Episode 166 - Are We The Walking Dead?

Coming up this week on the Markcast. Will the XFL and USFL reportedly have an agreement in place in regards to the terms for their upcoming merged league. Both leagues are now entering a quiet period waiting for the paperwork to be finalized, but with fans of both leagues the XFL and USFL already feeling left out from this process. Is the new merged league dead on arrival? Grab your deputy hat and do your best Rick Rhymes Carl impression? As we asked the

question, are we the walking dead? We tell ourselves that we are the walking dead? Huge show this week. Really excited to bring back Anthony Miller. Get his thoughts on the XFL USFL merger agreement, as reported by Mike Mitchell last week. Whether are we hearing timeline wise coming up? What is Anthony expecting? Is Anthony going to be on board when all of this is done? Excited to hear from him? They have to merge at this point.

It's too late now, Like you said, the trust would be broken if they don't merge, and they're like, oh yeah, We're just gonna keep playing because everyone knows that it means like okay, well they're gonna die. They're gonna you know, they're gonna die a slow, painful death. And why am I gonna be involved in this league if I know it's not gonna survive up to next year, because that's what it really is like, especially for the XFL. I if this merger doesn't happen after next year,

they're done. And the USFL they maybe have one or two more years and then they're done. In lots of CFL steff to talk through heading into week nineteen, here we have CFL on TSN's Barhan Lology talking through all of the different teams throughout the CFL, which coaches are on the hot seat offseason changes. Barhan is hearing and also talking CFL playoffs, and that's a loss they're

gonna look back on and regret. I don't know that there's a path to victory for BC in Winnipeg in a Western Final, you know, And I got a lot of respect for that team, But that team's built a certain

way, and Winnipeg has built a certain way. And if the conditions are what they typically are in mid November in Winnipeg, I think the Winnipeg team is built for those conditions, then longtime friends of the show, Greg Peach coming back on former Edmonton Hamilton and Winnipeg Blue Bombers player getting his thoughts CFL week nineteen exciting matchups this weekend. Obviously I'm rooting for Winnipeg, but you know, Vernon just a top notch, top notch dude, and I'm so

excited for him and the success yet he's having. I mean, he's just he's bombing it this year and I'd love to see him break that five thousand yards for the season. And then speaking of Edmonton, we have Kevin Brown, standout running back from the Edmonton Elks, joining the show, getting his thoughts on what's been a rocky but overall, you know, a feeling like

we're trending in a positive direction that season for the Edmonton Elks. We're building now for next season and we're playing and we're pushing every game like it's a playoff game. So for us, it's to be physical, to hit him first and to come out fast. Hope you guys enjoy it liking subscribe, Hey guys, welcome to the Mark Cast. Read here. Shout out Greg

Parks XFL board on his zombie analogy this week, talking on the x Insider podcast. I texted Greg the second I saw his tweet. I said, thank you very much for helping me figure out the theme for this week coming back from Vegas. Was down there for the Cracking game against the Vegas Gold Knight. So appreciate Greg help make my life easy trying to figure out was

going to go with the Quiet Place. You know that John Krasinski movie still my Depending on how long this quiet period goes with the XFL, we might be entering the Quiet Place next week. But for right now, we are the Walking Dad. We have Rick, Rick, Carl Grimes, all that stuff. I really appreciate that. A good show today. Like I said, appreciate Anthony Miller making time here, balancing me, got Thursday football tonight, Anthony's work schedule, Cracking play and the Preds. Lots of things going

on. I really appreciate that far Han always making time I got to I didn't get to see him. We got to correspond with Farhan last week when we were at the BC Place for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers game. There you could hear my thoughts extended with Evan and Jason on the Monday recap. We did following that, I really appreciate Greg Peach coming back on, always happy to jump on, he hops onto the moments. Notice, happy to chat

with him and really appreciate his willingness. And then of course Edmonton always a great team to work with getting players on it. Really appreciate getting to talk with Kevin Brown. With the Edmonton elks here, you know, like I said, season probably not what they wanted it to be, but certainly feels like things are trending in the right direction. Far Han, I think it's the same kind of in his interview. You'll hear it coming up. So

that should do it for me today. Unless there's any future read updates. I'll check in at the end of the show. But like I said, you hope you guys enjoy weird time right now. Quiet plays, Zombie XFL showcases didn't seem like that was a big to do. Over the weekend. We have a you know, a draft coming up that's been delayed, so we'll see what's going on. But stay tuned, make sure you're subscribed. That will keep you updated with the shorts and live shows and everything else as

NEE beats, So we'll see you guys at the end. Next well, Anthony doing my best Rick Grimes impression. Today we're the Walking Dead, Carl

and I fell off that show. I didn't make it to I did watch like that everything that you missed in The Walking Dead in like seventeen minutes or whatever after the season ended. But we're here. We had you on the breaking news day with Mike and the live stream. Now more time to process. We obviously have the agreement that Mike put out last week, the report after our show, and then the Ben Fisher's report as well. We'll get into all that. How are you feeling now, kind of two weeks post

your mood from all this. I think the feelings have kind of died down down at the point where I'm just like, all right, let's get this train rolling, you know, let's try to figure out what's going on.

I think just the idea of not knowing how this is gonna work out out, you know, with the merger, I just at this point I've kind of calmed down a bit and I'm just like, we'll just kind of see what happens, because I mean, there's so many possibilities, and I think once we have our minds running wild with it, then it's gonna drive us nuts. So I'm just gonna kind of let the process play out. Yeah,

I know. So they had the showcase on Saturday and Greg wasn't at it, but I think he did the rite up because Michael was there with what is it now? The Player fifty four podcasts. He was there, you know, Buckley was there. Greg called it like the zombie XFL, which I thought very like kind of apropos right now, because I don't know, and I feel similarly about the USFL, like, Okay, we're tweeting out, Okay, Brandon Aubrey stats today from the Dallas Cowboys, but it

doesn't really feel like either league is doing a lot. And I just I don't know, if you're a fan of either league, how we're supposed to feel right now, how do you feel? I mean, it's it's hard to say that the XFL is not doing anything because, let's face it, their off season began at so all their player signings, their college drafts,

all that stuff happened during the summer. So I think we talked about this in our group chat, but I think Mike brought up that pretty much every team is at seventy or more players, so it's like how many more players can you sign? Obviously you want to try to get some of the top players in free agency, anyone who dropped off you know, after you know, training camp, so they probably want to go after those players. But at the but for the most part, this is probably going to be the

slower part of the of the off season for the XFL. For the USFL,

it's going to be different because their obviously began in July. So now they they got you know, this October free agency going on right now, and they're going to go, you know, go after players that you know, just got their contracts released from other USFL teams and try to pick up other players, so that it seems like they're a little more active that but you know that's because they need to kind of rebuild their rosters and stuff like that. So I don't I don't think too much into the XFL is not

doing anything. You know, the USFL is doing very little because there's really not much to do right now unless they set up these drafts. With the XFL's already kind of pushed off one of the drafts, so I'm sure there's kind of a holding period, but there's got to be a point where these leagues. I wonder if there's some kind of deadline for them to be like, look, if we don't merge by this date, we're just going to

have to move forward with our seasons. Because the one thing I've been thinking about is what are the stadium leases for the XFL, Like, like, do they have a certain timeframe that they have the stadiums, because if they try to move to April start at the same time as the USFL, that's going to mess up all their stadium leases. And so honestly, at this point, I'm not really banking on this league. You know, the two

leagues merging for twenty twenty four. It doesn't really make sense to at this point just play out the seasons and then make all your changes after the USFL seasons done next year. Is that I think, timing wise, that makes the most sense because we live through all this stuff with the Vegas and getting the schedule out and they waited too long and that's why we didn't have the

valot. Like the Ballahawks, we're at home for the first three weeks and because we kind of we would you know, this isn't like Taylor Swift, I'm booking the tour and like, okay, well you know we're gonna make make space here to kind of do it is there? Does that? Does that excite the fan bases going into this year and knowing that that's what's going on next year? Is this kind of a monkey monkey on the back? Like well this this is kind of a lame duck season. Like I don't

know how to react to that. What do you make Yeah, it's interesting. I don't really know how to make up it either, because especially with the report's coming out about some of the teams that might be on the out, Like is that gonna affect ticket sales? Is that going to affect people's interests in these leagues? Like especially in Houston, Like let's just say they choose the Gamblers over the Roughnecks and the Roughnecks don't survive. Are those fans

really even going to care about the Roughnecks? Are they going to come out for it knowing that this team's gonna get swept under our feet after the season. So I think just the uncertaining of that can definitely mess up, you know, the interest level. I seriously doubt they're gonna do as well in the ratings a doubt they're gonna do as well in the you know, in attendance. And you just brought up Vegas. That's a great question. What's

gonna happen with the Vipers? You know what? What if the XFL continues, I seriously doubt at this point they can find a home for them unless they already have a stadium agreement already in place for some city. So are they gonna end up playing in Arlington? And Arlington's gonna have two teams? Like there's just it's just a it's a holding period right now, and I

don't know if the interest is going to quite be there. It could end up being like this, This season for both leagues is going to be a squash and they're gonna rebrand whatever with this nsfo X whatever the hell is going to be. But it's gonna be something. And I think they're probably just gonna say forget about you know, this upcoming season. And that's what you know, that's where I get to this difficult position, right So if you

if you go in, we make it. You know, So we're and we'll talk through my story here, but you we're in the we're in the holding period. They've submitted, which it was like weird timing, like we had kaplan on last week and we're kind of pontificating about that, and like I messaged Mike, I'm like, is this really weird timing that we were kind of having this debate about whether the agreement was submitted and then mike' scott

the article. But that's great. I love the clarity of that. But so how do you expect a Yeah, if you're a coach on the Vegas Vipers, you know, if the announcement comes out, Okay, the Vipers are going away this year, how do you do that? Or else? How do you live through not knowing for a year which teams are going to

make it right? And this is the same with the season tickets. I mean I was just in Vegas with my friend Michael and he's like, I'm out on, Like I want my money back from the Sea Dragons tickets. Like I am moving on because I now have no faith in any of this at all, you know, like I've even if the Sea Dragons survive, but we're going to a hublic. I have no faith in any of this

at all. Yeah, I agree, And if I was a fan for somebody like Seattle or the Houston Roughnecks or you know, I would feel the same way. I wouldn't have any loyalty to them, and it's it is

going to make this season a wash. Though. I wonder, you know, could they could they start moving into a hub model, you know, this year and just start making the transition and get people ready for because it's like, what about the coaches that you know, for these teams that are going to leave, Like I think it's just being told, hey, you're going to go through twenty twenty four, then you're going to lose your job like that. I don't know that. Just what about the staff members.

