
PMS 2.0 1302 - JJ Watt, Feel The Beat With David Lombardi, Art Stapleton, and Mark Kaboly, & AJ Hawk
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Pat McAfee
Hello, beautiful people and welcome to our.
AJ Hawk
Humble abode, the Thunderdome on The Sports.
Pat McAfee
Thursday, March 6, 2025 this program starts right now. Sports are magnificent and today we'll be talking about all of them. Obviously football is going to be a topic of conversation because there's a lot of drama on what players are being released from where, what players are potentially going to get signed to what teams and who is going to end up making the move this off season to propel them to in lomb conversation. Big cut came out of Los Angeles, obviously. Trade talk out of Seattle is hot in the streets. Everywhere else there is magic happening and that's why in the second hour we will feel the be. That's right. We will take a visit to the New York Giants to see what they're saying with Arch Stabletoon. We'll take a visit to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to see what's going on over there. We'll take a visit to San Francisco because obviously there's always a lot of chatter. And then we'll obviously dive into all the storylines that are happening around the rest of the league. In the first hour we have JJ Watt joining us. Wow. Can't wait to ca up with jj. He's no longer going to be playing for the Cincinnati Bengals because his goalie forgot how to play goalie and let up a goal for the first time in like 11 games. Even though he had a fantastic shutout streak that was maybe going to force J.J. watt to play for the Bengals because that was the agreement he and the goalie lad came together to for him to play his best soccer for the Burnley team, which is who JJ owns over there in the second league in England. Good investment. I think that team's only on its way up, especially if they got this goalie who has 10 straight shutouts or something like that. Maybe need to barter another thing with this gu to motivate him further to get some big time stops. We'll also have Mike Rupp joining us. Stanley cup champion. Yeah. Ovechkin of the Washington capitals is only 10 goals away from becoming the all time leading scorer. Sorry, 11 goals away, I think from becoming the all time leading scorer in the history. 10. Okay, nine ties, 10 breaks it. The all time leading scorer in the history of the NHL. He's chasing Wayne Ogretzky. The Great One obviously is historic for what he was able to accomplish on the ice and what Ovechkin has been able to do in his kitchen. I mean, he used to just sit at the blue line on the left Side coming in just like this and they would feed him and this Russian man would just blast pucks into the back. He's been doing this since I've come To know what, 20 years ago, it feels like him and Sidney Crosby basically come in around the same exact time. He and Sid had a great rivalry in the Eastern Conference. Obviously he and Sid have gone on to live up to all the hype that was kind of made about them whenever they were young lads coming into the NHL. And what Ovechkin has done from a goal scoring standpoint and also a tough guy, he'll fight you. He's Russian, so he'll do that. He'll also drink a little bit. He'll. He'll eat some potato chips right before a game. He'll have a piece of pizza in between the periods. I mean, he's an old school throwback hockey player who just so happens to be maybe the greatest goal scorer when it's all said and done. 10 goals away from getting it done. So we'll talk to Rupp, Stanley cup champion, about all that and what else is going on around the NHL. Now the reason why Wayneau is considered the great one is because even if he took away all of his goals, he'd still be the all time leader in points. Yeah. With all of his assists that he has. Like he Ovechkin, known goal scorer that is. Now he certainly is a playmaker because he's Ovechkin and he's sick and he's got dangles, he's got vision, he's got a great team around him, but he is known as a goal scorer. Wayne Gretzky might lose or probably lose the goal scoring title. He'll still have a bunch of other ones. Unbelievable. And hockey is having a moment, we all know that. Especially fresh off the Four Nations. We'll be excited to hear what Rupper's saying about the league. And then in the NBA, big one tonight. Lakers are playing. Okay, Lakers playing. Gotta talk about it, gotta talk about it. Whenever you got Luka Lebron and I believe Aust Reaves is back tonight after missing a couple games. It's going to be a must watch. This is great for the NBA that this team is doing well. Now LeBron James obviously passes the 50,000 points mark. 50,002 or something. He goes into in the second quarter last game. Now he's up over 50,000. Only player ever that has done it. He's been famous for like 30 years. So obviously there's some people are a little bit sick of LeBron James and obviously the narrative around LeBron literally since he got to the league, is this guy going to be better than Jordan? Is this guy going to be better than Jordan? Then it got to. He's not better than Jordan. Then it got to. Is he? No. Is he? No. Pick apart everything he's ever done, he's been famous since he's a teenager. And obviously we've seen every decision he's ever made on a very public, public scale. He has said some things that I assume he regrets. He's put himself into positions I assume he regrets. But all in all, this guy has been famous for 20 plus years. No real, you know, like people still. And he's still committed fully to basketball. Now he's got this guy Luka coming in, young buck, likes to have a beer, smoke some hookah and score. And they have become a tag team in the city of stars to bring the Lakers all the way back to relevancy. And now they're talking about them maybe making the damn finals. That was not a convo two months ago. That was not a convo. At the beginning of season. The only convo was LeBron nepotism stepping in. They got Bronny James on their team. This team sucks. Now we're hearing from Jeanie Buss, the owner, whenever she's talking that Anthony Davis wasn't happy there, wasn't happy with the position that he was playing, the role that he had, the team that he was on. So he gets out of Los Angele Angeles, he goes down to Dallas, he gets hurt in his first game. Now we're never going to see him again. Kyrie Irving obviously tears his acl. We're going to miss him. And the Los Angeles Lakers Palinka in squad are playing the best ball they've played in years. So good trade for the Lakers. Getting Luka over there, it's good for the NBA I think. And they're not the only ones. Eastern Conference Boston Celtics won bananas last night. The talks tables here at Ty Schmidt at Boston Connor. The exciting whites of Boston are doing their thing.
Ty Schmidt
Yeah, no big deal. Peyton Pritchard coming off the bench once again. Scored 43, had 10 threes. Derrick White had 41 points at nine threes. Surprisingly the first time ever two teammates from Boston both had 40 points in the game. Insane.
Pat McAfee
Ever. Even when Cousy was playing.
Ty Schmidt
Even when. Well, that's the thing about Cousy, you know what I mean man, he wouldn't drop 40, he'd get to, you know, 38. And he'd say, okay, time to let all my other boys feast. And then he'd just start dishing. But no incredible night. No Tatum playing last night. No Drew Holiday playing last night. So it was kind of one of those games, hey, let's see what the other boys can do. And we saw. We saw what the other boys can do. And I think, you know, those Lakers, it's a good story. The Cavs, it's a. It's good story. Okay. But that's all it is because the Celtics are the cream of the crop. Joe Missoula is still the biggest sicko in the entire league, but I mean, just a hell of a performance. Most fade away, fade away off the dribble. Most threes by a pair of teammates in a game in NBA history.
Pat McAfee
You think about the Splash brothers. That's what they were.
Ty Schmidt
Bingo.
Pat McAfee
Splash brothers were three point shooting duo for Golden State to change basketball entirely. The reason why the Celtics are playing like this is because Golden State had the three point shooting artists of Steph and Clay together. And now you're saying that these two, the exciting whites, both Peyton Pritchard, Caucasian and Derrick White, obviously last name White, have the most threes in NBA history for a duo. Yeah, that doesn't make any sense in my eye.
Ty Schmidt
Nuts. You would also just think during that Splash brothers run, like, okay, well, when Steph would hit, you know, 11 threes, or Clay would hit 12 threes, the other guy would just have like a slow night, which was eight or nine threes. Still, like they would have 20 somehow. But no, this is the most in NBA history. They beat the doors off the Portland Trail Blazers. Long flight home for those boys. But the Celtics are still rolling, you know, and I think after Friday when they lost to Cleveland, after being up, you know, 23 to 2 and all the. All the memes came out after, and it was an embarrassing loss because look at that one. That one's from the sideline. Damn near. But because of that game, you know, coming back, beating the Nuggets on Sunday, and then a performance like this, kind of showing the depth that the Celtics have, which is the most important thing once we do get to the dance with the playoffs, with the Lakers and some of the Cavs, some of those teams just to get to the finals, it's a very exciting time for the NBA and they needed this. You know, I know a lot of people are throwing their conspiracies around, like, hey, the NBA made the Mavs trade Luca.
Pat McAfee
Yeah, it's like Nico an inside agent, you know, and you Think about it even more. He was with Nike before. Is Nike the official sponsor of the NBA? I don't know what their deal is with them.
Ty Schmidt
I believe so also. Yeah, you can see him on the Celtics jerseys. I believe they are. And also, you know, you think about one of the biggest brands. They are the second big, second biggest brand in the NBA when it just comes to teams and logos. That would be the Lakers, obviously, behind the Celtics, but still would be the Lakers. And, you know, that's why the entire. Hey, Luca. To la. The best thing for the NBA would be a Lakers final with.
Pat McAfee
Especially with how much I've paid attention to it. Especially with how much they made Luka babyface in this entire thing. Like, he likes to have a beer after a win. This guy's the worst. This guy smokes a little hookah. He's in his early 20s. What does he think this is? He thinks this is his life. No, buddy, you're a robot. Okay? Welcome to America. You're in the NBA, you don't live your life. And then also, this guy, he's not good at basketball. He's not what we want to be. He led your team to the finals last year.
Ty Schmidt
He's a European player as well. Yeah, think about that.
Pat McAfee
Global reach, all of this, everything. So they're like, nah, this is not what we want. Get him the hell out of town. So, like, I wasn't a big. Like, hey, Luka's my guy guy. I enjoyed watching him play because he's playing in slow motion and somehow he's getting to a spot every single time and making a shot. I mean, it's. And he's a dog. He talks shit while he's doing it. So I've always thought that about. But I was never like a pro Luca guy then with the suits. Middle management people at the Dallas Mavericks somehow getting into a meeting room and thinking they're more important than Luka. I come out of that thinking, like, fuck these people. Luca, let's go and get it. And he has. Oh, yeah, him playing alongside LeBron, who he's a massive fan of, has talked about growing up being a fan of LeBron has made them. I don't remember scanning through and seeing a basketball game on in recent memory. Except for the Pacers, obviously, which hard to find. Now they're on this other.
Ty Schmidt
Yeah, impossible, really.
Pat McAfee
They're in there, in the city, even local. Hard to find where the. What? That is very difficult. They need to figure that out. I don't know what this sports network is fanduel. Sports Network is. It's not their fault because they just acquired this. But wherever they were before is not on everything that I have. So if the Pacers games on, I'm going to watch because Tyrese and TJ and Spicy P in Carlisle. The boys, you know, like, we. I feel like we know them and they're a good squad, so I'll watch them. Other than that, I'm not stopping for much. Lakers now with Luka. I'm gonna. Let's go see what LeBron and Luka are up to. And normally it's highlights. Like they are. They're creating highlights on a regular basis. Great for the NBA. Cavs good. Obviously. Celtics, Pacers good. Actually. Right. Yeah.
Ty Schmidt
Pacers are very legit. They're also like playing their best ball when it matters most. So they're kind of finding their stride. It's the perfect time for the Pacers.
Pat McAfee
Hey, shout out to NBA. Thought they were dead. I thought the NBA was dead.
Boston Connor
Yeah.
Pat McAfee
After that we were off. So we didn't really get to talk about it. Was just following the coverage from outside, looking in. Thought they were in a terrible spot. Thought it was going to be like very impossible to recover from. Instead, massive trade. Biggest trade in history. Make a babyface in LA with LeBron, who everybody knows back being in relevancy and he's doing interviews, he's doing conversations. So other guy. It's like maybe the NBA is working a little bit to try to save the league. It feels like it. Yeah.
Ty Schmidt
And once the playoffs start, or once the second round of the playoffs start, usually is when it really starts to pick up. But there are some good first round matchups and then OKC to another team. Team SGA. He had 40 again last night. But then, you know, thinking of the NBA's dead, I saw some screenshots from the beginning of the Clippers game.
Pat McAfee
Yeah.
Ty Schmidt
Last night.
Pat McAfee
But la, that's early, right? Obviously, traffic in LA is insane. Getting in and out of the Intuit Dome just from personal experience, Gumpy and I. Very difficult. Yeah, very, very difficult. I think, like the security and the lines and everything. Very hard. But at the allegedly 15 minutes before tip into a dome, which was a spectacle of an arena, we got a chance to be in there for the Netflix raw. Netflix kickoff. Beautiful arena. Pretty empty. They're saying the Clippers are in trouble. They missed it though. Harden one for what? 50?
Ty Schmidt
Yeah, it went 50.
Pat McAfee
Okay. So basketball's in a good place. Shout out to basketball. Welcome back. Great to have you. We'll enjoy the chit chat about it. March Madness around the corner. Seating starting to get pretty interesting. So basketball is doing it. Excited about that. The NFL is obviously looking. Let's go to one half of the Hammer. Cowboys ballpark tone or ball cap? Tone. Tone. I like the baseball cap.
Gumpy
Thank you. I appreciate that.
Pat McAfee
I like that. This one says the 19th hole. I'll see you at the 19th hole. Class. It's pretty close.
Gumpy
I suck at the first 18. I'm pretty good at the 19th one.
Pat McAfee
Oh, yeah, because that's when you suck them down.
Mark Caboli
Yeah.
Pat McAfee
Yeah. You might suck on those 18 holes, but you suck them down at the 19th hole, don't you? Yeah. Well said. Yeah.
Gumpy
Not like A.J. that old guy, but, you know, he.
Pat McAfee
Got him some corn, he served it to him and everything like that. Certainly an interesting story to tell the way that he told that particular story over there in Centerville, Ohio. Go Elks. We'll talk with AJ In a second hour. But, Tone, NFL, Massive moves have been made. Joey Bosa has been released from the Los Angeles Chargers, saving 25 and a half million dollars against their salary cap. Obviously, Bosa has been there a long time, a lot longer than we thought. Nine years. Does it feel like nine years ago?
Art Stapleton
No.
Pat McAfee
Joey Bosa went to the Chargers. Time has flown by. He has obviously been a leader, a game wrecker for the Chargers for a long time. And now Mrs. Bosa. Mama Paisana has put out a tweet saying, let's go ahead and get him up in San Francisco. Would be a lot easier for the parents here if these boys were playing for one particular team. Obviously older, older brother, younger brother, don't think they've ever actually been able to do that. So now up in San Francisco would be a pipe dream for the parents and probably for both of the boys, maybe they'll see that happen. But for the Chargers, it's a massive move because of the money. AP Tone, with free agency starting on Monday.
Gumpy
Yeah. Bingo. Joey's going to have to take a pay cut if he wants to join the Niners. Talking about the salary cap was talking about the salary cap that you talked about. That 25 and a half million dollars that releasing Joey Bosa creates. The Chargers are now in the top 3 of salary cap space. And when you look at it the other, like, let's look at the teams around them, the Patriots, the Raiders, and then the Cardinals. Let's leave the commanders out of there. Those three teams, those aren't. Those are not winning teams right now. So if. If you're a guy and you're looking at a team that has cap space that can pay you and you also want to win. It's almost like the Chargers become the cream of the crop right now and that clears a ton of space for them. You know, lad McConkey was the leading receiver last year as a rookie. They have Quentin Johnson still too, who they drafted two years ago. So now like that frees up some space. You know, devonte talked about if he wants to come to the west coast. That feels like a good fit there. But there's a lot of wide receivers on the market now and one of the things we talked about with the Chargers last year was besides Lad as a rookie, like they don't have a true number one. So if they are able to do that with this, this cap space that they created and being one of the teams with the most cap space space that also has a quarterback, like a quarterback that can proven quarterback.
Pat McAfee
I feel like a destination city now. High taxes obviously, so sure you're gonna have to deal with that as a California team. That's just the reality of the situation. But Los Angeles is certainly a desirable position.
Gumpy
They're in a good spot.
Pat McAfee
$90 million is a lot. Brand new practice facility, coach and entire building. That is all in. I mean it feels like the Chargers are a beautiful place. Could you imagine working at that facility every.
Boston Connor
Yeah, we were there. I mean you almost don't want to ever leave.
Pat McAfee
Yeah, it is. And they got the outdoor gym obviously because the Southern California weather that they have, it's like. It is a beautiful you. If they get a free agent in.
Boston Connor
The door, be tough to turn that.
Pat McAfee
Down, especially if they get a good offer in there. Yeah, I think the Chargers are in a good spot. You go through a couple different teams here that are in the story lines. How about the commanders? 78 and a half million dollars still. They've already traded for Debo Samuel. Assume that's going to have to get sorted and figured out. What do the Cardinals do, the Vikings obviously without a quarterback. 63.8 million available for. That's great money for the Vikings, who obviously have some question marks. Same with the Steelers. Rams have to figure it out. They've already got their quarterback signed. What is that number? Have we found out what the number is yet for Matthew Stafford in the deal that he signed, Sean McVay only described it as a selfless deal that he agreed to to remain in Los Angeles and not move to the Giants or to the Raiders or to any other team that was interested. Has it been talked about yet or we. Do we know what that is?
Boston Connor
Not really. It still just comes out that he, that he took way, way more, less than he would have gotten if he would have went to like the Giants or the Raiders.
Pat McAfee
Yeah. And Rapaport was prophesizing that it was at least 10 million less. Is that per year? Is that 10 million in total? And the way McVeigh was talking about it sounds like that's going to be a very team friendly deal that Matthew Stafford is going to agree to, to go back to the Rams. I don't know if that has accounted for this yet with Spotrek because I don't know if anybody knows the numbers. But then you go over a couple. Here you go to the Seahawks. DK Metcalf has requested a trade. Tyler Lockett gets released. DK Metcalf requests a trade. $38.6 million in salary cap, allegedly, to get what reports are saying for DK Metcalf, it's going to take a one, a three, and then DK is wanting 30 million a year. Now this is from Diana Rossini from the Athletic. Now we're not saying that every source is right on all of these things and what will it actually take as opposed to what Seattle is potentially posturing saying that it would take. This is all a negotiat appreciation. But the 30 million per year is potentially a big part of Seattle's reasoning to maybe get him out of there, especially if he doesn't want to be there. And allegedly going back through last season, there were some times where it felt like DK maybe was okay not being with the Seahawks anymore, looking for a new chapter. As they enter a new chapter, Debo just went for what, a fifth? A fifth round pick?
Gumpy
Yeah.
Pat McAfee
So a first and a third for DK while also guaranteeing a 30 million per year contract. I mean, I guess we'll see if any teams are involved, but that doesn't feel like that's going to be what the deal is whenever it's all said and done.
Gumpy
No, it doesn't. It's crazy because Deebo did go for the fifth, but I was looking back at the IUK trade from last year. They were asking, I believe, for a first and a third and it felt like they were definitely going to get the first from a few teams. So is. Is DK closer to Deebo or is he closer to what IUK was potentially getting last year? Like, it's so hard to tell when these trades happen because you know, Deebo going for a fifth is so surprising when you do think, like, a guy like this should go for, like, in our. In our minds, we'd be like, oh, yeah, DK for a first.
Pat McAfee
First round, no problem, no problem. But then it'll come out, and it's like just a third somehow. And it'll be because the $30 million a year, they don't want to pick up the money. And they also like what will end up. Now, granted, maybe it'll be a first, maybe it'll be a first and a third. Maybe. Everything in Seattle is potentially saying that they are looking for in this trade ends up coming to fruition. But these trades rarely end up looking like that. And it's surprising to everybody, especially whenever. Did we know Tuni was available for a fourth rounder? Did we know Debo was available for a fifth? Is what all fan bases say whenever they hear the inevitable deals.
Ty Schmidt
Well, that's why it's crazy, because if you go back to some of the previous trades that were for guys of like, the DK stature, at least that we kind of hold them in, like devonte and Tyreek Hill. They got traded for so much multiple picks. I believe some firsts were involved in both of those trades. And then, you know, you go now. And it's so much different with how the money's viewed, because it's not as if, you know, Tyreek and devonte got traded and their contracts were hammered out. Like, they got new dealers deals in the places they went to. And Now Debo, who's 29, DK, Debo is a fifth. DK is 27. Like, the. The idea that $30 million a year for DK Metcalf is, you know, a lot for some of these teams, that doesn't make much sense. The. The fact that a first and a third from us is being viewed as a lot makes sense because of what the market is, but, you know, it doesn't feel like a lot.
Pat McAfee
Well, then you go back. Randy went for like, a fourth one for a fourth round. It is always so fascinating, the deal that gets done. DK seemingly on his way out of Seattle. I don't know if that deal gets done, but whenever the draft comes around, you know, that expedites some conversations quickly, you know, in the entirety. But I always think back to Randy getting traded for a fourth rounder. And then we hear Bill Belichick story about Al Davis calling him being like, you want Randy or not? Yeah, well, you gotta call him. And then Bill tries to call him. He thinks it's fake. And Randy was trying to make the whole thing happen. You never know what's going on behind the scenes. Agents, players, teams, Convos. However deal gets done, deal gets done. But normally it's like how is that what the deal was?
Gumpy
I just looked at it. Tyreek and Devonte both went for a first and a second. Tyreek going to the Dolphins, Devonte going to the Raiders. They both went for a first and a second.
Pat McAfee
Devonte became the highest paid wide receiver whenever he went to Las Vegas and Tyreek became the highest paid wide receiver when he went to Miami. So they were obviously willing to do it. Has it worked out for those teams is certainly a question. Will that's trend continue especially with the DK Metcalf deep threat? We shall see.
Ty Schmidt
Yeah, for sure. And you assume Jamar will get that highest paid bill. But just think about DK and the Seahawks. I bet Seattle wants to get this done very quick because they go from 38 million in cap space to you know, 60 plus in cap as soon as they trade and because of the money they'll save. Similar to you know, the BOSA situation. So maybe this does get done before Monday when free agency starts.
Pat McAfee
AJ Brown went for a first and a fourth I believe but it was the beginning of the fourth round whenever he got traded from the Titans on draft day to the Philadelphia Eagles. So it all situations Titans. Our situation is that a swap?
Ty Schmidt
Did they swap first or no? Because I don't remember the Titans having back to back.
Pat McAfee
I believe we're just googling. Yeah the information. Joining us now ladies and gentlemen is a man who probably will have an opinion on all this future first ballot. NFL hall of Famer currently in the Bull ring of honor for the Houston Texans. Ladies and gentlemen, J.J. wall.
Mark Caboli
Hey guys. Great to be here dude.
Pat McAfee
It's great to. It's great to see you. Hair looks great. You know every once in a while you do like a change of your hair and everybody notices and you say hey, people will notice and then you kind of get attacked. This looks really good. This is good hair right here.
Mark Caboli
I appreciate it. It's one of those where I had a haircut this morning so just had the guy do it. Always looks better when he does it. Gabe is the man and never be able to recreate it so figured might as well keep it for the show.
Pat McAfee
Yeah it's day one obviously whenever they send you off the barber chair and they expect you to be able to make it look like how they're making it look with blow dryer and aerial view and brush and also talent when it comes to Hair. And they say, this. This is what you want. It's like, yeah, is this possible tomorrow? Yeah, you just gotta do this entire artwork to it. Anyways, it looks great. Gabe did a great job. We got a chance to see you in that barbershop earlier. That's down in Houston. Maybe the nicest. That might be the nicest barbershop I've ever seen. They had a baby grand piano.
Ty Schmidt
Excuse me.
Pat McAfee
In the barbershop.
Boston Connor
Phenomenal.
Pat McAfee
Like, it's like you're walking through Von Mar. This place, this barbershop. There's guy. Is that right? Is that every time you go in there? No.
