Laces In Podcast: Episode 3

let's hear something about you. I was gonna say, everyone knows you. You know, he's been on the team for sixteen years. Big college football fan. I love college football, love college football. I heard you are at the Syracuse game over the weekend. What happened to the Orange? You're both the orange Syracuse product. The Orange crushed. We should say yeah for for This is gonna be an awful analogy, but the juice was squeezed. What was the final score?

Who did you play? Forty five to twenty USF over Syracuse. Syracuse was up seventeen and nothing at the end of the first quarter seventeen seventeen by the half, So Syracuse kind of kind of felt disappointed. You know. I grew up in Buffalo, about two and a half hour drive from Syracuse. About I went to a couple Actually I saw Syracuse when they were nationally ranked back in the day. Their college hoops team, what a program. Jim Beheim has

their own play Yukon. And actually we got caught on a way coming home in a snowstorm because we're coming back to Buffalo. I was at Canisius College my freshman year before I transferred to Maryland undergraduate days. This might have been before both of you were born. Find you. But yes, I saw Syracuse play Yukon at the Dome. And you know, when the dome is so packed, they put those curtains up. I guess I had obstructed view. I was at the top of the don't so funny.

I have to mention this just because I think it's funny and my dad thinks it's hilarious. Carrier, it's the carrier. Don't carriers an air conditioning company. There's no air conditioning in the carrier. Cell phones, you don't need air conditioning than the don't know it's so dam of cold outside. Yeah. Well let's clarify something here too. Snows more Syracuse is the snowiest city in the snows more Syracuse than Buffalo. Yeah. I walked around campus sometimes and the snow piles were

they were probably bigger than you price. You've got the class knowing you. I figured the cheapest sleep. Oh my god, I was an eight four point student, Erica. I took school away to I don't want to use that to truth to truths and a live The dam would be to walk in the snow. Okay. So now now that we're that, we know a little bit about each other a little more. We just know something about Alex. All we know I do. I'll give you it's all about me. So I was gonna sell you alright, where did that

come from? So? By the way, I'm Irish and my dad has a little German in them. But you're Irish. I can't tell with your pink skins. My my father his his um mother was a McGrady, and then on my mom's side we were the Cochlin's in the Gearys. So I'm very Irish. So if anybody wanted to know, or we're just announcing the Italians are We're gonna go down to Mulberry Street and some lunch. What we're gonna

do it. What we're gonna do is, we're gonna have another ice breaker instead of two truths and a lie slash dare, We're gonna have your personal Hall of Fame sports moment in your own playing career. What sticks out in your mind? Who wants to bat lead off? Because that's what I do. I go, you know, first at everything, first in line. That's the Italian right there. So I mean, there's so many to choose from. To be honest, Oh my god, this ridiculous. I'm gonna go ice hockey because

I know, yeah, he's gonna go ice hockey. I know it. But I'm gonna go ice hockey. When I was on the All Boys team, travel ice hockey team, Midget League Mayby sing Country Club UM in New Jersey, and I was named offensive m v P of the Year, But there's not like a moment where you're like I diked some guy that that was my moment sticking in to all the boys and like that. I mean, that was

a pretty powerful moment for me. Female power baby, So I love tons of m v P. I will never forget walking up and getting my midgets right before bandom. That was like talking hockey talk. You don't get it. Whoa, whoa, whoa. I played ice hockey too. You did you play? Did you figure? I stopped in high school because we didn't have a team. I'm sorry about that. That's all right. I played baseball and said we'll get there in a minute. Okay, yeah, yeah,

you're up next. Oh spent so many your freshman year. Just very recently, folks, we play street hockey here with the Jets. Wait, I want to play different and we change our team name after we want a couple of championships. But last year I tore my biceps tendon and I continued to play scored two goals during that game. Then wait, why did you tear your biceps? What were you what were you lifting too much weight? Well, I don't know. It was over time, it was overtime. Then it's just separated.

