1 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:11,440 Speaker 1: Welcome to another Around the League podcast. I'm Greg Rosenthal 2 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:16,760 Speaker 1: alongside Chris Westling and Dan Hansas. Just heard our second 3 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:20,560 Speaker 1: theme song in two shows. Uh. That one we're calling 4 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:23,560 Speaker 1: the Batman theme song, and we're trying out a few 5 00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:25,920 Speaker 1: different ones, so let us know which ones you like. 6 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:28,600 Speaker 1: It couldn't be any worse than the Barry White theme 7 00:00:28,680 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 1: that we were using on Friday night. I actually I was, 8 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:34,559 Speaker 1: as you know, in Texas with the family and they said, oh, 9 00:00:34,640 --> 00:00:36,519 Speaker 1: let's hear the podcast. So I started to play it, 10 00:00:36,560 --> 00:00:38,640 Speaker 1: and as soon as the music came on, I cringed, 11 00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:41,080 Speaker 1: and they all reacted as if there had been a 12 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:43,720 Speaker 1: mistake in the studio. But I said, listen, that was 13 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:45,720 Speaker 1: something that we're trying out, but I don't think we're 14 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:48,080 Speaker 1: gonna go with Barry White. Right. Well, the fans voted 15 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:50,080 Speaker 1: for Barry White, and I have to admit I was 16 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:52,239 Speaker 1: leading the charge, and you know if I'm willing to 17 00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:54,640 Speaker 1: admit a mistake when it happened. So we're gonna try 18 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:57,360 Speaker 1: out Batman and we might try out another one. And 19 00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:00,240 Speaker 1: we got to hear from all of you. Well today, 20 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:03,760 Speaker 1: Uh is a a special show. UH gotta do something 21 00:01:03,800 --> 00:01:07,000 Speaker 1: a little different than what we normally do. We had Rich. 22 00:01:07,160 --> 00:01:10,640 Speaker 1: We have Rich Eisen coming up in the podcast studio 23 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:13,080 Speaker 1: in just a few minutes, so really this show is 24 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:15,800 Speaker 1: gonna be mostly dedicated to talking to Rich. We just 25 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:19,560 Speaker 1: have a few minutes before uh he does join us. 26 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:22,959 Speaker 1: And uh, we also have a special guest here. I 27 00:01:22,959 --> 00:01:24,880 Speaker 1: don't know, I don't know if he's special, but we 28 00:01:24,959 --> 00:01:29,360 Speaker 1: have a guest here are regular producer Alex wilk an 29 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:32,720 Speaker 1: announcement today, I do have an announcement. Um. I was 30 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:35,040 Speaker 1: looking at my Twitter feed as I do most moments 31 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:38,640 Speaker 1: of my day, and uh, you go, and I noticed 32 00:01:38,680 --> 00:01:43,200 Speaker 1: that one Crystal Rich of NFL dot Com was my 33 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:47,160 Speaker 1: three follower. And as a special prize to Crystal Rich, 34 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:50,280 Speaker 1: I'm giving her producing duties of the A t L Podcast. 35 00:01:50,440 --> 00:01:53,520 Speaker 1: So I will no longer be on the A t 36 00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:55,640 Speaker 1: L Podcast, at least for now. Maybe I'll make a 37 00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:58,040 Speaker 1: special guest appearance later on. So it's not goodbye forever, 38 00:01:58,080 --> 00:02:01,080 Speaker 1: it's just goodbye goodbye. So, I mean, we didn't think 39 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:04,000 Speaker 1: we could make it nine shows in, but we somehow 40 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:07,000 Speaker 1: made it this far, and and Wilkes already we mastered 41 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:13,040 Speaker 1: it in nine Crystal behind the Glass, Welcome Aboard great 42 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:15,760 Speaker 1: to be here. I can't wait to see the ratings skyrocket. 43 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:18,280 Speaker 1: Yes they will. The new queen of the A t 44 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:21,000 Speaker 1: L Podcast. Did you know that Crystal back in the 45 00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:23,359 Speaker 1: old A t L Debate club days did have some 46 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:26,320 Speaker 1: role early on, So she's not a complete rookie. No, 47 00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:29,040 Speaker 1: not dealing with around the league, but now Crystal on 48 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:31,400 Speaker 1: a semi or regular basis for the time being. So 49 00:02:31,480 --> 00:02:36,240 Speaker 1: that's exciting regular, totally regularly on the totally regular. And 50 00:02:36,280 --> 00:02:38,480 Speaker 1: Crystal doesn't mess around. I mean she's hitting us with 51 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:41,440 Speaker 1: the email, she's sitting us with plans. She means business, 52 00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:49,080 Speaker 1: much more business A t L. Remember that loves I 53 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:52,680 Speaker 1: like to liken this to um like Ringo leaving the 54 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 1: Beatles after I want to hold your hand. That's that's WILK. 55 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:56,800 Speaker 1: In this case, I think I'm mumping off the ship 56 00:02:56,840 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 1: as the rocket is going straight into the A. I 57 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:01,680 Speaker 1: spink I might be the other Beatle that left even earlier. 58 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:06,200 Speaker 1: So we're gonna have rich On in just a few minutes. 59 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:09,880 Speaker 1: But we're gonna hit a couple football topics right before 60 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:11,520 Speaker 1: we get to them. We're just gonna make a quick 61 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 1: tour around the quarterback battles in training camp. Chris, I 62 00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:18,080 Speaker 1: think you watched more preseason football than any man in 63 00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:23,040 Speaker 1: America this weekend. One of your assignments was the Jets. Um, 64 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:26,720 Speaker 1: what were your takeaways from that quarterback battle? Well, Sanchez 65 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:28,960 Speaker 1: started out as we would expect with the pick six, 66 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:32,560 Speaker 1: but rallied came back. Gino Smith really didn't look that 67 00:03:32,639 --> 00:03:36,440 Speaker 1: good two, three and out on two or three stories, uh, 68 00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:39,200 Speaker 1: two or three series. By the end of the game, 69 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:42,040 Speaker 1: it seemed like Sanchez had maybe gained momentum. Geno Smith 70 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:45,480 Speaker 1: is back practicing again, so we'll see what happens. Um. 71 00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:48,600 Speaker 1: I think in any of these battles, the Jets is 72 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:51,520 Speaker 1: the hardest one to read because what we know about 73 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:54,320 Speaker 1: quarterback battles as you follow the money trail or the 74 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 1: draft pick trail, and that works. When you have a 75 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:01,160 Speaker 1: coach who was hired by the g it really works. 76 00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:04,560 Speaker 1: He can tell nine of a time wherever they're invested. 77 00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:07,680 Speaker 1: That's that's how they're going to slant the competition. Uh, 78 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:10,120 Speaker 1: the coaches have control of basically how the competition is 79 00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:13,080 Speaker 1: gonna play out with the Jets. You know we've we've 80 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:16,360 Speaker 1: repeated this. Rex Ryan and John Edzec do not have 81 00:04:16,440 --> 00:04:19,719 Speaker 1: the same goal in mind here. Zec wants to see 82 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:22,560 Speaker 1: Gino Smith, I'm sure because he drafted him. Rex Ryan 83 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:24,440 Speaker 1: wants to win, so he might go with the veteran. 