Great Idea: Chicago Bears Finally Join Stadium Talks

Summary

Forward Progress – A Chicago Bears Podcast

Episode: Great Idea: Chicago Bears Finally Join Stadium Talks
Date: June 23, 2026
Hosts: Dan Bernstein & Matt Abbatacola

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Episode Overview

This episode of Forward Progress centers on a watershed moment in the Chicago Bears’ stadium saga: for the first time, the Bears’ leadership have actively entered stadium discussions with state legislators, after years of passivity and public missteps. Dan and Matt break down the sudden shift, poke fun at the Bears’ chronic inaction, and cover related NFL updates—from player and referee news to tight end room rankings. Their signature mix of sharp wit, inside jokes, and Bears-centric banter is on full display.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Bears’ Stadium Negotiations: Finally Showing Up

• Background:
  For years, the Bears’ stadium efforts were characterized by delays, non-engagement, and PR moves that went nowhere.
• Turning Point:
  State Rep. Cam Buckner called out the Bears for “doing nothing” and expecting favorable legislation. Now, the Bears are finally making calls and participating.
  • Quote:
    “If you want tax certainty, you can’t just do nothing and expect to have tax certainty.” – (Matt, 02:58)
• Timeline Humor:
  • The hosts satirize the Bears’ five-year lack of progress since purchasing the Arlington Heights property and hiring CEO Kevin Warren.
  • Repeated jokes about a hypothetical blank PowerPoint, summing up years of inaction.
  • Quote:
    “We’ve just been kind of dicking around for three and a half years.” – Dan (04:38)
• Finger-Pointing & Boardroom Farce:
  • Skewering Bears’ leadership—George, Kevin, and “the two guys named Ed”—for their slow realization that effort is required.
  • Quote:
    “How do we show growth in the bar graph of accomplishment?” – Matt (07:40)
• Satirical Imagery:
  • Kevin Warren, photographed at dawn with his Bible, used as a stand-in for productive action.
  • Quote:
    “People have taken pictures of me with my Bible at 4:30 in the morning. That’s what I’ve been doing.” – Dan (08:02)

2. Bears Roster Moves: Xavier Carlton Returns

• Defensive Line Depth:
  • The Bears bring back Xavier Carlton (DE), a former undrafted FA from Cal and recent UFL standout.
  • Carlton’s cyclical journey is used as a springboard for riffing on the Bears’ approach to coaching and roster depth.
  • Quote:
    “You can cut me because the coaches don’t coach… As soon as they start, you can have my ass back in a Bears uniform.” – Dan (10:25)

3. Referee Accountability & The NFL/UFL Pipeline

• New NFL-NFLRA Labor Deal:
  • Underperforming NFL referees can now be “relegated” to the UFL for more reps.
  • Dan and Matt mock the optics of sending “bad refs” to a developmental league.
  • Quote:
    “That’s getting banished to the phantom zone.” – Dan (11:52)
  • Discussion of minor-league pipelines for refs, compared to the NBA’s CBA roots (13:05).
  • Quote:
    “We now have the ability to work more closely with underperforming officials.” – NFL spokesperson via Matt (13:47)
• Riffing on Coaching and Feedback:
  • Bears’ defensive coaches supposedly “discovering they can coach better”—mirrored onto ref training.
  • “Hey, some guys just aren’t very good.” – Dan (14:07)

4. Bears Position Rankings: NFL’s #1 Tight End ‘Room’

• Recognition:
  Bears’ group of Colston Loveland, Cole Kmet, and Sam Roush named the top tight end room by Pro Football Network’s Jacob Infante.
  • Sam Roush, a rookie, included despite never playing an NFL down.
  • Jokes about the “room” as a physical space.
  • Quote:
    “Are you sure? The way the room is decorated, it should be.” – Matt (17:21)
• Best Tight End Names:
  They poke fun at the tight end names for Buffalo (Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox, Jackson Hawes), making up their own, “Jay Postachek,” a fictional tight end.
  • “He would fit in perfectly there with the Buffalo Bills.” – Dan (19:54)

5. Bears Training Camp Updates

• Joint Practices Announced:
  • Bears to practice with Bengals (Aug 20) and Titans (Aug 27), both open to the public.
  • Side-jokes about the Cincinnati Bengals vs. the band The Bangles (20:13), and Susanna Hoffs on Instagram.

6. NFL’s Top 100 Player List—And Its Shortcomings

• NFL.com begins releasing its Top 100 Players list, two per day.
  • Cameron Jordan (just signed) at #100, Quentin Nelson at #99.
• Dan and Matt mock the slow reveal and the list’s logic.
  • Quote:
    “Number 100 is a guy who just got signed... number nine, I can't wait to find out who's 98 and 97 tomorrow.” – Dan (25:09)
  • “Drinking out of a fire hose of information.” – Dan (25:23)

7. Spring Standouts: NFC West Edition

• Reading off ESPN reporters’ picks for top spring performers in the NFC West.
  • Seahawks: George Holani
  • 49ers: Jacob Cowing
  • Rams: Terrence Ferguson
  • Cardinals: Devin Duvernay (noted for his speed, not hands—four teams in four years)
  • Hosts riff on the thinness of some “standouts,” imagining privileges like “getting to talk to the head coach.”

8. Banter, Baseball Stats, & Running Jokes

• Regular winding digressions into non-football topics:
  • Local pharmacy preferences (Walgreens vs. CVS inside Target) (34:00–35:51)
  • Steel drum lessons in Libertyville
  • Use of WAR metrics in baseball vs. football (40:18)
• Recurring “sex train” joke (originating around 06:01 and referenced throughout)
• Comedy around pop culture—Gandalf “You shall not pass” as a defensive play call for the Bears (36:03 and after)

9. A Note on Matt Miller, ESPN Draft Analyst

• Serious moment:
  Matt Miller (ESPN NFL Draft) was in a serious car accident, losing an arm but surviving.
  • Dan and Matt extend well-wishes for his recovery. (42:39–43:49)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “[The Bears] have realized after they’ve been lectured like a child, right when the governor said, ‘get your shit together.’” – Dan (06:43)
• “Let’s review what we did...and every slide was blank.” – Matt (04:46)
• “All they’re going to do is coach better. They don’t need to address the defensive line.” – Matt, poking fun at coaching optimism (09:30)
• “We now have the ability to work more closely with underperforming officials.” – NFL spokesman via Matt (13:47)
• “Third round pick out of Wisconsin...but it was the story of the made up tight end Jay Postachek.” – Dan, on their family’s invented NFL tight end (19:21)
• “He showcased his speed throughout OTAs and minicamp...Just his speed is there.” – Dan, on Duvernay’s “standout” status with the Cardinals (31:05)
• “We wish [Matt Miller] the best...as complete a recovery as possible at this point.” – Dan (43:26)

