Matt Abaticola (2:33)

The Three and out, three straight misses. Did it feel like some of those throws that were off target kind of came in spurts as you watched it back? And, like, were you able to put your finger on maybe why that was?

Caleb Williams (2:41)

Yeah, I think. I think some of it, the coming in spurts aspect of it, I think it came from, you know, something as simple as, you know, you know, the footwork and just being, you know, being on top of that and, you know, being smooth with that, even if, you know, footwork was right, it's just being smooth with it, you know, not being hesitant and letting it rip. And, you know, I think that's always something that quarterbacks need to have in their mind. And something I always try and have in my mind is be decisive. And decisiveness always wins. And, you know, when you start being hesitant, things like that, you start missing passes and easy passes that, you know, you feel that you don't typically miss.

Dan Bernstein (3:21)

Can we start questions with why? Nothing against Jason Leisure or Courtney Cronin. I respect their work, respectively, very, very much.

Matt Abaticola (3:33)

Yep.

Dan Bernstein (3:34)

But why were you inaccurate? Why. Why were you accurate in college, but you're struggling with accuracy in the pros? Why? Is this ongoing?

Matt Abaticola (3:45)

Yeah, you know, there's a word he kept using, too, and it came up multiple times, and I've read it, too, but about being decisive. And so that's clearly what Ben Johnson is preaching to him about being decisive. How much? And, you know, I've never played in the NFL. I was never a quarterback. I'm not a former player who's a current analyst. But I wonder how much does like, footwork allow you to be indecisive? Like what. What is. What is being indecisive in seeing a guy wide open, not making the throw have to do with your footwork?

Dan Bernstein (4:18)

Arm talent. Especially when you are. When you came out with elite arm talent. Elite arm talent should mean wherever your feet are, you can decide to make a throw. It isn't. I'm deciding to make a throw. I'm positioning my feet. It's automatic. You're an NFL quarterback. It's automatic.

Matt Abaticola (4:37)

Right. Not only that, Dan, but he's also a guy that has a special skill of making something out of nothing which.

Dan Bernstein (4:44)

You hope to not use, except when.

Matt Abaticola (4:46)

You need it, which you hope to not use. But. But doesn't that translate to a guy being wide open and you being able to throw him the ball? And why. Why is he. Why are you indecisive?

Dan Bernstein (4:56)

Why are you indecisive? Why are you inaccurate?

Matt Abaticola (4:58)

Why are you. The question why are you hesitant to let it rip downfield when guys are wide open? What are you afraid of? Is it incompletions? No. Is it interceptions? Maybe. But when a guy's wide open, and again, we've talked about him yesterday being a guy who throws when he sees things that. Not. Not anticipation, but when you see a guy wide open for two or three seconds, why are you not throwing the ball? If there's not a giant hanging on your arm trying to kill you, why are you not throwing the ball when he's wide open? Why are you indecisive throwing downfield?

Dan Bernstein (5:32)

Why are you in between with all the drills and all the pract and all the virtual reality stuff that you've got? It should register automatically. We talked about this at length on yesterday's show about your targeting computer. It should be like in Top Gun terms, when you get tone, when your missile's locked, when you've got tone and your sidewinder missile is ready to go.

Matt Abaticola (5:58)

Yeah.

Dan Bernstein (5:58)

That's what a quarterback is. That's what your system is. You. And you should immediately, it's doo, doo, doo, doo, throw.

Matt Abaticola (6:07)

Yeah. I wonder what's. What are they taught there at Top Gun school that you have to say, I'm going to fire now. Like you get tone. It's like looking for tone. Looking for tone. Got tone. Going to fire now.

Dan Bernstein (6:16)

Maybe it's an internal monologue. Maybe they have to express as an external monologue for movie purposes.

Matt Abaticola (6:21)

Maybe. Why. Maybe he needs to say that. Looking for the receiver. Looking for the. I found the receiver. I'm throwing the ball now. Maybe that would help him.

Dan Bernstein (6:29)

Lieutenant, why were you late on that shot with the missile? Well, first I had to say, I've got tone. And then I had to say, I'm taking the shot. I'm taking the shot. And by the time I said it, he spun out of my sights.

Matt Abaticola (6:41)

I thought you were saying, Lieutenant, why were you late on that pass route? I don't have legs.

Dan Bernstein (6:45)

Not lieutenant Dan. No, but the. I had to say, I've got tone. I've got tone.

Matt Abaticola (6:52)

And I missed him by half a second.

Dan Bernstein (6:53)

Shoot it.

Matt Abaticola (6:54)

Right. Throw the ball.

Dan Bernstein (6:56)

Press the button.

Matt Abaticola (6:57)

Throw the ball.

Dan Bernstein (6:58)

Shoot it. Yes.

Matt Abaticola (6:59)

So I just. I don't understand. I don't understand how. Because to me. And it's funny that he said his footwork, because I read a lot of analytics yesterday from former guys say it.

Dan Bernstein (7:14)

Say it was Kurt Warner.

Matt Abaticola (7:16)

Well, it was more than Kurt Warner that the footwork was off. And then I hear him say it today about his footwork no. Maybe his footwork was off, but I just. I have such a hard time with a guy with his arm and his ability, not being able to throw a ball downfield, who guys wide open because his footwork was off. I just don't buy it.

Dan Bernstein (7:35)

You're also a guy with elite arm talent. It does for so many quarterbacks. It doesn't matter. Look at how many great. Look at your highlights. Look at every touchdown pass that's thrown. And how many of those does a guy have perfect footwork? Or on how many of those, a guy just make a play, Right?

Matt Abaticola (7:51)

Like Pat Mahomes, like Aaron Rodgers.

Dan Bernstein (7:54)

You don't even have to go to Patrick Mahomes.

Matt Abaticola (7:56)

No, you don't.

Dan Bernstein (7:57)

You can go to any individual player.

Matt Abaticola (7:59)

Mayfield.

Dan Bernstein (8:00)

When somebody is being chased or somebody makes a late decision, whatever it is. Arm talent. The reason why we scout arm talent is so footwork doesn't have to be perfect.

