WEBVTT - Happy Half Hour Episode 43: Oh, By The Way 0:00:07.480 --> 0:00:11.760 It's time for the Happy Half Hour with your friends 0:00:11.960 --> 0:00:22.639 Kristen Balboni, Will Brian, and Darren Gamp. Welcome to the 0:00:22.680 --> 0:00:25.599 Happy half Hour podcast. It's your friends, Will, Darren and 0:00:25.720 --> 0:00:28.880 Christen along with producer Matt and uh As. We have 0:00:29.000 --> 0:00:32.040 a lot to get to. We're going to talk about 0:00:32.080 --> 0:00:34.000 the preseason, what we've seen in the first two games, 0:00:34.000 --> 0:00:36.760 what we expect to see on Friday night against the Steelers. 0:00:36.760 --> 0:00:39.960 We're gonna wrap up anything outstanding from training camp, but 0:00:40.040 --> 0:00:42.279 first we have to talk about the roster moves that 0:00:42.320 --> 0:00:44.519 have been coming, what feels like fast and furious. Over 0:00:44.560 --> 0:00:47.040 the last few days. The front office has been busy, 0:00:47.120 --> 0:00:49.960 which means the two of you and the Panther's website 0:00:50.120 --> 0:00:53.320 have been busy. I have the Noty Gang on they 0:00:53.360 --> 0:00:55.279 call it the Noty Gang and on the internet, so 0:00:55.440 --> 0:00:58.000 Darren is very much at the top of my noty Gang. 0:00:58.080 --> 0:01:00.720 I get notifications from Darren a lot, and that means 0:01:00.720 --> 0:01:02.800 I have to drop everything. If you see, if you 0:01:02.840 --> 0:01:06.680 see when I see when I see Darren, I message incoming, 0:01:06.720 --> 0:01:09.600 it's a year ago. It's uh yeah, it's been that 0:01:09.680 --> 0:01:11.720 kind of week. I mean, I I left, I walked 0:01:11.720 --> 0:01:13.600 out of the house this morning with my shirt on 0:01:13.680 --> 0:01:17.280 inside out, and it's just the way this week's been spinning. 0:01:17.319 --> 0:01:19.080 I mean, it's just that kind of week. I mean, 0:01:19.080 --> 0:01:20.800 but there's a lot of stuff going on. I mean, 0:01:21.120 --> 0:01:22.720 you know, you wake up and it's like, oh, by 0:01:22.760 --> 0:01:25.800 the way, Robbie Anderson three year extension. Oh by the way, 0:01:25.959 --> 0:01:28.399 you know they've traded, didn't sell Peraman. It just keeps 0:01:28.440 --> 0:01:30.120 coming and it's going to be that way for the 0:01:30.160 --> 0:01:33.160 next couple of days. Absolutely so. So there were cutdowns 0:01:33.160 --> 0:01:35.240 if we go back to to this week, in addition 0:01:35.280 --> 0:01:37.680 to the team practicing on the field coming off of 0:01:37.720 --> 0:01:40.240 the second preseason game on Saturday, getting ready for the 0:01:40.280 --> 0:01:43.760 third preseason game on Friday, the moves that have been 0:01:43.840 --> 0:01:47.039 made as the roster was cut down slightly, as you said, 0:01:47.280 --> 0:01:50.840 Denzel Peraman traded to the Raiders, that happened Robbie Anderson 0:01:50.920 --> 0:01:53.840 contract extension. And then also another move of note that 0:01:53.880 --> 0:01:56.720 we're certainly paying attention to is is bringing in a kicker. 0:01:57.000 --> 0:01:59.720 So there's a lot, there's a lot of stuff going on, 0:02:00.160 --> 0:02:02.720 and I mean, you feel terrible for Joey Slide because 0:02:02.720 --> 0:02:04.520 you can just hear it in talking to Matt Rule 0:02:04.560 --> 0:02:07.720 and the guys on the staff. I mean, everybody likes Joey. 0:02:07.760 --> 0:02:11.680 Everybody believes that Joey has the ability to be the guy, 0:02:11.720 --> 0:02:14.360 but he hasn't been the guy lately. And it's like, 0:02:14.440 --> 0:02:16.359 as much as we love you, you gotta go make 0:02:16.400 --> 0:02:18.720 some kicks. And he's been struggling with that a little 0:02:18.720 --> 0:02:21.160 bit lately. It was interesting to me yesterday here in 0:02:21.240 --> 0:02:24.760 Matt repeatedly refer to it as a slump, this little 0:02:24.840 --> 0:02:27.040 role he's in, it's a slump, and it's almost like 0:02:27.080 --> 0:02:29.200 they're trying to talk Joey out of it. Do you 0:02:29.200 --> 0:02:32.440 