1 00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:12,160 Speaker 1: This is Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre. What is up, everybody, 2 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:18,200 Speaker 1: It's me Jason McIntyre, Straight Fire, Friday, April third, two 3 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:21,840 Speaker 1: thousand and twenty one. Got a great interview coming up 4 00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:25,560 Speaker 1: here today on the podcast Mike Florio, the big boss 5 00:00:25,720 --> 00:00:28,479 Speaker 1: of pro football talk. If you follow the NFL or 6 00:00:28,560 --> 00:00:31,040 Speaker 1: have at all in any capacity, over the last I 7 00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:34,239 Speaker 1: don't know, fifteen years, Florio has kind of been a 8 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:38,920 Speaker 1: big deal, really insightful stuff on the draft Deshaun Watson. Yes, 9 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:41,760 Speaker 1: we talk a little bit about the Shawn Watson and um, 10 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:44,280 Speaker 1: just the NFL in general. Florio is great. Before we 11 00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:47,560 Speaker 1: get to that, just two quick notes. One, Anthony Davis 12 00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:51,120 Speaker 1: returned to the Lakers Thursday night National TV game against 13 00:00:51,159 --> 00:00:54,400 Speaker 1: the MAVs, and a d looked a little rusty, kind 14 00:00:54,440 --> 00:00:56,120 Speaker 1: of look like somebody who hadn't played in a minute 15 00:00:57,120 --> 00:01:01,120 Speaker 1: two of ten, shooting four points four bore didn't play 16 00:01:01,120 --> 00:01:03,200 Speaker 1: in the second half by design. That was that was 17 00:01:03,240 --> 00:01:06,280 Speaker 1: the move. Um, Anthony Davids was just gonna suit up early. 18 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:10,120 Speaker 1: And the Lakers got squashed by the MAVs. Um, you know, 19 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:13,119 Speaker 1: not a significant win, not a significant loss, doesn't really matter. 20 00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:17,280 Speaker 1: I actually thought the bigger story. Then the Anthony Davis 21 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:23,800 Speaker 1: returned was the just awful sad passing of freshman Kentucky 22 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:27,240 Speaker 1: basketball player Terrence Clark. He had just declared for the 23 00:01:27,319 --> 00:01:29,800 Speaker 1: NBA Draft. He was like a high profile high school kid, 24 00:01:31,120 --> 00:01:34,160 Speaker 1: went to Kentucky, you know, had a decent freshman year. 25 00:01:34,240 --> 00:01:38,120 Speaker 1: Played at the beginning, was doing alrighty average, uh nine 26 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:42,520 Speaker 1: points a game, got injured, and he's probably gonna be 27 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:46,479 Speaker 1: a second round pick in the draft this offseason. And 28 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:51,040 Speaker 1: he just signed with Clutch Sports. Obviously that's a Lebron's agency. 29 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:56,000 Speaker 1: Terrence Clark was in l a Thursday, driving what police 30 00:01:56,240 --> 00:02:02,520 Speaker 1: was a Genesis and went through a red light middle 31 00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:06,800 Speaker 1: of the afternoon, went through a red light, struck a truck. 32 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 1: After hitting the truck which making which was making a 33 00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:13,200 Speaker 1: left hand turn, he hit a street poll and then 34 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:17,079 Speaker 1: a brick wall, and the police say he was not 35 00:02:17,200 --> 00:02:21,200 Speaker 1: wearing his seatbelt properly and he just he died his 36 00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:25,839 Speaker 1: apparently like his family was out here and um, one 37 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:28,880 Speaker 1: of his former teammates was in the car behind him. 38 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:32,320 Speaker 1: And I mean, it's just an awful, sad story. It 39 00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:36,120 Speaker 1: actually reminds me of one of my cousins passed away 40 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:40,280 Speaker 1: from a car accident. Uh, I don't know a little 41 00:02:40,320 --> 00:02:44,600 Speaker 1: maybe fifteen years ago and he wasn't wearing a seatbelt. 42 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:48,600 Speaker 1: And you know, I just not to put two somber 43 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 1: of a mood on this podcast because again, Mike Gloria 44 00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:54,120 Speaker 1: is real smart and interesting. All I'll say is, guys, 45 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:56,720 Speaker 1: please wear your seatbelt. It's got to be the number 46 00:02:56,720 --> 00:03:00,560 Speaker 1: one thing when you get in the car. It life 47 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:03,360 Speaker 1: is so valuable. A matter of fact, I had a 48 00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:09,200 Speaker 1: really fun night Thursday night, went out with somebody's shooting 49 00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:13,560 Speaker 1: the stuff, talking sports, talking investments, talking kids, talking dad life. 50 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:17,240 Speaker 1: A couple of the dads listening to the podcast, and 51 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:21,600 Speaker 1: you just kind of cherishes moments, you know, you really 52 00:03:21,639 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 1: have to. And I just I feel gutted for this 53 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:28,000 Speaker 1: kid's family. I mean, nineteen years old, his whole life 54 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:32,680 Speaker 1: in front of him, wasn't wearing a seatbelt and is 55 00:03:32,720 --> 00:03:35,640 Speaker 1: going and uh, you know, prayers out to his family. 56 00:03:36,800 --> 00:03:41,280 Speaker 1: I can't imagine what they're going through. Is absolutely brutal. 57 00:03:41,400 --> 00:03:45,960 Speaker 1: So um, batt'll do it for the NBA, And um 58 00:03:46,040 --> 00:03:49,640 Speaker 1: let's get to our interview with Mike Florio of Pro 59 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:56,280 Speaker 1: Football Talk. Jason likes to think he knows everything when 60 00:03:56,320 --> 00:03:59,480 Speaker 1: it comes to sports. I know what sports dans want, 61 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:02,600 Speaker 1: but for everything he doesn't, he knows a guy who does. 62 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:06,840 Speaker 1: Let's just say, I know a guy who knows who 63 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:10,600 Speaker 1: knows another guy. All right, welcome into straight fire. A 64 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 1: legend in the football media space. You know we've had 65 00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:18,240 Speaker 1: Peter King on more traditional media. This guy started his 66 00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:20,360 Speaker 1: own shop, and you know, as a guy who started 67 00:04:20,360 --> 00:04:24,360 Speaker 1: the big lead, I love an entrepreneur. Mike Florio Pro 68 00:04:24,440 --> 00:04:27,360 Speaker 1: Football Talk. How are you, Mike Jason? I'm doing great. 69 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:29,440 Speaker 1: How are you? It's great to talk to you. Yeah, Yeah, 70 00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:32,039 Speaker 1: it's been a while. I feel like the last time 71 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:35,040 Speaker 1: I saw you, I didn't go to the Combine in 72 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:39,640 Speaker 1: twenty what nineteen Combine? I wasn't there, But I think 73 00:04:39,640 --> 00:04:41,680 Speaker 1: I saw you the Super Bowl a couple of years 74 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:44,000 Speaker 1: prior to that. Um, how have you held up this 75 00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:47,200 Speaker 1: last year? It has been a challenging year for a 76 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:49,960 Speaker 1: variety of reasons, as it has been for everyone. And 77 00:04:50,160 --> 00:04:53,520 Speaker 1: my wife has both parents still alive and they're older, 78 00:04:53,600 --> 00:04:56,760 Speaker 1: so we spent a lot of time worried about them 79 00:04:56,800 --> 00:04:59,320 Speaker 1: getting sick, and my wife spent a lot of time 80 00:04:59,400 --> 00:05:01,680 Speaker 1: making sure were properly taken care of that they had 81 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:05,320 Speaker 1: food that they had meals that they could leave their 82 00:05:05,360 --> 00:05:08,600 Speaker 1: home at the absolute minimum. And then once the vaccines 83 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:11,960 Speaker 1: became available, we were and continue to be very aggressive 84 00:05:11,960 --> 00:05:14,200 Speaker 1: about getting our friends and family to go get the 85 00:05:14,279 --> 00:05:17,080 Speaker 1: vaccination so we can start to push toward normalcy. But 86 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:19,160 Speaker 1: my day in and day out life, I'm pretty much 87 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:21,799 Speaker 1: a hermit anyway, Jason. I work at home. I rarely 88 00:05:21,880 --> 00:05:25,080 Speaker 1: leave the house. Even when things were normal, there would 89 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:28,919 Speaker 1: be periods of time, like during free agency prior to 90 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:31,719 Speaker 1: the draft. During the season, I maybe get out of 91 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 1: the house once per week. So right now, I I 92 00:05:35,160 --> 00:05:38,000 Speaker 1: go down our hill and go to the grocery store, 93 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:39,760 Speaker 1: or go get my hair cut, or run to the bank. 94 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:41,760 Speaker 1: I do that about once a week just to stay sane. 95 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:44,720 Speaker 1: But other than that, my life has been no different. 