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Important Timestamps

• Bears Stadium Talks: 02:27–08:56
• Xavier Carlton Roster Move: 09:03–10:33
• Referee Accountability & UFL Pipeline: 11:00–15:20
• Bears’ Tight End Room #1 Ranking: 16:52–20:13
• Training Camp Joint Practices: 20:13–21:20
• NFL Top 100 Mockery: 22:59–26:36
• NFC West Spring Standouts: 26:43–31:28
• Matt Miller Accident Acknowledgment: 42:39–43:49

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Tone & Style

The tone is irreverent and deeply inside-football, alternating between exasperated analysis, self-aware satire, and affectionate ribbing of both the Bears and the NFL at large. Dan and Matt’s banter is quick, loaded with callbacks, and bridges the gap between informed commentary and old-fan sarcasm.

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Summary

If you haven’t listened, this episode is a textbook Forward Progress mix: long-overdue Bears stadium movement, sarcastic play-by-plays of institutional inertia, Bears roster and NFL headline coverage—including the quirks of player evaluation, league refereeing, and camp optimism—rounded out by tangents, running jokes, and genuine moments of community.

Transcript

[Dan Bernstein]

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[Dan Bernstein]

I mean, if you're a Bears fan, you're thinking Forward Progress.

[Matt Abeticola]

Come on. Forward Progress a Chicago Bears podcast with Dan Bernstein Matabeticola on 312 Sports.

[Dan Bernstein]

Let's talk some Chicago Bears, shall we? And some NFL here on Forward Progress. That is what we do on 312 sports and the Chicago Bears as their behind the scenes, their powerful people are making those phone calls with the powerful people in the state of Illinois at the moment trying to figure out what their stadium deal is going to look like. The football side is taking a bit of a breather and other people are weighing in with opinions as little bits of news come in here and there.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah they certainly have. And it was really refreshing to hear State Representative Cam Buckner say that the Bears finally realized, Dan, that if they want to get a legislation passed to help them build a stadium here in Illinois, they finally realize that they need to actively participate in the process. I think he said that if you want tax certainty, you can't just do nothing and expect to have tax certainty. So they're actually. Now, where are we at here?

[Dan Bernstein]

June, after everything blew up on them June 23rd, after there was the massive, embarrassing public 11th hour failure and they were excoriated for not being involved, not sending anybody, not actually doing anything, not actually being there, not being there, not engaging in the process. After hiring all of the people and having a bunch of press conferences.

[Matt Abeticola]

Now.

[Dan Bernstein]

Now they're actually engaging in the process of crafting legislation. And we were told in Politico that tomorrow, by tomorrow, there might be some more information.

[Matt Abeticola]

More clarity, right? More clarity.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes, more clarity that they have after. Well, doing nothing didn't work, right. We couldn't get what we wanted by doing nothing. Maybe now we'll get some of what we want by doing something.

[Matt Abeticola]

You think? The board sat around and they were like, I just don't know how this happened exactly.

[Dan Bernstein]

The board, like, wait a second. We hired somebody who said that he could come in with all the.

[Matt Abeticola]

But he's in the board and he's

[Dan Bernstein]

there too, going, wait, I'm a member. I'm a member of the board. I don't know what the hell happened. I don't know. We've just been kind of dicking around for three and a half years.

[Matt Abeticola]

Well, let's. Like, do you think they went like a PowerPoint? Like, let's review what we did. And then every slide was blank. Like, oh, next slide. Huh? Next slide.

[Dan Bernstein]

Let's review what's worked.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yes. Nothing.

[Dan Bernstein]

Do we have any slides of things in this entire process?

[Matt Abeticola]

Kevin, Warren's got the. He's got the button and he's pushing next slide.

[Dan Bernstein]

Nope.

[Matt Abeticola]

Next slide.

[Dan Bernstein]

That didn't work.

[Matt Abeticola]

Next slide, Kevin, These are all blank. Well, it's what we've done and it's what's worked.

[Dan Bernstein]

You know, it's not blank. The slide of how much they've paid.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

And how much things are now going to cost because of the delay.

[Matt Abeticola]

Well, he had one slide in the PowerPoint. It was a bar graph and it was amount of money spent, progress made, and one was really high and one wasn't there.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah.

[Matt Abeticola]

And they said, hey, the money one seems really high. The what's been accomplished Seems really low.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's normal at this stage.

[Matt Abeticola]

Trust me. Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

This is normal at this age. You hired me. You're going to have to trust me.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah. So one of the ads was like, well, Kevin, we love the work you've done so far. What do you think if we. If we actually have a conversation with someone who's making the law?

[Dan Bernstein]

Making the law. Making the law.

[Matt Abeticola]

That's right. Making the law.

[Dan Bernstein]

Making the law. Making the law.

[Matt Abeticola]

As they're leaving on a sex train.

[Dan Bernstein]

Don't know when I'll be back again.

[Matt Abeticola]

Song of the day.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes. That became song of the day.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yes. The sex train.

[Dan Bernstein]

Working on a sex train.

[Matt Abeticola]

So they realized that, hey, if we want something accomplished, we need to participate in it.

[Dan Bernstein]

Pick up a phone.

[Matt Abeticola]

So here's the thing.

[Dan Bernstein]

These are powerful things. They really are. You can. You can pick these up and talk to people.

[Matt Abeticola]

June 23, 2026. So we are now five years past the date of purchase.

[Dan Bernstein]

They land in Arlington Heights, and we

[Matt Abeticola]

are now almost three and a half years after the hiring of Kevin Warren.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes.

[Matt Abeticola]

And it's now on June 23rd that

[Dan Bernstein]

the Bears have realized after they've been lectured like a child, right when the

[Matt Abeticola]

governor said, get your shit together and

[Dan Bernstein]

we're happy to do stuff, but you need to talk to us.

[Matt Abeticola]

You need to be involved. Like, they just. They put it out in there. They were like, hey, we want a new stadium.

