1 00:00:07,266 --> 00:00:09,706 Speaker 1: The Season with Peter Schrager is a production of the 2 00:00:09,786 --> 00:00:24,386 Speaker 1: NFL in partnership with iHeartRadio. What's Up, Everybody, Welcome to 3 00:00:24,386 --> 00:00:26,826 Speaker 1: another episode of the Season with Peter Schregar. We were 4 00:00:26,826 --> 00:00:31,546 Speaker 1: officially in the off season. This is the off season, 5 00:00:31,706 --> 00:00:35,266 Speaker 1: yet NFL news is everywhere, you know. Friday, on Good 6 00:00:35,266 --> 00:00:38,546 Speaker 1: Morning Football, we announced that Dalvin Cook was officially going 7 00:00:38,586 --> 00:00:42,706 Speaker 1: to be released by the Minnesota Vikings. And it didn't 8 00:00:42,746 --> 00:00:45,746 Speaker 1: send shock waves, you know, through fans of the NFL. 9 00:00:45,786 --> 00:00:47,386 Speaker 1: But I think a lot of people are like pointing 10 00:00:47,466 --> 00:00:51,186 Speaker 1: to his stats and pointing to four Pro Bowls and 11 00:00:51,506 --> 00:00:55,546 Speaker 1: four thousand yard seasons the last four years. And I saw, 12 00:00:55,626 --> 00:00:57,306 Speaker 1: you know, my co host Kyle Brant was going big 13 00:00:57,346 --> 00:00:58,986 Speaker 1: on that and saying, you know, be careful what you 14 00:00:59,026 --> 00:01:02,226 Speaker 1: wish for releasing players of that quality. And I agree, 15 00:01:02,826 --> 00:01:05,506 Speaker 1: I agree, Dalvin Cook was set to make a lot 16 00:01:05,546 --> 00:01:08,666 Speaker 1: of money this year. And my big takeaway for a 17 00:01:08,706 --> 00:01:11,866 Speaker 1: monologue as we enter this episode, and we're gonna have 18 00:01:11,866 --> 00:01:14,426 Speaker 1: a very special guest, is that I don't know what 19 00:01:14,466 --> 00:01:17,026 Speaker 1: to tell you. It doesn't make sense on paper, but 20 00:01:17,146 --> 00:01:19,946 Speaker 1: running backs are just not valued positions anymore. And that's 21 00:01:19,946 --> 00:01:22,906 Speaker 1: a cold, hard truth. It's something that we've known has 22 00:01:22,906 --> 00:01:26,346 Speaker 1: been trending this way for a long time, but it 23 00:01:26,386 --> 00:01:29,346 Speaker 1: has never been more apparent than this offseason is, particularly 24 00:01:29,346 --> 00:01:32,546 Speaker 1: the last seventy two hours. Sakwon Barkley had a great 25 00:01:32,626 --> 00:01:35,546 Speaker 1: charity event yesterday. The local New York reporters were smart. 26 00:01:35,586 --> 00:01:37,506 Speaker 1: They went and they got them on camera talking and 27 00:01:37,506 --> 00:01:39,906 Speaker 1: I'm going to quote some of the things he said, 28 00:01:40,786 --> 00:01:42,226 Speaker 1: and then we're going to go back and kind of 29 00:01:42,266 --> 00:01:44,306 Speaker 1: do some revisionist history on this whole thing and kind 30 00:01:44,306 --> 00:01:47,386 Speaker 1: of break it down. Here's what he said via Jordan Renan, 31 00:01:47,466 --> 00:01:49,386 Speaker 1: who did a great job on ESPN getting not only 32 00:01:49,426 --> 00:01:52,426 Speaker 1: on camera but kind of wedging himself in there to 33 00:01:52,466 --> 00:01:55,306 Speaker 1: take a charity event to really make news, which I 34 00:01:55,346 --> 00:01:58,226 Speaker 1: appreciate from a reporter standpoint. You're spending your Sunday away 35 00:01:58,226 --> 00:02:01,546 Speaker 1: from your family to go to whatever event Saquan's having, 36 00:02:01,666 --> 00:02:03,226 Speaker 1: and you're going to get the most out of this, 37 00:02:03,386 --> 00:02:05,426 Speaker 1: not just for the charity side of it, but also 38 00:02:05,866 --> 00:02:08,186 Speaker 1: to kind of create some news and get some information. 39 00:02:08,266 --> 00:02:12,386 Speaker 1: Here's what Saquan said to Jordan, who is a freehold 40 00:02:12,506 --> 00:02:16,386 Speaker 1: New Jersey residence. So I respect Jordan through and through all, right. Quote, 41 00:02:16,706 --> 00:02:19,506 Speaker 1: I think they're open to talking. I'm open to talking. 42 00:02:19,546 --> 00:02:21,146 Speaker 1: I think at the end of the day, if you 43 00:02:21,266 --> 00:02:23,386 Speaker 1: really break it down and look at it as a whole, 44 00:02:23,506 --> 00:02:26,746 Speaker 1: there is no rush. There is still time on the 45 00:02:26,786 --> 00:02:29,866 Speaker 1: table to get to July seventeenth. July seventeenth is not tomorrow, 46 00:02:29,906 --> 00:02:31,306 Speaker 1: it's not in a week. This is how I look 47 00:02:31,346 --> 00:02:34,186 Speaker 1: at it. Maybe that is the naive way to look 48 00:02:34,186 --> 00:02:36,026 Speaker 1: at it. I could be completely wrong, but for me, 49 00:02:36,146 --> 00:02:38,786 Speaker 1: that's how I look at it. I could be completely wrong. 50 00:02:38,866 --> 00:02:42,026 Speaker 1: Hopefully I trust in the giants that we can get 51 00:02:42,026 --> 00:02:47,466 Speaker 1: something done. End quote. They asked Saquan about the running 52 00:02:47,466 --> 00:02:49,386 Speaker 1: back market, and here's where I'm going to pick something 53 00:02:49,426 --> 00:02:53,946 Speaker 1: apart here. He said, they, as in NFL franchises tag 54 00:02:54,026 --> 00:02:56,786 Speaker 1: the top three guys. We didn't even get a chance 55 00:02:56,826 --> 00:03:00,626 Speaker 1: to hit the open market. They put the cap at 56 00:03:00,666 --> 00:03:03,746 Speaker 1: ten million, and when they have the tag, they have 57 00:03:03,786 --> 00:03:08,106 Speaker 1: all the leverage. That's the reality. End quote. This use 58 00:03:08,146 --> 00:03:11,266 Speaker 1: of they as in like the NFL is colluding against 59 00:03:11,266 --> 00:03:14,466 Speaker 1: the running back position. I have to push back on saquon. 60 00:03:14,626 --> 00:03:17,906 Speaker 1: This is the market. This is the market. Christian McCaffrey 61 00:03:17,946 --> 00:03:20,746 Speaker 1: found someone who was willing to pay him sixteen million dollars, 62 00:03:21,346 --> 00:03:24,186 Speaker 1: so San Francisco forty nine ers, and last year they 63 00:03:24,226 --> 00:03:26,826 Speaker 1: agreed to pick up that contract from the Carolina Panthers. 64 00:03:26,866 --> 00:03:28,986 Speaker 1: They knew going in and they saw him as a 65 00:03:29,066 --> 00:03:35,106 Speaker 1: sixteen million dollar value. Saquon The Giants do not view 66 00:03:35,186 --> 00:03:37,866 Speaker 1: him as a sixteen million dollar value. They don't view 67 00:03:37,946 --> 00:03:39,946 Speaker 1: him as a fourteen million dollar value. They don't view 68 00:03:40,026 --> 00:03:42,586 Speaker 1: him at a twelve million dollar value. And when you 69 00:03:42,626 --> 00:03:45,866 Speaker 1: say they, it's it's almost acting as if it's someone else's. 70 00:03:45,866 --> 00:03:49,786 Speaker 1: Probably it's just the market. It stinks. Look, you look 71 00:03:49,826 --> 00:03:54,226 Speaker 1: around the world at housing situation right now. If you 72 00:03:54,306 --> 00:03:57,506 Speaker 1: have a house in a desirable place right now, it 73 00:03:57,586 --> 00:04:00,786 Speaker 1: is valued less than it was during peak COVID times 74 00:04:01,226 --> 00:04:04,066 Speaker 1: when interest rates were different. When you know it was 75 00:04:04,066 --> 00:04:07,306 Speaker 1: a different time in the climate economically. If you work 76 00:04:07,306 --> 00:04:10,066 Speaker 1: in sports media like I do, there was a nice 77 00:04:10,106 --> 00:04:11,746 Speaker 1: gravy train there for a couple of years for some 78 00:04:11,746 --> 00:04:14,866 Speaker 1: of the top guys, whether it be Romo, Aikman, Buck 79 00:04:14,946 --> 00:04:17,226 Speaker 1: name it. I don't think they're giving out those salaries 80 00:04:17,226 --> 00:04:20,466 Speaker 1: to those top play by play and announcing guys at 81 00:04:20,506 --> 00:04:24,066 Speaker 1: the moment because sports media has changed and there has 82 00:04:24,066 --> 00:04:27,146 Speaker 1: been a how about podcasting and Aaron, you could be 83 00:04:27,226 --> 00:04:30,906 Speaker 1: on this as my producer. They were handing out crazy 84 00:04:30,986 --> 00:04:34,466 Speaker 1: deals for podcasts to Megan Markele and Prince Harry and 85 00:04:34,546 --> 00:04:38,466 Speaker 1: Obama and whoever else. Those deals aren't in the news anymore. 86 00:04:39,826 --> 00:04:45,026 Speaker 1: Netflix overall deals to whoever or these companies giving like 87 00:04:45,106 --> 00:04:49,266 Speaker 1: Ryan Murphy and Shandra Rhime's like four hundred million dollar deals. Well, 88 00:04:49,346 --> 00:04:51,946 Speaker 1: the streamers crashed a little bit and it seems like 89 00:04:51,946 --> 00:04:54,546 Speaker 1: stocks are down and you will not see those deals going. 90 00:04:54,906 --> 00:04:58,346 Speaker 1: It's just the market and it sucks, and I hate 91 00:04:58,346 --> 00:05:01,466 Speaker 1: to hear but to say they, as in the collective 92 00:05:01,586 --> 00:05:04,706 Speaker 1: NFL has decided to turn on running backs. It's not 93 00:05:04,786 --> 00:05:06,746 Speaker 1: the case. Look, you go through this thing and it's 94 00:05:06,746 --> 00:05:08,906 Speaker 1: one by one and eventually it's just this position is 95 00:05:08,946 --> 00:05:12,026 Speaker 1: not as valued as defensive end or tackle or quarterback 96 00:05:12,026 --> 00:05:15,066 Speaker 1: and now receiver and tight end. But Josh Jacobs left 97 00:05:15,066 --> 00:05:16,946 Speaker 1: the league in rushing, got a franchise tag. You know, 98 00:05:17,106 --> 00:05:20,666 Speaker 1: no one linked and I David Montgomery was a really 99 00:05:20,666 --> 00:05:23,786 Speaker 1: good Chicago Bear, great player off the field, great in 100 00:05:23,826 --> 00:05:26,826 Speaker 1: the community. They opted not to resign him and roll 101 00:05:26,866 --> 00:05:31,226 Speaker 1: with Deonta Foreman and Khalil Herbert. Jamal Williams scored I 102 00:05:31,226 --> 00:05:35,906 Speaker 1: think seventeen touchdowns seventeen touchdowns from the running back position 103 00:05:35,906 --> 00:05:38,306 Speaker 1: for the Detroit Lions last year. It's the most sins 104 00:05:38,346 --> 00:05:42,586 Speaker 1: Barry Sanders. I think he broke Barry's record. The Lions 105 00:05:42,586 --> 00:05:46,106 Speaker 1: were like, we're good. We're gonna not only not resign you, 106 00:05:46,146 --> 00:05:49,066 Speaker 1: We're gonna sign Montgomery, We're gonna draft the rookie, and 107 00:05:49,066 --> 00:05:51,706 Speaker 1: then we're gonna also get rid of DeAndre Swift, who 108 00:05:51,786 --> 00:05:55,786 Speaker 1: was traded. Jack McKinnon was a stud for the Kansas 109 00:05:55,786 --> 00:05:58,106 Speaker 1: City Chiefs down the stretch. He sat and waited and 110 00:05:58,146 --> 00:06:00,466 Speaker 1: waited and waited and just signed a deal that I 111 00:06:00,546 --> 00:06:03,386 Speaker 1: promise you. When Jack McKinnon was carrying the load at 112 00:06:03,426 --> 00:06:05,106 Speaker 1: points this year for Cancie, I didn't think this is 113 00:06:05,146 --> 00:06:06,906 Speaker 1: the deal he was going to get. I don't think 114 00:06:06,906 --> 00:06:08,506 Speaker 1: he thought this was a deal he's gonna get. The 115 00:06:08,546 --> 00:06:11,186 Speaker 1: one guy who I think did really well with Miles Sanders, 116 00:06:11,226 --> 00:06:15,146 Speaker 1: who early on pounced, took an offer from Carolina, goes 117 00:06:15,186 --> 00:06:19,386 Speaker 1: back to Douce Staley and where he's the coach of 118 00:06:19,506 --> 00:06:22,746 Speaker 1: the running backs there and he's gonna make good money, 119 00:06:22,746 --> 00:06:28,426 Speaker 1: but nothing crazy. And then Dalvin Cook gets cut. It's 120 00:06:28,466 --> 00:06:31,546 Speaker 1: the market, it's not they This was nothing against these guys. 121 00:06:31,706 --> 00:06:35,266 Speaker 1: It sucks for them, and I hate talking about other 122 00:06:35,266 --> 00:06:37,946 Speaker 1: people's money like this, but it also is just the 123 00:06:38,186 --> 00:06:42,786 Speaker 1: harsh reality of it. And Aaron, as a Buffalo Bills fan, 124 00:06:42,866 --> 00:06:46,666 Speaker 1: I turned to you, it's like, hey, Devin Singletary was 125 00:06:46,666 --> 00:06:48,426 Speaker 1: a nice player. We're gonna go with James Cook and 126 00:06:48,546 --> 00:06:50,666 Speaker 1: Damian Harris this year, and they didn't draft their running 127 00:06:50,706 --> 00:06:52,746 Speaker 1: back in the first round. And it's like, this is 128 00:06:52,746 --> 00:06:54,866 Speaker 1: what the NFL is when you see the Chiefs being 129 00:06:54,906 --> 00:06:57,706 Speaker 1: able to roll into the Super Bowl with a three 130 00:06:57,746 --> 00:07:00,386 Speaker 1: headed monster at running back and the Eagles, you know, 131 00:07:00,706 --> 00:07:03,826 Speaker 1: Miles Sanders barely touches the ball in the Super Bowl 132 00:07:03,866 --> 00:07:06,226 Speaker 1: and it's you know, Boston Scott and whoever else in 133 00:07:06,266 --> 00:07:08,666 Speaker 1: the big Game against the Giant. Like I don't know, 134 00:07:08,706 --> 00:07:10,386 Speaker 1: I don't have to tell you, like a lot of times, 135 00:07:10,386 --> 00:07:12,666 Speaker 1: this running back by committee thing might make more sense. 136 00:07:13,346 --> 00:07:15,586 Speaker 1: And it's unfortunate because we love the running back position 137 00:07:15,586 --> 00:07:18,986 Speaker 1: and it's a big part of fantasy football. But it's 138 00:07:19,026 --> 00:07:21,346 Speaker 1: not a coincidence that around the league it doesn't seem 139 00:07:21,386 --> 00:07:24,306 Speaker 1: like there's these fifteen million dollar guys outside of Derreck 140 00:07:24,346 --> 00:07:25,706 Speaker 1: Henry and Christian McCaffrey. 141 00:07:25,866 --> 00:07:29,346 Speaker 2: Yeah, and then also Zeke got cut Mason was like 142 00:07:29,586 --> 00:07:31,946 Speaker 2: on the bubble he might have been cut at you know, 143 00:07:31,986 --> 00:07:33,986 Speaker 2: there's all this talk with him. I mean think one 144 00:07:34,026 --> 00:07:36,626 Speaker 2: of our earlier episodes in the offseason, we were parsing 145 00:07:36,626 --> 00:07:39,506 Speaker 2: through the words of the head of player personnel, who 146 00:07:39,546 --> 00:07:42,266 Speaker 2: was like, as of right now, he is on our roster. 147 00:07:42,786 --> 00:07:47,026 Speaker 1: Yeah. So my message there is the market and we're 148 00:07:47,026 --> 00:07:48,826 Speaker 1: going to have a guest on who just had to 149 00:07:48,826 --> 00:07:50,466 Speaker 1: make a really tough decision. We're going to bring it on. 150 00:07:51,306 --> 00:07:54,546 Speaker 1: It's quasi at Dolfo Mensa, who is the general manager 151 00:07:54,546 --> 00:07:57,586 Speaker 1: of the Minnesota Vikings. I don't want to press him 152 00:07:57,626 --> 00:07:59,386 Speaker 1: so much on the contract, and I don't want press 153 00:07:59,426 --> 00:08:01,506 Speaker 1: them so much on current events because really my goal 154 00:08:01,546 --> 00:08:03,506 Speaker 1: with this stuff, and we'll do it, but my goal 155 00:08:03,586 --> 00:08:05,746 Speaker 1: with this podcast, as you know, Aaron, is let's get 156 00:08:05,746 --> 00:08:08,066 Speaker 1: to know these guys. Let's talk about philosophy, let's talk 157 00:08:08,106 --> 00:08:11,786 Speaker 1: about their stories. And Kaisei's being cool enough while they 158 00:08:11,826 --> 00:08:13,746 Speaker 1: still have mandatory mini camp coming on to pop on 159 00:08:13,826 --> 00:08:15,866 Speaker 1: and talk about himself. We're gonna get to him in 160 00:08:15,866 --> 00:08:18,906 Speaker 1: one second, real quick. Aaron, do you play golf? 161 00:08:19,266 --> 00:08:19,826 Speaker 2: I don't. 162 00:08:20,026 --> 00:08:22,106 Speaker 1: I have you ever picked up a club? 163 00:08:22,466 --> 00:08:24,386 Speaker 2: I've been to the driving range, like once or twice 164 00:08:24,386 --> 00:08:24,986 Speaker 2: with some friends. 165 00:08:25,026 --> 00:08:28,826 Speaker 1: Yeah. I had never picked up a club until last year. 166 00:08:29,146 --> 00:08:31,706 Speaker 1: My wife said, you know what, like your friends all 167 00:08:31,706 --> 00:08:34,186 Speaker 1: play golf. For my birthday, she bought me golf lessons. 