96 00:05:44,920 --> 00:05:46,960 Speaker 1: In fact, this past season, I was more productive than 97 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:49,520 Speaker 1: ever before because I did all of my NBC duties 98 00:05:49,560 --> 00:05:51,920 Speaker 1: from home, So I picked up, as I was telling 99 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:54,680 Speaker 1: me before we got started, fifteen hours a week that 100 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:57,560 Speaker 1: I would nearly would have been traveling. I was able 101 00:05:57,600 --> 00:06:00,000 Speaker 1: to do other things and it made me far more 102 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:02,640 Speaker 1: productive this year than I've ever been. Efficiency is a 103 00:06:02,640 --> 00:06:06,159 Speaker 1: beautiful thing, huh. It's amazing and it's taught people that 104 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:10,200 Speaker 1: there there can be other ways of doing things that 105 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:14,719 Speaker 1: don't entail physical presence all the time. And moving forward, 106 00:06:15,080 --> 00:06:16,880 Speaker 1: if we are back to normal or something close to 107 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:19,920 Speaker 1: normal disease, and I anticipate I won't be going to 108 00:06:20,279 --> 00:06:24,279 Speaker 1: Connecticut to the NBC Sports main studio every single week, 109 00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:31,479 Speaker 1: and my output will improve and and and everything overall 110 00:06:31,520 --> 00:06:33,960 Speaker 1: will be better because of it. Yeah, the product doesn't 111 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:36,360 Speaker 1: decline just because you're not in the studio. I mean, 112 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:38,680 Speaker 1: it's the only thing you really miss is the camaraderie 113 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:43,280 Speaker 1: before after Um, maybe if you're traveling with someone, You're right, 114 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:46,640 Speaker 1: that's all that's missing. Your your content is still phenomenal. Well, 115 00:06:46,640 --> 00:06:48,760 Speaker 1: and you're right, the camaraderie is a big part of it. 116 00:06:48,960 --> 00:06:52,360 Speaker 1: And I think that's why I would still hope to 117 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:55,400 Speaker 1: get up there on a regular basis. But it doesn't 118 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:58,320 Speaker 1: have to be that NonStop grind. I mean, I've been 119 00:06:58,320 --> 00:07:00,280 Speaker 1: doing it since two thousand and ten and this was 120 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:03,000 Speaker 1: the first year that I didn't go up every week. 121 00:07:03,120 --> 00:07:06,280 Speaker 1: But and and trust me, this is the ultimate first 122 00:07:06,279 --> 00:07:08,680 Speaker 1: world problem. I'm not complaining about it, but it does 123 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:12,920 Speaker 1: put you in a completely different existence where you get 124 00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:16,280 Speaker 1: to Saturday and that means pack up your stuff and leave, 125 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:18,840 Speaker 1: and it's work, work, work, work, work, and it's all 126 00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:21,320 Speaker 1: days Sunday and then Monday you're exhausted and it's travel 127 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:23,240 Speaker 1: back and you get home and it's just keep going. 128 00:07:23,960 --> 00:07:26,000 Speaker 1: And uh, it's a lot easier when you don't have 129 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:29,640 Speaker 1: to throw that travel back and forth, the stress, the strain, 130 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:32,960 Speaker 1: the time, everything. It just makes you so much fresher 131 00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:35,760 Speaker 1: and you don't feel worn down when the season ends. 132 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:38,520 Speaker 1: Let me ask how how it's been for you in 133 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:42,400 Speaker 1: working with sources around the league. Obviously, listen, you can 134 00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:44,480 Speaker 1: text people. I don't know if you face time folks, 135 00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:48,480 Speaker 1: Calls still happen. But have you seen a noted difference 136 00:07:48,520 --> 00:07:51,920 Speaker 1: at all in the last this offseason in regard to 137 00:07:52,520 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 1: player movement, draft scuttle but all that fun stuff. Yeah. 138 00:07:55,680 --> 00:07:57,800 Speaker 1: I I still communicate the way that I always have 139 00:07:57,880 --> 00:08:00,080 Speaker 1: and text message for me is the most efficient. And 140 00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:03,200 Speaker 1: you know, when you're creating content, and you know this, 141 00:08:03,840 --> 00:08:06,680 Speaker 1: you need to have time where you can sit at 142 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:10,160 Speaker 1: your keyboard and create content. And the more time you 143 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:13,680 Speaker 1: spend on the phone is less time you have available 144 00:08:13,920 --> 00:08:17,200 Speaker 1: to create content. So I try to be extremely efficient 145 00:08:17,240 --> 00:08:19,840 Speaker 1: when it comes to my interpersonal communications, and I'm not 146 00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:22,040 Speaker 1: rude about it. It's just, hey, I'd rather text somebody 147 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:24,440 Speaker 1: than talk, because then you play phone tag and then 148 00:08:24,440 --> 00:08:26,240 Speaker 1: you get caught up in a conversation and the next 149 00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:28,920 Speaker 1: thing you know, you get into a fun chat and 150 00:08:28,960 --> 00:08:32,040 Speaker 1: it's twenty minutes later and you start thinking, you know, 151 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:35,600 Speaker 1: I've got I've got a conveyor belt full of chocolates 152 00:08:35,760 --> 00:08:39,360 Speaker 1: to make an incredibly not timely reference that is rolling, 153 00:08:39,480 --> 00:08:41,600 Speaker 1: and I gotta get back and scoop those chocolates up. 154 00:08:41,640 --> 00:08:45,319 Speaker 1: Because when you do create content, you get an audience 155 00:08:45,360 --> 00:08:47,840 Speaker 1: that expects more content. So that's the balance. So that 156 00:08:47,880 --> 00:08:51,000 Speaker 1: hasn't changed. Really, nothing has changed, but for the fact 157 00:08:51,360 --> 00:08:55,280 Speaker 1: that I didn't travel and haven't gone anywhere since the 158 00:08:55,480 --> 00:08:59,800 Speaker 1: scouting combine of February. Yeah, I want to quickly zoom 159 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:01,640 Speaker 1: out on the league. And you know a lot of 160 00:09:01,640 --> 00:09:03,480 Speaker 1: people are saying, oh, Tom, Tom Brady and the Bucks 161 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:06,640 Speaker 1: that could go undefeated. Uh, this draft is huge. Forty nine. 162 00:09:06,960 --> 00:09:08,520 Speaker 1: I kind of want to start a little off the 163 00:09:08,559 --> 00:09:11,839 Speaker 1: board here with Bill Belichick and such an un characteristic 164 00:09:11,880 --> 00:09:15,600 Speaker 1: offseason for the Patriots, and you know, obviously the Brady 165 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:19,080 Speaker 1: Belichick breakup was fun, and oh Brady won the breakup, 166 00:09:19,120 --> 00:09:21,880 Speaker 1: and you know, now every single players back for the Bucks. 