The Last Word With Michael Lombardi

country for the first time in school history. You know, they're behind there behind my dogs number one, who beat Kentucky now are the only undefeated team in the SEC. It was the first episode of the Newcason of Succession. You're honest, do you watch Succession? I don't watch Succession? And if you tell people that you don't, they just get very angry. Have you noticed that when people they're enthusiastic about a show and they have you seen it?

And you're like no, and they're like, what's wrong with you? Oh my god, you haven't seen It's like, yeah, you know, I have thirteen thousand hours of other shows to catch up on. Yeah, it's hard. To live a life. Now, there's so many I'm trying to find time to live. Yeah, peer pressure to watch shows is a real thing. But you were so busy this weekend. Anyway, your baby girl, Gig, she had her first birthday. How was it you were texting our group text and I'm glad to know what

this first birthday? They were serving plenty of adult beverages. Yeah, I mean I live up the group text. Hopefully you guys destroyed it. It was supposed to be destroyed on a rival, because you know, I don't want to get into an Urban Meyer situation. I was a little toasted. I can't be responsible for what I texted, but it was fun. I needed to make sure I got very drunk Olivia, just so when the check came for the event I was. I didn't remember it. I wanted to

be fully blacked out for when I signed the check. Well, I think you got there. In fact, that's what I should do for our end punishment, Picks is just have you read out your text? They were pretty rich and yeah, that party was extravagant. It must be good, be g G Pappas. Let me tell you when I come back in another life, I want to be pappas. Yeah, it was a combo baptism. I'm sorry. Christening, I was a

combo christening and first birthday. So we did them both at the same time, so you know, I imagine it would have been worse if I did a separate birthday party and christening. So anyway, I'm gonna be bet and big on somebody and trying to win this money back. Peter Andrew, I can't wait to talk to you. You You gotta give me a good tip. Oh man, he better, he'll be at the end of the show. Is always our betting expert, Peter Andrew. He is so good. And we have a full slate of NFL and NBA games

as the season begins this week. So excited, you know, Janice, I've got a new team this year, new Colors. My husband's with the Toronto Raptors. I am flying up there and can't wait. Season opens Wednesday night for the Raptors at home. I can't wait. Are you going to wear Raptors gear? Hold on, I'm just good about to sing the Canadian national and Oh Canadada, oh Country. I forget his up there. Thank you for Jim Carrey. And that's Sam Jackers on the Raptors. I can't watch to wait

and pay for Looney's and Tunis to watch him. Isn't that how it goes? Yeah? But sub Justin Bieber for Jim Carey. Let's make this current. That's true. Shout out to Justin Trudeau. I'm a Canadian now. Congratulations Sam Decker, he's a Toronto Raptor. So excited, so excited for the NBA to begin to That's talk about a sport that's on every night. You know, you never never have to look around too hard for an NBA game, right, Yeah, you can find a game. The only thing you can't

find this season is Kyrie Irving. He's tough to spot. He will be tough to speak of vaccine and athletes. So do you see that Cam Newton has now gotten vaccinated and is looking for a job. I didn't see that, but yeah, I mean, who's gonna pick Somebody's got to pick him up. He's too valuable to have on the wire. Let's go. You know, I could think of one team that could use him. Who it's a New York team. I mean, look, we could take just play wide received

we need another player. At this point, we had we had more injuries this weekend. It's getting very very I'm not even sure if the Giants showed up to the Jets game whoever they're playing next, and the Jets showed up to the Giants game whoever they're playing next, I don't even think the other team would notice that the other it's not that team. That's how bad both teams are right now. Oh that's pretty good, that's pretty good. Yeah.

I think Cam Newton will find a home. Players get hurt all the time, and I think he'll find a good role as a backup. But yeah, former MVP. It's just interesting the COVID vaccine decisions made around sports, also in the media, Like I I have a friend, longtime ESPN reporter, and she has chosen not to get vaccinated and ESPN has let her go. So it's just it's such a byeline to so many headlines this season, right, I mean, it's it's very interesting. Last season was all

what games are canceled. Now it's what players are choosing not to get vaccinated. So as we get closer to the midway point of NFL season, Boy, a lot of teams made statements this past weekend. Perhaps none bigger than the Baltimore Ravens. You picked this one, honest. Last week, you picked this They rolled the Chargers thirty four to six, and then the Cardinals. They are still unbeaten. They beat the Browns. That was a great game. Without their head coach.

They left their head coach in Arizona with COVID. They still got it done. That was a great one. We're going to talk to former NFL general manager and three time Super Bowl winning executive Michael Lombardi about all the big NFL headlines. I can't wait to pick his brain. I've never met him, have you, No, No, I can't wait too. Uh. He's got so much great takes. He's such an entertaining guy. And I mean, you'd be hard pressed to find somebody with as much extensive NFL experience.

The guys have been around the game for so long. Just to go back to your point about the Ravens, you know what, I really listened. I listened. I listened. I listened to your unleashed I think it was a couple of weeks ago, and you sold me you're unleashed about Lamar Jackson was so passionate. They've become my favorite team. Now, I mean I have to say, I have to have I have a void to fill because it's almost like giants aren't playing football. So I mean, I'm glad I

picked them, and now they're also in my heart. I mean, they are playing incredible football. And Lamar Jackson is looks like he worked on his game. I mean he's passing, he's sitting in the pocket, he's running when he has to. Their defense looks great. They're gonna win it all. I know every week I say somebody different is gonna win it all. But I'll tell you what. The Ravens are gonna win it all. Okay, gonna tell our social media team to clip that right there, and we're gonna hold