84 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:27,720 Speaker 1: But I think, um, I think Sanchez may have pulled 85 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:29,839 Speaker 1: ahead a little bit. It's funny that you said, I 86 00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:33,440 Speaker 1: agree with you too, notwithstanding that horrific pick six, which 87 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:36,279 Speaker 1: I got to see again this morning and it almost 88 00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:39,400 Speaker 1: turned my stomach. But you know, we it seemed early 89 00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:42,400 Speaker 1: on in training camp that Gino was heading towards the job, 90 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:45,279 Speaker 1: and now it seems as if Sanchez is back in 91 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:47,719 Speaker 1: front because Smith just doesn't seem like he's ready and 92 00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:49,640 Speaker 1: now he's got an ankle injury. I'm also, by the way, 93 00:04:49,680 --> 00:04:52,120 Speaker 1: excited that the first and only time Wilkes in the studio, 94 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:55,760 Speaker 1: we're talking jets will least favorite topic and he and 95 00:04:55,839 --> 00:04:58,479 Speaker 1: he's taking off his headphones and just this enjoying the 96 00:04:58,520 --> 00:05:01,120 Speaker 1: show as a fan at this and he's walking out 97 00:05:01,839 --> 00:05:06,000 Speaker 1: and he goes into the sunset a hero. He's gonna 98 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:08,040 Speaker 1: miss all the glory days of the Around the League 99 00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:11,120 Speaker 1: podcast to come. Yeah, I think I think uh Santa 100 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:13,000 Speaker 1: is probably the leader right now, but it's early, and 101 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:15,360 Speaker 1: I think that was similar with all the quarterback battles 102 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:19,320 Speaker 1: this weekend, really Jacksonville, neither one stood out, but Blaine 103 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:21,400 Speaker 1: Gabbert kind of stood out in the wrong way. Yeah, 104 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:25,840 Speaker 1: he definitely stood out for inaptitude. Nineteen attempts, Oh no, 105 00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:29,599 Speaker 1: what was it? Ten attempts nineteen yards? That stuff to 106 00:05:29,640 --> 00:05:32,760 Speaker 1: do in the NFL one nine yards per tempt. Well, yeah, 107 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:36,560 Speaker 1: when you're when your yards per attempt is lower um 108 00:05:36,839 --> 00:05:40,160 Speaker 1: than your yards per carry as a quarterback, you're in trouble. 109 00:05:40,240 --> 00:05:43,080 Speaker 1: So we don't have a big takeaway there. The Eagles, 110 00:05:43,240 --> 00:05:45,760 Speaker 1: I think Michael Vick kind of held serve. Looked very good. 111 00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:47,880 Speaker 1: There's no reason to think he won't win the job 112 00:05:48,640 --> 00:05:51,320 Speaker 1: if he continues playing well, and he looked very good. 113 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:54,440 Speaker 1: And then Buffalo was the other interesting one. Kevin Cobb 114 00:05:54,480 --> 00:05:56,200 Speaker 1: didn't play this week, but we got to look at 115 00:05:56,279 --> 00:05:59,640 Speaker 1: E J. Manuel a little bit on Sunday, Chris, Yeah, 116 00:05:59,640 --> 00:06:02,760 Speaker 1: I thought the results were mixed. What we what we 117 00:06:02,800 --> 00:06:04,800 Speaker 1: can take from that game is that the Bills are 118 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:06,520 Speaker 1: going to be one of the run heaviest teams in 119 00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:09,920 Speaker 1: the league. And if Manual gets the job, which I 120 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:12,520 Speaker 1: expect him to, they're just going to manage him his 121 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:15,400 Speaker 1: first year. They're gonna run the ball. They're gonna They're 122 00:06:15,400 --> 00:06:18,840 Speaker 1: gonna ej Manuel is gonna throw short passes, might take 123 00:06:18,880 --> 00:06:21,080 Speaker 1: a few chances downfield every once in a while, but 124 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:23,160 Speaker 1: this is not going to be something where Manuel is 125 00:06:23,160 --> 00:06:25,040 Speaker 1: gonna come in and do what the rookie quarterbacks did 126 00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:27,480 Speaker 1: last year. I just want to say to everyone that's 127 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:30,800 Speaker 1: getting excited about this. I've read some things of seeing 128 00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:33,599 Speaker 1: some things about e j Manuel. What a great first 129 00:06:33,640 --> 00:06:36,359 Speaker 1: perform Are you watching the same game? It was? He 130 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:39,360 Speaker 1: didn't move the offense until the Colds third string defense 131 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:42,200 Speaker 1: was in there. Hype down. It was twenty one attempts 132 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:43,920 Speaker 1: for a hundred and six yards. That's not good. That's 133 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:46,520 Speaker 1: that's the blame. Gabbard zone. He did nothing wrong, He 134 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:49,160 Speaker 1: did nothing too exciting. He moved the ball in a 135 00:06:49,279 --> 00:06:52,120 Speaker 1: nice two minute drill against the third stringers. But it's 136 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:54,480 Speaker 1: the same thing we talked about with the Browns last week, 137 00:06:54,520 --> 00:06:57,000 Speaker 1: that they're just looking for something to get excited about. 138 00:06:57,440 --> 00:07:00,600 Speaker 1: Expectations are awfully low in several cities, and him in America, 139 00:07:00,839 --> 00:07:03,760 Speaker 1: the Buffalo fans, they deserve hope. So you know, even 140 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:07,839 Speaker 1: though maybe the performance wasn't necessarily dynamic, he was he 141 00:07:07,839 --> 00:07:10,240 Speaker 1: didn't you know bomb either, So there are things to 142 00:07:10,280 --> 00:07:12,880 Speaker 1: take out of that game, but let's not get carried away. 143 00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:14,880 Speaker 1: I agree. Now he was fine, and if he is 144 00:07:14,960 --> 00:07:17,960 Speaker 1: fine throughout the preseason, I expect him to be the starter, 145 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:20,240 Speaker 1: just because everything else about him. I think they love 146 00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:23,800 Speaker 1: the intangibles, the leadership, and so if he's just okay 147 00:07:23,840 --> 00:07:26,200 Speaker 1: and doesn't doesn't really mess up, I think he'll be 148 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:29,880 Speaker 1: the guy. I'm excited about our next guest, our first 149 00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:33,120 Speaker 1: guest into the Around the League podcast studios. We are 150 00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:36,960 Speaker 1: pleased to be joined by Rich eisen Rich, just past 151 00:07:37,160 --> 00:07:43,320 Speaker 1: his ten million podcast download We've just hit ten downloads. 152 00:07:43,360 --> 00:07:45,840 Speaker 1: That's fine. You got to start from somewhere, man, you 153 00:07:45,920 --> 00:07:48,200 Speaker 1: gotta start from somewhere. Well, you are the sense of 154 00:07:48,280 --> 00:07:51,520 Speaker 1: podcasts out here. Maybe out here. I don't know why. 155 00:07:51,520 --> 00:07:53,280 Speaker 1: I was the first to do one here, and it 156 00:07:53,400 --> 00:07:57,720 Speaker 1: was fun just to attempt it, and it's just taken 157 00:07:57,720 --> 00:08:00,640 Speaker 1: on a life of its own, and you know, I 158 00:08:00,640 --> 00:08:03,720 Speaker 1: I love doing it. It's just, you know, it's difficult 159 00:08:03,760 --> 00:08:07,240 Speaker 1: to go back to the day job, for lack of 160 00:08:07,280 --> 00:08:10,120 Speaker 1: better phrase, when the producers in your ears saying, you know, 161 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:13,280 Speaker 1: two minutes left, three minutes left, or you've got to 162 00:08:14,080 --> 00:08:18,680 Speaker 1: um share the rock with all of your analysts and UM, 163 00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:21,960 Speaker 1: it's a different format, but I love this one. I 164 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:24,320 Speaker 1: love it. I've I've been lucky enough. I've sat behind 165 00:08:24,320 --> 00:08:26,240 Speaker 1: the glass for are the around the League blog and 166 00:08:26,280 --> 00:08:28,440 Speaker 1: listen to some whether you had Mayok on the phone 167 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:30,200 Speaker 1: or other guests. And I can't thank you enough by 168 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:35,400 Speaker 1: the way, you guys have been spectacular. The downloads have clearly, 169 00:08:36,040 --> 00:08:39,080 Speaker 1: I believe, have clearly gone up ever since your your 170 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:43,800 Speaker 1: unit was created, and I meant that figuratively. UM. And 171 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:46,080 Speaker 1: you know what you guys have done in terms of 172 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:51,840 Speaker 1: your writing style and how you uh, how you post 173 00:08:51,880 --> 00:08:54,600 Speaker 1: your material, it really has been great. So not to 174 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:56,720 