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I mean, if you're a Bears fan,
Matt Abaticola
you're thinking Forward progress. Come on.
Dan Bernstein
10.
Matt Abaticola
219, 219Forward progress a Chicago Bears podcast with Dan Bernstein and Matt Abeticola on 312 SP.
Dan Bernstein
We give you forward progress here on 312 sports where we talk Chicago Bears and NFL and give you everything that you need to know. And then our thoughts on a team that Matt Abaticola says is going to win the super bowl this year. Have you made that official?
Matt Abaticola
Well, just now you did. Yes.
Dan Bernstein
Okay. Because I know you did. Privately. It's just constantly you've been walking around. You're walking the hallways here with a sandwich board saying the Bears are going to win the Super Bowl. You have your Bears are going to win the Super Bowl. Ha.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah.
Dan Bernstein
That you've been wearing.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah. The front sizes. Bears will win the Super bowl in 2027. And then the backside says the end is nigh.
Dan Bernstein
That's right. So I like that you're killing two birds with one stone, stand on the
Matt Abaticola
corner and yell and scream at people.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, it's great. And then Jaden Ivy shows up and grabs the mic from you.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah. Then I leave.
Dan Bernstein
So that's okay. The fact that.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah, no, no worries.
Dan Bernstein
I like it. So, yeah, just making sure that somebody's always got that corner covered. Yeah, it's an important corner and I'm glad that somebody has the, the unintelligible ranting down right there. Did you see the video from NFL on Prime of Luther Burden talking to a bunch of kids at some kind of camp or a practice or something? Do you see this?
Matt Abaticola
I did see it, yeah. It's pretty, it's pretty remarkable.
Dan Bernstein
It's incredible. And how old would you say they are? Like 10 years old? Maybe around.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah, yeah. Give or take some. But yeah, let's say 10 is the median age.
Dan Bernstein
I would say fourth graders or 10 year old boys who are all out there. He's at an indoor dome of some kind. One of these, like it's a bubble and they're, they're playing. Looks like it's a baseball facility. I don't know exactly which one where they are, but Luther Burden is there talking to these kids. Now, first of all, that would be a huge deal to have an up and coming Bears wide receiver at your day camp or at your thing, whatever the appearance was. And then he's taking questions and one of the kids says, can you call Caleb? And to his credit, Luther Brand's like, hey, I'm not, I'm not good enough for you. Like, I'm Luther Byrd. I'm right here. That. Can you call Caleb? And he says, sure. He FaceTimes Caleb Williams. Williams picks up these boys go absolutely wild. Like they're talking to. It was like the screaming was like a Beatles concert.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah, it was crazy.
Dan Bernstein
It was like the Ed Sullivan Show. I couldn't, I. It was like, like unbelievable. Like pure joy, shock. The looks. They're literally jumping up and down and grabbing at the phone and they're taking selfies to send to Caleb and try to show on the video that they're all there. Luther's getting his face in there. Like, I didn't, I mean, I, I knew that Caleb had connected with a segment of fans, but like when you see these kids all in their bare stuff, the difference between Luther Burton standing there, the actual Luther Burton is standing
Matt Abaticola
there physically in their presence.
Dan Bernstein
He's right there in their presence. They're touching him, talking to him. They're jumping up and down a crowd around him and like, can you call Caleb?
Matt Abaticola
Yeah, man. He's. He's an absolute rock star. I mean like, that's prime age.
Dan Bernstein
Yes.
Matt Abaticola
For Madden and he's on the COVID and he's the quarterback of the Bears. I mean, that's it, dude. That's like, that's rock star status.
Dan Bernstein
That is. When you in. Anybody who has, has had boys of this age, man, when you're in that, when you, when you've got them on that level to get that reaction, that is something. I don't know why. I mean, I think I knew it. But then seeing it and hearing that, that re. This is not canned. This is not fake. And hearing them all respond like that was just like, whoa, that's another stratosphere, man.
