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Matt
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Chase
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Diana Rossini
Welcome into Scoop City. I'm the athletic senior NFL insider Diana Rossini Chase will join me in just a minute. Today's episode of Scoop City will begin on a more serious note, late this afternoon the Baltimore Ravens released all pro kicker Justin Tucker. The Ravens released a statement. General manager Eric dacosta called the decision to release Tucker a football decision. He said, quote, sometimes football decisions are incredibly difficult and this is one of those instances considering our current roster. We have made the tough decision to release Justin Tucker. Now, the longtime Ravens kicker has been accused of improper conduct during massage therapy sessions. The NFL investigation is still ongoing at this point. Now, this decision comes less than just two weeks after the Ravens drafted kicker Tyler Loop in the sixth round out of the University of Arizona. And lots of people around the league were sharing that the Baltimore Ravens used a six rounder, which doesn't really sound like a lot, but obviously with kickers you're making an investment here and hoping it turns out and the Ravens actually just wrapped up rookie minicamp so they had a chance to see Loop in action and get to know him a little bit more. So that being said, Tucker no longer Baltimore Raven and he's without a doubt one that has a Hall of Fame resume. But I just think it's impossible to separate the non football and the football and I just think that's always how it will be. So with that, we've got an incredible show on tap for you coming up. Chase and I are Going to examine who is under the most pressure to perform in 2025. And we reflect on the type of sports parents we are individually. Even though we've got little kids, we are learning. We may not be cut out for this. But up next, how about the new faces of the NFL? Let's dive into it. Here's what I'm hearing around the league. All right, Chase, before we jump into the meat of this episode, I was hoping you could share some tales from rookie minicamp. Right. Because essentially it's just all the new guys together. They show up, they don't know each other. They may know of each other at this point. Maybe a little group chatting. What, what, what, what's the vibe usually?
Chase
Well, the coaches are. That's the, like, coolest thing in the world. You. You scout for so long, these rookies, right? And even the undrafted guys, they are going after them, they're giving them huge signing bonuses. Whether you're a first or they get to get you out on the field, you get to put on the helmet for the first time of the team that you sign with. I mean, it's everyone's dream to make it to the NFL, right? And you put on the jersey and you go through practice and they just overload you with information and you probably suck because you're just so nervous and you don't know what's going on. My rookie mini camp, all I remember is when I was with the Washington team, we ran so much at the end of every rookie minicamp practice that I'm like, I am so out of shape. That's just like, I don't remember anything from actual camp. Rather than being nervous as all get out, and I was like the third guy they had brought in. And I just remember at the end, running 1 tens, running gassers, running 300 yard shuttles, I'm like, what are we doing? Still to this day, it was like the hardest conditioning test ever happened. They made the rookies run it. So it's, it's, it's a good way to get, like your hands on the rookies to be like, hey, welcome to the NFL. Let's see what you got.
Diana Rossini
What was more nerve wracking for you when you were at Mizzou? Like, first day of Mizzou or our first day of the NFL?
Chase
When, when I went to Mizzou, I was highly recruited, so people were like, okay, cool. Like, yeah, this guy, we'll give him a chance. Like, he's got the stuff going. I was undrafted. There was two teams that wanted to sign me. One was Dallas on Washington. So I came in with no expectations except a chip on my shoulder. And it just sort of starts the process. It starts the starts to grind. Man, that was a long. You were aging me. That was a long time ago.
Diana Rossini
Well, I'm sure that you could keep up with the type of cardio that you were doing back then because you are very fit. Oh my gosh. I know. I can only zero. What is the hardest running test in football? Because obviously, you know, we played soccer in college and we had a bunch of different tests.
Chase
Well, yours was the beep test.
Diana Rossini
Oh, I hate beep test.
Chase
We used to sell the soccer girls doing it though. The hardest one for sure is 300 yard shuttles, but it's not 50 and back. It's 25 and back. So that's what the Washington team did that you had to go 25 back 20. And so it was like a bunch of different. Right. It was six down backs. Down backs, down backs. Whereas you're constantly turning. So you have to slow down. You have to start, you slow down. The 50 yards and back is easier, right? It's three times. But it. That one was still to me, like I can do gassers all day. Like down backs. That was the worst though. The 300 yard shuttles.
Diana Rossini
We used to do 10, 1 10, 1 20s, right? So 10120 yard sprints and you had one minute to get there and back. Which in your mind you're thinking, how hard could that be? You're basically going the length of a field and to get back in a minute. For me, the sprint down was easy, right. I'd get down there 70. It's the jog back. You jog back. So your heart is just beating through your chest. And you had to go 10 in a row.
Chase
We did 17 of those for our conditioning test my senior year at Mizzou and it was very difficult.
Diana Rossini
If we do a camp this year. Well, we are doing camps this summer, but there let's find a day where we're not flying out or if we don't have interviews set up, we should just go down there and let's. Let's just see what kind of condition we're in.
Chase
Absolutely not. That is way past my time.
Diana Rossini
You can do it, but you could watch. You know me, I'll be like, I can do this. We'll actually have to like three. I'll be on the ground throwing up. So obviously it's just exciting to think about these rookies. So really just keeping this Real open ended here. Is there one rookie right now that you're just looking forward to see week one out of the gate? This is the guy.
