UFL Playoffs Preview, CFL 2024 Season Primer

Hey guys, welome to the marcast read here. Well, here we are. We have finally done it. We have succeeded. We have eclipsed thirty five hundred subscribers on YouTube as of this week. Thank you all so much for your support. Long time coming here, lots of hard work, lots of smart, passionate people taking time out of their days to come on the show to talk with us about football and you know, TV ratings and attendance

and everything else in between. Really appreciate that. Like I said, really a collection of just everybody's time and energy here over the last three and a half years got us to this point. Didn't have to buy it in the UFL games, didn't have to steal anyone else's content every purposes. This is our own. So really appreciate it. A big testament, a big milestone

today. So we will be announcing our big thirty five hundred subscriber giveaway at the end of the show rules how to inter So stick around for that. Remember your chance to win two free tickets to the UFL Championship game. They have already been purchased. I got them today in hand, and then I kind of forgot. We have a ton. I got a bunch of these jerseys the Dustin at Royal Rotros had sent over to me, so we're gonna

be giving those away too, raffling those off. So even if you aren't gonna be able to make it to the Saint Louis Championship game, you still have a chance to win a prize, So stay tuned. At the end of the show, we will be doing the rules about how to get submit your name and kind of get involved with all of that stuff. But, like I said, thank you all so much. A lot of hard work from everybody involved, all the guests, everybody, listeners, viewers getting us

to this point, So thank you. Big show today basically previewing the UFL playoffs. A couple of weeks of gameplay left, but for all intents and purposes here we're really kind of solidified here with the conference. You know, could have a little seeding changes, but you know, if Birmingham takes care of business and the Ballahawks take care of business, we kind of know where

we sit. So every hunt joining today was with us for the exit the UFL kickoff show for you know, remotely here when we were in Arlington for that Emory Hunt coming on the show, sharing his thoughts of the season, what worked, what didn't work, What coaches he has, you know, succeeded, exceeded his expectations, Which coaches didn't. You know, what changes

in the store for next year standout players? Is the UFL working all that sort of stuff, And then a deep dive into the playoff you know matches and between the you know, the BattleHawks and the Brahmas and then the Stallions and the Panthers. So really appreciate Emory coming on. And then we are in a CFL season here, pregate. You know, preseason games happened earlier this week and then this weekend. So we have Ted Wyman on the mend

here coming on. Ted's got some stuff going on. I appreciate him taking the time to come on. We are previewing the Blue Bombers here who are playing this weekend. And then we got old friend of the show, and not an old friend, but you know he's a long time friend of the show, Dave Campbell coming on. We're talking to Edmonton malk So lots of UFL playoff talk today football after kind of our big expansion episode last week.

We'll see how this episode performs and then Ted Lineman and Dave Campbell coming on talking CFL. I'll let you get to the interviews here. Like I said, tune back in at the end. We'll give you all the details for the giveaways. Hope you enjoy, like and subscribe picks. Well, this

is exciting. We might have to get you back on for ELF talk as well here. I didn't realize that, but yeah, Emory Hunt here talking and Anthony Miller is involved in that. With the season four here come up. We have Emory Hunt back here again. Had you on for the pregame show before the kickoff and now we're here. It's basically the playoff previews. We're going into week nine here. How are you doing serve the ulf UFL season? So I got my hack. I'm doing fine. Man. It's

always a pleasure, big fan of the show. Listen every week multiple times a week with a different show that you do, and I'm glad to be on again. Well, I appreciate it. So we did our big expansion talk last week. We had John Lewis on for that. This week we're gonna do a little bit more football stuff. Is always great for that and Emory watches all the games, like general thoughts here, you know, we're

going into week nine. What do you think about the UFL season? You know, I love the fact that we are now focusing on the football part of it, you know, and that's the that's the biggest key, because that means it's going to be sustained. Obviously, all the other stuff matters, but the football has to be good. And the football isn't good,

then nobody's watching, nobody's going, nobody cares, uh. And I do feel like I tweeted this out last week where you know, even though you kind of like how they've sold, we consolidated the teams so it's tougher to meet the rosters. It's not quite w nb A tough, but it is.

You know, they kind of got the best of the best. But then you lose some of those, uh, those little idiosyncrasies that are involved with different teams, Like how you knew the Pittsburgh Malars defense was gonna be the reason why they would be in a game or perhaps win a game. You knew new Jersey was going to come in with their unique two quarterback system and be the only team running that system. And you knew Philadelphia was gonna air it out and just kind of you know, go balls to the wall

with their passing game. And in the XFL you knew how DC had their two quarterback system and it kind of worked. When one was struggling, Okay, we'll take him, I'll put the other one in and get the jump.

The offense jump started again, So you kind of lose that. I think that's why I always want more teams to to kind of help want to get more players opportunities and more jobs, but also kind of build that uniqueness that is in the you know that we see in the college game or even in the NFL game when some teams are zigging, other teams are zagging, and it makes for fun you know, brands so people can tune in.

Oh yeah, you know, it's because I think what happens people get kind of stale in terms of, Man, we watched this team already like three times. I kind of want to see somebody else play. But when you only have eight teams, you kind of only had that at your you know, only had that at your disposal. Are you surprised because you talked about that, like the consolidation of talent and they're like, oh, these are

all going to be all stars, super teams and all that stuff. But then you know, like the Rennegades haven't been great, right, the USFL Conference has a couple really weak. You know, the show the show Botes, right. Are you surprised with that that there wasn't more parody this season? I mean we're approaching we have two weeks left of the season, and I know, like home field advantage is kind of up, even though I guess the Panthers couldn't even play at Ford Field if they wanted to for the

playoffs I found out. But like, except for that, everything's kind of locked up. Were you surprised that there was so much disparity between the teams? Yes, because you kind of thought it would be everybody would be you know, three and three and three right now? You know what I'm saying, A four and four with two weeks agos like, man, who's gonna

end? But but like we talked about before, whether it was the XFL twenty twenty one or twenties on last year or USFL twenty twenty one, it really comes down a quarterback play and a lot of teams pick the wrong quarterback and not saying that you know, the guy can't play. But sometimes it's just hey, man, if you're in a secondary league where you know the focus will be on can we protect the quarterback, you better have a mobile

quarterback back there uh to kind of help that offensive line. If you don't, you kind of get left in the you know, left behind. And I thought, hey, if if you're gonna cut eight teams, your depth chart, a quarterback is probably gonna be super strong to where we wouldn't see a one to seventeam going into week nine, we'd see a team that's four and four. So I felt that's the that's the biggest shock. And then when you notice, you know, some of these teams don't even have uh

you know, some teams are explosive, some teams lack speed. And he like, man, you know, why are we you know, traveling down the road of the uh you know, the thirty year old running back or

the you know, thirty three year old quarterback. Like, yeah, you want a place for guys that still want to play to play, But man, you got this is supposed to be the League of Opportunity, which to me sounds like a league of twenty two to twenty seven year olds, you know what I'm saying, But it's just it's just I think a lot of it really boils down to teams hitching their wagon to quarterbacks that can help play

above the ex's and o's. Uh yeah, and you I remember famously at you're an advocate for getting the younger town than these and you don't want to see you know, year seven and whoever are you some of these? I know obviously you know mccaren has done well with the battle Hawks. We've seen Tayamu struggle like not. You know, it hasn't been a hit for all these quarterbacks coming in. I know that the Martinez thing with the Stallions has

been phenomenal, and they really you know, skip holes. It seems like an plug in whoever they're and kind of make it work. But I used to rise, I guess specifically with the defenders in Tama, specifically that they

really haven't reached. And I know they had injuries and people moving on and stuff going then, but uh, kind of a Shallo of its former team that looks like yeah, it's I mean, you really start to realize, like how much they missed Derek King in terms of what he brought to the change of pace, like he was the one that kind of helped get the run game started, you know, and that's when you start to see Abram

Smith have his success. Then they switched back to Tiama and now you have to play action passing game, and you know, he's able to make some throws deeper down the field. Like Granted, you're right, they did lose like a quartet of receivers. They don't have Abram Smith because he got hurt in the preseason, and they don't have Dereck King, and I was surprised they didn't go back to that model that worked for them, that bade them

such a you know, such a formidable offense. But man, a lot of their defensive pieces are still there, and they stink defensively, to be completely fair and honest, like they can't stop anybody. And that was the hallmark last year. Their defense was strong and tough, and they turned the ball over the high clip. I know that's a high variance where you can't depend on turnovers and count on that week in week out, but man, they to see DC's defense look like it looked this season has been has been

a big problem. And I also feel like with Arlington. Yeah, we love the Luis Perez story and and you know, I'm glad they've leaned off the bowling part of it during the broadcast. I think we got that part,

but you know, you got Lindsay Scott. Oh, like, this is somebody that everybody wants to see and it's I like, I would like to compare that situation to what we will potentially see with Pittsburgh the Steelers, where you should have the you know, you should have the freedom to start the young guy, the guy that's still ascending, because you know, if he doesn't do right or if he fails, you can lean back on the Russell Wilson the veteran or the Luis Perez the veteran to stabilize the offense.

