WEBVTT - The Group Chat Episode 36: Formal/Informal 0:00:00.120 --> 0:00:02.920 This episode of the group Chat is brought to you 0:00:03.000 --> 0:00:06.880 by Lift. Skip the hassle of finding and paying for parking, 0:00:07.120 --> 0:00:20.360 take lift instead. M You've been added to the group 0:00:20.440 --> 0:00:24.480 chat with your friends Caroline, can, Max Sensen, and Will Brian. 0:00:26.160 --> 0:00:30.280 Welcome to Indianapolis to the NFL Combine. The group chat 0:00:30.520 --> 0:00:34.800 on the road. But we left Will at home. Well 0:00:34.800 --> 0:00:38.160 it kind of on the slope. Have we heard from him? 0:00:38.280 --> 0:00:42.080 Is he okay? I haven't. Well, he has corresponded with 0:00:42.360 --> 0:00:46.240 intern Zac, so I know he is. So he is able. Mind, 0:00:46.960 --> 0:00:49.640 I don't know about body will see how his skiing adventure. 0:00:49.720 --> 0:00:51.760 I can't wait. I did enjoy keeping up with him 0:00:51.800 --> 0:00:56.320 this weekend on social media with his extravaganza he went skiing. 0:00:56.760 --> 0:00:59.120 Those of you that did not here on the last 0:00:59.120 --> 0:01:03.040 group chat, he winsking in West Virginia. And we've got 0:01:03.080 --> 0:01:05.400 a beer opening up on the group chat. We can't 0:01:05.400 --> 0:01:10.720 even make it. It would MAT's over here opening up 0:01:10.880 --> 0:01:14.880 um an ice cold soda. Uh, it's not really a beer. 0:01:14.920 --> 0:01:17.119 Because we're at the NFL Combine. We are working, we're 0:01:17.120 --> 0:01:19.399 in the convention center. I mean, this is always an 0:01:19.400 --> 0:01:22.640 interesting it's an interesting day, and I actually want to 0:01:22.640 --> 0:01:24.679 bring surprise we're going to bring Matt into this more 0:01:24.720 --> 0:01:28.680 than he thinks because Max and I have been to 0:01:28.800 --> 0:01:32.000 multiple comment. How many combines have you been to? A handful? 0:01:32.080 --> 0:01:34.360 I can tell you exactly how many, but this is 0:01:34.440 --> 0:01:37.920 probably enough to not count, or fifth combine something like that, 0:01:38.160 --> 0:01:40.360 so it's easy to count when you've never been before 0:01:41.120 --> 0:01:43.280 and this is what you're going through. You've been to 0:01:43.319 --> 0:01:47.000 one one day? How is your first day? I loved it. 0:01:47.040 --> 0:01:48.680 I'm like a junkie for this kind of stuff though, 0:01:48.720 --> 0:01:51.480 So it was fun. I was watching shoulders with a 0:01:51.480 --> 0:01:54.440 bunch of people have watched for like ten years at least, 0:01:54.600 --> 0:01:56.080 so it's fun. He knew a lot of people. We 0:01:56.080 --> 0:01:58.960 were walking around trying to get interviews and I and 0:01:59.080 --> 0:02:01.720 I admit that I'm not very good at recognizing people. 0:02:02.440 --> 0:02:05.600 And he killed it. You knew exactly who they were. 0:02:06.160 --> 0:02:08.079 Think anymore about the analyst here than who are the 0:02:08.160 --> 0:02:13.200 most star strapped by? Oh that's tough. Uh, they'll just 0:02:13.320 --> 0:02:16.320 gesture towards himself. I thought you weren't listening, Bill, He's 0:02:16.360 --> 0:02:20.400 got his headphones on, like he's not listening. But yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, 0:02:21.320 --> 0:02:23.040 it was cool to We talked to Ian Rappaport that 0:02:23.040 --> 0:02:26.440 was pretty cool. He's, you know, up there, Uh, probably 0:02:26.440 --> 0:02:28.280 one of the more cont actually not up there. He's 0:02:28.280 --> 0:02:36.400 actually pretty sure TV. Actually I hope he heard that 0:02:36.680 --> 0:02:40.680 to beat up. It's the Tom Cruise effect was here. 0:02:40.720 --> 0:02:43.799 That was pretty cool. She's been around forever, so that's sure. 0:02:43.800 --> 0:02:46.280 She loves that as well. He's called Ian short and Susie. 