1 00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:06,040 Speaker 1: Lisa's live coverage about Steelers minicamp by from haines Field 2 00:00:06,280 --> 00:00:11,719 Speaker 1: on your seven home for the Steelers SNR Steelers Nation Radio. 3 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:22,079 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Drive, Live Drive, The Live Drive, Live 4 00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:26,040 Speaker 1: Drive here at hines Field, the Steelers wrapping up their 5 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:29,560 Speaker 1: first day of minicamp here at hines Field. I'm Dale 6 00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:33,360 Speaker 1: Lolli here with Matt Williamson. It's been a fun day 7 00:00:33,360 --> 00:00:37,159 Speaker 1: to watch you see the very spirited practice. Yeah, without question, 8 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:40,080 Speaker 1: and i mean just from a personal level. I've been 9 00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:43,640 Speaker 1: at that lovely studio in Green Tree, the big gold 10 00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:45,720 Speaker 1: building that people drive by with the TV on the 11 00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:50,000 Speaker 1: side of it quite a bit Matt bedroom, right, I 12 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:51,919 Speaker 1: mean every step of the way. We were in there, 13 00:00:51,920 --> 00:00:54,280 Speaker 1: plugging away through the pandemic and whatnot. And I have 14 00:00:54,360 --> 00:00:56,600 Speaker 1: not been out and seen live football and way too 15 00:00:56,640 --> 00:00:59,600 Speaker 1: long before today, So I record a podcast at home, 16 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:02,840 Speaker 1: sold last I could get down here and been enjoying 17 00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:05,400 Speaker 1: every ever since. Yeah, I've been here since about twelve 18 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:08,560 Speaker 1: ten o'clock this morning. So lots of zoom calls, lots 19 00:01:08,600 --> 00:01:10,640 Speaker 1: of talking to different people. I wrote a couple of stories, 20 00:01:10,680 --> 00:01:13,600 Speaker 1: watch some practice. Now I'm doing some radio. Yeah about it. 21 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:15,120 Speaker 1: It's been a busy day and we're bringing it on, 22 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:17,800 Speaker 1: homeling it on home. We are the clean up hitters 23 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:20,800 Speaker 1: three days in a row too. Absolutely. We've been joined 24 00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:24,440 Speaker 1: by Bob Labriola here at some point when practice wraps up. Uh, 25 00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:27,640 Speaker 1: So he'll join us here today and tomorrow, uh to 26 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:30,200 Speaker 1: talk about everything that's going on here. It was good 27 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:32,360 Speaker 1: to see everyone's smiling face too. I haven't seen a 28 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:34,199 Speaker 1: lot of people in a while. It is, yeah, especially 29 00:01:34,240 --> 00:01:35,640 Speaker 1: if you if you haven't been down here. I've seen 30 00:01:35,840 --> 00:01:41,040 Speaker 1: too much of some of these guys, that's yea. But yeah, 31 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:43,880 Speaker 1: it's interesting to see the guy that the team here. 32 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:48,720 Speaker 1: This is the first time we've seen everybody together. Um. 33 00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:50,960 Speaker 1: And this is no secret here. The only player that 34 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:54,120 Speaker 1: I've seen that wasn't here uh And and we were 35 00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:56,360 Speaker 1: able to tweet this stuff out and everything. We're not 36 00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:58,360 Speaker 1: giving away any secrets here, but it was Steph. There 37 00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:00,720 Speaker 1: are rules by the way, folks, steff on too. It 38 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:05,160 Speaker 1: was the only one that I saw that wasn't here, Okay, participating. 39 00:02:06,480 --> 00:02:08,519 Speaker 1: I'm sure it's an excused absence or well, yeah, his 40 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:10,960 Speaker 1: brother was His brother died in a hit and run accident. 41 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:14,200 Speaker 1: I believe it was last week. Yeah, I was back 42 00:02:14,240 --> 00:02:19,840 Speaker 1: at home in Georgia. Unfortunate. That's terrible. Yeah, terrible accident. 43 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:23,160 Speaker 1: So our thoughts go out to his family and that, um, 44 00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:29,320 Speaker 1: hopefully they find the driver, uh after after hitting his brother. 45 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:32,800 Speaker 1: So yeah, definitely, Uh my former radio partner stuff onto it, 46 00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:35,799 Speaker 1: so definitely. H yeah, I definitely want to see some 47 00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:40,359 Speaker 1: some someone comes, something comes to justice there. Yeah, that's 48 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:42,960 Speaker 1: I didn't know. That kind of brought my mood down 49 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:44,919 Speaker 1: a little bit. Trying to bring it back up here. 50 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:46,760 Speaker 1: I mean, we got a lot of good football in 51 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:49,120 Speaker 1: front of us the next couple of days and a 52 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:52,400 Speaker 1: lot to see and not much to report, but a 53 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:55,480 Speaker 1: lot to have opportunity to talk to uh some coaches 54 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:58,320 Speaker 1: that we hadn't had an opportunity to speak to. UH 55 00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:02,240 Speaker 1: thus far helped the availability coming along is that we're 56 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:04,680 Speaker 1: moving along a little bit. We're still doing zoom calls, 57 00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:08,440 Speaker 1: so that's not much movement on that REGI that front. 58 00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:11,040 Speaker 1: But had our first chance to talk to Matt Canada 59 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:14,480 Speaker 1: today since he's become offensive coordinator, and I thought he 60 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:17,240 Speaker 1: had had some interesting things to say about He said, look, 61 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:23,600 Speaker 1: you know, I'm going to install my offense here. Um. 62 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:27,280 Speaker 1: But at the same time, Ben Roethlisberger is going to 63 00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:30,000 Speaker 1: be calling the shots here to a large three, you're 64 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:32,200 Speaker 1: going to do you know, we're going to do what 65 00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 1: Ben sees essentially is what he said. Um, and a 66 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:37,560 Speaker 1: lot of people look at them, go, well, you're gonna 67 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:39,360 Speaker 1: let Ben Roethlisberger just do what he wants to do 68 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 1: with the offense, folks. That's how it Isn't every the 69 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:47,400 Speaker 1: quarterback throws the football. There's a saying I'd like to repeat. 