Speaker 1: interrupt you, but thank you for that. No, well that 175 00:08:56,840 --> 00:08:59,400 Speaker 1: thank you very much. But yeah, my point was is that, 176 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:01,959 Speaker 1: you know, I remember you saying on one of the 177 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:04,200 Speaker 1: podcasts I was sitting in on how this was your baby? 178 00:09:04,240 --> 00:09:06,280 Speaker 1: How the I guess, And I guess that ties into 179 00:09:06,280 --> 00:09:08,120 Speaker 1: what you're saying, Yeah it is. I mean, it's just 180 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:11,120 Speaker 1: you know, obviously my name's on it and UM, and 181 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:15,920 Speaker 1: it's something that um with what we do for a living, UM, 182 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:18,880 Speaker 1: who are I guess, for the lack of a better phrase, 183 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:24,480 Speaker 1: content creators with what we do. UM, to be able 184 00:09:24,520 --> 00:09:27,839 Speaker 1: to have a forum in which you decide what you're 185 00:09:27,840 --> 00:09:30,960 Speaker 1: going to talk about and who you're having on as guests, 186 00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:33,200 Speaker 1: and how you put it all together and execute the 187 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:37,200 Speaker 1: game plan, UM as your own producer, it's really a blessing. 188 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:42,080 Speaker 1: And you know, it's been great seeing other podcasts created 189 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:46,200 Speaker 1: under the NFL Media label. UM, and I just look 190 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:50,080 Speaker 1: forward to the technology catching up with what we're doing here. 191 00:09:50,280 --> 00:09:54,240 Speaker 1: And so when you guys have a podcast, it you know, 192 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:57,960 Speaker 1: directs people to mind and vice versa. And you know, 193 00:09:58,040 --> 00:10:01,280 Speaker 1: we're we're still as a unit here, uh, getting used 194 00:10:01,280 --> 00:10:04,080 Speaker 1: to that, and UM, you know, we're still we're still 195 00:10:04,120 --> 00:10:07,640 Speaker 1: young on the podcast front, certainly compared to what other 196 00:10:07,679 --> 00:10:11,800 Speaker 1: people are across the industry are doing. And it's just 197 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:13,440 Speaker 1: fun to see. It's just fun to see more and 198 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:15,480 Speaker 1: more of them come up. So what would your advice 199 00:10:15,520 --> 00:10:20,440 Speaker 1: be for us? Just stop its futile. It's futile. It's futile. 200 00:10:20,880 --> 00:10:22,520 Speaker 1: It's got nothing to do with with what I do 201 00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:24,600 Speaker 1: or anything here. It's just you know, no, I mean, 202 00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:28,360 Speaker 1: just um, enjoy it. You guys clearly are enjoying what 203 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:31,160 Speaker 1: you're doing. That's obvious, right, right. I mean, we're trying 204 00:10:31,200 --> 00:10:33,960 Speaker 1: to bring it just downstairs. We're talking all day about 205 00:10:33,960 --> 00:10:36,040 Speaker 1: these stories. So if we can just bring that upstairs, 206 00:10:36,080 --> 00:10:38,800 Speaker 1: that that's it. Well, you know, in in in all honesty, 207 00:10:38,840 --> 00:10:42,079 Speaker 1: that's what p t I is. Who was Its two 208 00:10:42,120 --> 00:10:47,120 Speaker 1: guys sitting in a newsroom who are wildly entertaining and 209 00:10:48,400 --> 00:10:56,320 Speaker 1: extremely well informed and spectacular friends, um and taking that 210 00:10:56,360 --> 00:11:01,520 Speaker 1: and finding the proper format and a superb producer and 211 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:04,360 Speaker 1: producing staff actually that they have their at p t I. 212 00:11:04,360 --> 00:11:06,640 Speaker 1: I know, the guys who put that together. I mean, 213 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:09,400 Speaker 1: it's really one of those rare instances in our industry 214 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:14,160 Speaker 1: where it all clicks on every cylinder and you've got uh, 215 00:11:14,280 --> 00:11:17,320 Speaker 1: really talented people at every spot on the program, on 216 00:11:17,440 --> 00:11:19,839 Speaker 1: and off the air, so and that and and that's 217 00:11:19,880 --> 00:11:21,360 Speaker 1: what we do. I mean some of the most fun 218 00:11:21,400 --> 00:11:24,960 Speaker 1: exchanges happen in the newsroom. I didn't think about that 219 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:28,040 Speaker 1: with p t I. But yeah, that's the organic Uh 220 00:11:29,440 --> 00:11:32,600 Speaker 1: and Corneiser known each other for forever in a day, 221 00:11:32,760 --> 00:11:35,720 Speaker 1: and and the way they would act towards one another 222 00:11:35,760 --> 00:11:38,640 Speaker 1: off the air and probably in the newsroom. Just put 223 00:11:38,679 --> 00:11:42,080 Speaker 1: that on television, but find a way to do it 224 00:11:42,600 --> 00:11:45,080 Speaker 1: with the rundown and you know, and the characters and 225 00:11:45,120 --> 00:11:47,480 Speaker 1: the and the concept with the clock and all that stuff. 226 00:11:47,520 --> 00:11:49,880 Speaker 1: It's not too far removed from just sticking a microphone 227 00:11:49,920 --> 00:11:51,800 Speaker 1: between them. Is they're going about their day. Well, that's 228 00:11:51,800 --> 00:11:54,600 Speaker 1: what they've tried to do, and they've they certainly replicated that. 229 00:11:54,760 --> 00:11:56,600 Speaker 1: So I feel like we could talk about I have 230 00:11:56,679 --> 00:11:58,960 Speaker 1: so many questions I want to ask you. We only 231 00:11:58,960 --> 00:12:01,320 Speaker 1: have so much time for the other. The other day 232 00:12:01,640 --> 00:12:03,640 Speaker 1: you had Larry David on, which is great. I feel 233 00:12:03,679 --> 00:12:05,839 Speaker 1: like you could have Larry David on me too. It 234 00:12:05,880 --> 00:12:08,719 Speaker 1: would just be I could list that guy is outstanding. 235 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:13,320 Speaker 1: I love his offensive philosophy. You asked a four down guy. 236 00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:16,600 Speaker 1: He's a four down guy, which isn't that crazy? You know? 237 00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:18,839 Speaker 1: Well it's not, you know, it's not. That's why he 238 00:12:18,880 --> 00:12:21,280 Speaker 1: says that every two minute drills are so successful, is 239 00:12:21,320 --> 00:12:24,360 Speaker 1: that there's no you don't have you throw out your 240 00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:26,920 Speaker 1: conscience when it's fourth down because you have to do it. 241 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:29,160 Speaker 1: You know, you use all four downs. So it makes 242 00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:30,800 Speaker 1: sense that one and that in a way if you 243 00:12:30,800 --> 00:12:33,080 Speaker 1: think it's what Chip Kelly is doing, not not in 244 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:35,720 Speaker 1: the fat and that he won't punt, or that he 245 00:12:35,800 --> 00:12:38,800 Speaker 1: has no conscience, but it's just basically like every down 246 00:12:39,960 --> 00:12:42,080 Speaker 1: is one to put the pedal to the metal. It's 247 00:12:42,120 --> 00:12:45,319 Speaker 1: sort of a Madden way of playing the game. And 248 00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:47,480 Speaker 1: I don't talk about John Madden, the individual or the 249 00:12:47,559 --> 00:12:51,880 Speaker 1: video game. So maybe Larry's Maybe Larry's at the forefront here. 250 00:12:52,120 --> 00:12:55,240 Speaker 1: You asked him about if he was commissioner for a day. Yes, 251 00:12:55,440 --> 00:12:57,880 Speaker 1: you know what would he? I threw him on that one, 252 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:01,400 Speaker 1: kind of tapped in on that one. Yeah, I want 253 00:13:01,400 --> 00:13:03,199 Speaker 1: to know, because I know you have some strong thoughts 254 00:13:03,200 --> 00:13:06,760 Speaker 1: about the rules and regulation the league, what you would do, 255 00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:08,960 Speaker 1: because well, I don't know. I'm sort of like a 256 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:11,400 Speaker 1: Red Sox fan after they won the World Series. I 257 00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:13,839 Speaker 1: got nothing. I got no windmills to tilt at right now. 258 00:13:14,200 --> 00:13:18,160 Speaker 1: Once the once the the talk rule got thrown out, 259 00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:23,640 Speaker 1: you know, um that that to me was an abomination 260 00:13:23,960 --> 00:13:29,800 Speaker 1: because the idea of talking the football and concluding that 261 00:13:29,800 --> 00:13:35,360 Speaker 1: that's part of the throwing the pass um action, to 262 00:13:35,480 --> 00:13:38,760 Speaker 1: me made no sense because you're talking of football. That's 263 00:13:38,800 --> 00:13:41,800 Speaker 1: the clearest indication that you no longer intend to throw it, 264 00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:45,280 Speaker 1: and you are now trying to do something else other 265 00:13:45,320 --> 00:13:48,520 Speaker 1: than throw it. So finally, I'm glad that the league 266 00:13:48,920 --> 00:13:52,240 Speaker 1: caught up when I was putting down for so long. 267 00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:56,440 Speaker 1: From a common sense perspective, yes, um, you know to me, um, 268 00:13:56,480 --> 00:14:01,400 