WEBVTT - #258 Packers Unscripted: Long-awaited recognition 0:00:00.800 --> 0:00:20.520 Hi, everyone, Welcome to Packers Unscripted from Packers dot Com. 0:00:20.560 --> 0:00:23.520 I am Mike Spofford and he is my trusted colleague, 0:00:23.560 --> 0:00:26.640 Wes Hodkowitz. We're coming to you here from our studios 0:00:26.680 --> 0:00:29.560 at lambeau Field, and we know there is news out 0:00:29.600 --> 0:00:34.360 there about the Packers new defensive coordinator, but because Mike 0:00:34.440 --> 0:00:37.600 McCarthy and the Packers organization has not made the higher 0:00:37.640 --> 0:00:41.720 official yet, we will wait until that happens before we 0:00:41.800 --> 0:00:45.559 discussed the particulars. So we're going to continue on this 0:00:45.600 --> 0:00:49.520 show today with our discussion of new GM Brian good 0:00:49.520 --> 0:00:53.720 A Kunst and Um West. It's an interesting situation in 0:00:53.800 --> 0:00:57.640 that he's the new GM of the Packers. He's replacing 0:00:58.360 --> 0:01:01.720 the guy who is his mentor really in Ted Thompson. 0:01:01.720 --> 0:01:04.679 And Ted Thompson is remaining on the Packers staff in 0:01:04.720 --> 0:01:07.960 a senior advisory role. In fact, has been out scouting 0:01:08.120 --> 0:01:10.720 this week for a based on some pictures that we've seen. 0:01:11.240 --> 0:01:14.440 Uh forever a scout for sure, but uh, but a 0:01:14.480 --> 0:01:17.600 really neat situation really for for good A Kunst and 0:01:17.840 --> 0:01:20.440 uh and to to get things started and and have 0:01:20.560 --> 0:01:23.520 somebody that that he learned so much from, you know, 0:01:23.640 --> 0:01:25.680 still right there anytime he needs him. Yeah, and it 0:01:25.760 --> 0:01:28.480 was funny too. He mentioned on Monday when he was 0:01:28.520 --> 0:01:30.560 talking with some of the reporters in the side session 0:01:30.600 --> 0:01:33.480 that before, you know, he talked with Ted throughout this 0:01:33.560 --> 0:01:36.120 process every day, he said, he talked to him during 0:01:36.160 --> 0:01:38.959 the interview process and before he went up to the 0:01:38.959 --> 0:01:41.280 podium to be introduced in front of his family in 0:01:41.319 --> 0:01:43.680 front of the media. Uh. Ted actually gave him a 0:01:43.720 --> 0:01:47.240 little bit of advice, saying, make sure you smile, because 0:01:47.280 --> 0:01:48.600 you know, that's one thing if I could go back 0:01:48.640 --> 0:01:50.760 to two thousand five, I wish I would have smiled more. 0:01:51.120 --> 0:01:53.840 And into Ted's credit, he has a great deadpen sense 0:01:53.880 --> 0:01:56.120 of humor. If you do go back to look at 0:01:56.120 --> 0:01:58.760 that photo gallery of two thousand five, Ted didn't smile 0:01:58.760 --> 0:02:01.920 a little, So I think there was some self awareness. 0:02:01.920 --> 0:02:05.040 They're involved. But as you said, I think this is 0:02:05.080 --> 0:02:08.200 such a unique opportunity for good uns because Ted is 0:02:08.400 --> 0:02:11.440 a scout first and foremost. We've heard this for years. 0:02:11.520 --> 0:02:13.760 I think he'd been telling media that's going back to 0:02:13.800 --> 0:02:16.360 the Super Bowl, uh, in the aftermath of that, that 0:02:16.520 --> 0:02:19.080 once he's done as GM, he'd like to be an 0:02:19.080 --> 0:02:20.880 area scout. He'd like to be you know, just be 0:02:20.919 --> 0:02:23.400 able to travel a little bit, continue doing what he 0:02:23.480 --> 0:02:26.320 loves and this new arrangement allows him to do that. 0:02:26.639 --> 0:02:29.120 And from Gouda Kun's perspective, yes, he was hired during 0:02:29.120 --> 0:02:32.280 the Ron wolf era, had two great years with wolf Um, 0:02:32.320 --> 0:02:34.480 and then spend some time obviously when Mike Sherman was 0:02:34.520 --> 0:02:37.960 the GM here in his personnel department, but a bulk 0:02:38.000 --> 0:02:40.680 of his nineteen years at the Packers organization was spent 0:02:40.720 --> 0:02:43.480 with Ted Thompson, and he talked a lot about being 0:02:43.520 --> 0:02:45.680 able to learn from him both not