Matt Abaticola
And he, that's, that's exactly where he's at. He's in another stratosphere. I mean that dude is at a different level. Different level. And you saw that right there. Very cool to see though. It was a, that was a, that was a fun, fun little, little video to see.
Dan Bernstein
And I don't know if it was planned. I don't know what. But the, the idea, the fact that Caleb Williams would do that, whatever he's up to and whether or not Burden told me, hey, I might call you or something like that. If it was spontaneous and it, it worked.
Matt Abaticola
Spontaneous to me.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah. If it was good job, all involved. Because those kids will never for the rest of their lives forget that.
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Dan Bernstein
I started Ornod in 2013 and we make bike apparel. The best part of Shopify for me is our ability to run the business as essentially non technical people.
Matt Abaticola
We're able to admin everything on the
Dan Bernstein
back end, front end and sell things online easily. If Shopify were a bike accessory, I think it would actually be the bicycle. It's the thing that you do the
Matt Abaticola
thing on we run the business on Shopify.
Dan Bernstein
Start your free trial on shopify.com I'm
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Kiana and I leveled up my business with Shopify. Once I figured out that Shopify was a thing, I never turned back. I can create a site with my eyes closed. Shopify thinks ahead of us, you know, and it thinks about the customer more than anything. Every day I'm thinking about some other new business, but Shopify is doing it to me because it's so easy to use. It's like I can't stop. I'm addicted. Start your free trial@shopify.com all right, here's
Matt Abaticola
a a story, a developing story that I just want to kind of want to recap. We don't need to get too deep into it, but wanted to share this because we talked about this a few weeks ago about the Sports broadcasting act of 1961 that remember orange. Agent Orange wanted to look into it because the NFL is, is costing too much money for the consumers.
Dan Bernstein
It's the first time there actually has been a and I applauded it. Remember when I said look and I said am I actually rooting for Jim Jordan here of all people and saying that look that fans may be getting screwed because you're taking advantage of long legacy to antitrust status and now you are finding your way around this broadcasting and act because technically the streaming isn't broadcasting and you loopholed your way into screwing over NFL fans. And I don't know what the I, I, I tend to think that there are probably, there's probably a cynical way of looking at this, that this is just, you know, populist grandstanding. But either way, exploring the relationship with that act and what the NFL is doing to sidestep it is is actually worthy of that kind of investigation.
Matt Abaticola
No, it certainly is. But there's a new wrinkle to it as the Green Bay packers are in a standoff right now with lawmakers, particularly Wisconsin Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, over potential changes
Dan Bernstein
to his wife Zelda.
Matt Abaticola
The the the SBA act of 1961. So Congress is reviewing, as we mentioned, whether the 65 year old law still makes sense in the era of streaming paywall broadcasts and rising consumer costs. The pack you the packers argue that altering the SBA could threaten their long term viability as the NFL's smallest market team, while lawmakers say the league may be abusing its antitrust exemption and inflating prices for fans. So as we just mentioned, what the SBA is, why they're reconsidering it so the the NFL has inflated prices for consumers. The league rejected an ESPN offer to sell Sunday Ticket for 70 bucks, instead keeping it at 276, allegedly maintaining a higher revenue. The NFL blocked a team by team streaming option, forcing fans to buy the full package even if they only want one team. Lawmakers say the fans are paying the price for outdated rules written in a pre streaming era. So they're correct on this. Now the packers are saying any major change the SBA would, quote, threaten the team and destabilize small market franchises. Fitzgerald has given zero consideration to the risk of harming the packers because that's not his job. The shared revenue model is, as they say, quote, as fundamental to the packers existence as the bricks in Lambeau Field. End quote. Team officials say Congress is trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist, and they remain confused about what lawmakers actually intend to do. So Congress has been reviewing the SBA for nearly a year now, as hearings continue. Fitzgerald says he doesn't want to eliminate the law entirely, but believes reforms are needed to protect consumers. The packers, meanwhile, are lobbying aggressively to preserve the current system, warning that changes could undermine their competitive future. Even going as far as saying they may be forced to leave Green Bay if they aren't able to compete.