168 00:08:34,426 --> 00:08:36,786 Speaker 1: She got me ten lessons. It was really generous. I 169 00:08:36,826 --> 00:08:39,426 Speaker 1: went to two of them, and I think they expire 170 00:08:39,506 --> 00:08:42,026 Speaker 1: like I just I kind of said. Then my friend, 171 00:08:42,146 --> 00:08:44,026 Speaker 1: while we were all from Good Morning Football, invited me 172 00:08:44,026 --> 00:08:46,906 Speaker 1: out to play golf, and he was like, I got 173 00:08:46,946 --> 00:08:48,586 Speaker 1: to spare a thing of clubs. Just come and enjoy 174 00:08:48,626 --> 00:08:50,546 Speaker 1: the day. I went. I had a blast, hit the 175 00:08:50,546 --> 00:08:52,266 Speaker 1: ball pretty well, and I was like, you know what, 176 00:08:52,346 --> 00:08:54,306 Speaker 1: this summer, I'm in a golf So I went and 177 00:08:54,346 --> 00:08:56,626 Speaker 1: I got myself some golf clubs, which was probably an 178 00:08:56,626 --> 00:08:58,586 Speaker 1: irrational thing to do. It was way more expensive than 179 00:08:58,626 --> 00:09:00,466 Speaker 1: I thought golf clubs would be. But I was like, 180 00:09:00,506 --> 00:09:02,626 Speaker 1: I'm treating myself. You know, Father's Day is coming up, 181 00:09:02,746 --> 00:09:04,506 Speaker 1: and I'm gonna get myself a Father's Day gift. So 182 00:09:04,546 --> 00:09:08,346 Speaker 1: I went to Paramus, New Jersey, to a place I'm 183 00:09:08,346 --> 00:09:09,946 Speaker 1: not look, I'm not getting anything out of this. I'll 184 00:09:09,986 --> 00:09:11,706 Speaker 1: tell you what. It's called a place called p XG 185 00:09:12,026 --> 00:09:14,986 Speaker 1: which is like a golf like warehouse slash fitter of 186 00:09:15,026 --> 00:09:16,466 Speaker 1: like clubs. But it' supposed to be like the Rolls 187 00:09:16,506 --> 00:09:18,506 Speaker 1: Royce of clubs. I'm like, I'm gonna go and get 188 00:09:18,506 --> 00:09:20,186 Speaker 1: fitted by the best of the best, and they're gonna 189 00:09:20,186 --> 00:09:22,026 Speaker 1: show me what I need. So I got fitted for 190 00:09:22,066 --> 00:09:25,226 Speaker 1: all these clubs in Paramus, New Jersey. I ubered out there, 191 00:09:25,226 --> 00:09:27,826 Speaker 1: and then I took a train back from secaucas to 192 00:09:28,386 --> 00:09:30,426 Speaker 1: Penn Station, and then from Penn Station took the two 193 00:09:30,466 --> 00:09:33,026 Speaker 1: train back to Brooklyn like I did the cute. This 194 00:09:33,106 --> 00:09:35,186 Speaker 1: was like planes, trains and automobiles to get these clubs. 195 00:09:35,786 --> 00:09:38,506 Speaker 1: But this weekend, on Sunday night, my son, who is 196 00:09:38,586 --> 00:09:42,586 Speaker 1: six years old, we played mini golf together. We watched 197 00:09:42,706 --> 00:09:48,386 Speaker 1: this Canadian Open finals between Nick Taylor and Tommy Fleetwood, 198 00:09:49,066 --> 00:09:50,786 Speaker 1: and I will tell you this was one of the 199 00:09:50,786 --> 00:09:53,946 Speaker 1: most entertaining half hours of sports I have watched, maybe 200 00:09:54,026 --> 00:09:56,666 Speaker 1: since the Super Bowl. They go back and forth four 201 00:09:56,786 --> 00:10:00,946 Speaker 1: playoff holes and then from seventy two feet away, Taylor 202 00:10:01,146 --> 00:10:03,706 Speaker 1: nails a putt. He's from Canada. He does it in 203 00:10:03,746 --> 00:10:06,986 Speaker 1: front of the home crowd. First time someone of Canadian 204 00:10:07,426 --> 00:10:10,826 Speaker 1: ancestry has won that tournament in sixty years. Seventy two 205 00:10:10,866 --> 00:10:13,666 Speaker 1: years jim Nantz going nuts. They're champagne all this stuff. 206 00:10:13,946 --> 00:10:15,746 Speaker 1: And my son looked at me and he's like, that 207 00:10:15,986 --> 00:10:17,826 Speaker 1: was awesome, and he's like, can we play golf? And 208 00:10:17,866 --> 00:10:20,986 Speaker 1: I'm like, okay, So this is how kids get hooked 209 00:10:21,026 --> 00:10:23,506 Speaker 1: on sports exciting moments, and it was just a really 210 00:10:23,506 --> 00:10:26,426 Speaker 1: cool moment. Did you happen to see the highlight? Did 211 00:10:26,466 --> 00:10:28,666 Speaker 1: you watch? Like? I think people were ready waiting for 212 00:10:28,706 --> 00:10:30,666 Speaker 1: sixty minutes to the Tonys and I got sucked into 213 00:10:30,666 --> 00:10:31,706 Speaker 1: the golf. Yeah. 214 00:10:31,746 --> 00:10:34,466 Speaker 2: I think it'd be tough if you follow any sports 215 00:10:34,506 --> 00:10:37,026 Speaker 2: media this weekend you had to see the highlights. I 216 00:10:37,106 --> 00:10:39,746 Speaker 2: mean I followed nothing related to golf, and I saw 217 00:10:39,746 --> 00:10:42,026 Speaker 2: it so many times, So yes, I saw it. 218 00:10:42,026 --> 00:10:44,546 Speaker 1: It was amazing. I also watched the Tonys. Did you 219 00:10:44,586 --> 00:10:45,546 Speaker 1: catch the Tony's at all? 220 00:10:45,786 --> 00:10:48,706 Speaker 2: I watched parts so a friend of mine won a 221 00:10:48,746 --> 00:10:50,506 Speaker 2: Tony last night. Actually, who's your friend? 222 00:10:50,626 --> 00:10:51,346 Speaker 1: I watched it all. 223 00:10:51,466 --> 00:10:52,226 Speaker 2: Alex Newell? 224 00:10:52,666 --> 00:10:58,506 Speaker 1: Alex Newell, who was inside from shocked Shocked? Okay, one 225 00:10:58,586 --> 00:11:03,546 Speaker 1: best actor? Right? Yeah? Okay, awesome speech speechless throughout and 226 00:11:04,506 --> 00:11:06,306 Speaker 1: I haven't seen shocked. You saw shucked? 227 00:11:07,106 --> 00:11:08,386 Speaker 2: I actually have not seen it? 228 00:11:08,466 --> 00:11:09,386 Speaker 1: Great friend. 229 00:11:09,546 --> 00:11:11,746 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, we were in the midst of getting Yeah, 230 00:11:11,746 --> 00:11:13,266 Speaker 2: we were trying to figure out when to see it. 231 00:11:13,386 --> 00:11:16,066 Speaker 1: Yeah, we were gonna get tickets. Let me take something 232 00:11:16,066 --> 00:11:19,186 Speaker 1: about this Shucked, because I like the Broadway shows. I 233 00:11:19,226 --> 00:11:21,706 Speaker 1: see ads for it all over the subways, and I'm like, 234 00:11:21,746 --> 00:11:24,026 Speaker 1: I don't know what this is, uh, and I'll maybe 235 00:11:24,026 --> 00:11:26,706 Speaker 1: see it, But like I'd obviously seen ads for Parade 236 00:11:26,786 --> 00:11:28,946 Speaker 1: and some like it hot and New York, New York 237 00:11:28,986 --> 00:11:30,986 Speaker 1: and all these different things. And then Shuck did well, 238 00:11:31,026 --> 00:11:32,186 Speaker 1: and then that Kimberly. 239 00:11:31,866 --> 00:11:35,146 Speaker 2: Akimbo Kimberly Akimbo also did very well. 240 00:11:35,826 --> 00:11:36,026 Speaker 3: Yeah. 241 00:11:36,106 --> 00:11:37,986 Speaker 1: I enjoy the Tonys and I think it was cool 242 00:11:37,986 --> 00:11:41,586 Speaker 1: to see Aaron Rodgers in the third row with CJ. Yeah, 243 00:11:43,306 --> 00:11:46,506 Speaker 1: CJ I think produced a play. He's in the theater 244 00:11:46,666 --> 00:11:48,666 Speaker 1: like he helped like fund one of the plays. So 245 00:11:48,866 --> 00:11:52,026 Speaker 1: Aaron Rodgers was there with him, and to pick up 246 00:11:52,066 --> 00:11:55,306 Speaker 1: where we were last week with with Hanka's area, like 247 00:11:55,666 --> 00:11:58,986 Speaker 1: Rogers just playing the New York pr playbook to it, 248 00:11:59,226 --> 00:12:02,106 Speaker 1: like to have the wherewithal to know like I've got 249 00:12:02,106 --> 00:12:04,506 Speaker 1: practice tomorrow. But the Tony's is like a very New 250 00:12:04,586 --> 00:12:07,666 Speaker 1: York thing and like a very affected New York event, 251 00:12:07,906 --> 00:12:10,026 Speaker 1: like the Top of the Top of there. Sure enough, 252 00:12:10,066 --> 00:12:13,146 Speaker 1: there's Rogers on the red carpet. We're going to get 253 00:12:13,146 --> 00:12:15,466 Speaker 1: to our guest right now. I know you were interested 254 00:12:15,866 --> 00:12:19,586 Speaker 1: if you're a football hardcore fan and hearing my thoughts unshucked, 255 00:12:19,586 --> 00:12:22,786 Speaker 1: but I will promise you this I thought and Juliet 256 00:12:22,826 --> 00:12:26,466 Speaker 1: got robbed. Okay, that is my ending of my Tony's take. 257 00:12:27,906 --> 00:12:35,746 Speaker 1: Let's get to our guest, Quacy Adolfo Mensa. All right, now, 258 00:12:35,786 --> 00:12:38,306 Speaker 1: it's time for our guest. One of the great young 259 00:12:38,346 --> 00:12:42,066 Speaker 1: minds in the NFL and a very pivotal position as 260 00:12:42,066 --> 00:12:44,386 Speaker 1: the general manager of the Minnesota Vikings. He's in his 261 00:12:44,466 --> 00:12:48,546 Speaker 1: second off season with Minnesota. Very well respected, very well 262 00:12:48,626 --> 00:12:50,466 Speaker 1: liked guy. But we are now at a crossroads for 263 00:12:50,506 --> 00:12:52,786 Speaker 1: the Vikings franchise, and it's really cool to have on. 264 00:12:52,906 --> 00:12:55,426 Speaker 1: Quis Adolfo Mensa. Quisy, what's up? Man? 265 00:12:55,666 --> 00:12:57,746 Speaker 3: Shreg's always good to see you man, Thanks for having me. 266 00:12:57,946 --> 00:13:01,026 Speaker 1: Oh, it is so good having you on. You know, 267 00:13:01,666 --> 00:13:05,026 Speaker 1: this podcast is more evergreen. As I always tell my guests, 268 00:13:05,026 --> 00:13:07,626 Speaker 1: it's not about currents. What my hope is that two 269 00:13:07,706 --> 00:13:10,186 Speaker 1: years down the line, someone listens to this podcast and 270 00:13:10,186 --> 00:13:11,746 Speaker 1: it's like I got a lot out of that interview 271 00:13:11,786 --> 00:13:14,106 Speaker 1: and I got a lot of that conversation, but I 272 00:13:14,106 --> 00:13:16,586 Speaker 1: would be remiss just to give you an opportunity to 273 00:13:16,626 --> 00:13:19,386 Speaker 1: speak on what happened in the last seventy two hours. Obviously, 274 00:13:19,426 --> 00:13:22,666 Speaker 1: you guys, with a lot of speculation going into it, 275 00:13:22,706 --> 00:13:25,186 Speaker 1: you finally did release Dalvin Cook. If you just want 276 00:13:25,186 --> 00:13:27,546 Speaker 1: to spend a second either on the release or just 277 00:13:27,626 --> 00:13:29,546 Speaker 1: what Dalvin meant to the Minnesota Vikings, I know you 278 00:13:29,546 --> 00:13:31,906 Speaker 1: guys had some statements just to kind of tie a 279 00:13:31,906 --> 00:13:34,466 Speaker 1: bow on the Dalvin Cook era in Minnesota. 280 00:13:35,066 --> 00:13:37,466 Speaker 4: Yeah, you know, it's a part of the job. These 281 00:13:37,466 --> 00:13:40,146 Speaker 4: are all really tough decisions. You talk about Dalvin Cook 282 00:13:40,466 --> 00:13:44,666 Speaker 4: a franchise pillar, incredibly productive over his time here, and 283 00:13:44,826 --> 00:13:47,266 Speaker 4: I'm glad I got to see that up close last year. 284 00:13:47,466 --> 00:13:49,266 Speaker 4: A guy who wants the ball, wants to help his 285 00:13:49,306 --> 00:13:53,466 Speaker 4: team win, can do it from all levels of offensive play. 286 00:13:53,626 --> 00:13:56,346 Speaker 3: Just a talented player. His teammates love them. 287 00:13:56,386 --> 00:13:58,666 Speaker 4: And again, these are really hard decisions we have to make, 288 00:13:58,706 --> 00:14:01,146 Speaker 4: but they give us constraints in the NFL, and you're 289 00:14:01,146 --> 00:14:04,146 Speaker 4: always trying to build towards that ultimate goal, and sometimes 290 00:14:04,186 --> 00:14:05,986 Speaker 4: these decisions are the ones you have to make. 291 00:14:06,786 --> 00:14:09,426 Speaker 3: They get made with a lot of care and thought. 292 00:14:09,986 --> 00:14:12,706 Speaker 4: Because obviously you're dealing with people, but also just ring 293 00:14:12,706 --> 00:14:16,106 Speaker 4: of honor type players, which Dalvin Cook is. And again 294 00:14:16,346 --> 00:14:20,706 Speaker 4: these aren't easy, no doubt in my mind. But ultimately 295 00:14:21,106 --> 00:14:22,946 Speaker 4: we made the decision and we wish them the best, 296 00:14:22,946 --> 00:14:25,546 Speaker 4: and obviously we'll always be fans of his here in Minnesota. 297 00:14:25,746 --> 00:14:28,026 Speaker 1: That's cool. Yeah, you guys are very classy with some 298 00:14:28,066 --> 00:14:29,986 Speaker 1: of the statements we saw from ownership and from you 299 00:14:30,026 --> 00:14:32,426 Speaker 1: and from Kevin. And I think you know whether or 300 00:14:32,506 --> 00:14:36,306 Speaker 1: not the wound is sore right now, when time will 301 00:14:36,346 --> 00:14:38,266 Speaker 1: tell how it goes for Dalvin. But at the very least, 302 00:14:38,306 --> 00:14:40,226 Speaker 1: I think you guys handled it as well as you 303 00:14:40,266 --> 00:14:44,506 Speaker 1: could publicly, which leads to I think your story because 304 00:14:44,786 --> 00:14:47,466 Speaker 1: I think a lot of people for years had this 305 00:14:47,586 --> 00:14:49,666 Speaker 1: vision of general manager being a guy who lived in 306 00:14:49,666 --> 00:14:51,386 Speaker 1: the back of a van and would scout, you know, 307 00:14:51,786 --> 00:14:54,826 Speaker 1: small schools in southern Texas and then get on the 308 00:14:54,866 --> 00:14:56,746 Speaker 1: car and then say, okay, in twelve hours, I got 309 00:14:56,746 --> 00:14:58,986 Speaker 1: to be in eastern Nebraska. And do you have a 310 00:14:58,986 --> 00:15:02,186 Speaker 1: different path? And I think the I think you're often 311 00:15:02,786 --> 00:15:04,506 Speaker 1: described as like a moneyball guy, but I think that's 312 00:15:04,506 --> 00:15:08,986 Speaker 1: short changing you a little bit. Take us through a 313 00:15:09,426 --> 00:15:13,746 Speaker 1: your college experience, and then maybe your postgraduate experience, and 314 00:15:13,786 --> 00:15:15,826 Speaker 1: then how you ended up working for the forty nine 315 00:15:15,906 --> 00:15:16,826 Speaker 1: ers in twenty thirteen. 316 00:15:17,506 --> 00:15:20,106 Speaker 4: Yeah, you know, I'm not sure I know how this 317 00:15:20,226 --> 00:15:23,066 Speaker 4: all all happened and got here, but I will say 318 00:15:23,146 --> 00:15:24,946 Speaker 4: that that guy in the van who goes and scouts 319 00:15:24,986 --> 00:15:27,386 Speaker 4: to small school, that guy is important. That guy's valuable, 320 00:15:28,106 --> 00:15:30,986 Speaker 4: and it's you know, this job has really evolved over time. 321 00:15:31,266 --> 00:15:34,146 Speaker 4: You know, we do media, we do contracts, we do 322 00:15:34,186 --> 00:15:36,746 Speaker 4: you have to oversee an organization or really you know, 323 00:15:36,986 --> 00:15:38,626 Speaker 4: a really profitable organization. 324 00:15:38,746 --> 00:15:40,266 Speaker 3: So I think my skill. 325 00:15:40,026 --> 00:15:43,146 Speaker 4: Sets have kind of aided in the new NFL, the 326 00:15:43,186 --> 00:15:46,066 Speaker 4: new definition of the job versus kind of what it 327 00:15:46,186 --> 00:15:49,546 Speaker 4: was before. But you know, going back to my undergraduate experience, 328 00:15:50,386 --> 00:15:51,906 Speaker 4: you know, it was great. Honestly, I was just a 329 00:15:51,986 --> 00:15:55,906 Speaker 4: kid in South Jersey immigrant parents, you know, grew up 330 00:15:55,946 --> 00:15:58,626 Speaker 4: in my family's from Ghana, West Africa. So super proud 331 00:15:58,626 --> 00:16:01,226 Speaker 4: of that and how that all impacted my life. But 332 00:16:01,306 --> 00:16:03,826 Speaker 4: went to Princeton, you know, I thought I was a 333 00:16:03,866 --> 00:16:05,306 Speaker 4: cool kid and I was going to go study with 334 00:16:05,306 --> 00:16:07,866 Speaker 4: a bunch of nerds. Turned found out that I was 335 00:16:07,906 --> 00:16:10,666 Speaker 4: just as nerdy as anybody else there. And uh, you know, 336 00:16:10,906 --> 00:16:12,466 Speaker 4: but you know, I love my time there. I was 337 00:16:12,506 --> 00:16:14,946 Speaker 4: actually I went there just as a student. I really 338 00:16:15,066 --> 00:16:18,386 Speaker 4: loved math and economics. That's what I studied. Happened to grow, 339 00:16:18,466 --> 00:16:20,546 Speaker 4: you know, seven inches my freshman year, and uh so 340 00:16:20,626 --> 00:16:21,106 Speaker 4: I went. 341 00:16:20,946 --> 00:16:23,906 Speaker 1: From did you play ball in high school? 342 00:16:24,146 --> 00:16:25,746 Speaker 4: So I actually got cut from the basketball team my 343 00:16:25,786 --> 00:16:28,706 Speaker 4: sophomore year. Really really tragic story. If you want to 344 00:16:28,706 --> 00:16:29,346 Speaker 4: talk about over. 345 00:16:31,386 --> 00:16:33,266 Speaker 1: What is it Cherry Hill South? What was it called? 346 00:16:33,306 --> 00:16:33,946 Speaker 1: What was the school? 347 00:16:34,186 --> 00:16:34,666 Speaker 3: Cherry Hilly? 348 00:16:34,866 --> 00:16:37,546 Speaker 4: Cherry Lee's Cougar's shout out to all my people out 349 00:16:37,586 --> 00:16:40,066 Speaker 4: back there, love so much love for my time growing up. 350 00:16:40,146 --> 00:16:43,186 Speaker 4: But yeah, you know I was a cerebral point guard. 