Hour 2 – Ben Pickman, Mark Schlereth

Summary

The Dan Patrick Show — Hour 2: Ben Pickman & Mark Schlereth

Date: October 1, 2025
Host: Dan Patrick
Guests: Ben Pickman (The Athletic, WNBA reporter), Mark Schlereth (NFL on Fox analyst, former NFL player)

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Episode Overview

This hour of The Dan Patrick Show focuses on several key sports topics, blending lively debate with insider insight. The headlining conversation centers on the escalating tension in the WNBA between commissioner Kathy Engelbert and players, spurred by Nefesha Collier's public critique. The show also features NFL commentary from Mark Schlereth, including a spirited take on overtime rules and quarterback culture, and closes with lighter banter on baseball, college football, and even national average heights. Throughout, Dan and his crew maintain the show's signature mix of humor and sharp analysis.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. WNBA Turmoil: Players vs. Commissioner

(02:30-11:26, 13:41-16:30)

• Situation:

  • WNBA All-Star Nefesha Collier gave a viral four-minute statement publicly criticizing commissioner Kathy Engelbert and the league’s handling of officiating, pay, and negotiations.
  • Collier relayed Engelbert’s controversial comments, including:
    • "Only the losers complain about the refs."
    • “[Caitlin Clark] should be grateful she makes $16 million off the court because without the platform that the WNBA gives her, she wouldn't make anything."
    • "Players should be on their knees thanking their lucky stars for the media rights deal that I got them."
  • Ben Pickman (The Athletic) joins to break down the fallout.

• Perspectives:

  • Ben Pickman: Emphasizes this moment as potentially “the most important in WNBA history," noting Collier’s willingness to air grievances many have held in private.
    • "She's calling for accountability, transparency, not just on officiating, but on broader league wide matters too." (07:00)
  • Mark Schlereth: Pushes the story further, noting that athletes from other leagues so rarely call out their commissioners so explicitly, calling it "a seminal moment in WNBA history."
    • "If anything, it's going to explode from here on out." (08:30)
  • Discussion covers the league's explosive growth (expansion, valuations, media rights), but also stresses the central role of star athletes (especially Caitlin Clark) in driving revenue and attention.
  • Key Question: Who is more essential for the league's next 15 years — Engelbert or Clark? Clear sense from both guests: stars like Clark will define the league’s future.

• Officiating Debate:

  • Ongoing frustrations about officiating quality are not new ("I wrote a story two years ago... all about coaches and executives and players talking about inconsistent officiating." — Mark Schlereth, 14:35).
  • League claims officials are well-trained and graded, but Collier calls the defense of officiating "an insult to my intelligence, honestly" (13:41).
  • Pickman adds, “Great players complain about officiating as well, not losers” (14:12), challenging Engelbert's quoted remarks.

• WNBA Structure Issues:

  • Unique complexity from NBA ownership; Engelbert ultimately reports to Adam Silver. Multiple stakeholder groups muddy CBA negotiations and team control.
  • Ben: “The league is in a really tough spot…so many stakeholders...very complicated mess." (12:26)

2. NFL Overtime Rules and Football Culture

(24:11-36:44)

• Mark Schlereth on Overtime:

  • Rails against current NFL overtime formats, criticizing the shift away from sudden death:
    • "What was wrong with sudden death? There was nothing wrong with sudden death. Sudden death: it's sudden, and it's death. You're over." (24:11)
    • Rants colorfully about how complaints from "people who don't even like the game" push the league to tinker with the rules.
      • "Screw them. If you don't like it, tough. It's the greatest game in the world."
  • Accepts the consequences of losing in sudden death and loathes "playing an extra 10 minutes and nothing is solved."

• Uniforms and Nostalgia:

  • Old-school preference for classic NFL uniforms; dislikes Broncos’ all-blue retros.
  • Self-deprecating humor about offensive linemen and how uniforms make them "look like a big, giant Roly poly blueberry." (27:20)

• Panthers & Bryce Young:

  • Candid on Panthers repeated appearances in his broadcast slate (“I am the official broadcaster of the NFC South... they are a bad football team.” 27:48)
  • Defends Bryce Young, arguing his struggles are more about the lack of supporting talent than him personally.
  • On wide receivers:
    • “Wide receivers are a completely dependent position. They’re like children...they whine and they cry and they bitch a lot if they don’t get fed.” (29:35)
    • “Do I think he’s a franchise quarterback? No. But do I think you can win with Bryce Young? If you put enough people around him... I think you probably could.” (31:12)

• Eagles Drama:

  • Schlereth baffled by receivers being upset when their team is winning:
    • "It's amazing what you can accomplish when no one cares who gets the credit. So it's probably why I hate wide receivers with a white hot intensity of a thousand suns." (32:38)

• Deeper Football X’s & O’s:

  • Explains how sacks are as much about coaching and quarterbacks as offensive line, and credits Tom Brady’s success to “never getting bored taking the profit” (35:15).

3. Baseball & Sports Banter

(3:57-4:59, 37:12-47:19, 45:03-47:19)

• Discussion of postseason clichés:
  • Most overrated narrative elements in baseball: "club history," "intangibles," "which team wants it more," "last week's momentum" (03:43).
    • Club history “running away with” the poll as most overrated (37:28).
• Shohei Ohtani’s playoff heroics and the must-watch nature of the Dodgers lineup.
• MLB Expansion:
  • Fan calls about Portland’s baseball prospects, with the crew noting Nashville as a likely expansion city (46:33).
  • Reminiscences about the Expos and reveal of an upcoming documentary (47:46).

4. Fun and Pop Culture Detours

(39:07-41:36, 48:07-52:22)

• Banter about TV shows, especially “Tulsa King” and what makes a show worth sampling past 15 minutes.
• A tongue-in-cheek “Septisman” Heisman update — crew picks their September college football MVPs, including lesser-known QBs.
• Lighthearted quiz on world’s tallest countries (spoiler: Netherlands), leading to self-effacing jokes about crew member heights.
• Brief discussions on classics in English literature, with comic asides about Tolkien and Beowulf.

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Standout Quotes & Moments

• Nafisha Collier (as quoted by Nicole Garcia):

  • "Players should be on their knees thanking their lucky stars for the meteorites deal that I got them." (05:33)

• Mark Schlereth on WNBA conflict:

  • "Think about any other player in any other sport doing what Nafisa Collier did. I mean, this is a potentially seminal moment in WNBA history." (06:12)
  • "If anything, it's going to explode from here on out." (08:39)

• Ben Pickman:

  • "This might be the most important moment in WNBA history as we move forward." (07:21)

• On Caitlin Clark and the Future:

  • "Who is more important to the health, the growth of the league — Kathy Engelbert...or Caitlin Clark? I think the answer there is pretty clear." (09:34)

• Schlereth on NFL Overtime Rules:

  • "Sudden death, it's sudden and it's death. You're over. That makes sense to me. Playing to a 40, 40 tie makes zero sense to me." (24:11)
  • "Screw those people. It's the greatest game in the world. If you don't like it, tough." (25:11)

• Schlereth on Wide Receivers:

  • "They're like toddlers. They whine and they cry and they bitch a lot if they don't get fed." (29:35)

• Schlereth, on his grumpiness:

  • "It's probably why I hate wide receivers with a white hot intensity of a thousand suns." (32:38)
  • "I'm gonna get a T shirt. Stay grumpy." (36:51)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• WNBA: Players vs. Commissioner and Negotiations — 02:30-16:30
• NFL: Overtime Rules Rant & Uniforms — 24:11-29:35
• Panthers, Bryce Young, & Wide Receivers — 27:48-31:12
• Eagles Management and Team Culture — 31:47-33:35
• NFL Technical Deep-Dive: Sacks & Quarterbacks — 33:35-36:44
• Light Pop Culture and Fun Segment — 39:07-41:36
• Septisman Heisman Trophy Banter — 48:07-49:59
• Baseball Expansion & Portland Call-In — 45:03-47:26

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Tone & Style

• Language: Conversational, direct, often playful or teasing, especially during banter or off-topic segments.
• Atmosphere: Blends real sports insight with irreverence; mixes seriousness (e.g., on the future of the WNBA) with light-hearted fun (TV, height quizzes, mock arguments).