167 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:25,160 Speaker 1: I'm just curious where you see the you know, the 168 00:09:25,160 --> 00:09:27,880 Speaker 1: the near term future for Bill Belichick and the Patriots, 169 00:09:27,880 --> 00:09:30,480 Speaker 1: because it seems like the Bills are the class of 170 00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:32,720 Speaker 1: that division again. The Miami Dolphins are on the come up, 171 00:09:32,720 --> 00:09:35,920 Speaker 1: the Jets are starting over, new coach as usual. Um, 172 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:38,240 Speaker 1: I just don't know what to make of the Patriots 173 00:09:38,280 --> 00:09:40,760 Speaker 1: and whether or not Belichick has one more Super Bowl 174 00:09:40,840 --> 00:09:44,440 Speaker 1: run in him. Well. I was so fascinated by the 175 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:47,319 Speaker 1: way they handled free agency, and I thought what they 176 00:09:47,320 --> 00:09:52,640 Speaker 1: would do is wait and buy up players at a 177 00:09:52,800 --> 00:09:55,680 Speaker 1: cheaper value after the first few days of free agency 178 00:09:55,679 --> 00:09:59,640 Speaker 1: play out. But because there wasn't that usual ultra splurge 179 00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:01,880 Speaker 1: right out of the gates, they really didn't have to wait. 180 00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:04,040 Speaker 1: I think they were very surgical in their tampering, and 181 00:10:04,040 --> 00:10:07,160 Speaker 1: everyone tampers. I think ahead of time they made sure 182 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:09,800 Speaker 1: the agents of the players they were targeting new this 183 00:10:09,880 --> 00:10:12,760 Speaker 1: is the offer. It's only gonna be there for a 184 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:16,400 Speaker 1: limited period of time. Once Monday at noon Eastern rolls 185 00:10:16,440 --> 00:10:19,440 Speaker 1: around and the official window opens for exchanging offers, and 186 00:10:19,480 --> 00:10:21,800 Speaker 1: if you don't want it, we got somebody else from 187 00:10:21,840 --> 00:10:23,280 Speaker 1: moving on to so let me know do you want it? 188 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:24,880 Speaker 1: Do you want it or not? And I think that's 189 00:10:24,920 --> 00:10:27,120 Speaker 1: why they came out of the gates with so many 190 00:10:27,160 --> 00:10:30,720 Speaker 1: deals that weren't your typical ridiculous first day of free 191 00:10:30,760 --> 00:10:35,880 Speaker 1: agency contracts. They were all reasonable, fair, appropriate. They burned 192 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:37,760 Speaker 1: up that cap money they had, and it told me 193 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:39,920 Speaker 1: they are definitely in win now mode. And you know, 194 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:41,679 Speaker 1: last year, with their struggles, you would think they were 195 00:10:41,679 --> 00:10:44,560 Speaker 1: three and thirteen except and nine is still pretty good 196 00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:46,920 Speaker 1: given that they had not nearly the talent they've had 197 00:10:46,920 --> 00:10:50,679 Speaker 1: in past years. So they go about strategically trying to 198 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:54,240 Speaker 1: replenish the talent address the flaws they've had both in 199 00:10:54,400 --> 00:10:57,319 Speaker 1: drafting and developing young players, because I think development is 200 00:10:57,320 --> 00:10:59,360 Speaker 1: a big part of it that gets overlooked because it's 201 00:10:59,360 --> 00:11:00,959 Speaker 1: not like the draft and guys who don't belong in 202 00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:04,000 Speaker 1: the NFL. They're drafting guys that maybe they shouldn't but 203 00:11:04,080 --> 00:11:06,000 Speaker 1: somebody else was going to draft them. They're failing to 204 00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:08,400 Speaker 1: develop them as well. So you bring in veterans who 205 00:11:08,400 --> 00:11:11,280 Speaker 1: know what they're doing, and I think they have a 206 00:11:11,320 --> 00:11:13,760 Speaker 1: real urgency, even though they'd never admit it, to try 207 00:11:13,800 --> 00:11:16,719 Speaker 1: to get back to elite level, and they've got Tom 208 00:11:16,760 --> 00:11:18,920 Speaker 1: Brady and the Buccaneers coming to town this year. They're 209 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:21,640 Speaker 1: aware of that. They want to beat him, they want 210 00:11:21,640 --> 00:11:23,360 Speaker 1: to beat the Bills. They want to be back in 211 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:26,840 Speaker 1: that conversation of among the best teams in the NFL, 212 00:11:26,880 --> 00:11:28,560 Speaker 1: and they're doing what they can to get there. And 213 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:31,440 Speaker 1: I I love it because we've never seen anything like 214 00:11:31,480 --> 00:11:33,600 Speaker 1: it before. And however it plays out, it's gonna be 215 00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:36,240 Speaker 1: fun to watch. And you know around the league that 216 00:11:36,440 --> 00:11:40,480 Speaker 1: every team coach GM is just looking to stick it 217 00:11:40,559 --> 00:11:43,480 Speaker 1: to Belichick. I mean, two decades of dominance. I know 218 00:11:43,559 --> 00:11:45,520 Speaker 1: some people think this is probably a playoff team, but 219 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:48,200 Speaker 1: Mike that a f C is so stacked compared to 220 00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:51,480 Speaker 1: the NFC. I just don't see the Patriots being able 221 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:53,640 Speaker 1: to pull this off, especially with Cam Newton under center, 222 00:11:53,760 --> 00:11:57,640 Speaker 1: unless something crazy happens, Mac Jones comes in or I 223 00:11:57,640 --> 00:11:59,720 Speaker 1: don't know if you're hearing they like Trey Lance or whatever, 224 00:12:00,080 --> 00:12:02,560 Speaker 1: but um, it just doesn't feel like a playoff team 225 00:12:02,559 --> 00:12:04,640 Speaker 1: to be Jason. What I hear is they love Cam 226 00:12:04,679 --> 00:12:07,480 Speaker 1: Newton and last year they really didn't get a fair 227 00:12:07,520 --> 00:12:10,520 Speaker 1: opportunity to see what Cam Newton could do. Earlier in 228 00:12:10,520 --> 00:12:14,800 Speaker 1: the year, Cam Newton was doing pretty well with the Patriots. 229 00:12:14,880 --> 00:12:17,200 Speaker 1: Then he gets COVID right before they're gonna play the Chiefs, 230 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:19,880 Speaker 1: and they still almost beat the Chiefs even without Cam Newton. 231 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:24,440 Speaker 1: I think that that COVID diagnosis affected him in ways 232 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:26,679 Speaker 1: that maybe he won't fully appreciate for time to come. 233 00:12:26,679 --> 00:12:29,080 Speaker 1: I remember he was asked at one point on the radio. 234 00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:31,360 Speaker 1: I think it was w E I whether he's suffering 235 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:34,080 Speaker 1: brain fog as a result of the COVID diagnosis, and 236 00:12:34,120 --> 00:12:37,160 Speaker 1: he denied it. But I think that something wasn't right 237 00:12:37,360 --> 00:12:39,880 Speaker 1: after that, and we're still learning what it means to 238 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:42,240 Speaker 1: have it and how it lingers. I just think it 239 00:12:42,320 --> 00:12:44,920 Speaker 1: threw everything off the rails for the Patriots last year. 240 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:47,880 Speaker 1: I think they they brought him back with the intent 241 00:12:47,960 --> 00:12:50,120 Speaker 1: that he's going to be the guy, and because they 242 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:53,040 Speaker 1: have this win now vibe. I'd be very surprised. I 243 00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:54,439 Speaker 1: know there's a thought that they'll trade up and try 244 00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:56,240 Speaker 1: to get a quarterback. I'd be very surprised if they 245 00:12:56,280 --> 00:12:58,640 Speaker 1: do it, because I think they want to see how 246 00:12:58,679 --> 00:13:02,200 Speaker 1: far Cam Newton can take them. Year two opportunity to 247 00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:05,080 Speaker 1: be there for the full off season program, training camp, play, 248 00:13:05,160 --> 00:13:08,000 Speaker 1: some in the preseason, know the offense better and have 249 00:13:08,120 --> 00:13:11,120 Speaker 1: better weapons. That's the key. He's got better weapons. So 250 00:13:11,240 --> 00:13:14,000 Speaker 1: last year maybe the aberration. This year maybe the start 251 00:13:14,040 --> 00:13:16,200 Speaker 1: of a very good trend for Newton and the Patriots. 252 00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:19,040 Speaker 1: We'll see. I want to go to the Dallas Cowboys 253 00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:21,760 Speaker 1: because you know how these TV radio things work. He 254 00:13:21,920 --> 00:13:25,080 Speaker 1: play the hits. Everybody loves the Cowboys. Might the realities 255 00:13:25,080 --> 00:13:28,719 Speaker 1: they've been to a Super Bowl in twenty five years. Um, 256 00:13:29,080 --> 00:13:31,320 Speaker 1: this love for Doc, Let's give him forty mile blah 257 00:13:31,400 --> 00:13:34,240 Speaker 1: blah blah. Like I don't know, are we do we 258 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:36,600 Speaker 1: pay too much attention to the Cowboys when it's been 259 00:13:36,600 --> 00:13:39,839 Speaker 1: really a generation since they've been good. Yes we do, 260 00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:42,360 Speaker 1: we do. I just needed to hear that, Yeah we do. 261 00:13:42,679 --> 00:13:44,920 Speaker 1: And it's been twenty five years, not just since they've 262 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:47,440 Speaker 1: won a Super Bowl, it's twenty five years since they've 263 00:13:47,440 --> 00:13:50,680 Speaker 1: even played in the game to get to the Super Bowl. Washington, 264 00:13:50,760 --> 00:13:53,520 Speaker 1: Detroit and Dallas the only three teams in the NFC 265 00:13:53,640 --> 00:13:58,160 Speaker 1: that haven't played in an NFC Championship game since it 266 00:13:58,280 --> 00:14:01,920 Speaker 1: was Washington versus Detroit actually and in the NFC Championship. 