And but during the street hockey game, I felt the terror even more pronounced and that's pretty painful. But I went on to score two goals. But who cares about street hockey? For those of you that don't know at home, he's biceps are like that. That's just fun biceps. Yea. In college, you go back to the University of Maryland. I will never forget a weekend my parents were in town. They didn't get a chance to see all my college games. They's opposed to high school and travel. I played for

the Hamburg Hawks to year two. We didn't have a Tier one team. Usually it's broken up to Tier three and a Tier two. I played for the Hamburg Clocks. I played in some state tournaments. Um. One of the state tournaments, actually we played the number one seed from Rome, New York, New York Exit and I made about forty fives. We ended up losing the game, but it's um that was one of my better performances probably ever in that

that came during the state tournament. Also, when I tried out at Kenisius Division one program, I didn't end up playing. I ended up playing JV for them my freshman year because I wasn't recruited. A lot of kids came over from Canada. I came out of high school maybe a hundred fifty five pounds, okay, and it got involved in the strength and training program there and we're doing a

lot of stuff dry Land. But then on the ice we had a tryout and I really had an unbelievable just a practice day for one moment, we're getting every moment. Let's go back Lesli school. No, no, we have to cut him. Let's go back to high school. I was a defensive stopper playing JV basketball. Score he's reliving his glory away for a minute. Score twenty points. I think just off as steals alone. They used to call me Marcus on the team because we had to Marcus. We

had too Erics. There was a guy by the name Marcus Allen. Alex probably doesn't remember, so to change it up and not calls both Eric Marcus. Okay, no doubt, say it enough for you. I think we haven't. I got my old wing at the whole offair. We're good. I think we're set. I think, uh, I really don't know how to follow up with that, but I'll give it a shot. So I said before that I played hockey when I was little, and then didn't I transition

to baseball. Uh my act, my Hall of Fame moment actually comes in in tramural softball because there was no baseball at Syracuse, so we were playing championship game. I was a two to I was a gold glove center fielder in high school. But they we we had, we had a lot of outfield talent. So I was moved to second base for the championship game. And it was an eight to seven game, bottom seven because we only played seven innings. Two outs, lefty up at the plate.

I'm at second base the gut and it's underhand pitch. Right, it's underhand pitch, and the guy swings and completely flies out of his stance. So what do I do. I take a step to my left, thinking he's going to try to absolutely crush this ball and pull it next pitch. Sure enough, he's he crushes it. Myself, being the athlete that I am, make a diving play in the air, catch the ball in the air. It was really dramatic. I get up, I get up, I get up, and

I'm dog piled because it's eight to seven. Basses juiced, and I saved the day and it was fantastic. Faces were loaded seven, had had the ball squeaked by, would have lost. So you know, since I had my own Hall of Fame wing, I do have to say that there were so many great sports moments. I love it when my nieces and nephews are involved in sports because you get the values of teamwork, you know, competitive play

and also work ethics starts at a young age. Sports you know, they don't necessarily define yet, but I'll tell you what you think. Find out a lot about somebody's personally think the way they play sports. Like this one over here, Alex says, Oh, we're gonna play softball. I have to bat lead off whatever. We're going to Buffalo. We're going to buff We're going to Buff's go to Buffalo. Did you enjoy your trip home to Buffalo? Did you

see any family? Certainly did. When you win a ball game and you work for an organization and you know you're facing either going on two or one and one, get coming up with a win on the road, yeah, did you The last time? You have to understand, the last time I left Buffalo in a working sense was in January when the Jets were ten and five entering that ball game with the playoffs on the line, and the Bills sent them home packet. So listen, this is

a nice win. I love the prolific offensive performance. Uh, Saturday night, you're gonna asked me. Well, Saturday Wednesday night, I got a chance to see some of my cousins. I want to seven one six, that very close to the hotel we were staying downtown when the seven one six and as good as advertised. It was solid. You know, our food, but our food had a couple of adult beverages.