0:02:46.600 --> 0:02:50.080 I didn't call him. Actually you tied me up for 0:02:50.120 --> 0:02:52.919 it though. No and no, like you're naming media types, 0:02:52.960 --> 0:02:57.760 no players. How many l s U people are here? 0:02:58.280 --> 0:03:01.840 Do you know? I think I saw how many l 0:03:01.919 --> 0:03:07.200 s U participants are there. I knew we had crazy 0:03:07.280 --> 0:03:12.600 that's that's that's a lot so wrong. Six. I think 0:03:12.600 --> 0:03:16.720 I got confused with the ones that left earlier. All right, well, 0:03:16.960 --> 0:03:18.440 I'm glad you had a good first day. No, it's 0:03:18.440 --> 0:03:20.040 a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to today to 0:03:20.400 --> 0:03:22.960 what was your biggest like take away, like what what 0:03:23.000 --> 0:03:24.799 are you gonna go home and like call your parents 0:03:24.880 --> 0:03:27.000 or call your fiance and like this is this is 0:03:27.040 --> 0:03:29.240 what happened today. Well, it's just weird to be in 0:03:29.240 --> 0:03:31.680 a room and like, obviously I'm not in the same 0:03:31.760 --> 0:03:33.080 level as a lot of these people, but it's like 0:03:33.120 --> 0:03:35.000 they're not looking at me as like a fan. It's 0:03:35.040 --> 0:03:37.320 like he might be at the bottom of the totem pole, 0:03:37.360 --> 0:03:40.920 but he's like the pole exactly. So that that's pretty 0:03:40.920 --> 0:03:43.160 cool to be in a professional setting with a lot 0:03:43.200 --> 0:03:44.440 of these people that I've looked up to for a 0:03:44.440 --> 0:03:46.240 long time. That's really cool. What do you remember about 0:03:46.240 --> 0:03:52.120 your first combine? Um? How tiring it is oddly, you know, 0:03:52.200 --> 0:03:55.040 like essentially I'm just going from podium to podium with 0:03:55.080 --> 0:03:58.760 a recorder. But this convention center is huge, and by 0:03:58.760 --> 0:04:01.280 the end of the day you've walked so many steps 0:04:01.320 --> 0:04:03.000 that it's like, man for just like being in a 0:04:03.040 --> 0:04:07.280 convention center, it's oddly exhausting. Um, And it's just the 0:04:07.360 --> 0:04:09.840 days are long. I mean, like they today we cycled 0:04:09.880 --> 0:04:13.880 through quarterbacks, tight ends, wide receivers. They just come in 0:04:13.960 --> 0:04:17.040 half hour increments for a few hours and then we're 0:04:17.080 --> 0:04:19.520 waiting on that rule. So today was the busiest day 0:04:19.560 --> 0:04:22.000 for us. And obviously now you know, we're still churning 0:04:22.040 --> 0:04:25.080 through the rule presser and getting out content from that. 0:04:25.240 --> 0:04:28.520 So yeah, I just remember like thinking, well, it's not 0:04:28.520 --> 0:04:30.240 going to be that involved, you know, It's not like 0:04:30.320 --> 0:04:33.320 there's not really any football happening. They're just talking. But 0:04:34.000 --> 0:04:36.799 it's their long days out here in Indy for sure. 0:04:37.520 --> 0:04:39.640 I don't really have a cool story from mine. I 0:04:39.640 --> 0:04:41.720 think I just, of course remember the shrim cocktail as 0:04:41.920 --> 0:04:44.839 a might first. Yes, if you you've never been to 0:04:44.880 --> 0:04:47.360 Indianapolis and try the shrimp cocktail, we're going to get 0:04:47.400 --> 0:04:50.240 you some. Don't worry about it. We're clear, clear out 0:04:50.240 --> 0:04:52.880 your sinuses. Tomorrow we can we can get you something. 0:04:52.920 --> 0:04:55.400 But I don't remember much. I think, like you're saying, 0:04:55.480 --> 0:04:59.800 it's overwhelming, the day is because you don't really know 0:04:59.839 --> 0:05:02.599 this schedule on your first one, even coming years, you 0:05:02.640 --> 0:05:04.360 don't really know the schedule and you don't know exactly 0:05:04.400 --> 0:05:06.840 what's going to happen. Coaches are walking in and out. 0:05:07.360 --> 0:05:09.000 A story that I do have, though it wasn't the 0:05:09.000 --> 0:05:12.520 first combine, but it was the combine after um the 0:05:12.760 --> 0:05:17.679 Colts hired Frank Raich during the process of looking at coaches. 