WEBVTT - Merril Hoge Shakes His Terrible Towel 0:00:03.920 --> 0:00:08.559 From the King of Sports Books comes the Key Sports 0:00:08.560 --> 0:00:19.000 podcast Unleashed, presented by the MGM. Here's your host, Joanna's 0:00:19.040 --> 0:00:29.000 Papas and Olivia Harland Decker. Welcome in everyone. This is 0:00:29.160 --> 0:00:32.400 Unleashed by bet MGM, the King of Sports Books, and 0:00:32.560 --> 0:00:35.720 boy do we have a big show for you. We 0:00:35.760 --> 0:00:38.560 have a great guest, Meryl Hodge. He's going to be fantastic, 0:00:38.600 --> 0:00:42.400 former NFL running back, an advocate for brain health, brain 0:00:42.440 --> 0:00:45.320 injury in the NFL. So a lot of good updates 0:00:45.320 --> 0:00:47.600 on where we are there in the NFL. And then 0:00:47.680 --> 0:00:50.800 we have some exciting surprising news that's at the very 0:00:50.920 --> 0:00:53.000 end of the show, and that's gonna be a lot 0:00:53.040 --> 0:00:56.040 of fun. But first, we are coming off another big 0:00:56.080 --> 0:01:00.280 weekend in sports, from Mike White to Cooper Rush, Genos Myth, 0:01:00.360 --> 0:01:05.280 P J. Walker, Trevor Simeon, backup quarterbacks galore coming up 0:01:05.319 --> 0:01:08.280 with big wins and honest, I know you love this. 0:01:08.680 --> 0:01:11.800 The Steelers one without a kicker. How do you feel 0:01:11.800 --> 0:01:14.440 about it? I tell you it was a more exciting 0:01:14.440 --> 0:01:16.640 game to watch. I mean, the NFL called me up. 0:01:16.680 --> 0:01:19.560 I got ideas. I just you're so all in on 0:01:19.600 --> 0:01:21.840 this kicker thing. Please don't ask Meryll Hodge about it. 0:01:22.640 --> 0:01:24.639 I'm the only thing I'm gonna ask Meryll Hodge about 0:01:24.800 --> 0:01:27.200 is whether he became a tough football player because he 0:01:27.240 --> 0:01:30.760 has a named Meryl. That's a woman's name, and I 0:01:30.880 --> 0:01:32.920 really hope you don't ask him that either. Okay, the 0:01:33.040 --> 0:01:36.040 Rams are going all in. They traded for former Super 0:01:36.080 --> 0:01:39.479 Bowl m v P Von Miller. That is just scary 0:01:39.800 --> 0:01:42.360 dangerous for the Rams. They are so good. I kind 0:01:42.400 --> 0:01:44.120 of like the Rams to win it all. Might as 0:01:44.160 --> 0:01:46.919 well put that in here. Also had some unfortunate news 0:01:46.959 --> 0:01:50.240 for the Titans. Derrick Henry likely out for the year, 0:01:50.280 --> 0:01:54.640 and I'm really upset because he was definitely going to 0:01:54.720 --> 0:01:58.400 set the NFL rushing record with this new seventeen game schedule. 0:01:58.600 --> 0:02:00.960 It was just a matter of times that it's a 0:02:01.080 --> 0:02:03.920 major loss. But they bring in Adrian Peterson back in 0:02:03.960 --> 0:02:06.400 the NFL. We'll get to all that later. I think 0:02:06.480 --> 0:02:08.920 Joannest thinks that's a good move. I'm not so sure. 0:02:09.480 --> 0:02:12.120 So for once, Johannese and I are coming to you 0:02:12.280 --> 0:02:16.040 from the same city. Now we've done this once before 0:02:16.080 --> 0:02:18.880 in Las Vegas, but now we are on Janice's turf. 0:02:18.880 --> 0:02:22.399 We are in New York. Stday a Big Satday. Can 0:02:22.400 --> 0:02:27.080 you imagine me? Can you imagine little old me from 0:02:27.200 --> 0:02:29.480 Kansas making it to the big Stay. If you can 0:02:29.560 --> 0:02:33.400 make it hair, and you can make it anywhere, You're 0:02:33.400 --> 0:02:36.080 gonna be a big shaw Shure. I'll make you a show. 0:02:36.360 --> 0:02:39.240 Your name will be up in lights. Oh, hd oh, 0:02:39.280 --> 0:02:41.040 I'd like my name up in lights. If you can 0:02:41.080 --> 0:02:43.280 make it hair, you can make it anywhere. And I've 0:02:43.360 --> 0:02:45.639 made it here. I jumped on the train and I'm 0:02:45.680 --> 0:02:50.560 never going back. Mall, you're doing great, You're doing good. 0:02:50.680 --> 0:02:54.160 Je I'll make you a star. You've got what it takes. Kid. 0:02:54.440 --> 