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Speaker 1: Remember that devastating injury for Aiden Hutchinson, that broken leg

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Speaker 1: that everyone, not just Lions fans, everyone was heartbroken about. Well,

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Speaker 1: great news from the Lions pass rusher as he gets

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Speaker 1: deep into the off season.

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Speaker 2: Program.

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Speaker 1: Will have that later for you. It's great news for

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Speaker 1: everybody except quarterbacks. Speaking of the guys who like to

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Speaker 1: tackle quarterbacks. Alex high Smith, Steelers pass rusher set to join.

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Speaker 2: Us later in the program. Always a great visit with him.

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Speaker 1: Maybe he knows if that guy who was just in

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Speaker 1: the backfield there, Aaron Rodgers, is going to grace us

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Speaker 1: with a decision too. We'll ask him about it, and

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Speaker 1: the Eagles say, yeah, keep pushing. I think I saw

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Speaker 1: that they're actually printing push on T shirts now, like

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Speaker 1: they're really taking this one pretty far, all the way

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Speaker 1: into the end zone, kind of like the touch push itself.

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Speaker 1: We'll have more on the PUSH's survival of a valiant

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Speaker 1: effort from the Packers and their friends to try to

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Speaker 1: ban it. Well, come inside with the insiders, Ian Rappaport,

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Speaker 1: Steve Weisch joining us later in the program. Brian Baldinger

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Speaker 1: will be along Michael f Florio for all your fantasy needs.

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Speaker 1: I mentioned Alex Heismith will be with us, and Tony Dungee,

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Speaker 1: the former Indianapolis Colts head coach, will be with us

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Speaker 1: to talk about the passing of Jim Ersay, which occurred

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Speaker 1: just a day ago with the Colts making that announcement

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Speaker 1: a surprise to many folks in the NFL world, despite

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Speaker 1: the fact that Ersi Ersay, excuse me, had been dealing

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Speaker 1: with some health issues. Ian, let's go to you on

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Speaker 1: this one. Ian, your thoughts. I know you weren't on

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Speaker 1: the program yesterday. Your thoughts on Jim Ersay passing away.

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Speaker 1: I know we have had plenty of interactions with this guy,

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Speaker 1: one of the more unique personalities in the NFL.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, there are two major things that come to my

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Speaker 3: mind about Jim Irsay And you're right, certainly unique individual.

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Speaker 3: Talk to people in the Colts building as I did today.

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Speaker 3: I mean, of all the things they talk about, it's

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Speaker 3: just how well he treated everyone, not just the star players,

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Speaker 3: or not just the coaches or coordinators, really everyone all

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Speaker 3: the way down the line. Just treated people, just treated

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Speaker 3: people the right way, but certainly had a different way

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Speaker 3: as an owner. Right, And what stands out to me

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Speaker 3: talking about owners meetings Obviously this broke when the Minnesota

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Speaker 3: owners meetings that Spring meetings were happening yesterday. The memory

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Speaker 3: I have is when there was all the stuff swirling

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Speaker 3: about Dan Snyder and all the lawsuits and all the allegations,

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Speaker 3: and we were all wondering about how long was Dan

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Speaker 3: Snyder going to be the owner of the Washington franchise.

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Speaker 3: And Jim Mercy was the first owner to put himself

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Speaker 3: out there and say there is merit to removing Dan Snyder.

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Speaker 3: I couldn't believe it when he said it. He was

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Speaker 3: very serious, He knew what would come with it, knew

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Speaker 3: what the blowback would be. Said it anyway proved to

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Speaker 3: be one of the more valuable and important things an

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Speaker 3: owner has said in recent times. Then the other thing

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Speaker 3: that comes to my mind twenty sixteen. This seems like

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Speaker 3: ancient history, but Chuck Pegano and Mark Grigson were a

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Speaker 3: little bit at odds the franchise were not going in

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Speaker 3: the right direction, and we all had been talking about, well,

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Speaker 3: obviously Ersay is going to fire them, either one or

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Speaker 3: both or this cannot be right. We just assumed, as

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Speaker 3: every owner does, it's not working, just fire instead. Ers

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Speaker 3: sat down, both men at like a midnight little meeting

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Speaker 3: and got their heads together, got them to work together,

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Speaker 3: and really made it all work. And it was That's

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Speaker 3: not what every owner would have done. Believe me. Firing

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Speaker 3: was much easier, much easier. Getting those minds to come

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Speaker 3: together and make sense of the thing and just work

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Speaker 3: together in the right direction was pretty cool, honestly, And

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Speaker 3: it was very very Jim Orsay.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, and he is.

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Speaker 5: He was definitely one of most unique people, especially when

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Speaker 5: it comes to owners, that any of us have ever

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Speaker 5: dealt with. He was He was his own person and

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Speaker 5: developed his own legacy. You can see just all of

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Speaker 5: the comments so many people who've dealt with him over

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Speaker 5: the years have put on social media or whatever. But

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Speaker 5: there's no greater legacy you can have as a parent

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Speaker 5: than your children. And while we're still mourning the loss

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Speaker 5: of Jim Ursay, a succession plan has been somewhat been

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Speaker 5: established over the years, although nothing's been made official, where

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Speaker 5: his three daughters, Carly, Casey, and Kaylin, who are all

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Speaker 5: part owners, will share ownership of this team. Everybody expects Carly,

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Speaker 5: his oldest daughter, to really be the lead in the

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Speaker 5: front of the face of this organization. She's represented Ursay,

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Speaker 5: She's been to league meetings with him on several occasions,

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Speaker 5: been very front forward with the organization. So his daughters

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Speaker 5: again will likely share ownership, but again Carly the oldest

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Speaker 5: daughter and.

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Speaker 2: Likely will take the lead.

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Speaker 5: And she's got some big and interesting shoes to fill

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Speaker 5: and those are of her father.

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Speaker 1: Car the Airs Gordon ran the franchise when her father

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Speaker 1: was suspense he had been going through treatment in the past.

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Speaker 1: So she does have the experience of being in that seat,

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Speaker 1: of being in that owner's chair, and does have the

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Speaker 1: respect of.

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Speaker 2: Many in the building as well as those around the.

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Speaker 1: NFL for the numerous initiatives that she has been a

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Speaker 1: part of as well. So the Colts very much in

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Speaker 1: good hands and very much a part of the plan

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Speaker 1: that Jim Ersay had all along to pass the team

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Speaker 1: over to his daughters, maybe a little sooner than he

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Speaker 1: and many expected.

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Speaker 2: One of those folks being Anthony.

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Speaker 1: Richardson, the current quarterbacker buying for the starting quarterback job

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Speaker 1: with the Colts. Right there you see his post on

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Speaker 1: social media, rest easy, Big Guy on his Instagram story.

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Speaker 1: And then there's Andrew Luck releasing a statement about him

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Speaker 1: being sat by the passing of Jim Ersay and how

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Speaker 1: much Luck knows that he loved and cared deeply for

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Speaker 1: the players, the fans, the Colts organization. We've heard that

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Speaker 1: repeatedly from folks, and I'm sure we're going to hear

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Speaker 1: that from Tony Dundee later in the program we have

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Speaker 1: him on to talk about his experience playing or coaching

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Speaker 1: for and being a part of the Colt's organization with

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Speaker 1: Jim Ersay as owner. There was NFL business that was

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Speaker 1: conducted yesterday at a meeting of the owners in Minnesota

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Speaker 1: with regard to the Tush push Ian and the fact

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Speaker 1: that the Packers had proposed, initially earlier in this offseason

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Speaker 1: to ban it. The conversation was kicked down the road

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Speaker 1: at the March meeting and a lot of folks thought,

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Speaker 1: here it comes, Tush push about to be banned. However,

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Speaker 1: only twenty two votes. I say only he needed twenty

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Speaker 1: four to make the change. Rich McKaley, head of the

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Speaker 1: Competition Committee, saying that it's good that the threshold is

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Speaker 1: so high to make some changes didn't quite get there.

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Speaker 1: Toush Push remains legal Ian push on say the.

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Speaker 3: Eagles, Oh yeah, the Eagles are saying that they are

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Speaker 3: pushing on with tweets and with merchandise and all sorts

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Speaker 3: of stuff to kind of champion their cause. And that

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Speaker 3: really is what it's becoming. If you know anything about

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Speaker 3: Nick Sirianni, I wouldn't be surprised if he does as

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Speaker 3: a bunch this year, even more than he originally planned,

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Speaker 3: if only to show people that they're just going to

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Speaker 3: keep doing it. But you're right, it was a little

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Speaker 3: bit of a surprise thing. Most people I spoke with

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Speaker 3: believe that once the NFL got behind it, once the

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Speaker 3: Competition Committee got behind it, once the health and safety

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Speaker 3: people at the NFL got behind it, that this was

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Speaker 3: certainly going to go go away. Right, They come up

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Speaker 3: with different language and makes sense. So it's not just

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Speaker 3: your banning one play. This was all set to be banned,

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Speaker 3: to be removed. Everyone would else would go on their

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Speaker 3: married way. They just didn't have the votes, And you know,

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Speaker 3: certainly there's some disappointment, right, but stee, they just didn't

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Speaker 3: have the votes. And this is what it should be.

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Speaker 3: It should be if you were going to make a

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Speaker 3: significant step like banning a big time play that you know,

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Speaker 3: led the egos to a bunch of touchdowns, it should

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Speaker 3: be nearly unanimous. This was highly contested and it was

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Speaker 3: not unanimous by a long shot. Now, at least this

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Speaker 3: year it sticks. We'll see about next year.

