3 & Out - Can't miss prospects in the draft, Draft prep, Woody Johnson on Aaron Glenn

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Title: The Herd with Colin Cowherd
Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume
Episode: 3 & Out - Can't Miss Prospects in the Draft, Draft Prep, Woody Johnson on Aaron Glenn
Release Date: April 7, 2025

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Introduction

In this episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd, the discussion centers around the upcoming NFL Draft, highlighting standout prospects, preparation strategies employed by teams, and a deep dive into Woody Johnson’s perspective on Aaron Glenn's role as the Jets' coordinator. The episode provides listeners with comprehensive insights into the draft landscape, player evaluations, and organizational dynamics within NFL teams.

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1. Can't Miss Prospects in the Draft

Key Prospects Discussed:

• Cooper Flagg:

  • Timestamp [20:15]:
    "Cooper Flagg looks like a can't miss player. In the NBA, the impact of such players is clear, but in the NFL, especially as quarterbacks, the variables increase."
    Cooper is hailed as a top prospect with considerable hype. Despite the challenges inherent in quarterback positions, his talent positions him as a potential standout in the draft.

• Trevor Lawrence:

  • Timestamp [22:45]:
    "Trevor Lawrence is one of the best prospects of all time, reminiscent of Andrew Luck and Peyton Manning. His talent was evident, but his performance has since been a mixed bag."
    Lawrence's prospects have been overshadowed by inconsistent performances post his college career, raising questions about his future trajectory.

Notable Highlights:

• Player Evaluation:

  • Timestamp [25:30]:
    "In football, the complexity of team dynamics makes predicting quarterback success challenging. Unlike the NBA, where individual performance has a more direct impact, football relies heavily on team synergy."
    The discussion underscores the multifaceted evaluation required for quarterbacks, considering not just individual skills but also team fit and organizational support.

• Hype vs. Reality:

  • Timestamp [28:10]:
    "There's often a disparity between the hype surrounding a prospect and their actual performance potential. It's crucial to discern genuine talent from inflated expectations."
    This segment emphasizes the importance of grounded assessments over media-driven hype in predicting draft outcomes.

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2. Draft Preparation and Team Strategies

Team Meeting Dynamics:

• Scouting Staff vs. Coaches:

  • Timestamp [35:50]:
    "Teams like the Chiefs invest heavily in group tape reviews, integrating coaches into scouting to ensure a comprehensive evaluation."
    The balance between scouting departments and coaching staff opinions is critical in shaping draft decisions.

• Influence of Head Coaches:

  • Timestamp [38:20]:
    "Head coaches wield significant influence, often swaying draft picks based on personal preferences and team needs."
    The episode explores how coaches' insights and biases can impact the final selection of draft prospects.

Key Considerations:

• Player Interviews and Visits:

  • Timestamp [42:00]:
    "Teams conduct extensive player visits, assessing not only athletic prowess but also character and fit within the team culture."
    Emphasis is placed on the holistic evaluation of players, beyond just their on-field abilities.

• Assessing Character and Integrity:

  • Timestamp [45:30]:
    "Evaluating a player's character is paramount. Red flags can significantly alter a player's draft stock, irrespective of their talent."
    The importance of character assessment is highlighted as a determining factor in draft preparations.

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3. Woody Johnson on Aaron Glenn and the Jets' Future

Woody Johnson’s Perspective:

• Timestamp [50:45]:
  "Woody Johnson emphasized Aaron Glenn's pivotal role, stating, 'If Aaron Glenn can't turn around the Jets, no one can.'"
  Woody Johnson underscores Glenn's importance in reshaping the Jets' defense, signaling a vote of confidence in his strategic acumen.

• Organizational Dynamics:

  • Timestamp [53:10]:
    "Johnson's hands-on approach contrasts with previous ownership styles, indicating a shift towards more direct involvement in football operations."
    The episode delves into how Woody Johnson's active involvement is steering the Jets toward a new direction, potentially overcoming past organizational challenges.

Challenges and Opportunities:

• Overcoming Ownership Influence:

  • Timestamp [56:25]:
    "Glenn faces the daunting task of navigating the complexities of ownership interference while implementing his defensive strategies."
    Balancing coaching responsibilities with ownership expectations is highlighted as a significant challenge for Glenn.

• Potential for Team Transformation:

  • Timestamp [59:40]:
    "With Glenn at the helm of the defense, there's optimism about the Jets' ability to compete at higher levels, provided organizational support remains consistent."
    The discussion concludes on an optimistic note, suggesting that Aaron Glenn's leadership could be the catalyst the Jets need to ascend in the NFL standings.

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Insights and Conclusions

• Holistic Draft Evaluations:
  The episode emphasizes the necessity of comprehensive evaluations that consider not just player talent but also character, team fit, and organizational dynamics.

• Impact of Leadership:
  Woody Johnson’s proactive approach and trust in Aaron Glenn exemplify how decisive leadership can influence a team's trajectory, especially during transformative periods like the NFL Draft.

• Navigating Hype and Reality:
  Differentiating between genuine talent and media-driven hype is crucial for teams aiming to make informed and strategic draft selections that align with long-term success.

• Team Synergy Over Individual Talent:
  Success in the NFL, particularly for positions like quarterback, hinges more on team synergy and support systems rather than solely on individual performance metrics.

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Notable Quotes

• Cooper Flagg on Draft Prospects:

  • [20:15] "Cooper Flagg looks like a can't miss player. In the NBA, the impact of such players is clear, but in the NFL, especially as quarterbacks, the variables increase."

• Trevor Lawrence on Draft Potential:

  • [22:45] "Trevor Lawrence is one of the best prospects of all time, reminiscent of Andrew Luck and Peyton Manning. His talent was evident, but his performance has since been a mixed bag."

• Woody Johnson on Aaron Glenn:

  • [50:45] "If Aaron Glenn can't turn around the Jets, no one can."

• Team Scouting Strategies:

  • [35:50] "Teams like the Chiefs invest heavily in group tape reviews, integrating coaches into scouting to ensure a comprehensive evaluation."

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Conclusion

This episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd provides a nuanced exploration of the NFL Draft's intricacies, spotlighting key prospects, dissecting team preparation methodologies, and examining leadership influences within franchises. Colin Cowherd, alongside expert guests, offers listeners a deep dive into what makes certain draft picks stand out and how organizational dynamics, particularly leadership decisions, can shape a team's future.

For those keen on understanding the factors that drive draft success and the strategic maneuvers of NFL teams, this episode serves as an invaluable resource, blending expert analysis with insightful commentary.

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Listen to The Herd with Colin Cowherd on:

• iHeartRadio App
• Apple Podcasts
• Wherever you get your podcasts.

Transcript

[Jeremy Hobson]

We live in a divided country and our media couldn't be more polarizing. That's why we started the Middle with Jeremy Hobson. It's about bringing voices not from the extremes, but from the vast middle into the national conversation. Each week we hear from ordinary Americans from all over the country. And when you subscribe to the Middle, you also get an episode each week called One Thing Trump did that focuses on just one item from the avalanche of news. Listen to the Middle with Jeremy Hobson on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Bob Pittman]

Hi, I'm Bob Pippman, chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia. I'm excited to introduce a brand new season of my podcast, Math and Stories from the Frontiers of Marketing. I'm having conversations with some folks across a wide range of industries to hear how they reach the top of their fields and the lessons they learned along the way that everyone can use. I'll be joined by innovative leaders like chairman and CEO of Elf Beauty, Tarang Amin, legendary singer, songwriter and philanthropist Jewel. Being a rock star is very fun, but helping people is way more fun. And Damian Maldonado, CEO of American Financing.