only just with 0:02:46.040 --> 0:02:49.239 the transactions and that's nature, but just what it's like 0:02:49.360 --> 0:02:52.800 and what you have to do to be a successful GM. 0:02:52.800 --> 0:02:55.600 Sitting in that chair, Yeah, and as we all know, 0:02:56.520 --> 0:02:59.760 every GM is going to have that moment, that decision 0:02:59.800 --> 0:03:02.040 they have to make that maybe they don't even know 0:03:02.080 --> 0:03:03.840 it at the time, sometimes they do, but it will 0:03:03.880 --> 0:03:07.239 be a decision that comes to define their tenure as 0:03:07.280 --> 0:03:09.600 a general manager. And we all know with Ted Thompson 0:03:10.160 --> 0:03:12.440 it was what he went through in two thousand and 0:03:12.480 --> 0:03:15.679 eight making that transition from Brett Farve All of Fame 0:03:15.760 --> 0:03:18.720 quarterback to Aaron Rodgers, who we now know is a 0:03:18.760 --> 0:03:22.200 future Hall of Fame quarterback. Ted Thompson, you know, believed 0:03:22.240 --> 0:03:24.280 that was the right move, even though it was highly 0:03:24.360 --> 0:03:27.360 unpopular with many fans. He stuck to his guns, so 0:03:27.400 --> 0:03:30.320 to speak. So did Mike McCarthy. They did this together. 0:03:30.880 --> 0:03:35.520 And at the time, even though Gudaknst was a scout 0:03:36.400 --> 0:03:38.840 really mostly out on the road, uh, you know, not 0:03:38.880 --> 0:03:42.200 necessarily in the building full time, which uh he started 0:03:42.400 --> 0:03:45.040 um in that type of position a handful of years 0:03:45.040 --> 0:03:47.680 ago in more of the director roles where he's not 0:03:47.720 --> 0:03:49.400 out on the road as much. But at that time 0:03:49.720 --> 0:03:52.600 he was an area scout, but he was watching very 0:03:52.640 --> 0:03:56.680 closely how Ted Thompson navigated that situation and and he 0:03:56.720 --> 0:03:58.880 had some words about that as well. Then, I think 0:03:58.960 --> 0:04:01.280 is what taught him the most about what it means 0:04:01.280 --> 0:04:04.080 to be a GM. You can draft, you can scout, 0:04:04.680 --> 0:04:06.720 you can feel like you know everything that's going on 0:04:06.760 --> 0:04:09.480 in the NFL, but there's always that that move where 0:04:09.480 --> 0:04:11.560 you're gonna have to push all in it seems like, 0:04:11.880 --> 0:04:14.800 and really risk it all. Ted Thompson did that, and 0:04:14.840 --> 0:04:16.560 to be honest with you, Ted Thompson did that with 0:04:16.600 --> 0:04:19.560 a lot of class, uh, and and the fact that 0:04:20.520 --> 0:04:22.840 he was trying to do the right thing and as 0:04:22.839 --> 0:04:25.520 good An said, there were so many times, you know, 0:04:25.600 --> 0:04:28.479 sitting down and talking with him, Ted reiterated over and 0:04:28.480 --> 0:04:31.280 over again, I'm just trying to do the right thing 0:04:31.720 --> 0:04:34.520 in an in enviable position for him to be in, because, 0:04:34.600 --> 0:04:37.479 let's be honest, Mike, with the way that the NFL structured, 0:04:37.720 --> 0:04:39.200 a lot of guys don't get to go out on 0:04:39.240 --> 0:04:43.120 their own terms. Injuries happen, different scenarios play out in 0:04:43.480 --> 0:04:48.479 far situation was so unique categorically, you know, almost an 0:04:48.520 --> 0:04:51.600 anomaly in that, you know, for a number of years 0:04:51.600 --> 0:04:54.240 he talked about retirement, he hinted that retirement, and then 0:04:54.240 --> 0:04:55.840 this end up being a guy that played until he 0:04:55.920 --> 0:04:58.640 was forty. Ted Thompson when he got here in two 0:04:58.680 --> 0:05:00.400 thousand five, You've heard all the things is out there 0:05:00.440 --> 0:05:03.240 about you know, that draft and that Aaron Rodgers was 0:05:03.279 --> 0:05:05.480 the only guy left with the first round grade that year. 0:05:06.120 --> 0:05:08.600 He trusted his eyes to take him even when that 0:05:08.680 --> 0:05:10.000 might not have been the guy that was going to 0:05:10.080 --> 0:05:12.600 help them the most right away, and then to stand 0:05:12.600 --> 0:05:15.320 