I mean, it's probably gonna affect them more because I mean coaches and players can leave and go find other teams and you know, try to go to

the NFL or if L or wherever. But what about the staff members who you know, are full time employees of the XFL and they're told, you know, hey, I know you work for the Saint Louis, you work for the SEATLEC Dragons, but to let you know, you know, after twenty twenty four, you're done, Like you're you're gonna be released after the season, Like that's your people are going to be losing jobs out of it. So I don't know, no matter what happens, this is going to

be at the backle for a lot of people's lives. It's going to mess up a lot of people's lives, and it's going to be a really bumpy road for these leagues for the next year to try to get through the PR part of this. But once they can get everything settled down and you know, get you know whatever it is, ten twelve teams, you know, rolling, and then they can start building off of that, then I think

they're going to be fine. But until then, for the next year or two, it's going to be a PR nightmare for the clear both leagues. Well, yeah, because I was talking with one of the staff members for one of the teams, and yeah, they were saying, like, I we kind of need to know now, right, Like I don't have the luxury of having a month, two months a year whatever. I mean.

We just saw Matt you know, the communications guy for the Renegades, you know, and he's with REV and that's also in Dallas anyway, and you know, so maybe that's maybe that's a better position, right, And I'm sure it has more stability on that. But you know you're sitting there like, why am I waiting around for this at this point? Like I feel like it was already a leap to kind of sign on to this league, right hey, it's a startup whatever, and now it's like the first kind

of the first speed bump in the road. They're like, well, we don't even have people I did. I'm like, I'm getting off the ship right now. Like it was hard for me, like as someone has followed this, you know, not even having my livelihood rely on this, I

couldn't imagine that stress. Yeah, I mean a lot of the people have families to think about, and they can't be a part of something if they don't know what I mean, I can't imagine what the last two or three weeks hapt ben for, like, you know, a typical staff member of this league, because right now they can only think about am I going to still have a job. You know, because we talked to those before. We know what happens with mergers. Where mergers happen, people end up losing

jobs. That's just the reality of it. They need to cut on, you know. But you know, they have a budget, they have to cut you know, people out. So it's going to be the harsh reality of it. And again it's it's going to be a nightmare. Pr wise, a lot of people are going to lose jobs. A lot of people are going to be excuse my lugas are going to be pissed off because they're losing their jobs. So it's it's going to be a nightmare regardless. And

I can't imagine what the employees are going through right now. So we had Mike's article out here talking about, you know, the agreement coming out late Friday, because I talked with Dan and Dan had said, you know, there's one thing to say we're intending to merge. It's another thing to kind of proclaim that filing the paperwork. We've seen the PGA and live you say they want to move into a merger. Not gotten to that point yet. So now we have this, it's at least a thirty day kind of waiting

period while undergoes a regulatory review. Does that make you feel like at least we have to have the shot clock. Now we know what's happening with us, I mean kind of, I mean we I guess we kind of have a general idea of what the timeline could be. I think I think the article said that it could be about a month that it could take, but

it could also take longer. It also takes shorter, so I think we're still in the holding period where we don't I mean, I guess we kind of have a general idea it could be a month, but you know, with Fox's involvement and stuff like that, is that going to make it a little bit longer? Is there a longer conversation that needs to be had, So you know, I certainly hope that, you know, they can figure this out within thirty days and start getting the ball rolling, but you know,

you just never know what these situations. So I still feel like we're still in this waiting period where we don't know what's going to happen. Because now we're in mid October, where four months of from the XFL season starting, and we still don't know if they're going to truly merge or not.

There could be an issue that pops up with it. So it's just one of those where, you know what, I'm taking my mind off of it and I'm just gonna wait until the merger actually happens, and then we can start, you know, start talking about what's going to happen from there in terms of and we kind of pontificated about this during the live show, you know, the timing of this kind of where you know, Mike have reported they have been talking since after the USFL Championship game that like, I don't

know if it almost feels like this took too long to get to this point where it is, And like the same thing with the Vegas thing last year, there's this thing, Hey, you got a hard deadline you got to hit here, we're kind of messing around. I just I don't know if you could handle a mulligan or shift at this point. Like, I don't know, it just feels weird timing to me that we're in mid October.

We're debating this very similarly the last year with the Vegas situation. Yeah, because like I said, like I feel like at this point the Vipers, are you going to find a home for them? And I don't know Arizona Ashville that they talk like, I think it's too late for that. I think you either go back to cashman Field or you're going to be playing in Arlington. I think I think we're gonna have the Arlington Vipers and the Arlington

Renegades. I really think that's what's gonna end up happening, because I don't know how quickly this merger is going to happen. I mean, at this point, it's gonna be such a rush job if they just go with all, right, ten twelve teams, we're cutting everybody, you know, we're cutting these four teams, and we're moving forward with this in April. Like I just feel like that's just that's too hectic, and there's so many elements to it that they got to think about. So I certainly hope they don't

rush this. I hope at this point, I think it's just smarter. Let's just get through the twenty twenty four seasons with the XFL and USFL and then just merge from there, because right now it's going to be a mess that they try to do it, and I'm really worried about how it's going to look on television, you know, how how the teams are gonna look. It's it's gonna be a mess. Is does the fact that we tracked all this with the CFL, the fact that the EXEL was one to reach

out to the USFL. I guess, first off, now that we've kind of live through that, does that in any way give you hesitancy about the XFL's commitment to a long term path here? Considering they were the ones one year in the loss they were the ones that reached out. I think I have longevity questions for both leagues, but probably more for the XFL, if

I'm being honest. For them to be the ones that reached out and said, you know, hey, let's merge, that just shows me that, yes, we talked about like the sixty million dollar losses are not as big as people make it out to be. But still at the same time, they did lose money, and they did you know, they went bigger on the picture and got their teams into home markets, so they they did spend

a lot more money. That is the reality situation. And you know, you look at Redburd, you look at you know, Dwayne the Rock Johnson, Danny Gercia. Do they do they want to spend the money to keep this league running if they're not going to you know, make profit off.

It just seems like right now, you know, like they say, doing the Rock Johnson has not had the greatest of years over the last year or so with how Black Adam is done, and I don't think he's really generated the revenue that he was hoping he was going to get and he did. He's not as involved with DC as he was hoping he was going to be when he got kicked out the door. So you know, dude, does

he legitimately have the money? I mean, Redbird is so involved in other sports teams and stuff like that that I'm sure they can probably help and pay for it, But what about doing the Rock Johnson and Danny Garcia like they It was just interesting how the two of them were just so vague about their statement after the merger, where it's just three four words, that's it, that's all we're tweeting like it just it just feels to me like I think

they're almost kind of creeping out the door, and you know, they need to lean on the USFL to kind of save them. So yeah, I think the XFL, you know, may end up dying because they're spending too much money, and the USFL is going to die because those people just don't want to watch football games with no fans, Like it just takes away from the experience. I know, USFL fans don't want to hear that, but that is the reality of the situation. So you know, the merger has

to happen. But I feel like the XFL may die quicker if they don't get this done. Yea, it seems like and I can't remember if we talked about on the podcast or op but like Redbird came in, Hey, we get the rock on this. We're gonna tweet he can put out, Uh, this is going to be maybe an easier flip than we than we

thought. Right, And and what I've said online before too is just because the USFL outlasting the XFL okay business wise, you know, safer makes more sense, but like that doesn't necessarily make it right, but from from a fan viewer perspective, right, and if the if, the only if the USFL is only uh way they won was just well, we outlasted the XFL because we weren't spending as much money. Like to me, that's not a victory. I mean, I'm I'm kind of getting in with the ae wwwe

stuff right now. And there's a lot of a kind of a pit seen contests going back and forth with them, and like, uh, you know, it's interesting to see how these companies work. But like purely just well we didn't spend as much, so we out last. That doesn't to me justify the business model as as successful as more of just it has a longevity. But I don't know where that plan is to expand if that that was

really terrible way to describe that. No, it makes sense because I mean, like, yeah, I mean we heard Daryl Johnson say last year that he was disappointed with the ratings. So what makes the USFL think the ratings are going to get better in season three if they're still you know, in their hub cities and it's the same teams, Like, I just don't see how they're going to do better. I think more likely the XFL has a

little bit of a better chance of having better ratings. So they're just more established and you know, hopeful maybe they can get the Vipers into a good home and you know that that I think they have a better chance of it. But you know, the USFL can't lose money if they're not making money either, so not having fans and all that, it's still is like there, how are they making you know, money, how are they generating revenue?