Matt Abaticola (8:10)

Yeah, you can make that throw. For me to throw a football, I have to have perfect form, right?

Dan Bernstein (8:16)

You have to have perfect.

Matt Abaticola (8:17)

I don't have a good arm, but he should. So I want to know why. Why is he indecisive?

Dan Bernstein (8:23)

Why?

Matt Abaticola (8:24)

And why is it still.

Dan Bernstein (8:25)

That's the word.

Matt Abaticola (8:26)

Why is it still here, 18 games in. Why.

Dan Bernstein (8:29)

Why are you indecisive?

Matt Abaticola (8:31)

Like, you know, and again. And there was all these excuses built in. Well, the preseason isn't what it used to be, you know, oh, he didn't play a preseason game. That was. And, you know, Ben Johnson hasn't had this much time to work with him. Ben Johnson's still getting to know the player. He doesn't know the player yet. And when he. When he says that, he's talking about live game action. I don't. I can't. Like, these are simple things that we're asking, like, why are you not throwing the ball? That's a simple thing like, to ask on Game one. Like, why does he have Ben Johnson's offense, you know, from front to back down. That's a little unrealistic. But you're the number one overall pick. It's your 18th NFL start. Why are you not throwing the ball downfield? What's the problem? And it's not footwork, Dan. It's not. What's the issue?

Dan Bernstein (9:20)

I would like to ask that question.

Matt Abaticola (9:22)

All right. He was also asked about his performance in Monday's game process, or performance like that. Monday in the big picture, when the whole off season, including the coaching hire, personnel moves, everything has been geared toward.

Caleb Williams (9:34)

Helping you take the next step. Yeah. I think some of it is just trusting and believing. I think that's, that's the biggest part of it, is being able to trust, you know, Coach Johnson and being able to trust, you know, my teammates and things like that and, you know, keep doing what I was kind of doing the first half. It's just, you know, taking what the defense gives me and, you know, moving the ball down the field and being decisive. And, you know, there was a lot of positive that came out of that. Obviously we had, you know, negatives and, you know, within that game, that kind of how Coach Johnson said we made more negative, we had more negative plays than they did and we lost the game. So it's being able to find, you know, in those moments where, you know, maybe a drive goes bad and just being able to find those ways to, you know, kind of come back together and go out the next drive and, you know, be efficient and kind of do what we did in the first half.

Dan Bernstein (10:24)

Okay, same answer.

Matt Abaticola (10:25)

Yeah, but I mean, that's what he's being, you know, that's what Ben Johnson is telling him.

Dan Bernstein (10:30)

Trusting it, Trusting it. I thought the entire goal of the moment this offseason started, the moment that Johnson got hired, the entire goal was building trust.

Matt Abaticola (10:40)

I don't get it.

Dan Bernstein (10:41)

And then the game starts and they don't have trust.

Matt Abaticola (10:43)

Yeah, I just, I don't understand what.

Dan Bernstein (10:45)

What trust don't they have? What trust is missing? Trust in the play call, trust in the execution of the play call. Trust in the individual people. Okay. I guess she's gonna take weeks to get some of these answers, I guess.

Matt Abaticola (11:01)

But I'm also curious, like. Like what's been happening in the last few months? Like, these are, these are basic things. Like, again, I'm not asking for him to run a full playbook of Ben Johnson's design in Game one, but they.

Dan Bernstein (11:17)

Should have it winnowed down to stuff they know they can do.

Matt Abaticola (11:20)

He said that. He said they did. He said we're going to do things that we're nailing in practice. Paraphrasing there, I'm not sure exactly what he said, but that the things that were good in practice, those are the things we're going to do. Because we talked at length so far the last three weeks about Ben Johnson's playbook. How much is he going to bring to Game one?

Dan Bernstein (11:39)

And it sounded like he was self aware enough to know that we can't.

Matt Abaticola (11:43)

Do everything, but the things we're going to do are the things we've done well so far in practice. And I get it, practice is different than games. But you're also going against what should be a really good defense in Dennis Allen. You also have the strength of your defense, which is your secondary, where you're throwing the ball a lot. I mean, he should be getting good reps and good work in. Why is he still indecisive to throw down field 18 games into his career? What's been happening these last few months that oh, we still need to beat the trust, we still need to build the trust. I still need to learn who the player is. Learning the player.

Dan Bernstein (12:18)

They love saying the player. You notice that?

Matt Abaticola (12:20)

Yeah.

Dan Bernstein (12:21)

And that must be something that they get from Johnson. I've heard it from assistants as well. When they, when asked how to give a player, they refer to the player.

Matt Abaticola (12:28)

Yeah, I don't know. But listen, I'm not going to apologize, Dan, for having higher expectations for Ben Johnson and for Caleb Williams despite it only being one game and having heard so many things that you can't analyze it. You can't really see what you have until four to six games into a regular season. And I've said this for years, I said it years ago with you on the score that the first six games of an NFL season, unless you go 06, you can rebound pretty quickly those final 10 games. You can do a lot in the final 10 games now, now it's 11 games. But don't tell me that I can't analyze what I saw in game one.

Dan Bernstein (13:08)

There shouldn't be any reflexive excuse making at this point.

Matt Abaticola (13:13)

And there is and there's too much of it. So I am not going to apologize for having higher expectations for these two guys. Listen, going into the game, Dan, I expressed what my expectations were. I was expecting and I was excited to watch football games that matter and.

Dan Bernstein (13:30)

Don'T look like Bears games and don't.

Matt Abaticola (13:32)

Look like Bears games. I never said I expect that. I never said I expected the Bears to win this game.

Dan Bernstein (13:37)

No, but for him to be the most inaccurate quarterback in the league, that's a problem. That's a problem that deserves criticism.

Matt Abaticola (13:44)

Yes, it does.

Dan Bernstein (13:44)

And the question why are you the most inaccurate quarterback in the league after a week?