by him in two thousand and eight. I always kind 0:05:15.320 --> 0:05:16.920 of go back to that, you know, you have to 0:05:16.960 --> 0:05:19.520 have a touch of madness, like the old mad hatter reference, 0:05:19.960 --> 0:05:21.800 and that you have to be willing to wager at 0:05:21.800 --> 0:05:24.800 all ron Wolf did it. Imagine in two thousand and eighteen, 0:05:24.960 --> 0:05:27.080 if ron Wolf would have traded a first round pick 0:05:27.160 --> 0:05:29.400 for Brett Farve after he had two picks and was 0:05:29.480 --> 0:05:32.400 a second rounder a year before, you know, and had 0:05:32.400 --> 0:05:35.640 been nothing but a backup, hadn't basically hadn't played at 0:05:35.640 --> 0:05:37.920 all exactly, And you have to be able to do that. 0:05:38.240 --> 0:05:40.599 In seeing the way that Thompson handled that situation, I 0:05:40.600 --> 0:05:42.880 think is what talkod it comes to a lot. Yeah, yeah, 0:05:42.920 --> 0:05:45.640 absolutely with that, we're gonna toss it to a break 0:05:45.680 --> 0:06:06.200 back with moreen Packers unscripted right after this, Welcome Back 0:06:06.240 --> 0:06:09.919 to Packers Unscripted. Mike Spofford in this chair, Wes Hodkowits 0:06:09.960 --> 0:06:12.440 in that one and West. It's worth mentioning here when 0:06:12.640 --> 0:06:16.480 we talk about the history and where some of these 0:06:16.520 --> 0:06:19.120 guys come from as they as they make their way along. 0:06:19.920 --> 0:06:24.800 Um Brian good Kunts now is the sixth general manager 0:06:25.120 --> 0:06:28.040 from the ron Wolf Tree. So I don't know if 0:06:28.080 --> 0:06:30.440 do you call it branches or limbs, or or however 0:06:30.480 --> 0:06:33.839 you look, however you characterize it, but six guys, half 0:06:33.880 --> 0:06:38.360 a dozen from from that that that ron Wolf Tree 0:06:38.400 --> 0:06:41.080 that's impressive. It's remarkable, it really is. And the fact 0:06:41.120 --> 0:06:43.120 that you and I before we started this segment, we're 0:06:43.160 --> 0:06:45.000 just trying to name all the people, make sure we 0:06:45.000 --> 0:06:47.560 don't forget anybody off the top of our heads is 0:06:47.640 --> 0:06:49.520 really tell you everything. Tells you everything you need to 0:06:49.520 --> 0:06:51.760 know about Wolf and Good counts even said, I mean 0:06:51.800 --> 0:06:54.600 the way that they break down players still to this day, 0:06:54.640 --> 0:06:58.359 the way they scout college players is still rooted in 0:06:58.400 --> 0:07:00.800 the principles of Ron Wolf. And I think the thing 0:07:00.839 --> 0:07:03.159 that's interesting about Good at cons is he's sort of 0:07:03.600 --> 0:07:06.640 a product of all of the guys, all six of 0:07:06.640 --> 0:07:10.760 those guys that have become gms. You go back. He 0:07:10.840 --> 0:07:14.000 was looking to become a coach was his original thought process. 0:07:14.240 --> 0:07:15.520 And I think he said he was working it was 0:07:15.560 --> 0:07:17.560 like a country club he was working at. It was 0:07:17.600 --> 0:07:20.640 eleven PM. There was a wedding reception going on. John 0:07:20.680 --> 0:07:23.840 Dorsey from the Green Bay Packers calls him and basically 0:07:23.920 --> 0:07:25.440 ask can you be here in a week to be 0:07:25.480 --> 0:07:28.920 a scouting intern for us? Because what happened? As he 0:07:29.040 --> 0:07:33.400 tells the story, it's his assertion that Dorsey actually wanted 0:07:33.400 --> 0:07:36.200 a different one of his lacrosse teammates, but that guy 0:07:36.200 --> 0:07:37.680 had just gone another way in his life and that 0:07:37.760 --> 0:07:40.520 he was the backup, and that Dorsey and Reggie mackenzie, 0:07:40.520 --> 0:07:42.239 who went on to become the GM of the Raiders, 0:07:42.560 --> 0:07:44.880 were actually trying to basically was like this little bit 0:07:44.880 --> 0:07:47.600 of a rat race for these guys in the personnel 0:07:47.600 --> 0:07:50.840 department of Wolf to find scouts, to find you know, 0:07:50.960 --> 0:07:53.800 developmental prospects because Ron Wolf was worried after the Super 