Speaker 1: it would be reviewing more penalty ease. Now. I understand 269 00:14:01,440 --> 00:14:03,040 Speaker 1: that they want to have the flow of the game 270 00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:09,320 Speaker 1: going on, but reviewing the helmet to helmet contact call 271 00:14:10,240 --> 00:14:14,319 Speaker 1: that should be reviewable that because officials are out there 272 00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:19,760 Speaker 1: trying to err on the side of player safety, and um, 273 00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:22,840 Speaker 1: so they're gonna throw flags when they think they see it. 274 00:14:23,440 --> 00:14:26,440 Speaker 1: But so many times the helmet is touching a shoulder pad, 275 00:14:26,560 --> 00:14:30,440 Speaker 1: or the shoulder pad is touching the helmet, and we're 276 00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:33,880 Speaker 1: not seeing the clashing of face masks that the referees 277 00:14:33,920 --> 00:14:36,880 Speaker 1: thought they saw in real time at an absurd rate 278 00:14:36,920 --> 00:14:41,520 Speaker 1: of speed. And those fifteen yard penalties are drive killers 279 00:14:42,840 --> 00:14:49,960 Speaker 1: or there they they alter or they drive um accelerators, 280 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:55,040 Speaker 1: and it alters an outcome because more often than not, 281 00:14:55,360 --> 00:14:59,680 Speaker 1: fifteen yard penalties when they are assessed, let's put it 282 00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:02,400 Speaker 1: this w they're assessed in the favor of the offense. 283 00:15:03,160 --> 00:15:06,240 Speaker 1: I would proffer to say a large percentage of those 284 00:15:06,320 --> 00:15:10,320 Speaker 1: drives are gonna result in points. And so I think 285 00:15:10,640 --> 00:15:14,080 Speaker 1: saying let's pause a minute, go under the helmet and 286 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:18,760 Speaker 1: really see if these helmets collided, I would love to 287 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:21,640 Speaker 1: see that, but that's nonstarter with every person I talked 288 00:15:21,680 --> 00:15:24,880 Speaker 1: to in the NFL because it's a Pandora's box. If 289 00:15:24,920 --> 00:15:28,960 Speaker 1: the plays and if the flags not called, and the 290 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:32,520 Speaker 1: coach believes there there was helmet helmet contact, will we 291 00:15:32,560 --> 00:15:35,120 Speaker 1: allow that coach to throw the flag to challenge it now? 292 00:15:36,040 --> 00:15:39,440 Speaker 1: And how many other penalties are you're going to allow 293 00:15:39,560 --> 00:15:42,280 Speaker 1: that for? Because they want these games to be played 294 00:15:42,280 --> 00:15:44,920 Speaker 1: in a timely fashion as opposed to sitting and pausing 295 00:15:45,360 --> 00:15:47,800 Speaker 1: and having a guy run under a hood, which I 296 00:15:47,880 --> 00:15:51,000 Speaker 1: spoke to Dean Blandino this week, just give him, give 297 00:15:51,080 --> 00:15:55,160 Speaker 1: him a tablet. You know why why does the guy 298 00:15:55,160 --> 00:15:59,640 Speaker 1: on the field need to I talked about it? Is 299 00:15:59,680 --> 00:16:02,800 Speaker 1: that because here's why I've mentioned this all the time 300 00:16:02,840 --> 00:16:06,480 Speaker 1: to to pooh bahs folks up our float chart here. 301 00:16:07,160 --> 00:16:12,640 Speaker 1: Coaches want to have the referee on the field be 302 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:14,760 Speaker 1: part of the process because they want to look the 303 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:18,200 Speaker 1: guy in the eye of who's making this decision. They 304 00:16:18,240 --> 00:16:21,000 Speaker 1: don't want it to be like college where some guy, 305 00:16:21,160 --> 00:16:25,880 Speaker 1: some you know, retiree who isn't dead practice or isn't 306 00:16:26,320 --> 00:16:29,160 Speaker 1: up to the game speed, who's up above the field 307 00:16:29,200 --> 00:16:32,800 Speaker 1: and hasn't really been boots on the ground literally and figuratively, 308 00:16:33,640 --> 00:16:37,480 Speaker 1: like college make these decisions because they want to look 309 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:40,120 Speaker 1: the eye and referee to face what did you see? 310 00:16:40,480 --> 00:16:42,840 Speaker 1: You can't have a referee come back at them with 311 00:16:43,000 --> 00:16:46,080 Speaker 1: a call they don't want to hear. That is so crucial. 312 00:16:46,880 --> 00:16:49,680 Speaker 1: Let's basically say, I don't know. You have to ask 313 00:16:49,760 --> 00:16:55,000 Speaker 1: him upstairs. And I've said many times that the league 314 00:16:55,040 --> 00:16:58,640 Speaker 1: should be like what the NHL does, where they make 315 00:16:58,680 --> 00:17:01,240 Speaker 1: the call from their head quarters in New York City. 316 00:17:01,440 --> 00:17:06,120 Speaker 1: Just do it. Just own the process. And that way, 317 00:17:06,119 --> 00:17:09,000 Speaker 1: Dean Blandino, the VP, could just be called over, Hey, Boss, 318 00:17:09,119 --> 00:17:12,399 Speaker 1: something's going on in Buffalo. You need to stand here 319 00:17:12,960 --> 00:17:15,440 Speaker 1: and hope that something also doesn't happen at the same 320 00:17:15,440 --> 00:17:19,200 Speaker 1: time in Cleveland. And that would require his presence as well. 321 00:17:19,840 --> 00:17:22,160 Speaker 1: But you just trained somebody in New York to make 322 00:17:22,200 --> 00:17:25,080 Speaker 1: these calls. That way, the league owns the call and 323 00:17:25,119 --> 00:17:29,240 Speaker 1: can't say, well, what happened at the game was wrong, 324 00:17:29,440 --> 00:17:32,200 Speaker 1: and we are now sending out a press release admitting 325 00:17:32,200 --> 00:17:35,440 Speaker 1: that a mistake was made. All of that happened, All 326 00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:37,439 Speaker 1: of that just boils down to a coach in the 327 00:17:37,520 --> 00:17:41,240 Speaker 1: NFL wants to look the eye, see the eye, look 328 00:17:41,320 --> 00:17:43,840 Speaker 1: the guy who's making this decision right in the face, 329 00:17:43,920 --> 00:17:47,080 Speaker 1: and have an answer. And that's part of why there 330 00:17:47,160 --> 00:17:50,080 Speaker 1: was so much going on with the replacement refs, where 331 00:17:50,080 --> 00:17:51,679 Speaker 1: there was a lot of arguing and a lot of 332 00:17:51,680 --> 00:17:55,679 Speaker 1: coaches out by the numbers and a lot of uh 333 00:17:55,720 --> 00:17:58,800 Speaker 1: coaches losing their steam. The modern day Lombardi touching an 334 00:17:58,840 --> 00:18:02,600 Speaker 1: official is because they did not trust the person they 335 00:18:02,640 --> 00:18:05,840 Speaker 1: were looking in the eye to have done a competent 336 00:18:06,080 --> 00:18:09,160 Speaker 1: enough job, because they didn't even think that that person 337 00:18:09,200 --> 00:18:12,560 Speaker 1: they were looking in the eye even could uh run 338 00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:15,600 Speaker 1: the game. Forget about knowing the rule book, just just 339 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:19,240 Speaker 1: actually uh run a game. It's kind of hard to 340 00:18:19,280 --> 00:18:21,800 Speaker 1: even like think about that and realize that that happened 341 00:18:21,840 --> 00:18:26,359 Speaker 1: less half twelve months ago. It was almost surreal, especially after, 342 00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:28,560 Speaker 1: of course the fail mary to think that that was 343 00:18:28,600 --> 00:18:31,640 Speaker 1: happening on such a grand stage. So, yeah, but that's 344 00:18:31,640 --> 00:18:34,639 Speaker 1: what I would change, Yeah, you know, I would do that. Um, 345 00:18:34,680 --> 00:18:36,399 Speaker 1: I have a question changing gears a little bit, going 346 00:18:36,440 --> 00:18:39,520 Speaker 1: back to Rich Eyes and the NFL network guy. So 347 00:18:39,880 --> 00:18:43,080 Speaker 1: two thousand and three, you come on, and so ten 348 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:45,680 Speaker 1: years this ten years, this tenure, well, I mean it 349 00:18:45,760 --> 00:18:47,840 Speaker 1: was ten years ago right now. I had just come 350 00:18:47,880 --> 00:18:51,159 Speaker 1: back from the fort anniversary of the Pro Football Hall 351 00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:55,640 Speaker 1: of Fame, where I went with Eric Weinberger and Charles Complin, 352 00:18:55,680 --> 00:18:59,400 Speaker 1: who's now with the NHL Network. He was the head 353 00:18:59,400 --> 00:19:02,280 Speaker 1: of our pro gramming department back then. The three of 354 00:19:02,400 --> 00:19:05,359 Speaker 1: us and maybe one other person whose name escapes me, 355 00:19:05,560 --> 00:19:09,679 Speaker 1: we went there and uh, we went there to shoot 356 00:19:09,720 --> 00:19:14,520 Speaker 1: a couple of interviews UM with many of the returning 357 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:18,520 Speaker 1: Hall of famers with the list Fort was equally as 358 00:19:18,520 --> 00:19:22,080 Speaker 1: impressive as the list for perhaps even more so because 359 00:19:22,119 --> 00:19:24,840 Speaker 1: of the old old school folks who have since passed 360 00:19:25,320 --> 00:19:27,960 Speaker 1: were walking around there. One of them Merlin Olsen, for instance, 361 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:30,800 Speaker 1: who as I told when I am c the jack 362 00:19:30,800 --> 00:19:34,320 Speaker 1: at dinner this week. Sitting down for those sets of interviews, 363 00:19:34,359 --> 00:19:39,080 Speaker 1: we we set up of some director's chairs in the 364 00:19:39,119 --> 00:19:43,520 Speaker 1: bust room and UH interviewed. Had three sets of interviews, 365 00:19:43,520 --> 00:19:45,520 Speaker 1: one with coaches, one with quarterbacks, and one with the 366 00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:49,040 Speaker 1: hardest hitters. And we had the for the hardest hitters 367 00:19:49,119 --> 00:19:54,320 Speaker 1: was Ronnie Lott, Merlin Olson, and Lawrence Taylor who never showed, 368 00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:58,359 Speaker 1: so it was just me, Merlin and Ronnie Lott. And 369 00:19:58,359 --> 00:20:01,520 Speaker 1: I asked, Merlin Olson, what's the just you ever hit somebody, 370 00:20:02,040 --> 00:20:03,960 Speaker 1: And he said, without a question, it was Jim Brown. 