1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:02,800 Speaker 1: Seven hundred WLW. We are up and running on a 2 00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:06,360 Speaker 1: Friday night of Verneil Carrier Sports Talk presented by Kelsey Chevrolet. 3 00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:08,920 Speaker 1: Very excited to welcome in My first guest covers the 4 00:00:08,960 --> 00:00:13,240 Speaker 1: Bengals for CLNS sincywithwy dot Com, host of the Jungle 5 00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:16,800 Speaker 1: Roar podcast on YouTube. He's already dropped today's latest episode. 6 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:19,360 Speaker 1: It's an excellent listen. That would be the man we 7 00:00:19,440 --> 00:00:23,800 Speaker 1: call Trags, Mike Petrellia. Mike, you were there. Let's start 8 00:00:23,800 --> 00:00:25,960 Speaker 1: broad and then we'll narrow it down. Give us your 9 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:29,319 Speaker 1: general reaction to the sixty three minutes or so with 10 00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:30,000 Speaker 1: Duke Tobin. 11 00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:39,239 Speaker 2: Wow, that's a loaded question, Lamb. Well, I guess my 12 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:43,840 Speaker 2: general reaction is good on the Bengals to make him available. 13 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:48,600 Speaker 2: It was a very performative and perfunctory press conference. What 14 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:51,320 Speaker 2: do I mean by that? I think it was there. 15 00:00:51,479 --> 00:00:54,520 Speaker 2: I think it was held so that Duke Tobin could 16 00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:57,920 Speaker 2: show his faith on behalf of the front office and 17 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:04,080 Speaker 2: ownership and give their perspective on what happened this past year. 18 00:01:04,560 --> 00:01:08,399 Speaker 2: It was also a pr ploy and an intelligent pr 19 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:16,000 Speaker 2: ploy to offer some sympathy to the incredibly frustrated fan base. 20 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:21,680 Speaker 2: That is why you heard Duke Tobin say multiple times 21 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:27,319 Speaker 2: that they are disheartened by Bengal fans being disheartened and 22 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:31,800 Speaker 2: that they are all about trying to change the narrative 23 00:01:32,440 --> 00:01:37,120 Speaker 2: by dedicating themselves to improving the roster this offseason. So 24 00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:40,360 Speaker 2: when it comes to the nuts and bolts, the x's 25 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:44,120 Speaker 2: and o's of how they're going to go about it, 26 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:48,360 Speaker 2: the people making those decisions aren't going to change. You're 27 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:51,280 Speaker 2: not going to have any additions to the scouting department, 28 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:55,160 Speaker 2: You're not going to have any additions to the Pro 29 00:01:55,200 --> 00:02:00,200 Speaker 2: Football Operations staff, the one that does the evaluations in 30 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 2: free agency, for instance, Duke Tobin is not going to 31 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:10,440 Speaker 2: hire an assistant or two to help him evaluate talent. 32 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:14,960 Speaker 2: He's not going to do that. And what I was 33 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:18,840 Speaker 2: left with is feeling like, well, they're just going to 34 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:22,760 Speaker 2: run it back with the same people. And at the 35 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:25,960 Speaker 2: very end of the sixty three minutes, we got an 36 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:30,400 Speaker 2: insight to what he meant by that, and that is 37 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:35,360 Speaker 2: that the technique of what they do this offseason is 38 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 2: going to be a little bit different, meaning the personnel 39 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:42,600 Speaker 2: and the scouting department are going to try and tweak 40 00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:45,560 Speaker 2: what they do. The coaching staff is going to come 41 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:49,760 Speaker 2: back with different schemes, and there's going to be a 42 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:53,240 Speaker 2: little bit of emphasis on the players to do their 43 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:56,760 Speaker 2: jobs better. That's what I was left with in tragues. 44 00:02:56,800 --> 00:02:59,519 Speaker 1: When it comes to why we should believe they can 45 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 1: fix this, the go to answer seems to be because 46 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:06,040 Speaker 1: we've done it before. And I think that we have 47 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:08,680 Speaker 1: a lot of fans shaking their hands. 