guys think I always think about pro sports and the 0:02:32.480 --> 0:02:37.000 positions that are so dependent on on being even keeled 0:02:37.080 --> 0:02:40.880 or so mentally taxing, right, and every position I just 0:02:40.960 --> 0:02:42.640 of course goes without saying, if you make it to 0:02:42.919 --> 0:02:47.760 the professional level, every position is has demands in its 0:02:47.800 --> 0:02:51.200 own way. Right, But when you think about an NFL kicker, 0:02:51.440 --> 0:02:54.720 where does that rank with like hockey goalie or or 0:02:54.880 --> 0:02:58.200 soccer goalie in terms of when you get into as 0:02:58.240 --> 0:03:01.679 as Matt Rule referred to Joyce, I slump, You've really 0:03:01.720 --> 0:03:03.960 got to dig yourself. It's almost more of a mental thing. 0:03:04.080 --> 0:03:06.160 He knows how to kick, So we're where does that 0:03:06.240 --> 0:03:08.280 rank in terms of all of the pro sports in 0:03:08.360 --> 0:03:11.520 terms of pressure filled positions, it's got to be as 0:03:11.600 --> 0:03:14.160 high as anything, because if you think about a golfer 0:03:14.240 --> 0:03:16.839 when his putter leaves and for a little bit, it's 0:03:16.919 --> 0:03:20.400 just him. And when you're a kicker and you miss 0:03:20.400 --> 0:03:22.919 a field goal, all of a sudden, you have twenty 0:03:22.919 --> 0:03:25.320 one other people out there on the field who hate 0:03:25.360 --> 0:03:28.000 you suddenly because all the work they've put into it, 0:03:28.040 --> 0:03:30.200 and that just adds to the pressure that's on you 0:03:30.280 --> 0:03:32.440 in that moment. And if you go out for the 0:03:32.919 --> 0:03:34.320 field goal or extra point or whatever, it is like 0:03:34.360 --> 0:03:36.160 there's nothing else going on, you know what I mean, 0:03:36.160 --> 0:03:39.720 Like it's the moment that that everyone in the stadium 0:03:39.800 --> 0:03:42.280 is looking at you, that everyone on on both teams 0:03:42.320 --> 0:03:45.080 are looking at you, and I just anybody, because that 0:03:45.200 --> 0:03:47.160 just is like that feels like a bad dream to me. 0:03:47.400 --> 0:03:49.800 Anyone that can do it at that level, it's it's incredible, 0:03:49.840 --> 0:03:51.400 And it's a numbers game. You know. If you're a 0:03:51.440 --> 0:03:53.560 quarterback or if you're alignment, you go out, you make 0:03:53.600 --> 0:03:56.400 a bad throw, it's just awful. You know, Yeah, Okay, 0:03:56.600 --> 0:03:59.560 now it's third down. You know this guy you're when 0:03:59.560 --> 0:04:01.960 you're a kick or you got maybe one, two or 0:04:02.040 --> 0:04:04.160 three shots during the game. There's you're not going to 0:04:04.240 --> 0:04:06.440 get a lot of chances to make a mistake and 0:04:06.440 --> 0:04:08.280 then to correct the mistake and make a good play 0:04:08.320 --> 0:04:10.560 after it. You're just you only got a couple of times. 0:04:10.600 --> 0:04:13.840 Chase Blackburn said, Yesterday's like we're expected to be at 0:04:13.840 --> 0:04:16.480 our very best every time we walk on the field. 0:04:16.520 --> 0:04:18.719 And I mean there's literally no margin of air for 0:04:18.760 --> 0:04:21.600 those guys that to make miss business. And you know, 0:04:21.720 --> 0:04:24.640 when you get below that eighty percent line, people are 0:04:24.640 --> 0:04:27.279 going to start looking for replacements. And you know, it's 0:04:27.320 --> 0:04:30.039 a it's a cold business, but it's I think part 0:04:30.040 --> 0:04:32.320 of it too. I mean you talked about Joey's approach. 