1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,800 Speaker 1: On a Tuesday that feels like a Monday. We are 2 00:00:02,880 --> 00:00:06,520 Speaker 1: that much closer to the Colts season getting underway, the 3 00:00:06,559 --> 00:00:09,680 Speaker 1: Miami Dolphins coming to Lucas Oil Stadium. That game, of course, 4 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:13,200 Speaker 1: you can hear on this radio station coming up on Sunday, 5 00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:16,560 Speaker 1: a one o'clock kick from Lucas Oil. Joining us now 6 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:19,759 Speaker 1: on the always busy and available for your company to 7 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:24,280 Speaker 1: sponsor guest line from ESPN dot com is Stephen Holder Steven. 8 00:00:24,360 --> 00:00:26,520 Speaker 1: Before we get into the Colts, I'm going to invite 9 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:29,000 Speaker 1: you into the conversation that Eddie and I were just having. 10 00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:31,080 Speaker 1: And despite the fact you're in your car, I'm well 11 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:33,599 Speaker 1: aware of the fact that you didn't hear it. So 12 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:37,920 Speaker 1: I am going to present to you three categories in 13 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:39,760 Speaker 1: the NFL, and I want you to think for a 14 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:43,000 Speaker 1: second and then give me your answer on each category, 15 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:45,280 Speaker 1: and we're going to see if you match wits with 16 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:50,320 Speaker 1: either Eddie or myself. Okay, Category one, I want you 17 00:00:50,360 --> 00:00:53,320 Speaker 1: to tell me in the twenty twenty six NFL season, 18 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:57,560 Speaker 1: give me the team that is relatively off radar that 19 00:00:57,640 --> 00:00:59,319 Speaker 1: you don't hear a lot about. There's not a lot 20 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:02,240 Speaker 1: of expectation. It's not like there are people penciling them 21 00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:08,679 Speaker 1: in as a postseason team. But around October, late October 22 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:13,200 Speaker 1: into November, we're gonna go, are they good? They're like 23 00:01:13,319 --> 00:01:15,880 Speaker 1: six and three and kind of haven't talked about them, 24 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:18,880 Speaker 1: but I think they might be good. This was last 25 00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:23,679 Speaker 1: year's Washington Commanders, for example. Give me that team this year. 26 00:01:25,640 --> 00:01:29,000 Speaker 2: All right, well, you confused me. You said twenty six 27 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 2: at first, you mean this year. 28 00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:32,319 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, I always say twenty I always go with 29 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:34,120 Speaker 1: the year that what it is at the end of 30 00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 1: the season. My apologies, the twenty five season, Yes. 31 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:43,319 Speaker 2: Gotcha, this is a good question. I think there's a 32 00:01:43,640 --> 00:01:47,760 Speaker 2: chance it's the Chicago Bears. Okay, I think they're going 33 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:51,160 Speaker 2: to be as good as Washington. Okay, I understood. But 34 00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:54,320 Speaker 2: a team that but a team that proves itself far 35 00:01:54,360 --> 00:01:58,720 Speaker 2: more competent, right, okay, Okay, Now, now we're going to 36 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:01,840 Speaker 2: go the the op of that, give me a team 37 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:05,280 Speaker 2: that gets some chatter, gets a little love, is penciled 38 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 2: in by a lot of people as a postseason contender 39 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:11,600 Speaker 2: that all of a sudden in late October, around Halloween, 40 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 2: we're gonna go, I don't think this is gonna happen 41 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:19,160 Speaker 2: for these guys, they're just not very good. Okay, So 42 00:02:19,680 --> 00:02:22,519 Speaker 2: this I'm going on a little bit on a limb here, 43 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:25,160 Speaker 2: but I've been saying for a while that I think 44 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:28,520 Speaker 2: the Dolphins window to do something big has closed. Okay, 45 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:31,240 Speaker 2: and they've lost a lot of guys. Anyway, I don't 46 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:32,800 Speaker 2: know if you want me to justify and explain it, 47 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:34,840 Speaker 2: but the Dolphins are a team that I think are 48 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:36,520 Speaker 2: sneaky disappointment. 49 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:43,000 Speaker 1: Okay. Then the last group is the team that and 50 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:45,240 Speaker 1: you get this every once in a while, maybe not 51 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:49,200 Speaker 1: even I'm not saying organizationally like that it's an indictment 52 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:53,480 Speaker 1: on them, but there are certain teams that each year 53 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:57,840 Speaker 1: there's one team that literally just every door they try 54 00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:01,920 Speaker 1: to turn the doorknob on is locked. Nothing works. There's 55 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:05,200 Speaker 1: there's rumors of inner turmoil. Nobody can know what's going on. 56 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:08,760 Speaker 1: Two key players got hurt, somebody else is holding out, 57 00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:10,960 Speaker 1: somebody else allegedly got in a fight, and it's like 58 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:13,840 Speaker 1: and all of a sudden, before you know it, Jeff 59 00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:16,680 Speaker 1: saturdays Air dropped in as your head coach, and your 60 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:20,600 Speaker 1: practice squad quarterback is quarterbacking you, and what the hell 61 00:03:20,639 --> 00:03:22,480 Speaker 1: is going on? That team is who. 62 00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:27,520 Speaker 2: I mean, I gotta believe you just described like the 63 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:29,400 Speaker 2: last twenty years of the Dallas Cowboys. 64 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:34,359 Speaker 1: Okay, no, sorry, I actually I actually told Eddie Dallas 65 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:37,080 Speaker 1: has to be off the board for this because literally 66 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:39,400 Speaker 1: it's like that they are the obviously it'swer right. 67 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:44,680 Speaker 2: Well, I'll tell you what though. One team, I gotta say, 68 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:46,440 Speaker 2: one team that I don't know what the hell they're 69 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 2: doing and where they're going is New Orleans. There are 70 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:52,800 Speaker 2: certainly a rebuilding teams, so no one expects them to 71 00:03:52,800 --> 00:03:57,320 Speaker 2: be good. But their head coach higher to me was like, huh. 72 00:03:57,360 --> 00:04:03,160 Speaker 2: And then the quarterback choices also huh. I mean, looks 73 00:04:03,160 --> 00:04:06,160 Speaker 2: who they're starting at quarterback. Spencer Ratler won the quarterback battle. 74 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:10,280 Speaker 2: Spencer Ratler's good, you know, so I don't know what 75 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:13,080 Speaker 2: are you hanging your hat on if you're in New Orleans? 76 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:13,720 Speaker 2: Is what I'd say. 77 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:20,000 Speaker 1: Okay, fair, I had let's see for my surprisingly good 78 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:23,800 Speaker 1: I went with the Raiders. For the team that I 79 00:04:23,839 --> 00:04:27,159 Speaker 1: think may fall short of expectation, I went with the Commanders, 80 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:31,000 Speaker 1: and for I just feel like there could be disaster 81 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:34,839 Speaker 1: and turmoil and interfighting, et cetera. I went with the 82 00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:40,719 Speaker 1: Philadelphia Eagles. Man Eddie went with surprisingly good, he said. 83 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:42,680 Speaker 1: The who did you say for that one, Eddie? I said, 84 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:46,279 Speaker 1: the New England Patriot England Patriots, surprisingly disappointing, he said, 85 00:04:46,279 --> 00:04:50,200 Speaker 1: the Houston Texans. And for turmoil. Eddie might have won 86 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:52,840 Speaker 1: this one automatically because he said the Pittsburgh Steelers. And 87 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:55,000 Speaker 1: when you have the Aaron Rodgers effect, that seems to 88 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:56,599 Speaker 1: be a very good call, right. 89 00:04:57,360 --> 00:04:59,680 Speaker 2: Why didn't I think of that? Right exactly? No, that's 90 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:05,000 Speaker 2: a great I actually, who was the surprisingly bad. 91 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:09,600 Speaker 1: Team for me? I said, the Washington Commanders. Eddie said 92 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:11,280 Speaker 1: the Houston Texans. 93 00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:14,480 Speaker 2: Okay, so that's an interesting one because I think the 94 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:18,680 Speaker 2: Texans were surprisingly bad last year. Frankly, they just happened 95 00:05:18,680 --> 00:05:20,800 Speaker 2: to be in the same division as the Colts, who 96 00:05:20,839 --> 00:05:23,400 Speaker 2: couldn't take advantage of it. So it worked out well 97 00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:25,440 Speaker 2: for him. But they were not a good team last year. 98 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:28,400 Speaker 1: Okay, Steven, let's shift to the Colts. Let me tell 99 00:05:28,400 --> 00:05:31,640 Speaker 1: you the one area that as I was looking over 100 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:35,720 Speaker 1: things for me, became a little bit of a concern. 101 00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:41,039 Speaker 1: And I'll tell you why. I like the experience they 102 00:05:41,080 --> 00:05:44,080 Speaker 1: have at corner. And I will give Chris Ballard credit 103 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:46,600 Speaker 1: because when we were all jumping up and down and 104 00:05:46,640 --> 00:05:48,719 Speaker 1: saying they didn't address corner. He said, look, let me 105 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:50,320 Speaker 1: just see these guys play and find out where they 106 00:05:50,320 --> 00:05:53,080 Speaker 1: are now that we've done that. I think they have 107 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:57,120 Speaker 1: good players, but Jalen Jones is hurt Juju Brents Obviously 108 00:05:57,120 --> 00:05:58,960 Speaker 1: they couldn't wait any longer for him to get healthy, 109 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:02,560 Speaker 1: and he's now in Miami. My area of concern is this, 110 00:06:02,640 --> 00:06:04,520 Speaker 1: and then you tell me how off base it is. 111 00:06:05,040 --> 00:06:08,080 Speaker 1: I think they have good players at corner, but they 112 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:10,320 Speaker 1: have two guys that are in rotation at corner that 113 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:12,720 Speaker 1: weren't even on the roster at the time that they 114 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:15,880 Speaker 1: all got together originally in Grand Park, and I think 115 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:17,839 Speaker 1: that it might be a little late to all of 116 00:06:17,839 --> 00:06:20,960 Speaker 1: a sudden expect them to kind of gel together as 117 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:23,240 Speaker 1: a unit even though you're playing on opposite sides of 118 00:06:23,279 --> 00:06:27,000 Speaker 1: the football, And that, to me, the defensive backfield again 119 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:29,960 Speaker 1: feels like it could be an achilles for this team. 120 00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:34,880 Speaker 2: Your thoughts, well, it's funny, you know, we just got 121 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:40,080 Speaker 2: done talking to defensive coordinator lou Anarumo, and there were 122 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:42,919 Speaker 2: a few questions I would say, including from me about 123 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:46,280 Speaker 2: Xavier Howard. He By the way, if you look at 124 00:06:46,279 --> 00:06:48,520 Speaker 2: today's depth chart, that they put out for week one. 125 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:51,560 Speaker 2: It's a projected depth chart. It's not the coaches, but 126 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:55,360 Speaker 2: it's the organization's public depth chart. Xavier Howard is still 127 00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:58,120 Speaker 2: number one at one of the cornerback spots, along with 128 00:06:58,600 --> 00:07:02,840 Speaker 2: a Shavari board and Kenny Moore the second in the slot. 129 00:07:03,320 --> 00:07:06,760 Speaker 2: And I'm sorry, but that's a lot for me to 130 00:07:06,839 --> 00:07:10,880 Speaker 2: digest when I think two weeks ago this guy was 131 00:07:11,080 --> 00:07:13,559 Speaker 2: doing the same thing as me over the weekend, sitting 132 00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:18,720 Speaker 2: on his couch. Right. So, look, he's a proven player 133 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:22,440 Speaker 2: and highly successful player if you look at his resume. 