And then downstairs that night you drink some I p a there might have, but again that's going to stay between me and the folks at seven six now downstairs Actually that night, Ethan, they were honoring Bruce Smith who they retired his number at halftime of the ball game. So I didn't even know that they had a red carpet opening. Uh at seven one six. They told us to go around and go up to the second floor. And did you enjoy your buffalo stay there? Um? No,

not really except for the game, it was great. I was going to say, other than that, I was pretty bored. What is that? Just says something about your personality? Well, I'm not well, Jason and I are producer Jason Levine. We went out to a nice lunch. We were talking about, you know, a work lunch. Um. I was actually very improdly told Eric, I was very impressed with the Italian food. I was. I was walking in think everything's going to be horrible, but it was very good. All Italian Italian

was just quiet. I was. It was quiet, the hotel was. I was bored, and the game was what what do you have done if you were in a metropolis, if it was Chicago, I don't know. I have done a little sight seeing or something. I don't know. It was a beautiful day, Ethan. It was a beautiful day, and the canal side. You probably didn't even get a chance because you're not adventurous to walk down the water. I want. I want to. I was like a talk at all, Right, this is we we get it. You guys can go

back and forth on Buffalo all day. No, that's fine. Yeah, well I WoT you have launched with Jason Levine. What what would Jason Levine say about Buffalo if he was in here right now? Exactly exactly you're saying that she skewed her her mindset is No, I would expect nothing other than what she just said, because Alex I wasn't talking smack on Buffalo. I was just saying it was a little bored on the line in the sand. Your people know you got it. We're fat, were fast board minded.

That might happen to you down the line. You do some do not respond? Okay, Alex, Now we're fast boarding to the game. Your your favorite part. What's your biggest takeaway from the Jets win in Buffalo? Um? My biggest takeaway are offensive? Yeah, I just said it. Our offensive performance was prolific. Um Quincy and Noona continued to show that he's just getting better and better every every day as a wide receiver and a in a really great

third option for Ryan Fitzpatrick. What did Ryan Fitzpatrick have? What? Seven plays Ethan over twenty yards? Seven over twenty and the eighth was a penalty. Yeah. I mean there's lots of good things. Marcus Williams two interceptions in two games, Quincy had ninety two yards receiving, that's a career high, and then the game before that he had a career high and catches am I right. So it was it was impressive and it was a huge, huge win, you know,

for for the guys. They needed that and dision Rivalandon Marshall went down with that apparent knee injury. My heart. I was in the press box with Ethan and he was there as well. But I looked at Ethan you literally I thought I saw go. It was my heart sank. Well he came back, God and he finished. It was a very successful Hey, what is your biggest takeaway? I think sometimes this league you're gonna take a punch. And the Jets came out and they landed early and off,

and they scored on their first four offensive possessions. They took a seven lead, the Bills got a late field goal before the half and it was ten. Then in a matter of moments, the Jets found themselves trailing at to twenty. I think that was an early season test right there, because they could have easily felt and felt sorry for themselves in a game they had pretty much dominated, especially up front in the trenches. But instead they came back with a seventeen point run of their own. And

the offensive balance is very impressive on this team. Alex mentioned Quincy and Noma, and we talked about Brahandon Marshall and Eric Ducker, Matt Forte. He continues to prove his worth here early. I'm not worried about the distribution either. He's not gonna get thirty carries every game. I love people playing these fantasy stats saying thirty times sixteen and how many carries is this guy gonna have. That's not gonna happen. It's gonna change each and every week. But

he keeps coming after you. And defensively, even though the Jets gave up some big plays again in the secondary timely plays down the stretch when they needed to make on Marcus Williams interception on fourth and on third and one, and then Sheldon Richardson and Darrenly combining for the fourth one stop, fourth and one stop. Sheety McCoy. All in all, a good win. One and one. Now let's go to

Kansas City and then one more point. Even Jalen Marshall eric Um, he had a he had a big fumble in that game that was returned for a touchdown by the Bills. But then he came back and made a couple of huge third down catches Um, and it was cool to see him, you know, come back from that mental the mental side of thing. He didn't let it get bogged down and he came back, so lots of positives.