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Summary Takeaway

This hour of The Dan Patrick Show transitions fluidly between serious sports analysis and good-humored banter. The heart of the episode is a sharp, deeply informed discussion with Ben Pickman about the WNBA’s crossroads moment, with Nefesha Collier’s public challenge to the commissioner setting off debate about player power, league management, and the centrality of stars like Caitlin Clark. Mark Schlereth brings trademark bluntness to NFL debates, especially around overtime rules and player culture. The show is at its best navigating these hot-button sports topics before closing with breezy, fun detours, keeping listeners informed and entertained in equal measure.

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Transcript

[Dan Patrick]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Ben Pickman]

Thursday Night Football is on. This week, NFC west rivals meet again as the San Francisco 49ers visit the Los Angeles Rams. Coverage begins at 7pm Eastern and it's only on Prime Video. Not a prime member. Simply sign up for a 30 day free trial. Restrictions apply. See Amazon.com amazonprime for details.

[Dan Patrick]

Hey, this is Matt Jones and I'm Drew Franklin and this is NFL Cover Zero. We're just here to try to give.

[Ben Pickman]

You an NFL perspective a little bit different. Did you see the Colts pretzel? That was my other big takeaway from that game. What was that?

[Dan Patrick]

Oh my. We think NFL coverage should be informative and entertaining. And twice a week, that is exactly what you're gonna get. Listen NFL Cover Zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[Ben Pickman]

I'm Dan, he's Ty. Hello. And we're the solid verbal college football podcast.

[Dan Patrick]

Tune in for previews, recaps, bits you won't hear anywhere else, and all the.

[Ben Pickman]

Emotional support you need as a college football fan. Join us all season long as we ride the rollercoaster of this ridiculous sport. Listen to the solid verbal college football.

[Dan Patrick]

Podcasts on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Ben Pickman]

We don't just love college football, Ty. We live.

[Nicole Garcia]

May look different, but native culture is alive. My name is Nicole Garcia. And I'm Burn Sage Burn Br. We aim to explore that culture.

[Dan Patrick]

Somewhere along the way, it turned into this full fledged award winning comic shop.

[Nicole Garcia]

That's Dr. Lee Francis IV who opened the first native comic book shop. Explore his story along with many other native stories on the show Burn Sage, Burn Bridges. Listen to Burn Sage, Burn bridges on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Dan Patrick]

The Internet is something we make, not just something that happens to us.

[Nicole Garcia]

I'm Bridget Todd, host of the tech and culture podcast There are no Girls on the Internet. In our new season, I'm talking to people like Anit, an OG entrepreneur and writer who refuses to be cynical about the Internet.

[Ben Pickman]

I love tech. You know, I've been a nerd my whole life, but it does have to.

[Dan Patrick]

Be for something like it's not just for its own sake.

[Nicole Garcia]

It's an inspiring story that focuses on people as the core building blocks of the Internet. Listen to There are no girls on the Internet on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[Dan Patrick]

You are listening to the Dan Patrick show on Fox Sports Radio.

[Ben Pickman]

Hour two on this Wednesday. Got a few things to dive into. Overtime in the NFL and the mess that is negotiations going on with the WNBA and the commissioner reportedly calling out Caitlin Clark. It's just these are negotiations. Players calling out the commissioner. We'll have that coming up here momentarily. 8773 DP show more phone calls. We'll get to those. We say, good morning if you're watching on Peacock. Thank you for downloading the app. That's our streaming partner merchandise store open for business. And the Passhold T shirt that's based off Todd's driving is [e-mail] Today's the Last Day to get it. Stat of the day is always brought to you by Panini America. The official trading cards of the DP show. All right, Seaton, poll question. Can we go with cleanup hour one and then what? Are we going to have hour two? Yeah, we can do whatever you want. All right. Your show. Okay. More overrated in the postseason. Maybe it should be. Most overrated. Sure. For all the English majors, club history, intangibles, which team wants it more or last week's momentum?

[Dan Patrick]

Right now, about 49% of that vote.

[Ben Pickman]

At the club history. Oh, yeah. Well, that's where you say, man, the Red Sox have really been successful. Okay, how many players on this team were on those other teams that were successful against the Yankees? Yes, Paulie.

[Dan Patrick]

This makes me as upset as it's a Super bowl rematch and the super bowl was like 18 years ago.

[Ben Pickman]

Yeah.

[Mark Schlereth]

Not a Super bowl rematch.

[Ben Pickman]

No. Tigers over the Guardians, Cubs over the Padres. Dodgers get a couple of home runs from Shohei Ohtani. One of the two sounded like this on a 1:1. Ohtani. It's a towering ball, deep right field. He flips the bat and watches it fly three quarters of the way up the pavilion. Just a mammoth blast for his second home. And the Dodgers are pouring it on in game one. Dodgers radio network with the Phillies and the Dodgers. You must tune in right away because Ohtani leads off. Kyle Schwaber leads off. This isn't one of those Marquis Grissom's gonna set the table here. It's Ohtani is in the box and something could happen. Kyle Schwaber the same way. Red Sox beat the Yankees three to one. Poll question for hour two. Seaton.

[Dan Patrick]

I'll throw this one out there.

[Ben Pickman]

I could use your help populating it. Okay. Publicly calling out the commissioner of your.

[Dan Patrick]

League by name is.

[Ben Pickman]

A lot of words that come to mind. You know what? Let me Bring in Ben Pickman. He is covering the situation. WNBA reporter for the Athletic. Before I get to you, Ben, I want to play. Nefesha Collier had. Now, this is just a portion of what she had to say about the WNBA commissioner Kathy Engelbert at Unrivaled this past February.

[Nicole Garcia]

I sat across from Kathy and asked how she planned to address the officiating issues in our league. Her response was, well, only the losers complain about the refs. I also asked how she planned to fix the fact that players like Caitlin, angel and Paige, who are clearly driving massive revenue for the league, are making so little for their first four years. Her response was, caitlin should be grateful she makes 16 million off the court because without the platform that the WNBA gives her, she wouldn't make anything. And in that same conversation, she told me players should be on their knees thanking their lucky stars for the meteorites deal that I got them.

[Ben Pickman]

Well, well, well, Ben, pick it up from there.

[Mark Schlereth]

Yeah, you could have picked any number of sound bites. I mean, think about any other player in any other sport doing what Nafisa Collier did. I mean, this is a potentially seminal moment in WNBA history. I just want to know how your production crew, Dan, decided on those clips and not the clip of, you know, Nafisa Collier saying that right now the WNBA has the worst leadership in the world. I mean, this was four minutes of just going scorched earth and frankly telling a lot of things that seemingly a lot of players, a lot of executives, a lot of people around the league, team wise, tend to agree with.