Chase
Yeah. I mean, look, you can say the, the easy names, right? The. The star names. I'm going Tyler Shuck sounds. Sounds crazy a little bit, but he's going to have to probably play right away and in Kellen Moore's op, depending on, you know, Derek Carr's injury or not. Tyler Shuck, for me, he's an interesting one because he was talked about a lot at the very end of the draft. Not a lot of people were on him. You were. We were early. Right. But when you watch this film, you see it, you get best footwork in the draft. It's just hard to play early in this league. Right? It's. You can say Cam or. Yeah, of course, Cam. But. But the Saints, you go 500 in that division, you can win the division. Right. The Bucks are there and they're probably the odds on favorite. The Saints have a good team, they have a good roster. New head coach with a rookie quarterback. To me, not necessarily he's going to just tear it up right away, but they have some offensive weapons and he likes to kell more, likes to run the ball more than you think. So how early is Tyler Schuck pressed into action? Are they going to go start him right away? Are they going to go with Rattler, his car help? It's just an interesting entire situation for me.
Diana Rossini
Yeah. I think by the time we get to training camp, we'll have a clearer picture of what is actually happening. But I'm with you. That I really like. That's a good answer for me. It's Travis Hunter and I know you, you mocked the big obvious names and it's the reason why I'm excited is because if they're going to do what they say they're going to do, which is allow him to play both sides of the ball, I, I want to see what that's going to look like. Can it be maintained? How are they going to coach that? You and I have had this conversation on Scoop City before where I think we were chatting about Taysom Hill once, about all the different meetings he was going to when he was with special teams, also all these different positions and sort of how the mental side of playing both sides of the ball at the NFL level, how that is going to fare. So I'm looking forward to that. The rookie that will carry the load the most for, for, for their unit. Right. So kind of like the 2020, 20, 25 version of Malik Neighbors or Brock Bowers. Think of it that way.
Chase
Was an all pro. That's why I'm going with a superstar. Travis Hunter, like you said it and I'm glad you because.
Diana Rossini
Oh, that's perfect.
Chase
He literally has to. He's not have to, but he really wants to play both ways. Obviously it's an offensive head coach. Liam Cohen. Right. And we know that Liam Cohen's going to put his receivers and his position players and his playmakers in positions to make plays. Travis Hunter is a playmaker offensively. I think you have to start him out offensively because he can make a bigger impact in the game. But then that's the thing. Where does he go from there? Is there a package in nickel? Is there a package where you have six DBs on the field and he's the rover? Does he play like one corner? He's probably not starting there. He probably has a package of plays on defense. I would be surprised if he's just like the day one corner starter, the day one receiver starter. I think you sort of have to work it in. I just don't see a world and maybe, maybe not, maybe not where he's playing 130 snaps a game in the NFL because it doesn't really. The conditioning. Yeah, that's great. It's the meetings like you mentioned. How do you practice both positions? Not only you, you actually have to practice in the NFL. Practices are very difficult. You, you exert a lot of, a lot of energy. All this stuff goes into it. So just how does he fit in with that? To me, I think he could carry most of the load.
Diana Rossini
Yeah. This. And you got to look at to where the Jacksonville Jaguars are offensively and how really in need they are of a weapon as playmaker. They are all in on Trevor Lawrence. They made that very clear with the hiring of their head coach and what they did in the draft. Like they're not moving on for Trevor Lawrence. So they're just doing what good teams do, which is build around. And this seems to be how they're going about it. For me, I'm going to go the running back in Vegas, Ashton Gente. When we had Dane and Bruce Feldman on the show just a few weeks ago talking to us about Genty, I liked the, I like the stories about who he was as a person and a player and what, what the teams were saying. But what I enjoyed most about his value are the conversations that were happening the night before the draft and the night of the draft and how many Teams had their eye on him. How many teams knew that he could immediately step on the field and make a difference, which is why I'm sure you remember following that night, there were a lot of teams calling up, and that was the guy they were calling after. And then it was Vegas who, by the way, did you see some of Vegas's public statements about their approach to not letting the world know that Genti was their guy, that they were. This was all a mind game. Remember, spytech's son said that, you know, he would resent his dad forever and hate his dad for life if he didn't draft him. Apparently this is according to the way the Raiders were portraying it. That was all fake, that they just did that to allow the rest of the league thinking to move up. They were going for the back.
Chase
Anything past him and then.
Diana Rossini
But then they still went for him. So it all worked out. I saw Max Crosby's podcast recently. He was talking all about him just already making a difference in Las Vegas. So I can't wait to see what he's going to do on the field. All right, so optimism is all there, but with a lot of this comes the pressure, the pressure to perform, especially when you're a top pick. So which rookie do you think is under the most pressure? I can take it first if you want.
Chase
No, I got it. For me, this is a little bit outside the box thinking, but he went a lot sooner than probably a lot of people thought. TMac from Arizona, the receiver. I say it because we saw the growth that Bryce Young had last year in Carolina after the benching, he comes in and is probably receiver number one, Right. I know Adam Thielen's there, Xavier Leggett's there, all those things. But when you draft a guy at 8, he's starting, he is like right away, that was one thing. I think that the Carolina Panthers, after last year, they bolstered the offensive line. They played a lot better than the prior year, which was Bryce Young's rookie year. They just playmakers. They lack some playmakers. And I think that's probably why Dan Morgan, the GM over there, decided to, hey, we're going to go out, we're going to get a guy. We don't care if it's more expensive than what people think. Right. I was hoping he would end up in Dallas. Big tall, stud receiver type guy, 50, 50 ball route winner. But he's going to help Bryce Young take the next step. I think the Panthers, I mean, I don't want to say surprise some people, but with the way that Bryce Young played down the stretch and the belief that, you know, the head coach instilled in that entire team, to me, it makes a lot of sense for T. Mac. I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if he has a thousand yards. They're throwing the football there. That's what they want to do. Right. And they got to be able to run it, too. But you go out, you have a decent number one, two and three receiver, right? It's a lot better room this year than he had last year. So I'm looking forward to Bryce Young's growth, and he's going to be a big part of it.