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Speaker 4: Yeah.

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Speaker 5: What's interesting is when we were at the league meetings

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Speaker 5: earlier this year, it was mainly the coaches who had

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Speaker 5: the big opinions on this. Hey, we shouldn't punish a

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Speaker 5: team first doing something well, or we don't like this

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Speaker 5: play doesn't belong in football. And this really seems like

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Speaker 5: a time when the owners listen to their coaches. A

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Speaker 5: lot of times they don't do that and they just

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Speaker 5: set policy based on what they discussed in the room.

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Speaker 5: And as we know that Eagles owner Jeffy Lury gave

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Speaker 5: an impassioned plea to his owner saying, look, this is

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Speaker 5: part of a game that we've been able to do well.

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Speaker 5: You guys can copy it. It's out there for you guys.

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Speaker 2: To do it.

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Speaker 5: Some of you guys just don't do it as good

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Speaker 5: as us, so don't punish us before then. And of

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Speaker 5: course Jason Kelsey, the center who was part of the

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Speaker 5: touch push for years, he was in that meeting as well.

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Speaker 5: But the fact that the Eagles were successful with this,

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Speaker 5: to me and he said, we'll see if we revisit this.

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Speaker 5: I think the only way this gets revisited is if

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Speaker 5: a significant injury happens, which is what people were predicting. Hey,

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Speaker 5: let's get ahead of this before one does happen, even

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Speaker 5: though there's been no evidence or history of a significant

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Speaker 5: injury happening because of this play.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, I think it's a If there's an injury on

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Speaker 1: this play this upcoming season, I think it's pretty clear

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Speaker 1: you get the two more votes that you need to

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Speaker 1: get it banned.

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Speaker 2: If there's not, does it swing back in the other direction?

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Speaker 1: Does it go from twenty two down to twenty eighteen

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Speaker 1: or even lower?

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Speaker 2: And people say, you know what, it's a safe play.

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Speaker 2: It doesn't look like a football play.

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Speaker 1: But frankly, who cares what Ian Rappaport thinks about the play.

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Speaker 1: If it's successful, let the Eagles and everybody continue to

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Speaker 1: run the play. I love you, and I really love

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Speaker 1: the fact that the play is still in there and

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Speaker 1: we could talk about this for another year.

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Speaker 2: And I love the fact that Aiden Hutchinson is back.

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Speaker 1: Look at this guy, I mean, this guy had a

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Speaker 1: terrible broken leg suffered too early last season. Says he's

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Speaker 1: fully clear now and given the green light to resume

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Speaker 1: all football activities.

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Speaker 2: That is great news.

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Speaker 6: Aiden Hudginson, I got cleared a while back, and now

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Speaker 6: I'm just I'm wrong with the boys now and it

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Speaker 6: feels like it feels like I'm back to being myself again.

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Speaker 6: And yeah, I'm really looking forward to the season. I'm

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Speaker 6: looking forward to I mean, I think this is the

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Speaker 6: most excited I've been for OTAs in my life. This

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Speaker 6: is the biggest hiatus I've had without playing ball. So

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Speaker 6: I am, I'm pumped.

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Speaker 2: Brian Baldinger is pumped.

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Speaker 1: He loves himself some Aidan Hutchinson. The folks in Detroit

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Speaker 1: are pumped. That was a devastating injury. They had so

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Speaker 1: many injuries last year that you wonder how much did

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Speaker 1: that one in particular, certainly more than some other ones,

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Speaker 1: but how much did that one in particular really stop

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Speaker 1: them from getting to the promised land of the super Bowl?

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Speaker 2: And how much is having him back gonna help?

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Speaker 1: So ian talking about Aiden Hutchinson in his return, what

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Speaker 1: does it mean for him, for the Lions forever, for everybody.

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Speaker 3: Well, let's talk about specifically Aiden Hutchinson being cleared for

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Speaker 3: full activities a significant piece of news for the Lions because, look,

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Speaker 3: you thought he would make a full recovery, but you

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Speaker 3: never really know, right, So, Okay, he's made a full recovery.

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Speaker 3: That's very good news football wise. Contractually, it's excellent, excellent

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Speaker 3: news for Aiden Hutchinson because it's not like the Lions

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Speaker 3: did think that he was going to recover properly. They

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Speaker 3: believed he would. They believed you back to full strength.

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Speaker 3: They had full confidence in that. You're not going to

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Speaker 3: make someone among the highest paid edge rushers in the

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Speaker 3: NFL without some certainty. So it does seem like while

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Speaker 3: there had been some talk, some discussion, it seemed like

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Speaker 3: the Lions kind of moved to pay him, was waiting

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Speaker 3: until he got fully cleared. Now he is, so now

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Speaker 3: they can really kickstart the conversations, really, you know, have

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Speaker 3: those discussions about making him one of the highest paid

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Speaker 3: edge rushers in the NFL. We'll see where it ends

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Speaker 3: up landing with Miles Garrett and all of those guys.

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Speaker 3: There's a couple other edges you need to get paid,

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Speaker 3: but probably wasn't gonna happen unless he was cleared. Now

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Speaker 3: he is, and it's time to give this guy all

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Speaker 3: of the money that he deserves, which is a lot

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Speaker 3: of it. Maldi.

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Speaker 7: Well, you know this is we're of the star business.

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Speaker 7: The stars win games. Aiden Hutchinson is a star, and

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Speaker 7: they missed him. In fact, in only the five games

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Speaker 7: he'd played in only five games, he still led the

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Speaker 7: team in sacks a year ago, way more than just SAPs.

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Speaker 7: I mean, he lines up inside, outside, He's intercepted Aaron

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Speaker 7: Rodgers in the end zone, he could drop into coverage.

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Speaker 7: This was not a good defensive team down the stretch.

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Speaker 7: They gave up forty eight points and a home loss

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Speaker 7: to Buffalo. In December, they gave up forty five points

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Speaker 7: to the Commanders and a playoff loss at home in

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Speaker 7: the play and that was devastating. And they missed basically

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Speaker 7: the guy that is the heart and soul of this defense.

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Speaker 7: And it starts, it always starts up front. And so

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Speaker 7: getting him back, watching him run there, you know, if

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Speaker 7: the practice facility is really I mean, it's got to

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Speaker 7: be great feeling for him personally, but for any Lion

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Speaker 7: fan out there, and any teammate and every coach that

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Speaker 7: has to now replace you know, Aaron Glanders, defensive coordinator,

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Speaker 7: defensive line coaches that have moved on. It is a

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Speaker 7: great feeling watching him run so freely like that for

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Speaker 7: every Lion fan right now.

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Speaker 1: And you talked about the contracts for the edge rushers,

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Speaker 1: Miles Garrett leading the way at forty million, but we've

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Speaker 1: got TJ. Watts still to be still to be done

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Speaker 1: with the Steelers, so Aiden Hutchinson's going to be looking

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Speaker 1: to push that number even higher. He's about to be

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Speaker 1: a very very rich man being cleared. Good for him financially,

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Speaker 1: great for the Lions from a football perspective. Thank you

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Speaker 1: both for your insight, the Colts and the NFL community.

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Speaker 1: Remembering Jim Ersay, who passed away yesterday at the age

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Speaker 1: of sixty five. A sudden development, despite the fact that

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Speaker 1: Ersay had experienced some health issues in the last couple

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Speaker 1: of years, but certainly one that caught a lot of

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Speaker 1: folks by surprise. So we have been collecting and sharing

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Speaker 1: memories of Ersay for over a day now. Lucas Oil Stadium, Yeah,

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Speaker 1: that's the house that Peyton built, but Jim Ersay was

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Speaker 1: the architect. Jim Irsay, the architect of the Eric Dickerson

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Speaker 1: trade so many years ago, and the Colts drafting Peyton Manning,

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Speaker 1: as well as hiring a number of influential head coaches.

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Speaker 1: And I know one is stand by right now listening

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Speaker 1: to me. Say that is going to join us momentarily.

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Speaker 1: Here's the Pro Football Hall of Fame. So sadden to

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Speaker 1: hear about the passing of Jim Ersa. Jim took ownership

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Speaker 1: of the Colts in ninety seven, I found the passing

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Speaker 1: of his father. Since taking this role, he led the

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Speaker 1: team through several divisional titles, franchise second Super Bowl championships.

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Speaker 1: Our thoughts are with his family in the entire Cults organization.

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Speaker 1: During this difficult time, plenty of Hall of Famers came

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Speaker 1: through that Indianapolis organization, including this one right here, Tony

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Speaker 1: Dungee joining us here on the insiders. Tony, we appreciate

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Speaker 1: your time, and a lot of folks have wanted to

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Speaker 1: hear from you in the wake of the passing of Jim, irsay,

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Speaker 1: because you work so closely alongside him from two thousand

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Speaker 1: and two to two thousand and eight. So our condolences

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Speaker 1: to you and just your overall thoughts when you heard

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Speaker 1: this news yesterday of the passing of one of the

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Speaker 1: NFL's most unique personalities.

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Speaker 8: No, it was just devastating to me because Jim and

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Speaker 8: I just shared a special relationship. He called me in

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Speaker 8: two thousand and two in January after I got let

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Speaker 8: go by the Bucks and really just said, Tony, you're

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Speaker 8: the guy that I want to coach our team. And

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Speaker 8: he shared with me his dream and his vision for

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Speaker 8: the team, and it was just what I was looking for.