[Ben Pickman]

Do you agree with her?

[Mark Schlereth]

I mean, I think there's certainly a lot of valid criticism in what she said. I'm not going to go so far to say that Kathy Engelbert is part of the worst leadership in the world. But I think a lot of what she said is a lot of what, you know, someone like me hears in private. I mean, my phone was blowing up Tuesday from, you know, the moment that Nafisa Collier's comments finished with a lot of people really commending her for saying the quiet part out loud. And if he's a. Collier did say this in her own comments that, you know, I'm not going to keep things private anymore. She's calling for accountability, transparency, not just on officiating, but on broader league wide matters too.

[Ben Pickman]

But they have added five teams. I mean, you know, let's look at both sides here because the commissioner has done some good things. But this is negotiations and that's where it's a war. And this is one of the most. This might be the most important moment in WNBA history as we move forward.

[Mark Schlereth]

Yeah, it's important to call that out because since Kathy Engelberg has been the commissioner, it's around six years now at this point. A lot has changed in the wnba. I mean, Kathy Engelbert used to say that the WNBA was in an existential moment. That was the word that she used in 2020. There was a potential that if they didn't play a bubble season, would the league even exist? And so a lot has changed since then. Just look at recent years. A $50 million expansion fee for the Golden State Valkyries in September 2023. That was 250 million this summer. I mean, that is crazy growth. The New York Liberty, a $450 million valuation this summer. That is all under Kathy Engelbert's watch. But what Nafisa Collier is also saying is the players are really driving that. I mean, that is what we heard or what you can hear when she retells that story involving Caitlin Clark. Like that is a clear story of pitting the players against management. And yes, this is a really intense negotiation. And you know, these comments are not going to do anything to put less fuel on the fire. If anything, it's going to explode from here on out.

[Ben Pickman]

Caitlin Clark's WNBA salary was 78,000.

[Mark Schlereth]

Yeah.

[Ben Pickman]

So it's slotted that she's going to make 78,000. Yes, she makes all that money off the court. But should Caitlin Clark be grateful that she makes $16 million off the court according to the commissioner through Nefesha Collier?

[Mark Schlereth]

Yeah, I mean we should say the commissioner said she was disheartened by the characterization of those comments and this was Nafisa Collier relaying them. But I mean, think about that kind of tactical move or that decision to include Caitlin Clark in this conversation. And we should say Nafisa Collier and Caitlin Clark, they share the same agent. Right. So I don't think it's a coincidence that both of those players or that Caitlin Clark's name rather was mentioned in this 4 1/2 minute statement by Nafisa Collier. Like there is knowledge know how going on there. Caitlin Clark obviously super, super important to the league. And one of the questions that, you know, I was fielding yesterday was, yes, Kathy Engelbert is, you know, has been the commissioner over this period of growth. But if you look at the next 15 years of the league, Dan, who is more important to the health, the growth of the league? Kathy Engelbert, if she's around that long, or Caitlin Clark I think the answer there is is pretty clear.

[Ben Pickman]

Well, does Caitlin Clark need the WNBA more than the WNBA needs Caitlin Clark?

[Mark Schlereth]

I mean, that is another big question. I feel like you could write books and articles and fun articles. Certainly Caitlin Clark is worth millions. If not, I did a story earlier this season. She could be worth up to $1 billion. Some people told me to women's sports more generally. And so, yeah, I mean, Caitlin Clark certainly a big driver in the broader WNBA revenue conversation. The change of the business. Right.

[Ben Pickman]

And the commissioner responded. I'm not going to read the whole statement, but she was complimentary to Nafisha Collier, who's a very bright woman, you know, started the unrivaled league. It's a side league, not a competing league. But where does this go from here?

[Mark Schlereth]

Where does it go? That is a great question. I mean, as you mentioned, the league and the players are in this contentious CBA negotiation. The deal currently expires October 31st. We'll see if they reach an extension or if, you know, there is a work stoppage, whether it is just in the off season or down the down the line. May 2026 is when the 2026 season would begin. So we will see where things go. I think the tensions have only heightened from here on out. How could they not? Knowing that Nafisa Collier said what she said, knowing that so many players have supported her, knowing that now there's so many more eyeballs on the WNBA and what is going on because of her comments like that is what is so fascinating about this really remarkable, remarkable four minute statement that Nafisa Collier gave on Tuesday.

[Ben Pickman]

There's only a certain piece of the pie available here, Ben, that I, I know we look at leagues and we go, they should be paid more. Well, this, it comes down to math. It's just, it's that amount of money that's available. We split it up and that's what everybody is going to share in. Now you're adding five new franchises. So now that piece of the pie gets carved up a little bit more. And they did sign, what, 11 year, $2 billion, $2.2 billion. T. There's a lot of progress here. I'm just, I worry, I thought that they tripped themselves up with the Caitlin Clark situation. Nobody knew how to deal with her. Officials didn't. The, the, you know, the opposition, other players, they weren't all in on her. Hey, we've got Diana Chirazi and all the people who started the league. I don't, I still don't know if they know how to handle Caitlin Clark moving forward because she is different than anybody else in the sport.

[Mark Schlereth]

Yeah, I mean, she definitely is. But I want to go back to your point on splitting the pie, because I think it's really important here because what makes the WNBA so unique in this context is that also it is owned by the NBA that Kathy Engelbert reports up to Adam Silver. Right. So there are other stakeholders here other than just WNBA owners who are. Are important in this conversation. Right. So it's not just what do the owners of the WNBA think? Because even that phrase owners of the WNBA is a really muddled phrase. Right. You have a number of franchises that are owned by the same people that also own NBA teams. 42% of the league is owned by the NBA, for instance, 42% is owned by WNBA owners. But in that 42%, while there's some people who are in both pots here. Right. And then there is another pot of 16 that also includes some people who are in both of those other parts. That is what makes the WNBA's situation about how to proceed, whether it relates to Kathy Engelbert and her job status, whether it relates to the cba. That's part of what makes it so tricky, so unique, is there are so many stakeholders in this conversation that, like, the league is in a really tough spot. And that's why we're in this very complicated mess that we are in.

[Ben Pickman]

ESPN reported over the weekend that WNBA data doesn't show a correlation between recent playoff injuries and missed calls by officials. Nafisha Collier, one of the great players in the game, called the claim quote, an insult to my intelligence, honestly. Collier also asked the commissioner about how the league planned to address officiating. And according to Collier, the commissioner said only the losers complain about the reps.

[Mark Schlereth]

Also strong.

[Ben Pickman]

Yeah. Yes, but not correct. Because some of the biggest complainers in the history of the NBA are Michael Jordan and Larry Bird. And great players complain about officiating as well, not losers.

[Mark Schlereth]

Yeah, exactly. And I think one of the things that is so interesting or that, you know, everyone is tracking is these claims or these calls about officiating. They're not new.

[Dan Patrick]

Right.

[Mark Schlereth]

I wrote a story two years ago at the start of the WNBA finals, all about coaches and executives and players talking about inconsistent officiating. And going back to that point that I was just making on NBA and WNBA ownership, several people around the league, coaches, executives, they point to high yearly turnover that multiple WNBA officials move out of the league and into the NBA, literally from 2018 to 2022 in NBA official press releases, they would use the word promotes as it relates to people moving from the wnba, that is, officials, to the NBA. Right. And so there are questions, again, systemic questions, about how much are officials paid, how are they trained, how are they reviewed?