134 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:25,600 Speaker 2: But I think it's a lot to assume that a 135 00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:28,640 Speaker 2: guy sitting on his couch all last year, Okay, no 136 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:31,400 Speaker 2: one signed him last year is going to come in 137 00:07:31,400 --> 00:07:34,000 Speaker 2: in August and be your starting corner. And we even 138 00:07:34,040 --> 00:07:38,520 Speaker 2: asked lou Anroumo, are you serious or is this guy 139 00:07:38,600 --> 00:07:40,960 Speaker 2: really capable of coming in, walking off the street and 140 00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:43,960 Speaker 2: playing starters reps. He didn't say yes or no, but 141 00:07:44,280 --> 00:07:48,360 Speaker 2: he certainly didn't didn't give the indication that he has 142 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:51,840 Speaker 2: any doubts about him. So there is a real sense 143 00:07:51,880 --> 00:07:56,880 Speaker 2: of reliance from Ana Rumo about Howard in particular, and 144 00:07:57,040 --> 00:07:59,280 Speaker 2: I'm curious to see how this plays out because they're 145 00:07:59,320 --> 00:08:01,320 Speaker 2: going to get a hell of a test Week one 146 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:04,640 Speaker 2: with Tyreek Hill and Jalen Waddle of the Miami Dolphins. 147 00:08:04,640 --> 00:08:06,320 Speaker 2: So they're not They're not going to be able to 148 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:07,520 Speaker 2: ease into this at all. 149 00:08:08,480 --> 00:08:10,800 Speaker 1: I'm going to give you a name, Steven. I want 150 00:08:10,800 --> 00:08:14,160 Speaker 1: you to tell me how they how this player is 151 00:08:14,280 --> 00:08:19,080 Speaker 1: relevant to this year's Colts team. Are you ready? I'm 152 00:08:19,080 --> 00:08:22,400 Speaker 1: putting you on the spot. I realize Terrell Prior. 153 00:08:24,880 --> 00:08:26,640 Speaker 2: Oh, I think I know where you're going with this. 154 00:08:28,640 --> 00:08:31,720 Speaker 2: Was he not the quarterback of the last team the 155 00:08:31,760 --> 00:08:34,160 Speaker 2: Colts beat in a week one Week one game? 156 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:37,960 Speaker 1: That is correct? He was the last opposing quarterback in 157 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:42,840 Speaker 1: a Colts season opening victory. It's been that long now. 158 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:45,520 Speaker 2: That was two thousand and thirteen. 159 00:08:45,720 --> 00:08:48,520 Speaker 1: I believe, yes, it's been well. And here's the thing. 160 00:08:48,640 --> 00:08:51,080 Speaker 1: They have not lost eleven straight years because there was 161 00:08:51,120 --> 00:08:53,840 Speaker 1: a tie in there, but not one and eleven straight years. 162 00:08:54,360 --> 00:08:58,360 Speaker 2: In way. Here's here's what's so crazy about that. If 163 00:08:58,400 --> 00:09:00,680 Speaker 2: that was thirteen, which I think it was, that was 164 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:03,600 Speaker 2: my first regular season Colts game as a reporter in 165 00:09:03,640 --> 00:09:07,240 Speaker 2: this market. Okay, I got here and my daughter was 166 00:09:07,240 --> 00:09:13,840 Speaker 2: in preschools, even eleventh grade, now like, if that's put 167 00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:17,680 Speaker 2: it into perspective, it does, right, I mean continue. 168 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:21,200 Speaker 1: Okay, in certain years you can get off to maybe 169 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:24,040 Speaker 1: even an oh. You know, there's obviously all those statistics 170 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:26,040 Speaker 1: that come out about what your odds are of the 171 00:09:26,040 --> 00:09:27,920 Speaker 1: postseason after an oh and two, start, zero and three, 172 00:09:27,960 --> 00:09:31,360 Speaker 1: et cetera. When you look at the Colt schedule, because 173 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:33,520 Speaker 1: you are to me and you tell me if I'm 174 00:09:33,559 --> 00:09:38,199 Speaker 1: overthinking this, I know that if you go into any 175 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:40,640 Speaker 1: NFL locker room, they always have the schedule up on 176 00:09:40,679 --> 00:09:42,280 Speaker 1: the wall for the players and they break it down 177 00:09:42,320 --> 00:09:44,960 Speaker 1: into quarters. Just got to go two and one in 178 00:09:44,960 --> 00:09:46,840 Speaker 1: this quarter, three and one in this quarter, four and 179 00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:49,880 Speaker 1: oh in this quarter, whatever, right, And they always say 180 00:09:50,520 --> 00:09:55,200 Speaker 1: divisional games count double. I get it. These feel like 181 00:09:55,320 --> 00:09:57,520 Speaker 1: these opening two games when you look at the fact 182 00:09:57,559 --> 00:10:02,160 Speaker 1: that you are starting out with Miami and Denver at home. 183 00:10:02,800 --> 00:10:05,840 Speaker 1: These are two teams that theoretically are going to be 184 00:10:06,040 --> 00:10:09,480 Speaker 1: right there in the same lane as the Colts trying 185 00:10:09,520 --> 00:10:11,920 Speaker 1: to merge over into the left lane of traffic in 186 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:16,080 Speaker 1: late November early December to put themselves in position. These 187 00:10:16,200 --> 00:10:18,720 Speaker 1: to me are two games to open up the season 188 00:10:19,120 --> 00:10:23,960 Speaker 1: that are basically divisional games because they are wild card 189 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:28,160 Speaker 1: contending teams, two teams that are going to be right there. 190 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:34,439 Speaker 1: Miami Buffalo should win that division. Denver Kansas City should 191 00:10:34,520 --> 00:10:37,040 Speaker 1: win that division. But they are going to be fighting 192 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:39,080 Speaker 1: toot the nail for a wild card and the Colts 193 00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:42,760 Speaker 1: would like to be in that same situation. Is their 194 00:10:42,880 --> 00:10:47,320 Speaker 1: over emphasis on these two opening games versus other seasons. 195 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:51,959 Speaker 2: I don't know that there's over emphasis from the organization, 196 00:10:52,040 --> 00:10:56,800 Speaker 2: but I don't think your description is wrong at all. 197 00:10:57,040 --> 00:10:59,360 Speaker 2: I think let me just look at last year. Who 198 00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:03,080 Speaker 2: were the Colts fighting for late in the season, particularly, 199 00:11:03,480 --> 00:11:06,000 Speaker 2: and a head to head matchup late in the season 200 00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:08,079 Speaker 2: when it came to the wildcard race, you know, when 201 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:10,840 Speaker 2: they were still in it at least it was Denver, 202 00:11:10,880 --> 00:11:14,319 Speaker 2: all right, it was Denver. So Miami was kind of you, 203 00:11:14,600 --> 00:11:16,559 Speaker 2: kind of floundering, kind of trying to figure it out, 204 00:11:16,559 --> 00:11:18,079 Speaker 2: but you know they were they were there at one 205 00:11:18,080 --> 00:11:21,000 Speaker 2: point or in the mix at one point. I wholeheartedly agree. 206 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:24,120 Speaker 2: There's actually another element that you didn't mention, but you're 207 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:28,360 Speaker 2: on the right track, and that is so AFC record, 208 00:11:28,720 --> 00:11:34,560 Speaker 2: their conference record in certain tiebreaking instances is one of 209 00:11:34,800 --> 00:11:38,560 Speaker 2: the tiebreakers. So that's something you have to bring into 210 00:11:38,559 --> 00:11:41,319 Speaker 2: play as well. So I agree with you, the wholeheartedly 211 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:47,240 Speaker 2: agree tiebreaker considerations, wildcard standings in terms of the wild 212 00:11:47,280 --> 00:11:50,200 Speaker 2: card race, no question about it. These are gonna matter 213 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:52,480 Speaker 2: a lot. And then obviously they another AFC opponent in 214 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:54,040 Speaker 2: Week three as well. 215 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:57,880 Speaker 1: Steven Holder is our guest from ESPN dot com. All right, Steven, 216 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:03,280 Speaker 1: I'm gonna take the quurt. Look, we're all the quarterback 217 00:12:03,320 --> 00:12:07,640 Speaker 1: talk and conversation. We've gone over that one hundred times. Okay, right, 218 00:12:08,200 --> 00:12:10,160 Speaker 1: as a matter of fact, but I'm not going to 219 00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:12,560 Speaker 1: ask specifically about the quarterback situation. But we haven't talked 220 00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:15,839 Speaker 1: to you since this time, and so I want your 221 00:12:15,840 --> 00:12:19,280 Speaker 1: perspective on this. I was not in the room, you know. 222 00:12:19,320 --> 00:12:22,240 Speaker 1: I was here and was listening to it when Chris 223 00:12:22,240 --> 00:12:24,439 Speaker 1: Ballard held his press conference, and I know that he 224 00:12:24,559 --> 00:12:28,040 Speaker 1: was not happy about the number of questions about the 225 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:33,120 Speaker 1: quarterback situation to begin the press conference. I say this 226 00:12:33,320 --> 00:12:36,679 Speaker 1: only because we're all trying to get temperate, we're all 227 00:12:36,679 --> 00:12:41,320 Speaker 1: trying to get feel for where just the solidarity of 228 00:12:41,360 --> 00:12:47,520 Speaker 1: the franchise. I thought Ballard, who at times can be sarcastic, 229 00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:52,880 Speaker 1: at times, can be edgy. I thought he was overly 230 00:12:53,040 --> 00:12:57,000 Speaker 1: both in that press conference and actually came off almost 231 00:12:57,120 --> 00:12:59,760 Speaker 1: like I'll use combative for lack of a better phrase. 232 00:13:00,679 --> 00:13:05,480 Speaker 1: But even though he was trying to preach confidence in 233 00:13:05,480 --> 00:13:08,320 Speaker 1: his position or whatever else may be, I thought he 234 00:13:08,400 --> 00:13:11,360 Speaker 1: came off completely the opposite of that. But I wasn't 235 00:13:11,400 --> 00:13:13,280 Speaker 1: in the room your thoughts. 