0:07:53.840 --> 0:07:56.080 Bowl that they were going to be losing guys scouts 0:07:56.120 --> 0:07:59.880 scouting scout scouts, scouting scouts, so, you know, he spends 0:07:59.880 --> 0:08:02.800 the year as an intern. Then John Snyder, who ended 0:08:02.840 --> 0:08:05.200 up being a packer's personal executive for a number of years, 0:08:05.240 --> 0:08:09.400 also another disciple from Wolf. He's in Kansas City, takes 0:08:09.440 --> 0:08:12.040 Good Coon's with into Kansas City. After a year there, 0:08:12.080 --> 0:08:14.800 he comes back as a full time college scout under Wolf. 0:08:14.840 --> 0:08:16.400 You know, and he mentioned I think we talked about 0:08:16.440 --> 0:08:19.080 this in yesterday's show. You know, Scott mccluan, who ends 0:08:19.160 --> 0:08:22.320 up becoming the GM of the of Washington, he ends 0:08:22.400 --> 0:08:25.239 up having a really tight relationship with him. When guys 0:08:25.240 --> 0:08:27.200 were scared to go to Wolf with a question or something, 0:08:27.240 --> 0:08:31.400 they went to mcclewan worked under Dorsey worked with Mackenzie. 0:08:31.800 --> 0:08:36.400 All these different guys have had an impact on obviously goods, 0:08:36.440 --> 0:08:38.360 with the first one probably the one that had the 0:08:38.360 --> 0:08:41.520 biggest one being Ted Thompson. So it's very interesting to 0:08:41.520 --> 0:08:43.640 see his path and when you're in an organization for 0:08:43.679 --> 0:08:46.679 twenty years now, um, all the different people that you've 0:08:46.679 --> 0:08:48.840 interacted with along the way. Yeah, and you see the 0:08:49.600 --> 0:08:53.000 you see the contacts, the way the tree continues to 0:08:53.080 --> 0:08:56.760 branch out and grow, and we saw it with the 0:08:56.920 --> 0:08:59.959 recent introduction of Jon Gruden as the as the head 0:09:00.040 --> 0:09:01.839 coach again. I was gonna say new head coach, but 0:09:01.880 --> 0:09:05.120 he's sort of the head coach again with the Oakland 0:09:05.160 --> 0:09:09.160 soon to be Las Vegas Raiders and Reggie Mackenzie is 0:09:09.200 --> 0:09:12.560 the general manager there. And you know, Jon Gruden was 0:09:12.760 --> 0:09:16.440 a an assistant coach, riding a bicycle to work in 0:09:16.480 --> 0:09:19.440 Green Bay in I think even in the wintertime. He 0:09:19.480 --> 0:09:22.160 talked about bringing his bringing his bike to lambeau Field 0:09:22.480 --> 0:09:25.320 to get to work, and you know it all so 0:09:25.480 --> 0:09:28.079 much of this traces traces back to Ron wolf and 0:09:28.080 --> 0:09:32.560 and Ron Wolfe obviously has roots with the Raiders as well. 0:09:32.600 --> 0:09:36.400 There's history there, so um, really it's hard to get 0:09:36.440 --> 0:09:39.600 your brain around it completely. But you just have to 0:09:39.600 --> 0:09:43.960 sit back and respect and appreciate how much influence over 0:09:44.000 --> 0:09:47.160 the NFL as a whole that a guy like Ron Wolf, 0:09:47.240 --> 0:09:50.480 who deservedly now is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, 0:09:50.720 --> 0:09:52.840 how much influence he has had. Yeah, And it's one 0:09:52.880 --> 0:09:54.280 thing to be in the Pro Football of Fame. It 0:09:54.360 --> 0:09:56.360 was probably another thing for him to be the first 0:09:56.400 --> 0:09:59.559 among those Cat contributors to make it in underneath that 0:09:59.840 --> 0:10:02.760 r the new category. He not only has a substantial 0:10:02.800 --> 0:10:06.679 footprint in the NFL, it's a footprint that's incredibly deep 0:10:07.000 --> 0:10:09.640 as well. And I thought that said a lot. Gruden 0:10:09.679 --> 0:10:12.959 gets introduced on Tuesday as the new head coach of 0:10:13.040 --> 0:10:15.920 the Raiders, Mackenzie sitting next to him, and Ruden even 0:10:15.920 --> 0:10:18.160 made the comment about, you know, we're just a couple. 