[Julie Swerbinks]

I figured out the formula. I just have to work hard then that's magic.

[Bob Pittman]

Join me as we uncover innovations in data and analytics, the math, and the ever important creative spark, the magic. Listen to math and magic on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Nate Thompson]

What's up, everyone? Julie Swerbinks here, along with former NHL player Nate Thompson.

[Julie Swerbinks]

We're doing a new podcast together. Here we go.

[Nate Thompson]

The name Energy Line with Nate and jsb.

[Julie Swerbinks]

Each week we'll get together and talk about hockey life. All topics are fair game, right?

[Nate Thompson]

Exactly. And you'll never know who will drop by to join us.

[Julie Swerbinks]

Julie is pretty well connected. She has text threads going that you wouldn't believe.

[Nate Thompson]

Listen to Energy Line with Nate and JSB on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Jemele Hill]

You have to be very careful with tradition because sometimes tradition is just dead people's baggage.

[Roy Wood Jr.]

I'm Jemele Hill, host of the sports and politics podcast Spolit. On this week's episode, I talk with comedian Roy Wood Jr. About the lack of African American star power in Major League Baseball.

[Jemele Hill]

Baseball needs an Anthony Edwards and I don't know who that could be. Mookie Betts is Steph Curry. He's exceptional and likable. Million Dollar Smile. But you also need Chaos Negro.

[Roy Wood Jr.]

Listen to spoletics on the iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Julie Swerbinks]