Dan Bernstein
Well, that's true. It's obviously true. If that were a standalone television market, the money's not there.
Matt Abaticola
Correct.
Dan Bernstein
Period.
Matt Abaticola
If they're. If they're forced to negotiate against big markets, L.A. new York, Chicago, Green Bay loses out.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah. There's no reason to buy advertising time in Green Bay.
Matt Abaticola
No, not. Not one bit.
Dan Bernstein
So they're right about that. However, I think there's multiple places for them. If they're. If. If both the Bears and the Colts will sign off on it. I've got some terrific sites for them. I haven't.
Matt Abaticola
Are you thinking what I'm thinking?
Dan Bernstein
I am. I mean, let. I gotta be honest, though. Full disclosure. I haven't paid for any of the environmental studies. I haven't had anybody do the legal work. Environmentally, I haven't paid for any of that. I haven't appl. Applied for any permits, so I haven't really done anything. But I can. I can talk a lot about these different sites. I can say, you can go over here, you can go over there. There's all sorts of. You know, it might have been previously, the land was used for other purposes, and we might not have an ability to build on it mostly until like after 2050, but they can come into Hammond.
Matt Abaticola
But I mean, if there are Multiple sites the Bears are looking at. They pick one. And if Indiana is willing to bring in a third NFL team.
Dan Bernstein
There you go.
Matt Abaticola
And you could have rival stadiums in the same area of Hammond.
Dan Bernstein
Perfect.
Matt Abaticola
One housing the Chicago Bears and one housing the Green Bay packers in Hammond, Indiana. I think that's a great idea. Yeah.
Dan Bernstein
I think that. That when contacted about it, Indiana officials would said. They said that they would get rid of all public schooling just to have the pack. Yes.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah.
Dan Bernstein
They would get rid of all public schooling and get rid of any help with any health care for anyone.
Matt Abaticola
I think if Indiana plays their cards right, they could end up somehow getting the Jaguars and the jets as well.
Dan Bernstein
Perfect. I think all teams should move to Hammond and we could do it like a shared facility. Even if you want to do it like Glendale, where the Dodgers and the White Sox decided to build out together. That we could just, you know that Hammond is going to really going to end up being the Mecca where. Why wouldn't you want to be in the swamp? And they'll call it the swamp and they'll sell it that way and they'll have, you know, giant, like mutant swamp creatures coming out and. And fish with multiple eyes. It'll be perfect. That's where all the NFL teams will be based.
Matt Abaticola
Well, it would also help the McCaskey since they don't have any money.
Progressive Ad Voice
Right.
Matt Abaticola
They would have to come up with less money.
Dan Bernstein
Sure. Somebody else could actually check out the environmental stuff. Could actually pay for the studies and the permits because they can't afford them.
Matt Abaticola
Well, I mean, if they shared a stadium. I like your idea of sharing a stadium. Then instead of having to borrow 2 billion, maybe they only have to borrow 500 million. That'd be easier to do. That is, that's less risk for the family since they don't have anything to contribute. They would have to borrow all of it. And this way they're borrowing less.
Dan Bernstein
I think the plan is an interesting one. Okay. I think that goes really well for you.
Matt Abaticola
I hope for the packers that works out well because I would hate to see anything bad happen to the Packer fan base, Lambeau Field. I would hate to think that Green Bay would not have the packers anymore. That would be tragic.
Dan Bernstein
I don't think that's going to happen. And I always will presume that there are some nefarious reasons why these people involved would be doing something that would appear to be on behalf of football fans that I'm sure is not. I'm sure there's something I'm not seeing that would Explain why this particular kind of grandstanding is somehow perceived to help them electorally in the future.
Matt Abaticola
But no, I think there's, there's an angle we don't know, we don't see of someone that they somehow know gaining financially.