70 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:51,280 Speaker 1: Quarterbacks are like baseball stadiums that if you've got a 71 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:54,920 Speaker 1: short right field porch, get a bunch of power, right, 72 00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:56,280 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. I mean, I was talking 73 00:03:56,280 --> 00:03:58,960 Speaker 1: about the the Vince Coleman Cardinals when I was a kid. 74 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:05,000 Speaker 1: They this huge AstroTurf outfield runs hitting six home runs. Right, 75 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:07,640 Speaker 1: it's Coleman's leading league and steals, and Ozzie Smith could 76 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:11,760 Speaker 1: run and everybody could run. So it's crazy not to 77 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:15,080 Speaker 1: do things around your quarterback strengths and weaknesses. It's a 78 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:18,200 Speaker 1: good way to find yourself in the unemployment line, right, right, 79 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:20,640 Speaker 1: exactly right. I mean, good quarterbacks don't grow on trees. 80 00:04:20,680 --> 00:04:23,000 Speaker 1: When you get one, you cater to them. Let alone. 81 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:27,280 Speaker 1: You know, young quarterbacks the Zack Wilson's and Trey Lances 82 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:29,599 Speaker 1: and all these guys coming into the league. For those 83 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:32,359 Speaker 1: guys to what they do well and what they don't 84 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:36,120 Speaker 1: or you're crazy. So that's good to hear from Coach Canada. 85 00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:37,919 Speaker 1: And I'm sure some people are like, Oh, he's just 86 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:40,360 Speaker 1: gonna do whatever. Ben just run a Ben's offense again? 87 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:42,240 Speaker 1: What's it? Why did they change? You know, they're trying 88 00:04:42,279 --> 00:04:44,599 Speaker 1: to win games. They want comfortable to be they want 89 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:46,560 Speaker 1: the quarterback to be comfortable. I mean that doesn't mean 90 00:04:46,600 --> 00:04:50,000 Speaker 1: they won't do new things. I'm sure Matt Canada it's 91 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:53,560 Speaker 1: a lot different role for him is the true offensive coordinator. 92 00:04:53,600 --> 00:04:55,360 Speaker 1: Like you said to start that sentence, I'm going to 93 00:04:55,480 --> 00:04:58,200 Speaker 1: install my offense. You know it's his offense right there. 94 00:04:58,200 --> 00:05:01,360 Speaker 1: It's gonna be a new offense. But to not cater 95 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:05,080 Speaker 1: to your quarterback as bonkers. You don't take a square 96 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:07,679 Speaker 1: peg right and try to drive it into a round 97 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:10,280 Speaker 1: hole just because you're such a smart coach. Yes, I 98 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:13,440 Speaker 1: mean that's a coaching mistake. My favorite, my favorite analogy 99 00:05:13,480 --> 00:05:17,560 Speaker 1: with that is Rich Rodriguez takes over perfect Michigan, he 100 00:05:17,720 --> 00:05:20,160 Speaker 1: runs his offense. It's it's all the spread offense and 101 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:22,479 Speaker 1: all the stuff of Michigan before he got there is 102 00:05:22,520 --> 00:05:26,480 Speaker 1: a straight pro style offense. They've got offensive lineman, they've 103 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:29,200 Speaker 1: got quarterbacks in the system, They've got guys who are 104 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:32,840 Speaker 1: capable of of going out and just pounding the football. Yes, 105 00:05:32,960 --> 00:05:35,080 Speaker 1: and rich Rod comes in and says, no, no, no, no, 106 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:37,600 Speaker 1: no no, We're gonna run my offense. I'm smarter than that. 107 00:05:37,680 --> 00:05:39,920 Speaker 1: And they went two games and and he doesn't last 108 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:42,800 Speaker 1: very long. I mean to to back that up. He 109 00:05:42,880 --> 00:05:44,640 Speaker 1: was at w VU when I was a pit and 110 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:47,479 Speaker 1: we were similar programs in the pecking order in terms 111 00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:49,800 Speaker 1: of recruiting and whatnot. We didn't beat Ohio State and 112 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:53,480 Speaker 1: Penn State and Michigan too often on five star offensive lineman. 113 00:05:53,960 --> 00:05:56,800 Speaker 1: But that's why he created the system, because he didn't 114 00:05:56,800 --> 00:05:59,240 Speaker 1: have great lineman. So things came out quick. He had 115 00:05:59,279 --> 00:06:01,320 Speaker 1: a lot of receive hers. You know, you can walk 116 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:03,680 Speaker 1: around the mall. There's more people look like receivers than 117 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:06,040 Speaker 1: lineman in the world, you know, And so he created 118 00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:10,880 Speaker 1: many look like Chase Claypool some exceptions. And so he 119 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:14,120 Speaker 1: creates this wonderful system and takes the college world by 120 00:06:14,120 --> 00:06:17,680 Speaker 1: storm and kind of gets around the recruiting problem and 121 00:06:17,720 --> 00:06:21,320 Speaker 1: then gets this gift where we'll we have lineman. Yeah, 122 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:24,200 Speaker 1: you know, well fire off the ball and get six 123 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:26,159 Speaker 1: yards to carry. You know, you can install some of 124 00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:28,920 Speaker 1: your offense, of course, but don't take the square bag 125 00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:30,720 Speaker 1: in the round hole like you said. Yeah, it's just 126 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:34,480 Speaker 1: uh you know again, I see you see too many 127 00:06:34,520 --> 00:06:37,799 Speaker 1: coaches get caught up. It's my systems, and it's my system. 128 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:40,280 Speaker 1: It's my system. No, it's not your system, you cater, 129 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:43,040 Speaker 1: you know. And I do this in my own coaching. 