But give those young guys that that that run to go out there and try to perform. Because if Arlington had Lindsay Scott, they could have recreated what we saw the Houston Roughnecks do with PJ. Walker with it made it exciting to watch, you know what I'm saying, And that's why people tuned in for Roughnecks games in XFL twenty twenty, Like man PJ. Walker balling, you know, and so nobody's tuned into Arlington to watch Louis Perez, you know, one, two, three, get the ball out, Like nobody

wants to see that man. And you know, I just feel like that's where some teams have faltered well. And there was there's something even on I think it was the third thing that Holton Aylers or whatever, where he was talking like, yeah, they're all in on you know, they're all in on Louise and it doesn't matter and all that. It is funny you talk to bowling because it's like, you know, and in the broadcast have been hit or mess kind of across the board, but there is like, you

know, Louise present the bowling. They're like, you know, DC's got the beer snake Ballahawks. They have a lot of fans, like the every team, you know, they have like there's like one or two crutches for every single one of these types. It's funny how I can't run. And I don't know if you guys brought this up, but it's funny because you say that, think about it. I want to say it maybe got to like week four, will we stop seeing that damn map? What the teams

are located? Like you if you if you're born in the United States and you know what Memphis or Saint Louis or DC is. We got a whole nother conversation. Well, I also when they post that map and I had said that over the Sam Schwartz team. We'll talk every once in a while, like I had drone during the rest of the United States there and they're like, well, I'm over here, so I'm not. That's where I'm

ready from. It's not even and god forbid, you don't have any international viewers as well, Like it's only if you live in you know, Birmingham, Texas. That's all we care about. We don't want to do any of that stuff. Some of these like you talk boring football, some of these coaches Arlington, I feel like Bob Steeps is kind of on his way out. I'm curious here when we get the pay structures next year with some of these XFL coaches, like are they going to take a pick up?

Like Curtis Johnson feels like moving on, like any of these guys that even kind of disappointed in from a head coaching perspective, you know, it's it's fascinating because if you look at what we had with Kirby Wilson in USFL twenty

twenty one. Right, for all of his faults, you kind of he became part of the brand, right in terms of like I got to tune in to see what they do, and then they moved on from him, and then they bring in you know, Horton and you're like, all right, well, this team kind of plays, you know, they have an identity. I feel like we haven't seen the identity yet for Stoops or especially him being a college coach, and also Courage Johnson being a former college head

coach as well. The identities aren't there, Like when you tune into a Birmingham game, you've seen an identity. Even with Mike Nolan, who has taken another step forward in his second season, has developed an identity and he has to use he had to use multiple quarterbacks, and so I think those

two you haven't really seen the identity. Now with the to your comment toward pay structure, wouldn't this be the perfect time to kind of lean in on younger coaches like Aj Smith, right, the coordinator for the San Antonio Brahmas. Wouldn't he be primed for a head coaching job in you know the UFL, or you know Anthony Blevins, who should have should be the head coach

of the Vegas Vipers. Wouldn't he be primed for a head coaching job if it's the League of opportunity, you know, let's get these younger up and coming coaches opportunities to lead a football team and also give these young up and coming players to you know, have a chance to get some fresh tape out there. And I know that kind of I get why they go with the AJ mccerren's and the Wave philps, and I get that because you got to have recognizable names for the lay person. But man, I would go aggressive

this offseason, starting with the draft. And we talked about this before, where you have like a future's draft, Like listen, if I'm if I'm Who's who DJ late Bro, Listen, you're like your seventh year in college, your third program like NFL is gonna treat you like an afterthought like I would have. I would have gone like I would have gone heavily after to

Leah Tunguebalowa. I said this, like when we talked before, I would have gone heavily after Stetson Bennett before he had that last year where they won a national championship. That would have been a guy that you kind of thought that league would be like, yeah, he's only five nine, five ten, whatever, we don't need that, right, So you find you you earmark some of these guys that you know, the NFL will kind of cause

if you're really competing with Day three late Day three. So if I can, if I can get the guy like a Lindsay Scott and say, hey, man, you know, once you're done in November or December playoffs or whatnot, Uh, how about you just come play for us for a season or at least four games and let the league reevaluate you. In those four games, you still can get drafted. We've seen this before. Happened with a you know, we just saw with quant Twist Quants Stiggers Toronto, although

he played a full eighteen game season plus playoffs. But we saw with Kenny Robinson in the XFL, like you have a chance to still get drafted. But man, like, I think that needs to be the aggressive approach. Get some young stars, both coaches and players, and really try to cultivate, you know, an interest from the college fan and also the pro foot the pro football fan for some FL stands started screaming in the comments UFL USFL twenty twenty two. I also lost that year because the come and it was

twenty twenty three, and then I was twenty one. Was the fangersh on football Spring League era? That's right, that's right, that's right. That was adulgrinds of the show we were doing, so Zoe tates, it's been

sure in terms of standouts. Obviously, special teams have been, you know, across the board anything else because like that, and that's always great and you want to see you know, the Brandon Aubreyes of the world and all that, but like anyone from a you know, I don't even know quarterback, anyone else that your non special teams stand out for you as someone that's worth a shot in the NFL here, because I do think they've strayed a

little bit away from like every single comment is this guy's trying to get back to the NFL. Like this guy's trying, but obviously that's kind of the goal. So what do you think about that. That's a great point. But it's funny because you see that, you see the guys that that you

think that the league would be attracted to. But then they then when they you know, do the sideline interview and they show up the lower third, You're like, wow, he is twenty eight, Like geez, I forgot you know, like the Derek Roverson's you know what I'm saying, Uh, the number seven for Temipino, the pass rusher for the BattleHawks, like those guys get after the quarterback on a consistent basis, Like, man, the

league wants pass rushers. But then you know, the age may age some of these guys out, Like you look at a Jace Sternberger who had that opportunity but didn't really get the opportunity. And I hate that We're now seeing Alex Magoo move the receiver resks, like what are we doing? You know what I'm saying. So, but you look at like I say, Surat

and how he's played at tight end. But then when you start to see the age and the time, and if you're the NFL, you're kind of like, hey, man, we have the luxury of getting young, cheap talent. Why would we want you know, a twenty eight year old number three, you know, tight end or a twenty eight year old situational edge guy when we can just get a twenty one year old, situational a guy

and pay him next to nothing. You know. I think that's why you haven't seen a lot of these guys make that jump or they'll get an opportunity in training camp, but they won't stick because of that. So to answer your long window way to answer your question, it's hard because the guys that are performing really well, Like I thought we was gonna get one last year with the kid from Arlington that I think is Harvey or whoever had the lot

a lot of the sacks. He was a rookie, he was a part of twenty twenty three class and bypassed, you know, the whole process to go and play in the XFL. Was a killer on defense and didn't get a sniff in the NFL draft despite producing at a high level on a team that won a championship. So that kind of got me to thinking, like maybe maybe this is what is going to be for some of these guys. Is that I last, I want to get to the playoffs? I have

here? Read mean? Is that sustainable? Is that for a viewership for people with the wanting to participate, like, hey, I want to play football? Team know two months at three months out of the year and make you a fifty grand I mean, it's out a sustainable thing here. That therein lies the rub, right because in order for that to happen, the