Dan Bernstein
Sure. Oh, if you're talking about the grift. Yeah.
Matt Abaticola
Yes. Yeah.
Dan Bernstein
Or they've, they've made a bet on, on in the betting markets somehow that something is going to happen and this helps them to that end because of how easily that becomes exploitable by people either placing bets for them via proxy or they're just doing it themselves.
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Matt Abaticola
All right, bunch of other small NFL notes. I'll run through these, see what you've seen. Okay. Cam Jordan is signing on with the New Orleans Saints for one final season. So he signs a one year deal that is heavily incentivized to earn based on sacks and production on the field. But he is officially signing a one year deal with the Saints. Rasheed Rice, did you see that he was released from jail? He remember he served his 30 day sentence, right? I believe it was for smoking weed. Is that correct? He violated probation by smoking weed. Isn't that the story that we talked about?
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, I think it was. He tested, it was like, stay off
Matt Abaticola
the weed, bro, if you can go to jail for it.
Dan Bernstein
But he couldn't. He could not stay off the weed.
Matt Abaticola
This was interesting. There's a lot of NFL rumors out there. There are two teams that are heavily involved in possibly looking at a trade for Max Double X Crosby.
Dan Bernstein
That's alive still.
Matt Abaticola
Yes, there are two, two teams. They are NFC teams. The Philadelphia Eagles and the San Francisco
Dan Bernstein
49ers and would be trading what?
Matt Abaticola
I don't know. But there's just. There's been several different. I saw about almost a half a dozen places of NFL NFL people talking about the Eagles and the Niners.
Dan Bernstein
Okay.
Matt Abaticola
Being in on Max Crosby. Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports, he did a little in depth piece if you want to take a look at it. I don't want to share the whole thing, but he did a piece on Brendan Sorsby, and he talked to NFL scouts and NFL executives.
Dan Bernstein
Oh. As to whether or not he's going to be even worth a supplemental pick.
Matt Abaticola
No. If he would have been eligible for the draft and made himself eligible for the draft and the gambling thing wasn't, wasn't an issue.
Dan Bernstein
Well, that's presuming a lot.
Matt Abaticola
I know, but this is just what he's, he's talked about with scouts and executives in the, in the NFL. Current, current scouts and executives. Do you know where he's saying that he would have gone as far as quarterbacks being drafted? No. Number two.
Progressive Ad Voice
What?
Matt Abaticola
After Fernando Mendoza, that he would have been the second quarterback taken.
Dan Bernstein
I, I disagree. Okay, okay.
Matt Abaticola
So if you want to take a look at that, take a look at that cbs. Wow. That's Ryan Wilson. Yeah. Number two quarterback drafted. That's based on conversations with executives, scouts in the NFL.
Dan Bernstein
Then why, why was he at so many colleges? Was that just because of the gambling or the smoke around it before? They're like, man, we don't know. We don't like it. We're hearing some things.
Matt Abaticola
I mean, maybe I, I don't, I mean, I can't speak for what other schools did, but it's like, maybe it was like, hey, you need to move on. Or maybe he's like, I need to move on. So maybe, yeah, but crazy stuff.
Dan Bernstein
If that's true, if that is true, and I probably don't think it is,
Matt Abaticola
I, I, I, I tend to agree with you.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, but if it is, think about the waste of talent and the waste of career. The money left on the table by placing 9,000 bets. Yes, 9,000 bets.
Matt Abaticola
If he truly could have been even a top five quarterback. Taken. Think of what he's lost.
Dan Bernstein
Well, then that's his job for the rest of his life, then is going around to schools and telling kids what he threw away. He's got a job for the rest of his life. It's a lot of work. It's a lot of travel. It's, it's, it's a lot of hotels. But if he wants to go tell high school kids, don't be me. That, that, that sure improves that one. He's got to write the book first. Yeah, but there's a plan here.
Matt Abaticola
And then that's like a, like, I don't know, that's like a streaming network movie in the making as well.