Diana Rossini
All right. The one for me is because it has to work, I think, because when you go number one and you're a franchise like the Tennessee Titans, who haven't nailed the quarterback position in a while because remember the Marcus Mariota experience, it was fine until it wasn't. And then Ryan Tannehill came in. Save the day for a bit. Yeah, a little bit. And then that ran out of esteem and then Will Levis was expected to be decent. That was just okay, if not not great in some instances. And so now here are the Tennessee Titans once again looking for the answer at quarterback and, and hoping that it's, it's Cam Ward. And you know, look, you look at Brian Callahan's job security and you have to figure if your ownership and you're looking at this upcoming season, you've got the, the best quarterback in the draft per many talent evaluators, outside of that one head coach who told me Tyler Schuck was number one, which I think he was just saying that to just cause all the flurry. I, I, I just think the pressure's on him, not just for himself and for the organization, but, but, but for some jobs. So, but also very, That's a good.
Chase
That'S a good, I mean, that is, yeah. And your number one pick, like, yeah.
Diana Rossini
It comes a lot. Doesn't always mean it works out as we know. All right, so we don't do a lot of fantasy stuff on the show.
Chase
But zero fantasy stuff.
Diana Rossini
We just hope that you take some of our info during the season and apply it. It's actually my favorite thing to do if just like reporting on a running back having some type of practice or an injury. And it helps you in your fantasy. But I thought we'd do like a quick drive by on this one. Do you have a rookie who could potentially be a fantasy darling? Right. You had BUCKY Irving in 24, the year before that, Puka in 23, right? Puka was amazing. Such a student.
Chase
Yeah, I do, I do. My rookie fantasy darling, Omarion Hampton, running back, UNC Los Angeles Chargers. Couldn't go to a better team. He's going to get carries, he's going to get 200 carries this year if he stays healthy and maybe more. You, you have that amazing offensive line for the Chargers and then they go out, they bolster their receiving corpse too. They sign back Mac Williams, they draft Trey Harris out of Ole Miss, who's going to be a starter. You have lad McConkey in the slot and then you just add that sort of shifty weapon out of the backfield, right? Just. This is such a hardball draft and I know we say it a lot, but it's like, man, you know exactly who you are and you're like, you know what, let me take a running back that can only catch the ball out of the backfield, but can run the ball between the tackles, can be a scat back, is decent enough in protection to be a three down back if needed, right? They have a one, two punch. I get that. But I think Omarion Hampton makes a lot of sense here. Good in the red zone. Touchdowns, yards, fantasy darling, for sure you have that.
Diana Rossini
But then of course you have Greg Roman who running the ball is his game. And now he's got a really good weapon just like for me. Just look, I, I do think the New England Patriots are going to go through a little bit of growing pains coming out of the gate here with all the new there. But I like what they got at running back out of Ohio State with Trevon Henderson. He's a baller, right? He's a good pass protector, he's good in space, he's explos. Look, when you go in the second round and you're that much of a playmaker, that tells me that you're probably going to get on the field a lot in September, even though you're a young rookie, you know, so they need.
Chase
A run game too, man.
Diana Rossini
It's a play and they do.
Chase
They have such a good draft. They crushed it.
Diana Rossini
All right, Chase, let's take a quick break here. Now that we've ripped through all the rookies, let's talk about some of the veterans that have some pressure on them to perform. We'll break it down next.
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Diana Rossini
All right, back here on Scoop City. So we've seen a lot of players land in new homes, new cities, new teams and a lot learn. But what comes with that is also a lot of pressure. So why don't we begin out in Seattle? Okay, Sam Darnold is there, but they got Jaylen Milro. So do you think Milro will overtake Darnold as the starting quarterback at any point this season?
Chase
At any point this season.
Diana Rossini
Such a, like, let's just, let's just go for it and, and try to predict this. And it's like, are you gonna get the Sam Darnold pre Minnesota or are you getting Sam Darnold with Kevin O'Connell and, and we don't know yet. And I think obviously Seattle's hoping it's the Sam Donald we just saw in Minnesota.
Chase
Oh, right, yeah. That's why they paid him $100 million.
Diana Rossini
It better be. Yeah, it's like, do you think they'll use Milroe like, like they did with Justin Fields? Well, at least they didn't do it a lot. As much I Expected them to do in Pittsburgh. Kind of like those feels like packages once, once Russ came back.
Chase
This is a, this sounds like, you know, we're hot take. And this, it's, it's actually a very deep conversation. I know we don't have time to go super deep. However, I, I, I, I can't say I don't have a crystal ball. Right. I don't know what the future's gonna hold. It wouldn't surprise me if Sam Darnold struggles and they need a jolt of energy. And you have one of the best runners at quarterback coming out of the draft. He's explosive. I heard Nick Saban talking about him on the college game day draft special they did when he got drafted. Nick Saban was so happy. He's like, and he said this, he's like, the NFL has never seen a talent like this at quarterback. And I was like, okay, little. And then you start thinking about like running the ball.
Diana Rossini
Sure.