371 00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:07,040 Speaker 1: I hit him so hard that we were talking all 372 00:20:07,040 --> 00:20:09,240 Speaker 1: week long when the Browns were coming to the l 373 00:20:09,280 --> 00:20:11,040 Speaker 1: A policy and that we just had to we had 374 00:20:11,040 --> 00:20:12,720 Speaker 1: to hit him. All of us were talking about Deacon 375 00:20:12,920 --> 00:20:15,359 Speaker 1: and Rosie and you know, Lamar, all of them were 376 00:20:15,359 --> 00:20:17,560 Speaker 1: talking about they had to take care of Jim Brown. 377 00:20:17,920 --> 00:20:20,400 Speaker 1: So sure enough, Jim Brown comes around the end one 378 00:20:20,440 --> 00:20:23,760 Speaker 1: play and and Merlin's got the clearest shot he's had 379 00:20:23,760 --> 00:20:26,639 Speaker 1: in his entire life in the playing field, and he 380 00:20:26,800 --> 00:20:29,120 Speaker 1: unloaded on Jim Brown. And he said he had visions 381 00:20:29,760 --> 00:20:32,480 Speaker 1: of Jim Brown's eyes rolling in the back of his head. 382 00:20:32,560 --> 00:20:35,640 Speaker 1: Hit him so hard, and he got up, looked up 383 00:20:35,840 --> 00:20:39,600 Speaker 1: and saw Jim going another seventy yards five time. And 384 00:20:39,680 --> 00:20:42,480 Speaker 1: that story, he told me that shoot, and it's still 385 00:20:42,520 --> 00:20:46,000 Speaker 1: the maybe the best story I've ever been told, a 386 00:20:46,040 --> 00:20:48,080 Speaker 1: lot of fun stories. But we were there, and I 387 00:20:48,119 --> 00:20:49,840 Speaker 1: remember people were coming up to him saying, so what 388 00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:52,160 Speaker 1: is this NFL network we're hearing about? Because we didn't 389 00:20:52,160 --> 00:20:54,000 Speaker 1: go on the air until November week ten of the 390 00:20:54,040 --> 00:20:57,240 Speaker 1: two thousand three season. And um, you know, because to 391 00:20:57,280 --> 00:20:59,520 Speaker 1: the credit of those who are putting this network together. 392 00:21:00,119 --> 00:21:02,240 Speaker 1: They understood we gotta get our ducks in a row. 393 00:21:02,359 --> 00:21:04,120 Speaker 1: We don't have to be ready week one. If we're 394 00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:06,320 Speaker 1: not ready, we're not going. So they made a decision. 395 00:21:06,359 --> 00:21:08,240 Speaker 1: I don't know why or who, you have to ask others, 396 00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:12,000 Speaker 1: but Week ten, the Tuesday of week ten, November four, 397 00:21:12,200 --> 00:21:14,560 Speaker 1: two thousand and three, we went on the air. And 398 00:21:14,600 --> 00:21:16,320 Speaker 1: so a lot of people, this was August oh three. 399 00:21:16,320 --> 00:21:18,359 Speaker 1: Didn't you know we were on the air. They even know, 400 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:20,080 Speaker 1: And there was a lot of the league employees were 401 00:21:20,119 --> 00:21:21,639 Speaker 1: coming up to me because they were they knew I 402 00:21:21,680 --> 00:21:24,600 Speaker 1: had been hired from Sports Center to do this, and like, 403 00:21:24,640 --> 00:21:26,720 Speaker 1: tell me what's going on? And I'm like, I sort 404 00:21:26,720 --> 00:21:28,600 Speaker 1: of don't know myself, you know, I just got to 405 00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:30,960 Speaker 1: figure out what I'm doing for these interviews, which we, 406 00:21:31,040 --> 00:21:33,960 Speaker 1: by the way, kept in the can for an entire 407 00:21:34,040 --> 00:21:36,280 Speaker 1: calendar year. We didn't air them until the summer of 408 00:21:36,320 --> 00:21:40,679 Speaker 1: oh four. We made some shows out of it, so uh, 409 00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:43,679 Speaker 1: some of us, including myself, could fly from l A 410 00:21:43,760 --> 00:21:47,000 Speaker 1: to Ohio to anchor our coverage from there because we 411 00:21:47,040 --> 00:21:49,280 Speaker 1: didn't have somebody else to do it. So we we 412 00:21:49,359 --> 00:21:50,960 Speaker 1: put those shows on the air. It's like a de 413 00:21:51,080 --> 00:21:55,000 Speaker 1: facto total access um and hope that news didn't break, 414 00:21:55,080 --> 00:21:56,600 Speaker 1: which we did a lot of in the first in 415 00:21:56,640 --> 00:21:59,400 Speaker 1: the in the first days. Then so you were you're 416 00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:03,000 Speaker 1: obviously you've been the face of our coverage for every 417 00:22:03,040 --> 00:22:06,879 Speaker 1: major event, just a face. But I appreciate you. You 418 00:22:06,920 --> 00:22:09,159 Speaker 1: had your own ad campaign to start out, let's be 419 00:22:09,160 --> 00:22:13,040 Speaker 1: real hit. That's pretty sweet. Hasn't happened since, but that's okay. 420 00:22:13,280 --> 00:22:17,280 Speaker 1: So yeah, I mean this the Super Bowl blackout, you know, 421 00:22:17,359 --> 00:22:22,080 Speaker 1: that brought to mind the pressures that come with live TV, 422 00:22:22,680 --> 00:22:24,439 Speaker 1: and I guess we were downstairs talking about what are 423 00:22:24,440 --> 00:22:26,080 Speaker 1: we gonna ask Rich And one thing we were curious 424 00:22:26,080 --> 00:22:28,720 Speaker 1: about was the trickiest moment you ever had to deal 425 00:22:28,800 --> 00:22:32,320 Speaker 1: with on air in the past ten years here on 426 00:22:32,400 --> 00:22:36,359 Speaker 1: the air. Trickiest moment, um, some of them have to be, 427 00:22:36,480 --> 00:22:39,560 Speaker 1: you know, when we're on Live TV and um in 428 00:22:39,880 --> 00:22:44,760 Speaker 1: uh at the games. One that leaps to mind was 429 00:22:44,800 --> 00:22:48,800 Speaker 1: our first year we were in Atlanta and it's Cowboys 430 00:22:49,000 --> 00:22:52,560 Speaker 1: and the Falcons on a Saturday night and um in 431 00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:55,720 Speaker 1: two thousand six and I come out of the locker room, 432 00:22:56,240 --> 00:22:59,639 Speaker 1: um or are I come out of our green room there, 433 00:22:59,680 --> 00:23:02,160 Speaker 1: which is in one of the corners of the end zone. 434 00:23:02,200 --> 00:23:05,480 Speaker 1: In Uh in the Georgia Dome on the Falcon side 435 00:23:05,480 --> 00:23:07,879 Speaker 1: of the field, and somebody who I didn't know from 436 00:23:07,920 --> 00:23:11,640 Speaker 1: the Falcons comes running up to me saying, D'Angelo Hall. 437 00:23:12,920 --> 00:23:17,879 Speaker 1: Uh says, t O spit in his face, and do 438 00:23:17,960 --> 00:23:20,160 Speaker 1: you have video of it? Um? I have no idea 439 00:23:20,200 --> 00:23:22,320 Speaker 1: what you're talking about. I know I saw D'Angelo Hall 440 00:23:22,359 --> 00:23:24,800 Speaker 1: go sort of, you know, ape on the sideline get 441 00:23:24,840 --> 00:23:26,640 Speaker 1: really upset, but I have no idea what it is. 442 00:23:27,520 --> 00:23:33,760 Speaker 1: And UM, sure enough, UM, it apparently had happened. One 443 00:23:33,800 --> 00:23:37,520 Speaker 1: of our of our twenty cameras didn't see it, and 444 00:23:37,600 --> 00:23:40,320 Speaker 1: we're on the air after the game. Cut two a 445 00:23:40,359 --> 00:23:42,359 Speaker 1: half later, it's on the air after the game, and 446 00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:47,440 Speaker 1: D'Angelo Hall says as much um in his postgame comments, 447 00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:51,159 Speaker 1: and then terall Owens, in his postgame comments admitted he 448 00:23:51,200 --> 00:23:54,920 Speaker 1: did in fact do that. And now the Cowboys won 449 00:23:54,920 --> 00:23:58,359 Speaker 1: the game, and it's now time for our postgame guest. 450 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:02,399 Speaker 1: Who is it going to be? It's tarall Owens, and 451 00:24:03,480 --> 00:24:05,320 Speaker 1: uh one of us has to get up from the 452 00:24:05,320 --> 00:24:07,479 Speaker 1: seat to make room for him. Because if we had 453 00:24:07,480 --> 00:24:11,880 Speaker 1: a really small set back, some Marshall Falk volunteered. Um. 454 00:24:12,600 --> 00:24:15,760 Speaker 1: I've never asked him I think Marshall gladly got up 455 00:24:16,200 --> 00:24:18,400 Speaker 1: as opposed to sitting with tarall Owens. I don't want 456 00:24:18,440 --> 00:24:20,719 Speaker 1: to talk for him, but it struck me that he 457 00:24:20,760 --> 00:24:24,280 Speaker 1: was more than happy to vacate, to vacate the premises. 458 00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:27,800 Speaker 1: Michael was not with us yet, so it was just 459 00:24:27,920 --> 00:24:33,840 Speaker 1: me and um Mooch and uh Dion with tarall Owens. 460 00:24:34,560 --> 00:24:39,160 Speaker 1: And as I see Taryll approaching in a golf cart, Um, 461 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:41,800 Speaker 1: I just lean over and just wondered too, you know, 462 00:24:41,840 --> 00:24:43,920 Speaker 1: some of the simplest questions that some of the best 463 00:24:43,960 --> 00:24:46,440 Speaker 1: questions are the simple ones. I turned to Marryuchi and 464 00:24:46,480 --> 00:24:49,159 Speaker 1: I say to him, I'm like, have you spoken to 465 00:24:49,359 --> 00:24:55,760 Speaker 1: t O since you left San Francisco? And he goes nope, 466 00:24:56,320 --> 00:24:58,800 Speaker 1: And here comes tarall Owens walking up on live TV. 467 00:24:59,200 --> 00:25:02,320 Speaker 1: Hadn't spoken a word to the guy you know who 468 00:25:02,320 --> 00:25:04,440 Speaker 1: suspended him from the Star and all that stuff in 469 00:25:04,480 --> 00:25:09,760 Speaker 1: the Sharpie and all that business, and Um, who had 470 00:25:09,800 --> 00:25:12,520 Speaker 1: just done something absurd in the game, had to ask 471 00:25:12,680 --> 00:25:16,359 Speaker 1: about all of that stuff. And it was awkward. It 472 00:25:16,480 --> 00:25:20,080 Speaker 1: was awkward and by the way, interesting enough. That night 473 00:25:20,359 --> 00:25:23,440 Speaker 1: was the last win for Bill Parcels as a head 474 00:25:23,440 --> 00:25:26,840 Speaker 1: coach in the NFL. He left Dallas after that year, 475 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:30,040 Speaker 1: and uh, it was his last win his Cowboys head coach. 