[Ben Pickman]

But is it slanted? Ben, Are they. Are they calling different? Are they seeing something different for certain players and not others? Are they just not great at their jobs?

[Mark Schlereth]

I mean, it's hard for me, the layperson, to say, you know, how correct or incorrect is an official's assessment of it.

[Ben Pickman]

But they do grade them. They get graded just like NBA officials. I don't know if they're not calling enough for Caitlin Clark or they're calling too much for it. Does she get preferential? I mean, it feels like everything circles back to Caitlin Clark.

[Mark Schlereth]

I mean, I think actually on this officiating conversation, though, Dan, like, this is a conversation that has been going on for a number of years. I think Caitlin Clark, like so many other topics, her presence in the league has brought more eyeballs to the topic of officiating. But you talk to people like these frustrations are frustrations that have been held for a number of years. The league, as you're saying and you're asking, they're saying that, you know, our officials are excellent, that they grayed out incredibly well, that we don't have the same kind of problem that so many people say. But what Nafisa Collier and what others have said is, you know, the first step in what fixing a problem is acknowledging you have a problem in the first place. Like that was another, you know, clear sentiment that she tried to voice throughout her opening statement at her exit interview.

[Ben Pickman]

Great stuff, Ben. Thanks for joining us. We'll be reading.

[Mark Schlereth]

Thanks a lot for having me.

[Ben Pickman]

That's Ben Pickman, WNBA reporter for the Athletic. I think the WNBA is far more physical than what people thought it was, and they didn't realize how physical it was until Caitlin Clark got there. And then you're going, hey, wait a minute, what are they doing? They're getting away with knocking her down. It's been really physical. It's far more physical than the college game. In fact, Gino Orema of Yukon said, it's too physical in the WNBA, it feels almost 1980sish. NBA and the big east, where you're letting people get away. You ultimately, you want the great players to be able to be great, to showcase their talent. Hockey's done this. Soccer tries to do this. The NFL tries to do this. They. They want to free it up so it aesthetically is is pleasing to watch. And there are times when you watch the WNBA and it's not about Kate and Clark, but it feels like she's the the fuse that lights this. This has been physical for a long, long time. I just think people haven't watched the sport, but this is a seminal moment. This is a huge moment for the league and they have tripped over themselves. I think in the Caitlin Clark, the players embracing Caitlin Clark. They hate Caitlin Clark. They side with angel. Re. You know all of this stuff. You have a Wayne Gretzky, you have a Tiger Woods. Don't screw it up. We'll take a break. Back after this.

[Dan Patrick]

Be sure to catch the live edition of the Dan Patrick show, weekdays at 9:00am Eastern, 6:00am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio Apple.

[Mark Schlereth]

Hey, this is Jason McIntyre.

[Dan Patrick]

Join me every weekday morning on my podcast, Straight fire with Jason McIntyre. This isn't your typical sports pod, pushing the same tired narratives down your throat every day.

[Ben Pickman]

Straight Fire gives you honest opinions on.

[Dan Patrick]

All the biggest sports headlines, accurate stats to help you win big at the.

[Mark Schlereth]

Sportsbook, and all the best guesses. Do yourself a favor and listen to.

[Dan Patrick]

Straight fire with Jason McIntyre on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Ben Pickman]

Thursday Night Football is on, and it's only on prime video. This week, NFC west rivals meet again as the San Francisco 49ers visit. The Los Angeles Rams coverage begins at 7pm Eastern with football's best party, TNF Tonight presented by Verizon. Not a Prime member? Not a problem. Simply sign up for a 30 day free trial. The 49ers and the Rams, Thursday at 7pm Eastern only on Prime Video. Restrictions apply. See Amazon.com Amazon prime for details.

[Dan Patrick]

Hey, this is Matt Jones and I'm Drew Franklin and this is NFL Cover Zero. We think NFL coverage should be informative and entertaining and twice a week that is exactly what you're going to get. We're just here to try to give you an NFL perspective a little bit different.

[Ben Pickman]

Did you see the Colts pretzel? That was my other big takeaway from that game.

[Dan Patrick]

What was that?

[Ben Pickman]

Looks like something that should not be sold.

[Dan Patrick]

Oh my.

[Ben Pickman]

So that was my other big Colts takeaway.

[Dan Patrick]

Sold that. Yes. Might want to go back to the Colts stadium. Yeah, I might want to go back.

[Ben Pickman]

To the drawing board on that.

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah, I thought the shape we had.

[Ben Pickman]

With pretzels was working pretty well for generations.

[Dan Patrick]

We're just here trying to enjoy it. We hope you all will join us throughout the year and let's go.

[Ben Pickman]

I hope I'm as youthful as Pete Carroll is at his age. He's a young 73.

[Dan Patrick]

He is a young 73. He is spry.

[Ben Pickman]

I wouldn't fight him.

[Dan Patrick]

I would listen NFL Cover Zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin, the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Ben Pickman]

I'm Dan, he's Ty. Hello. And we're the Solid Verbal College Football Podcast.

[Dan Patrick]

College football season is here and you know what that means.

[Ben Pickman]

Your team is going to break your heart three times probably before Halloween. Uh huh.

[Dan Patrick]

But fear not, the Solid Verbal will be right there with you through every soul crushing loss and impossible comeback.

[Ben Pickman]

Join us all season long, all year long, as we ride the roller coaster of this ridiculous sport.

[Dan Patrick]

Whether you're a diehard fan or a casual observer, we'll help you make sense of all the chaos and of course, celebrate the madness. Tune in for previews, recaps, bits you won't hear anywhere else, and all the emotional support you need as a college football fan.

[Ben Pickman]

We don't just love college football, Ty, we live it.

[Dan Patrick]

Listen to the Solid Verbal College Football podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Nicole Garcia]

It may look different, but Native culture is very alive. My name is Nicole Garcia and on Burn Sage, Burn Bridges we aim to explore that culture.

[Ben Pickman]

It was a huge honor to become.

[Nicole Garcia]

A television writer because it does feel.

[Dan Patrick]

Oddly like very traditional. It feels like Bob Dylan going electric, that this is something we've been doing for hundreds of years. You carry with you a sense of purpose and confidence.

[Nicole Garcia]

That's Sierra Teller Ornelas, who with Rutherford Falls, became the first Native showrunner in television history. On the podcast Burn Sage Burn Bridges we explore her story along with other Native stories, such as the creation of the first Native Comic Con or the importance of Reservation basketball. Every day, Native people are striving to keep traditions alive while navigating the modern world, influencing and bringing our culture into the mainstream. Listen to Burn Sage, Burn bridges on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Ben Pickman]

December 29, 1975, LaGuardia Airport.

[Dan Patrick]

The holiday rush. Parents hauling luggage, kids gripping their new Christmas toys. Then at 6:33pm everything changed.

[Mark Schlereth]

There's been a bombing at the TWA terminal.

[Dan Patrick]

Apparently the explosion actually impelled metal glass.

[Mark Schlereth]

The injured were being loaded into ambulances.