Chase
Like Lamar Jackson, Mike Vic. Sure. Like. But this dude is so fast and so big. Got to work on the throwing. Right. But it reminds me a lot of the situation that Russell Wilson was in. Russell Wilson was the third round pick when Matt Flynn was considered the starter. Sam Darnold is a better player than Matt Flynn was, but Matt Flynn was paid a lot of money. Sam Darnold really has signed a one year, 37 and a half million dollar deal. That's all he has guaranteed. So another aspect of it is I say that's all he has guaranteed. It's a ton of money. He's going to start as a starter. If he plays well, he'd be. But if they're out of the playoff race, Diana. And for some reason, okay, there's a defensive head coach, Mike McDonald. He's not an offensive head coach. He's not tied to him. Yes, Clint Kubiak liked Sam Darnold in 2023 when they had him in San Francisco, but I've seen defensive coaches do crazy stuff. Let's run the football 50 times with a run game with Jalen Milroe and play good defense, which they did down the stretch. I wouldn't put it past them. Like I said, there's layers of this. I think he's the starter Sam Darnold is for the year if he plays well enough. But we'll see. It's, it's an interesting conversation though.
Diana Rossini
We saw Sam struggle a bit in Minnesota against the blitz. Right. And, and now look, some of that was on that offensive line which we saw Minnesota improve too, in this off season. But I just wonder if Seattle has done enough around him themselves to make sure that he's not dealing with. With all of that pressure. And also the fact that they don't have DK Metcalf there. Right. They don't have that top dog weapon available to them.
Chase
Well, Tyler Lockett either. And honestly, like the, the offensive line play for Seattle was not great. They were hurt, they were banged up. Geno Smith was the best quarterback in the NFL under pressure last year because that offensive line was not playing well. Now Sam Darnell goes to an office line that's not playing that well, that gives up a lot of pressures, maybe not sacks. I just don't know how it's going to work out. And it's Pacific Northwest, the ball's wet. All this, like all this stuff plays into it.
Diana Rossini
Then we have Jordan Love and the packers, who added a first round wide receiver, something we haven't seen since 2002. It was shocking. And you've got Jordan Love, who as composed and locked in and as confident as he was in his skilled players around him last year, I don't think anyone performed at the level that they were hoping and expecting to. So the question is really, how much pressure is there on Jordan Love with a first round wide receiver and Matthew golden to. To really make this work now?
Chase
Yeah, no, I think it's a great question because it is, it is talked about because Jordan Love showed us what he can do in his first year, starting 4,300 passing yards, 35 touchdowns. The upset win against Dallas took San Francisco on the road in the division round down to three points. Almost made the NFC Championship game as a starter. Then last year, right. Not as good of a year. He got hurt in the first game of the year and through a lot of interceptions. He was hurt the whole year. They needed speed at receiver. They, they have probably one of the fastest and deepest receiver rooms. You look at Don Tavian Wicks, Jaden Reed, Christian Watson, I know is coming off the acl, some other guy like all these players are there. And then you go out, you had a 429 speed guy and Matthew golden, who I think is going to do well there, obviously they're going to throw the football. They have a really great running game. LaFleur does an excellent job calling plays. People say, you know, they made the playoffs the last few years. What's the next step Jordan Love can take? Look, he's a franchise quarterback. That's not what we're talking about. He didn't play well and I attributed a lot to injury. It's not. Not excuses, but this is a team with a roster, Diana, that can win multiple playoff games. Like, if Jordan can cut down on the interceptions, they got a lot better defensively than the year before when they changed defensive coordinators. All this stuff is setting up for a really, really good season for the Packers. But they play in the NFC North. Right. It's going to be a tough division. It's a bloodbath. Three teams are probably going to make the playoffs out of that, out of that division. And the Chicago Bears are still, still good. You know, like, they're still good. They're still going to be better. So I think just making out of the division alive, staying healthy is important, but I think Jordan Love can take the next step.
Diana Rossini
Yeah, you've always been really high on him. Even going back to before this past season, like going into the 24 season, you. I felt like you always believe that he could take this next big step. Would you. Do you feel that he did that, though, last year, or do you think this has got to be. This has got to be where he's got to make the significant jump?
Chase
Look, I think he proved the guy. It proved that he could play his first year. Got the big contract extension. We talked to him on Scoop City. He was super excited about it right before, like, all this stuff. I think he was hurt last year, Diana. I think that, like, when you play hurt as a quarterback, it sounds crazy. Recorder. No, like everything changes. You're not watching as much film because you're in a training. You can't practice every day. You're not getting the reps. All this stuff. Your left knee could, could make your. Your throw a little hot. Like all the stuff in a quarterback, in the entire system of the body, it changes. People don't understand that. Yes, he threw too many interceptions. Yes, he threw too many. Just balls up for grabs. He's gotta be better. But they got their franchise guy.
Diana Rossini
Yeah. And wedding planning can be very exhausting and distracting. So they spent the whole year wedding planning, so now they're not gonna have to worry about that when the season starts. They'll be happily married by then. How about the commanders? Right. So Adam Peters had said from the start, when he took over as the general manager, that he really wanted to build this Washington team just through the draft, that, like, that's the foundation for the future. But then they get these premier players at premium positions and it makes you go, wait, are they shifting? And it's like, no, those just became available became available. Those guys just, they, they appear. You don't pass on that. So. Right. We know Debo Samuel Jr. And Laramie Tunsil all are now part of this Washington teams. And, you know, Peters even went on to explain too, after the draft when he spoke to the media that, like, they're not shifting how they view this stuff. That this is just, they. They looked at this as a situation where you have to adapt because we think that they can make an immediate impact right now with Jaden. So we talk about the sophomore slump all the time because we've seen it and I know we've mentioned Houston a lot, and unfortunately, CJ Stroud has been the. The most recent poster child for that. How can Jaden avoid this, especially when he's got these new weapons? Because it's. It appears that. That they can avoid it because they gave him. They gave him the right pieces.