0:05:17.960 --> 0:05:20.839 I think it was the year or maybe it was 0:05:20.839 --> 0:05:24.360 the year Kyle Shanahan was hired in what year do 0:05:24.400 --> 0:05:26.120 we remember? I don't think it was the same year 0:05:26.200 --> 0:05:30.560 with san Franz. Was his first year there, Okay, so 0:05:30.600 --> 0:05:32.040 it was actually when we were going through our g 0:05:32.279 --> 0:05:35.120 M search and the reason when it was going through 0:05:35.279 --> 0:05:37.520 of when the coult Ryan Chris Ballard, we looked at 0:05:37.560 --> 0:05:40.440 some coaches too, because the writing was a little bit 0:05:40.440 --> 0:05:42.080 on the wall that Okay, he may keep a going 0:05:42.160 --> 0:05:44.039 over a year, but then after that he may bring 0:05:44.080 --> 0:05:45.680 in his own guy. So we're kind of looking, what 0:05:45.720 --> 0:05:48.120 are these coaching connections that maybe we can get some 0:05:48.200 --> 0:05:50.120 sound from guys like we were really going out on 0:05:50.160 --> 0:05:54.080 a limb here. I had looked up Kyle Shanahan so 0:05:54.200 --> 0:05:57.680 much I thought I knew him, and so when he 0:05:57.720 --> 0:06:00.280 started walking through the podiums or the podium are I 0:06:00.360 --> 0:06:03.320 almost went up and said, hey, how like I didn't 0:06:03.360 --> 0:06:06.279 register that here he would have no idea who I 0:06:06.279 --> 0:06:08.720 would be. And thankfully I caught myself before I got 0:06:08.800 --> 0:06:11.360 up to go do that. Pretty embarrassing, but I think 0:06:11.360 --> 0:06:13.080 about that every time I see him. And I saw 0:06:13.160 --> 0:06:16.159 him today and I thought, gosh, thank god, you're just 0:06:16.200 --> 0:06:17.760 waiting for him one day to look at you and 0:06:17.760 --> 0:06:21.800 be like, Caroline, what's up? Yeah, like you actually do know? 0:06:21.920 --> 0:06:24.320 Oh my god, I knew we were friends, but it 0:06:24.440 --> 0:06:27.320 is an overwhelming day. Um. And I will say that's 0:06:27.640 --> 0:06:30.839 one of the strange things about your The first combine 0:06:30.880 --> 0:06:33.920 for me too, was just like walking down a hallway 0:06:34.000 --> 0:06:36.919 and seeing like seven different head coaches in the span 0:06:37.040 --> 0:06:39.200 of a couple of minutes, just like everyone is here 0:06:39.600 --> 0:06:42.560 in the league. And like, so he walked, you know, 0:06:42.600 --> 0:06:45.520 by Starbucks and there's like a GM you recognize and 0:06:45.560 --> 0:06:47.760 a couple of coaches and then here's you know, all 0:06:47.800 --> 0:06:50.440 the media types of Shifters. It's just like the entire 0:06:50.560 --> 0:06:53.440 NFL universe is in this one place. So especially the 0:06:53.480 --> 0:06:55.560 first time going through that, I just remember being kind 0:06:55.560 --> 0:06:58.679 of like I could just people watch for hours because 0:06:58.920 --> 0:07:01.960 they're just all recognizable faces. And you do get to 0:07:02.040 --> 0:07:04.240 people watch for hours because you just sit in here 0:07:04.360 --> 0:07:06.760 essentially and you wait and you work, and you wait 0:07:06.839 --> 0:07:08.840 and you work and you wait. But it is, like 0:07:08.880 --> 0:07:11.360 we said, a very overwhelming week. But it's really cool 0:07:11.400 --> 0:07:15.160 to see all these prospects um be very polite, uh, 0:07:15.360 --> 0:07:18.400 be very open to any and all media opportunities that 0:07:18.480 --> 0:07:20.000 they have. And this is one of the last times 0:07:20.040 --> 0:07:22.680 I always joke that they'll do this because once they 0:07:22.680 --> 0:07:24.520 get into the league, it becomes all about football and 0:07:24.560 --> 0:07:25.920 they just don't want to do a lot of these 0:07:26.000 --> 0:07:28.600 media things, which you have to understand that some part 0:07:28.600 --> 0:07:30.360 of it. Um, So it is fun to get to 0:07:30.360 --> 0:07:32.600 know these players first impression and all the media that 0:07:32.600 --> 0:07:34.920 they're going to be doing leading up to the draft. 