0:04:32.360 --> 0:04:34.479 I talked to him back this summer about working with 0:04:34.600 --> 0:04:37.240 sports psychologist in the middle approach to it. He's a 0:04:37.279 --> 0:04:39.920 meticulous guy anyway. I mean, Joey Size is kind of 0:04:40.000 --> 0:04:42.080 kicker who can tell you, well, I was all four 0:04:42.160 --> 0:04:45.280 centimeters on my you know. I mean, it's just so 0:04:45.440 --> 0:04:48.080 granular the way he looks at this. So when one 0:04:48.120 --> 0:04:51.240 thing goes wrong, I think there's sometimes a cascading effect 0:04:51.320 --> 0:04:53.640 that just kind of builds and builds and builds and 0:04:53.640 --> 0:04:55.640 and it's a shame, and you you would hope for 0:04:55.680 --> 0:04:57.440 the kid's sake. I mean, Joey's a good kid. You 0:04:57.480 --> 0:04:59.960 hope he gets his problem worked out and gets back 0:05:00.040 --> 0:05:02.800 cone track. Whether it's here someplay sales, but you know 0:05:02.880 --> 0:05:05.640 they're they're not gonna wait around forever. So we'll likely 0:05:05.680 --> 0:05:09.800 see Joey sly in this third and final preseason game. 0:05:09.880 --> 0:05:12.719 Feels still feels weird to say third and final preseason game. 0:05:13.080 --> 0:05:16.560 As well as other position battles. We're gonna see the 0:05:16.560 --> 0:05:19.680 starters play in the first half, and then we'll see 0:05:19.760 --> 0:05:22.000 the backups and some of the guys that are fighting 0:05:22.000 --> 0:05:24.839 for spots, whether it's on the Panthers roster or potentially, 0:05:25.000 --> 0:05:27.520 you know, maybe another team, we'll see them more so 0:05:27.640 --> 0:05:29.840 in the second half. At least. That's the latest that 0:05:29.880 --> 0:05:32.520 we're hearing. What have you guys thought of the first 0:05:32.800 --> 0:05:35.760 two preseason games and than anything else from training camp 0:05:35.800 --> 0:05:38.200 that we haven't gotten to, you know, I think, and 0:05:38.240 --> 0:05:40.360 it's been kind of it's almost to take away from 0:05:40.360 --> 0:05:42.880 those joint practices as much as the games. I mean, 0:05:43.560 --> 0:05:47.279 we saw in Spartanburg against the Ravens, we saw in 0:05:47.320 --> 0:05:50.560 Indianapolis against the Cults. Panthers just aren't as deep as 0:05:50.600 --> 0:05:52.920 those guys. But those two teams are a lot more 0:05:53.000 --> 0:05:55.560 stable in the front office. You know, they haven't gone 0:05:55.560 --> 0:05:57.720 through the kind of changes the Panthers have gone through 0:05:57.880 --> 0:06:00.320 the last year and a half, So they're a couple 0:06:00.320 --> 0:06:02.400 of years ahead in terms of the roster building. And 0:06:02.440 --> 0:06:04.520 that shows up when the twos are practicing against the 0:06:04.560 --> 0:06:07.040 twos and threes against the threes. You know, both those 0:06:07.080 --> 0:06:09.640 teams had advantages there. But I think you know when 0:06:09.720 --> 0:06:13.800 I've seen when you watch the Panthers starters, they were 0:06:13.880 --> 0:06:17.560 playing even on defense. I mean, the Panthers starting defense 0:06:17.760 --> 0:06:20.679 was having a day in Indianapolis and had a real 0:06:20.800 --> 0:06:23.440 day against the Ravens that second day of the joint 0:06:23.440 --> 0:06:25.880 practices there. And I mean the five picks on the 0:06:25.880 --> 0:06:28.040 final day at camp, I mean it was just like whoa, 0:06:28.080 --> 0:06:30.320 there goes another one and another one, and a lot 0:06:30.400 --> 0:06:33.280 of those were with starters on the field. I think 0:06:33.279 --> 0:06:35.880 that's where they've made up the margin a little bit 0:06:35.920 --> 0:06:39.680 this year, and and it's getting closer now. I hesitate 0:06:39.760 --> 0:06:42.640 putting too much into preseason results. I mean, I love 0:06:42.720 --> 0:06:45.040 the fact that the Ravens have one nine team straight 0:06:45.120 --> 0:06:49.919 preseason games because obviously they're outstanding. But uh, that to 0:06:50.040 --> 0:06:53.239 me speaks to that depth that they've build over the years. 