salaries are going to have to increase. But in order for the salaries to increase viewership and all, you know, you got to the for the productst to increase, right, Because if you can get to one hundred k people might people might just be like, you know what, man like this ain't bad, man like I can do this, and then you may have to cap your you know, as much as we love to talk about expansion,

ten teams may be the max. If you're gonna pay everybody one hundred k, you know what I'm saying, and you know, so we'll I think that ideally that should be the goal. Increase the salary somewhere. It's a I hate to say Liverpool ways because you know, fifty thousand dollars to some people may seem it may be a lot of fifty thousand dollars in some areas may just seem like lunch money right based off where you live. But I do feel like that's where it kind of has to be. You have to

create a second league where people can earn a living just playing ball. Because we know the NFL based off how they are and what they are, they have the luxury of, you know, bypassing you know what they've already bypassed. Put it that way, looking for it here playoffs. Like I said, most things in stone here as presuming the Birmingham host here at the USFL

conference, is it they're just head and shoulders. If i've everybody, it feels like I know they had the close back and forth of the BattleHawks and that came down to kind of the wire. But like is it just them and the credit to them or are they doing things so much better than everyone

else or are teams not catching up to them? Like how do you view where they've just it's three years now, I mean, this is kind of an incredible run they have going on with multiple quarterbacks and all sorts of turnover and everything else. What it shows, you read is the value of one coaching and two continuity, Like they played together for for the most part three years, Like a good portion of that football team combined with the coaching staff,

so that continuity is almost like a cheet code. Like okay, we understand the system. We know what to expect, and skip Holes has shown I know how to coach in this league under these situations, and therefore, you know, we can make it work. And we've seen it with different quarterbacks. We've seen it with different pass rushers, we've seen it with different people in the secondary. But for the most part, of core of that

team has been solid. And I'd be interested to go back and look at had they had the same offensive line coach from you know, twenty twenty two to now. Yeah, they had the hind box on first year, and then he is because he's with Arlington now it's I don't know who there are. He is right because their offensive line hasn't been an issue, but a lot of it. You know, Matt Casky has been on this team since the start, right the tackle out of Dartmouth who played with the Rams for

a little bit. So the fact that they have a lot of guys that have played together in the spring, that's that's what we're looking for, you know, continuity. If we can get continuity like that, then I feel like every team can be a Birmingham Stallions. But you know, with so much turnover. But that's why you have what you have in Saint Louis, right, even though this is his year two for them, in this iteration of it, they've played together a lot. So the continuity is there.

You know, the passing game is work, the offensive line is better, the play callers, you know, I tweeted this out back. I won't to say, maybe about a month ago. Greg Kowski now just has a greater grasp of how to work with this offense and what he has, and so him and mccaren are even more so on the same page and it were last year. So I think the continuity is what's been king for the two teams that are really at the top. It's interesting here just say you bring

that up. So I'm gonna blencher this gentleman's last name, John David Diggle Gimo. He was with the Giants back in twenty one, and then he's the first season here with that. So you had Heinbach and then someone else last year, and so I see you had three different offensive line coaches for Wheveringham. So that's remark. Yeah, he was with the Giants back under Joe Judge and then he had COVID and this scams and stuff. So anyway,

interesting. That very interesting. But it shows you Skip Holts once again, man like he give him a statue, and you know what, I like that Skip Holds, Anthony Beck and even Reggie Barlow, they've embraced the Spring. They like embraced the spring league coach. So they so they are the perfect I feel like champions for the league. And because they could have had, you know, especially Skip Polts, I wonder if he had an opportunity. I remember he uh was a consult cause yeah he got he get

calls and yeah, I'm comfortable. We'll see how comfortable he's going to be if they cut salaries for the coaches. But for the most part, if we can get continuity with you know, DPPs head coaches and some parts of the roster, then I think we'll see you know, teams entering week nine, four and four. I do feel like Skip Holtz is kind of like the big jock on campus right now. Like I feel like he is in a very comfortable We're like, I'm the man, this is I got my

team. I know how to talk to everybody. Like I think Skip's probably living pretty comfortable. I mean, I know he's got to do the other hub now in Arlington and all that. But I think his life's pretty good for him if he wants to kind of continue doing this. That's what if

I get. Yeah, and these coaches, listen, man, these these former hate coach at the collegiate level, they're not hurting for bread, right, especially Stoops like stup probably has like you know that that that little piece of Oklahoma that no one knows what's going going on out there in the Panhandle. That's he probably owns that, like, you know, for the stuff he's done, how long he's coached, how much money he's made. Right,

So, these dude is a sitting pretty pretty well. Uh So in terms of that matchup here, Stallions and Panthers here, you know, and they've maintained right, I mean, it's it's a showbutz everyone else has kind of fallen off. But what I mean, is it the one not I hate that place? Is it the one horse race here with the Stallions or just the Panthers have any shot here? They do have a shot, man,

And you know why because fundamentally they're built the same weight. Their O line and D line is pretty dog on good, especially their D line. Their defensive front seven in Michigan. To put it even more specifically, they really can slow down the run game, they can get pressure, they impose their will when they hit you. Breelan speaks and all these guys play a

physical brand of football, so they can match physicality with Birmingham. The question and what's going to come down to, is you know one who's gonna be at quarterback for Michigan Because I feel like every other week somebody's starting new that somebody's banged up, but they come in and play well, right and we know they've lost Wes Hills for the season. Corbyn has done a fantastic job

running the football. They're gonna need a secondary back to merge because you can't just hand it to him, you know, thirty times and hope that's going to be you know your game plan. But who's going to be quarterback and who's gonna help them, you know, make those plays that easy be made benefit for them. We know they only have to cross the fifty to be in field goal range, so they can kind of play nip and tuck that way. But I think their defense and their run game will give them a

chance against Birmingham. And it's about possessions it's almost like you can't. We saw the Knicks go through this against the Pacers, like it's in their name. Pacers, they set the pace. They are twenty fourth in defense. Why are you trying to run with the Pacers like slow it down, expose their defense and make them play consistent basketball. But they want to go back

and forth. And now you're out the playoffs, right, So if you're Michigan, you got to look at this like, hey man, if we just limit the amount of possessions Birmingham has, we can make this a we could put we could raise the stakes on Birmingham to not make a mistakes. So we've seen this quite honestly. At times throughout the season for Birmingham,

they get bored. You know, they're they're dominant, but then they'll go through a quarter where they just like they can't complete the pass, or they'll have a mental drop here, or you know, somebody will just jump all sides or just like they'll they'll play with their food a little bit. And if you're Michigan, you got to try to exploit that. The best way to do that is strength the ball game and play keep away and forcing them

to be consistently fundamentally sound all throughout the game. Yeah, I've been tracking this the East Coast bias with the Knicks and everything, and then there's been a lot of the Steven Aber that and there's been a lot this week about that the Patriots. I'm not the NBA guy, but that's been interesting. We don't know. Maybe we'll get the songs back here. And then then the other side here with with the the BattleHawks here looking really good. You

came down to the wire against the Stallions. Brahmis is our team coming in and obviously right now you've got Dormandy but they're talking, you know, right garbarous might be coming back here. What do you make of that? Because

to me that's a little bit I think Stallions steamroll the Panthers here. What do you make of the XBL conference That's another one where it's it's the same argument I made for the Panthers and Stallions I will make for the battle Hawks and and Bramos because fundamentally, like, yeah, the Brahma's defense has done

well, but yeah, you can run on them a little bit. Uh Is Saint Louis disciplined enough to run the ball consistently on them or would they hey man, we gotta throw here, you know, because you got to former quarterback as oci talking to a veteran quarterback and and you know, so you know that ego is there, like, hey man, we gotta we gotta go out there and win with our arm. Like, bro, you better run the ball because you can't, you know what I'm saying. And

we know the quarterback situation over there in Saint San Antonio. You know, it's funny to see these guys be be uh, you know, six and two or whatever their record is, I believe, and it's like for y'all

should be three and five, you know what I'm saying. Like they they've they've eked out some you know what Houston comes to mind when you're guarding against you know, they have to get into the end on a three point play and you got your heels on the on the goal line and you backpedal, like why, like how about you force them to make a tight window throw. Don't let them catch at the one and fall into the end zone.

