A (3:43)

I mean, it's breathtaking. I will watch Tony. The super bowl thing is amazing, though. Look. So in this country, her home country, that's the only place where you won't be the number one attraction for eyeballs and television. Because the rest of the world ain't caring about the Super Bowl. No matter what the NFL and all the sycophants wants to tell you, they'll be watching Lindsey Vonn. Let's move to the report. The Patriots owner, Bob Kraft will join Bill Belichick in not being inducted in the Pro Football hall of Fame this coming August. Like Belichick, Kraft reportedly did not receive the 40 votes necessary from the 50 hall of Fame voters. The Patriots have won all six of the Super Bowls under Kraft, of course. Tone, what do you make of this?

B (4:30)

So when I first heard this, my initial reaction was to think that it was somehow conspiratorial that voters, when they realized that Bill Belichick didn't get in, they knocked Kraft out so that they could stay on the same level. And I said, what are you talking about? This vote was weeks ago.

A (4:43)

Yes.

B (4:44)

Nobody knew when they voted that Bill Belichick was not going to get in. So what I think we have is this incredibly weird coincidence that two of the Big three of the Patriots, now the coach and the owner of the team with the most Super Bowls in NFL history, they are not in the hall of Fame. It got Me to thinking, are they going to keep Tom Brady out when he becomes eligible? They would knock him out for a year as well. I mean, I find it. It's just one of my notes I said that was just so odd. You've talked about this. I know your feelings about this. The voting that you can only vote for three out of five. And a lot of people wanna vote for players, players who they think are wronged by not being in at this time. So I think it's maybe overblown what we're talking about, but I think it's very good for tv. It's just easy to talk.

A (5:33)

I thought of that tone. Look, I know how this works. And the more people I listen to on television, I know 95% of them don't know how it works. And I don't even know how it works because I've been gone from that room too long. And they change the voting, the system. But this system seems as screwed up as the one I was in the room under for 10 years. And that system, like this one, that system sometimes forced you to keep alive the eligibility of someone you thought was worthy. And the only way you could do that was to not vote for someone you also knew was worthy you could vote for next year. That's it.

B (6:11)

Yeah, that's the deal.

A (6:13)

And people don't understand it. Players don't. Talking heads on television don't. And so now it's changed slightly. Like you mentioned, the people who were involved in the Kraft, Belichick. So, Tony, you know what? I'm annoyed with the whole thing. The hall should be embarrassed. They should change the voting. Change it, damn it. Just change it. If this doesn't embarrass you, what does?

B (6:37)

I had no idea that Roger Craig wasn't in the hall of Fame. I had no idea. Of course I would have voted for Roger Craig. Of course I would have voted for LC Greenwood and I would have voted for Bill Belichick. Because I think that halls of fame, you vote players and managers and coaches in ahead of owners. There are some great owners who are. Who are in the hall of Fame, but I would have gone the other. And you know what, Mike? I just assumed that the three of them, that Brady and Belichick and Kraft are going to get statues outside the stadium in Foxborough. I just assume they do that. Anyway, we move on. The NBA trade deadline is two days away, but we've already got deals to discuss. Wilbon, your Bulls send center Nikola Vucevic to the Celtics. Regard Anthony Simons, the Grizzlies sent Jaren Jackson Jr. Who I know you love and spare parts of the Jazz for a package of four players and three first rounders for but more intriguing to me is the ESPN report that the Clippers and their star guard James Harden are working to find a deal before the deadline. So, Wilbon, you go. Where do you want to start, Tony?

A (7:32)

I guess I'll start with this. None of this stuff is going to make much of a difference on the season. There's no. These aren't impact trades. They just aren't. People can go crazy, they can scream and holler about the deadlines coming. It doesn't mean a damn thing. They just aren't players. Unless you tell me Antetokounmpo is going to be traded somewhere like Golden State or San Antonio or wherever he Minnesota. Then we're on to something. Okay, so that's my first take. I'm like you. I like Vuch going to the Celtics. Good for him. I don't like giving him up for the Bulls, but they need to do something. The Jaren Jackson trade sounds ooh, ooh, ooh, doesn't mean much going to Utah. Not this year, but maybe in future years. So I'm going to go with you. I know how much you were one of the guys, one of the few guys 10 years ago who loved James Harden then loved him. I know you've been very consistent. And you know what, Tony? Harden has a certain value now which I think is even greater than his value a few years ago because he does less. But Even less, he's averaging 25 and 8 and I think Cleveland could actually use him. And they get better in some ways with size and things that Harden can do that Darius Garland doesn't really do as well. So maybe I'll back off of it just in the case of James Harden.