Dan Bernstein
That's, that is, I, I, I tend to, to think that that is a, it's a hyperbolic scouting take. But I'm not I'm. I don't doubt that he threw away a chance.
Matt Abaticola
Yes. When you look at that quarterback class that was drafted as well.
Dan Bernstein
Yep. I don't doubt he threw away a chance. I also found something too@NFL.com I wanted to just check in right here with the current best available free agents according to NFL.com's Greg Rosenthal ranking. Who's still out there, who's still available, and you get a sense as to why. And you also get a sense to some of the stuff we've been talking about regarding baseball and the Cub struggles and everything else about being on the wrong side of 30. That your best available free agents right now from the original rankings here, the top one by. What do you think the top ranked. What do you think a number is for the top ranked available best free agent going by the original free agent
Matt Abaticola
rankings of like the top 100 free agents.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, like where does it, where does it start for availability? Just want to see somewhere in the 40s. Good call. 47. Okay. Your best available are 47, 55, 61, 65, 70, 83, 85, 95, 96.
Matt Abaticola
So who's 47?
Dan Bernstein
Joey Bosa. Ooh, that faded badly. Ultimately hurt his team in the playoffs. Then Stefan Diggs.
Matt Abaticola
Okay.
Dan Bernstein
Still an excellent route runner and third down option. Would be ranked higher as a short term play if not for his pending legal matter. It's the assault allegation. Debo Samuel is 61. Kevin Zeitler, the guard is 65. Hassan Redick. No thank you. Is number 70. Then Darren Waller, the tight end, cornerback. Trevon Diggs, Kyle Van Noy, Jimmy Garoppolo. There's a name we haven't heard in a while. Yep. Taylor Decker, offensive tackle, age 33. Saying he fits the profile as a solid one year option at a thin position. Your guy, Jadevion Clowney.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah, I'm surprised he hasn't signed back with the, with the Cowboy.
Dan Bernstein
He said no one has earned his role as Mr. 101 more convincingly than clowning in your annual fixture on this list. I thought that run was over before he started sacking fools straight off the couch in 2025. Just like he'll do for the next 25 years. No, I don't think that's the case. But you're talking about mostly with the exception of Trevon Diggs at 27. And is that the only one who's under 30? Yeah, the 27 year old Stefan Diggs or Trevon Diggs, excuse me, is the only person under 30 on this list. Of best available.
Matt Abaticola
What did AJ Espin Epanessa assign anywhere? He's still available, isn't he?
Dan Bernstein
Is he.
Matt Abaticola
Remember, he was, I think, wasn't it the Browns that looked at him then he had the knee.
Dan Bernstein
AJ Epanessa is an Eagle.
Matt Abaticola
He is an Eagle. Okay. I must have missed that. It.
Dan Bernstein
According to. It says he is an American professional football defensive end for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Matt Abaticola
Okay. Well, congratulations to AJ for signing on.
Dan Bernstein
On June 10, he signed a contract with the Eagle.
Matt Abaticola
Okay, so I missed that last week.
Dan Bernstein
That was a week ago. Yeah.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah. I was probably. Baseball.
Dan Bernstein
Baseball. Keeping up with the AJ Epines.
Matt Abaticola
There's a really good long time NFL guy from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Jerry Dulac. I mean, so if Jerry Dulak is talking about something, it's generally in that. In that right area. Yep. He is saying he said this on a radio interview the other day, that he believes Mike McCarthy, the Pittsburgh Steelers will an opening day on their roster, have four quarterbacks on their opening day roster. He said he would not be surprised if their roster has four quarterbacks.
Dan Bernstein
What? Why?
Matt Abaticola
Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, Drew Eller would not be surprised if all four were on the roster.
Dan Bernstein
I would.
Matt Abaticola
Which would be insane. What.
Dan Bernstein
How could you possibly justify.
Matt Abaticola
You couldn't.
Dan Bernstein
Four quarterback roster spots.
Matt Abaticola
You could not. There is absolutely. You have two world.