0:07:35.000 --> 0:07:37.560 Let's go behind the curtain a little bit of what 0:07:37.680 --> 0:07:40.880 happened today, um Max. Your biggest takeaways from listening to 0:07:40.960 --> 0:07:42.920 a lot of these players will get to the Rule 0:07:43.440 --> 0:07:45.120 press conference in a little bit if you do want 0:07:45.160 --> 0:07:47.000 to hear if you're just dying of like what did 0:07:47.080 --> 0:07:49.280 Rule saying you haven't heard yet? That is on Panthers 0:07:49.280 --> 0:07:51.640 dot com. You can listen to that, um and watch that. 0:07:51.760 --> 0:07:54.280 But what is your takeaway from today? You talk to 0:07:54.320 --> 0:07:55.840 a lot of players and the coaches. Yeah, I guess 0:07:55.880 --> 0:07:57.800 we'll start with the players first. I mean, the big 0:07:58.080 --> 0:08:01.800 attraction today obviously was Joe Burrow. The This is the 0:08:01.920 --> 0:08:04.080 sheer size of the crowd that was forming around his 0:08:04.120 --> 0:08:07.280 podium just like fifteen minutes beforehand. Um. I mean, you 0:08:07.800 --> 0:08:10.120 know every year at the Combine, then the top quarterback 0:08:10.160 --> 0:08:13.880 prospect is the big attraction. So obviously this year it's Burrow, 0:08:14.520 --> 0:08:17.200 and um, you know, it was funny. I think like 0:08:17.240 --> 0:08:19.360 he sat down and knew he was like, I gotta 0:08:19.400 --> 0:08:20.920 get comfortable because I'm gonna be here for a while 0:08:20.960 --> 0:08:24.720 answering some questions and whether it was about the comments 0:08:24.800 --> 0:08:28.320 that were maybe taking a context about Cincinnati and how 0:08:28.360 --> 0:08:30.560 he feels about being potentially the first round pick, any 0:08:30.640 --> 0:08:32.640 sort of leverage he feels he might have. I thought 0:08:32.640 --> 0:08:34.440 he did a really good job of just navigating the 0:08:34.480 --> 0:08:38.839 whole thing. He has an undeniable swagger to him that 0:08:39.160 --> 0:08:41.319 is evident when he's playing football, and it's also evident 0:08:41.320 --> 0:08:42.960 when he's sitting at a podium. I mean, the guy 0:08:43.200 --> 0:08:47.280 carries himself with a certain just confidence. I wouldn't say 0:08:47.280 --> 0:08:50.120 it's arrogance, um, it doesn't come off that way. But 0:08:50.400 --> 0:08:52.880 it's clear he's very comfortable in his own skin. He's 0:08:52.960 --> 0:08:56.480 very prepared, um, and you can just tell why people 0:08:57.480 --> 0:08:59.680 follow him, you know, in a huddle and on a 0:08:59.679 --> 0:09:02.319 football teams. So I came away very impressed with the 0:09:02.320 --> 0:09:04.480 way he handled himself. It was interesting to listen to 0:09:04.480 --> 0:09:06.679 tow Us speak the guy who went through such a 0:09:06.720 --> 0:09:09.040 gruesome injury at the last image we all had of 0:09:09.120 --> 0:09:12.040 him was in tears being carted off the field, the 0:09:12.120 --> 0:09:14.360 last thing anybody wants to see right before this part 0:09:14.480 --> 0:09:17.480 part of the process. So it was interesting to hear 0:09:17.559 --> 0:09:21.400 him talk about where he's at and the wide receivers, UM, 0:09:21.440 --> 0:09:24.040 this is anybody you talk to here will tell you 0:09:24.160 --> 0:09:27.199 it's the deepest wide receiver group we've seen. I mean, 0:09:27.240 --> 0:09:29.160 all the way through round four. They're gonna be guys 0:09:29.200 --> 0:09:32.200 who are going to be impact, you know, contributors. UM. 0:09:32.320 --> 0:09:34.560 So there's just a lot of talent on display and here, 0:09:34.559 --> 0:09:36.680 and those guys just kind of talk about being a 0:09:36.720 --> 0:09:38.840 part of that class. I mean, it's it's it's kind 0:09:38.880 --> 0:09:40.280 of a cool to be a part of. But it's 0:09:40.320 --> 0:09:42.800 also man and another draft. A guy who might be 0:09:42.840 --> 0:09:45.480 a first late first round pick might not be taken 0:09:45.559 --> 0:09:47.280 until the second or third round just because of the 0:09:47.320 --> 0:09:50.720 strength of the class. UM. So curious to see how 0:09:50.760 --> 0:09:54.880 those guys run, especially UM jump and do all those things. 