0:10:18.520 --> 0:10:19.920 You know, we were just a couple of young Green 0:10:19.960 --> 0:10:23.160 Bay Packers way back when coming up in that system, 0:10:23.280 --> 0:10:26.640 learning from Mike Holmgren, learning from Ron Wolf. And to 0:10:26.720 --> 0:10:29.840 see the impact that that has now today. Sean Harrock, 0:10:30.000 --> 0:10:32.520 who was a personal executive for the Packers a number 0:10:32.520 --> 0:10:36.320 of years, he's with Mackenzie, certainly, Alonzo Highsmith, Elliot Wolf. 0:10:36.360 --> 0:10:39.079 It's not even just the gms. It's the guys that 0:10:39.120 --> 0:10:41.680 are running personnel departments, the guys that are high ranking 0:10:41.720 --> 0:10:44.480 executives in the league that all come from his path. 0:10:44.760 --> 0:10:47.800 And another thing too, Mike, these gms they've had success. 0:10:47.960 --> 0:10:50.839 Mackenzie took the Raiders from a bottom dweller, from a 0:10:50.920 --> 0:10:53.760 laughing stock, from being in cap jail to making them 0:10:53.800 --> 0:10:56.079 a contender, a twelve win team a year ago that's 0:10:56.080 --> 0:10:59.360 now looking to try to continue that, you know, consistency. 0:10:59.520 --> 0:11:04.200 Dorsey revamps Kansas City now, he completely rebuilt him, you know, 0:11:04.480 --> 0:11:07.839 much like Mackenzie and Oakland rebuilt a roster and got 0:11:07.880 --> 0:11:10.400 them back to the playoffs much sooner than anybody thought 0:11:10.480 --> 0:11:12.760 could happen exactly. And then John Schneider, I think the 0:11:12.840 --> 0:11:14.960 job he's done in Seattle, you know, one of the 0:11:15.000 --> 0:11:18.120 most heralded gms in the league right now. The guy 0:11:18.200 --> 0:11:22.080 had he went to Seattle, had some phenomenal drafts those 0:11:22.120 --> 0:11:24.560 first three or four years that set them up for 0:11:24.600 --> 0:11:27.440 this this run they've been on all of that. Everybody 0:11:27.440 --> 0:11:29.160 has their own philosophy. I'm not going to say they're 0:11:29.200 --> 0:11:31.880 all just carbon copies of each other, but all of 0:11:31.920 --> 0:11:33.719 them going back to the things that they learned from 0:11:33.760 --> 0:11:35.439 Ron Wolf. I think that was the number one thing 0:11:35.480 --> 0:11:37.600 I took away from this whole process the last week 0:11:38.080 --> 0:11:41.680 is seeing what his impact has been on the entire 0:11:41.760 --> 0:11:44.640 National Football League. In the Green Bay Packers, Mark Murphy 0:11:44.760 --> 0:11:48.960 appreciating that and understanding that having someone steeped in those 0:11:49.000 --> 0:11:51.920 principles like Brian Goodkus was the right way for this 0:11:52.040 --> 0:11:54.079 organization to go. Yeah, when you look at where it 0:11:54.120 --> 0:11:57.280 all started with Ron Wolf with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 0:11:59.160 --> 0:12:01.480 I believe in night teen seventy six, I think that 0:12:01.640 --> 0:12:06.920 was the season that sprouted the great John McKay quote 0:12:06.960 --> 0:12:08.800 as a head coach, and he was asked after one 0:12:08.800 --> 0:12:10.679 of the Buccaneers losses, what did you think of your 0:12:10.679 --> 0:12:12.880 team's execution to day? And his answer was, I'd be 0:12:12.920 --> 0:12:16.080 in favor of it, um. But that's that's the team 0:12:16.120 --> 0:12:18.040 that Ron will start with. And he's always been very 0:12:18.080 --> 0:12:20.840 self deprecating about the fact that, especially when he was 0:12:20.840 --> 0:12:22.600 going into the Hall of Fame, that he's like, hey, 0:12:22.640 --> 0:12:25.400 I didn't win everywhere I went. You know, you take 0:12:25.480 --> 0:12:27.560 some lumps along the way in this business. But the 0:12:27.559 --> 0:12:29.800 one thing about Ron Wolf, and I think you see 0:12:29.840 --> 0:12:33.080 it in every one of these other gms that have 0:12:33.160 --> 0:12:35.640 come along and perhaps future ones like Elliot Wolf and 0:12:35.679 --> 0:12:38.400 Alonso Highsmith who probably will get there someday as well. 0:12:38.960 --> 0:12:41.440 They have the courage of their convictions. Because Ron Wolf 0:12:41.520 --> 0:12:43.880 had the courage to pull the trigger on the Brett 0:12:43.880 --> 0:12:47.560 Farve trade that completely changed a franchise around. And these 0:12:47.559 --> 0:12:50.440 guys that have that have learned under him, grown up 0:12:50.520 --> 0:12:52.600 under him and under Ted Thompson, they have the courage 0:12:52.600 --> 0:12:55.679 of their convictions as well. You cannot waiver, you cannot waffle. 