I was going to say, my point is that kind of the poise of the offense, and I think that's a especially playing in a place in Buffalo at New Era Field, the new New Era Field formerly Ralph Wilson Stadium formally Rich Stadium formerly Rich Stadium formally that was

before Why because naming rights rich products. Nonetheless, the biggest nonetheless my point here other than naming rights is that even though the Bills came out of the second half scored fourteen points, much to what Ryan Fitzpatrick said after the game, is there was never a hanging head on the sideline, and the Jets just seemed to go about their business and stick true to their game plant, which clearly involves Matt Forte obviously at thirty carries a hundred

yards and three touchdowns. So I think that the most impressive thing for me was just sticking true to your game plan and staying keeping calm, keeping poison. Eventually, good things impress the atmosphere. Brian Winners said this week on Inside the Jets Monday night, seven o'clock on esp on New York here or you can watch it on New York Jets dot com. When he was visiting with myself and Larry Hardisty, he said that was the loudest environment

he had ever played. In. Brandon Marshall, who's been in this league for more than a decade now, also said that place was crazy, tremendous environment, and the Jets responded, that's going to help him this week because Kansas City, it's gonna be an afternoon. I'm gonna piggyback right off what you said. We're moving to Kansas City again. If you don't know, Kansas City has not suffered a loss at Arrowhead Stadium since October eleventh, of two thousand score

total yard there. It is Matt Forts return. The Jets returned, since I believe, and yeah, and then we don't win that game. New York Jets did not win that game. I remember that one. So so now we're gonna we're gonna go to the Twitter sphere here and we're gonna take some Twitter questions and about the game. And so first we're gonna go to Karen, He says. Should we expect to see more defaults from fits slash? Is there a specific soft spot that you see that the Jets

and Shan Gailey will try to exploit? You're not lead off, No, I'm not, but it's it's a it's a given, Takethan I know you didn't ask this question you're getting from Twitter, But I ask, are we specifically talking about Kansas City? Kansas City? When I look at the Chiefs, the two guys who pop out at me in the secondary or Eric Barry, who was one of the finer safeties in the National Football and one of the finer stories in the National Football League as well, No doubt know everybody

was playing for him and he came back. What do you have again? Which is so tough, and you know it says a lot about the guy that he came back from that and he played at a high level last year and he still remains one of the top safeties in the National Football League. Marcus Peters as a guy who got beat a couple of times last week in Houston. The Texans have some solid receivers DeAndre Hopkins

among that group, but Peters also had two interceptions last week. Uh. He led the National Football League, as you pointed out, Um, and you're scouting the opponent's story. I believe he Leddon I found interceptions as a rookie last year, didn't he? He did? He had eight. He's a guy, he's a playmaker. So when I look at this game. Hey, how are the Chiefs going to defund the Jets? First off, we

got a monitor of the injury situation. Alex talked about Brandon Marshall while he's got the knee injury, dealing with it. He joked this week that Quincy and Noon was looking over his shoulders, so he's got to stay out there in the field. Speaking of shoulders, Eric Ducker dealing with the shoulder injury. Now, every game plan, each and every week is going to be different. But it's always been a misnomer that, hey, Fits can't get the ball down

the field. The Bills challenged the Jets as far as one on one on one matchups, and the Jets got down the field and Fits put the ball where he was supposed to. I'm gonna be interested to see how Bob Sutton, a former Jets assistant, tries to attack this Jets offense a g I honestly don't even remember the question. I just know that we were just talking about Fits in our offense. Okay, that's fine. Should we expect to see do you or do you expect to see more

deep balls from Fits? And is the is there a specific soft spot? So I mean, for me, personally, should we expect see more more chunk plays? I know Eric Decker in the off season and training camp always said, you know, I do want to be more involved in chunk plays. He had a couple of big I think he had a sixty five yard touchdown and when it was in the field house and rainy day ones, So