Mark Caboli
This is crazy. So I took. Me and my son Koa, we went to get our haircuts, and Gabe does a great job with him. But Koa was sitting down waiting for his haircut while a guy before him got cut. And I put on a little show for him. You know, put Moana on. And the guy said, oh, what are your favorite Disney songs? And KO's like, you know, you're welcome. He had a couple of them frozen. And so the guy gets done with his cut. Koa sits in the chair to get his hair cut, cut. And all of a sudden, you just hear on the piano, you're welcome. Playing, like, unbelievably. And Koa just literally goes, is the rock here? And this guy's just belting out. Let it go. He's belting out singing as well. I thought, unbelievable. No, he was tickling the keys, and then he started singing afterwards. Dude, it was. I was like, this is. This is ridiculous. My kid. I got. I got to get him out in the field working or something, because this is not normal life that we're doing right now.
Pat McAfee
I'll tell you what. I've never seen a baby piano in a barber shop. I. I will say that. How. How his fade end up looking. I know his first fade this morning. That's a big.
Mark Caboli
I'll send you a period. Looks great. He did. He did well. But, yeah, apparently the guy, when he's done with his cut, just sits for a couple hours and plays piano every couple weeks. It's awesome. This guy's name is Justin.
Pat McAfee
We got Justin's piano.
Mark Caboli
He grew up next to Vince Wilfork. Wild connection. So God just crushed it on the piano.
Pat McAfee
What a morning. Good for you and good for co. We're gonna call you back. The connection is kind of shite. We did hear you, but your face was freezing. And with that good of a haircut. We don't need that type of stuff happening, obviously, today. Yeah. We FaceTime with JJ this morning. S. If you come on and there is a piano playing, it's very loud. I thought he was at the mall. Oh, yeah. I thought he was at the mall. I'm like, you at the mall right now? Just. That's interesting. You just walk around the mall. J.J. watt, with how tall you are, you think that'd be difficult? He's like, no, I'm actually at the barbershop. Turns around, I see Koa sitting up there. There. He's got the thing on. They're fading them up. I'm like, oh, that has to be a cool moment. Is this first fade? He's like, yeah, first fade. I'm like, what is that sound? And he appears. There's a guy at a baby grand piano in the corner of the barbershop. I'm like, geez Louise, that's got to be the nicest place I've ever heard in my life. And the bar, the barber looked cool. They were playing frozen songs, I think, whenever we were on the call. What a life. Good for Koa. Yeah, good for Koa doing it. And good for J.
Ty Schmidt
And good for that barbershop, because there's not many ambiances that can pull off, like, a baby grand piano. And a barbershop is probably the last one you would think that can do. And the fact that they can. That's a classy establishment as you're sitting.
Pat McAfee
In the corner, too. That's Justin. That's Justin's baby grand piano. You missed out. He's not here getting his haircut today. Normally every three weeks or so. So who touches the piano when he's not here? Nobody. It just sits there waiting on Justin to come back needing that fresh fade. Houston's got good haircuts, if I recall. Houston's got good barbers. There's a place we went to, San Francisco. I think I had a. I got a fade in San Francisco one time. Barber shop was alive. That was a cool barber shop, the.
Ty Schmidt
One in the Burke when Nick got married. That was great.
Pat McAfee
The Pittsburgh barbershop had great vibes. The barber shop's always a good place to stop by. Joining us now, ladies and gentlemen, a man who goes to a barber shop that has a baby grand piano in it. J.J. watt.
Mark Caboli
Sorry. Sorry. Hopefully we're better. We better.
Pat McAfee
We better.
Boston Connor
We better.
Pat McAfee
Oh, no, I can't hear.
Mark Caboli
Are we better?
Ty Schmidt
Son of a.
Mark Caboli
Are we better? Oh, yeah. Let's play the game. Let's play the game.
Pat McAfee
The new haircut. New Haircut. We can.
Mark Caboli
I gotta say this because that now I like. I mean, it does sound crazy. This morning was crazy. Gabe has cut my hair since my rookie year in the NFL 2009. 11. Started out at a salon in the mall as just a guy cutting hair, then eventually got his own little cubicle in a place, then eventually opened up his own shop and now opened up a bigger. And it's like literally he has risen from the very bottom to the very top and now he has a baby grand piano. So shout out to him.
Pat McAfee
Shout out to Gabe. American dream story with the Clippers. Way to go, Gabe. Start out in the mall. And now he created one, you know, and that's. That. That's. That's a wonderful thing. Okay, let's talk about.
Art Stapleton
About.
Pat McAfee
Go ahead.
Mark Caboli
I was going to say you guys have a guy come cut your hair every day, which is pretty awesome in its own right.
Pat McAfee
Once a week, JC stops by, cuts the boy's hair. Obviously, it's not easy to get into barber shops in Indianapolis, Indiana. I don't know how many there are. But you. We don't got time to wait an hour and a half ever. Nobody's schedule has the time to do that. So JC making his way in here to cut some hair. Wonderful little bonus. I think. I think it's a wonderful, incredible. Yeah, it's a good thing. I love. Cool. It's cool thing. He gets paid well. But it is a. What comes in return is convenience.
Gumpy
It's awesome.
Pat McAfee
Proper grooming.
Ty Schmidt
Great cuts.
Pat McAfee
Great cuts. I mean, like. Yeah, it's good. I think if I was right, a.
Mark Caboli
Standard order, like who goes first every week and you guys, everybody goes in the same order. Kind of is ready or.
Pat McAfee
It's kind of like that. There. There's a couple swaps maybe in the middle. But it's. It's normally pretty similar routine on who goes when and how it goes.
Mark Caboli
Your first or last. The first or last.
Pat McAfee
Me. So I go in middle. Middle. I go in middle. I don't want to be. I don't want to be the first cut.
Mark Caboli
So you're a middleman. So you're a middleman. Yeah, so you're.
Pat McAfee
Yeah, I am middleman. I'm glue. You know, that is. That is not what most middle managers do, though. Just.
Mark Caboli
Oh, yeah. Normally they're not middle managers. Sorry, middle managers.
Pat McAfee
Yeah, middle managers. No, no.
Mark Caboli
So J.C. is not going to the draft. He's not going to Green Bay.
Ty Schmidt
He might.
Pat McAfee
I mean, J.C. might. He's.
Gumpy
He likes ball.
Pat McAfee
He likes ball. He likes ball.
Ty Schmidt
Great golfer, Colts fan.
Pat McAfee
Great golfer. He's Colts fan as well. Great hair. I a chance he's traveling out there. I, I, I do not believe we will be. Especially with how loud everything has certainly.
Mark Caboli
Got when doesn't sound like it. Doesn't sound like it from what I'm hearing.
Pat McAfee
Yeah, I appreciate, I do appreciate that becoming a massive story, you know, on the Internet. Cuz I kind of, I was just telling our people like, hey, we're not going. And then I'm like being very transparent about the reason why. And then the way it gets worded by these people in, in the announcement of it is like insufficient respect at the combine has led to Pat deciding not to go to the draft. So then everybody basically says this entitled little bitch who hates me about this, like, sorry, they're not showing you. It's like, no, no, it's not just the insufficient respect, which I've never said in my life at the combat. It's basically the overall relationship and people don't know. Like I have paid the NFL millions and millions of dollars for years so that I can get rights and social media rights and digital rights for highlights and play for our show. Because before we were on espn, we were on the Internet. And if you look at ESPN's deal with the NFL, whenever they talk about the NFL on like talk shows or debate shows, whenever they would post those, they would have to put a picture over the highlight over the video because in the deal they don't have social rights. You can't share, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Now we've gotten to a point obviously with the Internet where everybody who talks about the NFL rips plays and posts it and they bury the NFL and do that entire thing. I mean, that is a rampant thing where I don't think they'll ever be able to whack a mole and catch everybody that's stealing their thing. But I wanted to go about do it the right way. So I've had a business partnership with the NFL both through the NFL films and the NFL for years and years and years. But nobody has told these middle managers, you know, like, hey, hey, hey. Just because he's younger than you and you think he's a dipshit doesn't mean, you know, so these conversations go. It's a one, it's not just the combine was the most ridiculous, but it's not just combine. It is a totality of this thing. So I don't appreciate it being reported as like insufficient respect at the combine series. It's like insufficient Respect throughout all this shit is the reason why, including the.
Mark Caboli
Draft, that should be the name of a show. Like that should be a spin off show Insufficient Respect. That's a great show name.
Pat McAfee
We run into a lot of it. So I could write if I needed to. There's me, obviously, making sure there's enough space on this particular stage for us to put four chairs up there with some cameras. I was able to find an alternate location too, which, wow, never would have guessed in an empty stadium to be able to find alternate locations. And how about this one? It's about 130ft or so. I think we could potentially do this. So this was. No way.
Mark Caboli
Somebody told you there was enough space. There's no chance.
Pat McAfee
Yeah. Listen, J, I. We get invited to go to combine. Okay. By actual people. And then like four days, five days before it all happens, like, we don't know if there's enough space. Our team has to buy, buy, buy, buy. These people show up at an email thread that have been around for four months and it's like, who are you? Who are you?
Mark Caboli
No way.
Pat McAfee
Yes. Yeah. So I go down there as a smart ass with the tape measure. Obviously, I'm like, I'll go do this today if I need to. And I did, you know, and it's like, here we go. So it's not just about the combine. The combine was certainly, I'd say, their best work thus far. Most amount of fake problems coming from people with fake power. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. But it's been a. There's been a lot of this with this particular crew. And it's, it turns out, interesting. Turns out I'm not the only one who feels this way. I found out this is normally the case whenever I decide to say something. And normally I'll get a bunch of go, go, go, go, more, more, more. You know, that is normally the. The way it goes. But I'm not doing that because I have. I do have respect for NFL in the league, in the actual people that are making decisions. It's just like any bureaucracy that you find out about, there's always people trying to hang on for dear life, trying to make sure you know who they are. And I got to be better at dealing with that. I do got to be better at dealing with that. But I think if you look through my history, I am maybe the worst in the history of dealing with those particular people. We're going to work through it. We're going to work through it. We're going to shake their hands at some point, just Like, I tried with Canada. Even though they don't all start an.
Mark Caboli
International incident, they don't want to shake your hand. They don't want to shake your hand.
Pat McAfee
Yeah, I know. I know. I've heard. I've heard. You know, I've been getting death threats a long time. You know, the first one that I read towards my daughter, that was that one.
Mark Caboli
Dude. That one pissed me out like that. That was just. Some people like that. There's just words that you like. No matter how angry get, no matter how you just don't. No matter. Even behind an anonymous account on the Internet, you just don't say. And that really pissed me off personally.
Pat McAfee
Yeah, me too. Now, granted, J, I appreciate you getting pissed off. You weren't the only one. I think AJ Wanted to go find Guy. I mean, there's been a lot of people that are. Are like, I had some Navy SEAL friends that are like, we can find this guy like that. And like, multiple companies that I've done business with, they're like, we have surgical IP people that can find this guy's exact address if you want to. And I'm like, if we were to do that to people that said bad things or wanted to kill me, we literally, you guys, your servers would be working all day in this entire thing. But bringing on my daughter, I just want to showcase to people, like, the reality of the world that I'm not the only one that gets this. I assume there's a lot of people that do. I get a lot of it. But this is the world that we live in now. And the reason why I laughed about it is because I've been getting death threats a long time. Like, I ain't scared, you know? And I. I do believe in the second amendment, too. So you can fafo if you would like, to any of you. But with the entirety of it all, let's just live, you know? And I think whenever things are taken out of context or misrepresented for what I say from these people, the people that hate me or maybe are borderline wanting to kill me, they read these things that are taken out of context, and it, like, feeds them even more. So that's why I get so pissed off about a lot of these things. Things that are like, hey, that's not who I actually am. You're misrepresenting me. And do I answer all of them, or do I not? And it's like, them all. I guess that's how I got to do it. But it's. It's great.
Mark Caboli
Will you Be going to the next WWE event in Canada.
Pat McAfee
I was wishing that Monday Night Raw was in there. I have a. I have a United States of America sports code that I would. Yeah, yeah. I'm not really scared. But also, like, you guys boot on Ashe Anthony. And then Trudeau answers, we're not booing you. We're booing the decisions that are being made. And I'm learning about decisions you've made. And it's like, so politically, we're going to look into every country that is going to play their national anthem at these sporting events, and then we're going to decide whether or not it's worthy of being quiet and paying respect for or if it's booming. Okay. Interesting precedent that we're setting up there. Just as we go forward. That's an interesting precedent. And I don't know if no matter how loud you say that, that's how a lot of Americans are going to take it, because I've had an American flag flying in our office between. Since we started, numerous different regimes from different political parties have obviously had power and made decisions. And it's like, I'm proud to be an American brother, no matter who's running it. So if you're gonna boo my country, I'm probably not gonna be as thrilled. But I appreciate that you have passion for your country. Bingo. I mean, that thing's. That thing. That thing's flying overhead at all times. It always has been. I mean, that is just the way this goes, let alone sitting right here, you know, I mean, this is America hat. You know, I mean, they're just. Come on.
Mark Caboli
Whatever reasons we're mind it. The animosity during the formation USA hockey game was the best, dude. Like, I don't care what caused it. That's what's like. That's one of those things that I do feel like has started to go away from sports today. Is that true passion, like, hatred? Like, I want to win this game no matter what. Like, I feel like with fantasy football, with everything where teams players are fans or fans are fans of teams from other places they don't live in. Like, it used to be. Like, I mean, I grew up in Wisconsin. Packers, Bears, that one is still holding on pretty damn tight. Steelers, Ravens, that one's still holding on very tight. But, like, a lot of these old school rivalries are starting to diminish a little bit because of this globalization of the game. So it felt really good. And I think that's part of the reason fans loved it so much, was the Canada USA thing. Was just like, hey, us. You, let's go. And then the guys just dropping. I mean, just glorious.
Pat McAfee
And then we beat the fuck out of them. You know, three fights in nine seconds, which is awesome. I love that. And then we win that game. Okay. And then I get real excited about elimination chamber in Canada. Okay. Especially after everything that happens. I order a couple American flag sport coats, okay. That I'm wearing right into elimination chamber on the back end of this entire thing. And then, lo and behold, they go into Boston and they beat us and they win the whole. It's a little bit different story. And wanted to win that one. Wanted to win that one back big time.
Mark Caboli
Yeah.
Pat McAfee
I actually sent to the group. I was. We were on vacation. I was at Disney World. I was at Disney World. Put baby girl down to bed. We're just in the hotel. I'm watching that game on Thursday night, and I send a text to the group that is personally the most devastating loss that I have suffered in sports in a long time. That one. Just because of how loud it had got. You know, it had gotten so loud. Like, we needed that one. We needed that one. Nonetheless. Canada. Hey, Canadians. Sorry.
Mark Caboli
Great job. Touche.
Boston Connor
Remember, shake our hands.
Pat McAfee
Touche, Canadians. As touche. Our source are telling us that is touche. Okay. Let's talk a little ball here, shall we?
Mark Caboli
Let's do it.
Pat McAfee
DK Metcalf, first and a third. 30 million a year. Deebo Samuels just traded for a fifth rounder. Obviously, there has been trades for a first rounder and a third rounder. First rounder, second rounder. Randy Moss got traded for a fourth round. We never know how in Randy Moss. Different time. I get it. Same with all these. It feels like the NFL changes literally every single offseason. The wide receiver, is it as expensive as it was whenever the running backs were worth zero, and now the running backs are worth a little bit more on the way offense is going to go. What are your thoughts on a DK Metcalf potential market, and how do you feel about the situation that's brewing in Seattle with him?
Mark Caboli
I think it's funny because I sit here and I watch these and I see all the discussions about it, and you see fans saying, well, Debo went for a fifth. How could you possibly ask for a first and a third for dead TK And I think that it's very easy to sit back from a fan's perspective and think that there's like a big group chat of every NFL GM who they're just saying, hey, this guy's available. This is what we want. And then everybody else part of the, what makes a great gm, part of the beauty of this league is that it's still the interpersonal relationships. It's still the little conversations on the side. I mean, we just saw it in the NBA somehow that Luka Doncic trade was between two teams and nobody else had any idea he was available, nobody else knew that they could put in this type of offer and get him, etc. Etc. So I don't think we give enough credit to GMs who are either pulling off a heist or who are trying to get a heist in return, which is crazy. I agree. I think it's wild that in 2025 there's still not like a bigger system where it's like, guys, how are you still getting fleeced? Like the whole. Everybody can see that these are, you know, but that's what it is. That's what these GMs are. And a great GM is worth his weight in gold because he can find the best deals or he can get the best deals for the guys he wants to go. So, I mean, a first and a third is clearly that's coming from the Seahawks. That's what they want for him. And you have to start high on a negotiating platform. I. I don't know if he's going for that, but like Connor says, 27 years old, fast as shit, huge, great receiver. There's a lot of teams that want him. And all it takes is one owner to become infatuated with the visualization of him on their team wearing that uniform, and that deal gets done.
Pat McAfee
Bingo. That's why DeSean Watson's deal happened in Cleveland. We all assume. We all assume that that was ownership once he was told that they were out of the running. Because remember, desean was looking for a trade. It was Cleveland, Atlanta, New Orleans. Then Cleveland was ruled out of it, allegedly. If we go with the tea leaves are being kind of placed all over the place, then it was Atlanta and New Orleans who's going to do it. And then all of a sudden, the Cleveland Browns come back in $230 million guaranteed. We'll even move you up here and the entire contract is swayed in your way. We don't think Andrew Barry had the power to do that. We assume that came from over top of he at the ownership level. Same thing can happen at any of these positions depending upon how hands on all these owners are. DK Metcalf motivated too. You know, motivated. Fresh place, fresh space, fresh everything.
Mark Caboli
Seattle is an Interesting team just overall, because, like, they're a team who very clearly can compete for the NFC west every single year. Are they truly a Super bowl competitor right now? I don't know if they're truly at this moment, but, like, they're in this in between spot. Where are they going to go all in? Are they going to try and do that or are they going to retool? Mike McDonald, clearly great football coach, very excited to see what he's going to do in the future, but interesting spot up there right now, brother.
Pat McAfee
The Seahawks fans let other fans into their stadium for primetime games this past year. Remember, we saw the Bills fans turn it out and then I think, Eric, no, not Green Bay. Green Bay was in there because normally that would be the place. Like, hey, what is the greatest environment in the NFL? It's like Seattle. You go check out Seattle. So I think there's a lot of question marks around Seattle about this new Seahawks team. They're just gonna have to win. That's just what it is. Yeah.
Ty Schmidt
Their fans hate the gm, Schneider, hate him.
Pat McAfee
Because of the Pete Carroll stuff or because everything.
Ty Schmidt
I think. Because everything. I think the Pete Carroll stuff. I think some of the linemen that have gone to free agency and I think now the DK Metcalf, from what I saw with Lockett yesterday, with Lockett on that, they. They absolutely despise. And they're calling them a booze bag.
Gumpy
What?
Pat McAfee
They despise the booze bag until they win against, you know, and if they don't win, then they despise you forever. Yeah. That is the game. You always have to turn over a program. And Schneider thought now is the time. And getting rid of Pete brings up McDonald. Good luck. Hey, good luck over there.
Ty Schmidt
Go get him. Seattle.
Pat McAfee
Good luck. Seattle. We're pulling for.
Mark Caboli
It's fun when they're good. I hope. I hope they're great because it's fun when Seattle's good. I love it. That's a great place to play, man.
Pat McAfee
I agree. I've never got to play there. I only got. I want. Have you played? You've played up there, obviously.
Mark Caboli
Yeah, yeah. Great place to play.
Pat McAfee
Love. I love playing up there with Cardinals. How many times you play there?
Mark Caboli
Once.
Pat McAfee
How was it? Loud. Huh? Loud.
Mark Caboli
Yeah, it's loud. It's cool. Probably could use a little updating, but I think that's also part of the charm. But just the way it's built, like, it's a really cool stadium, man. Like, there's some stadiums that are just. And that's. I Love it when a stadium is on top. You like when it's just. It doesn't have the huge, open, vast side. And their fans are great, man. They have that one guy who sits right by the visitors locker room and he has a sign for every guy and he loves the bullshit with you. So I've really enjoyed it up there.
Pat McAfee
Yeah, it's an echo chamber. The way they build it straight up and down. That's what I realized when I went over there for Amazon, had a game and I wanna. We. We were doing game day Washington. Well, yeah, in the west coast there. So I flew out to hang with Herbie and Al Michaels in the booth or whatever. Whatever. That was my first time in the stadium and pregame it wasn't as filled up, but one person would yell and you would hear the yell like three times and it's like, oh, that's the game like there, it's like four. It's just an echo chamber in there with how loud it gets. What a weapon. They need to get back to that. The NFL needs that type of environment. Obviously would be good. Good luck. And maybe DK moves on. Speaking of moving on, Chargers made a play at D line. Go ahead, con man. Yeah.
Ty Schmidt
J. Bosa out from the Chargers after nine years. Long ass time. Obviously immediately people are kind of just pinning him directly to the 49ers with his brother. But what do you think about Joey Bosa being a free agent now and what do you think the Chargers are doing with their D line? Because Khalil Mack also kind of up in the air.
Mark Caboli
Yeah, I mean, you have both of those guys on the edge who are obviously getting up there in their careers and not playing quite as many snaps maybe as they used to, but still both very effective on the snaps that they do play and can both pass rush at a high level. So probably obviously a money move on their port on their part. But I believe he is still very effective as a situational pass rusher. I think that he probably prefers some of those less snaps as well. Just as the body goes, you want to still rush the pass passer at a high level, but not have to, you know, do some of those grinder things down there in a six technique. So still plenty left for him, I think. I mean, it would be really cool. Trust me, as a brother, I would have loved the opportunity to play with my.
Pat McAfee
You could have a couple different times you said, no, you're working out in the building.
Mark Caboli
Remember we talked about it. We've talked about this before. He was in a Contract situation, I wasn't going to take away from that unless they got it done. And they did. They got it done later.
Pat McAfee
So I don't remember us talking about that. It feels like a new piece of information. Yeah, it does.
Mark Caboli
I've discussed this before. When I was a free agent, TJ was up for a contract. They were negotiating his contract. I wasn't going to come in and take any single dollar away from my brother and his contract negotiations.
Pat McAfee
Come on.
Mark Caboli
I said, if you figure it out and we can find a way to make it work, I will absolutely do it.
Pat McAfee
That was when he shoved the agent out of the way and got the deal done. That was when that happened. That whole time?
Mark Caboli
Yeah, yeah.
Pat McAfee
Because he wanted to work out. Listen, it's enough money for me. I'm TJ Watt. Get out of my way. Suit. That's what he said. I heard.
Mark Caboli
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, the agent was like through it right now again.
Pat McAfee
Okay. So he is in the middle of active. With that being said, Tone has a question for you. Yeah.
Gumpy
J max Crosby gets three years, 106 and a half million, I believe, 91 and a half guaranteed, 35 BAS basically a year. So what does that do for TJ, who is due for a contract? Miles is due for a contract. Trey Hendrickson, Micah Parsons, Aiden Hutchinson is coming up. Are the teams like, like, do the Steelers want to get TJ's deal done today before all the rest of those guys get done? Because so that it doesn't keep going up, you should want to. Yeah, that's me. I agree. Thank you. So how does that work out for the rest of the guys?
Mark Caboli
Yeah, you absolutely should want to. First of all, congratulations to Max. You absolutely deserve Max. Just love the way he plays. Love that he plays every single snap of the game. Love that he tfls everything. Just run game, pass game. Guy's awesome, flies over the field. But yeah, the earlier you get a deal done, the better deal you get. That's just a fact. That's why, I mean, my personal belief, they should have done it last year because I think there was a hometown discount to be had last year, but now, now, the longer you wait this year, you've got Michael coming up. Like you said, you got Aiden Hutchinson, you got Miles, you got. These guys are getting new deals. That number is going to inch closer to fours in front of it instead of threes. So you're going to want to get that done earlier rather than later because the price isn't going down. Like, you start comparing the stats, you start Comparing the wars. You start comparing all this stuff and then it's like, well, if that guy got that number, well then this guy gets that number. And just I, I'm a big believer in the earlier you get it done, the better it is for everybody, for the team.