267 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:05,680 Speaker 1: But for all the hype, the production isn't there and 268 00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:08,040 Speaker 1: I think every year, you know I I always advocate 269 00:14:08,080 --> 00:14:12,200 Speaker 1: for teams do what you can to lower expectations, try 270 00:14:12,240 --> 00:14:15,720 Speaker 1: to get the bar to be set in a spot 271 00:14:15,760 --> 00:14:19,480 Speaker 1: where you're destined to overachieve. The Cowboys every year, and 272 00:14:19,480 --> 00:14:21,680 Speaker 1: it's that Jerry Jones hype machine. He shoved the bar 273 00:14:21,760 --> 00:14:23,840 Speaker 1: up as high as he can, and it seems like 274 00:14:23,880 --> 00:14:25,480 Speaker 1: far more often than not, they fail to live up 275 00:14:25,520 --> 00:14:27,880 Speaker 1: to their expectations. Look at last year. What a disaster 276 00:14:27,920 --> 00:14:32,360 Speaker 1: it was defensively. And now the same staff, the same coach, 277 00:14:32,480 --> 00:14:35,240 Speaker 1: the same front office that brought us the Mike Nolan 278 00:14:35,280 --> 00:14:38,720 Speaker 1: debacle has fixed everything with the hiring of Dan Quinn. 279 00:14:38,760 --> 00:14:40,200 Speaker 1: I'll believe it when I see it. And they've got 280 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:42,120 Speaker 1: a long way to go to be among the best 281 00:14:42,120 --> 00:14:45,120 Speaker 1: teams in the NFC. They can't even win their division, 282 00:14:45,280 --> 00:14:47,240 Speaker 1: and their division had a team with a losing record 283 00:14:47,240 --> 00:14:49,840 Speaker 1: that finished in first place. But come on, dan Quinny 284 00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:52,520 Speaker 1: had such a good defense in Atlanta the last um 285 00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:55,320 Speaker 1: I don't know, five years. I mean, all this excited 286 00:14:55,360 --> 00:14:59,280 Speaker 1: over Quinn and Keian O'Neil, I mean, Mike, I don't 287 00:14:59,520 --> 00:15:01,280 Speaker 1: I guess I wouldn't go in on the Cowboys. They 288 00:15:01,280 --> 00:15:03,400 Speaker 1: do drive ratings every you know, when they were on 289 00:15:03,440 --> 00:15:06,800 Speaker 1: the Sunday uh primetime slot or the afternoon slot. They 290 00:15:06,880 --> 00:15:10,720 Speaker 1: they do generate massive numbers. I just my theory has 291 00:15:10,760 --> 00:15:13,560 Speaker 1: always been that Dallas came of age in the mid 292 00:15:13,680 --> 00:15:17,680 Speaker 1: nineties when the Internet started to take off, and you know, 293 00:15:17,760 --> 00:15:20,160 Speaker 1: twenty four hour cable news was huge, and that just 294 00:15:20,640 --> 00:15:23,160 Speaker 1: drove a boom. But I don't see it right now, 295 00:15:23,600 --> 00:15:25,640 Speaker 1: And Jason, I'll go back even farther than that. I 296 00:15:25,680 --> 00:15:27,920 Speaker 1: do not know how old you are, but I discovered 297 00:15:27,920 --> 00:15:30,640 Speaker 1: football in the early nineteen seventies, and that was when 298 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:34,360 Speaker 1: they became America's team. They were one of the teams 299 00:15:34,400 --> 00:15:37,360 Speaker 1: that that was highly relevant and you didn't get many 300 00:15:37,400 --> 00:15:40,040 Speaker 1: games on TV back then, and the Cowboys always seemed 301 00:15:40,040 --> 00:15:41,320 Speaker 1: to be one of those teams. And there was always 302 00:15:41,400 --> 00:15:45,040 Speaker 1: something about the old stadium they played in. It was 303 00:15:45,080 --> 00:15:47,960 Speaker 1: the way the lights would shine off of the helmets 304 00:15:47,960 --> 00:15:51,480 Speaker 1: and the uniforms. Every game played there felt like a 305 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:54,640 Speaker 1: much bigger deal than it otherwise would have been, and 306 00:15:54,640 --> 00:15:56,760 Speaker 1: there was just a magic. There was a sizzle, and 307 00:15:56,800 --> 00:15:59,320 Speaker 1: that stayed with the Cowboys even through the eighties when 308 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:02,920 Speaker 1: they weren't dominant. From the moment that Dwight Clark jumped 309 00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:04,920 Speaker 1: up over Everson Walls and caught that pass, and the 310 00:16:04,960 --> 00:16:07,360 Speaker 1: forty Niners became the forty Niners, and the Cowboys faded 311 00:16:07,360 --> 00:16:10,400 Speaker 1: behind the likes of the Giants and Washington. They were 312 00:16:10,440 --> 00:16:12,720 Speaker 1: still very relevant. And then they get it back together. 313 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:17,760 Speaker 1: And they've written that for thirty years, even though four, 314 00:16:17,840 --> 00:16:20,200 Speaker 1: as you said, twenty five of it. What what have 315 00:16:20,240 --> 00:16:22,280 Speaker 1: they really been? They went thirteen years at one point 316 00:16:22,280 --> 00:16:29,040 Speaker 1: between playoff wins. Wow. I didn't realize thirteen years between playoffs? 317 00:16:29,080 --> 00:16:31,320 Speaker 1: So what does this mean for Jerry Jones at I 318 00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:33,840 Speaker 1: know he's like, you know, it's tough to tell a billionaire, hey, 319 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:35,920 Speaker 1: you need to fall back and you know, let some 320 00:16:36,200 --> 00:16:39,240 Speaker 1: younger people handle things. I mean, you can't. He's not 321 00:16:39,280 --> 00:16:43,160 Speaker 1: going to deal with that, well, right, Scott know, he 322 00:16:43,200 --> 00:16:45,000 Speaker 1: wants to win a Super Bowl with the team he built. 323 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:50,360 Speaker 1: He made that decision after Bill Parcel's resigned the job 324 00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:52,800 Speaker 1: following the two thousand six season, because what would happen 325 00:16:52,960 --> 00:16:56,320 Speaker 1: is there was a cycle that Jerry Jones was riding 326 00:16:56,360 --> 00:16:59,000 Speaker 1: for a while, and you know, Jimmy Johnson builds a 327 00:16:59,040 --> 00:17:04,040 Speaker 1: great team and Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson can't coexist. 328 00:17:04,160 --> 00:17:06,720 Speaker 1: So out goes Jimmy, and then the team goes the 329 00:17:06,720 --> 00:17:10,080 Speaker 1: other way, and then he goes and gets Bill Parcels 330 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:13,160 Speaker 1: eventually after it bottoms out and Parcels helps him build 331 00:17:13,160 --> 00:17:16,240 Speaker 1: it back up, but Parcels gets the credit after Parcels. 332 00:17:16,720 --> 00:17:19,680 Speaker 1: I believe that's when Jerry Jones made the decision it's 333 00:17:19,720 --> 00:17:25,040 Speaker 1: gonna be me. I'd rather be a second tier team 334 00:17:25,080 --> 00:17:27,600 Speaker 1: that I built than a super Bowl winner that's someone 335 00:17:27,640 --> 00:17:30,320 Speaker 1: else built. And and that's been that impetus, and it's 336 00:17:30,320 --> 00:17:32,800 Speaker 1: been year after years, season after season, and as he 337 00:17:32,840 --> 00:17:34,760 Speaker 1: gets older, he's joked about it. Is he gets older, 338 00:17:34,760 --> 00:17:36,159 Speaker 1: how many more of these shots does he have? And 339 00:17:36,200 --> 00:17:38,600 Speaker 1: it feels like every year there's a greater sense of 340 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:41,080 Speaker 1: urgency because every year could be the last year that 341 00:17:41,160 --> 00:17:43,440 Speaker 1: he's the guy who actually runs the team and he's 342 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:46,600 Speaker 1: not giving up the reins anytime soon, and uh, he 343 00:17:46,800 --> 00:17:49,399 Speaker 1: desperately wants to get that fourth super Bowl trophy and 344 00:17:49,400 --> 00:17:51,760 Speaker 1: more importantly, the first one that he can claim for 345 00:17:51,880 --> 00:17:55,960 Speaker 1: responsibility for. Yeah. Credit, that's a big, big running joke 346 00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:59,280 Speaker 1: in my family. So four months to this season, it's 347 00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:02,760 Speaker 1: again a can happen at the draft? Um, do you 348 00:18:02,760 --> 00:18:05,560 Speaker 1: think the Cowboys are the class of the NFC East. No, 349 00:18:05,760 --> 00:18:08,760 Speaker 1: I think that Washington is. I think they've quietly addressed 350 00:18:08,760 --> 00:18:11,280 Speaker 1: their weaknesses improved their team. I don't know what they're 351 00:18:11,280 --> 00:18:13,920 Speaker 1: gonna do at quarterback in the draft. Maybe they will, 352 00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:17,560 Speaker 1: maybe they will. Now when you have Ryan Fitzpatrick on 353 00:18:17,880 --> 00:18:20,800 Speaker 1: the Washington roster and Andy Dalton on the Bears roster, 354 00:18:20,840 --> 00:18:22,760 Speaker 1: and the Bears are at nineteen in Washington, the twenty 355 00:18:23,080 --> 00:18:25,399 Speaker 1: is not as obvious that they're in the quarterback market, 356 00:18:26,359 --> 00:18:28,720 Speaker 1: which makes it easier to either have one fall to 357 00:18:28,760 --> 00:18:30,240 Speaker 1: you or you can trade up a few spots and 358 00:18:30,280 --> 00:18:31,880 Speaker 1: get one. I'll be curious to see if they try 359 00:18:31,920 --> 00:18:33,480 Speaker 1: to make a move. There's been some talk that maybe 360 00:18:33,520 --> 00:18:36,879 Speaker 1: they will. But between adding Curtis Samuel the receiver and 361 00:18:36,880 --> 00:18:39,240 Speaker 1: they also added Adam Humphreys at receiver, they have William 362 00:18:39,320 --> 00:18:42,840 Speaker 1: Jackson the third corner. That defense is getting better. They've 363 00:18:42,880 --> 00:18:45,720 Speaker 1: got Chase Young who was awesome last year. They've got 364 00:18:45,720 --> 00:18:49,200 Speaker 1: a good offensive line and good young running back in 365 00:18:49,200 --> 00:18:52,040 Speaker 1: Antonio Gibson. I think they're the best team in the