Matt Abaticola (13:48)

And if you think it doesn't, then you're, you're just, you're fooling yourself. Oh, just give it time. It'll be fine. All right, so if he's still the worst rated quarterback on off target rating in week six now can you criticize it and look at it now, is that okay? Because again, we talked about this. They were 4 and 2 last year after six games. And it was a. It was a facade. It wasn't real. And all it took was one blown play in the fourth quarter of the Commander's game for the entire season to collapse. A 4 and 2 team wouldn't have collapsed and lost 10 or 11 in a row. Whatever they lost, if that was real, that wasn't real. So don't tell me I need to wait six games until I can realize and look at and analyze what I'm watching on my TV. I'm seeing a guy in his 18th start. Who was the number. This is the number one pick. We're not talking about Tyson Bajan.

Dan Bernstein (14:41)

It's the number one pick who also had. Don't bring up that name. No, but I'm just saying things are going to happen and people will arise from the game.

Matt Abaticola (14:49)

Talking about some, you know, John. John Doe who was taken in the fifth round.

Dan Bernstein (14:53)

Yeah. It's a generational.

Matt Abaticola (14:54)

This is the number one overall pick. 18 games in. Why are you still indecisive about throwing the football downfield?

Dan Bernstein (15:02)

And now you have the most desired offensive mind who was available in a long time working with him. And we've had an entire off season and he's indecisive and he says it's about his. His footwork. So what have you been doing?

Matt Abaticola (15:19)

My. My expectation. I again, I didn't expect the Bears to win. I didn't expect Caleb Williams to win the MVP award after one game. I didn't expect Ben Johnson to win coach of the year after one game. My expectation.

Dan Bernstein (15:31)

You could get odds on Ben Johnson for coach of the year.

Matt Abaticola (15:33)

You can.

Dan Bernstein (15:33)

He was absolutely a hot prospect.

Matt Abaticola (15:35)

That wasn't my expectation going into it. What were my expectations? I wanted to see Caleb Williams stay in the pocket, deliver the ball. I wanted to see him hit targets in that middle zone with accuracy. Over that first layer, beyond the deep layer with timing.

Dan Bernstein (15:48)

The same thing, actually. The timing creates a better chance at accuracy because of where the layers are stretched at a given time.

Matt Abaticola (15:57)

I also wanted to see the Bears as a whole avoid the pass plays designed that start behind the line of scrimmage. I wanted to see those gone. Okay. I wanted to see the offensive line protect their quarterback. The new offensive line. I wanted to see the front four with some new additions and also Montez Sweat get after.

Dan Bernstein (16:15)

And members of New Edition.

Matt Abaticola (16:16)

Oh, God.

Dan Bernstein (16:17)

I know, I know.

Matt Abaticola (16:18)

Ozzy, big fan.

Dan Bernstein (16:19)

Well, Montez Sweat was. Was barely there.

Matt Abaticola (16:21)

Right. Remember, he was mentioned for the first time by the broadcast. 12:18 Left in the game. I wanted to see Ben Johnson have control of the game on the sidelines because I was so tired of seeing bad challenges and misused timeouts, wasted timeouts, and yet I saw those again. So I. I'm sorry that I had really low expectations and. And they failed to meet even those low expectations. And I'm criticizing them for it.

Dan Bernstein (16:41)

Let me add something to that list.

Matt Abaticola (16:43)

Please do.

Dan Bernstein (16:43)

And this is really important. There are excuses for bad special teams play in college and high school. There are all kinds of reasonable excuses. You don't have the practice time. You've got higher turnover than ever. A lot of these specialist jobs are hard to learn for kids. There are no excuses for bad special teams at the NFL level. You've got all the time in the world for practice. You get to pick and choose who goes where and when and who does what. You have highly paid, highly skilled specialists to be bad at special teams. In almost everything that you did, you got a punt blocked. The punter himself wasn't any good. Your kick and punt coverage was bad.

Matt Abaticola (17:35)

Missed a field goal.

Dan Bernstein (17:36)

Missed a field goal and then screwed up the decision you made at the end of the game. Fix that now. Yeah, fix that now. You can't come out in game one at home. And if every aspect of special teams be bad.

Matt Abaticola (17:50)

Yeah, I'm really glad that you highlighted that yesterday because we didn't. We didn't get into it. And I'm glad you brought it up because I wasn't going to because I was so focused on. On Ben Johnson's first game and Caleb Williams poor performance.

Dan Bernstein (18:02)

But he should not have the headwind that this. You're. You have the defense scoring points for you.

Matt Abaticola (18:09)

Yes.

Dan Bernstein (18:09)

You should not build in the headwind of bad special teams play. Not at home, not in the first game. I get it. In mid December when everybody's hurt. You're making practice squad call ups constantly. Guys are getting shuffled around because half your team's on ir. You're bringing people off the street. Not game one at home to play special teams for you. You get to. This is the game where you can set everything up. And it was bad.

Matt Abaticola (18:38)

You know, I also expected JJ McCarthy to look like a guy who's ever played a snap in the NFL. And he. And he did that in the first half and he even came out in the third half and gave the Bears defense seven points. Well, six points. He threw a pick six. And it was like, wow. Okay, right. Offense is stalling, but wow. The Sean Wright, he comes through after we were kind of getting at hang with a critical eye on a bad pass, pass play and a pass given up passing and pass interference. But then he comes out and throws a pick six. And yet they still turn it around and he still made plays and he won NFC player of the week. Right? Offensive player of the week. I also, Dan, I didn't expect Ben Johnson's need the benefit of hindsight when it came to kicking that ball out of bounds. Because that is a repeatable, practiceable action. Like you should be able to know if your guy can kick that ball out of bounds. I wanted to hear him say, we did it 100 times and he kicked it out of bounds through the end zone 100 times.

Dan Bernstein (19:45)

This was the one.

Matt Abaticola (19:46)

This was the one time it, for whatever reason, it didn't work. But we practice it, we knew it. I was 100% confident because we practiced it and we knew that he could do it and he's done it and he did it and did it and did it and did it and then failed. And then it was like, well, you know, in hindsight.

Dan Bernstein (20:05)

And we trust him to do it next time, right?

