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Speaker 1: You're listening to Bloomberg Business of Sports from Bloomberg Radio. Everyone,

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Speaker 1: I'm Jason Kelly, and I'm Mike Lynch and I'm Michael

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Speaker 1: bar Every week at this time, plus Mondays and Wednesdays,

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Speaker 1: we explore the big money issues in the world of sports. Today,

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Speaker 1: we're breaking down the NFL's new COVID policy. The league

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Speaker 1: as warning teams that COVID outbreaks among unvaccinated players could

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Speaker 1: lead to forfeited games and find coming up, we speak

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Speaker 1: with industry expert Bob Bolan of Penn State University. Plus

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Speaker 1: we get the perspective from three time NFL Pro Bowl

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Speaker 1: running back Warwick Dunne. That is all straight ahead on

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Speaker 1: the Bloomberg Business of Sports Show. But first let's talk

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Speaker 1: about some of the other top stories of the week. Uh,

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Speaker 1: we got to talk a little bit of NBA Finals.

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Speaker 1: We have wrapped up that season and it's going to

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Speaker 1: be back before we know it. That's just the way

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Speaker 1: the world is working. We were excited though. There are

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Speaker 1: colleagues over in Bloomberg Television got to catch up with

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Speaker 1: Mark Lazarie. He of course is the co owner of

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Speaker 1: the Bucks. He's well known on Wall Street because he

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Speaker 1: runs the investment group Avenue Capital, and he told Bloomberg

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Speaker 1: that the Bucks are being approached by brands who are

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Speaker 1: looking to capitalize on the team's newfound success. No surprise there.

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Speaker 1: He also talked a lot about something we're familiar with, guys,

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Speaker 1: the dear district. Tens of thousands of people not just

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Speaker 1: inside the arena but outside, whooping it up and getting

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Speaker 1: very very excited. To take a listen. We had literally

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Speaker 1: about eighty five thou people in the stadium and outside.

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Speaker 1: Um that I think is the first time for the NBA.

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Speaker 1: It's great for the city, it's great for the state.

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Speaker 1: It's made people sort of now noticed Milwaukee. You know,

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Speaker 1: I've been saying all along that this is America's team.

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Speaker 1: I believe it. I mean, I really do. I think

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Speaker 1: people love Joanna's they love what we've been able to

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Speaker 1: sort of put together. I sort of look forward to

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Speaker 1: the future and hope that we can continue at least

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Speaker 1: on the road that we're on. So that was Mark Lazarie,

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Speaker 1: co owner of the Bucks. One interesting thing, guys, to

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Speaker 1: a note, He's talking about Janice there top three in

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Speaker 1: terms of jersey sold over the course of the season.

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Speaker 1: You know who was ahead of him Lebron and staff.

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Speaker 1: So that's pretty good company. He is an absolute breakout star.

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Speaker 1: You know, you dropped fifty points in the deciding game,

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Speaker 1: the game six of this finals. It was just incredible.

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Speaker 1: He also Mark Lazarie noting the Bucks sold more merchandized

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Speaker 1: than all but three other NBA title winners after they

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Speaker 1: were victorious over the Suns. And that's according to fanatics.

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Speaker 1: So this is good business. Winning winning, no surprise, Lynch

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Speaker 1: winning good for business. You know, this group bought the

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Speaker 1: Bucks back fifty million and as of February, Forbes had

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Speaker 1: them valued at one point six to five billion. It's

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Speaker 1: an embraceable franchise, it's an ambraceable team, and this is

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Speaker 1: an incredible amount of money and incredible value for the

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Speaker 1: thirty seven larger market in the United States. Yeah, I

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Speaker 1: mean bar there was not a lot of tune in,

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Speaker 1: as it were to these NBA Finals. We talked about

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Speaker 1: that earlier in the week. That especially you gotta set

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Speaker 1: aside the bubble year. This was the second worst showing

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Speaker 1: in this uh so far this century, in the first

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Speaker 1: twenty years of this century, so pretty brutal when it

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Speaker 1: comes to TV ratings. But the excitement and and the

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Speaker 1: merch to some extent, speak for themselves. And it was

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Speaker 1: also interesting to hear Mark Lazarie talk about the fact

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Speaker 1: I should say that you know, they're looking towards the future.

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Speaker 1: This was not a cobbled together superstar team. They really

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Speaker 1: built this franchise and there's a lot of excitement not

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Speaker 1: just in Milwaukee but beyond. So that's cool. Yeah, And

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Speaker 1: keep in mind Janice scored fifty with a Willis reed

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Speaker 1: leg and I mean it's amazing what he did. I mean,

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Speaker 1: no wonder why he's third in the merchandizing says And

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Speaker 1: when you know, as we go through all of the

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Speaker 1: NBA draft stuff and we see who's going to get

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Speaker 1: what and this and that whatever, I want to see

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Speaker 1: how the merchandizing aspect happens for some of the rookies

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Speaker 1: now coming in the NBA league. Yeah. Well, when we'll

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Speaker 1: on the next show, probably be able to talk a

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Speaker 1: bit about what's going on with the NBA Draft, what

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Speaker 1: happened with the NBA draft this week, as we break

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Speaker 1: all that down. Uh, Meanwhile, over in Tokyo, the Olympics

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Speaker 1: are going on, and it has been a strange games indeed,

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Speaker 1: and the big headlines truly are really about things that

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Speaker 1: aren't necessarily happening on the playing surface or in the

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Speaker 1: gym or whatever that is. Simone Bile certainly dominated the

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Speaker 1: headlines with her decision not to participate, pulling herself out

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Speaker 1: of the team competition and then opting not to us

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Speaker 1: have paid in the all around um this made a

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Speaker 1: huge number of headlines. She cited her own mental health

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Speaker 1: as the main reason that she was not participating, and

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Speaker 1: it really has been in the spotlight, not just because

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Speaker 1: of her, but of course, this follows Naomi Osaka opting

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Speaker 1: out of some big tennis tournaments over the summer. Our

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Speaker 1: colleague Karom Maury over a Bloomberg quicktake, she talked to

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Speaker 1: Dr Jared Spencer, and he works with proteins and college athletes,

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Speaker 1: and he put this in the context of the pandemic.

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Speaker 1: Let's listen to what he had to say. The pandemic

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Speaker 1: has been the single biggest factor of mental health, and

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Speaker 1: for two reasons. One, we're all struggling, and number two,

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Speaker 1: this thing was falling. Everyone knows that we're all struggling.

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Speaker 1: So no longer do we have to pretend like we're

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Speaker 1: fine and we're just able to suck it up. It's

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Speaker 1: more about transparency and honesty and realism and people saying,

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Speaker 1: you know what, it's okay not to be okay, and

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Speaker 1: the pandemics in has really changed mental health. So it's

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Speaker 1: gonna be interesting to see how this plays out. And

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Speaker 1: later on we're going to hear from Warwick done Lynchy

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Speaker 1: and his perspective on this. I think reminds us that

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Speaker 1: this is not a cut and dried issue when it

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Speaker 1: comes to athletes. This is something that is still evolving.

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Speaker 1: This is something that just like as Dr Spencer was

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Speaker 1: saying there, we're all wrestling with. Athletes are wrestling with

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Speaker 1: and unfortunately they have to wrestle with it, you know,

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Speaker 1: essentially out in public. But I think it's fair to

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Speaker 1: say this is, at least for the moment, what we

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Speaker 1: will remember these Olympics for. Well, it's real. It doesn't

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Speaker 1: show up on an X ray and m R I

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Speaker 1: or a cat scan and unless you've walked in the

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Speaker 1: shoes of Naomi Osaka or Simone Biles, uh, you don't understand.

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Speaker 1: But these are people that have been crying for help

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Speaker 1: and they're getting the help they needed. And I can't

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Speaker 1: wait to hear what Warwick Donne has to say about

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Speaker 1: it is he Um has come out and said that

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Speaker 1: he suffered through some mental issues during his playing days.

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Speaker 1: I'm looking forward to what he has to say about it. Yeah,

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Speaker 1: it's certainly a big issue. All right. So this is

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Speaker 1: where this last topic that we're gonna talk about before

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Speaker 1: we get on with the show. This is where Bar

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Speaker 1: and Lynchy collide, DraftKings, the socks. It's all happening, Lynchy.

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Speaker 1: It's like you and Bar. This is like a little

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Speaker 1: coming together. It's it's it's it's lovely to see for me.

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Speaker 1: At least tell us about what's going on with your

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Speaker 1: socks and uh and this new betting platform. Yeah, Lynch,

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Speaker 1: what do you think? Well, you know, I'm softening a

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Speaker 1: little bit. I came around a name, image and likeness.

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Speaker 1: I thought that was a big step in my part.