0:12:55.760 --> 0:12:57.840 You have to have confidence in your ability. And also 0:12:57.920 --> 0:13:00.200 I'll point out to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers gave up 0:13:00.200 --> 0:13:02.760 on Ron Wolf a little too early. While they did 0:13:02.840 --> 0:13:05.240 not win while he was there, he set them up 0:13:05.280 --> 0:13:07.360 for making a run the year after he left, right, 0:13:07.480 --> 0:13:09.120 And I think that says a lot about the team 0:13:09.120 --> 0:13:11.079 that he built right the late seventies, they reached the 0:13:11.160 --> 0:13:14.120 NFC Championship Game, a team that nobody thought. Nobody gave 0:13:14.160 --> 0:13:15.560 a lot of chance to do that part of it, 0:13:15.600 --> 0:13:18.480 and it's certainly something I think that adds to his legacy. Yeah, 0:13:18.559 --> 0:13:20.240 no question about it. With that, we'll toss it to 0:13:20.280 --> 0:13:22.719 a breakback with more on Packerds unscripted right after this 0:13:40.640 --> 0:13:44.120 welcome back to Packers unscripted. Mike Spofford here, Wes Hodkowitz 0:13:44.160 --> 0:13:45.880 over there, and we's a little bit of news with 0:13:45.920 --> 0:13:49.880 regards to the Pro Bowl because Packers defensive tackle Mike 0:13:49.960 --> 0:13:53.520 Daniels has been named to the Pro Bowl team. We 0:13:53.600 --> 0:13:55.120 kind of knew this was going to happen. He was 0:13:55.120 --> 0:13:57.400 a first alternate. All it takes is one guy to 0:13:57.480 --> 0:14:00.600 step aside. In this case, it was Los Angeles Rams 0:14:01.040 --> 0:14:04.880 defensive lineman Aaron Donald, who, following the Rams loss to 0:14:04.920 --> 0:14:07.280 the Falcons, has backed out of the Pro Bowl due 0:14:07.280 --> 0:14:10.840 to an injury. What I'll say about this is it's 0:14:10.880 --> 0:14:13.880 overdue for Mike Daniels. But this is how the Pro 0:14:13.960 --> 0:14:16.360 Bowl works. It was overdue for Josh Sitton when he 0:14:16.400 --> 0:14:19.600 finally got there. Excuse me. It was overdue for t J. Lang. 0:14:19.920 --> 0:14:22.520 It was overdue for David bak tr This is just 0:14:22.600 --> 0:14:25.400 kind of how it goes. Hats off to Mike Daniels. 0:14:25.440 --> 0:14:27.520 He's earned it and I hope he has a good 0:14:27.520 --> 0:14:30.040 time at the at all the festivities. Yeah, and here's 0:14:30.040 --> 0:14:32.040 the thing that's interesting about this whole process. It was 0:14:32.040 --> 0:14:34.040 a third consecutive year he was an alternate. This is 0:14:34.040 --> 0:14:36.040 the first year he was a first alternate, which, as 0:14:36.040 --> 0:14:38.360 you said, pretty much puts you on the doorstep because 0:14:38.400 --> 0:14:41.040 between injuries and teams going to the Super Bowl, there's 0:14:41.040 --> 0:14:43.360 a better than average chance, especially at that position, a 0:14:43.440 --> 0:14:46.480 contact position, that you're gonna end up being able to go. 0:14:47.160 --> 0:14:49.560 Definitely didn't take it for granted though, Um you know, 0:14:49.600 --> 0:14:51.680 I know he was disappointed not to be voted in 0:14:51.800 --> 0:14:54.600 on Pond first balloting, But I thought it's said a 0:14:54.600 --> 0:14:57.200 lot about the fact that the league is starting to 0:14:57.240 --> 0:15:00.240 catch on a little bit more about what he's all about. Um, 0:15:00.280 --> 0:15:03.120 Aaron Donald's has just an amazing physical specimen, and for 0:15:03.200 --> 0:15:05.960 him to have the success he's had at that position, 0:15:06.040 --> 0:15:09.040 I think says a lot about him. Not gonna mince words, 0:15:09.040 --> 0:15:10.840 I think if he can play for another ten years, 0:15:10.840 --> 0:15:12.600 he's a Pro Football Hall of Famer. He's on that 0:15:12.640 --> 0:15:16.000 trajectory right now. But for a lot of defensive tackles, 0:15:16.000 --> 0:15:18.120 it's tough to get those kind of accolades because the 0:15:18.160 --> 0:15:20.840 sack numbers aren't always there. You don't always get the 0:15:20.880 --> 0:15:24.800 fanciest statistics. It's just it's just not something that routinely happens. 