0:02:56.520 Johannes is probably sick of me because we've been running 0:02:56.520 --> 0:02:58.760 around New York City together and I've kind of created 0:02:58.800 --> 0:03:01.480 that a persona and I really am a girl from Kansas, 0:03:01.560 --> 0:03:04.120 And to be honest, every time I come to New York, 0:03:04.160 --> 0:03:07.160 I get a little overwhelmed. So I think I just 0:03:07.200 --> 0:03:09.600 have tried to keep up with the energy. Everyone loves 0:03:09.600 --> 0:03:12.840 New York's energy, right, yeah. I mean you're you're worried 0:03:12.840 --> 0:03:14.720 about walking one block. You were like, can I walk 0:03:14.720 --> 0:03:17.600 with a person? Will I get robbed and killed and murdered? 0:03:17.639 --> 0:03:20.800 And everyone told me New York has changed. Everyone told me. 0:03:20.840 --> 0:03:22.960 You can't walk alone. So I had you. I had 0:03:23.040 --> 0:03:25.360 John Franklin. You guys are a couple of goons. Your 0:03:25.360 --> 0:03:28.400 a couple of locals, and I felt very safe walking 0:03:28.400 --> 0:03:30.240 to the next game with you. We also went to 0:03:30.360 --> 0:03:35.560 Jersey City and we preview the Monday night for Giants. 0:03:35.640 --> 0:03:38.760 Chiefs are two teams. I mean we took you everywhere. 0:03:38.840 --> 0:03:41.000 This is New York. We took you to Jersey We 0:03:41.080 --> 0:03:44.760 took you down to Times Square. I got you a slice, 0:03:44.800 --> 0:03:49.160 I got you a bagel. I mean, you don't I kid, Well, 0:03:49.200 --> 0:03:52.680 that was very fun. I I really I'm going to Washington, 0:03:52.760 --> 0:03:54.520 d C. After this, and I feel like I can 0:03:54.560 --> 0:03:57.120 breathe a little bit the further down south I go. 0:03:57.400 --> 0:04:00.000 But I don't know. Hey, we also got to see 0:04:00.160 --> 0:04:02.560 Peter Andrews building, but we didn't get to see Peter 0:04:02.640 --> 0:04:06.600 andrew in person. Yeah, Peter Andrews living in Style. What 0:04:06.720 --> 0:04:13.400 a beautiful building. Peter. Tell them to get us more tickets. Yeah, 0:04:13.440 --> 0:04:14.960 you were on that one. I could only get us 0:04:14.960 --> 0:04:19.320 three tickets. We watched the Raptors at next game, Raptors one. Really, 0:04:19.320 --> 0:04:21.680 it was a bad week for me to be in 0:04:21.720 --> 0:04:24.120 New York as I was cheering against the Giants and 0:04:24.200 --> 0:04:27.480 against the Knicks, and both teams that I was rooting 0:04:27.520 --> 0:04:32.799 for one So sorry, sports fans, I'll stay home. Yeah 0:04:32.880 --> 0:04:35.080 we are. We can't wait for you to get on 0:04:35.120 --> 0:04:37.560 that train fast enough. Get out of town you brought us. 0:04:37.560 --> 0:04:39.279 I really am taking a train out of here with 0:04:39.640 --> 0:04:42.720 train out of the mid saday. Yeah, just get out 0:04:42.720 --> 0:04:44.720 of here. O h D. You've given us horrible. Look. 0:04:45.360 --> 0:04:47.640 You know someone who did not have as great of 0:04:47.680 --> 0:04:52.839 a weekend as us is Joey Watson brad be All 0:04:52.839 --> 0:04:57.680 the week he put his money in Florida State. They 0:04:57.720 --> 0:05:02.159 didn't cover plus nine because of a meaningless last second 0:05:02.279 --> 0:05:05.160 bumble recovering the end zone. Now that's what we call 0:05:05.240 --> 0:05:08.119 a bad beat. You actually lost twice because of it. 0:05:08.160 --> 0:05:11.040 So Joey Watson, my man, I'm so sorry, but we're 0:05:11.040 --> 0:05:12.560 gonna try to make it up for you. We're going 0:05:12.600 --> 0:05:15.200 to give you a hundred dollars a bet MGM credit 0:05:15.279 --> 0:05:18.320 so you can try your luck again this week. Man. 0:05:18.400 --> 0:05:20.320 Florida State, and I know this was just a cover, 0:05:20.440 --> 0:05:23.320 but they've had a tough season. Yeah. The Notre Dame 0:05:23.520 --> 0:05:25.479 was at the beginning of the year. You I feel 0:05:25.480 --> 0:05:27.760 for you. Joey Watson to make sure you submit your 0:05:27.800 --> 0:05:30.640 bad beat every week to at bet MGM on Twitter, 0:05:30.680 --> 0:05:33.360 and we're going to announce the winner on the podcast. 