Right, So they've been getting by, you know, I don't I don't call it luck because it is you know, you have to really come back and scale town all that stuff. But they be getting lucky man, and so this will be a game where they can't make mistakes and you're gonna require Dormanya to protect the ball because he tends to be a you know, he puts the ball in harm's way, and if it's Garbers wasn't playing particularly well

before he got injured, So there's some questions about their passing game. We've seen them drop a lot of passes a receiver too, so it's not like they have those receivers that will make you pay where you kind of this guy may drop the ball on this play and then he may catch it on the next one. That type of inconsistency. You can't have that going into a

game against the battle Hawk. So if they were gonna have a chance to win, If they win, that means they would have played their cleanest, most consistent, most fundamentally sound game of the year, and that's hard to say. I just think that that's a tougher battle in my opinion than the Stallions in Panthers. Last thing here, real quick, just call your shot to hear physician. Stallions and the BattleHawks after dumb here won't be there.

It should be rockets. You know, presuming the ballot Hawks are there, but do you think they have enough of what's your early predictions for a potential championship game. I think the Stallions can win that one, you know, by double digits. Uh you know, we saw them play with their food in the fourth in the fourth quarter, like what was that play call?

And then you have the block butt just what we was talking about, right, like they should have that game should have been double digits Birmingham easily, right, but again red zone playing with their food field goal field goal. Then at the end of the game, you're trying to run, you get a block punt of all situation since you're not ready for a block one.

So I feel like they, I hate to use the cliche they've been there before, but they have been there before and so they kind of understand the stakes are high at that at that game, and so I could say they could win that one by ten. I will say, I am I'm close to making a poll, but I don't want to destroy Twitter, like who is the most annoying cham base? The Stallions are the battle Hawks because it

is getting to that point. But at least the Stallions have won, right, I mean at least the Thallions have won, so that's to me, they at least okay, get y up and buck up and all like, at least you guys have won, where the BattleHawks are screaming like beat the Sea Dragons last year at home and you're in the playoffs and it's not even We're not even going to point spreads and point differentials and all that stuff. So I should be exciting, Emory. I appreciate it. I will look

forward to your ELF and you know, involvement and everything else. It should be fun here. Listen, I'm looking forward to it, man, I expect My first game is June fifteenth. I had the Barcelona Dragons at the hell Vectic Mercenaries. They changed their name this season, so that's a great

name for a football team. But the Barcelona Dragons has the best quarterback in the ELF and he had even taken a snap yet in the ELF and is yours truly from the University of Louisiana and Levi Lewis, So I'm already calling him as the best quarterback in the game. He should be playing in the UFL, but we'll see him in the ELF and dominate for the Barcelona dragons. I'm excited for that one. Well, I appreciate I tell you,

we years ago we hitched our ragon to the wrong. I'm like, oh, this USFL thing is gonna you know, in the accident, Like here elf going into year four here and they're crushing it and selling good and everything else. I yeah, we hitched our right wrong. So I appreciate it. Busy guy is always thanks so much, appreciate your reed. Well,

we have Ted here today. Ted's a little on the men, but he's taking the time to come on here. I appreciate it. Ted Wyman here, Winnipegson. How are you doing, sir. I'm doing great, buddy. You know, I always like it when the CFL season gets going. It's just that's my time of year. I love training camp. I love doing a job that you're sitting outside for most of the time, getting to know people, hearing great stories from guys that have great stories from all parts

of this continent and even overseas. So that's a lot of fun. And and we've bombers had a very early preseason game already this year too, which is a little strange, but I guess I think it's good to get started a little earlier because the league really wants to move up the Great Cup and rightly so, the better chance of every game played without a lot of snow and cold is the best plan you can have. And this year NBC anyway,

so I guess it doesn't matter. Well, I was surprised, yeah, because I looked and I'm like, oh God, okay, because I was like, are there more do I got to hit up some more people this week. I'm like one of the rest of the games for this weekend, they had their early game. Any indication why, just kind of getting things rolling. Well, the Bombers start on the sixth, so if you're going to get in two games, you have to do it over three weeks

for two week two games for each team. So someone had to start, you know, just one game on the Victoria Day holiday here and the Riders like to have that game because they think it's a good day to have a football game on a holiday in Reagina. And so that started out pretty early, and a lot of backup players played for the Bombers and we learned a bit about them. So I think that was really good. But you know, when they get out there for their second preseason game, which is on

May thirty. First, we're going to see a lot more what the real real Bombers will look like. Yeah, preseason always especially the CFL and kind of working a lot of guys. And yet what, I guess what what major takeaways did you have from the preseason game? They won, right against the scotchwan Man. No, it's preseason, but they didn't win. And really after the so they didn't even start Kolaros, They didn't start a lot

of guys that you would deem as regular starters. So the guys that were out there as starters, even those players really only played at quarter and they were in pretty good shape. Then, you know, Chris Streveler was doing a good job. He was doing everything that he did the last time he was here running the football. He was seven for eight passing for I think

sixty five yards, three runs for twenty five. This typical Chris Streveler, And so I think people are happy to see that he still looks like a guy who was a good CFL quarterback. You know, he gave it a pretty good run in the NFL too, but just didn't quite get there. And then when they're second and third quarterbacks came in for that game. It was a little uglier and when you know, a lot of lower on the depth chart guys as well, guys who'd never been in a game together,

communicating, et cetera, it didn't go so well. Eric Barrier came in as a backup, the first choice at backup, because I think that's the player they want to see most. I really think he's the most likely to be heading out of town soon anyway. But he had a horrible game, which to help, two terrible interceptions, barely got any offensive yards at all, and you know, just nothing went well for him. But Trey Wilson or Terry Wilson, the other quarterback who has a nice pedigree, looked really

good. You know, he played well. He threw for over one hundred yards, threw a touchdown pass. It was late, but nonetheless it was and he looked pretty calm and cool in there. So that's probably going to be your third stream quarterback here in Winnipeg. And you know a guy that I think it looks like could probably step in and help them if any of the one or two get hurt in terms of streveler, Is us a bit I mean, is this a fan move? Is this that. Do you

think he still got a lot of juice in his tank here. I mean, I know people were really excited when they posted all that stuff kind of in the offseason. Well, he came to them, man, you know, like he decided he wanted to keep his journey going forward in the CFL. Still got lots of years in him for the game, and he loved his time here in Winnipeg. So he came to them, and you know,

they did show interest right away. But then when word got out in the league that Strebler was definitely coming back, there was a few other teams that started to throw their hat in the ring, and you know, basically what they served to do is get the salary bumped up. You know, the Bombers thought it was a pretty good deal for them because they're going to pay this guy non starter money and he was willing to do it. He made a lot of money during his time in the NFL, so that's kind

of good on him. And eventually they got the deal done and he's a he's sure enthusiastic. I'll tell you, he's a you know, you're losing leaders from this team, right like you're losing JaMarcus Hardrick. He's one of the biggest leaders this team has had in a long time. He's a long

time defensive captain. Adam big Hill's going on the six game injury list, which you know, I don't know how long he's going to be out, but really starting without the veteran presence that's been in the middle since twenty eighteen, they're going to have to find some leadership in this group for sure, and I think you know that Mike O'Shea would tell you that Chris Treveler is the best bet to make up for what they're lacking because he's just a great

leader, a great motivator. In terms of kind of I guess wad on the chip on the shoulder here coming into the season, Winnipeg, Are you sensing a lot of that, I mean just after last season or what's what's kind of the mindset of the locker room? Oh, chip on the shoulder for sure, you know they it's pretty tough. Man like this team could

legitimately before time in a row Great Cup champions. I think anyone who watched the last two Great Cups could say Winnipeg absolutely could have or should have won

those games. And so to lose last year to Montreal was heartbreaking. They felt they were the much better team and they blew it, you know, basically, and so obviously they come in with that chip on the shoulder that they want to get back there one more time and prove it, and that that that you know, you know, if you can get three out of the last five, you know, that's still in the dynasty territory, isn't it. Yeah, you're kind of stretching out the definition. But I agree,

I agree on the territory. So there's a chance there. But I don't see the same level of quality of team right now that they had last year or the year before. As as it goes. You know, they've lost some really good players and they're replacing them in camp. That's what you're supposed to do. You can't just assume that a rookie is going to be bad. You know, there's a good chance that that rookie's going to be

good. Not long ago, the Bombers brought in Dalton shown as a you know, number twenty three on the depth chart guy, and he ended up making the team, became Rookie of the Year. It's been one of the best receivers in the league for two years and they managed to get him back. You know, that's going to be really helpful. And they've still got veterans in the right places, you know, like Willie Jefferson, Big Hill when he comes back, Brandon Alexander at safety when he comes back. He

hasn't practiced yet. And then of course you've got arguably the best quarterback in the league in Zach Klarows and I'd say definitely the best running back in the league Brady oli Era. And they love their receiving corps that's still pretty consistent. They're just basically looking for one guy and as I already mentioned, you know, you only have to look so far as Dalton's shown to realize that sometimes you can find a jam and have somebody that really impacts your team.