351 00:16:43,186 --> 00:16:45,226 Speaker 4: I had handles, but I wasn't very quick. I hadn't 352 00:16:45,266 --> 00:16:48,066 Speaker 4: really grown into grown into my body just yet. There 353 00:16:48,106 --> 00:16:52,066 Speaker 4: was some better players they thought were available. But ultimately, 354 00:16:52,106 --> 00:16:54,426 Speaker 4: you know, you're never gonna agree with those decisions. Everybody's 355 00:16:54,466 --> 00:16:56,466 Speaker 4: been cut at some point in their life. Uh And 356 00:16:56,666 --> 00:16:59,946 Speaker 4: but ultimately, you know, I played golf actually in high school. 357 00:16:59,946 --> 00:17:01,826 Speaker 4: I got coupled the basketball team and became a high 358 00:17:01,826 --> 00:17:04,306 Speaker 4: school golfer, which was great. You know, you talk about 359 00:17:04,506 --> 00:17:07,026 Speaker 4: a sport that teaches you process, how do you move on? 360 00:17:07,066 --> 00:17:09,786 Speaker 4: From the last batchot to the next good shot really 361 00:17:09,906 --> 00:17:13,306 Speaker 4: and that connected me to my Wall Street job, because really, 362 00:17:13,346 --> 00:17:15,146 Speaker 4: when you make decisions, it's all about process. 363 00:17:15,146 --> 00:17:17,106 Speaker 3: How do you get over that trade that you lost 364 00:17:17,146 --> 00:17:18,746 Speaker 3: money on? How do you move on to the next one? 365 00:17:18,946 --> 00:17:20,186 Speaker 3: And process and things. 366 00:17:19,986 --> 00:17:21,026 Speaker 1: Like that, like a cornerback. 367 00:17:21,226 --> 00:17:22,826 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's no doubt, no doubt. 368 00:17:22,826 --> 00:17:25,786 Speaker 4: And so that's really what what led me to, you know, 369 00:17:25,826 --> 00:17:29,026 Speaker 4: studying at Princeton and major in economics and all that 370 00:17:29,066 --> 00:17:32,626 Speaker 4: good stuff. Really got interested in behavioral economics and how 371 00:17:32,666 --> 00:17:36,386 Speaker 4: decision making and human emotion really are interact together, which 372 00:17:36,426 --> 00:17:38,586 Speaker 4: took me to Wall Street where I intern on a 373 00:17:38,626 --> 00:17:41,746 Speaker 4: commodities desk trading gold and silver. The summer after my 374 00:17:41,826 --> 00:17:43,626 Speaker 4: junior year, got to live in New York down on 375 00:17:43,666 --> 00:17:47,186 Speaker 4: Water Street and do that experience. As you know, as 376 00:17:47,226 --> 00:17:48,786 Speaker 4: we talk about in New York all the time, my 377 00:17:49,066 --> 00:17:52,746 Speaker 4: favorite place on earth. But you know that that took 378 00:17:52,786 --> 00:17:54,986 Speaker 4: me there, and then obviously had that career, went to 379 00:17:55,186 --> 00:17:58,426 Speaker 4: Stanford where I want to become an econ professor. You know, 380 00:17:58,506 --> 00:18:01,026 Speaker 4: I have a passion for teaching. I think you know, 381 00:18:01,106 --> 00:18:03,626 Speaker 4: the way I learn is very simple. I try and 382 00:18:04,626 --> 00:18:07,626 Speaker 4: every step try and learn its cords foundation, which makes 383 00:18:07,626 --> 00:18:09,466 Speaker 4: me able to teach it back to other people. I 384 00:18:09,506 --> 00:18:11,626 Speaker 4: think a lot of times teachers are people who understand 385 00:18:11,666 --> 00:18:14,346 Speaker 4: things at high levels, can't teach because the simple things 386 00:18:14,346 --> 00:18:16,746 Speaker 4: are just so, you know, so easy for them that 387 00:18:16,746 --> 00:18:19,666 Speaker 4: they really don't whereas me, I'll go over every single step. 388 00:18:19,666 --> 00:18:22,146 Speaker 4: And that's really my gift is a teacher. And I 389 00:18:22,146 --> 00:18:25,586 Speaker 4: wanted to teach economics. So I went back, learned and studied. 390 00:18:26,146 --> 00:18:27,546 Speaker 4: You know, I wasn't I don't know that I was 391 00:18:27,586 --> 00:18:31,426 Speaker 4: going to change economics, and so I, you know, there 392 00:18:31,506 --> 00:18:33,546 Speaker 4: was a little bit of a competitor still. 393 00:18:33,426 --> 00:18:33,826 Speaker 3: Left in me. 394 00:18:33,866 --> 00:18:37,066 Speaker 4: I still want to apply and practice my my my 395 00:18:37,266 --> 00:18:40,546 Speaker 4: knowledge and industry. Was really interested in sports, and you know, 396 00:18:41,106 --> 00:18:43,786 Speaker 4: wanted to seek out an opportunity. Obviously, the forty nine ers, 397 00:18:43,866 --> 00:18:45,546 Speaker 4: it was fortunate they were happening to be looking for 398 00:18:45,586 --> 00:18:48,506 Speaker 4: somebody to advance their efforts. Brian Hampton and Prague mart 399 00:18:48,706 --> 00:18:51,546 Speaker 4: I got connected with them at the MIT Sports Analytics Conference, 400 00:18:51,746 --> 00:18:53,746 Speaker 4: and rest is what they say, is history. 401 00:18:53,946 --> 00:18:56,106 Speaker 1: So wait, so you go to Sloan in what like 402 00:18:56,146 --> 00:18:57,386 Speaker 1: twenty twelve, twenty. 403 00:18:57,146 --> 00:18:59,706 Speaker 3: Thirteen, twenty twelve, twenty twelve, twelve, and you're just. 404 00:18:59,706 --> 00:19:01,906 Speaker 1: A Stanford graduate student who has a Wall Street career, 405 00:19:01,906 --> 00:19:04,506 Speaker 1: and you're like, look, I'm doing this, but I want 406 00:19:04,506 --> 00:19:07,466 Speaker 1: to get into sports. I'm willing to sacrifice everything to 407 00:19:07,866 --> 00:19:09,826 Speaker 1: give it a shot. I'm assuming your entry level pay 408 00:19:09,906 --> 00:19:11,106 Speaker 1: was not what it was on Wall Street. 409 00:19:11,306 --> 00:19:12,906 Speaker 3: No, no, no, no, I tell you know. 410 00:19:13,266 --> 00:19:15,106 Speaker 4: So I showed up to that conference where my white 411 00:19:15,146 --> 00:19:18,666 Speaker 4: Stanford polo, you know, not knowing anything. And what was 412 00:19:18,666 --> 00:19:20,506 Speaker 4: cool about that conference is you just got to meet 413 00:19:20,546 --> 00:19:22,186 Speaker 4: a lot of great people. I mean I got to 414 00:19:22,186 --> 00:19:24,186 Speaker 4: I remember, got to go up to the Kiki Vandawaye people 415 00:19:24,186 --> 00:19:27,066 Speaker 4: that I had like learned RC Buford. Was there just 416 00:19:27,106 --> 00:19:29,506 Speaker 4: a lot of talented people were in one place, and 417 00:19:29,546 --> 00:19:31,426 Speaker 4: I wasn't there really looking for a job. I was 418 00:19:31,466 --> 00:19:33,466 Speaker 4: just there to like kind of learn about sports. Had 419 00:19:33,706 --> 00:19:36,386 Speaker 4: I actually had a great conversation with Jacoby. This is 420 00:19:36,426 --> 00:19:38,426 Speaker 4: early you know Jacoby and Jalen those days. 421 00:19:38,466 --> 00:19:40,226 Speaker 1: Yeah, and Dave Jacoby sure, yeah. 422 00:19:40,106 --> 00:19:42,626 Speaker 4: Yeah, and so and then obviously I met with the 423 00:19:42,626 --> 00:19:44,426 Speaker 4: forty nine ers and they said, hey, let's talk when 424 00:19:44,466 --> 00:19:46,266 Speaker 4: we get back, and that's what we did. 425 00:19:46,826 --> 00:19:49,066 Speaker 3: And obviously, you know, things worked out for us in 426 00:19:49,106 --> 00:19:49,386 Speaker 3: the end. 427 00:19:49,746 --> 00:19:51,946 Speaker 1: You mentioned you grew seven inches in college, so you 428 00:19:52,026 --> 00:19:54,066 Speaker 1: come in there not as an athlete, but as a student. 429 00:19:54,186 --> 00:19:56,546 Speaker 1: So you get into Princeton and then you grow seven inches, 430 00:19:56,546 --> 00:19:58,906 Speaker 1: I have to think. You know, someone on campus is like, 431 00:19:59,306 --> 00:20:01,866 Speaker 1: have you considered ball? If you played at least at 432 00:20:01,866 --> 00:20:02,666 Speaker 1: any level. 433 00:20:02,986 --> 00:20:03,546 Speaker 3: You'd be surprised. 434 00:20:03,586 --> 00:20:05,186 Speaker 4: You walk around Princeton every there's a lot of six 435 00:20:05,266 --> 00:20:08,106 Speaker 4: or three guys walking aroun around. There's a really yeah, 436 00:20:08,226 --> 00:20:09,946 Speaker 4: a lot of a lot of people play sports there, 437 00:20:09,946 --> 00:20:11,746 Speaker 4: whether it be waterpole of eyepall, whatever it is. 438 00:20:11,786 --> 00:20:13,746 Speaker 3: And I was friends with all those those people. 439 00:20:13,826 --> 00:20:16,186 Speaker 4: But there's a lot of athletic people walking around that campus, 440 00:20:16,186 --> 00:20:18,066 Speaker 4: so they weren't necessarily looking for me. But I you know, 441 00:20:18,146 --> 00:20:19,746 Speaker 4: I showed up to practice that first day and my 442 00:20:19,786 --> 00:20:21,026 Speaker 4: little Kobe Hafro. 443 00:20:21,946 --> 00:20:24,306 Speaker 1: You know, I was the Jadwin Jim where yah. 444 00:20:24,266 --> 00:20:25,306 Speaker 3: Yeah, Jadwind Jim. 445 00:20:25,386 --> 00:20:28,346 Speaker 4: You know, I put put my summer in, uh you know, 446 00:20:28,826 --> 00:20:30,986 Speaker 4: all those two day workouts with my friends, and you know, 447 00:20:31,026 --> 00:20:34,066 Speaker 4: obviously I was good enough to you know, play on 448 00:20:34,106 --> 00:20:36,746 Speaker 4: the JV team and do some practicing and all that 449 00:20:36,786 --> 00:20:39,666 Speaker 4: good stuff. And you know, again, super cool because the 450 00:20:39,706 --> 00:20:41,506 Speaker 4: fifteen year old of me that you know that never 451 00:20:41,506 --> 00:20:43,666 Speaker 4: got off that floor got cut. You know, got to 452 00:20:43,666 --> 00:20:46,546 Speaker 4: see that dream fulfilled in a small way, and that's 453 00:20:46,546 --> 00:20:47,706 Speaker 4: something I always take with me. 454 00:20:48,066 --> 00:20:50,986 Speaker 1: And that's awesome mentors. I feel like, if you go 455 00:20:51,026 --> 00:20:52,666 Speaker 1: to Princeton or you go to Stanford, you've got the 456 00:20:52,746 --> 00:20:56,306 Speaker 1: leaders in thought and you've got the leaders in you know, leadership. 457 00:20:56,426 --> 00:20:59,586 Speaker 1: Especially let's go to Stanford. When I talk about Stanford 458 00:20:59,586 --> 00:21:02,466 Speaker 1: football to a lot of people, it's it's often not hey, 459 00:21:02,546 --> 00:21:04,906 Speaker 1: I learned this from Harbor or David Shaw. It's I 460 00:21:04,946 --> 00:21:07,426 Speaker 1: was also connected to this guy and Silicon Valley, who, 461 00:21:07,546 --> 00:21:10,706 Speaker 1: by the way, happens to run a venture capitalism firm, 462 00:21:10,786 --> 00:21:12,866 Speaker 1: and also as a mentor to X, Y and Z. 463 00:21:13,066 --> 00:21:16,466 Speaker 1: Like when you get to those institutions of that academic prowess, 464 00:21:16,506 --> 00:21:19,346 Speaker 1: with those alumni bases, did you know at the time, 465 00:21:19,386 --> 00:21:20,506 Speaker 1: like I got to make the most out of this 466 00:21:20,546 --> 00:21:22,586 Speaker 1: and make connections Or is it one of those things 467 00:21:22,586 --> 00:21:24,786 Speaker 1: that if you just go there, it's hard to avoid 468 00:21:24,866 --> 00:21:26,506 Speaker 1: getting connected to the right people. 469 00:21:26,466 --> 00:21:26,666 Speaker 3: You know. 470 00:21:26,746 --> 00:21:28,746 Speaker 4: It's one of those things that I probably and I 471 00:21:28,746 --> 00:21:30,546 Speaker 4: don't really live a life with regrets. If I could 472 00:21:30,586 --> 00:21:32,506 Speaker 4: have pushed myself a little bit would have been more. 473 00:21:32,706 --> 00:21:34,426 Speaker 4: If I could tell any kid to come after me 474 00:21:34,946 --> 00:21:37,466 Speaker 4: seek out those relationships, I kind of let them happen 475 00:21:37,506 --> 00:21:40,506 Speaker 4: by chance, I happen to take a class with Daniel Connoman. 476 00:21:40,586 --> 00:21:43,106 Speaker 4: I happen to take a class with Burton Malcolm, who's 477 00:21:43,146 --> 00:21:45,266 Speaker 4: become a great mentor of mine. When I was at 478 00:21:45,306 --> 00:21:47,946 Speaker 4: Princeton and then at Stanford, I was lucky enough to 479 00:21:47,946 --> 00:21:50,626 Speaker 4: take classes with you know, A Hasty and he's he's 480 00:21:50,626 --> 00:21:52,626 Speaker 4: a really he's a big titan in the analytics world 481 00:21:52,666 --> 00:21:55,746 Speaker 4: and different people like that. It's so fortunate. But I 482 00:21:55,746 --> 00:21:57,266 Speaker 4: don't know that I sought it out as much as 483 00:21:57,306 --> 00:21:59,266 Speaker 4: I should have. And if I could go back again, 484 00:21:59,586 --> 00:22:01,826 Speaker 4: you know, I Matt Angelou was at Princeton when I. 485 00:22:01,786 --> 00:22:03,426 Speaker 3: Was there, Is that right? You know what I mean? 486 00:22:03,466 --> 00:22:05,226 Speaker 4: Like, you know, and I have to you know, I 487 00:22:05,306 --> 00:22:07,626 Speaker 4: wish i'd maybe got and coffee with her or whatever 488 00:22:07,826 --> 00:22:10,426 Speaker 4: something like that. So to everybody who comes after me, 489 00:22:10,466 --> 00:22:12,346 Speaker 4: please make sure you seek out those relationships when you 490 00:22:12,346 --> 00:22:13,186 Speaker 4: have access to them. 491 00:22:13,466 --> 00:22:15,946 Speaker 1: Yeah, okay, So you get to the Niners. You're back 492 00:22:15,946 --> 00:22:19,026 Speaker 1: in the Bay after some time in New York. How 493 00:22:19,066 --> 00:22:21,826 Speaker 1: did you apply your Wall Street skills? And we did, 494 00:22:21,906 --> 00:22:24,746 Speaker 1: and then try to integrate that into what at the time, 495 00:22:24,826 --> 00:22:26,706 Speaker 1: I know the Niners are always forward thinking, but also 496 00:22:26,746 --> 00:22:28,866 Speaker 1: at the time, like football is kind of meeting potatoes 497 00:22:28,866 --> 00:22:29,266 Speaker 1: as well. 498 00:22:29,706 --> 00:22:31,946 Speaker 3: Yeah, that was probably the biggest challenge, you know. 499 00:22:32,066 --> 00:22:35,386 Speaker 4: I got there after they had won three NFC championships 500 00:22:35,586 --> 00:22:36,986 Speaker 4: in a row, been to a Super Bowl. 501 00:22:37,026 --> 00:22:39,026 Speaker 3: I got there right after they had lost the Super Bowl. 502 00:22:39,266 --> 00:22:42,586 Speaker 4: So I'm not going there thinking I'm helping them, right, 503 00:22:42,706 --> 00:22:44,746 Speaker 4: I mean, they seem to have it pretty figured out 504 00:22:45,106 --> 00:22:47,066 Speaker 4: by them. So I really took it at just I'm 505 00:22:47,106 --> 00:22:49,026 Speaker 4: here to learn. I'm going to show them my thought 506 00:22:49,066 --> 00:22:51,826 Speaker 4: process and how that works. And really, I think a 507 00:22:51,826 --> 00:22:53,946 Speaker 4: lot of times in the analytics world, people are it's 508 00:22:53,946 --> 00:22:55,826 Speaker 4: almost like a project where you're studying things. 509 00:22:55,826 --> 00:22:56,546 Speaker 3: And that's good. 510 00:22:56,586 --> 00:22:58,066 Speaker 4: You want to study things, but you also got to 511 00:22:58,106 --> 00:23:01,426 Speaker 4: make decisions and decisions to have ramifications. They have good 512 00:23:01,426 --> 00:23:03,186 Speaker 4: things that happen, bad things that happen. You have to 513 00:23:03,226 --> 00:23:05,626 Speaker 4: be able to quantify them and really understand them before 514 00:23:05,666 --> 00:23:07,786 Speaker 4: you make a decision. So that was I would say 515 00:23:07,786 --> 00:23:10,346 Speaker 4: my best value add was really coming from a practical 516 00:23:10,346 --> 00:23:13,106 Speaker 4: decision making standpoint and saying, hey, I know this is 517 00:23:13,106 --> 00:23:15,546 Speaker 4: what the model on the analysis says, but I've done that. 518 00:23:15,706 --> 00:23:17,906 Speaker 4: I've lost a million dollars and ten minutes. I know 519 00:23:17,946 --> 00:23:20,586 Speaker 4: how that feels. I know how this feels. I know that, 520 00:23:20,786 --> 00:23:23,866 Speaker 4: the emotional side of it, and really having to understand 521 00:23:23,906 --> 00:23:27,186 Speaker 4: to get a whole building together behind your thought process. 522 00:23:27,666 --> 00:23:30,866 Speaker 4: That's different than just computing something into a code and 523 00:23:30,906 --> 00:23:31,626 Speaker 4: outputting something. 524 00:23:31,666 --> 00:23:32,506 Speaker 3: That's very different. 525 00:23:32,546 --> 00:23:34,306 Speaker 4: And so I think that was the thing they appreciate 526 00:23:34,346 --> 00:23:37,026 Speaker 4: out of me, appreciated about me the most. And then second, 527 00:23:37,346 --> 00:23:40,186 Speaker 4: I didn't know anything. You know, I'm here because I 528 00:23:40,186 --> 00:23:40,946 Speaker 4: didn't know anything. 529 00:23:41,106 --> 00:23:44,106 Speaker 1: Humility, right, I just well, it was easy because. 