0:06:53.279 --> 0:06:55.680 And when you've got twos and threes that can actually 0:06:55.720 --> 0:06:58.880 play football, it helps you in situations like that. But yeah, 0:06:58.880 --> 0:07:00.839 I don't think the Panthers are right there yet, but 0:07:00.920 --> 0:07:04.120 there are at least tangible signs of progress, especially on 0:07:04.200 --> 0:07:06.640 defensive side of the ball. And I think you look 0:07:06.640 --> 0:07:08.960 at this draft class and you know that that's where 0:07:09.000 --> 0:07:10.920 it starts. You know, you have a really really good 0:07:11.080 --> 0:07:13.120 draft class, at least on paper so far from what 0:07:13.160 --> 0:07:15.840 we've seen. You know, from top to bottom, you've got, uh, 0:07:15.920 --> 0:07:17.680 you know, guys at the top of this draft. Brady 0:07:17.760 --> 0:07:20.080 Christensen's played the most naps of any one. Um, you know, 0:07:20.120 --> 0:07:23.040 obviously j C. Horns a guy out there, Terroris Marshall Jr. 0:07:23.200 --> 0:07:26.520 You know, down to Cuba, down to you know, even Philmy, 0:07:27.160 --> 0:07:29.200 Tommy Trumbull. You know, all all of these guys kind 0:07:29.200 --> 0:07:31.480 of end to end in this draft class, and that's 0:07:31.480 --> 0:07:34.080 where you start building that that depth of all. Right, now, 0:07:34.120 --> 0:07:36.440 your second team guy is a legit dude, you know 0:07:36.480 --> 0:07:38.720 here from the six or seventh round. Now you're your 0:07:38.760 --> 0:07:41.560 practice squad guys are are ready to go, you know, 0:07:41.600 --> 0:07:43.560 as you kind of build year over year. Well and 0:07:43.560 --> 0:07:47.480 and just talking to Joe Brady earlier today, he was 0:07:47.600 --> 0:07:51.360 talking about the ability of having this preseason and being 0:07:51.400 --> 0:07:55.520 able to get those rookies comfortable and to show them that, hey, 0:07:55.680 --> 0:07:57.600 I can play in the NFL, you know, and he 0:07:57.640 --> 0:07:59.600 said it's just been a point of pride to to 0:07:59.640 --> 0:08:02.400 see the games that terrorists has had to be able 0:08:02.440 --> 0:08:04.720 to get Tommy going, you know, see how he's doing 0:08:04.760 --> 0:08:08.600 out there, and for as much as evaluation purposes for 0:08:08.720 --> 0:08:11.080 him and the coaching staff, but also for these young guys. 0:08:11.080 --> 0:08:13.920 And remember now they were all defensive players last year, 0:08:13.960 --> 0:08:17.160 but but no opportunity for those guys, uh, those rookies 0:08:17.280 --> 0:08:19.640 last year to come in and and be able to 0:08:19.720 --> 0:08:22.840 feel confident. Um. And I think that that's something well, 0:08:22.880 --> 0:08:25.520 as you said, that's really developed in this preseason with 0:08:25.680 --> 0:08:27.720 a lot of those rookies. And I mean you can 0:08:27.760 --> 0:08:29.720 hear it. I was talking to Shy yesterday here in 0:08:29.840 --> 0:08:32.640 his voice. The confidence is building because of what they've 0:08:32.640 --> 0:08:35.719 been able to show in these two preseason games. That's 0:08:35.720 --> 0:08:37.640 been another one of those big takeaways. I mean, you 0:08:37.720 --> 0:08:40.920 think back to eleven draft picks, I mean that's a 0:08:41.040 --> 0:08:44.800 load and out of that eleven, probably nine or ten 0:08:44.920 --> 0:08:47.120 or kind of make the fifty three man roster, and 0:08:47.200 --> 0:08:49.800 five or six of them have just jumped off the 0:08:49.840 --> 0:08:52.679 page in the preseason. I mean, Taras Marshall and Cuba 0:08:52.800 --> 0:08:55.560 have made those big splash plays. And those guys aren't 0:08:55.559 --> 0:08:57.800 going to be starters in the regular season unless somebody 0:08:57.840 --> 0:09:00.040 gets hurt, but they, you know, having that kind of 0:09:00.120 --> 0:09:02.880 ability and reserve, it's like, okay, you can work with that. 0:09:03.000 --> 0:09:05.960 I mean, Brady Christians and Deonte Brown have looked really 0:09:06.000 --> 0:09:08.560 good in the first two preseason games, and you know, 0:09:08.600 --> 0:09:11.040 Tremble has a touchdown. There's other guys here and there 0:09:11.080 --> 0:09:13.160 that stand out, and it's kind of like, and oh, 0:09:13.200 --> 0:09:16.320 by the way, J. C. Horne, you know, it's nice 0:09:16.360 --> 0:09:18.640 to have a no. By the way, yeah, it's good 0:09:18.679 --> 0:09:20.760 to have that. But that just