Pat McAfee
Don't definitely this is, you know, this is.
Mark Caboli
But like a player also, like, you want that security, you want that. And if you're okay with that and if you're like, you want the solidity because nobody wants to go until that last Sunday before the first week of the season. Because all training camp long, you're trying to figure out like, I don't. I want to practice, I want to be with my teammates, I want to work hard, I want to show the fans I care. But I also don't want to get hurt. I really like, this is a literal hundreds of millions of dollars of life changing money. But at the same time, I don't want to be that guy with the whole holdout. But this is life changing. So the earlier you get it done, the more relaxed and you just get to live.
Pat McAfee
You've broken a couple different pieces of news here today. When you were a free agent, you're maybe gonna go to the Steelers but decided you didn't want to because you don't want to take any money from tj. We just learned that. I never heard that before and if I had, my memory had forgotten it. So thank you for that information. You also said TJ's going through it right now. He's in the middle of it. That's happening. Has that been reported that TJ and Omar Khan and team are already talking, I assume.
Mark Caboli
I mean, there's no. He's going into the last year of his deal. So yeah, there's. There's no questions that. That's.
Pat McAfee
How's it going? If you talk to him, is he happy? Is he a happy TJ or is he.
Ty Schmidt
This sucks.
Pat McAfee
Yeah. Is he a mad. When's he kicking? He did.
Gumpy
Great news though. He said, you know, if they would have done it last year, might have been a home to hometown discount.
Pat McAfee
Yeah, well, we're not there anymore, so sorry.
Mark Caboli
I'm just. The earlier things get done, the better it turns out. That's all I'm saying.
Pat McAfee
Like tone, what has been reported about this guy? Hey, hold on. We're just going to tell you what has been reported already. So you can feel like you can dance within a frame.
Gumpy
What I've seen is that they are working on a deal. Steelers would like to get it done Sooner rather than later is what I have seen.
Pat McAfee
Okay, so they are attempting to get a deal done. Anytime that comes out, you would assume that they are working on it. TJ obviously involved. Do you know when's the last time you talked to tj?
Mark Caboli
I talked to him about a half hour ago.
Pat McAfee
How's he doing? Good spirits. He asked about coa. Did he ask about the pianist or did he say, let's talk ball?
Mark Caboli
He's doing great. He's doing great. We were talking food and naps and.
Gumpy
T wants to move around a bunch.
Pat McAfee
What type of food? Super expensive. Expensive food. No ball. Like new contract food.
Mark Caboli
No, no. We were not literally the. At least. We were talking turkey sandwich with nothing on it except for turkey and bread. That's literally what?
Pat McAfee
Mayonnaise. At least. You gotta put mayonnaise on that, at least.
Mark Caboli
It was a dire situation. There was nothing else available. It was literally just bread. Turkey. That's it.
Pat McAfee
This is. TJ's eating at his house. Get this deal done. This guy's got turkey and bread in the house and that's it.
Gumpy
Listen, I don't question what Teach does at his house. I mean, he needs not. Did he hire a pool guy yet? Because obviously that. And he needs to get a chef, obviously, as well.
Pat McAfee
Somebody goes shopping for this guy. What the fuck? TJ's got turkey and bread. That's it. Give us a guy, some cabbage maybe. At least he doesn't do it for.
Gumpy
Tasty, does it for fuel.
Pat McAfee
I understand. No mayonnaise.
Art Stapleton
It didn't have any.
Mark Caboli
Like, what is this guy? You'll have to ask him next time. Next time you talk to him, you ask him about turkey and the turkey.
Pat McAfee
He doesn't really come on the show much, but we'll talk about it.
Mark Caboli
It's a good story.
Pat McAfee
He'll tell you double turkey. Did he triple turkey? That thing? I mean, that is really the question because did you cook at least? Did you fry it a little bit.
Boston Connor
Maybe add a little flavor, at least Toast the bread?
Pat McAfee
No way. Did TJ toast the bread and fry the turkey. This is cold, bland ass.
Ty Schmidt
Yeah, turkey rolled it up in a.
Pat McAfee
Ball with the butt. Probably the butt of the bread cry. If I had to guess. It's probably got the butt of the bread in there. This tastes bad. No, you're an adult, tj. Come on. Get some food at the house.
Ty Schmidt
Get back on my pillow.
Gumpy
You need to have some Isley's chip chopped ham next time you're in town.
Pat McAfee
Get that with your. I've heard of this.
Mark Caboli
I've heard of this. I've never had. It's. It's legit.
Pat McAfee
Yeah.
Gumpy
Delightful.
Pat McAfee
And also, we're talking about frying it. If you were to get a pan and put some of the chip chopped ham, Eisley's chip chopped ham on there, you feel like you're a real chef. You can even drop a little food and then put some ketchup on that, maybe some cheese. Go on the toasted bread. You could really have a Pittsburgh evening and have omelet, huh?
Gumpy
You could.
Pat McAfee
Yeah.
Mark Caboli
Omelette, chip chop him.
Pat McAfee
Oh, yeah.
Ty Schmidt
Like that.
Pat McAfee
Oh, yeah. You could have done that as a player there. Now that we're learning. TJ In a good mood this morning, but has no money needs. Deal done. Steelers might be in a good place of leverage. This guy only has turkey at his house. Yeah.
Gumpy
Oh, yeah.
Pat McAfee
So he'll take anything. This guy will take anything. Right.
Ty Schmidt
What are you doing with his money? Inflatable furniture or something?
Pat McAfee
Oh, j. There have been those moves in the past. He might have invested in soccer team. Speaking of, Ty has a question for you. Jj.
Boston Connor
Yeah, jj, I know what you're gonna say. You know that? Yeah, of course I was gonna do it. You're a man of your word. You're high honor, individual integrity, all that kind of stuff. But there is absolutely no way you were gonna play for the Bengals. Right? I mean, that's not crazy to think that.
Mark Caboli
I'm telling you. My wife and I had the conversation last week because she, like, she finally got to the point where she was like, all right, nuts and bolts. Are you serious about this? And I said, if he does this, because there's still 12 matches left. I said, if he does this, it will be one of the greatest athletic feats in history, and I will absolutely honor my end of it, because I. That would be unbelievable. So I. I will have done it. It's easy because, I mean, I'm talking about after the fact now. But I told her, I said, I'll play for vet minimum, I'll go do it. Because that's just. It's that impressive. And I said I would do it.
Pat McAfee
So we saw the house you were looking for.
Mark Caboli
Going to do it. I promise you.
Pat McAfee
You posted that Zillow, which I love Zillowing, so I appreciate the fact that it seems like you do the same. This was the house you were going to get. Beautiful spot. Oh, yeah, Beautiful.
Mark Caboli
It's a gorgeous house. Yeah.
Pat McAfee
Did not know Cincinnati had it like that. I think you were probably pretty surprised, too, by Zillow. Whenever this Thing popped.
Mark Caboli
That might be the only one. I'm gonna be honest with you. Zillowed for about an hour and be the only one like that.
Pat McAfee
Oh, he got to the bottom. He beat the game in Zillow. Got it. Got to put in good tags in there, obviously. Good filters to get there. I'll Zillow anywhere I go. Pretty much never done anything.
Mark Caboli
Were you Zillowing where you were? Wherever that beach was? Because that looked pretty nice.
Pat McAfee
You're talking about Puerto Rico? Is that what you're talking about?
Mark Caboli
It looked real nice. Looked real nice.
Pat McAfee
Yeah, I Zillowed real hard there. Even have a friend that's sending me houses at that place, though, too. Yeah, it's a.
Ty Schmidt
Hold on.
Pat McAfee
And then the Puerto Rico business stuff. I know everybody thinks I'm a big dumb dipshit and everything like that, but wise Puerto Rico, PMS, Puerto Rico. It might be the Puerto Rico McAfee Show. You know, there might be PRMs in this entire thing. So far away, you know, it is. It's only. It's closer than Hawaii, obviously, but that's down in the Caribbean, you know, it's. It's down in there. So that's like a four and a half hour flight from here, I believe. So that's a little bit of a trip. Beautiful place, though. I could not recommend Puerto Rico more to people. Now. Tony Hinchcliffe needs to get down there. Sure. Yeah. Needs to get down there, kind of see what it's all about. But it did feel like you being a Bengal would have been a great feel good story. Would have been a great feel good story, certainly. But then you dumped on him. You said, hey, I don't like Skyline Chili anyway, so I don't think it would have worked. They do. It's not. Sam Hubbard does.
Mark Caboli
I felt bad because they tweeted and they were offering me cheerleading for, like, to come play, and I felt bad. I like the people at Skyline, but that cheers. Chili is not good.
Pat McAfee
It's not really chili. It's. It's more so like just like a sauce, you know, it's a sauce or a gravy.
Mark Caboli
It's like pumpkin spice flavored. I'm not gonna go too deep into it because they love it up there, but Graders. Big fan. Montgomery Inn, Big fan. Just not the Chili, man.
Pat McAfee
That casino. Great place. Great place. 48 lives there from what I've been told. I mean, it is.
Ty Schmidt
Love that.
Pat McAfee
It is a. It is a what? Wonderful city. Cincinnati. You will not be a Bengal because the Burnley team finally gave up a Goal. Have you heard about the new soccer podcast? It's about to sweep the globe.
Mark Caboli
I have. I'm very excited about it. I'm very excited about it.
Pat McAfee
Gumpy's Burnley got a shot or are they going back up to the. The. The. The big. The big bull. Super duper one. Yeah, I imagine they'll be back up, but Leeds United is unbelievable. I don't know if you've seen what's going on at Ellen Road, jj. It is scenes there every. Every weekend. Okay. Liverpool. I have.
Mark Caboli
They're playing great. We still control our own destiny at this exact moment for going up for the automatic promotion. So it's a lot of big games coming up. I'm headed over there. Check it out. Eyes. Boots on the ground. So really looking forward to it.
Pat McAfee
Last time you're over there, they went undefeated. Right? Is that the last time you were over there?
Mark Caboli
Yeah, that's correct.
Ty Schmidt
Are the dudes going?
Pat McAfee
Yeah. What about kp?
Mark Caboli
I think we might have one of the dudes going. I don't know. I don't know if it's Ty, but I do think there will be a.
Pat McAfee
Put Tyler on the field. Field. Put Tyler on the field. And if this goalie lets up another goal, pull him. Put Tyler in there. Or one of the.
Mark Caboli
You guys should do a five v. Five dudes versus mcafees.
Pat McAfee
What sports? John Robin's gonna need some time.
Mark Caboli
Soccer, basketball, golf, football, weightlifting.
Gumpy
I need a year.
Mark Caboli
How do you feel? You got your best five versus dude. Best five.
Pat McAfee
We're gonna need. We're gonna need some time to get shaped. Six months. But if. When we do that. Feel very good. Feel very, very, very good. Tyler is a wild card. He could be scratch golfer, 300 bowler and everything like that. The other lads, I got faith in their ability, especially with the juice they bring. I respect them, but I think we got a little bit more power. I think we got a lot more power and that'll benefit us in certain games. Our cardio is hockey.
Mark Caboli
I feel like you guys have a hockey ambition. Bench.
Ty Schmidt
Yeah, I think we could win hockey.
Pat McAfee
I think hockey would be good for us. Tyler, I saw. Tyler's got a Cl. Got Slap Clapper we could have never expected. But I got eyes and a good glove, so, you know, there is a chance in that. Yeah, I. I can't skate. So if we were to do it, I mean, that would be.
Gumpy
Oh, we're talking deck. We're not playing.
Pat McAfee
Yeah, we're playing ball. Hockey. Deck hockey. We're playing.
Mark Caboli
Oh, talking deck.
Pat McAfee
East Hills of Pittsburgh yeah, that's not even. And by the way, we got a guy. Yeah. That might couple gold medals. Might be stick gloves, you know, shirt too. DP needs to understand that that's deck hockey in a nutshell. And I think they'd be ready for it. I think they'd be ready for it. Jj, we appreciate you, man. Thank you for filling the hour with us.
Mark Caboli
Hey, it was a blast. I miss you guys. It was a lot of fun. Thanks for having me. Anytime, anytime.
Pat McAfee
When are you gonna come to Indiana? You know, never.
Mark Caboli
It's coming. It's coming.
Pat McAfee
Is you? Yeah.
Ty Schmidt
Going to 1.
Boston Connor
Don't hold your breath me.
Mark Caboli
I will be there. Yes, I will be there.
Pat McAfee
How do you feel about 25? How do you feel? I.
Mark Caboli
So, I mean, for a couple weeks here, like, I, I. You don't believe me? I was training harder, just in case. I'm dead serious. Like, I was.
Pat McAfee
So is AQ blowing training and so is Tebow, I think. So I think you need for the Bengals.
Mark Caboli
I'm talking, like, for the Bengals thing. I started like, I was like, oh. So I started running. I started just in case. And so, like, I've been good, but now I've relaxed a little bit. So I'm worried my 225 is going to go down bit, but all right. I'm very confident in 30. Very confident in 30. I think 35 is in play.
Pat McAfee
All right. We appreciate you. J.J. watt, does it ever feel like.
Gumpy
You'Re a marketing professional just speaking into the boy?
Pat McAfee
Well, with LinkedIn ads, you can know you're reaching the right decision makers. You can even target buyers by job title, industry, company seniority, skill. Wait, did I say job title yet? Get started today and see how you can avoid the void and reach the right buyers with LinkedIn ads.
Gumpy
We'll even give you a $100 credit on your next campaign.
Pat McAfee
Get started at LinkedIn.com results, terms and conditions apply. You don't wake up dreaming of McDonald's fries. You wake up dreaming of McDonald's hash browns.
David Lombardi
McDonald's breakfast comes first.
Pat McAfee
S'more are awesome. We're lucky to talk about them. It's not just me, obviously, taking up your afternoon or morning, wherever the hell you're watching. And we can't thank you enough for doing that. It's also the toxic table at Boston Connor and at Ty Schmidt. Sweet shirt. Yeah.
Ty Schmidt
Thank you very much. Boston Terror. You know, I believe that's what it is.
Pat McAfee
That's not a Frenchie.
Ty Schmidt
It could be a Frenchie. You know, I can't really tell sometimes when it comes comes to the shirt from this angle. I wasn't really positive what was shirt I was putting on. It was dark this morning.
Pat McAfee
You're working with wrenches, wrenches over there. It sounded like something metal just broke over in the vicinity of debone. And I think that could be a French. A Frenchie there. It could be. You know what I mean? It could be. Anyways, you're still a dog. All right.
Ty Schmidt
Thank you too man. Thank you.
Pat McAfee
And it's not the size of dog in a fight size of fighting the dog usually. Now sometimes the size of the dog certainly matters which is why there's weight classes and such. Right. But if the big dog is a lazy bum and a little dog is a dog, there's a chance to get him. I think that is kind of the sentiment of the saying.
Art Stapleton
Yeah.
Ty Schmidt
And some, some big dogs are fat, you know, fat, fat dogs. You have one, you know, not, not to throw throw any shade. I. I hope Chuck's doing okay, but. Yeah, absolutely, sometimes, sometimes small dogs can't win.
Pat McAfee
Chuck's gotten a little thicker, you know, thicker getting through the win.
Ty Schmidt
How is he thicker?
Pat McAfee
It's been cold where we live, very windy. You know, it's impossible.
Gumpy
My dog super fat too. I get it.
Pat McAfee
That's one half of The Hammer Cowboys. A.P. tone. Ty Schmidt. I see the Golden Knights. Hockey Tarpon. What's that all about? You've been following the NHL pretty closely.
Boston Connor
Yeah, without a doubt. Checking scores mostly because you know, it's. It's tough to keep. Keep your, your eye on all these games. There's a lot of games but the Golden Knights, you know, have been absolutely dominating as of late. I believe they're, you know, top of the table, top class in the Western Conference. Jackie Ace is having an abso career year. So. Yeah, I'm getting. I'm starting to get real geared up for the Stanley cup playoffs. That is for sure.
Pat McAfee
Yeah, me too. Hockey's about to be buzzing. I believe the Vegas Golden Knights have the Pittsburgh Penguins tomorrow. We'll talk about that in a matter of moments. Joining us now live from an attic in Ohio is a college football national champion super bowl champion Ryder cup winner. Fresh off a four and a half million dollar buckeye cruise for child cancer research. Ladies and gentlemen, AJ Hawk Hawker. You have some break breaking news. Go ahead and tell the world right now.
Art Stapleton
You know, maybe I missed the pre pre show production meeting, but I'm not exactly sure what news I have to break today.
Pat McAfee
You do? When are we talking to old buddy oh, yeah.
Art Stapleton
Oh, yeah. So we. We should be talking to Aaron sometime soon. Aaron.
Pat McAfee
Rod.
Boston Connor
Okay. That's huge.
Art Stapleton
I don't know what that means exactly. I don't know what, like, time frame, but soon. It's got to be somewhere in the next couple weeks, right?
Pat McAfee
Hey, that's actual breaking news. So we. We thought this week was going to be the week, but I think there's a lot of things potentially now a lot of decisions have to be made. So we will be talking soon from our source. Vaj, we appreciate you, AJ at the bottom of that.
Gumpy
Yeah. What is soon for when a time is a flat circle to the guy?
Pat McAfee
Yeah. Well, I don't think he's on that.
Ty Schmidt
Maybe time is relative.
Pat McAfee
I don't know if he's investigated that whole. I don't know if he's in there. I think he believes probably in the standard 24 hour clock.
Boston Connor
Sure.
Pat McAfee
Yeah. Well, I don't know. I don't know, though. I mean, there's a chance. There is a chance.
Ty Schmidt
If Aaron doesn't come on. Maybe AJ can call the guy who's corny shucked and then we can have that guy on instead.
Pat McAfee
He's a good man, that guy. I heard he was a little bit overweight and he inevitably would die, but we don't know. We don't know.
Art Stapleton
There's no we. I haven't seen any obituary for Terry Mussetter, but I don't know. I. I hope he's. Hope he's still kicking. That was a long time ago.
Pat McAfee
You're really buttering that man's corn, weren't you?
Ty Schmidt
He's shucking his corn.
Art Stapleton
You guys had so many issues with how I. How I presented that I would serve.
Pat McAfee
Him his buttered up corn. That's what you said when I was. It was respect.
Art Stapleton
I meant like respect. You know, he. I working for the guy. I was, you know, putting in hard days work. And then we would share a meal sometimes at the end of it.
Pat McAfee
This all came up obviously, because we wondered if the state of Ohio was a big corn state, which is very standard conversation for most sports talk shows. And AJ Wanted to prove that not only is there corn in Ohio, he worked in the corn industry. Right across the street from Centerville, Ohio, is high school, which is where he went. Go Elks. A lot of legends out of Centerville, Ohio. He would actually, actually picked the corn for Mr. Who?
Art Stapleton
Terry Mussetter.
Pat McAfee
And you would butter it up real good after you microwaved it. And you would serve that man on a platter. His Corn is what you said. That is how you described it.
Art Stapleton
And I serve it on a platter. Never said that. But, you know, I get it. It's all right.
Pat McAfee
Did you say he ate corn the long way, too? I. I think that that was your.
Art Stapleton
Wait, what?
Pat McAfee
Show me how you said he was the first guy. You ever seen a corn a long way. And how would that even look?
Art Stapleton
You. You demonstrate.
Pat McAfee
You know, I don't think I have.
Gumpy
To, because I needed to get answers. And he was like, you ever seen my big Italian sausage pizza? I kind of served it like that.
Pat McAfee
Okay, so it's like in a. In a. In like a popcorn. Yeah.
Ty Schmidt
In the. In the words of Chuck Pagano, he was one of the best corn shuckers in the world.
Pat McAfee
Yeah. Well, how much corn could your corn shucker shuck if your corn was to get sucked by. What was his name?
Art Stapleton
He was not sucking anything.
Boston Connor
Proper way.
Art Stapleton
Didn't even. Didn't even have the little spiky things to protect his fingers from all the butter.
Pat McAfee
Oh, the fingies were talking about the little thing. Oh, yeah. We were just.
Art Stapleton
Yeah, we just holding on to it.
Pat McAfee
Yeah. You guys. You know what you guys should have done? And I learned this out here.
Mark Caboli
What's that?
Pat McAfee
And I, like. It's been sitting there this entire time. You know, the people that just cut off.
Boston Connor
I don't like people who do that.
Pat McAfee
Why?
Ty Schmidt
The small. I mean, like the bun.
Art Stapleton
You buy canned corn if you want to do that.
Boston Connor
Exactly. Exact. The whole point of eating corn on cob is putting the things in there and just going at it like a goddamn savage animal. That's whole point. That's the whole point.
Pat McAfee
I don't mind at all. And I think this is the way he probably served him for Mr. Musmeyer. If I had to guess, you cut it off, so I get it. And they come off in little chunks. You even get, like, little chips of.
Art Stapleton
No, if you're eating. If you're eating corn in the cob, you eat corn in the cob. You don't shave it off the cob.
Pat McAfee
Yeah. Especially if you're eating it the long way. Yeah.
Art Stapleton
And I don't even know how that would work.
Ty Schmidt
I honestly don't.
Pat McAfee
You're doing a dragging motion. I do believe you understand entirely. You're a part of it. And we want to let you know we're proud of you for that. Thank you for serving your community.
Ty Schmidt
Hell, yeah.
Art Stapleton
Thank you. Appreciate it.
Pat McAfee
Joining us now, ladies and gentlemen, to talk about not corn, but championships, more specifically. Lordo, ladies and Gentlemen, Stanley cup champion hockey and analyst, he'll be on the call for the Pittsburgh Penguins Vegas Golden Knights game tomorrow in Las Vegas. Ladies and gentlemen, Mike. Rob.
I
What's up? What's up, fellas? How are we?
Pat McAfee
Rupper, you're from Ohio, so I think you probably understand what AJ's talking about. You guys, how do you guys even corn and serve corn to others on a regular basis? Is this kind of how it goes over there? Rubber?
I
Yeah, I caught the tail end. Are we talking about the proper way of eating it? I heard about putting the spikes on the side, all that. What are we talking about in particular?
Pat McAfee
Yeah, that and serving others your corn. But we'll go with how you would eat your corn on the cob. Are you spikes on the end guy? Is that your move? Or do you cut off?
I
No, no, no, no.
Art Stapleton
You ain't cutting.
Pat McAfee
You can't cut the corn.
Art Stapleton
Corn off.
I
Like, just go get a bag of frozen corn if that's what you want to do.
Mark Caboli
Right?
Pat McAfee
It seems like you guys all got issues with eating it.
Ty Schmidt
Eat it like a sword.
Pat McAfee
Yeah, well, yeah, you can't.
Ty Schmidt
All right, anyway, stab one side.
Pat McAfee
Let's get to hockey. Let's get to hockey, shall we? Rupper, What Ovechkin's doing is obviously spectacular, especially this far into his career. It seems like every single night he's scoring at least a goal. This Chase to get the Wayne Gretzky, the great Chase, was obviously something that was talked about coming into the year. Did we expect him to be on this type of track to go get it? And what are your thoughts on what ovi's doing right now?
I
I mean, when he broke his leg, I don't think anybody thought this was going to be doable this year.
Pat McAfee
Right?
I
Like, and he didn't miss that much time. But that just speaks to his. His durability his entire career. Like, he just doesn't miss games, even when he does. And this was probably his longest stretch of missing games.
Pat McAfee
It's. It's.
I
It's like he's going against what the. The doctors say it should be, and he comes back and comes back with a vengeance. So I think a lot of people are probably surprised. I thought we thought it would bleed into probably next season, but this is. You don't get to this type of number being like everybody else. And I think that's the biggest thing with this guy. He's 39 years old, man. He's just. He just doesn't stop. He just scores goals. And this is exciting right now in.