you to it. I agree. They are really fun to watch, But why did they make a statement this weekend beating the Chargers. Everyone was so high on the Chargers, myself included, so that caused a little separation in the a f C. And the a f C is so strong this year, so that that was really fun. You know who didn't have as good of a weekend as the Ravens and Lamar Jackson? You because you got sick? Yeah, can you hear? How can jestin. I am good, Laurence know you because

you're now broke after this christening. We both we both lost, Yeah, we both lost our healths mental health. Well. Also he lost is at Thick the Kid and that's thick with two c's, which is my favorite kind of thick. Thick the Kid. He had a tough time with some parlays this week, so bad that he won Bad Beat of the Week. Bad Beat of the Week. He bet on six games, five of those hit. Gotta hate it when

just one loses. He lost money on the Chargers, speaking of that game, a lot of people did and the Browns. So tough luck, Mr Thick, but bet MGM is going to reward you with a hundred dollar credit so you can try your luck again asap. Okay, it's now our favorite segment of the show. It's time for us to go off on one topic we feel really passionate about

this week. Jannice, let's unleash. It's time we just talked about big statement wins in the NFL this week in Jannice, I know you wanted to unleash on someone who made a huge statement this week, and I love this one. Take it away, my friend yes, oh h d. I gotta tell you, you know what, it's just fun to watch. I have love for sports journalists because you're my co

host and I love you to death. But it's just fun to see when players show up storylines, especially when it's the goat our a in Rogers Week one, every journalist, everybody was saying, oh my god, he doesn't want to be there. Does he want to play? He looks halfharded. Blah blah blah blah. Say it again. Guilty, yes, guilty, has charged. I'm looking right at you, girl. But you know, he went into Chicago. He went into Chicago and he had a little message. As you know, it's been all

over every sports network, all over the internet. He had a little message for the fans of Chicago. He wants them to know that he still owns them. He didn't say it once. He didn't say it twice, Dare He didn't say it trice. He said it about a hundred times. He was jacked up, he was excited. Does that look like the disposition of a player who's phoned it in? Does the Packers record right now look like a record of the former m v P phoning it him? He is absolutely kill on it, And I just want to

remind a few people of what they said. Frank Iowa said, Aaron Rodgers played like a guy. This was after week one. Aaron Rodgers played like a guy that wasn't engaged. How about that jump pass he threw for an interception. That's something a rookie does. What how dare you disrespect to go Kevin Blackstone. It almost looked like it was planned to rub his thumb in the eyes of the fans. Huh, Emily, yes, what yeah? I mean people started they started resorting to

conspiracy theories after one game. After one game, how about it was a bad game and it was a bad off season. It wasn't bad offseason. I know he did have that disposition. I know there was the talk that he wants out. I know he was upset about the players around him, But he's still Aaron Rodgers. You don't become the m v P by phoning it in or not being competitive and playing with what you got. This is a good one. Tony Kornheiser, I love this one.

I have wondered all through train an in camp. See he's thinking he's the genius here, and I'm wondering now if his heart with this is with his team in Green Bay, or if he's just counting the days until he can leave, I don't I don't know if he does. I know he doesn't like the coach. I know it doesn't like the general manager. And what's worse, I wonder if this bleeds over to the rest of the team

and they wonder about Aaron Rodgers. Well, I tell you what, after that touchdown celebration with his teammates, it doesn't look like they're wondering about anything except if they're gonna win a super Bowl. Because my man, Aaron Rodgers is jacked up and he's throwing ropes, he's throwing dimes. I'm a Green Bay Packers fan. Now, they're gonna win it all? Olivia, did I say they're gonna win it all? Yes, you have now been on the record saying they too, will

win it all. So I wanted to tell you what win it a halt me? But I know that's a fun rivalry. What is he now, twenty one and five or twenty two and five against the Bears and he's having fun out there, and he's got the quote of the season that you made. Now your profile sent how can you not be romantic about football, which is now I think in your Instagram bio, it is in my Instagram bio. I feel like that just kind of sums me up. So it was just fun to see him

show up reporters. So please, reporters, take it easy with the histrionics, report the numbers, easy on the dramatic storyline. Saved that for the Real Housewives or for something a little bit more legitimate like the Mahomes family. Well, you've led me right into mine kind of because you know, I wanted to unleash on Jackson Mahomes doing a TikTok dance in the roped off area honoring the late Sean Taylor at the Chiefs game in Washington this past weekend.

And what an embarrassment overall he has been. He poured water on a Ravens fan earlier this season. But I just didn't think I could harp on that family two weeks in a row. That seemed not right. Although it is making national headlines, and although that is a huge distraction right now, Patrick Mahomes, he's so clean cut, he's got no issues. He's got issues on the field right now,

but everyone can forgive him for that. He's a long time investment his family man, and I know so many rumors here in Kansas City that are horrible about his family. And I'm just the disrespect, the entitlement. I've just had it. And this isn't even what I'm unleashing on. This is just my segway. But I just think someone needs to take away Jackson mahomes sideline access and change his TikTok password. Maybe they can change it to something he'll never guess,

like humility, class a respect. I got jokes to Janice, I got choked. Okay, this is what I really want to un leash on. Ole Miss traveled to Knoxville, Tennessee this weekend to play the Balls. That means that Revel's head coach Lane Kiffin returned to his old stomping grounds and you a long story short, Balls fans are still mad at him because he jilted them with a very unceremonious one minute press conference going to USC that was

twelve years ago. Well, he got obviously walking out pregame that was to be expected, but later in the game, Tennessee fans were mad at a controversial spot on a fourth down play and all hell broke loose. They started throwing objects onto the field, which again we've seen before in sports. But listen to what they threw. Water bottles, screws, half eaten apple, who brings an apple to a football game? Vape pipes, and even a half empty mustard bottle, which

that just makes me mad. Some poor concession stand worker was organizing their hot dog and the relish and they're catch up and everything like a where the mustard go? Come on? Well, Lane remained calm, even kept a golf ball that was thrown at him as a memento. He could probably sell that on eBay for a lot of money right now. And on his way into the tunnel, he takes off his visor and he throws it into the stands, which is hilarious. Lane Lane Kiffin himself is hilarious.