speaks to where he 0:09:20.880 --> 0:09:23.440 is a player too, because it's like we don't even 0:09:23.520 --> 0:09:26.360 think of him through the lens of oh, yeah, rookie 0:09:26.360 --> 0:09:29.080 cornerback because from the day he walked in the door, 0:09:29.200 --> 0:09:32.679 it's like rookie doesn't really imploy exactly exactly. I mean, 0:09:32.679 --> 0:09:36.800 because when you look, starters played essentially a series over 0:09:36.840 --> 0:09:40.439 the last two preseason games, and I've thought the same 0:09:40.480 --> 0:09:42.599 thing from time to time. I forget to put j C. 0:09:42.960 --> 0:09:45.920 Into that rookie class mentally a couple of times, because 0:09:45.920 --> 0:09:47.839 he's you know, if the starters aren't dressed out, he's 0:09:47.840 --> 0:09:49.679 not dressed out, he's he's you know what I mean. 0:09:49.720 --> 0:09:52.040 It's just, Um, you're right, it's he came in with 0:09:52.080 --> 0:09:54.520 such a high bar and from everything we've seen, has 0:09:54.640 --> 0:09:56.559 lived up to that in a big way. And it's 0:09:56.600 --> 0:09:59.080 also the way he carries himself. And of course you 0:09:59.080 --> 0:10:01.200 know his dad's in fle but it's like, Okay, he 0:10:01.320 --> 0:10:04.520 is a rookie. We actually haven't seen him play in 0:10:04.600 --> 0:10:07.319 a in a regular season game yet, but boy, he 0:10:07.320 --> 0:10:10.520 could fool you with his poise and confidence and what 0:10:10.559 --> 0:10:13.760 he's been able to do um against the other teams 0:10:13.760 --> 0:10:16.760 in those drain practices. Um, will do you have a 0:10:16.800 --> 0:10:22.560 stat of the week for us? The times every time 0:10:23.640 --> 0:10:29.200 of the week I do. While we're talking about rookies, Yes, 0:10:29.360 --> 0:10:33.400 how about my man Cuba Tuba. That's the new, that's 0:10:33.400 --> 0:10:34.680 the new, that's going to be the new bank of 0:10:35.480 --> 0:10:38.000 the channel in there. Well, Mick, Mick wants it to 0:10:38.040 --> 0:10:41.120 be like tub thumping, you know, like Chumbawamba. He's like 0:10:41.240 --> 0:10:43.679 Cuba Hubbard. And then every time that he gets knocked down, 0:10:43.720 --> 0:10:46.439 he gets back up again because he's never gonna do 0:10:46.720 --> 0:10:49.120 I see, I see where it's going. Yeah. I didn't 0:10:49.120 --> 0:10:53.400 wake up this morning expecting a Chumbawamba reference. There, Cuba Hubbard. 0:10:53.559 --> 0:10:55.880 So Cuba got a couple of stats for him. He 0:10:56.000 --> 0:10:59.600 currently leads the NFL with six point oh yards after 0:11:00.000 --> 0:11:02.800 attacked per rush. I like that, you went six point oh. 0:11:02.840 --> 0:11:04.920 I imagine someone's at like five nine or five eight, 0:11:04.960 --> 0:11:07.040 but like atle six point out. Now, a lot of 0:11:07.080 --> 0:11:08.760 that had to do with that one big run in 0:11:08.840 --> 0:11:12.520 Indie where he just emerged at that pile to gods. 0:11:13.000 --> 0:11:16.520 But I mean he is making people fall off of him. 0:11:16.559 --> 0:11:19.560 He's he's initiating contact and he's bursting through it, you know, 0:11:19.640 --> 0:11:21.520 and a three yard run becomes a six yard run. 0:11:21.600 --> 0:11:24.000 Those are those are qualities of an NFL running back. 0:11:24.200 --> 0:11:27.040 And with Christian not you know, probably not playing much 0:11:27.080 --> 0:11:30.520 at all, on Friday, you're gonna see Cuba again. And 0:11:30.559 --> 0:11:32.679 I think that he's really emerged of kind of like 0:11:32.760 --> 0:11:35.520 who's who's the guy behind Christian elite? I mean as 0:11:35.600 --> 0:11:38.120 of right now it feels a lot like Cuba and 0:11:38.160 --> 0:11:40.960 now that way, especially with this Manna has heard at 0:11:40.960 --> 0:11:44.880 that position. It's one of those worst of the football cliches. 