130 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:46,760 Speaker 1: When I coach, I still do baseball. If I've got 131 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:48,680 Speaker 1: a team of power hitters, I'm not gonna ask them 132 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:51,600 Speaker 1: the steel bases. If I've got a bunch of base stealers, 133 00:06:51,839 --> 00:06:53,560 Speaker 1: if I've got a bunch of speed, we don't. We're 134 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:55,479 Speaker 1: not swinging for We're gonna playing for doubles. We're gonna 135 00:06:55,520 --> 00:06:57,840 Speaker 1: bunt and do those kind of things. And I'm not 136 00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:00,680 Speaker 1: speaking for you, but my hunches, there's some some set 137 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:03,360 Speaker 1: fundamentals you want to teach every year or some things 138 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:05,239 Speaker 1: no matter who the kids are that are on your team, 139 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:07,920 Speaker 1: but you play to their strengths. What you what your 140 00:07:07,920 --> 00:07:09,920 Speaker 1: team can do. If you pitch well and play defense, 141 00:07:09,960 --> 00:07:13,920 Speaker 1: you pitch well and play defense. You hit three run 142 00:07:13,960 --> 00:07:17,320 Speaker 1: home runs, that's what you do, you know. So and 143 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:18,960 Speaker 1: that'll be a balance this year, and that won't be 144 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:21,360 Speaker 1: easy for Canada. I mean, it definitely won't. I mean, 145 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:24,240 Speaker 1: Ben is in the twilight of his career and we'd 146 00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:26,120 Speaker 1: be frank I mean, he's up in age and he's 147 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:27,960 Speaker 1: certainly an old dog that's going to have to learn 148 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:31,239 Speaker 1: a new trick or two. But there's a fine line 149 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:33,640 Speaker 1: of that balancing act too, of let's make this guy 150 00:07:33,680 --> 00:07:36,280 Speaker 1: as comfortable as possible, but we need to change some 151 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:39,640 Speaker 1: things from last year. And some of those changes, frankly, 152 00:07:39,760 --> 00:07:42,120 Speaker 1: can make his life a lot easier, you know, more 153 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:44,680 Speaker 1: play action and motion and things like that. And he 154 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:47,280 Speaker 1: needs to buy in, and I'm sure he will. I mean, 155 00:07:47,920 --> 00:07:52,240 Speaker 1: you look at some veterans around the league. Kyle Shanahan's 156 00:07:52,280 --> 00:07:55,720 Speaker 1: first year with Matt Ryan was very rocky. The second 157 00:07:55,800 --> 00:07:58,600 Speaker 1: year he was the league MVP. You know, the same 158 00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:01,800 Speaker 1: with Aaron Rodgers with the floor right now. You know, 159 00:08:02,120 --> 00:08:04,440 Speaker 1: two years ago he was good, I mean, but he 160 00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:06,760 Speaker 1: wasn't anywhere close to an m v P. Year two, 161 00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:11,560 Speaker 1: he wins the MVP. Here's the difference with this this year, um, 162 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:15,000 Speaker 1: this might be it like, you don't have to kind 163 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:17,600 Speaker 1: of balance, right, And there's some more examples of guys 164 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:19,800 Speaker 1: coming in the first year and jump starting a career too. 165 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:22,840 Speaker 1: It's not necessarily to your project. Doesn't help in your mind. 166 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:25,000 Speaker 1: The Canada was here last year. That's what I was 167 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:27,720 Speaker 1: about to say, too. Is at least he's not new, 168 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:30,400 Speaker 1: you know, he they didn't bring him in from the outside. 169 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:32,959 Speaker 1: So here it is, and learn all the guys and 170 00:08:33,080 --> 00:08:34,840 Speaker 1: you know here's here, you know, learn where to go 171 00:08:35,120 --> 00:08:38,240 Speaker 1: into cafeteria to get food, all of the stumbling stuff, right. 172 00:08:38,280 --> 00:08:40,000 Speaker 1: I mean, he's got a house and his family is 173 00:08:40,040 --> 00:08:42,640 Speaker 1: set up, and he knows Ben well and they get 174 00:08:42,640 --> 00:08:46,320 Speaker 1: along and they already have relationship, and he understands maybe 175 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:50,000 Speaker 1: most importantly, he was here in this building on game 176 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:55,000 Speaker 1: day when things weren't going well and understood. Man late 177 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:57,000 Speaker 1: in the season, this offense needs to change. I got 178 00:08:57,040 --> 00:08:58,640 Speaker 1: a lot of ideas. It might be too late to 179 00:08:58,679 --> 00:09:01,560 Speaker 1: install them now, and then the question will never know, 180 00:09:01,760 --> 00:09:03,800 Speaker 1: And this applies to the whole league, of course, is 181 00:09:04,520 --> 00:09:07,000 Speaker 1: what would have been different if there was a preseason 182 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:09,760 Speaker 1: and a real training camp and all those things. And 183 00:09:09,800 --> 00:09:11,840 Speaker 1: we can apply that the many players were out here 184 00:09:11,840 --> 00:09:14,400 Speaker 1: you're watching, but especially the system. You know, when you're 185 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:16,360 Speaker 1: gonna make a big change like that, or at least 186 00:09:16,360 --> 00:09:20,760 Speaker 1: install new concepts, you gotta feel confident with it. I mean, 187 00:09:20,760 --> 00:09:23,080 Speaker 1: in week ten, if you haven't repped it enough, are 188 00:09:23,080 --> 00:09:25,599 Speaker 1: you gonna go to that stuff? That's so hard? I 189 00:09:25,920 --> 00:09:28,240 Speaker 1: asked him a couple of questions. It's actually funny because 190 00:09:28,280 --> 00:09:30,160 Speaker 1: it answered both. He answered, I asked him both of 191 00:09:30,160 --> 00:09:32,480 Speaker 1: those questions. Said early in the season, you guys were 192 00:09:32,559 --> 00:09:35,160 Speaker 1: running a lot, not a lot, but some of your 193 00:09:35,280 --> 00:09:39,320 Speaker 1: more than all that kind of stuff, a lot of motion, 194 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:41,560 Speaker 1: those kind of things. And then it kind of went away. 195 00:09:41,880 --> 00:09:43,400 Speaker 1: He said, you know, we got into the season, it 196 00:09:43,480 --> 00:09:44,760 Speaker 1: was just about what do we need to do to 197 00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:46,880 Speaker 1: beat the next opponents. People don't realize. I mean, you 198 00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:48,679 Speaker 1: know this better than I do. I mean of how 199 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:51,800 Speaker 1: the mentality is week to week in that league. It's 200 00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:55,480 Speaker 1: a grind. And on Wednesday, Thursday of week ten, twelve, whatever, 201 00:09:55,800 --> 00:09:57,800 Speaker 1: you're only thinking about who's in front of you. There's 202 00:09:57,840 --> 00:09:59,560 Speaker 1: one team that you don't have as much, nearly as 203 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:02,080 Speaker 1: much time to prepare for his people think and you 204 00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:04,400 Speaker 1: need it. It's not like baseball, where okay, I'm gonna 205 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:06,080 Speaker 1: get a Scott report on the picture, and you know, 206 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:08,719 Speaker 1: I'll play three games against these guys, or you play 207 00:10:08,760 --> 00:10:10,400 Speaker 1: a series against him and you figure them out as 208 00:10:10,400 --> 00:10:13,160 Speaker 1: a season goes on or whatever. I mean that prep 209 00:10:13,200 --> 00:10:16,720 Speaker 1: week is so important you go to your bread and butter. Yeah, 210 00:10:16,840 --> 00:10:19,240 Speaker 1: I also trust. I also asked him at the end, 211 00:10:19,920 --> 00:10:24,400 Speaker 1: um you know Roethlisberger said last last week or when 212 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:25,880 Speaker 1: we talked to him two weeks ago. I guess it 213 00:10:25,920 --> 00:10:29,600 Speaker 1: was that, uh, you know, Canada will be the first 214 00:10:29,600 --> 00:10:31,400 Speaker 1: one to kind of say, look, I'm just a college 215 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:35,440 Speaker 1: guy here doing this. And I said, can that be 216 