And that's what happened, was shown, and of course they'll look hope that that'll happen again with the ol Era thing. And I know because he was kind of testing the market, right And I think, BC, I'm trying to because this was like ages ago, I got a whole UFL season here, I'm trying to like remember back to but because that to me would have

been a really game changing signing for a lot of teams. I mean, I thought, with him being back now and happy with that, do you do you sense that like that that if you got to BC, I mean, that's like turning the tides in a big way. Dude, I would not even be able to remember which league I were covering if I were you. So there's been so many evolutions there. But Grady loves Winnipeg. He loves representing Winnipeg, he loves being a huge part of the Blue Bomber organization,

and it is what he wanted all along. But he wasn't going to let them walk all over him. He wasn't going to let them just say, well, you love Winnipeg, we love you, so you know, why don't you just take two hundred grand or whatever? He wanted more? You know, he wanted to get two fifty. That was his target. He got offered more than that. He got offered two fifty from one team I think, and two seventy five from another, and he chose to come

back here for I think it was something like two thirty six. You know, still the highest paid running back in the league, and rightly show so when you're the you know, most outstanding Canadian. You were the runner up to the most outstanding player in the league. You deserve that. And now he's just in his happy place. But he hasn't even practiced yet. He's been injured, so they didn't put him on the six games. So I'm assuming that's okay. They got a little time, right, like they really

need to evaluate players this year that they don't know. So they had a full week before their first game. Now they have a full week before a day off, and then they have a full week to prepare for their last exhibition game or preseason game. And I imagine we're going to see Brady back next week. Demski two, probably, but it's hard to say for sure

because we just haven't gotten much of an update on their health situations. In terms of the West here, you know, I know that we're Edmonton's making the big swing with McLeod and everything else, and you know, I mean, Calgary vade the playoffs and the kind of everything. But to me, the road kind of goes through BC, right, And obviously there's a lot of pressure on them this year with the Gray Cup and everything else. Do you sense that what do you send them just the rest of the West year.

Generally speaking, I don't know about pressure. I mean, it's interesting because it is a home Great Cup for the Lions, and man, won't that be fun? You can wear your Lion shirt everywhere. Yeah, And and you know, you you have a situation there where you've got a chance to win at home and you really want to do that. The Bombers want to do it next year, you know, they really really want to do

that. They want to keep building this momentum that's gone really well in BC in terms of of attendance last year and the great atmosphere outside the stadium and all that kind of stuff. So you know, they've loaded up a lot. They lost a couple of guys too, but they've you know, I think they I would pretty much peg them as first place in the division,

to be honest, I'm not sure there's pressure there. I just think there's a lot of desire there to make sure they finished first in the West and get through to the Great Cup. But second in the West would be good too. And then you know, Winnipeg I think is right in the mix. I feel like they're going to be a drop off there, but I think you know, they've been they haven't lost very many games the last two years. So if it was a drop off, is that twelve and six,

you know, is that eleven and seven? Those are both gonna be good enough to make the playoffs. And I think they're going to recognize that just because you know, one of the one of the two times they did win the Great Cup they did, they came from third place. So it's not that necessary to completely kill yourself trying to win the division and UH and when you when you end up not winning the Great Cup. Saskatchewan I think is my third favorite in UH in the West. I think they've got a

pretty good team, good depth at quarterback. Man, like we saw tiny bit of Trevor Harris and Mason Fine Fine. Shape Patterson was outstanding. He had a tremendous game. And they threw Jack Cohane in there as well, So they had four different guys in there, but they all handled themselves pretty well. And I really was impressed with what Shape Atterson did. So I could see it being you know, Harris, Oh, they also had Antonio Pipkin in there. I would thank him and Harris, Like the original idea

would have been maybe Harris and Mason Fine and Antonio Pipkin. But I think Shape Patterson has made a great case to be one of the three guys on that team. Former number one USFL twenty twenty two draft pick there, Shape Patterson came in. It was not huh you pull those numbers out? Yes, So there you go. Last question here. I won't keep you too long on it. Like I said, you're on the men here. Biggest questions you have here for the winning for the Bombers to figure out here in

the next what two and a half weeks here before the season kickoff? Uh yeah, who's gonna who's going to be the fifth receiver? I've it was going to be kJ Hill, but apparently he just wasn't very healthy and so they let him go. I like Myron Mitchell this week. I liked Aaron Crookshank this week. I think they really want to get a guy in there that can, like maybe there's room for two receivers because one of them is going to be the primary kick returner and the other one's going to be the

you know, the number five receiver in that lineup. So that's a pretty good battle spot the defensive line there, you know, Doug Brown said before the broadcast the other day that that was the biggest area of concern for him. And he's an All Star Hall of Fame defensive lineman, so I think he knows. But they've got Willie Jefferson and then they got Cam Lawson and

Jake Thomas there as veterans. But then who's going to handle the inside and who and that'll probably be an American, And who's going to handle the outside opposed to Jefferson. That is up in the air, and I think the candidates are celestein Haba who was here last year, and Chauncey Rivers. He's got some NFL experience and he looked really good in his first game, and Taiwan Garbett who was here last year as well a bit and he got a

sack last game. He looked really good, And so that's pretty important. Who's going to start at a linebacker? If Adam big Hull can't go, like nothing jumps off the page for me completely there. But they're going to have to make sure they get somebody confident in there because that's they really rely on him. So that's going to be an interesting one. Defensive back, will Tyrrell Ford get a chance to start in the CFL is a big question

for me. I think he's got a really good shot of playing at field halfback, so or maybe not field halfback but field corner, I should say. So that would be really exciting, I think. And it would be even more exciting if Edmonton hadn't kind of not given tray Ford his opportunity and signed to McLeod Bethel Thompson. So I'd love to see those two guys playing against EETs other in a game and it would be a lot of fun,

real quick. Last thing, because I'm Dave Campbell's going to be onto this weekest, Well, bit, are you just baffled by this trade forward thing with McLeod, like we all hear stateside, just can't get over it. But I'm just curious your thoughts real quick, and I'll let you go, I promise. Well, it just doesn't make a ton of sense to me, Like how are you going to develop tray Ford? But Jones doesn't want to be in a developing position. He wants to be a contender for the

playoffs right now, and they might be. And mbt is is a good quarterback. He showed what he could do with Toronto a couple of years ago. They've got great receivers there that could make a real difference. But I hope they give some reps to tray forord. I think, you know, like there's a good opportunity to put him in there to just run the football, use tray Ford like the Bombers used Chris Treveler, and then that might

work pretty well. But as long as nobody's taken away this guy's opportunity, because I think he looked last year like he was on the fast track to becoming a star, and I don't like that now he's had a little over that shine taken off. Well there you go, Ted, go get some rest. I appreciate you making the time today means a lot, and we'll get you on here when you're back up to full speed. I appreciate it. You got it, buddy, Thank you very much. Enjoy the season.