0:11:44.880 --> 0:11:48.199 But that whole best ability is availability. You know, Ronnie Smith, 0:11:48.240 --> 0:11:50.800 Reggie Bonfen has been dinged up and not been practicing 0:11:50.960 --> 0:11:53.720 or or playing much lately. So it's like, all right, Cuba, 0:11:53.800 --> 0:11:55.720 you get more reps and he's made the most of 0:11:55.720 --> 0:11:58.360 them well. And and we you know, had the opportunity 0:11:58.400 --> 0:12:01.880 to see going back to the ability to have these 0:12:01.880 --> 0:12:04.800 preseason opportunities. Um, you know, trying to get into the 0:12:04.880 --> 0:12:07.560 end zone last week and not being able to quite 0:12:07.600 --> 0:12:09.760 do it, And I feel like that's the kind of 0:12:09.800 --> 0:12:11.800 thing you want. And of course you would prefer him 0:12:11.840 --> 0:12:13.880 to be able to power his way in there, Like 0:12:13.920 --> 0:12:16.040 that's kind of stuff you want to happen in the preseason. 0:12:16.080 --> 0:12:18.560 You take it as a learning opportunity. We'll see what 0:12:18.640 --> 0:12:21.280 he does with all of this time that we assume 0:12:21.320 --> 0:12:23.320 that he's going to get in this third preseason game, 0:12:23.360 --> 0:12:26.040 and then and then how it translates into the regular season. 0:12:26.200 --> 0:12:31.239 So he's ninety scrimmage yards away from the Panthers preseason 0:12:31.320 --> 0:12:34.600 scrimmage yards record. Now who keeps the Panthers preseason scrimmage 0:12:34.640 --> 0:12:37.199 yards records. This guy, he's raising his hand. This is 0:12:37.200 --> 0:12:39.360 an audio medium. Will, I would like to remind you. 0:12:39.559 --> 0:12:43.880 I love that you have the preseason scrimmagar. Everybody's usually 0:12:43.960 --> 0:12:47.400 four games. Yeah, for everybody listening, Will was like jumping 0:12:47.559 --> 0:12:49.440 up in the air for the Theater of the mind. 0:12:49.559 --> 0:12:52.480 He was up up to hands pointing at himself. Yes. 0:12:52.720 --> 0:12:56.319 So the previous record holder was some guy I've never 0:12:56.360 --> 0:13:00.240 heard of. I think his name was Christian something scene. 0:13:00.320 --> 0:13:02.440 Actually the name doesn't ring about and that was mostly 0:13:02.480 --> 0:13:04.480 just because he bursted at for like an eight yard 0:13:04.559 --> 0:13:06.800 run on the first play against Miami and then sat 0:13:06.840 --> 0:13:09.600 for the rest of the preseason. But anyway, he's ninety 0:13:09.640 --> 0:13:12.559 yards away from breaking Christian scrimmage yards record that he 0:13:12.640 --> 0:13:14.400 said that preseason, and you can do it in just 0:13:14.520 --> 0:13:16.959 three games. I feel a tweet coming on from Panther 0:13:17.040 --> 0:13:19.480 stas I think if he has a big game, I 0:13:19.800 --> 0:13:23.760 think there's some sideline reporting to be done on the 0:13:23.240 --> 0:13:26.280 stats that don't matter. You gotta send me, you gotta 0:13:26.360 --> 0:13:28.040 send me the actual I want to make sure I 0:13:28.040 --> 0:13:30.600 get the six point oh right, you know, I don't 0:13:30.600 --> 0:13:33.000 want anyone to think it's a six point one or 0:13:33.040 --> 0:13:34.920 anything like that. You have to write down those numbers 0:13:34.920 --> 0:13:36.480 for me so I can make sure to report them. 0:13:36.800 --> 0:13:39.360 I do want to to talk about that a little 0:13:39.400 --> 0:13:41.560 bit UM with the preseason, because I feel like we 0:13:41.559 --> 0:13:43.360 haven't had a chance to get into it. You have 0:13:43.440 --> 0:13:48.640 a new broadcasting crew, UM for the TV preseason broadcast. 0:13:48.240 --> 0:13:50.640 Hope you all are able to watch them or listen 0:13:50.720 --> 0:13:53.280 on the radio if you are not here in person. Um, 0:13:53.320 --> 0:13:55.959 I'm working with Taylor's Arzer and Steve Smith, another name 0:13:56.040 --> 0:13:59.280 people may or may not have heard of in this building. UM, 0:13:59.280 --> 0:14:00.680 and I just thought, you know what we try to 0:14:00.679 --> 0:14:03.200 do here on Happy half Hours, take people behind the scenes. 