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:38,240 Speaker 1: both the plus and a minus for him? And you 217 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:40,000 Speaker 1: know what did he learned in that one year that 218 00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:42,320 Speaker 1: he's already been here? And he talked, you know, he 219 00:10:42,320 --> 00:10:44,599 Speaker 1: talked about you know, he doesn't know whether it's a 220 00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:46,679 Speaker 1: plus or minus, but he said, look, being here last 221 00:10:46,760 --> 00:10:49,839 Speaker 1: year allowed me to get to know Ben, get to 222 00:10:49,880 --> 00:10:52,600 Speaker 1: see how he how he practices, what he likes to 223 00:10:52,640 --> 00:10:55,400 Speaker 1: do in practice, what he how you know, how competitive 224 00:10:55,440 --> 00:10:57,600 Speaker 1: he is in practice. Those kind of things that if 225 00:10:57,600 --> 00:10:59,920 Speaker 1: you were in brand new offensive coordinator you'd have to 226 00:11:00,040 --> 00:11:02,439 Speaker 1: learn all those things kind of on the fly. That's 227 00:11:02,440 --> 00:11:04,640 Speaker 1: already taken care of. I mean, you know what your 228 00:11:04,720 --> 00:11:07,360 Speaker 1: quarterback likes to do. Yeah, I mean, this is an 229 00:11:07,360 --> 00:11:10,880 Speaker 1: embarrassing story, but my first day of being the director 230 00:11:10,920 --> 00:11:14,800 Speaker 1: of football ops at Akron, all the players come in 231 00:11:15,400 --> 00:11:16,880 Speaker 1: and you could tell that there was kind of two 232 00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:20,640 Speaker 1: dudes that everyone was kind of flocking around. And I 233 00:11:20,679 --> 00:11:24,480 Speaker 1: went up to Chase black Blackburn linebacker who went on 234 00:11:24,559 --> 00:11:26,880 Speaker 1: to have an NFL career, played for Giants a little bit, 235 00:11:26,920 --> 00:11:29,320 Speaker 1: and you know, he was a very good Mac player, 236 00:11:29,760 --> 00:11:32,840 Speaker 1: and I said, hey, you're Charlie Fry, right, you know, 237 00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:35,560 Speaker 1: like that's Charlie Fry. He's the starting quarterback. He was 238 00:11:35,600 --> 00:11:37,360 Speaker 1: All Mac last year. I went to the wrong dude, 239 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:40,839 Speaker 1: you know, Like, I mean, obviously Matt Cannon's gonna knock 240 00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:44,000 Speaker 1: it up to some linebacker and say you're Ben Roethlisberger, right, 241 00:11:44,040 --> 00:11:46,000 Speaker 1: But I mean it's just a stupid example of just 242 00:11:46,160 --> 00:11:48,520 Speaker 1: being familiar and all the stuff that's already out of 243 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:50,959 Speaker 1: the way. If you're back Canada and you went through 244 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:53,640 Speaker 1: a season and you know you you opened that sentence 245 00:11:53,679 --> 00:11:56,520 Speaker 1: if I just kind of saying, you know, I'm a 246 00:11:56,600 --> 00:11:59,440 Speaker 1: college guy, well that that would have sounded terrible twenty 247 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:01,559 Speaker 1: years ago. Yeah, you know what I mean, the world 248 00:12:01,640 --> 00:12:05,160 Speaker 1: has gotten much better. The league is the league is just, 249 00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:09,640 Speaker 1: the league is open. It's some of these college concepts, 250 00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:13,040 Speaker 1: especially more so on offense than defense. But when when 251 00:12:13,080 --> 00:12:16,880 Speaker 1: you embrace them on offense, the defense has to adjustin. 252 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:19,320 Speaker 1: So therefore they start bringing in some of those college 253 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:22,360 Speaker 1: like how okay, how did colleges defend the r p 254 00:12:22,520 --> 00:12:25,920 Speaker 1: O s? Well, we go spend a week at Alabama 255 00:12:25,960 --> 00:12:27,480 Speaker 1: and ask them. That's what you do, right, I mean, 256 00:12:27,480 --> 00:12:29,000 Speaker 1: that's what it used to be the other way around, 257 00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:32,000 Speaker 1: where college coaches would come flocking the NFL's you know, 258 00:12:32,200 --> 00:12:34,760 Speaker 1: just listen and learn from coaches, And now it's the 259 00:12:34,800 --> 00:12:38,000 Speaker 1: other way around, and quarterbacks are adjusting much quicker now 260 00:12:38,160 --> 00:12:40,480 Speaker 1: because of it. And you know why, am I? It 261 00:12:40,559 --> 00:12:42,800 Speaker 1: goes back to the like baseball stadiums. If I did 262 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:45,559 Speaker 1: this well at Texas Tech or Arkansas or wherever the 263 00:12:45,640 --> 00:12:47,679 Speaker 1: heck I'm coming from, and you're gonna make me do 264 00:12:47,800 --> 00:12:50,920 Speaker 1: something totally different that doesn't make any sense. And a 265 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:53,520 Speaker 1: lot of the old school curmudgeon coaches have kind of 266 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:56,160 Speaker 1: moved on, and younger people are coming in, and you know, 267 00:12:56,160 --> 00:12:58,280 Speaker 1: it just makes perfect sense. And it used to be 268 00:12:58,320 --> 00:13:01,679 Speaker 1: a lot harder for quarterbacks to adjust. Yeah, so that's 269 00:13:01,679 --> 00:13:04,520 Speaker 1: gonna be one of the big things. Obviously, the team 270 00:13:04,640 --> 00:13:08,320 Speaker 1: is a whole um. You know, Ben Roethlisburg has been 271 00:13:08,360 --> 00:13:11,199 Speaker 1: doing this essentially in the same offense, a lot of 272 00:13:11,240 --> 00:13:16,120 Speaker 1: the same Norman clature, everything for eighteen years, right, right, 273 00:13:16,440 --> 00:13:19,720 Speaker 1: You're really teaching an old dog new tricks. I mean 274 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:21,839 Speaker 1: that's something we're not privileged to. I mean, I don't know. 275 00:13:22,440 --> 00:13:24,920 Speaker 1: I would imagine they don't change all the language and 276 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:27,199 Speaker 1: all that they changed. They changed a lot of like 277 00:13:27,520 --> 00:13:31,640 Speaker 1: they changed some of the things of that nature, but 278 00:13:31,760 --> 00:13:34,040 Speaker 1: there's only so many plays. There's only so many, Like 279 00:13:34,080 --> 00:13:36,760 Speaker 1: you're not reinventing the wheel here. No, I mean, I 280 00:13:36,800 --> 00:13:40,319 Speaker 1: would hope sometimes quarterbacks will tell you it's like learning French, 281 00:13:40,400 --> 00:13:43,280 Speaker 1: if you're learning Italian, like learning it's a whole new language. 282 00:13:43,640 --> 00:13:45,520 Speaker 1: I would think it's not to that extreme for Ben 283 00:13:45,640 --> 00:13:48,199 Speaker 1: this year. No, I mean that would be crazy. You know, 284 00:13:48,480 --> 00:13:50,200 Speaker 1: Mason Rudolf talked about it when we spoke with him 285 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:51,600 Speaker 1: last week. You said, Look, it was just some extra 286 00:13:51,679 --> 00:13:54,160 Speaker 1: time with flash cards and things of that nature. Uh, 287 00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:57,280 Speaker 1: guys learned things differently. Yeah, you know, Ben, Maybe that's 288 00:13:57,280 --> 00:13:59,760 Speaker 1: why Ben's been here at most of the O T 289 00:13:59,880 --> 00:14:02,600 Speaker 1: A sessions because it's a little learning that he's learning 290 00:14:02,600 --> 00:14:05,360 Speaker 1: a new offense. And so therefore, you know, people say, well, 291 00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:07,360 Speaker 1: you know, is he is he bought into this? Well 292 00:14:07,400 --> 00:14:09,640 Speaker 1: he's been at every you know, like he missed maybe 293 00:14:10,160 --> 00:14:12,640 Speaker 1: one or two ound quite a bit he's been around. 