Well, I'm excited here a familiar face, probably in better spirits,

and I think the last time we talked he was like a therapy session about the Alex at the end of last season here. But we have Dave Campbell here on the city a buzz, but probably not with CFL more NHL right now, but how are you doing, sir. I'm doing great, and you are correct read and it's just nice to see you. I know you're a big Oiler fan. Not no, you're right. I mean, it's

it's it's fever pitch here. Just a great series against the Vancouver Canucks and you know, the Dallas Stars. It's interesting because you know, the last time these two played, I think was two thousand and three, so that's

twenty one years ago. There's a lot of people that are Oiler fans that wouldn't remember really the oil Oilers and Stars rivalry, let alone the five Stanley Cups from eighty four to ninety right, So there's a lot of new for a lot of Oiler fans, you know, and someone from like myself, it's just, you know, kind of cool to see these two teams meet again. It's great. Well, no, and so I mean, first

off, and I was just reading fights at training camp. We'll talk about here, but I want it because you know, the Elks are in the really tricky situation here were the last couple of seasons and here, you know, I mean, even if they do it even deeper, run here with the Oilers and then the Elks come in trying to get those dollars from the fans, Like do you, I mean, what's your thoughts on that.

I mean, I know it's good for the station and every that way, but it fans, you know, trying to get these people back onto the Edmonton Elks band legon. Well, I think it's just I mean, it's out of their control. They can't do anything about it, right, and I think you have to enjoy the ride, you know, support the Oilers. I think there are a lot of fans that are fans of both the Oilers and Elks. But no question, does this maybe affect the bottom line

initially for the Elks? It might. I mean we'll see what the attendance is like on Saturday and how well the Rider fans travel to a preseason game in Edmonton. But yeah, I mean there's nothing they can do about it,

you know. And it's possible that they're both their preseason games will be inside the confines of a conference final, because the game on the thirty first against the Lions in Vancouver is potential Game five, and there's potential that there's a Stanley Cup Final that they have to compete with the Oilers being in it.

But there's nothing they can do about it, you know, and it's it's probably just again, it's just circumstantially, it's not a great situation because they're coming off of another bad season with some optimism coming into this year, but I would say extremely cautious optimism as well. But I think, you know, you just be supportive of the of the team down the street and they are supportive of them as well. When they'll get going and we just

enjoy the ride, there's nothing else you can do. Yeah, what's the vibe right now? I mean, obviously Eles have their first preseason game this weekend with Winnipeg and Saskatchewan had their earlier this week, But like, what, what's the what's the mood? I will get into this fight kind of stuff, but that's always just kind of funny, sallacious whatever. But what

is the general vibe you're going into the season. Well, I think there's a there there's a lot of intrigue about McLeod Bethel Thompson coming in as a new starter, tray Ford now the number two quarterback. You know, there are a lot of argo flavor on the team, you know, with Curly Gitton's coming over and Javon Leak and you know, Boris Beatty and you know

others, and the ownership situation as well, the seventy fifth anniversary. I mean that first week I read, before the season opener, it's almost like another home game for this organization because so many legends and greats are coming back and they're going to do their annual dinner again, which is usually in late September early October, but it's going to be two days before the home opener, right, And I think I think there's a good reason for that,

because you want to have it celebratory before the season starts instead of okay, potentially another bad season and oh, come out to our dinner, you know, and people are kind of turned off by the team, right. So yeah, I mean there's a I think there's a lot of pressure on Chris Jones to win this year, and that doesn't necessarily mean break up, but to show that this is a team that is finally ready to win, ready to take the next step to make the playoffs, to you know, maybe

get to a division final. But I think there's a lot of cautious optimism, and there is some pessimism of course. I mean, this team has to kind of earn their stripes, I think, and we'll see. I mean there's things like the upper bowl being closed, you know, which is unfortunate, but I think we all understand that it probably it was a move that had to be made, and hopefully they give, you know, fans give them a reason, the Elks to open up that upper deck at certain

points of the season as well. So yeah, it's a combination of excitement, but I think there's a lot of Okay, let's I just don't want to see more losses again. You know, we got to see something different. Now. This has to be and we've talked this slow bill with Chris Jones, you know, over the last few years. I mean, this has to be right, meg or break. I mean, this is I mean right, it's all the cards on the table here, right. Yeah.

I don't think he's foolish to think that it's it's not any other way, right, Like, this is make or break here, you win or you're done, right, And I think he realizes that. And I think, you know, every foot ball season you think that way. But at the same time, when you have a team that really you go back to the twenty nineteen season, you know, the middle of the twenty nineteen season, even though they made an East final that year, we haven't seen a

lot of wins. You know, even twenty eighteen was a struggle at nine to nine. So this is a fan base that is starving for a winner from their football teams. And yeah, but I agree, like this is it for Chris Jones If we have another season like we have seen the last two years, He's not going to be back for a fourth year of that

contract for sure. Well and just even when we were talking about the Oilers here and obviously it's a different but similar fan bases, and I haven't seen I've seen a lot of screenshots posted of like when it was the Vancouver their side of the playoff tickets and how expensive they were and all of that, And I have to imagine, Yeah, if I'm an Edmonton person and I've just spent you know a lot of money or you know, either go into

the games or watching the game support, and then you roll into the season like there's only so much and we deal with this without the spring football all the time, and my people only have how much band we have the money to do all these things. And if I've just supported the successful hockey team it is. It just really does put the pressure on for that way as well, because there's only so much money to go around. Yeah, absolutely, and you know, it's it's tough right now. And even the Oilers

they had trouble selling out playoff games. It was mostly sold out. It was, you know, ninety nine percent sold out. But yeah, there's only so much money to go around. And I think the Elks have done a good job of coming up with the price points to bring people in at an affordable rate. And I think they don't have a choice really, and you know, there's always the debate of whether you should do that, whether you should how much you know, what is is going is too what is

too low? Basically, And again when I say when I hear people say the CFL is expensive, I look at them weirdly and I go go go find out what an order ticket costs. And nothing against the Oilers. It's the National Hockey League, I get it. But you know, you are right though, you get kind of you know, consumer fatigued, and well, how much more money do I need? You know, should I spend

here? Right? But yeah, so we'll see what happens. I mean I'm cautiously kind of walking into the season and kind of waiting to see what happens, right and so, but attendance wise, you know, we'll see. But the Elks have done a lot of work to try and bring people in at an affordable rate. Last question here about kind of non football and

stuff that we'll get to that. I promise he look in at your article here with the lost kind of you know, from the meetings coming out, and then in terms of like the ownership and all of that stuff, like any sense does that heighten there or damper expectations on any of that stuff or I know that that's kind of outside of your purview, but just kind of

thoughts generally on that. No, I don't think so. I mean, at one point they had twenty non disclosure agreements signed with various people or groups. To me, that's remark arkable that an organization that has struggled financially and has struggled, you know, in the public eye over the last few years, has garnered that much interest. That's impressive. So even going through a name change, that there's some power in the brand, still a lot of

power. So now they're down to the to the short straws and you know, they've really whittled that list down. You know, there's you know, mixture of local and not local and that sort of thing, and that it should be all wrapped up sometime in the summer, I believe, you know, I know that the board board chair Tom Richards was putting a lot of runway to this and you know he said, by the end of the twenty fourth season, but for sure by the start of the twenty five season,

we'll see private ownership. So I don't think the results on the field are going to affect the ownership, and I think that they're pretty confident that they're going to have a good, you know, good group to come in and inject some cash and hopefully get this franchise in the right direction. Yeah football here now, And this is coming from a you know, we are all big mccob Bethel Thompson fans, right, all of us and kind of tracking

his career. But you know, we got to talk this tray forward and everything because we saw last year the spark he gave and not only that, but we we kind of curtailed at the end of the Ted Wyman's interview leading into this and just even just from a trade Ford developmental standpoint, like, what does this do? I mean, thoughts an A big fan of McLeod and I get that this is a make or break year for the Elks, but I really curious your thoughts on this situation. Well, I mean,

let's go back to last year. He finally, tray Ford finally gets to start a game in the ninth game of the season and then starts the rest of the way, but goes through a stretch where they went four and two under him, and if you know, you look at it even further or deeper they went. They won four or five games and got themselves kind of

back into a playoff race. Then the final four games happened and they based the four best teams in the league, the BC Lions, the Toronto Argonauts, the Montrealtes, and then the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, right, And I

thought trey Ford kind of came back down to earth. And it's not all his fault, of course, I mean, they're there are other factors involved here, but from the quarterback specifically, we saw some really dynamic things from him, and I think it really full defenses and they couldn't handle what he was bringing and then all of a sudden, they play the BC Lions on September twenty second, the start of that four straight losses to end the season.