530 00:23:43,906 --> 00:23:46,226 Speaker 4: I actually didn't know anything, right, so I could go 531 00:23:46,346 --> 00:23:49,666 Speaker 4: into an office and ask, hey, hey, Cipho, tell me 532 00:23:49,706 --> 00:23:51,506 Speaker 4: about the run game. Tell me everything you need to know, 533 00:23:51,546 --> 00:23:55,026 Speaker 4: because I'm not insecure about that because I don't think I'm. 534 00:23:54,506 --> 00:23:55,106 Speaker 3: Supposed to know. 535 00:23:55,146 --> 00:23:58,066 Speaker 4: And he doesn't mind teaching me because I've helped him 536 00:23:58,066 --> 00:23:58,786 Speaker 4: with some other thing. 537 00:23:58,826 --> 00:24:01,066 Speaker 3: And so just so many relationships I've built. 538 00:24:01,106 --> 00:24:03,306 Speaker 4: And I was just talking to our scouting associates who 539 00:24:03,346 --> 00:24:04,666 Speaker 4: just got here to start, and. 540 00:24:04,626 --> 00:24:05,746 Speaker 3: I was like, jes, be curious. 541 00:24:05,786 --> 00:24:09,866 Speaker 4: If you can do one thing, be curious, just ask questions, 542 00:24:09,946 --> 00:24:12,506 Speaker 4: because I'm telling you, I'd satin rooms with people who 543 00:24:12,506 --> 00:24:14,066 Speaker 4: have been in the NFL for twenty years who never 544 00:24:14,106 --> 00:24:16,946 Speaker 4: asked that question. And I'm like, well, I know that, 545 00:24:16,986 --> 00:24:18,466 Speaker 4: and I've only been in the league ten years because 546 00:24:18,506 --> 00:24:20,146 Speaker 4: I because I wasn't scared to ask, and I don't, 547 00:24:20,146 --> 00:24:21,866 Speaker 4: I don't. I don't think they're a dumb question. So 548 00:24:22,146 --> 00:24:24,266 Speaker 4: that was really the best thing that helped me get here. 549 00:24:24,666 --> 00:24:26,426 Speaker 1: What was your life like in New York City when 550 00:24:26,426 --> 00:24:28,106 Speaker 1: you were a wellser You said you interned and then 551 00:24:28,146 --> 00:24:29,706 Speaker 1: you took a job. So you don't have to name 552 00:24:29,746 --> 00:24:31,666 Speaker 1: the companies or you can. But I see just on 553 00:24:31,666 --> 00:24:33,426 Speaker 1: the website says day trader like, I could be a 554 00:24:33,466 --> 00:24:35,866 Speaker 1: million things. So take us through your day to day 555 00:24:35,906 --> 00:24:39,306 Speaker 1: as a young twenty three year old quacy like, because 556 00:24:39,346 --> 00:24:41,746 Speaker 1: I'll tell you what you and I have talked about it. 557 00:24:41,986 --> 00:24:43,746 Speaker 1: I did my twenties in New York different deal. I 558 00:24:43,786 --> 00:24:45,266 Speaker 1: wasn't a Wall Street guy. I was more of a 559 00:24:45,346 --> 00:24:48,226 Speaker 1: struggling sports writer living with five guys and a loft. 560 00:24:48,266 --> 00:24:50,386 Speaker 1: But I think we had similar paths. I'm sure where 561 00:24:50,706 --> 00:24:52,146 Speaker 1: you work hard, you play hard. 562 00:24:52,146 --> 00:24:55,786 Speaker 4: No doubt, man, I had similar paths. I lived with five, 563 00:24:56,026 --> 00:24:59,746 Speaker 4: five and then six guys in a lofty six guys. 564 00:24:59,746 --> 00:24:59,906 Speaker 3: Man. 565 00:24:59,946 --> 00:25:02,306 Speaker 4: We still we still have a text group called Hotness 566 00:25:02,666 --> 00:25:04,426 Speaker 4: because that's what we because that's what we. 567 00:25:04,386 --> 00:25:06,426 Speaker 3: Called our place. I love those guys of Death, the Brothers. 568 00:25:06,466 --> 00:25:07,186 Speaker 3: Am I where it was? 569 00:25:07,226 --> 00:25:08,106 Speaker 1: The place Water Street? 570 00:25:08,106 --> 00:25:10,186 Speaker 3: Is that where you living? No? No, that place was 571 00:25:10,226 --> 00:25:12,346 Speaker 3: dirtieth in Madison, Okay. 572 00:25:12,186 --> 00:25:12,706 Speaker 2: Murray Hill. 573 00:25:12,906 --> 00:25:15,426 Speaker 1: Part of it. You're at Bank Cafe every day. 574 00:25:15,546 --> 00:25:17,306 Speaker 3: Let's go Bank Cafe. 575 00:25:17,426 --> 00:25:21,226 Speaker 4: We had a little deli, miscase deli downstairs. I don't 576 00:25:21,226 --> 00:25:24,466 Speaker 4: know how clean it was, but we ate there a lot. No, man, 577 00:25:24,626 --> 00:25:26,826 Speaker 4: I smile so much because that time of my life 578 00:25:26,866 --> 00:25:29,666 Speaker 4: was just such a blessing. Living in New York City 579 00:25:29,746 --> 00:25:31,426 Speaker 4: is something that will always just be grateful that I 580 00:25:31,466 --> 00:25:33,626 Speaker 4: got to do all the experiences. You know, you go 581 00:25:33,666 --> 00:25:35,186 Speaker 4: out in New York City on a Friday night with 582 00:25:35,226 --> 00:25:37,266 Speaker 4: your wallet and your cell phone and anything could happen. 583 00:25:37,346 --> 00:25:39,146 Speaker 3: It feels like anything happened. Anything it happened. 584 00:25:39,266 --> 00:25:43,146 Speaker 1: But you also meet anyone and everyone from all different backgrounds, 585 00:25:43,146 --> 00:25:44,826 Speaker 1: and we joke about it like, oh it was crazy 586 00:25:44,906 --> 00:25:47,426 Speaker 1: wild times. But gosh, I'm raising my kid in New 587 00:25:47,506 --> 00:25:50,346 Speaker 1: York City. I think it's a pretty cool cultural experience. 588 00:25:50,546 --> 00:25:51,666 Speaker 3: It's it's incredible, man. 589 00:25:51,746 --> 00:25:53,946 Speaker 4: It's you know, you're in your Friday night New York 590 00:25:54,066 --> 00:25:56,546 Speaker 4: is very different than your Tuesday afternoon New York. 591 00:25:56,626 --> 00:25:58,506 Speaker 3: Right there's different people's different vibes. 592 00:25:59,106 --> 00:26:01,666 Speaker 4: Just again, such a blessing, but you know, connecting that 593 00:26:01,706 --> 00:26:03,706 Speaker 4: to the work side of it, Yeah, we worked really 594 00:26:03,706 --> 00:26:06,946 Speaker 4: hard to getting the trade is an edge that I 595 00:26:07,426 --> 00:26:09,626 Speaker 4: just I'm so fortunate for I feel like the world 596 00:26:09,706 --> 00:26:12,786 Speaker 4: has become so dug in on what they think and 597 00:26:12,866 --> 00:26:15,626 Speaker 4: for me, I got to go make decisions and be 598 00:26:15,706 --> 00:26:18,306 Speaker 4: wrong and be right, but also be wrong and have 599 00:26:18,426 --> 00:26:21,066 Speaker 4: somebody really smart take the other side of my view 600 00:26:21,466 --> 00:26:23,346 Speaker 4: and have to think about that and being like, hey, 601 00:26:23,466 --> 00:26:25,346 Speaker 4: I think I'm smart, but this person's really smart and 602 00:26:25,386 --> 00:26:28,626 Speaker 4: they disagree with me. Maybe I'm missing something. Maybe that 603 00:26:28,906 --> 00:26:31,666 Speaker 4: open mindedness that I have comes from pain and loss. 604 00:26:31,706 --> 00:26:33,746 Speaker 4: It comes from being on the other side of really 605 00:26:33,786 --> 00:26:36,026 Speaker 4: smart people who were right sometimes and when I was 606 00:26:36,066 --> 00:26:38,226 Speaker 4: wrong and really just not thinking I have the world 607 00:26:38,226 --> 00:26:42,066 Speaker 4: figured out, and that just that blessing that I was 608 00:26:42,146 --> 00:26:44,786 Speaker 4: able to receive in that education is something I've taken 609 00:26:44,826 --> 00:26:46,626 Speaker 4: with me and I try and get back to other people. 610 00:26:46,706 --> 00:26:48,986 Speaker 4: Actually have a nonprofit where I try and teach really 611 00:26:48,986 --> 00:26:52,706 Speaker 4: you know, yeah, finance to what's it called donut? 612 00:26:53,226 --> 00:26:54,506 Speaker 3: It's you know, donut. 613 00:26:54,506 --> 00:26:56,026 Speaker 4: It's a term we used to use on Wall Street 614 00:26:56,066 --> 00:26:57,346 Speaker 4: to a friend of mine made up where you don't 615 00:26:57,386 --> 00:26:57,586 Speaker 4: want to. 616 00:26:57,586 --> 00:26:58,786 Speaker 3: Obviously, a donut's a bad thing. 617 00:26:59,106 --> 00:27:01,066 Speaker 4: So I'm trying to teach people to obviously not be 618 00:27:01,106 --> 00:27:03,106 Speaker 4: a donut, and I do it with some of our players. 619 00:27:03,146 --> 00:27:05,466 Speaker 4: And I think all this stuff and finance is learnable. 620 00:27:05,466 --> 00:27:08,146 Speaker 4: It's really applicable to every aspect of your life. And 621 00:27:08,146 --> 00:27:10,106 Speaker 4: so I'm passionate about giving back to other people. 622 00:27:10,386 --> 00:27:12,306 Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, you said you went to the sloan comment. 623 00:27:12,386 --> 00:27:14,066 Speaker 1: Sorry if I'm fixated on this area of your life. 624 00:27:14,106 --> 00:27:16,946 Speaker 1: But so many listeners of this podcast are on the 625 00:27:16,946 --> 00:27:20,106 Speaker 1: treadmill right now. They're traveling, they're on a plane and 626 00:27:20,146 --> 00:27:23,786 Speaker 1: they're flying to another sales convention, or they're working out 627 00:27:23,826 --> 00:27:25,426 Speaker 1: because they've got to get to the office by sen 628 00:27:25,626 --> 00:27:28,146 Speaker 1: And if I only had the opportunity to and like, 629 00:27:28,346 --> 00:27:30,306 Speaker 1: we know it's a giant leap, but you made the leap. 630 00:27:30,346 --> 00:27:32,106 Speaker 1: Was there a morning where you woke up or like 631 00:27:32,186 --> 00:27:34,066 Speaker 1: I just can't do this anymore? Or was this where 632 00:27:34,506 --> 00:27:36,746 Speaker 1: you were like, I'm a single guy and this is 633 00:27:36,826 --> 00:27:38,586 Speaker 1: what I want to try to do. Like what was 634 00:27:38,586 --> 00:27:40,426 Speaker 1: there a turning point or was it just this is 635 00:27:40,466 --> 00:27:41,186 Speaker 1: months in the making. 636 00:27:41,546 --> 00:27:42,066 Speaker 3: Yeah, it was. 637 00:27:42,146 --> 00:27:44,226 Speaker 4: It was a longer decision I just and I as 638 00:27:44,306 --> 00:27:46,746 Speaker 4: much as I loved Wall Street, I just didn't want 639 00:27:46,986 --> 00:27:49,106 Speaker 4: not to be morbid. I always think about what do 640 00:27:49,146 --> 00:27:51,506 Speaker 4: you want your tombstone to read? You know, how do 641 00:27:51,546 --> 00:27:53,306 Speaker 4: you want it to read? And I didn't want that 642 00:27:53,426 --> 00:27:55,706 Speaker 4: to be the sole thing that was on there. Not 643 00:27:55,706 --> 00:27:57,106 Speaker 4: not that it was a bad thing, but just I 644 00:27:57,106 --> 00:27:59,946 Speaker 4: wanted more in my life, and so, you know, I 645 00:27:59,986 --> 00:28:01,946 Speaker 4: think I always wanted to pivot at some point to 646 00:28:01,986 --> 00:28:05,106 Speaker 4: do something different, and obviously football just you came calling. 647 00:28:05,106 --> 00:28:07,186 Speaker 4: I was really fortunate to go meet everybody at the 648 00:28:07,426 --> 00:28:09,986 Speaker 4: Sloan Conference, but there are a lot of hard days, man. 649 00:28:10,266 --> 00:28:12,506 Speaker 4: You know, I think you asked me earlier going from 650 00:28:12,506 --> 00:28:15,426 Speaker 4: what I was making to I mean, you're talking about 651 00:28:15,746 --> 00:28:16,426 Speaker 4: making one. 652 00:28:16,546 --> 00:28:17,346 Speaker 3: I think I did the math. 653 00:28:17,346 --> 00:28:19,266 Speaker 4: It was like one twentieth of what I right, right, 654 00:28:19,626 --> 00:28:22,266 Speaker 4: one twentieth one twentieth right, So with. 655 00:28:22,146 --> 00:28:24,426 Speaker 1: No guarantee that there's a huge upside. 656 00:28:24,226 --> 00:28:25,506 Speaker 3: No guarantee right, it's crazy. 657 00:28:25,546 --> 00:28:29,306 Speaker 4: My boss who wrote my recommendation for Stanford, you know, 658 00:28:29,306 --> 00:28:30,906 Speaker 4: when I got in and I was leaving, he's like, 659 00:28:30,946 --> 00:28:33,386 Speaker 4: so you're really going, like, I don't think you ever 660 00:28:33,426 --> 00:28:33,866 Speaker 4: believed me. 661 00:28:33,986 --> 00:28:35,346 Speaker 1: I would be as a friend. I would have been 662 00:28:35,346 --> 00:28:36,186 Speaker 1: asking you the same thing. 663 00:28:37,506 --> 00:28:39,906 Speaker 4: And you know, obviously we're all glad that it worked 664 00:28:39,906 --> 00:28:41,626 Speaker 4: out here, But there were a lot of days where 665 00:28:42,146 --> 00:28:43,866 Speaker 4: I was like, what did I do? You know, there's 666 00:28:43,866 --> 00:28:45,226 Speaker 4: certainly I'm not going to sit here and tell you 667 00:28:45,266 --> 00:28:47,826 Speaker 4: it was this easy, you know, easy path. I went 668 00:28:47,866 --> 00:28:50,386 Speaker 4: from you know, money not being a big variable in 669 00:28:50,386 --> 00:28:53,426 Speaker 4: my life to hey, maybe hey, what's that cup on? 670 00:28:53,466 --> 00:28:54,106 Speaker 3: What's that? What's that? 671 00:28:55,586 --> 00:28:57,266 Speaker 1: Ms? Not terrible for Tuesday night? 672 00:28:57,746 --> 00:29:00,066 Speaker 4: Yeah, and so you know, but I'm again, I'm so 673 00:29:00,186 --> 00:29:03,106 Speaker 4: fortunate to have had that experience and grown from it. 674 00:29:03,146 --> 00:29:03,426 Speaker 3: I was. 675 00:29:03,786 --> 00:29:05,226 Speaker 4: I took it as a challenge. How do I how 676 00:29:05,226 --> 00:29:07,546 Speaker 4: do I humble myself? How do I changed my life 677 00:29:07,586 --> 00:29:10,306 Speaker 4: to accomplish my goals? And I'm glad I did it. 678 00:29:10,546 --> 00:29:12,826 Speaker 1: I said the moneyball thing because I think when you 679 00:29:12,826 --> 00:29:14,466 Speaker 1: got hired, that was thrown around a lot, and I 680 00:29:14,546 --> 00:29:17,306 Speaker 1: kind of cringe because I'm like, he's more than that. Obviously, 681 00:29:17,306 --> 00:29:19,746 Speaker 1: he's had a decade of experience in the NFL. He 682 00:29:19,786 --> 00:29:23,546 Speaker 1: obviously scouts players like they go from Trent Balki to 683 00:29:23,586 --> 00:29:26,066 Speaker 1: John Lynch. There's also a new leadership. How do you 684 00:29:26,986 --> 00:29:30,146 Speaker 1: kind of integrate yourself into a new GM and try 685 00:29:30,186 --> 00:29:32,266 Speaker 1: to sell yourself again and say here's what I bring, 686 00:29:32,266 --> 00:29:34,106 Speaker 1: here's the value. I know Lynch is one of the greatest, 687 00:29:34,146 --> 00:29:37,106 Speaker 1: but like, that's the thing. Also, the new Boston town. 688 00:29:36,346 --> 00:29:37,626 Speaker 3: One hundred percent. I got to give a lot of 689 00:29:37,626 --> 00:29:38,306 Speaker 3: credit to Jail. 690 00:29:38,666 --> 00:29:41,586 Speaker 4: Jail's one of the most open minded, collaborative people I've 691 00:29:41,626 --> 00:29:44,226 Speaker 4: ever met, and so a lot of that was just 692 00:29:44,306 --> 00:29:46,186 Speaker 4: him wanting a lot of smart people in the room 693 00:29:46,386 --> 00:29:48,346 Speaker 4: and he's like, Hey, if this guy's smart, I want 694 00:29:48,386 --> 00:29:50,826 Speaker 4: to use him. And so, honestly, randomly, I had met 695 00:29:50,906 --> 00:29:52,986 Speaker 4: Jail my second week on the job. He was doing 696 00:29:52,986 --> 00:29:55,346 Speaker 4: TV a preseason game and they had asked me to 697 00:29:55,386 --> 00:29:56,906 Speaker 4: go spot You know what spotting is? 698 00:29:57,026 --> 00:29:59,386 Speaker 3: Yes, yeah, I didn't know what it was. 699 00:29:59,626 --> 00:30:02,626 Speaker 1: So you were the spotter, like, hey, the third lineman 700 00:30:03,026 --> 00:30:05,946 Speaker 1: on a spotter for the listeners at home. It's basically 701 00:30:05,986 --> 00:30:08,426 Speaker 1: you're helping broadcast crew when they don't know all the players. 702 00:30:08,466 --> 00:30:10,586 Speaker 1: You're pointing out who is and you're handing information and notes. 703 00:30:10,626 --> 00:30:12,706 Speaker 1: So in a preseason game, when there's seventy five guys 704 00:30:12,746 --> 00:30:14,466 Speaker 1: out there, you're the one who's kind of helping out 705 00:30:14,706 --> 00:30:17,506 Speaker 1: the broadcaster saying and usually these guys are volunteers, but 706 00:30:17,746 --> 00:30:19,546 Speaker 1: you were doing it as an employee of the team. 707 00:30:19,706 --> 00:30:21,146 Speaker 3: Right, So they asked me to do it. 708 00:30:21,146 --> 00:30:23,506 Speaker 4: And I get there and Jail and Burke Carter there 709 00:30:23,266 --> 00:30:25,466 Speaker 4: and I'm honest, I'm like, hey, I have no idea 710 00:30:25,506 --> 00:30:27,946 Speaker 4: what I'm doing, and they're just and they called somebody 711 00:30:27,986 --> 00:30:28,546 Speaker 4: it right away. 712 00:30:28,866 --> 00:30:31,306 Speaker 3: Jail's like, hey, man, I love you, but we're going 713 00:30:31,386 --> 00:30:32,266 Speaker 3: to go with somebody else. 714 00:30:32,386 --> 00:30:34,586 Speaker 4: And so I love so the first day on the 715 00:30:34,666 --> 00:30:36,866 Speaker 4: job that we kind of rehashed and laughed about that storage. 