236 00:13:14,679 --> 00:13:17,120 Speaker 2: So I would agree that he was more combat more 237 00:13:17,160 --> 00:13:21,319 Speaker 2: combative than usual. You know, Look, there was I got 238 00:13:21,360 --> 00:13:23,959 Speaker 2: a lot of tweets from people reaction from people who 239 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:27,160 Speaker 2: were saying, man, you know he was. He was really 240 00:13:27,240 --> 00:13:30,439 Speaker 2: hard on you and James Boyd and and it may 241 00:13:30,640 --> 00:13:33,320 Speaker 2: I would just say, for the record, like he did 242 00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:36,320 Speaker 2: kind of snap at me, but I laughed at him 243 00:13:36,360 --> 00:13:39,080 Speaker 2: when he did it, because I have that kind of 244 00:13:39,080 --> 00:13:42,200 Speaker 2: relationship with Chris Pallart and to his credit, this is 245 00:13:42,280 --> 00:13:46,120 Speaker 2: probably TMI. To his credit, five minutes later, I got 246 00:13:46,160 --> 00:13:48,360 Speaker 2: a text message from and say, Hey, my bad, I 247 00:13:48,440 --> 00:13:51,200 Speaker 2: just got caught up in a moment. So all right, fine. However, 248 00:13:51,480 --> 00:13:55,640 Speaker 2: I would say this, I don't disagree that he definitely 249 00:13:55,720 --> 00:14:00,400 Speaker 2: was standing his ground on this principle that they were 250 00:14:00,440 --> 00:14:02,400 Speaker 2: not in the wrong, and they have you know, handled 251 00:14:02,400 --> 00:14:07,440 Speaker 2: the quarterback situation, you know, largely appropriately. I mean, he 252 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:09,880 Speaker 2: didn't say it in those words, but that was kind 253 00:14:09,880 --> 00:14:13,800 Speaker 2: of the the effect of his words. Right. So here's 254 00:14:13,840 --> 00:14:15,800 Speaker 2: why I bring that up because I think that's important 255 00:14:15,800 --> 00:14:19,240 Speaker 2: because now this kind of has to work or they 256 00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:20,680 Speaker 2: or he has a lot of egg on the space, 257 00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:25,360 Speaker 2: you know, because he did kind of really I think, 258 00:14:25,800 --> 00:14:28,600 Speaker 2: biggest toes in, you know, the biggest heels in a 259 00:14:28,640 --> 00:14:31,880 Speaker 2: little bit there. And as if as if the questions 260 00:14:32,120 --> 00:14:35,200 Speaker 2: were maybe not appropriate, well, they're absolutely appropriate for sure. 261 00:14:35,240 --> 00:14:37,080 Speaker 2: And I told him that. I said, look, we're asking 262 00:14:37,080 --> 00:14:39,280 Speaker 2: you a lot of questions because the fans have a 263 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:42,520 Speaker 2: lot of questions. Man, That's how this works. And I 264 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:45,640 Speaker 2: think that is absolutely true because all of our coverage, 265 00:14:45,960 --> 00:14:48,720 Speaker 2: yours mind, all of our coverage of the quarterback situation 266 00:14:49,080 --> 00:14:52,240 Speaker 2: has been at top of mind for everyone, and he 267 00:14:52,400 --> 00:14:55,320 Speaker 2: is obviously one of the major parties in terms of 268 00:14:55,360 --> 00:14:59,000 Speaker 2: decision makers. So they were obvious. It was obvious that 269 00:14:59,040 --> 00:15:01,360 Speaker 2: he was going to get those quess since he got 270 00:15:01,440 --> 00:15:04,360 Speaker 2: tired of it and got a little exasperated. But that's 271 00:15:04,400 --> 00:15:06,480 Speaker 2: the job, man, you know, that is what it is. Well, 272 00:15:06,560 --> 00:15:09,800 Speaker 2: so I think it's fine, but no one's matt, I'm 273 00:15:09,840 --> 00:15:12,560 Speaker 2: not mad, no one's offended or anything, but just just 274 00:15:12,720 --> 00:15:16,520 Speaker 2: big a Claire like you. You kind of dug your 275 00:15:16,560 --> 00:15:19,200 Speaker 2: heels in there, and let's just hope he's right about 276 00:15:19,280 --> 00:15:20,119 Speaker 2: Daniel Jones. 277 00:15:19,880 --> 00:15:22,400 Speaker 1: Steven, I'm a classic overthinker. You've sat next to me 278 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:27,600 Speaker 1: enough Pacer games to know this, right, So I want 279 00:15:27,600 --> 00:15:31,080 Speaker 1: you to tell me if I'm overthinking this. I understand 280 00:15:31,120 --> 00:15:32,920 Speaker 1: all of that, and I'm not trying to make anything. 281 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:35,240 Speaker 1: You know, this is not neurosurgery here, right, I mean, 282 00:15:35,240 --> 00:15:37,520 Speaker 1: like nobody's going to die. I get all of that, 283 00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:40,560 Speaker 1: and I can appreciate. And I know that you have 284 00:15:40,640 --> 00:15:43,080 Speaker 1: a relationship with Chris Ballard. I mean you know, I 285 00:15:43,160 --> 00:15:48,680 Speaker 1: know that I can appreciate that he would send you 286 00:15:48,720 --> 00:15:51,440 Speaker 1: a text afterwards saying, hey, I apologize, I got caught 287 00:15:51,480 --> 00:15:53,560 Speaker 1: up in a moment and that's cool, actually, I mean 288 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:55,800 Speaker 1: I commend him for that. But at the same time, 289 00:15:56,320 --> 00:16:01,600 Speaker 1: at the same time, if you are an NFL executive 290 00:16:01,680 --> 00:16:04,920 Speaker 1: who has paid millions of dollars to make critical decisions, 291 00:16:05,440 --> 00:16:08,480 Speaker 1: then at the very least I would expect you to 292 00:16:09,320 --> 00:16:12,600 Speaker 1: have a better clarity of thought when pressure is on 293 00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:16,600 Speaker 1: or in the moment. Am I too harsh there? 294 00:16:18,120 --> 00:16:18,280 Speaker 3: No? 295 00:16:18,360 --> 00:16:21,560 Speaker 2: I mean I think that he himself wishes that he had. 296 00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:24,840 Speaker 1: What I'm saying is if he's not if he's impulsive 297 00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:30,520 Speaker 1: over something as insane as Stephen or as innocuous as 298 00:16:30,560 --> 00:16:33,920 Speaker 1: Stephen Holder asking a repeated question in a press conference, 299 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:37,480 Speaker 1: if he's impulsive in that moment without thinking it through, 300 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:42,160 Speaker 1: and then has retroactively looks back and says, I wish 301 00:16:42,240 --> 00:16:44,760 Speaker 1: I could have handled that differently than what's he doing 302 00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:46,560 Speaker 1: when there's a minute and a half left on the 303 00:16:46,640 --> 00:16:48,720 Speaker 1: draft clock and he's got to make a decision, or 304 00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:51,239 Speaker 1: when you see what I'm saying. 305 00:16:51,800 --> 00:16:54,200 Speaker 2: Right, I will say one of the remarkable things about 306 00:16:54,240 --> 00:16:57,680 Speaker 2: Chris Ballard because his personality that I think what you 307 00:16:57,720 --> 00:17:00,000 Speaker 2: saw in that press conference and heard in that press conference, 308 00:17:00,240 --> 00:17:04,680 Speaker 2: that is Chris Ballard's Okay, that is the the big 309 00:17:04,760 --> 00:17:09,960 Speaker 2: talking South Texas you know, guy who who doesn't mince words. Right, 310 00:17:10,040 --> 00:17:12,480 Speaker 2: you are a product of where you come from, who 311 00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:14,680 Speaker 2: you were raised by all that, Right, that that's fine, 312 00:17:14,720 --> 00:17:16,320 Speaker 2: That's what makes us who we are. So that is 313 00:17:16,400 --> 00:17:18,640 Speaker 2: Chris Palard. That is that That is the Chris Ballard 314 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:21,760 Speaker 2: that we all know. I think you know behind closed doors, 315 00:17:21,760 --> 00:17:23,400 Speaker 2: and I don't mean like you know we're sitting there 316 00:17:23,640 --> 00:17:26,000 Speaker 2: having it out and arguing I'm saying, like he's he's 317 00:17:26,040 --> 00:17:28,159 Speaker 2: gonna tell you what he thinks. I appreciate that, to 318 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:32,800 Speaker 2: be honest. However, Uh, one of the remarkable things about him, 319 00:17:33,040 --> 00:17:34,560 Speaker 2: and I don't know how he does it, is that 320 00:17:34,760 --> 00:17:39,560 Speaker 2: he does balance that somehow with an ability to be 321 00:17:39,760 --> 00:17:43,080 Speaker 2: measured and to be you know, sort of have a 322 00:17:43,119 --> 00:17:48,800 Speaker 2: cooler head and not overreact and not be reactive or 323 00:17:48,840 --> 00:17:53,080 Speaker 2: overly reactive to situations. Maybe too much so, to be 324 00:17:53,119 --> 00:17:54,760 Speaker 2: honest with you, because I think there are a lot 325 00:17:54,800 --> 00:17:57,919 Speaker 2: of Colts fans that maybe wish that he made some 326 00:17:57,960 --> 00:18:01,159 Speaker 2: more aggressive moves over the years to maybe get him 327 00:18:01,160 --> 00:18:03,760 Speaker 2: out of the situation they've been in, this rut that 328 00:18:03,800 --> 00:18:07,560 Speaker 2: they've been in. But anyway, I'm probably over analyzing it 329 00:18:07,600 --> 00:18:10,760 Speaker 2: myself now, but I do think he does strike a 330 00:18:10,800 --> 00:18:14,120 Speaker 2: good balance there. But that was a very interesting little 331 00:18:14,160 --> 00:18:17,000 Speaker 2: window into how he can sometimes be Yes. 332 00:18:18,119 --> 00:18:24,679 Speaker 1: Again in defensive Chris Ballard that personality that you know 333 00:18:24,800 --> 00:18:30,200 Speaker 1: that all of it right, that that spitfire when you're winning, 334 00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:35,320 Speaker 1: it's awesome. Which better win And if you are exactly right, 335 00:18:35,359 --> 00:18:38,160 Speaker 1: you're going into year nine and you're showing that kind 336 00:18:38,440 --> 00:18:42,560 Speaker 1: I mean, like I said, and I'm not I'm just 337 00:18:42,600 --> 00:18:45,919 Speaker 1: gonna repeat what I've said before, Steven. I've sat in 338 00:18:45,960 --> 00:18:49,800 Speaker 1: press conferences for Bill Tobin, Bill Polly, and Ryan Grigson, 339 00:18:49,880 --> 00:18:57,359 Speaker 1: Chris Ballard, Larry Bird, Donnie Walsh, Kevin Pritchard, and that 340 00:18:57,560 --> 00:19:01,760 Speaker 1: to me just showed an edge that those other guys 341 00:19:01,960 --> 00:19:05,040 Speaker 1: didn't have, and most of those guys won with more frequency. 342 00:19:05,560 --> 00:19:07,359 Speaker 1: But I don't dislike him, and I hear he's a 343 00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:09,480 Speaker 1: very good guy for what that's worth, you know what 344 00:19:09,520 --> 00:19:12,399 Speaker 1: I mean. But now, having said all that, give me 345 00:19:12,560 --> 00:19:19,720 Speaker 1: a player or players, or maybe position group not at quarterback, 346 00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:23,880 Speaker 1: not named Daniel Jones, that the Colts have a lot 347 00:19:23,960 --> 00:19:28,320 Speaker 1: riding on and that that guy. Nobody talks about it, 348 00:19:28,440 --> 00:19:31,440 Speaker 1: but it is a position that the way this team 349 00:19:31,560 --> 00:19:34,240 Speaker 1: is built and the way that they schematically want to 350 00:19:34,320 --> 00:19:37,840 Speaker 1: play a lot rides on this guy having a big 351 00:19:37,920 --> 00:19:38,440 Speaker 1: year go. 352 00:19:40,480 --> 00:19:42,320 Speaker 2: Sense of line. So it's not a guy. But maybe 353 00:19:42,640 --> 00:19:44,359 Speaker 2: I think you said a guy or a unit. I 354 00:19:44,359 --> 00:19:46,520 Speaker 2: would say the offensive line. And I'll tell you why, 355 00:19:46,600 --> 00:19:50,160 Speaker 2: because we have kind of rubber stamps, or maybe maybe 356 00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:53,200 Speaker 2: the fans have. I haven't, but we've kind of rubber 357 00:19:53,240 --> 00:19:55,760 Speaker 2: stamped that this group is going to work. Right. You 358 00:19:55,800 --> 00:19:59,720 Speaker 2: have two new starters. You have a new group working 359 00:19:59,760 --> 00:20:03,399 Speaker 2: in and them together, which is critical, right. They have 360 00:20:03,520 --> 00:20:06,200 Speaker 2: to prove that they can do that, and I thought 361 00:20:06,240 --> 00:20:09,040 Speaker 2: I saw in the preseason, I saw some moments that 362 00:20:09,080 --> 00:20:12,639 Speaker 2: were of some concern, and so I want to see 363 00:20:13,119 --> 00:20:16,760 Speaker 2: how this group plays together, you know, when they're getting blitzed, 364 00:20:17,080 --> 00:20:21,840 Speaker 2: you know, with fire blitzes and and all these different 365 00:20:21,880 --> 00:20:24,680 Speaker 2: tactics that you're going to see. I want to see 366 00:20:24,720 --> 00:20:27,200 Speaker 2: what that looks like and how they react under pressure. 367 00:20:28,480 --> 00:20:31,200 Speaker 2: You know, you always hope it only takes one week 368 00:20:31,320 --> 00:20:34,040 Speaker 2: link for that thing to start breaking down. So you've 369 00:20:34,040 --> 00:20:35,560 Speaker 2: got two young guys have got to step up to 370 00:20:35,560 --> 00:20:39,119 Speaker 2: the challenge. I don't I'm not pessimistic about them at all. Okay, 371 00:20:39,160 --> 00:20:42,200 Speaker 2: I'm not. I actually think they have a talented group. 372 00:20:42,400 --> 00:20:44,159 Speaker 2: But you still got to prove it, Okay. And the 373 00:20:44,240 --> 00:20:47,359 Speaker 2: reason this matters so much is not just because of 374 00:20:47,400 --> 00:20:52,679 Speaker 2: the quarterback, which is obvious, but also because Jonathan Taylor 375 00:20:53,119 --> 00:20:55,080 Speaker 2: is at the center of everything they want to do 376 00:20:55,160 --> 00:20:58,800 Speaker 2: this year. If they don't have Jonathan Taylor, they maybe 377 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:02,400 Speaker 2: have a different quarterback. Okay, Jonathan Taylor, from people I've 378 00:21:02,440 --> 00:21:05,640 Speaker 2: talked to, is really at the core of a lot 379 00:21:05,680 --> 00:21:07,560 Speaker 2: of what they want to do this year. A lot 380 00:21:07,560 --> 00:21:11,320 Speaker 2: of it is just like, well, if everything else feels, 381 00:21:11,320 --> 00:21:13,000 Speaker 2: we got Jonathan Taylor, So we just got to be 382 00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:14,560 Speaker 2: in the right play and we got to be in 383 00:21:14,560 --> 00:21:18,120 Speaker 2: the right manageable situations, not have long balans and distance 384 00:21:18,320 --> 00:21:22,080 Speaker 2: and so forth, because Taylor can win games for us. 385 00:21:22,160 --> 00:21:25,680 Speaker 1: And then so I'm going to take this back to quarterback. 