[Dan Bernstein]

It should happen. And based on what I'm hearing about some of the initial conversations, big fella is getting a experience of what it's like to deal with the Bears con man in chief.

[Matt Abeticola]

Oh, really?

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. He's learning immediately.

[Matt Abeticola]

How's that going for him?

[Dan Bernstein]

Apparently not great to start, but they'll figure it out.

[Matt Abeticola]

So I guess that's the highlight of Bear Stadium news today is that the Bears have finally realized that they need to be involved. So congratulations.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's a big day for the Bears. To the board. For the board. The both guys named Ed.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yes. Yeah. I wonder which Ed it was that said, hey, Kevin, the bar graph on the money is really high. The what we've accomplished is really low. How do we adjust that? How do we show growth in the bar graph of accomplishment? And Kevin said, well, we should probably talk to someone. And what have you done the last three and a half years?

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, people have taken pictures of me with my Bible at 4:30 in the morning. That's what I've been doing. I have people with their cameras and I have a personal biographer, and they come over and they take pictures of me with my Bible. That's what I've been doing. Okay.

[Matt Abeticola]

Hey, boys, let's get some pictures. Boys, let's get some photos.

[Dan Bernstein]

Let's get some pictures.

[Matt Abeticola]

Whoa. I got my Bible out.

[Dan Bernstein]

Hold on.

[Lisa]

Here it is.

[Dan Bernstein]

Look at me here. Come over here. This is my Bible photo spot in my home, wherever we invite them in. And this is where the pictures are taken. Can you see? Look, look. Look at the pictures of me. I'm at 4:30 in the morning and I'm getting right with God.

[Matt Abeticola]

Well, congratulations to the Bears. They finally realized 5 years after purchase date, 3 years after Kevin Warren was hired, they've realized that they need to participate in the conversation to make something happen. So well done.

[Dan Bernstein]

All right.

[Matt Abeticola]

Well done, George. Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

Big day for George and the two guys named Ed.

[Matt Abeticola]

The Bears have also brought in another UFL player to take a look at.

[Dan Bernstein]

Is he named Ed?

[Matt Abeticola]

It is not.

[Dan Bernstein]

Is he leaving out a sex train?

[Matt Abeticola]

It's a name.

[Dan Bernstein]

He could be okay.

[Matt Abeticola]

I mean, if he's on his way out of town, he could leave on a sex train. Does the name Xavier Carlton ring a bell to you?

[Dan Bernstein]

No.

[Matt Abeticola]

Okay. He was an undrafted free agent.

[Dan Bernstein]

Put him on the board. Yes.

[Matt Abeticola]

Out of Cal. That was part of the Bears off season last year.

[Dan Bernstein]

Xavier Carlton, he was football name, defensive end.

[Matt Abeticola]

He was part of the final cut down day late August of last year to trim the roster down to 53. He came out of Cal. He was a projected Day 3 draft guy, but he wasn't obviously as an undrafted free agent. 18 sacks in college. He had two sacks this year in the UFL for the champion Louisville Kings. So he's being brought back into the camp to take a look at defensive end Xavier Carlton. Not that they need him because all they're going to do is coach better. They don't need to address the defensive line.

[Dan Bernstein]

But does he know that, that he's coming in at a time where all of a sudden the coaching's going to improve?

[Matt Abeticola]

Maybe that's why he's back.

[Dan Bernstein]

He must be super excited. I didn't think I was going to get this chance because now I'm going to get coached.

[Matt Abeticola]

You think maybe on final cut down day he was like, you can cut me because the coaches don't coach as

[Dan Bernstein]

soon as they start. You can have my ass back in a Chicago Bears uniform because this position group needs to be coached better and harder.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's what Xavier Carlton said before he left in a huff or he left in a minute and a half.

[Matt Abeticola]

Well, as long as he doesn't leave on a sex train.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, there should be one backed up there. It's like the Hogwarts train. You get in, you go. That's the second J.K. rowling reference.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yes, it is. And we're doing what a show now.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, no, I shouldn't really be doing that.

[Matt Abeticola]

You're probably gonna stop doing that.

[Dan Bernstein]

I was talking about m vessel in his magic wand.

[Matt Abeticola]

Well, speaking of Mike, Mike Florio. Did you see this story?

[Dan Bernstein]

Did not.

[Matt Abeticola]

There is a new labor deal between the NFL and NFL Referees association that puts a premium in the competition and accountability, which is great. It's really good thing. I mean you want to hold referees accountable.

[Dan Bernstein]

It depends how it's figured out and how it's enforced the accountability.

[Matt Abeticola]

So here's what they have are working through low performing referees. So if they're evaluated and say hey, you could use some extra work.

[Dan Bernstein]

They all have to go through a special symposium with Diana.

[Matt Abeticola]

No, they're going to be assigned to work in.

[Dan Bernstein]

Is it wiener counseling? No. Do they all have to go to Mike Vrabel wiener counseling? No, no, they have to work with Diana.

[Matt Abeticola]

No, that's not it either.

[Dan Bernstein]

I think it is.

[Matt Abeticola]

They're going to go work in the ufl.

[Dan Bernstein]

Ouch. Ouch is right.

[Matt Abeticola]

Right.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's getting banished to the phantom zone.

[Matt Abeticola]

As explained in a recent ESPN item that reviews the new elements of the latest CBA for officials. The UFL NFL connection. They asked the NFL for more information as how this would work given that the UFL would have to make room for any of the relegated NFL officials. And if you're part of the ufl, would you want an official to come to your game that wasn't good enough to do the NFL.

[Dan Bernstein]

Hi, I'm here for the game. What happened? I wasn't very good. I couldn't see anything.

[Matt Abeticola]

So per NFL spokesman throwing flags right

[Dan Bernstein]

in letting gets off the plane.

[Matt Abeticola]

He has one as like a flag

[Dan Bernstein]

all over the place.

[Matt Abeticola]

NFL spokesperson said the details are still going to be worked out from a CBA perspective. We now have the ability to work more closely with underperforming officials.

[Dan Bernstein]

Middle of the game. I think you should be just, just shoved out of there.

[Matt Abeticola]

And one way we have is for them to get additional reps in a league like the ufl.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay.

[Matt Abeticola]

UFL source told pft that's a Mike Florio that three or four NFL officials have worked in the UFL over the past two seasons. So the pipeline already exists.

[Dan Bernstein]

Good.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Get reps, man.