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Speaker 1: And yeah that was. But I have to say you

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Speaker 1: very much evolved on that. That's true. That's true, And

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Speaker 1: this this whole I just think the line is just

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Speaker 1: so blurred now between gambling and professional sports. You know,

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Speaker 1: I wonder what Pete Rose is thinking about all these

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Speaker 1: marriages of of of these gambling outlets and professional teams.

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Speaker 1: I remember when Joe Namath owned Bachelor had owned a

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Speaker 1: piece of a restaurant, Bachelor's Three in New York City,

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Speaker 1: and Pete Roselle was the commissioner and wanted her to

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Speaker 1: divest his ownership because known gamblers were hanging out there,

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Speaker 1: and Joe Namath abruptly retired and resigned from the National

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Speaker 1: Football League. It came back a couple of days later.

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Speaker 1: But now it's here. It's here to stay. DraftKings is

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Speaker 1: on the left field, It's on the monster the left

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Speaker 1: field wall. It's gonna be prominent behind home plate. It's

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Speaker 1: every two steps you take at Fenway Park, you're gonna

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Speaker 1: run into DraftKings. The Massachusetts House just passed approval yesterday

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Speaker 1: on a legalized gambling build, a hundred and fifty six

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Speaker 1: to three. It's now in the Senate Ways and Means Committee.

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Speaker 1: It won't be long before we're step right up to

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Speaker 1: the plate and step right up to Draft Kings and

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Speaker 1: put down your two bucks on whatever whatever way do

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Speaker 1: you want here at Fenway Park. Well, there you go,

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Speaker 1: bar see. I mean, now I'm looking at this from

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Speaker 1: a very positive perspective that now maybe you're warming toward

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Speaker 1: the Boston Red Sox a little bit, bar I don't,

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Speaker 1: I don't know, like this is good. These are your people. Well,

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Speaker 1: my green and debauchery has kind of worn off on Lynchi,

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Speaker 1: which I'm glad to see. Listen, this is going to

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Speaker 1: be here to stay, folks here as more states pick

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Speaker 1: up on on sports betting, it's going to be here now.

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Speaker 1: And I'm not you know, and I'm not trying to

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Speaker 1: get anybody into Hey, you got go out and gamble

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Speaker 1: and do all the no if you want to bet,

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Speaker 1: like a five dollar or ten dollar bet and whatever, hey,

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Speaker 1: enjoy I'm not talking about trying to make a living

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Speaker 1: out of it. It's that's a whole different thing. But

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Speaker 1: it's you know, it's going to be here, and it's

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Speaker 1: gonna be here for a while. But if you want

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Speaker 1: to enjoy a little nickel dyme gambling, go out enjoy it. Well,

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Speaker 1: it does feel like and it feels like the NBA

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Speaker 1: was on the leading edge of this lynch. You keep

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Speaker 1: me honest here that they were really the first league

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Speaker 1: to to you know, kind of embrace it, and whether

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Speaker 1: they liked it or not, it was happening. I mean,

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Speaker 1: I do remember talking to Adam Silver years ago about

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Speaker 1: this and and him being I think he surprised people

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Speaker 1: and got some people off guard, and based was like, listen, guys,

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Speaker 1: let's let's be realistic about this. Um. Major League Baseball

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Speaker 1: franchises a Major League Baseball I think it's fair to

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Speaker 1: say not always the most progressive of folks. They're not

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Speaker 1: always the on the on the bleeding edge, as it were.

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Speaker 1: But it is interesting to see this and it looks

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Speaker 1: this is a business and you know, these are big

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Speaker 1: companies that are wanting to sponsor and wanting to pay

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Speaker 1: money to be more visible in a lot of ballparks

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Speaker 1: and through a lot of broadcasts and things like that.

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Speaker 1: And ultimately, as long as it's done safely and fairly,

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Speaker 1: it uh, it does seem to be good for the

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Speaker 1: broader at least for the bottom line of business. So

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Speaker 1: interesting to see such a storied franchise linking up with this. Uh.

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Speaker 1: I guess we can't even call Draft Kings upstart anymore.

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Speaker 1: I mean, they're a big, public traded company that that

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Speaker 1: sort of says it all about where we are. Let's

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Speaker 1: get to this week's interview with Bob Boland. He teaches

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Speaker 1: over the Law School and Labor School at Penn State University.

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Speaker 1: He was a player agent before that for about twenty years,

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Speaker 1: and in that role he negotiated hundreds of contracts and

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Speaker 1: endorsement deals for players. He's the perfect person to talk

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Speaker 1: to because we want to get into some news over

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Speaker 1: the last couple of weeks the NFL. They are essentially saying, look, players, coaches, owners,

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Speaker 1: we're gonna have to set some rules in place around

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Speaker 1: COVID protocols that are economic at their core in order

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Speaker 1: to ensure that we can get games played. And what

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Speaker 1: they're saying is basically that if those protocols are violated,

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Speaker 1: a team will have to forfeit the game, and both

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Speaker 1: teams then will have to forfeit then the revenue and

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Speaker 1: the economics associated with those games. It is a big

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Speaker 1: deal and stands to change a lot of what may

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Speaker 1: happen if, in fact, those rules are broken over the

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Speaker 1: course of this upcoming NFL season. Bob really good to

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Speaker 1: view with us. How do you unpack this issue of

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Speaker 1: what to tell whom to do and the economic implications

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Speaker 1: and the labor implications and contracts and all of that

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Speaker 1: help us unpack it. It's a remarkably interesting thing. I

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Speaker 1: think the NFL has actually done it from their leadership perspective,

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Speaker 1: has done a remarkable job of making a key economic

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Speaker 1: issue right from the get go. And I think Roger

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Speaker 1: Goodell has acted very responsibly in taking charge of the

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Speaker 1: situation that he can't necessarily control himself, which is the

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Speaker 1: issue of players getting vaccinated or the public health issue.

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Speaker 1: But he can't, he has taken control of what he

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Speaker 1: can control, which is the issue of forfeiting games and

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Speaker 1: the allocation of cost. And while I think he may

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Speaker 1: have gone a little too far in that, I think

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Speaker 1: it's certainly, if you were thinking about it, it's it's

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Speaker 1: certainly a big stick he's wielding with a small carrot

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Speaker 1: at the other side. How far does the league go

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Speaker 1: in trying to be accommodating to a team that does

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Speaker 1: have a COVID problem? Last season we went through where

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Speaker 1: well we'll play the game Monday. Well we'll play the

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Speaker 1: game Tuesday, maybe even Wednesday. How far does the league

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Speaker 1: go with that? I think the leak is showing it

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Speaker 1: isn't going to go as far, and it's not going

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Speaker 1: to go that far if there's a clear if there's

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Speaker 1: a clear gap in vaccine or vaccinations, and and in care.

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Speaker 1: I think this time again they're wielding the stick that

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Speaker 1: will be sympathetic if it is a if it is

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Speaker 1: a multiple process. But I don't think they're going to

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Speaker 1: be sympathetic if if there's if there's been you know,

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Speaker 1: kind of an abuse of the process in players have

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Speaker 1: broken protocols and or have chosen not to be vaccinated

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Speaker 1: and it's cause delays. So this is the I think

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Speaker 1: really their way of creating a carrot, get vaccinated, follow

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Speaker 1: the rules, and saying to their players and owners, whatever

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Speaker 1: your whatever your personal belief is here, you can you

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Speaker 1: can live, you can have it, but it can't stop

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Speaker 1: our business, and it can't stop are dally six billion

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Speaker 1: dollar annual business and growing. What's going on inside NFL

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Speaker 1: locker rooms right now in terms of peer pressure veterans

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Speaker 1: who have been vaccinated, some younger guys who were wearing

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Speaker 1: the wristbands and have to eat in another room and

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Speaker 1: take saunas and steams in another room and have to

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Speaker 1: wear masks. What's going on in there? A lot of

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Speaker 1: peer pressure. Uh the NFL, I think is the NFL

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Speaker 1: to mandate vaccines would have to go through the players Association.

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Speaker 1: That would give the players association a bit of extra leverage,

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Speaker 1: even though this should probably be a wee problem. It

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Speaker 1: gives them the ability to kind of say, hey, we

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Speaker 1: have we have five other six other complaints we'd like

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Speaker 1: to have addressed too. By by doing what the league

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Speaker 1: is doing, setting up the protocols, doing what they're doing,

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Speaker 1: they can they can use the player's own pressure of

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Speaker 1: getting paid, making the team, getting paid to really work

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Speaker 1: to to move towards vaccines and get compliance. Uh. And

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Speaker 1: I think by that way carrot and stick the I

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Speaker 1: do that. If you're you want to make the team

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Speaker 1: and you're the fifty third guy or the fifty ninth

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Speaker 1: guy on a roster to get active pay, and you're

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Speaker 1: not vaccinated and you you caused danger, well I think

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Speaker 1: that puts some pressure on you. If you're a veteran

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Speaker 1: who has real questions about vaccine efficacy or some political

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Speaker 1: beliefs that are strongly held, then my fault is you.

