

you spend with him for this um? You know? So I met him in Cleveland for that first interview, and we spent about an hour and a half or so in the Browns facility, and that was enough to come away believing not about the killing the kids part, but the charisma aspect of the the Pie Pepper analogy really holds.

I mean, the guy is it's it's funny to meet guys that he says, I'm not politically correct or I'm not a politician because he could run for president, right, but he's so freaking charismatic, and you hear stories about it you did in college. He's the kind of guy who could like walk into a locker room and regardless of your age or your background, I think he can immediately connect with every single person. Is there anyone else? I mean in terms of the charisma that he exudes.

You've been around a lot of different football players and other athletes in different sports. Is here does he remind you, like right off the bat of someone else? Remember people still like when they walk into a room with Bill Clinton. Not everyone, but some people felt like you could just feel as energy coming at you and it was a very unique situation. It sounds like Big here has a little bit of that going on. Is there anyone else you kind of that comes to mind? Yeah? In the NFL,

Um definitely, none of the guys that I've profile. It's funny actually wrote a story about his backup in Cleveland, Tyrod Taylor, who could not be more different from him, who is is a wonderful person. In Baker himself, you know, talked about how kind he was and in some ways how that made him not He said I didn't want to come and be an asked was his his words with respect to ty Rod? But um, you know, I did a story on Aaron Rodgers a couple of summers ago.

Very different, uh, Jalen Ramsey last summer. I actually thought that story Jalen Ramsey was in the news today for the Brinks truck stunt. I thought, yeah, well, let's don't talking about it. I thought, though the Ramsey story was actually kind of interesting, an interesting lens to think about Baker because while they're they're very different and they play different positions and I think their personalities mean different things

for those positions. Jalen talked a lot of trash and was very much himself, and I think he kind of caught the bad side of that last season, which is if you talk at odd trash in your yourself and your team doesn't back it up, it hurts. And I think that's the risk for Baker as well. Well. That's a great call and also the with I think what Baker what makes him different? And he does feel different.

Um when you look at the way the league is, especially at the quarterback position, and he even said in your piece you're write about how the even the idea of quote franchise quarterback, it's like a politician type term. He is outspoken, he's he he can have rabbit ears on social media and sports media. He'll stir things up, he'll say things, and I feel like you think back in the NFL and especially the modern NFL, a lot

of quarterbacks don't do that. So for in some ways, you could look at Baker as a bit of a social experiment, right, for a guy that is going to be outspoken, say what's on his mind, but also be the leader of a team at quarterback, of position that's typically reserved for the stoic man that's the face of the team and never says anything interesting. I think that's

what you're absolutely right. What's unusual about him is that he's a quarterback, right, because if he was a defensive end, and we wouldn't really you know, he honestly, he doesn't even talk that much trash and um. But the fact that he sort of says what he thinks about everything

and and plays that position is unusual. UM. I talked to Drew Stanton for this story, and the interview didn't make it into the piece, but you know, there here's a guy who's been in the league for twelve seasons at this point, been around a lot on number one picks. He was around Andrew Luck and he had a lot of thoughts, interesting thoughts on the way that they've managed Baker in Cleveland from a football perspective compared to other

quarterbacks he's been around, but from a personality perspective. He told me Baker is not like any other quarterback I've been around. And he did say he thought some of it was generational. You know, Baker is very much a millennial. He is online like us, He is reading stuff. He is not afraid to express his opinions. And I think there might be a bit of a sea change from here on out. Well, I think we've we've seen quarterbacks like this. To me, he's got shades of former Bears

quarterback Jim McMahon. He's got some Brett Farve and those like Jim McMahon was unreliable. He was injured constantly. Um he was in trouble a lot, to the point where it affected whether he was going to play or not. And far was the opposite. He was, he was a rock. He played every week. He couldn't get him out of the lineup. UM. So, to me, that's kind of interesting that he has kind of both of those guys in him and we'll see which one wins out. But I think I see more far in him, like dun far No,

that's the perfect comparison. Brett Farve and Lincoln Riley brought that up to me because he said, you know, Baker's the only quarterback I've been around who plays better emotional and I and we were kind of like trying to think of other quarterbacks, and he came up with Farve. And you guys might remember Scott McCluin, who was consulting for the Browns when they took Baker Um was also a Brett five guy, and I think he saw shades