NFC. 366 00:18:52,119 --> 00:18:55,359 Speaker 1: But it's that hype machine, NFC East, not NFC let's 367 00:18:55,359 --> 00:18:59,440 Speaker 1: not go crazy yet, NFC East. But it's that Dallas 368 00:18:59,520 --> 00:19:02,200 Speaker 1: hype machine that makes them the betting favorite to win 369 00:19:02,240 --> 00:19:05,720 Speaker 1: the division because people always want to bet on the 370 00:19:05,760 --> 00:19:09,840 Speaker 1: Cowboys because we swallowed the hook when Jerry Jones puts 371 00:19:09,840 --> 00:19:13,159 Speaker 1: debate on it. So you've watched Ryan Fitzpatrick as I have, 372 00:19:13,680 --> 00:19:15,680 Speaker 1: and I feel, Mike, I don't have data to back 373 00:19:15,760 --> 00:19:18,680 Speaker 1: this up. He shows really well one year, everybody gets 374 00:19:18,680 --> 00:19:21,199 Speaker 1: excited about his potential, and then he turns into a 375 00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:23,359 Speaker 1: pumpkin the following year. I know this because it was 376 00:19:23,400 --> 00:19:25,679 Speaker 1: with my Jets and they bet on him and it 377 00:19:25,760 --> 00:19:29,800 Speaker 1: was a spectacular failure. And I have a bad feeling 378 00:19:29,800 --> 00:19:32,040 Speaker 1: it doesn't work out for him in Washington, although he 379 00:19:32,080 --> 00:19:33,639 Speaker 1: was good last year in Miami he was better than 380 00:19:33,680 --> 00:19:36,680 Speaker 1: two it. When I think of Ryan Fitzpatrick, I think 381 00:19:36,680 --> 00:19:39,240 Speaker 1: of that toggle switch on a guitar that goes rhythm 382 00:19:39,320 --> 00:19:42,480 Speaker 1: and trouble, but it goes fits magic and fits tragic, 383 00:19:42,960 --> 00:19:46,000 Speaker 1: and whenever you think it's locked in one way, it 384 00:19:46,040 --> 00:19:48,120 Speaker 1: goes the other way. And we saw it. We saw 385 00:19:48,119 --> 00:19:51,439 Speaker 1: it in Tampa when Jameis Winston was suspended. He was 386 00:19:51,440 --> 00:19:53,880 Speaker 1: playing so well those first few games. We thought, hey, 387 00:19:54,200 --> 00:19:56,679 Speaker 1: Jamis Winston's gonna lose his job, and the moment you 388 00:19:56,880 --> 00:20:00,399 Speaker 1: buy in completely. Ryan Fitzpatrick is the moment he breaks 389 00:20:00,440 --> 00:20:04,320 Speaker 1: your heart, and then he disappears. You forget about him, 390 00:20:04,400 --> 00:20:07,240 Speaker 1: you overlook him, you disregard him. Like that game. I 391 00:20:07,280 --> 00:20:11,000 Speaker 1: think it was early on a Thursday night, Dolphins against Bengals, 392 00:20:11,480 --> 00:20:13,960 Speaker 1: and Joe Burrow had looked pretty good and the Bengals, Oh, 393 00:20:14,040 --> 00:20:15,679 Speaker 1: Bengal should win this game, and the Dolphins just came 394 00:20:15,680 --> 00:20:18,640 Speaker 1: out and Ryan Fitzpatrick looks awesome in that game. When 395 00:20:18,680 --> 00:20:21,640 Speaker 1: you overlook him, he finds a way to play like 396 00:20:21,960 --> 00:20:23,920 Speaker 1: one of the all time greats. And then when you think, hey, 397 00:20:23,920 --> 00:20:26,760 Speaker 1: this guy is pretty good, he's underrated, he's underappreciated, he 398 00:20:26,760 --> 00:20:29,520 Speaker 1: he lays an egg and that cycle just continues. And 399 00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:31,520 Speaker 1: that that's why I think if they have a young 400 00:20:31,600 --> 00:20:36,639 Speaker 1: quarterback on the roster, he won't start all seventeen games. 401 00:20:36,680 --> 00:20:39,520 Speaker 1: And even even with the guys they have, there's a 402 00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:42,280 Speaker 1: chance he hits a rough spot that says, Okay, we're 403 00:20:42,280 --> 00:20:44,359 Speaker 1: gonna go with Kyle Allen, We're gonna go with Taylor Heineken. 404 00:20:44,440 --> 00:20:46,879 Speaker 1: We need to do something different because our starters in 405 00:20:46,920 --> 00:20:49,720 Speaker 1: a rut. Yeah, that's a tough spot. Let's stick with 406 00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:52,080 Speaker 1: quarterbacks for a second and I you know, Mike, I'm 407 00:20:52,080 --> 00:20:55,520 Speaker 1: gonna confess I've struggled to talk about the Deshaun Watson 408 00:20:55,560 --> 00:20:59,240 Speaker 1: situation on the podcast simply because we don't know enough information. 409 00:20:59,359 --> 00:21:02,840 Speaker 1: I I know there's a lot of stuff out there. 410 00:21:02,840 --> 00:21:04,960 Speaker 1: Twenty two women, Jason, How was that not enough info? 411 00:21:05,040 --> 00:21:07,560 Speaker 1: I don't know. Man. We just saw the Aaron Donald 412 00:21:07,560 --> 00:21:10,399 Speaker 1: when Mike, where some guy comes out with a shut 413 00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:12,560 Speaker 1: eye and says, Aaron Donald beat me up, and everybody says, 414 00:21:12,560 --> 00:21:15,040 Speaker 1: Aaron Donald, is he gonna get suspended? And then the 415 00:21:15,119 --> 00:21:18,240 Speaker 1: video says no, Aaron Donald was a peacemaker. I know 416 00:21:18,320 --> 00:21:20,880 Speaker 1: that's not an apples to apples with Watson, But how 417 00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:23,239 Speaker 1: are you handling it on on Pro Football Talk? Are 418 00:21:23,280 --> 00:21:25,760 Speaker 1: you guys doing a lot of it or not? Really, 419 00:21:26,520 --> 00:21:28,159 Speaker 1: we're doing a lot of it because people want to 420 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:30,480 Speaker 1: know about it. And Jason, I practiced law eighteen years. 421 00:21:30,480 --> 00:21:31,879 Speaker 1: So it puts me in a position where I can 422 00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:35,920 Speaker 1: understand what this all means, where it's all going, where 423 00:21:35,920 --> 00:21:39,040 Speaker 1: it maybe should go. I can interject my opinions into 424 00:21:39,080 --> 00:21:42,520 Speaker 1: the process, help people understand what it means when one 425 00:21:42,520 --> 00:21:45,480 Speaker 1: of the lawyers says something publicly trying your case in 426 00:21:45,520 --> 00:21:47,639 Speaker 1: the court of public opinion versus trying your case in 427 00:21:47,720 --> 00:21:51,280 Speaker 1: a court of law. And I said fairly early on, 428 00:21:51,320 --> 00:21:55,240 Speaker 1: because no one's gonna know what happened on those twenty 429 00:21:55,240 --> 00:21:58,360 Speaker 1: two occasions, because there isn't a video that's ever going 430 00:21:58,400 --> 00:22:00,760 Speaker 1: to become available like it was with Aaron Donald. And 431 00:22:00,760 --> 00:22:03,240 Speaker 1: from the get go with Aaron Donald, I said, well, hey, look, 432 00:22:03,280 --> 00:22:05,680 Speaker 1: in this day and age, we're all big brother, we're 433 00:22:05,680 --> 00:22:07,840 Speaker 1: all carrying around the cell phone. There's gonna be video, 434 00:22:08,040 --> 00:22:11,080 Speaker 1: there's gonna be surveillance video potentially, and there was that's 435 00:22:11,119 --> 00:22:13,600 Speaker 1: gonna show us what happened with Deshaun Watson. That's off 436 00:22:13,600 --> 00:22:16,600 Speaker 1: the table. Eventually, it's gonna come down to he said, 437 00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:21,680 Speaker 1: She said twenty two times over. And I tried enough 438 00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:25,600 Speaker 1: cases during my legal career to know this. You never 439 00:22:25,680 --> 00:22:29,760 Speaker 1: know what's gonna happen. Every jury is different. Every jury 440 00:22:29,920 --> 00:22:32,720 Speaker 1: is composed of individuals who come together and create their 441 00:22:32,720 --> 00:22:36,320 Speaker 1: own organism. Some are gonna be receptive, some aren't. Some 442 00:22:36,400 --> 00:22:39,040 Speaker 1: of the plaintiffs are gonna be more persuasive when they speak, 443 00:22:39,520 --> 00:22:42,280 Speaker 1: some aren't. Deshaun Watson, if he has to testify twenty 444 00:22:42,359 --> 00:22:45,400 Speaker 1: two times, maybe some days he's gonna do well. Other 445 00:22:45,480 --> 00:22:49,480 Speaker 1: days he's not. You're not going to be able to 446 00:22:49,520 --> 00:22:54,520 Speaker 1: reasonably say X number of plaintiffs will lose, x number 447 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:57,960 Speaker 1: will win. So my position has been for weeks now 448 00:22:58,320 --> 00:23:01,840 Speaker 1: that the best thing DeShawn Watson can do for himself 449 00:23:02,240 --> 00:23:04,720 Speaker 1: and for the individuals who have made these claims is 450 00:23:04,800 --> 00:23:08,040 Speaker 1: set up a mediation session. It's an informal process where 451 00:23:08,080 --> 00:23:11,439 Speaker 1: you get ideally your retired judge who has gravitas, and 452 00:23:11,480 --> 00:23:13,720 Speaker 1: it creates kind of a quasi day in court so 453 00:23:13,800 --> 00:23:17,919 Speaker 1: people feel like they were heard and they're satisfied, and 454 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:21,520 Speaker 1: you work out settlements in these cases, settlements that the 455 00:23:21,520 --> 00:23:25,560 Speaker 1: individuals involved who are making the allegations will believe it's 456 00:23:25,600 --> 00:23:29,640 Speaker 1: a fair payment for what they experienced and what they 457 00:23:29,720 --> 00:23:32,840 Speaker 1: claim they experienced and what they actually experienced. Maybe it's 458 00:23:32,840 --> 00:23:35,560 Speaker 1: the same thing, maybe it's a little bit different. We 459 00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:38,040 Speaker 1: don't know, but I think bringing everyone together in that 460 00:23:38,160 --> 00:23:39,840 Speaker 1: setting and I think that's what needs to happen for 461 00:23:39,880 --> 00:23:44,439 Speaker 1: Deshaun Watson's career. Have your reckoning, make good with the 462 00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:47,720 Speaker 1: individuals so they feel like they got their brand of justice. 