Dan Bernstein
You have two on the roster. You have one on your practice squad.
Matt Abaticola
Yes. There is no world where you'd have four on your roster.
Dan Bernstein
You have two on the roster, you have one on the practice squad.
Matt Abaticola
Unless the rosters expand to 55. That is.
Dan Bernstein
Was. Is this because of the local popularity of Drew Aller?
Matt Abaticola
I don't know.
Dan Bernstein
Okay, like. But you see, right. But Jerry Dulac is not just rando.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah. Yes. If Jerry's talking about something, there's legitimate purpose behind it. Okay. I love it, though. I mean, anything to add to the Aaron Rodgers, Mike McCarthy the reunion tour, huh? I'm all for it, man.
Dan Bernstein
Okay. It's going to be fun enough watching what's left of Aaron Rodgers and watching him blame everybody else. Maybe it just gives. Maybe Aaron Rodgers wants other quarterbacks to boss around in the room or at practice or just have people who have to listen to him.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah.
Dan Bernstein
Is that what that is?
Matt Abaticola
Maybe he's there. Maybe he can mentor all three guys.
Dan Bernstein
That's what I'm wondering. Is he. Is he there just to sort of keep people around him? I don't know.
Matt Abaticola
All right, here's. Here's my favorite story I've seen within the last. Last day. Chad Ochocinko. He was on Shannon Sharp's podcast. You didn't happen to see any of this, did you, online? No, I'm not saying watching the podcast, but sometimes videos pop up. He's, he was telling Shannon Sharp that he saved. This is great too for our, our, our listening base. He saved 83% of his NFL salary by living very, a very aggressively frugal lifestyle, which included, which included flying Spirit Airlines and wearing fake jewelry. He never spent money on jewelry. He always bought fake jewelry. He said he would go to Claire's.
Dan Bernstein
That's brilliant. I've always said this. Why do you want to be walking around with a million dollar necklace on?
Matt Abaticola
He said his, his name had more value than any bling he could wear. He argued that his personal brand was more valuable than a Ferrari or an expensive watch. He avoided cost depreciating assets, noting that he saw no point in buying an $80,000 watch just to tell time. He, at one point in the conversation he asked Shannon, he goes, what time is it? And Shannon Sharp looks at his watch. I'm sure it's a very expensive watch. And he tells him the time. He's like, it's 20 minutes to 4. And, and Chad Ochocinko goes, see that? That didn't cost me a thing.
Dan Bernstein
This is what I want to know. This is what I want to know. Where is Chad Ochocinko on food expiration dates? Because if he really is one of us, if I would see him at the back of Mariano's looking through it. I was there last night, man. I had a craving yesterday for my Waffle House dinner where I did you okay? I wanted steak and eggs.
Matt Abaticola
Nice.
Dan Bernstein
And I wanted scattered smother covered hash browns. And I have it down to a science at home. I love the way I make it at home. I, I, I bake the cut up potatoes and onions instead of frying them and it cuts down on the oil. And then I put those in the bowl and I get the egg yolks and the fried eggs in there and I mash everything up as if I'm doing it on the plate. And I got a sirloin tip steak real thin, got a crazy hot pan and just seared it on either side, let it rest, covered it in a one. And I was hoping, and what I love on a day, I went to the back of Mariano's and I said, I'm gonna find that steak. You know, I didn't, I couldn't find it because it was, it was a lot of pork chops. And it was some brats, and it was big, Big Chuck roasts. So I had to pay retail. I had to pay. I had to pay 15 bucks a pound for sirloin tip. That's a crazy number for sirloin tip.
Matt Abaticola
Well, that's okay. When I did my. My chicken stroganoff last night.
Dan Bernstein
You did it.
Matt Abaticola
I did. I did it. I sent you a picture of it too.
Progressive Ad Voice
What?
Matt Abaticola
The. The mushrooms. The packages of mushrooms were. There were some in the front that were reduced.