He has a way of rilling people up. Anyways. But this Tennessee fan base has gotten a bad rap for you years, and boy did this get people angry. On Twitter. I saw so many national sports writers who are so well respected tweeting about how bad the fan base look this night. And I saw some local radio hosts in Knoxville say you are never welcome on our show again. I mean this is now going past the fans into the media who you love and man, it was it

was some good entertainment. But this fan base when they almost hired Greg Ciano a couple of years ago, they protested like crazy. When Lane left, they lit mattresses on fire in the middle of the street. I mean points for creativity though, between lit mattresses and mustard bottles on a football field. I mean, this fan base is creative. They are angry and they and you know I'm a Georgia fan, So this has nothing to do with that.

This isn't an sec rivalry thing. I just I mean I think Jackson Mahomes and these Tennessee football fans could have themselves the time because neither one knows how to behave. That's from the same cloth. Yeah, water bottles, vape pipe screws, half eating apple and a half eaten mustard bottle and a mattress set on fire. It sounds like what you'd find after you went camping in a bear ate all your stuff and you woke up in the morning and that was what was left. Half eating apple and half

of a mustard bottle. Oh my god, I love unleashing with you. It's so fun. We have all these crazy things that happened throughout the week and weekend, and it's just fun to pick our favorites. So I love that segment. Okay, it's time to bringing our guest. He is the author of Gridyon Genius. He's a longtime NFL coach, exact an analyst, one of the brightest football minds in the business. And that is according to Bill Belichick himself. He's a three

time Super Bowl winner. For him, born to Run isn't just a Springsteen anthem, It's an offensive strategy. Michael Lombardi is here. Okay, we're gonna talk about the NFL season in just a bit. But you've gotten to work with some of the most iconic names in NFL history. Al Davis, Bill Walsh, Bill Belichick. You got to learn from them and teach them too, I imagine in ways and put in a fantastic book. By the way, but we need to talk about Al Davis's legendary eating schedule because this

was fascinating. I know eleven French fires are involved a bunch of diet PEPSI walk us through his eating schedule. Oh gosh, yeah, that that that's always an interesting one. So you know, Mr Davis was never an early riser, so he was at ten thirty, you know, he probably

would have some kind of fruit and diet pepsi. And then around the one o'clock it would either be a tuna fish sandwich with extra mayonnaise, maybe McDonald's french fries, could have a cheese burger from McDonald's always could go with Kentucky fried chicken with coleslaw on the side, extra mayonnaise. And then at three o'clock always is always three. Between three and three thirty he would have German chocolate cake from any bakery anywhere. It could even be stale actually,

and a diapepsi. And then he would go work out at five thirty six, and then at dinner time at a thirty it would be some kind of prime red English cut, eleven French fries, shrimp cocktail Caesar style, a lot of Mannies going in that body. So it was a unique diet, there's no doubt. But it was consistent, it was always consistent. It didn't get changed too often. But you know, he liked fast food for some reason, and he had his favorite He had his favorite restaurants.

When he lived in Los Angeles, he loved Matteos, which was over off of Wiltshire Boulevard, kind of in the you know, by U. C. L A. Area. So but yeah, he would any like Chinese food. I mean it was it all the pennedd was. But always always with a diapepsies. That's a great question. I don't think any of us know the answer to that. We really but I've been at a table with him where the waitress was trying to be really nice and brought way more French fries

than they all got sent back. So you can't explain that. It sounds a lot like Bill Bill Clinton's diet. Clinton isn't he a vegan now? He is now? But I mean what got him there? I mean, that's that's the diet that sounds like I got him there? Now. I remember reading the book Primary Colors, and he was a doughnut guy and a barbecue guy. You know, I was

a fast food guy. Loved mayonnaise for some reason. I just loved it, and you know, love diet PEPSI never coffee, and now would he go to comb I love hot dogs, just muster down the middle, you know, he would have the you know, he would have certain diets there, and then he would eat at Shula Steakhouse at the Combine every single night. Michael, let me give you a little tip because I love mayonnaise too, and often I would go to a place and they wouldn't put as much

mayonnaise as I wanted on there. So I figured out the perfect way to let them know I meant business. You have to tell them offend me with the mayonnaise. Did you ever dip your shrimp cocktail and mayonnaise? I have, I've dipped it. I've dipped everything in manonnaise. I love mayonnaise. I put mayonnaise on everything. You know, when he had Caesar, it was always with extra mannaise. Tuna fish was always with extra and manaise. I've never heard don't offend. That's

a great line. I might have to try that one. I eat mayonnaise, but I'm not in love with it like he was. Got I think any little bit of mayonnaise is a bit offensive. That's kind of growth. You can see that. That's the first question you asked me. I usually don't get asked out. Davis his diet too much. I was so curious. I had to ask. I saw that on Twitter and I was just so stupefied. I

had to ask you. But from that list of names that I listed of just legendary people around the NFL, is there one characteristic or attribute that you do feel like they all had. Yeah. I think they all have an incredible, incredible passion to focus on the task at half. You know, we are living a multidimensional world today where we're supposed to do three or five things at the same time, and we've got all this, and I think

that they all did one thing really really well. They did a lot of things, but when they focused on the one thing that they were working on, it was always really well done. They didn't they didn't give half attention to anything, Michael. I don't know if you watched the Pittsburgh game this last weekend, did you see that t J. Watt play where he seemingly punched and did like an uppercut and the refs completely ignored. I thought they should have thrown him out of the game. I

really didn't. It should have got injected from the game for punching. Yeah, I mean what happened there, I mean, was that because of his star power that they ignored it. What what was he trying to do? Was that? Was he trying to hit him or was he trying to get the bullet? I guess he hadn't heard the fumble again, heard the whistle, so he's trying to create a fumble.