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Speaker 8: He said, we haven't been here a long time, we

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Speaker 8: don't have a seventy five or eighty year history like

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Speaker 8: some of the other franchises. We've got to connect with

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Speaker 8: our fan base. We've got to make Indianapolis feel like

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Speaker 8: we're their team. And I want to do it the

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Speaker 8: right way with the right kind of guys. We want

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Speaker 8: good role models. We were going to win, but we

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Speaker 8: want to do it the right way. And I'm on

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Speaker 8: the phone right here where I'm sitting in my office

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Speaker 8: here in Tampa and listening to him, and he got

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Speaker 8: me with that, Okay, that's what I want to do too.

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Speaker 4: Let's do this together.

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Speaker 8: And it was a deal made over the phone just

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Speaker 8: like that.

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Speaker 4: And what we're saying here, getting.

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Speaker 8: The AFC Championship trophy and the Super Bowl trophy, I'll

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Speaker 8: never forget talking to him and saying, Jim, this is

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Speaker 8: what you talked about, this was your this is your vision,

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Speaker 8: and we did it.

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Speaker 4: And that's to me what made him special.

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Speaker 8: Yes he wanted to have a good team, Yes we

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Speaker 8: wanted to win, but he was family all the way.

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Speaker 5: Tony to kind of dovetail off of that, what was

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Speaker 5: your perception of him before that phone call, and then

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Speaker 5: what was your perception of him after you decided to

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Speaker 5: retire or even after that.

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Speaker 8: No, before before that phone call, my perception of the

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Speaker 8: Colts was, well, this is the franchise John Elway didn't

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Speaker 8: want to play for.

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Speaker 4: This is the franchise that moved.

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Speaker 8: This is the quirky guy that I see around sometime.

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Speaker 8: Didn't have a great impression of them. But after we

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Speaker 8: were on the phone about forty five minutes and after

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Speaker 8: that call, I said, man, I think very differently. And

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Speaker 8: then after I got there and started working there and

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Speaker 8: was around him every day to see really what he

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Speaker 8: wanted and to see his heart, and then to see

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Speaker 8: some of the things that he did Steve in the

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Speaker 8: background that nobody knew about the kids that he would

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Speaker 8: bring by the facility, that hey, this young man just

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Speaker 8: lost his dad in a car accident. I want you

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Speaker 8: guys to welcome him and take care of him. This

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Speaker 8: young lady's sick and she's going through some tough time.

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Speaker 8: Let her know that the Colts care. He did that

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Speaker 8: all the time, without ever anyone noticing, taking care of

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Speaker 8: players and players' families and solving problems for them, and

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Speaker 8: just making us really one big unit. That was his dream,

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Speaker 8: that was his vision, And I had a much different

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Speaker 8: perception after being around him for six months than I

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Speaker 8: did in all the time leading up to that.

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Speaker 1: Tony, We've been running our little bit on Jim Rrisay

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Speaker 1: since last night and on our shows throughout this morning

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Speaker 1: as well. And in that clip he says, I want

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Speaker 1: the players to know when they get there on Sunday.

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Speaker 1: I'm paraphrasing, but he said that I did everything I

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Speaker 1: possibly could to put them in a position to win.

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Speaker 2: Repeat that back to you.

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Speaker 1: What do you think of as far as what he

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Speaker 1: did as an owner, whether it was financially or whatever

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Speaker 1: he needed to do to set you guys up to win.

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Speaker 4: He absolutely did. His door was wide open.

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Speaker 8: Any player could come in and talk to him about

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Speaker 8: anything at any time.

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Speaker 4: They all knew that, and they took advantage of it.

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Speaker 8: One of the best examples we played a game out

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Speaker 8: in Seattle, a preseason game, and they had the new

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Speaker 8: field turf and our guys played on it, and they

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Speaker 8: went to them and said, man, this turf is so

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Speaker 8: much softer, it's so much better than.

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Speaker 4: What we had. He took out the astro turf at.

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Speaker 8: The RCA Dome, took out the AstroTurf at our facility

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Speaker 8: and put it in because the players wanted it. And

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Speaker 8: that's the way he was about it everything. If you

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Speaker 8: guys wanted, if you guys need it, and it's going

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Speaker 8: to help us, we'll get it done some way, somehow.

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Speaker 5: Tony, We've all had interesting discussions with Jim.

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Speaker 2: Like we've talked about, he was a quirky guy. He

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Speaker 2: was a different guy.

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Speaker 5: Did he ever with everything he went through and we're

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Speaker 5: always talking about what he did for others? Did he

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Speaker 5: ever seek your counsel or the counsel of others to

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Speaker 5: maybe get him through a difficult time or a difficult decision.

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Speaker 8: He always talked to me about, you know, how I

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Speaker 8: had helped him, and just my faith and my personality

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Speaker 8: and just saying, hey, let's relax and ride this out.

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Speaker 4: We're going to get through it.

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Speaker 8: We had some conversation at times, but he was just

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Speaker 8: so special and so caring and some of the things

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Speaker 8: that he went through he wanted to.

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Speaker 4: Make sure that other people didn't go through. And boy,

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Speaker 4: he was great.

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Speaker 8: At that, providing the type of mentoring and you know,

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Speaker 8: everything that we needed with the cult when I.

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Speaker 1: Was there, he had that huge rock and roll collection,

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Speaker 1: and we know about his passion for music. How much

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Speaker 1: of that did you encounter when he was the owner

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Speaker 1: and he's telling you stories or maybe a showing some memorabilia,

401
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Speaker 1: what or remember about that part of j Mersay.

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Speaker 8: I got to say every now and then he would,

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Speaker 8: you know, call me up and say come down to

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Speaker 8: the office.

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Speaker 4: I've got something to show you.

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Speaker 8: I know what it was gonna be, But that was

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Speaker 8: his passion and what that taught me that you can

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Speaker 8: have things in life that you really care about and

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Speaker 8: there's nothing wrong with that and pursue it. And he

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Speaker 8: was special that way, no doubt about it.

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Speaker 9: Tony.

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Speaker 5: You've got in the Pro Football Hall of Fame shirt.

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Speaker 5: We saw a picture on a social media post before

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Speaker 5: we came into the segment not included on. There was

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Speaker 5: also Bill Polling and Dwight Freeney. I mean six six

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Speaker 5: people from the time that you all were together there

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Speaker 5: with the Colts. What did it mean to Jim to

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Speaker 5: not only have a Super Bowl championship, but so many

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Speaker 5: people who he hired and brought along the way are

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Speaker 5: now entrned and can't forever.

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Speaker 8: I think it was a good feeling for him that

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Speaker 8: he was picking good people and that we had success.

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Speaker 4: And I think one of the things.

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Speaker 8: That that points out that picture was Vegeran's induction and

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Speaker 8: James picked Jim Mercy to be his presenter.

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Speaker 4: Now, how many Steve have you been around a long time?

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Speaker 8: How many players picked their owner to present them?

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Speaker 4: It doesn't happen.

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Speaker 8: But that's the kind of relationship he had with all

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Speaker 8: of his players, and that I think that tells you

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Speaker 8: a lot about Jim Mercy.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, he's got Dwight.

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Speaker 5: Dwight Freeny had him as well. We're seeing it right here,

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Speaker 5: the unveilance of Dwight's bust.

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Speaker 8: Yeah, absolutely, And you know that that just is unique.

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Speaker 8: But it just demonstrates how Jim was his open door

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Speaker 8: policy and how those players felt about it and they

438
00:21:37,680 --> 00:21:39,959
Speaker 8: wanted to win for him, there's no question about it.

439
00:21:40,160 --> 00:21:43,760
Speaker 8: And he wanted to win for the city. Yes, he

440
00:21:44,119 --> 00:21:46,280
Speaker 8: took some personal satisfaction, I'm sure.

441
00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:46,480
Speaker 4: But.

442
00:21:48,040 --> 00:21:51,080
Speaker 8: Again, I remember when we had that parade and we're

443
00:21:51,119 --> 00:21:54,159
Speaker 8: back at the stadium after the game and we're sitting

444
00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:57,800
Speaker 8: around and he's looking this was a victory for Indianapolis,

445
00:21:57,840 --> 00:22:00,600
Speaker 8: for the state of Indiana, for our people, And that's

446
00:22:00,680 --> 00:22:01,480
Speaker 8: what I remember.

447
00:22:02,760 --> 00:22:05,800
Speaker 2: You know, they're showing that. We showed a couple of times.

448
00:22:05,880 --> 00:22:08,560
Speaker 1: Jim Rsey covered in rain here on the on the

449
00:22:08,600 --> 00:22:11,840
Speaker 1: stage while he's accepting the Lombardi Trophy, because you remember

450
00:22:11,840 --> 00:22:12,679
Speaker 1: that Super Bowl there was.

451
00:22:12,720 --> 00:22:14,680
Speaker 2: The rain, and listen, I talked about his love for

452
00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:15,320
Speaker 2: rock and roll.

453
00:22:15,440 --> 00:22:18,600
Speaker 1: It's the greatest halftime show with Prince singing Purple Rain.

454
00:22:18,840 --> 00:22:20,919
Speaker 4: In the rain, eating it up. He had to be

455
00:22:20,960 --> 00:22:21,680
Speaker 4: eating it up.