716 00:30:37,666 --> 00:30:40,546 Speaker 4: But yeah, So I met Jail, and obviously I hadent 717 00:30:40,586 --> 00:30:42,706 Speaker 4: a lot of research to help with the hiring process 718 00:30:43,026 --> 00:30:45,226 Speaker 4: and just talking about the great organizations what they have 719 00:30:45,346 --> 00:30:48,146 Speaker 4: and they have alignment and people with no ego and 720 00:30:48,506 --> 00:30:50,986 Speaker 4: collaborative and different things like that. And Jail was the living, 721 00:30:51,426 --> 00:30:54,426 Speaker 4: breathing embodiment of that. And I had written this document 722 00:30:54,426 --> 00:30:56,586 Speaker 4: for the forty nine ers that talked about all these things. 723 00:30:56,626 --> 00:30:58,346 Speaker 4: And he read it and there was a quote on 724 00:30:58,386 --> 00:31:01,266 Speaker 4: there by a family friend of his talk about life 725 00:31:01,346 --> 00:31:04,026 Speaker 4: being just this is random connection and he's like, hey, 726 00:31:04,106 --> 00:31:04,746 Speaker 4: who wrote this? 727 00:31:04,786 --> 00:31:06,426 Speaker 3: Who you know? And it was a trader. 728 00:31:06,786 --> 00:31:07,986 Speaker 4: It was a trader that I, you know, one of 729 00:31:08,066 --> 00:31:10,266 Speaker 4: my trading you know people that I looked up to 730 00:31:10,306 --> 00:31:11,506 Speaker 4: when I was in that industry, So he. 731 00:31:11,626 --> 00:31:13,386 Speaker 1: Was that trader. I love getting the credit here in 732 00:31:13,426 --> 00:31:13,986 Speaker 1: the names. 733 00:31:13,746 --> 00:31:16,266 Speaker 3: Paul Tutor Jones. He's one of the best best there is. 734 00:31:16,906 --> 00:31:18,826 Speaker 4: I read about him in a book called Market Wizards, 735 00:31:18,826 --> 00:31:20,986 Speaker 4: and that was actually when I started to change my 736 00:31:21,106 --> 00:31:23,106 Speaker 4: mind frame and trading and really started to understand what 737 00:31:23,146 --> 00:31:25,866 Speaker 4: that business was. And so to have that quote be 738 00:31:26,186 --> 00:31:28,066 Speaker 4: a thing that me and him were able to connect on, 739 00:31:28,306 --> 00:31:30,906 Speaker 4: it's just you talk about life being just this fortunate circle. 740 00:31:31,026 --> 00:31:33,626 Speaker 3: I'm just so happy that we had that relationship. 741 00:31:33,346 --> 00:31:34,986 Speaker 1: All right, and not to a pinpoint what you did 742 00:31:34,986 --> 00:31:36,466 Speaker 1: for the forty nine ers. But before we move on 743 00:31:36,506 --> 00:31:38,106 Speaker 1: to your next stage in your career, let's just say 744 00:31:38,266 --> 00:31:42,026 Speaker 1: the Niners we know so smart with compensatory picks, always 745 00:31:42,066 --> 00:31:44,626 Speaker 1: loading up with things that you wouldn't expect. Also great 746 00:31:44,626 --> 00:31:46,506 Speaker 1: on day three. So I'm just going to say a 747 00:31:46,586 --> 00:31:49,546 Speaker 1: name and just hypothetically tell me, like when this may 748 00:31:49,626 --> 00:31:51,506 Speaker 1: pick was made, like your role in the process or 749 00:31:51,506 --> 00:31:54,466 Speaker 1: what you're input, Like George Kittle's a fifth round pick 750 00:31:54,506 --> 00:31:58,386 Speaker 1: and you were there, So what's Quacy do to help 751 00:31:58,426 --> 00:32:00,066 Speaker 1: contribute to a George Kittle selection? 752 00:32:00,506 --> 00:32:02,026 Speaker 3: So that was the first year they got there. 753 00:32:02,066 --> 00:32:04,746 Speaker 4: So I wasn't as involved in drafting business I was, 754 00:32:04,786 --> 00:32:06,746 Speaker 4: but I did things. I did models, a lot of 755 00:32:06,786 --> 00:32:09,586 Speaker 4: models that would take information like their on field production 756 00:32:09,746 --> 00:32:11,946 Speaker 4: or their combine and kind of give a number that says, hey, 757 00:32:12,106 --> 00:32:14,866 Speaker 4: this is pretty good. This is actually better than everybody's 758 00:32:14,866 --> 00:32:16,746 Speaker 4: talked about. So they had all my model grades, and 759 00:32:16,866 --> 00:32:19,666 Speaker 4: our models liked him a little bit better than the consensus. 760 00:32:19,746 --> 00:32:23,146 Speaker 3: But I said this at my opening press conference. I didn't. 761 00:32:23,146 --> 00:32:24,586 Speaker 4: I didn't say George Kiddo would be the you know, 762 00:32:24,586 --> 00:32:26,186 Speaker 4: one of the best tight ends that ever play this game. 763 00:32:26,426 --> 00:32:27,986 Speaker 4: I'm not going to sit here and try and take 764 00:32:27,986 --> 00:32:30,226 Speaker 4: that credit. But on the margins, it did like him 765 00:32:30,226 --> 00:32:32,506 Speaker 4: a little bit better than you know, some other sources did. 766 00:32:32,746 --> 00:32:34,786 Speaker 1: Sure. All right, so you have this great success with 767 00:32:34,826 --> 00:32:38,306 Speaker 1: San Francisco, you know, all the way to a super Bowl. 768 00:32:39,026 --> 00:32:40,946 Speaker 1: Then you go to Cleveland. Do you join Andrew Berry 769 00:32:40,946 --> 00:32:43,506 Speaker 1: in Cleveland? Another IVY League guy from a different school. 770 00:32:43,546 --> 00:32:46,146 Speaker 1: Of course, he's a Harvard Man. How do you make 771 00:32:46,186 --> 00:32:48,146 Speaker 1: that jump to Cleveland? And why did you make that jump? 772 00:32:48,346 --> 00:32:50,066 Speaker 4: That's a blessing, you know. I met Andrew in an 773 00:32:50,066 --> 00:32:51,426 Speaker 4: elevator bank at the combine. 774 00:32:51,666 --> 00:32:52,466 Speaker 1: Yeah, decidedly. 775 00:32:52,626 --> 00:32:54,226 Speaker 3: Yeah, completely random. 776 00:32:54,266 --> 00:32:55,826 Speaker 4: And I had heard about him, and I guess in 777 00:32:55,906 --> 00:32:58,146 Speaker 4: hindsight he had maybe heard a couple of things about me. 778 00:32:58,266 --> 00:33:00,586 Speaker 4: But you know, we just started a relationship pad dinner. 779 00:33:00,746 --> 00:33:02,426 Speaker 4: You got a network. You got to meet people. You 780 00:33:02,506 --> 00:33:05,346 Speaker 4: never know when their opportunity would come. And I had 781 00:33:05,386 --> 00:33:07,386 Speaker 4: dinner with him in about five minutes. I was like, Oh, 782 00:33:07,426 --> 00:33:09,426 Speaker 4: this guy's gonna be a GM. You know, it's if 783 00:33:09,466 --> 00:33:12,306 Speaker 4: you've met Andrew Bert before, you would know that brilliant, 784 00:33:12,346 --> 00:33:15,546 Speaker 4: brilliant kid, just down to earth, great human, great family. 785 00:33:15,666 --> 00:33:18,506 Speaker 4: Just and so you know, that relationship started. And look, 786 00:33:19,026 --> 00:33:22,106 Speaker 4: you've seen what was in that San Francisco building. There 787 00:33:22,186 --> 00:33:23,746 Speaker 4: was a logjam of really talented people. 788 00:33:23,826 --> 00:33:26,066 Speaker 1: Let's go through the news. Because Rand Carthon's now at 789 00:33:26,066 --> 00:33:28,706 Speaker 1: GM with Tennessee John Lynch Parague is now going to 790 00:33:28,706 --> 00:33:34,266 Speaker 1: own leads. I think I think that's about happening yourself. 791 00:33:34,546 --> 00:33:36,266 Speaker 1: Who else we got, like, who are there other? Brian 792 00:33:36,306 --> 00:33:37,706 Speaker 1: Hampton really well regarded. 793 00:33:37,466 --> 00:33:41,386 Speaker 4: Brian Hampton, Ethan Wallas now assistant GM, and Jacksonville, Adam Peters. 794 00:33:41,626 --> 00:33:43,826 Speaker 4: Adam Peters is a stud So you're just talking about 795 00:33:43,946 --> 00:33:46,386 Speaker 4: a lot of people, And look, I wanted that next 796 00:33:46,426 --> 00:33:48,426 Speaker 4: step of my career I wanted to grow. There's certain 797 00:33:48,666 --> 00:33:50,786 Speaker 4: rooms and conversations I wanted to see and be a 798 00:33:50,786 --> 00:33:52,746 Speaker 4: part of. And sometimes you have to leave in your 799 00:33:52,746 --> 00:33:54,866 Speaker 4: career to go take that opportunity. But that doesn't mean 800 00:33:54,906 --> 00:33:57,026 Speaker 4: there's not a ton of love and respect and admimation 801 00:33:57,146 --> 00:33:58,746 Speaker 4: for the people I work with in San Francisco. 802 00:33:58,906 --> 00:34:01,146 Speaker 1: So you go to Cleveland and then the Minnesota GM 803 00:34:01,226 --> 00:34:03,346 Speaker 1: job opens up. You interviewed for Chicago as well. 804 00:34:03,346 --> 00:34:04,786 Speaker 3: I want to say, yes, I did. 805 00:34:05,346 --> 00:34:08,386 Speaker 1: How do you prep for a general manager position? In 806 00:34:08,426 --> 00:34:12,186 Speaker 1: those interviews and Minnesota specifically, what did you hone in 807 00:34:12,226 --> 00:34:14,586 Speaker 1: on and really try to get that job because it's 808 00:34:14,586 --> 00:34:17,226 Speaker 1: one of the obviously crown jewel franchises in the NFL. 809 00:34:17,706 --> 00:34:19,586 Speaker 4: You know, for a GM job, it's really you have 810 00:34:19,626 --> 00:34:21,786 Speaker 4: great mentors that help you. So Andrew Barry was one 811 00:34:21,826 --> 00:34:24,826 Speaker 4: of my best sources. I joke with him, I think 812 00:34:24,866 --> 00:34:27,546 Speaker 4: I owed him a commission just for getting all the preparation. 813 00:34:27,906 --> 00:34:29,866 Speaker 3: You know. Really, when I first got there, he said, way, 814 00:34:29,946 --> 00:34:31,026 Speaker 3: you're going to be a jam one day. 815 00:34:31,226 --> 00:34:32,626 Speaker 4: And I wasn't even sure at that point that I 816 00:34:32,626 --> 00:34:34,946 Speaker 4: should be a VP of ops, you know, and he 817 00:34:35,066 --> 00:34:37,586 Speaker 4: was pushing me, Hey, if you're making decisions. 818 00:34:37,586 --> 00:34:38,866 Speaker 3: What would you do? What would you do? 819 00:34:39,146 --> 00:34:41,026 Speaker 4: And so really I had a book and a really 820 00:34:41,226 --> 00:34:43,386 Speaker 4: an approach and a thought process built over two years. 821 00:34:43,426 --> 00:34:45,586 Speaker 4: So I was ready when I got to those positions 822 00:34:45,626 --> 00:34:48,066 Speaker 4: because of him. And then people like Charlie Cashley, who 823 00:34:48,266 --> 00:34:49,986 Speaker 4: you know, is really helpful. He reached out to me, 824 00:34:50,026 --> 00:34:52,386 Speaker 4: somebody I just texted with the other day, just kind 825 00:34:52,386 --> 00:34:55,026 Speaker 4: of taught me about, you know, how things go, how 826 00:34:55,066 --> 00:34:57,306 Speaker 4: different buildings, the history of the game and all different things. 827 00:34:57,466 --> 00:34:59,266 Speaker 4: You really just want to get ready, get prepared with 828 00:34:59,306 --> 00:35:01,746 Speaker 4: their roster, but they have to leave that in that 829 00:35:01,906 --> 00:35:04,626 Speaker 4: interview knowing who you are, who is Quacy? What are 830 00:35:04,626 --> 00:35:06,386 Speaker 4: the four things that we're going to get with Quacy? 831 00:35:06,626 --> 00:35:08,546 Speaker 4: And honestly, that's just genuinely that's got to come from 832 00:35:08,546 --> 00:35:11,666 Speaker 4: who you are. That can't that can't be fake. I 833 00:35:11,706 --> 00:35:14,186 Speaker 4: can't try and be Andrew Berry or John Lynch. I 834 00:35:14,186 --> 00:35:16,586 Speaker 4: got to be the genuine to myself. You know, I'll 835 00:35:16,586 --> 00:35:19,346 Speaker 4: never forget the first banking interview I had in college. 836 00:35:19,786 --> 00:35:22,026 Speaker 3: I got to the final round and I got nervous. 837 00:35:22,746 --> 00:35:24,386 Speaker 4: I was like, well, I got to try and act 838 00:35:24,426 --> 00:35:26,026 Speaker 4: like what I think an investment banker is going to 839 00:35:26,026 --> 00:35:27,146 Speaker 4: be like, and I didn't get the job. 840 00:35:27,266 --> 00:35:27,466 Speaker 3: I got. 841 00:35:27,506 --> 00:35:29,666 Speaker 4: Getting get the job is the only interview, at least 842 00:35:29,706 --> 00:35:31,226 Speaker 4: in that cycle that I didn't get the job. When 843 00:35:31,226 --> 00:35:32,986 Speaker 4: I got to the fine around and I told myself, 844 00:35:33,226 --> 00:35:35,266 Speaker 4: if you're going to go out, just be you. Yeah, 845 00:35:35,386 --> 00:35:38,106 Speaker 4: if that's not good enough, that's okay, but just be yourself. 846 00:35:38,146 --> 00:35:40,586 Speaker 4: And I took that and obviously was that in the 847 00:35:40,626 --> 00:35:42,866 Speaker 4: interview process. And look, I'm a little different. You know, 848 00:35:42,906 --> 00:35:45,506 Speaker 4: I'm gonna say words and in a football interview that 849 00:35:45,546 --> 00:35:47,266 Speaker 4: other people aren't going to say. But I'm going to say, 850 00:35:47,266 --> 00:35:49,386 Speaker 4: I'm going to be myself, be my authentic self. And 851 00:35:49,506 --> 00:35:51,146 Speaker 4: ultimately that took me where I wanted to go. But 852 00:35:51,306 --> 00:35:53,386 Speaker 4: the minicine or interview. What I was so impressed with 853 00:35:53,426 --> 00:35:55,826 Speaker 4: their process was a lot of it was about leadership, 854 00:35:56,386 --> 00:35:58,826 Speaker 4: leadership and culture. I think a lot of times people 855 00:35:59,066 --> 00:36:01,146 Speaker 4: like you said earlier, trying to make the GM job 856 00:36:01,226 --> 00:36:04,026 Speaker 4: head scout, and that is a portion of the job, 857 00:36:04,066 --> 00:36:07,266 Speaker 4: but a lot of the job is leadership, setting up, process. 858 00:36:06,906 --> 00:36:09,106 Speaker 3: Building, culture, vision, all those things. 859 00:36:09,186 --> 00:36:12,666 Speaker 4: And Minnesota immediately impressed me with how they sought out 860 00:36:12,706 --> 00:36:13,226 Speaker 4: those things. 861 00:36:13,386 --> 00:36:14,266 Speaker 3: So it was just a match. 862 00:36:14,546 --> 00:36:16,306 Speaker 4: And I know they tell the story of how I 863 00:36:16,346 --> 00:36:19,706 Speaker 4: came skipping down the stairs from my office to my wife, 864 00:36:20,066 --> 00:36:22,746 Speaker 4: But it really was I was so invigorated by by 865 00:36:22,826 --> 00:36:24,666 Speaker 4: that because those are the things that I had prepared for. 866 00:36:24,746 --> 00:36:26,746 Speaker 4: That's what I think is important in the job. Look, 867 00:36:26,746 --> 00:36:29,826 Speaker 4: I'm going to hire smarter analytics people than me. I'm 868 00:36:29,826 --> 00:36:31,786 Speaker 4: going to hire better scouts. To me, that's the point. 869 00:36:32,066 --> 00:36:33,746 Speaker 4: I've got to just know enough to be dangerous, to 870 00:36:33,746 --> 00:36:35,466 Speaker 4: be able to manage them, lead and combine all the 871 00:36:35,506 --> 00:36:39,106 Speaker 4: information to make decisions. And I think coming from Minnesota's 872 00:36:39,106 --> 00:36:41,466 Speaker 4: interview process, I was sure that that's what they. 873 00:36:41,386 --> 00:36:41,906 Speaker 3: Were looking for. 874 00:36:41,946 --> 00:36:44,106 Speaker 4: And then to your point, the ownership group, I mean, 875 00:36:44,186 --> 00:36:46,186 Speaker 4: the Wolfs are just they're incredible people. 876 00:36:46,586 --> 00:36:47,826 Speaker 1: I think it's not to cut you off. I think 877 00:36:47,826 --> 00:36:50,426 Speaker 1: it's the best facility in the NFL. I would say question. 878 00:36:50,826 --> 00:36:53,706 Speaker 1: I think the NFLPA survey said a lot. When you 879 00:36:53,746 --> 00:36:55,666 Speaker 1: have a plus across the board for the way people 880 00:36:55,706 --> 00:36:59,426 Speaker 1: are treated and the will family. They're relatively new owners 881 00:36:59,426 --> 00:37:01,506 Speaker 1: i'd say last twenty years. Obviously they took over and 882 00:37:01,546 --> 00:37:04,266 Speaker 1: you get that new stadium thing, like players love playing 883 00:37:04,266 --> 00:37:07,066 Speaker 1: there too, so you've got a nice advantage in your 884 00:37:07,106 --> 00:37:09,426 Speaker 1: back corner where there's like a lot of positive things 885 00:37:09,426 --> 00:37:11,306 Speaker 1: going on before you even step into. 886 00:37:11,186 --> 00:37:13,506 Speaker 3: The job, no question and no question. 887 00:37:13,786 --> 00:37:16,426 Speaker 4: And look at these jounts are so rare though, So 888 00:37:16,466 --> 00:37:18,426 Speaker 4: it's not like I was sitting there saying, you know, 889 00:37:18,866 --> 00:37:21,066 Speaker 4: let me hold out for the crown Jewel type of Minnesota. 