It's a home game, and the Lions adjust to trey Ford by sending defensive backs this way. Okay, fine, We're just going to get speedy defensive backs to run right at you and to trap you and confuse you. And it worked, right. Look, trey Ford is exciting, dynamic, athletic, but really raws a starting quarterback, I believe. Now there's an argument I've heard this as well. If trey Ford started earlier or started week one, which I don't think was realistic, But what if he started week

one in twenty three, could they have made the playoffs? Could they have found a few more wins? And could they have made the playoffs? Because remember Calgary made the playoffs with six wins, so all you needed was seven, So you got to find three wins somewhere. Could they have been found? You know, I think there's a good argument to that. But you go into this year where the pressure to win is so immense. You know, this is make or break for Chris Jones and a lot of people within

the organization from a football side of things. Can you really trust trey Ford with that at this point? Is it fair to tray Ford? No, if circumstances were different, might be more, you know, a fair for trey Ford to you know, take take a flyer on him, but you bring him McLeod Bethel Thompson, who is an experienced quarterback who's been part of two great Cups. You know, he was behind Ricky Ray for one in seventeen and then he won in twenty two. I know he didn't play well

in the greakup game, but he was very good in that season. You know, in twenty one he was a full time starter as well, and we saw him and you know spots in you know, eighteen and nineteen as well. But you know, he really came into his own in twenty one. Then he left for the USFL because his wife is really big up in Marvel, and you know he plays in the USFL. And look, it's the USFL. I know a lot of people, it's the USFL. It's

the USFL. It's a pro football league. And he played very well, okay, and then he got the itch to come back and I can tell you, I mean Chris Jones and ger Roy Simon had their eye on McLeod after the USFL season, But that's a lot of football for one man to play, right, and I think McLoud comes in and we've seen the leadership that he brings. We've seen the the fact that he talks to everyone.

He talks to the other quarterbacks, he talks to the running backs, receivers, offensive line, The defense takes notice of him, and that's good to see. His mechanics are good. You know, his decision making is usually good. He's going to make mistakes. Every quarterback does. For Trey Ford, I think this is important for him to take a step back and to learn from a veteran how to prepare, how to read defenses, how to lead that all those sort of things. Trey was upset when when McLeod was

signed. I don't blame him. Of course, when you're told you're going to be number one going into camp at the end of the twenty three season and then you know they changed their basically change their tune management, does you're

going to be upset? He wants the football. If he wasn't upset, I'd have a I had more concerns about him, but McLeod got on the phone right away and started building that relationship with with Trey, and they talked constantly and you could see it in camp that Trey and McLeod have a really good relationship and Trey is learning a lot and I think his camp has been

pretty solid. McLeod is far and away the best quarterback there and I think it gives the Elks more than a puncher's chance to have a good season. It's interesting. Yeah, I know McCloud. I think they were. I think he was undefeated in the USFL until he came on the show and it was you. I think it was well so so Ben Holmes famously no showed the show and then went on and won a great cup in the CFL and Cloud came on the show and then so it's it's kind of the inverse relationship

that way. But because I I just you know, to me and I absolutely and the way that you phrased that is really great. Where if if Trey had started earlier and what if and all that, and there's certainly no ill will towards McCloud coming in. I mean he wants to you know, everyone wants to play and lookout but I mean McLeod Thompson is two years younger than me. I mean, this isn't like exactly like a spring chicken here.

But you know, to me, the besides like Nathan Wark being Nathan Worke, what made that BC a Lions team so cool was we could spend so much money on everybody else because Nathan work was making you a penny. Yeah, and here you could have had Trey Ford right, his rookie deals ending up here and so like, I don't just surround that where they dumped so much money in McLeod, And that to me is the concern where it's not like we're getting them for what he's like five fifty. I mean it's

a big contract, right, It's big. Yeah, absolutely, So they had to make decisions in other areas that I think it affected. You know, you know a C. Leonard wanted a lot of money to come back and they couldn't do it. They let him go, They let Ed Gainey go, they let Adam Conar go. He was making a good coin as

well. Yeah, it does affect other areas of the football team. But it's the pressure to win and they trust him and they've worked with him because a lot of this coaching staff, including Chris Jones, including the offensive coordinator, Jerry's Jackson, and Marcus Howell, who's the receivers coach, who has a big hen in the offense as well. They all know him and McLeod knows them, and there's a trust there, So you know, I think

that's why they went out and did it. Looking here, like I said, first preseason game coming up this weekend and then you've got a couple more weeks in camp. Whether are the big kind of questions you're looking at here? I mean besides obviously McLeod, but kind of anything else team wise for that, or you know, how they protect him or anything else kind of that you're going to have your eye out for. Yeah, definitely the offensive

line for sure. Now McLeod gets the ball out asked what's the old line will like? So that's going to help the old line for sure. But beyond that, I mean, mcloud's limited when you compare him to Tray, right, So it'll be interesting to see how McLeod handles some pressure if if the writers you know, are able to you know, send some blitz and and see what McLeod is able to handle and Mcloud's gonna want to know what he can handle. I look at the D line. The D line has

all kinds of question marks. Robert and Dci has come in former first round pick in the NFL with the Arizona Cardinals and has been, you know, underwhelming in his pro career, especially in the NFL. He's come in hungry and determined and has been a force on the inside. Jamion Pelly has had an interesting camp where they spent a lot of time at jam in trying to have him more in shape, but they still see him as a starter and we'll see what happens there. Elliott Brown's coming in to kind of be that

Ac Lenard replacement. Noah Curtis came in and he's thirty pounds heavier, you know, one of these American Cans, and that's to me, it's it's

all about the D line, uh. And after that the secondary. You know, you've got Kay Gray coming back West nominee for Most Outstanding Rookie, Darius Bratton's back, Marcus Lewis in a limited time, had foreign receptions before being hurt, and they look like they're more confident, but they've lost leaders on that team, like I said, you know, Gainey Conard Resna traded lender not brought back. You got Purefoy and you Gotnles Morgan as your as

your established leaders on that team. So it'll be interesting to see what happens with this young defense. The return game Javon Leak is going to be exciting. But they got Deontes Alexander who had that kickoff return for a touchdown in the final game for the Elks in Winnipeg. And you got Malik Flowers back.

And we're going to see them in the receiving core too, because Dylan Mitchell is not going to play on Saturday, so can American rece maybe bump Dylan Mitchell off the pedestal right, and he's coming off a tough year too, So but for me, that D line is going to be very interesting to see how they performed because that's probably the biggest question mark for the team. I think the whole defense is the is a big question mark and they have to be a lot better than they were last year. But no doubt

the D line. It starts up front, and that'll be very interesting to see how they can handle the game situation. I was just tracking. I guess I hadn't realized that stress and I got traded there over to the Argo. So, yeah, that's a big I mean, he's he I think they'd send them on the show here a couple of seasons ago. But certainly, I mean he's right. He had some kind of injury staff where he was hurting people. I mean, he's played very well. I mean that's

kind definitely a big standout. Lost there anything else from you? I know you're you're bubbling with excite me here for the oilers, and I have anything else about the Alex before we get out of here? Yeah, well you don't want to talk about the fights? Oh yes, we got to talk about the good Yes, well I kind of because I kind of. Yes. So what happened with the big kerfuffle here? I saw the three down? Yeah, it was, you know, altercation wise, it was a

little it was a little more than what you normally expect. You know, usually it's two guys one on O, one on D. They don't like each other, so they tussle for a few few minutes here or a few seconds, and yeah there is love it great headline, and this was a little bit different. You could see that this was brewing. You know, there's a lot of It was a twelve on twelve a drill. It was between the A group offense and defense, and you could tell there was some

tension there and and then all of a sudden it just boiled over. And yeah, I'm trying to remember who the principal people were. I can't really remember because some everyone just kind of got in there. But Javon Leak ended up throwing a helmet, not at anyone, but just threw it an open

field. And you know, pier Foy was getting at some people and some other members of defense and the offense, and you know, Chris Jones put them all to the sidelines and made him run with the field a few times and had to change the whole schedule, or he chose to change the whole schedule practice schedule, So he wasn't happy. But at the end of the

day, I mean it's eleven days in now it's twelve. They haven't played anyone yet but themselves, and they're sick of each other, right, I mean they were sick of each other by day two or three last week, you know, and people got to realize. I mean in the CFL any league, I mean training camp's grueling at six am to almost ten pm at night, it's brutal, it's long days. It's basically hotel to facility, back to the hotel, sleep as much as you can, and go back

right and they need to play against someone else. So I'm not overly concerned about it at all. I remember one year was oh seven or eight, when Danny Machoca was the head coach here in Edmonton. I think in the first seven days of camp there were six fights and there was real Donnybrooks, just real concern and there is a lot of a lot of you know, a lot of tension and a lot of bad feelings, and I don't think Danny handled it well. Where you know, Chris Jones has done a good

job of handling that stuff. It's like, you get that out of your system now, because in the regular season you can't do this. In the playoffs you can't do this. And I think that's important to note too. When the days are long and your emotions are afraid, and your body hurts and your mind is tired, and you're all you are is playing against your teammate, and that's nothing about campus your teammates. But during Camp sessions.