0:09:54.880 --> 0:09:57.280 With the testing because especially at those skill positions, we 0:09:57.280 --> 0:09:59.760 know those are some freak athletes. But the interviews, I thought, 0:10:00.040 --> 0:10:02.000 especially with wide receivers, you're always gonna get guys who 0:10:02.000 --> 0:10:05.319 are confident with their speed. UM are not afraid to 0:10:05.640 --> 0:10:08.520 say it, you know, and Rugs out of Alabama said, 0:10:08.520 --> 0:10:11.080 I'm the fastest guy here, no doubt about it. UM. 0:10:11.120 --> 0:10:13.199 I believe Caroline Yea, you asked that I would raise 0:10:13.280 --> 0:10:17.400 him I said, I'm not. Yeah, I know, I'm not 0:10:17.440 --> 0:10:19.120 doing jewels in my pro day and you can talk 0:10:19.160 --> 0:10:20.640 to my agents about that, which is it's been a 0:10:20.679 --> 0:10:24.960 long season and resting and recovering. Yes, Joe Burrow also 0:10:25.000 --> 0:10:27.000 said he's not gonna be doing drills, right. I thought 0:10:27.000 --> 0:10:28.960 it was interesting too. One of the things he said 0:10:29.080 --> 0:10:31.360 was L s U season was so long, it was 0:10:31.440 --> 0:10:33.440 essentially an NFL season. I mean they were playing into 0:10:33.440 --> 0:10:35.679 the NFL playoffs. And I think a lot of those 0:10:35.800 --> 0:10:38.360 L s U guys are smartly deciding I'm gonna wait 0:10:38.400 --> 0:10:40.720 till pro day allow myself to kind of rest and recover, 0:10:40.800 --> 0:10:43.440 which which makes sense to me. Um So, yeah, it was, 0:10:43.480 --> 0:10:46.000 it was. It was a good day. Interviews. Quarterbacks always 0:10:46.040 --> 0:10:48.880 a lot of attention, and then with this wide receiver group, um, 0:10:48.920 --> 0:10:52.000 it's very very competitive and there's a lot of talent there. Well, 0:10:52.040 --> 0:10:54.560 that was really the first round of interviews for these 0:10:54.600 --> 0:10:58.000 prospects because they have two more. But these are not 0:10:58.120 --> 0:11:00.440 with the medium members. These are behind closed words. They 0:11:00.480 --> 0:11:04.640 are the informal and the formal interviews that these prospects 0:11:04.679 --> 0:11:07.120 go through. And and this this process we don't know 0:11:07.160 --> 0:11:09.680 a ton about these processes of of what these interviews 0:11:09.679 --> 0:11:12.040 look like. But we do know that you know, therefore, 0:11:12.120 --> 0:11:15.600 and a lotted amount of time, only one team can 0:11:15.720 --> 0:11:17.760 can get with these players at one time. They only 0:11:17.800 --> 0:11:20.040 get you know, fifteen to twenty minutes. You have to 0:11:20.080 --> 0:11:22.360 hit him with all these questions. But what kind of 0:11:22.440 --> 0:11:24.559 questions are asked, we don't really know. It is one 0:11:24.559 --> 0:11:27.640 of the um questions of the NFL. One thing to 0:11:27.760 --> 0:11:31.560 keep mysterious is what questions are actually asked in those interviews. 0:11:31.559 --> 0:11:33.240 We know, you know, the Wonder Lake is a part 0:11:33.240 --> 0:11:35.280 of this, but then you know, you also get into 0:11:35.400 --> 0:11:38.040 personal questions. We've we've heard like every once in a 0:11:38.080 --> 0:11:41.640 while somebody weird come to the podium of the combat 0:11:41.720 --> 0:11:43.720 and like to say, like what you'll get asked, They'll 0:11:43.760 --> 0:11:45.640 get asked, what was the weirdest question you get? And 0:11:45.679 --> 0:11:49.000 you've we've heard some strange one weird, weird stuff. But 0:11:49.080 --> 0:11:53.199 there are the formal and the informal. So in spirit 0:11:53.280 --> 0:11:56.480 of that, we are going to play a little game. 0:11:56.520 --> 0:11:58.640 The segment for this podcast is going to be formal 0:11:59.160 --> 0:12:02.400 or informal. We're going to put out a quote that 0:12:02.440 --> 0:12:04.720 Matt Rule said at the podium today, taking the podium 0:12:04.720 --> 0:12:07.600 at the NFL combine today, his first time at a 0:12:07.679 --> 0:12:11.319 combine UM as an NFL head coach team. He talked 0:12:11.320 --> 0:12:13.840 about that in his press conference today. Um talked about 0:12:13.920 --> 0:12:15.800 just kind of how he is approaching this, how the 0:12:15.840 --> 0:12:19.400 team is, but of course the big, big topic was 0:12:19.400 --> 0:12:21.120 about Cam Newton. This is really the first time that 0:12:21.160 --> 0:12:25.160 we've heard Matt Rule, uh give some detail on Cam 0:12:25.200 --> 0:12:27.800 Newton and his future and in anything like that. So 0:12:28.400 --> 0:12:31.760 we're going to give the formal statements is going to 0:12:31.800 --> 0:12:34.319 be from Matt Rule himself, and then we're gonna come 0:12:34.320 --> 0:12:37.120 behind with the informal and give you our takeaways UM 0:12:37.160 --> 0:12:40.200 and maybe some insight into what was says. So for 0:12:40.240 --> 0:12:43.120 this first one, let's just go, of course, about Cam Newton, 0:12:43.160 --> 0:12:45.920 and this is what Matt Rule formally had to say 0:12:46.000 --> 0:12:49.920 about the quarterback. You know, from my perspective, I'm unbelievably 0:12:49.920 --> 0:12:53.199 excited to get to get a chance to work with Cam. Um. 0:12:53.200 --> 0:12:55.640 You know, you come in from the outside, you don't 0:12:55.640 --> 0:12:57.960 really you kind of know as as a fan, but 0:12:58.320 --> 0:13:01.160 just Um on a personal note, getting to know him. 0:13:01.200 --> 0:13:04.640 I mean, he is a diligent guy. He's working so hard, Um, 0:13:04.640 --> 0:13:08.839 both in Atlanta and in Carolina to get himself healthy. UM, 0:13:08.880 --> 0:13:11.000 you know, you meet him, he's he's this massive man, 0:13:11.040 --> 0:13:14.120 impressive man, and UM, I really enjoyed getting to know him. 0:13:14.360 --> 0:13:15.920 I've enjoyed getting to you know, sit down in the 0:13:15.960 --> 0:13:17.960 cafeteria when he comes by, sitting down to my office. 0:13:18.480 --> 0:13:20.600 I think he's doing a great job. And for me, 0:13:20.679 --> 0:13:22.559 you know, the way he balances being a great father, 0:13:22.840 --> 0:13:24.960 the way he balances being a great you know, quarterback, 0:13:25.000 --> 0:13:26.199 and the way you know, the things he's done in 0:13:26.200 --> 0:13:28.920 the community are are really really important. So I want 0:13:28.920 --> 0:13:31.120 to make sure I say that. And so I'm excited 0:13:31.160 --> 0:13:33.559 to get him healthy obviously. UM. You know that's the 0:13:33.640 --> 0:13:36.520 number one goal for us. Um, he's doing a great 0:13:36.600 --> 0:13:38.000 job of doing his part. We have to make sure 0:13:38.040 --> 0:13:40.560 that we're doing our part as we uh as we 0:13:40.559 --> 0:13:43.200 try to get him healthy for the seasons. So, but 0:13:43.440 --> 0:13:45.280 I know you guys have lots of questions. I'll listen 0:13:45.320 --> 0:13:51.920 to you guys. You know, UM, I probably won't say 0:13:51.960 --> 0:13:53.840 about anybody that the hey, there'll be a starter. I'll 0:13:53.880 --> 0:13:56.120 try to be really you know, especially in my first year, 0:13:56.679 --> 0:14:00.920 try to be really um uh discipline about not promising 0:14:00.960 --> 0:14:02.760 things to certain guys. I'll just say that I really 0:14:02.760 --> 0:14:04.520 want him on the team, and I really want him 0:14:04.520 --> 0:14:06.720 to be healthy. And I know when when Cam's healthy, 0:14:07.080 --> 0:14:08.640 who he is and the type of player that he is, 0:14:08.679 --> 0:14:10.679 and so my focus. You know, you'll hear me say 0:14:10.720 --> 0:14:12.320 him a process or in a guy, and that just 0:14:12.360 --> 0:14:14.640 sounds so cliche. I know. I know my wife says, 0:14:14.640 --> 0:14:16.959 like Matt, stop saying the process. But to me, it's 0:14:17.000 --> 0:14:18.599 just about, hey, am I are we doing all the 0:14:18.640 --> 0:14:21.080 things to get him healthy. When Cam's healthy, he's you know, 0:14:21.080 --> 0:14:23.240 one of the best of the best. So, um, I 0:14:23.240 --> 0:14:25.840 won't speculate maybe on the future of really any player 0:14:25.840 --> 0:14:28.680 on our team, you know, but um, I'd like to 0:14:28.720 --> 0:14:30.120 get him healthy. I'd like to get him out there. 