890 00:37:21,106 --> 00:37:23,226 Speaker 4: But you know, good fortune had it that they liked 891 00:37:23,226 --> 00:37:25,346 Speaker 4: what I was putting down, and I obviously loved the 892 00:37:25,466 --> 00:37:26,466 Speaker 4: organization that I came to. 893 00:37:26,746 --> 00:37:28,946 Speaker 1: All Right, so you get there. Last year, you guys 894 00:37:29,146 --> 00:37:32,186 Speaker 1: win thirteen games, You win I think eleven games like 895 00:37:32,266 --> 00:37:34,626 Speaker 1: in the by one score, like I would have to 896 00:37:34,666 --> 00:37:37,426 Speaker 1: imagine that maybe you didn't. Maybe we were like, we're 897 00:37:37,426 --> 00:37:39,106 Speaker 1: gonna win Suer Bowl in your one. But that's at 898 00:37:39,106 --> 00:37:41,426 Speaker 1: the bar pretty high for year two and beyond, what 899 00:37:41,466 --> 00:37:43,466 Speaker 1: was your one? Like with Kevin O'Connell. 900 00:37:43,346 --> 00:37:45,786 Speaker 4: That that was incredible. You know, I can't believe we've 901 00:37:45,786 --> 00:37:48,386 Speaker 4: gotten this far without talking about Ko. But you know, 902 00:37:48,466 --> 00:37:50,466 Speaker 4: he's just my po he's my partner in crime. 903 00:37:50,586 --> 00:37:52,466 Speaker 1: Did you guys have a good relationship in San France? 904 00:37:52,546 --> 00:37:54,826 Speaker 3: We met, we had lunches together because he's just such 905 00:37:54,826 --> 00:37:55,346 Speaker 3: a great guy. 906 00:37:55,346 --> 00:37:57,706 Speaker 1: And I remember the man. But it was a chip right, 907 00:37:57,746 --> 00:37:59,906 Speaker 1: it was chippy day and Kevin O'Connell. They had all 908 00:37:59,906 --> 00:38:00,546 Speaker 1: these young guys. 909 00:38:00,626 --> 00:38:03,346 Speaker 4: Yeah, and he had this weird title like special Projects 910 00:38:03,426 --> 00:38:05,146 Speaker 4: or something like that. So we joke I was the 911 00:38:05,226 --> 00:38:06,946 Speaker 4: R and D analyst and he was specially or Projects. 912 00:38:06,946 --> 00:38:09,666 Speaker 4: And now we're head coaching GM together. But we had 913 00:38:09,706 --> 00:38:12,586 Speaker 4: lunch together a few times. And I remember, again, like 914 00:38:12,626 --> 00:38:14,426 Speaker 4: I said, I picked people's brain when I get to 915 00:38:14,426 --> 00:38:14,826 Speaker 4: talk to him. 916 00:38:14,826 --> 00:38:16,226 Speaker 3: So I asked him about quarterback play. 917 00:38:16,546 --> 00:38:18,506 Speaker 4: And so when the wils asked me about him after 918 00:38:18,546 --> 00:38:20,586 Speaker 4: my first interview, I was like, oh, you know, I 919 00:38:20,586 --> 00:38:21,946 Speaker 4: haven't stay in touch with him, but he used to 920 00:38:21,946 --> 00:38:24,466 Speaker 4: tell me the smartest thing about quarterbacks and I just 921 00:38:24,506 --> 00:38:26,226 Speaker 4: kind of left, could not think of anything of it, 922 00:38:26,306 --> 00:38:29,386 Speaker 4: you know. And obviously then I get to the GM 923 00:38:29,466 --> 00:38:31,586 Speaker 4: job and I know that they think they're in high 924 00:38:31,586 --> 00:38:33,426 Speaker 4: regard with him, and I watched the interview and I 925 00:38:33,426 --> 00:38:36,506 Speaker 4: start doing my reference work. I mean, he's a home run, 926 00:38:36,546 --> 00:38:38,266 Speaker 4: a a plus guy, and I think we can win 927 00:38:38,346 --> 00:38:39,186 Speaker 4: championships together. 928 00:38:39,226 --> 00:38:41,026 Speaker 3: I just got to do my part of the equation 929 00:38:41,506 --> 00:38:42,346 Speaker 3: and handle the business. 930 00:38:42,426 --> 00:38:45,626 Speaker 4: But you know, last year was incredible, you know, and 931 00:38:45,626 --> 00:38:47,986 Speaker 4: obviously it's set a high bar and you don't know, 932 00:38:48,226 --> 00:38:48,906 Speaker 4: you can't when. 933 00:38:48,746 --> 00:38:50,466 Speaker 3: People say exceed expectations. 934 00:38:50,786 --> 00:38:53,466 Speaker 4: In the NFL, there's just the margins are so thin, 935 00:38:53,826 --> 00:38:55,746 Speaker 4: so thin, right, you know, And so I think you 936 00:38:55,746 --> 00:38:57,986 Speaker 4: can generally say, hey, I think we're a playoff team, 937 00:38:58,106 --> 00:39:00,266 Speaker 4: or we're a team that should be Final four good 938 00:39:00,666 --> 00:39:03,226 Speaker 4: or maybe bottom third good, but you don't really know specifically, 939 00:39:03,626 --> 00:39:06,266 Speaker 4: As you said, thirteen or eleven to one score games 940 00:39:06,546 --> 00:39:09,186 Speaker 4: for them go differently, the records different I understand that. 941 00:39:09,226 --> 00:39:11,026 Speaker 3: I'm not going to sit here and tell you I don't. 942 00:39:11,426 --> 00:39:14,266 Speaker 4: But you can set yourself up to succeed with a 943 00:39:14,306 --> 00:39:16,186 Speaker 4: team that you think should be a playoff team, and 944 00:39:16,226 --> 00:39:16,426 Speaker 4: we did. 945 00:39:16,546 --> 00:39:17,506 Speaker 3: We thought we had a good team. 946 00:39:17,546 --> 00:39:20,306 Speaker 4: With the culture, real building, the veteran leadership that we had, 947 00:39:20,746 --> 00:39:23,146 Speaker 4: we were really and ultimately that's what I think Carrie 948 00:39:23,186 --> 00:39:25,066 Speaker 4: the day in those eleven to one score games, right, 949 00:39:25,386 --> 00:39:27,866 Speaker 4: veteran leadership. And this year we're taking the bet that 950 00:39:28,026 --> 00:39:30,226 Speaker 4: those young players that were on the roster that saw 951 00:39:30,346 --> 00:39:31,986 Speaker 4: those games, now, hey, this. 952 00:39:31,906 --> 00:39:32,426 Speaker 3: Is the standard. 953 00:39:32,466 --> 00:39:35,226 Speaker 4: This is how the Minnesota Vikings show up and show out, 954 00:39:35,426 --> 00:39:37,946 Speaker 4: and so that's what we're thinking, little Carrie us this year. 955 00:39:38,266 --> 00:39:40,506 Speaker 1: It's an interesting second season because you have the benefit 956 00:39:40,546 --> 00:39:42,506 Speaker 1: of the doubt now after year one, but there are 957 00:39:42,506 --> 00:39:44,986 Speaker 1: some popular guys. I think Adam Thielan is a beloved guy. 958 00:39:45,066 --> 00:39:47,066 Speaker 1: Dalvin Cook was a beloved guy. You see their jerseys 959 00:39:47,066 --> 00:39:49,746 Speaker 1: in the stands. But you made tough decisions. When you 960 00:39:49,786 --> 00:39:52,826 Speaker 1: make those tough decisions, and then do you read the 961 00:39:52,866 --> 00:39:55,346 Speaker 1: fan responses? Are you one of those guys that doesn't 962 00:39:55,346 --> 00:39:57,626 Speaker 1: really like I would imagine a lot of fans are 963 00:39:57,786 --> 00:40:00,186 Speaker 1: not thrilled when you let go of the longtime veterans 964 00:40:00,226 --> 00:40:02,826 Speaker 1: who had great seasons last year with the Vikings. 965 00:40:03,106 --> 00:40:04,426 Speaker 4: I got to Sapy, I don't know that you have 966 00:40:04,466 --> 00:40:06,266 Speaker 4: benefit of the doubt in this business. I think it's 967 00:40:06,506 --> 00:40:09,266 Speaker 4: as surely urgent business. The second that season ended, I 968 00:40:09,306 --> 00:40:11,346 Speaker 4: went back to, you know, not make not knowing what 969 00:40:11,386 --> 00:40:13,826 Speaker 4: I'm doing, and that's I respect that, that's that is 970 00:40:13,866 --> 00:40:16,106 Speaker 4: the job. I'm one of those gms. He doesn't read it. 971 00:40:16,546 --> 00:40:18,946 Speaker 4: Pretty private person. So one of the one of the 972 00:40:18,986 --> 00:40:21,626 Speaker 4: hardest parts about this job for me is that, you know, 973 00:40:21,746 --> 00:40:24,546 Speaker 4: I people say my name or anything like that. That's 974 00:40:24,626 --> 00:40:26,546 Speaker 4: really hard for me. And so the way I kind 975 00:40:26,546 --> 00:40:28,826 Speaker 4: of stay out of that is to just kind of 976 00:40:28,866 --> 00:40:30,666 Speaker 4: not watch it. I tell my friends, please don't send 977 00:40:30,666 --> 00:40:33,026 Speaker 4: me anything, and it's good or bad it's nothing to 978 00:40:33,066 --> 00:40:34,666 Speaker 4: do with that. It's just, you know, I just want 979 00:40:34,706 --> 00:40:37,106 Speaker 4: to stay focused because I'm really hard on myself. I 980 00:40:37,306 --> 00:40:40,426 Speaker 4: don't know that any comment or on Reddit or Twitter 981 00:40:40,706 --> 00:40:43,506 Speaker 4: or announcer could be any harder himself than myself. And 982 00:40:43,546 --> 00:40:46,106 Speaker 4: so trust me, if there's stuff going wrong in this building, 983 00:40:46,146 --> 00:40:48,986 Speaker 4: I'm the one who's who's driving that and driving us 984 00:40:48,986 --> 00:40:50,986 Speaker 4: trying to get better and so yeah, but those are 985 00:40:51,026 --> 00:40:53,466 Speaker 4: hard decisions. I can't sit here and tell you I 986 00:40:53,586 --> 00:40:56,346 Speaker 4: know for certain right. Decision making under uncertainty is because 987 00:40:56,386 --> 00:40:59,546 Speaker 4: you don't know. But you have to have a good process, 988 00:40:59,626 --> 00:41:02,026 Speaker 4: make your bets, and ultimately with the consequences. And that's 989 00:41:02,026 --> 00:41:03,306 Speaker 4: what we do in this building. 990 00:41:07,866 --> 00:41:09,946 Speaker 1: Really quick, a couple quick hitters, and then we'll let 991 00:41:09,986 --> 00:41:12,186 Speaker 1: you go because this has been really informative and we've 992 00:41:12,186 --> 00:41:14,786 Speaker 1: got to know you at a different level than just transaction. 993 00:41:15,026 --> 00:41:15,386 Speaker 2: X y Z. 994 00:41:15,546 --> 00:41:19,946 Speaker 1: Here's how it was done. Your greatest mentor of your career, 995 00:41:20,066 --> 00:41:21,666 Speaker 1: who you would point to and say this is the 996 00:41:21,706 --> 00:41:24,066 Speaker 1: person I take leadership lessons from would be. 997 00:41:23,986 --> 00:41:27,546 Speaker 4: Who oh man, come on, it's like name of my 998 00:41:27,586 --> 00:41:30,266 Speaker 4: top five rappers. Man, I'm going to hurt somebody if 999 00:41:30,266 --> 00:41:32,786 Speaker 4: I leave them out. Yeah, I got a name, one. 1000 00:41:32,986 --> 00:41:34,866 Speaker 1: Name, two or three. Let me hear the names. I 1001 00:41:34,906 --> 00:41:35,266 Speaker 1: love this. 1002 00:41:35,226 --> 00:41:38,546 Speaker 4: Stuff, all right, Okay, I'm going to go Andrew Berry. Obviously, 1003 00:41:38,586 --> 00:41:41,866 Speaker 4: I think he's a superhuman. I don't sometimes don't know 1004 00:41:41,906 --> 00:41:44,306 Speaker 4: if there's anybody more qualified to do this job than him. 1005 00:41:44,706 --> 00:41:48,066 Speaker 4: John Lynch, just the genuineness with which he conducts business, 1006 00:41:48,426 --> 00:41:48,866 Speaker 4: open mind. 1007 00:41:48,906 --> 00:41:50,466 Speaker 3: It is like all the stuff I talk about. Just 1008 00:41:50,746 --> 00:41:52,146 Speaker 3: really a hero of mine. 1009 00:41:52,146 --> 00:41:54,906 Speaker 4: And then if I can give you like an off one, yeah, 1010 00:41:54,946 --> 00:41:57,506 Speaker 4: you know, outside of football, My mom my hero. 1011 00:41:57,746 --> 00:41:57,986 Speaker 3: You know. 1012 00:41:58,066 --> 00:42:00,626 Speaker 4: I think she's an incredible person. She taught me how 1013 00:42:00,666 --> 00:42:03,786 Speaker 4: to lead her way. Her way was demanding process. She 1014 00:42:03,826 --> 00:42:06,706 Speaker 4: always demanded that I tried hard. It was never what 1015 00:42:06,746 --> 00:42:08,346 Speaker 4: happened at the end of the result. It was hey, 1016 00:42:08,466 --> 00:42:10,386 Speaker 4: well what did you put into it? Can you get 1017 00:42:10,386 --> 00:42:14,866 Speaker 4: better next time? Her emotional just compassion for people, and 1018 00:42:14,866 --> 00:42:16,786 Speaker 4: that's how I try and lead. I need people to 1019 00:42:16,786 --> 00:42:18,386 Speaker 4: know that I care about him a lot, and that's 1020 00:42:18,386 --> 00:42:19,466 Speaker 4: something that's big with Kevin. 1021 00:42:19,626 --> 00:42:21,626 Speaker 3: So I'd be remiss to not mention her as well. 1022 00:42:21,866 --> 00:42:25,306 Speaker 1: I love it. The unsung member of the Minnesota Vikings 1023 00:42:25,426 --> 00:42:28,146 Speaker 1: roster that people might not talk enough about that you 1024 00:42:28,186 --> 00:42:29,746 Speaker 1: guys look at and You're like, that guy's a core 1025 00:42:29,786 --> 00:42:30,626 Speaker 1: pillar to what we're doing. 1026 00:42:30,986 --> 00:42:33,466 Speaker 4: Josh man Tellis, Josh man Tellis, I think he's a 1027 00:42:33,506 --> 00:42:35,066 Speaker 4: guy go on talk. 1028 00:42:35,226 --> 00:42:37,066 Speaker 1: Because I hear that name. I'm like, I don't see 1029 00:42:37,266 --> 00:42:37,946 Speaker 1: you know, Okay. 1030 00:42:37,786 --> 00:42:40,346 Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, he's a safety and he'll play some more 1031 00:42:40,426 --> 00:42:41,986 Speaker 4: this year, so I think you'll see the stuff that 1032 00:42:41,986 --> 00:42:44,906 Speaker 4: we've seen before that. But he was a special teams 1033 00:42:44,986 --> 00:42:47,866 Speaker 4: just stalwart last year, team captain type. You know, I 1034 00:42:47,906 --> 00:42:50,226 Speaker 4: was in the team meeting room when later in the season, 1035 00:42:50,266 --> 00:42:52,466 Speaker 4: after somebody got hurt, he was giving team captain and 1036 00:42:52,506 --> 00:42:55,506 Speaker 4: you could feel when somebody's teammates really love them, really 1037 00:42:55,626 --> 00:42:58,146 Speaker 4: appreciate them, and really want to follow them into battle. 1038 00:42:58,266 --> 00:43:00,306 Speaker 3: And he's one of those guys. He's somebody. 1039 00:43:00,346 --> 00:43:03,386 Speaker 4: He's everything that the Minnesota Vikings are about, and I 1040 00:43:03,386 --> 00:43:05,546 Speaker 4: think the fans and people are going to really appreciate 1041 00:43:05,586 --> 00:43:06,386 Speaker 4: that more this season. 1042 00:43:06,626 --> 00:43:09,146 Speaker 1: Kirk Cousins' best quality is what. 1043 00:43:09,626 --> 00:43:12,506 Speaker 4: He can make every throw. His arm talent, he's he's accurate, 1044 00:43:12,546 --> 00:43:16,066 Speaker 4: he can hit every level throw. The decision making is 1045 00:43:16,506 --> 00:43:19,506 Speaker 4: really solid. The game of football is you hold that ball, 1046 00:43:19,586 --> 00:43:22,106 Speaker 4: that beautiful ball that means everything, and you got to 1047 00:43:22,106 --> 00:43:23,506 Speaker 4: make sure that you take care of it. You don't 1048 00:43:23,506 --> 00:43:25,386 Speaker 4: give it to the other team, and you take chances 1049 00:43:25,386 --> 00:43:27,586 Speaker 4: when it's time. And obviously he would tell you could 1050 00:43:27,546 --> 00:43:29,146 Speaker 4: always improve, but that's one of the best things he 1051 00:43:29,186 --> 00:43:31,106 Speaker 4: does is make sure that he gives us a chance 1052 00:43:31,146 --> 00:43:33,306 Speaker 4: to win every Sunday, which he has done a time 1053 00:43:33,346 --> 00:43:34,346 Speaker 4: and time again in his career. 1054 00:43:34,666 --> 00:43:36,426 Speaker 1: Your top three rappers are. 1055 00:43:36,306 --> 00:43:41,466 Speaker 4: Whom well, okay, I came up in that era. Notorious, Notorious, 1056 00:43:42,026 --> 00:43:44,506 Speaker 4: that's my guy. You know, I'm an East Coast guy 1057 00:43:44,546 --> 00:43:46,306 Speaker 4: and just loved him, everything about him. 1058 00:43:46,146 --> 00:43:46,506 Speaker 3: His flow. 1059 00:43:46,666 --> 00:43:48,746 Speaker 1: See, I would think Philly, I would immediately go to 1060 00:43:48,786 --> 00:43:50,826 Speaker 1: these Philly rappers, but you're a South Jersey guy. 1061 00:43:51,386 --> 00:43:52,506 Speaker 3: I'm a South Jersey guy. 1062 00:43:52,706 --> 00:43:54,826 Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, I mean you're talking about all time, right, 1063 00:43:54,946 --> 00:43:56,306 Speaker 4: this is all time, all time. 1064 00:43:56,306 --> 00:43:58,946 Speaker 3: I gotta go him. You know, I'm a huge jay 1065 00:43:59,026 --> 00:43:59,946 Speaker 3: Z fan, yep. 1066 00:44:00,626 --> 00:44:04,506 Speaker 4: Just you know his style, his charisma, his lyrics, his 1067 00:44:04,546 --> 00:44:06,946 Speaker 4: ability to talk about things just in different ways. And 1068 00:44:06,946 --> 00:44:08,946 Speaker 4: then you talk about what he's become as a mogul, 1069 00:44:09,306 --> 00:44:12,226 Speaker 4: different areas of his life. Just an incredible and I 1070 00:44:12,226 --> 00:44:14,626 Speaker 4: don't know that I'm allowed to say this person anymore 1071 00:44:14,666 --> 00:44:15,946 Speaker 4: just because of how it's become. 1072 00:44:15,986 --> 00:44:17,506 Speaker 3: But I was a big Kanye fan. 1073 00:44:17,546 --> 00:44:19,346 Speaker 1: I think there his music is still genius. 1074 00:44:19,586 --> 00:44:22,346 Speaker 4: He's a genius, right, I think he's an unbelievable creative. 