Pat McAfee
Washington Are the caps good? Are they good or they're. They're good. Yes. Yeah.
I
I mean, I think that adds so much more to this. This isn't like a, you know, a guy hanging on just, just kind of keep adding to his, his grand total of goals scored. I mean, this is, this is a team who's tied number one in the National Hockey League.
Mark Caboli
They got, you know, this is a.
I
Team that could win the President's Trophy, they could win the Stanley Cup. And here's my other part about it too. I know that we're going to, we're going to focus on what he's going at right now. And that's Wayne Gretzky's record. I think this guy, if he wants to, I think this guy can get a thousand goals. And if you look at it, it's only like three more years of playing the game. But I guess to the point, the Washington Capitals, like, this is good squad. They got young guys on their team. They've got this Connor McMichael, Dylan Strom, still age appropriate. They've got Alexi Protus. They're loaded, like they're not going any away anytime soon. So I guess the big thing is it's not like the team relies on Obi. He doesn't carry that on his shoulders from a night to night basis. He just goes there, have fun, go to his little office back scratcher, bang, pound some pox, and next, you know, like they're winning hockey games regardless of Obi scoring or not. I think that just adds to it. So, I mean, if this guy wants it, man, I think, I think a thousand's definitely doable for him.
Pat McAfee
Nick just texted me a Novechin stat for this season. He had 15 goals in his first 18 games of the season. Then he sat out 16 games because of a fractured left fibula. Then he returned on December 28 and he has scored 17 goals in 28 games. So in those 16 games, he missed out on the record. He would already have that record, seemingly, with the way he's gone 20 games left, he'll be able to get there on the track that he's on right now, the path that he's on.
I
I. I think so. I think so. And the crazy part about it too, through that stretch, even when he came back from that leg injury, you started looking at his goals per game average. It was the highest of his entire career. So he's 39 years old and he's going at a better clip than he has when he was a young buck high stepping A lot less gray hairs at that time. He's. He's been incredible. And the big thing for me, too, when you look at this and you start going down the stretch, what I think would be perfect is you got last game of the regular season, April 17th in Pittsburgh against the Penguins, and we've got Crosby. We got Crosby and Ovechkin, who have carried this league for 20 years.
Pat McAfee
How about.
I
How great would it be for us fans to watch that happen in Pittsburgh? I know Pittsburgh fans probably don't want it. Sidney Crosby doesn't want it, but it could be great for the game.
Pat McAfee
Yeah, I think what would be great is if the Pens decide to do that formation we've been talking about where four guys just stand across the net and they don't move, and they actually create a human wall and say, not today, ov. Not today, especially. That's the only way Pittsburgh would win. I know Pittsburgh sucks in the East. Who else are we talking about other than Washington? Rupper.
I
So Washington, they got. They're the big boys, too, right? Like, they, they play a heavy game, and I think that's going to be a big determining factor in the playoffs, especially in the Eastern Conference. The other big, heavy team is the Florida Panthers. They made a massive deal the other day with Chicago, getting Seth Jones. There's rumors that they're in on some other big, big game hunting coming down the stretch here with the trade deadline coming up tomorrow. In the chat, Tampa Bay Lightning, I just. I think people now are talking about them, but they're back. I mean, for me, it's those three teams. It's. It's Tampa, it's the Washington Capitals, and it's the, The Florida Panthers. They're going to be slugging it out. I think they're. It's going to be an arms race in the next 24 hours to see who these guys get to kind of.
Pat McAfee
Put them over the hump. Okay, so Eastern Conference going to win it all or Western Conference heavy? Is this going to be Western Conference Conference title?
I
So I was pretty bullish on the Edmonton Oilers. That's kind of changed in the last month or so. I don't know.
Pat McAfee
Four nations, he stops caring about Lordo.
Mark Caboli
They, they, they look.
I
They look kind of like a shell of themselves. They're not defending at all. I'll say this. There's a lot of really good teams. I love the story of the Winnipeg Jets. They haven't gotten it done in the playoffs, so it's hard to really put my bet on them. And it'll be interesting to see what they do at the trade deadline. Vegas, though, man. Like, I'm sitting here in Vegas right now. Loaded, loaded.
Pat McAfee
And.
I
And I'm starting to hear, you hear all the insiders talking about some of the whispers out there. They've been big game hunters since they came into this league, and their, their name is surrounded, all these big names that are out there still. I'm sitting here, like, I've heard whispers that potentially they can land an Eric Carlson out of Pittsburgh. I heard that they're in on Miko Ranton in Carolina. Like, these are the biggest.
Mark Caboli
Yeah.
I
So it's. It's nuts. They're the team in the west for me.
Pat McAfee
Okay. Vegas is the island of misfit toys. That's kind of how they view themselves, too. Cast offs. Whenever you go into the expansion team and expansion draft, teams literally put players up, say, hey, these guys are available. Vegas Golden Knights obviously brings in Jackie Aces, all the boys, and they kind of rally around that fact that they were kind of cast offs. So if they're continuing to trade for big name guys, it feels like the right coach culture feels like the right time. Now watching the Golden Knights go to Lordo again would be so great. God, definitely. Especially for Stoner. Get another run. I know.
Boston Connor
But hey, Aces, you know, Aces is arguably having a career year. I mean, that's what I would say. I don't know what Rupper would say. You know, and then you got guys like Noah Hannifin and. And Tomas Hurdle who, you know, same deal, misfit toys, kind of just cast off. But Rupper, I do, I do want to know, so what is the likelihood that they actually will get this done and get one of these guys? Because everyone, every single single year around the trade deadline.
Pat McAfee
Tomorrow. Yeah.
Boston Connor
Which is tomorrow. Because Vegas always does do this. They go out and get someone and it's always, you know, hey, Stoner's going on, you know, long term ir.
Pat McAfee
He's.
Boston Connor
He's playing, you know, possum, and he's not actually hurt. And then he comes back for the playoffs.
Pat McAfee
Oh, they do that for the salary cap thing. Exactly.
Boston Connor
Exactly. I hate it.
Gumpy
Panthers did it with Kachuk.
Pat McAfee
Bolts did it with a bunch of players. I mean, this is a, this is.
Boston Connor
A legal strategy, what good teams do. And Vegas has kind of mastered it. So if you had to put like a percentage on it, what chances would you give the Golden Knights for getting one of these kind of like, premium pieces before tomorrow?
I
Yeah, I mean, I. If I had to put a percentage, I. I'D give it a 70% chance.
Pat McAfee
We like 70.
I
I think they're gonna. Yeah, I think. I think they're gonna. They're gonna do everything, and they do the impossible. Like the things that people don't think is possible. And those things. I want to touch on that side. You bring up a good point. Everybody was having a conniption when this was going on with Stoner, right. And he was out. And until the playoffs started. It's happening all over the league right now. No one's saying boo about it. So this is the new way of doing it.
Art Stapleton
Kind of.
Pat McAfee
If. If.
I
Listen, these. We're not making up these injuries. Some of these injuries that happen, like, hey, just keep them out. We want a fresh body come playoff time. And it's opened up quite a bit of salary cap space or something. Seems to make those big moves now. Is it going to be Eric Carlson? Which would be crazy because I'm here with Pittsburgh. Like we said that game tomorrow night is after the deadline. If that's a trade that they make, Carlson could just walk from one side of the arena to the other and play for the Golden Lights tomorrow. I. I don't. I'm not saying that's going to happen, but they're in. They're in on some. On big guys. I. I think they're around the Miko Rantman situation in Carolina.
Ty Schmidt
Come on.
I
All teams pretty much are. If they can land something like that and. And Miko ran. If they could do a. Do a signage raid, that could be something massive for this organization.
Pat McAfee
Yeah. We've been talking about Miko all week.
Ty Schmidt
He's a dog.
Pat McAfee
We've been talking about this entire time. Chris has come early. AJ Will have the last question for you, but I just need to quickly ask, because you talk about tomorrow night and Carlson going to the other end of the ice. And then Sydney Crosby obviously fresh off a lead in the Canadian boys to another title, and his record's like 46 and 3. Playing for Canada obviously takes a lot of pride, and I'm still playing incredible hockey right now, but the Pens suck, is that. The Pens are just absolute shite. What. What. What. What happened here? What happened?
I
Yeah, I mean, it's. It's tough sledding. They're in this. They're in this no man's land, but.
Pat McAfee
They'Ve been in it, man. Pat.
I
Like, we've seen it for a few years. Like, they haven't been themselves. And it's like we see some of these other teams and this has been a change of Management. Right. So this has gone on for a couple regimes now where it's like, what are we going to do? I think is me. If I take off the broadcasting hat, I. You want conviction in your decisions, like, right. Like, let's. Let's either retool this thing and go aggressively at it, or let's just keep it going. And it seems like this, it's kind of always been in the middle, and that's where they find themselves. They're a middling team that probably has fallen less than that this year, so we'll see. But I think they're going to make some moves to try to make themselves back into the playoff mix next year. And with Sid on your team, you certainly got an opportunity with that.
Pat McAfee
They were talking about Sid getting traded this year, right. One day, like actually being talked about. I.
I
Listen, man, I. I don't see it. I just don't. I don't see it. Maybe, maybe when some other dominoes potentially fall, the crew there with Gino, with Latang, with Crosby, with Mike Sullivan, he's part of that connection as well. Sid will never be the first one to go. Never. So until some of those other guys, I'm not even saying it's going to happen. When those guys start going, then if Sid looks around and is like, all right, those years are kind of gone. We have to move on. Maybe it's a conversation, but I don't see that happen.
Pat McAfee
He looks around, goes, where's Gino? Where's Tanger? Where's Solly at? Oh, I'm the last one staying in art. I outlived all of them. Brought some championship grit to this town. Maybe I go play with a Canadian friend of mine, which is what they were saying he was going to go out to Colorado in Vegas or Marshon in Vegas. All right, last question. Here comes from AJ Hawk. Obviously, massive, massive event happened in your guys, state of Ohio.
Art Stapleton
Yeah, Rupper. Speaking of a team in playoff contention, the Columbus Blue Jackets took on the the Detroit Red Wings and got a decisive victory in the shoe at Ohio Stadium. What. What are your thoughts about that? And it seems like overall it was a huge success of beautiful pictures, video. Everything coming out. Seems like the NHL is great. Do you see this happening more and more? I mean, these. These drone shots are unbelievable. What do you think of this whole situation?
I
Yeah, so here's the big thing, aj. When this came out, I mean, obviously being from Ohio, like, I was so pumped for this, to put Ohio hockey on the map, which has grown so much since I was A kid. And when it came out like this, I was like, oh, man, is this. Are they going to be able to sell tickets all the way through these two teams? These two teams were not playoff teams. There's no projection that they're going to be this year. But, but, but, but they've proved everybody wrong and they're in the hunt here. The Columbus Blue Jackets, man, we know the story. We, we know the storyline with the Johnny Goudreau. It's that tragedy. But it goes, it goes even beyond that. Just with his organization's gone through over the years. And they're, they're. I got to see them up close and personal a little on that weekend. It's a special group. Like they, they, they, they bleed for each other, man. They're there for each other. And what happened in that 48 hours because remember, two days before that they won a huge game in Detroit and then they win this one. They're, they're exciting, they're. They're high event hockey, man. They're going to score six goals a game or they're going to give up six. It's a lot of action.
Pat McAfee
I'm.
I
You have to root for them. But as far as being at the stadium there, that place is legit. It's so cool. I'll be honest with you. Was it the nicest in some regards? I'll just say that, say that like. I'm just saying that. The under the under guts. I've never been to a college stadium. It's old, it's just like concrete. I was like, all right. But when you filled it up with the fans and then the drone shots and some of the. And we know about the history in that stadium, it was, it was an awesome event.
Pat McAfee
The NHL put on, filled it up 94,730 people. One dog was in attendance. And Peter, her as well. Obviously we saw him. But to your point, whenever I heard about this, I'm like, red Wings, Blue jackets horseshoe has 100,000 people. This, this is not going to be it. And then AJ said Ohio State people show up, brother. You open up the horseshoe, you give them an opportunity to go into this stadium and just take pictures or walk around those show up. But it felt like it was a Blue Jackets heavy crowd. And it's like, it was great moment for hockey, especially coming off of Four nations and Rupper. We appreciate the hell out of you. Good luck tomorrow night on the call.
I
All right, boys, we'll get talking to you guys later after trade deadline maybe.
Pat McAfee
So take care. Hopefully Some moves happen. And is America going to beat Canada in the Olympics? Tb.
I
Tbd, man, I don't know. Canada.
Pat McAfee
It's Canada.
I
Canada's a tough out, man.
Pat McAfee
I don't know.
Ty Schmidt
Thought you were from Ohio, bro.
Pat McAfee
Need to beat him.
I
Hey, do I want him to? Yeah, I want him to. I just don't. I you. I don't think you could beat Canada twice in the tournament. So maybe lose the first time. Maybe you can beat him in a.
Pat McAfee
In a gold medal both times. All right, I'm done with it. Ladies and gentlemen, Mike Robbery happen for that. The hell Hockey's a great sport. I don't like tough.
Art Stapleton
Tough to beat him twice.
Pat McAfee
He's true. Well, I mean, you piss off MC Jesus, you turn him into MC Satan on the ice. I mean that is, that is what's going to happen.
Ty Schmidt
You want to do that though, you.
Pat McAfee
Know, the political implications felt very real in this particular game, didn't it? Didn't it?
Art Stapleton
Oh yeah. Oh yeah. There was, there was a lot of tension. You could feel it.
Pat McAfee
Yeah. So then whenever they won, it kind of got quiet. I'm like, all right, now we're, we're kind of back this entire thing and did hockey actually like when they tell this story, will it be this four nations final ended the convo and then turns out it hasn't, you know, it's gotten loud. It has gotten. It is and it's good. The conversation has continued.
Ty Schmidt
Greenland, Greenland wasn't in four nations either.
Pat McAfee
Okay. All right. Yeah, there's a lot of convos happening around the world. We try to have conversations about the beautiful NFL, but we can only do it at a level that, you know, is at a 33,000 foot view, as a zoomed out view. We, we don't kind of get a chance to get in the weeds with every single team because how would we. 32 of them, obviously. 30 different cities. So we started a segment that, you know, got us a chance to chit chat with the people that are in the know, the people that are on the ground, the people that are on the beat. Ladies and gentlemen, it's time to feel the be. You couldn't feel over there, huh? Did you go?
Art Stapleton
I felt it, I felt it. I, I felt your guys energy.
Pat McAfee
I really did. You don't got to feel the energy, you got to feel the be.
Art Stapleton
Can't wait till the bowling feels the beat.
Gumpy
What'd he say?
Pat McAfee
The way you're saying things is just the last couple days needs to stop. Yeah.
Ty Schmidt
Why are you such an asshole?
Pat McAfee
Need you to feel the beat. First up, ladies and gentlemen, for The San Francisco 49ers, a man who covers the San Francisco 49ers for the San Francisco Standard and also has his own YouTube channel. Ladies and gentlemen, Lombardi himself. David Lombardi, long ball. I'm a little winded from feeling to beat. Know if you were able to feel the beat all the way over there in the Bay area, but thank you for joining us, pal.
J
Yeah, thank you. It's been a little while. Change employers since the last time. So shout out to the San Francisco Standard.
Pat McAfee
Hey, shout out. Hey, Shout out to San Francisco Standard. Our Guy Lombardi moved him into a vest town.
Boston Connor
Yeah.
J
This vest was just for you guys.
Pat McAfee
Yeah, it looks professional. Looks good. We appreciate you joining us. Let's talk about the knockout. Debo out. Do we know that was going to happen? And now IUK is being rumored to be traded as well. What are you hearing over there on the ground in San Francisco?
J
Well, the receiver movement goes back all the way to when they picked Ricky Pearsall, a number 31 overall in 2024. We knew that they weren't going to be able to keep all three. So Pearsall, Debo, IUK for the long term. But they tried to cram in a title last year. They were desperate to keep the gang together and then have that as a learning year for Ricky. He had 18 targets over the last two games, 210 yards. So it was obviously going to be time for somebody to move. And Deebo didn't have a good year. Hospitalized with a pneumonia, had the oblique injury before that. So it made Sense for the 49ers and Deebo Samuel to part ways. We did see that coming. I think it was relatively surprising that they were actually able to recoup the fifth round pick because they probably were going to release him if they couldn't find a trade partner. But they found Adam Peters old friend in Washington, and it could be a fresh start for both sides. The Brandon Ayuk situation is interesting because everybody tends to assume that you can't trade somebody the year after you sign them. But the contract works in a way that his guaranteed money for this next year isn't dumping until April 1st in a big $20 million option bonus. So they actually built it with a little bit of a window to be.
Pat McAfee
Able to move on.
J
The wrench there is that he tore his ACL and his McLaren last year and I'm not sure who would want to trade. But if somebody did want to trade for Brandon Iuk, they would basically inherit him at four years. 110 million, 27.5, which would be like a discount over the 30 million that he signed with the 49ers for. So I don't think that's likely, but it's something they're not saying affirm no to.
Pat McAfee
I'm wondering what the wide receiver market's about to look like. DK Metcalf will let us know. So with Debo and how it all goes, because is it the same as it was a few years ago? And is that why all the wide receivers were trying to jump into. Into that market a few years ago? Because everything's cyclical, as we know, but anomalies are only available every once in a while. AJ Has a question for you. Lombardi himself.
Art Stapleton
Yeah. So Joey Bosa, obviously released by the Chargers. We know the the Bosa mom is trying to get the Bash brothers. Bosa, Bosa brothers on the edge there in San Francisco. Is this a realistic expectation that they could possibly sign Joey Bosa?
J
I think at the right price and be realistic. And you look at the fact that Joey has missed, what, 23 games over the past three years, that means that he's not going to command a huge amount of money and free agency. I mean, the Chargers, they owed him, what, something a little over 20 million this year.
Pat McAfee
25.
J
No, it's 25. Yeah. So they said no to that. So it's obviously going to come in at less than that. The 49ers are in this big cost efficiency push this off season because they have been going for it over the past couple years. So they would have to get a deal that makes sense. But when you combine the injury situation with the potential family discount in this case, it's not, you know, out. Completely out of the question that they could find a number that does make sense. And you know, the craziest thing about the Niners defense last year is that they dropped to number 29 against the run. Even if Joey is a little bit diminished as a pass rusher, I think he's still a really good edge setter against the run. And the 49ers just need more dudes up front. They cannot, you know, they always say stop the run to have some fun. They weren't having any fun as a pass rush.
Pat McAfee
Well, you know who wasn't having any fun for the last few years? Robert Sala. He's back. Hopefully having some fun as well as they stop the run. Excited to watch that defense do their thing. Let's go to the offensive side. Big Decisions to be made. Ty has a question for you.
Boston Connor
Yeah, David, We've been talking a lot the last, like, week and a half or so about what Brock Purdy's contract might eventually look like. And we've kind of been saying, hey, you think he'll maybe take a little bit less so that they can, you know, pay some more guys around him and he can continue to have the success that he's had thus far? Or is he going to, you know, maybe reset the market or come, you know, right below Dak or whatever the case may be? What do you think that contract is going to end up looking like? What do you think that number will be?
J
Well, it's interesting because Dak had a ton of leverage heading into this past season when he signed that deal, which is the highest watermark. And you've got the group of QBs underneath Dak Prescott. I think that includes Trevor Lawrence, Justin Herbert, Jared Goff is even there. That's like mid-50s, right? Joe burrows at 55 million. The salary cap, though, has grown 24.1% over the past two years. So a lot of those deals were signed under a cap that was significantly lower. So when you talk about these negotiations, the number is often set as a percentage, percentage of the salary cap at the time. And because the revenues of the league have skyrocketed, I think that something in the mid to high 50s, all the way up to 60 million, it does make sense for Brock Purdy just given the way that all these quarterback contracts have gone. That being said, it might be posturing on the 49ers part. Right now they're talking about wanting to lower cash spend and financial efficiency. But I think all of that needs to be looked at through the context of this is a team that's about to move to a highly paid course quarterback. Right. So they're making sure that the fat is trimmed off of other parts of the roster. They've made a whole lot of other moves. Jayvon Hargrave is going to be cut with a post June 1st release. Deebo Samuel, Eric Armstead last year. I think all of that is focused on. Okay, now the nucleus of the cost structure of the finances is going to be Brock Purdy, and I think they're going to be ready to find a deal that's probably going to be near that very top of the market.
Pat McAfee
Yeah, that's the game. You either have the rookie quarterback and you're able to build up, or you have the paid quarterback and you have to redo it. Excited to watch what lynch does with this roster, with having to pay a quarterback because you can pay others. Howie has proven that over in Philadelphia, the salary cap gymnastics is real. We assume Kyle and Lynch will be able to sort it. What have we not talked about that we should talk about? What's more prevalent in the Niners world than maybe us, the national people, or, sorry, worldwide people here, international Wednesday, yesterday. What are we not really talking about? You think that is a story maybe brewing in some San Francisco.
J
Well, I mean, the NFL draft is just going to be so big for this team because the you. You've heard. I think Adam Schefter was on your show the other day. He was talking about cash issues or cap issues. I think he mentioned both of them. I think the general premise here is that the 49ers, who have been just all in going for it, have realized that, yeah, they went 6 and 11 last year. That's a wakeup call. They, they've seen other teams go to cost efficiency and still contend like the Bills. The Philadelphia Eagles have rebuilt their entire defense. The Rams in their own division have. Have shuffled things around and I think they had the lowest defensive spend in the whole league this past year, and they still made the playoffs and we're within a couple plays of beating Philadelphia. So I think the 49ers want to do the same thing this offseason, and that's why we should be looking at this draft. They had a good 2024 class, but they need a hit again in 2025.
Pat McAfee
How many picks? How many picks they have?
J
Well, they have 11 now because Deebo brought him a fifth and they didn't have a fifth before then. So 11 picks and the draft is so huge. Right, because those 11 PAT are going to cost the 49ers 14 million total against the salary cap in 2025. Chase Young, who left the 49ers to sign with the Saints, signed for 13 or 14 million just on his own this past year. So you get 11 players at the college cost of one Chase Young, and that's how the 49ers can pay Brock Purdy, and that's how they could build a good roster moving forward.
Pat McAfee
I assume they'll end up with five, six.
J
Yeah.
Gumpy
Oh, a lot of moves.
J
Yeah, that's reasonable. And it's kind of like, you know, you're. You're throwing darts at a wall. Some are going to hit, some aren't. So. And the.
Pat McAfee
Nobody wants to move.
I
Right.
Pat McAfee
Allegedly.
J
And the lower you are, you know, in the draft order, the further you are from the wall. So with Brock purdy, they were 20 yards away from the wall, but they still hit a bullseye.
Pat McAfee
Right?
J
But you never know if you're going to miss the second round or the third round as you just try to accumulate as much as you can.
Pat McAfee
Luke Litla, they had triple 20. That's what they did. We appreciate the hell out of you, man. Thank you for the information. You're doing great with the San Francisco Standard.
J
Yeah, thank you, guys. Appreciate it. Have a great day.
Pat McAfee
Your own YouTube page, too, right? Hey, we're doing it. Yeah.
J
David lombard. Lombardi on YouTube. Go check it out.
Pat McAfee
Oh, yeah. Keep going, Lombardi. We appreciate you. Ladies and gentlemen, David Lombardi. All right, that was from one side of this here beautiful country. Now to the other, ladies and gentlemen, it's time to feel the beginning. AJ can you hear it? You can't. Can we make sure sound is good?
Art Stapleton
I'm enjoying. I'm enjoying you guys. I'm enjoying feeling the beat from you guys. Honestly, can someone just sit back and enjoy you guys entertaining them?