Chase
Yeah, look, I don't like the word sophomore slump because, like, we, we talk about, like, C.J. stroud, and they still won 10 games. Yes, he threw more interceptions. Yes. He got. He still won 10 games and they were still, like, not in good division. I get that. The thing with Jaden Daniels that makes me think he won't do that is a couple reasons. One, they're building around him still. This is their super bowl window. And I think the way Cliff Kingsbury operates, he's always going to study his own offense and continue to evolve and develop. Now it comes down to Jaden needing to understand, like, hey, I can't just rest on what I did last year. But if we're being honest, Diana, he had such an insane, like, historical season last year. Anything that he does is going to be a sophomore slump. Like, do you think that we're picking the Commanders to get to the NFC Championship again? Like, probably most people would say, well, probably not. Right? So anything that he does right, wrong and different is probably going to be considered a sophomore slump. Right. So let's. For me, it's more of those, like, you have to continue to develop from year to year. A lot of times people say, and I would tend to agree, your biggest jump as an NFL player is after your rookie year, going into your second year. How is he going to play? And Also, teams have 21 games on him of film. They know what he's good at, they know what he's bad at. They've studied him. They know exactly how to stop them. Now you just have to do it. And the crazy thing about him is he's a pocket passer who is an extremely talented runner. You don't get that very often. That's why I don't think he's like C.J. stroud's a pocket passer, can move a little bit. With Jaden, if stuff ain't there, he's taken off. He's getting eight yards. Okay. Second and two. What. What opens up the playbook. I think that's what makes him a little different in this aspect.
Diana Rossini
Yeah, I think he's going to be even more dangerous. Just the comfort with being with Cliff and. And having Laramie Tunsil on his offensive line, having Dima as a weapon. I think this is going to be the story of Jaden Daniels year where. Where he takes another step forward, which last season we were calling him the closest thing to Lamar. Right. And congrats to Washington for getting the draft in 2027.
Chase
That's big time.
Diana Rossini
All right, Chase, let's wrap up the show here. We haven't talked specifically about what's going on in your life with youth sports. I know you're coaching. It's that time of year where you have more time. And I'm so interested in what you're like as a former professional athlete coaching your children who are competitive but also young and learning. So I want to dive into that when we get back because I have a feeling there's going to be people listening who are going to have thoughts about your style of parenting. We'll be right back.
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Diana Rossini
All right, back here on Scoop City where Chase, I got three words for you youth sports parents. And when I think of that, I think of you now because you are.
Chase
You.
Diana Rossini
You're. You're coaching one or two teams.
Chase
Two.
Diana Rossini
Two flag football teams.
Chase
One flag football, one baseball. Yeah. And I coached a basketball team which I knew nothing about, but I retired after that from coaching basketball.
Diana Rossini
I know your, your vibe, your vibe was a little off earlier today because of what happened on Sunday. What is making you so frustrated with youth sports right now? And maybe specific to what's up with the kids.
Chase
Yeah. I don't think, I don't think frustrated is the. Is the right word. I think just like. And I told you on the phone, I was like, my nervous system's out of whack because it's like, I really love to coach and I really love to coach my son and my daughter who plays softball. So I am a. I am both. If you think about it. I'm a youth sports coach. I'm actually three things. I'm a youth sports coach because I love. And I've been coaching these kids since they were in pre K. We're almost in second grade. I've been coaching this team for a while. Right. And then I am a youth Sports coach who's a dad who has a son on the team, which is a whole nother dynamic. And then I am a youth sports parent because I don't coach my kids softball team, my daughter's softball team, where I'm in the stands and I'm like, let's go. So there's three completely different dynamics. Right. The one dynamic that is interesting for me is like. And obviously like, this is who I am, is I'm coaching sports, but I also have to be a dad to my son who's on the team. And I take that really seriously because one, I don't want to show favoritism. Like that is like in the back of my head at all times. So in fact, my dad did this with me because he coached me growing up. I almost have to be harder on my son to show the parents that I'm not playing favoritism. And in turn, my son probably gets shafted from maybe playing some more than he should, if that makes sense. So I'm almost more loyal to the other. It sounds weird, but I definitely don't want to show that and seem unfair.
Diana Rossini
Correct. You're approaching it almost a little subconscious about it. Right. So your son is paying for it, but at the same time, sure, it's good that you have them there from trying to get done what you need to get done. I feel like my dad always used me as the example leader.
Chase
Knows exactly what to do.
Diana Rossini
This watch, here's how she's doing. Watch how she's standing. Look how she's playing defense at third base, whatever it is that I was doing. But that's how my dad was hard on me when. When it was almost worse to have your dad be the coach.