48 00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 2: Well, here's why it does. What happened in nineteen eighty one, 49 00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:16,680 Speaker 2: what happened in nineteen eighty eight? What has happened so 50 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:20,440 Speaker 2: far after twenty twenty one? All three of those years 51 00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:24,800 Speaker 2: that I just mentioned, of course were Super Bowl years. Well, 52 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:28,079 Speaker 2: within three years the team was headed down the slide 53 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:31,680 Speaker 2: to oblivion. Now in eighty eight they made it back 54 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:36,120 Speaker 2: after seven years and fine, But in three more years 55 00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:39,560 Speaker 2: after eighty eight, what happened? They went into the dark 56 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:45,200 Speaker 2: dark ages of Bengal football. And they've been to the 57 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 2: playoffs lance twice in ten years. Skinny on my podcast 58 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:53,520 Speaker 2: also mentioned that, and he was the one who asked 59 00:03:53,560 --> 00:03:56,480 Speaker 2: Duke today, well, you've been to the playoffs just twice 60 00:03:56,920 --> 00:04:01,000 Speaker 2: in ten years, why should any fan bel leave that 61 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:04,480 Speaker 2: you're capable of turning things around? You and your staff 62 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:09,160 Speaker 2: and Duke again came back with the answer, We've done 63 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:11,560 Speaker 2: it before. I believe in the people we have in 64 00:04:11,600 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 2: the building. Well, you may believe in the people you 65 00:04:14,040 --> 00:04:17,360 Speaker 2: have in the building, but your fan base doesn't and 66 00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:22,720 Speaker 2: the results aren't there. And he mentioned many times today 67 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:27,279 Speaker 2: Lance that the effort and the dedication of the coaching 68 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:32,360 Speaker 2: staff and the young players is exceptional. Well, that's great, 69 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:36,360 Speaker 2: and you see improvement in the young players terrific. Where's 70 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:40,800 Speaker 2: the production and the NFL, as is any major league sport, 71 00:04:41,240 --> 00:04:45,440 Speaker 2: professional sport, it's all about production, and the Bengals production 72 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:49,360 Speaker 2: the last three years has been very poor. Last year 73 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:52,680 Speaker 2: they had a winning record, but they were nine and eight, Lance, 74 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:56,200 Speaker 2: they were four and eight with Joe Burrow starting all 75 00:04:56,200 --> 00:04:59,240 Speaker 2: twelve of those games, and of course he started all seventeen. 76 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:04,760 Speaker 2: There's a serious fundamental flaw in the players that are 77 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:08,760 Speaker 2: being put around Joe Burrow, certainly on the defensive side 78 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:09,240 Speaker 2: of the ball. 79 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:12,080 Speaker 1: And you alluded to the scouting aspect of all this, 80 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:14,960 Speaker 1: and he really doubled down on the fact that despite 81 00:05:15,040 --> 00:05:17,560 Speaker 1: we all know how small the department is, his belief 82 00:05:17,560 --> 00:05:19,280 Speaker 1: that they have all the information they need. 83 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:27,760 Speaker 2: They believe that they would rather have fewer voices contributing 84 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:31,160 Speaker 2: to the pie, if you will, fewer chefs making the 85 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:36,479 Speaker 2: meal because too many chefs ruin the meal. And they 86 00:05:36,880 --> 00:05:40,159 Speaker 2: have believed that for forty forty five years, Lance, and 87 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:42,800 Speaker 2: it's not going to change now it is. 88 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 1: I get still worked up over this. I got to 89 00:05:45,880 --> 00:05:49,039 Speaker 1: take a breath. He also mentioned finishing in the big 90 00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:52,760 Speaker 1: aspect of being able to finish games, and yet is 91 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:55,479 Speaker 1: what's frustrating to me trags. While he pointed out the 92 00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:59,200 Speaker 1: troubles finishing this year, they had troubles finishing last year 93 00:05:59,279 --> 00:06:00,760 Speaker 1: and it wasn't fixed. 