Matt Abaticola (20:07)

Yeah. And because next time he will do it. We know that this was that one time. You had to be confident. You couldn't look back at it and say, oh, no looking back, I should have kicked it out of bounds. Because if you didn't know for sure, you're the head coach making that call. I was also bothered by the fact that he wasted a challenge and he contradicted himself. We didn't mention this yesterday. He said, I saw knees up. Those were his exact words, meaning Hawkinson. His knees were off the ground when the ball was punched out by Sewell.

Dan Bernstein (20:38)

But then he said I was influenced by the people around me, around me, rather than trusting my process. And the eye in the sky.

Matt Abaticola (20:43)

Right. So what was it? Did you see knees up or were you influenced?

Dan Bernstein (20:47)

Or did you convince yourself you saw knees up and you weren't sure because it's influenced. It's possible too that you, you really weren't sure what you saw and you allowed the people around you to make you remember something you didn't see.

Matt Abaticola (20:59)

Is that players yelling coach. Yeah, he got it. He got it. He was. Yeah, he was up.

Dan Bernstein (21:03)

Who knows who. Well, we could, we could see he was standing around him. We could stop the tape and see.

Matt Abaticola (21:07)

I didn't expect him to not be in control as the head coach and for him to say, I gotta, I gotta trust the process. Come on, dude. Like, I expected more than that. Again, I didn't expect them to go out and win this game. I didn't expect them to have a flawless, perfect game. I didn't expect to see those little mistakes.

Dan Bernstein (21:25)

I don't want to rehash too much of what we said yesterday.

Matt Abaticola (21:28)

I know.

Dan Bernstein (21:28)

But something that stuck with me, okay, this is. And then I'll. It'll be the last of it for me. But what stuck with me was when he said, well, when asked about how things spiraled out of control end of the third quarter, and his answer was.

Matt Abaticola (21:44)

When it rains, it pours.

Dan Bernstein (21:45)

When it rains, it pours. And things can get out of hand. And that's the wrong answer. They said, well, it can happen in a good way, too. That seeding of control, that fatalism, is not okay. That tells me you're not ready to be in charge and accept the responsibilities of making something happen. You know, you talk about, like, you know, sometimes you play the best defense in the world, the absolute perfect coverage, and somebody makes an incredible pass, an incredible catch. There are times when there's the proverbial tip of the cap to the other team, but they're rare. They're rare almost always. And we know it when we see it, when we know when something absolutely ridiculously spectacular happens, you hit a drive in the gap and some incredible outfielder makes a catch that had a catch probability of 0.01%, not your fault, right? You got beat. But for something like this, for that many things to have happened, to ascribe that to fate, to just the whims of the cosmos. Yeah. When it rains, it pours. When it rains, get an umbrella. When it pours, put on your rain gear.

Matt Abaticola (23:10)

Right? And he also said about how things.

Dan Bernstein (23:12)

Catch fire, find shelter. That's your job.

Matt Abaticola (23:15)

Put the fire out.

Dan Bernstein (23:16)

Is to make that stop happening. Give your team the confidence to arrest that slide and to go out and turn it in the way. You. Well, sometimes you. It breaks your way. I hated that yesterday. I hated that. You're not just watching. That's our job to notice that. Well, that got out of hand. When you have the headset on, you're holding the play card, you're wearing the headset, give orders in a way that stops that from happening.

Matt Abaticola (23:46)

Because you're not only an active participant, you are. You are the. You are the man.

Dan Bernstein (23:52)

And you can't control that first thing that happens. Sure, it's a weird shape ball. Things bounce weird. Things don't go your way. There are bad calls there. There are. I will.

Matt Abaticola (24:01)

Phantom holding call.

Dan Bernstein (24:02)

I will freely stipulate to things Being outside of your control. But the moment it's over, control again. The moment that's over, you have a chance to control what comes immediately next. Immediately. Not the next thing and the next thing and the next thing and the next thing. Until you say, well, that escalated quickly. That, that, that really bugged me.

Matt Abaticola (24:26)

Yeah, no, it should have. Because that, that's not a head coach speaking.

Dan Bernstein (24:30)

Right.

Matt Abaticola (24:33)

That's not a head coach speaking at all.

Dan Bernstein (24:35)

Prove it Sunday. Prove it differently Sunday.

Matt Abaticola (24:38)

Yeah.

Dan Bernstein (24:38)

And you got, you got a real chance because there's no expectations Sunday. Everybody thinks you're going to get your ass whipped.

Matt Abaticola (24:43)

Right. Dan Campbell said that's a must win game. And that we are, we are going to win this game. He's quoted saying that, but he says it. You'll throw it out there. Yes, 100%. 100%.

Dan Bernstein (24:52)

But the bears should be saying that too.

Matt Abaticola (24:54)

But you remember not too long ago, it was a week or so ago, Ben Johnson actually, he told the media we can win now. Remember he said that? Remember he said, and we asked it. Well, because no one followed up.

Dan Bernstein (25:05)

What do you mean win what now?

Matt Abaticola (25:06)

Like win this game against the Vikings, win the division, win a playoff game. What do you mean by win now? So he set those expectations as vague as they were. So again, I will not apologize for having a higher standard and level of expectation for Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams together in their first game. And what I saw completely failed to reach even what I thought were minimum expectations for a first time head coach and the first round over the overall first round pick with his 18th start in the NFL.

Dan Bernstein (25:42)

We've got football tonight with the packers and the Commanders and this. You got to enjoy Thursday Night Football now because this is before teams get so beat up that it looks like a slog on Thursday nights. Teams are fresh enough in week two.

Matt Abaticola (25:56)

Yeah.

Dan Bernstein (25:56)

That we should get quality football.

Matt Abaticola (25:58)

Yeah. They've. The NFL has done things with the schedule to rearrange as needed, but they can't rearrange when half your roster is injured and out. Yeah.

Dan Bernstein (26:10)

It's better than it used to be.

Matt Abaticola (26:11)

It is. It is. Although, wait, this. Is this the Al Michaels one? Is he Thursday night? Is it?

Dan Bernstein (26:19)

I think so. Is it Michaels and Herb street on?

Matt Abaticola (26:21)

Because I can't remember, is he, is he still Amazon disinterested in the games.

Dan Bernstein (26:26)

Or sometimes he interested? We never know with him.