Chase
I agree. My dad was really hard on me too. And when I looked back on it, maybe at the time I was like, oh, like. But now it, like, it sort of molded me into who I am as an athlete and made me like, let's go. Like, probably, if you ask my wife, probably over the top of that little thing. But it may. And I'm sort of like that way with my kids. I wanted to have that drive. I wanted to have the effort. For me, it's like when I'm coaching, like, we want to win that. That is the. At the end of the day, like sports is a win or loss. Like, that's the beautiful thing. There's lessons in winning, there's lessons in losing. Some people out here in the west coast, not just California, in the west coast, they view it as, let's show up to just have fun. It's a social thing.
Diana Rossini
I think this is just the West Coast. I think this is the world.
Chase
I'm just saying. I'm just saying. All I can speak for. I can't speak for everyone else, like, what I've done, done. And I agree. There's lessons. And I tell my kids every time, the only thing I care about today, attitude and effort. If you have attitude and effort, it will be good. Like, I'm gonna teach you this stuff. These. These kids are physically talented, all that stuff. But I tell them we want to win. Like, make no mistake about it. We don't have to be mean. We did. We were good sports, whether we win or we lose. And I think it's hard on some of these kids. Like, when they lose, they're so used to winning because we win a lot when they lose. I feel like that's the lessons I teach and try to bring them back. But I think that's sort of the issue a little bit, right? Is like, at least when you're starting out, like, yes, you could say, like, pre K in kindergarten. The goal for me is to have the kids want to play sports next year. We're getting into a much more competitive aspect of it now. I get it. These kids are 7 and 8 years old, and I am never a parent. I've never put my kid in a private lesson. I don't. I don't mind if you do, but I don't want to burn my kid out. That's. That's a real thing too, right? Like burnout. So there's all sorts of dynamics. And I think at the crux of the issue a little bit, at least from my perspective, and some people are not going to like this. I feel like some parents live vicariously through their kids and push their kids too much when that happens. Like, I think eventually the kid will. If he wants to play, he's gonna try harder. And. And I love. I'm all for parents getting their kids the right lessons if they want to, but just back off. Like, your kid's not gonna make an all stars team in the NFL at age nine. Like, he's not. And I try to. I try to coach it like that.
Diana Rossini
I think the frustrating part for some parents is different development stages or the speed of it. Right? Like, Mikey's three. We started soccer. His friend Sonny, our friend Dana, and Joe's son is Pele out there. I mean, he's out there running around. He's scoring goals. Mikey runs over to me. Is like, I'm my doggie. I'm like, get out there. Score goal. And it's so frustrating.
Chase
How does that make you feel as a parent when you see other kids that are like, oh, like, I want my kid to be like that?
Diana Rossini
I can't. Well, here's the thing. I. Because those are my friend's kid, they are always out back playing. And we have not incorporated that in our house as much as I would like. Like, we don't run out back to play to kick the soccer ball around. We play trains, we build Legos. And so we've been trying to get out more, which is what we talked about at the top of the show. Just trying to be outside to play.
Chase
Do they have. Does Pele have older. Other siblings? Older siblings, yep.
Diana Rossini
Pele has older sister.
Chase
So that's exactly what it is. Is the old. The. The oldest. Usually, like, that's with pres. Isn't like, some, like, stud athlete. All this, like, oh, my gosh, the next coming of Tom Brady. Right now, he's seven, and he's the first kid, though. But my girl, who is five, is playing, like, up in softball, and she's like, okay, she's going to be an athlete. My son will eventually get it. Like, he loves sports. Like, loves it. But we haven't. I haven't pushed him to that edge. But it's the kids with older siblings, their younger ones are usually better.
Diana Rossini
Yeah, no, I agree. I. I was like that. The only reason I was a good athlete was because my brother. I don't know if he didn't have friends or what the problem was, but I was always playing whatever sport we were playing together. Right. We were shooting hoops together, playing soccer, playing football. And so eventually, you know, I'm out muscling and out understanding, really, the game that as a girl playing, I was so much better because of my brother, but.
Chase
Michael, go ahead. No, no, no.
Diana Rossini
My question for you on the parenting thing with sports is, like, I don't think it's gonna. Like, it doesn't bother me if you try. I think that's where it's difficult to be a parent if. If there's just no work ethic at all or no attempt to put themself out there. That's where I think I'm gonna be challenged as a parent as they get older.
Chase
You're saying your kids.
Diana Rossini
Yeah, look, there's a good chance that one of my kids doesn't like sports. Notice I say one. Cause I can't live in a world where both of them don't. It'll just be like. Like, it would be devastating. Like, my sister son is five. He's unbelievable. Like, he's just naturally awesome. He picks up a baseball. He throws sliders. I'm like, what. What are you feeling?
Chase
You know what's hard for people to understand is if you haven't played sports as a parent, right. And you didn't play at all, you don't really understand the feeling of. Because people are probably like, well, Diana, I'm like. Like, I'm the same way. Like, I want my kids to play sport not because it's fun, but because of the life lessons it teaches you.
Diana Rossini
Correct.
Chase
And we might. We. People might think we're crazy, but we understand the, like, what it's given us and what it's grown. The thing that I. And I think this is the. We haven't had this situation, really, because we have a really great group of parents for our core parents and groups. It's like a bunch of 10 kids that go to the same school that are in multiple sports together. I've never had a parent come up to me and say, why isn't my kid playing? And. Because first of all, first of all, they know better than with me because I've been very clear about expectations. Yes, we want to play everyone, but we're getting to it. We're. We're first graders. We're playing in a second grade division where these guys. We just got steamrolled a couple days ago by the second grade team. I'm like, we're playing everyone, but when it comes to playoffs, we're playing our opponents. Best six.