But that looked to me like that was I mean, if if we're gonna call taunting, if we're gonna call somebody standing over with their hands, you know kind of or you know, making gestures, how that was not How that was tolerated to me was beyond my own comprehension. And then I they thought the play, you know where Metcalf runs, and then they reviewed it. I mean, why did they have to review it? They basically gave Seattle the chance to make a field goal, Like they didn't

have to review that. That was clearly a catch fumble recovery. Like, we're constantly reviewing things that don't need to be reviewed. You've mentioned tanting, You've mentioned how much we're reviewing plays now, reviewing rest calls. What is a rule that you would change as early as next season. Oh, I would definitely change holding away from the play. I think that those are really bad calls when the guy had no chance to even make the play. You call holding, I think

passive inference. I would uniform it. I would try to uniform it more comprehensively, you know what they do, because no matter what stadium you're in, it's a different call, you know, and I think it affects the game too much. I certainly would try to do that. I think those are the two things that I would definitely do. But the holding calls, you know, are never good. They're hard to overcome. I mean the holding call the other day

with James Farren's on the touchdown pasting Jacobe Myers. You know, I'm not sure that's holding as much as the guy as he's got the guy and the guy can't make the play. So I think there's a lot of holding calls that are out of the play that really have no relevance. The NFL rumor mill has been pretty busy this year, and you were even the one to break the story that the Jaguars were having closed door meetings the morning after the Meyer video was released. What's the

most interesting NFL rumor you've heard this season? I think that one so far. I mean, you know, I think there's a lot of scuttle, but there's more to that than meets the eye. I'm not sure that one's over, you know, I'm not sure that one's over. I think if you saw Urbans talk to the team after he won in London, I think from somebody who really studies leadership as much as I do and writes the Daily Coach with my other partners in that that wasn't a

message that I thought was resonating with the team. That that that talk that he gave after the game. So I don't think we've heard the last of that. I don't think we have. I think there's more to come on that. I would say that's probably the most interesting because even though we won this week, I'm not sure that's the right fit for him, nor is it the

right fit for Jacksonville. I have a buddy who plays for the Jaguars, and I asked him, I said, is the team as mad as I'm kind of seen in the media, And he said no. And you know, at the end of the day, no one got hurt with Urban's misshap. Let's say it's kind of more fodder and doesn't bring much respect on his name, if anything, but it's it starts an interesting conversation, especially with right after the Grooten emails come out, which does hurt and offend people,

and it just puts an interesting light on that. What is your take on the coach off the field drama that we're seeing so early this season. Well, I mean, look, you know, I've never seen a coach not fly back with its team. I think that's you know. I mean, look, Patent commanded the Third Army in Europe, and the day he was set to leave Europe to come back to America, he got a car accident, died, and Patton wanted to be buried in in with his with the Third Army

over there in Belgium. I mean, he's buried there. For all intents and purposes. One of the greatest generals in America. It should be buried at Arlington National Cemetery, except he wanted to be buried with his men. You know, there's a bond that goes when you lead people, when you lead men, and I think that Urban decided to stay back because it was convenient. You make it ten million dollars a year. You know, That's why we have net jets, That's why we have you know, wheels up. I mean

just get a plane and go. Bro. You know it's not gonna cost you have much money, you know you can do it. You can, you can, you can, you can afford it. And to do that and to leave his team, I think you're probably right. You know that, you know the team people look at him, But I think he lost a lot of opportunity to win over his players. Yeah. Well, ten million gives him a lot of single dollars for lap dances with that girl. Well, I mean, you know that's not a good look either.

And I think to me when we you know, when when we talk about you know, you asked the question what separates Walsh and Belichick, what brings them all together and Davis is their their commitment to to the team, their commitment to caring more than anybody else. And when you're doing that, you said, you don't really have that same You don't exude that same commitment. You obviously know Belichick, But what other coaches in the league do you think

really exemplify that? You know? I really like I like when Brennan Stanley talked about with leadership after this happened, about trust, I thought he was really good. I think he's way mature beyond his years. I thought he was outstanding. I love him. That rule with Carolina full disclosure. My son works for him, so I know him, but I really like him. I think Matt gets it. I think

Matt's really understands how to build a culture. You know, I'm always fascinated with people that know that culture comes first, that culture doesn't get tacked on as an afterthought after we win a couple of games. You know, I'm always is about, you know, how we're going to build a program. I'm not talking about how we're gonna win. I want to know how we're gonna build a program. And I

think Matt really gets that. You know, I think Sean Payton, I think Sean Payton haven't been with To me, the difference always between Sean Payton and John Gruden was built parselves. You know. Peyton was wey able to work with Bill Parcels in Dallas, and John never really was around a guy. You can say Mike home Grin. He was with roum Well, but he was never really around the true got a coach who understood how to build a team and still

run the game. And Parcels did that. And I think Parcels really has influenced Sean to the point where they still have conversations to this day. So you know, I like that. I like that part of the program. I think I like head coaches to be head coaches, you know, Like you know, John Harball is a head coach. He's coaching the team. You know, that's not to say he doesn't let the assistants do their job, but he should

impact the team completely. But we've seen that now take form in the draft is people looking for character, and you're actually credited with starting that kind of conversation. We saw in the movie Draft Day that they even look at who on the team went to a kid's birthday party to see if he was well liked by teammates. Do you have an example like that, and it can be an anonymous player of something you found out that