So at the end of the day, Like, yeah, the XFO may die sooner because they're spending too much money, but the USFL is going to die a slow, painful death because they're not spending money either, so it's gonna end up hurting them. So that's that's how both leagues are gonna

die. They're just gonna die in different ways. Last question that I wanted to talk through this, Ben Fisher said before we get out to me, you know, talking about this and the XFL you're reaching out, it is kind of like I think it's seinfilled where it's like you don't want to lose face, right, you want to save face. And it feels like and we've talked through the Reverend, you know, they were the ones. It was kind of the chicken match and they were the ones that pulled up first,

right. I mean I've lived through the Monday Night wars and all that kind of stuff, and you know it's it's one thing to go ahead to head or whatever and the first one to pull for whatever reason. And it could just be repords, cold feet or whatever. But it doesn't help that that. I guess it's your messaging and the fans as well. It's like hey, like trust us. We're going to be here for you guys, when it was the first sign of you know, Chad here and it's like

wow, okay, We're like yeah, we're there. Yeah. I think the difference though, is when you you know, when it was like WWE versus WCW and stuff like that, Like even though like WCW ended up dying, you at least the WW at least fans knew ww was going to survive no matter what because they have such a big name brand that you know, there's nothing that's going to really kill them unless it's like and it's such a massive issue that ends up killing the but you know, WWE is going to

survive. In this case, USFL and XFL are going to die. So it's just a matter of if the USFL wants to celebrate lasting one more season than them, all right, great, but you know you're probably still gonna end up folding because you're not making money either unless you actually go into your team's home markets, which I don't know if they're willing to. It just doesn't seem like they're really in a rush too. They keep hanging out in kin Ohio and it's just like, you don't have a team there. It

doesn't make any sense. Like it's just I get why they went slow, and it's probably the smarter business decision, but at the same time, it's like, you're heading the season three. You should be in home markets by now if you if you wanted to slow progression, fine, but now we're heading the season three and it doesn't sound like it's gonna be you know, six to eight cities. It sounds like it's still gonna they're gonna still stick

with the four hub cities. And that's not encouraging at all, like they should be. If they were really making money, they would progress a little bit quicker than that. Well, it doesn't excite I mean, and this is why I've said on here, like I'm kind of you know, depending on how this goes, could be hesitant about this because I need to see a path forward here and where I don't see like, well, you know, the Sea Draggons are going to play in Arizona for a year, but

they don't worry you're going to get it back, so I don't. You can't you can't guarantee that now. I mean, I've we've lived through canceled season this now, like I said, You're just you're asking so much of

the fans. It's just it's just putting them in a hard position. I just don't know if the you know, the executives up in the Ivory towers, you know, living through this, and it would just kind of what you're asking these fans to do. I mean we've talked before Pat Raffino with San Ye know, there's Saint Louis people that are not buying season tickets and tell that there's a season two because they don't have any faith in that.

The other thing I just wanted to get to before we get out of here, Like so Ben Fisher, I'm sitting there Friday, Ben tweets out Ben's been on the show Sports Business Reli's like, you know, merged XFL and USFL league to play on Fox and they're trying to sell teams. And I'm like, I email Bat and I'm like, Okay, what is the context of this? Like where? Because it was just really weird how we tweeted that. So I guess he was at some like symposium at the Columbia University

Sports Management Conference. And Larry Jones, who'sday Fox Sports EVP and consultant to the network was with just Ben said it was literally ninety seconds of the thing, but they were going to play on Fox, which I said, you know, spoiler alert, like a TV or a merge league plans to play in the football network and then obviously still looking forward to selling the franchises in three to four years, which I have. I will give my thoughts in

a minute. I'll last years on that. What do you make of that part of it that it's still would be this merge league's plan to sell franchises off. Let's say it's twenty twenty three. They start in twenty twenty two, so next year will be three years and they're still not in home markets. I don't. I just don't see how they can sell the franchises. I mean, they're still in the hub model. It's like, so are they adding three four more years now to that timeline and they're hoping to sell

it. It's just like at some point it's just like I don't know, I'm just not buying it, Like I just I don't. I don't think they have the business model to get to that point. This is this is I mean, this is the conversation that has been talked about where I'm sure both leagues like to eventually get to the point where they're you know, having team owners that are running these teams and paying the money for it. But I mean, we're again, we're heading into season three. We have four

hub cities with these eight teams in the USFL. It's just like you can't keep adding on to the timeline. It's either you're going to make the push to you know, get in the whole markets. You're going to make the push to you know, have people buy. The reason why nobody wants to buy these franchises, it's just that the ratings keep going down. There's there's not as much interest as I think people would like that this is the very

niche market. Like, you know, there's a certain fan base I likes watching spring football, and I don't know if it has enough to really get people's interests to be like, oh, let's go buy a football team in the you know, USFL and hope we can make money off it, because they're going to lose so much money if their teams are not even in their home markets, or if they are in the home markets that you know, fans don't care about it in the cities because they haven't been playing those cities

for all these years, and now all of a sudden they need to care about like New Horths Breakers. What if, you know, somebody buys the New R's Breakers three four years down the road and they're like, well, it's been like five six years, we haven't had them in our city. Why would I care? Like, that's why you want to put them in the whole market so they can. I don't. I don't. I just

don't see it happening. I don't think they're gonna sell franchise because I just don't think, you know, people, I don't think you know, millionaires and billionaires want to spend the money on a football league where they're guaranteed to lose money. They're they're not going to make profit off of these teams. It's hard for me unless you have a team in the market for five years, ten years, and you're showing continual growth and kind of revenue model that

way. To me, it's like here you go, spend the money, and you know, we cover the CFL. There's nine teams in the CFL. The CFL collectively loses money every single year and has for you know, for its entire lifespan. You know, some of the community owned teams make money and they can profit and then there's lean years, but collectively and then that came out during the COVID when they were trying to get funding from the Canadian government and they said no, like, you know, I think it

was eight to ten million dollars a year collectively of the CFL. You know, when you balance it all out, and it's and this is a league that this is the national league you know of candidate like, you're asking so much of this and this feels like another step of Redbird reaching out to Fox, like here you take this, and now it's well in three or four where is like here you take this. At some point someone's got to take ownership of this and and and really you know, dive in invest the money.

Fox, like you said, doesn't seem willing to do it. You XFL has not, you know, at least when you're in does not seem willing to do it. And there's no way to do this on the cheap unless you're Brian Woods having players pay doing a hub model TV only. There's no way to do this in home markets without losing considerable about the money. And it doesn't seem like anybody gets that. There's only two ways that selling franchises can work. One, you get tailor ship to come to your games,

which I don't think the USFL XFL is going to do so. Two, you got to get the NFL involved. I mean, at the end of the day, the only way this thing works is if you get the NFL to buy into having a spring league. They put money into it, and then and then you'll get interests from people wanted to buy franchise. I

mean, look at the w NBA. That league. As much as I love the WNBA, they lose millions of dollars a year and the only way it survives is that the NBA has been fronting money for them for years to keep their franchises and keep the league afloat. That's the only way this is going to work too. That's the only reason why the NFL Europlats is so long. The NFL had to keep it afloat, but they were losing millions off of it, and that's why they got rid of it. So it's

gonna be you. You. You have to make a pitch to the NFL. It's not selling franchises, is you have to sell the league to the NFL and make them think, yes, we need a spring league, we need a developmental league for these players, because that's the only way this is going to work. They cannot survive on their own without the NFL getting involved, dropping their money to help this league survive. Otherwise, all these springers

are going to keep dying. Somebody had, you know, some league has got to step up and you know, make a deal with the NFL. But is the NFL willing to lose millions of dollars a year? I don't know if they are. They made it clear if do they cut NFL Europe that they were not willing to lose that much money each year. Are they willing to do it again? I don't know. I mean they've been getting, you know, glowing endorsements from Dan Campbell and Bill Belichick, which could

help. At the end of the day, you know, the NFL is all about making money. That's all they care about. And if they see that, you know, the USFL and the XFL, or you know, if they could buy in the NSFL whatever the hell is going to be, if they see it that it could you know, it could help them, then they'll do it. But I don't know. I think the only way

this works is if the NFL is involved. Last point for me here, well we'll get out of here and I'll give you if you have any other thoughts on this, like just if I have not made it, I just want to make sure I make it as credibly clear as I can here. Like I see the XFL their tweet now like crossfro puzzle stuff today doing it's great. I mean, do do social work, that's awesome. You know,

we're selling these suits whatever. I cannot imagine a world where I would ever recommend any XFL USFL fan to put down money right now on any of this because to me, like you, and I don't mean to be like blunt about it, but like you've you've lot when you when it's the chicken match whatever, and you blink and like to me, it's like they blinked,