476 00:25:30,080 --> 00:25:32,160 Speaker 1: They eventually made the playoffs and that's when the Romo 477 00:25:33,119 --> 00:25:36,760 Speaker 1: bad Snap happened. They lasted, They lost their last couple 478 00:25:36,760 --> 00:25:40,480 Speaker 1: of games that year. So that was subsequently because you know, 479 00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:42,520 Speaker 1: Bill had never coached again. I mean, he did go 480 00:25:42,600 --> 00:25:47,439 Speaker 1: to to Miami, but um, you know, interesting enough. And 481 00:25:47,440 --> 00:25:50,560 Speaker 1: then there was another one last year where in Seattle 482 00:25:50,760 --> 00:25:54,720 Speaker 1: a couple of years ago where Urban sort of um 483 00:25:54,880 --> 00:25:59,080 Speaker 1: uh defended Shawn Jackson, even though as you remember, in 484 00:25:59,119 --> 00:26:01,280 Speaker 1: that game that was the one Vince Young started and 485 00:26:01,320 --> 00:26:05,240 Speaker 1: the Dream Team had fallen a complete crap and Deshaun 486 00:26:05,440 --> 00:26:09,040 Speaker 1: was half running routes and narrow it down a little 487 00:26:09,040 --> 00:26:11,840 Speaker 1: bit more, no, no, I know, a Thursday night game, 488 00:26:11,840 --> 00:26:14,160 Speaker 1: and and and and in a way, Irvin was sort 489 00:26:14,160 --> 00:26:16,280 Speaker 1: of giving the Deshaun point of view. And I argued 490 00:26:16,320 --> 00:26:17,840 Speaker 1: with Michael on the air, and it got it got 491 00:26:18,760 --> 00:26:21,080 Speaker 1: it got heated, and it got a little bit awkward. 492 00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:23,840 Speaker 1: But you know, the beautiful thing about Michael is that 493 00:26:23,920 --> 00:26:25,960 Speaker 1: he understands what I'm attempting to do on the air, 494 00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:28,200 Speaker 1: and that we have such a mutual respect and love 495 00:26:28,960 --> 00:26:31,080 Speaker 1: for one another that none of us are trying to 496 00:26:31,119 --> 00:26:33,880 Speaker 1: make points with the viewers at the expense of the other. 497 00:26:34,320 --> 00:26:36,960 Speaker 1: And everybody who I work with on the air here 498 00:26:37,280 --> 00:26:40,639 Speaker 1: knows that. Michael, especially who was at my wedding and 499 00:26:40,720 --> 00:26:42,840 Speaker 1: oh three, because he worked with my wife at Fox 500 00:26:42,880 --> 00:26:45,240 Speaker 1: Sports Net years before and she ran into him in 501 00:26:45,280 --> 00:26:47,399 Speaker 1: New York City a couple of days before we got married, 502 00:26:47,400 --> 00:26:50,359 Speaker 1: asked him to come. He said he would and showed 503 00:26:50,440 --> 00:26:54,640 Speaker 1: up in an electric blue tuxedo and was the talk 504 00:26:54,680 --> 00:26:57,120 Speaker 1: of the wedding thereafter, where all my friends are coming 505 00:26:57,160 --> 00:26:59,320 Speaker 1: up to me saying, was that Michael Irvin sitting back 506 00:26:59,359 --> 00:27:01,919 Speaker 1: because for the reception you just he did come just 507 00:27:01,960 --> 00:27:05,920 Speaker 1: watch us get married, which is pretty cool us. When 508 00:27:05,920 --> 00:27:08,000 Speaker 1: those moments are happening, there's got to be a part 509 00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:11,439 Speaker 1: of you that steps out outside yourself and realizes, like 510 00:27:11,480 --> 00:27:13,679 Speaker 1: it's good to Like when Joe Flacco was with you 511 00:27:13,720 --> 00:27:16,160 Speaker 1: guys after the Super Bowl? Are you are you kind 512 00:27:16,160 --> 00:27:18,280 Speaker 1: of sitting there just inside being like, well, those are 513 00:27:18,280 --> 00:27:21,280 Speaker 1: my favorite moments. Greg. You know, we we've been we've 514 00:27:21,280 --> 00:27:23,560 Speaker 1: been on that, I mean ever since our first Super 515 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:30,119 Speaker 1: Bowl was the Patriots and m Panthers in Houston, and 516 00:27:30,640 --> 00:27:34,960 Speaker 1: we you know, we were just eleven weeks old, and 517 00:27:35,000 --> 00:27:37,800 Speaker 1: we sensed what we could do at that Super Bowl. 518 00:27:38,119 --> 00:27:40,840 Speaker 1: We were the league was fully behind us. They distributed 519 00:27:40,840 --> 00:27:44,080 Speaker 1: as fully in all the the media buses and in 520 00:27:44,160 --> 00:27:47,920 Speaker 1: the convention Center and all the hotels. That was really 521 00:27:47,920 --> 00:27:50,440 Speaker 1: our coming out party where people because we were only 522 00:27:50,480 --> 00:27:52,680 Speaker 1: on in direct TV when we started, in various other 523 00:27:52,840 --> 00:27:58,679 Speaker 1: small cable outlets, probably about twelve million homes. And um, 524 00:27:58,720 --> 00:28:01,760 Speaker 1: you know, we we really we got some great guests 525 00:28:02,320 --> 00:28:05,840 Speaker 1: and you know, to be very honest, uh kick some 526 00:28:05,960 --> 00:28:08,600 Speaker 1: serious asks that week, to the point where my previous 527 00:28:08,600 --> 00:28:12,200 Speaker 1: employer had sent a couple of producers to our set 528 00:28:12,200 --> 00:28:14,560 Speaker 1: in the Convention Center to ask some of our guests 529 00:28:14,600 --> 00:28:17,199 Speaker 1: if they would come to their set afterwards. And we 530 00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:19,919 Speaker 1: were just eleven weeks old, and we had George Bush Sr. 531 00:28:20,200 --> 00:28:24,120 Speaker 1: That was booked by Bob McNair at tag lee Bus request. 532 00:28:24,200 --> 00:28:28,320 Speaker 1: And Brett Farve came on UM. This was the season 533 00:28:28,320 --> 00:28:30,520 Speaker 1: in which his father had passed away, and the season 534 00:28:30,600 --> 00:28:33,520 Speaker 1: ended with him being picked in Philadelphia by Brian Dawkins 535 00:28:33,520 --> 00:28:36,600 Speaker 1: in the playoff game. And he hadn't hadn't been UM 536 00:28:36,720 --> 00:28:39,880 Speaker 1: interviewed since and he came on, and you know, and 537 00:28:40,080 --> 00:28:44,080 Speaker 1: Eric Weinberger our executive producers always had the knack for 538 00:28:44,440 --> 00:28:48,600 Speaker 1: taking the guest and surrounding the guest with people that 539 00:28:48,640 --> 00:28:51,800 Speaker 1: he's either played with before, was on our staff, or 540 00:28:51,880 --> 00:28:54,080 Speaker 1: players who he goes out who were out of the 541 00:28:54,080 --> 00:29:01,440 Speaker 1: playoffs and invites to be correspondents or you know, guest analysts. So, uh, 542 00:29:01,520 --> 00:29:04,680 Speaker 1: we had Farv on that set on that show. To 543 00:29:04,840 --> 00:29:08,560 Speaker 1: his right was uh Sterling Sharp who's been with us 544 00:29:08,560 --> 00:29:12,360 Speaker 1: since day one, and to his left was guest analyst 545 00:29:12,400 --> 00:29:17,920 Speaker 1: Warren Sat And um, you know, and far basically was 546 00:29:18,080 --> 00:29:22,440 Speaker 1: immediately relaxed on the set because Terrell Davis was there too. 547 00:29:22,520 --> 00:29:24,400 Speaker 1: He was just beginning to kick the tires on the 548 00:29:24,440 --> 00:29:26,880 Speaker 1: TV business. And you know, and t d was the 549 00:29:26,920 --> 00:29:30,560 Speaker 1: guy who who denied him the second Super Bowl in 550 00:29:30,600 --> 00:29:32,239 Speaker 1: San Diego. He was the m v P of that 551 00:29:32,280 --> 00:29:34,760 Speaker 1: game who I believe was the one who scored when 552 00:29:34,760 --> 00:29:38,960 Speaker 1: Holmgren let Denver score at the end of the game 553 00:29:39,000 --> 00:29:42,400 Speaker 1: so they could get the ball back. Um. So there's 554 00:29:42,440 --> 00:29:45,200 Speaker 1: TV sitting on the set and in between Farv and 555 00:29:45,240 --> 00:29:48,400 Speaker 1: Sap and he taps uh Sterling on the knees says 556 00:29:48,480 --> 00:29:51,240 Speaker 1: you you raised me, and tap Sap on the knee 557 00:29:51,280 --> 00:29:54,440 Speaker 1: and said you aged me. And those are the great 558 00:29:54,440 --> 00:29:56,160 Speaker 1: moments where on the fly on the wall. And then 559 00:29:56,280 --> 00:30:01,840 Speaker 1: later that week, this the week ended with Solomon Wilcos 560 00:30:01,920 --> 00:30:05,360 Speaker 1: and I running onto the You know we didn't, I 561 00:30:05,360 --> 00:30:06,800 Speaker 1: mean we were already I was on the field for 562 00:30:06,800 --> 00:30:09,120 Speaker 1: the last three minutes of that game. It's also a 563 00:30:09,160 --> 00:30:13,040 Speaker 1: moment where I realized, just you know, how good Tom 564 00:30:13,080 --> 00:30:16,840 Speaker 1: Brady is. Also, as he was moving the Patriots down 565 00:30:16,920 --> 00:30:19,880 Speaker 1: the field, forget another minitary game winner, and every time 566 00:30:19,920 --> 00:30:22,479 Speaker 1: he let loose the football, they're moving away from us. 567 00:30:22,480 --> 00:30:25,560 Speaker 1: For standing in the end zone. Uh, as he released 568 00:30:25,560 --> 00:30:28,440 Speaker 1: the football, he was throwing it directly to a Carolina 569 00:30:28,480 --> 00:30:32,440 Speaker 1: panther each time, and with every last split second, one 570 00:30:32,480 --> 00:30:34,560 Speaker 1: of his receivers came running right into that spot and 571 00:30:34,560 --> 00:30:36,920 Speaker 1: caught the ball in a perfect spot. And after two 572 00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:40,520 Speaker 1: or three times, I realized, oh okay, Tom Brady was 573 00:30:40,560 --> 00:30:44,000 Speaker 1: exactly what he's doing. He's running his offense and trusting 574 00:30:44,000 --> 00:30:46,320 Speaker 1: his receivers to be in the spot. Which is why 575 00:30:46,400 --> 00:30:49,360 Speaker 1: the Chad Johnson's of the world did who go there? 