[Dan Patrick]

Just a chaotic, chaotic scene. In its wake, a new kind of enemy emerged. And it was here to stay. Terrorism, law and criminal justice system is back. In season two we're turning our focus to a threat that hides in plain sight that's harder to predict and even harder to stop. Listen to the new season of law and criminal justice System on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Ben Pickman]

Caitlin Clark's team bowed out in overtime last night. What an incredible season they turned in. They didn't have Cunningham, they didn't have Clark. And they take the aces to a deciding game before bowing out. Mark Schlar, NFL and FOX analyst. He won three Super Bowls with the Broncos and he called the Patriots Panthers game in week four. And guess what? As a reward, he gets the Dolphins in the Panthers coming up this weekend at 1:00 Sunday on Fox. Mark joins us on the program. You know, you've gotten to that grumpy old man age where you can say what you want to. So here's your platform. What's the topic today that is really bothering you?

[Dan Patrick]

Overtime. You like, listen, the fans, you guys did it. You guys asked for this, right? 40, 40 game. We don't get a winner, we don't get a victory. We don't, we don't get victory excuse. What was wrong with sudden death? There was nothing wrong with sudden death. Sudden death, it's, it's sudden and it's death. You're over that. That makes sense to me. Playing to a 40, 40 tie makes zero sense to me. And by the way, I've sat in a bunch of meetings 12 years I played this league. I sat in meetings. I heard it every week. Hey, it' it's special teams, it's offense and it's defense. Your defense had an opportunity to stop the opponent's quarterback. But no, you know what happened? Josh Allen didn't get the ball. And that's not fair. And we want to be fair. And it's not fair. Like, did your parents, your parents, did they ever parent you? Did they ever say to you, hey, man, life ain't fair? Did you not get parented? And now this is what we have to live with, ties. I hate it, Dan. I hate it.

[Ben Pickman]

Okay, if you're in a game and you get to overtime and you lose in sudden death, like would you, are you better at accepting a loss in sudden death overtime than a tie in overtime?

[Dan Patrick]

I'm good with whatever because we had 60 minutes to win this football game and we didn't get it done in 60 minutes. And I'll deal with the consequences of that. I just, I, I hate playing an extra 10 minutes and then nothing is solved. Nothing is satisfied to me. And then. So I just. It just bothers me. The whole thing bothers me. And the thing that bothers me is the way the NFL operates, right? We listen to a bunch of people whine about things, right? And so. And then. And most of the people that whine don't even like the game. Like, like, why do we as a league, why do we basically kowtow to people who don't even like our game? Screw them. It's the greatest game in the world. If you don't like it, tough. I don't care. So that part of. That part, to me, I don't understand. I mean, I guess I understand it. You're trying to get more and more people involved in the game, and I get that part of it, but I just. I don't like to make excuses for it. And I don't like people who don't like our game, who complain about it, that we try to satisfy. Like, screw those people.

[Ben Pickman]

Are you more bothered by overtime or the Broncos uniforms that they trotted out on Monday night?

[Dan Patrick]

I like, hey, man, I'm old school. Like, I liked Pat Patriot. Like, did you see the Patriots in the game against Pittsburgh, you know, with the old Patriot on the helmet and that? I think I. I love that. I love the old school. I wish they'd go back to that Bronco uniform with D. You know, the horse breathing fire out. It snows. Like, I wish they would go back to all that stuff because I think those uniforms are just absolutely classic. They're awesome. And, yeah, they All Blues. I could do without the All Blues, but I hated it, mostly because when we went to All Blues when I played for the Broncos, One, the pants, for whatever reason, the pants were super tight. Like, I didn't like that. And two, two, you look like a Oompa Loompa. Like, you just look like a big, giant Roly poly blueberry. And I was conscientious. I, hey, I looked at my other offensive lineman go, does this uniform make me look fat?

[Ben Pickman]

We're talking to Mark Sloth. You will find him. NFL Fox analyst, Panthers Patriots, Week four. And now you got the Dolphins and the Panthers.

[Dan Patrick]

Wow. It turns out. It turns out that I am the official broadcaster of the NFC South. I don't know whose Cheerios I pissed in to get the Panthers every weekend, but they are. They are. Don't tell anybody I said that. They are a bad football team.

[Ben Pickman]

Okay? I saw this headline, and I knew you were going to call the game. Bryce Young is not a bust. The Panthers are, ah. Is that, Is that a fair headline?

[Dan Patrick]

Well, I think so. You know, we put up in the broadcast the other day. I mean, they had both Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold in their organization and said, see ya. And you know what? You get some good coaching. Sam Darnold actually turns down this Sam Darn is a great story. Because, Sam, they're both great stories. Sam Darnold turns down other opportunities to potentially go in and be a starter. And he decides, I'm going to go to San Francisco and get coached by Kyle Shanahan and learn how to play NFL football. That's what happened. And then he goes to Minnesota and Kyle Shanahan told me he goes, listen, he gets to the jets, right? Bad organization gets to the jets and, and they try to put him in the Peyton Manning offense. He goes, there's one guy that can run the Peyton Manning offense. That's Peyton Manning, right? So he fails there. Then he goes to Matt Rule and the Carolina Panthers and they're running some college. So the first time that this guy has ever gotten into a true progression offense in reality is in San Francisco. And so he learns basically NFL football. He's year four in the league. And at one point, Baker Mayfield, we put a picture of a couple different broadcasts. A Tampa broadcast I did last year where he is actually a scout team defensive end for the Carolina Panthers, and they didn't, like, they cut him. And then he signs on in with the Rams and plays there for a few weeks as that. I think it was a Christmas Day game against the Broncos where he hangs 50 on him after being in the facility for three days. And, and you know, he goes on to play great football. So I don't know what Bryce Young is yet. I think he's. I mean, he's small, he's diminutive, but, you know, he can operate an offense. And I've seen growth because I'm, because I'm the official broadcaster of the Carolina Panthers. I've seen some growth. But, But Dan, like, I think the wide receivers, I think wide receivers are a completely dependent position. They're. They're like children. One, they're dependent, right? Ten other guys had to do their job for them to sniff a football. And then, you know, they're. They're like toddlers. They whine and they cry and they bitch a lot if they don't get fed. Like, that's who wide receivers are. They're just like toddlers. And so ultimately, ultimately there is not very much talent on this football team. And so if you're a great quarterback, you take, you know, fair to Midland wide receivers and you can create a great offense around that. If you're a quarterback trying to figure it out, you've got to surround that guy with some opportunity. Some people who can actually excel get open in one on one. And going into last week, Tedro McMillan had 216 yards receiving. All the other wide receivers combined had 141 through three games. It's just. They just don't. I mean, they're just not very good that way, that talent wise. So again, I just don't know. Do I think he's a franchise quarterback? No. But do I think you can win with Bryce Young? If you put enough people around him and pieces around him, I think you.

[Ben Pickman]

Probably could help me understand the Eagles situation. It feels like every week there's something. Every week there's something. You know, we started out with Spitgate, with Jalen Carter to start the year. Now, you know, you got A.J. brown with a cryptic tweet that he puts out. And then, I mean, they don't throw the ball a lot, but if they, when they do throw it, I think he's targeted a little over 30% of the time. So they're good numbers. You're winning. You're undefeated. You won the Super Bowl. Help me understand the Philadelphia Eagles.