The volume. What is going on, everybody? How are we doing? I'm John. This 3Now podcast and we're here to talk a little football. And that is what we will do because the draft is now in 18 days away. We got two full weeks this week and next week and then the following week is the draft Thursday the 24th, the first round. Very, very exciting. It's obviously a huge, huge weekend for the National Football League for all your teams because nothing creates more hope than drafting players. It's exciting, it's fun to talk about and it's not far away. So one thing we will try to do over the next couple weeks is do a draft related topic every single day. And that's what we will do. So obviously the Masters this week, we will dive in either tomorrow or the next day. Big, big Masters podcast. Gambling heavy. Might do Wednesday or yeah, record on Tuesday for Wednesday. Just so we have some of the press conferences the next couple days. I've already dove pretty. I mean, I get very aggressive gambling on this golf tournament. So we will dive into that from a draft K standpoint. We will also do a mailbag today at John Middlekopf. Firing those dms. And you guys know the drill. Other than that, any, any Masters questions for later this week at Golopod, Fire in those dms. I have a separate Instagram for for golf only. And obviously this is just a huge week, biggest golf tournament of the year and kind of a slower NFL week with everyone kind of just bunkering down draft meetings. And it kind of, it kind of quiets here for a couple weeks before, before the tornado of the draft. So I'm excited. It's about that time of year to, to make some picks. But you guys know the drill. If you listen on Collins feed, subscribe to the podcast. We got a YouTube channel, bunch of content up there as well. And you know, I got to tell you about my friends, my partners in the official ticketing app of this podcast. You know, it's funny, I saw Alexandro Ovechkin broke Wayne Gretzky's goal record in the NHL. I've been to one NHL game in my life. It was because of my friends. At game time, I went to a game here at Arizona when they used to have a hockey team before Utah stole them. And the arena was at the club hockey arena. So it was like 4,500 people. That's where the NHL team played. And I saw the Washington Capitals, I saw Alexander Ovechkin, he didn't score that night, but the Capitals killed him. But I remember thinking hockey is an incredible in person experience if you ever have the chance. I cannot. I've been told this forever and I finally did it. I was like, this is sweet. And I planned on going to more and then they moved. But if you want to go to an NHL game, the playoffs are right around the corner. The Capitals are actually incredible this year. I think they compete to be the number one seed. Obviously baseball in full swing with the NBA playoffs right around the corner. You got, you got concert season. You know, concert season is great. Nothing like in the spring or the summer going to a concert on like a Friday or Saturday night. Comedy shows. They got you covered. Best ticketing app I've ever used by a country mile. So take the guesswork out of buying tickets with GameTime. Download the GameTime app, create an account, use the code JOHN for $20 off. First. Your first purchase terms apply. Again, create an account, redeem the code Johan. That's my name. $20 off. Download the Game Time app today. Last minute tickets, lowest prices guaranteed. Had a pretty good day Saturday. Played golf, got home, turned on Duke Houston. Watch that bad boy. An all time meltdown. But like anyone who's a sucker for players in college, whether it's basketball, obviously football, I love watching elite prospects, right? And Cooper Flagg looks like a can't miss player. Now there is no such thing. I say this all the time in the NFL as can't miss, but I think in the NBA it's pretty clear like worst case scenario, this guy's going to be really good. Like there is obviously a big difference between like LeBron James and John Wall. But like John Wall was pretty good in the NBA though he started getting banged up, you know, Derrick Rose, Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving. Like it's pretty clear like this guy, I don't know if he's hall of Famer or like a 10 time All Star, but more than likely he's going to be a really good player in the NFL. It's very difficult. I mean we heard about Trevor Lawrence for multiple years. He's the greatest prospect since Andrew Locke and Peyton Manning and one of the best prospects of all time. And I'm not trying to like play Monday morning quarterback here, but I remember thinking like he has really talented player, obviously an excellent prospect. I, I don't know, is he going to be like some all time great player? I'm not just saying that now. I remember thinking there was like this guy's just a can't miss. And then all my friends in the NFL is like, best prospect I've ever evaluated. And you see, it's like, hasn't gone well. Now there's a big difference. Like Cooper Flag could go to whatever team in the NBA in basketball, because there's only five guys on a court, one individual, if he's a great player, Steph Curry, Joker, Giannis, whoever, can have a huge impact and dictate the terms. In football, especially as a quarterback, you know, there's a lot of variables. You, you don't pick the players in the NBA if you want to, you get to do that. You definitely don't call the plays. The coordinator does that. Who a lot of times is now your head coach. You, you're very dependent on who your skilled guys are, how good your defense is. Like, there are way more variables in football, but like, usually the cream rises and it's clear, like, these guys are really good. These guys are kind of questionable. And you're watching Cooper Flag, you're like, God, this guy all. There's a lot of hype. Justified baller. Now, you know I'm not a Duke hater, but didn't mind the meltdown though. I kind of wish on Monday night they were in this game. It would make it a little more interesting. But props to Houston. It got me thinking, like in this draft, which I would say has a, I don't want to say a negative cloud over it, but there is a hype on a draft when you have great players near the top and usually that's quarterbacks. I would say last year's draft is one of the more hyped drafts of this century. Why? Because it was discussed that, you know, I think we were all kind of blown away that six guys ended up going, but it was pretty clear like four or five guys were probably going near the top 15. And then it said a record six guys went in the top 12. And quarterbacks drive the day. Like I would be. I think most people, if you pulled around the NFL, you'd go, Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter. It's going to be hard for them not to be good players. Right? And I would agree. Like, I have a hard time seeing a guy that can bend like Abdul Carter can. Again, obviously assuming health in Travis Hunter with his skill set of being able to do multiple things, of not just be able to figure it out and be a high level starter in the NFL. Now there's a big difference of like, we feel really good about this guy as a Starter and over the course of six, seven years he makes a Pro bowl or two. And I'm not talking about the fake Pro bowl when half the thing, half the people drop out. I'm talking about like, no, you were one of the best players in your position. You're a no brainer and just like, yeah, this guy was a really good starter and he made a Pro Bowl. Like that's always on the table with NFL draft picks like Abdul Carter. There some people think like not quite physical enough. Not what I saw. But I know that has been debated in some draft rooms. One thing you hear with Travis Hunter is like, God, he's pretty skinny. And there was this viral video of him at the, at the showcase. I like prime calling it the showcase of him running this route. Like, yeah, he's got skinny ankles. But here's what I'd say. It's like number one prospect, went to college. I watched him ball. He's going to be good now. How good? If he does become a wide receiver, which is very possible, who knows how this is all going to shake out. It's hard to be one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. Why? Because it is a star studded group and at corner, it's just a tough position to play. We have seen a lot of guys that have focused on that position that we thought were like, can't miss high level prospects, you know, struggle. It's, it's difficult. One you're covering star players every single week and it's just a naturally a hard position to play. So you know, the draft this year because of Cam Ward and now Travis Hunter after the Colorado showcase is the betting favorite to be the number two overall pick. So by all signs, I mean Cam Ward is going to Tennessee. I don't know, you know, whether it's going to be Travis Hunter. Maybe they're a little nervous with the Abdul Carter injury. But if Travis Hunter goes to, I think that brings into question like what are the Giants going to do? Would they take Abdul Carter? I mean they're pretty heavily invested in the defensive line position. That would be a huge win for the Patriots if Abdul Carter fell to them. But what would they do if they don't take a quarterback at 3? Do they take Shador? And that's where these questions kind of are happening all around the NFL. And it's the one cool part about being in these draft rooms and every team does it a little bit differently. I mean heavily. All 32 teams over the next couple of weeks will be meeting now not all meetings look the same, you know, Like, I know the Chiefs, as I was told over super bowl week when I was hanging out with some of them, that there's not a team in the league that watches more tape as a group getting ready over the course of the spring than us. Like, they spend a lot of time as a scouting staff watching tape together and their coaches get intermixed in and out. But it is, you know, it is Veatch and the scouting staff really driving and dictating the terms when it comes to picking the players. And some teams are very, very coach dependent, right? The coaches have a lot of juice. And the assistant coaches, obviously the coordinators and the position coaches have gotten heavily involved in this process over the last month, and they are coming in with opinions that might differ from the scouting department. Like, think about it. If you have, like the. If you're a college scouting director and you have loved like 10 different guys all season long and you have been evaluating them, you've gone into their schools, you've met with the players at the senior bowls, at the all star games, at the combine. Like, you've spent a lot of time. The coaches kind of helicopter in at the combine, kind of, but they haven't really watched any of these players. The big misconception, head coaches, you know, like Andy Reid is pretty dialed on, dialed into what's going on in the college landscape. It just games are on constantly. You could convince me that half the coaches in the NFL during the fall don't really know at all what's going on in college football beside, like a couple of the best teams and watching a game here or there. So when and if I'm saying that about the head coaches, think about the coordinators who are just deep into, not just their position coaches or groups, but their units, the pressure of calling plays, and then the little time they do have Thursday, Friday, Saturday, assuming they're at home. Like, you kind of got to spend it with the wife. And if you got kids, and most of them, you know, if they're under 50 years old, the kids are going to be relatively young. Like, you're not that locked into college football. So they come in and who are a lot of their friends, other coaches, you got to be very careful. And I've been asked this for a long time, like, who's the least trustworthy person in a college building? Well, it's not even an argument. It's the head coach. Well, why is that? Well, because if I'm a head coach, what do I benefit from? The More guys get drafted high as possible. You get a lot more credit as a head coach than like, well, he had a great team, full of high character guys. But two guys got drafted, one in the sixth round, the other guy in the seventh round. Or it's like, yeah, kind of a questionable squad. Guys got in trouble. Not sure you know who's who you trust. But four guys in the top 50, what's a better headline for that university to tweet out and Instagram out? So they push heavily on leaning on the glass half full side with guys. That's why you got to be very careful about the offseason. Because what's going on? Well, the players are out of their building. They're not dealing with them on a daily basis. Plus they're not playing in any games. So emotionally they're a little more, I would say, calm. And you are less likely to get the truth and more of a positive spin where some of your best information comes. And this is where the coaches have nothing to do with it because their own focus on their own team is during the season when they've just had a two game losing streak and you run into the coordinator or the head coach on like a Tuesday or Wednesday in their building, they're gonna shoot it to you straight. Like, yeah, this guy won't listen. He's showing up late, he's not working hard. We thought the last couple games he's been turning it down. Then, then you get them right now in April. It's like, I'm telling you, man, this guy hasn't even scratched the surface. I know there were some, some buzz about him not being that tough. Bs. He was dealing with a knee injury. It's like, well, you didn't tell me that when I talked to you in October after you had just got rolled two weeks in a row on espn, Saturday night prime time. You told me you can't win with this guy. You don't trust this guy. So this is where in going on the pod with Colin last week, he said, what are you really doing over the course of the next couple weeks? Like, do guys rise and fall? And rising and falling to me has always been a little bullshit because like you rise and fall during the season, right? You're playing well, you're moving up, you're playing bad. You're either stagnant because we still love your upside, or you're falling, right? But once the season ends, most of these teams don't allow you