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Speaker 1: Probably you probably will get pressure from your teammates about

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Speaker 1: about not costing them money. Because players in the NFL

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Speaker 1: earn their game, earn their money and their salary and

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Speaker 1: weekly game checks during the season. They aren't always paid

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Speaker 1: that way, but they're earned, and they're earned in seventeen

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Speaker 1: weekly installments, and that's a key thing to be ready

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Speaker 1: on game day, and eligible play is a key part

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Speaker 1: of this process. Widen the aperture for us a little

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Speaker 1: bit as we think about today's NFL player and just

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Speaker 1: sticking with the NFL too for a second, I mean,

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Speaker 1: it is a time of a much more empowered athlete,

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Speaker 1: a much more outspoken athlete in many ways. I mean,

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Speaker 1: we're talking to you on a week where you know,

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Speaker 1: Aaron Rodgers is once again in the headlines about his

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Speaker 1: I think to use the technical term beef with his

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Speaker 1: his current team and some of his unhappiness. That is

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Speaker 1: not certainly a new phenomenon. But when you factor in,

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Speaker 1: uh these COVID discussions into a general sense that athletes

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Speaker 1: feel more emboldened, I guess how does this play out

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Speaker 1: in the broader scheme of things. Well, I think it's

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Speaker 1: probably it probably adapts and moves over from the public

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Speaker 1: idea that that COVID has and vaccines and mass have

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Speaker 1: been politicized from the beginning. So you're you're playing to

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Speaker 1: your own base, if you will, You're playing to the

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Speaker 1: group of people who you're playing to the group of

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Speaker 1: people you come from or from whom your fans come from.

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Speaker 1: So there's there's a benefit in taking the positions that

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Speaker 1: that certain players are taking. And I think I would

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Speaker 1: add that obviously we've noted with the African American community,

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Speaker 1: which is a majority of NFL players, there is as

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Speaker 1: a vaccine hesitancy based on history. So I think you're

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Speaker 1: seeing a bit of a storm in that way that

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Speaker 1: that that the groups in the NFL are are come

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Speaker 1: from into some degree kind of red state America where

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Speaker 1: where football is still powerful, and then you know a

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Speaker 1: predominantly number of African American players. So I think you're

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Speaker 1: seeing both demographics and politics operating together here, the expanding

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Speaker 1: on that topic and and now taking it in a

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Speaker 1: general aspect because of this, now when the NFL steps

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Speaker 1: up to the bargaining table, what are we looking at? Now?

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Speaker 1: We set up a more contentious atmosphere. The NFL doesn't

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Speaker 1: have to step up to a bargaining table for ten

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Speaker 1: more years. They they they've kind of won the battle

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Speaker 1: with their union, and and and so I think the

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Speaker 1: issue you have here and we we we I was

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Speaker 1: involved in in trying to move move that back and

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Speaker 1: not enter into a to a ten year deal with

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Speaker 1: with some players last last go round. But I think

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Speaker 1: the NFL has the power here, and I think what

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Speaker 1: they're using is they're using their economic power. The power

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Speaker 1: that they pay They pay players in weekly installments and

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Speaker 1: game checks, and that players have short careers and live

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Speaker 1: six months out of the year without a game check

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Speaker 1: is very significant as a very significant influencer. And I

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Speaker 1: think that's the power of the NFL has um. The

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Speaker 1: players Union to some degree, have to have to decide

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Speaker 1: how they feel about this. Are they where are they

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Speaker 1: going to step up for their players? And sometimes you

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Speaker 1: have to be conscious of can you step up to

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Speaker 1: support the rights of your players over something you don't

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Speaker 1: agree with as morally or or or ethically. So in

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Speaker 1: the in the end, here, Bob, who holds the hammer

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Speaker 1: the owners of the players. It's it's Roger Goodell, and

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Speaker 1: he's using the hammer against both his owners kind of

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Speaker 1: definitely and his players. And I think he's been acting

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Speaker 1: decisively and pretty strongly, and I suspect you'll see pretty

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Speaker 1: strong compliance, all right, Bob. I think it would be

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Speaker 1: generalistic malpractice if we had some of your someone of

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Speaker 1: your stature and experience and we didn't at least throw

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Speaker 1: in one question about the other big story that we're

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Speaker 1: talking about all the time, which is n I L.

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Speaker 1: And you know, having seen this from the from the

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Speaker 1: perspective of a of a former player agent, like, what

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Speaker 1: do you make of this and how should we be

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Speaker 1: thinking about it from a business lens, I think it

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Speaker 1: actually is probably a pretty good thing that's happening in

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Speaker 1: the college athletic space. It gives college athletes a chance

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Speaker 1: for greater, greater opportunity and fairness. It gives them a

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Speaker 1: chance to build the brand and be entrepreneurial. And I

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Speaker 1: think at the end of the day and in years

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Speaker 1: to more more interest in college sports and maybe more

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Speaker 1: interested in sports other than the big sports. Um does

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Speaker 1: it fundamentally upset the apple cart? I don't think tremendously.

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Speaker 1: The Olympics are going on right now and have have

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Speaker 1: been and have allowed N I L opportunities or opportunities

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Speaker 1: for athletes to pursue endorsement deals for about thirty years now,

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Speaker 1: so since the Dream Team. So I think that that's

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Speaker 1: a that's a space that's going to be interesting. Although

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Speaker 1: I don't think most people truly understand it or have

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Speaker 1: looked at it. I think they see it as more

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Speaker 1: dire or more problematic, or in some cases they want

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Speaker 1: to embrace it as an advantage. Yeah. No, it's fascinating

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Speaker 1: and certainly something we're gonna be looking at closely along

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Speaker 1: with you know, so many of these issues that all,

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Speaker 1: as you said at the top, this all comes down

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Speaker 1: to a lot of the a lot of the economics

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Speaker 1: that are surrounding this. Bobo, and thank you so much.

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Speaker 1: Teaches in the law school and the labor school at

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Speaker 1: Penn State University, former player agent, we really really appreciate

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Speaker 1: the time. This is fantastic context for our audience as

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Speaker 1: we're trying to look forward to what is going to

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Speaker 1: be once again a very different NFL season. Thank you

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Speaker 1: so much. So now let's get the perspective on COVID protocols, vaccinations,

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Speaker 1: the upcoming NFL season, and so much more with Warrik Done.

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Speaker 1: He of course, is a three time Pro Bowl running back.

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Speaker 1: He's a businessman, he's a philanthropist, and now he is

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Speaker 1: a limited partner in the ownership group of the Atlanta Falcons.

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Speaker 1: He joins us from Atlanta work. How are you doing.

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Speaker 1: I'm good, I'm good. It's really great to have you

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Speaker 1: with us and to talk about a very specific issue

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Speaker 1: that is top of mind for a lot of NFL owners,

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Speaker 1: players and fans because there's now an economic element, a

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Speaker 1: very clear economic element, to how the NFL is approaching COVID. Essentially,

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Speaker 1: what they're saying is that if teams violate the protocols

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Speaker 1: and there are positive cases, the teams involved in the

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Speaker 1: game will forfeit that game and more importantly, forfeit the

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Speaker 1: revenues and all the economics associated with that. Help us

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Speaker 1: understand your perspective as a former player and now as

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Speaker 1: a part owner of the Atlanta Falcons, Well, pro football

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Speaker 1: it's a business, you know. I know that from my

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Speaker 1: athlete's point of view I'm gonna look at is that

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Speaker 1: I need to make sure that I'm prepared, that I'm

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Speaker 1: always ready for the moment. That's how I always to

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Speaker 1: post the game. So it's pressure on us to perform

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Speaker 1: weekend a week out, and you know they have to

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Speaker 1: be ready. That's what you want your star players to

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Speaker 1: to do. But you also want the young guys to

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Speaker 1: come in and get acculmated, but also show up, prove

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Speaker 1: themselves and you know, potentially battle for starting positions and

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Speaker 1: playing time to those things. Now, when you actually think

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Speaker 1: about the business side of it, you know, you're trying

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Speaker 1: to make sure that we can have fans in the stadium,

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Speaker 1: you know, full houses, you know all the guys. You know,

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Speaker 1: they want to try to encourage all players and coaches

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Speaker 1: to be vaccinated so that now you know, we're protecting

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Speaker 1: each other. And I just think it has to really

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Speaker 1: just focus on western the best interest of you know,

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Speaker 1: the league and your team, and as teammates do want

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Speaker 1: to take care of each other. So I think guys

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Speaker 1: have to be open to doing things that sometimes you're

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Speaker 1: not accustomed to, and that's just part of being a team.