of him in his former QB. I don't think that they draft Baker may Field if not for Scott McCluin. I agree. I'm convinced to this day this This was in the piece, so I assume it's in bounds. But I found it very interesting the nuggets that you dug up on his You know, he got married this summer. And I follow Emily Wilkinson on on Instagram because because I want to track. I want to track what my quarterback is doing, number one. But he is social media

media savvy. But at the same time, I found the this nugget that to get her attention because she was just like, who is this sort of thug quarterback guy? He followed her and unfollowed her, and followed her and unfollowed her on Instagram to get on a radar. I mean, that's like, I'm not sure that's something Biger Medfield wouldn't want me to know, but I find it an interesting way to go for a future NFL quarter fewer, to

reboot or reimagined fear the Mark Wahlberg classic. That would be one of his early moves, like early on in the films. But I guess if you get the girl then it doesn't come off too poorly. I guess you know, when I heard that, I was confused because Baker is so accurate, right, that's a hallmark, But he just kept shooting a shot and look, it worked, right, So who are we to question it? Absolutely? And and we also you know the Browns, the history, it's almost too perfect.

And Mark, I know it's Marcus, the Browns fan. You're almost on guard because everything seems to be falling into play so beautifully for Cleveland that you're waiting for the other shoe to drop. But it's he's the perfect guy

to land in Cleveland. And I thought another part of your profile again everybody check it out on ESPN dot com, uh, is when you ask him about all the hype, there are people that are there are people out there that are smart football people that think that Cleveland Browns can go to the super Bowl this year, that they're gonna win the division, Like that's a real thing that's out there.

And you ask him if if it feels weird to have so much hype, and he says, for them, not for me, for everyone else around here, it's been pretty terrible to be part of this team for a while. And that's so true. And Mark, you can speak to us more than anyone. Yeah, a lot of hype around the Browns. It could backfire, and that's what we've seen.

It happened in a thousand teams before. But you know, it's a lot better than being made fun of constantly for being one in thirty one or whatever it is, or twelve and ninety eight or whatever the run was before that. Like, this is better. It is better. I think the offseason is just so long that there is already exhaustion with a team that just simply seven games last year. We're not talking about Patriots exhaustion, except people seem some people seem just as tired of the Browns.

But I wonder, I mean, if by being there, do you feel like the quarterback and the team were able to kind of get beyond all that and just stay focused. I do. Um. By the way, the dismissive tone about the Browns winning division, I certainly think they're going to win the division, super Bowls. Yeah, you slow, it is a competitive, competitive division, I do. I agree, Uh, you're probably gonna get too playoff teams out of here, But um,

I do think Baker is capable of doing it. You know, there's this question that I posed in the piece of well, what's going to happen if he encounters adversity? You know, the began a schedule. There's some challenges there. Um, but

he's encountered adversity before. I think the fact that last season, after winning that initial game, they had so many losses and it was obviously a circus like environment in Cleveland, we know know, we now know more about the fact that he kept his head down and was able to just kind of steer through it, I think is important and instructive Now They've got a lot of mouse to feed there on that offense now, and he's got to

navigate that. But he navigated as well in college too, And I guys, I like, I'm very high on him not having a sophomore slump. I suppose just because of the ways in which he improved over the season last year. I I have concerns about this offensive line, It's probably the biggest concern I have about the team. But the fact that he was able to like his decision making, um you saw. I think him and Freddie Kitchens kind of come together as a season went on. I think

I think that they'll be fine this year. Yeah, and people underestimate how much a player like Odell can open up an offense. I don't see any way how they're not going to be much better. And I really did put a star by that the sentence we've been talking about where he talks about, you know, for them, not

for me, for everyone else around here. It's been pretty terrible to be a part of this team because the contrast with the other team in Ohio, which is still haunted, which went through the Indies and head quarterbacks that were the polar opposite of Baker Mayfield and Andy Dalton and Carson Palmer personality wise. And I think it's easier for a quarterback like Baker Mayfield to come in and eradicate all those ghosts in the building because of that charisma

in that personality. And I'm not sure the Bengals have done that yet. UM, go ahead of me. Oh no, I was just it was a sad oh about the Bengals. I don't want to appropriate. Yeah, maybe the focus of your next profile at ESPN UH. I mean, hey, Um, You're not just you know, a great profile profile writer. You've got a lot of irons in the fire, including you hosted a show coast at a show uh with the ring or Big Little Live, which is first of all,