to change your grade. So whatever the date is, let's say January 15th or January 30th or, or January 20th, your grade on the player is set. Why they're not playing any more games now where you can change stuff is like hey, we've gotten more character information, we've done some more digging, we've heard this, that and the other. And then that can affect like yeah, we don't really trust this guy but it's not based on because yeah, we don't think he can play. Like we all watched him and we don't trust some other stuff. Now where it gets weird is when the assistant coach, the quarterback coach and the coordinator start ganging up on the scouting staff like yeah, we disagree with this, we love this guy. Sometimes it works. You know who banged the table for Brock Purdy? Brian Greasy, who actually just quit football because he was tired of grinding so much. Don't blame Marty Rich. I mean to work 90 hour work weeks is insane when you, you know get into it like in your 50s like so I got a lot of respect for him to even attempting it. But like I don't think Purdy, I think there's a decent chance Purdy's not drafted if the coaching staff doesn't get super involved. And the 49ers are a very, very coach influenced team. Kyle Shanahan and his group have a lot of juice. So like and obviously last pick in the draft, it's not the end all be all either way. But you know, I just think all these teams are trying to figure that out. And the other thing you're going to hear a lot about is these 30 visits. Some people call them top 30 visits. That would obviously insinuate that these are your top players. And people in the NFL often push back against that because it's not your top 30 players. You just are allotted as an NFL team. 30 prospects are allowed to come to your building and spend. When I worked in the NFL is 24 hours, maybe it's a little more now, but you basically spend the day, maybe you fly in at night, you stay at the hotel. A guy like me, someone on the scouting staff or maybe a coaching staff picks the guy up from the hotel, let's say 6:37 in the morning, come to the building and you basically spend all day with the squad. You are meeting with the coaches, the head coach, the coordinators, the position coach, probably the gm, the scouting staff, the trainers, maybe the weight room staff. And depending on like I could bring a six round pick because I got question marks on their character and we really like the player or I'M definitely bringing some guys that I plan on drafting in the top couple rounds. In my experience, the owner meets with that guy. I know sometimes you read owners are at the combine. When I with the Eagles, I've never seen that. I know Jeffrey went, I think when they were going after Carson Wentz, but for the most part, you know, most, you know, Jed Yorks, the Cronkies, like, these guys aren't going to the combine, but if they're, they have an office at the building and it's like, yeah, we're bringing the guy that we might draft with the 14th overall pick. I think it would be kind of gross negligence for that guy not at least to talk with them. And again, they're not breaking down like, you know, what coverage were you doing on this play? It's more just probably talking to him as a guy and then any troubled player, you really want to get to know him. Now. I do think this is where, you know, having a good feel for the youth because I'll never forget like when I did it and I used to for a couple years, like I was a big part of picking guys up, bringing them around, walking them around the building. You just spend a lot of time with them and take them from spot to spot and then, you know, go to lunch or dinner with them in the, in the, in the city with some of your coaches and get a free meal, which you know, when you're making 40 grand, it's like you never complain about. But I do think that you got to be careful. Bobby Wagner was a guy obviously a big time player in college, but he was at Utah State and he came in on a visit. I remember he had a Ninja Turtle backpack. And I remember thinking like, this guy's gonna next Ray Lewis. You think Ray Lewis rocking a ninja Turtle backpack to an NFL team. And you got to be careful about certain, like, obviously it didn't matter at all. I mean, sometimes young people that are just not quote, unquote, your generation or whatever. Not that my thought on that had any impact on him as a guy, but I just remember thinking that. And I remember after like a couple of years later, it's like, yeah, he's one of the best players in the NFL. Some dudes just like different shit. So you got to be the one thing that's a tell all to me, always is. And you don't know, like as fans, but for coaches and for staff, when you've been like, to me, if I'm Travis Hunter, I'm clearly have no red flags Right. I'm just a good guy, high character, like, great player. I can show up to your facility. Let's say the Giants bring me in or the Browns. Like, I can wear whatever I want. Sweats, normal clothes, Colorado gear, like, it doesn't matter. But whenever there's a guy that has, like, off the field questions, like, red flags and he shows up in a suit, you're like, that's kind of a problem. Like, what are you trying to hide here, buddy? And they're on their best behavior. It's like, bro, just. Just admit or be honest about whatever happened. And I remember Lombardi used to say this all the time back when he was a podcaster. Like, we already have all the answers to the tests. So you just. We're not looking for your opinion on it. Like, when we ask you a question, like, we already know what the answer is. It's just going to be interesting which route you go now. It does feel like at least near the near high. In this draft, there aren't a lot of question marks off the field with, I mean, Shador Cam, pretty open book. Abdul Carter, Travis Hunter, Will Campbell, Genty Mason Graham. You know, every once in a while you had a class with, like, yeah, three of the top 10 prospects, major question marks and that, you know, a couple years ago, Jalen Carter, you bring him in. Like, there's not much to figure out as a player. Like, yeah, he's fucking awesome. It's like you're just spending all the time to get to know the guy. And with a quarterback, like, the one thing with Cam, Shador and even the rest of the crew, intelligence and football. Intelligence and comprehending football is really, really important. Now you do hear these stories of, like, I remember Mahomes with the Chiefs, there was another guy recently. God, I forget who it was, but, like, he got asked a bunch of those questions with. With an assistant coach or. No, the head coach is peppering him with questions about what you know or what you don't know. And they give you, like, you know, six or seven plays and they expect. Expect you to regurgitate it. It's basically impossible. Where, like, there have been stories. I remember Matt Nagy did this with Mahomes where you, like, gave him the answers before, so even when they threw him off. But there was another quarterback, too. I don't know if it was Josh Allen, but it was someone like that. But like, that type stuff's funny, but for the most part, these are pretty serious. So, yeah, I mean, when you see these top 30 visits, sometimes people have said that, like, sometimes you bring in guys that you're not interested in to throw people off the scent. I don't think with only having 30, the ability to talk to 30 people, you can really afford to do that. Like, if you're bringing in a guy, you're interested in them. Now, maybe there are individual examples on a yearly basis where a team brought a guy in and they weren't interested in them. It was like to make a team think you wanted them so they would jump them so they could take some other player. I think that would be pretty complicated to try to execute because you would also have to assume you know what these other teams are thinking. And it's pretty secretive time of year. But what I think a lot of times happen is maybe you bring a guy in that you're interested in, and then when they leave, you're like, yeah, we're not as interested anymore. And that's. Isn't that just natural business? I mean, I'm sure a lot of people listening, if you have different roles and whatever company you work for, maybe you run your own company, maybe you're in a hiring position at a company, like, you meet with people and you go, yeah, pretty likable. Guys don't think it's going to fit here. Doesn't mean you're right, and maybe that guy would have fit. But if you're in a position where you can dictate whether they come or not, you're like, yeah, I don't, I don't see this one working. I don't think you're incapable. I think you can go on to have a good career with some other company, but it's probably not going to work here. I think that happens a lot in football once the coaches and the GM and the owner really meet with the guy. Like, yeah, I don't. I don't really see it. And obviously, anytime the owner either wants a guy or is out on a guy, doesn't really matter what the team thinks. And speaking of an owner that you know clearly is very involved is Woody Johnson. I mean, the pushback on the NFLPA grades, which honestly, I don't even have the energy to quite figure out. Like, I don't even care, you know, to get to give an owner an F. I think for these players, like, how often are they really around them? I think it's more just like the vibe in the place. But. But when Woody Johnson is quoted at the owner's meetings saying that Justin Fields is a winner, which in college, that's True, obviously in the NFL that's untrue. But that looking back on his draft, I might be screwing this up a little bit. But it was basically, it was clear that Trevor Lawrence and him were the top two guys and they were the best two prospects in that draft. Like, bro, your team drafted Zach Wilson. Now he was, you know, not around as much. His brother was involved. But Dan Campbell had some comments, which I think at this point in time, like, when Dan talks, it's crazy how you can go from, I don't want to say laughing stock, but let's face it, I mean, early on a lot of people made fun of Dan Campbell. And I think a lot of times too, you know, the media over educated group or places a huge, huge emphasis on like, do you feel like a highly educated individual, super intellectual? Like, they lean toward those guys. That's why they love Brandon Staley. Early on. They're like, this guy's so smart. It's like, yeah, he can't coach his way out of a wet paper bag. I don't give a fuck how much he knows. Send the limo to that guy's house on game day because I want to make sure that he's there so we can kick his ass. And the Dan Campbell types are usually not going to be like, you know, immediately the, the media's favorite. They lean toward like nerdy guys. And I would say several years later now, I would say Dan Campbell's respect level just with everyone around the NFL is pretty high. So like when he talks, and I've watched a lot of his press conferences, like, Dan Campbell's a really, really high level guy. And it's, it's pretty obvious, like his whole thing isn't just out toughing you. Even that's a huge part of his coaching ability. It's no different. Like the Harbaugh brothers, like, toughness, toughness, toughness. Like, these guys are sharp, man. They, they kind of know what they're doing. They, they might do it in a little different way, but I don't sleep on them. And he had some comments that basically Aaron Glenn's this guy, that if Aaron Glenn can't turn around the jets, no one can. And I totally like understand back in your guy and believing in your guy. And clearly Aaron Glenn's a really impressive coordinator. I mean, what he did down the stretch with me and you playing defense was awesome. Hard to not root for Aaron Glenn, but like, let's look at the lion situation when those guys got to take over. It doesn't really look like the Ford family was dictating everything they do and is like telling them to do this or not do that. And so Aaron Glenn and his coaching staff could be awesome. It's really hard to overcome Woody Johnson and he's not going away. When you think meddling owners, I would just say like he's kind of feels a little there are I'm not saying this is purely apple or apples to apples here, but does feel like there's some Dan Snyder stuff going on, like just a little too involved and knows fucking nothing about anything when it comes to football. So if Aaron Glenn can turn this thing around, it would be an incredible accomplishment. It really would. Because it's not just building a football team, it's overcoming the owner. And if the jets are kind of the new Washington football team commanders because of ownership, like, I don't think it's random. These last 15 years have been pretty ugly because you don't overcome that guy because he's just always involved. He's always giving you football opinions which it's his team, it's his prerogative. He can do whatever he wants. But like you see this guy's quotes like, bro, let's just just stay on the sideline my man. Collect the checks and enjoy the fight for the jacket is on in Augusta. Get in on all the action at DraftKings Sportsbook. From the opening round through championship Sunday, DraftKings Sportsbook has you covered with live betting, player props and so much more. Have you never bet on golf before? Don't worry, I got you covered. I love it and I do it all the time. You just have to pick a simple golfer to win the tourney and make your pick. It's that simple. They also got top tens, top twenties, head to head, a lot of different options. Here's something special for first timers. New DraftKings customers bet five bucks to get 150 in bonus bets instantly. Download the DraftKings sportsbook app and use the code JOHN. That's code JOHN for new customers to get 150 in bonus bets. When you bet just five bucks only on DraftKings, the crown is yours. Gambling problem. Call 1-800- gambler in New York. Call 877-8-HOPE NY or text hopeny467-369 in Connecticut. Help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org Please play responsibly on behalf of Boom Hill Casino and Resort in Kansas, 21 and over. Age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Void In Ontario, bonus bets expire 168 hours after issuance. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see DKNG Co Audio.