0:05:33.360 --> 0:05:35.000 You've got to listen to the podcast and you'll get 0:05:35.040 --> 0:05:38.919 your hando in bet MGM credit. Okay, honest, are you 0:05:38.960 --> 0:05:47.680 ready to unleash? Let's on. It's time. Now we're gonna 0:05:47.720 --> 0:05:50.160 do this a little bit different. So Jannie and I 0:05:50.240 --> 0:05:52.680 we mentioned went to the next game and we had 0:05:52.720 --> 0:05:54.719 a lot of fun. And here's what I want to 0:05:54.760 --> 0:05:58.480 unleash about is sports fans at a game. So we 0:05:58.560 --> 0:06:01.440 sit down in our seats, right, honest, and there's a 0:06:01.560 --> 0:06:04.360 couple that gets up and they say, excuse me, we're 0:06:04.440 --> 0:06:06.440 right over there, and we're saying, okay, yeah, and we 0:06:06.440 --> 0:06:08.640 do the kind of polite the almost stand up but 0:06:08.720 --> 0:06:11.840 not full stand up thing, and they get past us. 0:06:11.960 --> 0:06:14.400 But then they just stand there and we're all kind 0:06:14.400 --> 0:06:16.120 of looking around. I can't just sit down right, just 0:06:16.120 --> 0:06:18.120 sit in your seat, and we're looking around. They're not 0:06:18.160 --> 0:06:20.000 sitting okay there in the wrong row. Okay, well we 0:06:20.000 --> 0:06:21.800 can understand that, right, So we do the other kind 0:06:21.800 --> 0:06:24.760 of yep, sure, here you go, buddy. They moved past us. 0:06:24.880 --> 0:06:28.440 They come back, they're still confused, and we're like, oh, 0:06:28.960 --> 0:06:31.400 so was this the right row? Right? They leave again, 0:06:31.440 --> 0:06:33.719 so these people are all confused. Then they end up 0:06:33.720 --> 0:06:35.039 in the row in front of us, so our whole 0:06:35.120 --> 0:06:38.480 row is kind of chuckling, right, and then they end 0:06:38.560 --> 0:06:41.039 up coming back with food. They're they're a mess. They 0:06:41.160 --> 0:06:43.880 keep coming back and forth, and at some point, and 0:06:43.920 --> 0:06:45.440 I kind of have a mouth on me and I 0:06:45.480 --> 0:06:47.679 was in a great mood. I didn't say anything. I think, ye, honest, 0:06:47.720 --> 0:06:50.040 you might have said something to him, did you. Yeah, 0:06:50.080 --> 0:06:53.159 I know. I tripped them and then I threw water 0:06:53.240 --> 0:06:55.440 on their head like Jackson Mahomes. That's called pulling to 0:06:55.600 --> 0:06:58.960 Jackson mole. Yeah. I mean they needed to sit down. 0:06:59.000 --> 0:07:01.200 I felt like I was at the State of Union address. 0:07:01.320 --> 0:07:03.520 They kept standing up, sitting down. I wanted to say, 0:07:03.520 --> 0:07:07.560 sit the funk down, trying to watch her she's trying 0:07:07.600 --> 0:07:12.640 to watch her husband celebrate. Yeah. It was just annoyting 0:07:12.680 --> 0:07:15.080 and just got me thinking there are bad fans out there, 0:07:15.200 --> 0:07:18.040 and it's just it's whether they're going to the bathroom 0:07:18.040 --> 0:07:19.960 a lot, or they're going to get a bunch of drinks, 0:07:20.000 --> 0:07:22.160 and if it's a really good game. I think this 0:07:22.200 --> 0:07:24.679 applies more in the NFL because there are fewer games. 0:07:25.000 --> 0:07:27.080 If it's a really good game and you're really hanging 0:07:27.120 --> 0:07:29.320 on every play, and there are these people who just 0:07:29.360 --> 0:07:32.160 aren't paying attention and they're talking and they're drinking and 0:07:32.200 --> 0:07:35.760 they're messing around taking pictures. Don't you just hate those fans? 0:07:35.800 --> 0:07:37.560 You're just like, get out of here, go stand around 0:07:37.560 --> 0:07:39.640 in the concourse if you're going to do this. I 0:07:39.720 --> 0:07:42.320 hate them. I hate them. Oh h D, I'm with you. 0:07:42.520 --> 0:07:46.360 I mean, people got to learn how to be fans. Uh, 0:07:46.400 --> 0:07:48.640 nobody