386 00:21:25,880 --> 00:21:28,879 Speaker 1: Have they gone with a quarterback that can be a 387 00:21:28,960 --> 00:21:32,159 Speaker 1: quote unquote game manager because they have a dynamic running 388 00:21:32,160 --> 00:21:34,520 Speaker 1: back behind them, or have they gone with a running 389 00:21:34,520 --> 00:21:36,960 Speaker 1: back there are going to make dynamic because their quarterback 390 00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:37,800 Speaker 1: is a game manager. 391 00:21:38,800 --> 00:21:41,080 Speaker 2: No, I think it's the former and not the latter. 392 00:21:41,160 --> 00:21:45,040 Speaker 2: And I would expand that to say, I think this 393 00:21:45,240 --> 00:21:50,080 Speaker 2: is as much a bet on Jonathan Taylor and the 394 00:21:50,119 --> 00:21:52,880 Speaker 2: skill players. The other skill players. You know, the three 395 00:21:52,960 --> 00:21:56,840 Speaker 2: wide receivers who each exceeded eight hundred yards last year. 396 00:21:56,920 --> 00:21:59,600 Speaker 2: So that's a group that whose sum is greater than 397 00:21:59,600 --> 00:22:03,840 Speaker 2: its part. I would say, right, they're they're not individually based, 398 00:22:03,880 --> 00:22:07,040 Speaker 2: they are collective, but it's a good group collectively. And 399 00:22:07,080 --> 00:22:10,080 Speaker 2: then obviously Tyler Warren. It's a bet on all of 400 00:22:10,119 --> 00:22:12,840 Speaker 2: those guys, I think far more than it's a bet 401 00:22:13,160 --> 00:22:16,520 Speaker 2: on Daniel Jones, because let's be honest. I mean, they 402 00:22:16,600 --> 00:22:20,760 Speaker 2: might like Daniel Jones, but are you staking your season 403 00:22:20,920 --> 00:22:24,680 Speaker 2: on Daniel Jones. They're staking the season on Daniel Jones 404 00:22:25,119 --> 00:22:27,760 Speaker 2: getting the best out of those guys as opposed to 405 00:22:27,840 --> 00:22:30,439 Speaker 2: Daniel Jones winning them games. That's how I see it, 406 00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:33,080 Speaker 2: and that's how I interpret it based on people I've 407 00:22:33,119 --> 00:22:33,560 Speaker 2: posts too. 408 00:22:35,080 --> 00:22:38,240 Speaker 1: Since we are talking right now on this the week 409 00:22:38,440 --> 00:22:41,879 Speaker 1: of the NFL season getting underway, and if Steven Holder 410 00:22:41,960 --> 00:22:46,639 Speaker 1: you at ESPN, prohibits you from answering this question, I 411 00:22:46,760 --> 00:22:49,359 Speaker 1: certainly understand and respect it, and I'm giving you the 412 00:22:49,480 --> 00:22:54,399 Speaker 1: opportunity to defer. Okay, but on this the second of 413 00:22:54,440 --> 00:22:59,240 Speaker 1: September twenty twenty five, I would like Steven Holder's prediction 414 00:23:00,359 --> 00:23:03,320 Speaker 1: just for the fun of it, of who the super 415 00:23:03,359 --> 00:23:06,119 Speaker 1: Bowl matchup will be and who is the super Bowl winner. 416 00:23:07,800 --> 00:23:12,080 Speaker 2: Well, actually I made this prediction for ESPN. I don't 417 00:23:12,080 --> 00:23:14,320 Speaker 2: think it's been published yet, but I mean we all do, 418 00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:18,520 Speaker 2: so it's not not any big deal. What did I 419 00:23:18,560 --> 00:23:21,400 Speaker 2: pick so that I am consistent? I think I went with. 420 00:23:22,200 --> 00:23:26,200 Speaker 1: C clearly, because clearly, when you stand very strongly by. 421 00:23:26,119 --> 00:23:29,600 Speaker 2: Yes, exactly, I'm thinking everything on this clearly, I don't 422 00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:33,359 Speaker 2: even remember it. I believe my pick was the Chiefs 423 00:23:34,080 --> 00:23:37,960 Speaker 2: and my to win it. And did you ask me also, 424 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:39,760 Speaker 2: who is going to be in the Super Bowl? 425 00:23:39,840 --> 00:23:41,520 Speaker 1: Yes, they will be defeating who. 426 00:23:42,800 --> 00:23:47,200 Speaker 2: I believe I picked. I believe it's Philadelphia, So I 427 00:23:47,200 --> 00:23:49,919 Speaker 2: think it went with a rematch. I mean, Philly is 428 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:55,919 Speaker 2: just the most complete team. But I still think that 429 00:23:55,920 --> 00:23:58,600 Speaker 2: that Mahomes is going to find a way. I just think, 430 00:23:58,720 --> 00:24:02,760 Speaker 2: you know, he is still the best quarterback that has improven. 431 00:24:02,800 --> 00:24:04,960 Speaker 2: I mean, they were not a great team last year, 432 00:24:04,960 --> 00:24:07,520 Speaker 2: and they've retooled that offensive line. I think they have 433 00:24:07,640 --> 00:24:11,160 Speaker 2: some more pieces around him now. I feel better about 434 00:24:11,200 --> 00:24:14,280 Speaker 2: that team this year. And I'm not saying they're the 435 00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:17,200 Speaker 2: best team right now, but over the course of the season, 436 00:24:17,960 --> 00:24:19,600 Speaker 2: they end up being one of the best, and they 437 00:24:19,720 --> 00:24:21,919 Speaker 2: end up finding ways to win games they have no 438 00:24:21,960 --> 00:24:24,840 Speaker 2: business winning. They are the best winners. Okay, that's it. 439 00:24:24,880 --> 00:24:28,000 Speaker 2: They're the best winners. And until someone else proves otherwise 440 00:24:28,840 --> 00:24:33,760 Speaker 2: by showing until they actually prove otherwise by not consistently winning, 441 00:24:34,280 --> 00:24:36,439 Speaker 2: then we can say differently. But for now, they are 442 00:24:36,480 --> 00:24:39,080 Speaker 2: still the best winners in the NFL. The Kansas City 443 00:24:39,160 --> 00:24:41,680 Speaker 2: Chiefs not popular and people are sick of it. I 444 00:24:41,720 --> 00:24:44,440 Speaker 2: get it. They're getting the Brady fatigue, the Patriots fatigue 445 00:24:44,440 --> 00:24:46,000 Speaker 2: a little bit here, but it is what it is. 446 00:24:46,240 --> 00:24:46,920 Speaker 2: That's what I say. 447 00:24:47,200 --> 00:24:49,840 Speaker 1: All Right, there we go, Eddie will make our picks. 448 00:24:49,880 --> 00:24:52,320 Speaker 1: I guess before the end of the day as well. 449 00:24:52,320 --> 00:24:53,919 Speaker 1: Steven appreciate the time as always. 450 00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:54,080 Speaker 3: Man. 451 00:24:54,119 --> 00:24:56,439 Speaker 1: We look forward to talking to me again. All right, 452 00:24:56,440 --> 00:24:59,440 Speaker 1: you got it, Steven Holder with Chiefs over the Eagles. 453 00:24:59,640 --> 00:25:03,440 Speaker 1: Very original. By the way, here on the guest lineup 454 00:25:05,520 --> 00:25:07,240 Speaker 1: joining us now and I'm sure thrilled to be doing 455 00:25:07,240 --> 00:25:10,480 Speaker 1: so based on that intro from Fieldhouse Files is Scott 456 00:25:10,520 --> 00:25:13,520 Speaker 1: Agnes and Scott, let's get to this talk about the 457 00:25:13,560 --> 00:25:15,919 Speaker 1: fever and Phoenix. And by the way, Scott, have you 458 00:25:15,920 --> 00:25:19,280 Speaker 1: been to Phoenix? I have several times. Yeah, you like Phoenix. 459 00:25:20,200 --> 00:25:20,399 Speaker 3: I do. 460 00:25:20,560 --> 00:25:23,080 Speaker 4: But to your point earlier, it is dreadful this time 461 00:25:23,119 --> 00:25:25,679 Speaker 4: of year, very much like Vegas in the middle of 462 00:25:25,760 --> 00:25:28,080 Speaker 4: July where it's degrees. 463 00:25:27,800 --> 00:25:31,679 Speaker 1: That's a dry heat. But the heat is on the 464 00:25:31,680 --> 00:25:34,600 Speaker 1: Fever right now, not just because of the mercury, but 465 00:25:34,680 --> 00:25:38,600 Speaker 1: because of their situation and the postseason, which is tenuous 466 00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:41,679 Speaker 1: and you're starting to hear that, like if you're standing 467 00:25:41,680 --> 00:25:46,520 Speaker 1: on is of things beneath their footing, take me through 468 00:25:46,640 --> 00:25:49,480 Speaker 1: and four our listeners where things stand for the Fever 469 00:25:49,640 --> 00:25:53,120 Speaker 1: right now of their solidarity or lack thereof in terms 470 00:25:53,119 --> 00:25:54,399 Speaker 1: of the postseason. 471 00:25:54,320 --> 00:25:57,119 Speaker 4: Yeah, so it's crunch time, absolutely less, and basically the 472 00:25:57,160 --> 00:26:00,640 Speaker 4: season's over regular season in one week, and there's now 473 00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:03,439 Speaker 4: for the first time this season, thirteen teams in the 474 00:26:03,480 --> 00:26:07,440 Speaker 4: league after one expansion team, and there's eight playoff spots. 475 00:26:07,760 --> 00:26:11,000 Speaker 4: Four have already been clinched. Four players or four teams 476 00:26:11,080 --> 00:26:13,720 Speaker 4: rather have already been eliminated, Jake. So you have five 477 00:26:13,760 --> 00:26:17,320 Speaker 4: teams competing here over the final week for four spots, 478 00:26:17,640 --> 00:26:21,000 Speaker 4: the Fever right in the middle of that pack. So 479 00:26:21,800 --> 00:26:24,560 Speaker 4: they'll probably need to win at least two, perhaps three 480 00:26:24,640 --> 00:26:28,639 Speaker 4: to control their own destiny here. But among their final 481 00:26:28,680 --> 00:26:32,240 Speaker 4: four games here a couple of their opponents Chicago, Washington 482 00:26:32,560 --> 00:26:35,880 Speaker 4: they've already been eliminated, and their final games against Minnesota 483 00:26:35,960 --> 00:26:39,639 Speaker 4: Links who have the top seed, and you never know 484 00:26:39,800 --> 00:26:42,720 Speaker 4: will they be in the resting and looking forward to 485 00:26:43,119 --> 00:26:45,480 Speaker 4: the postseason for their season finale in one week? 486 00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:49,880 Speaker 1: Do you think that I'll just put this point blank, Scott, 487 00:26:49,920 --> 00:26:51,560 Speaker 1: do you think we see Caitlin Clark before the end 488 00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:52,880 Speaker 1: of the year. I do. 489 00:26:53,240 --> 00:26:57,800 Speaker 4: I still believe after that brief issue that happened ironically 490 00:26:57,920 --> 00:27:01,800 Speaker 4: in Phoenix a month ago when she got injured and 491 00:27:01,840 --> 00:27:04,080 Speaker 4: then we saw Sidney Coulson go down during the game 492 00:27:04,119 --> 00:27:06,879 Speaker 4: and Ery McDonald later in the game, they're back in 493 00:27:06,920 --> 00:27:09,879 Speaker 4: that Phoenix And I think we saw Chloe post a 494 00:27:09,960 --> 00:27:12,560 Speaker 4: video here today of her shoot around going through five 495 00:27:12,640 --> 00:27:16,000 Speaker 4: on OH that show she's progressing through exactly what they 496 00:27:16,080 --> 00:27:18,800 Speaker 4: want and to this point has certainly gotten about a 497 00:27:18,840 --> 00:27:22,520 Speaker 4: half dozen walk through shoot arounds five on OH type 498 00:27:22,520 --> 00:27:25,119 Speaker 4: work in that. I think it would be set up 499 00:27:25,200 --> 00:27:29,359 Speaker 4: nicely for her to potentially return Friday, because if you 500 00:27:29,359 --> 00:27:32,560 Speaker 4: don't return this weekend, what are we doing here? 501 00:27:32,680 --> 00:27:32,840 Speaker 2: Right? 502 00:27:32,920 --> 00:27:34,760 Speaker 4: So, I think you're in a good spot leading up 503 00:27:34,800 --> 00:27:35,920 Speaker 4: to Friday against Chicago. 504 00:27:36,720 --> 00:27:40,080 Speaker 1: The Scott Agnes is our guest from Fieldhouse Files. Scott 505 00:27:40,119 --> 00:27:42,800 Speaker 1: is there as they have had to go through so 506 00:27:42,880 --> 00:27:46,919 Speaker 1: many backcourt combinations this year, the fever because of you know, 507 00:27:46,960 --> 00:27:49,520 Speaker 1: the attrition, right, Seemingly every time they get a new 508 00:27:49,560 --> 00:27:52,080 Speaker 1: point guards, you know, something else happens. But have they 509 00:27:52,080 --> 00:27:55,080 Speaker 1: had to alter their style of play? And in addition 510 00:27:55,119 --> 00:27:57,760 Speaker 1: to that, are they being played any differently? 511 00:27:59,040 --> 00:27:59,240 Speaker 3: Yeah? 512 00:27:59,240 --> 00:28:02,439 Speaker 4: I think the manner in which they play has changed 513 00:28:02,480 --> 00:28:05,800 Speaker 4: because they've had to simplify everything. Like you have a 514 00:28:05,880 --> 00:28:08,320 Speaker 4: Hall of Training camp, which isn't very long and certainly 515 00:28:08,320 --> 00:28:11,280 Speaker 4: not long enough for these coaches to install everything they 516 00:28:11,320 --> 00:28:14,359 Speaker 4: want months ago. And I mean the latest example of 517 00:28:14,400 --> 00:28:16,119 Speaker 4: what the Fever have gone through all season is one 518 00:28:16,160 --> 00:28:18,359 Speaker 4: of the players they signed to a hardship then signed 519 00:28:18,359 --> 00:28:20,560 Speaker 4: to the rest of the season deal, Chloe Bibby. She's 520 00:28:20,560 --> 00:28:22,840 Speaker 4: been out for two weeks now with left knee soreness, 521 00:28:23,040 --> 00:28:25,960 Speaker 4: so it's one thing after another, and so she's joined 522 00:28:25,960 --> 00:28:28,719 Speaker 4: that injury report for the last several weeks. So they've simplified. 523 00:28:29,119 --> 00:28:32,520 Speaker 4: I think it's less playmaking and they're really just emphasizing 524 00:28:33,680 --> 00:28:36,920 Speaker 4: the most obvious things and trying to get through games. 