94 00:06:00,839 --> 00:06:07,000 Speaker 2: So it just that's not a question. It's all land. Yes, 95 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:13,159 Speaker 2: what is the natural logical deduction you take from that? Well, 96 00:06:13,200 --> 00:06:16,680 Speaker 2: if you can't finish games, it's coaching. So I interrupted 97 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:19,560 Speaker 2: Duke and I said, well, Duke, you know what that means. 98 00:06:19,960 --> 00:06:22,640 Speaker 2: It means that falls at the feet of Zach and 99 00:06:22,680 --> 00:06:25,320 Speaker 2: his coaching staff. What do you think of them? And 100 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:30,960 Speaker 2: then he went into this flowery uh commendation and praise 101 00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:34,800 Speaker 2: of Zach Taylor. And I agree, having covered Zach Taylor 102 00:06:34,880 --> 00:06:38,039 Speaker 2: now for five full seasons, he's one of the brightest 103 00:06:38,040 --> 00:06:41,600 Speaker 2: football people I have ever been around. But that doesn't 104 00:06:41,640 --> 00:06:46,599 Speaker 2: mean necessarily he's a good head coach and a situational coach, 105 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:50,320 Speaker 2: especially at the end of games. What did Duke point 106 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:55,240 Speaker 2: out this afternoon, Specifically, we have losing DNA at the 107 00:06:55,360 --> 00:06:58,760 Speaker 2: end of games. Players make too many mistakes. They don't 108 00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 2: wrap up on tack like Jordan Battle at the end 109 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:06,760 Speaker 2: of the Bears game. He pointed that game out specifically today, 110 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:09,920 Speaker 2: which really means to me that game stuck in his 111 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:13,480 Speaker 2: craw And you know, as much as the Browns game 112 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:18,080 Speaker 2: was a microcosm of the season, that Bears game ticked 113 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:22,920 Speaker 2: everybody off in the organization. And I'm sorry, but you've 114 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:26,720 Speaker 2: got to have better coaching to teach the technique. Jordan 115 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:31,040 Speaker 2: Battle is not a rookie and he, as much as 116 00:07:31,520 --> 00:07:35,040 Speaker 2: Duke Tobin pointed him out as perhaps one of the 117 00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:39,680 Speaker 2: cornerstones of the defense going forward. You've got to be 118 00:07:39,840 --> 00:07:43,080 Speaker 2: much much better if you're Jordan Battle going forward. And 119 00:07:43,160 --> 00:07:45,640 Speaker 2: I think it's up to the coaching staff to take 120 00:07:46,040 --> 00:07:50,040 Speaker 2: a long, hard look at how they're going to get 121 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:53,240 Speaker 2: Jordan Battle to be more productive, because right now I 122 00:07:53,240 --> 00:07:54,760 Speaker 2: don't think I see it drags. 123 00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:57,040 Speaker 1: It seems pretty clear based on what he said and 124 00:07:57,080 --> 00:08:00,080 Speaker 1: how many times he referenced it, and emphasis will be 125 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:03,240 Speaker 1: on improving, upgrading that defensive line and pressure on the quarterback. 126 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:07,160 Speaker 2: Yep, he's all about pressure in the quarterback. He said 127 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:10,360 Speaker 2: that a couple of times this afternoon, Lance that you 128 00:08:10,480 --> 00:08:14,520 Speaker 2: got to get after the quarterback. And rebuilding the defense 129 00:08:14,600 --> 00:08:18,400 Speaker 2: to Duke Tobin means rebuilding along the defensive line. And 130 00:08:18,440 --> 00:08:22,280 Speaker 2: he mentioned by name in twenty twenty one and in 131 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:26,960 Speaker 2: twenty twenty DJ Reader and Larry Ogan Jobi, and he 132 00:08:27,080 --> 00:08:30,080 Speaker 2: needs to go back to the drawing now. DJ Reader 133 00:08:30,200 --> 00:08:32,520 Speaker 2: is a free agent this year, but he's not the 134 00:08:32,520 --> 00:08:35,640 Speaker 2: same player he was five years ago. Let's not get 135 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:39,360 Speaker 2: too far ahead of ourselves. But Duke Tobin and his 136 00:08:39,400 --> 00:08:44,200 Speaker 2: personnel staff have to go out in free agency, spend 137 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:47,960 Speaker 2: the limit and find those players that they sailed to 138 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:49,559 Speaker 2: find last year. 139 00:08:51,360 --> 00:08:55,120 Speaker 1: Sixty three minutes, approximately forty seven questions asked. You are 140 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:58,040 Speaker 1: the president of the Cincinnati chapter the Pro Football Writers' 141 00:08:58,040 --> 00:09:01,360 Speaker 1: Association of America. Were you happy with the execution of 142 00:09:01,400 --> 00:09:04,000 Speaker 1: the group today? I thought it was an impressive performance. 