truly in the scouting room that that was a game changer. Well, you know, I could tell you we went to work out a quarterback, high quarterback who's still playing in the league, and we went to go work him out, and I called him and said, hey, look we're gonna come work out. I'm not bringing any football, so I'm not going to bring any receivers. You organize it, you demonstrate to me that you're a leader, you know. And we showed up

to the workout. He was in the car with his father, and you know, he had no football and nobody to work out with him. That tells you a lot. That tells you a lot. You know, obviously we didn't draft him, but that tells you a lot about the player. You know. I know of other instances where quarterbacks where the players wouldn't come to the workout to help the quarterback. You know, that tells you a lot about who that player is. When you see guys that want to do it, that

will do anything for the player, you know. I thought it was really really good that that, Like you could see in that same locker room that I've talked about with with urban Meyer, you could see how the players really like Trevor Lawrence in that locker room. How they gave him the game ball. I mean, they gave him the game ball. They didn't give it to the coach, they gave it to him. There's a lot. Yeah, But is there ever a story that has nothing to do

with football that either helped get a guy drafted or not. Well, I think there's always I mean you can't put two different uniforms on. I think that when you know a kid, when he has really good intentions and he's doing the things that you know, Like I've always said this to players. Every time I've called a player, he's just coming back from a workout, whether I call him at two in the morning, where I call him at two in the afternoon, how you do it. I'll just come back from workout.

Of course you are. You know, we're just coming back for a workout. But I think how they behave around people they don't know, it's a true indication and interesting. I think that that's really how we have to evaluate character. Like when I first got started in the National foot Fall League, you would go to l s U and you would ask the coaches and they would tell you honestly about all the players. You can't do that today. There's the hippo laws, all the things that affect it.

So what you really have to do is you have to go on the campus and you have to talk to people that interact with those players, and within a day or so you'll find out. Do you think overall the culture in the NFL, the changes they're good or bad? Overall? You like them. I think we've lost culture in the NFL because we have the owners really don't want it as much as you think they would. They like to

subcontract the game out. Hey, coach Open's court a defense coordinator, and it keeps them involved in the team, you know. I think it's interesting how they've made all their money and other businesses with building cultures that when they come in the NFL as a toy, they don't want to build a great culture. They don't know what it takes to build a great culture. And I think that that's

one of the biggest issues. I think when you get an owner who understands culture and allows you to build it, you will be one of the build all said to me many years ago, it will be one of the eight. Do you have a team that is a good example of that, of who's not bought in on culture. I think, you know, I think Jacksonville wants to and I'm sure they understand how to do it, you know, I think

that's really been a problem for them. I think the Giants right now don't understand the first thing about culture. The Giants are back to the ages of you know, of being of the time back in the seventies, before they hired Ray Perkins, before they hired George Young, they were a disaster. It's called the Church Sleeve phenomena. It's it happens in in third generations of family businesses. So it does. It's a you can read about it online.

So what happens is is because you're in the third generation, you have so many people in the company that are family members. They've only learned how to do it one way through the family, and so you're basically stuck in time and because of that, you can't really build a good culture. The Giants are the for for example, that they keep changing coaches. They want to fire the gm they have been one in five years. There's a really that's an institutional problem, not a not a personnel problem.

How do you feel hearing that, Jannie, It's it's tough. I'm a Giants fan, just to let you know, and you're absolutely right, it's very it's tough to watch. It's really I think it's the curse of firing. Tom Coughlin. I don't think there was any reason to do that. Well, I think to me, when I when Al David used to come to my office when I worked in Oakland. I had a sign that hung above the desk to try to subliminately get him into this, and it said,

if you don't like change, you're gonna like irrelevance. Even less, we had a hard time changing at the Raiders, we had a hard time changing. It's by Eric Schninski of the United States Army, and I think the Giants that sign permeates throughout their building, you know, Kaughlan leaving, and it had really no impact on where they were going. John Marraw the run the team, who runs the team, the president of the team, is stuck in a certain period of time. He's in shirt sleeves and it becomes

very hard to run the business that way. From all the great players you've spent time around too, And what pops out to me is Tom Brady. But maybe your answer is different. Who has impressed you the most with attention to detail, with full commitment? Oh, you know that's easy. I mean, Brady is remarkable. Brady is is for the longevity. I mean, I just was the other day watching him against Philadelphia on Thursday. Here he is forty four years old, I mean, and I literally sent him a text that

I've never seen you move laterally better. Literally, I've never seen him move laterally as well as he's moving right now at four and you know, and it's to me, it was remarkable, like you can't move that well and yet he is, so his commitment to his craft is beyond remarkable. Mcbronnie Locked to me was one of my all time favorite players because he was just all about the team and his toughness. He wouldn't let anybody get in the way of winning, and his toughness felt through

a team. Those are hard guys to find. Now, what did you think of Giselle and Tom Brady's tweets this weekend? Did you see that? I did not see that. I didn't understand what that was all about. I kind of was too busy paying attention to the games. Well see, that's why we have me and you, honest, we'll follow all the petty stuff. So it's like Giselle, Tom said, uh, I missed the fall, like I missed fall weather and Giselle said time for a trade question mark and people

freaking out. Yeah, I mean, you know, that's the one thing when you're not in the East Coast, you do miss fall. You missed that time? Yeah, you know, that seems like it's part of the game. Now, the antics. What do you think. We talked extensively about it for a couple of episodes because it's Olivia's favorite, one of her favorite topics, and it's become mine. What do you think about what's going on with the Chiefs and their culture and is that culture being compromised a little bit

by family members? Well, I think, you know, I think there's a lot of things going on the dynamic in that I I don't think you can underscore the Brett Reid situation. I think that's going to take a toll on any any father, any father, you know. And and that's not to say that Andy's not paying attention to his craft, because Andy's I think, is a great coach and I think and he's proven that. But I do think there is a sense of, you know, we got these great players and they're going to turn it on.

