WEBVTT - Bengals Booth Podcast: Can't Keep A Good Man Down 0:00:03.640 --> 0:00:06.600 Hi again, everybody. I'm Dan Horde and thanks for downloading 0:00:06.640 --> 0:00:10.920 the Bengals Booth Podcast, the Can't Keep a good Man 0:00:11.039 --> 0:00:15.320 Down edition, as we check in with running back Rodney 0:00:15.360 --> 0:00:17.680 Anderson as he looks to bounce back from the knee 0:00:17.680 --> 0:00:21.000 injury that ended his rookie season. Then after I chat 0:00:21.040 --> 0:00:24.360 with Rodney, I'll talk to Bengals dot Com editor Jeff 0:00:24.440 --> 0:00:27.560 Butch Hobson, who is among the media members that helped 0:00:27.600 --> 0:00:30.800 select the players inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 0:00:31.280 --> 0:00:35.639 Well Ken Anderson, Ken Riley or any other former Bengals 0:00:35.720 --> 0:00:40.760 get in anytime soon. That discussion is coming up. The 0:00:40.800 --> 0:00:44.760 Bengals Booth Podcast is presented by Prime Sport, the official fan, 0:00:44.880 --> 0:00:49.240 travel and hospitality partner of the Cincinnati Bengals. And here's 0:00:49.240 --> 0:00:51.400 a quick reminder that you can have the latest edition 0:00:51.520 --> 0:00:55.280 of this podcast delivered right to your phone, tablet, or 0:00:55.360 --> 0:01:00.319 computer by subscribing on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Spotify, or 0:01:00.360 --> 0:01:04.840 pod Bean. It's the greatest thing since a face to 0:01:04.920 --> 0:01:08.880 face interview. One of the casualties of the COVID nineteen 0:01:08.920 --> 0:01:12.640 pandemic has been the opportunity to interview players and coaches 0:01:12.720 --> 0:01:17.560 in the locker room during the Bengals offseason program. Fortunately, 0:01:17.840 --> 0:01:19.839 I've been able to talk to guys over the phone 0:01:19.880 --> 0:01:23.120 for this podcast, but it's just not the same and 0:01:23.200 --> 0:01:27.400 I miss that personal interaction. My interview with Jeff Hobson 0:01:27.440 --> 0:01:32.520 this week was face to face, albeit with masks. It 0:01:32.560 --> 0:01:35.240 could be a while before that's permitted again with players 0:01:35.240 --> 0:01:38.520 and coaches, and I really look forward to that day. 0:01:39.000 --> 0:01:42.440 I will not take that access for granted in the future. 0:01:43.080 --> 0:01:47.200 Now let's get to this week's guests. My first conversation 0:01:47.480 --> 0:01:51.280 is with Rodney Anderson, one of Cincinnati's three sixth round 0:01:51.360 --> 0:01:55.320 draft picks prior to last season. The former Oklahoma running 0:01:55.320 --> 0:01:58.000 back missed his rookie year after tearing his acl in 0:01:58.080 --> 0:02:01.840 the bengals final preseason game, marking the fourth time in 0:02:01.880 --> 0:02:05.600 the last five years that he suffered a season ending injury. 0:02:06.160 --> 0:02:08.120 In his first year with the Sooners, it was a 0:02:08.160 --> 0:02:12.440 broken leg on a kickoff After having only one carry. 0:02:12.480 --> 0:02:15.720 In his second year, Rodney broke a vertebrae in his 0:02:15.840 --> 0:02:19.520 neck in preseason camp. In his third year, he was 0:02:19.560 --> 0:02:22.520 healthy and ran for more than eleven hundred yards in 0:02:22.680 --> 0:02:27.079 thirteen touchdowns, including a two hundred one yard game against 0:02:27.120 --> 0:02:29.919 Georgia in the Rose Bowl, and that was the year 0:02:29.960 --> 0:02:32.919 that his teammate Baker Mayfield won the Heisman Trophy, so 0:02:33.000 --> 0:02:37.840 Oklahoma didn't exactly emphasize the run. In his fourth year. 0:02:38.120 --> 0:02:41.520 Anderson opened the season with one hundred yards on only 0:02:41.639 --> 0:02:45.519 five carries in Week one before tearing his ACL in 0:02:45.600 --> 0:02:49.200 his right knee in Week two, the same knee he 0:02:49.280 --> 0:02:54.080 injured again last year. Last month, Rodney posted a video 0:02:54.120 --> 0:02:56.880 on his Instagram feed that shows him running and cutting 0:02:56.880 --> 0:02:59.720 around cones on a football field, and I spoke to 