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Speaker 1: But I know also at the business side of it,

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Speaker 1: they're really just trying to figure ways that we could

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Speaker 1: make sure that we could give the fans what they want.

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Speaker 1: But we have to continue to improve and make these

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Speaker 1: adjustments and do us in the best interests of not

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Speaker 1: just one individual, but the entire football league. So it's

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Speaker 1: gonna be a challenging year to make these adjustments. But

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Speaker 1: I think, um, they're just trying to do us, uh

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Speaker 1: and in the sports best interest. Well, I have to

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Speaker 1: bring up the point about the NFL bringing up the

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Speaker 1: mandate now that if a team forfeits their game because

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Speaker 1: of COVID, not only will that team lose their pay,

430
00:23:37,080 --> 00:23:39,920
Speaker 1: but the opposing team who they were supposed to face

431
00:23:40,400 --> 00:23:42,840
Speaker 1: will lose their pay also. And I'm just wondering what

432
00:23:42,960 --> 00:23:46,480
Speaker 1: you think about that. Well, I mean, it's it's makes emotion,

433
00:23:46,840 --> 00:23:49,800
Speaker 1: you know, when you're playering, It's like, you know, that's

434
00:23:49,800 --> 00:23:54,000
Speaker 1: not fair. You know, why should we suffer because, um,

435
00:23:54,040 --> 00:23:57,240
Speaker 1: some guys another team or this team didn't do their part.

436
00:23:58,160 --> 00:24:01,520
Speaker 1: And you know, I don't I don't think that's right. Uh,

437
00:24:01,560 --> 00:24:04,520
Speaker 1: you know, it's not their fault because another team, so

438
00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:07,199
Speaker 1: that I mean, it could be some challenges there, but

439
00:24:07,280 --> 00:24:09,880
Speaker 1: I do know overall, you have to try to put

440
00:24:09,920 --> 00:24:13,320
Speaker 1: in some guidelines and some mandates so that you know,

441
00:24:13,440 --> 00:24:17,240
Speaker 1: we can have a productive year, uh playing a game

442
00:24:17,280 --> 00:24:20,760
Speaker 1: of football and everybody has the opportunity to play every

443
00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:24,880
Speaker 1: game and not have this up and down where one

444
00:24:24,920 --> 00:24:26,760
Speaker 1: week we're gonna play on the Monday, Oh we may

445
00:24:26,800 --> 00:24:28,440
Speaker 1: have to play on the Wednesday. We got to play

446
00:24:28,480 --> 00:24:30,840
Speaker 1: on the boosted. You know, I think last year they adjusted,

447
00:24:30,920 --> 00:24:33,600
Speaker 1: I mean everyone did, but I just think now they're

448
00:24:33,600 --> 00:24:37,000
Speaker 1: trying to just instead of following up. They're trying to

449
00:24:37,119 --> 00:24:40,440
Speaker 1: lead first and put things out so that everyone can

450
00:24:40,480 --> 00:24:43,600
Speaker 1: make adjustments. And I think that's a better strategy. Is

451
00:24:43,640 --> 00:24:47,399
Speaker 1: just going to always be right. No, we don't like

452
00:24:47,480 --> 00:24:49,920
Speaker 1: a lot of things about society and what people say

453
00:24:49,960 --> 00:24:52,840
Speaker 1: that the rules or laws or whatever, but we all

454
00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:54,800
Speaker 1: have to adjust, and I just think this is going

455
00:24:54,880 --> 00:24:58,240
Speaker 1: to be adjustment pere for for everybody. So from what

456
00:24:58,320 --> 00:25:01,000
Speaker 1: I understand inside club for still it is now they

457
00:25:01,119 --> 00:25:04,480
Speaker 1: put risk colored wristbands on players who have vaccinated, in

458
00:25:04,480 --> 00:25:06,800
Speaker 1: a different color in those who are unvaccinated. They can't

459
00:25:06,840 --> 00:25:08,760
Speaker 1: eat in the same room together, they can't work out

460
00:25:08,840 --> 00:25:13,160
Speaker 1: in the same weightlifting room together. Can this possibly divide

461
00:25:13,200 --> 00:25:17,040
Speaker 1: a team and really hurt them? Well, it could, you know,

462
00:25:17,119 --> 00:25:20,960
Speaker 1: when you're separating guys who are unvaccinated with vaccinated, I

463
00:25:21,040 --> 00:25:24,200
Speaker 1: mean that that could hurt a team. Football is is

464
00:25:24,240 --> 00:25:27,440
Speaker 1: definitely a chemistry team sport, and we have to rely

465
00:25:27,560 --> 00:25:29,800
Speaker 1: on each other to be successful and it's not one

466
00:25:29,840 --> 00:25:33,920
Speaker 1: individ room. So I think that that could happen. And

467
00:25:34,359 --> 00:25:36,600
Speaker 1: for me, how I would look at is that, you know,

468
00:25:37,240 --> 00:25:39,880
Speaker 1: I'm more of a family person anyway, so I'm always

469
00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:42,120
Speaker 1: take care of my people. They're most they're the most

470
00:25:42,160 --> 00:25:45,400
Speaker 1: important things. We all have to make sacrifices for each

471
00:25:45,440 --> 00:25:48,080
Speaker 1: other to be successful, and I just think it has

472
00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:51,160
Speaker 1: you know, those individuals who are vaccinated and the ones

473
00:25:51,200 --> 00:25:54,000
Speaker 1: who are not vaccinated. You have to make a decision,

474
00:25:54,760 --> 00:25:57,080
Speaker 1: you know within yourself. You know what are you going

475
00:25:57,119 --> 00:26:00,080
Speaker 1: to sacrifice? And you know, being great and all the

476
00:26:00,160 --> 00:26:02,520
Speaker 1: great athletes to tell you is that you have to

477
00:26:02,640 --> 00:26:05,960
Speaker 1: sacrifice things to get to the next level, to move forward,

478
00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:11,800
Speaker 1: to be great. And these guys who are unvaccinated, you know, um,

479
00:26:12,600 --> 00:26:15,040
Speaker 1: that could be some tension on the team because if

480
00:26:15,560 --> 00:26:18,080
Speaker 1: someone else gets COVID on the team and now you

481
00:26:18,160 --> 00:26:20,080
Speaker 1: have to fork for the game, that could have some

482
00:26:20,280 --> 00:26:23,520
Speaker 1: history dicussions down the road. So work, I want to

483
00:26:23,560 --> 00:26:29,240
Speaker 1: talk about your post playing career. Tell me about tell

484
00:26:29,359 --> 00:26:32,359
Speaker 1: us about sort of how you divide your time. Because

485
00:26:32,720 --> 00:26:35,480
Speaker 1: you're very close with Arthur Blank. You're a minority owner

486
00:26:35,720 --> 00:26:39,040
Speaker 1: of the Falcons, so you've got that perspective. You have

487
00:26:39,240 --> 00:26:44,040
Speaker 1: created a business and philanthropic empire sorts around yourself. How

488
00:26:44,080 --> 00:26:45,840
Speaker 1: do you divide your time? Break it down for us.

489
00:26:46,200 --> 00:26:48,680
Speaker 1: You know, growing up being oders to six, you know,

490
00:26:48,760 --> 00:26:51,000
Speaker 1: I've had to put my family first, so you know,

491
00:26:51,160 --> 00:26:54,720
Speaker 1: for me, Yeah, make sure that I may spend time

492
00:26:54,760 --> 00:26:57,639
Speaker 1: with my family that is vital in my life. And

493
00:26:57,760 --> 00:26:59,919
Speaker 1: that's what I've done. You know, I spent a lot

494
00:27:00,119 --> 00:27:03,720
Speaker 1: time my charity, uh trying to support programs as other

495
00:27:03,840 --> 00:27:06,359
Speaker 1: business ventures that I'm a part of that that I

496
00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:11,400
Speaker 1: try to participate in. I'm going to go to practice, training, camp, practice.

497
00:27:11,560 --> 00:27:14,280
Speaker 1: When it comes to the FALCONST I'm there to support

498
00:27:14,359 --> 00:27:17,760
Speaker 1: and work with partners and sponsors and those things because

499
00:27:17,800 --> 00:27:20,639
Speaker 1: I try to always elevate, you know, who we are

500
00:27:20,720 --> 00:27:23,200
Speaker 1: as our organization, and I try to support with some

501
00:27:23,320 --> 00:27:26,920
Speaker 1: blank any way that I can. But I love doing

502
00:27:27,000 --> 00:27:30,320
Speaker 1: your work at home, man, you know, just those those

503
00:27:30,480 --> 00:27:33,479
Speaker 1: little things that you know some people may take for granted.