Diana Rossini
Okay, but I think where this gets dicey, is your son one of the best six?
Chase
He's like, number six.
Diana Rossini
So you're actually in a tough spot. That's hard.
Chase
No, it is. It is. And that's why I say I. He probably gets the short end of the stick more often than not because I'll put him on the bench. And. And people understand that, so they can't say anything. You're like, okay. And so I think eventually, one, we have too many people in general, like, on our team. But two, I think that there is a developmental thing, and I think the parents for us have been great. That's not normal. I've seen parents go to the field, and I've heard parents that like all this other stuff. Our parents on our team are awesome because the coaches set the expectation that, look, this isn't your normal California team, that we just want to try hard, like, yes. We want the kids to have fun. This isn't a social aspect. If you want a social aspect, go get a margarita and a Mexican food and let the kids play on the patio. This is sports. We're trying to teach them toughness. We're trying to teach them about the game. We're trying to. I'm trying to teach. That's the one thing I want to educate them on what to do. There's some coaches out there that are just like, I'm gonna go draw this. We walk through routes. We have drills. We. And then like a lot of people do, but at 7 and 8, I don't know how normal that is.
Diana Rossini
Yeah, that's smart. That makes sense.
Chase
And so there's just. Consistently, I try to take the political out of it of the youth sports. Right. Because we have great parents. I think that's where it starts with. And I haven't been in a situation, so I can't speak. When you have a parent that may be acting a little crazy, then it may get a little. A little difficult.
Diana Rossini
Let me let you in on a little secret. And I don't even know these parents, but I can bet you there is one mom or one dad going, look at this coach plays in the NFL out here thinking he's Drew Brees now.
Chase
100%. You know what's funny? It's Drew Brees flag football League. So I'm good with it.
Diana Rossini
I figured. I figured. Look, I. If you are a parent yourself and you have children playing sport, we would love to hear from you, comment on the YouTube channel, tweet us however way you would like to do it, and give us give us a. Some tips on how to deal with just the competitive nature that we naturally have. And I'm sure a lot of you have, but also, maybe I would love to hear some. I would love a story. You have to write too much a couple sentences of the worst experience you've had in youth sports, because people have so many wild experiences with their kids. I. I remember one of my good girlfriends, her father, he tried to hit the coach. It was crazy. Like, it was intense. And, you know, my parents were as. As. I know you always think, like, East Coast, Italian, New Jersey, they're probably in your face. My parents are not like that, actually, in person. Like, they're. They're like, essentially, if someone ever accused me of doing something, my parents would be like, yep, she did it. Not. No, Diana would never do that. It's like, nope, she did it. Like, they always take the side of the person in charge. Right. So especially with playing time. Like, there was a couple years in high school where I thought I was the best point guard, but I was the sixth man off the bench. And I would want my parents to go in and talk to the coach and they're like, yeah, we're not doing that.
Chase
Yeah. And that's. That's so true. And to put a bow on this a little bit, like, we don't, like, you pay a fee to play in this league. It's not like it's 12 and 13 year olds where it costs the kids and cost the parents a lot of money to play sports. Right. This is now when it gets to that level. I completely understand the parents and they're spending a lot of money and they want the right coach to develop their kid. But just. And I have to take. I do the same thing as a parent when I'm watching my daughter. They're not going to be defined if they're the next Michael Jordan. They're not going to be defined if the pressure on them, take it off of them. Let's go have some fun. Let's win games. Give me a good attitude. Give me great effort. And don't just be looking around. Don't just be doing this. Like, if you want to play, play hard. If you don't, don't play.
Diana Rossini
Yeah, look, I, I feel like we could do a separate podcast series outside of this show.
Chase
And half the people are gonna hate what I said. And half the people are gonna hate what you said. That's just what it is.
Diana Rossini
I know it's hard to be a parent. It's wild in these streets. All right, thanks for hanging out, hanging out with us here. I hope you enjoyed some of our youth sports chat. But also, we still got lots more to come. We got our big mailbag episode coming up in just a few days. So send in your last minute questions if you didn't send them in yet, but otherwise that'll do it for us today. We'll see you guys next time.
Chase
Bye, guys. Tag me next time.
Scoop City: A Show About the NFL – Detailed Episode Summary
Episode Title: Chase Daniel Explains Why Travis Hunter's Biggest Impact Will Be on the Jaguars Offense
Release Date: May 6, 2025
Hosts: Diana Rossini & Chase Daniel
Timestamp: [03:35]
The episode opens with Diana Rossini addressing significant news in the NFL: the Baltimore Ravens' decision to release their esteemed kicker, Justin Tucker. Diana highlights the complicated nature of this move, stating, “I just think it's impossible to separate the non-football and the football” ([03:50]). Tucker, known for his Hall of Fame-caliber performance, faces accusations of improper conduct during massage therapy sessions. The Ravens’ General Manager, Eric DaCosta, emphasized that the release was purely a football decision, referencing roster considerations. This development comes shortly after the Ravens drafted kicker Tyler Loop, indicating a strategic shift within their special teams unit.
Timestamp: [05:44 – 09:08]
Chase Daniel shares his personal experiences from rookie minicamps, reminiscing about the intense conditioning and the overwhelming influx of information for new players. He recalls, “All I remember is when I was with the Washington team, we ran so much at the end of every rookie minicamp practice” ([05:44]). Diana probes further into the challenges faced by rookies, to which Chase responds by detailing the grueling physical tests designed to evaluate and integrate new talent into the team dynamics.