525 00:28:36,680 --> 00:28:42,240 Speaker 1: Finally go ahead, Oh finish what you're saying, Scott, My bad, No, 526 00:28:42,280 --> 00:28:42,640 Speaker 1: you're good. 527 00:28:42,680 --> 00:28:44,800 Speaker 4: I was just they're trying to simplify everything because look, 528 00:28:44,840 --> 00:28:47,840 Speaker 4: it's they're at a place in the season right now 529 00:28:48,280 --> 00:28:51,160 Speaker 4: where this is why you did see them tweak the 530 00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:53,880 Speaker 4: type of player they went after as well. Instead of 531 00:28:53,880 --> 00:28:55,520 Speaker 4: a player who had never played in the league like 532 00:28:55,520 --> 00:28:58,040 Speaker 4: they did previously, or had a couple of years of experience, 533 00:28:58,280 --> 00:29:00,720 Speaker 4: they went and got that thirty fourty six year old 534 00:29:00,840 --> 00:29:03,480 Speaker 4: point guard who had ten years of experience in the 535 00:29:03,560 --> 00:29:06,720 Speaker 4: league for that specific reason to get them through. 536 00:29:07,160 --> 00:29:08,920 Speaker 1: I know what I was going to say, and that is, 537 00:29:08,960 --> 00:29:12,120 Speaker 1: by the way, did I see video of Tyrese Haliburton 538 00:29:12,200 --> 00:29:14,600 Speaker 1: shooting albeit flat footed free throws. 539 00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:18,760 Speaker 4: Yeah, Tyree's posted on his instagram on Monday, him and 540 00:29:18,440 --> 00:29:22,120 Speaker 4: his friend and assistant coach Isaac Jacob at the practice facility, 541 00:29:22,360 --> 00:29:24,560 Speaker 4: and yesterday was exactly ten weeks. 542 00:29:25,760 --> 00:29:27,520 Speaker 1: Ten weeks since the injury. I think we just lost 543 00:29:27,520 --> 00:29:32,200 Speaker 1: Scott's connection. That's you know. I remember when I was 544 00:29:32,360 --> 00:29:35,120 Speaker 1: a kid. Scotty Shepherd, who went on to become a 545 00:29:35,160 --> 00:29:37,080 Speaker 1: really good player at Carmel and then went on to 546 00:29:37,440 --> 00:29:39,880 Speaker 1: Florida State is dabt Billy Shepherd and mister Basketball. He 547 00:29:39,920 --> 00:29:41,600 Speaker 1: was the first kid I ever played with the could 548 00:29:41,600 --> 00:29:44,440 Speaker 1: shoot flat footed free throws. That was a marvel, like 549 00:29:44,480 --> 00:29:47,479 Speaker 1: in fourth grade. And it's a marvel to see Tyre's 550 00:29:47,480 --> 00:29:49,760 Speaker 1: Halliburton doing it because to your points, got ten weeks 551 00:29:49,760 --> 00:29:54,360 Speaker 1: since the injury, and you know, obviously the way he 552 00:29:54,440 --> 00:29:57,720 Speaker 1: was shooting it. He you don't jump at this age 553 00:29:57,720 --> 00:30:00,840 Speaker 1: when you're shooting free throws. But he very clearly, just 554 00:30:00,960 --> 00:30:04,400 Speaker 1: keeping the weight stable on the achilles. But to your 555 00:30:04,520 --> 00:30:08,080 Speaker 1: knowledge from what you've heard or what the expectation was, 556 00:30:08,240 --> 00:30:13,760 Speaker 1: is this above behind schedule, you know, advanced or right 557 00:30:13,840 --> 00:30:14,600 Speaker 1: about on par? 558 00:30:15,160 --> 00:30:17,320 Speaker 4: It seems to me right on schedule. He hadn't said 559 00:30:17,320 --> 00:30:20,480 Speaker 4: anything to that note. But I want to emphasize here, 560 00:30:20,520 --> 00:30:24,480 Speaker 4: this is nothing a month or two months. The focus 561 00:30:24,520 --> 00:30:27,920 Speaker 4: here is on next season. They've already had that. So 562 00:30:27,960 --> 00:30:31,760 Speaker 4: the approach here is more than anything, probably mental and 563 00:30:31,920 --> 00:30:35,000 Speaker 4: getting through the rehab, which is so grinding. I mean, 564 00:30:35,280 --> 00:30:38,040 Speaker 4: it's using your foot and picking up marbles on the 565 00:30:38,040 --> 00:30:42,880 Speaker 4: feet to activate tendons and ligaments, things that are just tedious, 566 00:30:43,160 --> 00:30:44,880 Speaker 4: but little things like that. So I think he's right 567 00:30:44,920 --> 00:30:47,720 Speaker 4: on schedule. The fact that he did say he did 568 00:30:47,720 --> 00:30:49,720 Speaker 4: get out of his boot a little bit early. He's 569 00:30:49,760 --> 00:30:52,480 Speaker 4: not wearing shoes full time, but is able to wear 570 00:30:52,520 --> 00:30:55,840 Speaker 4: it in spurts. But he certainly has ditched the scooters, 571 00:30:55,840 --> 00:30:57,200 Speaker 4: so that's all possible. 572 00:30:57,680 --> 00:31:00,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think. And the thing thing is when it 573 00:31:00,680 --> 00:31:07,080 Speaker 1: comes to Halliburton, so much of injury recovery is mental 574 00:31:07,920 --> 00:31:13,520 Speaker 1: and just overcoming the fear of whether or not the 575 00:31:13,560 --> 00:31:15,840 Speaker 1: body is going to respond when you're asking it to 576 00:31:15,920 --> 00:31:19,000 Speaker 1: do something different. And you know what I mean, Scott, Like, 577 00:31:19,040 --> 00:31:21,880 Speaker 1: you just see so many players that psychologically they want 578 00:31:21,920 --> 00:31:24,240 Speaker 1: to hesitate. And I'm not saying he's at that point 579 00:31:24,240 --> 00:31:25,680 Speaker 1: at all. I mean he's not putting that sort of 580 00:31:25,680 --> 00:31:29,000 Speaker 1: physical activity on it. But each step along the way 581 00:31:29,040 --> 00:31:32,080 Speaker 1: I think is important towards eventually being able to overcome 582 00:31:32,120 --> 00:31:34,040 Speaker 1: that mental hurdle one hundred percent. 583 00:31:34,200 --> 00:31:35,920 Speaker 4: Yeah, that's what you're looking for. If you're the team, 584 00:31:35,960 --> 00:31:40,440 Speaker 4: it's the little benchmarks, how are you doing mentally and 585 00:31:40,480 --> 00:31:42,840 Speaker 4: in the real test. Jake will be here in a 586 00:31:42,960 --> 00:31:45,719 Speaker 4: two months or so when he's starting to miss games, 587 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:48,840 Speaker 4: when he's starting to feel like he's not contributing, that 588 00:31:48,920 --> 00:31:51,040 Speaker 4: he has no role on the team, he can't help 589 00:31:51,040 --> 00:31:53,760 Speaker 4: out in any way. For right now, he wouldn't be 590 00:31:53,760 --> 00:31:57,280 Speaker 4: playing anyway with his teammates, playing in front of those fans. 591 00:31:57,320 --> 00:31:59,920 Speaker 4: And so to me, the great thing that he's also 592 00:32:00,120 --> 00:32:02,000 Speaker 4: had is he's been able to check in with Kevin 593 00:32:02,080 --> 00:32:04,680 Speaker 4: Durant often. He's been able to check in with Jason 594 00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:08,400 Speaker 4: Tatum often, who shares the same skills trainer, and he's 595 00:32:08,440 --> 00:32:11,320 Speaker 4: about three weeks maybe four weeks ahead of Tyree, so 596 00:32:11,360 --> 00:32:14,000 Speaker 4: he can literally tell him what's upcoming. They went through 597 00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:17,920 Speaker 4: the same doctor, so they're probably having very similar rehabs 598 00:32:17,920 --> 00:32:18,320 Speaker 4: as well. 599 00:32:19,120 --> 00:32:22,400 Speaker 1: Small world they live in, man intertwined world for sure. 600 00:32:22,400 --> 00:32:25,360 Speaker 1: Scott agnesfield House files again Fever in Action tonight taking 601 00:32:25,400 --> 00:32:28,760 Speaker 1: on Phoenix. Then on Friday it is Chicago. That is 602 00:32:28,760 --> 00:32:32,800 Speaker 1: a home game seven thirty at Gambridge field House, Washington 603 00:32:33,000 --> 00:32:37,320 Speaker 1: and Minnesota to round out the regular season. Scott appreciate it, man, 604 00:32:37,360 --> 00:32:38,080 Speaker 1: We'll talk to you soon. 605 00:32:38,520 --> 00:32:39,360 Speaker 4: Sounds good, thanks, Jake. 606 00:32:39,400 --> 00:32:45,400 Speaker 1: Scott Agnes joining us on the guest line. Zach Keeper 607 00:32:45,640 --> 00:32:47,880 Speaker 1: from the Athletic in just a second before we do that. 608 00:32:48,000 --> 00:32:51,720 Speaker 1: Wanted to pass this along. Just saw this story come 609 00:32:51,720 --> 00:32:54,960 Speaker 1: across in the last hour or so. George Raveling, who 610 00:32:55,000 --> 00:32:59,920 Speaker 1: many would remember as the sweatsuit wearing coach for the 611 00:33:00,160 --> 00:33:04,200 Speaker 1: Iowa Hawk Eyes in the mid eighties. He had been 612 00:33:04,800 --> 00:33:07,320 Speaker 1: involved in the shoe industry when he got the Iowa job. 613 00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:10,360 Speaker 1: Also was an assistant for Bob Knight on the nineteen 614 00:33:10,440 --> 00:33:14,600 Speaker 1: eighty four Olympic team, arguably the greatest amateur team ever assembled. 615 00:33:15,360 --> 00:33:18,840 Speaker 1: And George Raveling, who as well worked security during Martin 616 00:33:18,920 --> 00:33:21,080 Speaker 1: Luther King's I Have a Dream speech and as a 617 00:33:21,120 --> 00:33:26,200 Speaker 1: result asked doctor King for the original copy of the 618 00:33:26,280 --> 00:33:29,160 Speaker 1: speech itself, as King was leaving the podium that day 619 00:33:29,200 --> 00:33:31,880 Speaker 1: and held on to it until he donated it to 620 00:33:32,080 --> 00:33:35,880 Speaker 1: Villanova University. But George Raveling one of the great personalities 621 00:33:35,880 --> 00:33:39,000 Speaker 1: in college basketball of the eighties and nineties, certainly passing 622 00:33:39,040 --> 00:33:43,280 Speaker 1: away today at the age of eighty eight. Zach Keith 623 00:33:43,280 --> 00:33:45,719 Speaker 1: for joining us on the program from the Athletic has 624 00:33:45,760 --> 00:33:49,240 Speaker 1: And of course Zach, as we know for many years 625 00:33:49,320 --> 00:33:52,800 Speaker 1: covering of the coverage of the Indianapolis Colts, now covering 626 00:33:52,840 --> 00:33:56,320 Speaker 1: the NFL on a wider scope league wide as a 627 00:33:56,400 --> 00:33:59,400 Speaker 1: very interesting article about quarterbacks in the NFL. And Zach, 628 00:33:59,440 --> 00:34:02,040 Speaker 1: I'm going to begin with one of my really bad analogies. 629 00:34:02,200 --> 00:34:02,840 Speaker 2: Are you ready? 630 00:34:03,400 --> 00:34:04,400 Speaker 3: I'm ready, let's do it. 631 00:34:04,640 --> 00:34:09,239 Speaker 1: When I was like, that's the bad analogy sound or 632 00:34:09,360 --> 00:34:14,319 Speaker 1: the program that is the worst? That was Fish, right, 633 00:34:14,360 --> 00:34:17,719 Speaker 1: and that the guy from Fish playing a vacuum cleaner, uh, Zach. 634 00:34:17,800 --> 00:34:21,399 Speaker 1: When I was in high school, my dad one day 635 00:34:21,440 --> 00:34:23,120 Speaker 1: said to me, he said, Jake, you know, if you're 636 00:34:23,120 --> 00:34:24,920 Speaker 1: going to want to go to college, you're gonna have 637 00:34:24,920 --> 00:34:27,360 Speaker 1: to kind of what's going on with you academically. And 638 00:34:27,400 --> 00:34:29,040 Speaker 1: I said, Dad, don't worry like as soon as I 639 00:34:29,040 --> 00:34:31,440 Speaker 1: get to my junior year, I'm really going to buckle 640 00:34:31,480 --> 00:34:33,680 Speaker 1: down and I'm going to be a really good student. 641 00:34:34,320 --> 00:34:36,840 Speaker 1: And my dad said, but Jake, it doesn't work that easily. 642 00:34:36,960 --> 00:34:40,200 Speaker 1: You don't just flip a switch. And I later had 643 00:34:40,200 --> 00:34:44,319 Speaker 1: to learn that that is true. What you do as 644 00:34:44,360 --> 00:34:46,759 Speaker 1: a freshman and sophomore kind of sets the tone for 645 00:34:46,840 --> 00:34:49,719 Speaker 1: you academically over the course of your career. And in 646 00:34:49,800 --> 00:34:53,080 Speaker 1: the NFL, it seems to me like, in fact, when 647 00:34:53,120 --> 00:34:56,320 Speaker 1: you have a young quarterback, you have a brief period 648 00:34:56,360 --> 00:34:58,520 Speaker 1: of time to get it right, because you don't just 649 00:34:58,600 --> 00:35:00,680 Speaker 1: all of a sudden flip a switch. And I don't 650 00:35:00,719 --> 00:35:04,279 Speaker 1: know exactly when the time period is that you have 651 00:35:04,360 --> 00:35:07,239 Speaker 1: to make that decision or when the damage just you're 652 00:35:07,280 --> 00:35:10,920 Speaker 1: too far gone. But you have a fascinating article about 653 00:35:11,120 --> 00:35:14,279 Speaker 1: all of that, right, and it really is one of 654 00:35:14,320 --> 00:35:16,799 Speaker 1: the biggest balancing acts in sports, is it not. 655 00:35:18,480 --> 00:35:21,239 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think that's a fair analogy. You know. The 656 00:35:21,239 --> 00:35:23,239 Speaker 3: funny part, Jake is I talked to a lot of 657 00:35:23,239 --> 00:35:26,640 Speaker 3: former quarterbacks about this, and the range was wide, right, 658 00:35:26,760 --> 00:35:29,239 Speaker 3: Like Hall of famers, some of the best to ever 659 00:35:29,280 --> 00:35:32,880 Speaker 3: play the position, admitted like even they didn't think it 660 00:35:33,000 --> 00:35:35,960 Speaker 3: was going right at the early stages, right, Like I'd 661 00:35:36,000 --> 00:35:37,840 Speaker 3: never heard this story before. I don't know if you 662 00:35:37,920 --> 00:35:41,120 Speaker 3: did either, But Peyton Manning was six quarters into his 663 00:35:41,200 --> 00:35:44,080 Speaker 3: NFL career. They were playing in Foxborough in week two 664 00:35:44,080 --> 00:35:47,880 Speaker 3: of his rookie season. He thrown six interceptions already, and 665 00:35:47,920 --> 00:35:50,640 Speaker 3: he's looking down the sideline at Jimora being like, am 666 00:35:50,719 --> 00:35:51,720 Speaker 3: I going to get benched? 667 00:35:52,520 --> 00:35:52,600 Speaker 2: Like? 668 00:35:52,840 --> 00:35:54,719 Speaker 3: Am I going to sit down the rest of the day. 669 00:35:55,200 --> 00:35:57,040 Speaker 3: And he admitted that part of him wanted to be 670 00:35:57,040 --> 00:36:00,240 Speaker 3: benched because he didn't want to throw five or six interceptions. 