463 00:23:48,119 --> 00:23:50,480 Speaker 1: That's how you resolve this so you can get on 464 00:23:50,560 --> 00:23:53,320 Speaker 1: with your football career. Because Jason, I'm convinced. If he 465 00:23:53,320 --> 00:23:55,640 Speaker 1: doesn't resolve this by the start of football season, he's 466 00:23:55,640 --> 00:23:57,760 Speaker 1: at very real risk of being on the Commissioner example 467 00:23:57,760 --> 00:24:00,760 Speaker 1: list and not playing this year and maybe maybe not 468 00:24:00,840 --> 00:24:02,640 Speaker 1: just this year, but next year as well, if they're 469 00:24:02,640 --> 00:24:04,240 Speaker 1: not gonna let him back on the field until these 470 00:24:04,240 --> 00:24:06,200 Speaker 1: cases are resolved, if they go all the way through 471 00:24:06,480 --> 00:24:10,680 Speaker 1: to verdicts. Now, I haven't spent any time in court, 472 00:24:10,920 --> 00:24:13,760 Speaker 1: thank goodness. Um, but I gotta I gotta be honest. 473 00:24:13,800 --> 00:24:16,440 Speaker 1: Didn't didn't these women some of them try to have 474 00:24:16,560 --> 00:24:21,560 Speaker 1: mediation and say, hey, um, you know, basically we would 475 00:24:21,600 --> 00:24:24,960 Speaker 1: like some money for our troubles. And didn't they try 476 00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:26,560 Speaker 1: to do this before? And Watson was like, no, I'm 477 00:24:26,560 --> 00:24:28,439 Speaker 1: not doing that. And would what would it look like 478 00:24:28,600 --> 00:24:30,879 Speaker 1: now if he did that with two women? Well, and 479 00:24:30,920 --> 00:24:33,679 Speaker 1: it wasn't a formal mediation process. And the one question 480 00:24:33,680 --> 00:24:36,800 Speaker 1: I don't know the answer to is when Tony Buzzby 481 00:24:36,840 --> 00:24:41,919 Speaker 1: approached Deshaun Watson's representatives before filing the first lawsuit Ashley 482 00:24:41,960 --> 00:24:45,640 Speaker 1: so Leice, who later came forward with her name, there 483 00:24:45,720 --> 00:24:50,200 Speaker 1: was an effort to resolve that and and even though 484 00:24:50,680 --> 00:24:55,440 Speaker 1: it's been characterized by Shaun Watson's lawyer as a money 485 00:24:55,480 --> 00:24:58,520 Speaker 1: grab or oh, it's all about money. You say, it's 486 00:24:58,520 --> 00:25:00,440 Speaker 1: not about money. It's all about money. Look, it's perfectly 487 00:25:00,520 --> 00:25:04,600 Speaker 1: normal and usual and routine for a lawyer who has 488 00:25:04,600 --> 00:25:07,080 Speaker 1: a client who has a claim that can be made 489 00:25:07,119 --> 00:25:11,080 Speaker 1: in court to contact the defendant, the potential defendant ahead 490 00:25:11,119 --> 00:25:13,600 Speaker 1: of time and give that person a chance to resolve 491 00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:17,119 Speaker 1: the case before the lawsuit is filed. And when Rusty 492 00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:20,280 Speaker 1: Harden a couple of weeks ago released emails that were 493 00:25:20,280 --> 00:25:23,080 Speaker 1: exchanged with the Shawn Watson's representatives' rather m I said, 494 00:25:23,200 --> 00:25:26,119 Speaker 1: there's nothing untoured here, there's nothing improper here. This is 495 00:25:26,160 --> 00:25:29,600 Speaker 1: an extortion. This is how it works. We have a claim, 496 00:25:30,080 --> 00:25:32,080 Speaker 1: we're going to file the claim. We want to give 497 00:25:32,119 --> 00:25:35,600 Speaker 1: you an opportunity to resolve that claim before we do it. 498 00:25:35,720 --> 00:25:38,880 Speaker 1: And from the planet's perspective, there's value in that your 499 00:25:38,920 --> 00:25:41,480 Speaker 1: life doesn't get turned upside down. You don't have to 500 00:25:41,520 --> 00:25:44,919 Speaker 1: go through this process of worry and stress and what 501 00:25:44,960 --> 00:25:47,000 Speaker 1: are they gonna say about me on social media? And 502 00:25:47,040 --> 00:25:49,080 Speaker 1: what are my neighbors going to say about me? And 503 00:25:49,320 --> 00:25:51,840 Speaker 1: am I gonna have trouble sleeping at night worrying about testifying? 504 00:25:51,840 --> 00:25:54,240 Speaker 1: Now you resolve it, you have your sense of justice 505 00:25:54,400 --> 00:25:56,920 Speaker 1: and you move forward, and Jason to break it down 506 00:25:56,920 --> 00:25:59,879 Speaker 1: to the most simple nub that I can as to 507 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:03,520 Speaker 1: what went wrong here? When Tony Buzzby asked for a 508 00:26:03,600 --> 00:26:07,280 Speaker 1: hundred thousand dollars from Deshaun Watson on half of actually 509 00:26:07,280 --> 00:26:10,240 Speaker 1: so at least as an opening settlement demand, and the 510 00:26:10,280 --> 00:26:14,040 Speaker 1: response was essentially, we don't like your number, give us 511 00:26:14,040 --> 00:26:17,800 Speaker 1: a new one. That was a breach of the basic 512 00:26:18,080 --> 00:26:21,920 Speaker 1: negotiation etiquette that applies in legal cases. They should have 513 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:25,200 Speaker 1: offered something five thousand, ten thousand, whatever, continue the discussion, 514 00:26:25,320 --> 00:26:27,920 Speaker 1: because I think Tony Buzzby would have taken between fifty 515 00:26:27,960 --> 00:26:29,960 Speaker 1: and seventy five thousand. And the thing that I'll never 516 00:26:29,960 --> 00:26:32,360 Speaker 1: know the answer to would there have been plane if 517 00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:34,719 Speaker 1: number two, three, four, all the way to twenty two 518 00:26:34,800 --> 00:26:37,040 Speaker 1: if they had resolved the case as the plane iff 519 00:26:37,080 --> 00:26:38,840 Speaker 1: number one, because at some point they piste off Tony 520 00:26:38,880 --> 00:26:41,280 Speaker 1: Buzzby and he was motivated to go find more people. 521 00:26:41,480 --> 00:26:44,440 Speaker 1: So Mike the the obvious question, and I'm gonna put 522 00:26:44,440 --> 00:26:47,320 Speaker 1: aside the idea that a quarterback needed twenty different women 523 00:26:47,359 --> 00:26:53,119 Speaker 1: to massage him over like acause the eight and say, hey, 524 00:26:53,200 --> 00:26:57,080 Speaker 1: he's he's fine. Um if he if someone if they 525 00:26:57,119 --> 00:26:59,280 Speaker 1: came to him and said, hey, hundred thousand dollars, that 526 00:26:59,359 --> 00:27:01,760 Speaker 1: settle this? What's and said, I did nothing. We can't 527 00:27:01,800 --> 00:27:06,960 Speaker 1: do that. That's crazy. Do that to the perception from 528 00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:09,639 Speaker 1: the outsiders, everybody reading it on the internet, Well he 529 00:27:09,640 --> 00:27:11,400 Speaker 1: could have just settled this for a hundred thousand dollars. 530 00:27:11,440 --> 00:27:14,520 Speaker 1: Maybe he didn't do anything. Well, he could have settled 531 00:27:14,520 --> 00:27:16,360 Speaker 1: it for a lot less than a hundred thousand dollars. Again, 532 00:27:16,400 --> 00:27:18,920 Speaker 1: a hundred thousand was the opener. They had room to move. 533 00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:22,879 Speaker 1: You never lead with your bottom line. And one of 534 00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:27,359 Speaker 1: the emails from the individual and athletes first, who was 535 00:27:27,400 --> 00:27:30,960 Speaker 1: communicating with buzz beyond behalf of Watson, basically said there 536 00:27:30,960 --> 00:27:34,240 Speaker 1: would be value in Deshaun learning a lesson here and 537 00:27:34,520 --> 00:27:37,520 Speaker 1: when you have to ask yourself. And I went through 538 00:27:37,520 --> 00:27:40,480 Speaker 1: this all the time on behalf of defendants I represented 539 00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:44,160 Speaker 1: and plaintiffs I represented, when you set aside the personal 540 00:27:44,240 --> 00:27:48,199 Speaker 1: frustration and acrimony, and look, anytime you're sued, you get upset, 541 00:27:48,320 --> 00:27:50,160 Speaker 1: you get piste off, you don't like it, it turns, 542 00:27:50,200 --> 00:27:53,480 Speaker 1: it turns your life upside down. If you can set 543 00:27:53,480 --> 00:27:55,760 Speaker 1: that aside and you can be very analytical about it, 544 00:27:55,800 --> 00:27:59,280 Speaker 1: what you can say is, Okay, they asked for a 545 00:27:59,320 --> 00:28:02,920 Speaker 1: hundred thousand, they probably take between fifty and seventy five thousand. 546 00:28:03,960 --> 00:28:08,359 Speaker 1: How much am I gonna spend to defend myself start 547 00:28:08,400 --> 00:28:12,080 Speaker 1: to finish, even if I win, even if the verdict 548 00:28:12,160 --> 00:28:15,639 Speaker 1: comes back in favor of me. How much money am 549 00:28:15,640 --> 00:28:17,040 Speaker 1: I gonna spend? And I'll tell you something I don't 550 00:28:17,040 --> 00:28:19,720 Speaker 1: know anythink about the legal fees in Houston. I got 551 00:28:19,720 --> 00:28:22,480 Speaker 1: a pretty good feeling he would have spent a lot 552 00:28:22,520 --> 00:28:25,800 Speaker 1: more than that fifty to seventy five thousand to get 553 00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:29,680 Speaker 1: a successful outcome if it was just one. Now what two, 554 00:28:30,400 --> 00:28:31,639 Speaker 1: it's gonna be a held a lot more than that 555 00:28:31,680 --> 00:28:34,439 Speaker 1: fifties and seventy five. So there's a point where and 556 00:28:34,440 --> 00:28:36,159 Speaker 1: this is where you need to have good advice. And 557 00:28:36,200 --> 00:28:38,760 Speaker 1: I think Deshaun Watson was a victim of the fact 558 00:28:38,760 --> 00:28:41,960 Speaker 1: that his reputation is so pristine and stellar. They set 559 00:28:42,040 --> 00:28:44,400 Speaker 1: up an echo chamber around him. Oh, there's no way 560 00:28:44,440 --> 00:28:45,920 Speaker 1: he's not capable of this. Look, at some point you 561 00:28:45,960 --> 00:28:48,040 Speaker 1: gotta set that aside and say, we got somebody who's 562 00:28:48,040 --> 00:28:50,120 Speaker 1: ready to sue us. It doesn't matter