I think when you break them down, and I've said this numerous times, Tyreek Hill is one of the best players in the league. And Tyree Hill is the best receiver in the league. There's nobody better than Tyree Hill. He changes the game and he changes the Chief's offense. Because what he allows them to do is he allows them to hit a home run at any place on the field. And he's fast, he's explosive, and he's hard

to tackle. And the perfect example was yesterday. You know, it's thirteen to ten at a half, and he's not really playing in the first half. In the second half when he came back out there, the game took they scored twenty one points. So and until they get their defense fixed and they stopped turning the ball over. Right now, if we were to go to the playoffs today, they

wouldn't be in it right right. Do you feel like the Reed family situation and I live here in Kansas City and I'm a Chiefs fan, and it, you know, has it's upset the whole city. That story was horrible. Do you feel like that affected them in the Super Bowl last year? I think it had to. As a father of two boys, I mean, I'm a grandfather of a forced little boys, I mean, it would affect me tremendously, you know, And I don't know how how you can

focus and concentrate with all that looming. I think it's hard. I just think it's natural. It's easy to say we'll put it, you know, but how do you ever sleep at night knowing that that your son could be that this tragic, this poor young girl, this his son. I mean, you feel so badly for everybody involved. Absolutely Well. I hate to turn from such a sad topic to a fun topic, but we do have a game we'd like to play with you, Michael, If you're up for it, this will be a lot of fun. You know, in

the NFL, coaches are used to having the last word. Well, today we're gonna let you have the last word, so honest, and I are going to give you a sentence and you'll complete it. How does that sound? That sounds good to me? Writer skills? Let's see. Okay, if you could change one play, one play in NFL history, it would be the tuck. Okay, t Yeah, you're afford of education

right there. And my son with the Fordham. I mean if they called that as it was a fumble on the field, which we all thought as the great Mike Holgran says, if twenty guys in the bar I think it's a fumble, then it's probably a fumble, you know. So yeah, the tough and you know I'm not saying we would have beaten Pittsburgh in the championship game. I'm not saying that at all, saying we should have gone Tower. That's good answer. Alright, I was hoping you didn't say that,

David Tyree. Catch. Yeah, that's just you know, I'm not a I'm not an anti giants. I'm just trying to explain to people what the reality of the Giants are. No. I you know, it's nobody he can argue with you right now. They don't have any evidence. You have all the evidence on Twitter they can argue with Yeah. Geniuses with an eraser. Yeah all right. Next up, the nastiest thing you've ever seen in an NFL locker room was when I think when Ronnie Lott had his finger cut off.

Oh yeah, I thought that was nasty. I mean, it wasn't done in the locker room, but just the fact when he came back in and showed everybody that was yeah. Literally, yeah hard to beat. Yeah, Okay, finish the sentence. I'm not related to Vince Lombardi, but if I could be related to anybody around the NFL, it would be Oh wow, I could be related to anybody around the NFL. That's a great question. I would like to be I will, yeah, I would. I would like to be related to this

is this could go in so many different directions. I would like to be related to the Hollis family to be able to study the history of the game. And my next book is about the Hall of Fame and about George Hollis and about you know, how Paul Brown changed the game. Paul Brown really is a fascinating He's the Bill Gates of the NFL coaching circle because he developed the operating system that they all use and operate with.

And George Hollis, through Sid Luckman and through the presence of Clark Shaughnessy, allowed the passing game to really blossom into the NFL that we know it. So I think the Hollise family to be related to them. Is George Hollis Greek? Do you know? Because it sounds Greek? I don't know, you're honest, but I mean, I'm sure we can make him Greek. I mean, anybody you know, but it's on their last name, we can make him Greek.

I'm sure he likes a little I'm sure he likes a little feta cheese on a salad all the time. And that's what Greeks. Do we see an S on the end of the name, we claim them, especially if they're successful. The same thing the Allians, we Italians, we will claim anybody you know. All right, how about this one. The most important player to their team in the NFL right now is Justin Tucker Thin guess the best player

in this position. He's automatic three points. And when you're in a game like they were this week, it didn't matter. But most playoff games, those three men are And if you're John Harball and you go for it on fourth and two, when you know you're gonna make three automatically, it's a hard thing to give up. That's a great answer. Okay. The New York fans that deserve to be more disappointed are we know the answer. I think it's clearly the

Giant because they've won. They've won before, they've experienced it, they've been to the mountain. You know. My line about Jet fans as the old D Martin line. D Martin used to say, I feel sorry for people who don't drink because when they get up in the morning, that's the best they're gonna field all day. Then my lot about Jet fans are simply this, when they wake up on Sunday morning. That's the best their country all day, you know. And so I mean, look, the Jets are

a team that really doesn't understand culture. They really are. I mean, Widy Johnson has never really understood. He sees it as a corporation without culture. Higher GM hire coach and then if they don't work, we'll just do it again. That's good, all right. Next season, the quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers will be, oh, great, great question. Uh, you know, I think it'll be Sam how from North Carolina about I think they'll have to draft one. I don't think

it's gonna be Mason Rudolph, you know. And I don't think there'll be a quarterback in free agency. Tom Brady smells like success. Protein powder. Protein powder, Yeah, protein powder, because he's always drinking healthy shapes. I don't think just like that too much. So I probably I was to say he smells like money. Next season, Urban Meyer will be I think Urban will probably be working at his bar all year round. I think you'll have a lot

of time to handle that. I think you'll greet everybody that comes into that the Urbans place in Columbia a good marriage. I don't see this as a good marriage. Oh yeah, I don't either. I think his game is much more suited to college. Okay, last and final question, and this is the money question. On February in Los Angeles, the Super Bowl will be between Blank and Blank. Oh gosh. You know, there's five really teams in the NFC that are so good, you know, and you can go in

so many. But I'm gonna stick with green Bay for the moment because I think Aaron will play at a high level. And then in the a f C, I'll go Buffalo here. Yeah, you know, I think Buffalo is playing. Will see them tonight against Tennessee. But I'll go green Bay Buffalo. But you know, I think I think the the a f C doesn't have as many strong teams as the NFC. Arizona has been remarkable as being undefeated.