I would expect I think accredit to Todd Bowles. It's a game by game basis, and chunk plays on this Chief secondary may be tough to come by with Eric the eight four mentioned Eric Berry and Marcus Peter and Ron Parker also play safety for the chief season and he's a former cornerback, so so there's talent there for sure. Yeah, listen, this Kansas City defense is a good defense, right. So so Alex, if you know, do you think that the Jets maybe pull a fast one on the Chiefs and

go deep? I mean, why not? It worked in the last game, so you know, why would you go away from What I think is more interesting is the defensive game plan for the Jets this game. This is we talked about Brandon Marshall and I don't know who else said it was the Brian Winters Buffalo was the loudest environment he's ever been in. But this place is going to be rocking. Isn't it known to be the loudest in the NFL. But they some new noise records again

they have. I don't think, and I'm not saying that from the seven six, I don't think it's gonna be as loud as Buffalo, just because there's a night factor a little bit at one o'clock, as opposed to those crazies back in Western New York tailgating Sunday afternoon to Thursday for that night game. There's that hasn't been a lot of night games in Buffalo lately. You know, Kansas City much respect out there to their fans. It's going to be a sea of red there. But I think

the Jets will be ready for that noise. It's gonna be really important. I think that the Jets get off the field, especially on third down, because not only are they're gonna be going up against Andy Reid and that West Coast offense with Alex Smith, but they're gonna be going up against that crowd noise um, you know, and Andy Reid's as good as it gets um when it comes to calling offensive plays. Offensive game plans. It's been around a long time. Chiefs have struggled on third down

here early in the season. And even though the Jets have given up those big plays in the secondary, they've been tremendous on third down themselves defensively. So can they win on first and second down here instead? And as the Chiefs don't make a lot of mistakes on offense, no, typically they don't. They turn the ball over against Houston and that's one of the key reasons why they lost that game against the Texas. Yeah so, but Alex Smith

really commands that offense. So I'm looking more at this game in an offensive I mean defensive standpoint, as opposed to in Buffalo. I was looking at it more from an offensive So it should be interesting, you know. I think that it will be an interesting game. And you said one o'clock. But but in Missouri it will be three, al right, not nonetheless, I will be home. It'll be four where I am. It won't be the one o'clock

crazy We're coming. I'll miss you guys too, but I will not not on the misser, not driving a very no, no, won't see there. But I will say that it'll be very interesting to see this week, especially defensively, just because you know, will Jamal Charles play? Will he not? I guess we'll find out. The running back West is Leland National Football League total yards he also he also led the teams and rushing yards in week one. So very

talented people in the backfield. But real quick, before we get to our suicide picks, which we neglected to do last week. Real quick. Obviously, big news in pop culture world, Brad and Angelina no longer together, So I will ask you from Twitter, from Twitter, Brangelina, bran Aelina, now Brad and Angelina because they're not one anymore. Cameron Cook says, Angelina and Brad heartbreaking for us all. What's the most shocking duo breakup in sports history? Sports history? It's a

good one. It's a good one, and I'm gonna I'll take I'll bad lead off here. Just wanted Shack and Kobe. Okay, I'm gonna throw that out the window, obvious one of shock and Kobe. I'm gonna go Donovan McNabb and Terrell Owens because that was a messy breakup in Philadelphia and they were both very talented players. The Eagles had a lot of firepower and they blew it. And when I say they, I don't mean they actually blew it. I just mean Donovan mcnabntio didn't get along. It's parted ways

and that's all she wrote. I'll never forget it. I was going to uh attending the hockey camp in the summer when I was a kid, and um, the Edmonton Oilers sent Wayne Gretzky. You're going to say that to the Los Angeles Kings and that really turned the hockey world upside down. I fell to this day. I feel bad for the people in Edmonton, but I'll tell you what.