576 00:30:49,360 --> 00:30:52,400 Speaker 1: Brandon Lloyd's of the world don't succeed because if you're 577 00:30:52,480 --> 00:30:55,520 Speaker 1: one yard off on your route, Tom Brady is not 578 00:30:55,560 --> 00:30:58,320 Speaker 1: going to look your way again. So that's why it 579 00:30:58,360 --> 00:30:59,960 Speaker 1: works with the Troy Browns of the world. And I'm 580 00:31:00,280 --> 00:31:05,000 Speaker 1: learned that right from the get go. Long story short, Um, 581 00:31:05,120 --> 00:31:08,280 Speaker 1: the game's over and we run out on the field 582 00:31:08,320 --> 00:31:11,120 Speaker 1: with director's chairs and Solomon and I were there, and 583 00:31:11,240 --> 00:31:13,760 Speaker 1: it was the first post game show we ever had 584 00:31:13,760 --> 00:31:15,520 Speaker 1: in the history of the network. And we've done that 585 00:31:15,720 --> 00:31:18,600 Speaker 1: in some form of fashion after every Super Bowl and 586 00:31:18,640 --> 00:31:21,920 Speaker 1: the guests that we get afterwards, we didn't get too 587 00:31:21,960 --> 00:31:24,360 Speaker 1: much of. Bob Kraft stopped by with the trophy that time, 588 00:31:24,440 --> 00:31:28,000 Speaker 1: but we didn't get anybody like our first coach to 589 00:31:28,040 --> 00:31:30,160 Speaker 1: sit down because we got Belichick the first two years 590 00:31:30,200 --> 00:31:34,120 Speaker 1: and he did Berman and not us, God bless him. Um. 591 00:31:34,960 --> 00:31:38,360 Speaker 1: The first coach we got was a Cower. It was 592 00:31:38,400 --> 00:31:40,720 Speaker 1: a year three of our Super Bowl after they beat Seattle, 593 00:31:41,200 --> 00:31:44,280 Speaker 1: and we got Bettest. But Roethlisberger didn't come by because, 594 00:31:44,320 --> 00:31:46,720 Speaker 1: as you remember, he didn't statistically do very well and 595 00:31:46,760 --> 00:31:48,479 Speaker 1: I don't think he was gonna be He didn't want 596 00:31:48,480 --> 00:31:51,600 Speaker 1: to put himself out there after that game. So the 597 00:31:51,640 --> 00:31:54,320 Speaker 1: first quarterback we got in our post game after Super 598 00:31:54,320 --> 00:31:59,360 Speaker 1: Bowl was Eli manning Um after beating the the previously 599 00:31:59,400 --> 00:32:03,360 Speaker 1: undefeated Patriots, because the following year we didn't get Peyton either, 600 00:32:04,000 --> 00:32:10,040 Speaker 1: you know, six Peyton did not come by, um um, 601 00:32:10,080 --> 00:32:13,360 Speaker 1: but we got Eli and oh seven and the people 602 00:32:13,400 --> 00:32:15,920 Speaker 1: we get. I mean, I'll remember to you know, Sean 603 00:32:16,000 --> 00:32:21,480 Speaker 1: Payton came after winning that game, and he was he 604 00:32:21,600 --> 00:32:23,720 Speaker 1: hit my hands so hard when I just extended it 605 00:32:23,760 --> 00:32:25,440 Speaker 1: to shake it. He thought I was like trying to 606 00:32:25,440 --> 00:32:27,720 Speaker 1: slap him, and he just hit me so hard. My 607 00:32:27,880 --> 00:32:31,240 Speaker 1: hands stung for the entire interview. Just just these guys 608 00:32:31,280 --> 00:32:33,440 Speaker 1: coming and so flat. I guess I'm I'm long in 609 00:32:33,480 --> 00:32:36,040 Speaker 1: the mouth now. But Flacco coming on afterwards, Ed Reid 610 00:32:36,160 --> 00:32:40,040 Speaker 1: came on, was essentially crying, and those are the moments 611 00:32:40,080 --> 00:32:42,080 Speaker 1: where you just have to shut up and let it 612 00:32:42,120 --> 00:32:45,960 Speaker 1: play out and have Flacco essentially say stuff like, you know, 613 00:32:46,240 --> 00:32:48,200 Speaker 1: I can't wait to get paid, you know, which is 614 00:32:48,200 --> 00:32:51,160 Speaker 1: sort of out of character for him. And so the 615 00:32:51,240 --> 00:32:55,560 Speaker 1: network has always been really proactive and getting us on 616 00:32:55,600 --> 00:32:59,440 Speaker 1: the field right after the game and getting those great moments, 617 00:32:59,640 --> 00:33:01,560 Speaker 1: and I'm just so lucky to be in the middle 618 00:33:01,600 --> 00:33:04,640 Speaker 1: of it. Well, we could talk to you all day, 619 00:33:04,800 --> 00:33:08,479 Speaker 1: but I know, uh, we're short on time, and uh, 620 00:33:08,640 --> 00:33:11,040 Speaker 1: we appreciate you coming by, and you didn't even get 621 00:33:11,040 --> 00:33:13,920 Speaker 1: a question. I know, well you want to do all that. 622 00:33:13,960 --> 00:33:17,440 Speaker 1: I don't know. So Richie and I just met last week. Yeah, 623 00:33:17,720 --> 00:33:20,680 Speaker 1: I'm in this chair because one day, six seven years ago, 624 00:33:20,720 --> 00:33:24,000 Speaker 1: I'm feeling squirrely. Send Greg rosenthow an email. Okay, he 625 00:33:24,040 --> 00:33:26,200 Speaker 1: happened to be receptive that day. You know, he's in 626 00:33:26,240 --> 00:33:31,120 Speaker 1: a good mood at that point in I like this 627 00:33:31,160 --> 00:33:36,040 Speaker 1: Westling origin story. So this is how I'm kind of like, 628 00:33:36,200 --> 00:33:37,800 Speaker 1: that's how I ended up here. I know you have 629 00:33:38,000 --> 00:33:40,880 Speaker 1: something where you're doing your Northern exposure thing in the 630 00:33:40,960 --> 00:33:44,760 Speaker 1: California mails and uh, you get an email from ESPN, 631 00:33:44,800 --> 00:33:47,080 Speaker 1: So did your life just change overnight? I didn't get 632 00:33:47,120 --> 00:33:49,480 Speaker 1: an email or phone call. I got a phone call. 633 00:33:49,800 --> 00:33:53,480 Speaker 1: I worked at KRCRTV, uh, the ABC affiliate in the 634 00:33:53,520 --> 00:33:58,960 Speaker 1: Reading Chico market. Um, and I'm last man. It was great. Uh. 635 00:33:59,000 --> 00:34:02,520 Speaker 1: There's a long time employee of that operation fella named 636 00:34:02,560 --> 00:34:06,520 Speaker 1: Mike Mangus. Who is it was a long time uh 637 00:34:06,520 --> 00:34:09,759 Speaker 1: sports director. Um, he's now one of them. I guess 638 00:34:09,760 --> 00:34:11,680 Speaker 1: he's doing the news as well as sports up there. 639 00:34:11,760 --> 00:34:16,080 Speaker 1: One of the sweetest guys I've ever met. Um who 640 00:34:16,160 --> 00:34:19,520 Speaker 1: and I mean we are from two completely different backgrounds. 641 00:34:19,600 --> 00:34:23,440 Speaker 1: But um, you know, I love the guy and he 642 00:34:23,719 --> 00:34:26,000 Speaker 1: looked out for me. I'm sure he saved my job 643 00:34:26,040 --> 00:34:28,040 Speaker 1: a couple of times with some of the stuff that 644 00:34:28,080 --> 00:34:29,680 Speaker 1: I said on the air up there, just because I 645 00:34:29,719 --> 00:34:32,320 Speaker 1: thought it was just a way to get noticed or 646 00:34:32,440 --> 00:34:33,800 Speaker 1: as I want to get on Sports Center in the 647 00:34:33,840 --> 00:34:36,560 Speaker 1: worst way, you know, that's what I former stand up comics. 648 00:34:36,640 --> 00:34:38,239 Speaker 1: I wanted to get the you know, I did some 649 00:34:38,280 --> 00:34:41,279 Speaker 1: of the I probably stepped out of bounds a couple 650 00:34:41,320 --> 00:34:48,319 Speaker 1: of times on YouTube somewhere now there. I when there 651 00:34:48,360 --> 00:34:52,280 Speaker 1: was a baseball strike and they used replacement players, I 652 00:34:52,400 --> 00:34:56,680 Speaker 1: uh called them all scabs. You know, I'm from I'm 653 00:34:56,719 --> 00:34:59,279 Speaker 1: from a year Well I did, I did, but but 654 00:34:59,480 --> 00:35:02,520 Speaker 1: this is documented I did, duh. My big finish was 655 00:35:02,920 --> 00:35:07,719 Speaker 1: doing the Penthouse Forums and Howard Cosell's voice. Um so 656 00:35:07,760 --> 00:35:10,960 Speaker 1: I did that for years. Um but any rate, Yeah, 657 00:35:11,000 --> 00:35:12,920 Speaker 1: I called it scab ball. I even put the word 658 00:35:13,000 --> 00:35:16,920 Speaker 1: scab ball over the over the as a graphic. It was. 659 00:35:17,160 --> 00:35:21,239 Speaker 1: It was not my finest moment, you know. To there 660 00:35:21,239 --> 00:35:22,759 Speaker 1: are a couple of the things too that I would 661 00:35:22,800 --> 00:35:24,880 Speaker 1: just say on the air, and I left my resume 662 00:35:25,000 --> 00:35:28,520 Speaker 1: and the copy machine once happened that really did in 663 00:35:28,560 --> 00:35:32,360 Speaker 1: fact happen. Um, but any rate, I I sent a 664 00:35:32,400 --> 00:35:35,839 Speaker 1: tape to a head hunter and um it was one 665 00:35:35,880 --> 00:35:39,680 Speaker 1: of those phones systems in reading where the phone would 666 00:35:39,800 --> 00:35:42,680 Speaker 1: ring twice for an outside call for long distance call, 667 00:35:42,719 --> 00:35:44,359 Speaker 1: and me being from New York, it was pretty much 668 00:35:44,400 --> 00:35:47,399 Speaker 1: when my parents and my brother called and I got 669 00:35:47,400 --> 00:35:50,279 Speaker 1: a ring ring and it was from an agent at 670 00:35:50,280 --> 00:35:53,799 Speaker 1: the William Morris agency saying that, uh, he had heard 671 00:35:53,840 --> 00:35:57,920 Speaker 1: I was the hottest up and coming sportscaster in America. 672 00:35:58,680 --> 00:36:03,120 Speaker 1: And I'm like, if you say so, brother, because I 673 00:36:03,239 --> 00:36:05,920 Speaker 1: am not feeling so hot. You know, I gotta go 674 00:36:06,040 --> 00:36:09,040 Speaker 1: drive forty five minutes to cover you know, X, Y 675 00:36:09,080 --> 00:36:11,440 Speaker 1: and Z with my three quarter inch equipment that was 676 00:36:11,480 --> 00:36:16,480 Speaker 1: attached to a deck by this fat coaxial cable, and UM, 677 00:36:16,520 --> 00:36:18,759 Speaker 1: I wasn't feeling that. Let's put it that way. And 678 00:36:18,800 --> 00:36:20,600 Speaker 1: he's like, send me this tape that I'm hearing so 679 00:36:20,680 --> 00:36:24,520 Speaker 1: much about. Okay. So I called my brother who lived 680 00:36:24,520 --> 00:36:26,080 Speaker 1: in Los Angeles at the time. I'm like, you never 681 00:36:26,120 --> 00:36:28,480 Speaker 1: guess this phone call. I just got this incredible So 682 00:36:28,520 --> 00:36:31,279 Speaker 1: I told him about it, and then fifteen minutes later, 683 00:36:31,320 --> 00:36:33,560 Speaker 1: the ring ring happens again, and I thought to myself 684 00:36:33,600 --> 00:36:38,360 Speaker 1: watch them such hot. You know what, Um, that's Al Jaffee, 685 00:36:38,360 --> 00:36:40,080 Speaker 1: that will be ESPN on the phone. And sure enough 686 00:36:40,120 --> 00:36:42,680 Speaker 1: it was in fact Al Jaffee, who is the you 687 00:36:42,719 --> 00:36:45,839 Speaker 1: know talent uh pooh bah or as they called him, 688 00:36:45,880 --> 00:36:50,080 Speaker 1: the Kingmaker. Um, he's the one who found kilborn in Salinas, California. 