better to teach them. You can make some side 0:07:48.640 --> 0:07:51.080 money teaching people how to lambo and teaching people how 0:07:51.120 --> 0:07:56.080 to be classy fans who have some decorum about them. Yeah, 0:07:56.200 --> 0:07:58.200 just a little decorns all I'm asking for. And just 0:07:58.200 --> 0:07:59.720 don't make me stand up a lot. You know, I'm 0:07:59.800 --> 0:08:02.440 I'm tired, I'm hungry, I'm watching my game. Just don't 0:08:02.480 --> 0:08:05.720 make me stand up a lot. Okay, honest, that's your unleash. Well, 0:08:05.760 --> 0:08:07.080 you know, I got a lot of things on leash, 0:08:07.200 --> 0:08:09.080 and I want to unleash on those fans too, because 0:08:09.120 --> 0:08:11.080 you know, I had my guest, my co host, my 0:08:11.080 --> 0:08:13.200 good friend O h. D in town and you guys 0:08:13.280 --> 0:08:15.600 were new Yorkers. You made a bad impression, So I'm 0:08:15.600 --> 0:08:18.040 mad at you. I'm mad about a lot of things. 0:08:18.080 --> 0:08:20.480 One of the things I'm mad about is Nick fans 0:08:20.880 --> 0:08:25.280 right now annoying me with their hyperbole. Okay, the Knicks 0:08:25.480 --> 0:08:28.360 just started the season, they won a few games, and 0:08:28.400 --> 0:08:30.840 now Nick's fans are going crazy talking about how they're 0:08:30.840 --> 0:08:32.760 gonna win the East and there's only one team better 0:08:32.760 --> 0:08:35.280 than the Bucks. They just lost last night to Sam 0:08:35.360 --> 0:08:38.240 Decker and the Toronto Raptors. There's only been six. Hey, 0:08:38.240 --> 0:08:41.800 that was condescending. That was condescending. No, I'm just saying 0:08:42.240 --> 0:08:45.600 because he's on the team. Can you guys just calm down. 0:08:45.720 --> 0:08:48.319 It's the beginning, all right. You're you're you're setting yourself 0:08:48.400 --> 0:08:52.600 up for major disappointment by going too hard and thinking 0:08:52.640 --> 0:08:55.920 this is the best thing since Patrick Ewing. Just calmed down. 0:08:56.080 --> 0:08:58.520 That's my one unleash. My second unleash is can people 0:08:59.000 --> 0:09:02.479 stop pretending like T shirts are is like free money? 0:09:02.520 --> 0:09:04.559 I mean those T shirt guns come out and women 0:09:04.640 --> 0:09:06.959 start taking their tips out and they start offering their 0:09:07.040 --> 0:09:10.760 firstborn babies. People will do anything for a T shirt. 0:09:10.960 --> 0:09:14.200 It's a five dollar T shirt made in China. Who 0:09:14.240 --> 0:09:16.400 we're supposed to be boycatting right now because we're in 0:09:16.440 --> 0:09:19.520 a trade war with them. Don't support China. Don't buy 0:09:19.559 --> 0:09:22.120 the fucking T shirt. They should be throwing something better, 0:09:22.200 --> 0:09:25.760 Throw me money. I will tackle a pregnant woman for money, 0:09:26.040 --> 0:09:28.120 but for a T shirt. I am not getting out 0:09:28.120 --> 0:09:30.440 of my seat for a T shirt. Now. That's just 0:09:30.600 --> 0:09:33.520 simply not true, because when those T shirt cannons came out. 0:09:33.559 --> 0:09:36.360 Ye honest, I've never seen you move so fast. You 0:09:36.360 --> 0:09:38.720 were out of your seat, you were shaking it, you 0:09:38.760 --> 0:09:41.240 were dancing. I think your shirt did come up as well, 0:09:41.280 --> 0:09:43.400 since you brought it up, and I think you were 0:09:43.440 --> 0:09:47.000 running those T shirts, So I don't know you busted, Okay, busted, 0:09:47.679 --> 0:09:49.920 damn you. You dropped dime on me. Yeah. I will 0:09:49.960 --> 0:09:51.800 do anything for a T shirt. I will even suck 0:09:51.800 --> 0:09:55.040 your for a T shirt. Whoa, whoa, whoa, Now, I 0:09:55.080 --> 0:09:57.520 will do anything. As we're walking around New York City, 0:09:57.600 --> 0:10:01.560 this isn't an unleash, but more of an observation. You 0:10:01.600 --> 0:10:05.640 were famous, I am I am not famous. Yes, yes 0:10:05.679 --> 0:10:07.760 you are famous. People are coming up to him in 