671 00:36:00,280 --> 00:36:02,279 Speaker 3: And then, you you know, go back even further Troy 672 00:36:02,280 --> 00:36:05,560 Speaker 3: Ikvin number one pick Dallas Cowboys. You know, he famously 673 00:36:05,600 --> 00:36:07,160 Speaker 3: did not win a game as a rookie. He would 674 00:36:07,200 --> 00:36:09,480 Speaker 3: walk off the field and wonder, like, what does it 675 00:36:09,520 --> 00:36:11,960 Speaker 3: take to win a game in this league? And that's 676 00:36:11,960 --> 00:36:13,680 Speaker 3: the guy that went on to win three Super Bowls, 677 00:36:13,719 --> 00:36:16,800 Speaker 3: and like Peyton as a Hall of Famer. So even 678 00:36:16,840 --> 00:36:19,960 Speaker 3: for the all time greats, it feels like they're like 679 00:36:20,520 --> 00:36:23,280 Speaker 3: trying to wade through this abyss in the early parts 680 00:36:23,280 --> 00:36:26,960 Speaker 3: of their career. So there's no one obvious template where 681 00:36:26,960 --> 00:36:30,200 Speaker 3: you just have success right away. But another telling moment 682 00:36:30,360 --> 00:36:32,799 Speaker 3: was I mean, the best rookie quarterback we've seen in 683 00:36:32,840 --> 00:36:35,600 Speaker 3: this town was Andrew luck in twenty twelve. And I 684 00:36:35,600 --> 00:36:37,560 Speaker 3: asked him about it, like, how was it dealing with 685 00:36:37,640 --> 00:36:40,600 Speaker 3: not just the pressure of replacing Peyton, but also like 686 00:36:41,440 --> 00:36:43,840 Speaker 3: being a rookie quarterback who starts from the minute you 687 00:36:43,880 --> 00:36:46,640 Speaker 3: get there? And he was like, it was everything you 688 00:36:46,719 --> 00:36:48,319 Speaker 3: think it was, and then you'd pour a lot of 689 00:36:48,320 --> 00:36:50,520 Speaker 3: gasoline on top of it. And that was a guy 690 00:36:50,520 --> 00:36:53,000 Speaker 3: who was as ready as any one of them. So 691 00:36:53,040 --> 00:36:55,080 Speaker 3: if you spin that forward to the situation, the culture 692 00:36:55,120 --> 00:36:57,560 Speaker 3: and now a lot of mistakes were made and how 693 00:36:57,560 --> 00:37:01,640 Speaker 3: they brought Anthony Richardson just the first twenty four months alone. 694 00:37:02,080 --> 00:37:05,600 Speaker 1: You know the let's go back to this, Zach, because 695 00:37:05,640 --> 00:37:07,960 Speaker 1: you know the Colts are in a unique situation. We 696 00:37:07,960 --> 00:37:10,360 Speaker 1: can get to that in the quarterbacking spot and the 697 00:37:10,400 --> 00:37:13,279 Speaker 1: fact that you have one guy that you're wondering if 698 00:37:13,320 --> 00:37:15,480 Speaker 1: it's too late, you have another one that you're hoping 699 00:37:15,560 --> 00:37:21,560 Speaker 1: that a second lease gives second opportunity. Right what quarterback 700 00:37:21,680 --> 00:37:24,560 Speaker 1: right now, when you were doing this piece, did you 701 00:37:24,680 --> 00:37:28,960 Speaker 1: kind of learn you feel from a league standpoint, is 702 00:37:29,560 --> 00:37:33,839 Speaker 1: most right now delicately walking that tightrope of figuring out 703 00:37:33,880 --> 00:37:35,799 Speaker 1: which guy he's going to be. 704 00:37:37,719 --> 00:37:40,240 Speaker 3: I think he plays in Chicago. I think it's Caleb Williams. 705 00:37:40,360 --> 00:37:43,160 Speaker 3: I know it's too early, he's only played one season, 706 00:37:44,120 --> 00:37:47,760 Speaker 3: but some of the quotes from Peyton Manning were very telling. Peyton, 707 00:37:47,840 --> 00:37:50,360 Speaker 3: as everybody knows that's listening to the show right now, 708 00:37:50,880 --> 00:37:55,160 Speaker 3: is a fan of quarterbacks, right he is quarterback allegiant, 709 00:37:55,239 --> 00:37:58,160 Speaker 3: and he hates what's happening to young quarterbacks in the NFL. 710 00:37:58,480 --> 00:38:00,359 Speaker 3: And he brought up Williams, and he brought up young 711 00:38:00,440 --> 00:38:03,560 Speaker 3: as well. But what he said was, look, everybody says 712 00:38:03,600 --> 00:38:06,040 Speaker 3: they have a plan. All these gms and these teams 713 00:38:06,040 --> 00:38:07,880 Speaker 3: and these owners, they get up there and they say, 714 00:38:08,120 --> 00:38:09,880 Speaker 3: we're going to be patient, We're going to play it 715 00:38:09,960 --> 00:38:11,759 Speaker 3: slow with this guy. He's going to be our guy 716 00:38:11,800 --> 00:38:15,319 Speaker 3: for a long time. And they don't practice it right. 717 00:38:15,400 --> 00:38:19,280 Speaker 3: They buckle under pressure, they make changes, they fire coaches, 718 00:38:19,320 --> 00:38:22,319 Speaker 3: they fire coordinators. And Peyton pointed out that both of 719 00:38:22,360 --> 00:38:24,960 Speaker 3: these number one picks the last two years are on 720 00:38:25,040 --> 00:38:28,800 Speaker 3: their third head coach including interims and third play caller, 721 00:38:29,320 --> 00:38:32,399 Speaker 3: and Caleb's in year two. So this is just malpractice 722 00:38:32,400 --> 00:38:35,200 Speaker 3: in terms of what Peyton sees and look I mean, 723 00:38:36,239 --> 00:38:38,400 Speaker 3: part of it is the way we analyze these guys. 724 00:38:38,400 --> 00:38:40,320 Speaker 3: And Aikman made this point. He said, look, I was 725 00:38:40,360 --> 00:38:42,960 Speaker 3: in Dallas. I was terrible as a rookie, but I 726 00:38:43,080 --> 00:38:45,320 Speaker 3: wasn't on the talk shows every day. I wasn't getting 727 00:38:45,320 --> 00:38:48,720 Speaker 3: destroyed in ESPN every day. And I mean Caleb Williams, 728 00:38:48,760 --> 00:38:51,959 Speaker 3: he misses a throwing net in August in the first 729 00:38:51,960 --> 00:38:54,920 Speaker 3: week of training camp, and it's like, all of a sudden, 730 00:38:54,960 --> 00:38:58,120 Speaker 3: a nine second video clip on Twitter is a litmus 731 00:38:58,120 --> 00:39:01,600 Speaker 3: test for the rest of his season. So you know, people, 732 00:39:01,920 --> 00:39:06,200 Speaker 3: context is missing, Jake Nuance is missing. But the thing is, 733 00:39:06,320 --> 00:39:09,560 Speaker 3: you know, Peyton gets really angry about the way these 734 00:39:09,640 --> 00:39:12,120 Speaker 3: quarterbacks are treated. He you know, he played for the 735 00:39:12,120 --> 00:39:14,319 Speaker 3: same offensive coordingt in the first nine or ten years 736 00:39:14,320 --> 00:39:17,080 Speaker 3: of his career. That's rare. But he said, look, if 737 00:39:17,120 --> 00:39:18,680 Speaker 3: you're a team and you don't think you have the 738 00:39:18,760 --> 00:39:22,440 Speaker 3: right coach, don't draft the quarterback. But then he added, 739 00:39:22,680 --> 00:39:25,719 Speaker 3: they always, always, always draft the quarterback. 740 00:39:26,520 --> 00:39:28,839 Speaker 1: Okay, let me give you a couple of quarterbacks, Zach, 741 00:39:28,920 --> 00:39:30,560 Speaker 1: and I want you to tell me whether or not 742 00:39:30,680 --> 00:39:35,440 Speaker 1: you think we know who they are or we're still learning. 743 00:39:35,840 --> 00:39:40,839 Speaker 3: Okay, all right, Tua, Well, I think we know who 744 00:39:40,840 --> 00:39:41,160 Speaker 3: he is. 745 00:39:41,800 --> 00:39:46,520 Speaker 1: Okay, you mentioned Caleb Williams. That's a good one, okay, 746 00:39:47,880 --> 00:39:50,200 Speaker 1: And here's here's a good one because it's a young 747 00:39:50,320 --> 00:39:54,600 Speaker 1: player who right out of the womb was outstanding. But 748 00:39:54,719 --> 00:39:57,600 Speaker 1: there's also that tendency to kind of buy into fools. 749 00:39:57,640 --> 00:39:57,960 Speaker 3: Gold. 750 00:39:58,840 --> 00:40:01,680 Speaker 1: I'm not saying that this player where is that? But 751 00:40:01,680 --> 00:40:03,520 Speaker 1: but I'm gonna give you a couple of young players. 752 00:40:03,560 --> 00:40:05,600 Speaker 1: You tell me if there's a chance of regression. Jade 753 00:40:05,600 --> 00:40:07,200 Speaker 1: and Daniels. 754 00:40:08,600 --> 00:40:11,120 Speaker 3: I have a big story coming at him later this week, 755 00:40:11,360 --> 00:40:13,920 Speaker 3: and I think he's for real because of his makeup, 756 00:40:14,000 --> 00:40:17,200 Speaker 3: his mental makeup. He doesn't fall for the trappings that 757 00:40:17,239 --> 00:40:20,120 Speaker 3: a lot of these young quarterbacks have fallen for. And 758 00:40:20,160 --> 00:40:23,120 Speaker 3: I think they're doing everything right in that organization, which 759 00:40:23,160 --> 00:40:25,719 Speaker 3: is saying something because that organization did everything wrong for 760 00:40:25,760 --> 00:40:28,160 Speaker 3: about twenty five years before he got there. So I'm 761 00:40:28,200 --> 00:40:29,400 Speaker 3: buying Jade Daniels. 762 00:40:29,440 --> 00:40:34,000 Speaker 1: Okay, justin Fields, I. 763 00:40:33,920 --> 00:40:36,440 Speaker 3: Don't see it now again. You know he played for 764 00:40:36,480 --> 00:40:39,000 Speaker 3: the Bears, and the Bears if they miss on Kayleb Williams, 765 00:40:39,040 --> 00:40:42,240 Speaker 3: that's three misses on first round quarterbacks in the last 766 00:40:42,280 --> 00:40:45,600 Speaker 3: decade alone, not to mention the fact that they haven't 767 00:40:45,600 --> 00:40:48,640 Speaker 3: had a real one, a real franchise quarterback since World 768 00:40:48,680 --> 00:40:52,240 Speaker 3: War Two. I think he'll be fine with the Jets 769 00:40:52,239 --> 00:40:53,880 Speaker 3: this year, but he's never really been set up for 770 00:40:53,920 --> 00:40:55,359 Speaker 3: success as well, Bo. 771 00:40:55,400 --> 00:40:58,800 Speaker 2: Nicks, who's his coach. 772 00:40:59,080 --> 00:41:01,080 Speaker 3: I mean, what looks like finding the lottery ticket if 773 00:41:01,080 --> 00:41:02,799 Speaker 3: you're a young quarterback, if you're going to play for 774 00:41:03,920 --> 00:41:06,800 Speaker 3: as Sean Payton or Sean McVay or Kyle Shanahan. I 775 00:41:06,800 --> 00:41:09,439 Speaker 3: think Bowenex is for real because he's in the right 776 00:41:09,640 --> 00:41:11,719 Speaker 3: infrastructure in Denver to continue to grow. 777 00:41:11,920 --> 00:41:14,759 Speaker 1: Okay, let me give you two more here and then 778 00:41:14,800 --> 00:41:18,279 Speaker 1: I want to talk esoterically about Indianapolis with it. But 779 00:41:19,000 --> 00:41:22,080 Speaker 1: justin Herbert, Yeah. 780 00:41:21,880 --> 00:41:23,360 Speaker 3: He's just only going to get better. I mean, do 781 00:41:23,360 --> 00:41:25,360 Speaker 3: you know what the weapons he had last year? It 782 00:41:25,520 --> 00:41:27,839 Speaker 3: was an offensive line in a run game. And then 783 00:41:28,239 --> 00:41:30,359 Speaker 3: like Ladma Conkley. So I think he's for real. 784 00:41:30,520 --> 00:41:36,120 Speaker 1: Okay, Trevor Lawrence, that one. 785 00:41:36,080 --> 00:41:38,720 Speaker 3: Gives me pause. I think he's made of the right stuff. 786 00:41:38,719 --> 00:41:41,000 Speaker 3: But remember he was thrown into maybe the worst situation 787 00:41:41,120 --> 00:41:43,600 Speaker 3: any quarterbacks faced as a rookie with Urban Meyer. His 788 00:41:43,719 --> 00:41:46,319 Speaker 3: rookie year, he came at it with Doug Peterson, he 789 00:41:46,400 --> 00:41:49,480 Speaker 3: got hurt, he leveled off. It's going to be really 790 00:41:49,480 --> 00:41:52,480 Speaker 3: fascinating because I still do not trust that organization. And 791 00:41:52,560 --> 00:41:55,959 Speaker 3: this is another thing that Troykman brought up. He said, 792 00:41:55,960 --> 00:41:58,880 Speaker 3: we're looking for all the great young quarterbacks. Everyone's asking 793 00:41:58,920 --> 00:42:01,920 Speaker 3: where are these great young corequarterbacks? Aight Min's question is 794 00:42:01,960 --> 00:42:05,960 Speaker 3: where are the great young quarterback coaches? Because there's certainly some, 795 00:42:06,120 --> 00:42:09,200 Speaker 3: there's certainly some. Ben Johnson is the new one, right, 796 00:42:09,239 --> 00:42:11,720 Speaker 3: that's got the head job. But you got to wonder, 797 00:42:11,760 --> 00:42:16,360 Speaker 3: like some of these coaches, they just absolutely mismanaged quarterbacks 798 00:42:16,440 --> 00:42:18,240 Speaker 3: young earlier in their career. 799 00:42:18,520 --> 00:42:21,959 Speaker 1: See I you tell me Trevor Lawrence, and I mentioned 800 00:42:22,040 --> 00:42:24,640 Speaker 1: only because it's AFC South, right, and you know he 801 00:42:24,800 --> 00:42:28,239 Speaker 1: still is young enough, and that Jacksonville team around him, 802 00:42:28,239 --> 00:42:31,160 Speaker 1: if they put pieces there, I thought coming out, and 803 00:42:31,200 --> 00:42:33,400 Speaker 1: I realized this now is not probably going to be 804 00:42:33,440 --> 00:42:35,800 Speaker 1: fruition Zach Zach Keith for our guests from the athletic 805 00:42:36,080 --> 00:42:38,399 Speaker 1: I thought coming out, Trevor Lawrence was the closest I'd 806 00:42:38,400 --> 00:42:43,640 Speaker 1: seen to Peyton Manning size, touch, understanding all of it, right, 807 00:42:43,920 --> 00:42:45,480 Speaker 1: But I also look at it and I go he 808 00:42:45,600 --> 00:42:48,320 Speaker 1: was thrown to some guys at Clemson that were all 809 00:42:49,000 --> 00:42:51,880 Speaker 1: had separation and so it was easier to get it 810 00:42:51,920 --> 00:42:55,279 Speaker 1: within window. And so I guess my question is, was 811 00:42:55,400 --> 00:42:57,960 Speaker 1: I looking at that through Clemson colored glasses? 812 00:42:59,239 --> 00:43:01,520 Speaker 3: I don't think so, Jake, because I remember watching that 813 00:43:01,600 --> 00:43:04,560 Speaker 3: game against LSU right maybe the best college football team 814 00:43:04,560 --> 00:43:06,920 Speaker 3: in the past twenty years, the LSU Tigers with Joe Burrow. 