[Jeremy Hobson]

We live in a divided country.

[Julie Swerbinks]

I am a lifelong Republican with all.

[Jeremy Hobson]

Kinds of different people.

[Julie Swerbinks]

You know, I'm a mother, I'm a grandmother.

[Jeremy Hobson]

That's why we started the Middle with Jeremy Hobson. It's about bringing voices not from the extremes, but from the vast middle into the national conversation.

[Julie Swerbinks]

Anna, I'm calling from Las Vegas.

[Jeremy Hobson]

Each week we bring together an all star panel. Mark Cuban, so great to have you on the Middle.

[G]

Thanks for having me.

[Julie Swerbinks]

Jeremy.

[Jeremy Hobson]

Neil Degrasse Tyson, welcome to the Middle.

[H]

Thanks for having me.

[Jeremy Hobson]

And hear from ordinary Americans from all over the country on the most important issues.

[Julie Swerbinks]

Hi, my name is Venkat.

[Bob Pittman]

I'm calling you from Atlanta, Georgia.

[Jeremy Hobson]

And when you submit, subscribe to the Middle. You also get an episode each week called One Thing Trump did that focuses on just one item from the avalanche of news.

[H]

We should be examining what our government spends its money on and are these jobs necessary and what are we doing here? But that doesn't seem to be what we're doing in this situation.

[Jeremy Hobson]

Listen to the Middle with Jeremy Hobson on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[G]

Something unexpected happened after Jeremy Scott confessed to killing Michelle Schofield in Bone Valley season one.

[Bob Pittman]

I just knew him as a kid.

[G]

Long, silent voices from his past came.

[H]

Forward and he was just staring at me.

[G]

And they had secrets of their own to share.

[H]

Gilbert King. I'm the son of Jeremy Lynn Scott.

[G]

I was no longer just telling the story. I was part of it.

[H]

Every time I hear about my dad is, oh, he's a killer. He's just straight evil.

[G]

I was becoming the bridge between a killer and the son he'd never known.

[H]

If the cops and everything would have done the job properly, my dad would have been in jail. I would have never existed.

[G]

I never expected to find myself in this place. Now I need to tell you how I got here.

[H]

At the end of the day, I'm literally a son of a killer.

[G]

Bone Valley Season 2 Jeremy, Jeremy, I.

[Julie Swerbinks]

Want to tell you something.

[G]

Listen to new episodes of bone Valley Season 2 starting April 9 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And to hear the entire new season ad free with exclusive content starting April 9th. Subscribe to Lava for Good plus on Apple Podcast.

[Julie Swerbinks]