504
00:27:34,200 --> 00:27:36,520
Speaker 1: I learned at an early age that you know, you

505
00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:40,280
Speaker 1: gotta cherish those moments. And I think COVID is definitely

506
00:27:40,359 --> 00:27:42,280
Speaker 1: highlighted that a little bit more. I think we've all

507
00:27:42,400 --> 00:27:47,119
Speaker 1: taken a look at being more intentional about where we

508
00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:50,119
Speaker 1: spend our time because you just never know, and you know,

509
00:27:50,200 --> 00:27:53,000
Speaker 1: I just try to have a balanced life. I am

510
00:27:53,119 --> 00:27:57,000
Speaker 1: for any athletes getting as much money as they can

511
00:27:57,200 --> 00:28:02,520
Speaker 1: during negotiations, especially NFL players. Aaron Rodgers, quarterback for the

512
00:28:02,560 --> 00:28:06,159
Speaker 1: Green Bay Packers. He kind of had a festivus and

513
00:28:06,359 --> 00:28:11,600
Speaker 1: airing of grievances. Aaron Rodgers has not been happy with

514
00:28:11,760 --> 00:28:14,840
Speaker 1: the Packers, and there has been some contention if he

515
00:28:15,200 --> 00:28:19,000
Speaker 1: was going to retire uh instead of staying with the Packers.

516
00:28:19,240 --> 00:28:21,200
Speaker 1: So they have been trying to work out a deal

517
00:28:21,880 --> 00:28:24,720
Speaker 1: and he held a press conference. What do you think

518
00:28:25,040 --> 00:28:30,720
Speaker 1: about when some athletes go through that negotiating process and

519
00:28:30,840 --> 00:28:34,560
Speaker 1: sometimes it's not pretty. What are your thoughts about that

520
00:28:35,200 --> 00:28:39,240
Speaker 1: he's proven himself to be an elite player. Should he

521
00:28:39,320 --> 00:28:42,720
Speaker 1: be making personnel decisions that I have no idea. I

522
00:28:42,840 --> 00:28:44,920
Speaker 1: can't knock him if he wants to do that. We

523
00:28:45,040 --> 00:28:48,280
Speaker 1: all have an opinion on who should be on the

524
00:28:48,360 --> 00:28:52,920
Speaker 1: team or whatever. But I just think me, stay out

525
00:28:52,960 --> 00:28:54,840
Speaker 1: of the front office and really focus on the things

526
00:28:54,880 --> 00:28:59,280
Speaker 1: that you can control and um as a player, I've

527
00:28:59,320 --> 00:29:02,240
Speaker 1: always tried to do that. I think Aaron, you know,

528
00:29:02,360 --> 00:29:05,479
Speaker 1: he's been around a long time, a great player. Did

529
00:29:05,520 --> 00:29:08,640
Speaker 1: you want to force him into retirement? I just think

530
00:29:08,720 --> 00:29:12,120
Speaker 1: he's passionate about winning and being much more consistent. So

531
00:29:12,800 --> 00:29:15,760
Speaker 1: he's a guy who's gonna batch. His opinion is up

532
00:29:15,800 --> 00:29:17,640
Speaker 1: to the Packers to make a decision. What they want

533
00:29:17,640 --> 00:29:21,080
Speaker 1: to do. But I just hope the best, obviously for Aaron,

534
00:29:21,520 --> 00:29:23,880
Speaker 1: because the Packers are going to make that money. You know,

535
00:29:24,040 --> 00:29:25,960
Speaker 1: you want you want the players who are playing to

536
00:29:26,040 --> 00:29:27,880
Speaker 1: make as much money as they can while they have

537
00:29:27,960 --> 00:29:30,680
Speaker 1: the opportunity to work as a part of one of

538
00:29:30,800 --> 00:29:33,560
Speaker 1: the falcons and a good friend with Arthur Blank. Do

539
00:29:33,680 --> 00:29:38,880
Speaker 1: you feel any responsibility to educate the unvaccinated players on

540
00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:41,240
Speaker 1: the team or to give them a little nudge in

541
00:29:41,320 --> 00:29:44,160
Speaker 1: the direction that they should get vaccinated. Well, I think

542
00:29:44,200 --> 00:29:49,040
Speaker 1: it's important that we do, uh educate people on the

543
00:29:49,160 --> 00:29:52,560
Speaker 1: vaccinations and why they should and the importance of it.

544
00:29:53,280 --> 00:29:56,760
Speaker 1: Can you force anyone, Uh, there's no mandate to do that,

545
00:29:57,160 --> 00:30:00,080
Speaker 1: but I think it is important that you do to

546
00:30:00,200 --> 00:30:04,200
Speaker 1: keep people and you know, I believe in the science,

547
00:30:04,280 --> 00:30:08,360
Speaker 1: so I don't have a problem listening and really understanding

548
00:30:08,440 --> 00:30:11,680
Speaker 1: that it's truly not just about myself. But again, I'm

549
00:30:11,720 --> 00:30:16,120
Speaker 1: a preach team. If we are a team, you know, um,

550
00:30:17,160 --> 00:30:19,000
Speaker 1: I gotta do the things that's gonna help me and

551
00:30:19,120 --> 00:30:22,120
Speaker 1: my teammates, you know, put the best product on the field.

552
00:30:22,320 --> 00:30:24,880
Speaker 1: So I know some guys on the league have bought it,

553
00:30:25,520 --> 00:30:29,080
Speaker 1: you know, um that they have to get vaccinated and

554
00:30:29,240 --> 00:30:32,160
Speaker 1: so forth, and I just want them to take a

555
00:30:32,240 --> 00:30:35,240
Speaker 1: step back and I respect how they feel. You know,

556
00:30:36,320 --> 00:30:39,760
Speaker 1: we're all our individuals, but it's going to be challenging

557
00:30:40,680 --> 00:30:43,920
Speaker 1: to uh, I think for us to really turn the

558
00:30:44,000 --> 00:30:48,000
Speaker 1: corner and every player vaccinate. I think guys they have

559
00:30:48,080 --> 00:30:50,800
Speaker 1: a certain way they feel, and I have to respect

560
00:30:50,960 --> 00:30:53,040
Speaker 1: the way that they feel. But I do believe in

561
00:30:53,080 --> 00:30:57,040
Speaker 1: the science and um, the science speaks. You have a

562
00:30:57,080 --> 00:30:59,440
Speaker 1: lot of individuals that know people that are in the

563
00:30:59,520 --> 00:31:02,480
Speaker 1: hospital that I'm dying from COVID or you know, they're

564
00:31:02,480 --> 00:31:05,560
Speaker 1: in a hospital because of its delta. Theret that I

565
00:31:05,680 --> 00:31:08,040
Speaker 1: think it's strowing to great people up and really see

566
00:31:08,080 --> 00:31:10,280
Speaker 1: that we need to do those little things and all

567
00:31:10,360 --> 00:31:12,600
Speaker 1: of our bodies as you know, I'm sure you guys

568
00:31:12,720 --> 00:31:18,400
Speaker 1: know that it responds. Our bodies respond to different things differently.

569
00:31:18,520 --> 00:31:21,200
Speaker 1: Everybody's not going to have the same response. So we

570
00:31:21,400 --> 00:31:23,640
Speaker 1: just have to make sure that, you know, we educate

571
00:31:23,720 --> 00:31:26,480
Speaker 1: people on you know, the pluses and minuses and what's

572
00:31:26,600 --> 00:31:29,880
Speaker 1: in their best interests and their family's best interests. So work.

573
00:31:29,960 --> 00:31:32,280
Speaker 1: You know, you've seen some interesting things over the course

574
00:31:32,520 --> 00:31:35,440
Speaker 1: of your career as a college player as as a

575
00:31:35,560 --> 00:31:39,000
Speaker 1: professional athlete And now as we've been discussing, you know,

576
00:31:39,280 --> 00:31:41,240
Speaker 1: sitting in a different seat when it comes to the

577
00:31:41,400 --> 00:31:44,800
Speaker 1: NFL as an owner. Um, you know, we have seen

578
00:31:45,040 --> 00:31:49,600
Speaker 1: players and I'm thinking beyond covid um and and beyond

579
00:31:49,680 --> 00:31:52,360
Speaker 1: even this moment, we have really seen a rise in

580
00:31:52,920 --> 00:31:57,000
Speaker 1: players feeling empowered and speaking out on on social justice.