whether he did 563 00:28:50,160 --> 00:28:54,040 Speaker 1: it or not. We need to have creativity of imagination 564 00:28:54,080 --> 00:28:55,760 Speaker 1: to understand how this is going to play out if 565 00:28:55,840 --> 00:28:58,400 Speaker 1: we don't settle the case. And it doesn't take a 566 00:28:58,400 --> 00:29:01,200 Speaker 1: lot of imagination for some one who's an experienced lawyer 567 00:29:01,440 --> 00:29:04,160 Speaker 1: to know what comes next if you say, in response 568 00:29:04,200 --> 00:29:07,000 Speaker 1: to a hundred thousand dollar opening demand, thank you, no, 569 00:29:07,160 --> 00:29:11,440 Speaker 1: thank you, see you in court. Fox Sports Radio has 570 00:29:11,480 --> 00:29:14,400 Speaker 1: the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all 571 00:29:14,440 --> 00:29:17,760 Speaker 1: of our shows at Fox sports Radio dot com and 572 00:29:17,840 --> 00:29:20,400 Speaker 1: within the I Heart Radio app search f s R 573 00:29:20,520 --> 00:29:24,440 Speaker 1: to listen live. All right, let's quickly wrap up with 574 00:29:24,520 --> 00:29:28,080 Speaker 1: some draft stuff. Mike. Obviously, the biggest question is forty 575 00:29:28,160 --> 00:29:31,120 Speaker 1: nine ers at three. You got Schefter coming out and 576 00:29:31,160 --> 00:29:34,200 Speaker 1: saying it's Mac Jones and backpedaling a little bit. You 577 00:29:34,240 --> 00:29:37,240 Speaker 1: have Mike Lombardi, whatever you think about him, he's saying 578 00:29:37,280 --> 00:29:40,600 Speaker 1: it's gonna be Trey Lance Um. Anybody who watched an 579 00:29:40,600 --> 00:29:43,240 Speaker 1: ounce of college football says it's got to be justin fields. 580 00:29:43,400 --> 00:29:45,400 Speaker 1: Where do you weigh in on this, and given your 581 00:29:45,520 --> 00:29:48,600 Speaker 1: history with Kyle Shanahan, Well, I do a show every 582 00:29:48,640 --> 00:29:51,720 Speaker 1: weekday morning on Peacock and then it's on NBCs N 583 00:29:52,000 --> 00:29:54,520 Speaker 1: with Chris Simms four days a week. Typically Peter King 584 00:29:54,560 --> 00:29:59,560 Speaker 1: on Friday's. Chris has known Kyle Shanahan for years. Chris 585 00:29:59,600 --> 00:30:03,520 Speaker 1: Cante ends that Kyle Shanahan does not tell him anything 586 00:30:03,560 --> 00:30:06,320 Speaker 1: because Chris is a big mouth. And I can confirm 587 00:30:06,600 --> 00:30:08,440 Speaker 1: that Chris is a big mouth. But Chris has been 588 00:30:08,440 --> 00:30:11,640 Speaker 1: around Kyle long enough to know what Kyle is looking for. 589 00:30:11,720 --> 00:30:16,800 Speaker 1: They they didn't trade the twelfth overall pick and two 590 00:30:16,840 --> 00:30:19,280 Speaker 1: first round picks and a third round pick for the 591 00:30:19,360 --> 00:30:22,280 Speaker 1: third overall pick. I mean, you're ultimately investing three first 592 00:30:22,360 --> 00:30:24,320 Speaker 1: round picks in the third round pick for a player. 593 00:30:25,080 --> 00:30:29,120 Speaker 1: You're not acquiring that spot without having a pretty damn 594 00:30:29,160 --> 00:30:32,120 Speaker 1: good idea what player that you want? And Sims has 595 00:30:32,160 --> 00:30:34,520 Speaker 1: been convinced from day one that's Mac Jones. The betting 596 00:30:34,520 --> 00:30:36,280 Speaker 1: markets have been all over the place. It was Lance, 597 00:30:36,520 --> 00:30:38,880 Speaker 1: then it was Jones, then it was Fields, now it's 598 00:30:38,960 --> 00:30:42,320 Speaker 1: Jones again. I think it's gonna be Jones. I think 599 00:30:42,400 --> 00:30:45,440 Speaker 1: Kyle Shanahan knows it's Jones. They've got no reason to 600 00:30:45,520 --> 00:30:48,240 Speaker 1: tell us. And and also the cynical side of me 601 00:30:48,280 --> 00:30:51,080 Speaker 1: says ESPN and NFL Network are gonna want to create 602 00:30:51,120 --> 00:30:53,720 Speaker 1: as much uncertainty as possible. So we tune in next 603 00:30:53,760 --> 00:30:55,720 Speaker 1: Thursday Night at a p MBS trying to find out 604 00:30:55,800 --> 00:30:57,760 Speaker 1: who the pick is because we already know one and two. 605 00:30:58,200 --> 00:31:00,280 Speaker 1: If we know three, the draft didn't get read to 606 00:31:00,280 --> 00:31:03,800 Speaker 1: Atlanta at four. Yeah, I don't. Where are you on 607 00:31:03,840 --> 00:31:06,040 Speaker 1: trade lance? By the way, twenty years old. I think 608 00:31:06,040 --> 00:31:09,720 Speaker 1: he has sixteen starts in his career, maybe seventeen and 609 00:31:09,920 --> 00:31:12,800 Speaker 1: um uh, this idea that he could go in and 610 00:31:12,840 --> 00:31:16,600 Speaker 1: start versus being a developmental guy behind someone in Denver, 611 00:31:17,000 --> 00:31:19,960 Speaker 1: someone in San France, Where are you on trade lance? Well, 612 00:31:21,480 --> 00:31:24,280 Speaker 1: it's it's very simple to me. He clearly is one 613 00:31:24,280 --> 00:31:26,400 Speaker 1: of the top quarterbacks in this draft class. We wouldn't 614 00:31:26,400 --> 00:31:28,440 Speaker 1: be talking about him going as high as number three, 615 00:31:28,520 --> 00:31:31,360 Speaker 1: possibly four to the Falcons if he wasn't. What every 616 00:31:31,360 --> 00:31:34,000 Speaker 1: team has to ask itself when you have that opportunity, 617 00:31:34,040 --> 00:31:37,120 Speaker 1: when you have earned through crappy football or good trades, 618 00:31:37,560 --> 00:31:40,360 Speaker 1: when you've earned the opportunity to get that guy who 619 00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:42,600 Speaker 1: can be a franchise quarterback, and we've seen more and 620 00:31:42,640 --> 00:31:44,920 Speaker 1: more of young quarterbacks come into the NFL and play 621 00:31:44,960 --> 00:31:49,080 Speaker 1: well right away. When you know that if you get 622 00:31:49,120 --> 00:31:53,120 Speaker 1: that guy who potentially becomes a shortlist franchise quarterback, you're 623 00:31:53,120 --> 00:31:56,720 Speaker 1: gonna have him ten years fifteen years, maybe twenty years, 624 00:31:56,760 --> 00:31:58,680 Speaker 1: like Tom Brady was in New England. When you look 625 00:31:58,720 --> 00:32:01,480 Speaker 1: at the Falcons too, was an eight Matt Ryan who 626 00:32:01,560 --> 00:32:04,360 Speaker 1: faced the franchise after the Mike Vick Bobby Petrino debacle. 627 00:32:04,760 --> 00:32:07,920 Speaker 1: Matt Ryan's still there. You get that position taken care of, 628 00:32:09,240 --> 00:32:11,560 Speaker 1: You're gonna have a contending, relevant team for a long time. 629 00:32:11,640 --> 00:32:14,480 Speaker 1: So it all comes down to what the coaching staff 630 00:32:14,520 --> 00:32:16,880 Speaker 1: thinks to the guy, what the front office thinks to 631 00:32:16,920 --> 00:32:19,960 Speaker 1: the guy. But he's clearly in the conversation. And if 632 00:32:20,000 --> 00:32:23,400 Speaker 1: you get a franchise quarterback, you are set for a 633 00:32:23,400 --> 00:32:26,760 Speaker 1: long time to come. And I think there's there's every reason, 634 00:32:26,760 --> 00:32:28,040 Speaker 1: and I think it's one of the reasons why we're 635 00:32:28,040 --> 00:32:30,520 Speaker 1: looking one to three quarterback this year, maybe one, two, three, 636 00:32:30,600 --> 00:32:33,560 Speaker 1: four quarterbacks off the board. You get that young quarterback, 637 00:32:33,600 --> 00:32:35,320 Speaker 1: who's the guy you don't have to worry about the 638 00:32:35,360 --> 00:32:39,800 Speaker 1: quarterback position for a long time. My Jets zero franchise quarterbacks. 639 00:32:39,920 --> 00:32:42,200 Speaker 1: And no, I'm not counting Chad Pennington and Ken O'Brien. 640 00:32:42,360 --> 00:32:45,479 Speaker 1: I agree with you none since Joe Ninneth right. Let me, 641 00:32:45,920 --> 00:32:49,440 Speaker 1: you're gonna like this final question, Davonte Smith, U they 642 00:32:49,480 --> 00:32:51,880 Speaker 1: finally got his weight from when he had to go 643 00:32:51,920 --> 00:32:54,680 Speaker 1: to Indie, and I believe it was a hundred and 644 00:32:54,800 --> 00:32:57,800 Speaker 1: sixty six pounds. Uh, there's some stuff out there about 645 00:32:57,840 --> 00:33:02,000 Speaker 1: how Bill Belichick has ever drafted someone under I think 646 00:33:02,040 --> 00:33:05,320 Speaker 1: it was like one eighty or one ninety um and 647 00:33:05,400 --> 00:33:07,680 Speaker 1: he was kind of scoffing at a guy I know 648 00:33:07,720 --> 00:33:10,480 Speaker 1: six or seven years ago, Dexter mccullister coming out of 649 00:33:10,520 --> 00:33:14,080 Speaker 1: Old miss and it's like one sixty six, Mike, Like, 650 00:33:14,720 --> 00:33:16,800 Speaker 1: I never thought that the top ten stuff was real, 651 00:33:17,240 --> 00:33:20,440 Speaker 1: but I just one under sixty six pounds. He's getting 652 00:33:20,480 --> 00:33:22,560 Speaker 1: broken if he comes across the middle against the safety. 653 00:33:22,600 --> 00:33:24,600 Speaker 1: Is he not well? In this day and age, it's 654 00:33:24,640 --> 00:33:27,520 Speaker 1: not like it was, because you can go, you go 655 00:33:27,560 --> 00:33:29,400 Speaker 1: across the middle, you don't get hit like he used 656 00:33:29,400 --> 00:33:31,960 Speaker 1: to get hit. Watching YouTube games from the eighties or 657 00:33:32,040 --> 00:33:35,640 Speaker 1: nineties and they're out there the brutality, the brutality if 658 00:33:35,680 --> 00:33:38,800 Speaker 1: you just if you immediately rewind and watch a game, 659 00:33:38,920 --> 00:33:42,960 Speaker 1: it is stunning to see the way that that receivers 660 00:33:43,040 --> 00:33:46,160 Speaker 1: got got hit with helmets and driven into the ground 661 00:33:46,160 --> 00:33:47,800 Speaker 1: and they popped up and they kept going, and it 662 00:33:47,840 --> 00:33:50,880 Speaker 1: really is amazing to see it in comparison today's standards. 