[Dan Patrick]

I can't. I don't understand. I don't come from that world. I don't come from that world where I'm not getting enough shine, so I'm upset. I come from the offensive line world, the world of offensive line. And that's a. You know, we're a secret mushroom society. Nobody knows what the hell we're doing. And if we have a great game, we're just a throwaway tagline, you know, I mean, the guy rushes for 200 yards. You got to think the big fellas up front. Now, let's talk about me. I was awesome. You know, I mean, that's. That's the way it works, right? You give up, man. I can Whip your ass 65 plays in a row, Dan. I give up. One sack, I'm a piece of garbage, and you go to the Pro Bowl. That's the world I come from. And so I don't understand this world of we're winning, but I'm not getting to touch the ball enough. So I'm going to pout or send cryptic tweets or be upset. That world. I don't understand that world. And I mean, ultimately, it is about winning. And I know that you want to compete and I know that you want, you know, you want to win, but you know, it's amazing what you can do as an organization, whether it's football or any organization. It's amazing what you can accomplish when no one cares who gets the credit. And that's the world I come from. So it's probably why I hate wide receivers with a white hot intensity of a thousand suns. So it's, I'm probably not the right guy to ask because I just think, I just think it's selfish and it bothers me and you know, and I'm grumpy and I've got on black socks, so that's where I live right now.

[Ben Pickman]

How frustrating was it or is it for an offensive lineman to do your job for a couple of seconds and then all of a sudden you turn around and your quarterbacks trying to make something happen and then you guys are going to get blamed for a sack?

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah, well, I will, I will tell you that sacks are more of a quarterback driven and a coaching driven statistic than they are an offensive line stat in today's NFL with all the, I mean we didn't even have a bubble screen when I was playing that, that didn't even exist. And you know, and you throw it behind line of scrimmage and out to the sidelines so much and there's so much quick game. You really, if you boil it down, Dan, you say, hey man, we throw it 35 times. You boil it down five times, you've got five, let's call it. I'm just going to make the math easy because I'm not that smart. We're going to go five quick balls like five three step drops, right? So now you're down to, to 30, right? We're going to do five kind of bubble screens. So now I'm down to 25. We're going to do five, you know, swing passes out to the running backs. All right, so now I'm down to, to 20. Now we're going to do a five, five step drop, but five step drop with no hitch. So it's, the ball is out right now. Now I'm down to 15, you know, and so I look at it. How about the boot keep play action game? We're do five of those, right? So now I'm down to, let's, let's call it. I'll whittle it down, you know, give or take a few. I'll whittle down to 12 plays where you actually have to protect 12 plays. And so Ultimately, you got to get the ball out of your hand. That's the way the game is designed. And I was talking to Byron left, which when Tom Brady was playing for the Bay Buccaneers, and I said, what has been the most amazing thing about Tom? And he said, hey, listen, if I call girl flat, which is the first day, like, first day operation curl flat. Everybody in the league runs curl flat. And your first read is the flat. Like it's just a, you know, a back or tight end that's in the flat, right, Whatever it is. And. And that flat is open. And that's the first reading, the progression. Tom will take it 100 out of 100 times, never get bored taking the profit, and he'll put us in second down and six minus, and then the entirety of the offense is open. We're on schedule. You hear people say that all the time on schedule. There are some quarterbacks that don't want to throw it. Let me see what I can get at. Hey, let me see if I can get something better. Let me see if I can get something better. You got to fall in love with boring. And that's why guys who scramble around, most guys who scramble around don't win championships because you gotta be. You can't. Like, ultimately, like, I look at Kyler Murray and do you want to win football games or you want to make SportsCenter highlights? Like, that was. That was what I would ask, like, because I want to. I want to win football games. And the way you win is staying out of third down and long. And the way you stay up third down long is you have success on first and second down. And so if somebody's going to give me a gift, somebody's going to give me a five yard quick out and I pass it by because I want something better or I want to make a highlight play. What's selfish? Football, because it's second down and five, I can do anything. Everything is open to me. Second down and 10. I'm predictable. Nothing is open to me. I have pared down my playbook by, you know, 80%.

[Ben Pickman]

Whatever it is, stay grumpy. Okay.

[Dan Patrick]

I'm gonna get a T shirt. Stay grumpy.

[Ben Pickman]

Stay grumpy. Good to talk to you, buddy. Thank you.

[Dan Patrick]

Likewise. Be good.

[Ben Pickman]

But Mark Slearith, NFL on Fox analyst and the official analyst for the Carolina Panthers, they got Dolphins and the Panthers at 1 Eastern on Sunday on Fox. See. Would you give me an update on the poll results if you can?

[Dan Patrick]

I would be happy to do that for you. Then let's see We've got up there.

[Ben Pickman]

More overrated in the baseball postseason club history, intangibles. Which team wants it more?

[Dan Patrick]

In last week's momentum, which team wants.

[Ben Pickman]

It more, is making a good showing.

[Dan Patrick]

But club history is running away with it.

[Ben Pickman]

So far, the lowest percentage is intangibles. Very important on this list. James in Virginia. Hi, James. What's on your mind today?

[Dan Patrick]

Oh, thank you for taking my call, brother. Happy Wednesday, DB Dan. That's man. Salute the commanders, man. Big time, all the time, every time. You know I'm coming with it, my brother. Can we just take a moment again and just recognize JOHAN Otani, man. Two home runs, two for five, three RBIs. The greatest baseball player to ever play the game because I never saw Babe Ruth, man. But what about the New York Yankees? You gotta ride with your ace in a three game series. This isn't a five or seven game. This is doer guy. And the Yankees don't win back to back. What goes with my back that I made? Oh, my goodness. And lastly, dt, I'm just gonna say this, man. Tulsa King is one of my favorite shows out right now. Give us some time. Sylvester Stallone does a great job, man. Always appreciate you. Thanks for letting me run. Have a great day, guys. Salute the commanders.

[Ben Pickman]

Thank you, James. James in Virginia, Tulsa King with Sylvester Stallone. I'm gonna need you to go to Tulsa. I don't know why is it that.

[Dan Patrick]

In some movies a gangster always has.

[Ben Pickman]

To talk like this?

[Dan Patrick]

So I'm gonna need you to go Tulsa. That's very good.

[Ben Pickman]

Is that your Sylvester Stallone?

[Dan Patrick]

No, it's another guy in the thing.

[Ben Pickman]

I'm gonna come on and sit down. Does he talk with his hands, too? I'm gonna need you to go to Tulsa. You know, you give me a Rambo and I'll watch it.

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah.

[Ben Pickman]

Heck, yeah. I don't know about the Tulsa King. Yeah.

[Dan Patrick]

Paul, if you had a dollar for every show about the Mafia in Tulsa, Oklahoma, it got really good reviews. It's been renewed. Good cast.

[Ben Pickman]

Yeah, I know, I know. I got it.

[Dan Patrick]

I think we should try it.

[Nicole Garcia]

Really?

[Ben Pickman]

I don't know. I. I mean, I give every show 15 minutes. When I start, I'm like, that's. That's really the litmus test. If I get past 15, then I go, all right, maybe I'll watch you, Paul.

[Dan Patrick]

I think that was the genius of episode one of Ozark. In 15 minutes, you were hooked. They went in harsh.

[Ben Pickman]

Yeah. Well, all of a sudden, bodies are falling out of apartment buildings and or guys are you know, pleading for their life. Yeah, that one that was like, oh, wow. Really? There, there wasn't a. A slow burn. You didn't have to wait three episodes. It's like, oh, man. All right, let me take a break. More phone calls coming up. We'll talk some baseball. Sean Casey of MLB Network will stop by at the top of the hour. We're back after this.

[Dan Patrick]

Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our [e-mail] and within the iHeartRadio app.