581
00:31:57,120 --> 00:32:00,120
Speaker 1: This is something you know, you have very much at

582
00:32:00,120 --> 00:32:02,120
Speaker 1: your money where your mouth is, as it were, and

583
00:32:02,240 --> 00:32:06,760
Speaker 1: you're incredibly involved philanthropically building homes for folks and and

584
00:32:06,920 --> 00:32:09,800
Speaker 1: many other things. How do you see the role of

585
00:32:10,160 --> 00:32:14,160
Speaker 1: the modern athlete and the responsibility in terms of speaking

586
00:32:14,240 --> 00:32:17,960
Speaker 1: out and giving back. Uh? Well, I think when I

587
00:32:18,120 --> 00:32:20,600
Speaker 1: played the role was a lot different. You know. We

588
00:32:21,600 --> 00:32:25,360
Speaker 1: um we you know, I don't think we were We

589
00:32:25,480 --> 00:32:29,120
Speaker 1: felt empowered. I felt that we stepped on and said something.

590
00:32:29,560 --> 00:32:31,160
Speaker 1: You know, we would take a lot get a lot

591
00:32:31,240 --> 00:32:33,880
Speaker 1: of backlash. And I think you probably guess you guys

592
00:32:33,960 --> 00:32:36,120
Speaker 1: probably know you've seen players in the past who tried

593
00:32:36,200 --> 00:32:39,280
Speaker 1: to say something and it's you know, been blacklisted. But

594
00:32:39,400 --> 00:32:42,960
Speaker 1: I just think this day and age, but obvious say

595
00:32:43,000 --> 00:32:45,160
Speaker 1: more things that you can actually see on video and

596
00:32:45,240 --> 00:32:47,840
Speaker 1: it's not here say anymore. You can actually see the evidence.

597
00:32:48,520 --> 00:32:51,840
Speaker 1: These guys are embolden and they want to see change,

598
00:32:52,040 --> 00:32:54,560
Speaker 1: and you have to advocate for that, and you know,

599
00:32:54,680 --> 00:32:56,800
Speaker 1: take the stance and I think they're doing that. They're

600
00:32:56,800 --> 00:33:01,440
Speaker 1: trying to do it in productive ways and raise more awareness,

601
00:33:01,760 --> 00:33:04,280
Speaker 1: you know, and you know, I advocate for families when

602
00:33:04,360 --> 00:33:07,600
Speaker 1: it comes to housing, you know, financiality, and health and wellness,

603
00:33:07,720 --> 00:33:12,920
Speaker 1: just family bondness, togetherness to support having both parents involved

604
00:33:12,960 --> 00:33:16,480
Speaker 1: in kids lives. If you want to change things, you

605
00:33:16,600 --> 00:33:18,520
Speaker 1: have to start at the root cause of it. Those

606
00:33:18,560 --> 00:33:21,680
Speaker 1: families have stability and with housing and so forth. So

607
00:33:22,360 --> 00:33:24,080
Speaker 1: it's a lot of things that need to be fixed.

608
00:33:24,120 --> 00:33:26,280
Speaker 1: That's a lot of things that need to the corner

609
00:33:26,400 --> 00:33:29,760
Speaker 1: needs to be de termed. But again that doesn't happen

610
00:33:29,840 --> 00:33:33,600
Speaker 1: unless you change policy. And that's really what it comes

611
00:33:33,640 --> 00:33:36,400
Speaker 1: down to the people that you had let so uh,

612
00:33:36,520 --> 00:33:38,480
Speaker 1: it's it's a lot of things that these guys that

613
00:33:38,680 --> 00:33:41,400
Speaker 1: there are reasonable more awareness about. They put money behind

614
00:33:41,560 --> 00:33:44,760
Speaker 1: their advocating for they're fighting for and you just need

615
00:33:44,840 --> 00:33:46,440
Speaker 1: to continue to grow that day. So if you can

616
00:33:46,480 --> 00:33:49,280
Speaker 1: get more people to really understand the position that you're

617
00:33:49,360 --> 00:33:53,840
Speaker 1: coming from that you know, this could affect you, It

618
00:33:53,880 --> 00:33:55,720
Speaker 1: can affect you and it can affect you and it

619
00:33:55,840 --> 00:33:58,560
Speaker 1: and sometimes you don't realize that as individual until you

620
00:33:58,640 --> 00:34:03,760
Speaker 1: actually go through it. I think these guys are you know,

621
00:34:04,200 --> 00:34:06,760
Speaker 1: they've taken the right steps because they've been there and

622
00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:10,600
Speaker 1: done that and lived that life. And if they can

623
00:34:10,640 --> 00:34:13,920
Speaker 1: see the people behind them start to livel better overall

624
00:34:14,560 --> 00:34:19,080
Speaker 1: productive life when it comes to you know, uh, you know,

625
00:34:19,280 --> 00:34:21,960
Speaker 1: just the different issues that we have in society overall.

626
00:34:22,440 --> 00:34:25,760
Speaker 1: I think it's a great thing. And they're actually putting money,

627
00:34:26,600 --> 00:34:29,680
Speaker 1: the money that they make their supporting these organizations and

628
00:34:29,800 --> 00:34:33,720
Speaker 1: doing these things to help their communities and society overall.

629
00:34:34,280 --> 00:34:37,880
Speaker 1: One topic that is now in the forefront today when

630
00:34:37,920 --> 00:34:42,440
Speaker 1: it comes to athletes involves mental health. Uh. Simone Biles

631
00:34:42,840 --> 00:34:47,759
Speaker 1: recently in the Olympics she withdrew UH from certain competitions

632
00:34:47,880 --> 00:34:52,200
Speaker 1: because of her mental health. Naomi Osaka also brought that

633
00:34:52,400 --> 00:34:57,600
Speaker 1: and there have been other NBA players as well, UM

634
00:34:57,880 --> 00:35:01,680
Speaker 1: talking about mental health. What are your thoughts about that

635
00:35:01,840 --> 00:35:06,520
Speaker 1: and what athletes are now going through today. Well, I'm

636
00:35:06,520 --> 00:35:09,880
Speaker 1: an advocate um for mental health because you know, I

637
00:35:10,000 --> 00:35:13,920
Speaker 1: went to counseling when I played as to the football,

638
00:35:14,040 --> 00:35:16,080
Speaker 1: and I was the shame at first. I think it's

639
00:35:16,120 --> 00:35:20,239
Speaker 1: important advocating for people to have a balanced life for

640
00:35:20,680 --> 00:35:23,360
Speaker 1: a better balance when it comes to mental health is important.

641
00:35:23,680 --> 00:35:26,640
Speaker 1: But I also I do believe because of what I've

642
00:35:26,719 --> 00:35:29,920
Speaker 1: been through in my life, because of the adversity and

643
00:35:30,280 --> 00:35:33,839
Speaker 1: you know, growing up early on, if someone would have said,

644
00:35:34,000 --> 00:35:36,000
Speaker 1: and I've talked to friends about this, is like, hey,

645
00:35:36,120 --> 00:35:38,000
Speaker 1: if coach would you would have said a coach, I

646
00:35:38,040 --> 00:35:40,080
Speaker 1: don't just feel like I'm into it today. It's like,

647
00:35:40,840 --> 00:35:43,399
Speaker 1: you gotta suck it up, get it together, and let's

648
00:35:43,440 --> 00:35:48,000
Speaker 1: go right because your team is, you know, depending on you,

649
00:35:48,520 --> 00:35:51,319
Speaker 1: And a lot of times we wouldn't have personal died

650
00:35:51,440 --> 00:35:55,560
Speaker 1: in life if we didn't refocus and really tried to

651
00:35:55,640 --> 00:35:59,040
Speaker 1: push through things. Because I read try my entire life

652
00:35:59,120 --> 00:36:01,800
Speaker 1: played football. There's a lot of things that you know

653
00:36:01,960 --> 00:36:03,960
Speaker 1: that I need to just take a step back and

654
00:36:04,040 --> 00:36:08,160
Speaker 1: refocus and get ready for that moment and to give

655
00:36:08,200 --> 00:36:11,200
Speaker 1: it everything I have because people are depending upon me,

656
00:36:11,440 --> 00:36:13,920
Speaker 1: so I can't always bail out on them. And not

657
00:36:14,080 --> 00:36:17,799
Speaker 1: saying simone or anyone else built out, what I'm saying

658
00:36:17,880 --> 00:36:20,000
Speaker 1: is that you work on that mental health to get

659
00:36:20,040 --> 00:36:23,560
Speaker 1: your self prepared for those moments so that when you

660
00:36:23,680 --> 00:36:26,960
Speaker 1: get there now and you can truly focus and give

661
00:36:27,800 --> 00:36:31,600
Speaker 1: your team or your your own individual self that full

662
00:36:31,719 --> 00:36:34,319
Speaker 1: throut of I'm giving it everything I have and I'm

663
00:36:34,400 --> 00:36:36,719
Speaker 1: leaving it all on, you know, leaving it all out there.