0:02:59.800 --> 0:03:04.560 him this week about rebounding from his most recent setback. Roddy, 0:03:04.600 --> 0:03:07.200 it's been about nine months since your knee injury. How 0:03:07.200 --> 0:03:10.880 are things progressing. Oh, they're going really well. Um, you know, 0:03:10.919 --> 0:03:14.639 I'm I'm back. I'm back cutting and you know, running 0:03:14.639 --> 0:03:18.320 full speed, So it's going it's going pretty well. The 0:03:18.480 --> 0:03:22.920 rules for using team facilities were different for players rehabbing 0:03:23.000 --> 0:03:25.960 from injuries. Were you going into Paul Brown Stadium on 0:03:26.000 --> 0:03:29.160 a regular basis right up until the March shutdown? And 0:03:29.160 --> 0:03:31.960 and have you returned? I was going up until the 0:03:31.960 --> 0:03:35.839 March shutdown, but as soon as the whole lockdown thing 0:03:36.400 --> 0:03:39.800 started happening, I haven't been back since. So I've just 0:03:39.840 --> 0:03:44.200 been you know, face timing with the trainers and just 0:03:44.880 --> 0:03:48.119 you know, going about it that way. Nick Cosgray has 0:03:48.160 --> 0:03:52.160 referred to you as the perfect patient. In what way 0:03:52.200 --> 0:03:54.480 do you think that that's the case. I don't know. 0:03:54.600 --> 0:03:57.120 They make it really easy to show up and you know, 0:03:57.560 --> 0:04:01.200 do rehab and you know, get my work done. They've 0:04:01.240 --> 0:04:04.720 just been great staff and really helpful. We're visiting with 0:04:04.840 --> 0:04:07.560 Rodney Anderson. What's it been like for you to be 0:04:07.640 --> 0:04:11.040 in Cincinnati for the offseason. I have no complaints. I've 0:04:11.080 --> 0:04:13.920 really grown to love Cincinnati, and I like the area 0:04:13.920 --> 0:04:16.440 that I live in, and so I kind of made 0:04:16.440 --> 0:04:19.200 it my home and I've been a joining You were 0:04:19.320 --> 0:04:23.719 spectacular in your NFL preseason debut last year in Week 0:04:23.760 --> 0:04:26.880 three against the Giants, and then just a few days later, 0:04:27.279 --> 0:04:29.640 you tour the same ACL against the Colts in the 0:04:29.680 --> 0:04:32.559 final preseason game that that you tore in your final 0:04:32.720 --> 0:04:36.520 year at Oklahoma. Can you describe the emotional roller coaster? 0:04:36.960 --> 0:04:40.320 Of course, it was, you know, very disappointing that, you know, 0:04:40.320 --> 0:04:43.000 I didn't get to play my first NFL season, but 0:04:43.760 --> 0:04:46.720 you know, God has plans that I can't understand, so 0:04:47.480 --> 0:04:49.440 I just kind of got a roll with the punches 0:04:49.480 --> 0:04:52.880 and take each day as it comes. You were part 0:04:52.880 --> 0:04:55.800 of the team and took part in meetings last year. 0:04:55.920 --> 0:04:59.520 Was that beneficial? Definitely? I mean, you know, staying in 0:04:59.520 --> 0:05:03.000 the the meeting rooms whenever I was able to, you know, 0:05:03.040 --> 0:05:06.200 be more mobile after my surgery was definitely a huge help. 0:05:06.600 --> 0:05:09.680 Helped me gain a better understanding of the offense and 0:05:10.120 --> 0:05:12.000 you know, just things as a whole. You know, it 0:05:12.120 --> 0:05:15.760 kept me connected with my teammates as well. So I 0:05:15.800 --> 0:05:18.080 guess I didn't get to do anything you know, physically 0:05:18.080 --> 0:05:21.760 with them, but mentally I was. I would consider myself, 0:05:21.800 --> 0:05:25.000 you know, on the same page. Were there any teammates 0:05:25.080 --> 0:05:29.200 or coaches that you learned a lot from? Yeah, definitely. Um, 0:05:29.200 --> 0:05:32.720 you know, just to name one off top of my head, 0:05:32.800 --> 0:05:36.360 Jamal Singleton, my running back coach. I mean he's he's 0:05:36.480 --> 0:05:39.159 very specific, he pays attention to He's very big on 0:05:39.200 --> 0:05:43.080 the little details, and so I feel like having somebody 0:05:43.120 --> 0:05:46.479 like that in my cornering just really helps not only me, 0:05:46.600 --> 0:05:48.520 but you know the rest of the running backs as well. 0:05:48.839 --> 0:05:52.960 He's such a positive guy. Was that helpful? Oh yeah, definitely. 