0:10:07.800 --> 0:10:10.199 the street. Johannese, it's you, Joannest. I love you. I'm 0:10:10.200 --> 0:10:14.839 telling you multiple people. I was like, look who I'm with. 0:10:15.520 --> 0:10:18.640 I suspect they did that because they were too shy 0:10:18.920 --> 0:10:21.160 to say, oh my god, it's O H D. And 0:10:21.280 --> 0:10:23.360 so I think that was just a decoy, and because 0:10:23.360 --> 0:10:24.760 I could tell the whole time they were just looking 0:10:24.800 --> 0:10:27.840 at you, okay, and did you pay these people? They 0:10:27.880 --> 0:10:30.480 did look a lot like you are these cousins. I 0:10:30.520 --> 0:10:32.400 don't know, or maybe they thought that we were with 0:10:32.520 --> 0:10:36.280 Yanni the singer, because you know, the guy we were 0:10:36.320 --> 0:10:38.640 with looks he works for bed MGM, and he looks 0:10:38.720 --> 0:10:43.400 it was John Taylor Franklin, John Franklin. Sorry, I you know, 0:10:43.520 --> 0:10:46.280 I had a long weekend of drinks last night. John 0:10:46.320 --> 0:10:49.600 Franklin looks exactly like the singer Yanni, and it's hilarious. 0:10:49.600 --> 0:10:51.480 So it looked like we were and you look like 0:10:51.679 --> 0:10:53.560 you could be you could be Taylor Swift girl. I 0:10:53.559 --> 0:10:57.600 mean you got presents, a gravitas, thank you. I'll take 0:10:57.640 --> 0:11:00.760 the gravitas anyway if it meets it's mine name in 0:11:00.840 --> 0:11:04.200 the lights. Um. It was a really fun night. Another 0:11:04.360 --> 0:11:06.720 big hot take. If you go to a NIXT game, 0:11:06.760 --> 0:11:10.240 if you go to MSG, get Mike's Hot Chicken. This 0:11:10.320 --> 0:11:13.600 is not an ad. It was just delicious. We both 0:11:13.600 --> 0:11:16.040 wolfed them down. It was chicken tenders with this hot, 0:11:16.040 --> 0:11:19.600 spicy chili infused honey. Oh my god. Yeah, Well, you 0:11:19.640 --> 0:11:21.720 know what I was gonna unleash on you for not 0:11:21.840 --> 0:11:23.840 sharing any of those with me, So you gotta go 0:11:23.840 --> 0:11:26.880 get your right. But now I know why, and that 0:11:27.040 --> 0:11:28.960 is coming up at the end of the show. So 0:11:29.120 --> 0:11:30.720 just a lot of fun to get to again. Merril 0:11:30.760 --> 0:11:33.040 Hodge is coming up, and then Peter Andrew as we 0:11:33.080 --> 0:11:36.040 look ahead at this weekend slate of NFL games, and 0:11:36.080 --> 0:11:38.440 then a big surprise at the end of the show. 0:11:38.520 --> 0:11:40.400 We're gonna have a lot of fun. But honest, thank 0:11:40.400 --> 0:11:43.160 you again for showing me around New York. Let's get 0:11:43.160 --> 0:11:53.480 to Meryl Hodge. He's coming up. Merril Hodge is a 0:11:53.520 --> 0:11:56.360 former NFL running back. You played eight years for both 0:11:56.360 --> 0:11:58.760 the Steelers and the Bears. You've also seen him on 0:11:59.000 --> 0:12:01.680 ESPN as an analyst. He actually used to work with 0:12:01.800 --> 0:12:05.040 friends of the podcast Ron Jaworski. I'm sure you two 0:12:05.040 --> 0:12:07.319 had no fun at all, Merrill. How's working with Ron? 0:12:08.160 --> 0:12:10.080 Let me just tell you this, and I hope this 0:12:10.160 --> 0:12:13.760 doesn't go anywhere. That guy was the best guy to 0:12:13.840 --> 0:12:16.680 work with. I haven't worked with. Honestly, he was He's 0:12:16.720 --> 0:12:19.559 the greatest guy on the planet. If you already worked 0:12:19.559 --> 0:12:22.199 with him. You know, I left my first studio show 0:12:22.400 --> 0:12:24.679 and there was one thing that I confirmed when I 0:12:24.760 --> 0:12:26.600 left the first show ever did with the our first 0:12:26.679 --> 0:12:31.080 NFL matchup show. I'm like, I will never ever ever 0:12:31.559 --> 0:12:33.920 step on set and not be prepared with that dude 0:12:33.920 --> 0:12:37.680 because he was always prepared, so he was standard. I 0:12:37.760 --> 0:12:40.080 learned so much from him, and we had a great chemistry. 