Dan Bernstein
Yep. Same at mine.
Matt Abaticola
I got them for a $44 package for Creminis. Yes.
Dan Bernstein
That's incredible.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah.
Dan Bernstein
Or they call them Baby Bellas.
Matt Abaticola
Baby Bellas?
Dan Bernstein
Yeah. Yeah, same thing.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah, they were a $44.
Dan Bernstein
Beautiful. Yep, beautiful.
Progressive Ad Voice
That's.
Dan Bernstein
That's the best feeling. And I. I did that the other day when I was. I also. I got. I got hungry for, like, Mexican food, but I didn't want to order. And I'm like, you know what? I'm gonna get some of the good chips and some pico de gallo, and I'll make, like, my version of, like, an al pastor kind of thing. Yeah. Like, you know what? I also want some guacamole, but I don't want to bother making it. And then I saw, like, these. The Simple Truth. Organic, on sale, $20.
Matt Abaticola
Oh, nice.
Dan Bernstein
For a full container of good guacamole.
Matt Abaticola
That works. Yeah.
Dan Bernstein
Yes. No, I haven't seen the picture yet. Really? Did you really send me a picture? Is this a big.
Matt Abaticola
No, I sent you a picture.
Dan Bernstein
All right, hold on. Matt Abatic.
Matt Abaticola
Oh, yeah, right.
Dan Bernstein
Ooh.
Matt Abaticola
It was really good, dude. I. I was half debating this morning.
Dan Bernstein
Oh, are those chives?
Matt Abaticola
Yeah. As I was emptying the. I put a lot in. I love it. I was emptying the dishwasher. I was like, you know what? I might go back to the store and do that again tonight. Run it back again tonight.
Dan Bernstein
Is that rotisserie chicken?
Matt Abaticola
No, I did. I did. I did chicken breast. So I. I cubed it up, and then I seasoned it and then pan seared.
Grainger/Thumbtack Ad Voice
Right.
Matt Abaticola
And then pulled it out, and then in the pan, started my shallots and garlic and mushrooms.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah.
Matt Abaticola
Got the Manischevitz egg noodles.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah.
Matt Abaticola
I didn't do the small thin ones. I did the wide ones.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, you did that.
Matt Abaticola
I like the wide ones better.
Dan Bernstein
That looks really good.
Matt Abaticola
It was great.
Dan Bernstein
And what did she think of it?
Matt Abaticola
Oh, she loved it.
Dan Bernstein
Okay. That's really the opinion that counts.
Matt Abaticola
I know that.
Dan Bernstein
You're great.
Matt Abaticola
This is great.
Dan Bernstein
No, thank you.
Matt Abaticola
No, she loved it. I thought I might have leftovers for today, but I ate an extra bowl last night, so I might do it again. But, yeah, when you. When you find that deal of something, you're looking, like, specifically something you want.
Dan Bernstein
Yes, Like.
Matt Abaticola
All right, I know I'm getting mushrooms.
Dan Bernstein
Yes.
Matt Abaticola
Go to the mushrooms. And there they are, the baby Bellas. A buck 44.
Dan Bernstein
It happened to me with. It happened to me with arugula. I thought. I was like, I gotta get arugula. I was like, oh, discount. He was sitting right. The very first one had the sticker on it. Like, let's go.
Matt Abaticola
Love the reduced sticker.
Dan Bernstein
That makes my day.
Matt Abaticola
Yes, it does. So, Chad Ocho Cinco. I got to investigate to see what kind of shopper he is. If he. If he's a grocery shopper like we are. I mean, this is a dude that could have afforded a private jet. And he flies coach. And spirit doesn't buy. You know, he went to Claire's for fake jewelry. He didn't. He didn't spend money on stuff he doesn't need to. His. His. His brand, his personal brand was worth more than anything he could wear. I love it. I love. I loved hearing it yesterday.
Dan Bernstein
So is mine.
Matt Abaticola
Yes. Which is why you use jewel shopping bags as your luggage and you wear free T shirts as your wardrobe.