The Rams are staying healthy, which is critical, and the Bucks are still a really good team, and then of course the Cowboys have been really impressive. All right, I'm sticking with the Giants. I believe. I believe they can turn this around. Me honest, I really do. I think they can. I think they were just toying with people, you know, they're luring you into thinking that they're not good. That's why they wanted you to get beat by the Rams.

It's got a little bit of Major League Baseball, you know, that's that movie. We did it. You know, I'll law him in. Then we're gonna take them by stets exactly. You heard it here first the Giants and the Super Bowl in. He just doesn't want to be wrong. Well, thanks so much for joining us, Michael. You can follow Michael Lombardi on Twitter at m Lombardi NFL and hear him on the GM Shuffle podcast. Michael, that was a lot of fun. Thanks for your insight. Thank thank you,

honest appreciate it so much fun. Time to get to this weekend's action. Let's bring in bet MGM betting expert Peter Andrew. Okay, that was a lot of fun with Michael Lombardi, and now let's get to this week and weekend of action in sports. We bring in bet MGM betting expert Peter Andrew. Peter, thanks for joining us again. I'll never get sick and you call me an expert even though I had a horrendous sports betting weekend and you know why, Yeah, expert might be generous, but everyone

needs a title. Yeah, I appreciate it. Thank you guys. Well, NBA started this week. It's so good to see that back on our TV screens and a great game to start off the Nets at Bucks. The Nets are expected to win it all this year plus two forty for tournament winner. The Bucks obviously one last year. They're still a top five favorite win at this year at plus nine hundred. Let's go through some of the futures in the NBA. Peter, what do you like for tournament winner? Yeah,

so title. I it's kind of the same as last year. I don't love the Nets because there's just so many different circumstances of things that are happening. Touched on the Kyrie stuff. I think you have some pretty susceptible injury players like Katie, so I'm staying away from the Nets for now. I really do like the Box. I like him to take the East plus four. I think you have defending champions. You're you're giving them quite a bit

of juice there. I think you take it and you probably see them towards the end of the season, and that once you were three spot and definitely vying for the title. Okay, I like it. Wow, you really downplaying the Nets. I thought maybe they would come back strong this year. Everybody healthy, They had a year to kind of gel. Maybe Harden and Durank get that. Okay, see chemistry going again. Yeah, I think they do. But you're

missing a big piece in Kyrie. So a big reason why they are that good and why they were that good last year is what Kyrie brings in any given game. He obviously can put up forty points, but he can distribute the ball. He played bit of defense. I think sometimes we discount that just a little bit. Having to move James Harden to the one I think is uh, it potentially raises some red flags. You take a little

bit of shooting away. When you have Kyrie and and James Harden and the one and too, you obviously have a forty plus percent three point team. Switching things up a little bit can mess things up. So yeah, it's not that I'm against the Nets. I just think they have a lot of open, you know, open question marks. But Bucks just there a complete team, and we saw what Jannie can do after a lot of people were

just they didn't give them. I think the what they deserve, which is they are a legitimate title contender, and will they repeat? Maybe not, but I think they'll be right there at the end. When you said we've seen what Yannie can do, I thought you were talking, you know when I always think it's me for a second, and then I remember there is actually a much more talented yahn Us in the world. So if I barked up

for a second, I apologize. We can't see it because you're sitting down, But I think you are six tend so I'm not six ten, but I am spectacular. I mean, I'm a spectacular co host of the Great O h D. So I don't have any championships, but you know what, I'll take it. I'll take what my genes have offered me, and fate has brought me to this podcast with oh D.

So guess what, that's a championship in my book. You know, I'm not seeing any odds for best podcast host right here for m v P. But I am seeing a Luca don Chich leads a pack for regular season m v P at plus four hundred, Nicola Yokich when it last year, he's plus sixteen hundred still in there. Actually pretty good value too. What do you like there or do you go with Anto Tokupo love Luca, but I'm

going Steph. I think talk about a team that has been in a tough situation last couple of years, injuries, losing during a couple of years ago. Steff has had to clean things up a bit. Getting Thompson back to what I think will be a hundred cent this year will really help them. I think you see the Warriors of you know, three, four or five years ago come back and and I think they end up being a

top tier team. I like them out of the West too, for what it's worth, I think you have, you know, a crowded West with obviously the Lakers, with Westbrook, you have Clippers still there, you have Sons. We've talked about a couple of these teams. But I really like Steff to just have an overperforming year. So you're saying Golden State is back, Golden State is back, asterix if, like I was about to say, you're making some sweeping, bold

predictions and I like it, so are you honest? You've you've said, like thirty NFL teams are winning it all. That's the name of my game. I go big, go harder, go home. I can't lose the inter bet if you just bet every team, right. Yeah, absolutely, that's my stuff. Okay, quickly, Peter, who's your favorite for Defensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year. Do you have a rookie? Yeah, rookie Jalen Sugs a little Buyer Gonzaga love him. I think he slipped a little bit in the draft. Plus

seven fifty. I think that's good odds keep counting him. Obviously an incredible player, but I think Jane Huggs a little over a little overshadowed by him. I like him a lot and stifle Tower Rudy Gobert. I know he's the favorite twin to Priensive Player of the Year, but he's so damn good. Plus three fifty. I think it's a good pick there and and good value considering he's the favorite. I've got to make a poll now for Scottie Barnes Raptor plus eleven hundred for Rookie of the Year.