0:05:53.000 --> 0:05:55.040 I mean, you know, especially on the days you know 0:05:55.080 --> 0:05:56.960 where I wish that I could have been out there 0:05:56.960 --> 0:05:59.680 at practice, or you know, we're watching game tape and 0:05:59.680 --> 0:06:02.120 I wish I could have been in the game. You know, 0:06:02.360 --> 0:06:06.080 having a positive coach, you know, makes it easier, you know, 0:06:06.120 --> 0:06:09.000 to show up and listen to meetings. Rodney. For people 0:06:09.040 --> 0:06:12.600 that don't know your injury history, you've had a broken leg, 0:06:13.279 --> 0:06:17.599 broken vertebrae in your neck, and two torn acls your 0:06:17.680 --> 0:06:20.279 one healthy season at Oklahoma, or you're among the best 0:06:20.279 --> 0:06:25.200 players in college football. Do you ask why me? No, 0:06:25.720 --> 0:06:30.240 I mean it's it's tough. I mean, you don't you 0:06:30.279 --> 0:06:31.839 don't want it to happen to you. But you know, 0:06:31.920 --> 0:06:35.200 like I said, guy has plans that we really don't understand. 0:06:35.279 --> 0:06:38.440 So you know, I just I just try to trust 0:06:38.480 --> 0:06:41.880 in that, and you know, whatever whatever happens next is, 0:06:42.320 --> 0:06:45.080 I'll just take it as it comes. The Bengals did 0:06:45.120 --> 0:06:48.200 not draft any running backs. Did you look at that 0:06:48.320 --> 0:06:50.240 as a vote of confidence for the guys that are 0:06:50.279 --> 0:06:53.599 currently on the roster? I suppose so. But at the 0:06:53.640 --> 0:06:56.440 same time, anything can happen, and you never know how 0:06:57.760 --> 0:07:00.480 people are going to perform, or even how me as 0:07:00.520 --> 0:07:03.479 a player is going to perform. So you know, I 0:07:03.560 --> 0:07:05.320 have faith in myself and I have faith in the 0:07:05.320 --> 0:07:09.040 other guys in the room, and I think regardless of 0:07:09.480 --> 0:07:11.800 the outcome, it's going to be good. Ones. Three of 0:07:11.800 --> 0:07:16.080 the guys in that room are former Sooners, yourself, Joe Mixon, 0:07:16.200 --> 0:07:18.160 and some I J. P. Ryan. Is that a point 0:07:18.160 --> 0:07:21.200 of pride? Uh, yeah, definitely, I mean it's I mean, 0:07:21.240 --> 0:07:23.320 I feel like it just shows that you really puts 0:07:23.360 --> 0:07:27.440 out quality backs and um, I think that it's going 0:07:27.480 --> 0:07:31.560 to be beneficial to the team to have some nu backfield. 0:07:31.880 --> 0:07:34.360 What have you thought of Team Zoom meetings in the 0:07:34.400 --> 0:07:37.640 off season. They've been interesting. I mean, you know, it's 0:07:37.680 --> 0:07:41.120 it's a great platform to get information and for all 0:07:41.160 --> 0:07:43.360 of us to you know, I guess kind of be 0:07:43.400 --> 0:07:45.760 in the same room. But you know, I've liked it. 0:07:45.800 --> 0:07:48.440 I've enjoyed it. Do you miss anything about a normal 0:07:48.680 --> 0:07:52.400 NFL offseason program? Obviously? Yeah. I mean, if I had 0:07:52.440 --> 0:07:54.520 to choose, I would rather be in the facilities doing 0:07:54.560 --> 0:07:57.040 things as normal. But you know, it is what it 0:07:57.120 --> 0:07:59.320 is and kind of gotta do it's got to do. 0:08:00.040 --> 0:08:03.560 We're visiting with running back Rodney Anderson. You probably were 0:08:03.600 --> 0:08:06.600 not a huge Joe Burrow fan last December when he 0:08:06.640 --> 0:08:10.560 threw seven touchdown passes in the first half against Oklahoma. 0:08:10.640 --> 0:08:13.560 But what is your reaction to having him in Cincinnati 0:08:13.600 --> 0:08:16.239 now to lead this team going forward. You know, obviously 0:08:16.240 --> 0:08:18.360 I haven't met him in person yet, but just over 0:08:18.400 --> 0:08:21.880 the zoom calls, he's been, you know, very confident. He 0:08:21.880 --> 0:08:24.280 could tell he's a great leader, and you know, just 0:08:24.400 --> 0:08:28.440 he seems like an overall good guy too. So I 0:08:28.520 --> 0:08:30.600 feel like he's a great addition to the team and 0:08:30.640 --> 0:08:32.480 I can't wait to see what he can do. And 0:08:32.559 --> 0:08:35.040 weren't all allowed to be back in the city. What 0:08:35.120 --> 0:08:38.240 did you think when you watch that playoff game against Oklahoma? 