[Matt Abeticola]

That's.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's what they're Saying, go get reps in the ufo. If you are looking. If you watch the NBA Finals and you watched three of the four top referees all came up through the Continental Basketball Association.

[Matt Abeticola]

Oh, yeah, you pointed that out during the final.

[Dan Bernstein]

All of them honed their skills at a lower level and they came up together. They were all in the same basic class there in the mid-90s. Scotty Foster, Tony Brothers, James Capers Jr. All came up through. I can't speak for Zach Zarba. I didn't know Zach, but those other guys, it was all minor league reps.

[Matt Abeticola]

I just. But I love this comment, though, from the NFL spokesperson, whoever it was. We now have the ability to work more closely with underperforming officials. So, like, they added that, argued that, put that in the new cba. That, like, here's an idea.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, they probably did.

[Matt Abeticola]

What do we do for the guys that aren't very good? Well, nothing. We don't do anything for them.

[Dan Bernstein]

Now what are you going to do? Hey, some guys just aren't very good.

[Matt Abeticola]

You think maybe we could work with them to make them better?

[Dan Bernstein]

There's an idea, like, actually improve. I think the Bears involved. I think the Bears defensive line coaches came in and said, hold on, hold on. We're interrupting this collective bargaining meeting to let you know we've discovered that we are allowed to coach better and harder. I think you should do the same.

[Matt Abeticola]

That's right.

[Dan Bernstein]

Onward and off they go. Wait, a ministry machine.

[Matt Abeticola]

We should work with the underperforming officials and make them better, huh?

[Dan Bernstein]

But they weren't able to.

[Matt Abeticola]

What a crazy idea.

[Dan Bernstein]

They weren't able to until they couldn't find them.

[Matt Abeticola]

They didn't have their numbers.

[Dan Bernstein]

They ran away. You'll never get to me.

[Matt Abeticola]

Have you talked to Johnson yet? Why? Keep calling him. He's not answering his phone.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, he's.

[Matt Abeticola]

I want to help him get better, but he's just not answering.

[Dan Bernstein]

They go off the grid.

[Lisa]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

The bad officials, all good. They all go off the grid together. They're living in a lean to.

[Matt Abeticola]

They're like, all right, bring Johnson in. Have a seat. Hey, listen, we've gone over your game film and you're terrible at this.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. You're just bad.

[Matt Abeticola]

Oh, okay. What are you going to do about it? Well, there's really nothing we can do, so we'll see you next season.

[Dan Bernstein]

Cool.

[Matt Abeticola]

Take care. How'd your job review go? Not good.

[Dan Bernstein]

Not good, but.

[Matt Abeticola]

Get fired?

[Dan Bernstein]

No, no.

[Matt Abeticola]

They said, see me next year.

[Dan Bernstein]

On July 5, the Chicago Stars return to Evanston vs Utah Royals FC the Chicago Stars celebrating a summer of soccer on the north side and you don't want to miss it. With an easy to get to stadium and tickets starting at $19, pro women's soccer has never been more accessible. Come to a match for family friendly pre match entertainment, then cheer on us Olympians like Mallory Swanson and Alyssa Nayer playing right on the lakefront at Evanston. Summer soccer doesn't get much better than this. Get your Tickets [e-mail] Tickets My name is Shannon Maldonado.

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[Matt Abeticola]

Sweet.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, I've got some good news. When we're talking about the evaluations of things regarding the Bears, their tight end room has been named the best in the NFL. But they use the word room as a like a synesthetic here. It's a. It's not actually the room. It's their group of tight ends.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah, well, the tight end room.

[Dan Bernstein]

The tight end room.

[Matt Abeticola]

They have their own room though that they go study together.

[Dan Bernstein]

I know, but they don't mean. They don't mean the room itself. They mean the players in the room have been named.

[Matt Abeticola]

Are you sure? The way the room is decorated, it should be.

[Dan Bernstein]

Pro Football Network's Jacob Infante has named the group that is Colston Loveland, Cole Comet and Sam Roush. Sam Raush has not played a down in the NFL, but he is already part of the top tight end group in the league, ahead of the LA Rams of Colby Parkinson, Tyler Higby, Terrence Ferguson, Max Claire and Davis Allen.

[Matt Abeticola]

You know what that tells me? Damn. Who's the best tight end in the NFL?

[Dan Bernstein]

Colston Loveland.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

Number three. The Bills. Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox, and Jackson Hawes.

[Matt Abeticola]

Those are very. Tight end.

[Dan Bernstein]

Those are the tight. Endiest names that ever, ever. Tight end.

[Matt Abeticola]

Austin Knox, Dalton Kincaid. Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Jackson Hawes.

[Matt Abeticola]

H A W E S. Are there like, like main characters in like a Nicholas Sparks book, too?

[Dan Bernstein]

I think they need to add the guy that. That our family made up. It happened when. When Jason was young and I would make pasta for the kids. He was very. This shouldn't. This won't surprise you. I was gonna say he was very specific about how he wanted the pasta done. Like al dente, but not too al dente.

[Matt Abeticola]

And how old is he?

[Dan Bernstein]

This is when he was like 8. Oh, boy. So I stopped deciding and I would always say, jay, pasta check. And he would decide, okay, put it in the sauce or serve it, because I wasn't gonna be criticized after the fact.

[Matt Abeticola]

All right. So whatever the noodle was, you'd pull one out and say, here, eat it.

[Dan Bernstein]

Jay, pasta check. So we. So we created.

[Matt Abeticola]

How would he like it?

[Dan Bernstein]

Like, he would say, give it 30 more seconds or that's ready now. Or you overcooked it, you idiot. Okay, so. But. But the idea of Jay Posta check. He became an NFL Jay Posta check. Yes. So we created like a. Who's your guy?

[Matt Abeticola]

NFL tight end.

[Dan Bernstein]

And it was this ongoing backstory about Jay Postech.

[Matt Abeticola]

That's great.

[Dan Bernstein]

Third round pick out of Wisconsin, transferred, I think from Purdue to Wisconsin.

[Matt Abeticola]

Okay.

[Dan Bernstein]

And was initially a linebacker, but one assistant coach. After spring practice one year moved him to tight end. He worked his way up the depth chart. We had a whole story going.

[Matt Abeticola]

Was he more of a blocking tight

[Dan Bernstein]

end, got to the NFL, got hurt, found an offensive coordinator, and then he had a couple of really good years. Yeah, it's, you know, it's not really an inspiring story.

[Matt Abeticola]

No.

[Dan Bernstein]

But it was the story of the made up tight end Jay Postachek, who would fit in perfectly there with the Buffalo Bills.

[Matt Abeticola]

Right. All right. So the Bears have the number one tight end room in the NFL, according to Jacob Infante.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes. Yes. So congratulations.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yes. That's great.

[Dan Bernstein]

I think it's awesome.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah. Colson Loveland, the best tight end in the game.

[Dan Bernstein]

And we didn't see this yesterday in time for forward progress, but in late July, when the Bears start training camp, they're going to be two joint practices with their preseason opponents. So they will be practicing against The Bengals Thursday, August 20. The team or the band, not the Bangles.

[Matt Abeticola]

Oh, okay.

[Dan Bernstein]

The Bengals.

[Matt Abeticola]

All right. And if that's a matchup, I'd like to see.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, who's. Are they all. I mean, Susanna Hoffs is still available.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah, she is.

[Dan Bernstein]

She's awesome. She's on Face, what you call Instagram.

[Matt Abeticola]

FaceTime. Facebook.

[Dan Bernstein]

No, Instagram.

[Matt Abeticola]

Instagrams.

[Dan Bernstein]

She's great on Instagram. She's just great. And so it'll start with the Bengals on Aug. 20, and then the Titans Thursday, Aug. 27, before the preseason finale. All the joint practices will be open to the public. And they're going to go hard at these things. They like it. They like seeing finally seeing something in another uniform to attack so good that they'll be testing themselves against their preseason opponents.

[Matt Abeticola]

Well, they could put their own players in other uniforms if they want to. See, like you would put the defense in like packers jerseys.

[Dan Bernstein]

No, they're being coached too hard. They're too busy.

[Lisa]

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[Dan Bernstein]

Did you have to fight a dragon?

[Lisa]

Nope. She bought it 100% online from her bed, actually. Was it scary? Honey, it was as unscary as car buying could be. Did the car have a sunroof? It did, actually. Okay, good story. Car buying you'll want to tell stories about. Buy your car today on delivery fees may apply.

[Matt Abeticola]

The NFL NFL.com Dan has they're. They're beginning the process of releasing the top 100 players.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay.

[Matt Abeticola]

Of the 2026 season. And, man, do they drag this out because they're going to release two a day.

[Dan Bernstein]

No.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's it.

[Matt Abeticola]

The NFL top 100 voted on by the players themselves. Reveal is underway on X2. Players will be revealed at 10am Eastern and 11am Eastern daily Monday through Friday from June 22 to August 21.

[Dan Bernstein]

I'm going to lose interest.

[Matt Abeticola]

This might be the only day we do this.

[Dan Bernstein]

Wait, I might have already lost interest. Hold on.

[Matt Abeticola]

So I didn't. I didn't read that first paragraph. And I'm scrolling down and I got the 99 and it stopped. And I'm like, this is a bad list. They couldn't even finish it.

[Dan Bernstein]

Hit refresh. Hit refresh. So hit refresh.

[Matt Abeticola]

Number 100, Dan, on the top 100 players of the 2026 season is. And I was. This. This might be the only day this. It was a guy who just got signed to a deal.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, that's a good signing then.

[Matt Abeticola]

Cameron Jordan is 100.

[Dan Bernstein]

Awesome.

[Matt Abeticola]

Right away the list lost credibility for me that a guy that was signed this past week makes your list. There's 53 guys on a roster, 32 teams, and number 100 is a guy that just got signed.

[Dan Bernstein]

That was.

[Matt Abeticola]

Now, granted, he had a good year last year for an old guy.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, but he's been home doing yard work.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yes. He's number 100. All right, again, 53 men in the

[Dan Bernstein]

roster waiting for somebody to value his abilities properly. He's holding out for.

[Matt Abeticola]

Again, great season last year for an old guy. He had 10 1/2 sacks. He had a good year. 15 QB hits, 2 force fumbles. Played 17 games as an old head, so good for him. Yeah, but he's 100, number nine.

[Dan Bernstein]

I can't wait to find out who's 98 and 97 tomorrow.

[Matt Abeticola]

Relax, mister. This is too much information at one time. They've got to release it slowly. We can't comprehend. We'll be overwhelmed. Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

Drinking out of a fire hose of information.

[Matt Abeticola]

Number 99, Quentin Nelson. Garbage.

[Dan Bernstein]

Hey, Quentin, you fired up, man?

[Matt Abeticola]

All right, so how do you make the top 100, Dan? And here's the NFL Pro insight for Nelson. Nelson had a 96.7 playtime percentage, highest on the Colts offense.

[Dan Bernstein]

The great guards of his era.

[Matt Abeticola]

I know. That's it. That's how you get there. You play a lot. That helps.

[Dan Bernstein]

It actually does.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yes, it does.

[Dan Bernstein]

Availability, I'm told, is the best ability.

[Matt Abeticola]

All right, so tomorrow.

[Dan Bernstein]

I don't know who told me that

[Matt Abeticola]

if I remember, put him on a

[Dan Bernstein]

sex train and get him out of here.

[Matt Abeticola]

He is on the way out. Yep. On the way to Georgia. Actually, It's a midnight sex train.

[Dan Bernstein]

Different one.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yes. Oh, there's multiple sex trains.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's the one. That's the one. You got to be careful.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yes. You get on the midnight sex train to Georgia. Watch out, mister. Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Hell coming to breakfast there. Be careful.

[Matt Abeticola]

So Tomorrow we'll have 98 and 97. If I remember this bit.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, you better if I do, because I can't wait.

[Matt Abeticola]

I mean, the next time we do

[Dan Bernstein]

this, I don't know if I'm going to be. I'm going to have just two. I'm going to be just brimming with anticipation.

[Matt Abeticola]

The next time we do this, it could be 55 and 56. We just. You never know.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's okay, too.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah, you just. You never know. Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

But I'm going to have hot takes on every ranking.

[Matt Abeticola]

All right, so yesterday I gave you the top four players that the best spring appearances for the NFC North. We talked about Xavier Thomas. Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes.

[Matt Abeticola]

Your guy Isaac to slaw, Josh Wiley. And then for the Vikings, it was an undrafted receiver out of Georgia who's

[Dan Bernstein]

fighting to be their fourth wideout.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

Big, big shocker.

[Matt Abeticola]

So here's what I want to share with you. This is the top four performers in the spring for the NFC West. All right, NFC West. So we have the Seahawks, the Niners, the Rams, and the Cardinals.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's the NFC West.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yes. The Seattle Seahawks stand out for the spring was running back George Holani. Okay, you ready for this?

[Dan Bernstein]

George Holani?

[Matt Abeticola]

Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

This is great.

[Matt Abeticola]

And again, these are all the NFL reporters that cover these teams for the ESP for ESPN to give their snapshot. In the absence of a true surprise standout, we'll go with Holani. 2024, Undrafted Free Agent who's squarely in Seattle's backfield. Plans for 2026. We'll leave it there. San Francisco 49ers, the standout performer of the spring.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes.

[Matt Abeticola]

Wide receiver Jacob Cowing.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah. Any remarks? Any comments? Any thoughts?

[Dan Bernstein]

No.

[Matt Abeticola]

No. Okay. Mike Evans says he has a lot of juice. He can add a lot to this team. The speed down the field, the quickness. He's having a few really good weeks and he's made a lot of plays. The Los Angeles Rams standout performer this spring, tight end.

[Dan Bernstein]

I was just to say it's got to be somebody in that tight end room that's filled with people.

[Matt Abeticola]

Would you take a guess at yes. Which one?

[Dan Bernstein]

I'm going to guess that it is Higby.

[Matt Abeticola]

No. Good guess though, because he's a tight end.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes.

[Matt Abeticola]

Terrence Ferguson, second year tight end, part of the crowded position group which includes rookie second round pick Max Claire. But several people in the Rams building have pointed to Ferguson as a player they think will take a big step forward in year two. Tyler Higby said while the position is one of the tougher spots to transition from college to the NFL, he says Ferguson has got it. He's going to be a great player. All right. Arizona Cardinals, One of my favorite teams of the upcoming.

[Dan Bernstein]

I know whoever it is might get an opportunity to talk to their head coach.

[Matt Abeticola]

So we don't know if this guy's had access to the head coach.

[Dan Bernstein]

Could this earn him? If by being named the standout of the spring, maybe it's going to allow him a brief glimpse, maybe only through a mirror he's allowed to glimpse the vision of Mike lafleur because we know

[Matt Abeticola]

that Carson Beck is spending extra time in the building doing extra work, that he even gets to talk to Nathaniel

[Dan Bernstein]

Hackett on a daily basis, which is a pleasure.

[Matt Abeticola]

We were told he even has access to Mike LaFleur.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's right. Carson Beck and Mike LaFleur is going to magically make Carson Beck able to throw.

[Matt Abeticola]

So are you ready and why we're doing this today about the NFC west. The player that was the standout of the spring session for the Arizona Cardinals,

[Dan Bernstein]

Dan Wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. Devin Duvernay. Oy.

[Matt Abeticola]

Devin Duvernay. Duvernay.

[Dan Bernstein]

Devin Duvernay, the standout Duvernay, who signed

[Matt Abeticola]

a one year deal in March and is on his fourth team in four years.

[Dan Bernstein]

If you need a 22 yard kick return, he can get it for you.

[Matt Abeticola]

He showcased his speed throughout OTAs and minicamp, in drills on offense and special teams. His quickness will add a dynamic element to the Cardinals return game. And if slash when he's used as a receiver.

[Dan Bernstein]

These are important things.

[Matt Abeticola]

Don't mind his hands.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, these are important things.

[Matt Abeticola]

Just his speed is there.

[Dan Bernstein]

Speed is there. Doesn't have to catch anything, but at least a kickoff, you can kind of pick up and go. He can get you those 22 yards.

[Matt Abeticola]

Hey, who's stood out to you at this point? OTA for the Cardinals? Well, I, you know, for me it's that guy that's been on four teams in four years.

[Dan Bernstein]

But you know what he brings?

[Matt Abeticola]

Yes, speed and no hands.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's okay. Well, that was, that was good. That, that got me Ready for the NFL?

[Matt Abeticola]

Are you ready now?

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, dude, I am. I am just raring to go.

[Matt Abeticola]

All right, so we'll see that. I mean, maybe we'll do that tomorrow. We'll look at a different division.

[Dan Bernstein]

Different division.

[Matt Abeticola]

If I remember the.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's going to bring them back. That's the kind of thing that has us on the charts in multiple countries.

[Matt Abeticola]

Well, that's why we're number one in Australia.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, we were briefly. Yes, I think so. Then we started doing ads for Big Didgeridoo. That was my nickname in college.

[Matt Abeticola]

Big Didgeridoo. Okay.

[Dan Bernstein]

I don't know. How often do you have to replace a didgeridoo?

[Matt Abeticola]

I think when the wall. When the batteries die.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, sure. The electronic.

[Matt Abeticola]

Depends how much you use it.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, the power one power didgeridoo. Yeah. I mean the manual analog ones. Oh, those last.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay.

[Matt Abeticola]

Depends on what use you get.

[Dan Bernstein]

No planned obsolescence. I actually there used to be a place called Andy's Music on Belmont, which is like the weirdest. It was almost like a dream logic that it was this older music shop, but they had everything. And you could go in their basement. They had like. It was like being in a basement in someone's house in bodies filled with weird musical instruments.

[Matt Abeticola]

Oh, okay.

[Dan Bernstein]

It was so made of human bone. Maybe. Like, I could take Jason there as a kid sometimes just to wander around. Yeah. And just hit. There's like steel drums and.

[Matt Abeticola]

Oh, I bet that was great.

[Dan Bernstein]

You go upstairs and they've got lutes and Oods. You know what an Ood is?

[Matt Abeticola]

Lutes. That's a great brand of pretzel. I like that.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's UTs. They didn't have that, but they had. And then you go downstairs, they had didgeridoos.

[Matt Abeticola]

Didgeridoos, yeah, they had them.

[Dan Bernstein]

I didn't know how to play it. I just kind of held it up to my head and made that. No.

[Matt Abeticola]

One of my kids wants a set of steel drums for Christmas. I think we're going to do that.

[Dan Bernstein]

An actual drum set or a set of steel?

[Matt Abeticola]

Like real steel drums. Like Jamaica, man.

[Dan Bernstein]

They're hard to play.

[Matt Abeticola]

Oh, I think it's great to hear,

[Dan Bernstein]

though, all the time.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

It would kind of make you feel tropical.

[Matt Abeticola]

And maybe not, though after a while played well, I think it would make you feel.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. I think learning. Having. Being around someone, learning to play steel drums might be a little tough. Yeah.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Are there local steel drum teachers in Libertyville?

[Matt Abeticola]

It's full of them.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, huge. In Libertyville.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah. It's like, as many Walgreens as there are steel drum teachers. There are a lot of Walgreens. Yes. Yeah, there's a lot. There's one at the south end of Milwaukee and one at the north end of Milwaukee, and you just pick which one.

[Dan Bernstein]

I mean, again, I'm in the city, so I'm used to seeing them all. I kind of don't really see them now. Or I can go to my Walgreens where all of the pharmacists have to look like Craig Calcantara.

[Matt Abeticola]

Oh, yeah, you've mentioned that.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's a rule. Yeah, yeah. They're fans, by the way, so shout out my guys.

[Matt Abeticola]

Oh, in Walgreens? Yeah. Walgreens pharmacists.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, they're big fans of the pod.

[Matt Abeticola]

I use CVS inside the Target in Vernon Hills.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay, that's a little weird. Is your regular pharmacy.

[Matt Abeticola]

Why is it weird? Why is it. Why you gotta. Why you gotta judge my pharmacy? To go.

[Dan Bernstein]

To go inside the Target?

[Matt Abeticola]

What do you. Yeah. Oh, do you just go through the drive through in your Walgreens?

[Dan Bernstein]

No.

[Matt Abeticola]

And why make a point about me going inside Target? Because you still have to go inside Walgreens.

[Dan Bernstein]

I guess it's just a bigger.

[Matt Abeticola]

Going inside Walgreens a nicer experience than going inside Target. How?

[Dan Bernstein]

It's smaller parking lot, easier, Easier access. You don't have to, like, go through the big doors and past all the things and around to the thing.

[Matt Abeticola]

Walgreens have tiny doors.

[Dan Bernstein]

Past all the impulse buys and everything.

[Matt Abeticola]

Have you seen a Target door? Like, they're no bigger than any other door, but it's just Walgreens doors.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's just farther. It's just a lot.

[Matt Abeticola]

But you specifically said it's the big doors. Like, they're.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, you know, I mean, there's multiple. There's not like some kind of drawbridge door, giant entrance. There's a portcullis.

[Matt Abeticola]

Like, there's a castle and I gotta

[Dan Bernstein]

yell, there's a pharmacy.

[Matt Abeticola]

The drawbridge falls down.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes. And then the portcullis rises. Yeah, right. And then Fesic has to grab it. And where's the gate key?

[Matt Abeticola]

And then the guy from the white socks comes out. And you shall not pass Mike Basil.

[Dan Bernstein]

He comes out. Ha ha ha. When? God hum. Leviosa.

[Matt Abeticola]

That's what I.

[Dan Bernstein]

Baseball player. No, I'm hurt.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah. Anytime. Anytime that the White Sox get a guy out at home, he should run out. Dresses Gandalf with a big staff.

[Dan Bernstein]

I'm telling you, you shall not pass. Lean in.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yes, lean in.

[Dan Bernstein]

Do more. Bigger.

[Matt Abeticola]

I like louder That's a good bit. I like that.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah.

[Matt Abeticola]

Any outs at home? He runs out there as Gandalf.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, we just like lightning out of his. You know, he slams his staff down, and then the.

[Matt Abeticola]

The.

[Dan Bernstein]

The. The land cleaves into two in front of him.

[Matt Abeticola]

They could do it also. And like when they're visiting that, like when they're on the road, if they're on the first baseline, they could do it for like a drop. Third strike that a guy's out, or what do they call it? Uncaught now? Do they caught third strike because they don't want to make them feel bad that they dropped it. What is that? No.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, I've. No, they don't. Uncaught Thursday. We're sure? Because it could be a wild pitch. And the catcher didn't drop anything.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah, uncaught.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, it's. I mean, I know technically it's probably correct.

[Matt Abeticola]

The catcher felt bad.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, I didn't drop anything. He threw it three feet away from me. Screen.

[Matt Abeticola]

So, yeah, anytime they have one of those and they get him out, then he could run out there again at first base. You shall not pass. Oh, we could do it. NFL games, when a guy gets sacked, he runs off the Bear sidelines. You shall not.

[Dan Bernstein]

And then he coaches the defense real quick, makes them better at football, and runs away.

[Matt Abeticola]

All right. On coordinator day, Hightower leaves the podium, and all of a sudden, Gandalf walks out.

[Dan Bernstein]

Hello. What are you doing here?

[Matt Abeticola]

I'm the new defensive coordinator. Bears have hired Gandalf as new defensive coordinator.

[Dan Bernstein]

Hey, man, it's just fun. I don't want to be Tariq Scubal. Yeah, because he was a little. Little too. Too angry.

[Matt Abeticola]

And then once he's bad, they can get him out of town on the sex train.

[Dan Bernstein]

Not the midnight one. No, no, he hasn't earned that yet.

[Matt Abeticola]

No, we don't hate him that much.

[Dan Bernstein]

No way. He goes.

[Lisa]

That's.

[Dan Bernstein]

He just.

[Matt Abeticola]

That's the one Greg Walker was on the midnight one. The midnight sex range.

[Dan Bernstein]

It was. Hawk gonna punch him on the plane. Yes, that story. And then the next day, it's like, no more alcohol on plane. That is it. Done out. Gee, do you think alcohol contributed to the fact that you had a broadcaster and a coach almost coming to blows on the plane?

[Matt Abeticola]

I wonder how many. How many bottles were consumed.

[Dan Bernstein]

Bottles of vodka Hawk had.

[Lisa]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

He's still going to.

[Matt Abeticola]

Is he really?

[Dan Bernstein]

That's what he said he's doing.

[Matt Abeticola]

We should get him on here, have him in studio. Want to talk to Hawk?

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes, why not?

[Matt Abeticola]

Do that. He's still mad at me. Or not.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's a. Mad about a cola.

[Matt Abeticola]

No, he got mad at me and he stopped.

[Dan Bernstein]

He always mad about something.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Those people criticize the White Sox. Don't like the White Sox.

[Matt Abeticola]

That's when I knew I finally made it. When I made Hawk mad.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. Mazel tov. It's a big deal.

[Matt Abeticola]

It's a big deal.