294 00:14:12,880 --> 00:14:15,440 Speaker 1: So I think that's a big part of it, is like, hey, 295 00:14:15,480 --> 00:14:17,880 Speaker 1: I gotta be there to learn this new offense. So 296 00:14:18,280 --> 00:14:21,760 Speaker 1: I wonder if that, you know, some years, he wouldn't 297 00:14:21,760 --> 00:14:27,120 Speaker 1: be here much at all. What you need to be obviously, um, 298 00:14:27,400 --> 00:14:29,440 Speaker 1: you know, especially when you've got three quarterbacks and you 299 00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:32,040 Speaker 1: want to get them all reps them. There's a good 300 00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:34,160 Speaker 1: young group here that needs a lot of work, I 301 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:36,760 Speaker 1: mean on the field. So I just wonder, you know, 302 00:14:36,800 --> 00:14:38,280 Speaker 1: when you when you do that with a with an 303 00:14:38,320 --> 00:14:40,560 Speaker 1: older quarterback and he kind of has to do that, 304 00:14:41,240 --> 00:14:43,080 Speaker 1: do you get him a little more locked in? Is it? 305 00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:45,160 Speaker 1: Does he buy in a little bit more because it look, 306 00:14:45,200 --> 00:14:47,400 Speaker 1: I gotta be here. He's invested. Yeah, he's invested every 307 00:14:47,440 --> 00:14:49,640 Speaker 1: morning and comes here and you know it's it's important 308 00:14:49,640 --> 00:14:52,720 Speaker 1: to him and he's spending his valuable time involved in it, 309 00:14:52,960 --> 00:14:56,600 Speaker 1: I would think. So I think that's an interesting not 310 00:14:56,800 --> 00:15:00,560 Speaker 1: the lemma, but it's almost like they have one more 311 00:15:00,680 --> 00:15:05,000 Speaker 1: quality quarterback than they usually do, you know, and really 312 00:15:05,160 --> 00:15:08,040 Speaker 1: dividing those reps up, especially in camp. Not this is 313 00:15:08,200 --> 00:15:10,280 Speaker 1: as much in these next couple of days. I think 314 00:15:10,320 --> 00:15:14,560 Speaker 1: it'll be really interesting to say, well, Dobbs took snaps today. 315 00:15:14,720 --> 00:15:17,680 Speaker 1: You know, Ben took one rest day. Okay, who takes 316 00:15:17,800 --> 00:15:21,200 Speaker 1: what snaps with the group? Exactly? You know, I'm being 317 00:15:21,240 --> 00:15:22,920 Speaker 1: asked a lot. You know, who do I think is 318 00:15:22,920 --> 00:15:24,920 Speaker 1: going to be the number three? And do they keep 319 00:15:24,960 --> 00:15:27,640 Speaker 1: a quarterback on the practice squad this year? I don't 320 00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:30,040 Speaker 1: think that they do that. This year. That was a 321 00:15:30,640 --> 00:15:35,440 Speaker 1: who's even eligible? I think Dobbs will be eligible. I 322 00:15:35,480 --> 00:15:39,800 Speaker 1: mean you have some exemptions there, probably would both be eligible. 323 00:15:40,760 --> 00:15:44,480 Speaker 1: But last year was a COVID year and practice squads 324 00:15:44,520 --> 00:15:47,160 Speaker 1: were increased. What was the sixteen? I think? So? Right? Uh, 325 00:15:47,240 --> 00:15:49,200 Speaker 1: you know so and you and you weren't. You couldn't 326 00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:51,720 Speaker 1: bring guys in from the outside necessarily and get them 327 00:15:51,760 --> 00:15:55,440 Speaker 1: ready for game day a real I don't know that 328 00:15:55,480 --> 00:15:57,400 Speaker 1: you could even get on plane sometimes. I don't know 329 00:15:57,400 --> 00:15:59,240 Speaker 1: if that's going to be the challenge this year. That 330 00:15:59,440 --> 00:16:01,760 Speaker 1: was last probably things opening up a little bit. So 331 00:16:01,800 --> 00:16:05,320 Speaker 1: I don't think that they keep four quarterbacks around. The 332 00:16:05,400 --> 00:16:08,200 Speaker 1: only reason I could see is possible is if Dobbs 333 00:16:08,840 --> 00:16:11,680 Speaker 1: looks like he deserves a roster spot, but you don't 334 00:16:11,680 --> 00:16:13,280 Speaker 1: want to give up on Haskins, Do you know what 335 00:16:13,320 --> 00:16:15,120 Speaker 1: I mean? Like, I don't want to throw this guy away. 336 00:16:15,160 --> 00:16:17,400 Speaker 1: There's still a lot to work with here. I wonder 337 00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:18,680 Speaker 1: what he could be in a year, and not not 338 00:16:18,760 --> 00:16:21,440 Speaker 1: even saying he's the next starter or anything, but it 339 00:16:21,520 --> 00:16:25,200 Speaker 1: would be not a great situation if he has a 340 00:16:25,280 --> 00:16:28,280 Speaker 1: really good camp and impresses in a Steeler uniform and 341 00:16:28,320 --> 00:16:30,360 Speaker 1: you have to walk away from him just because he's 342 00:16:30,400 --> 00:16:32,520 Speaker 1: the fourth best guy at this stage of his career, 343 00:16:33,040 --> 00:16:36,160 Speaker 1: which is possible. It's possible. I think what it comes 344 00:16:36,280 --> 00:16:43,080 Speaker 1: down to, though, is if you release Josh Dobbs right now, 345 00:16:44,440 --> 00:16:46,920 Speaker 1: he's probably not does anybody grab him? Does anybody grab him? 346 00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:49,080 Speaker 1: Right If you release Dwayne Haskins right now, there's a 347 00:16:49,160 --> 00:16:51,360 Speaker 1: chance that somebody does. Oh, I would think so. I 348 00:16:51,360 --> 00:16:53,800 Speaker 1: would think so, especially at this stage of the game. Um, 349 00:16:54,120 --> 00:16:55,880 Speaker 1: you know they trade one. At one point in time, 350 00:16:55,920 --> 00:16:58,760 Speaker 1: they traded Dabbs for a late pick. You'd have to 351 00:16:58,800 --> 00:17:01,160 Speaker 1: show a lot in pre season to pull something like 352 00:17:01,240 --> 00:17:04,440 Speaker 1: that off again, and that means rudolso not getting reps andskins. 353 00:17:04,560 --> 00:17:06,040 Speaker 1: I mean that brings you back to my original point. 354 00:17:06,119 --> 00:17:09,200 Speaker 1: It's like, man, they got four guys that in most 355 00:17:09,320 --> 00:17:14,160 Speaker 1: camps would want reps, including in an old starter who 356 00:17:14,320 --> 00:17:16,439 Speaker 1: needs some more reps than he would have last year 357 00:17:16,560 --> 00:17:18,320 Speaker 1: or two years ago, and pretty seat because he's learning 358 00:17:19,600 --> 00:17:24,080 Speaker 1: right exactly. So it's a big conundrum. It's it is, 359 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:27,399 Speaker 1: it is. I mean, I I thought of that the 360 00:17:27,480 --> 00:17:30,440 Speaker 1: second they basically picked up Dobbs again, going like, it's 361 00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:33,840 Speaker 1: a little crowded now, but he's better to have him 362 00:17:33,880 --> 00:17:37,800 Speaker 1: than not. Right. It came down to you were gonna draft. 363 00:17:37,960 --> 00:17:41,520 Speaker 1: You're either gonna sign one or draft one one way 364 00:17:41,600 --> 00:17:42,800 Speaker 1: or the other, cause you're gonna go to camp with 365 00:17:42,840 --> 00:17:46,200 Speaker 1: four arms exactly. But it could have been no offensive 366 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:49,120 Speaker 1: Duck Hodges, but a guy like that that most people 367 00:17:49,119 --> 00:17:51,520 Speaker 1: don't know his name, this typing here in a camp 368 00:17:51,680 --> 00:17:53,399 Speaker 1: arm you know where Dobbs is more than that. So 369 00:17:53,880 --> 00:17:56,040 Speaker 1: the whole quarterback thing will be interesting and it'll be 370 00:17:56,080 --> 00:17:59,680 Speaker 1: a little bit of a challenge for Tomlin Canada quarterback 371 00:17:59,760 --> 00:18:02,439 Speaker 1: code just to figure out who's getting what reps throughout 372 00:18:02,480 --> 00:18:04,800 Speaker 1: the course of this and you know what the preseason 373 00:18:04,880 --> 00:18:07,760 Speaker 1: time and all that stuff too. Yeah, I agree it 374 00:18:07,760 --> 00:18:11,800 Speaker 1: should be interesting. Uh. T J. Watt with his first 375 00:18:11,840 --> 00:18:15,320 Speaker 1: appearance this offseason, uh didn't come to any of the 376 00:18:15,359 --> 00:18:16,879 Speaker 1: o t As made a chance to talk to him 377 00:18:16,960 --> 00:18:21,080 Speaker 1: this morning. Um, it's funny. I first question I asked, 378 00:18:21,320 --> 00:18:24,359 Speaker 1: I had the first question, and I said, first