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Buddy Stice
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Buddy Stice
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Dan Bernstein
Can I make my site firmer?
Matt Abaticola
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Matt Abaticola
Forward progress.
Dan Bernstein
A Chicago Bears Podcast with Dan Bernstein.
Matt Abaticola
And Matt Abaticola on 312Sports. We give you forward progress on 31 2Sports. It is a Chicago Be Bears podcast as we talk Bears and NFL. We're brought to you by Beer Church Brewing New Buffaloes Brewery Pizzeria in a historic Church Wood fired Neapolitan Pizza Small batch Craft Beer Brunch every day. Visit beer churchbrewing.com so we found out that the Bears and Vikings game on Sunday has earned the top five Fox crew. Which means you get Kevin Burkhart, you get Tom Brady, you get Tom Rinaldi, you get Aaron Andrews and you get all of their good cameras. So there's no excuse for not having the correct angle on a replay. It's all there in the brand spanking new U.S. bank Stadium. Still new. Not all that new, but new enough to remind us of how Kevin Warren got the job atop the Bears hierarchy. In large part due to what he sold the McCaskeys was his involvement in the creation of that building. Everything. The politics, the details, everything that there was so much that he did that he could bring that knowledge, that experience, that expertise and bring it to the sharp elbowed political ring of Chicago, Chicago and Illinois and get it done. So when you see the establishment shots on Sunday, when you see the sweeping helicopter BLIMP or drone, whatever they do, to show you that gleaming edifice. The question to be asked is, how's it going here? Where are we? What's the latest after, if I'm correct on this, the pitch before the Springfield veto session. That's my favorite legislator. Veto session. He's on the team, I know he is. That they said we need this, we need this property tax certainty. We need this mega project bill to go through. Another guy, megaproject bill. He might be right next to veto session. The two of them hanging out together in the corner booth. I, I think that they, Kevin Warren has made a habit of putting some extreme things out there, of saying we're going to have shovels in the ground in 25, 26. Whatever we're pushed out to now, we're going to do this. And then unwinding some of that stuff after the fact. This is a must for us. He said we must have certainty. We can't go forward without this. That's what he said. We cannot go forward. And the state legislature and the governor were like, whatever, we're not taking that up. We're not. No. We got other things we gotta do that are more important to taxpayers right now than finding your cost certainty when it comes to property taxes.
Dan Bernstein
Right. Cause what he missed out on there was thinking that this is just as important to the state as it is to the Bears, which it's not.
Matt Abaticola
And anybody could have explained to him that's the first thing you gotta solve in Illinois politics is the difference between the state of Chicago and the state of Illinois. And I use that term for a reason, because they're completely different places with very, very different politics.
Dan Bernstein
Now, as much as I think Kevin Warren was handcuffed when he got here because the Bears purchased the land before they hired the guy to build on the land, taking away any leverage he could about leaving the city. So he got screwed from the start. That's on the McCaskeys. But what we learned from the whole project in Minnesota was that Kevin Warren was the front man. Kevin Warren was the guy in front of the cameras answering the questions by the media and the glad handing and the charming and the smoozing and the.
Matt Abaticola
Talking, but the texting and sexting and the beating. Well, that I don't know about the.
Dan Bernstein
Other stuff I do, but he was not the guy behind the scenes that actually got the work done.
Matt Abaticola
Well, he's hired a lot of people.
Dan Bernstein
Which is a problem, though.
Matt Abaticola
That's why I'm using this, the, the opening of this broadcast when you see you are looking live, and we will all be looking live, and it's gonna.
Dan Bernstein
Be a great shot. It's gonna look beautiful. It's a beautiful stadium.
Matt Abaticola
Where's ours? Where is it? How is it happening? And where are we in whatever version of the timeline we have now? Because the last we heard was, we can't go forward without this legislation. You didn't get it. So now what you said you can't go forward. Are we not going forward? What are we doing? Cause I see a lot of Kevin Warren in those post game video clips that are popping up everywhere in the show.
Dan Bernstein
Oh, yeah. In the locker rooms.
Matt Abaticola
And the last. The recent one is actually really funny if you look at it closely, because they do good, better, best, never let it rest. Good gets better, better gets best. And everybody's chanting along. There's Kevin Warren. Believe me, he knows where the cameras are. And I'm surprised that he didn't actually have his Bible with him open to an appropriate verse at that point, that he would be sort of scanning with his finger, his reading glasses on and then up just in time for 1, 2, 3, Bears. But he actually didn't time it up right. If you watch Kevin Warren, because the moment Ben Johnson says bears on three, Warren already goes, no, you've got to wait, man. You got to wait for the 1, 2, 3 bears. Then you celebrate. And you can see it if you're watching for it. And he kind of goes in a little early because he loves those. He loves that locker room. And I'll say this, Kevin, I don't need you in the locker room. I need you in the boardrooms. I need you in the meeting rooms that you're. You're not. You're. You're. It's fun right now. It's fun to be out in front. It's fun to be 6 and 3. It's fun to say. And I give you a lot of credit for hiring Ben Johnson, for being involved, for setting the tone, whatever you had to do, okaying the money, however you got Ben Johnson, whatever your involvement was awesome. Great job. Thank you. Now the football's okay. We're all right.
Dan Bernstein
So step out and take care of this stuff.
Matt Abaticola
We're all right on the football now, but if you said we can't move forward without this legislation, you didn't get it.
Dan Bernstein
So now what? And the people he's hired, too. He didn't hire the people in Minnesota that got the work done. They were there. So it's not like he brought in the crew that got the Minnesota deal done. He was part of that group, but it was just out front.
Matt Abaticola
And I'm just using this trip to this stadium as frankly an arbitrary time. Not so arbitrary. There it is. They're going there. We're going to see it. It's going to be on our television.
Dan Bernstein
No, it's a marker here in this timeline.