And now I don't. I don't have faith in this anymore, you know, until until I see a long term plan or an agreement of like this is what's happening or this didn't work out, but we're still committed. And even at that point, it's where it's like it's so hard to build up the trust for you know, anything in the world, but especially something

like this. And I feel like if you're in a relationship with someone and they like, you know, they maybe they didn't cheat on you, but they're like, well I was, you know, I was thinking about it or I was texting, and you're like, you know, once you kind

of devolved that trust, it's very hard to build that back. And I just I don't know anyone in the world that's buying Ballahawk Suites right now, or Renegade Suites or the Seattle I got the email of the Seattle Suites like to you, to me, you've you've soured this and at least for the XFL. And I don't speak for the USFL fans, but I say, as a season ticket holder for the XFL that's bought four tickets front row at fifty yard line, like, trust is very devolved in this dissolved at this

point. Yeah, I agree. Look the the they opened up the can of worms, so at this point you can't put those worms back in the cans. So it's either you go all in on this merger or you know, this thing is pretty much gonna be over. Like I even wonder like Are they even gonna play a season next year? Like, are they even gonna legitimately do it? Even if they do a merger and they wait till

twenty twenty five, do they even play this year? Like that? To me, it's just now we're at a point where you either got to merge so quickly and just get it over with and get it done, or maybe you need to hold off for one more year. Maybe you need to make sure you get this merger right. Maybe you need to find a way can

we save sixteen teams and make sure nobody loses their jobs. It's just there's so many elements to this, and I mean, at the end of the day, we've talked about it, like they have to merge at this point, it's too late now, Like you said, the trust would be broken if they don't merge, and they're like, oh yeah, we're just gonna keep playing because everyone knows that. It means like, okay, well they're gonna die. They're gonna you know, they're gonna die a slow, painful

death. And why am I gonna be involved in this league if I know it's not gonna survive after next year, Because that's what it really is. Like especially for the XFL. I if this merger doesn't happen after next year, they're done, and the USFL may maybe have one or two more years and then they're done. Yeah, like I said, even if you didn't you physically and I'm not saying like cheating is and like there are the fellow you except like you know the second that you were like, I'm out of

this relationship. I just don't think with the fans and you can ask them to go back in. And like you said, if this doesn't go, and even if it does, if it doesn't look in the form, you know that. I think a lot of people want We've already had comments, and I think Anthony, I appreciate it, Like I said, kind of keeping in eye. I haven't gotten an updated about the Broncos game, so I don't know if they've scored yet. Crack and still holding the predator zero

zero here, So go get to your stars. I appreciate it. Anything else from you, No, I'm good. I appreciate the time read. And I would just say, let's see how many times try Swifts have been on camera this It's probably more than the score is. So yeah, al Michaels was like, I'm not talking about that, So we'll see. I know Al Amazon pays your paychecks, so we'll see what Al does here. Yeah, he's definite gonna talk about well back here today. We were a

few hundred feet from each other on Friday at BC Place here and now we have far hunt here live. What about those Vancouver Canucks man really just coming

out of the gate all our Cylinderspyron. Yeah, they played great and certainly nobody expected them to do that to a team that good, you know, and maybe Edmonton kind of took it for granted because they've had their way with Vancouver over the years and so much anticipation, right like having been around the Canucks a decade ago when they had goals and meaningful aspirations here of getting to a Cup final. You know, you could see that there were moments early

that sometimes you just don't have it when you're looking that far ahead. And maybe the Owlers didn't have it last night, But you got to give the Canucks credit. You know. There was a lot of questions going into the game and a lot of storylines, and you know, for brock Besher with what he's been through with the illness and eventual passing of his father over the last couple of years. Like coolest him get four goals and you know, just for one day, they were on top of the hockey world. We'll

see what it looks like. They played Winton again on Saturday, and you know, I still think this is a bubble team, but at least that gave them an indication of what they could be if they play the game the right way. Yeah, well then they will. You know. I was I was like, I said, kind of Badard, you know, score the goal. We know he's not a bus So that'll be it for the hockey talk around the podcast, I was perf Rod Show talking cracking. Yeah, it was crazy. I'm like, now I'm the cracking guy. Anyway,

we're here talking CFL week nineteen. I want to get your thoughts on the Edmonton situation and all of that as well. But to me, the obviously you were in the professional sense, I was in the fans since Friday, but heartbreaking, heartbreaking loss for the Lions. Like what did you read of that? Because to me, that was the season kind of finale for me. Yeah, it was tough, right, I mean that's a loss

They're going to look back on and regret. I don't know that there's a path to victory for BC in Winnipeg in the Western Final, you know, and I got a lot of respect for that team, But that team's built a certain way, and Winnipeg has built a certain way, And if the conditions are what they typically are in mid November in Winnipeg, I think the Winnipeg team is built for those conditions right now, you know, you know me, like I know enough people around the league, people think, oh,

you live in Vancouver, you're a Lions hover I'm not. But I certainly was hoping they would win that game for the only reason that it would have made for a better West Final. Like I think the Western Final, NBC would have been a pick them. I don't think the lines would have been favored. I think it just would have been a fifty to fifty. Either team could win, both teams could put their best foot forward, and

it would have been a lot of fun to watch. I think now it's likely to be a much more one sided, less entertaining game if you're if you're a neutral observer right as opposed to a Winnipeg fan, So you know, I think I think that's disappointing for them, and BC had it right, like, they had the lead and there were people are going to focus on dominic rhymes and what happened at the end of the game, but there were so many moments during that game, you know, beginning with the kickoff

out of bounds after BC took it to score lead that just kind of gave Winnipeg some life to get right back into it, you know, and then so many others. I thought they got a little out coached in the second after a lot of things that I think they're going to regret or wish they had back in terms of yeah, I because we've talked about this, like, yeah, I don't think the Lions would be favored at all at home, but it's at least an even playing field where you go in and the

conditions is so much. I went back obviously we were there, and then I went back and listened to your call, you know, at the end of the game and rhyme's and all that, like how is that just a brain fart? Like how did you read that? And he kept looking back and trying to like how did you kind of process that whole situation? Yeah, like, look, these things happened fast, and Rick Campbell said after the game that he did call the receivers in to explain the situation. Rhymes

was not in that conversation. The other receivers were, but Rhymes himself said after the game that, yeah, the receivers did talk to me about it, and I knew the situation and I made a mistake. And for him, he just saw the end zone. Right, There's no guarantee of a field goal. As good as Sean White is, you might not be one hundred percent sure of where you are in the field or how much time is left, and you see the end zone, you might want to just take

it. And certainly you know when he broke the second tackle, I think it was from Evan Home. He was at about or sorry home was the first one. I forget who the second one was. It might have been Cramedy. And then I think it was around the thirty two yard line and it was a couple seconds left in the clock. So if he gives himself up and goes down, it's a very makeable field goal for Sean White.

But you know, it's hard to process that in real time. Right, It looks so easy from afar and if he had caught it and gone down right away, maybe he's too far away, right, So there were just so many moments in that game, and you and I both know how football works that we get so focused on two things, the last plays and the quarterback play, right, Like, those are the two things that everybody wants to focus on, But there are so many more other things that the Lions

could lament. I mean, you just to look at the spot, right. I certainly thought not so much in the moment, but after the fact when I looked at more replays that Vernon Adams did have the first down and it was a bad spot, right, Like, there were so many things along the way that be she can look back on. But you know what convert on third down? Like why you can't convert on third and one? We're not talking about rhymes. We're not talking about a bad spot, you

know. So give Winnipeg credit. They rallied, They showed what champions do, right, like, they just kept fighting. Yeah, I don't, And I had tweeted that out with following the Packers game Monday where they had the spot against the Raiders, and like, I just I don't understand how the CFL call center. Isn't isn't there that? And I understand that we had used the challenges earlier in the game and all that the command center could

have gotten involved there. They could have, and I haven't heard back yet on whether they did, but it happened so fast it doesn't sound like they did. Yeah, in terms of I don't know, just reflections for that, I mean, because how do you view I guess and I don't want to write the obituary too early, but how do you view kind of the

the BC Lions this season? I was talking with people in the stand and I think that BC had done a good job, you know, Matt and never went with the team of this is a really important game, right. We were talking with people even after the game, like, oh, so are they out? I'm like, well, no, that wasn't a playoff game, but it was kind of felt that way, like is BC's window are we going in the next year in terms of this championship caliber team?

Like how do you view them kind of in the spot now? Yeah, I don't think they're going anywhere, right, you know, Vernon Adams is going to be there. I think Vernon Adams is a quarterback. Took a really good step in this season and is going to continue to take a step. Like I'm not willing to write this off yet for the league, right, I mean, I'm not gonna, you know, come on any shows and say, oh, don't watch the West Final, right like that.