0:12:40.240 --> 0:12:43.319 We just had a great chemistry and I loved every 0:12:43.320 --> 0:12:46.120 menu to work with. That's awesome. You know, we think 0:12:46.160 --> 0:12:49.240 of you primarily as a stealer obviously, but you're still 0:12:49.360 --> 0:12:51.920 very active with the team. So what are your impressions 0:12:51.960 --> 0:12:54.080 after this big win over the Browns. That's such a 0:12:54.120 --> 0:12:57.640 fun rivalry. Yeah, well you know that. I mean I 0:12:58.040 --> 0:13:01.120 experienced that rivalry eighty seven. It was our second game. 0:13:01.960 --> 0:13:06.200 It was seven. Those people who remember nineteen said we 0:13:06.200 --> 0:13:08.440 went on strike that year and one thing that we 0:13:08.440 --> 0:13:10.000 were gonna do as players, I mean, this is gene 0:13:10.040 --> 0:13:13.760 upstaws brilliant idea. Obviously, he didn't consult with all the teams, 0:13:14.000 --> 0:13:17.040 which he didn't. He's like, we're gonna show where unified, 0:13:17.040 --> 0:13:20.000 which we weren't, and we're gonna shake hands before the game. 0:13:20.800 --> 0:13:23.319 Well there was only one game and two teams that 0:13:23.400 --> 0:13:25.800 did not shake hands before the game, and that was 0:13:25.880 --> 0:13:29.280 Pittsburgh and Cleveland. When we were in Cleveland, it was 0:13:29.559 --> 0:13:32.640 I mean, that rivalry goes way back. Even after it 0:13:32.679 --> 0:13:35.040 went away, it's come back. And now that Cleveland is 0:13:35.040 --> 0:13:38.760 getting better, which listen, every step a fan wants Cleveland 0:13:38.800 --> 0:13:40.760 to be good. I mean that just makes the robbery 0:13:40.800 --> 0:13:42.600 even better. I mean, games like you know we just 0:13:42.640 --> 0:13:45.240 saw on Sunday are so much better than you blow 0:13:45.280 --> 0:13:47.839 out somebody. You know by twenty one points. People could 0:13:47.840 --> 0:13:49.560 sit there and go, oh they like that bowl. You 0:13:49.640 --> 0:13:53.080 like it when it's it's tied, it's competitive. You know. 0:13:53.640 --> 0:13:56.720 That's what makes the rivalry great is when two teams 0:13:56.720 --> 0:13:59.160 are really good and and for the Steelers to win 0:13:59.240 --> 0:14:02.840 that one actually speaks volumes too, how far they've come 0:14:02.960 --> 0:14:06.720 versus where they were on their especially their offensive side, 0:14:06.880 --> 0:14:09.200 and I think it was lost in that game. Is 0:14:09.240 --> 0:14:11.440 why Ben will be a Hall of Famer. You know, 0:14:11.480 --> 0:14:13.840 the touchdown Plass to friar me with everybody that I mean, 0:14:13.920 --> 0:14:15.480 that was on Sports Center, right. This is why I 0:14:15.520 --> 0:14:18.840 say TV lies, highlights truly lie. You can only tell 0:14:18.880 --> 0:14:21.440 the truth about a tape, about a game and a player, 0:14:21.800 --> 0:14:25.640 and um is by watching tape, I mean, and to 0:14:25.720 --> 0:14:28.040 show evidence of that. Why do you think coaches and 0:14:28.040 --> 0:14:31.240 players watching? I mean, if if you watch, if TV 0:14:31.400 --> 0:14:33.760 told you the truth and highlights, why didn't Why wouldn't 0:14:33.760 --> 0:14:36.400 players just watch TV and highlights they tell you nothing. 0:14:36.920 --> 0:14:40.280 So in that play, it was interesting Bend moves n 0:14:40.440 --> 0:14:42.920 Jay Harris over to the left side, and the reason 0:14:43.000 --> 0:14:44.600 he moves him to the left side was to help 0:14:44.600 --> 0:14:46.440 block because Myles Garrett's over there and it was a 0:14:46.480 --> 0:14:49.720 short end, a short corner and he needed time. You know, 0:14:49.880 --> 0:14:52.440 notice if you watch that play, Ben actually pumped. I'm 0:14:52.440 --> 0:14:54.920 gonna tell this, Nobody pumps on the two yard line. 0:14:55.400 --> 0:14:57.720 You don't have time to pump unless you're protected. And 0:14:58.160 --> 0:15:00.280 there's just little things like that that you get this see. 0:15:00.440 --> 0:15:02.520 You know, when you watched Faith, after