Matt Abaticola (26:28)

Okay.

Dan Bernstein (26:28)

I still love him in the promo. They have him walking. They have all three of them walking. Do you notice that?

Matt Abaticola (26:34)

Is it talking about how knowledgeable he is and how you can learn from.

Dan Bernstein (26:37)

No, that's Tom, Brad.

Matt Abaticola (26:38)

Oh, Tom, Brad.

Dan Bernstein (26:38)

They have to, they have to run promos to tell you the analyst isn't stupid.

Matt Abaticola (26:42)

Right. You think that was the copy for Big Voice Guy and he's like, you really want me to say that he's not stupid?

Dan Bernstein (26:50)

You should tune in Tom Brady because he actually, despite what you may think from his performance, knows things about football.

Matt Abaticola (26:57)

That's basically what it was.

Dan Bernstein (26:58)

That's what it was.

Matt Abaticola (26:58)

Yes.

Dan Bernstein (26:59)

But the promo for the Amazon Thursday coverage, it has Al Michaels, Kirk Herbstreet and. Is it Kaylee Hartung? I think that's right.

Matt Abaticola (27:09)

Okay.

Dan Bernstein (27:10)

Has them all walking toward the camera. And al, he's what, 80?

Matt Abaticola (27:14)

He's gotta be.

Dan Bernstein (27:15)

He's got a little hitch in his giddy up.

Matt Abaticola (27:18)

Well, he's 80, God bless him for walking still.

Dan Bernstein (27:20)

Yeah, but that man has never eaten a vegetable in his life. That. I don't. I don't know why I love that so much. Just of how much it kind of seems to debunk, even though it's more like inductive reasoning or anecdotal evidence. But he's still going.

Matt Abaticola (27:35)

Yeah, he is. Yeah. So I'm just wondering if he's going to want to watch tonight's game or not. He'll tell you 100%.

Dan Bernstein (27:42)

Right.

Matt Abaticola (27:42)

You'll know right away, you know what you're getting into.

Dan Bernstein (27:45)

He'll say, I'd rather be somewhere else.

Matt Abaticola (27:47)

But I still love him, though. I still love him. All right. I want to. I want to ruin one thing for you.

Dan Bernstein (27:51)

Yeah.

Matt Abaticola (27:52)

Espen put out the. So they go with an undisclosed number of NFL executives. These are GMs and Scouts they talk to after week one.

Dan Bernstein (28:01)

Okay.

Matt Abaticola (28:02)

For these are NFL season award winning, winning predictions. Okay.

Dan Bernstein (28:07)

Award season award winners.

Matt Abaticola (28:08)

Yeah. So undisclosed number of executives and. And scouts.

Dan Bernstein (28:12)

Do you want me to guess them?

Matt Abaticola (28:13)

Yeah. So I'm going to go through because I want to ruin something for you. Who do you think they have as the mvp? Again, these are NFL executives and scouts. I would say we don't know how many.

Dan Bernstein (28:23)

I'll say Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson.

Matt Abaticola (28:25)

Lamar Jackson. Okay. Is. Has been their vote to win MVP Offensive player of the year.

Dan Bernstein (28:31)

Now remind me, can that also be the same guy that wins mvp?

Matt Abaticola (28:36)

I believe so, yes.

Dan Bernstein (28:38)

Offensive player.

Matt Abaticola (28:40)

Let's say not, though. Let's say not.

Dan Bernstein (28:41)

Okay. Well, let's say that that's Josh Allen.

Matt Abaticola (28:44)

Jaden Daniels.

Dan Bernstein (28:46)

Ooh, really?

Matt Abaticola (28:47)

Yeah. Okay, so again, these are undisclosed number of NFL execs and scouts.

Dan Bernstein (28:51)

Okay. And this is the whole league defensive.

Matt Abaticola (28:53)

Player of the Year.

Dan Bernstein (28:55)

Defensive Player of the Year. Sometimes they might try to reinvent the wheel on this one. T.J. watt.

Matt Abaticola (29:03)

Miles Garrett.

Dan Bernstein (29:05)

Okay.

Matt Abaticola (29:05)

Okay.

Dan Bernstein (29:06)

Not Micah Parsons. Not Kyle Hamilton. Okay.

Matt Abaticola (29:11)

All right. I'm going to go to Defensive Rookie of the Year. Who do they have as Defensive Rookie of the Year?

Dan Bernstein (29:18)

Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Matt Abaticola (29:19)

Guy that I wish the Bears could have got. I don't know, Abdul Carter.

Dan Bernstein (29:24)

Okay.

Matt Abaticola (29:25)

That's their vote. All right.

Dan Bernstein (29:26)

State.

Matt Abaticola (29:27)

Yes. Penn State. Now outside linebacker for the the New York Football Giants.

Dan Bernstein (29:32)

Okay.

Matt Abaticola (29:33)

Final one. Offensive Rookie of the Year is. These are voted on by NFL executives and scouts after week one. Undisclosed number.

Dan Bernstein (29:45)

After week one. The offensive rookie of the year is. J.J. mcCarthy.

Matt Abaticola (29:53)

No.

Dan Bernstein (29:53)

Okay, because you're smiling.

Matt Abaticola (29:55)

Well, because I'm ruining something for you. What am I ruining for you?

Dan Bernstein (29:59)

Oh, Omarion.

Matt Abaticola (30:02)

Omari Hampton is their vote for running back Offensive Rookie of the Year. There you go. Congratulations, Dan.

Dan Bernstein (30:11)

Well, why does it ruin it?

Matt Abaticola (30:12)

Well, because now it's jinxed it.

Dan Bernstein (30:14)

I don't think so.

Matt Abaticola (30:15)

You don't think so? But look at you, man, on that pick.

Dan Bernstein (30:19)

And he wasn't even all that good.

Matt Abaticola (30:20)

No, he wasn't. You had that. As for a futures pick, and then you want Tampa Bay to win the Super Bowl.

Dan Bernstein (30:26)

I didn't want. I picked them at 27 to 1.

Matt Abaticola (30:28)

Oh, that's right. I'm sorry. I keep.