1075 00:44:22,906 --> 00:44:25,106 Speaker 4: You know, just somebody I've always been impressed with. I 1076 00:44:25,106 --> 00:44:28,106 Speaker 4: think what something I love about musicians is their ability 1077 00:44:28,106 --> 00:44:32,266 Speaker 4: to elicit feelings listen, you know, create feelings for other people. 1078 00:44:32,466 --> 00:44:35,866 Speaker 4: And he's somebody just I can think back to very 1079 00:44:35,946 --> 00:44:39,706 Speaker 4: vivid memories in my life, happy, sad, elated, whatever it is. 1080 00:44:39,746 --> 00:44:41,906 Speaker 4: And there's a Kanye song that kind of will play 1081 00:44:41,906 --> 00:44:42,746 Speaker 4: in the background to it. 1082 00:44:43,746 --> 00:44:46,306 Speaker 1: And then my last one. Your message to Vikings fans 1083 00:44:46,466 --> 00:44:48,906 Speaker 1: about this twenty twenty three team and what you guys 1084 00:44:48,946 --> 00:44:49,986 Speaker 1: hope to do moving forward. 1085 00:44:50,346 --> 00:44:53,186 Speaker 4: Yeah, you know, I think it's a little bit of unknowns, right. 1086 00:44:53,346 --> 00:44:55,066 Speaker 4: You've moved on for some of the players that you've 1087 00:44:55,066 --> 00:44:56,626 Speaker 4: come to know and love, and we've got to take 1088 00:44:56,946 --> 00:45:00,346 Speaker 4: a chance together to really appreciate and embrace these young players. 1089 00:45:00,346 --> 00:45:02,386 Speaker 4: But you know, they've been on this team, they're learning 1090 00:45:02,386 --> 00:45:05,266 Speaker 4: this culture. We're really excited about what we are. We're younger, 1091 00:45:05,466 --> 00:45:08,106 Speaker 4: you know, we're fast, we're hungry. We've got two great 1092 00:45:08,146 --> 00:45:10,826 Speaker 4: coaches on both sides of the ball. Kevin obviously, West 1093 00:45:10,826 --> 00:45:13,226 Speaker 4: Phillips is offensive cording to Brian Flores, who you know, 1094 00:45:13,226 --> 00:45:15,186 Speaker 4: we have closed the man we haven't talked about, but 1095 00:45:15,186 --> 00:45:17,746 Speaker 4: he's he's a special cat. And so I think people 1096 00:45:17,746 --> 00:45:20,586 Speaker 4: are gonna love what they see and we're building towards 1097 00:45:20,626 --> 00:45:23,186 Speaker 4: something great. I just just know that they know that 1098 00:45:23,626 --> 00:45:25,506 Speaker 4: our goal is to win at the highest level, and 1099 00:45:25,546 --> 00:45:27,906 Speaker 4: that's how we're gonna measure myself over these these years 1100 00:45:27,946 --> 00:45:30,066 Speaker 4: that they give me a chance, and uh, you know, 1101 00:45:30,106 --> 00:45:32,346 Speaker 4: that's what we're trying to aspire to in every move 1102 00:45:32,386 --> 00:45:33,986 Speaker 4: that we make is with that in mind. 1103 00:45:34,226 --> 00:45:36,826 Speaker 1: We didn't even mention justin Jefferson's name, we didn't mention 1104 00:45:37,786 --> 00:45:40,106 Speaker 1: Howkinson's name. Like, there's so many guys we can go 1105 00:45:40,146 --> 00:45:43,146 Speaker 1: through here, but real quick, the first round pick Addison, 1106 00:45:43,186 --> 00:45:45,226 Speaker 1: who we haven't seen in an NFL field yet, you 1107 00:45:45,306 --> 00:45:47,986 Speaker 1: scattered him obviously. I love I love him coming out. 1108 00:45:48,426 --> 00:45:50,426 Speaker 1: We're gonna draft you, We're gonna get paid, and you're like, 1109 00:45:50,506 --> 00:45:53,826 Speaker 1: g You're like, well, we're gonna pay you what you're paid, 1110 00:45:53,826 --> 00:45:56,026 Speaker 1: but yes, maybe in the second contract. What do we 1111 00:45:56,026 --> 00:45:58,186 Speaker 1: get out of Jordan Addison so far since he's been 1112 00:45:58,226 --> 00:45:59,946 Speaker 1: around just in rookie camp and whatever else. 1113 00:46:00,346 --> 00:46:02,706 Speaker 4: And it's so funny that that was the interaction people saw. 1114 00:46:03,026 --> 00:46:06,106 Speaker 4: He is he is so quiet, works his butt off, 1115 00:46:06,466 --> 00:46:08,746 Speaker 4: U super cerebral studies as plays. 1116 00:46:09,306 --> 00:46:10,866 Speaker 1: Because I feel like it was a natural thing to say. 1117 00:46:10,866 --> 00:46:14,226 Speaker 1: He didn't mean like financially, we're gonna get you say. 1118 00:46:14,626 --> 00:46:17,026 Speaker 4: I say to everybody, if if they've just achieved their 1119 00:46:17,066 --> 00:46:19,426 Speaker 4: childhood dream, what comes out of their mouth might not 1120 00:46:19,426 --> 00:46:20,746 Speaker 4: be what they think comes out of their mouth. 1121 00:46:20,866 --> 00:46:22,386 Speaker 3: And so but now he's incredible. 1122 00:46:22,386 --> 00:46:25,066 Speaker 4: You talk about an elite separator off the line of scrimmage, 1123 00:46:25,346 --> 00:46:28,906 Speaker 4: he just he just understands body feel, leverage, how to separate, 1124 00:46:29,226 --> 00:46:30,106 Speaker 4: get open from guys. 1125 00:46:30,146 --> 00:46:32,146 Speaker 3: Really good hands, good after the catch up. 1126 00:46:32,146 --> 00:46:33,986 Speaker 4: We're really excited to have them, and we're gonna make 1127 00:46:33,986 --> 00:46:35,666 Speaker 4: teams think about what they want to do to us 1128 00:46:35,666 --> 00:46:37,746 Speaker 4: on the offense side of the football. With that alien 1129 00:46:37,946 --> 00:46:40,786 Speaker 4: Justinett Jefferson and the TJ and then Jordan and then 1130 00:46:40,866 --> 00:46:43,066 Speaker 4: kJ and the run game, we're gonna get going. It's 1131 00:46:43,106 --> 00:46:44,586 Speaker 4: just we got we got a lot of options so 1132 00:46:44,586 --> 00:46:46,626 Speaker 4: we can we can stress defenses, and we're really excited 1133 00:46:46,666 --> 00:46:47,946 Speaker 4: about what we're going to be doing on that side 1134 00:46:47,946 --> 00:46:48,266 Speaker 4: of the ball. 1135 00:46:48,466 --> 00:46:50,626 Speaker 1: You got things to do. I appreciate you so much 1136 00:46:50,626 --> 00:46:52,866 Speaker 1: for taking the time and in another interview we'll talk 1137 00:46:52,866 --> 00:46:54,586 Speaker 1: about the backdoor pass and what it means to Princeton 1138 00:46:54,626 --> 00:46:56,706 Speaker 1: basketball and why do you have to execute it and 1139 00:46:56,746 --> 00:46:58,986 Speaker 1: why Pete Carmody was just as good as Pete curlew okay, 1140 00:47:00,386 --> 00:47:02,386 Speaker 1: Pete Carmony or Bill Carmondy. What was his car? 1141 00:47:02,626 --> 00:47:02,826 Speaker 3: Bill? 1142 00:47:02,826 --> 00:47:06,746 Speaker 1: Bill Cardy? I loved Princeton basketball and Crazy loved our 1143 00:47:06,786 --> 00:47:09,426 Speaker 1: time together. Dude, thank you so much for taking all 1144 00:47:09,426 --> 00:47:11,466 Speaker 1: this time, especially where there's mandatory mini camps and you're 1145 00:47:11,466 --> 00:47:13,306 Speaker 1: not sitting on the beach. We really appreciate it. 1146 00:47:13,386 --> 00:47:14,546 Speaker 3: Shrake's always a pleasure man. 1147 00:47:14,746 --> 00:47:18,346 Speaker 1: Crazy's unbelievable. I just think he's really authentic and he 1148 00:47:18,426 --> 00:47:20,186 Speaker 1: is who he is, and he's made really tough decisions 1149 00:47:21,026 --> 00:47:23,546 Speaker 1: and Aaron, you're listening to him. I kind of. I 1150 00:47:23,586 --> 00:47:25,666 Speaker 1: didn't mean to dismiss the other types of gms who 1151 00:47:25,706 --> 00:47:29,226 Speaker 1: are lifetime scouts, but like, his background is not a 1152 00:47:29,306 --> 00:47:31,906 Speaker 1: linear Hey, you do this. You work in an organization 1153 00:47:31,946 --> 00:47:34,186 Speaker 1: for fifteen years as the VP of personnel, You scout 1154 00:47:34,186 --> 00:47:37,026 Speaker 1: the Southeast region, you scout the Southwest region. You eventually 1155 00:47:37,546 --> 00:47:40,266 Speaker 1: go to college and do I don't know what you think. 1156 00:47:40,426 --> 00:47:41,666 Speaker 1: You find him really impressive. 1157 00:47:41,986 --> 00:47:44,786 Speaker 2: I loved him. I mean, I love anyone who's in 1158 00:47:44,826 --> 00:47:48,626 Speaker 2: a high position who's also like I am, not like 1159 00:47:49,426 --> 00:47:51,426 Speaker 2: worried about what I don't know. I will go and 1160 00:47:51,466 --> 00:47:53,706 Speaker 2: ask someone I'm not going to be self conscious about 1161 00:47:53,706 --> 00:47:56,026 Speaker 2: saying I don't get the run scheme. Tell me about 1162 00:47:56,026 --> 00:47:59,186 Speaker 2: the run game and learning from those people who know it, 1163 00:47:59,226 --> 00:48:01,746 Speaker 2: and then like making decisions with that. So I love 1164 00:48:01,866 --> 00:48:04,626 Speaker 2: I love his whole vibe. I was texting my Vikings 1165 00:48:04,626 --> 00:48:07,426 Speaker 2: friends throughout. I was like, we've got this Guy's amazing. 1166 00:48:07,786 --> 00:48:09,066 Speaker 2: You guys should be very happy. 1167 00:48:09,146 --> 00:48:11,426 Speaker 1: I'll tell you though, it's funny because there's a humility 1168 00:48:11,426 --> 00:48:12,946 Speaker 1: in there, and he could be arrogant, he could be 1169 00:48:12,986 --> 00:48:14,306 Speaker 1: a know it all. He could come off that way 1170 00:48:14,346 --> 00:48:18,226 Speaker 1: because when you start mentioning Princeton and Stanford and the 1171 00:48:18,266 --> 00:48:20,986 Speaker 1: word analytics in the NFL, people are very quickly turned 1172 00:48:21,026 --> 00:48:22,906 Speaker 1: off and say, oh, here we go. Here comes the 1173 00:48:22,906 --> 00:48:24,186 Speaker 1: nerd in the room or the know it all in 1174 00:48:24,186 --> 00:48:28,186 Speaker 1: the room. But his humility is so disarming that he says, 1175 00:48:28,306 --> 00:48:29,866 Speaker 1: I just want to learn and I want to be 1176 00:48:29,906 --> 00:48:32,106 Speaker 1: the best I can be and help others. And it's 1177 00:48:32,146 --> 00:48:34,546 Speaker 1: almost like that approach to it. How could you do 1178 00:48:34,586 --> 00:48:35,746 Speaker 1: anything but root for that guy? 1179 00:48:36,266 --> 00:48:39,066 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, he was great about talking about how 1180 00:48:39,066 --> 00:48:42,506 Speaker 2: difficult some of the roster decisions are. But he seemed 1181 00:48:42,546 --> 00:48:44,826 Speaker 2: so thoughtful about it too. I don't know not to 1182 00:48:44,986 --> 00:48:47,066 Speaker 2: just like kiss up to him, but I thought he 1183 00:48:47,146 --> 00:48:47,506 Speaker 2: was great. 1184 00:48:47,586 --> 00:48:51,386 Speaker 1: I know. Yeah, very quick transition, yet one of the 1185 00:48:51,426 --> 00:48:54,746 Speaker 1: most startling left turns we can do, from talking football 1186 00:48:54,786 --> 00:48:59,666 Speaker 1: with Quasi Adofo Mensa to something you told Jason English 1187 00:48:59,706 --> 00:49:04,786 Speaker 1: and I Jason, of course our iHeart partner. Here we 1188 00:49:04,786 --> 00:49:07,866 Speaker 1: were in between transitions and you were talking about the 1189 00:49:07,906 --> 00:49:09,546 Speaker 1: Tonys and he said that you have a love for 1190 00:49:09,666 --> 00:49:12,586 Speaker 1: theater as well, and in passing, I said, you know 1191 00:49:12,706 --> 00:49:16,786 Speaker 1: Leah Michelle, she performed, but she wasn't nominated, and you 1192 00:49:16,866 --> 00:49:19,826 Speaker 1: went through the rules that she wasn't eligible because she 1193 00:49:19,866 --> 00:49:22,946 Speaker 1: didn't originate the rule. And then you mentioned that you 1194 00:49:23,506 --> 00:49:26,186 Speaker 1: knew some of the people because so. 1195 00:49:26,386 --> 00:49:29,546 Speaker 2: Alex Knewell who won last night. I know Alex because 1196 00:49:29,546 --> 00:49:33,426 Speaker 2: the two of us auditioned together for Glee, and go on. 1197 00:49:34,466 --> 00:49:36,546 Speaker 1: I've known you for a year. I know you tried 1198 00:49:36,586 --> 00:49:37,386 Speaker 1: out for Glee. 1199 00:49:38,186 --> 00:49:40,146 Speaker 2: It was, you know, a different iteration of my life, 1200 00:49:40,226 --> 00:49:43,906 Speaker 2: but specifically for the Glee Project, which was like the 1201 00:49:43,906 --> 00:49:49,026 Speaker 2: feeding program into Glee and I was living in Houston 1202 00:49:49,066 --> 00:49:52,026 Speaker 2: at the time. I think sent in like a video. 1203 00:49:51,746 --> 00:49:53,546 Speaker 1: On how old high school college? 1204 00:49:53,546 --> 00:49:55,146 Speaker 2: Well, no, no, no, this was post college. 1205 00:49:55,186 --> 00:49:56,826 Speaker 1: I was post college, like I'm going to try out 1206 00:49:56,866 --> 00:49:58,386 Speaker 1: for the show Glee or the Glee. 1207 00:49:58,146 --> 00:50:02,626 Speaker 2: Prop early twenties, early twenties. Yeah. I remember like texting 1208 00:50:02,666 --> 00:50:04,706 Speaker 2: some of my friends and I was like, could I 1209 00:50:04,786 --> 00:50:07,306 Speaker 2: pass as like a high school student? And they're like, yes, 1210 00:50:07,786 --> 00:50:10,186 Speaker 2: like you could pass as a high school student now, 1211 00:50:10,346 --> 00:50:14,506 Speaker 2: like you know, so auditioned made it through. However, many rounds. 1212 00:50:14,586 --> 00:50:16,266 Speaker 2: They flew us out to LA and one of the 1213 00:50:16,346 --> 00:50:20,626 Speaker 2: first people I met was Alex, and like immediately hit 1214 00:50:20,706 --> 00:50:26,546 Speaker 2: it off with Alex. Was blown away by how incredible 1215 00:50:26,786 --> 00:50:29,706 Speaker 2: Alex's voice was, like from this is I don't know 1216 00:50:29,866 --> 00:50:33,186 Speaker 2: how many years ago, absolutely incredible. I think Alex was 1217 00:50:33,226 --> 00:50:34,306 Speaker 2: coming from high school. 1218 00:50:34,986 --> 00:50:37,586 Speaker 1: And Alex goes on to get cast it in Glee. 1219 00:50:37,626 --> 00:50:40,906 Speaker 1: You do not, And then now Alex wins best lead 1220 00:50:41,346 --> 00:50:44,066 Speaker 1: in a musical for the role in Shucked. 1221 00:50:44,586 --> 00:50:45,426 Speaker 2: Yes, Shucked. 1222 00:50:45,746 --> 00:50:47,666 Speaker 1: Are you close enough with Alex where you would text 1223 00:50:47,666 --> 00:50:49,946 Speaker 1: Alex this morning and be like, no. 1224 00:50:50,186 --> 00:50:52,906 Speaker 2: Not texting me this morning, not texting this morning, but like, 1225 00:50:53,346 --> 00:50:55,106 Speaker 2: you know, we've seen each other in New York, and 1226 00:50:55,106 --> 00:50:58,946 Speaker 2: I've seen Alex perform other shows. But yeah, I'm not 1227 00:50:59,146 --> 00:51:02,066 Speaker 2: like last night. I'm not running to my phone to 1228 00:51:02,146 --> 00:51:05,226 Speaker 2: text Alex kind of thing. But yeah, no, Alex is 1229 00:51:05,266 --> 00:51:08,866 Speaker 2: absolutely incredible. I mean, they're probably like five or six 1230 00:51:08,946 --> 00:51:11,026 Speaker 2: vocalists that I've worked with in my life where I'm like, 1231 00:51:12,066 --> 00:51:15,346 Speaker 2: I sing and I don't understand what you're doing. 1232 00:51:15,546 --> 00:51:17,666 Speaker 1: Who are the other vocalists? Give me? I just put 1233 00:51:17,666 --> 00:51:20,026 Speaker 1: on Kosi on and he gave me. Not gonna say 1234 00:51:20,026 --> 00:51:22,626 Speaker 1: stock answers, but you couldn't get wrong saying Bigie, jay 1235 00:51:22,706 --> 00:51:26,706 Speaker 1: Z and Kanye First, the ones that you've seen in person, 1236 00:51:26,746 --> 00:51:31,106 Speaker 1: and then your greatest vocalist in the history. Do you go, Jay, Selene, 1237 00:51:31,266 --> 00:51:34,226 Speaker 1: do you go Luther Van Dross, may a woman, you go? 1238 00:51:34,266 --> 00:51:36,266 Speaker 1: Anywhere you want. Let's start with the ones that you've 1239 00:51:36,306 --> 00:51:37,506 Speaker 1: seen in person. 1240 00:51:37,506 --> 00:51:40,946 Speaker 2: Seen and worked with. Alex is probably number one. There's 1241 00:51:40,986 --> 00:51:43,346 Speaker 2: an opera singer I worked with in Houston named Kenneth 1242 00:51:43,386 --> 00:51:46,386 Speaker 2: Gale who performed here at Carnegie Hall maybe two or 1243 00:51:46,426 --> 00:51:48,346 Speaker 2: three months ago. I went and got to see Ken perform. 1244 00:51:48,466 --> 00:51:52,346 Speaker 2: Ken is like just the most powerful voice. That long 1245 00:51:52,386 --> 00:51:54,746 Speaker 2: story to this, but the short version is I was 1246 00:51:54,826 --> 00:51:57,266 Speaker 2: once on a yacht, like in the middle of the 1247 00:51:57,306 --> 00:52:00,946 Speaker 2: ocean as Ken is performing Nesting Dorma and like on 1248 00:52:01,106 --> 00:52:05,866 Speaker 2: the deck of the boat and it's amazing. And then yeah, yeah, 1249 00:52:06,506 --> 00:52:11,346 Speaker 2: two long start yeah. And then I would say probably 1250 00:52:11,386 --> 00:52:16,946 Speaker 2: the third vocalist. There's a singer in Houston, Sarah Golden, 1251 00:52:17,306 --> 00:52:21,986 Speaker 2: who was on the voice and now she does performances 1252 00:52:22,026 --> 00:52:25,066 Speaker 2: for like the Astros, like doing national anthem and stuff. 