663 00:33:51,240 --> 00:33:54,840 Speaker 1: I don't know what weight is too light. I also 664 00:33:55,120 --> 00:33:59,000 Speaker 1: would love to know two things. When he went to Indianapolis, 665 00:33:59,560 --> 00:34:03,880 Speaker 1: did he know he was gonna get wade? Because maybe 666 00:34:03,880 --> 00:34:05,560 Speaker 1: you eat a whole pizza and drink a gallon of 667 00:34:05,600 --> 00:34:10,200 Speaker 1: water before you show up, if you know. Seriously, But no, 668 00:34:10,280 --> 00:34:12,120 Speaker 1: I'm saying if he didn't know, if he didn't know, 669 00:34:12,160 --> 00:34:14,920 Speaker 1: he'd be won seventy again. Maybe he went to indian 670 00:34:14,960 --> 00:34:17,160 Speaker 1: he didn't know he was gonna be weighed. And secondly, 671 00:34:17,520 --> 00:34:20,600 Speaker 1: did he resist at all getting on the scale because 672 00:34:20,640 --> 00:34:23,120 Speaker 1: he'd avoided the scale and he wouldn't he didn't do 673 00:34:23,120 --> 00:34:24,759 Speaker 1: it at the Senior Bowl. I just wonder if they 674 00:34:24,800 --> 00:34:27,000 Speaker 1: kind of caught him by surprise when he went for 675 00:34:27,120 --> 00:34:29,839 Speaker 1: a medical. If I'm him, i'd be a little piste off. 676 00:34:30,239 --> 00:34:32,399 Speaker 1: I went for a doctor's visit so they could check 677 00:34:32,400 --> 00:34:34,880 Speaker 1: out my finger, and they did the basic routine stuff 678 00:34:34,880 --> 00:34:37,920 Speaker 1: blood pressure, temperature, that get on the scale, see how, 679 00:34:38,040 --> 00:34:40,160 Speaker 1: And he probably had no idea that that was ever 680 00:34:40,160 --> 00:34:43,120 Speaker 1: going to show up anywhere. That's kind of it's fun 681 00:34:43,160 --> 00:34:46,000 Speaker 1: thinking about that because it definitely hurts his perception. It definitely. 682 00:34:47,040 --> 00:34:49,520 Speaker 1: I don't I didn't see who actually broke that story. 683 00:34:49,560 --> 00:34:54,960 Speaker 1: Do you know who who had? Um? So, actually that 684 00:34:55,560 --> 00:34:58,600 Speaker 1: just got me thinking, like, so let's say you know, uh, 685 00:34:58,640 --> 00:35:02,400 Speaker 1: you're gonna hire somebody over at NBC and um, you 686 00:35:02,440 --> 00:35:04,919 Speaker 1: know you you're on the interior staff and you're like, yeah, 687 00:35:04,920 --> 00:35:07,640 Speaker 1: we like this guy, and he won't give you one 688 00:35:07,680 --> 00:35:11,200 Speaker 1: piece of information that's kind of important when you're investing 689 00:35:11,239 --> 00:35:14,040 Speaker 1: millions of dollars in the guy. Are you a little 690 00:35:14,120 --> 00:35:17,080 Speaker 1: hesitant in some way, shape or form, Well, you are, 691 00:35:17,160 --> 00:35:20,600 Speaker 1: but you understand why he's hesitant. He's hesitant because once 692 00:35:20,640 --> 00:35:24,520 Speaker 1: the numbers out there, then it does become something that 693 00:35:24,600 --> 00:35:27,480 Speaker 1: can work against him in a showdown with Jamaar Chase 694 00:35:28,120 --> 00:35:30,839 Speaker 1: or Jail and Waddle his Alabama teammate. And I think 695 00:35:30,920 --> 00:35:34,279 Speaker 1: Waddle and Chase will both go before Davonte Smith. So 696 00:35:34,640 --> 00:35:37,319 Speaker 1: you strategically keep your mouth shut because you don't want 697 00:35:37,400 --> 00:35:40,800 Speaker 1: that piece out there. Because what happens is people reside 698 00:35:40,800 --> 00:35:42,839 Speaker 1: in their fears when it's time to draft. So if 699 00:35:42,880 --> 00:35:46,800 Speaker 1: you're the Dolphins and you're picking between Waddle and Smith, well, 700 00:35:47,040 --> 00:35:49,160 Speaker 1: if you pick Smith and he gets injured or he 701 00:35:49,200 --> 00:35:51,080 Speaker 1: has trouble getting off the line of scrimmage or whatever 702 00:35:51,080 --> 00:35:52,879 Speaker 1: the case may be, I told you so I told 703 00:35:52,880 --> 00:35:55,200 Speaker 1: you so. I told you so, he's too light. You're 704 00:35:55,239 --> 00:35:58,040 Speaker 1: not gonna have that with Chase or Waddle. And I 705 00:35:58,080 --> 00:36:02,280 Speaker 1: think that that becomes the thing that can fuel a slide. 706 00:36:02,480 --> 00:36:07,320 Speaker 1: And for the player, every spot is a significant loss 707 00:36:08,040 --> 00:36:10,359 Speaker 1: in total value over the first four years of his career. 708 00:36:10,400 --> 00:36:14,080 Speaker 1: So he's got every reason too to try to keep 709 00:36:14,120 --> 00:36:18,040 Speaker 1: that quiet. So it doesn't justify a team saying we're 710 00:36:18,040 --> 00:36:20,080 Speaker 1: going to go in a different direction. But don't you 711 00:36:20,120 --> 00:36:22,960 Speaker 1: think at the same time, falling would be good for 712 00:36:23,040 --> 00:36:26,680 Speaker 1: him because he's avoiding the terrible franchises that are always 713 00:36:26,760 --> 00:36:29,720 Speaker 1: picking in the top ten, often with bad front offices, 714 00:36:30,040 --> 00:36:36,200 Speaker 1: bad quarterbacks, uncertain coaching situations. He falls to like two, 715 00:36:36,320 --> 00:36:39,000 Speaker 1: that's probably a better scenario, is it not. It is 716 00:36:39,040 --> 00:36:41,239 Speaker 1: for that reason, Jason, And there is another reason that 717 00:36:41,280 --> 00:36:45,760 Speaker 1: I find fascinating with receivers. Being the first receiver taken 718 00:36:46,000 --> 00:36:49,000 Speaker 1: in any given year prevents you from having a chip 719 00:36:49,000 --> 00:36:51,680 Speaker 1: on your shoulder about not being the first receiver taken 720 00:36:51,960 --> 00:36:55,080 Speaker 1: and sliding all the way around two. That's the the 721 00:36:55,200 --> 00:37:00,480 Speaker 1: Michael Thomas effect where I think he was more motivated 722 00:37:00,880 --> 00:37:04,279 Speaker 1: by landing where he did behind so many receivers and 723 00:37:04,400 --> 00:37:07,760 Speaker 1: bad receivers who were taken boom boom boom one after 724 00:37:07,800 --> 00:37:12,719 Speaker 1: another by Washington, Minnesota and Houston in two sixteen. That 725 00:37:12,800 --> 00:37:17,360 Speaker 1: motivation becomes the the driving force for everything you achieve 726 00:37:17,400 --> 00:37:19,960 Speaker 1: in your career. I think Chase Claypool experienced that last 727 00:37:20,000 --> 00:37:22,560 Speaker 1: year when he felt around too. So, even though it 728 00:37:22,640 --> 00:37:26,080 Speaker 1: hurts you short term, from an earning standpoint, I think 729 00:37:26,080 --> 00:37:30,440 Speaker 1: that slap in the face in a very significant public setting, 730 00:37:30,840 --> 00:37:32,799 Speaker 1: I've been waiting my whole life to be drafted. This 731 00:37:32,880 --> 00:37:35,520 Speaker 1: is the culmination of my life to this point that 732 00:37:35,640 --> 00:37:37,680 Speaker 1: it is Wally being the first guy and you kind 733 00:37:37,719 --> 00:37:39,759 Speaker 1: of feel like, hey, I've made it. And the guy 734 00:37:39,760 --> 00:37:43,080 Speaker 1: who goes a lot later than he thought and gets 735 00:37:43,120 --> 00:37:46,120 Speaker 1: piste off and says, I'm going to prove everybody wrong 736 00:37:46,160 --> 00:37:49,080 Speaker 1: for the rest of my career. That's a valuable motivation 737 00:37:49,120 --> 00:37:51,240 Speaker 1: that I think a lot of receivers have profited from. 738 00:37:51,280 --> 00:37:53,719 Speaker 1: That's a great point. And it goes to quarterbacks too. 739 00:37:53,760 --> 00:37:56,360 Speaker 1: I mean, really, I think it was the Ringer looked 740 00:37:56,400 --> 00:37:59,640 Speaker 1: at the best quarterbacks in the last fifteen years taken 741 00:37:59,640 --> 00:38:01,839 Speaker 1: in the top five, and there is a lot of 742 00:38:02,040 --> 00:38:04,760 Speaker 1: bad quarterbacking that has gone in the top five. Meanwhile, 743 00:38:04,800 --> 00:38:07,840 Speaker 1: it's guys who have slid a little bit, Josh Allen, 744 00:38:08,160 --> 00:38:11,960 Speaker 1: a Lamar Jackson Um you know, obviously dating back to Russell, Wilson, Hell, 745 00:38:12,000 --> 00:38:15,640 Speaker 1: even Dak Prescott. Guys that fall it usually ends up 746 00:38:15,680 --> 00:38:17,759 Speaker 1: better for them in some way, shape or form. Now 747 00:38:18,200 --> 00:38:20,600 Speaker 1: you know we're playing armchair psychologists here, but I think 748 00:38:20,640 --> 00:38:22,920 Speaker 1: you're onto something with that. Mike. Well, you develop without pressure, 749 00:38:22,920 --> 00:38:25,960 Speaker 1: you develop without expectation, and you reduced the chance that 750 00:38:26,040 --> 00:38:30,759 Speaker 1: you exhale that you professionally exhale, and you lose your motivation. 751 00:38:30,840 --> 00:38:33,080 Speaker 1: It used to be worse Jason before two thousand eleven 752 00:38:33,320 --> 00:38:35,799 Speaker 1: the windfall that the guys at the very top of 753 00:38:35,800 --> 00:38:40,000 Speaker 1: the draft got it you had a huge cap number, 754 00:38:40,080 --> 00:38:43,120 Speaker 1: a huge financial commitment, and a real chance that you 755 00:38:43,160 --> 00:38:44,880 Speaker 1: had a guy that was never gonna listen to anybody 756 00:38:44,880 --> 00:38:46,480 Speaker 1: because what are you gonna do? Cut me? And he 757 00:38:46,560 --> 00:38:49,520 Speaker 1: comes in there like a Ryan Leaf and Russell and 758 00:38:49,560 --> 00:38:50,960 Speaker 1: ends up being a huge problem. And that's one of 759 00:38:51,000 --> 00:38:53,160 Speaker 1: the reasons between Leaf and Russell that they got rid 760 00:38:53,160 --> 00:38:55,040 Speaker 1: of that, but that that was part of the risk. 761 00:38:55,200 --> 00:38:58,320 Speaker 1: Can we trust the guy who has so much money 762 00:38:58,560 --> 00:39:01,200 Speaker 1: that it no longer matters what he does? And some 763 00:39:01,280 --> 00:39:04,239 Speaker 1: guys don't love football enough to just say, hey, I 764 00:39:04,320 --> 00:39:07,160 Speaker 1: made it, I'm here, I've won, and I'm going to 765 00:39:07,280 --> 00:39:11,080 Speaker 1: enjoy my life now. Great stuff, Mike Florio, Pro Football Talk, 766 00:39:11,320 --> 00:39:14,480 Speaker 1: NBC Peacock. I mean, he's everywhere. This is what the 767 00:39:14,520 --> 00:39:16,839 Speaker 1: great ones do, Mike. Congrats on all your success man, 768 00:39:16,840 --> 00:39:18,920 Speaker 1: and thanks a lot for taking Jason great talking to 769 00:39:18,920 --> 00:39:19,240 Speaker 1: you again,