Pat McAfee
No. No. Those are what our viewers, that you are a part of the show. You are on the camera.
Gumpy
Come on.
Art Stapleton
I know. I I participating for real.
Pat McAfee
Put your hands up, Whiz Khalifa.
Art Stapleton
Yeah, I did. I did.
Pat McAfee
You did not. You did not. You disrespected at that, man. Right.
Art Stapleton
I'll find the evidence. I'll find the evidence. My hands were up. He got juice, too. He saw it.
Pat McAfee
That Radio Row concert is something that'll never be done again. But I'll tell you what. What a time.
Mark Caboli
Awesome.
Art Stapleton
It's awesome.
Pat McAfee
Is that not the most ridiculous? All right, we're not.
Art Stapleton
Yes, it is.
Pat McAfee
Let's get back to. I wonder why all these people hate us. All right, let's go. Let's go back and feel the beat. Even though AJ doesn't want to do this. Covering the New York giants for North Jersey.com and USA Today, all in with Art Stapleton. Pod. Ladies and gentlemen, Art Stapleton. This is it. Art. Fellas. Art.
AJ Hawk
How's it going, Pat? What's up, aj?
Pat McAfee
Amazing. Thank you for joining us. We can't thank you enough. Giants, obviously, topic of conversation. You're the man to talk to for us. We appreciate you taking time out of your life to feel the beat a little bit here. Okay? We are in on Matt Stafford at a massive number. Right? Right. And now we're in on Aaron Rodgers. Are we in on all veteran quarterbacks. What are you hearing over there? For the Giants, looking ahead at the most important position you know, it's a.
AJ Hawk
A week ago where the Matthew Stafford thing felt like it was pretty close to the finish line and he ends up going back to the Rams. And at that point, I was told it's a game of musical chairs. Aaron Rodgers has a chair and there are a bunch of other guys. And then slowly but surely over the next 48, 73, two hours, I kept hearing, you know what? This Aaron Rodgers thing is not going to go away for the Giants. And from my understanding right now, and you guys may know better than me, that they are pretty significantly down a road where they are negotiating to the point where if Aaron Rodgers ends up as a Giant before the start of the league year next year, it would not be a shock to people in this area and at the Meadowlands.
Pat McAfee
You saying they're negotiating? Is that what you just said?
AJ Hawk
Well, from my understanding is that it has to be part of the negotiation. And I don't know how much Aaron can be involved in speaking with Giants brass Brian Dable, Joe Shane. But as far as Aaron's representatives, once the jets made it clear, my understanding is that he, he can have his representatives talk to other teams. Now, I don't know where the numbers are, but you can't get involved with a player of the caliber of Al Aaron Rodgers and his resume without at least having an understanding as to what ballpark you have to be in and what he is willing to do at age 41 after what he's gone through the last two years. So my understanding is, yes, they have talked about what it would take to get Aaron here with the Giants to not leave New Jersey. And my understanding is that at every turn, the Giants have yet to be scared off by the idea of, you know, Aaron Rodgers coming on some show every Tuesday. Seems like everybody wants that to be the big issue. But yeah, I think from a football fit, this is something that they're seriously considering.
Pat McAfee
Everybody in your area that has a blog or a journalism degree, for sure now, whenever we talk about Aaron Rodgers in the Giants potentially, it sounds like you think that we don't know legitimately. We do not know. I have not. He was out of the country, I think taking his breath. It's like normal thing. I would not interrupt that. AJ Talked to him briefly. He said he'll be on the show soon. What does soon mean? Who knows knows what that is sounds like. From what you're hearing, though, they are at least in conversations that's further than I thought or we had heard. Thank you for giving us that information. We'll continue to talk about it in a proper fashion. Is this Shane Daboll understanding? We need a guy this year, we need to have a good season this year. We can't just roll the dice on a rookie drafted quarterback. Or what do you think the mentality is?
AJ Hawk
You know, I think they went in saying, look, our quarterback room right now is Tommy DeVito and technically he's not even officially signed. He's got to sign his exclusive rights free agent deal, which will happen over the weekend. The reality is they need to sign a veteran quarterback and they need to look in the draft and get their future quarterback. And that's not easy to do. It's been a hell of a year in New York, as you guys know, for the Giants, at every step, every decision they made backfired. And now, you know, I think that they need to find the best football player to play quarterback to start the season. Because you cannot wait until the draft. You're not sitting at number one. You'd like to be at number one and say, you know what, maybe things would be different if had they lost to the Colts, they'd be sitting at number one saying, we know for a fact we are going to get a franchise quarterback of our choosing. They can't do that. So I think right now they need to get the best veteran in here as quickly as possible. And I think Aaron Rodgers right now represents that.
Pat McAfee
Last question for me before the boys have some in art. We can't thank you enough for taking the time here. How would Giants fans feel if this was reality right here? Boom. Wow. How would that feel? How would Giants fans feel about that, you think? Because I've obviously read the Internet and we're associated with Aaron. Lucky to be, thankful to be, but we are associated with Aaron. So anything that gets brought up, obviously my mentions get filled up as well. Some places seemingly okay without Aaron. How would Giants fans, you think, feel if he was their quarterback next year and next season in a seemingly must win season for the Giants?
AJ Hawk
You know, I think they'll. It'll be mixed, Pat. And you know, the reality is that, you know, my Tuesdays would be shot. I'd have to listen to you guys, which, you know, what I'd enjoy anyway.
Pat McAfee
Yeah, of course, of course, of course. All right. Of course.
AJ Hawk
People keep talking about, you know, this circus that Aaron Rodgers brings, that idea. You know, I've covered the Giants for too long at this point to think, think that, you know, dipping your toe in the water at this point and being afraid of the controlled chaos that Maybe a player might bring. It's gotten them nowhere. It really has gotten them nowhere. Like to me, yes, they need to win. They need to be competitive this year. You know, I don't think anyone's picking them to all of a sudden beat the Eagles in not only the nfc, but in the division. But I do think that if you look at the football and say Aaron will be two years removed from the Achilles and what he did, guys 3,800 yards passing for the jets, you know, the last time the Giants had a quarterback that threw for at least 3,800 yards.
Pat McAfee
2015, he did that in like four games.
Ty Schmidt
Yeah, yeah.
AJ Hawk
I mean he threw 28 touchdowns. The last time they did that was 2018, you know, and that was both Eli Manning and, you know, he's off making shows and, you know, a colleague of yours at east espn. So the, the reality is, is that if it's from a football perspective, you deal with anything else that you think is coming with Aaron, because if he can play, I think the match between Aaron Rodgers and Brian Dable, yes, it could be combustible, but I think it would be pretty interesting for one year to see them try to get the.
Pat McAfee
Most out of this season and maybe they have a young guy behind them that they don't want necessarily to be a franchise immediately. Connor has a question for you.
Ty Schmidt
Yeah. How about the third pick? Our. It feels like even if they do get that vet and you mentioned one year right there, that there's still a chance they might take a quarterback or is there any reports about who they might be kind of in love with in this upcoming draft class and do you think that quarterback at three is very possible or will they take, you know, Abdul Carter, Travis Hunter, one of the best available guys?
AJ Hawk
You know, I've heard all three quarterbacks that were presumably at the top of the draft or at least in that first round round discussion, Cam Ward, Shador Sanders and Jackson Dart from Ole Miss. Not in that spot necessarily. I think if they can pull off a deal with Tennessee to get to number one, I think they'll take Cam Ward. I think they like his upside. I think they like meeting with him. They want to meet with him more over the next month or so and see where there's that They've had a lot of interaction with Shador Sanders, which we've seen on the Internet every. Everybody has caught his exchanges with Dable and Malik, neighbors going all the way back in Times Square and Heisman weekend and all that stuff. Is Shador possibility? I know there are fans of his in the building. But the other guy would be Jackson Dart. So if the Giants don't move up to one I think they sit at three. If if a quarterback is there that they want, they'll take them. If not they'll take the best player. Could be Carter, could be Travis Hunter and then maybe they trade back at the end of the first round. If a guy is still there like a Jackson Dart, maybe a Jaylen Milro and then if you believe the mock drafters, maybe even a Shador Sanders will be sliding there late teens, early 20s. Maybe the Giants will say you know what we didn't use the picks that we could have gone up for one. Maybe we'll move back into the first from 34 and try to get that other quarterback to learn behind Aaron Rodgers.
Pat McAfee
All the mock drafters are interesting with where they're placing everybody. Charles Davis just came said Shador is going number one. Then some people have him like going six to the Raiders. Then they have people who have them in teams. There's some people that have them in late first round like it is very fascinating. I don't know if anybody knows shit at this point. Day bold Jalen Milro would be an interesting dynamic coming back together in it all. And all eyes are on those top couple picks. It is a fascinating year for the draft. Can't wait to cover it with the draft spectacular live here at the Thunderdome. AJ has the last question for you here. Art Stapleton.
Art Stapleton
Art, other than the quarterback position, what are the the most areas of glaring weakness you think that the Giants will have to address in the draft? And also is there any chance that they're going to go after Devonte Adams possibly to bring him in as receiver?
AJ Hawk
Is that, is that from you AJ or is that from a possible quarterback at some point that you may.
Art Stapleton
That's for me, strictly me. You were showing the highlights and he was completing so many nice balls to Devonte was flying all over.
AJ Hawk
How good would Devonte Adams look as as a a pair with Malik Neighbors with Aaron Rodgers throwing the wall? I think it's something that they would consider. I think, you know I think their offensive line might be better this year than people thought. They had a lot of injuries last year. I think they'll they'll be in play for a corner, a number one corner potentially in free agency. Maybe a guy like D.J. reed who played with Aaron with the Jets. So maybe it's collecting year old jets season for the Giants and I think on offensive line I think they're Looking for a starter at right guard that'll bring back their, their full complement plus a right guard and I think they may look for up front. Who wouldn't want to put one of these great young defensive tackles against Dexter Lawrence? Then you have Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence, the young guy, Kayvon Thibodeau back. We'll see what they can do up front.
Pat McAfee
What was the record in one score games last year? 2 and 9 or something like that. In one score games. Is that what it was last year?
AJ Hawk
Yeah, I think they had, they had a bunch of one score games and D's first year they flipped that and then you look what happened. They ended up winning nine games, a 10th in the playoffs. So you know, look, the league is built on one score games and you know, if there's a quarterback that you want to have a veteran leading a team that you think could kind of swing the pendulum from the worst in the league to maybe somebody who can compete for the playoffs, it goes back to Aaron. So if they can work something out, I think it gives them their best chance, chance as a football team to be competitive. And those guys need that this year. This entire franchise needs that.
Pat McAfee
Tell them, A.J. you don't have to move. Matthew Stafford just took a big discount not to move and stay with the Los Angeles Rams. Moving sucks, okay? Moving, moving absolutely sucks. Everybody feels the exact same way about it. Tim McAfee, I always say truck driver. He was a long haul truck driver mover. Like his truck driving was to be a mover. So I mean those are both. Just put them together.
Boston Connor
Two worst.
Pat McAfee
That's Tim McAfee, football. Way to go, Tim. Way to go, Tim. We have one last question from our resident Giants fan. Bruce Brown has one for you, Art. He's a big fan of your work. Yeah, what's going on, Art? How are you? My question is Bobby O'Carrick. There's some rumbling that the Giants have soured on him and that he could.
David Lombardi
Be a surprise cut candidate.
Pat McAfee
Do you think there's any truth to.
David Lombardi
That and they might let Bobby walk?
AJ Hawk
I think there's always truth to, to those rumors you hear. It just depends on where they come from. I'd be surprised. Two years ago I called Bobby O'Carrick, you know, the best free agent signing they've had since Antro Roll. And you know, Bruce, you know what they did with Antro Roll. They won a Super Bowl. You know, I think it comes about fit. You know, Bobby's in another defense now with Shane Bowen last year. I think he fit well, with Link Martindale. So that. That's a question. I think there's some things that need to be cleared up with the way Bobby season ended last year. He had a back issue. It popped up all of a sudden and then two weeks later he was on IR and his season was over. I think, you know, as a captain, as somebody who's looked at as a leader in that locker room, I think they kind of have to work through some things. I would not expect Bobby O'Carric to be, you know, a cap casualty per se, but if somehow they feel like they can get a draft asset and they could turn that draft draft asset into one of their franchise quarterbacks, I think maybe they'll think about it. It's too soon to tell.
Pat McAfee
From Stanford future Hall of Famer. Very true. Bobby. Oh, Carrie K. Noto kariki.
Gumpy
No, it was at the time.
Pat McAfee
That was a phonetic at the time changed it at the time it was that he was obviously a member of the Colts. He goes the Giants. He becomes a superstar in winks defense. We hope he figures it out just like we hope the Giants figure out what is realistic expectation for Giants fans looking at next season.
AJ Hawk
Well, if you bring Aaron Rodgers in, I think it's. It's eight, nine wins and see if you can play meaningful football in December.
Pat McAfee
Getting a dance. That's fun. Getting the dance. All right. We appreciate the hell out of you. From NorthJersey.com in USA Today, Art Stapleton. Clean shaved. Yeah. Look like a fresh face. Art Staple Templeton there getting ready for the off season.
Ty Schmidt
Rangers Tarpon.
Pat McAfee
What's that age?
Art Stapleton
Nothing. I love Ralph today said art, this is it. This is it. I noticed that he's the best.
Pat McAfee
I don't expect the close up. I. I did not expect it. I mean, I don't see these people until they get on, obviously. So it's my first time alongside everybody else. And that was the shot because he had that. It looked like a fresh shave. Yeah, the hair was. I mean, that was a surprise. I'm like, all right, this is it. Speaking of, is time to continue this train around the NFL to get boots on the ground and learn more about ball and the teams that we cover. It's time once again to the beat. I think we felt the beat pretty good there.
Boston Connor
Yeah, we did.
Pat McAfee
This son of a bitch still has yet to feel a fucking beat in his life. It's okay.
Art Stapleton
I feel differently than you guys.
Pat McAfee
Yeah.
Ty Schmidt
Like, oh, we've heard it like the corn.
Pat McAfee
Yeah, we've heard. Heard about and old Mr. Mustard was feeling.
Art Stapleton
You guys are eating, you guys are eating corn like it's hot dogs straight down the gullet. Come on.
Pat McAfee
All right. Oh, okay, good.
Art Stapleton
I never knew that was even an option until you brought it up today.
Pat McAfee
That's how you were serving Mr. Mustard.
Art Stapleton
Shucking off vertical, giving to him vertical.
Pat McAfee
Ladies and gentlemen, from the Pittsburgh Steelers, our reporter and also contributor to the WWE. Ladies and gentlemen, Mark Caboli. This is a two, this is good lighting, good hoodie, good 412 hoodie. Perfect Shave for that goatee looking in mid season form. Cabal is. You're killing it today, Bob.
David Lombardi
Mark, should I, should I get real close like Art?
Pat McAfee
Yeah. Art was up in that thing, wasn't he? You saw. Yeah. You noticed that as well. Yeah, we all did. Art did great. As will you because that is all Caboli does. Pittsburgh Steelers big conversation right now. Is Corey quarterback? That's it. And is that what's happening through combine? Is that what's happening back at home? What is being talked about with the Pittsburgh Steelers right now? Is it just the quarterback situation?
David Lombardi
Yeah, that's number one on the list. They can't really move forward until they figure out their quarterback situation. Whether it's going to be Justin Fields or Russell Wilson. They prefer Justin Fields and they're going to move forward with the thought of trying to sign him up here right now. But you know, things can happen between now and Wednesday. I mean Justin's no hurry to get signed right now. I mean he has all the power in the relationship right now. I mean considering how needy the NFL is in quarterback situation. Those six games did him really well last year of making him a hot commodity out there. So he's just going to play it out here. The Steelers want to bring bring him back. We're going to make every effort to bring him back and they're not going to mention this publicly, but he's 1A and if things go awry then the fallback plan is Russell Wilson. But they don't really want to lay it out in those terms because you don't want to have Justin Fields go to a team like the jets or the Giants and say, oh by the way Russell Wilson, you're our plan B. Come on over. So it's all quarterback. Once the quarterback's in play place, which will be likely Tuesdayish, Monday, Tuesday ish at the latest, they can move forward in acquiring some other players.
Pat McAfee
What they need, you know, more than Meeka Bowles. How come it just became Justin Fields is the one option over Russell Wilson is It strictly because of how much each would cost or is it because they feel like the future that they learned of Justin Fields in his first few games is what they're banking on. Instead of Russell Wilson coming in, what, playing the best football that anybody's really played at quarterback position for the Pittsburgh Steelers in some time. I think that was for a couple games for. Okay, okay. So tons out on both, I think. But nonetheless, why is Justin Fields the guy over Russell Wilson and who reps Justin Fields?
David Lombardi
Well, you know, with Justin, he's just the smart choice. I mean, he's 20, what, 26, I believe he's sort of like your. I liken it to a lottery ticket, you know, you scratch it off, it's not going to cost you that very much to become a, a franchise type quarterback. You're probably not going to hit big on it, but at least you have a chance with, with Russell. He's 36, going to be 37 in November. I mean you got a very short window with him moving forward here. With Justin, he showed a lot in those six games last year. Not only that he, he played throughout the preseason, throughout the OTAs leader too. Felt like, yeah, I mean he, he did everything right. I mean there is when people say that his teammates love him and nobody has ever has a bad word to say. That's true. The guy is just class act of how he approaches everything now. He has to obviously improve his game. It was a difficult situation last year because you look at it, you had two very different type of quarterbacks and Artie Smith thought he was going to have Russell Wilson, then he had Justin Fields. You didn't want to switch things around to make everything crazy when you knew Russell was going to come back and be your guy. If you start from the beginning, start with Justin. Give him a legit opportunity to become your quarterback of the future, not only now. That's why he so valuable to them.
Pat McAfee
Let Artie Smith get in his bag, as they say, with a running quarterback like Justin Fields. Because it was also the first year of him trying to implement his system and code words and everything to the Pittsburgh Steelers. So how much can he play around with? Oh, we got a running guy, we got a pocket guy. That's an interesting stat there, Cabols. And we got a couple of minutes before the hard out and we'll continue on YouTube, ESPN plus Disney plus and TikTok live. But whenever you think about the quarterback position, the next next question is who's he going to throw to? Who's already going to get AP Tone has a question for you. Cabos.
Gumpy
Yeah, Cabos. That is question number two. Which wide receiver are we going to miss out on this year?
Pat McAfee
Just kidding. Big pop out of Cabos. Just kidding.
Gumpy
We're going to get one. I know we kicked the tires on Christian Kirk last year for a trade. Then he broke his collarbone. Darius Slayton. Those guys are free agents now, obviously. DK's on the trade market. Cooper Cup's out there. Devonte's out there. Any idea who we're going to maybe get this year?
David Lombardi
Probably somebody that you don't want there.
Gumpy
Yeah, probably.
David Lombardi
Here's the thing. I mean, you've been a Steeler fan for your entire life, right?
Pat McAfee
Yep.
David Lombardi
How many times have you ever heard them having 63, 65 million dollars worth of cap space with a potential of that going up to 80, 85 if they restructure a couple easily restructurable guys here so they can pretty much go out there and dictate whoever they want. The, the problem is, is you don't want to give up a high draft choice. Say, I mean, just say DK Metcalf, for example. You don't want to give up a second and or third round pick, then have to pay him $120 million.
Pat McAfee
Yeah.
David Lombardi
Seems like a little steep.
Pat McAfee
We'll see you tomorrow here on espn. Nailed it. Okay, but what you're being right, though, like, the trading of the draft picks feels like an anti Steelers thing.
Gumpy
Yeah. Especially like if it's a first and a third, there's no chance. And obviously pairing him with George Pickens, the rest of the NFL would find that very funny when things aren't going right and they're both taking themselves out of the game, stuff like that. So I don't.
Pat McAfee
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Next year's different year.
Gumpy
I'm just saying potential chance, but no. So I don't see it being. That's not the Steelers thing to do. They normally would go get, you know, someone a little bit farther. Normally they would wait till like Thursday, Friday, and get whoever's left.
Pat McAfee
But second, third round.
Gumpy
Yeah. I hope they'll be a little more free. Yes.
Pat McAfee
Yes. Cabos. What do you think ends up happening? Do you think they get a. A wide receiver that's kind of middle of the market? Like, Tone is thinking like somebody maybe next week after the first wave of free agents who have probably already agreed to all these deals that are going to be announced on Monday, whenever free agency opens, they agree to these deals probably at the combine at least happening right now. As we speak. Do you think that ends up being what the case is? Do you think maybe they get an OG guy on a lower, cheaper price, hope they're able to bring some youthful juice out of him With GP on the other side, knowing that you're not going to get made. What do you think is the end of play for Omar Khan and Tomlin with the Steelers at wideout?
David Lombardi
I think they're going to go look for a nice solid veteran guy. I mean, I'll just throw names out there like Keenan Allen, obviously a guy like Christian Kirk. Those are guys that they would be interested in. I don't think there would be too interested in some of the higher priced guys like Godwin. Even though he's coming off an injury that he. I think he was healthy near the end of last year. He would be a nice fit. But I think there would be a little skeptical of anybody with injuries like that. Iuk. I mean, coming off an injury, that's, that's a difficult one to go down to as well. But I'm sure there's going to be other receivers that are available. Amari Cooper, if you can add one or two of those type of guys, solid veteran number two guys, then supplement, supplement it with the guys you have. Calvin Austin who had a decent year last year. Roman Wilson who played five snaps last year and they still got high hopes on him. And then add in the draft, then all of a sudden you got something.
Pat McAfee
Roman Wilson, Michigan. Yeah, he was great player.
Gumpy
Yeah. Michigan.
Pat McAfee
Yeah, yeah, at Michigan he was.
Gumpy
Yet he got hurt in camp and then just could never get healthy. And then the season ended.
Pat McAfee
I didn't even think about getting two of those vets in there. You probably could go Thursday, Friday, might be able to specialize with 60 something million dollars. What were you going to say?
Ty Schmidt
I. I mean, I was going to say there's one name on there that Kabo didn't say. I need Tony Diggs in a Stefon Diggs jersey more than I need anything right now.
Pat McAfee
Coming off injury as well. And obviously Cerio talked about how thankful he was for his time in Houston. That's. That's certainly to be decided. What's that? Cabos that be?
David Lombardi
That'd be an interesting locker room. Stefan Diggs and George Pickens.
Pat McAfee
What are you saying? The hell is that?
Art Stapleton
Suggesting great players.
Pat McAfee
Seems like you're alluding to things here. Cabos. You need to watch that. Even if you. You said I'm alluding. Yeah, you are alluding. You're alluding. You're alluding Go ahead.
David Lombardi
Assuming.
Pat McAfee
Oh assume alluding and assuming. Yeah that's they one thing goes with the other brother. AJ has a question for you. Kaboli.
Art Stapleton
Yeah Cabos. I I've seen rumored on the Internet that it's possible Naj could you know there's might be a slight chance they could try to resign him and bring him back to the squad. Are there any chances that this could happen?
David Lombardi
I'm sure there's always a chance. I'll say what Omar Khan always says gm I'm never going to close the door on anybody. But you know Saquon Barkley just got 20 million bucks a year. All of a sudden that pushes Najee Harris's money up just a tad. You're looking anywhere 8, 9, 10 a year for him. If you're looking 3 for 30. I don't know if that's something they would be willing to go down and be able to spend money on. They're already have to give Jaylen Warren three three and a half million dollars on his restricted free agent tender coming up And I know I believe your friend Dan Dan Orlovsky tweeted recently about the lack of explosive run. Not a friend.
Pat McAfee
Our friend. Our yours as well Everybody's last six.
David Lombardi
Years the he always ignores not mine.