Dan Bernstein
Well, I resemble that remark.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah.
Dan Bernstein
Thanks, by the way, to Danny Chamson and the awesome Gold Coast All Stars for the T shirt.
Matt Abaticola
It looks nice. What. What. What are the Gold Coast All Stars?
Dan Bernstein
The best wedding and event band in Chicago. And. And. Well, now it's more than that. Gold Coast All Stars are.
Matt Abaticola
And.
Dan Bernstein
And Danny owns a group of bands. He is a band leader, businessman, a. Almost like a band contractor at this point, but he's a wonderful musician, and they played Jason's Bar Mitzvah. I know Beth, in her business, always would be one of the. The very, very first groups that she'll recommend just because they're so good. They're so good. They can do full horn section, the whole thing. Yeah. So awesome. Thanks for asking. Now I'm hungry again, as always. This is. This is the. For whatever reason, probably because it's almost noon, but forward progress makes me hungry.
Matt Abaticola
Yes. Well, we always talk food.
Dan Bernstein
It's the Bears podcast. I guarantee you, of all Bears podcast, this one will make you the hungriest.
Matt Abaticola
Yes, that's our goal. We. We don't set out to make you informed. We certainly don't want to entertain you.
Dan Bernstein
Clearly not entertaining you.
Matt Abaticola
No, we want to make you hungry.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, we can definitely do that. We can do that. That is an achievable goal.
Matt Abaticola
I believe I do, dare I say a bear sized appetite. Dan.
Dan Bernstein
Oh, see, there you go. And I, I have a feeling that when we get closer to the season, there's going to be some very, there's going to be a specific outlet for some of these cravings. I would just say on these, as a part of this show, I think we're going to know exactly what's going to satisfy our hunger.
Matt Abaticola
What is that?
Dan Bernstein
I think it's going to be a, a, a pizza would be what I would, I would tell you. I, I would think get, get hungry for all kinds of pizza.
Matt Abaticola
I have a feeling that we'll be eating pizza for a lot of Bears post game shows.
Dan Bernstein
Yes, I agree.
Matt Abaticola
Let's go.
Dan Bernstein
Looking forward to it. Let's go. That is. That's forward Progress, a Chicago Bears podcast on 312 Sports for progress is stopped.
Matt Abaticola
Forward Progress, a Chicago Bears podcast with Dan Bernstein and Matabeticola on 312 Sports
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Episode: Could the Green Bay Packers be Forced to Leave Wisconsin?
Date: June 17, 2026
Hosts: Dan Bernstein & Matt Abbatacola
This episode delves into an explosive NFL story: the potential threats to the Green Bay Packers’ future in Wisconsin stemming from congressional scrutiny of the Sports Broadcasting Act (SBA) of 1961. Hosts Dan Bernstein and Matt Abbatacola unpack the legal, financial, and emotional stakes of this unprecedented scenario, all while mixing in their signature Chicago Bears perspective and banter. Besides the central Packers feature, they touch on other NFL headlines, player rumors, and end with their customary segue into food talk—ensuring Bears fans feel right at home.
[08:40]–[16:35]
A major chunk of the episode explores ongoing congressional hearings about the outdated Sports Broadcasting Act (SBA) and the risk it poses to small-market teams, with the Packers as Exhibit A.
Summary of Current Event:
Quotes & Key Context:
Hosts’ Satirical Take:
Nuanced Skepticism:
[25:06]–[27:21]
Jerry Dulac’s report that the Steelers might carry four quarterbacks: Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, Drew Aller.
This episode stands out for its deep dive into the existential threat looming over the Packers—a story with ramifications across the NFL’s revenue and antitrust landscape—while balancing hardcore Bears analysis, NFL rumor-mongering, and quirky personal stories. Whether you’re a diehard football junkie, a Bears partisan, or just in it for the food tips, Dan and Matt deliver a rollicking hour filled with news, perspective, and laughs.