That's not how I view it, right, because this is football and the Lions are still a good football team, so there's still a lot of growth to happen. But you know, there was a lot of angst in the marketplace about what's this season going to look like for the Lions without Nathan Rourke, right, And whether you believed or didn't believe in Vernon, you probably thought, oh, this team can't really contend without Nathan. Well guess what

they did, and they are. They're contending and Vernon's had a great year. And really, for me, that game, you know, kind of determined my mop, right, Like Vernon was right in there trading punches with Zach Kilarios and Brady Oliver was right there. So you know, Vernon's not going anywhere. He's not old that you know, the core of that receiving

core is going to be back. I don't know about Lucky Whitehead, but I think the rest of them are all going to be back and part of the mix on what's going on. And it was a really good group. And then you know, defensively, most of the pieces are there, so they're still going to have to add. But it's not like, you know,

you look at Winnipeg and you think they're getting older. Like their core, whether they want to admit it or not, their core is appreciably getting older, right, whether you're jeff co Jefferson, Big Hill, you know what, Like, they're all getting older. And so the Lions aren't in that window now. They need to do a few things to I think, get a little bit more physically stout in certain areas so that they can win

games different ways. Right, So whether they're one O lineman short or one D lineman short, you know, whatever that looks like, or more physical back, you know, and stylistically right like whatever that looks like. They're not far away and they can still get through this year. But I don't

think BC's going anywhere. I think they did take a step forward because I think if you'd have told me that they'd be in this spot with Vernon as their quarterback and have him play that well, I think you feel pretty good about the situation. Yeah, nothing about it. I wouldn't and I would not have said that going into the year, and I was very nervous, and I love Vernon and the local guy and kind of all that stuff. In terms of the stept for that one year at the University of Oregon,

that's the only part of Vernon I don't like. Everything else about Vernon's story is good, except for the one year at Oregon. Yeah, that's good. The Edmonton thing came out yesterday and you know, they're shutting down the upper stands like a big deal. No big deal. How do you read

that? No big deal? You know. I think they've kept them open as long as they have because I think they philosophically feel we're the Edmonton football team or you know, and then we have the best attendance in the league and we're not gonna do anything artificial to take away from that attendance because we're

Edmonton. But it's been a couple of tough seasons. I'm sure they'll open it up from time the time, like they're doing out here in BC, and they need to create some demand based on you know, how they market and position their inventory, but also obviously in terms of what happens on the field, they've got to get better. But you know, I think Rick Lolasher is doing a good job there in terms of regaining the footing in the

marketplace. They're going to wind up hiring a new president. They've got some decisions to make at head coach and GM, but you know, not really a big deal. I don't think it's going to affect how that organization is perceived in the marketplace because I do believe that the last month of this season has shown the fans and Edmonton are still there and they'll come back. Yeah,

how do you in terms of moving forward here? You know, obviously we have the Victor queed stuff and everything this year, Like how are we viewing the Edmonton's health or you know, kind of foothold there and what I mean, what do they I don't know, because, like you said, that trade Ford things kind of working out that they haven't fallen off the cliff

that I think people thought it was going to this year. Yeah, I mean, you know, the trade Ford thing is giving the fans a lot of hope, right, and I think the organization is going to have to decide what's the best way to take advantage of that right. And so if you believe that trey Ford's the guy, then are you better off getting different coaches or trying to keep some stability in the building so he's not having to learn a different system and everything like that. So I don't know what the

right answer is there. I think it could go either way, but I don't think it would take a ton to get the fans back. This isn't like Toronto where they've lost, you know, a generation or more of fans and you've really got to try to re explain the language in the league and everything like that. Those fans are there, and we saw them, like I said, later in the season, come back in bigger numbers when they had a reason to come back because they were being entertained. So you know,

that team's got to get better. They've still got some defensive fixes they need to make, some offensive line fixes they need to make. You know, I don't know whether financially what they're currently doing is the right thing at the receiver position if you want to improve the other areas of your team. So they've still got some fixes, but at least tray Ford's given them hope and they've got a best decide how to capitalize on that hope. But I

don't think it's going to take much. I think there are other markets where you're more concerned about getting it fixed, including the one two and a half hours to the south, right, because you know, when you look at the apathy and attendance in Calgary, it's not good. And Edmonton's a better sports town than Calgary. Calgary might be a more cool place to live if you were given a choice, but in terms of a sports town, Edmonton

is better. Yeh. In terms Well, so I want to talk to Skatchwan here, but I mean, do you think Calgary there's issues here coming in because you know, Mayor hasn't progressed the way they wanted and attendance down. I mean, they're still in it, but it's it's such a weird playoff situation right now. Yeah, you know, Calgary, I think they

need to do more as an organization. You know, similar problems, not as grave, but similar problems to what's going on in Toronto right where you know, the organization needs to do more because certainly in Toronto, from a football standpoint, they're doing everything possible. That's a really fun football team to watch. They're good, you know, they'll probably be great Cup favorites.

And then in Calgary, they're taking a step back. Now. The Calgary model and their philosophy has always been we're not going to overpay for guys and if we lose some free agents. We lose some free agents, we don't care. We're just going to continue to develop. But they're not identifying and development and it is harder for every team. You know, the spring leagues make it hard for the CFL. There's simply no doubt whether you think the

CFL game is better, the spring league game is better. The reality is agents will tell their players stay here and it's the same game, and you're going to get us television and to get a few more eyeballs, and that hurts the CFL the fact that we're losing some spring football and I know you don't like that, but you know there'll be a few teams gone and that'll

make a few more players available. But how that relates to Calgary is most teams have adapted to a point it's hard for all of them, but Calgary is behind in terms of adaptation. So they got to figure out if and if you're not going to identify and develop as well, then you better keep your guys and you better decide we're gonna pay to keep our guys and not lose selected guys like they did last year. Right, So they've got to evolve. Like I don't think anyone's in trouble there. I don't think Dave

Dickinson's going anywhere. And why would you get rid of Jake Mayer? And I say that because who are you going to get? Who are you going to get? Nathan's not coming back, who are you going to get? So if it was me, I would stick with Jake, build a roster out a little bit more, and try to just get this season over with because this is not good over there. I think half that team wants it over with and and just reset and and charge. In terms of the game,

here Saskatchewan coming in and they they win, right. I was just looking at my playoff scenarios and they're in. I'm reading, like, you know, siscots Wan terrible year. They're raising season ticket prices, people are unhappy, Like you know, there's the whole thing last year with Saskatchwan, like hey, they're gonna host and they don't even make the playoffs, and how are you viewing that because it's kind of too troubled franchises you're facing off.

Yeah, I think Saskatchewan is in a position where they're setting themselves up for change. And I think they did a year ago two right, Like, you know, they made a conscious choice to not eliminate their coaches and general manager at that point because they had one year left on their deal. They didn't want to have to carry those contracts over into this year. So

but they didn't extend anybody. So now I think, and this is me speculating, like I think a lot would have to happen unexpected in terms of a deep playoff run, maybe getting to a Great Cup, in order for the team to bring back Craig Dickinson as head coach. I'm not advocating for that, I want to be clear, but I just you know, reading the tea leaves and the contractual situations around it, you know a lot would have to happen for them to want to come back. Because the franchise,

the marketplace is hot, the marketplace wants change. Will that change extend to Jeremy o Day because he's in the same situation contract wise, He's up at the end of the year, and again I'm not advocating for Odey's dismissal. However, you know, not a lot of high end people wanted to apply for the offensive coordinator job this year. I think Kelly Jeffrey's a good OC, but others specifically chose not to because those guys had one year left on

their deals above them, so it's not stable. So if you Jeremy O'Day, can the club of can the club make the decision to extend him for three years? Because if you just roll his contract over for one year, who are you going to get to apply to be the head coach? Right? Like, there are some people that will do it just because, but

ultimately it will affect your talent pool of head coach applicants. If you know, the guy above you that's doing the hiring only has one year and that creates uncertainty, right, So you know, will it extend just because of the contractual situations? You know it could, but there's going to be changed there because I don't see a scenario where they're going to pull off a playoff upset, you know, or get to a Great Cup. So you know, I think the marketplace is upset, right, And you know, they

froze their prices coming out of COVID for season tickets. Now they're raising them again, which on the surface isn't wrong, but when you put this kind of product out there where they really slid in the back end of both seasons, that's tough for that market to digest. Right. So there's some upset people, there's no doubt. But my understanding is that corporately and on other levels they are still doing quite well. So don't let a few angry people

on Twitter completely fool you. Well, and there was the whole I think it was when they had a TV schedule this year and now all these Sunday or all these games and we're not going And I mean it's it's funny how

quickly kind of all that goes away. In terms of the Ottawa team, I see it a lot, you know, because it's weird and obviously last year the injuries and Bazoli and then this year and all that stuff, Like people seem really upset with Bob Dyce and the team and the effort there and what are you reading with the Ottawa kind of no change, well, no change at the GM or head coaching spots. I'm quite certain those spots are going to be retained it and I think you should, right. I mean,

I think Sean Burke has done a good job to this point. I think, you know, you need to give him a little more time. And Bob Dice has only had one year, so I think he's made some mistakes on the game management side. You know, we can point to a number of games and say, if you'd made this decision, which would have been a little more logical, you know, you wouldn't be in this position

record wise. But he's he has built a good culture. They're still playing for him, even if they're not executing at a high level in that last game, they are still playing for him. They haven't quit on him, and I think that says a lot the room has bought in. Might they make some change at the coordinator spots. I think that's possible, but you

know that'll be up to Bob Dice to decide. I don't think people above him are going to micromanage that situation, so I don't think there's going to be wholesale changes, And I think they just hope they can get the quarterback situation stabilized, right, because did you see enough in dustin Crumb? Sounds to me like the marketplace is bought into dustin Crumb. You know. I think there was kind of an up and then kind of a bit of a

plateau. And I know he's dealing with some injuries and things like that as well, you know, and they could be better at receiver. I think their O line is really good, but I think they could get a little more dynamic at the receiver spot. So is Crumb the guy you're going to hang your hat on. I know Jeremiah Masli wants to play again next year. I can't imagine they're going to go to Jeremiah after these last two seasons and say, Okay, Jeremiah, you're the starter, same money, same

situation, You're the starter. I think there'll probably be some sort of discussion there about trying to bring him back in a different role and maybe you know, have a competition in training camp to see who the quarterback is going to be and continue for one more year trying to build it and have some continuity. It was always getting up there. Man, It's just hard. The sandwichever Harris and all that stuff. I mean, I say this as someone

elder than any of that, but it's challenging. Last thing for me, you know, Bo played a little bit, you know, Tykatz, I was listening to the game driving back from BC, Like, is that a realistic situation there? And they're going in playing Montreal here in the playoffs kind of however that ends up being but like, is that realistic for the ty