Matt Abaticola
Just to say there it is. There's that building and you're here. You got this job in Chicago because of that building and because of what you told the McCaskeys. Your involvement was in the creation of that building, in the laying the figurative and literal foundation for that. Let's get on with it. Let's have some again, literal and figurative concrete steps in whatever the plan is here. I don't see shovels, the whole cranes in the sky bit, bringing out his preacher and his bands and bringing the band back.
Dan Bernstein
Unless it's crane Kenny and this guy looking for money to help the Cubs.
Matt Abaticola
The wheelbarrow full. Yes, because we can hope the Cubs are able to just find enough money to field a good team.
Dan Bernstein
Well, we have confirmation on that. Jet Hoyer said that they will have.
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Dan Bernstein
A good team. So you know, I started my new breakfast routine thanks to my friends at Huel. I have a small light bite at home along with my Huel Daily Greens drink today. I had the peach and hibiscus before I left the house. They also have blueberry and apple flavored daily Greens drinks. They're all great. I was blown away by the taste. I was never a guy going for the green drink, but I love the Huel Daily Greens. It's a nice little compliment to my light breakfast before I leave the house. They're full of vitamins, minerals, superfoods, electrolytes and antioxidants. They're developed by registered nutritionists and dietitians. With only 25 calories, they have 4 grams of fiber and only 1 gram of sugar. And now for lunch, I'm having my Huel ready to drink meals. I have my drink right here. Each container is 35 grams of protein, 27 vitamins and minerals, and 6 grams of fiber. It's such an easy way for me to have a great healthy lunch. I usually have it with me on the train ride home out of the city, but today I was a little more hungry earlier as we're filming forward progress, so I had to start my Huel ready to drink meal a little bit earlier. And remember, they're all gluten free and no artificial sweeteners as well. They're available in strawberry, banana, chocolate iced coffee and chocolate peanut butter.
Matt Abaticola
I can't. Which one is that one?
Dan Bernstein
Which is my favorite? This is the chocolate peanut butter.
Matt Abaticola
Is it empty? No.
Dan Bernstein
You want to finish it? You can try it.
Matt Abaticola
I just want to try it.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, I'm almost done with it.
Matt Abaticola
You can get that in there.
Dan Bernstein
That's my favorite one. So I've had them all. They're all great. The chocolate, the vanilla, the strawberry banana. The iced coffee is really good. But the chocolate peanut butter is my favorite one. Ooh, isn't that good?
Matt Abaticola
Yeah.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah.
Matt Abaticola
Yum, yum.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, I love it.
Matt Abaticola
And this is good for you?
Dan Bernstein
Oh, yeah.
Matt Abaticola
Cool. Yeah.
Dan Bernstein
There's 35 grams of protein, 27 vitamins and minerals, 6 grams of fiber. Yeah, I love it. So, yeah, I like all the flavors, but I think the chocolate peanut butter is my favorite. Been doing a lot of peanut butter lately at home and the chocolate peanut.
Matt Abaticola
Butter is just really, really good.
Dan Bernstein
So some big news too from my friends at Huel. Just this month, Huel has launched into Target stores nationwide. So Huel makes healthy eating very simple. So try both products, the ready to drink meals and the daily greens with 15% off your purchase for new customers with my exclusive code Forward, go to huel.com forward that's h u e l.com forward for 15% off your order, use the code forward and then fill out the post checkout survey to help support the show. That's Huell.com I wonder how it feels.
Matt Abaticola
To be Giants interim coach and the pride of St. Rita. Mike Kafka saying he went to St. Rita. And of course, everyone knows that St. Rita is where Ed Farmer pitched and would knock people on their ass if they dared even bring a badge into the batter's box because that was a personal affront to him. But Mike Kafka gets the opportunity for the job of a lifetime. And immediately everyone, all the the betting markets are swirling. Will Kafka get the Giants job? Brian Dabel, only a couple of years removed from being coach of the year and now he's out. And do you see the name that already is circulating? There are two names that I think.
Dan Bernstein
I saw a couple, yeah.
Matt Abaticola
The first one, the. I guess the betting favorite as of this morning, Mike McCarthy. His career record, Packers Cowboys Mike McCarthy, 185, 123 and 2. So he's the 7 to 1 current odds favorite early on to take over the giants. Kafka at 8 to 1. There's the name Clint Kubiak again. That's the Seahawks offensive coordinator. But man, you know what you get with Mike McCarthy.
Dan Bernstein
I like Mike McCarthy, but you know what you get.
Matt Abaticola
You know that he can, he can run an NFL team that he is certainly probably slightly above replacement level. But they're going to be some maddening tactical failures.
Dan Bernstein
They're going.
Matt Abaticola
It's going to be clock management, it's going to be a lack of desire to understand modern analytics when it comes to when to go for it and when to kick and all of that. I don't think it's gonna change. I think you're gonna have to live with some of that stuff. And McCarthy, having dealt with Dallas I think could easily handle the New York media market. I don't think that would be an issue. I don't think the lights would be too big for him cuz he's kind of too old to care and he's got plenty of scar tissue. Buil he definitely could bring that sense of stability in the same way the Bears thought that John Fox was going to be that really coachy old guy.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah. But as long as Mike McCarthy still wants to coach and still wants to lead a team into the playoffs and a Super bowl where I don't think John Fox was quite at that point.
Matt Abaticola
Agree. I'm not a McCarthy fan. Yeah, I've always liked him as a coach. I'm just, I'm just not a fan. I just think there's, there's too many times where individual games you just say why is he doing that? How did he. Is this happening again? And it might, it might be a playoff game, it might not be. He could get you to the playoffs. But I always think that there's. He reminds me a little bit of Brad Underwood, the. You know what I mean, the Illinois head basketball coach where I know he's a really solid coach. But then tactically when things start to matter, there's always something that leaves a scratch in your head about why did he do this or why is this guy covering that guy or why is he using this, this offense or that defense. So we'll see. The other name, and the one that is really has tongues wagging, is Bill Belichick having his exit strategy of somehow, whatever the agreements were, to get him out of there. That there is a large group of trustees and boosters that we know in Chapel Hill that would love to do whatever they could do to grease the skids, to let Belichick take his whole circus back out of town.