664
00:36:36,800 --> 00:36:39,360
Speaker 1: So if I'm successful, great, if I if I failed,

665
00:36:39,960 --> 00:36:42,400
Speaker 1: then I can also be an example for people that

666
00:36:42,560 --> 00:36:44,799
Speaker 1: support me that you know, you fall down, you get

667
00:36:44,880 --> 00:36:47,399
Speaker 1: back up, and you try again. Right. So I think

668
00:36:48,040 --> 00:36:51,760
Speaker 1: it's uh, it's pluses and minuses to what Simona has done,

669
00:36:52,800 --> 00:36:55,480
Speaker 1: what Naomi has done. You know, when you look at

670
00:36:55,480 --> 00:36:58,120
Speaker 1: the people that come before them, if they would did

671
00:36:58,239 --> 00:37:01,440
Speaker 1: that years ago because it wasn't accepted, we would have

672
00:37:01,480 --> 00:37:04,320
Speaker 1: basked them. As societies, it's like, well, you gotta you

673
00:37:04,360 --> 00:37:07,719
Speaker 1: gotta push through it. Right now, you raise more right

674
00:37:07,840 --> 00:37:10,399
Speaker 1: as about mental health, so now we think, hey, put

675
00:37:10,520 --> 00:37:12,480
Speaker 1: us out in the position where you're getting the support

676
00:37:12,560 --> 00:37:14,920
Speaker 1: that you need, but you're also you still have to

677
00:37:14,960 --> 00:37:18,239
Speaker 1: push forward because one you're being paid and all those things.

678
00:37:18,320 --> 00:37:21,000
Speaker 1: So I think it's a double store when it comes

679
00:37:21,080 --> 00:37:23,799
Speaker 1: to that. But everybody has their own stands and our

680
00:37:23,840 --> 00:37:26,719
Speaker 1: own position. I respect that, you know, but sometimes we

681
00:37:26,840 --> 00:37:29,760
Speaker 1: all would do something different, and that's just human nature

682
00:37:29,840 --> 00:37:32,560
Speaker 1: that we can all think of something different that we

683
00:37:32,600 --> 00:37:36,160
Speaker 1: would do in different moments that we have to support

684
00:37:36,200 --> 00:37:38,200
Speaker 1: each other, but we may not always agree with it.

685
00:37:38,480 --> 00:37:41,080
Speaker 1: And you know, that's just how things are today when

686
00:37:41,160 --> 00:37:43,320
Speaker 1: it comes to not to health, because it's a difficult

687
00:37:44,040 --> 00:37:48,640
Speaker 1: and um complicated topic. It's not one right, it's not

688
00:37:48,800 --> 00:37:51,759
Speaker 1: one wrong. So work, Where is the National Football League

689
00:37:51,760 --> 00:37:55,640
Speaker 1: today with mental health in terms of recognizing it, providing

690
00:37:55,719 --> 00:37:57,600
Speaker 1: support on the skill of one to ten? Where would

691
00:37:57,640 --> 00:38:00,719
Speaker 1: you say the NFL stands right now? Well, I can

692
00:38:00,800 --> 00:38:04,120
Speaker 1: tell you before they weren't there. Today now they actually

693
00:38:04,239 --> 00:38:07,640
Speaker 1: have mental health individuals that are part of organization that

694
00:38:07,800 --> 00:38:12,440
Speaker 1: guys can go to, that guys could uh, you know,

695
00:38:12,640 --> 00:38:14,560
Speaker 1: they could do things in private because a lot of

696
00:38:14,640 --> 00:38:17,560
Speaker 1: times people other guys, they don't want to know. They

697
00:38:17,600 --> 00:38:19,759
Speaker 1: don't want people to know that they're talking to individuals.

698
00:38:19,840 --> 00:38:22,359
Speaker 1: So I think they've taken a step or they at

699
00:38:22,400 --> 00:38:25,080
Speaker 1: a ten. I don't think they're a ten yet, they're

700
00:38:25,120 --> 00:38:28,799
Speaker 1: probably six seven. You know, they've made great strides over

701
00:38:28,840 --> 00:38:30,799
Speaker 1: the years, and I think they can only get better

702
00:38:30,880 --> 00:38:34,000
Speaker 1: because I'm part of the NFL Legends program as well,

703
00:38:34,560 --> 00:38:37,960
Speaker 1: and we have mental health programs that we go through.

704
00:38:38,360 --> 00:38:41,040
Speaker 1: You know, we're when we all get together to educate

705
00:38:41,160 --> 00:38:43,760
Speaker 1: us on mental health, some of the issues, the trends

706
00:38:43,840 --> 00:38:46,640
Speaker 1: that are going on, how we can help assist other

707
00:38:46,719 --> 00:38:50,400
Speaker 1: individuals that are dealing with that. So thanks now today

708
00:38:50,440 --> 00:38:53,520
Speaker 1: it's more awareness to it because you know, and I've

709
00:38:53,640 --> 00:38:56,080
Speaker 1: been through it, still living it, and I go through it,

710
00:38:56,880 --> 00:38:59,080
Speaker 1: so I do understand and I know that it is

711
00:38:59,160 --> 00:39:01,600
Speaker 1: a journey. You don't get to the finish line just

712
00:39:01,760 --> 00:39:04,760
Speaker 1: because you know you start running. It is a journey.

713
00:39:04,840 --> 00:39:07,000
Speaker 1: The finish line is never gone in. You've never gonna

714
00:39:07,080 --> 00:39:09,880
Speaker 1: get there because this thing is is going to be

715
00:39:09,960 --> 00:39:11,759
Speaker 1: going on forever. So I just think we have to

716
00:39:11,800 --> 00:39:16,360
Speaker 1: continue to educate mental health and prepare each other, you know,

717
00:39:16,520 --> 00:39:18,400
Speaker 1: for the ups and downs that we're gonna face. And

718
00:39:18,560 --> 00:39:23,480
Speaker 1: that's just now more accepted as society and people respected.

719
00:39:24,040 --> 00:39:26,279
Speaker 1: And again it's gonna be a journey and we have

720
00:39:26,440 --> 00:39:28,880
Speaker 1: to make those in justice moving forward as a society,

721
00:39:29,000 --> 00:39:31,560
Speaker 1: but also as athletes. We'll work. It has been such

722
00:39:31,600 --> 00:39:33,480
Speaker 1: a treat to talk to you. Thank you so much.

723
00:39:33,560 --> 00:39:37,520
Speaker 1: Thanks for everything you're doing for my hometowntown UH in Atlanta.

724
00:39:37,800 --> 00:39:40,360
Speaker 1: Hoping for a good season, UH for the Falcons. I

725
00:39:40,440 --> 00:39:43,080
Speaker 1: know there's been some rebuilding as it were going on.

726
00:39:43,280 --> 00:39:45,520
Speaker 1: But glad to know that you're on the sidelines whispering

727
00:39:45,600 --> 00:39:49,000
Speaker 1: and Mr Blank's ear about some things, uh that that

728
00:39:49,120 --> 00:39:51,279
Speaker 1: maybe they can be doing down there. So best of

729
00:39:51,360 --> 00:39:53,919
Speaker 1: luck to you. Thank you so much. I appreciate you guys.

730
00:39:54,000 --> 00:39:58,320
Speaker 1: Thank you so guys worked on really interesting conversation that

731
00:39:58,440 --> 00:40:00,120
Speaker 1: you know, as I said to him, wide range ing

732
00:40:00,560 --> 00:40:03,360
Speaker 1: for sure. And it's a tough time for an athlete,

733
00:40:03,400 --> 00:40:06,160
Speaker 1: a complicated time for an athlete. He certainly understands a

734
00:40:06,239 --> 00:40:08,080
Speaker 1: lot of these issues. You know. Keep in mind, this

735
00:40:08,239 --> 00:40:11,160
Speaker 1: is a guy who lost his mom when he was

736
00:40:11,320 --> 00:40:13,920
Speaker 1: very young. He raised his siblings, and so when he

737
00:40:14,080 --> 00:40:17,200
Speaker 1: talks about kind of where you come from and how

738
00:40:17,280 --> 00:40:20,479
Speaker 1: that influences you, he he really knows what he's talking about.