Catz fans here after kind of a It's been a weird season. Yeah, but they're playing their best football right now these last two games, so they've got their quarterback situation back to what they were hoping for, right I mean, I think Matthew Shills is going to continue to get an opportunity. I understand that both Bow and Matthew are going to play against the Lions on Friday, so it feels like there is a window there for Shills to get the

ball to run with the rest of the season. He looked really good last week and they just want to win. And the fact is he gives them an element with his legs that Bow can't offer, even though Bow's got more experience. So do I think that that Orlando Steina would be afraid to say we're going to let the five hundred thousand dollars guy be the backup for the next few games and let the other guy run with it. I think they'd

be prepared to do that. I'm not telling you that that's what's happening, But if Matthew Shows continue to play well this week, I think that door will stay open for him. But either way, I think we're gonna see both of them, and I absolutely believe they can beat Montreal in a playoff

game. Can they beat Toronto? I doubt it, but you know we'll see, right because you might get a situation with the Argos where they just take some time to find their mojo again, right, Like, this is kind of an awkward finish to the season for them, Right, They've still got to make decisions with how they're gonna handle Chad Kelly in other parts of

their roster. So if they all of a sudden go into the playoffs with a lack of momentum, I don't know that they can just turn it on right away, right And if they can't, you know, could Montreal or Hamilton sneak in and upset them. Maybe? But I would still favor Toronto in either of those games. And I do absolutely believe that Hamilton could beat Montreal the way they're playing right now. Well, I'm scared of BC going then, and I don't know. Do you rally after the game last week?

I bet it is. There will be an emotional hangover for the Lions. If the Lions win in Hamilton Friday, I'll be surprised. Okay, all right, I was shout out and watching the Huskies here game, and we'll get you out of here by the big game. Oh yeah, that's the game I want to talk about. Come on, man, I can't believe you live in Seattle. You text me and DM me about the Mariners daily, which I like, But come on, man, like, wtf get into the Huskies there ranked seventh in the nation. They can be in

the playoff, so last year the Pac twelve. Come on, read I do. I bet you Dorothy's into it. Dorothy is a fan. Dorothy has her her Winther peg or her Washington she wears this winning peg. But they did. It is funny to think that we right there, that's not a bomber's helmet right there, that's a Husky helmet. Well we got to

get yeah, we got to get her. It's just funny. I enjoyed the first time you came on and like you're guarding outside talking like XFL CFL talks and now we're dming about you know, Paul cu while doing cannonballs in the hot time. So I do enjoy that. Then I enjoy the I can at least that. Yeah, bother you a little bit about the Mariners, Farhan, I appreciate it making time today. It means a lot. All right, But we'll talk against you. Well here we are. We

had you on last I think it was last season. Had a delight here Greg Peach back again your former CFL here stand out. How is everything going? First off, Spokane here we were talking pre recorded. I went to Gonzaga, spent time over in Eastern Washington as well. Yeah, it's been going great over here. I've been able to, you know, just kind

of plug myself into this community since I retired about seven years ago. Run a training facility, Provision Academy out of Spokane and then also Provision Foundation. We helped scholarship kids into different you know, club sports and camps out in this area. And then I'm always always heavily invested in Eastern Washington football and

athletics I actually got to about three weeks ago. I was the color commentary for our TV game for the first time, and that was a really cool experience and it almost felt like another game, which I haven't had that feeling in a while, so it was cool. Yeah, you never get that that's I've heard you. You never get that back kind of that you know, that feeling there. Spend time obviously We'll talk Edmonton and Hamilton and kind

of everything else here. I spent time up. I was at BC Place last Friday for the you know, the overtime you know, kind of heartbreaker, probably the most heartbreaking the game I've been to, and not that we go to a lot of high stakes games, but what do you make of this? BC Winnipeg the West kind of everything else cfl here. Yeah, I've been, Yeah, definitely obviously tracking it, you know, huge Winnipeg

fan. And then I'm always uh, you know, and obviously Edmonton and Hamilton those are Winnipeg was just the last team that that I was on I really had a great experience with. But yeah, I love love watching guys that I know that are playing and competing. So I followed BC Lions, watching burnon out of and TJ Lee, you know, doing their thing and that game. I actually got to catch that game and wow, like what a finish and it's just it's crazy that Winnipeg they just keep doing it and

they have that they now have that pedigree. They're kind of like Calgary when I was playing, and they've turned themselves into that. And so they finished those close games or you know, you'll see them, they losing the Labor Day game, but then they come back and put fifty on them it. You know, it's been fun to watch. And I know that who's in that organization and those guys, and I'm happy for him because they're they're good dudes and they're doing it the right way. And but yeah, that was

that was a crazy, crazy finish. Well to me, it felt and that's kind of why I told my wife, like we should go to this. I mean it kind of felt like this season. I don't know, I lived through last year we beat the pants off Calgary and the Semis and then we went into ig Era the ig field. Last year, you know, the Nathan Roar was quite up to speed and frozen Ton during kind of all that stuff kind of felt the same way this year. What are your

thoughts. You're BC making a run, like I've got far hand on the show as well. Here we're going to kind of talk to rather he was doing the commentary for that game, like it is the season. How do you feel about the VC line season right now? I mean, I think I think they definitely have a shot. They got, you know, that receiver, great weapon I think is White is it? And you know, and like we saw with with Winnipeg and Toronto, there's there was just that

was not what I thought was going to happen. And so when you get yourself into the playoff race and you get yourself into those games, you know, you can never count out b C coming in and beating Winnipeg. You know, obviously Winnipeg is going to be the favorite going all the way to the Great Cup. But I do like what I'm seeing from BC, and you know, and it's obviously I'm rooting for Winnipeg, but you know, Vernon just a top notch, top notch dude, and I'm so excited for

him and the success yet he's having. I mean, he's just he's bombing it this year and I'd love to see him break that five thousand yards for the season. Well, it's it's cool with Vernon because obviously, you know, Eastern Washington guy and he's you know, in Tacoma now and not even really that far from where I'm at. Like, to me, that was really the question point going into the season was is Vernon we it's a little bit of a you know, you're on the roller coaster. It's exciting,

but it's also a little scary sometimes. I mean, say for the Toronto game where he threw the six interceptions, like really, I mean, you know, the big out lie. Really, you know, like you said, he's played phenomenally well here and finally feeling like he's comfortable. And I know he's got a lot of you know, a lot of talent around him, and so does Zach and so does Chack Kelly. I mean, these you know, these are good the good teams in the CFL feel like they're

really good right now. So, uh, I don't know, it's just been really nice to see because I was scared for Vernon going into the season. Man, every one was about ready to just get rid of him.

After that game. Uh, you know, this is the real Vernon and I you know, I felt bad after that happened, but I know how much he invests in his off seasons and into the teams, which is one thing that you will that will separate you in the CFL is is you know those leaders that that take charge when you don't have to be up there.

And that's what he's done since he's kind of become that premier guy and you can see, you know obviously that that worked out and he's taken that next step, you know, to being that guy and solidifying himself as a top CFL quarterback. So and you know, it really couldn't happen to a better guy. That's that's another reason. And I can you know, just from personal insight and knowing him that you know he deserves us. So it's cool

to watch, especially after that six six fig game. In terms of Edmonton, obviously, when your former teams news coming out this week, you kind of doing the BC Place route, We're not going to open the Upper Bowl anymore. And I don't know how that works with like comedy season tickets, rup their all that stuff. What did you make of that? Because I think there's you know, I saw people like laughing online and this is a joke, but they also saw people on. This's going to make more intimate

experience. So what do you make of this? As a fan? You know, I look at it and I'd be saying like, well, if I am in that upper deck, my seat's better not cost more if you're moving me. And as a player playing, I love when they close that off. I want it to be more personal. I want it to be you know, everyone close to the field. I played in a lot of

stadiums like that. When you played a mid major D one, you're you know, you're going to Montana and you're playing against thirty thousand fans and they're right there on you, and it feels like one hundred because I've played in those stadiums too, and sometimes those thirty thousand seat stadiums are louder than than the big ninety one hundred thousand stadium. So, and especially in Edmonton,

I think it'd be a way better experience. And I think BC's doing a great job of getting excitement over there with those fans, and you know, obviously winning helps, but yeah, you can't. Can't have stragglers up there. It's just a bad look in my opinion. And honestly, when I was playing at Edmonton. I think there was one game. It was my nine rookie season. We had Saskatchewan coming in. It was for first place, middle of the year, and there was you know, they said around

sixty thousand people there, which is awesome. Okay, open it up, you got sixty open it up. But that's not happening right now. And you know, I'm not trying to dig on Edmonton, but four wins,

let's close up the the upper section there. It was crazy. We were we were flying back because I was in Vegas for the Kraken game on Tuesday, the opener at Vegas, and we were sitting there at the airport and these guys were they were talking about go up and seeing the Vancouver Canucks game, and they're like, oh, yeah, what's what Okay Roger Center,

Okay, what's BC plays? Since we got into this whole conversation because I'm like what, Yeah, I was just there and then you know, the Lions and all that, and we were looking online, you know, huge capacity for BC Lions and some of the numbers they were drawn early on. I was astounded. They're like, oh yeah they have Lions. First game

there had like fifty three thousand people I'm like, that's insane. I mean, because we were there the biggest game of the year on Friday and it was not even you know, less than half that really, you know, just remarkable to kind of track some of these, you know in this a sign of the times and everything else, but a far cry from where kind of BC Place was back when they opened up. That's crazy. I don't know if I played a game that was more than thirty thousand over there.