really nice job with the title. Um, your thoughts because I don't know West A few weeks back on our show road C poems are spoke C poems about the show. What were thoughts about season two of Big Little Lives? The music? I thought that I feel like I should change the tone of my voice npr um, that's my Russell Wilson contract announcement voice. Hey around the nfl UM. I thought that the acting was incredible. I thought the plot didn't quite hold me as much as it did

in season one. UM, but I thought overall, it was, you know, for this time of years, the perfect summer, you know television show. Is there a season three? I kind of hope not. I don't know. I think that they've exhausted the run of this. UM. They said in the past it would be two seasons, but you never know. I would like you, I do season three, but Meryl Streep has a twin and she comes in and unleashes her brand of chaos. Fee too far. It is good, though,

I mean the Prestige TV era that's ongoing. We're kind of out of the from the enormous shadow of Game of Thrones, which is nice. Ricky how Wood behind the glass, through it out there. I need a show to watch. I I nominated Euphoria and Me and I saw you back that up. That's the one. Yeah, that's a great It's almost like a throwback HBO show to the old days, where it's it's titillating and a little wild, and it's it's meant to scare away certain people. Stuff that they

removed from their library about a year ago. I liked you for you too. I thought you're already watching. I suggested silver Spoons, which West. I don't know what's going on that's getting there's that generational divide again between Erica and the boys on the other side of the table. Ricky would like, UM, finally before before you go, Mena, and again, thank you so much for joining us. UM. I want to give you our version. It's kind of

like our old game qualist to Fantasia. What's your fantasy, UM, where I'm just gonna give you an either or scenario, a little sliding doors action. Okay. Uh, you're a die hard Seahawks fan, which I love, by the way, because we keep it real here in the studio about who we root for, and Mina's out here covering the NFL and just being like I grew up with the Seahawks with my old man, and I just that's who I support and I still do, so I respect that. I can't hide it. I have a Super Bowl tattoo. I'm

not going to protect um. It's a forty eight Roman numerals. My brother and I made a pact um if we ever won, because you know, obviously it was the first that we would get them together. Wow, I was. I was worried that it was the one where the referees. I guess the Steelers and you pretty you got it before the game, and that would have been bad. But okay, that's good that you got the w um. All right,

here we go. If I could tell you that in Super Bowl forty nine, the famous pass, of course, which we don't have to dwell on, I'm happy to get into it. Yeah, but if you could go back in time, and I won't guarantee anything else other than the ball is handed. Is that Lenny in the back? It is he heard supt out enough. Um. All I could tell you is instead of the famous play call the past, they hand the ball to Marshaw. Okay, I can't tell

you whether the play works. Would you be willing to live in a universe butterfly effect that doesn't include the etch a sketch? Oh yeah, for sure, it's gone. It's nothing like it ever replaces it. This is easy. No, this is easy because it's just sketching. Like I've gone months without doing it recently. I've been busy, so I don't mind getting that. I will say I don't think that they should have handed it to marshawn Um. But

obviously the interception was the world worst case scenario. Like I would have rather have got him gotten stuffed, which is what I think would have been the most likely outcome than the interception. Interesting. See, I guess because we don't know each other personally, I just imagine you to be on the etch a sketch like four sketch, just it's gone. It's like you would if she knew that it didn't exist, and she had remembered it from a different universe. That would be tough to deal. Okay, now

you know it existed, but you can't recreate it. It's gone. I think it would have found another outlet. Um. Yeah, the amount of times that that interception in the gift for whatever is sent to me, it would be worth it to eliminate it. That's speaking as a Jets fan. It gets the butt fumble forty seven times a week. I feel you're paying there, all right, Mina again check it out. Baker Mayfield isn't afraid of the hype on

ESPN dot com. She also has a podcast, The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny the Great Lenny Um and she's on all those other shows on ESPN. The Lebotard show does great, great work on and so many other things, and we just thank you for coming on the show and giving us a few minutes. Thanks guys, thanks, thank you appreciate all Right, there she goes, Mina kid is delightful. Oh she's great. I gotta have her back on the show.