B (8:57)

Yeah. So my feeling about this with James Harden is I want to know, did he initiate this? Did he go to the Clippers and say, get me out of here, I don't want to be here anymore? Did the Clippers come to the conclusion that, that he's a long term liability on some level and they wanted to get rid of him? His history indicates that he initiated it. Didn't he force his way out of Houston in order to go to Brooklyn? He forced his way out of Philadelphia, Philly in order to go to the Clippers. He's on his fifth team already, his fifth team, which is really a lot for an MVP and a superstar player, but so is Kevin Durant, you know, so this happens in the NBA. He's, he's, he's a Hall of Famer. There's no team in the league that isn't going to be better for having him. 25 points, eight assists a game is third in the league. Right. It's really good. And he plays every night. But. Here's the but. Mike, in the playoffs, it hasn't been there in the regular season for his career, 24 points, seven assists, six rebounds, shoots 43.8% from the floor, 36 from three in the playoffs, 22.5 points, six and a half assists, five and a half rebounds, 42.5 and 34. He's down in all categories. So you have to know what you're getting. If I thought I could win right now, I would want James Harden, but I have to acknowledge what his history in the playoffs have been. So let us take a break because I went through the bell. Coming up, we will talk super bowl with Jeff Saturday. How does a team show resilience after a big play goes against it?

A (10:22)

We'll ask him which team he's leaning toward to win the actual game. Tony, I think that Harden. A little bit less is more. I think we might be at a stage for Harden, even in his advanced a basketball age, where he can help a team this postseason.

B (10:38)

Take it, Cleveland. You know I've loved Harden for a long time.

A (10:41)

I know.

B (10:42)

But you got to look at the whole of it. You know, no rings. No rings. Right.

A (10:46)

One final he's not Mr. October.

C (10:50)

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B (12:39)

The PTI investigative team has learned that it's super bowl week, which makes it a perfect time for a visit from our great friend ESPN NFL analyst Jeff Saturday. Let's start with this. Robert Kraft reportedly did not make the hall of Fame. You worked closely with him on the collective bargaining agreement in 2011, and you two famously hug people remember that. How do you see Kraft's importance to football? Oh, my.

D (13:04)

I mean, how do you describe football in the past three decades without Robert Kraft being in the mix of it? I mean, this is ludicrous to me. You're talking a guy about a guy who's owned the team for 32 years. This is his 11th Super bowl with three different head coaches and three different quarterbacks. If there's, if there's anybody that you can't describe the league over the past three decades without him, it's Robert Kraft. And that. That's, and set aside all that he's done for the NFL, growing the game with the media outlets and all the conversations we had with the cba just as an owner, strict owner, the. He's been by far the most dominant. How he did not get in it, it, it baffles me. Again, this is another black eye to the hall of Fame. Bill not going in first ballot and now Robert Kraft. It just, it's embarrassing. And the worst part for me, fellas, is this. When the guys do get announced on Thursday or whatever day they finally get announced, the things we're all going to talk about is the two who didn't get in. And that's not the way it should be. Our game should be defined by the guys who did get rubber stamped first. And those two guys should have. It's just, it's disappointing to me.

A (14:13)

Point well made, Jeff. Let's go to the game and we'll stay with the Patriots. So I'm going to ask you about defensive tackle Milton Williams, who had eight pressures against the Broncos. So what's Seattle that. That. That game film didn't get thrown away. They know exactly what he did. What the heck. What the heck are they preparing to do this week?