739
00:40:20,760 --> 00:40:23,280
Speaker 1: This is not easy for the NFL, it's not easy

740
00:40:23,640 --> 00:40:26,600
Speaker 1: for for the world of sports to grapple with all

741
00:40:26,680 --> 00:40:28,800
Speaker 1: of these issues. Lynching, Yeah, I know. I think that

742
00:40:28,920 --> 00:40:31,120
Speaker 1: the word throughout this thing is nudged. They don't want

743
00:40:31,120 --> 00:40:33,879
Speaker 1: to force people to get vaccinated. I know, warwork done

744
00:40:33,920 --> 00:40:36,640
Speaker 1: and he's probably fifteen years ago would be in there

745
00:40:36,680 --> 00:40:39,160
Speaker 1: and tipping tables over in that cafeteria telling the young

746
00:40:39,200 --> 00:40:40,719
Speaker 1: guys you've better get your butt down there and get

747
00:40:40,800 --> 00:40:43,040
Speaker 1: vaccinated right now, because I'm not going to lose myself

748
00:40:43,320 --> 00:40:44,759
Speaker 1: a game check and we're not going to fork for

749
00:40:44,840 --> 00:40:47,520
Speaker 1: the game just because you're being stubborn. And now he's

750
00:40:47,560 --> 00:40:49,880
Speaker 1: more mature, he's retired, he's a part owner, so he

751
00:40:49,960 --> 00:40:51,560
Speaker 1: has to be a little bit more diplomatic. But you

752
00:40:51,719 --> 00:40:54,200
Speaker 1: you could, you know, you could feel in his presence

753
00:40:54,280 --> 00:40:57,239
Speaker 1: that you know, T A. M Is number one and

754
00:40:57,400 --> 00:41:00,840
Speaker 1: he carries that team concept to the n Falcons. I

755
00:41:00,920 --> 00:41:03,759
Speaker 1: am so glad that he reinforced something that I've been

756
00:41:03,880 --> 00:41:07,880
Speaker 1: saying since the NFL made this announcement. Don't mess with

757
00:41:08,000 --> 00:41:10,680
Speaker 1: my dinner plate, because if you do, I'm going to

758
00:41:10,800 --> 00:41:13,120
Speaker 1: bring my whoop tushy stick and we're going to have

759
00:41:13,239 --> 00:41:21,040
Speaker 1: a moment. And well, I cleaned it up, and that's

760
00:41:21,280 --> 00:41:26,120
Speaker 1: that's exactly what I'm saying. Don't penalize me because you're

761
00:41:26,160 --> 00:41:30,600
Speaker 1: not doing what you're supposed to be doing, especially when

762
00:41:30,680 --> 00:41:33,640
Speaker 1: it comes to providing for my family, and you think

763
00:41:33,680 --> 00:41:37,160
Speaker 1: about the impact on the broader organization. You know, worked

764
00:41:37,520 --> 00:41:41,000
Speaker 1: now looking at this from a business perspective, he said

765
00:41:41,040 --> 00:41:43,320
Speaker 1: that right off the top, this is a business, you know,

766
00:41:43,520 --> 00:41:46,520
Speaker 1: and he sees that now every day not just from

767
00:41:46,560 --> 00:41:48,840
Speaker 1: the perspective that he used to have of I'm in

768
00:41:48,920 --> 00:41:51,080
Speaker 1: the business of work done. He's on the business of

769
00:41:51,120 --> 00:41:54,080
Speaker 1: the Atlanta Falcons. His his livelihood and part at this

770
00:41:54,160 --> 00:41:59,600
Speaker 1: point depends on that team continuing to grow in invaluation.

771
00:41:59,680 --> 00:42:01,479
Speaker 1: And he is looking at the gate, and he's looking

772
00:42:01,520 --> 00:42:03,840
Speaker 1: at concessions, and he's looking at merch and all of

773
00:42:03,880 --> 00:42:06,960
Speaker 1: those different things. He and Arthur Blanket and the rest

774
00:42:07,000 --> 00:42:10,360
Speaker 1: of the team there. So these are real economic issues.

775
00:42:10,440 --> 00:42:14,200
Speaker 1: And the good news, I think is that often it's

776
00:42:14,280 --> 00:42:17,719
Speaker 1: economics and your pocketbook that ultimately gets you to move

777
00:42:17,800 --> 00:42:20,440
Speaker 1: on something. So, you know, here's hoping that maybe that's

778
00:42:20,480 --> 00:42:23,719
Speaker 1: another lever that's going to be pulled, or another sort

779
00:42:23,719 --> 00:42:25,640
Speaker 1: of pain point, as it were, that will get us

780
00:42:25,680 --> 00:42:30,200
Speaker 1: to where we need to get. Monro I d feels

781
00:42:30,239 --> 00:42:32,080
Speaker 1: better to be number one than number five. I'll wear

782
00:42:32,160 --> 00:42:33,840
Speaker 1: the number because of Mike. We have a chance to

783
00:42:33,880 --> 00:42:35,440
Speaker 1: go for three and a rown. Good numbers are a

784
00:42:35,480 --> 00:42:37,600
Speaker 1: good time. When I first started wearing the number, how

785
00:42:37,640 --> 00:42:40,759
Speaker 1: we just have been proud Bloomberg business of sports, the

786
00:42:41,000 --> 00:42:45,360
Speaker 1: number of the week, the number of every week. This

787
00:42:45,560 --> 00:42:48,160
Speaker 1: is an easy well I shouldn't say he's how key

788
00:42:48,280 --> 00:42:53,239
Speaker 1: it's similar is putting point Tokyo Olympic opening cereal? How

789
00:42:53,320 --> 00:42:57,600
Speaker 1: much did it cost? And let's transfer again. Yeah no,

790
00:42:57,760 --> 00:43:02,440
Speaker 1: it's not too that dude. Yeah, so this is the

791
00:43:02,520 --> 00:43:09,319
Speaker 1: total cost. I'll go twenty million. This is just opening, right,

792
00:43:09,560 --> 00:43:12,399
Speaker 1: this is just the opening ceremony. I'm gonna I'm gonna

793
00:43:12,440 --> 00:43:18,600
Speaker 1: go up to hty nine. Well, Lynchi, you finally made

794
00:43:18,640 --> 00:43:21,319
Speaker 1: it on stage. And I was kind of surprised when

795
00:43:21,360 --> 00:43:25,080
Speaker 1: I read this. One hundred fifty million dollars what the

796
00:43:25,160 --> 00:43:29,360
Speaker 1: opening ceremony? The opening ceremony, and I had to reread that.

797
00:43:29,520 --> 00:43:34,240
Speaker 1: It's like, my goodness, it's all the stuff that happened.

798
00:43:34,840 --> 00:43:43,000
Speaker 1: And according to uh, the Japanese magazine Shoo Khan Bunching, Uh,

799
00:43:43,160 --> 00:43:46,360
Speaker 1: that's how much it cost, one hundred fifty million dollars

800
00:43:46,520 --> 00:43:51,440
Speaker 1: or sixteen point five billion yen. That is outrageous. You know,

801
00:43:51,480 --> 00:43:53,640
Speaker 1: I'm gonna opt I was so far off. I'm gonna

802
00:43:53,680 --> 00:43:56,560
Speaker 1: opt out from accepting my prize because I was a hundred.

803
00:43:56,800 --> 00:43:58,840
Speaker 1: I was so far off. But I don't deserve to

804
00:43:58,920 --> 00:44:03,680
Speaker 1: win neither on this deserves the way imagine telling Drew, look,

805
00:44:03,760 --> 00:44:06,319
Speaker 1: I know I'm sure, but man, I'm not coming up

806
00:44:06,440 --> 00:44:09,040
Speaker 1: I'm not coming up. This is the Bloomberg Business of

807
00:44:09,080 --> 00:44:11,800
Speaker 1: Sports show. We're here each and every week at the

808
00:44:11,920 --> 00:44:15,160
Speaker 1: same time, plus online wherever you get your podcast. You

809
00:44:15,200 --> 00:44:18,160
Speaker 1: can catch those Monday's, Wednesdays and Thursdays. I'm Michael Bar

810
00:44:18,320 --> 00:44:20,920
Speaker 1: on Twitter at Big Bar Sports. Still scratching my head

811
00:44:20,960 --> 00:44:23,120
Speaker 1: over a hundred and fifty large. I'm Michae Lynch. You

812
00:44:23,160 --> 00:44:25,759
Speaker 1: can follow me in Lynch e W CDB. And I'm

813
00:44:25,840 --> 00:44:29,719
Speaker 1: Jason Kelly on Twitter at Jason Kelly News. Woefully inadequate

814
00:44:29,840 --> 00:44:32,239
Speaker 1: at the number of the week. Thanks so much for

815
00:44:32,360 --> 00:44:34,200
Speaker 1: joining us. We'll catch you next week. You're listening to

816
00:44:34,239 --> 00:44:37,560
Speaker 1: Bloomberg Business of Sports Bloomberg Radio around the world.