0:15:25.200 --> 0:15:26.960 But the fact that Daniels, now I think we were 0:15:26.960 --> 0:15:28.520 talking about this at the end of the season is 0:15:28.560 --> 0:15:30.240 I want to say it's three and a half sack 0:15:30.320 --> 0:15:34.040 shy of what is the franchise record for sacks by 0:15:34.040 --> 0:15:36.480 a nose tackle, which I believe is held by Colin Jenkins. 0:15:36.960 --> 0:15:39.160 I think Daniels is at twenty six. Colin Jenkins was 0:15:39.240 --> 0:15:41.800 twenty nine point five. The fact that he's that close 0:15:41.840 --> 0:15:44.200 to that now, um, I think says a lot about him. 0:15:44.320 --> 0:15:46.920 His consistency. He's had at least four sacks basically every 0:15:47.000 --> 0:15:49.960 year since two thousand thirteen. I think he said another 0:15:50.080 --> 0:15:53.840 record for himself as far as tackles. Incredibly consistent, well 0:15:53.960 --> 0:15:56.680 rounded football player, and now is finally getting a chance 0:15:56.760 --> 0:16:00.240 to go show himself on the you know, Pro Bowl level. Yeah, 0:16:00.280 --> 0:16:03.360 and you wonder if he might have actually gotten in 0:16:03.800 --> 0:16:06.600 gotten to the Pro Bowl through the initial process if 0:16:06.640 --> 0:16:10.600 it hadn't been for that injury in Week two against Atlanta, 0:16:10.680 --> 0:16:14.040 because he started the season like gangbusters. Against Seattle that 0:16:14.120 --> 0:16:18.600 game here at Lambeufield in Week one, he was dominant. Yeah, 0:16:18.680 --> 0:16:22.400 I would agree, he was absolutely dominant against Seattle's offensive line. 0:16:22.440 --> 0:16:24.960 Whoever they used to try to block him, it didn't matter. 0:16:26.000 --> 0:16:28.040 And that game was nationally televised or you know, the 0:16:28.120 --> 0:16:30.680 late afternoon. You know, most of the country watched that game. 0:16:30.720 --> 0:16:34.320 But then the following week he gets injured. Um, he 0:16:34.440 --> 0:16:36.720 and he did come back fairly quickly from the injury, 0:16:36.720 --> 0:16:38.680 but you know, a guy is not necessarily going to 0:16:38.720 --> 0:16:40.400 be a hundred percent. It's still going to take a 0:16:40.480 --> 0:16:44.040 little while. And then we really didn't see the full 0:16:44.120 --> 0:16:46.520 scope of that Mike Daniels Kenny Clark tandem in the 0:16:46.520 --> 0:16:49.000 middle of the Packers defensive line until the stretch run 0:16:49.080 --> 0:16:51.960 late in the year when all the attention obviously was 0:16:52.000 --> 0:16:53.960 on Aaron Rodgers coming back and are the Packers going 0:16:54.000 --> 0:16:55.920 to hang in the playoff race and all of that 0:16:56.000 --> 0:16:59.640 kind of stuff. So some circumstances they're unfortunately you know, 0:16:59.720 --> 0:17:02.440 led him being an alternate, but certainly glad that that 0:17:02.520 --> 0:17:05.439 he's going to get the opportunity. And you know, a 0:17:05.480 --> 0:17:07.479 guy like Daniels, you know, he's gonna go down there 0:17:07.480 --> 0:17:09.920 and have some fun. He's gonna you know, he's gonna 0:17:10.000 --> 0:17:12.520 chat it up with all the other guys down there 0:17:12.560 --> 0:17:14.439 and and take it all in. I'm sure he's going 0:17:14.480 --> 0:17:16.359 to make the most of it. I'm just really interesting. 