They got a rising star there in Connor McDavid. But Gretzky was at the time such in the offensive force and then he went to l a and Janet Jones was in Hollywood at the time, and um, you know, he was a big star, and I think it helped hockey out. I'm gonna go completely different round with this. I mean, let's be real, Tiger Woods in the dating world as of late hasn't been the best. But who was the woman he was dating the Olympic athletes, Lindsay Vaughan.

I thought they were gonna last a little bit I mean, I don't know who knows what Tiger, but they broke up, Actually she broke up with him. I was a little surprised with that. Um, that was a power couple. That was that was she was killing the game. I think Shack and Kobe are a power couple. Yeah, but well these two were actually a couple of couple. So you know, all right, you know what, you know what. We're gonna table the conversation. We're gonna move on to the suicide

picks again. We neglected to do them last week. That's on us. That's our bad. No, that's not you. Okay, okay, you're the hostel was the practice was over, he was ripped it off, his life a locker room. Well you lost. We don't came out. We don't even need for the segment. No, well here's the thing, Okay, other than that, we buried that hatchet. We have to go. We have we have to reinvite because we didn't pick. I'm coming back. Our records still counts. It'll just add to the record. Yeah,

have you gotten a chance there? She has to be some kind of buying. We don't play this game. We sub games. Alex read us to schedule. She used to pick two games, all right, finally pick two games. I can just remove myself from this game. I don't even know. No, no, no, you like this game. We want you and Lindsey Von tell me the games this week? Alright, Houston at New England. I mean New England is now on their third string quarterback, so that will be interesting. Is that beneficially announced? I

mean started out Bill Belichick. That's true? Yea confirming that Jason Levine confirms where somebody Jason Levine who actually looks a lot like Jimmy Garoppolo and a fan on the New York Twitter account. Jason Levine was on in one of the pictures in one of the media availabilities yesterday, and someone tweeted out, is that Jimmy Garoppolo undercover? Jason head a little big right now? But on to the

next one. Arizona Arizona at Buffalo, Minnesota at Carolina, Denver at Cincinnati, Detroit at the Pack, Baltimore at Jacksonville, Cleveland at um Miami, Washington at our Friends in Blue the Giants, Oakland at Tennessee, San Francisco at Tampa Bay, San Diego, Indie, Indie Indie, New York Jets at Kansas City, Pittsburgh at Philly, Chicago at Dallas, Atlanta at Nola, which means New Orleans. I don't know if you guys know that I'm I'm taking I'm taking the lead here. Miami over the Dolphins.

I'm wow, Miami over the Browns, not Miami over the Dolphins. It is in Miami, the Dolphins over the Browns, and that is my pick. Both teams going to the Cleveland Browns. Corey Coleman broken head, no surgery, out four to six weeks. He was the starting receiver there. And in addition to that, Cody Kessler, rookie quarterback, third string starting. My pick, Miami Dolphins over the Cleveland Browns. Who's up next? I'll take

the Cowboys home Sunday night. Uh playing a team was scuffling right now, the Bears, and they got some players. You know, everybody in the National Football League has players. But gimme Dallas at home. They got the big road win, Washington, key divisional road win. I think that Prescott's but performing well. I think they'll be able to get the run game gone, short passing game. Um yeah, like I was gonna oh absolutely,

go ahead. You gotta pick dude Detroit at the pack See this is where I don't know, because then I can't pick the Packers again. So I'm gonna I'm gonna give you. Can I go Dallas as well? Yeah, but you gotta pick another game for to make up for last week. Okay, okay, this is ridiculous. Um, then I'll do Green Bay in Dallas. And that's all she wrote for laces In this week, Green Band Dallas, Dallas. Free a Miami Dolphins for me, the division rival Miami Dolphins.

Hope that doesn't get me in trouble. But again, New York Jets at Arrowhead Stadium in Missouri four kickoff on the East Coast. It will be three. They're just looking to improve to two and one on the season. Again, Kansas City has not lost at home since October eleven, but nonetheless, the Jets will be storming in hoping to get their second win of the season. Both teams are one and one. Tune in next week for another episode of laces In. Thank you, and have a good day.