456
00:22:22,520 --> 00:22:25,320
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, maybe you're making halftime adjustments. He's out there

457
00:22:25,320 --> 00:22:26,760
Speaker 1: devouring that.

458
00:22:26,320 --> 00:22:27,200
Speaker 2: That halftime show.

459
00:22:27,600 --> 00:22:30,800
Speaker 1: But that moment handing him, when he got handed the

460
00:22:30,840 --> 00:22:33,840
Speaker 1: trophy with the rain, Did you think about that over

461
00:22:33,880 --> 00:22:35,840
Speaker 1: the last day or so and what that meant?

462
00:22:36,560 --> 00:22:39,320
Speaker 8: I absolutely have, because you know, again on that first

463
00:22:39,359 --> 00:22:41,360
Speaker 8: phone call, Hey, we want to win, but we want

464
00:22:41,359 --> 00:22:43,520
Speaker 8: to win the right way one to win with the

465
00:22:43,600 --> 00:22:46,560
Speaker 8: right type of people, with good role models, great role models.

466
00:22:46,560 --> 00:22:49,480
Speaker 8: As a matter of fact, we want to create a

467
00:22:49,560 --> 00:22:52,240
Speaker 8: team that the city of Indianapolis can be proud of.

468
00:22:52,320 --> 00:22:56,240
Speaker 8: And I remember telling him, Jim, we did exactly what

469
00:22:56,320 --> 00:22:59,120
Speaker 8: you talked about. This is a team that the Colts

470
00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:02,119
Speaker 8: have put out there that the city is going to

471
00:23:02,200 --> 00:23:02,720
Speaker 8: be proud of.

472
00:23:03,200 --> 00:23:05,080
Speaker 4: And I remember hugging him.

473
00:23:04,920 --> 00:23:07,560
Speaker 8: And just just being so grateful that I was able

474
00:23:07,600 --> 00:23:10,720
Speaker 8: to be part of bringing his dream to reality.

475
00:23:11,640 --> 00:23:14,359
Speaker 1: Yep, what a great night for Indianapolis, for you, for

476
00:23:14,440 --> 00:23:17,320
Speaker 1: Jim Ersay, despite the fact that you kicked it to

477
00:23:17,359 --> 00:23:20,040
Speaker 1: Devin Hester, I've talked about you that before.

478
00:23:19,720 --> 00:23:22,280
Speaker 2: With you, I know that that was the one that inspired.

479
00:23:21,960 --> 00:23:30,920
Speaker 10: Me on the spot coming out and right there, that

480
00:23:31,119 --> 00:23:34,439
Speaker 10: is the patience of Jim Ersay, a terrific owner and

481
00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:36,560
Speaker 10: a terrific gentleman and a terrific boss.

482
00:23:36,600 --> 00:23:39,359
Speaker 1: For the likes of you, the coaches, the employees, the

483
00:23:39,359 --> 00:23:41,520
Speaker 1: players who have been through the organization, we wish you

484
00:23:41,640 --> 00:23:46,040
Speaker 1: all condolences and peace in the memory of Jim Ersa.

485
00:23:46,119 --> 00:23:48,520
Speaker 1: Tony Dungee, we appreciate your time joining us here on

486
00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:50,080
Speaker 1: the Insiders.

487
00:23:49,720 --> 00:23:51,919
Speaker 8: Well, thank you so much. Very sad day for the

488
00:23:51,960 --> 00:23:55,240
Speaker 8: Coles family. But I think back to the seven years

489
00:23:55,280 --> 00:23:57,919
Speaker 8: I spent working there. Couldn't have worked for a better owner.

490
00:23:57,960 --> 00:24:01,800
Speaker 8: And I loved him and I missed him already very well.

491
00:24:01,680 --> 00:24:04,280
Speaker 1: Said thank you, Tony Dongee.

492
00:24:05,280 --> 00:24:06,480
Speaker 2: That's how you remember someone.

493
00:24:06,560 --> 00:24:09,800
Speaker 1: Thank you so much, Tony Dungee for your insight and

494
00:24:09,840 --> 00:24:10,800
Speaker 1: your memories there.

495
00:24:11,560 --> 00:24:12,960
Speaker 2: We'll be back after the break on the.

496
00:24:12,880 --> 00:24:17,720
Speaker 1: Insiders talking about Ben Johnson his impact on Caleb Williams.

497
00:24:17,720 --> 00:24:19,359
Speaker 2: Baldy's got some thoughts. That's next.

498
00:24:28,080 --> 00:24:29,000
Speaker 9: The wait is over and.

499
00:24:28,960 --> 00:24:31,760
Speaker 1: The countdown the kickoff has begun. Single game tickets for

500
00:24:31,800 --> 00:24:34,040
Speaker 1: the twenty twenty five NFL season.

501
00:24:33,720 --> 00:24:35,120
Speaker 2: Are on sale now.

502
00:24:35,240 --> 00:24:39,440
Speaker 1: Visit NFL dot com slash tickets to purchase tickets today.

503
00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:43,639
Speaker 1: Tickets are available through the NFL ticket network, including Ticketmaster,

504
00:24:44,040 --> 00:24:47,000
Speaker 1: see geek and supports illustrated tickets. I just set a

505
00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:50,080
Speaker 1: record for saying the word tickets the most times in

506
00:24:50,359 --> 00:24:54,840
Speaker 1: thirty seconds. New today we had this one show Murphy Bunting.

507
00:24:54,920 --> 00:24:57,199
Speaker 1: Unclear exactly what's going on here, but place in the

508
00:24:57,240 --> 00:25:00,760
Speaker 1: reserve non football injury list. The veteran cornerback by the Cardinals.

509
00:25:00,760 --> 00:25:04,359
Speaker 1: His twenty twenty five season is over. Meanwhile, the career

510
00:25:04,440 --> 00:25:09,040
Speaker 1: is getting started for Abdua Carter. The Giants pick at

511
00:25:09,119 --> 00:25:11,600
Speaker 1: number three overall, one of their two first rounders, four

512
00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:14,199
Speaker 1: year deal that is done, as well as Derek Harmon,

513
00:25:14,680 --> 00:25:18,240
Speaker 1: the Steelers defensive lineman. We will talk to Alex Heighsmith

514
00:25:18,320 --> 00:25:20,840
Speaker 1: later in the show, and Derek Harmon is probably going

515
00:25:20,920 --> 00:25:22,720
Speaker 1: to be buying them dinner one of these days because

516
00:25:22,720 --> 00:25:23,680
Speaker 1: of that contract that.

517
00:25:23,680 --> 00:25:25,520
Speaker 2: He signed right there.

518
00:25:26,760 --> 00:25:30,000
Speaker 1: Meanwhile, Ben Johnson, there's a story that came out Seth

519
00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:33,000
Speaker 1: Wickersham of ESPN reporting that Caleb Williams didn't want to

520
00:25:33,040 --> 00:25:35,720
Speaker 1: go to Chicago. Well, Ben Johnson wasn't there at the time.

521
00:25:36,240 --> 00:25:40,160
Speaker 1: So here's Ben Johnson, the accomplished offensive coordinator now head

522
00:25:40,200 --> 00:25:43,000
Speaker 1: coach of the Bears, with a chance to change the narrative.

523
00:25:44,760 --> 00:25:46,280
Speaker 9: I love it. I love it.

524
00:25:46,400 --> 00:25:49,560
Speaker 11: I love the opportunity to come on in and change

525
00:25:49,560 --> 00:25:52,600
Speaker 11: that narrative. That's where great stories are written, and so

526
00:25:52,800 --> 00:25:55,520
Speaker 11: we're looking to write a new chapter here twenty twenty

527
00:25:55,520 --> 00:25:58,359
Speaker 11: five Chicago Bears and looking forward to the future.

528
00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:00,840
Speaker 2: I involving a in with us.

529
00:26:00,840 --> 00:26:04,040
Speaker 1: This is a fascinating pairing because Shane Waldron, from the

530
00:26:04,080 --> 00:26:07,400
Speaker 1: reporting that's out there, was very hands off as offensive coordinator.

531
00:26:07,440 --> 00:26:09,200
Speaker 2: Cayleb was watching film on his own.

532
00:26:10,080 --> 00:26:13,160
Speaker 1: It is not a hands off head coach offensive coordinator.

533
00:26:13,240 --> 00:26:16,080
Speaker 1: Now that you've got Ben Johnson, so I'm fascinated to

534
00:26:16,080 --> 00:26:18,320
Speaker 1: see how this is going to work and how Johnson

535
00:26:18,359 --> 00:26:19,320
Speaker 1: can change the narrative.

536
00:26:19,359 --> 00:26:21,960
Speaker 7: Baldy Well, I mean, you would look at one stat

537
00:26:22,040 --> 00:26:23,560
Speaker 7: at the end of the year here, Mike, and just

538
00:26:23,680 --> 00:26:26,240
Speaker 7: you know, the Bears have never had a four thousand

539
00:26:26,320 --> 00:26:30,159
Speaker 7: yard passer ever. Caleb could become the first guy. I mean,

540
00:26:30,160 --> 00:26:33,720
Speaker 7: that'd be a benchmark that would be worth starting with.

541
00:26:33,840 --> 00:26:36,560
Speaker 7: I mean, he just coached Jared Goff to three straight

542
00:26:36,640 --> 00:26:40,159
Speaker 7: years of over forty four hundred yards and then he

543
00:26:40,280 --> 00:26:43,200
Speaker 7: protected Jared gott very well.

544
00:26:43,119 --> 00:26:44,000
Speaker 4: By running the ball.

545
00:26:44,240 --> 00:26:47,480
Speaker 7: The improvement of the offensive line Caleb was sacked sixty

546
00:26:47,480 --> 00:26:49,520
Speaker 7: eight times to most of the league last year. Like

547
00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:53,639
Speaker 7: protecting the quarterback, getting the best out of him, upgrading

548
00:26:53,680 --> 00:26:57,360
Speaker 7: the offensive line. They've now got competition on the offensive line.

549
00:26:57,720 --> 00:26:59,680
Speaker 7: You go out, you get yourself the number one tight

550
00:26:59,800 --> 00:27:02,000
Speaker 7: end in your mind, you will out. You get yourself.

551
00:27:02,280 --> 00:27:04,240
Speaker 7: You know, Luther Burden in the slot. I mean, have

552
00:27:04,320 --> 00:27:06,720
Speaker 7: done everything they can do right now to really help

553
00:27:06,800 --> 00:27:09,880
Speaker 7: Caleb Williams. Now comes down to coach. Now comes down

554
00:27:09,920 --> 00:27:14,879
Speaker 7: to implementing the system, understanding the reeds, understanding how you

555
00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:16,679
Speaker 7: have to take care of the football, where to go

556
00:27:16,720 --> 00:27:19,639
Speaker 7: with the football. And I've been around Tailed since he

557
00:27:19,720 --> 00:27:22,720
Speaker 7: was at Gonzaga High School in Washington, DC. He's a

558
00:27:22,760 --> 00:27:27,200
Speaker 7: smart player. He understands scheme, he understands defenses. I think

559
00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:30,000
Speaker 7: you pair him in that room, in that film room

560
00:27:30,400 --> 00:27:33,360
Speaker 7: and they're studying together. I got to believe that we're

561
00:27:33,400 --> 00:27:37,000
Speaker 7: going to get a successful quarterback from cayleerb Williams match

562
00:27:37,040 --> 00:27:38,760
Speaker 7: with Ben Johnson this season.

563
00:27:39,800 --> 00:27:44,840
Speaker 1: With his ability and with Johnson's ability to look at

564
00:27:44,840 --> 00:27:48,200
Speaker 1: the field, look at schemes, look at defenses, and find

565
00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:49,040
Speaker 1: ways to attack.

566
00:27:49,640 --> 00:27:52,040
Speaker 2: This can be unlimited in a lot of ways.

567
00:27:52,520 --> 00:27:55,760
Speaker 1: If he can tap into that potential and get Caleb

568
00:27:55,800 --> 00:27:57,600
Speaker 1: Williams moving in the right direction, have the coach in

569
00:27:57,640 --> 00:28:01,199
Speaker 1: the quarterback on the same page this upcoming season, Baldy,

570
00:28:01,480 --> 00:28:02,360
Speaker 1: thank you very much.

571
00:28:05,359 --> 00:28:08,520
Speaker 12: Jones back to pass Jones in trouble and Jones is

572
00:28:08,520 --> 00:28:11,800
Speaker 12: going to be taken down. It is high Smith who

573
00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:15,520
Speaker 12: circled the wagons and got Jones to the ground, gets

574
00:28:15,520 --> 00:28:18,879
Speaker 12: a snap back to pass, steps up trouble and down

575
00:28:18,920 --> 00:28:21,720
Speaker 12: he goes in high Smith credit with his sack play

576
00:28:21,760 --> 00:28:24,280
Speaker 12: action pass and rolls to the left looking he's under

577
00:28:24,280 --> 00:28:27,560
Speaker 12: pressure and down he goes sack back inside the twenty

578
00:28:27,640 --> 00:28:32,120
Speaker 12: yard line. What a job, Alex Highsmith coming off the edge.

579
00:28:33,240 --> 00:28:35,520
Speaker 1: Yeah, Alex high Smith doing a bunch of that for

580
00:28:36,080 --> 00:28:39,360
Speaker 1: the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now joining us on the Insiders. Always

581
00:28:39,400 --> 00:28:41,800
Speaker 1: a great guest joining me. Mike Hera follow and Ian

582
00:28:41,880 --> 00:28:44,840
Speaker 1: Rapaport here. Thank you for joining us, Alex. You've been

583
00:28:44,880 --> 00:28:47,760
Speaker 1: around the building, off season workouts underway. We're getting into

584
00:28:47,760 --> 00:28:51,640
Speaker 1: Ota soon. Give me the vibe in Steeler Land right now.

585
00:28:52,360 --> 00:28:54,880
Speaker 13: Yeah, it's a great vibe. First of all, thanks for

586
00:28:54,920 --> 00:28:57,280
Speaker 13: having me on. And I've been putting in work. Guys,

587
00:28:57,400 --> 00:28:59,760
Speaker 13: been getting better day by day and so on the

588
00:29:00,080 --> 00:29:02,520
Speaker 13: He's just got in the building recently too. So I'm

589
00:29:02,560 --> 00:29:05,800
Speaker 13: just really excited for what we're building and just can't

590
00:29:05,800 --> 00:29:08,240
Speaker 13: wait till you know, next week we got putting the

591
00:29:08,240 --> 00:29:08,840
Speaker 13: helmets on.

592
00:29:09,080 --> 00:29:10,880
Speaker 9: Like I said, OTAs is phase three.

593
00:29:11,120 --> 00:29:14,800
Speaker 13: Can be playing some some real ball, some eleven on

594
00:29:14,840 --> 00:29:17,800
Speaker 13: eleven and stuff. So we're just excited just to contina

595
00:29:17,800 --> 00:29:19,440
Speaker 13: building and continua working in the process.

596
00:29:21,000 --> 00:29:23,520
Speaker 3: Alex, you mentioned the rookies, it was somewhat of a

597
00:29:23,680 --> 00:29:28,080
Speaker 3: defense heavy draft, especially early Derek Harmon first round. I

598
00:29:28,080 --> 00:29:29,680
Speaker 3: know a lot of people were wondering the Steelers are

599
00:29:29,680 --> 00:29:31,760
Speaker 3: going to go quarterback instead. It was Derek Harmon the

600
00:29:31,800 --> 00:29:36,960
Speaker 3: defensive tackle ya ya Black. Also Jack Sawyer, another linebacker.

601
00:29:37,840 --> 00:29:39,840
Speaker 3: Have you met any of the rookies and what did

602
00:29:39,880 --> 00:29:41,600
Speaker 3: you think of the Steelers draft this year.

603
00:29:42,440 --> 00:29:44,440
Speaker 13: Yeah, I've met a couple of them, and so I'm

604
00:29:44,480 --> 00:29:47,680
Speaker 13: just I'm super excited to really get in the building

605
00:29:47,720 --> 00:29:50,880
Speaker 13: and just be around all those guys. And I just

606
00:29:50,960 --> 00:29:53,360
Speaker 13: know that there's a lot of those guys, especially like

607
00:29:53,360 --> 00:29:55,520
Speaker 13: like you said, the ones that we drafted Derek and Yeah, yeah,

608
00:29:55,520 --> 00:29:58,120
Speaker 13: and Jack, all those guys are they produced at the

609
00:29:58,200 --> 00:30:00,800
Speaker 13: level that they played at in colleg and so just

610
00:30:01,320 --> 00:30:02,880
Speaker 13: like I said, all those guys are just gonna be

611
00:30:02,880 --> 00:30:03,920
Speaker 13: able to come in and.

612
00:30:04,000 --> 00:30:06,720
Speaker 9: Be able to produce for us, be able to make

613
00:30:06,760 --> 00:30:07,520
Speaker 9: plays for us.

614
00:30:07,560 --> 00:30:10,120
Speaker 13: And so I know all of them are just happy

615
00:30:10,200 --> 00:30:12,000
Speaker 13: to be be here in Pittsburgh and be in the

616
00:30:12,040 --> 00:30:14,880
Speaker 13: scheme and playing the scheme, and so, like I said,

617
00:30:14,880 --> 00:30:16,120
Speaker 13: all those guys are just gonna be able to make

618
00:30:16,120 --> 00:30:17,000
Speaker 13: a lot of plays for us.

619
00:30:17,040 --> 00:30:18,360
Speaker 9: And so I'm excited for them all.

620
00:30:19,400 --> 00:30:21,320
Speaker 1: Look, you know what Steelers football is going to be, right.

621
00:30:21,360 --> 00:30:23,760
Speaker 1: We know it's going to be tough, defensive football. We

622
00:30:23,760 --> 00:30:25,360
Speaker 1: know you're going to be competitive. We know what Mike

623
00:30:25,400 --> 00:30:28,000
Speaker 1: Tomlin brings to the table. What we don't know yet

624
00:30:28,080 --> 00:30:30,000
Speaker 1: is who the quarterback is going to be, right, Like,

625
00:30:30,120 --> 00:30:33,280
Speaker 1: that's that's the storyline with Pittsburgh this entire offseason. How

626
00:30:33,320 --> 00:30:36,240
Speaker 1: much have you been following it? How much are you

627
00:30:36,320 --> 00:30:39,160
Speaker 1: going to the building seeking answers? I mean what's being

628
00:30:39,200 --> 00:30:42,240
Speaker 1: said amongst the players as there's a wait for Aaron

629
00:30:42,320 --> 00:30:45,360
Speaker 1: Rodgers while also Mason Rudolph leading the way inside.

630
00:30:46,720 --> 00:30:48,200
Speaker 13: Yeah, I think we just try to put our best

631
00:30:48,200 --> 00:30:51,000
Speaker 13: self forward every day. Like with who's in the building

632
00:30:51,080 --> 00:30:53,440
Speaker 13: right now, and I know Mason being there, he's done

633
00:30:53,440 --> 00:30:56,360
Speaker 13: a great job. You know, the guys are rallying around him,

634
00:30:56,360 --> 00:30:58,680
Speaker 13: and like I said, he's been he's been with us

635
00:30:58,680 --> 00:31:01,680
Speaker 13: before and guys know him, Pittsburgh fans know him, and

636
00:31:01,720 --> 00:31:04,960
Speaker 13: so the way that he helped us finish in twenty

637
00:31:05,000 --> 00:31:07,800
Speaker 13: thirty three was awesome. And so just no matter who

638
00:31:08,080 --> 00:31:10,080
Speaker 13: who's back there for this for whether it's whether it's

639
00:31:10,160 --> 00:31:12,720
Speaker 13: him or you know, if Aaron Rodgers is gonna come.

640
00:31:13,000 --> 00:31:14,920
Speaker 13: I'm just excited to know. I know we're gonna have

641
00:31:15,360 --> 00:31:17,280
Speaker 13: We're gonna have whoever's back there, we're gonna have their

642
00:31:17,280 --> 00:31:19,880
Speaker 13: backs and we're gonna rally behind them. And so just

643
00:31:19,880 --> 00:31:21,080
Speaker 13: decided for whatever it's going to be.

644
00:31:22,720 --> 00:31:25,080
Speaker 3: I hate the word distraction because it's not like people

645
00:31:25,120 --> 00:31:27,520
Speaker 3: can't focus on two things. Plus it's also May, so

646
00:31:27,520 --> 00:31:29,600
Speaker 3: it's not like you're focusing that that much. It's not

647
00:31:29,640 --> 00:31:33,080
Speaker 3: like it's September or October. But the Rogers conversation has

648
00:31:33,120 --> 00:31:36,239
Speaker 3: been so much about what these Steelers off season has been.

649
00:31:36,400 --> 00:31:38,320
Speaker 3: I know, I go out and see people and everyone

650
00:31:38,360 --> 00:31:41,520
Speaker 3: in the world asked me when Rogers gonna sign with

651
00:31:41,560 --> 00:31:45,640
Speaker 3: the Steelers. Do every how many people ask you this?

652
00:31:46,120 --> 00:31:48,960
Speaker 3: And amongst the players, how much of this is part

653
00:31:48,960 --> 00:31:50,080
Speaker 3: of the daily conversation.

654
00:31:50,960 --> 00:31:53,440
Speaker 13: Yeah, I mean I get asked a lot about my

655
00:31:53,560 --> 00:31:55,960
Speaker 13: peers and some friends, you know, who are fans and

656
00:31:55,960 --> 00:31:58,640
Speaker 13: stuff like that. But I just feel like in the

657
00:31:58,680 --> 00:32:02,480
Speaker 13: locker room and stuff, we're just we're in when they're working,

658
00:32:02,520 --> 00:32:05,560
Speaker 13: and I think that's just really what it's about at

659
00:32:05,560 --> 00:32:08,280
Speaker 13: this point. And so I know that if he does son,

660
00:32:08,320 --> 00:32:09,920
Speaker 13: we're definitely gonna be really excited to have him.

661
00:32:10,360 --> 00:32:11,720
Speaker 9: We know who he is.

662
00:32:12,040 --> 00:32:14,200
Speaker 13: He's a Hall of Fame quarterback, he's he's one of

663
00:32:14,240 --> 00:32:17,000
Speaker 13: the best to ever do it. And so just like

664
00:32:17,040 --> 00:32:19,080
Speaker 13: I said, I think it's I wouldn't say it's a

665
00:32:19,080 --> 00:32:21,480
Speaker 13: distraction at all, but like I said, I know what

666
00:32:21,600 --> 00:32:24,200
Speaker 13: we all know what type of quarterback he is and

667
00:32:24,240 --> 00:32:25,960
Speaker 13: what he brings to the table. And so, just like

668
00:32:26,000 --> 00:32:28,040
Speaker 13: I said earlier, no matter who's back there playing quarterback

669
00:32:28,040 --> 00:32:30,320
Speaker 13: for us, we're gonna rally around him. It's gonna be

670
00:32:30,360 --> 00:32:31,080
Speaker 13: it's gonna be great.

671
00:32:32,800 --> 00:32:34,960
Speaker 1: You've been through a contract situation of your own a

672
00:32:34,960 --> 00:32:37,160
Speaker 1: couple of years ago. Yes, I know, Ian, you broke

673
00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:39,920
Speaker 1: the news that he agreed to a monster deal.

674
00:32:40,080 --> 00:32:40,280
Speaker 9: Ian.

675
00:32:40,520 --> 00:32:43,160
Speaker 1: I was on the practically obligated Alex to mention whenever

676
00:32:43,200 --> 00:32:44,200
Speaker 1: Ian breaks his story.

677
00:32:44,640 --> 00:32:44,920
Speaker 9: Uh.

678
00:32:45,080 --> 00:32:47,080
Speaker 2: TJ Watt going through another one right now.

679
00:32:47,760 --> 00:32:50,320
Speaker 1: Posted a picture on Instagram with throwing the deuce up

680
00:32:50,320 --> 00:32:52,680
Speaker 1: and like everybody freaked out. And to me, it's like,

681
00:32:53,080 --> 00:32:54,880
Speaker 1: what if he just likes the picture. He's like, Oh,

682
00:32:54,880 --> 00:32:56,680
Speaker 1: this is a cool picture. I'm just gonna post this.

683
00:32:56,840 --> 00:32:59,720
Speaker 1: You know, how much have you been following this or

684
00:32:59,800 --> 00:33:03,280
Speaker 1: talk to him about that? And TJ Watt's not going anywhere,

685
00:33:03,320 --> 00:33:05,200
Speaker 1: and it could take a while before he gets a contract,

686
00:33:05,280 --> 00:33:07,480
Speaker 1: But you're not worried at all.

687
00:33:07,440 --> 00:33:11,080
Speaker 13: Right, No, And I'm comfordent that I'm comfident he's not

688
00:33:11,120 --> 00:33:14,320
Speaker 13: going anywhere. And I mean it was a cool picture

689
00:33:14,360 --> 00:33:16,960
Speaker 13: at the game. I ain't going lie. But I know

690
00:33:17,080 --> 00:33:19,600
Speaker 13: that he loves being here. He loves being in Pittsburgh

691
00:33:19,640 --> 00:33:23,160
Speaker 13: and pissed the city of Pittsburgh loves him. And so

692
00:33:23,240 --> 00:33:26,200
Speaker 13: I know that they're going to do whatever they can

693
00:33:26,880 --> 00:33:29,200
Speaker 13: to get a deal done, and so hopefully sooner than later,

694
00:33:29,880 --> 00:33:33,040
Speaker 13: because everyone knows that he's a generational talent, generational player,

695
00:33:33,040 --> 00:33:35,160
Speaker 13: and so we all know that he wants to be

696
00:33:35,160 --> 00:33:35,719
Speaker 13: in this building.

697
00:33:37,720 --> 00:33:38,480
Speaker 2: So it is.

698
00:33:38,440 --> 00:33:42,480
Speaker 3: Now late May raining in Pittsburgh, just like it's been

699
00:33:42,560 --> 00:33:44,440
Speaker 3: raining in New York and New Jersey all the time.

700
00:33:44,480 --> 00:33:48,120
Speaker 3: But you're almost getting to that point where practice wind down,

701
00:33:48,200 --> 00:33:49,680
Speaker 3: you get to be away for the summer, you get

702
00:33:49,720 --> 00:33:52,800
Speaker 3: to clear your brain. What do you Alex do to Like,

703
00:33:53,520 --> 00:33:56,400
Speaker 3: do you forget about football? Do you totally clear things?

704
00:33:56,440 --> 00:33:59,360
Speaker 3: Like how do you chill before the season really kicks

705
00:33:59,360 --> 00:33:59,800
Speaker 3: in the gear?

706
00:34:00,960 --> 00:34:01,240
Speaker 9: Yeah?

707
00:34:01,280 --> 00:34:03,400
Speaker 13: I mean I still so during during the month. I

708
00:34:03,440 --> 00:34:07,160
Speaker 13: still train throughout the week, still getting my body ready

709
00:34:07,520 --> 00:34:10,160
Speaker 13: for camp and the season to come, but also just

710
00:34:10,200 --> 00:34:13,600
Speaker 13: really enjoying time and spending time post time with those

711
00:34:14,280 --> 00:34:17,560
Speaker 13: that I love, uh my wife, my family.

712
00:34:18,040 --> 00:34:20,239
Speaker 9: Just getting to be able to do things like that.

713
00:34:20,280 --> 00:34:21,360
Speaker 9: It's just really special to me.

714
00:34:21,440 --> 00:34:24,960
Speaker 13: And I always do my UH Foundation youth camp in

715
00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:27,120
Speaker 13: the summer, my youth football camp, and so I'm just

716
00:34:27,200 --> 00:34:29,200
Speaker 13: excited to that that's actually this weekend, so it won't

717
00:34:29,239 --> 00:34:32,919
Speaker 13: be uh during that month, uh during during the month

718
00:34:32,960 --> 00:34:34,759
Speaker 13: we have off, but I'm just decided to be able

719
00:34:34,760 --> 00:34:36,560
Speaker 13: to do that, get back to the community, get back

720
00:34:36,600 --> 00:34:39,200
Speaker 13: to woman, to North Carolina where I'm from, where I'm

721
00:34:39,239 --> 00:34:42,040
Speaker 13: born and raised, and so that's always special opportunity. And

722
00:34:42,040 --> 00:34:43,800
Speaker 13: on my summer and summer is one of my favorite

723
00:34:43,800 --> 00:34:46,239
Speaker 13: times of the year because I love the grill, and

724
00:34:46,280 --> 00:34:48,600
Speaker 13: everybody knows that during the summer, you know, you got

725
00:34:48,640 --> 00:34:50,480
Speaker 13: to get out and grill, and so I would say

726
00:34:50,480 --> 00:34:52,440
Speaker 13: that's one of my talents, one of my specialities. So

727
00:34:52,920 --> 00:34:56,080
Speaker 13: getting out there putting some steaks on the grill, I'm

728
00:34:56,160 --> 00:34:58,680
Speaker 13: really excited about that and just starting to fire.

729
00:34:58,440 --> 00:34:58,839
Speaker 9: In the back.

730
00:34:58,880 --> 00:35:01,960
Speaker 13: In the backyard, usually like what I'll do is I'll

731
00:35:02,040 --> 00:35:05,080
Speaker 13: usually like smoke some steaks or something on the trigger.

732
00:35:05,200 --> 00:35:08,479
Speaker 13: Then I got a large brio fire pit. I'll see

733
00:35:08,520 --> 00:35:10,839
Speaker 13: them over the brio, So like a reverse heer type thing.

734
00:35:11,920 --> 00:35:14,080
Speaker 13: But that's just like a that's like an ideal chill

735
00:35:14,160 --> 00:35:16,560
Speaker 13: night for me. You just spending time with my wife

736
00:35:16,600 --> 00:35:20,160
Speaker 13: and our dog. Ace is big burnerdoodle. He's the best.

737
00:35:20,800 --> 00:35:23,759
Speaker 13: But just really, you know, spending time with quality time

738
00:35:23,760 --> 00:35:26,279
Speaker 13: with people that I love and then also playing some

739
00:35:26,280 --> 00:35:28,160
Speaker 13: some golf here and there. Not not that good, but

740
00:35:28,440 --> 00:35:28,920
Speaker 13: I try to.

741
00:35:29,000 --> 00:35:34,400
Speaker 1: I try to play whenever I can listen steaks, grilling,

742
00:35:35,080 --> 00:35:37,640
Speaker 1: golf bad or not. I mean, you are hitting all

743
00:35:37,680 --> 00:35:40,719
Speaker 1: the notes for me and Ian, So you just give

744
00:35:40,800 --> 00:35:43,880
Speaker 1: us the weekend. We'll get down to Wilmington, North Carolina.

745
00:35:44,360 --> 00:35:47,160
Speaker 1: I'm not trying to impose, but we just invited ourselves

746
00:35:47,440 --> 00:35:48,560
Speaker 1: to the high Smith household.

747
00:35:49,000 --> 00:35:50,520
Speaker 9: Yep, hey, I'll fire it up. Trust me.

748
00:35:51,800 --> 00:35:53,439
Speaker 2: There you go, you fired up, just like that girl.

749
00:35:53,480 --> 00:35:56,680
Speaker 1: Alex always appreciate you being here with us on the Insiders.

750
00:35:56,719 --> 00:35:58,160
Speaker 1: If you want to kill some time and spend some

751
00:35:58,200 --> 00:36:00,680
Speaker 1: time with your your loved ones, that's us. You're welcome

752
00:36:00,680 --> 00:36:02,600
Speaker 1: to come back at some point during the summer, but

753
00:36:02,640 --> 00:36:05,520
Speaker 1: we'll see you absolutely during training camp and the season

754
00:36:05,719 --> 00:36:08,000
Speaker 1: as we get ready for the twenty twenty five NFL season.

755
00:36:08,840 --> 00:36:10,919
Speaker 9: Thank you many you know it. Appreciate you guys, Thanks

756
00:36:10,920 --> 00:36:11,360
Speaker 9: for having.

757
00:36:12,440 --> 00:36:13,640
Speaker 2: Thank you Alex.

758
00:36:14,200 --> 00:36:18,480
Speaker 1: Alex likes to tackle guys like Josh Allen and other quarterbacks.

759
00:36:18,680 --> 00:36:20,040
Speaker 1: Michael ale f Flori are going to be a long

760
00:36:20,080 --> 00:36:24,040
Speaker 1: to talk about how Allen factors into his AFC East

761
00:36:24,560 --> 00:36:26,239
Speaker 1: fantasy preview for twenty five.

762
00:36:26,239 --> 00:36:33,680
Speaker 2: That's next on The Insiders.

763
00:36:33,880 --> 00:36:36,880
Speaker 3: If you're a lawyer follower of this show, and of

764
00:36:36,920 --> 00:36:39,560
Speaker 3: course you are your watching it literally right now, you

765
00:36:39,640 --> 00:36:42,720
Speaker 3: know that our guy Michael f Florio has been giving

766
00:36:42,800 --> 00:36:47,160
Speaker 3: us the fantasy breakdowns to the twenty twenty five season,

767
00:36:47,480 --> 00:36:53,080
Speaker 3: division by division, FLOURIO, welcome inside with the Insiders. Let's

768
00:36:53,080 --> 00:36:57,440
Speaker 3: go through today literally right now. The AFC East start

769
00:36:57,480 --> 00:37:00,000
Speaker 3: out with the New York Jets after this offseason.

770
00:37:01,280 --> 00:37:02,960
Speaker 14: The biggest thing here is they have a new coach

771
00:37:03,000 --> 00:37:06,720
Speaker 14: and play caller. Their OC Tanner egg Strange comes from

772
00:37:07,040 --> 00:37:09,720
Speaker 14: the Lions with Aaron Glenn and the Lions were always

773
00:37:09,719 --> 00:37:12,520
Speaker 14: a run heavy offense defensive head coach. I expect that

774
00:37:12,560 --> 00:37:15,400
Speaker 14: to stay the same, which is why I love Justin Fields.

775
00:37:15,600 --> 00:37:18,719
Speaker 14: Since twenty twenty two, he leads qbs and touchdowns, and

776
00:37:18,800 --> 00:37:22,560
Speaker 14: only Lamar Jackson has more rushing yards on outside zone runs.

777
00:37:22,840 --> 00:37:25,000
Speaker 14: The Lions and Jets were both top six in those

778
00:37:25,040 --> 00:37:25,919
Speaker 14: plays last year.

779
00:37:25,920 --> 00:37:27,000
Speaker 2: It's why I have Fields.

780
00:37:26,800 --> 00:37:29,080
Speaker 14: Ranked as my QB seven, but you do not have

781
00:37:29,120 --> 00:37:31,400
Speaker 14: to pay anywhere near that price to get them, and

782
00:37:31,600 --> 00:37:34,160
Speaker 14: people are gonna say it's bad for the weapons. Fields

783
00:37:34,160 --> 00:37:36,880
Speaker 14: threw way more to his running backs the last two seasons,

784
00:37:36,880 --> 00:37:39,759
Speaker 14: so Breise Hall, who's already a target hog, has top

785
00:37:39,800 --> 00:37:41,759
Speaker 14: five upside, but you could get him in that RB

786
00:37:41,880 --> 00:37:44,440
Speaker 14: ten to fifteen range. And then Dj Moore just two

787
00:37:44,520 --> 00:37:46,759
Speaker 14: years ago had a career year with justin Fields.

788
00:37:46,840 --> 00:37:47,480
Speaker 9: So I'm not.

789
00:37:47,560 --> 00:37:50,400
Speaker 14: Shying away from Garrett Wilson, especially since he's cheaper than

790
00:37:50,440 --> 00:37:53,720
Speaker 14: ever in fantasy, and Mason Taylor. They're a young upside

791
00:37:53,760 --> 00:37:56,480
Speaker 14: tight end in the later rounds. Patriots also have a

792
00:37:56,520 --> 00:38:00,239
Speaker 14: new coach, though and play caller, and Mike Rabral years

793
00:38:00,280 --> 00:38:02,480
Speaker 14: as a head coach in the NFL, one time he's

794
00:38:02,480 --> 00:38:05,680
Speaker 14: finished higher than thirtieth, and pass attempts Josh McDaniels threw

795
00:38:05,680 --> 00:38:08,400
Speaker 14: a lot with Brady, not a whole lot after, which

796
00:38:08,440 --> 00:38:09,560
Speaker 14: is why I don't love it.

797
00:38:09,640 --> 00:38:11,640
Speaker 2: But as the leader of the Drake May hype train.

798
00:38:11,840 --> 00:38:12,600
Speaker 2: I still like.

799
00:38:12,600 --> 00:38:15,680
Speaker 14: Targeting him as a backup in the later rounds. He

800
00:38:15,719 --> 00:38:18,080
Speaker 14: brings a lot of upside and one thing that May

801
00:38:18,120 --> 00:38:19,840
Speaker 14: did a lot last year was throw to the slot.

802
00:38:19,920 --> 00:38:22,759
Speaker 14: McDaniels features his wide receiver one and the slot at

803
00:38:22,800 --> 00:38:25,200
Speaker 14: a high rate, which I think bolds well for Stefan

804
00:38:25,280 --> 00:38:28,280
Speaker 14: Diggs if he could return to his pre injury form.

805
00:38:28,760 --> 00:38:31,160
Speaker 14: Rookie Kyle Williams is a sleeper there as well. But

806
00:38:31,239 --> 00:38:33,839
Speaker 14: the big storyline this summer is going to be the

807
00:38:33,960 --> 00:38:38,080
Speaker 14: RB camp battle. Don't forget that McDaniels started Damian Harrison

808
00:38:38,280 --> 00:38:42,080
Speaker 14: over Ramandre Stevenson. It wasn't ntil McDaniels left that Stevenson

809
00:38:42,080 --> 00:38:44,640
Speaker 14: became the starter, and then once McDaniels was back, they

810
00:38:44,760 --> 00:38:47,200
Speaker 14: draft Henderson in round two. So that is going to

811
00:38:47,200 --> 00:38:49,080
Speaker 14: be a big camp battle to watch this summer.

812
00:38:50,400 --> 00:38:54,239
Speaker 3: That's interesting of that, I reminders Stevens the greatest thing

813
00:38:54,239 --> 00:38:55,680
Speaker 3: in the whole world to see. But thank you for

814
00:38:55,719 --> 00:38:59,000
Speaker 3: your insight. Anyway, that's two of the teams. Let's go

815
00:38:59,080 --> 00:39:02,000
Speaker 3: through the other two. Hit me with the rest, starting

816
00:39:02,000 --> 00:39:02,960
Speaker 3: with the Miami Dolphins.

817
00:39:03,760 --> 00:39:05,879
Speaker 14: Yeah, the Dolphins, we know they always love to pass

818
00:39:05,920 --> 00:39:08,439
Speaker 14: a ton but last year the deep ball just kind

819
00:39:08,440 --> 00:39:12,200
Speaker 14: of vanished from their offense, ended their efficiency. In fact,

820
00:39:12,320 --> 00:39:15,239
Speaker 14: last year they led the league in screen passes and.

821
00:39:15,160 --> 00:39:17,560
Speaker 2: Look, Tua is just a backup.

822
00:39:17,120 --> 00:39:19,160
Speaker 14: In fantasy they could get in the later rounds, but

823
00:39:19,239 --> 00:39:22,680
Speaker 14: his health means everything to this offense. Devon Hchen was

824
00:39:22,719 --> 00:39:26,600
Speaker 14: the highest scoring fantasy running back last season when Tua played,

825
00:39:26,800 --> 00:39:29,400
Speaker 14: and he averaged single digit fantasy points when he didn't.

826
00:39:29,960 --> 00:39:32,880
Speaker 14: Tyreek Hill and Waddle were both much better when Tua

827
00:39:32,960 --> 00:39:35,279
Speaker 14: was out there, and even though both are coming off

828
00:39:35,320 --> 00:39:37,880
Speaker 14: of a down year, you're not really getting much of

829
00:39:37,880 --> 00:39:41,319
Speaker 14: a discount on them in fantasy. So they both bring

830
00:39:41,360 --> 00:39:43,839
Speaker 14: a lot of upside, but there's risk there. I haven't

831
00:39:43,880 --> 00:39:46,400
Speaker 14: really found myself targeting them in early drafts. And then

832
00:39:46,440 --> 00:39:49,360
Speaker 14: John new Smith coming off a career year, very solid

833
00:39:49,400 --> 00:39:52,200
Speaker 14: tight end one. And then the Bills, the most straightforward

834
00:39:52,200 --> 00:39:55,560
Speaker 14: offense in this division. The play caller is the same,

835
00:39:55,600 --> 00:39:58,200
Speaker 14: the O line, the QB, the backfield, the tight ends

836
00:39:58,440 --> 00:40:01,239
Speaker 14: all the same. The only real is they brought in

837
00:40:01,320 --> 00:40:04,319
Speaker 14: Josh Palmer and Elijah Moore to replace MATC Collins, but

838
00:40:04,560 --> 00:40:08,120
Speaker 14: Joe Brady He's been top ten rushing attempts both years

839
00:40:08,160 --> 00:40:11,320
Speaker 14: with the Bills. Allen is still a top two fantasy QB,

840
00:40:11,560 --> 00:40:13,719
Speaker 14: but last year he did post five year lows and

841
00:40:13,719 --> 00:40:16,080
Speaker 14: pass attempts, yards and touchdowns.

842
00:40:16,360 --> 00:40:18,279
Speaker 2: James Cook is a rock solid.

843
00:40:18,040 --> 00:40:20,919
Speaker 14: RB one, but don't expect eighteen touchdowns again. And as

844
00:40:20,920 --> 00:40:24,200
Speaker 14: for the receivers, Shakira is the top target slot guy,

845
00:40:24,280 --> 00:40:26,080
Speaker 14: more of a floor play wide receiver three.

846
00:40:26,120 --> 00:40:27,920
Speaker 2: But if you're chasing upside here.

847
00:40:28,080 --> 00:40:30,800
Speaker 14: Key on Coleman versus Josh Palmer as the field stretchers.

848
00:40:30,960 --> 00:40:33,040
Speaker 14: That's going to be a big camp battle to watch

849
00:40:33,080 --> 00:40:33,560
Speaker 14: this summer.

850
00:40:34,640 --> 00:40:38,400
Speaker 3: I would like to see Kean Coleman before the risk injury.

851
00:40:38,400 --> 00:40:40,200
Speaker 3: He was really seeming like he was on his way

852
00:40:40,239 --> 00:40:43,239
Speaker 3: to a big time season. We'll find out, though, We'll

853
00:40:43,239 --> 00:40:45,360
Speaker 3: find out hopefully he stays healthy to show us flour you,

854
00:40:45,800 --> 00:40:48,200
Speaker 3: thank you very much as all these great stuff. Looking

855
00:40:48,280 --> 00:40:49,640
Speaker 3: forward to the rest of all this.

856
00:40:52,280 --> 00:40:54,960
Speaker 1: We are at that point of the offseason where the

857
00:40:55,040 --> 00:40:57,720
Speaker 1: helmets are going on, the players are back on the field.

858
00:40:58,040 --> 00:41:01,000
Speaker 1: It's getting closer and closer than looking like real football.

859
00:41:01,080 --> 00:41:03,239
Speaker 1: Can't wait to see what justin field is gonna look

860
00:41:03,280 --> 00:41:06,440
Speaker 1: like with that New York Jets offense in that New

861
00:41:06,880 --> 00:41:08,280
Speaker 1: New York Jets regime.

862
00:41:08,400 --> 00:41:09,840
Speaker 2: Here is Matthew Stafford.

863
00:41:09,840 --> 00:41:11,959
Speaker 1: We thought maybe we wouldn't see this again and maybe

864
00:41:11,960 --> 00:41:12,279
Speaker 1: in a.

865
00:41:12,320 --> 00:41:14,160
Speaker 2: Raiders or Giants uniform.

866
00:41:14,200 --> 00:41:16,960
Speaker 1: But Stafford decides to come back and says, oh, look

867
00:41:16,960 --> 00:41:17,880
Speaker 1: at this new target.

868
00:41:17,880 --> 00:41:20,400
Speaker 2: I've got myself with Davante Adams.

869
00:41:20,840 --> 00:41:24,799
Speaker 1: Another fascinating thing to watch play out in the.

870
00:41:24,719 --> 00:41:27,200
Speaker 2: Twenty twenty five season. But we're not there yet.

871
00:41:27,200 --> 00:41:29,640
Speaker 1: It's still the offseason, which means it's time to go

872
00:41:29,680 --> 00:41:52,080
Speaker 1: swimming with Baldy.

873
00:41:54,040 --> 00:41:55,640
Speaker 4: I think they're kind of the prior scene.

874
00:41:58,640 --> 00:42:02,120
Speaker 7: Leave anything else anyways, just do the old up and

875
00:42:02,160 --> 00:42:02,759
Speaker 7: down out here.

876
00:42:05,040 --> 00:42:06,360
Speaker 2: I mean, are lionfish safe?

877
00:42:07,160 --> 00:42:09,560
Speaker 7: No, listen to this, Mike in the end, pay attention here.

878
00:42:09,560 --> 00:42:11,880
Speaker 7: These are predators. These are predators.

879
00:42:11,880 --> 00:42:12,760
Speaker 4: They eat coral.

880
00:42:13,080 --> 00:42:15,680
Speaker 7: They eat coral the way Max Brosby eats run blocks.

881
00:42:15,920 --> 00:42:18,960
Speaker 7: They're predators. And so I'm just down there studying predators

882
00:42:19,040 --> 00:42:21,480
Speaker 7: right now and seeing what I can do. They're also

883
00:42:22,040 --> 00:42:24,920
Speaker 7: very tasty, so I might have to bring the spear

884
00:42:25,520 --> 00:42:26,840
Speaker 7: down there to take one away from me.

885
00:42:27,680 --> 00:42:30,920
Speaker 4: Yes, that's right, predators.

886
00:42:31,520 --> 00:42:32,600
Speaker 2: Baldy gonna be a predator.

887
00:42:32,680 --> 00:42:35,600
Speaker 1: Join us tomorrow for more fish, maybe definitely quitting Lake

888
00:42:35,680 --> 00:42:36,280
Speaker 1: lamb Safety.

889
00:42:36,360 --> 00:42:37,759
Speaker 2: Joining us there what