When I was playing, I don't even know if it touched thirty. Like even in Edmonton. Edmonton was always the highest as far as attendance, and it was around like thirty five was the average. And like I said, you get a one off in a big game. But yeah, it's definitely it's definitely kind of tracked down. But I do, like, you know, being in the States here, you you know, I can follow, but I don't get to follow as closely as you know, watching every game

on the weekend kind of thing. But I do like the excitement that they're bringing. We had this conversation last time about what they could do on this on social media, and I do think they're getting better at that, and like you said, just kind of with the times. But now it's getting people out of their freaking house to go to a game because then you get all that, you get all the everything online that you can see, like I'll just watch the the highlight here and all that looks cool, but you

know, and that's what BC has done a good job of. I always watch the the President, you know, on Twitter and what he's doing to to get excitement there. So there are teams that are doing it and someone's on the West and East coast that have to have to go the hardest with that because you know, so Sketch One's always going to be a Saskatchewan and

they're always going to get that crowd. Winnipeg, same thing. But yeah, it's those coast teams that that got to step their game up well, And like you said, it's hard, you know, TV and for the most part, I think the demos and numbers this year at least, you know, with three downs tracking like have been good, right, TV ratings have been good, But it's like you said, it's getting people in.

I know, the XFL, you know, they a myriad of other issues with these alt leagues, but you know, they spend so much time on the broadcast, TV broadcast. So okay, we've got the microphones everywhere you can hear everything, and we're doing all this stuff. Like I don't get any of that when I go to the stadium. So you need to figure out and you know, I know like Edmonton was trying to do that with like the suitets. You know, you get to like all you can eat

and you're on the fields, you know, whatever couches whatever. You have to do something because if I'm getting a better experience watching on TV, it's really hard to you know, to pay and go and do da da da day. You know, I just splt whatever it was to go to Vegas to do all this. Like you're asking a lot of your fans, like you said, when you can get I can set on my phone on Twitter and watch it on TV and get probably a superior experience. Yeah, no

doubt. And for me too, Like you know, I'm an Eastern fan and and I have season tickets. I'm out here talking about fans got to

go out there. But I don't go to every game that we have, but I will I will go, you know, if there is an opportunity, you know, to get on the field or you know, get you know, they have like the the tents with the all you can eat and the drinks and and you know that that is the route that you got to go because CFL has always been that way anyway as far as the fan experience with the players, but that getting on that field for the for the warm

ups, you know, even for after. Winnipeg does an incredible job of that. I always remembered those games. I was always talking to fans. There was you know, hundreds on the field before and then after even as brutal as you know season, We had my last year here out there signing autographs for fans and it you know, it doesn't feel great, but I know it's definitely helping those kids out and those parents and it makes them want to come back for sure to support the team. So maybe they need to

have a chat with with Wayde Miller and with the playbook. Yeah, I think so. In terms of you know, Edmonton's season, you know, it wasn't the greatest, right, you know, kind of took a little too long to go to the trade for experience. A're like, what would

you make of just the overall season this year? Because I think you know, looking now, it feels like they have momentum going into the next year where you know, we were people were screaming fire Chris Jones and kind of all this stuff like what do you kind of a weird situation where like it was a failure this year, but through that maybe we found success or moving

forward. Yeah. Man, I was in the same boat. And I don't really you know, I'm not putting my my opinions out there too much about it because I know how hard it is to make those decisions as GM and and head coach and uh and even for those players, like you know, you just you're feeling bad for for a lot of those guys and and I know a couple of them in Edmonton still, but uh, yeah,

Chris. The thing about you know Chris Jones is it's it's not a situation where everyone's like rooting for him because he kind of plays that villain role anyway in the CFL and you know, my way or the highway. So that's I think piles on even more from the fans and and anyone outside his organization. Now, people that play for him that I've talked to absolutely love playing for him. And if you can make his squad you know, you really

earned it because he's very cutthroat. He's looking for the best guys and he's got kind of a certain guy that he wants and if you're not that, you're probably not going to be there. So when you make his squad, you love playing for him. But you know that switch obviously needed to be made way sooner, and we're seeing the results of it. And I've been very impressed with tray Ford. It's a it's a cool storyline for this year well, and I think it's you know, this this whole promoting you know,

the Canadian talent and everything I know. To me, there's too many good things about the situation where it is just weird. It took so long. I mean, we love Cornelius and kind of attracted me even through the XFL and all that stuff. But like it's just it's just amazing that the the difference of that team seems to look and feel here with trade forward and it seems like it's only kind of picking up. I know they haven't had as many wins closing out the year, but it certainly feels like a different

team. Yeah, and you could just I mean, it was almost that thing where it's like, I'm not going to do what the fans want. I'm gonna do it my way. And but you know, at the end of the day that that's what you're going to get at out of Chris Jones. That's that's how he's always been and and that's why he's been so successful in the league. So I think he uh, you know, he gets him in there. Earlier they got a much better shot, you know,

playoff shot. But now he might have saved his his contract at least knowing they got somebody coming in next year that can that can sling it and win games. So he made the right choice by getting him in there just a little too late. Talking about Hamilton here, kind of a weird season for them, obviously with the bo levies and all of that, and then they came in and beat Saskatchewan right at home last week. Kind of a dominant you know, panting of Saskatchewan. You know they're going to be in the

playoffs. You know, Cody f Gerardo is kind of hot and cold. You know, we're fans of Cody here, But what do you make of that? Because I do think that's I think whether it's Saskatchewan or Calgary. I think BC kind of take takes care of that right and then goes into Winnipeg. But to me, the playoffs on the East are a little bit more interesting that way. What do you make of that with it with the

Hamilton with their season and then kind of going into the Outlets. Yeah, I mean, Stan I's got a tough, tough choice they're going in because I know that that Bo is just coming back and they're not you know, they're they want them healthy for that run, but it's how how much are they gonna lean on him? And I you know, I've obviously followed bow as another former Eastern Washington Eagle goeagues and so I'm excited that he's back, and you know, he got to play a little bit last week and it

did well. But uh, you know, in the in the playoffs too, to be able to have guys that even if as a backup, that can play and win games. You know, Bo's got just a great resume. Obviously everyone understands that. So going into the playoffs, to be able to have a couple of guys that can that can win, that's huge for them. But yeah, it'll be an interesting decision by the by the coach. Man, It's funny. You can, you can get to a spot, but and when you get to the playoffs, man, that's when the

pressure just hits on these guys. I've been a part of teams where you know, they make decisions. You're like, what are we doing? We've done it this way the whole time. But yeah, so many There's so many different things too that we don't understand contractually with these players too, and you know they're trying to piece together a team for next year as well,

and you know, keep people happy. So yeah, that'll be interesting, yeah, because i mean just looking here, you know BC coming in and that's you know, BC's got to keep pace here and you know this is coming up this weekend kind of a must win for them. So it's weird. It's a weird timing with just looking at the schedule and then Hamilton having a late buy and then playing Montreal there and what could be kind of a weird preview of the playoffs. It's just weird, like you're getting bow back.

You know, would it have been better off getting back a couple of weeks ago? I mean, obviously you can't whatever, but it's late now where it's like we got to use him, you know, Taylor Powell, Malthy, Shields have hadn't gotten this at this point. He's just it's a tricky situation there, right, Just it's a it seems like it's a crowded

space, if that makes sense. Yeah, no, it is. And when I got to Edmonton, it was the story was always told about, you know, Ricky, Ricky Ray and Jason Moss going into the Great Cup game because you know, Moss had won a couple of the playoff games to get him to the Great Cup because Ricky was hurt. And then it was it was a you know, it was a game time decision and they went

with Ricky and then they win the Great Cup. And yeah, it's such a such a tough, tough decision you got to make going into those situations. But that's what the you know, that's why that was Danny mcchouch's calling. That's why he's still in the league. So, uh, you can say what you want about him, but he's still got a job in the CFL. So he's he's made some tough decisions and some of them are the

right ones. Oh, Greg, I appreciate coming on today. Anything else, any other things you're looking forward to this weekend or to the rest of the year. I'm you know, I'm I'm excited for the I was kind of looking at the upcoming schedule and it's funny, we got there's only three games from the last two weeks, which is a totally different thing than than I'm used to seeing. So they really really this a long season to get to the playoffs, Like, holy crap, it feels like we should be

starting next week, but here we go through more weekends. I'll be you know, it's tough down here to watch every game, but I'll be checking it out. And then when the playoffs starts, you know, that's when I'm on my couch. So yeah, it's you know, and I've had conversations. I've had conversations even on this show with the commissioner, like, you know, a lot was made of the CFL or CBS Sports whatever, you know, sports streaming, and unless you're on that CFL plus for a

lot of these games, it's really hard to watch them. And I just like, I would like this to be revisited a different way for US American viewers to watch these on demand, because it is hard and I even on our Monday recaps. I rely a lot on Jason Tosseie, one of the guys you know in Hamilton, to really kind of have the in depth breakdown of all these because it is hard. Like if I'm out on a Saturday for two hours, it's like, well that was it. You can't you

know, you can't go back. So great, I appreciate it. You best of luck with everything and like I said, with the you know everything over in Eastern Washington and everything else. I appreciate you coming on to that. Yeah, thank you so much for having me love talking CFL Man.