you watch the game, 0:15:02.560 --> 0:15:04.440 you go back and look at it. I mean, he 0:15:04.760 --> 0:15:07.960 played a master game from that perspective of given himself 0:15:08.040 --> 0:15:10.600 time or getting rid of the football before those d 0:15:10.720 --> 0:15:12.880 drushers could get there, and for their officers line to 0:15:12.920 --> 0:15:15.520 play the way they've played trying to play together as 0:15:15.520 --> 0:15:18.080 a team, the way they've played based on you know, 0:15:18.160 --> 0:15:20.040 the way they lost their you know, three in a row. 0:15:20.240 --> 0:15:22.600 It's it just it just speaks the volumes. When I 0:15:22.640 --> 0:15:26.280 say teams win championships, you can't. No quarterbacks done it, 0:15:26.360 --> 0:15:28.840 no defense has done And people that argue that, I'll 0:15:29.000 --> 0:15:32.160 show me the game or only the defense played, You 0:15:32.280 --> 0:15:34.120 show me that, then I'll shut up. It showed me 0:15:34.160 --> 0:15:36.760 to show me to play. The quarterback just played. They're 0:15:36.880 --> 0:15:40.480 happy teams win championships, so there's a big win for them. 0:15:40.520 --> 0:15:42.720 I mean, but there's still a lot of football to go, 0:15:42.960 --> 0:15:45.480 and the good thing for them is they have a 0:15:45.520 --> 0:15:48.320 lot of growth still go. And as far as getting better, 0:15:48.880 --> 0:15:51.240 I agree with you about that that highlights aren't the 0:15:51.240 --> 0:15:53.440 full story. I feel the same way about movie trailers. 0:15:53.480 --> 0:15:55.040 You know, you got to see the movie trailer and 0:15:55.040 --> 0:15:56.760 then you see the movie and it's a piece of crap. 0:15:56.880 --> 0:16:01.080 So yeah, it's you're right, the truth exactly right. I've 0:16:01.080 --> 0:16:03.480 seen trailers too, and I'm like, all the funny stuff 0:16:03.520 --> 0:16:09.440 was in the trailer before. You mentioned the chemistry that 0:16:09.480 --> 0:16:12.520 you and Ron had, and you're mentioning what makes a 0:16:12.600 --> 0:16:17.520 championship team, how important is chemistry? How important is chemistry 0:16:17.600 --> 0:16:20.280 with that many guys in a game like football? Do 0:16:20.360 --> 0:16:22.400 guys need to like each other? Does there need to 0:16:22.440 --> 0:16:24.920 be chemistry for a team to win or can it 0:16:25.000 --> 0:16:27.160 just be talented guys who work together and then hate 0:16:27.200 --> 0:16:30.800 each other when they leave. Well, listen to environments, the 0:16:30.800 --> 0:16:34.280 most successful environments I've ever been in. Now, I wouldn't say, 0:16:34.280 --> 0:16:36.360 you know, when you say you know you like one another, 0:16:36.920 --> 0:16:39.000 you know, that doesn't mean that you go do stuff 0:16:39.000 --> 0:16:41.440 together when you leave the locker room, you know, but 0:16:41.480 --> 0:16:44.200 when you enter the locker room, you have a respect 0:16:44.320 --> 0:16:46.680 and and a love for one another because at the 0:16:46.760 --> 0:16:49.560 end of the day, okay, we're all Steelers or all Bears, 0:16:49.760 --> 0:16:52.000 you know, whoever our team is, I mean, and and 0:16:52.040 --> 0:16:54.360 we want to play for one another. We want each 0:16:54.440 --> 0:16:58.040 other to be successful, do whatever we can to help 0:16:58.080 --> 0:17:00.640 the team. And it really comes down to being selfless 0:17:00.680 --> 0:17:03.120 at times. And if you have a bunch of those 0:17:03.200 --> 0:17:05.960 players and understand your role, you embrace your role. And 0:17:06.000 --> 0:17:09.200 that role might change during you know, during the course 0:17:09.240 --> 0:17:11.600 of your career, like you know in my case, and 0:17:12.400 --> 0:17:14.840 it did. And I've I've always felt that a team 0:17:14.840 --> 0:17:18.360 that you that liked each other in the locker room 0:17:18.640 --> 0:17:21.040 just had better chance to be successful during the ad 0:17:21.080 --> 0:17:26.040 birst times versus dissension, you know, because I've had that too. 0:17:26.040 --> 0:17:28.320 You know, I've had the locker room wasn't at peace. 