0:08:38.559 --> 0:08:40.079 You know there's a lot of screaming at the TV, 0:08:40.440 --> 0:08:44.520 But you know, I mean, what can I do here 0:08:44.520 --> 0:08:48.160 in Cincinnati? All I can do is screaming my TV? 0:08:48.280 --> 0:08:53.360 I guess I mentioned that Giants preseason game last year. 0:08:53.920 --> 0:08:56.920 You really gave Bengals fans a glimpse of what you're 0:08:56.960 --> 0:09:00.280 capable of doing. What did that do for you to 0:09:00.320 --> 0:09:04.000 get into that game after your long rehab and dazzle, 0:09:04.120 --> 0:09:06.920 particularly in the passing game, It was just a lot 0:09:06.960 --> 0:09:11.000 of fun. You know, I, like you said, I hadn't 0:09:11.040 --> 0:09:13.000 been on the field in a minute, so you know, 0:09:13.000 --> 0:09:15.080 it felt really good to get out there and you know, 0:09:15.120 --> 0:09:18.520 get a little loose. Describe what you are doing now 0:09:19.360 --> 0:09:23.720 in terms of your workouts, your rehab, etc. Well, like 0:09:23.800 --> 0:09:27.040 I said, I stay on FaceTime pretty consistently with Nick Cosgray, 0:09:27.880 --> 0:09:30.640 the trainer, and he told me what to do as 0:09:30.679 --> 0:09:33.679 far as my therapy and rehab is concerned. And then 0:09:34.480 --> 0:09:38.440 I've been working at this training facility in Kentucky called 0:09:38.440 --> 0:09:42.600 Peak Fast, you know, just conditioning and you know, strength 0:09:42.679 --> 0:09:47.000 stuff pretty much Monday through Saturday. I mentioned the Team 0:09:47.120 --> 0:09:50.400 Zoom meetings Rodney, and in the past week the team 0:09:50.440 --> 0:09:53.280 has used those meetings to address the murder of George Floyd. 0:09:53.960 --> 0:09:56.600 Do you think those meetings were helpful? I do think 0:09:56.600 --> 0:10:00.360 that they were helpful specifically for the player and the 0:10:00.360 --> 0:10:04.080 coaches who were in them. And you know, I think 0:10:04.120 --> 0:10:06.600 that um we gain we were able to gain a 0:10:06.600 --> 0:10:11.280 better understanding of each other and our backgrounds. Has the 0:10:11.320 --> 0:10:17.640 worldwide reaction given you hope? I think that the attention 0:10:17.640 --> 0:10:20.640 that it's getting is positive because, you know, people need 0:10:20.720 --> 0:10:23.560 to know that black men and women are getting killed 0:10:23.559 --> 0:10:26.200 in the street by law enforcement officers. You know, they're 0:10:26.240 --> 0:10:28.679 supposed to be there to protect us, and you know 0:10:28.720 --> 0:10:31.480 that's that's not been the case. So I think the 0:10:31.520 --> 0:10:33.920 exposure is good, you know, just from the sense that 0:10:34.320 --> 0:10:37.120 you know, people are finally starting to see. Tell us 0:10:37.120 --> 0:10:40.360 a little bit more about what you've done this offseason 0:10:40.760 --> 0:10:44.640 aside from rehabbing, I mean, aside from training and rehabbing 0:10:44.640 --> 0:10:47.840 and all that and meetings. I just I just hang 0:10:47.880 --> 0:10:52.320 out with my girlfriend, Kaitlin Cox, and I have a 0:10:52.440 --> 0:10:55.959 cat and a dog, and I started a garden, and 0:10:56.000 --> 0:10:58.800 so has kind of been. It's been keeping me busy 0:10:58.920 --> 0:11:01.840 aside from football. Do you have a green thumb. I 0:11:01.840 --> 0:11:04.920 don't want to brag on myself, but my tomato plants 0:11:04.960 --> 0:11:08.520 are looking pretty good right now. You'll be one of 0:11:08.520 --> 0:11:10.760 a few players in the Bengals locker room that can 0:11:11.280 --> 0:11:15.960 discuss his gardening skills. I'm happy to discuss my gardening 0:11:16.000 --> 0:11:19.720 skills at any time. Just to wrap things up, describe 0:11:19.920 --> 