Well, here is someone we've watched every week really, you know, and we can talk Edmonton and all that, but really kind of have a stellar season. Kevin Brown here with the Edmonton Oaks. How are you doing, sir. I'm doing good. I'm doing good. I was watching some of your post game wait, you know, getting ready for this and everything just seems like a joyous, like happy guy. I mean, how do you kind of keep I don't know, it seems like you have a great personality

about you. Oh yeah, I do. I mean it's all from an upbringing, you know what I'm saying. So like I I'm an optimistic kind of person, so I always look at like the bar set of things, you know what I'm saying. When something goes wrong, there's always a positive. So I always look for the positive and that keeps me, you know, in the uplifting spirit. So yeah, I'm a I'm a happy kind

of guy. It's funny. It's always like the most physical talented people on the field always seem to be. Like I interview a lot of like defensive guys in here. We've had like Matthew Batts with the BC Lions and something like. It always seems like that the guys that just will will beat you on the field are always the nicest guys. It's just kind of funny. Yeah, definitely, though definitely I ran it. I ran into a couple of them before. H So, how's it been like for you this year?

I mean personal, Let's talk personally first and then team wise. How has been your twenty twenty three on the football field? Uh? Personally, I would say there's definitely been some up and downs, you know what I'm saying. Uh, For me, I think in the beginning, I wasn't where I wanted to be, But like you, know, getting more comfortable and like, uh, I was in my head a lot so and like once I realized, you know, just like play play free, play relax

and play calm. I mean like I believe everything came you know, cle clearer to me. So, uh, since I started doing that, everything's been everything's been going good for me. I did you feel like and we've had on you know, even coach Jones on last year and then we had him on kind of after this season, do you feel like the staff that you guys have in place that helps you they kind of help help you succeed.

Oh yeah, definitely. I have some of the coaches come up to me, you know, give me some encouraging words, like my running back coach I've for me. I was like questioning myself sometimes and then my coach is like, it's all about confidence. You know, you're the guy. You know you could do what you do. I've seen it before. You just gotta trust in your ability, trusting your you know yourself and that I

feel like that helped me a lot. I So you right, I'm with the team last year, first full season this year, right, being put in a really prominent position. How did that feel? And how did you kind of internalize that, because you know it's a lot of pressure on I feel like, don't try to look at it as that way, you know what I'm saying, Try to like I mean, for me, I feel

like doing the small things can help lead to being greater things. So that's that's why I really try to harbor on in terms of kind of learning process going into everything, and the CFL has have it challenging you with all, Like I said, from your twenty twenty two into twenty twenty three, Oh yeah, when I first got here, definitely, because I only had like three days of practice and then I was thrown into the game, so that so it came at me fast. And then like once I would like thrown

that whole twenty twenty two process, I was still learning the offense. I was still learning, you know, all the rules to the game and everything, and then once twenty twenty three season came wrong, I found myself getting comfortable. I knew the offense, I knew the players, I knew the tendencies. So you know that that time really helped me progress and to what I'm doing now. Did you have thoughts on the CFL before you came up.

I mean, I'm from Seattle, so I have thoughts. Well, yeah, I mean, did you have thoughts entering the league that maybe lived out or didn't live up to what you thought? Changed, you know, different perspective. Really, I thought I was never gonna be in the CFL, because you know, I had I had tryouts from the Broncos, had trials from the Ravens. I thought I was gonna lay in one of those

spots, but it didn't happen. So when I got the call, I jumped on it right away because you know, it's an opportunity to show, you know, what I can produce. So never thought I had thoughts about come to Canada. But you know, I'm now that I'm here, I'm liking it. I'm getting to a nice feel about it, and you know, it's it's going well for me. Do you like Edmonton? I I have never been there. I think it's probably pretty frigid certain times of the year. Oh, Edmonton is Niceton? Is nice? Is a great?

Uh? I feel like it's it's called Providence or is that burn I'm sorry, Yeah, al Bert, that's the Providence. You're good. Yeah, yeah, but no, it's it's nice, The people are nice. The food is amazing. I'm a foodie, so the food is amazing. The people are nice. Like I said before, I mean it's a great place to be honestly in terms of you know, we tracked Edmonton here the last couple of years and maybe not the season I think anyone wanted. It's been

a little bit of ups and downs. What is it kind of been the mentality through the locker room here during the season. Oh, the mentality is the you know, uh, focus on the next game, Like even if you want to lose, you got to focus on the next game. The mentality in the locker room and like the closing staff has been uplifting, you know what I'm saying. But you know, you have you have your advertsities,

you have your ups and downs, but it's all mental. So you have to learn, you know, to deal with it and to go back and look on like what mistakes that have that you made and try to improve on that. So what I do is I try to, like, you know, get the same, get one percent better every day. I take that the heart. So you know, you have a bad game or you mess up, trying not to mess up again on the on the same thing, so you know, you just got to look forward to the next play

or to the next game. Do you feel like having the season you know, and it certainly swung up here more recently, But does that make the locker room closer? Have you guys been able to bond because I could see it being the other way right where you're like, hey, we're kind of getting argument. Do you feel like you guys have bonded through all this? Oh, definitely, the guys that we have on the team and the staff,

we we where everybody came from, you know what I'm saying. Wherever the background people have, it's you could definitely see it because we we definitely came closer. So you know, want to lose. We always want to have each other's backs. We're always gonna look forward, you know, trying to help, trying to help each other or you know, better each other.

You know, iron shopping's iron. So we definitely, we definitely have those type of guys in the in the in the uh, in the locker room, and that's gonna you know, help us get to the next level in terms of you know, kind of and obviously there was a lot of the story this year the quarterback and stuff. I we had Trey on pre season because I thought Trade's going to be a super you know, I try to hitch my wag into you know, these guys like this could be we

finally get to that position. Right, we love Cornelius and all that other stuff. Having someone like Trey, what does that help you do? From from your position? And you know where he's a threat, right then you're gonna be like, how is that help to add into the offense there? Well, Tray in the back, he's a I feel like he's a doer threat personally for me because he can run it as you've seen, as many

people seen before. He could. He's dangerous on his feet, but he's also you know, he has an arm, and he has eyes, he has the vision. And it helps me because the defense doesn't know if he's gonna take it, Like if you have a play action or whatever. They don't know if he's going to pull it and run off with it or like pass it, or he's going to give it off. So it it gives the defense, you know, some honor to where they have to like play both of us. So if he gives it, I do what I do

and he pulls it. He does what he does and either way we're gonna get some yards off of it. Is he is he a good leader in terms of the offensive? Now or where do you guys look to when you're on the playfield, Like who's kind of helping you rally the troops there? I feel like it definitely starts with the quarterback, and Trey is the He

definitely can do it. He's shown it before, He's done it almost every game and so yeah, so yeah, we look to trade for us to be you know, we look for trade to be the leader, and he is. In terms of this weekend, you know, like I said, your season, you kind of out of it. Here a chance to play spoiler a little bit to the Montreal coming. You know, they have a really impressive defense. I've had lots of their guys on the show like what

are you looking for to that? Because I do think that this could be kind of a heavy hitting in terms of, you know, strengths on both sides of the ball. So what are you looking forward to? Honestly, I don't know. But they have a good defense. You know, they they they're physical, you know, they play fast, you know, But for us I feel like we just have to strike fast. We have to be fast. We have to start ahead of them, you know what I'm

saying. We have to hit them before they hit us. And I feel like that's what we have to do and be physical for us, you know, come on top for this game. What's the you know, being out of it? What's the message in the locker room? I guess going in just one game of the time still, or how do you guys, how are you approaching this? Maybe now that the season is all out of hand, we're approaching this game and the next game as this is a this is

a playoff game. This is the playoff game, and we're looking, you know, to capitalize on the next season. We're building now for next season, and we're playing and we're proaching every game like it's a playoff game. So for us, it's to be physical, to hit them first and to come out fast. That's how we're approaching it. I like that, well, Kevin, I appreciate that. I appreciate you making the time and you know, getting near the end of the season here, but it certainly feels

like you guys have the upswing and we're getting everything. You know, it was a little messy there. Man. We don't need to get into all that, but it does feel good. Edmonton, I got a lot of friends up there, you know, on both sides and calling the games is up so I appreciate it and that thanks for making the time to that. Oh you just said, no problem, and it's so punctual. I just

want to point that out again. Kevin. Very puncfortable, but you know, and it's always kind of a mixed bag, so Kevin, I appreciate it. We watch and talk about you guys every week, so I appreciate it. And good luck this weekend. I appreciate it. Thank you man, huge special thanks again to all of our guests. Really appreciate Anthony Miller

hopping on after his work schedule and you know all his you know, you know, personal life, everything else going on at balancing all that. Really appreciate that. Super appreciate far Han making time. Busy guy, and then obviously Greg Beach coming on with all of his commitments and Kevin Brown Edmonton,

Alex. Really appreciate you guys studying that up. Like I said, Edmonton certainly one of the best teams to work with in terms of kind of you know, providing players and like when Vitor Queed you know, was involved in kind of all that stuff. So super appreciate that and that will do it for me today. You know, good luck here to the Kraken over the weekend that back in the hockey season, should be some good CFL games as well. Hopefully you know, far Han's predicting the Hilton upset here with BC,

so we'll see. Should be excited. Make sure you're subscribe, keep you up to date and all the XFL, USFL merger news, the NSFL whatever we want to call it when that finally comes about, So make sure you're subscribe. We'll see you next time. Thanks,