0:17:28.680 --> 0:17:32.000 You know, we had a lot of turmoil, and when 0:17:32.119 --> 0:17:35.880 things went bad, it got even worse because we didn't 0:17:35.920 --> 0:17:38.920 rally for each other. So I do believe that there's 0:17:39.560 --> 0:17:42.280 there is a true benefit to that when you have 0:17:42.440 --> 0:17:45.440 that as a team. You know, I've been to Pittsburgh. 0:17:45.480 --> 0:17:48.280 I've been to Steelers games, and the fans there are 0:17:48.480 --> 0:17:51.800 die hard. It's black and gold, three sixty five days 0:17:51.840 --> 0:17:54.600 a year. There's the terrible towels, the whole thing. What 0:17:54.680 --> 0:17:57.080 were some of your favorite things about playing for such 0:17:57.119 --> 0:18:01.280 an iconic organization, truly one of the most iconic the world. Yeah, 0:18:01.320 --> 0:18:04.920 you know, maybe I'll tell you something. It was probably 0:18:04.960 --> 0:18:06.680 the first time ever walked in that in the in 0:18:06.760 --> 0:18:10.080 the three Rivers stadiums. I throwed three Rivers out there living. 0:18:10.080 --> 0:18:12.520 I'm probably like he tried to remember three River stadium 0:18:13.320 --> 0:18:17.800 It's like some people might not understanding three River stadiums. 0:18:17.840 --> 0:18:20.199 That was the original stadium, you know, So when I 0:18:20.240 --> 0:18:24.040 first walked in was my first coach. I played for you, 0:18:24.080 --> 0:18:25.720 and I played for Bill Tower for a long time. 0:18:26.280 --> 0:18:29.959 My roommate was Mike Webster. My locker that I locked 0:18:30.000 --> 0:18:33.920 in lockered in was actually Donnie I mean Ronnie Franco Harris's. 0:18:34.760 --> 0:18:38.800 I locked her next to Donnie Shell. When I stepped 0:18:38.800 --> 0:18:41.040 into the huddle for the very first time, I looked over. 0:18:41.200 --> 0:18:44.880 John Stalwart was in the huddle, and Mike Webster so, 0:18:45.800 --> 0:18:48.880 and Joe Green was our defensive line coach. And then 0:18:49.000 --> 0:18:51.399 it wasn't two weeks during the season when Mel Blunt 0:18:51.480 --> 0:18:54.760 comes walking in or Lynn Swan comes walking in. So 0:18:55.720 --> 0:18:58.199 now as a kid watching these guys when Super Bowls, 0:18:58.240 --> 0:19:01.159 you know, I'm in junior high, Um can't wait get 0:19:01.160 --> 0:19:04.679 back to math class because of Michelle who likes the Cowboys, 0:19:04.680 --> 0:19:07.040 and I can't wait to rupt their face about this 0:19:07.160 --> 0:19:11.159 dealers with me, okay, So to just experience that I 0:19:11.160 --> 0:19:13.960 could stop there and they say that was, you know, 0:19:13.960 --> 0:19:16.040 tending to see the standard that was set, you know, 0:19:16.160 --> 0:19:18.760 in the expectations and how they all are not just 0:19:18.800 --> 0:19:23.360 as football players, but his people really resonated with me. 0:19:24.240 --> 0:19:26.000 You know. But when I think of the fans and 0:19:26.040 --> 0:19:28.440 the reason I truly love the fans, and they listen. 0:19:28.720 --> 0:19:31.119 Evean rod Orski has admit this too. Here's a lot 0:19:31.160 --> 0:19:34.400 of people who admit this later on they're like, man, see, 0:19:34.440 --> 0:19:36.640 the fans are the best. I mean they really all 0:19:36.840 --> 0:19:40.560 the best because they are. Here's what they He'll never 0:19:40.600 --> 0:19:44.119 admit admitted to me. He admit it to me. He 0:19:44.160 --> 0:19:48.040 will never say he's making up stuff. I can hear 0:19:48.080 --> 0:19:52.120 him doing it. That mean said, because we talked about, like, 0:19:52.520 --> 0:19:54.360 you know, like this, if I still I can still 0:19:54.359 --> 0:19:58.240 walk downtown Pittsburgh and you'll just be walking. And he was, hey, Meryl, 0:19:58.560 --> 0:20:01.440 you know, I don't think there's anything cooler than that 0:20:01.520 --> 0:20:05.040