You're not your enemies. Your enemies. It can get to you, right and get it out of the way now because when the regular season comes, you know, we don't really see that. So I think Camp is really good at getting all that fleshed out. But you just got to be careful. You know, the line has to be it's a very thin line between that's no big deal to a point. We got a problem here. So I think Chris Jones knew that and he dealt with it yesterday. I'll tell

you, I think that you guys made a tweak last year. These jerseys are fire. I really like these right, they a little bit I do. Do you not like them? Some people don't like them because of the white numbers. Oh, I like it. I think that's really clean. Yeah, I can't invest it. I have too many jerseys investments. I can't get back. I have one my one VC Lions jersey that someone sent me. I can't get in anywhere leagues. My wife will divorced me.

Well, Dave, I appreciate it. Like I said, you certainly have a fan with me with the oilers because Stars took us out last year. So I have no ready interest in that and Anthony Miller covers them and he can just go the heck, and so I appreciate it, Like I said, taking time to come on. Hopefully the season starts better. You know last year we can get you back on here doing non therapy sessions. But no, I mean, I think people are excited, at least mcclott,

at least it's a story. I mean, it's a big story to track in the West, and so I think if nothing else, they should attracted fans for the first few weeks because of that, no question. Yeah, it's good to talk ELX. This is the best time of the year to talk about the football team you cover because everyone's on it all right, and optimism is highest. So hopefully the next time we talk we're talking about good things. That'll be good. Dave Campbell, thank you so much, appreciate

it, Thanks read talk you everybody. Huge special thanks to all of our

guests for coming on today and we Hunt taking time out of his busy week here at covering Giants' training camp, and then obviously Ted Wyman coming on taking time on the man. Dave Campbell busy with Edmonton, you know, the Oilers in the Stanley Cup, playoffs and everything else. So really appreciate everyone coming on this week and that you know, and like I said, this is it is all the collection of voices and people taking the time out of

their day to come on. That as what makes this program with it this I really appreciate that. I hope you guys enjoy. And now drum roll please, it is time to announce the rules here to get involved in the thirty five hundred subscriber giveaway two free tickets to the UFL Championship Game. And then I have a cavalcade of Royal retros custom jerseys here. I'll show them all off here. But here's the rules to enter. Remember big grand prize,

two free tickets to the UFL Championship Game. I've already purchased them. You'll be sitting with the Professor Andrew Murray. I'm going to try to be in the press box just to kind of save some cash here on the back end, we have fights, some hotels and all that stuff on my end to get to the Championship game. But two free tickets. It's like row

m behind the XFL bench here at the BattleHawks Dome. Basically it was the best seats that were available today once kind of the pre sale because I we didn't know if we were going to hit the thing and all that stuff. So two tickets. I think they're one ten at piece. So it's like the best basically the best tickets you can get at this point based it like seats five, six, seven, whatever, row M you will be like so with the Professor Andrew Murray hopefully he guys, I'll get along. Andy

was posting funny gifts about that, him and the Joker makeup. Andy's Andy's good to talk to the football game. I think you'll have. But so that's the main gift. That's the main prize. We will announce everything next week, so you'll have time to kind of figure out all that stuff. But like I said, make sure you're subscribed, get involved with all of that stuff and get you gotta be subscribed to win. That's grand prize number one, and I'll tell you how to enter and then all the other ones.

I have a bunch of these Royal retro jerseys. I kind of forgot Dustin had sent me all of these, and it was like right at the start of I think there was like some jersey merch issues last year with the XFL, and I was like, I better not talk about these right now, but that these are all custom, like they know Dustin doesn't sell XFL twenty twenty jerseys. And I have a USFL one here as well. But if you want any of these, I think they're all sites large. But

we have a Jordan Tayamu. Look at this battle Hawks BattleHawks Jersey XFL twenty twenty. This is hot. It's kind of hard to do when I'm sitting, but you hopefully you get the IDEA brand new tag still on Jordan Taomu BattleHawks Jersey. We have old reliable. We got Brandon Silver's here, Seattle Dragons Jersey number twelve again, Brandon Silver's here. And I can certainly post photos of Indy of these if you guys want them. I posted one on

Twitter. We got old PGAs Walker here, Houston Roughnecks Old School here XFL Jersey. Hopefully the Mike's picking all this stuff up XFL. And then we have a USFL. We have a Kafante Chirpin, New Jersey, General's Jersey. This is hot. This is a hot one. Excuse me, I broke my microphone. This is a hot one as well. Even Mike Mitchell said he's interested in that one. Maybe Mike wants to win, you know,

certainly, I you know, there's no rules regulations against that. So this is what we're gonna do. Like I said, make sure you're subscribed, and how you enter is comment on the video. You do one comment per each item. So because we're trying to you know, let's boost the algorithm, boost the comment. So if you want the jersey, comment, you know, want the jersey, which one you want the Brandon Silver jersey? PJ Walker, Jointyamu Kvanti Truppin want the jersey? And if you want

the ticket, do a comment for that. So like if you wanted to enter into all five, you would have five comments like that. That what And then I'll go through We'll do kind of a collection of everything here on the Thursday night before all all this will be all legit, Like I'll randomize all this because I know it's a big time gift here, a lot of money going into the grand prize and then all paper shipping for you know, for the jerseys for everyone thing else and then you know we can eat transfer

the tickets. But comment, like I said, if you want all five, you would have five comments each one that you want if you only want the if you only want the Brandon Silver's won, you only want to whatever comment that, and I'll search through and be able to kind of filter all the comments and keywords that way in the YouTube. Again, remember we got these four awesome jerseys here and then the two free tickets to the UFL Championship

game. So I think when we get to four thousand, hopefully and maybe we could do like a season ticket pack next year, I don't know. Let me know also in the comments, like what do you want for that? Like what should be the next game? Because it took us spoiler, there's supposed to be like the pregame kickoff last year, we're supposed to give these tickets away, So championship game tickets, the jerseys submit, we should be lots of hopefully lots of comments on this drive the algorithm share. We

really appreciate that. A lot of money going into all the given all this stuff away, so appreciate that. But your comment which ones you want? And then also then separately let me know like what should be the next giveaway? Happy to do like a two ticket packed you know, season next year, maybe you know, we get four thousand subscribers or yeah, we'll be four thousand subscribers before the next UFL season. That would be pretty cool.

CFL stuff is harder to do giveaways just because like some of the international and all that stuff. But we always, you know, we always support our CFL friends as well, but it's a little bit easier to do with the UFL, your XFL USFL stuff. So, like I said, appreciate everyone. Lots of time here, energy, everyone watching and all the guests and

everything else. If you be subscribed, stay subscribed, get subscribed anyone that's subscribed, if I could say that enough here, by the end of you know, this video, by the end of the week, you're all eligible as long as you comment. Just let me know. There's no restrictions the video of that stuff. We'll send that over Mike Mitchell, Anthony Miller, get your comments in everyone else, you know, even and you could win a jersey. And you could win a jersey. I could bring it in

if you could be aware to the championship game. So anyway, we'll see you guys next week. I like to subscribe, but take care and thanks again. M hm h