I think it's like we are in a time where sportswriting for a lot of people has been reduced to list, here's a list of this or that, and it's like that's is this really the upper echelon of why you started into this. She's still pounding out these stories where news five or six news stories come from it and you get to know a player in a way you wouldn't have. So kudos to her. And she's something like six hundred forty television shows. So a busy lady, Ricky

got that bag. Tell us what you think of Mina Kimes. I think she's absolutely incredible. She's she's a broadcast. Oh yeah, she's a she's abroad, a fellow abroad. She she's so impressive. She's so smart. She is not just your typical you know, girl reporter writer to not to throw. Yeah, she she's one of the kind I absolutely adore her and lives up in the Hollywood Hills, which you know. At some point I think we need to get up there by

invitation preferably, or whatever means necessary. We can storm the gates, perhaps as a backup plant that has not worked well for certain people in the past. You said she's been on the Broadcast podcast of course that you do with m V p UM. I've also been a guest. I think we all have. Are we all broad soon? Yeah? That gives us. That's a that's a line for the resume. Yeah, honorary broad Um. All right, let's get out of here. By the way, this is it tonight. The Shield ten

and two, the number one seed in the playoffs. Uh, plays for our third consecutive championship. UH. The hashtag West that I've been using all season long, and the emails I've sent out you recall because when I see a hashtagazes over defend the Dynasty has been the hashtag, and this is our chance to do it. Erica. This is your first time, um, first season with the Shield. You'll be getting important innings behind the plate tonight where the

butterflies that for you. Feeling good, feeling confident, feeling uh, feeling excited good to feeling dangerous, feeling I woke up feeling dangerous. Then say in my head were my best underwear? You know? Treated myself to a high octane sandwich. I'm saving this could be you never know, it could be my last championship best underwear? He got it well, I means favorite underwear, Mark, because we wear underwear. I currently

do and I have a favorite. I bought a series of three that I whenever they're out of the Washington Newer listeners to the show because it doesn't come up in a while. Mark. It was well known, went commando at all times and a bit of a hippie throwback type thing. It's not the case as it moved away. I just cut tired of that. I did that because I wanted to, and then I didn't want to. But I don't regret having done that. Do you are you always in the underpants? Now? Not always? What do you

mean by that? I mean I take showers. I mean dangerous? You mean if I were to go out onto the street in jeans or something, no, I would say yes, I would say we're going as the three of Us and um our buddy Jason Zumwalt. We are going to see Once upon a Time in Hollywood on Thursday. I will be wearing a thin slice of denim. Will that'd be the only thing separating us. You know, I will be wearing underwear for that event. I think has changed.

It actually changed again when we had that sponsor. You know, if they're not a sponsor anymore, I would love them to be again. Just when they come back, and then we can tell and they take the bag out and they give us the bag, we'll talk about they changed my life anyway. So we're gonna play our our championship game and there will be a um um, I'm sure we'll talk about on Friday show. I mean, it's gonna really suck if we lose, because we'll have to address

it in a press conference. Anything's possible, but this is this is the most comfortable I've felt about our team going into the tournament, unless anyone think West and I take it too seriously. We will be heading to the ballpark very early to scout the semifinal matchup, just to get some notes on our opponent in the nine him first pitch, and we will use those notes to our advantage. Now you got you got into it with the ump or someone last time. Are you concerned that same individual

will be overseeing your your game again. That seems that he's a moo. Is no way they would assign him to the championship game, alright, the hammad egger in that industry, So he was not. He was not the best craftsman at umpire during They it's just like any other sport. They're gonna put their best people on the game's account. I imagine they're going to have a full crew, including

down Championship for this. Yes, you're gonna see the outside outside the shirt chess protectors from the old American League. You're gonna see everything. So we're all we're very excited. And there will be a party at uh Tony Garcia R Short Star Shortstops Yacht Club immediately after the game. So hopefully that will be a celebration and not immediately and maybe and and not like a Remember one Gronk on the bad Ankle was dancing in Indianapolis after Super Bowl.

It was at seven. I just called Super Bowl Giants too, Yes, exactly. This is my first healthy championship for the Shield. I'm looking forward to not a trace of cancer and his bones or his body, and it's a wonder. No hamstrings snapping like a twig, knock on wood. All right, let's get out of here. We gotta get we gotta prep.

Thanks again to me, and at times this is Dan hands Is signing off for a Quiet Storm, the Mailman and Ricky Hollywood just just four broads chopping it up on a podcast until Friday