143 00:09:06,080 --> 00:09:09,360 Speaker 2: I was. I mean, that's a lot of questions to 144 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:16,240 Speaker 2: be asked, and it is a logistical challenge, to say 145 00:09:16,280 --> 00:09:23,680 Speaker 2: the least, to give the beat people their proper opportunities 146 00:09:23,679 --> 00:09:28,479 Speaker 2: to ask questions. Myself, Paul Danner, Junior, Richard Skinner, James Rapine, 147 00:09:28,920 --> 00:09:32,520 Speaker 2: Kelsey Conway, who did a fabulous job today, had three 148 00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:36,439 Speaker 2: questions actually typed up so that when she had her opportunity, 149 00:09:36,559 --> 00:09:39,800 Speaker 2: she got all three questions in. But also it was 150 00:09:39,840 --> 00:09:43,640 Speaker 2: an opportunity, as I said, this was performative for TV 151 00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:47,520 Speaker 2: folks to get all their questions in. And I thought, 152 00:09:48,559 --> 00:09:56,000 Speaker 2: given how lumbering environment this is, I think it was. 153 00:09:56,120 --> 00:09:58,560 Speaker 2: I think it was held pretty well. And here's what 154 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:01,760 Speaker 2: I was happy about. It never got to the point 155 00:10:01,800 --> 00:10:06,560 Speaker 2: where somebody was show voting and trying to show up Duke. 156 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:10,480 Speaker 2: Because what I was concerned about going in is there's 157 00:10:10,520 --> 00:10:13,880 Speaker 2: a lot of raw emotion from the fan base, and 158 00:10:13,920 --> 00:10:18,400 Speaker 2: a lot of reporters got questions like for comments and dms, 159 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:21,960 Speaker 2: we're counting on you, We're counting on you. And yes, 160 00:10:22,400 --> 00:10:26,160 Speaker 2: we definitely felt the obligation to ask the questions that 161 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:31,360 Speaker 2: needed to be asked for the fans, but you have 162 00:10:31,440 --> 00:10:34,679 Speaker 2: to do it in a manner where it's respectful to 163 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:38,840 Speaker 2: Duke Tobin, and I thought it was. I thought it 164 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:41,280 Speaker 2: came off very well in that regard. And one more thing, 165 00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:45,600 Speaker 2: one more thing. Good on Duke Tobin to take time 166 00:10:45,640 --> 00:10:49,560 Speaker 2: out at the very beginning to you know, send out 167 00:10:49,600 --> 00:10:51,960 Speaker 2: sympathy to Jay Morrison, who I think we all know 168 00:10:52,080 --> 00:10:57,200 Speaker 2: now has been through hell and he lost his wife obviously, Nikki. 169 00:10:57,800 --> 00:11:01,520 Speaker 2: And for Duke Tobin to you know, start the press conference. 170 00:11:02,040 --> 00:11:04,600 Speaker 2: I actually think it was good because kind of kept 171 00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:07,720 Speaker 2: everything in perspective. So good on Duke for doing that. 172 00:11:08,040 --> 00:11:10,400 Speaker 1: Trags, You've had a busy day and you were all 173 00:11:10,480 --> 00:11:13,480 Speaker 1: over this. Tell listeners how they can watch, read and follow. 174 00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:18,880 Speaker 2: Sure we have the reactions and my takeaways up on 175 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:24,040 Speaker 2: the X at Trags t r Ags colns since with 176 00:11:24,160 --> 00:11:27,800 Speaker 2: a y dot com. We'll have a column up later today, 177 00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:32,040 Speaker 2: later tonight or tomorrow, and the Jungle War Podcast with 178 00:11:32,320 --> 00:11:36,400 Speaker 2: Richard Skinner is up on YouTube dot com at Jungle 179 00:11:36,440 --> 00:11:40,680 Speaker 2: War Pod. My apologies in advance. My sound is a 180 00:11:40,720 --> 00:11:44,679 Speaker 2: little low, so you might have to type me up 181 00:11:45,080 --> 00:11:47,040 Speaker 2: just a little bit when I'm talking. 182 00:11:47,200 --> 00:11:49,240 Speaker 1: Treg's final thought, and I'm late for news, but I 183 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:53,040 Speaker 1: wanted to publicly thank you for your weekly, year long 184 00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:56,240 Speaker 1: contributions to the Roundtable Show. You made our show better. 185 00:11:56,400 --> 00:11:59,719 Speaker 1: Your appearances are much appreciated. We look forward to doing 186 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:01,800 Speaker 1: again next year, and I hope I can bug you 187 00:12:01,840 --> 00:12:02,360 Speaker 1: before then. 188 00:12:03,679 --> 00:12:05,600 Speaker 2: You got it, Lance anytime, Thanks to you. 189 00:12:05,880 --> 00:12:08,079 Speaker 1: There you go, Mike Petrellia trags all right when we 190 00:12:08,160 --> 00:12:10,679 Speaker 1: come back. My thoughts, Your thoughts, let's say, exchange ideas. 191 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:13,520 Speaker 1: RNL carry or Sports Talk presented by Kelsey Chevrolet seven 192 00:12:13,559 --> 00:12:14,599 Speaker 1: hundred ww