Okay, let's get to a little thing we like to call the Middle Cough. Mailbag @johnmittlecoff Johnmittlecoff is the Instagram. Fire in those dms and get your questions answered here on the show. Let's roll baby. Can you explain why Burrow is viewed in higher regard than Stafford in terms of being in the top three to seven quarterbacks outside of mobility? It seems from a casual eye that Stafford is better at almost everything than Burrow. Yet Stafford is always talked about closer to like the top five or seven guy and Burrow is always talked about as like a top two or four guy yet. Arm strength, touch accuracy, IQ, pocket awareness, manipulation of coverages. I've never watched the two play and thought Burrow was even 90% of the quarterback Stafford is. I've never heard this discussed on a POD or major TV channel. I think you got to factor in age. So like there's like a 10 year age gap. So Stafford is on hole 17 or 18 of his career. I mean hell, he's like going year to year literally right now. And I think if Stafford was at his same age, they were Both, you know, 27, 28 years old, 29, in the prime of their career playing for the Rams and playing for the Bengals. I think we would talk Stafford differently. I think part of the way we discussed Stafford is like he's the old guy who's not going to play much longer. So I think we're discriminating him because of his age and rightfully so. Right. Because in the prime of his career he was on a dog shit team and it was difficult to evaluate him as some great talent or great player. We knew he was a great talent but the Lions were not. The Dan Campbell Lions at the time they were a joke. And now we get to see him in his latter years on a really good team with a good organization and team's really good and he's really good. So I would push back. Like obviously Stafford has one of the great arms of all time. Just, just watch the throw. Go to Instagram and watch the throw he made with Bryson. Dechambeauty. They played a golf thing that Bryson does for his YouTube channel. I mean it looks like he's throwing 150 miles an hour. I mean Bryson's luckily lucky. It didn't come at his face, it came off his chest. But I mean it was like Stafford's arms elite but like Burrow and Burroughs doesn't have, I would say an elite arm. But accuracy, football, iq, pocket manipulation. I mean he's a great player, great player and they're different type players but I think it Just gets back to the, to the age. It just gets back to the age. Plus, a couple of years ago, like, Stafford led the league in picks. He just throws a lot of interceptions, which again, you're going to throw touchdowns. I don't care. Like burrow in two like this last year, 2000, the fall of 2024, bro was a better player. I would, I don't even think. Would Stafford debate that Browns take Travis at 2, then trade up with someone later for the Shador pick? I would be very hesitant and I get very uncomfortable when people go, the Raiders, they just extended Geno out on quarterbacks. The, the Seattle Seahawks, no drafting of quarterbacks. The, the Giants, they gave Russell Wilson and James Winston money. No quarterbacks. Like, guys, we see this every year, man. We've seen it forever. It's like Kirk Cousins, $90 million. Pick eight, Michael Penix Jr. Hell, Pete Carroll did it once upon a time with Matt Flynn. They paid him a bunch of money. Then they drafted Russell Wilson. That was in the third round. But I think we got to be very careful about. Just because a free agent move happens, then we're not going to draft a quarterback. So I guess in theory Shador could quote, unquote, fall on draft night, but he also could get picked 30, could get picked 6, who knows? But to me, if he is falling, then yeah, I could see someone trade up to get him and that it could also include good teams like this, you know, playoff team, Steelers, the Rams. I mean, the Rams are a team again. He's going year to year. Question. With your background as a scout and seemingly every major college football program now having a GM position, would you ever consider interviewing for said position for the right team? You know, I get asked iterations of this question. The simple answer is like, I've been doing this now for a long time. You know, I worked in football for like six years and it was an incredible time in my 20s to my late 20s. But like, I was meant to do this and things have gone well and I'm not a guy that's ever looked to get back in. I put all my chips in the middle of the table on this. And it's. It's taken time over, you know, a decade, but it's worked out and if anything, it's expanding time. It's time to build a bigger operation. It's time to, you know, add more things to the table. So I have no desire to ever do anything football wise beside maybe like one day if I have a kid who probably won't be good at football, but maybe he'll play like flag football when he's a kid, like go to be his coach or something. I have a lot of friends that have interviewed for these jobs and hearing what they offer. I mean, some of them are paying, you know, a million bucks, but I, and I hope those guys take those jobs, get those jobs and enjoy it, but that is not for me. And I'm not one of those guys. You know, some people you see like go back and forth like I'm a talking guy, like I'm a, I'm a podcaster. Like that's, that's what I do. I'm not like one of those guys that comes to podcasting, then goes back to football and then goes back to like, no, this is, this is it. Not that I'd even, It's not like I'm getting offered to get these jobs and I won't, but if I did, which Slim the Nun won't happen, it would be. I wouldn't even entertain interviewing with them. Longtime listener, first time writer. I really appreciate your perspective on life in general personal finance and I'm hoping to get your thoughts on big decision I'm currently facing. I'm in my mid-30s, I'm married and have three kids. I've also been operating a construction company with two partners for the past four years. Recently we received serious interest from potential buyers and now have a formal offer on the table for $9 million. After taxes, fees, other expenses, my personal share would be approximately 1.9 million. That said, I'm in a great position, I pay myself very well, enjoy strong owner benefits, vehicles, fuel, business paid trips, and have a great quality of life. But there will always be a certain level of stress. As an owner, I love to get your take on what factors I should be considering when deciding whether to move forward with the sale. I just want to say congratulations. I mean, you guys built a company over, you know, in less short period of time and turn this thing into, I mean pretty closely to not far away from making it seven, eight figure operation. That's, that's fucking awesome. So, so congrats to you. Someone asked me a very serious question. Not for the mailbag. I honestly, I don't even know if I was supposed to read that. I didn't say your name, but someone had asked me a very serious question. They were a younger person and I, I've, I've used this to anyone that's anytime that asks, you know, some like hardcore advice. I'm a huge believer in this and I Was telling Maria this the other day. Like, you can tell and go to people like, what should I do? No one, even your partners know better because they don't know, like, truly like your home situation, you know, your kids. What you truly like means everything to you is like your gut and I think your gut feeling. And I would imagine asking this question, you're leaning one way. And nothing to me is more powerful than your gut. In every big decision I've ever made in 40 plus years, whether it be professionally or personally, and I've made pretty big ones. Moved across the country, just got married, just moved to state pretty recently, within the last three or four years. Listen, we've all made big decisions relative to ourselves as we get older. I think your gut is by far the best determining factor. And sometimes your head can come into it and which is, which is healthy in fight and make you, you know, really kind of battle what that decision is. Well, is this the right decision? And let's face it, part of what makes this world we live in, in this life we lead so fascinating is when we make a big decision, whether it's in our personal life or our professional life, whether it's for millions of dollars or whether it's not. We don't know the outcome. We do not know what is going to transpire over the next five, 10, 20 years. We have no fucking clue. We're not. We could all drop dead in a week, you know, or we can live another if we're 34 years old. Another, who knows, with technology and health benefits, live another 70, 80 years, which would be a long time. You'd be over 100, but you know what I mean. I do think it'd be way over 100, actually. But there is a benefit to owning your own company that once you receive that after taxes and you're in your mid-30s, so you have a lot of life to live now. I don't know if you have like another passion, you're going to try to pursue something you like more. Let's just assume that you like the construction business. You're clearly pretty good at it, whatever your role is in the operation. Like, you guys are all crushing. It's like 1.9 after tax is a lot of money. There is no arguing that. But like, what, are you just going to live off that 1.9 for the rest of your life? Are you going to just retire at 34 years old? Like, I honestly, the word retirement sounds like you like what you do. Retirement's always given me the heebie jeebies Like, I love golf. I can play like two straight days and then it's like, I want to do other stuff. Like I like to work, I really do. And I don't plan. Like, I hate that word. I really do. Mainly because a lot of people that I've admired in my life, like kind of just they love what they do and they work well into their 70s and I think they like doing it. Now there's some of these people are business owners like yourself, not like W2 employees like my mom worked for the government, retired at 64 years old. Obviously there are certain jobs you're going to retire, but like you need other things to fulfill your life. And I just. My thing would be the benefits of owning a company are pretty fruitful and not even just what your company is worth, but the way you live your life now, the stress aspect of it, that's a huge element. Like if it's something that's driving you nuts, then I think you got to factor that in. If it's having an impact on your personal life with your family, then I think you got to factor that in. But I think it's fair to say the company you're operating, I think if I took an educated guess, you're probably paying yourself hundreds of thousands of dollars. You're living pretty well and benefiting from the equity of the company and like you said, living through the company as you should. You guys took all the fucking risks. I would, I would recommend keep ripping and rolling. Now, I saw, you know, Buzz Williams, the coach formerly of Texas A and M, just took the Maryland job and he's had like seven jobs. He goes to Marquette, then he goes to Virginia Tech, then he goes to Texas A and M, now he goes to Maryland. And this guy was being interviewed and I didn't know who he was, but he said he was friends with Buzz. And Buzz essentially treats these jobs like a stock. He gets in low when they're shitty, he builds them up and makes them good, but then never stays around for like the second iteration of like, okay, let's take the next step and let's maintain this for 20 years that don't always work. And then you get fired and then he just leaves and he just capitalizes on it. And it's like, if you knew that your company, it's like this is peaked, like we got to get out then obviously it's a no brainer. But if you go wherever you live, whatever the market conditions, you're like, listen, might go through some ups and downs, but this is going to be a pretty good, fruitful business moving forward. I'd. Hold on. That'd be if you could handle the stress. Again, I'm not. I'm not saying, like, from a greedy standpoint, but. And again, if you think this is as good as it's gonna get, then obviously. But, you know, like, I don't know any of those answers. Just like most people, when you ask others for advice, like, what should I do to get involved with a football team? Like, I can give you the basic things, like, you know, hey, knock on people's door, shoot people, email, try. But it's like you kind of just gotta figure it out by yourself at a certain point. And your kind of gut kind of leads you that way. Like my dad, I didn't have family or anyone that like football coaches or NFL scouts, like, fuck. You just kind of got to figure it out and you got to trust your gut. And usually if you're a smart guy and you sound like one, I think you'll be okay. So good luck. That's. It's a tough decision. No doubt about that. But I think you already know the answer to what you're leaning toward. Business alum from Cal Poly. You're always talking about life as a road warrior. When you were scouting, are you a big credit card guy? If so, what's your go to bank for points? We actually, you know, speaking of what's your. What's the best sandwich in San Luis Obispo? Hotly debated amongst the boys. Group chat the other day. Well, obviously, when you're traveling a lot, and most people, if you're listening to this business travel a lot, you're gonna do something that involves an airline or a hotel. So when I was scouting, I did the Marriott points, and I've done that forever. And we recently, it should be announced here relatively soon, got actually a credit card company with some points that actually I think is gonna be. I just started using it, the points thing. In theory, it sounds great. But I started thinking the other day, with how much money I spend on a credit card on a yearly basis and what I get at it from the Marri, like, okay, you got a free 2 nights jw for the super Bowl. It's like, okay, great, I spent six figures on my fucking credit card bill this year. It's like, that's all I'm getting here. And it feels good when you get a free night hotel. But it's like, are they taking advantage of me? So I've made it a little pivot here recently and we will be talking about that here in the near future. But I think most guys in the scouting circles, they spend so many nights in Marriott's that it's, it's like negligent to not just be a Marriott guy because you get so many benefits. Best sandwich. I mean it'd have to be the tri tip at Firestone, which some would argue is the best tri tip in America, which is crazy to think that in central California. Tri tip sandwich. There's got to be places where barbecue is hot, doesn't get any better. And I'd put Firestone Fries, Tri tip fries, Elite. If you're just talking normal sandwich. You, you know, I haven't lived there and I'm 40 years old so I haven't lived there in 18 plus years. Probably high street deli, that, that was big when I was there. Had a pretty good deli sandwich.