of all, 379 00:18:24,359 --> 00:18:28,040 Speaker 1: how's your golf game coming along? And secondly, did it 380 00:18:28,160 --> 00:18:30,760 Speaker 1: help you working with Alex Highsmith down the stretch? Can 381 00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:33,200 Speaker 1: you carry that over? He said, you know, the golf 382 00:18:33,280 --> 00:18:35,240 Speaker 1: game is not coming along as quickly as he would 383 00:18:35,280 --> 00:18:37,760 Speaker 1: have liked. Uh. He said, it seems like Joe Hayden 384 00:18:37,840 --> 00:18:41,200 Speaker 1: is trimming ten strokes off his game every year, and 385 00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:44,520 Speaker 1: I'm struggling here. Well that's good the old veteran wise, 386 00:18:44,760 --> 00:18:47,760 Speaker 1: you know, hit him straight. Um. You know. I just 387 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:51,440 Speaker 1: you know, wonder sometimes with with these great athletes like that, 388 00:18:51,600 --> 00:18:54,239 Speaker 1: who things you know a lot of things probably come 389 00:18:54,280 --> 00:19:00,480 Speaker 1: pretty easily to t J. Want um strang. If you 390 00:19:00,560 --> 00:19:04,200 Speaker 1: take something up like that, that what you struggle, does 391 00:19:04,280 --> 00:19:07,600 Speaker 1: it help you maybe with your football game? Like don't know, 392 00:19:08,160 --> 00:19:11,920 Speaker 1: because you know, like look, i I'm really struggling with 393 00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:14,400 Speaker 1: you know, picking up this game, the nuances of this game. 394 00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:18,879 Speaker 1: I'm a big, strong athlete, you know, pretty easy to me, 395 00:19:19,359 --> 00:19:21,520 Speaker 1: what's what's what's what's the deal here with this? And 396 00:19:21,640 --> 00:19:23,920 Speaker 1: so you know, we see him out and he's always 397 00:19:23,960 --> 00:19:25,920 Speaker 1: a hard worker, but of course practice is over and 398 00:19:25,960 --> 00:19:27,920 Speaker 1: you see him out there working on pass rush moves 399 00:19:27,960 --> 00:19:30,119 Speaker 1: and things of that nature after practice in an O 400 00:19:30,240 --> 00:19:33,960 Speaker 1: t A or a minicamp situation like this, Um, there's 401 00:19:33,960 --> 00:19:36,960 Speaker 1: no rest there. I'm sure there's no you know, people 402 00:19:37,040 --> 00:19:38,560 Speaker 1: may say, why wasn't he at O T A S 403 00:19:38,800 --> 00:19:41,800 Speaker 1: I guarantee he wasn't just playing golf. He certainly wasn't 404 00:19:41,800 --> 00:19:45,159 Speaker 1: sitting around eating cheetos. Well, he wasn't here that that 405 00:19:45,320 --> 00:19:48,600 Speaker 1: was not the case. No, absolutely, And to your question 406 00:19:48,640 --> 00:19:51,680 Speaker 1: about the two sports, I mean, maybe he realizes I 407 00:19:51,800 --> 00:19:54,240 Speaker 1: need to focus a little bit different, like a third longer, 408 00:19:54,320 --> 00:19:56,640 Speaker 1: you know, I mean, you know, anything that you're struggling 409 00:19:56,720 --> 00:19:59,520 Speaker 1: with it, or for example, okay, I'm gonna see more 410 00:19:59,720 --> 00:20:02,080 Speaker 1: double teams this year than maybe I did before because 411 00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:04,639 Speaker 1: maybe you know, budd do pretty help with that, or 412 00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:08,639 Speaker 1: or uh, how do I adjust you know, year to 413 00:20:08,760 --> 00:20:11,239 Speaker 1: year and whatnot. And you know his personality a lot 414 00:20:11,280 --> 00:20:13,160 Speaker 1: better than I do. But it sure seems like he's 415 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:16,719 Speaker 1: ready to grab, you know, one of those. There's been 416 00:20:16,800 --> 00:20:19,800 Speaker 1: so many of them over the years, defensive leadership positions 417 00:20:19,880 --> 00:20:22,960 Speaker 1: here and and you know, be a guy that people follow, 418 00:20:23,240 --> 00:20:25,280 Speaker 1: not only because he's a great player, because of his 419 00:20:25,359 --> 00:20:29,080 Speaker 1: work ethic and his intelligence and his competitiveness and all 420 00:20:29,119 --> 00:20:32,119 Speaker 1: that good stuff too. So it seems like he's starting 421 00:20:32,160 --> 00:20:34,800 Speaker 1: to not come out of his shell but really be 422 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:38,200 Speaker 1: more prominent to you guys as well as I'm sure 423 00:20:38,240 --> 00:20:40,520 Speaker 1: as teammates. And of course he's respected because of how 424 00:20:40,560 --> 00:20:43,880 Speaker 1: well he plays the game. Speaking of respect, Yes, that's 425 00:20:43,880 --> 00:20:47,760 Speaker 1: a good segue. We're now joined by Bob Labriola, editor 426 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:53,560 Speaker 1: of Steelers Digestive Steelers dot com. Bob, good to see it. Yeah, 427 00:20:53,560 --> 00:20:55,560 Speaker 1: I'm glad you're here. This is a This is a blast. 428 00:20:55,640 --> 00:20:57,560 Speaker 1: I mean, actually go to see people in person and 429 00:20:57,800 --> 00:20:59,960 Speaker 1: you know, see live football. Was telling him they will 430 00:21:00,040 --> 00:21:02,080 Speaker 1: for in the audience. I haven't been out of that 431 00:21:02,160 --> 00:21:06,159 Speaker 1: studio in a really long time. I always used to 432 00:21:06,280 --> 00:21:09,840 Speaker 1: make fun of football and shorts. I don't do that anyway. 433 00:21:11,680 --> 00:21:16,680 Speaker 1: Football is football anything you know, anything is is better 434 00:21:16,760 --> 00:21:21,760 Speaker 1: than my dining room table. What are you saying about 435 00:21:21,760 --> 00:21:25,000 Speaker 1: your wife's cooking nothing. I'm just happy that she hasn't 436 00:21:25,920 --> 00:21:30,520 Speaker 1: whacked me over the head from behind with him axe handle. 437 00:21:30,760 --> 00:21:35,360 Speaker 1: I'm buried in the backyard something, Bob. But the Steelers 438 00:21:35,400 --> 00:21:39,200 Speaker 1: obviously getting back on the football field today as a whole, Um, 439 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:43,359 Speaker 1: what were your expectations for this and did this uh 440 00:21:43,720 --> 00:21:46,080 Speaker 1: did this live up to them? Or did we have 441 00:21:46,280 --> 00:21:50,080 Speaker 1: no expectation? I have nothing, seriously, I mean, you know, uh, 442 00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:54,560 Speaker 1: it's good to be out and among them and watching 443 00:21:55,080 --> 00:22:00,000 Speaker 1: you know, actual I won't even call it competition because 444 00:22:00,119 --> 00:22:03,840 Speaker 1: it's really not, but uh, you know, outside of that, 445 00:22:04,720 --> 00:22:09,879 Speaker 1: this is just you know, preparation for training camp, whether 446 00:22:10,040 --> 00:22:17,080 Speaker 1: that's here or Latrobe or who knows when, but you know, 447 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:19,440 Speaker 1: whenever that happens, I think that's where when the real 448 00:22:19,520 --> 00:22:22,960 Speaker 1: competition will begin and you know we'll start seeing some 449 00:22:23,119 --> 00:22:29,159 Speaker 1: of these um position battles or uh, you know, filling 450 00:22:29,359 --> 00:22:32,159 Speaker 1: roles or you know, however you want to describe it. 451 00:22:32,800 --> 00:22:35,920 Speaker 1: Um that we've been talking about in the abstract for 452 00:22:36,040 --> 00:22:40,959 Speaker 1: like the last it seems like six months, we might 453 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:43,359 Speaker 1: actually see some of that stuff start to you know, 454 00:22:43,560 --> 00:22:46,200 Speaker 1: shake out and and get a better handle on some 455 00:22:46,320 --> 00:22:48,240 Speaker 1: of the things. I mean, you know, this to me 456 00:22:48,560 --> 00:22:52,879 Speaker 1: is just preparations so that for whenever the pads do 457 00:22:53,080 --> 00:22:56,000 Speaker 1: go on, guys have a pretty good idea what they're 458 00:22:56,000 --> 00:22:59,320 Speaker 1: supposed to do, and so then they can at least 459 00:22:59,760 --> 00:23:01,879 Speaker 1: be going to be put in a position where they 460 00:23:01,960 --> 00:23:06,600 Speaker 1: can show, you know, their athletic ability, their physical skills, uh, 461 00:23:06,720 --> 00:23:09,840 Speaker 1: and then enable the coaches to make some intelligent decisions 462 00:23:09,880 --> 00:23:13,639 Speaker 1: and evaluations. Bob. Earlier today, we had a chance to 463 00:23:13,680 --> 00:23:16,760 Speaker 1: talk to Matt Canada for the first time since he's 464 00:23:16,760 --> 00:23:19,160 Speaker 1: become the offensive coordinator. Matt and now we're talking about 465 00:23:19,200 --> 00:23:22,160 Speaker 1: it earlier in the segment, and one of the things 466 00:23:22,240 --> 00:23:24,840 Speaker 1: he brought up was was that look this, we're gonna 467 00:23:24,880 --> 00:23:28,760 Speaker 1: do what Ben Roethlisberger sees and I've I've already seen 468 00:23:28,800 --> 00:23:30,680 Speaker 1: the reaction to that on Twitter. Well, it's more of 469 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:33,240 Speaker 1: the same. Ben Roethlisberger is gonna be running the offense. 