0:14:03.240 --> 0:14:04.800 And I thought, I was like, gosh, I haven't really 0:14:04.800 --> 0:14:08.400 talked about getting to work with Steve UM And I mean, guys, 0:14:08.679 --> 0:14:13.040 no surprise, it's it's delightful. It's just delightful. What h 0:14:13.520 --> 0:14:16.000 just what a great guy you know growing up Panthers 0:14:16.040 --> 0:14:18.880 fan and then not being here. I got here last 0:14:18.920 --> 0:14:21.200 year April of last year, so of course we did 0:14:21.200 --> 0:14:23.960 not overlap, UM, whereas well you might have and Darren 0:14:24.000 --> 0:14:26.760 certainly you have in your career, so I did not 0:14:27.000 --> 0:14:30.760 know him aside from UM you know, we briefly did 0:14:30.840 --> 0:14:33.560 something for schedule release um and you know, just here 0:14:33.600 --> 0:14:36.280 and they're saying hello, and it's just been an absolute 0:14:36.280 --> 0:14:38.880 pleasure to work with both Taylor and Steve. And I 0:14:38.920 --> 0:14:41.880 gotta say I know that this I'm not trying to 0:14:41.880 --> 0:14:44.400 say this as a cliche at all, but like the 0:14:44.440 --> 0:14:48.880 most professional, hard working wants to you know, wants to 0:14:48.960 --> 0:14:51.760 be early, wants to know that the nitty gritty of 0:14:51.920 --> 0:14:54.200 everything is like, hey, we should do a you know, 0:14:54.240 --> 0:14:56.520 a dinner for this, and then how how about this? 0:14:56.560 --> 0:14:58.040 And I really wants to know all the ins and 0:14:58.080 --> 0:15:02.240 outs of every little thing. So prepared kind Um has 0:15:02.360 --> 0:15:05.840 great stories, as as we all know or might assume. 0:15:06.280 --> 0:15:08.200 But man, you would think, I guess maybe this is 0:15:08.240 --> 0:15:09.600 the best way to say it. I should have gotten 0:15:09.600 --> 0:15:11.480 around to this in a more succinct way earlier, but 0:15:11.520 --> 0:15:13.480 I'm processing it all as well. We just came from 0:15:13.480 --> 0:15:16.400 a meeting. You would think he was an analyst trying 0:15:16.440 --> 0:15:18.920 to break into the business. With the way that he works, 0:15:18.960 --> 0:15:20.800 and that doesn't surprise anyone that watched him play or 0:15:20.800 --> 0:15:23.600 followed his career. You would not think he was a 0:15:23.640 --> 0:15:25.240 future Hall of fame or with the way that he 0:15:25.280 --> 0:15:30.200 approaches everything because it's just he's so meticulous and consistent 0:15:30.280 --> 0:15:33.160 and professional and um and just a delight to be around. 0:15:33.680 --> 0:15:36.760 And and he I've always loved about Steve that he's 0:15:36.800 --> 0:15:39.080 so curious. He wants to learn about the world, and 0:15:39.120 --> 0:15:41.600 he wants to learn about whatever he gets into, whether 0:15:41.640 --> 0:15:45.520 it's broadcasting or finance or football or whatever it happens 0:15:45.560 --> 0:15:47.800 to be. Steve just goes all in and wants to 0:15:47.840 --> 0:15:51.720 bore down to the bedrock and see every granular piece 0:15:51.720 --> 0:15:54.040 of the business and figure it out. So that's what 0:15:54.280 --> 0:15:57.440 I mean. I hope you know we've we're in a 0:15:57.480 --> 0:15:59.840 position where we can see Steve behind the scenes. I 0:16:00.200 --> 0:16:02.680 the people on the other side are picking up on 0:16:02.800 --> 0:16:06.320 how much fun he's having. Yeah, I think they are. 0:16:06.440 --> 0:16:08.760 I get the impression that people are digging this as 0:16:08.840 --> 0:16:12.080 much as he's digging doing it. But he's just having 0:16:12.240 --> 0:16:16.120 such tremendous fun right now and just being eighty nine, 0:16:16.160 --> 0:16:18.040 which is a pretty cool thing to be. If you 0:16:18.080 --> 0:16:20.280 had an opportunity to be Batman, I guess you would, 0:16:20.360 --> 0:16:22.600 but if not, eight nine would be an alright thing 0:16:22.640 --> 0:16:25.040 to be. But he's just having a blast, and you 0:16:25.080 --> 0:16:27.480 can tell on the broadcast. But I mean, he could 0:16:27.560 --> 0:16:29.360 come in and and read the phone book on