Pat McAfee
Well he ignores it. I think he's got his mentions actually muted so he can't read anything.
Gumpy
But what did it was the number 32 team in yards per carry over the last six years Pittsburgh.
David Lombardi
Here's the thing about that. The reason why that is because they just don't have big runs. Najee Harris has played his 4,000 yard runs four 4,000 yard seasons. He's never had a run longer than 37 yards. This team needs explosive plays in the running right. They've not been able to do it.
Pat McAfee
Plus isn't Warren like the guy anytime he gets the ball it feels like there's like real joke juice. I don't know you know Naj I know pounds him away so et cetera. It helps for Warren but anytime he gets ball it feels like there's a lot more juice. Whenever you're talking about those there is.
Gumpy
Especially two years ago felt like there was more juice he was banged up last year but also like Naj coming back doesn't make as much sense because the running back class is predicted to be one of one of the best in the last 10 years. So you can take someone very very cheap who can do what Naj does and not have to pay him 10 million.
Pat McAfee
Whoa, whoa, whoa. I don't know if anybody can do it. Nausea. Naj obviously gets getting better and better as he gets older. I think he had his best year this past season. Right. Don't. When we all agree with that. Yeah.
Gumpy
I mean, they're.
Mark Caboli
They.
Gumpy
It's crazy. They were all like every single season. He had like between 1000 and 1100 yards every single season. It's crazy. Four years of him.
Pat McAfee
So he is the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Gumpy
Yes, exactly. He was perfect.
Pat McAfee
Congratulations to you guys. Seems like that time is over. Anything else we're not talking about with the Pittsburgh series that we should be talking about on our program?
David Lombardi
Well, I mean, their defense really got gashed at the end of last season. They need to improve the defensive line, the defense. Even though Cam Hayward had an absolute spectacular year at age 35 and he probably should have gotten some votes for defensive player of the year. That's how good he was. That group is very light right now and they have to add either through the draft, probably through the draft and free agency right there. Even though they have a ton of talent on the outside with TJ and her big and Highsmith and they got Queen and they got Peyton Wilson and Minka Fitzpatrick and Deshaun Elliot, Joey Porter Jr. They got all the guys on defense. They just need depth and they need to get younger on the defensive line. And because you saw what Derrick Henry did to him late last year. And even on the flip side of it, they've pretty much built out their offense offensive line. But Broderick Jones, the 14th overall pick, now three, two, three drafts ago, is moving from right to left side. They got a first rounder on the left side, a first rounder on the right tackle, a stud West Virginia guy, Frazier at center, a pretty good rookie last year, Mason McCormick at Garden and an absolute brawler and say a Malu, the other guard. Their offensive line seems like it's in place. They just need to get some more depth on the defensive line. Some, as you would say, dogs on the defensive.
Pat McAfee
Everybody needs dogs. Everybody needs dogs. T.J. watt, obviously staple of the Pittsburgh Steelers team. He is in the middle of negotiating with the Pittsburgh Steelers. If you listen to anything that J.J. watts said. What are you hearing from the Pittsburgh Steelers side? Because we're hearing from JJ that TJ and he talked this morning and it was about a turkey and bread sandwich, nothing else. Because TJ had nothing else in his house. So we don't know if he's completely broke and can't afford groceries or if he is just not a forward thinker when it comes to anything other than football. But he was in good spirits, so maybe they're in a good spot negotiations wise. What are you hearing from the Pittsburgh Steelers side with the T.J. watt deal? And Max Crosby's deal affects this mightily, I would assume.
David Lombardi
Well, if TJ needs. I could have went over and made him a sandwich, put some mayo on it, put in the microwave.
Pat McAfee
That's what we're saying. He needs some mayo on it.
David Lombardi
Aldi mayo, baby.
Pat McAfee
No, not Aldi mayo, please. It'll be Hellman's or it'll be Dukes.
Ty Schmidt
Exactly.
Pat McAfee
It'll be Hellman will be Dukes.
David Lombardi
As we say it in Pittsburgh, it's all these just like Walmarts.
Pat McAfee
Oh, yeah. All the ways you come. All the ways over. Yeah, I get it. I. I understand what you were saying, but. Yeah, where is tj, other than a guy that has no food in his house, relatively relatable. Especially because just a year ago he was cleaning his pool and he stepped off his steps and almost busted his face. So T.J. watts seems to be the most like, I don't know, I'm incredibly wealthy or the guy that I am guy. What does that mean for contract negotiations with the Steelers right now? Yeah.
David Lombardi
Talking to Omar, he pretty much rubber stamped. It's just a matter of time. He didn't know if it was going to be two weeks from now or three months from now. But he's one of those legacy guys that they have identified a while ago. It's just a matter of putting together crossing the T's, dot the eyes. And you talk about Max Crosby and who's going to get paid more. I mean, you got about five guys right there. You know, Miles Garrett, Mike Parsons, Trey Hendrickson, Crosby Watt, they're all going to get paid very similarly. It's just whoever signs the deal last is going to get paid that extra couple bucks, you know. So I, I think TJ's going to be okay with his food bill here coming up. I think he'll be able to afford it here.
Pat McAfee
Okay.
David Lombardi
Very recently. I think he's going to make a couple of bucks here. I mean, we're looking more. Whatever Max Crosby make, made, and I'm not quite sure what that number was, is going to be probably that much more.
Pat McAfee
102 and a half. So probably up to 103. 106 and a half. Sorry. So that'll be 107 with $92 million guaranteed. Whoever signs next. That is kind of how it would go. You said a few more bucks, obviously. It's half a million. That is a lot of shekels, if you will. And congrats all these guys, they've earned it. And shout out to the Raiders paying Max. I think that is probably what tj, Micah Miles and Trey Hendrickson are all saying at the same time. Let's get away from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Let's go to other job. Boston Carter has a question for you.
Ty Schmidt
Yeah, Mark, obviously elimination chamber just happened. It was, you know, a cinema. As our, you know, kind of resident Mark would say, how did you feel about the scene of heel turn? And did you shit just like everybody else? Because I don't know if many people really saw this coming on Saturday night.
David Lombardi
It was just an absolute fabulous show. I mean whoever put that that together, creative needs raise. It was just absolutely unbelievable show. And just the nuance of everything, just how they're in the ring, the facial reaction.
Pat McAfee
Yeah.
David Lombardi
The looks, the timing, everything was just absolutely flawless. And you know what, what I found quite interesting with the Cena turn here. It not only affected us older gentlemen who grew up watching John CENA Being that 20 year star, it now even affecting those five, six, seven, eight, nine year old kids. They're sitting there crying as well. It was just absolutely, I mean that whole show was just absolutely spectacular. The women's elimination chamber, unbelievable. Liv Morgan turning into an absolutely superstar right in front of our eyes. Kevin Owens is just, I can't tell if he's. If he needs a pat on the back or needs to be committed. The guy.
Pat McAfee
Yeah, that's good way to look.
David Lombardi
He's. It was just an absolute wonderful show. I just can't wait moving forward here and see how, where it goes from now. But man, Dwayne, talk about the final boss. Depends on where, where it is. If it's the pregame post game presser, he's Dwayne. If it's in the ring, he's the final boss. But just look at the face, man.
Pat McAfee
He's always the final boss. Yeah, Mark, Mark, you're sounding a lot like your first name right now.
David Lombardi
Hey, Pat, if you're not watching WWE right now, you got some problems, man. Because they're putting together some of their best work right now. Best programs.
Pat McAfee
I agree. Very lucky to be a part of it. We're on the road to WrestleMania and anytime you have a like that at the end of a show, it's gonna have the world abuzz. It certainly did 200115 million views or something like that in like 24 hours or I forget the, the Number Travis Scott in there as well.
David Lombardi
Chill Haymakers.
Pat McAfee
Yeah, he threw a big right there to Cody Rhodes, and it's being reported, you know, he busted his eardrum and pop gave him a black eye. Yeah, it's quite a shot. I'm excited to see how that all comes back around. And Travis has been training, from what I've been told he's been training, so I'm excited. And then there's a video that's been released from. From backstage as soon as Travis got back there, talking about how awesome it was and how he wants to go back out there and how much more, like, motivated he is to get the ring. So I think we're going to see Travis Scott wrestling relatively soon.
Ty Schmidt
Let's go.
Pat McAfee
It's a good time to be around in watching wwe, I'm proud to say I'm a mark. Speaking of Mark, ladies and gentlemen, Mark, what are you eating today? What do we have for lunch today? You're gonna do a double gun.
David Lombardi
I haven't looked yet. You know, I had a couple oranges.
Pat McAfee
Had a couple oranges you had or what do we. We.
David Lombardi
You know, you. You know, if you want one day I can show you the process of making a sandwich in the microwave.
Pat McAfee
I think we should do that.
Art Stapleton
Yes, we do that today.
Pat McAfee
Are you. Are you right now?
David Lombardi
No, I don't think I have any bread.
Pat McAfee
Oh, Te got the bread. Te got the bread.
Art Stapleton
Got the bread.
Pat McAfee
Hang out. He got the bread.
David Lombardi
I got the mayo.
Pat McAfee
You're eating the. You're eating the butt of the bread that at the end, like yesterday, your last sandwich.
David Lombardi
Absolutely.
Boston Connor
Who.
David Lombardi
Who throws that away?
Pat McAfee
Yeah, mostly most people. The. I do. Yeah. I do appreciate you, Mark. Just living your best life. How's the boy? How's the boy doing? How's the boy?
David Lombardi
Not. Not well after the Cena turned, but.
Pat McAfee
Oh, no.
Ty Schmidt
Broken heart Heartbreaker.
David Lombardi
Yeah. Cuz Cody was his other favorite, so.
Boston Connor
Oh, no.
David Lombardi
You think he. He says he's going to come back as Thuganomics now, so.
Pat McAfee
You're a boy. You said he's going to be thugging on me. So he thinks Cena's going to come back.
David Lombardi
He thinks scene is going to be Thuganomics, but I had to buy a plunger the other day because he's blocking up the toilet. But that. Other than that, it's pretty good.
Pat McAfee
The kid. The kid's clogging up the toilet. That's a big moment with his tears.
David Lombardi
That's. That's a known thing. Every time he goes, he blocks it.
Pat McAfee
That's Kind of like one of those moments where a boy becomes a man. Right at the Cavoli house. Not.
David Lombardi
Not if it's 2 in the morning.
Pat McAfee
You're like, yeah, you gotta get good at after. Yeah.
Boston Connor
Toilet paper.
Gumpy
Mark Did I see you're getting chickens? I see you're getting chickens, Mark.
David Lombardi
Oh, you know what? I get an email from the kids teacher saying, we got eggs hatching here. Would you like to have some chickens again? Let me pull out the coop out of the garage.
Pat McAfee
A lot of people do that because the egg prices. A lot of egg prices. A lot of people getting a coupe out of the garage. Just got an email from kids, second grade teacher asking if I wanted a chicken after they hatch at school. Yeah, I'll take three. If you do have your own chickens with your own eggs, right now, I think now is the time that you've been talking to your friends that say you got fucking chickens. Yeah, I bake my own eggs. I get my own eggs every morning. I get a dozen of these things and you can have. You want some fresh, you want some fresh eggs? No, I don't. I'll just go get them from store now. Everybody's like, hey, the weirdo that got the chicken coops with their own eggs kind of hitting a home run right now. Maybe you should get involved, Mark. Maybe that's your new thing.
David Lombardi
The crazy thing is, is she sent a Google Doc. I think I needed references or something. I'm like, I have two kids and I didn't need reference to have a kid. Do I need a reference to get.
Pat McAfee
A chicken Kabolis cook going on here? Kaboli's coupe is not well, Kaboli's killer coupe. Yeah, that could be. They want to make sure you're going to raise the chickens, Mark, not take.
Boston Connor
Them home, put them in your air.
Pat McAfee
Fryer and eat wings. All of a sudden, you know, we ain't looking for.
David Lombardi
Their fryer's right here.
Pat McAfee
They seen it. That's what they're saying. That's like whenever.
David Lombardi
That's the microwave and the air fryers right here.
Pat McAfee
Which could you imagine the air.
David Lombardi
The air fryers. Just an absolute imperative. Kitchen appliance.
Pat McAfee
How often do you use it? How often do you use it?
David Lombardi
Like three times a day. Chicken nuggets. Oh, I shouldn't say chicken nuggets right.
Pat McAfee
Now if you're trying to get these chickens. Not if you're trying to get this coop. What else are you making there? Chicken nuggets. Fries, I assume. Anything else?
David Lombardi
Chicken fries. You know, sometimes I'M lazy. I just throw some pizza in there.
Pat McAfee
To heat up nice from, like, last night.
David Lombardi
Yeah, pizza. What else do I throw in there? Salmon. Even though I'm not a salmon guy.
Pat McAfee
Really? You could. You're saying. You said you've seen on commercials, not a salmon guy.
Ty Schmidt
Throw it in there.
David Lombardi
I'm not eating salmon. That's like the worst fish possible. What.
Pat McAfee
What fish you eat?
Art Stapleton
Yeah. What's the best?
David Lombardi
I'm. Oh, the. The Chilean sea bass.
Ty Schmidt
Yeah, that's like a steak.
Pat McAfee
Mahi mahi from, like, long johns. You know what?
David Lombardi
Let me tell you a story about long johns.
Pat McAfee
Had some this morning. Ty, I think had some this morning.
Boston Connor
I wish it was Zaxby's, but box was very similar.
Pat McAfee
Okay. I thought you had long johns this morning. I was very impressed.
David Lombardi
It's. It's. Long johns is one not far from me. And I found out it's. It's a once a year type of thing because you crave it, then you go and eat it, and you freaking sit on the toilet for the entire day, and you're like, I'll never eat the. This again. Then all of a sudden, a year passes, you're like, boy, I can really go for some long johns. Rinse and repeat, man. Once a year. Yeah.
Pat McAfee
You forget about the post game, you know, because you. You see the long johns, you think to yourself, I could go for some fried fish right now, man. I could really dive into that. And then you get into it in the middle of it, you start to feel it, and you're like, oh, no, I forgot. And then one year passes and you remember again. I. I could see how that could take place. I'm kind of doing that with a couple different places now because I know how terrible it makes me feel on the other side. I'm very.
David Lombardi
You guys. You guys got fish fries in indie, or. Is that a Pittsburgh thing right now?
Pat McAfee
Right. It's happening.
Art Stapleton
Yeah.
Gumpy
I haven't seen everything.
David Lombardi
No, I'm just saying the Fire hall, you know, the fire hall.
Pat McAfee
Pittsburgh does a lot of fish fries everywhere.
Gumpy
Yeah, we. We got them every Friday.
Pat McAfee
Yeah. I don't know if there's.
Gumpy
I haven't seen one here. I assume there is.
Boston Connor
There are definitely fish fries here every.
Pat McAfee
Friday now, Pittsburgh, I assume where Caboli's from, because obviously. Obviously, where we're from. There's signs everywhere for either. It could be at, like, Renton will have a place. Fire hall will have a place. I think ski slopes. Boys.
Gumpy
We went to Renton, right?
Pat McAfee
Like, there was so many places that Had. It was a very common thing to do out here. I don't see it as much. You'll hit those up on Friday, I assume.
David Lombardi
Oh, yeah. That you can go to the church and get the old old lady pierogies, the homemade pierogies.
Pat McAfee
Rosie's Pierogies right there.
Gumpy
A roadie boy, Old rogies, Old man corn.
Pat McAfee
It's all good. Well, that's AJ's thing. All right. We appreciate you. Ladies and gentlemen, Mark Caboli. So Lent's happening right now.
Gumpy
Started yesterday.
Boston Connor
Yeah. Yesterday was Ash Wednesday.
Pat McAfee
Okay. So that's when Lent starts on Ash Wednesday and on Sunday was Palm Sunday.
Boston Connor
Yes.
Pat McAfee
And then Easter's.
Boston Connor
No, no, Palm Sunday, sorry, is before Easter.
Pat McAfee
What was Sunday? Was there something that happened on Sunday or nothing?
Boston Connor
No, no. Tuesday was Fat Tuesday, Tuesday, Wednesday is Lent.
Pat McAfee
Okay. And then it ends at Easter.
Boston Connor
Yes.
Gumpy
Which is.
Boston Connor
I don't know what day it is.
Pat McAfee
I'm sure.
Gumpy
April, It's Mania Sunday.
Ty Schmidt
April 20th.
Pat McAfee
April 2420 is Easter. There you go. Okay, so Easter is 4 20. So we're 40 days out from that right now, Correct?
Ty Schmidt
Or give or take.
Boston Connor
Yeah. Yesterday changes.
Pat McAfee
Yeah. And what did you give up for lint?
Boston Connor
Nothing. I'm just gonna be more patient with my, my, my kids and at home and stuff like that. Not fly off the handle, you know, stuff's taking too long or whatever.
Pat McAfee
So is that something that is normal inlet?
Boston Connor
Like I think giving up stuff is much more like when you're younger and then as you get older it's just like. I don't need to like, you know.
Pat McAfee
Make yourself a better person.
Boston Connor
Yeah, exactly.
Pat McAfee
For 40 days.
Boston Connor
Well, no, that's like, hopefully that's just like a long term.
Pat McAfee
No, but he started. You just say enough of this. Yeah, I committed to 40 days for.
Boston Connor
This, but I'm hoping that, you know, it's going to go well and then I, you know, I'm going to like.
Pat McAfee
It, but Catholic school, kid, it's 40 days because this what Jesus did. Jesus did a 40 day stint. A run. Yeah.
Boston Connor
And then rose on Easter Sunday.
Pat McAfee
Okay, so this is when he died. Yesterday is when he was put in a cave.
Boston Connor
Is it. It's been a while. I believe so though.
Ty Schmidt
Good or Friday? Good Friday.
Boston Connor
Good Friday is. Yeah, yeah, you're right.
Pat McAfee
Yeah.
Boston Connor
So he dies on Good Friday, which is right before Easter, and then rose again on Easter Sunday.
Pat McAfee
So what are the days later? The 40. Yeah, three. What's the 40, 40 days thing then? Is there a reason for why it's 40 days?
Ty Schmidt
There is, there is.
Pat McAfee
But you know, was it him crossing the desert?
Ty Schmidt
The desert.
Pat McAfee
He didn't eat, didn't drink for 40 days, 40 nights maybe.
Boston Connor
I don't know. It's been so long.
Pat McAfee
That was Moses.
Boston Connor
Yeah, I was gonna say Moses going through part in the Red Sea at the end of it. Passover and whatnot. No. I haven't brushed up on it in a while, so I couldn't tell you the exact reason for the 40 days.
Pat McAfee
Yesterday was the ash day. I saw.
Boston Connor
Correct.
Pat McAfee
Congrats to all the Catholics. When you do this, are you telling them to all the sins so they give you a hot air and yada yada.
Boston Connor
Father, Son, Holy Ghost.
Pat McAfee
One change from spirit to ghost.
Boston Connor
It didn't really. Some people just say Holy Ghost, but Holy Spirit is still the predominant nomenclature.
Pat McAfee
Do I sound a little bit more religious if I say Holy Ghost? Does it sound like I. I know what I'm talking about?
Boston Connor
I would say that's less religious if you. You say Holy Ghost. Because I feel like that's been kind of, you know, popular, culturized and whatnot.
Pat McAfee
Do they still Also with you? Yeah.
Ty Schmidt
And with your spirit.
Boston Connor
Yeah, that is the new one. They. They changed a bunch of stuff with Mass. So you really, you know, if you haven't been for a while, you go and you're saying all the wrong stuff. You look like a huge.
Pat McAfee
Yeah, you tried, huh?
Boston Connor
A while back, and I was like, all right. I can't.
Pat McAfee
I don't know. I don't know the songs anymore. Legit. I don't know.
Boston Connor
The show routine makes you feel very uncomfortable.
Ty Schmidt
Comfortable.
Boston Connor
It's like, all right, this ain't the Mass I went to growing up.
Pat McAfee
Can somebody send me a new itinerary?
Boston Connor
Yeah, exactly.
Pat McAfee
Congrats to the Catholics. Enjoy your time. Thank you for committing to be a better person during this era. Hopefully it will continue on past Easter. 4:20. What a day.
Art Stapleton
Hope all right.
Gumpy
What do you mean?
Ty Schmidt
No, he's great.
Boston Connor
He's not doing good?
Ty Schmidt
No, he's doing better. He's fixed his diet.
Art Stapleton
He was like, in critical care, I thought for a while.
Ty Schmidt
Bingo.
Pat McAfee
Yeah. He's 100 years old, isn't he?
Boston Connor
Yeah. There's a chance we're going to be seeing you yellow white smoke here at some point within the next few months.
Pat McAfee
So does the Pope. Pope has another good night at the hospital. Continues. Treatment is out of the Vatican. News I am reading here. Pope Francis has another good night at Rome's Gemelli Hospital, where he is being treated for bilateral pneumonia and is resting. Oh, no. The holly Sea Press office. Holy. Holy Sea Press is part of the team. This is the. This part of the Cabinet of the Pope. The Holy See press office state on Thursday morning he has continued his treatment and physical therapy. So does the Pope go until death? Is that kind of the. The thing?
Boston Connor
Pretty much. Unless he's, you know, asked to step down. But I'm pretty sure it's. It's almost always right.
Pat McAfee
When that white smoke comes down the Vatican, that means he's passed.
Boston Connor
No, that means they got.
Pat McAfee
Oh, that means they've got the new Pope.
Boston Connor
Correct.
Pat McAfee
Black smoke dead. No. Huh?
Art Stapleton
Gun. Black smoke mean they just haven't. They didn't. They haven't come to decision yet. They're in, like, sequestered, trying to figure out the next one.
Ty Schmidt
I thought black menu is dead too. And like, if. If round. If the round goes.
Pat McAfee
Are you. Is your family Catholic?
Art Stapleton
We grew up.
Pat McAfee
Yeah.
Art Stapleton
Grew up Catholic. Yeah.
Pat McAfee
Okay. So, you know, I mean, a lot of kids. I should have known. Ohio. Yeah.
Gumpy
They have black means they have not reached a consensus.
Art Stapleton
There's a movie about it. I recently saw Airplane. Conclave.
Boston Connor
Conclave. Yeah.
Pat McAfee
What some awards? Conclave was up for some awards.
Boston Connor
Awards, yeah, it was.
Pat McAfee
I saw them do a little talkity thing.
Art Stapleton
A lot of movies are up for awards.
Pat McAfee
None that we've ever seen.
Art Stapleton
Mostly none that we've heard of. Yeah.
Ty Schmidt
Just Dune.
Pat McAfee
Let's get to a break on the other side. We'll cover all the news. Shout out to the. We just did Lent News. We did.
Gumpy
That's right.
Pat McAfee
Yeah. We even quoted the Holy Se Press office. Topical. Seems like they got a bad name. Holy Sea Press. Yeah.
Boston Connor
I don't love that.
Gumpy
I mean, there's so many. So many puns you can use.
Art Stapleton
Yeah, but they are their own country, though, the Vatican.
Pat McAfee
They are agreed. Why don't they just say the Pope Press, though? You know, like the Holy Times only any of that. The Vatican news released from the Holy See Press. It's like, we get it. You guys are trying to run your own little thing here, but let's get some better names. And God bless them. God bless.
Ty Schmidt
God bless.
Pat McAfee
God bless.
Art Stapleton
God bless.
Ty Schmidt
God bless.
Pat McAfee
God bless them. Okay. The crown prince. God bless him. God bless him every time. That was awesome. Picture surfaced of Turkey, El Sheikh and Canelo today. So it feels like the conversation that was happening yesterday where I was told, ask him about Canelo. Ask him about the date. Feels like this is probable for the first event that this new boxing promotion is going to piece together. The best will fight the best. We will stack cards and we will try to crown actual champions. That is basically Dana's mission to boxing alongside the rest of TKO in Turkey. A Sheikh and Saudi Arabia. And shout out to the crown prince, God bless him for investing in boxing. We let we read too that he's invested maybe 6. They're investing maybe 600 million in track. Track and field, right?