1253 00:52:26,226 --> 00:52:28,786 Speaker 2: And Sarah just plays the guitar and I wrote some 1254 00:52:28,906 --> 00:52:30,706 Speaker 2: songs and sang with her a bunch when we were 1255 00:52:30,706 --> 00:52:34,786 Speaker 2: in Houston, and Sarah's voice just is outstanding. And then 1256 00:52:34,786 --> 00:52:37,186 Speaker 2: I have another friend from Houston, Trisha Fox, who the 1257 00:52:37,186 --> 00:52:41,106 Speaker 2: two of us sang together and like we Her voice 1258 00:52:41,146 --> 00:52:43,226 Speaker 2: is so different from mine, and yet the two of 1259 00:52:43,306 --> 00:52:45,786 Speaker 2: us sounded like we were siblings, Like our voice is blended. 1260 00:52:45,826 --> 00:52:48,226 Speaker 2: So that's a long thing. So and then the love 1261 00:52:49,066 --> 00:52:52,426 Speaker 2: singers that I would say like their voices are the 1262 00:52:52,466 --> 00:52:56,386 Speaker 2: ones I'm always impressed with Torri Kelly, like for the 1263 00:52:56,426 --> 00:52:57,746 Speaker 2: modern vocalist. 1264 00:52:57,826 --> 00:53:02,026 Speaker 1: I loved Kelly in the sing movies. Yes Yeah, beautiful 1265 00:53:02,106 --> 00:53:03,266 Speaker 1: voice in those films. 1266 00:53:03,506 --> 00:53:08,906 Speaker 2: There's a video of her on YouTube performing pyt by 1267 00:53:08,906 --> 00:53:11,066 Speaker 2: Michael Jackson, and she has this vocal lick. 1268 00:53:11,426 --> 00:53:13,186 Speaker 1: I want to say Tory was one of the original 1269 00:53:13,186 --> 00:53:15,986 Speaker 1: Scooter Braun finds too right, Like didn't Scooter find Toy 1270 00:53:16,146 --> 00:53:16,746 Speaker 1: and help bring. 1271 00:53:16,586 --> 00:53:18,946 Speaker 2: Her to fame okay on YouTube? And she's just like 1272 00:53:18,986 --> 00:53:22,706 Speaker 2: sitting there, like playing guitar and singing. And I've worked 1273 00:53:22,706 --> 00:53:25,186 Speaker 2: with other people who've worked with her. I think her 1274 00:53:25,306 --> 00:53:32,226 Speaker 2: voice is unbelievable. There's another current one. Her name's Nao. 1275 00:53:32,346 --> 00:53:35,306 Speaker 2: I think it's now. I don't know the actual pronunciation. 1276 00:53:35,546 --> 00:53:41,466 Speaker 2: Her voice does like these octave jumps that are ough incredible, 1277 00:53:42,746 --> 00:53:45,986 Speaker 2: and then like I have to go with like Nina 1278 00:53:46,026 --> 00:53:50,346 Speaker 2: Simone is yea, her voice is. If I could only 1279 00:53:50,386 --> 00:53:52,106 Speaker 2: listen to one thing and it was her voice, I 1280 00:53:52,106 --> 00:53:53,346 Speaker 2: would be completely happy. 1281 00:53:53,426 --> 00:53:56,466 Speaker 1: It's just those are not stock answers. You could have 1282 00:53:56,546 --> 00:54:01,786 Speaker 1: very easily, said Mariah Whitney Celine Dion, and you know, 1283 00:54:01,986 --> 00:54:05,626 Speaker 1: here we go. I'm gonna go, Barry Manilo, Luther Vandross 1284 00:54:05,626 --> 00:54:09,186 Speaker 1: whoever you know you want to go. I appreciate those answers. 1285 00:54:09,706 --> 00:54:12,666 Speaker 1: This is the most cultured podcast we've ever done. I 1286 00:54:12,866 --> 00:54:17,146 Speaker 1: love this. I love this because I'm a geek for it. Look, 1287 00:54:17,186 --> 00:54:19,706 Speaker 1: I always say this and my wife and I we 1288 00:54:19,866 --> 00:54:22,226 Speaker 1: try to do it as often as possible. We live 1289 00:54:22,506 --> 00:54:24,786 Speaker 1: in New York City. When you choose to live in 1290 00:54:24,866 --> 00:54:27,986 Speaker 1: New York City, if you don't take advantage of the arts, 1291 00:54:28,066 --> 00:54:30,386 Speaker 1: if you don't take advantage of the restaurants, you're not 1292 00:54:30,466 --> 00:54:32,746 Speaker 1: getting the biggest bang for your buck. And you could 1293 00:54:32,746 --> 00:54:34,906 Speaker 1: say New York is dead. You could say that you 1294 00:54:34,986 --> 00:54:36,866 Speaker 1: know it's time to move out and go set up 1295 00:54:36,946 --> 00:54:39,386 Speaker 1: shop in Austin or Malibu or whatever the people want 1296 00:54:39,426 --> 00:54:42,106 Speaker 1: to do. But there might be no cooler night out 1297 00:54:42,226 --> 00:54:44,826 Speaker 1: than a going to see a Broadway show and getting 1298 00:54:44,826 --> 00:54:47,426 Speaker 1: a great meal, or b going to like a small 1299 00:54:47,546 --> 00:54:52,146 Speaker 1: club north of one hundred Street and seeing a musician 1300 00:54:52,306 --> 00:54:54,706 Speaker 1: grind it out, and whether that be Lady Gaga when 1301 00:54:54,746 --> 00:54:58,786 Speaker 1: she was getting started, or whether that be you name it, 1302 00:54:59,186 --> 00:55:01,986 Speaker 1: a young musician. Like, that's pretty cool stuff. Have you 1303 00:55:01,986 --> 00:55:03,946 Speaker 1: ever heard of the Potash Twins. I'm gonna throw you 1304 00:55:03,986 --> 00:55:05,466 Speaker 1: for a loop here, the Potest Twins. 1305 00:55:05,706 --> 00:55:07,706 Speaker 2: You mentioned them like la week. Do you know that? 1306 00:55:08,546 --> 00:55:10,786 Speaker 2: I didn't know them? So I looked them up after that. 1307 00:55:11,066 --> 00:55:13,466 Speaker 2: I like, yeah, didn't know them beforehand. 1308 00:55:13,986 --> 00:55:17,026 Speaker 1: I'm really rooting for them. They are two twin brothers. 1309 00:55:17,106 --> 00:55:20,186 Speaker 1: They're twenty nine years old. They're from Omaha, Nebraska. They 1310 00:55:20,506 --> 00:55:22,986 Speaker 1: played trombone and trumpet and I got to know what 1311 00:55:23,026 --> 00:55:25,746 Speaker 1: the charity thing last week for Big Slick. They couldn't 1312 00:55:25,746 --> 00:55:29,066 Speaker 1: be greater young men, and like they're really good. And 1313 00:55:29,706 --> 00:55:31,826 Speaker 1: I went on YouTube and on Spotify and it's all 1314 00:55:31,866 --> 00:55:33,546 Speaker 1: originals and that's cool. But what they did at the 1315 00:55:33,586 --> 00:55:36,546 Speaker 1: Big Slick was they played Benny and the Jets and 1316 00:55:36,666 --> 00:55:40,346 Speaker 1: like dueling instruments and it was amazing. And they said 1317 00:55:40,386 --> 00:55:42,546 Speaker 1: that they work with all these hip hop artists and 1318 00:55:42,626 --> 00:55:46,306 Speaker 1: like whether it be t Paine or whether it be Drake, 1319 00:55:46,426 --> 00:55:49,866 Speaker 1: like they've been featured on their stuff. But I don't know, 1320 00:55:49,986 --> 00:55:52,186 Speaker 1: I think that's really cool. Like a young musician who 1321 00:55:52,226 --> 00:55:55,266 Speaker 1: plays trumpet and trombone performing with Drake sounds like it's 1322 00:55:55,306 --> 00:55:57,186 Speaker 1: pretty badass and that's very New York. 1323 00:55:57,786 --> 00:55:58,026 Speaker 3: Yeah. 1324 00:55:58,266 --> 00:56:01,266 Speaker 2: Yeah, and one of the great things too, like obviously 1325 00:56:01,346 --> 00:56:03,586 Speaker 2: not everyone can afford to go see a Broadway show. 1326 00:56:03,666 --> 00:56:05,786 Speaker 2: There's so many off Broadway shows, or you can like 1327 00:56:06,226 --> 00:56:10,626 Speaker 2: go see Broadway performers at fifty four below, Like I've 1328 00:56:10,746 --> 00:56:16,346 Speaker 2: seen Broadway stars do these small like cabaret style performances, 1329 00:56:16,426 --> 00:56:17,186 Speaker 2: which is like. 1330 00:56:17,226 --> 00:56:18,786 Speaker 1: Another way Sherry Lane Theater. 1331 00:56:18,946 --> 00:56:20,706 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, it's amazing. 1332 00:56:20,666 --> 00:56:23,586 Speaker 1: Unless Etharge and I have become friendly because of her 1333 00:56:23,706 --> 00:56:27,906 Speaker 1: Chief's fandom, and she shows up on the Tony's Last 1334 00:56:27,986 --> 00:56:30,586 Speaker 1: Night like presenting and I'm like, geez, Melissa, so I 1335 00:56:30,746 --> 00:56:33,346 Speaker 1: direct messaged her. I'm like, so great seeing you. She's 1336 00:56:33,386 --> 00:56:35,906 Speaker 1: got a Broadway show called I Think My Window or 1337 00:56:35,986 --> 00:56:38,426 Speaker 1: Come to My Window coming out in September, and it's 1338 00:56:38,546 --> 00:56:41,906 Speaker 1: based on all her book, her song, her soundtracks, all 1339 00:56:41,946 --> 00:56:45,026 Speaker 1: that stuff, and it was off Broadway, and I'm like, 1340 00:56:45,106 --> 00:56:47,546 Speaker 1: that's how it goes, like do you good enough? Off Broadway? 1341 00:56:47,586 --> 00:56:49,026 Speaker 1: Do well enough? It's gonna be a Broadway show. And 1342 00:56:49,026 --> 00:56:51,746 Speaker 1: I'm hoping for her because she's one of the coolest 1343 00:56:51,906 --> 00:56:55,706 Speaker 1: people I've ever met as far as celebrities go. I'm 1344 00:56:55,746 --> 00:56:58,986 Speaker 1: really hoping it's a success. There was another thing I 1345 00:56:58,986 --> 00:57:01,266 Speaker 1: want to say, like that good Night Oscar that Sean 1346 00:57:01,346 --> 00:57:03,506 Speaker 1: Hayes did, Like that started in Chicago and then it 1347 00:57:03,586 --> 00:57:06,186 Speaker 1: was off Broadway here then it was not like that's 1348 00:57:06,226 --> 00:57:07,946 Speaker 1: the stuff, man, that's cool. I love that. 1349 00:57:08,506 --> 00:57:10,666 Speaker 2: Like this is not a new show by any means, 1350 00:57:10,786 --> 00:57:13,186 Speaker 2: but I'd be remiss if we left the episode and 1351 00:57:13,226 --> 00:57:17,306 Speaker 2: I didn't mention these two names. Three names really Hadestown, 1352 00:57:17,426 --> 00:57:19,826 Speaker 2: which I've seen multiple times now I've lucked out and 1353 00:57:19,906 --> 00:57:20,186 Speaker 2: saw it. 1354 00:57:20,226 --> 00:57:21,426 Speaker 1: I haven't seen it, you know, I was supposed to 1355 00:57:21,466 --> 00:57:23,986 Speaker 1: see it then then COVID happened and we never went 1356 00:57:24,066 --> 00:57:26,266 Speaker 1: and saw it. But what a Hadestown is supposed to 1357 00:57:26,306 --> 00:57:27,226 Speaker 1: be unbelievable. 1358 00:57:27,666 --> 00:57:31,466 Speaker 2: It is amazing. I mean, like there's no shortage of 1359 00:57:31,506 --> 00:57:33,226 Speaker 2: people on the Internet talking about how great it is. 1360 00:57:33,626 --> 00:57:36,946 Speaker 2: I saw it in previews, so I saw the original cast. 1361 00:57:37,946 --> 00:57:40,746 Speaker 2: Amber Gray is like one of the most unique voices. 1362 00:57:40,826 --> 00:57:43,586 Speaker 2: She's no longer with the show. She's She's done a 1363 00:57:43,626 --> 00:57:47,426 Speaker 2: couple of things post Evan Noble Zada who originated the role. 1364 00:57:48,506 --> 00:57:50,466 Speaker 2: Actually I don't know if she originated, but she originated 1365 00:57:50,506 --> 00:57:56,986 Speaker 2: on Broadway. Just incredible, incredible performers in that. Yeah, and 1366 00:57:57,626 --> 00:58:00,506 Speaker 2: it's one of those things where it's amazing to see 1367 00:58:00,546 --> 00:58:03,746 Speaker 2: a show and then also no, like kind of like 1368 00:58:03,866 --> 00:58:07,706 Speaker 2: a sports team like someone else years Yeah, yeah. 1369 00:58:07,586 --> 00:58:09,466 Speaker 1: So haitistown one. What are the other two shows? If 1370 00:58:09,506 --> 00:58:11,146 Speaker 1: you're not a New Yorker and you're in town and 1371 00:58:11,226 --> 00:58:12,746 Speaker 1: you're like, you're not a theater person, but you want 1372 00:58:12,746 --> 00:58:14,386 Speaker 1: to see what are the other two suggestions? 1373 00:58:15,026 --> 00:58:17,146 Speaker 2: I mean, I love six. I don't know if you've 1374 00:58:17,146 --> 00:58:17,666 Speaker 2: seen six. 1375 00:58:17,866 --> 00:58:20,026 Speaker 1: My wife loved it. I didn't see it's supposed to be. 1376 00:58:20,306 --> 00:58:25,786 Speaker 2: I think it is incredible. Yeah. And then my number 1377 00:58:26,306 --> 00:58:31,426 Speaker 2: three right now, I mean shucked, even though I haven't 1378 00:58:31,426 --> 00:58:33,546 Speaker 2: seen it, I guess my number three. My number three 1379 00:58:33,586 --> 00:58:37,386 Speaker 2: would be like what can you get tickets to? Yeah, 1380 00:58:37,946 --> 00:58:39,786 Speaker 2: and just like surprise yourself with because there are a 1381 00:58:39,906 --> 00:58:43,386 Speaker 2: ton of things, like I said, off Broadway in Brooklyn 1382 00:58:43,546 --> 00:58:45,706 Speaker 2: like that, you never know what it's going to be. 1383 00:58:45,866 --> 00:58:49,426 Speaker 1: Like Yeah, like that Bruce, that Sydney Bluestein's window. You 1384 00:58:49,586 --> 00:58:52,826 Speaker 1: get to see Oscar Isaac and he's like baring his 1385 00:58:52,986 --> 00:58:54,866 Speaker 1: soul and it's like, you know, it's for forty bucks, 1386 00:58:54,946 --> 00:58:57,746 Speaker 1: fifty bucks in person you're watching, you know. The other 1387 00:58:57,826 --> 00:58:59,786 Speaker 1: one was I don't know the name of it, of 1388 00:58:59,906 --> 00:59:02,426 Speaker 1: fans it was at a time, but like Judy Coomer 1389 00:59:02,586 --> 00:59:05,946 Speaker 1: is like just a woven show and you're like, gosh, 1390 00:59:05,986 --> 00:59:07,786 Speaker 1: he's the US at their craft and they're doing it. 1391 00:59:07,946 --> 00:59:09,146 Speaker 1: So I don't know. 1392 00:59:09,306 --> 00:59:11,546 Speaker 2: I think there was a stretch where Bam had like 1393 00:59:11,746 --> 00:59:14,906 Speaker 2: Oscar Isaac and then like a month later James McAvoy 1394 00:59:15,106 --> 00:59:17,346 Speaker 2: and I mean, just like doing Shakespeare. 1395 00:59:16,986 --> 00:59:21,306 Speaker 1: They had Bobby conna Olli and rose Byrne together doing something. 1396 00:59:21,746 --> 00:59:26,026 Speaker 1: So anyway, this is the most amazing podcast we've ever done, 1397 00:59:26,066 --> 00:59:28,146 Speaker 1: and that we have probably a bunch of listeners who 1398 00:59:28,186 --> 00:59:31,386 Speaker 1: came in to listen to Kirk Cousin contract analysis, didn't 1399 00:59:31,426 --> 00:59:34,586 Speaker 1: get it from our interview with Quaycy. And then we're 1400 00:59:34,706 --> 00:59:38,506 Speaker 1: ending with talk about Hadestown and trying out for Glee. Aaron, 1401 00:59:38,546 --> 00:59:40,226 Speaker 1: That's why we do it. I get to know you 1402 00:59:40,346 --> 00:59:42,346 Speaker 1: more and more every single time we do this. Hopefully 1403 00:59:42,386 --> 00:59:45,146 Speaker 1: you respect my bona fides as we talk Broadway. Can 1404 00:59:45,186 --> 00:59:49,306 Speaker 1: I hold my own? Yeah? Okay? Good to the listeners, 1405 00:59:49,386 --> 00:59:51,226 Speaker 1: we love that you're listening. We're gonna keep going throughout 1406 00:59:51,226 --> 00:59:54,266 Speaker 1: the off season hopefully guests like this. I thought Quaycy 1407 00:59:54,426 --> 00:59:57,306 Speaker 1: was incredible and to those of you guys who listen, 1408 00:59:57,426 --> 01:00:01,746 Speaker 1: we really appreciate it, and obviously I'd like to thank everyone. 1409 01:00:02,026 --> 01:00:04,666 Speaker 1: That's what we do on this thing. So, Aaron, this 1410 01:00:05,186 --> 01:00:08,026 Speaker 1: was maybe one of my favorites we with you, Aaron 1411 01:00:08,066 --> 01:00:10,186 Speaker 1: Wan Kaufman, you are such a man of many talents. 1412 01:00:10,346 --> 01:00:14,026 Speaker 1: You are special. Jason English who is always sitting shotgun 1413 01:00:14,106 --> 01:00:17,826 Speaker 1: and listening from iHeart Matt Schneider of course and his 1414 01:00:17,986 --> 01:00:21,426 Speaker 1: team over there with Jason Kleinman and Meredith Batten and 1415 01:00:21,546 --> 01:00:23,746 Speaker 1: David Jurenka and all the folks back in New York. 1416 01:00:23,786 --> 01:00:25,946 Speaker 1: And then I want to thank Grace Fuz who has 1417 01:00:26,226 --> 01:00:28,986 Speaker 1: been our editor from day one, is fantastic editing these 1418 01:00:29,066 --> 01:00:32,346 Speaker 1: things together. And then Jack Rudd, who is our music man. 1419 01:00:32,506 --> 01:00:35,426 Speaker 1: We appreciate it. Guys, It's the Season with Peter Schregl 1420 01:00:35,426 --> 01:00:55,866 Speaker 1: will hit you next week. Enjoy your Broadway shows. The 1421 01:00:56,026 --> 01:00:59,026 Speaker 1: Season with Peter Schrager is a production of the NFL 1422 01:00:59,146 --> 01:01:02,906 Speaker 1: in partnership with iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit 1423 01:01:02,986 --> 01:01:07,546 Speaker 1: the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts.