1 00:00:03,520 --> 00:00:06,439 Speaker 1: Hi, get everybody. I'm Dan Horde and thanks for downloading 2 00:00:06,440 --> 00:00:12,400 Speaker 1: the Bengals Booth Podcast, the King of the Road edition. 3 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:16,200 Speaker 1: As we catch up with Peter King from NBC Sports 4 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:19,400 Speaker 1: in the middle of his annual NFL training camp tour, 5 00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:22,560 Speaker 1: he'll share his thoughts on Joe Burrow, the Bengals free 6 00:00:22,600 --> 00:00:25,840 Speaker 1: agent acquisitions, and what it was like to stand next 7 00:00:25,880 --> 00:00:28,880 Speaker 1: to Paul Brown at practice at the start of his 8 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:32,680 Speaker 1: sports writing career. After that, I'll share some thoughts on 9 00:00:32,720 --> 00:00:36,320 Speaker 1: the Jesse Bates contract situation, and I'll go one on 10 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:39,280 Speaker 1: one with a player who will see his first game 11 00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:43,320 Speaker 1: action in seven hundred and fifteen days when the Bengals 12 00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:47,199 Speaker 1: open the preseason on Saturday night at Tampa Bay. The 13 00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:51,400 Speaker 1: Bengals Booth Podcast is presented by Bud Light. Seltzer Refreshed 14 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:53,720 Speaker 1: the Game and here's a quick reminder that you can 15 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:57,120 Speaker 1: have the latest edition of this podcast delivered write to 16 00:00:57,160 --> 00:01:02,200 Speaker 1: your phone, tablet, or computer by subscribing Tune, Stitcher, Google Play, Spotify, 17 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:07,240 Speaker 1: or pod Bean. It's the greatest thing since Ernie Johnson's 18 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:11,440 Speaker 1: speech to the Alabama football team. Ernie Johnson, the host 19 00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:15,160 Speaker 1: of Inside the NBA on TNT, was recently invited by 20 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 1: Alabama coach Nick Saban to give a motivational speech to 21 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:22,360 Speaker 1: the Crimson Tide. In it, he discusses his son Michael, 22 00:01:22,560 --> 00:01:26,160 Speaker 1: who was adopted from Romania, with what was later determined 23 00:01:26,200 --> 00:01:30,319 Speaker 1: to be muscular dystrophee. Rather than summarize Ernie's speech, I 24 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:34,000 Speaker 1: strongly encourage you to watch it. Just search for Ernie 25 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:37,800 Speaker 1: Johnson Alabama and it will pop right up. I promise 26 00:01:37,880 --> 00:01:41,160 Speaker 1: you it's the best five minutes in nineteen seconds you'll 27 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:46,080 Speaker 1: spend all week. Now, let's get to football. Peter King 28 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:49,440 Speaker 1: from NBC Sports has an annual tradition of hop scotching 29 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:52,280 Speaker 1: around the country from training camp to training camp to 30 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:54,640 Speaker 1: learn as much as he can about all thirty two 31 00:01:54,680 --> 00:01:57,720 Speaker 1: teams before the start of the season. I caught up 32 00:01:57,760 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 1: with him first thing in the morning from his hotel 33 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 1: room via zoom this week to discuss the twenty twenty 34 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:08,000 Speaker 1: one Bengals and more. Peter, you rank the Bengals twenty 35 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:11,680 Speaker 1: seventh in your offseason power rankings, which is certainly understandable 36 00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:14,320 Speaker 1: after six wins in the last two years. But you 37 00:02:14,360 --> 00:02:17,520 Speaker 1: wrote that you are optimistic about their future. So what 38 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:20,680 Speaker 1: are the reasons for your optimism? I think Joe Burrow 39 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 1: is Dan Fouts, and I think anytime you believe in 40 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:33,120 Speaker 1: your franchise that you have got your quarterback of the future, 41 00:02:34,040 --> 00:02:38,919 Speaker 1: that's a gigantic help for the team. And the Bengals 42 00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:42,360 Speaker 1: for the first time since Carson Palmer think they've got 43 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:45,440 Speaker 1: their long term quarterback. Now. That's all due respect to 44 00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 1: Andy Dalton, and I think history is going to judge 45 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:52,560 Speaker 1: Andy Dalton far more fondly than probably the average Bengals 46 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:57,440 Speaker 1: fan will because look to me, and I'm not equating 47 00:02:57,480 --> 00:03:02,639 Speaker 1: Andy Dalton to Matthew Stafford, but when your franchise doesn't 48 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:06,520 Speaker 1: have everything together, your quarterback can be really good. And 49 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:09,080 Speaker 1: it may not show in the One Lost column. Andy 50 00:03:09,160 --> 00:03:14,200 Speaker 1: Dalton was a damn good quarterback for that franchise at 51 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:17,520 Speaker 1: a time when they didn't have all the answers and 52 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:21,600 Speaker 1: they still don't. And you know, we probably you got 53 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:24,320 Speaker 1: to go back to the days of Asias and White 54 00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:28,840 Speaker 1: Collinsworth to win this team. You really felt this team 55 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:32,560 Speaker 1: was very close. Now, the Bengals made the playoffs with 56 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:36,520 Speaker 1: Andy Dalton, but I don't know that anybody ever thought 57 00:03:36,520 --> 00:03:39,040 Speaker 1: that they were close or that they were going to 58 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:42,200 Speaker 1: be one Joe Montana drive away from winning a Super Bowl. 59 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:46,000 Speaker 1: I have not felt that about the Bengals since the eighties, 60 00:03:46,480 --> 00:03:50,360 Speaker 1: and I don't know that this version, this iteration of 61 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:53,640 Speaker 1: the Bengals will be the same way. But you know, 62 00:03:53,680 --> 00:03:56,560 Speaker 1: the fact is, if you have a quarterback, you've got 63 00:03:56,560 --> 00:04:00,360 Speaker 1: the most important person in your franchise. Not the most 64 00:04:00,360 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 1: important player on your team, but you got the most 65 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:06,040 Speaker 1: important person in your franchise. And the Bengals have them. 66 00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:09,280 Speaker 1: The sad thing about Andy Dong from my perspective, was 67 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:12,480 Speaker 1: twenty fifteen, there were ten and two, there were the 68 00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:14,800 Speaker 1: number one seed in the AFC at the time, and 69 00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:18,240 Speaker 1: he broke his thumb. We'll never know if that was 70 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:20,440 Speaker 1: the year that he might have earned that love and 71 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:25,720 Speaker 1: respect that hasn't really gone to him. I look, I 72 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:29,000 Speaker 1: am one of these people. I like the fact that 73 00:04:29,520 --> 00:04:32,480 Speaker 1: you know, and obviously I broke into this business covering 74 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:36,000 Speaker 1: the Bengals in nineteen eighty four, and I have tremendous, 75 00:04:36,160 --> 00:04:41,200 Speaker 1: tremendous fondness for the city, for my time there, and 76 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:43,880 Speaker 1: quite honestly for the franchise. I know it may not 77 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:46,280 Speaker 1: seem that way sometimes when I write about them, but 78 00:04:46,839 --> 00:04:54,240 Speaker 1: I really, I mean, I really have great kind of 79 00:04:54,279 --> 00:04:59,920 Speaker 1: great fondness for you know, what the Bengals try to be. Really, 80 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:03,599 Speaker 1: I mean, they have their faults, but I have great 81 00:05:03,640 --> 00:05:06,720 Speaker 1: fondness for the attempts that they make and what they 82 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:12,080 Speaker 1: try to be. You know, Like one thing, I've always thought, 83 00:05:12,320 --> 00:05:14,479 Speaker 1: why wouldn't you want your coaches to go out on 84 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:16,960 Speaker 1: the road scouting. They're the people who have to coach 85 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:20,600 Speaker 1: the team. Why the separation of church and state with 86 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:24,159 Speaker 1: coaches and personnel people. I just don't think that's smart, 87 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:28,080 Speaker 1: you know. For people who criticize the Bengals for things 88 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:31,040 Speaker 1: like that and for being cheap, I say, that's how 89 00:05:31,080 --> 00:05:34,200 Speaker 1: the Dallas Cowboys built a dynasty. They sent Jimmy Johnson 90 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:37,080 Speaker 1: and his staff on the road for a month and 91 00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:40,480 Speaker 1: a half in that scouting process, and that landed them 92 00:05:40,520 --> 00:05:42,840 Speaker 1: so many good players. And I don't want to get 93 00:05:42,880 --> 00:05:45,279 Speaker 1: off on a tangent, but there are a lot of 94 00:05:45,279 --> 00:05:48,000 Speaker 1: ways to skin the cat. The biggest way to start 95 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:50,440 Speaker 1: to skin the cat, or to skin the Bengal is 96 00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:53,320 Speaker 1: to get the quarterback. And they got them well. While 97 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:56,120 Speaker 1: we're on the subject of Joe Burrow, after watching them 98 00:05:56,160 --> 00:05:57,840 Speaker 1: a little bit at LSU and then watching them with 99 00:05:57,920 --> 00:06:00,520 Speaker 1: the Bengals, a little bit last year and more importantly 100 00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:03,839 Speaker 1: talking to a lot of people about him. Do you 101 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:08,320 Speaker 1: have a favorite observation or anecdote or anything along those 102 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:10,200 Speaker 1: lines that really gets to the heart of Joe Burrow 103 00:06:10,279 --> 00:06:15,320 Speaker 1: for you. You know Joe Burrow, You know, he looks 104 00:06:15,400 --> 00:06:20,800 Speaker 1: like he should be selling insurance for western southern life, 105 00:06:22,480 --> 00:06:29,559 Speaker 1: but he's so he's such he's such a badass. And 106 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:33,039 Speaker 1: you know I'm not I'm not breaking any ground there, 107 00:06:33,040 --> 00:06:37,200 Speaker 1: but he is so tough. You can just tell, you know, 108 00:06:37,279 --> 00:06:40,880 Speaker 1: I could tell this. I don't have an anecdote because, honestly, Dan, 109 00:06:41,040 --> 00:06:43,640 Speaker 1: I don't know Joe Burrow. You know, I've talked to 110 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:46,480 Speaker 1: him a couple of times. I don't know him, so 111 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:49,240 Speaker 1: it'd be stupid for me to say I know Joe 112 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:54,960 Speaker 1: Burke because I don't. But I think a couple of 113 00:06:55,000 --> 00:06:58,320 Speaker 1: things that really stick out, Like, you know, his dad. 114 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:00,240 Speaker 1: I think his dad and mom did a really good 115 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 1: job raising him because they raised him to be, you know, 116 00:07:04,080 --> 00:07:07,599 Speaker 1: independent and tough and you know, to be able to 117 00:07:07,640 --> 00:07:10,200 Speaker 1: take the crap that goes on in a young person's 118 00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:14,720 Speaker 1: life sometimes. I mean, his dream was to growing up 119 00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:16,880 Speaker 1: in Ohio, was to be the quarterback of the Buckeyes, 120 00:07:17,520 --> 00:07:19,920 Speaker 1: and he goes there and he gets hurt and he 121 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:23,200 Speaker 1: gets beat out, and he's got a transfer. Like he 122 00:07:23,320 --> 00:07:26,160 Speaker 1: left Columbus, Ohio with his tail tuck between his legs. 123 00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:32,040 Speaker 1: And you know whoever thought it's funny about how quarterbacks 124 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:36,240 Speaker 1: work in the NFL right now? You know, a year 125 00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:41,880 Speaker 1: ago today, nobody has had heard of Zach Wilson. Okay, 126 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:44,360 Speaker 1: Zach Wilson turned out to be the second player in 127 00:07:44,360 --> 00:07:49,000 Speaker 1: the draft. Similarly, the year before that, if you had 128 00:07:49,040 --> 00:07:53,920 Speaker 1: talked about Joe Burrow, who had a decent twenty eighteen 129 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:58,960 Speaker 1: season at LSU, you would have said, you know, fourth 130 00:07:59,080 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 1: fifth round pick, maybe at best Day two, but probably 131 00:08:02,880 --> 00:08:06,800 Speaker 1: Day three. And then he just comes out on fire. 132 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:11,720 Speaker 1: And I think the one thing I remember in the 133 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:14,200 Speaker 1: run up to the draft, the thing that really impressed 134 00:08:14,200 --> 00:08:19,320 Speaker 1: me was how in the game against Alabama that was 135 00:08:19,360 --> 00:08:23,720 Speaker 1: the mega game of the year. And I asked him 136 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:28,160 Speaker 1: about this, and also I've asked Joe Brady about this, 137 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:35,360 Speaker 1: you know, his former offensive coordinator at LSU. He came 138 00:08:35,400 --> 00:08:39,800 Speaker 1: out firing. He doesn't need the three or four quick 139 00:08:39,880 --> 00:08:44,120 Speaker 1: little checkdowns against the great Nick Saban's defense to get 140 00:08:44,240 --> 00:08:48,680 Speaker 1: confidence in himself. He doesn't need that. He just, you know, hey, 141 00:08:48,760 --> 00:08:51,240 Speaker 1: let's go, you know, let's throw a twenty five yard 142 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:55,520 Speaker 1: in cut on the first first pass of the game 143 00:08:55,640 --> 00:08:58,160 Speaker 1: or whatever it was. But it was a downfield throw 144 00:08:58,640 --> 00:09:01,600 Speaker 1: and I just admiration for that. I think the one 145 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:05,800 Speaker 1: other thing I would say about him in today's NFL, 146 00:09:06,960 --> 00:09:09,839 Speaker 1: and especially with the Bengals, because you don't know and 147 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:12,600 Speaker 1: I don't know how they're going to protect them. I mean, 148 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:17,280 Speaker 1: you know, it'll it's wonderful to take Jamar Chase and 149 00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:20,320 Speaker 1: I don't kill him for the pick or anything like that, 150 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:24,080 Speaker 1: but you know, if Penay Sewell is a poor man's 151 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:27,720 Speaker 1: Anthony Munio's, it's not going to look like the right pick, obviously, 152 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:31,480 Speaker 1: but you know, we'll see what happens. But I think 153 00:09:31,679 --> 00:09:35,000 Speaker 1: what you saw in his rookie year is his ability 154 00:09:35,280 --> 00:09:38,480 Speaker 1: to take a lot of hits after you know, until 155 00:09:38,520 --> 00:09:40,600 Speaker 1: the ultimate one. His ability to take a lot of 156 00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:43,440 Speaker 1: hits and to keep functioning in a good manner. The 157 00:09:43,520 --> 00:09:46,480 Speaker 1: game against Philadelphia, he got the living crap beat out 158 00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:48,880 Speaker 1: of him, and he just kept coming back for more. 159 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:51,920 Speaker 1: And I remember listening to him on the collins Worth 160 00:09:51,960 --> 00:09:54,800 Speaker 1: podcast a few I don't know, maybe three months ago, 161 00:09:55,880 --> 00:09:59,480 Speaker 1: talking about you know, kind of what he felt was 162 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:03,280 Speaker 1: kind of the respect he got from the Eagles after 163 00:10:03,320 --> 00:10:06,720 Speaker 1: that game, and Chris was talking about it as well. 164 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:10,040 Speaker 1: But that is going to play well in his own 165 00:10:10,040 --> 00:10:13,679 Speaker 1: locker room. So I think he's I think he's well respected, 166 00:10:14,160 --> 00:10:16,160 Speaker 1: getting well respected by the rest of the league, and 167 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:19,440 Speaker 1: you can tell he's well respected in his own locker room. 168 00:10:19,440 --> 00:10:21,679 Speaker 1: Talking to Peter King from NBC Sports, you did an 169 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:26,680 Speaker 1: interview with my colleague Jeff Hobson last year where you 170 00:10:26,760 --> 00:10:28,920 Speaker 1: said the Bengals are going to love the free agent 171 00:10:28,960 --> 00:10:33,160 Speaker 1: acquisition of Von Bell, and it definitely played out that way. 172 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:36,600 Speaker 1: So this year they go back into the free agent pool. 173 00:10:36,760 --> 00:10:42,400 Speaker 1: Trey Hendrickson, chitabey O, Woogie, Mike Hilton, Riley Reef, Larry Ogan, Jobi. 174 00:10:42,920 --> 00:10:46,200 Speaker 1: So they spent big, largely on defense. Do any of 175 00:10:46,240 --> 00:10:48,800 Speaker 1: those names move the needle for you, anybody you think 176 00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:51,360 Speaker 1: that's really going to work out well? I mean, Riley 177 00:10:51,400 --> 00:10:55,240 Speaker 1: Reef is a short timer. He's a Scotch tape at 178 00:10:55,280 --> 00:10:58,720 Speaker 1: a position that's desperately needed. You know that they needed 179 00:10:58,760 --> 00:11:02,880 Speaker 1: to upgrade. The Bengals hit a cold streak in evaluating 180 00:11:03,000 --> 00:11:06,760 Speaker 1: offensive lineman. Gone in the days when Jim McNally hit 181 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:09,880 Speaker 1: a lot of home runs with guys like Kazerski and 182 00:11:10,080 --> 00:11:14,760 Speaker 1: Rhymers and Scrafford and all those guys. That just hasn't 183 00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:18,080 Speaker 1: happened in recent years. So you've got to spend money 184 00:11:18,120 --> 00:11:21,320 Speaker 1: in free agency to make up for the fact that 185 00:11:21,360 --> 00:11:27,400 Speaker 1: you can't find Max Montoya anymore. But you know, I 186 00:11:27,440 --> 00:11:30,640 Speaker 1: think he's an important one. Obviously. The guy who I 187 00:11:30,679 --> 00:11:33,160 Speaker 1: like the most is Mike Hilton. I think he's a 188 00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:38,319 Speaker 1: I think he's one of these players every team's got 189 00:11:38,360 --> 00:11:41,640 Speaker 1: two or three of them who you just think, man, 190 00:11:41,720 --> 00:11:44,480 Speaker 1: people don't appreciate him for the player who he is 191 00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:48,320 Speaker 1: and the sort of force that he is on a defense. 192 00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:50,880 Speaker 1: I think he's going to be an impact player. Now. 193 00:11:51,760 --> 00:11:56,960 Speaker 1: Hendrickson's interesting because you know, I think what the Bengals 194 00:11:58,160 --> 00:12:03,240 Speaker 1: saw in him, uh and what they what they I mean, 195 00:12:03,280 --> 00:12:07,440 Speaker 1: they saw a lot of disruption obviously, you know on 196 00:12:07,480 --> 00:12:10,440 Speaker 1: the front seven, which you know, when you lose Carl Lawson, 197 00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:14,600 Speaker 1: that's what that's what you need, and you lose what's 198 00:12:14,640 --> 00:12:19,640 Speaker 1: his name, Carlos Dunlap to Seattle. So I think the 199 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:24,240 Speaker 1: difference though for him is going to be comes from 200 00:12:24,240 --> 00:12:26,360 Speaker 1: a place where he had a lot of help, and 201 00:12:26,559 --> 00:12:29,720 Speaker 1: he had a lot of other people on the line who, uh, 202 00:12:30,800 --> 00:12:34,440 Speaker 1: you know, basically you know, I'm not saying made it 203 00:12:34,480 --> 00:12:37,600 Speaker 1: easy for him, but you know, when you're on a 204 00:12:37,679 --> 00:12:42,240 Speaker 1: defense that has a lot of talent and a lot 205 00:12:42,280 --> 00:12:45,440 Speaker 1: of players who need to get the attention to the offense, 206 00:12:46,760 --> 00:12:51,520 Speaker 1: it's it's more advantageous, especially for a rusher to make impacts. 207 00:12:51,520 --> 00:12:54,360 Speaker 1: So you know, he's not going to have the same 208 00:12:54,480 --> 00:12:57,280 Speaker 1: kind of help that he had. I mean, if you 209 00:12:57,360 --> 00:13:01,600 Speaker 1: think about it, no loss in no Geno Atkins right 210 00:13:01,720 --> 00:13:06,960 Speaker 1: and Dunlop. I mean, that's a lot of big league 211 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:12,440 Speaker 1: players missing from a defense that wasn't great to begin with. 212 00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:15,000 Speaker 1: It was good, I think at times, but it wasn't 213 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:17,720 Speaker 1: great to begin with. So there's going to be an 214 00:13:17,760 --> 00:13:20,840 Speaker 1: awful lot of there's gonna be eyes on him. I 215 00:13:20,880 --> 00:13:25,000 Speaker 1: think he's gonna have to be better than he was 216 00:13:25,080 --> 00:13:28,800 Speaker 1: in New Orleans to have the same sort of sort 217 00:13:28,840 --> 00:13:32,240 Speaker 1: of statistical impact that he had in New Orleans. What 218 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:35,480 Speaker 1: do you think constitutes a successful season for the Bengals 219 00:13:35,720 --> 00:13:42,760 Speaker 1: this year? Keeping Joe Burrow healthy and just his continued 220 00:13:42,800 --> 00:13:46,960 Speaker 1: development as a player. I think the Bengals are gonna 221 00:13:46,960 --> 00:13:52,080 Speaker 1: play some games like the eighties Chargers. I think they're 222 00:13:52,080 --> 00:13:55,839 Speaker 1: gonna They're gonna lose some forty one to thirty three 223 00:13:56,280 --> 00:13:59,480 Speaker 1: and they're gonna win a game thirty eight to thirty 224 00:13:59,559 --> 00:14:03,520 Speaker 1: five a few games. I think that's the style of 225 00:14:03,600 --> 00:14:06,520 Speaker 1: game they're going to play. I think the Bengals will 226 00:14:06,559 --> 00:14:08,760 Speaker 1: be one of the three or four most exciting teams 227 00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:13,319 Speaker 1: in football. That doesn't necessarily equate two wins. I mean 228 00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:15,960 Speaker 1: if they win six or seven games, I think that 229 00:14:16,000 --> 00:14:19,200 Speaker 1: would be a really good accomplishment. And I do believe 230 00:14:20,120 --> 00:14:23,960 Speaker 1: they'll win a game this year where people say where 231 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:28,720 Speaker 1: did that come from? Like they'll beat Cleveland or Baltimore 232 00:14:28,800 --> 00:14:31,600 Speaker 1: or Pittsburgh, and like, I think they'll probably go like 233 00:14:31,640 --> 00:14:34,800 Speaker 1: two and four in the division, maybe even three and three, 234 00:14:35,960 --> 00:14:41,280 Speaker 1: just because as long as Borrow plays, they're going to 235 00:14:41,360 --> 00:14:44,920 Speaker 1: be very hard to stop every Sunday. Let's talk about 236 00:14:44,920 --> 00:14:48,280 Speaker 1: your Bengals roots for a moment. You cover the Bengals 237 00:14:48,280 --> 00:14:51,400 Speaker 1: in eighty four, the start of your NFL reporter career 238 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:54,880 Speaker 1: for the Enquirer, and that meant hanging out of training 239 00:14:54,920 --> 00:14:59,920 Speaker 1: camp with Paul Brown. What did that football education do 240 00:15:00,160 --> 00:15:04,160 Speaker 1: for you that still helps to this day? Probably the 241 00:15:04,160 --> 00:15:06,880 Speaker 1: biggest regret I have in forty one years as a 242 00:15:06,960 --> 00:15:09,480 Speaker 1: sports writer is that I didn't go back to my 243 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:14,120 Speaker 1: room at Wilmington College during training camp every day and 244 00:15:14,160 --> 00:15:17,760 Speaker 1: write down five things that Paul Brown told me. I 245 00:15:18,200 --> 00:15:21,160 Speaker 1: can't believe. I mean, and you know, you're standing on 246 00:15:21,200 --> 00:15:27,040 Speaker 1: the sidelines and it's been thirty seven years, so I 247 00:15:27,120 --> 00:15:29,200 Speaker 1: can't sit here and say, yep, on this day, I 248 00:15:29,240 --> 00:15:33,120 Speaker 1: remember one thing he said to me vividly. We're standing 249 00:15:33,160 --> 00:15:36,680 Speaker 1: on the sidelines now. In those days, I would say 250 00:15:36,760 --> 00:15:41,000 Speaker 1: the vast majority of days the Bengals practice twice. I mean, 251 00:15:41,520 --> 00:15:48,160 Speaker 1: you talk about not having sports science. I mean, imagine this, Okay, Wilmington, Ohio, 252 00:15:49,920 --> 00:15:55,120 Speaker 1: you know, which in July and August is as anybody 253 00:15:55,120 --> 00:15:58,120 Speaker 1: who lives in Cincinnati any place around Cincinnati in July 254 00:15:58,160 --> 00:16:01,680 Speaker 1: in August, it's going to be very humid, and day 255 00:16:01,760 --> 00:16:07,880 Speaker 1: after day after day, you know, in the cornfields of Wilmington, Ohio, 256 00:16:08,960 --> 00:16:12,000 Speaker 1: the Bengals going out and practicing from nine to eleven 257 00:16:12,520 --> 00:16:15,760 Speaker 1: and from three to five. And I mean, how does 258 00:16:15,840 --> 00:16:18,800 Speaker 1: a human being do that? But that's what the Bengals did. 259 00:16:18,840 --> 00:16:21,760 Speaker 1: That's what every team did, and it seems insane to 260 00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:25,920 Speaker 1: think about that, but I'd say, most of those practices 261 00:16:25,920 --> 00:16:29,440 Speaker 1: were padded, and so it just was a it was 262 00:16:29,480 --> 00:16:32,680 Speaker 1: a It was so arduous and so hard and so tough. 263 00:16:33,520 --> 00:16:36,160 Speaker 1: And one day I made a comment to Paul Brown, 264 00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:40,080 Speaker 1: standing there with his Panama hat on the sidelines, just 265 00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:44,240 Speaker 1: I probably watched on average every day I stood next 266 00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:47,400 Speaker 1: to him for an hour. I mean, I just watched 267 00:16:47,440 --> 00:16:49,800 Speaker 1: a lot of practice with Paul Brown. And one day 268 00:16:49,840 --> 00:16:54,280 Speaker 1: I said, I'll tell you, the sun kind of beats 269 00:16:54,280 --> 00:16:56,600 Speaker 1: the crap out of you out here. It's just it's 270 00:16:56,640 --> 00:16:59,240 Speaker 1: so hot. I mean every day. You know, he loved 271 00:16:59,280 --> 00:17:03,560 Speaker 1: watching off offensive line drills, and I just said, man, 272 00:17:04,320 --> 00:17:07,720 Speaker 1: I just it's amazing the year after year after year 273 00:17:08,200 --> 00:17:11,200 Speaker 1: you come back and you just watched this day after day. 274 00:17:11,480 --> 00:17:14,959 Speaker 1: And he goes, young man, this is our lifeblood, you know, 275 00:17:15,160 --> 00:17:17,320 Speaker 1: and that's all he had to say. You know, he 276 00:17:17,480 --> 00:17:19,919 Speaker 1: was like, oh, you know. What he was saying to 277 00:17:19,960 --> 00:17:23,080 Speaker 1: me was, hey, listen, if you don't like it, go 278 00:17:23,240 --> 00:17:29,280 Speaker 1: cover field hockey. You know. But he was he was 279 00:17:29,400 --> 00:17:32,359 Speaker 1: just in the end. I know that people who have 280 00:17:32,440 --> 00:17:35,040 Speaker 1: played for him. You know, if you asked Jim Brown 281 00:17:35,119 --> 00:17:37,040 Speaker 1: about this, the last thing he would say is he 282 00:17:37,080 --> 00:17:41,399 Speaker 1: was so kind. But when Paul Brown when my father 283 00:17:41,680 --> 00:17:44,880 Speaker 1: I left Cincinnati to go to work in New York 284 00:17:46,119 --> 00:17:49,600 Speaker 1: in eighty five, and the next year my father died. 285 00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:52,160 Speaker 1: He had cancer and he died. But right before he died, 286 00:17:53,080 --> 00:17:55,080 Speaker 1: I was like, I had a conversation with Mike Brown, 287 00:17:55,160 --> 00:17:58,760 Speaker 1: and I told him that my dad was probably not 288 00:17:58,840 --> 00:18:01,720 Speaker 1: gonna make it. I had lung cancer and all that. 289 00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:05,040 Speaker 1: And like five days later, in the mail at my 290 00:18:05,119 --> 00:18:10,000 Speaker 1: house in Enfield, Connecticut, Paul Brown's book that he wrote 291 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:13,840 Speaker 1: with Jack Clary showed up and there's a letter with it. 292 00:18:13,880 --> 00:18:15,439 Speaker 1: He had signed it, and there was a letter with 293 00:18:15,520 --> 00:18:19,000 Speaker 1: it said, mister King, you raised a fine boy. And 294 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:24,080 Speaker 1: that was just I mean, I get choked up even 295 00:18:24,119 --> 00:18:27,880 Speaker 1: thinking about it right now. But he was quite a guy. 296 00:18:28,160 --> 00:18:31,760 Speaker 1: I really liked him. But that was a tremendous time 297 00:18:32,640 --> 00:18:35,920 Speaker 1: to start in this business, you know, Dan, right now? 298 00:18:36,960 --> 00:18:39,040 Speaker 1: You know, I tell people, what's it like covering the 299 00:18:39,119 --> 00:18:44,159 Speaker 1: NFL In two thousand, About twenty reporters, including me, covered 300 00:18:44,160 --> 00:18:48,879 Speaker 1: the scouting combine in Indianapolis. In twenty twenty, right before 301 00:18:48,920 --> 00:18:53,520 Speaker 1: the start of the pandemic. One two hundred and forty 302 00:18:53,560 --> 00:18:57,639 Speaker 1: three reporters were credential to cover the combine. It's it's insane. 303 00:18:57,920 --> 00:19:03,520 Speaker 1: It's I don't I don't know how possibly anybody can 304 00:19:03,680 --> 00:19:07,439 Speaker 1: can look at football and say, hey, that just what 305 00:19:07,520 --> 00:19:10,520 Speaker 1: we need. What we need more coverage. But in those days, 306 00:19:11,119 --> 00:19:15,040 Speaker 1: the day before the draft in nineteen eighty four, Sam 307 00:19:15,080 --> 00:19:18,639 Speaker 1: White set me down in his office, a young beat reporter. 308 00:19:18,720 --> 00:19:21,000 Speaker 1: I was on the job for maybe two weeks, and 309 00:19:21,040 --> 00:19:23,280 Speaker 1: he sat me down in the office and he told me, 310 00:19:23,960 --> 00:19:26,959 Speaker 1: just don't say anything to anybody outside of this market. 311 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:30,119 Speaker 1: No internet in those days, no anything. He told me 312 00:19:30,119 --> 00:19:33,000 Speaker 1: who they were going to draft. I mean, he's, okay, 313 00:19:33,119 --> 00:19:36,280 Speaker 1: first round, we're gonna take Rickey Hunley, Uh, you know. 314 00:19:36,359 --> 00:19:38,760 Speaker 1: Then later in the round we're gonna take Boomer Assias 315 00:19:38,840 --> 00:19:43,879 Speaker 1: and Stanford Jennings. All I mean is it is insane. 316 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:47,399 Speaker 1: And that's the and and and and training camp and 317 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:51,040 Speaker 1: coverage and all that stuff. It was just a lot 318 00:19:51,080 --> 00:19:55,400 Speaker 1: easier in those days, and it was a lot easier 319 00:19:55,440 --> 00:19:59,200 Speaker 1: to find things out in those days. So I really 320 00:19:59,280 --> 00:20:02,840 Speaker 1: enjoyed it. That's actually one of the things I admire 321 00:20:02,920 --> 00:20:06,640 Speaker 1: most about your work. The technology changes, the industry changes, 322 00:20:06,840 --> 00:20:10,080 Speaker 1: and rather than do what you have to do kicking 323 00:20:10,119 --> 00:20:13,760 Speaker 1: and screaming, you seem to embrace it. So for example, 324 00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:16,639 Speaker 1: we're doing this by zoom. A lot of people hate 325 00:20:16,640 --> 00:20:18,640 Speaker 1: the fact that we'd have to do so many interviews 326 00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:21,119 Speaker 1: by zoom these days. But I get the sense that 327 00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:24,240 Speaker 1: you're like, well, okay, it does give me the opportunity 328 00:20:24,240 --> 00:20:26,679 Speaker 1: to talk somebody, talk to somebody and have eye to 329 00:20:26,720 --> 00:20:29,399 Speaker 1: eye contact on the opposite side of the country at 330 00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:34,040 Speaker 1: a moment's notice. The minute I say, man, I long 331 00:20:34,119 --> 00:20:37,040 Speaker 1: for the old days, take me out behind the barn 332 00:20:37,119 --> 00:20:40,560 Speaker 1: and shoot me. I mean, I just it's it doesn't 333 00:20:40,600 --> 00:20:43,480 Speaker 1: do any good. Nobody wants to hear that. Who in 334 00:20:43,520 --> 00:20:48,000 Speaker 1: the world would sympathize with a sixty four year old 335 00:20:48,080 --> 00:20:51,960 Speaker 1: sportswriter because the world has changed? Am I am? I 336 00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:54,920 Speaker 1: do I long for the days when I spread four 337 00:20:54,960 --> 00:20:57,960 Speaker 1: newspapers out on the table and read them for an 338 00:20:57,960 --> 00:21:01,520 Speaker 1: hour and a half. Of course, I do love newspapers, 339 00:21:02,560 --> 00:21:05,960 Speaker 1: but you know what, that's that's yesterday, so you better adjust. 340 00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:09,000 Speaker 1: And in my opinion, and what I tell young journalists 341 00:21:09,040 --> 00:21:12,560 Speaker 1: and yeah, I've been back to Ohio University a few times, 342 00:21:12,600 --> 00:21:16,080 Speaker 1: and then you know kids coming up these days, I 343 00:21:16,119 --> 00:21:22,040 Speaker 1: just said, listen, this business will always need storytellers. You 344 00:21:22,080 --> 00:21:25,560 Speaker 1: need to find out the story and when you find 345 00:21:25,560 --> 00:21:28,560 Speaker 1: out the story, there will be a way to tell 346 00:21:28,680 --> 00:21:30,960 Speaker 1: the story. I don't know what it's going to be. 347 00:21:31,160 --> 00:21:32,840 Speaker 1: You don't know what it's going to be. And that's 348 00:21:32,840 --> 00:21:37,919 Speaker 1: why every opportunity you have, you can you learn how 349 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:40,679 Speaker 1: to do podcasting, will do that, you know, try that, 350 00:21:40,880 --> 00:21:46,359 Speaker 1: Try everything that comes along. And I remember a young 351 00:21:46,440 --> 00:21:48,840 Speaker 1: woman from my home at the time, where we were 352 00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:52,040 Speaker 1: living in New Jersey. Her name is Emily Kaplan. She 353 00:21:52,119 --> 00:21:55,080 Speaker 1: now works at ESPN. She's a high school student there. 354 00:21:55,080 --> 00:21:57,720 Speaker 1: I got to know her. She just desperately wanted to 355 00:21:57,720 --> 00:22:01,399 Speaker 1: be in journalism, and so I, you know, advised her 356 00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:03,080 Speaker 1: a little bit. And the one thing I said to 357 00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:06,520 Speaker 1: her about her time at Penn State, I said, if 358 00:22:06,560 --> 00:22:09,840 Speaker 1: I were you, one year, I'd work for the school paper. 359 00:22:10,400 --> 00:22:12,959 Speaker 1: One year, I'd work for the TV station, one year, 360 00:22:13,040 --> 00:22:15,680 Speaker 1: I'd work for the radio station. One year I would 361 00:22:15,680 --> 00:22:21,000 Speaker 1: try to do some sort of blog or internet something, 362 00:22:23,240 --> 00:22:26,359 Speaker 1: you know, but I would try to do everything, you know, 363 00:22:26,400 --> 00:22:30,440 Speaker 1: at a huge university like that. And because I think, 364 00:22:30,960 --> 00:22:32,439 Speaker 1: you know, I told her, you don't know at the 365 00:22:32,520 --> 00:22:35,600 Speaker 1: end of these four years what the world is going 366 00:22:35,640 --> 00:22:39,080 Speaker 1: to is going to look like. And heck, she's done 367 00:22:39,080 --> 00:22:41,320 Speaker 1: a great job. She worked for me a little bit 368 00:22:41,320 --> 00:22:44,280 Speaker 1: at Sports Illustrated now as at ESPN doing hockey, and 369 00:22:44,880 --> 00:22:48,240 Speaker 1: she's on around the Horn and she's just a rising star. 370 00:22:48,440 --> 00:22:52,960 Speaker 1: But you've got to take that seriously. At your heart, 371 00:22:53,000 --> 00:22:55,840 Speaker 1: you've got to be a reporter, but you've also got 372 00:22:55,840 --> 00:22:59,720 Speaker 1: to understand that you need to be flexible, and quite honestly, 373 00:23:00,160 --> 00:23:03,200 Speaker 1: it's fun. You know. I loved being and I love 374 00:23:03,280 --> 00:23:05,760 Speaker 1: working for the Inquirer. I loved it, man, those are 375 00:23:05,800 --> 00:23:08,680 Speaker 1: some of the great years of my life. It's all 376 00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:13,840 Speaker 1: warm and fuzzy to me, but I do think that 377 00:23:14,600 --> 00:23:17,200 Speaker 1: there has to be a part of your ethos in 378 00:23:17,200 --> 00:23:22,280 Speaker 1: this job that says, whatever the way to get the 379 00:23:22,359 --> 00:23:26,000 Speaker 1: information out, I'm going to try to master that. And 380 00:23:26,440 --> 00:23:28,760 Speaker 1: that's really what I've tried to do over the years. 381 00:23:28,760 --> 00:23:32,000 Speaker 1: And you know, it's really been a fun, fun world. 382 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:34,560 Speaker 1: I can't believe it's been forty one years since I 383 00:23:34,640 --> 00:23:39,040 Speaker 1: walked into the Inquiry at six seventeen Vine Street, and 384 00:23:39,280 --> 00:23:42,040 Speaker 1: probably everybody who listens to that will say, what the 385 00:23:42,160 --> 00:23:47,520 Speaker 1: Inquiry used to be on Vine Street? But you know, 386 00:23:47,680 --> 00:23:52,600 Speaker 1: it just time changes. But I you know, I got 387 00:23:52,640 --> 00:23:56,399 Speaker 1: nothing but love for how my career started. Well, the 388 00:23:56,480 --> 00:24:00,320 Speaker 1: highlight of my week is Monday morning, approximately six thirty am. 389 00:24:00,359 --> 00:24:02,959 Speaker 1: Big cup of coffee in football morning in America. So 390 00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:07,439 Speaker 1: I look forward to your travels during training camp this 391 00:24:07,520 --> 00:24:09,880 Speaker 1: week and learning stuff on Monday morning. And I really 392 00:24:09,880 --> 00:24:12,720 Speaker 1: appreciate your time today. Thank you so much, ay Dan, 393 00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:16,440 Speaker 1: It's been wonderful. Please call anytime, Peter may Rue the 394 00:24:16,560 --> 00:24:20,800 Speaker 1: day he encouraged me to call anytime. Now let's get 395 00:24:20,840 --> 00:24:24,080 Speaker 1: to Jesse Bates. Last week he agreed to join Dave 396 00:24:24,160 --> 00:24:26,440 Speaker 1: Lapham and me on one of the live training camp 397 00:24:26,480 --> 00:24:29,600 Speaker 1: reports we've been doing on the Bengal social media channels. 398 00:24:30,080 --> 00:24:33,280 Speaker 1: He agreed to do that before a report came out 399 00:24:33,359 --> 00:24:36,520 Speaker 1: on ESPN that he and the team are not making 400 00:24:36,600 --> 00:24:40,680 Speaker 1: progress toward a contract extension. To his credit, Jesse did 401 00:24:40,720 --> 00:24:43,400 Speaker 1: not cancel the interview we had scheduled and in case 402 00:24:43,440 --> 00:24:48,359 Speaker 1: you missed it on Thursday, here's that five minute conversation. Jesse. 403 00:24:48,520 --> 00:24:50,919 Speaker 1: We appreciate you coming on with us this morning. I 404 00:24:50,960 --> 00:24:53,040 Speaker 1: suppose we need to get the elephant in the room 405 00:24:53,080 --> 00:24:55,520 Speaker 1: out of the way right off the bat, and that 406 00:24:55,680 --> 00:24:58,640 Speaker 1: is the state of your contract negotiations. A report came 407 00:24:58,680 --> 00:25:01,480 Speaker 1: out a couple of days ago suggesting that the two 408 00:25:01,480 --> 00:25:06,080 Speaker 1: sides are still considerable distance apart. How do things stand 409 00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:08,480 Speaker 1: right now and are you still optimistic that a deal 410 00:25:08,480 --> 00:25:12,199 Speaker 1: can get done before the start of the season. Yeah. Um, 411 00:25:12,359 --> 00:25:15,639 Speaker 1: I think as far as my contract goes, I guess 412 00:25:15,640 --> 00:25:18,960 Speaker 1: I haven't done enough yet to be considered one of 413 00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:21,840 Speaker 1: the you know, the top safeties in this league. So 414 00:25:22,600 --> 00:25:25,399 Speaker 1: which is fine. Um, That's fine with me. I'm gonna 415 00:25:25,560 --> 00:25:28,600 Speaker 1: go to work just like any other day my first 416 00:25:28,640 --> 00:25:31,720 Speaker 1: three years being here. UM. You know, just being able 417 00:25:31,760 --> 00:25:35,119 Speaker 1: to have that open conversation with my agent has been great, um, 418 00:25:35,280 --> 00:25:40,800 Speaker 1: in regards to just having the conversation very open. And 419 00:25:41,880 --> 00:25:43,760 Speaker 1: I think this will probably be my last time that 420 00:25:43,800 --> 00:25:47,520 Speaker 1: I speak on the contractum, just because I think it 421 00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:50,600 Speaker 1: can get a little messy. UM, as far as you know, 422 00:25:51,320 --> 00:25:53,840 Speaker 1: UM thinking about it too much. UM. But you know, 423 00:25:54,280 --> 00:25:57,000 Speaker 1: I've been out there practicing every day. I have a 424 00:25:57,560 --> 00:26:00,320 Speaker 1: goal that I want to reach. Personally, I know I 425 00:26:00,320 --> 00:26:03,000 Speaker 1: have to get better to help this team get to 426 00:26:03,040 --> 00:26:05,440 Speaker 1: where we need to be. So, like I said, I 427 00:26:05,600 --> 00:26:07,920 Speaker 1: let my agent work out the numbers and stuff like that. 428 00:26:08,080 --> 00:26:11,240 Speaker 1: I'm gonna be the best teammate, best leader that I 429 00:26:11,240 --> 00:26:14,080 Speaker 1: can be for the twenty twenty one Bengals. So we'll 430 00:26:14,119 --> 00:26:17,840 Speaker 1: see we'll see what happens, and I know you will 431 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:20,280 Speaker 1: be all of that. And you're a humble guy as well, 432 00:26:20,320 --> 00:26:22,200 Speaker 1: because I think you are the best safety in the 433 00:26:22,280 --> 00:26:25,440 Speaker 1: National Football League. Three three interceptions last year, you got 434 00:26:25,440 --> 00:26:29,000 Speaker 1: your hand on fifteen other footballs, broke up fifteen other passes, 435 00:26:29,560 --> 00:26:33,640 Speaker 1: amongst the top handful in the National Football League. Your recognition, 436 00:26:34,160 --> 00:26:38,800 Speaker 1: your range, all those things are incredible. Plus you're you're tackling, 437 00:26:38,840 --> 00:26:40,760 Speaker 1: you know, you're getting people on the ground. Is that 438 00:26:40,920 --> 00:26:42,840 Speaker 1: something that was really important to you to get that, 439 00:26:43,520 --> 00:26:45,840 Speaker 1: you know, that be known as somebody that's gonna when 440 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:50,000 Speaker 1: you hit your your journey ends. Yeah. I think that's 441 00:26:50,000 --> 00:26:53,439 Speaker 1: a mentality that every safety kind of has. Especially for 442 00:26:53,520 --> 00:26:55,239 Speaker 1: me as a post safety, I feel like I get 443 00:26:55,280 --> 00:26:58,600 Speaker 1: a lot of opportunities to kind of laid that statement 444 00:26:58,680 --> 00:27:00,760 Speaker 1: like hey, don't come across the mid or you know, 445 00:27:00,840 --> 00:27:04,080 Speaker 1: the deep balls or no flies one type of thing. So, 446 00:27:04,840 --> 00:27:07,399 Speaker 1: like I said, this isn't about me. This is about 447 00:27:07,560 --> 00:27:10,040 Speaker 1: you know, the Cincinnati Bengals, and I'm just excited to 448 00:27:10,119 --> 00:27:13,560 Speaker 1: be a part of it. Jesse. If somebody asked me 449 00:27:14,080 --> 00:27:17,080 Speaker 1: what position group has been most impressive so far in 450 00:27:17,160 --> 00:27:21,040 Speaker 1: training camp, I would say the defensive backs. The additions 451 00:27:21,080 --> 00:27:24,000 Speaker 1: like Mike Hilton and should Obey a Wooge have had 452 00:27:24,080 --> 00:27:27,520 Speaker 1: excellent camps so far. Do you agree that the group 453 00:27:27,560 --> 00:27:30,520 Speaker 1: has performed extremely well in the first votes nearly two 454 00:27:30,520 --> 00:27:33,400 Speaker 1: weeks now of training camp. Yeah, I think we've done 455 00:27:33,400 --> 00:27:35,400 Speaker 1: a really good job of just being able to set 456 00:27:35,440 --> 00:27:40,520 Speaker 1: the standard starting with our group. Yeah, we as a 457 00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:43,200 Speaker 1: defense we want to be great, But I think as 458 00:27:43,200 --> 00:27:46,480 Speaker 1: a secondary I hope every you know, position group is 459 00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:48,560 Speaker 1: kind of thinking of, you know, we have to be 460 00:27:48,600 --> 00:27:51,000 Speaker 1: the ones that set the tone. It's the same thing 461 00:27:51,040 --> 00:27:53,320 Speaker 1: I've always preached to me and Von. I feel like 462 00:27:53,400 --> 00:27:55,919 Speaker 1: the team kind of goes as we go on the 463 00:27:55,920 --> 00:27:59,959 Speaker 1: defensive side. So I think that everybody's kind of except 464 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:02,360 Speaker 1: did that kind of mindset, and um, it's definitely kind 465 00:28:02,359 --> 00:28:05,440 Speaker 1: of paid off and shown um that kind of mindset 466 00:28:05,440 --> 00:28:08,800 Speaker 1: throughout training camp. And so the next step is making 467 00:28:08,840 --> 00:28:12,000 Speaker 1: sure that we get you know, the twos and the threes, um, 468 00:28:12,040 --> 00:28:14,360 Speaker 1: you know, up to speed as well as we get 469 00:28:14,400 --> 00:28:17,160 Speaker 1: into this preseason stuff and make sure they put good 470 00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:19,680 Speaker 1: stuff on film. Um, because I mean, even if it 471 00:28:19,720 --> 00:28:22,359 Speaker 1: doesn't work out here, uh, there's there's gonna be some 472 00:28:22,400 --> 00:28:26,119 Speaker 1: great film for those guys to go on throughout their career. So, 473 00:28:27,600 --> 00:28:29,720 Speaker 1: like I said, you just got to understand all sides 474 00:28:29,800 --> 00:28:32,280 Speaker 1: of the of the business and UM. Just being able 475 00:28:32,320 --> 00:28:34,919 Speaker 1: to have some veterans in that room has has definitely 476 00:28:34,960 --> 00:28:38,360 Speaker 1: helped us UM have some success early on in training 477 00:28:38,400 --> 00:28:43,000 Speaker 1: camp Ates and Bell the Killer Bees, no question about it. 478 00:28:43,040 --> 00:28:46,080 Speaker 1: But like you said, veterans in the room have seen 479 00:28:46,120 --> 00:28:49,760 Speaker 1: a lot of snaps, have seen all the route combinations. 480 00:28:50,160 --> 00:28:53,480 Speaker 1: Recognition from everybody in that back end has been extraordinary 481 00:28:53,480 --> 00:28:56,560 Speaker 1: and the biggest key communication. You know, you can't talk 482 00:28:56,680 --> 00:28:58,840 Speaker 1: enough back there, and you guys have talked a lot 483 00:28:58,960 --> 00:29:00,880 Speaker 1: making sure you're all in the same page. Has that 484 00:29:00,920 --> 00:29:03,720 Speaker 1: been a big key to the success. Yeah. Like I 485 00:29:03,760 --> 00:29:06,080 Speaker 1: said that, just being able to have those veterans that 486 00:29:06,120 --> 00:29:08,840 Speaker 1: have seen a lot of football UM, seeing a lot 487 00:29:08,880 --> 00:29:12,800 Speaker 1: of route combinations, seeing how how do we get beating quarters, 488 00:29:12,800 --> 00:29:15,600 Speaker 1: how do we get beating three j um Just stuff 489 00:29:15,600 --> 00:29:19,240 Speaker 1: like that. Being able to have experience UM and not 490 00:29:19,360 --> 00:29:21,840 Speaker 1: just always getting it from the coach, I think has 491 00:29:22,000 --> 00:29:24,920 Speaker 1: definitely helped us UM. And I think that we're not 492 00:29:25,400 --> 00:29:28,520 Speaker 1: being very silent. We're not being quiet about you know, 493 00:29:28,600 --> 00:29:31,400 Speaker 1: holding up that as in a secret. We're able to 494 00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:34,120 Speaker 1: pass that down to the younger guys, and I think, um, 495 00:29:34,200 --> 00:29:36,920 Speaker 1: they've done a hell of a job as well. So um, 496 00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:39,560 Speaker 1: like I said, I'm excited to actually be able to 497 00:29:39,800 --> 00:29:43,360 Speaker 1: be ready for a game plan and get things installed. Um, 498 00:29:43,480 --> 00:29:47,080 Speaker 1: that's when we'll really figure out what we're about. So um, 499 00:29:47,400 --> 00:29:50,400 Speaker 1: we'll start with Tampa Bay Week one preseason. I think 500 00:29:50,400 --> 00:29:52,440 Speaker 1: we're playing the first couple of series, so that that'll 501 00:29:52,480 --> 00:29:56,680 Speaker 1: be very exciting. All right, let's get back to Jesse's contract. 502 00:29:57,120 --> 00:29:59,520 Speaker 1: I have a fifteen year old son who probably loves 503 00:29:59,520 --> 00:30:02,640 Speaker 1: the Bengal more than he loves me. On Tuesday, at 504 00:30:02,680 --> 00:30:05,120 Speaker 1: three eighteen in the afternoon, he sent me a text 505 00:30:05,160 --> 00:30:09,480 Speaker 1: that read why no Bates extension. He was reacting to 506 00:30:09,520 --> 00:30:13,040 Speaker 1: that tweet sent out by Jeremy Fowler of ESPN that 507 00:30:13,160 --> 00:30:16,560 Speaker 1: said the following the Bengals in Safety Jesse Bates the 508 00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:19,560 Speaker 1: third are not expected to reach a contract extension at 509 00:30:19,640 --> 00:30:24,200 Speaker 1: this time, per source, sides not progressing toward a deal. 510 00:30:25,240 --> 00:30:27,479 Speaker 1: That tweet allowed me to have a teaching moment with 511 00:30:27,520 --> 00:30:32,960 Speaker 1: my son about contract negotiations, posturing, and Bengals history. The 512 00:30:33,000 --> 00:30:36,720 Speaker 1: source was obviously Jesse's agent, and I don't dispute what 513 00:30:36,760 --> 00:30:39,760 Speaker 1: he told Jeremy Fowler. I don't know what each side 514 00:30:39,840 --> 00:30:42,040 Speaker 1: is asking for, and they could very well be at 515 00:30:42,040 --> 00:30:45,200 Speaker 1: a standstill. But as I told my son, an agent 516 00:30:45,400 --> 00:30:48,760 Speaker 1: tells a reporter that for a reason to put public 517 00:30:48,800 --> 00:30:53,480 Speaker 1: pressure on the team in negotiations, that's posturing. Sometimes it's 518 00:30:53,520 --> 00:30:56,840 Speaker 1: done publicly and sometimes it's done behind closed doors. And 519 00:30:56,880 --> 00:31:00,400 Speaker 1: don't get me wrong, I'm not faulting Jesse's agent. He's 520 00:31:00,400 --> 00:31:03,840 Speaker 1: trying to get his client the best possible deal. But 521 00:31:03,920 --> 00:31:06,040 Speaker 1: all of this is not unusual when it comes to 522 00:31:06,160 --> 00:31:09,320 Speaker 1: big contract extensions, and when you look at Bengals history, 523 00:31:09,720 --> 00:31:12,920 Speaker 1: when they prioritize giving one of their top young players 524 00:31:12,920 --> 00:31:17,120 Speaker 1: a second contract, the deal almost always gets done, and 525 00:31:17,240 --> 00:31:20,640 Speaker 1: it often happens near the end of training camp. Will 526 00:31:20,680 --> 00:31:24,080 Speaker 1: that be the case with Jesse Bates, I honestly don't know, 527 00:31:24,240 --> 00:31:27,440 Speaker 1: But as I told my son, let's see what happens 528 00:31:27,440 --> 00:31:30,760 Speaker 1: over the next few weeks. The Bengals Booth podcast is 529 00:31:30,800 --> 00:31:34,440 Speaker 1: presented by Bud Light Seltzer. It's light and refreshing with 530 00:31:34,520 --> 00:31:37,640 Speaker 1: a hint a fruit flavor. When the Bengals open the 531 00:31:37,640 --> 00:31:40,840 Speaker 1: preseason on Saturday, we will not see Joe Burrow, although 532 00:31:40,920 --> 00:31:43,800 Speaker 1: Zach Taylor has not ruled out playing him at some 533 00:31:43,960 --> 00:31:47,320 Speaker 1: point in the preseason. Brandon Allen will be the Bengals 534 00:31:47,360 --> 00:31:52,680 Speaker 1: starting quarterback on Saturday, followed by former Vanderbilt star Kyle Schermer, 535 00:31:52,720 --> 00:31:56,200 Speaker 1: who joined the Bengals practice squad last December. He played 536 00:31:56,240 --> 00:31:59,240 Speaker 1: in four preseason games for the Kansas City Chiefs two 537 00:31:59,320 --> 00:32:03,560 Speaker 1: years ago. In fact, he threw a touchdown pass against Cincinnati. 