0:11:22.920 how you're feeling at this point as you get ready 0:11:22.960 --> 0:11:26.600 for your second NFL season right now, I just I'm 0:11:27.000 --> 0:11:30.680 you know, I'm anxious to get started. I feel confident 0:11:31.480 --> 0:11:34.559 in myself, and I also feel confident in the team. 0:11:35.120 --> 0:11:36.720 I feel like it's going to be a way better 0:11:36.720 --> 0:11:40.440 season than last year. You know, I just think I 0:11:40.480 --> 0:11:43.040 think it's gonna come together. Rodney, thanks so much for 0:11:43.080 --> 0:11:45.319 the time. Best of luck with rehab, and best of 0:11:45.400 --> 0:11:49.840 luck with that garden. Yeah, no problem. Rodney turns twenty 0:11:49.880 --> 0:11:52.600 four the day before the Bengals season opener, and here's 0:11:52.640 --> 0:11:56.040 hoping that the football gods bless him with a healthy season. 0:11:56.520 --> 0:11:59.280 If you don't remember that preseason game against the Giants 0:11:59.360 --> 0:12:02.720 last year, just search for Rodney Anderson on the Bengals 0:12:02.760 --> 0:12:06.839 website and watch the three highlights that are available. He 0:12:06.920 --> 0:12:10.600 has the ability to be a big weapon in Cincinnati's offense. 0:12:11.160 --> 0:12:13.560 Before we get to our next conversation, here's a quick 0:12:13.559 --> 0:12:15.840 reminder that you can take your Bengals pride to the 0:12:15.880 --> 0:12:19.120 next level in twenty twenty with an official Bengals fan 0:12:19.200 --> 0:12:23.680 package from Prime Sport. When Ken Riley passed away last weekend, 0:12:23.720 --> 0:12:26.960 it led many of us to ask again why he 0:12:27.120 --> 0:12:29.760 and Ken Anderson are not in the Pro Football Hall 0:12:29.800 --> 0:12:33.240 of Fame. Perhaps the best person who answer that question 0:12:33.640 --> 0:12:38.320 is Bengals dot Com editor Jeff Butch Hobson. Every NFL 0:12:38.400 --> 0:12:41.680 team has a media representative on the Hall of Fame committee, 0:12:41.920 --> 0:12:46.040 and Jeff represents Cincinnati. I spoke to him about the 0:12:46.040 --> 0:12:50.360 Hall of Fame and other Bengals news this week, which 0:12:50.400 --> 0:12:52.640 the passing of Ken Riley last weekend has led to 0:12:52.679 --> 0:12:55.000 a new examination of his case for the Hall of Fame. 0:12:55.280 --> 0:12:58.760 You're the Bengals representative on the selection committee to vote 0:12:58.760 --> 0:13:01.880 on the modern candidates. But since their careers ended more 0:13:01.880 --> 0:13:04.600 than twenty five years ago, Ken Riley and Ken Anderson 0:13:04.920 --> 0:13:07.360 are in the hands of the Senior Committee. Can you 0:13:07.400 --> 0:13:10.720 explain how that process works and do you think either 0:13:11.000 --> 0:13:14.960 or both will eventually get in. Yes, Hordy, it's the 0:13:15.240 --> 0:13:19.160 Senior Committee is made up of nine nine members of 0:13:19.200 --> 0:13:22.319 the Selection Committee. It's a subcommittee basically the Selection committee, 0:13:22.480 --> 0:13:25.880 and that rotates every year. There are five guys, you know, 0:13:25.920 --> 0:13:30.360 that rotates with five guys that actually have the final vote. 0:13:30.600 --> 0:13:34.920 The nine guys narrow it down to about you know, 0:13:34.960 --> 0:13:38.200 I'd say to about fifteen or twenty guys, and then 0:13:39.040 --> 0:13:42.440 they vote on it and you know, they get it. 0:13:42.480 --> 0:13:45.760 They pare it down and with a vote and then 0:13:46.080 --> 0:13:50.920 the five gentlemen discuss it in Canton in August and 0:13:51.040 --> 0:13:53.680 usually there's one or two Hall of famers in there 0:13:54.080 --> 0:13:57.240 advising them the big time, the big time frame to 0:13:57.280 --> 0:13:59.280 do it now, I you know, to make a pitch 0:13:59.320 --> 0:14:02.880 to these guys is in May and June before they 0:14:04.800 --> 0:14:08.320 you know Kennon, both Kenni's have always been on the 0:14:08.360 --> 0:14:11.719 top twenty list. And the answer I always get from 0:14:11.720 --> 0:14:14.720 these guys as well, you know they're in the queue. 