0:14:31.200 --> 0:14:34.560 That's more than we've gotten in the past couple of months. 0:14:34.600 --> 0:14:36.600 We've always heard about the health, and David Tepper has 0:14:36.600 --> 0:14:39.520 said that multiple times and of hearing that of it 0:14:39.640 --> 0:14:42.640 is his health, but I think that was the first time. Um, 0:14:42.680 --> 0:14:44.360 and there's there is more to this if you do 0:14:44.440 --> 0:14:46.560 want to hear on Panthers dot Com. But I mean, 0:14:46.560 --> 0:14:48.320 this was the first time that you know, we heard 0:14:48.480 --> 0:14:52.000 if Cam is healthy, we like him and we want 0:14:52.080 --> 0:14:53.760 him here. Yeah, I know, And I think and Matt 0:14:54.040 --> 0:14:56.760 uses the phrase, there no doubt. You know, I think 0:14:56.760 --> 0:14:59.680 people do have some doubts on the outside, and that's 0:14:59.680 --> 0:15:01.720 why I lot of the questions about Camera being asked 0:15:02.200 --> 0:15:05.160 and his future is uncertain. Um, you know, with the 0:15:05.160 --> 0:15:07.840 injuries the past two seasons, I think there there is 0:15:08.640 --> 0:15:11.080 there's some doubt out there. But I think what Matt's 0:15:11.120 --> 0:15:14.080 point there is that when healthy, and again that's as 0:15:14.120 --> 0:15:16.440 you mentioned, Caroline, something Dave Tepper said over and over, 0:15:16.760 --> 0:15:19.960 that's the big factor in this equation, right is he's 0:15:20.000 --> 0:15:21.800 got to be healthy to be out there on the field. 0:15:22.400 --> 0:15:25.440 When healthy, um, they feel like there is no doubt 0:15:25.880 --> 0:15:28.040 about his ability and what he can do. He's he's 0:15:28.080 --> 0:15:30.640 the quarterback of this team. That the hard part of 0:15:30.680 --> 0:15:33.280 this equation is just getting him healthy and keeping him healthy. 0:15:33.600 --> 0:15:35.680 And that's that's that we're in a situation right now 0:15:35.720 --> 0:15:38.120 where he's not healthy at the moment. Matroo talks about 0:15:38.160 --> 0:15:40.280 the fact that he's not cleared right now. He's trending 0:15:40.320 --> 0:15:42.760 in the right direction, but this is a process that 0:15:42.800 --> 0:15:45.560 to Cam's credit, he's been working really hard to get 0:15:45.640 --> 0:15:48.840 himself there. It's just not there yet. And so this 0:15:48.920 --> 0:15:51.320 is a bit of a looking down the line, feeling 0:15:51.360 --> 0:15:53.520 like things are going in the right direction. And Matt 0:15:53.800 --> 0:15:55.920 you know, again mentioned to the media today he doesn't 0:15:55.920 --> 0:15:58.840 need him healthy right now. He isn't healthy healthy in September, 0:15:59.360 --> 0:16:01.480 and it's a mat or of trying to get himself 0:16:01.520 --> 0:16:03.640 to that point where they could have Cam Newton, the 0:16:03.680 --> 0:16:06.120 former NFL n VB quarterback and all that comes with that. 0:16:06.240 --> 0:16:09.880 His ability level is clear um when he when, when 0:16:09.920 --> 0:16:12.320 he's he's healthy, this this team has its quarterback. I 0:16:12.320 --> 0:16:14.280 thought that this was just a bread crumb, like we 0:16:14.520 --> 0:16:17.320 you know, everyone out there wants these answers. We we 0:16:17.360 --> 0:16:20.360 want to know now, you know, is he what's his future, 0:16:20.480 --> 0:16:22.520 what's going on? I thought this was a nice little 0:16:22.520 --> 0:16:25.200 bread crumb that goes back to what Matt rule has 0:16:25.240 --> 0:16:27.960 said since he took the job was and and he 0:16:28.000 --> 0:16:30.480 even jokes in his press conference. You know, I know, 0:16:30.720 --> 0:16:33.040 fans don't love to hear this. Even his wife Julie 0:16:33.040 --> 0:16:36.040 tells him stop using this word because you know the process. 