470 00:23:33,960 --> 00:23:38,560 Speaker 1: He's the quarterback. Well, yeah, I made um right. If 471 00:23:39,160 --> 00:23:42,640 Speaker 1: if you know, and it's it's the it's the whole 472 00:23:42,720 --> 00:23:46,840 Speaker 1: football team. You know, if the decision was made at 473 00:23:46,880 --> 00:23:51,880 Speaker 1: the highest levels of management, um not to bring Ben back. Okay, 474 00:23:52,880 --> 00:23:56,000 Speaker 1: but the decision was made that, uh, you know, based 475 00:23:56,080 --> 00:23:59,760 Speaker 1: on if it if it could be made financially feasible 476 00:24:00,200 --> 00:24:02,880 Speaker 1: to bring him back. So why would you bring him back, 477 00:24:04,080 --> 00:24:08,560 Speaker 1: um to try and do something he's never done before. 478 00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:11,760 Speaker 1: I mean, it just doesn't It doesn't make any sense. Um. 479 00:24:12,080 --> 00:24:16,760 Speaker 1: You know the whole thing I believe, especially at this level, 480 00:24:17,240 --> 00:24:19,760 Speaker 1: you know you have to find what your players can 481 00:24:19,840 --> 00:24:23,360 Speaker 1: do well and then do that. Um. You know it's 482 00:24:23,440 --> 00:24:26,919 Speaker 1: it's not a situation where you know you have guys 483 00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:31,720 Speaker 1: on a scholarship, um, and you know it's it's a 484 00:24:31,840 --> 00:24:35,080 Speaker 1: constant revolving door of personnel if you want it to be. 485 00:24:35,280 --> 00:24:38,680 Speaker 1: And especially at the quarterback position, why would you not 486 00:24:39,119 --> 00:24:44,800 Speaker 1: do what a two time winning Super Bowl quarterback is 487 00:24:44,880 --> 00:24:48,960 Speaker 1: capable of doing, is comfortable doing, uh and and feels 488 00:24:49,040 --> 00:24:53,000 Speaker 1: good about doing. Why why would you not um pursue 489 00:24:53,119 --> 00:24:57,600 Speaker 1: that because you know, as Jerry Glanville says, not for long. 490 00:24:57,720 --> 00:25:03,200 Speaker 1: I mean no disrespect to Matt Cannon Canada seriously, but um, 491 00:25:03,720 --> 00:25:06,000 Speaker 1: you know he's thought kind of a lifetime contract even 492 00:25:06,080 --> 00:25:08,879 Speaker 1: though so uh, you know you don't want to start 493 00:25:08,960 --> 00:25:13,760 Speaker 1: out uh with I won't say alienated because that's not 494 00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:16,840 Speaker 1: what I mean. But if if you were, if you 495 00:25:17,600 --> 00:25:23,800 Speaker 1: believe that your planned is worth more than the people 496 00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:26,480 Speaker 1: who are executing it. You're not gonna last long in 497 00:25:26,520 --> 00:25:30,200 Speaker 1: this league. You're just not. Um. So to me, that 498 00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:33,120 Speaker 1: makes a lot of sense that, yeah, you're gonna want 499 00:25:33,119 --> 00:25:36,200 Speaker 1: to do what he sees? Why not? Uh you know, 500 00:25:36,280 --> 00:25:38,080 Speaker 1: what are you gonna put in the read option? I mean, 501 00:25:38,119 --> 00:25:40,600 Speaker 1: you're gonna do things that he can't see. Are you 502 00:25:40,720 --> 00:25:46,960 Speaker 1: gonna run you know, the Lamar Jackson offense with Ben Roy? Right? So, um, 503 00:25:47,760 --> 00:25:50,919 Speaker 1: you know, I don't necessarily believe it's gonna be uh, 504 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:53,920 Speaker 1: you know, the same old, same old that we have, um, 505 00:25:54,440 --> 00:25:58,320 Speaker 1: you know been seeing in terms of play calling and 506 00:25:58,640 --> 00:26:02,880 Speaker 1: you know, emphasis and terms of um, you know, run 507 00:26:02,960 --> 00:26:05,880 Speaker 1: pass ratio, those kinds of things and how you want 508 00:26:05,880 --> 00:26:09,400 Speaker 1: to get things done. Um. But still it's it's gonna 509 00:26:09,720 --> 00:26:14,480 Speaker 1: have to be um, what he's comfortable doing. Otherwise don't 510 00:26:14,520 --> 00:26:17,000 Speaker 1: bring him back. Yeah, I mean I think it's crazy 511 00:26:17,040 --> 00:26:20,560 Speaker 1: if Canada doesn't take the approach of Okay, Ben, how 512 00:26:20,680 --> 00:26:22,560 Speaker 1: can I help you more? I mean that's the way 513 00:26:22,600 --> 00:26:24,440 Speaker 1: of looking at it is, Okay, we got you a 514 00:26:24,520 --> 00:26:26,080 Speaker 1: running back that can do a lot of things. We're 515 00:26:26,119 --> 00:26:28,679 Speaker 1: gonna revise the offensive line a little bit. How can 516 00:26:28,720 --> 00:26:30,640 Speaker 1: I help you with play calling and make you as 517 00:26:30,680 --> 00:26:33,080 Speaker 1: comfortable as possible. I mean that's really his job here, 518 00:26:33,680 --> 00:26:35,760 Speaker 1: and you know, the personnel has has gone a long 519 00:26:35,800 --> 00:26:37,800 Speaker 1: way to do that. And Dale and I were talking 520 00:26:37,840 --> 00:26:40,359 Speaker 1: about it too. It's not like he's a new coordinator 521 00:26:40,400 --> 00:26:42,680 Speaker 1: that they hired from the Falcons or Bears or something. 522 00:26:42,720 --> 00:26:45,080 Speaker 1: I mean, he's been around. He knows the guy well well. 523 00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:47,800 Speaker 1: And you also don't wanna you know, when you're you're 524 00:26:47,840 --> 00:26:52,560 Speaker 1: looking at uh in Matt Canada's uh spot. Um, you 525 00:26:52,640 --> 00:26:57,320 Speaker 1: know you're he's a resource. Ben's a resource for you too. Um. 526 00:26:57,600 --> 00:26:59,639 Speaker 1: You know, why would you not take advantage of that? 527 00:27:00,720 --> 00:27:05,040 Speaker 1: So um, you know. And again, the the other point 528 00:27:05,200 --> 00:27:08,120 Speaker 1: is there is a lot of this talking. Now it's 529 00:27:08,240 --> 00:27:13,719 Speaker 1: just talk it yeah, I mean you know it's um, 530 00:27:14,720 --> 00:27:21,160 Speaker 1: it's it's easy to talk. Um. And now let's see 531 00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:24,159 Speaker 1: what we got about five weeks still training camp and 532 00:27:24,240 --> 00:27:27,800 Speaker 1: then seven weeks till the regular season, so you're still 533 00:27:27,840 --> 00:27:31,560 Speaker 1: a couple of three months away from uh you know, 534 00:27:31,600 --> 00:27:33,399 Speaker 1: when you've got to start having to back up this 535 00:27:33,640 --> 00:27:39,840 Speaker 1: talk with not you know, show me something uh and 536 00:27:39,960 --> 00:27:44,200 Speaker 1: the and the scoreboards starts mattering. So um, yeah, I 537 00:27:44,240 --> 00:27:47,639 Speaker 1: don't I don't get really excited about this. There seems 538 00:27:47,720 --> 00:27:53,840 Speaker 1: to be a narrative nationally that somehow Roethlisberger had a 539 00:27:53,920 --> 00:27:57,520 Speaker 1: bad year last year, that that he was not he 540 00:27:57,880 --> 00:28:01,240 Speaker 1: was he was incapable of throwing the football down the field, 541 00:28:01,640 --> 00:28:05,119 Speaker 1: his arm is shot, all that stuff. Matt and I 542 00:28:05,119 --> 00:28:06,800 Speaker 1: were talking about this last week. We haven't talked to 543 00:28:06,800 --> 00:28:09,040 Speaker 1: you in a few weeks, and I was sitting here 544 00:28:09,080 --> 00:28:11,520 Speaker 1: and I'm thinking about him, Like, if you remember this 545 