Dan Bernstein
Yep.
Matt Abaticola
And I'm thinking that his girlfriend, who was, what, Ms. Maine, could go to Miss Manhattan real quick, and all of her myriad plans of everything they've copyrighted, everything that they're trying to own regarding ancillary productions and entertainment possibilities would be much better served in midtown Manhattan than they would be in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Dan Bernstein
I. Is that a real possibility? Like, is he.
Matt Abaticola
I don't know. Okay. I know that I. That there. There are people involved in. In Chapel Hill.
Dan Bernstein
Well, I'd love to see him gone. I just. I cannot envision anyone in New York wanting Bill Belichick with that. With that entire baggage and group that comes with it. I really don't.
Matt Abaticola
I agree. I wouldn't want him.
Dan Bernstein
I mean, that would be such a disastrous situation.
Matt Abaticola
I know.
Dan Bernstein
To bring that to New York and what that would do and what the media would do to that relationship as well.
Matt Abaticola
She'd love it, though.
Dan Bernstein
Oh, she would love it.
Matt Abaticola
It's all about the absolute value of the attention. It's just about the spotlight now.
Dan Bernstein
If. If that relationship doesn't continue on and he just wants to worry about coaching football again, I just. I. You know, but for me, though, it's just. Is it. Is it past the opportunity for Bill Belichick? Like, has he. Has he damaged his reputation so much?
Matt Abaticola
That's the correct question. Is, was this not just a case of the rapidly changing college landscape being beyond him and beyond whatever his greatness has been? But has the NFL also gotten to that point?
Dan Bernstein
Yeah. I just think if you're an organization, if you're. And we're talking, you know, specifically about the Giants, do you want the end of the Bill Belichick NFL time to be with your name attached to it? It. Because if it. If it goes bad, and the possibility of it going bad would seem very highly to me, I don't want it ending in my organization. I don't want it ending in my city with my team.
Matt Abaticola
I'm not sure what relationship the Mara family has had, but I don't know how close the Maras are with Bob Kraft.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah.
Matt Abaticola
But there certainly would be. There would be no excuse for going into this without asking all the right questions from their perspective because the Maras as opposed to maybe the McCaskeys or the Bidwills or the Rooneys, they seem to be in a little bit more touch with what's going on. And I don't know. I don't know if they would want the Bill Belichick endgame attached to their legacy unless they're true believers. With every day that goes by, I'm less of a true believer. And that Belichick maybe for his time was right guy, right place, right relationships, right everything. For his time.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah. I just, I hate to think of it and not that I have any special connection to the Patriots and hated to see them always winning and always on top and it was super annoying as a fan, but that was all, you know, that was all jealousy. I just don't know why he. He just didn't walk away and have it all done and just. And just retire, take a analyst job or just go fishing or golf or travel with his girlfriend. I just don't know why he wanted to get back into this because it just. It never seemed like a good situation going. Him going to college football just didn't seem good.
Matt Abaticola
Was it for his son? Did he want to put Steve in a position to inherit something? Well, staying power.
Dan Bernstein
I think he could have gotten him a job somewhere without having to do this. You know, it's just, it's. It's just too bad that it's going to end this way. Like the end of the story is going to. Is going to go out with this UNC thing being a complete disaster. I don't think the Giants are going to touch him for consideration for coaching. I don't think anybody else would.
Matt Abaticola
Maybe that's where Matt Neggy is going to go to resurrect to the Giants his fortunes or to North Carolina that maybe he's. That. That eventually has been Chiefs washed again.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah.
Matt Abaticola
Although the counterpart. I mean Steve Spagnolo might be in line for a job as well as well as the defense has played and ever. You can't turn on a chief broadcast without people gushing.
Dan Bernstein
Oh, Steve Spagnoli. Yeah. Keep in mind too, wasn't Nagy had a. He was. He was. He had a winning record in Chicago despite all of the interesting ways that things played out in. Yeah.
Matt Abaticola
It was all. It was all off the 2018 season.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, I know. But still he had a winning record. Wasn't a total bust.
Matt Abaticola
I'm.
Dan Bernstein
I think going back to Casey hopefully does him some Good. And gets another opportunity if he does want to. Want to do that. But looking at the Giants, Jackson Dart. I know he's. He's not going to play this weekend because of concussion protocol. And Jameis Winston gets the starter. Should get the start or. I don't. I don't know if that's official that he is going to start or not.
Matt Abaticola
But I know he's been elevated over Russell Wilson.
Dan Bernstein
Okay, so he'll start because Dart's going to be out. Darts coming. He'll play again this season. Like, there's no possibility of not trying to. I mean, they're two and eight.
Matt Abaticola
Hey, you should develop your next quarterback. Yeah, you should absolutely play Dart.
Dan Bernstein
I mean, it's his fourth one this year. Fourth concussion protocol this year.
Matt Abaticola
It's not the dumbest concussion, though.
Dan Bernstein
No, it certainly is not.
Matt Abaticola
At least his.
Dan Bernstein
His was involved in the game of.
Matt Abaticola
Not in the game of Nintendo Wii Tennis. Yeah. I'm not gonna stop roasting my kid for that.
Dan Bernstein
There's no reason why you should.
Matt Abaticola
I am not gonna stop roasting.
Dan Bernstein
He's just lucky he didn't get more seriously injured.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah, he went to sleep afterwards.
Dan Bernstein
Like, I. He don't.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah.
Dan Bernstein
Don't even.
Matt Abaticola
I don't want to get started.
Dan Bernstein
OWC you can check out. You want to hear about latest episode of OWC came out yesterday. Check it out on the YouTube channel. You can go to any place you get your favorite podcasts and listen there.
Matt Abaticola
You want to hear about the dumbest concussion of all time and we didn't even know about it.
Dan Bernstein
I'm not even sure if you need to say anything beyond We Tennis. Like, I think it's pretty much capsulized. Right There is one of the dumbest concussions ever. Without further detail. Yeah.
Matt Abaticola
I do think there needs to be an inquest into the number of concussions suffered in Wii Tennis that maybe that like Pablo Torre or somebody. I think we need to train all of our journalistic guns.
Dan Bernstein
Is we 10 is more dangerous than the NFL.
Matt Abaticola
Exactly. I want to tell the truth.
Dan Bernstein
He's gonna have to start wearing a guardian cap when he plays in his room.
Matt Abaticola
Over that awful hair.
Dan Bernstein
Yes. If he can fit it. Yes.
Matt Abaticola
His wee tennis guardian cap.
Dan Bernstein
You can get it bedazzled and stuff and.
Matt Abaticola
Put his name on it.
Dan Bernstein
You know what? If you got anything to say to me. I don't. Just save it. Save it, young man.
Matt Abaticola
Oh, my God.
Dan Bernstein
You show up on time for our recordings. Stop pooping.
Matt Abaticola
How much is a guardian cap? I don't know.
Dan Bernstein
We can get. I Think we can afford one?
Matt Abaticola
No, wait, you're a coach. You got to have an in somewhere with, like, a supplier, something. Like, if I could send him. He's coming home for Thanksgiving, and I could get him a guardian cap. We have a football helmet, too, that I could put it over and make it like his Wii tennis helmet.
Dan Bernstein
All right, let's see here. We can. Oh, okay. Oh, dude, you can get one on Amazon for 25 bucks.
Matt Abaticola
A Guardian cap?
Dan Bernstein
Yeah.
Matt Abaticola
Do you think it's worth it for the roast?
Dan Bernstein
Oh, no, sorry. Those are for flag football, the ones that go over helmet. 75 bucks. You can do that.
Matt Abaticola
That's a lot of money.
Dan Bernstein
Oh, you can spend 75 bucks. He spends that drinking beer on your credit card.
Matt Abaticola
Come on, now. Now, don't get me started now.
Dan Bernstein
No, I just crossed the line.
Matt Abaticola
No, sorry.
Dan Bernstein
No. I'm gonna give him.
Matt Abaticola
Give him another concussion. You keep talking about that.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, let's. You can get one on Amazon. 75 bucks, and you can have it. Oh, yeah, you can have it by Friday. I think you should get one. And then you could. You could, like, get it all. You can. You can have Beth help you out and write on there, Wii Tennis.
Matt Abaticola
His name put little, like, Wii Tennis logos. Or.
Dan Bernstein
Or he.
Matt Abaticola
I think he made a me mii for the we. You know how you make your own.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah. Your own avatar. Yeah.
Matt Abaticola
Put that on the side as the logo.
Dan Bernstein
I think you should get one. 74 bucks you can have by Friday.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah.
Dan Bernstein
Give it to him for Thanksgiving. You can do it as an early Hanukkah gift.
Matt Abaticola
That would be hysterical.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah. Next time you play WE Tennis, here's a. Here's a football helmet with a wee guardian cap.
Matt Abaticola
We've got. There's another New York Giants guy in the news here because of something that happened on the NFL on Fox. And you showed it to me. I had not seen it.
Dan Bernstein
Showed you the video here, the video.
Matt Abaticola
Of Michael Strahan, and we'll post the.
Dan Bernstein
Video if you haven't seen it on our socials.
Matt Abaticola
So on Halloween, out on the set, some production assistant or producer in one of those scream masks.
Dan Bernstein
I don't know if it was scream or just a white face, like, white mask with a hooded type cape on.
Matt Abaticola
Came up from behind Michael Strahan and startled him. And Strahan turned around and was, like.
Dan Bernstein
Live during a segment, right? Yeah.
Matt Abaticola
And Strahan was pissed about it. Really pissed about it. And I have to say, I kind of agree with him. I think that's bullshit. If you want to do that in the office and maybe have a camera on it because I mean we've seen stuff like that go on behind the scenes. I've heard all kinds of stories about the NBA on TNT and what Shaq would do to people. He had this like Shaq's couch. And if you go near the couch, Shaq will jump up and attack you and throw you on the couch and smother you and it's just.
Dan Bernstein
And then start taking bites out of it.
Matt Abaticola
Seriously. It's a rite of passage apparently to be like in the spider web of the shack couch. And it's just sort of a funny thing. But to do that live on national television. First of all, the guy who did it is damn lucky that the all time NFL sack leader didn't punch his lights out or throw him through a wall. That's an NFL player. And as we know any of us who have crossed former NFL players before.
Dan Bernstein
As you had your own run in.
Matt Abaticola
I've seen, and I've seen it from with others too, that that shit's real when that, when that goes and that switch flips and they go into to attack mode, you don't want to be on the other end of that. You can ask me about what happened to Doug Buffon. Ask Rich Ackerman back years ago when he went into a defensive stance in the hallway in the old score and Doug put him off a metal storm door like a cartoon. Like seriously, like Avengers. And that guy's lucky that Strahan didn't knock him out.
Dan Bernstein
And a producer from Good Morning America who Michael Strahan, is also a host on gma, if you didn't know that playfully suggested on social media that she would have been shown the door had she pulled a stunt like that on their program. To which Strahan responded, someone will be. So he's legitimately pissed about this. Yeah, I know about this happening. And it was Halloween weekend, which is why, you know, that was the setup to it.
Matt Abaticola
There's nothing clever about startling somebody. That's the other thing too. Like a practical joke or something that have something you set up has some cleverness coming up behind somebody and startling them and freaking them out. That's not clever. So that, that's a, that's a reaction. That's a, an animal reaction. It's one. And people make videos of like possums who play dead or the fainting goats. Like there's. To do that to somebody isn't cute.
Dan Bernstein
So my I, my reaction to it is a little bit different than yours. I think overall it's stupid. I think it was. It was a dumb thing to do in the middle of his segment, but I get it. And you scared the big guy on the set, and he's the biggest guy that's on the set. Gronk wasn't on the set at the time. Strahan's the biggest guy. And you get the big guy to be scared, funny. Ha, ha, ha. It's Halloween. The guy's in a mask. Great. I get it. I think he's overreacting. I mean, if someone really loses their job over this, that's way that.
Matt Abaticola
That's.
Dan Bernstein
That's quite the overrated.
Matt Abaticola
I guess I'll be in between. I'm not clamoring for anybody to be fired. I'm just saying that I understand why he would be unhappy about that being done live in the middle of a segment.
Dan Bernstein
And I'm also. I'm also on the side of it that if he'd reacted naturally and punched the guy, just like kind of swung and punch. In the crazy world we live in, I guess, you know, it'd be very difficult to get to the set there and do that on stage. And you would hope. But if you'd have punched the guy, I'm not going to hold Strahan at fault for anything that would have happened after that either. But I think if someone does get fired, and for me, for the producer of GMA to say if I'd have done that, I'd have been fired, there's something there with Michael Strahan, then that to me screams a little prima donna type.
Matt Abaticola
Well, I don't think you're a prima donna for that. You might be a prima donna for other things.
Dan Bernstein
To fire someone for that, I would say yes. And I think for her to suggest that if I'd have done this on my show, I'd have been shown the door. I think there's suggesting something there about Michael Strahan.
Matt Abaticola
Maybe. I just. I guess I've got a little bit more empathy for how I would. I wouldn't scream, you should be fired. But I.
Dan Bernstein
Right, Admiral Akbar, you're not going to come out and fire people.
Matt Abaticola
I'd be unhappy. Yeah. Disappointed.
Dan Bernstein
I would have. I would have laughed it off if you'd have scared me. But, you know, whatever. But I also like, you know, scaring my wife, too, in the house, so don't do that.
Matt Abaticola
It's bad husbandry. Don't. Don't do that. I don't.
Dan Bernstein
I don't do mean things like that.
Matt Abaticola
We have a.
Dan Bernstein
Our bathroom door has Got it's. The center centerpiece is all glass, but it's like a frosted glass.
Matt Abaticola
Okay.
Dan Bernstein
So you can see through it, but you can't really see.
Matt Abaticola
Right. So conference room down there.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah. So when she's in the bathroom, I just stand and I press my face against it.
Matt Abaticola
Don't do that.
Dan Bernstein
But. And like, but it's not like I try to. I just stand there. She'll turn over and I'm just standing there. I'm not creepy. But the door's closed.
Matt Abaticola
That's creepy.
Dan Bernstein
But this can't be creepy. I'm her husband. It can't be creepy.
Matt Abaticola
Oh, yeah, I can.
Dan Bernstein
No, I don't have like a mask on. No, it's still creepy. I'm not like doing Ed Gein with like, you know, not digging up a dead body and putting her face over my head.
Matt Abaticola
It's still creepy.
Dan Bernstein
Ladies panties and stuff. And a bra's ear.
Matt Abaticola
No, you would never do that. No, no, not.
Dan Bernstein
Wouldn't do that to scare my wife.
Matt Abaticola
Not that those details would be top of mind either.
Dan Bernstein
Well, I just watch the Ed Gein show and Netflix.
Matt Abaticola
Is it a, the. Is it a variety show? No, it's.
Dan Bernstein
You know what it is? He comes out in a brazier and some panties.
Matt Abaticola
Ladies and gentlemen, let's put your hands together. Ed Gee.
Dan Bernstein
It's the new.
Matt Abaticola
Hey, all right.
Dan Bernstein
It's the new monster. It's the new. In the. In the monster series. Yeah. So. And he was the inspiration behind Leatherface and behind Psycho. Okay.
Matt Abaticola
And. And Hannibal Lecter.
Dan Bernstein
Hannibal Lecter, yeah.
Matt Abaticola
Buffalo Bill.
Dan Bernstein
Buffalo Bill, yes.
Matt Abaticola
But I.
Dan Bernstein
And then, you know, I like the.
Matt Abaticola
Idea of the Ed Gein show being like a 1970s style variety show, like Sonny and Cher.
Dan Bernstein
Okay.
Matt Abaticola
Or where, you know, you have the Osmonds. Yeah. There's a couple of. Couple of song and dance numbers, maybe, you know, a laugh in style. Some quick witted one line.
Dan Bernstein
Have you seen the trailer at all with Charlie Hunnam, the actor from Sands of Sons of Anarchy, who, Who plays Ed Gein? And he talks like this.
Matt Abaticola
And no, he's like, oh, it's so nice to see you again. Hello. Hello, ladies.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, that's his voice. Yeah, that's how Ed Gein sounds.
Matt Abaticola
Oh, that's. Yeah, Stay away from him.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah. Oh, 100. He's like, oh, hello. Would you like a slice of pie? Mother's calling me now.
Matt Abaticola
Hello, mother.
Dan Bernstein
And his mom's dead in a rocking chair in his bedroom. And he finds a chick that digs it and she's into it. With him. She, like, sees the mom's dead body. Oh, they had to have.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah, yeah.
Dan Bernstein
Hello.
Matt Abaticola
And the fact that it's played by Reese Witherspoon.
Dan Bernstein
It's one of her favorite books. What book is your mother reading? Would you like to read a book with mother?
Matt Abaticola
All right. This is all you. You're in charge.
Sleep Number Representative
I've never.
Matt Abaticola
You're in charge of the Ed Gein film.
Dan Bernstein
I've recommended many things to you, but I haven't recommended this. Okay. There's no official recommendation. I know. Yes, I know. This is not your thing. And we're having a hard time getting through it, too, by the way. Like, we keep turning off. Why? Like the sex with the dead body on the kitchen table in the last episode.
Matt Abaticola
Why else?
Dan Bernstein
We were just kind of. We were kind of. I'm good.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah, that's what I'm. Ed.
Dan Bernstein
Natalie's like, do we have to watch this? And I was like, oh, what's wrong with it?
Matt Abaticola
Dear Ed, Nice knowing you, Ed, but I'm good on that.
Dan Bernstein
So if I stand in front of the bathroom door with that voice going, hello, honey?
Matt Abaticola
Yeah, she. Would you like to see mother legally allowed to beat you to death with a loofah?
Dan Bernstein
Oh, she already is. She has that. It's. It's built in.
Matt Abaticola
She might kick your ass.
Dan Bernstein
There's an agreement. Oh, she would. She would. I'm not much of a fighter. I'm more of a lover.
Matt Abaticola
Hello. More of a mother lover.
Dan Bernstein
Hello, mother. Time for the Edge show. Hey.
Matt Abaticola
All right. Ed Gein's wardrobe is provided by human skin.
Sponsor/Ad Voice
All right.
Dan Bernstein
I didn't know that this Michael Strayhead story was gonna lead in the Edge.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah. So you know what? I want to tell you about how you seek the truth. And it's really important that one should know how to seek truth in life. And when you seek truth, you should go to a house of worship. You know what's the truth? Beer church. Go to beer church.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, buddy.
Matt Abaticola
Find truth. Their slogan is drink, eat, repent, repeat. Either you have been to beer church or you have not been to beer church. There are those of us who have been and those who have not. And when you have been, you will know. You can't miss it. Civil War era iconic church. It looks like this in downtown New Buffalo, Michigan. And just go and trust us. I can't tell you. We're already. How many emailers have either added or. Or said they took us for a trip.
Dan Bernstein
So many of them said, oh, by.
Matt Abaticola
The way, we've been. It's absolutely the best number of people.
Dan Bernstein
That have told me they're going that they're making a destination in New Buffalo.
Matt Abaticola
Just to try the pizza. So not only should you go and have the pizza and have everything and enjoy and all of their their micro craft brewed beers that are all made there out on their gorgeous patio that is open year round with TVs everywhere. Great place to watch a game and just nosh and drink. But the pizza making school private party. Give them a call. Just Google beer Church pizza school. It'll come right up. Go to beerchurchbrewing.com and book a private class. It could be a small group, it could be 300 plus. Talk your boss into having a holiday party there if those plans haven't been made. Or just find an excuse to go with a few people and learn to make their Neapolitan pizza. It's awesome. You're gonna get hands on. They've got two different wood fire kitchens. They got an indoor one. They've got one out by the. And you can learn everything about it about how to toss and stretch the dough and the ratios of all the ingredients and it doesn't take long to cook. That fire is so hot. Couple of minutes. There's no delayed gratification.
Dan Bernstein
I timed my pizza. It was two and a half minutes.
Matt Abaticola
Yep. So the guy was.
Dan Bernstein
The guy was hopping though. He was man. It was one thing after another going in that oven.
Matt Abaticola
Oh, the pizza Ola is there.
Dan Bernstein
So busy.
Matt Abaticola
They know what they're doing.
Dan Bernstein
It was great.
Matt Abaticola
So if you happen to be headed out toward southwest Michigan or if you want to just have an excuse to take a special TR any time of year, do it beerchurchbrewing.com and let your pizza party begin.
Dan Bernstein
I haven't stopped thinking about the margarita pizza and I. There's no I don't time in the immediate future to get back right away. I'm going to do something I'm going to regret this weekend. I'm going to make my own and it's not going to. It's not going to be the same.
Matt Abaticola
It's just disappointed.
Dan Bernstein
I am going to be disappointed. But I'm going to keep doing that until I can get to go back so I can satisfy because it's just good luck. I want it. I want it. I want it every day. It's that good of a pizza.
Matt Abaticola
There's a couple other NFL stories we wanted to hit. This one I really didn't know about and this is with the upcoming game between the Dolphins and the Commanders in Madrid. First of all, first of all, talk about having gone someplace or having Madrid is my theory about Madrid. If you stop moving for 30 seconds, there will be almonds, red wine and olives in front of you. Somehow I don't know how it works. The moment you stop moving, someone will run up to you with small plates of these fantastic little salted fried almonds. What are they called? The mom.
Dan Bernstein
Not the Marcona.
Matt Abaticola
Marcona, yeah. And these incredible olives and like a glass of tempranillo. Riojar, Valda Penas. In Madrid, they mostly drink Valdepenas. Oh, my God. And then the ham. There's ham everywhere. Jamon. The roads are paved with cured jamon. It's no matter where you go, someone will have an actual full ass leg there with a bone sticking out of it and they're carving off little pieces and you can just go anywhere. It's everywhere.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah. You know, in the original script for wizard of Oz, it was actually the hamon road to the Wizard. That's what it is.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah.
Dan Bernstein
That's what it was going to be.
Matt Abaticola
The road of delicious ham.
Dan Bernstein
Right. And then they decided, nah, it's not going to work because the actors dropping down, eating the lion couldn't stop eating all the jamon.
Matt Abaticola
Bert, you're eating all the ham. Oh, I know.
Dan Bernstein
That's pretty good.
Matt Abaticola
I'm so sorry.
Dan Bernstein
Oh, maybe he could be like the sidekick to Ed Gein in the Ed Gein Show.
Matt Abaticola
Ed Gein in the Cow. What do you think? Oh, hello, Mother. You're so funny.
Dan Bernstein
It's my friend the lion.
Matt Abaticola
Mother, who's the house band for the Ed Gein Show? Gwar.
Dan Bernstein
Oh, no. Who does? Jimmy Fallon.
Matt Abaticola
Questlove.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah.
Matt Abaticola
The Roots. The Roots.
Dan Bernstein
They should do it. Or you bring back Paul Schaefer in the band.
Matt Abaticola
I think it should be gwar.
Dan Bernstein
Okay.
Matt Abaticola
Oh, your guy, it should be Blothar. Yes.
Dan Bernstein
Your guy, it should be. No, we should do a spin off of Gwar and call him Gwern for.
Matt Abaticola
The Ed Gein Show. But they would be up to it because they have all the blood and the guts and the gore.
Dan Bernstein
Oh, yeah. Oh, that'd be a good fit for sure.
Matt Abaticola
Oh, hello.
Dan Bernstein
Here's the house. Ben.
Matt Abaticola
Hello. Blow thar the berserker. Yeah, it's good. Hello, Mother. I like the plan regardless, Mike.
Dan Bernstein
Oh, yeah, you were telling a story.
Matt Abaticola
Mike McDaniel. Mike McDaniel, the head coach, the Miami Dolphins. Yeah.
Dan Bernstein
Because they're in Madrid this weekend.
Matt Abaticola
Says that Dan Quinn was the guy who was most instrumental in getting him sober. I had no idea. I didn't know that. They sat him down. He said, dan Quinn holds a special place in my heart and my career. He was there at ground zero when I became sober and supported me and gave me the opportunity to continue what I love to do. Pretty amazing. I didn't know. In 2016, then Atlanta Falcons coaches Quinn, Kyle Shanahan, and Raheem Morris all sat McDaniel down and did an intervention.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, they told him that he. They believed he was drinking too much. An assessment McDaniel said he agreed with. He then went home. He talked to his wife, and he said that it was the look on his wife Katie's face, that look of disappointment, that drove him to change his life. And he hasn't had a drink since that day.
Matt Abaticola
They must have really cared about him. They wouldn't have done that if they didn't think that there was something that really needed fixing and something certainly worth it. Those are good friends.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah. I was really happy to read that story because I just. I. Yeah, it shows that. That friendship, that level of concern and care. You know, I had my. My own, you know, years and years of abusing alcohol and, you know, going out to party and having a good time. I'm very fortunate that I was never addicted to it, that it never became something that controlled my life. I just. I'd like to go out and have a good time, and there's a. There's a. There's a difference between abusing it and being addicted to alcohol. And I was really lucky that I wasn't addicted to alcohol and that I could just quit drinking because I wanted to, and I was tired of drinking, and I wanted to feel better, and I was getting older, that I could just put it away and walk away, and I haven't touched alcohol in almost two years now.
Matt Abaticola
Not everybody can do that.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah. No, not everybody can do that. I'm really fortunate that I was able to do that, because I look back on it now, and the further away I get from drinking, I look at it, and now I'm at a point, Dan, where I'm like, I wish I'd never drank at all.
Matt Abaticola
Really?
Dan Bernstein
Yeah. I wish I never did.
Matt Abaticola
But you were so much fun.
Dan Bernstein
I was. I was a lot of fun.
Matt Abaticola
And. Yeah.
Dan Bernstein
And.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah, you got a whole character out of it.
Dan Bernstein
I know. And it was like my. My radio Persona thing.
Matt Abaticola
That's.
Dan Bernstein
That's what I developed.
Matt Abaticola
And jerseys that said drinky on the.
Dan Bernstein
Back that people bought for me. I didn't make those, you know, and it was. I was the guy that you wanted to sit down with at the end of the bar and shoot the shit and hang out with and, you know. Yeah, but looking back, I like the further away I get now I wish I'd never even started because I can look at moments in my life where bad decisions were made that impacted my life and alcohol was the root of that issue.
Matt Abaticola
Or what did Homer Simpson say?
Dan Bernstein
Or using alcohol to deal with things instead of dealing with them. As a man, as an adult, I.
Matt Abaticola
Just remember the line, alcohol, the cause of or the solution to and cause of all of our problems.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, no, pretty much. So this is great. And I'm really happy for Mike McDaniel. And I know. So now knowing this, which I didn't know, which I'm. I'm disappointed I didn't know this about him. And when I've made comments about the way he looks and coming off a bender and, you know, making jokes about him being a drug dealer in Miami, I feel a little bad about, about those. No. Now knowing what he struggled with and where he's at with it. But his, his looks certainly had changed over his time in Miami. So, you know, good for him that he was able to walk away from it and, and not. Not go back to it. And good for Dan Quinn and Kyle Shanahan. Shanahan eventually gave him a job then back in, in coaching because he was out of coaching for some time and then he was able to get back into it because. Because again of this group of friends that helped him out and said, hey, you got something going on, you need to, you need to slow this, slow this down.
Matt Abaticola
Another quick note here about somebody who's got something going on. Did you see this? The Jair Alexander of the Eagles has taken a break from football. He says he has to get right physically and mentally. He's coming back from knee surgery and he had been demoted to a reserve role. He's now replaced on the reserve retired list. He hasn't formally submitted retirement paperwork, which means he can come back. He's only 28 years old and he hasn't traveled with the team. He didn't travel to Green Bay. And he. Apparently they said that this was in place, that he was stayed in Philadelphia because it was for his knee and to acclimate to the defensive system. But you know, this is, this is an all pro, a two time all Pro.
Dan Bernstein
Oh, I hated watching him in the.
Matt Abaticola
Packers when he was with the Packers.
Dan Bernstein
And so Dan, he watched that game Monday night from home and was like, I'm good. I Don't need to play with this team, I guess.
Matt Abaticola
They said. A source indicated that his dealing with multiple injuries over recent seasons and subsequently going from one of the best corners in the league to a reserve role came with a mental toll. Well, I never want to presume anything regarding anybody's mental health journey, so I just. I wish him the best and hope he can find his way through this. And if it doesn't involve football, if. I don't know if there's any component of head injury involved, but whatever it may be, good luck.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah. Now, I know that Monday Night Football game was bad. We talked about it at length yesterday, but I didn't think it was this bad.
Matt Abaticola
Bad. I don't want to have.
Dan Bernstein
I don't want to do it anyway.
Matt Abaticola
I'm good. I could just turn it off.
Dan Bernstein
I'm good. Right?
Matt Abaticola
But I didn't. I watched the whole dumb thing.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, you did.
Matt Abaticola
The game is over, and it's like, ugh, that just sucked.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah. Luckily, I missed the end trying to get Frankenstein in from the backyard, but then you told me all about it and then made me watch it. So.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah, I think I texted you.
Dan Bernstein
You did text me, but I said.
Matt Abaticola
What did I say? That was the dumbest ending.
Dan Bernstein
Yeah.
Matt Abaticola
Yeah.
Dan Bernstein
And then one of your guys was like, everyone should lose a finger. I thought that was great, but I thought it was a bad game. Not. Not bad enough to make someone retire. But Godspeed to you, Jair Alexander, and good luck. We're all counting on you. We're all counting on you.
Matt Abaticola
And that is forward progress on this Wednesday, a Chicago Bears podcast. Bernstein A Battacola 312 sports. Ted 2:19, 2:19.
Dan Bernstein
Forward progress, a Chicago Bears podcast with Dan Bernstein and Matt Abeticola on 312 Sports.
Episode: Is Kevin Warren the Man for the Job?
Date: November 12, 2025
Hosts: Dan Bernstein & Matt Abbatacola
In this episode, Dan Bernstein and Matt Abbatacola dive deep into the current status and future prospects of Chicago Bears President Kevin Warren, questioning whether he truly has what it takes to deliver on his promises—particularly regarding the proposed new stadium. The conversation also branches into candid Bears talk, NFL coaching speculation, stories about broadcast personalities, and broader NFL news.
Is Kevin Warren delivering what the Bears need—especially when it comes to the new stadium project—and has his experience in Minnesota translated to success in Chicago?
[01:25–09:36]
Expectation vs. Reality:
Dan and Matt set the scene with the upcoming Bears @ Vikings game in Minnesota’s gleaming US Bank Stadium—a structure that Kevin Warren once used as a highlight of his executive skills.
Illinois Politics & Leverage:
The hosts highlight the complex political environment in Illinois and suggest that Warren underestimated the difference between Minnesota and Chicago.
Loss of Leverage Due to Timing:
Dan notes Warren inherited a project already hamstrung by previous Bears decisions.
Action vs. Optics:
Matt critiques Warren’s current role as more visible than impactful, focusing on his locker room presence rather than actual boardroom progress.
Shifting Deadlines & Unfulfilled Promises:
Both hosts point out the repeated shifting of construction timelines and Warren’s ‘talking out front’ versus real behind-the-scenes work.
[06:47–08:17]
Analysis of Warren’s Visible Leadership:
Matt describes Warren’s gleeful participation in postgame celebrations and how it distracts from his primary mission.
Memorable Moment:
The hosts laugh about Warren joining the team chant too early, poking friendly fun at his “camera awareness.”
[12:45–21:15]
Giants’ Coaching Carousel:
The hosts discuss the buzz around potential Giants coaching candidates, including Mike McCarthy and Bill Belichick.
Concerns of Managing Legacy:
Matt questions whether team owners want the “end of the Belichick NFL time to be with your name attached to it.”
[21:21–23:13]
Discussion of Jackson Dart’s Injury & Return:
“It's his fourth one this year. Fourth concussion protocol.” (Dan, 22:07)
Humorous Anecdote:
Banter about video game–caused concussions, specifically Wii Tennis, brings levity:
[25:30–31:04]
Behind-the-Scenes Pranks:
Discussion of a production assistant scaring Michael Strahan live on air and Strahan's angry reaction.
Potential Career Implications:
Dan comments on the risk of overreaction and suggests firing someone would go too far.
[40:23–44:04]
Mike McDaniel’s Sobriety Journey:
Hosts share the heartening story of Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel’s intervention—led by Dan Quinn, Kyle Shanahan, and Raheem Morris.
Personal Reflections on Drinking:
Matt reflects on his own experience with alcohol, offering a thoughtful, empathetic perspective.
[44:04–46:21]
On the Stadium Impasse:
“He said we must have certainty. We can't go forward without this. That's what he said. And the state legislature and the governor were like, whatever, we're not taking that up.” (Dan, 03:59)
On Warren’s Skillset:
“Kevin Warren was the front man…he was not the guy behind the scenes that actually got the work done.” (Dan, 05:50)
On Locker Room Antics:
“If you watch Kevin Warren, because the moment Ben Johnson says bears on three, Warren already goes, no, you've got to wait, man.” (Matt, 06:48)
On NFL Coaching Rumors:
“But as long as Mike McCarthy still wants to coach and still wants to lead a team into the playoffs and a Super Bowl where I don't think John Fox was quite at that point.” (Dan, 15:07)
On Belichick in New York:
“I just…I cannot envision anyone in New York wanting Bill Belichick with that…that entire baggage and group that comes with it.” (Dan, 17:09)
On Michael Strahan’s Prank:
“The guy who did it is damn lucky that the all time NFL sack leader didn't punch his lights out or throw him through a wall.” (Matt, 27:28)
On Mike McDaniel’s Sobriety:
“He hasn't had a drink since that day.” (Dan, 41:23)
Self-Reflection:
“Looking back…I can look at moments in my life where bad decisions were made that impacted my life and alcohol was the root of that issue.” (Matt, 43:00)
This episode offers a sharp, entertaining, and sometimes poignant look at whether Kevin Warren’s experience and personality are truly pushing the Bears forward. Bernstein and Abbatacola blend fan passion, skepticism, and humor while never shying away from tough questions about leadership, legacy, and life in the NFL. Highlights include cutting analysis of Chicago’s stadium drama and authentic reflections on personal growth and community in football.
For full NFL breakdowns, Chicago Bears analysis, and stories you won’t hear elsewhere—Forward Progress remains a must-listen for every football fan in the Windy City and beyond.