0:16:36.120 --> 0:16:39.560 But this is just another Yes, this is another piece 0:16:39.600 --> 0:16:41.320 of the process. And I thought what was interesting too, 0:16:41.320 --> 0:16:43.520 we went into a bit more detail of explaining what 0:16:43.600 --> 0:16:46.120 that process means in terms of Cam Newton and his 0:16:46.200 --> 0:16:49.280 health and in his future in Carolina. And he said, look, 0:16:49.320 --> 0:16:51.400 everyone's job right now is to make sure that Cam 0:16:51.480 --> 0:16:55.000 is healthy. He gave Cam props for doing his part 0:16:55.080 --> 0:16:57.480 of making sure he's a rehab, make sure he's in 0:16:57.520 --> 0:16:59.520 the building getting everything done that he needs to be 0:16:59.560 --> 0:17:02.000 done or get done. And then he says, but it's 0:17:02.000 --> 0:17:03.600 also on the coaches to make sure that you know, 0:17:03.640 --> 0:17:05.760 they're putting him in a position of whether that's not 0:17:05.760 --> 0:17:07.919 putting too much pressure on him not going out and 0:17:07.960 --> 0:17:10.760 saying something of a timeline in the UM, you know, 0:17:10.840 --> 0:17:12.800 to the media and putting that kind of pressure on him, 0:17:12.800 --> 0:17:14.760 but also on the training staff, also on the owner, 0:17:14.800 --> 0:17:17.720 also on you know, everyone in the organization. The focus 0:17:17.800 --> 0:17:20.439 is to get him healthy. I know that's not the 0:17:20.480 --> 0:17:22.880 answer that maybe everyone was looking for, but that's where 0:17:22.880 --> 0:17:24.560 we are. And I think this was more information than 0:17:24.600 --> 0:17:27.520 we have gotten UM and maybe just more clarity what 0:17:27.600 --> 0:17:29.600 we've gotten. I wouldn't say that anything that was said 0:17:29.600 --> 0:17:32.800 today was breaking news. I think it was just some 0:17:32.920 --> 0:17:35.640 clarity to what we've heard over these past couple of months, 0:17:35.800 --> 0:17:38.640 and I honestly think just looking at some of the reaction, 0:17:38.800 --> 0:17:40.840 I think the fans just kind of needed to hear this, 0:17:41.000 --> 0:17:45.119 even if it wasn't an extremely declarative statement. It was 0:17:45.160 --> 0:17:48.399 a message of support for a quarterback who obviously has 0:17:48.840 --> 0:17:52.600 become really beloved by this fan base. And I think 0:17:52.880 --> 0:17:54.840 in this kind of period where everyone has all these 0:17:54.920 --> 0:17:56.880 questions and wants to know what's happening, just to hear 0:17:56.920 --> 0:18:00.640 from the head coach speak in this manner on this subject, 0:18:00.680 --> 0:18:02.199 I think it was important for people to hear. And 0:18:02.200 --> 0:18:03.480 I think that's kind of what we're seeing in the 0:18:03.560 --> 0:18:05.719 reaction to it, is just people feeling like, Okay, now 0:18:05.760 --> 0:18:07.480 I just have a little bit better of an idea 0:18:07.840 --> 0:18:10.760 of what's happening with this team, with this quarterback, and 0:18:10.800 --> 0:18:13.120 I think that's that's been a good thing for this 0:18:13.160 --> 0:18:15.640 fan base on the whole, and just what I've seen 0:18:15.680 --> 0:18:17.560 in the reaction to it, I think people were happy 0:18:17.600 --> 0:18:20.480 just to see Matt address this head on and obviously 0:18:20.680 --> 0:18:22.360 happy to to hear what he had to say about Cam. 0:18:22.400 --> 0:18:24.000 I mean, he said some really nice things about him. 0:18:24.000 --> 0:18:26.360 Clearly there they've gotten off on a on the struct 0:18:26.400 --> 0:18:29.119 on the right foot, just kind of communicating getting to 0:18:29.119 --> 0:18:31.399 know each other a little bit um, and that's I 0:18:31.400 --> 0:18:33.879 think that's what everybody was kind of hoping to hear. Yeah, alright, 0:18:33.920 --> 0:18:37.959 another thing about Cam. The next formal uh answer that 0:18:38.000 --> 0:18:40.840 we got from Matt Rule was when he was asked 0:18:40.840 --> 0:18:44.639