D (14:32)

Oh, you better buckle that chin strap. I mean, listen, here's the issue, too, for the Seahawks in the internal part with Bradford, Anthony Bradford, their guard. The movement. Right, that. The movement, the head shakes, the movement, the setting up your moves kind of gets Bradford kind of off. Off his market point at times. And that Milton Williams is going to come at you. And I will tell you about Mike Vrabel coach. Football teams, if they can't get home with four, they're going to bring extras. They're going to move Sam Darnold off his spot. And if you think about the way the Rams played them in the championship game, you know, you're rushing for. You're going to kind of play coverage behind it. The Patriots aren't going to do that. They trust their. Their corners. Milton Williams is going to be a circle for that offensive line. Make sure that internal presence gives somewhere for Darnold to step up, not get pressured, and it's going to be a heck of a matchup. I'm fired up to watch that one.

A (15:24)

I want to tap into your personal feelings and. And memories about the super bowl for a second. Jeff, you, of course, crushed my hopes when you beat the Bears in the super bowl, but that game starts off. Here's where I want to go to ask you about recovery. Devin Hester takes the opening kick. I watched it again the other night because they're just talking about how you can't kick to Devin Hester. You can't. You can't. You can't.

C (15:48)

Boom.

A (15:49)

And he breaks it and he starts the game in that manner. Were you back on your heels? Did you chuckle? What do you remember about that historic moment?

D (15:59)

Okay, you're going to love this. And I know you're being a Bears fan, so we talked about it as a team. Tony, you know, he. He stood up for the R. Yeah, we're going to kick it to him. We're not afraid of anybody. Right. We're going to play aggressive. We're going to kick the ball deep. We're going to let him return. Our. Our special teams are going to rally. We're going to do this thing. Rain is po. Ball gets kicked, you know, flashes, all that kind of stuff. You're seeing him. You see him catch it, and Peyton, I are standing side by side and you watch him. You watch him break the first tackle, you watch guys miss and he's housing it. And I remember looking over that, I was like, well, God, I hope we don't kick it to him again because he'll keep hanging them on us, you.

A (16:33)

Know what I mean?

D (16:34)

And that was really. And we're like, boys, it's time to.

A (16:37)

Strap it up and go to work.

D (16:38)

We totally knew that was their best chance to beat us. It was that special teams group and he was so lethal and he starts it off that way. But you know, anytime you have something happen to you that early in the game, you know that's the beginning of a fourth quarter or even what happened to us against the Saints with the onside kick in the beginning of the second half, it wasn't quite as deflating because we hadn't even touched the field yet. So, you know, but it still, it still was a gut punch. But thankfully Tony realized Hester's not going to be part of this game plan the rest of the game. We're going to avoid him at all costs. Blame that one on Dungy story. That's what I'm.

B (17:14)

That is a great story. We'll get you out of here on this as long as we're going to talk about the game. How do you see it right now? Which way are you leaning right now and why?

D (17:23)

Oh, I think this is an awesome matchup and I think if, you know, if, as you're looking at this thing, my heart, my heart kind of goes Patriots, right? I got a Tar Heel at Drake May being a quarterback and Mack Hollins who's a receiver for them. So I want them to play well. But you look at this Seattle team and they are just loaded up and I love both. I think both defensive lines have the advantage. Especially when I look at the Seahawks line and you look at the Patriots, they've been up 15 sacks and three games and they've and 11 of them against a four man rush. So it's not like you're having to blitz to get home. They're going to have to bolster up and play and play through that offensive line to give Drake May some time to got a sore shoulder. And it's all about big plays. If the Patriots can make big plays down the field that they've done this season, they'll have a shot at it. If Seattle squashes that and, and makes it a drive, it, you know, five yards and, and hope for some, some, you know, long drives, I think the Seahawks walk away with it, so. But I'm fired up for it. I haven't picked yet. I'm still thinking about it, but it's going to be a heck of a game, fellas. I'm fired up.

B (18:24)

Jeff, thank you as always. Thanks all year.

A (18:27)

Much appreciate it. Heck yeah.

D (18:29)

Had a blast.

B (18:31)

Let's take one last break. Still to come, is Matt Nagy the man who can help the Giants get Jackson Dart to the next level? Will Bonds point me to answer that.

A (18:40)

You don't want my answer. The Cardinals deal away yet another star. Does their strategy make any sense?

B (18:48)

It makes you so happy to talk about Devin Hester, doesn't it?

A (18:51)

Devin Hester is one of the three most exciting Bears players in history. Gale Sayers, Walter Payton, Devin Hester, Rich Eisen here.