Dan Bernstein (30:31)

Don't get into South Sudan basketball either.

Matt Abaticola (30:34)

Why do you hate Lou all day?

Dan Bernstein (30:35)

Why do you hate Lou all day?

Matt Abaticola (30:36)

Sorry, I keep saying that wrong. I'll stop. I'm going to write it down so I can say it correctly. That's what you picked. It's not what you desire.

Dan Bernstein (30:44)

Correct.

Matt Abaticola (30:44)

Okay.

Dan Bernstein (30:45)

And this is going to make me crazy all year. I know that. What is Omarion Hampton. Okay, all right. The way you phrase it, it doesn't ruin it for me at all.

Matt Abaticola (30:53)

Okay. I thought it might ruin it for.

Dan Bernstein (30:56)

I mean, it just means I'm thinking like NFL GMs, a lot of whom are stupid, by the way, which is.

Matt Abaticola (31:00)

Actually right on par. Right? Comeback Player of the year.

Dan Bernstein (31:04)

Who's making a big comeback? Who is Joe Burrow?

Matt Abaticola (31:10)

I don't like this pick, but, you know, it's a stretch for me.

Dan Bernstein (31:12)

A comeback.

Matt Abaticola (31:13)

You watched him play Monday night.

Dan Bernstein (31:16)

I watched it. Not Adam Thielen.

Matt Abaticola (31:18)

J.J. mcCarthy.

Dan Bernstein (31:20)

How is that a comeback?

Matt Abaticola (31:21)

That's what I said.

Dan Bernstein (31:22)

A comeback from what?

Matt Abaticola (31:24)

From not playing. Come on. Once. Yeah, I know. All right. And then breakout Player of the Year was Ricky Pearsall of wide. Wide receiver from the Niners.

Dan Bernstein (31:33)

Fine.

Matt Abaticola (31:33)

And who's the coach of the year. Coach of the year. And this. This brought me back to a dark place because I'm still mad the Bears didn't even speak to him. Coach of the year is.

Dan Bernstein (31:44)

After one game, the coach of the year. And the Bears didn't people. You were mad the Bears didn't speak to.

Matt Abaticola (31:52)

Jim Harbaugh. Didn't even talk to Jim Harbaugh.

Dan Bernstein (31:57)

I don't know that I would ever pick him as coach. He's really been a remarkable coach. I mean, his NFL record is almost impeccable.

Matt Abaticola (32:05)

Yeah. It's too bad.

Dan Bernstein (32:06)

It really is crazy.

Matt Abaticola (32:06)

Too bad. He didn't have any relationship with the Bears organization at all.

Dan Bernstein (32:09)

Not interested.

Matt Abaticola (32:10)

For them to even speak to.

Dan Bernstein (32:11)

Not interested.

Matt Abaticola (32:12)

That would have been bad.

Dan Bernstein (32:12)

We can't really complain about it because we wanted Ben Johnson. We can't pretend we weren't really.

Matt Abaticola (32:16)

No, but it was the year before.

Dan Bernstein (32:17)

I know.

Matt Abaticola (32:17)

Fire Matt Eberfluss. Hire Jim. I have been fine.

Dan Bernstein (32:20)

Yes. Yeah. Of having Jim Harbaugh instead of Ben Johnson and not having another year of Eber flutes.

Matt Abaticola (32:25)

Yes.

Dan Bernstein (32:25)

Yes. I would take that deal. Absolutely.

Matt Abaticola (32:28)

Year of Caleb Williams.

Dan Bernstein (32:29)

Yes, yes, yes. And make him more decisive and fix his footwork.

Matt Abaticola (32:35)

So. And do you think he just walks up to him and says, be more decisive. Like he's in line of the cafeteria and should I have chicken or steak? Coach Be more decisive. Do you think they have a cafeteria?

Dan Bernstein (32:46)

I think they do.

Matt Abaticola (32:47)

Do they still have one?

Dan Bernstein (32:48)

And why are the trays always wet?

Matt Abaticola (32:50)

Because they're.

Dan Bernstein (32:53)

They wash them.

Matt Abaticola (32:53)

It spills. Oh, they don't dry them.

Dan Bernstein (32:55)

They don't dry them. And it's like. I know it's probably clean, but there's still something about holding a wet tray.

Matt Abaticola (33:01)

When's the last time you've gone somewhere that you had to get a tray that was wet?

Dan Bernstein (33:06)

I think it was when my mother in law was dying and we had to eat at the hospital. Okay. You asked.

Matt Abaticola (33:16)

I know. Geez. Well, I mean, you could have lied.

Dan Bernstein (33:21)

Oh, no. Did we have trays at Hubbard when we went to their in house place? That was really good. Actually.

Matt Abaticola (33:28)

I can't remember.

Dan Bernstein (33:29)

I don't remember if we had trays there.

Matt Abaticola (33:31)

Yeah, I didn't. Wow. I didn't expect that. I know you're honest.

Dan Bernstein (33:37)

You asked me when's the last time I was at the cafeteria.

Matt Abaticola (33:39)

I know.

Dan Bernstein (33:39)

I think I was at. It was at the hospital.

Matt Abaticola (33:42)

Sorry about that.

Dan Bernstein (33:43)

But you didn't do anything.

Matt Abaticola (33:44)

I know I didn't.

Dan Bernstein (33:44)

You didn't kill my mother in law. Bring that back Unless we buried the lead.

Matt Abaticola (33:50)

Dan, I have something to tell you. Yeah?

Dan Bernstein (33:52)

That might throw a wrench into the old, you know, business here. Took you long enough to have that scheme hatched.

Matt Abaticola (34:01)

All right, jeez. Wait a minute.

Dan Bernstein (34:04)

Don't get mad at Ruth.

Matt Abaticola (34:05)

I'm not mad at you.

Dan Bernstein (34:06)

When's the last time you're in the cafeteria? Well, my mother in law died.

Matt Abaticola (34:09)

You could have said something else.

Dan Bernstein (34:11)

The same thing happened last night. I told you that I was out with my friends last night.

Matt Abaticola (34:15)

Yeah, because your tummy hurts.