0:14:15.240 --> 0:14:18.000 There's two of the more qualified candidates, but they have 0:14:18.080 --> 0:14:21.040 to wait their turn. Now what that means I have 0:14:21.160 --> 0:14:23.440 never really been able to get my arms around that. 0:14:23.880 --> 0:14:25.760 There's been a lot of guys from the fifties that 0:14:25.800 --> 0:14:28.240 have gone in, a lot of defensive players. I know 0:14:28.320 --> 0:14:31.480 they feel like defensive players have been short changed in 0:14:31.520 --> 0:14:35.200 the Hall, so which doesn't explain again Ken Riley being 0:14:35.280 --> 0:14:37.960 left out. But you know, my only hope is that 0:14:38.000 --> 0:14:41.160 they've gotten who they've wanted to get in from the 0:14:41.200 --> 0:14:44.280 fifties and sixties and now they're starting to work on 0:14:44.320 --> 0:14:48.360 the seventies and eighties. But you know, again they say that, 0:14:48.520 --> 0:14:50.400 and then you know Ken Stabler get in a couple 0:14:50.400 --> 0:14:53.560 of years ago, when really Kenny Anderson is just a 0:14:53.640 --> 0:14:57.560 good candidate, if not better than Stabler. So to me, 0:14:57.640 --> 0:15:00.920 the big pitch with Kenny and the two Kennies, and 0:15:01.000 --> 0:15:03.520 not just because their careers are certainly worthy of it, 0:15:03.560 --> 0:15:05.360 and then numbers or something worthy of it. But the 0:15:05.400 --> 0:15:08.320 Bengals have the fewest members of any team in the 0:15:08.320 --> 0:15:10.360 Hall of Fame. They only have one guy who played 0:15:10.360 --> 0:15:15.600 his entire career in Cincinnati, Anthony Munio's two Charlie Joyner 0:15:15.640 --> 0:15:19.280 and Torrell Owens. Charlie Joyner played there midway through his career. 0:15:19.360 --> 0:15:22.440 Torrell Owens played the last year of his career there. So, 0:15:23.320 --> 0:15:25.240 I you know, and this is always a fight for 0:15:25.280 --> 0:15:29.240 guys to live to see the day, you know. And 0:15:29.680 --> 0:15:32.800 that is the heartbreaking thing here with Kenny Riley, I 0:15:32.880 --> 0:15:35.680 know he's gonna get in. I've had these guys. Tell me, look, 0:15:35.720 --> 0:15:37.480 Ken Anderson and Ken Riley going to get in at 0:15:37.480 --> 0:15:40.400 some point. That was a tough break too when not 0:15:40.520 --> 0:15:43.280 one of them got in and the expanded class of twenty, 0:15:43.320 --> 0:15:45.080 but there was a lot of politics going on there. 0:15:45.120 --> 0:15:48.280 They seemed more interested in getting in players from the 0:15:48.440 --> 0:15:51.880 thirties and forties. You didn't even have a quarterback going well, 0:15:52.160 --> 0:15:54.880 if you count the Green Bay the guy from Green 0:15:54.920 --> 0:15:58.680 Bay who was basically, you know, a wing te quarterback. 0:15:59.200 --> 0:16:03.640 He was done huts since you know, quarterback, which is fine, 0:16:03.680 --> 0:16:06.800 I guess, but you know, for for Kenny Anderson to 0:16:06.880 --> 0:16:09.680 still be out there and Kenny Riley after an expanded 0:16:09.720 --> 0:16:13.000 class of twenty. Hard to swallow. When you say the 0:16:13.120 --> 0:16:15.240 time to make the pitch to these guys as may 0:16:15.400 --> 0:16:18.160 or June, what do you mean by that? Who's making 0:16:18.200 --> 0:16:20.760 the pitch and who are they pitching? I guess it's 0:16:20.800 --> 0:16:23.040 I'm making I guess I'm making the pitch or all 0:16:23.200 --> 0:16:25.880 or all supporters of Ken Rile and Ken Anderson. I 0:16:25.920 --> 0:16:27.920 think that's been one of the biggest mysteries, is when 0:16:27.920 --> 0:16:31.160 I actually do these guys sit down and do it. 0:16:31.200 --> 0:16:34.080 And it's the spring, it's now, so you know, I 0:16:34.240 --> 0:16:36.440 make a pitch, and I think guys like Collinsworth and 0:16:36.480 --> 0:16:40.200 Anthony Munio's make a pitch. But these guys. The thing is, 0:16:40.280 --> 0:16:44.560 these guys know Ira Coffman, who is a new who 0:16:44.640 --> 0:16:48.040 is a new Senior committeeman who represents the Tampa market. 