538 00:32:03,840 --> 00:32:07,040 Speaker 1: And I spoke to Kyle this week about getting another 539 00:32:07,080 --> 00:32:11,360 Speaker 1: opportunity to play. The last time you got to play 540 00:32:11,360 --> 00:32:14,840 Speaker 1: in a game was the two thy nineteen preseason because 541 00:32:14,840 --> 00:32:17,920 Speaker 1: there were no preseason games last year. How fired up 542 00:32:17,960 --> 00:32:19,720 Speaker 1: are you just to get out there and play again? Yeah, 543 00:32:19,720 --> 00:32:23,240 Speaker 1: I'm excited. Anytime you're a competitor, you can and you 544 00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:25,520 Speaker 1: line up against a different set of guys, you know, 545 00:32:25,840 --> 00:32:28,320 Speaker 1: the competitor, and you gets all fired up. So we'll 546 00:32:28,360 --> 00:32:30,400 Speaker 1: be ready to roll and uh yeah, fired up to 547 00:32:30,400 --> 00:32:32,959 Speaker 1: get out there. The Bengals will wind up keeping at 548 00:32:33,040 --> 00:32:36,240 Speaker 1: least three quarterbacks between the roster and the practice squad. 549 00:32:36,320 --> 00:32:39,760 Speaker 1: Do you consider the preseason games to be pretty vital 550 00:32:39,800 --> 00:32:41,640 Speaker 1: to try to earn one of those spots? Yeah? I 551 00:32:41,680 --> 00:32:45,000 Speaker 1: think every day, you know, uh, you know, practice and 552 00:32:45,160 --> 00:32:48,320 Speaker 1: the preseason games are vital. You know, every meeting, you know, 553 00:32:48,360 --> 00:32:52,080 Speaker 1: every every lift, anytime you're around your teammates, around the coaches, everybody. 554 00:32:52,440 --> 00:32:55,120 Speaker 1: You know, you're you're auditioning, and um, you know, I 555 00:32:55,160 --> 00:32:57,840 Speaker 1: want to be a part of the squad, and you 556 00:32:57,880 --> 00:33:00,440 Speaker 1: know I'm looking forward to, you know, to the preseason games, 557 00:33:00,480 --> 00:33:03,480 Speaker 1: but every day in practice has been you know, full 558 00:33:03,480 --> 00:33:07,200 Speaker 1: go for me. So, yeah, we're chatting with quarterback Kyle Schermer. 559 00:33:07,320 --> 00:33:09,960 Speaker 1: You spent your rookie year with Kansas City, partly on 560 00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:13,400 Speaker 1: the practice squad, active for a little bit during the season, 561 00:33:13,480 --> 00:33:16,680 Speaker 1: and that year the Chiefs won the Super Bowl. Describe 562 00:33:16,720 --> 00:33:20,400 Speaker 1: the experience of being part of that tremendous Kansas City team. 563 00:33:20,480 --> 00:33:23,120 Speaker 1: You know, it was a phenomenal experience. I learned a 564 00:33:23,160 --> 00:33:27,920 Speaker 1: lot in my time there, my year there, and a 565 00:33:27,920 --> 00:33:30,600 Speaker 1: lot of great people, interacted with a lot of great 566 00:33:30,720 --> 00:33:33,880 Speaker 1: uh you know, coaches and players, and just try to 567 00:33:33,920 --> 00:33:36,840 Speaker 1: take as much as I could from that experience and 568 00:33:36,920 --> 00:33:39,360 Speaker 1: apply it, you know in my day to day life 569 00:33:39,400 --> 00:33:41,520 Speaker 1: and you know here at the Bengals. Uh, you know, 570 00:33:41,560 --> 00:33:44,680 Speaker 1: howeverr it helps me. So yeah, as football fans, we've 571 00:33:44,680 --> 00:33:47,640 Speaker 1: seen Patrick Mahomes do some incredible things and don't look 572 00:33:47,680 --> 00:33:51,720 Speaker 1: passes left handed passes, etc. Do you have a great 573 00:33:51,800 --> 00:33:54,920 Speaker 1: behind the scenes thing that you saw Patrick Mahomes do 574 00:33:55,080 --> 00:33:58,040 Speaker 1: that would amaze us? It's funny, a lot of those 575 00:33:58,200 --> 00:34:01,520 Speaker 1: behind the back, you know, no look passes he did 576 00:34:01,600 --> 00:34:04,360 Speaker 1: in practice, so it was it was almost like not 577 00:34:04,400 --> 00:34:06,560 Speaker 1: a surprise to us when he did in a game. 578 00:34:06,600 --> 00:34:10,440 Speaker 1: But uh, you know, Patrick's a phenomenal player, and uh yeah, 579 00:34:10,480 --> 00:34:13,560 Speaker 1: there's a lot of fun stories. You played at Vanderbilt. 580 00:34:13,560 --> 00:34:16,160 Speaker 1: You had a tremendous college career, breaking all of Jay 581 00:34:16,160 --> 00:34:20,280 Speaker 1: Cutler's passing records with the Commodorees. But it's a challenge 582 00:34:20,280 --> 00:34:22,920 Speaker 1: for a quarterback at Vanderbilt. You're competing in the SEC. 583 00:34:23,960 --> 00:34:26,040 Speaker 1: I think it's fair to say that the talent gap 584 00:34:26,120 --> 00:34:28,960 Speaker 1: is probably there in most games that you played in. 585 00:34:29,080 --> 00:34:31,759 Speaker 1: How did that prepare you for the NFL? Yeah? I 586 00:34:31,760 --> 00:34:35,640 Speaker 1: think you have to appreciate every bit of the process. 587 00:34:36,200 --> 00:34:39,520 Speaker 1: You know, leading up to a game day. You know 588 00:34:39,640 --> 00:34:42,319 Speaker 1: in season, training camp, off season, you know your day 589 00:34:42,320 --> 00:34:45,480 Speaker 1: to day work and practice, in your off season prep. 590 00:34:45,600 --> 00:34:48,640 Speaker 1: You know, every little bit of time that you spend 591 00:34:48,680 --> 00:34:53,400 Speaker 1: as crucial. And I just gained an appreciation for, you know, 592 00:34:53,440 --> 00:34:55,800 Speaker 1: trying to be a football player on and off the field, 593 00:34:55,960 --> 00:34:59,239 Speaker 1: and you know, it was it was a tremendous experience. 594 00:34:59,360 --> 00:35:03,239 Speaker 1: You know, I take great pride in my experience of Andy. 595 00:35:03,360 --> 00:35:06,200 Speaker 1: Your father is Pat Shermer, former NFL head coach with 596 00:35:06,239 --> 00:35:08,960 Speaker 1: Cleveland and the New York Giants, now the offensive coordinator 597 00:35:08,960 --> 00:35:12,440 Speaker 1: for the Broncos. Did football become an obsession at an 598 00:35:12,480 --> 00:35:15,160 Speaker 1: early age because of that for you? Yeah, no doubt, 599 00:35:15,360 --> 00:35:18,120 Speaker 1: no doubt. I Uh, it was always cool growing up 600 00:35:18,120 --> 00:35:21,960 Speaker 1: around NFL facilities watching, Uh, you know, professionals work and 601 00:35:23,239 --> 00:35:25,279 Speaker 1: you'll just be around football all the time. It was. 602 00:35:25,400 --> 00:35:28,240 Speaker 1: It was a lot of fun and uh, it really 603 00:35:28,719 --> 00:35:30,680 Speaker 1: gave me a lot of experience at a young age 604 00:35:30,719 --> 00:35:33,360 Speaker 1: that you know, you can't replicate, and it's it was 605 00:35:34,080 --> 00:35:37,120 Speaker 1: so Yeah, I've really enjoyed being a coaches kid growing up. 606 00:35:37,400 --> 00:35:40,840 Speaker 1: Were any of the great quarterbacks that he coached especially 607 00:35:40,880 --> 00:35:42,919 Speaker 1: good to you when you were a little kid? Oh yeah, 608 00:35:43,320 --> 00:35:48,759 Speaker 1: Um yeah, all the guys in Philly, Donovan McNabb, Coy 609 00:35:48,840 --> 00:35:51,360 Speaker 1: dam or A. J. Feely when he was in Philly, 610 00:35:51,880 --> 00:35:58,400 Speaker 1: Sam Bradford and Saint Louis, who else she's uh called McCoy, 611 00:35:58,440 --> 00:36:01,520 Speaker 1: Brandon Weedon in Cleveland. I can't say that too loud 612 00:36:01,560 --> 00:36:04,160 Speaker 1: here being on the Bengals. But but you know a 613 00:36:04,200 --> 00:36:06,600 Speaker 1: lot of guys you know, and uh, you know, like 614 00:36:06,680 --> 00:36:08,640 Speaker 1: I said, it was, it was a privilege growing up 615 00:36:08,920 --> 00:36:12,080 Speaker 1: you know, around the game, around professionals, seeing how serious 616 00:36:12,120 --> 00:36:15,560 Speaker 1: but fun you know, Uh, this job, I guess is 617 00:36:15,880 --> 00:36:19,520 Speaker 1: and you know, so it's a privilege. Kyle. I appreciate 618 00:36:19,520 --> 00:36:21,400 Speaker 1: your time. Best of luck against the Bucks and throughout 619 00:36:21,440 --> 00:36:24,360 Speaker 1: the preseason. Thank you appreciate it. That's going to do 620 00:36:24,400 --> 00:36:26,879 Speaker 1: it for this episode of the Bengals Booth Podcast, brought 621 00:36:26,920 --> 00:36:30,440 Speaker 1: to you by Bud lights Seltzer, refreshed the game. If 622 00:36:30,480 --> 00:36:32,799 Speaker 1: you haven't done so already, please subscribe and if you 623 00:36:32,800 --> 00:36:34,400 Speaker 1: have a minute, give it a rating or share a 624 00:36:34,480 --> 00:36:38,680 Speaker 1: comment that helps more Bengals fans find this podcast. I'm 625 00:36:38,760 --> 00:36:41,520 Speaker 1: Dan Horde, and thank you for listening to The Bengals 626 00:36:41,560 --> 00:36:42,759 Speaker 1: Booth Podcast.