Timestamp: [09:32 – 13:03]
Diana introduces the central theme of the episode: the impact of rookies on their respective teams. Chase Daniel discusses Tyler Shuck, a standout rookie quarterback drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the sixth round. Chase notes, “He was talked about a lot at the very end of the draft...he's got the best footwork in the draft” ([09:32]). He contrasts Shuck’s potential immediate impact with that of Travis Hunter, a versatile player recently drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Diana emphasizes Hunter's dual-role potential, stating, “If they're going to allow him to play both sides of the ball, I want to see what that's going to look like” ([10:47]).
Notable Quote:
Chase: “Travis Hunter is a playmaker offensively. I think you have to start him out offensively because he can make a bigger impact in the game.” ([11:44])
Timestamp: [14:40 – 20:13]
The discussion shifts to rookies who are expected to carry substantial weight for their teams in the upcoming season. Chase highlights T. Mac (Tyler Mac) from Arizona, the Carolina Panthers' new receiver, describing him as “starting right away” and a pivotal component in assisting quarterback Bryce Young’s development ([15:12]). Diana adds that T. Mac embodies the type of rookie who can significantly influence the Panthers' offensive strategy, potentially achieving impressive statistics like “a thousand yards” ([15:37]).
Additionally, Chase identifies Omarion Hampton, a running back for the Los Angeles Chargers, as a potential fantasy football darling. He praises Hampton’s alignment with a strong offensive line and ample opportunities for carries, predicting he could "get 200 carries this year if he stays healthy" ([18:32]).
Timestamp: [22:07 – 29:15]
Sam Darnold of the Seattle Seahawks is examined as a veteran under pressure. Diana questions whether Darnold will maintain his starting position against the emergence of Jaylen Milroe. Chase provides a nuanced perspective, comparing Darnold’s situation to that of Russell Wilson, noting, “It wouldn't surprise me if Sam Darnold struggles and they need a jolt of energy” ([23:17]). The conversation delves into the complexities of team dynamics, offensive line performance, and environmental factors like Seattle’s wet weather, all influencing Darnold’s performance and future with the team.
Jordan Love of the Green Bay Packers is another veteran under the spotlight. Diana references his previous season’s performance and the addition of a first-round wide receiver. Chase discusses Love’s potential for growth, stating, “He's a franchise quarterback... I think Jordan Love can take the next step” ([26:34]). The hosts analyze how Love’s development is crucial for the Packers’ success in a competitive NFC North division.
Timestamp: [18:02 – 20:13]
While fantasy football isn't a primary focus, Chase identifies Omarion Hampton as a standout rookie who could significantly impact fantasy leagues. He elaborates on Hampton’s expected role in the Chargers’ offense, emphasizing his versatility and the team's robust offensive line: “They have a one, two punch here... Oamarion Hampton makes a lot of sense” ([18:32]).
Timestamp: [35:35 – 49:16]
The latter half of the episode shifts away from professional NFL discussions to delve into Chase Daniel's personal life, specifically his experiences coaching youth sports while balancing parenthood. Diana initiates the conversation by asking about Chase’s frustrations and challenges in youth sports coaching.
Chase explains the complexities of coaching his own children’s teams while ensuring fairness and avoiding favoritism. He states, “I almost have to be harder on my son to show the parents that I'm not playing favoritism” ([36:12]). The discussion touches on broader themes such as:
Balancing Competitiveness and Fun: Chase emphasizes teaching kids the value of attitude and effort over mere participation.
Parental Involvement: Addressing the tendency of some parents to push their children too hard, Chase advocates for allowing children to enjoy sports without undue pressure.
Developmental Stages: Diana and Chase discuss the varying levels of athleticism among children and the importance of recognizing individual growth rather than imposing unrealistic expectations.
Notable Quote:
Chase: “The only thing I care about today, attitude and effort. If you have attitude and effort, it will be good.” ([39:52])
Chase also shares insights on handling competitive nature and managing conflicts with other parents, highlighting the importance of setting clear expectations and maintaining a positive environment for young athletes.
The episode provides a comprehensive exploration of both emerging talents and veteran pressures within the NFL, with a special focus on why Travis Hunter is poised to make a significant impact on the Jacksonville Jaguars' offense. Additionally, the candid discussion about youth sports coaching and parenting offers valuable perspectives for listeners who juggle similar roles. Through engaging dialogue and insightful analysis, Diana Rossini and Chase Daniel deliver an episode rich with key points, notable quotes, and actionable insights for football fans and parents alike.
Notable Quotes with Timestamps:
Chase Daniel on Travis Hunter's Impact:
“Travis Hunter is a playmaker offensively. I think you have to start him out offensively because he can make a bigger impact in the game.” ([11:44])
Chase Daniel on Omarion Hampton as a Fantasy Darling:
“Omarion Hampton makes a lot of sense here. Good in the red zone. Touchdowns, yards, fantasy darling, for sure you have that.” ([18:32])
Chase Daniel on Youth Sports Coaching:
“The only thing I care about today, attitude and effort. If you have attitude and effort, it will be good.” ([39:52])
Final Thoughts:
This episode of Scoop City seamlessly blends professional NFL insights with personal narratives about youth sports coaching, providing a well-rounded experience for listeners. Whether you're an avid football fan or a parent navigating the challenges of youth sports, Diana Rossini and Chase Daniel offer valuable perspectives and engaging discussions that capture the essence of today's NFL landscape and beyond.