0:16:49.040 --> 0:16:51.200 You know, he's all over Ken Riley, you know, because 0:16:51.240 --> 0:16:54.480 he's he's a hometown guy. So I know Irison, you know, 0:16:54.520 --> 0:16:56.240 And I know all these guys are in every They 0:16:56.280 --> 0:16:58.440 send me back emails after I send him something. Yeah 0:16:58.440 --> 0:17:01.960 I know, yeah, I know. Well, oh okay, I think 0:17:02.200 --> 0:17:06.080 I think they know. It's just uh, you know, it's 0:17:06.119 --> 0:17:09.040 just uh. I hope, I really pray for the day 0:17:09.080 --> 0:17:11.919 that not only that the Anderson family, but the Riley 0:17:11.960 --> 0:17:14.800 family can go and Kenny's got Kenny's get four grandsons, 0:17:15.400 --> 0:17:17.560 you know. I hope to God they're there with their 0:17:17.600 --> 0:17:21.359 parents and White and Kenny's wife Barbara, and it will 0:17:21.400 --> 0:17:24.960 be a little bitter sweet, but hopefully the ephicies will 0:17:24.960 --> 0:17:27.480 be on switet. You do get to vote on the 0:17:27.520 --> 0:17:30.639 more modern candidates, So let's talk about some of those guys, 0:17:30.680 --> 0:17:35.000 Willie Anderson, Corey Dillon, Chad Johnson. What kind of support 0:17:35.040 --> 0:17:38.600 do they have among the voters. Unfortunately not as much 0:17:38.640 --> 0:17:42.080 as they should have. We've had this u they call 0:17:42.160 --> 0:17:45.560 it a backlog of great offensive lineman from the nineties. 0:17:45.560 --> 0:17:47.240 And I've said it in the meetings. I said, you're 0:17:47.280 --> 0:17:50.000 talking about this backlog you have of left tackles, and 0:17:50.040 --> 0:17:53.600 there is there have been some great ones, Ogden Rofe, 0:17:54.119 --> 0:17:57.439 Walter Jones. I said, but you haven't even put in 0:17:57.480 --> 0:18:00.159 the best right tackle of his time, you know. And 0:18:00.440 --> 0:18:03.200 Willie knew this before we all did. Willy knew what 0:18:03.320 --> 0:18:05.399 was saying it when he played that there was a 0:18:05.440 --> 0:18:08.919 bias to left tackles because of the movie Blindside and 0:18:09.040 --> 0:18:12.280 what Lawrence Taylor did, the Joe Eisman Willie had us all. 0:18:12.520 --> 0:18:16.120 Willy's a savant, you know, And yes he has paid 0:18:16.160 --> 0:18:18.520 the price of being a right tackle. What's wrong with 0:18:18.600 --> 0:18:20.920 being the best right tackle of your era? He belo 0:18:21.040 --> 0:18:24.080 he deserves to be in but he's been overshadowed by 0:18:24.119 --> 0:18:26.600 guys like you know, they make a case for Tony 0:18:26.640 --> 0:18:29.240 Passelli and he's a left tackle, you know, the big 0:18:30.040 --> 0:18:32.240 Oh well, he's a media guy. And plus he's also 0:18:33.040 --> 0:18:35.000 you know, as he played enough, there's always a little 0:18:35.000 --> 0:18:37.400 debate with him. You know, he was a second pick 0:18:37.440 --> 0:18:39.680 in the draft, you know, so he's a sexy guy 0:18:39.720 --> 0:18:42.359 to talk about. All Willie did was he was a 0:18:42.440 --> 0:18:44.960 right tackle. He was a pick in the draft. He 0:18:45.160 --> 0:18:47.800 blocked every guy in front of him that he ever 0:18:47.840 --> 0:18:51.320 played from, you know, from being a young guy Blank 0:18:51.400 --> 0:18:54.760 and Reggie White in Green Bay to pitching a clinic 0:18:54.800 --> 0:18:57.600 against Julius Peppers in his prime here in two thousand 0:18:57.600 --> 0:19:03.520 and six. But Chad and Corey are probably probably more 0:19:03.600 --> 0:19:06.360 borderline guys, although they certainly have got to be mentioned. 0:19:06.640 --> 0:19:09.560 And I think Corey Dillon is a legitimate He is 0:19:09.560 --> 0:19:11.200 a guy that should be in. If you're gonna put 0:19:11.280 --> 0:19:14.160 edgund James in, you've got to put Corey Dillan in. 0:19:14.440 --> 0:19:17.520 Different guys, different backs, they played with different teams. The 0:19:17.640 --> 0:19:19.560 thing with Corey and I told him this when he played. 