00:28:11,840 --> 00:28:15,920 Speaker 1: time last year, we hadn't seen Ben Roethlisberger throw a 546 00:28:15,960 --> 00:28:20,359 Speaker 1: football yet live. We had seen him tossing a football. Remember, 547 00:28:20,400 --> 00:28:24,440 Speaker 1: at last February he went to he went to California 548 00:28:24,480 --> 00:28:27,600 Speaker 1: and shockingly through you know, tossed a football a couple 549 00:28:27,600 --> 00:28:29,760 Speaker 1: of times. And it was like, oh, it was less 550 00:28:29,800 --> 00:28:32,439 Speaker 1: than a year after that, the Steelers played the Browns 551 00:28:32,440 --> 00:28:36,359 Speaker 1: in the playoff game. Yeah, I mean yeah, it's um, 552 00:28:38,040 --> 00:28:43,280 Speaker 1: you know, uh, there's a lot of time to fill up, 553 00:28:43,880 --> 00:28:49,920 Speaker 1: uh in cyberspace and on the air, television, radio podcasts, 554 00:28:50,520 --> 00:28:55,120 Speaker 1: and um, you know, I believe that, you know, everybody's 555 00:28:55,160 --> 00:28:57,920 Speaker 1: looking for their niche. And I'm not talking about players 556 00:28:58,040 --> 00:29:03,440 Speaker 1: or coaches, so uh, maybe who knows, Maybe now some 557 00:29:03,560 --> 00:29:05,600 Speaker 1: of the attention will go to Aaron Rodgers. You know 558 00:29:05,760 --> 00:29:09,160 Speaker 1: or something. You know that the Shawn Watson thing, maybe 559 00:29:09,280 --> 00:29:12,360 Speaker 1: something happens with all of those lawsuits, or the leak 560 00:29:12,480 --> 00:29:16,360 Speaker 1: determines whether they're gonna impose any discipline or you know, 561 00:29:16,440 --> 00:29:19,920 Speaker 1: those kinds of things, because getting traded for a month. Yeah, 562 00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:23,680 Speaker 1: I mean that kind of stuff, you know. So you 563 00:29:23,760 --> 00:29:27,600 Speaker 1: know NFL ESPN is an example. NFL Live was that 564 00:29:27,720 --> 00:29:31,720 Speaker 1: an hour show every day every day, I mean seriously 565 00:29:31,880 --> 00:29:36,440 Speaker 1: every day. Um. Uh, you know, I don't know the 566 00:29:36,520 --> 00:29:38,520 Speaker 1: whole network. I don't know how to do it. I 567 00:29:38,560 --> 00:29:41,120 Speaker 1: don't I don't watch any of that stuff. I just 568 00:29:41,920 --> 00:29:46,600 Speaker 1: I have found that it's really cleansing for your brain. 569 00:29:47,480 --> 00:29:54,840 Speaker 1: They just the sixties turn on. Yeah whatever it was, 570 00:29:54,920 --> 00:30:00,880 Speaker 1: yeah whatever. But I mean I think we forgive the year. Yeah, 571 00:30:01,520 --> 00:30:04,280 Speaker 1: just like you know. Uh, and as I said, if 572 00:30:04,360 --> 00:30:09,880 Speaker 1: you the the Steelers are one of the um the 573 00:30:10,000 --> 00:30:13,720 Speaker 1: most most significant franchises in the NFL. Just writing the 574 00:30:13,760 --> 00:30:15,920 Speaker 1: word Steelers on the top of your story on the 575 00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:19,040 Speaker 1: national websites get you, get you hits. I try to 576 00:30:19,080 --> 00:30:21,240 Speaker 1: explain that the fans all day, well so and so 577 00:30:21,440 --> 00:30:25,200 Speaker 1: said this, because you guys react to it, right, Yeah, 578 00:30:25,240 --> 00:30:27,760 Speaker 1: I mean I and I get these you know, Uh, 579 00:30:28,160 --> 00:30:31,560 Speaker 1: why does. Why does the national media you know, they're 580 00:30:31,600 --> 00:30:36,880 Speaker 1: asking me to explain why I think something. I mean, 581 00:30:37,040 --> 00:30:41,720 Speaker 1: I don't know. Um, that's that guy right exactly. So 582 00:30:42,360 --> 00:30:45,200 Speaker 1: you know again, Uh, it's you know, it's a show 583 00:30:45,320 --> 00:30:49,360 Speaker 1: me business. As Mike Tomlins said that that summer when 584 00:30:49,600 --> 00:30:53,440 Speaker 1: Um Frank the Tanks Summers showed up as a rookie, 585 00:30:53,960 --> 00:30:57,040 Speaker 1: that's one of my favorite toman is. M Uh there 586 00:30:57,160 --> 00:30:59,400 Speaker 1: was you know a little bit of an altercation or 587 00:30:59,480 --> 00:31:03,280 Speaker 1: something during backs on backers and Tomlin said he was 588 00:31:03,360 --> 00:31:06,560 Speaker 1: asked about it after the practice in a camp and 589 00:31:06,600 --> 00:31:09,040 Speaker 1: he said, hey, you know, this is a show mean league. 590 00:31:09,080 --> 00:31:11,840 Speaker 1: You show up as a rookie in an NFL training 591 00:31:11,920 --> 00:31:17,480 Speaker 1: camp with the nickname the Tank, you're gonna get tested. Yeah. So, 592 00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:22,720 Speaker 1: um but anyway, well we'll see, we'll see what happens. Uh. Um. 593 00:31:23,120 --> 00:31:26,840 Speaker 1: I don't I'm not predicting that the Steelers are gonna 594 00:31:26,840 --> 00:31:29,960 Speaker 1: be a super Bowl team, but I also, you know, 595 00:31:30,160 --> 00:31:33,880 Speaker 1: the the rumors of their death have been greatly exaggerated 596 00:31:33,920 --> 00:31:37,480 Speaker 1: a little bit. I agree, I think there's uh this 597 00:31:38,880 --> 00:31:41,240 Speaker 1: you're bringing back largely the same team that went twelve 598 00:31:41,280 --> 00:31:44,320 Speaker 1: a four a year ago. You're not gonna like some 599 00:31:44,440 --> 00:31:46,440 Speaker 1: of the near stuff out there. I've seen Steelers gonna 600 00:31:46,440 --> 00:31:48,320 Speaker 1: finish behind the Bengals and things of that that you're 601 00:31:48,360 --> 00:31:52,560 Speaker 1: come on anything, you know, Yeah, do we really believe that? 602 00:31:52,680 --> 00:31:54,840 Speaker 1: Are we just writing that for as we as we 603 00:31:54,960 --> 00:31:58,320 Speaker 1: just said, for the reaction? You know, the Dolphins thought 604 00:31:58,360 --> 00:32:00,560 Speaker 1: they were gonna get a really high for from pick 605 00:32:01,080 --> 00:32:04,800 Speaker 1: after Benzpatrick and ended up being the eight team pick. 606 00:32:08,800 --> 00:32:10,680 Speaker 1: How could Seelers make this trade they're gonna be picking 607 00:32:10,760 --> 00:32:15,120 Speaker 1: the top five. I don't think they believe. So, you know, 608 00:32:15,280 --> 00:32:18,080 Speaker 1: we'll see, we will see Bob. We're gonna let you 609 00:32:18,080 --> 00:32:19,480 Speaker 1: go here. We gonna take a break out, but we 610 00:32:19,520 --> 00:32:22,600 Speaker 1: appreciate you stopping by. Hopefully see you again tomorrow. I 611 00:32:23,040 --> 00:32:25,320 Speaker 1: see you guys pitched a tent right back in the 612 00:32:25,400 --> 00:32:27,360 Speaker 1: second row here. You're just going to sleep in this boot. 613 00:32:27,440 --> 00:32:28,880 Speaker 1: We might do that. We might get locked in the 614 00:32:28,920 --> 00:32:31,560 Speaker 1: building here. That will be a lot of still our 615 00:32:31,600 --> 00:32:34,360 Speaker 1: fans dreams we could. I don't think I'm gonna do 616 00:32:34,480 --> 00:32:39,560 Speaker 1: that though, but yeah, we definitely uh great day for this, 617 00:32:40,080 --> 00:32:42,080 Speaker 1: uh you know, especially after some of the weather we 618 00:32:42,160 --> 00:32:44,720 Speaker 1: had yesterday, and looking forward to coming back again doing 619 00:32:44,760 --> 00:32:47,360 Speaker 1: it tomorrow, looking forward to talking to you again tomorrow, Bob, 620 00:32:47,400 --> 00:32:49,680 Speaker 1: we'll do that. Let's let's try it again. Let's try 621 00:32:49,720 --> 00:32:51,440 Speaker 1: it again. Maybe we could talk about with some of 622 00:32:51,520 --> 00:32:54,360 Speaker 1: the national media things we can do that. We'll find 623 00:32:54,400 --> 00:32:55,920 Speaker 1: out what We'll have to look and see what the 624 00:32:56,000 --> 00:32:58,840 Speaker 1: reaction is to all this stuff. Later on today, we'll 625 00:32:58,840 --> 00:33:00,880 Speaker 1: have to tell me too, because I'll let you know. 626 00:33:01,280 --> 00:33:02,960 Speaker 1: I'll let you know if people are tweeted at me. 627 00:33:03,040 --> 00:33:05,560 Speaker 1: But anyways, that's gonna do it for this segment. So 628 00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:10,400 Speaker 1: for Bob Labriola, for Matt Williamson, I'm Dale Lilly. You 629 00:33:10,480 --> 00:33:13,520 Speaker 1: are listening to the drive here on Steelers Nation Radio. 630 00:33:13,600 --> 00:33:15,160 Speaker 1: We'll be right back after this