Dan Bernstein (34:17)

Yeah, from laughing. I was just laughing so hard last night. So we had this great dinner, and I come home and Beth said, when was the last time you saw Dave? And I said. I said, it was at your mother's Shiva. So you remember when your mom died and he came over to share his condolences with you? She's like, oh, yeah. And then I thought about it. I said, wasn't the food awesome? Oh, Jesus. Well, it's true. And not only that. So we still have some of the plates from the Shiva, because we had it catered and it was like, we spent like $5,000 on the food.

Matt Abaticola (34:54)

Okay.

Dan Bernstein (34:55)

And it was fantastic food.

Matt Abaticola (34:57)

Can I. Can. Can you invite me next time to a Shiva? You guys have a Shiva? I've never been to a Shiva.

Dan Bernstein (35:01)

You don't need to be invited. Everybody's invited. Oh, it's an open.

Matt Abaticola (35:05)

I could have just showed up. Yeah, I didn't know that.

Dan Bernstein (35:07)

Come on over. We had more food. I still have brisket frozen from the Shiva.

Matt Abaticola (35:10)

Am I welcome at your house?

Dan Bernstein (35:12)

Absolutely.

Matt Abaticola (35:12)

Okay.

Dan Bernstein (35:13)

So we had these places, and so we went to Ravinia. Jason and I went to Ravinia to see Beck with the cso. Fun concert.

Matt Abaticola (35:22)

Who's this?

Dan Bernstein (35:23)

Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Oh, Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Beck and. Great.

Matt Abaticola (35:30)

That sounds like a great night.

Dan Bernstein (35:31)

It was. You don't like Beck? Really?

Matt Abaticola (35:35)

I couldn't tell you. If he could walk in right now, I wouldn't know who he is.

Dan Bernstein (35:37)

Seriously?

Matt Abaticola (35:37)

Yeah. Honestly.

Dan Bernstein (35:38)

Really? No, he's great.

Matt Abaticola (35:39)

And the only Beck I know is the beer. I don't drink anymore, so we.

Dan Bernstein (35:43)

Why not? Oh. Cause you don't drink at all? I thought you specifically didn't drink that. Any beer. So we're putting stuff together and I'm like, hey, they're gonna, you know, our cousin. We're meeting our cousins. They were gonna have some food and all that. And Beth's like, they want us to bring plates. So I'm like, oh, we have the Shiva plates.

Matt Abaticola (36:01)

You brought the Shiva plate? Clean ones, like onions or dirty.

Dan Bernstein (36:04)

Yeah, so many. And then we had.

Matt Abaticola (36:06)

Great. They were still wet.

Dan Bernstein (36:07)

No, no, we had awesome. Plastic cup. These are great plastic cups. Like, you keep these. You wash these, you keep these. You don't throw these out, even though they're. She goes, no, they're disposable. I said, technically, anything's disposable, but I'm keeping these cups because they're super nice. These are really good cups. So she kept throwing them out, and I was taking them out of the garbage and washing them and putting them back.

Matt Abaticola (36:28)

Of course you were. Why wouldn't you?

Dan Bernstein (36:30)

So we had these really nice plates. It's like almost like a bamboo kind of like a cheap paper bamboo.

Matt Abaticola (36:36)

Oh, yeah. Very familiar with that.

Dan Bernstein (36:38)

Yeah, they're super. They're square.

Matt Abaticola (36:39)

We had those ones for a dinner party that I cooked food for, was for Natalie's friends. And then when the plates were. We threw them away. Stupid. Because that. That's what you do.

Dan Bernstein (36:48)

No, so I. Well, the. The dirty ones you throw away, but the clean ones you keep. So I pack into the cooler. I pack the. So. And I forgot that my cousins were also at the Shiva. So we get.

Matt Abaticola (36:58)

Oh, so they knew.

Dan Bernstein (36:59)

So we get. We're sitting.

Matt Abaticola (37:01)

Everyone was at the Shiva at our.

Dan Bernstein (37:03)

Blanket at Ravinia, and he's taking out this. This, like, you know, lobster salad that he made and all this stuff. And he's. I got plates, I got plates. And he looks up and goes, oh, Shiva plates, well done. It's like, I remember these. This is from when Judy died. Like, yeah, good, good, good. He's like, yeah, thanks for the good memory. Good to see you with the Shiva plates. Called me on it.

Matt Abaticola (37:23)

That's funny.

Dan Bernstein (37:23)

It was really good lobster salad, though.

Matt Abaticola (37:25)

So how was back in the awesome orchestra?

Dan Bernstein (37:27)

It was great. And so. And then he said they only had five hours to practice the songs. And everything was like. Instead of the.

Matt Abaticola (37:33)

Oh, I thought you were gonna say five hours to play. I'm like, you sat there for five hours?

Dan Bernstein (37:37)

No. And then when they left, he's like, I'll just. The symphony's gone now we can rock out a little bit. Because it was intimidating me to be around all the symphony people.

Matt Abaticola (37:44)

Oh, really?

Dan Bernstein (37:45)

That's what he said? Yeah.

Matt Abaticola (37:46)

What kind of music does Beck play?

Dan Bernstein (37:48)

Everything. He's a multi instrumentalist, multi genre.

Matt Abaticola (37:51)

Like a one man show. Does he have like the cymbals on.

Dan Bernstein (37:54)

His kneecaps, the bass drum on his back?

Matt Abaticola (37:57)

Yeah. Is that what he does? Got the harmonica.

Dan Bernstein (38:02)

Do you know who Beck is?

Matt Abaticola (38:03)

I don't know who Beck is. I don't.

Dan Bernstein (38:07)

Okay. I don't know what to tell you.

Matt Abaticola (38:09)

Unless it's like, that's a huge hole in your.

Dan Bernstein (38:12)

Because in your musical knowledge. Because he says there's so many different aspects of music that at least somebody would like.

Matt Abaticola (38:20)

So I'm like, 80s rap and country.

Dan Bernstein (38:23)

Well, he does some rap.

Matt Abaticola (38:24)

Okay.

Dan Bernstein (38:24)

There is some stuff that borders on country.