0:19:19.600 --> 0:19:22.720 He said, I said, I hope you get twelve thousand yards, 0:19:22.760 --> 0:19:25.000 because twelve thousand yards seems to be kind of a 0:19:25.520 --> 0:19:27.560 well you get in. You know, there's certain numbers. I mean, 0:19:27.560 --> 0:19:29.960 football is not like baseball. The only way it is 0:19:30.040 --> 0:19:33.080 kind of like baseball is if you hit some certain thresholds. 0:19:33.200 --> 0:19:37.160 But it changes in football because the errors change so 0:19:37.280 --> 0:19:39.680 even more so now though, if you get twelve thousand yards, 0:19:39.720 --> 0:19:41.320 they got to I think they got to think about 0:19:41.359 --> 0:19:43.399 putting in because the length of your career and you 0:19:43.480 --> 0:19:45.959 just don't run it as much, you know. And Corey 0:19:46.080 --> 0:19:48.760 was in the passing game era and he didn't get 0:19:48.800 --> 0:19:51.399 twelve thousand yards. He got I think he got eleven 0:19:51.440 --> 0:19:55.440 thousand and change. But the thing was, he's got a 0:19:55.480 --> 0:19:59.600 Super Bowl ring. He is not only the leading rusher 0:19:59.600 --> 0:20:03.160 in Bengal history, but he's also holds the Patriots single 0:20:03.240 --> 0:20:05.960 season rushing record, you know, and he has two of 0:20:06.000 --> 0:20:07.679 the greatest nineteen you know, he has two of the 0:20:07.680 --> 0:20:09.879 top nineteen games of all time. He held the record. 0:20:10.080 --> 0:20:12.040 He was brief, but he held the record for three years, 0:20:12.040 --> 0:20:14.400 one of the great records in sports. I'm talking about 0:20:14.440 --> 0:20:16.560 the single game rushing record he broke. He broke a 0:20:16.600 --> 0:20:18.960 record that was twenty two year old, twenty two years 0:20:19.000 --> 0:20:22.120 old when he broke Peyton's record in two thousand. So 0:20:22.200 --> 0:20:25.280 to me, he's got a better case than Chad, although 0:20:25.359 --> 0:20:27.760 Chad he can you know, my argument with Chad is 0:20:27.800 --> 0:20:31.200 why he should be mentioned with the Reggie Waynes. I mean, 0:20:31.640 --> 0:20:35.439 his best years were better than Reggie Wayne's best years, 0:20:35.440 --> 0:20:38.320 except Chad just didn't have enough of him, you know. 0:20:38.480 --> 0:20:44.080 And he's the only receiver in this century to lead 0:20:44.160 --> 0:20:48.480 his conference in receiving yards four straight years. The only 0:20:48.520 --> 0:20:50.600 other guy who's done that his history is Jerry Rice. 0:20:51.080 --> 0:20:53.520 So you know, he should be in that conversation. But 0:20:53.560 --> 0:20:57.080 I think he's a little more borderline than Corey. But 0:20:57.200 --> 0:21:00.600 Corey's you know, Corey and Willie. It's don't get a 0:21:00.680 --> 0:21:02.959 lot of support in the room. I'm not sure why. Well, 0:21:03.000 --> 0:21:04.760 I do know why. They played on bad bank you know, 0:21:04.840 --> 0:21:07.639 they played on bad teams that didn't get noticed. They 0:21:07.640 --> 0:21:09.520 played in a small market, I hate to say it, 0:21:09.880 --> 0:21:12.520 and h Cordy, I hate to ramble, but this is 0:21:12.560 --> 0:21:14.879 really gets into my goat now because this is really 0:21:15.320 --> 0:21:17.960 and I've talked to I've talked to guys about this, 0:21:18.800 --> 0:21:20.480 and I've talked to you about it. In the lap, 0:21:21.840 --> 0:21:25.879 these guys were so close. It's very subjective, you know, 0:21:26.280 --> 0:21:28.240 And a lot of times guys stow up their hands 0:21:28.240 --> 0:21:30.159 and say, well, they want a super Bowl and the 0:21:30.280 --> 0:21:34.240 super Bowl is the tiebreaker, and that's just not fair. 0:21:35.680 --> 0:21:38.159 You know. That has made what we do is we 0:21:38.200 --> 0:21:40.600 have a Hall of Fame filled with a lot of 0:21:40.640 --> 0:21:44.240 good players on great teams and not enough great players 0:21:44.280 --> 0:21:46.399 from bad teams. Well, it's four great players. It's for 0:21:46.440 --> 0:21:48.159 the Hall of Fame. It's for Williams, and it's for 0:21:48.240 --> 0:21:50.840 Corey Dillon, for guys who were grinding on teams that 0:21:50.920 --> 0:21:54.119