B (19:02)

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C (20:07)

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B (21:32)

Happy time people. Happ 86th birthday Fran Tarkenton History Lesson Kids Tarkenton was the original mobile quarterback. That's why his nickname was Fran the Scram. Tarkenton started out with the Minnesota Vikings and played there for six years. In those years the Vikings never made it to the Super Bowl. Tarkenton was then traded to the New York Giants, played there for five years without ever making the playoffs. Tarkenton went back to the Vikings and started in three Super Bowls without winning. 19, 1973, 1974 and 1976, all under Bud Grant. Tarkenton led the NFL in past completions three times, once each in passing yards and passing touchdowns on his way to the hall of Fame after nine Pro Bowls.

A (22:12)

One thing great about living in the Midwest, with that being my division, I got to see Fran Tarkenton as a kid all the time. Real quickly. Tony, who was the fourth quarterback of the Vikings who led them to a Super Bowl? Not Fran Tarkenton, but Joe Capp was Joe Cap. Joe Cap.

B (22:29)

Oh I got that.

A (22:30)

Very nice.

B (22:31)

A tip of the cap to me. Happy anniversary New York Giants on this day 18 years ago, while trailing New England by four points and approaching the final minute of play, Eli Manning somehow avoided what looked like a sure sack and heaved a desperation pass to David Tyree. Tyree fought off Rodney Harrison and secured the ball to his helmet to see set up the game winning touchdown in the Giants shocking upset of the 180 Patriots. Years later, discussing this with his brother Peyton, Eli revealed that Tyree had an historically awful practice session that Friday. The final practice before the game. Eli recalled Tyree dropping seven of eight passes, but as Allen Iverson said, practice. We talk about practice.

A (23:11)

You like Tyree or Lynn Swan better?

B (23:16)

Got a favor over the course of the career. It's Lynn Swann over the course of a career. Of course it is. Happy trail to the Cardinals for Brendan Donovan. St. Louis sent their all star infielder to the Mariners in a three way deal that also involved the Tampa bay rays. The 29 year old Donovan hit.287 for the birds last season, but now joins Nolan Arenado, Sonny Gray and Wilson Contreras in getting sent packing by team president Chaim Blum. Bloom picks up three prospects and two draft picks, all part of his plan to rebuild the team, which has finished under.500 in two of the last three seasons. Prior to that, the Cards fielded winning teams in 22 of the previous 23 campaigns. St. Louis projected payroll is now under $100 million for the first time since 2010.

A (24:02)

You'll have to forgive me for a certain skepticism. Whoever the Cardinals put in a uniform in April or March or February. By the time we get through spring training, end of the season, by October, they're great. So I don't believe any of this. The Cardinals don't rebuild. They put people out there who win games. By the way, with the brewers and Cardinals allegedly rebuilding Runway from my Cubbies to a division title. But I don't trust the Cardinals. I don't believe it.

B (24:30)

Let us go to the big finish, Mr. Doubtful. The Giants are hiring your boy Matt Magy as their offensive coordinator. Is that a good fit with Jackson D?

A (24:39)

Love it. The top 10 finishers in a live golf event will now earn official World Golf ranking points. Is that a big deal?

B (24:50)

It is a big deal. It's one of the ways you qualify for majors to have ranking points. Yes, it is a big deal. The Hornets beat the Pelicans for their seventh straight win. Do you find that significant?

A (24:59)

I think that's the longest Hornets winning streak in 25 years. That would be significant. They can make the playoffs. Credit to Charles Barkley for calling this out a couple of weeks ago. Hornets in the playoffs. Who think Pro bowl games are tonight. You're going to watch that junk, aren't you?

B (25:16)

I didn't know that they were on, but I will watch. The Pro bowl itself was terrible. The skill competitions flag football is better than that. Last one. Unbeaten Miami of Ohio at Buffalo tonight. Do you smell an upset? No.

A (25:27)

They played a close game already this season. Buffalo's having a so so season. No. I'm gonna go chalk and go with the fade. College basketball time.

B (25:38)

We're out of time. We'll try to do better the next time. I'm Tony Kornheim.

A (25:42)

And I'm Mike Wilbach. Same time tomorrow, knuckleheads.