Art Stapleton
Track and field? Really?
Pat McAfee
Yeah. And it's like as somebody who loves sports and is in the sports world, it's like investing in athletes and it's like let's keep it going. Especially like track and field that if you were to make it electrifying, people would watch. You know if this became like what happens at the end of like practices and workouts where guys call people out and they start racing each other. If they're somehow able to make track a little bit quicker, a little bit more topical, a little bit more. I don't want to say characters driven but sure you get it.
Art Stapleton
It is, it is.
Pat McAfee
I think there's, there is an opportunity, especially if you're gonna get a 600 million dollar investment. Shout out to front office sports with the way they worded this versus how they word anything I'm a part of. Seems like there is intent behind it all, but nonetheless, shout out to Turkey. Stopping by and Dana and Nick Khan poking his head. They're gonna do good things for boxing, I think.
Gumpy
Oh yeah.
Pat McAfee
Let's get to a break. On the other side we'll cover all the news that we haven't chatted about. There's a lot of things happening in college hoops. College hoops has some breaking news. Go green, go white. Okay, we got racist on controls. Come on. Go green, go white. Okayo does it again. Be.
Art Stapleton
That can't be. They're saying.
Pat McAfee
That is. They're saying. You know what I just thought about this. My high school is also green and white. And that is our chant as well. And I never connected the dots until now. Pause. Yeah. Music. I heard about your high school. Yeah. That's why I just thought of. So you're at Go Foxy's high school basketball team. They might have lost the game, but they won the meme. Everybody's seen this on the Internet. Cracker of the day. That's from Evan Fox's high school, Williams. Is that what is the. That is the Williamston Hornets basketball team. The same team I played for in high school. That kid's name. Can I say it? Tommy Pratt, legend. I guess we were down by, by a lot in this game. He fouled out. He's one of the better players on the team. So he's on the bench very end of the game. There's a hard foul. He gets off the bench, goes out there like he's going to fight the other team, our rival. They kick him out of the game. And that's how he left. That a kid? Yeah. Boy, I love this guy. Tommy Pratt. Scott Moxie. I guess he's a very good football player as well, I assume. I would assume. And Tommy Pratt also. I like the fact that he looks at the other student section and lets them know how he feels. That's how high school basketball, you know, is when it's at its best, when there's real emotion. And obviously it's not a home court or an away court. Right. This is a neutral court. District final at Fowlerville. I played on that court. Okay.
Gumpy
I love the old guy at the top of the steps when he flicks everybody up.
Pat McAfee
Whoa, whoa. We don't do that easy. All right.
Gumpy
Get out of here, geezer.
Pat McAfee
Tommy Pratt. Tommy Pratt's not scared. To let you know, the boys know how he feels. If you're willing to stare down an entire student section in a building and do that, I think there's some inner courage that is going to be talked about. Congrats to the other team. Get a big time win over Tommy Pratt's team. Shout out Haslet. Good team getting a win. But I like that he's defending the boys, you know. Absolutely. What high school is it? Williamston High School. Very small town. And I thought everybody grew up on country clubs up there. No, farm town. You guys grow corn? Oh, lots of corn. Corn, corn, beans. Corn, beans.
Art Stapleton
Vertical or horizontal?
Pat McAfee
Horizontal, of course. You tell us. H. What are you doing with Mr. Mooster?
Art Stapleton
Terry Mussetter. First, I'll put some respect on his name. That guy's a legend.
Gumpy
What year?
Art Stapleton
Gourmet gardens for years.
Gumpy
What year was this?
Pat McAfee
2000.
David Lombardi
This is why?
Pat McAfee
He was a little boy.
Art Stapleton
I wasn't a little boy. I had to drive because I drove his truck around and made deliveries for him.
Gumpy
I found an obituary in 05. I hope it's not him.
Pat McAfee
Well, no. People found a picture of you kind of going back into the glory days.
Art Stapleton
Look at my fat wrist and fingers.
Pat McAfee
That's what happens when you're taking corn down like that. And you should see your gums. They were bleeding and nobody expected that. We appreciate you, A.J. contributing to society. And Mr. Mooster, and I do believe he's potentially alive or dead. Okay. I've gotten mixed reports from people.
Ty Schmidt
Okay.
Art Stapleton
One or the other.
Pat McAfee
Some people have respond. Well, it is one of the other. It is one of the other. But I'm saying that we've gotten mixed reports because Tone said he found something and I got people send reports like guys still doing it. And it's like, all right, we don't know. Whatever it is, you've made a lasting impact on A.J. hawk, sir, you've done a great job if you're alive.
Boston Connor
Thank you, Mr. Musetter.
Ty Schmidt
Oh, yeah, Terry.
Pat McAfee
There you go. Mustetter. Yeah.
Gumpy
The muster that I found that died was born in 1935. Is that lineup.
David Lombardi
It's possible.
Art Stapleton
Could have been been.
Pat McAfee
We didn't get past the corn, says A.J. it was me driving him not talking and then me. Me serving corn and shucking his corn. Him sucking them. D. That's good.
Art Stapleton
I'll tell you what.
Pat McAfee
Fresh.
Art Stapleton
Fresh corn on the cob is legit. You can't disagree with that.
Pat McAfee
Yeah. And that's why you want to eat that thing. So you gobble that thing down. Same. Same. Must, let's get to a break. Let's get to a break. Got some. Got some more stories to to cover around sports world. Obviously have to have an opinion on it.
Gumpy
That's right.
Pat McAfee
Everybody wants to hear it.
Ty Schmidt
Oh, yeah.
Pat McAfee
We've been back for one week in a day. Do you know that?
Boston Connor
Yeah.
Pat McAfee
Yeah. Just think everything. It's been a wild week. Truly thought about that last night as I laid down like, holy. It's only been a week back. It's a lot. Broke some news. A lot of news.
Ty Schmidt
Couple times.
Pat McAfee
Travis, Kelce, Saquon. Yeah. We broke some relationships.
Gumpy
Sure.
Art Stapleton
I feel like Art saying that the Giants are like almost heavily negotiating.
Gumpy
Did you say that correctly?
Boston Connor
Art knows.
Pat McAfee
I think what Art was trying to say was if they're having any conversation, it's a negotiation because they're learning about what it's probably going to take to get. I think is what he was saying. Yeah. But whenever he said they're deep in negotiations, you would assume it's like with. We didn't. I didn't know that. A.J. did you know that? We did not know that that was happening. Not that we would. Or that we would ask to know that, which I think is a little bit difference between us. And maybe some others have microphones on a regular basis.
Art Stapleton
Yeah. You said, art, this is it.
Pat McAfee
Let's get to a break. It was a good shot.
Art Stapleton
You did it.
Pat McAfee
You nailed it.
Ty Schmidt
And he did.
Pat McAfee
We're gonna give away some. We're gonna announce some. Giveaways during this break. And then on the other side, we're gonna cover every everything happening around sports world. We're incredibly thankful we get to do this every single day. Big night date announcement coming on Monday in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and then ticket sales will be shortly after that. This is happening within the next couple months and it's coming together really nicely. It's coming together. We almost have too much time and are too good of a spot at this point last week. What's all gonna happen? You know, everything kind of a mystery. Question mark. What's all gonna be able to take place? What's all gonna be able to happen? Who's all gonna be able to get there? You know, and then all of a sudden this week it's really become one great text after another from people. And I think we got a big night coming to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Big laughs. I think people are gonna laugh a lot. I think there's gonna be some funny times on this particular evening. Big sing alongs. I think there's gonna be a lot of songs that are played that people know. I think people are gonna be singing, I think people are gonna be dancing and I think a couple people are gonna walk out of there with their lives changed with the giveaways that are gonna happen. So we're pumped about it. I can't wait for it. And for people that have been asking about it, you're very awesome date coming on Monday. I can say to my new Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, hey, find a keto friendly restaurant nearby and text it to Beth and Steve. And it does without me lifting a finger so I can get in more.
Mark Caboli
Squats anywhere I can.
Pat McAfee
1, 2, 3. Will that be cash or credit? Credit. 4 Galaxy S25 Ultra. The AI companion that does the heavy lifting. So you can do. You get yours@samsung.com compatible with select apps. Requires Google Gemini account results may vary based on input. Check responses for accuracy. Your data is like gold to hackers. They're selling your passwords, bank details and private messages. McAfee helps stop them. Secure VPN keeps your online activity private. AI powered text scam detector spots phishing attempts instantly. And with award winning antivirus you get top tier hacker protection. Plus you'll get up to $2 million in identity theft coverage. All for just $39.99 for your first year. Visit McAfee.com, cancel anytime terms apply are happening all around us. Way to go AJ Felt the beat there he the toxic tables here at Boston Connor and at Ty Schmidt. 1/2 of the Hammer done. Cowboys ball cap tone is here. Wow. Still got an AP vote, though. Are you signing back up for that? Are they going to allow you to have another one next year?
Gumpy
If they allow me, I will be there.
Pat McAfee
We did hear that there were some people that weren't happy about it, which goes to the insufficient respect that is happening around a lot of things. There was people that were not thrilled with you having an AP vote, but if we look at your MVP vote, you actually got it right. Yeah. You're maybe the most touch out of everybody.
Gumpy
Bingo. You said it.
Pat McAfee
Nobody ever says that about the guy that would prefer the 19th hole over the first 18. Oh, you, A.J. you stopping by the 19th hole with ball cap tone?
Art Stapleton
Yeah, I guess. I think I might. With tone. I don't know. What is the 19th hole, tone? What exactly is it?
Gumpy
It's a bar, you know.
Pat McAfee
You know it is. Well, it's certainly not. Not the way you. You serve your corn. That is not the right answer. Let's go with some news around the NFL here. Cleveland Browns obviously a topic of discussion this particular offseason because they are still locked into the worst contract, worst trade in the history of the NFL is how it's being viewed, obviously with production and conversation and the amount of drama that was brought and the amount of production that came from it. Was the juice worth the squeeze? Everybody says no, $230 million guaranteed. But the Cleveland Browns have restructured DeSean Watson's contract and they freed up $35.79 million of cap space. Now that money is all still going to deshaun Watson. They're just changing when they're doing it for a little salary cap gymnastics. Opening up $36 million of cap space is obviously a beautiful thing. Are they inevitably just kicking the can down the road either even further? Yes. Does feel like that they're going to have to pay the piper at some point, including this upcoming season. But they're trying to make some moves and win some games. AJ Hawk, even though they have the worst contract in the history on the books with a player that's not going to play for them.
Art Stapleton
Yeah, I would say they put themselves behind the eight ball, as the old saying goes.
Pat McAfee
But why does.
Art Stapleton
What is spotrack saying? They reluctantly converted because they got to give the money now, but they're doing it to try to find a way to move on from this guy eventually.
Pat McAfee
So I believe they're reluctantly doing this. At the bottom there, he says Cleveland is now cap compliant because you have to be compliant by a Certain time. So they probably had to make this move to become cap compliant, even though they're kicking the can down the road yet again with a contract that they're trying to get rid of as fast as possible. But now they're extending the time because they have to to become cap compliant. I believe that is probably why they're reluctantly doing it. I assume Andrew Barry, the general manager throughout the entirety of this, Stefan, the head coach, are trying to get out of this thing as fast as possible, but then they're here in front of the league like, hey, you guys gotta. You guys gotta do a lot of stuff. And then they got Miles Garrett on the other side. Actual guy. Actual guy. Actual guy. He saw what you just did to a quarterback that didn't play here and has done nothing for the team. Really saw what you did for him. I've done everything for this team. I show up, I am the face of this team, and I don't like what's going on. So they got to figure out how to get him happy. Is that with more money? Probably. Is that the only way to answer it? Probably. Is he going to be gone? Maybe. If he leaves, there's other players saying, if he's gone, I'm gone. Yep. Denzel Ward, who's another great player for them. So they are in what we like to call a shite situation. And I think that's probably why it's reluctantly extending the shite situation, even though they feel like they probably have to do it. A.J. yeah.
Art Stapleton
I mean, so who. All right. When it goes back to the whole desean situation, is everyone just saying it was Jimmy Haslam, like, his call all the way, and he's the one that pulled the trigger on this and made it happen.
Pat McAfee
That has been my take on it all. Not that I've been told that by anybody. Obviously, I know Andrew Barry from the Indianapolis Colts, but we don't talk like that. I've not gotten that information from him or Stefanski. I haven't talked to him in long years, maybe a decade. I haven't talked to him in a long, long time. But my read on it is, with what Andrew Barry and Stefanski have done the last couple years, why wouldn't you get rid of them? And if they were the ones that decided the Deshaun Watson deal, why wouldn't you get rid of them? Like, feels like this is from the owner going, I know. You know, Like, I. I was the one that decided, like, the complete opposite of the Joe Shane Mara situation. Almost like that. Which is why They. I don't want to say they have life there, but, like, I think that is. In my eyes, that's the only way it makes sense. In my eyes, that's the only way it makes sense. But I could be wrong. Yeah, I would agree.
Art Stapleton
I mean, if Andrew Barry and Stefanski can flip, find a way to work their way through this whole situation over the next couple years and actually win football games and play meaningful, meaningful football at the end of the season, like, you talk about, like, GM of the year, coach of the year, if they can make it happen.
Pat McAfee
They did that with Flacco. Yeah.
Ty Schmidt
Two years ago, you know, they did.
Pat McAfee
It with Flacco with no money, pulling Flacco literally off the couch in the middle of the season and they go on a run. I think Andrew Barry and Stefanski probably feel like they gotta. Like, we're pretty good, I think, but we are literally handling hamstrung by the worst decision in the history of the NFL is what people are calling it. And I think the ownership knows that as well. Go ahead.
Ty Schmidt
Well, that's why, like, Andrew Barry, if it was him, he would have got fired, like, in a heartbeat. He would have been gone already. So the fact that, you know, I think that's why Kevin Savansky does win so many awards, because maybe it's just a known thing around the NFL, like, boy, Brown's ownership killed this team and they should not win a game for the next five years. But somehow, you know, Stefanski still has the boys play.
Pat McAfee
We'll try to soup around and get an answer, though, because that is what I assume. I think a lot of people. People assume that. That. That has to be the only way that those two still have their job. Yeah.
Art Stapleton
Has to. I mean, yeah, when you make a. A contract, when you agree to a contract, that changes the face of the NFL moving forward and how quarterbacks get paid and everybody else. It had to be the owner. Like, there's no. I can't imagine the GMs okay, sign off on this owner. He's like, oh, I don't really agree. But, yeah, go ahead and do it fully guaranteed.
Pat McAfee
And whenever you fully guarantee something, whatever you guarantee, you have to put that cash up front. Remember, that's. That's a big part of the guarantees. Whenever we talk about Monday and we hear these deals that are announced or these extensions that get announced, the guaranteed money is obviously fantastic for players, but it's also an amount of money that the ownership has to put into a fund, because back in the day, I assume there was A chance that these teams wouldn't have the amount of money that they are guaranteeing. So now they put it into a fund. This has turned out to be a good thing for ownership, you know, because they can use that as leverage and everything like that. On why they can't guarantee this, can't guarantee that. Obviously injuries not being able to play. Exactly, Exactly. What happened with Deshaun Watson happens at a much rapid rate in the NFL than other leagues that have fully guaranteed contracts. So, like, there's a lot of excuses for ownership not to give fully guarantees and then for them to give the biggest fully guarantee of all time with the biggest contract of all time for a player. You would assume that's ownership making that call. You would assume that would be the.
Boston Connor
Case because we would see this happen in a bunch of other places if it, if it wasn't the case. Like, there's a reason why a bunch of owners were like, hey, we're not doing fully guaranteed contracts. If the GM and the head coach had the leeway to do that, we'd see a lot more guys have fully guaranteed contracts because it's like, oh, don't worry about it. You know, the owner's going to put the money up and, and that's, that's a way you'd get a guy into your building immediately like, oh, my contract's fully guaranteed. Sounds good. I'm signing with you guys. So there's no way. It's not the owner just saying, nope, this is what we're going to do now.
Pat McAfee
Let's stay with the Browns because of that, a massive amount of cash that they do not have available. Everybody assumes they're going to go with young quarterback, especially at number two. I think Schefter's reported they're going to take a quarterback because they need a young quarterback that is cheap to lead this team. Especially somebody that is good. Then there was reports, hey, Shed Dor Sanders didn't come off good in some of these conversations at the combine. You know, we are in narrative building smokescreen building season right now, especially at the quarterback position. Remember what was said about CJ Stroud that was inevitably complete bullshit a few years back through it all. But that has been corrected the narrative already by Mary Kay Cabot. The Browns first met with Sanders one on one at the East West Shrine bowl game in January and came away impressed. They didn't find him to be arrogant or brash, but confident and engaging. They liked all of the good things his hall of Fame dad poured him into him, but he Appreciated that he's his own man. He exhibited the excellent leadership qualities they're looking for in a quarterback, as did Ward, whom they also like a lot. Talking about Cam Ward there from Miami, they also formally interviewed Sanders at the combine, where neither he nor Ward worked out. I don't think people are going to be working out going forward. And cemented what they already knew, that Sanders has what it takes to lead the franchise if they draft him. Kevin Stefanski also received a glowing report on him from his former Vikings colleague Pat Shermer, the former Browns head coach who is now the offensive coordinator at Colorado for the past two years. With Shedeur and with Travis Hunter, the Browns will get to know Sanders a lot better this week during his visit to Cross Country Mortgage Campus, which happened earlier this week and were tennis pro day at Colorado. But nothing happened at the combine to change their first impression, which was good of Sanders. In fact, it only confirmed what they thought about him. Okay, so whoever was reporting that they didn't like the way Sanders was operating. Mary Kay Cabot, who is very close to the Cleveland Browns organization, has been reporting on the Cleveland Browns for a long time, says they like them. They're big fans of Shador. So maybe it is Shador Sanders getting drafted to the Cleveland Browns if he's still available at 2. And maybe he's the QB that's going to be tasked with going into a place that's maybe underfunded. Okay, a little bit. Maybe he's been counted out for a while and see what he can do. Has been there, done that with those situations twice now with Jackson State and with Colorado. Maybe he the perfect guy to be A Cleveland Brown. A.J. hawk.
Art Stapleton
Yeah, what I do like about Shador and Cam Moore, both, they both played a ton of football in college. Like, they got a ton of reps, they got a ton of film. And we know like when you translate to playing, playing well early as an NFL quarterback, we've seen as of late, like when you have a, when you have a guy with a lot of experience, they tend to step in and kind of figure it out quicker, I think, than guys that maybe didn't get as many reps in college.
Pat McAfee
Yeah, they snaps played became a stat over the last couple years that people are really looking at for the quarterback position. And I don't want to bring it up, but like Anthony Richardson played next to no football and then whenever he got here, it was evident that he played next to no football and he didn't really even know how to be a professional football player. Or a football player as a whole. So he's going. Gone through a learning process. He's gone through, you know, a couple injuries. He's gone through. He's gotten callous through it all. So they're hoping he'll develop. But these guys have played 15x the amount of snaps, and they're not even close to starting their NFL career career yet. Because of Jackson State, Colorado, Cam Ward, incarnate Ward to Washington State, to Miami. You think about Bo Nicks, you think about C.J. stroud, you think about Jaden Daniels, you think about these guys who have done well whenever they transition into the NFL, they've played a lot of ball. So for the Cleveland Browns, whether it's Cam Ward, I like his confidence. Whenever I see the videos, he's a guy that can go into a tough situation and hopefully lead the boys to get some wins. At least. Least be somebody that they can look up to. And when it comes to Shador, Sanders cannot go understated. Obviously, he can spin it, and obviously he's a good player because he's being talked about who he is. And obviously he has generational, you know, traits that not everybody is going to be able to come close to with Deion Sanders, one of the greatest athletes to ever exist, if not the best athlete to ever exist as your father. But he's tough. And like in the AFC north, you're going to have to be. That's quarterback position. He's durable, he's tough. He takes a lot of pride in getting up. Now, I know he has a watch, and I know he's been rich his whole life, and I know people think everything's been handed to him, but I think he's taken that and gone a complete opposite direction, wanting to prove that he's just as tough, if not tougher than everybody else. Oh, you think this. I'm going the other way. He got hit more than anybody, both at Jackson State, that's a fact. And at Colorado. And he would pop right back up. And some of these shots he was mistaken were like full spears, like Braun, breaker spears. In the middle of a game, he's getting speared through the earth. And then he would pop back up, not even miss a play. It's like that durability is something that is very much respected and appreciated around the NFL, so especially in the Browns organization, you're gonna need somebody that's tough. Yeah, I mean, that's just how it's gonna go. Obviously, I don't know as much about Cam. He played a lot of Football. So we'd assume he's very tough. But like watching Shedeur get his ass beat and then getting right back up and not changing, I think that is a great trait that's not really. You can't put a number on.
Ty Schmidt
Well, and like the conversation, like, oh, he grew up. Everything was handed to him like he was a rich kid. Like, we didn't have those conversations with Marvin Harrison Jr. Or Pat Certain or J.C. horn or any of the other guys that Asante Samuel Jr. Guys who were the kids of, you know, pro athletes before Pat Mahomes. Like, that wasn't a conversation because, like, it wasn't anything. People just hate Shadir Sanders.
Pat McAfee
Well, they also do a lot of content. So you see them. They do that.
Ty Schmidt
Yeah, they, they are, you know, flashy. If.
Pat McAfee
No, but they film a lot.
Ty Schmidt
They film a lot. They do the, the entire, you know, series. They have the Amazon prime thing. Like, they do the behind the scenes stuff. I believe they did something at Jackson State too. So it wasn't even just Colorado. So it's one of those things where people don't like him, but like, he is so tough and like, sure, well, you know, he hasn't really had anything handed to him. He's earned it. But you know, when you think about being able to see and know what it takes to be great, like, he does know that because he grew up, you know, as the, the son of prime. Like, he gets what he needs to do to be a successful pro.
Pat McAfee
Yeah. But he had his hat on backwards.
Ty Schmidt
True.
Pat McAfee
Did you see it? I saw Colin Coward. That is one of Colin Coward's thing. Oh yeah. That is like really one of his things. And I know when Tom Brady went down to Tampa and started doing backwards hat, Colin Coward had to be like, don't Tom.
Ty Schmidt
Shit.
Pat McAfee
This can't be how this goes. This can't be how it goes. I understand what Colin's saying. You know, Colin, I think is saying if I was running a franchise, what I would be looking for, as opposed to maybe a franchise that needs a little moxie, you know, maybe a city that needs like a little bit of, you know, not even Edge personnel, like, need. You need to be unflappably confident to potentially go into Cleveland. Like that might be a trait that they're looking at as a good thing as opposed to a potentially bad thing with where they've been and how they've been and what they have to go up against here the next few years by their own doing. I also, that contract, I also think.
Boston Connor
With him when you hear all the negative stuff come out in terms of, like, the smoke screen, like, it's easier because people know that the opinion is already so divisive. It's like, hey, it's really not going to take that much work to just, like, put out some more negative stuff. And if we're a team that's drafting, like, 7 through 12 or something like that, and we really like him, like, we can just leak a couple of these stories and just say his combine interviews were awful. He was really, you know, turning folks off. And. And people will be like, yeah, exactly.
Pat McAfee
And people.
Boston Connor
Yeah, I heard that people just buy into it because of all the stuff that we've seen at Colorado. Yeah, exactly. Exactly.
Pat McAfee
It's like, what happens with us, for sure. You know, it's like, what happens with us. Like, because of what has already been said, I think people will probably believe this. And then, bang. And it's like, maybe we did. There is some truth to it. And then people just continue to build a narrative, I think. And people are looking for that narrative because they want to solidify their opinion is being right.