[Dan Bernstein]

Hawks mad because you didn't. You didn't say enough nice things about the White Sox. Damn it. He's gonna yell at you like you're Kent Herbeck.

[Matt Abeticola]

He did come check on me though. In the hospital.

[Dan Bernstein]

Won't go check on him. You are okay?

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah. He was there when I had my vasectomy. He came in and he.

[Dan Bernstein]

That thing.

[Matt Abeticola]

Okay. He's like, what are you doing here, dude?

[Dan Bernstein]

See, he's from Georgia so he could be on the train.

[Matt Abeticola]

Oh yeah. That's why he drives it.

[Dan Bernstein]

Originally from Savannah.

[Matt Abeticola]

That's why Greg Walker was on it.

[Dan Bernstein]

Greg there because Hawk is the company engineer.

[Matt Abeticola]

Hawk made the choice. Oh no, no. Not the regular Jones. He needs to go on the midnight train. The midnight sex train to Georgia with me.

[Dan Bernstein]

I love these episodes of forward progress.

[Matt Abeticola]

I'm sure the crowd does as well too.

[Dan Bernstein]

These are my absolute favorites.

[Matt Abeticola]

What? It's very football intensive because there's so

[Dan Bernstein]

much football going on.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah. It's day two of your. I guarantee there's more news coming.

[Dan Bernstein]

There is. It's secret. It just hasn't been. You'll find out later after the fact that there news that happened.

[Matt Abeticola]

We just don't talk about it.

[Dan Bernstein]

Right. It just. It's still secret.

[Matt Abeticola]

How many days until.

[Dan Bernstein]

Until the training camps open?

[Matt Abeticola]

There's exactly 78 days until the start of the season.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's a long ass time, man. That. That's as many that.

[Matt Abeticola]

I mean with content like this, it's going to go by fast.

[Dan Bernstein]

78, so you're welcome. Dansby Swanson's WRC Plus.

[Matt Abeticola]

Oh, isn't it as op what we were doing?

[Dan Bernstein]

We were using ops. Same thing.

[Matt Abeticola]

Well, no, I got confused.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's the same. It's basically interchangeable. Even though WRC plus is better.

[Matt Abeticola]

And then you use F4 or B war.

[Dan Bernstein]

I prefer F war.

[Matt Abeticola]

And is that just fan graphs? Yeah. And then B WAR is baseball reference. And then what's the main difference in the two as far as the stats?

[Dan Bernstein]

It has to do with what they use as the statistical representation of a replacement level player.

[Matt Abeticola]

Okay. And how does that apply to football?

[Dan Bernstein]

It doesn't.

[Matt Abeticola]

Okay. And why are we talking about it?

[Dan Bernstein]

Why not?

[Matt Abeticola]

Okay. Well, because I asked.

[Dan Bernstein]

Because I brought up Dansby Swanson when you brought up.

[Matt Abeticola]

Oh, yeah, that's right. That's what it was.

[Dan Bernstein]

And then I brought up why we

[Matt Abeticola]

even got into baseball. I know, I know.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's okay.

[Matt Abeticola]

Oh, yeah. No, we're 78 days until week one of the NFL season. Are you going to watch Seattle and New England? Who do you have in that game?

[Dan Bernstein]

When's that?

[Matt Abeticola]

That's the first game of the season.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, then yes.

[Matt Abeticola]

Who are you going to take? Who do you got winning that game? Start doing picks. Should we start doing picks for the actual games? Yeah, nah, let's. Okay, let's do this overnight study.

[Dan Bernstein]

Pick all the games.

[Matt Abeticola]

You have Seattle, I have New England, and we'll. And we'll give an argument as to why they're going to win.

[Dan Bernstein]

No, I'm going to be busy with the draft tonight. Oh, that's right, because organizations win championships already. No, the NBA draft first round is tonight. The Bulls have two picks in the first round, and we're going to be

[Matt Abeticola]

covering it on a Thursday.

[Dan Bernstein]

It usually was, but they're doing just Tuesday. First round tonight. No, I think they did it on Tuesdays.

[Matt Abeticola]

Okay.

[Dan Bernstein]

First round and then second round tomorrow. That'll get a big number.

[Matt Abeticola]

Well, because normally once you spend Tuesdays with Maury

[Dan Bernstein]

at his bedside learning about life.

[Matt Abeticola]

Like, the NBA wanted to do the draft that night, but they couldn't because they were with Maury.

[Dan Bernstein]

And then tacos and then.

[Matt Abeticola]

That's right.

[Dan Bernstein]

People were too busy.

[Matt Abeticola]

So many things going on.

[Dan Bernstein]

Just way too busy.

[Matt Abeticola]

Tacos, Maury.

[Dan Bernstein]

I'm sorry. I'm swamped.

[Matt Abeticola]

You're having tacos with Maury? No, no, no, no.

[Dan Bernstein]

Maury can't eat tacos. He gets too far. We tried it once and everybody had to leave. We had to do a Wednesday that week. All right, can we be done?

[Matt Abeticola]

No, let's do one other thing real quick for. For those of you. And why is the question. Don't listen to dbu.

[Dan Bernstein]

What?

[Matt Abeticola]

Just want to give a quick, quick shout to our guy, Matt Miller.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes.

[Matt Abeticola]

From esl. Yeah, I mean, because he was a regular contributor to this program.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, good idea.

[Matt Abeticola]

During the football season. So our guy, Matt Miller, ESPN draft analyst and NFL insider, involved in a very bad car accident.

[Dan Bernstein]

Bad car accident. He lost an arm and he has multiple fractures. Very, very serious injuries and a long recovery. But he's. He's okay enough. He's alive. And the driver of the other vehicle is apparently okay. So we wish him the best. We wish him a fast and as complete a recovery at this point and look forward to having him back.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah, he said he's looking forward to talking NFL again this year at some point. So I'm really glad that that again he's doing as okay as he can be doing. So just want to send that out there. If you hadn't heard that about Matt Miller that I'm you know, again, a lot of people loved him as a guest on the show, so I wanted to share that with you and get your thoughts out there for Matt Miller.

[Dan Bernstein]

Thank you for doing that and that has been Forward Progress, a Chicago Bears and NFL podcast here on 312 Sports for Progress is Stopped.

[Matt Abeticola]

Forward Progress, a Chicago Bears podcast with Dan Bernstein and Matt Abeticola on 3212 Sports.

[Dan Bernstein]

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