[Jeremy Hobson]

We live in a divided country.

[Julie Swerbinks]

I am a lifelong Republican with all.

[Jeremy Hobson]

Kinds of different people.

[Julie Swerbinks]

You know, I'm a mother, I'm a grandmother.

[Jeremy Hobson]

That's why we started the Middle with Jeremy Hobson. It's about bringing voices not from the extremes, but from the vast middle into the national conversation.

[Julie Swerbinks]

Anna, I'm calling from Las Vegas.

[Jeremy Hobson]

Each week we bring together an all star panel. Mark Cuban, so great to have you on the Middle.

[Julie Swerbinks]

Thanks for having me, Jeremy.

[Jeremy Hobson]

Neil Degrasse Tyson, welcome to the Middle.

[H]

Thanks for having me.

[Jeremy Hobson]

And hear from ordinary Americans from all over the country on the most important, important issues.

[Julie Swerbinks]

Hi, my name is Venkat. I'm calling you from Atlanta, Georgia.

[Jeremy Hobson]

And when you subscribe to the Middle, you also get an episode each week called One Thing Trump did that focuses on just one item from the avalanche of news.

[H]

We should be examining what our government spends its money on and are these jobs necessary and what are we doing here? But that doesn't seem to be what we're doing in this situation.

[Jeremy Hobson]

Listen to the Middle with Jeremy Hobson on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[G]

Something unexpected happened after Jeremy Scott confessed to killing Michelle Schofield in Bone Valley season one.

[Bob Pittman]

I just knew him as a kid.

[G]

Long silent voices from his past came.

[H]

Forward and he was just staring at me.

[G]

And they had secrets of their own to share.

[H]

Gilbert King. I'm the son of Jeremy.

[G]

I was no longer just telling the story, I was part of it.

[H]

Every time I hear about my dad is, oh, he's a killer. He's just straight evil.

[G]

I was becoming the bridge between a killer and the son he'd never known.

[H]

If the cops and everything would have done the job properly. My dad would have been in jail. I would have never existed.

[G]

I never expected to find myself in this place. Now I need to tell you how I got here.

[H]

At the end of the day, I'm literally a son of a killer.

[G]

Bone Valley Season 2 Jeremy Jeremy, I.

[Julie Swerbinks]

Want to tell you something.

[G]

Listen to new episodes of bone Valley Season 2 starting April 9 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts and to hear the entire new season ad free with exclusive content starting April 9th. Subscribe to Lava for Good plus on Apple Podcasts.

[Julie Swerbinks]