I'm a big fan of his. He is about the nicest young man I've ever met, and he's a young man. These kids are like twenty now, and it's just funny now watching my old ass husband play with them. But I like Scottie Barnes for Rookie of the Year too, so he's in the running. He's in the top five there. Now, Yeah, I blinked, And they grow up, these NBA players, I tell you, they grow up on you. Let's look at NFL games for this weekend. Last week we split our

three game series. I took the Rams, he took the Ravens. We both took the Packers. So this week, Peter walk us through the three games you have selected at random, and let's see how we fare punishment at random. By the way, a terrible week for the sports book. Again, our customers are pretty happy with a lot of money. I think nine of eleven favorites one last week. So I don't know which way you go. Do you fade that or you do you follow it for a third

week straight? But first game, I think this was surprising to two lots of people. Raiders minus three at home versus Eagles, So a field goal game. What do you guys like there? Oh? Man? Um, I like too much drama, too much trauma going on in Vegas right now. I'm going with the Eagles. I'm going with the Eagles on this I'm going with the dog. Let's go Philadelphia, I mean, why not time. I'm also gonna go with the Eagles. I feel like there's a lot of drama with Las

Vegas as well, and I like stability. I'm going with Philly. Love it. Next one, I think to the surprising teams one we just alluded to. So Bengals plus six and a half against the Ravens. So Ravens almost a touchdown favorite at home? What do you guys like there? I am definitely going I'm sticking with my man, I'm sticking with I'm sticking with Baltimore. You know we're gonna be going there. I will be performing there on November four, So get your tickets to Monia, Maryland. Yeah, nice plug,

right there. I snuck it in. Um, I'll go with the Ravens big on this one. Yeah, me too. Ravens six and a half. I like that. I think they win by at least a touchdown. Bengals are horrible, Ravens all the way like it. Uh, we may have to go by points because we're agreeing. Last one Near and dear to my heart, my my beloved forty Niners at home Sunday Night football a three and a half point favorites against the Colts are great last week, but they were playing the Texans Niners off of bye I'm gonna

go first on this one. Just so we don't agree, I'm taking the Niners. I like him at home. I'm going to throw you a bone therapy. Now, you're honest. You can agree with me if you want. We're just gonna have to get creative. Then next week, you know what, I was going to take the Cults anyway. I was going to take the Colts anyway. Okay, so let's go with the Cults on this one, and let's see if it is the tiebreaker that I'm hoping it will be. Midwest. Do love young it? So that makes sense? They do?

They do? Okay, I love it? Hey P I know also this week there's a good promotion with that MGM. What can our listeners look for? Yeah? Absolutely, So we actually have to some new customers. If you're brand new to bed, MGM, all you need to do that ten dollars on any NBA games, that's any game throughout the course of the week. If anybody hits the three, I think someone will hit it three w free bets, So I think literally, a can't miss opportunity for new customers.

That's too good to be true. That's crazy you think so. But I don't know if there's ever been a day where no one's hit a three in a game, So I like their chances. Yeah, for existing costs were so if you've been part of that MGM family for a while, our NBA one game one game parlay is live this week. That ten dollars on any NBA one game parlay gets thirty dollars completely free in free bets as soon as you place that bad thirty dollars in your account, but

on anything you want, another camp miss opportunity for start NBA. Boy, that's good. That's a really good promotion. Both of those. Thanks so much, Peter. And remember if none of those hit, if you have a really bad weekend in sports betting, submit your bad beat of the week on Twitter to add bet MGM and if it's that bad, then we're going to read it on the show and you can win a hundred bucks. That's a little promotion we got

running every week. Okay, it's time for our outro. And since Johanna is a nice split, last week's punishment picks then we also split who writes the outro. So I guess I'm up. I'm noticing here in our show sheet that Joannice has already written in my outro. So again seeing this for the first time, and these are not more words, but I'll say it here we go. Thank you for listening. As you know, I'm a resident of

Kansas City. But one thing you didn't know is I totes Adorb's Jackson Mahomes the younger and more talented Mahomes brother. I'm not into him like in a bay Way, but more in like a beeby way. His TikTok's are to die for. He is so by a and lit. I'd love to pick his brain about the achievement of being sponsored by an energy drink to lip sync for seconds and his writing process for his TikTok dances. They are so liddy. Jackson, please follow me, please pretty please. You

are the king of Kansas City. You bring honor in class to our city. Anyways, dead ass follow back at Jana's papas on the Graham. I hope one day I can hit the whoof like you the latest by a check in more than appropriate locations to talk the most by picking spots. Help me, Jackson, I got major boomer energy. Ah, you love that kid. I didn't know, Olivia, you're such a fan. You do. I mean you're You're a forty year old woman in a twenty eight year old body.

You're such a boomer girl. God, I've never hoped nothing goes viral more than that was so fire. That was so like. Okay, God, all right, this is my outro written by the esteemed oh d. I want all of you to know that I'll be hosting a yard sale in my hoity toity suburban neighborhood, selling all of my giants and Nick's memorabilia because I need some cash, guys to buy my new team's gear, packers and the ractors. Baby,

let's go, Sammy basically a big Harlan Decker Montague. As a grown man, I can't wait to wear the name of another grown man on my back. Say it with me. Dak Er Daker, Dak Who needs New York Sports? In fact, who needs New York? That city sticks? Thanks for listening, Peace and love, friends, A