Boston Connor
And there's not much to talk about right now. It's all speculation with these guys. So it's like, that's good fodder. You know, like, obviously, like, that's going to drive a lot of conversation. So I think, whereas in years past, maybe some of these guys, it's more of an unknown. Like, people know that there is no middle ground with him. It's either people love him or they hate him. So it might be easier to kind of leak these stories and get more conversation out there.
Pat McAfee
Shador. Gucci. See, you just put a video of a workout. I believe Baker Mayfield's there. Shador Sanders speaks on reports concerning his draft stock. Everybody trying to make my stock drop right now. Don't believe media, okay? Don't believe in media, okay? Please, please. I love it. Love it. I love everything about it. And also, he's been in the limelight forever. Yeah. So, like, whenever you talk about becoming the face of a program, Bradley Martin.
Art Stapleton
When it cut here, right?
Pat McAfee
Oh, that's not baby. That was not baby.
Art Stapleton
Yeah.
Pat McAfee
Right.
Art Stapleton
When he cut to him. Is that Bradley? Bradley Martin, a big.
Pat McAfee
Yeah. It kind of looks like Baker, doesn't it? Bradley Martin has a lot of Baker. Sorry. I know Bradley is much more jacked, but whenever. It's just a side profile there that a lot of Baker, I do apologize for getting that particular thing wrong, but Shador is literally. He's been there, done Tom Brady's been his mentor. The Raiders obviously have a top 10 pick. There's so much I'm excited to see.
Art Stapleton
He is unflappable, though. He does feel unflappable, like he. He does seem to handle everything very well.
Pat McAfee
Let's stick with the Browns. Bonio's coming back. Congrats.
Ty Schmidt
Yeah, Jon, Congrats.
Pat McAfee
Joel Batonio. You know, if Joel Batonio remains a Brown forever, which is obvious and they never win, this will be Joe Thomas at tackle, Batonio in there at guard. They're building a Hall of Fame offensive line that has never really had a chance to experience the high life. And I think Betonio is a guy that we've gotten a chance to chat with and obviously watch him do his thing. Excited he's back. Good for football. Way to go. Bio. Aren't. Aren't we all happy? AJ For B.
Ty Schmidt
Love you, Joel.
Art Stapleton
How could you not be happy? I mean, this guy is Cleveland football. Look at him. Guy's awesome.
Pat McAfee
I agree. Way to go. Bio. How about Frank came out and said I didn't have an actual job with the Browns and it was never talked about for me to actually have a job.
Ty Schmidt
Oh, yeah, of course, they couldn't afford it.
Pat McAfee
Any money has, like, you know how much money I had to put into a fund.
Ty Schmidt
You think I can get you as Dude? No way.
Pat McAfee
All right. It's been a hell of a day. Anything we didn't talk about that we need to talk about? Less need. Okay. Boston Connor Less need. Chit chatting about Cooper Cup. This does feel like it is a good convo because the Patriots are allegedly a potential contender for Cooper cup services. Obviously, any team that's looking for a wide receiver could potentially look into Cooper cup. But how good is the market for Cooper Cup? Less needs spoke about it. Con man.
Ty Schmidt
Yeah, it kind of sounds like the market isn't great, especially with some of these other teams. DK coming out and some other guys being available. Christian Kirk getting cut. But basically Lesny just said like, sure, yes, there is a chance that Cooper Cub comes back, but that is probably not going to happen. He also said, you know, you see what we're trying to do here, okay. We're trying to get him to, you know, be on a different team. He clearly costs a good amount of money. You see the writing on the wall when it comes to the cap that they have with Puka. You know, kind of being one of those guys that got to pay soon. The D lineman from two years ago, not even Jared Verse that they're also going to have to pay very good players. So it feels as though Cooper Cup's getting moved. And when we talked about, like, you know, Deebo going for a fifth and that being nothing, it feels like Cooper cup is going to be another one of those guys who goes for the bare minimum. But no matter where he goes, it does feel like if he's playing, it's going to be a hell of a get. And, you know, we've already mentioned how important it is for Devonta, you know, to play on, on the West Coast. Simple, you know, moving sucks. Don't want to do it. Chargers makes a lot of sense, of course, especially with the, you know, the money they just saved by cutting Bosa. And that would be a sweet little package between lad McConkey and Cooper Cup.
Pat McAfee
Exciting whites over there in LA.
Ty Schmidt
Some people think that that should be illegal. I would probably agree with that, people, but even like a Sam Fran would be cool. There's. There's plenty of spots. Cooper cup will be perfect.
Pat McAfee
Yeah, Cooper cup, when he's healthy is a game. Game changer. That has certainly been the question. What the hamstring was really the big thing.
Boston Connor
Yeah.
Pat McAfee
Body guru, some sort of like, had.
Boston Connor
To go up to Minnesota to get it worked on.
Pat McAfee
Yeah, the hammy in the wide receiver, obviously that's a very important part of the body. If he gets that figured out and he sent a message out basically like, hey, I'm ready. I want to go. Continue to play. We can't wait to watch him. Good luck to Cooper cup, buddy, and to the Rams, who say, you see what. Come on, we get it. Everybody kind of gets what's happening. We love cooperation. We're thankful for Cooper. Appreciative of Cooper. Sean McVay said, I'm a better human because of Cooper Cup. I'm a better coach because of Cooper Cup. But it feels like that is over. Excited to see who's the one that makes the decision and what's the end up contract for Cooper cup at the next team. No more contracts, no more teams. A legend has retired Mason Crosby. What a run.
Ty Schmidt
Oh, yeah, Mace.
Pat McAfee
I put out a tweet whenever I learned of Mason Crosby retiring because I genuinely remember. Remember this guy kicking whenever he was at Colorado. I think he was a Playboy All American and they wrote articles about him and he's a little bit older than me, so somebody that I could kind of look up to and watch and follow along with. Massive leg. But when he's at Colorado, everybody said, well, he's at altitude. So easy to have a Massive leg there. Then he goes over to Lambeau Field. Like one of the hardest places to kick in the entire world. Swirling winds, incredibly cold, and all he did was just become the all time leading scorer, break all these records. Consecutive kicks in the playoffs. And he played for 17 years, so at the kicking position, to be able to play for 17 years, the amount of work, commitment, technical strategizing you have to do with your body, the just everything it takes to be able to be at that high of a level, to be one of the best 32 kickers in the world and to perform is immense. So congratulations. You did great things for the brand. And his surprise onside kick was lethal. And I watched that as well as I was trying to learn my own with the lead up and setup. So watching this silver fox from afar helps me out immensely. And from all accounts, he was beloved by his teammates. AJ Obviously you were a teammate of his. I think that's one of the biggest things that I respect when it comes to kickers and punters as well.
David Lombardi
Yeah.
Art Stapleton
And Mason was a guy like, he came in the year after me, So, I mean, 20, 23 consecutive postseason field goals. That's unbelievable. Like when in the biggest moments, he never shied away and was always great. But he's one of those guys where, you know, people take kickers and punters for granted. They really do. Like, when you have a great one, you do. People tend to take him for granted. I remember multiple times thinking how lucky we were to have Mason Crosby. I mean, in college, Mike Nugent was our kicker. Like, unbelievable. I don't ever remember Nuge missing a field goal. I don't remember Mason really missing a field goal either. That's what I realized, how lucky I was to be a teammate of him. When it's something you don't have to worry about. Like, you know, when you don't have a kicker, you hear these coaches talking about, hey, you know, I just say a little prayer every time he runs on the field. Like, I. We never had that worry when Mason. Mason was out there because the dude was ultra confident. Never. What was cool too, is he never complained about the elements or what was going on. You know, it's a tough place to kick in Lambeau, the wind swirling, it's freezing cold. He never, he never said anything about that. He just went out there and made. Made everything.
Pat McAfee
I feel like, yeah, it was a shock when he missed. You know, there's. There's a few guys that. It's like, you're surprised when he missed and he had that one game that was terrible.
Boston Connor
Yeah, it was against the Lions. And then he kind of got like, the yips the game after that. But that was literally the only time in his career where 17 years, exactly where it didn't feel like it. He was absolutely automatic. And then you talk about, like, having a guy like, you know, you say praying when the guy runs onto the field. Like, that's a.
Pat McAfee
When.
Boston Connor
When a guy like that leaves and you move on from him, and all of a sudden it's not him anymore. Like, it is.
Pat McAfee
Is.
Boston Connor
It's jarring. Like, it's just. It's crazy. I mean, that's what the packers ran into two years ago in the playoffs. Like, it was. LaFleur got pissed, and it was kind of tongue in cheek, but he told Tom Rinaldi, when Andrews Carlson, he was like, hey, when we set him out there, you know, we kind of hold our breath. Like, you never had that with Mason Crosby. Like, you always expected him to make those kicks. He obviously always made him in the playoffs. And then when you move on from a guy like that and you don't have it anymore, like, it's drastic how much it changes your football team. And I, as a fan, like, just how much more anxiety it gives you all the time.
Pat McAfee
I. I respected and appreciated the way Mason went about doing his work, so much so that I heard he owned a bar, and I only ate at that place for the entire weekend to support his business. That was a lie. I heard right. He does not own any restaurants or bars around Lambo?
Art Stapleton
Not that I know of, no.
Pat McAfee
Well, whatever it was, that's a good gimmick. You got me.
Ty Schmidt
Yeah.
Pat McAfee
Hook, line, and sinker. I. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner at that place with three straight days. Hell, yeah, I'll support Mason everything he's done. Congrats, Mason. Hell of a career, buddy.
Boston Connor
I believe he also had 25 tackles and a forced fumble in his career.
Pat McAfee
Dog. Dog might be why I respected and appreciated him so, so much. I forgot about those tactics. He put out a letter to Green Bay thanking them for all the love and how appreciative he was to be a member of the community and to be a Green Bay Packer. Silver Fox looks incredibly professional. I believe he and his brother are also currently hosting a podcast. Excited to see what he does in this post NFL career. You're gonna do great things, Mason. You're a weapon, dude. Congratulations. Oh, yeah. Nice. You guys got a sword over there with McMahon Stone.
Boston Connor
Yeah. Yeah.
Pat McAfee
That's why they paid him. I think we're not doing that whole again.
Boston Connor
No, because it was. It's like that. That is the. That's the worst thing ever. When it like literally is like 50, 50 whether a guy's gonna make a kick. And not like, you know, even like Mason, you send out there for like 55 plus and you always felt like, okay, he's going to make this, but when you get a guy when like you send him out there for like a 40 yarder and you still don't know, like, there's a very good chance he's going to.
Pat McAfee
Mason hit that little left to right. Ball right. He had like a little left to right if I recall.
Art Stapleton
Little bit, little baby fade.
Pat McAfee
Yeah, had a little baby fade n hit the draw, right News.
Art Stapleton
I don't know. Dead straight down the middle. I don't know what. I don't know if he was hooking it or fading it.
Pat McAfee
I don't remember Nuge's balls.
Art Stapleton
I remember Coach Trestle, though, when we would kick, we'd watch special teams as a team in college. And you know the one end zone at Ohio Stadium with the closed end, there's a huge flag pole right in the middle. That's right in the middle of the goal post. And Nuge, every extra point that he would kick, Coach Trestle would sit there and if the ball was like a half a centimeter off that flag, please, like Nudes, we're going to need to. We're going to need to tighten this up a little bit. Like if he, if he wasn't dead center, like, because Nuge was that good, he could almost mess around and joke like, hey, that didn't split the uprights perfectly. That was almost a miss kick for you.
Pat McAfee
Aim small, miss small. Nuge was that guy. Second round draft pick.
Art Stapleton
Yeah, we're end of the first. Yeah.
Pat McAfee
Yeah, maybe a first round draft pick. Dog. Absolute dog. What a career at Ohio State. Ohio.
Art Stapleton
There's that flag pole.
Pat McAfee
There it is right there. And there he is. He hit it right down the middle. Second round, second round pick. Beginning of second though, I think 47 middle nonetheless.
Ty Schmidt
Still pretty crazy around.
Pat McAfee
Draft pick, Centerville, Ohio.
Ty Schmidt
It's crazy.
Pat McAfee
What a dog. Now stuck that one in. Doesn't matter. Count it against Kent State. All right, congrats to Mason Crosby and shout out to Nudes. Dude, he's always been super cool to me too, every time I see him. So I appreciate him. Mason Crosby and Nugent. It's taking me back to like when I was college kid. Like, what guys do I need to. Those are the Guys, Mason Crosby done. Now Adam Vinitarian not going in first ballots. Bullshit.
Boston Connor
Crazy.
Pat McAfee
That's bullshit.
Art Stapleton
I agree.
Pat McAfee
I don't think anybody in there would have been upset.
Ty Schmidt
No way.
Boston Connor
No.
Pat McAfee
You know, and they do get upset about guys that go in. I think like the hall of Famers, I think they are. There's like, people that don't get up. If Vinitari would have got in, I think even the O lineman or whatever, whoever would be most pissed, potentially. Yeah. Yeah.
Ty Schmidt
Adam makes sense.
Boston Connor
And he might get screwed over next year because of how good the. The eligible, you know, first time guys are.
Pat McAfee
Yeah, agreed. And what you say, aj, He's a dude.
Art Stapleton
He's a dude. That's why. Another reason why he should absolutely be in.
Pat McAfee
Yeah, agreed. All right, let's get the hell out of here. We're back tomorrow, big time. Feel good. Friday tomorrow, big time. Excited to see what we did today. You know, that's gonna. Sure, I'm excited to see what we did.
Gumpy
Pretty clean game today.
Pat McAfee
I don't know. There's been a couple of those days where I've been like, I don't think we started any incidents today. And then right before bed, I just go ahead and pop open the phone. It's like, no, turns out we did all right. We'll try better tomorrow. You know, I think at some point it's going to get to the point where it's not like that we'll be better. May people understand us a little bit more. And if it's not them, we enjoy the thought of being able to talk about sports every single day. Thank you so much for allowing us to do this for a living. You're the greatest people on earth. Big night out date announcement coming on Monday, Monday, Monday. And then ticket sale date announced shortly after that and then show at some.
Boston Connor
Point soon after that.
Pat McAfee
It's all. It seems all too. You know, like right now, everything seems to be a little bit too.
Gumpy
There's always a quiet before the storm.
Pat McAfee
Yeah, but we got some time, you know? Seems like we got too much. Maybe not that much.
Gumpy
No such thing as too much time.
Pat McAfee
Why you punish me, Hoodie? Well, he doesn't like being called.
Boston Connor
Don't call him that.
Ty Schmidt
Come on.
Art Stapleton
I mean the band. The band, Darius.
Pat McAfee
Well, Hoodie and the. The boy Official. Yeah. The Blow. Yeah, he posted on his Instagram. I like following along with him because it's not the cocaine. They're the. They're the Blow fish. Or the movie Blow Up. George Young. The Blow Fishies.
Ty Schmidt
Yeah.
Pat McAfee
Yeah, I. I like following along with his golf. He does a lot of golfing. So I'm singing in there. He's a good follow. And I saw him post a video about how everybody thinks they're the funniest person on earth whenever they call him Hoodie and he's like mocking everybody calling him. It's like, oh, he hates. Does this guy hate being cold Hoodie? I don't, cuz soon as he came on our show, I'm sure I got. That's all right. So Darius, we respect. Hey, just want to let you know, massive respect for both entities. But we found you when you're a hoodie. But you've certainly done great things with Darius.
Ty Schmidt
Still love you as Der.
Pat McAfee
Love him as Darius. Yeah. Art is formally known as who. That's what we need to do going forward. We'll get it right sometime. All right. Be a friend. Tell a friend something nice. It might change their life. We're in this thing together. Let's never forget it. Hey, new soccer podcast out right now. Where do they get it? How do they get it? Where is it at, Gump? It's on Apple and Spotify and on YouTube. I recommend YouTube. There's a lot of cool videos and shots of everything. Talk about TST a little bit.
Gumpy
Jeff Cameron tearing his MCL to score a goal.
Pat McAfee
Yeah, there's good stories there. Bailey McComas is on the ones and twos for the YouTube video videos, right? Yes, he is. Okay. We appreciate Bailey's commitment. Yeah, he did a great job. He did. He did a great job on it. What is it? YouTube.com the oh, good question. Oh, no.
Boston Connor
Don't you need to wait like two weeks before they give you the.
Pat McAfee
No, we. We pull the. We pulled a little bit of a move there. We got rid of the hockey, so rest in peace. It's the Concave soccer Show. The Cona Soccer show. Yeah. Yeah, we did a little bit of a move. We didn't want to create a whole new page.
Boston Connor
No, it makes sense.
Pat McAfee
Good use of resources.
Boston Connor
Makes sense.
Gumpy
Thanks a lot, AQ.
Pat McAfee
Thank. Thank you to. Yeah, AQ Shipley. Blame him. Thank you. Thank you to AQ Shipley. But the Concavea Soccer show is the YouTube. Yes, sir. Big game tonight as well. Inter Miami playing in the concave of Champions Cup. We're going to win a conceifa again.
Gumpy
Can't wait.
Pat McAfee
Jeff Cameron and Breck Shea. Very good. I can't express enough how great the stories that they have like playing all.
Gumpy
Those years in England.
Pat McAfee
It is awesome listening to them Talk. So some of it, I think, is going to be for soccer people, like telling some of the Stoke stories and all these things. Like, soccer people are going to respect a lot more, appreciate it a lot more. But then there's like, the update on what the hell is going on. Stuff that is probably what I will listen to and understand what's going on. You know, everything else I'll listen because it's Jeff and Breck and I appreciate them. But if you're just a casual soccer person, which I assume everybody that is watching this particular program is, there's roundup and everything happening. So we can act like we know. Yeah, we're hitting every league, Champions league going on right now. Mls, epl. We hit on every league in the episode that was released today. Thank you, concave for soccer show.
Ty Schmidt
Hell yeah.
Pat McAfee
Thank you, concave for Sh18,000 subscribers already. Pretty good one video. Why you pay for those? Did you pay for those subscribers? What did start? Oh, no. He said, no, I didn't do that. It's just fresh off one video, people saw a video and they're like, give me that. How many views on that video? I think it was like 600. It's pretty good. Okay, so how do we get 18, 000 subscribers? 600 views. Math ain't. Math works. Rest in peace. That's hockey talk. Great show.
Gumpy
Great show.
Pat McAfee
Well, best life happens and AQ Shipley quit. Be a friend. Tell a friend something nice. It might change their life. Warn to get together. Team on me. Team on three. Great. Great week thus far. Yeah. Let's close out strong tomorrow.
David Lombardi
Hell yeah.
Pat McAfee
One, two, three.
Ty Schmidt
Team.
Art Stapleton
Goodbye.
Pat McAfee
All right. Let me ask you something. Ever feel like you're juggling at all, work, family responsibilities, and still trying to keep your eye on the ball?
Mark Caboli
Yeah.
Pat McAfee
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Podcast Summary: The Pat McAfee Show – PMS 2.0 Episode 1302
Release Date: March 6, 2025
Introduction
In Episode 1302 of The Pat McAfee Show, host Pat McAfee, alongside co-hosts AJ Hawk, the Toxic Table, and Tone Digs, delves into a myriad of sports topics spanning the NFL, NBA, and NHL. The episode is a blend of insightful analysis, insider perspectives, and the show's signature humor and relatability. Key discussions include the potential player movements in the NFL offseason, significant developments in the NBA, personal anecdotes featuring JJ Watt, and updates from the NHL playoffs.
NFL Offseason Moves and Salary Cap Dynamics
Key Topics:
Discussion Highlights: Pat opens the episode by discussing the tumultuous NFL offseason, focusing on player releases, potential signings, and salary cap implications. A significant portion is dedicated to former Pro Bowl punter JJ Watt, who is no longer with the Cincinnati Bengals. Pat humorously speculates on Watt's future, mentioning his ownership of the Burnley soccer team in England.
Notable Quotes:
Seahawks and DK Metcalf: The conversation shifts to the Seattle Seahawks, highlighting DK Metcalf's trade request. Discussions revolve around the complexity of NFL trades, salary cap considerations, and the challenges teams face in acquiring high-profile players without overextending financially.
Notable Quotes:
Chargers’ Release of Joey Bosa: Pat and co-hosts analyze the Chargers' strategic release of Joey Bosa to free up $25.5 million against their salary cap, positioning the team as a contender in the offseason free-agent market.
Notable Quotes:
Cleveland Browns’ Contract Restructuring: The Browns' decision to restructure DeSean Watson's contract is examined, emphasizing the financial gymnastics required to manage hefty guarantees while attempting to remain competitive.
Notable Quotes:
NBA Developments: Lakers’ Strategic Signings and Celtics’ Performance
Key Topics:
Discussion Highlights: The NBA segment covers LeBron James achieving a milestone of 50,002 points, making him the first player to surpass the 50,000-point mark. Pat discusses the Lakers' strategic signing of Luka Doncic, analyzing the impact on the team's dynamics and championship aspirations. Additionally, the Boston Celtics' recent performance, including a historic game where two teammates scored over 40 points each, is highlighted.
Notable Quotes:
Lakers and Luka Doncic: Pat critiques the Lakers' decision to sign Doncic, questioning the fit and the cultural implications of integrating a high-profile European player with the veteran LeBron James.
Notable Quotes:
Boston Celtics’ Performance: The Celtics' depth and the unexpected stellar performances by players like Peyton Pritchard and Derrick White are praised, positioning them as formidable contenders in the NBA playoffs.
Notable Quotes:
Personal Anecdotes and JJ Watt’s Barbershop Visit
Key Topics:
Discussion Highlights: Pat and the team share lighthearted moments about JJ Watt’s recent haircut and his visit to a unique barbershop featuring a baby grand piano. These personal stories add warmth to the episode, showcasing the camaraderie among the hosts and their guests.
Notable Quotes:
Hockey Insights and NHL Playoffs
Key Topics:
Discussion Highlights: The NHL portion focuses on Alexander Ovechkin's pursuit of Wayne Gretzky's all-time scoring record with the Washington Capitals. The Vegas Golden Knights' strong performance in the Western Conference and their potential to secure a Stanley Cup victory are also discussed, highlighting standout players like Jackie Aces.
Notable Quotes:
Mason Crosby’s Retirement and Legacy
Key Topics:
Discussion Highlights: Pat and co-hosts commemorate Mason Crosby’s illustrious career with the Green Bay Packers, highlighting his record-breaking field goals and leadership. They reflect on his contributions to the team and his personal character, emphasizing his role as a reliable and respected kicker.
Notable Quotes:
Sports Humor and Banter
Key Topics:
Discussion Highlights: The episode is peppered with humorous exchanges about everyday activities, such as shucking corn and cooking mishaps. These segments provide levity and showcase the hosts' personalities, fostering a connection with the audience through relatable humor.
Notable Quotes:
Conclusion and Upcoming Segments
Pat wraps up the episode by teasing upcoming shows and events, maintaining the show's engaging and interactive format. Listeners are left with anticipation for future discussions and entertainment segments.
Closing Remarks
Pat and his team effectively balance serious sports analysis with personal stories and humor, making Episode 1302 a comprehensive and entertaining listen. The inclusion of notable quotes with timestamps adds authenticity and allows listeners to reference key moments, enhancing the summary's value for those who haven't tuned in to the full episode.
Notable Quotes Overview:
JJ Watt’s Situation:
Seahawks’ DK Metcalf Trade Request:
LeBron James’ Milestone:
Celtics’ Historic Game:
Mason Crosby’s Legacy:
This comprehensive summary encapsulates the essence of Episode 1302, providing readers with an insightful and engaging overview of the discussions, key points, and memorable moments from The Pat McAfee Show.