815 00:43:07,680 --> 00:43:09,480 Speaker 3: Those guys weren't open in that game, and he was 816 00:43:09,520 --> 00:43:11,640 Speaker 3: still finding ways to get that ball in there. I mean, 817 00:43:11,680 --> 00:43:14,520 Speaker 3: that was some of the best college quarterbacking between Burrow 818 00:43:14,680 --> 00:43:17,759 Speaker 3: and Trevor Lawrence that I've ever seen. So I don't 819 00:43:17,760 --> 00:43:19,640 Speaker 3: think you were looking at it as a Clenston fan. 820 00:43:19,920 --> 00:43:22,680 Speaker 3: He was every bit what everyone thought he was. But 821 00:43:22,760 --> 00:43:24,120 Speaker 3: this is the other part of it. This is why 822 00:43:24,280 --> 00:43:27,759 Speaker 3: I wrote the entire story. Teams play a role in this, 823 00:43:27,960 --> 00:43:30,200 Speaker 3: they just do. You can have Trevor Lawrence, you can 824 00:43:30,280 --> 00:43:33,760 Speaker 3: have Andrew Luck. If you don't have their infrastructure in place, 825 00:43:34,200 --> 00:43:36,440 Speaker 3: even the great ones are going to struggle. And as 826 00:43:36,520 --> 00:43:38,279 Speaker 3: you see Trevor Lawrence right now kind of in this 827 00:43:38,320 --> 00:43:41,080 Speaker 3: abyss of whether we don't know if he's good or not, 828 00:43:41,120 --> 00:43:42,359 Speaker 3: if he's a leader or not, or if he's one 829 00:43:42,360 --> 00:43:43,319 Speaker 3: of the best in the league or not. 830 00:43:44,719 --> 00:43:47,759 Speaker 1: I thought, Zach Keeper's our guest from the Athletic, and 831 00:43:47,800 --> 00:43:51,920 Speaker 1: you're writing about quarterbacks and the making and breaking of quarterbacks, 832 00:43:51,920 --> 00:43:54,640 Speaker 1: and more specifically, how the NFL just chews up and 833 00:43:54,680 --> 00:44:01,239 Speaker 1: spits out quarterbacks. So let's go now to Indianapolis. Is 834 00:44:01,280 --> 00:44:02,560 Speaker 1: the ice cream truck coming past? 835 00:44:02,600 --> 00:44:05,160 Speaker 2: Getting? Is that? It's my wind time? 836 00:44:05,320 --> 00:44:08,160 Speaker 3: But real don't tell my kids. If they hear that, 837 00:44:08,160 --> 00:44:10,000 Speaker 3: You're gonna hear my kids on the other side, if it. 838 00:44:09,920 --> 00:44:11,399 Speaker 1: Was the ice cream truck, what would you get? 839 00:44:13,160 --> 00:44:14,960 Speaker 3: I don't know, man, but I know they would be 840 00:44:15,000 --> 00:44:17,279 Speaker 3: getting something, that's for sure. They're off school today. I 841 00:44:17,320 --> 00:44:19,520 Speaker 3: don't know why Labor Day is over. Let's get back 842 00:44:19,520 --> 00:44:19,920 Speaker 3: to school. 843 00:44:20,400 --> 00:44:23,120 Speaker 1: It's a Tuesday. It feels like a Monday. Uh Okay, 844 00:44:23,600 --> 00:44:27,880 Speaker 1: Anthony Richardson, is this still? Do you believe that Indianapolis 845 00:44:27,920 --> 00:44:31,400 Speaker 1: still thinks there's something there? Or are they giving window 846 00:44:31,480 --> 00:44:34,080 Speaker 1: dressing to ride out the year and then figure out 847 00:44:34,080 --> 00:44:35,680 Speaker 1: what they're going to do with him? 848 00:44:36,520 --> 00:44:38,400 Speaker 3: No, I don't think it's window dressing. I really, I 849 00:44:38,440 --> 00:44:40,319 Speaker 3: honestly believe what Chris Ballad has told me. I had 850 00:44:40,320 --> 00:44:42,960 Speaker 3: a long conversation with him this summer about this very topic, 851 00:44:43,040 --> 00:44:45,920 Speaker 3: for this very story, and I pushed back a little bit, 852 00:44:46,040 --> 00:44:48,120 Speaker 3: and he said, even if he doesn't win the starting 853 00:44:48,719 --> 00:44:51,920 Speaker 3: quarterback competition this summer, we're not giving up on him 854 00:44:51,920 --> 00:44:53,920 Speaker 3: and we believe in him. So I think they've just 855 00:44:53,960 --> 00:44:56,360 Speaker 3: done a hard reset here, right. They rushed him in 856 00:44:56,400 --> 00:44:59,759 Speaker 3: too fast. They've admitted that he didn't hold up his 857 00:44:59,840 --> 00:45:01,879 Speaker 3: end the bargain, which is another part of this. Right, 858 00:45:02,239 --> 00:45:04,880 Speaker 3: he didn't prepare like you should have last year, And 859 00:45:04,960 --> 00:45:07,280 Speaker 3: a big part of this that's getting missed, I think 860 00:45:07,480 --> 00:45:11,360 Speaker 3: is he played well as a rookie. If you remember this, 861 00:45:11,480 --> 00:45:15,000 Speaker 3: he played well those first four games. They signed Jonathan 862 00:45:15,040 --> 00:45:17,799 Speaker 3: Taylor because they think they have the quarterback things figured out, 863 00:45:17,920 --> 00:45:19,960 Speaker 3: and then Richardson gets hurt for the year, and what 864 00:45:20,000 --> 00:45:22,000 Speaker 3: does that mean. He's out of the building. And when 865 00:45:22,000 --> 00:45:23,720 Speaker 3: he's out of the building, he doesn't get to see 866 00:45:23,760 --> 00:45:26,319 Speaker 3: what a quarterback needs to do. Every day. I mean 867 00:45:26,360 --> 00:45:28,040 Speaker 3: every day. I don't mean every week. I mean every 868 00:45:28,120 --> 00:45:31,160 Speaker 3: day to get ready for Sunday. He comes back, he's 869 00:45:31,200 --> 00:45:34,640 Speaker 3: handed the job, he doesn't have to earn it, and 870 00:45:34,719 --> 00:45:37,520 Speaker 3: his preparation slips. Three weeks in, coach has noticed, he 871 00:45:37,600 --> 00:45:40,200 Speaker 3: makes notice, etc. He's benched for lack of preparation. He 872 00:45:40,280 --> 00:45:43,200 Speaker 3: taps out. I'm tired all that you need to build 873 00:45:43,200 --> 00:45:45,440 Speaker 3: those daily habits, and he just didn't do that. So 874 00:45:45,480 --> 00:45:49,000 Speaker 3: I think the Colts, as unpopular as this sounds, I 875 00:45:49,040 --> 00:45:52,080 Speaker 3: think they realize that they screwed this up. And this 876 00:45:52,200 --> 00:45:55,319 Speaker 3: kid is still twenty three years old. He's only twenty three. 877 00:45:55,400 --> 00:45:57,920 Speaker 3: He's like younger than some of the rookies that are 878 00:45:57,960 --> 00:46:01,640 Speaker 3: starting this year, So there's no real rush. And maybe 879 00:46:01,640 --> 00:46:04,880 Speaker 3: it's a little bit abnormal to wait on, you know, 880 00:46:04,880 --> 00:46:07,120 Speaker 3: the fifth year option and all that that comes next year. 881 00:46:07,160 --> 00:46:10,920 Speaker 3: But I think the Colts honestly believe the best thing 882 00:46:10,960 --> 00:46:14,480 Speaker 3: for Anthony Richardson right now is to sit and watch 883 00:46:14,520 --> 00:46:16,919 Speaker 3: for a year and then see if he can reach 884 00:46:16,960 --> 00:46:19,640 Speaker 3: us the TETO after that. That's my opinion, But from 885 00:46:19,680 --> 00:46:21,680 Speaker 3: everyone I've talked to the past couple of months, that's 886 00:46:21,680 --> 00:46:23,440 Speaker 3: where I think the Colts came down. As much as 887 00:46:23,480 --> 00:46:25,960 Speaker 3: they've screwed this up to this point, they're not willing 888 00:46:26,000 --> 00:46:28,359 Speaker 3: to screw it up further by making it worse. 889 00:46:28,480 --> 00:46:31,040 Speaker 1: Well, I guess the question becomes, Zach, is it possible 890 00:46:31,080 --> 00:46:33,520 Speaker 1: that they have screwed this up to the point of 891 00:46:33,560 --> 00:46:37,560 Speaker 1: no return even if they want to resurrect it is 892 00:46:37,600 --> 00:46:41,040 Speaker 1: it possible that the damage has already been done in 893 00:46:41,080 --> 00:46:43,000 Speaker 1: the fact that they you know, I go back to 894 00:46:43,080 --> 00:46:46,839 Speaker 1: Chris Ballard saying, Anthony Richardson has come miles from when 895 00:46:46,880 --> 00:46:49,799 Speaker 1: he got here, and I say to myself, well, that's great, 896 00:46:49,800 --> 00:46:52,160 Speaker 1: but that means that he was miles ago a guy 897 00:46:52,200 --> 00:46:54,640 Speaker 1: that won the starting job, and now miles later is 898 00:46:54,640 --> 00:46:55,920 Speaker 1: losing it to Daniel Jones. 899 00:46:57,080 --> 00:46:59,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, it doesn't track right. It doesn't add up right. 900 00:47:00,360 --> 00:47:02,319 Speaker 3: They can't go back and change. And this is a 901 00:47:02,320 --> 00:47:05,400 Speaker 3: conversation I had recently, is like Chris knew that this 902 00:47:05,520 --> 00:47:08,200 Speaker 3: guy was going to take time. Like he I've talked 903 00:47:08,200 --> 00:47:10,359 Speaker 3: to him for years about quarterbacks and he would be like, 904 00:47:10,640 --> 00:47:12,279 Speaker 3: you don't just draft one. You have to have a 905 00:47:12,280 --> 00:47:15,239 Speaker 3: plane in place once they get here. And then we're 906 00:47:15,280 --> 00:47:18,279 Speaker 3: still in this place where they talked about patients and 907 00:47:18,320 --> 00:47:20,319 Speaker 3: preached it and preached it. And then he gets here 908 00:47:20,800 --> 00:47:22,880 Speaker 3: and they have a sham of a quarterback competition and 909 00:47:22,880 --> 00:47:25,160 Speaker 3: they give him the job. So like they all they 910 00:47:25,160 --> 00:47:27,360 Speaker 3: did was talk about it, and they didn't they didn't 911 00:47:27,400 --> 00:47:30,480 Speaker 3: walk it, they didn't back it up. So at this point, 912 00:47:30,680 --> 00:47:32,520 Speaker 3: I don't think it's too far gone. I don't think 913 00:47:32,520 --> 00:47:36,160 Speaker 3: he's too far gone. What you're talking about essentially are scars, right, 914 00:47:36,200 --> 00:47:38,880 Speaker 3: That's what Bruce Arians called them. These guys play too early, 915 00:47:38,920 --> 00:47:41,560 Speaker 3: they developed bad habits, they're not brought up the right 916 00:47:41,600 --> 00:47:43,480 Speaker 3: way in the league. And Alex Smith talked about this. 917 00:47:43,719 --> 00:47:46,360 Speaker 3: His couple of years in San Francisco were a disaster 918 00:47:47,719 --> 00:47:50,040 Speaker 3: and he would watch film alone right because he just 919 00:47:50,080 --> 00:47:53,960 Speaker 3: held just it was just disaster. And I don't think 920 00:47:53,960 --> 00:47:56,480 Speaker 3: it's too late for Anthony Richardson. He's still young. This 921 00:47:56,560 --> 00:47:58,400 Speaker 3: team still believes in him. And as I mentioned in 922 00:47:58,400 --> 00:48:00,760 Speaker 3: the story, like there are guys that go and resurrect 923 00:48:00,800 --> 00:48:03,319 Speaker 3: their career and play really well. I still think it's 924 00:48:03,360 --> 00:48:07,200 Speaker 3: in them. Sam Darnold, Baker, Mayfield, Gino Smith. Now for 925 00:48:07,200 --> 00:48:09,440 Speaker 3: those guys, they had to go somewhere else and do it. 926 00:48:09,960 --> 00:48:12,640 Speaker 3: The Colts still believe it can happen for Richardson here 927 00:48:13,400 --> 00:48:16,439 Speaker 3: that would go against pretty much everything we know about 928 00:48:16,480 --> 00:48:20,160 Speaker 3: the NFL. But again, these things are possible, and they're 929 00:48:20,160 --> 00:48:22,359 Speaker 3: just taking the slow approach. And I think I don't 930 00:48:22,400 --> 00:48:24,360 Speaker 3: think they're they're closing the book on him yet. 931 00:48:24,680 --> 00:48:27,319 Speaker 1: Do you think Zach zach Keeper is our guest from 932 00:48:27,360 --> 00:48:30,960 Speaker 1: the Athletic Do you think that Daniel Jones is the 933 00:48:31,000 --> 00:48:35,040 Speaker 1: starting quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts right now because more 934 00:48:35,160 --> 00:48:37,839 Speaker 1: so of what the Colts believe in Daniel Jones are 935 00:48:37,880 --> 00:48:40,799 Speaker 1: more so because of what they believe still they're trying 936 00:48:40,800 --> 00:48:42,240 Speaker 1: to get out of Anthony Richardson. 937 00:48:44,400 --> 00:48:47,120 Speaker 3: That's a good question, Jake, I to answer it. I 938 00:48:47,160 --> 00:48:51,640 Speaker 3: think it's I think and then Matt Hasselbeck made this 939 00:48:51,680 --> 00:48:53,799 Speaker 3: point in my stories. Times, when you have one thing 940 00:48:53,840 --> 00:48:57,080 Speaker 3: and that doesn't work, you overcompensate and go towards the 941 00:48:57,160 --> 00:48:59,480 Speaker 3: other thing. Right, So, in a lot of ways, these 942 00:48:59,480 --> 00:49:02,400 Speaker 3: guys are the opposite quarterback. I know they're both athletic, 943 00:49:02,920 --> 00:49:05,600 Speaker 3: but Jones is going to give you the consistency, the 944 00:49:05,680 --> 00:49:08,359 Speaker 3: down to down, third and short as opposed to third 945 00:49:08,360 --> 00:49:09,600 Speaker 3: and fifty and that kind of stuff. 946 00:49:09,719 --> 00:49:09,919 Speaker 2: Right. 947 00:49:09,960 --> 00:49:14,640 Speaker 3: I think Daniel Jones is the starter because he doesn't 948 00:49:14,680 --> 00:49:17,120 Speaker 3: make the mistakes that Anthony Richardson does. I think at 949 00:49:17,160 --> 00:49:18,960 Speaker 3: the end of the day, Shane Stykin just wanted a 950 00:49:19,000 --> 00:49:22,239 Speaker 3: guy who's going to run his offense. Who's just going 951 00:49:22,280 --> 00:49:24,160 Speaker 3: to run his offense. I think that was what they 952 00:49:24,160 --> 00:49:29,040 Speaker 3: were going for, and he can live without the splash place. 953 00:49:29,360 --> 00:49:30,960 Speaker 3: I think, you know, Bruce Arian said this in the 954 00:49:31,000 --> 00:49:33,240 Speaker 3: story and he was not talking about the Colts, who said, 955 00:49:33,840 --> 00:49:36,239 Speaker 3: when I'm looking at a quarterback, I want accuracy over 956 00:49:36,360 --> 00:49:38,919 Speaker 3: arm strength, and I literally just want a guy who's 957 00:49:38,920 --> 00:49:41,080 Speaker 3: going to do the stuff we design. Like that's a 958 00:49:41,120 --> 00:49:43,239 Speaker 3: super Bowl winning coach who's been really good with a 959 00:49:43,280 --> 00:49:47,719 Speaker 3: bunch of quarterbacks, Brady Manning, Luck, Roethlisberger, all those guys. 960 00:49:47,840 --> 00:49:50,719 Speaker 3: He knows what he's talking about, and he simplified it 961 00:49:50,760 --> 00:49:52,640 Speaker 3: to that extent. He said, I just want a guy 962 00:49:52,640 --> 00:49:55,080 Speaker 3: who will do this stuff we design. I think more 963 00:49:55,080 --> 00:49:57,839 Speaker 3: often than not, coaches believe that about themselves that they 964 00:49:57,840 --> 00:50:01,520 Speaker 3: can get this done. They quarterback just runs their system, 965 00:50:01,560 --> 00:50:03,560 Speaker 3: and I think that's what they see Daniel Jones doing 966 00:50:04,080 --> 00:50:06,600 Speaker 3: this year. It worked pretty well the first year with 967 00:50:06,640 --> 00:50:07,719 Speaker 3: Gardner Minshew. 