the 0:16:29.400 --> 0:16:31.840 broadcast and everyone would be like, that's amazing. But he 0:16:31.960 --> 0:16:33.920 just he works so hard at it, and like he said, 0:16:33.960 --> 0:16:37.000 he's he's enjoying it so much, and just so what 0:16:37.120 --> 0:16:39.040 a what a delight to get to work with him 0:16:39.040 --> 0:16:40.880 and to get to know him better. How many times 0:16:40.880 --> 0:16:43.840 have you just laughed out loud on the sideline when 0:16:43.880 --> 0:16:47.840 he saw quite a bit? Yeah, why is Kristen laughing 0:16:47.880 --> 0:16:49.720 over there on the twenty yard line? I also have 0:16:49.760 --> 0:16:52.600 a bad um. This might be a little too inside baseball, 0:16:52.640 --> 0:16:55.320 but I have a bad our. Executive producer David Linclon 0:16:55.400 --> 0:16:57.520 is sitting in here as well, so he'll he'll know 0:16:57.560 --> 0:16:59.440 that I do this. I don't want to laugh alone, 0:16:59.600 --> 0:17:01.760 so some times I'll hit my producer button on my 0:17:01.800 --> 0:17:04.080 microphone and I'm like, that was so funny. You know, 0:17:04.080 --> 0:17:07.160 they're your producers working as well, But I don't. I'm 0:17:07.200 --> 0:17:10.040 down there by myself laughing and I need someone to sell. 0:17:10.040 --> 0:17:13.159 Oh my gosh, how funny was that? You know the 0:17:13.440 --> 0:17:15.800 most of it. You know, there's a it's a second 0:17:15.840 --> 0:17:17.960 and whatever out on the field, But I just I 0:17:18.000 --> 0:17:20.080 need someone else to Maybe I'll text you. Well, the 0:17:20.119 --> 0:17:22.640 next time it happens, there's there's like some false started. 0:17:22.720 --> 0:17:26.919 You know, everyone's like, all, how funny, that was hilarious. 0:17:27.040 --> 0:17:28.600 I don't do it all the time, but every once 0:17:28.600 --> 0:17:30.720 in a while you just need someone, You need someone 0:17:30.800 --> 0:17:34.960 to to laugh with. But yes, plenty of times. Um, Darren, 0:17:34.960 --> 0:17:38.520 you said you had a thought about the preseason schedule, 0:17:38.600 --> 0:17:40.240 and I don't know what it's going to be, but 0:17:40.320 --> 0:17:42.600 I'm assuming that it will qualify for your get off 0:17:42.600 --> 0:17:44.880 my Lawn Moment of the Week based on the way 0:17:44.920 --> 0:17:47.439 you sold it, and I think it's probably fair. I 0:17:47.440 --> 0:17:51.040 think it's probably just time for preseason football to go away. 0:17:51.200 --> 0:17:53.600 I mean, it's not until they can replace the revenue 0:17:53.640 --> 0:17:56.000 and the games have a utility, and I get it, 0:17:56.040 --> 0:17:59.240 and this is where some guys make roster spots and 0:17:59.280 --> 0:18:02.240 all that kind of stuff, but for starting players in 0:18:02.280 --> 0:18:05.480 the NFL, it's just useless anymore. And I mean, I've 0:18:05.520 --> 0:18:09.000 heard so many people carp about, Oh, Sam Donald's only 0:18:09.040 --> 0:18:12.760 played seven snaps, So what Sam Donald's played probably a 0:18:12.840 --> 0:18:16.679 hundred and twenties snaps of practically live football against the 0:18:16.680 --> 0:18:19.720 Colts and the Ravens. So he's gonna go out there 0:18:20.040 --> 0:18:23.640 Friday night against the Steelers, who aren't playing starters because 0:18:23.720 --> 0:18:26.639 they've played four preseason games already, and it's like, what 0:18:26.720 --> 0:18:29.200 does this actually mean? So, I mean, I I think 0:18:29.320 --> 0:18:31.720 people have gotten hung up. The NFL is such a 0:18:32.200 --> 0:18:34.920 it's such a creature of habit that people are used 0:18:34.960 --> 0:18:37.000 to four preseason games. Now all of a sudden, they 0:18:37.000 --> 0:18:39.680 are three, and nobody knows what exactly to do with them. 0:18:39.680 --> 0:18:42.400 And if you look around, I mean, listen, Matt Stafford 0:18:42.440 --> 0:18:44.800 is not going to take a snap in the preseason 0:18:44.840 --> 0:18:47.240 and he's on a brand new team in Los Angeles, 0:18:47.320 --> 0:18:50.600