Matt Abaticola (38:26)

Did he ever do anything with nwa?

Dan Bernstein (38:28)

I don't think there's been a Beck NWA partnership.

Matt Abaticola (38:32)

I've introduced the boys.

Dan Bernstein (38:34)

Oh, really? Jackie really likes it a lot. When Jason was like 8, he really.

Matt Abaticola (38:38)

Likes it a lot.

Dan Bernstein (38:39)

And I played Dopeman for him.

Matt Abaticola (38:40)

Oh, yeah.

Dan Bernstein (38:41)

And his response, he goes, this is so much better than modern rap. I said, yes, it is. Yes, it is. And then, like, now you get to hear a little bit of Rakim. And now here's some Big Daddy Kane and all that. He goes, why did rap get bad?

Matt Abaticola (38:57)

It is. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Eric B. Rock.

Dan Bernstein (38:59)

This was a kid who's 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, asking me this.

Matt Abaticola (39:02)

Yeah, I introduced that to. Jack was 10, Hank was 11.

Dan Bernstein (39:06)

He put it.

Matt Abaticola (39:07)

I put it onto the car and I'm like, all right, fellas, listen to this.

Dan Bernstein (39:09)

He put all his pre hockey warm up. Like his. His headspace mix. You know, goalies have to always do this thing. It was all Rakim.

Matt Abaticola (39:19)

Really?

Dan Bernstein (39:20)

Yep, it was all Rakim.

Matt Abaticola (39:21)

That's good influence on your part there.

Dan Bernstein (39:23)

I thought it was too.

Matt Abaticola (39:24)

It's. Yeah, you've done something. Well.

Dan Bernstein (39:25)

Yeah, so we did this one. Well, it's forward progress. We did a Chicago Bears punch.

Matt Abaticola (39:29)

Wait, are we ending it right now?

Dan Bernstein (39:30)

Well, isn't it time?

Matt Abaticola (39:31)

Yeah, no, it's fine. It's just you always sneak up on me with this, and I'm never ready to do it.

Dan Bernstein (39:35)

Be ready. Get your footwork right and be decisive.

Matt Abaticola (39:38)

I'm not decisive.

Dan Bernstein (39:38)

Why? Why, Madame Madder, I'm asking you why. Why were you not decisive?

Matt Abaticola (39:41)

I'm afraid of making a mistake.

Dan Bernstein (39:43)

Why were you unprepared?

Matt Abaticola (39:44)

I don't want you to scream at me anymore.

Dan Bernstein (39:46)

Because in college you would do this. And we never had to work on these things. And when we scouted you, we said, this guy's always real quick to be decisive when it comes to pushing buttons and clicking mice.

Matt Abaticola (39:55)

Well, earlier you threw a hot cup of coffee at me.

Dan Bernstein (39:58)

Yeah, well, that's just to get you conditioned. I'll start throwing dildos at you next.

Matt Abaticola (40:03)

Okay, Grandma, Wait now, I don't remember. Which one do I do first? Let me see here. Are we done?

Dan Bernstein (40:08)

I think so.

Matt Abaticola (40:09)

Say bye to the people. Tell them what we're doing tomorrow.

Dan Bernstein (40:11)

Bye, people. Tomorrow we are going to be previewing Bears and Lions for real.

Matt Abaticola (40:18)

Oh, what do we have tomorrow?

Dan Bernstein (40:19)

A lion's guest?

Matt Abaticola (40:21)

No. Well, maybe, hopefully.

Dan Bernstein (40:23)

Oh. The list of the all time Greatest.

Matt Abaticola (40:26)

Lions Top 10 Greatest Lions, Top 10.

Dan Bernstein (40:28)

Greatest Lions of all time time will be revealed tomorrow. Do I have to do anything?

Matt Abaticola (40:34)

You should show up tomorrow.

Dan Bernstein (40:35)

Can I write down my nominees and see if they make the list?

Matt Abaticola (40:38)

Sure.

Dan Bernstein (40:39)

Okay.

Matt Abaticola (40:40)

Yeah, we can compare.

Dan Bernstein (40:41)

Okay.

Matt Abaticola (40:42)

We'll see how smart you are at Lions because you have a good history with the Detroit Lions.

Dan Bernstein (40:47)

Well, I covered enough games and. But I don't know about my personal history. I don't really have one.

Matt Abaticola (40:52)

All right. Are you done now?

Dan Bernstein (40:53)

I think so.

Matt Abaticola (40:54)

Subscribe. Do all the good stuff. Follow everything.

Dan Bernstein (40:57)

Subscribe. Email you dan@312sports.com matt@312sports.

Matt Abaticola (41:04)

Yeah, remember, if. If you're like a drum teacher or you teach musical instruments of any kind, email dan dan@312sports.com About Danny Carey from Tool. Oh, anything about music just to have conversations.

Dan Bernstein (41:17)

I don't play the drums. I just like watching drum videos.

Matt Abaticola (41:20)

Well, that's what I'm saying. If there's anyone out there that can teach Dan drum.

Dan Bernstein (41:24)

I'm not trying to learn drums, but.

Matt Abaticola (41:25)

They'Ll do it for free. If you're.

Dan Bernstein (41:27)

I have no sense of rhythm.

Matt Abaticola (41:28)

If you're a drum instructor, he can teach you.

Dan Bernstein (41:30)

I can barely keep a beat.

Matt Abaticola (41:32)

They can teach you.

Dan Bernstein (41:32)

No, they can't. So I have no innate sense of rhythm.

Matt Abaticola (41:35)

If you want to offer Dan free drum lessons, email him at dan@312sports.com and.

Dan Bernstein (41:40)

Remember, hit the thing, end this, pick.

Matt Abaticola (41:42)

The Buccaneers and win the Super Bowl. Or did you not?

Dan Bernstein (41:46)

Why do you hate Luol Deng and.

Matt Abaticola (41:48)

South Sudan and the south side?

Dan Bernstein (41:52)

South Sudan It.

Matt Abaticola (41:59)

Forward Progress, a Chicago Bears podcast with Dan Bernstein and Matt Abeticola on 312 Sports.