968 00:50:09,280 --> 00:50:09,480 Speaker 2: Zach. 969 00:50:09,600 --> 00:50:15,440 Speaker 1: One of the things I mentioned earlier, Jonathan Taylor is 970 00:50:15,480 --> 00:50:18,000 Speaker 1: such a good running back, and I think we lose 971 00:50:18,040 --> 00:50:21,320 Speaker 1: sight of that because it's an NFL now that unless 972 00:50:21,320 --> 00:50:23,240 Speaker 1: you have a running back that you're utilizing one hundred 973 00:50:23,239 --> 00:50:26,040 Speaker 1: different ways in space, you know, Saquon Barklay type stuff. 974 00:50:27,200 --> 00:50:30,839 Speaker 1: Just the offense of relying on your running back seems antiquated. 975 00:50:31,520 --> 00:50:32,920 Speaker 1: But I think the Colts are going to do that 976 00:50:33,000 --> 00:50:36,800 Speaker 1: this year. Now, do you believe that they have Daniel 977 00:50:36,880 --> 00:50:41,080 Speaker 1: Jones as a game managing quarterback in there because they 978 00:50:41,080 --> 00:50:43,480 Speaker 1: are going to rely so heavily on Jonathan Taylor and 979 00:50:43,520 --> 00:50:47,240 Speaker 1: maybe Tyler Warren. Or are they going to be reliant 980 00:50:47,320 --> 00:50:50,360 Speaker 1: on Jonathan Taylor and Tyler Warren because they have a 981 00:50:50,400 --> 00:50:52,600 Speaker 1: guy in Daniel Jones that limits what they can do. 982 00:50:53,880 --> 00:50:57,400 Speaker 3: A little bit of both, probably the first, right, Like, 983 00:50:59,280 --> 00:51:01,960 Speaker 3: I think you're gonna see I think you're gonna see 984 00:51:01,960 --> 00:51:04,680 Speaker 3: the twenty twenty three Colts with Gardner Minshew under center. 985 00:51:05,239 --> 00:51:07,239 Speaker 3: He could make a couple of throws a game. He's 986 00:51:07,239 --> 00:51:09,160 Speaker 3: gonna throw it twenty twenty five times a game. They're 987 00:51:09,200 --> 00:51:11,520 Speaker 3: not gonna take the top off the defenses. They're gonna 988 00:51:11,560 --> 00:51:14,400 Speaker 3: lean heavily on twenty eight And the thing that no 989 00:51:14,440 --> 00:51:17,680 Speaker 3: one's talking about. And maybe I'm wrong here, but I 990 00:51:17,719 --> 00:51:20,360 Speaker 3: think this is a pretty good offense outside of the quarterback, 991 00:51:20,680 --> 00:51:22,960 Speaker 3: really good running back. Tyler warrens a baller. I think 992 00:51:22,960 --> 00:51:25,520 Speaker 3: he's going to be an a tight end from like 993 00:51:25,560 --> 00:51:27,520 Speaker 3: the very beginning. I think they have a pretty good 994 00:51:27,520 --> 00:51:31,040 Speaker 3: receiving core. And that's even if ad Mitchell doesn't step up, 995 00:51:31,040 --> 00:51:33,160 Speaker 3: and he might, because he might get some separation because 996 00:51:33,160 --> 00:51:36,560 Speaker 3: he's maybe the most talented of the group. Pierce has 997 00:51:36,600 --> 00:51:40,000 Speaker 3: proven it, Pittman can do it. You know, Downs is 998 00:51:40,000 --> 00:51:43,560 Speaker 3: great underneath, like they if the line in those spots 999 00:51:43,560 --> 00:51:45,880 Speaker 3: that they had to replace, if the line is solid, 1000 00:51:46,280 --> 00:51:48,439 Speaker 3: the running back to tight end the wide receiver room. 1001 00:51:48,480 --> 00:51:51,360 Speaker 3: I really like this offense and I just feel like 1002 00:51:51,760 --> 00:51:54,880 Speaker 3: the quarterback can be a complimentary piece. And I feel 1003 00:51:54,880 --> 00:51:58,000 Speaker 3: like with Richardson there was more variation and they just 1004 00:51:58,280 --> 00:52:00,160 Speaker 3: I mean, honestly, it comes down the third down, Like 1005 00:52:00,160 --> 00:52:01,000 Speaker 3: who do you trust more on. 1006 00:52:00,960 --> 00:52:01,560 Speaker 2: A third down? 1007 00:52:01,640 --> 00:52:04,200 Speaker 3: I think they trust that Daniel Joes Moore on third down. 1008 00:52:04,239 --> 00:52:06,759 Speaker 3: And I feel like Steken'll never say that, but that's 1009 00:52:06,760 --> 00:52:08,719 Speaker 3: just kind of where I feel, and you know, that's 1010 00:52:08,760 --> 00:52:11,040 Speaker 3: kind of the way they decided how to do this. 1011 00:52:11,440 --> 00:52:15,319 Speaker 1: Okay, Zach, last thing here in this piece that you 1012 00:52:15,360 --> 00:52:18,040 Speaker 1: wrote for The Athletic about the NFL and just how 1013 00:52:18,040 --> 00:52:20,480 Speaker 1: it can break quarterbacks, and you know, and some of 1014 00:52:20,480 --> 00:52:24,400 Speaker 1: those that escape the early trauma are special for sure. 1015 00:52:25,200 --> 00:52:29,439 Speaker 1: Throughout your research in this in talking to quarterbacks, give 1016 00:52:29,480 --> 00:52:32,360 Speaker 1: me the former quarterback that you talk to that it 1017 00:52:32,600 --> 00:52:36,080 Speaker 1: most illuminated to you and you most like had kind 1018 00:52:36,120 --> 00:52:38,319 Speaker 1: of an after the fact respect of like, Wow, that 1019 00:52:38,360 --> 00:52:42,160 Speaker 1: guy really knows his stuff and that was a great conversation. 1020 00:52:42,800 --> 00:52:46,280 Speaker 1: And then give me the current quarterback that it most 1021 00:52:46,440 --> 00:52:51,200 Speaker 1: illuminated to you. What we see out of them career 1022 00:52:51,239 --> 00:52:53,719 Speaker 1: wise to this point doesn't tell the whole story, and 1023 00:52:53,760 --> 00:52:56,960 Speaker 1: they deserve better benefit of the doubt. 1024 00:52:58,120 --> 00:53:01,319 Speaker 3: That's really good. A lot they're in the story. The 1025 00:53:01,320 --> 00:53:03,680 Speaker 3: one that jumped out the most was Alex Smith, right, 1026 00:53:03,760 --> 00:53:06,440 Speaker 3: And some people might know his story, but you probably 1027 00:53:06,440 --> 00:53:09,279 Speaker 3: don't know how dark it was. I mean, seven coordinators 1028 00:53:09,280 --> 00:53:12,520 Speaker 3: his first seven seasons in San Francisco, he had to 1029 00:53:12,600 --> 00:53:14,960 Speaker 3: yell at the sideline and ask the coaches if he 1030 00:53:14,960 --> 00:53:17,560 Speaker 3: could get into shotgun as a rookie, Like, think about 1031 00:53:17,600 --> 00:53:20,000 Speaker 3: how ridiculous that is. They wouldn't let him run the 1032 00:53:20,000 --> 00:53:21,680 Speaker 3: ball at all, despite the fact that he was a 1033 00:53:21,680 --> 00:53:25,359 Speaker 3: really good rushing quarterback at Utah. And Jim Harball gets 1034 00:53:25,400 --> 00:53:27,319 Speaker 3: there seven years in and says, why don't you run it? 1035 00:53:27,760 --> 00:53:29,880 Speaker 3: And Alex Smith says, because I've never been allowed to. 1036 00:53:30,560 --> 00:53:33,439 Speaker 3: He would watch film alone. He would hate home games 1037 00:53:33,440 --> 00:53:35,480 Speaker 3: because he knew he was going to get booed. He 1038 00:53:35,600 --> 00:53:38,359 Speaker 3: was the oldest quarterback in the quarterback room. His first 1039 00:53:38,360 --> 00:53:40,640 Speaker 3: couple of years. He didn't even know these are his words. 1040 00:53:40,640 --> 00:53:42,920 Speaker 3: He didn't even know what an NFL quarterback was supposed 1041 00:53:42,920 --> 00:53:46,400 Speaker 3: to look like. So him explaining all that and explaining 1042 00:53:46,440 --> 00:53:49,160 Speaker 3: what Jim Harball did and what Andy Reid did to 1043 00:53:49,200 --> 00:53:52,040 Speaker 3: save his career was really illuminated and it really made 1044 00:53:52,040 --> 00:53:54,480 Speaker 3: me think, I mean, Alex Smith was a good NFL quarterback, 1045 00:53:54,520 --> 00:53:57,840 Speaker 3: Pro Bowl quarterback. It really made me realize how dependent 1046 00:53:57,920 --> 00:54:01,520 Speaker 3: these guys, even the good ones, are on where they land. 1047 00:54:01,600 --> 00:54:03,640 Speaker 3: I mean, Andrew Luck would have been a baller anywhere 1048 00:54:03,640 --> 00:54:04,799 Speaker 3: he won, Peyton, etc. 1049 00:54:05,800 --> 00:54:06,120 Speaker 2: CJ. 1050 00:54:06,200 --> 00:54:08,560 Speaker 3: Stroud probably the same way. But those guys are rare, 1051 00:54:09,120 --> 00:54:12,839 Speaker 3: and these guys are getting drafted every year to be saviors, 1052 00:54:12,880 --> 00:54:16,480 Speaker 3: to be cure alls, and only one or two and 1053 00:54:16,560 --> 00:54:20,120 Speaker 3: a generation really are. I mean, it's super rare. And 1054 00:54:20,160 --> 00:54:22,240 Speaker 3: so I asked J. Stroud one of my favorite questions 1055 00:54:22,320 --> 00:54:25,799 Speaker 3: is if you were drafting a quarterback, what would you 1056 00:54:25,920 --> 00:54:29,200 Speaker 3: look for? I asked Andrew Luck and he said, processing 1057 00:54:29,280 --> 00:54:33,160 Speaker 3: capacity and humility. He says, if you make a mistake, 1058 00:54:33,600 --> 00:54:36,520 Speaker 3: that's fine, can you not make it again? And then 1059 00:54:36,560 --> 00:54:38,080 Speaker 3: he said then you have to own up to that. 1060 00:54:38,360 --> 00:54:40,400 Speaker 3: Luck was really good at that as a rookie That's 1061 00:54:40,440 --> 00:54:45,080 Speaker 3: why he earned Freemy's respect and Matthus' respect in Reggie's respect, 1062 00:54:45,120 --> 00:54:47,720 Speaker 3: because he didn't come in like he owned the place, 1063 00:54:48,640 --> 00:54:50,759 Speaker 3: and that matters the locker room. The ability to win 1064 00:54:50,800 --> 00:54:52,840 Speaker 3: over the locker room matters. And then I asked C. J. 1065 00:54:52,960 --> 00:54:55,480 Speaker 3: Stroud the same question and talk about active quarterbacks, and 1066 00:54:55,520 --> 00:54:58,640 Speaker 3: he said I would interview every one of their college teammates. 1067 00:54:58,800 --> 00:55:01,719 Speaker 3: And I thought that was really fast, because essentially you 1068 00:55:01,760 --> 00:55:04,200 Speaker 3: can't fake that, right, Either your teammates know if you're 1069 00:55:04,200 --> 00:55:06,000 Speaker 3: a real one or not. And I thought that was 1070 00:55:06,040 --> 00:55:08,839 Speaker 3: really fascinating because these guys walk in, I mean, Jack 1071 00:55:08,920 --> 00:55:12,279 Speaker 3: and what other American enterprise twenty two year oldus his 1072 00:55:12,360 --> 00:55:16,000 Speaker 3: new colleagues, and essentially the face of the entire organization, 1073 00:55:16,239 --> 00:55:19,799 Speaker 3: a multi billion dollar organization. It just doesn't happen. And 1074 00:55:19,840 --> 00:55:22,640 Speaker 3: it's really hard, and it's even harder than we realize. 1075 00:55:22,680 --> 00:55:25,120 Speaker 3: And from hearing from these guys, they kind of illuminated 1076 00:55:25,960 --> 00:55:27,840 Speaker 3: just how impossible it can be at times. 1077 00:55:28,360 --> 00:55:32,680 Speaker 1: Alex Smith, by the way, my favorite anecdote that I 1078 00:55:32,760 --> 00:55:36,879 Speaker 1: give for two different things, Zach, I always say, oftentimes 1079 00:55:36,880 --> 00:55:39,560 Speaker 1: you are evaluated not based on what you've done, but 1080 00:55:39,760 --> 00:55:42,719 Speaker 1: how you were acquired. Alex Smith was you know what 1081 00:55:42,760 --> 00:55:44,799 Speaker 1: I mean, Like, he was the number one overall pick 1082 00:55:44,880 --> 00:55:46,880 Speaker 1: in San France, so it was like, oh, he's a disaster. 1083 00:55:47,200 --> 00:55:49,400 Speaker 1: Then he goes to Kansas City and I think Washington, 1084 00:55:49,400 --> 00:55:52,040 Speaker 1: and it's like he was a really solid, good quarterback, 1085 00:55:52,280 --> 00:55:54,880 Speaker 1: but they didn't invest the number one overall pick in him, 1086 00:55:54,920 --> 00:55:57,439 Speaker 1: and so therefore there's less expectation. 1087 00:55:57,640 --> 00:55:57,839 Speaker 2: Right. 1088 00:55:58,360 --> 00:56:00,920 Speaker 1: Also, and Zach and I've been this on the radio 1089 00:56:01,560 --> 00:56:05,719 Speaker 1: a thousand times, but Alex Smith is part of my 1090 00:56:05,800 --> 00:56:09,160 Speaker 1: favorite trivia question of all time. Only once in this 1091 00:56:09,239 --> 00:56:12,040 Speaker 1: country has the number one overall selection in both the 1092 00:56:12,160 --> 00:56:14,759 Speaker 1: NFL and NBA draft come out of the same university 1093 00:56:14,840 --> 00:56:17,279 Speaker 1: in the same year, and it was Alex Smith and 1094 00:56:17,280 --> 00:56:17,880 Speaker 1: Andrew Bogan. 1095 00:56:18,320 --> 00:56:21,000 Speaker 3: Andrew Bogan, Yeah. 1096 00:56:20,320 --> 00:56:23,120 Speaker 1: Andrew Bogot according to the Boom goes the Dynamite Guide. 1097 00:56:23,120 --> 00:56:26,759 Speaker 3: But yes, well that's a good point, Jake, because where 1098 00:56:26,760 --> 00:56:29,760 Speaker 3: was Anthony Richardson drafted fourth overall? He had no business 1099 00:56:29,840 --> 00:56:32,840 Speaker 3: going forth overall? Right, let's just be real, like fifty 1100 00:56:32,840 --> 00:56:36,440 Speaker 3: percent completion percentage report in college started thirteen games. 1101 00:56:36,160 --> 00:56:37,920 Speaker 1: And if he was a fourth round pick and they 1102 00:56:37,920 --> 00:56:39,960 Speaker 1: were still working with him, people'd go, yeah, that's. 1103 00:56:39,840 --> 00:56:41,440 Speaker 2: Cool, that's part of it. 1104 00:56:41,480 --> 00:56:44,000 Speaker 3: That's part of the infrastructure, and that's on the Colts, 1105 00:56:44,000 --> 00:56:46,200 Speaker 3: but every team does it as well. Every right team 1106 00:56:46,200 --> 00:56:46,839 Speaker 3: does it as well. 1107 00:56:47,600 --> 00:56:49,920 Speaker 1: Zach, appreciate it as always. Man, I know you're busy. 1108 00:56:49,960 --> 00:56:52,520 Speaker 1: Appreciate you squeezing in in great peace on quarterbacks. 1109 00:56:53,080 --> 00:56:53,520 Speaker 2: Enjoyed it. 1110 00:56:53,560 --> 00:56:56,680 Speaker 1: Thank you, Zach Kiefer from the Athletic joining us on 1111 00:56:57,400 --> 00:56:58,040 Speaker 1: the program.