[Ben Pickman]

Search FSR to listen live. Thursday Night Football is on and it's only on prime video. This week, NFC west rivals meet again as the San Francisco 49ers visit the Los Angeles Rams coverage begins at 7pm Eastern with Football's Best Party TNF tonight presented by Verizon. Not a Prime member. Not a problem. Simply sign up for a 30 day free trial. It's the 49ers and the Rams Thursday at 7pm Eastern only on Prime Video. Restrictions apply. See Amazon.com Amazon prime for details.

[Dan Patrick]

Hey, this is Matt Jones. I'm Drew Franklin and this is NFL Cover Zero. We think NFL coverage should be informative and entertaining. And twice a week that is exactly what you're gonna get. We're just here to try to give you an NFL perspective a little bit different.

[Ben Pickman]

Did you see the Colts pretzel? That was my other big takeaway from that game.

[Dan Patrick]

What was that?

[Ben Pickman]

Looks like something that should not be sold.

[Dan Patrick]

Oh, my.

[Ben Pickman]

So that was my other big Colts.

[Dan Patrick]

They sold that? Yes. Might want to go back to the Colts stadium. Yeah, I want to go back to.

[Ben Pickman]

The drawing board on that.

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah. I thought the shape we had with.

[Ben Pickman]

Pretzels was working pretty well for generations.

[Dan Patrick]

We're just here trying to enjoy it. We hope you all will join us throughout the year. And let's go.

[Ben Pickman]

I hope I'm as youthful as Pete Carroll is at his age. He's a young 73.

[Dan Patrick]

He is a young 73. He is spry.

[Ben Pickman]

I wouldn't fight him.

[Dan Patrick]

I would listen NFL Cover Zero with Matt Jones and Drew Frank on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[Ben Pickman]

I'm Dan. He's Ty. Hello. And we're the solid verbal college football podcast.

[Dan Patrick]

College football season is here and you.

[Ben Pickman]

Know what that means. Your team is going to break your heart three times probably before Halloween. Uh huh.

[Dan Patrick]

But fear not, the solid verbal will be right there with you through every soul crushing loss and impossible comeback.

[Ben Pickman]

Join us all season long all year long as we ride the rollercoaster of this ridiculous sport.

[Dan Patrick]

Whether you're a diehard fan or a casual observer, we'll help you make sense of all the chaos and, of course, celebrate the madness. Tune in for previews, recaps, bits you won't hear anywhere else, and all the emotional stuff, support you need as a college football fan.

[Ben Pickman]

We don't just love college football, Ty, we live it.

[Dan Patrick]

Listen to the solid verbal college football podcasts on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Nicole Garcia]

It may look different, but Native culture is very alive. My name is Nicole Garcia, and on Burn Sage, Burn Bridges, we aim to explore that culture.

[Ben Pickman]

It was a huge honor to become.

[Nicole Garcia]

A television writer because it does feel.

[Dan Patrick]

Oddly like very traditional. It feels like Bob Dylan going electric, that this is something we've been doing.

[Nicole Garcia]

For hundreds of years.

[Dan Patrick]

You carry with you a sense of purpose and confidence.

[Nicole Garcia]

That's Sierra Taller Ornelas, who, with Rutherford Falls, became the first Native showrunner in television history. On the podcast Burn Sage, Burn Bridges, we explore her story along with other Native stories, such as the creation of the first Native Comic Con or the importance of reservation basketball. Every day, Native people are striving to keep traditions alive while navigating the modern world, influencing and bringing our culture into the mainstream. Listen to Burn Sage, Burn bridges on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Ben Pickman]

December 29, 1975. LaGuardia Airport.

[Dan Patrick]

The holiday rush. Parents hauling luggage, Kids gripping their new Christmas toys. Then at 6:33pm everything changed.

[Mark Schlereth]

There's been a bombing at the TWA terminal.

[Dan Patrick]

Apparently the explosion actually impelled metal glass.

[Mark Schlereth]

The injured were being loaded into ambulances.

[Dan Patrick]

Just a chaotic, chaotic scene. In its wake, a new kind of enemy emerged. And it was here to stay. Terrorism, law and criminal justice system is back in season two. We're turning our focus to a threat that hides in plain sight that's harder to predict and even harder to stop. Listen to the new season of law and criminal justice System on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Ben Pickman]

The Dodgers had 10 runs in their win over the Reds. The other three wild card games combined for 11 runs scored. By the way, the teams that win game one of the best of three wild card series are 10 and two in game two of the series and a perfect 120 in the series since the format was instituted in 2022. Day start of the day, Start of.

[Dan Patrick]

The day, Start of the day. This is the start of the day.

[Ben Pickman]

Brought to you by Panini America. The official trading cards of the program. And for over 40 years, Tire Rack's been helping us find the right tires for how and what and where we drive ship fast and free. Backed by free road hazard protection. Tirerack.com is the way tire buying should be. Denny in Portland, Oregon. Hi, Denny. Good morning, dp.

[Dan Patrick]

Thanks for getting me on. I appreciate that. Hey, we are trying to get an MLB team here in the big Rose City and maybe Polly could look this up with the Portland diamond project. It's quite a big deal. Russell Wilson was in on it at its infancy. Do you think Portland is a city that can support a Major League baseball team? And what is. You have to know what the process is for MLB to select a city.

[Ben Pickman]

I don't know the process. I know that the Portland initiative started in 2017 and they were raising $800 million for a new stadium. And even if you do like, there's no guarantee that they would expand there. There's a lot of different places Nashville always comes up is getting a baseball team. You know, it's a great baseball area. They just haven't had a professional team up there. But college, also summer leagues. Yeah.

[Dan Patrick]

Paulie, the Athletic put out an article just a month ago about the expansion progress and a lot of it's off the record, but they said the cities are possible are Nashville, Portland, Salt Lake City, Charlotte, Austin, and Montreal. There probably will only be two spots.

[Ben Pickman]

Yeah, well, Nashville's got one, you know, that feels like it. Feels like they pretty much feels like it.

[Dan Patrick]

They're the Vegas of the Midwest.

[Ben Pickman]

One of everything at this point. Yeah. I hated to see Montreal lose the Expos. There's so many great teams up there and the environment. I got to see the Mets play up there. Gary Carter was still with the Mets and I remember going up and watching a game and had a wonderful time. Yeah.

[Dan Patrick]

Marvin, funny you mentioned. Excuse me. Funny you mentioned the Expos. There's a Netflix documentary called who Killed the Expos? Coming out later this month.

[Ben Pickman]

Oh, okay. Time for the Sept. Heisman. The Sept. Heisman. The college football player that you think is going to win the Heisman this month. Yeah, if it were given out this month.

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah, if it were this morning.

[Ben Pickman]

Okay. Todd, your nomination for the Sept. Heisman.

[Dan Patrick]

I'm gonna go with the Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore. I think he should be the leader in the clubhouse for now.

[Ben Pickman]

Okay. Safe. All right, Seaton, you got one. Yeah, I was gonna say Dante Moore as well. Oregon. Okay.

[Dan Patrick]

Huge week If I could go non quarterback, I'll go Jeremiah Smith.

[Ben Pickman]

All right, let's get a wide receiver. Marvin.

[Dan Patrick]

I'm with Fritzi. I'm going Dante Moore. Oregon also.

[Ben Pickman]

Wow. 3 for 3. Ball.

[Dan Patrick]

See, I'm not going Dante Moore because he has a really good chance to win the whole thing. This is for a guy who's gonna get it this month, but not in November. December.