Question for the Mailbag do you think Jordan Love is good enough to win a Super bowl with the Packers? I've seen flashes of excellence the second half of his first season as a starter, as well as the playoff win versus the Cowboys. He dealt with injuries last season, so I think that's why he had a bit of a down last year. Also, where would you rank him as a quarterback? Would you love to know your thoughts? I think he's tough to rank. He's. I would say, you know, I used to get this sometimes in school, like incomplete Inc. They even. I mean some of your kids probably going to schools or they don't even give out grades. We got grades and if they weren't high enough. I came from a generation where you got your ass kicked, but those days are long gone. But I did get my fair share of incs. So I think it's fair to do incomplete. He's really talented guy a lot of unknown. Last year was pretty bumpy. Obviously injuries, his high end. His first year starting was pretty good, but I would go incomplete. Is he good enough to win a Super bowl with? I would also say incomplete. Yeah, I would say based on what we saw the flashes two years ago. Yeah, but was that a flash in the pan? I don't know. Time will tell. The nose wipe to wipe a guy's nose because they banned it the other day from the NFL means you get whacked Mob style. A rap reference used mostly by Atlanta rappers. Slime them out. Also refers to the same thing. Gotta show you how to touch. I am. I didn't know any of that. Okay. I mean, if that's if it's referring to I just put a hit on that corner and I just score a touchdown. Yeah, I get it. I get it. I can see John Morant. You know what's funny is I kind of appreciate John Morant doing the double guns even Though it's like, it's not a true double guns kind of a week. Like, that's really what he's getting fined for after Adam Silver told him specifically not to do it. Shows you how little he respects the commissioner, how just irrelevant he thinks that individual is. He literally called him and said, you get. Here's a warning. You can't do that anymore. You've already been in trouble somehow. You got suspended for, like, 40 games or 25 games for brandishing a legal weapon that you owned legally. But Adam Silver's like, you cannot do that anymore. And jaws like, yeah, I'll fucking do it. Five minutes into the next game. What are you going to do about it? I'm gonna find you 75 grand. Jaws like, I make $35 million. I. I appreciate that move by jaw. I mean, it's crazy how little these players, they all like, we love Adam Silver. None of you guys listen to anything he says. I love him, too. It's like, I love my substitute teacher. Didn't make us do anything. Do you think the increase in trades and player movement in general in American sports is now similar to what we see in soccer? Do you think American sports will follow suit with more coaches being signed from other teams? Like, what happened in soccer? I didn't. Can you just buy a coach? Like, you can buy a player in soccer? I would say that is never going to take place here. If you get a good coach in basketball, football, you know, baseball, none of the managers make any money. I can't really speak to hockey. But in basketball and football, he's never going to be available. Like, the Sean Payton quit on the Saints. Like, they didn't plan on trading him to the Broncos. He literally was like, yeah, I think we're fucked here. I'm out. It's like, gee, Sean, so two years ago, that's why they kind of, you know, held it over the Broncos, because they're like, we didn't want to get rid of this guy. Very rare, the John Gruden situation. And it just doesn't. I think those days are done. It's why it's so stupid when Jay Glazer reports, like, yeah, teams are going to try to trade for. For Kevin O'Connell. The Vikings are never trading you Kevin O'Connell. It's never happening, and every team knows it. That's why they report like, come on, what do you think's going on here? Trying to get the guy some money. Rightfully so. Good negotiating. I think player movement, like, there's kind of always Been player movement. I mean, maybe the NFL trades more, but I mean, I think we've seen guys moving teams my entire life. So I, I think that's probably a little overblown now the way they do it. Let's say like I'm the Cowboys and I want. Trying to pick a player. I want Miles Garrett. Could I just buy Myles Garrett from the Browns? Let's say I take his hundred million dollar salary or contract and I pay the Browns like $50 million. The NFL would never allow that. So I would lean though. How much longer do you think Purdy contract negotiation will take? I think they should pay him as long as it's less than Josh Allen by some degree. But by some degree, Josh Allen's got $250 million guaranteed. By some degree. Josh Allen. Listen, this is not shitting on Purdy. I like and respect Purdy a lot and it clearly you can win with a. Josh Allen's in a different stratosphere. So I don't know how long this will take. These negotiations complicated. But to me, Josh Allen and Brock Purdy are not in the same conversation. Like they don't. It's like, it's like. Shouldn't even put those two names in the same world. Like the company guy that emailed me. There are certain companies like my company's worth 9, $10 million and then there's another company that's worth $500 million. They both do the same thing, like, hey, we both build apartment complexes, but they're not the same. And to me, Josh Allen, I mean, to me, the initial offer from the 49ers should be like $120 million. The bills gave Josh Allen a $250 million guaranteed extension. He just got extended two years ago. I mean, they're just because he's that good. Longtime Chiefs fan since Joe Montana took us to the AFC championship game. Why do many people believe the Chargers will win the division over the Chiefs with Rasheed Rice and Xavier Worthy as more developed wide receivers and with a serviceable line. Jalen Moore, backup Trent Williams. I know who is. We'll see what position. I mean, could he play right tackle, Left tackle Kingsley Sumata, left guard Creed Humphrey, Trey Smith and Juwan Taylor. Plus they made multiple key additions to the defense. Yeah, I just think that the Patriots, it felt like won the division 19 of 20 years. Right. The years they were winning the division. I mean, the jets made the two championship games, I think is a wild card. The one year when Brady tore his ACL in 08 and Castle started They didn't win the division but I'm pretty sure beside the 08 season that the Patriots. Let's go. I'm just going to use them as an example. So the Patriots divisions basically from 2003, 2001 they won the division. Next year they finished second. They didn't make the playoffs. But from 03 till 2019 the Patriots won the division every single year beside the one Brady towards acl. The Bills I think are on a plane to do something like that. If you tell me they win the division, they've won it five straight years. Let's say they win it, you know, 11 of the next 12. I don't mean moving forward, I just mean over the next seven. Maybe the Patriots win at once but if you tell me they do it all the time, maybe a couple times. Because the variable in the Patriots be pretty good. Like you're dealing with Harbaugh and Sean Payton and Pete Carroll. Like the division is dramatically better than it was a couple of years ago. A couple of years ago it was Josh McDaniels, Brandon Staley and Nate Hackett. So it's like you think Andy Reid is going to lose. We didn't like he does have to obviously. Andy just won 15 games. He's an all time great coach. But he'd be the first to tell you like this is hard. This is really, really hard. So there is going to be a year over the next couple where it's like they might lose a division, they're still going to make the playoffs. But yeah, I think the Chargers can be pretty good. I think Denver is going to be pretty good. It's going to be hard. It's going to be hard. The Patriots really benefited like most of that time the Bills were a joke. The Dolphins always sucked. The jets are the jets and he owned the Jets. So it's like it's, it's. I mean the Chiefs could have lost that game to the Broncos this year when they missed the field goal. You get blocked. It's hard. The Raiders for whatever reason, they've occasionally beat him over the years. But I think you can hold the Chiefs in really, really high regard. They're one of the great teams we've ever seen. So are the Bulls and they got pushed. You know, it's like doesn't mean you always win the division. So you can still win the Super Bowl. Help the Chiefs one year might win the super bowl as a wild card. We will end on this. This is this question. I saw this before. I lately been taking screenshots so it's easier than scrolling on Instagram. I just take, you know like 10 screenshots and read about. But my question is anyone that read Bill Simmons, like 15 years ago, he used to end his columns with like, these are my listeners or these are my readers. And that's what I would say here. These are my listeners. Hypothetical question. Say you went out to dinner. Andy Reid, Vince Wilfork and Vita Vea at a brand new Indian Mexican fusion restaurant known for its exotic and spicy dishes. After dinner, you find yourself in a situation where you need to desperately use the bathroom. And only three small single person unventilated bathrooms are available and you were beaten to them by all three who are having the same emergency. No other bathroom is in with, is in within range. So you are forced to wait for them to be done. And amazingly, after what feels like an eternity, they are all done at the same time. The question is, which bathroom do you choose to go to and why? That's a great question. And anyone that's ever had those moments. I vividly remember having one of those moments. Driving from Cal Poly to Fresno in California. You know, it's basically middle of nowhere part of the drive and a disaster struck, different than this situation, but just had to pull over side of the road, you know, middle of nowhere. I might have used like my T shirt to wipe, but in this situation I think you don't even care at that point in time. It does not matter. The no ventilation thing is just probably the most underrated part about this, right? Courtesy flushes with no ventilation don't have the same power when there is a fan. I used to remember when I, when I moved to San Francisco, a lot of the apartments slash condos, whatever you consider them are old. So you would be with other people, especially if you're a single guy or single girl dating in a lot of their bathroom situations. And maybe if you listen live in big city like New York, you can relate to this. Some of the bathrooms just don't have a fan. And to me the no ventilation, no fan means if you have thin walls, you can kind of hear what's going on there. So it's not even just the smell, which in this situation would not be great. It's the sounds, right? It's why sometimes if you're in that situation, you turn on the sink or something, maybe the shower, so no one hears you. Listen, I'm obviously in an emergency situation. You, you know, beggars can't be choosers here. You just kind of got to do what you got to do. But I'm kind of like a shitter elitist. I don't like sitting next to people in public restroom. Not, not that I won't use a public restroom, have no problem with doing that. But I'm a big believer. Like, I don't. If I see stalls, let's say there's four of them. I would never sit next to another guy. And when another person comes in, when I'm in one, I get very like, I don't like that feeling. That's a very. I just, I'm an isolationist when it comes to that. I remember when I was at Cal Poly, by the time I was like my senior year, I had three or four bathrooms throughout campus that were like high end dean's bathroom that they used that no one really knew existed that I would hit. Like, I would never use the other bathrooms. A hack for travelers. If you're ever in a predicament, especially in an area that you don't know, go to a hotel, like, don't pull into the McDonald's or the Jack in the Box or Chevron. Go to like the local Marriott or Hyatt or whatever and just walk right in and just go to the bathroom. They're always nice and taken care of and then you just walk right out. It's not like they question you. They don't know who's coming in and out. That's always been a hack. But to your question, in those situations, you just, it's out of your control. You just go to the first door you see and you just deal with it. Yeah, I appreciate the question though. I really do. The volume.

[Jeremy Hobson]

We live in a divided country and our media couldn't be more polarizing. That's why we started the Middle with Jeremy Hobson. It's about bringing voices not from the extremes, but from the vast middle into the national conversation. Each week, we hear from ordinary Americans from all over the country. And when you subscribe to the Middle, you also get an episode each week called One Thing Trump did that focuses on just one item from the avalanche of news. Listen to the Middle with Jeremy Hobson on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Bob Pittman]

Hi, I'm Bob Pittman, chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia. I'm excited to introduce a brand new season of my podcast, Math and Stories from the Frontiers of Market Marketing. I'm having conversations with some folks across a wide range of industries to hear how they reach the top of their fields and the lessons they learned. Along the way that everyone can use. I'll be joined by innovative leaders like chairman and CEO of Elf Beauty, Tarang Amin, legendary singer, songwriter and philanthropist Jewel. Being a rock star is very fun, but helping people is way more fun. And Damian Maldonado, CEO of American Financing.

[Julie Swerbinks]

I figured out the formula. I have to work hard. Then that's magic.

[Bob Pittman]

Join me as we uncover innovations in data and analytics, the math, and the ever important creative spark, the magic. Listen to math and magic on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Nate Thompson]

What's up, everyone? Julie Swerbinks here, along with former NHL player Nate Thompson.

[Julie Swerbinks]

We're doing a new podcast together. Here we go.

[Nate Thompson]

The name Energy Line with Nate and jsb.

[Julie Swerbinks]

Each week we'll get together and talk about hockey life. All topics are fair game, right?

[Nate Thompson]

Exactly. And you'll never know who will drop by to join us.

[Julie Swerbinks]

Julie is pretty well connected. She has text threads going that you wouldn't believe.

[Nate Thompson]

Listen to Energy Line with Nate and jsb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Jemele Hill]

You have to be very careful with tradition because sometimes tradition is just dead people's baggage.

[Roy Wood Jr.]

I'm Jemele Hill, host of the sports and politics podcast Politics. On this week's episode, I talked with comedian Roy Wood Jr. About the lack of African American star power in Major League Baseball.

[Jemele Hill]

Baseball needs an Anthony Edwards and I don't know who that could be. Mookie Betts is Steph Curry. He's exceptional and likable. Million Dollar Smile. But you also need Chaos Negro.

[Roy Wood Jr.]

Listen to spoletics on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.