689 00:36:50,280 --> 00:36:52,799 Speaker 1: Was he the Robert Gillome character on Sports Night? The 690 00:36:52,880 --> 00:36:56,080 Speaker 1: Robert Guillaume character on Sports Night? Was the sports director 691 00:36:56,800 --> 00:36:58,920 Speaker 1: of it? And there you know, I got a funny 692 00:36:58,960 --> 00:37:02,320 Speaker 1: story about that one too. Um, if you want to, 693 00:37:02,560 --> 00:37:05,960 Speaker 1: I'll hear that one. Um. But just to finish this story, 694 00:37:06,080 --> 00:37:08,200 Speaker 1: is that um, you know I am. I thought my 695 00:37:08,280 --> 00:37:11,880 Speaker 1: brother had called my buddies from Staten Island to say, 696 00:37:11,920 --> 00:37:13,960 Speaker 1: you know, Rich just got this call from an agent, 697 00:37:14,080 --> 00:37:16,240 Speaker 1: call him out and say you're Auld Jaffey from ESPN. 698 00:37:16,280 --> 00:37:19,400 Speaker 1: Will totally buy it. So I almost carpet f bombed 699 00:37:19,680 --> 00:37:23,040 Speaker 1: Jaffey and uh, because I didn't believe it. Then I 700 00:37:23,040 --> 00:37:27,400 Speaker 1: realized it really was him. And I tried out um 701 00:37:27,560 --> 00:37:33,680 Speaker 1: for Sports Center in January of nine, and I remember 702 00:37:33,800 --> 00:37:36,720 Speaker 1: I stayed in the Radisson Hotel across the street from Bristol, 703 00:37:36,760 --> 00:37:39,239 Speaker 1: which is I think a different Hotel Now, and I 704 00:37:39,320 --> 00:37:41,720 Speaker 1: watched Dan and Keith do a Sunday night Sports Center, 705 00:37:41,920 --> 00:37:44,000 Speaker 1: figuring out I should just watch that before I try 706 00:37:44,000 --> 00:37:45,560 Speaker 1: out the next day. And I'm glad I did because 707 00:37:45,560 --> 00:37:47,799 Speaker 1: the same tapes they used for that show they used 708 00:37:47,800 --> 00:37:50,200 Speaker 1: for my thing. So a couple of things that I 709 00:37:50,320 --> 00:37:52,960 Speaker 1: when I watched the Danny Keith Big Show, I'm like, 710 00:37:53,040 --> 00:37:54,880 Speaker 1: I would have done it this way, and I actually 711 00:37:54,920 --> 00:37:56,319 Speaker 1: got the chance to do it that way. So I 712 00:37:56,360 --> 00:38:00,120 Speaker 1: was a little more prepared um for my audition, and 713 00:38:00,160 --> 00:38:04,040 Speaker 1: then I started in the middle of uh February of 714 00:38:05,280 --> 00:38:09,960 Speaker 1: My first Sports Center was a March something of Larry Beale, 715 00:38:10,040 --> 00:38:14,719 Speaker 1: Sir Lawrence, and Beale was my co actor. But at 716 00:38:14,760 --> 00:38:18,360 Speaker 1: any rate, what is my my Robert Gillome story? You 717 00:38:18,400 --> 00:38:20,759 Speaker 1: know they because they you know, Sports Night was an 718 00:38:20,760 --> 00:38:24,840 Speaker 1: ABC show. Um, a friend of my podcast, Josh Charles, 719 00:38:24,840 --> 00:38:29,000 Speaker 1: who've met many times since then. He's real deal by 720 00:38:29,040 --> 00:38:31,880 Speaker 1: the way, I mean seriously, like he will start telling 721 00:38:31,920 --> 00:38:34,800 Speaker 1: you about how thin they are and at its second 722 00:38:34,840 --> 00:38:38,000 Speaker 1: string and various positions on the field and means it. 723 00:38:38,360 --> 00:38:41,880 Speaker 1: He's the real deal. Um. And so you know they 724 00:38:41,880 --> 00:38:45,400 Speaker 1: would say to you, uh at Bristol, you know, we 725 00:38:45,400 --> 00:38:48,560 Speaker 1: would get filled a ton of phone calls from media 726 00:38:48,600 --> 00:38:52,640 Speaker 1: critics wondering if this is real or not? Like how 727 00:38:52,719 --> 00:38:56,680 Speaker 1: real is Sports Night? And Aaron Sorkin came up one 728 00:38:56,719 --> 00:38:59,200 Speaker 1: time and had us all in a room, like eight 729 00:38:59,200 --> 00:39:02,120 Speaker 1: of us and picked our brains tell him like he 730 00:39:02,239 --> 00:39:06,520 Speaker 1: downloaded all of our favorite stories. So like the the 731 00:39:06,160 --> 00:39:11,840 Speaker 1: famous uh Steve Levy moment where he said that Randy 732 00:39:11,920 --> 00:39:15,120 Speaker 1: Johnson talking about his back problems, that Randy Johnson was 733 00:39:15,120 --> 00:39:19,120 Speaker 1: out with a bulging dick, he said, and he was 734 00:39:19,160 --> 00:39:23,680 Speaker 1: doing that show with Olberman, and and Alberman's was on. 735 00:39:23,840 --> 00:39:27,120 Speaker 1: Oberman was on camera next after that reader, and they 736 00:39:27,120 --> 00:39:29,879 Speaker 1: cut to Keith, whose glasses were off and his face 737 00:39:29,960 --> 00:39:32,720 Speaker 1: was buried in his hand, and he waved the camera 738 00:39:32,840 --> 00:39:36,319 Speaker 1: back wordlessly to Steve Leaving as one of the all 739 00:39:36,360 --> 00:39:40,560 Speaker 1: time great sports center moments that um, he incorporated that 740 00:39:40,600 --> 00:39:42,640 Speaker 1: I think in Sports Night by saying that you know 741 00:39:42,680 --> 00:39:45,880 Speaker 1: there was a story about that, and um, and there's 742 00:39:45,880 --> 00:39:49,080 Speaker 1: the prompter that the that they need to fix the 743 00:39:49,120 --> 00:39:51,799 Speaker 1: word disc because the letters are trying like he did 744 00:39:51,840 --> 00:39:54,160 Speaker 1: it in in a way that was suitable for network television, 745 00:39:54,239 --> 00:39:57,920 Speaker 1: And um, I believe it was me or if somebody 746 00:39:57,920 --> 00:39:59,600 Speaker 1: else told him a story that in the old Sports 747 00:39:59,640 --> 00:40:02,080 Speaker 1: Centers video when it rained, there was a leak in 748 00:40:02,080 --> 00:40:04,719 Speaker 1: the roof. So there's many times you're doing highlights or 749 00:40:04,719 --> 00:40:08,359 Speaker 1: even on Cameron the uh water which rip on top 750 00:40:08,400 --> 00:40:09,960 Speaker 1: of your feet, on your head and you'd feel it 751 00:40:10,040 --> 00:40:13,080 Speaker 1: dripped down your your head and you couldn't break stride 752 00:40:13,080 --> 00:40:15,200 Speaker 1: because you're on camera. I mean that happened. So there 753 00:40:15,280 --> 00:40:18,480 Speaker 1: was a Sports Night episode where it leaked. Um. But 754 00:40:18,640 --> 00:40:20,680 Speaker 1: I mean if you remember Sports Night, they're in their 755 00:40:20,760 --> 00:40:25,080 Speaker 1: glass encased office Ivory Tower in Midtown Manhattan, and we 756 00:40:25,280 --> 00:40:31,759 Speaker 1: live and you know, uh prefabricated cubicle Bristol Country. And 757 00:40:31,800 --> 00:40:34,239 Speaker 1: that's part of why the Sports Center commercials work so much, 758 00:40:34,320 --> 00:40:37,080 Speaker 1: is the perception and reality of working for Sports Center 759 00:40:37,160 --> 00:40:42,360 Speaker 1: and what people see what ESPN is, um, you know, 760 00:40:42,520 --> 00:40:45,719 Speaker 1: it doesn't job. So they always take you backstage and 761 00:40:45,840 --> 00:40:47,960 Speaker 1: that this is Sports Center in the cubicles where you're 762 00:40:47,960 --> 00:40:51,239 Speaker 1: on the phone or ordering pizza or something like that 763 00:40:51,320 --> 00:40:54,640 Speaker 1: and those sports That's why those Sports Center commercials work. 764 00:40:55,239 --> 00:40:58,279 Speaker 1: Long story short is um So they called us up 765 00:40:59,080 --> 00:41:01,839 Speaker 1: and all these Washington Post, New York Times, how real 766 00:41:01,960 --> 00:41:05,359 Speaker 1: is it? So I got a call from Bristol PR saying, well, 767 00:41:05,400 --> 00:41:07,239 Speaker 1: The l A. Times wants to do a story on 768 00:41:07,400 --> 00:41:11,120 Speaker 1: Sports Night, and I want to know how real is it? 769 00:41:11,960 --> 00:41:15,799 Speaker 1: And you two things, It's an ABC Disney show, so 770 00:41:15,840 --> 00:41:17,839 Speaker 1: you can't bash the show if you don't like it. 771 00:41:18,280 --> 00:41:21,720 Speaker 1: And two as you can't bash Bristol, you can't bash Bristol, 772 00:41:22,520 --> 00:41:25,640 Speaker 1: So can you do that? And I'm like, no problem, 773 00:41:25,680 --> 00:41:27,759 Speaker 1: I can handle it. So they asked me what's the 774 00:41:27,760 --> 00:41:31,200 Speaker 1: main difference, and I said, it's pretty much the same, 775 00:41:31,280 --> 00:41:34,040 Speaker 1: except we don't have Benson running around here telling us 776 00:41:34,040 --> 00:41:37,600 Speaker 1: what to do. And sure enough, one of my proud 777 00:41:37,680 --> 00:41:40,680 Speaker 1: moments is they pulled that quote underneath my picture in 778 00:41:40,680 --> 00:41:42,600 Speaker 1: The l A Times, next to a photo of Robert 779 00:41:42,640 --> 00:41:47,200 Speaker 1: g Holme, which it's the typical no one can ever 780 00:41:47,280 --> 00:41:52,520 Speaker 1: take that away from me situation. I'm glad Wesling got 781 00:41:52,520 --> 00:41:55,160 Speaker 1: his question in. Yeah, that's good. Well, you guys know 782 00:41:55,160 --> 00:41:58,200 Speaker 1: where I am, so we can do this any other time. 783 00:41:58,360 --> 00:42:01,440 Speaker 1: We will take you up on that. Thank you, No, 784 00:42:01,560 --> 00:42:03,880 Speaker 1: thank you too. Thanks again. What you guys do is 785 00:42:03,960 --> 00:42:06,520 Speaker 1: really entertaining to read, and now that you're bringing it 786 00:42:06,560 --> 00:42:10,520 Speaker 1: to a podcast, it's it's pretty neat. Thank you for 787 00:42:10,640 --> 00:42:14,400 Speaker 1: Rich Eyes and Chris Westling and Dan Hansis. I'm Greg Rosenthal. 788 00:42:14,600 --> 00:42:14,880 Speaker 1: That's it.