[Ben Pickman]

So it's not someone we think can actually win.

[Dan Patrick]

It's someone who can only win it this month. Exactly. Oh, I wasn't aware of that.

[Ben Pickman]

Yes. Got it.

[Dan Patrick]

It's the Septisman, not the Heisman. Fernando Mendoza of the Indiana Hoosiers got.

[Ben Pickman]

Heisman written all over him.

[Dan Patrick]

What are you talking about? When they get into some of those tougher games. Maybe not. Sixteen touchdowns, one pick in the month of September.

[Ben Pickman]

Yeah, that was my choice. The Indiana quarterback, a transfer in.

[Dan Patrick]

I think he's number two in the odds right now.

[Ben Pickman]

Septem. Heisman. Septism. Septisman. And then we do the Septem VP Next hour.

[Dan Patrick]

Very exciting. That could be any person or coach or executive in sports who had the best month.

[Ben Pickman]

Like Bad Bunny. Could be the. Yeah. September vp.

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah.

[Ben Pickman]

Or Benny Blanco, who married Selena Gomez. Man.

[Dan Patrick]

Learn how to sing.

[Ben Pickman]

Dang. Or write music. Yes. Yeah. All right, we have a height quiz. This, of course, was a situation issue yesterday. Marvin claimed he was tall and he's six feet tall. And you're not tall, you're just not short. I think we established that.

[Dan Patrick]

Did we?

[Ben Pickman]

Yeah, I did. As being a heightist and somebody who towers over you hours.

[Dan Patrick]

I think. I think that's the reason you ran.

[Ben Pickman]

McLovin out of here. Was so you. He was too tallest. Yeah. Now I'm the tallest. So you guys are all sure. I think that's why you. When we hire people, I just say you don't send your resume. Just height and weight. That's all I care about. Anthony got hired. He's shorter than me. Rob got hired. He's shorter than me. Just about everybody. Ray. Big day. Ray. Ray's taller than me, but he slumps around a lot. Yeah, he does. Whenever he's around me. Yeah. When he's around me, he's hunched over a little bit. Okay, the height quiz.

[Dan Patrick]

Paul, we have a little quiz. What is the tallest country in the world where the average height of the people is the tallest. And there's five of them. There's a clear number one that always wins us. But there's five countries. Who would like to take a shot?

[Ben Pickman]

Todd.

[Dan Patrick]

China. Nope.

[Ben Pickman]

Seaton. Oh, man.

[Dan Patrick]

It's not.

[Ben Pickman]

I'm gonna say the Dutch. Wait, what is the Dutch?

[Dan Patrick]

That Netherlands. You are correct. The Netherlands is the tallest country in the world. Whoa. All of the lands of Nether often cited as the tallest nation. Average height just over six feet.

[Ben Pickman]

Okay, so not tall.

[Dan Patrick]

They call it Netherlands because they're so tall. No, but the rest of us can't see those heights.

[Ben Pickman]

They're in the Netherlands. Those heights are the Netherlands.

[Dan Patrick]

Nice job.

[Ben Pickman]

All right, Marvin, who else is on the list of tallest countries?

[Dan Patrick]

Not Italy. Not Italy is correct.

[Ben Pickman]

That's a shock.

[Dan Patrick]

You're not a very tall bunch of reasons. Canada.

[Ben Pickman]

No, I'm going Australia.

[Dan Patrick]

No, Montenegro, Denmark, Serbia, and Estonia. The Balkans are tall.

[Ben Pickman]

Oh, the Balkans. The Tolkien's.

[Dan Patrick]

The Tolkiens.

[Ben Pickman]

Yeah. J.R. tolkien's.

[Dan Patrick]

Back to you.

[Ben Pickman]

Yeah, see, I went to class occasionally. I didn't read Junior Tolkien. Did you guys?

[Dan Patrick]

Yes, you did, J.R.R.

[Ben Pickman]

Oh, my bad. Marvin, did you read Tolkien?

[Dan Patrick]

I did not, Todd.

[Ben Pickman]

I'm. I'm sure you did. You could just stop with, did you read. Nope. No, I didn't, Todd. I don't think I read a Tolkien book. Oh, really? That was ever assigned to us. Oh, okay. Did you read Beowulf? Yes.

[Dan Patrick]

We had to do not two months on Beowulf Canterbury Tales.

[Ben Pickman]

I know. I like Beowulf. I. I couldn't. I cried wolf.

[Dan Patrick]

Who's afraid of Virginia Wolf?

[Ben Pickman]

My English teacher was a beautiful woman, Mrs. Ross. And that's the only reason why I paid attention. I paid attention to her, not what she was teaching me. And, you know, you just shake your head like, Dan, I. Answer the question.

[Dan Patrick]

Yes.

[Ben Pickman]

Sean Casey joins us. Talk some baseball with him. Final hour on this Wednesday. More of your phone calls as well. Operator Tyler sitting by.877 3DP show.

[Dan Patrick]

Hey, this is Matt Jones.

[Ben Pickman]

And I'm Drew Franklin.

[Dan Patrick]

And this is NFL Cover Zero. We're just here to try to give.

[Ben Pickman]

You an NFL perspective a little bit different. Did you see the Colts pretzel? That was my other big takeaway from that game.

[Dan Patrick]

What was that? Oh, my. We think NFL coverage should be informative and entertaining. And twice a week, that is exactly what you're gonna get. Listen to NFL Cover Zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Ben Pickman]

I'm Dan. He's Ty. Hello. And we're the solid verbal college football podcast.

[Dan Patrick]

Tune in for previews, recaps, bits you won't hear anywhere else, and all the.

[Ben Pickman]

Emotional support you need as a college football fan. Join us all season long as we ride the roller coaster of this ridiculous sport. Listen to the solid verbal college football.

[Dan Patrick]

Podcasts on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Ben Pickman]

We don't just love college football, Ty. We live.

[Nicole Garcia]

May look different, but native culture is alive. My name is Nicole Garcia and on Burn Sage, Burn Bridges we aim to explore that culture.

[Dan Patrick]

Somewhere along the way it turned into this full fledged award winning comic shop.

[Nicole Garcia]

That's Dr. Lee Francis IV who opened the first native comic bookshop. Explore his story along with many other native stories on the show Burn Sage, Burn Bridges. Listen to Burn Sage, Burn bridges on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Dan Patrick]

The Internet is something we make, not just something that happens to us.

[Nicole Garcia]

I'm Bridget Todd, host of the tech and culture podcast There are no girls on the Internet. In our new season, I'm talking to people like Anil Dash, an OG entrepreneur and writer who refuses to be cynical about the Internet.

[Ben Pickman]

I love tech. You know, I've been a nerd my whole life.

[Dan Patrick]

But it does have to be for something like. It's not just for its own sake.

[Nicole Garcia]

It's an inspiring story that focuses on people as the core building blocks of the Internet. Listen to There are no girls on the Internet on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[Ben Pickman]

December 29, 1975, LaGuardia Airport.

[Dan Patrick]

The holiday rush. Parents hauling luggage. Kids gripping their new Christmas toys. Then everything changed.

[Mark Schlereth]

There's been a bombing at the TWA terminal.

[Dan Patrick]

Just a chaotic, chaotic scene. In its wake, a new kind of enemy emerged. Terrorism. Listen to the new season of law and criminal justice System on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Nicole Garcia]

This is an iHeart podcast.