0:17:16.400 --> 0:17:18.280 You don't they always say that thing about like people 0:17:18.320 --> 0:17:21.320 playing at half speed in the Pro Bowl. I mean, dude, 0:17:21.359 --> 0:17:23.400 I have to imagine he's going to tick some people off. 0:17:23.440 --> 0:17:26.719 I can't see playing at half speed and somebody whoever 0:17:26.800 --> 0:17:29.200 that coach style. I don't know who that coaching staff 0:17:29.240 --> 0:17:30.800 is yet. I don't know if they've if they've we've 0:17:30.800 --> 0:17:33.600 gotten that far but in the process, but they're probably 0:17:33.640 --> 0:17:35.480 gonna have to remind Daniels that you can't hit the 0:17:35.560 --> 0:17:38.280 quarterback in the Pro Bowl. So I think that's one 0:17:38.320 --> 0:17:39.840 thing to kind of keep an eye on, but certainly 0:17:39.960 --> 0:17:42.439 a good honor for him and an opportunity to not 0:17:42.520 --> 0:17:44.080 only have to go to this Pro Bowl, but this 0:17:44.119 --> 0:17:45.479 is what sets you up now if you can keep 0:17:45.480 --> 0:17:48.160 playing at a high level to get voted on first balloting. 0:17:48.160 --> 0:17:50.720 Next right, the recognition continues to come. But before we 0:17:50.760 --> 0:17:53.800 go to a break, attention, packers fans, we're calling you 0:17:53.840 --> 0:17:56.520 to fill up with Campbell's Chunky Chicken Noodle soup. We're 0:17:56.520 --> 0:18:00.439 talking delicious, hearty soup packaged in an exclusive Packer super 0:18:00.440 --> 0:18:03.320 Fan can. These cans are limited edition for all you 0:18:03.400 --> 0:18:05.679 football fanatics out there, so don't miss out. Go on, 0:18:05.800 --> 0:18:09.120 huddle up and fill up with this hearty soup. Chunky Soup, 0:18:09.160 --> 0:18:11.280 the official sup partner of the Green Bay Packers, back 0:18:11.280 --> 0:18:31.640 with more on Packers Unscripted right after this Welcome back 0:18:31.680 --> 0:18:35.120 to Packers Unscripted Mike Spofford alongside Wes Hodkowitz and West. 0:18:35.160 --> 0:18:37.280 Before we go, I want to get back to where 0:18:37.280 --> 0:18:40.359 we ended yesterday's show, and that's with regards to that 0:18:40.480 --> 0:18:42.800 Saints Panthers wild card game. I know I asked you 0:18:42.840 --> 0:18:45.199 about the intentional grounding call at the end there on 0:18:45.280 --> 0:18:48.000 Cam Newton, but really the end of that game had 0:18:48.119 --> 0:18:51.360 so much going on you. I mean, the Panthers are 0:18:51.359 --> 0:18:53.639 down twelve. They get the big play to Christian McCaffrey 0:18:53.680 --> 0:18:56.680 for a touchdown, so they get within five, and then 0:18:56.920 --> 0:18:59.440 the New Orleans Saints have fourth and two at midfield. 0:19:00.040 --> 0:19:02.199 The Panthers have no time outslift they decided to go 0:19:02.359 --> 0:19:06.000 for it. They don't get it, but then the Panthers 0:19:06.000 --> 0:19:08.880 in the secondary, Mike Adams, I believe it is intercepts 0:19:08.920 --> 0:19:11.679 the ball instead of just knocking it down. He costs 0:19:11.720 --> 0:19:13.800 his team twenty yards of field position, so they have 0:19:13.840 --> 0:19:16.240 it at the thirty instead of at the fifty. And 0:19:16.280 --> 0:19:19.119 then the intentional grounding call when they get inside. I 0:19:19.119 --> 0:19:22.040 think to the twenty five yard liner. So the intentional 0:19:22.080 --> 0:19:26.320 grounding call completely ruins Carolina's chance at at the game 0:19:26.320 --> 0:19:29.480 winning drive. Really an amazing finish too to the game. 0:19:29.520 --> 0:19:30.879 I don't know where you want to start with all that, 0:19:30.920 --> 0:19:32.760 but I'm just curious your thoughts on how that thing 0:19:32.760 --> 0:19:34.879 wrapped up, you know. And it's so weird to me 0:19:34.960 --> 0:19:37.560 because it's like, I'm not an NFL player. I obviously 0:19:37.560 --> 0:19:39.520 have not really been athletic enough to even make a 0:19:39.560 --> 0:19:42.919 high school football team. But the atoms, So is it 0:19:42.960 --> 0:19:46.160 just can you just not get yourself to not catch 0:19:46.240 --> 0:19:48.720 that ball? Yeah, I don't know, Like it's just it's 0:19:48.720 --> 0:19:51.080 just a mental it's just a mental thing where you're 0:19:51.200 --> 0:19:53.840 you're as a safety, you're just you're always naturally trying 0:19:53.880 --> 0:19:56.359 to intercept the ball and and you just you just 0:19:56.359 --> 0:19:58.320 don't think about the fact that it's fourth down and 0:19:58.359 --> 0:20:01.000 it's not the regular season. So like, okay, I get that. 0:20:01.119 --> 0:20:02.959